//------------------------------//
// 8 
// Story: Savior of Eternity 
// by Secrets and Lies 
//------------------------------//


(8)






        The old road through the Icicle Mountains weaved and dug into the mountainsides where the unified armies marched. The route was unkind and narrow, rutted with loose rock and wavering ice. Scouts ahead climbed to high peaks and looked out over the frozen ranges, peering deep into heavy mists and thick frost coverage. They could not see far due to a storm a few miles away, however they noticed that the course the armies took would be the same for many days. Jagged mountains with rocky, black heads broke through white helms that stretched flat and far between waves of encroaching ranges. A series of cracks through the ice mounts was the only path that the armies could take. Even the generals on their rocs were forced to go by foot and hoof through the slender passages; the world above the mountains was too harsh for even the native avian to fly through.
        Surrounding the forces were high, glazed walls, crystal and blue in appearance. The afternoon sun glinted throughout the smoothed walls, washing over in an array of hypnotic hues over the hesitant forces. The area they had come to was as if a great flood had froze instantly many years ago; and looking deep into the ice, one might see distant, hazy creatures of magnificent proportion locked in the deep freeze.
        Unknowing to Vallak or any of the Generals, a few scouts who were plodding above the high passages were silently taken out. For overlooked by everyone, a multitude of ponies had gathered themselves in a few low-lying crests near the passages. They were the Manehattan forces, and for days they had planned out a strategy—that if successful—would ensure that the armies would be delayed, sparing Equestria a few more days to prepare for battle. They were hungry and freezing, and some had died among the ponies, unable to fight against the deathly environment. Moral was low, but high spirits persisted still among the hearty stallions and mares. They knew nothing of Malorga or what affliction he had wrought back in Manehatten, and their plans remained unhampered for a swift retreat back to their home city, if need be.
        A day came when the combined enemy armies began their slow trek through a long, foggy hall of ice with walls so high that from below the sky seemed like a thin, gray line. The echoes of stamping feet and hooves, as well as the moans of ancient ice around them were all they could hear. Their sight was sluggish and senses weary, they did not expect what was soon to occur. An immense auburn blast filled the icy halls with deep, crimson light. Their eyes darted far above them, seeing the remains and rising crash of an explosion. Immense boulders of shattered ice tumbled and broke against the walls as they plummeted towards the front of the armies. The front line soldiers were rushing forwards and backwards in a mad scramble, but they could not avoid each other and impeded themselves from the coming debris.
        Sheets of thick ice and frozen chunks of great mass fell upon the front lines, crushing them into the mountain. A layer of frost clouded throughout the icy crack, disorienting the armies even further. One by one, distant cracks and flashes of rifle fire could be seen from above. Bullets rained from the high passages as equines fired into each side of the constricted valley. The dumbfounded infantry prepared for action as they armed themselves and shot blindly back above them. The sound of their shots reverberated throughout the icy, empty labyrinth.
        Suddenly, a flock of rocs took flight in unison amongst the ground forces, screeching upwards towards the valley top. They poured out above and the equine gunfire split from solely the enemy below. Cannon fire blazed out where the ponies rolled it from their hiding nooks, though they could not hit the evasive rocs. The equines soon became outnumbered and unmatched. The environment was against them, even though they had the advantage. Their hooves, magic, and might were chilled and slow, and they couldn’t react fast enough to the diving attacks or razor talons.
        A few ponies shot bright green flares high above them, signaling to fall back. Zeppelins among the heavy, gray clouds began to land as soon as the ponies began retreating. Heavy gunfire sounded from the airships, as well as arrows and vivid bolts of unicorn magic. The staggering amount of rocs were held off, but for a few minutes they were like bees attacking a large animal. They strayed back and dipped into the crack again when they knew that they could not last among the zeppelins.
        The battle did not last long, and many equines died in the fray of that skirmish, but their objective was accomplished. They had severely delayed the enemy forces and now a massive wall of thick, frozen ice blocked their path. It was impassable and high, almost straight and vertical it climbed between the valley walls. It would take almost a week for the armies to clear it out and proceed, and it would take longer to find another way around. Vallak was greatly displeased as camp was set up early so that their forces could get to work clearing the passageway.


__________


        Lord Vallak was alone in his tent, musing deeply on his own narrow sightedness and on what he should do. Large rods of green fire burned about the room, keeping it relatively warm. The magical flames filled the dark room with a certain gloom, the heat of which was not pleasing but discomforting. He was hunched over a map of the Icicle Mountain Realm, though his emerald eyes were still deep within thoughts of his own. His talons tapped against a makeshift table where he leaned over; he was restless and weary, although his outward appearance looked otherwise unaffected by his tortured thoughts.
        The room’s light wavered for a moment and a wind seemed to blow from the entry way. He closed his eyes and his mind went blank with despair.
        “You disappoint me, Vallak.” A voice in the wind spoke. Its tone had a frigid tinge of spite upon every word it said. Vallak turned quickly and bowed his head in forced reverence.
        The Griffon King entreated solemnly, “Forgive me, Tirek.” Before him was the Afflicter, the sword that the spirit was bound to. It levitated before him in the darkness, over watching the monarch with piercing, invisible eyes.
        “My arrival grows late due to your lack of sight.” Each word stabbed into the griffon with a pain he could not deter. “Of all whom I have blessed, you seem deficient to carry out my will. There is no greater honor to be a servant of Tirek, though there is no greater shame to displease me, your master.”
        He gritted his teeth, and in a broken and hushed cry he repeated, “Forgive me, Tirek!”
        “I feel you do not know what you have caused, or what has been set in motion. Great movements gather towards a shared destination. A wizard and protégé fly north. A father looks away from his son. Time passes and you delay my hours from destiny itself. I am soon to come again, Vallak, to take shape in this world once more. The last age I performed this in, I destroyed the spirit lords that were of physical form. Now I shall not linger on destroying the two who remain within my grasp.”
        “But do not be disheartened.” Tirek’s tone changed slightly to a more warmer voice. “If you do not fail me again, you shall still become one of my greatest servants. You shall sit beside me on my throne. You shall rule over Arteria, but I shall rule over all.” Vallak, still broken and feeble before Tirek, mustered up the courage and pushed out his strained thoughts.
        “Thank you! Thank you!” he whispered with great strength. The griffon clasped his hands together and continued, “I will not fail you again, my lord.” The sword slowly hovered back onto the weapon rack it had lifted itself from and the lights glowed freely again.
        The last whisper of a distant wind concluded, “You shall not, for you are mine.”


__________


        The Steed house was quiet but welcoming that evening. Under the brisk starlight, Ponyville slept peacefully. The yellow luminescence of magitech lamps glowed through the windows and semi-parted drapes. Through the front door crept Sunny Days with caution. He had no reason to be quiet, but he wanted to leave the confines of his house just momentarily. He stood for a moment on the porch, taking in the brisk breeze that swept softly through the streets. The warm, Summer nights were gradually adjusting to cooler, Autumn air in the valley that nestled Ponyville, and this filled him with energy.
        His family had been in mourning over the loss of his brother still, he knew it would be a long time before everyone could get over Gallant’s loss. He was burdened by his brother’s death as well, though what really troubled him was how his family and friends grieved for Gallant. He was highly regarded and bore an important title in Ponyville and in Canterlot. He had many friends and was loved by a greater many. The Steed household had many visitors in the past few days, coming by to give their condolences. To dear friends to unknown ponies who had been touched by him in some way or form, they all came to pay their respect. Even the Royal Alicorns themselves, and the famed Captain of the Guard made appearances offering their deepest pity and support.
        Things were finally slowing down and they had less and less visitors over the course of the week. Tonight, his mother Gale had a private dinner party to try and bring normality and ease back into their upturned lives. Two others were invited to the dinner party, two of the closest ponies the Steeds knew and whom they considered family; Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. Both came and were welcomed warmly by the family. Sunny Days had to take a moment to get a breath of fresh air before returning inside, and slipped out when no one was watching.
        After taking a long moment of reflecting back on how his terrible week had been, he unfolded his wings and flapped softy off of the porch and over the lawn. He made his way towards the Mail Tube and unlatched the glass container atop of it. He then opened a cylindrical, brass and glass made bullet and retrieved a large wad of sympathy mail, banded together tightly by thick string. He closed the hatch with the bullet inside and pressed a green button that was to the side of the pipe. Steam whistled from vents near the base of the tube for a moment before the bullet whisked downward and back towards the Tube Station. He didn’t take the time to go through them as he gently flew back onto the porch. He opened the screen door before entering through the front door as interior lighting poured forth from the inside out. The nighttime frogs and crickets died away to the sound of dinner cooking, clopping hooves, a slow, big band song emitting from their radio box, and their large, ticking clock in the corner of the den.
        Sunny entered the living room to see his sister and Rainbow Dash going through photo albums of times gone and spent. They were on the floor, silently admiring each photo they came across. There was a cardboard box they were taking news articles, journals, and albums from to keep busy before dinner.
        Autumn looked up at Sunny and asked, “Were you just outside? I didn’t hear or see you leave?”
        “You were like a ninja pony or something,” Rainbow added, trying to lighten the currently tense mood in the home. Sunny tossed the mass of letters on the couch as it bounced and rolled aside on the cushion.
        “J-just getting t-t-the mail,” he stammered, wincing at his own speech.
        Sunny began to walk off as his sister said, “Everyone seems to have forgotten to get the mail in the house. We’ve been so—” She spoke up and called, “Hey Sunny, come back! You should check out this photo album our mom made long ago! I didn’t even realize we had it. Have you seen it?” Sunny stepped around a recliner and looked over his sister who was on the floor.
        “No,” he answered as he sat between the two. Autumn handed him the album as he scrolled through it to the beginning. Rainbow scooted over so that she could get a better view; she had yet to look into the scrapbook that Autumn had.
        As they went through each photo, Autumn Skies commentated, “Here’s a picture of mom in here Cloudsdale military dress. Gosh, she looks so young.” She pointed to the adjacent page and marveled, “And here’s a picture of Valiant receiving some award from Celestia. How come I’ve never seen that medal in his study?” She pointed to another as Sunny turned the page and stated enthusiastically, “Oh look, it’s Rainbow Dash and me as a baby! Ha! Dash looks as if she had never held a baby before in her life!”
        They all chuckled as Rainbow commented, “How was I to know that you were suppose to hold a foal’s head?”
        Sunny turned the next page and continued as they looked over each photo slowly, admiring happier times with little comment from either of them. Going through the album, he saw family portraits, vacations in Cloudsdale, moments in the backyard, and such. Sunny smiled as he came upon a part of the album that had just his dad, Gallant and him. There was one where the three of them went to a Stormball game in a large stadium at Rainbow Falls. Another where he and Gallant were coated in dried mud, thinking it was a good idea to run the water hose down their dirt driveway and play in it. There was one where they were in a bar with a pint and each hoof, another where Sunny was at his brother’s Royal Guard ceremony for new recruits, and even one where both Gallant and Valiant were teaching him to fly by holding each foreleg while they were the air. Deep emotions of nostalgia welled up inside of him as tears began to wet his eyes.
        He was taken away from that moment as he heard a noise from behind him walk from one room to the next. He looked over his shoulder and noticed his father entering into the kitchen. He asked something he couldn’t quite hear and then turned to leave. He made no eye contact with his son as he returned back to his study at the corner of the house. Sunny returned to the album and closed it, giving it back to his sister.
        “What’s wrong, Sunny?” Rainbow asked with concern in her tone. “We aren’t even halfway through.”
        “Dad ha-hasn’t been the s-sa-same,” he stressed with grief. “We’ve a-all been adjus-ting to what h-has happened, but d-dad’s just...” He looked into her rich, magenta eyes after seeking the right words to say. “He’s b-been n-neg-negligent of m-me in particular. I k-know it sa-sounds like I’m jealous or am see-seeking his at-attention, b-but believe me wh-when I say I o-only want to be his s-son. I don’t want t-to be overlo-looked like I’ve a-always been.”
        “I understand where you’re coming from,” Autumn spoke up. “I’ve seen it myself over the years. Gallant was always his favorite son over you. I was his only daughter and he loved me for who I was; and he loved you as well, just not with the same love he had for Gallant. I don’t want to be rude—and you already know this—but it seems apparent that he cares less for you now that Gallant is gone. It’s sad, it truly is. It doesn’t seem like a thing he would do, but he has shown us all his silent disapproval for you and how you’ve lived your life so far.” She placed a hoof on his shoulder and affirmed him, “And how you’ve lived your life so far—to me, that is—is nothing short of great. Many people love you because of who you are. I’m glad you didn’t succumb to what our father or brother wanted. You lived your own life and I’m happy for you.”
        Autumn’s words were healing to his dilemma, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t know how to express his feelings for his father at the current moment. He felt a tinge of anger about his father’s choices, but also he felt sad for him still. He couldn’t comprehend what it was like to lose a son, but he had another that he had continually shunned for years. When he was young, he knew the feeling of being left out, but over the years he had learned to live with it. Now this foalhood impressions were relapsing within him; he couldn’t seem to avoid the problem no matter how hard he tried. His concentration was broken yet again as his mother stepped out of the kitchen with Pinkie Pie, who had been helping her cook the meal.
        “Dinner’s ready.” Pinkie announced in a not-so-Pinkie quality. She had to be careful not to express her perpetuating, inner joy during a dinner like this. It was a time of recovery and there had been little laughter, but she knew better than to provoke silliness during a sorrowful time.
        Gale looked down at her son and asked, “Go get your father, dear.”
        Sunny swallowed uncomfortably. He felt the lump in his throat to be burdensome as he tried to take in a breath. Autumn was about to tell him that she would go and do his task, but he stood promptly and began his way towards the study. The room’s door was ajar with little light escaping the narrow opening. He pushed it open slowly and stood in the doorway. The yellow light from outside creeped forward and onto the far wall of the dark room. The room smelled of pipe weed and smoke, stained after many years of Valiant’s habit. A fireplace was burning in the far corner, it was poorly attended and only the glow of embers dimly filled the room with a red tint. Valiant was bent towards the fire in a cushioned fauteuil chair, his vision was locked into the embers’ eyes. Hanging from his lip was his pipe, and smoke rose like a ghost from the black bowl. He looked weary and tired, much older than his appearance made him out to be. Beside his chair was a back brace for his magitech wing. The ember light danced off the copper and brass, making it gleam red every few seconds.
        Sunny Days didn’t know how long he had been standing still, but finally he softly called out, “D-dinner’s ready, d-dad.” Valiant didn’t respond, nor move. He only sat and blinked into the fireplace, lost in a world of his own.
        Sunny repeated with a deep, slow breath to try and get his words straight, “Dinner’s ready, dad. You can come and—”
        “I heard you,” he said lowly. He took a long toke as the inside of the pipe bowl flared vibrant red. He then exasperated a puff of thick, gray smoke before him, letting it slowly rise and fade into the ceiling.
        Valiant concluded, “I’ll come soon, just leave me be.”
        Sunny nodded and lowered his head. Valiant remained still while his son cracked the door behind him as he left. The old stallion placed his pipe down and leaned his head into his hooves. Valiant then rubbed his eyes and removed his hooves, looking over the mantle of the fireplace. Two intersecting crossbows and a seal of the Canterlot Royal Guards loomed above him. His eyes stayed affixed on the emblem for a long time until he heard a noise outside. His ears perked and eyes grew vacant. The sound he noticed wasn’t from the street, and it wasn’t a noise that the night carried naturally. It was a foreign sound, it was something that rustled alongside the house and began to make him fret. He stayed steadfast and listened closely.
        Sunny came into the kitchen and was greeted with smiles. Gale stirred a pot of boiling spaghetti noodles as Pinkie and Autumn grabbed different trays and brought them into the dining room. Rainbow had sat herself down at the table in the other room, conducting herself as the guest she was. No one seemed to mind, everyone was content with how the night was proceeding.
        Gale turned slightly and asked Sunny, “Where’s your father?”
        “H-he’s in h-his study, st-still.”
        “I see...” The Steed family knew that whenever Valiant was in his study, that he was to remain undisturbed until he saw it fit to leave. He had spent many hours in his dark sanctum for the last week, and this began to concern Gale, though she did not speak of it.
        As Autumn placed a tray of dinner rolls atop Pinkie’s mane, the pink mare strongly announced, “We’re about ready! I can’t wait to sit down and eat!”
        Gale smirked, “You’re always ready to eat, Pinkie.”
        “You bet-ya! My stomach has no bounds, but my hooves do!” She then bounced off into the next room, keeping the tray on her head balanced. After years of using her hooves and head to carry trays of sweets from the kitchen to the dining area in Sugarcube Corner, she had mastered the art.
        Valiant was uneasy as he stood from his chair and approached the window. He used his hooves to slightly move one of the drapes, though he saw nothing unusual outside. A few light taps glided above him and he stepped back quickly, looking up at the ceiling. He knew no one was upstairs, and so he figured that it had come from the roof. Valiant began to suspect it was an intruder of some kind when others would think that the noises were made by a bird or small animal. He calmly and quietly proceeded towards the door of his study.
        Rainbow entered into the crowded kitchen of busy family members and asked aloud, “Is there anything I can do to help?”
        Autumn replied with sass, “Oh, now you come to help out? Getting tired of waiting, I see.”
        Rainbow laughed, “It’s nothing like that. I just... well... You nailed it on the head, didn’t you, Autumn?”
        Valiant hastily entered the kitchen. No one even noticed him until he spoke up over the commotion with a commanding, yet quiet voice.
        “Listen!” he ordered everyone. They were surprised to see Valiant in the middle of the kitchen, but they did as he said and fell silent in compliance. They looked about the room, ears intently focusing on whatever Valiant was trying to perceive. The only noise remaining in the room was the distant tick of the den clock, the hum of the radio, and the boiling water atop the stove. After a long, awkward moment, everyone began to stare at Valiant, wondering if he had lost his mind. He was still looking about as if searching for something.
        “Honey?” Gale carefully said to her husband. “Is everything okay?”
        Sunny approached his father and urged him, “D-dad, we need t-to talk. I’m tired of y-y-you ignoring me a-and—”
        “Not now, Sunny.” Valiant said, putting a hoof between him and his son.
        “No! I w-won’t take it any l-longer!” Valiant swept towards his son and it startled him when he placed his hooves firmly on Sunny’s shoulders.
        “Listen to me right now,” Valiant forcefully insisted. Sunny Days firmly believed that his father had a voice of strict command and authority that no other could reproduce. His breath became shortened as is father glared upon him. “Be quiet,” he said in a slow, warily voice. Sunny’s seldom anger simmered over as he forcefully pushed his father away in defiance.
        “Why can’t you love me like you loved Gallant!“ Sunny exploded.
        A sudden crash filled the emptiness of the room as glass shards were flung across the kitchen. Through the window above the stove, a dark whirr of something lean and menacing vaulted towards Valiant. The stallion was struck down as the other ponies cascaded to the side in shock. Valiant held his eyes closed as he was violently tackled to the floor. When he opened his eyes, an angular, black face glared down at him. Vicious, sharp teeth were shown in his presence as the hound firmly pinned the stallion on the floor.
        “Where is he?!” Baskavail commanded in a booming voice. “Where is the human? Where is the Wizard of Equestria?” Valiant replied with a dour and defiant expression. The hound snarled and opened its maw. He tried to sink his teeth into the stallion, but Valiant maneuvered his head to the side. He reeled his head back around and bashed it into the skull of his enemy. Baskavail retaliated quickly, raising a wicked and bent knife in his paw, readying it to send down upon his foe; however he was blindsided by the Element of Loyalty who bolted towards the intruder. Two other hounds raced in from the window as everyone got to their hooves. Their claws were exposed and they darted towards the ponies. Chaos broke out as the equines fought for their lives against the three intruders.
         Autumn was suspended in fear, unable to cope with the towering hound that approached her. Pinkie saw this and pulled her away in time before the dog could slash her. Pinkie maneuvered underneath the hound’s legs, towing her shocked, pegasus friend along. The dog became confused as allies and enemies mixed about him in the small confines of the equine kitchen. As he turned towards the stove, Gale grabbed the cooking pot and splashed boiling water upon the side of the hound’s head. She twirled the pot in her hooves and struck the other side of the dog’s cranium with the blunt end of the pot, sending him spiraling towards the floor.
        Rainbow was on top of the Alpha as he spun the dagger in his hands. She quickly tried to catch the oncoming blade before it sunk into her, using both of her hooves to catch the hound’s paw. Baskavail’s other paw was free from her hoof as he swiped it towards her with claws withdrawn. Rainbow was stricken sideways and off of the hound. Before he could make it off of the kitchen floor, both Valiant and Gale flung themselves on top of the him, kicking, punching, and stamping the hound. With legs bent, Pinkie pounced high over them and onto the hound, using her astounding legs to pummel the enemy below her. With strong and sweeping limbs, Baskavail jostled the ponies off of him and shot upright. He grabbed his fallen ally and ran into the next room as the equines chased after him.
        In the fray of the conflict, one of the hounds locked onto Sunny Days. He cowered back as the hound stepped forward. The pegasus dashed out of the kitchen while the hound chased after him. He tried heaving objects behind him to slow down his pursuer, though he did not look back to see if his strategy was working in his favor. He left the ground and kicked off of the walls, using his wings to propel him quicker through the house. He could hear the hound’s paws thud against the floor seemingly right behind him. He pushed off of the far wall and shot himself towards the stairs to the second floor, getting a terrifying glimpse of the trailing enemy. He raced around the corner to his room, slamming the door shut behind him.
        The frightened pegasus locked the door and held himself against it, holding back the dog’s blows behind him. He quickly grabbed the chest of drawers next to his bedroom door and pulled it before entryway. He raced about the room in an adrenaline frenzy, moving other large objects before the door to give him some more time. As Sunny finally shoved his bed flat against the door frame, the hound’s claw tore a hole through the wooden portal. The pony reeled back and fumbled to the floor. The dog tried to break in, prying a hole large enough for him to fit through. In a state of panic, Sunny’s mind went blank on what to do. As the hound began to tear off the door and push away the blockades before him, Sunny remembered that behind him was his bedroom window.
        He sprang up and tried to unlatch it as best he can, hearing behind him the door to his room being violently destroyed. After hastily unfastening the lock on his window, he threw it open and jumped out. He spread his wings and was just about to fly from harm as one of his hooves were grabbed. The hound’s nails dug into the flesh of the pony, making him unable to escape. Sunny was yanked back in and thrown across the wreckage in his room. He hit the far wall head first and fell flat. His head was dazed and vision was spinning, he couldn’t stand or work his legs in any sort of helpful manner.
        The front door was broken down as Baskavail and his wounded ally sprinted into the dim street. Valiant, Gale, Pinkie Pie, and the recovering Rainbow Dash raced onto the porch. Valiant held out a hoof before the Elements of Laughter and Loyalty. The two mares stopped as Baskavail howled loudly into the night, the shrill of which seemingly paralyzed them. A pack of six other hounds raced on four legs through the shadows of the streets behind them where the lamplights lacked. The injured hound was carried atop of another hound as the Alpha followed behind. They raced out of the town at speeds well beyond the fastest of earth ponies. Before they could rest, they heard a crash from back inside of the house that alerted the four.
        “Sunny!” cried Gale as she raced in first, followed by Rainbow, then Pinkie, and finally Valiant who made his way elsewhere in the abode.
        The inky blur of the hound beast crept closer towards Sunny. Sunny attempted to roll to the side and away from the dog, hoping that with enough momentum he could get back on his hooves. His plan was foiled abruptly when the hound grabbed the pony by the neck. Sunny reached for the powerful paw and tried to break free from it, but the grip was too tight. The hound peered down at Sunny and gave a toothy smile, then quickly he opened wide, ready to sink his teeth into the weakened stallion. Its eyes darted away from the pony for a moment, and when it looked elsewhere something penetrated its chest.
        He unleashed his paw and held the bolt that was fired into him. Sunny looked to his side to see his father in the shattered doorway with a crossbow attached to each hoof. The hound looked down and tried to yank the bolt from his torso as Valiant pointed his second crossbow at the beast. He aimed swiftly and shot a second bolt into the forehead of the hound, a narrow target that was bulls-eyed with little effort. The dog gave a sharp whimper of pain as the force of the arrow sent him staggering backwards. The dog fell hard and lie motionless as a maroon pool of blood formed behind its head.
        Sunny caught his breath as he was helped up by his father. He tensed up as he put weight on his back hoof, realizing that it was injured with deep cuts from where the hound had grabbed him. Before Sunny could say anything, Valiant briefly—and lightly—hugged him before going over to see if the dog was truly slain. The others came into the room, eyes glowing with fear and shock at what all had happened in such a short time. Valiant stood over the lifeless body, eyeing it closely. The hound’s eyes were vacant and dark, its blood trickled slowly down between the wooden floor panels.
        Sunny spoke up in a slow, deep breath, “Who is t-this wizard, Dad?” Valiant looked back towards his son and others. Rainbow and Pinkie looked cautiously at him, Gale was still staring at the body of the hound which was in the center of the room. He did not know what to say, if he should say anything at all about Zachary during a time like this. Autumn wearily stepped before the broken doorway and gasped upon seeing the hound. She was a pony who never did well in dangerous or scary instances, but she had regained her strength quickly and was with the family again.
        Another howl pierced the night as the equine’s tensions were almost settled down. Valiant hastily stepped towards the window and looked out of it.
        “What’s going on?” Autumn said uneasily. Valiant turned and quickly made his way to the broken door.
        As he exited, he turned and replied, “They’re back.”


__________


        As the ponies ran onto the front porch, they were met by a dismal sight. The black and brown hounds were lined on the edge of the property in the streets with Baskavail in the center. There were seven in total, standing tall on their hind legs with the yellow streetlights shining down on them. Their faces were twisted savagely, eyes glaring with murderous intentions. They brandished weapons of all kinds; from flintlock pistols, which were rifles in comparisons to equine firearms, to arched and twisted blades, serrated and crafted to bestow tremendous torment upon others. Baskavail held a sleek and sinister halberd in the grip of his paw, its ax-head pointed towards Valiant across the lawn.
        “Tell us where he is,” he demanded with a snap, “or I will burn this village to the ground looking for him!” Valiant, without breaking eye contact with the enemies before them, asked his friends and family to calmly leave out the back door of the house while they still had a chance.
        “We won’t do such a thing!” barked Rainbow, stamping her hoof down.
        “Together, we’ve been through worse!” Pinkie strongly added.
        Autumn and Sunny didn’t know what she meant, but had the feeling that the adults among them did. The two young Steeds began to suspect something that interconnected the four others beyond friendship. What it was was unclear, but perhaps in the past something had happened that was a secret to them and many others. They intently watched the four others and listened closely to their words.
        “Please!” Valiant retorted back with a shout. He turned his head back to look at them. “Do as I say!” He sighed and explained, “I am old and weak. I can’t protect you all, but I can give you all time to find safety. Equestria needs the Elements of Harmony alive, and I desire for my family to continue to live.” He turned back and lowly concluded, “Now go. I might not be who I once was, but I can take at least one or two of these bastards down before I go down with them.”
        The four looked at one another in astonishment as Gale approached Valiant in silence. She brought her hoof to his face and drew his attention away for a moment. They looked into each other and gently kissed. Gale softly pulled away and turned towards the rest.
        “Let’s go,” was all she said while walking past the others. Rainbow and Pinkie looked back at Valiant, who was in an aggressive stance of attack, ready for anything to come his way. Autumn and Sunny were speechless, unable to grasp the situation. What was to be a lovely night of healing and recovery had become twisted by events that they could have never predicted.
        Gale, standing in the doorway of the house, called to her offspring, “Autumn, Sunny,” they looked back at their mother solemnly, “Come with me.” They obeyed without a word and entered into the house. Rainbow followed behind the kids, loyal to Valiant’s demands, though Pinkie remained on the porch for just one more moment.
        Dolefully, she muttered, “Just like Zack, huh? Becoming the sacrifice... but this time, you won’t be leaving us for another adventure, you’ll be leaving us for good. Oh, Valiant,” she sniffed and continued in a wavering voice, “why are you acting so silly?”
        He answered coldly, “Someone has to protect you when Zachary isn’t around. A sacrifice for a sacrifice I suppose.” Thunder rolled in the distance and heat lightning flickered in the far horizon, but none took heed of it. Pinkie left him as Baskavail deemed that he had waited long enough.
        “So be it!” he snarled. The hounds hunched forward with their Alpha, ready to strike all at once upon the stallion. Valiant bent, his crossbows on his hooves were ready to be fired. The thunder grew louder, it was approaching rapidly; yet still Valiant was unfazed by it. Baskavail glanced towards the sky, but remained steadfast. In a blink of an eye, the Alpha took off straight towards the pony. Others followed in suit as Valiant stood still, waiting for the perfect moment. His eyes caught something strange before him, though he was unable to understand what it was. Then, as the Alpha leaped from the middle of the yard with claws out before him, he was impeded suddenly.
        He and a few other hounds slammed against something between Valiant and his enemies that he didn’t see at first. A faint, purple ripple waved out from where the few hounds struck against the unseen barrier. The dogs hit and slid against the grass behind them, though quickly they recovered. The Steeds and Rainbow—while hauling Pinkie below her—watched from the open air behind the house. They were just exiting, but stopped and gawked in disbelief to see what had just occurred. In a blinding flash, an object gleamed brightly before Valiant. From it, a pony appeared with wings spread and horn dazzling with lavender energy.
        “Twilight!?” Valiant exclaimed, incapable of reasoning with who had appeared before him. She was focused and did not respond as her horn glowed brighter, strengthening the shield before them.
        Baskavail commanded his kind, “Attack! Attack!” The hounds charged and threw themselves against the shield while others stabbed and shoot the barrier. Twilight focused her magic on certain areas of the protection spell, giving strength to the areas that were being bombarded. The focal points of the shield glowed brighter while other regions dimmed faintly and weakened. Cracks began forming within the shield, spreading gradually over the defensive screen.
        “Leave! Now!” cried Twilight. Her brow dripped with sweat and her form trembled under the weight of the assault of her spell.
        “No! I won’t leave you! You’re an Element of Harmony! You can’t be abandoned!”
        “Valiant, you fool!” She shuddered greatly as Baskavail tore his claws through barrier. Just as he was about to begin prying the spell apart with his sheer might, the street lights flickered and grew dark. The hounds with firearms saw no blaze of exhaust as their guns fired off. The air grew cold and the stars and moonlight dimmed about them. Their breath was visible as they all grew quiet, feeling the heat of their bodies retreat from them. The hounds stopped their attack and began to quiver. Baskavail looked about him in the deepening dark of night, breathing heavily. No one knew what to expect, even Twilight became a tad concerned.
        Suddenly, a dark, tall figure fell behind the hounds and they swiftly turned to see what it was. It rose to their height, its arms wavered violently with maroon energy. Baskavail made his way forward and stopped, looking at the black form before him.
        “Who are you?” He called out in defiance, though voice tinged with subtle fear. The figure said nothing, but began to move his arms up in wide arches as if lifting a great weight above him. The Alpha was unpleased by the lack of response as he barked furiously, “Who are you?!” As the figure rose its arms above him, the quaking power that he held ebbed for a moment, ushering in a terrible and long silence.
        He threw his arms down as towers of flames reared upward from nothing, widely encircling them. The fire grew above the houses, alighting the world inside of the inferno with blazing fear and unquenchable dread. The hounds reeled back, horrified by the display of magic. The figure stood still, still bathed in darkness, though an aura of firelight emanated over the line of his body. Its eyes, superficially glinting like embers deep within a hearth, were affixed on Baskavail. It was then the Alpha knew that this was the wizard he had sought out, and that he would soon be outmatched.
        Baskavail was wise, he knew that there would soon be a time for battling with such a foe. Now was not that time, and with this conclusion he motioned to his pack to retreat. They withdrew their weaponry and fell onto their fours, hastily racing towards the edge of the fiery ring. Baskavail stared down Valiant before he left, signaling to him that this would not be the end. The Alpha fell to the back of the line and raced behind his kind. Each leaped through the fire, scorching them only slightly. The pack darted off out of Ponyville and entered into the depths of the Everfree Forest.
        Zachary took in a long breath, moving his arms back up and then circling down towards his chest, hands flat as if pushing something below him. The inferno shrunk and grew less vibrant until the darkness persisted again. The air grew warmer and the stars and moon shown again. Lights flickered back on in the streets and houses, and ponies came out to see what had happened. All that remained of the mayhem was the ravaged home of the Steeds and threads of thin smoke rising from a circle of charred grass.
        Valiant remained speechless as Twilight looked back at him and smiled. The Steeds, Rainbow and Pinkie landed on the front lawn as silence ensued. Zachary was visible in the streetlights as he turned and looked upon the ponies he knew and loved. Most did not recognize him, but that was okay with him. Nox swooped down from the night sky and landed on the porch railing, however everyone’s attention was on the human and the bird was unnoticed. Pinkie broke from the group first and slowly walked towards the human. Her eyes twinkled with lucidity as if she was seeing him for the first time. He recalled the same look upon her that he saw when they first met within the Everfree.
        “Hello,” he said, cool and content. He knelt down, opened his arms and warmly smiled. “I’m back, my love.”
        She could barely hold herself as she stumbled into his arms. Her emotions gave way as she cried with joy, grasping the human with all her weary strength. She sobbed loudly into his shoulder, not caring who was around her. It was coming back to her, the feeling of his presence, the natural smell she associated with him, the smile that only he could produce, the deft fingers that even now were gently scratching behind her curly, pink mane.
        “D-don’t ever d-do that again, Zacky! D-don’t leave me aga-gain! Please d-don’t d-do that to me ever, ever again!
        “Shhhhh,” he hushed her gently. He brought her up into his arms and held her like a filly again. He ambled back towards the Steed house, walking past the others. They soon followed in suit, carefully entering into the broken, front door. Twilight was the last to enter, and when she did, she used a quick spell to repair the door and closed it firmly. As the surrounding ponies watched all of this, they began to remember again. The mysterious stranger, a being who was present in the back of everyone’s mind, began to resurface. Zachary had returned.