//------------------------------//
// Friendship Never Dies 
// Story: Sleipnir's Big Adventure 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Twenty Seven: Friendship Never Dies
~BlackRoseRaven

The months had rolled past and the seasons changed to summer, bright and warm... but not quite as bright, nor as warm as Blueblood had expected it to be. But then again, they weren't actually in Equestria anymore, but had traveled to the colder, harsher lands ruled by the griffins, in search of what Sleipnir said would be the final piece of the puzzle.
Over these last few months, they had pushed themselves fast and hard back and forth across Equestria, zigzagging around the country and retrieving materials, playing cat and mouse with the Harbinger, and fighting monsters. It had been the most exciting time of Blueblood's life, and the once-chubby, colt-like unicorn had grown into a strong, capable adventurer.
Part of him, he knew, would always be weak: part of him would always be afraid of pain, and would want to take the easy way out, and would want to just bury his head in the sand. But he was learning more and more to block that voice out, and that often the hard things in life were the only things worth doing.
He was learning to challenge himself... and he was learning to hold his head high and smile, and be proud without being prideful. And he was learning to be kind to everyone, to reach out to ponies, to trust and show compassion even when it didn't seem like other people deserved it.
They had been traveling through the rocky, rough wilderness that belonged to the griffin folk for a few weeks now, and it had been a very exciting trip. Nature here had a different voice: Blueblood had finally started to hesitantly accept that maybe, just maybe, the world had its own voice and its own consciousness, and for some reason, he was able to tune into that like Sleipnir was.
He had learned to further understand the voice of nature over the last few months, and he was now spending a lot of evenings meditating with Sleipnir and 'conversing' with the earth and the trees... or at least, trying his best to. Sleipnir chatted happily away with whatever forces that were like they were old, good friends... and Blueblood was lucky if he could feel more than just an instinctive pulse in his mind from whatever he was trying to talk to, and a quiet whisper every now and then.
He did at least understand how to interpret the signals nature tried to send him much better: he was usually able to find fresh food and water, and to plot his course through even dense forest. But as he'd learned, every part of nature had a different voice: some parts of nature were much easier to speak to than others. Rocks, for example, tended to grumble away stubbornly, while Blue had found that trees were almost always happy to point the way and share their bounties with him.
Admittedly, Blueblood wondered sometimes if he was maybe just going insane after spending so much time running around Equestria with Sleipnir. On the other hoof, he honestly felt like he was learning a lot from the stallion... and he much preferred spending his time practicing the earth pony's lunacy over working with Invidia to try and improve his magic.
He really didn't seem capable of learning a whole lot of spellcraft after all: sure, he could throw around modified light spells and sustain them for quite a while now, but even if his reserves of energy had vastly improved, he wasn't capable of a whole lot more than telekinesis and a few minor elemental spells.
Sometimes it bothered him that he'd never be some great spellcaster, sure: he would never be able to move the moon or the sun like his aunts could... hell, he'd probably never even be able to teleport short distances, and that was a spell most of the Academy students learned fairly quickly, if only so they could show off.
But he had his own talents, talents he could be proud of, and he'd come to realize that being a strong stallion wasn't about being a master of magic or as physically-powerful as Sleipnir. It was about making the best of what you had, and doing what was right even when you were afraid, even when it meant standing up for people you might not entirely like against foes that were stronger than you.
Blue smiled a bit to himself as he reached up and grasped into one pauldron, rolling his shoulder slowly. His armor gleamed over his body, polished to perfection: at their last stop, Sleipnir had harangued him until he'd finally agreed to spend time with the earth pony at the forge instead of snoozing at the local inn, and they had not only gone over a whole slew of blacksmithing techniques, they had heavily modified and readjusted Blueblood's armor.
They had removed a lot of plating, but put in a new, insulating underlayer and replaced the chain mail with tighter, tougher ringmail that ran beneath his plate armor and covered most of his body. The vambraces on his forelegs had been replaced completely with a gleaming, golden composite, and his hind legs had heavier cleated greaves: they were actually meant more for climbing than anything else, but Blue had no doubt that the little spikes would add quite a bit of punch to his kick. No pun intended, of course.
And of course, he had his helmet on, although he was only just now starting to appreciate the meaning behind this gift. Sleipnir had embraced him as kin and family, and it meant a lot to Blueblood: more than he would ever be able to express, he thought. He knew that he'd probably never be able to really return the favor, but... he hoped that one day he'd be able to show Sleipnir that he really did look up to him like he was a big brother.
They had only grown closer over the journey, and Blueblood's trust in the earth pony was absolute. So far, after all, Sleipnir hadn't led them wrong, and they'd managed to make good time towards their destination: Blue didn't know why he was surprised, but it seemed that even the notoriously foul-tempered griffins weren't immune to Sleipnir's charm.
But while Blueblood had only grown fonder of Sleipnir over the last few months, he had also grown more and more wary of Invidia. And Invidia had started to lapse back into her old ways, no longer trying to control her emotions and doting too heavily on the unicorn. And as little as he liked to admit it... it was hard some days not to take advantage of Invidia: he needed to not just remind himself that she was damaged, but that if he did give in to any urge he had, it would give her more power over him. It would become harder to resist her allure...
He felt that Invidia had a role to play yet, though, and Sleipnir was still trying to reach out to her, to be kind to her, even though by now the mare's violent mood swings meant that some days she clung to Sleipnir like a security blanket, and other days she treated him with raw, vicious hatred. Blue figured that if the earth pony could manage to still treat her respectfully and kindly, he could do his best to do the same, too.
Maybe all she really did need was compassion. Maybe once they destroyed the Harbinger and freed her from his control, she'd become... less insane, to put it bluntly. Blueblood found himself hesitantly looking over at her as they walked, hoping that the could do something for her... after all, her help had been invaluable more than once. She could go places where they couldn't, she was the only pony between the three of them that could effectively use magic, and she was a buffer that kept other demons and the Harbinger's forces from attacking them openly. And Blue was well aware that part of what made Invidia so erratic was a lack of decent meals recently... she always became much more volatile when she wasn't able to find anyone she could feed off of.
Invidia glanced towards him curiously, and Blue awkwardly smiled at her: the mare immediately smiled warmly back, her eyes glowing before she said happily: “I believe we must be drawing close, my darling. Would you like me to scout ahead?”
Blue looked automatically towards Sleipnir, but the earth pony only shrugged amiably. So after a moment, Blueblood nodded hesitantly, saying finally: “That sounds like a good idea. But... try and return quickly.”
“Of course: I will be as fast as possible.” Invidia replied kindly, bowing her head low before she quickly turned and vanished in a burst of dark smoke.
Blueblood sighed a little as he gazed uncomfortably down the dusty path they were walking, and then he shook his head briefly before Sleipnir asked softly: “Would thou like to take a rest for a moment? Or does thou have something thou would like to get off thy chest?”
“No, no...” Blue reached up, absently toying with the handle of the silver sword strapped across his back, before he sighed and asked almost impulsively: “How do you manage to be nice to everypony, Sleipnir?”
Sleipnir only shrugged easily, then replied kindly: “I do not always manage to, my friend. Some days I am very short-tempered, other days I give in too easily to mine own prejudices. Thou knows this. Thou hast seen me treat people most foully.”
“Yes, except your version of 'most foully' usually amounts to mean-spirited pranks. And you usually apologize afterwards.” Blue replied wryly, and then he shook his head briefly before looking down the path, adding in a lower voice: “The forest is quiet.”
“'Tis.” Sleipnir agreed, looking back and forth at the blooming, rustling trees. Many of them were filled not with fruits, but with gorgeous flowers that birds buzzed around, feeding off both the nectar and the bugs the blossoms attracted. “Art thou worried?”
“A little.” Blueblood admitted after a moment, and then he smiled briefly before dropping his gaze and murmuring: “We've been on the road for almost a year, Sleipnir. It... I never thought I could do anything like this, and it... it's incredible to me. And I almost... don't want this journey to end, I suppose. Although considering your position, perhaps that's rather selfish.”
But Sleipnir only smiled warmly, shaking his head as he strode up beside Blue and slapped him gently on the back. “Nay. What is selfish is that I too do not want this journey to end... even if... my heart hurts for home. And my heart hurts because...”
Sleipnir quieted, looking down, and Blueblood looked silently up at the enormous earth pony before Sleipnir cleared his throat and shook his head quickly. “Nay. Fear not, I shan't drop off into these silly thoughts. 'Twould be pointless. Instead, let us focus on finding Old Oak's seedling. 'Tis very close, for I feel his roots here in the earth.”
“I'll just take your word on that.” Blueblood said wryly, and Sleipnir looked at the stallion with amusement before the unicorn shook his head quickly and he began down the path again, adding hesitantly: “Sleipnir, this path has been well-used recently, and you heard the griffins... a lot of them come out here to explore.”
“Oh, aye, but I doubt that they delve all that deeply into the cavern, and from what we have been told by Old Oak, the minerals we seek are very deep indeed.” Sleipnir replied, smiling over at the unicorn. “But 'twill likely be a difficult search, all the same. The ore we seek is extremely rare. I am honestly glad to know we stand a chance of finding it at all.”
Blueblood nodded, muttering: “So you've said. Still, I'd think that would mean the griffins would be all the more eager to get their talons on it...”
“Only if they knew of its existence, Blue. Why, how many times did thou walk past the garden in thine own home of Canterlot without ever knowing about all the useful roots and flowers that were secreted within the laurels and bushes?”
The unicorn only looked grumpily over at Sleipnir, replying dryly: “I was less interested in plants back then and more interested in how nice a place the gardens were to take a mare.”
Sleipnir laughed loudly at this, and then the earth pony grinned teasingly and nudged him playfully. “Aye, but I am rather certain thou never quite dared to do more with any pretty maidens thou wooed than pray for their gentle kisses, aye?”
Blueblood only glowered at Sleipnir, a faint blush tingeing his cheeks before he huffed and turned ahead, storming down the path. The earth pony grinned wider at this, trotting cheerfully along behind him before he said easily: “Well, 'tis precisely what thou did with that lovely mare thou courted a few weeks back...”
“I... I was... I'm not like you, going around and breaking mares' hearts, that's all!” Blueblood blurted, glowering over his shoulder at the stallion, but Sleipnir only gave him an entertained look. “I just don't think it would... it wouldn't be very nice to sleep with a mare and then just leave her behind, that's all there is to it.”
“Aye, thou art a true gentlecolt. Or perhaps I should say genteel!” Sleipnir said teasingly, and Blueblood looked grumpily over his shoulder at him before the earth pony added thoughtfully: “And was there not that other mare who had eyes only for thee? Aye, thou wert as a little colt with her, all blushing behind thy voluptuous mane...”
“My... do you even know what that word means?” Blueblood asked sourly, even as he blushed deeper: so alright, maybe these days he was a little shy around mares. In the past, he would just use his prestige and authority to try and drag mares along on dates with him, although they very rarely worked out... and maybe he'd always been trying, on some level, to drive them away. To avoid any kind of vulnerability, intimacy...
Blueblood shook himself hurriedly and looked grumpily back ahead, as Sleipnir said kindly: “I only tease, Blue, thou knows this. Besides, 'tis no shame in liking stallions. Many stallions are very pretty. Why, thou art very pretty!”
“For the last time, Sleipnir, I am not a colt cuddler.” Blueblood said tiredly, looking grumpily over his shoulder at the stallion.
“Well, nor am I, but that does not mean I do not enjoy the company of a handsome stallion now and again.” Sleipnir replied reasonably, shrugging with a smile. “If 'tis pretty, then 'tis pairable. And I shall have thee know, there are few things that excite some mares more than a stallion who is willing to tease and test another stallion's steel against his own.”
“Thank you for that wonderful mental image, Sleipnir. What was that nickname you said you used to have, Double Swing?” Blueblood asked dourly, and Sleipnir huffed. “I'm starting to understand that doesn't refer to your hooves at all.”
Sleipnir opened his mouth as his eyes twinkled mischievously, but thankfully whatever he was going to say was cut off as Invidia reappeared in front of them, bowing her head with a polite smile. “A small crew of griffins are just leaving the cavern... explorers, it seems. They were not very well equipped, so perhaps they are just young fools, looking for a thrill.”
“Well, we shall find out shortly, in any event.” Sleipnir said easily, nodding once before he looked pointedly over at Blueblood. “And thou shall not let thy temper get the better of thee, aye?”
Blueblood grumbled under his breath, but then he nodded moodily: he'd do his best not to let the griffins rile him up. He'd fallen into an old bad habit after too much taunting from them at the border and warned them that he was the prince of Equestria, and he'd ended up just getting mocked even more, until Sleipnir had thankfully defused the whole situation.
Blue just tried to keep in mind what Sleipnir had told him: griffins were blunt and cranky and aggressive, but it was part of their culture for a lot of them. They sometimes didn't realize how they came across to ponies, who often came across as insulting or patronizing to the griffins.
Honestly, Blue was amazed that they were allies at all: this nation was different from Equestria in just about every possible way. Freer, rougher, hardier: perhaps the only advantage they had over griffinkind was the fact they had magic at their disposal. And while the griffins couldn't be described as 'respecting' their magical prowess, they certainly were wary of it, and of angering Princess Celestia.
They ran into the griffins only a few minutes later, as they emerged into a small, cleared area that had been set up in front of the cave. The griffins immediately looked at them with suspicion, but Sleipnir only brazenly approached with a warm smile. “Hello, and well met! I am Sleipnir the Mighty, and these are my friends, Blue and Invidia. We are here to plumb the depths of these caverns in search of a rare ore: do any of thee know anything about these caves?”
“Yeah, we do. But we were paid to dig around in these stupid caves, so why the hell would I turn my payday over to you?” grumbled one of the griffins, who looked up with a scowl on his eagle-like features as his blue eyes narrowed dangerously.
Blueblood grimaced a bit as a second griffin shifted slowly, half-reaching towards what looked like some kind of dangerous-looking climbing tool hanging from his hip. But then the last explorer quickly gestured outwards placating with a talon, the gray-feathered griffin saying calmly: “Now let's just all wait a moment here. Are you ponies here on official business? Because it's very rare to see ponies out here in the wild. Tourists usually stick to the cloud cities and the cities near the border. Where griffins are friendlier.”
The gray griffin glared pointedly at his companions, and one grumbled as the other dropped his head... and thankfully, lowered his talon from the climbing axe, too.
Sleipnir smiled immediately at the apparent leader of the exploration team, the enormous earth pony bowing his head courteously before he replied: “'Tis a difficult question to answer. For aye, we have contact with Princess Celestia and 'twas her influence that I believe allowed us to pass the border so easily, but 'twould be false pretenses to claim this business is anything but personal for me. I seek this ore for an important project that the Princess has agreed to assist me with. Fear not, though, I mean none of thee any harm.”
The gray-feathered griffin frowned curiously at the earth pony, but then he simply nodded before gesturing calmly at his companions. “These are my surveyors, Blair and Giles. My name is Bard: I'm a professor at King's University, and I've been studying these cave systems for quite some time, trying to find out where they go... tell me, what kind of ore are you looking for?”
“Mythril.” Sleipnir answered honestly, and the gray-feathered griffin blinked, then laughed and shook his head, smiling in amusement.
“Oh, come now. You can tell me: I'm more interested in getting these caverns mapped out than trying to steal any precious gems.” Bard said kindly. “Perhaps I can even tell you where the deposits you're looking for might be located... we've already noted a few large veins of quartz and basalt, after all, and the stone takes on a strange limestone consistency down several of the tunnels...”
“Fear not, I trust in nature to guide my hooves. Blue and I are on good terms with her, and the stone already has told me that there are many treasures to be found within the womb of this cave.” Sleipnir paused, then asked with interest: “What about water? Hast thou heard it, or seen water that seems to sparkle in spite of a lack of light, that seems clean in spite of all the dust and debris?”
The griffin frowned curiously, and then he answered hesitantly: “There... may be water deposits on the lower levels... but we have yet to map out many different branches through this cave system. These caverns are very deep, and the tunnels extremely varied, especially as you go deeper. I would recommend against pursuing your ore too deeply.”
Sleipnir only chuckled quietly, shaking his head before he replied: “Nay, mythril can only be found in the deepest depths of the earth. But if thou will excuse us, the day already grows late, and we have quite a journey to walk as of yet.”
“Wait, are you really going after mythril?” asked the griffin incredulously, and when Sleipnir nodded childishly and Blueblood smiled despite himself with a shrug, the griffin said disbelievingly: “But... but mythril doesn't exist! It's nothing but a legend, a... well, a myth, just like its named!”
The earth pony only laughed, however, then he said cheerfully: “Aye, but many myths begin in truth! And whilst I suspect that aye, much of what thou hast heard about the magical material is likely half-truths and lies, I can assure thee that it exists, and there are few metals more potent and more valuable for crafting.”
The two griffin surveyors traded looks at this as Bard frowned uneasily, then simply sighed before gesturing at the cave. “Well.. if you insist, by all means. It's not like we're in any position to stop you, but... you're chasing a legend.”
“Aye. Well, I shall tell thee what. When I catch this legend, I shall do what I can to bring it back so thou can see it with thine own eyes.” Sleipnir replied cheerfully, and the griffin looked at him dubiously before the enormous earth pony strode past, calling easily over his shoulder: “Come, friends! Let us not dally!”
Blue shrugged a bit, then nodded lamely to the griffins as he walked past, while Invidia only glared at them distrustfully. Blue didn't think they were going to do them any harm, though: the professor had seemed a little odd, but nice enough, after all, and the surveyors seemed like they only cared about their paycheck.
Besides, Sleipnir was already a good distance ahead, and Blue called to him to slow down as he hurried to catch up. The enormous earth pony looked curiously back over his shoulder at them, and then he smiled as the ivory unicorn reached his side, asking: “Why should I slow when thou art already here, Blue?”
“I... shut up.” Blueblood grumbled, and then he shook his head quickly before gazing down the tunnel ahead, frowning slightly in surprise: light filtered down here and there through holes in the stony roof above, meaning the area was actually surprisingly well-lit. “This doesn't look all that big so far... I don't think we're even really under the earth yet.”
“Well, we are under some earth. Although 'tis more stone, aye.” Sleipnir agreed, gesturing absently upwards with his head before he smiled slightly at the look Blueblood gave him. “Oh, do not be so sour. Besides, thy mood will improve shortly if thou art looking forwards to being within the earth's grip. Does thou not feel it?”
Blueblood hesitated, then he halted, Sleipnir pausing beside him with a smile to watch as the ivory unicorn lowered his head and braced his front hooves against the ground. He tried to block everything else out even as he sensed Invidia flittering around behind him, and then the stallion murmured: “Yes... there's something here, but it's very, very deep... and... that's a root, not a sapling.”
“Ah, thou even detected Old Oak!” Sleipnir smiled warmly before he gestured cheerfully upwards with his head. “And aye, I believe his seedling sits upon the mound above us. Now, what else about this place does thou sense?”
Blueblood frowned a little, then straightened and looked back and forth at the crumbled walls, overgrown with moss and covered in debris and... “Wait... this place was built by someone, wasn't it? Either it was carved through the rock or built here.”
Sleipnir nodded firmly. “Aye, precisely. Thou cannot blame Bard for failing to notice, though: look at how ancient this stone is, how the ruin has been overtaken almost completely by nature. Even I nearly failed to notice this passage was not a design of nature.”
The unicorn nodded hesitantly, and then he tested the uneven, rocky earth beneath one hoof before Sleipnir said gently: “We shall keep our eyes open for any other signs of the tampering of ponies... or griffins, rather. Or perhaps 'twas neither who forged this tunnel.”
Blue only smiled awkwardly as Invidia simply looked bored, rolling her eyes and turning her attention away as she chided: “It has little bearing on the situation at hoof, Sleipnir. Perhaps if for a moment, you could swallow your need to constantly be the center of attention, we would have already made good progress towards our objective.”
“Aye, thou art right, Invidia.” Sleipnir said agreeably, and Blue wondered how the hell the earth pony could always manage to be so damned... nice. “Come, Blue. Do not let my rambling away interfere with the task at hoof. I do not mean to slow us down.”
“It's no problem. You know that.” Blue said finally, as they started down the tunnel again, Invidia lingering behind them and glowering a little until the unicorn hesitantly added: “And it's important that we know our terrain, isn't it, Invidia? Besides, I was the one... taking my time here. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine.”
“Oh, I never meant to imply that, Lord Blueblood... I merely thought that if Sleipnir had something to say, he should say it. He shouldn't play games with the subject; I recognize your wisdom in this matter, and that you are doing everything and more in your power to keep us moving forwards.” Invidia said quickly, bowing her head respectfully. “I would never be disrespectful to you. Never, ever.”
Blueblood smiled uneasily at this, shrugging a little before he turned his eyes ahead: after only a few moments, they reached a set of natural steps leading down into the earth, and Blueblood paused to study this as Sleipnir knelt and brushed a hoof over the stone, murmuring: “There is little evidence of whether or not this was carved into the earth, or if 'twas here first, and the tunnel was built over it. But many, many  people have walked this path over the years.”
“Well, it's definitely a lot darker down there, too.” Blueblood muttered, peering down the rugged descent before he glanced over his shoulder at Invidia, who brightened at just his look alone. “Well, uh... would you create some light for us?”
Invidia smiled warmly and flicked her horn, a ball of light appearing in the air and bringing a daylike glow to the area around them, and Sleipnir grunted his thanks as Blueblood smiled awkwardly back to the demon. Then the earth pony stood, saying hesitantly: “Well, I do not sense much in the way of danger, but... I feel that we should be wary all the same. Once we have collected this last piece of the puzzle, 'twill be time to return to Canterlot...”
“And the Harbinger may attack us, so we will have to be wary.” Invidia finished, and Sleipnir nodded before the demon looked tenderly towards Blueblood, murmuring: “But fear not, my darling. I shall never, ever allow anything to take you away from me... from us. Your best, closest friends...”
Blueblood smiled hesitantly,  nodding slowly, and he felt a strange tingle as Sleipnir seemed to pause for a moment. But Invidia settled, even blushed and mumbled what sounded like an apology, and the stallions only shared a look before they both shrugged and turned to head down into the complex system of tunnels.
The cave system had a strange beauty about it: the passages were almost the perfect size for a pony to fit through, and strangely smooth. But there weren't any tool marks, any other signs that this was anything but natural stone, and Blueblood wondered quietly if this had maybe once been some kind of underground river... or perhaps they were descending into a dead volcano.
Every now and then, they would come to an intersection or an offshoot, but their path was clear: Sleipnir continued to push downwards, apparently intent on getting as deep as possible beneath the earth before they started to search in earnest. Blueblood decided simply to go along with it: every time he argued with Sleipnir, he ended up looking like an idiot, after all. And more than that, he had come to trust in Sleipnir's odd instincts, and odder yet ability to speak with nature and the earth around them.
Besides, even if they spent hours hiking down into the depths, it was well worth it when they emerged into a gorgeous cavern, the crystalline walls reflecting the light of Invidia's spell and turning the entire cave into a glittering paradise. Several bats squealed and fluttered for the safety of a crack in the wall, fleeing the light, but they were the only life they had seen down here so far, apart from a few random bugs and newts.
It was beautiful, and Blueblood whistled quietly as he approached what looked like a breach in the floor before he realized the crack was filled with all manner of multicolored crystal. He poked at this, and Sleipnir smiled warmly as he approached, saying easily: “'Tis too bad no other creature has dared to push as deep as we have. 'Tis a hoard a dragon would envy, here alone!”
They spent a few more minutes inspecting the cavern: there was no mythril here, but even Invidia found something to fascinate her: an almost-perfectly round, natural mirror of crystal. She carried this with her when they left, gazing at it silently for the longest time as they headed down a narrower passage of stone, before the demon suddenly ran forwards and pushed herself side-to-side with Blueblood, thrusting the mirror in front of them as Blue winced in surprise.
He looked dumbly ahead as Invidia smiled warmly, gazing into the mirror and seeing their reflections looking back at them before Invidia said happily: “Just like old times!”
Blueblood frowned uneasily at this as Sleipnir cocked his head curiously, and then the unicorn shook his head and hurriedly stepped away. Invidia looked at him with surprise, and then her face lost all expression as Blue said uneasily: “I don't know what you're talking about.”
Invidia lowered her head, her bauble of light floating silently higher, leaving her draped half in shadow as the mirror shivered in her psychic grip. And then Blueblood bit his lip before saying hurriedly: “I... why don't we find the ore and then... have a rest? We can talk about it.”
The demon looked slowly up, golden eyes glowing through the shadows that had fallen over her before she whispered: “Oh, darling... what happened to our promise? Why are you so intent to try and find this silly piece of rock when... when you already have everything you desire? No, let's not find it. Sleipnir, you... you don't have to go home. You're better off here. Blueblood and I love you, we're your friends, your family now. Let's... let's go back to the surface. Let's journey forever...”
“Thou art my friends, and my family... but I have a responsibility to the family I have left behind, Invidia.” Sleipnir said gently, stepping forwards before he smiled and said quietly: “We have months together yet, my friend. And thou shall always have Blue, aye? Even after he returns to Canterlot and even after I am gone, thou shall be by his side.”
“In Canterlot?” Invidia laughed bitterly, and then she shook her head slowly. “No. You don't understand, Sleipnir. You could never understand...”
Invidia lowered the mirror in front of herself, studying it silently for a moment before she suddenly flung it sharply down, shattering the crystal. Blueblood stepped automatically backwards, wincing a bit, and Sleipnir frowned before the demon murmured: “When Blueblood returns to Canterlot, he'll forget again. He'll forget everything that I did for him... he'll forget me. He'll leave me behind, he'll forget everything we promised... look how long it took to get him to trust me. To remember that I've always been his closest friend...”
“Invidia, I... you are my friend. And I will never forget you.” Blueblood said slowly, feeling a strange twinge of fear run through his veins before he said quietly: “Let's... find a place to set up camp, then. We can talk about this.”
Invidia smiled faintly, then she gave a quick nod, and Blueblood smiled back, feeling the faintest hint of relief. He turned as Sleipnir nodded encouragingly to Invidia, then turned himself to follow in Blueblood's steps-
Tentacles of dark energy snapped viciously around Sleipnir, and the enormous earth pony's eyes bulged before he was hefted high into the air, gasping in agony. Blueblood staggered around in a circle, staring in horror as the tentacles constricted and crushed, smoke and steam bursting up from the burning flesh of the earth pony as Invidia whispered: “No one will take him away from me. Not even you, Sleipnir.”
The earth pony was slammed cruelly down into the rocky floor once, twice, thrice, sending up a sickening crunch with each impact before his body was flung limply to the side. Blueblood immediately tried to run to the stallion, but then he was repelled with a wince of pain as a wall of black fire exploded out the ground in front of him, sending him staggering away.
He barely caught himself, breathing hard... and then he trembled violently as Invidia calmly strolled through the dark magic, her glowing golden eyes locked on Blueblood as she whispered: “I searched for you for my entire life. Hundreds of years, Earthwalker... hundreds of years...”
Blueblood stumbled backwards, shaking his head weakly as Invidia slowly advanced on him, her eyes glowing as she trembled violently. “P-Please don't run from me... please don't leave me alone again, I... I couldn't stand it. All of this, I've... I've done for you. To bring you to me, but... oh, it didn't work out the way it was supposed to, and I'm so very sorry but I... I was too eager! I... I need you! I spent hundreds of years without you, and... and I swear that even when I was crushing your spirit, it was all out of love, out of need for you, to bring you to me...
Blueblood's mouth went dry, and then he winced as his hoof hit a rock and he tripped, falling in a sprawl with a whimper, before looking up in terror as Invidia stepped overtop him, tears running down her cheeks as she whispered: “You don't have to be afraid of me. I'll never, ever hurt you. I love you, Earthwalker. You were my brother and my best friend... y-you still are. I'll never let you go... we promised, we promised to never let each other go...”
“I-Invidia...” Blueblood stared with horror up at this mare, shaking his head weakly before he said weakly: “My... my name is Blueblood, and-”
“You don't remember... I know you don't remember. How could you?” Invidia trembled, bowing her head forwards as her tears slid down her muzzle, pattering over Blueblood's armored chest. “You and I were best friends... the very best. The very best. But you... y-you died, Earthwalker, but I promised to find you when you were reborn, to do anything and everything it took to f-find you. And I continued to search, even after I died... but it was dying that gave me the power to find you. And I... I have waited so long for this day...”
The demon smiled shakily, and then her golden eyes opened, looking down at him fanaticism and adoration as she said shakily: “I... I found you when you were a foal, don't you remember? Don't you remember me? But your parents... your parents were so scared of me. Your parents wouldn't believe that I loved you, wanted to be your best friend, they t-thought I wanted to... do things to you. That I was some sick, demented freak...”
Invidia snarled suddenly, her eyes flaring with anger before she clenched them shut. “I... I wanted you. I couldn't t-take you without drawing too much attention to myself... not unless I got rid of them first. But then Celestia... Celestia stole you from me! And her magic kept me away from you, made it impossible for me to reach you... all I could do was try and warn you that these ponies were going to betray you, like your parents did. But your will was so strong, and you were so scared...”
Invidia's eyes opened, looking down into Blueblood's pleadingly as the stallion stared with horror at her, memories flashing through his mind, his blood turning to ice as he saw this terrible, wicked demon grinning as she loomed behind his father as he sat limply in the graveyard, trembling as he clutched his shovel like it was an anchor...
“The nightmares were... an unfortunate side effect. I would come to you in your dreams, every single night... and you would push me away. Hide from me... maybe you were trying to call up your memories, but you couldn't... I don't know why you would repress them. I was the best thing in your life... I am the best thing in your life.” Invidia said softly, reaching up and silently stroking Blueblood's face. “All the power I've gained, all of me... it's all for you, Earthwalker. All for my talented brother. All for my best friend...”
Blueblood stared weakly at her, and then Invidia smiled faintly, whispering: “I wanted to tell you sooner, but you would never have believed me... and... then we started to spend this time together. Sharing adventures. Being together. But now you know the truth, and there's no need for false faces, no need to hide... I... I can make you happy! We can be happy, and burn the world for keeping us apart for so long... we will no longer have to hurt, Earth! You and I, together forever...”
“You're the Harbinger.” whispered Blueblood, and Invidia smiled at him lovingly before she leaned down and tried to kiss him, and Blueblood whimpered and clenched his eyes shut, gritting his teeth and trying to turn his head away.
She laughed when she drew back, though, her eyes glowing brightly, strings of saliva gleaming between his cold lips and her own hungry maw as she whispered: “I am your Harbinger, Earthwalker. I am going to give you everything you ever desired... we're together again, but we're not foals anymore. You are a prince, I am a demon... and I will make you a king.”
Blueblood swallowed thickly, and then he asked weakly: “What... what did you do to Sleipnir?”
Invidia's eyes narrowed dangerously at this, and then she leaned back and spat: “He is not worthy of your affection! He's a bumbling moron, an oaf! He would betray you, leave you! Just like everypony else has... everypony but me...”
Invidia's voice became pleading, wheedling, as she whispered: “I've given you everything. Forget about him. He's not your friend, he was only using you for your connection to your aunt... but all I want is you. All I love is you. I will help you gain everything you ever wanted: power, prestige, rulership. Everything... you can use me however you want. We have a connection... an eternal connection. A connection that can never be broken.”
Blueblood trembled as he turned away, and Invidia looked down at him helplessly for a moment before she suddenly snarled, shouting: “Look at me, Earthwalker!”
The stallion flinched, then looked up at her as Invidia glared down at him before she asked coldly: “Are you trying to insult me? To deride me? To anger me? I've done this all for you!”
“You... you killed my parents.” whispered Blue, and Invidia snorted in disgust, rolling her eyes with a look of contempt.
“They were only your body's parents, Earthwalker. And they were trying to keep us apart!” Invidia snapped, shaking her head shortly. “All I did was influence the evil already there... because there is evil inside all of us, Earthwalker. We all have our selfish desires... but you already know that, don't you? Oh, you do indeed...”
Invidia smiled cruelly down at him, and Blueblood grimaced a little and looked away before the demon reached up and stroked under his chin tenderly, purring: “But that's good. That's fine. I am here for every wicked urge you have, I am here to make you stronger, better...”
The demon's eyes suddenly flashed, and she half-turned, her horn blazing with black light and catching Sleipnir in bonds of dark lightning as he tried to fling himself through the flames, the earth pony snarling, then hissing in pain as he was left suspended through the black hellfire. And Blueblood's eyes widened in horror as the stallion writhed... yet refused to cry out even as his skin burned and peeled, as blood boiled out of his pores, as his limbs kicked and convulsed uselessly... “Sleipnir, Sleipnir, Sleipnir...”
“Leave him alone!” Blueblood shouted, and Invidia looked surprised... and then she gasped when Blue drove both rear legs in a savage kick into her stomach.
She gagged as she staggered backwards, Sleipnir cursing as he was launched back through the black wall of flames by a spasm of the demon's powers. But Blueblood was staring in shock at Invidia's stomach: he'd forgotten for a moment about the cleats on his greaves, and the demon was whimpering as she clutched at her body before she slowly rose a hoof in front of her disbelieving eyes to stare at the blood running down it...
And then Invidia's eyes blazed with fury before she glared at Blueblood and hissed: “Apologize. Apologize to me right now, Earthwalker!”
“I... my name is Blue!” the unicorn shouted before he could stop himself, and he trembled violently before rolling up to his hooves, glaring at her even as fear flooded his veins, even as his body felt like it was filling with ice. “Invidia, I... that's enough! You and I are not friends, I am not this... Earthwalker, and... I'll never give up the world for you! I'll never abandon everything I've learned for you... for... for your lies!”
Invidia trembled for a moment, and then she suddenly went very still. Her eyes slid closed as she took a slow breath... and then they opened, glowing with golden hatred as she said softly: “Then I suppose I'll just have to make you see the world my way.”
Invidia's body flexed, then rippled violently, growing and reshaping itself. She grew larger, her hooves cracking apart into claws as her skin became leathery, pulling tight against her bones; her hide ripped itself open down the center of her chest, her ribs ripping through the front of her body, opening and closing like teeth as a gaping throat opened in her chest.
Her lips seemed to simply rot away, leaving fangs and tombstone teeth bare, her beautiful features becoming sallow and monstrous as her horn crackled with malice. Her ears fell away, replaced by large horns as her mane shivered, hair coiling and mutating into thick, fleshy tendrils that lashed back and forth behind her as her eyes became nothing but merciless pits of light, the demon rasping: “I was your best friend, Earthwalker. But if you really want me to, I can be your worst enemy instead.”
Blueblood stumbled backwards in horror, and the twisted monstrosity snorted out a cloud of greenish smoke before it hissed: “Run away then, Blue. Let's see how long it takes before you're crying for mercy and begging me to be your friend again.”
She took a single step forwards, and Blueblood turn around and bolted as fear filled him up, his whole body going numb with terror as he shot down the passage. But Invidia only laughed loudly, the glowing bauble of light streaking through the air: it lit up the passage around him, but at the same time it made him an easy target as the demon roared: “You can't even escape me in your own mind, in the paradise that I created for you! How do you hope to run away from me here?”
Invidia began to lope forwards, and Blueblood cried out in misery and terror as he heard her heavy claws crashing against the stone. He made the mistake of looking back over his shoulder, and immediately tripped and went rolling painfully into a wall, gasping in pain before he scrambled back to his hooves.
He stumbled and dropped for a moment against the stone wall, breathing hard in and out as he managed to fight off the panic for a moment. He could hear the monster approaching, but he forced himself not to look back: instead, he steadied himself, focused on the rock around him, tried to feel out the best course of action...
His eyes widened as nature cried out all around him, and the stallion hurried forwards before he snapped his horn sharply and dispelled the ball of light, leaving himself in total darkness for a moment and only hoping that it would buy him the time he needed.
Invidia snorted in cruel entertainment as her magic was dispelled: but she could still see perfectly well in the dark, and all he had done was make it harder for himself. She could smell him, feel his mind, taste his fear...
Invidia rounded the passage and grinned widely... then faltered, staring in surprise and slowing to a stop as she saw it was empty. But she could sense him here still, and the demon snarled before flicking her horn sharply, a flash of light ripping through the area and illuminating...
Nothing. So he hadn't cloaked himself with magic, either. Had he somehow left a false trail for her? Had he-
A thump caught her attention, and Invidia looked sharply in the direction it had come from before she strode quickly over to the rock wall and paced along it, glaring over the jagged stones before her eyes widened as she found herself standing in front of a narrow crack. And Blueblood had wiggled almost all the way through it, the stallion wincing as he saw Invidia before he snapped his horn out.
Invidia howled as she was sent stumbling backwards by the bright flare of light, rubbing convulsively at her face before she snarled in fury and slammed a hoof into the wall beside the crack, screaming: “Blueblood!”
But Blue had already flung himself out the other side of the gap, stumbling along a narrow ledge and wincing as he looked over the side and down into a dark pit that led down into a trench filled with churning water. He didn't dally, though, throwing himself forwards into a run and hurrying onto an uneven stone path that led along the jagged cliff wall, the stallion breathing hard as he desperately tried to think about anything he could do to try and stop Invidia: he knew that narrow crack wasn't going to hold her for long, after all.
And he was right, as a moment later, an inky black mass burst out of the fissure before splashing down and rapidly reforming into Invidia, the demon hissing: “Come here, Earthwalker!”
Blueblood only kept running, his body shivering with cold, trying to focus and call up the pulse of nature in his mind before he felt it: both in his hooves and his body, as he skidded to a halt, then glared over his shoulder and turned around, quickly drawing his silver sword.
Invidia seemed surprised as she skidded to a halt herself only ten feet away... and then she smiled coldly, looking at his silver sword and asking mockingly: “What are you planning to do with that toothpick? It might work well against smaller prey, Earth, but I've been alive for hundreds of years... consumed thousands to grow strong enough to come to you... to...”
Invidia trembled, then clutched at her face before the demon leaned forwards, pleading in a cracked voice: “P-Please! It doesn't have to be like this! Come back to me, I still love you, I... I'll always love you! Don't make me h-hurt you, Earth... my prince... my brother, Blue... let me share all this power with you, stop fighting this connection between us...”
“Don't take another step closer.” Blueblood whispered, raising his sword high, and Invidia trembled before snarling slowly, her eyes blazing with hellish light. The demon all but leapt forwards, crushing shale and making the ledge beneath her tremble as she crashed down in front of him, and Blue flinched back automatically, his sword shivering in the air.
“Or what?” asked the demon coldly, leaning forwards and cocking her head mockingly, and the two looked at each other for a moment before Blueblood slowly lowered his weapon, the demon grinning as she said softly: “That's just what I-”
Blueblood suddenly stabbed the sword downwards, slamming both hooves into the hilt as his horn sparked with magic, shoving all the telekinetic energy he could through the weapon and down into the broken stone ledge. And Invidia stumbled, eyes bulging as she grabbed wildly at the rocky floor when it all-but-exploded beneath her claws, before she shrieked as she tumbled forwards, smashing her head painfully off a jagged stone before she followed the broken rock floor down into the gorge.
Blueblood half-fell backwards, the silver sword clutched tightly in one hoof as he leaned over the edge, watching as the demon splashed down into the trench far below... but then he reared back in shock as a tentacle of black energy ripped immediately out of the water, hooking into the stone cliff. A moment later, a second tore upwards, and then hauled Invidia up out of the liquid, the demon screaming furiously: “I'm going to make you eat that toy, Earthwalker!”
Blue flinched as he quickly yanked his sword into the air with telekinesis before turning to bolt along the cliffside, and Invidia hissed at him furiously as she used the tentacles of darkness emerging from her back to yank herself higher. Two more ripped free from her body, slamming into the stone wall before she began to sprint along the cliffside like a freakish spider, quickly cutting the distance between her and Blueblood.
She lunged suddenly upwards once she drew close enough, hooked tentacles lashing viciously down like blades, but Blueblood managed to fling himself out of the way, rolling almost to the edge of the ledge with a gasp before he stepped forwards and slashed viciously outwards with the silver sword when Invidia tried to swing a tentacle into him. And instead, the appendage was slashed almost in half with a burst of inky blood, Invidia howling and reeling back.
Blueblood didn't waste any time, turning and sprinting away, quickly bolting around a tight corner... and then he was blown off his hooves when the wall in front of him simply exploded, Invidia crashing through the rock like it was paper. She overshot the narrow ledge, however, shrieking as she plummeted into the watery gorge again with a loud splash, and Blue gasped for breath before he picked himself up and stumbled through the rubble, sparing only a single wince at the sight of the enormous hole Invidia had torn through the rock in her frenzy.
He knew she wasn't going to stay down for long, as he continued along the winding path, but it looked like there was at least another tunnel in sight. He began to grin... and then his eyes widened in horror as Invidia leapt up out of the water, springing up the wall to crash down onto the path ahead.
Blueblood began to turn, and Invidia slashed her horn out with a snarl, a black fireball blowing apart part of the cliff behind Blueblood and sending the path crumbling into ruin. It left the stallion trapped, the unicorn turning back around and raising his sword-
One of Invidia's tentacles slapped down and smashed him across the face, knocking Blueblood sprawling on his chest with a gasp as the demon strode slowly forwards, the half-real appendages twisting back and forth around her as she hissed: “I should feed you to my pets. I should make you suffer like you've made me suffer, but... but I could never betray you!”
Invidia seized the stallion by the throat, yanking him up and glaring down at his bloody face as her ribs flexed and stretched hungrily towards him like teeth. “I would never hurt you! I never forgot our promise! I became this to save you! To find you! To love you!”
Invidia flung him down to the ground with a crunch, and Blueblood went limp as his silver sword bounced uselessly away down the ledge. “We could have had everything... we were supposed to always be together! Our love was supposed to conquer everything! W-Why... then... w-why, Earth... Earth? Earth?”
Blueblood only lay silently, barely breathing, his eyes closed. He felt... so cold, and numb, and hollow. He felt broken, and like there was nothing he could do...
“Earth? Earth! Earthwalker!” Invidia trembled violently, grasping the stallion and shaking him roughly before she whimpered and shook her head, whispering: “N-No, no no... you're... you're so... wake up! I c-c-can't lose you now! I can't lose you after I've spent so long, trying to f-find you! P-Please! Please Earth, wake up, wake up! I'll do anything!”
She grasped him, then turned him over, and tried to push her mouth down over his, but he kept his tightly shut, refusing her breath, refusing her kiss of life. His eyes half-opened all the same, though, but Invidia only looked into his eyes, trembling violently before she whispered: “P-Please... oh, please, my d-darling... let me heal you...”
“What do I have left to live for?” Blueblood asked quietly, and Invidia began to smile before he closed his eyes, whispering: “Look at what you've become, Invidia. Look at what you did to me... you... you destroyed my family. You promised never to hurt me, but... I can't... imagine a way in which you haven't hurt me. You're not my friend...”
Invidia began to snarl in fury, and then she froze when Blue looked up at her, trembling. “But not because I don't want you to be. Because you're the one who doesn't understand what friendship is... because you're the one who broke her promise.”
“I... I...” Invidia began to argue, reaching up to grasp his face... and then she trembled and drew her hoof away, sticky with his blood. She shook her head weakly, then looked back at the unicorn before almost dropping him, stumbling backwards as the demon whimpered: “N-No...”
Invidia clenched her eyes shut, and then she covered her face and simply screamed. It echoed through the cavern, shaking the walls, making the whole world quake as Blueblood flinched backwards, covering his own head with a curse.
Slowly, the sound faded, and the two were left sitting in silence before Invidia looked slowly up, trembling violently. She uncovered her face, breathing shallowly in and out as she looked down at Blueblood, before whispering: “But I want to be together, forever. We... we p-promised, Earthwalker...”
Blueblood shivered, and then he swallowed thickly before he slowly forced himself up to his hooves. He looked at her silently, and Invidia gazed back at him brokenly before the stallion dragged himself sluggishly forwards. His body moved by itself as he reached up and silently embraced her, and Invidia trembled and lowered her head against him.
They rested like that for a few moments, and then Blueblood closed his eyes before whispering: “You have to go now. It's time... it's time to let go. This isn't the way.”
Slowly, he drew back... and Invidia trembled before she hugged herself tightly, whimpering and leaning down. Her whole body shook before she clenched her glowing golden eyes tightly shut... and then they opened, and Blueblood's breath caught as he stared up into her radiant blue irises, filled with tears and sorrow as she whispered: “I can't hold it back for very long. It will never stop chasing you... I... I will never stop chasing you. Please... please save me.”
The mare took a gasping breath, then clenched her eyes shut as her ribs quaked before they slowly  sprawled open, revealing that gaping throat in her chest. But as the hungry maw stretched itself open, Blueblood trembled as he saw something in its depths, pulsing, aching, filled with poison...
He looked up at her, and her eyes opened, gazing down at him pleadingly. And there was nothing else he could do, nothing else he could say, as he silently picked up his silver sword. But when he looked into her eyes again, he saw the truth: he heard the promise, remembered the life they had lived together, and he did his best to smile for her, one last time, as he whispered: “It's okay... Cerulea.”
The mare smiled at him radiantly, and Blueblood trembled for a moment before he drove the blade forwards, into the maw in her chest, into her poisoned heart. And she gasped quietly, trembling for a moment before she reached up and caught one of his shoulders with her claw... then simply smiled at him, mouthing silently: “I love you, Earthwalker.”
The stallion felt tears running down his cheeks as his sword clattered to the ground, passing through ashes and flower petals as the mare dissolved before his very eyes. And then the stallion trembled before dropping back to the ground, covering his face and starting to sob even as he smelled flowers and felt a gentle warmth spill across his body, reassuring him that he had done the right thing... telling him that he had done the only thing he could do to free his lost friend from the darkness that had consumed her.