As Lasairfion shuffled forward, the interpreter kept abreast of her, waiting dutifully for her mistress and ruler to speak. At last, coming to a towering stop before Rainbow Dash, the Princess bore a calm smile and did just that.
“Verrak’tyum malasuu’drenna’duuros m’jaas’rekhalla thriel’m, dre’t?”
The interpreter spoke, “It is is something more powerful than death that brings it here, yes?”
Rainbow Dash blinked. She glanced at the interpreter, then back at Lasairfion. “Brings what?”
Lasairfion’s head leaned slightly to the side. “Oss Tray Oh.”
Nightshade glanced aside at the pegasus.
After a deep breath, Rainbow fought her dizziness to say, “You have things mixed up. If you knew anything about me, you’d realize that I pretty much am death.”
Lasairfion giggled, filling the air with distorted bell-song. Her earth-brown eyes lit up as she said, “Y’taasu’ramnas thrie’len vree, Oss Tray Oh. Malaseen’drenna’duuroen hraa’kaat’seem, less’tenneraat vm’bassa’kun nela’driel.”
The interpreter droned, “If only that were true, Oss Tray Oh. It could easily have carried death into the grave instead of flying distance so long.”
Lasairfion paced around the pegasus, continuing to speak. Her rich voice tickled Rainbow’s ears. The mare remained locked to the floor, her heart pounding. It wasn’t fear nor dizziness, but something else that grasped at her heart, as if something in the regal equine’s very voice was stabbing straight through her gut and into her heart. She felt like she was standing on the balcony with Whitemane again, only all of the gentleness and sincerity had been stripped viciously away. Before she knew it, the Xonan regal’s sentenced finished with staccato punctuation.
It was the interpreter’s turn: “Its mind is full of more colors than its hair. All of them misleading. But not those blessed by Nagu’n. We have seen only one light, and it has prophesied its arrival.”
“The machine world…” Rainbow Dash guessed, eyebrow arched as the Princess passed another time. “Your soldiers got a look into the machine world, and somehow the place lit up in such a way to show that I was coming? Is that it?”
Lasairfion came to a stop, shaking her head with a teeth-glinting smile. She spoke with utmost confidence, her tongue like a conductor of waterfalls.
“It is the light given up by warmth, by sincerity most burning. It is a pony most lost, but its element bonds it to flames that never die.”
Rainbow’s lips pursed. Her eyes narrowed as she breathed, “Loyalty…?” Something flickered out the corner of the pegasus’ eyes, like a lavender shadow. Her head darted to the right.
Lasairfion was already there to stare her dead in the eyes. Rainbow didn’t see her lips move; she only saw her fiery gaze.
Sooner than later, the interpreter said, “Its love has brought it here, a love that surpasses death. Nagu’n blesses this moment, for it shall witness the power of love bring righteousness to this land. Death will dissolve, and no more ponies will be lost, by the power of Nagu’n.”
“You think what you’re doing here is righteous?!” Rainbow Dash gnashed her teeth. “I know a thing or two about those pale crystals you’re flinging around, lady! There’s nothing in your bloody campaign that screams of love! It’s all chaos!”
Lasairfion tilted her head towards the interpreter. The servant mare leaned in and clarified a few key words to the monarch. Slowly, Lasairfion turned back, and there was a briefly raspy tone to her voice when she spoke.
The interpreter delivered, “Then I am glad Oss Tray Oh has arrived at my doorstep, for it will be a timely addition to the glory of Nagu’n.”
“What…” Rainbow Dash blinked. “...do you mean?”
Lasairfion’s words had already dripped out, and the interpreter was swift to provide: “Texts of ancient words speak of the east bound horse, the deliverer of a righteous spark. Only now, the sunrisen scythe shall be mine to wield.”
“Oss Tray Oh.” Lasairfion smiled. “N’deraat’sien k’lassta’klen threm.”
“Oss Tray Oh. The final summon.”
“Final… summon…?” Rainbow’s face tilted towards the guards as she sensed them moving in on her suddenly. Her breath rode the serpentine lengths of the snake patterns on their armor. “No… no!” Rainbow jolted forward, only to be held in place by the Xonans’ criss-crossing pole-arms. “I am not your friggin’ sky monster to fight battles for you! Go summon something else!”
“Why should I?” the interpreter was already murmuring. “This is its one opportunity. An instrument of chaos becoming an instrument of love.”
“No! I will not do anything for you! Do you hear me?!” Rainbow Dash hissed, thrashing back and forth as the guards gripped her on all sides. “Nnnngh--Buck off!”
“Rainbow Dash--” Kera started, only to feel herself being tugged telekinetically backwards by one of Dalen’s fellow soldiers. As she, Zaid, Nightshade, and the others were shoved into a far corner of the room, Dalen trotted forward with a dull expression, hovering the lavender tome higher and higher.
Rainbow’s weak eyes reflected it, and her voice cracked from the nucleus of armored plates where she struggled. “I’m not a weapon! Darn it, I’m not… not…” Her eyes rolled back as she caved to the power of the lavender light. “Totally… totally about harmony… just… just…” A tear or two squeezed from her lids. “Just a little m-more cider… please…”
“Shhhhh…” Lasairfion cooed from beyond the spreading shadows, her voice just as thin and wispy.
”Relax, for it has been starved too long of love…”
And all turned black.