The Crucible of Restoration

by Golden Paw

Chapter Nineteen

“I can’t believe Silver wanted me to do that! I certainly wasn’t that desperate to pass a silly test when I was younger.” Foresight stomped back and forth before Impasse’ container, venting her disbelief.

The room was dark, Foresight having purposefully left the lights off to hide her anger. What had started out as an intriguing day had turned out to be nothing more than a simple case of cheating. Cheating! Foresight was annoyed more at the disappointment than anything else.

“They are only foals Foresight, they don’t usually have grand plans and intricate schemes beyond the next treat,” Impasse called patiently in response to Foresight’s rant.

“That’s not the point Impasse, I certainly had better things to do with my time than hypnotise a teacher and steal the questions to an up and coming quiz when I was their age,” Foresight snapped.

“Your talents were not developed enough for you to even try at that age,” Impasse added and if Foresight didn’t know any better she would have thought he was being smug.

She stared at the sloping surface as if she could see the lithi within by sheer force of will. Impasse had been ‘stored’ in the palace basements as per Shining Armour’s instructions. Well away from the living quarters and more importantly the foals. It seemed that Cadence and Shining hadn’t told their children about the lithi and Foresight didn’t blame them.

“You did manage to make a good impression upon the youth from what I understand, plus you did have fun helping Platinum out with his problem,” Impasse continued and Foresight snorted in concession.

“Well yes it was kind of fun to show those bullies what for,” Foresight agreed on that point at least. Growing up she’d been the recipient of far too many school yard bullies herself and it felt good to even the score, even if only in some small way.

It was an astonishing fact that Foresight had only come to understand with age: Bullies were cowards at heart. If there was one thing a dark unicorn was good at it was knowing others’ fears and how to use them to an advantage.

She recalled little Platinum armed with her support, confronting the two colts who’d been making his life a misery. Typical thugs in the making if Foresight was any judge, a unicorn and an earth pony had taken it into their heads to gang up on Platinum.

The looks on their faces when with her coaching and mental prompts Platinum had resisted their every jibe and name, countered their threats and finally sent them both packing with their tails between their legs.

Of course Foresight had helped only a little bit, probing the pair’s thoughts for the things that would make them sweat while feeding that information to Platinum. What he mostly needed to do was stand up to them and Foresight had simply been the vehicle to help Platinum have the courage to do so.

“You also had a fine day with Strong Heart as well, so it sounds like the day was not a wasted effort after all,” Impasse prompted.

Foresight nodded again, when looked at from that angle the day had been pretty good actually. Strong was surprisingly insightful, Foresight recalled, and a very good reader of ponies. Forceful and direct, Cadence’s youngest certainly knew her own mind and Foresight could see a future leader in the filly. No doubt an inspiring and probably good officer role lay in her future.

In a way they all were Foresight mused, being foals of royalty had a habit of moulding children to be leaders in their own right. Silver Tongue had the mind of a politician or Foresight was an alicorn. Platinum had a tender nature which would one day grow into a burning need to protect others.

“High birth isn’t what makes a good pony,” Foresight recalled her father telling her, “It’s the lessons taught while they’re young that truly shapes a colt.”

She could see that lesson in Cadence and Shining’s offspring. Neither hadn’t been born royalty, but had earned their place through merit. They were determined to teach that lesson to Platinum, Silver and Strong.

Foresight had since discovered that such wisdom wasn’t infallible of course. Some ponies were bad apples and no amount of coaching or help would change that. Seeing into the minds of others gave Foresight a unique perspective on things.

Foresight chuckled to herself, realising she’d been lost in thought for several minutes now. Her talent for looking into the past and in some measure the future was what made her special. Coupled with the unnatural powers of a dark unicorn it made for a powerful, if easily distracting, combination.

“Thanks Impasse, you always did know how to cheer me up,” Foresight said softly as she broke out of her musings.

There were several moments silence before Impasse spoke up again, “Did you tell Cadence about the door you found?”

“Not yet. I’ve been a little distracted you know,” Foresight replied as she sat down and rested her back against Impasse’ pyramid. She looked about the humble store room and smiled to see that even here the crystal ponies had taken the time to decorate and beautify even this humble room.

“You ‘are’ planning to tell her what you have found?” Impasse pressed and Foresight scrunched up her muzzle.

In truth that was what had been bothering her, far more than the simple cares of foals. Something about that door made Foresight feel deeply uneasy. It practically radiated evil magic and she was almost certain that the fleeing cloud of emotions Foresight had hunted through the palace had lead her there on purpose. That door wanted to be found.

It was impossible to explain this to Impasse, buildings didn’t have emotions as such, but those that lived in them left imprints. Echos of the personalities of their inhabitants and that door was steeped in malice. A burning need to bring darkness to the world so strong that even after its master was gone (Foresight had little doubt now that Sombra was behind its creation) it sought even now to carry on his wishes.

“I don’t know Impasse. I suspect that chamber wants me to tell Cadence and Shining about its existence,” Foresight finally spoke up as she looked into the arched ceiling overhead and tried to imagine what the pair would do should they discover what was lurking under their city. Surely they would want to destroy it? How could that be a bad thing?

“Your intuition in such matters has seldom been wrong before Foresight,” Impasse said slowly.

Foresight nodded with a frown, “I know, that’s why I haven’t mentioned it yet. I think I should investigate it further before I tell them.”

“That could also be ‘its’ plan, lure a single pony in and ensnare them,” Impasse reasoned and Foresight could see the logic in that statement too.

Foresight had been distracting herself, finding any excuses to avoid mentioning it to Cadence or Shining. But it sat ill with her, leaving a probably dangerous cancer to cause havoc at some later date seemed incredibly foolish to her.

“I could go, I have no temptations to exploit nor fears to manipulate,” Impasse suggested and Foresight felt her heart clench. Why did he always have to be the selfless hero?

Despite the lithi’s protested lack of emotions Foresight was beginning to suspect that they were afflicted with some kind of self destructive obsession. The willingness they showed in throwing themselves into danger seemed to suggest more than just a cold logic. The line between the fearless soldier and plainly suicidal was becoming thinner every day for them.

But Foresight loved him all the more for such. Fear and love, love and fear, it was a complex muddle that tugged at her constantly. Did she even love the real Impasse? Or just the ‘idea’ of the noble warrior? Foresight didn’t honestly know anymore. She certainly didn’t want to lose him, whichever one it was.

“You’re going to get yourself killed one of these days Impasse,” Foresight mumbled darkly and for once Impasse remained quiet.

---

Twilight dived aside as the massive jaws impacted, sending frozen slush and dirt flying in every direction. The wind was knocked out of her as she struck the ground hard and the world filled with shattering sounds as the force of the elemental’s attack fractured its body.

Long cracks spread up and across the worm, sending frozen shrapnel in every direction. Twilight was just too slow in raising another shield and several splinters nicked her. Mercifully the barrier armour she was wearing absorbed most of the damage, but another hit like that…..

Cries of dismay assailed her ears and Twilight took a moment to look about the sudden battlefield. The giant ice worms had scattered the defenders, pegasi were now darting this way and that, bucking and battering the frozen foes. What had begun as cohesive force was fast dissolving into knots of desperate ponies and further cries made Twilight glance upwards.

With her concentration broken the spells she’d been weaving had faltered and even now more elementals were pouring in through the gaps in Twilight’s crumbling shield. With a flash the defence batteries aboard the Bloomberg opened fire, but it was sporadic at best.

Nor was her own worm finished, its shadow fell across Twilight and she was forced to erect another magical bubble to deflect the four pronged jaws from crushing her. This left the already weakened field to collapse totally and the leaks became a flood, allowing thousands of elementals to sweep in.

Twilight felt her heart sink as she saw the situation spiralling out of control and came to a hard decision, “Captain, raise the shields again.”

There was silence on the comms line for a moment before the horrified voice of Bold replied, “Your highness you cannot be serious! I’m rushing the reserves to your aid even as we speak if we can….”

“No Captain. It’s no use, the plan failed and if you don’t secure the Bloomberg now all will be lost,” Twilight replied in a deadened manner, her voice as cold as the snow all around.

“That will leave you trapped outside! I can’t….” Bold Storm practically pleaded only for Twilight to cut him off.

“You can Captain and you will. I will gather the others and make a break for it,” Twilight said sternly as she ignored what looked to be the body of a pegasus bouncing off her personal shield.

She looked up at the airship and for the tiniest moment feared that Bold’s stubbornness would get the better of him, but with a sigh of relief she saw the glittering barrier become whole again. The Bloomberg continued to rise, now free of its cargo of elementals. Twilight took comfort that at least the crew and ship were safe.

The moment passed and Twilight closed her eyes. She drew in what strength she had and felt the crackling magic begin to gather about her. When Twilight opened her eyes again they shone with power and she let her anger build. Her mane wavered in the sudden arcane gale along with her tail.

With a cry Twilight’s horn seemed to explode into a new star and a searing bolt of magic lanced straight through the towering worm above her. The beam neatly sliced the creature in two, causing the upper half of its body to tumble away before shattering on the hard ground.

“Lieutenant, I want your soldiers to converge on my position. I can’t shield them scattered as they are,” Twilight’s voice was calm despite the fear bubbling up inside. She needed to be their rock right now.

“Understood your Highness, I will do my best to gather the troops,” Javelin’s strained reply sounded in Twilight’s ear.

She looked about and spotted a collection of boulders a little way off, hopefully the worms couldn’t dig through that. Twilight grunted as fresh elementals struck her shield before dispatching them with several shots from her horn. Clearing the immediate space around herself Twilight saw her first objective.

With the Bloomberg continuing to rise the rush of attackers thinned, they seemed far more interested in the airship than the ponies scattered below. Twilight thanked the heavens for small mercies before she pushed forward to where a group of pegasi were desperately fighting off several ice wolves.

The reason why they weren’t airborne became quickly obvious when Twilight drew closer, several wounded soldiers were lying within rapidly shrinking ring of defenders. Twilight wasted no time and summoned up two walls of arcane force. They swept forward like edges of a plow, throwing the monsters aside and leaving her a clear path to the embattled ponies.

Shards of exploded wolves lined Twilight’s path as she landed panting among the soldiers who looked at her in awe, “Don’t just stand there! Gather the wounded and head for those rocks!” There was no time for fancy words or inspiring speeches now, just the simple barked orders of a ruler to her subjects.

Twilight was able to lower her own shield and without the effort of maintaining it she was able to redouble her own efforts in striking down the creatures all around. Twilight’s horn sizzled as she cast spell after spell into the attacking horde.

She hurled waves of crushing force to smash a hydra that was between her small band and the dubious safety of the rocks before motioning for the pegasi onwards, “Move! Don’t stop!” They didn’t need to be told twice and before the shattered chunks of the beast had even reached the ground the ponies were driving past them and onto firmer ground.

Twilight wasn’t the only one using impressive magic either, in a brief lull she saw the pegasi using their own innate talents. Buffeting winds hurled ice eagles into trees to shatter while the field resounded to the rolling claps of thunder. Sonic explosions boomed around them, literally shaking their targets apart.

Twilight had seldom seen the battle magic of the pegasi and would have been fascinated if the situation wasn’t so dire. It was a primal thing, as if the very heavens were lending them aid. So unlike the refined unicorn magic she used, but no less effective for it directness.

She could also see that it wasn’t enough, the ground was already littered with dead and dying ponies. They’d gambled and now it was the soldiers that were paying the price. At a rough estimate Twilight counted only a third of the ponies who’d come with her were still battle worthy. All in all the situation was verging on disaster.

It was heart wrenching, but Twilight stubbornly forced down the urge to weep, to curl up into a ball and cry her eyes out. Being a leader was to make such choices and to work with the consequences.

Twilight watched as Javelin lead the bedraggled flight of ponies he’d been able to gather towards the rocks, far fewer than Twilight would have hoped for. It was almost beautiful in its own way. The pegasi fought with skill and courage, each one of them easily a match for the flying elementals, pony to beast.

But the monsters numbers were telling, even with the Bloomberg drawing away the majority of the flying foes each pegasi was out numbered at least five to one. The flying herd were less than a hundred meters from Twilight now and she resolved to make sure that no more fell during the final hurdle, “Captain can you see us?”

“Yes your Highness,” Bold’s reply came back, heavy with worry.

“Can you clear the path for Javelin in any way? I’ve got my hooves full keeping those already with me safe,” Twilight enquired smartly.

There was a pause before a more confident Bold answered, “We’ll do what we can your Highness, you can count on us!”

Twilight hurled another bolt at a looming frost worm, the massive beast was bearing down upon their makeshift fort and her shot was just in time to stagger it before the glittering jaws closed on a grounded pegasi who peered up at her with gratitude.

A resounding ‘boom’ sounded out from overhead and Twilight was relieved to see several ice eagles tumble from the sky, their forms disintegrating as they fell. Whatever Bold had decided to do seemed to be working.

A confused shout drew Twilight’s attention back to the conflict on the ground. It wasn’t just the airborne elementals that were falling. She watched as several pegasi stopped mid strike, their opponents crumbling before their eyes.

Twilight glanced back to the worm she’d struck earlier and to her astonishment saw it too was writhing. It lashed back and forth as huge chunks sloughed from the creature, dissolving into slush and leaving the stunned defenders to look on in awe.

“Captain I don’t know what you did, but keep doing it!” Twilight yelled.

“It wasn’t us Princess there’s…..” Bold’s bemused reply was cut off by another thunderus explosion.

Open mouthed Twilight looked up to see some sort of struggle playing out within the mass of elementals. Flashes and further cracks of thunder pealed out across the scene and with every rumble the attacking monsters shuddered.

“By Celestia,” Bold mutter over the comms line and Twilight didn’t have long to wait for an explanation.

Something large and repellant landed before her, it reeked of rotten meat and stagnant water. It was an amalgamation of what looked to be murky ice and dead flesh, shaped into the vague shape of a towering dragon.

It turned glowing blue eyes upon them and heaved out a roar that was accompanied by a wash of foul air. Twilight was forced to cover her nose and heard several of the nearby soldiers retching. Nor was this new horror alone.

The air all around was now alive with fighting creatures, the clear ice elementals turned away from the struggling pegasi and instead tore into the misshapen brutes that had struck them from behind. Twilight and the others shied back, but instead of pressing forward the ‘dragon’ slowly turned its head away and lunged into the battle beyond.

The fresh mountain air became heavy with the smell of rot and death, a billowing cloud of reeking odour followed this new army like a shroud and Twilight felt her eyes stinging as the noxious vapours swept over her.

“They’re only attacking each other!” A pony off to Twilight’s side shouted and she saw it was true. The ponies it seemed had been entirely forgotten as the monsters all around began to systematically dismember each other.

Shattered elementals tumbled to the ground, knocked out of the sky by bat winged reeking horrors who were then in turn shredded by sharp frozen talons. It was as a scene borne of nightmares, but Twilight felt a new sense of hope, “Captain get ready for us to make a break for the ship, I’m not one to let this opportunity pass.”

Javelin clattered down along with the bloody remnants of the pegasi force. He spotted Twilight and gave her an exhausted salute, “Your Highness I’ve never seen anything like it. Has somepony emptied the prisons of Tartarus and set them against each other?”

Twilight stood dumbfounded. The description was an apt one and she was at a loss to explain it either, “I don’t know Lieutenant, but this at least gives us a chance.” Twilight spread her wings, aiming to look far more impressive than she truly felt inside, “I want you to gather the wounded all together, when I give the signal Bold will drop the shields and we can start teleporting them aboard. I need you and your flights to safeguard them and me while I do it.”

Javelin nodded before quickly yelling orders to the ponies nearby. Twilight didn’t watch him go, her gaze set firmly on the monsters still struggling all around them, “Thank the heavens, I don’t know why they’re attacking each other but I’m sure glad they hate each other more than us right now.”

“We’re ready to try again your highness,” Bold’s resolute tones crackled in Twilight’s earpiece.

“Thank you Captain, are the skies about you still clear? I don’t want to fall for another trick from these things,” Twilight replied curtly.

“They’re attacking each other like a sack of cats Princess. I don’t think we’re going to get a better shot than this,” Bold said with no amount of relief.

“Very good. On my mark drop the shields but keep the gunners ready just in case and have the cargo bay ready to receive us.” Twilight shut off the link and concentrated on the sorry looking injured that Javelin had gathered together.

There were a sorry bunch, and far fewer than Twilight had hopped for. Still that meant less to transport even if more were lying out there on the corpse covered field. Shaking aside these cares Twilight closed her eyes and readied herself, “Now Captain and let’s hope there are no more complications.”

The so recently raised barrier surrounding the Bloomberg dropped for the second time and Twilight began the taxing duty of ferrying the wounded aboard.

---

“Get them stretchers ready! No put em over there not here, that’s where she’ll be comin in!” Applebloom yelled over the clamour as the crew frantically tried to make ready for the incoming wounded. What were yer tellin Pip about not startin a war?

Applebloom snorted as the teams began to reposition the stretchers and other vital supplies out of the way. They’d drilled this kind of thing hundreds of times, but had never had to put emergency teleportation into practice.

Despite her manner Applebloom was actually quite proud of the crews as they worked out the kinks after a few false starts. They were a good crew, but the stresses of effectively a three day siege had ground them like a millstone. Now it was time for action all that pent up worry and fear was finally finding an outlet, making them sloppy.

“Shield’s down Boss!” Pip’s voice called out and Applebloom gave the hoove’s up for them to begin. It was a relief to have him running the power rooms, one of the few things that reassured Applebloom about this whole sorry mess.

Almost instantly a large purple dome appeared in the cargo bay and Applebloom could see the vague shapes of ponies within. The magical bubble grew until with a sudden crack Twilight along with several injured pegasi were revealed, “Okay fillies and gents Get on it!”

Twilight blinked owlishly and Applebloom noted how tired she looked, but before Applebloom could say another word Twilight’s horn shone and she vanished just as suddenly as she’d appeared. The medical crews galloped forward and with admirable skill shifted the wounded out of the way with tender hooves and magic.

Applebloom quickly motioned for the next wave of medics to get ready before nodding for the ready signal to be sent. After a brief delay the whole process started again and soon Twilight was back, panting with effort.

“Just...two...more...back soon,” Twilight gasped and Applebloom had seldom felt more proud of her Princess than now.

Without awaiting a reply Twilight was gone again Applebloom shook her head in awe, “Well done Big D,” Applebloom tilted her head at the medical crews, “Knew we could count on somepony ter do their job right! Go!”

The crews repeated the same dance, this time with more confidence. It seemed the drills and practice were finally paying off. That was the thought that kept Applebloom focused as the latest casualties were hurried away. Some of them didn’t look like they were going to make it, it was in their eyes, that distant look.

The floor was cleared again of casualties and for the third time Applebloom signaled their readiness. Everyone was poised when the glowing dome of teleportation appeared and Applebloom didn’t have to say a word. They cut straight to the tasks assigned them.

Twilight had sweat pouring off her now and a slight tremble in her wings. But still her horn glowed again and Twilight vanished with a crackle of power. The collection of pegasi looked to be in better shape this time around, some of them were even sitting on their haunches. Applebloom was even more impressed.

Twilight as ever had been organising to perfection, bringing the worst off in her first two trips and leaving the the less critical until last. Even when the whole world was goin mad Big D will make sure it falls down in good order.

The final teleport was the smallest and Applebloom was not surprised that Twilight actually staggered when she arrived. The last few were trotting wounded, and didn’t need much help to get them away.

Applebloom galloped up to her and with a sisterly hug practically caught Twilight before she fell down, “Nice one Big D, yer reall….” Applebloom began before Twilight turned two fear gripped eyes towards her.

“I saw them A.B. They were fighting, two of them!” Twilight gasped as she heaved in lung fulls of air.

“Don’t talk Twi, yer plain shattered and…” Applebloom tried again but Twilight shook her head.

“No A.B, there were two rams out there and they were fighting each other. I saw one kill the other! He….” Twilight stammered out between gasps.

“Your Highness the elementals, they’re all crumbling! I believe the other things have won,” Applebloom heard Bold yell from Twilight’s earpiece. “What are your orders?”

Applebloom dearly wanted to know that too, but Twilight finally chose that moment to pass out.