Johnathan POV
Eventually, the snow disappears and I fall to my knees from exhaustion. Normally, I'd still be fine after using this spell, but that storm I had unintentionally conjured up earlier had taken a lot out of me.
I struggle to my feet and lean against a snow covered rock sitting nearby.
I cant be in worse shape. I am tired, drained of energy, and hungry; but my mind is torn up as well. Worries about myself, my recent friends, thoughts of home.... I can't keep up with myself.
Once I am able to catch my breath, I raise my head and look around. No sign of the Crystal Empire... or any civilization for that matter.
I let out a long exhale, watching my breath as it flows into the clear blue sky.
Needing to take my mind off recent events, I begin to dig through my bag, seeing what I was able to take from the palace before I fled. A couple of knives, my hatchet, my fur clothing, a number of small food packages, and a canteen are all I appear to have to my name at the moment.
I let out a soft sigh as I replace my belongings (minus the fur clothing, which I put on) in the bag. If only I could've grabbed more...but then again, if I had kept my cool, I would have all my items.
Well, almost all of them...
I shake my head and stand, slinging my bag over my shoulder.
'It doesn't matter. I can't complain about what's already happened. I can only change what might happen in the future.'
Without a clear sense of location or direction, I settle on a random path and begin my trek through the icy wilderness, just as the snow once again begins to fall.
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Ponies POV
"Are ya sure that this here spell is going to work, Twilight?"
"Absolutely, Applejack. What Johnathan used was most definitely a kind of teleportation, and this spell will locate where he appeared."
Following Johnathan's outburst and disappearance, the main six had combed the entirety of the Crystal Empire, even the wilderness immediately outside the city, but to no avail. Five of them had already given up, believing that Johnathan was gone for good, but the purple unicorn had refused to give up, spending as much time as she could searching the library for books that might help her find their missing acquaintance.
Applejack had just dropped in to check on her when Twilight had discovered the supposed 'key' to their problem.
Before them on a table lie a map of Crystal Empire territory and the spell book in which the spell Twilight is going to use resides.
Twilight looks over the spell instructions once more before turning her attention to the map.
"Alright, this should be able to tell us where he teleported to, and which direction he's traveling in."
The purple unicorn closes her eyes and begins to concentrate, the purple glow around her horn expanding as more and more magic pours into the spell. Finally, a small purple flame appears on the map, approximately where the palace is. Applejack watches as the flame floats there for a few moments, before releasing a thin purple line of fire that stretches its way across the map, until it finally stops at a small village near the edge of the Crystal Empire.
Exhausted, Twilight collapses, the magic around her horn dissapearing.
"Did it work?" She gasps.
"Ya know Twi, I think it did."
Twilight sits up and examines the map.
"Yes! Applejack, go get the others! We know exactly where he is now!"
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Johnathan Pov
The sky has cleared, allowing the sun to shine through and make the snow sparkle. I might've appreciated the nice weather, had I not been in such a negative mindset as of late.
The roars and screaming register before I even see the town. I pick up the pace slightly as a result.
'Why do I care? I have no obligation to save whoever lives here. So why do I want to help?'
I guess the last few days have affected me worse than I thought. I lost my friends, I ate the last of my food, I've lost everything I could care about. At this point, I guess you could call me an emotionless corpse.
I enter the town and survey the scene before me. A large number of ponies are either attempting to flee or protect the others from three large, white-furred apes.
'Yetis. What an annoyance.'
And they really are. Always popping up at unopportune moments. Usually they are wary of windigoes, but some are too thick headed and need some extra convincing. Though in their defense, I don't exactly look like a windigo.
A grunting sound from behind interrupts my thoughts. I turn and come face to face with a fourth yeti. On closer inspection, it appears to be a youngling. No, wait, its teeth are fully developed, probably a runt.
The yeti roars at me, saliva flying into my face.
I wait for it to finish, before reaching up and wiping my face clean.
The yeti seems confused for a second, but recovers and semi-gently grips my head, lifting me into the air until I am only inches from its face.
Casually, I reach up and grip the yeti's head in one of my hands, then apply the cold. Like I said, yetis are thick headed, so it takes the creature a few moments to realize that it's in pain.
The yeti howls in pain and attempts to escape, only to jerk around slowly and unsteadily. As expected, it's motor functions are being disabled.
Eventually, the yeti releases me and collapses to the ground. I brush a stray fur from my hair, then crouch down close to the monster's head.
"Don't you know what happens when you try to eat cold things? You get a brain freeze."
I calmly stand and turn around, only to be confronted by the other three beasts. The two in the back are of no interest; it's the one in the front my attention is drawn to. First off, this yeti is taller than the other two by a good meter, I might guess around eight meters. Secondly, there is a scar over its left eye, so this yeti is a fighter. Finally, and the thing that truly interests me, is a bald spot on its chest, upon which rests a scar shaped like an eight pointed star.
"Good past-noon ," I say, using the traditional yeti greeting appropriate for this time of day. Not all yetis can speak, but those who live long enough eventually learn the language of their kind. I hope that this is one of them, and I am not disappointed.
"What are you, that which slays one of my comrades, only to speak to us in our own tongue?" The beast's voice is deep and every word seems to carry weight, even though they are said normally.
"A mere traveler of the snow, but tell me, from what battle have you sustained such a strange scar?" I gesture at the star.
"A fine battle between these very fists and a snow weerm."
My face flashes a look of disgust, before being replaced my emotionless mask. A weerm looks like the cross between a worm and a centipede. Picture a large worm with several pairs of centipede legs. Also, the head is flat with a star-shaped mouth that can leave very nasty bites. This explains the yeti's wound. There are several types, of weerm, and while an encounter with any of them is unpleasant, the snow weerm is particularly deadly. Being able to tunnel through solid ice, it's teeth are incredibly sharp. Combine that with the fact that weerms are ambush hunters, and you get a creature that is nigh impossible to defeat, let alone escape from.
If this yeti has encountered one and survived, even after getting bitten, then he deserves respect.
"In that case, I am honored to be in your presence."
The yeti snorts. Perhaps, but you have not answered my question, and my patience is waning."
"Ah yes, well, I was merely coming to investigate the commotion when your comrade attacked me."
"And what now?"
"Well now, I'm going to ask you to leave. I've traveled quite a ways, and if you destroy this town, I won't receive any hospitality."
The other two yetis growl at me in fury, but don't advance.
I am expecting outrage, so it surprises me when my acquaintance nods. Without a word, he gestures the other two yetis past me, before following. Passing me however, he leans down and whispers to me.
"I concede this battle because I know what you are, though you look it not, and that you have nothing to lose. But heed this, should we meet again, you shall feel the cold of your grave."
He casually straightens and continues after his companions. I watch until they are out of sight, then turn back to face the inhabitants of the town, all of whom have watched the exchange between myself and their would-be killers.
I approach a heavily bearded earth pony. "Is there an inn nearby?"
He nods wordlessly and points to a two story building a ways down the street.
I thank him and make my way over to the indicated building, once again slipping into my thoughts.
'If only I could return home.'
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I had originally planned to only spend the night in the inn then leave the following morning, but I ended up staying several more days.
Why you ask?
Strangely enough, it was because of one filly.
I had been allowed to stay at the inn free of charge, due to me saving the town. I had retired to my room, and awoke the next morning to a soft knocking at the door.
Frowning, I get out of bed and walk over to the door. There, to my surprise, is a Pegasus filly. She has indigo fur, with a white mane and tail. No cutie mark though.
Neither of us say anything, so eventually I begin to close the door. That's when I hear her voice.
"Wait!"
I open the door again. "What?"
She looks down and begins kicking one of her forelegs. "When you were talking to that monster, you said you were a traveller, right?"
"Yes..." I didn't quite know where this was going.
"And you're going to be leaving soon?"
"Yes."
The filly looks me in the eyes.
"Would you take me with you?"
"No."
I close the door and do my best to ignore the voice coming through the crack between the door and the floor.
Much to my disappointment, she sat outside my door for most of the morning. Occasionally I'd open the door to check, but she'd still be there and would begin asking me questions until I shut the door again.
Finally, I had had enough, and it was time for me to leave. I grab my bag and open the door, and am confronted by the blue bother.
She opens her mouth, but I don't give her a chance.
"Look, I don't know why you want to join me, but no. If you're looking for adventure, then I'm not going to lie, traveling is boring. If you want to see exotic places, too bad, cause I'm not going near society. And lastly-"
"It's nothing like that!" The filly interrupts. "I just figured that you knew what it was like to be lonely."
That gets me. I stop my rant and stare at her. I feel even worse when I see the tear stains begin appearing on the wood floor.
Before I can even stop myself, I am kneeling and have embraced the young pony.
I'm not the only one who's surprised. The filly seems to jump when she feels my arms close around her.
"Youre right, I do know what it's like to be lonely. As a matter of fact, I am lonely." Its times like these that I hate having such an emotionless voice.
I don't know how long we sat in that hallway, but eventually we break apart and go downstairs without a word.
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It turns out that the filly, named Powder Snow, is an orphan in the care of the elderly couple who run the inn. Apparently it was the classic story, where the parent leaves the foal on the doorstep.
I mentioned Powder's request to them, and while at first unwilling, they eventually admitted to themselves that they couldn't control her choices.
We spent the next few days getting supplies. I'm not sure how the other inhabitants felt when they heard the news, but I know some were happy that Powder had met 'somepony' who could relate, even partially, to her.
Finally, we were ready to go.
I wait outside as Powder says her last goodbyes to her adopted parents. Eventually, I hear the door open and close behind me.
There are hoof steps, and I look down to find Powder beside me.
She looks up and smiles at me, but sadly, I can't return the gesture. So I nod instead.
"Ready?"
"Ready."
We walk through the town in silence. More for my companion than for me. But when we reach the edge of the town, I am wrapped in the silence as well.
Powder looks between me and the horizon quizzically, not quite understanding the importance of what stands before us.
There is nothing I can say as we are approached by six familiar figures.