Twilight and Spike lived their childhood in Canterlot Castle under the benevolent eye of Princess Celestia and violent protection of her resident, so called, monster. A monster she returns to to find peace with but also unexpected danger and threats.
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Enders huh? Well it wouldn't surprise me know if raegdans traveling companions were the Enders. It also wouldn't surprise me if Raegdan is the reaper.
Who was Dorothy again?
Damn this chapter was great, even without Luna and raegdan. I'm guessing that wierd tar creature has already visited Equestria?
Fantastic chapter, I loved the various descriptions of the Enders. In most stories I tend to find the chapters that don't involve the main characters less interesting, but the interludes and chapters such as these are pulled off incredibly well in this story.
8241619
Dorothy from Wizard of Oz. That's who he refers to.
8241634
Maybe. But we do know that the worms have. Luna actually told the story of how she killed them in chapter... (checks) 13. And they're seen again in interlude 5.
GOD DAMN IT. How dare you end it on that note!? Seriously, I was like, "Ohshitohshitohshit gonna learn how he can ge-- FUUUUUUUUCK."
On a serious note, the world building that you have gone through for the gates is really top notch. I want to see how all this will affect Equestria and Raegdan. Hell it was so good I hadn't even cared that there were no ponies in this chapter.
-edit
Also I think I just glossed over the fact that the ones who gl through the gates are immortal AND regenerate. It was a lot to take in.
8241619
Wizard of Oz
Waaait, aren't those world-eaters already hanging out on Equus?
If those harvesters are Leviathans, then they showed up long before the local Ender did. I guess they just don't like to attract attention until the population has been eliminated.
...unless Raegdan isn't this world's Ender. What if one showed up long ago, but has been imprisoned in stone for a long, long time? And iirc, he's about due to be released...
These chapters give me life. Crimmar, you're beautiful and I love this.
8241587
Well yeah, I guess it hasn't been confirmed, but the context from the Janus chapter would have us believe Raegdan was the Reaper, right?
But yeah, I was reading this chapter and thought, we haven't heard from Raegdan's friends still, I wonder if they're actually Enders as well...? That speculation aside, I think I'd still prefer they were Janus members though.
8241707
Do they regenerate also? Raegdan certainly hasn't and the dossier in this chapter only mentions immortality.
Um... So all Raegdan had to do was wish to go back to Earth when his group went through a gate? Or is it the chanting bit? Is this going to be cleared up because I imagine Raegdan and former friends would have been back on their Earth if that's all it took
8241510
Not like I like your story or anything, j-jerk.
Oh, some answers from a different side; World expansion, I like it. But now we have even more questions and implications.
Theory: Outside force grooms certain Gate Travelers to be Enders.
Sub-Theory: Raegdan is being groomed
I understand so much now.
He's an ender and knows it.
He's immortal (as long as he isn't in his own reality) and he knows it.
He's under constant grinding pain the closer he is to gate. I'll assume there is a Gate close to Canterlot.
In order to tolerate the pain he picks fights with manticores and mostly wins. " Nothing like a mauling in the morning!"
The neverending pain has caused severe cognitive disfunctions.
8241619
Dorothy Gale... from Wizard of Oz?
Are Enders and Reapers the same thing or two different things?
8242201
Remember that it was stated that humans have bad reactions to living extremely long times. That cognitive disfunction is probably because he's been alive for so long that his mind can't take it.
So immortality and celular regeneration?
Hey Reagdan, give it maybe like 50 years and you might have your eye back. Oh wait, you can't sit still that long can you, ya big mook.
8241587
While I haven't gone to what happened to Raegdan's old friends, there IS a hint in this chapter. And yes, Raegdan pretty much is the Reaper. You can see it pretty clearly from the similarities in how the two of them fight. When in a close up fight they are both more like brawlers, pretend and lie until they get into a better position, and then let fly with the advantage or trick they possess. Also, the fact that the Reaper seems to prefer to have armor around his forearms. Check Raegdan's very thich vambraces again.
8241673
I wonder if you all got what the descriptions imply. Or found the easter eggs.
8241707 8242396
Actually that cellural rejuvenation is only meant for what makes them immortal. Cells replicate themselves and die constantly. The problem is that part of the reason why they don't do that forever is that something breaks in them slowly, and that's why we age and organs slowly fail. Each cell regeneration is a tiny bit worse. Getting through the rifts however makes them stop breaking apart. Besides, if he did have a very slow wolverine like regeneration then he wouldn't have the scars.
But of course, as always... there are far more things in play here that are obvious if you ask yourself the right questions. For instance... how come he's never lost so much as a finger before getting to Equestria?
8241919
D'awww. Love you too, sweetie!
Here's a hint. Take a good look at the section with the captain. I very often hide details that are there for the very observant ones. What was very weird about him to Jacqueline, and what might it mean?
8241945
The implication is that all you have to do... Is wish on where you want to go, although Sergeant Darry does mention that it's not 100% effective. And here's something you might have forgotten from chapter 20 where Raegdan tells his tale.
Now, why doesn't it work for him? Where does he always end up instead? Why hasn't he gotten home yet?
The answer is simple enough, but don't worry. I think it's about the very or almost very last thing I will reveal.
8241946
D-Don't think I'm happy or anything! B-Baka!
8242101
/clap So amazingly close! That is IF that is true however, I intend for the whole line of Enders and all to be something everyone could simply be wrong about, but of course if I'm going to make a sequel I will have to make them be real, no question about it. Not that there won't be twists of course. So, wait for the final arc of this one to see where you fell short. But well done work, sir!
8242308
The Reaper is what they call that one certain individual on that world that killed them out. It's the name they've given to a single guy. Enders is what they call the whole collection of them, like a category.
8242201
eeeehh... Maybe he does. He probably doesn't. Would he care at that point?
Nope. Forgot how he reacted when he realized he doesn't age? Always remember. Raegdan keeps repressing and hiding from stuff he doesn't like. In the last chapter with him it's pretty much obvious that he's forgetting the whole thing once more.
Yep. Remember the train ride, both going and coming? Twilight even called him out on that. It's close enough that he told Velvet to get her family and make a run for it if Nightmare Moon won.
8242349
Yep. And the Janus guys are outright stating that they fall prey to the same thing, but they deal with it with drugs and constant therapy and support while not out on their missions. Raegdan doesn't have that. And with how screwy time can get relatively, who knows how much longer than any of them he has been out there.
8242349 100% agree
8242433
Actually, Marvel comics didn't quite think that power through all that well. Logan, Sabertooth, the Hulk, & all the other characters with healing factors, should each be covered with shitloads of scar tissue--except after those times they have to regenerate all the way from bone marrow. Large wounds rarely heal cleanly--healing factor or no healing factor--and scars happen because the edges of the tissues don't always line up properly when the cells are replicating in the process of gluing the jagged edges together.
Raegdan clearly has a healing factor--just not one as fancy and quick as that shown in the movies or the comics.
8242433
Well now that you mention it...I'm thinking the gate does a "restore to previous known state" each time you step through it, which would imply the gates are artificial and linked in whatever-which way they communicate.
Crimmar, you motherfucker, how dare you create a world this vivid and dark and mysterious. Go fuck yourself with all these teasing hints, callbacks, and constant in-story references that paint a picture so enticingly close to complete, but with a few missing pieces that could change the puzzle entirely. And DEFINITELY go straight to hell for the tangible sense of dread just over the horizon, and of dangers so vast that they eclipse the meager abilities of the heroes, creating a dramatic tension that leads to us questioning everything we've read and assumed about them, while staying true to your characters' arcs and changing personalities.
I hate you and your perfect story.
8242405 The fascinating thing about strength of will is that it is often a trait associated with heroes.
Take Odysseus, who spent 20 years on the deadly seas with Poseidon's anger pointed specifically at him, and survived hardship after hardship, endured delay after delay, to reclaim his status as king and see his wife again.
However, as "heroic" as stubbornness is, it is just as often warped and twisted for those who lack romantic moral boundaries.
Edmond Dantès (The Count of Monte Cristo), in his quest for revenge, spent twenty-three years agonizing over how he was wrongly persecuted for a crime he did not commit (that of being an alleged Bonapartist in a post-Napoleon France), and - after unearthing an unimaginable fortune, set to make those who stole his life away suffer in a cold, calculating manner. And you already know of Sauron and his shtick with the One Ring.
More to the point, though, I find Luna in this story mirrors Martin Walker. Anyone who's played Spec Ops: The Line knows exactly where I am going with this. Walker, on the surface your average gung-ho commando donning the American flag and a pocketful of 'freedumb!', is the game's 'hero'. Not long into the story, what began as a simple scouting mission transforms into a waking nightmare, in which the people Walker was meant to save and evacuate are the ones he slaughters wholesale, 'all for the greater good'.
So obsessed is he with his mission, he ignores the countless lives he squanders in pursuit of that goal. Eventually, however, Walker is driven to madness by the weight of his atrocities and failures. In this sense, Walker, much like Luna, is his own demon. A quote from the game's antagonist that perfectly fits Luna on the subject of duty goes as such:
"Home? We can't go home. There's a line men like us have to cross. If we're lucky, we do what's necessary, and then we die... All I really want is peace." Link, containing a video of the end of the game, contains MAJOR spoilers.
8242479
Oy! I'm not the writer; that was just a presumption.
This chapter is a nice bit of world/universe-building material. From what I can piece together, across this story, some force, possibly an entire civilisation that destroys other worlds, or some kind of Eldritch horror so vast and grand, that trying to comprehend it, will only bring madness. It uses leviathan-like beasts to drain a world, of its resources and to spread strife. Where other disasters, like war, famine, disease etc, aren't ruining everything already. Then 'Enders' are guided via rifts or given instructions and then sent via rifts, into worlds that can recover, after world-ending cataclysms and they go about, destroying what is left. I'm probably missing a lot of details though =/.
Also on an unrelated note, anyone think if Equestria ended, this would be Raegdan, at the end times?
I mean there is that one timeline, Twilight and Spike arrived in, where Equestria was a wasteland, after Starlight Glimmer, tampered with time and the natural order of things.
8242308
Like how Target is a store, but not all stores are Target, a Reaper is an Ender, but there are more types of Enders than Reapers.
8243179 and from what i have gathered from some earlier chapters, Raegdan either is, was, or has worked for an ender
8242433
Ugh, I just don't know! He's clearly older than he looks, but that could apply to any World Traveler, especially a captain of Janus. Ah well, I bet the answer's exciting, whatever it is.
Like CommanderBigMac said, I'm thinking the Gate's might do a "restore to previous state" each jump, but Raegdan's so scarred, I can hardly believe he came to Equestria unmarred. Maybe divine protection from Morgoth?
8242433 8243250
OK, that helps. Thanks!
8242479
See, that's what I was afraid of too, and I just don't have the time to go easter egg hunting for bonus material (fun as that might be)
Running out of chapters caught me so off guard, i cant wait till i can read on
8242777
I'll reread it myself after a few more chapters are out. I've read Diaries of a Madman 5 times now and i still find foreshadows and bits of knowledge i missed, but I'm willing to admit I'm a somewhat oblivious person
8243003
If that's how you feel then... then I guess I will have to stop!
8243115
As with many things, success lies in moderation. So many shows or comics or stories that show the hero has to keep going, never stop, keep pushing... But many things for what? You know what comes to mind right now? Son Goku. I don't know if you watch the later series, Dragonball Super, but you know how he is always all about pushing his boundaries, fighting the strongest opponents possible? Well, he, uh... kinda overdid and kinda convinced the King of Everything to make a multiversal tournament. All good, huh? Not really. Losing Universes get destroyed. Nice Job Breaking It, Hero.
8243179
Yep, lot of details are still missing, though this is not the current's story focus, but it will be back there. For instance, as Sergeant Darry said; something out there drains the resources out of anything, but just like he questioned, then what? Where do these resources go?
8243499
Mmm... the real answer to that is one of the main parts behind the sequel. I really don't want to spoil it. Though a hint* will be here in one of the following few chapters.
*Note: Hints are provided in the way I do them; Hidden in something a character says or acts, seemingly innocent at first glance.
8244036
I'm sorry to say I haven't written a single word so far... Infected/swollen gum you see. I've either been writhing in pain or being high (I'm not taking drugs well at all), and today's probably the day when the gums are unswollen enough that I can go to the dentist so she can scissor them off and pull stuff out of it. Fun! I'll try my best though. The next parts are gonna be kinda funny.
8244618
Oh, Super has a lot of problems as far as powerscale goes anymore. I think they might be trying to make the differences smaller yet more important. As in instead of making a Super Sayian be 50 times faster than a normal Sayian to have the difference in speed be much less but its what makes the difference between hit or not hit, thus a super sayian is better by a tighter yet almost impossible to bridge gap that is much much harder to cover by conventional means.
But as far as the multiverse arc goes, I mean that despite if it's Goku's fault or not (the not portion seems like backpedalling from Toei for me) the fact remains that he doesn't care. Of course Goku is not superman and he isn't a Lawful Good kind of character, not even Chaotic Good. He's neutral good at best, willing to help if he gets involved but not actively seeking to. His prime desire is to fight stronger opponents and I think that if he could convince the Omniking to stop the tournament he still wouldn't. That's because Goku is not actually a hero of the superhero type. He's willing to risk everything for his desire.
He is called the hero because he succeeds and through contrivances and efforts of others as well, no one we care for really gets hurt. We know he's gonna win or nothing too serious will happen in the multiverse tournament. But what if it didn't? Do you see how close Goku toes the line between hero and villain, even if he doesn't seek to actively save or hurt anyone?
And then you have characters like Luna here who doesn't have the contrivances and dragonballs to cover her mistakes, and her failures lead her to try harder and harder...
So, you know, maybe the difference between hero and villain is not that great. And hey, maybe it's not that great between Super Sayian and Super Sayian Blue.
8244381
Yeah, I see DBS as Goku going past his psychological breaking point and giving in to his Saiyan psychopathy over the compassion he learned on Earth. Perhaps he's died one too many times and now no longer sees it as such a bad thing. Of course, there is also the fact that, had Goku not asked for the tournament to take place, Zen'o would have wiped out random Universes on a whim; he's given them a fighting chance to exist by pressing the tournament.
Also, get well soon.
Wait, if harvesters only go after dead worlds then why would that one have been...
Oh.
I'm seeing speculation his friends are enders, but what about members of Janus?
What he calls them, implying it's not a common term, it's just something he says.
I've got my eye on you captain.
I feel that the blonde dude knew Reagdan and is referring to him here and how Reagdan acted to protect them, but I could be wrong.
8247699 8249132
It's always so nice to know when people pick up on that stuff. I never know if I'm too subtle and they unnoticed or too obvious and no one comments on them because they're so obvious. Keep these thoughts in mind, guys.
Now, if only I knew if y'all picked up what the Enders resemble...
8249357
Enders are basically the horsemen of the apocalypse, considering the four designations. Although I'm too lazy to decipher which designation represents which horseman, at least it's clear that the reaper is Raegdan.
...At least that's my theory
8242433
It doesn't work because of the other side of him, the ender, that is being used when he blacks out. The ender part, which I'm guessing is what he was supposed to end up as, but the last vestiges of his morality and drive to go home or protect the ones he cares about are preventing that. I'm guessing that, had he not lost that little girl and then found Twilight, whatever it is that is controlling the harvesters would have taken control after Equestria was ravaged.
As for where he ends up, it's always the worlds on the brink of destruction, worlds like the metal walled city where he was tortured, or the one where the girl died. Which makes it strange that he ended up in Equestria considering that he came in AFTER the first rainboom and the cutie marking of the Elements, since that event ensures the safety of the world with the elements barring outside forces.
The world building though. On a Dark Tower like skale.
Awesome!
8243003
I have never seen such a wonderful paradox of an insult before.
8252978
A wife to her husband: "You have the biggest dick of all your friends."
This is the first story i found, where i really like how side characters behave and i am interested to see where it is going......
However the main pair behave like moody youngsters and are absolutely unlikable.
Very nice try at the story, but goth Luna and her pet human killed it for me.
Well, crud, are they trying to characterize the multiverse or just prepare/defend themselves? If it is the former... Well, neat! I'm sitting on an incomplete story kinda like that; collect data, hop dimensions, try not to die, eventually build a model, and calculate the way home.
Also, I love your work, don't think I've mentioned it before.
8249357 Didn't Raegdan have a blond-haired, tactically-minded friend who used to be able to predict his every move and thought?
Wasn't he about 20-30ish?
That seems like an awful lot of coincidence for one person to me. What is the name of our grandfatherly Captain anyway?
Seems he may yet get his chance to find out.
8260877
Both actually. It started as the first one out, but then things started popping at that they would be stupid to ignore.
And thank you, it is very much appreciated!
8261059
I, uh... I don't recall someone like that. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
8257672
Oops, meant to answer this a lot sooner, but it slipped my mind. I actually thought that I did. Sorry about that.
I'm afraid that this was quite unavoidable. I mean, yes, I could have made changes, not even big ones, that would certainly make them more likable. A little change in how they speak, how they act, and presto (at least I THINK so). But here's the snag; That would go against what I'm trying to do. See, there's a reason they act like the typical "edgy" characters, all sure, arrogant, dismissive of threats or help. That being that this is all a charade. For instance, take Raegdan and how he is absolutely certain that he always knows what's best. It is infuriating, especially considering how he often does not or how his idea for "what's best" just isn't that. But, there's a certain part in the Charybdis chapter where you read a flashback scene with his father:
What I am getting to is that what you see isn't there because I like "edgy and cool". What you see is the characters playing a role that makes them look more in control and various other reasons I won't get into because this will turn into an essay.
BUT here's an important part.
I am not pretending it's likable or trying to give the characters Protagonist-Centered Morality to make them likable. That way of acting IS ugly, very unlikeable, and quite frankly its grinding as well. I TRY to offset it with some other moments, but with the story and them being what they are that is quite a tall order. These parts are there mostly to show how or why mane six and others like them more. After all, if Raegdan for instance is shown breaking someone's leg it doesn't mean it's an everyday occurence. It's something that he's done but it's shown and talked about because while it is uncommon it is not exactly rare (sorry, got a little issue with that since some people tend to think that showing one character doing something once or twice means its a daily routine and that's the least worst he has done). Most of the time he's supposed to act about like in his better moments, but the story isn't about them now, is it? If you want to see him far more likable then check out The Twilight Years story.
TL;DR - Not being likeable is not a bug; it's a feature. In-story: It's about two people trying to get better without trivializing much how hard change is, and 2) on metal-level, "edgy and cool" characters are this likeable when you take off their excuses (p.s. try to think how much you'd like Wolverine or Batman with the way they act in similar cases).
P.S. I hope that at least the plot and the side characters are enough to keep you reading nevertheless. I'm not quite sure if you mean that the main characters made you lose all interest or really halved your enjoyment of the story.
I feel this would fit for Raegdans theme whenhe loses himself especially the Steadfast Ray scene with Twilights rule (i get goosebumps every time i even think of her words) https://youtu.be/qweqbJ9Bmws