Chapter 4
Calls
Long, gnarled roots, covered with wrinkles and glowing golden-brown when bits of light shone through the green canopy that roofed the Everfree, curled about the ground like a tangle of snakes, the thick and bulbous trunk sprawled on the top of them. The dust particles were bronze when they came into the light, then faded quickly into the background of foliage and flora. A few drooping ropes, with round flasks of coloured liquid hung decoratively about the tree, complete with brightly coloured masks, each painted delicately and intricately covered with patterns. The green vines snaked their way about the curved slender branches. Two glassless windows were carved into the tree, a wooden doorway welcoming anypony who entered.
A motherly voice, humming in apparent delight, sang in a language a pony would not understand. The melody would bring to mind harshly beautiful lands, exotic food and creatures that no pony eye would lay on. It also caused listeners to imagine a family’s warmth.
Hooves, slightly different from a pony’s, trotted gaily, dust and dirt scattering about the twisting path which she walked, still singing.
“The sun sets on another day,
We hear the prowling beasts’ cries,
The light is fading, dies away,
Bringing another night in paradise."
She lifted her muzzle to boop the hanging bottles, vials of vivid shades catching the light and glowing mysteriously. She continued.
“The beasties’ songs in my ear,
The insects’ chatter runs deep,
Rest, child, you’ve nothing to fear,
Just close your eyes and sleep.”
She self-consciously glanced around and adjusted her saddle bags, before stopping at the tree’s door and shifted the welcoming mask out of long habit.
“The sun rises and brings the light,
Morning cries, roaring and free,
For today is another day of might,
With just the savanna and me.”
The figure pushed the door open, smiling, her striped coat greying but her greenish eyes still gleaming with the intensity of forever internal youth. Her bags slide off her back and lands beside the door, revealing the tree’s interior.
It was pleasant and organised, but several glass jars containing strange and ominous substances, along with thick mono-chrome leather bound books lay in a forgotten heap, gathering dust.
She tutted at the pile and moved it to a more appropriate location, stacking the pile as neatly as possible. She sunk down onto a wooden stool, sighing as she stretched. Her bones shifted as her joints cracked, allowing Zecora to breathe a sigh of relief.
A sharp tinkling sound, like bells and harps, playing with an amalgamation of instruments, rang in the drowsy atmosphere, jolting the zebra, who had already started to fall asleep.
Zecora sprang to her feet fluidly, trotting to the door in a swift pace. Nosing the door open, her head poked out and tilted to glance at a wooden post near the side of the path, hammered skilfully and efficiently into the ground. Another breeze blew, causing the two glass bottles that hung from the wooden post to bump into each other gently, creating an impossibly loud musical and intricate sound.
Zecora could feel a large smile nearly splitting her face in half. She recognised that sound. It had first called her when she was a little filly, roaming the wild plains. The sound, she knew, was different for every creature. Her brother said he had heard a calling of regal trumpets and fanfare, beckoning to him from the desert. Her mother received a warm and happy tune telling her to spend the rest of her days with her mate, remaining in the savanna. For Zecora, it had always been the cheerful and vigorous promising tune of a better future. She knew who was calling to her. She bowed slightly to the post, still making the sound.
“Well, well, old friend. I thought one call would be the end.” The music continued, louder and full of mirth. It was a beautiful scene, but the music stopped abruptly. It rang out once more, but higher and distressed. The unearthly sound sent thrills down Zecora’s back.
“Well, it seems you are in need of aid. But do tell, what has made you afraid?” Zecora questioned, gritting her teeth against the unnerving tune.
A butterfly, silvery blue and purple, shining with a humble glow, flew past, the music from the glass bottles stopping entirely. However, every time the beautiful butterfly beat its wings together, the sound would ring out, urgent and seeking.
Zecora did not bother to question it. She galloped after it, brow furrowing at the possible danger that could have caught the entity’s attention. She ducked branches and leapt roots, one eye fixed to the butterfly. Soon, the butterfly vanished, a glitter of sparkles drifting down to a thick bramble and dissolving it entirely.
What lay underneath caught Zecora off-guard. She stumbled along and skidded to a stop beside it. She mused under her breath.
“Oh dear, what do we have here?”
~~~
“Cancel the school?”
Illusion could see out of the corner of her eye that Prism had raised herself on her hind legs to retort, leaping angrily towards the Cloudsdale Academy’s principal. Rainbow Dash slid herself between the two.
“Prism Dash Skies!” She glared at her daughter. “Behave yourself!”
Prism melted under her mother and idol’s fiery gaze. She frowned and looked down.
The principal, still startled from Prism’s outburst, shrunk slightly and continued his speech. Most of his words were blurred, bits of information slipping through to Illusion, who sat quietly, in a haze.
Princess Celestia is dead?
Her mother had told her about the all-knowing alicorn, the immortal alicorn. Something was amiss. How could she die?
School is cancelled due to the unknown danger?
“Illusion?” A voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
The grey Pegasus turned to look at her friend. Prism was sitting, her face downcast. Her green eyes did not meet Illusion’s red ones.
“I’m sorry for my outburst.” Prism sighed deeply. She finally met Illusion’s eyes searchingly. “You understand, right? I have wanted to come here all my life, my mother’s academy. My hopes. Then, suddenly, cancelled!” She slammed her baby-blue hooves into one of the cloud tables that scattered about the Academy’s main hall, her sudden change in mood startling Illusion. She tilted her head to gaze at her mother, still talking with the principal. Illusion followed her gaze, eyes widening at the suspicious glance Prism gave her mother. Prism snarled bitterly.
“She’s hiding something. And I’m going to find out exactly what.”
~~~
Ice Shard stumbled along, the biting cold winds digging his back through his thick woven coat. He could hear the water sloshing around in the bucket that hung from his mouth, his horn lighting in a purple light that kept the water from freezing.
He squinted his lilac eyes around through the flurry of snowflakes, surveying the edge of Equestria. He had passed by the border too many times to feel the thrill of excitement the Unknown gave him.
He trudged along, careful not to spill a drop of water. His family would need it. He needed to get back to them quickly. He stumbled and cursed as his magic nearly gave out. He took another step.
His bright blue hair drifted as snow clung to the thick strands. He wanted desperately to charge his horn in a body heating spell that his mother had taught him, but the water might freeze and a perfectly good bucket would crack.
His coat, stormy grey, was turning a lighter shade of silver from the frost. The enchanted bucket glowed, providing light in the dense storm. Ice Shard closed his eyes, frowning, trying to remember the route he had taken so many times before. It was…north? He took a couple more steps, his purple eyes still closed.
The ground rumbled beneath his feet. His eyes flew open. Ice Shard breathed quickly and turned his head. The blizzard was slowing and the dark outline that was the Equestrian border was becoming clearer. Ice Shard squinted.
The bucket clattered to the snow as Ice Shard’s mouth gaped open. His horn flickered and went out completely. The colt, not even having a cutie mark, began to run.
His hooves thudded into the ground, sharp jolting pain shooting up his limbs as he ran like he had never ran before. He could hear the bucket, which he had been worried about moments ago, splitting into pieces as a creature put a single claw’s weight onto it. Heavy footsteps thundered right on his tail.
Ice Shard turned his head slightly, catching sight of the monster chasing him. He felt dizzy with fear.
An Ice Wyrm.
A large snow white head, eyes that resembled frozen crystals and, even worse, teeth like icy sabres, all focused on him.
Ice Shard had seen the creature from afar, beyond Equestria’s borders, and there was one, chasing him. The freezing breath blew on his tail, a claw, small despite the wyrm’s massive body, crunched through the snow and ice right where Ice Shard was seconds ago.
Ice Shard was panting harder, tears streaming and freezing down his cheeks. The vibrations underhoof were getting uncomfortable.
He glanced back into the freezing blue eyes and shuddered uncontrollably. As another sharp claw smashed into the ice right beside Ice Shard, and he bit his lip and bucked on reflex.
His hooves made contact with pure white scales that felt like freezing metal, and as hard as diamond. The chilly breath of the Ice Wyrm chuffing made Ice Shard fall over. With a crash, he landed onto the ground and sobbed silently into the snow.
He tilted his head up. The Ice Wyrm opened its massive jaw, exposing a dazzling array of canines and an azure tongue. The Ice Wyrm took a deep breath and time seemed to slow down. A bright blue, brighter than any shade Ice Shard had ever seen, gathered in the back of the wyrm’s throat and crawling up to the jaw. The Wyrm smiled, its eyes meeting its prey’s.
~~~
Luna landed, the snow trembling beneath her. The snow that obscured her vision quickly melted as she lit a spell quickly, charging herself with heat, before peering curiously at the large claw tracks.
She cantered by the path of claw and hoof marks, pausing to double check she was going the right way. Her back hooves were starting to get slightly stiff, but she kept going.
Suddenly, the tracks stopped. There was a large pile of snow, and scrabbling shard and marks on the uncovered ice, the freshly strewn snow having been flung everywhere. Luna frowned. A fight had taken place here. But who had won?
As she turned to survey the other surroundings, a dot of liquid red stood out among the endless mass of white. Feeling bile rise up her already tight throat, she dug quickly into the snow, shedding white flakes, and uncovered a colt.
He wore a brown jacket and scarf, greyish boots, a shade darker than his coat, adorning his back hooves. His mane was bright blue, but the left side was stained the unmistakable crimson of fresh blood. She put her ear to his chest and breathed a sigh of relief. Still alive!
Parting his hair, Luna frowned and cradled the uncovered child in her hooves. She carefully lifted his mane. The damage was not as bad as Luna thought. His ear was split in two, but no other injuries showed except bruises. He was cold, however. Unnaturally cold.
A clopping sound of metal on ice made Luna spin around, a bright blue bolt of magic drawn in case it was needed. The approaching guard stopped, realising he had startled the princess and bowed. Noticing the colt, he pointed at him with a single gold-adorned hoof.
“That’s the kid who’s been missing, your highness. Ice Shard.”
Luna nodded, half in acceptance, half in apology of wielding a weapon against him. She ruffled her wings, snow clinging to the feathers despite her efforts.
“Excellent, private. You are dismissed.”
The soldier nodded, galloping back to the direction from which he came. He soon disappeared into the whiteness of the mild blizzard.
Luna swept the child onto her back and cast a spell, heating the child and keeping him steady on her back. Spreading her wings, she took off.
~~~
Northern Lights sobbed into her mane. It was a bright neon blue and pink mess, wet and cobwebby from neglect. Beside her, a steel coloured unicorn stallion with black spiked hair patted her soothingly and glanced out of the window, frowning in worry. His blue eyes scanned the landscape outside.
On the wooden floor, a little filly lay sleeping, bundled in layers of cloth. She had the same pink hair as her mother, along with the same dark blue coat. She shifted in her sleep, unaware of the misery going on around her.
A knock resounded in the small house. Both parents frowned. The stallion rose and opened the door hastily, while Northern Lights wiped her lilac eyes, still sniffling. She lifted her head at her husband’s surprised tone.
“Princess Luna?”
The princess wordlessly handed Ice Shard to the startled unicorn. With a shriek, Northern leapt from her position and snatched Ice Shard from him, crying even louder. She buried her face in her husband’s charcoal mane and held their son tightly.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my-“
The sound of the family’s relived and happy rejoicing was cut off to Princess Luna when she closed the door. She surveyed the mountainous and snowy plains.
She smiled back at the little cottage, lights flickering joyously in the frozen wasteland, and took flight once more. There was work to be done.
~~~
Zecora poked the silver root protruding from the ground, contrasting with its black and thorny companions. It was a crystalline root, belonging to a much larger entity.
When the zebra placed her hoof on it, instead of feeling warmth and peace that Harmony usually spread around, she received a sharp prod, like someone had jabbed her in the ribs. She gave a pained groan. She glanced around, speaking aloud.
“You’re not doing what you should. Harmony, that’s not very good.”
She kneeled down to inspect the silver root. A heavy frown was adorned on her face.
~~~
Far away, along the roads of Manehatten, a train of carriages wheeled on, rickety and unsteady. Cries of beasts and abominations could be heard, frightening random and unlucky ponies who passed.
Drunk and roaring laughter rang out from the few un-barred carriages, causing beasties to hiss. At the very back, trundled along a carriage, completely black and made of metal, being reserved for the more dangerous creatures.
A little creature, shuffling about inside miserably, glaring at his stuffy prison. He roared angrily at the walls and the spiked collar around his neck flashed, sending an electrifying jolt of pain down his back.
A few tears dripped down from his over-flowing yellow and turquoise eyes.