The Dazzling Mist, The World of Echos and The Singing Village
The blistering sun beat down upon us as we silently moved across the barren land. I was walking at the head of the group, with Golden Quill a short ways behind me, which of course left Twilight to bring up the rear. We hadn't spoken at all since our argument, even though I wanted to comfort her. I wanted to open my mouth and blurt out an apology, but I couldn't seem to find the words, or the courage, to do such a thing. Instead, I just keep my gaze forward, furiously studying the landscape.
We'd been walking for quite a long time, and according to my map and the grand magical flow beneath us, we were heading in the right direction. The burnt rocks we had been passing had grown fewer in number, just as a strange blanket of fog began to creep closer and closer. The faint glimmer of water evaporating could be seen across the barren plain to either side of us. The dry earth cracked underneath our hooves, which slowly turned into patchy dry grass as we approached the ever growing wall of grey mist.
"Um, Azure, what is it exactly that you're leading us into?" Golden Quill asked with concern.
I walked over to a conveniently placed rock a short distance from us. and then turned to gestured them over. As Golden Quill and Twilight trotted to me, I pulled an old world map out of my saddlebags, and then carefully unrolled it across the rock's surface. We all moved around the rock, making space for each other to see properly.
"Here," I said, pointing to the a dark red area on the map, "this is the Scorchlands, which is the area we just left." Twilight and Golden Quill nodded, their eyes tracing the route from Equestria to our general location. "And our current destination is beyond The Echos, which is almost completely undocumented territory," I said, tapping the map with a hoof.
"We've gone quite a ways from home," Twilight said softly, looking over the ancient parchment.
I nodded to her in response, before moving my hoof westwards from our current location. "The lost library is probably several miles into the The Echos, or at least that's what I gathered from the old zebra myths." I turned to look at Twilight, trying to shift my expression into a more positive one, "Twilight, what do you know about The Echos?" I asked her.
Twilight touched her hoof to her chin in thought, "I only remember one account of a terrified explorer, who had written something about nightmares and screaming voices. The Echos is probably one of the biggest gaps in equestrian knowledge," she said, looking thoughtfully at the map.
"Are you sure that's where the library is, Azure?" Golden Quill said, before he glanced from the map over to the thick mist. His ears twitched just slightly, like he was listening to something off in the distance.
"Yes, Golden Quill, I'm sure of the general area, it shouldn't take too long to find some sign of the libraries architecture," I said, before rolling up the map and tucking it safely back into my saddlebag. I turned and started towards the wall of obscuring fog, Twilight and Golden Quill following along behind me.
As we neared the point that separated the clear air from the opaque barrier, I held a hoof out to stop anypony from entering. I slipped out a modest length of rope from my side, before handing one end to Golden Quill and the other to Twilight. Twilight really had thought to pack just about everything.
"We can't risk being separated once we're inside, so tie a knot around a hoof, and make sure it's tight," I said, getting a nod from both ponies. After I had secured the middle section of rope around my right fore-hoof, all of us exchanged a glance—and then plunged into the abyss.
The thick cloudy substance pressed down against my face as I submerged into it. The damp air soaked slowly into me, which also came with a musty and slightly sour odor. We ventured into the unyielding obscurity, our vision limited to only a ponies length ahead of us. I could feel the rope tug and loosen as we slowly spread out away from each other.
After what seemed like a hour, it seemed like we had become completely lost. No pony had said a word since we entered the mist, but that didn't seem unusual today. However, I could feel something strange about this place, almost as if it was aware of our presence. The damp fur on the back on my neck itched as I thought I heard voices in the distance.
"Hello, is anyone there?" I asked the void. After waiting for a few moments, I received no answer. Nor had either of my companions replied to my question.
I followed the rope bound to my hoof, heading towards my niece. Twilight's shape became clearly outlined from the grey. I approached her, noticing as I walked around to face her that she had her head slumped towards the ground.
"Twilight, what is it? What's wrong?" I said quietly, moving forward to place a hoof onto her shoulder.
She looked up with a start, knocking my hoof away in a panic. "Don't touch me, you, you monster!," she bellowed at me. Her eyes were wide and blood shot, moisture seeming to pour down from her mane. She was breathing fast, glaring at me with intensity, and as she had spoke her wings had flared out.
"Twilight, what are you—" I started to say, before I was shouted down.
Twilight jabbed her hoof at me, "You're no family of mine!" she yelled, stomping her hoof into the ground with a squishing sound. "No decent pony would ever kill in cold blood like that, you're a murderer, a villain!"
I stumbled backwards away from her, my hoof catching on a rock, which caused me to flip over onto my back. Twilight's angered form loomed over me, angry tears dripping from her face onto my chest.
"Twilight, what would you have had me do?" I managed to cry out. I could feel a trickle of blood from where my head had just struck the ground.
"You're a pathetic excuse for a pony, Azure, and you'll always be that way, no matter what you do," Twilight screamed at me, "A real magician would have never stooped to such means, they would have found a better way!" She turned away from me, pulling the rope from her hoof as she did so, before saying, "I'll tell Princess Luna that you didn't make it, and that you did everything you could to save us. At least that way, you'll be remembered as a hero, rather than the vermin I see before me."
I could feel the life drain away from me, the world itself seeming frozen in this terrible moment. Warm tears dripped down my already drenched face, falling onto the ground with a small patter.
"I hereby banish you from Equestria, this is goodbye, Azure," she said, her back still to me. Twilight walked away, melding into the fog like a apparition.
"Goodbye," I whispered into the wind. I sat there, my mind swirling down a whirlpool of emotions, with no company besides the ever-present humidity.
I don't know how long I remained in that position, motionless with self-reflection, before a familiar light flickered inside my heart. Anger, pure and powerful, storming up from within me. I let out a terrible roar, filling the void with all of my rage and sadness until all I could hear was my own existence. I screamed at the heavens and the earth, feeling the world around me shake and shift, until I felt the consciousness sudden slip away from me.
---
I drifted though a lifeless void, my mind refusing to clarify anything of my current state of being. The darkness stretched outwards infinitely, which hardly seemed better than the foggy prison in which I faintly remembered being previously. I don't know how long I remained in that limbo state, trapped between not wanting to deal with my rage and pain, and not wanting to feel anything at all.
Then I heard a voice, no, I heard voices. Distant and small at first, but harmonious in nature. The words sounded strange, alien to me in my current state, before my mud logged brain processed their meaning. They, whoever they were, seemed to be caught in a song. I couldn't really make out the words, but I could tell the language was similar to one of zebra influence.
As the voices grew closer, I could feel some of the rage and pain recede back into the shadow of my mind. I slowly opened my eyes, looking down at the murky ground upon which I was lying. My gaze shifted around, trying to locate the source of the strange, but comforting music. And there they were, just a short distance from me, a strange group of ponies with their heads tilted to the sky. I mean zebras, no, ponies and zebras.
The singing seemed to push the fog away from me, like a fan beating away the heat of a fire. The group approached my position at a calm purposeful pace, their voices harmonizing with a wonderful blend of different tones. As my vision was cleared of obscuring fog, I made eye contact with the lead singer. He was an full grown zebra, a thick scar crossing over his left eye and then down to his mouth.
He continued to sing as he walked closer, but I could see a smile touch his grey eyes. Their words echoed across the land, the fog grudgingly abandoning its territory. I did my best to translate their song, which served as something to focus on as I stood up—instead of the lingering headache.
"Our words shimmer with kindness.
Our song so joyful grows.
The mist so stark, this day shall part.
The sun now brightly glows."
The zebra stepped up to me, holding his right hoof out to me. I reached out and bumped my hoof against his, holding in place as I locked gazes with him. I could feel a wave of calm emanate from him, which helped clear my foggy mind.
Then my heart stopped, "Twilight," I said aloud, though the words were drowned out by the singer's chorus. My eyes darted to my right, following along the rope which disappeared into the gloom. I returned my focus to the zebra in front of me, who seemed to wordlessly comprehend my immediate concern.
We quickly walked along the rope trail, the assortment of ponies and zebras joining us. I didn't take time to look or study any of them, my concerns being focused elsewhere. I moved forward as the group followed, the leader zebra keeping close behind me. Somewhere in all of this, I was wondering what in Luna's star-filled mane was happening.
From behind me, I could feel the voices of everyone rise, a force that seemed to lift the fog, as well as my spirit, high into the air.
"Glory to the Village.
Honor to our Family.
Joyous be the Children.
Our love shall never falter."
Then a blast of violet light sparked across the ground, ripping rocks into the air as it crossed right in front of me. I jumped back, holding my hoof out to stop my new companions. I looked ahead while squinting my eyes, searching into the thickening fog for the source of magic. Standing there, with her eyes clouded in the same color of our surroundings, was Twilight.
Magenta colored lightning struck out from her horn, striking all around us. Twilight's wings were flared out, her face contorted into a raging mockery of the kind pony that I knew. A second bolt of magic struck out at me, impacting the ground where I had just stood. I leaped sideways, trying to avoid injuring anypony in the crossfire.
"Twilight!" I yelled, keeping my eyes on her horn, "It's me, Azure, please stop blasting at us!"
I was rewarded for my attempt at conversation as Twilight's horn glowed, and then lifted the ground underneath me into the air. I swayed back and forth, before jumping off back towards the ground. I turned to see my vision filled with grass and chunks of rock. I toppled backwards, spitting out dirt and brushing my eyes clear of debris. When I finished graveling, I got back to my hooves, my chest and face aching from the impact.
"I'm not going to let you harm Equestria!" screamed Twilight, her horn gathering magic as we spoke.
What is she talking about? Before I had the chance to ask, I was given an answer, sort of, anyway.
"I'm going to make sure you don't come back this time, Tirek!" Twilight stammered out, the magic in her horn having reached a massive emission of purple, which then darkened into a green and black shadow.
This is bad. Reflexively, I touched my dream pearl, which then attuned to two different gems. My zebra gem pulsed, causing an immediate pulse of blood to shoot up from behind my eyes. My heart rate doubled in the span of half a second and I could feel adrenaline being pumped through my body. I closed my eyes for an instant, and drew in the essence of nature around me. The water gem on my collar hummed in response, after which globs of water formed around my hooves.
I opened my eyes, my vision filling up with light. Twilight's body glowed purple and black, as well as the air around us being tinted green. What was more alarming was that I could see strings of green energy seeping into Twilight's body, flowing through her nose and ears.
Black lightning crackled around her, before it surged towards me in a violent spiral of magic.
I blasted off the ground into the air, the water jetting from my hooves in a burst. I stared down at the twisted magical energy, which was in the shape of a alicorn princess. Twilight swirled up more dark energy, her voice vibrating the air with her battle cry. Giant chunks of rock ripped from the ground, each one the size of a small house. With yell and twist of her head, she flung the rocks at high speed in my direction.
A small smile crept onto my face. I couldn't help but enjoy magical duels, even if it was deadly serious. I jumped straight for the first rock, turning as I landed on it, before leaping to the next closest projectile. I repeated this, each time looking into Twilight's face as I cross in front of her. There was an angry maleficent glare that pierced through me, which made me feel like she wasn't really seeing me.
"You..shall not....pass!" she cried out, causing a large crack to rip into the ground between us. I stared down into the abyss as I fell, which was quickly being filled in with fog. I focused on a shape in my mind, and then gestured with my hooves as a slick sheet of ice formed over the hole. I landed ungracefully, sliding on my face and chest towards Twilight.
I came to a stop right in front of her, and then when I tried to stand, I slipped and fell back with a thump.
"Gotcha!" Twilight said, her mouth twitching into an evil grin. A wave of chaotic energy crackled from her horn, and a deep sense of dread and sadness swept over me.
The heat from the magic, mixed with the damp fog wafted against me. Twilight lowered her horn down at me, her eyes narrowing in determination.
"You're never going to hurt anypony, ever again."
I tried to stand up again, my hoof struggling to find a firm grip on the ice. I thought I was gonna be incinerated right then, before something caused Twilight to jerk her head to the side. The light blasted into a chunk of ice next to me, throwing me to the side as a result of the explosion. I flew a few yards, before ramming hard into a tree. Disoriented and in massive pain, I stood up slowly to see what had happened.
A short distance in front of me, I saw the lead zebra, along with his group close behind them, singing at the top of their voices. In front of them, Twilight was stumbling around while clutching her head in pain. Their singing was having an effect on her, but how? I looked at the scarred Zebra, who put his hoof up and against his chest. He pounded it a couple of times, not even blinking as he stared into my eyes. He mouthed one word, as the rest of them sang in unison. Heart.
I dashed forward, water still pushing each of my steps onwards as Twilight turned to face the group of ponies. She was holding her horn with her hoof, coughing and groaning in pain. Her horn then flashed with that same chaotic energy, which was being directed at the mysterious choir.
I spun around as I came to face Twilight, before kicking off directly at her, my hooves outstretched.
"Twilight!' I roared, just before I knocked into her. I threw my hooves around her, Twilight's eyes widening in surprise, giving me enough time to lock my legs around her. My water gem glowed as I focused my magic around us, I took a deep breath before water poured forth from my collar. It spread out around us, forming a complete sphere of water, trapping me and Twilight inside it.
Both of us were submerged in the water, my hooves still tightly wrapped around her. Twilight immediately started beating me with her hooves and wings, to little effect. She squirmed and wiggled, trying to free herself from my death grip. Then, after those efforts failed, a small purple flash pulsed, and in the blink of an eye, we had moved a good distance away. But, to Twilight's dismay, I remained attached to her, the water having traveled with me.
As a last ditch effort, Twilight's horn started to hum with lightning, before casting it down at me. Of course, the lightning spread throughout the sphere, shocking us both. I cringed in pain, but held fast, determined to be strong for her. Twilight let out a gasp of pain, which then led to her taking in a large amount of water. I could feel her try to wretch and shake as I held her. My own breath wasn't doing much better, but I would make sure she lived through this, regardless of what happened to me.
After a few more moments of struggling she slumped over, all fight going out of her. I released the magic immediately, which caused us to crumple to the ground in a splash. I landed on my stomach, the crash knocking me free of Twilight. I got up quickly, and then ran to her body, which was lying motionless on its side. I barely registered the sound of hoof-steps behind me as I rolled Twilight onto her back. I put my ear to her chest, listening for breathing, and heard none.
No, you're not allowed to die on me! I pushed hard against her chest with my hooves, trying to push the water out of her lungs. I shoved again and again, tears falling down from my eyes. I heard soft steps from behind me, before the zebra leader appeared next to us. I heard the group singing became clear to me once again, the mist around us being pushed away.
"Our love is filled with magic.
The spark of those long past.
We sing this loud, to unveil the cloud.
Our love shall never fail."
I listened again for Twilight's heartbeat, and again failed to hear its rhythme. I stepped over her, pushing her mane, which had turned into a tangled mess with all the rain and moisture, away from her face. I felt the tap of a hoof on my shoulder, and then turned to see the same gesture being given from the old zebra. Heart I could feel him shout, as he beat his chest with his hoof.
I knelt down, and then lowered my head next to Twilight's ear. "You're not going to die on me, Twilight Sparkle, I care about you too damn much."
I raised my head up, before using a hoof to open her jaw slightly. Then I took a big breath, and then pushed my mouth over hers. I pushed all the air I could into her lunges, and then was rewarded with a splash of water in the face.
Twilight coughed and sputtered as she tried to take a breath. I looked up in time to see a wisp of smoke curl out of her ear, and then away into the damp fog. When she got over her spasms, Twilight looked up at me. We shared a long gaze with each other, before we both broke down and I reached out and grabbed her up in a swinging hug. I could feel tears streaming down my cheek before they fell into the air, splashing onto Twilight's muzzle.
"I'm sorry, uncle, for everything I said back there," she said, brushing the water out of her eyes.
"Me too, Twilight, but I'm just glad you didn't seriously want to banish me from Equestria," I said, smiling at her.
"What? I never said anything like that?" Twilight said incredulously.
"Huh?" I said, looking at her with confusion, "You don't remember saying that earlier?"
I was then reminded that we had company when a voice behind said, "Might I suggest that you travel with me, for in our village, we shall give a better answer to the situation that be," the scarred zebra said.
I nodded to him, deciding to trust him for now, considering everything I had just experienced. We turned to follow behind him, the bulk of the group still belting out songs to the heavens.
Twilight stepped close to me, and then whispered into my ear, "Hey, Azure, where's Golden Quill?"
-----
After finding only a gnarled end of rope, we decided it would be best to regroup and learn what we could about this place, before we continued searching for Golden Quill. No good would come of us blindly walking through this alien world as we had, so we opted to join the traveling choir.
I walked next to Twilight as we followed our guides through the forest. Well, now that the mist wasn't threatening to consume me, I could actually tell it was a forest. I could still almost feel the mist's presence, hovering about a furlong away, trying to creep in towards us. The village wasn't a far walk, and came into view with surprising abruptness, startling me out of inner thought.
A beautiful glowing dome of golden magic shimmered in the distance, the mist of the forest falling down and bending over it like a waterfall over a rocky mountain cliff. As we approached, I began to hear a faint hum from the magical barrier, which grew slightly louder as we drew near. When we were almost at the entrance, the fog parted from our path, pushed away from us like dust off of a book cover.
The leader of the group walked up to the shimmering sight, stopping just before the barrier to take a deep breath. He held it in for a moment, closing his eyes while doing so, before letting it out slowly, and then walked forward. He turned and gestured us forward with a hoof, before stepping backwards to meld through the golden wall.
Twilight and I walked up cautiously, the group of singers providing the atmosphere as we approached. I took a breath, and then walked at the sphere, before smacking my face into what felt like a solid wall of flame. I swayed backwards, Twilight putting a hoof out to steady me.
"It's okay, the cat's got it with the salad," I mumbled, my head spinning from the sudden impact.
"What?" Twilight snorted, her face twitching from trying not to laugh. I shook my head, which didn't help the headache, before I looked back at the golden sphere. A phantom hoof emerged from it, gesturing us forward. Twilight, undeterred by my failure, stepped forward and grabbed the hoof in her own. She walked forward while being pulled through the wall, and was phased through it without repeating my professional face plant.
I grumbled to myself, hearing a couple of the ponies watching giggle as I did so. I stepped forward and waited. Before long, the same hoof stretched out to me and I took it. I walked through the barrier easily, which felt like being briefly bathed in honey. When I was certain I'd made it through in one piece, I turned to take in a very contrasting sight compared to the last few hours of my life.
The village was only about half the size of Ponyville, and the houses were mostly made out of wood. Regardless, the houses were well constructed, and most of the buildings had numerous carvings etched into their wood. All the buildings were circled around a strange structure in the center, which I could see a beam of golden light emitting from spiraling stone atop it, which then went up to connect to the barrier that surrounded us.
Around the edges of the village, I could see metal rods, which were adorned with golden gems, protruding from the ground. The gems were connected to the barrier itself, and along the base of the rods, I could see a circle that was carved into the ground, which probably went all the way around the village. I was observing the curving patterns that led towards the center light of the village when I heard a coughing sound.
I turned to see Twilight and the scarred zebra facing me, the former looking annoyed, while the latter seeming amused by my complete lack of awareness as I studied the structures. I hung my head in apology, walked over to zebra and offered my hoof to him.
He shook it firmly, smilingly warmly at me, "You may call me Kov'nere, so now please tell me your names and why you are here."
I looked at Twilight, who nodded at me before speaking, "I am Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, and this is my uncle Azure. We are traveling together in search of a lost repository of knowledge. We also had a third pony with us, by the name of Golden Quill, before we got separated in the mist."
Kov'nere listened as Twilight spoke, and I saw his eyes widen when she mentioned the library. But when he heard about our lost friend, his expression changed from intrigue to one of concern.
He turned and moved towards the village center, gesturing for us to follow as he said, "Come now, let's take a walk. There is much to do while we talk."
We followed him down a worn path, a few zebras and ponies peering at us curiously as we passed. Everyone seemed friendly enough given the hostile nature of the world outside of the village.
"So, what is this place, if you don't mind me asking?" Twilight said, her gaze taking in the sights as I did.
"Not at all young pony, for this, you see, is the village of Starfall," he said, giving her a smile. "Many moons ago, before this place came to be, my tribe accidentally wandered through this land of misery. The evil of this place would have had its way, if fate had not decided to intervene that day," he said solemnly.
We turned past a small house, and walked towards the only building in the village that was made of stone. A grand structure in comparison to the rest, it had a circular room on the bottom, but a strange spiraling design, from which the center was the source of the golden light.
"A wise sage, an old pony, whom did come down from his secret library," Kov'nere continued as we walked towards the strange structure. "He brought with him a gem of power, which had saved us in our dying hour. For this gem uses the power of love and song, to keep the mist away, as it did belong."
We stepped through the stone archway, where I could see that old runic patterns were inscribed in the stone. We turned left and then right again, stepping into a chamber of light. In the center of the room sat a glowing star-shaped gem, which floated above a stone pedestal. I could feel a strong hum start to creep into my hooves, which increased the closer we stepped towards the artifact.
"Wow," I could hear Twilight say in awe. I nodded in agreement, happy to admire the gem from here for the moment.
Kov'nere tapped his hoof on the ground, which drew our attention back to him. He walked back outside, and we followed him without a word.
"That was amazing!" said Twilight, "So Starswirl the bearded made that?'
Kov'nere nodded, leading us away from the center to a small house a short distance away. He opened the door, which was just a cloth hung over the entrance, and then waited for us to walk inside. The inside was cozy, and was decorated with wooden carvings and even a woolen rug on the floor. A small stone pit at one end crackled softly with a golden fire. How odd, why are the flames gold?
"You may rest here for the night, and tomorrow continue your search for your friend, when the sun is warm and bright," he said, gesturing to a pair of hoof-woven cots. "Tonight, it would be best if you talk about what was to see, for in the mist, your mind must be free of uncertainty. It will twist your thoughts and fears, but it has less power if you can keep the mind clear," he finished, leaving us alone in the small room.
I moved over to settle down for the night, shrugging my saddlebags off to the side. I groaned in pain from my earlier injuries as I climbed up and into the cot. Twilight did the same, but without the groans, and then after she was comfortable, turned to face me.
"So, I'm still pretty confused about earlier, what happened exactly?" she said, her face revealing her concern.
"Can you go first, Twilight, I think I need a minute to think about it," I said, before averting my gaze.
"Well, okay then," she said, "I remember tying the rope around us, and then walking into the mist. I couldn't see anything, and before long I couldn't even see you. I felt really weird, and could feel my mane standing on end, so I called out for you." Twilight's expression became confused as she continued to describe her experience. "Then, I was almost hit by a magical blast, before I saw a giant shape approaching me. It was Tirek, an old enemy who had almost destroyed Equestria, who came rushing out at me. I couldn't even believe my eyes, and I flew around, trying to avoid his attacks."
Twilight's voice shifted from confused to anxious, and she started brushing her mane with a hoof. "The things he said to me, threatening to kill all my friends, and what he would do to Spike. He gloated about destroying my library and taunted me about how everything would be my fault," she said, her eyes beginning to water.
I reached a hoof out and pushed her hair away from her face, before giving her an encouraging smile. She looked me gratefully, as just a hint of a smile crossed her face before she continued.
"I got really angry at what Tirek said, so much that I couldn't even think straight. I just knew that I couldn't let him get away, and that I had to stop him for good this time," Twilight said, before looking down at the ground. "I knew in my heart, beneath all the rage and determination, that I would have to kill him. For the good of Equestria, it was my duty."
Twilight looked back up at me, tears falling to the ground in big splotches, "And after all the terrible things I said to you, after you saved my life. I felt like such a hypocrite, talking down to you, just because you did what was necessary."
I got up from my cot, and walked over to her, and put my arms around her, after which she buried her face in my mane.
"I'm sorry Twilight," I said, holding her tight. She sniffled, and then drew back from me, wiping her tears away with a hoof.
"What are you sorry for, Uncle? You only did what you thought you needed to."
I shook my head, closing my eyes in shame. "I'm sorry for doubting you Twilight, for thinking that you could ever mean to say such awful things as I thought you did."
Twilight was probably confused, but let me continue speaking uninterrupted.
I opened my eyes, giving her a soft smile before I went back to sit on my cot, turning to face her. "When we entered the mist, I lost track of both of you. After that I heard a voice, and then followed your rope to find you. When I found you, I reached out to touch your shoulder, and you slapped my hoof away, calling me a monster," I said, watching her expression shift through a variety of emotions.
"I did what?" Twilight said incredulously.
I nodded at her before continuing, "You called me a pathetic excuse for a pony and then banished me from Equestria."
Twilight gasped in horror, looking at me with a mix of bewilderment and concern.
"And the part that I hate the most," I said, a painful smile making its way across my face, "is that I actually believed that you say would something like that. So yes, Twilight, I'm sorry for doubting you. And I'm sorry for what I said earlier, after we left the Changeling hive, I should have been more understanding."
Now it was Twilight's turn to jump up and give me a hug. I could hear her gently sob as we held one another for comfort.
"I love you, Uncle, you know that right?" Twilight said, pulling back far enough to look me in the eye.
"I love you too, Twilight," I said, smiling broadly at her as my whole body warmed up at her words.
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7574973 /)
7574976 i think you meant XD
7575040 nah, /) is the type symbol for a brohoof, which is received like this (\
7575049 oh. well then (\
OMG! Can't wait for the next chapter! <3
Yeeeah, I have total faith in you, Azure.
Look Twilight, I know you're upset, but there's no call for double punctuation.
Scar
I know Twilight disrespects the little guy, but failing to capitalize his name is going too far.
All the scenes in the mist make me sad. This chapter stepped down from horror to heart-heaviness. I miss the funny fluff from the start...
And now I'm scared we won't see Golden Quill again... Or he'll be dead, or dying... or that we won't see him for another several chapters, which would also be bad. Just not as.
It's fun to see more of this story again! Keep up the good work!
7578138 Eheh, I got a good laugh at my own expense it seems, thanks for pointing those out to me. I know that the story developed a darker feel after they left Equestria, and it's more of a result of trying to open things up for character development. The world around them isn't a fun place, and every pony is going to face their own challenges along the way.
I love all my characters, and I want to see them grow together. A true test of one's abilities comes in the darkest moments, and from there, they can only get stronger.
Anyway, I'm always happy to see your comment Magic, and I hope that you keep reading. It's these types of comments that help drive me to continue writing in the first place :)
7602244 A cannon answer would probably be about one to two years, up to the episode Amending Fences. Thanks for reading man, I can't wait to put your art up for the cover! (cough cough)
I think this really would have been an ideal spot to have Azure do the introductions, seeing as he has so much experience at interacting with zebras. Maybe bring in some cultural greetings. Bit of a missed opportunity for worldbuilding. "Habari, bwana! Let the story of our arrival be told."
Looks like Twilight wasn't really mentally prepared to go through The Echoes in order to find Star Swirl's library. I wonder who would be considered the weaker pony: Azure, for his vision of a personal connection such as Twilight delivering him harsh words, or Twilight, for being so easily worked up as to go on a warpath.
I suppose Golden Quill has now been subjected to a fate worse than death if he's been lost in the mist.
Yeah, I had a feeling that Twilight was either hallucinating or was being affected by the mist somehow, but the dark magic? Damn. (Kind of an overall comment there)
Jesus, life or death much?
Sorry, but this is just... He just resuscitated her, she looks up at him, and then they run to each other? Sorry, gotta be the @$$hole for this one.
Alright, that made me laugh.
I got a very Crystal Empire-esque vibe from the description of the village. I like it. And I know this is a time-sensitive thing, but the name "Kov'nere" made me think of 'covfefe'.
You goofed once or twice, but nice job with the zebra rhymes!
Quite a bunch of errors, but like I said, I'm letting them slide for now.
Overall this was a really interesting chapter, but you've left me wondering what the hell happened to Golden Quill, and what kind of state he may be in when and if they find him...
PS: If you're wondering why this comment is so much longer than the others, it's because I opened another window and commented as I read.
Boop, the ninth.
Resisting the urge to be critical once more. Honestly, this probably isn't as bad as I'm making it out to be, but I'm hyper critical about both my own work and my friends, so congrats. We're good enough friends that I have no reservations about shamelessly smashing your work to pieces in the name of self improvement. :P