• Published 6th Jun 2016
  • 28,368 Views, 2,346 Comments

Consequences - Hiver



Cause and effect. Opposite and equal reactions. If a butterfly... You know how it goes.

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Chapter 41

“Page,” Luna said as she entered Skitters room. We had been back to Canterlot a couple of days now and while we had been busy, I made time to spend at least a hour here a day.

Not sure if it helped or not, but Skitter had earned it.

I looked up from my book and then quickly surged to my hooves as I saw the expression on her face, “What's wrong?”

Shaking her head, she nuzzled softly before she sighed, “We just received news. Tirek is less than three hours from the gates of Canterlot. What's even worse, Discord seems to have joined forces with him.”

No.

I didn't even have the energy to get mad, it was so predictable. I just felt drained and tired. I rested my head against the side of her neck, “So we fight.”

“No, My Page.”

“What?” I exclaimed and pulled back to look up at her in surprise, “Don't tell me you are just going to roll over and die!? Chrysalis might be able to...”

Luna looked down at me sadly and shook her head again, “No, we have a plan. Tirek is too strong to be defeated in battle, besides the Changelings have sealed their hive. He has absorbed too much magic. Now he seek alicorn magic. We will hide ours where he can never find it.”

“...And then what? Why don't we just run!?”

“It would not help. Not for us, all it would do is put more ponies in danger,” Luna said before she kissed me softly, “But you...”

I frowned up at her, “Me?”

She nodded and turned her head towards the door, “Swift Spear.”

My friend entered in his night guard armor and bowed for her, “Your Highness.”

“I'm giving you the most important mission of your life. You are to take Blank Page back to the Crystal Kingdom. Once there, you will retrieve the Crystal Mirror and then keep moving as far away from here as possible until it opens once more. Keep Page and it safe until then!”

“Of course, Ma'am. As you order.”

“Luna!?”

She shook her head, “You can't be here, Page,” she said and blinked, her eyes shining, “If Tirek threaten you, I... I would give him whatever he wanted. I can't have you here.”

No. No. Fuck no!

“Come with us.”

“I can't,” Luna answered quietly and kissed me again, tears straining my mane, “I love you.”

“I love you too. Please Luna... Please...”

Shaking her head she hugged me tight before pulling away and turning to leave, looking at Swift as she moved past, “You have your orders.”

“I will follow them, Princess. I'll do you proud.”

“I know you will, my little pony.”

Then she was gone.

I just sank down. No... no this can't be it. It just can't.

“Page,” Swift said, having crossed the room without me noticing, “We need to move.”

Shaking my head, I got up, “I...”

“Page, think. The Princess told you why, so you can't be used against them. If Tirek gets Alicorn magic, everything will be lost. As long as he doesn't there is hope,” Swift said, pain in his tone, “We need to go, the sooner the better.”

“I can't. I can't go. There must be...”

Swift punched me in the face and I rocked back, staring at him in surprise before feeling my nose and the blood, “Wha...”

He snarled at me, “Think of her! She is trying to keep everyone safe and I won't have you put that at risk by staying! I have my orders and if I have to drag your unconscious body behind me on a rope, I will follow them!” he yelled before he looked down, “...Don't you think I want to gallop out of here and find Minuette? To hold her close and get her safe? But I have my orders. I have my duty to the Princesses. I will follow my orders. No matter what.”

Swallowing I nodded, “Swift...” I started to say before I sighed, “...I'll come. On one condition.”

“Which is?”

“I want to see the fucker.”

“Didn't I make it clear when I say I would beat you senseless?”

I glared at him in turn, “Think you could?”

He snarled but backed down after a couple of moments, “We will be leaving by sky carriage. I need to get things packed away. You can see him... through a telescope from the tallest tower. If I say we go, we go.”

“Agreed.” I said and walked past him. I had some packing to do as well. Anything to keep moving and avoid thinking or I would start crying and I'm not sure I would ever be able to stop when I finally did.


XXXXXXXXXX


I stood by the edge of the tower, my telescope floating before me as I looked at the gate facing the main approach to Canterlot.

So that's Tirek.

A big black and red horned centaur.

He wasn't hurrying. He was just walking towards Canterlot, big and unstoppable like a glacier. Not that he would be walking in unopposed. The Royal Guard were setting up by the gate.
Not that it helped.

When he got close, they launched their first spears and arrows, pegasi diving towards him. They might as well not have bothered. The spears and arrows bounced off his thick hide as he raised his arm to protect his eyes from the projectiles and magic before he opened his massive jaw as he reached the gate. Streams of magic were drawn from the ponies and they started to collapse.

Tirek barely broke step.

“There, you have seen him. We are leaving,” Swift said from next to me as I watched Tirek pick a pony up and inhale its magic before dropping her.

He was just inhaling the magic like it was some sort of strange fucking noodles.

I lowered the telescope slowly.

“I'm sorry, Page,” Swift said quietly and took the telescope, putting it down before putting his shoulder against mine, “We are leaving. Now.”

“I'm sorry too,” I answered equally quietly and touched my horn against his, “Sleep.”

His eyes had just enough time to widen at the betrayal before they closed and he sank down onto the stone. I caught him in my magic before putting him in the carriage before moving around to the pegasi pulling it, “Go. Find an unicorn mare named Minuette, she should still be in the Crystal Empire.”

“But sir...”

Go.”

“...Yes sir.”

As they took to the skies, I looked over at where Tirek was moving towards the castle before I turned and headed towards the stairs. There was a tiny chance, but there was a chance. I had to take it even if it killed me.

I needed Sunset.