//------------------------------// // Book 1: Chapter 9 // Story: Kinetics // by Habanc //------------------------------// Midnight's Den “Anypony up for just charging in there?” Sky asked. Donevyn and Twilight turned to her with flat looks. “Okay, fine. Just an idea, gosh.” “Fascinating,” Viridian muttered. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hooves together. “So what else can you do with this power?” “It depends on the pony, really,” Twilight mumbled. She was seated across from him, in what was presumably his living room. A fire crackled to her right, casting a gold glow over both of them. A trio of vials floated in the air before her, framed in a purple glow that stood out among the encroaching darkness, rotating slowly as if they were attached to a mobile. “Most only have access to certain abilities based on what they're good at. For instance, a gem cutter may have a set of, um, powers that identify, clean, and cut jewels. Besides levitation, which all unicorns can do, that'd be it.” “And what about you?” The vials stopped in mid air, holding their position as they pulsated and glowed. “You heard them, magic does not exist in their eyes, or at least the knowledge of it. Ponies are afraid of what they do not know.” “Not much, I'm afraid.” Twilight shrugged. “Astronomy isn't, uh, that dependent on abilities.” The vials began to revolve and shift once more. “Astronomy?” Viridian sat back up straight. “Do the stars look different in Equestria? I've heard from travelers that the constellations change as they move across the continent, and with your homeland being across the Great Seas, I think they'd be completely different.” “Oh, they are,” Twilight replied, finishing with a yawn. “Ah, forgive me!” Viridian got up from his chair. “I had been so wrapped up in discussing your powers that I forgot my hospitality. I know you've been exhausted all night, so feel free to grab a blanket and sleep by the fire. I saw to your friends' wounds earlier and gave them both a place to rest.” “Thank you.” Twilight managed a smile. “We'll be leaving in only a few hours, hopefully arriving at Midnight's den before dawn.” The surgeon nodded. “Of course. That reminds me, though...” Turning around, he worked his way along the wall's shelves until he found was he was looking for. Plucking a plain oak box from among the dozens of glass containers and medical instruments, he presented it to her. “Here, this is for you.” Twilight regarded it with a tilt of her head, taking the box from him and opening its lid. Inside were three glass bulbs, one filled with a bright red liquid, the other green, and the last a sapphire blue. “What are these?” she wondered. “A group of Erhani sages arrived at my door one morning, half of them stricken with dysentery,” Viridian began. “They claimed it was the water gods punishing them for a failed ritual, but being a stallion of more concrete knowledge, I assumed the fools had drank pond water. Still, I managed to cure all five of them, only to find out they didn't have the gold to pay. I hounded them for what I deserved, as I would be the last pony to accept blessings from their 'liquid lords' as payment. Eventually, they relented, and offered me these.” “Yes, but what are they?” Twilight reiterated. “Ruefire.” Viridian's face darkened. “Only the sages seem to be able to make them, with good reason. I've kept them around, just in case, but it seems you need them more than I do.” Twilight stared at them. They weren't much bigger than an apple, circular orbs of glass filled with brightly colored liquid. Yet, even their name gave her a haunting sense of dread. “What do they do?” “I don't know. There're so many stories and rumors around their actual effects, I can't tell what's fact and what isn't.” He shrugged. “I've never been tempted to find out, either. But, from what I've gathered, you don't want to be anywhere near it once the orb shatters.” Twilight nodded. “Well, thank you, Viridian. I'm sure this will be helpful.” “Think nothing of it.” Leaving her with the box, he rummaged through an old chest before pulling out a wool blanket, tossing it down beside the fire. “There you are. Good luck, Twilight Sparkle. I'll see you when you return.” “Of course.” She smiled and nodded to him, bidding him good night. As he left, she turned to the folded blanket by the floor and opened it wide. Crawling underneath, she placed the box of ruefire off to the side, away from the fire, and closed her eyes. The sleep her muscles desired did not come to her. Wisps and thoughts still infected her conscious, denying it rest. It had been a day that held par with when Discord returned to Ponyville. Barring the slight conflict with Luna in the morning, she had been having a great morning. They talked for hours, from the most sophisticated ideas to the simplest observations. It was nice to see Luna finally shed her inhibitions and let herself free, to see the inquisitive, impulsive, clever mare that resided below centuries of royal discipline. Then, the ambush happened. Yes, they had won, but not without a price. The two Hurrassian guards, although quiet their entire trip so far and generally unsociable, were killed instantly. Luna's life was still held in limbo, all dependent on things to come. However, as she, Donevyn, and Sky raced for Iezno, as her legs burned and subsequently numbed to nothingness, as the struggle to put one hoof in front of the other became nothing more than routine, she began to feel as if she lost something else. As if, among the dirt and blood and bodies on a stretch of pathway, there resided her morality. The memory began to repeat itself once more. A cruel smile, with a dagger between her teeth, the rogue advanced. A glint of pink appeared, surging into the top of her vision. The smile began to falter, jaws slackened, eyes widened, blade dropping to the ground. The pink glow burst forth, connecting with the rogue in the chest. Plumes of energy rippled outwards, building and expanding as the magic burrowed its way deeper. Hooves lifted from the ground, shoulders rotated away, neck snapped back. The explosion of arcane power continued to move closer, bringing with it the smell of ozone and char. By now the rebel mare was flying away steadily, legs spread eagle as the hole in her chest was rimmed in ever-growing crimson. The cloud of magic dissipated, leaving the air hot and suffocating. The chestnut mare, whose name Twilight didn't know and never would, skidded along the earth, kicking up dirt and twigs until she came to a halt. Eyes frozen in place, she laid there among the chaos of the battle and the world, still and unmoving. As much as she tried, Twilight could not prevent the scene from returning to her. With it, so did recollections of other abominations, the mechanical, continual slaughter of those around her. Individual frames of fantasy piled upon her conscience, images of ponies accumulating around her hooves, limp and lifeless. They grew in number until they formed walls around her, keeping her locked inside. Blood pooled around her legs, whispers dancing on the threshold of hearing. Claustrophobia amounting, fear multiplying, she banged her slick hooves on her prison of bodies. They were as tough as stone, unmoving and permanent. She was trapped, imprisoned, never to return whence she came. A scream pierced her daydream, dropping her within another. A mare was fleeing up the hillside, dressed in nothing but rags. Her hooves scampered as they attempted to find a firm hold, slipping and tripping as she clawed her way forward. A plume of energy burst from her back and she gave the same screech, crumpling to the ground. Her dirty, tangled amber mane fell over her head as she slid back down the uneven earth. Meanwhile, the rogue beside her continued his escape, only making it yards further before a lance of energy obliterated one of his legs below the hock. Had she really cared so little by then? How quickly had she shifted targets, fleeing ponies nonetheless, in the name of vengeance? Three more bolts flew in a burst, all connecting with his crippled figure and extinguishing his flame. He was thrown across the hillside, limbs and hips jerked out, until he crashed beside the mare who had died only seconds before. Was she that intent on killing them? Was forcing them to flee for their lives not enough? Was crippling him too little? Was it not enough to send one bolt, but instead three, just to make sure he wouldn't get back up? Somewhere along the hilltops rested an indistinguishable form, rendered so by her manifested hate and loathing. To deprive an organism of its life was abhorrent in its own right; to incinerate any reminder or remainder of its living was heinous and horrific beyond all means. The pony with the crossbow across its back may have well been erased from history, as its remains would never be known for who they are. What have I become? Tears already flowing, Twilight wound herself within her blanket, muffling her sobs as she hid within. Her loathing turned inward, feeling disgusted and revolted to be living in her own skin. She could almost feel her hooves still slick. Guilt and regret sunk into her gut like a stone, a tumor that multiplied and devoured, rotting her from the inside out. It burned like fire, as if she had put herself to the stake. She felt hotter and hotter still, beginning to sweat, growing increasingly more distressed as the seconds inched by. Primal instinct told her to bite, kick, and scratch her way out, to break free of her entrapment, to release herself from herself. The temperature continued to rise, her skin itching and limbs restless. She wept uncontrollably, but as hyperventilation began to take over, it left room for only the most choked and constrained sobs. But I saved Luna, she reasoned. Sky and Donevyn were in danger too, so of course I had to do it. It was then that she felt herself begin to crumble away, first in tiny pebbles and bits. If I didn't stop them, who would? Dozens of other ponies have died by their hooves. What does the death of murderers mean when weighed against saving the lives of hundreds to come? Does that not pardon a moment of blind fury? Chunks of her moulting cracked and rolled off, dropping into the abyss below. This isn't Equestria, this is Anarkhos. The rules are different, the means to an end are... more desperate and primal. Civility is a luxury, not a standard. With a depressing realization, she resigned to the fact that she'd have to sacrifice some of herself to see her and Luna home. The heat vanished, the fear dissipated. Her breathing slowly returned to normal as her body chilled to numbness. She couldn't feel and only barely think. Each action, each thought was a challenge. She felt foreign. Her flaring emotions ceased to exist. In its place rolled a weariness, of both world and self. Pains were extinguished, goals expunged. Shutting down was all that mattered. A lone worry flickered in and out of focus, like a lightbulb on its dying filament, before it was to be snuffed out forever by sleep and exhaustion. But at what cost? -~- The chill and shock of freezing water snapped Twilight's eyes wide open. She stood there shivering, finding herself in an environment she could not remember. The world was filtered in dark blue, from the tree trunks to the grass, from the stones by her hooves to her coat, it all appeared as only slight variations of the same color. “Twilight?” Returning from her observations, Twilight turned towards the voice. Sky was behind her, right before the banks. Her hood was pulled back, revealing her mane which had been changed from ruby red to violet, hardly retaining its color in the dim light just before dawn. “S-sorry,” the unicorn stammered, galloping to the other side. The saddlebags over her back clanked and clattered, her sword and scabbard jostling from one side to the other. How far have we gone? “Are you alright?” Donevyn asked, stopped a few yards ahead. “You've been doing this all morning.” “Doing what?” “Stopping randomly and looking around as if you're lost. You've been really quiet, too.” Donevyn walked back to her, the sound of Sky's splashing hooves grew closer. “I mean, I hate to be all serious, but what we're going to do is sort of dangerous. I don't think it'd be a great idea to start zoning out when we get into the cavern.” “Yeah,” Sky agreed as she trotted up beside her. “I know you're worried about Luna, and we are too, but we have to keep focused.” She put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. “We can do this.” Twilight turned to Sky, managing a smile and nodding in turn. “Thank you, both of you. Now, how much farther do you think until we arrive at Midnight's Den, Donevyn?” The pegasus shrugged, his scales of armor clinking. “Not too long, I guess. A few minute's trot at most.” “Alright then, lead the way.” Turning around and trotting up the hill, Donevyn led the group into a shallow ravine. The floor was dry and smooth, as if the nearby stream had once ran through it. Because of this, their hooves clopped loudly as they made their way down. Eventually, through unspoken agreement, they slowed down to a walking pace. “Stop!” Donevyn hissed under his breath. He dropped behind a boulder that sat on the side of the stream bed. Twilight and Sky dropped into a crouch, finding cover wherever they could. Huddling with Sky behind a bush that poked its way out from the hillside, Twilight glanced over to Donevyn. “What is it?” she whispered. “Two ponies are standing guard, just down the ravine. Can you see them?” Peering out, she found them after a moment of adjusting to the rising light. The sun was coming up from behind them, pouring infant rays on the two mangy guards standing outside the cavern's entrance. The wore what looked like burlap with bands of iron sewn through, spears slung over their backs. Their beards and manes were scraggly and uncut, clumping together in some parts to form dreadlocks. They made no signs of having seen the trio, still chatting casually. “What are we going to do about them?” Twilight asked as she pulled back around the bush. “I don't know. Sir Kazius would recommend taking them out silently, but I'm not sure we can. Sky's crossbow is quiet enough, but it's too slow to reload and I don't have one either. From what I remember earlier, your lightning bolts popped when they hit ponies, so that won't do.” Donevyn knelt down on the ground, rubbing his chin. “Wait, Twilight,” Sky started, prodding her in the shoulder, “can't you just use that holding power you do to take them out?” “I- I don't know-” “Yeah, that'd work!” Donevyn broke in. “Good thinking, Sky.” Twilight felt her gut clenching up. This wasn't how she wanted to start the day. She had hoped that they could have been stealthier, avoiding violence as much as possible. Perhaps it had been naïve of her to assume so. It appeared this was as silent as possible, still at the cost of two lives. “O-okay, give me a moment.” She exhaled, trying to calm her nerves. This is to save Luna, she reminded herself. You have to, Twilight. They're counting on you, and besides, these ponies are horrible. You could be helping more ponies than just Luna if you do this. Rising on her hooves, which trembled as she looked over her cover, she focused her attention on the two stallions down the ravine. Summoning her magic, she felt around them before finding their necks, and squeezed tight. She barely caught a glimpse of the two guards lifted inches off the ground, forehooves up to their glowing necks as they fought for breath. The sight sickened her, and forced her gaze elsewhere. It rested on Donevyn, who was staring at the ponies by the cavern. His face valiantly tried to remain neutral, but a blanch soon started to form. The seconds slouched by, wiggles and yanks pulling on her magical grip as she kept up her stranglehold. It was agony on both sides, Twilight barely able to hold herself and her magic together. Why can't they just stop already?! Wincing and slamming her eyes shut, she squeezed harder, hoping it would speed the process up. To her horror, their struggle only amplified, hooves pounding and scratching at her grip. She could sense the heaving of their windpipes as they fought for a gulp of air. Time continued to wander aimlessly as her victims kept up their attempts. Stop, stop, STOP! her thoughts screamed. Breathing heavily, she turned her back to them and threw all of her arcane weight against the telekinesis, praying to Celestia that they would heed her pleas. They obeyed almost instantaneously, hanging limply as if by the noose. Her spell shattering, Twilight let out a shaky breath, not daring to move. The chirping of birds began to reenter her hearing, her sensory tunnel vision easing. Chest falling and rising as she savored each lungful of oxygen, calm trickled its way into her nerves. Cracking open her eyelids, streaks of gold painted the ground as the sun continued its ascent. “Twilight, are you alright?” Sky asked, her voice soft. “It's only a matter of time before somepony finds their bodies,” Donevyn interrupted. “Shut up!” Sky glared at him. “I'm sure they'll be fine for a few moments.” Turning back, she began to ask, “If you want to take a minute to-” “No, I'm- I'm fine.” Twilight turned away and began trotting down the ravine. “Let's go.” This is for Luna, Twilight mumbled mentally as she neared the corpses that were dumped on the ground. The clinking of metal and whispered bickering told her that the others were behind her. Her eyes shied away from her targets as she passed them by. Their windpipes were crushed and their necks broken at a stomach-curdling angle. Midnight's Den appeared – from the outside – to be just a two pony-wide hole in the middle of a rock face. As they neared, however, the glow of torches from within could be seen, along with the atrium that existed past its entrance. They pulled off to the side of the cave's opening, bodies flat against the wall and sunk into the shadows. “What do we do now?” Twilight asked. “Surely somepony will see us come in.” “Anypony up for just charging in there?” Sky asked. Donevyn and Twilight turned to her with flat looks. “Okay, fine. Just an idea, gosh.” “Like I said before, we should try to be quiet.” Donevyn peered into the atrium. “I can't tell if there's any ponies in there, but we should move slowly and cautiously, only running when necessary.” He turned to the alcolyte. “Keep your crossbow ready, Sky.” “Okay, sir.” Rolling his eyes, Donevyn looked to Twilight. “I know you might not want to, but if she fails we might need your holding ability again. Is- is that alright?” Twilight looked to the ground and nodded. “If I have to, I guess so. What about my mag- um, lightning bolts?” “If we're spotted or in danger, sure,” Donevyn muttered as he pulled hoofspikes from his saddlebags and put them on. Flexing his forelegs, he asked, “Are we ready?” The mares nodded, and the squire did so in return. Crouching low to the ground, he led them out, single-file, from the entrance to the opening of the atrium. Glancing around the corner, he found the area to be clear, the only movement being the flickering of wall torches. “Come on.” The trio slinked along the ground, making a beeline for the far wall. Their hoofsteps resonated throughout the high-ceiling cavern, despite their best efforts to step lightly. The journey lasted only seconds at most, but Twilight kept her head on a swivel, expecting bandits to pop up at every step. She breathed a sigh of relief as the reached the other side. A fork of tunnels were presented to them, each with a light somewhere further down. “Which way?” Sky whispered. Donevyn shrugged. “I don't know, and I guess doesn't matter much anyways. We don't know the layout of this place so we're just going to hope we find the Fire Drizzle as we make our way around.” He peered into the right passage, before waving a hoof. “Let's go.” They kept their bodies low, soon submerged in darkness as they moved their way down. The glow at the end of the passage grew brighter and brighter until they arrived at where the shadows began to fade. Looking inside, Twilight found the opening occupied by a sole mare, to their left. She had her back to them, sitting before a fire and running a stone against her blade. There were other passages to their left and right, the latter allowing them to slink by without being noticed. “Donevyn,” Twilight muttered as she fell back into hiding, “do you think we should just go right and avoid her?” “Let me see,” he replied, taking a cautious step out into the light. He surveyed the room, looking to both sides. Pulling back, he turned to the mares, “Yeah, I think that's what we should do. There's more ponies down the tunnel to our left, so if we take her out then they'd surely notice.” Sky got up and stepped into the clearing, getting a look of her own. “So, when I count to three, we all run for the tunnel to our right, okay?” Donevyn asked. Twilight nodded, but Sky continued to look around. The stallion looked to her, whispering even lower, “Sky?” She didn't reply, standing still for seconds more. Only the flickering of her eyes showed she was still alive. Then, as quickly as she started, she pulled back. Sky shook her head. “We can't go all at once. The ponies to our left have us in the edge of their vision. If we all move at the same time, they'll spot us.” “Well, what do you think we should do then?” Donevyn challenged her. “I'll go first. Then, once I'm hid well enough, I'll keep tabs on those ponies. When the coast is clear, I'll let you guys know and one of you can come across.” Sky tightened her crossbow's strap, and turned back around with a flutter of her robe. Crawling out into the light, she looked to the left and waited. Her leg muscles began to tighten, her posture compressing as she readied herself. Twilight held her breath, anxiety sinking deeper into her chest. Danger only felt worse when it was coupled with suspense, and right now she felt its weight around her neck. Her hindlegs were beginning to grow sore from holding her crouched position for so long, but she feared even her hooves inching along the floor would give them away. In a flash, Sky pounced out into the open room, hooves gliding over the ground as she made for the next tunnel. What struck Twilight was that she was incredibly silent, her hooves barely making a noise as they searched for the softer, sandier parts of the floor. The rogue in the center of the cavern made no indication that she noticed, continuing to work on her equipment. Sky slowed as she reached the shadows on the other side, pressing herself low against the wall. She turned around and waved a hoof at her companions. “I guess it's my turn now,” Donevyn mumbled as he stepped forward. “Good luck,” Twilight whispered. He simply nodded before stepping outside their blanket of darkness, alternating his gaze from Sky to the rogues he needed to avoid. At the frantic wave of a hoof from across the room, he half-crouched, half-sprinted his way through the light. His metal clinked as his scale armor shook, and his metal-booted hooves were nowhere near as quiet as Sky's surprisingly skilled hoofwork. Luck was on his side, however, as the rogue by the fire began a renewed assault on her blade, running the grindstone several times against the length of her sword. He reached the tunnel with relative ease, Sky ushering him quickly behind her. Stepping forward, Twilight let a breath escape. Flexing her legs as she took a step forward, she tried not to think about the risks. All she had to do was run when Sky told her to, preferably in a quiet fashion. That's all there is to it, she reasoned. Poking herself out from the shadows, Twilight glanced around the room. The mare by the fire was still preoccupied, rummaging through her pack. The rogues further down to her left were grouped together, their voices bouncing off the cavern walls. Looking to Sky, she tensed her muscles and gave her a nod. The acolyte returned the gesture, holding up a hoof. Twilight honed her sight on it, waiting for the signal to run. Her heart was hammering in her throat, blood roaring in her ears. By the stars, give me- Sky waved her foreleg about, turning to her. Twilight scampered off mid-thought, trying to balance the desire to sprint as fast as her hooves would carry her and also the need to stay small and silent. She hunched over, keeping her stomach low to the floor. So far, so good. She was halfway there, her hooves making little noise as she did her best to distribute her weight evenly. Her right forehoof clipped something hard as she came within yards of Donevyn and Sky. Cold fear chilling her bones, Twilight watched as a stone rolled and clattered towards the center of the cavern. Oh, Orion whip me with his belt! Disregarding stealth, Twilight burst into a full gallop, covering the last dozen feet in under a couple seconds. “Huh? What was that?” The rogue abandoned her bag, turning around. “Cobblestone, who are you talking to?” one of the rogues further down called out. “Are you hearing voices again?” The group beside him laughed. Twilight felt two pairs of hooves haul her further back into the shadows. “Twilight, get down,” Donevyn ordered in her ear. She obeyed, dropping to the floor. “I swore I heard somepony!” Cobblestone called back. Gripping her sword in her teeth, she advanced on their tunnel. “Yeah, sure,” the other rogue replied. “Come on, lads, let's go give her a hoof.” They turned and started walking towards her. “Keep moving back,” Donevyn whispered as the bandit mare came closer. “Once she gets out of view, I'll deal with her.” Twilight winced as she heard her saddlebags scrape against the stone floor, prompting the robber to stop in her tracks. Squinting, she didn't appear to see them, and continued her approach. Looking around, Cobblestone regarded the darkness of the tunnel with caution, before stepping inside. She was incredibly close now, only ten feet away at most. If it weren't for the fact that she seemed to be looking for somepony standing up, and not laying on the floor, they would've been found. Springing to his hooves, Donevyn raced forward, jabbing her in the chest with a spiked hoof. He tried to get his second hoof up to cover her mouth, but wasn't fast enough. The rogue yelped in surprise, her sword clanging to the ground. “What the hell!?” The outlaws further back picked up their pace, trotting ever closer. “Run!” Sky whispered, pulling Donevyn away and leading the trio through the darkness. Twilight scrambled to her hooves, cantering to catch up. She kept looking over her shoulder, stumbling over the uneven terrain as they tried to outpace their enemies. “Cobb!” One of them cried, the mare's body falling back into the light of the fire. They all broke into a gallop, hoofsteps echoing throughout the cave system. “Go, go, go!” Sky urged, leading them through the tunnel. Another glow of light was rapidly approaching, but there was no time to worry about it. They were on the fringe of being discovered, and they'd be in real danger if they didn't do something soon. “Donevyn, what do we do?” Twilight implored. “I- I don't know.” He looked away and kept running, as their pursuers entered the same corridor. “Come on, we need to do something!” Sky claimed, looking to him. “We can't keep running forever, Donevyn, we have to act fast.” “I don't know!” he cried, stomping his hooves. “I just don't know!” “Hey, I heard somepony!” a voice behind them called. “Who's there! Stop!” “Oh, for Celestia's sake!” Twilight muttered. New, dangerous world or not, she knew somepony had to take control or they'd risk falling apart. Pushing aside her worries as best she could, she took on the mantle of leadership and held herself accountable for the ponies beside her. “Fall behind me, both of you, and stay close.” We need more time. Twilight looked over her shoulder, picking out their opponents as best she could. Summoning her magic as she ran, she managed to squeeze off a few bolts in their direction. A pop could be heard as at least one of them struck home. The glow of a new cavern opening was right on top of them, but they had no choice. They had to keep moving, as stealth was not an option at the moment. Her eyes squinted as they adjusted to the new level of light, looking around her to get a glimpse of their new surroundings. She and Donevyn skid to a halt, Sky running into the stallion's rump and nearly losing her balance. At least two dozens ponies were in the room along with them. To Twilight, it appeared to be a group about to go out for a day of pillaging, as most of them had just finished putting on their armor and equipping their weapons. Crossbows were raised, heads turned, and those sitting rose to their hooves. “Oh…” Sky uttered as she looked around. None of them seemed to be in a mood to talk, scowls and vicious grins adorning their faces. The sound of metal-on-metal resonated throughout the cavern hall as several unsheathed their swords. Her little group was positioned in the bottom of the room, the floor ascending upwards from there on. Most of the rogues were to their right. To their left was a tight, small passageway leading Celestia knows where. Two long, wooden tables sat the farthest back, holding a dozen ponies that overlooked everypony else. In the center of the stony atrium was a large fire, clumps of ash beneath its flame. The clopping of the group behind them grew louder. They were about to be surrounded, unless something was done quickly. But gut instinct told her that as soon as she moved a muscle, they'd be on top of her. Luckily, magic doesn't require muscles... Twilight jumped back, throwing up a magical sphere around them. As if on cue, a dozen crossbow bolts clattered off its surface. Repulsing them tugged on her mind, threatening her concentration as each projectile took buckets of magic from her resevoir. She knew she couldn't keep this up for much longer. “Donevyn, Sky! Follow me!” Ash and ember exploded from the center of the room, showering and obscuring everypony in sight as another volley of projectiles whizzed by. Grabbing Sky by her robe's collar, she and Donevyn charged for the passage to their left. As they left the room, a flickering pink aura tore the tables from the ground and slammed against the tunnel's berth, buying them precious time. Dropping Sky to the ground and coughing violently, Twilight swore she could see a cloud of ash come out from her nose and mouth. “Come on!” she cried between wheezes. “We’ve got to- we’ve got to keep moving!” Hacking and cantering their way through the dark tunnel, Twilight used her horn to light the path. From what she could tell, it only lead one way. A dimly lit cavern opened up as they approached, and she hoped it would be vacant. Far behind, the sound of timber being torn away and snapped off carried along the walls and stalagmites. Urgency retained its cardinal position, as it would only be a matter of time before they'd be set upon again. Bolting out into the next cavernous room, it seemed luck was not on their side. Five rogues sat by their bedrolls, eating a cold breakfast. They looked up and scrabbled to their hooves. “Hey! What are you types doing here?” one asked, unsheathing a dagger and wielding it in his teeth. “I dunf rehemher inhiting hoo-” A crossbow bolt pierced him in the bottom of the neck, sending him down with a grunt. With a cry, Sky and Donevyn charged the group. Twilight, finally composing herself once more, summoned a charge and waited for an opening to arise. She watched Donevyn run headlong like a battering ram, doling out a spiked jab to a stallion in his way, and knocking down two more. Twilight was charging her horn to fire, until Sky rolled in the way, diving past a chop and bringing her assailant down with a hooked leg. Grabbing the other mare’s sword, the earth pony finished her off. In the corner of her eye, Twilight caught a glimpse of somepony coming for her. The rogue held a spear, charging across the room. She caught him with her magic and flung him hard against the wall. A quick bolt of magic hit right where she knew his heart was. If anything, she could at least make it quick. She looked back to see Donevyn catch a spear by it’s shaft, and yanked its occupant closer to him. The blow he dealt made the spikes on his hooves seem unnecessary. The bandit crumpled to the ground. What the squire failed to notice, however, was the other behind him. Before Twilight could even ready a spell, Sky was there in a flash, punching the rogue in the gut. The sword’s swipe lowered it’s path, coming dangerously close to her before clattering to the ground. Sky’s punch pushed the bandit far enough from her and Donevyn. Twilight's magic sprung upon him instantly, putting two holes in his chest. “Everypony okay?” she asked as the short-lived conflict came to a halt. Donevyn and Sky turned back to her, nodding. “Okay, good.” A loud crack of wood came from down the tunnel, followed by the clopping of hooves. “Let's keep moving. Up there, in that next corridor.” Once again returning to a gallop, the trio raced out of the room and into darkness once again. Twilight's magic paved the way, this time revealing a fork in the tunnels. “Go straight!” she called back. Their cramping hooves carried them further and further through the cave's passageways, which seemed to be growing longer each time they ran through one. The fork was growing near, but she could start to see yet another lit cavern at the far end. “In the name of- Stop!” a voice cried as a gnarly, toothless mare stepped out from the other tunnel. With a gasp of surprise, Twilight gunned her down without a second thought, a burst of magic tearing up her chest and face. “K-keep going!” she called, trying to ignore the sprinkling of blood she received from close magical combat. “They went this way!” “Dammit, those bastards murdered Grimstone and Cynder Cuff! Just wait until I get my hooves on them!” Twilight skidded under into the next cavern, just fitting through its small opening, her horn flaring as she looked for enemies. It soon became clear that there were none, as the room itself wasn't much more than a supply closet, stacked with boxes and barrels of all sizes. Worse yet, there were no tunnels leading out. Twilight turned around, seeing figures enter the far side of the tunnel, charging down towards them. They were trapped. “Donevyn, Sky, move!” Twilight forced them out of the tunnel's opening, as bolts whizzed by and clinked off the rock wall behind. Poking her head back around, Twilight saw at least two dozen scum making their way through, occasionally stopping to reload their bows. Charging her horn, she let loose a flurry of bolts that had no trouble finding targets from the mass of ponies. Screams jolted through the corridor as a few fell to the ground. The group slowed their advance, shouts roaring overhead. “Turn back! Back you blockheads! Back into the other tunnel!” Letting out a sigh as she watched the bandits retreat, Twilight turned around. “Are you both alright?” Donevyn and Sky were hunkered against the back wall, the stallion crouched before her. He looked back and shook his head. “Sky's hurt.” “What?” Twilight galloped to her, stopping next to Donevyn. He was holding a wad of bandages to her side. “What happened?” “Just a little nick, that's all,” Sky explained through gritted teeth. “My flank!” Donevyn cried, removing the compress. The side of her robe was stained with blood, coming from a slice in its fabric. “The bleeding isn't stopping either.” “Well of course not!” Sky flared. “My friggin' robe is in the way! Don't they teach you anything? This would be the one time I'd allow you to undress me, and already you're screwing around like an idiot!” “Well if somepony wasn't being such a nag-” “Enough!” Twilight burst in. “Stop it, you two! We don't have time to be arguing like foals right now!” Shoving aside Donevyn, she ordered, “Go keep watch on the tunnel.” She picked up Sky's crossbow and gave it to him, “And let me know if they come back.” Turning to Sky, she looked her over. Sitting on her rump against the wall, the acolyte was in an obvious amount of pain, bleeding from a slash above her flank. Taking the clump of cloth bandages Donevyn had left, Twilight gave them to her. “Here,” she muttered as she worked, “hold this for a second.” Sky did as she was told, while Twilight took her robe and lifted it up. Taking the bandages back without a thought, she used them to clean around the wound and get a better look. It was certainly a slash from a blade, luckily not too deep. Blood continued to flow, beginning to stain the floor beneath them. “I- it happened back in the other room,” Sky explained, staring off into the distance. “I hardly even felt it, I was focusing on somepony else and I still don't even remember who did it.” “Uh huh.” Twilight summoned a flow of magic and readied her healing spell. I really hope this isn't as bad as Luna told me. “Keep talking.” “When we were running through this tunnel though I started to feel funny and I-” Sky screamed,Twilight working a light blue aura over her wound. The sound of tissue searing back together fizzed from her side. “What are you doing to her!?” Donevyn whipped around, his hooves clanking against the floor as he abandoned his post. “I'm helping her, you colt!” Twilight shouted. “Go back to where you were and keep an eye on them!” Lowering down to eye-level with Sky, who was grimacing and moaning in pain, she said, “I know, it hurts. Just keep talking to me, Sky. Stay with me. What happened in the tunnel?” “I- I- oh fuck me with a weathervane! That hurts!” Sky groaned, baring her teeth as the spell continued its work. Twilight recoiled mentally. That was a new one. “Sky, what happened when you were in the tunnel?” Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder, eyes working between her wound and her face. The pulling strain of magic loss was eating at her concentration. But she had to be strong, now more than ever. “If you tell me, it won't hurt as bad.” “I began to- to start to feel woozy, but I – ugh, dammit this hurts! This hurts, Twilight!” Her breathing escalated, panicked pulses of air escaping her lips. She took a minute or two to stabilize herself, gulping as she blinked the tears from her eyes. Eventually, she mustered the composure to continue again. “But- but I kept running until we entered this room. I- I couldn't see what was wrong anyway so-” Sky cried out again, as her skin was cauterized together. Twilight sighed as her spell petered out. In its wake was an ugly blotch of pink skin, devoid of any hair and much larger than the wound it sealed. “Alright, it's over. Just try not to touch it at all, and umm, what else did Luna say? Oh, it might... leak a bit.” Sky was laid back against the wall with her eyes clenched shut, panting and giving no indication whether she heard or cared. “But, you- you did great.” Twilight fought to control her own hooves, which were starting to tremble. “I know it hurt a lot and-” “Twilight!” Donevyn's voice was tight and rushed, as if jammed through a funnel. “Twilight! They're coming back!” She scrambled back to him. “Where?” Twilight asked, as they both peered into the tunnel. A metal hoof pointed far off into the darkness. “I can see glimpses of something moving down there, but it's weird,” he explained. “They're moving really slow, and when the light does catch them, it doesn't look like a pony at all. But something tells me it's them, I know it-” A crossbow bolt whizzed by their heads, clattering against the far wall. Twilight pulled him out of the line of fire. “Good guess.” Charging her horn, she threw up a shield and looked out again. Adding on another layer of magic, she cast a light down the hall and gasped at what she saw. A boulder, at least a pony tall and more than two wide, was being pushed down the corridor. Where in Celestia's name they even found the monstrosity was a mystery, but why it was moving was not. The legs of ponies could be seen sticking out from the sides, voices grunting as it budged along. “Oh in the name of,” Twilight groaned. Lowering her shield, she fired off a burst of battle magic, only for it to hopelessly ping off the stone shield's surface. Her own shield reformed just in time to block another flurry of the rogues' attacks. Her stamina was faltering, the shield flickering momentarily. Crossbow bolts were known, even in Equestrian history, to pierce all but the toughest of armors. Repulsing them, not just one after another but also in clusters, was energy that could not be recouped easily. A second volley of projectiles hit the shield again, and after they clanked off, Twilight’s spell shattered completely. Bearing down, she summoned another shield, which glitched and flashed. “It's only a matter of time before they get close enough and storm us,” Twilight muttered, partly to herself. “I'm not sure if I have enough magic left to keep them at bay.” “So... so you're saying we're doomed?” Donevyn asked. “Come on, Twilight, think. Think.” Donevyn looked out into the tunnel and then turned back around. “Oh no. We're as good as dead now. Just trapped in this hole, going to die and nopony will ever hear from us ever again!” His voice rose to echo throughout the room. Twilight's ears flicked in annoyance, a hoof rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Donevyn, shut up and let me think.” “Great! Just fucking great!” He slid to the ground, slamming a hoof. “No escape, no chance of even a death above ground. Oh, all the times I should have gone to the shrine and now The Winds can't even find my soul to carry it with them.” He rubbed at his eyes, breaths coming out as ragged gasps. “Just fucking great!” he shrieked. “Shut up!” Twilight glared at him. “If I hear one more peep out of you, I'll use you to find out what ruefire does!” Twilight stopped, and thankfully, so did Donevyn. Spurning into action, she reached into her saddlebags and pulled out the box Viridian had given her. She opened it, revealing the orbs of bright liquid. “Is- is that what I think it is?” Donevyn mumbled, crawling closer. Twilight looked out into the tunnel. The boulder had since edged within thirty yards of them, it's low rumble tickling their hooves. She turned back and held up the blue orb before her. “Well, it's time to find out what you do.” “Twilight, what- what is that?” Sky murmured from across the room. Twilight looked to the rebels and their stone shield. “Now, all I have to do is just toss it over and hopefully it'll shatter.” “Wait, Twilight, don't-” “Here goes nothing.” With a calculated swing of telekinesis, the glass of ruefire flew down the hall, Twilight's shield dropping a second before. It arced right over the boulder and descended below. Next thing she knew, Twilight was across the room, seeing stars as her head smacked against the far wall. A roar echoed around her, the boulder now wedged into the tunnel's entrance. Pebbles click-clacked, rolling across the floor as dust drifted into the air. The scent of ozone was everywhere, overwhelming her sense of smell. Her vision was fogged and her head hurt as if it were being crushed between a vise. She let herself lie on the floor, blinked her eyes, and breathed out. “Twilight? Are you okay?” She rolled over until her eyes settled on Sky. The acolyte was limping over to her, expression unidentifiable. Limbs sore, Twilight righted herself into a sitting position. “I don't know.” She bent over, head in hooves. “Besides what I'm pretty sure is a concussion, I suppose I'm alright.” “That's a shame.” Sky's face warped into a snarl. “I was hoping I could smack you for being such a reckless idiot. You could have killed us, Twilight!” The unicorn winced. “Ow. Can you keep your voice down? I really think-” “Well good! Do you even understand what you just did? Blue ruefire releases a lot of energy and heat, and since we're in a cave, it all gets funneled in two directions. The only reason we're not torched to a crisp is because that friggin' hunk of rock closed us in!” She shook her head and waved a hoof in the air. “You know, you could've just asked me! And- and I would've gladly answered with 'Blue ruefire is very powerful and blah, blah, blah, but don't use it in the cave, Twilight! No, especially not in the cave, because besides creating flames that can't be put out with water, it makes the surrounding air very, very hot. So please, don't be an absolute moron and burn our flesh off! If there's one thing you shouldn't do, Twilight, don't use blue ruefire in a cave! Got it!? Actually, no ruefire in caves at all! None!” Twilight squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the thumping pain encircling her head. Every time she tried to open her eyelids, the light in the room made the pain worse. The noise and the light together built a cumulative layer of agony, a crown of thorns growing tighter with each phoneme and photon. Silence draped over them like a blanket. Sky's panting soon withered out, and Donevyn dare not move. As the moments moved on, Twilight felt the pain ebb away, as slow as the tide line along the shore. It lingered like a bitter, constantly in the foreground of her conscious. “I'm... I'm sorry.” Sky heaved a long sigh, sitting down beside her. “I just- I don't know, I'm scared. More scared than I've ever been in my entire life.” Twilight, with her breathing finally settling, peeped an eye open. The room's light was bothersome, but tolerable. Sky's voice, thankfully, was softer. “I've almost died, what, three times in the past day?” The younger mare sunk to the ground. “I just started seeing out of my swollen eye before I got cut open. Then, right as I go through the most pain I've ever felt in my life, just to make sure I don't bleed to death, I come within inches of being burned alive. I mean, what's next?” She rubbed at her eyes. “It's just... so much. Since the ambush yesterday, I've been running on empty. I- I'm exhausted, I haven't eaten or slept much at all, my whole body hurts, and everything moves so fast I can't even think. There's so much adrenaline, anxiety, and terror that my brain feels like its been chopped up and cooked into a porridge; soupy and clumpy and stale...” Her voice cracked, choking on words. “I just want things to slow down, even if only a second.” Twilight pulled her into a hug. “I know, so do I. I would love to go back to yesterday morning and change everything. But we can't.” She rubbed Sky's back to soothe her trembling. “Luna is counting on us, and we can't give up on her yet. Like you said before, we can do this. We're almost there, I just need you to keep going for a little longer.” She pulled away, keeping her hooves on Sky's shoulders, and looked her in the eyes. “Can you do that?” Sky sniffled and closed her eyes, nodding slowly. “Thank you.” Twilight smiled at her and let her go. Donevyn was sitting by the tunnel's berth, watching them. He looked no worse for wear physically, but as he met Twilight's gaze, he lowered his eyes to the floor and frowned. “I just wanted to say that I'm sorry,” he muttered. “I was freaking out and distracting you while you were trying to save our flanks. Even if it almost killed us all, you saved us, no thanks to me.” “No, it's okay.” Twilight rose to her hooves, growing disoriented and dizzy from the sudden change in altitude. “Sky's right. A lot has happened, and I don't expect anypony to be perfect.” “I- Alright.” Donevyn nodded. “Thank you,” he put in quickly. “Now, should we move this boulder and continue on?” “Sky?” Twilight turned to her. “Do you think it's safe to head out?” The acolyte sniffed and looked up to them both. “You mean, out into the tunnel? I'm not sure, but I don't think we have much of a choice, either.” “What do you mean?” “Well, sooner or later we're going to run out of air in here. With the rock in the way, it's cutting us off.” She walked over to the blockage and pressed a hoof against it. “It's still warm, but with any luck we should be fine.” “Okay. I'll try to push back out. Stand back, you two.” Twilight positioned herself before the boulder. Wrapping it in an aura, she threw all her might behind it. The throbbing headache returned with a vengeance, but she gritted her teeth and pressed on. It felt like trying to move a brick wall, and not budging in the slightest. After flaring her horn as bright as it would go, Twilight let her telekinesis die out, heaving with fatigue. Her mind was hazy, each beat of the heart resulting in a pulse of pain along her temples. “Wow... It's really, really stuck in there,” she muttered between gasps of now-precious air. “Want me to help?” Donevyn asked. “Sure, if you think it'll help.” Twilight shrugged. “I don't know about you, though, Sky,” she continued, cutting the young mare off. “You've lost some blood and I don't want you hurting yourself more.” Turning back to Donevyn, she nodded. “Alright, get ready.” He moved up to the boulder, placing his forehooves on its surface. “Okay, three, two, one!” Twilight, making sure not to envelop Donevyn as well, grabbed the hunk of limestone and granite and shoved it with everything she had. It still would not budge, and her headache soared again, blood roaring in her ears. “Keep pushing!” she cried between gritted teeth. Donevyn's whole body flexed as he pushed with his forehooves. He huffed and grunted, body straining under its exertion. “Why won't you move?!” he growled, dropping back onto four hooves and ramming the boulder with his shoulder. Neither moved, and after steadying himself, Donevyn pushed off with all of his legs. Even the muscles in his neck were bulging as he poured all of his might into a mighty shove. Twilight, battling not only the task at hand, but also to maintain her spell over the rising pain, nearly missed the low rumble that drummed around her. Ever so slightly, she could feel her aura shifting forward. Momentum building, the arcane strain began to lessen, her power levels dropping instinctually. At the end of her rope, any chance of rest was subconsciously taken. The walls of the tunnel were becoming visible now, as Donevyn led the way. He moved in short, slow steps as power was transferred from one rooted hoof to another. With a final grunt, he gave a heave that pushed the rock a few inches further, the tunnel widening far enough to fit a pony through. Falling to the ground, the stallion muttered, “There. I- I- I did it. We did it.” Exhausted herself, Twilight let her magic die out. The weariness that hung over mind was numbing, her arcane reservoir all but dry. Burning out was only seconds away, if it weren't for the pegasus before her. But, magical depletion had it's upside. So distant and fatigued she felt, that the shrieking pain in her head dropped to little more than a whisper. “Good- good job.” “Thanks,” he murmured. Rising to uncertain hooves, he peered into the realm that awaited them. “Umm, Sky, is... is this supposed to be happening?” “What?” Sky perked up a trotted over to him. Twilight followed her, until all three of them crowded the opening into the tunnel. Small pockets of fire, from the middle of the floor to latching onto the walls, still crackled and burned. The flames were bluish in color, most vividly around the base until they became translucent at the top. Luckily, however, the heat of the reaction had mostly dispersed. It was still uncomfortably hot, but from what Sky alluded to earlier, it could easily have been much hotter. “Blue fire?” Donevyn gawked. “That's neat, I guess.” Twilight rested against the boulder, still trying to catch her breath. “Hey, Sky, do the sages use copper sulphate in ruefire?” “Umm, what's copper sulfate?” Twilight shook her head, murmuring to herself, “Right, Anarkhos.” She looked over to Sky and smiled faintly. “Oh nothing, just curious. I don't suppose you know how ruefire is made?” “No, I don't,” the earth pony replied. She cautiously began making her way between the flames. “Only sages are taught how to make it. It's very old, almost as old as the dilmun process.” Twilight and Donevyn fell in line behind her, the heat picking up both in the air around them and in the rocks under their hooves. The unicorn did her best not to look down, lest she find any mangled remnants of the rogues who once were. “It was originally created to deter princedoms and warbands from attacking shrines, back when they weren't protected by the crown,” Sky continued. “Or, at least, that's what we think. There's a huge gap in recorded history that we hardly know about.” “The Cadacus?” Twilight asked. “That's right,” the acolyte replied. “I've actually looked at the archives myself. During their reign, there is hardly any mention of ruefire at all; no inventory stores, no reports when it was used, nothing. Then, after the Cadacus broke apart, mentions of Ruefire were everywhere. The scribes talked about it like it had been around forever, and inventories showed a stock that would take decades to maintain.” “Does anypony know why the Cadacus fell?” Donevyn asked. “My tutors never really got around to explaining-” Crunch. Donevyn stopped mid-step, glancing at his hooves. Recoiling and looking away, he uttered, “I- umm, we should keep moving.” His breathing creaked like an old chair. “Quickly, let's go. I'm... not feeling too good.” “Right.” Sky upped to a trot. Twilight herself had blanched, forcing one hoof ahead of the other. The group drew quiet until they broke free, coming out where the tunnel had forked in two. “Let's go left this time.” Twilight moved to the front of the trio. “We still need the Fire Drizzle, which means were not done yet. There still may be some rogues left, even after... that.” She took their silence as agreement and acknowledgement. Turning, they descended down the newest passageway. A room was close by, lit by torches along the wall. As they neared, Twilight slowed down. “Alright, I'm going to look inside. Hopefully nopony is in there.” Stepping lightly to the entrance, she poked her head in. The cavern was full of old hay and blankets laid over top, with a few boxes of storage laying around. Thankfully, it appeared nopony was inside. “Come on,” she motioned for Donevyn and Sky, “it's clear.” Leading them inside, they spread out. “I think I found it,” Donevyn announced within seconds. The two mares rushed to him, as he ran a hoof along the wall. Sure enough, a streak of amber was running down from the ceiling far above. Taking off his saddlebags, he open one of them, emptied its contents, and held it up to the wall. “Sky, can you scrape some off into here?” Nodding, she stood on her hindlegs and rubbed off the hardy plant from the stone. It flaked and fell in chunks into his bag, accumulating until it was nearly full. Closing it, he thanked her and put his spilled food and tools into the other side of his bags. “So, are we good?” Sky asked Twilight. “We got enough of the herb, so can we just go out the way we came in?” “Yes, let's get going.” Twilight wrinkled her nose. “I've had enough of this place.” Moments later they were out and down the tunnel, moving quickly into the next one and not looking back. It was nearly over. As much as her hindlegs hurt – among every other body part – she found it hard not to sprint as fast as she could, to leave this nightmare behind her. -~- Four ponies huddled around another, who was still unconscious. Back in Iezno, the wear of the three's endeavors had shown, legs cramping and Twilight's head pounding. It took a remarkable amount of effort just to stay upright, and it appeared on all of their faces. “That should do it,” Viridian announced, after he finished wrapping the bandage – and the Fire Drizzle salve it held underneath – around Luna's chest. Twilight had been both frightened and mildly disturbed at watching the surgeon remove the bolt, but she wanted to make sure the alicorn would be alright. “Although,” he continued, “I am worried about the rest of you. Is that your own blood on your robe?” He pointed to Sky. “Oh,” she looked down at the stain, “why yes, that is. Twilight patched me up, though.” “Really?” He looked to the other mare. “Yes, but you might want to look at it too.” She sat down and tapped her hooves together. “I more or less cauterized the wound. I've read how risky that can be.” “Of course.” He nodded. “Come, let's go to another room, so I can examine it without disturbing Luna.” “Can I stay here with her?” Twilight asked. “But you're hurt too,” Donevyn pointed out. “Yes, but there's nothing I can do for a concussion besides rest.” She looked to Viridian. “You can check up on me later if you want, but for now I'd like to stay here.” “Of course.” He dipped his head and let the other two out. Sighing, Twilight dragged over a nearby chair and sat beside Luna, who was resting peacefully. In a cracked, broken voice, she mumbled, “I hope you're feeling better. Viridian says you should be fine, but I'm still worried. We did all we could to help, but now we can only wait and see.” “Is this what it was like, so long ago? Where a day can go from happy to terrifying in a single instant? Where sometimes you have to be a monster to save yourself from others?” She shook her head and let a shaky breath go. “I- I never understood how easy we had it in Equestria. When your biggest worry is whether anypony will bother checking out a book that day, it's hard to imagine a world like this. There are no elements of harmony to whisk away your enemies under a wave of rainbows. Rainbows!” she scoffed. Her chuckling died in her throat, descending into sniffles. “I need somepony to talk to, really bad. I feel so torn up inside, over what I did, over what I fear I may have to do. Even if it's for what I know is right, I hate myself for it.” She glanced briefly out the doorway. “I'd talk to Donevyn or Sky, but they're hardly more than colts and fillies. They- they showed it today. They're very brave and smart, and I guess you could say I'm proud of them, but... no. They shouldn't hear me like this, especially after all they've been through. I think it'd be too much. “I just want to talk to you, Luna. You've been through this before, you'd know what to say. I want to hear that it wasn't my fault. I want to be told that I did this because I had to, and that there was no other choice. I want to know that I've helped more ponies than I've hurt.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Because I... I don't know.”