//------------------------------//
// Accord 
// Story: Expedition to the Cloudbreak Islands 
// by Starglider 
//------------------------------//

Deep in the enormous, abandoned temple of Air, three ponies and four griffons were waiting for their respective champions to emerge. The young male griffon, Cerulean Mist, bounded off to retrieve something from his family's packs; it turned out to be a game of sorts, involving flat stones placed on a folding wooden board. The griff asked if anypony knew how to play 'Skystones'; none did, but Summer Scribe fond the concept (or, to be honest, the faint magic radiating from the pieces) to be intriguing and accepts.

It seemed each player drew a clawful of creatures pieces and then took turns to place them on the board. As soon as a stone was placed, the enchantment inside sprang to life. On the second turn a tiny, translucent image of a troll wielding a blunderbuss appeared, and fought Summer's robed biped in a miniature display of magic blasts and black powder artillery. The mysterious mage apparently lost, fading away into nothing, but cuts and bandages appeared on the griffon's illusionary troll.

Eventually the young female griffon, Amber Thermal, emerged from her door. Now unhindered by the temple's magics, she flapped happily over to the group and landed next to her parents, who give her a quick nuzzle and preen. "It was tricky, but fun!" she explained. "Northern and southern griffons were fighting over the eyries, but I helped them work it out! What's next?"

It would be a few more minutes before Azure Feather emerged from her own door, finding the makeshift staircase gone but her wings happily working again. "One down... time to have a look at another door..." She fluttered down to the chamber floor, looking around for Amber. Worryingly, Set Sail seemed to be missing, along with the unicorn engineer Sprocket.

Summer Scribe had found the magical board game quite impressive, but at the sight of Amber and Azure making it out, she trotted over to welcome them back. "Hey, Amber, Azure! Did it go weeelll oh cool, you can fly in here now!" She immediately loses her train of thought, observing and perking. "Does that mean you succeeded? The Wind is yours and so on?"

Azure frowned at Summer, shaking her head and saying "One... one is, anyway... I'm not done. We still need to finish the other three to finish the trials... before looking around. "Which one now..."

Summer was happy to offer advice. "Well, you both beat your own respective trials - why not swap places?" She gestured at the two doors with a hoof. "You could even share advice so you know what to expect going in."

Azure nodded at the sensible suggestion. "I'm not going to make it too easy, Amber, but the blood door? Keep your eyes open. The answer isn't so easy to see at first." Probably best not to give the whole solution, Azure thought: Amber was supposed to be the Gryphons' Chosen! It seemed like the trials were meant to teach as well as test, and in any case, if she gave the griffoness the exact solution the temple might react by creating a completely different challenge.

"B-blood door?!" Amber said nervously. "Whose blood? You look ok... did it hurt? My door was... it was nice actually! Just about calming the winds through the pass until more of the peak was habitable, then, uh, helping the griffs see sense..."

"Calm the winds... heh, more pegasus magic. Gotcha. Fine, I'll give you one more hint: the answer isn't necessarily on the field. I'll let you figure it out from there.  See you at the halfway point! You got this, Amber." She smiled at the nervous youngster, then shot her father Indigo a little smirk. "Which door did she start in?"

The big male griffon pointed to the door clockwise around the chamber from the one Azure had first tried. "That's the one, up there."

"Thank you, Indigo; much appreciated. Good luck, Amber!" she called out, before taking to the air again and heading for the second challenge. With that the two champions were pushing through their respective doors, disappearing into the corridors beyond.





The hallway was practically identical to the first; different carvings, perhaps, but Azure Feather didn't stop to examine them in detail. The room at the end was similar in construction, built on the side of the temple with a perimeter of columns showing clouds and sky beyond. The only major difference was the shape; circular instead of rectangular, with a coffered ceiling and a floor divided into shallow concentric tiers instead of flat. It made little difference, because once again clouds formed out of nowhere, taking form and texture as the magic of the temple created the challenge for the would-be champion.

Azure had a notion of what to expect from Amber, but likely her challenge wouldn't be griffons - ponies perhaps, unless it had to be native creatures? Her butterfly wings were unfurled, ready to do channel more energy, although likely that kind of magic wouldn't suffice this time; she'd have to weave spells with her words as well. Then there was the question of which allies she'd be working with this time...

The blue unicorn found herself high in the sky, standing on a small island hoof-deep in puffy white snow. Laid out before her was a miniature archipelago of islands, like a microcosm of the realm they found themselves in. Perhaps forty little house-sized islets ringed two larger landmasses, dotted in the snow-covered forms of trees and complete with frozen ponds and streams.

Rope bridges radiated out from one landmass, where several tunnel entrances could be seen, along with smoking chimneys poking up from the ground, presumably from rooms hidden away beneath the surface. Piles of spoil, tailings and junk sitting around the tunnel entrances left no doubt that some measure of industry was underway here.

The other landmass was clearly host to an agricultural enterprise, with several cottages and a pair of large barns ringed by small fields, painstakingly cleared of snow. Instead of bridges, tiny platforms supported by balloons sat tethered to stumps, waiting to carry a creature or two across the yawning gaps between the islands.

The scene was populated by two kinds of creatures. Standing warily around the tunnel entrances and creeping across the bridges were thin bipeds with smooth green skin and pointed ears; most likely more of Abernathy's people. Bustling about the farming village were a different species of bipeds, brown furred and rounded, vaguely like tail-less raccoons. 

A minute or two of observation was enough to confirm that the two parties were at odds. Over there was a troll sneaking into a vegetable path, making off with a handful of carrots before a group of the furry creatures chased him off with rakes and hoes. Meanwhile one of his compatriots was digging through a scrap pile, picking out nails until a troll chased him off with a pick axe. Other creatures were engaged in shouting matches across the open sky between the islands... but there were no griffons in sight, or any mountain peaks for that matter.

Immediately, Azure glanced to each side to see... yes, it seemed that once again the temple had recreated two of her friends, as allies or at least guides. To her right, the unicorn Summer Scribe, smiling pleasantly and watching the brown creatures closely. To her left, the larger frame of the brown pegasus Set Sail, looking unsettled and frowning at the angry bipeds behaving so disharmoniously.

"Well, this place isn't close to being full of friendship, now is it..." Azure remarks, frowning a little. "You've got each of them stealing from each other without regard for anything the other one might want to keep, or even need to survive." She turned to address the other mares. "Set Sail." A little bow to the pegasus, then another to the unicorn: "Summer Scribe." "Do either of you have information I may be lacking here? The tribes' leaders, perhaps? Or anything I should know: diplomats, valuables, currency, trade, even?"

"Oh boy, looks like you have a challenge to do!" Summer Scribe declared excitedly, "and I'm gonna tell you to do things and stuff and woww, look how high up we are! Look at all those little creatures running around down there. Are they fighting? I think they're fighting. I wonder what they're fighting about? Is this real snow up here? I mean duh it's not real snow but do they have real snow here? What do you think, Azure?"

Set Sail nodded, then returned the bow. "Azure." She looked out over the little archipelago, floating in the air below them. "It's obvious that the creatures here suffer from contention over their resources: the trolls must be starving, and the raccoons little better. Why else would they try to grow crops in the middle of winter, or steal each other's scraps? Clear as day to me that they're at their wit's end!"

"Wait, they're both hungry?" Azure asked, looking surprised. "If one needed food while the other had an abundance, that'd be one thing, but... hmm. Maybe it's something even more basic than that: I just spotted one stealing something as basic as nails. Maybe to build something to help with their crops. It is winter, after all. Terrible weather to try and grow crops. Or... maybe they don't even have seasons here? Is it just snowy all the time?" Azure mused. Goodness, she did appreciate a challenge where pony lives didn't hang in the balance and she had time to consider her decisions.

Set Sail nodded her head. "...either way, it's your job as an Elemental of the Air to fix this mess. That's an order, by the way! Right now they don't have the resources to sustain themselves, and we can hardly let these poor creatures starve to death!"

Still staring down, Summer suggested, "Maybe we should ask them? How am I gonna get down there though? I don't think I could make the jump, and I'm just a unicorn. Do I just... stand up here cheering you on the whole time? Oh, I know!" Lighting up her horn brightly, Summer Scribe quickly cast the butterfly wings spell on herself, and with her new gossamer appendages fluttering, she declared "Race you to the bottom!" With that she soared off the overlook and flew down to where the skinny green and fuzzy brown beings were arguing.

Thinking back to Amber's experience, Azure told her illusionary captain "I'm getting ideas here, Set Sail. Let's see how things go, hmm?" Seconds later she was playfully 'racing' the fantasy of Summer Scribe down to the bottom. Doubtless talking to members of both species was the way to make progress: get each side of the story. Though... given the tense situation, she needed to stay on her guard. Sudden entrances from a strange species would doubtless get their attention, and the reaction wasn't guaranteed to be positive.

"Counting on you!" Set Sail nodded curtly, as she spread her own wings and followed the other two ponies down, fretting about what kind of first impression they'd make.

The ponies flew towards the centre of the tiny island group, coming into earshot of the creatures shouting back and forth there. "Filthy trolls! Always knew you were evil to the core!"

"Evil? You Mabu are hoarding all the decent soil! You won't even give us a handful of seeds to get started!"

"Yeah like you can't even spare a few nails? They're in the trash pile!"

"That's not trash, it's.... hey! What are those... flying antelopes?!"

"No idea, wow they... hey this better not be another of your tricks!"

"No tricks! This time, I mean! They do look tasty though don't they?"

Set Sail exchanged a glance with Azure, her tail lashing for a moment, but saying nothing.

Sighing, Azure dived right in: "Look, I know you're all begging for food, but I know there's a better way for this... the weather's awful for growing crops, I understand that. But I see one of your tribes have nails, metalworking, is that correct?" she asked, completely skipping the customary introduction. Probably best not waste time explaining about ponies and where they came from, not yet at least: sometimes desperate creatures just didn't care who you were, only what you could do for them - or do to them.

"It talks!"

"Talking antelope?"

"Yeah, we're the civilised species here. Those Mabu-"

"They're monsters. We could work the mine just fine, if they weren't-"

"Don't listen to her! Mabu propaganda has-"

"Lies!"

The shouting and insults went downhill from there.

"We're not tasty!" Summer protested, tearing herself away from a close examination of the troll's junk piles and swooping gracefully up beside Azure, "We'd hardly make a single meal for you! I wonder why they're all so hungry, anyway? You'd think only half would be hungry, and the other half would be... nail hungry! But instead both are hungry? What's up with that?"

"It's this awful weather." Azure explained. "Is there a nearby island you use during... better seasons to harvest crops than this one?" she asked the furry creatures. "If not... snow stops you planting crops, but..." With a flick of her wings, she sent a little bit of air magic to clear the snow from a small part of the island, blowing it away into the sky. "if I clear a few islands, and maybe both tribes can work together to harvest, then later you could build greenhouses to deal with seasons like this..."

"Orrr you could only clear stuff for anyone who works together, and dump a bunch of snow on the crops of the ones who don't!" Summer suggested brightly.

"Did you see that-"

"I knew it was a trick-"

"Magic antelope assassins, I knew it-"

"SHUT UP!"

"Yeah, shut- uh." The female Mabu manages to shock the crowd into silence for a moment. "First, do you see any ships around here? How are we going to get to other islands? Second, we don't have ships because THOSE TROLLS REFUSE TO-" 

"Hey! If we weren't starving, maybe we could look into it!" a troll stallion called back. To Azure, he said "Look, little antelope, don't want to be unfriendly here but we can shovel snow on our own. Doesn't do much good when the ground's still frozen solid-"

"Like you'd know how to grow a single cabbage even if you-"

"Oh we're going to build a ship alright, just so we can drop a rock right on your-"

The chaotic shouting quickly returned.

Set Sail facehooved and groaned. "...Azure. Can you show the Troll and Mabu what you can do? I don't think they appreciate your full capabilities without a display."

"So it has to be on this island... and the ground is frozen solid, we need to find a solution to that too. But..." the unicorn smiled at the captain's suggestion. "You know, that's a darn good point... maybe I should be a little more forceful." Taking aim at a small snow-covered islet in the middle of the group, she fluttered her wings and pushed out magic energy, whipping up a little cyclone to well and truly wipe the snow away.

Azure Feather found it surprisingly easy to create the miniature tornado - no straining and sensation of heat in her horn as she'd had to bear when blasting the crystal bats earlier. The raging wind proceeded to strip the little island of snow, grass, leaves and a fair amount of topsoil. The assembled creatures stared in awe until the wind died down, before finding common cause at last.

"I knew it! Magic chaos lamas!"

"They're gonna destroy everything!"

"Erkle, get the crossbow! No the working one!"

"We've got nets! If we tie rocks to them-"

"Go for the wings! That must be her weak spot!"

"No, no, you gotta hit antelopes on the nose-"

Trolls and Mabu alike began to run around  frantically , searching for some way to fight back against ponygenic climate apocalypse. A couple begin hurling pebbles in Azure and Summer's general direction.

"Woah, woah, woah! Hang on! Azure's going to fi-" Set Sail leapt forward to protest, but was soon beaned by a rock to the face, tumbling dizzily before toppling to the ground.

"Just try it!" Summer Scribe shouted back with a rough smile, levitating a storm of rocks around her, looking for targets to retaliate against.

Azure just nodded: alright, it seemed these foolish creatures wouldn't listen to reason... time to put an end to this, before anypony gets seriously hurt. Part of her couldn't care less about these creatures, especially after what they did to the Captain, but... She pushed magic through her wings again, conjuring up a defensive wall of wind between the ponies and the two warring tribes, then called to the other unicorn. "Summer? Could you get the captain safety please? I think this needs a little... fine-tuning. Maybe I do need to be a diplomat... and maybe... just maybe I need to start thinking like a certain crazy cerulean Pegasus from back home!"

"Aww, but I wanted to bean some heads," Summer said, pouting. However she followed orders: her horn flashed with bright energy, teleporting both her and Set Sail far away, back to the tiny island above where they'd begun the scenario.

Set Sail brushes herself off and got up, clucking and telling her rescuer "You know Summer, that spell would have been really useful in a few recent encounters..."

Summer just shrugged, remarking "It's Azure's magic that's gotta make the difference here. I just hope she knows what she's doing."

Set Sail smirked back. "It's her job to know. so she'd better."

Meanwhile the native creatures stared fearfully at the escalating magic powers of the flying equines. Clearly these harbingers of destruction are a force to be reckoned with. The trolls ran into their tunnels and disappeared underground while the Mabu crowded into their barns, slamming and bolting the doors behind them.

"...All right... now to think like a pegasus." Azure Feather told herself. Foregoing further negotiation, she'd rather act, flapping higher and higher until she reached the base of the overcast clouds. It all made sense now: the southern wind - the herald of summer - that's what she needed to bring to this little land. Drive the northern winds out and change the season: simple enough. Soon she was trying just that: a large-scale breeze strong enough to send the cloud cover packing, revealing the Sun to warm the soil. Then she would follow up with a series of warm gusts to gently melt and push away the snow, to prepare the whole region for the planting and harvesting of crops.

Set Sail was experienced enough with weather manipulation to understand what Azure was doing... and it put a broad smile on her face. "Yes, that's the way! You have to channel the sense of the winds through your pinions - be in touch with the weather around you, guide the movement of air and water vapour, like a conductor and her orchestra..."

Azure worked tirelessly to clear the overcast skies, bringing bright sunlight down to touch every part of the islands, while the warm wind rolled in and caresses the trees, the grass, the soil. It seemed time, or at least specific heat capacity, works a little differently here, as in mere minutes the ponies watched the snow and ice melt away, streaming in rivulets that dripped off the edges of the islands, leaving warm, damp, soft soil behind. "The sky is your stage - the winds your instruments - the lands your audience." she murmured "I never gave a thought to it until-"

"Azure! You're doing it! Wooo!" Summer shouted. The sight was so enthralling that she completely missed the troll crawl out of a concealed tunnel, take aim and shoot a crossbow bolt straight at her heart. Fortunately the distance was long and the sights poorly aligned, so the deadly projectile merely whistled past her ear, popping her wings and making her tumble down to a squelchy landing in the newly formed mud. "How rude!" she exclaimed. With a wave of her horn, she conjured an impenetrable shield bubble to protect her and Set Sail from any more bolts.

Set Sail jolted with concern at the near-miss, then rolled her eyes at the sight of another incredibly useful spell Summer had never displayed knowledge of before. The task at hand was to keep encouraging Azure; her call of "You're doing great, Azure! Keep going!" was only slightly muffled by the magic bubble.

Time to finish the job, Azure though, looking around to ensures everything was in order... Summer couldn't last forever -  the seasons, like everything else, would keep rolling - but perhaps this had been an unnaturally long winter, and all she needed to do was restore the natural order? As for the weather working, it truly was just as Set Sail described it - the winds like instruments in her orchestra. Sure, sometimes you got a crazy pegasus who just like to bust through all the annoying clouds, but sometimes it was best to work with nature rather than against it.

A few creatures were warily beginning to poke their heads out of windows and doorways, staring at their altered surroundings in confusion. After smoothing the winds down to a nice orderly breeze, Azure slowly returned to the ground, warily watching the two native tribes.  "...Now can I explain who we are?" she asked.

The mabu and trolls whispered to each other but stayed quiet, unwilling to provoke the air elemental.

"S-Sure, whatever..."

"Yeah, I mean if it's a choice between speeches and tornadoes..."

"We're a tribe from outside the storm barrier." Azure said plainly, trying to keep calm. "Our mission here is reconnaissance: explore new lands, learn about their inhabitants. And we are learning... a lot from you, your lands, your tribes. I apologise for the rash displays. I mis-stepped when thinking that was the best plan of action here. I am not the diplomat of my kind, but I'm... learning." This was difficult for her, but... it seemed to be working? 

Silence. Stares (the leaves swirling around the winged unicorn did add a certain presence). Then a troll spoke up: "So... no more tornadoes?"

Meanwhile the Mabu leader had temporarily forgotten the conflict and was testing the soil: "This is amazing! Ready to plant... we can grow ten times as much, easily."

"No more tornadoes. No more eternal winter." Azure said firmly. "No more conflict?" she suggested, a tinge of hope in her voice.

"What? You think we can just... those monsters are still occupying the mine!"

"Hey, if you could just blow them off the island, we'd be fine? We could pay you in lettuce; antelopes love lettuce, right?"

"Try it and we'll blow you all to smithereens! Who's got all the dynamite? Yeah, that's right, us trolls! And now that-" The shouting began to resume.

Azure sighed and shook her head. When she spoke next the tentative hope was gone, replaced by a more commanding tone. "Ever thought about working together for a change? Trade? In goods if not in currency? There is good land for crops now, resources for all. The only thing preventing you from living a good life here is yourselves."

"But how can we trust-" both leaders said simultaneously, before stopping and staring at each other.

Set Sail had abandoned the magic bubble, gliding down to lend moral support. "You were only fighting because you were scrambling for food and resources. If you have everything you need to sustain yourselves, then why ruin everything by wasting your efforts fighting each other?"

"Tell them they can trust each other because they want to!" came Summer's faint calls from above; after the crossbow incident she was a little less willing to get close to the trolls.

"Look what just happened - you were willing to team up to fight us off, if nothing else. Two heads are better than one - two tribes working together can achieve wonders. The trolls clearly have tools and parts, going to waste even - perhaps the start of cooperation can be as simple as a new greenhouse. A new silo. You can agree a fair share of the food, instead of stealing."

"I guess... we could give it a try?" the troll leader said.

"Yeah... a trial run... but if you try anything-" his mabu counterpart began.

"We'll work it out. Like the flying magic chaos weather antelope said... we have to. Shake on it?"

The male troll extended a green hand, and reluctantly the female mabu took it... before shaking firmly. "Deal."

"Good. It seems you're on the way to overcoming your differences and... I apologise for the rash display." Azure concluded. "Farewell."

Set Sail bowed to Azure, a smile on her face. "Good job, Azure. I knew I could count on you. And now..." she spread her pinions with a look of satisfaction on her face. "My wings will be your wings."

Teleporting next to the pegasus with a flash and a pop, Summer Scribe chimed in: "I sure did my best to be all confusing, but I guess you made it anyways!" She seemed perfectly happy with the outcome, adding "Great job! You earned this."

Azure just stared at the captain; for the first time since the two met, there was a stunned look in her eyes as she quietly repeated "My wings are your wings...? What... what do you mean?"

The pegasus opened her mouth as if to reply, but she was already losing colour and substance. Before Set Sail could utter another word she'd dissolved into drifting cloud, soon to be followed by the rest of the scene. Once again Azure found herself alone in the enormous circular space, staring at drifting clouds and blue skies through the gaps between the marble columns.





The strange force that initially kept everyone grounded showed no sign of returning, so Azure simply flew down the hall and out into the central chamber, coming to a hover a few metres above the floor. The scene hadn't changed much: the brown and white griffon Gustus sitting near the two much larger native griffons, while their male child played another round of the magical board game with the real Summer Scribe. There was still no sign of Set Sail or Sprocket.

"And I'm fairly sure from a reliable source that a beetroot tincture in apple juice will do the trick," Gustus told his fellow griffs confidently, "Now who here's winning at this magic-powered board game? I confess the rules do yet escape me.

"This is pretty fun," Summer thought out loud, her tail flicking as she focused on the pieces. "It's like the game plays itself, but you're still building an army, learning to predict how all the different pieces will interact, so it's really engaging!"

Azure Feather's lips curled into a quiet smile as she surveyed the room. Things seemed to be going fine, not much changed since the last time she was here... but Amber was notably absent, and her eyes were drawn to the door to the trial chamber she'd entered first... still shut. "I wonder if Amber's okay... two down with two to go here, but..." Azure said, landing near the others. She seemed torn: the griffons had been allies since they first met, and it seemed friends were a rare find out here. Azure gave Emerald a sympathetic look; she must be even more worried. "Really hope she's okay..."

"It has been a while..." the green griffon said nervously. "Indy, do you think we should go in after her?"

"Never heard of a griff getting hurt in the temple. On the journey, sure, but not in the trials." her mate replied comfortingly, before adding under his breath "Excepting a few cuts and bruises, like."

Cerulean didn't seem to be concerned. "Yeah Skystones is the best, isn't it!" the young griffon said, nodding enthusiastically to Summer. "And you're pretty good for a beginner!" He leans in and whispers "Guess what I found when we visited the vulpids last year? A vehicle stone! 'course no one will let me play with it, 'cause that's unfair I guess, but... oh hey miss uneycorn? Did you win?"

"A vehicle stone?" Summer Scribe mused! "What did it look like?" She looked down, taking in the layout of toppled and triumphant stones. "I think I did win!" she enthused, misinterpreting the griffon's question.

Azure gave a slow nod to the gamer griffon, her smile returning. "Yeah. Two down." she acknowledged, before turning back to Emerald and Indigo. "That first one... it wasn't an easy trial. Particularly if Amber's not well-versed in battle... I'm not going to jump ahead, though. Want to stay and make sure she's alright, first. No distractions."

Summer blinked, suddenly realising Azure's had returned; she gave her compatriot a triumphant hoof-wave! "Nice going! Two down indeed." She beamed, saying giddily: "So far so good... I can't wait to see what happens next!"

"Good for you!" Cerulean chirped to Azure. "Yeah Amber must be.... hey! You're not a winner yet, Miss Scribe! I still got a..." the griffon gave a little trill by way of build-up "...Chompy Bot Nine Thousand! That's a robot, you see," he added, sagely. "Or maybe a golem. I dunno, seem the same to me, but it kicks ass!"

Summer Scribe made an 'oh no' face and groaned. "Who would make a golem based off of a chompy?" That was then moment when the revelation came that the Cloudbreak Islands must be full of sadists. She looked despondent!

They'd been waiting a little while, watching the game, when Sprocket returned through the main entrance. The cream-furred unicorn looked a little worried as she trotted briskly back into the room. Heading up to Summer and Azure, the junior engineer said with a uneasy grimace, "Set Sail's doing okay. She said she's going to stay outside and watch the copter."

Summer Scribe didn't think much of that cover story, wondering why Sprocket was making that face while telling it, but... no point arguing. "...Alright! I hope she's doing fine."

Azure just grimaced. "The temple's environment doesn't sit too well with her, I guess. I know what it's like when you want to fly but can't. Hopefully she's fine, yeah." she nodded to Summer.

"She wasn't trying to fly anymore, but something in here was just really bothering her," Sprocket said with a shrug, "It must be some sort of pegasus thing. She said she was fine. Just seemed kind of creeped out. I guess we can join her out there when we're done here."

"Well, can't be all that bad if she hasn't thrown up, right?" Summer Scribe reasoned. "Just bad vibes or a brush the wrong way or whatever. Yeah, we can reassure her later."

It would be another twenty minutes before the golden griffon finally emerged from her challenge, flapping erratically through the portal before diving straight down to her parents. "Oh mum, dad... it was awful!" she wailed, emphasising her plight with little squawks and chitters of distress. "I couldn't save them. The rats... I couldn't stop them... they ate all the chicks! I tried to blow them back but, oh..." She buried her beaked face in her father's flank.

"There there," Emerald reassured her, stroking her back, "it wasn't real. None of it was real."

"What the heck is behind those doors, some kind of waking nightmare?" Gustus asked, looking with worry at the troubled family. "And what does all this have to do with 'making things blow around' sorta magic?"

"A griff's gotta prove themselves, to get the blessings." Indigo said. "Guess the spirits of Air don't feel like making it easy on their elementals."

Summer perked up as Amber returned... but at her clear distress, her head drooped. It sounded like she wouldn't be making champion this time, huh?

Even Azure's soon to Amber's side... clearly seeing the griffon's distress. And as much as she wanted to find the words to reassure her... she couldn't, as evidenced by her three attempts to speak that got as far as opening her mouth as if to say something, then just closing it again. The third and last attempt ending with her looking to the ground. Damn. Gustus though, she could answer.

"Look... I don't know the whole story, and I'd rather not get into it just now. I'll tell you what I can once this is done..." Azure turned to Indigo and Emerald, giving a sympathetic glance to Amber; a look that clearly showed her concern for the would-be champion and her parents. She just wanted them all to be okay... but she had to continue. Alone. It was time to head to that foul-smelling door. Flying up, she gave one last look back... before heading in. Time for the third challenge.

"Oh but it's not like that Indy." Emerald admonished, looking nervously up at the ceiling as if said spirits might disapprove of her mate's opinion. "It's how they teach us. Why I bet Amber can do things now that she... oh, um... good luck then!" she called after Azure, but the doors were already closing.

"Good luck, Azure!" Summer Scribe echoed hopefully. Surely Azure was made of tough enough stuff that she could close this out... right?





Far away, back at the jungle island where the ponies had first landed, the great airship was still moored next to the pretty sheep-filled meadow. One creature was in no mood or condition to appreciate the idyllic scene outside, instead confining himself to the darkest, loneliest place he could find. The lowest deck of the EAS Harmony was mostly occupied by the cavernous cargo hold, dark and empty, with only a few small portholes letting in light.

Once packed with supplies, most of the crates had either been tossed overboard to reduce weight in the desperate crossing of the storm wall, or unpacked and relocated to the rest of the ship or the camp in the adjacent meadow. The last few had met a more violent end, smashed to splinters, leaving bent cans and shattered jars scattered across the floor. Even the structure of the ship itself bore a few fresh scars: pitting in the beams and ruts melted into the deck as if by strong acid.

The cause of the destruction lay curled in the corner furthest from the door, resembling a huge pile of grey feathers from which a dozen twitching, electric-blue tentacles protruded. One would have to get close to see the beaked face, still adorned with pink crest but with fins in the place of ear tufts. The eyes had lost their usual ferocity as the former hippogriff Reef Skimmer stared at the wall, as he had done for the last four hours.

Rage - at Summer Scribe, at whoever had build the condemned factory, at magic in general - had given way to depression, as he tried to find a reason to continue living. How could he be of use to anygriff now: hideous, unable to fly, unable to walk, unable to even touch things without risk of melting them. Even if he could return to Mount Aris, he'd be a freak, a laughing-stock, discharged from the navy and a sideshow attraction at best. Why not just end it now? He knew the ponies would be upset, but they couldn't afford a liability like him, not when they were fighting for survival in this awful place.

The darkness ended, though it was not a welcoming light. The shadows veered away from a shimmering purple light playing along the broken crates and the scarred beams. Casting the light was a strange pegasus with empty eyes, hesitating at the sight of it all down here, but proceeding carefully and evenly on four quiet and delicate hooves. She did not know the forces that coursed through her at this moment, only that they could snuff out the life of anything around her.

Stepping between the ruined cans and jars of wasted provisions she cautiously approached what Reef Skimmer had become. He did not lash out at her, or even turn around as she approached, so finally, the glowing purple pegasus known as Cloud Cutter stood at a hopefully safe distance and called out seriously, "Reef Skimmer."

The head lifted up... supported not by a feathery neck, but by another cluster of tentacles. The disturbing sight put Cloud Cutter in mind of a griffon that had been decapitated and the reanimated by some forbidden magic; the comparison to her own condition made the barest trace of a smile flash across her lips. "Cloud... Cut?" The voice was monotone, even morose. "You look... different. Walking. That's something." He tried to draw the twitching tentacles under his wings, to hide them from the pegasus, before giving up and staring at the wall. "Wasn't expecting visitors... come to stare at the freak?" he said, bitterness creeping into his tone.

"If I wanted to do that, I could look in a mirror," Cloud Cutter said with an unsympathetic toss of her mane. "I don't like you, Reef Skimmer," she told him, walking up to the former hippogriff, "And I am pretty sure you don't like me. But my captain, and my friend Set Sail asked me to deliver you a message. She asked me because I'm the only pony who can deliver it."

"You have the capability to hurt anypony who comes near you, but so have I. This energy within me saps the life from anything it touches, once I release it. I'm sure that feeling is familiar to you now, with those acid worms a part of you, but clearly you can control it as well as I can, otherwise you would have fallen through the bottom of the ship by now. So here we are, a couple of freaks, each with the power to destroy the other, but each of us harmless to the touch, until we decide to send someone to a hasty grave."

Reef rose unsteadily to his... well not feet, but the tentacles were standing in for them well enough that he towered to twice the height of the pegasus, spread wings spanning half-way across the hold. "To think I begged the Captain to keep you around. That you could control it, that you weren't an asset not a threat, when she thought you were going to kill everycreature. I shouldn't expect gratitude... from a pony." he spat. "You hated me the whole time, eh? Ponies must get a lot of practice, at hiding their grudges behind a pleasant face." He clicked his beak.

"So be it. You at least are useful... if you can truly control that magic, which..." He'd dismissed the purple glow as just more pony magic, but this time there was an unfamiliar, thoroughly unpleasant feeling. A chill radiated from the pegasus, a touch of the oblivion that stood against all life, all hope... yet somehow, somewhere, it felt as if a crowd of beings were laughing. "...which I'm not sure is even true, any more." He glared at the avatar of death. "The power to destroy each other, you say? One is in no shape for a duel... but if you speak truth, perhaps that would be best. For her sake- I mean..." he shook his head "for the sake of the others."

"A duel?" she said unhappily, taking a step back as Reef heaved himself to a towering height, "I'm not here to fight you! I'm not here to fight anyone. So you hate me too, then? Think I can't control it? It—wants to be released, and I won't let it, because I am useful, and I'm not going to kill any creatures today if I can help it. You think I hate you? Just because you were rude and self-centred, always going on about how hard it is for you to treat us? I could listen to that all day without blinking, but now you're being utterly insufferable."

With an uncharacteristic lash of her tail, she declared defiantly, "Nopony cares how much of a freak you are. Nopony wants you to die. They just want you to stop being such a spoiled... petulant foal who mopes around down here, having tantrums that scare everypony so much, that they need me to tell you come back to  them. I'm just here to deliver a message, not here to end your life, as you seem quite capable of doing that yourself."

"Then go and do something useful." Reef shouted angrily. "Since you're such a valuable member of the crew. You think I don't know what you went through? That you were so special, compared to the hundreds of creatures I've had to watch suffering and die? But oh of course, ponies automatically understand exactly what other creatures, lesser creatures are going through." He glared down at the pegasus. "You are the ignorant little filly in this room, and you can take your 'message' and shove it!"

The griff was snorting, panting, tentacles twitching uncontrollably... he managed to look away, before slowly drawing his wings in and saying coldly "That was... uncalled for. One just... can't think straight, right now. Everything feels wrong." He sighed, looking at the pegasus and tilting his head. "Consider your duty discharged. It seems misery finds no comfort in company, nor do victims of alien magics share common understanding." The creature turned away, showing his back to Cloud Cutter... and even more tentacles, thick ones bearing fishy fins that had replaced his feathery tail.

"I'll leave after I've delivered my message," Cloud Cutter said stubbornly to the creatures ropey tailed rear end, since he clearly had important walls to stare at. When he didn't turn around, she said in a softer voice, "And I'm sorry, if everything feels wrong." Before he could respond, she added curtly, "Set Sail wanted me to tell you that she misses you very much, and she hopes that you will get better soon. And she didn't tell me this, but I know she meant your behaviour, not your physical form. Because she... feels that way about me, too."

Reef looked over his shoulder at the pegasus, his expression unreadable (at least to CC). A long pause, and then "Good. You're a pony, a pegasus even. Were it not for your eyes, none would be the wiser. You can fly, you can protect her... touch her." He sighed again, and his beak hung open the barest crack. "At least now, she won't have to choose. I wish you... whatever happiness you can find together. Regardless of your opinion of me, would you do be the favour of..." his voice cracked. "...taking care of her. Goodbye, Cloud Cut." Were those tears? In the strange purple light it was hard to tell, before his head turned away to stare at the wall again.

Cloud Cutter fish-mouthed at the strange creature in shock, before crouching there, declaring up at him angrily, "Why don't you ask somepony to do that who isn't the walking dead? I haven't been able to get off in weeks!" A silent, speechless pause then, after which her purple glow abruptly faded from the room. When Reef Skimmer turned around to look again, it was as if she had never been there at all.