Today was the day. The caravan was finally going to arrive at the Citadel of Al-Karamaretel and the great chasm it acted as the sentinel of.
“How much further is it?” Applejack asked Aquamarine as she sat with her and Vahar on the bench of Aquamarine’s lead wagon. The two of them had woken up earlier to get breakfast and Applejack had come up here because she wanted to get as early a view of the Citadel as possible. Vahar of course just didn’t want to be left behind.
Aquamarine didn’t turn to face her, instead keeping her eyes on the road ahead. “I know this route well and we’ve still got a dozen miles left before we crest the final hill and the Citadel comes into view. Just relax, it won’t be too long now.”
“The Wondrous and Majestic Vahar is looking forward to seeing it as well. From what she’s heard it’s a rather magnificent building isn’t it?” Vahar smiled.
“Not just the Citadel itself, but the entire fortified town is pretty impressive,” Aquamarine nodded.
“And everything outside its walls is squalor, squalor, and squalor,” an unimpressed Applejack folded her hooves.
“Yep. You’ll get to see it all in a couple of hours,” Aquamarine said.
Applejack took a deep breath and returned to looking dead ahead. The dirt road continued on and on, seemingly endlessly still even though Applejack knew it ended not much further ahead. Beside her, Vahar tilted from side to side as she hummed some sort of tune, a happy smile on her face and not a care in the world in her head. Applejack’s mind was still much more focused. A dark cloud was hanging over her and it wasn’t going away.
The one positive change lately was how the landscape around them was much more alive, green, and prettier than the desert and harsh dry plains they had been traveling through before. There were fields of green grass on either side of the road, and Applejack saw forests and green hills to the north and south. The sun wasn’t quite so hot either, but pleasant as if it was the middle of a nice day back in Ponyville. Even a couple birds flew above the caravan every now and then—chirping happily and inspecting the long train of wagons.
It just made Applejack disappointed knowing that soon it was coming to an end, and as nice as things looked there was something awful behind it all.
Looking up at the sky for a moment and seeing where the sun was she guessed they’d probably arrive at the Citadel a little after lunch. She could have a last meal with Vahar and see what the merpony was going to do once the caravan arrived at its destination. Applejack was a little worried about her getting robbed or getting on the bad side of some of the ponies living in the shanty town. She was confident the merpony could at least put on a decent performance now but her personality was likely to grate on the destitute ponies of the Citadel. Applejack would have to look out for her and make sure the magician wouldn’t get in any trouble before she actually passed through the gate and entered the true Citadel. After that she wouldn’t be able to do anything more for Vahar.
“I really do hope you’ll be able to get through to the other side. Your chances are low, but I’m rooting for you,” Aquamarine said to Applejack.
“Me too! Whatever madness is going on here I’m sure you’ll still accomplish whatever it is you need to do! The Wondrous and Majestic Vahar has total faith in her great assistant!” Vahar patted her on the shoulder.
“Heh, thanks you two,” Applejack smiled. “I don’t know how long it’ll take or what I need to do, but it’s nice knowing you believe in me.”
“I just want to wish you well, since it sounds like you still have a long journey on your hooves after getting over the bridge,” Aquamarine said.
Applejack sighed. “Yeah, this is only the halfway point for me.”
“Well when you’re on your return trip you simply must stop here again and watch the Majestic and Wondrous Vahar put on a far more miraculous magic show than you’re used to! All in your honor!” Vahar pointed at the sky.
Applejack rolled her eyes but smiled as well. “Thanks, Vahar.”
“You gonna stay here for that long?” Aquamarine raised an eyebrow at the magician.
“Umm...” Vahar furrowed her brow and thought for a second. “I don’t know...”
“Don’t worry about it if something else comes up. I’ve got no idea whatsoever on when I might get all the way back here,” Applejack patted her on the back.
“At least the last leg of my caravan’s trip to the Citadel is an easy one. You both get to relax for the next few hours and I suggest that’s what you do. Stop worrying so much about the future and take a little time to rest and enjoy the scenery—cause soon enough you won’t have the luxury of relaxing anymore,” Aquamarine smirked.
“That’s a good idea, wouldn’t you say, Applejack?” Vahar smiled at her.
Applejack nodded. “Yeah, I think we might as well just take it easy up here and get lunch in a bit. I’ve got enough experience with crazy stuff to know it doesn’t help to fret over it.” She leaned back against the bench and looked up at the sky some more, enjoying the pleasant blue view and the few puffy white clouds traveling across it. “Yep… been through a lot and this is just one more problem to solve. Let’s get lunch in a little bit Vahar, right now I’m gonna get a little extra shuteye.”
She tugged her hat down over her eyes and just started to enjoy the calm rolling of the wagon down the road.
“I’ll join you!” Vahar giggled and tugged her own hat down over her head, resting right beside Applejack.
Aquamarine merely glanced at the two of them. “You know this isn’t your wagon, right?”
“So Vahar, you do know that there are a lot of ponies there at that shanty town that might try and rob you, right?”
“Yes! The Wondrous and Majestic Vahar is well aware of the possible dangers she will face! However—she is confident that her miraculous and moving performances will endear the entire population of the town to her. Soon they will all come to love her and none would dare think of robbing such a beloved figure who only seeks to make their time here at the Citadel better!”
“Uh-huh… well I still think you should be a little careful. Just watch out while you’re working there, okay?”
“The Wondrous and Majestic Vahar will take your advice into consideration!”
Applejack rolled her eyes and went back to her lunch.
They had gotten some salads from the chuck wagon a bit ago and come back to Aquamarine’s lead wagon. Instead of sitting out on the bench with her though they were back inside it, sitting near the back while they ate and talked together. Applejack could’ve gotten a bigger meal but she wanted something lighter and healthier, not wanting to get stuffed before they arrived and all the work she had to do. The tomatoes used in the salad were surprisingly fresh and tasty too. Wouldn’t beat a couple of apples for a meal but it was nice.
She was still a bit worried about her magician friend but Applejack knew she couldn’t watch over her forever. At some point Vahar was going to be on her own again…
Hopefully whatever she had to do on the other side of the chasm, when she finally reached Elysium’s View, didn’t take long and wasn’t nearly as big of a deal as what was going on here at the Citadel. That way she could come back here and say hi later. Discord’s words still worried her though. Something big was going to happen. She just didn’t know who, where, what, when, why, or how.
Applejack finished her salad and gave Vahar a more serious look. “I’m not kidding you know? I’m worried a bit about you and soon we’re going our separate ways. In fact, it’ll be later today that I’ll have to leave you behind.”
“Trust the Wondrous and Majestic Vahar! She has traveled far to get here already, she is not so helpless as you think!” Vahar pouted at her.
“I know, I know, I just want you to take things seriously.”
Vahar sighed and went to take another bite of her salad. “Vahar understands you mean well. She merely thinks your fears are overblown.”
“Well, they might be. Hopefully they are—I’ve definitely been known to be a little over-concerned for ponies in the past. If I’m getting a little too worried again then that’s my fault but you’re still a friend of mine and I want what’s best for you.”
Vahar smiled at her. “Thank you, Applejack, but I’ll be okay.”
“Not calling me your assistant? I suppose that means I know you’re being a little more serious about what I’m saying,” Applejack grinned.
“Do not bring attention to the Wondrous and Majestic Vahar breaking her character out of sympathy!” Vahar shouted in embarrassment and jumped up to her hooves. “How absolutely rude!”
Applejack chuckled. “You know I think I’m actually going to miss that part of you too? Journey is certainly going to be a lot quieter again without you.”
“But of course! None can replace my glorious entertainment value! You will certainly be missing all the energy I bring to your days, hmph!” Vahar folded her hooves and sat down, pouting once more.
“I think you’re right about that.”
Applejack stretched and sat back, looking at the roof of the wagon. “We must be getting there soon now. I wonder if-”
The gentle rolling of the wagon came to a sudden halt, behind them they could hear the next wagon and the next few after it slow and come to a stop as well. The flap at the front of the wagon was swiftly pulled open and Aquamarine stuck her head inside, gaining the attention of both Applejack and Vahar. They looked at her and saw the serious look on her face. Aquamarine nodded to them in acknowledgment and beckoned them to come up to the front of the wagon.
“We’re here.”
Vahar looked over at Applejack but saw that the earth pony was already getting up and making a brisk trot to the front of the wagon. Not wanting to be left behind she forgot about the rest of her salad and followed right after Applejack.
Applejack stepped right out of the back of the wagon and onto the bench—looking ahead and seeing that they were at the top of a hill while the road continued downward in just a few feet. It went down to a barren plain that stretched on for quite a distance until it hit a bank of fog that was slowly lifting and rising up off the ground.
“Is the Citadel...” she muttered before movement to her right caught her attention and she saw Aquamarine hopping off the wagon and walking ahead on the road, stopping right at the top of the hill. Applejack frowned, jumping off the wagon and walking after her while Vahar nearly tripped coming out of the wagon behind her.
“Applejack!” Vahar said, but Applejack didn’t stop. The merpony grumbled as she got off the wagon as well.
Together the two passengers walked up to Aquamarine, past the four stallions patiently waiting for their boss to tell them to move again. Applejack stopped right beside her and raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the Trail Boss while a huffing Vahar came up along her other side.
Aquamarine didn’t meet her gaze and instead only nodded slightly down the hill. “It’ll appear in a second.”
Applejack frowned but followed her gaze and Vahar soon did the same.
Just three mares wearing three different hats, looking to the west from atop this hill.
The fog rolled back, pulling to the west and up into the sky at the same time, slowly revealing the landscape ahead. At first it was just a few tents, a few paths leading off the main road, then more and bigger tents and actual buildings made of wood started to pop up. It was all a hazardous display, nothing built with any sense or coordination and most of the buildings were in a miserable state. Crowded, dirty, broken down, the shanty town was just as expected. She could already see a lot of ponies down there too, it was quite a heavily populated place. More and more appeared as the fog rolled back to give the shanty town an even more crowded and poor look.
And a moment later the fog reached the bottom of black metal walls that rose sheer up from the ground. A curtain wall that stretched north to south for hundreds of feet. The fog pulled up higher, revealing the defensive wall to be at least fifty feet high and studded with huge spikes on top. Applejack bit her lip as more and more of the citadel became visible. In the middle of the wall was a huge gateway that a small line was formed outside of, it looked like several smaller walls and checkpoints existed inside the gateway—Applejack couldn’t actually see what lied beyond it. But thanks to the hill she and the others were on, when the fog lifted further, she could see most of what lied inside the walls. The entire enclosed town of metal and stone, far more claustrophobic than the shanty town outside the walls, like the back alleys of a place like Manehatten, it looked dark and uninviting. She couldn’t see the ponies that lived in there but you could easily fit a lot with how dense it was.
The fog pulled back even more and Applejack’s eyes widened as the actual Citadel of Al-Karamaretel appeared.
The huge building in terms of pure size and mass dwarfed Canterlot Castle but was far less pretty. No painting could’ve done it justice—it was far more intimidating in reality especially with the fog peeling off it and the afternoon light not doing anything to brighten it up. The Citadel was a large, blocky, building, with a single very tall tower that went high up into the sky and a few other smaller towers at its corners and the occasional raised level or floor coming up from its roof. It wasn’t just a perfect rectangle but had many angles and corners that jutted out and created a jagged border between it and the enclosed town that also lied within its walls. Jet black and made of a cold and unyielding metal it really seemed like it was trying to create an atmosphere of fear. With how big it was if you were living in the interior town you would’ve never been able to tear your eyes away from it.
Applejack saw the huge defensive walls finally reach their end before they turned and started going west… and then stopped as they hit the edge of a cliff. No, they even just slightly went over the edge of the cliff to make it entirely impossible for any pony to skirt around them.
Her eyes widened even further as the fog lifted entirely and she saw it—the chasm separating this half of the continent from the other. A dark abyss that was so wide and so deep all she could see of it was total darkness even in the middle of the day. Despite where they stood up on the hill the other end of it was nowhere in sight. If Applejack didn’t know better, she would’ve thought this was the very edge of the world.
There was only one other thing that she could barely see from their point of view. The bridge that extended from the back of the Citadel, going far across the chasm until it too fully disappeared. The bridge she needed to get to.
“Welcome to the Citadel of Al-Karamaretel,” Aquamarine said, turning her head to face Applejack and Vahar. “Enjoy your stay.”