They made good time. Of course, Static had thought of a way to make them travel much faster. Using the pegasi ability to control the wind, both Sonic and Onslaught exchanged places in fanning the sail from the skimmer, standing upright and using their wings to propel them forward. They were making good time, but Static seemed to blow them all away with his ability to control the explosive powers of the quarrels he utilized. Then Samidra, being a camel, used her knowledge of magic to manipulate the wind.
Why had they not thought of it before was something that Static could not believe. He never knew how easy it was to manipulate the sails and was actually easier than adhering to the regular wind.
They had made excellent time and were approaching the downed airship by the fifth day in. But this time, the smell from the wyrm’s corpse was horrendous. The sun’s powerful rays had accelerated the decomposition process, which seemed to attract more and more creatures. There were even a number that remained partially buried in the sand, bits of their bodies briefly being exposed to the elements, all looking to feast on the massive cadaver.
The crash of the airship had forced the vessel to slide to a halt. For the damage inflicted on it, the vessel was mostly whole. A large puncture on the lower left part of the hull seemed out of place and it took a moment for Static to understand what he was looking at.
“That a tooth hole?” Sonic asked incredulously.
“Looks like it went clean through.”
“But… that’s reinforced metal! That thing’s supposed to stop dragon fire and stuff.”
Static looked at Sonic. “Do you not see how massive that thing is?” He pointed to the wyrm’s body behind him. “A thing that size will pack a bite.”
“Okay, okay. Fine. So, what now?”
“We board her. Samidra, you stay out here with Onslaught and Sonic. Torment, Raze, you’re with me.”
The camel put her hoof on Static’s shoulder. “I can manage the skimmers myself. You might need their help. I’ll go there,” she pointed to a dune in the distance, “and when you need me, I’ll come back.”
The unicorn was about to tell her no, but Raze intervened. “She’s a big girl. Shut up and let her protect the skims. For all we know she’s safer out here than in there. That thing looks like it went down well protected. Might have had survivors.”
“If the mana engine got punctured, then that would explain the blue smoke,” Onslaught muttered. “But, as you said, the ship looks intact.”
“If the generator was punctured,” Static replied, correcting Onslaught, “then we’re going to have to take extra precautions. Prolonged exposure to the type of magic the generator converts will kill us.”
“How?” Sonic asked.
“Well, the main power unit of a manna airship is the unicorn. Our magic fuels the generator. The generator, in turn, converts the magical energy into a rawer form by stripping away… do you really want to know the technical aspects?” Static asked.
The others shook their heads almost at the same time.
“Fine. Condensed version it is. Magic goes in, comes out differently. This different magic needs to be contained before it is dispelled through the usage of the machinery. Whatever the case, piercing the generator would have instantly killed anypony near it, which is probably what killed the wyrm. The raw energy would have been enough to poison it.”
“Will it kill us?”
“No, not likely. Depends on the seal of the containment unit. I think the magic has been dispelled enough now, but let’s not take any chances. Also, there could be some survivors inside, and we won’t know if they’re good or not. So be alert. Try not to kill, but if you have to…”
The Elites seemed to all get excited about that. Perhaps excite wasn’t the right word. They were relieved at being assigned a task they could do.
The ponies got their gear together, placing the rest of their equipment on the skimmers while Samidra deftly and expertly moved them a good distance away. She then folded a sail over, making a temporary roof, and sat in the shade looking their way. It was amazing how quickly she had done it, but now Static had to get his head into the task at hoof.
“Torment, you take point,” Static said, “Onslaught, you’re first line with me. Sonic, Raze, you cover the rear. We’ll need your crossbows in case things get tight. Since I’m the only magic user here,” he looked at Torment, who nodded in affirmation once. He was indeed the only unicorn there, “I’ll be the heavy hitter.”
“Can you hit heavily?” Raze asked as she looked at Static.
“I wouldn’t be here if I couldn’t.” Static turned towards the ship. “Let’s circle around it and see if there’s a way in without having to climb up the side.”
They took a quick circuit around the ship, making sure to stay close, but keeping an eye on the portholes. The reason why they hadn’t used the skimmers was due to the fact that they could not get close enough to actually see anything on the airship without opening themselves up to a potential ambush. Just because the airship was downed didn’t mean the wallarmbrusts or cannons were inactive.
The ship was leaning on the nearside, so the angle was slightly lower towards where the skims had parked. This was intentionally done to prevent unexpected surprises from the airship’s deck in case anything were hiding. The absence of cover and the ability to spot anomalies were advantageous. Anything on the deck would be noticeable. By pure coincidence, the cannons were designed to shoot downwards or straight across, like most manna airship designs. Most airships of this design only needed downward-facing weapons. Not many things could get above them, perhaps a balloon airship or a stray pegasi.
Strategically, the skimmers were placed perfectly, but it was a little too far for Static’s liking. If anything were to happen to Samidra, none of them would be able to get to her in time, even with teleportation.
“Sir, over here,” Onslaught muttered pointing to a gaping hole near the front of the airship on the upturned side so it faced towards the sun. The large pegasus was touching the edges of the hole with his hoof. He picked up something and flicked it away.
“What is it?”
“Claw marks, and perhaps some bits of meat. From the look of the damage done it has to be from Diamond Dogs and they were in a real hurry to get out. The dog must’ve shredded his paws trying to get out of this. Not sure from which pack, but they aren’t the common ones you find. These guys are like the Silvers. Wolves, or a similar breed.”
“Okay, take note of this. We’ll report it to Semper Sir when we see him next,” Static muttered and looked at the damage inflicted. There were splotches of dried red blood. Whomever had slashed at this from the inside must have seriously wounded themselves in the process. The edges of the hull were razor sharp after the damage done to it. “Anything else?”
“Clear on my side,” Sonic stated.
“Clear over here,” Raze said.
Torment poked his head out of the hole, which really angered Static. The Elite had entered the airship without orders to do so, but was giving them the universal symbol for ‘come on’, and the others made their way inside. Static stopped for a moment, looked around to get a feel for everything. He noted that there were no hoofprints from the ship leading away. Did they already get covered by the sands?
They made their way carefully through the airship. The slant made it difficult to check certain rooms properly, but all in all it seemed abandoned. A few times they had to stop and turn around, the damage done to the interior blocked hallways and specific corridors. There was also a distinct lack of light, which Static compensated with his horn.
Onslaught made a sign and pointed to something. The others crept close to him and peered at what he was pointing at. A strange creature that none of them had come across before was eating the remains of a pony in what looked to be the mess hall. Tables and chairs were strewn about the place, but nothing apart from the creature moved.
“Orders?” Onslaught asked in a very quiet voice.
At once the creature looked up and peered right at the group. Static summoned a spell and waited. The created merely blinked, turned its head sideways and in one direction, then another, then resumed its meal. Torment clicked his tongue and entered the mess without prompting and headed straight for the creature.
“Wait!” Static whispered loudly, but Torment did not obey.
The creature stopped eating, turned to Torment and threw open its mouth and spread some folds behind its head. It hissed threateningly, but once Torment got too close, the creature jumped off and fled towards the far end of the room where it was lowest. It ducked down underneath the debris that had piled there, its body seemingly to deflate as it disappeared into the pile of overturned tables and chairs.
“Scavenger,” Onslaught intoned and lowered his crossbow.
When had he even pulled it out? Static did not notice at all.
“Regardless, that was an unnecessary risk!” Static almost shouted. He marched over to Torment with the intent of giving him a stern talking to, but it faltered when he saw the body of the pony laying there. “Oh no.”
“What is it?” Raze asked.
The markings on the dark armor were unmistakable. The crescent shape that every Guard in Equestria had come to know and fear.
“Cultists,” Static muttered. “This is very bad.”
“Why?”
“Because they’re the single most dangerous group of ponies now,” Static said and looked over to Sonic. “If Cultists are involved here then this is very, very serious.
“What would Cultists being doing all the way out here? How does this place factor into their plans of ‘Eternal Night’?”
“I don’t know, but whatever they want can’t be good for us.” Almost as the words escaped his lips, Static understood. “That means they’re after the Stone of Fates. That has to be the reason why they’re out here. They want to change fate! That’s has got to be it.”
“Really?” Static asked, his voice giving evidence to the fact that he did not buy that reasoning for one moment. “They actually believe this hooey about a fate-changing rock?”
“I don’t know, but whatever they want can’t be good. We’re completely out of our depth here. Cultist matters are a Royal Guard problem. Specifically the Night Guard.”
“Well, we’re fresh out of Rugs out here,” Sonic muttered, using the slang term that the Border Guards used for their Royal Guard counterparts.
Static looked around. “Right now we’re we’ve got to head back to the others and warn them. Even if you don’t believe and even if this is all just a wild goose chase, Cultists aren’t they’ll kill anypony that gets in their way. That’s what makes them extremely dangerous.”
“What do we do?” Raze asked.
“We find the bridge, then the comms room. After that, we’ll head down into the cargo and see if they’ve abandoned something we can use. Maybe some quarrels.”
“Maybe we can mount a wallarmbrust to the skimmers,” Sonic said. “I saw a few on the deck that looked to be in good condition.”
“Okay, that’s a decent idea, but first we need to find ammo. Once we’ve ensured we have the resources to do so, we’ll custom fit it. Might be useful.”
“Are these Cultists really that dangerous?” Onslaught asked. “We’re dealt with them in the past, but never really crossed swords.”
“Very. They’re fanatical. They’ve been trying to bring about some nonsense about ‘Eternal Night’, which usually involves trying to assassinate the Princess while she’s sleeping,” Static muttered. “That’s why the Night Guard has full autonomy to operate pretty much as they want. The other problem is a few Night Guards also end up becoming Cultists. The worst ones are the Solars that get converted.”
“Solars? You mean the personal guard of the Princess?” Raze whistled. “No idea they were so tempting to follow to sway one of those. No wonder they’re so dangerous.”
“Yeah, but luckily no Solar Guards have switched side in the past several decades,” Static replied quickly.
They proceeded deeper into the ship, now being extra careful not to rouse anything. The information that Static shared with the Elites about the Cultists made them extra wary. Even Torment was now exercising a higher degree of care, but one thing that Static noticed was just how nimble and comfortable the Elite was on the ship. Despite the strange angle, he moved without any loss of grace coupled with the fact that his hooves practically were silent on the metallic floor. In comparison, the rest of the group sounded like that were purposefully stomping around like a bunch of tap dancers.
As they approached the bridge, the group heard a strange noise. Like a creature trying with great difficulty to breathe. Carefully, they peered around their crossbows ready. Here all the windows had been shattered and a very dim sunset-like light managed to penetrate the interior despite the powerful sun outside.
Torment led the way and quickly cleared one side of the room before making his way towards the source of the noise. He raised his crossbow and pointed it at the captain’s chair.
“So. You’ve come,” a voice intoned, the heavy wheezing emanating from the chair.
Static moved carefully around and saw the pony sitting there. An elderly mare with a broken horn, a deep cut in her side that was still bleeding. He looked and spotted the culprit. A stray piece of metal, perhaps from when the ship had crashed, had pierced her side. Ironically, it was also probably keeping her alive.
Static walked over and touched her head. The high fever and weak disposition did not bode well for the unicorn.
“Do not touch me, filth,” the mare growled.
“Well aren’t you just a peach,” Sonic said and hovered over the chair and took up a post with his crossbow pointed at the unicorn.
“What are you doing out here?” Sonic growled. “You Cultist banishing your own vermin?”
“We are Children of the Night,” the mare growled. “Do not assume to know of us, Guard. You know nothing of the truth.”
“Truth? What truth? That all this nonsense about Nightmare Moon and some gibberish about everlasting night? Do you understand what would happen to the lands if that were to happen?” Static shook his head. “We’d all die. Simple as that.”
“Your ignorance suits you well, Guard. Your obliviousness blinds you to the truth.”
“The truth? What truth? There isn’t any truth. I like the night just as much as anypony else, but that doesn’t make night a permanent fixture appealing?”
“The truth that your Princess is a liar and a murderer,” the mare spat back and groaned in agony as, in her anger, she jerked herself forward. “You follow a ruthless tyrant.”
“And Nightmare Moon is the benevolent ruler? For one, we all know that’s not true. For another, it’s just a story. It’s nothing more than a filly’s tale,” Static replied, tired of going through the same rhetoric.
“You know nothing about the truth that formed this kingdom, nor do you know the significance of that Stone,” the mare gurgled. “You cannot touch it. None of us can. It’s too dangerous.”
“Wait. What?” Static had not expected that. “What do you mean?”
That made the mare laugh sardonically. “How do the Border Guard protect Equestria so well when it doesn’t understand the first thing about real power? This conversation is useless anyway. It doesn’t matter. My brothers and sisters have gone to stop your party from taking the stone and we’ll keep it safe. Not that it will concern you anyway. You’ll all die here with me!”
She raised something up. Static reached for his magic power and felt it flood his horn and body, but it wasn’t fast enough. He knew a detonator when he saw one. The switch must be rigged to the core. He closed his eyes and flinched, but all he heard was a scream followed by a dull thud.
Torment was at the mare’s side, his blade out and blood dripping from the edge. On the arm rest was the switch, and a blood stub over that. The Elite moved the trigger quickly away from the mare before she could reach over with her other hoof. He had sliced off the entire forearm before she had time to press the trigger.
“You’ll never stop us!” the mare screamed. “Eternal Night will come to Equstria! She will return and you’ll all pay for this!”
“Save it, Cultist,” Static muttered eyeing the limb in a mixture of disgust, horror, and admiration. Ruthless necessity and skill, it was no wonder they were so feared.
“What do we do with her?” Sonic asked.
Before Static could answer, Onslaught fired his bolt straight into the mare’s head right through her eye. She made one jerking motion before ceasing to move.
“What did you do?” Static shouted, turning on Onslaught with his sword out.
“Sorry, but I know you’d want to take her with us,” the pegasus shrugged. “Can’t have that. We can’t spare the extra water or the extra set of eyes. Not only that, she would have bled out long before we could’ve helped her. If what you’re saying about them is true, even our medical supplies are important right now.”
“You had no right—”
“Before you start that, I know. But neither do you have the right to risk our lives, right? We’re out here because we want to be and we’re more than we’re willing to obey your orders, but we’re not under your command,” Onslaught interrupted. “We aren’t here because of our allegiance to you or Equestria. We’re here to help Providence, and that’s it. I don’t have to listen to your self-righteous garbage. You say these Cultists are dangerous, then we can’t take that risk on our skimmers. This had to happen. Sorry.”
Static saw sense in those words, but he could not bring himself to accept them. The Elites was right, he knew. That there was no flaw in Onslaught’s logic. Static turned to Sonic, who also seemed distracted until he felt Static’s eyes on him. When Sonic looked up, the pegasus barely shook his head. It was clear, he didn’t accept the Elite’s explanation or justification either. That was comforting.
“Hey, where’re you going?” Raze asked.
They all turned to see Torment walking towards the starboard-side bridge door and push it open. Due to the elevated angle, he struggled a little bit, but it eventually gave with a loud groan. He stepped out, followed by Raze and Sonic. Static paused and looked at the now-dead mare in the chair and narrowed his eyes. Something about the mare seemed familiar. The elder mare just seemed like a pony he knew, but from where? He memorized that face.
“You know her?” Onslaught asked.
“I think so, but I can’t place it,” Static said. He looked at Onslaught. “Listen, I understand where you’re coming from, I really do, but we don’t kill for no reason.”
“No reason?” Onslaught barked a laugh. “I love how you see the world. Did you just forget that she nearly killed us all?”
“But—”
Onslaught held a hoof up. “We can chat about it later. We have a job to do.”
Static sighed and nodded. “You’re right. I guess, compared to you, my view of the world is naïve, but I prefer mine than yours.”
“You know something? I do too. But it’s going to get you killed one day.”
There was nothing Static could say to that.
Torment followed the wiring of the device that the mare held with Sonic and Raze close behind. They had not cut the wire fearing it might have been setup to detonate should that ever happen. By the time the three of them had reached the end of the side deck past the bridge, Onslaught and Static were just coming out of the door. The three soon fought themselves walking across the main deck and relaxing their watch for a moment. From where they were, they could see Samidra near the skimmers. She seemed to be looking at something in the sand nearby. When she looked back at the ship, she spotted the group and waved.
Sonic waved back.
She waved more frantically.
“I think she wants to tell me something,” Sonic muttered.
“Go on then. Fly on over.”
“You think so? I don’t want to get bit in half by those wormy things.”
“Just stay low to the ground and you should be fine,” Raze replied. “Go, before grumpy-pants gets here and stops you from doing the sensible thing.”
“Grumpy-pants?” Sonic chuckled to himself. “Alright.”
Sonic spread his wings and leapt off the side of the airship and hugged close to the hull as he used the momentum to carry over the sands towards Samidra. When he reached, her, she was beside herself with excitement. And not the good kind.
“What’s up?”
“These are skimmer marks! I missed them before because I wasn’t looking, but now that I’ve seen I know. See, that’s a skimmer mark, and there, and there,” she said pointing to lines in the sand. “Many of them. A fleet!” She looked up at Sonic. “They are heading for the Caldera from here! We have to go! We have to go now!”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because,” she pointed behind her, “the tracks are going that way, and that way is where the Caldera is!”
“Okay, okay. Let me get the others, you wait here.”
Sonic turned and flew, as low as he could, back towards the airship. When he reached, he rose quickly along the side and onto the deck. Static was there, an annoyed expression on his face, but it was clear that it wasn’t directed towards him. Rather, the source of his ire seemed to be from the giant, which made Sonic feel a little better.
“So?” Static prompted.
“Skimmers. The Cultists apparently had a fleet of their own. They’re heading for the Caldera.”
“That seems consistent from what we learnt from the mare,” Static replied and stroked his chin in thought. “We stick to the original plan. Search the comms, crew, and captain’s rooms and any other part you think that will help us with this mission. I think it’s best that the two of you explore the lower decks and find out what you can. Torment, you…” Static watched the stallion walk off, “… do your own thing, I guess. Make sure you get back here in a couple of hours. I want to leave before sundown.”
“What? Wait! Are you suggesting we travel on the skims at night?”
“Yes.”
“But… can we?”
“Well, there’s a first time for everything. And we don’t have a choice. If the Cultists are going to the Caldera, then they’ll need all the help they can get, but we can’t waste our time here either. We need to find out what they knew. The way the mare spoke made it seem like they’ve known about this stone for a long time.”
“Is that possible?” Onslaught asked. “Something like this would seem to be in the know of your senior officials. Is it possible they missed something?”
Static shrugged. “I don’t see how. But probably. Like I said, there are many Cultists who were Guards, so it’s possible that knowledge of this thing was discovered and kept to themselves to prevent it from spreading. Doesn’t matter. If they want it, we can’t let them have it. If they’re willing to send an airship to get this thing, then they want it bad. We need to know what we’re up against, and either grab the Stone ourselves, or stop them.”
“If stopping them is so important, why don’t we go now?” Raze asked.
“Because we don’t know anything. They have an edge over us. They know what it is, and most likely where it is. It is quite obvious that the Caldera is the most likely of places, but maybe they have more information that will help them.”
“Like what?” Onslaught looked at Static.
“Like a map. You remember what Pani said about there being ways through the sides of the rocks? Maybe, just maybe, there’s a map that will lead us straight through the sides. If the Cultists have that map, they’ll have a very big advantage over us.”
“But if we take too long, they might be able to secure the entrance,” Raze countered.
Static shook his head. “Then they’d be back at square one. They might be strong fighters, but there’s a reason why Cultists usually avoid direct engagement with the Guard. Most Cultists are normal ponies who become enamored by other Cultists and most are not combat savvy. That’s why that narcotic of yours was probably such a hot topic. Imagine if the Cultists got their hooves on that?”
The two Elites exchanged glances.
“We need to find out what they know, and maybe get some more info about their operations,” Static looked at Sonic. “Don’t worry. Whatever the case, there are Elites with Pani and providence. And him. The Cultists will be sailing into a storm they aren’t prepared for. They might know about the Elites, but I’ve seen these guys in action.”
“I hope you’re right, Static,” Sonic intoned.
“He is. If Semper is with Providence, then I can rest assured that no harm will befall her,” Onslaught remarked. “A fight’s coming and we’re going to get in on that. I’m getting exciting! I get to fight some strong ponies! I get to use my body! Oh yeah!”
“Relax,” Raze interrupted, rolling her eyes. “The Caldera is still a few days out.”
“I still say we should go. Now.” Sonic looked at the worried figure of Samidra. She was nervously biting the tips of her hooves.
“Don’t worry, I’m not wrong. Did you not see the Elites deal with that mare? I’ve been struggling with it, but that ruthless efficiency is not something that we can totally discount. It’s kept them alive for this long.” Static shrugged.
“What? Are you agreeing with them?”
“Don’t get me wrong, Sonic. I don’t endorse it, no. But I also see their logic. Their need to keep themselves alive isn’t wrong. It’s difficult and goes against everything I believe in, but sometimes… sometimes you have to.”
“Isn’t that the same thing as saying it’s okay?” Sonic asked.
“I suppose,” Static replied and looked at the Elites staring at them.
“What was your childhood like?” Raze asked. “Do you have family?”
“Yeah. Got a mom, pop, brother. Brother is still a colt… parents started early, finished late.” Sonic laughed at his own crude joke. “He’s in flight school right now.”
“His name?”
“Sorry, Raze, but… I’d like to not talk about my family with you for now. It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s that I don’t… I can’t risk them. I know you won’t really do anything, but you understand? Right?”
The ex-pegasus smiled. “It’s good that you have enough sense to protect your family.”
“I’m not protecting them like that. It’s just—”
“Don’t make up excuses for doing the right thing, Sonic. I’m completely onboard with you. I think it’s really great that you’ve got a family and thank you for sharing that little bit of information with me. You don’t need to apologize for looking out for them.”
Despite her words, Sonic felt bad, but he kept that to himself. He really wanted to tell her about his family, and especially about his little brother. It was hard to imagine that he was already in flight school. “Tell you what. Depending on things go, after we’re done here, I’ll bring you back to Equestria with me. I-i-if you don’t mind, that is.”
That made Raze stop what she was doing. “What?”
Sonic turned around and looked at the mare. “I said—”
“I know what you said, Sonic,” Raze interrupted. “How can you make an offer like that? You don’t know me. You don’t know what my intentions are. You can’t do that right after saying you shouldn’t risk your family and—”
“I believe in you, Raze.”
“W-what?”
“I’m not the smartest tool in the shed, but I know what you are. I don’t think even you know who you are. You’re wearing a mask.”
Raze touched the Watu Wakali mask on her head.
“No, not that one.” Sonic touched her cheek. “This one. You’re an Elite on the outside. But you’re more than that on the inside. I know it.”
“You know nothing.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. But can tell,” Sonic replied unperturbed. “There’s a kind mare in there somewhere. And I’ll help her out, no matter what. I promised. Remember?”
At those words the mare paused and stared at Sonic. “Be careful, Guard. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
“I don’t intend to,” Sonic replied. “I’m going to keep this one, no matter what.”
“S-stop,” Raze whispered and pushed gently away from Sonic. “Stop. Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t make me fall for you,” Raze whispered.
“What? I didn’t catch that?” Sonic leaned in closer.
“Nothing. I’m… I’m going to look over there,” Raze said and walked towards the other end of the room. “We should probably hurry. The others might wonder what’s taking so long.”
Sonic watched her go for a moment before turning and inspecting the desk in front of him.
“Hey, check this out.”
“Do you think that it is strange that you trust us so implicitly now?” Onslaught asked as he threw aside a broken desk. It smashed open when it shattered against the wall. The magic in this room had long since sublimated into the ether, but the damage done was as clear as crystal. The structural makeup of the room was barely holding together. Brittle walls, the peeling paint, the breakable furniture, all signs to severe overexposure to the raw magical energies from the pierced generator. That, and the nearly straight tunnel from the outside of the airship right into the generator was a sign that, alive or not, anything within their vicinity was long gone now.
As predicted, the captain’s quarters had been ransacked, the safe door was wide open and a few dead ponies littered the room. A scuffle must have broken out, perhaps arguing as to who should be the new leader, or something as mundane. They would never know.
“Not really. I don’t completely trust you, but you could have killed me umpteen times by now, so I have just let it go. If you wanted to kill me, then you would have done it by now.”
“I could be waiting for the right opportunity.”
“What? Wait for how long? Until after we get back to Semper and the others? Somehow I don’t think you’d get away with that kind of thing with him there.”
“Is he always so… alert?”
“Him? Probably. I don’t even know if he sleeps.” Static pushed aside a loose floorboard that nearly turned into powder in his hooves. He coughed a little as he breathed in some of the particles. “We used to believe that Her Highness chiseled him out of the mountain or some nonsense like that. I think Sonic started that story.”
“But is it a story,” Onslaught replied nonchalantly. “I have been trying to find an opening against him for ages, but it’s almost as if he knows. Every time I think I have him, I see him glaring at me. I don’t get intimidated often, but his eyes scare me. They are not the eyes of a pony. They are not the eyes of a Guard.”
Static stopped and turned towards the pegasus. “What do you mean?”
“I have seen much in my short time as a Watu. I don’t remember what my past before that was, nor do I care to. Whatever happened happened.” Onslaught shifted his gaze up towards the ceiling where Static’s horn-light reflected from a shiny metallic plate. “I’ve fought many creatures. Sentient, and non. Fierce, and non. I’ve slaughtered innocents, and have done jobs that would make even the hardest of our kind cry like newborns, but I’ve blocked it out. In all that time, I have only seen the eyes that stallion has once, and never again.”
“Where?”
“On the dragon.”
“What?”
“No, I don’t mean his eyes looked like a dragon’s, but that intensity. That window into a force deep inside. A storm. A tempest. A force of nature that can scarcely be contained!” Onslaught slammed his hoof into the floor. “A storm in a container that will explode at any moment! Oh yeah!”
“Whoah, relax,” Static said and placed a hoof on the Elite’s shoulder. “You’ll hurt yourself.”
“Apologies, I get that way when I get too excited.”
“Well, you must be a rage at all the parties,” Static replied, laughing gently. “But if you don’t tone it down you’ll break… the… room… apart…”
“What? What is it?”
“There, that panel on the ceiling,” Static gestured to the mirror-like reflection. “I didn’t notice it, but it is made of a different material from the rest of the room.”
Onslaught spread his tiny wings and fluttered to the top. Once there, he seized the object and heaved. The thing didn’t even budge. The pegasus spat in each forehoof and placed them astride the panel, firmly cementing his rear hooves on either side of the panel and heaved. It looked futile until it gave a loud groan as it started to give. Static helped with his own power, but without the Elite’s brute force he would not have been able to do it alone. The piece detached itself and dropped heavily to the floor with a loud clang. The magically damaged flooring caved in like wet tissue before the unaffected layer underneath stopped it.
As Onslaught stared at the piece, he did not notice the object sliding out from above until it had fallen on top of him. It was a body.
The two of them stared at the creature for a long time.
“Thestral,” Static whispered. “Out here?”
Onslaught let out a long quiet whistle. “Those guys are really rare outside of their own little kingdom. Back in the day, they used to bring in quite a lot of bits in the slave trade. What is she doing here?”
“Thestrals have a bad rep back in Equestria. A lot of ponies chalk them up as Cultist sympathizers. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because the general populace of Questria associate them with Cultist, more and more of them are becoming Cultists.”
The Elite let out a dry chuckle. “So much for acceptance of all kinds. What is the general terminology of it?”
“Love and tolerance? Sure. Right. If only. Then there wouldn’t be a need for the Guard.” Static looked around the room. “I think we’re in the morgue. The magic must have changed the properties of freezer, which is how it ended up part of the ceiling. That, and the crash as well.”
“I see.”
“Part of the problem is that Cultists in general are obsessed with them,” Static went on. “They think that thestrals are original nocturnal ponies.” Static looked around. “They are, but they are no less nor more pony-like than us.”
The large pegasus gave the unicorn a dry look.
“You know what I mean. Physically, we are very similar apart from a few minor differences.”
“Like their eyes, wings, and general darker complexion?”
“Exactly.”
“I was being sarcastic,” Onslaught replied and leaned down and pulled the Thestral to her side. “By Celestia’s beard! She’s alive!”
Static didn’t know what to react to first. The fact that the pegasus insulted the Princess by saying she had beard, or the fact that he claimed the Thestral was still alive.
“Look!”
He saw the faint signs of breathing. “Come on, let’s get her out of here.”