The Everglow of a Twilight Sunset

by David Silver

24 - In Their Memory

The group tried to relax and unwind after their harrowing journey and terrifying conclusion. True softly pet and combed at Morning and squeaked at her.

"Hmm? Are you surprised I'm softer than I look?" He nodded. "We may be closely aligned with crystals and gems, but did you not notice I bleed the same?" She tilted her head. "I am flesh under the glossy exterior. Does that bother you?" He shook his head and hugged her.

Roll raised a brow. "I should think your condition only pleases him. He is in no hurry to attempt being close to me."

Morning perked her ears. "Well, he's missing out there. Come and sit with us, partner. I still plan to be that, your partner, when this is all said and done. You'll still dance, right?"

Roll settled beside Morning. "I will fulfill my oath." She nodded a little before looking over to Twilight and Sunset. "How will we proceed?"

Sunset shook her head. "We've met the queen, and that's good, but I'm not sure how much she can help."

Twilight frowned at the idea. "You may be right there, still, I'm glad we followed her."

A soft knocking came from the door just moments before Queen Iliana pressed into the room. "I apologize for leaving you here, and for troubling you so late in the evening, but my heart refuses to be still. May I come in?"

None objected, though glances were shared. She entered slowly, closing the door behind her. "None of the servants know I am here, and that is fine. The terrors of the dark make it plain that I can't hide behind my guards and soldiers." She canted her ears forward and nodded. "Which is why I won't hide."

Roll tilted her head faintly. "I'm afraid I do not understand your meaning clearly."

She put a hoof to her chest. "I, Queen Iliana, pledge to follow you to the depths of the gem gnoll mines, and see the short-legs freed, if you will have me. I will show them the freedom that my... dear friends died protecting."

Sunset blinked softly. "Can you do that? I mean, you're the queen."

"Which means I can do whatever I wish." Iliana stepped forward. "With certain caveats. If they knew, they would stop me, but nothing the gnolls could muster would match what we faced to reach here, and if I can be the weight that proves to be the tipping point, I will do it, for them. They deserve goodness be done in their name." She paused a moment. "You don't know their names, do you?"

Morning shook her head. "I'm afraid we don't. They were focused on their duties."

She snorted like an angry horse, which she was to an extent. "Then I will tell you, performer, that you may sing their praises in the coming days. The one that fell first, that Twilight saved only to perish later was named Unbending Shield. He never bent, to the end, he shattered rather than leave me vulnerable." She took a deep breath, mustering herself. "The other was called Light in Darkness, an unfortunate name in retrospect, to have died so far away from the sun, but he was the light for us all, and sacrificed himself to make sure we would make it." With blazing eyes she looked from pony to pony. "Remember their names. It's the least we can do for them, who served so faithfully to protect us."

Sunset rose and hopped down from the bed. She approached Iliana as she stood there defiantly. She reached out and dared to touch a queen, to hold her. It was too much. Tears began to fall from Iliana's faintly reddened eyes. "I couldn't protect them, but I will these smallest members. They spurned my wishes to be sheltered in the kingdom I built, but they are good of heart. I will save them."

Roll cleared her throat with the sound of spinning gears. "Now that we have established our general goal, how will we proceed with enacting it? There are still many more gnolls than us."

Iliana wove a little spell and began to glow before she looked like a normal earth pony, her horn and wings concealed with her magic. "We will advance with cooperation and tactics. If we can't reach all of them, we will take the ones we can." She turned to True. "First, we will fetch you a bow that is sized properly for your stature, little archer." She reached and patted him gently even as he lay across Morning's plush back. She looked to Roll. "As for you, weapons and armor fit for a warrior of your obvious talent."

She turned to Sunset and Twilight. "Your talents are harder to arrange for, but not impossible. Defensive wards are required, as wearing metal often interferes with our work." She smiled a little at Sunset. "Fellow sorceress, will we demonstrate the strength of our blood?"

Sunset bobbed her head. "I'm still a little lost on some things, but magic is still magic. I'm getting used to how it flows here, so... How are you going to get half this stuff if you're busy pretending to not be who you are?"

Iliana shrugged. "That's easy. I work closely with the queen in all things."

Morning laughed as she rose, the curves of her body jiggling with her merriment. "You will play at being your own servant? Excellent! I presume you have proof of this esteemed position?"

Iliana produced a crest from a pocket with a dip of her snout, it hanging from clenched teeth before she set it back. "We will make our way back to Viljatown, supply ourselves, and get to work."

Twilight's ears flickered. "It's my turn to be the downer, so... Aren't people going to be upset if you just go missing?"

"I have informed them that I require some time to myself, to consider the attack and those lost in it." She turned to face her would-be assistants one by one. "I have some time before they insist I emerge, and still more time before they dare to make noise even if they do find I've gone missing. That doesn't mean I will leave my country stranded. The papers and requests will be submitted, and I will review them, on the road if I have to."

Her eyes wandered to the torch burning on the floor, a bit of the masonry that held it in place still clinging to it, "Did you get that from the castle?" She approached it with a raised brow. "Leave that here. We'll get some lights that actually belong lawfully to our purpose." Twilight and Sunset both started to stammer an apology and Iliana waved them off. "You are officially pardoned, presuming it stays here for the servants to have sent back."

"She is like the mare we met in Viljatown," spoke the voice in Twilight's head. "She will not consider foals until her time has long since passed. You'll have children though, yes? How else will you pass forward all that you have learned. Besides, the act is--"

"Enough," growled Twilight to herself, coloring faintly. The others looked at her, but most found other things to worry about, save two. Morning and Iliana were looking at her curiously.

Twilight flushed with new shame. "I mean..."

Morning set a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Such a peaceful soul, does the prospect of this venture bother you so terribly? We aren't forcing you to come."

"N-no!" Twilight shook her head violently. "I am coming, promise, and I want to." Not that she wanted to fight the gnolls, but saving the short-legs certainly seemed a valid and good thing to do.

Sunset drew Twilight back, defending her from their gazes. "She's not getting cold hooves, she--"

Morning snorted.

"What?"

Morning pointed at Twilight. "Cold is her affinity. If anyone were to have, and cause, cold hooves, I would expect her to be it."

Sunset shook her head as she got it. "Ha ha, but really, she's been touched by a goddess."

Iliana raised a brow. "A goddess?" She marched directly for Twilight as if daring Sunset to stop her. "Which one?"

Twilight flicked her ears back. "Lashtada."

"The patron of the short-legs? That is sensible." Iliana frowned and looked Twilight over. "I was given to believe she... You don't seem like quite a fit for her."

"I can show some constraint," complained the voice in Twilight's head. "I've been a good visitor, I hope, and I made you do nothing you wouldn't do on your own."

Iliana looked Twilight in the eyes, but seemed to look past them, into the depths of the uncomfortable-looking purple unicorn. "Lashtada, your people are in grave danger. We march out to face it, will you bless our journey?"

"That I can do! Oh wait, she wants a battle blessing, not that kind of blessing... I can do that too. For this, it is fitting."

Warmth pulsed from Twilight as she served as the conduit through which poured the might of Lashtada. She was no cleric or oracle and had no idea how to control this power rushing through her, and she began to look panicked as it overwhelmed her, but it came and came. The room seemed to grow ten degrees warmer as all present were bathed in the blessings of the goddess. Twilight's eyes, nose, ears and any other opening began to glow brightly as power gushed from her every orifice.

Sunset squeezed Twilight, and she found herself. Twilight hadn't even realized she had been lost, but she had. She found herself, and began to settle in her body as the warmth died away and she was left heaving as if she had run several miles unprepared, but Sunset was holding her, and she accepted the comfort of a friend nearby.

Everyone in the room glowed a hot pink for a moment, but it was already fading, seeping into their beings. Iliana shivered with the magnificence of the gift. "I feel our chances just improved. The gods of Everglow are limited in what they can do directly, but empowering those that act for them, that's practically what they do." She returned her gaze to Twilight. "Will you speak to us?"

"I still can't. Only you," admitted Lashtada. "Tell her thank you for the idea, please, and that I hope you are all successful."

Twilight relayed the message with a bit of a stutter, recovering from her ordeal. "Is that what a cleric feels every time they cast a spell?"

Iliana raised a brow. "I have heard some claim it is so, but I have not seen many that reacted as powerfully as you had."

Roll took a few swipes at the air with her claws deployed and not. "Come the morning, we will proceed, with Lashtada's blessings. Let us gather what supplies your crest will allow you, and we will be her agents."

True let out an energetic squeak, ready to battle.

Author's Note:

The party remains with one extra member. Iliana joining is okay, right? She finished her paperwork, look, no typos! Or so she insists.

Comments

[badninja]

This should be good. I wonder how Sunset and Twilight will affect Iliana and vice versa.

[Breakfateschain]

Huh, if there Short legs are rescued I guess this isn't the same Everglow that Princess Twilight went to

[Neece]

7365716 it might be. They could be temporally misaligned, such as sci Twi and sunset appeared in the future, with another queen Illiana. Or alternate past, it could be too, I guess.

Still shipping sciset, though. Yeah, most likely they're really only friends and nothing more, but this is a ship I shall sink with

Well, if anything else this proves it's not after the equestrians visited, for the queen would certainly remember another Alicorn identical to the unicorn in weird clothes claiming to be from another world. Alternate past, then?

[Booster Spice]

Hope Twilight just took the Domain Of Luck. Because Murphy is about the greatest magician to have on your side.

Fun thing now is trying to work out the general level of the now maxed out party? Given Twilight and Sunset are having to work on L1 and up spells through newly arrived instead of high level, except for GM acceleration?

A Level 11 Lich and they survived though. Ouch.

[Chrome Masquerade]

Iliana wove a little spell and began to glow before she looked like a normal earth pony, her horn and wings concealed with her magic. "We will advance with cooperation and tactics. If we can't reach all of them, we will take the ones we can." She turned to True. "First, we will fetch you a bow that is sized properly for your stature, little archer." She reached and patted him gently even as he lay across Morning's plush back. She looked to Roll. "As for you, weapons and armor fit for a warrior of your obvious talent."

She turned to Sunset and Twilight. "Your talents are harder to arrange for, but not impossible. Defensive wards are required, as wearing metal often interferes with our work." She smiled a little at Sunset. "Fellow sorceress, will we demonstrate the strength of our blood?"

Sunset bobbed her head. "I'm still a little lost on some things, but magic is still magic. I'm getting used to how it flows here, so... How are you going to get half this stuff if you're busy pretending to not be who you are?"

Iliana shrugged. "That's easy. I work closely with the queen in all things."

Morning laughed as she rose, the curves of her body jiggling with her merriment. "You will play at being your own servant? Excellent! I presume you have proof of this esteemed position?"

Iliana produced a crest from a pocket with a dip of her snout, it hanging from clenched teeth before she set it back. "We will make our way back to Viljatown, supply ourselves, and get to work."

Ahhhh, clever, clever!

[Chrome Masquerade]

she was left heaving as if she had run several mile unprepared,

mileS

Warmth pulsed from Twilight as she served as the conduit through which poured the might of Lashtada. She was no cleric or oracle and had no idea how to control this power rushing through her, and she began to look panicked as it overwhelmed her, but it came and came. The room seemed to grow ten degrees warmer as all present were bathed in the blessings of the goddess. Twilight's eyes, nose, ears and any other opening began to glow brightly as power gushed from her every orifice.

Sunset squeezed Twilight, and she found herself. Twilight hadn't even realized she had been lost, but she had. She found herself, and began to settle in her body as the warmth died away and she was left heaving as if she had run several mile unprepared, but Sunset was holding her, and she accepted the comfort of a friend nearby.

Everyone in the room glowed a hot pink for a moment, but it was already fading, seeping into their beings. Iliana shivered with the magnificence of the gift. "I feel our chances just improved. The gods of Everglow are limited in what they can do directly, but empowering those that act for them, that's practically what they do." She returned her gaze to Twilight. "Will you speak to us?"

"I still can't. Only you," admitted Lashtada. "Tell her thank you for the idea, please, and that I hope you are all successful."

Twilight relayed the message with a bit of a stutter, recovering from her ordeal. "Is that what a cleric feels every time they cast a spell?"

Iliana raised a brow. "I have heard some claim it is so, but I have not seen many that reacted as powerfully as you had."

Twilight multiclasses!

[OneAmongOthers]

and any other opening began to glow brightly

I'll be quiet now

[David Silver]

7366257 Fix'd!

[FanOfMostEverything]

Pretty sure that was equivalent to a tenth level spell there, Twilight. At least. There's divine magic, and then there's divine magic.

Also, wow. Out of all of the potential party members they'd get, I definitely wasn't expecting this one. It should prove very interesting indeed.

Oh, and there's a possible typo, though this one way may actually have value as is:

I can show some constraint

Not the right word, but I really like Lashtada literally not knowing the meaning of the word "restraint."

[The Apprentice]

7363322 true, though sometimes throwing things at the DM backfires. That's when things get really interesting. nothing like an ancient wyrm red dragon at level three to lower party moral.

[The Apprentice]

7366007 I must have missed the lich. where was that one?

[Damaged]

7366911 Yeah, it was a CR11 demon.

[albedoequals1]

True softly pet and combed at Morning and squeaked at her.

petted (Also "combed at" is a really odd thing to say. Do you mean he tried to comb, but missed?)

if I can be the weight that proves to be the tipping point, I will do it, for them. They deserve goodness be done in their name." She paused a moment. "You don't know their names, do you?"

She was just talking about the Short Legs, so there is no indication that she now refers to the guards except for the veiled references to "them" being dead.

I would expect her to be it.

it to be her

I can show some constraint,

restraint

Iliana joining is okay, right?

Oh gosh, the APL is so high now, all the random encounters will be strong enough to OHKO the highschoolers.

[ferret]

"I can show some constraint," complained the voice in Twilight's head.

restraint.

[Kage no Brony]

7362796
7363113

Guys. Guys. Guys.

Giant Enemy Crab.

*Points* I shall hit you in your weak point for massive damage!

*Runs away*

*Returns ten to fifteen levels later*

MASSIVE DAMAGE! What? I never said I'd do it right then, dumbass.