Nix opened his eyes to find the walls of Kahl’s realm stretching out above and around him. Next to him, Twilight leaned on his shoulder as she breathed. He patted her leg as she shook her head and she blinked several times.
“Wow. That was different.” She said to him.
“You okay?” He asked her, his tone concerned.
“I’m okay. It was a little bit disorienting but I’m fine.” She assured him.
“As long as you’re okay.” He said to her as a light chuckle sounded out through his mind.
“She will be fine.” The dragon said to him with a light chuckle. “For her first time using the Earth's paths she did well. At least she managed not to pass out.”
Nix grimaced and Twilight waited for him to speak as he was talking to Kahl. “He was saying you didn’t pass out like he thought you might so you did well getting here.”
“He thought I would?” She asked him, her head slightly tilted.
“Considering her attachment to the Element of Magic and her own aptitude for it it’s not all that shocking that she handled it just fine.” Kahl added.
Nix parroted his words and Twilight smiled at the praise from the dragon. He led her forward as he made for the exit to Kahl’s area and into the entrance to Mitsu’s realm. At his hip Twilight breathed nervously and he flicked an ear to listen to her for a moment as he led her forward. As they neared the front doors he heard Twilight breathe out a deep breath at the size of the doors ahead of her. He started to reach out to Mitsu as he had the first time when the doors began to open on their own. Nix said nothing as Twilight paused behind him for a few steps as he kept walking ahead.
“Do they always open like that?” She asked as she trotted to catch up to him.
“No. Last time we had to reach out to Mitsu for him to open them for us. I’m guessing that this time he knew we were here.” He replied.
Nix said nothing further as Mitsu came into sight. The dragon said nothing as they approached but he gave them a deep nod as they neared him. They reached him and came to stand just in front of him to allow them to speak to him easily.
“Welcome to my realm, little mare.” Mitsu greeted her and the mare bowed her head in reply.
“Thank you, Mitsu.” She said to him.
“Kahl and Nix welcome back.” He said to them as Nix nodded as well.
“Thanks, Mitsu,” Nix replied.
“I trust you have news for me?” Mitsu asked as he lowered his head to speak to them.
“Your right,” Nix replied. “Twilight brought the letter to me a couple of days ago.”
“Is that why you brought her with you to our Realm?”
“That’s the main reason yes,” Nix admitted. “Plus if any of you have questions about the Princesses she would be able to answer it easier than I will be.”
“Is it good news?” Mitsu asked.
“It’s an answer,” Nix said to him.
Mitsu pulled his head back slightly at the stallion's reply. “That does not signal good news to me.”
Nix tried to look apologetic but his own concern about the news itself showed on his face. Mitsu brought his head back down to be closer to them.
”Do you think it would be better to tell all of you at once or separately?” Nix asked him.
“All of us together might be for the best,” Mitsu replied after a few seconds of thought.
“I disagree.” Kahl said to him.
“Oh?” Nix said as he tilted his head slightly at the dragon's comment. “Kahl says he disagrees and that it should be separate.”
“May I speak with him?” Mitsu asked as Nix nodded in reply.
Nix closed his eyes and he felt himself falling backward as Kahl took over.
Kahl opened his eyes and looked up at the dragon ahead of him. He gave a somber nod in reply and waited for the dragon to speak as Twilight moved a bit off to the side to listen.
“Why do you think separately is for the best?” Mitsu asked.
“I heard the news, nearly lost my temper and I am not as connected to the Tears as the three of you are.” Kahl began as Mitsu nodded for him to go on. “I frightened Twilight to the point of her thinking my flames would have burned her when I heard what she had to say. While they would not have harmed either of them it was quite upsetting for her.”
“You are certain that they would lose their composure as well?” Mitsu questioned.
“They are far more connected to the Tears as I am. My issue was feeling deeply insulted versus sorrow for the loss.” Kahl clarified. “Suki might be okay to handle but Ice is the one I would be worried about.”
Mitsu looked thoughtful for a moment before he looked at the mare with them. “You worry for her?”
“She has no defense against plunging temperatures as you or I do. I can be warmed by the flames of the world and you have the Earth to shelter you. Suki can warm the air but I am not sure he would do it for her.” Kahl explained.
“That is a fair point,” Mitsu admitted.
“While we can warm her to a certain extent we can only do so much.”
“Even the Earth can be frozen should the temperatures plummet enough,” Mitsu admitted with a sigh. “I am certain that we can protect her if we plan ahead for the possibility. Suki could harm her through the air but the Earth can protect her.” He said as Twilight tried not to look nervous. “What can you and your partner accomplish?”
“If I am in complete control then I can protect her body with warmth due to Nix not having enough control of the flames of the world. But that is if he is comfortable with it. I refuse to make a decision without consulting him.” Kahl reasoned.
Mitsu nodded in agreement and he leaned back a bit as he considered what he had been told. “How is his training with the flames going?”
“Pretty well considering his deep fear of the element itself,” Kahl replied. “It is a process to work through it.”
“Should you speak with him than about you remaining in control while we work with the others?” Mitsu asked as his head lowered to be closer to them.
“For Ice, I think that would be best. Suki, we can probably work with but with Ice, I am not as confident.” He replied as he cast a glance to the purple mare with them. “Twilight?”
“Yes?” She said as she looked at him, her eyes a bit wide at being addressed.
“Do you have a preference? We seem to be discussing your safety as if you are not in the room.” He said to her and she smiled in response.
“What do you think is best?” She asked him in reply.
“You have been listening in. So you have most likely formed an opinion by now.” He responded.
She looked thoughtful for a moment before she gave a gentle sigh. “I think having a dragon of fire in control when giving the dragon of water the news might be for the best. So I agree with what you’re thinking.”
“Then that is what we will do. We brought you here for a reason and you are under our protection because of that.” He commented. “I will have Nix in the background while the news is given and I will have control to allow me to combat cold.”
“How are you so sure he will lose his mind?” She asked.
“We are preparing for the worst-case scenario, little mare,” Mitsu said to her as his large eyes fell on her.
“Do you really think any of them will lose control?” Twilight asked.
“I am most worried about Ice since the odds of Mitsu losing control is slim. Despite being the one who has lost the most compared to the others. I can counter Earth with Flame if the need comes.” He explained.
“What about Suki? Wouldn’t he be able to use the air as a weapon?” She questioned.
“Fire cannot exist without oxygen.”
“The fire of the world is different but that is a fair point,” Kahl admitted. “But if the need comes we can also counter with the Earth.”
“Meaning?” Twilight said to him as she tilted her head slightly.
“Air cannot live without the Earth,” Mitsu told her as she looked at him. “The Earth creates the air to an extent so without me then he has nothing to create with.”
Nervousness filtered over her face as she considered what they had said. “I will speak with Nix to see what his opinion is.”
Both of them nodded as the pony sat down and his eyes closed. “Nix?”
“Huh?”
“Let me tell you what we conclusions we have come to.”
Kahl finished relating the conversation to Nix who was now paying more attention to them as he hovered on the edge of Kahl’s mind.
“Okay so I think you should be in control when it comes to Ice.” Nix said to him. “What about Mitsu?”
“I’m certain Mitsu will be the easiest,” Kahl replied. “I do not think we will be needing to fight with him if push comes to shove.”
“You’re sure about that?”
“I am.” Kahl responded. “Mitsu has the most to be upset about due to the number of Tears that were taken from his side of the Catacombs. I’m fairly certain that he will internalize it and there might be a little bit of upheaval but nothing major.”
“Hmm.” Nix made a noise in response before he went on. “So we will be able to protect Twilight fairly easily with him then?”
“Yes. Should be simple.” Kahl replied.
“Okay so are you ready to see what will happen?” Nix asked him.
“If he does go out of control then the Realm will be able to absorb the punishment from him. If we tell him here then his Realm will be able to absorb the action from him.” Kahl informed him. “Same as if I went out of control mine would be able to absorb the fires.”
“If we use your Realm will that change anything?” Nix asked him in reply.
“If we were to use my Realm then the power I wield is made stronger.” Kahl replied.
“Maybe we move there to allow us to be the strongest?” Nix pointed out.
“That’s an idea.” Kahl admitted.
“Why don’t we use your area and that way we are at our strongest and they are at a bit of a disadvantage?”
“Agreed.” Kahl said to him. “The damage would be minimalized in there as well.”
“Would that keep them a bit off-balance as well?”
“It should. I’ll mention it.” Kahl opened his eyes and looked from the mare with them to the dragon that was close by as well. “Nix pointed out a good idea.”
“Oh?” Mitsu replied.
“We can move to my Realm and that will minimize any damage done due to the rest of you being off balance. It should allow us to minimize or even negate an outburst from one of you.” Kahl related to them.
“That is a fine idea,” Mitsu replied. “Well done Nix.”
“What do you mean? How will moving help?” Twilight asked.
“Each dragon has their Seat of Power or their Realm that they live in when we are here. We are currently standing inside Mitsu’s Realm and that amplifies his power. Mitsu is the strongest in this areas while the others are strongest in their own respective Seats.”
“I see.” She replied with a nod. “I agree with Nix. Using your Seat of Power might be in our best interest.”
“Follow me,” Kahl said as he got to his hooves and led the pair of them out of the Realm of Earth and back to Fire.
As he led them back to his Seat Kahl felt Nix’s nervousness the closer they got. “You ready for this?” Kahl asked the anxious Unicorn.
“No.” Nix replied quickly. “But we are going to do it anyway.”
The doors to Kahl’s realm remained open as an Elemental came toward them and it paused as it began to charge power. Kahl snorted and the Elemental paused and flowed back the way it had come.
“What was that?” Twilight asked.
“That was one of the Guardians we talked about the last time you and I spoke,” Kahl said to her. “It was aiming that bit of power at you.”
“Why?”
“You’re an unknown pony. The last time we were here we calibrated the Elementals to consider ponies a threat and attack accordingly. I told it to back off and it went back the way it came.” He related to her.
“Oh. Thank you for that.” She said, an air of relief in her voice.
They walked out into the center of Kahl’s Realm and Kahl sat down with twilight at his side. The mare sat down at his side and the dragon laid down in front of them.
“What have you discovered? I gather from your demeanor and our conversation that nothing good came from the letter.” Mitsu commented.
“Twilight?” Kahl said to her and the mare gave a nervous smile and breathed out a deep sigh.
“Okay. So we got a response from her and according to what I read the Dragons Tears were taken by an archaeological team sent by Princess Luna into the Dragon Lands. They were sent to find precious gems and ore for study. She sent them a couple of months before Nix got the Tears.”
Mitsu stared at the mare as she finished speaking. His large eyes stared almost blankly at her as seconds went by. Twilight started as the ground under them began to tremble and quiver.
“Be ready,” Kahl whispered to the mare.
Twilight nodded and leaned back on her haunches, trying to back away slowly from the dragon.
“Should we try to keep him calm?” Nix asked from the back of his mind.
Kahl gave a nod and Twilight looked at him, her eyes wide. “Mitsu. We can now easily find the ponies who committed the theft through Luna. If we choose to involve her then she can lead us in the right direction. Our search just became simpler.”
Mitsu simply stared at the pair of them as the shaking became more prevalent and the tempo of it increased. Kahl called on the power of his realm to try to stabilize the ground under them and the shaking lessened slightly, enough to keep Twilight from stumbling should they need to stand up.
“Should we do something?” Nix asked him, his voice cautious.
“There is nothing we can do at this point. I have already lessened the shaking of the cavern but that is the limit.” Kahl replied.
“I am so sorry Mitsu,” Twilight said to the dragon as he continued to stare at the pair of them.
Mitsu blinked as she spoke and he seemed to be seeing her for the first time since coming to their Realm. The Dragon of Earth said nothing as the Earth stopped shaking and went still. Mitsu breathed out a deep sigh and closed his eyes as he put his head back and looked up at the ceiling. Kahl could see that he was fighting with his Element to keep it under control and them safe from its power. He kept his own power at the forefront as a measure of caution.
“Are you ready for us to go on?” Kahl asked him.
Mitsu brought his head back down to look at them. “Did she know what those gems were?” He asked, his voice husky.
“The letter didn’t say anything about her knowing what they are. I also didn’t ask for that information specifically without saying more than what I was allowed. I’m pretty sure that all she knew is that they came from the Dragon Lands.” Twilight said to him as she leaned forward and settled back into a relaxed posture.
“I need a moment Kahlem.” Mitsu said as he got to his paws and padded heavily away from them.
Kahl nodded as he turned to leave them behind for the moment. Twilight gulped nervously as the dragon walked away, careful to keep his long tail high above their heads to avoid hitting them. The mare looked even sadder as the dragon left them behind. She looked at the pony beside her as Kahl watched him leave the realm behind and head in the direction of his own Seat.
“Is he going to be okay?” She whispered to him.
“He needs time to come to terms with what he has heard in his own way,” Kahl said to her.
Twilight opened her mouth to speak when a roar shook the cavern and the mare cringed under the sound. Kahl closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly in respect for the sound as it shook the cavern. He raised his head and looked at the upset mare beside them.
“Let him have his time. He will come back to us when he is ready.” The dragon told her.
“Does it have a meaning or was it just sound?” She asked, her voice quiet and respectful.
“It was a roar meant to convey sorrow and despair to those close enough to hear it. It comes from the Language of Dragons and only our kind can understand it.”
Sadness flooded the mare's face as the sound faded and he felt Nix shift in his mind as sorrow flooded the Unicorn. “Will he be okay?” Nix asked.
“He will in time,” Kahl replied aloud.
“What do we do now?” Twilight asked him.
“We decide if Luna knew more than she says she did or we think she does,” Kahl commented. “If she knew where she was sending them then she has committed a crime upon the Dragons and that cannot be ignored. If I am right then Mitsu is now deciding how to react if she knows or doesn’t. If she had no idea then we need the ponies she sent.”
“Are you certain of that or are you hoping?” Twilight asked.
“It is a simple hope for her sake. The hope from before that she knew nothing has been dashed and we are left with new ones.” Kahl replied.
Twilight closed her eyes as a sniffle went through her and she looked up as the sound of heavy paws came back toward them. Kahl watched as Mitsu rejoined them and laid down close by them. Twilight sniffled again as she opened her eyes and regarded the enormous dragon.
“Are you going to be okay?” She asked, her voice quiet.
Mitsu was quiet for several seconds before he gave the mare a somber nod. “Now we need to call Suki,” Mitsu said his voice strained and quiet.
“Right,” Twilight said to him as she trembled for a moment. “I have to admit I’m a little scared.”
“We will keep you safe little one,” Mitsu said to her as he regarded her. “I may be upset but I will treat your life as if it were my own.”
Twilight smiled through her fear and nodded in thanks. “Okay. I trust you both.”
“Will she be okay?” Nix asked.
“We will make sure she is.” Kahl assured him. “If I have to use every bit of power we have she will be safe and unharmed.”
“Okay.” Nix said to him. “I just want her in the same condition as when we left.”
“She will be.”
Mitsu raised his head as Kahl nodded for him to summon Suki. A roar echoed through the Realms as he called on the Dragon of Air. Twilight shuddered at the sound but remained still at his side. He felt Nix shudder at the edge of his mind as the roar echoed into the distance. Minutes passed by as nothing happened.
“Do you think he ignored us?” Twilight asked.
“No. He heard.” Kahl assured her.
“How are you so certain?”
“That roar is designed to be heard even into the world around us.” He informed her. “He would have to work to ignore it.”
She nodded in understanding and waited with them. The sound of wind echoed through the Realms and soon Suki emerged close by them. The Air Dragon saw them and his eyes went a bit wide at the sight of the young mare. He came to stand close by them and the three of them oriented themselves to look at him. He regarded each of them slowly and his eyes remained on the young mare.
“You bring news, little pony?” He said to her and she nodded. “Finally. Your Princess kept us waiting far too long.”
“Be at ease,” Mitsu said to him. “This you must hear. Show respect for her courage to bring it to you personally.”
Suki cringed under the admonishment from the Earth-Dragon. “Very well. It is true that you have the courage to come to us.”
“I was told that it was a better idea to come to you just in case you have questions.” She said to the dragon.
The dragon nodded and laid down in front of them. “What news do you bring?”
“Nothing good,” Twilight admitted with a deep sigh. “The letter I got said that Princess Luna had sent an archaeological team to the Dragon Lands in search of gems and ore for study. The gems are what they brought back to her. I don’t; think she knew… what they are… But…”
Twilight went silent as the wind picked up as the dragon began to snarl. He got to his paws as his eyes stared at her. Kahl got to his hooves and Mitsu did the same as they both moved to guard her should they need to. The wind whipped at their manes and tails as it gusted across Kahl’s Seat of Power. Kahl reached out to his realm and used its power to mitigate the power Suki was releasing. The Air Dragons face contorted into a rage as he stared at the mare. A windbreak erupted from the ground to protect the mare and stallion from the heavy gusts of wind.
“You protect her?!” Suki roared.
“She had no part in the theft. Do not punish those who do not deserve to be punished.” Mitsu argued. “You know as well as I do that she did not have to come to tell us. Kahlem and Nix could have come alone.”
“I do not care for her courage! I will ruin her and her kind.” Suki snarled as the wind grew stronger.
Kahl reached deeper into his realm for the power of the flames of the world and kept them close to the surface of his Realm. Suki lunged for the mare and both Mitsu and Kahl reacted. Fire erupted from the Realm and slammed into Suki’s belly throwing him off his paws. The Air Dragon roared and scrambled back to his paws as Kahl pushed Nix’s mind back to allow him to use more of the flames of the world. Fire roared across the ground as Suki grunted under the heat that came from the Realm around him.
“You as well, Kahlem?!”
“Calm yourself, you fool!” Kahl roared in reply. “You are targeting the wrong pony.”
Suki got to his paws and once more came for the mare a protective barrier of hardened earth enveloped her and protected her from the Air Dragons' rage. Kahl charged into the fight with Suki and used the power he had that he shared with Nix as well as his own to combat the other dragon. Fire poured from his body as Mitsu walked up behind him and the pair of them went into combat with the other dragon, trying to quell his rage.