//------------------------------//
// Chapter 24 
// Story: The Desert Prince 
// by Sparky Brony 
//------------------------------//

I stand there, looking at the apparition for a long time before Guerina comes up next to me, nudging my leg. I blink and look down at her. “Tellus. I keep getting called that, but..”   I shake my head, “I don’t know that name.”

The alicorn smiles brightly at me, though it’s odd to me, the muscles don’t seem to move, she goes from merely looking to smiling brightly instantly. I blink at the oddity before she speaks. “It was so long ago you were given that name, and you were so little at the time.”  Slowly she nods her head, “Tellus, that is the name you were given when you were born here.”

“I was…born here?  I arrived here not even a year ago.”  I blink shaking my head, “I woke up in the desert after some kind of… accident.”

That brilliant smile turns into a pained frown, lowering her head, “That was your mother’s choice.  The rest were leaving, only two were chosen to remain.”  She shakes her head, her ethereal mane flowing. “I did not agree with the decision. You are a pony, a foal, you deserved a life, with your own kind or...” A leg moves forward as though she’s taken a step. “It was a decision I could not agree with, nor did your mother.  So she chose to send you… elsewhere, to have a chance at a real life on your own.”

“Where are you? What are you?”  I blink, “Who…”

Her head is tilted to the side. “I am your aunt, but I have moved…on.” She brings back the smile. “I and the others, we are still of this world, as all alicorns are. But we chose to move beyond the needs of the physical realm.” She looks down, and she flickers a few times before her form firms up, getting a giddy smile. “This was, or is, my realm. I am strongest here, in my little corner of Equestria.”

“This land doesn’t belong to Equestria.” Guerina says in challenge, her wings flaring.

That gets a smooth smile, she seems to be more grounded now, when she moves, I can actually see her moving rather than after she’s moved. “All was Equestria, before we left.” She turns her head and fixes the griffon with a stare. “We were here before the others, before the ponies, before the griffins, even before the dragons.  When the younger ones appeared, we chose to interfere with their affairs. The actions of short lifers such as yourself, were not of interest to us. You were free to build your existences wherever you wished, so long as you didn’t harm the little ponies.”

Dawn frowns. “You protected us? I haven’t even found old legends of more than Princess Celestia and Luna. Other alicorns were nothing more than rumors, even the Princesses have no knowledge of them.”

“Much was lost in the cataclysm.”  The smile turns sad as she sighs, “and they were but infants when they were sent away, only with the potential to rise.” She steps forward and reaches up a hoof to stroke Dawn’s cheek. “It’s quite rare for the ponies to create new magic, to ascend to be among us. To be celebrated when it happens.” She looks at me. “It was a mistake to send you away, your aspect did not pass to live among the ponies. Life happened as it always did, but without your guidance, it was chaotic, it required intervention by the ponies. Without the coordination, the rains fell without purpose, life grew where it would not flourish. Much death and destruction, and that was before the sun and moon.”

“Why did you leave? Where did you go?” I ask, pawing the ground, my tail thrashing.

“My, Tellus, you are full of questions.” She takes a step forward, then a second before leaning close to me. “You were young, but the elders said all must go none but the two could be left behind.”   She lifts a hoof and presses my nose lightly with it, “But you are life, you had your mark, your connection to the Life of the world.” She stands tall. 

“We left because we had to, our power was to great, the damage we could have done,” She pauses then shakes her head, “the damage we did,”

“I think it was the magic’s way of encouraging us.  Fewer and fewer of us were being born.   Instead, the foals we had were not like us.  Instead, we started giving birth to ponies, be they Earth, Pegasus, or Unicorn, but after the birth of the last two sisters, no new alicorns were born.”

Looking off into the distance she sighs, “These foals though, in fact all ponies had within them the spark, to join our ranks, but our ranks were no longer growing. We already were few, but we knew that being bound to this world, to this realm, was not desirable.   Not after, what we did.  The decision was made, we were given time.” She lights her horn, causing embedded crystals in the walls to glow. “Time to touch our elements, to touch the magic that made us what we are. And then we moved on. We will always be connected to this world, to Equus, to Equestria. But we are beyond the physical.”

“Who made the decision?” Ghaliya pipes up.

Again, a look of infinite sadness. “The King, The Queen, the council of elders.  The decision was made by many, but not all. Some resisted.” Anger passes across her face. “Some fought, for the first time in a thousand generations, violence was among our ranks.  Some sided and turned to the darkness.  And before you ask, yes, some among us died. Their aspects passing on.”

Looking back at me, “That was when you were banished, Tellus. For your protection, for the protection of the world.  Your mom wanted you to have a real life, a real chance to grow, rather than be taken away as a foal. ”

I frown. “Protection of the world, by removing me from it?”

She nods. “I held your mother as she wept, Tellus. As she mourned your leaving, I comforted her. I promised her, that you would return.” She smiles brightly again. “And here you are.”

“Can you help me remember?”

She shakes her head. “No, Tellus, your body was gone, your soul cast among the winds of time and space. You have lived a thousand lifetimes, with names and faces you could never understand.” Her horn lights, the magic touching my temple, bringing out chaotic memories. “The soul remembers, and yet it doesn’t. It doesn’t have an encyclopedic recounting of the lives it has lived, more like…” She looks pensive before brightening. “…impressions.” Her magic surges, and next to her a cloud of magic forms. “You have lived so many lives, on so many different worlds. From humble birds.” A large crow is floating in the magic, then it morphs into another shape, with four arms and two legs, and a vaguely aquatic face. “So many worlds.” The form changes rapidly, showing all different sorts of living creatures, from small to truly gigantic. “So much life experiences which have helped shape your soul to be who you are today.” The changing of the form slows down, finally settling on a tall bipedal shape, dark skin with nearly black mane and dark eyes, wearing a neat suit, white teeth on the bipedal form. “Before you came here, you looked like this.” 

I take a step forward, memories flashing into my head for a moment, running a razor along that chin to get rid of facial hair, brushing those teeth. Other memories surface, only for an instant. A lighter skinned woman with similar textured hair but much longer, and surprisingly blue eyes, looking into mine with love. A small version of the same creature, no…two of them, one male and one female. My eyes start to leak. “I had a family. I had love.”

She nods as she spell ends and everything drains away. “Yes, you had a life, before you were brought here.”

“Was that those children that I hear? When the flash of power took me? Did they see their daddy…”

“I, maybe,” She sighs, “I think they may have seen you die, but when you left I lost sight on them, I’m sorry Tellus.”

I take a step back. Tears streaming. “I…died.”

“Your body did, Tellus, the man known as Robert died, the soul that was you, is Tellus Mater of Equestria, made the leap, from that body, to this world.”

I look down, “But I have a body, I’m real, why am I not with you?”

“You had ascended to become an alicorn, but the magic of the world made the body you inhabit.”  She tilts her head, “You were reborn of the west wind, from the sea mists and the oasis palms.   Given form from the sands of the world.  From the magic of the life in the oasis you appeared in. A little spark from each bit of life was contributed to make the alicorn that stands before me now.”

“Does that mean I need to…  leave like the rest?”

She shakes her head slowly, “For you to join us is not possible, or may not be.  You are of this world, to join our lives, our existence is not possible, yet.” 

“Yet?  So I won’t be summoned or anything?”  I ask almost feeling like a weight was lifted.

“Not by the old ones, and you still have some growing to do anyway.  Maybe someday you’ll be ready but, not without several thousands of years learning and growing.”

I glance at those around me before looking back at the alicorn. “What about my mother? Can I speak to her?”

Again, sadness. “Sorry, Tellus, not all of us chose to stay within reach of this world. My sister did not believe your soul would ever return, and your absence pained her so.” She stops for a long moment. “She cannot reach this world, not without diligent effort, and a long time. I will tell her, and perhaps within a millennia or two, she can approach close enough to talk to you.” She offers me a smile. “Or you can join us in a few millennia yourself, and we can celebrate your joyous ascendancy. Tellus, we all love you, and my heart sings with joy to have you before me, despite the effort it is taking. Your mom was a big believer in the magic of friendship." Reaching up with a foreleg, she strokes my mane. "And the idea that all species could work together.” She smiles, real love in her eyes. “She would be so proud of you."

The alicorn walks slowly in a circle around all of us. "So these are your friends? What an interesting group you have accumulated." 

I blink, "I..."

"Your mom was so worried you might not be able to make friends."

"Ki?"  Dawn asks, slowly.

The alicorn flinches. “Oh, I can’t believe how rude I’ve been. Manners Elise, manners.” She raises a foreleg, having us look around. “Welcome to the Temple of the beast of all eyes, as Starswirl came to call it, but my name is Elise. That old fuddy just couldn't pronounce that well for some reason.  Him and his old Ponish Dialect."

I shake my head. “While I’m happy to see you here, to meet you and learn so much about myself, and my kind.” I tilt my head. “We actually came here for a reason.”

Dawn nods. “The staff.”

She smiles at the unicorn. “Of course, your magic.” She sighs softly. “Sadly, losing your magic the way you did is beyond the capabilities of the staff.” She gestures behind her, the staff has been carefully placed on a pedestal. "That is my way of helping repair the damage, I didn't think others should suffer because we left, taking with us the movement of the sun and moon."

She walks towards the pedestal. "The staff was made so that several unicorns could combine their magic so they could raise the sun. So they wouldn't burn themselves out until Celestia was old enough to do it herself."

Dawn dashes over to the staff. Over my attempt at objecting. The alicorn, Elise, nods at the unicorn as she reaches up a hoof and picks up the staff before cradling it and brings it back to me, looking up, "How do we use it?"

"It's meant to be used by a group of unicorns to cast very powerful spells."

"But it can return my magic right?"

"I'm sorry, it's meant to share magic, not return it."

Dawn blinks then sits down, tears starting to form. "So all this was for nothing? I'll never get my magic back?"

Elise reaches a wing around Dawn. “I’m sorry my little pony. To truly lose your magic, then get it back. That is beyond my abilities, beyond any alicorn’s abilities. Your connection to the world, to magic, was severed. You suffered what no pony should ever experience. And to fix it.” She sighs, shaking her head. “Is beyond anypony’s abilities. I’m so sorry.”

“No.”

They all look at me. I light my horn and grab the staff. The gold accents glitter in the dim light, it’s extremely ornate with all the jewels encircling the large gem in the middle in the crook of the wood. “This is useless to fix Dawn?”

Elise nods, infinite sadness on her face. “It’s a preventative. It’s meant to share the magic far better than a ring, to bolster the abilities of the unicorns to allow that connection with the Sun, to allow that pony with the connection to accept the help, the magic, to move the sun on its daily path. It cannot restore your friend.” She blinks. “I’m sorry to bear the bad news and then disappear. But I knew my time would be short when I came. Ki, I have to go now."

"What? Why?"

"I kinda might have broken a rule or two helping you, to be here more than merely in spirit and allow my magic to touch this world, but it’s okay, I did the right thing. You needed the answers I was able to provide."

I take a step forward, my horn lighting. "But there's so much I have to ask, so much I need to know."

"I'm sorry," the alicorn starts to slowly fade, "But there is one last thing I can do, something to help." Turning she taps her cutiemark, and in a flash, a copy of the starburst lifts into the air, motes of energy and stars floating around it.  "Take care Ki."

With a flash the alicorn is gone, then her mark pulses, the central star growing bighter and shifting through colors as the motes form smaller stars around it, gathering energy from the temple around it.   With a final bright flash it flies off though the door, in a rainbow of sparkles.

We look around as the alicorn’s magic starts to fade and the crystals of the rock dim. I bring up a light spell, making a bright globe and tying it off to hang it near the ceiling. I look at the staff cradled in my foreleg. “No, this isn’t right.” I growl.

Dawn has been silently crying, she hiccups a bit. “Come on, Ki. Let’s go.” She takes a step.

“No, it can’t end like this.   There has to be a way.  There has to be something else here to help.”

Ghaliya steps close to me, leaning against me, my wing reaches out and hugs her tightly to me. “We tried our best, Ki.”

“No, love. She lost her magic to save me. She sacrifices herself for me. I don’t deserve that dedication.” I look at Dawn. “I don’t deserve you.” I whirl away, raising the staff up high. “And I certainly don’t think this is worth ANYTHING!” I slam the staff down onto the rock floor before me, and with a loud crack, the end is shattered, the gold and jewels flying off into the edge of the cave. “NO!” I look at the staff, only the middle crystal remains, with two broken pieces of the wood holding it. I throw the staff into the corner and turn my back to it. My eyes flashing white. “I will not let you suffer any longer, Dawn. If I could give you my magic, I would. But that’s not possible, so I’m going to give you yours back, right now.” As I’m speaking, my voice morphs as my volume increases, as though multiple voices are coming from me. Dawn shrinks back in terror before I reach out and grab her with my magic. “Come here.”

“Dawn!” Guerina shouts, leaping at the unicorn as she’s dragged to me.

“KI!” Ghaliya screams, leaping at me. She wraps her forelegs around me, but I don’t let her distract me. I bring the blue unicorn before me, my mane wafting in an unfelt breeze, my eyes have gone green. I can feel the connection to life, to magic. To the world around me. 

“Don’t move.” I reach out my hooves and grab her head as gently as I can. Reaching down my own horn, I cross it with hers. In an instant, we are linked, I can feel the soul wrenching emptiness she’s been fighting this whole time. I can feel her terror at what I’ve become. I reach out with my feelings, my love for this mare, almost as intense as my love for Ghaliya. In moments she can feel what I’m doing and she relaxes a bit, her terror fading away. Then I flinch, Ghaliya has somehow been caught up in the magic I’m pulling. I feel around, Greenbeard is there too, so is Backburn and Guerina. Their magical presence lighting up the world I’m lost in right now. I focus on the black hole that is Dawn. Around that magical black hole is her, her presence in this world, her physical being. I probe around. I remember what I did with those foals in that small coastal town. I pour my magic into that black hole, and brace myself as that lack of magic tries to pull me in. This isn’t the first time I’ve probed this deeply, and it feels as though I’m being lost in that pain, in that loss. I am not going to let my fears stop me this time. If I lose my magic in giving her hers back. It’s well worth the cost. “Dawn, we are all here for you.” My voice is still reverberating, but I keep it softer. 

In response, she relaxes into my grip. “I trust you.” She whispers. I can feel her surrender and I reach out with my magic, probing along her connection between that insufferable black hole and the bright mote of light that is her soul. That connection has to be here, somewhere. My mind scrabbles along that barrier, then I stop. I haven’t felt that before. A tear, damage, pain, it’s here!

“Ki…what are you?” Greenbeard starts as I surge magic into the damage. “No, not just Spirit, Ki. All the Powers.”

I blink, she’s right. Threads of Air, of Water, Earth, Energy, and Spirit, pour into the unicorn. For a long time, nothing happens as this void accepts every bit of energy I’m pouring into it. Then something starts to shift, giving me a ray of hope. I can’t do this for much longer. I’ve got to fix this.

With a loud crack of energy, I’m blown away from the unicorn. I remember flying through the air and I hit something hard. My consciousness fades as I watch the unicorn standing there, glowing brightly as the world around me slowly fades to black.

***

“Ki.” 

I’m alive! I try to open my eyes as I shift a bit. “Oh, shhhh, please, don’t move.” That’s Backburn’s voice. I shake my head, then instantly regret the movement. I try to speak, and claws gently wrap around my muzzle. “No. We almost lost you. It’s still touch and go right now, lad. I’m preparing food and water. But you need energy, and you need it now, otherwise I wouldn’t have woken you. Drink.”

Something is pressed against my lips, I open my mouth and warm tea pours into my mouth, causing me to swallow reflexively. He keeps pouring and I swallow as fast as I can. When the flow peters out, I open my eyes, smiling at him. “Ack, did you dump the whole honeycomb into the tea?” I growl.

“Don’t think you are not in trouble with me, Prince. You almost killed my Captain. There will be a reckoning for that. The reason I haven’t ended you myself, if you can be ended, is my Captain refused to allow it.”

“I’m sorry.” I croak.

“I’m sorry isn’t good enough, Tellus. You brought her into your magic without her consent, you drew enough to nearly kill her, and even I, a dragon, am not immune to what you did. Everything I’m doing feels as though I’m moving through a fog.” He blinks. “You aren’t the only one I’ve been nursing, but the griff and I are the only ones really able to move right now.” He sets another bowl in front of me. “One thing I was told before my Captain went back to sleep was to ensure you still have your magic. Touch your magic for me.”

I frown and concentrate, for some reason, it’s hard but after a few moments I’ve formed the void within me, and I reach out and touch my magic, letting it fill me. My horn lights, I look at him with my horn lit. Getting a satisfied nod. “Good, you didn’t sacrifice yourself.”

“I would have.” I glance at Dawn. “Did it work? Does she have her magic back?”

He nods. “She was able to light her horn once before she passed out.” He straightens. “Now, if you will excuse me, Prince. I will see to her.”

I glance at Ghaliya, she’s lying on her side, her legs comfortably sprawled, her head is on her pillow, it looks like Backburn has opened up the saddle bag with our camp. He has foregone the tent, but everything else is there, but surprisingly, there is no fire built. Then I watch the dragon walk over to the large kettle and settling down before it. He leans forward and breathes fire across its surface, getting me to roll my eyes. Of course he doesn’t need a fire built. I struggle from lying on my side to laying on my folded legs. A few moments has me somewhat comfortable. I glance around as Guerina emerges from the darkness from where we entered. She marches right up to me and smacks me upside the head. “Owwww, what the heck was that for?”

Then she rushes forward and wraps her forelegs and wings around me, hugging me tightly. Her body shakes and my eyes widen. “Guerina?”

I can hear her sniffle. “Don’t. Don’t make me say it.”

I reach a wing around and bring her closer into the hug. “Thank you, my friend. You don’t need to say it.”

After a long moment, she pulls away, her eyes red. “Don’t do that again, you scared me.” Her voice is very small.

“Well make her promise she won’t lose her magic again.”  I say and huff, “And you know me, I won’t do anything like that again, unless something drastic happens.  So don’t get yourself hurt, or do something to make something drastic happen” I reach forward and nuzzle her, getting her face to redden. She reaches out a claw and ruffles my mane.

I look at Backburn. “I want to say, thank you.”

“I don’t want to hear it, lad. I want you back on your hooves, so we can get out of here, and back to the water.” He stirs the food. “Where we belong.”

I nod. “For now, though. I think some more rest is in order.” I’m back asleep almost before my head touches my pillow.

***

Opening my eyes again is a much easier affair than earlier. I blink a few times, looking around. The light spell is keeping everything nearby bright, and even Backburn is curled up with Greenbeard, lying on his back with her as his pillow, his claws clenched together and snoring softly. I struggle to my hooves and walk over to Dawn, who is being protectively held by Guerina. I reach down and nuzzle both quickly before turning to Ghaliya. She was laying as close as would be proper for her to be to me according to the bizarre rules of her home. She’s breathing deeply in sleep as I approach, though my hoofsteps seem to awaken her. She blinks a couple of times before smiling at me. “You did it.” She says softly.

I swipe a foreleg across my nose, it comes away clean. Apparently Backburn spent time cleaning us up. I nod. “It took a lot out of me.”

That gets a giggle. “Out of all of us, love.” She gestures. “And more.”

I turn and look where she’s pointing and stop and gape. Backburn had to have moved us quite a bit, where I was standing is a lush forest, grass and trees have grown, breaking down the rock and crystal floor into freshly made soil. I look over, I must have been shaking the entire cave with the magic, fine cracks along the wall are now letting in fresh water, which is flowing in rivulets across the floor into the little oasis I seem to have made. I shake my head. “I did that?”

She nods. “You seem to affect the world wherever you happen to be, love.” She stands up and walks slowly to the water. “The water seems to be good to drink.” She leans down and drinks some of the water, smacking her lips appreciatively. “Sweet water. You truly are life.” She looks at me seriously. “Should we keep calling you Ki? 
Now that we know your true name? Or should I get used to calling you Tellus?”

“Tellus?” I speak the unfamiliar word, my ears flicking back and forth. Then I shake my head. “No, I like the name Hadi gave me. I am Ki.” I smile at her.

She nods before leaning forward, putting her head under mine, hugging me tightly. “You scared me, Ki.”

I blink at the green growth. “I scared me too, Love.”

She leans back, gazing into my eyes. “I can’t force you, but I want you to think in the future, before you do something like that. Please, Ki, think of what we will do without you if something were to happen. Your future foals, your friends…” She chokes back a sob. “Me… I don’t know what I would do without you.”

I reach out a wing and stroke her cheek. “I had to, you know that right?” 

She nods. “I’ve come to a decision, Ki.”

“What would that decision be?”

She glances back at our camp, then back to me. “I can feel the love you have for that mare. And I will admit that I have a strong connection to her as well. When you and I wed…”

I frown at her hesitation. “What are you saying?”

Her face colors brightly. “I will ask her to join us in a herd, as the ponies do. I do not want to live life without her or you. And I know that if I were to be jealous and insist having you only to myself would be a disservice to you.” She glances back at the camp again. “And to her.”

I blink. “Ghaliya, I’m not asking that of you. Marriage to you, and you only, is what I desire.”

She reaches up and kisses me on the cheek, getting my own face to heat. “I’m not worried about just what you want, Ki. I am worried about what you need. You are a pony, not a horse, not Saddle Arabian. We had our own traditions of herding before we made the society you know today. It was violent, with stallions killing other stallions for their own harems of mares. We adopted the rules we have for good reason. But those rules are best applied to the horses of Saddle Arabia, not the ponies of Equestria.”

“I don’t know Equestria as it is now. Hell, I don’t know anything of Equestria past what I’ve been taught by you and others in the City.”

She nods. “But I have been educated in more than just finance, Love. In this, you will have to trust my word.”

I sigh. “Of course, you can definitely take the lead here, but your uncle will certainly have some choice words to say about it.”

She giggles. “He’s the last one I’m worried about. Dawn is a slave in his eyes. He simply doesn’t have to know what this entails.”

“Don’t I get a say?” Comes a new voice, we both turn to see Dawn sitting there.

I’m not able to get anything out, but Ghaliya comes to the rescue. “Of course you get a say, Dawn.” While her face is red, her voice is firm. “I was planning on asking you after Ki’s and my wedding. But now is as good a time as any, I guess.” She takes a step away from me and lowers her front half in an elaborate bow. “Dawn Shimmer, when we were connected magically, I could feel Ki’s love for you, and your love for him. He absolutely terrified you with his power, but you trusted him past your fear. And I’ve also found that I do not desire to only have him, but to include you in our family. I am formally asking you to join Ki and I when we wed.”

The angry look on Dawn’s face morphs to confusion. “That’s not the tradition in Saddle Arabia.”

Ghaliya remains in her bow. “I know, traditions of my homeland be damned. Ki is a pony, as are you. He needs you.” She looks up, her eyes fixing on the blue mare. “And I have come to the realization that I need you as well.”

Dawn stands up and takes a step back. “Mistress.”

“No, you shall address me as an equal, Dawn. We are to be one.”

Dawn blinks. “Before I say anything else, Mistress, I thank you for your offer.” Her eyes dart between the two of us. “Does that mean...?”

Ghaliya nods. “We shall share each other in all things. All three of us.”

Dawn bows before Ghaliya. “Mistress.” She holds up a hoof as Ghaliya moves slightly to object. “Mistress, please. Listen to what I have to say. I love Ki. Much how I love Princess Celestia. He’s more like a father to me, a comforting presence. To think of romantic love…” She stops, her eyes focusing on me as her ears flick back and forth while her tail swishes from side to side. “I don’t know. While I haven’t been celibate in my time in Saddle Arabia. I’ve thought of times of going back to Equestria and settling down with a herd. I want foals eventually.”

That gets a big smile from Ghaliya. “And Ki can give them to you. All you want.”

“Hey! Don’t I get a say in that?”

They both look at me. “Hush, Ki.” They say in unison.

I blink and take a step back. Dawn’s ears are still flicking. “This is too big to rush into.” She looks up at Ghaliya. “May I think on it?”

Ghaliya bows her head again. “Take all the time you need.”

She nods before looking at me. Then she rushes to me, wrapping her hooves around me tightly. “Thank you, Ki.”

“I had to, Dawn. I just had to fix you.”

She looks down. “Did you mean what you said?”

I blink, thinking back, then my eyes widen. “Of course I did. I don’t deserve your devotion, your sacrifice. I felt the pain you were in. Nopony should have to, and to know that it was my failure that caused it. I should have ended that dragon.”

Her voice is muffled, with her face buried in the fur of my barrel. “You couldn’t kill. That’s not your way. You did what you had to do, as did I. You were not at fault. And it was also your nature to move the Earth itself to bring me back.” She reaches up and boops my nose. “And you have my eternal thanks, Ki.” She looks at Ghaliya. “I’m tempted to say yes to Ghaliya’s proposal for this. But I know that decisions made in the heat of emotion are not always the wisest. So, I will consider carefully, this I promise.”

I glance at Ghaliya. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”

She giggles. “Me too.” She looks back at the campsite. “It looks like it’s time to pack up, we should head back to the Wave Slasher and home.”

I nod.

After quickly packing up our campsite, I lead the way away from the temple. The light spell bolstered to last so the plant life has everything needed to flourish in this underground lair. As we get through the various barriers, I surge my magic into them, making it so one doesn’t have to be entirely without magic to enter. Finally we emerge into the light. Then I stop, causing everyone else to bunch up behind me.

Three forms are standing at the edge of the clearing, holding spears. 

Dawn steps up next to me. “Zebra?”

I nod. And in unison, three spears are leveled at us. “What have you done?”

“Uh oh.”