Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and breathed in as warm sunlight bounced off her face from across the sea.
The girl was now standing on a cliffside, listening to the crashing waves below her and enjoying the warmth of the sun. When she had left the tunnel, she hadn’t expected this, that was for sure. She didn’t know what she had been expecting, but it certainly wasn’t anything nice like this. The salty smell of the sea reminded her of home, back on Canterim. It had already felt like days since she had set sail for Veorea. It was nice, being back out in an open area, and there was not an enemy in sight.
Rainbow Dash followed the only pathway down a slope along the cliff. Grass crept over long forgotten stone steps of an ancient kingdom, leading her over to a broken wooden archway between two large rocks. Beyond that was a small town, composed of various worn out buildings of wood or stone. Grass had grown over most of the place, likely long abandoned, except Rainbow could see a single figure standing by a ring of boulders near the cliff, gazing out at the sea and beyond.
Not sure what else she could do, she approached the figure, her footsteps crunching on the long grass.
The figure noticed her when she got closer, but she made no move to back away or initiate combat. That was a good sign.
“Welcome to Fyrlon, traveler,” she said. Her head was covered by a blue cloak. “You have traveled far to reach Veorea. Do you seek the Flame to restore this land?”
“Well, I guess so.” Rainbow scratched her head. “I’m looking for the Sunlight Maggot.”
“Ah, you seek Light.” She nodded and turned around to face her. “I am Firekeeper Twilight Sparkle. I guide all who come to seek the Flames. Long ago, four received the Flames of Death from the emergence of the Abyss. They have long since distanced themselves from the Throne of the Fallen Hearth in their own lairs. Should you bring their Flames back here, you will open a way to the Throne to stop the Abyss.”
Rainbow stared at her for a few seconds. Stop the Abyss? Was this firekeeper mad? There was no way she could do all that. And to stop a Flame of Death? That was madness beyond mad. There was no way she could do that without a Flame of her own.
“I… I just want the Sunlight Maggot,” she finally said. “I do not have any Flame to face the four Flames of Death.”
Twilight nodded again. “Yes, it is a difficult task ahead, one few have attempted. Alas, all who leave for Drawgren’s Keep of Glass have never returned.
“Should you be seeking the Sunlight Maggot, however, be warned, they only thrive near sources of Flame themselves and they must fester on the bodies of these Flames, specifically, Doland, Light of the Sky, leader of his Church of the Deep. To find one, you would need to-”
“I need to face a Flame of Death?” Rainbow said those words as though each one was a knife to the gut. “There has to be another way.”
Twilight shook her head. “I am afraid if there is one, I am not aware. I am sorry.”
Rainbow slumped against one of the boulders in defeat. She didn’t come all the way here and brave through all those monsters just to be told she couldn’t do it. There just had to be a way. There had to be.
“So you’re saying that only someone who has a Flame has a chance of getting to the Sunlight Maggot?” Rainbow Dash clarified.
“That is correct,” the firekeeper said.
“So if someone were to come along who had such a Flame, it would be possible for me to get to my goal?”
The firekeeper nodded her head.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll stay here and pledge my help to the next person who comes along with a Flame on them,” Rainbow decided. “Guess that means I’m here to stay.”
Twilight Sparkle reached into her robes and brought out a small object. It was shaped like a wedge and had a strip of faded golden cloth wrapped around its top.
“You will need this to help you on your quest,” the firekeeper held the object out for Rainbow to take. “It is a white sign soapstone. The flow of time in this land is convoluted, but this soapstone will allow others to call you into their world to aid them.”
“How odd, but alright.” Rainbow pocketed the object.
She looked around town. It was a nice place, yes, but there wasn’t anything to gain just by waiting here. She wanted to make every second count, so in the end, Rainbow ventured back towards Thieves’ Passage, this time with more confidence. There was going to be someone that could help her get to the Sunlight Maggot. All she had to do was wait and get anything she could find to get to Doland. Her resolved had fallen drastically after her talk with Twilight, but it was back now, stronger than ever. There was a chance and though it was a slim one, she was willing to wait for it to come.
“Just you wait, Sunlight Maggot.” Rainbow pumped her fists together. “I’ll find you. I’ll bring that Light back to my home and I’ll end this scourge of madness. I’m Rainbow ‘Danger’ Dash and I’m awesome.”