Sleipnir's Big Adventure

by BlackRoseRaven

Paupers And Their Promises

Chapter Twenty Eight: Paupers And Their Promises
~BlackRoseRaven

Blueblood rubbed silently at his face, shivering a little and wishing silently they could be anywhere but here. They still had to find the mythril, but that could wait until tomorrow: he was too tired and confused, and Sleipnir was in bad shape himself.

The earth pony was laying beneath a blanket across from him: there was no wood for a fire, but they had a little lantern going, at least giving them a bit of light. Neither of them had talked much about what had happened... Blueblood really didn't know where to begin himself, after all.

Earthwalker: he had lived once before. Well, of course he had, if everything he'd heard about the sea of souls and reincarnation was all true. And Invidia had once been his best friend, Cerulea... Cerulea Zeal. They had been raised as siblings, spent all their time together in the little mountain village where they'd grown up... or started to, anyway. Something had happened... a fire? An attack?

He didn't remember the details. He wasn't sure if he could... as it was, he was still trying to put the pieces together in his mind. Blueblood looked down and silently touched his cutie mark, thinking about how this had been the same, at least... and yet he could only half-remember how he'd managed to earn it in the past, and still had no idea how he'd earned it in this life.

This life; that was a weird thought. And if this life ended, did that mean there would be a next life for him? And a next one after that? Blueblood shivered at the thought: did that mean life was just some kind of twisted game, where you tried to build up the best score you could, only to have all your accomplishments wiped away by death, before you were forced to play the rigged game again?

Blueblood shook his head slowly, hugging himself tightly before he looked up in surprise as Sleipnir whispered: “Take a blanket if thou art cold, Blue. Do not suffer.”

“You're... you're one to talk.” Blueblood murmured, swallowing a bit as Sleipnir shifted slowly on the ground: he was such a mess of... of wounds and scars and burns. Almost every inch of skin blackened or bruised or bloodied, his mane and tail in burnt and ruined tatters, raw muscle and veins pulsing through his damaged flesh...

“I have a blanket. Thou looks as if thou could use one, that is all.” Sleipnir tried to smile, but the look was almost ghoulish on the earth pony's face, Blueblood shivering a little before the wounded stallion shifted and murmured: “Thou must... take care of thyself. Otherwise... neither of us shall survive, whether we are faced with... catacombs or catastrophe.”

“Save your strength, Sleipnir... please. And... and don't say things like that. We... we don't need you being negative on top of everything else.” Blue managed a faint smile, but it didn't even come close to his fearful eyes as he looked uncomfortably at the earth pony. “Is... is there anything at all I can do for you?”

“Nay, I must... I must simply rest. When I am stronger, then... we will apply salves and bandages, but for now...” Sleipnir shivered a little, closing his eyes, refusing to show his pain... and it scared Blueblood, more than he wanted to admit, how this titan was struggling just to stay conscious. How Invidia had managed to hurt him so badly...

“Sleipnir...” Blueblood shook his head slowly, and then he bit his lip before asking uneasily: “Sleipnir, are you sure there's nothing that I can do for you?”

The earth pony did his best to shrug, then he slumped down and murmured: “Thou... thou must take care of thyself first and foremost, Blue. If thou desires to be... thou must...”

Sleipnir shivered a little, and Blueblood winced before he picked himself up, staggering around the lantern and dropping worriedly down by the earth pony. But Sleipnir only smiled faintly up at him, whispering: “There is no need to fear, and... thou art so sad... hurt on the inside. And... c-cold, aye? Aye... the... the wraith's touch, thou-”

“Enough.” Blueblood muttered, shaking his head quickly as he studied the stallion, then he turned and fumbled through Sleipnir's equipment bag until he managed to draw out a skin of water, unscrewing the top and carefully levering Sleipnir's head up.

The earth pony gritted his teeth, but accepted the canteen, drinking down several swallows before he tried to push it away. But Blueblood shook his head, saying quietly: “I'm fine. And there's plenty of water just around the corner. I'll... I'll refill the canteens later.”

Sleipnir shifted... but then nodded a little and drank a few more swallows, Blueblood smiling faintly before he pulled the canteen back. The earth pony looked up at him quietly, and Blue looked back down, his smile fading into concern before Sleipnir murmured: “I am sorry, Blue. All of this... 'tis all my fault...”

“No, I... no. How could you blame yourself?” Blueblood shook his head fiercely, looking down at the earth pony silently. “No, Sleipnir, if... if anything, I should be thanking you. You... you gave her a chance. I think that for a while, we even helped her, we... we almost saved her... but...”

Sleipnir smiled faintly, and then he said softly: “If thou would like to talk about her, Blue... thou art free to. Thou needs not make sense, thou may just... speak as thou feels 'tis right to, and I shall listen. I enjoy listening, Blue, even if I have no right to ask this of thee... but 'twill help us both.”

The two looked at each other quietly for a few moments, and then Blueblood hesitantly nodded before dropping his head forwards, murmuring: “I... I suppose that...”

He stopped, then smiled faintly, reaching up to scrub a hoof at his face slowly as he whispered: “It's hard to think of. Earthwalker... that used to be my name. In another lifetime, so many centuries ago... centuries. And I had a best friend, named Cerulea... she was my sister. We were raised side-by-side and... I think we were meant to be together. The whole... I don't want to call it a tribe, but...”

Sleipnir was only looking up at him attentively, and Blueblood sat back, smiling faintly but biting his lip, unused to such... attention. Unused to Sleipnir's intense eyes studying him so deeply, and the prince hesitated before he asked quietly: “Are you sure you don't want to just sleep?”

“Nay, this is far better than sleep. Tell me of Cerulea. Was she pretty?” asked Sleipnir softly, and Blueblood chuckled quietly, shaking his head slowly.

“She was more than pretty. And she was smart, and... fierce.” Blueblood nodded slowly. “I remember everything about her so clearly. I remember how dedicated she was, and how... how good she was to me. I remember that we promised to be together, forever, but...”

Blue quieted, looking down before he closed his eyes, and Sleipnir murmured: “I cannot apologize to thee enough for-”

“For what? This... this wasn't your fault. I already told you that now stop... fishing for sympathy and compliments.” Blueblood mumbled, looking away and shaking his head briefly before he lowered his head and said in a quieter voice: “You tried. You did everything you could and... and you gave us time together. But she was so... she was changed.

“Cerulea was always... passionate.” Blueblood smiled faintly, shaking his head again. “She always reacted... so strongly to anything and everything. She was emotional, she was blunt, she was... everything I needed. She was the perfect friend. And she always stuck by a promise...

“I can't imagine what it must have been like for her... I don't want to know how she became a demon, of all things.” Blueblood shivered a little, hugging himself tightly. “I don't want to imagine that she died, and she was reborn as... as that...”

But Sleipnir only shook his head, murmuring: “Fear not, my friend... nature would not be so cruel to have poisoned her so. But I fear that instead, mayhaps... in pursuit of thee...”

“I... I know. She said as much herself, before...” Blueblood bit his lip, and then he sighed a little and asked quietly: “Did I do the right thing? Could... couldn't we have... Sleipnir, I broke my promise to her, and she's... she's...”

“Nay, thou did not... thou did all thou could for her.” Sleipnir smiled faintly, then he slowly forced himself to sit up, even as Blueblood looked at him worriedly. But all the same, the earth pony ignored the pain so he could look across into the stallion's eyes, saying quietly: “And thy promise is to stay together, forever, is it not? 'Tis very simple then, Blue... thou must search for her. She will be reborn one day in this world's infinite cycle, and... thou shall find her. Thou shall help her remember. And thou and her shall be together.”

Blueblood smiled faintly at this, looking down and rubbing the back of his head before he gave a brief nod. Even if it took a hundred lives, he'd find her... and he'd tell her that he had forgiven her, for everything that had happened.

He didn't know how much evil Invidia had spread into his life, how responsible she was for the deaths of his parents and his own constant struggle and torture... but he did know that Invidia had been the cruel, golden-eyed monster, while Cerulea had been nothing but blue-eyed love. He thought Cerulea had been manipulated just like he had, as a matter of fact: maybe it was childish, but he needed to believe that. He needed to believe that good people couldn't do such awful things, and that good intentions didn't always pave a road to such unimaginable torment...

“I miss her.” Blueblood murmured, and Sleipnir nodded silently before the unicorn sighed quietly. “I... I remember how I earned my cutie mark in my old life. It was the same as this... it was for communing with nature. I remember I was never any good at magic, but even as a foal, I could track down animals and find food even in the thickest of jungles... nature... nature has always spoken to me. Loved me, like you said...”

Blue smiled faintly, looking at one of his hooves before he clenched it quietly. “What a low-born power. Look at me, all this time I've been calling you a peasant, but I'm the peasant... and... and yet I'm happy about it. How does that make any sense?”

Sleipnir chuckled quietly, and then he shrugged slowly before saying softly: “I do not know. I do not care, either, if 'tis what makes thou happy. I have always been much happier as a fool than trying to be wise, Blue. Life is much easier when thou simply takes things in stride instead of studying every fickle detail.”

Blueblood looked at Sleipnir for a few moments, and then he nodded briefly before giving a small smile. Sleipnir smiled back, and then Blueblood looked down before he murmured: “I don't know how I should feel anymore, about... anything. I... if Invidia twisted everything...”

He halted, then asked finally: “How did she never reveal she was the Harbinger? How was she able to go against... all her promises?”

“I do not think she ever did.” Sleipnir replied quietly, and Blueblood frowned before the earth pony lowered his head. “Invidia hated the Harbinger. I believe she was honest about this, as honest as she was when she said it was nothing but corruption of love and emotion. The Harbinger and Invidia were very much different entities... for thou freed Cerulea from the Harbinger's grips, did thou not? Thou does not believe the Harbinger was Cerulea.”

Blueblood shook his head sharply, grimacing a bit at the thought of even comparing the monster and the mare, and Sleipnir smiled faintly. “Then Invidia was what was created between the warring of the Harbinger and thy beloved. Invidia was thy love's personality, warped to extremes by the poisonous Harbinger; the Harbinger was... something else entirely. A parasite perhaps... or the true demon. 'Tis possible, after all, that Invidia's strong will attracted a demon spirit looking for a vessel... but there is little point in making wild guesses. Just know that... the Harbinger was the evil thou destroyed. Cerulea was the mare thou set free.”

The ivory unicorn looked down, then swallowed a little before he whispered: “I... I would like to believe that. So... I will.” Blueblood smiled faintly, glancing up hesitantly and giving a brief nod before he murmured: “I... thank you, Sleipnir. Thank you, for everything.”

Sleipnir only shrugged and smiled faintly, and then he lowered his head a little before asking quietly: “Would thou like me to honor her with a song? I fear that without a chorus of warriors to sing with me, I may sound quite rough, but all the same...”

Blueblood smiled again, and then he bowed his head and cleared his throat, doing his best to swallow the lump he felt as he whispered: “I... I would really like that, Sleipnir. But aren't you...”

“I am never too weak to honor a friend... and to help another remember that he will see her again someday. Of that, I can be certain.” Sleipnir replied gently, reaching up and squeezing the stallion's shoulder, and Blueblood trembled and did his best to hide the tears in his eyes, even as he looked with gratitude towards the earth pony.

But the stallion had his own eyes closed, his head bowed as he breathed slowly... and then he straightened, looking proud and majestic even in spite of the wounds covering his body, but yet it was like he had forgotten all pain and weakness as he began to sing. He sang in words that Blueblood didn't understand, and yet still, tears spilled down his cheeks and his heart thudded: he didn't need to know the words to know what Sleipnir sang of all the same.

When Blueblood awoke the next morning, he found Sleipnir was busily patching himself up. He looked worn and tired, but all the same he managed a smile as Blue climbed to his hooves, the earth pony saying quietly: “We shall have to make this quick, my friend. These tunnels tell me intruders are delving these caves, creatures that the earth does not care for. I fear that they may seek us, either out of desire for vengeance or greed.”

“Harbinger's demons? Or something else?” Blueblood asked uneasily, and then he hesitated before almost blurting: “Are you alright? Are... are you going to be able to do this, Sleipnir?”

Sleipnir nodded firmly in response, then he reached up and absently ruffled his mane of vines: Blueblood winced as a bit of rotten vegetation spilled down with a few malformed gemstones, but the unicorn felt some relief at the fact that at least the rest that remained looked greener... “Thou may not believe me, but I have faced far graver injuries with far more at stake. 'Tis not as bad as it looks... but the energies were savage, channeling both fire and poison. The Harbinger knew me too well.”

Blueblood nodded slowly, and then he asked: “Can I do anything to help you?”

Sleipnir only smiled in response, then he shook his head and replied kindly: “Fear not, Blue, all is well. Give me but a few more minutes, and I shall be done with these accursed wrappings. I will look very silly, but they shall help the salve adhere to my body and permit me to heal. But 'twould be a welcome hoof if thou would clean up our camp.”

The unicorn nodded again, smiling a little more: that was something, at least. He took only a minute to quickly slip his way into his armor before he went about the task of packing up the few things they had taken out, and then sweeping away some of the signs of their presence: there was no need to leave too many signs of their passage behind, after all.

Sleipnir was indeed ready in only a few minutes, and he did look a little silly, covered in bandaging and smelling faintly of flowers and disinfectant. All the same, he only limped a little bit, the two walking side-by-side deeper into the earth.

After almost an hour of twisting and turning passages, they reached an underground lake. A rocky beach sprawled out ahead of them through the shallow water, and Sleipnir strode slowly down before he leaned forwards and studied the liquid intently... then smiled. “Look, see this, how the water almost floats upon the air, how the dust collects beneath the surface and does not float upon it? 'Tis a sign of the water's purity, and that we shall find mythril here.”

Blueblood looked curiously over at the stallion as Sleipnir leaned down and drank a bit of the water, then smacked his lips once before murmuring: “Aye. Look around carefully. But be wary: if thou stumbles into a hole, thou shall sink to the bottom just as dust does.”

The unicorn grimaced a bit at this, and then he nodded hesitantly before striding carefully down into the shallows. Then he looked down in surprise as he rose a limb and studied with fascination how barely any water clung to it, the surface barely rippling. “Holy crap.”

“Well, 'tis something like holiness, aye. Mythril is a rare gift of nature's purity: 'tis so flexible that it can be woven into strings, and so strong that not even a dragon would be able to tear that string with either claw nor jaw.” Sleipnir replied with a slight smile, shaking his head. “Only those who speak to nature can hope to shape it in the forge. Those like us, Blue.”

The unicorn laughed a little, then he waded a little deeper, muttering: “Maybe you can, then... I still can't even manage my own repairs, yet.”

Sleipnir only shook his head, then gestured outwards with one hoof, suggesting: “The mythril must be near where the water flows in. 'Twill be acting like a sluice, draining the impurities from the liquid, straining out everything but the purest elements. 'Tis why the water is so clear and so smooth.”

Blueblood nodded hesitantly: at least he knew what to look for now. Still, it took him a few minutes to finally find what he thought might be the right place: a large crack that water seemed to be quietly pouring in from, although it was barely a stream, and barely making either sound or ripple.

He leaned down, peering in as best he could through the fissure before he frowned a bit, then said quickly: “Sleipnir, I think I found it! There's this... bright silver stuff in the hole here, it looks almost like it's lodged...”

“Then we may be near the lode. How solid is the rock?” Sleipnir asked, and Blueblood experimentally struck his hoof against it before blinking in surprise as part of the stone wall crumbled. “Well, either thou hast been training in secret, or...”

“It's pretty brittle.” Blueblood confirmed, carefully poking and testing the wall before he managed to grasp a large chunk of shale and jerk it loose. When it fell free, much of the rest of the wall collapsed with a splash into the water, Blueblood wincing away before he whistled a little at the creek he'd revealed, in a narrow but tall passage. “It's all sparkling... I think I can actually wiggle into here, too, but...”

Blueblood looked down, then reached up and picked up a small piece of ore the size of a tennis ball, studying the way it gleamed and almost glowed with fascination. And then Sleipnir laughed loudly, Blue looking over his shoulder in surprise before the stallion exclaimed: “'Tis more than enough for our purposes! Excellent Blue!”

Blueblood smiled a bit, then carefully lobbed the stone to Sleipnir, who caught it with a wide grin before he looked up and instructed: “Thou may search further if thou likes, but we have all we need here, so do not take long. If there are any other nuggets, then feel free to take them: if any are too large, though, leave them. We must not be greedy, and this is not our land: let the griffins discover it, if they are brave enough to venture this far.”

The unicorn hesitated... but then nodded reluctantly before he turned and stepped carefully into the hole he'd made. He felt some misgivings about letting a warlike race like the griffins get their claws on a large supply of mythril, but at the same time, he understood what Sleipnir was saying. And the stallion had a point, too: these caves weren't very dangerous, but they were extremely deep: he didn't think most people would be up to making this journey.

He wiggled his way carefully through the narrow passage, water splashing up to his waist before he managed to step out into another pool. And his eyes widened in amazement as he found himself staring at a gargantuan boulder of mythril that was lodged in the wall, veins of the same stuff extending outwards through the rock in all directions like the roots of a tree.

At the far side of this passage, Blue could see a waterfall steadily streaming down... and what caught his attention was that the water looked almost green. But the pool itself was only that ugly algae-like color around the edge of the waterfall: apparently Sleipnir hadn't been making things up when he said this metal purified what it touched.

Blueblood whistled as he stepped towards it... and then winced as he almost stumbled into a hidden, underwater trench, the stallion looking down in surprise before he realized that a deep chasm cut through the center of the pool, separating the boulder from everything else. Blueblood hesitated, then splashed at the water a little as he realized there was no way he was going to get across to it...

But as he looked down, he realized there were things gleaming here and there in the water... and the stallion laughed after a moment before he reached down and picked up another nugget. It was smaller than the first, but the unicorn smiled all the same: he had learned by now not to look a gift horse in the mouth, and not to take even the smallest things for granted, either.

He picked up the few nuggets he could find to tuck into his pack, noting that there was a vein in the ceiling and wondering if the mythril just... grew like fruit or something. It sounded completely ridiculous, but by now Blue had learned that nature had its own magic.

The stallion made his way back out to rejoin Sleipnir, who cocked his head curiously before Blue said wryly, gesturing over his shoulder: “Your rare mineral doesn't look like it's so rare.”

“Truly, 'tis that great a cache?” Sleipnir asked curiously, and Blueblood nodded before he approached and opened his path, turning so the earth pony could peer inside before he smiled warmly. “Oh, most excellent indeed! We shall put this to great use when the chance presents itself: we can make thee something truly fine.”

“Are you sure? I mean... it doesn't look like enough for even a knife.” Blueblood said dubiously, but Sleipnir only chuckled and shook his head.

“Nay, remember the strength of it! Were I to make armor, the plates would be thin as paper, but stronger than the strongest alloy!” Sleipnir declared, nodding firmly. “Likewise, a blade would be springy and slender, but all the same would cut with the ferocity of a war axe!”

Sleipnir halted, then quieted suddenly, and Blueblood frowned a little before the earth pony shook his head and said softly: “'Tis nothing, just... a moment of self-indulgent misery. I... I sense that it is too late, by far, for my help to matter in the war that has raged on. And I sense that something terrible has happened to my home, Valhalla. She cries out, Blue, and it echoes across all the worlds, but... but there is nothing I can do for her. And it hurts me to think so.”

Blueblood softened a little, then he hesitated before saying quietly: “Well, we're... we're going to get your portal working soon, right? And you'll be able to go home.”

Sleipnir only gave a brief smile, and then he looked down for a moment before shaking his head and murmuring: “Well, we shall see, at least. Aye, there is no use moping and fearing the worst. We must move forwards... and even should it fail, we will find a purpose for it. Aye, thou art right: let us make good our escape from this sad place.”

Blueblood nodded, and then he glanced over his shoulder silently, as if expecting to see Invidia there... but of course, she was gone. So after a moment, he simply shook his head before turning to follow the enormous earth pony.

Sleipnir had refilled their canteens, at least, and the pure water tasted good to Blueblood and took the edge off his hunger and exhaustion. He was amazed that Sleipnir was still on his hooves, but if anything, the earth pony seemed to be regaining strength even as he limped along: Blue was certain that any other pony would be dead by now, but Sleipnir... just kept going and going.

They walked for hours, heading upwards higher and higher through the twisting and turning tunnels until they strode into the crystalline cavern they had passed yesterday... and Blueblood felt a stinging pain in his stomach as he thought of Invidia, almost losing concentration on the light spell he was using to guide their way.

Sleipnir noticed his wince and stopped, the earth pony studying the younger stallion for a moment as Blue awkwardly lowered his head and looked away, before Sleipnir said softly: “Aye. This is a good place to rest for a moment, isn't it?”

“It... it is.” Blueblood agreed after a few seconds, and he flicked his horn to toss the sphere of light into the air, the light reflecting off the crystal and illuminating the entire area as Blueblood closed his eyes... and he could almost feel the gentle touch of a mare's hoof along his spine, whispering: “Cerulea... I miss you.”

He opened his eyes, but Sleipnir had politely turned away, and Blueblood appreciated it more than he could say. He found himself wandering shortly, before he smiled faintly as he picked up a small piece of crystal: it wasn't quite as round or smooth as the one Invidia had found, but it was still enough to let him gaze down into his reflection...

And Blueblood saw not a roguish young unicorn with a scar on his face, but a smiling unicorn colt gazing back at him. The colt had a darker, tanned coat and a darker mane, but the same blue eyes he had now... and Blueblood shook his head slowly before he tilted the mirror slowly to the side.

And there was Cerulea. Beautiful, both the parallel and opposite of Invidia. She was leaning over him, clinging to his shoulders, bright smile on her face, her eyes the same blue, her coat and mane like seafoam and sky, and he could almost feel her...

Blueblood shivered and shook himself, and when he looked back in the crystalline mirror, he only saw himself. He studied his own reflection for a few moments, then quietly tucked the mirror away, murmuring: “I'll remember you, Cerulea. I'll find you again one day.”

Blueblood turned towards Sleipnir, striding over to the earth pony and opening his mouth to say he was ready to go... and then he winced in surprise when the enormous stallion slapped a hoof over his jaws, Sleipnir's eyes narrowing before he cursed under his breath. “Damnation upon my weakened senses... Blue, we are not alone.”

The unicorn grimaced, then he pushed the stallion's hoof away before stepping forwards as he flicked his horn sharply, drawing his sword with a snarl of steel. Sleipnir looked at the unicorn with surprise, but Blueblood only leaned forwards, any possible fear swallowed up by almost-irrational anger as he shouted: “Show your faces, cowards, we know that you're there!”

There was a loud chuckle before a griffin emerged with a grin from the tunnel entrance ahead, saying mockingly: “Well, then you got ears. Good for you, big-ears. Let's see if you got enough brain to count too, chicken-turd.”

Blueblood's eyes narrowed as several more griffins emerged: there were four in total, two of them taking to the air and starting to circle threateningly as the other two stayed low on the ground. They were all armed: one of the flying griffins had a crossbow, and the other had a quiver on his back that was filled with barbed, dangerous-looking javelins.

The two on the ground were in heavier armor: probably too heavy to fly easily. One had a flanged mace he was tapping slowly against his free talon, and the other had a pair of hatchets on his waist. This last griffin seemed to be the one in charge: he was the only one who had spoken so far, and he seemed like the biggest and meanest, too.

The lead griffin grinned, then pointed at Sleipnir and asked: “What the hell happened to your buddy here, chicken turd? He fall down, go boom, hurt his poor wittle self? Or he just naturally that ugly, huh?”

The other griffins laughed, and Sleipnir scowled a little and set himself as Blueblood said coldly: “We don't have any quarrel with you. Let us pass.”

“No. First of all, I want to know more about this mythril crap.” said the griffin, and Blueblood frowned before Sleipnir shook his head in distaste, the earth pony relaxing slightly.

“Aye, I see. Thou art...” Sleipnir paused, then said thoughtfully: “Well, thy name appears to have slipped my mind, but 'tis been a rather trying few days, as thou can see. Thou art... Gilda? Glider? Gilly? Damnation, I know I am getting closer.”

“Giles.” growled the griffin, and Blueblood grimaced as he remembered the old professor... and his mercenary-looking surveyors, who both stood in front of them. Blair and Giles, if he remembered right... “But names don't matter, chicken-turd and big ugly. Soon both of you are going to be named dead meat if you don't tell me right now what I want to know. Right boys?”

The griffins in the air halted on either side of the ponies, staying high out of reach as one drew a javelin while the other aimed his crossbow at Sleipnir.

Blueblood winced at the griffins flanking them from the air, but Sleipnir seemed unperturbed, replying pointedly: “This is not a wise course of action; if thou harms us, thou shan't learn the way down to the mythril. And 'tis by far the largest deposit I have ever seen: what we have helped ourselves to are but crumbs compared to its size.”

Blue looked uncomfortably over at Sleipnir: the earth pony was only lying by technicality, but the unicorn felt like he was maybe showing a little bit more of their hand than he should... and then he winced when Giles demanded: “Show me.”

Sleipnir shrugged, then gestured at Blueblood, and the unicorn sighed before he reached back into his saddlebag and withdrew a piece of mythril. The griffin scowled, then held out a talon... before the crossbow rose and the javelin was cocked back when Blue took a single step forwards, Giles saying coldly: “You make another step, and you die, little pony. No, you roll that to me, nice and easy, see?”

Blueblood cursed under his breath, but when he looked back at the enormous earth pony, Sleipnir nodded. Still, Blue hesitated, and Giles snorted in contempt before he snapped: “Come on! Your big ugly daddy there just gave you his permission, didn't he? Or what, chicken turd, you need him to throw it to me for you, too?”

The unicorn twitched a bit, and then he gritted his teeth before looking back at Sleipnir... and the earth pony sighed tiredly before giving a grumpy nod, saying wryly: “Well, thou cannot say I did not try, at least.”

Giles began to snarl, and then his eyes widened in surprise as Blue tossed the piece of mythril into the air: it arced backwards instead of forwards, however, and the griffin began to open his beak... before staring and realizing too late what was about to happen as Sleipnir drew one hoof back.

The enormous stallion punched the piece of mythril through the air, sending it rocketing into Giles' face and knocking him crashing backwards in a broken heap with a fine spray of crimson blood. The other griffins reacted almost immediately, Blair leaping forwards as the aerial griffins both took aim-

Blueblood leapt up and slashed out his sword, and the griffin wielding the crossbow swore and flapped his wings hard to try and get out of range, firing his bolt wild. Menawhile, the second griffin flung its javelin at the unicorn's back, but was then left gaping as Sleipnir's front hoof shot out and he caught the short throwing spear by the neck. “Now, friend, do not lose thyself to battlelust so easily! There is no honor in that!”

And then, without missing a beat, Sleipnir simply slapped the javelin out when Blair leapt at him, the griffin swearing as he attempted to turn the swing of his mace into a shielding gesture.

The heavy flanged mace smashed through the javelin... or maybe it was more right to say the javelin smashed itself apart against the mace; either way, the griffin was sent staggering painfully backwards, dropping his weapon before Sleipnir leapt forwards with the broken javelin and slammed the little pole that remained down as hard as he could, clubbing the griffin to the ground and leaving him in a broken, dazed heap.

The griffin in the air began to grab wildly at the quiver on his back, but then Sleipnir easily scooped up the stunned griffin in front of him before he flung the half-conscious mercenary through the air, sending him crashing like a cannonball into the other griffin and knocking them both to the ground in broken, dazed heaps.

Sleipnir grinned wryly at this even as he rubbed at his aching shoulder, and then he smiled a bit as he turned his eyes towards Blue, watching the unicorn deflect a bolt from the crossbow with his sword before he replied with a blast of telekinesis that hammered into one of the griffin's wings, knocking the mercenary to the ground. His crossbow caught unevenly beneath him, and there was sickening crack of bone as the griffin howled... then gargled when Blueblood slammed a hoof across his face and knocked him crashing painfully onto his back with a broken beak.

Blueblood jumped on top of the griffin, sword raised, and Sleipnir's eyes narrowed... but a moment later, Blue only grimaced before slamming the pommel of his blade down, knocking the griffin into an unconscious heap. He glared balefully down at the mercenary, but then simply stepped back and looked over his shoulder at the earth pony, saying finally: “This isn't nearly as fun as I imagined it would be.”

“Aye, but is it ever?” Sleipnir asked kindly, and Blue looked back and forth before the earth pony asked: “Does thou at least feel a little better?”

“Not really. You did all the work again and... well, look at you.” Blueblood gestured awkwardly at the bruised and beaten earth pony, grimacing a little before he turned his moody eyes towards Giles as the mercenary gave a weak moan. “What do we do with them?”

“Oh, leave them, of course. I do not think there are any others apart from this brash little group. Perhaps in the future they will learn to be smarter.” Sleipnir said mildly, and Blueblood smiled a little: he didn't know if that wish was a kindness or a cruelty on Sleipnir's part.

Blue took a moment to search the fallen griffins as the earth pony absently poked around the room, gathering a few useful gemstones and the nugget of mythril they'd knocked out Giles with; the mercenaries didn't have anything useful on them, however, apart from some flint and tinder and a few small lanterns. The latter he smashed, and the former he stuffed into his own sidepack before they continued onwards and left the griffins in the dark.

Blue channeled a simple light spell ahead of him, while Sleipnir studied him for a while before he finally smiled warmly and said cheerfully: “Thou reminds me of my little sister!”

The stallion sighed, but he knew by now that Sleipnir never meant this kind of thing as an insult: he truly adored his sisters, after all, and thought the world of them... which made Blueblood think quietly of the Luna and Celestia he knew, as he murmured: “I really don't think I'm anything like either of my aunts, though.”

“I do not think thou art, either. But that is because thou art thine own person. And thou can be certain there are flashes of both my siblings in thee from time-to-time. Perhaps the helm I made for thee is indeed lending thou the strengths of my family, as I had hoped it would!” Sleipnir said warmly, and then he smiled as he looked ahead, saying honestly: “Thou art truly one of the very few reasons I have not gone mad with heartache in this world, Blue. I feel as if we were meant to know one-another. I feel as if we are kin, you and I.”

Blueblood only shrugged a little, blushing a bit: not out of embarrassment, but because he couldn't imagine comparing himself to this incredible earth pony. Even if they shared a connection with nature that Blueblood was still trying to understand, he was no warrior, no hero... “It... it means a lot to hear you say that. But-”

“No buts. Buttocks are not for shoving rudely into compliments, but for touching and teasing and sometimes slapping.” Sleipnir said easily, and Blue couldn't help but laugh in spite of everything, looking with amusement up at the stallion as the earth pony added kindly: “But thou must always judge well the character of the pony before thou lays hoof upon their rump. And thou must always remember, as my little sister says, 'a slap or touch is pleasing, but to grope and fondle is most unwelcome.' But of course she was speaking of strangers. I am very sure she was very fond of having her buttocks fondled. She was always shoving it in the face of her husband, after all.”

Blue couldn't help but laugh again, feeling some of the sadness falling away from his body before he smiled warmly, looking up and focusing his light down the passage as he asked: “How do you do that? How do you make everything... I don't know. Maybe you don't fix everything, but you just... you make it more bearable.”

“What a silly question. I am merely happy.” Sleipnir shrugged easily, smiling again before he said kindly: “All I do is strive to be happy, because there is no real point in being sad. 'Tis nothing bad in being sad, but it does not do good for ourselves, nor those around us, either. It does not honor our lost friends, and it makes us short tempered and foul. So why not strive to simply smile, even when it rains? For the rain is good, too. The rain is necessary. Without rain, the soil would be arid, and no new life would be born from nature's womb.”

Blueblood smiled a little, gazing up at Sleipnir before he nodded slowly, then bit his lip before saying suddenly, surprising himself with how honest his words were: “I think Cerulea would prefer me to be happy, instead of... mourning her.”

“Aye, I think she would, too. Because she would not wish for thee to mourn. I think instead, she would wish for thee to celebrate.” Sleipnir looked up, and Blueblood tilted his head before the earth pony said softly: “Perhaps 'tis just because I am of a different time and culture, but... I would prefer to sing and drink and remember the good times spent with those lost to us, than to be sad and sulky over their loss. Oh, aye, it hurts the heart fiercely to lose someone... but I do not believe our loved ones ever truly leave us. Why, I feel my little sister and brother even now... even though I know they are dead.”

Blueblood looked up in shock and stumbled to a halt, and Sleipnir slowed to his own stop, lowering his head before he said softly: “Aye, they died, and I was not there to aid them. Valhalla is lost. My home has changed in ways that it hurts me to think of, Blue, and I know this as fact. I have felt it in my heart and soul, and I have seen other signs, less subtle... why, look at thy helm.”

Blue frowned uneasily at this, and then he carefully reached up and pulled his helm off, looking down at it... and then his eyes widened slightly as he realized there really was something different. Something so subtle he would never have noticed it without Sleipnir pointing it out, but now that he had, it was clear as day...

Several runes had darkened, like the metal had become blemished. He studied this with disbelief, then looked up at Sleipnir before whispering: “How long?”

“I do not know. Weeks? Months?” Sleipnir shrugged slowly, looking ahead down the tunnel before he said quietly: “I did not notice the change right away either, and for a time, I was doing all I could to resist believing these bad feelings... for aye, even I find some truths hard to stomach and accept. But... I have come to. All the same, I have come to.”

Sleipnir stopped, then chuckled and shook his head slowly, murmuring: “And 'tis selfish of me to wish 'twas any different. I am certain that if they died, my friend, then 'twas fighting a fierce foe... and I know no enemy could defeat them without great cost to itself. I have no doubt the enemy is either broken and in ruin, or was brought low along with my brother and sister... and there is no better way to die. No better way to die, than to die upon thy hooves, standing up for all thou believes in against a mighty enemy! I will sing their praises for evermore and a day!”

Sleipnir laughed and stomped a hoof, grinning as he looked up, even as tears sparkled in his eyes. “Aye! And now, in the after-afterlife, I know my sister and brother shall live forever in the halls of the brave, known to all for their courage... and let us not forget their mischief! I am sure Luna is adventuring, and her faithful mare Scrivener following loyally behind her, dedicated as always... and of course, Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle, their confidante, the last piece of the puzzle that has always been my siblings, best friend and closest admirer...”

The earth pony lowered his head, then he shook it slowly before saying softly: “I have no room for sadness in my heart right now. Aye, Blue. Do not be sad for me. Celebrate with me. Tonight, I will tell you a story about a wicked Jötnar named Valthrudnir, and how he was thwarted. 'Tis a grand tale, thou will enjoy every moment of it, and it will carry us through the nights until we reach the border, at the least.”

Blueblood didn't know what to say: nothing seemed appropriate, nothing seemed... right. And he bit his lip for a moment before finally simply nodding, studying Sleipnir silently before he reached up and touched his shoulder, saying quietly: “I... I want you to know that you don't have to bear these burdens alone, Sleipnir. You say it, but... there isn't anything wrong with being sad. There isn't anything wrong with... relying on others.”

“I rely upon thee more than enough as it is, my friend.” Sleipnir said gently, but then he gave a small smile before nodding, lowering his head respectfully even as he murmured: “I know thou art here for me. But some things... they are simply hard to talk about.”

Blueblood nodded a little, looking down at his helmet before he cleared his throat and carefully put it back on, murmuring: “Well... let's see if we can find our way out of here.”

He focused back ahead, light spilling from his horn and filling the tunnel again, and Sleipnir smiled faintly as he nodded to the stallion and fell in step behind him. He limped only a little, but it was clear that the pain that was bothering him most wasn't the physical wounds scarring his body, but the ache in his heart that wouldn't go away, no matter how hard he tried, and no matter how much he did his best to smile.

Yet all the same, he was smiling, and part of him was happy, and proud: his sister had been a Valkyrie, after all, and there was nothing more shameful to a Valkyrie than the thought of dying anywhere but the battlefield. And his brother had been the same way: even if he'd been quieter and had done a far better job of hiding his face, Sleipnir all the same had known his true heart: he had been a warrior, through and through. And whether or not he had been a Clockwork creation or a real pony, Sleipnir had accepted him as family, and as a pony he was honored to stand on the battlefield beside.

For some strange reason, though, it was harder to know what had happened to Twilight Sparkle: he felt less that she had died, and more like she had perhaps been... stolen away. What a strange thought that was: as a Lich, she had been soulbound to her phylactery, and her phylactery had been Luna and Scrivener themselves. A complicated story, too complex for him to think about the details of now: what mattered was that if something had happened to Luna and Scrivener, she should have vanished with them... but did she?

And what of Valhalla? What had happened to his home? Why did he feel like Asgard was crying out, as if it had been... burned? Not corrupted or twisted by the god they had fought, but like something else had happened: like perhaps all the battles and skirmishes had only been a prelude to the true poisoning of the Vale of Heaven.

That ached to think: what if all the time he had been needed, could have made a difference... and here he was, gathering up materials for a portal that he was growing more and more sure wouldn't work. And if the portal didn't work... what was he going to do? As much as had come to enjoy this world, even if he loved Blueblood as much as he did his family, he didn't belong here. And he had his phoenix to return to, and his daughter, and a war to fight...

Too many thoughts. Sleipnir shook his head briefly, and then he dropped his head forwards and took a silent breath before looking up as he forced his mind to clear. He would do what he had always done, and tackle things one at a time. He would just keep moving forwards, little by little, until he figured out how he could return home... and after he had made sure that Blueblood was safe, and that he had kept his promise to the best of his ability.

Because there was something tickling at his senses: something else dark and wicked that warned him that something evil was lurking on the horizon, just waiting for them to let down their guard. Perhaps they had defeated the Harbinger, but what was she meant to be a Harbinger of? Not just Blueblood's rule, Sleipnir was somehow certain: demons were certainly fond of their fancy titles, but the titles only had meaning when they meant something.

But everything would be revealed in time, he knew: until then, all he could do was keep moving forwards, and try and smile as much as he could along the way. All he could do was prepare, and enjoy his time with Blue, and ensure that the unicorn was kept safe, no matter what else.

And Sleipnir smiled, because there was no point in doing anything else, as he rose his head and swallowed his pain and his worries for now. Yes, for now, he would just keep moving forwards... and do everything he could to enjoy the journey, instead of fearing for the end.

Comments

[BlackRoseRaven]

4802327

3.5 Rules. So uh... 4 skill points invested, a whopping +20 bonus CHA modifier (+1 for each point invested over 10), and 1 bonus point because his mane is so pretty.
But no worries. The wonderful thing about a story is that it's always here to read when you have the time for it, so there's never any rush. I'm just glad you're still enjoying it so far.

[BlackRoseRaven]

4807190

You made a very good theory, though. And now there's only a few loose ends to tie up from here.
Although the next chapter is going to be some much needed nonsense.

[ezy goin]

He was amazed that Sleipnir was still on his hooves, but if anything, the earth pony seemed to be regaining strength even as he limped along: Blue was certain that any other pony would be dead by now, but Sleipnir... just kept going and going.

Hah! Sleipnir, the energizer pony.

In all seriousness though. The Harbinger is gone, they found the last piece of the portal, and now Sleipnir's worried about another looming shadow? How much more action can Blueblood take here?

[BlackRoseRaven]

4807386

My stories are like the Bermuda Triangle. People get pulled in, horrendous and inexplicable things happen to them, and it's a fight against time to survive. Blue is definitely getting the full treatment here, yes, and he still has... a little ways to go. But in a completely not corny way, his greatest challenges are definitely still waiting ahead.

[Lelouch Vi Britania]

Tonight, I will tell you a story about a wicked Jötnar named Valthrudnir, and how he was thwarted.

Blueblood doesn't know what he's in for...

[Axel van Daeren]

On the surface, this chapter is horribly depressing as we learn about Zleipnir's family starting to be killed off.

On the other hand, Sleipnir himself already died once - what's to stop him going and 'rescuing' his lost family the way they did him? Death doesn't really seem permanent in this multiverse, at least not when applied to figurative titans like Sleipnir.