Bridging the Rift

by sincarnation

Chapter 6: Lost

Equestria 3:15am, 2nd of Maruk, 6 Months after the return of Artemis – Luna’s Bedroom, Canterlot

“Wait what? That’s not what I said, Artemis?” started Luna before she realized the conversation had been cut off.

“I thought mares were supposed to be the moody ones. What is going on with him?”

Luna knew that there were always two things constantly his mind these days, her and the Griffons. She was also knew that she wasn’t really being all that helpful when it came to resolving the situation with the Griffons, mostly because she was torn on the subject as well. Part of her wanted the Griffons to pay for their crimes, but the merciful, reasonable, part told her that genocide wasn’t the way to go. She knew two wrongs don’t make a right, but in this case it was even truer. The only result would be that the world would be left with two crippled and perpetually hostile species, and her benevolent side wouldn’t let the innocent Griffons be punished for the crimes of their ancestors.

“Why does this have to be so frustrating?” groaned Luna as she walked onto her balcony. “This would be so much easier if I let him have his way, but I just can’t.”

The worst part was the strain it was putting on their relationship, before they rarely seriously argued over anything and now anything could start one. The arguments had been increasing in frequency and intensity all because they couldn’t come to a reasonable solution they both felt satisfied with. Unfortunately Artemis’s rationality went out the window when it came to the Griffons, but she couldn’t even really fault him for that. She couldn’t imagine how she would react if their situations had been reversed.

“I probably would’ve succumbed to my emotions again, unleashing something worse than Nightmare Moon.”

Then there was the other issue of how the public was taking their relationship, it wasn’t being taken as well as she had expected. While few dared say anything to her directly, she knew Artemis wasn’t being treated well everywhere in the city. On more than one occasion she had found shards of glass or trash entangled in his fur, but he refused to even acknowledge that anything happened. She knew he had incredible restraint, but even she worried what would happen if somepony caught him on the wrong day.

She had always admired and been a little jealous of the self-discipline both Artemis and Celestia shared, but she was also keenly aware that both of them had their limits. She knew that the only reason Artemis hadn’t already acted in either case was because of how strongly she objected, but she feared for the time when/if he decided to act anyway. She wasn’t really sure what she would do, she loved Artemis but would she still see him the same way if he hurt somepony or decimated the griffons?

Luna’s thoughts were cut off by a sudden flash of brilliant blue light coming from the garden maze, and she had no doubt that it was one of invaders they had just been talking about. Artemis had mentioned not contacting them until he had reported back, but she had no intention of letting a potential threat wander around unchecked. She was more than capable of handling herself if something went wrong, besides if they appeared hostile she didn’t have to make contact to keep an eye on their guest.

After sparing a moment to cast the health bubble spell Cadance had taught her, Luna took off into the night sky. Using the night sky for camouflage she flew towards the garden maze, her resolve strong and her doubts about Artemis put in the background. Their relationship problems could wait, Equestria needed her. She wasn’t in the best of moods, and the potential for danger Equestria was in wasn’t helping. Though normally she found combat to be a more efficient and effective way of handling political affairs, she sincerely hoped that their intruders had come in peace. If the hadn’t, they would be leaving in pieces.

Equestria 3:20am, 2nd of Maruk, 6 Months after the return of Artemis –Canterlot Castle Garden Maze

Perhaps it was a result of the vicious chemical exposure or her past as a Noxian soldier, but Riven didn’t get nauseous or sick all that easily. Despite her strong constitution even she was still hit by powerful vertigo after, landing but that was just another problem compounded onto the many problems and questions she had.

“Augh my head is on fire.”

“Where is everyone?”

“Where am I?”

“Diana?”

“Jevitz?”

“What the hell happened to my body?”

The sudden panic instantly threw her mind back into soldier mode as she tried to assess the situation. She was surrounded by what looks like bushes that were carefully cut, and there was only one path out that didn’t involve going through the plants. She was in the body of a camel brown pegasus with a white mane, but her wings appeared to be bandaged up. She winced slightly as she tested their maneuverability, but she seemed to have a full range of movement despite the bandages. The pain was eerily similar to the pain she felt when the wounds on her arms acted up, but that thought was interrupted by another more pressing concern.

She quickly and thoroughly inspected her runic blade, years of traveling with one of the few remnants of her past had led her to memorize every facet of it. She quickly let out a sigh of relief, it didn’t appear to have been affected by the journey. Yet again she found herself wondering what exactly they had done to the blade, for it had endured far beyond what any other weapon would have. The originally massive blade had been a gift from Noxus as a reward for her military service, but she knew very little of the numerous enchantments that went into the forging process. Despite the numerous battles it had been in, it hadn’t so much as been scratched. In fact the only time it had ever been damaged was when she had broken the blade herself. As comforting as it was to know her blade was unchanged since then, she doubted that she could properly wield the 3 ½ft fragment with her current body.

After a deep breath she picked up her sword, and she decided she needed to see where the only path took her. Many years wandering the world alone had actually made her quite comfortable with travelling at night and trying not to be seen, but as she turned the corner only her soldier’s discipline could repress groan that nearly erupted from her mouth.

“Of course it’s a maze. Just my luck with how today is turning out. Alright if I cut my way out, it increases my chances of being discovered, but should I be trying to hide?”

She opted not to sneak around, it would only make things harder to explain if she was found, and she doubted she could really sneak around well with her new body. Luckily her Noxian military training had prepared her for many unusual highly and unlikely situations, including getting trapped in a labyrinth style maze.
She sighed as she placed her left hoof on the wall of shrubbery, she knew she would find her way out eventually but she had no idea how big the maze was or how long it would take. Despite her lack of information she went forward, the alternative was to stay and wait in the same place. She had spent more than enough time in despair to know the dangers of stagnation, when you can’t change the past the only progress is to go forward.

As she progressed she tried to find some sort of familiarity of the land she was in, but she was having trouble finding anything similar to work with. The stars which had always been a stable guide for her night, seemed completely jumbled. She didn’t recognize any of the usual constellations, nor could she even find the Northern Star. Though admittedly she wasn’t a scholar on the subject she was far from ignorant, and she should’ve been able to find something she could use for navigation or as a reference point.

“STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM!”

Riven jumped slightly at the sudden command, and she turned to see an armored pure white unicorn pointing a spear at her. She did as ordered and stood completely still as he approached, though she watched him approach with caution. Fighting wasn’t really much of an option, but she had no intention of getting killed by her own negligence.

“You are under arrest for trespassing into restricted area, plotting to assassinate royalty, treason, and attempting to undermine the Equestrian government. Don’t bother running, the entire guard will be here shortly.”

“What?! I’m not plotting or undermining anything wh-“

“Save it, we just caught an armed pegasus in a restricted area of the castle across from the Princess’s rooms in the middle of the night. Last time we found out someone was in the maze, the entire guard was nearly dismissed for that breach in security. Surely you didn’t expect us to make the same mistake twice.”

“No, I’m not even sure how I got here. Where am I?”

“Yeah yeah, the old fake amnesia trick won’t work. Nice try though, you are still going to spend the rest of your life in the dungeons.”

As the stallion approached, Riven briefly considered her options. Comply and spend who knows how long locked away in a dungeon, or fight and likely make herself a fugitive alone in a foreign land. While she didn’t like either option, she was used to being a fugitive. She doubted she could take the stallion in a straight-forward fight, not without practice in her current body, she knew from experience that when you are at a disadvantage chaos becomes your best ally.

“That’s a smart mare, you don’t want to mess with the roya-“

His words were cut off as Riven suddenly dragged her forehoof through the maze leaves sending a brief shower of debris into the guards face. As he flinched Riven used the second to body check him to the ground, using her momentum to pull her runic blade from her back with a calm spin. She didn’t really want to kill him, but a solid blow from the broadside of her sword was enough to knock most creatures unconscious. She raised her blade as high as she could, but as she brought it down she suddenly found herself paralyzed.

“Alright, I’ve seen enough.”

Riven sat paralyzed as a dark colored mare descend from the sky. The mare took a brief moment to examine Riven, but it was clear that she wasn’t the priority. The mare’s face grew stern as she looked upon the grounded guard.

“I know Captain Custos is an intimidating figure, but I sincerely hope he does not inspire so much fear as to make the royal guard forget that in Equestria, all are innocent until proven guilty. We do not lock ponies in the dungeon without fair trial.”

“Uhhh no not at all Princess, I was just worried for your safety. Please forgive my hasty jump to conclusions.”

“Just make sure it doesn’t happen again soldier, now clean yourself up and let the rest of the guard know that I will be dealing with our guest. Also inform the guard that neither I nor my sister will be as lenient on the next guard that decides to take justice into their own hooves.”

“At once, your highness!”

As the guard ran off to carry out his orders, Riven noticed the blue aura that enveloped her fade, and she had her full range of movement again. Though she questioned whether or not she was better off with the guard or the apparent royalty.

“I apologize for the royal guard, unfortunately we have them believing they are far more integral to our, my sister and I’s, defense than they really are. It is unfortunate that your first encounter was one of hostility, but I assure you most Equestrians are peaceful.”

Riven sized up the navy blue mare in front of her, and the first thing she noticed was the combination of wings and a horn, the second was the moon on her flank. Despite her being a princess, she didn’t seem unduly worried or even angry about the scuffle with guard either.

“I’m fine, I’ve been through worse.”

“Well, allow me to introduce myself. I am Princess Luna, the Mistress of the Night and one of the rulers of Equestria. Whom do I have the pleasure of speaking to?”

“Riven, the Exile, and I am a champion of Valoran’s League of Legends. Where are we?”

“Equestria, I suspect it is very far from your home world though. Tell me soldier, what is your purpose? Why have you come to Equestria?”

“Soldier? What makes you think I’m in the military?”

“It isn’t difficult to see, you have the posture of a trained soldier and the eyes of a commander. The eyes of somepony that has given everything for their home, ordered the deaths of others, seen the atrocities of war, and regrets them with every breath.”

Riven was disturbed by how easily she was read, but she didn’t really have arguments against her. She was ashamed to admit it, but had done awful things as a member of the Noxian military. While had done everything she could to make up for it, nothing would change the past or scrub the blood from her hands.

“Don’t take that as a judgment, I only recognize it because my sister and I had the same eyes for a long time. Eventually they fade, but even so my question still stands.”

Riven only snapped away from her thoughts when she noticed the heavy tension in the air, it was clear that despite her relaxed demeanor the Princess was still measuring her. She took a moment to mentally curse her luck, she had been better off with the guard.

“I don’t have a purpose here, I’m not even sure why I appeared here.”

“Are you alone?”

“I-I’m not sure. I wasn’t the only one in the spell, but I don’t know if I was the only one separated.”

“I’m sure one of us will figure that out shortly, but in the meantime will you come with me to meet my sister?”

“I don’t really have a choice do I?”

“There are always choices, even if we don’t like the outcome, and you should never fool yourself into thinking there was no other options.”

“Lead the way then, your majesty?”

“Just call me Luna, no need for formality. Are you able to fly with your wings bandaged up like that?”

“I-I don’t know. I don’t know how, this isn’t my real body.” Riven wasn’t sure what to expect as she saw the Princess’s eyes light up.

“Really?! I assumed you were from a more similar world, but that changes everything. I wonder why you are in the body of a pegasus? What’s your normal body like? What is your species like? What are you called?”

“Uhhh hu-”

“Wait, wait, wait! Hold that thought, Tia is going to want to hear it too. This is so exciting, we should hurry back.”

Riven was more than confused by the Princess’s sudden change in attitude, she went from annoyed and serious to giddy and curious at the flip of a switch. Did all it take was for her to say she meant no harm and wasn’t a pegasus? Was she really so naïve as to believe her without any other questions?

As she was lead through the maze she couldn’t help but dwell on the many questions she had. Where was Equestria? Would she ever see Valoran again? What was this “Tia” like? The questions were a welcome distraction from the Princess’s giddy chatter, and she couldn’t help but wonder what was coming next?

Author's Note:

Sorry for the wait, had a brutal quarter to distract me. Then when I finally was ready to write, had some recent relationship issues that sucked the drive from me. However the update is coming, I have chapter 7 written and 90% edited, It will be uploaded tomorrow. The bonus from the wait is that I also went through and revised Bridging the Rift when I went through Truth and Reconciliation, Anyway hope you all enjoy, let me know what you think or if you are waiting for more champion reveals.
Till Next Time,
Sin