//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Misperception brings us peace // Story: My Little Crusade // by Inquisitor-Awesome //------------------------------// Chapter 8: Misperception brings us peace “No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness.” ― Aristotle “If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.” ― George Orwell, 1984 “There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.” ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Collected Works Hello, I’m Wadi, may Allah and all his will be upon you. If you are reading this, it means I have died or I have found another place to write upon, but considering the problem that has caused me to write in the first place, I don’t believe it will be possible to find another writing wall. How this day should have gone: breakfast with morning tea, morning training, morning prayer to Allah, and then taking this land for our Sultan. Should have went, should, should, should. Did I already write how it should have went? Because I am constantly reminded that how exactly should our day have went. It’s all caused by something I said to have doubts to this day. Magic. Recently I talked to a horse, yes, a horse, and no I am not going mad, or becoming like Asad. It was a difficult conversation to hold really. At first I ordered my men not to attack them, the men of course were not very happy with this decision, and with good reason, many thought to take them as very expensive talking horse slaves. But now that we’re all captive I think some days of torture wouldn’t hurt me to do once I get my black prince horned horse head, named rhyming with cobra. These things were the creatures of those stories told to little children, kings and sultans, they were here all along, hiding in a island none noticed until a couple of guards saw a great battle between our ships and many of the sea monsters of this place. That was what I was told by my men anyway. Since our veterans came back from the mad hunt of the madman -- who now is our only hope -- we are all going to die a most painful death. So Asad would be our salvation by entering into this underground cell and saving us from assured death. Or finding help. If you reader are confused of what is my situation is and haven’t discovered the section of wood on the ship where I scribbled my previous thoughts. Don’t read on as I will not explain it once more. But do read as I ask you to tell my son we, the Expeditionary force, were awaiting their end, but didn’t die without killing our newly established enemy. Thank you for reading. Wadi the ingenious, was here. Wadi finished his fourth masterpiece of the night, his small prison cell becoming a little more like a huge wall diary. Having written his recent activities in each corner imaginable, giving him a sense of pride. Not many could do such good handwriting with pieces of the very same underground stone wall he wrote on. But every now and then, another coughing fit and tears appearing on his eyes, Wadi reminded his predicament. ‘I despise these thing more than I did before.’ Wadi through, and eye glancing at the thing as he continued writing his fifth masterpiece in hopes for them to be found someday. It was one of the dogmen, disgusting things. But this dogman in particular was not passing through like the rest. Looking for something on its carrying bag it threw something at Wadi, hitting him on the front of his unarmored head. With a glance he caught sight of a big white bone. “Itz time for eatz!” Yelled the armored dog, throwing bones into the cells of each prisoner. . ‘Does it expect me to take this as dinner?’ Wadi looked at the dog throwing food -- its waist to be precise -- with a dingling clinging beautiful image of a set of keys Wadi had ever laid his eyes upon. Wadi had seen what the dogs were capable of, in battle to be more exact; on the takeover of the ship. Once the men were on the sand to confront the unicorn talking shite for the evening. The dogs dug themselves out of the ground and dragged all the men they could down below. If there was anything to be careful from them it would be their sharp claws. With the speed they dug Wadi could tell those claws were not for show, but again, he remembered that in the midst of the battle the “what is that behind you?!” trick actually worked with them. ‘It wouldn’t hurt to try something, now would it?’ “Oy guarddog, do you for any chance are hungry?” Wadi said in a very unserious and bored tone holding his ‘dinner’. He could even use it as a hammer. “Oho, no, Don’t try your trik on me, I waz traned to not be dat dum.” ‘They had to be trained not to fall for stuff like this?!’ Wadi thought as he digested the dogs words. Thinking well of what things one would expect to hear of tricks, Wadi came up with a plan, or as he would never acknowledge, a plan that would make Asad proud. “Oh, and I thought we got captured by strong soldiers not smart ones.” Wadi said in a devious deceitful tone, he wasn’t a noble not ruler that’s for sure. “But we r strong!” The dog guard said feeling insulted. “Then prove it! With a test of power and might!” Wadi was going with the flow, acting quickly he tried for the best thing he could think of. “By smashing your head onto this door!” “Oh I will destroy it, AHH!” The dog guard said as he ran towards the cell door. Wadi being so close to the thing reared back bracing for impact. The dog scratched wood of the deck with the sheer force it dashed. Its yell of glory was cut off by a yelp as a cracking sound filled the prison. Wadi dared to take a peek, seeing the door smashed open and a idiotic dogman with its tongue rolling out and its eyes spinning. It gave Wadi a shiver, that was just not right. “I can’t believe that worked…” Wadi said as he signed and stood. His lack of armor making his movement incredibly easy. ‘Asad would have too much fun tricking these dogs.’ Wadi though as he checked the dog’s body, looting the cell keys and hitting the dogman square in the head with the bone for good measure. Steadily assuring his steps didn’t screech as much by the wasted wood placed to better support the dangerous tunnels. Wadi exited the cell with freedom in mind. He worked hastily, the moon leaking its light through one of the openings of the so called windows of dirt and grass. Wadi used all of his willpower to not talk out loud as his men from the cell next to his, raised with hope at his presence. With fast hands on the acquired keys the cells were unlocked. The men were basically nude. A simple cloth covering them as greeks of old, not even sandals. They had nothing to attack the enemy, an enemy that dominated the ship they were not in as they were armed to the teeth. They needed to come up with a strategy of retaking and sailing back home, or at least, escape until the rest of the army arrived and presented their spears to the enemy's rears. “Listen up men, no attacking, we need to escape this place and—” “Escape?!” One of the men whispered harshly, arm still shaking by its recent claw wound. “We need to retake the ship and seek retribution for our fallen!” “And then what?” Wadi replied with equal sternness, all the men opening space as Wadi closed the gap between them, faces almost touching. “Let ourselves have more early deaths? No, we need to escape with our lives and wait for our Sultan to send help. Until then we need to survive.” The man and the men around him looked enraged, they were not going to follow such order, but Wadi was not done. “But not without rendering our ship useless for those treacherous swines, a fire. With the bastards inside wouldn’t hurt.” That they liked. “Shred the sails, destroy the paddles, take as much weapons and armor as you can carry and run to the forest as silently as you can. I shall go and make holes on the bottom and add a new star in the night sky, only alone can I hope to escape the horrible sound the oil will surely make when ignited.” With their orders recieved the men responded with a silent, but yet clear. “It shall be done.” Wadi was not in a mood for sabotaging possibly their only mean of escape of the dreadful place, but he reassured himself that with his men there was more chances of surviving the aftermath and it was worth the risk. Those very men that headed ahead with a chuckle for the call of vengeance to happen. Crouching they strode towards the exit he has been proud to have remembered on the way in, a route which passed through many places Wadi knew creatures were to be expected. The kitchen. “So what I did with the little man after my sword had gone through its middle section was lifting it above my head, and with a swing, I threw it to the next one, Hah!” One of those bullman’s spoke with glee, greedily drinking what Wadi recognized to be his stash of ale, for emergencies of course. Wadi and his men hid from behind the doorframe of the kitchen’s entrance, the constricted hallway of dirt and floor of wood with pillars to support the roof, where his men breathed slowly, hoping to be found to fight head on. It took Wadi a short while to give his men a speak over on what to do. Unless he was under a torch they were invisible at the dead night. “Bah! That’s nothing, I grabbed one of the little things and splitted it in two with my bare claws!” The man sized dragon said next to the bullman, its sharp-toothed sneer making Wadi pause to glare in disgust. But Wadi lightly shook his head, he was not on a quest for revenge. Or at least not for the moment. The kitchen was wide, covering a size to feed an army. But Wadi was in thought of the escape, a tunnel framed with wood located on the other side. The place was as light as night would allow to be with torches on the walls, strange torches whose emitted light looked crystallized. There were too few tables to go underneath, and too many creatures to enter and fight. But with his usual groan of frustration that worked alongside a hand going through his hair and a lifting of his head, allowed Wadi to see something useful. Wooded horizontal beams. Used more to give a sense of grandeur to the room and eliminate the closed walls feeling, which were very hard to see, even with a keen eye. It was visible to Wadi because he was right on bottom of the main beam and after so long, he was used to the dark. Being already on the entrance it became easy for Wadi to split his legs and scale the door frame to reach the ceiling. The hollow of the ceiling and dark was perfect for cover; perfect to travel and reach where the stairs to the bottom resided on the other side of the room. His men saw his movement, and intelligently -- what a shocker -- waited until all creatures looked the other way before ascending with Wadi. With controlled breathing and a true nick for being invisible to others, Wadi crawled upside down in one of the horizontal beams followed by his men. The special wood uniting with a column every once in awhile, those were the spots that they would be harder to see. “So, you are the little hatching of the horde master aren’t you? You little runt are just like that crazy dragoness.” The same bullman that spoke before spoke again. “What did you say?” “You heard me, you are arrogant, greedy and have no true skill. All your kills come from your natural dragon abilities.” Wadi was actually curious as if there was going to be a fight, it would likely facilitate his sneaking by a great sum. “You believe you can take me, huh?!” The small dragon shouted with his claw reaching for a stolen sword tied to his waist, scratching the handle. “Then prove it against me on a death match you flaccid pathetic Minotaur!” “No.” The ‘minotaur’ said irritated, not even gracing the dragon with a facial reaction. “You remember the diamond dogs that Sombra and the alphas, ‘educated’ last month don’t you?” “Huh? ...Oh! Yeah, let’s not duel then.” The dragon child said with what Wadi could’ve sworn was a pale face. Shielding its stolen sword once more and sitting back down and into its drink. Wadi luckily stopped paying attention down below and took a look where he was heading. Seeing that the beam he was going over was directly connected to the central column that connected with the floor. Silent as a mouse, Wadi left his hands free, turning and reaching for the columns connection. Grip with excessive strength and balanced himself to reach the other side without problem. He was on the last stretch as his muscles strained for the extra-carefulness he gave to each movement. Better safe than sorry. But life wasn’t that nice. “So, who’s going to rest? I need to find that lousy dog, the one with the bones. He hasn’t gotten back for some time. He may have eaten the prisoner’s dinner. Heh.” “I’m not going to check on any of those dogs, their stench makes me dizzy.” “Fine, big hatching, I’ll go. It’s not that far anyway. I may even get to give a beating to one of the mans if he tries to insult me.” “Hey, that does sound hilarious, minus the stench, count me in!” Wadi could feel his heart and mind picking up by the variables in play for the night. Him and how fast he could move, his men and the amount they could carry including their composure to actually obey his orders, and the two creatures that were going to find the knocked out dog. He even took in mind the speed they walked out. Adding it all on his mental consideration pool. Wadi continued to balanced upside down on the beam followed by his men, but faster because of the time limit, tryin to the best of his ability not to be seen. nor heard as he saw almost every stone and dirt wall being hastily dug, if the uneven tunnels were to take account for -- and they looked for temporary uses only, these creatures were either going to kill them quickly or had some kind of evil plan devised already. Wadi stopped his thoughts, only wanting to get this done as soon as possible to finish the original mission: conquer the lands for his sultan, and go home to his son. Just as he stopped thinking Wadi came across the exit of the tunnels, quickly checking if there were anything else using them he walked forwards followed by his men, a frame of dirt twice his size shined bright, showing him the exit. Leaving, Wadi was welcomed by a salty smell and the dark sky, only getting a second to feel the sand under his feet and calming sound of the ocean before he noticed the shadow of his ship, and by its perfectly clean wood Wadi could deduce the creatures didn’t touch it. And when he noticed something more about the ropes and the improvised ladders Wadi’s mind came to a conclusion. “Are the creatures stupid?’ Wadi reflected as his eyes explored the sight of the empty, untouched, worse, improved ship. They were planning to use said ship, one of the sultans guard’s ship, and they believed they would sail anywhere before getting killed. Not only by enemies, but by the muslim army themselves. He was sure he had told about the amount bad things wanting them dead to the treshorus fiend that was the unicorn prince. Or at least it was a suspicion, there was another possibility, not that he would tell his men. “Alright, you have your orders.” Wadi spoke without looking back, he knew he was heard. The men rushed to the ladder, ascending the stairs with trained precision and disappearing into the deck. ‘Better get to work, now where did we put that oil?’ Wadi rested his arms, that last scaling did a work on his extremities. After a well stretched rest he rose with the rope to the deck and entered the ship, ensuring not to make loud noises for the dogs to hear. The last battle against them had proven their hearing sense. Something that was invaluable to know. After seeing his men carrying supplies and weapons silently too and fro, Wadi made his way to the bottom of the ship, searching and collecting the oil jars preparing to make a fire to burn the ship to nothing, or at least damage it as much as possible to make the hull useless. After looking through many useless junk, Wadi finally found the jars he was looking for, taking a minute to set them at each positions of the ship to maximize damage and to give quite the show for when they need to escape into the forest. Plans are ideal. “Heyz!” This is reality. Wadi turned at the shout, one hand on the oil carrier already making a line of oil to light and run for the hills and the other on a torch he had lit after the searched for the jars had became difficult. A dog guard was behind him, looking furious, and if the bent helmet was anything to say, Wadi knew the dog. “Sada...” “Wha’z man doin’ed in ship?!” The creature's disgusting breath almost made Wadi turn crawl up and die, and to add insult to injury Wadi wasn’t at the best uncompromising position. With a torch on his hand and the oil carrier in the other there was little else anyone should deduce of what he was doing. So if anything, the dog had become several times more stupid by its question. “What do you think I’m doing?” “I ask’z you what you doin’ed?!” “You tell me what I’m doing.” “You doin’ed... zomething!” Wadi was on the very least, amazed. Not every day one say the impediment of idiotic in what scientist would in the future call singulrity. “I’m not! One of your friends is down there, he told me to wait outside. He hasn’t gone out and I’m beginning to worry.” Wadi didn’t know what he was trying to achieve, he knew he couldn’t fight the thing head on as it would rip him to shreds but there was no way anything could be that-- “Snarky’s down there?” Amazing. “Yes! I can’t go down, I'm a prisoner, but you can, take this torch!” Wadi said moving close to the dog and handing it the torch and placing oil on the stick without it looking. “He may be hurt!” “Yesh! Yesh!” The dog replied as it descended the stairs quickly. Wadi stared into the lighted stairwell until it fell dark. After a couple of moments Wadi remained himself to exit the ship. Way too surprised to walk correctly, stumbling as he exited. But on the outside deck he heard the dog bark outside. “Wait... Snarky is a she!” Wadi could only deduce what happened inside. May it have been a speeded twist or a shove to the floor of the torch, whatever it was, it brought fire in contact with the combustible material Wadi had spread throughout the whole bottom deck floor and lightened up the night. And his back. Wadi was sent a meter or two flying from the deck to the sand below. Groaning in disapproval, Wadi used his will to lift himself from the sand and stumble into the forest, assured that everything with a pair of ears was going to hear what had transcurred and see the upcoming light and sound festival. ‘You are alright, you are fine, just find your men, the fiends will discover your escape eventually.’ But he didn’t expect it to be so soon. “What happened to the ship?!” Wadi heard just passing the first tree of the woods making his blood run cold, the voice of the pesky unicorn that started it all. “The mans are what?! Search the forest! Find the mans!” Wadi groaned as his legs unstiffened and became once again empowered with strength. He had told his men to run in a straight line until something stopped them and then run into the right, then to the left, and repeat. “I can see one!” Wadi cursed as it was right behind him. It sounded like that aggressive dragon child from before. “Come here you oversized monkey!” Wadi jumped to the side, right in front of a beautiful tree of massive size. A loud thump giving Wadi a satisfactory smile from the not seen but sure to have happened, collision. “I’ll get you you pathetic mangle-sproat!” The screeching dragon child hadn’t given up, to Wadi’s dismay, but changed tactics on each attempt at diving into him. Thankfully there was enough trees to give him a last dash to escape from each try. The thing was becoming frustrated, so much so that it did something Wadi didn’t expect. “I got you now!” The dragon child yelled as it dive several feet in front of wadi right on a place where there was no trees to dash into the sides from. But Wadi was at full speed and couldn’t stop, better yet, didn’t want to, accelerating directly towards the dragon Wadi released a wicked smile by the surprise on its scaly face. And with a final roar Wadi smashed against the dragon head on. The dragon gave a dangerous slash in the place where Wadi’s head was supposed to be, using his elbow as an opener to the stomach the small dragon’s breath was gone, clearly out massed by Wadi. But it was not out sharpened, with its claws it dug down into Wadi’s sides in an attempt to stop him through pain. But Wadi would have none of that. With the transferred speed to the dragon Wadi painfully stopped with his bare feet rasping the forest floor. And with a final swift movement from an elbow to a back fist to the dragon’s face Wadi assured that there would be much nosebleed on the creatures future. “Crud! My nose!” The dragon yelled as it stumbled backwards into a tree shaking its head and stayed there, recuperating. Not that Wadi payed attention, he was in a dash of recollecting speed once more. The dragon was assured to not be the only thing to want Wadi’s skin. Wadi was running faster than he had ever before, even running without his armor was never even close to how fast he was now. But irritably his vision became harder as the forest became thicker. Wadi could only hope none searched on his direction as he tried to zig-zagged in between trees to leave a strange trail. Advancing, Wadi found himself under a thin layer of canopy where he gave himself time to breath. He was mostly safe, but he shouldn’t give himself that much time on one place. Wadi looked at the night sky, happy to be able to see it without branches in between. But he soon discovered something alarming. ‘Did the dragon child had poison in his claws or something?’ The darkness was not for the forest becoming denser, but because of his vision becoming darker. It was alarming to say the least. But when he thought about it again, and paled, he moved a hand to his back. He felt something liquid. Moving his now trembling hand to his blurry vision Wadi could see very clearly he had not runned from the pressure fireball of his ship unscared. But he couldn’t feel a thing. Which was even a worse sign. “Damn it al--” Wadi finally felt the effects of running with an opened burned wound gashes of claws on his arms. He had passed out right on the spot. Day two. I have gained the trust of the critters at the feet of the oglala tree and they think of me as their own and don’t even notice my difference in size and species. They’re a warm society where male and female are treated and have their respective jobs, warriors and collectors. The female I met in the past on my confrontation with the minotaur, Furball Leaf, has happily integrated me into her society. I have been a well defender, and my skills as the only doctor have given me a name and reputation. But I have told them of my quest to find my pool of power and food, and they understood. But after so much time helping them as they help me through this journey. I don’t know what to do. The Rocky-hill tribe has threatened Furball’s village from time before I arrived, I have helped in the fight tremendously. By sheer force and presence I keep them at bay, but I knew not what to do if I am to leave. And the elders are too stubborn to abandon the ancestor's tree. I am left to take whoever wants to live at peace, and I-- Oh Wadi! It fact it was. Wadi appeared under a tree near Asad’s ‘home’, huffing as if he had runned from a rabid horse. Asad was happy to see his friend after so long. Being in the forest and living with the little furry creatures given him company but the sight of an old friend was always good on his sacred book. But before Asad could say anything to his stumbling friend Wadi fell on his face. A loud smack reminding Asad it had rained recently and there was mud everywhere. “Wadi are you alright? Wadi? Ah he’s asleep.” Asad was scared when he saw Wadi fall but calmed down when he came to the conclusion that he was just asleep. Raising from his temporary home making sure none of the fur of his downed enemies fell from his person he closed in to Wadi. Seeing the horrifying gatch on his back. “Gezz Wadi, you have been having some fun without me. Here, let the doctor take a look at you.” Asad spoke as if anyone was listening. Dragging the downed man under the tree and near his little friend’s adobe. Banging the little piece of wood he considered a door with his finger a small pair of eyes came out to greet him. “Hello miss, a friend of mine appeared to have dropped by, would you be a dear and find me my tools?” The little Furball did as asked. Entering the hole and exiting with a nail size bag made out of leather. “Perfect. Now, it’s time for the doc to do his magic. But with the pool I should’ve been several times more powerful... Oh well.” “HahahahaHAHAHAHahhahaHAHAH!” Laughing filled the room. The stressed filled-men on their toes-clearly frustrating, room. Celestia, the princess of the recently formed New Equestria had finalized a story that had ruled her nightmares for quite some time. And it was being laughed at. It was irritating her to no end. “HAHAH!” Was Frederick's response to Celestia’s statement about a ‘hell on both the living and the dead’ he gave everyone a good hearty laugh. “The angel’s prophecy was right and they called me mad! I must spread the news about this. Squire write the note up with the necessary changes. NOW!” Frederick screamed at his squire and the boy ran to do his job. “But Templar what about the creatures? Aren’t they in league with the devil?” Questioned a knight. “No son, these creatures aren’t demons but mere mortals ignorant to the true faith, but that will be corrected soon enough.” Frederick said calmly waving off the question from the knight. “But it could be a trick!” Exclaimed the knight. “Boy, we both know the devil won’t play with a chance on being free from his eternal prison and desires to enslave us all.” Frederick said in a serious tone as if scolding the knights. ‘Eternal prison? Did they imprisoned him? Curious’ Celestia thought curiously as to what else did the mans know, and now she knew which man to ask. “Now if you excuse me I am off to spread the good news!” The Templar stated as he walks out of the throne room leaving everyone confused on how well he took the story. “Well, this is going to be harder than expected.” Ermo said, more to himself as he thinks of what is going to happen next. But Ermo wasn’t going to forget about his friends earlier shouting. Just remembering which day it was Ermo cursed himself from not noticing it sooner. “Jurian, if you wish to leave I can speak without need for protection since this gast of a situation has been moderately resolved.” Jurian didn’t even spare a glance. “Thanks, Mi’lord” Jurian said with a small smile as he walked out of the throne room to do whatever he does to forgot about this horrible day. Once Ermo was the only man representative in the room he turned back to the ambassadors, who were calmly returning to their seats, even the zebras that had disappeared returned. “Well, I would like to apologize for the... interesting day we just experienced, but if there’s nothing else anyone might want to add, I would like to talk privately to the ruler of the kingdom if anyone has a say about it.” “I don’t know what you have thought this realm is ruled, king Ermo, but this is a collective rule. Anything concerning our kingdom should be said to all of us. Celestia may be the princess, but is here as an Alicorn representative. We are the others. So we have as much of a say as Ruler Celestia.” Said Silver Peak. And now Ermo finally understood he was out of his comfort zone. Always been able to speak to a king or queen into his side by using them as a catalyst, but he had never needed to give a speech to so many with the same amount of say on things, well except that one time in venice. It would be a hard job. “Ah, but its to discuss what she was facing actually and to help solve her confusion about what was the red light.” Ermo calmly said as he tries to move the conversation with Celestia to a more private location. “But then it wou-” Silver Peak is interrupted by a strange sound he did not recognize. “What is that?” Celestia was the first to speak up. Hearing the singing strangely familiar, as it was way too slow and with a distinctive language on its tip. “Ah, yes, my apologies. I hoped it would come up after, but it appears I was too late.” “What are you talking about man Ermo, is your men invasive singing something of worry?” “Well, no, it’s a tradition of church, sir dragon.” “Church?” “Indeed, it is tradition to do mass on the seventh day of week and on holidays of the church liturgical year.” “Seven? Strange, there's four days in our week.” Dreq said confused. “Why do you have four days?” Ermo equally confused. Celestia’s eyes glimmered, this is where things get crazy, and she always loved to watch go down. It was maybe a sadistic need she had. Cultural comparison. “Come one, Clover, one more time.” “I still think it’s stupid.” “It’s just stupid if you think.” “Then it’s always stupid.” “You two are morons.” “Shut up, Discorded.” “What kind of name is, Discorded?” “I had to come out with something to call her, and that sounded good at the time.” In the runic dungeon there’s little to talk about. No pony nor creature is stupid enough to enter such forbidden controlled place. After the fight, the war, it was built up to be a sector of fear; a place where rumor of Discord himself was still alive and tortured, magic books written by ancient creatures were held in security, or all the princesses toys were guarded inside. Yes, many things were rumored to be happening in such a place. “Poking is a stupid game.” Except what was actually happening. “Oh, boo-hoo, you are a mare that lets herself get stomped on by other more imposing creatures. If you want to mount that stallion do it with force! Bah ha ah ha!” And talking in front of a evil corrupted princess made it many times worse. “Clover.” Reasoned Mystic Mind, stallion of the recently formed arc-group under the great Starswirl’s command. He was of blue eyes, blue coat, blue wild mane in a blue strangely patterned cloak, thankfully his eyes had some white and black, because if not, the mare in front of him would be running for her life by the creepiness of such a thing. “I get that you want to learn how to play Poking better, but do you think we can do it outside of the discord prison?” “Oh come on, you are into those rumors too?” The mare was a white unicorn with a green mane with a light green highlight in the middle and wearing her signature cloak, now with a sudden extreme irritation that grew on the sides of her head she continued. “I mean, what is it with you conspiracy theorist believing discord is still alive? Or we keep war prisoners, the war had no hostile survivors.” “Hey, its a little obvious if you think about it. Starswirl being here for most of the war, just happens to have a reason to not show anypony, and just happens to employ especial unicorns to defend it after, and just happens to have an evil version of Princess Celestia! There could be so many things into the end of discord than we could never know!” The stallion answered insulted for such an misinformed understanding. “But you have to admit, those rumors come along quite nicely to what is going on.” “What do you mean?” “What? Have you seen her?” At the mention of the third one in the room the torch they were under moved to illuminate her. ‘Nightmare’, as she wanted to be called, was of a black coat with a mane that looked like the night sky as it moves on its own, and the mare was in her old tattered clothing that she was in before being corrupted. Anypony could say it was princess Celestia’s evil twin and they would get away with it. “As much as I would love to be recognized by all as your ruler above everything else, I will not admit I have any connections to that pathetic mare you call warrior.” The mare in chains said looking calmly sitting near the only opening of her cell, the iron barred door; closed door. Runes drawn in each section of it as well as the shackles, this evil being wasn’t going anywhere. “She has no power compared to me!” “You see, nothing alike.” “Yeah, yeah... huh?” Without his own consent Mystic Mind’s ear rose from his spot on a hearing angle, curious as to a sound he wasn’t supposed to be hearing. “Hey... hey, Clover... do you hear that?” At the mention of hearing Clover’s ears picked up as well, curious as to what Mystic was talking about. After a moment or two Clover was about to ask if Mystic has been drinking something bad on the week. “Mystic. What are you talkin--” But then there was a sound. A whisper. “What the...?” Nightmare Moon, as she called herself, picked her ears as well, and she said what all were thinking, saying it mostly to herself. “Is that singing?” Nightmare’s curiosity got the better of her when she noticed the stoic Clover begin to pace from leg to leg breathing raising strangely. A mare that has been on her target for batching for so long because she wasn’t affected by many things. This was getting on Nightmare’s upper list of things to know. “What? Don’t tell me you have a sudden fear of chanting voices, if so, I demand a music instrument. No connection between the two whatsoever.” “Shut it!” Clover snapped, not even trying to hide her stress, which got Nightmare to smile, but interest to peak. So she remained silent. She knew the mare was going to talk out loud, she always did. “Oh dear, oh dear, Mystic do you know what this means?!” “Uhh.” Now Nightmare spared her eyes to the stallion which raised her confusion and prying mind into the moon, what was going on? “Well, that we will have background music?” “Are you dumb! We are hearing singing!” Clover was practically pulling Mystic’s mane off by the way she was basically on top of it, looking into his eyes as if her knowledge and stress would pass on. “...So?” “What are the letters on the walls for, Mystic?” Clover’s eyes couldn’t get any closer to Mystic’s and Mystic himself couldn’t be any more confused. But not Nightmare. Or anyone that was not distracted. The walls were glowing, the voices became louder by the second, the floor was vibrating and Nightmare was loving it. Whatever was happening was making her feel better, better than she had felt in ages. The erratic singing became a chanting, and the singers might as well be on the prison door. The room trembled and part of the ceiling was trying to meet the floor for the first time in centuries. Clover and Mystic were in a panic. “Ah! Looks like my friends are here to free me at last. You better start running foals.” Nightmare said, now laughing at her hearts content. Oh, how long has it been that she had laughed so freely, how long had she waited for something like this to happen, how long had she felt pain. Wait, that last one wasn’t right... Pain, she was feeling pain, but why? What is this chanting? Telling of it to her for her aid was to scare, but could it be for her end? Nightmare couldn’t think anymore, she felt as if she was set aflame. Her laughter changed into a screeching scream as her chains were shattered and the cell door was opened. In her blind pain she flailed her body in hopes of the pain go away. A pain so great her eye couldn’t do anything but look at all direction for help. “KYAAAAAAA!” “Where’s Starswirl, Mystic?! Search him!” “Huh, huh! Right!” At the bit of escalated situation Mystic flared his horn and conjured the only spell that assured his place in between Starswirl best. The world on a ten kilometer radius became his and he could see all he wanted anywhere. Looking for one creature he knew very well in particular. “Got him! I think? I feel interference!” “Just tell me a direction!” “Uhh, hmm, from center! Up three, right two, fifth room!” “Got it!” On the set coordinates Clover flared her horn, the combo of Mystic and Clover was perfect on the sense of why they mattered, with her mind on the coordinated given Clover they disappeared into a flash of white, a popping noise following and overcoming the low chanting for a moment. “Come, on, just, a little, more.” Starswirl was in a strange predicament. He was wrapped in a magical towel like a baby, he smelled like a mare in heat, he couldn’t use magic or he would be in pain, and he was still feeling the effects of the magical stupifier Celestia had used on him. “Just wait and see Celestia, my vengeance will drop on you ten fold for this.” Starswirl groaned for vengeance for the millionth time. The towels were very well wrapped, and after a loud and impressive singing coming from outside, he had retained some one his consciousness. Which came with his hate of the situation at hoof. “Help! Someone, I know you’re out those doors!” Starswirl may have been covered from head to flank with towels but he could still crawl like a worm, trying to find help had been his plan in between trying to break free. And it has been a while. In his incisive slithering through the floor Starswirl had gone into thinking, over the plans of vengeance for the future Starswirl thought of what had happened to him to get into such a problem in the first place. He had forgotten everything about it. “Master Starswirl!” A voice yelled his name, a familiar voice that he was not used to hear at such a stressed pitch. “Clover?” Starswirl asked from his belly to the floor position near the door. He skillfully turned like a newborn foal to see into the room. And he was caught with a pair of surprised eyes and red cheeks watching him from the other side of the room. “Yes?” Starswirl asked again, it had been a couple of second and the two acolytes of his haven’t said a word. Which had him thinking, and then wanting to facehoof. What would anypony think on his situation? “What? Why are you here? Did something happen?” Starswirl’s stern voice snapped the two aclydes he told to guard, out of their trance. “And help me out of this damned cocoon!” “Yes, sir!” The two ponies worked quickly, Starswirl didn’t show any emotion as they unwrapped him and looked down once he was at full height. Not wanting to meet his eyes. “Well?” Starswirl said on his common commanding tone trying to clean anything that might’ve been kept on his fur. The two ponies shivered by how close Starswirl got, or to what it looked like he was caught into. “Speak, now.” “The rune dungeon is under attack!” Both said without lifting their heads. “What?!” Starswirl was just about to use his magic to teleport immediately to the place in question, but then thought about the pain his horn would suffer. “Take me, quickly.” The two cloaks ponies looked at each other nervously, Star was trying to analyze what had comed to happen. But after an unnatural pause, Starswirl looked back to the duo. Eyebrow raised. “We can’t.” Said Clover looking back into Starswirl’s face, serious as she could get, before looking at him in surprise. But stopped once Starswirl’s eyes got narrower. “And why is that, Clover?” “It took us seven tries to find you.” Clover said, eyes searching into her mind of answers of her own to Starswirl’s apparent miracle recovery. Magic repairing, or massing with the pony body was unheard of, or attempted deeply. Too many things could go wrong. Even something as simple as curing burns or growing fur. “Interference? Bah doesn’t matter, we must arrive at the prison now!” Starswirl said while already running to the door, the acolytes followed, smashing through it Starswirl paused to give himself an idea to where he was, it was a big castle after all, but once his eyes glimmered with recognition he analyzed the best route to take as he trotted his way to the prison. “And there’s something else you should know!” Mystic yelled out as he ran next to Starswirl, who gave a partial concentration to dashing as he glanced at Mystic, to confirm his attention. “Nightmare’s cell was busted open, and the runes were acting crazy the moment we started hearing the singsing!” “What?” Right as Starswirl said it his mind flashed back to the singing back from when he awoke, “You mean this singing?! Wait... now that I hear it, this is not singing!” And it was not. The voices that were currently ‘singing’ seemed to say the same words, after a standard time, the words were extremely spread out and it was way too composed and of various tones of each silabite for it to share an emotion. Star’s mind was in overdrive, working the what was going on as they neared the entrance to the runic dungeon. His acolytes that were pretending to be nobles near the entrance watched them pass as they heard the strange singing, confused by their hurry. But followed once they saw who were going in. “Clover, close all exits, if you can’t with magic call the guards, this is too big of a situation to leave loose. Mystic, go for the back, we need to make sure she doesn’t get out!” The two nodded as they separated from Starswirl, opening from the now immense following Starswirl was pulling of added guarding acolytes. The runic wall becoming visible as its liquid like entrance blocking light from entering , no longer the ‘man creature’s formed opening from last time, closing in. If starswirl wasn’t over thinking so much he would’ve seen that the door was about to burst. Starswirl’s presence to the door opened the runic entrance and allowed magic users to move inside. They didn’t get to blink. The hall exploded with a wind of black, the pony’s yelled in pain as their ears were assaulted by thousands of screaming specters that filled the hall with their presence. Star was pushed back, falling to his side by the force and sliding backwards, barely keeping himself in place as the wind picked up power and shoved the wall of ponies out of the hall. The unicorns unable to use magic, the pegasi unable to fly, but the earth ponies were the only ones that could even try to stand against it. Not that the pushing of dozens of bodies against them helped. Star forced himself to look into the wall of eyes and screaming faces that slashed through the air at incredible speeds. They were fast, but didn’t escape his keen eye, they looked like deformed creatures that he recognized but shadowed and deformed into smoke. The soldering sound was overcomed by the sound of glass breaking from behind them, and stone from the ceiling beginning to fall into the floor. And just as sudden as it began. It ended. The stumbled and disoriented all of ponies stood in awe of what had just occurred. All wondering what in the world had that meant. They didn’t even get to think anything else. A clopping sound responded on the silent hall, silence created by none speaking a word because of training or awe. All heads turned to the sound, the the lack of light inside the invisible opened runic passage made most strain their eyes to see. Only those that were already used to the dark place could see the figure. A silhouette contrasted in the darkness, as it seemed darker than the darkness itself. The acolytes lowered and heated their horns by instinct, thinking over the rumors of powerful magic prisoners to be true. The rumors have piled up to say there was a reason Starswirl kept such a big squad of trained unicorns at his beck and call. Whoever was inside was powerful enough to take him on. This alone made their breathings heavier and their legs shake. While others have never attacked anything in their lives. Saying the acolytes were scared would be the understatement of the day. To the ones not involved. Starswirl was thinking it over. Nightmare free was a problem of its own, but the unicorns could, by fear, not listen to his orders and do something he would later regret; to flash light into what they will see to Celestia herself. Many acolytes that had seen him on the halls and followed are relatively new and Star has had no time to make them perfectly disciplined. “Crud.” Starswirl said as he advanced into the opened runic door. Because the other unicorns were on a fighting position they could even try to follow their Archmage. And were left surprised and with words of warning in their throats as Starswirl reached the other side and closed the door by stomping a runic circle on the other side. Starswirl was placing everything he had on the action. Was it pride that ruled him to basically whisk away his life on the hooves of Luna? Yes. Was it his arrogance that led to this happen? Maybe. Was he irritated that he didn’t know the answer? Completely. “Stop right there, Luna!” Starswirl said threatenly, lowering his horn and pretending to prepare a spell. He knew he was doomed but it beat by much more the alternative of doing nothing. The figure, strangely, did as he asked. Stopping in the shadows were Star could barely see. Her mane was strangely still, and there had been no laughs nor insults. But again, he had never seen Luna out of the cell. She could be completely different for what he pictured her personality would be. She could be more psychologically twisted than he originally thought. He didn’t even notice the figure trembling. Which made hearing the next almost break his logical thoughts. “Help... me. Please.” Oh no. “Oh yes.” Celestia said out loud as she savored the soon to come pleasure, smacking her lips in anticipation. “How long has it been, too long I say, your body, your smell, taste. You are gorgeous this evening.” Celestia moved down to her sweet, giving a playful lick as she closed her eyes moaning as the taste of its exterior making its way through her senses. It was driving her mad that she had to do it so slowly. “Soon my dear, you will be mine, and I will be yours.” But Celestia wasn’t alone in her blissful enjoyment, not for lack of trying. The king Ermo and the representatives around her were of course in discussion about things at hoof, and went off into a direction she could barely understand. She tried to, for her lord father she did, but it was too deep of a subject for her and once the love of her life had arrived from her guard's request, she got a little side tracked. Celestia was in paradise. “Princess, are you understanding what we agreeing upon?” Ermo’s voice was so close to Celestia’s ear that she shook her head by the uncomfortable feeling. One of the nobles close to her gently coughing politely as Celestia’s blushed rushed to her face. “Are you enjoying the pastry?” Ermo said with a smirk. Celestia’s eyes finally left their tunnel sweet vision, and saw that the room which had been filled with discussion and comparison between cultures, flew off and delved into business apparently without her consent. So, where she was thinking her presence was being ignored in the last conversation that compared calendars, ages where the childs of each species became mature, and the fact that there views on females are more than... unsatisfactory, what they were actually doing was observing her strange behavior. But then again, sweet delicious pastries! “Very much, yes, thank you.” Celestia said rectifying her back as she accommodated her behind to the soft pillow seat, trying to save herself from more embarrassment. “But yes, princess, we have come to our agreement and we have reached our verdict, we are hoping for your vote on this, as representative of alicorns, yes.” The unicorn representative explained, the uneasy feeling he carried of being seated next to the man, long gone. An equal ground was reached when Ermo had commented on how obviously lacking of class where those of lower accommodations to them, and much more. The man’s swift words seemed to serene the nobles around him. “Yes, respond warrior princess and tell us what you think of this man’s proposal. It’s quite interesting how one sided it is...” Horde master Dreq however was very questionable about the man and their ulterior motives, not even wanting to sit two pillows close, and every time the man tried to move around and walk as he spoke, -- Celestia saw Ermo had a thing on walking and his gesturing with his ‘hands’ -- Dreq’s seat moved, by his own say. Everytime. Dreq’s fondness of the man was shared somewhat by Celestia, but on her side she dumbed down that feeling, less she had to stress with the ‘ruling’, the better, at least that’s what she wanted. But in the end Celestia was in the dark for the whole length of the conversation with her slice of paradise, she knew nothing about the proposal, and now she would look several times less trustworthy. Trying to not look around nervously Celestia thought of the only pony, unicorn, that could talk about a subject he has never heard of. “Well yes, I would like to say my verdict, but it would be better if Ermo recalls it all so everything is laid out in the table.” Celestia fought to not smile as the words were stolen right from her memories, and the same result of the whole room nodding. “Ermo could you please?” “Huh, very well.” Ermo said, his smile never waring down. “It’s an exchange as I have said, from the materials sir Dreq has told me you have at the dozens, gold, gems, exchange weight to weight with our rations and as Templar Frederick added before leaving, the enlightenment of the realm of man.” Celestia was surprised. It did sound as they were stealing the mans from so much, gold may be hard to obtain but gems we as common as rocks. She knew there was something else he was getting from this exchange, but she knew the kingdom wouldn’t stay united for another week if food wasn’t found. “Anyone else wants to add something, questions perhaps?” Celestia said, her imitation of a certain archmage giving her a mysterious smug that she hadn’t felt before. None answered, not that they didn’t seem like it. “Then it’s settled.” “Excellent!” Ermo bursted smashing his hands together giving out a strange fish crashing fish sound. “I’ll do the arrangements to give it a official document signed by the Pope himself. Those churches will come in handy to spread knowledge around here.” Celestia had an uneasy feeling that she had missed much more than simple discussion of trade. “So, what has transpired so far? Remember, what you did and what you think is important to report to Master Jurian, and no, I will not write rumors down.” The scout leader said out loud; he knew his men were listening, they were always listening. The missions organized by their founder and leader Jurian were always challenging, but this took the proverbial pastry. Many things were found on the mysterious land that would make the first sighted hydra reported to have been slain on the first day as docile as a soft chick in comparison. The scout leader sat on his placed cloths in the forest floor, expecting his comrades to sit as well. These scouts were survivors, they endured, some were injured, yes, but none could be killed, they were just too cautious, trusting nothing, not taking anything for granted. They tested the grassy floor as they walked to the nearest place to rest their feet, some could actually be marshlands in disguise. There were eight scouts, ten with the leader. They all showed signs of the respective regions they were sent to explore. Two of south, two of east and two of north, an extra group of two which was the personal stalking of sir Jurian himself, but the two of west had yet to return. As they got comfortable the leader’s mind drifted into the usual thinking that he had been doing for some time. Animals were hard to come by, there was nothing anywhere to be an assured meal. Trees never changed, as in species, and they were extravagantly small, always of the same type and were not affected by the land it grew upon, creating hard to perceive changes in the environment. The weather was mad, some plains had clear divisions to where rain fell-- as in they could walk in and out of spots where it fell, and that’s not adding the other elements of the weather like wind that blew in circles fast enough to create water whirlwirls in the air. This was the ultimate challenge. “So?” The scout leader said out loud again, the men groaned as they despised reporting the strange things they had seen. If they were given more time to assimilate it they would have no problem, but for this land, it would take months to recuperate their long lost normality. “Alright, alright, I’ll start.” Rasped the old scout, the north division, trying to make himself comfortable on the stump he sat on, a big golden helmet with a huge hole adorning his head, he wore it with pride even with it constantly slipping to a side. “After reporting to the general in the United base as Jurian had ordered, when heading back here we had encountered what we had thought to be enemy scouts, not different from the ones we saw with Ermo when we had to hastily leave. They... attacked us, yeah, attacked us. Caught two off guard with our daggers flying out our cloaks, stunning them and capturing them. We did as what we thought best and took them to the general in United base, since it was closer and I believe we both didn’t want to be close to those things more than we needed to.” “We wanted to report back to master Jurian that these fiends were trying to take us out, but then we found that the King whoever is now lulling these things into web! Bah! I should’ve known that man was mad. If the devil himself came out with a fine deal he would actually think about it! Crazy bastard...” “North the First, this is not a report where you can vent off your dark thoughts. I want your facts. Now.” The scout leader said, eyes stearn and uncaring for his subordinates opinions. North only rolled his eyes. “Fine! We found wooden beasts, jumping rocks with teeth, spiders made of vines that want to take you to the forest the moment you get near. Just like the ones we had to fight today to enter this one.” The scout said tightly closing his eyes and massaging his template. It hasn’t been a very normal week. “Is that a good enough report for you?” “No. That’s my part of the report. Anyone else?” “Huh, I’m next, I guess.” The scout next to him said, the south scout, half of his robe filled with sand that seemed to stick to it like flies. “Me and my comrade on our south scouting caught sight of an encampment filled with white horses with black stripes, or black horses with white stripe-- oh whatever, four legged like horses I guess, only when we found ourselves with the group that headed east was that we learned that the encampment like the city of talking horses.” “So if anything you want to write in that report, put that the white and black things can vanish in the plains if they want to. Believe me, we got ourselves thinking we were mad the moment we followed them to the capital city the group following master Jurian talked about, and they just poofed in middle of a big plain. Just like that.” “It’s not exactly following we do.” Said the ‘Stalking’ scout laying closest to the bonfire. “We are told to stay close just in case they were captured or trapped in some way. Master Jurian is a very paranoid man, but I believe this land justifies most of his strangeness.” All the men nodded at the last addition. “Have anyone noticed the fur? Those colors are not natural, I met a pink one when trying to figure out how those flying ships works. Pink fur!” “Enough of that. If you want so much to have yourself a new pink fur coat wait until the crazy king fails, until then, get serious and report.” The scouts rolled their eyes at the stick well placed on their leaders behind. He was never fun when on a mission. “Then I guess we’re up.” Said the youngest between the scouts, the one of east, forehead with a recently made wound closed and healed, his upbeat attitude keeping the group in a somewhat high spirit. Another scout, this one snoring resting next to him, too tired from the journey, had the same wound on his forehead.”But father, there's something strange in our report.” “Strange as in how?” “Well...” _______________ “Nothing, nothing, and look! Nothing!” Complained the young scout as he continues to survey the area for anything to even alleviate his boredom. “I prefer nothing, it’s better. But continue cautiously, ‘silence has always brought many ill things’. Keep those words in mind.” Said the older scout as he looked around to see if anything reacted to the young scout’s voice. Then the man trembled, and not because of old age since the young one trembled as well, no, the man trembled like the trees on the area he was standing. The land had tremble spots, where little movement of the floor could be felt, but in others it would not. At the beginning, of course that they found it strange, but yet again, if it is everywhere, and so frequent, was it really that special? And after several hours feeling it, these two saw it as forgettable as well. But a loud thunder striking sound, a whip, was not as common. They moved quickly, as they were trained to, sticking into the nearest hiding place as a safe haven, tree and bush alike. The man and his apprentice hid in silence, the whip sound repeating several times, each with a loud yell of some kind that seemed to signal the arrival of the next whiplash. In between the lashing and yelling there was a more common sound, the familiar sound of wooden wheels with no oil being turned was too distinctive to pass by. Based on the assumptions with sound and possibility, both scouts believed the source was a farmer trying to arrive to some village or city to sell his products, a stubborn horse being the reason for the whipping. But they were trained to not take any chances, so they slowly peaked a look. It was only thanks to their training that they didn’t break their minds at to what they were saw. Don’t take anything for granted, don’t make assumptions. “ التحرك على نحو أسرع العبيد بلدي نحن ذاهبون بطيئة جدا” (Move faster my slaves, we are moving too slow!) The whipping came again, dozens of squealing bunnies strained their backs, another dozen squealed in accretion. There was a average sized bunny fur coated muslim man standing on top of a small waggon being pulled by dozens upon dozens of bunnies with war paint on their furry faces and small vines that made the work of chains on their bodies, strapped to the wagon for them to pull. Another group of bunnies holding improvised spears that could be confused with sharpened sticks, roared behind this waggon, matching at the rhythm of the whips with synchronized matching. And in the center of it all, on the back of the waggon, an unconscious muslim warrior with an unhealthy amount of stitches on its back from what seemed to be burn and claw marks. The whipping continued without a hitch and no glance was spared to the two scouts that were ready to leave their foreheads lack of pain on the nearest rock. _________________ “So... there’s muslims and hostile dragons in the land along with trembling just like the rain mystery. That will definitely be part of the report.” Said the leader bobbing his head without even breaking his stoic expression. The scouts around him “Is that’s all you want to take from that? Only the muslim in the back with a huge burn mark on his back and the random rumbling?” “Yes, that is all, end of discussion. But I believe it would be better to remake this report in the morning. I will leave you to rest and recollect your thoughts to make them clearer.” Said the leader scoat, already shaking his head at the great amount of information placed in his report. Thankfully it wasn’t going to be read. Scout Report. Ermo is mad. This land is mad. Strange horses of white stripes with black fur roam the land like phantoms. A scout team from the horse city was captured and sent to the general at the shore. There's Muslims in the land, as well as rogue-hostile dragons. And there are little bunnies that appear to have tribes and slavery along with the mysterious weather patterns and light ground quakes. We must keep the army in a state of alert about the disappearing white and black horses, they may prove troublesome in the near future, and the possibility of a dragon attack. Yes, this was made by a sober man. I haven’t told the others what had happened to the west scouts. Reasons for not telling is to assure moral to remain high, and for the already big unwillingness to be on this land to remain without big strikes to worsen it. There’s many, they are big, scaly, and breath fire. Just a hint there is a drawing below. They are heading towards the city your in, I have already informed the general and he is on his way with the steel tip ballistas, just something special for our lizard friends. I only hope the general arrives in time. But I show no doubt that you would survive. Safe travels Mi'lord.