//------------------------------// // Trial Six: The Unassailable Past // Story: Born In Light, Forged In Darkness // by Jest //------------------------------// Kanthara pushed through the veil of sleep and emerged in the realm of the living with Rainbow Dash sprawled across her chest. The vengant snored loudly, her body nearly covering every inch of Kanathara and most of the bed at the same time. Chuckling softly to herself, the keeper turned to smoke and slipped out from under the other being, reforming in the space next to her bed, greeves still on her legs. “These things aren't so bad,” she mused to herself, giving her legs a brief glance. “I didn't even notice them while I was falling asleep, though I certainly noticed Rainbow’s breast plate.” The keeper of secrets stretched languidly in the small, lightless room, her enhanced senses unbothered by the fact that the space was pitch black. After a series of pops and cracks, her joints felt a lot better, and the demon glanced down on her still slumbering familiar. “Now, what to do with you?” Kanathara murmured to herself. “I could wake you up, but you did work pretty hard yesterday.” Shrugging, Kanathara turned and slipped out the door, leaving Rainbow Dash to enjoy a little extra rest. A second later Kanathara emerged in the basement of the cottage, where she paused and looked around. She ignored the jail cells further to her right and the spiral stairs that led down which were far to her left. She did, however, glance briefly at the small storage room which served as Tirek’s room, the demon imagining the centaur lying crumpled on a tiny mattress. The thought made Kanathara feel a brief jolt of sadistic glee, though that vanished a moment later. After everything that had happened, she couldn't truly bring herself to be angry with the fear demon. Other emotions swirled within her such as a lingering sense of contempt, but there was also a little love as well. Old Twilight is a little stronger than I would like to admit, Kanathara thought to herself as she strode past the various projects her pony mother had sprawled out around the space. To think the memory of ten year old could affect me so much... Ponies are the worst. With her mood darkened slightly, Kanathara strode up the staircase and through the illusionary wall which hid the lower levels from sight. The mid-morning light illuminated the space well, the easterly window doing an excellent job at letting in the first rays of sunlight. Out here the cottage looked almost normal, provided there wasn't an enormous wrath demon and a cultist having tea near the entrance. “Good morning,” Twilight Velvet greeted, gesturing to a third cup which had been presumably left out just for the keeper of secrets herself. Kanathara nodded, noting idly that Pear Butter hadn't moved an inch and merely stared down into her own cup. “Velvet, Pear Butter,” Kanathara replied, before seating herself in the only open spot still available. The tea smelt good, but was obviously not the same stuff that they had enjoyed only a few days ago. Tthe chair wasn't exactly comfortable either, nor did it fit the keeper of secret’s larger frame very well. Even still, Kanathara didn't complain and merely sipped her sweet, yet slightly earthy tea while staring out the window. Together the three beings sat in silence for several minutes, until Pear Butter sighed suddenly and turned to her adoptive daughter. “Sorry ‘bout that, been a bit caught in my head recently,” Pear Butter muttered. Kanathara waved a dismissive hoof at the demon. “Don't worry about it. I know this is all a little sudden given what has just occurred.” “That's an understatement,” whispered Pear Butter. “I hope at least someone managed to get a decent sleep,” Velvet offered, glancing at Kanathara and sipping her tea. The keeper of secrets nodded. “We were so exhausted after everything that had happened that both Rainbow Dash and I fell asleep pretty much instantly.” The pony relaxed ever so slightly. “That is good to hear. Pear Butter and I weren't able to get much in the way of rest, I’m afraid.” “I got enough,” declared Pear Butter gruffly. “Did you though?” Kanathara questioned. The demon paused and then snorted bitterly. “It will have to do.” “Speaking of which,” Velvet interrupted, “what exactly do you have in mind? I know that you did not have much time to speak to Tirek, or Pythias for that matter, but surely you have a plan of some kind.” “Where is Pythias anyway?” Kanathara asked suddenly. “I didn't see where she went last night.” “She is in the isolation room on level three,” Velvet replied. “She said something about not being able to see anything coming anymore and mentioned wanting to fix that.” “Let us hope her abilities are able to receive the necessary boost, so we can move ahead with more assuredness,” Kanathara remarked. “Seer or no seer, I need to see her,” Pear Butter declared suddenly. “Not only did I make a deal, but I, well…” Kanathara placed a hoof on the larger demon’s shoulder. “It's okay, we understand.” Velvet nodded along as well, suddenly appearing quite older than when she and Kanathara had met on the fringes of Ponyville only a few days earlier. “Thanks,” Pear Butter whispered, shoulders slumping. “As for me, I will remain here in order to stock the cottage better and heal up a little more,” Velvet offered. Kanathara raised an eyebrow and glanced curiously at the cultist. “I wasn't aware that you had received any serious injuries?” Velvet smiled and shook her head. “Oh, I’m not talking about me. Though I do need to treat a few scratches I got from those brush beetles.” Kanathara blinked, only to remember that Tirek was still here, and that the pony likely still wished to have words with the centaur. “Ahh, I see. Well, then I bid you luck on that front. I for one will be accompanying Pear Butter on her journey,” Kanathara declared. The wrath demon shifted awkwardly, turning as best as she could while still sitting in the much too small chair. “You don't have to do that, I can-” Pear Butter began. “You can just sit there and enjoy my company,” Kanathara declared. “You are emotionally compromised and aren't thinking straight while there is a ton of specially trained anti-demon forces prowling the area.” “Well when you put it that way, I sound like a foal,” Pear Butter murmured, sighing. “Fine, I suppose your spells would help keep us from running into any patrols.” “I should probably speak to Rainbow Dash. Ah, speak of the devil,” Kanathara announced, turning to the stairs a second before a yawning vengant trod through the false wall. “Mornin’,” she muttered groggily, her path to the table ending up a little more winding than Kanathara’s had been. In the end she sat down to the right of Kanathara and plopped her chin on the edge of the table before yawning wider than what the pony anatomy was capable of safely doing. “You were saying,” Velvet offered, while pouring another cup of tea. “I think I will ask that Rainbow Dash remains here,” Kanathara exclaimed, glancing down at the demon in question. “If this is going to serve as our base of operations, it will need a little remodeling, and a lot of additional stock. Two things I believe Rainbow Dash will be able to assist you with.” Rainbow Dash nodded slightly. “Sure thing, boss lady. Just—” she yawned suddenly, “—make sure to stay safe out there and whatever.” “I will,” Kanathara declared, pulling the other demon into a sidelong hug. “You know, this will be the first time we’ve truly been apart in quite a while.” Rainbow Dash hugged her mistress back. “Well, don't worry, I’ll make sure to come up with plenty of bad puns and eat plenty of beans in order to make up for lost time.” Kanathara delivered a swift punch to her familiar’s shoulder while a smile spread across her face. “You’re such a charmer, you know.” Rainbow Dash opened her mouth wide and dumped the contents of her cup into it, gulping it all down and belching. “You know it, girlfriend.” “Right then, when are we heading out?” Kanathara asked, turning to Pear Butter. “We could go right now since the sun is up. The Apples are always early risers,” Pear Butter remarked in an almost melancholic tone. “And on the way you can finally tell me the tale of how you ended up where you did,” Kanathara retorted, downing the last bit of her tea and standing up suddenly. Pear Butter winced and shrunk slightly. “I suppose you deserve to know.” “I do,” Kanathara declared. The wrath demon sighed. “Fine, but I’ll tell it on the way. No offence, Velvet, Rainbow Dash.” The cultist waved a hoof. “Think nothing of it and don't worry about finding a place to stay. The cottage is yours for as long as you need it.” “I really do appreciate it,” Pear Butter murmured. “So, are you ready?” Kanathara asked. Pear Butter nodded. “I am.” The wrath demon stood suddenly, a move which made her chair snap and crumble under her weight. Pear Butter herself reacted quickly, and didn't fall though the chair was now little more than a pile of splinters. “Ha, nice one wide load,” Rainbow Dash remarked, smirking all the while. Now blushing hotly, Pear Butter turned to the door. “Come on, Kanathara, let’s go.” “Lead the way,” Kanathara offered, while holding back the urge to laugh at the other demon’s expense. Kanathara’s hooves crunched silently through the forest, a slight chill running up her spine whenever the wind picked up. Pear Butter walked beside the keeper at a slightly more sedentary pace, her longer gait meaning she had to slow down slightly in order to not pull ahead of her companion. Something she forgot every once in a while, prompting Kanathara to sprint to catch up with her. “So, are you going to tell me the story before or after we get there?” Kanathara asked hesitantly, shooting a sidelong glance at the partially invisible wrath demon who trod next to her. Pear Butter snorted. “I suppose we should get this over with before we get there. I warn you though, it's not a pleasant story and well, you probably won't think of me the same way after I tell it.” Kanathara hopped over a fallen log. “I kind of figured it wasn't a very nice story, given the luck we all seem to have. With all that being said, I’m fairly certain that my opinion on you will remain unchanged.” Pear Butter shouldered her way through a thorny bush, her scales rendering the plant’s defence mechanisms completely useless. “I haven't always been quite so patient, you know. There was a time when my temper ruled me rather than the other way around,” Pear Butter exclaimed. “Really?” Kanathara asked simply, raising an eyebrow. “Because I don't know if you’ve noticed, but you are a wrath demon.” The larger demon snorted. “The difference is that now I use my rage to empower myself and to help me defend the ones I love. This hasn't always been the case.” She sighed and hung her head. “In fact it's the reason I am what I am.” “Explain,” Kanathara demanded. Pear Butter sighed and stepped out onto a small game trail, Kanathara close at her side. “I know I’ve mentioned this to you before, but my first husband and I’s families did not exactly get along very well.” “That's an understatement,” Kanathara muttered. “I suppose it is.” The larger demon frowned. “At first it wasn't so bad, but as our love grew, our families’ rivalry did as well. It wasn't long until I was forced to choose between him and them. After I made that choice, I was disowned by everyone.” “That seems a bit much,” Kanathara remarked sadly. Pear Butter kicked a fallen log off the path, sending it spinning into a bush. “The Apple family took me in shortly after, and Granny Smith even went so far as to apologize for her part in the feud. That didn't matter though, the anger that had slowly been building inside of me ever since I was a teenager had already taken root in my soul.” The demon simply trod through the small stream they found themselves at the edge of, while Kanathara nimbly hopped across. “I told myself that it didn't matter, that I had my own family, but whenever I saw my father again, I could feel it burning inside of me. Until one day I returned from a late delivery to find that the farmhouse was on fire.” “What happened?” Kanathara whispered. Pear Butter’s frown deepened. “I will get to that soon enough, but first I gotta set the scene so to speak.” The demon cleared her throat. “It was late, the sun had just set, and I was nearing home...” The last fading rays of light stretched out before Pear Butter, illuminating the long road which stretched from Ponyville to the Apple family farm and beyond. Though tired from a long delivery, and irritated by the fact that she had to do it in the first place, Pear Butter couldn't help but smile. Sure, Mrs. Crabtree and her husband were a bit on the eccentric side, but they tipped well and were always happy to babysit. Thus it wasn't all that bad, even if Pear Butter missed her family dearly after spending an entire day working. Just the thought of Big Macintosh, little Applejack, and tiny baby Apple Bloom made Pear Butter’s heart swell and put a pep in her step. With images of her children swirling in her mind, Pear Butter suddenly didn't mind the dusty old road or the dirt which clung to her coat. She had made a bunch of bits, and though it was late, her children would still be awake for at least another hour or so. After which she would have some time to spend with her husband before they too would have to retire for the night. A thought which didn't feel quite so bad now that the aches and pains of the day were beginning to creep up on her. “I hope Bright Mac is up to giving me another massage. I’m going to need it after all this,” Pear Butter muttered as she trudged down the road. In the quiet that followed, the mare let her thoughts wander randomly, simply enjoying the crisp evening air and the scent of apples that was born upon it. A smell that quickly shifted to something far more sinister and utterly panic-inducing. The instant it hit Pear Butter’s nostrils, her fight-or-flight instincts went into overdrive and she breathed deeply, trying to discern if her first assumption was correct. The smell was heady, choking, and carried with it the distinct, bitter scent of scorched wood. Her hooves were already moving before she even had a chance to think, all lingering fatigue gone in an instant. The mare sprinted as fast and as hard as she could, lowering her head into the wind while silently praying that this was all some kind of misunderstanding. The trees that lined the side of the road broke soon after and a familiar sign and gate appeared in the space between them. Behind it, further up the road stood the Apple family farmhouse, standing as tall and proud as ever, or at least it was upon first glance. The second Pear Butter’s eyes adjusted, she noticed that smoke now poured from the windows of the home, and flames had erupted from the ceiling. She leaped over the gate and sprinted up to the homestead, her saddlebags falling away and being forgotten before they hit the ground. Several shapes moved around near the wide front porch, and as Pear Butter approached, she was able to see that it was Granny Smith, standing on the front lawn. In the aged mare’s hooves was a crying foal, while hiding between her legs was another terrified child. “Granny, Applejack!” Pear Butter shouted. Granny Smith looked up just as her daughter-in-law skidded to a stop before her. “Pear Butter, thank the stars yer here,” she exclaimed. “Momma!” Applejack shouted, the filly clinging tightly to one of Pear Butter’s forelegs. “What's going on?” Pear Butter demanded, holding her eldest daughter close. The older mare stiffened slightly. “Yer father, Grand Pear showed up outta the blue, talking about how he wanted to have words with ya,” Granny Smith began, while still rocking a crying Apple Bloom. “He didn't...” Pear Butter growled. “Now child, there's more to it than that,” Granny Smith warned. “Did he start this fire?” Pear Butter demanded. “Momma, you're hurting me,” Applejack whined. Pear Butter winced and released her hold on the small child. “I’m sorry, Jacky.” “Look, I know yer mad, but-” Granny Smith began. “Did he start the fire?” Pear Butter asked, her gaze narrowing. Granny Smith sighed. “He did, but there’s more to it than that.” “Where's Bright Mac?” Pear Butter inquired, her tone leaving no room for argument. “He went back to save yer father, and Big Mac ran in after him,” Granny Smith replied, gesturing to the house. Pear Butter nodded and gently pushed Applejack away. “Stay with Granny Smith, she’ll protect you. Keep an eye on your sister for me, okay?” “I don't want you to go,” Applejack cried, clinging tightly to the mare’s hoof. Pear Butter sighed and gently, but firmly pushed the child toward her grandmother. “Now is not the time, do as I say,” commanded the mare. Applejack wilted and reluctantly nodded, her wide eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Okay, momma,” she whispered. “Wait, stop, you don't know what yer doing!” Granny Smith yelled. “I know enough,” Pear Butter growled before sprinting up to the front door. Smoke billowed out of the windows, and the heat of the fire was intense, even at a distance, yet the mare didn't slow down one bit, shouldering her way through the door. Entering the kitchen, Pear Butter braced herself for the rush of heat which singed her fur and made her eyes water. Pushing through the fear and primal desire to run as far away as possible, Pear Butter forced herself to keep going. Blinking through the tears which obscured her vision, the mare looked around the ravaged room, searching for any sign of her wayward husband. A muffled shout from the hallway beyond made her ears stand straight up, and a flicker of recognition passed through the mare. “I’m coming, Bright Mac!” she shouted. A second later and Pear Butter rounded the bend to find her father, son, and husband stumbling down the hall coughing violently. The smoke was thicker here and the two adults seemed to be suffering the worst of it as their coats were completely singed. Big Mac was doing his absolute best to pull his father down the hall, while the older stallion had Grand Pear half slung over his back. The sight made Pear Butter’s heart leap out of her chest. “Run, Big Macintosh!” she shouted, grabbing the colt and pulling him away. “But dad needs my help!” he cried. “Go on, son, I’ll be right behind you. I’m just helping grandpa,” Bright Macintosh urged, before breaking into a fit of coughing. Seeing that Big Macintosh wasn't about to do as he was told, Pear Butter wasted no time and hoisted the colt onto her back before sprinting back out the front door. Once outside she ran over to Granny Smith and placed the child at the elder mare’s hooves, shooting him a hard look. “Stay here and look after your sisters,” Pear Butter commanded. The colt bobbed his head eagerly, and before he could utter a response, Pear Butter was already gone, the mare running back towards the house. She leapt up the front steps in a single bound and emerged back into the raging inferno without breaking stride. Looking around, she found the two stallions collapsed on the kitchen floor, her father sprawled over Bright Mac’s body. Both were weakly trying to stand, but between the smoke inhalation and the heat of the fire, they could hardly move. Acting on instinct, Pear Butter gripped her father and rolled him aside before throwing her husband onto her back. The strain of the full grown stallion was immense, but with adrenaline pumping through her veins, Pear Butter didn't even feel the weight. Ignoring the cries of her father, Pear Butter stumbled towards the exit, before emerging back into the open air once more. Where she immediately dumped the coughing stallion, laying him out on the cold grass and immediately placing her head on his chest. His breathing was weak, but just as Pear Butter began to panic, his eyes flickered open and a surprisingly firm hoof gripped the mare’s shoulder. “Save your father, please,” he urged. “But-” “Save him, and remember, I love you,” Bright Mac demanded, pushing the mare towards the house. Growling to herself, Pear Butter did as was demanded of her, putting her family behind her in order to enter the fire once more. Inside, the smoke had grown even more intense, and the heat stung her eyes and threatened to light her hair aflame. Ignoring all that, Pear Butter searched for where she had discarded her father only a few seconds earlier. It didn't take long to locate the aged stallion, as he lay mere inches from where Pear Butter had left him. Reaching down, the mare hoisted Grand Pear over her shoulder, shifting his weight slightly before running back towards the exit. She could have sworn she heard the old stallion apologize, but the sheer intensity of the fire made him hard to understand. Pushing that aside, Pear Butter burst once more from the flaming farm house, emerging back onto the front step and tripping on a loose board. Grand Pear tumbled to the porch, flopping onto the ground and groaning as he struggled to stand. Pear Butter cursed her luck, as well as her father before stumbling back up to her hooves once more. For a moment she considered going to her father, only to feel a sudden intense urge to check on her husband. Bowing to that sudden desire, Pear Butter turned, and gazed down upon the unmoving stallion lying sprawled out on the ground a few metres away. Though his eyes were open, his gaze was empty, as if there were no soul housed within the body that his children clutched so desperately to. The sight made Pear Butter’s blood boil, and the cries of her despondent children added further fuel to that already raging inferno. Her heart beat with a violent, thunderous intent, her every thought screaming out for vengeance. For not only her husband, but her entire life which had been ruined by the stallion who lay gasping on the porch. “H-help... me,” he croaked, hoof reaching towards the mare. Pear Butter batted the offered limb away and grabbed one foreleg and back leg before roughly heaving the stallion over her back. With her package more or less secured, Pear Butter began to walk back towards the house. At first Grand Pear seemed confused, but as his gaze settled on the still form of his son-in-law, realization quickly dawned on him. “N-no, Pear Butter, wait I-” pleaded the stallion, only to break into a coughing fit that would reduce his words to little more than garbled begging. “You stole my childhood from me!” Pear Butter exclaimed, stepping over the threshold and the small hole that had opened up. “Now you’ve stolen my family, and you’ve stolen the only stallion I’ve ever loved.” She grunted as she stepped over the broken floor board, her package moving slightly on her back. “Now it's my turn to take,” Pear Butter whispered, the mare knowing full well that no one could hear her words. With a shift and a heave, she bucked the stallion off her back, sending him flying through the air and across the flame-filled kitchen, and into the hall beyond. For a moment Pear Butter could have sworn her father’s face went from panicked to a look of grim acceptance, but he was swallowed so quickly by the smoke that she couldn't be sure of anything. With the stallion now gone, Pear Butter turned and made a beeline for the door, her dirty work done. She didn't look back even once, merely sprinting towards the exit and coiling her legs under her in order to leap the expanse that had opened up near the entrance to her home. All around her the house crumbled, the fire having whittled away at the supports enough to make the entire structure begin to collapse. None of that bothered Pear Butter, however, and she merely pushed herself against the ground, leaping towards the exit. For a single, glorious moment the mare was airborne, her hooves extended and ready to catch her the second she hit the porch. She could see her children and mother-in-law all looking towards her with wide, fearful eyes, and though Pear Butter had just consigned her father to a fiery death, Pear Butter didn't even think of him. Not until the ceiling suddenly collapsed, and several tons of wood crashed down around her, cutting off any hope of escape. In an instant her children were gone, and the mare was no longer in freefall, the breath having been knocked from her lungs. She didn't even feel her body hit the ground, as her spine had already been broken, and by the time her senses returned to her she was somewhere far hotter and far worse than the bowels of a flaming building. “And that's how I ended up where I did,” Pear Butter murmured. “I killed my own father in a fit of rage, and got myself to Tartarus in the process.” Kanathara stood there in silence as Pear Butter continued down the path, her head hung low. “B-but didn't he start the fire?” asked the demon. Pear Butter snorted. “It was an accident with extenuating circumstances, and even if it wasn't, I still left my children alone. All because I thought revenge was worth any price.” The keeper of secrets hurriedly trotted after the other demon. “But are you sure it was an accident?” Pear Butter nodded grimly. “As you know, it isn't as difficult to see into the past, provided it was your past, and a few years after I entered Tirek’s service he showed me the truth.” “No offence, but father isn't exactly the most honest person around,” Kanathara warned. “There was no faking what I saw, and besides, you aren't the only one with a few tricks up their sleeves,” Pear Butter retorted. Kanathara stared silently at the forest floor as they trod silently down the winding game trail, a light breeze caressing her cheek. The silence seemed to stretch on into infinity, and for a while Kanathara struggled to find the right words for which to break it. “And how did you meet Tirek?” Kanathara inquired. Pear Butter’s features softened, and a ghost of a smile crossed her face. “The old goat is more nostalgic than he lets on, and I had barely managed to manifest most of my abilities by the time he had hunted me down. After that he took me in, offered me a deal, as well as a purpose, and the rest is as they say, history.” “What exactly do you mean, purpose?” Kanathara asked. “He too wanted revenge, and unlike me, he deserved to get it.” The wrath demon shrugged her massive shoulders. “For a while that alone was enough to keep me goin’, but as time passed, well… that changed.” “Does that mean Tirek and you-” Kanathara began, only for her words to get caught in her throat when Pear Butter suddenly stopped at the edge of a row of trees. “Well, here we are,” Pear Butter declared. “Where are we?” The wrath demon sighed. “Home sweet home.” Kanathara leaned out of the treeline and realized they had definitely left the forest behind, replacing it by something far more tame.