//------------------------------// // Chapter 72: Falling Skies // Story: The Equine Scrolls: SkyFiM // by FireOfTheNorth //------------------------------// Chapter LXXII: Falling Skies “But make no mistake, this is not a peace forged out of necessity between rival nations of equal strength. It is more like the calm between storms. And the next storm, I think, will be far deadlier than the last.” While the Blades took control of the Blackwing fortress, Steadfast, Mephalda, Mystic, and I left for Winterhorn. If Stratus hadn’t been lying, then the Pegasari Air Fleet was already there. When we reached the tiny town at dusk, we saw that what she said had been true. Dark clouds filled the sky, forming a canopy over the land. Below the cloud layer floated the Pegasari airships, their cannons pounding at the College and the town of Winterhorn alike. The ships were nearly invisible against the dark sky, except when their cannons flashed or a fireball flew over them, making them visible for a split second. A Pegasari airship was certainly a sight to behold, a ship mated with a cloud using mysterious spells known only to the pegasi. An airship was built much like a ship made for use at sea, except that dark clouds were fused to its hull at critical points. The underside was heavily armored in order to deflect the missiles that were sure to fly up at such a large target. That meant that all the weapons were mounted above the cloud layer, which forced the ship to descend to lower altitudes in order to use its cannons effectively against any ground-based targets. One of the massive ships pounded Winterhorn, while three focused their efforts on the College, smashing away at the wards the mages had haphazardly erected over their home. The mages at the College were faring somewhat better than the earth ponies in Winterhorn, using their magic to strike back at the airships, so we focused our attention on the town. The thundering of the cannons slowed as the airship began to more precisely identify targets. Pegasi flew from the ship’s deck, landing in the streets below. Even from this distance, I could see that these were not Blackwings attacking the town, just ordinary hoofsoldiers. After the College seceded from Horizon, Jarl Stormcloud had posted a large amount of Stormcloud soldiers here, who were now fighting to defend the town from the invading pegasi. Mephalda flew up toward the Pegasari airship while the rest of us headed for the town itself. Arrows bounced off my armor as pegasi on Winterhorn’s roofs fired down at me. I focused my magic and shot a lightning spell up at them, knocking a few off as the energy coursed over their armor. I shot ice spikes at as a follow-up at those that dodged, striking them and knocking them out of the air. One of the pegasi I had hit with lightning recovered and pushed herself off the ground, drawing a sword and charging toward me. Dawnbreaker flashed in the firelight as I drew it, blocking the pegasus’s swing. As she went for my neck, I knocked her sword down to the ground. As she swung it back across at my armored forelegs, I swung my Draconequus sword up and around into her neck. A spear struck my hindleg, bouncing off the crystalline armor. I spun around at my attacker, another of the pegasus soldiers. I batted the spear away as she tried to impale me again. I drew my Changeling axe as well and hooked it around the spear. As I forced the spiked staff to the ground, I swung Dawnbreaker up into the mare’s chest. <> I Shouted at a group of pegasi who were flying toward me. As the dragon flames hit them, many were consumed instantly. Those at the edge of the blast fell to the ground, struggling to put out the fire that coated their bodies. The lucky ones were able to dodge out of the way completely but were forced to scatter in the process. A few of the survivors continued toward me, but many of them descended upon the nearby Stormclouds instead. As one came hurtling toward me, a lance fastened to her side, she was suddenly knocked from the sky by a blast of magic from Mystic. Some of the burned pegasi on the ground near her focused their efforts on her, ignoring me for the moment. As another pegasus flew through the air at me, I ducked down and swiped through her underbelly with my sword. With a blast of fire, I roasted a Pegasari soldier trying to sneak up on me from the side. I blocked with Dawnbreaker as another tried to bring a battleaxe down on me. I pushed the battleaxe away and swung my sword around at him, missing his neck but forcing him to retreat. He swung his weapon down at me again, and I sidestepped it, causing the blade to strike the ground instead. As I swung my Draconequus sword around at his neck, he released his weapon and jumped back. As I swung at him again, he knocked the sword away with a foreleg, hitting the blade at an angle that didn’t pierce his armor. He drew a knife from his side and lunged at me, going for my throat. Time slowed, and I stepped out of the leaping pegasus’s way. I stabbed Dawnbreaker through the back plates of his armor, impaling him. As time returned to normal, he fell to the ground, dead. I made my way through the crowd of Stormclouds and armed townsponies until I found where Steadfast was knocking the pegasi aside with his warhammer. As I reached him, more landed behind me from their ship above us. I turned around to face them, filling the area between us with fire. A few of them leapt over the flames, coming for me. I redirected my fire, knocking one out of the air but failing to stop the other two. I used Dawnbreaker to block as one brought her mace down at me, and I used the Blade of Hoofingar to stop the other’s war axe. I twisted my ebony sword around as I managed to hook it beneath the blade. I threw the pegasus’s war axe away before slicing through her throat. Meanwhile, I had to continuously reorient my Draconequus blade in order to stop the swings of the other pegasus. As her companion died, I tucked away my ebony sword and blasted the Pegasari soldier with a paralysis spell. I was going to kill her, but thought better of it and instead relieved her of her weapons and bound her hooves and wings. As I finished taking her prisoner, another pegasus attacked me, wielding a warhammer. She smashed it into my back, bashing my armor against my spine and knocking me to the ground. I rolled out of the way as she attempted to swing the hammer down at my head. I spun around as I got up, sweeping her legs out with my own. She recovered quickly, using her wings to assist her. As she swung the warhammer down at me again, I blocked with Dawnbreaker. I pushed back on the warhammer as she tried to bring it down at my head. While we were locked in place, I drew my Dark Brotherhoof Fell Blade and sliced through the cracks in her armor, puncturing a lung. As she choked on her blood, I stepped away from the carnage and back to Steadfast. “Something’s got to be done about that ship,” he commented, “As long as it’s there, it can keep dropping off more troops, and everything we do is pointless.” “I think I may have an idea,” I said after thinking for a minute. “Go for it,” Steadfast replied. I galloped toward the massive airship, which was circling the town now, its cannons tearing apart the ancient houses and the new constructions. Pegasi continued to launch themselves from the deck, landing on the Stormclouds defending the town. I climbed on top of the Jarl’s longhouse as the airship passed nearby. <<>> I Shouted directly at the ship. Above it, the clouds began to peel away, revealing the gorgeous night sky and the weather teams that struggled to patch the hole. The ship itself began to lurch to the side as the clouds holding it up tried to flee. Tufts began to escape, and the ship began to fall out of the sky. Eventually, the clouds still attached to it weren’t enough to hold it up, and the airship crashed to the ground just over the ridge Winterhorn was built against. A fireball soared into the sky as the black powder aboard caught fire. Pegasi flew from the fireball, escaping the inferno, and one of them settled down near where Steadfast and I were standing. “A warning would’ve been nice,” Mephalda commented, smoothing out her feathers. “Sorry,” I said, “Next time, I’ll let you know before I knock a ship out of the sky.” A resounding crack broke through the air as a section of the College’s wards fell, and a tower was pummeled by the Pegasari cannons, falling into the sea. Large strikes of magic began to lance up from the College, striking the armored undersides of the Pegasari airships, and they began to pull back a bit. Pegasi and bat-pony refugees of the College soared up at the ships, doing their part to protect their new home. With most of the fighting in Winterhorn done, we galloped toward the College. Along the path were a few pegasi that had escaped the crashed airship. We let them be for the most part, as many were badly injured, and only struck out at those that attacked us first. At last we reached the College’s bridge, where many of the mages were standing, projecting wards over the one path to the College. A few cast spells up at the approaching pegasi and airships, but most of them focused on their wards. They had to; as hard as the Pegasari Air Fleet was pummeling them, a lapse in focus could result in the destruction of their only link to the mainland. As we headed up the bridge, a swarm of Pegasari soldiers launched from the nearest ship and flew toward us. <<>> I Shouted at them and their ship. The clouds above churned violently, no doubt frightening the weather crews up top. Lightning began to build in the clouds and then lance down at the Pegasari soldiers and their airship. Many of the flying warriors were knocked out of the sky immediately, but a few managed to make it to us. Mephalda fired her bow rapidly, picking them off as they approached. Mystic and I joined the mages around us in firing off spells at the approaching pegasi. As one made it through the wards, I swung Dawnbreaker up at her, slicing her wing off. She went plummeting over the other side of the bridge to crash on the rocks below. The other Pegasari soldiers saw the foolishness in continuing the attack on the bridge and turned back toward their ship. But, their ship was no longer there. Lightning strikes from the clouds above had torn it apart. The night suddenly turned to day as a bolt struck the powder stored below and ignited it, turning the ship into a rapidly falling fireball. We galloped up the rest of the bridge and entered the College as the Pegasari soldiers traveled the same path by air. Mages and refugees were assembled in the courtyard, ready to fight the pegasi off as they landed. I sent a fireball up into the air at one as she cleared the wall, igniting her and sending her plummeting to the ground. Soon the soldiers from the ship I destroyed were joined by reinforcements from the two remaining ships. They shot through the wards, landing in the courtyard among their fallen companions without being hit. Swords were drawn as the College’s defenders engaged their Pegasari attackers. A Pegasari soldier with a pike landed near me and instantly swung the weapon at my head. I swung Dawnbreaker around, knocking the pike away from me. The soldier swung it around again, this time at my legs. I leapt into the air, landing on his weapon and pinning it to the floor. I swung Dawnbreaker across the tips of his wings, slicing off the ends of the feathers before sinking my blade into his neck. I ducked down as a lightning bolt shot over my head. At first, I thought it was just a stray bolt from one of the mages, but as I looked over the crowd of fighting ponies, I saw that the lightning had been deliberately fired at me by a pegasus wielding a staff. I dodged another blast that she fired at me before galloping toward her. A pegasus with a mace tried to block me as I went, but a swift strike with Dawnbreaker knocked it from her grasp. A second strike knocked her out of my way. I dodged another blast of lightning before I reached the pegasus. As I swung Dawnbreaker at her, she blocked with her staff. I swung my sword back and around at her legs, but she took off into the air, knocking my sword aside with her staff. I jumped to the side as she shot a blast of lightning at me, striking the ground instead. <<>> I Shouted at the staff-wielding pegasus. Ice began to coat her body, and she fell from the sky, crashing to the ground. She began to shake the ice off and was able to fire lightning from her staff before I could strike, keeping me at bay. Swinging Dawnbreaker around, I knocked her staff aside before swinging my sword through her neck. I spun around as another of the Pegasari soldiers tried to attack me. I blocked her mace with my Changeling axe, spinning it out of her grasp. As I swung my sword at her chest, she jumped out of the way. With my Changeling axe, I caught hold of her foreleg and held her in place. Dawnbreaker swung up through her chest, slicing through her armor and piercing her heart. Across the courtyard, I watched as a group of Pegasari soldiers made it past the College’s defenders and entered the library. I charged across to the doors, as did some of the mages, and entered the building. The Pegasari soldiers were flying around the expansive room, taking advantage of the vaulted ceilings. I shot ice spikes at a few, but didn’t dare shoot too many into the air for fear of hitting the books that lined the walls. Likewise, I didn’t dare use any incendiary spells for fear of lighting the whole place ablaze. Mephalda entered the library, taking off into the air and shooting arrows into the levitating pegasi. Soon the air became unsafe for them, and they retreated to the ground where the bookshelves offered some protection. As I turned a corner, I nearly had my head taken off by a pegasus with a sword. She released her blade as it stuck in the bookcase and drew a shortsword, swinging at me again. I blocked with Dawnbreaker, pushing her around the corner and into the Pegasari soldier behind her. As she stumbled against her fellow combatant, I swung Dawnbreaker through her neck, severing her head. Her comrade watched with shock as her body fell to the ground. I swung my blade down toward his back, hoping to cripple him, but he managed to get his war axe up in time to block me. I swung my sword around, knocking the axe away before striking at the joint of his wing. Muscle tore and his wing hung limp as I sliced through it. Enraged, he swung his war axe back at me, cutting under my sword and hooking the axe beneath my helmet. I shot flame at him as he tried to pry my helmet off. As he lit on fire, I stabbed him in the chest with my sword. I removed the axe and bandaged where the blade had sliced my neck before moving on. A pegasus with a bow spied me through the bookcase and shot an arrow at me. Instead, the shaft struck the books, piercing the pages. The pegasus disappeared a moment later as an angry Griffin tore her apart. I galloped around the bookcase to where a few more of the pegasi still lived, advancing on the librarian. As one slashed at his head, he grabbed the sword in his claw and pushed it away, digging his other claws into the pony’s chest. Though Narickh was old, it seemed he could fend for himself. Still, he couldn’t defend himself if he was surrounded, so I galloped toward him. I shot a lightning bolt at the closest Pegasari soldier, and the energy leapt from her armor to the armor of the pony next to her, shocking them both to death. Narickh killed another of the soldiers, turning her battleaxe on herself, before one of them got him. A Pegasari soldier had managed to sneak around to his side and had drawn a greatsword across his stomach. I Shouted as I neared him. Time slowed to a crawl as I jumped through the air and knocked the pegasus with the greatsword to the ground. Running her through with Dawnbreaker, I spun around on a pegasus who was about to bring her battleaxe down on the Griffin’s neck. As her weapon shattered, struck by Dawnbreaker, time returned to normal. She stumbled backwards from the blow, running into another Pegasari soldier. Forgetting the danger, I shot a blast of fire at the two intruders, consuming them in flames. Another pegasus threw a spear at Narickh, but I jumped in front of it, grabbing it in my magic before thrusting it through the body of the pony who had thrown it. “I’ll tend to him,” Mephalda promised as I turned toward Narickh, “They need you out there.” I left Narickh in capable hooves and exited the library. Out in the courtyard, the Pegasari troops were still fighting the mages of the College. The wards began to collapse one by one as the Pegasari airships pounded them with their cannons. Soon cannonballs were crashing through the towers of the College, tearing apart the ancient school. I fought through the clashing ponies in the courtyard until I was at the edge of the College, staring out at the airships through where a pillar should’ve been. <<>> I Shouted at the nearest airship. As before, the clouds both above and attached to it began to boil away. The cloud began to fall from the sky, and pegasi frantically abandoned it. The ship eventually crashed into the sharp rocks of Winterhorn’s harbor and was smashed to bits. The powder ignited a minute later, blowing flaming chunks of wood and rock in all directions. As cannonfire began to rain down on the College’s central building, a bizarre humming began to emerge from it. A bright blue light began to glow from every opening. The doors suddenly flew open, revealing the Eye of Magnus glowing brighter than ever. A sphere of blue light expanded out from it, grabbing the Pegasari soldiers and flinging them away as it touched them. As it passed over me, I felt pure magic course through my body, feeling wonderful and terrifying at the same time. The orb continued to expand out until it surrounded the College. Shots from the remaining Pegasari airship ricocheted off the surface, some striking the ship itself. A layer of lightning began to build over the magical shield before striking out at the airship. As it began to take on heavy damage, the cloud-based ship turned away from Winterhorn and back toward the Featherrest Isles, defeated. A cheer went up from the ponies within the College, and I found myself cheering along with them. The first victory had been won against the Pegasari Dominion. However, I couldn’t help wondering how many more fights there would be before the war came to an end. ◊◊◊ ◊◊◊ ◊◊◊ Late that night, I was tossing and turning in my bed. Seeing as how it was my actions that had taken out three of the ships that had been harassing Winterhorn, the Arch-Mage decided I deserved to stay in the student quarters, which were much more extravagant than the temporary housing put together for the refugees. My mind was filled with worry. I’d finally managed to bring peace to the Northlands, or so I’d thought. But, now there was an even bigger war raging across the land. How in the world was I supposed to bring peace and balance to the world and stop the windigo invasion now? I rose from my bed, going for a walk. Perhaps the cool night air would help clear my head and I could get some sleep. I trotted through the quiet and abandoned halls of the College of Winterhorn, making my way to the courtyard. This war wasn’t the only thing on my mind, either. Alduin and his dragons were still on the loose, trying to destroy the Northlands. I knew I had to find the Elements of Harmony to defeat him, but it was a long and arduous journey to find them. I now knew how to find the last three at least. The Blackwings knew, and they had the missing page from Talhooves’s Book of Secrets, probably hidden away in the Blackwing Headquarters in Pegasor. Of course, that brought up a completely different set of problems. How was I supposed to get into Pegasor without being killed on sight? My head was spinning as I trotted through the courtyard. It was becoming hard to focus. A deep and feral hunger was calling for me. I began to realize what was going on, but it was hard to resist. Already my body was starting to go its own way, trotting toward the door to the hall the refugees were now living in. I tried to fight the urge to feed, but it was just too strong. A reddish haze descended across my vision as I stalked through the dark hallways. Propelled forward by my vampirism, I snuck through the hall until I found a pegasus sleeping all alone in a side room, curled up on top of a bedroll. My mind screamed for my body to stop as my fangs emerged from my jaw and sank into the pony’s neck. My now-curved horn glowed slightly as I paralyzed the stallion, keeping him from struggling as I drank his blood. Once I had my fill, my fangs left the stallion and began to shrink back to normal. My body slowly morphed back into its regular form, and I regained control of it. I stood appalled at what I had just done. At least this time I hadn’t killed the pony. Though he looked drained of blood (because he was) he was still breathing shallow breaths. I slowly made my way back through the College to my quarters, swearing to myself that first thing the next morning I’d look for some way to cure this disease, before I hurt any more ponies. ◊◊◊ ◊◊◊ ◊◊◊ I searched the College’s library like mad the next day for anything they had on vampirism. As I’d hoped, the pony I’d fed on the night before hadn’t died, though he’d needed significant medical attention to get back to normal. Nopony knew who’d done it, and nopony questioned it. Many assumed that it was one of the refugees, but my friends and I knew better. “Something I can help you with?” Narickh’s voice came from behind me, making me jump. The elderly Griffin librarian was looking much better, a set of bandages wrapped around his body holding him together while he healed. “Yes,” I told him, gathering up the books I’d dropped, “Do you have anything on cures for vampirism?” “A cure?” he asked, raising a bushy eyebrow, “Why this sudden interest? Could it have to do with the attack last night, perhaps?” I dropped my books again as I realized that the Griffin knew my secret. “Don’t worry,” he said, “I won’t tell. After all, at least you’re actually looking for a way to get rid of the curse.” “So, do you have anything on a cure?” I asked. “I’m afraid not. We had a researcher a long time ago trying to find a cure, but his research dried up, and we never heard from him again.” “Well, I’m sure somepony knows,” I said hopefully, “Now that that’s out of the way, do you have anything on spells for walking on clouds?” “Planning a trip to visit some pegasi?” he asked, once again arching an eyebrow. “You could say that,” I said, “Do you have anything?” “We don’t, I’m afraid. However, I know that a potion has been created that does exactly what you’re looking for. There’s a zebra that stops by sometimes – she’s really a very talented alchemist – she’s created a potion that allows a landbound pony, or zebra for that matter, to walk on clouds.” “Great,” I said, “Where does she live?” “Well, she doesn’t exactly live anywhere. It could be hard to find her. She leads a caravan across Horizon. Name’s Sar’van.” ◊◊◊ ◊◊◊ ◊◊◊ I couldn’t believe my luck. I actually knew Sar’van. Other than a guard, she’d been the first person I’d talked to at Whitetrot. I hadn’t spoken to her a whole lot since I’d first entered the city, but I made the point to visit whenever I saw her camped outside of the city. As chance would have it, she was waiting outside of Whitetrot’s gates as we arrived at the city. “Greetings, Sar’van,” I said as we approached her. “Sapphire, my unicorn friend,” she spoke in her sing-song tone, “It has been awhile since we’ve last spoken.” “I’ve been busy,” I told her, “In fact, I’m here to talk business now, if you don’t mind.” “Sar’van will help you out indeed. What is it that you now need?” “I was told you know how to brew up a potion that will let wingless ponies walk on clouds. Is it true?” “I can make it, that much is true, but why would you need such a brew?” “I need to get into Pegasor,” I explained, “That could be a problem if the floor gives out on me.” “If you wish to enter the capital of pegasuskind, you will need much more than the potion you have in mind.” “Like what?” I asked. “As unicorn or earth pony you will be seen; only as a pegasus can you fit in.” “A potion I’ll brew that will disguise you, not one for the clouds only. For only together will you have a chance to pass for a flying pony.” I nodded my understanding. We’d never even make it into the Featherrest Isles without looking like pegasi. Sar’van had thought of everything, and set to work preparing a large supply of the potions we’d need for our journey. Soon we’d enter the Pegasari Dominion and, if things went according to plan, nopony would be the wiser. Level Up Health: 340 Stamina: 340 Magicka: 330 New Perk: Party Tricks [Illusion] -- All Illusion spells can now be cast for half the Magicka. New Quest: The Land of the Pegasi -- Sneak into the Pegasari Dominion, and retrieve the locations of the last three Elements of Harmony from the Blackwing Headquarters in Pegasor.