• Published 13th Apr 2015
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Friendship is Scaleless - Limescale



Seath the Scaleless was meant to be slain by the Chosen Undead, instead he finds himself wrenched from Lordran just before dying and abruptly tossed into a new role as the teacher of a kindred spirit: a pony called Twilight Sparkle.

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Chapter 61

“Thus from this we determine then, the cycle of light and dark shall never end. The flames doth fade and the dark riseth upon this tragic stage, until a new flame ignites to begin a new age. If be there any blame we are to bear, for anything in this morbid repetition, it be our forgetting of the history that came with the cycles before. The flames hold and tell all, but we remain content in our state of ignorance, our self-imposed blindness to that which came before, and what could come after. It is this that leadeth us to commit the same sins, and repeat the same crimes. We besmirch the pyromancer when they may yet see what we cannot in the fury of the flames, and downward we cast those who stand as monument and warning of the past and the future combined. The writer of this testament expects few will heed his revelations, and thus he only acknowledges they who now read these words. Thine time to humor his investigation into that which hath shaped our world, time and time again. Indeed, time shalt do service to these findings; proveth their truth for whatever world may come in the next cycle. For now, the last scene plays, and the strange history recorded in these words is ended. Unto oblivion art all cast again, to be without eyes, without taste, without anything. Wow.”

Twilight let out a much needed exhale as she came to the end of the chapter. She took a moment to shake off the impact of the writing’s morbid musings and turned to her teacher.

“Seath, you wrote this? You knew about all this?” She asked.

The great white dragon folded his arms.

“I, as always, hath cause to suspect, from sources most reliable. T’is what maketh Logan’s madness all the more tragic. He read of these words, understood them in ways few others could, yet like so many before him, mine teachings inevitably proved his undoing.”

Seath turned again to the fountain in the room.

“Sadder still is the truth that lay mere feet away from him, yet he saw it not.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes as she trotted over to the fountain and rose so she could peer over the edge of the basin into the waters.

“Well, right now that’s still a useful asset, should we need it.” She said, before furrowing her brow at an obvious question. “But… why didn’t you share this with everyone?”

Seath’s head frills wilted with his wings under fresh disbelief.

“And what benefit wouldst such an act bestow to this accursed land? These waters can no more banish the Darksign than they can provide a solution to avert the fading of the flames! A relic art they, of a time now lost, and of no further worth. To reveal their attributes wouldst invoke worse outrage against mine being. An insult to spit in the face of the fire that did bless the gods with their power, and I with mine sorceries and fragment of a Lord Soul!” He declared with heavy scorn. Twilight blinked and stared in quiet defiance up at her teacher.

“Yet you still recreated them.” She stated plainly, with only a mild lacing of accusation. It did the trick of deflating Seath.

“They preserved the wellbeing of Verdite’s Golden Kings through their hardships. Thought, I did, that they may see me through the fall of Lordran and the coming of the next cycle. Only too late did I then learn that the Primordial Crystal was mine one hope of attaining true Undead status. Hope that now layeth shattered.” Seath sighed.

Twilight shook her head and turned back to the fountain.

“Hope is never shattered, so long as you still have something to direct that hope at. You said yourself that’s what helps keep one from going hollow, and right now I have more to hope for than I ever have in my entire life.”

Twilight perched her front hooves on the lip of the basin and peered down into the fountain’s water.

“So this thing acts sort of like a movie screen. It lets you view stuff that’s been recorded previously.” Twilight thought for a moment and lit up her horn. “Okay, so what if I try the spell I read about in one of the books Princess Celestia lent me...”

Magical energy flowed from Twilight’s horn down into the water, causing ripples to cascade across the surface as it impacted and churned the enchanted tides. Twilight peered closer as the water began to distort, strange blurry shapes slowly materialising within its glassy surfaces.

“Yeah, just focus, study… and pray this isn’t going to be like when Pinkie used the Mirror Pool.” Twilight whispered to herself as she tuned her magic, tightening the beam emanating from her horn into a narrow thread of sparkling lavender. It did the trick of bringing the images into sharper clarity… if only to reveal they told a story quite different to what the alicorn had been expecting.

Rubbing her eyes, Twilight lowered her head closer to the water’s surface, making out images of multiple humanoid beings, only they all were like effigies made by someone with a passion for cubist style art. Their anatomy was defined by block like segments, all limbs and body parts meeting at unnatural right angles. Their faces were largely blank and featureless, and only the basic texture and color of their skin told that these were humans… or at least, they were meant to be humans… some of them, at least. The more Twilight watched, the more she saw of other creatures with even more alien aspects. Blue hued bodies with piercing red diamonds in the general vicinity of the eyes, trees with limbs that moved about like hands, and trunks upon which were etched the ghastly visage of mouths and noses, skeletons that moved like puppets on strings, plants with flowers that snapped at the alicorn in the manner of hungry carnivores.

Twilight shook her head again and relaxed her magic, causing the images to blur away again into nothingness.

“Okay… so… that worked. Well, it got results… just, I have no idea what those results mean.” She said before taking a deep breath. “Let me try something else.”

Seath’s head frills rose as Twilight exhaled slowly and cast her magic into the waters again.

“Truly, thou achieves what I suspected? Once more?” He asked.

“I… I guess?” Twilight said as she re-tuned her magic. “I’m seeing something at least, but it’s so hazy and poorly rendered I can’t tell what I’m looking at… unless...”

The alicorn’s ears rose.

“I’m trying to search backwards, what if I try forwards...”

Her magic fizzled and reformed, causing the waters to bubble and churn like a boiling cauldron.

“I see… woah… okay, that’s really weird.” She commented. “I’m seeing… I THINK this is some sort of vision of the future… but everything is so much clearer now. I can see… a cliff overlooking an endless sea… with houses on it… and people. So many more vivid details and clarity...”

Seath’s eyebrow rose as he detected the confusion in his student’s voice.

“But, that doesn’t make sense. If this is the future, or one possible future, these should be the hazy, difficult to make out images. Why is what’s yet to happen clearer and easier to make out than what’s come before? It should be the other way round!!” The alicorn pondered.

Seath looked to the tome he’d handed Twilight and snatched it from the floor.

“Regardless of such paradox, what dost thou see?” He queried while flipping the tome open to a blank page and nabbing Twilight’s quill pen.

“Well, there was the seaside hamlet… but now I’m seeing another area… a camp, I think. Multiple tents overlooking a… uh… a chapel? It looks like some structure built for worship… but there’s huge spires of… uh… crystal, I think? Or some sort of rock formation around it… and sand… and… OH FAUST!!”

Suddenly the alicorn jerked her head back from the fountain, upsetting her balance and causing herself to fall flat on her flank.

“Twilight?” Seath asked in concern. He took a moment to finish writing down his student’s findings then placed the tome aside and rushed to her as she placed a hoof to her chest and got her breathing back under control.

“Crud… oh… sorry. Wasn’t expecting that to leap out at me!” She said.

Seath’s wings tensed in alarm.

“What is this that thou speaks of leaping out at thee?” He asked as Twilight got back on her hooves.

“Spiders, of some kind. Not ones that matched any of the species in Equestria, but they still had all the defining aspects.” Twilight exhaled. “They were crawling over huge hanging bridges of… webbing, I guess. Inside some great chamber...”

Seath’s nerves hardened as he looked at the fountain, finding it seemed just a bit more hostile now.

“Exactly as Logan did foretell.” He mused.

“Yeah… which makes me wonder...” Twilight cautiously approached the fountain again. “What if Logan did find a way of doing what I just did? Maybe he saw the same images, or similar images… then he found out about the books you just told me to read...”

Twilight looked to the scattered texts. Her ears twitched in opposing directions as she began making deductions and formulating a theory.

“Do these waters only work if they’re in the fountain? Or could we take a sample of them in a bottle and bring that with us for study?” She asked.

Seath’s eyebrow now rose with fresh curiosity.

“To be taken with one for times of hardship was their design. Be they a great measure or a small one, their abilities shalt not be diluted.”

Twilight smiled.

“Good. I’ll have another look and see if I can find anything else, but that’s worth noting for if we have to leave the archives for anything.” She said.

“Unfortunately you do, and it’s all thanks to your fellow princess and her stupid chronic hero syndrome.”

Twilight and Seath turned to see Pinkie Pie slowly stepping into the chamber, her mane wilted around her face and her face set in a sense of grim resentment. On her back, the Lord’s Blade Ciaran looked awkwardly up at Seath.

“And before you say anything, yes, I know that’s no way to talk about our fair Celestia, but really, she could’ve made this so much less complicated if she’d just friggin’ sat tight and didn’t get involved in this mess.” The pink mare scowled as she lowered herself onto the ground and let Ciaran climb off her.

“Celestia? Pinkie, what are you… well, first off, I’m glad and incredibly relieved you’re safe, but, what in Equestria are you talking about?” Twilight asked. Her friend reached up to brush some of her mane out of her face.

“First thing’s first. Where’s Aurelia? This lady here needs to have a long overdue reunion with her before it’s too late. And second...”

Pinkie looked around the chamber, grunting as all she saw were walls of books.

“Is there a mirror anywhere in this place? Myself and I likewise need to finally bury the hatchet so we can help you all out!”

***

Across the murky atmosphere of the swamp arched an enormous fireball. Like a comet, it sailed slowly through the air, burning through the toxic mist hanging over everything to strike the surface of the swamp and create a majestic explosion. The creatures who called the swamp home scattered in fright as the fire was momentarily spread by the force of its impact, then quickly snuffed out as the water proved a greater force.

From where she stood with one hoof still shakily held aloft, Rarity let out a slow exhale as she studied the column of smoke rising from the bubbling remains of her latest pyromancy effort.

“Dear me. That was...hmmm.” The unicorn lowered her hoof to the sand, then followed it with her rump. “Certainly I can imagine that’ll cause some damage if needs be, Miss Quelana, just… well, forgive my saying this, but I don’t see how this is in any way more practical than the basic fireball spell Mr. Laurentius taught me. Certainly I was able to hit more targets with it, and not feel as exhausted afterwards.”

Behind Rarity, the hooded figure of Quelana quietly studied the aftermath of her student’s practice, perching her chin upon her folded hands as she traced the steam rising from the swamp.

“The Great Fireball pyromancy serves other purposes than simple offense. Salaman and I spent many long months researching and crafting its technique, understanding the foundation that made it such a brilliant and powerful evolution of our art.” She replied while rising and walking over to sit beside Rarity. “It reflects the adoration the caster holds for fire, their respect for what it is that makes the primordial flame so intrinsic to all facets of life. That you were thus able to craft the pyromancy and cast it as naturally as you did the simple combustion technique we practiced first, that says much of how deep your respect for fire and life are rooted.”

Rarity gave the hooded female a weird look as she levitated a water bottle from her saddle bags and chugged down a considerable amount of its contents.

“That is why Seath said I would benefit from meeting you, and indeed, while I take some issue with your exorbitant pricing for the little training we’ve done, I can’t deny what you’ve shown me has been quite an eye opener.” Rarity sighed as she set down the water bottle and summoned a handkerchief to daintily wipe her mouth. “My only concern is these advanced spells of yours seem to take a long time to charge up, and a lot of energy just for one or two castings. I doubt that’s going to do me much good if I get involved in another tussle.”

Quelana nodded sagely as she looked out across the swamp.

“Such was a criticism I heard often when first I was ordered by my mother to pass on our teachings to others. Over the years I have experimented at great length as to what could be done to overcome the obstacle. As of now I know this much...”

Quelana turned to Rarity, and delicately took her casting hoof in her small hands.

“One’s aptitude for dexterity shares a strange bond with their ability to craft pyromancies. Given you lack even the basic asset of fingers I admit I am somewhat stuck on how you could improve your knack for such a skill though.” The hooded female admitted. Rarity politely extracted her hoof from Quelana’s grip, staring at the light coating of black carbon that now covered the end of her extremity from her practice session. Quietly she made a mental note to see her manicurist the instant she was back home.

“Well, if that’s the case, perhaps I can teach you a little something.” Rarity smiled as she levitated her handkerchief in her magic. “Ponies are nothing if not extremely good at overcoming their physical limitations. Yes I may not have the luxury of hands, but that hasn’t stopped me from becoming one of the most renowned seamstresses in all of Equestria. Behold!”

A sewing needle and a spool of lavender toned thread were levitated out of the unicorn’s saddle bag. Expertly, Rarity slipped the thread through the eye of the needle, then she unfolded her handkerchief fully to begin adding some new details to it. Quelana watched in quiet fascination as the unicorn sewed a simple border of lavender all around the outside of the square of cloth.

“And if my horn happens to be feeling a bit sore or I have the time to be a bit slower with my work, I can also do this.”

Rarity took the sewing needle between her hoof and fetlock and manually etched her name across the handkerchief in beautiful cursive.

“As you can see, I can be quite dexterous and artistic, even without the same features as others.” The unicorn declared as she presented Quelana with the handkerchief. The hooded female took it and studied the exquisite craftsmanship of its new additions.

“So you can. Most interesting.” The hooded female mused as she ran her thumb over the smooth silky weave. “I do ponder, perhaps there is a pyromancy of mine you might find more to your liking, before I give you a final test on what you’ve learned.”

Rarity perked her ears as Quelana folded the handkerchief and handed it back.

“It is an advanced work I’ve spent many a year on, something I needed to get perfect if only to prove my stated point that pyromancy is more than simply a means to destroy. I call it the ‘Undead Rapport’, a way to charm others into becoming your allies through the lure of your flame.”

Rarity’s ears perked higher as Quelana folded her hands again.

“I have experimented with it enough to know its effectiveness is potent, if selective. Perhaps you might wish to see if it suits you?” The hooded female lowered her head towards the unicorn. “I will only ask for another 10,000 souls as payment.”

Rarity’s ears fell flat against the back of her head as she narrowed her eyes in anger. Quelana laughed as if amused by this.

“It is as always your choice, and I do not dispute that I have already asked a great cost from you. I only wish to point out that your investment has not been wasted, as you have proven your ability to craft every pyromancy I’ve taught you thus far.” She replied. “And I can assure you, however apt you may deem yourself to be, you will soon need every technique you have learned.”

Rarity slowly exhaled through her nose as she thought this over. Even if she did now have several new tricks with which to defend herself and her friends, she was understandably feeling raw at how Quelana was basically bleeding her dry… not that that should’ve been that great a surprise, as the unicorn then compared the female’s asking prices to how much she charged for her dresses. Rarity’s anger smoldered slightly as she realized she was now experiencing what many of her customers may indeed have experienced… and how she herself used a similar line about how good an investment it was to sway them into parting with their bits.

As Rarity then contemplated how useful the Undead Rapport might be for her future business transactions, she finally had to hang her head in defeat.

“Fine. Considering I’m already 65,000 in the hole, what’s a little bit more?” She said while summoning a great mass of souls into her hoof. “If nothing else, knowing these are going towards a good cause makes me feel ever so slightly less horrid at what I had to do to acquire them all.”

Quelana smiled in the shadows of her hood as she accepted the souls and absorbed them into her flesh.

“May I perhaps soften the blow further by aiding you in replenishing your stock then? If I am to travel back to your world I see no reason why I cannot help ensure your survival along the way. Perhaps once you have passed your final test and gathered some more souls I can share my knowledge in strengthening the power of your casting flame. I couldn’t help noticing it’s a bit weak.” She replied while standing up. “Come, let us find some suitable test subjects for you to practice on.”

Rarity watched her warily as the hooded female waded into the swamp, heading back towards where the infested barbarians stood vigil by the entrance to Quelaag's domain. Quelana made it several steps before sensing the unicorn had yet to follow.

“Again I remind you, you will need to know this. Perhaps sooner than you think.” Quelana softly intoned as she turned to beckon Rarity to her side.

With a heavy, reluctant sigh, Rarity obeyed.

“I certainly hope Discord is having an easier time of his task.” She muttered weakly.

***

Slowly, Discord rotated his tea cup with his eagle talon, while his lion’s paw idly drummed upon the arm of the huge mahogany chair he’d conjured for himself beside the bonfire.

“So… when your mom, the Witch of Izalith, tried to duplicate ‘the First Flame,’ whatever that may be, the resulting disaster turned her into part of a giant tree monster, your brother into a mess of lava, and you into… this?” He asked of the quivering spider lady before him. “I don’t suppose there was anyone around who recorded that, did they? The movie rights to such a wonderful mess would make you a fortune!”

The white haired arachnoid limply cocked her head forward.

“Quelaag… is something the matter? Your voice… so warped and unlike how I remember.”

Discord rolled his eyes and shrugged.

“I think that may have more to do with your hearing, dear. You certainly aren’t looking well.”

He raised his lion’s paw and waved it in front of her face. When that produced no reaction, he snapped his fingers and tsked as the spider woman failed to respond to that too.

“Yes, clearly such a flawed attempt at harnessing that which made me the handsome stud I am today is doing you no favors. A shame, really, as the rest of you is, frankly, majestic!”

He summoned a giant golden frame and set it around the Fair Lady, then sat back down again to sip his tea and admire her like a work of art.

“Hmm… does seem like there’s something missing, though...” Discord noted after a moment. He looked around the room, and smiled as his eyes fell on Eingyi.

“Of course! What noble maiden of a tapestry is complete without her faithful subject?”

In a flash, the mountain of diseased egg sacs and human limbs found himself being cradled in the Fair Lady’s arms. Both held their very abrupt posing for a second, just long enough for Discord to then whip out a camera and capture them on film, before Eingyi found himself being clumsily dropped onto the floor due to his weight being greater than what his lady’s weakened arms could support.

“Dear me… honeyed as your words are, strange one, mind how you play these tricks of yours. Your fellow soul has helped ease my lady’s suffering to a degree, but she is still too enfeebled for such reckless japes.” The mutant human scolded as he pushed himself upright.

“Yes, so I see, which begs the question of how can you expect her to possibly get any better in a place that… well, admittedly this is very scenic, but the sulphur smell and the heat can’t possibly be good for curing your ills!” Discord sighed as he looked around the egg filled chamber.

Eingyi gave a dismissive grunt as he crawled back to his post by the chamber door.

“The Fair Lady has me to tend to her, and she draws strength from those who serve her cause.” He retorted. Discord looked even less convinced by this.

“Well I can certainly see she has plenty to serve her cause here. Indeed, perhaps I should move, lest I crowd out the great masses of faithful subjects waiting on this poor girl!”

The chaos god stood up and made a grand show of pushing his way through an enormous throng of non-existent folk. Eingyi was suitably not amused.

“Mock us if you must. All but a few faithful other souls in this land have.” He grumbled. Discord stopped with his antics and crossed his arms.

“Well maybe you’d be able to attract a little more attention and garner more favor if you set up shop in a more accommodating locale.” The chaos god replied while winding his beard around a finger. “Hmmm… to be honest, I think I may have a place. The valley where I last left my thinking tree was quite a lush and pleasant vista. A bit exposed during stormy days, but certainly an improvement on this place!”

He pulled a magnifying glass out of his fur and used it to examine the Fair Lady’s sullen features.

“It’d do wonders for your health, my dear girl!”

Discord smiled in delight, only for the spider girl to crumple her head into her hands.

“No… Quelaag, I can’t. The fire would die without me. It’s too late. The pain is gone, but the eggs… I’m so sorry, my dear sister!”

Discord furrowed his brow in confusion at the Fair Lady’s distress. He turned his gaze to the multitude of egg sacs hanging on the walls around her. Quickly, he snapped his tail to summon a lighter and flicked it into flame. He held it up to one of the higher sacs, arching an eyebrow as he vaguely made out the silhouette of… something inside the eggs.

“Hmmm, you mean...”

He rapped upon the egg with his knuckles. The shape inside did not move. He move the flame of his lighter to another egg, finding it was likewise still.

“All of these are… oooh.” Discord coughed as he checked several other sacs and found the same result every time.

“The great Blightpus has taken its toll upon her.” Eingyi lamented as Discord dismissed his lighter. “Mistress Quelaag ordered to the contrary, but our Fair Lady, when she saw my pain, she swallowed it into herself, and took our suffering as her own.”

Discord looked at the mutated human with renewed curiosity.

“Then my original point still stands. This is most certainly not the place for a sick patient to be recovering in!” He declared.

Eingyi merely gestured to the bonfire.

“Her keeping of the flames, and the offerings from those serving in her covenant, help ease her pain. Already she moves with more vigor than when that other wandering soul first found us.”

Discord plonked himself back in his armchair again, crossing his donkey leg over his monster paw and steepling his fingers.

“Well I, as the embodiment of chaos, can hardly stand to see another testament to the beauty that is the most pure force of nature suffer. More so if helping her recover might help us.”

He wondered and pondered for several moments.

“Hmm, this is going to require my special thinking cap.”

The draconequus snapped his tail and a mortarboard style hat with a huge light bulb screwed into the center of the top appeared on his head.

“Let’s see… so suffering from some manner of poisoning, of a type no one’s ever heard of… Flutters might be able to do something, but it’d likely involve a lot of poking and prodding to find out what’s wrong with you...”

Discord paused as he heard a disapproving grunt from Eingyi.

“And that obviously wouldn’t go down well with your guard dog there, so… hmmm. Come on, there’s gotta be something!”

He thought and wondered some more as the Fair Lady slowly raised her head from her hands.

“Quelaag, please, sister, do not cry. I am happy, truly. I have you, don’t I?”

Discord’s thoughts ground to a halt as this sincere yet woefully misguided bit of assurance made him cringe.

“Look, not that I want to sour the mood any more than it already is, but if you’re going to keep tossing that name around, I really have to ask: who the heck IS Quelaag?” He demanded, much to the disbelief of the mutant beside him.

“Do you not know? You who both speaks the Fair Lady’s tongue and radiates her essence brighter than any that have crossed our path before?” Eingyi asked, earning himself a look of utter disdain from Discord.

“I fear I haven’t had time to read the travel brochure to Lordran’s more exotically hellish locales before Miss Aurelia dropped me off here. I only know she wanted me to speak with you as one shining standard of utter disarray to another.”

The draconequus coughed and calmed himself down as he turned back to the Fair Lady.

“And as I said before, you ARE quite a shining standard. So there’s that much incentive for me to try and forge some common ground, if only because my address book is a bit empty these days.”

Discord summoned a black leather bound booklet with gold trim and sighed in lament as he flipped through the mostly blank pages inside.

“Suffice to say, if there’s more information that may help me understand your situation, then by all means, spill it!”

Eingyi suddenly found a microphone being shoved in his face. He raised his head to the draconequus, who just stared at him expectantly as he switched on a cassette recorder.

“Mistress Quelaag is the sister of our Fair Lady. Both were daughters to the Witch of Izalith, and in turn changed when the Flame of Chaos was unleashed. She once guarded these hallowed halls from all but the most faithful to the Fair Lady’s covenant… though lately she has been gone longer than usual… perhaps due to having at last fallen to the evil of another soul...”

Discord snorted as he dismissed the recording equipment.

“Okay, that actually explains a lot.”

Discord lapsed into thinking again, then the light bulb on his hat lit up.

“I may have an idea! Excuse me for a quick second.”

The chaos god vanished in a flash, to the combined shock of the chambers other two inhabitants.

“Good… Goodbye, Quelaag?” The Fair Lady queried, only for Discord to immediately flash back into existence, with Fluttershy by his side.

“Good news! There may be a way to get you back to full health, in a nicer vista where you needn’t worry about compounding your illness by catching a terrible case of death.” Discord proudly declared. “My sweet friend here just needs to check the hunch I’ve formulated is correct.”

An enormous hunch with a question mark on it rose out of Discord’s back.

“Flutters, if you’d be so kind?”

The pegasus approached the Fair Lady, her face falling in sympathy as she picked up on the still visible signs of sickness in the movement of the demoness’ eight legs and pale visage.

“Yes uh, well first, hello. My name is Fluttershy.”

The lady raised her head slightly.

“Discord said he wants to move you back to Equestria, where you can get proper medical treatment for your condition. He needs to know you’re well enough for the trip back.”

The spider demon sat up straighter still, staring now at Discord through the curtain of her snow white hair.

“Oh my dear sister. Please do not mind me. It does not hurt as terribly as before.” She assured.

Fluttershy blinked as all she could hear was some manner of inaudible whispering. She looked to Discord with a puzzled expression. The chaos god merely shrugged and smiled.

“Uh, did she just say something?”

“Nothing important, my dear. Don’t worry about it.”

Fluttershy looked appropriately weirded out by this, but she shelved her feelings for later and returned to the moment’s primary concern.

“Well regardless, could you give me your hand, please?”

From her saddle bags she pulled out a pair of sanitized latex covers for her hooves and slipped them on as the Fair Lady stared at her in bewilderment.

“I just need to check your vitals. Teleportation can be hazardous for those in critical condition.”

Eingyi gripped the floor, eyeing the butterscotch pony in suspicion as his lady slowly extended her hand and let it be gently held in Fluttershy’s hooves.

“Okay, resting heart rate is weak, but not dangerously so. Skin doesn’t feel too dry. Body temperature is worryingly hot, but given what Discord says lead to you becoming… um… what you are now, that might be normal for you.”

Fluttershy let go of the lady’s hand and elevated herself onto the tips of her hooves, leaning in to listen to the spider demoness’ breathing.

“Respiration rate is very weak… Discord, you said she’s suffering from some sort of poisoning?”

The chaos god nodded as he looked to Eingyi.

“Seems her follower here got into something nasty. She sucked it out of him and… well, now she’s experiencing the consequences.”

Fluttershy looked to the twitching and bobbing of the Fair Lady’s legs.

“But she also was given some sort of antidote?” She asked.

“Indeed, apparently the best cure all that exists in this place… if I’m at my usual level of being unfailingly right!” Discord declared before dramatically revealing a humanity sprite in his eagle talon. “Try taking her vitals again after she’s had a whiff of this.”

Fluttershy blinked as her friend held the burning black flame out to the Fair Lady.

“Where did you get that?” She asked. Her spirits sank as Discord just smugly snorted.

“A contribution from a certain acquaintance of ours. Consider it an impromptu apology for her doing a very bad thing to someone quite dear to this poor girl.” He said with a darker tone to his voice as the Fair Lady absorbed the humanity sprite, and seemed to take a sudden strength from its effects.

“Ooh… thank you, Quelaag. It feels wonderful! It really does help!”

Fluttershy cocked her head as the spider whispered more incomprehensible gibberish, yet as she then rose up and her segmented arachnid legs flexed with fresh vigor, the pegasus could hazard a guess that Discord’s remedy worked.

“So that humanity stuff helps counter the poison?” She asked.

“It appears it does.” Discord stated proudly as the question mark on his hunchback turned into a flashing exclamation point. “The question is, are the effects permanent, or temporary?” The chaos god pondered. He dismissed his hunchback as Fluttershy checked the Fair Lady’s vitals again.

“Well, for the moment she’s well enough to be moved… although… I don’t think the Ponyville General Hospital is going to be equipped to treat her condition.” Fluttershy cautioned.

“Oh I expect not, my dear. There’s a far better spot for her to recover in!”

The chaos god snapped his fingers, and in a blinding flash everyone found themselves in the backyard of Twilight’s castle.

“Ahh, now isn’t that a drastic improvement? No more sulphur in the air, no choking heat of molten lava, no stench of pestilence, and all the sunshine, clean air and whatever else one needs to shake off those nagging ills!”

The Fair Lady shivered violently as the effects of the teleportation left her, while Eingyi yet again found himself upside down due to having materialised several or so feet in the air.

“What… what is this? What have you done??” He demanded while forcing himself to tip over back onto his hands and feet.

“Exactly what you both need. And before anyone starts objecting, allow me to point out a few things.”

Discord pointed to the bonfire still burning brightly in the middle of the yard.

“If you’re that tied to tending the flames of your world, Seath left a few of them here. As we’ve already seen, they’re very apt at letting folk drop in unannounced, so it’s probably best that someone is minding them at all times.”

Discord snapped his fingers and a perimeter of show lights appeared around the yard.

“Second, you’ll notice there’s a lot more real estate for you here! Much nicer than that cramped little chamber you were residing in before.”

The Fair Lady looked around. Even if she was blind to her surroundings she could still feel the strange presence of fresh, clean air on her body, and the relative emptiness of the land around her.

“Quelaag… the eggs!” She said in a panic.

“Yes, my point exactly. You’ve got plenty of room to lay a new batch here. No need to worry yourself over those… well… the unfortunate victims of your sickness!” Discord assured. “Oh and third! Excuse me a moment… I’ll be right back!”

The chaos god snapped his fingers again and vanished from the premises, giving Eingyi, Fluttershy and the Fair Lady just enough time to compose themselves before the castle’s back door swung open.

“What’s all the commotion out here? What’s going… on?”

Fluttershy turned to beheld the shocked look of Starlight Glimmer, flanked by two of the royal centurions, and a cute gryphon girl she didn’t recognize.

“What the… Fluttershy? You’re… you’re back?” The unicorn gasped, then gasped again as she beheld the giant spider woman. “And… what the heck is that behind you??”

Both of the centurions promptly brought their spears to the ready for attack, only for Fluttershy to realise what was happening and throw herself in front of them.

“No! No wait! Please, don’t hurt her! I can explain!”

“Quite true! Lay either hoof or hand on my lady and you shall face my wrath!” Eingyi threatened as he pulled himself in front of the spider woman. “Diseased I may be, but as a pyromancer the fire still burns bright within me!”

A tense, and totally ridiculous standoff ensued, with Fluttershy nervously holding her position between the guards and the Fair Lady, while Starlight glared down the strange and threatening looking beast, daring her to give any excuse so that the unicorn could introduce her to her magic.

Mercifully at least one soul managed a cool enough head to break the tension.

“So… would now be a bad time for me to say hello and welcome back?” Gretel intoned as she politely elevated herself over the guards and landed in front of Fluttershy. “Starlight’s told me much of you and your friends! I’m so glad to see you’re finally safe after all this time!”

Fluttershy blinked as a scaled talon was offered to her in greeting.

“I’m Gretel, ambassador to the Gryphon Empire and one of Starlight’s new friends.”

More bewildered looks were shared.

“Also the one you can tell Princess Twilight to thank for getting her castle back in order. I do trust she’ll be returning home soon as well?” Gretel followed, giving Fluttershy the biggest and most friendly smile she could manage.

Fluttershy stared in dumb silence at the gryphon. Cautiously she turned her gaze to Starlight.

“Uh… what’s been happening since I’ve been away?”

Starlight broke from the brutal staring contest she’d been having with the Fair Lady and Eingyi, hanging her head as the question derailed her focus on vaporizing the two monstrosities.

“I could ask the same of you, given how long it’s been since you left.” The unicorn huffed. “Seriously, are Twilight and the others okay? Has Princess Celestia managed to find you? Did...”

And Starlight now found her thought process being derailed further as Discord materialized right in front of her, his arms heaving with an enormous load of humanity sprites.

“And third, look what else a certain friend of ours has been stockpiling from our little spring cleaning across Lordran! Was going to tell everyone earlier, but circumstances did get away from us a bit before I could speak up, and… oh what’s this?”

He paused and looked at the prone form of Starlight, then at Gretel and the two guards.

“Hmph, truth be told I was expecting a bigger welcome party, but I suppose it would figure they’d only bother with the festivities when their precious princess returned!” He said with mild disappointment.

Starlight got back to her hooves and returned the feeling as she brushed her mane out of her face.

“Well, given we haven’t heard any reports or communication from you all for months, we were starting to fear the worst!” She said, adding in a more hopeful tone. “Going on your words, are we to presume you’re all actually okay? Did you find anything in Lordran?”

Discord set down the humanity pile and offered another sprite to the Fair Lady.

“Let’s just say our time so far has been frustrating but productive, to a degree. Twilight does believe we’ll be hopefully wrapping things up soon, and can focus on getting as many souls back here as possible.”

As the Fair Lady gladly absorbed the humanity, Discord paid her a warm smile before turning back to the gathered ponies.

“And yes, to quickly get the matter of who this is out of the way: according to Miss Aurelia, she’s one of Lordran’s covenant leaders who is in dire need of medical attention. Naturally, since there was no chance in Tartarus of her getting that in her own homestead, I figured we could make some headway in forging new alliances by bringing her here.”

Fluttershy awkwardly cleared her throat.

“We may have a few others joining her soon. Alvina showed considerable interest when I told her of the Everfree Forest.”

Discord nodded in smug satisfaction.

“Exactly, and not a moment too soon, either! Given the terrible but utterly cinematic events we’ve witnessed in Lordran, it’s clear things are reaching a head, and we’re going to need all the help we can get when it all blows up in our faces!”

The chaos god paused as he beheld everyone’s concerned expression.

“Yes, now would be when you all say ‘Well thank you, Discord, for your generous consideration in giving us fair warning so we’re not all caught with our flanks exposed again!” He tutted while summoning a giant vent underneath everyone’s hooves. Starlight tolerated the sudden rush of air blowing her tail skyward and letting everyone see what was between her hind legs as she stepped forward and glared the the chaos god down.

“Princess Luna’s already had us prepare, and good thing too, given what we’ve had happen in your absence.” She sighed while turning to the guards. “Regardless, the fact that you’re back is a relief. Echo Night, get word to Canterlot immediately! Tell Luna what’s going on and that we… well, we’ll be receiving Twilight and the others soon… thank Faust!”

Echo Night nodded and turned to rush back into the castle. The unicorn noticeably breathed a little easier as she addressed the other guard.

“Armored Core, that project you’ve had the engineering division working on from Seath’s notes, I want to know how soon can we get it up and ready for use.” She ordered.

“I’ll have an update to you by the end of the day, ma’am!” Armored Core promised as he tactfully turned and rushed back inside as well.

“As for those two...” Starlight turned to the Fair Lady and Eingyi, cocking her head as she now beheld them without the haze of shock and aggression clouding her judgement. “Exactly what sort of medical treatment can we provide for them?”

Fluttershy gingerly reached to touch the Fair Lady’s hand, looking at the pile of humanity sprites.

“For now, I think she just needs to rest and get settled in here. I can check on her in another hour or so and see if she needs another one of these.”

Starlight nodded and took in a heavy breath.

“Then you might want to use that hour to go to your cottage. Scootaloo’s been as worried as the rest of us about you, if not more so.”

Fluttershy froze again, then jerked her head back towards Starlight.

“Tree Hugger’s done an amazing job of keeping her spirits up, but it’d really help if she knows you’re okay.” The unicorn quickly assured, though this just caused Discord to now react with alarm.

“Forget her spirits, what’s that whacked out hippy been doing to my Queen?” He demanded, before holding up his hands. “Wait, never mind. I’ll find out for myself! Come on Flutters, we’ve got family to save from bad poetry!”

Fluttershy nodded and ran into the castle as the chaos god turned to the Fair Lady.

“We’ll be back shortly. Rest assured, you’re going to be feeling a lot better here!”

He vanished in a flash as Starlight took another heavy breath.

“Gretel, we’d better get over to the Ponyville school and let Sweetie Belle and Applebloom know of this too. Start spreading the word!”

Gretel’s eyes sparkled in delight behind her glasses.

“Does this mean we can finally demand the Ponyville Press publish one of my submissions? I can have a wonderful notice typed up and ready in minutes! Could even ask it be printed on the front page as a show of apology for them rejecting the last 20 articles I sent them!”

Starlight fought to hide her reaction. She never did like bringing Gretel down when the gryphon got this excited.

“We’ll see if we have time along the way. Come on!”

The two departed to their work, leaving Eingyi to settle himself on the soft grass and process what had just happened.

“Well, how strange fate is when one least expects it. For all these years we have wallowed like unwanted trash in the forgotten depths of your fair city. And then, from one who originally sought our allegiance only to gain access to Lost Izalith, comes a soul so akin to us he seeks to deliver us unto salvation.” He mused, while sensing a bittersweet mix of emotions from the Fair Lady. “I know, my dear, it is lamentable that your sister Quelaag could not join us, but if ever there was a time I would say not to lose hope, it is now! That strange, mismatched savior may yet be able to find your other siblings. As for now, take heart that he has shown his devotion by continuing to mend your body.”

The Fair Lady tensed in unease as she turned to the large but finite supply of humanity.

“Oh don’t worry. If that proves insufficient to cure the Blightpus, there is no doubt more to be found here.”

Eingyi smiled as the air around him distorted, and a red toned phantom dressed in thorn covered armor materialized into existence.

“Your faithful servant has already followed us to begin searching for fresh stock.” The mutated human assured as Kirk of Thorns approached and bowed to his withered covenant leader.

***

In the Abyss, Nito was being subjected to some most unpleasant revelations, though not quite in the way that he may have been expecting.

The gravelord’s bones creaked in unease as image after image flashed across the portal Manus had torn open. Images that, according to Kalameet, were of lands and ages still to come. Serene scenes of waterfront villages danced with twisted visages of graveyards and forests being forcibly mashed together by who knew what force of the cosmos. Humans of a fair and mortal sort swam and waltzed with terrible, warped monsters across the surreal slideshow, yet through it all, one central theme remained the same: the very worst possible thing Nito could contemplate showed itself to be a cast iron fact, no matter how far into the future he glimpsed.

“Trust do I, that thou now sees the necessity of what I do?” Kalameet queried as Nito stepped back from the portal, turning several of his skulls to stare down the great black dragon.

“Thou claims to have looked into the seeds of time, to see this as thou might see which grain shalt grow and which shalt not...” The gravelord stated in grim shock. “A blight thine kin was upon this land, but among their crimes, deception was not...”

Kalameet nodded as he smiled darkly.

“What thine ally and so called ‘friend’, the Great Lord Gwyn, hath done by linking the flames, shall result in this” The dragon gestured to the portal. “The cycle repeats, the curse carries on, and in every new age, death’s purpose is thus rendered null! No matter what thou does, thine role is doomed to be forever forfeit!”

Nito turned his entire body to face Kalameet, though he also stepped back as the dragon drew his head high.

“But then, to some degree, thou knew this to be true already. For what other purpose would death seek to slumber, powerless and impotent, as all falls to ruin?” Kalameet challenged. Nito clenched his free hand into a fist.

“Death’s will hath been corrupted, true… we did ask our fellow gods for aid, to show us how we may restore the cycle of life and death.” Nito stated with tranquil fury. “In return, the gods did abandon us to our fate. Death holds no sway now over those who’s flesh hath been touched by the curse. Thus we can only slumber, until such time as fate deems death shalt once more be needed.”

The gravelord raised all of his skulls to meet Kalameet’s gaze, showing his momentary fear had now abated.

“Thus, after death joined thine kin together in its dominion, thou summons us not for vengeance, but to warn us that death shalt never be needed again?” Nito calmly challenged back. He raised his greatsword to Kalameet as a show of his distrust, yet to his shock, the dragon just nodded.

“Is such so hard to believe? We are both joined by fate’s cruel hand. If we permit it to take the course it has set, we shall all be forever cursed to a fate worse than what thou embodies.” Kalameet replied, getting several creaks as Nito cocked his skulls in suspicion. “Thus, I offer an alternative. For the service thou hast done in returning mine son to me, I shalt give thee the means to free thyself from fate’s shackles. Join us in the ponies’ realm, and death shall once more be needed!”

Nito found himself torn by indecision again. Several parts of him screamed in harmony not to trust Kalameet. He was a dragon, one of the same creed as the everlasting, and thus it was Nito’s job to send him to join his brethren.

Yet on the other hand, even if one discounted what Manus had just shown everyone of what was to come, Kalameet did have a point. With Lordran now ravaged by the Darksign, Nito’s cause, his purpose, and the very essence from which his Lord Soul had been forged, were all now irrelevant. He’d resigned himself to an eternity of dreamless slumber because he simply had no other option… well, at least not until the damned Chosen Undead had infiltrated his dominion with the intent to finally slay him.

Nito looked to Kalameet, warring with every aspect of himself about how to take what the dragon had just revealed. He looked to Manus, contemplating that while the warped monstrosity had persuaded him to commit a grave sin, he also apparently was sincere about his promise that many souls, even if they were of a nature far removed from that over which he reigned, would die as a result.

Nito felt one final, and utterly terrifying question bubble up in him as he then cast his thoughts to one particular soul: that strange pink pony whom just might be his last saving grace...

“And if death refuses, what is to become of us? Thou hast shown many instances of the curse barring souls from our embrace, yet we do note thou hast not shown what is to become of us in these future ages.” Nito finally replied, deciding he had to take the gamble. To his surprise, Kalameet didn’t look the least bit angry at being turned down. Actually, he seemed kind of sad… or perhaps just a little bit hopeful?

“This is true, but t’was done with good reason. Feared we were that e’en death was not ready to face its ultimate fate, but if thou insists… perhaps thou may prove stronger than I credit thee for.”

Kalameet nodded to Manus, who waved his enormous simian hand across the portal and caused the imagery in it to change.

Nito now found himself staring at some manner of enclosed, craggy, cave like area, brightly lit by the fires from several pools of some manner of burning liquid. A collection of small, broken statues, modelled in the likeness of a hooded human being, littered the floor as the flames burned brightly around them.

“Here is where death’s domain lies… at least, in the last age whence it is permitted to lie.” Kalameet intoned, adding with much relish. “Perhaps it being denied in the time beyond this is some small mercy, considering...”

The dragon let his sentence hang unfinished, as something most abominable and horrifying entered the portal’s frame. It could best be described as a mass of human bodies, fused together into a rough mockery of a torso. Huge rusted chains wrapped around the writhing forms, binding them into a coherent shape of servitude, while on top a cage like helmet, fashioned in an likeness that reminded Nito of the onion headed knights of Catarina, kept everyone fastened into the crude mockery of a head. Multiple withered arms reached out from the monster’s base, allowing it to drag itself across the cave floor towards one of the broken statues. Several more bodies, bound together to form the likeness of an arm and hand, reached down to retrieve the statue’s broken head from the floor. In the other arm, the monstrosity clutched a giant butcher’s knife, chipped and damaged with age.

“In this time, death hath no dominion nor cause. It hath been cast aside as all things unwanted and unloved are.”

The horrid abomination turned its back to Nito and the others, moving to place the head back on the statue.

“No respect, nor fear, nor love, does it warrant. Its soul burns only in the want for the power it once wielded...”

Kalameet paused again as the monster let go of the statue’s head, only one of the bodies that served as its fingers nudged the head a bit too hard, causing it to tumble off the statue and onto the ground again.

“But like it’s flesh, that soul is rotten. Thus it can only rage as the fire burns around it, stoking a dying ember of a memory, long lost to time, that it struggles to nevertheless hold onto. To remember what it once was.” Kalameet lamented. The rotten mass of bodies writhed and thrashed in evident anger that its attempts to restore at least a little beauty to its decrepit existence had ended in failure. Nito’s bones rattled to show he clearly was just as unsettled...

And then, The Rotten paused. Its enraged tantrum was halted as several of the bodies it was made of seemed to sense something amiss. Their faces and arms (those who had enough freedom in both to move) stretched towards the portal, causing their brethren to turn around.

“Yet now, quite by chance, that ember hath found kindling. Suddenly, its soul burns with the faintest warmth...”

Kalameet tactfully stepped back from the portal as the Rotten leaned towards everyone. From its caged head, two faces peeked out in the rough semblance of eyes. They leaned towards Nito, opening their mouths in a silent cry. Whether it was glee, horror, lust, or disgust they sought to express, the gravelord could only guess. He really didn’t have time to think about it as the next thing the Rotten did was explode with a sudden mess of black ichor, surging from every gap between the bodies it was made of. The bodies around its base reached out for purchase, grabbing the ground and pulling the Rotten forward towards the portal.

“Yea, it hath sensed the flame it once held dear. And it now aches, and hungers, to hold it again… to once more know its purpose...” Kalameet turned to Manus, who simply bowed his head as he kept his hand aloft, thus keeping the portal open as the Rotten smashed itself through.

Nito backed away as the horrid abomination of decayed bodies crashed onto the floor of the Abyss. Several of the faces peeked out from the warped mess, screaming silently again for their brethren to help them rise and claim the boon they had been granted, the chance to at last recover what had been stolen from them.

“Thou sought to know what fate hath in store for thee. Now we shalt see whether thou is still the force that proved better than mine kin in the great war.” Kalameet intoned from far away as Manus closed the portal and snatched up Princess Dusk. “Defeat this abomination, Nito, and thou shalt be one step closer to averting thine fate, as well as the fate of those who once called thee friend.”

The Rotten roared; a dry, cracked and soulless exclamation of want for what it sensed the mass of bones before it held. What was rightfully its own if it could only reclaim it. One of the bodies on its shoulder, the one who’s torso was mostly free of the fused together mass, pointed at Nito as if suggesting, or perhaps ordering, the Rotten to attack. It raised its butcher knife and swung it at tremendous speed. Nito’s entire body rattled as he caught the knife with his greatsword and felt himself be nearly shaken apart from the impact.

“And if thou decrees this a betrayal… fret not. Assured am I that thou may yet triumph, but if thine strength and valor has indeed left thee...” Kalameet paused as he sighted the flash of lighting far off in the darkness behind Nito. “Thou may yet find not all souls hath abandoned death.”

The dragon turned and retreated from the battle, with Manus hot on his heels. In their wake, Nito was left desperately weathering the blows as the Rotten fought to finish what the Chosen Undead had started, and finally see to it that this time, even death would indeed die!

***

Across the depths of the Abyss, the incredible happenings continued. A throng of humanity phantoms were drawn to a strange light shining almost as bright as Gwyn’s sun in the distant darkness, though in the next instant they were given cause to immediately regret doing so as the light then stretched itself toward them, forming into a crackling spear of lightning that pierced the form of the closest phantom and vaporized it on the spot. The remainder halted, and promptly tried to retreat, only for more lightning spears to split the darkness like a sheet and incinerate them like moths who had ventured too close to a flame.

“Exceptionally fine aim, my princess. Perhaps one more?” Solaire applauded as Celestia stepped forth. The silk talisman clutched in her hoof crackled with the energy of her newly learned ability, and the light mingled with that of the sunlight medal that now hung from a silken ribbon around her neck. Zeroing in on another of the fleeing humanity phantoms, Celestia crafted a lightning spear and hurled it like a javelin. She was rewarded with the faintest ember of satisfaction in her bosom as the spear skewered its target and reduced the ghostly black figure to nothingness.

“Yes, I’d say you’ve got this down quite well.” Solaire complimented as Celestia approached the site of her latest kills. Two small humanity sprites flickered where the phantoms had fallen, a paltry reward for such precise spell casting, but right now, Celestia was happy for any additional aid she could get.

“Well, it does strangely feel almost like second nature. Indeed, I’d almost liken it to my solar flare spell, except it requires a separate apparatus rather than the use of my horn.”

Celestia looked to the talisman in her hoof, snorting in concern as she handed it back to Solaire.

“What worries me is your statement that it’s the most basic spell among the Warriors of Sunlight arsenal. I know there’s not really time for you to teach me more, but do you honestly believe this will be enough for us to stand against Kalameet and Manus together?” The sun princess asked as she morosely scooped up the humanity sprites and stored them in her saddle bags. “I hit Manus with multiple lightning charged arrows during his attack on the Crystal Palace, and they just barely slowed him down.”

Solaire contemplated his talisman before storing it back on his belt.

“I understand your concern, noble princess. Indeed, I share it. But you must have faith, not to mention patience.” The knight soothed while patting Celestia on the shoulder. “The more you tell me of what has transpired in your realm during my captivity here, the more I am given pause to consider this may not turn out the way I feared. To be sure, however, I cannot risk you destroying yourself in a mad rush to harness the full powers of our covenant.”

Celestia smiled softly as she lit up her horn and surveyed what she could see of the terrain ahead.

“I’m not as fragile as I look, Solaire. If it hadn’t been for the sneak attack by that strange warrior in the Eastern styled armor I’d have subdued Kalameet already.” She replied. “I will, however, grant that the battle still took quite a toll on me, so that’s some grounds for playing it safe.”

Solaire chuckled and nodded as he and the alicorn came to a bridge spanning a great chasm. Many more of the black humanity phantoms stared ominously up at them from the darkness below, yet thankfully a quick check of the surrounding area revealed no apparent means for them to climb up to Celestia and Solaire’s level.

“I have no doubt that you are possessed of great strength in both flesh and soul, dear princess.” The knight commented as he took the lead and carefully stepped out onto the bridge. “But as you have learned, and no doubt seen during your time here, in this realm, even the strongest are not immune to the corrupting effects of the darkness.”

Solaire paused as he made a few more steps across the bridge. He leaned down and rapped his fist hard against the rock, nodding to Celestia that it felt solid enough to support her weight alongside his own.

“Yes, actually, if I could bring up what you were saying about that earlier...” Celestia began as she followed Solaire across the chasm. “You mentioned a figure, the alleged founder of your Covenant, that the Warriors of Sunlight focus a heavy amount of their worship on. Someone you referred to as Gwyn’s exiled son.”

Solaire nodded as he carefully put one foot in front of the other, his helmet turning from side to side to keep a constant watch on the throngs of phantoms below.

“A tragic figure was the Great Lord’s firstborn. The gods may have deemed him unworthy of being remembered, but the Warriors of Sunlight, as his loyal followers, believed that to be perhaps just a little too harsh of a punishment.”

Celestia nodded as she likewise kept staring down into the darkness, her armor clanking in unease that the darkness kept staring back at her. Her heart jumped when she felt the bridge crumbled under one of her hooves, causing it to slide off into the nothingness beyond. Quickly she froze, jerked her leg back, and registered her other three hooves were still firmly on solid ground. With a dry inhale Celestia looked back and saw she’d been so fixated on the phantoms she’d inadvertently lead herself to step too close to the edge of the bridge.

With a disdainful grunt, Celestia turned her attention to Solaire, focusing on him as a guide as she reoriented herself to stand in the center of the bridge again.

“Yes well, so long as we’ve got time… and also because the conversation helps keep my mind distracted… what exactly did Gwyn’s firstborn do to warrant being essentially erased from existence?”

Solaire chuckled as he sighted the other side of the chasm up ahead.

“Believe it or not, the same thing Seath did during the war against the Everlasting Dragons, just in reverse.”

Celestia’s ears rose as Solaire beckoned her to keep moving.

“While few know exactly what transpired during the conflict, lore attests that the gods were actually on the losing side for most of it. Even with the souls of lords, each battle cost Gwyn’s armies hundreds if not thousands of warriors, while the dragons took few if any losses. In such dire circumstances, well, a few souls understandably began to question their allegiance, more so if their station demanded they be the one to turn the tide, find some way to conjure victory out of defeat.”

Solaire paused as he stepped onto the other side of the chasm, turning to offer Celestia his hand.

“As you can imagine, Gwyn’s firstborn, Lordran's god of war, was such a soul, in such a rather precarious position. With so many heavy losses to his side, and his own father and leader demanding he somehow deliver a miracle to change things up, what was he to do?”

Celestia mused on the question as she extended her hoof and let herself be pulled out of danger.

“You’re saying he turned traitor?”

Solaire nodded heavily.

“Many believe he sacrificed everything to ally himself with the dragons. Indeed, such an act would stand as testament to his status. A god of war must always back the winning side, and thus he did as he was meant to.” Solaire chuckled as Celestia pursed her lips in thought.

“And the only reason his sacrifice was thus for naught was because Seath did the same thing and told the gods how to defeat his kin. Two betrayals, each done out of the belief that the opposing side was the better choice.” The sun princess contemplated before turning her light to Solaire. “A pity Seath isn’t here with us. I’d love to know if he was even aware of this, or if Gwyn kept him in the dark along with everyone else.”

Solaire nodded with greater vigor.

“You and me both, my fair princess. I had initially written him off as a lost cause because of his own induced isolation, and the likelihood that he’d have already been vanquished by another member of my covenant before I could even get close to his archives.”

Celestia furrowed her brow in confusion.

“Oh yes. During my travels through Lordran I sensed a great number of other warriors repeatedly trying to summon aid for their efforts in reaching the dragon and ending his terror. I dare say the demand was greater than for any of the other horrors plaguing this realm.” Solaire laughed. “Thus the irony that the old dragon managed to not only outlast them all but escape to a better place is most humorous indeed.”

Celestia looked unconvinced, but as she then thought it over a twisted smile slowly curled her lips, followed by a traitorous snort of amusement.

“Perhaps. Though he had some help in the escape...” She sighed, before freezing as the caverns of the Abyss were violently shaken by the roar of something most inhuman and quite unwelcome.

“And it seems the source of that help just committed another heinous act.” She said in weary defeat. “I guess it’s time to see if the few moments I’ve had to practice and learn these new techniques can help us avert further disaster.”

Solaire rested a reassuring hand on the alicorn’s shoulder as he handed her his talisman.

“Quite so, but this time you shall not face it alone!” He declared while drawing his shimmering sunlight straight sword. “Let us charge forth into the breach together! If nothing else, we may bring a close to this sordid chapter, and see what awaits us next!”

The two valiant warriors charged with fresh purpose into the foreboding darkness.

Author's Note:

So here we are, finally back on track with getting some new material for this, and also finally putting some long overdue plot points into action...even if they're a few of many I'm mulling over.

- First off, to those who many years ago expressed their love for the Fair Lady and made it quite clear that I would not have a good time if I let any harm come to her, here you go! I've been contemplating how I could start moving the action back to Equestria and she provided the perfect opportunity to get the ball rolling on that. Rest assured, for the moment she is now officially out of danger and will be quite safe as the new firekeeper of Twilight's bonfire. She also will be integral to getting the other vital Dark Souls characters to Equestria for when they're next needed so we may be seeing more of her in the next few chapters.

All it's going to cost is well...the lives of at least a few ponies...if not more. :pinkiecrazy: Yeah, confession time, one of the other motivations for my bringing the Fair Lady back into the fray was what effect her salvation would have on her most loyal covenant member, as well as Discord. Kirk of Thorns always struck a special note for me with how dedicated he is in his purpose (even if his lore is a bit confused on which covenant he's working for at any given moment) and thus I want to explore how he'll handle the ultimate test of that purpose, given save for what Manus left behind after attacking the Crystal Empire, there's no humanity to be found in Equestria. He's going to rack up a body count for essentially no gain, and then he'll be left with quite the crisis of faith as he realizes he's done more harm than good for his leader in this new world, yet at the same time, he's still supported her covenant's purpose in spreading chaos among a new civilization.

Discord, I imagine, is not going to be too pleased either when he learns of what his attempts to do good have resulted in...but I'm sure he'll resolve that in his own special way once the time comes.

- As for Nito, well that's another scenario I wanted to finally try out. Given reincarnation of souls is a running theme across the Soulsborne games I couldn't ignore the prospect of having the NPCs have to face their own future selves (which is also partially why I've been so set on including DS II in this series continuity). I want to see if the love readers expressed for Nito's involvement in the story is still strong as he becomes the first to be confronted with the horror of what fate has in store for him, mostly because if folk like that then Seath may find himself having a date with a certain arachnid later down the line.

- While researching the Warriors of Sunlight (see here for the link: https://darksouls.wiki.fextralife.com/Warrior+of+Sunlight ), one note that caught my interest was the mention on the Dark Souls wiki that Seath is apparently a favored boss battle for those of a higher soul level who want to co-op and rank up in the covenant. Specifically the wiki states:

Also the bonfire on the balcony in Duke's Archive is a great place to co-op against Seath for Soul Levels around 140.

I can't say for certain if this will lead to anything once Seath and Solaire meet, but it makes for an interesting contemplation about what history those two might share depending on how you interpret their respective lores.

Aside from that I hope this installment is deemed to have been worth the wait by you all! As always your patience and support is forever appreciated!