Odrsjot

by Imploding Colon

Into the Frozen Sea

A lavender glow cascaded over the metal door towards the bow as Zaid opened it to the engine room. Waving steam from his face, he trotted in, squinting.

"Blondie?" he called out. "Yoohoo! Hey blondie, you there?"

There was no reply.

With a curious shuffle, the stallion trotted over a mess of spilled wrenches and tools and shuffled past the cage with the glowing tome inside. "Yeesh, it's like a demonic dance hall in here. Even a pony snorting parasprite blood wouldn't get a buzz from this place." He chuckled to himself as he at last stood behind a mare's figure hunched before a workbench. "Heheh... yeah, okay. You got me there. You can't snort parasprite blood. That kind of crud is best injected."

Props didn't look at him. Her ears flicked from either side of her drooping mane.

"Uhm... Blondie? That was a joke." Zaid nudged her. "You know... the stuff you giggle explosively at?"

"Mmmmmph..." Props stirred, turning her shoulder to him. "Go away, Zaidy..."

Zaid's eyebrow raised. "Kind of hard to 'go away' on a ship that's small enough for a dragon to barf up." He shrugged. "What's the dealio, sexio? Ebon says that salad's being served. Don't you wanna feed that buxom, curvaceous brain of yours?"

"Nnngh... I've got engine work to do."

"Uh, yeah..." Zaid fidgeted, glancing at all of the neglected tools lying around. "I can see that."

"It's okay if you wanna bite my head off."

"Pffft. Why would I wanna do that?" Zaid yanked a stool over and plopped down. "I just wanted to talk!"

"I thought you just wanted to tell me that salad's up..."

"Yeah, well, now I want to talk." Zaid smirked. "Hey. Come on. Look at me."

At last, the mare tilted her head towards him. Her goggles were fogged up, so the stallion reached over and lifted them up, revealing a pair of tearing eyes.

"Yeah..." Zaid sighed. "There's a lot of that going around." He nevertheless gave a weary smile. "I've always been of the belief that hugs are a lot more contagious. Wanna give it a test?"

"Why w-would you want to?" Props sniffled. "Aren't you mad at me?"

"Mad at you?!"

"Because..." The mare bit her lip. "Because it's all my fault..."

Zaid could only raise an eyebrow at that.

"I... I could have worked harder..." Props wiped her cheek. "I could h-have gotten the skystone working sooner! If... if I d-did... then we could have flown faster than Rainbow Dash. We c-could have gotten there. Could... could have stopped him..."

"Eughhhhh..." Zaid clenched his eyes shut and groaned. "For the love of monkey bait, not you too." He reopened his eyes and caressed her cheek. "Listen to me. You'd better jump off that train before it leaves the station, girl, because it ain't gonna take you nowhere good."

"But... but all those ponies... and... and th-the poor foals..."

"Shhhh... c'mere, you..." Zaid wrapped his forelimbs around her. The mare sobbed quietly into his chest as he stroked her blonde mane. "Y'know, I've been through a lot of tough places, and I've seen ugly things. A lot more than I'd like to talk about, because if there's anything I hate more in life, it's being a downer pony."

"But... b-but how's th-that possible...?" She shook and shivered, the ends of her hooves curling against his coat. "You're s-such a happy stallion! And y-you're so p-positive all the time..."

"And you're not?" Zaid smirked. He parted the hug so that they could stare eye-to-eye. "I've been homeless on over a dozen occasions. The only reason I've managed to keep going from one place to another is because long ago I realized that the home isn't what makes me, but the hope that I hang onto, the ponies I like to share it with."

"I've... I've never s-seen anything as horrible as I h-have just now..." Props bit her lip. "We did everything we could for Kera and her family. How can we help them now? How can we h-help them in the future when bad things can happen without any warning?"

"Look, I've butted heads with death a bunch of times," Zaid said. "Death has a lot going for it. It's cold, it's powerful, and it's merciless. But life always trumps it. Cuz even when the warm things of this world get snuffed out, nothing can change the fact that—for even a brief fart in cosmic time—they had will." He smirked. "What happened back in Lerris sucked terribly, and most ponies on board this ship are probably gonna be playing the crying game, blaming themselves or each other or what crap. But you and I?" He shook his head. "We're not those kinds of ponies. We gotta show these dudes that we play by another rulebook, because—believe it or not—all is not shot to crap. We will find hope again, and when that time comes, our friends are gonna need the likes of us to lean on."

Props stared blankly at her.

"So, you think you can stop blaming yourself? Because guilt's a really ugly color on you, girl," he said with a wink.

Props squinted. She rubbed her cheek again and giggled slightly. "'Monkey bait.' Heh... heehee... that's a good one."

Zaid shrugged. "I come up with the best stuff when I don't plan ahead." He blinked. "Er... well... m-most of the time."

She smiled at him, sniffling.

He stood up, patted her shoulder, and leaned in. "Salaaaaaaaaaaad," he whispered in her ear, then trotted away under the lavender glow.

Once he was gone, Props gazed over at the workbench on the other side of the room. A communication array sat within the tender glow of the ship's engine core. On quiet hooves, Props trotted over until she sat before the machine. She twirled a lever on one side and brought a mic to her muzzle. As the apparatus sparked to life, she swallowed hard and spoke into it.

"Hello... can anypony hear me? It's Props... Props of the Noble Jury..."

Silence—nothing but static and whining noises.

"Uncle Prowse...?" Props sniffled, a tear running down her cheek. "If you're out there... if y-you're still in one piece, please hear me out..." She clenched her jaw tight and sat up with a resolute glare. "It's your niece, Props, and I haven't given up on you." She dried her cheek again and forced a devilish smirk. "I haven't given up on anything."

---

Alone in the infirmary, Pilate's bandaged body sat up straight. He leaned upon the edge of his mattress, staring off into nothingness.

Occasionally, the swaying of the Noble Jury jostled his mane.

He breathed evenly, his gray eyes wet but not tearing. He brought a hoof up, feeling the cluster of bandages around the nape of his neck, where the O.A.S.I.S. tech used to reside.

With a deep breath, he retreated for the umpteenth time to the bed, curling up in darkness and listening for nothing, his thoughts spinning circles in his lonesome head.

---

Inside her quarters, Belle finished brushing Kera's mane. She put the instrument away and gently pushed Kera towards the bed.

The filly did not resist. Like a limp doll, she plopped on her side, staring steadily into the shadows beyond the mattress.

Belle spent a few minutes just gazing at her. At last, she dimmed the lantern and crawled into bed. Once under the covers, she wrapped her motherly arms around the little foal.

Kera said nothing, her body silently molding with the motions of the adult mare embracing her from behind.

Belle felt Kera's heartbeat. She reached up to caress the girl's bangs one last time. Then quietly, she leaned in and kissed the filly on her neck. Her muzzle stayed there, scrunching up as gentle weeping sounds came from Belle's lips. She fought the trembles, hugging Kera tighter in the darkness as the ship swayed delicately around them.

---

On board the top deck of the Jury, Eagle Eye stood at one of the masts, sharpening his sword with a rough stone. He paused, glancing silently towards the stern.

Josho and Ebon Mane stood in separate places, staring out over the thickening sheets of ice that filled the waters beyond the shore below.

Biting his lip, Eagle glanced the other way.

Floydien sat alone in the cockpit, staring ever eastward.

Nopony said a word to anypony. The air was nothing but frost and flakes of quietly falling snow.

Eagle's face twisted in confusion, disbelief, and then a sheet of dull ennui. He sighed, returning to his blade, murmuring something to himself that somehow kept his eyes dry.

---

A hundred meters ahead of the Noble Jury, Rainbow Dash flew east. She stretched her wings wide, twirling every now and then to break up errant patches of cloud that stood in the vessel's wake. Bit by bit, she cleared the path before the airship, allowing sunlight to shine through to the glittery patches of iced water below.

Her body shivered, pelted with frost from every cloud she selflessly plowed through.

At one point, she stared back, squinting at the Noble Jury with chattering teeth. For a brief moment, her eyes wandered northwest, as if hoping to see the mountain pass where a lonesome pair of tracks led through.

She could see nothing through the hazy horizon of snow.

Rainbow's muscles shook harder. At any moment, she could easily have rubbed her pendant and warmed herself with the element's glow. She instead kept her forelimbs stretched forward as she glided towards the white horizon. She sniffled once, and her eyes afforded a single tear, but the sunlight dried all the rest as she flew faster, leading the Noble Jury over the cold sea, leaving a bitter continent behind.

---

One week later...

Inside a decrepit two-story shack warmed by three iron stoves, several burly ponies in thick wintry gear gathered around a splintery wooden bar, dipping their grimy muzzles deep into mugs of whiskey and ale.

One sat in a corner, sharpening a dagger while he gave the rest dirty glances. Two huddled beside one of the stoves, muttering and bartering over a crate full of multicolored herbs in glass jars. Halfway up a teetering staircase, a stallion with gray whiskers drunkenly flirted with a mare in a raggedy, brightly-colored dress. Both laughed and reeled in a wicked stupor.

The bartender of the place grumbled, crouching down on his knees as he employed a thick rag and a third bucket of sudsy material in his futile attempt to wash bloodstains from a patch of floorboard.

The mixed reverie and muddled conversations continued until the rickety door to the shack flew open, causing a flurry of cold air to rush in. Everypony instantly shivered, rubbing their forelimbs and grumbling.

This persisted for half a minute until the bartender stood up with a frown. "Hey! Close the damn door!" He gritted his teeth. "You know the rules around here! Keep out the elements or you get nothing from the fountain!"

Before he could finish his breath, the bruised and battered body of a stallion flew inside and smashed through a table, causing two inebriated ponies to fall back, gasping. Everypony's heads turned towards the center of the shack.

The stallion who was thrown inside groaned, turning over as his body shivered. He coughed, sputtered, and spat up blood. "Help... me... sh-she's a... a Nagun-damned lunatic..."

Just then, a series of heavy hoofsteps thudded one after another. Everypony looked to see a stocky, cloaked figure enter the room, dragging in powdery bits of snow. The figure pivoted about, glaring at everypony. At last, a hoof pointed at the stallion on the ground.

"This stallion is part of a group known as the Frostbite Five... which, after I found out just yesterday what its two cowardly members like to do to the enslaved foals they smuggle through this land... could just as well now be called the Thick-Headed Three."

The ponies flinched, gasping as the figure turned about with a flurry of snowflakes.

"I know that the group's leader works here. And I'm sure he would like to find out how many of his buddies' organs I fed to them until they had the nerve to point me here."

"Why you..." The stallion in the corner twirled his dagger and stood up, scowling. "Damn you to the frozen wastes!" He gripped the blade in his teeth, spun around, and launched it murderously at the stranger's neck.

Clank! The blade embedded into the side of the figure's cloak. The pony stared aside, a pair of copper lenses glistening from under the hood.

The leader of the Frostbite Five stumbled back, gasping.

With a grunt, Roarke shredded the cloak, yanking the fabric off her in one toss. Her body was exposed to the stovelight, along with the tight metal bars framing her every limb. Without wasting another second, she spun and bucked a table with both hooves. The pneumatic joints activated with gusts of steam, propelling the wooden furniture across the shack with the force of an anvil.

Crack! The stallion found himself plowed violently into the wall, causing the whole wobbly building to shift on its foundation.

Some ponies shriek. Two stallions—fueled by whiskey and anger—dove at Roarke's side.

She brought one hoof up without looking, knocked three teeth out of one stallion, then flicked the fetlock of the other limb, producing a metal grappling arm that grabbed the second attacker by his neck. Barely breaking a sweat, she spun her body and dragged the choking pony through two chairs before flinging him over the bar counter and into a wall of shattering bottles.

Every other pony in the place instantly backed away—all save for the Frostbite Five leader. Bruised and bleeding, he scampered in a vain attempt to exit out the snow-pelted entrance.

Roarke fired a pair of steam thrusters in the metal frame at her flank. In a single second, she had crossed the distance of the room, slamming the stallion into the wall. She flicked her right forelimb, produced a thin blade, and skewered the stallion's shoulder, pinning him in place.

"Aaaaaaaughhh-grkkkkt!" The grimy pony teared up, sneering in pain. His wincing eyes gazed at her. "You... you freak! H-how much do you want?! The g-gang's got a stockpile! Tons of gold and silver! Grkkkt... it can all be yours!"

"Didn't you hear me, breeder?!" Roarke hissed into his face. "I came here for one thing. Information. Now..." She twisted the blade slightly, causing him to yelp in pain. "Before I get angry, tell me everything you know about your friends, the Lounge."

"Nnngh... wh-why...?" He stammered, staring crookedly at her. "What's it to you?"

"Because my friends are passing through their territory as we speak," Roarke said. Her lenses pistoned out. "And I aim to protect them, no matter the cost."

Comments

[AppleTank]

Strength in Jury, Loyalty Until Death.

[RazgrizS57]

Well this is quite an interesting trade of motivations and turning of events. I'll provide a more in-depth quasi-review later, but let's see where this story continues, shall we?

[Neon Beat]

You always know how to kill me with anticipation

[RoboRed]

Roarke...most Loyal?
Bless you and your copper lenses, girl. You're still behind the team. Keep at it.

Good on ya', Zaid. You should really go and spread that positive, optimistic attitude with the rest of the crew.

I am really not pleased with Rainbow right now...this is the exact sort of attitude that got her into trouble in the first place.
Well, onwards to the next story.

[IceKitsune]

While I still feel that over all the ending to Odrsjot kind of ruined the rest of this installment for me, making it IMO the weakest of them. I really can't wait to see what the next book brings us. This should be interesting.

[KMCA]

[Straker]

"Look, I've butted heads with death a bunch of times," Zaid said. "Death has a lot going for it. It's cold, it's powerful, and it's merciless. But life always trumps it. Cuz even when the warm things of this world get snuffed out, nothing can change the fact that—for even a brief fart in cosmic time—they had will." He smirked. "What happened back in Lerris sucked terribly, and most ponies on board this ship are probably gonna be playing the crying game, blaming themselves or each other or what crap. But you and I?" He shook his head. "We're not those kinds of ponies. We gotta show these dudes that we play by another rulebook, because—believe it or not—all is not shot to crap. We will find hope again, and when that time comes, our friends are gonna need the likes of us to lean on."

I love Zaid, lol.

And Roarke...good on you sister! You want hope, there it is!

[The 24th Pegasus]

I knew that wouldn't be the last of Roarke. I wonder how she'll come into play in the next story. And if the party will ever fix Kera. And if Pilate will get his OASIS back and running again.

So many questions, and we'll have to wait until the next story just to get some answers.

Onwards to the next 200 chapters! Let's make the push to 1000 overall!
24

[Personifire]

Well, next story, here we come. Rainbow's lost hope yet again (something about facing off with dragons and losing hope, huh?), but she's not down for the count just yet.

Austraeoh was about Rainbow travelling East, most of all. Her loyalties and friendships never really developed. But as the journey went on, she began to stand for something, rather than just fly around. She started to work the miracles of the Spark, and of harmony. And at the end, she just about gave her life for it.

Eljunbyro was about Rainbow finding friends at her side once more. Belle and Pilate saved her life, and she helped save theirs. The journey goes on, but more in spirit than in distance. The party forms, but antagonistic pressures force it to split apart. Rainbow is prepared this time, though, because instead of flying to run away, she's started to realize that she's flying to fulfill a higher purpose.

Innavedr was about Rainbow's loyalties. She could have easily left at this point, and simply gone East. But instead she spent her time, precious little that she has, finding her friends and making sure they make the journey together. Little things like war weren't about to stop them from getting back together. We learned of how the world has been broken into twelve rings, mirrored by how the party has been broken into its own pieces. There's some kind of hopeful message hidden here - if these guys can bring themselves together again, there's no stopping them from doing the same to the entire world.

And the recently passed Odrsjot. Besides having an obscene amount of consecutive consonants in its title, it seems to me to have mostly been a transition. A transition between Ledomare and Xona, between war and peace, between near-stagnant and accelerating. But perhaps most importantly, a transition for Dash, as she begins to understand that lesson she's been learning since Eljunbyro - that friends are pretty darn important things to have.

But now there's trouble a-brewing. The Jury is silent, as each person alienates themselves, blaming all their recent troubles on a "what if?" that they never took. Rainbow is angry. Pilate is lonely. Belle is regretful. Kera is comatose. EE, Josho, and Ebon are stoic. Floydien is silent. Zaid and Props are the only ones with a spark of life. And Roarke plans on keeping them all safe. From the possibly-couches Lounge.

Book five, here we come. U-? Possibly Uh-, Ur-, or Uhr-? I've not a clue. But my prediction is that in this book, they'll be traveling like in Austraeoh again. Except this time, with the whole of the Jury to consider. There's a lot of memories to run away from, a lot of friends who will make it impossible, and a lot of baddies who will make it deadly. And Roarke, always marching to her own beat.

I also seem to remember making a bet about changelings showing up or else I'd eat my hat. I'm afraid any people who care about that will have to settle for this transcript of a soundbite: OM-NOM-NOM Oh god this tastes awful NOM there's hints of sweat and SMACK soap at the same time GLUP and also I don't think cloth is ORF digestible, so my next bowel movement's CHOMP gonna be fun NOM.

[Snublock]

So what is Roarkes motivation?

I mean, yeah she likes Rainbow. That doesn't seem like a solid reason to go through so much hell.
I expect a lot of Roarke exposition in the next 200.

[The Whiskey Spirit]

4014892. I do believe that, through the hardships the noble jurors face, espesially with Rainbow, she has grown to consider them family, as loath as she is to admit it, and has a Rainbow level of loyalty for them that cannot be broken.

[Vandratha]

I never thought I'd see the day that Zaid was the reasonable one.

Go, Roarke! Way to be loyal. Hopefully Rainbow comes to understand it before the end.

[xXshaydXx]

roarke considers the jury her friends!! and she's in love with rainbow! this leg of the saga got very dark..but they will recover in time. I can't wait for the next story!!! zaid and props are the best.

[Jake The Army Guy]

I find myself eerily reminded of the end of Eljunbyro. The sense of dread and lifelessness.

I still think the end was overkill. Not just that Shell killed over a hundred ponies by himself, but Collin's reaction seemed a bit too melodrama. Forced emoness, you know?

Eh, I'm also wary of how this can keep going for eight more books.

Still, let's see where this goes next.

[Endrax]

Well thats the end of this story. A bit of a downer ending but oh well. On to Ungsyd or whatever the heck it'll be called!

[Mithrandir]

Wow, what a great ending!

[adrusi]

If this change of style at the end with Roark is indicitive of how the next installment will be written, then I am stoked.

With Roark separated from the jury but still a part of the story, I'm guarauntee that this means she will get herself into trouble with the same ponies who the jury does and then they'll fight their way out together. I say "guarauntee," but really I have a horrible track record of predicting IC.

I just hope Rainbow doesn't leave the jury behind even temporarily. We've had to reassemble the jury so many times because of external forces breaking it up, that seeing it fall apart due to internal tension is hard.

[Zaid ValRoa]

Well.
That wraps up another book in the Austraeoh Saga.
And Urohringir promises to be one hell of a feel trip.
So, onwards!
I'm just glad this didn't end with Chrysalis stealing Shell's body or something like that...

[Cobalt Swirls]

I'm actually really hopeful for the coming chapters. I know I large fraction of the Jury was really displeased with how the last couple of chapters played out, but if this keeps going in the right way, I see the group becoming closer than ever.

[Zytharros]

And thus, the fifth saga begins.
Kera, I hope you can be recovered.
Shell, I'm glad you can no longer haunt Rainbow.
Belle... Pilate... something was lost here.
Zaid and Props... Zaps FTW.
Roarke... with nothing to return to, and nowhere else to go, she stays within eyesight.
And Rainbow... Where's Luna? She needs some debriefing time.

[Nevlamas]

A song for Rainbow. A song for Roarke. A song for Props, for Zaid, for Pilate, Belle, for Kera. A song for Floydien. A song for Eagle Eye. A song for Ebon Mane. A song for Josho.

When the world is on your shoulders

Stay.

Don't fade away.

[SugarPesticide]

So ends this chapter in Rainbow's journey. And despite everything that's happened ... despite the ludicrous diabolus ex machina that catapulted everypony into a cesspool of angst ... there's still hope. It'll take time to rebuild trust and confidence from the ashes, but when that's done, it'll be magnificent. Oh, and Roarke is being awesome again, but what else is new?

Let's step into part five then. Onward and eastward!

[Swan Song]

How ironic, yet so thematically appropriate, that almost every event we have just witnessed stands as a powerful antithesis to Rainbow's usual modus operandi.

The once-rejuvenating spark ignited a destructive flame. The crew that ended the war became the precursor to its last casualty. Her idealistic beliefs in harmony and redemption became the death knell for an entire town. The wind beneath her wings, Eljunbyro, lies broken and helpless. The chaotic metalmare she once saved now must save her.

And for just a single moment of sublime irony, Rainbow was forced to fly west, so she could bear witness to the horrors she was about to leave in her wake.

I feel that these last few chapters introduced a struggle that's never been explored to its depth in this series before. We're truly in completely new territory now, both geographically and figuratively, and Lerris was only the beginning.

Prior to this, Rainbow has never truly been the "cause" of a problem. Almost every major disaster that Rainbow had been involved in was either set in motion long before her arrival, or was severely compounded by circumstances beyond her control. The Aridstone and Blue Shelf massacres happened while she was unconscious. The Xonan-Ledomare conflict predated her arrival by decades. The Silvadelians had been losing the war against Axan's brood for centuries. Even the deaths of the Bearers in Equestria was mostly unpreventable, since she had been Discorded at the time. None of that was really completely her responsibility. She was simply a catalyst, the tailwind that accelerated a pre-existing conflict to its already inevitable conclusion, and whenever she finally gained the power to resolve it, she did so with her trademark awesomeness. She was seen as the cure, the resolution, the Spark to ignite a dying world. But this time, she only sparked death itself.

The DMZ that was home to Lerris and Archer Pointe was left (mostly) untouched by the war. Despite being economically hamstrung and occasional interference from the two superpowers, they were able to eke out a peaceful existence. Had the status quo been maintained post-ceasefire, they could have ridden out the rest of the conflict without ever seeing so much as another hint of it. But as soon as Rainbow Dash and the Jury showed up, they utterly doomed them. For the first time ever, Rainbow Dash's interference caused more harm than help. Her negligence in the past when dealing with Shell ended up causing the destruction of Lerris and the permanent emotional scarring of virtually her entire crew.

And now she has to live with that guilt. A guilt that she probably hasn't felt since the Discord incident in Equestria that started this entire journey in the first place.

This is how we're expected to begin Urohringr. A new continent and a new adventure, where Rainbow is no longer a vanguard of harmony, but a harbinger of chaos, fleeing aimlessly from a horrific past that she created for herself. I'd say we're dangerously close to having come full circle with the genesis of the series, Austraeoh. Only now, she has the weight of an entire crew holding her down.

We have a very, very interesting few weeks ahead of us, folks. And I get the feeling Luna is due for a very, very harrowing conversation.

Onward and eastward, into the great unknown.

[Jonathon Smythe]

So Roarke is going to be behind the scenes, trying to prove to Rainbow that she has something worth staying for.

Kera will start talking again when there's a dramatic reveal and she miraculously saves someone's life.

Pilate is truly blind for the first time since he fell at the end of Eljunbyro.

Ebon Mane may be a changeling.

Props is still looking for uncle Prowse.

Rainbow blames herself for everything.

Shell is no more.

Remember the fallen: Simon and the town of Lerris, and all those who died in the Ledo/Xona conflict.

To Urohringr. Onward and eastward.

[Ms_Fruit_Bat]

"Because my friends are passing through their territory as we speak," Roarke said. Her lenses pistoned out. "And I aim to protect them, no matter the cost."

[dafiltafish]

After all of this depression and testing... the crew is coming together independent of Dash. I have absolutely no idea what this means or how it will apply to the next "book".

[durandana]

As far as I'm concerned, Rainbow Dash is now Darth Vader. The end.

[Fishberry]

I have to applaud the author. Though I remain disappointed and heartbroken over the destruction of Lerris and the deaths of characters I was looking forward to revisiting at some later time, I cannot say it was without purpose, and that it did not drive the plot forward. The end of this story is, as always, well-written, and has some great twists and turns.

Disappointed though I am with something that happened in the story, I nonetheless appreciate everything I have read that brought us to this point, and I am intrigued, and looking forward to reading more in the next book.

Thank you for sharing this world with us.

PS. Please be gentle, your readers hearts are fragile things...

[Fishberry]

e a pitiful sound, like a chuckle and a sob mixed into one. Shaking her head, she sniffled and glanced up with a bitter smirk. "Since they're all 'weak,' right? Cuz you've done such a swell job of protecting them so far... most especially Kera."

"What I need now is ponies whom I can trust!"

"Belle and Pilate have all that's left. They may be weak, but at least th-they've earned it."

"Because my friends are passing through their territory as we speak," Roarke said. Her lenses pistoned out. "And I aim to protect them, no matter the cost."

Sorry... had to.

[zaponator]

Oh good, Roarke's not done. That would've been dumb.

[Aqua Fortis]

If there was one character in this entire series I'd want operating in the shadows, watching my back... it's Roarke

[RomanCandle]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why you keep Zaid around.

I swear, even though he seems most of the time like a complete idiot, he has some of that sublime peacefulness in him that makes him seem like that crazy old guy who everyone thinks is senile but he is super wise and crap. Except he's not old.

I like Zaid. Someday he'll make a great old bearded stallion on top of the mountain, whom others will come to for advice and words of wisdom.
He won't give them any unless they bring him Grilled Cheese.

[That_one_guy]

Still not really satisfied with this outcome, at all. Feels like a lot of unnecessary conflict... I cringed a little at all the self-blame. But, it's done. Eastwards and onwards, to better things. Or worse things, as we get closer to the dark world.

... :c

[Rayvinne]

4014648 I vote this new motto.

And now for future predictions!

-Roarke, Belle, or EE will die in the coming book.

-Chapter 1 or 2 of the next story will open with a conversation with Luna. It's needed.

-Kera gets kidnapped at some point.

-Floyidens beloved will crash, again.

[CasualMarshmallow]

This is the first book ending I've come across while following the story, and I'll say that reading one day and chapter at a time was a totally new and exciting experience.

Imploding has an interesting setup here that leaves me in anticipation. This time the Jury will be secretly guided, instead of hunted. We're finally moving to a strange new continent. I'm thinking that it's Rainbow herself, and the nature of her journey, that is making the Jury grow distant, the consequences of which we are only beginning to see.

While reading, I wonder about the ponies left behind. Life happens quickly traveling east, but the places that were affected live on. They dictate the journey as it happens only to be forgotten in the West. But really, whatever is left behind doesn't matter because Rainbow flies east.

[Phoenix Kitten]

4014669 Can you blame her though?
She's angry,upset and feeling betrayed,I imagine that had she been allowed to wake up before Roarke left she would have gone to apologize to her for her outburst.

[Phoenix Kitten]

And now,to offer my part in the music of the moment.

[Swan Song]

Still waiting anxiously for the next book to start...

Help me, Implobi Wan Kenolon. You're my only hope.

[Cynderfall]

Well atleast not all of this story has gone to crap. But the last 10 chapters were stupidly, awfully thought out. What is the point in rooting for the characters when every single time they end up getting screwed over. Lerris should not have been destroyed. It ruined the end of an otherwise fantastic story.

[Nasty Mister Monket]

...Zaid officially qualifies as a Zen master. That is the exact kind of outlook we're meant to have.
I'll be honest Colon, I believe you could have handled that better, but this chapter gives me hope that this was all for the greater good. I'll overlook that questionable incident and all this agonising brooding for now.
But Roarke and Rainbow are going to kiss and make up, right?

[The Casual Bro]

Looks like Rainbow Dash should be reminded of a thing or two about loyalty from Roarke. The rest of the Jury should learn a lot about hope from Zaid... and even Props. And the Lounge should watch out for the crazy train coming through.

[The Casual Bro]

4017676
If by kiss, you mean get into a nasty fight and hug uncontrollably in the end, then that sounds good in my book.

[Starlit Skies]

Roarke Most Awesome :) And Zaid. Zaid being so awesome.

Austraeoh ended with Rainbow broken physically.
Eljunbyro ended with her friends gone
Innavedr ended with Rainbow seeing the true power of loyalty to friends through Imre.
And now Odrsjot ends with Rainbow broken mentally and friendships hidden.

[I AM A GOD]

Just in time for the end of February!

Once again, I am in awe. I enjoyed this story immensely. The ending especially had a "Ground Zeroes" feel to it. And I have a feeling that this isn't even the darkest point of the massive saga you have planned.

Dare I call you the "Hideo Kojima" of pony fanfiction? I haven't yet read every great pony story that's out there, but I am tempted to call you such regardless. Oh, the blasphemy.

I wait eagerly for the next installment.

[I AM A GOD]

Oops, forgot this:

I thought of this song after I read the ending. Ironic that your upcoming installment is the fifth in the series (#5), a.k.a. "V".

"Belle...I'm already a demon."

[Literature]

Well that's a bittersweet ending.
I hope that Roarke will be featured a lot in the next story, because she's honestly my favorite character in this so far.

[Lerris]

Interesting, I can't tell if Roarke wants to protect the Jury out of true loyalty, or if its a outlaying attempt to regain Rainbow's trust. I really do love your characters.

[Hap]

So here's my thoughts on Odrsjot overall. I'm not a literary critic, so you can safely ignore everything I say. Spoilers if you haven't read it yet, so highlight to read.

The theme of Odrsjot is "becoming the monster," but always for a good reason. Even before Odrsjot began, this was to be the theme. Shell, who until then had been a murderous psychopath, witnessed the suicide of Imre and became the utterly insane monster we see throughout Odrsjot. Throughout this story, characters have either changed into monsters, been revealed as monsters, or realized that they are/have been monsters.

Nightshade, of course, who played such a large part in Innavedr, turned down at least two chances at redemption, believing in her cause so thoroughly that she kidnapped the same child AGAIN, and intended to sacrifice Austraeoh herself. It wasn't until she saw the extent of her wrong-ness when Dash touched the flame, that she realized that she has been the monster all along; either jumping to her death or wandering to parts unknown within the machine world.

Like Nightshade, Khao of the Herald realized she was a monster, but she seized her chance at redemption when she let Dash go, and later sacrificed herself to delay Nevlamas.

Which brings us to Nevlamas, the fake Nagu'n. Would-be heroic dragon matriarch tries to save the world, becomes confused by chaos, and decides to save the world by destroying it. Becoming the monster indeed, though she never did realize it, unless you believe Axan's story of a last-breath repentance. Interesting side note, Nevlamas' chaos-infection was a literal infection, with pus of brittle chaos metal growing within her. Dash seems to have a more "pure" form of the infection, turning her into something more like a healthy Discord than a diseased husk? I wonder if this will be revisited in the future.

I don't want to leave out Dalen, but his story was a pretty straightforward (and for once, uplifting) redemption plot; realizing he's a monster, and that the system is a monster (maaaaaaannnnnn), and turning things around just before dying.

But that does take us back to the flying moon-island-cave of Princess Lasarfion, who was a monster in the first place for using chaos serpents to perpetuate a war against not only Ledo but her own people as well. But then the reveal that this monster was even monsterer than we thought!

However, unlike Eljunbyro, our main characters are NOT immune from the theme. Except Pilate, who stalwartly remained a flat and unchanging background character right up to the end.

Rainbow of course was always part monster. Eljunbyro saw her maul and eat raw dozens of innocent neighbors and friends of Belle, believing that she had already massacred an entire village. Throughout Eljunbyro and Innavedr, she changed, becoming less monster and more compassionate. All that was shattered when she saw Kera's blank stare. She murdered a helpless Shell - but that was a mercy, not a monstrosity. The monster part is this:

Dash saw how much Roarke cared for Kera, and more than that, that she was in love with Dash. Roarke had finally opened up her heart... and Dash broke it. Roarke gave Rainbow Dash her first moment of affection and peace since the first chapter of Austraeoh. Her kiss with Gold Petals was marred with guilt and pain, but Roarke's caress was pure. And Dash let her get away.

More than that, she is kicking out Belle, Pilate, and worst of all, Kera. Kera needs the Jury more than ever, so do Belle and Pilate. A monster indeed. Earlier, Dash wanted to leave them behind for their own safety. She is acting now out of pure malice and revenge against both Roarke and Belle.

Belle became a monster when she lied to Shell, using Imre as a weapon against him. As necessary as the act was to keep Shell from killing her, she did the single most hurtful thing she could have done to a broken soul like Shell. Her not telling Dash about Imre? Just an excuse for Dash to blame somepony else.

Kera is a wild card. Will her trauma at Shell's hands break her? She could easily become a monster because of what she's witnessed. All of her new friends murdered and old memories burned alive before her eyes? Nobody would blame her if she turned out a psychopath like Shell. Bushwhacked.

But Kera is strong. She'd been through a lot already, including the murder of her family, her own kidnapping, living on the streets while her fellow kidnappees were used as mental slave labor under a psychologically abusive evil stepmother.

Another but, that hardened her and made her reluctant to form any emotional connections. She had just started to open up again, thinking it was finally safe to love and be loved. As soon as she was soft and vulnerable again, Shell. She may turn into an emotionless killing machine, like Roarke (I know I'm far from the first to speculate about this).

Roarke is the inversion of the theme, becoming less and less monster as the story progressed. She is unquestionably in love (or, as close as Roarke can get to it) with Dash. Roarke is more than just dependable (like AJ), she's obsessed with honesty (like AJ) and hates deception, going so far as to inform Kera of the Jury's destination behind Belle and Pilate's back. If she manages to figure out her own feelings (something AJ also seemed to struggle with) enough to be honest about the reason she's following the Jury, then I can see some interesting stuff on the eastern horizon.

Roarke had just started to open up, just like Kera had. After Dash kicked her out, she turned cold and hard again to push out the sympathetic pain of those she cares about, not to mention Dash shutting her down so hard.

And lastly, the biggest monster of all, Imploding Colon.

Odrsjot has been the Book of Kera (which, incidentally Innavedr was, though a bit more literally). This frightens me, given the theme of "becoming the monster."

Since Odrsjot was so much about Kera, other characters like Josho, EE, Floydien, Props, and Zaid didn't get much attention. Props and Zaid both seemed to mellow out a bit over the last few dozen chapters, and their moment in the engine room at the end really fleshed out his personality. I see him being instrumental in the Jury's recovery.

Things I'm hoping to see in the next book:
more Roarke character development
more Josho/EE dadshipping
Zaid finds grilled cheese sandwiches
Roarke catches up, beats up Rainbow Dash and makes her keep Belle/Pilate/Kera, and ends the fight with a kiss (hey, I can hope!)
somewhat less child torture

[Booster Spice]

Obey the Cheese.

[not_a_rainbow]

cool

some more BA Raorke

oh, hey, just realized.. last chapter in Odrsjot!