The sticks hit the table with a clatter that seemed unnaturally loud, as though magnified by the silence filling the common room of the inn.
There was a pregnant pause as the group – five earth pony mares – eyed the carved pieces of wood, before four pairs of eyes turned to each other inquisitively. A round of shrugs and shaken heads passed between them, before turning to the fifth and final member of their band, waiting for an explanation. For a moment none came, as the one who’d cast the sticks regarded them in silence, her brow furrowed, until finally she heaved a sigh and spoke.
“It’s going to be warm and sunny for the next two days, with clear skies and mild wind…just like today.”
As always, Spinner was the first member of their group to react to the news. Leaning back in her chair as she let out a heavy breath, wiping her forehead in an exaggerated manner. “Thank the gods! And here I was worried that this lovely weather wouldn’t hold!” She punctuated her statement by placing a hoof by her ear, leaning toward the nearby window where, outside, the snow continued to fall in drifts, the wind howling.
“I’m just glad our mage is finally developing a sense of humor,” noted Shadow Star dryly, before gesturing at the fallen sticks. “Even if it still needs a lot of work.”
“Or she miscast her spell,” added Valor, her voice sour.
Huffing as she gathered the sticks back up, Mystaria frowned at her friends. “Look, I know how ridiculous that sounded, but the ‘read weather’ spell is never wrong. It’s supposed to be warm and mild out, which means that what’s happening now is definitely unnatural.”
Pausing as she put the last of the carved rods away, she frowned at Shadow Star. “And I have a great sense of humor, thank you very much! It’s just more cerebral than short-sheeting bedrolls and slipping chili extract into someone’s drink. Why do you think those two caravan guards we made the trip here with kept asking me to tell them more riddles?”
Valor snorted. “Because they wanted to take off your pants,” she answered flatly.
“The expression is ‘get in your pants,’ Valor,” corrected Spinner, before looking back at Mystaria. “And she’s right. They were only pretending to be interested in those conundrums of yours because they were trying to chat you up.”
“That is so not true!” Her face bright red, Mystaria waved a hoof at the medallion hanging around her neck, one which depicted an open book held aloft in a hoof; the holy symbol of Luminace, the goddess of magic. “I told them that I’d taken vows of chastity and celibacy!”
Although the lower half of her face was hidden behind her half-mask, Shadow Star’s pitying expression was impossible to miss. “Mysty, telling guys you’re unavailable makes you more desirable, not less. Trust me on this; I’m from Blevik. The ‘naughty nun’ routine is one of the more popular roles among Kara’s temple whores there.”
“’N-naughty nun’?” sputtered Mystaria, scandalized.
Fortunately, she was spared further embarrassment when a new voice spoke up. “Meep? meep meep meep?
The voice, adorably high-pitched, came from what looked like a rabbit the size of a small dog – though, with the single horn emerging from the center of its forehead, no one would have thought it was a mere oversized bunny – currently resting in the lap of the last member of the group, who reached down to stroke the creature in response.
“Littleknight wants to know if a pegasus could be causing this,” translated Woodheart, fishing a berry out of the pocket of her leaf-and-feather robe and feeding it to Littleknight, who squeaked happily as he devoured the snack. “Since they can move clouds and stuff like that.”
“Could a pegasus be doing this, since they can move clouds and stuff like that,” echoed Spinner, clucking her tongue as she gave Mystaria a look of mock-disappointment. “This is how far you’ve fallen, Mysty. The heathen who dances naked in the moonlight has a more insightful take on the situation than the acolyte of the goddess of knowledge.”
The description made Woodheart frown. “I wasn’t dancing,” she admonished Spinner gently. “I was enticing the spirits of the animals in the area, asking if one of them wanted to enter my body and fill me with their vigor.”
“While naked,” added Spinner, doing her best to keep a straight face.
“Being naked is better,” huffed Woodheart, shifting slightly in place, causing her robe to sway in a way that made it clear she was wearing nothing under it. “I still don’t understand why I have to wear clothes all the time. No one did back in the forest.”
“And we’re halfway to another of the temple whores’ favorite routines,” muttered Shadow Star.
“There’s no pegasi that could have done this.” Mystaria’s voice was a little louder than necessary, clearly desperate to change the topic. “Even if there were a team of experienced weather-workers, all with brands of destiny depicting meteorological phenomena, there’s no way they could keep up something this drastic for this long over such a wide area.”
“So what could do something like this?” asked Valor. “Is there a spell for it? One that you can counter?”
Mystaria rubbed her eyes as she gathered her thoughts. “There are weather-control spells,” she admitted. “But there aren’t many spellcasters powerful enough to pull something like that off. Or at least, not that I know of. And even then, the autumnal equinox was just today; to be able to change things to a blizzard of this magnitude…” She shook her head. “With that much power behind it, this isn’t something I can stop. And if it’s an elemental rift, then that wouldn’t matter anyway.”
Woodheart cocked her head, feeding another berry to Littleknight. “What’s an elemental rift?”
“It’s where some monster comes here from one of the elemental planes, and brings a piece of home with them,” answered Spinner, fiddling with her lute as she spoke. “It makes everyone in the area miserable until someone goes and kills whatever’s the cause of it, at which point things go back to normal.”
“And to affect this large of an area to this degree, it would have to be something incredibly powerful,” concluded Mystaria.
The group mulled over that in silence for a few moments, before Shadow Star spoke up. “I say we call it quits and head back first thing tomorrow.”
An unhappy look crossed Valor’s face at that. “And leave everyone in this village to deal with what’s happening on their own?” She glanced around the common room, lit only by the fire in the large stone hearth across from them, indicating how empty it was. “I grew up with the sun cat nomads south of here, so I don’t know much about agriculture, but even I can tell that this village didn’t have a chance to harvest very many crops before this happened. If whatever’s making it snow doesn’t stop soon, they’ll all starve.”
“C’mon, Valor. I feel bad for everyone here, but this is above our pay grade and you know it.” Shadow Star waved a hoof at the window, outside of which snow and sleet continued to pile up. “This was supposed to be an easy trip. We come up here, find that old temple Mysty mentioned, strip whatever was left, and head back to Viljatown so we can enjoy the festival with some gold in our pockets. Now we’re talking about dealing with either some sort of super-powerful elemental monster or a spellcaster who’s packing gods only know what kind of magic? That’s courting suicide.”
“Or achievement!” insisted Valor, leaning forward. “The reason we named our adventuring party Fail Forward is because we’ve always found a way to turn bad luck into good.” She looked around the table then, making eye contact with each of her friends in turn. “We met each other because we all made a clutter-”
“Mess,” corrected Mystaria.
“-a mess of our lives somehow,” continued Valor without missing a beat. “And every time we’ve gone on an expedition, something always goes wrong, but we’ve somehow managed to turn tragedy into triumph every single time. So let’s do it again now!”
“You say that,” grumbled Shadow Star, “but I’m from Blevik, where a string of near-misses means it’s probably time to rethink how you’re doing things.”
Spinner sighed, her earlier jocularity vanishing. “I’d like to remind our resident idealist and cynic both that there’s a third option,” she murmured. “Mysty, isn’t there supposed to be some sort of famous magic school nearby? Maybe they’d be able to handle it if we told them what’s happening.”
Mystaria hesitated, her expression pained. “Bright Night is only a few days away. But it’s…” She pursed her lips for a moment before continuing. “The reason Bright Night is so famous as a magic school is because of how self-directed its curriculum is. It’s not like the Academie d’Grace back in Viljatown, where the Temple of Luminace and military work together to make sure that all of the students are instructed in the ethics of spellcasting and only practice magic under safe and supervised conditions. At Bright Night, so long as you agree to a two-year teaching contract, you can work on whatever you want, without any sort of oversight or management.”
Woodheart frowned, confusion plain on her face. “You’re saying they wouldn’t want to help?”
Mystaria shook her head. “I’m saying they’d want to study whatever’s going on instead of stopping it. Unknown magical phenomena like this is what the ponies there live for.” She snorted then, glancing at the window darkly, as though she could see the school in the distance. “There’s probably already a dozen researchers fighting their way through the weather to get here right n-”
The door to the inn suddenly burst open, causing all five to jump. Littleknight meeped in agitation as he was thrown from Woodheart’s lap, but none of the members of Fail Forward paid any attention to him. Instead, their eyes were drawn to the pair that walked into the common room then.
The first was a pegasus mare. While her coat was a dark chestnut and her mane and tail were black, no one would have described her as plain-looking, having features that would have made any stallion stop and stare. Her attire was no less flattering, clad in a form-fitting white tunic and deep black pants that showed off a luscious figure, her cloak tossed carelessly over her back, she was the very picture of a noble lady out on an excursion.
But it was her companion that caused the five mares in the far corner of the inn to collectively catch their breath.
A unicorn stallion, he was dressed almost entirely in black. Only the dusty color of his cloak broke up the monotony of his appearance, save for how his horn was red almost to the base, where it turned into a dull gray that matched his coat. But it was his shadow that was the most arresting thing about him, stretching toward the fire behind the five earth mares rather than away from it. It was unnatural enough that Woodheart and Valor both took a step back, causing their chairs to scrape against the floor.
The noise drew a sharp glance from the unicorn, his features tense and his expression foreboding. For a second he didn’t move, his eyes traveling over each of them in turn, as though silently evaluating them against criteria known only to him. Apparently he found them all lacking, since his eyes narrowed a moment later.
But his companion didn’t seem to share his scorn, instead heaving a sigh as she shook her hair out, doing the same thing for her tail a moment, the motion causing her bottom to wag in a display that would have lived on in a teenage colt’s dreams for years to come.
Either unaware or unconcerned with the tantalizing display she’d just put on, the beauty turned to her companion as he telekinetically closed the door – an act which caused his eyes to light up in a frightening array of green and purple, causing several of the earth mares to stifle gasps – and shook her wings free of snow. “Are you sure it was a good idea to leave Solvei behind?” she murmured, keeping her voice low. “She seemed pretty upset at not coming with us.”
“She’ll be fine,” came the curt response from her companion, who hadn’t spared her a glance despite his being the only one she could have been putting on the show for. Instead, he finally turned his gaze away from the five earth mares, striding across the common room to the bar that made up the opposite wall. Spotting the small bell that hung above the end of the counter, he didn’t hesitate to reach up a hoof and strike it sharply, despite the late hour.
“Hell of a pair,” muttered Shadow Star, moving backward a few steps, toward where the shadows from the fire were thickest.
“The stallion’s definitely from Bright Night,” whispered Mystaria. “Most of the students there are unicorns, and a lot of them like to dress up in gaudy clothes and ridiculous illusions to try and make themselves look fearsome.”
“It’s working,” shivered Woodheart, sitting back down as she picked up Littleknight, stroking the horned rabbit quietly. “That’s another reason why going naked is better.”
“Yeah, well, I’m sure most stallions would agree with you once they got a look at her,” murmured Spinner, looking the pegasus up and down with envy as the winged mare trotted after her companion. “What do you think? Visiting aristocrat, paying some poor student to guide her while she goes slumming it?”
“Probably,” growled Valor, causing the others to exchange pointed looks. Having grown up in a nomadic culture where everyone worked to pull their weight, the entire concept of some people being superior to others because of the circumstances of their birth – or having more privileges due to an excess of wealth – was anathema to her. While the other four knew that Valor was typically a caring and compassionate mare, she had nothing but contempt for those who lived easily off of others’ hard work.
For their part, the duo seemed to be oblivious to the quiet conversation, the stallion continuing to ring the bell, growing visibly frustrated at the lack of response as his companion continued to try and chat him up, until at last a sleepy-looking earth stallion clad in nightwear stumbled out from the back room, yawning and blinking his eyes blearily. “Trav’lers? This late?” he muttered, before rubbing his eyes and managing a smile. “Welcome to-”
“It’s about time!” snapped the unicorn, slamming a hoof onto the bar.
The sound made the earth stallion jump, eyes widening as he got a good look at the pony berating him, only for his fright to be arrested as his eyes slid over to the gorgeous pegasus beside him. The sight of the two, each striking in wildly different ways, was enough to leave him completely flummoxed. “Wh-, uh…welcome to…uh…to the-”
“We’re taking a room for the night,” announced the stallion imperiously. “Given that rural localities here aren’t known for their salubrious conditions, security, or weatherproofing, I trust you’ll have no objection if I inspect the available accommodations and inform you which one is least unsatisfactory.”
The proprietor blinked, his jaw hanging slack. “Uh…”
“Good,” replied the stallion, turning and walking toward the stairs at the opposite end of the common room. “Thermal Draft, come with me.”
“Actually, I’d like to stay here,” answered the mare. “I’m kind of hungry, and I want to see what the local food’s like.”
“That’s a bad-”
“It’ll be fine, Lex,” she smiled, giving him an easy wave of her hoof. “Look, you go inspect the rooms, and I’ll stay right here and grab a bite to eat. I’ll finish up by the time you’re done, and then we can turn in. No problem, right?”
The unicorn – Lex – glowered at her. Then his eyes flickered back to the five mares in the corner, before returning to Thermal Draft. “This won’t take very long,” he answered her at last, somehow managing to make that sound like a threat. “Don’t go anywhere, don’t do anything, and don’t talk to anyone.” With that said, he turned back to the proprietor. “You, come along.”
The earth stallion glanced between Lex and Thermal Draft, easily making up his mind which one he’d rather be around. “Actually, um, I should stay here as well,” he chuckled weakly. “The lady’s stew won’t serve itself now, will it?”
His answer came in the form of a cold stare from Lex, making the older stallion sweat. “But, um, please feel free to inspect the rooms. They’re all open, save for the two at the end of the hallway. Those are being rented by the ladies.” He nodded his head toward the members of Fail Forward.
An unhappy rumble came from Lex’s throat at that, but he didn’t seem inclined to argue, giving one last unhappy look toward the proprietor and Thermal Draft before stalking up the stairs and disappearing from sight.
“Well…at least now we know that someone from Bright Night is on the scene, so there’s no reason for us to stay here,” murmured Shadow Star after Lex, and his oppressive presence, had left, the proprietor scurrying away as well to fetch Drafty’s meal while the pegasus seated herself at a nearby table.
“I’m not convinced that these are the right ponies for the job,” frowned Mystaria.
Woodheart nodded. “He didn’t seem very nice, did he?”
“He probably just can’t wait to get his girl there alone in a room,” smirked Spinner. “Did you see the way she was flaunting herself? She might be a high-society lady, but she’s clearly looking for more than just a tour of the village.”
Valor opened her mouth, but whatever she was going to say was lost as the proprietor came scurrying back, carrying a bowl on a tray. “Here you are, miss!” he enthused. “I’m sorry it’s all we have, but this late at night…”
“Oh, it’s alright,” smiled Thermal Draft, her pleasant demeanor the polar opposite of Lex’s as the earth stallion set the bowl in front of her. “You said this was stew?”
“Indeed. It’s better hot, but even cold, I promise you that the combination of lentils, carrots, and bacon is pleasant to the tongue.”
Nodding, Thermal Draft picked up the spoon next to the bowl in one wing, curling it around the utensil in a remarkable display of dexterity. Dipping it into the chunky broth, she brought it to her nose, inhaling deeply. “Pardon me for asking, but what exactly is bacon?”
The question made the proprietor tilt his head, nor was he the only one; the mares of Fail Forward all glanced at each other in confusion. Who was this lady that she didn’t recognize one of the most common foods around? “Why, it’s pigs, miss,” answered the earth stallion. “Fried pig meat.”
The spoon halfway to her open mouth, Thermal Draft froze, her eyes going wide, before she let out a shriek, flinging the spoon away with such force that her hoof collided with the bowl, sending it spilling to the floor.
The proprietor recoiled, clearly taken by surprise. He wasn’t the only one, as Drafty sat up, giving him a horrified look. “Meat?! As in, dead animal parts?! You wanted me to eat pieces of-”
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
Valor’s voice seemed to fill the common room as she strode forward, ignoring the disapproving voices of her friends as she marched right up to Thermal Draft. “Well?!”
Clearly taken by surprise, and still visibly sickened by what she’d almost put in her mouth, the pegasus recoiled. “What-”
“These people have nothing!” hissed Valor, getting right in Thermal Draft’s face, the proprietor falling back at the sudden explosion of anger. “This is a small village, the kind where everyone has to work hard just to get by! And they’re not able to get by now, with how bad the weather’s been, but they still served you some of the small amount of food they managed to gather, and your response is to throw it on the ground?!” Narrowing her eyes, she pointed at the mess scattered over the floor. “Pick it up and eat it, princess.”
Shaking her head, Thermal Draft stepped back. “Listen to me, I didn’t-”
But Valor wasn’t in the mood to talk, righteous indignation filling her features. “I said…” Without warning, she reached out and grabbed Thermal Draft. The pegasus let out a frightened yelp, but there was nothing she could do as the larger earth mare forced her down, pressing her face to the stew-stained floor. “…eat-”
“GET AWAY FROM HER!!!”
The enraged bellow made Valor look up just in time to see Lex – his eyes glowing and his face twisted in an expression of apocalyptic fury – leap at her from the top of the stairs.