“Come on, Princess, we’ve got to get out of here quickly,” Daylight said as they left the slave quarters that Princess Fairscale had been held in.
“Can you give us some cover?” Gilbert asked her.
Daylight shook her head. “Used up too much magic cutting through those locks, I can’t perform a complicated spell right now.”
“Then we’ll just have to do this the hard way and hope for the best,” Gilbert swallowed. “And especially hope that Rainbow Dash is doing just fine with my brother up there.”
“How are we getting to safety?” Princess Fairscale asked.
“Once we get out from down here, Rainbow Dash and I will fly the rest of you away,” Gilbert said.
“There’s a lot going on outside but once you and the other lizards are rescued we’ll deal with the Boschese and get back to the island,” Daylight said.
“B-But I saw all their ships! What do you mean “deal” with them?” The Princess asked, frantic and fearful.
Daylight grinned. “Leave that part to your subjects—and everyone else we’re about to rescue.”
“Now please, Princess-” Smooth Tongue said, holding her by the arm to help ease her way. “Please come this way, we must leave now.”
They pushed open the door just an inch to peek outside it and didn’t see any soldiers right there so they left the slave quarters behind and made their way up. The ship sounded as chaotic as before, they could hear hooves clamoring about on the decks above them along with shouting and explosive cannon-fire from outside. The battle hadn’t let up in the slightest. Daylight stayed in front despite the effort she had put in earlier, her horn would still be good for simple blasts of magic if it came down to it. Gilbert stayed at the back with the powder keg while the two lizards were in-between them.
“Can I ask why you’re carrying that?” Princess Fairscale said to Gilbert.
“Rainbow Dash wanted us to bring it, said it could be useful,” Gilbert said.
“I see...”
On the next level of the boat they had to hurry along past the closed doors and other corridors leading elsewhere into the ship. They didn’t need to stop only for some servant to walk into them and spoil the whole escape. Thankfully because of the rampant chaos still going on, in the short amount of time since they had come down here it seemed practically every Boschese had been brought up to the higher decks to help out or do something. Daylight and Gilbert were both hoping that as soon as they got out on deck that Rainbow Dash would be ready to go. If she wasn’t they were probably going to find themselves surrounded by soldiers anyways.
Princess Fairscale took a deep breath and started muttering to herself. “Just stay calm, just stay calm, it’s all going to be alright, nothing bad is going to happen...”
That was something Daylight often repeated in her head.
“There’s nothing to fear now, Princess. I’m certain of it. The Child of Ponyseidon and her friends have long since proven themselves worthy and miraculously capable,” Smooth Tongue said. “Our own matriarch saw it as so, didn’t she?”
“S-She did...” Princess Fairscale nodded.
When they made it back up to the main deck however, just under the command deck where the doors in front of them would take them outside, they ran into a tiny problem.
Namely that there were a number of Bosche soldiers with spears drawn waiting for them.
There was another one in the center, dressed in luxurious officer’s clothing. He narrowed his eyes at the four of them and stepped forward with a harsh scowl on his face. The air of disdain emanating from around him was almost palpable. “I am Admiral Tuon of the Bosche navy. And I believe you are trying to abscond with some of our property. Now despite the... mayhem... going on out there I simply cannot allow that to happen. You will prostrate yourselves and not cause a fuss as we place you in chains. Or else.”
Daylight bit her lip and glanced back at Gilbert, who looked just as worried.
She looked at the frightened faces of Princess Fairscale and Smooth Tongue,
She looked at the powder keg on Gilbert’s back.
“Okay...” Daylight said as she looked back at Admiral Tuon. “I see your threat, now let me raise one of my own.”
“Excuse me?” Admiral Tuon frowned.
Daylight picked up the powder keg and held it out plainly for Admiral Tuon to see. “If you don’t want you and your ship to be blown to pieces, I suggest you listen to me. This is a powder keg, you Bosche scum may not use black powder weapons, but you certainly know the destructive power of it, don’t you? In fact, you just saw its destructive power minutes ago when one of these blew up the ship behind you.”
Tuon’s eyebrows shot up practically off his face. “Y-You-!”
“That’s right,” Daylight nodded. “You better get out of our way or none of us are getting out of here alive.”
Gilbert blinked at the back of her head while Fairscale and Smooth Tongue both seized up. Was she serious right now?
“You would never,” Tuon said through gritted teeth. “I know that lizard behind you is a Princess, and you’re here to rescue her, you wouldn’t set that off.”
Daylight grinned, a grin half confident and half unhinged, she herself didn’t know how much she was acting here. But she did know she was trying to channel Rainbow Dash’s reckless abandon. “Wanna bet? Maybe it’s better if that happens than all of us becoming slaves. Maybe we’d prefer to go up in smoke. And also—we happened to hear that it was Admiral Bin’Tavy, the highest authority in the Bosche navy, leading this little raid. If I set this powder keg off here then he dies too. Would you want that? And, since you’re not the big boss do you really have the authority to decide what’s going to happen next? You’re just the second-in-command at best, aren’t you? So maybe you should let us through and we’ll talk with Bin’Tavy about what’s going to happen next.”
Her grin widened. “Or else.”
For a moment nobody moved or said anything. Perhaps Princess Fairscale wanted to say something, wanted to ask Daylight what she was thinking, but something in her told her it was better to stay quiet. Gilbert and Smooth Tongue both realized it as well; they couldn’t let these Boschese know that they’d never actually light the powder keg like this. They all had to say strong and make it look like they were behind Daylight as well.
Admiral Tuon was similarly attempting to keep his cool but a consistent sweat was still making its way down his face. Why did this mission suddenly have to become so complicated?
The soldiers behind him were just as concerned, and with everything else going on they didn’t have time to spare on this. He had to come up with a decision soon.
Whose threat was going to win out?
Daylight Gleam kept a strong glare on her face as she stared into the Admiral’s eyes. Unlike him, only a single bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face. And her horn was pointed directly at the short fuse of the powder keg.
“Take us out of here, back to open water! We need to get distance between us and the rest of the fleet!” Senax commanded to the lizards as they had taken control of or immigrated the captured lizards to most of the vessels.
Though technically it was Breakwater’s words she had repeated. They both knew the lizards would only really listen to her.
Now though the middle of the Bosche slaving fleet, where all their precious new slaves had been held, was gutted. More than half of the Junks that had held slaves were under enemy control and being guided and protected by the cannon-carrying boats of the lizards. The few Junks around that were still seaworthy and under Bosche control attempted to fight back but there was little they could do at this point. This area of the ocean off the coast of the Lost Isle was quickly becoming a floating graveyard with the numerous wrecks.
While they moved the ships, all the lizards, the ones from the ancient city as well, who didn’t need to help out with that were on the decks of the Junks. Meditating. Concentrating. Focusing. Drawing out more of their magical ability than they ever had in their lives to affect the currents and the weather around the isle. The Keeper would be proud.
It was creating an even more impossible ocean for the Bosche Junks to do anything. Ships couldn’t line up or move properly, they would smack into each other, the wind pulled at their sails in different directions. Short of an actual giant whirlpool to swallow them up it was the best thing the lizards could do right now. Every now and then a ballista would be able to line up a shot but the arrows couldn’t stop what was happening.
Senax stood beside Breakwater on the deck of one of the Junks, the seasoned captain at the wheel of the large vessel as he took it out of the flotilla. It was a better place for him than anywhere else at the moment.
“I think we’re good,” Breakwater said to her.
“As long as everyone else pulls through,” Senax grimaced.
“They will,” Breakwater smiled. “I’m sure that any second now we’ll see Rainbow Dash and Gilbert flying here with the others.”
A huge explosion suddenly went off at the head of the Bosche fleet once more and everyone turned to look at the column of fire and smoke rising up from and consuming the lead Junk. The blast rocked the ships behind it and sent a fresh new wave of panic through both the Bosche soldiers and the lizards. The fleet was in even more disarray now and the lizards had lost a lot of their focus on keeping the currents in their favor. But thankfully the Boschese were too distracted by that second large explosion on what they knew to be their leader’s ship to capitalize.
Meanwhile, Breakwater and Senax stared at the column of fire in shock.
“Uhh...” Breakwater began to sweat.
Rainbow Dash slammed into the mast of the Junk and had to immediately duck under the talon of Godfrey as it stabbed right where her head had been. The claws of his talon tore into the wood and made deep gashes in it. Rainbow swiftly kicked the large griffon in the chest and made him stumble away while she recovered. The fight had been back and forth back and forth nonstop. Neither of them had gotten the upperhoof and the Bosche soldiers watching this were growing increasingly anxious.
That included Admiral Bin’Tavy who kept looking between the fight and the battle raging in the heart of his fleet behind him.
But everything came to a stop when the doors leading to the quarters and the bowels of the ship were thrown open. Admiral Tuon came out with the soldiers walking backwards and keeping their eyes peeled on something else coming out of the ship. The admiral had a frantic and worried look on his face, sweating and pale, as he looked up at his superior.
“S-Sir-!”
“Tuon? What are you doing?” Bin’Tavy frowned down at him from the railing of the command deck.
Rainbow Dash and Godfrey had paused as well, looking to see what was up.
“Let’s all remain calm here,” Daylight Gleam said as she stepped out onto the deck with the others, now visible to Bin’Tavy and everyone else. The powder keg was levitated in her magic, she could light the fuse in an instant if need be. “I think we’d all like to be alive at the end of the day, so perhaps you should listen to me.”
Rainbow Dash grinned. “Nice going.”
Admiral Bin’Tavy grit his teeth and glared at his subordinate. “Fool! Why didn’t you subdue them?!”
“I-It’s a bomb, sir!” Admiral Tuon shouted. “It’s a powder keg, she’s threatened to blow up the whole ship with it if we don’t let them leave!”
Now Bin’Tavy grew pale. “A b-b-bomb?!”
Godfrey rolled his eyes at the exchange. “Cowards.”
“Rainbow Dash, get over here!” Gilbert yelled to her.
Rainbow flew over the deck to stand with them while the soldiers and Godfrey watched her. She gave a mocking wink to the griffon pirate on the way. He only chuckled back, seeming amused by the situation.
“Looks like you had to do a little quick thinking, sorry it had to turn out this way,” Rainbow said to Daylight as she touched down.
“We’ve managed. So far,” Daylight shrugged.
“And how are you doing, Princess?” Rainbow asked the Princess.
“Better… but still worried,” the Princess’s eyes glanced over at the powder keg.
“We’ll be out of here to real safety soon. I promise,” Rainbow Dash said.
“Oh do you now?” Admiral Bin’Tavy said from practically directly above them. “You crazy scalawags can’t hope to get away with this! Bomb or not, we of Bosche will not allow our slaves to be taken back so easily! I am Admiral Bin’Tavy, highest and most decorated officer of Bosche! You can not undo me! Bosche will become the grandest nation ever seen on this ocean and you shall-”
“Hey! Can you shut up for a second? I don’t care. None of us care about you slaving nutjobs,” Rainbow glared at him.
“H-How dare you!” Bin’Tavy sputtered. It was plain he had never been spoken to in such a way.
“I dare because if you even try to do anything to us then this whole ship is getting blown up—and you along with it. Got that? We’re not playing around here,” Rainbow said, her eyes narrowed and serious.
Godfrey stood back with a grin, folding his arms over his chest and waiting to see the direction this would go in.
“The five of us are leaving. We’re taking the other slaves too and going back to the island, and unless you want to blow up then you’re going to let it happen,” Rainbow said to Bin’Tavy.
“You scoundrel! Do you think we will not return to get our revenge? This island will never be safe from Bosche again! Never!” Bin’Tavy practically frothed. “We will have our slaves, we will bring Bosche to newer and greater heights, and you will not be able to stop us! You have no idea who you’re dealing with here!”
Godfrey started chuckling at the boasting. He obviously found Bin’Tavy’s ignorance rather amusing.
The sound of his chuckling got Rainbow Dash’s attention though. Before turning over to him she said one last thing to Admiral Bin’tavy for the moment:
“I don’t think you should run your mouth like that. And besides, right now, you’re still the one who has to listen to us,” before the Admiral could respond she turned to face Godfrey. “And you—I’m not done with you either, Godfrey. We didn’t just come here to rescue the Princess, you better take Senax’s Necklace off right now. We aren’t going without it either.”
Godfrey raised an eyebrow and brought a talon up to the Necklace lying snugly around his neck. “That so? Figured you’d try as much.”
“Give it over. Now,” Rainbow Dash commanded.
“Pfft, no,” Godfrey smirked back at her.
Rainbow Dash frowned. She didn’t know what she was expecting, but such a flippant dismissal wasn’t it. “You don’t have the advantage here anymore, Godfrey. There’s no hostage for you to use. Give us the Necklace right now.”
“And what if I don’t?” Godfrey snorted. “You can’t throw that powder keg at me, not only would you destroy the Necklace but you’d lose any leverage you had in getting off this ship. I don’t need anything else from you, Rainbow Dash. I want to kill you but there’s nothing you can do or offer to get this Necklace back. And secondly-” he looked up at Bin’Tavy. “Don’t let this silly pegasus fool you, she’d never actually blow herself and her friends up. She’s way too soft to do something like that. Heh—maybe if she was sacrificing herself to save the others—but she’d never blow them up too.”
Rainbow clenched her teeth and felt her body tense up. He was right. He knew her too well and now he was trying to ruin this all for them. A quick glance to Daylight told her the unicorn shared her thoughts and was just as worried. The bluff had been called and now the Boschese too knew that they had the advantage once more.
“We can still use this powder keg to blow this ship up. If any of you try and do anything then that’s what’s going to happen. Don’t think we can’t still do that while staying safe,” Rainbow said to the admirals and all the soldiers around her. Her eyes trained themselves on Godfrey. “And fine—if you aren’t going to give up the Necklace then I’ll just do what I planned in the first place and take it from you by force.”
“You think your friends can defend themselves while you’re fighting against me?” Godfrey scoffed. “Please. They’re not fighters and we know it.”
“No, they’re just going to leave while I fight you. The powder keg will be leverage to keep them safe as they leave,” Rainbow said.
Daylight grabbed her and glared into her face. “Rainbow Dash! We can’t leave you behind while you fight Godfrey and these soldiers, that’s suicidal!”
“I’m getting that Necklace back!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “We all promised we would get it for Senax!”
“And what would Senax say right now if she was here? Senax wouldn’t want you, or me, or the Princess, or any of the lizards who came out here with us to sacrifice themselves for the Necklace. Wouldn’t she say how there are some things more important than that? And Senax and the others might still need us—need you—we have to get back there and rejoin them!” Daylight tried to reason with her.
“I-” Rainbow Dash really wanted to argue. Because it felt horrible leaving here without getting the Necklace too. But she also knew that Daylight was right. Even though the lizards might have been willing to throw their lives away to make sure the Necklace was regained, Rainbow Dash wasn’t willing to be the one to throw them. “Yeah… you’re right. We need to go. Gilbert, you carry the Princess and Smooth Tongue and I’ll-”
“You’re still not actually getting away, Rainbow Dash,” Godfrey interrupted. He looked up at Bin’Tavy. “I think you agree with me on that?”
“Absolutely. Soldiers, get ready to seize them!” Admiral Bin’Tavy ordered.
This time it was Rainbow Dash’s turn to roll her eyes and scoff in annoyance. “That isn’t happening.” She stared Godfrey right in the face. “Godfrey, you definitely know me well. You’re right that I’d never do something like actually set this thing off where it could hurt my friends. But then you should also know that I’m still definitely reckless and daring enough to do something like this.”
Swiftly she grabbed the powder keg from Daylight’s magic, tore the fuse off until barely any of it was left, and kicked it into the air above Godfrey’s head and towards the main mast of Junk #1
“Light it!” Rainbow shouted to Daylight and turned around to grab her at the same time. Gilbert, his mind actually working quickly for once, also grabbed Princess Fairscale and Smooth Tongue while his wings shot out and he took to the air.
As Rainbow ascended with her hooves wrapped around Daylight’s body, she was just barely able to look over her shoulder at what was happening. Godfrey had jumped back away from the powder keg as a spark was just about to eat up all of the remaining fuse, many Bosche soldiers had run away or leaped off the side of the Junk, and Admiral Bin’Tavy had ducked down with his hooves over his head and screamed. The next thing that happened was a bright flare of light that caused her to squeeze her eyes shut, followed by a wave of heat and pressure that pushed her and Gilbert away from the Junk.
“A-Are they… is that… w-was that supposed to happen?” Senax asked in horror as she looked at the new explosion.
“I don’t know but...” Breakwater had left the wheel, leaving it to one of the lizards now, and peered out over the Junk filled waters. He squinted to try and see anything. “Wait… hold on. I think I see them coming this way.”
“Are they okay? Do they have the Princess?” Senax asked.
“Uhh… they’re coming in a little fast so—get down!” He grabbed Senax and the two of them hit the deck.
A second after and Rainbow and Gilbert with their passengers crashed onto the deck of the Junk. The lizards on deck shouted in surprise and ran over, both mountain and city lizards. The five new arrivals stood up uncertainly, looking dazed. Rainbow Dash shook her head and groaned before looking back and seeing the shocked faces of Senax and Breakwater.
She grinned.
“Thought that was the two of you, guess things went pretty well here?” Rainbow said.
“Rainbow Dash!” Senax ran forward and hugged her. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m alright. Thanks for asking and everything but we really don’t have a lot of time right now. We’ve still got to finish things with the Bosche fleet,” Rainbow said. She pointed over at Gilbert and the others. “Princess is back though.”
“I very much do not enjoy flying...” Princess Fairscale said as she stood up on wobbly legs.
“Me neither actually,” Daylight grumbled.
The floodgates were practically unleashed then as all the lizards from the mountains came rushing over to their Princess. Everyone wanted to see her and celebrate right now. Senax and Breakwater were happy to see her safe as well but Rainbow’s words were ringing true in their ears. Unfortunately because they needed the lizards help too they couldn’t just let them enjoy the return of the Princes yet either.
“Princess Fairscale, please! You must tell your people that we need to continue on! We have to get further away from their ships!” Senax said to her. “I am very happy to see you, but there is more we need to do to return you all to the island safely.
“O-Of course,” Princess Fairscale said.
She and Smooth Tongue worked together to calm the other lizards while Breakwater went back to the wheel. Their Junk went with the others and together the newly acquired lizard fleet made headway into open water while the Boschese still tried to salvage their vessels and form up. Their command structure had been devastated, it didn’t look like the lead Junk and the admirals on it were in any condition to get things back into working order. That all said and done, Rainbow Dash and the others knew they couldn’t just let the ships stay off the coast of the isle recuperating like this. They had to make sure that fleet and all the soldiers onboard couldn’t do anything for weeks, give them so much trouble they had to return to Bosche first.
Rainbow Dash watched as they finally made an acceptable distance before she turned to Senax. “Before we got here, you made sure every lizard knows what to do?”
“I did,” Senax nodded.
“Alright, then let’s get rid of some pests. Do your thing,” Rainbow said.
Senax looked at Gilbert. “Gilbert? I’ll need you to relay what I’m about to say to the other ships so every lizard knows it’s time.”
“Easy!” Gilbert saluted.
Senax then strode over to stand beside Breakwater, she cleared her throat so she could speak and project her voice as loudly as possible. “My friends! It is now time that we protect your home for good! You must all work together now, all of you putting everything you have into your magic, and together as one you must send them away! Control the tides of the ocean, control the wind, create fog, and do what is necessary to protect all your friends and family! Send the invaders far away into the ocean so they cannot return! Make it so no matter what they try their ships will be unable to fight back and escape the current for days! Believe in yourselves! Believe in what you can do!”
As she finished, Senax took a deep breath to calm herself down while the lizards cheered. Princess Fairscale blinked in surprise but Smooth Tongue told her all she needed to hear. From there, Gilbert spread the word that the time was now to the other ships in their possession. And then it was time for the lizards to work their magic even harder than they had been before.
Rainbow Dash, Daylight Gleam, Senax, Breakwater, taking a break from the wheel and letting the vessel drift in the calm water, and eventually Gilbert came back and watched together as the waters around the nearly destitute Bosche Junks changed. Whitecaps and breaking waves crawled around the ships as the wind and water churned while clouds gathered above the Junks. They couldn’t hear what the Boschese might’ve been saying or shouting right now, but it certainly had to be a lot of panicking. All of the Junks that were still afloat and seaworthy to begin with started to be carried away by the water, a fresh and unnatural current far stronger than anything that should have been out here. As strong as the current and wind during a violent storm. Together in a clump they were pulled to the west—straight out into open water where eventually there’d be nothing around for miles.
Lastly a fog descended upon the entire ravaged fleet to make it even more difficult for them to get their bearings. Unlike the fog that had been created earlier, this bank was staying with the ships and not dispersing. They couldn’t see out of it or barely see the ships closest to them. Walking out on deck would be like trying to see through the thickest fog imaginable.
Rainbow Dash stood there. Watching until the slaving fleet disappeared completely.
It was an utter victory. The lizards cheered, her friends were smiling, the Princess and everyone else was safe.
But Rainbow Dash wasn’t smiling.
The words of Admiral Bin’Tavy were still hanging around in her head.
If she really wanted them to keep their promise and make this island safe… she still had some work to do. Despite what Senax had said in her rousing speech—this didn’t actually protect them for good.
“Hey, Breakwater? What direction is Bosche in anyways? Their home island, I mean,” Rainbow Dash asked him.
“Huh?” He blinked at her. “Well it’s just to the southwest of here. Why?”
“Could you point it out to me? You know the ocean well enough where I bet you can tell me exactly where it is, where I could find it if I flew out there in a straight line.”
“Umm… sure,” Breakwater said and pointed his hoof out across the water.
Rainbow Dash focused on it and the horizon for a moment. Getting a feel for things.
“Is something wrong?” Daylight asked her. “What are you thinking about?”
“And Bosche is close by, right?” Rainbow asked.
Breakwater nodded. “Relatively speaking compared to the rest of the Grand Ocean, yeah.”
“Rainbow Dash?” Senax questioned.
“You look a little strange,” Gilbert said,
“Just have something else to take care of,” Rainbow shrugged, she looked around the ship. “By the way, we still have some of those special endurance potions leftover, right?”
“Of course, they’re in the boat we first came here in, it’s tied up on the port side of the Junk here,” Breakwater said.
Rainbow Dash lifted up and flew over to the side of the ship without another word, her friends following her. Smooth Tongue also saw them all moving and wondered what was going on. Together they all came to the side of the Junk and saw Rainbow Dash plop down into the smaller boat, rooting through their supplies before opening up the bag that held the potions.
“What are you doing?” Smooth Tongue asked. “The fight is over and you already took one before, didn’t you?”
“Yep,” Rainbow nodded. She pulled out two of the potions, the thick red liquid, the color of blood, inside the glass containers as it oozed about.
“Rainbow Dash...” Daylight Gleam said, frowning, worry seeping into her voice.
“Can’t leave this half-finished,” Rainbow said and popped off the corks of the potion bottles.
“W-Wait!” Smooth Tongue said, reaching down at her. “You can’t drink more than one of those at a time!”
“Watch me,” Rainbow said and gulped both of them down at once. Almost instantly she felt a shaking sensation in her body and her limbs went all fuzzy, pins and needles poked against her bones and a strong shiver went up her spine. Once that immediate sensation was done she just felt wired. As if she had been up without sleeping for two days straight but also had just drank a lake’s worth of coffee.
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and flew up and behind the Junk. She punched her hooves together just because she couldn’t stand not doing something with them right now. A twitch came to her eye as she faced the direction Breakwater had pointed again once more. In her head she imagined a straight line, a red arrow pointing directly ahead, guiding her to her destination.
All she needed to do was follow the path.
“Rainbow Dash, come back down here!” Daylight shouted at her. “Don’t do anything reckless!”
“We’ve already done what we need to do! It’s okay now,” Gilbert said.
She looked back at them, eyes settling on Senax briefly before she looked over to the Lost Isle in the distance.
She shook her head. “Not quite. I’ll be back in a week, wait up for me on the island.”
In the space of a blink she had turned around and shot off at full speed towards Bosche, the sudden departure creating a miniature sonic-boom that rattled the ship. Her friends could only watch the rainbow blur speed away.