Ynanhluutr

by Imploding Colon


Raise Your Hoof If You're Present

“Frantic wings, frozen in forward flight. When harmony and chaos are in flux, they keep her in sane company.”

Across the platform from the golem, Bard was already grimacing. “Buck me on a Sunday...” He gulped hard. “Is this the kind of hogwash ya had to deal with while I was a popsicle?”

Shhhhh!” Rainbow waved a hoof at him. Exhaling vapors, she looked at the glowing automaton. “Let's hear it repeat the puzzle...”

Sure enough, the suit of armor did just that. “Frantic wings, frozen in forward flight.” It paced in a half-circle, its glowing eyes once again leering at the pegasus. “When harmony and chaos are in flux, they keep her in sane company.”

“You... you have any idea what this nonsense is about, Rainbow?” Bard wheezed.

Rainbow muttered, “From the last answer I gave, yeah, I'm totally supposed to.” She gulped. “I think.”

He nodded limply. “Reckon... they almost sound like music lyrics.” He reached a shivering hoof back to his case. “Want me to get out the guitar—?”

“No! Just lemme think!” Rainbow sat in place, clutching her head. “'Frantic wings... frozen in forward flight...'” Her teeth gnashed together as her forehead tensed. “'Frantic'... I know I've heard that one before!”

“Time is of the essence,” rang the armor.

“Just hold yer snowballs, ya rust bucket!” Bard spat. Nervously, he then turned towards Rainbow. “Got anythang in that fuzzy noggin' of yers?”

“'Frantic wings'... 'wings'...” Rainbow whispered her thoughts aloud, fidgeting in place. “My flight's been pretty frantic. And I've got harmony and chaos duking it out inside me at all times. And... and if it wasn't for my pendant...” Her eyes widened, and she grasped the necklace dangling beneath her chin. “My pendant!” Her eyes darted left and right. “Twilight... Rarity... my friends... dead but not dead... frozen in time while I fly forward...” She chewed on the edge of her lips, quivered, then looked up, blurting: “Is it the Elements of Harmony?”

“Incorrect.”

“Rrrrgh!” Rainbow slapped both front hooves on the ground. “Idiot! Stop rushing yourself!”

“You have two more chances,” the golem said, pacing.

Bard blinked. “Two more chances? Two more chances until what?”

“I dunno,” Rainbow muttered. “Until it slits Wildcard's throat or something.”

WHAT?!”

“Shhh! Just calm down, cowcolt!” Rainbow hissed behind her shoulder. “I've got this!”

“Oh, you'd better, missy!” Bard snarled, standing up with sudden strength and scraping his hooves against the platform. “Or I'll have got yer mother-huffin' ovaries in a pickle jar—!”

No interference,” the automaton said, its glowing eyes narrowing menacingly on the stallion.

“And he won't!” Rainbow blocked its gaze, standing before Bard. “He won't!” She gulped, then murmured over her shoulder, “Just sit this one out and lemme think, dude.”

“Then go ahead and think, Rainbow,” Bard grumbled, angry eyes plastered to the construct. “Think like y'all've never done before.”

“Okay... okay...” Rainbow clenched her eyes shut. She took a long, deep, meditative breath, then eventually muttered: “The previous answer was 'Innavedr.' This thing keeps calling me 'the Austraeoh.' Then that means...” A pause. Rainbow's eyes fluttered open. “Wait?”

“Huh?” Bard shook, squirming anxiously. “Wait, what?

Rainbow's brow furrowed. “...this isn't the first time somepony flippantly called me 'the Austraeoh.'” Her ruby eyes darted left and right. “'Frantic wings.' 'Keep her in sane company.' Company... company... companionship.” Her eyes widened. “Frantic companionship...”

Rainbow's mind shot back in time. She imagined wings aimed towards the eastern horizon like a flock of geese. The shapes simplified, turning into lines, then arrows. The mare pondered over the familiarity of such a symbol—until she realized she had seen it... multiple times... brandished on the forelimbs of those who pledged allegiance to the Herald. And then the mare remembered a little tattooed foal galloping around the innards of a flying mountain, in possession of the same hoofband.

“'Odrsjot,'” Rainbow firmly said. “The answer to your second riddle is 'Odrsjot.'”

“Huh?” Bard nearly vomited. “What in the high blazin' hell is an 'odor schult?'”

And yet, the golem said: “That is correct.” Its eyes flashed a brilliant blue.

FLASH! A few paces over, the chunk of ice encasing Wildcard melted entirely. As soon as the griffon was animated again, he didn't waste any time spinning around, flinging his nightsticks left and right in violent arcs, battling off a million phantom enemies.

“Whoah! Whoah there, Dubya-Cee!” Bard galloped over. He dodged the griffon's heavy swings, then held him in a vice-grip from behind, wrestling the enraged griffon to the floor. “Calm down! At ease, partner!”

Wildcard seethed and seethed, his goggles completely fogged over with condensation. He dropped his nightsticks with a clatter and gestured frantically, shivering the whole while.

“Shhh! Keep yer voice down! Ya ain't frozen dinner no more!” Bard looked over at the shuffling suit of armor. “I know it seems really crazy-like, but I think Rainbow's got this...”

Wildcard panted and panted, watching in mute confusion as the golem squared off against Rainbow Dash once again.

“The third riddle...” the construct began.

Rainbow leaned forward, eyebrow arched. “... ... ...yeah?”

Vapors wafted off the thing's icy muzzle as it spoke. “For it to bring tomorrow's hope, it must thrive on yesterday's life.”

Rainbow blinked. She gave one glance at the frozen pedestal and its pink flame. In an instant, she looked straight back at the suit of armor. “...'Yaerfaerda.'

The golem slowly nodded. “Correct.”

Rainbow exhaled with a shudder.

“Rainbow...?”

“...!” The mare spun around.

Twilight Sparkle hovered in place, looking alone, bewildered. The unicorn spun about, its spectral eyes widening upon sight of her friend. “Rainbow Dash!”

“Twilight!”

Bard and Wildcard watched dumbly as Rainbow Dash galloped over to a seemingly empty space within the freezing chamber.

“Rainbow!” Twilight flew forward—only to phase through the pegasus. She winced with a smiling blush, then shuddered. “What... what even happened?”

“What do you remember?”

“We... we passed through the door, and—” Twilight's muzzle locked in place. “... ... ...it was like I was back in the empty space again. Surrounded by a great white nothing... like...” She shivered, sniffling slightly. “Like all that time since Ponyville...”

“Shhhh... it's gonna be okay...”

“I don't get it! Where's Rarity? Did we find Pinkie Pie?”

“No. Not yet.” Rainbow turned around, glaring at the statue. “I have to answer a few riddles first.”

“Riddles?!” Twilight's voice cracked as her muzzle twisted.

“I dun get it...” Bard stammered as Rainbow approached the center of the room to face the construct. “Yer answers are even messier nonsense than the thang's questions! What kind of a test is this?”

“It's not a test,” Rainbow said, bearing the tiniest hint of a smile. “It's a roll call.”