The Equine Scrolls: SkyFiM

by FireOfTheNorth

Chapter 14: A Foray into the Foreign

The Bards College.

I imagined I could see it as I looked at Seclusion in the distance. In truth, I had no idea which of the many rooftops poking over the wall belonged to the College, but it felt good to be able to visualize my objective, even if it was still a long way off. Just like in Blank Flanks Barrow, Hoovestengrav had a back exit that let out onto a rock ledge quite a distance from the entrance.

Standing atop the stone, I could see over the short frozen expanse between our exit and Seclusion. The tundra ahead was dotted with spindly trees and crisscrossed with rivers of frozen slurry. But nothing was going to stop Steadfast and me from getting to the College.

Luckily, we were able to find a path rather quickly that would guide us through the swamps to our objective. We had to ford a few icy rivers, but in the end we were able to make it safely to Seclusion with no mishaps.

Thankfully, this time nopony was being executed as I entered the city. I breathed a sigh of relief as I passed the empty execution block. A few helpful ponies directed us to the Bards College, which was in the far back of the city, nearly butted up against the Blue Palace, where Jarl Radiance lived. It was a good thing I’d been given directions. Other than the overly large courtyard where ponies sat playing various instruments, it looked nearly identical to all the other nearby buildings.

“Good day!” an earth pony playing the drums called out as we approached the College’s entrance, “Here to apply to the College?”

“Not really,” I replied, “We’re here to speak to whoever’s in charge. Where can we find them?”

“Headmistress Concerto is inside. If she’s not in her office, she’s probably in the library with Dean A Cappella.”

“Thanks,” I waved my thanks for the help and headed into the College.

Inside it was eerily calm, with soft music overlapping from throughout the building. My hoofsteps seemed overloud in such a quiet place. Steadfast, however, seemed unaffected, stomping along contently beside me. I rolled my eyes at his carelessness, but I guess it really wasn’t hurting anypony.

One of the bards, though she looked frustrated at being interrupted in her flute practice, was kind enough to point us in the direction of the library. The library wasn’t much, holding less than a dozen shelves of books and scrolls, but it looked cozy, with comfortable-looking chairs to sit in and a cheery fireplace.

In the middle of the room, two ponies were talking. One was an elderly purple unicorn stallion with a small beard wearing a royal scarlet robe. The other was a grey earth pony mare with a jet black mane, and judging by her multicolored and exquisite robe, she was the headmistress.

“Excellent Dean,” she finished her conversation as we entered the room, “I’ll let the students know immediately. I’m sure they won’t reject increased studies in light of such a momentous occasion.”

The stallion turned to rearranging the scrolls on the shelves and the headmistress moved to leave the room, nearly bumping into Steadfast and me.

“Oh, pardon me,” she apologized, “What have we got here? Have you come to apply to my college?”

“Not exactly,” Steadfast answered, “We’ve come for the War Horn of Jurgen Sky-whinny.”

The headmistress’s brow furrowed at the mention of the horn.

“I see,” she said, “Walk with me.”

Stepping between us, she trotted out of the library and into the college’s halls. I glanced over at Steadfast before taking off after her.

“What interest have you in Jurgen’s horn?” she asked, looking over her shoulder at us.

“Well, we’ve both been searching for it,” I explained, “Him to bring it to the Companions, and me to bring it to the Greymanes.”

Her eyebrow raised a bit at the mention of the Greymanes, but I still got the feeling that she didn’t intend to part with the horn.

“Tell me,” she said, “Why should the Companions or the Greymanes receive this horn instead of the Bards College?”

“Jurgen was a prominent Companion,” Steadfast blurted out, “His battles and his horn are legendary.”

“And he was the pony who founded the Greymanes,” I offered up.

“And the horn is a musical instrument of historical significance,” Headmistress Concerto retorted, “Something the Bards College is devoted to preserving and collecting.”

“But the Greymanes sent me to get this horn because the Equines commanded it,” I pleaded.

“And this is my personal quest to become a Companion,” Steadfast added, though he still looked a bit surprised at my revelation regarding the Equines.

“Please reconsider,” I said.

“As Headmistress of this college, it is my job to do what’s in its best interest. And right now that means keeping the horn. Besides, the planning has already begun for the ceremony of its unveiling. If you’ll excuse me, I have a party to plan. I’m sorry you made the trip for nothing.”

“Wait!” I called as she began to walk off, “There must be something we can do to change your mind.”

“Hm,” she said, raising a hoof to her muzzle, “You do seem the adventurous types. I may have a job for you after all.”

“Yes?” Steadfast said, eagerly anticipating some way to get his hooves on the horn. I have to admit, I felt the same.

“Have you ever heard of Treble the Lightning-hoofed?” she asked.

Steadfast and I both shook our heads.

“Not surprising,” Concerto continued, “He was the founder of the Bards College and arguably the greatest bard who ever lived. The instruments he crafted were the best and, combined with his skill, the music he produced was legendary. Rumor has it he could rout entire armies with the wonder of his music.”

“This is great,” Steadfast interrupted, “But where do we come in?”

“Treble’s greatest work, his master lute, has been lost for centuries. However, according to one of my contacts, it was recently found. I need you two to retrieve it.”

It seemed simple enough, but if this task was important enough to warrant her giving up Jurgen’s horn in exchange, there had to be a catch.

“Where is the lute?” I asked as we stepped into the headmistress’s office.

“Windrake Cavern,” she declared, pointing at a point on the map on her desk with a baton.

As I leaned in for a closer look at the map, I noticed only the northern coast of Horizon was covered, along with the northern sea and the southern portion of the expansive archipelago that made up the Featherrest Isles. The point her baton was pointing to wasn’t in Horizon at all, but one of the islands off the coast.

“You want us to go into the Pegasari Dominion?” I asked incredulously.

“I never said the job was easy,” she defended, “If it was, I would just have one of my bards do it. But relations with the Dominion are strained to say the least. No, you’re the best bet I have. If you can do this, you have my personal guarantee that Jurgen Sky-whinny’s horn will be returned to you immediately.”

“And your festival?” I asked.

“With Treble’s Master Lute in our possession, we’ll have much more to celebrate.”

“What do you think?” I asked Steadfast, turning to him.

“I don’t know how we’re going to pull this off,” he admitted, “But I don’t see another way.”

“We’ll be back with your lute as soon as we can,” I told Concerto before departing her office.

Wandering back through the Bards College, we emerged on the surface again, thrust into the glorious sunlight.

“I hope you have a better plan than swimming there,” Steadfast said as we trotted down Seclusion’s main street.

“Oh yes,” I said, looking to the mountains that curved south, “A much better plan.”

I tried to keep my eyes open as the wind rushed past. Looking down, I could see the choppy, ice-filled waves of the northern sea far below. Above me was Nagrissa, flying just below the cloud cover, with me held in her claws. Slightly to my right, another griffin held Steadfast, who looked very squeamish to be so high up.

Sneaking into pegasi lands would’ve been impossible with just Steadfast and me on hoof, requiring us to take a boat that would be seen miles away. Luckily, Nagrissa had offered to help me out if I ever needed a favor, and it seemed just the time to cash it in. The pegasi wouldn’t be suspecting us to come from the air, in an area where they had complete air superiority.

Now we just had to find Windrake Cavern. According to Concerto’s map, it was on the southern edge of an island to the west of the pegasus city of Twilight, but that island was of no small size, and the cavern could be anywhere along the shoreline.

“I think I found your target,” Nagrissa called down as the shoreline grew closer.

I squinted into the distance, trying to get a glimpse of whatever it was that gave Nagrissa that idea. Gradually, what I could only assume was Windrake Cavern came into sight. A gaping rent gouged the cliff open, but it wasn’t merely a deserted cave. Built outside the cave entrance, and it appeared within as well, was a sprawling stone complex. Docks extended out into a harbor where several ships were docked. Flying from the mast of the largest was a banner bearing an eye with wings as dark as night. The symbol of the Blackwings.

“What is that?” Steadfast called over to me.

“Blackwing fortress it seems,” I said, hoping he could hear me over the wind.

“When we get back, I’m going to have a few choice words for that bard.”

It did seem like we had been duped into diving into something we were unprepared for. Concerto had never told us the Blackwings would be involved in this. I sincerely doubted they would like us just walking into their fortress unannounced.

“I’ll drop you off behind that bluff,” Nagrissa announced, veering away from the Blackwing fortress, “But no closer.”

“Thanks for the lift,” I called up after she had dropped us off and taken off into the skies again.

“What’s the plan?” Steadfast asked, giving his warhammer a few practice swings.

I took a look at the fortress before us before turning back to reply.

“I’m thinking we sneak in and out as fast as we can,” I said, “I don’t want to take on the whole base.”

“I’ve never fought a Blackwing before,” Steadfast said, almost longingly.

“I fought one,” I said, “Once . . . I nearly died.”

“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you Sapphire,” Steadfast said, giving me a look, “Y’know, when we get through with this, you’re going to have to sit down and tell me your whole story.”

“Fine,” I agreed hesitantly. I was warming up to Steadfast, but there was no way I was going to tell him everything about myself, least of all the reason I’d come to Horizon in the first place.

“So, I guess it’s stealth then,” he said, sheathing his weapon sadly.

I wasn’t sure which of us had more experience in sneaking, but Steadfast seemed to be waiting for me, so I led the way. Staying to the shadows of the cliffs, we made our way along to the cave entrance. As we got closer, I could make out the individual shapes of black-winged pegasi flapping around the perimeter of their fortress.

By the time we reached the high stone wall that blocked us from entering the cave, thunder was beginning to rumble across the sky.

“We’d better get in and get out quickly,” Steadfast whispered to me, “Looks like the pegasi have a big storm planned.”

I nodded and, seeing no way to scale the wall, snuck along it toward the main complex. Several close calls later, we made it to one of the entrance doors. Luckily nopony was guarding it, so I cautiously opened it to let us in.

The floorboards squeaked disturbingly beneath my iron boots, so I removed them and went barehoofed. Following my lead, Steadfast did the same. Luckily for us, the coming storm must’ve had the pegasi busy, with even the Blackwings conscripted into helping the weather crews. The base seemed nearly abandoned.

Rushing through the halls, I stepped right into a room with scrolls lining the walls. Turning to the side, I saw our first Blackwing since entering. She was busy looking through some scrolls and hadn’t noticed us yet, but her ears pricked up upon my entrance. I was quickly yanked back through the doorway as Steadfast grabbed hold of my tail.

“Skybreacher, is that you?” I heard the Blackwing’s voice come through the doorway.

Steadfast and I pressed ourselves into the walls to avoid being seen. The only sound that could be heard from the other room was the falling of papers, no doubt disturbed by the wind from the pegasus’s wings as she took off. Both Steadfast and I remained absolutely still as the pegasus moved about. Slowly, a muzzle inched through the doorway near the top. The pegasus continued to slowly flap forward, her inverted head passing through the doorway.

With a quick twist, Steadfast bucked at the Blackwing with his hindlegs, making contact with the top of her head. Her eyes rolled up into her head and her wings stopped beating, causing her to fall. I jumped out and caught her just before she hit the ground. Cautiously, I examined her. She was still breathing, but she was definitely unconscious.

“What do we do with her now?” I asked Steadfast, “We can’t just leave her lying in the hallway.”

“Hm,” Steadfast said, taking her from me and slinging her across his back.

“I’ve got it!” he exclaimed as he looked into the records room, “Open up that cabinet.”

I gasped as I opened the ornate wooden doors. Inside the cabinet was not just enough room to fit the unconscious Blackwing, but several Blackwing robes.

“The Equines are smiling upon us today,” Steadfast whispered as I pulled the robes out.

Tying the Blackwing’s hooves and wings and gagging her mouth, we lifted her into the cabinet and shut the door. Steadfast and I both hurriedly pulled the Blackwing garb over our own.

“This isn’t going to work,” he said, examining himself.

“And why not?” I asked.

“These robes have wing holes, but we have no wings.”

“Here,” I said, thinking on the fly, “Throw a cloak over your back and bunch it up over where your wings should be. Hopefully with the storm coming outside, they won’t question it.”

Steadfast and I both threw a cloak over our Blackwing robes and continued through the fortress. A few passages later we came upon a dining hall. It was empty but for two pegasi playing some kind of game at one of the tables. They didn’t attempt to stop us as we passed through; in fact, one of them waved at us.

We encountered Blackwings a few more times, but most seemed in too much of a hurry or didn’t care to examine us closely enough to realize we were imposters. Before we knew it, we were finally in Windrake Cavern. After a short jaunt across the stone floor of the cave, we came to another, smaller stone structure built within the cave. Only part of it actually seemed to be pony built. The building butted right up against the cave wall and probably extended into the tunnels beyond.

Sneaking a peek inside, I could see that there was nopony in sight. Opening the door, Steadfast and I entered the building. Books on excavation data lined wooden shelves within. The outer building was clearly the Blackwing armory and barracks, but this one appeared to be a research outpost. Sitting on the abandoned desks were weather team conscription letters, giving a clue as to where these Blackwings had gone.

Silently, Steadfast and I passed through the hallways, entering the cave tunnels they linked up with. It wasn’t long before we were able to hear a voice coming from up ahead.

“Cloudchaser gets weather duty,” I heard a stallion’s voice complain, “But what do I have to do? Guard a bunch of dumb instruments.”

Following the promising whining, Steadfast and I made it to the room the Blackwing was sitting in. He looked very unhappy in the middle of a cluster of crates and display cases.

“What are you here for?” he asked, raising his spear, “Is the storm prepared already?”

“No,” I said, thinking up an excuse for our presence, “We’re here to replace you.”

“Replace me?”

“We’ll take over here; you’re needed on weather duty.”

“Great!” he said, leaping to his hooves, “Do you have a form of what I need to do?”

I hadn’t thought of that. While I was biting my lip thinking of a cover, Steadfast smashed a vase over his head.

“Too many questions,” he said, giving a shrug.

Tying up this pony too, we shoved him into a crate before looking around at the artifacts in the room. Quite a few instruments were labeled as belonging to Treble the Lightning-hoofed, but we were searching for a very particular one. Steadfast found the Master Lute first, locked in a display case he proceeded to smash open.

Wrapping the instrument in leather, I tucked it in my saddlebags, and we walked out of the building. Fearing we’d be caught at any moment, we made our way back through the cave to the main fortress. We nearly galloped through the halls in our bid to escape. Turning a corner, we ran right into a Blackwing, sending all three of us flying.

“You really should watch where you’re going . . .” the Blackwing trailed off as she looked at the top of my head.

In the collision, my hood had been thrown back and my horn exposed. Now she knew we were imposters. I pulled out my knife, hoping I would get lucky and assassinate her immediately. Instead, Steadfast’s hammer smashed into her skull, crushing it against the wall.

“What did you do?” I asked breathlessly, staring at the mutilated Blackwing on the floor.

“I improvised,” he said, concealing his warhammer within his robes, “We’d best get out of here now.”

I nodded and turned away from the gruesome sight, following Steadfast as he led the way back through the Blackwing fort. Cold rain began to pelt us as we exited the building, searching for a way to get back to Horizon.

Somepony screamed from within the building, and shortly after I heard a bell ringing. Our presence had been discovered.

“There’s no way the griffins will be able to fly in to pick us up in this,” Steadfast said as the rain began to come down harder.

“But neither will the pegasi,” I said, talking to myself.

“What’s that?” Steadfast asked.

“I think I have an idea,” I said, galloping off toward the shoreline.

As the wind blew harder and the rain grew colder, I slid across the docks in the harbor. Running down one, I shot a quick blast of fire at wherever I saw a rope holding the docked ship in place. At last I made it to the front of the ship, where Inquisitor was emblazoned on the side. Burning the last rope, I motioned for Steadfast to climb the rapidly shifting ramp.

I followed him onto the empty ship that was already beginning to shift in the choppy waters without its mooring lines holding it in place. I began undoing ropes as I made my way to the wheel.

“Wait,” Steadfast called over the wind, “Your plan is to get away by stealing a Blackwing ship?”

“Yeah, is there a problem?”

“Have you ever sailed a ship before?”

“No . . . but I’ve read a lot about sailing.”

“Why does that not reassure me?”

“Just undo the lines holding the sails in place, all right? We have to get moving before the Blackwings catch us.”

Though he didn’t seem completely sure I’d be able to pilot this ship, he began undoing the lines, opening the sails all the way. The viscous north wind filled them instantly, driving the ship forward.

We were beginning to pull out of the harbor, but shouts from behind alerted me that our theft wasn’t going unnoticed. Turning around, I saw several Blackwings struggling against the weather to reach the ship. I pulled my war axe out, in case it came to fighting, but I hoped it wouldn’t. As they neared the ship they began to bunch up, intent on punching into me. I seized the opportunity.

<<<FUS~RO~DAH!!!>>>

I sent them all tumbling back into the icy waters as our ship surged forward. Through the howling gale, in the dark, we began the journey back to Horizon.