//------------------------------//
// Chapter 14: Attack on Titanis 
// Story: Hand in Hoof 
// by AdamThePony 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 14: Attack on Titanis


I’m not sure if I even fell into a deep enough sleep last night to dream. Between poring over my grimoire, being haunted by the memories of the prior day, and having to think up a plan of action for what might have been my last day on this soil, I had little time to rest. My mind knew no ease or comfort, and even among pleasant company, I could feel my stomach retreating further and further down inside of me. 

Was this what it felt like to know true, mortal fear?

Dawn came with a crimson sky. A fitting premonition of things to come. The air was cool, almost bone-chilling, as it danced across my bare skin. I had barely retained any of my reading, and even as I tried to organize my thoughts into a concise weave of mental patterns, I couldn’t divorce the good thoughts from the ill ones.

Thankfully, I was in pleasant company. 

Napalm approached me, looking surprisingly timid.

“Good morning,” I whispered, stretching outward.

Napalm bitterly chuckled. “Doesn’t feel like much of one, does it?”

In spite my poor morale, I chuckled. Napalm placed her hoof in my hand, looking up to me.

“I know we’ve only known each other for a few days,” she started, shying away slightly. “But I think that, since this might be the last day we spend alive, I think we ought to share our stories, so that we can at least get to know each other better.”

I clasped my hand over Napalm’s hoof and smiled.

“I’d like that.” I said, wiping my face to hide any potential tears.

Napalm smiled to me and gave me a brief hug.

“I know you must be scared out of your mind,” she assured, trying to be tender,. “But remember; you’re not going in alone. Not if we can help it.”

I looked up toward the window for a brief moment, letting go of Napalm and clasping my hands to whisper sweet nothings to whatever divine entities would listen to me.

I could only hope that I would be answered.


***


The eight of us gathered into a semicircle, basking in the light of a lantern full of fireflies as we looked to one another. The way we regarded one another made for a very melancholy atmosphere as Napalm took to the center of the grouping.

“So,” she started, looking around. “It must be odd to see an earth pony whose special talent flies in the face of everything we usually stand for, huh?”

We simply nodded along.

“Like a lot of earth ponies, though, I started things pretty simply,” she continued. “I lived in a small, unassuming farming village near the Unicorn Range. My parents were Nicola and Nadine, and I was originally named Desiree.

“As our names might imply, we were potato farmers. Or at least, my parents were. Most of my childhood was spent tilling the fields and taking care of our livestock. I don’t think I even had a proper bedroom. I slept with the livestock, on a bed of hay. For quite a few years, we were sure that I was going to be following in the family’s hoofsteps.

“That was, of course, until a thunderstorm decided to roll up to our little village. I’m not sure if it was engineered by the pegasi, or simply unmanageable in its size and magnitude, but it was massive. So massive that it practically blotted out the moon with its size. It was the dead of night, and almost nothing was stirring. It was all shockingly quiet.

“Then, faster than anyone could bat an eye, the sky was practically cleaved asunder by one fierce bolt of lightning that struck the weathervane so hard, it nearly crashed through the roof. That alone was enough to rattle me, but then the bang of thunder that came after sounded practically like the world’s largest bomb exploding right on top of me. My heart felt like it was going to shoot out of my chest, and the area around me started to feel hot. Then, another flash and bang rang against the roof, and before I knew what was going on, the whole barn was aglow with embers. And then… the world as I knew it went up in flames and smoke. While the animals fled away, I was stuck inside, the flames whipping around me. 

“While I was certainly already scared out of my wits and without a clue as to what was going on, the thing that stuck out to me was that, while I was practically boxed in by it, the fire never touched me. It wrapped around me, it bended out of my way, and it got really, really close to me, but it never touched me or burned me. In fact, if anything, it acted as if it needed a master. Part of me wanted to leave, but I was stuck where I was, confused and in awe. I just couldn’t help but marvel at how I remained untouched and untouched by the chaos around me.

“By the time that my parents saw the commotion, they couldn’t believe what they saw. Before them was a right heap of trouble, and dead center of it all was little ‘ol me.”

Roughshod looked down to the lantern. “I assume your parents did not take this well.”

Napalm hung her head. “Not at all. In fact, they were all but horrified by what they saw. At first, they thought the lightning caused the fire, but as they tried so desperately to put it out, they soon began to realize that the fire was far from normal. Once they finally connected the dots, all my family’s eyes turned to me. 

“The next few weeks weren’t much better. Nopony wanted to be anywhere near me. They feared just being within ten paces of me would mean going up in flames. Everypony I knew tried to come up with some explanation for where this power came from. Some thought I had made a pact with a demon, some thought I was born from one, and others thought I outright was a demon. 

“I tried to return to the everyday grind, but every time I tried to lend my hooves to work again, I was shooed away for fear of my newfound powers rendering the crops infertile and useless. I wasn’t allowed near the animals for fear I would burn them alive. I wasn’t even allowed to retrieve water, for fear that even the water would catch aflame. I felt like a stranger in my own hometown. All because they were afraid of me, and thought me a monster.”

“So when did you end up in the mountains?” Spike pondered.

“I’m getting to that!” Napalm snapped. “Eventually, I was getting tired of being shunned by the people who were supposed to be supporting me. So, when the night was dark and full of silence, I stole away into the evening, heading off into the mountains with as much tack and feed as I could carry. I thought that perhaps if I left home, I might be able to learn to control this power I have and prove to them that I’m not just a freak of nature. I hoped that I could show them that I could not simply be stamped out. Like napalm, I’d burn bright and long.”

Napalm paused for breath, her gaze turning to Spike and I.

“However, as these two can attest, I wasn’t exactly very experienced going out on my own on the roads.”

I admit, I chuckled a tad. “You must have not found your talent for very long, I take it.”

“My outdoors skills are lacking, I admit,” Napalm nervously tittered, her cheeks burning up red. “In all honesty, I’m actually really glad you two found me. If you hadn’t, I’d probably have been in some real deep horseapples.”

“There’s just one thing that doesn’t quite check out,” Spike chimed in. “The way you seem to put it, you seem to have been at this for only a short while now, and you make it out like you’ve only recently come to grips with your power. How is it you’ve got such good control of this power?”

Napalm shrinked. “It’s kinda hard for me to explain...”

I crossed my legs. “I’d like to hear you try. As someone who’s in the process of learning magic himself, maybe there’s something from you to be learned.”

“Well, if you think I can be of help…” The pyromancer placed a hoof to her lower lip and gave a quiet hum. “Well, imagine it sort of like this;. Most unicorns—or for that matter, anypony whose source of power comes from pure magical energy—will tell you that magic in this world is kind of like a force. And like any force, people have different ways of approaching it and working it. To some extent, magic can be controlled, and depending on who you are and what your background is, something might work differently for you.”

“I follow you so far,” I nodded. “But where do you fit into this, exactly?”

“Well, think of it like cooking. Most mages you’re likely to have heard about fiddle with formulae and recipes other mages have made certain works. Even Star Swirl the Bearded did that, to some extent. But, for a lot of magi, especially ones like me, who are only just starting out, it works more like a home-cooked meal. You’re not sure how it works exactly, but you’re sure you can make it work with your own gut feelings and instincts. Heck, some even do both.”

“So are you implying you just sort of feel it out and work from there?” I asked.

Napalm shrugged. “Kind of. I just go with the way the ether flows and work from there. If I want a fireball, I try for a fireball. If I want to blow something to kingdom come, I put as much thought towards blowing it up.  It’s kind of a intuitive, focus-y thing. I think about what I want and try as hard as I can to make it happen.”

“So you just go with what feels right to you, then.” Spike said.

“That’s about the gist of it,” Napalm answered. “If you ask me, it’s the better way to get an idea on how magic works. Just try and sync yourself to the flow of the magic, and if you’re lucky, you can make some real cool stuff happen.”

I hummed with understanding. “That sounds simple enough; I’ll try and keep that in mind.”

It was then that Archnid decided to speak up. 

“If we’re going to be sharing stories, may it be prudent of me to share my own?” she asked. “I know that I promised to tell it once we reached Pasofino, but given the circumstances, we may not live for me to be able to speak of it.”

I flourished my arm in a gesture to permit her the floor to speak.

“My story—or, at least the part of my story that is most relevant to the fingered one—begins in the San Palomino Desert, a short while following the sound defeat of Queen Chrysalis. As you can imagine, the news did not come to my hive as anything good. If anything, it had been a sign of worse days to come. Without a stable source of nourishment aside from the odd berry harvests and what little fauna grew out in the arid wastes, and with the number of mouths to feed growing by the week, we were nearing the edge of starvation.

“That was until Alric, one of my right-hoof men, and his lieutenant Cedric happened upon a rather surprising discovery of fauna. As far as they knew at the time, the creature was alien to the native wildlife. To say it briefly, the creature was essentially of your breed when we had discovered him. Thankfully, it—or rather, I should say, he—was not dead, but rather exhausted from lack of hydration. The two of them brought him inside, and sure enough, he came to.

“Oh course, following on my most basic of natures, I acquainted myself with our new acquisition, and did my best to familiarize myself with him. He told me quite clearly what he was, but not whom. If I could recall what he called his kin, I would, but unfortunately, the stains of time have blotted it from my memory. Nevertheless, I had these two provide the male with some refreshment, but they made the mistake of feeding him Hypnos Berries…”

“Hypnos Berries?” I queried.

“Simply put, they are a common type of berry typically found more arid climates. While they are incredibly refreshing, they are commonly known as a natural sleep aid, as the juice contains a potent sedative which induces sleep within moments of ingestion.”

“I am well-aware of this berry,” Nia chimed. “Its benefit to medicine is quite extraordinary.”

Archnid nodded and continued on.

“Yes, well not long after he passed out, I had him moved to my bedchambers. As the hivemind would later inform me,the stallion had attempted to escape, but relented when he realized it would not benefit him if he left. We shared a bed together, and when morning came, I showed him around my home, and then performed my royal duties.”

“You mean to say that you drained him.”

The queen shied away slightly.

“In a manner of speaking, yes…” she murmured, a hoof to her muzzle. “However, for the sake of keeping decent in private company, I will spare you the sordid details.

“Up to our altercation, I had taken great pains to assure he was comfortable, even attempting to adopt his guise at least once. While my attempts were not without imperfections, and I did give the stallion reasonable cause for alarm, my efforts were appreciated. As I showed him around, he came to an understanding of our species. He had even helped me in the harvest willingly, showing me an unprecedented amount of compassion and care. And when we finally did complete our harvest, this was reflected in the love I had acquired from him. It was purer, fuller, more complete. There was a zest and body to its flavor that made it so much more wholesome than any love I’d tasted up to that point. I genuinely felt beloved from the taste of it, rather than simply feigning it for my own profit.”

“I think I know where this is headed,” Napalm interjected. “The love you felt was mutual, I’m assuming.”

Archnid nodded in confirmation. “This stallion made me feel a great number of things: angst, regret, passion and even love.

“Though it went against every edict and law that my forefathers had written, I had genuinely felt an attachment and a desire to be truly committed to him. He had caused a profound effect on my moral fiber, and I had to figure out if he felt it as well.

“It was then that Alric helped to provide an important decision. I could offer the stallion a chance to return home and be with his native kin, or perhaps more daringly, I could allow him to stay, and perform an ancient ritual. One of such eclectic, occult nature that few had ever dared to try it. It was a ritual that took the souls of two lovers and split them in two, piecing them back together with the half of their mate. The risk was great—if anything went wrong, the both of us would have died. 

“However, thanks to the bond we shared, we had managed something that could only be described as a miracle; though the two of us imparting a piece of ourselves in both body and soul, we had made ourselves into potent hybrid entities, and with that transformation, we formed a true arcology, independant of any other swarm.

“The stallion, now having officially bound himself to this plane, chose the name Recluse, and the two of us lived in relative happiness for a great while.

“Of course, the story didn’t end there. Even with the two of us now more able to sustain our hive, we were in need of more territory.

“Recluse, being the patriarch he was, was quick to suggest ideas. When I first heard his plan, I thought he was daft. He suggested that we make a beeline straight for Canterlot and throw ourselves at Celestia’s hooves, knowing full well what became of Chrysalis. I had thought him insane at first, but when he explained his intentions, my confidence rose.”

“What exactly did he say?” Roughshod asked. “What exactly managed to sway both you and Our Royal Majesty to make this endeavor work?”

“He helped me to understand the alternative ways in which our kin could subsist on emotions,” Archnid explained. “While it’s an open secret that we typically take love directly from someone, we are also fed and empowered by the adoration and praise of our peers. Not only that, but while love is our primary source of food, any strong emotions will get us through, and social intercourse proved to be a much more wholesome way to keep fed.

“Of course, Recluse had to word himself differently. When we made it to Canterlot, he calmly stated his business and was all but happy to accept being cuffed and thrown in a cell. 

“When we were brought before the two sisters, I was almost taken aback with how cocksure my dear king was. He was brave enough to banter with Princess Celestia, of all ponies. He explained to her his story, and by extension, that of our hive. He spoke of how alike we were to ponykind, and how our innate connection to emotion allowed us to understand one another at a closer level. He also spoke of how important community was to our kin, and how the past sins of a fallen individual don’t reflect on the whole of a race. 

“Admittedly, it may sound tired, but the delivery was what managed to save him. The way he carried himself, under threat of banishment and even execution, wracked with pressure, gave the princess great pause.

“When the negotiations were all settled, I swear that it almost felt like a dream. We were allowed to make our home in Pasofino, but on a condition.”

“What was the condition?” we all wondered aloud.

“Princess Celestia had given us diplomatic protections, but she expected us to keep on our best behavior, on punishment of banishment or worse,” Archnid stated. “From there, we found ourselves a new home and took to adapting our skills to the culture. If you can believe it, we actually adapted quite well. One of the benefits of  being a protean race is that it allows us to take forms and shapes that please the locals.”


The queen let out a brief titter. “And as my hubby and I discovered, it works especially well for character comedy.”

“Well, that’s all well and good, but where in this story did you end up in the Crystal Mountains guarding some Nightmare-infested axe?” Roughshod asked.

“Oh, that’s easy,” Archnid answered. “We were thinking of settling someplace new, and in our search for a new home, we found ourselves attracted there due to the dark force inside, wanting to investigate the disturbance. As for our hostility… well, we didn’t want anyone to be harmed potentially chasing something that could be dangerous to them.”

“Is your husband still alive?” I asked, curious. “He may have answers to what I’m seeking,”

“Of course he is!” Archnid balked. “He has the blood of a changeling! I’m sure he’d be more than willing to talk.”


For a good minute or so, we remained silent to allow the full breadth of the two stories shared to the collective. A cough or errant breath would occasionally break the silence, but we were brought down to awkward stares.

I decided to clear my throat and continue the proceedings.

“Well, with that last statement as a segue, I think it’s time to discuss our battle plans, now that we have at least one good reason to make it out of this alive.” I stated, rolling out the map. “Let’s review what we know.”

Nia rose a hoof. “We know that it is swift, and with enough momentum, can leave most anyone adrift.”

“We also know sight may be its most important sense, seeing as the thing all but one-eightied after being blinded,” Napalm added.

“It can tear us apart with beak and claw like we were made of paper,” Spike said.

“And to compound all of this even further, given the foreboding aura and calculated striking, we are likely dealing with another Nightmare,” I finished, looking grim. “And given we don’t yet have the means to expel such things, we may need to deal with it the old fashioned way.”

Roughshod looked down. “Such unfortunate times we live in.”

“Any good plans, then?” Spike asked.

“Well, there’s the matter of the collateral damage we might incur,” I started. “So at least one of us should try and clear out the villagers to keep them from being potential casualties.”

“Aye, we should keep it clear,” Nia noted. “But what will we do when the beast gets here?”

“Simple,” I stated. “We face the beast head-on, keep it away from any innocents we can, and defeat it with jolly cooperation!”

Blank stares met me.

“You know, if you didn’t have a plan, you could’ve just said that,” Spike grumbled.

“Well, if I did that, I’d be a lot less comfortable with my odds,” I replied.

I took a brief pause for thought.

“Actually, I’m still not sure,” I muttered. “Shall we make a plea for luck?”

It was at that point our early morning congregation was reduced to a huddling mass of frightened children.


***


Part of me dreaded that I agreed to this. Another part of me berated the first part for cowardice. I had made an oath, and if I was to own up to my upbringing, I had to keep it. Nia helped to escort the villagers while I tied a length of rope to my spear. Archnid, Alric, and Cedric, along with Spike and Napalm were gathered around me in a loose party, and Roughshod had joined some of the village shamans and priests in a prayer for protection.

“You’re sure you can handle this, Lance?” Spike asked, claw against my shoulder. “I know we got pretty lucky the first time, but do you really want to try it a second time? You’re not exactly a monster hunter.”

“That may be, Spike, but what I am is an aspiring spellsword with the company of three psionically-adept changelings, a pubescent dragon, a wizened cleric of what I can only believe is some sun-fearing order, a mystical zebra who seems quite in tune with the world, and possibly one of the most potent pyromancers known to Equestria,” I replied. “Not to ruin our odds, but I’m pretty sure we have at least some chance of success, however small.”

“You do realize that if you die, you may be taking your species—whatever it happens to be—with you?” Alric asked. “Not to mention the fact that this is quite possibly the worst diversion from the path we could have took?”

“My word is my oath, Alric,” I snapped. “If I can’t make good of either, than what merit of a nobleman am I?”

“My, somepony’s rhetoric is looking particularly purple today,” Archnid chuckled, as I grabbed a strand of my hair into my off-hand. 

“You can blame Princess Luna for that,” I retorted. “She used to read me epics to get me to sleep.”

With a tug, I turned to face the queen.

“Would you mind helping me trim my hair?” I asked. “If this is to be my last day, I’d rather not die a dandy.”

The queen smirked, her horn awash with a faint purple mist. “It would be my pleasure.”

With a quick jolt of concentrated eldritch fire, the hair I’d amassed was singed off. While it wasn’t a clean cut, it was practical for the time being. I’d have time to adjust if I didn’t end up in a monster’s stomach. However, part of my scalp was taken with it, leaving me with a stinging burn in the back of my neck.

“And now I’m smelling burnt flesh,” I groaned, holding the singed part of my neck. “I immediately regret having asked for that.”

The queen giggled like a filly at me. “Well, there’s no going back on it now.”

“Any ideas on how we’re gonna take this thing down?” Napalm groused.

“It’s simple,” I replied, training my spear to be at the ready. “We go for the eyes, we keep out of harm’s way of the beak and claws, and we put down the bad guy.

“You act as though it will be easy.” Cedric muttered, rolling his eyes.

“Actually, I’m about as scared as anyone else here is right now,.” I shuddered. “I’m just keeping cheerful outlook on the situation to prevent my psyche from cracking under the enormous pressure we’re under.”

“You don’t have to hide anything from us, Lance,” Spike assured. “You said it yourself—we’re all scared. But, so long as we keep our cool and put our trust in our friends, we might be able to get through this.”

I looked to Spike as the others rejoined us. Then my eyes turned to the faces of the last residents of the Hollow Shades on their way out. They were counting on us to make it through this fight with this maleficent menace and make sure it never did another innocent pony harm.

With a deep breath, I took some loose clay from the ground and smeared it against my cheeks.

“Then let’s show this thing what we’re made of.”

While there was renewed confidence in me for a few short moments, it was quickly dissipated by the onset of rapid, heavy footfalls. As my ears tried to form a good idea of from where it was coming, my brain had other plans to carry out.

WIthout even thinking, I pushed my companions away, just barely saving us from being bowled over by the unstoppable force that rushed into view. For a few spare moments, the bird scanned the area, trying to find its quarry, only to see us. As I stared into its sharp, felid eyes and black, oily feathers, I could only back away, fanning out one of my arms to my friends in protection.

“I’m afraid that there will be no more food for you, fiend of feathers,” I called out, swallowing any of my doubts as I stared this deathly terror in the face. “And I am not keen on letting you eat my friends!”

Perhaps as a rebuttal, the bird of terror lashed out with one of his claws, and as I jumped out of the way, part of my ensemble shielded me from the damage, leaving slight scars upon my chest. While the physical damage was superficial, the bird had made a damning mistake by injuring my clothes. 

In retaliation, I peeled off my top and entered a combative stance, motioning to the others to join me. Napalm, needing no provocation, promptly flung a bolt of fire clean into the beast’s eye, forcing it to recoil.

Unfortunately, she must not have counted on the thing going after me and dealing a goodly amount of subdual damage. Had it not been for Spike being able to dive to catch me, I probably would have suffered more grievous harm. 

In the distance, I could see the changelings firing away their best salvos of magical energy whilst Roughshod ran ragged to make sure his bolstering cries could reach everypony. All the while, Nia was darting towards the bird’s knees, lifting herself with a gust of self-made wind to buck it at the joint. 

While the zebra’s strike was enough to bring the beastly bird to a brief stagger, it was clear this thing would not be so easily felled. However, Napalm’s outburst of flame divined in me a simple, but fair idea.

“Spike, give me a light,” I demanded, holding out my spear.

Spike turned to me with an incredulous look. “Are you out of your mind?! No!”

“Look, I may not be very good at making plans before a battle, but I’m smart enough to find out things during one!” I chastised. “Now please give me some fire!”

“You realize anything that it hits is likely to get sent to Celestia, right?” he called back as we ran in a parabolic curve around the beast. “Are you sure you want to send her something like this?”

“If it means that we deal with this threat in a more decisive manner, then I’ll accept whatever consequence it takes that assures our and others’ safety,” I yelled. “I’ll have time enough to explain the details when I’m not actively being careful not to get mauled by a giant killer bird!”

Spike and I were locked in an intense stare for but a few seconds before Spike heaved a sigh of reluctance.

“I guess it’s the best we can do right now,” he groaned. “Just… raise your spear up good and high, alright? I really don’t want to burn you doing this.”

I nodded, standing up to bring my spear as high as my arms would allow me. With a wince, I held it aloft as green draconic flame wrapped around the head. As it crackled like a torch, I gave a nod of assurance.

“Much obliged, Spike,” I chimed, twirling the spear so its edge faced the beast. “Now run.”

Spike looked to me with the amount of distrust I’d expect from such a command. “Why?”

I smirked, and cupped my off hand around my mouth, taking a deep breath.

“Hey, tall, dark, and beaky!” I called out, tauntingly.

Predictably, the bird turned to face me, cocking its head towards me before rearing up to run.

“How about I make you dinner?” I asked, cocking my arm back. “I was thinking a nice kebab!”

With a forceful toss, the flame-wreathed spear sailed from my hand, soaring through the air at great speed. A solid thunk into the flank gave me a small hope that I had done a goodly amount of damage, but the ease at which it shot straight out made me regret having put so much force behind it. 

As I squinted to inspect the damage, the bird craned back quizzically before giving me the look of someone who was clearly not very amused by my display. It didn’t look very hurt by my offense.

With not even the slightest hint of flinching, the avian made his charge against me, even shrugging off the salvos of radiant green energy the changelings were volleying against it. Quickly, Spike and I rejoined the rest behind an improvised palisade, and it was at this point that Iando must have realized things were going to require a bit of input from him.

”It appears you may need some help,” he chimed in, his choice rebounding against the walls of my psyche.

“Gee, nice of you to contribute,” I groaned, debating whether or not to risk my sword in another attack. “Please, do enlighten me; what could I be be doing to better end this battle?”

”I’m glad you asked,” Iando relied, apparently failing to detect my dripping sarcasm. “I am not sure if you’ve noticed, but your little assault did in fact impair him, if only by a slight margin.”

“I can’t really tell, but you’ve my attention so far,” I responded, attempting to think on my feet.

”Think back to yesterday, if you will.” Iando invited. “As you and the others observed, the creature is highly photosensitive, and one of its greatest assets is its speed and momentum. By impairing one, you’ve made an opening, and with the ability to impair the others in equal measure, you may be able to press an advantage.”

“But you saw what that spear did to him!” I objected. “Even with a blast of dragon’s fire, it went through him like it was nothing but a hot knife through butter!”

Iando chuckled. “While yes, it did seem ineffectual, I assure you, there is more that you can do to create an advantage. For example, take a look at the ground.”

Following his lead, I inspected the ground. It was mired in prints of hooves, feet, claws and talons, and looked to have been trodden bare. There were also several minor cracks in the dried dirt that had been presumably been made by the terror bird’s weight. The terror bird itself was trying to find us, fortunately not able to pick up our scents.

“Notice how the ground is a bit less flattened here,” He noted, in an elementary tone. ”Perhaps if we were to weaken its structure just a bit more, we may be able to create a sizeable divet.

“You mean a like a pit trap?” I asked.

“Heavens to Celestia, no!” Iando balked, as if offended. “We needn’t go to that extreme. Just something large enough to cause a significant stumbling.”

“So you’re basically suggesting me to make a tripping point?” I queried. “I don’t think I have the power to make a big enough hole…”

“I never said you had to do it alone.” Iando tittered.

I kicked myself for having forgotten the obvious.

“Okay guys, I think I have a plan,” I snapped., scrambling to try and make a visual reference. “It’s going to need all of you to work, though, so be sharp.”

My companions leaned in as I began to draw a crude formation, keeping an eye on the bird as it continued to search for me, looking through the buildings.

“Right, I’ve managed to slow this thing down some, but we’re going to need a concentrated effort to really take it down,” I started. “So, Napalm, I want you, Cedric, and Alric going for the eyes. Archnid will provide you with suppressing fire to keep it at a safe distance.”

Napalm looked to her axe and smiled. “Gladly.”

“Roughshod, I’d like you to beseech your benefactor’s aid with a litany of fortune,” I asked, performing an offering gesture.

Roughshod balanced upon his cane and gave an understanding nod. “I can assure you that the sun shall smile upon us.”

“And Nia, you are capable of earth magic, yes?” I asked, pointing to her.

“As equal as any other is my power from the earth mother,” Nia replied, before blushing as she realized she was slipping into her natural habits.

“Excellent,” I mashed my fist into my palm. “Then you, Spike, and myself will make a break for some of the more cracked parts of earth and dig ourselves up a nice trench to get the beast off guard.”

Nia balked. “But we’ve not yet covered the basics of earth magic! What makes you so sure you can manage a feat like this?”

“I have faith in your skills as a teacher to be able to teach me the essentials,” I assured. “If there’s one skill I have, it’s being a quick learner.”

“And if this goes horribly wrong?” Spike asked.

I smiled as I shrugged off my pants. “Then I’ll be tiptoeing through the flowers in the Summer Lands.”

Spike looked betwixt my legs for a moment before looking back up at me. “You know this is insane, right?”

“I never claimed it wasn’t,” I retorted. “Besides, this ensemble was already ruined.”

I’m not sure about how sane I was at the time. I can only assume the fear of rapid onset death was making me lose my very sanity. However, I was in that comfortable state of illucidity that I was able to make plans on the spot that at least sounded sensible in my own head.

With my plan now figured out, we needed only to execute it.

Quickly, I darted from cover, exposed and alert, as salvos of orange and green flames peppered the face of the feathered fiend. A final large burst sent the bird reeling back, allowing my trio to get into a triangular formation, running abreast to the most dilapidated part of earth. The wind whipped against my body, with my shoes being the only protection from the elements. In the brief window of time I had, I decided to take leave of those as well, so as to assure that I was able to make as solid a connection to the elements as possible.

As we got into a position where we felt relatively capable, Nia began to enter a grounded stance, and I slowly began to follow her kata.

From afar, I could hear the weathered pipes of Roughshod calling out his prayer.

“Oh, glorious Celestia, whose sun graces us on this day with its precious light,” he began, rearing up as if to embrace the very sun itself. “I, a champion of your gracious ideals, do ask for your aid! For we are beset upon by a beast of maleficent darkness who has taken to doing harm to the villagers of this land from which we call! We ask for your benediction as we prepare an exacting ritual to cleanse away the evil that burdens this land!”

Nia and I were in a slow, dance-like formation, the end of which had us poised to strike the earth.

“This last step requires an intense amount of focus,” the zebra instructed, attempting to maintain calm while oncoming doom loomed just nearby. “Concentrate, and allow the energy within to expand and grow. Let it flow from your feet like roots to bind you to the ground, and let your palm gather the power of the earth itself. Then, when you feel it pool to its xenith, bring it down upon the floor with as much focused force as you can.”

I nodded, bringing my eyes back to the ground. I took several deep breaths, attempting to find my center amongst the chaos. I tried to empty my mind of thought and allow the energies of my body to seep down into the earth. As my striking arm raised and lowered like the piston of a well-oiled machine, I intermittently looked up to the topmost part of peripheral vision to check on the others’ progress. While the volley I had arranged was keeping its attention, it was getting wiser and wiser to our plot. 

As I heard its footfalls starting to turn to me, my mind started to whiz into a mania. I was trying in desperation not to allow the elephant in the room to completely trash my concentration, but I couldn’t tear myself away.

Then, the beast began his approach.

For a moment, every thought in my mind bottomed out. My eyes went wide and glassy. In a passing moment’s time, I was staring Death squarely in his face like a fawn caught in the palest of moonlight, surrounded by countless predators. I felt myself within a hair’s breadth of dismemberment.

And then, something began to reveal itself in my subconscious. Not merely an instinct or reaction of fear, but something more strange. In my almost blank state of mind, I felt something. The tingle of a magical ether surrounding my limbs, a burning sense of alacrity and awareness in my head, and a power worming its way to and from my very heart. I could hear my own pulse as it began to slow to an almost sleep-like rhythm. 

Though I could only scantily make it out, I felt as though someone from within me was holding my body now. Someone alien and yet strangely familiar. This was not the motherly presence that had previously saved me from subconscious peril before. I wasn’t sure what it was, to be honest. But it was a presence that had assumed control over my body, like a divine interloper.

My open palm crashed against the ground in one firm thrust, meeting it at roughly the same time as Nia, Spike watching nearly in awe as the cracked ground began to yaw open like a spiderweb. Much of the floor before us began to sink and crumble, and before the beast was remotely aware, it was trapped in a sizeable crater. Spike had decided to use the now loosened stones as throwing weapons, and began using his own draconic strength to hurl them like baseballs with great fervor.

That alone should have been enough to press an advantage, but the golden force within me thought otherwise. 

My palm still pressed against the edge of the crater, I felt even more arcane power pass through it. A roar left my throat as I beheld several wriggling thorny masses emerging from the earth, entangling the bird at its legs and claws, with another few wrapping around its fearsome beak. Now trapped, the monster writhed and bucked, trying desperately to rip its way out, only to be impaled by thorns and forced to go limp.

For a few strained seconds, I held that primal stance, taking in deep, ragged breaths. My body seemed to crackle with previously untapped power as my vision began to become more lucid and solid, and as my mind began to catch back up, I gasped in astonishment, looking to my companions.

I wasn’t sure how exactly I had managed it, but in one fell swoop, I had not only succeeded in what I’d set out to do, but I’d done so with almost miraculous results. The sheer sight of it took our our collective breaths away.

As the energy began to fade away, we regrouped around the beast, and I quickly unsheathed my sword. I leapt onto the bird’s back and made my way to its head, taking the sword in both hands in preparation. The blade pointed down, and a good, hard lunge downward would put it out of our and the village’s misery.

And yet, I couldn’t bring myself to make the killing stroke. Perhaps out of fear I would not cut deep enough, or the desire for a more peaceful resolution, I couldn’t make the final cut. My hands trembled as I tried to force myself to drive it in, but my arms just wouldn’t follow through.

This was, of course, compounded by an unexpected development.

A deep, rumbling breath had nearly thrown me clear off the beast, and I could hear moans shuddering outward. 

And then, with a moan, it spoke.

”Do it…”

The lot of us froze upon hearing it. It was a voice deep, but unmistakably feminine.

“You…” I shuddered, nearly at a loss. “You can speak?”

The bird let out another cry.

”Please,” she pleaded. ”End me now, while I am in my right mind.”

She looked to me with eyes sopping in desperation. I tried to heed her wish, but still I was unable to grant it.

“I can’t do it,” I cried. “Not yet. Not until I know why.”

The she-bird looked to me incredulously before sagging its head back into the dirt.

“If that is what it will take to be absolved, then I will be quick,” she sighed. “I won’t be able to tell you much, but I will tell you how I came to be this way. I was part of a tribe whose food supply was dwindling. I was young and inexperienced, unable to hunt well enough on my own. My kin fell upon hard times, and eventually, I was doomed to starve until a shadow descended upon me. It promised that with its help, I’d not go hungry.”

“And what of the rest of your kin?” I asked. “What will be done for them?”

“If you should see fit to, go to the Veldt of Claws,” she said. “If they ask your business, tell them that you found Aylen, and that you helped her find a better place than this.”

I hung my head, nodding only slightly. A few scant breaths gathered in my chest as I raised my blade again.

“Do you have a dying wish?” I asked, in a calm tone.

I wasn’t sure if I could see it, but the terror bird named Aylen seemed to smile.

“Make sure that what remains of me is put to better use than it was here,” she asked. “With my last breath, I wish to have the sins of this body to be redeemed in service to one of stronger conviction than I.”

I closed my eyes to take in a deep breath and harden my nerve. Slowly, I took my sword in both hands, raising the hilt above my head as its steel glinted ever so subtly.

“Aylen of the Titanis, the sins that you have committed against this town were grievous indeed,” I began, trying to keep from shuddering. “Though it was no willing act, it cannot be so easily apologized for. However, I can see it your eyes and hear it in your voice that you are repentant.”

I rose the hilt over my head now, rearing back in grim preparation.

“With this stroke, I release your cursed soul to be cleansed in the healing light of the sun, and pray that you find peace in the world beyond this one.”

With a heavy thrust, it was over. One clean stab which left a thick black ichor. I couldn’t bear to see what else I’d done, and as soon as I had done it, I had to leave.

My party quickly followed, but when they saw the look of pain and sorrow in my eyes, they knew that I was unwell.

To this day, the death of Aylen haunts me. Though I knew her for but a few short moments, the story she told would stay with me until the day I’d leave this realm. A chilling reminder of how close I was to meeting a similar, damned fate.


***


For three days, I did not leave the home which Elder Berry had allowed us. Barren in mind, body, and heart in equal measure, I sat in a corner to myself, knees to my face as I let my thoughts wander aimlessly in every direction possible.

Perhaps it was a testament to my youth and inexperience, but after having to exact such a grim justice against what could very well have been an innocent cursed to do the will of evil, my moral compass seemed to not be able to right itself. Not since before I left Canterlot did I feel such bewildering confusion.

A rapping came to the door.

“I’m coming in,” called a familiarly-aged voice.

In came Roughshod, his eyes downcast as he carried a bowl in his mouth. Vapors of steamed carrots and potatoes wafted in my nose, and brought me briefly from my stupor.

“You must be hungry,” he said as he laid the bowl down at my feet. “We thought to bring you something to help bring your strength back up.”

I looked down to the platter and smiled slightly, bringing it to my hands as Roughshod offered the utensils.

“You have my thanks,” I said as I prepared to eat. “You’re free to leave me; I should have no trouble eating.”

“Actually, if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to stay and offer my aid,” the donkey rumbled in reply. “You must be troubled by some terrible inner demons to not be able to leave this room.”

I scoffed as I cut open the potato, dicing it so that I could fit a piece into my mouth. 

“That’s rich, coming from the ass who only recently stopped calling me a demon or faerie at any opportunity he gets.”

Roughshod looked down, his ears flopping with him.

“Actually, that was part of the reason I came,” he huffed, scuffing his hoof against the floor. “While we’ve gone over this before, I’ve come to explain myself in a bit better detail.”

I narrowly avoided choking on a piece of carrot. 

“You’re not serious are you?” I balked, looking at him with wide eyes. “What’s the occasion?”

Roughshod let out a sigh and looked me square in the eyes.

“When we first met, I didn’t know what to make of you,” he started. “Your appearance was like something I had only seen in my most horrifying night terrors. You were so alien to anything I was familiar with. Because of that, my mind jumped to conclusions, and my zeal got the better of me. From there, I spoke what my mind believed of you. For that, I am sorry.

“However, your recent events have shown me that my first impression of you may not be accurate, nor my second or third. Your actions with Aylen helped to confirm that. You could have easily brought the creature low without a second thought. You could have purged her and left it at that. But you held back; even though you had a firm reason to put it to an end, you couldn’t make that decision without hearing her out. You let her tell her story, and you let her make a final wish. You allowed her to be given mercy, and gave her a swift, merciful end.”

I looked to Roughshod, conflicted in emotion.

“But was it really the right thing to do?” I asked, wiping my face. “It was clearly in its right mind when I did that. Surely there could have been some other way?”

Roughshod hung his head a moment. 

“There may have been another way,” he somberly replied. “But, we lack the great, miraculous power needed to see such a thing through. With the Elements of Harmony keeping the more untamed tracts of land in check, we have only our own skills to save us.”

He then placed a hoof against my shoulder

“That said, if you want my opinion, given what options you had, you did the best good you possibly could,” he assured, cracking a smile. “And for my bits, that’s all that matters.”

I drew a short breath, meeting his eyes. “Do you really think that, Roughshod?”

Roughshod then, in a move I had no expectation of him doing, scooped me into a rather tender embrace. 

“You did good, Lance,” he whispered. “Don’t go telling yourself otherwise, else you might be next in line.”

Roughshod then released me and turned for the door.

“Don’t tarry with that food, now. Kenta’s wantin’ to see you for measurements. Said he’s working on something that should be real nice for an up-and-coming eldritch knight like yourself.”

I nodded with a slight smile and allowed him to leave. Though my spirit was slightly dampened by the reminder that I was toeing the line myself, to hear praise from Roughshod, of all folks was a welcome moment of heartwarming. While I would have to be somber in writing home, I would be able to do so with greater confidence.


***


It seems that, even when you’ve been the ruler of a nation for over a thousand years, there always seem to be new secrets hidden within your borders.

It seemed that Starswirl the Bearded was one who preferred to keep the secrets of the world well-hidden from prying eyes. Even with my knowledge of the whole of the library and Twilight’s own inquisitive nature, neither one of us had managed to find anything more telling than scant, cryptic verses of two-legged shepherds.

Of course, while such lack of progress was frustrating, I was working in very enjoyable company.

Poring through the shelves with my former student is an activity I cherish as much as the intent behind it. The smell of old dust covers, the musk of ancient paper, the way the light makes the room look crisp and distinguished, and just that air of bygone ages was all wonderful. 

All that paled when compared to the young, brilliant light of Twilight’s mind. 

“It feels like old times, doesn’t it, Twilight?” I asked, nuzzling my student’s neck.

Twilight chuckled, her cheeks bubbling with flecks of red. “I guess old hobbies never really fade. Not a day goes by where I don’t think about this place. Ever since I got the new castle, I’ve always missed all those first editions and hardcovers I’d managed to acquire. When I decided not to sell them at the Rainbow Falls Trader Exchange, I did so with a yearning heart that didn’t want to part with the things that helped me become the mare I am today.”

She hung her head for a moment. “Then Tirek happened, and in one fell swoop, it all disappeared.”

The two of us shared a comparable moment of silence. We mourned the loss of another good tree. After about 30 seconds passed, I let out an impish chuckle.

“You must have been angry,” I tittered. 

Twilight scrunched her face in the most adorable fashion. “Oh, like you wouldn’t believe! I had half a mind to to punch his big, dumb, red face in!”

The two of us then burst out into a hysterical fit of laughter.

“Oh, the bits I would have paid to see that with my own eyes.”

Our eyes returned to the shelves as we held back further laughing.

“You know something else that’s funny?” I asked, somewhat rhetorically.

“Feel free to share, Princess,” Twilight replied back, blushing as she realized she’d called me by rank yet again.

“I knew Star-Swirl for most of my life, and most of his, to boot,” I said, as I hoofed through some of his older editions on magical theorem. “I’ve seen him perform what could only be described as the greatest acts of thaumaturgy that have only recently been matched. I have seen work himself to the bone to preserve balance and order, and unite folk not just of our world, but other worlds. I went with him on many of his excursions, brief as they were, and saw worlds that sometimes vastly differed from our own. I’ve had encounters with folk queer of form and strange of manner. 

“And yet, even in the scantest parts of my memory, I can still recall him having vague interactions with the very people Lance may have come from. And now, when I’m actively seeking out this information for greater detail on those people, everything comes up as dry.”

Twilight let out a playful giggle. 

“Maybe it’s like something out of H.P. Lovecolt,” She joked, rolling her eyes, “Perhaps all of this is part of some big list of ‘things ponykind is not meant to know’.”

The two of us giggled like little children for a moment.

Between my giggles, I told her, “If that were true, then we’d be molested by beings slender and tall.”

As we kept searching, I held a hoof to my horn. A chill came to my temple as my withers shivered. An eerie feeling came over me for but a few ephemeral seconds before it melted away like a scoop of ice cream on a hot summer sidewalk.

Twilight, quick as she was, noticed my pause almost immediately.

“Something wrong, Princess?”

I shook my head, trying to dispel whatever that feeling that dominated my subconscious was.

“I sensed a strange force,” I told her. “Like a great shadow coming down upon the earth. Great and powerful. I felt it for but a few brief seconds. Then, just like that, it faded away, as if retreating into even larger shadows around it.”

“That’s a vague, yet awfully specific thing to feel,” said Twilight as she held a hoof to her chin. “Do you know where it might have been?”

I placed a hoof to my temple. “It felt a fair ways off. Near the Hollow Shades. It’s gone now, though.”

Twilight bit her lip as she paced about, clicking her tongue to the rhythm of her hooves.

“You think it could be Lance?” she proposed. “It must be something pretty big if you can feel it from here.”

“It may just be,” I smiled, confident that my son could handle himself.. “But, seeing as the feeling’s gone now, whatever it was must have been handled.”

“You seem pretty sure of yourself, considering the two of you weren’t exactly as close as you and I are.”

I bit my lip for a moment, my ears drooping.

“That’s true,” I sighed. “In retrospect, I probably should have been more involved. But, considering the mare you turned out to be, I’d like to think we’re getting on better terms as well.”

“Oh come now,” Twilight teased. “You and I’ve always been close to each other’s hearts!”

Twilight then gave me a playful jab as I eyed a familiar plume of green flame.

“That must be him now!” I chirped, my spirits lifted slightly from the minor bruise to my ego that Twilight dealt in jest. 

Twilight quickly snuggled up to my side as the message popped into being. As my magic quickly snapped apart the wax seal, the two of us quickly set to reading.


***


Dearest Mother and Aunt,

I write to you today in less than optimal conditions. These past few days have taxed me, mentally, physically, and thaumaturgically, and even now, it is a miracle that I can compose my thoughts with any kind of eloquence. So instead, I’ll cut to the chase:

Blood was spilled this week. Not mine, but the blood of innocent foals and a maiden trapped in her own body by the very thing that’s taken me. A terror bird was terrorizing the Hollow Shades, and being the altruistic sort that my party was, we ended up having to meet this thing in combat. The thing was aptly named, and the fact that we’d managed to survive with minimal injury is nothing short of heavenly luck.

Two things had caught me off guard during this encounter. First, I felt that other presence from before. With it guiding my hand, I managed to evoke a great magic upon the earth that trapped the beast where it stood. I still am no closer to understanding who or what it is, but it is great, powerful, and terrifying. Whatever it is—whomever it is—, it appears to be more of a benefactor than Iando. Perhaps it’s some odd contrast.

Second, when I had the bird on the ropes, the damnedest thing happened.

It spoke.

I almost couldn’t believe it, myself, and I couldn’t bring myself to make the final stroke. She was practically begging me to end her, but I couldn’t work the nerve until I knew what happened to her. When I learned the reason, it made the eventual climax even more harrowing. In the end, it had become less the slaying of a monster and the mercy-killing of a trapped soul seeking absolution.

I almost couldn’t budge after that. I kept thinking to myself, “Was it really the right thing?”

But, thankfully, I was never alone through this. I have my friends to thank for that. I’ve had their support through all of this. While I’m no tactician, nor am I an inherently social person, I can’t help but feel glad to know that I’m not the only person in our little group that’s suffered a lot. All save for Spike and Nia, almost all of my companions have either lost something or made a sacrifice. 


The Changeling Queen—Whom I know now by the name of Archnid—made a number of sacrifices for the one she loved. Roughshod and Napalm were forced to wander, one for his faith, and the other for her freedom.

Spike’s gone through a lot, too. I can tell it in his eyes, and the way he sticks by my side. He clearly values my safety greatly, even acting as the shield to my blade whenever I go rushing in. He seems to carry that over from Twilight.

At this point, I’m rambling, so I’ll bring this to a close.

If there’s a take-home message for this past week, it’s that sometimes along the road, we’re faced with hard choices. Choices that change the roads we walk and the lives we lead. Choices that we sometimes aren’t sure about if and when we ever make them. Sometimes, we’ll second-guess ourselves even long after we’ve made them.

But, so long as you have friends to help you see the right path, the road ahead will always be a little clearer. And to be honest? I’m glad I have friends, now more than ever.

Yours in Love, 


Lance.


***


The both of us were at a loss of what to say as we set down the parchment. The message my son had left was a great deal longer than we’d expected, and its contents were...exceptionally bittersweet. The way the text was inked in such a scrawling, uneven, and in some places damped font suggested that he was at a loss during the process of writing it, unable to keep composure.

As my eyes turned to Twilight, they were slightly downcast as she moved to the window, as if to look upon where his nephew might be.

“Are you worried for him, Twilight?” I asked, unsure of how to word myself.

“A little,” she replied, turning over her left shoulder. “I’m more…empathetic.”

“As in, you understand the position in which he might be writing this?” I pondered. “I can certainly name a few times when friendship has helped a certain someone out of a tight bind.”

“I suppose that’s true,” she pondered as I approached. “But what about what he did with the terror bird? The letter speaks as though he wanted to find another way, but couldn’t.”

“It did, indeed,” I confirmed, looking out with her as I began to set the sun before her. “If anything, I think that shows his upbringing has made him a lot like us. He wanted to resolve this without hurting anyone, but when he was faced with a situation in which there was no wholly positive outcome, he had to find good reason in the choice he made. Thus, when the bird begged to be released, he took the only choice he could, and did so with a very heavy heart.”

Twilight looked down. “I see… And what of that presence?”

“It is too early to make theories beyond that it must have some link to him,” I stated, trying to call upon old wisdom. “Though given what he’s written, it must be thamaturigical in nature.”

Twilight looked to the shelves again, curious. “Do you think we might be able to find anything in this library about that?”

I put a hoof to my chin. “Stranger phenomena have been recorded. Surely we could find something on this.”

The two of us shared a comparable silence, watching as the moon began to be set in place.

“Do you think we’ll ever be able to find the answers he’s looking for?” Twilight wondered.

I lowered my head, biting my lip.

“To be honest, I’m not sure,” I told her, shaking my head. “Though my mind may see images of things that Star Swirl and I may have seen regarding his kin, time was worn them down to blurry stills in my mind.”

The two of us looked to the stars, searching for constellations. 

“But,” I said, slightly less bitter, “I am glad that he is well, at the very least. He isn’t alone, and if I know him as well as I know you, his friends and his curiosity may lead him closer to the truth than any amount of books could hope to. Until then, we can be there for him, if in spirit, to help him see his way through. At least here, we can do him some good.”

Twilight bundled up to me, looking up with a smile.

“I’m just as happy to be here with you, Princess.” she said. “All this time we’ve been spending in trying to solve this mystery about him feels like it’s brought us closer together. As family, as friends, as princesses… I just feel like he’s helped us grow, just as we’re helping him to grow as a friend and as a person.”

I could see the stars twinkle in Twilight’s eyes as the reflection of the night sky glowed with her. The two of us shared a warm embrace.

“Maybe we aren’t so different after all.” I whispered, my lips curling into a warm smile.