Mirage Chaser led them to where the path split into two branches about a mile out of the hidden village.
Gallus grinned and waved goodbye. “With you and Smolder, you two should be able to out-think or out-fight anything, but stay safe.”
Smolder put a hand on Ocellus and nodded. “With a dragon like me, we can’t go wrong.”
The path soon disappeared, but Smolder was able to read the map that Mirage Chaser gave them without trouble. And they both had wings, so it made flying over the rough desert landscape quite easy. Nothing below gave them trouble. Sometimes Smolder’s mind would wander as she watched Ocellus fly, and Ocellus would give Smolder a knowing smile. But then the weight of their situation would come back and ruin Smolder’s pleasant thoughts.
“We dragons don’t mind some danger, but I’m looking forward to getting back home,” Smolder said. “And it’ll be great to fix whatever that changeling queen did to you. If I see her, I’ll give her a good kick for you.”
“The connection seems to be giving me less problems now, probably because there aren’t any orders I’m working against. Hey, looks like I can finally see the ocean!”
Ocellus was right. The sea sparkled ahead of them on the horizon. As they got closer to it, Smolder could see that the waters swirled in unusual currents and sparked with lights from the dark depths. It gave her a sense of unease to look at, but they soon landed on the shore. Smelly black seaweed washed up with the waves. For a beach, it seemed unusually quiet, and Smolder soon thought of one reason why. No seabirds flew above it.
“Finding a gem should be easy for a dragon, right?” Ocellus said.
“It should be, but this place is throwing me off.”
They walked along the beach. Smolder kept seeing swirling dark shapes in the deeper waters, but she thought it might just be her eyes playing tricks on her. Still, she didn’t want to let the ocean out of her sight. It felt like it was watching her.
“Hey, there’s a crystal!”
Ocellus ran ahead to where the surf met the beach and started to dig the strange black crystal out of the sand. Its shape seemed to somehow warp as Smolder stared and bent down to help dig. The crystal popped out of the sand with a squelching noise as the water filled in the void it left. Smolder glanced back at the water and pulled Ocellus back as a black tentacle swung right where the changeling had been.
A tentacled monster surfaced and let out an ear splitting roar. It slid from the waters but stopped as a crack and flash of magic filled the air. Storm Surge flapped his wings in the sky between them and the monster. He motioned for it to back off.
“Ah, hello! It’s nice of you to visit me, but you really shouldn’t be taking my chaos crystals without permission.”
Smolder growled. “We found it, so it’s ours.”
“But you found it in my domain, so it really is mine. You know you don’t want to fight me for it, so how about we make a deal instead? I can sense my other plan isn’t going to work out, so I’m passing it on to you two to carry out.”
Smolder hated the hippogriff’s sly smile, but it did seem like the best option.
“Fine, what’s your deal? If it’s good, I’ll think about taking it.”
“But… we shouldn’t be making deals without talking to Starlight…” Ocellus said quietly.
“It’s okay. I think I can judge things for myself without her help.”
Storm Surge landed on the beach next to them. “Good, I like a dragon who can think for herself. My deal is simple. Take these seeds and plant them in places where others have created villages or fortresses. The first one should be planted back in that village you came from, and to speed things up, I’m willing to send you back there immediately as part of this deal.”
“That doesn’t sound so hard.” Smolder held her hand open to take the seeds.
“Ah, yes, one more condition. Keep these seeds a secret from anyone except Sandbar. He took a similar deal, but I fear that the seeds I gave him may soon be destroyed.”
“Okay, I promise not to tell.”
“But I don’t like how they feel,” Ocellus said. “The magic inside is so forceful and chaotic.”
“It’s the easiest way for me to help you get back home, so think of it as a better plan than whatever that unicorn is going to do with those artifacts. I can guarantee you all get home if you are able to plant one of these in each section of this place. Now, can I have your promise to not say a word?”
Smolder watched Ocellus think it over. The way her nose scrunched up when thinking always made Smolder want to boop it, but Smolder resisted that urge except when they were only among close friends. Ocellus relaxed and nodded.
“I promise.”
“Excellent.” Storm Surge snapped and a bag appeared. He carefully placed the seeds inside and pulled it shut with a string. “Oh, and protect the seeds until they can grow deep enough and take full effect. Now I better send you off before these creatures of chaos get too hungry. Best of luck!”
Storm Surge snapped. With a loud pop and sickening whirl of color, Smolder’s view shifted from the beach to the edge of the hidden pony village. She shook her head to clear the vertigo and pulled Ocellus behind a rock as a pony walked nearby.
Smolder reached into the bag and pulled out a seed. “Well, we should plant this, but is it okay to plant it anywhere in the village?”
Ocellus’s horn glowed and she nodded. “Yes. It has powerful magic. Anywhere around here should be good.”
Smolder scraped out a little furrow in the dirt and placed the seed in it. She created a little mound around the seed like Applejack had taught her to do in one of her classes. The seed glowed with a sickly greenish light as black vines with green thorns burst out and burrowed into the ground.
“Hey, did anypony else feel that?” The gruff voice of Slate Breaker sounded from nearby. “We’re under attack, somehow. It’s over this way!”
Smolder glanced around the rock they were hiding behind and saw a crowd of ponies heading their direction.
“Earth ponies can sense when something changes the land,” Ocellus said.
“Yeah? You better change into something tough. They look ready to fight.”
Ocellus changed into the shy dragon that she had tried a few times at school. Smolder glanced at her thin body and shrugged. It wasn’t the best for fighting, but she did like how it looked.
“Try not to slouch and you’ll look scarier. Let’s try a blast of fire to keep them back.”
The clatter of galloping hooves drew closer. Slate Breaker spotted them and pointed.
“Mirage Chaser brought you here, and you’re already betraying us to the forces of chaos. Quick, tear up that seedling and stop them!”
Ocellus let out a puny wisp of flame. Smolder wasn’t able to breathe deep and get a good flame going. The ponies jumped to the side then spun to kick Ocellus. Ocellus squeaked in pain, but she held her dragon form.
“Rrr! Put some anger into your fire!” Smolder shouted.
They both took a deep breath and breathed out a curtain of flame. Several of the ponies attacking ran back in fear, leaving only the strongest stallions and mares to face them. Slate Breaker had a few burnt patches of fur, but he gritted his teeth and spun for another kick. His hoof connected with Ocellus’s chest. Smolder’s heart sank as the changeling slammed into a rock.
“You’ll pay for this! I’ll tear off your tails! I’ll-”
Smolder’s rant was cut short as a flash of white light surrounded Ocellus’s unconscious form. Ocellus rose and transformed into a male pony about Sandbar’s age. The young stallion had a light gray mane and sandy yellow fur.
“Everypony, stop!” Slate Breaker held up a hoof to stop the villagers from advancing. “How? How do you know what my son looks like? Have you seen Dusty Tail?”
Ocellus nodded. “He’s under Queen Cordys’s control, but maybe we can save him if we work together.”
A villager shouted. “She’s trying to trick us!”
Slate Breaker shook his head. “No, I can feel that she’s being honest.”
“I… need Mirage Chaser’s help first. I’m under the queen’s control to some degree, too, but I’d never hurt your village.”
“Then why did you plant that?”
The crack of stone and ground distracted everyone from the conversation. The seed’s roots were massive and breaking through the rocky ground. With a loud pop, a familiar hippogriff appeared.
“Sorry to cut your little realization short,” Storm Surge said. “But it’s time you ponies learn who controls the Wastelands now. I’m sure you’ve heard of me. The judge of Jester’s Court. The hippogriff of madness. And soon, the ruler of this entire realm. I shall start by requiring a simple pledge of loyalty, and perhaps later, you could make the same promises and gain the same powers as my other friends.”
Some ponies tried to back away quietly. Storm Surge snapped and his horrific monsters and followers appeared on the edges of the town. The ponies quickly gathered into one herd in the center as they stared at the tentacled monstrosities.
Smolder pulled Ocellus close and stayed with the group. Ocellus leaned against her and whispered.
“Gallus and Mirage Chaser are still out there. Should we wait for them or try to find a way out of this ourselves?”