//------------------------------// // The Sacrifices In Sanctuary // Story: Ofolrodi // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// “There are only three in your party now,” Azarias declared. A squadron of Bloodwings—some familiar and others not—hovered high above the craggy landscape situated halfway between Blobstain and the Tree of Mothers. They faced off against the gathered Heraldites, who were likewise suspended in place on a wing. “Very true,” Rainbow Dash declared with a nod. She motioned back at the Desperado and the pegasus behind her. “Look at it this way—you'll have less heads to count.” “Or less heads to lop off,” wheezed the voice of Bosonn. Hyggs and a few other stallions laughed. Azarias glared over his shoulder, silencing the rest of the sarosians. He turned back to squint at Rainbow in mid-hover. “A pity that the former commander and guardian isn't among those present.” “Who? You mean Sera?” Rainbow shrugged. “She's moved onto better things.” “Evidently, she knows ample opportunities when they present themselves,” Azarias slurred. The scars of his muscles curved ever so slightly. A sneer? A smile? “Or perhaps she's contracted a healthy strain of fear.” “Or perhaps you almost bored her to death last time,” Ariel droned. The Bloodwings behind Azarias cooed and hissed with mixed appreciation of that retort. As for the Second—his leafy ears folded back as he glared daggers at the mare. Rainbow closed her eyes, weathered a patient sigh, and calmly said: “Look. None of us were paid to square-dance here in the sky.” Her lids opened as she brandished a tired smirk. “We've returned to perform our service of commitment to the elders.” “And to the First Son of Nightmares,” Azarias declared. “Funny...” Rainbow blinked. “...I thought they were both one and the same~” Wildcard bore a proud smirk. “Hrmmmm...” Azarias pivoted slightly in his hover, tilting towards Omega. “Indeed.” He paused, then captured Rainbow's gaze with a raised fetlock. “In speaking of which, your presence is requested on behalf of the Commander himself.” “I expected as much.” “You and you alone,” Azarias said, fangs glinting in the twilight. “There is evidently much to be discussed. Lexxy'kyn sees fit to share it in privacy... for some reason...” Rainbow's muzzle opened. She paused, blinked a bit, then slowly nodded. “If that is what he wishes...” “What he wishes and what he commands are inseparable,” Azarias said hoarsely. “It would be folly to question it.” “Who said I did?” “... … …” Azarias merely frowned into the horizon. His scarred muscles tightened. Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Grfff...” The Second motioned towards the Omega horizon. “Follow us. Stay close in formation and do not fly off course.” “Yeah yeah.” Ariel nodded as she and Wildcard drew in closer beside Rainbow. “We know the drill.” The velvety fur on Azarias' backside bristled, but he remained silent, gliding forwards like liquid shadow. The rest of the Bloodwings closed in; Rainbow and her two partners flew in the center. “Okay, let's get this out of the way,” Rainbow muttered to Ariel without looking at her. “You're gonna have to rein it in some. And by 'some,' I mean a whole friggin' heck of a buckin' lot.” Ariel sighed out the side of her muzzle, nevertheless folding her forelimbs in grumpy indignance. “I know.” “Knowing and doing are two different things,” Rainbow said with a grunt. “From the sound of it, Lexxic wants to have a hoof-to-hoof chat with me. That inevitably means our party is splitting up pretty darn early. I don't need you making a mess of things when I'm not around to bail your smexxy flank.” “Right. I got it.” “Make sure that you do.” Rainbow's nostrils flared. “I don't want to come back to you being a dismembered jigsaw draped across Jordan's talons.” “Why are you freaking out all of a sudden?” Ariel squinted Rainbow's way. “I know I may have a mouth on me, but I can handle myself!” “Yeah, well, Sera isn't around any longer to smack you back into line while I'm distracted,” Rainbow muttered. “From now on, you gotta owe what that 'mouth' on you says. And—out here—we're kinda sorta broke.” Ariel blinked. “Sera didn't have to foalsit me...!” A beat. She squinted aside at Wildcard. “She didn't have to, did she?” Wildcard's beak clattered as his headcrest drooped. He twisted his metal talon from side to side. “... … …” Ariel looked back at the formation flying around Rainbow's group. “She was never any fun...” “Well, if we don't play our cards right, Sera will be out there and not having fun long... long after we're gutted, eaten, and buried.” Rainbow breathed sharply. “So let's be on our best behavior, huh?” “These misogynist punks are just asking for it, though—” “Ariel... … …” “Euuughhhh...” Ariel rolled her eyes as her body sagged. Her head bowed, and she sighed in defeat. “I promise...” Her voice grew more solid—a dollop of respect squeezing out. “...I will be on my best behavior while you're gone.” “And when I come back from chatting with Lexxic...?” “Well, that's when you get to foalsit me!” Wildcard snickered breathily. Rainbow slowly shook her head as the formation glided along. “I should have brought the asexual wyvern...” “Something's... different...” Fluttershy declared. Rainbow glanced aside to the ghostly mare. They had come within eyesight of the Tree of Mothers and were just now gliding over the Alpha reaches of the Dark Vigil's immense camp. Azarias' squadron criss-cross'd paths with other flight groups, and the party slowed as they began their gradual descent towards the Central Operations building. “What?” Rainbow asked, her attention focused on her lifelong fillyfriend. She could more than talk and fly blind with the formation all at once. “What's different, Flutters?” “I... don't think it's something to be alarmed about,” Fluttershy declared. She calmed noticeably as she looked back at Rainbow. “But many of the Bloodwings are positioned quite differently than when we last left this camp.” “Oh?” Twilight hovered evenly with the ghostly pegasus. “Where are they?” Fluttershy pointed Curveside, towards Omega. “There're several lines of sarosians positioned tightly along that edge of the base. Almost one third of the entire army.” “What for?” Pinkie Pie asked, blinking wide. “Oh googily gosh...!” She pulled at her phantom face muscles. “Do you think they're preparing for a party?! A battle party?!?!” “Dun be so goose-pimpled...!” Applejack briskly chided. “If our bat pony friends were fixin' for a slobberknocker, I woulda sensed it!” Twilight looked at her. “Well, what do you sense?” “Uhhhh...” Applejack lifted her ghost hat and rubbed her blonde scalp. “They're readyin' for somethin', alright. But t'ain't a battle. I reckon if there was some warfare in store, they'd be a great deal more pumped!” “Then what are they expecting, exactly?” Rarity asked. “Hard to say. But it matches the buzzin' in the spirits of Azarias and company here,” Applejack gestured. “I know it might sound silly, but it feels to me like they're feelin' hungry for somethin'.” “Hungry?” Pinkie blinked. “Yeah. Almost as if...” Applejack fidgeted a bit. “... … …they was goin' shoppin'.” Rainbow glanced back at the country mare. Applejack sighed. “Look—bein' honest doesn't mean makin' sense.” Her freckles tightened behind a pout. “I know it's mighty vague and I'm awfully sorry for that. But—I promise you—t'ain't nothin' for us to be worried about.” “I see where you are coming from, Applejack, darling.” Rarity nevertheless gulped. “But if there's one thing that we've learned about these bloodthirsty ruffians, it's that whatever it is that they 'look forward to' is anything but soothing.” “I wonder if it has anything to do with us, though,” Twilight Sparkle remarked. She looked at the group as a whole with mild concern. “And the fact that we've returned? I mean—could Lexxic be planning some wild psychological game just because the elders have committed us even longer to his company?” Rainbow looked at her, then at the other girls, then at the campsites down below. As their Bloodwing squadron glided past columns of blacksmith smoke, she rubbed her chin in thought, then craned her neck to speak loudly towards the head flier of the group. “Looks like things are shaping up for a large shindig around here!” Wildcard and Ariel looked confusedly at Rainbow. She continued: “I hope we didn't interrupt you in overseeing some major operation!” She smiled politely. “I know it must have taken an awful lot of your precious time to come and escort us!” Hyggs and Bosonn exchanged strange glances—as did a few other sarosians. Azarias—however—was the epitome of calm when he replied: “The Third and Fourth have filled in during my absence,” he said. “But it matters little. I will have returned before operations go underway.” “And what's that, exactly?” Rainbow gestured towards the same horizon Fluttershy did moments ago. “Field training? Drills for the blood colts?” “Do Seared Souls see through rock or something?” Bosonn wheezed, squinting suspiciously at Rainbow Dash. “Wr'shylykk!” Azarias' fangs flashed as he snarled over his flapping wings. “H'jnorrym thuul m'wynnyl, ryk ryk!” Bosonn bit his bottom lip, gliding in a sudden and noticeable droop of shame. Hyggs said nothing. Rainbow blinked in confusion—until her attention was stolen by Azarias again. “Lexxy'kyn shall brief you on all that you need to know, avatar,” the Second said calmly. “In the meantime, if I were you, I would prepare myself to adapt and not to question.” Rainbow shrugged casually. “Can't a mare help but be curious about what she's getting herself into?” “No.” Azarias' voice took on a growling tone. “Mares cannot help anything. Nor are they meant to.” Ariel gritted her teeth. She flew faster and her muzzle opened to say something, but a metal talon reached out and squeezed her rear fetlock in midair. She held her tongue, fuming. “Nevertheless...” Azarias continued in a breathy tone. “The Bloodwing Army is inexorably bound by its service to the Maria Matriarch. If it is their will for you to assist in the First Son's duties, then so be it.” He squinted back at Rainbow, his eyeslits icy and penetrating. “But you will do well to trust more and inquire less.” “The High Polished did not appoint me because I follow things blindly,” Rainbow Dash replied in a cool tone. “They recognize in me the power and authority of Princess Luna—who you might know as Nightmare Moon.” Her brow furrowed. “And last time I checked, this was a partnership I was getting into with Lexxic. Not indentured servitude.” Many of the sarosians within the squadron shifted uncomfortably. It was difficult to count all of the frowns. Rainbow Dash didn't bother. “Now... are we going to have a problem? Because the next time I see the mares of Gibbous Sanctum, they're going to wanna hear a full and honest briefing of how things went down in our rendezvous.” “There is no problem, Seared One,” Azarias stated matter-of-factly. “I'm certain that—when you meet Lexxy'kyn—everything will be made clear. Your allegiance to the elders is also an allegiance to him. Do not forget that.” “I'm sure he'll be glad to know you're so devoted to reminding me~” Rainbow said in a gleeful tone. Once again, Azarias' muscles tightened and untightened. He led the group—gliding and silent—towards the heart of the battlements down below. Ariel leaned in towards Rainbow. “You sure I'm the one who needs to be reined in?” “Stuff it, sassafras,” Rainbow muttered back. “I'm like a choir filly compared to you.” Ariel nodded. “Okay. I won't fight that.” The Desperado alongside them nodded. “Whelp...!” Pinkie Pie floated in a “thinking” pose, her eyes trained on the Second. “He's obviously hiding something!” “Not as much as ya think,” Applejack declared. “He's simply doing his job.” “Applejack, when has that ever been a rational excuse for anything,” Rarity drolled. “I'm not excusin' it,” Applejack declared. “Just explainin' it! If ya ask me, it feels like Lexxic has told Azarias here to be 'mum' about stuff and he's simply... followin' through.” “Yeah?” Twilight looked over. “But what is he being 'mum' about?” “Heck if I know,” Applejack sighed, then looked defeatedly at Rainbow Dash. “T'ain't nothin' to make a big whoop over. I'm not sensin' a double-cross or nothin'.” “I guess we're gonna find out when Dashie speaks to Lexxy-kun!” Pinkie remarked. “That appears to be the case,” Rarity said with a nod. She noticed Fluttershy looking contemplative in her peripheral vision. “Fluttershy? Darling? Is everything quite alright?” “I...” Fluttershy was squinting the whole time at Azarias. “I'm not sure...” She brushed her pink bangs back and spoke aside to Applejack. “Applejack? Are you certain that the Second isn't hiding anything... super important?” “Uhhhhhhh...” Applejack rubbed the back of her head. “Define 'super important.'” “Pffffft!” Pinkie Pie had to keep herself from giggling. “AJ?!? Seriously?!?” Fluttershy tongued the inside of her muzzle. “There's... something off about the pony. I just can't quite figure it out.” “He obviously likes to keep to himself, that much is certain,” Applejack declared. “Almost all of his feelings remain bottled up—unless it comes to servin' and defendin' Lexxic.” “Whew!” Pinkie Pie exhaled. “Talk about loyal!” “Perhaps Azarias and Rainbow Dash have a lot in common,” Rarity mused. “All the more reason for Rainbow to be cautious around him.” Twilight looked at Fluttershy. “Can we agree on that?” “... … ...” “Fluttershy...?” “Yes...” Fluttershy nodded, continuing to stare at Azarias with a distant glaze in her eyes. “Be quite cautious.” Rainbow studied Fluttershy—but not for too long. Pretty soon, she was flapping her wings to create drag and land at a safe speed before the Central Operations building. There were surprisingly few soldiers there, although Rainbow and her friends did spot Masser—who more than stood in for a few dozen Bloodwings on his lonesome. “Mr'wrynsylym wykkym, L'azarias'ym!!” the Third boomed, smiling wide. “The Fifth and Sixth Root are in position! Things are looking promising! According to initial scout flights, the inner bleaks are practically teaming with—!” “Acknowledged, brother,” Azarias grumbled, cutting him off. He touched down beside his larger comrade. “What is the status of the First Son?” “Hmm?” Masser blinked at him, then at Rainbow and the rest of the landing squadron. “Oh!” He stood tall and at attention. “Ahem. Still preparing. In private.” Azarias' eyes narrowed. “Does his invitation still stand?” “Indeed!” Masser nodded. “Why shouldn't it?” “Grfff...” Azarias dragged a hoof across the ground. “So be it. Allow me to catch up on local intel and I shall be escorting the Avatar to his sanctuary—” “Allow me, Second.” “... … ...” Azarias glared sideways at Masser. “Allow what?” “Erm... uh... that is to say...” Masser cleared his throat, shrinking away slightly from the smaller, scarred stallion. He avoided the Second's direct gaze. “Our brother has... sp-specifically asked that I be the one to escort the W'ynlppa yln H'luun. And it is requested that she meet with him within the sanctuary... alone.” Wildcard and Ariel suddenly flinched with anxious energy. Applejack glanced between Masser and Azarias. “... … ...” Azarias' fangs showed. “This is some kind of pathetic joke. I would rather dash myself upon the jagged brinks than allow this Seared sycophant within meters of the First Son alone!” “Ahem. Lexxic knows that you would,” Masser delicately related. “Which is... probably why he made the request, I'm guessing.” Azarias stepped towards him. “He couldn't possibly—” A sealed scroll was thrust in his face. His eyeslits zeroed in on the parchment. He snatched it from Masser's thick fetlock, unrolled it, and looked the written words over feverishly. As the seconds dripped by, the Second's ears drooped more and more noticeably. Rainbow studied Azarias, Applejack, and then her other friends. The anxiety in the air was picking up; even the nearby Bloodwings who had listened in where stirring with more than a modicum of nervousness. As for Rainbow herself, she felt strangely calm. Even when— “What is this campaign coming to...” Azarias folded the missive shut and snarled into the twilight. “Why should Lexxic even humor those haughty milk-drinkers?! They will only sabotage everything—” “Not if our brother has anything to say about it.” Masser smiled handsomely through his tattoos. It gave him enough strength to look at the Second directly. “We should have more faith in him, friend. It's his wisdom and sacrifice that will guide us all to the Narrow.” “Hrmmmmmffff...” Azarias closed his eyes. He weathered a deep breath. Two. Then: “So be it. Masser'myn. Escort the avatar to the sanctuary. Be swift about it. No doubt the First Son desires to initiate the operation soon.” “Absolutely...!” Masser moved towards Rainbow Dash. “Take her alone,” Azarias insisted, gesturing towards the re-sealed scroll. “Since he insists, we shall follow through in every detail.” “Now wait a second—” Ariel stepped forward, joined by Wildcard. “We're not gonna just let you whisk her away without bringing us along—” “Guys, chill. I was prepared for this, remember?” Rainbow gestured with her hoof. “If they can make exceptions, then so can we.” Ariel bit her lip. The Desperado beside her raised his talons to object— Rainbow sliced the air with her fetlock with an equine gesture she could afford: “No.” Followed by another motion, leaving her hoof pressed to her chest. “Trust.” She smiled softly, reassuringly. “... … ...” Wildcard eventually backed down. “Can they stay with you?” Rainbow asked the group. Azarias deigned to respond directly back to her. “I don't see where else they can go.” Rainbow's brow furrowed. She simply stared at the Second. Azarias sighed. “I shall assign a guard to them. No harm will come to your companions.” “Cool beans~” Rainbow turned to join Masser's side— “But—!!!” A scarred hoof yanked Rainbow harshly to the side. Wildcard and Ariel jolted— —as they found Rainbow being glared down—muzzle to scarred muzzle—with a sneering Azarias. “—if I learn that you have harmed the First Son in any way, I will personally hunt you down, skin you alive, and make you choke on your own entrails.” His fangs lingered brightly between them. “Avatar of Luna or not, you only live because I allow it.” Rainbow looked at him. Blinked. And smiled. “...and you only got to say that because I allowed it.” Azarias' intense expression lessened only slightly—sprinkled with confusion. The closest thing to fear. “Are we done? I've been threatened by ponies far scarier than you,” Rainbow chirped. “Some of them still have their teeth.” “... … ...grff!” Azarias let her go and shrugged visibly, as if trying to shake off the stench of the Light Side. Hyggs and Bosonn snickered—side by side—but were quick to hide the fact. Rainbow brushed her bangs back and casually trotted off. “Whelp, hope that relieved some tension for ya.” She passed by Ariel and Wildcard. “At ease, Jordan. You'll burst a vein at this rate.” Wildcard slowly exhaled, easing up as he sheathed his weapons away. “Rainbow, this is stupid,” Ariel protested as the mare walked by. “Everything is stupid. That's why we gotta trudge through it. Cuz, most of the time, stupid works.” Rainbow stopped by Masser's side. “We ready to go, big fella~?” “Hmmm? Oh! Yes... most assuredly...” Masser looked towards Azarias. He failed to hide a snicker or two. Azarias frowned, folding his forelimbs and glaring off towards the roof of the Central Operations building. “Lead the way, Gigantor,” Rainbow said. Masser was already flapping his wings. “By the way, what happened to the other bird panther?” “Seraphimus? Oh, she's off enjoying an early retirement.” “Ah. And here I was hoping you had eaten her!” “No, I—H-huh...?” Rainbow did a double-take. “Ha HAH!” Masser accelerated to a swift glide, heading towards Omega past the Tree of Mothers. “To Sanctuary!!” Fidgeting slightly, Rainbow followed the Third Son. Ariel and Wildcard were forced to stay behind with Azarias and company. They didn't look very pleased with the matter; their worrisome gaze locked on the prismatic pegasus as she grew more and more distant. “Soooooooo... uhm...” Pinkie Pie fidgeted as she and her fellow friends coasted after their anchor. The Tree of Mothers breezed by, along with the many massive roots stretching wild and gnarled below it. “What do you think of what Scarrdy MicScarredScar said back there?” “Oh, he definitely wants to skin Rainbow alive~” Applejack declared. “That's the gul-durn truth.” “We all know that, silly!” Pinkie stuck her tongue out. “But... he's ready to blow a gasket over Lexxic wanting to see Rainbow alone! Do you suppose he has a reason to be so worried?” “Maybe. Maybe not.” Rarity gulped. “But Rainbow certainly does!” She looked at their anchor with a pleading gesture to her hooves. “Rainbow, darling, please don't go through with this! Surely it must be a trap of some sort—” “You don't think Rainbow knows that?” Twilight remarked. “Rarity, if Azarias' reaction is anything to go by, the Bloodwings don't like this matter any more than Rainbow does.” “Then what's the dealio, Twi?” Pinkie asked. “What's in store for Dashie?” “I can't rightly say...” Twilight rubbed her chin in thought as the wind billowed through her ghostly figure. “But... I think this can be seen as an olive branch of sorts.” “Between Lexxic and Rainbow?” Fluttershy remarked. “The last time they were in the same place together, she had caused him to collapse by diving wildly into that horrible... horrible arena.” “Yeah...” Applejack nodded. “But he did make sure that Rainbow was spared by the Bloodwings' wrath, remember?” “Applejack, didn't you say that you can't read the stallion's motives?” Rarity said. “True, but t'ain't a big mystery when ya think about it,” Applejack stated. “All thangs considered, he had every right to skin her alive right then and there. But he didn't. He even reined Azarias in—just as he's doin' right now.” “Azarias and Lexxic trust each other absolutely,” Fluttershy declared. “It's obvious to anyone who sees the two of them working side by side. He made the stallion his 'Second' for a reason.” “Which is why we should take this meeting in stride,” Twilight declared. “And concern ourselves more with what Lexxic has to say face-to-face than what he says through social politics.” “By the way...” Pinkie's muzzle scrunched. “Just where is this 'Sanctuary' anyway?” Rainbow Dash, who—as always—was listening patiently to her friends deliberating, took the opportunity to gaze down below herself and Masser. The Tree of Mothers was far behind them. The roots branched into a few stray structures, but ultimately they too dissipated, giving way to craggy rock and sporadic supply camps. There were less and less tents along this side of the Dark Vigil's territory, until it became abundantly clear to Rainbow Dash that wherever they were going was situated noticeably far away from the bulk of the military population. A thought occurred to her—a faint memory from when she traversed the path to the Hall of Honor days ago. Her head lifted, and she scanned the Omega horizon with expert eyes. There—jutting upwards from the barren landscape—was the same immense structure she remembered faintly spotting earlier. It was somehow even taller than she first imagined, resembling a narrow rectangular solid built out of a non-reflective material. It cut a geometric swath against the twilight, and as she and Masser continued their silent flight, she spotted a horizontal deck structure extending outward from the summit, supported by multiple cross-beams. It resembled an oversized diving platform to the mare, and was likely built out of the most precious and rarest resource the Bloodwings still had at their disposal: wood. Rainbow felt a faint tinge of dizziness—not enough to affect her flight, but concerning nonetheless. She looked to her right and almost regretted doing so. From high above—without the Tree of Mothers to obstruct her view—she got the best view of ”the pit” since arriving within the Dark Vigil's grace. It very much resembled a quarry of sorts. Or—perhaps—it once was. But somehow it got repurposed over time, having been carved into something deeper, wider, and far more sinister. At some pallid line, the dark rocky landscape dropped into an alabaster vanishing point. Something glowed from deep within, although Rainbow couldn't quite put her tongue on the color. Staring at it was like gazing into a vacant hole in reality, and attempting to focus on any single ripple made her feel faint from head to tail. Her ears twitched in the cold whipping wind, but somehow the mare was certain she could hear—distant and faint—the unending buzz of wailing voices. “It's like a fancy Manehattan light show in there, Rainbow,” Applejack suddenly said, evidently reading her anchor's mind. “Lots of flickerin' colors. Reds... oranges... purples...” “Ruby,” Fluttershy said in a low voice. “It's mostly ruby light.” Applejack cleared her throat and squeaked: “She's right.” Rainbow muttered under her breath: “What in the hay do they got going on in there...?” “Hmmmm?” Masser looked aside, and for a second Rainbow Dash had almost forgotten all about the massive tattooed stallion soaring through the night sky beside her. “Did you say something, avatar?” “Erm...” Rainbow cleared her throat. “Lexxic... uhhhh... really hangs out far away from everypony else, huh?” “His home is with his brothers, Seared One,” Masser declared. “But—every once in a while—he is forced to retire here for a spell.” Rainbow's eyes narrowed. “What do you mean 'forced'?” Masser continued on: “It has been a long time since his last rest. His... exertion back in the Hall of Honor required him to retire far sooner than initially planned.” Rainbow winced... and winced again when she realized how visible her expression must have been. Her ghostly friends looked on with sympathy as she stammered: “I'm... sorry. I guess that's my fault, isn't it?” “I... uh...” Masser's large limbs shifted. His eyes searched the sky; the stallion undoubtedly longed to give a sophisticated response. He ultimately settled for: “I cannot pretend to say what is or isn't anypony's fault. Lexxic has summoned you personally, and it is my duty to follow the First Son's command.” He cleared his throat and threw on an awkward, muscular smirk. “But do not fret, avatar! His resting now only helps him be all the more prepared for the upcoming hunt!” “Hunt?” Rainbow's muzzle scrunched. “What hunt?” “Oh.” Masser's slitted pupils shrank. “Oh right. That. I should not have said that.” Twilight and Pinkie exchanged confused expressions. “Isssssss...” Rainbow leaned a little closer in mid-flight. “...that what all the troops are gathered around the bleaks for?” “No. Not all of them. Just the ones who need more practice chasing meat bags.” “Chasing... meat bags...?” “Oh. Right.” Masser clenched his eyes shut as his tattoos warped under a wincing expression. “I should not have said that either. Dammit, brother, why couldn't Azarias be the one—” “Are you guys trying to hide stuff from me—?” “Oh look!” Masser—sweating—gestured towards the landscape below. “Sanctuary! We have arrived!” Rainbow Dash blinked. Instead of commenting on that, she looked down towards the rolling earth below. A flat plain stretched out beneath them. The terrain was remarkably smooth—almost spotless. There was a dim shine to the polished stone, as if it had been acid-washed at some point in the past. In the center of this stone field, there protruded one anomaly. It was a mound, Rainbow surmised, rising up out of the earth like a singular tumor. She couldn't tell if it was the result of sedimentary deposits over time, or something that was carved out of the very rock itself. The way it blended into the smoothness of the arid landscape was downright poetic, and towards one end—the one that faced towards Alpha, gaping darkly as if to welcome her—was a circular entrance. A cave. To Rainbow, it resembled a featureless whale emerging from a blue-gray sea, mouth yawning open in search for krill. A pair of rough metal towers stood besides the entrance, flanking the mound with flickering torches. They weren't too incredibly tall, and the soldiers stationed there were few in number. However—they were armed to the teeth with enough weapons to combat an invading army, and when Rainbow and the Third arrived, she could see every single Bloodwing aiming crossbows at them. Masser touched down, and Rainbow Dash's hooves touched the ground milliseconds after. Four of the guards approached them with steely-eyed glances. The Third took point, standing tall above the stone-faced greeting party. “This is the Avatar of Luna,” Masser declared. “She is the one whom the First Son summoned.” “Has she been verified?” asked a guard. Rainbow was surprised at the seeming lack of respect and trust in the sarosian's voice. The soldiers were a different cut from the Roots of the regular Vigil's army. “Procedure is procedure.” “You are right to be concerned,” Masser said. Rainbow watched as he tilted his head to the side and raised his mane with a tattooed fetlock, exposing a small pale spot situated at the back of his scalp—otherwise hidden by his hair. “Do not worry. She checks out.” As he said this, the pale spot mysteriously glowed, and Rainbow felt ever-so-slightly light-headed as she looked at it. “So do her companions. They are in the Second's Company right now back at Central. As for myself...” Without hesitation, Masser bit into his own fetlock—deep enough of a bite for his fangs to puncture the flesh. He then raised the limb to the torchlight, and a trickle of fresh red blood glistened before the guards. “You you yourselves could attempt to produce more blood if you like.” Masser smirked with bravado. “But it would be most difficult, hmmm?” The guards held their breaths. They formed a crescent around Masser, taking more than a few seconds to examine the blood. A nod was shared among them, and they lowered their weapons. “Thank you for abiding by protocol, Third.” “Thank you for making sure that I did.” Masser licked up his own loose blood, spat it on the ground, and leaned back on all fours. “You are aware of the nature of Lexxic's request?” The guards were mostly silent. Rainbow noticed more than a few of them fidgeting with apprehension. Nevertheless, those at the front of the contingent nodded at the Third. “I trust that there are no objections?” “The First Son is wise,” the lead guard declared, his voice echoing off the bodies of those present. “His sacrifice shall lead us to glory.” “Glad that we are in agreement.” Clearing his throat, Masser turned to face Rainbow Dash. “You may proceed.” He gestured into the gaping black hole with his fang-marked fetlock. Rainbow heard Pinkie and Fluttershy audibly gulping. It was difficult to refuse the clownish expression herself. “What... just me?” The guards squinted at that, as if surprised by Rainbow's own... surprise. “Aren't any of you guys coming along?” Masser took a steely breath. “Only one Son of Nightmares is allowed inside the sanctuary.” He clenched his jaw, exhaled, and added: “As for you...? Lexxic has asked to see you for a reason. And...” He slowly cultivated a meditative smile. “...and we trust the First Son of Nightmares with our lives.” Rarity leaned in to Rainbow's side. “Now it's starting to make sense why Azarias couldn't be here...” Applejack leaned in to Rainbow's other side. “They're feelin' mighty uncertain about this. Can't say they trust ya, sugarcube, but their faith in Lexxic is the only thang keepin' them from fightin' the matter.” Rainbow Dash kept calm as she trotted forward. As she passed the guards, she lingered slightly. In a soft tone, she spoke to Masser and the rest: “If Lexxic trusts me, then you should as well. I don't know what this is about—at least not any more than you do. But I only want things to go smoothly.” Masser shrugged. “Why shouldn't they?” “Exactly.” Rainbow looked straight into the mouth of the cave. It looked bigger, darker, and colder up close. A strange shudder rolled through her body, one that intensified with each chilly step she took over the polished stone leading her into the entrance. “Maybe you guys should have tied a string to my hoof.” “Huh?” But Rainbow had already departed, braving her way into the mystifying depths, battling inward tremors with every step. That shivering sensation wasn't just hers to endure alone. A pink shape in Rainbow's peripheral was practically rattling all over. By the time the mare nearly reached the shadow of the cave mouth, she heard Pinkie Pie squeaking: “Uhhhhhhhhh...” Her tail curled and uncurled as her ears pulled sideways—as if by marionette strings. “...?” Rainbow looked towards the ghostly Element of Laughter. “Uhm... eheheh...” Pinkie smiled nervously at her anchor. “Don't panic—” And then Pinkie Pie vanished. Rainbow did a double-take. Twilight was about to say something—but she too disappeared in a blink. Soon after, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity likewise dissolved from left to right as if a dark hoof was wiping them into oblivion. A familiar haze of dizziness throttled Rainbow Dash, and by the time her head recovered, Discord hovered in the same space her friends had previously occupied. “Please tell me you at least brought a towel,” the dragonequus yawned, reclining on an empty lawn chair. “Y'know... for safety's sake~” “... … ...” Rainbow's muzzle gaped. She looked at Discord, at the cave entrance, and then back at the gawking sarosians. She scarcely had the breath—much less gumption—to utter anything. “Is something the matter?” Masser asked, his tattooed face scrunched in a thick, vacant expression. Rainbow's tongue stuck against her teeth. She looked left and right, then exhaled. “No. Everything is... … …” A gulp. She turned once again to the blackness of the sanctuary's entrance. “...going as expected.” Nevertheless, she hesitated. “On with it, Sparky~!” Discord squinted above a fanged smile. “What's the matter? Bad things never came from exploring a cave before, hmmm?” Shuddering, Rainbow Dash descended into the black, stone mouth. She only grew dizzier with each step. That dizziness intensified as darkness swallowed her up. Despite how intimidating it appeared from the outside, the blackness wasn't purely devoid of light. There was the hint of a flickering amber glow from somewhere in the subterranean space. Rainbow Dash decided to follow it—which was easier said than done. This cave was far from a labyrinth. It was an easy, steady slope—straight and narrow—heading deeper and deeper. Nevertheless, with each trot of Rainbow's hooves, she felt bogged down by an overwhelming force. It wasn't a pressure from above... but rather a weakness from within. She felt as though she was scaling a high-altitude mountain. Her breaths grew deeper and more desperate, but somehow she wasn't getting enough oxygen. It wasn't because of anything she was breathing—or not breathing—within the sanctuary. Rainbow Dash had felt this sensation before. She knew it... had tasted it... back in Windthrow, the mines of Amulek, occasionally within the “womb” of Floydien's Nancy Jane. Everything about her essence was resisting this force... rippling and buckling from it. She didn't feel in danger of her life under these circumstances. She rarely did. Much rather, she felt in danger of her agency... and of her harmonic perpetuation of being. Discord—in the meantime—orbited her gaily, happy as a clam. “Fssssshhhhhh...” He inhaled deeply, like he was smelling lavender and cake frosting. “Mmmmmmm... smell that tangy aroma, Sparky! It's like spring time for chaos lords! A regular show stopper waiting for the curtain call!” Rainbow sweated profusely. Each step felt like she was pushing anvils with every hoof. She wasn't even certain she might make it to her destination in one piece—whatever that destination might be. Nevertheless, she pressed onward. If this was going to be a challenge to her dedication, then it wasn't one she was about to flee from. Seraphimus had left the scene, and Rainbow had let her go out of faith in her own cause. Now she was fully facing it—along with all of its unflattering side effects—and she had to be sure that she was fully aware of the price. No matter how sour it tasted. And it most certainly was bitter. Despite Discord's sudden affinity for the atmosphere, it positively choked the dragonequus' mostly-harmonious anchor. Each breath filled Rainbow's nostrils with a cold iron sensation. Like rust. Or maybe licking the top of a cold kettle's lid, hours after having used it to boil blood to a lifeless steam. Something loomed just ahead. There were shadows blocking Rainbow's full vision. Stalagmites and stalactites made a porous forest on either side of the sloping stone path that descended and descended. Rainbow couldn't tell if they were natural or hoof-carved. She could hardly tell up from down at this point. A growing migraine throbbed in her head, and it took all her strength to keep her eyes open. “Maybe—just maybe—if you keep going down this tunnel, it will lead allllll the way back to the hedge maze in Canterlot!” Discord smiled with yellow'd teeth. “Now wouldn't that be just silly? Heheheheh... 'back where you began!' Whewwww-weeee. That never gets old.” Rainbow tried to ignore his ramblings. The mare stumbled, nearly falling flat on her face. Her breath hitched in her chest, and she steadied herself against a rising stone spike. Fumbling, she reached a hoof up and rubbed her lightning bolt pendant. The Element of Loyalty flickered with a faint ruby haze, but it was enough to send a jolt of strength to Rainbow's hearts and lungs. She suckled on it like a deep sea diver taking breaths from an oxygen tank. “Awwwwww... come on now...” Discord folded his arms as his pouting figure flickered in and out of sight like a ghostly candle. “Don't be such a buzzkill.” “Don't you st-start...” Rainbow wheezed. She rubbed the pendant around her neck again, summoning an even brighter glow. “I'm h-having a hard enough time finding out where Lexxic is without having to deal with—” The necklace's glow illuminated a pale dormant face covered with bandages lingering just inches from Rainbow's muzzle. “G-gaah!” she yelped—a little too foalishly for her own good. The pony in front of her gave no reaction. It was a mare—thin, gangly, and surprisingly young. Perhaps even younger than Rainbow Dash; she couldn't tell. Where the mare wasn't covered in bandages, the coat was grayed over in pale splotches that increased in alabaster opacity towards her head and muzzle. The bandages criss-crossed neatly over the pony's eyes, acting essentially as blindfolds. She stood cold and expressionless before Rainbow Dash, nevertheless facing her with the eerie purpose of a patient sentinel. “Hmmmmm...” Discord flew in a ghostly trail around the mare, rubbing his goatee as he examined her up and down at a sneeze's length. “How delightfully trendy. A little late for the Leper's Convention, don't you think?” Rainbow cleared her throat, disregarding him. “Hello.” She addressed the stranger. “I'm... I've been summoned to meet up with Lexxic, the First Son.” Her eyes narrowed. It registered with her just how strange it was that a female sarosian was present in the Commander's “sanctuary.” Nevertheless, she kept her tone friendly, despite both her confusion and dizziness. “Do you know where I can find him?” The mare said nothing. Rainbow cocked her head to the side. Her eyes traveled down the mare's neck. She spotted a scar set within the center of the pony's throat. It was a neat, geometrically perfect “X.” Too ornate to possibly have been suffered by accident. Before Rainbow could bother mentioning the wound, she witnessed the mute mare raising a bandaged forelimb and pointing down the sloped path that Rainbow had been descending. By now, Rainbow's beleaguered senses had become vaguely accustomed to the shadows of the cave, and she could make out a lingering source to the amber torchlight, along with an eerie sheen of bone-white haze mixed into the gathering thickness. The longer she stared, she became aware of more bodies—more mares—standing blind and dumb between the stone spokes of the underground forest. They too gestured down the polished path, one after another, silent as tombstones. “Offwards and downwards,” Discord chirped. Hesitantly, Rainbow Dash proceeded in the direction of the gesturing mares, careful not to collapse into an embarrassing slide. The mares made no responsive motion as Rainbow shuffled past them. They looked past her—into the depths of the declining cave—with perpetual deadpan. As the torchlight intensified, Rainbow took note of visible veins lingering beneath the bandages, culminating somewhere in their faces. By this point—Rainbow could barely look straight. The dizziness was overwhelming her. “Mrmffff...” She stumbled slightly, buckling, catching herself on her forward knees. Her head throbbed—pulsating in two ominous spots. A silent curse hitched in the back of her throat, and she fumbled to stand up straight. To Rainbow's surprise, she was suddenly standing upright. A bleary blink to the left and right confirmed that a pair of mares had slithered onto the path and silently raised her with bandaged limbs. They lingered silently on either side of the petite pegasus, offering support—their bodies nevertheless aimed towards the subterranean descent. “Uhm... th-thank you...” Rainbow produced, but could only blink in confusion at the pair. They stood mere centimeters away from her, quiet as snowdrifts, their eyes completely obscured by layers of criss-crossing fabric. Only when Rainbow Dash resumed her gradual stroll did they slink back blindly into the shadows from which they came. “Hmmmfff...” Discord casually floated after his anchor. “Stinks being ignored, doesn't it?” Rainbow's muzzle tensed. But before she could retort— “You've made it a great deal further than I anticipated, Avatar of Luna...” The voice resonated throughout the cave. Bold. Echoing. It was a frightfully deafening contrast to the sepulcher silence Rainbow had endured in spelunking there. The rock formations shook with the volume—either that or Rainbow's foggy vision was paying tricks on her. She dared a few more steps, and through a parting array of stalagmites she discovered an oval-shaped pool set within the stone foundation. This occupied the very end of the cave, flanked with braziers brandishing bright orange flames. However—the liquid filling the pool itself was also emanating a strange luminescence, bright enough to challenge the fire. It brimmed with a bright ivory, like fiery bone meal mixed with mother's milk, enchanted by a questionably lunar glow. “You are—of course—the best judge in regards to your own strength. But, for my sake, I would kindly implore you not to step any further.” As Rainbow Dash heard these words, she felt a warm trickle down her forehead. Wincing, she reached her hoof up and felt two unmistakable points protruding slowly outward from her fuzzy blue crown. They were the nexus of her growing migraine, but—much to her own chagrin—even she could admit that it was sustainable. So long as she did not proceed further from that position. So, sighing, she held her ground, all the while squinting ahead towards the blinding circle of pale liquid flanked by burning amber torches. Something lingered in the center of it, a singular dark spot—like the slitted pupil of a creature of the night peering back at her at all times. “I really friggin' hope you're not enjoying this anymore than I am right now,” she said hoarsely, struggling to stand upright. “Chin up, Sparky...” Discord smiled as he drifted closer. “I think it's an absolutely charming fashion statement.” She rolled her eyes—which only made her dizzier. The mare teetered slightly, and it was Lexxic's words—more than anything—that steadied her upon that luminous moment. “Do you know why no other sons are allowed in here? In Sanctuary?” It took Rainbow a few seconds to realize that the Commander of the Bloodwings wasn't just monologuing a rhetorical question. Clearing her throat delicately, she braved a response: “They're claustrophobic?” “Ah. Humor. A very solid form of defense. Truly timeless, for that matter.” There was a sloshing sound—like an oar being dragged through the surface of a pond—and Rainbow saw the dark shape within the pool shifting. Growing. Rising. “I admire that in you, Rainbow Dash. If only because—if the pattern remains true—it gives equal evidence for pain. And the more you and I share that in common, the better we can work together. At least... in theory.” “I f-figured...” Rainbow winced. More blood sang down her muzzle. She wiped it clean, feeling the two horns jutting more prominently now. The world flickered yellow and red and back to normal as she exhaled. “I figured with how much your brothers within the Bloodwings obsess over pain and violence, there'd be thousands of them clamoring to join you in here...” “It's not a question of desire or passion... but of rights... which is something that can only be earned.” The dark shape rose to a stop. Two leathery wings stretched out wide, dripping with filmy white soup. As the droplets recollected into the alabaster surface of the pond, Rainbow became aware of ambiguous shapes stirring just under the broth. The air coiled with a slimy curdling noise, likes snakes or maggots stirring at the bottom of a deep, deep well. That bitter taste of rusted iron intensified in Rainbow's mouth, and her ears rang until Lexxic's voice returned to fill the void. “I was born here, dear Avatar. But not as some pathetic foal, cold, shivering, estranged from the Narrow. This was the location of my second birth, giving rise to a courageous warrior irreversibly drawn towards it.” As Rainbow grew accustomed to the pain in her head, so too did her vision adjust to the disquieting brightness ahead of her. She realized that a series of metal crossbeams had been erected directly above the pool. Several spokes dipped low like talons, forming a symmetrical pattern. Five of the claws—equidistant from one another—housed Lexxic's glowing daggers upon their iron tresses. Their pointed cylindrical tips pulsed in time with his breaths. But that wasn't all. The helm—the tombstonesque mask of the First Son of Nightmares—lingered on a stone altar on the far end of the pool, towards which his partially-submerged figure was facing. “Naturally, of course...” Lexxic calmly spoke. He slowly coiled his leathery wings to his side. Slow as shifting snow, he pivoted his head over his soaking wet withers. He faced Rainbow Dash with no eyes—in that both of his diseased sockets were stuffed to the brim with jagged spokes of bone white metal. All of which glowed with an unmistakable tinge that made Rainbow faint to even look at. “...the labor was not without its sacrifice.” Rainbow's muzzle contorted in mix disgust and confusion. The strips shoved into Lexxic's eyes held no possible room for natural eyes. And yet—they were so solidly and densely patched together that her mind concocted the idea that they were somehow extensions of his own skeletal structure bursting out from beneath his face. This, of course, was impossible—and the grotesque implications of what she was actually seeing layered itself within her, intensifying with monumental nausea. “But—just like you...” As Lexxic spoke, his head tilted back and his ears folded with an expression of comfort. If the First Son still had eyelids, they would likely be closing in a show of bliss. “...I made friends.” Right as he said this, the shifting shapes emerged from the filmy pool around him. They burst outward like fleshy tendrils. Only when they took flight and circled around the stallion like fireflies did Rainbow realize that they were chaos manifestations. Half-fish, half-reptilian, maybe even insectoid. All abominable. “!!!” Rainbow Dash buckled, falling to her knees. Discord looked at her funny... ...until a similar sensation overwhelmed Lexxic. His calm expression vanished as he clenched his teeth and slumped towards the pool. The eels surrounding him drew in closer, steadying his trembling body. Rainbow—also shivering—reached a hoof towards the ruby pendant around her neck— “Please—” Lexxic boldly entreated. His head tossed towards the ceiling, and a naked brow flexed in earnest above the spokes within his sockets. “—just let it pass. It always passes.” Rainbow seethed... seethed... and ultimately lowered her hoof. The wave of dizziness paralyzed her for only a few more seconds, but soon even that fog too cleared. Catching her breath, she slowly stood up... ...only to see Lexxic similarly relaxing within the center of the pool. By now, there were more creatures emerging from the water and floating ghostily around him. Things that resembled serpents, centipedes, and mollusks. “Too much... concentrated... harmony... from you,” Lexxic managed solidly between hitched breaths. “And I... might drown... in the same salve... that nurses me.” He gulped. “And if this vessel was to vanish, my companions here would consume you within a blink. And then where we both be, hmmm?” “Ohhhhhhhhhh—I like himmmmmm,” Discord purred. “Grffff...” Rainbow cleared her throat, squinting as another stream of blood trickled down from her miniature horns. “There's got to be a better way for us to meet.” “No there is not,” Lexxic said boldly. “Admit it, Rainbow Dash. You needed to see this as much as I needed to show it.” “... … …?” Rainbow Dash cocked her head curiously to the side. “I know that I must... have come across as an arrogant, brazen braggart to you. It's my own fault. Truly. I put on a show—not knowing how well intimidation would work on a self-proclaimed avatar from the Seared Lands. And... let's face it... intimidation is the most we can do to each other. And now that I know what's at stake... as well as what's come to bear... well... what's the point in even hiding things. Hmmm?” Rainbow observed Lexxic's exposed features. The paling of his coat and flesh towards his cranium was but a hollow portent to the true revelation. Where the helm usually rested, the skin was barely intact. Where there should have been a nose, muzzle, and brow—there was a slippery sheen of translucent epidermis. Many of Lexxic's muscles could be seen shifting and tightening beneath the diseased veneer. His nostrils were considerably larger—either that or the cartilage that covered it was clear as glass. In any case, it gave his equine features an undeniably skull-esque impression, and if it weren't for the spiderwebbing veins running opaquely across the slick surface, she would have guessed that a thin layer of the Commander had been sliced off at the tip of his being. Despite this, he carried himself with the same eloquence as he had with the helm plastered over such unsightliness, and he continued speaking calmly and aristocratically as if he wasn't a mutilated specimen with chaotic metal spokes tightly gouged into his eyeholes. “'Dry'lynwykl'ym'...” Lexxic raised a limb from beneath the waters, collecting a volume of the milky-white liquid within the crook of his hoof. “...a mouthful—even by moonwhinny standards—and yet it's all we have to describe it. By that, I mean it's all our exiled forbearers had written down to describe it. Which means it must exist beyond Penumbra. No doubt you've encountered it before.” “Chaos metal,” Rainbow spat, overwhelmed with the urge to teeter. “Hrmmmm. Even more drab than I expected.” Lexxic smirked ever so slightly. “The Solar Deceiver's flame must have gone for your tongue first.” He stretched his hoof up over his head and allowed the liquid to cascade over his mutilated sockets. Steam emitted from the glowing contact, which summoned half-a-dozen hisses from the creatures circling him. “There are worse things to lose, I suppose. Stars. Colors. The plaster of dried blood. I've excelled with all of that.” “But the metal...” Rainbow blanched. “...it's given you more?” “It's given me enough,” Lexxic said. “A new sight, of sorts. Applicable here—as chaos is not so... deeply suppressed on this side of our world.” He reached his other hoof out blindly—nevertheless grasping a bone-white eel as it passed by. He caressed it like a puppy as it did serpentine twirls in the air above the pool. “For years, the Vigil did not know what to properly do with it... until the generation when I happened to come into being. I wasn't all too terribly old when I realized the true weight of destiny when it was pressed upon me. The sacrifice I made—it was only natural, I suppose.” “Yeah, sure, but...” Rainbow blinked. “...just whose idea was it to gouge your eyes out?” Lexxic snickered—which caused the abominations around him to flitter and gyrate. “???” Rainbow cocked her head aside. Lexxic turned around in the pool, facing her with a bitter smile. “I see you and I have much progress left to make.” “I don't understand how you could have... just decided to do all of that to yourself.” Rainbow pointed. “Unless you somehow already knew that the ends justified the means.” “Brave souls get rewarded with success when they make decisions out of passion.” “I wouldn't know much about that.” “Wouldn't you?” Rainbow's brow furrowed. Lexxic swam casually backwards until he reached solid hoofing beneath the liquid. He paced himself towards the altar where the helm rested. The creatures sank on their own back into the pool, which dimmed noticeably. It was around this point that Rainbow noticed two mares strolling in from the peripheral shadows, standing just on the dry cusp above the pool to join the First Son. He spoke: “You yourself made a sacrifice... despite much that had been thrusted upon you. Perhaps you didn't expect much of it when things unfolded, but now—do or die—you are hard set on your own path. There is great loyalty in you, Rainbow Dash. I respect that.” “Should I be glad that you do?” “Possibly. I would—if I was in your position.” Lexxic held his arms out. The mares moved in blindly with rags and dried the filmy liquid from his body. “But... a pony in your position doesn't truly grasp the full range of my capabilities. You haven't a clear idea of what you should respect.” “But you somehow have a clear idea about me.” “To some extent, yes, but not fully. Which is why I invited you here.” Lexxic stood tall and dignified as the mares cleaned the last of the moisture from his figure. “You have your aspirations. I have my imperatives. Whether or not they truly cross over with one another, the clear and immediate challenge before us is appeasing the Maria Matriarchs... who already expect so very much from the both of us.” Rainbow shrugged and nodded, feeling the weight of the fresh horns against her skull. “I'm more than willing to give this a go.” “For which I am glad, but no progress can be made unless we're both clear about that which we wish to gain...” The mares beside him trotted away, and he sat back on his haunches. “And that which we're willing to give up.” “I see...” Rainbow's eyes rested on the blindfolded servants. “What about them? What about their sacrifices?” “One cannot give up that which one does not possess.” Rainbow couldn't help but frown. “That's vile.” “Life is vile,” Lexxic said. “If the labors that brought you here haven't taught you that, then you haven't sacrificed anything at all, and I am currently talking to a burnt scroll tossed over by the Solar Deceiver.” He slowly shook his head. “But you're much more than that—aren't you, Rainbow Dash? You may be the avatar of Luna—but you house so... very much more.” “Enough to know the worth of a soul.” Rainbow watched as the mares approached the altar, slowly and carefully lifting the helm from its resting place. “And that it deserves more than being diseased and muted.” “Your empathy is noble,” the First Son declared. “But if you spread that energy outward and everywhere at all times—then you may find that you'll never reach your singular goal.” “... … ...” The stallion sighed, and he turned his head as if to throw an invisible glance over his shoulder. “If it relieves you to know, they would have been dead long... long ago if someone hadn't taken further steps along the path that they had already been purposed to.” “Was that someone you?” “Yes. For some.” Lexxic lowered his head slightly as the mares trotted around and presented the helm to him. “For the others... well... we are fighting to win a war.” “I'm sorry, Lexxic, I just...” Rainbow slumped back on her haunches. Discord watched her as she ran a hoof over her horns. She licked at a sour taste in her mouth before finding the words: “I'm a bit taken back here. No other pony is allowed in your sanctuary. Not even your fellow brothers in the Sons of Nightmares.” “That is correct.” “So why show me this? It just...” Rainbow glanced at him with a helpless shrug. “...it just seems so unflattering.” “Because...” There was a dim flash of ivory light—something that would have throttled Rainbow Dash, even from such a distance, hadn't she been seated already. The mares drifted backwards, empty-hoofed, and soon it was evident that the helm was re-attached to the First Son's cranium. “...your loyalty and mine are as much barriers as they are strengths. For us to bridge the gap, we must form a trust.” He stood up tall, once again the Bloodwing Commander Rainbow had first met days previous. “To that end, I felt that it was important for you to see me at my weakest.” One by one—with tiny white flickers of chaotic energy—the cylindrical daggers unstuck themselves from the spokes above and lodged themselves neatly back home: within the notches of Lexxic's headpiece. “After all...” He breathed. “...I've already seen you at yours.” Rainbow's muzzle twisted in confusion. “I don't understand. When have you seen me at my weakest?” “Then. Now. Tomorrow.” Lexxic trotted slowly around the dry length of the pool. “Because... avatar of Luna... you are always at your weakest. That's been the case ever since you first arrived here from Penumbra, although I suspect it began much sooner in the Seared Lands itself.” “Pffft...” Rainbow blew air out of a sideways smirk. “Okay, now you're just sneezing up horsefeathers.” “Again. The humor.” He scuffled to a stop, standing safely at a distance upon the pool's closest edge. “Is that your one defense when your five friends aren't around?” “... … ...” Rainbow stared blankly at him. “... … … say what?” Lexxic tilted his head in Discord's direction. “Or do you get it from him?” Rainbow threw a surprised look at the dragonequus. Discord held a talon up... lingered... then exhaled. “I... did not expect that...” “I... I...” Rainbow fumbled. She gulped, then looked at Lexxic—trembling. “You see him?” “I don't see anything, avatar,” Lexxic declared. “I sense and I perceive.” He waved a hoof at his helm. “The Dry'lynwykl'ym is the lens...” His limb slowly shifted to his skull. “...but the mind is what processes the information. When it's not this shape, it's five others—vibrant and tense—like the weapons that they are.” He turned to face Rainbow. “Or perhaps... like the weapons that were forced upon them.” Rainbow gulped. “The Elements of Harmony.” “They stand out to me like pillars of flame in an obsidian ocean,” Lexxic said. “The closer they present themselves—the more stifled my faculties... … … which makes for an outstanding blessing that they vanish upon our utmost proximity. Harmony does not yield to chaos—at least not of the alicorn sort. It stands to reason that there must be a piece of what grants me strength inside of you... … … and its feedback is the one thing keeping us from outright perishing, no matter how disabled we might be.” Rainbow was at a loss for words. She gulped hard, leaning back on her haunches. “I... I-I don't know what to s-say—” “That it's surprising that a stallion of the Dark Vigil would know about Discord? Or about the Elements of Harmony? That they stood to create vessels out of their mortal wielders?” The daggers within Lexxic's helm pulsated. “The Maria Matriarch have plenty of reasons to detest me, Avatar—but chiefest of all is that I know far more than they wish for me to. How can I not? I am the First Son of Nightmares, encharged with commanding the whole of the Bloodwing Army, despite that which they still stubbornly hold back from me. But—much to their chagrin—I am determined to win this war.” Rainbow took a deep breath. “Well... believe it or not...” She stood up, legs slightly wobbly. But as she saw a similar tremor roll through him, it gave her strength to continue: “...I want to win this war too.” “And now that you're here,” Lexxic said. “And I've witnessed the full spectrum of the sacrifices you've made... I know that the battles will not have been fought for nothing.” “Why is that?” “Because the same alicorns who built the Elements also built the Sarcophagus of Ages.” Lexxic tilted his head aside. “I may not get along with the High Polished... but they did secure us with the one hope for acquiring that which lies within. Endrax—with or without her shards—may have indeed blocked the entrances. But she didn't construct the doors behind her unbreakable wings.” Rainbow glanced at Discord, then back at Lexxic. “I... don't know if we're still on the same page about all of that.” “Nor do we have to be so soon.” Lexxic's pale lips curved. “Don't you see, avatar? This is a time for rejoicing!” He tilted his head up, gazing towards the distant entrance of the cave. “And my brothers and I have the best method for exercising such good spirits.” “... … ...” Rainbow Dash looked left and right—then back at the First Son. “You hunt for 'meat bags.'” “There is much work to be done. And—in the time being—perhaps you and I can learn more about the... finer colors of the spectrum before and behind us.” Lexxic delicately cleared his throat. “Although... I do suggest that you leave before me. If we attempt to do it together, I'm afraid the confines of my sanctuary will render us both corpses.” “Yeah... good point...” Rainbow turned dizzily towards the ascending path. “And Rainbow Dash...?” “...?” She turned to look back at him. He tilted his head aside. “How do you remove them after they've grown?” Rainbow blinked. With a breath of understanding, she reached up and tapped the two mini-horns again. “They sorta just... fall off when the chaos lifts.” She gulped. “Not all of us are crazy enough to shove them into our eyeballs.” Lexxic chuckled. “A good thing one of us can still enjoy the sight of spilled blood.” “... … ...mmm... no promises.” Lexxic shrugged. “Not surprised.” Rainbow Dash slowly trudged up the cave, muttering to herself: “Wish I could say the same for the two of us.” “Pssst... hey...” Discord floated closer. “Can't we stay a little bit longer?” He smirked. “I want to know if he can guess how many stomachs I have!” “Sixty-Four,” Rainbow grumbled. “They're all stuffed up where your heart should be.” “Hahah!” Discord popped his leg off and slapped his knee against his skull. “Ohhhhh Sparky! He's so right about the 'humor' thing!” “Rrgghhh...”