It was the next morning when the humans and changeling met at the town hall. Tycho seemed a bit fidgety as he stood in front of the large building. Beside him were several labeled tool chests on wheels and strapped to a wooden pallet.
Each had different labels; Magic Scanner, Heavy Magic Containment, Mana Extraction Apparatus, Safety Equipment, Portable Infirmary, Food Stuffs.
Tycho had some reassurance this was going to be a safe trip, what with Matthew being suited in his armor and brought with him a high-tech pistol and rifle. Alex had his dagger and armor-amulet. Emerald carried two saddlebags worth of field-medical equipment. Tycho, as well as the other humans, filled their packs with changes of clothes and gear before arriving.
“Nervous?” Matthew observed, smiling reassuringly at Tycho.
“Did you know I mountain biked on some awesome trails on the Swiss Alps? They’re great in the summertime.” Tycho replied.
“Must be quite a challenge. Dodging trees with only sonar to guide you.” The commando mused.
“And using it to understand the terrain. Gotta dodge rocks, too.” Tycho sensed for Erebus and Nightshade. “That being said, I’m gonna be entering a land where there are dragons, hydras, and who knows what. In the alps I wasn’t scared of the natural wildlife.”
“But the wildlife here has the extra features of being big, magical, or both.” Alex’s thoughts briefly harkened back to when he got Dino, his pet popping cat, who had grown big but kept the nature of a housecat. So far he had hidden under the couch away from Tycho or teleported outside to one of his hiding places. Like with many new guests, he had been studying the man to make sure he was safe to add to his ‘staff.’ “But don’t worry about it, Tyke. We’re gonna fly over Everfree and Grassrunner’s tribe has set up a safe camp for us on Mt. Spire.”
“About those pegasus chariots, they come with safety harnesses?” Tycho asked.
“Safety harnesses?” Matthew feigned as Tycho broke out into a sweat.
“Yes, every one. They have them.” Alex smirked at Matt, who chuckled.
Emerald was busy checking the supplies but paid attention. “How quaint; our resident commando decides to add to Tycho’s anxiety. Please try to regulate yourself, Sergeant.”
Matt shrugged and noticed the final two of their party. “Gentlemen, the ladies have arrived.”
Nightshade and Erebus approached the group, both carrying saddlebags of their own equipment.
“Captain’s monologue, day 1, morning. We have arrived at the meeting point to join the rest of the troupe. Today we embark to Mt. Spire, largest mountain bordering Everfree. My friend, the studious and lovely Professor Erebus gracefully accompanies us to observe human-science processes to add credibility to her voucher for Doctor Tycho Hernandez, Ph.D.” Shade spoke.
“That’s redundant.” Erebus interrupted.
“What?” Shade asked.
“It’s Doctor Tycho Hernandez or Tycho Hernandez, Ph.D.” Erebus corrected. “You don’t add both. It's like calling you Captain Nightshade, Captain of the Nightguard.”
Shade stared at Erebus with a bit of annoyance, but continued her monologue. “Professor Erebus demonstrates her firm grip on Equestrian lingo as we ready ourselves for the dangerous journey ahead.”
“I’m tempted to bite you if you don’t stop that.” The pegacorn groused. “It's hard enough getting ready in the morning without receiving a running commentary.”
Earlier that morning….
In their hotel room, Nightshade stood outside the shower room while Erebus took a shower.
“After gracefully rising from her slumber,” Shade monologued melodramatically, “Professor Erebus lets the water cascade down her slender ivory form, a beautiful sight often underestimated by the mare.”
Erebus’s head burst from behind the shower curtains, ears folded back as she hissed. “I will use all the hot water!”
Back in the present…
“Well excuse me for adding some fun to this trip.” Nightshade stuck her tongue at her friend.
“Exactly what will you be doing aside from ogling Tycho?” Erebus asked rolling her eyes.
“O-ogling?” Shade said below her breath, not sure why she felt nervous.
“Hey, ladies!” Alex waved as they approached.
Shade put on her a happy demeanor and waved back. “Hey, fellas!”
Matthew looked up. “Here comes our rides.”
From sky above, two large sleighs cast a shadow on everyone briefly. Each one was pulled by three pegasi as they flew into Ponyville airspace. They swooped in before landing on the grass.
“How’re they going to carry all of us and the cargo on chariots?” Tycho asked.
“Good news, they brought sleighs.” Shade softly bumped Tycho’s thigh.
Tycho deadpanned trying to visualize this impossibility of physics. “How do they land that load so smoothly? I mean it sounded like the sleigh was actually level-”
“Magic.” Shade and Erebus stopped him mid sentence.
“Gonna get really tired of that word.” Tycho grumbled as both Shade and Erebus shared a mutual giggle.
Erebus smiled. “You’re a smart guy. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Erebus boarded the passenger sleigh as Shade followed. “I’ll give you a hint; it is unique to pegasi and alicorns.”
“Oh, I will.” Tycho said with determination as he boarded. The others loaded the tool chests onto the other sleigh and boarded after. Emerald in the front row, Tycho, Shade, and Erebus in the second row. Alex and Matthew in the back row. “How high are we going?” Tycho asked the pegasi.
The lead one turned his head and replied. “High enough.”
Tycho didn’t like that answer.
“Please make sure your seatbelts are buckled and your tray tables are in the upright position.” Alex joked to ease his friend’s tension.
The ponies and changeling looked confused as the humans lightly chuckled.
Tycho braced himself for what was the come. This was crazy. These sleighs were made of sturdy wood, weighing at least 500 kilograms, and now bearing additional weight! These three pegasi could actually drag that in the air!?
Shade noticed Tycho’s anxiety. “So, Tycho. How about telling Erebus more about your engineering and physics ideas about magic?”
“Not the best time.” Tycho replied as the pegasi double checked everything before takeoff.
“Well you can either talk to ease yourself or sit here gripping on your seat for dear life.” Matthew interjected.
Tycho frowned. “The engineering is adapted to enhancement processes, but I already told you that. It's just a means to better study magic and what it is made of.” He made a anxious sound as the sleigh began to move and the pegasi spread their wings, dragging the sleigh on the ground briefly before taking to the air, with the sleigh rising with them! It’s okay, Tycho. He thought to himself. If this works as the ladies said, then it will be fine. Embrace the thrill like you do with your other outdoor hobbies. He thought to himself.
Poor guy, Shade thought. He would probably be more comfortable on an airship, but that was in use by Paladin Blueblood. She made a note to show it to him at some point.
“Well, magic is an energy field with varying origins, but ubiquitous on this world and is theorized to also be present beyond.” Erebus mused, seemingly calm as they took flight.
“Yes, but energy isn’t just made of energy. Have you ever heard the question: light; particle or wave?” Tycho felt his heart pounding, harkening back to when he first did mountain biking with his echolocation coach. He channeled his fear to enjoy the thrill. “Oh man, we’re really in the air, aren’t we?”
Shade giggled, delighted to see Tycho enjoy himself for a change.
“Are you saying, doctor, that magic is either a particle or a wave?” Emerald asked. “We have long established they are particles.”
“Yes, but what are they?” Tycho asked. “How are they differentiated from atoms? I looked at thaumatic math and crossed referenced it with quantum math and found a possibility I will be testing.”
Erebus’s ears perked and her shadow turned to look at Tycho with interest. “Go on.”
“Magic particles aren’t like atoms or subatomic particles. There is a strong possibility they could be like quarks.” Tycho explained.
“Elementary particles?” Alex asked very interested.
“That is the theory I’ll be testing. I can make the equipment, but I need the power.” Tycho felt the breeze of their flight and the sensation of flying. It was amazing.
“What’s a elementary particle?” Shade asked Erebus.
Erebus was stumped. This was more advanced science. “Uh, Tycho, would it be correct to assume elementary particles make up subatomic particles?”
Tycho nodded with a smile. “Exactly, professor. And different quantum states can create dynamic forms of matter and energy. You ponies seem to have the biological capabilities to accomplish this feat.” He looked in both Erebus and Shade’s direction.
The two mares each displayed different reactions. For Erebus it was enthusiasm in learning this new science. For Shade, it was a blank state of confusion. She got as far as understanding a particle that makes up other particles, but quantum whatsits? Nope, not processing.
“That’s my friend.” Alex patted Tycho on the back as he leaned forward from his seat. “By far one of Earth’s top minds.”
Erebus nudged Nightshade. “Hey, can we switch places?”
Shade’s blank state broke as she moved to help Erebus sit next to Tycho. Good, Erebus is opening up to him. They’re perfect for each other. She thought with a twinkle in her eye. Having noticed during their first meeting Tycho and Erebus were both very intelligent, it would make sense the two could become closer. And why not? Alex and Rainbow Dash hit it off. So did Trace and Twilight. A romantic interest would be therapeutic for both her friends.
“Tell me more about this science.” Erebus asked.
Tycho seemed hesitant. Back home he wasn’t much of a professor. He preferred to design, build, research, and make; not teach. “I actually want to ask Shade about the magic of this world. Like what is it capable of, pragmatically speaking.”
Shade looked at Tycho and remembered she mentioned that the day they first met. “Well, big things like moving the sun and moon. Changing the weather.” She felt a little pressured trying to answer this question with her best friend next to her, who could probably tell it a lot better. Usually she was fine answering such a question, but to give a satisfying answer to Tycho? “What can’t it do is the better question. That is what drives our scientists to develop new spells.”
Tycho nodded. “That’s a good way of looking at it.” He said, much to Shade’s surprise, but she didn’t show it. “That would explain how your technology developed compared to ours.”
“Yeah...um but I am sure Erebus could give a better explanation.” Shade attempted to divert the attention from her. Though, it was nice to be acknowledged, she thought.
“I can, but I’d like to learn more about particle science.” Erebus persisted.
Tycho sighed. “Okay, I’ll do my best to explain it.”
Matthew and Alex talked among each other as Shade tried to comprehend what Tycho was explaining. Emerald and Erebus had an easier time. All this stuff about quarks, leptons, mesons, bayons, and somepony called Higgs. The basics made sense, the complex stuff was beyond her, but for some reason Tycho was not enjoying the exchange, Shade observed. He seemed like one of those professors who’d rather assign reading material than explain too much.
“So you were trying to break these particles apart so you can observe them.” Erebus nodded along.
Tycho tried to ignore the fact that the ground was a kilometer beneath him. “Yeah, observing quarks and other small particles is very difficult. Though, given with how flexible magic is, it might actually be possible to do it here. Without needing an accelerator bigger than a city.” Tycho sensed they were descending. “So, what is this mountain like?”
Alex piped up, “Well I’ve been here once with Grassrunner, but that was more of a visit than an expedition.”
“It’s actually a range.” Shade followed. “The two tallest are sharper and taller. Darker rock with thicker foliage as you go toward the base. The Diamond Dogs cut a path up the mountain that spirals around it. Snow capped on the top.” She figured Tycho wanted to know what it looked like.
“Thanks.” Tycho and Erebus said at the same time, both being unable to see it but appreciating the imagined visualization.
The flight had taken two hours before they finally neared the mountain range. Shade’s description was accurate. The flying entourage headed toward the landing site where there was a flat-topped outcropping on the side of the mountain. There sat a camp with several log-cabins set up a fair distance from a cave-entrance, which appeared artificially dug. Several figures could be seen moving about the campsite and out of the cave. Among the Diamond Dogs, Tycho caught the unmistakable ‘sight’ of Eleanor Asher.
Upon exiting the sleighs, the diamond dogs welcomed Alex and Matthew first.
“It good to see you, friend of dogs,” a rather large one greeted the two men. “You brought tall human with you!” He pointed to Tycho.
Tycho approached after the tool chests were unloaded. “So, who do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?”
A familiarly shaped dog approached Tycho. “Greet as human. Dogs greet as dogs.” She said pleasantly. “Well-learned Tycho, good to see you.”
Tycho held out a hand and received a paw shake. “Grassrunner, I presume. I see the dogs are giving Alex and Matt a royal welcome.” He joked.
“No royalty here. No royalty among diamond dogs since dark ages. But to Alex, we owe him much.” Grassrunner explained. “Dogs once like you, not belong in Equestria. But forced to scrape what little we can. Come from bad old times with Ponies long ago.”
Tycho nodded. “And Alex set it right?”
Grassrunner nodded. “Alex give Diamond Dogs better lives. Now mine better. Now trade with Ponies. Now read and write.” The female smiled. “Better life for child.” She pointed to a Diamond Dog pup; her daughter Summer Blossom.
“And what did you do to become a Paladin?” Tycho asked.
Grassrunner crossed her arms. “Raided Ponyville. Alex defeated me.”
Tycho raised an eyebrow to that. “Defeated?”
Grassrunner seemed hesitant before answering. “I tried to kill him for my tribe’s survival.”
Tycho felt apprehensive standing next to this bitch. Noticing more detail, she was carrying what seemed like swords attached to a belt. She was probably a very dangerous dog. “And he spared your life.”
The Diamond Dog nodded. “And everything changed. I helped him as he helped us. I risk life for him as he did for us. I became Paladin after.” She looked at the blind human curiously. “You fear me?”
Tycho didn’t answer that. “I’d rather concentrate on what we’re here for. What is the status of this cave?”
“One more question. You say you not brave for saving world. Why?” Grassrunner asked.
Tycho hesitated and got uncomfortable, but answered. “There is a difference between desperation and bravery. I was the only one in that building who had the least to lose, even though I lost quite a lot. What was I going to do, ask the people with husbands, wives, and-or children to do it?” He walked away before Grassrunner could reply.
Tycho’s walked up to Shade and Erebus as they headed to one of the cabins. He noticed Erebus seemed a little sluggish. “Need any help with anything?” He asked.
The two mares looked at Tycho.
Shade shook her head. “Naw, we’re okay, Tyke.”
“Though, I’d like to see what equipment you haaaaav-” Erebus suddenly slumped to the ground, face first with an audible smack.
“Erebus!” Tycho knelt down. “Can you hear me?”
“It’s okay, Tycho.” Shade removed her saddle bags. “Poor girl forgot to take her medicine. Just give her an hour and she’ll wake up.” She began to lift Erebus up onto her back.
“I can carry her.” Tycho offered.
“Such a gentlecolt.” Shade smiled. “But I don’t want to embarrass my friend by by letting her be carried by a handsome stallion.” She winked. Before Tycho could retort, Shade pointed to the saddle bags. “Here, carry hers and mine. She’s gonna be hungry when she wakes up.”
Tycho did so and followed them into the cabin. “Seriously, Shade. She have some kind of health condition?”
The cabin was well constructed from dark wooden logs, which were painted with varnish. A stone fire pit enclosed by a rounded flat top was constructed at the center with a supported chimney going up. Cots surrounded it with storage chests in between.
Shade used her magic to place her friend on the cot. “This is something the poor girl had to live with all her life. I’ll let her explain it. Don’t let me forget, when she starts stirring, I need to make her something to eat.”
What Tycho couldn’t see, but Shade very much noticed, was that Erebus’s shadow was relaxed, but with her head up, paying attention to the conversation. Shade waved to the Shadow, whose empty eyes mimicked a cheery smile.
Tycho nodded and sat at his cot. “So, about you.”
Shade maintained her composure so not to scare Tycho with the phantom among them. She checked Erebus’s and her packs as she answered. “Hmm?”
“Aside from being a Captain of the Nightguard, probably a very good captain…” Tycho tried to continue the conversation.
“Probably?” Nightshade looked at Tycho with a raised eyebrow.
“Definitely? I know nothing about the guard.” Tycho put his hands up in defense.
Shade smiled. “I succeeded Captain Moonblade after many years of hard work and performing above and beyond the call of duty.”
Tycho nodded. “Why did you join?”
“That’s... another story I’d prefer kept behind closed doors.” Shade could feel Tycho’s confusion. “Oh! It’s not improper. It's just something personal.”
“You and Erebus connected on that?” Tycho asked.
Shade thought for a moment on how to answer. “A little bit. We both needed a friend, not that we didn’t have friends, but not as close as we became.” Shade looked at Erebus who adorably snored like a filly as she curled up on her cot. Then she remembered her intentions. “You should take the time to get to know her, Tyke. Erebus is one of the top minds in the field.”
Tycho shrugged. “Plenty of time for that. I need to prep for our trek inside soon.” He stood up and headed outside.
Shade watched the tall human walk out as she thought of ways to get these two closer than friends. They were both scientists, but what else did they have in common?
Meanwhile Erebus’s shadow raised an eyebrow (or what seemed to be) staring at Shade.
“What? Tycho would make a nice coltfriend for you both.” Shade said.
The shadow tapped a hoof to her chin, in a thoughtful pose.
Meanwhile, Tycho walked out and flagged a random Diamond Dog. “Excuse me.”
“Uh... you excused?” The Dog answered.
“I mean, can you help me find somebody?” Tycho asked.
The dog nodded. “Who you looking for?”
“Whoever scouted into the cave.” Tycho replied.
“Talk to female human. She over there.” The dog pointed and went back to work.
Tycho raised an eyebrow and walked towards the buxom female he deduced would be Eleanor. She was chatting with Alex and Matthew.
“And then I activated the engine,” Tycho overheard her saying, “And it shot out the wall and skidded across the snowplane before the fuel ran out.” Eleanor made gestures with her hands to illustrate whatever she was telling.
“Have you thought of taking online engineering classes? You got a laptop just like us.” Matthew explained.
El shrugged. “I have supernatural engineering abilities. It was the first test anyways.”
“You’re an engineer?” Tycho asked her.
Eleanor shrugged. “Would being of the semi-mystically granted exalted powered mad scientist variety be a good explanation?”
Tycho raised an eyebrow in confusion. “...what?”
Alex cutted in. “Ms. Asher passed through the universe of the Exalted rpg and they granted her powers of the alchemy variety.” He carefully put.
“Alchemical, actually, which permanently changed, well, everything about me..” Eleanor somewhat grimly said.
“I never played Exalted, but heard that the characters in that system become gods.” Tycho surmised.
Eleanor frowned. “Sadly, that may be accurate. Short version. I became a jumper, became all twisted in timespace and multiversal stuff, then I ended up here. Well, two of me, actually,” She pushed that subject aside. “So…then me, I mean ‘we’, both merged and so here I am.”
Tycho stared into dark space trying to put that last part into context. “Wait, you fused with yourself from another time.”
Matthew took a deep breath. “Her existence is the most complicated. So two Eleanors existed. Both godlike. One became a part of a city in the Crystal Empire, and the one we are more familiar with settled down.” He explained. “Best if you let Eleanor explain when she has the time, and the years.”
Eleanor snorted and made an unpleased expression. “I can write a book on that experience, alone.”
Tycho shook his head as if to clean his thoughts like an Etch-a-sketch. “Well, how’s life been treating you since?”
Eleanor looked up at the sky with a smile. “After becoming a single person from two? Not as profoundly different as I feared. I have settled down with a herd and am doing better.”
Alex cut in again. “She has more than one spouse.”
Tycho found that intriguing. “So that’s legal here? Neat. Now, you went into that cave, right?”
Eleanor pointed to it. “Right there. Only went halfway because I’m not sure how the many would react to me. But my sensors confirm there is something of high energy deep inside.”
Tycho stretched. “Good. What is going on in there now?”
“The dogs are putting support beams inside the cave. They reported occasional tremors when digging. Better safe than sorry.” Matthew stated. “But they won’t go further than three quarters down the cave.”
“Good.” Tycho said. “Should take what, two hours before we get set up?”
Matthew stretched. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be inspecting the perimeter and guards.” He walked off.
Alex looked at Tycho. “Tyke, can I take you aside?”
Tycho nodded but before he walked off, he extended a hand to Eleanor. “Hey, Eleanor? I want to say thanks for your help and sorry I lost my temper back then.”
Eleanor gave Tycho a soft look took his hand. “For what it’s worth, Tycho. I think you were right to get mad.”
Tycho then followed Alex to a private place. He felt Alex put a hand on Tycho’s shoulder. “I haven’t had much time to compose this but I want to let you know, I am very sorry. We all should be.” Alex remorsely told his friend. “If we had planned this better, maybe you would still be back home.”
Tycho stood silent and looked downward, imagining staring at the the rocky ground, not into Alex’s eyes. He didn’t want to lose the emotional stability he barely managed to recover. “What’s done is done. You can’t undo it. Just let it be, Al.” He patted Alex’s shoulder in sympathy and quickly walked back to the tent.
Alex could see right through Tycho’s attempt to brush it off. There was still anger there. And sadness. Tycho was using his work as an escape. He made a note to check with Weyul or Ms. Introspective to see if he was seeing either of them for therapy.
Back at the tent, Shade saw Tycho walk back in after nearly an hour.
“Everything okay?” Shade asked as she used her magic to make an apple slices and peanut butter sandwich and a mug of fruit juice for her friend.
Tycho silently nodded and laid on his cot. “Checked the equipment. Everything will be ready in an hour. We’ll get the stuff unpacked and-”
Erebus stirred and woke up, ears pointed straight up as her nose sniffed the air. “Need sustenance.”
Shade placed the eating tray on one of the end tables between their beds and pulled up a stool. “Lunch is served, honey.”
Erebus’s sniffed and her head immediately shifted to the sandwich and drink. She quickly hopped from her cot to the stool and proceeded to devour the meal with adorable ‘noming’ sounds in between bites.
Tycho listened and pictured what was going on. It was probably a funny sight, but not something to laugh at given it was part of her disability.
When Erebus finished, she made a cute burp and downed her juice before letting out a deep satisfied sigh. “Thanks, Shade.”
“What would you do without me, Erebus?” Shade put an arm over her shoulders and leaned against her side.
Erebus leaned affectionately against her friend. “...still be warming a bed in a ward.” As she felt a wave of melancholy hit her.
Shade hugged her. “You’re too special for that. You should be doing sciency stuff. Besides, you still have your family and your other friends.”
Erebus sighs. “Is that Tycho also in this,” She clicked her tongue. “Tent?”
“Don’t mind me. I’m just resting my head.” Tycho said, trying not to be a nosy audience.
“Sorry about that, Tycho. No doubt Shade gave you a basic rundown of my condition.” Erebus assumed.
“Actually, she left it up to you whether to tell me or not.” Tycho replied.
Erebus leaned up and looked in Shade’s direction. “That is uncharacteristic of you. You usually blabber personal stuff without thinking.”
Shade stuck her tongue out. “Come on. I’m getting better.”
“If you need an update on the situation,” Tycho interjected. “We’re set to go in about an hour. They just need to finish the cave infrastructure.”
Shade then got a thought. “Well, I’m gonna see how, uh, Matthew is doing and leave you two to socialize.”
“Good idea. I’d like to catch some more air on this moun-” Tycho was about to finish before he got interrupted.
“Now, Tycho, that would mean you and Erebus wouldn’t be socializing.” The captain tapped him on the thigh and headed to the exit. “She needs to get her bearings before she can go outside, anyways. Keep her company while I do my work.”
Tycho and Erebus stood silently as Shade walked out, mystified as to what was going on. Erebus’s shadow facehoofed, but Erebus paid no heed to it.
“So how did you and Shade meet?” Tycho asked.
“Shade didn’t tell you? Strange.” She crossed her forehooves as she relaxed. “We met at the hospital. I was bedridden due to an,” Erebus searched for the best word, “incident. And she kept me company.”
“Was she your roommate?” Tycho asked.
Erebus grinned. “Nope. But she may as well have been. Shade took me for quite a ride when I was in.”
Tycho leaned on his side looking in Erebus’s direction. “Oh?”
Erebus hopped onto her cot. “I remember one night I was getting annoyed with the hospital food. Shade must have had this look in her eye because she put me in a wheelchair and snuck me across the street to the Applebuzz.” She chuckled.
Tycho chuckled. “Wow, no wonder you two became close friends.”
“Of course I slept through most of it, but she did other things. Described to me the pictures in comic books, brought me reading material, music.” Erebus laid down and relaxed. “And all that while finishing her qualifications to be the Nightguard Captain.”
So Erebus is a comic book nerd, Tycho thought? He smiled. “Sounds like an amazing woman.”
“Wo-wo-what?” Erebus cocked her head.
“...mare. I meant mare.” Tycho closed his eyes. “Woman means mare in human tongue.”
Erebus took that as note. There was an uncomfortable silence as Erebus was trying to figure out what to talk about. Her shadow nudged her and pointed to Tycho, encouraging her to socialize more. Erebus didn’t know where to start. “So, um... I have some more questions about humans, if you don’t mind.” Her shadow facehoofed again. Erebus ignored it.
“Ask and I shall answer.” Tycho replied.
The line of questioning seemed more like a scholar’s inquiry. Tycho did his best to answer. Much of it was about human technology and sciences. Tycho had to emphasize he couldn’t speak fully about societal questions, as he couldn’t represent all seven billion humans in all their varying cultures. Erebus listened with genuine interest. Regardless, Tycho wasn’t feeling a good social connection between him and this mare. He decided to change the subject.
“So what part of the MInistry do you work for?” Tycho asked.
“Oh! Well I primarily study unusual thaumatological subjects like Umbralmancy.” Erebus answered.
“What’s that?” Tycho asked.
“Umbralmancy consists of magics that are associated with a sub-realm of this world called the ‘umbra.’ Magically speaking, there exists an alternative existing world that shares the same universe as ours. It consists of several different forms of magic and physics than we are normally familiar with. One fascinating thing about the existence of this world is that shadows have a magical charge that exists through that realm.” Erebus explained. “In other words, our shadows can be mediums for magics, such as illusion and umbralmancy.”
“Neat. What can you do with it?” Tycho inquired.
“Oh, well I can create shadowy manipulations that can interact with the world in useful ways, such as halting another person’s movement using their shadow or displace my location from one shadow to the next.” Erebus described. “Of course, I have a lot of standard thaumic spells.”
“Any long term goals involving Umbralmancy?” Tycho asked.
“You’re a fellow scientist, what are our goals?” Erebus grinned.
Both scientists spoke in unison. “To get published, write a few books, retire an accomplished scholar.” The two chuckled.
In that moment, Shade returned. “Hey you two! Perimeter is safe. And the Diamond Dogs have finished setting up the support beams. How are you two getting along?”
Erebus’s shadow was found laying down asleep, Shade noticed. Did they socialize at all?
Tycho stood up. “We talked about humans but I am glad me and Erebus have a similar perspective on life.”
Shade cocked her head, maybe they did hit it off? “Oh?”
“A lot of hard work till we can retire as famous minds.” Erebus hopped off her cot. “If everything is ready for us to venture inside. Lead the way, Doctor.” The mare gestured as she spoke.
Tycho led the two to the supply cabin. Alex, Eleanor, and two Diamond Dogs had the tool chests ready. “Okay, be careful with all that. There is some sensitive equipment in there.”
Tycho turned on his sonar device as Erebus jumped. Shade noticed Erebus’s reaction and leaned over. “You okay?”
Erebus’s ears twitched. “I’m fine.”
She listened to the strange sound that was resonating around her, better than her tongue clicking in fact. She could use it to ascertain details around her much better. She took a brief moment to cast a spell with her horn to receive that sound as her horn darkened and the dark-point vibrated to each sonar wave released by Tycho’s device. She committed the sound to memory for later. Every pony, dog, and person was provided a mining helmet.
With their helmets secured, Tycho lead the way with Shade and Erebus behind him. Alex, Eleanor, and the dogs picked up the rear. The cave was lit with oil lanterns hanging from the walls. The beams supporting it were made of steel that stood at the walls and criss-crossed at the ceiling, soldered together. The rocky walls were rigid and slightly jagged and the air became more still the deeper they went in.
“Would the two Diamond Dogs describe to me what you guys found at the end of this?” Tycho asked.
One of the Diamond Dogs chose to answer. “Big chamber inside. Rock eroded not by water. Very strange. Well in the center glowed bright blue. Not go near it.” A slight tremor in the rock occurred.
Tycho stopped and pressed his back against the cave wall. The others did the same.
Eleanor looked around the cave. “Are we inside a volcano?”
The other dog piped up. “No. We think well create shakes!” The tremor stopped.
Erebus shook a bit. “You sure we should go further in?” She asked Shade nervously.
Shade bit her lip, thinking about calling for a withdraw.
Eleanor rubbed her hand on the steel beams. They seemed solid.
“I’m confident the Diamond Dogs did a good job to keep this cave stable. They do this all the time.” Alex patted the shoulders of the two.
“Thanks, Alex.” They replied.
Tycho resumed walking. “Nothing was accomplished attempting to avoid risks. Lets keep going.”
They walked cautiously for about fifteen minutes as the cave slowly descended downward. As they approached, Shade could see a strange blue glow, like a fading star at the end.
“Chamber up ahead.” Shade announced as she and Tycho picked up the pace.
“Okay when we near it, we’ll set up the equipment out-” Tycho was interrupted by another tremor, and it was a big one as the chamber lit up brighter.
Erebus’s eyes widened. “Thaumic wave! Run back!” She attempted to turn tail as a wave of energy shot through the cave.
Everything happened so quickly. First, the soldered points between the beams grew brittle as the magical wave passed through the cave, steel and rock. The beams broke from each other and began to collapse. Then the rocks of the cave walls began to give away as the massive tremor shook them apart. Dust blasted as rocks fell. Alex grabbed Erebus and yanked her back as she attempted to extend two shadowy tendrils to Shade and Tycho, who were further away. But she couldn’t get a hold of them as the tendrils were cut off by the falling rock. Shade tackled Tycho as far away from the falling rocks as possible, but further into the cave. Eleanor looked up in horror as she noticed a larger part of the ceiling began to break above them. Everything went silent as the dust settled.