//------------------------------// // Chapter 16. // Story: The Desert Prince // by Sparky Brony //------------------------------// The words of the wounded griffon send electricity down my spine. “Dawn! Geurina!” I shout. The griffon lands next to me after only a few seconds. She smiles as I can see Dawn galloping towards us, next to her, Sparks is galloping as fast as her little legs can carry her. “Ki.” Ghaliya says fiercely. I smile at her. “Don’t worry, love.” As I turn towards the approaching ponies, her hoof lands on my withers, pulling me to face her. She leans close. “Ki, we need to shelter in place. The City had the Royal Guard for a purpose.” I turn to look at the griffon. “Why else would he have come but to ask for assistance?” Ghaliya frowns. “To warn those approaching the city, to know it’s not safe to come in. We are a little more than a day away, if the caravan gets too close, we could become involved.” Her eyes flick towards the griffon before focusing on me again. “I’m no longer a member of the Royal family. We don’t have a dog in this hunt. We need to hunker down, keep vigilant against raiders, and wait for the all clear.” I frown. “We have a fortune here, safety lays in the city.” She smiles brightly. “Farris and his guards can keep us safe. And we have you, remember? Are you going to let anything happen?” I look at her for a long moment as Dawn and Sparks skid to a stop. “But the horses of the City…” “Will be protected by the Guard. That is their function.” She leans forward, almost nuzzling my cheek before she flinches away. She sighs softly. “What, Ki? Did you think they were there to just walk among the horses? They have a real job to do. The City has tall walls, heavy gates. Any siege is doomed to fail. Inside there are great granaries, and cisterns of water. In nearly a thousand years, no army has been able to breach the walls of the city.” “They are magical.” The griffon pipes up. “They breached the gates before I even left the city. There is a huge dragon among the hordes, leading these foul creatures. There was no warning! They appeared out of the mists.” He crawls upright, taking a moment to fold his wings. “They were being held back by the mages.” He shakes his head. “But I don’t know how long they’d last. The Grand Vizier has been very effective at stymying them. But even the magic corps will be overwhelmed. There are just so many…” He stands there, tears in his eyes as he shakes his head. “I wasn’t sent to warn others, I was sent to find help. Let me get some water and provisions, and I’ll be heading for more help.” I turn to Ghaliya. “That seals it. I’m going to help.” Ghaliya bites her lip. Glancing between me, the ponies, and the griffon. As she’s thinking, Guerina reaches into her pack, pulling out a packet of oiled paper and giving it to the young griffon. “Here, you’ll owe me for the meat.” She rummages around. “I’ve got a couple of water bags here too, ahh.” She pulls one out. “Go, find more help. Though the next city is a good distance away by wing.” She points. “I’d say a solid two days in the air.” The young male griffon nods grimly, spreading his wings. “I’ll get going then.” Without another word, he’s in the air. I look at Guerina, she shrugs her wings. “What? Can’t griff’s be charitable when we feel like it?” I shake my head, a smile on my face. I reach out a wing. “I’m rubbing off on you, aren’t I?” That gets rolled eyes from the griffon. “Yeah, sure, uh huh.” She grumbles. I turn towards Dawn. “Okay, we need to get to the city. Would you happen to have left one of those crystals, give us a focal point to teleport?” Dawn looks at me for a long moment, her eyes darting back and forth as she thinks. Then she lowers her head. “No. They are quite expensive, not to simply be left just in case something happens.” She growls. “I can take one and set it up. I know a few places in the city that might be safe to teleport in, but there are no guarantees.” I unfold my wings. “I can take one…” Ghaliya moves closer. “No, Ki. If you want to go, I’m going too.” Both Dawn’s and my head whip around towards Ghaliya. “NO!” I shout. “Are you crazy?” Dawn shouts before flinching and taking a couple of steps back. “No disrespect mistress, but no, you cannot do this.” Ghaliya silences both of us with a glare. “I am not your typical combatant, I know.” She stands firm. “But I know my way around the blade, and the musket. I will not have you go into danger without me to support you.” Dawn looks up at me, then back to Ghaliya. “You don’t understand, this isn’t some bandit raid, nor is it a siege by some jealous royals trying to jockey for position. This is war. Something you have never seen before.” “If you are going, then I must accompany you, Mistress. If this is an all out war, you will need protection more than ever.” Farris says loudly. She looks at him. “No. You will safeguard our business here.” He opens his mouth. “My decision is final, Farris.” She snaps. “About ten miles back is good defensible ground. Get the caravan moved there first thing in the morning, and keep the caravan intact while we are gone.” She sighs. “We don’t have enough guards among us to mount enough of a fighting force to retake the city if it’s already breached.” She looks at me. “But we do have some serious magical power here. In you, Ki. And you, Dawn. We can hope that will be enough.” “Don’t forget me.” Sparks says, squeaking the last word. Ghaliya smiles gently. “Of course, the best medic has to join us.” Dawn steps up next to me. “I know a place in the palace. It’s a courtyard in the servants quarters, we wouldn’t likely be noticed if we teleport in.” “I don’t know that place. I was thinking we come in outside the city and find our way in…” Dawn’s smile causes me to stumble to a stop. “Oh, Ki. You don’t know even half of what you think you should know. I have been teaching you as rapidly as I can. But there is a lot left for you to learn. I’m compressing decades of magical learning into a few short months. You can be an effective fighter, despite your desire to avoid killing. But I will guide the teleport for all of us. There is a courtyard big enough for all of us, and I know exactly where it is.” She looks around. “Mistress, you don’t have any weapons, I would suggest you arm yourself before we head in.” “We are going right now?” She asks, looking at the dark sky. “Would you prefer they have more time to ravage the city? Perhaps kill your uncle?” “They wouldn’t DARE!” She growls. Dawn cocks her head to the side. “This isn’t some opposing army among the royals, Mistress. A dragon, coming out of the mists. I don’t see them simply wanting to conquer the City. This is about immolating your home, I’m afraid.” Ghaliya looks unsure for a long moment before galloping towards her tent. I look back at my robes, most of the time they are nice, they keep the heat of the sun off of my body, but I may need to fly, and move quickly. I momentarily wish for some armor, like what the guards wear, but I would have to modify it for my frame. Not enough time. Only a few minutes has Ghaliya galloping back, a sword belted on one side, a holster with a pistol on the other. I pull my robes off and toss them on the ground. I won’t be needing them. Dawn comes close. “Okay, this isn’t going to be easy, let me lead the weaving.” She looks down at Sparks. “Ready?” Sparks nods, then her eyes narrow in concentration. “I’m ready.” Dawn smiles and her horn lights, the little pony’s horn lights a moment later, but the color is different, it’s her natural light blue, but overlaying it is Dawn’s cyan color. Then they both look at me. Oh, we are going to do a ring then. I nod and assume the void, I reach towards the light and power of my magic, just barely touching it. Time seems to stretch as Dawn smoothly pulls my magic, my horn lighting, but in the same manner as with Sparks, my own deep green but overlaid with Dawn’s cyan color aura. We share a smile before Dawn lowers her horn so Sparks can touch hers to Dawn’s. I follow suit and when all three horns are touching, Dawn draws deeply from all of the magic and we wink out of existence. *** The void between existence and non-existence seems to last forever as we teleport. Dawn has talked to me about field affect teleportation, and how different it is from just individual teleportation. As we materialize inside the castle grounds, I stumble a bit, everything I’ve ever eaten wanting to be expelled right at that moment. I can’t release my magic, Dawn has a firm grip on it. She comes up next to me. “Ki, just breathe a bit. I told you it was a lot different from what you are used to when it comes to teleportation.” She looks over at Guerina and Ghaliya. The griffon hits the side of her head and shakes her head hard. Ghaliya shakes her head, looking a bit green. “Let’s not do that again.” Ghaliya says softly. Dawn giggles. “It gets easier, Mistress. It’s hard to imagine now, but your body will adjust to this type.” She glances back at me. “In fact, before the modern teleportation spells were discovered, area affect spells were the primary type for unicorns.” She looks over at me. “You okay now, Ki?” At my nod, she releases my magic, which allows me to take a deep breath and sigh. She shakes her head and body quickly. “Alright, let’s see what’s going on in the City.” Dawn leads the way. A quick look around lets me know in general where this courtyard is but, no, I’ve never been here before. I can hear shouts and screams, but they are distant, muffled. Dawn leads us up, towards one of the spires of the palace. We finally exit a door onto the roof, getting me to skid to a stop. The observatory, several different telescopes line the wall. Dawn’s horn lights to yank a large one off of its mount and she floats it to in front of her. She peers through the scope for a long moment as I look out with just my eyes. Before us is a vision of hell to my eyes. I can’t see the individual fighting, but too much of the outer city is on fire. The sound of the fighting is dim but rather omnipresent, getting me to flick my ears. “Where’s the dragon?” “I’m searching, Ki.” Dawn says sharply. A gout of flame has her turning to the north. She grimaces. “I know these creatures. I’ve seen them before. In the wilds.” She shudders as she continues to scan. “They are called the Umbrood. They are not all that intelligent, though they make up fairly large packs…” She frowns. “Or herds, I could say. They are like…ponies or horses, mutated, twisted, evil. But they are cowardly. They wouldn’t be fighting unless.” She gasps. “Unless there was one who had enough strength to make them believe they could win. Like a dragon.” “You found the dragon?” She nods and points. I follow suit and pick up another telescope and train it in the direction she is pointing. That gets a gasp from me. The dragon is large, quite a bit larger than myself or Ghaliya. I can’t tell at this distance anything much more than the dragon is a deep crimson with gold counter scales along the belly and neck, the horns along the almost feminine head are the color of steel. The dragon belches a huge gout of flame, though the flames are truncated short. I refocus quickly, Bijan is there, along with some of the horses I remember from my early magical training. They are working together, keeping the creatures at bay. “So much death.” I murmur softly. How long has this fighting been going on? The guards are fighting hard. Using their swords and bodies to slow the oncoming tide of creatures. Shields have been thrown up magically. And rubble has been used to assemble new walls as others are destroyed. But the city to the north of this shrinking ring of defenders has been devastated. I look to the south, east, and west. Okay, the invaders are concentrating to the north. I flare my wings. “Everypony, let me scout and see where we can be most effective.” I’m going to keep them safe, if they think I’ll simply scout out then maybe I can stop this dragon. I take to the air. The chime of magic sounds in my ears before I even get moving. Magic grabs my tail. “Ki, no. We go together.” Dawn says with a growl. I look back at her. Damn it, she knows what I was planning. I drop back down and fold my wings. “Am I that transparent?” Dawn opens her mouth, but Ghaliya answers. “Well, duh, Ki. You want to protect us from this.” Ghaliya is nodding in agreement. “Of course you want to take care of this without us.” She looks out at the devastation to the north. “But this is going to take more than you, Ki.” “Ki, you don’t understand, I am your Knight, I will do everything I can to keep you safe,” Shaking her head, Dawn looks at me, “I know you don’t like the idea, but you are an Alicorn Prince.” I shake my head no, “This I war, I can’t…” Dawn clears her throat, turning to me and stomps her hoof as she begins to sing, “Don't you come here and say I didn't warn you.” I take a step back, perking my ears as she continues. “About the way your world can alter...” She waves her foreleg in a grand arc encompassing the city before us, the fighting, the battle below, and yet her voice carries strong and true, “And oh how you are able command it all still.” She motions to the dragon, who is spewing fire. “Every single time it all shifts one way or the other.” Lowering her head slowly, Dawn puts her hoof over her heart "I'm a goddamn coward, but again so are you." Looking up at me with tears in her eyes, her voice cracks a bit in sadness, as the dragon below bellows out, "And the dragons roar, the dragons roar." Turning to face the window she rears up putting her forelegs on the sill looking down, "Has me evading and fighting, just for you!" Shaking her head, she droops her head, "And I never really knew..." She takes deep breath, "What to do..." Turning her back she continues, "And every once in a while, I have to sing a song for you,” Looking up at the clouds, she lights her horn, "As you rise above the mountains and the skies and the sea." Walking away slowly she shakes her head, "As if I wanted it to, it would lead you back to me." With that, she turns back to face me, "So I could stand by you..." I take a step back as I look at her and work my throat in a gulp. She looks up at me, the magic of the song fading. “I’m coming with you, Ki. So is everyone else.” “I can’t guarantee your safety here.” I say plaintively. “Neither can we guarantee yours, Love.” Ghaliya says softly. “But we are going to do everything we can.” She looks out at the city before us. “Or all is lost.” I have a thought. “Ghaliya. You ensure your uncle is safe. Don’t let anycreature anywhere near him” “It sounds like you are trying to protect me.” Ghaliya says playfully. She looks out at the city. “Well, I can’t teleport like you can. I will work where I’m most effective.” She draws her sword and takes off, the clatter of her hooves tells me that the Padishah will be safe. I look over at Guerina as I unfold my wings again. She draws two daggers. “You know, this isn’t going to be easy.” She looks down at the battle front. “There’s easily fifty griffons among the fighters down there.” I nod. “We are in this together.” Dawn and Sparks light their horns as Guerina and I leap off the parapet. I can hear the pop of their teleportation as we accelerate. The griffon’s war shriek sends chills down my back as we streak along, just above the roofs of the city. Quick glances show the citizens of the city as we pass. Some are dressed in armor and heading towards the fighting, others are comforting those injured, and many are barricading their homes. This is why I’m here. These lives are why I’m fighting. Not the Padishah, Ghaliya will ensure his safety, but the horses need this to end. I shudder as I think of the lives already lost. But no more. I angle towards the dragon, she’s just demolished a makeshift wall, the creatures Dawn was talking about, the Umbrood, are streaming on either side of it. Though they are dying quite quickly, and not just from Bijan’s magic users. On nearly every nearby rooftop, archers are methodically raining down death among this invading army. They aren’t hitting the dragon, but I doubt the arrows would penetrate those thick scales. The loud crashing booms of canons are punctuated with the sharp crack of volleys of musket balls. With all the arms brought to bear, the horses are being pushed back slowly. I gain some altitude, lighting my horn and tapping into my connection with life. My eyes flash brightly as climbing vines leap out and ensnare the legs of the dragon. “What the?” I can tell it’s a she now. She bathes one of her legs in flames, the magically bolstered vines crisp under her assault, but hold firm. I streak forward. She’s using elemental Fire, I can see the threads of the magic. So, I counter the Fire with a weave of Water, pulling from the multitude of fountains in the area. I use Fire myself, but to draw the heat from the water and turn it to ice. Thousands of spear shaped ice projectiles pepper the dragon, getting a roar from her. She looks up at me. A multitude of emotions flash across her face. “An alicorn? And I thought Enyo was going to have all the fun.” She mutters. “Yes.” I answer. Switching to Air, I form a club of Air and swing it at her. The impact knocks her to the side, I form a second club, aiming it for the Umbrood streaming around her. My attack is aborted when she inhales deeply and I can see the threads of a weave of fire form. She spews out a massive gout of flames towards me, forcing me to gain altitude as fast as I can. I think my tail was singed there. I loop back and lash out with a thin line of Spirit, slicing her weave. That gets a surprised roar from the dragon, who pulls a limb free to slash at me. Though I evade her attack easily. A shout turns into a panicked scream below me. A group of horses are being overrun by a large group of creatures. I flash down, throwing up a shield as I land before the Guard. “Fall back!” I shout as I collapse the shield and lash out with Air, causing the Umbrood to fly back towards the dragon. I don’t know how long I’m fighting these creatures. But as I advance, all around me, the activity seems to slow to a crawl. From the flapping of the griffins wings, to the flight of the arrows. All action, all motion seems to slow to a stop. Even the colors around me seem to desaturate to muted grays. I stop fighting and look around in confusion as a form of black and gray mist coalesces in front of me. It doesn't take a specific form, instead appearing as an ever-changing blob. "Why are YOU here?" I shake my head, why is that voice familiar? "I'm here to fight for my friends, whoever... whatever you are!" The mists take on an almost equine form yet with no real definition to it, simply blobs or tufts of cloud stuck together , "No Tellus, I mean why are you here, on this world?" "My name is Ki." I say firmly as my ears flick in annoyance. The form slowly walks, if you could even call it that, in a wide circle around me, "Tellus, Robert, Ki, whatever you choose to call yourself, it doesn't matter. You shouldn't be here; this isn't your life." "What do you mean?" I say, “None of what you’re saying makes sense.” "You don't even remember, do you? Your quaint, safe little life on that other world? Your home, your family, your friends? Oh my, this is priceless." I cock my head to the side. “I don’t even know who I’m talking to.” “Oh my name isn’t important, for now, Tellus. Like you I have been called many things,” The voice laughs, “The leader, the pariah, the victor. I may even become their messiah.” Almost snarling I call you, “Why are you doing this? Why have you stopped me from helping these horses?” I can almost hear the smile in the voice as it responds. “What makes you think I’m the cause of this? I would think that dragon would be behind this war.” I shake my head and stomp on the ground with a hoof. “You wouldn’t be talking to me if you weren’t involved.” I look around at the frozen scene around me. Only light and dark, no color, no life. I suppress the desire to shudder. The voice chuckles a soft laugh. “Oh, you are too smart for your own good, aren’t you? But you are stunted now, disabled. You don’t know half of the power you command. You don’t know your aspect.” “Life.” I say firmly. Again that chuckle. “Oh, but that’s only part of the picture. Those of us have different aspects, One you’ve heard of controls the sun, one controls the moon, one the magic of love and family, one water and what it means.” The voice turns bitter. “So many others, having a hoof in every part of existence. We are bound here, yet we are Gods among these weak creatures. They are dust, temporary, not even beginning to understand what they could grow into. Even the dragons, as powerful and long lived as they are, they are beholden to those with true power. Like you, and me.” “Okay.” I think for a moment. “What is your aspect? What do you control?” “That, is not important, what is important is the offer I have,” The voice says with a smirk. Shaking my head, I snort once, “Offer? Why should I even trust you.” “You shouldn’t, but at the same time, I can offer to send you home. Back where you can be safe, happy. Back to the life you had.” “I am needed here,” I shout, “I have a life here! Why are you even doing this?” Again, that infuriating laughter. “Oh, wouldn’t you like to know? We shall meet again, Tellus. And maybe you’ll have some idea of what you are truly capable of, what all of the alicorns can do.” I blink as the presence vanishes, the world seems to suddenly be in movement again. I look up, the dragon has breathed a massive gout of fire at me. I throw up a desperate shield. She’s so powerful! Electricity crackles along my shield, every bolt producing a blinding pain in my skull. I’m so focused on the magic, her massive claw slams into me bodily, throwing me into a wall. I shake my head. Dawn’s told me to lose my magic that way can be dangerous. My eyes are watering, how hard did she hit me? I look around, I wasn’t just knocked into a wall, I was blown through a wall into a second. I cough in the massive dust cloud. I snatch at my magic, the dragon is inhaling to spew fire again. I can feel her gather the magic. Pain clouds everything, I can’t touch my magic! “Ki!” Dawn’s voice is accompanied by a loud pop of her teleporting in. She throws up a shield as the dragon lets loose. The low dome of her shield deflects the massive burst of magic, immediately driving her to her knees. I try to scramble to my hooves, but my body is not working correctly. I focus on one hoof, trying to place it on the ground. I need to get to my hooves, I need to stand up. I need to embrace my magic. The dragon slams a claw into the shield, causing it to ring like a bell. Dawn slides back under the onslaught. Her groans reach my ears. More impacts to the shield are accompanied by pained groans from the blue unicorn. I successfully get one hoof to listen to me. I try with the other forehoof. “Come on.” I moan. “Ki, get away!” Dawn’s voice is full of pain. “I can’t hold…” She stomps a hoof into the ground, her horn nearly blindingly bright. “Please!” The panic in her voice has me lurching to my hooves. Though pain wracks my body, I take a shaky step, towards her. “Ki, NO!” Dawn’s voice is panicked as cracks spread across the shield as the dragon slams her claws into the shield again and again. I flinch as more Fire splashes onto her shield, expanding the cracks. “I…can’t…hold…” She groans. “Dawn!” I shout. Desperately I try to pull on my magic, but I could sooner grab a greased eel with my hooves. My own horn crackles with unfocused energy. Sparking is good, I can feel the magic, I can make it work. Come on! With a loud cry, Dawn’s shield fails as I finally am able to pull on my magic. A low crump of sound greets my ears as the fire slams into the ground, and Dawn. My horn lights and I push the fire away from her as I leap into the air. My wings beat powerfully as I gather more energy. I send a blast at the dragon, knocking her away. With a snarl, I send blast after blast at her, though her thick scales seem to be protecting her. She bats away a blast from me, though her claw is smoking. “I’ll deal with you later.” She growls as mists form over her and in seconds, she’s gone. I look down and streak towards the ground. “Dawn!” I scream as I land next to her burned body. Her body is a mass of burns and blisters. I’m afraid to touch her. She rolls onto her back, she hisses in pain as she does so. How long was she in the fire? A few seconds at most, right? Her horn even has cracks along it. A clear liquid seeps out, creating rivulets in the ash that was her mane. “Ki?” Her voice comes as a croak. I get down close to her. “I’m here.” I want to gather her body up, but I think it would kill her. Her ruined face smiles, her eyes sightless and cloudy. “I was able to save you.” Blood is streaming from her nose, she doesn’t seem to notice it. “No. nonononononono.” I moan. I don’t know healing magic. “SPARKS!!!” I shout. I’m impacted by a ball of furry fury. “Don’t touch her!” I tumble to the side, panting. Sparks has already gotten her magical aura around Dawn. “Oh, damn. Dawn. Don’t try to move.” “It’s okay, Sparks.” Dawn mumbles. “I did my job. It’s going to be okay.” “You are right.” Dawn snarls, tears flowing down her cheeks. “It is going to be okay. I’ve Healed those in worse shape. Just relax and let me work.” With the loss of the dragon, the Umbrood are being driven slowly back by the guards. I step closer, only to get a baleful glare from the tiny pony. I understand, I need to keep my distance. Her eyes turn white as her own horn glows brighter. I pull on my magic, forming a shield over them and tying it off lightly. I turn towards the receding battle as Guerina lands next to me. I don’t want to think of how much blood is on her daggers. Though the bandolier she’s wearing shows she’s lost a few in the fight. She limps a bit, favoring one of her hind legs. She starts working to reload her pistol. Her movements methodical as she loads the powder into the barrel. “Have we won?” “I think so.” I look back at the dome of the shield. “But at what cost?” I stay protectively close as Sparks continues to work. Can she save Dawn? I shake my head, trying to prevent tears from falling. A commotion grabs my attention. Ghaliya sprints into view, dozens of guards following her. Their armor battered and stained. Every guard’s sword had tasted blood so far. And so has hers, I note with surprise. She gestures towards the fighting and the Guard gallops full bore after the Umbrood as they recede into the distance. Though Ghaliya has spotted me and she trots up to me, a big smile on her face. “Ki, you stopping that dragon has broken the creatures. The Padishah is okay and I gathered some of the guards at the palace…” She stumbles to a stop at my raised hoof. “Ki, what’s wrong?” I look over at the dome, I can still see Sparks working. Dawn’s body is glowing brightly as she’s continuing, oblivious to the world around her. “Oh no. Is that Dawn?” I nod. “She saved me, and paid the price for it.” I get a gentle nuzzle at my cheek. “Dawn is tough, and Sparks is the best healer I’ve ever known. If anypony can help, she can.” “I know.” I sob. I breathe deeply a few times. My emotions threatening to overwhelm me. “If I hadn’t been distracted, I could have…” I’m stopped by a gentle hoof to my lips. “Distracted?” I nod. “Whoever is behind the dragon, these creatures. He visited me, he stopped time around me somehow, and he talked to me.” Her eyes widen as I continue. “He called me Tellus, he told me a lot of things, this time I remember.” I tell her of the conversation, holding nothing back. When I finally wind down, Ghaliya looks thoughtful. “Don’t worry, Ki. We will figure out what is going on.” I nod, then I look at Dawn and Sparks as I can feel the intensity of her magic waning. I dissipate the shield as Sparks struggles to her hooves. “I’ve done what I can.” She nearly falls flat on her face, but my magic catches her. “I know you have.” I say softly as I move over to look at Dawn. Far from the ruined pony she was just a few minutes ago. Her skin is red, but no more blisters, the nasty deep burns are now gone. She blinks slowly, her ears flicking back and forth. Her mane and coat are bare fuzz all over her body, but it looks healthy. She rolls over onto her hooves and tries to rise, only to have me pick her up in my magic as well. “Dawn, are you okay?” “My head hurts, I feel like I was run over by a wagon, then left out in the sun to bake.” Dawn responds with a slight whimper. “Sparks did her best,” I say and give her back a light pat with a wing. Her wince has me snapping my wing to my side instantly. Sitting up Dawn wobbles a bit, before blinking a few times, “I guess I shouldn’t move to much so soon.” “You probably need rest and something to eat after that,” I say, knowing that feeling myself. Dawn looks back at her body for a moment, then over at the Griffon. “I’m hoping you have water in that?” She asks. Gesturing towards the messenger bag strapped on her. Guerina reaches into her bag and pulls out a waterskin. Dawn narrows her eyes and concentrates, then her eyes widen in shock. She swallows and reaches out a hoof, still nothing happens. Looking between Dawn and the griffon, I tilt my head drooping one ear to the side, “Is something wrong?” “Ki, my magic, I can’t feel it, I can’t call it,” Dawn says, her voice starting to crack as tears form. Hugging her gently with a wing I look down at her, “Maybe you’re just too tired.” Dawn shakes her head slowly before looking at me. “It took everything I had to stop that blast, it overwhelmed me, but I couldn’t let it hurt you… I think I burned it out… I think I’ve lost my magic.”