//------------------------------// // Bell and Zenex’s Bounty Hunters Guild // Story: Terra Harmonia: The Changeling Princess // by MlpHero //------------------------------// A shadow scurried across the forest floor, looking for something. There was a faint scent in the air, and it tingled the shadow’s nose, creating a metaphorical line from them to their desired prize. A growl echoed across the treescape, as the shadow had just honed in on their unfortunate target. With a loud, bellowing bark, they immediately rushed to the epicenter of the scent. Bushes rustled and bowed before the mighty beast as it zeroed in on the target. From out of the foliage and into a clearing, the shadow lept, tackling its prey, burying its fangs into the creature’s foreleg. “Agh! Get it off!” the creature screamed, trying to shake the beast off. Two more shadows leapt out from the trees, landing on a few observation points on a tall tree. They caught themselves, standing up with some effort. They looked down, watching as the wolf held the target down. “Good boy, Wolf! Hold him down!” The two shadows leapt from out of the tree, revealing that they were changelings. One of them had heterochromia; a blue right eye and a green left eye respectively. He had very ragged leather armor, with an equally faulty-looking crossbow. The other changeling had a blue mane braided into a ponytail, also dressed in worn leather armor, though his was by far worse, with rips, tears, and holes littering it. Strangely, he held a wooden sword, though the hilt of the sword was wrapped in vines, and a green gem that resembled a Timberwolf’s eye sat in the pommel. Of course, their target, an earth pony mage, didn’t exactly get a perfect look at them due to their silvery-blue wolf, cleverly named Wolf, holding him down. The mage yelled out, trying to pull his hoof out of the wolf’s maw, which only made it hurt more as the fangs dug deep. “Get this thing off me!” The blue-maned changeling chuckled, sheathing his sword. “What do you think, Mister Z?” “I dunno Mister B… He might try something,” the other replied, aiming the crossbow at the mage. “Just get it off me!” the mage screamed, though more in blind rage than anything. Mister B sighed, reluctantly calling off Wolf. The mage cackled evilly. “Mwhaha! You fools! You have released a grand evil unlike any you’ve ever–” A green flash cut him off. More literally than he at first realized. The mage, though feeling interrupted, still attempted to cast a spell. Only to realize his hoof was noticeably… Shorter. “...AHHHHHHHH!” “Oh goddess! B, what in Tartarus?!” Z looked over at his friend, a bit shocked. “Whaaat? He was gonna cast a spell!” B replied as he quietly resheathed his sword again, a slightly hidden green flame extinguishing as it landed in the sheath. Though, his words were hard to hear over the mage’s anguished screams, as were the flames. “Besides, he’s fine.” “YOU CUT OFF MY HOOF!” the mage screamed back, holding the stub where his hoof once sat with the other. “Oh relax. It could be worse,” B replied nonchalantly. “At least it’s cauterized and doesn’t spill blood everywhere.” The mage simply collapsed to the floor dramatically, much like an actor would in play, screams turning to sobs as he clutched the stub. “My hoof… my hoof…” he cried. Z sighed, looking at B with an unamused gaze. “Well, crap… What are we gonna do now?” “We ain’t leaving empty hooved,” B replied, grabbing a large stick off the forest floor. Raising onto his hind legs, he carefully walked over. “Dumbmagesaywhat!” The mage looked up. “H-Huh–” There was a loud crack as the world suddenly went black. ~~~ “Well, that could’ve gone better…” Z said. B rolled his eyes, leading their wolf companion along the trail. “He’s fiiiine. There’s probably a spell to help him.”  “And if there isn’t…?” Z asked, his voice filled with that of caution and worry. “Tough luck I suppose,” B replied, shrugging as he scratched Wolf’s ear. “He probably shouldn’t have tried to cast a spell.” “He was wanted for petty thievery, Bell!” Zen snapped, calling out B by his real name. “What was he going to do? Cast a weak energy blast or something?” “Initials, Z. Initials.” “Hero… listen, I know you take this job seriously. But goddess above, you’re going to get a bounty put on us if you keep this up…”  “Z… Zenex. Listen…” Hero stopped walking, Wolf halting behind him, bumping into his rump. Hero looked at his companions, more specifically Zenex. “In this line of work, folks’ll get hurt.” “Yeah, but Hero, there’s gotta be a line somewhere…” he murmured. “Listen, I get the feeling that they’re gonna take away some of our pay for this… injury.” “We should be fine as long as we have food on our plates,” Hero dismissed, starting to walk again. Zenex sighed. “Okay, sure…” Hero was often like this. He often took this job a bit too seriously and often hurt the bounty way more than deserved. Whether it was a petty thief getting permanently blinded in one eye or a murderer losing their hindlegs, Hero took too much pride in giving out “justice”.  Then again, Hero also did some questionable things too.  Zenex had recently begun to think about their business as a whole. While they were officially a “bounty hunting” guild, they also took on more criminal jobs. Breaking, smuggling, robberies; it seemed the only lines they hadn’t crossed were murder and kidnapping, minus anyone who really deserved it. But everything else was fair game. Despite this, Zenex still followed along with Hero. But he was starting to question their flawed belief and hypocrisy. Heck, Hero’s actions often frightened him as he seemed to take too much pride in his work. Zenex felt Wolf nudge him, bringing him back to their realm of existence. He yelped, but calmed when he realized it was their fluffy four-legged companion. He smiled. There was one reason to stay. “Yeah yeah, I’m going buddy.”  They continued on their path to a little town called Ponyville. The current trail was taking them through a small oak forest, with tall trees that blocked most sunlight. They were currently on what was known as the Everywhere Road, a long intertwining road that had connections to everywhere from Canterlot to the two Griffonian Kingdoms, from the North to the South, East, and West. It seemed wherever you went, the Everywhere Road had connections to it. As they walked along, they heard the stomping of what sounded like large paws or hooves headed towards them. The group halted, reaching for their weapons. Out of the foliage, a large, wooden figure stepped out. It resembled a wolf, only it looked as if it were made of scraps of twigs, branches, leaves, and logs. Its eyes glowed a bright yellowish green, and its claws were formed from sharpened rocks. In its mouth, an envelope. The group let out a relieved sigh, Hero stepping over to the Timberwolf. He smiled, sitting down down. “Hey there Poppy. What’s happening?” he asked, carefully grabbing the mail. Opening it, he noticed it was addressed from the Kirin Forest. “Ah, hayfields…” Hero murmured, carefully breaking the seal to open the envelope. He pulled the letter out, instantly recognizing the hoofwriting. He groaned, reading over the letter. “Dear Bell…” he read in murmurs, his face slowly morphing into annoyance. “…from Cinder Glow…” Zenex looked over. “What’s wrong?” Hero carefully slipped the letter into Wolf’s saddlebags, along with several others that had appeared in the previous weeks. “Cinder. She’s calling me for training… or something or other.” He shrugged. “To be fair to her, you haven’t been down to the Forest in some time, Hero…” Zen murmured. “Yeah, that’s by design.” Hero sighed, looking over at the bounty. “Alright, Poppy, take Zen and uh… whoever this feller is back to the guild house,” he ordered, to which the Timberwolf nodded, walking over to Wolf to lift the bounty onto its own back. Zenex looked a bit frightened, turning to face the oak wolf, who seemed to wear a mischievous smile, seeming to sense the young bug’s fear. “Uh… Hero, are you sure about this?” “Don’t worry, Poppy’s really gentle. Wouldn’t hurt anything bigger than a deer,” Bell replied. “Gee, how reassuring…” Zenex murmured as he approached the Timberwolf. Poppy lowered itself, allowing Zen on. Zenex hesitated, but climbed on, careful not to poke himself on the Timberwolf’s jagged body. Poppy let out a howl, before riding off. Hero sighed, turning to Wolf, who stared at him with curious, yet knowing eyes. Hero stared him down. “…Fine. Let’s go.” Wolf gave a cheeky grin, raising his head pridefully as Hero saddled up. He didn’t even get the chance to sound off before Wolf began his run, heading towards the Kirin Forest. Hero hadn’t been there in some time. Maybe a few months since his last visit. The Forest was a spot of both great triumph and great dismay for him. It was a long story, but the long ride would give him time to think. The Forest was akin to the Everfree, though was noticeably brighter and far more alive. The only real, spot-on thing the two shared was the Timberwolf population. The wooden wolves of the Kirin Forest were noticeably more tame than their Everfree counterparts, choosing to stay at a distance unless provoked. Despite this, Hero could still recall why he first rode to the Kirin Forest. He’d received a letter from their late princess, Holly Blaze, adopted daughter of Queen Rain Shine, to protect their village from the Timberwolves, who’d been growing ever more aggressive. Hero had thought of Holly often. They were romantic for the few hours they had together. Of course, when he recalled their few moments of love, he couldn’t help but recall her final day. It was a long story, one he hated to recall. He found out all too late that the Timberwolves were growing aggressive due to some of his former associates, a group once known as the Talons, planning a raid on the Forest. At the time, Hero didn’t know this, thus when he and Wolf slayed the Timberwolf King, thus taking his rightful place as King of the Timberwolves, he ordered the Timberwolves back to their dens, leaving the Kirin village open to attack. Hero shuddered as he thought of the fires that ravaged that day. With them, the memories of holding Holly’s body in his hooves also shook his memories. That was some two years ago. He was now sixteen, slowly but surely maturing. Despite this, he had trouble letting go of Holly. Hero had trouble letting go of lots of creatures he cared about, let alone someone he felt a genuine connection with. From then on, he’s jumped chasms and mountains to avoid returning to the Forest as often. Sure, he visited every so often to check up on things, but he’d stay gone for weeks on end without so much as a letter to check on anyone. However, this tragedy had one silver lining. The mystic blade at Hero’s side, the Timberblade. This was a wooden sword resembling that of a Timberwolf. The hilt was wrapped in vines, a greenish-yellow stone resembling a Timberwolf’s eye sat in the middle of the guard, and the blade could ignite in an unholy fire that matched the stone in color. The flame was so hot, that Hero had managed to cut through stone, steel, and flesh alike. The sword could only be wielded by those who’d slain a Timberwolf King. Those “unworthy” who try to grab the sword, whether by magic or by touch, find their skin burning, as if they were on fire, only to cease when they release it from their grip. The sword became a permanent addition to Hero’s arsenal due to its power. Hero was suddenly snapped back to the present as Wolf bounced along the forest paths, heading westward. The Kirin Forest was bordering between Equestria and Bugland, and the earth was a bit rougher than most paths, especially considering how remote the forest was. Despite this, Wolf knew the way like the back of his paw. Hero wished he didn’t. ~~~ Wolf let out a howl, waking Hero from his nap. Hero shook his head, trying to catch his bearings. He looked around, noticing all too familiar trees. Letting out a groan, he dismounted, walking down a slowly visible path, decorated with stones and leaves. The Timberblade started to pulse, signaling that the two weren’t alone. Hero gave a disgruntled wave towards a nearby hill, where two Timberwolves perched themselves, watching the two. They both nodded, disappearing back into the forest. Hero groaned looking over at Wolf, who tried to paw him forth. The changeling huffed, slowly moving forward. Wolf deadpanned, before leaping up, grabbing the Timberblade from Hero’s scabbard, running deeper into the forest. “Hey! You tangle-maned mutt!” Hero immediately gave chase. “Get back here!” The two ran along the old path, Wolf keeping just out of Hero’s sight. Eventually, they came across a straight part, where Wolf was finally visible. Hero’s hooves begin to glow dark purple, and he rose onto his hind legs. Up ahead, Wolf slowed a bit, smirking a bit. As he walked, he noticed a purple glow a bit off to his left. He halted, bracing himself. Suddenly, Hero flies towards him, tackling him. The two tumbled around for a bit, Hero pinning him down. “Haha… got you you, you bastard…” he murmured, panting. However, Wolf smirked, letting out a small soft woof in response. Before Hero could respond, he heard voices. His head turned upwards, and he noticed a small village, one that looked less advanced than most other settlements across Harmonia’s landscape. Hero simply stared in mild annoyance, before looking down at Wolf, who stared back in amusement. Wolf had led him on what Hero dubbed a “chase-lead”, one of his favorite “tricks”. The idea of it was that Wolf would do something to provoke Hero, usually taking something off him, and running in the direction that he wanted. Thus, with Hero essentially tailing him, he’d basically created his own goose chase that benefited him. This time, Wolf had led Hero back to an all too familiar village. The Kirin Village. Not a very creative name, he would’ve admitted if he could, but it got the point across, which he admired. For what it’s worth, the village was quiet and hidden, a perfect place for settling down. The homes were natural, often integrated into trees and mounds. There were, however, a few standalone huts that were built by hollowing out a large log and digging it snugly into the ground, and the roofs were made from a combination of giant leaves, mud, and wood, thatching it was called. Hearing the commotion, the Kirin stepped out of their little wooden huts, looking over. Alongside them, Timberwolves. A bit of a long story, but the Kirin and Timberwolves were friends, thanks to Hero and Wolf. And as soon as they spotted Hero and Wolf, their eyes lit up like fireworks. Despite the about two-year gap it had been and the duo’s sparse and sporadic visits, they were always eager to see the young changeling and his lupus companion. Before Hero could get another word in, Wolf immediately squeezed free, running towards the village, where the deer-dragon pony hybrids, as Hero described them, almost instantaneously dogpiled over the blueberry-coated canis. Hero watched as they basically pampered the spoiled mutt, whether by pet or by treat. Composing himself, he stood and walked towards the village. If Wolf has the Guest of Honor, Hero might as well have been their religious awakening. The crowd immediately moved from Wolf to Hero much like ants to sugar. Before the changeling could argue, the crowd lifted the two off the ground, cheering their names. Wolf was having fun, clearly enjoying the attention. Hero on the other side of the coin was trying not to throw up. He wasn’t used to being tossed like a ball up and down, and he sure as sugar didn’t like heights. But alas, here they were. Being hailed as heroes by a large crowd of Kirin. After an uncomfortable amount of bouncing, the group eventually dropped the two in front of a much larger hut. Hero and Wolf flopped onto the ground, both looking up at the door. The crowd suddenly went quiet, much like dogs awaiting treats. After an uncomfortably loud silence, the door swung open. Out stepped a much taller Kirin, her coat a gentle vanilla, and her horn was a dark crimson with the occasional light red stripe, itself sat behind a crown. A green mane hung aloft her head, and her eyes were crimson to match her horn. Queen Rainshine, leader of the Kirin. She looked like she had just woken up after hearing the commotion outside. Her mane was all over her head, her eyes had bags underneath them, and her tail was tangled in a ball. Her tired eyes were almost immediately filled with enough energy to power a Griffonian army, shooting open upon recognition of the familiar duo. “Oh Mother, w-where are my manners?!” she began to hastily attempt to straighten out her mane. “H-Hold on you two, I’ll be out in a second!” she then zipped back in, shutting the door. Hero and Wolf stared at the door for a while. It had been a while since they’d seen Rainshine, and to see her in a tizzy like this was a bit surprising. Eventually, she stepped back out, looking a little less like she’d crashed into her bed. Behind her, two more Kirin. One with a light tan colored coat, an autumn orange man, and greenish accents, Autumn Blaze. The other, a red-coated Kirin, with a moss green mane and goldish accents, Cinder Glow. Both were equally surprised by the sudden appearance of Hero and Wolf, with Autumn Blaze almost immediately running down to the two, tackling them into a hug. Despite the sudden weight difference brought down upon them, Hero could tell that even Wolf was a bit surprised by the Kirin’s sudden display of affection. “Oh my Nature, it’s so good to see you both!” She squealed, standing up to allow the two to breathe. “It’s sosososo good to see you both again!” she said, nearly ready to bounce out of her own skin. Cinder on the other side was a little more composed, but was still clearly very excited to see the two after so long. However, despite her near-clear excitement, she also seemed to glare daggers at Hero. Hero had once been a student under her, mostly to learn to control his Elemental magic. But considering his two-year absence from the quiet village, they hadn’t had the time to train. Hero had almost long since forgotten about it, considering himself to have moved on to more important matters, such as the Guild. But now, he couldn’t exactly use the argument of “he didn’t get the letters.” That in of itself was a lie, as he had received the letters, he just never read past the “Dear Hero, it’s Cinder Glow–” part on the scrolls. He just slipped them into Wolf’s saddlebags, essentially kicking the rock down the path. And now, he was at the end of the path. Rainshine smiled down at the two. “Sorry about that…” she stepped down, planting her hoof atop Autumn’s head, carefully stopping her bouncing. But, much like a contagious sickness, the excitement just seemed to shift to Rainshine. She suddenly scooped up the two, hugging them tightly. “Okay, I can’t hold it in anymore! It’s so great to see you both here safe and sound!” she plopped them down, smiling. “Uh.. Yeah, it’s good to see you too Rainshine. You too Autumn,” Hero greeted, standing and dusting himself off. “Wolf wanted to ride back out here, so I decided to come back out to visit.” “That’s great!” Autumn chirped in, smiling. “Ooh! I’ve been working on something for Wolf! Come here, buddy!” she spoke, before running off. Wolf’s ears perked immediately, and he ran after her. Now, Hero was standing alone, staring at Rainshine and Cinder. Rainshine was able to calm herself a bit. “Okay, sorry Hero. I know you aren’t much for lavish greetings or such.” Despite his own annoyance, he couldn’t help but smile a bit. Whilst he wouldn’t admit it, he did sort of have a soft spot for the Kirin. They were, for a while, the only family Hero had known. The story behind that, whilst long, wasn’t too complex if summarized. His old family, a bounty hunters guild called the Talons, kind of sort of betrayed him. So, he eventually settled down with the Kirin. Of course, there were some details left out. A lot of details. But that was overall the story he’d tell to those who asked. Alas, he nodded. “It’s fine, Ms. Rainshine.” He waved his hoof across the view of the village. “I see you’ve managed to rebuild after… y’know.” Rainshine nodded, a beat of remorse gleaming in her eyes. “Yes… I will say, it hasn’t been easy. Especially since Holly passed, everyone’s spirits haven’t been that high.” Hero barely held back a cringe as he heard the name. Holly Blaze, not related to Autumn, was a Kirin adopted by Rainshine and thus, hailed as princess of the Kirin. When Hero first arrived in the forest—heck, it was Holly who first asked for him—Holly was the first to greet and inform him that the local Timberwolves had been stirring trouble. This would lead Hero to discover the Timberwolf King and subsequently, the wooden sword that sat comfy at his right flank. The Timberblade, a wooden sword imbued with the greenish-yellow fire of… well, a Timberwolf. To even use the blade, the wielder first had to slay a Timberwolf King. Then, they’d have to channel an emotion into the blade. Anger was preferable, but others could be used. When attuned, the user could ignite the blade in the previously stated greenish-yellow fire, the flames themselves being near hot enough to cut through just about anything living or otherwise. Of course, the intensity of the flames depended on what emotions were poured into the blade, and how intense said emotions were, but if strong enough, Hero found himself able to cut through any steel weapon or armor he came across. After that whole debacle, Hero and Wolf were both hailed as heroes and the village celebrated. Then, Hero’s friends at Talon decided to betray him and raided the village, resulting in Holly’s death. Hero and Wolf would later avenge her, but of course, not much really changed. Her eyes seemed to weigh ten times heavier, but she regained her composure, managing a smile. “But, as is the cycle of life I suppose…” Hero could merely nod, returning a smile. “It’s good to see you’ve all managed well.” She nodded, very proud of herself. “It took a while, but we were able to rebuild relatively quickly, especially with help from our new friends.” She motioned over to the Timberwolves, who now, instead of attempting to eat them, were now pretty well-off members of their small society. They were even able to fix the bad breath with a healthy diet of mint plants. In return, the Timberwolves provided protection and overall companionship to the Kirin, especially for the children, who loved the ‘wooden doggies’, as they called them. They were even given their own names, much to Hero’s amusement. Soon, Rainshine bowed. “It’s nice seeing you again, Hero. I have to go help organize our theater day.” She smiled. “I wish you and Wolf the best in your endeavors.” Hero bowed in return. “Thank you Rainshine. As to you.” With that, she stepped down the stairs, walking past Hero. Now, there was only Cinder Glow, much to the changeling’s dismay. Despite her calm, well-kept composure, he could sense that she wasn’t exactly… happy? Proud? He couldn’t exactly tell, despite his emotion-vampire bug sense. Without a word, she stood and with a flick of her head, began walking away. Without question, Hero stood, following behind her. He knew better than to argue with Cinder. From what little he remembered of his first few visits, and from his lessons with her, she was an internal party animal and an external rigid warrior. If she were a box, you’d have to hold her adjacent to the edges. When they trained together, Hero often found himself on the ground faster than his brain could process. And if he was being completely honest with himself, he expected it to happen again. ~~~ They soon arrived upon a small pond not too far to where the trek back would be difficult, but far enough away to where any magic used couldn’t be damaging to the village. Hero was standing atop the pond, his hooves glowing a faint blue. On the shore, Cinder watched, unimpressed. Hero wasn’t really aware of her expression, as he was more focused on his magic. Despite his wide array of elemental magics, he was more versed in Warcast spells than he was in any form of utility spells, let alone advanced ones. The thing about Hero’s elemental magic was that, at least to some, it wasn’t exactly the type of magic commonly used. Most, if not all magic requires a verbal incantation and only the most advanced spell casters didn’t need to use them. And while, yes, Elemental Magic was its own spellcasting type, Hero, along with a few other bearers, were more advanced in the sense they were given their powers by an Alicorn, Elemental, Hero himself being one of the last bearers. What truly dug the gap between regular magic and the abilities gifted by Elemental were the limitations. At their core, spells only had one function. Sure, some spells could be combined and you could make some spells stronger or weaker, but overall, if you knew Firebolt, you couldn’t turn it into a Flamewall. Whereas Elemental’s magics were more flexible. These weren’t limited by a spell, if you knew an element well enough, congratulations, the only limit is your imagination, personal strength, and knowledge. Most bearers were limited to six elements, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Ice, and Lightning. However, some bearers were able to advance their magic, Hero among them. There were many elements that went beyond the original six. Some were simply a bit more advanced, Metal, Nature, Light, and Dark; and some were exotic, Void, Time, Life, and Death. Hero was somewhere in the middle—able to use most advanced abilities, yet still learning the more exotic ones. Now, Hero was demonstrating those abilities by keeping himself on and not in the water. His hooves began trembling slightly, which Cinder noticed. Reaching down, she picked up a small pebble, before throwing it at Hero. Hero felt the water beneath his hooves. It was more a mild annoyance than anything, but it strangely distracted him. His hooves trembled more and the blue glow began to fade slightly. Cinder threw another pebble, this one smacking Hero on the head. The changeling’s eyes immediately opened. And as fast as they opened, the blue glow left his hooves. And as fast as the glow left his hooves, he plummeted into the pond. Cinder let out a slight chuckle, before standing and walking towards the pond, just in time for Hero to resurface. He coughed up water, before swimming back to the shoreline. He glared at Cinder as he climbed out of the pond, shaking the water out of his hair. Cinder corrected herself, before stepping down to meet him. “...So when does ‘tossing objects at the mediating bug’ part come up in combat?” Hero asked. Cinder merely shook her head. “You’re still fixated on combat… nothing changes with you, does it, Bug.” That wasn’t a question. Hero rolled his eyes. “You didn’t answer my question,” he returned, clearly getting a bit agitated. Cinder noticed this, a slight smirk appearing across her face. “Well, if you like combat so much, why not show me what you’ve learned in your absence.” She walked over to a patch of sticks, picked up a few, and tossed one over to the angry changeling, who gladly accepted the makeshift weapon. Hero chuckled, removing his beaten leather armor, and tossing it aside. He then stood on his hind legs, twirling the stick before aiming it at Cinder. His favorite ‘formal’ dueling stance involved him pointing the tip of his sword at his opponent, with his offhoof raised. Hero was naturally lefthoofed,  but he could utilize both hooves in terms of weaponry, thus was a bit of a wildcard to those strictly kept to only one hoof or claw. He preferred it this way, happy to trick his opponents if it brought swift victory. Cinder wasn’t as fancy—at least not to Hero—as she preferred simply raising her blade—or well, her stick— in front of her face. Despite this, her face bore a smirk. “Tell you what, Bug. I’ll allow magic, but if you use it, I’ll use it.” “Sounds fair,” Hero replied, also wearing a smirk. He readied himself, aiming at Cinder. After a brief second, Hero’s hooves began glowing white, and he was suddenly propelled by a gust of wind. Hero was able to keep his balance and charged Cinder. As he got closer, he leapt up. Then… “Hwo’orce-Hoosh!” Hero’s leap was suddenly and almost too easily stopped, then pushed back by a sudden kick of energy, which shook the forest, booming and crashing with the fury of a Thunderbird. His back slammed into the ground, not so rough as to hurt, but it nearly drained the energy from him immediately. If he could describe it, it would be an unstoppable object meeting the immovable object. And the immovable object won. After a while, he stood, though shaking. Cinder didn’t give him a break. “Hwo’orce-Hool!” Hero was then lifted off the ground and pulled towards Cinder at near incomprehensible speeds.  He couldn’t focus enough to channel his magic, and he had long since dropped the stick. As he flew, he suddenly started flipping, and, much like a falling acorn, he lost any control he at all had. “Hwo’orce-Halt!” Hero came to a halt, hanging upside down, now facing Cinder, who merely had the smugest smile he’d ever seen plastered along her face. With a much calmer voice, she spoke, “Hwo’orce-Ha’leese,” and Hero fell to the ground, groaning. Cinder chuckled, stepping down. “Well? How was that?” “I… auuuuuugggghhhhh…” his legs wobbled as he tried to stand. Cinder’s expression changed. “Bug?” “I-I’m fine, I– Hrrack!” He clenched his mouth, falling behind a bush, releasing whatever he’d had from lunch, breakfast, his midnight snack from last night, and his dinner from yesterday. Cinder winced. “...Whoops…” ~~~ Hero sipped a bit of water from the nearby stream, boiled by Cinder. His breath was a bit rapid, but it was getting better. Cinder walked over, carrying a basket of flowers. She sat beside him, grabbing something from her bag, a mortar and pestle. She grabbed from the basket a pair of flowers, green and red in their colors. She then threw in a bit of ginger, sugar, lime juice, and lemon juice, before mashing it all down into the mortar again. She then grabbed a bit of water, poured some in, then continued to mash. Finally, she poured it into a container straining the liquid to remove the solid chunks, before sealing the container tightly, and finally spoke. “Hwo’orce-Hoosh!” The thundering boom was followed by the container flying up into the air, flipping and twirling as it flew above the trees; when it came down, it would be well mixed. Cinder sat down beside Hero, pulling a few more snacks out of her bag. She passed Hero an apple, but he declined. Cinder chuckled again. “You really haven’t changed, Bug.” She smiled, pulling out a bit of bird meat. Hero looked over, surprised. “I thought you didn’t kill animals, y’know… due to your religion,” he asked, taking the cooked bird. She shook her head. “That’s not what we believe, Bug,” she answered, snickering under her breath. “And eat slowly, last thing we need is you vomiting again.” Hero nodded, taking a few bites from the baked bird. The two sat in silence, simply eating. The Kirin Forest was peaceful and quiet. Only birds and critters ran through the gentle glades, and sunlight pierced through tree tops just enough to see, but wouldn’t pierce the eyes. The sounds of running water from nearby streams calmed the weary soul. Such a land of peace and healing. Cinder broke the silence. “You still make art? Y’know, music and drawing and such?” Hero shrugged. “I guess… haven’t really had the time…” he bit down into the bird, looking around at the scenery. After a bit of silence, Cinder spoke up again. “How about you serenade us?” Hero blinked, looking over. “¿Qué?” he double-backed. “Yeah, sing one of those songs you used to sing a few years back.” She pulled out a small pair of drums, then whistled, summoning two Timberwolves from seemingly out of nowhere, who’d now been decorated with all manner of fauna. “You remember Sear and Willow, right?” “How could I not?” he chuckled, rubbing Willow’s new mossy mane. Sear and Willow were the first Timberwolves that really embraced the Kirins’ musical talents. Timberwolves, at least these reborn ones, found that they could add things other than twigs and rocks to their bodies, thus allowing them to essentially turn themselves into musical instruments.  Sear was strings—he’d placed vines in his stomach, allowing him to pluck them much like a guitar—and Willow was wind; she’d removed a few sticks to make small holes throughout her neck, allowing her to make tunes by breathing certain ways. Soon, other Timberwolves began modifying themselves as well, though they often went beyond just musical instruments. Whether it was fashion, function, or functionally fashionable, most found themselves experimenting with their wooden bodies. Hero smiled a bit. “Even if I can sing, I’m in no shape to–” The mixer suddenly slammed into the ground, burying itself into the ground. Cinder merely chuckled silently, standing and retrieving the mixer. Popping open the container, she poured a glowing red liquid into a glass flask, before giving it to Hero. “Here, drink up.” Hero rolled his eyes, taking a sip. A strong, fruity, sugary taste hit his tongue, and his cheeks flushed from the sweetness. It was much like the fruit juice he’d drunk at some of the taverns, only sweeter. He finished the potion, feeling a gentle cooling sensation in his throat. He gently placed the glass aside, breathing a bit more fluidly than he was a few seconds ago. “Thanks…” he said, coughing a bit. But he was overall much better. “So?” Cinder asked, placing the drums down. “You gonna sing our hearts to sorrows?” she asked, nudging him teasingly. Hero rolled his eyes, positioning himself more comfortably. “Fine, I’ll try…” The group perked up happily, ready to play. Hero reached into his bag, pulling out a notebook, which he opened, looking for a song. He then set it down, having found a song. Though shaky, he handed the book over to Cinder, who in turn shared it with the two Timberwolves. After a brief readover, they looked over to Hero, ready to play. First to play were Sear and Willow, playing a soft, almost whimsical instrumental. Hero sighed, staring off into the distance. The silent trees mixed with the soft music calmed the moths raging in his gut, and he simply let go of his feelings and sang softly. “O’er past the border of the Frozen North There sits a land once known for its warmth Listen, my friends, come hear this sad tale Of a beautiful land… and how it fell This realm’s fields were once bright and golden Where alicorns grew olden A tale of a time that few understand… When our friends, the yaks… lived in these lands… When our friends, the yaks… lived in these lands…” After a brief pause, Cinder began a soft beat on her drums. “Lost years of mystics, of grand yak discovery How they survived in the land ever-free Alicorns’ magics covered diamond shores Some years before the Chaos Wars… Lost years of mystics, of grand yak discovery, How they survived in the land ever free! Alicorns’ magics covered diamond shores Some years before the.. the Chaos Wars.. the Chaos Wars…” Hero took a breath, feeling a bit more alive than he had in some recent time. He smiled a bit, feeling a bit more confident. “During the grim Six Kingdom War The yaks sought shelter in the Frozen North At that time, this region, known as Elísea Was green… majestic… Elysium alive! When the Six-War was grimly lost… For yaks and Alicorns… this meant the cost… Sombra’s mist would turn it to stone! So grass and fauna would lose their pure souls… Rivers and ponds became dark empty holes… From this horror, a cold evil reigned… The Chaos Lands became what they are today… The Chaos Lands became what they are today… Lost years of mystics, of grand yak discovery How they survived in the land ever-free Alicorns’ magics covered diamond shores Some years before the Chaos Wars… Lost years of mystics, of grand yak discovery! How they survived in the land ever free! Alicorns’ magics covered diamond shores Some years before the Chaos Wars! Lost years of mystics, of grand yak discovery! How they survived in the land ever free! Alicorns’ magics covered diamond shores Some years before the Chaos Wars! The Chaos Wars! The Chaos Wars…" The instrumental slowed to a stop, and Hero sat on a log, breathing softly. The group smiled at him, clapping their hooves and claws. Hero chuckled, rolling his eyes. “Oh, hush.” He adjusted on the log, chuckling. As they sat, they watched as the sun began to set, and light began to fade from the forest. The small stream slowly stopped reflecting golden sunset, signaling home time for them. The group agreed with Nature, standing up and packing up what they’d brought with them. With everything packed up, they began their walk back to the village. ~~~ Hero was greeted by Wolf, now covered in flowers and other natural decor. The bug chuckled, tossing his saddlebag over Wolf’s flanks. Wolf huffed, a tad annoyed, but nonetheless also ready to leave. Before they could leave, Rainshine stopped them. She looked a little nervous, but nonetheless spoke. “Hey, Hero? Would you… like to say goodbye to Holly before you leave?” Hero didn’t have an immediate answer, but eventually nodded. “Yeah, sure.” He quickly clipped Wolf’s bags down, securing them. When the bag was secured, he turned to follow Rainshine. The two were led down to a gravesite, where several rocks sat, most decorated with trinkets and knick-knacks. Of course, there was one that stood out; Holly’s. When they reached the rock, Rainshine excused herself to allow the two companions to speak with their long-passed friend. Hero sighed, sitting in front of the grave, Wolf standing a bit off to his right. Hero didn’t really have a lot to say to the rock. He wasn’t good with losing those he was close with, let alone one he was briefly, though still was, romantic with. The changeling took a breath, simply mumbling a small prayer. As stated, it was simple, just a greeting, and wish of well-being, and a departure. He’d learned to pray from the previously mentioned Talons, as they once held honor over everything. Of course, it had changed, but Hero and a few others still hold—or well, held—those values. With his prayer sang and set, he stood up, taking in a breath. He turned to Wolf, who nuzzled against his leg, a soft bark coming from his mouth. Hero couldn’t help but smile, rubbing his brother’s head. “Yeah yeah, we’re going…” he chuckled, leading his brother out from the gravesite. They walked until they reached the path with which they rode in on. Hero readied himself, before climbing onto his companion’s back, to which Wolf yipped, shaking his head and flopping his ears excitedly. Hero brushed his mane back, grabbing a hold of the lupus’ neck. “Let’s ride, boy. Heeyaw!” Wolf let out a howl, before running off, the two on the path headed back home. ~~~ Zenex sat in the small decrepit house they called home. It wasn’t too bad, especially for a guild house, but it was still the cheapest they could afford. They had a first and second story, as well as a basement. The first floor was divided equally into four quadrants; kitchen, living room, study, and dining room, with a divider in the middle. The second floor was more compact, offering two rooms, a washroom, and a small storage, all connected via a single hallway. The basement wasn’t all too special either, merely being a workshop, armory, and occasional prison. Alas, they’d called it home. Zenex was currently in the dining room. It wasn’t fancy, a small square table, four chairs, and a few plates and silverware, and of course, a few barely hanging in there lamps. Alas, Zenex sat at the table, waiting on Hero and Wolf to get back so he could cook the food they just barely managed to buy, no thanks to Hero’s aggression. Zenex sighed, boredly playing with the crossbow bolts he hadn’t fired. More specifically, he was throwing them into the wall, much like throwing knives at a board. The wall itself was littered with previous holes and dents formed out of his boredom. Hero and Wolf were often out late, leaving Zenex to have to wait for the two to return. Of course, this meant he himself had to starve for a few hours. However, something crossed his mind. Why did he have to wait? Hero was perfectly… semi-perfectly capable of making his own food. Why was Zenex expected to wait for the return of his roommate while he starved? Well, he wouldn’t stand for it anymore. With this newfound vigor, Zenex stood up from the dining table, before marching over to the kitchen, ready to prepare his own food and go to bed. However, just as he reached the kitchen, he heard a noise come from the door. The sound of the letter slot being pushed in, and a letter being pushed through. Zenex blinked, stepping over to find a small envelope. Confused, he reached down, picking up the letter. He blinked, carefully cracking the green seal that sat upon the letter. He opened the seal, carefully pulling the letter out. It was written in Old Changeling, something Zenex was somewhat fluent in. He read over the writing, translating what he knew. And the further down the changeling read, the more his eyes widened. With a soft, shocked voice, he merely spoke two words. “Goddess above…”