CHAPTER FORTY FIVE
THE SLEEPING EMPIRE
Amidst the broken and splintered beams, from the shattered remains of what had once been a place of friendship and camaraderie, a single blackened figure emerged. His hearing was reduced a high pitched whine, his eyesight blurry and unfocussed. Nothing made sense - none of it. One minute he’d been celebrating his mare’s pregnancy and the next…this. Tempest tried to shake off the pieces of wood from his coat, staggering out into what looked liked clearer ground. There was smoke everywhere: fire, ponies, thestrals, minotaurs - most of them looking like little more than dark figures on a darker background running this way and that like a kicked over anthill. So much for the war being over. He spat blood from his mouth; his teeth must have bitten through his lip, or tongue…it wasn’t important, at least not yet. First he had to see to his warriors, and his mare. Thank the Goddess she was safe in the town hospital. Blue Water was due to deliver any time now and this was going to be his final hurrah to a single life, in fact if he hadn’t stopped for one last round he would have been there already. He still couldn’t believe he was going to be a father even now. So what if she was from another people? Nobody cared, not any more; the old barriers meant nothing now, but…but the war was meant to be over, the Celestians had surrendered hadn’t they? Why would they doing this? Was it an accident? He wandered out into the cooler night air, trying to clear his lungs – By the Goddess how they burned! He must have inhaled smoke: not a problem for a thestral normally, but this wasn’t good, he’d have to find help for himself before long.
Tempest suddenly coughed violently, his head spinning from the effort of trying to catch his breath. What was…what was going on? His eyesight gradually began to clear and he saw the scale of the destruction behind him: the remains of what had been the ammunition dump for the artillery, the barracks…Dear Goddess, there were pieces of…bodies…everywhere. He tried to call out, to shout for one of the hurrying figures to answer him, but his lungs were so painful, his throat so dry, he couldn’t speak and his words grated out in a wheezy rasp. Who or what could do such a thing? The Celestian’s? How could they get through here? He had guards out, they’d set defences up, and they were out here in the middle of nowhere! With the war over, they’d massed the explosives with the intention of selling it abroad to the Llamalians, using the barges that were even now rocking in the dock ready for loading. But there would be no loading now, there was nothing left to load…nothing at all.
Tempest coughed, trying to reach the water barrels, but even they were gone, blown apart and reduced to matchwood like the barracks, like his comrades, his brothers and sisters. His emotions raging, the thestral warrior walked towards the only source of water he knew that was nearby: the stream. The promise of cool water drove his battered body onwards; he’d just take a little, just a sip, and then he’d…what was that? There was something in the grass in front of him, something dark, and it was moving…a casualty? He moved forward cautiously, and then the thing looked up at him. He stared back. It was a pony…and it was armed. Cold realisation began to flicker in Tempest’s battered mind; this stallion had done this - he was the one who had killed his friends…
The thestral couldn’t take his eyes off the pony in the grass. Why would they do such a thing when the war was over? It made no sense! After so much killing, so much death and pain, they wanted it to continue?
Explosions nearby began to go off: shouting, screaming…his hearing was coming back slowly, and by the Goddess, they were sounds he’d hoped never to have to hear again. A warrior running past called out to him,
“Sir! The town is aflame, there’s people trapped there!”
Tempest snorted, glowering down at the creature in the grass. He closed his eyes, took a breath, and turned towards the town. It was a scene from the deepest pits of hell. The thestral’s eyes went wide in horror as he watched gouts of green magical fire mix with yellows and reds, heard the snapping and crash of homes consumed in flames amidst the cries and screams of the trapped residents. The utter madness, the futility and senselessness of it made his heart cry out in horror. He broke into a gallop. To hell with water, to hell with pain - he had to help, he had to do something!
The town was an inferno. Casks of explosive magical compounds had been blown outwards from the depot and landed everywhere, from alleys, to roofs and even through windows. Many of the people here would have died instantly while the less fortunate were still trapped inside. Dear Goddess, he could hear them…
Minotaurs, thestrals, griffins, ponies, anyone who could lend a claw or hoof, was doing all they could to save as many as they could. From out of the smoke, a minotaur lumbered up to Tempest - it was Mauve, one of the medics. Without speaking, she shoved a water flask into his outstretched hooves which he accepted gratefully. It was like liquid life pouring into him, his tortured throat soaking in the magical elixir until the bottle was all but drained. He nodded his thanks,
“Mauve…” he spat, trying to get his words out, “Get the survivors out to the cherry orchards, there’s cover there. Use the barns, anything.”
Mauve nodded, “You’re hurt.”
“Forget it,” Tempest croaked, “We have to get everyone out that we can save.”
The minotaur nodded again, “I will do what I can.”
Tempest clopped her on the elbow, “Goddess bless you Mauve.” He turned back to the town and headed for the hospital. There was an evacuation plan thank the Goddess, one in place in case of fire, but how many would of them would actually remember it? This was such a sleepy place, a quiet town where nothing happened. It was where he’d met his wife, the young mare who had helped the alien creature from another world, and it was where he’d lost his heart to her as surely as day followed night in this magical place.
He ran.
He’d sought permission from his superiors of course; theirs had only been a scouting mission initially, but after a skirmish with some local troops, he’d been injured and left for dead. In reality, he should have been dead, but a young mare sneaking off from her work in the cherry orchards for a quiet break had found the wounded warrior and helped him. She’d hidden him in one of the storage barns, tending to his injuries as best she could, bringing him food and water, even wine from time to time. It was fortunate indeed there was a griffin food merchant in town, or else he could have starved to death. Thankfully, Blue Water wasn’t squeamish. And then, well…one thing had lead to another, and…
He ran.
Tempest had returned back to his command some time later. Blue Water let him go, as if she simply…understood. He could speak her language, most of them could, but to hear those strange words from her mouth, her big blue eyes looking up at him and her beautiful cream coloured coat…it made his heart leap in a way it never had before except at the very height of battle. Naturally, he’d kept his liaison with her secret from his commanding officer, but thankfully with the town being so remote, nobody was really interested in it from a strategic point of view anyway. The invasion had started some time afterwards and he’d been forced to miss most of it due to him being considered ‘unfit’ for front line service. Instead, he was relegated to garrison duties and sent back, at his request, to the remote town on the coast. That was when he found her again, sitting beneath a cherry tree wearing a striped red and white dress, reading a book. She looked…wonderful, and the way she looked at him was so different from the usual expressions of horror and fear he’d become used to, it made his heart cry out. By the Goddess, he loved her. But...love? It was a strange concept - one that was not exactly unknown in the Withers, but one that was certainly frowned upon. Here, in Belle’s Orchard, those rules didn’t seem to matter anymore; the war was far, far away, and here ponies treated the newcomers with more of a mixture of interest and curiosity. Maybe it was because they were on the coast, and visitors from foreign lands were not uncommon, or maybe it was because the war was something they’d only heard of from travellers. Whatever the reasons, Tempest had fallen in love with Blue Water from the moment he saw her, and now…months, or was it years? later, he was going to be a father
Tempest charged round the corner of one of the numerous bakeries, heading towards the fountain where he would have to turn left into the cobbled street that lead straight to…
It was an inferno.
Ponies crowded the street outside the hospital, some carrying buckets of water from the river, while others carried the injured, the sick, the young, the old in fact anypony they could find, ferrying them out to the evacuation points. Several thestrals were here too, some sporting numerous injuries and helping those unable to walk onto waiting carts and chariots, or anything else that could move. Overhead, pegasi and griffins flew down, dumping buckets of water and trying their best to keep the raging fire from spreading.
Suddenly there was a shout of warning as part of the roof gave way, sending tiles crashing down into the building’s interior and out into the street. It was hopeless; no amount of buckets was going to contain that blaze. Tempest pushed his way through the crowd, desperate to reach the maternity wing. The front door was gone, now little more than a solid wall of heat and flame, but there was still the side door, one that he could reach with little difficulty. He found a space, shook out his wings and leaped into the air. He wasn’t a good flier, and he’d never quite fully recovered what little ability he’d since he was wounded, but it was enough to get him away from the crowded streets and over to where he wanted to be. Blue Water was on the second floor. Damn it though, with so much smoke and the strange orange light from the flames it was hard to get his bearings, but at last, he saw the door. There were ponies there too, carrying buckets in and another line bringing mares and foals out into the night. Nursing staff and doctors were doing all they could, but…horrifyingly, there was already a line of…of…Tempest gave himself a shake; he’d seen dead before, he’d killed in battle before, but dear Goddess forgive him, he couldn’t look at those tiny bodies. Over the shouts and screaming, the cries of the mothers, the weeping and grief was like some horrific undertone to the whole unimaginable nightmare.
Despite his frantic searching, there was no sign of Blue Water anywhere, and yet somehow, deep inside, he knew she was still inside. Tempest beat his wings hard, propelling himself up until finally he found an open window. The opening was too small, and try as he might, even without armour, there was no way he was going to fit. Gritting his teeth, he delivered a hard buck to the window frame, smashing the wood and glass but cutting his legs in the process. He’d have time to worry about that later - right now, he need to get in and find his family.
Inside, smoke billowed as if it were a living entity, filling the rooms with its choking presence stinging his eyes. Everything was bathed in the deep orange light of the fire; the curtains and bed covers steaming and beginning to smoulder from the intense heat. Tempest ripped a piece of sheet from one of the beds and wrapped it around his head after first dunking it in a pitcher of water. Dear Goddess, even the water was hot…
Keeping low, the thestral warrior raced through the ward, finally reaching the maternity wing. The doors had been jammed open, the cots lying empty, the beds empty too, save for one…
“Blue!” Tempest rushed forward, gasping out a breath through the sheet, “Goddess, Blue! BLUE!”
The cream mare coughed, her big blue eyes looking up at him blearily,
“Hello…love…”
“Damn it!” Tempest snatched her up and tried to haul her onto his back, but she was so heavily pregnant and weak she was having trouble even standing. By the spirits, why had they left her behind?!
“Don’t worry, Blue, I’m here, we’ll get out of this.”
“We…” she let out a hacking cough, “…better…” she groaned, catching onto Tempest’s neck.
Speaking to her softly, the thestral headed for the back of the hospital where the fire seemed to be at its less intense. Everywhere he looked there was smoke, heat and knocked over equipment and clothing. Tears poured down his face from the smoke stinging them, but he hurried on, half carrying, half pulling the weak mare.
“They…they cleared everpony out, but I guess…I…I picked the wrong time to have morning sickness…eh?” she gasped.
Tempest looked around frantically for a way out, “Shh, its alright love, just hang in there, for both of you. I’ll get us out, just…just hang on.”
“Tem?” Blue Water asked quietly, “What…what do you want to call our foal?”
The next door lead to another stair case, blocked by a sudden blast of fire of such a ferocity it singed his mane. He took Blue Water out the other way, hunting for a window, a door - something, anything he could use.
“Tem?”
They reached the next landing,
“Love, please,” Tempest said hurriedly, “we can talk about that when we get out okay?”
Blue Water closed her eyes, “Y…yeah…”
A huge window in front of them stood open, the curtain blowing in the heat fuelled breeze. Tempest leaned out, spotting several ponies helping others into a cart,
“Hey! HEY!” the thestral’s shouts finally caught the attention of one of the ponies who looked up. Tempest gulped in a mouthful of air, “I’ve got a pregnant mare here, get a ladder, something!”
“Hang on!” The pony called back.
It was probably only seconds, but to Tempest it felt far, far too long. What the hell where they doing? Damn it, he couldn’t risk trying to fly her down, not like this, but if he had to, he’d…
“Hoy! Down here!”
Like a gift from the Goddess, a large sturdy ladder was set up against the windowsill and a bull headed creature appeared, its horns catching the orange light,
“Tempest?”
“Mari! Thank the Goddess! Quick, take Blue, get her to a doctor.”
Lifting Blue Water to the waiting minotaur, Tempest caught a glimpse of the hollow look in his beloved’s eyes, the sad smile on her lips. She brushed her hoof gently across his muzzle as Marigold carefully carried her down the ladder and to safety. Tempest stood watching her, and swallowed. Seeing her taken away like that, like a sack of grain…that look in her eyes…A shock of fear hit him and he had to give himself a hard shake before he too set off down the ladder and to safety. Behind him the building cracked and groaned, the supports for the upper floor quickly beginning to burn through. Mercifully his hooves touched the ground; it felt soft and cool beneath him, and he quickly gave thanks to the Goddess for their timely deliverence. Looking around, he spotted Blue Water lying on a stretcher and already being examined by a white overcoat wearing unicorn who was waving to two of the nursing staff,
“This mare’s about to deliver, we need to get her to shelter, now!”
“What?” Tempest hurried over as the stretcher was picked up. This couldn’t be right, she wasn’t due tonight!
“Are you with her?” the doctor shouted over the din.
“Yes!”
“Then for the Goddess’s sake stallion, go with her! Hurry!”
Tempest looked briefly over his shoulder; the fire was now completely out of control and the building was collapsing in on itself. Most of the civilians looked to have either evacuated or were formed into fire teams. There wasn’t much more he could do here, and Blue needed him more. With a loud neigh, he charged off into the night after the stretcher bearing his mare.
The group quickly raced up to the cherry orchard, the crowded barns full of the lost and the injured - it was all the medics could do to try and keep order. If only there’d been more of the garrison here, but what was left were fighting fires or...he closed his eyes…lying here. Some he recognised, while others were…burnt and mangled beyond recognition, their bodies ravaged and yet somehow still clinging onto life. He had to close his heart off, he had to see Blue Water and be with her, as much as these were his brothers and sisters - he had to…to leave them…
“Tem? TEM!” The cream mare thrashed on the makeshift bed, her eyes wide in horror, “TEM!”
Tempest hurried to her side, “I’m here love, I’m here, its going to be okay.”
“Oh Celestia, Tem! I’m so scared, I don’t want this! I don’t…I…”
One of the doctors pushed past Tempest, checking Blue Waters temperature and listening to her chest,
“She’s going into labour. Nurse, NURSE!”
One of the mares hurried over and the two began manoeuvring the pregnant mare into a more comfortable position for birthing. Blue Water’s eyes were wide in fear, her forelegs outstretched, reaching for him,
“Tem, I’m frightened…what’s happening?”
Tempest tried to smile reassuringly, “The doctors helping you deliver, love, he knows what he’s doing.”
“But its too early!” Blue Water coughed, her eyes becoming unfocussed, “T..Tem?”
The warrior carefully lifted her forelegs to his muzzle and kissed them, “I’m right here love.”
“Don’t… don’t let go of me? Please?”
“I won’t love,” Tempest promised, “I’ll never let you go…I promise.”
She looked up at him with such love, such trust. Blue Water suddenly gasped and screamed out in agony. The doctor and nurse began shouting and yelling, calling others over to help them; it was a cacophony of noise, but Tempest could only see his mare before him. She was in so much pain! He cradled her head in his forelegs, kissing her muzzle,
“Shhh, it’s alright love, you’re safe now.”
“No….NO! Goddess help me…Tem! I…” She screamed, the sound cutting through his soul like a knife. One of the nurses appeared beside Blue Water, trying to calm her, to help her with her breathing, but as much as she tried, the pregnant mare was tiring quickly.
“Damn it, what’s taking so long?!” Tempest hissed at the doctor, “Do something!”
The doctor looked up a moment, his eyes narrowed, “The baby’s twisted inside her, and it’s premature already.” He leaned down and glanced back up, “If you want to do something, keep her occupied. Just keep her focussed on something else, anything else!”
Blue cried out again, her voice weaker each time, her breathing becoming ragged and uneven. The nurse leaned across and wiped her brow, but the pregnant mare only had eyes for the stallion, the one with the eyes that burned like red fires. He’d never understood how she wasn’t afraid of him, like most ponies were. And even to him, the multicoloured creatures with their big eyes and magic had their own form of intimidation: their hearts. He closed his eyes and remembered, remembered the uncertainty that grown warriors, both stallions and mares, had experienced when facing creatures that had a way of making you…’feel’. It had been the nearest he had ever seen thestral warriors come to fear, and it had been potent too. The northern tribes, with their dour and monotone existence, were nothing like the colourful creatures of the heartlands and some had even begun to even question why they were at war with them in the first place. Others however looked on them with disdain, an opinion based, he suspected, not so much on their dislike for the Equestrian’s more ‘emotional’ existence, but out of their own fear; the fear of experiencing your own thoughts and feelings. These were concepts that ran contrary to the way of the thestral warrior’s code, and was seen as a weakness, a weakness that had to be overcome. ‘To feel’, Tempest had been taught, ‘was to fail, to lose the fight in your heart before a single blow had even been struck’. Blue Water had conquered him with a mere look.
This reality however, was a very different battle.
Arching her back suddenly, the mare let out a blood curdling scream and collapsed into her stallion’s forelegs. She was barely breathing. Tempest looked up at the doctor in alarm, but the green coated stallion was already there, pushing him aside,
“Get out of the way! Damn it all, stallion, let me do my job!”
Tempest’s heart began to race, “Whats going on? Whats happening?”
The nurse hurried round to his side, leading him away,
“Sir, please, let the team work, she’s in good hooves.”
“Tem?” Blue Water’s voice drifted over to him, “T…Tem? TEM!”
“Oh Goddess!” Tempest cried out, trying to reach her, but the nurse stood stoically in front of him, “Sir! Let the doctors work, your marefriend is…”
There was a suddenly silence and then…nothing. Tempest was pushed away as magic began to glow from the nurses horn and enveloped the exhausted mare on the bed, blocking him from reaching her. Frantically, he began pacing back and forth, trying to see, trying desperately to make sure she was alright. Goddess forgive him, it was his fault! He’d done this to her! Why? Why hadn’t he just…
“Sir?”
It was the doctor.
“I’m sorry. We’ve done all we can, but the smoke had…”
“What do you mean you’ve done all you can?” Tempest choked on the words, smoke rising from his jaw, “Blue?” he pushed the unresisting nurse aside and went to his mare, leaning down to her,
“Love? Its me, I’m here.”
Blue Water weakly opened her eyes and gazed up at him, a faint smile playing across her lips,
“I’m…sorry…”
“No,” Tempest shook his head, “Now you’re being silly, everything’s alright now. We’ll get you home and into bed and…”
“-Tem…” Blue smiled, her hoof reaching up to his cheek, “Somethings…broken, inside me. I don’t think…I don’t…” she gasped and fought for breath before finally calming and gripping his forehooves, “Tem! I…I love you! I…you know that, don’t you?”
“Yes, Blue! I know that, I love you too, but please…”
She shook her head, “Don’t…forget me…please…”
“I…no…NO!” Tempest felt the strength in her fading, her eyes dulling before him as he held her. He’d seen it before, a dozen times, hundreds of times, the way the light of light would simply…die…
“Doctor! Damn you stallion, do something! DO SOMETHING!” Tempest’s eyes flared like tiny suns in the night, smoke and whisps of flame trickling from between his teeth. The doctor looked back at him, his face saddened and worn. Tempest knew…Goddess forgive them all…he knew.
“Sir, I’m sorry for your loss.”
The warrior sank to his knees and cradled his mare’s head in his forelegs, kissing her still warm muzzle and nuzzling her. She couldn’t be dead, he was only talking to her a few hours ago, and then…then he’d gone off to have a drink with his friends and celebrate, leaving her alone. He left her alone! He choked back a cry of anguish, a tear of burning flame trickling down his cheek to land smouldering on the ground. The nurse appeared beside him a moment later,
“Sir, I’m so sorry. He was just so premature, there was nothing we could do.”
A tiny bundle, a minute parcel of blanket and young life, was placed beside his beloved mare. A life, that was never to be, never to see the sun or the moon in the sky, never to wonder at the stars above or feel a mothers love. Tempest gently parted the blanket and saw the small dark blue foal within, his eyes tight shut as if he was still asleep. He had wings, tiny dragon like wings like his father, and tiny tufts of hair on the top of his ears. He was as dark as midnight, and as beautiful as a moonrise. Tenderly, his father leaned down and kissed him,
“Goodnight, my little one. My son.”
Closing his eyes, Tempest took a shuddering breath and tucked the tiny foal beside his mother and took a blanket from the pile nearby, returning to tuck them in for the night. He gritted his teeth, and leaned down to kiss his wife on the lips. It was a moment for her, a moment he would remember until his dying day. Taking a breath, Tempest sat up on his haunches, lifted his head to the night sky, and cried out, howling his pain, his sorrow, his suffering, up into the uncaring heavens. He sang…his words that of his native home, his ancient lands and ancient peoples. From the time before time, from a land forgotten and lost, the abandoned were returning to the side of the Goddess, to sit beside their ancestors in the halls where warriors would boast of their deeds in battle, where bards would play and feasting would be held. But this song was different; this sang of orchards, of fields, of running through the long green grass on a summers day and sleeping beneath the Goddess’s moon, wrapped in her gentle embrace. It was his world, it was her world, the two coming together as one. Now…lost…forever.
“Sir?” It was a young thestral warrior, far too young for front line work - far too young to see this horror. The lad snapped off a shaky salute, “We’ve caught one of the saboteurs.”
Tempest, the warrior of the Goddess, stood, and turned towards the shocked medical ponies,
“Do what you will with the bodies, they are with their ancestors now.”
The doctor gave himself a shake, “But…”
Tempest gave the doctor a nod, “Thank you for your efforts doctor. May the Goddess guide and keep you safe.”
His thoughts blank, his heart empty, Tempest followed the young warrior through the streets of fire, the buildings that had once been homes, the businesses, the places of trade and halls where the townsfolk would come together to watch plays, to dance and sing. Now, it was all gone, all of it, reduced to nothing but blackened timbers and ash. His beautiful home, his beautiful mare, even his son…they were all gone.
Two guards stood by the prisoner, one of them a civilian from the town carrying a spear and staring abject hatred at the pony huddled on the ground. The guards saluted. Tempest towered over the pony and sat down in front of it. It was covered in ash and clay, like the other one had been, no doubt to hide them from the eyes of the guards. This one had been injured: not badly, but enough. Some of its injuries looked fresh.
Tempest looked into the things lime coloured eyes. He only wanted to know one thing,
“Who was in charge?”
The pony said nothing, but hung his head.
“Would like to see what you have done?” A tear rolled down Tempest’s cheek as his chest shuddered with grief, “Would you like me to show you the bodies of my mare and my son? WOULD YOU?!”
“NO!” The pony shrieked, “None of this was meant to happen! We were supposed to just blow up the dump and the barracks, not the town!”
“But you were happy enough to murder my friends, my brothers and my sisters.” He reached down and grabbed the pony, “You…you Celestian bastard…you murdered my family! YOU MURDERED THEM!”
“I didn’t! I…”
Tempest shoved him back roughly, “I will ask you again, who ordered this…outrage?”
The pony’s voice shook in terror, “H…his names…”
“YES?” Tempest’s eyes flared, liquid fire dripping from between his teeth as he growled deep in his chest.
“COVE! His name is Lieutenant Cove!” the pony yelled.
“What does he look like?”
The pony closed his eyes, “He’s white, with blue eyes and a fancy cutie mark, he...he’s got a blue mane too, I think, maybe black, I…I can’t remember!”
Tempest stood, lifting his head to the stars and breathed out slowly. It was the one he’d seen in the grass, wasn’t it? The one hiding, like the sewer rat he was. Shaking his head, Tempest reached round and took the sword from one of his warriors and gazed down at their pony captive,
“Where are you going next? What is the next target?”
The pony’s eyes stared at the blade, his eyes darting this way and that,
“I…I don’t know! They won’t tell us until we’re nearly there. Only the officers know.”
“I see.” Tempest let out a breath and looked down at the sword. It was a simple thing, crude, but effective. He reached forward and gripped the back on the ponies head,
“You know, I knew nothing about Equestrians when I first came here, but soon, I learned to respect them and earned their respect in kind.” He nodded to the townspony beside him, “Many are good people, kind, loving people.” Tempest smiled sadly, “You never met my marefriend did you? Or my son?” He leaned forward and whispered in the pony’s ear, “You can apologise to them when you meet them.”
There was a soft sound, a gasp, and a gurgling as Tempest pushed the pony off his sword blade before wiping it clean on the corpse.
“Sergeant, assemble as many able warriors as you can.”
“Yes, sir.”
“We’re going to find those killers,” Tempest stared out into the dark hills and the black forests beyond, “Death is coming for them.”
*********************
“Delicious!” Chalk leaned back and rubbed his stomach, “I have to say, my compliments to your chef, Lord Maroc, Lady Arathea.”
The elegant grey unicorn mare smiled, her bright yellow eyes sparkling, “You are most welcome, as are all of you to our home.”
“See! What did I tell you dearest? A white unicorn! I tell you, when I saw his eyes I nearly jumped out of my skin!” Maroc stood up and gestured with his hooves for dramatic effect, “He rose up…like a huge white ghost from the snow, those green eyes blazing like the fires of eternity, his teeth as long as swords and a cry that could have frozen my soul like stone!”
Arathea clopped her hooves together in delight while the small foal on her lap stared open mouthed at Chalk.
“Let’s have a look at those huge teeth then, Mister Dust,” Arathea said teasingly, “are they really so dangerous?”
Chalk chuckled, grinning expansively, “Not quite, but I bet I can worry a carrot or two.”
Laughter echoed around the room, the atmosphere surprisingly light and joyful. The guests of honour, or so they felt, were quite clearly the two friends, with their hosts at the head of the table along with several other members of the wendigo tribe.
Chalk raised his glass in the glow from his magic,
“Lady Arathea, I understand that you personally selected the furnishings for the fortress. You truly have a good eye for quality, are they Llamalian?”
Arathea smiled demurely, “The carpets and rugs are, but the tapestries are mostly from Yakistan or Equestria - quite exquisite crafts work, I think you’ll agree.”
Chalk nodded, “Indeed.”
“They make excellent cloaks too,” Maroc observed innocently, “I think its really important to, you know, get to know the artist, really ‘get inside’ them so to speak.”
“Dear!” Arathea squeaked, elbowing her husband.
“What?” Maroc chuckled, “I only said that they make good quality…”
“-I know what you said and I know what you mean! Stop it!” she tapped him on the nose, at which he looked at the two guests and shrugged helplessly, “You see what I have to put up with?”
The meal continued amidst laughter and general conversation, until finally, Maroc rose from his seat and beckoned Chalk and Bracken to follow him to the drawing room. It was magnificent, like the rest of the fortress, only somehow a lot more ‘personal’ somehow. Maroc’s wife had obviously been at work here too, with deep crimson carpeting and tapestries, together with long velvet curtains framing the large windows. Numerous book cases standing floor to ceiling lined the walls with a wheeled ladder to reach the various levels. There must have been hundreds, no, thousands of books! Bracken couldn’t take his eyes off them and his mind began to wander off on tangents, considering the things he could learn, the stories he could read of far off lands…
“Smoke?”
Maroc brought out a humidor, a selection of pipes, cigars and some other oddments which Chalk eyed up before selecting a long stemmed pipe.
“Here, smell this one, it’s Yakistani Cherry Wood, one of my favourites.” Maroc said invitingly, and lifted the pottery lid for the two friends to inhale the wonderful aroma.
“That’s….marvellous.” Chalk breathed, “May I?”
Maroc laughed, “Of course! I wouldn’t just sit here and have it all to myself, you know!” he passed them a box of long thick matches. No tinder boxes here, not this pony, or ‘wendigo’, Bracken noticed - this fellow had money as well as style. Thankfully, Chalk helped light his pipe with the help of his magic while Maroc watched them with an intrigued expression,
“You work very well together.” He observed, “Object manipulation must be a pain for earth ponies, and pegasi too I suspect. Personally, I’ve never had that problem, but I can appreciate it.” He clopped his hooves together, “Anyway, I’m sure your just brimming with questions, so please, fire away.”
Something had been bothering Bracken, something about this whole ‘wendigo’ business. If ever there was a time to ask, it was now,
“Lord Maroc, forgive me for asking, but, what exactly are wendigo? I thought you were a myth, something from the time of the three tribes. You’ll understand that our books are a little…inaccurate in certain respects.”
“Indeed.” Maroc sighed, leaning back in his deep red chair, “What are we…hmm.” He looked up at a tapestry on the wall above the fireplace and held his hoof up to it, “This follows the story of our people, but it’s a little ‘stylised’ as indeed many stories are. The truth is in there somewhere, but where? I have searched for many years myself, and our records do go back many, many generations, but as for the beginning?” he shrugged, “Who can say?” Maroc smiled, “What I can tell you, is that we are for all intents and purposes, as Equestrian as you and Mister Dust, here. We simply have a little, ‘something extra’ that makes us what we are. Sadly, the specific details of how we become a wendigo are closely guarded secrets known only to those selected from birth to become one.”
Chalk puffed out a smoke ring, “What, a sort of ‘elite’ selection process?”
“Not quite,” Maroc replied, “Its quite involved, but all of our people have the chance to become a wendigo, and if they don’t, well, they are still family. Nopony is looked down upon here for not having,” he took a breath, his voice becoming loud and overtly dramatic, “‘extraordinary cosmic powers!’”
Chalk’s eyes went wide, “Wow! That would be amazing!”
“Lord Maroc,” Bracken asked, “may I ask what you intend to do with us?”
Maroc shrugged, “I’m afraid that isn’t really my decision, Bracken.” He looked at Chalk and smiled sadly, “I think you know why.”
Snuggling into the chair and rolling the smoke around his mouth, Chalk opened an eye lazily, “Huh?”
Bracken just nodded.
“Now boys, I want to ask you a question or two.” Maroc levitated over a large decanter of brandy, “You were in my mountains, and I’d like to know why.”
Chalk looked up at Bracken and cringed. The black pony knew this was coming, and nodded to himself,
“I’m afraid it was stupidity, lord Maroc.”
“Oh?”
Bracken nodded, “Chalky and I had, ‘fallen out’, shall we say, with a certain officer. As a way of getting back at us, he sent us out north to ‘patrol’. Needless to say, we got hopelessly lost and Chalky here fell down the mountain and landed on a Jarra for his troubles. One broken leg later, we met up with the local tribe after shooting said Jarra and they took us in. The Elder sadly…died, and the rest you know.”
“As simple as that eh?” Maroc said with a grin.
Bracken nodded.
“You know what happened to that patrol, don’t you.” Maroc tamped his pipe and fixed Bracken with a searching gaze.
“Mmhmm,” the black stallion rubbed his forehead, “We killed them.”
“Aha!” Maroc jumped for his chair, “I knew it!” Laughing, he began to pace by the fire much to the two friends alarm. “Jarras killing that many trained soldiers? Rubbish! But of course, to the thestrals who come from a land where they aren’t the apex predator, it is very believable indeed.” He pointed his pipe at Bracken, “So what really happened?”
Bracken took a breath, “They crucified Chalky.”
“They did what?!” Maroc was on pins, “Chalky? How did they manage to do that to a unicorn?”
Chalk snorted, “I was still recovering from turning my leg into splinters when the rat faced scumbags burst in and started clubbing me half to death.” He took a mouthful of the brandy, “I suppose I may have had a snifter or two before hoof.”
“I bloody knew it!” Bracken snapped, turning to his friend, “You were putting that stuff away like bloody tap water! I wondered where all the bottles kept going.”
Maroc laughed out loud, “A fitting end to a nasty bunch though, eh?” He slumped back down in his chair, “I expect that’s what happened to the last elder then?”
Bracken stared into his brandy, “Yes.” He didn’t want to think about it.
“Well chaps, whatever the future brings, I pray it brings you good fortune.” Maroc raised his glass.
“Good fortune.” The two echoed. Bracken wasn’t so sure. It was disturbingly clear just why they were being held here. Nightmare Moon knew he was here, she had to, and if by some outside chance she didn’t, she would do soon enough. Poor Chalk didn’t have a bloody clue, and he wanted to keep it that way.
The door opened and a grey pony trotted in,
“Oh! Sorry, Maroc, didn’t know you had company today.” He eyed the two and nodded to them, “Hello again!”
“Starswirl, what in blue blazes are you after now?” Maroc said in exasperation.
“Telemetary Fundamentals and Elemental Vortices of Motion and Thermodynamics.” The unicorn said distractedly, “I fancy a little light reading tonight, and…”
“-Second shelf down.” Maroc sighed, cutting in. Suddenly he looked up, “Wait, have you three met before?”
Bracken jumped in, “We, er, met earlier when we went for a bath. Just said hello actually, we haven’t been introduced.”
“Mmm! Oh, where are my manners!” the grey stallion pushed up the large embroidered hat on his head and shook their hooves, “Starswirl the bearded, mage and wizard to the discerning and exemplar of mystical magics to the masses!”
“Eh?” Chalk looked completely lost.
“Bracken, sir,” Bracken said politely, “and this is Chalk Dust, but Chalky will do.”
“Yes, indeed! I always said this world needs more unicorns,” The beaming unicorn mage said expansively, addressing Chalk, “and a fine looking fellow you are too. Bet you get all the mares, eh?”
Chalk grinned from ear to ear, blushing slightly, “Well, I do have a marefriend.”
“And so you should my boy,” Starswirl said happily, “make lots more unicorns I say!”
“Starswirl?” Maroc cleared his throat, “Haven’t you got something you need to be getting on with?”
“Hmm? Oh! Yes!” Starswirl levitated a large red covered tome down from the bookshelf and trotted out, “Nice to see you again!”
The door closed with a click, leaving Chalk and Bracken staring at each other wide eyed. Maroc yawned,
“Odd fellow that…” he took a draw on his pipe, “Now, where were we? Oh, yes, you were going to tell me all about your adventures. Like that crazy old wizard, I love a good story before bed.” He smiled disarmingly and leaned forward, filling their glasses with brandy.
It was good too…
Soon, the brandy, tiredness and good company began to take their toll. Bracken and Chalk talked while Maroc listened; he was a very attentive sort of creature, and seemed to be hanging off every word. Chalk yawned expansively, while Maroc, finally, lifted up the nearly empty bottle and gave himself a stretch,
“I think that just about brings our evening to a close gentlecolts.” He smiled, “I’ll have one of the maids take you to your rooms.”
And that was that. A polite brown unicorn mare appeared at the door, curtsied, and then lead the two friends out to their rooms, leaving Maroc alone to contemplate. It was getting late, and he’d drunk far too much, but not nearly so much as young Chalk Dust! He chuckled to himself; what a pair! Bracken was a little straight laced for his liking, but surprisingly deep and thoughtful. Were all earth ponies like that? He didn’t really know that many after all. The tribe were all unicorns or wendigo, and it was very rare for an earth pony to be born these days. Poor buggers were usually fostered out if that happened, but it wasn’t compulsory. No, he wouldn’t have that. A few pegasi lived here, mostly friends or family, but again, not creatures he had any particular fondness for. But then, that Chalk Dust, what a pony he was! Maroc scratched his chin in wonder. He’d never seen colouring like that on one before: such a white coat, that golden mane and tail, and those eyes! He looked just like the ancient painting of the forebear, the one who was vaunted as ‘the first’. Of course, it could just be coincidence, in fact it most probably was, but Chalk was already causing a stir around the fortress. Maroc groaned and gave his shoulder a good stretch. He liked visitors to the fortress, and a good story made it all the sweeter - even Arathea who was trotting in through a side door enjoyed a tale or two.
“Do you believe their story?” she asked, kissing him on the muzzle.
Maroc smiled up at her, “For the most part.” He poured her a brandy, levitating it over to her, “I think young Chalky is open to a fault, and his friend was trying his best to gloss over some of the more ‘interesting’ points of their adventures.”
“What about Celestia returning?” Arathea asked, “Do you believe that?”
“Why not?” Maroc stared into his brandy, “The ‘body’ was never found and we only had some spurious story of her ‘vanishing’, and then one of the thestrals who chased after her re-appears half dead. Not quite what I’d call compelling evidence of her demise.”
Arathea nodded, “The Legion have begun massing again.”
“Ha!” Maroc snorted, “A little premature with the whole ‘we’ve won the war’ line, eh?” He rubbed his mane, “You know, I’ve got a bad feeling about this, and that bloody wizard’s bothering me too. I don’t like being used my love, and that’s exactly whats happening here. If it wasn’t for that bloody mare…”
Arathea leaned forward and placed a hoof on his mouth, “Come now, you shouldn’t talk about her like that.”
“Hmph!”
“She loves you, you know that.” The grey mare said demurely.
“Of course I do!” Maroc grumbled, “The bloody girl’s obsessed, but what madness drove her to do what she did? Now look whats happened! Two blasted personalities in one mare, and both as mad as the other!”
His wife shook her head sadly, “I don’t fear Luna, but that Nightmare Moon…” She shivered.
“There’s something going on here, and I don’t like it.” Maroc said taking a sip of his brandy, “I don’t like it at all. She’s after Bracken for some reason but I’m loathe to hoof him over. Goddess knows what she would do to him.”
Arathea stroked her husband’s mane, “You don’t owe them anything, love, but please, don’t anger her, we’ve got little Vela to think of now.”
Maroc planted a kiss on her nose, “I know love, I just don’t like it, that’s all.”
“So what now?” Arathea asked curiously.
“We wait. No doubt our friend Arc and his pals will be running to tell tales to their mistress.” Maroc raised an eyebrow and sighed, “Guess who’s coming to dinner?”
“Stop it.” Arathea smiled, pushing him back into his chair while climbing into his lap, “None of that now, Lord Maroc, yes?”
“Alright, love.”
“Mmm.” The lithe grey mare kissed him on the lips, “You taste of brandy, but I wish you wouldn’t smoke that pipe, you know I don’t like that.”
Maroc chuckled, “I know, I’m sorry. I promise I’ll only keep it for guests and special occasions. How’s that?”
“Oh, I don’t know…” Arathea gave him a lustful smile and moved into him, her breath tickling his muzzle while she played with his ears. She let out a quiet moan, “I’ll think about it…My Lord.”
*******************
“If you jump on my bed again, I’ll buck you into next week you little sod!” Bracken slammed his hoof down and rounded on his friend, “Will you bloody well calm down! Please! You’re going to give me a heart attack!”
Chalk pulled up suddenly, his eyes as wide as saucers, and emanating enough alcoholic vapours to become a fire hazard, “Oh shut up, you miserable git.” He laughed, “You don’t know how to have a good time anymore do you? Its all that ‘Elder’ business, isn’t it? You want to live a nice boring life in a boring place, doing boring bloody bollocks for the rest of your life.” He pointed a hoof at Bracken, “BORING!”
“And what if I like being boring, mister perfect?” Bracken huffed, “We can’t all be the life and soul of the party just because of your coat colour and that fancy horn.”
“I knew it!” Chalk gasped, “Horn envy! Goddesses almighty, you’re jealous of my horn!”
“I am damned well not!” Bracken snapped, “I don’t need your bloody fancy pants magic, I’ve got enough of my own, thank you very much.”
“Pfff! Earth pony wisdom?!” Chalk reared and waved his hooves sarcastically in the air, “’I will destroy you with my connection to the soil!’”
“Shut up! What the hell do…” Bracken let out a loud neigh and sank to his haunches, “Look, Chalky, please…we’re in deep dung here, and I don’t want to have a row.”
“You’re the one who started it!” his friend retorted.
Bracken waved his forehooves in exasperation, “You were jumping on my bloody bed!”
“Well, who can blame me for being excited! I mean…its HIM!” Chalk began prancing around the room, tossing his mane, “We’ve done it! We’ve bloody well done it!”
“We haven’t ‘done’ anything!” Bracken hissed, “Can’t you see that? We’re stuck here and that guy,” he pointed a hoof at the stallion in the doorway, “is as much a prisoner here as we are, can’t you see that?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Starswirl said politely, “They’ve been perfectly accommodating with me so far.”
“GAH!” Bracken nearly went white with shock, while Chalk pointed in excitement,
“It’s him! Look! LOOK!”
“I can see that!” Bracken rushed up and slammed the door shut, “What are you doing here?”
Starswirl raised his eyebrows and shrugged, “I thought I’d stop by and have a chat before you chaps turned in.” he looked worried all of a sudden, “Its not too late is it? I get carried away sometimes with my work and…”
“No!” Bracken said suddenly, “Not at all, please, sit down.” He held his hoof out, and Starswirl nodded gratefully, sinking into the proffered chair.
“Well, you know, I was thinking earlier that we hadn’t finished out chat about sky galleons, and I thought I’d swing by and ask a few questions.” The grey pony’s horn glowed with magic and a notepad, pencil and quill floated out in front of him, “Don’t mind if I make notes do you?”
Bracken pulled up a chair next to him, “No, not at all. Look, Starswirl, I have to talk to you, it’s important.”
“You do? It is?” the grey unicorn scratched his chin with his quill, “Hmm, intriguing, please…” he held out his hoof.
Bracken took a deep breath and tried to calm his racing heart. Where the hell could he start with this? He only knew that Celestia wanted him found and taken to her. That was it, nothing more, nothing less. And unfortunately, after explaining what he knew to the wizard, it had an all too predictable result.
“I couldn’t possibly leave my research, here, Master Bracken.” The grey stallion said waving a hoof, “As exciting a possibility it would be to work for the Princess.” He began tapping his notepad, “Now, as we were saying…”
“But, Starswirl, please! This is about the future of Equestria!”
“Rubbish.” the wizard replied sharply, “The Celestian army surrendered, and personally I have absolutely no interest in a spat between two grown mares, alicorns or not. They should behave themselves and act like normal adults.” He fixed Bracken with a hard stare, “Knowledge is what is important Master Bracken, not petty bickering.”
“Its not bickering, Starswirl, we’re at war!” Bracken exclaimed.
“You’re at war!” he said irritably, “Luna’s forces won and that should have been that, but no, your Princess wouldn’t let it lie would she? No, she had to inflame the fires of conflict once again! Why can’t ponies just get along eh? Answer me that!”
Bracken lifted a hoof, “Please, Starswirl, I don’t want to argue politics, I don’t know enough about it to…”
“-and that’s the problem, my young friend, nopony does.” Starswirl interrupted, “Now, are we going to talk about these sky galleons or not?”
“Of course!” Chalk jumped in suddenly, “I’d be delighted to talk to you, so please, make yourself comfortable.” He trotted over to a decanter on the bookcase, “Looks like some kindly soul left us something to help the evening pass smoothly too!”
Bracken groaned. Not more alcohol!
The night wore on. Bracken was nearly asleep by the time the seemingly impossibly curious Starswirl had finally finished pumping the two of them for information. The grey pony’s eyes had nearly popped out of his head when he heard about Strata and was nearly rushing for the door after Chalk casually dropped into the conversation that he owned a crystal sword from the Empire:
“Oh! Oh, my!” Starswirl babbled, “I…I have to see this! And you simply must introduce me to this fellow, Strata, too - what did you say he was again? A what?”
“I’m not sure really,” Chalk yawned, stretching his legs, “Gretel mentioned something about him being a ‘Shipwright’ or something, but all I know is that’s somepony who makes ships.” He shrugged, “Not that exciting I suppose, unless you’re really into ships.”
“No…no, I don’t think so, not in the context of your tale” Starswirl said scratching his beard, “Shipwrights were powerful mages, ones who used their magic to create the flying vessels of the Empire. Alas, such wonders of the ancient world are mostly lost now, but…” he pondered a moment, muttering to himself, “If this ‘Strata’ fellow is a descendant of that line, he could have some innate power, one I could use to…” he trailed off.
“Um, Starswirl?” Chalk asked.
“Hmm?”
“What’s a wind mage? Strata said I could learn to be one and, you know, I never really had much of chance to…”
“A wind mage?!” Starswirl gasped, “You?” he leaned forward and stared into Chalk’s eyes, “Yes…maybe…maybe you could…” Stroking his beard in thought, the mage appeared to reach a decision and nodded to himself with a smile on his face, “Yes! I’ll come and find you tomorrow, my boy, and, if you’re interested, I’d be delighted to help. In fact, I’ll have a word with Maroc first thing in the morning and see if you could become my assistant. The Gods know I need one!” He suddenly jumped to his hooves, “Goodness, look at the time!” Clamping his huge blue hat back on his head, Starswirl hurried to the door, “I need to get back and check on that spell, otherwise we could lose half the fortress; Arathea would never speak to me again if that happened! Nighty night!”
The door slammed shut.
“He never stops does he?” Chalk groaned, knocking back the last of his brandy, “Goddesses help me, I’m absolutely buggered.”
“Nice turn of phrase there, but really…yeah, I couldn’t agree more.” Bracken yawned and flopped onto his bed, “Any ideas?”
“Yeah,” Chalk moaned, pulling the covers over himself, “sleep.”
Morning came with a light knocking at the door. It was one of the maids with a tray of crumpets, butter, jam and a pot of tea. Little jugs of cream, milk and sugar in three different varieties, sat nestled together in a little silver carrier.
Chalk was already inhaling the wonderful smells rising up from it,
“Now this is what I’m talking about! A proper breakfast!”
Bracken dragged himself over, his eyes gritty and bloodshot. Luna’s rump, he need more sleep! How did Chalk do it?
“There’s different jams too!” Chalk said excitedly, “Apricot…strawberry…and I don’t know what this is, but it’s spot on!” he tapped the bowl of blue sweet preserve with his spoon, “Here, let me butter your crumpet.” He sniggered, waggling his eyebrows.
Bracken groaned, “Bloody hell, Chalky, I don’t know how you have so much energy in the morning, especially after all that drink you had last night.”
“Dunno,” Chalk replied passing Bracken a butter and jam smothered treat, “just naturally perfect I suppose.”
His friend laughed, “Don’t forget modest!”
“And modest…of course.” Chalk poured out Bracken’s tea and then leaned back in the chair, enjoying his own, “What do you think’s going to happen to us, Brack? We can’t stay here forever, as much as I’d like to.”
“I don’t know dude,” Bracken said quietly, “but let’s not think about it now though eh?”
There was a knock at the door, and without waiting for a reply, Starswirl bounced in, “Come on, you two, learning awaits!”
“Eh?” Chalk look up at him in surprise, his muzzle half covered in various jams and butter, “I haven’t had me breakfast yet!”
“Never mind that!” Starswirl said excitedly, “I’m on the edge of a breakthrough! My usual helper’s come down with some blasted bug and I need an extra set of hooves, so…” he waved at the two friends, “Why not have two ponies help instead!”
Chalk span round and grabbed the breakfast tray in his magic,
“Come on Brack, we’ll eat on the go.”
“WHAT?!” Bracken protested, but his friend and the eccentric wizard were already heading out the door. He shook his mane, “why me?” he groaned, and reluctantly set off after them.
Starswirl chattered incessantly all the way along the many corridors, staircases and halls of the fortress. Nopony seemed to notice them, or trouble them either, and something else Bracken noticed: a distinct lack of guards. Not that this really bothered him of course, it was just…odd.
“Here we are!” he announced standing before a large set of double steel clad doors, “Feast your eyes upon a world of true magical wonder!”
With a flamboyant gesture, the grey unicorn flung the doors open. Or at least, he tried to…
“Bugger it…” Starswirl began furiously patting the pockets of his cloak, “Where’s my bloody key gone? I told Iris not to lock the blasted thing and…” He reached down under a small plantpot and suddenly reared victoriously, “HAH! Got it!”
Once again, but with slightly less drama this time, Starswirl pushed open the doors, revealing the riot of colour that lay beyond. Chalk stood frozen to the spot, all but vibrating with excitement as he took it all in. It was everything he’d ever dreamed a wizard’s laboratory would be: a room brim full of stuffed animals, skulls, bottles full of colourful bubbling fluids, tubes, pipes, books, the list went on and on! Such a wondrous, wondrous place! He bounced up to Starswirl his eyes wide with enthusiasm,
“What are we going to do then? When do we start?”
The mage chuckled, clearly pleased at his new assistant’s enthusiasm, “Well, my dear fellow, I want to show you something…something that may be of particular interest to you, perhaps even your earth pony friend?”
Bracken looked up from peering at one of the bubbling concoctions and followed Starswirl down a narrow flight of steps at the back of the laboratory and into a rather large chamber. Sat in the middle of it, up a short flight of steps, sat a large crystalline archway that seemed distinctly out of place there. It wasn’t just its colours either - the pinks and blues disturbingly reminiscent of their time on the island - it was the way the thing felt: it seemed, ‘alien’ somehow, like it shouldn’t be there. Oblivious to Bracken’s concerns, Starswirl bobbed about in excitement, rushing here and there manoeuvering large pieces of equipment. Whatever the spindly contraptions of brass, glass and gemstones were, or did, neither Chalk nor Bracken had any idea.
Abruptly, the grey unicorn reared, throwing his forelegs wide, his horn glowing with a bright blue light, “Behold! History stands before you in all its glory and mystery!” Starswirl dropped back to all fours, his eyes sparkling, “Isn’t it magnificent? Isn’t it just the most amazing thing you have ever seen?” He was clearly enthralled by the construction, and rushed about adjusting and altering his instruments, “Mister Chalk, I understand entirely how you’re feeling right now, I was speechless too when I first lay my eyes upon it. Just imagine how long this has sat here, waiting to be rediscovered!”
“I think there’s one of these in the castle.”
“It’s unique in all the…” Starswirl paused, Chalk’s words eventually catching up with his train of thought. He adjusted his hat and walked up to him, “What did you say?”
Chalk shrugged, “There’s one in the castle of the two sisters, it’s been the subject of more gossip than…”
“-There’s another one of these?!” Starswirl all but shouted, his tail swishing from side to side in agitation, “I…I can’t believe it! Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure?”
Chalk scratched his mane, a little embarrassed at relaying tales he’d overheard, “Um…well, apparently the Princess was going down there every night and doing something in the room where there was this huge arch thing and getting really upset. Nopony knew what was going on or what it was, only that she was getting seriously miffed.”
“Miffed?” Starswirl asked with a look of befuddlement.
Bracken clarified, “Distressed”
The grey coated mage looked like he was going to pass out, or explode, or something dramatic anyway - he simply couldn’t stand still,
“Two portals!” he shook his head in amazement, “Just imagine! I wonder…yes…YES! If I adjust these parallel inversion matrices…” he trailed off.
Bracken lifted a hoof, “Starswirl?”
“Shush!” the grey pony waved him off, “Now, taking into account the flow rate of the mana from the ether induction filter I can…”
“Starswirl?”
“WHAT?!” The mage span round angrily, “Look, can’t you...” he stopped in his tracks and stared up at the portal.
It was glowing.
“Oh…my…Gods…” he looked at Chalk, “What…what did you do?”
Chalk stood back suddenly, “Me? I didn’t break it! I didn’t do anything!”
Bracken blinked, “It…well, one of the crystals was misaligned, so I…I adjusted it.”
“YOU WHAT?!” Starswirls eyes bulged, “You’re an earth pony! How could you possibly know it was misaligned?!”
Bracken’s hackles went up. He was an earth pony, true, and he was getting royally sick of these bloody unicorns and their damned attitudes! Horns be damned, he wasn’t going to stand here and take this! He cleared his throat,
“This is more than magic, Starswirl, can’t you see the flow of the energy through the…” he paused. What the hell was it? He thought for a moment, “doorway?” He smiled to himself, “The arch is tapping directly into the natural flow of…”
Starswirl suddenly grabbed him, “-You can see it?” he asked, “You can see the energy flows? The ley energy?”
“Ley energy?” Bracken pushed him away gently, “I don’t know if that’s what I’d call it, but Neira showed me how the flow of natural magic connects all living things, as well as the earth and rock.” He stared at the glowing lines, the way they congregated around the arch, pulsing and flowing as if alive, disappearing through to…who knew where…or what. He cleared his throat, “This…doorway…looks like its sucking those lines in, like a hole in a bucket. The crystals were pulling some of the lines away from the door and tangling them, so I just…moved it.”
Starsirl blinked, “You ‘just moved it’?” He shook his head slowly, turning to Chalk who merely shrugged,
“Don’t look at me! He’s been coming out with this sort of mumbo jumbo ever since we went to the mountains.”
The mage returned his searching gaze to Bracken,
“Fascinating. You haven’t always been able to see them then?”
“Well, no,” Bracken replied honestly, “not until we went to the village, so it’s only recently.”
Starswirl stroked his straggly beard, pondering the pony before him. Was this just a coincidence? Maybe, but earth ponies had been born in the past that had the ability to interact with the world on a level that was ‘different’ to more conventional magics. Nowadays, the ability was all but forgotten except by a few and even then on more of a scholarly level. To actually find a pony, one who could see the ley lines themselves, was…unbelievable! And what was even more incredible, was one was standing in front of him here, now! He had to know more!
“Bracken, listen carefully…” Starswirl began as he went around the room collecting more equipment from shelves, “has anypony else in your family been able to see things? Things that couldn’t be explained?”
“Well…” Bracken scratched his chin, “There was grandfather Velutae who kept chasing invisible elves in colourful balloons, then there was nana Orange who had a collection of singing potatoes that only she could hear. Other than that…”
“Um…excuse me?” Chalk interrupted, “You know this thing’s doing something, right?”
“What?” Starswirl looked over his shoulder irritably, “I…Oh my!”
The pulsing of the archway had suddenly increased in speed, an accompanying bright pink light emanating from the structure quickly filling the room until, with a sound like rushing water…it stopped. The room went dark; all light was instantly extinguished as though being sucked into the darkness of the arch when suddenly there was an enormous flash of light that made the ponies shield their eyes. So bright it left an afterimage, the intense burst of silver light gradually dimmed, leaving a sight that had all of them staring in a mixture of fascination and horror. Before them, up a mere few steps, the archway now contained a pool of what looked like liquid silver, its surface shimmering with an ethereal inner light. Starswirl’s eyes were as wide as saucers,
“My…Gods…” he lifted a hoof, “Tell me”, he whispered. “tell me you both see this?”
The friends nodded.
“What…what is it?” Chalk murmured, staring up at the archway.
“The texts call it a portal.” The mage breathed, “Young Bracken wasn’t wrong when he called it a door, it is…a doorway to another place.”
“What, it goes somewhere else?” Chalk peered round the other side of the archway, “But there’s nothing there.”
Starswirl shook his head, “No! It…it transports you to another location.”
Bracken licked his lips nervously, “You don’t think its connected to the one in the castle do you?” the horrible possibility of an army of wendigo suddenly appearing in the heart of the castle was too terrifying to contemplate.
“I…well, I don’t know really.” Starswirl said quietly, “I suspect it joins with another, but there were a lot more of these once.”
“There were more?” Bracken asked, “I haven’t heard of these things before.”
“I’m not surprised,” Starswirl muttered, collecting some more equipment, “most became inactive a long time ago, or were destroyed. A lot of what I know is based more on myth and superstition than actual fact. Some say the Gods destroyed them, others that ponies lost the ability to use them and so on and so on…” he trotted up the steps and tentatively prodded the silver surface with one of the instruments while staring into a glass dish of some kind. “Interesting.” He said more to himself than the others, “It appears stable, although whether it remains that way and for how long, I don’t know.” He sudden turned to the two friends, “Fancy a trip?”
“NO!” Bracken squeaked, backing up, “I don’t like magic and I don’t like this! Ponies aren’t meant to just ‘disappear’ through magical doors to the Goddess knows where!”
Starswirl clucked his tongue, “How about you Chalky?” he smiled down at the white unicorn, “Ready to make history?”
“Is this, you know…dangerous?” Chalk asked staring up at the portal, “Shouldn’t we, you know, test it first?”
“Hmph! Amateurs!” Starswirl muttered, “Well…I suppose you’re right.” He trotted back down the steps and collected a long bronze collapsible rod. Holding it in his magic, he returned to the portal and slowly began feeding it through the silver surface which rippled slightly beneath the contact. All three held their breath, until Starswirl pulled the rod back out and examined the glass dish once again,
“It appears to be safe,” he announced, “the air’s breathable, temperature’s a little cooler than here, but apart from that there’s only one way to know for sure.” He rammed his hat down on his head, “Coming boys?” Starswirl let out a deafening neigh, “TALLY HO!” and with that, the grey unicorn leapt into the liquid silver and vanished in a bright flash of magic.
Chalk stared at Bracken, shrugged and then plunged in after him.
“Bugger that!” Bracken said to himself, “I’m staying put!” He slumped onto his haunches and crossed his forelegs, “Nope…not happening.” The silver light rippled and then became perfectly still once more, bathing the room in it eerie light - the silence was deafening. Hopefully they were alright, they’d be back shortly after all. Bracken swallowed…wouldn’t they? Chalk had a habit of getting himself into trouble and that grey unicorn, as intelligent as he clearly was, definitely had more than a few screws loose in the old noggin for his liking. He shook his head and huffed; nope…he was staying here…definitely!
***************************
It bitterly cold, reminiscent of the air on the mountain. Pink and blue light suffused the empty cavern, hilighting the dust motes as they drifted along, kicked up by their hooves; probably the first hooves that had passed through this place in a very, very long time. And yet, time, in some unexplainable way, felt as if it meant nothing here, nothing at all…
Chalk said nothing, barely able to even breath so awed as he was by the spectacle before him. It was like nothing he had ever seen, except…his heart leapt into his chest at the memory: the architecture, those colours…the crytals…he looked round at Starswirl whose eyes were as wide as could be, staring around him in awestruck amazement. Chalk felt the icy grip of fear gripping his heart; he wanted to get out of here! He could almost hear the sound of those chittering, hissing little creatures as they swarmed out of the walls, their tiny eyes, soulless and dead, their needle like translucent teeth biting…rending…
“Chalky…” Starswirl hissed, “Keep quiet and follow me. Keep close.”
In the empty cavern, the older grey unicorns voice sounded deafeningly loud, echoing off the walls and the floor. The silver light of the portal shimmered behind them, strangely beckoning. Chalk didn’t like this, not at all, there was something wrong about this place - It felt…dead. Even Starswirl seemed on edge, his hoofsteps careful and quiet. He lead them out towards what looked like an entrance of some kind, or at least that was the impression, with all the crystal it was hard to tell. A few yards in, it was quite apparent that this was pony made - most likely, by magic. The walls were incredibly smooth, polished to a near mirror finish and carried the same odd pink and blue light as the cavern they’d just left. Soon, more evidence that intelligent life had been here began to emerge. At first it was lanterns, long since dead, hanging from long golden chains from the ceilings and walls, then statues of…ponies…and armour, polearms, swords, banners…Chalk stopped and stared. He’d seen that emblem before, the starburst in pink and red against a pale blue background…but where? He stared at it hard, lost in thought.
“Chalky!” Starswirl whispered, “Come on!”
“Starswirl…I…I don’t think we should be here…” Chalk turned, watching the grey pony beckoning him on and reluctantly followed him. He couldn’t get the feeling of wrongness out of his mind, the sensation that they were trespassing in a place that no pony was meant to set hoof. It was like a graveyard, or mausoleum, and his back was twitching besides itself in agitation. Goddesses, why did he agree to follow him?!
They reached the end of the corridor.
The large double doors stood open, the strangely bland light beyond as uniform as it had been since they’d arived. There was no wind, no breeze, only a stale musty emptiness and the complete absence of sound, and life. They stared into the open space before them, it was…immense - a large hall, almost like a reception area, with numerous doors, landings, stairs, even desks with lamps and paperwork all laid out ready for use. And everywhere, statues, lots and lots of…
“Oh…no…” Chalk stared at one of them. It wasn’t a statue…
Starswirl placed a hoof on his shoulder, making him jump,
“Don’t touch anything, whatever you do...”
It was too late. Startled, Chalk knocked into the statue, the ink well it was holding dropping to the floor and making a sound that was out of all proportion to its size. Like the tolling of a church bell, the sound reverberated through the interior, echoing along the long dead halls and corridors - an alarm, summoning its master.
“Oh, buck me…” Starswirl backed up towards the doorway, “Chalky…get ready to run.”
Chalk’s heart was beating like a drum, his breathing sending clouds of warm breath into the room. The two stood silently, waiting.
Nothing.
Starswirl took a breath and let out a deep sigh of relief, “Thank the Gods, I thought we’d…” He stared at Chalk who in turn was staring past him towards the far end of the hall. Slowly, he turned to follow his gaze…
A cloud of darkness seemed to be seeping into the hall, sucking the light and warmth from the walls, ceiling and floor as it oozed forward. The temperature plummeted even further, making the two ponies begin to shake uncontrollably. Whatever it was, it was beginning to fill the hall, a shapeless, empty, dark mass of nothingness…but…not quite nothing…
A throaty, gentle laugh rolled out around them, every word as cold as the depths of winter, carrying all the cheer of the grave,
“My, my…visitors? Do my eyes deceive me?”
Starswirl suddenly produced a staff from under his cloak, rearing up onto his hind legs and holding the thing in his forehooves,
“My Lord, we are travellers,” the grey stallion announced confidently, “forgive us, we did not mean to intrude into your home.”
“Travellers?” the blackness slowed its advance, pooling into the nooks and crannies, filling up the hollows and hidden places, “Tell me, ‘travellers’, from where did you travel from?”
Chalk felt as if his very heart was freezing and he quickly glanced behind his back to make sure they could get the hell out of there if they had to. By the looks of it, they would, and damned soon too.
Starswirl held out his hoof, waving Chalk behind him, “We seek only knowledge, My Lord and bring greetings from our homeland.”
“Your…homeland…” the voice oozed menacingly, “Yes…I can smell it on you…I can smell…’her’…”
Starswirl hissed under his breath, “Chalky, when I say…run for the portal. Whatever you do, don’t look back.”
The white unicorn’s eyes stared into the darkness, the thick emptiness that drew his gaze as inexorably as staring into the void of death itself. There, in the centre of the mass, a pair of what he could only describe as…eyes…red and green, lizard like orbs stared back at them with a mixture of curiosity and…evil…
“Equestrians…” the voice hissed, “You found a way, a way through the barrier…the barrier that has held me prisoner for countless aeons…” the voice lowered menacingly, “Where a door swings one way…it can swing the other…” The darkness began to close in, faster, “I…will…be…FREE!”
White light burst from Starswirls staff, so blinding brilliant in its intensity Chalk shrieked in fright.
“NOW! CHALKY, RUN!”
Dear Goddesses, why couldn’t he run faster? Chalk’s hooves pounded along the corridor, following the smooth walls, past the dead lanterns and the statues that weren’t statues, running as hard as he could for the portal. Behind him the scream of outrage and fury added a burst of speed to him that he didn’t think he’d ever manage again, and by the Goddesses, he could only pray that he’d make it out and that Starswirl was right behind him.
There was another burst of light and a bellow of anger, but he didn’t stop, he couldn’t stop - he had to keep going, he had to get away! Chalk ran for all he was worth, pouring every single ounce of strength he had in his legs until he finally reached the cavern and leapt for the silver pool of light and safety beyond…
********************
Bracken was furious with himself. He should have gone with them, shouldn’t he? But…everything about this thing, everything he could see in the lines of energy just shouted ‘danger’ to him in every conceivable way. Those two, those bloody impetuous unicorns had just barrelled through it and rushed off into the unknown and only the Goddess knew where. What sort of fool did that? But…what sort of pony let his best friend face the unknown…alone? Of course, Starswirl was with him, the ‘superior’ life form, so much better and more worthy than a mere earth pony like himself. He was only fit for pulling a plough after all, wasn’t he? A manual labourer to clean the shoes of the elite…bloody unicorns! It was almost as if the wars of the three tribes had never happened. Hah! Perhaps they never really had! History was written by those who won wasn’t it? And who was to say Celestia hadn’t made the whole thing up to…
Bracken was knocked flying across the room as a heavy white creature moving at breakneck speed, burst from the portal and careened into him. It was Chalk.
“What the?”
The terrified unicorn pulled himself off Bracken and staggered to his hooves, brushing his mane out his eyes, his pupils dilated with sheer terror,
“Bracken! We have to get out of here! We have to run!”
“What?” Bracken gasped, picking himself up, “What’s going on? Where’s Starswirl?”
Chalk grabbed Bracken, “I don’t know! I DON’T KNOW!” he was breathing fit to burst and virtually foaming at the mouth while steam poured from his flanks, “It’s coming here! It’s after me!”
“Chalky, I…”
The room burst with colour as a grey unicorn leaped through the portal, great rends in his hide where blood, thick and warm was pouring down his sides. Starswirl staggered, turning to face the portal. His beard was nearly burned away, his tail little more than a blackened stump. He turned to Bracken,
“Disable the portal!” He coughed a mouthful of blood, “Do it, DO IT NOW!”
A horrendous screaming sound began to fill the room as…something began to bulge through the portal’s surface.
“For the Gods’ sake, Bracken!” Starswirl bellowed.
Bracken stared at the black mass coming through, the lines of pulsing silver energy, the flow of Equestrias life moving through the portal into the world beyond. There were several lumps here and there, or ‘nodes’ as Neira had called them, a sort of junction where the strands met then branched off. He concentrated, beginning the task of altering the flows by twisting them, allowing the magic to re-direct itself…
“Hell fire!” Chalk yelled, it’s coming through!
Bracken barely heard it, he didn’t even register the movements of the those around him, nor did he really take note of the magic blasts of energy, the bursts of light and the unearthly screams and howls that cut through the maelstrom of magical discharge. Through it all, he could only see the threads, the tapestry of silver. A pull here, a twist there, he moved his hooves with the graceful flowing motions that Neira had shown him, speaking the words of the ancients as she had him recite. When he spoke, he saw her face, he smelt her fragrance, the taste of the berries, the taste of mare…
A final tug on the last thread.
Sound crashed in around him like an ocean breaker, thundering into his senses with all its power, intensity and urgency. Ponies were shouting, running, smoke and flashes of light and then…silence. He tried to open his eyes, but all he could see was darkness, pulling him down into its depths. Bracken smiled, he couldn’t wait to see her…