The ice caked doors closed behind Twilight with a splintering crunch and she knew there was no going back now. All around her loomed the ruined palace that Orzana called home, its stone walls and towers looking almost ghostly in the frozen morning mists.
Much to Twilight’s relief the Bloomberg had been allowed to leave. It seemed that Orzana was true to his word so far and that gave Twilight a tiny hope that things wouldn’t be all that bad.
Several gurgling grunts quickly dissolved that idea as the denizens lurking all around focused on her. The shambling dead seemed to peer at her with acute interest, their milky white eyes following her every move..
“I’m so glad you decided to see reason your Highness,” Twilight’s squat host said, his eyes bright and eager.
Now she could get a better look at him, Orzana’s unimposing size didn’t make her feel any safer. The ram was well kept, his long shaggy coat was clean and looked to be groomed recently. It was such a contrast to their surroundings that Twilight could hardly believe he really lived here.
“I can understand why you would be hesitant to trust me, after all the actions of my rival hardly lend confidence,” Orzana almost sounded amiable but Twilight saw the hunger in his eyes and the slight grin on his muzzle.
“Thankfully I don’t need your trust Highness, just your cooperation,” Orzana added with another condescending glance.
“You still haven’t told me what it is you want,” Twilight prompted.
“It’s probably simpler if I show you,” Orzana trotted his way through the tumbled stone leading to a central keep within the palace, “This place was built by my ancestors and was once called ‘Aithisha’.”
“And now?” Twilight asked techily.
“The ‘Wraith Spire’ in honor of its new inhabitants,” A simple wave of Orzana’s staff took in the monsters slithering through the ruins. “I was going to call it Orzana’s triumph, but I didn’t want to brag,” Twilight cocked an eyebrow. Of all the things she’d expected this certainly wasn’t it.
As they drew close to the central keep Twilight saw it was amazingly unblemished. In a whole castle in ruins this one edifice was pristine. Its smooth surface glowed faintly with a mint green aura that set Twilight’s coat prickling.
She studied the building before her and marveled. It had no windows, or any doors that she could see. The only detail upon its smooth surface were the tiny runes that glowed faintly with a deeper green light. It reminded Twilight of a giant egg buried bottom first in the snow, the large base that rose and thinned until terminating in a rounded tip. What was more noticeable was that it appeared to be made of one huge piece of white stone. She could see no lines nor seams where one block would normally meet another, just the unblemished smooth surface that reached up into the sky above.
The keep was shorter than the ruined walls or toppled towers of the outer fortress and gave the impression that it was far older. As if this central building had been placed first then the now decrepit castle was erected around it.
“This is your task Princess, I want you to enter this keep and retrieve for me a certain trinket,” Orzana explained with a grin.
“That’s it? You captured our ship, made some poorly veiled threats and all you wanted was for me to go on a simple treasure hunt?” Twilight was taken aback and more than a little angry. “Why don’t you just get it yourself?”
Orzana drew himself up, barely coming level with Twilight’s chest. It could have been comical if not for the army of undead monsters at his beck and call, “Those threats were and are still real your Highness.”
“As for why I enlisted your help…” Orzana pointed his staff at one of the dead beasts who detached itself from the gathered throng before lumbering forward. As it came near the central keep a bolt of lightning lanced out and struck the creature, burning its flesh before the whole monster collapsed in a cloud of rancid steam.
The lightning continued in an unbroken line until there was nothing left of the minion but a blackened crater with nameless sludge pooling in the bottom, “Did I mention my ancestors were very clever? They cursed this place against me and my minions. No ram or any of their magic can enter within.”
Twilight began to see why Orzana had manipulated the situation to get her here. He needed someone else, not a ram to fetch this item for him, “And if I do this you will let me go? What’s to stop me from just teleporting away now?”
The grin on Orzana’s muzzle could have sliced steel, “I thought you might have some notion of doing that.” Power ran along his staff and a glowing ball appeared before Twilight, in it she saw the unmistakable image of the Bloomberg, “I took the liberty of having some insurance.”
The image zoomed in, passing through the hull, penetrating the layers of metal and magical barriers until it focused on what could only be the ship’s medical bay. “You may have guessed, but I have a knack for dead things and making them act according to my will.”
Twilight’s heart gave a lurch. There in the image, in the dark and cold of what could only be the morgue was one of the dead pegasi from the battle fought before. It twitched before turning to look right at her, it’s dead eyes empty. It made Twilight’s stomach heave but the meaning was clear.
She could easily imagine the damage a secret force of reanimated dead could cause aboard her ship, “You monster..”
Orzana cackled, “Maybe, but I’m the one that has you and your crew’s fates in my hooves.” He banished the small globe with another wave of his staff, “So onto the business before us, You will enter the keep and recover this item for me.”
Orzana held a small scrap of what looked to be tapestry. Upon the frayed cloth Twilight saw a faded depiction of a blue, oval gem. It certainly didn’t look anything noteworthy in Twilight’s opinion, “What’s so special about it?”
“All you need to know is that I want it and if you want your crew to be safe then you will get it for me,” Orzana replied with a sneer. Twilight snorted, yet Orzana’s mean features didn’t change. “Once you have my prize then we can discuss your release and safe passage to Equestria.”
He gave a slight nod of his head and the surrounding undead shuffled to allow Twilight passage to the keep. Not waiting to be mocked further she advanced forward and felt the impressive magic surrounding the structure begin to stir. Rousing gradually like a sleeping dragon slowly opening a single eye to study an intruder. Curious and undeniably powerful, yet far more wholesome than the magic that animated Orzana’s minions.
Twilight picked her way around the several craters that ringed the snow shrouded courtyard, fearing that at any moment the lightning would lance out and strike her down. Yet as she passed the craters with their rancid bones and charred flesh there came no resistance, no arcing bolts of power.
Tensed and ready to raise a deflective barrier at a moment’s notice Twilight fought to keep her hoofsteps steady. Still no flicker or charge of magic arose to stop her. Orzana had been telling the truth on that account at least. Steadily, her panting breath coming out in small clouds of steam, Twilight finally made her way around the foul corpses and blackened mounds until she was standing before the keep proper.
Being this close, the keep loomed above her like a cliff face and Twilight bit her lip. There still was no clear way to enter. Glancing left and right she saw more intricate inscriptions covering the smooth wall and as she reached out to touch one of the carvings Twilight was surprised to feel warmth under her hoof.
The surface was hard, but not cold. A gentle reassuring heat seemed to calm and comfort with its mere presence. looking closer Twilight saw there was a small gathering of light around her hoof, the magic held within the wall responded to her touch and she was fascinated to see it followed her hoof as she traced it across the mysterious writing.
“Well let’s see if I got this right,” Twilight mumbled and let her horn glow.
The history spell Foresight had cast was a tricky one, but Twilight cast it as easily as if she’d been born to it. Her own magic reached out and probed the keep and To Twilight’s amazement it responded in kind. She closed her eyes and let the past wash over her.
Her mind was filled with pleasant images of happier days, where this site had been a place of laughter and light. She saw a place of happiness and peace, so much like Equestria that a longing for home suddenly welled up in Twilight.
Generations of rams had lived in this place, ruled by noble and benevolent kings and queens. They had turned their frozen home into a land of majestic beauty and had known such magic!
Twilight could have gotten lost in the theories and debates learned scholars had once whiled away the days discussing. The breathtaking achievements and discoveries could have made Twilight weep with awe.
She was keenly reminded of the Vault and with that thought Twilight saw it all fall. Yet again wisdom was replaced by vanity. Love with lust and grace with a greed for power. Why are we corrupted so easily? Why when we learn so much there comes a point where it turns to evil? No matter how much we know we never seem to learn how to remain good.
It was a question that Twilight still didn’t know the answer to nor did she really have the time to ponder. She felt another mind reaching out to her’s and was ready to cut off the link when it called in greeting.
Twilight opened her eyes and saw the ghostly image of another ram before her. This one, unlike Orzana, was tall and regal. She saw the similar garb upon him as her captor’s, yet on the ghostly figure before her it managed to look impressive and inspiring. What also made him stand apart from Orzana was the ornate crown upon his head.
She saw the same shaggy coat and muzzle of Orzana but with far more noble expression. What really caught her attention were his eyes. They watched Twilight with a sad curiosity, and unlike Orzana’s they were normal: Intense grey pupils regarded Twilight unlike the red glow she’d thought was a natural ram’s eye colour.
“And who might you be? A pony by the looks of you,” It was a weary voice, one that sounded like it was used to hold a jolly sound that had now been drained. “I don’t know what Orzana has paid you to help him, but I suggest you leave this place now, while you can.”
Twilight almost laughed bitterly, “I’m Twilight Sparkle and I wish I could, but it’s not as simple as that.”
The old ram cocked an eyebrow, “Oh? Not a willing pawn in his game hmm? You do have the look of a clever one so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”
Twilight smiled sadly, “Yeah something like that, who are you?”
The ram looked genuinely pained by her question, “I’m surprised you had to ask, has my fame really been tarnished so much by my descendants? I was once known throughout the world and yet you need to ask who I am?”
Twilight waited, not daring to aggravate him, keenly recalling the blasted remains of the dead only a few steps behind, “Well I can’t blame you I suppose. Bad business and all that, no wonder the world forgot about me.”
He gave Twilight a tired smile, “I was ‘Elzana’.” Elzana gave a little chuckle, “Once know as Elzana the great and powerful, ruler of the Ice kingdoms and many other fancy titles that all came to nothing.”
Twilight looked confused, “Were?”
“Yes I’m quite dead don’t you know, been so for ages and I can tell you it’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” Elzana added with a sigh. She watched as he made an effort to dust off the ground before sitting down, but his hoof left no mark in the snow, “That’s what I get for trying to rule the world don’t you know. If you want my advice miss you’d best be jolly careful what you teach your foals, get it wrong and you end up with a knife in your back.”
Twilight blinked, not quite sure how to respond to that, “Erm….”
Elzana peered at her before smiling, “Sorry I do tend to ramble on, being alone with nothing but undead monsters and a crazy grandson will do that to you I’m afraid.” He patted the ground next to himself and Twilight saw his hoof passed through the floor.
Twilight looked at the snow besides Elzana and he chuckled again, “Sorry I forget about things like hot and cold, let me help you with that.” To twilight’s amazement the old ram’s horns glowed and the snow changed into a simple rug. “There we are.”
Taking a seat on the rug Twilight looked out beyond the ring of craters to see what Orzana was making of all this, only to see a shimmering wall of white light blocking her vision. “Don’t worry about him right now, he can’t see anything close to the keep,” Elzana said with a frown, “Never could see far beyond his own ambition that one.”
Twilight simply couldn’t stand it any longer, “Mr Elzana…”
“King if you don’t mind. It’s the one title that I do feel I earned,” Elzana interrupted.
“Okay, ‘King’ Elzana, could you please explain what in the wide world is going on here?” Twilight said, her patience running thin.
“Aithisha,” Elzana’s voice took on a wistful tone, “The jewel of the Ice Kingdoms and my home. Now look at it, a lair for dead riffraff.” Twilight continued to stare at Elzana who coughed, “Sorry yes explanations. Well I’ve no doubt that you know that rams are all very powerful mages, two horns, twice the power don’t you know. Shame we didn’t have twice the wisdom huh?”
Elzana glanced up at the keep behind them, “We were one of the first nations formed you know, barring dragons and a few others. Then again that isn’t saying much, everything was created pretty much at the same time don’t you know.”
Twilight grimaced, she had the horrible feeling that if left to ramble this ghost would really start at the beginning of everything. Normally Twilight would have been happy to hear all about such, but was a little pressed for time, “I’ve heard some stories about how everything started King Elzana, I was hoping you could tell me something a little more recent, like why your kingdom is in ruins?”
Elzana chuckled again, “Ah sorry, very well. Put quite simply we were arrogant, thought we were better than everyone else and didn’t need to answer to anyone but ourselves.”
Twilight gave him a look of incomprehension before Elzana continued, “We were capable of wonders Twilight. We probably could have done anything don’t you know. So impressed was the world with our talents and ‘wisdom’,” Elzana snorted at the last word, “That the tree of harmony gave us a precious gift. A single Seed of Harmony, a Seed of the very tree that represents the world’s spirit in the mortal plane.”
Twilight felt her breath catch, this was the sort of thing she was looking for. A chance for new hope, an artifact of creation that could restore the Lithi to their proper life. Evidently Elzana caught the expression of awe on Twilight’s face and laughed sadly, “I see you begin to grasp just how high we’d climbed.” His frown returned, “And you’ve seen just how far we’ve fallen too.”
Elzana looked round about as if seeing the dilapidated castle for the first time, “Do you know what we did with such a priceless gift? I’ll tell you what, we squandered and hoarded it don’t you know. Could have been the shining beacon of hope and light but instead we fought over it.”
He looked to Twilight sadly, “And now you’re caught up in our mess now, how came you to be here anyhow? Not seen a pony for, well centuries.”
“I was leading an expedition to find a cure for a curse,” Twilight replied and Elzana nodded in understanding.
“That’s what we were missing don’t you know, a selfless desire to help others. We did amazing things, yet only to prove our superiority. To show we were the ‘greatest’. Seems the simplest lessons are the most important, as always.”
Elzana smiled with a genuine smile for the first time since Twilight had met him, “Well young Twilight, it seems we have come to the crux of the matter. How to help you in your quest.”
Twilight’s ears pricked up with excitement, “You’d help me?”
“Of course,” Elzana replied, “I’m not so old as to miss when one who has touched an Element of Harmony sits before me. If I needed any credentials to convince me of your good intent then it’s that.” His smile only grew, “Element of Magic I’d wager?”
Twilight blushed and Elzana Laughed, “Modest too. Yes a pure thirst for wisdom and knowledge but without all the pride that comes with it. A Rare combination don’t you know.” Elzana nodded before his face became serious, “Don’t ever lose sight of that miss, don’t forget that all good things are a gift from the world and need to be used to help others. Remember that and you won’t go far wrong.”
Twilight bit her lip, “You’re willing to help me escape from Orzana? I mean he’s your grandson and….”
Elzana held up a hoof, “The ram that is the grandson I knew and loved is long gone don’t you know. He chose his fate and now lives with the consequences.” Elzana’s expression held a brief flash of pain before the smile returned, “So what threat did he use to gain your assistance hmm?”
Twilight couldn’t meet Elzana’s kindly gaze, “Many of our own soldiers were killed getting here. Orzana has those very same dead hidden aboard our airship and will unleash them to cause havoc unless I get him a certain gem from within the keep.”
She watched Elzana, fearing he’d take some offence even now at her accusing Orzana of such a despicable act. Yet it seemed even this vile act didn’t surprise the ghost. “Clever in it’s own way,” Elzana replied, “An airship huh? Interesting idea, a boat for the sky and all that. Would have simply enchanted a cloud to carry myself…” He saw Twilight’s expression and coughed again.
“Well we can’t let him bring further shame upon my family now can we? Step inside and we can sort out all the details out of the wind,” Elzana stood up and without another word trotted straight through the wall.
Twilight waited for a moment before the head of Elzana poked its way back out, “Are you coming miss?”
“Um I can’t walk through walls….” Twilight said only for Elzana to chuckle.
“There’s a knack to this one Twilight, need to approach it with only an honest desire to do good. Quite clever of me if I do say so myself. Causes my good for nothing descendents no end of trouble don’t you know.” Elzana added before disappearing inside again.
Twilight swallowed and took a few steps forward. The wall seemed to be just as solid as before, but she focused on her friends, her mission and all she hoped to achieve. Twilight let the idea build in her mind until the determination to save the lithi and her crew became the only focus.
She advanced and to Twilight’s relief the wall seemed to fade before her. It became as thin as smoke and soon she heard her hooves ‘clacking’ on solid stone.
“Very good, not even my best students ever managed that on the first try,” Elzana called from ahead and what Twilight saw took her breath away. Before her was an open plaza garden. Gentle warmth greeted her tired limbs and the scents of fresh mountain meadows filled her nose.
Pillars similar in appearance to those in cloudsdale supported marble floors where tinkling fountains, carved in the shapes of various animals added to the scene of calm. Looking up Twilight saw that instead of a sun there was the glowing gem that Orzana had bidden her to get. Like a radiant sapphire it shed its light across the whole scene and lent a musical chime that filled Twilight’s soul with hope.
“Impressive isn’t it?” Elzana stated with no touch of pride, “My own little pocket world sustained by the ‘Seed’.”
Twilight could only stare in awe at the clear blue skies that seemed to go on forever. They were on a tiny floating island in the middle of a vast expanse of blue. There were no horizons nor anything but empty space beyond the tiny slice of paradise. but it was also empty in its own way twilight noted. No birds or animals, no sounds of any life at all. Only the trees which swayed gently in the magical breeze and the ever present chime of the Seed above.
Elzana led Twilight along the stunning paths of beautiful marble which wound around various pools of clear water and beautiful sculptures. Twilight felt that emptiness again, this was all very nice, but lacked anything else. Without anyone here the garden was nothing more than a ‘painting’, a piece of art with no one to appreciate it.
“I used to come here for some quiet time don’t you know,” Elzana said in a melancholy manner, “When the stresses of ruling got to me I would sit and ponder the great mysteries of the world. Maybe if I had spent a bit more time in the real world I could have avoided what happened next.”
Twilight was lead to the centre of the garden and started when she saw the dead skeleton sitting on a throne of gold. The faded trappings of finery were still wrapped about the dead figure and a familiar crown rested on the skeleton’s brow.
“That’s you? I mean your body?” Twilight asked hesitantly.
“Yes my worldly remains such as they are,” Elzana confirmed and Twilight was surprised to hear he didn’t seem all that bothered by such.
“Um why are ‘you’ still here then?” Twilight asked slowly, fearing what the answer might be.
“Someone had to keep my thieving posterity from getting the Seed, imagine what terrible harm could be done should it fall into the wrong hooves? I may have made many mistakes while I was alive, but I certainly won’t compound them by letting everyone down, simply because I inconveniently died.” Elzana said with a little smile.
“Now I think we can help each other miss Twilight,” Elzana turned an eager face to her own, “You need to cure a curse correct?” Twilight nodded and Elzana continued on, “Well I need to make sure no one steals this Seed so why don’t I give it to you?”
Twilight blinked in surprise, “You would just give it to me?”
“Of course. It’s doing no good at the moment and you see I’m bound to protect it while it’s here,” Elzana insisted and Twilight had a nagging sense of familiarity.
“You know I’ve been dealing with a lot of magical guardians recently…. ” Twilight began only for Elzana to laugh softly.
“You got into the Vault didn’t you? I thought I sensed its touch on you too. Miss Twilight whoever these cursed ponies are they are lucky to have you, your determination is an example to us all.” Elzana added with no small envy.
“You know of the vault?” Twilight asked suddenly scared that she may have unwittingly fallen into the clutches of yet another trap.
“Of course I know about it, I designed the accursed thing don’t you know. Tell me how did you like the portals? They were my first experiments into ‘stable pocket worlds’ you see.” Elzana asked and Twilight gave him a look.
He coughed with embarrassment, “Terrible business that too, guess I should have learned my lesson the first time. Thought if we had all the learning in one place, free for everyone then it would be a great blessing upon the world. Never would have guessed it would become sentient.”
Elzana seemed to deflate a little, “Still gave me the idea of this wonderful place, for all the good it did.”
“An alicorn is forced to stand guard over it now and the Oracle is gone,” Twilight stated coldly, the memory of that trial still fresh in her mind.
Elzana nodded in a pained manner, “Yes the World has been doing a lot of cleaning up after me hasn’t it?” He looked up at the glittering Seed and with a deft application of magic drew it down until it floated before Twilight. It was tiny, no bigger than a bird’s egg yet the power of potential held within dazzled her.
Elzana’s expression became determined, “Still the time has come to fix what I can. You take the Seed, use it to heal your people. I don’t know if it will have any power left after such an act. If it does you will need to keep it safe and decide what else to use the Seed for.”
Twilight looked suspicious, “What of Orzana? If I try to take the Seed then he will no doubt fight for it. I have no way of warning the Bloomberg about the undead within.”
Elzana laughed at her worries, “Miss Twilight I was known as Elzana the great for a reason! Don’t worry about my grandson. Without me needing to keep the Seed safe I can easily deal with him. I can make a spell to send you right to your beloved airship and whisk you away to safety.”
Twilight looked dubious, “If you could have done such before then why wait until now?”
“Because I needed to be certain I would leave the Seed in trusted company, Orzana isn’t the only ram after its power don’t you know. His little rebellion would never have succeeded on its own. I’m sorry to say that, though talented, my grandson seldom had a mind for the bigger picture,” Elzana gave Twilight a sorrowful look, “This won’t keep you out of danger for long I fear, once it’s known you have the Seed then the real puppet master will come looking for you. The one advantage we have is that it will never enter their heads that I would simply give you the Seed, not after I hoarded it for so long.”
Twilight frowned, but this was what she’d been looking for. With a delicate touch Twilight took the Seed and as she touched it a silvery chain appeared along with a simple mounting that held the powerful gem.
“Ah it likes you. It wants you to carry it don’t you know,” Elzana said with a touch of pride, “I do enjoy being right, makes a pleasant surprise after all the failures.” He levitated the new jewelry so that it fitted neatly over Twilight’s neck. It was surprisingly heavy.
His horns glowed again and a void opened up, a dark circle in the air that showed only blackness within. “There you go Twilight, remember don’t stop once you’re back aboard your ship. Move quickly to warn them about the danger and then take the Seed to safety.” Elzana said with a grim finality.
Twilight gave him one last look of gratitude and he simply waved it off, “Oh I can’t pretend it’s not out of selfishness miss, I’ve grown quite tired here and have run from my judgement for far too long. I can only hope this final act will see some leniency on my punishment.”
Twilight wished she could say something inspiring, but sensed that time was short. with a final bow Twilight stepped through the portal and to her relief saw the reassuring metal walls and stunned faces of the Bloomberg and its crew.