//------------------------------// // 1 - The New World // Story: New Life in the New World // by Shadow Quill //------------------------------// Agony.  Blinding light.  The thunder of magic beyond control ringing in her very bones.  All Cadence could do was writhe in mind-shattering pain while the magic surge coursed through her body.  She didn’t care how this happened, couldn’t think of anything besides the white-hot fire that was burning her up from the inside, centered on the lower half of her swollen belly.  Cadence had thought that giving birth to her first foal would be painful, but nothing had prepared her for the magical surge that had accompanied the final pulses of contractions.  Now all she could do was ride the out-of-control wave that her own body had created, the rising power pushing her mind and body beyond their limits.  Then, in a final, earth-cracking burst, the magic detonated, engulfing her entire existence in pure power.  Completely spent, Cadence felt her consciousness fading to black, even as her weary and rattled mind wondered to itself, I don’t remember there being birdsong in the Crystal Empire. Astera shook and rattled as the earthquake vibrated the foundations of the camp, crates of various ammo and provisions falling to the ground as hunters and researchers alike fell to their knees or completely flat.  The source of the shockwaves was easy to deduce, the pure pink beam of energy shooting into the sky from within the nearby Ancient Forest, a dead giveaway as to the cause of the shaking.  Thankfully, the beam as well as the earthquake faded away quickly, leaving shocked and battered Commission staff in its wake.  The Commander and Admiral, having regained their footing first, took stock of the situation and then shared a glance between themselves.  The Admiral smirked at the smaller man beside him, rolling his massive shoulders a few times as those most able helped to check any injured. “Well, life certainly never gets dull around here.”  The Admiral chuckled as the Commander glanced into the sky above the Ancient Forest, as if searching for something in the parted clouds. “Sure, seems that way.”  The Commander returned his gaze to the hunters and Commission core personnel as the population of Astera gathered around the Council Table, thankfully with only minor scrapes or bruises to show for it. “I was about to call for a council meeting,” the Commander smiled as he looked over the eager and attentive faces before him, “but it seems I needn’t have bothered.” “We won’t let a few shakes keep us down!”  One of the A-list hunters called out, his affirmation echoed by several of the Fifth Fleet.  “What are our orders, sir?”  Ah, ever eager to go, those two.  The best duo of Astera, their very own Sapphire Star and his Handler stood beside one another in the very front row, ready and waiting. The Handler’s standard hunting gear was a far cry from the elder dragon plate armor that was worn by her partner, but the Commander knew that if push came to shove, those two would be their best shot at seeing things through. “Investigate the disturbance in the Ancient Forest.”  The Commander’s voice rang out loud and clear, “See what you can uncover about those tremors and that beam of energy.  I want to make sure Astera is secure, no matter what you might find in there.” Both nodded, “Understood, sir.”  The Handler smacked her partner on the shoulder with an open palm as they turned to go, “Come on, Partner!  Let’s see what we can find!” The Commander hummed to himself as the Admiral walked past him in pursuit of the duo, “And where are you off to?” The Admiral laughed thunderously as he glanced over his shoulder, “You don’t think I’m going to let those two have all the fun, do you?” A soft chuckle was his reply, “Try not to trip on any loose roots out there.” Another hearty laugh echoed back as the Admiral marched past the gathered hunters, leaving the majority waiting for further instructions.  The Commander nodded once to himself before lifting his head high, “Alright, while our hunters and the Admiral investigate the disturbance, I want everyone else on standby to support them in the event it is needed.  Let’s make sure Astera is ready for whatever comes our way!  Dismissed!” A cacophonous cheer rang out as the trio walked through the great bone arches that gated Astera, hooking onto their wingdrakes with their slinger grappling hooks before flying off into the midmorning sky.  They had no idea what they would be flying into, but all three had the distinct feeling that they were in for another exciting adventure. Cadence groaned as she came too, her mind sluggish and every inch of her body sore from something she couldn’t remember.  She could hear birdsong above and around her, dirt under her barrel, and a strange warmth paired with a tugging sensation on one of her teats.  Her ears flicked to and fro, her eyes screwed shut as pain wracked her body from every angle.  She hissed a breath through her teeth as she tried to open an eye and was met with a blinding ray of sunlight for her trouble.  Trying once again, slower this time, Cadence was able to get a blurry image of her surroundings, the greens and browns a far cry from the blues and pinks that her crystal palace walls glowed with.  The tugging on her teat ceased after a few moments, drawing her attention as a small and warm object moved up and onto her side, curling up under a wing and emitting a soft coo. Memories and fragments of scenes started to come back to Cadence’s mind, her body still too sore and unresponsive to even contemplate lifting her head, let alone seeing what had crawled under her wing.  All she could do for the moment was stare at the trees and bushes in front of her, partly obscured by a curved wall of dirt that rose from her position.  Her eyebrows furrowed for a moment, her brain realizing that it wasn’t a slope up to the bushes, but a slope down to her body from ground level.  She was in a shallow pit, and from the heat emanating from the soil around her body, one that had been formed by a large discharge of energy from her position.  Cadence grunted as she forced her weary body to follow her brain’s commands, its first order of business being to lift her head and look over her shoulder.  Her vision swam with the motion, even as slowly as she had moved, but thankfully cleared a few seconds later as she lifted her wing to see what had been pressing into the side of her barrel.  Bright, blue eyes met her own, a tiny horn centered between sky blue and pink curls and a near-white coat, all bundled up under two large wings that were tipped with the same blue and pink feathers as the filly’s mane.  A happy burble escaped the foal’s lips as she crawled forward along Cadence’s body, her movements jerky and unstable as Cadence realized what had been happening before.  Her foal had been feeding on her milk while she had been unconscious and had sought a safe place to rest afterwards under her wing. A warmth very different from the raw magic surge bloomed in her chest as the foal, no, her foal, crawled up to her shoulders, emitting a soft sound of worry as her tiny bundle of joy held one cheek with a tiny hoof. She’s worried about me.  Cadence realized.  Barely old enough to feed and crawl and she already can tell I’m feeling terrible.  A rattling cough shook Cadence’s body as she tried and failed to laugh, “Don’t worry little one, mamma’s going to be okay.” Her words obviously had no meaning to the newborn, but her tone of voice thankfully seemed to calm the filly, her little jaw opening wide in a huge yawn that almost made Cadence squeal with how adorable it was.  Her foal curled up on her side, allowing Cadence to shift her back under a wing as the filly went to sleep, a smile on her face as love for her child filled her being with hope.  If they could survive being transported to who knows where by an alicorn-level magic surge, she was sure they could find a way home, together. Cadence’s ears perked as a rustling in the bushes caught her attention, her head shifting around as she scanned the nearby foliage.  Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat in terror as she spotted several huge lizards, their scales alternating between bright yellow and forest green in horizontal stripes that ran the length of their bodies.  Small, orange eyes locked onto her and her foal as the group of six spread around the crater edge, almost as if uncertain about the energy and heat still emanating from the loose soil.  Cadence tried to light her horn, to form a shield between her and these monsters, but after her surge she was completely spent and only got a small spark of magic for her efforts.  The lizard in front of her sniffed around the edge of the crater for a moment, turning sideways and allowing Cadence to see how massive it was compared to her.  It had to be at least ten hooves long, compared to her own five and a half, which meant it was at least as long as Princess Celestia, only standing maybe four hooves at the shoulder but still much bigger than any lizard Cadence had seen before in her life. Cadence knew there was nothing she could do in her weakened state to defend herself or her foal.  So, with nothing else at her disposal, Cadence fell back on the oldest and most reliable method known to ponydom, “SOMEPONY!  ANYPONY!  HELP US!!” The Royal Canterlot Voice seemed to startle the lizards into backing off for a moment, the pure, unadulterated terror in her tone waking her foal and causing her to start crying, but Cadence didn’t care.  She knew that without help, they were done for, and would do everything in her power to get them home safely. The Admiral and the two Fifth Fleet hunters shared a glance as a cry echoed from within the Ancient Forest.  While the words hadn’t been fully understandable given the distance, the desperation in them certainly had been.  The Handler nodded to her partner as they began running towards the source of the call, the Admiral jogging along beside them as they pushed through the thick vines that blocked off the inner groves from intruders.  The Handler was the first to enter the clearing on the other side, with her two companions right behind her, and what they saw was enough to put even the Admiral on pause. “Well, heh, would you look at that?”  The Admiral muttered as the trio took in the scene before them.  A pack of Jagras had surrounded a small crater in the center of the clearing, the dirt and rock still smoking in places from the heat that had previously been present.  Yet it was what lay in the center of the shallow depression that caused them to pause.  At first it looked like a Kirin foal that had been born with an odd color mutation, but even a cursory inspection of the creature revealed that it was by no means a Kirin.  The pair of wings on its side and the golden armor that was covering parts of its body quickly tossed out any notion of this being a familiar species.  The creature’s eyes locked onto them but seemed unable to move as the Jagras started to close in on it from every side. “Help us.”  Three sets of eyes widened in shock as the creature spoke to them, a desperate plea in its, no her, tone, “Please.” A high-pitched wail echoed around the clearing, and if it was possible, the hunters’ eyes would have widened even further as they spotted what seemed to be a foal on the creature’s side, hiding under a furled wing in terror as the Jagras pack moved in. The hunter duo only needed a moment to react, the Handler nodding to her partner as the armored man drew his long sword from its scabbard on his back.  “You take care of the Jagras.  I’ll see if she’s alright.” “Got it.”  The words were slow and measured, but clear with his intent.  He reached into one of his armor’s pouches and pulled out a small bundle that flickered and glowed, “Shield your eyes!”  He called out, quickly loading and firing the bundle from his slinger into the air above the crater.  The creature shut her eyes tight just as the bundle burst, the flashbugs inside giving off a blinding light as they died and causing the Jagras to reel back in pain from the assault.  The Handler charged through the incapacitated monsters and up to the creature’s side, looking over her body for wounds or other injuries.  Meanwhile, her partner charged in with his sword at the ready, the three-meter blade slicing through the smaller reptiles with ease as his fluid movements carried him in a deadly dance around the crater.  In moments, the Jagras were either lying on the forest floor, dead, or racing into the bushes in retreat, leaving the hunters with a wide-eyed creature of unknown origin in their hands.  The foal had stopped crying for the moment, its wide eyes tracking the Handler as she knelt beside the two creatures, even going so far as to partly crawl out from under its mother’s wing.  The larger female, wary and exhausted, watched the other hunters’ approach with apprehension in her gaze.  “Are you here to help us?”  The question was softly asked, but understandable. All three hunters shared a glance before turning back to the creature.  “We are.”  The Handler’s voice seemed to reassure the creature, her body relaxing like a tremendous weight had been carried off her shoulders.  “Thank you.”  The creature’s voice was weak, but a smile was present on its lips, “I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t shown up.  Please, take care of my daughter while I recover.  I’m just so tired after using up all of that magic.” Magic?  The thought raced through all three hunters’ minds as the larger creature let out a gusty sigh, her eyes closing as her body relaxed fully.  The foal seemed to notice her mother’s unresponsive state and let out a soft whine as she crawled up to poke gently at the larger creature’s cheek.  The Handler reached out carefully, not sure what capabilities this new species might possess, and checked along the mother’s neck for a pulse.  Thankfully, one was present, if weak and slower than what most would consider healthy.  The Handler nodded up at her two companions, before standing up with a thoughtful look on her face. “What kind of monster has the ability to talk like a human does?”  Her words were softly spoken, as if afraid of waking up the creature before them. “Beats me.”  The Admiral muttered in reply, “But I know one thing.  This is not the place to be doing research on the subject.  We all know that those Jagras were just the welcoming committee.  Much nastier things are bound to show up sooner than later.” The Handler nodded along with her partner, “Agreed.  Let’s get them back to Astera and see what we can do for them once we’re all safe.” The Admiral grunted as he bent down and picked up the small creatures, his massive arms nearly thicker than the mother’s entire body.  The foal whimpered softly as he settled them both in his grip, but otherwise didn’t move from her mother’s embrace even as the hulking man carried them out of the clearing with ease.  The Handler shared a glance with her partner, both nodding in agreement even without needing to speak. “Don’t worry, partner, she’ll be alright.”  Her voice held a confidence that hadn’t been there before, as well as a beaming smile.  “She’s tougher than she looks, just another mystery for us to unravel.” They walked out of the clearing after the Admiral and his cargo, whistling for their wingdrakes before hooking onto the small wyverns’ harnesses.  The Admiral was already on his way back, given the shrinking form in the distance, so they signaled their mounts to fly faster to catch up.  As they made their way back to home base, both wondered for a moment how this would change things moving forward, and what surprises would be in store for them now that these new creatures had appeared.