//------------------------------// // Calming the Tempest // Story: My Little Pony: The Pyres of Friendship // by Scribe of the Nightwings //------------------------------// Chapter 17: Calming the Tempest Musical Cue - Strange Voyage The following morning, everybody packed up the campsite and the blackwagon made its way back on the Sea. Due to the Sea having much less choppier waters than the Wyrm Gulf, it seemed as though Hedwyn was having a much easier time with the water travel. Thus, it brought Twilight great relief to see the Nomad contently polishing his cookware as they were traveling. The rest of the group were also taking well to the waters. Rainbow Dash was up on the roof getting some fresh air while Pinkie was looking outside the window. Fluttershy was making quiet conversation with both Rukey and Ti’zo. There was also Applejack was in the far corner with Mae helping her with one of her twig creations, with Tariq nearby strumming on his lute. Jodariel was checking the interior of the wagon to make sure that it hadn’t taken on any water. Finally, Rarity was over on the side of the room where the Nightwings stored their raiments for the Rites. Seeing the fashionista got Twilight’s mind working. While it was true that Rarity was caught up with the whole situation last night, the alicorn was still concerned about her comfort. She was a refined mare, after all, and the harsh conditions of the Downside were hardly accommodating to her type. It was that train of thought that urged the purple pony to trot over to check on her friend. “Oh, how ghastly!” the fashionista muttered to herself. “How in the world did they let it devolve to this!” “Um, Rarity?” Twilight interrupted the unicorn. Rarity broke her concentration and swiftly turned around. “Oh, Twilight! Right on time. I was just wondering if there happens to be any sewing equipment aboard this wagon?” Twilight was perplexed by the request. “I…think Jodariel might know if we have any. Can I ask why you need it?” “Why?! Well, just look here, darling!” Rarity gestured to the raiments. “Just look at the state of these raiments! Now, do not misunderstand, the color combinations are quite suitable for one another. And the masks do have an ornamental charm to them. But look here! Holes!” She used her hoof to lift up the fabric to reveal small rips and tears. “Some of these are just littered these unsightly holes. Not to mention the others.” Twilight cocked her head. “Others?” Rarity then moved a bit over and looked to the floor. Using her magic, she found a small hidden lever and lifted it to reveal a hidden trap door. Inside the compartment were even more raiments folded up and a few more ceremonial masks with shapes that Twilight didn’t recognize. She did, however, recognized one of the masks was the same one that the Pyrehearts wore during the Rite. “Tariq informed me of these ones after I asked him if we had any more fabric.” Rarity continued her tangent. “But even these ones weren’t spared from these holes. I simply must find a way to fix this disaster! While am not entire familiar with these Rites the others informed me about, I do know that presentation still matters!” As much as Twilight appreciated Rarity’s insistence on fixing this “fashion disaster’, she still needed to make sure she was okay. It was also a good time to hear her side of the story of what happened back in Equestria. “So Rarity, to switch to another topic, I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me? Do you remember what happened back in Equestria with the mirror I was messing with?” “Oh, well,” the white mare said as she began thinking. “I remember going to the castle to meet with about the possibility of perhaps implementing school uniforms for the school. I ran into Pinkie who had decided to demonstrate another one of her messy party contraptions to me. Before my hair became the victim of another confetti attack, I convince her that we should find you. We eventually made it to the library when we then heard a commotion. Pinkie burst opened the door and let off one of her poppers, but I was in shock at what I saw. I noticed everypony was in the room as the mirror began to give off this brilliant shine. I even knew Spike was there because I saw his cute little tail sticking out from behind the mirror. The next thing I knew, the mirror exploded in a flash and I was falling in a vortex for 45 minutes or so. And then I landed here…and got my beautiful mane all wet.” Twilight nodded at the unicorn’s description. So far, everything matched with the other ponies in the room at the time of the incident. “Okay. As for my second question, I just wanted to see if you were alight?” “Whatever do you mean by that, darling?” Rarity asked. Twilight began awkwardly scratching the back of her neck. “Well, you know…It’s just that…the Downside doesn’t exactly have the best conditions for your…standards.” The alicorn was struggling to not sound offensive to her eccentric friend. “I just want to make sure that you’re coping with it well.” “Oh Twilight,” Rarity said while suppressing a giggle. “I know what you’re referring to. You may find it hard to believe, but I am not the same indoor-pansy fashionista that you met all that time ago. I’ve gradually learned the ways of ‘roughing it’ thanks to those sister camping trips me, Applejack and Rainbow Dash have with the Crusaders. Sure, I may not have my Aloe Vera sleeping mask, or my makeup kit, or my personalized comfort chair, or my linen bedsheets, or my…hmm.” The fashionista became a bit more destressed as she listed off her usual creature-comforts that she was missing. However, she quickly shook it away. “Nonono! That’s not important right now! So long as I have a hairbrush and a mirror to keep my mane presentable, I will be just fine. The point is that I’m confident that we’ll find Starlight and Spike and make our way back to Equestria! In which I will then immediately book an appointment at the spa!” Twilight had to admit, hearing Rarity’s optimism had greatly assured her worries for her friend. Rarity was right, she was tougher than she looked. “Excuse me, Miss Rarity?” The two ponies turned to see that Tariq had approached them both. “Would it be okay with you if I borrow Madam Twilight from you for a moment?” The white mare nodded. “Oh, of course, darling. I have another situation to attend to anyhow. Oh Jodariel!” she sang as she trotted to the Demon. “It is good to see that she is accommodating well.” the minstrel noted before he focused back on the alicorn. “Madam Twilight, might I discuss with you about Miss Applejack?” Twilight’s curiosity was peaked at the mention of her farmer friend. “Does it happen to involve something about the last Rite?” she guessed. “Aye,” he confirmed. “I spoke with her and she recounted her role in your battle with the Pyrehearts. It seems as though when she unleased her Blessing, the Nightwings were able to increase their damage to the adversary’s pyre?” When the pony nodded, the Lone Minstrel let out a hum of thought. “I see. Then it would appear that Miss Applejack’s Blessing seems to raise Glory in the participants.” “Glory?” Twilight asked, vaguely remembering that the Voice had mentioned the same thing. “During the Rites, the amount an exile diminishes the flames of a pyre is depended on their Glory. It varies depending on the exile, but usually motivate and vigor are the leading cause for high Glory.” As the minstrel continued his explanation, the gears in Twilight’s head began to turn. “Now that you mention it, Applejack was persuading Mae to ‘put everything she had into it’ when she first activated her Blessing.” She mused out loud. “I also suppose that this further supports the theory that these Blessing might somehow be connected to the Elements. “My thoughts exactly, Madam Twilight.” Tariq concurred. “It’s my suggestion that you continue to test this quandary in future Rites as well. It would no doubt give you an advantage against your Adversaries.” Before they could continue this conversation, the pair felt the wagon make a sudden stop. “Hey, uh, chums?” Rukey announced to everybody in the wagon. “Looks like we hit a road block. You might wanna check this out!” Soon after the announcement, the Nightwings and ponies began to exit outside. “It would be probably wise to follow and assess the situation.” Tariq noted to the alicorn. She agreed and followed the Lone Minstrel outside. As Twilight stepped out, she saw that the wagon had parked on a small islet. Though what really caught her attention was what was in front of her. Before the small wagon was another stretch of the Sea that was completely engulfed in gigantic tidal waves. The wagon was far enough not to be in their path, thankfully, but the alicorn knew that the small vehicle wouldn’t last a second in those waves. The situation looked even more dire as she looked to the sky. In contrast to the clear blue sky that she saw when the group first arrived at the Sea, Twilight could only see pitch black stretching all the way across the looming horizon. Not only that, but the storm clouds brought on a downpour onto the crashing waves below. “Yeesh! That’s one heck of a storm!” Rukey commented. “Didn’t think it would be this big!” “Hey, Rainbow? Think you could go up there and buck them clouds away?” Applejack suggested. “Might help simmer down the water a bit.” “Are you kidding?!” the daredevil said in disbelief. “It’d take like ten weather teams to fight off those clouds! Not to mention that the winds would probably blow my wings straight off! I may be awesome, but I’m not suicidal. Besides, I doubt these clouds work the same as the ones back in Equestria.” “Even if you were to somehow clear the clouds, they would simply return.” Tariq commented as he looked to the enormous storm. “You know of this, minstrel?” Jodariel asked skeptically. He nodded and began his explanation. “The Greater Titan that we saw back at the Hulk of Ores was known as Unfathomed Plurnes. Any ship unfortunate enough to attempt passage through the Sea would meet its end by the Titan’s strength. That is until the arrival of the Wyrm Scribe, Underking Ores. Realizing that he would be no match due to his small size, he used his cunning instead. He saw a ship that wasn’t completely destroyed by Plurnes’s wrath named the Dazraban. The very ship that made up the Celestial Landmark for the Rites. The Underking was able to steer the ship to the beast and impale it upon the prow. The Titan was no more, but Plurnes left one last curse upon the living.” “The Tempest?” Hedwyn guessed. “Aye.” Tariq answered. “Ever since Plurnes’s demise, the Deathless Tempest has yet to subside. This will prove difficult to our journey. The stars are guiding us to a destination that is on the other side of the storm.” “Can’t we just sail ourselves around it?” Applejack suggested. Jodariel shook her head. “That would take far too long. I’d doubt we would be able to make to the next Rite in time.” The group then fell silent, no doubt wondering how they were going to overcome the obstacle in front of them. Twilight, in particular, was extra focused as to what they could do. There had to be a solution to this, but it seemed to be just out of their reach. As Twilight began to formulate a few hypotheses as to getting through safely, she was distracted by a noise. Musical Cue - Quest for Honor Just to the right of the group, it sounded as though there was something stirring in the waters. Moments later, something sprang from the water and landed right before the Nightwings and ponies. It turned out to be none other than Sir Gilman of the Pyrehearts, only he was no longer dressed in the traditional raiments. Instead, he was wearing wrappings just below his head that were held together by a small piece of metal that seemingly acted as a knight’s chest plate. “Hold, good ladies and good sirs! This knight beseeches you to hear him, if you would!” he announced and gave a slight bow. The group was admittedly taken aback by the Wyrm-knight’s sudden appearance.” “You again?!” Rukey said in surprise. “Wait, were you following us this whole time?” “Er…well, this knight does admit that he in fact followed your wagon covertly from the water.” he sheepishly admitted. “But it was for a just cause, this knight assures you!” Meanwhile, Rarity finally got a good look at the Wyrm. She then winced back a bit “Oh goodness! Well, that certainly quite the most…unique creature I’ve seen. Well aside from dear Ti’zo, of course.” “Skrrruuu…” the Imp grumbled. Gilman paused his thought and looked in Rarity’s direction. “Oh, it would appear that you have attained a new member to your party!” Gilman noted. As he began to slither over to her, Rarity did her best to not reel away from the Wyrm-knight. “Greetings to you, fair maiden! I am Sir Gilman, former knight of the great Sea-Dominion. This knight must admit that your graceful beauty is quite stunning. Might you honor this knight by giving your name, m’lady?” He then bowed his head and politely presented his tail to her. Rarity’s attitude changed drastically after hearing such flattery. “Ohoho, well aren’t you just the charmer.” she giggled with a small, bashful blush on her face. “You may call me Rarity. It is a pleasure to meet you.” She then took her hoof and lightly shook Gilman’s tail. “What is it you need, Wyrm?” Jodariel dismissively asked. The Rite has ended. We have no further need of you.” Sir Gilman withdrew his tail from Rarity and went over to the Demon. “Oh, but you do! And in turn, this knight has further need of you, good lady!” He then slithered up to the alicorn. “Lady Twilight, was it? As Reader of the Nightwings, would you be so kind as to listen to this knight’s request?” Seeing no problem with at the very least hearing out the request, along with seeing various shrugs and nods from the rest of the group, Twilight decided to concede. “Alright, what to you want from us?” “LET US BE JOINED!!!” the Wyrm-knight shouted in a mixed amount of enthusiasm and pleading. “Let this this knight join the Nightwings! PLEASE!” The air was silent save for the crashing waves in the distance. A silence which was then broken by a heavy sigh from Jodariel. “Can you believe this, Hedwyn?” she asked the Nomad. “Not really, no.” he answered back. “Wait, you want to join the Nightwings?!” Rainbow said in disbelief. “After the hard flank-kicking that they gave you in the Rite?” “Indeed, you are correct, prismatic one!” Gilman answered the mare. “Rainbow Dash.” she corrected. “And don’t even think about putting ‘Lady’ in front of that, bub.” “Er…very well then!” the Wyrm said. “As for your earlier inquiry, tis true as to what you said. However, your valor in the Rites did stir this poor knight’s soul! A chance again to light the flame of passion for battle!” “Uh huh.” Applejack said in her voice. “And are ya sure ya won’t mind working with ‘land-walking abominations’ like us?” It was quite clear that the orange mare was still put off by the insults that Deluge had thrown at them and their kind. “Hmph! This knight has no such prejustice towards your species.” Gilman replied without hesitation. “The judgement of one’s character should be on their actions towards others and their valor on the battlefield! If this knight was to be completely honest, he is actually quite charmed by your appearances.” The apple farmer seemed convinced at the knight’s sincerity and lowered her guard a bit. It was then Fluttershy’s turn to ask him a question. “But what about your other friends? The Pyrehearts? Don’t you think that they would miss you?” “THEY ARE BASE COWARDS!” Gilman hotly exclaimed. “This knight can no longer abide such spineless characters, having witness true glory in our clash upon the Hulk of Ores! It would be in this knight’s best interest to serve under a far more competent company.” Twilight had to admit to herself, so far Gilman had valid reasons to join the Nightwings. He seemed genuinely impressed by their skills and abilities, and based on the last Rite, it seemed as though the Pyrehearts weren’t under the best of management. However, Twilight thought it best to consul with the other member just to make sure they were all on the same page. “Well, I suppose that we could consider you joining. What does everybody else think?” she asked the group. “Actually,” Hedwyn began. “this may work to our favor in the long run.” “What are you talking about?” Jodariel asked the Nomad. After a few seconds though, it seemed that she came to a realization. “Oh, this again. Are you most certain that Sandalwood would what this thing along?” At the mention of the mysterious benefactor of the Nightwings, Twilight gave Hedwyn a puzzled look. He saw this and was quick to provide an explanation. “Sandalwood’s instructions said that we were to find someone for all the masks we had on hand. Seeing how this one seems eager to join already, I figure that this could save us time looking for one for the Wyrm mask.” While Twilight did find these instructions a bit strange, it did at least explain the unused raiments and masks she and Rarity saw earlier. “Oh, I don’t know, darling,” the fashionista said. “I think we should bring him along with us. He seems like he’s willing to be quite helpful.” “You only like him cause he treated ya all fancy-like.” Applejack countered, rolling her eyes. Rarity pouted at the accusation. “Now Applejack, there’s nothing wrong with making a lady feel special.” When she then looked over to Sir Gilman, he gave her a smirk while giving a confident pose. Rarity giggled at the gesture and then looked to Twilight. “In any case, I vote we give him a chance.” “Yeah, Twi,” Rainbow Dash interjected. “Let him join. He seems a lot cooler than those other Wyrm jerks. Besides, I think it’s about time a princess like you get a proper knight at her side. Makes it like, 20% more official!” The Wyrm-knight’s singular eye suddenly went wide. “B-Beg pardon.” he shakily asked. “Does this knight’s ears deceived him, or did you perhaps say that Lady Twilight was in fact...a princess?” Before Twilight could answer on her own terms, Pinkie suddenly hopped to her side and began to put on a dramatic flair. “That’s riiiiight! You’re in the presence of Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship. All the way from the great land of Equestria! Pretty neat, right?! Of course, I would know because she’s one of my bestest friends!” The party pony then broke out into giggles. Seeing how the Wyrm was still speechless at the news, Rainbow took the opportunity to further escalate Twilight’s reputation. “Yep, it’s true!” she said as she put a hoof around her. You’re looking at the second-coolest pony around. You know, not as cool as me, per say, but totally above Celestia in my books!” While Twilight was still looking a bit sheepish at her friends’ boasting, the Wyrm-knight was still awestruck at the news he had heard. Before she could ask him if her new-known royal status was somehow troubling him, Sir Gilman began to cheer. “OH JOYOUS OF NEWS!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. Twilight could have sworn that she saw his pupil shift into a heart for a split second. Before she knew it, Gilman was now right before the alicorn bowing, almost groveling, to her. “Princess Twilight,” he began in an even more formal tone. “Please forgive this knight for his earlier discourteousness, as he was previously unaware that you were of royal blood! It is the stride of all Wyrm-knights to one day serve in the court of royalty, be the be of the great Sea-Dominion, or on the dry lands above! It is for this reason that this knight is now certain that our meeting was in fact fate itself! If you accept his humble request, he swears to you, upon his long-lost honor as a would-be knight-errant of the Sea-Dominion, that he shall serve you to the end!” Gilman then bowed his head again and waited for Twilight’s answer. Unfortunately, she was a bit too flustered by the Wyrm’s pleading. It wasn’t his enthusiasm that was making her uncomfortable, rather it was the use of her title as princess. Back in Equestria, almost nopony ever showed her the level of worship that Gilman was giving her now, sans that one zeppelin cruise she took with her family. Usually, it only amounted to respectful bows or greetings whenever she attended royal events. And that was really what she was most comfortable with, as she never wanted to feel like she was more important than everypony else just because she had gotten her wings. Thankfully, Twilight was saved from the awkward situation thanks to Jodariel, who was still skeptical about the Wyrm-knight joining. “It would hardly matter even if we add another to our ranks, as we still yet to solve our current problem.” She said as she gestured to the Deathless Tempest. Gilman turned around and gazed at the storm. However, instead of feeling discouraged by the overwhelming obstacle like the others did, he let out a hearty laugh. “Ha ha! Ah yes, the Deathless Tempest! Truly, a magnificent force of nature left behind as a testament to the Underking’s victory over the Unfathomed Plurnes! While no issue the amphibious warriors of the Sea-Dominion, land-dwellers such as yourselves wouldn’t last a mere moment in there.” He then looked back to the group while wearing a confident smirk. “However, you are in good fortune this day! For I know a method to grant you all safe passage through the storm!” Twilight’s interest peaked again with the knight’s claim. “Wait, you know a way to…’turn off’ the Tempest?” she asked, unsure as to how to word the method presented to her. “Not in it’s entirely.” Sir Gilman explained. “There is a long-held secret among the Wyrms exiled to these waters. Knowledge as to how the storm works and stirs the Sea of Solis. Knowledge that this knight may exploit to grand us a path to freedom!” He then looked to Twilight again. “Though first, this knight requires your consent. Elegant Princess of Friendship, give unto this knight your blessing, in the name of the Nightwings, and thus shall he go forth!” Twilight thought for a bit before she gave her answer. If Gilman really knew a way for them to get past the Tempest, then she figured that this would be the quickest solution to their problem. And it didn’t look as though she was going to get any serious objections from the rest of the group. Besides, this could be a way for Twilight to help another exile achieve their freedom. However, she still decided to give the Wyrm a test of some sort. She figured that giving him a challenge would help motivate him to a better chance of success. “Alright then, Sir Gilman,” she announced. “If you do find a way for us to cross the Deathless Tempest safely, then we’ll officially allow you to join the Nightwings. Is that a deal?” Gilman gave an immediate response. “HUZZAH! This knight will not disappoint you, your highness! Now then, time to make my decent back into the Sea!” “Oh, hold on a moment, Sir Gilman!” Rarity quickly said before he jumped into the water. “Could you wait a second, darling? Let me fetch something from the wagon really quick!” The unicorn then quickly trotted back inside the wagon. Twilight barely had any time to wonder what she was fetching, Rarity had already returned outside. As she got closer, the alicorn noticed that she was carrying some familiar cloth along with the Wyrm ceremonial mask that she found earlier on her back. “Here we are!” the fashionista said in a sing-song voice. At first, I thought that this was some sort of scarf. But now I believe that this will be the perfect fit for you! Dress the part to play the part, as they say!” She then used her magic to remove the cloth from her back and unrolled it before the knight. It was quite similar to the Nightwings’ traditional raiments, only that it was much smaller and lacked any arm sleeves. Perfect for a Wyrm like Sir Gilman. “Why, fair Lady Rarity…” Gilman said, almost speechless. “This is PERFECTION!” He then quickly snatched the raiment from the unicorn with his tail and immediately put it on. The knight then took the mask as well and placed it over his head. Twilight found it a bit silly that he still wore his first helmet under the already helmet-like mask. But she had to admit, Sir Gilman did have the look of a Nightwing donned in the raiments like that. “A complete fit!” he said while admiring his new outfit. “Now that I am donned in the proper garb, this knight may now begin his noble mission. FOR THE GLORY OF THE NIGHTWINGS!” With that final shout, the Wyrm-knight then leapt into the waters and swam into the depths below. That only left the Nightwings and ponies alone on the islet as they saw the heavy wind and waves before them. “Well, I guess all we can do is wait now.” Hedwyn noted. With that said, the group began to break up to do various tasks. Whether that was examining the blackwagon for any faults, feeding the drive imps or other various activities to kill time. Twilight was about to find a way to pass the time as well before she was approached by Tariq. “Madam Twilight,” he said. “It looks as though Sir Gilman’s mission is to be accomplished somewhere beyond our sight. But perhaps not from yours.” Twilight was rather confused as to what the minstrel meant by that, until she saw him pull the Book of Rites from his robes. “I grabbed this while you were still conversing with Gilman. If you’re really considering his addition to the Nightwings, then perhaps this would be a good time to test your compatibility with him.” The alicorn began to understand what the Lone Minstrel was referring to. She remembered back in Jomuer Valley during the Night Howler attack when she was able to use the Book to influence Mae defending the wagon. She then figured that it might be possible to do that again only with Sir Gilman instead. The purple pony then thanked the minstrel for his advice and quickly went back inside the blackwagon. After she grabbed the Book, Twilight went back outside and sat down on the shore where Gilman had left. She then took a deep breath and began to focus. She looked into her mind’s eye and tried to create a mental picture of Sir Gilman. She imagined him in the raiments, which felt as though created a stronger bond between Reader and exile. Finally, she lifted her hoof to gently open the Book. Though her eyes were closed, she knew that the pages were glowing before her. It was then she felt herself slip further into her concentration. Musical Cue - Night Howlers When she opened up her eyes again, Twilight realized that she wasn’t on the shore anymore. Instead, it looked as though she had a bird’s-eye view of a proper island somewhere in the middle of the Deathless Tempest. The island had a rocky terrain and covered with all sorts of foreign sea flora. Due to being right in the storm, rain was pouring down and the wind was howling. Lightning occasionally lit up the sky followed by the loud boom of thunder. Waves violently crashed into the rocky sides of the island at forces that would probably obliterate the wagon. But Twilight wasn’t really focused on the hostile environment. Instead, she was centering on the lone Wyrm on the island. Based on the body language alone, it appeared that Gilman was undeterred by the wind and rain and was focused on finding his objective. The alicorn figured that this was the best time helped him and steadied her concentration. She reached out her entire being to the Wyrm-knight and worked to make that connection that she had with the other Nightwings. She eventually cultivated the connection until it formed a proper link. Twilight knew the link was a success when she felt a small surge of astonishment from Sir Gilman. “Hark! This feeling…” he muttered to himself. “It is almost as if there is a sort of presence adjacent to this knight’s soul. Could this perhaps be the influence of a Reader that he had heard of in brief passing? Hmm, yes. Tis seems to be the only conclusion.” A spark of determination began to flare within the knight’s soul. Though his face was concealed, Twilight could still sense a bout of fiery passion within his eye. “PRINCESS!” he shouted to the sky. “This knight is now at your beck and call! Lend this knight your guidance as he heads for his objective not far east of here! Today, we together shall bring peace to this embroiled sea! Know, however, that among this knight’s brethren, the actions that we are about to take are HIGHLY FOREBIDDEN.” The spark then grew into an inferno. “But they are HIGHLY JUST!!! Let us press onward now!” Twilight had no arguments with the suggestion and guided the knight east. Just as back in the Rite, Gilman travel fast across the terrain. Swimming through the small aura pool around him, he could easily keep up with the likes of Rukey if presented with the scenario. His aura trailed on the ground behind him, leaving behind evidence of his path. He also leapt over any small ledges or crevices in front of him with ease. As Twilight watched on, she could see how he was diligent of his surrounding despite his speed. Years of training and discipline of a proper knight were beginning to become clear to the pony. It wasn’t before the Wyrm had made it to the other side of the rocky island. Before him was a small clearing of similar caliber to a standard field used in the Rites. Amidst the clearing were what could be described as large, cream-colored bubbles scattered throughout. While some of these bubbles were standing alone, most of them were huddled against multiple large piles of rocks. The alicorn then realized that she actually recognized these strange orbs. They looked quite similar to the ones that were tipped on the large tentacles back at the Hulk of Ores. She then also felt a sense of recognition from Sir Gilman as well. He was quite familiar with what they were. “Hark! Yonder lies the fowl spawn of Unfathomed Plurnes! Boiling the Sea with their wrath! Exiled Wyrms within these waters long have harbored these abominations, using them to bar passage through the Downside’s channels for any save this knight’s own kind!” The knight then took on an offensive stance. “Begone now from here, fiends! This knight shall finish what the Underking Ores started!” Thus, the Wyrm-knight charged at the orbs with the intent to eliminate them. It turned out that Gilman only had to touch them with his aura for them fade away into nothingness. To further speed up the process, Twilight wanted to try something that she saw back in the last Rite. She guided Gilman around one of the rock piles until his aura trail completely wrapped around it. Once he was completely behind the pile, Twilight issued the command and Gilman instantly teleport straight through the pillar and back to the end of his trail. As this happened, the Wyrm instantly banished away any orbs that crossed are was around his path. This ‘aura slash’, as Twilight internally dubbed it, appeared the special ability that the Wyrms brought to the Rites. Such as with Ti’zo and his implosion ability. With that knowledge in mind, Twilight and Gilman worked together banish away the rest of the orbs on the island. When the knight banished the last bubble, the effects were instantaneous. The skies above no longer boomed with thunder or flashed with lighting. All that remained were the dark gray clouds and the rain that decreased from a borderline monsoon to a much more reasonable heavy drizzle. The waves also no longer crashed at the sides of the island and began to calm down. Sure, the water still looked a bit choppy, but it wasn’t anything the blackwagon couldn’t handle now. With the spawn destroyed and the weather tamed, Twilight figured that their work here was done. However, it turned out she was quite mistaken. No less than a minute after the storm had calmed down, Twilight saw something emerge from the shore. Multiple Wyrms jumped out from the water and began to surround Sir Gilman. But they weren’t just any Wyrms. They were wearing very familiar raiments and masks: The Pyrehearts. There was a total of five of them as they fully surrounded Gilman. While Twilight was wondering what they were doing here of all place, Gilman readied himself and stayed vigilant for any sudden movements. Finally, three more Wyrm-knights emerged from the Sea. “GILMAN!” the one in the middle shrieked out in all too familiar voice. Twilight’s suspicions were confirmed when the Wyrm removed his mask to reveal that it was in fact the leader of the Pyrehearts, Sir Deluge. “Y-Y-You traitorous slug! H-How dare you turn your back on this knight?! To your superior?!” Sir Gilman said nothing and instead removed his mask to reveal his face. He then stared straight into his former commander’s eye. “Superior by rank, no longer!” he countered, venom dripping from his voice. “For we no longer serve the Commonwealth, last this knight checked! Here, you hold no sway over this knight!” “Aauuuggghh! And what have you done to the spawn?!” Deluged yelled as he looked over the clearing devoid of the white bubbles. “You have crippled our one advantage over the land-dwellers! Have you no honor left at all?!” “This knight has done that which required doing for the Nightwings. His honor cannot sink much lower anyhow.” Gilman firmly explained. “He figured this would be an ideal time to free himself from servitude to you!” This only served to enrage Deluge further. “Grrr! How could you betray your own brethren like this?! Did the purple one cohere you to the Nightwings?!” Twilight realized that he was talking about her. “You lower yourself to less than dirt by serving that four-legged abomination!” “Hold your sorry tongue, Sir Deluge!” Gilman suddenly shouted in rage. “You shall speak no more ill words towards Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship! She has gifted this knight a chance once again to serve under a royal nobility! Her cause is just, and this knight will see her and her companions free from this accursed land!” “P-Princess?!” Deluge asked, almost sounding offended. “Stars forbid that someone of her kind hold any title near royalty! Those foreign creatures taint your soul, Gilman.” Sir Gilman was silent for a moment. “Better to serve under those ponies than to spend another second in misery serving under you.” he finally said with spite. Though the moment was hardly appropriate, Twilight had to admit she was quite touch. Thanks to the link, she could feel the surge of loyalty from the valiant Wyrm-knight. His allegiances were clear to her now. “W-W-Why, you!” Sir Deluge sputtered out. “You dare stand against the might of the Pyrehearts for those Nightwings?! FOR THOSE PONIES?!” Sir Gilman took a deep breath and closed his eye. “Good Sir Deluge…” he said calmly as he placed his mask back on his head. Twilight then felt him open his eye as the fires of passion began to burn again. “THIS KNIGHT WAS BORN TO DARE! Now, come and fight this knight, if you so dare, as well! He warns you, however, that he is not alone!” “Aaaaugh! Pyrehearts! Banish him! This is an order!” the Wyrm-commander ordered in frustration. At the command, the five surrounding Wyrms advanced onto Gilman. However, he anticipated this and quickly slithered through an opening in their formation. Noticing how they were now grouped together, Gilman slashed his way back to his original position, banishing three of the Pyrehearts in the process. The remaining two were able to avoid Gilman’s counterattack and tried to regain their footing. Twilight then quickly guided Gilman in a serpentine-like path around both Wyrms. He then slashed back, banishing them both. With all the attackers gone, Sir Gilman faced the remaining three Wyrm-knights. “What now, Sir Deluge?” he asked mockingly. “Shall you not face this knight yourself, and leave the dirty-work unto your charges?” Deluge did not take the taunt very well. “You would s-stand against… Grahh! Sir Marsh! Lady Seagrass!” he called to the two Wyrms next to him. “Banish now th-this trouble-maker!” “Sire,” one of the Wyrms spoke. “Aiding us in the attack would greatly increase-“ “DO NOT GIVE EXCUSES! ATTACK!” the Wyrm commander yelled. The two Wyrms paused for a second before deciding to enact their commander’s will. With no clear plan, they both made a full-frontal assault against their former comrade. Sir Gilman show no intimidation at this, however. Instead, he merely leapt over the first Wyrm that reached him and then quickly slithered around the other. It only took one well-timed slash for Gilman to banish both of his attackers away. Now, there were only two Wyrm left on the island. One with the demeanor of a well-disciplined knight of the sea, and other was left stunned at the sheer talent of the former. Sir Gilman then faced his former commander and took position to strike. “This…This knight does not fear you, Gilman.” he stammered in apparent fear. “You shall rue this day that you d-d-decided t-to…to….” The Wyrm could only scream out in terror as the knight rushed forward. Twilight was then surprised at what she saw next. Instead of seeing one, final Wyrm remaining, there were still two. Sir Gilman was mere inches away from the cowering Wyrm before him; one final flick of his tail to banish him away. His target in question was a squirming mess, not even having the courage to look his attacker in the face. It was then the alicorn a surge of new emotions from the Wyrm-knight. Disgust, distain, hesitance, pity, and then eventually resignation. Finally, he receded from his attack on Deluge. Even the Wyrm-commander looked in surprise as Gilman fully backed off. The Wyrm-knight removed his mask once again to give his former commander a stern expression. “This knight will not banish you, Sir Deluge.” he said solemnly. “Striking down one as pathetic as you will do nothing to regain his honor. Instead, he dooms you to crawl back to your company. There they will see their leader not banished in one last bout of glorious battle but spared for his sheer lack of courage.” “You would dare speak of honor?” Deluge said, gaining some bite back into his words. “Honor is a luxury that you can never hope to achieve, Gilman. You forfeited that right when your flushed yourself here!” Sir Gilman shot him a dark look, causing Deluge to shudder away. Twilight felt a twinge of disappointment from the Wyrm-knight as he let out a heavy sigh. He then turned to look out to the Sea, having no fear that his enemy try a surprise attack. “You are master of this knight no longer, Sir Deluge. Thus, shatter our fraternal bonds.” He looked down to the rocky ground. “This knight would say it was an honor serving you, Sir Deluge, but that would be a bald-faced lie. And, yet another stain upon his blackened reputation.” He then put on his mask and turned to leave the clearing. However, before he left, Gilman gave his former commander one final remark. “Until we should meet again on the battlefield. Though this knight hardly doubts it. Farewell!” The alicorn watched as the noble knight left and leapt back into the Sea. Deluge then rushed to the shore he left upon but did not dare to follow him. “W-W-Wait!” he cried out. “You lowly traitor!! Th-Th-This knight will have your head! Return here and fight him like true Wyrm! Gilman! GILMAN!!!” Twilight could feel that Sir Gilman had no interest in Deluge’s pleading. Both him and the pony knew that sparing the cowardly commander would lead to further humiliation to his company if he returned to them unbanished. But even then, she could feel that Gilman didn’t revel in that thought. He felt no cathartic joy or moral superiority in sparing Deluge. Instead, there was just the acknowledgment that he made the right choice. Whether or not that choice would lead to further consequence bothered him not, for he was content. With his mission complete, Gilman only focused on returning to the Nightwings. Twilight realized that their task was done and also decided that it was time for her to return as well. Soon, her vision slowly began to fade out until she saw nothing but darkness. “Twilight?” The alicorn opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She looked around and found herself in the same place she sat down when she began to focus. The Book of Rites was also in front of her, but it was no longer glowing and was now closed. She figured that she must have closed it subconsciously when she was returning to the waking world. Finally, Twilight acknowledged the pony standing to her right. Rainbow Dash was giving her friend an odd look. “Hey Twi, you uh…you doing okay there?” the Wonderbolt asked. “Hmm? Yeah, I’m fine. Why do you ask?” Twilight asked back. “Well, I saw you sit on the shore with your book and you didn’t move for like thirty minutes straight.” Rainbow answered, scratching the back of her head. “At first, I thought you fell asleep or something. But then you didn’t respond at all when I tried to snap you out of it. I almost tried to get Pinkie to wake you up.” “Dashie! Are we still a go for Operation ‘Pouring a Bucket of Cold Water Over Twilight’?” the pink mare asked from afar while holding a small pail in her mouth. “No Pinkie! She’s awake now!” Rainbow quickly answered. “Okie Dokie Lokie!” the pink mare cheered out and took the pail with her back inside the wagon. Inwardly relieved that she avoided a very damp wake-up call, Twilight stood back up and tucked the Book back under her wing. “I’m fine, Rainbow.” she assured her worried friend. “Let’s just say I was…keeping an eye on Sir Gilman while he was out in the Sea.” Rainbow looked as though she was about to ask about what she meant by that, but she instead shrugged. “Eh, it’s probably a Reader thing.” she concurred. “Just glad to have you back, Twi.” Musical Cue - Quest for Honor Suddenly, another splash from the water caught everybody’s attention again. Sir Gilman had returned from the Sea and landed back onto the shore, all the while giving a confident smirk. “Hail! This knight returns with newfound tales to tell, and new scars to show for them!” he announced triumphantly as the group gather to him. Upon closer inspection, Twilight could see that Gilman was sopping wet and visibly shaken. Even still, it looked as though he was struggling to maintain his decorum. It seemed as though his battle with the Pyrehearts had taken more out of him than she initially thought. Despite all of this, however, he still kept on his smile and stood up straight. He was still reveling in the success of his mission. In short, he was the very image of a true knight. “So, were you able to ‘calm’ this storm?” Jodariel asked skeptically. “Hoho!” Gilman responded with a mirthful laugh. “This knight believes that little tempest ought no longer pose a threat for now! Behold!” The Wyrm then gestured to the storm. As if on cue, the Deathless Tempest began to simmer and subside. The imposing waves blocking their path gradually shrank down to a more reasonable size. The storm clouds above began to soften and let down a heavy, yet gentle rainfall. While the Tempest didn’t die down completely, Sir Gilman still kept his word and softened it to where the blackwagon could safely pass through. Twilight could see that everybody was impressed. Even Jodariel seemed to have dialed back her scrutiny. “Would you like at that,” Hedwyn said. “he really did it.” “Well, I’ll be…” Applejack said in amazement. “That really is something, ain’t it?” “Are you kidding?!” Rainbow Dash added. “It would’ve taken days for a weather team to buck away that storm! And he did it in about half an hour! Gotta admit, that was pretty awesome.” “Ha ha! Twas nothing at all for this knight!” Gilman accepted the Wonderbolt’s compliment. “Though, it should be noted that he had some assistance in the endeavor.” He then gave the alicorn a knowing look. After what she had seen, the approval of the others and how he had kept his word, Twilight had no doubt about Sir Gilman. He would make a perfect addition to the Nightwings in their quest for freedom. And considering he was at the center of attention at the moment, she figured that she was add a little ceremonial flair to his acceptance. “Sir Gilman of the Sea-Dominion,” she said aloud in an official-sounding tone. As she walked up to him, the Wyrm quickly shifted to bow before her. Twilight looked down at him and smiled. “not only have you kept your promise to quell the Tempest, but you have also quelled my doubts, as well. From what I saw during your mission, it is clear to me that you are devoted to help us in our path to freedom. The fruits of your labor have impressed everybody here. Therefore, we would be honored to have you join us in our quest. As Reader, I official welcome you to the Nightwings!” At first, the Wyrm-knight was merely stunned at the alicorn’s invitation. It was almost as if he had just achieved a long-sought after goal that had seemed unreachable. The look in his eye showed not only growing excitement, but a sense of regained purpose as well. Finally, the excitement bottled inside him was then released outward. “HUZZAH!” he cheered out to the group. “Thank you, Princess! This knight swears by his life that he will work to free us all from this land!” He then reverted back to a much more relaxed state. “Now…if it would be alright with you, this knight could use some much-needed rest.” And just like that, the Wyrm-knight collapsed in exhaustion. Twilight and Hedwyn were able to go and help him up. But Rarity had beaten them to it. The white mare used her magic to pick up the Wyrm and placed him on her back. “Poor dear,” she lamented to him. “A valiant knight such as yourself must keep is strength up. Let me take you inside the wagon and find you a place to rest, darling.” “You are far too kind, Lady Rarity.” Sir Gilman said wearily as the unicorn brought him inside the wagon. “Well then, it looks like we’re good to go now.” Hedwyn noted now that they were no longer blocked by the Tempest. At the Nomad’s observation, the Nightwings and ponies began to pack inside the blackwagon to start their next leg of their journey. Before they entered themselves though, Hedwyn got Twilight’s attention. “You sounded rather confident when you recruited Gilman to our group. You sure he has what it takes?” Twilight smiled and answered with no hesitation in her voice. “I’m positive. He’s a bit eccentric, but I know that his loyalty stands with us.” Hedwyn smiled back and nodded before head back inside the wagon himself. It was no doubt hard for the Wyrm-knight to go against his former comrades like he did in the Tempest. Despite that though, he held firm against them, knowing that he would much more respect in the company of the Nightwings. Content with her decision to let the Wyrm-knight join them, the alicorn boarded the wagon. Now that everybody was aboard, the wagon started up again and returned to the water. The vehicle then slowly made its way into the rain of the weaken Tempest. Hopefully, the Wyrm-knight weaken it enough so that the Nightwings and ponies could make it to the other side. To their next destination.