//------------------------------// // Reunion // Story: Ponies and Grey Wardens: The Equestrian Age // by Icecane //------------------------------// The smallest of the diamond dog leaders whimpered pathetically as its legs flailed about uselessly on the ground while it was being dragged through one of the many tunnels it had dug. Desperately trying to escape, it clawed frantically at the hand that was locked firmly around its neck. Though its claws were jagged and sharp, they couldn't even scratch the hardened exterior of its captor's body, having regarded the dog with less interest one would have toward a buzzing fly or biting mosquito. Its sniveling whimpers and grunts of exertion were all the sound it made, being easily drowned out by the loud thuds of the golem Shale's tread. The golem's interest was pointed forward, further along the ever expanding system of tunnels that it had been traversing through for what seemed like an incalculable amount of time. Of course, it couldn't be sure with the disorienting effects on time the sky-less caverns had. The native dogs had abandoned the area some time ago. After the scores that had already fallen in their attempts to overtake the living statue, it eventually made it into their heads that the golem was not a being to be trifled with. So they left, leaving behind their leaders without a moment of hesitation, their loyalty seemingly nonexistent. Now, Shale was left to trek onward though the underground tunnels. So many branching paths made up the network of passages, each glittering with gems that had yet to be dug from the walls. Only the dim flickering of dying torches allowed light to be seen, creating shadows that danced incessantly against the rocky walls. There were many pathways that looked as though they had been made by some other creature. While the ones made by the dogs were crudely dug through, there were a few that showed care being taken into account. Posts of wood were pressed against the sides, making certain that a collapse was unlikely. Metallic tracks also became evident in such tunnels, always rusted beyond use with the occasional cart that was either topple over or missing the wheels. Shale could only assume that a mining operation had been made there, with the original inhabitants leaving for an unknown reason, and the dull-witted dogs took their place. Shale cared little for the reasons however, only wanting to leave the infernal maze of rock and dirt. Eventually though, the golem's hopes were met as light could be seen pouring into the far end of the tunnel. It caused the statue to quicken its pace, adding length to its strides as the enticing light grew closer with every step. The golem almost sighed in relief as the tunnel ended to an opening leading to the vastness that was the outside world, where it could see a bright blue sky and hear the grating chirp of far off songbirds. All around the immediate area, it was just as barren and dull as inside the tunnels. With flat, dirty land that held no spec of green foliage or any sign of life. Nearby, a cliff rose up high, where Shale could see the openings to more tunnels. Only just now remembering the panic-stricken canine in its grasp, Shale's eyes darted toward the creature and immediately narrowed. Without a word, the diamond dog was lifted up higher and slammed into the wall of the tunnel entrance, causing it to yelp in pain and stop its futile attempts at freeing itself. “Creature,” Shale said, in its usual flat tone. “It will tell me where I am, or I will shatter its head against the nearest rock.” The diamond dog had apparently gotten the message as it flinched and whimpered once again. “W-we are at the Diamond Ridge!” it shrieked in fearful reply. “Many gems inside, still so many to find and dig.” It shook uncontrollably as its eyes were wide with fear. “You can take what gems you want! Just p-please don't hurt me!” Disgusted by the creature's cowardice, Shale swiftly responded by throwing the terrified dog headfirst into the rocky wall of the tunnel. Only a stunted whine of pain was uttered before the creature's body slumped down into a heap on the ground, a small pool of blood expanding around it. Though the sight looked to speak against it, the golem was near certain that the creature wasn't dead. It had noticed, when tearing through the many that were unfortunate enough to try and impede the statue's path, that they had very thick skulls. In too big of a hurry to do anything too malicious to any of them, Shale was sure it hadn't actually killed any of them. Except, possibly, for the first one, who it had snapped the neck of. Now, Shale looked out to the scenery that stretched out for it to gaze upon. Toward its left, it could see an ocean of trees, only able to see the very tops of the green leaves as they were pressed tightly together. Just beyond the forest, the makings of a small village could be seen, clearly different to the one Shale had visited prior to ending up in the strange tunnel. As Shale looked toward its right, the golem could make out more mountains that pointed high into the sky, disappearing into a layer of the fluffiest clouds it had ever seen. Most noteworthy about them however, was what Shale could see attached to them. An impressive city that clung to the side of the mountain like a dog might to the leg of its master. Though the golem didn't have any personal tastes in architecture, it had to admit that the city was certainly beautiful, looking as if it was sparkling in the sunlight. Even from the distance, a castle could be seen residing within the hanging city. Now, there was a choice of two paths for the golem to take. Of course, Shale's eyes were more concentrated on the grand city, rather then the humble village. One of the few things it could say it learned on its travels was the more impressive a structure looked, the more likely one was to find something of use. So with sights set toward the high mountains, Shale took its first steps forward. An unbeatable determination swelled within its rocky chest, knowing that it would either gain the answers to the questions it sought, or it would undoubtedly crush the head of the ruler who called the castle their home. Tentative steps were taken as Twilight slowly made her way onto the Ponyville train station, using as much grace and subtly she had when infiltrating the Canterlot Archives. The train had not yet arrived, forcing her to wait. Her eyes shifted back and forth, fearfully searching for anypony who might suspect her. All it would take was one wrong move, one mishap to ruin her plans to smuggle two humans out of town and into the capital of Equestria. “Howdy, Twi!” Twilight jumped, her heart halting its quickened pace while her lungs pumped in rapid succession. Wheeling around toward the source of the voice, the unicorn was startled to see her friend Applejack approaching, a curious expression written on her face. “What are you doin' down here at the station, Twilight?” the farmpony asked. As an answer wasn't immediately given, Applejack's gaze drifted toward what her scholarly friend was standing next to. A large crate, about the same width of a pony but nearly twice the height. “What's this thing for?” “Oh! Applejack!” Twilight finally said, the volume of her voice being far too loud, all the while her mind was becoming a tempest of random answers and replies. “Well, uh... I was just... going to Canterlot!” Applejack tilted her head slightly at the answer, raising an eyebrow toward her friend as she could clearly see the uncomfortable demeanor the unicorn had. “Canterlot, huh? Seems kind of sudden.” Her gaze sights then returned to the create and she repeated, “And what's the crate for?” “Th-the crate?” Twilight blinked, having momentarily forgotten about what was sitting just beside her. “Oh... well, that's... that's just books!” “Books?” “Yes,” the unicorn nodded firmly, an unnerving smile spreading her lips apart, “just some books I don't have room for in the library. Celestia wanted me to visit Canterlot for a day or two and I figured I could take few extra books up to the castle. Spike's staying here to look after the library while I'm gone, I figured he would run into him first if you needed me and that's why I didn't tell anypony, heh-heh.” “Oh, alright,” Applejack murmured, accepting the sudden answer. “Seems like a mighty large crate just for books though. But, I know how much you like readin', Twilight.” Twilight opened her mouth to reply to her friend, but the words were caught in her throat as a sudden, muffled cough was emitted from the crate. “What was that?” the farmpony asked, looking at the wooden box suspiciously. As she stepped closer toward it, raising an ear to press it against the side, Twilight charged forward, bumping into her friend and pushing her away. The scholar raised a hoof to her mouth and let out a hacking cough, causing several other ponies to stare at them from afar. “That was just me,” Twilight said quickly in a foe-hoarse voice, coughing once again into her hoof, “my throat's just a little sore.” The ruse sounded more akin to the last breaths of a dying animal rather than a pony with something stuck in their throat. A worry look crossed Applejack's expression, soon turning to normal as the unicorn made no other noise. Before she could even utter another word to her friend however, the loud, ear-splitting screech of the train coming to a halt broke through all other sounds. “That's my ride!” Twilight said quickly, silently thanking Celestia for the save. “Now, Applejack, I must be off. Goodbye for now.” “So long, Ah guess,” Applejack replied. “Ah can tell the others where you are so they don't worry.” Twilight nodded absentmindedly, her focus being brought onto the crate as she lifted it with her magic. Subtle sounds of annoyance and protest could be heard within as it tipped from side to side due to the weight, but they were just quite enough to not go unheard by the other passing ponies. Though the crate was quite large, the very end of the baggage car of the train had a much wider door. It allowed the unicorn to effortlessly guide the crate inside and set down without incident. Then with one final goodbye to her friend, Twilight boarded the train, her thoughts immediately moving toward the very contents of the crate. “By Andraste's burning corpse,” Anders growled from within the confines of his wooden prison. “Why are we doing this all again?” “Because,” the commander snapped, his mood no more pleasant than that of the mage, “we are going to their capital to meet their rulers. We don't want to be seen by any of the other ponies yet, as to not cause a panic. And this crate would be much roomier if you hadn't shown up out of nowhere at the last minute!” Even with only one person, the crate was quite small. Now, Anders found himself pressed against the hard wood wall of the right side of the create, while the commander had his back pressed against the left side. Their feet could barely be flattened on the floor while their shoulders felt as though they were being crushed. Space between the two Grey Wardens was nonexistent as well, effectively causing them to be spooning one another in a standing position, a posture that neither of them found enjoyable. Two small holes were cut into the crate at the top, allowing fresh air and small shreds of light to come through. “Oh, that's right, blame me,” the mage retorted. “Anyway, why can't we sit up with the purple creature? I bet she's as comfortable as can be.” Anders was certainly right about the studious unicorn. As Twilight had found an empty spot for herself on the train, her tensed body relaxed as she sat down on the cushioned seat. With the smooth ride of the train and the softness on her rump, it wasn't difficult for her to enjoy the ride to Canterlot, even while smuggling two foreign creatures to the castle. As the trip continued, time ticked by without pause. It made things especially difficult for the two humans as they had trouble occupying their attentions while within their cramped quarters. Things became especially tormenting for the commander as Anders passed the time by singing. “Ninety-nine darkspawn in the Deep Roads, Ninety-nine bloodthirsty darkspawn. You cut one down and turn around, Ninety-eight darkspawn in the Deep Roads.” To the commander's chagrin, the song continued for sometime. Each excruciating moment of it was forever burned into his mind. “Fifty-four darkspawn in the Deep Roads, Fifty-four bloodthirsty darkspawn. You cut one down and turn arou-” “Will you shut up?!” the commander bellowed, unable to take it any longer. “I never want to hear you say the word darkspawn to me ever again!” “Well excuse me!” Anders scoffed, sounding as though he was deeply offended. “Far be it from me to try and be entertaining. A contemptuous sigh was forced through gritted teeth as the Warden attempted to shake his head in dismay. “Just don't sing,” he said gruffly. The mage stayed silent for some time, his mind working out possible ways to entertain themselves. It was proven difficult with his commander's breath on the back of his neck. “Hm... I suppose we could try a few jokes,” he suggested. There was no response from his crate-mate however. “I could make one about your sword digging into my hip, but I don't think that would be very appropriate.” There was then a response from the Warden as he groaned loudly, lightly thudding the back of his head against the wall of the crate. “I swear, Anders, if I actually had my sword I would run you through with it.” The mage scoffed once again. “And if I had my magic, I'd light your trousers on fire.” “You've done that before!” the commander shouted. Almost on reflex, his hand balled into a fist and he jabbed the mage in the side. A sudden grunt of pain left Anders as he felt the blow connect to his ribs. “Hey, don't hit me!” he snapped, throwing his bent elbow back and plowing it into the commander's side. Unbeknownst to Twilight or the many other passengers who were aboard the train, a small war was going on within the baggage car. With the Warden-Commander and mage striking one another repeatedly in the same spot. Their crate rocked back and forth from their blows, nearly falling over once or twice before it settled itself. Neither of the occupants within were paying attention to their surrounds while their battle raged on. It didn't occur to them as they felt the train come to a sudden halt, nor did the notice as that they were moving through the air. So caught up with their physical struggle, they didn't even notice their crate being carried into a massive castle to come to another eventual stop. Only after the side of the crate they were leaning on was removed, causing them both to tumble out of the crate and into a heap on a smooth, tiled floor, did they stop. While they laid there, groaning in pain, their hands clutched at their sides, feeling raw bruises that were tender to the touch. “Ugh, man,” Anders moaned, wincing every time his fingers grazed over his wounds, “I think you broke one of my ribs.” As they came to realize that they were no longer in the crate, or the train for that matter, the commander and mage both looked up to find themselves in a regal chamber. Rich tapestries hung on the walls while windows of masterfully crafted glass gave breathtaking views to a land that was as beautiful as it was peaceful. It took them several moments to catch Twilight standing next to them, but her eyes were not upon them. Instead, her gaze was fixated elsewhere, straight ahead as she held a look of surprise. Both Grey Wardens followed it and saw three figures standing before them. The first two seemed obvious enough. Though neither of them had ever seen them before, only hearing vague descriptions, even otherworldly creatures would know the princesses Celestia and Luna at first glance. Both of the royal figures held looks of amusement, as if they were watching two clowns flop about on the floor. “So, are these the friends you mentioned?” Celestia asked, not to either of them or even her student. Her question was directed to the third figure standing beside them, a human with a mildly embarrassed smirk on his face. “Yeah,” Alistair said with a nod as he folded his arms, “that would be them, unfortunately.” “Alistair?” the commander muttered as he picked himself off of the ground, the surprised look on his face matching that of Twilight's perfectly. “Aw,” the Warden-King sighed happily, “did you miss me? Can't say I've felt any different.” “Huh, so he is alive,” Anders murmured as he jumped to his feet. Alistair and the commander approached one another, clasping their hands together in a tight grip, both of their faces relived to see one another. “I'll admit,” the Warden murmured, “I was a little worried about you.” “When have you ever?” Alistair teased. The Warden-Commander shrugged as a grin replaced his relieved expression. “Not for you exactly,” he said. “It just wouldn't look good for me to be responsible for the death of our king.” Both princesses became visibly surprised by that. “You're a king?” Celestia asked, regarding Alistair strangely. All the while Luna's reaction held a look of shattered perspective, her mind abuzz with questions on how the human she had been conversing with previously could ever hold the title of royalty. Alistair shot a glare toward his friend before he turned toward the pony princesses, a forced smile on his face as he chuckled uneasily. “Well...” he murmured, “it might have slipped my mind... But... yes, I sort of am the ruler of my country.” The air thickened with an awkward silence as both princesses continued to stare at the newly established king strangely. Even Anders and the commander made no sound as they watched the event unfold, mostly out of curiosity as to what was going to happen. But no show came from the sudden realizations between the three rulers as the doors at the far end of the room were suddenly flung open. A guard, dressed in the uniform of golden armor, galloped frantically into the room. Fear as evident on his face as his eyes threatened to bulge out of his skull. “Your Majesties!” the guard shouted, galloping around the other visitors without so much as a passing glance. “W-we are under attack!” “Under attack?” Luna breathed, as surprised as the five others within the room. “Who would dare attack us here?” The guard shook his head. “I-I don't know. I've never seen anything like it before. It stands tall like a minotaur, but its body is covered in thick, rock armor and it glows like a powerful magical spell! It's trying to break through the castle wall!” The commander, Alistair and Anders all looked at one another. Their jaws hung open as they each shared similar thoughts, all wondering how coincidental the strange world of talking ponies might be.