//------------------------------//
// Stairway to more stairs 
// Story: Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot 
// by Equimorto 
//------------------------------//

Soarin' set down the package, and pulled out a map of the region, alongside a compass. He had about three more hours of flying in the same direction, and then he'd be at the Wall. If everything went according to plan, at least.
Not many reasons to expect it wouldn't, but the possibility was always there. He could always get caught in a manastorm, after all. Or, more likely, have to stop and wait for it to pass before he could proceed. Rainbow was just about the only pony crazy enough to attempt flying through one, and probably the only one skilled enough to actually pull it off.
He did like the sound of a challenge, when it didn't involve risking his life, but he wasn't about to do anything dangerous when he was carrying something. Especially not something as valuable as what he had.
He took a moment to stare at the package again. Wrapped in plain light brown paper and slightly consumed string, it could have passed off as ordinary were it not for the emblem of Princess Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark stamped on top of it in pink-purple ink. Of course, one would have noticed that there was more than met the eye either way, upon picking it up.
The metal casing hiding just beneath the paper was rather heavy, its segmented texture very peculiar to the touch. Going by what he'd been told back in Ponyville, it was basically the strongest box in all of Equestria. Multiple plates of magically reinforced steel disposed in a carefully constructed pattern designed to absorb or deflect any impact and blow. It would ensure the contents would remain safe, should the package be lost.
The only way to make it stronger would have been making the box a sphere, but you couldn't exactly shove a book inside a small one and a larger one around the existing box would have been impractical to carry alone.
Not that he was completely alone, he reminded himself. Throwing a glance behind him, he confirmed how Lightning Dust was still there, hovering in sprinting distance, flying low enough not to be seen by those who didn't know what to look for. A security measure he hoped would not be necessary, but the possibility of someone wanting access to Princess Twilight's research results was not one they could ignore.
In case it happened, their instructions were to leave the package behind and rush back to Ponyville. It was near impossible that whoever chose to ambush them would actually be able to open the box, and Princess Twilight had installed a long-distance magic switch she'd use to burn the contents once informed that the package was lost. But Soarin' was rather doubtful that his companion would run away rather than fight. 
They would be safe once behind the Wall. Princess Cadence had been warned ahead of time about their imminent arrival, and she'd be waiting for them there. In truth, he looked forward to spending a day of rest in the Empire, and he knew Lightning did as well despite her refusal to admit as much.
So, barring manastorms, barring assaults by wild creatures, and barring any attempts made to steal the package, they still had three hours to go. Soaring picked up the map, the compass, and the package, and slipped them all back inside his saddlebags. Just three more hours.
With a kick from his hind legs, he took off, and began flying northwards again.