//------------------------------//
// 15~Long Road 'Home' 
// Story: The Shadow's Edge 
// by Centurion Pike-Wall 
//------------------------------//

Shining gripped the side of the sled for dear life, the speed of the wind pushing against him. Combined with the speed of the sled, creating resistance against him coming from both directions. While he wasn't in that much danger of falling out the back, the speed was unnerving for him. 

Despite the cascade of snow falling onto him and the other Umbrum gripping the sled, the sky was clear enough to allow him a good view of his surroundings. The three sleds sped across the landscape, gliding over the freshly fallen snow and kicking up waves of mist in their wake. 

After clearing the small wooded area around the Umbrum encampment, the sleds had entered into the wide open plains of the Frozen North. Mounds of snow, exposed rocks, and the occasional plant whipped by so fast he could barely see them. It all seemed to blur together, as if he were flying at high speeds. 

Shining lowered himself back into the sled, shifting his hind legs around the tightly packed blanket that occupied the middle of the sled. The metal-plated appeared bigger on the outside, especially as he, Shroud, and Ciaran were crammed into the sled with several of the Tsereg. Another stood towards the front of the sled, holding the reins to the dogs that pulled it. 

Shining looked at the Tsereg, studying them as if they were his own troops. Most now wrapped heavy scarves and goggles around their faces, which combined with their helmets to give them an emotionless gaze. Their spears rested against one wall of the sled, leaving them merely sitting. None of them made any voluntary movement nor said anything; if not for their breathing and rigid posture, he would have thought them asleep. 

Shroud, on the other hoof, actually was asleep. How he could manage it with the howling wind, Shining didn't know. Ciaran was occupied with a small scroll, reading through the unusual symbols that covered its surface. Once again, despite being surrounded by his own kind, Shining was left alone to think. 

A part of him hated this isolation. While he only had a small friend group, he was a very social stallion. He enjoyed being around others, whether his family, his small group of friends, and especially his wife. Yet, here he was, and he couldn't really connect with his own kind. Sure, he made friends with Ciaran, Alastor, and to an extent Shroud, but... He didn't know.

And that especially vexed him. 

As he leaned forward and held his head in his hooves, his ears twitched. With a start, he realized that the sled was beginning to slow. Once again peaking over the top of the sides, he saw that the other two sleds were doing the same, the drivers reigning in the dogs who slowed their pace. 

He also saw what was likely the reason. Up ahead, sitting along a small outcropping of rock, stood a building surrounded by a high wall. It looked similar to the tent he had been staying in with Ciaran's family, save for it being much larger and made from stone. The roof was sloped heavily, a small column of smoke rising out of the steep dome at the top. Sections of the wall that weren't plastered with frost displayed intricate murals, colored various shades of red and green in a pattern he didn't recognize.

A heavy iron gate was raised, allowing the sleds to be marched into the interior. A few small buildings dotted the inside of the wall, though most of the land was still taken up by the main building that was visible over the wall. As some of the Tsereg tended to the dogs, everypony else when inside. Shining, somewhat unsure as to what was going on, followed them. 

The inside was similar to the interior of the tents the structure visually resembled. The main floor was dominated by a large furnace in the center, a metal pipe sending the smoke of the fire up and out of the building. Around it were several low tables and mats, as well as what appeared to be a few games of some sort. A staircase wrapped around the interior, leading up to an unseen second floor. 

Shining was taking in the wall-mounted tapestries and icons hanging from the ceilings when, from a door behind at the far end, emerged an Umbrum mare. She wore an apron of sorts over her long coat, her mane tied back under a bandana. "Welcome, Magistrate!", she called, bowing slightly. "I'm honored to have your presence here."

"I accept your welcome, and return goodwill", Blackout said, returning the bow. 

"Make yourselves comfortable", the mare said. "I shall prepare food and drinks for you." 

With that, she returned to the backroom she had emerged from. The soldiers removed many of their heavy garments, even removing their helmets as they sat down. Shining leaned over to Ciaran, who was doing the same, asking her, "What is this place?"

"Waystation", Ciaran said. "There's one every fifty miles on a route between each of the major keeps. It's so messengers have a safe place to rest and recuperate."

Shining looked back through the room, finally sitting down at one of the tables. His sister, who had been speaking to one of the soldiers, turned around and, seeing him, moved to sit down across from him. Sombra, still somewhat dazed, was led to another one of the tables. 

"You don't trust the Great Liberator?", Blackout asked. 

Shining looked to her, not even realizing that his gaze had been following the muttering stallion. "To be fair, he did attack me and my wife."

"Right", she said. "Betzalel explained that to me. I... Well, I suppose anything that I say would be of little comfort, right?"

"About him?", Shining said, cocking his head to the former tyrant. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Then I won't try", she said, pulling out a small pouch. She opened it up, removing a few... Were those bones?

"Shagai", she said, picking up on his gaze. "We use them to play games. Each of the sides has a symbol, representing different values depending on the game."

"So like dice?", Shining asked, a little excitement in his voice. 

It was Blackout's turn to stare at him. "What are-"

"Little cubes with dots on them", Shining explained. "Generally numbered one through six, though higher numbers do exist."

"Huh", Blackout said. "I guess so. Anyway, I figured we'd give the dogs and the drivers some rest and get some food in us, and this might be a good way to pass a bit of time. What do you say?"

"Sure", Shining said. "I'm pretty good at dice games."


~+~+~~|~~+~+~


"What!?", the soldier half-barked, gazing down at the empty pools of shagai that had been assembled on the corners of the table. His gaze shifted down to the pile of shagai in front of him, and then the bigger pile in front of Shining. "How did you...?"

"Years of practice", Shining said, grinning. The response drew howls of laughter, and the exchange of small pouches or items, between the other onlookers. 

Shroud placed a hoof on his shoulder, grinning like a wolf. "Damn. You're pretty good at these, huh?"

"I wouldn't say that", Shining said. "Dice, mostly. I cannot, for the life of me, play Cards."

"Are all southerners this good at these kinds of games?", one of the soldiers asked, sullenly handing another a pouch. 

Shining shrugged, "Sort of. We play them a decent amount, at least. Why? Are they not here?"

"Of course they are", Ciaran said. 

Blackout tilted her cup towards him, giggling as she added, "We just don't have much time in order to play them. There is always something to be done."

"That's a shame", Shining said, before looking down at the collection of shagai. "Well, any other takers?"