Harmony stretched a bit popping a few joints. “Now then, shall we be going?”
“Sounds good.” Discord piped up not letting anypony have time to object which was going to be Rarity as her mouth was open in protest.
Discord took the lead followed closely by Harmony. Rarity pouted a bit before taking the rear. As she reluctantly stepped off of the stairs and onto the stone path upon the mountain surface the stairs behind her vanished.
“Eekk!” She nearly fainted from the shock but was quickly brought out by a splash of water coming from a water spigot hovering over her.
“Thank you Discord, the last thing I would want to do is try and rescue a fainted mare falling to her doom off the side of Hourglass.”
Rarity blushed at the double embarrassment. She coughed ladylike and a bit clumsy quickly trotted down the path, “Nothing to worry about. Shall we continue our trek?”
Harmony chuckled slightly and so did a few others but obliged her and followed.
The forest seem like a weird cross between Whitetail Woods and the Everfree forest. Ferns and vines grew wildly across the forest floor but there was no eerie mist and the sun shined brightly through the canopy. The path itself was only slightly overgrown as grass would on occasion peek through cracks. The path’s direction was a sticking point.
“This is as bad as the Salt Flats. Why can’t we just cut through the forest? It doesn’t seem that dangerous.” Rainbow complained.
“Having a death wish again Bearer of Loyalty?” Harmony eyed her carefully.
“Uh… no… “ Rainbow guessed hoping that she wouldn’t get his wrath again.
“Then stay on the path.” Harmony took his eyes off of her and went back to watching the path ahead.
“Harmony can we talk?” Harmony stopped,sighed, and turned to look at Twilight head on. Discord eyed her momentarily but Harmony shook his head. Discord nodded slowly before turning back and rejoining the group.
“Let me guess you got chewed out by both Spike and Discord for the incident at the Salt Flats?”
“How did…”
Harmony waved off the rest of her confusion by stating, “I have ways. Let’s just say I have been monitoring you guys for days. How else do you think I knew about the changelings?”
“You have been spying!?!” Twilight angrily shouted.
“Technically… true.” Harmony admitted, “However, it’s not in the way you are thinking.”
“How can it not be the way I’m thinking?”
“Keeper business.” Harmony replied making Twilight roll her eyes in annoyance.
“Twilight, listen!” Harmony pulled her so her eyes looked right into his. “I am a Keeper of Harmony part of my job is to look for both harmonic and disharmonic elements in places, groups, individuals. You are bearers of my elements. Which makes what you do my business. That kind of requires ‘spying’.”
“I know that may seem like an invasion of privacy but it’s no different than Luna when she goes into dreams. With her she helps her subjects fight nightmares. I help ponies (which are also my subjects as both Keeper and King) fight against disharmony or dark magic. Sometimes it’s subtle like Luna’s dreamwalking other times it’s more direct like when you used the elements on Nightmare Moon and Discord.”
Harmony let go of her allowing her to back up a bit, “Sometimes I have to do things that I don’t like or that may seem painful. Everything I do I try my best for the betterment of my subjects as King and the world as a Keeper of Harmony. Even then I make mistakes, Bearer of Magic. I’m immortal not infallible.”
“I think its safe to say that the stress surrounding Spike has put us both on edge. For my part in it,” Harmony looked downward in shame. “ I’m sorry… Twilight…”
Twilight was a bit shocked she was not expecting him to use her name. “I… I... I’m sorry too... I just…”
“Please, Bearer of Magic.” Harmony went back to using titles again. “No need to start punishing yourself over the past. It’s nearly time I don’t know how much longer but soon. Let’s try and make whatever time Spike has left the best we can… given the circumstances.”
Harmony said nothing further and starting trotting to catch up to the now out of sight group. It didn’t take them long to catch up. Discord took a moment to take a look at both of them. After a moment a smile formed and he went back to regaling some strange story to Fluttershy.
The day was getting long when they came around a corner and the forest opened up revealing the city. They could see the spiral tower as well as large half circled and domed buildings near it. Further out buildings had a step pyramid look before becoming regular squarish buildings. Obelisks were scattered about the city. After a few more minutes they had entered the outskirts.
They could see now that the city was in ruins. As they walked the streets they had to go around debris lying in the street. Collapsed walls of the buildings was common; many were without roofs. Some buildings had fallen over and forced them to take a different path.
"Welcome to the ancient city of Hourglass." Discord droned on like a bored museum guide. "Once the splendor of the ancient world now lying in ruins." Discord sighed heavily,“ At its peak its glory would have outshined ten Canterlots... now its just a husk…”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, Flutters, I am. This place just brings out memories…” Discord’s voice drifted off as the memories came back to him in waves.
Harmony whispered to her. "It is never easy for him to be here."
“Why is that?” Fluttershy asked.
“Because in a single moment every creature in Hourglass but Discord was killed in a catastrophic event. If it wasn't for his harmony magic he too would have been killed.”
"That's awful!"
"It is..." He whispered so softly as to be almost barely hearable. The pain of his own awakening igniting. Shaking his head to relieve himself of the dark thoughts he pointed down a side street. "Come we will camp near the main market square."
Harmony lead them down side streets and alleyways weaving around damaged streets and collapsed buildings. After a bit he stopped in a middle of a narrow street and looked around on one side was a half collapsed wall the other a shallow pit with various debris. On the other side of the pit was a three step pyramid building with part of the lower step missing. Most likely down in the pit.
“This looks good. Let’s set up camp here.” Harmony stated.
Everyone went about various tasks. Spike however went up to Harmony.
“Um, Harmony, now that we arrived at our destination I was wondering if you could tell me a bit about my parents.”
“Tomorrow, Spike. It’s been a long climb and you all need your rest. The story is not the best ’bedtime story’ I don’t want you falling asleep troubled.”
Spike seem disappointed but didn’t object. Silence became think around the two as each were in their own thoughts. Spike was busy thinking about suitable names while Harmony was trying to figure out his next move.
Getting to Hourglass was the plan. It was always the plan. But like all plans something had thrown a wrench into the gears quickening his timeline. Chaos always had a way of messing up order. But then again without both there could be no real harmony. Chaos and Order working together. Harmony eyed Discord for a moment. He smiled for a moment but then frowned.
Looks like it's almost time... because... "Darkness approaches." Harmony suddenly spoke eying the lowering sun.
Spike looked up at Harmony questioningly, however, Harmony said nothing more.