Dawn of Crystal Empire

by TopWanted

Lullaby/Dachuur - Chapter 10

As the snow began to melt, Crystal Falls began to buzz with rumors and gossip. Lullaby had been hearing them in town, something about a witch coming down from the mining camps. During practice she’d asked Gladius and other Wonderbolts about the witch.

“She’s ten feet tall and as skinny as a stick bug.”

“She’s covered in fur and has horns the size of most elk!”

“I don’t really know that much about her,” Gladius replied. “I’ve never really met her before. She’s a yak that moved down from the northern mountains. She set up shop in the mining camps and began to predict things for the workers and give them charms that would grant good fortune. Supposedly she predicted and even helped with the birth of over ten healthy foals. My uncle,” Gladius paused at the mention, he still hadn’t gotten over that little tick, “he tried to have her forcefully removed from the camps a little over a year ago when he arrived. The miners began protesting and even threatened to stop working so the town councils stopped the relocation.”

“Do you believe she’s a witch,” Lullaby asked.

The two were in their special spot. A brief little clearing of trees just outside of the Training Area. Though Fall and Winter had not been a great time to train, Lullaby still managed to keep Gladius on a routine schedule. Even during the freezing snow they would train their durability. Lullaby was seriously impressed with the colt. In nearly six months time he had jumped ahead leaps and bounds and even beat several of the top ranked fliers in an unofficial game of Aerial Aces. Today was a nice day so the teacher and student had decided they’d just do fifty sets of wing ups. They chatted while exercising, Gladius panting slightly while Lullaby spoke freely.

“I’m not sure,” Gladius asked. “It’s no secret that other races can have magic. Zebras and deer use potions to accomplish alchemy and transubstantiation. I’m not really sure about Yak magic though.”

“Look at you with all those big words,” Lullaby nudged him in the side which knocked Gladius off balance. He quickly righted himself. “You planning on studying magic?”

“No, no,” Gladius blushed slightly. “I’ve just had a unicorn’s upbringing most of my life. My uncle took me in when I was pretty young and sent me to train with scholars and swordsmen. I learned a lot about history and magic is pretty intertwined with that.”

“Well, you still haven’t answered my question,” Lullaby chided him, returning her concentration to her own workout. “Do you think she’s a witch?”

“I’m not even sure I know what a witch is, ah,” Gladius replied as he finally gave in to his exhaustion and fell to the ground. “I mean, huff, does it matter if she can use magic or not? How does that make her a witch when everyone else are, well, normal?”

Lullaby finished out her rep and lowered herself to the ground too. She rolled onto her back and began staring at the sky. “Where I come from, a witch is a term given to someone with great power. Something inherent. Something that’s different from everyone else and sets them apart.”

She closed her eyes as if trying to recall a long forgotten sad memory. “Even the most beautiful of gifts can scare the most neglectful of minds.”

“Neglectful, huh?” Gladius looked away with a melancholy expression.

“Sound like someone you know?” Lullaby joked.

“You know you really shouldn’t make fun of him,” Gladius snapped back.

“Make fun of who?” Lullaby smiled.

Gladius sighed and smiled back. “Never mind.” He joined her on the grass and lay down with his face to the sky.

---

That afternoon Lullaby began to walk down Main Street. Honey had asked her to pick up some more ice from the broker before she came to pick up Bedim. The market seemed to have died down since the morning, only the few late comers checking if they could pick off whatever the early birds didn’t get to. Some stands were even closing for the day. Lullaby noticed the ice broker just about to clean up his stand.

“Wait!” she shouted as she ran toward the stand. “Can I just get a block really quick?”

“You’re lucky,” the broker replied. “I only had one block left and no one was coming around.”

He went back to his tarp covered wagon and climbed inside, exiting again with a large wet sack that was dripping.

“Better get it home fast,” he warned. “It’s been out here all day.”

“Thanks, I will.” She gave him six bits and went on her way.

However, as she turned the corner of the street a noise caught her ear. She had heard a small gasp and yelp from a slapdash tent set up at the end of the street. Lullaby stopped and walked to the entrance flap. She peered her head inside.

“Everything okay in here?” she asked the dark interior.

From behind a small round table she could make out a thin hoof being raised in alarm.

“Pardon, pardon” came a heavily accented voice from behind the table. “Could maybe you help? Bulba fell and can’t get up.”

“Oh, just a sec.” Lullaby took a few steps into the tent and placed the bag on the floor. She rushed behind the table and helped the tall gaunt hoofed figure up. “Are you okay?”

It was still too dark to make out any features but the figure placed two thankful hooves on hers. “Many thanks! Bulba was just cleaning up when wind flew in from nowhere and blew out candles. Bulba so scared she tripped over her clumsy hooves.” The figure clopped a hoof on the ground and all the candles in the tent immediately lit up. The now visible figure groaned in pain as she rubbed her back. “Bulba’s back not as good as it used to be.”

Lullaby stared in bafflement at the sudden light but then noticed the figure she had helped. Before her stood a tall gray yak with forelocks that covered her eyes. Her mass of fur seemed to cover a skeletal frame that made Lullaby wonder how the yak could even move at all. Her horns were relatively small, despite the rumors, just peaking up over a mop of gray fur on her head. She wore no clothes but had several dreadlocks adorned with hoof stitched cloths in strange colorful patterns. A silver earring adorned her left ear.

“Hey how did you-“

“Come,” Lullaby was interrupted. “Sit down. Bulba must thank you!”

The yak pushed Lullaby into the seat opposite the table, closest to the door. Her host then turned away and began to gather ingredients for tea mixing them into a blue ceramic teapot. Lullaby took the moment to look around briefly.

The inside of the tent was composed of the table in the center and several shelves adorning the back wall. On the shelves were bottles of strangely labeled liquids and ingredients. Lullaby couldn’t make out the language they were written in but she was sure on of the bottles contained some kind of frogs’ tongues or worms. Bulba turned back to her guest and poured a steaming cup of tea for her.

“Uh, thank you,” Lullaby grabbed the blue cup in both hooves and took a sip. She sighed in relief that it was not filled with bugs or any other nonsense. She took another sip and realized something. Bulba had made this tea in under two minutes. That was impossible. Not to mention that Lullaby did not see any place in the tent she could have heated it up.

“You like?” Bulba asked, pouring herself her own cup.

Lullaby nodded.

“It’s yak blend,” Bulba explained. “All ingredients found on mountain.”

“Really?” Lullaby cocked an eyebrow in curiosity.

“Everything a pony needs can be found on mountain,” Bulba sipped her tea and smiled at her. “You have connection to mountain.”

“I what?”

Bulba’s smile widened. “Bulba can see a pony’s true self with the tea. From the tea leaves comes the future. Yours points to the mountain.”

Lullaby looked down at her cup. The leaves inside didn’t seem to be pointing in any particular direction.

“I think I’ll have to take you on your word with that,” Lullaby said with a smirk.

Bulba’s smile did not waver. “You do not believe in the tea?”

“I believe in a lot of things,” Lullaby replied, setting her tea down. “Though I must admit that prophetic drinks are a new one.”

“Go ahead and finish the tea, my little pony. Then Bulba can properly show you her skills.”

Lullaby cocked another eyebrow but proceeded to down her tea in a single gulp. She immediately regretted that as her throat began to burn. Bulba grabbed the cup and began to examine the sediments at the bottom.

“So *ahem* what do they say now?” Lullaby coughed.

Bulba returned the cup to the center of the table so both could look into it. “Your past is shown by the side of the cup in which you chose to drink from.” She pointed out the slightly chipped edge where Lullaby’s lips had once been. “This indicates sad experience. A loved one lost to soon, perhaps?”

Lullaby said nothing, deciding to hold her tongue.

“Next is the immediacy, the present found in the rim of the bowl,” she pointed out the inside of the cup. “The ground is focused on a single wall of cup. You have something that encompasses your thoughts day and night. A new burden or responsibility, perhaps?”

Lullaby’s mind drifted to Bedim.

“Finally there is the bottom of the cup, the future.” Bulba pointed out the small pile of sediment at the bottom. “The grounds rise in a ring around the bottom. There is royalty in your future. A prince, perhaps?”

Lullaby’s mind drifted to Dachuur and she shook her head before it could blush.

Bulba’s eye’s circled the bottom of the cup for a moment longer. A frown crawling across here smile like a caterpillar.

“This,” she pointed to the very bottom of the cup where the sediment lay in a small round mound. Sticking straight up out of it was a single leaf, stalk to the sky. “This is not good.”

“What?” Lullaby found herself leaning in closer.

“The tea leaf impales the mound,” Bulba muttered. “There will be great misfortune ahead for you. Someone you love, will die.”

Lullaby felt a shiver run through her body. She slumped back into her seat and stared into the distance.

Bulba finished her tea and began to clear the table. Lullaby finally spoke up as she turned around to put the cups away.

“Is there anything I can do?” she muttered.

Bulba turned her head and gave Lullaby a reassuring smile. “Future is not written in stone,” she placed Lullaby’s cup beneath a water spigot and began to pump. “It is written in tea leaves,” she brought up the now clean cup to Lullaby’s eyes. “And tea leaves can be washed away so easily. Make with your future what you will. Fate has a way of giving us all what we want one way or another.”

Lullaby stared into her clean cup and smiled. “Thanks, Bulba.”

“No need thank Bulba,” she replied. “Bulba be thanking you. Now go before your ice melts.”

Lullaby shot up, just realizing how long she had stayed in Bulba’s tent. The ice was probably already melted. She turned to grab the bag and found it still solid. In fact it seemed to be even colder than before with the wet exterior having been frozen over and covered with frost.

“But how-“

“Bulba be seeing you again, Miss Lullaby,” Bulba stated as she pushed her guest out the door. “Come back and visit anytime.”

Bulba closed the tent flaps and Lullaby stood there in dumbfounded disbelief. She never gave her name, right?

----------

Dachuur sailed through the clear blue sky, Soracen on his tail. In truth, he had been hoping to have this little visit alone but Soracen had caught him leaving the nest. When he had finally explained who he was seeing, Soracen insisted on coming.

The two griffins made sure to fly stealthily as the place they were headed did not need to be tipped off to their presence. After some expert stealth flying they had secretly passed the pony settlements and quickly descended into the cover of the trees before any of the soldiers could notice them.

Dachuur peaked his head out at the pony Training Area. Several pegasi were circling the track in training but none seemed to be the one he was looking for. Soracen pointed out that she might not be there.

“I know,” Dachuur said with a sigh. “It was a bit of a stretch anyway. Even if I did find her here I doubt she’d want to play right-“

Soracen gasped in shock and ducked her neck down into the coverage of leaves. Dachuur simply looked around confused as to what might have drawn her attention. He found it quite easily.

Standing near the center of camp, engaged in a conversation with actual laughter, Sariel was talking to two ponies. Dachuur’s beak hung open in disbelief. Sariel was smiling.

He recognized the two ponies Sariel was talking to. One had been the captain of the pegasi, Cloud Catcher, and the other appeared to be the earth pony that stood by him before. They both were laughing as well.

Has the world gone upside down and I just missed it?

He stuck his head back in the coverage and turned to Soracen. “Did you know he was here?”

Soracen shook her head “no.”

“Well,” Dachuur grinned. “Then I suppose he won’t mind if we make our own unscheduled appearance.”

Soracen shook her head once more, more emphatically this time.

“Okay, you stay here. I’ll go.”

Dachuur lifted up out of the trees and into the air. He caught the attention of several soldiers training but that was the most of it. Sariel took notice as well and sighed, covering his face with a claw. Dachuur landed next to the three.

“Good morning, gentlecolts,” he stated. “How’s our little songbird treating you?”

The brown earth pony said nothing but Cloud Catcher burst into laughter.

“Songbird?!” he laughed. “He talking about you, Sari?”

“Sari?” Dachuur questioned under his breath.

“What are you doing here, master hunter?” Sariel asked with a sneer and a roll of the eyes.

“I was just in the neighborhood, thought I’d drop by, see some old faces. Looks like you beat me to it. What are you doing here, Sari?” Dachuur snickered.

Sariel’s sneer did not change. “I was meeting with Captains Cloud Catcher and Dusty Crop here to discuss more specifics about the race in four months.”

“Oh,” Dachuur put on a look of shock. “I had no idea you guys were so close.”

Cloud Catcher smiled and slapped a hoof on Sariel’s back. “Since you folks stopped attacking I’ve been able to get letters to the griffins’ nest requesting some more facts about that race, as well as some other stuff.”

Sariel straightened up and cleared his throat. “We have been meeting since late Fall.”

“Wait,” Dachuur held a talon in protest. “You’re telling me you’ve been sneaking off behind Soracen’s back and talking to Pony Captains without any backup?”

“Soracen was there the first time,” Sariel stated. “But I really did not need her anymore after the fifth or sixth meeting. I trust Captain Cloud Catcher enough for that.”

Dachuur turned back toward the tree line and yelled, “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

A small pink feathered head popped out of the foliage and swore at him in griffin.

“Soracen!” Sariel shouted, taking a step toward the tree line. “That is no way to speak!”

Soracen lowered her head and dropped down from the branches. She began to shuffle over to where the four were standing. Several ponies had noticed the outburst and watched with odd expressions as she crossed the field.

“So you brought her with you?” Sariel asked Dachuur.

“She really wanted to meet-“

“What the heck is going on here?”

A feminine voice cut him off as the group turned toward the source. She was walking up to them.

“Lullaby,” Cloud Catcher said. “So glad you’re here. You remember our mutual friends, right?” Cloud Catcher motioned to Dachuur and Soracen.

So her name was Lullaby. Sweet name for such a strong mare.

Lullaby caught sight of Dachuur and let out a small groan. “Oh, him.”

“Don’t get too excited,” Dachuur frowned as he replied.

“Sari and I need to continue our little discussion,” Cloud Catcher continued. “Gladius is out with his uncle today so I know you’re free. Mind taking these two off our hands?”

“What do you expect me to do with them?” Lullaby asked as if questioning why her superior would want her to take a bag of bugbear feces off his hands.

“Eh,” Cloud Catcher replied. “Our young prince here would probably like some competition. Maybe you two could race for a little bit.”

Dachuur immediately perked up and leaned his head down toward Lullaby, a pleading puppy dog look in his eyes. Soracen seemed just as interested.

Lullaby lowered her eyes into a half lidded unimpressed expression. “Fine,” she surrendered as she turned around toward the track. “But I’m not going to go easy on him.”

“Wouldn’t expect you to,” Cloud Catcher called back as the mare and two griffins left.

Dachuur began to stretch his wings as he stepped onto the track. “So, your name is Lullaby. Finally have a name.”

“I don’t remember you ever asking for it?” Lullaby replied with a smirk.

True. Never really had a chance till now. Still, a name doesn’t really matter. This mare has skills.

“So how were you planning on doing this?” Dachuur asked. “A simple run around the track? Maybe take this into the woods for some obstacle flying?”

Lullaby smirked again and turned to Soracen. “Actually I was thinking ladies first.”

Soracen let out a squeal of delight and jumped in the air.

“Oh, come on,” Dachuur whined. “You’re really going to hold out on me for as long as you can?”

“That’s what you get for spying on me.”

Lullaby placed herself at the starting line and Soracen followed, giving Dachuur a raspberry as she passed him.

“One lap is a little short so how about we do this to fifty?” Lullaby asked Soracen as she prepared herself. Soracen nodded an enthusiastic agreement. “You care to do the honors?” she asked Dachuur.

Dachuur simply sighed and stepped in front of the two. “On three?”

“Yes.”

Soracen nodded in consent.

“One… Two… THREE!”

Both shot off like cannons and zipped just above Dachuur’s head. He ran a talon through his plumage to see if some feathers had been clipped.

Both racers were off to a great start. Lullaby was in a clear lead but Soracen had caught up before the first lap was even done. For the next twenty or so laps the racers were neck and neck. The commotion had even attracted some onlookers. Some pegasi were simply amazed to see somepony just as fast as their ace flier. Dachuur sat by the finish line, a bored expression on his face as he followed the action.

The racers had reached the final few laps and Lullaby was beginning to fall behind. Soracen looked a little beat as well but she was still able to keep a steady lead. Dachuur simply frowned as he watched. Lullaby did not have the eyes of someone who would just give in.

She’s lost a lot of endurance. How’s she going to pull through this one?

The final lap and Lullaby was behind by nearly half the track. It seriously looked like Lullaby was going to lose the race. Nearly every pony working was now paying attention to the spectacle, cheering her on.

As Soracen made the final turn into the long distance of the oval track, Lullaby followed moments later. As she turned she leaned her body into it and began to turn over and over in the air. Dachuur perked up as he noticed.

Within a mere second Lullaby was spinning through the air as she once had before. The air before her whistled as she pierced wind wall before her and shot past Soracen in a blur. She landed with a thud on the ground past the finish line, panting and trying to keep her balance.

The crowd was silent. Dachuur stood silent as well as hi beak hung open in shock. Finally Soracen landed next to Lullaby and began grinning at the mare ear to ear. The crowd of spectators burst into cheers.

Soracen was able to give Lullaby a small hug of courtesy before she was mobbed by the crowd. They began asking her questions and giving her numerous praises. Soracen sauntered back to Dachuur’s side, a smug expression on her face. Dachuur was still silent and unmoving. Soracen looked at him, puzzled, then saw that he was staring at Lullaby. Soracen pushed his open beak shut and gave him a wicked grin.

“What?” Dachuur asked defensively as he pulled his attention away from Lullaby. “What?!”

Soracen simply continued to smile and sat down.

When the crowd had finally dissipated Lullaby walked up to the two.

“Well, that got a little bit more out of hand than expected,” she said.

“Y- Yeah,” Dachuur replied. “You looked pretty beat after that. Sure you want to take me on now?”

Lullaby simply gave him a stern glare. “You think I can’t take you?”

“No, no,” he replied defensively. “I think you can take anyone!”

Dachuur found himself blushing as Lullaby pushed her face closer.

“Then we’re in agreement,” she said as she turned away and flicked her tail at him.

Dachuur was stunned for a brief moment. “Hey!” he yelled as he caught up to her. “That doesn’t mean I don’t want a match.”

“You never give up do you?” Lullaby stopped and turned around to face him again. “Fine.”

She looked around to find something the two could compete at. Her eyes caught a couple of clouds drifting lazily in the sky. She grinned. “How about Aerial Aces?”

“Great!” Dachuur replied then pursed his beak. “You’re going to have to explain that one, though.”

Lullaby pointed at the clouds. “The game is simple. We make a current that will move the clouds in a repeating pattern and dodge them like an obstacle course.”

Dachuur scratched his chin. “Sounds fun.”

Lullaby called over a few other pegasi and they began constructing a small weather system in the clouds above the Training Area. Within a couple minutes they had constructed an obstacle course of moving clouds and currents. Lullaby thanked the pegasi who drifted back down to the track leaving her, Dachuur and Soracen alone in the obstacle course above.

“So, prince of griffins,” Lullaby said with a sarcastic bow. “You understand the rules?”

“No need for name calling,” Dachuur replied with a smirk. “I get it. Are you sure you’re ready after that near loss you had with Soracen?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

The two racers braced themselves at their places. Soracen flew in front of them and lifted a talon. A brief moment passed as the two racers shared a glance. Soracen dropped her talon and they shot off.

The first obstacle was a simple moving cloud. It wafted up and then down in a rhythmic pattern. Dachuur went high, Lullaby went low.

“High ground takes the lead,” Dachuur shouted as the wind pushed against his face.

“We’ll see,” Lullaby shouted back.

The next set of obstacles were a series of opposing currents. Dachuur felt the wind on his face grow stronger as it fought against his wings to push him back. He knew he was stronger than any wind and simply kept pushing through.

Lullaby went for the more gentle approach, gliding and swirling between the currents and riding them to the end of the obstacle. She came out ahead.

Dachuur grinned and pushed a little harder.

The next obstacle was a set of thunder clouds that had been set up side by side. Lightning jumped and sparked between them in a non-rhythmic pattern. This would take luck as well as skill.

However, Lullaby surprised Dachuur by doing yet another spin. Not only did her speed increase, but when the lightning arced out to touch her it merely bounced off harmlessly. Lullaby straightened herself out as she passed.

Dachuur’s grin grew wider. He wanted to do something even more daring. Show her that he was a truly a match to be trifled with.

He flew straight into the right cloud, gripping it with his talons as he body depressed into it. Within a second he positioned himself and waited for the lightning. The cloud beneath him erupted and lightning shot him forward at an incredible speed. He passed Lullaby who was nearly clipped by his speed and ran directly into the next obstacle. A geyser cloud. The geyser exploded and shot him upward. This had not gone to plan.

Knocked off course by his pass, Lullaby swerved into the geyser explosion as well and the two were sent rolling and screaming into the upper atmosphere. They hit a cloud and everything went black.

---

Dachuur slowly opened his eyes as he scanned his surroundings. He was laying prone on what seemed to be an endless layer of clouds. He pushed himself to stand and felt aches in places he hadn’t known he had. He surveyed the environment once more. Once again, endless sea of clouds. He noticed a small back wing struggle a few yards away.

Lullaby was struggling to her hooves as Dachuur flew down to help. “What the buck were you thinking?!” she cried.

“I’m sorry,” Dachuur replied with a frown. “How was I supposed to know I’d hit that geyser?”

“Because you need to plan ahead!” Lullaby was standing now and had her face in Dachuur’s. “You keep saying you’ve got some honor… duty… thing with you, right? Well learn a little decorum to go with it!”

“Oh,” Dachuur’s frown grew and he leaned closer to yell. “And I suppose you know just about everything about honor?”

“You don’t know me!”

“I don’t! But I’d like to!”

The two stopped yelling as they continued to glare into each other’s eyes. Their heads mere inches from each other. They could each hear their own labored breathing. Lullaby was the first to turn away.

She looked westward and uttered, “Oh, wow.”

Dachuur turned his head as well. Far off on the horizon the sun had begun to set. It lit the surrounding cloudscape with deep shades of red, orange, yellow, and even pink. The colors blended to produce a beautiful image. Something one only saw once in a lifetime.

“Wow,” Dachuur uttered as well.

They stood there for a few minutes in silence. The two simply marveled at the scene of nature before them.

“Damn,” Lullaby exclaimed suddenly. “It got this late? I need to go pick up Bedim. Ugh, they’re probably looking for us right now.” She rubbed her temple with a hoof.

Dachuur ran a talon through his plumage. “Sorry about today. I know I may not be the most fun to foalsit.”

Lullaby turned to look up at him. A grin spread across her face. “Eh, you’re not so bad.” She gave him a playful tap on the shoulder as she turned to leave. “And for the record, it was fun.”

Dachuur did not move but simply watched as she opened a hole in the clouds to go through. Lullaby turned back once more. “Come visit any time.”

She dived through the hole. Dachuur sat on his hind legs and returned his attention to the sun. Truly a beautiful sight, his heart was pounding with excitement.