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1 - Outcast6,209 words
2 - Exile5,796 words
3 - Revealed!6,655 words
4 - Reunion6,113 words
5 - Outset6,238 words
6 - Vengeful8,609 words
7 - Snowfall6,775 words
8 - Mohrg6,833 words
9 - Guardian6,751 words
10 - Augury7,497 words
11 - Camp6,414 words
12 - Homeland11,257 words
13 - Doom8,689 words
14 - Plans for the Future7,742 words
15 - The Spire8,543 words
16 - Progress7,972 words
17 - Resurrection7,545 words
18 - The Hive9,230 words
19 - Sovereignty9,890 words

11 - Camp

Felling Axe - 12th of Chillfrost 16 EoH

Kontrabandista Lake - Griffon Kingdoms

Despite the terrifying first week of our journey, I found myself enjoying the last few days of hiking.

I’d always loved traveling. They never let me travel much way back when. Of course, that was perfectly okay. As far as we knew, Elite Soldiers just weren't hatching anymore for any hive. You don’t risk losing a trooper you couldn’t replace, to random bandits or inclement weather.

You also didn’t just let them wander about. At least, back then you didn’t. Five centuries ago, any given settlement could be attacked at any time, everywhere, aside from Equestria and Drake.

Equestria was safe within the hooves of the angry sun goddess who had just banished her sister and consequently found out that sometimes, you really do need to use violence to solve a problem. Drake was safe because who in their right mind marches on a dragon settlement? I mean, aside from Haynibale of Crouprage. Who had turned out to indeed have been a bad enough mare take on a battalion of draconic infantry. Twice.

Too bad my old Queen hadn’t let me go see the second Battle of the Cassum. You could have sold tickets to people so they could line up some distance away to watch the battle and have made several dragon’s hoards of gold off it. And they did!

I’d bought one. The city of Crouprage had actually sent out heralds to promote the ‘rematch’ which The Burninator had demanded. Heh, Dragons have the silliest title for their leader.

Not every battle was courteous enough to announce their date, time, and sides in advance of course. Cassum Two was just the best historical example to show how people had become so used to war that purchasing a ticket to a battle had become something which was a bit odd, but not that outlandish of an idea. For everyone, not just for we soldiers.

About half of the soldiers in my hive had wanted to go watch. The other half wanted to go fight alongside the dragons to see if we could get to ride one as a thank you. We can’t help it, soldiers love physical contests. And there had been plenty of those to beat back in the day. Not so much anymore though, and that was a good thing.

The world had stabilized a lot since Chrysalis took over our hive, making travel possible, largely risk free, and enjoyable. Perfect for trade, tourism, and all manner of peacetime activities.

Except for this part of the world. The Griffon Kingdoms were an exception.

Queen Bladestorm and I sat atop a hill overlooking a lake, and the battlefield which engulfed its shore. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just any lake. The lake where we were scheduled to meet up with a boat to take us the rest of the way to safety.

Even worse for us, the two armies crawling along the sides of the lake were not just any two armies. The forces currently massed along the eastern half of the lake flew a gold, gray, and olive banner, which Blade recognized as the colors of her current enemy, Warlord “No-Tail” as she called him. She couldn’t call for a pickup with the battle taking place, and it was far too risky to try moving downriver past the war-camp at the moment.

From the looks of things, it seemed like No-Tail’s troops were attempting to raid the unknown warlord’s camp for supplies. And failing very badly at that mission. Bodies littered the ground around the camp, not a one having gotten within about twenty meters of the rows of white tents.

The war-camp’s defenses included several large cannons and mortars, which they had been using for a steady half hour and counting. Blasting the shoreline and old ruined cobble walls their enemy had taken cover behind to dust.

Fortunately, we were relatively safe up on the hillside. Their forces were outnumbered and under pressure. No one was looking up a few miles away. We could sit here safely.

Even as far away as we were, the sharp cracks of rifles and booming cannons rang out, mimicking a thunderstorm with their constant noise. Blade and I lay a short ways away from our camp, peering into the distance as best we could with the sun setting.

“Mmm,” Blade said as she set down her binoculars. “It’s almost over. No-Tail’s shore side flank is gonna fail any moment now.”

I squinted into the distance, grateful for my changeling eyes. “I see what you mean. Oh, yep. Looks like some of the blue cloaks are charging over the water.”

A few dozen griffons took to the air, arcing out over the surface of the water to strike at the artillery weakened position. Landing on the shelled to Tartarus shoreline, they immediately formed ranks, firing into No-Tail’s forces from the side. There wasn’t any way to make out the details from my position, but it was easy to tell the charge had worked. You could see gold cloaks dropping.

“And that’s that,” Bladestorm said with a nod. “They’ll be routed-”

A loud horn’s mournful cry echoed in the distance. The gold cloaks began to break formation, running flat out along the ground to avoid making targets of themselves in the air. The battle was over. Not that the blue cloaks cared much as they continued to fire on their fleeing enemy.

“-now,” Blade finished with a sad laugh. “No surprise there. I use similar tactics on his griffons all the time.”

“Do you think they thought they were fighting you?” I asked curiously.

“Nah, my troops are mostly thestrals. I don’t field griffons. I’m fight’n to free them, why would I get them killed?” Blade countered wryly.

I shrugged. “They want to fight? Help each other out?”

“Friendly griffons are of far better use as smiths, spies, and messengers,” she replied. “At any rate, our friends in blue will be scaveng’n the battlefield as soon as they’ve chased No-Tail off completely. That’ll keep them busy for a few hours. I need to port back to base and check on our ride. We might be able to sleep while travel’n tonight.”

I nodded, standing up to walk back to our companions. “I’ll keep everypony safe till you get back,” I promised.

Blade nodded, and with a bright flash of green vanished from sight.

Walking the short ways back to our camp, I saw Repose had decided to open up his new alchemy kit. He’d set up a small stove to heat some sort of mixture over the flame.
A few glass containers and opened leather pouches sat around him as he mixed some leaves into his flask of boiling clearish liquid.

“Reep…” I sighed. “We don’t have time for you to brew a potion.”

“It’s for Light’s joints. She said they hurt. This only needs another three minutes of work, and I still hear gunfire. Or are we not safe?” Repose asked in concern.

“The battle’s over, the blues are picking off survivors as they flee,” I said, the bitter taste of their dishonorable actions making me want to gag a little. “Bladestorm went home to see if our ride is ready to get us. So we’ll be walking down river soon.”

“Three minutes will pass before she gets back,” Repose countered.

I bit my lip to try and hold in my frustration. “Yes, but we will need to be ready to move immediately! You’re a smart stallion, you should realize the need for-”

Repose finished mixing the leaves into the flask and turned to look at me, his red eyes holding some irritation. “Ensuring one of our comrades isn’t in pain and distracted when we are close enough to the enemy to hear gunfire? Yes, I do. What if she needs to provide covering fire? Do you want our sniper unable to fire from arthritis?” He countered.

“No, but we don’t need to fight. We have the night, they are distracted. She’ll be fine!” I retorted.

“We still have to run,” he objected. “This is quick and easy.”

“Ugh, yes,” I admitted, ears flattening. “But now you have to put all of your equipment away, and store that kit away again. That’s going to take time, maybe leave some evidence. They will probably send a search team out for survivors and they could track us down!”

“All the more reason to ensure all our soldiers are at their best,” Repose countered.

“But you’re endangering us by leaving behind a possible trail!” I shouted. “Seriously! Why are you so bucking cute but also this bucking thick!?”

EEP!

My eyes widened in pure terror. I’d just blurted it out! Oh gods! What do I do?! HELP!

Repose blinked in surprise, tilting his head to the left. “What? How is my appearance a tactical disadvantage in this case?” He asked honestly.

“Um, I well, I didn’t mean to yell at you like that,” I stammered.

Light groaned from her bedroll, where she had been lying for a while. “By the Emperor! If you two start having makeup sex after fighting about leaving a trail and wasting time, I’m going to smack you right in the dicks!”

Repose’s face twisted with even more confusion as he turned to look at light, ears drooping. “W- what? Why would we do that?” He asked.

I felt my lips pull into a slight frown. How the hay couldn’t he tell she thought we were a coup-

She thought we were a couple! Yay! That means we went nice together.

Light rolled over, her new tech-crossbow held close to her belly like she’d just been cuddling with her weapon. “Wait,” she asked in surprise. “You two aren't mates?”

“Of course we’re friends,” Repose said. “But why the hay would we have sex? Is that normal for friends this decade?!”

“What? No! I meant mates as in lovers. You guys aren't coltfriends?” She asked honestly surprised. “You sleep together every night.”

“We’re not romantically involved. That’s for warmth,” Repose explained. “Changelings don't handle the cold well. Frankly, you should help so his other side isn’t getting cold.”

Feeling a sudden swell of courage, I knew it was time. I had to take advantage of the momentum Light made for us.

“Yeah, well, I wish we were romantically involved!” I blurted. “There I said it!”

Oh, gods, I said it! Why did I say it!?

“Oh,” Repose said, his brow furrowing. “Um… I don’t know what to do…”

My hearts skipped several beats. He… Didn’t know?

I could taste his confusion. That wasn’t good, it’s a difficult emotion to sense. Here had to be a LOT of it.

“What you do, assuming you like other colts, is wait till we have time, then bone him,” Light said crudely. “Seriously, the possible best mate is just a best friend who's okay with sex.”

I blushed, shuffling one hoof along the ground nervously. “Um… If it helps, biologically speaking, we’re all female. Like ants. Our genders are strictly mental. And I won't mind shifting into a mare for you, I mean… You know if-”

Repose bit his lip. “I um… I don’t like anything in that… Sense.”

I felt one of my hearts clench up hard enough to pop a valve.

“W-what do you mean?” I stammered.

He didn’t? But… How? Why? How?!

Repose’s ears drooped sadly. “Bucking hay… I’m sorry you look, um, really bad. I just… I don't really have any sort of … I’ve never thought about sex. Or found ponies attractive like that. Ever. Even before I became… This,” he explained slowly.

Light’s ears drooped sadly. Setting her weapon down carefully she stepped over to me and gave me a quick hug. “Ooo… Looks like your crush is asexual. That’s rough, buddy.”

“There’s a name for my non-preference? Why is it named after a form of reproduction? That’s odd,” Repose mused.

“Yeah, we’ve come up with more than just straight and gay,” Light said, keeping her hug around me. “There's asexual, which is you. And then there’s bisexual, liking both genders within your species. Then there’s pansexual, where you don’t care about sex, species, any of that. Cuz it’s all nice.

“I’m the last one. I think. Haven't met any species that didn’t look cute somehow. Excuse me a second, I think your friend is about to die.”

Light turned to me, finally letting go. I couldn’t really think. Like if my brain just… Stopped.

“Hey, um… I’m sorry. I don’t really feel any attraction for you, but if you just need someone to lay next to, that’s okay,” she offered.

“N-no…” I stammered. “I… I’m going… I’m going over here.”

I walked a few steps away to stand and stare at the setting sun.

I don’t know how long I stood there, but after some time Repose came up beside me.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized.

“You could have said something sooner,” I lamented.

“No, I really couldn’t. I had no idea you liked me,” he tried to explain.

I felt a pang of anger in my chest.

“HOW!? I’ve literally presented for you on multiple occasions! I’ve spent months trying out slightly different plots and other bits to try and find out what you wanted. I’ve done all the romantic gestures, and gifts, and- I… Just… How?!” I begged, wishing I was in a pony body so I could cry.

Crying is amazingly good at helping you get rid of sadness.

“I don’t think like that,” he answered. “I’ve never thought like that. I honestly couldn’t mention any time you’ve done any of those things… Well, I can recall a few gifts. I thought you were just being Equestrianly friendly.”

“They’re not THAT friendly,” I protested.

“Be that as it may, it’s not what the average pony thinks of them…” Repose muttered. “I… I may not think about sex. But I do like you. I care for you. You’re the only real friend I’ve had in hundreds of years… I’m sorry I can’t provide romantic love for you. I- I suppose we could have sex. If you wanted. I wouldn't like it, it’s a bit nauseating to think about. But I’d do it for you.”

“No, no it’s fine. For changelings, it’s the emotional parts of sex that matter,” I sighed. “If I just want to feel nice I can- buck it… I… I need time. You… You were everything my life was about.”

“Were?” Repose asked sadly.

“Oh! Um, no,” I quickly exclaimed. “We can still be friends. I- I think. It’s just… I need somepony to love. You know?”

Repose shook his head. “I don’t know what that’s like. I’m sorry,” he apologized again.

“It’s fine… We'll be fine,” I sighed. “We just nee-”

The brush covered hilltop flashed with emerald green light, the accompanying crackle of energy and smell of ozone signaling Bladestorm had returned.

I turned to look at the scar covered mare and frowned. Gods help me, I was so depressed that even her impossibly huge love reserves seemed smaller.

“Right everypony, pick up is scheduled fo-” Blade stopped speaking, frowning mid sentence as she looked around the camp. “What the fuck happened here?”

Light pointed one hoof at us from her bedroll. “Fell admitted to having feelings for Repose, who turned out to be asexual,” she explained.

“And you’re spooning a railgun because…?” Blade asked, her accent forgotten again.

Wait, she was spooning with her weapon!?

“Because Whisper’s a sexy weapon and she deserves the affection,” Light replied in a deadly even tone.

She named it? And gendered it? Well… That was weird enough to push me a little bit out of my funk.

“Safety on?” Blade asked after a few seconds.

“Yep,” Light replied.

“Um, well then… carry on,” Blade stammered awkwardly.

Shaking her head, the tall mare walked over to Repose and I and offered me a quick sympathetic hug. “Hey, I’m sorry. I know how that feels. I had a crush on a mare for years, Ironically, she was a lot like you Repose. Nerdy, intellectual, a bit out there. Also pretty cute. Loved her mane, rose and violet go well with really dark blue... It framed her glasses well too. She looked great without trying. Ponyfeathers that mare pulled off a bun! I wish I had that kind of talent. Um… She wasn’t a mage though, she was into science. Probably still is.”

Blade sighed sadly. I could sense that she still had some feelings for whoever this mare was. I could also sense that she had accepted it and moved on. If she could, then so could I. As soon as it stopped hurting.

“She also wasn’t into sex, as it turned out,” Blade continued, “And hearing that was hard, and it hurt. But over time, the pain went away. I’m sure you two can stay friends if you try,” she said hopefully.

“Did you?” I asked hopefully.

“Um… Well,” Blade said, hissing slightly. “There was an, incident... I sort of haven’t ever seen her since the night she told me because I got jumped by my do- um, that’s not important right now! The important part is that you two should stay friends. You clearly care for each other. Some relationships aren't meant to be more than what they are. You know?”

“I… I think I understand. I thought you said you have a husband, though,” I babbled.

“I do!” Blade said in quick agreement. “A pony can like both genders you know. I um, I hate to push you to do something during an emotional crisis, but we have a boat coming up the river. We need to be on it in two hours or we will be stuck close to this camp for another forty-eight hours. Is everyone ready to move?”

“What happened to your accent?” Repose asked in honest confusion.

Blade paused and gave him a four second stare. “It’s fake. You couldn’t tell with how outrageous it is? I do it so nopony can remember my voice in case I need to disguise myself sometime… I forgot to do it because well, just, yeah. You try teleporting into this kind of social fallout and not forgetting- Ta talk like a pony stereotype straight outta a movie about fight’n Drop Bears in the Outbuck armed only with a pool noodle an a Knoifie Spoony game, mate!” She exclaimed, switching back into the accent.

“Oh, yes that does seem more logical,” Repose mused.

“So, can we get move’n?” She asked again.

I nodded. “Yeah… Let’s get going.”

Blade turned towards Light. “Have you got your weapon off yet or do you need another few minutes?”

Light laughed. “We can go. I’m not THAT much of a weapons nut,” she giggled. “I mean, it’s not like she’s alive.”

I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. I kind of wanted to know what that flavor of love would taste like.

Bol'shoy Rynok fiefdom - Griffon Kingdoms

12th of Chillfrost 16 EoH

An uncomfortably short distance from the lake, the hideous screaming of a pained monstrosity shattered the air like glass. Sunlit’s horn blasted angrily as he sustained the rebuke undead spell he had cast longer than it would normally last, sending icepicks of pain directly into the monster’s amalgamated soul.

“I don’t care!” Sunlit roared at the screaming monster. “You serve ME. We’re not seeing who's fighting!”

“But… Bodies… Stronger…” The monster whimpered, it’s centipede like legs curling up in pain like those of a dead spider.

“We wasted enough time adding the rest of those idiot scouts to you,” Sunlit hissed. “I know you can smell that litch. Get moving!”

The monster whimpered. Sunlit glared at the abomination, staring into its empty voids with his own hate-filled eye.

“You’re right you know,” a voice said cheerfully from the shadows of an oak tree.

“Of course I’m ri- Who's there!?” Sunlit demanded, the patchwork pony turning around, horn blazing as he prepared to fire a spellbolt at the voice.

A dark shadow moved beneath the tree. Sunlit fired, the sickly silver bolt of magic shot forward, striking unerringly towards its target. The shadow calmly reached out, plucked the silver ball of energy from the air and tossed it between his hooves.

“Amusing,” Dawn smirked, red eyes glowing through the shade as he took a half step forward.

“W-what do you want?” Sunlit asked, unnerved at the stallions sudden appearance.

“Who are you talking to?” The monster asked, seeing no living creatures where his father was looking.

Dawn continues to toss the spellbolt, switching to throwing it up in the air and catching it as if it were a simple rubber ball. “Why, to warn my dear friend, of course. You’re running out of time,” he said somberly.

“They have a long ways to get to Equestria yet, and I’m close! They will be dead in an hour,” Sunlit scoffed.

“Really, pony? Did your brain fall out along the road?” Dawn mocked. “I thought you would put my spell to more use than making a single creature, magnificent as it is. Do you think you can take on an entire army with just this one creation?”

Sunlit snorted. “Please! It’s a three hundred skull Mohrg. Most skulls aren’t visible from the outside, there’s no way they can smash them all. It’s invincible.”

Dawn tossed the ball aside. The silver orb struck the tree, blasting a deep chunk from the very heartwood. The mighty oak creaked and cracked, falling over with slow, almost painful shrieking as the tree toppled away from Dawn.

“Well, if you are certain…” He said dismissively. “It would be a shame if we were to stop being friends. Perhaps you should adjust your priorities a little. Kill them before they have a chance to get near the Thestrals. Or worse yet, Fell’s old home.

“It’s rather close by, you know. I’d rather they not snoop around in the basement. If they choose to stop by, well… At least I would enjoy watching you suffer from hubris.”

“Those nobodies will die!” Sunlit roared angrily.

“Humm… Yes, my faith in you seems a bit… Misplaced. You should change my opinion,” Dawn warned, his face splitting into a demonic fanged grin. “For your health’s sake.”

Then he was gone. As if never having been there.

Sunlit took a quick breath and climbed onto the back of the skeletal monster. “Move! Now!” He ordered.

“Who were you talking to?” The monster asked, still quite confused.

“GO! Follow the litch,” Sunlit roared.

Fearing another evisceration of its very soul, the monster’s legs uncurled, it stood, lowered itself to the ground, and ran off in pursuit of the prey its father so desperately wanted to kill.

Felling Axe - 13th of Chillfrost 16 EoH

The Great Trade Sea - International Waters

The thunderclap threw me out of my slumber. The pitching and heaving of the sailboat’s deck threw me off of my bunk and onto the floor. As I hit the wooden deck of the tiny ship, the sound of enraged rain attempting to erode the boat, pierced the deck above me and reached my ears.

We were in the middle of a storm.

The boat jerked and then slammed down, throwing me around again and sending a few crates toppling across the deck.

A storm straight from Tartarus.

They would need help up above!

I made my way up the ladder at the stern, climbing over the top of a loudly snoring Light Step who had fallen onto the deck, yet clearly didn’t even care or notice. Gods knew how she could sleep through this.

When we had been picked up by the sparrow patterned griffon smuggler, his sailboat had a little cabin to steer from which also housed the access to go below decks. That cabin wasn’t there anymore.

It couldn’t be. Because rain poured down through the now hatch free door. Broken hinges flapping in the gale force winds.

I reached the ladder, hissing in pain at the stinging cold ice-rain and pulled myself up the ladder onto a deck amid the ruins of the wheel house. Lightning flashed a few hundred meters from the boat, giving me a good idea of where it had gone.

At least the wheel was intact still.

“Fell!” Repose shouted over the wind, noticing me by some small miracle. “Pull that rope tight!”

Repose, Blade, and our pilot were all busy lashing down the single triangular sail. However, it looked as if even one of them let go of their own lines, the sail would rip out of the other’s hooves.

“On it!” I shouted back, grabbing the dangling rope and hauling down on it with all my might.

“Keep it taught!” Our pilot yelled. “Blade, tie your line down now!”

A few moments later, Blade yelled something lost to the wind.

“Mage, yours next!” The pilot called.

“Done!” Repose announced.

“Why aren't you using magic?” I called loudly.

“What?” Blade replied.

“Why aren't you using magic?” I asked again.

“The storm hit us with multiple lightning strikes when I tried last time!” Blade shouted back.

“It’s a bucking wild magic induced hurricane!” Repose yelled back fearfully.

“No, this is a gale, not the worst I’ve seen. We’ll be alright!” The pilot shouted.

“Don’t use any spellcraft,” Blade warned. “The residual negative charge will rush to you! That’s when lightning will hit us for sure!”

Wait, didn’t she say she didn’t know advanced thaumaturgy?

Before I could follow up on that thought, the boat heaved and pitched, almost throwing me from the deck into the sea.

“By the Old Gods!” The pilot swore. “Changeling! Secure that line!”

I looked around the deck frantically. Seeing no hook or ring to tie the rope too I frantically wrapped it around the rail with my hooves, hitching the best knot I could as the deck heaved, swayed and jumped beneath me.

“Done!” I called as I pulled the rope shut.

“Good! Keep an eye on it,” the pilot called as he pulled himself along the deck towards the wheel.

The winds pounded the boat, tossing us to one side, nearly tipping the sailboat over before the winds died down and we bounced back to vertical. The griffon managed to hold on through the tip, talons digging into the deck. As the ship scrambled upright he bolted for the wheel, grabbing it urgently, and doing his best to steer us to match the wind’s direction.

“We should get to land!” I yelled.

“We should be close to one of the islands, but it’s haunted!” The pilot called back, a massive wave breaking over the deck as he finished speaking.

The wave smashed into Repose, sending him tumbling. My hearts nearly stopped! Blade dove forwards, grabbing him with the crook of one leg, and grabbing the mast with her rear legs, stopping him from being swept overboard.

Oh, thank the gods! My hearts started to beat again as Blade yelled, “It’s alright! I got you!”

“Thank you!” Repose called back. “It’s okay. I can’t drown.”

“Yeah but you can be left in the middle of the sea and never find your way to land!” Blade called back.

“Don’t let go of me please!” Repose begged.

“I don’t care if it is haunted, we're going to die out here!” I said as firmly as I could.

“I know! I know!” The pilot yelled. “Old Hen’s tale. Gale. Bit panicked. I’ll try and steer us towards her. It’s not far. Kilometer windward, tops!”

The four of us held on for dear life as the winds sent the small boat rocketing across the waves. The stressed timbers groaned and shrieked. The stressed passengers also groaned and shrieked. Lightning continued to strike the water as if pegasi were trying to kill all of the fish in the sea.

Then a gray blotch appeared on the horizon. Squinting at it through the dark of the storm and torrential rain, the blotch resolved into a pyramid-like shape sitting atop a domed base.

Oh! That island. Of all the places we could wind up… Well, at least I knew why our pilot thought it was haunted.

Kebiin Vheh'ika, Saphire’s Isle, my old home. I had mixed feelings about seeing it again, but as the saying went, any port in a storm. Especially one you’re in.

I turned to the pilot. “Don’t worry!” I called, “I know this isl-”

The world turned white, banishing sound with one loud ringing flash. When my eyes could at last see again, our pilot was nowhere to be found and the deck had a fresh scorch mark burned into the planks.

Panicking, I jumped for the wheel, hooves scrabbling for purchase on the wet deck. The boat lurched and pulled to the right. I knew nothing about sailing, but I knew we could still make the island if I just held the wheel straight!

“Where’s Eilofvil?” Blade called.

“He got hit! No trace!” I yelled back.

Suddenly something moved just behind my tail. Whipping my head around I saw light poke her head through the former hatch now hole, eyes widening in terror as she took in the gale we were caught in.

“Who pissed off the weather Alicorn!?” She yelled in fear.

“If this is Flurry’s fault I’ll have Cadence kick her plot!” Blade screamed from the mast where she and Reep were holding on for dear life.

Suddenly, a sound like a sheet of paper ripping in half pierced through the gale force winds. Looking for the sound I was horrified to see the sail beginning to rip free of the mast.

“The sail! It’s coming loose!” I yelled in warning.

“Hold it with magic?!” Light yelped.

“Storm throws lightning at magic!” Repose called.

“It needs to hold another two minutes. We just need to get to that island ahead,” I shouted, trying to inform Light of the plan.

If that sail tore free, we were bucked.

Light squinted up at the ripping sail and bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. “It won't hold that long,” she said, voice almost lost to the wind. “I got it.”

Confused as to how she had this covered, I did my best to hold the wheel as straight as I could. Light stepped past me, taking care to hold onto the deck as best she could manage, moving towards the mast. The moment she arrived, she reached up to her necklace, and took it off, holding onto it tightly with one hoof.

A second later she screamed.

Gods how she screamed.

Each of her agonized cries made it through the wind’s own howls. Seconds later the cracking, scraping and poping of bone joined her screams as she twisted, twitched and thrashed. The violent spasms hid her growth for the first few seconds, but then her legs began to lengthen in jerky uneven pulses, and it became quite clear just how great her pain was.

A massive wave broke over the bow, seemingly sweeping light overboard. My hearts skipped a beat, but then she stood up, easily three times her old size. She had simply wedged herself onto the deck by jamming her rear hooves against one side of the boat and holding onto the other.

Before I could congratulate her brilliance, she grabbed the sail from the front, with a forehoof, braced herself on the deck, and reared up, holding the sail in place. With her positioned at the front, the winds filled the sail instead of hitting her, and the boat sped up with a noticeable lurch.

I watched in awe as she held the sail in place, massive teeth clenched under the strain of the winds. Her weight just barely able to keep her grounded thanks to the amount of purchase the wind had to push against her.

The island seemed to fly towards us. Closer and closer with each passing second. Until with one last violent jerk, the boat stopped completely, the bow striking land. The beachhead’s snow had been blown away completely, leaving behind patches of ice which flashed and glittered as the lightning continued to blast into the sea.

“Everypony off!” Blade called, jumping over the side onto the pebbly beach. “There has to be some shelter inland!”

“Don’t worry, I got this!” I called back, jumping off as well, Repose following alongside me.

To my surprise, Light stayed aboard, bent over the deck looking frantically for-

“I dropped my necklace!” She called in panic.

“I’m sorry, it’s gone! There’s no way it stayed on deck,” Repose replied loudly, voice barely piercing the suddenly higher wind.

Light’s curses became lost in the wind as she stepped off the boat, waded into the ocean, and putting her shoulder to the stern, shoved the sailboat up onto the beachhead, pushing it well above the tideline.

Running up beside her I called, “It’s okay! We’ll make you another one. Thanks for saving our lives. Now it’s my turn, I know a safe place here.”

“How?” Blade asked, frowning suspiciously.

I pointed to the large almost perfect pyramid shaped mountain in the center of the island.

“That’s the old Sapphire Hive. No other mountain looks like that,” I explained. “Don't worry Light, you’ll fit and have head room.”

Even with the storm furiously raging around us, I still couldn’t help but notice just how huge she was even at three times my height. The square cube law is a hay of a thing. Gods, I could scarcely imagine her at her full size…

“I doubt it,” Light muttered.

“Come on, before anyone else is hit by lightning!” I called, running up the beach.

Even in the dark of the storm, I could easily tell where we were. I had every last inch of the island memorized. I knew where every last escape hatch and back entrance sat. I’d guarded all of them at one point or another. The problem was Light would only fit inside two entrances. The front door or the big airship dock halfway up the mountain.

Fortunately, we’d landed not too far from the main door, just a three-minute sprint. Easily managed in in this hellish weather. Unfortunately, I doubted the door would be openable with noling having been here in gods knew how long. But at the very least, the cave entrance would be dry, wind free, and safe.

We made it to the cave without incident. The gaping hole in the mountainside could have fit Light even if she were another meter tall and had another pony to walk along side her. We raced into the gaping granite tunnel without second thought, immediately feeling warmer as the howling winds could no longer batter our drenched bodies to the core.

“Much better,” Blade sighed in relief.

“You can say that again,” Light said, shaking water out of her fur and feathers. “Also I’m sorry for doubting you. This is pretty cozy, but yeah, I can move in here. Why did you dig the tunnel this big?”

“Because the door is just a bit smaller than this,” I replied, walking further into the darkness of the cave.

“Door?” Repose asked curiously.

“Yeah, it’s just a bit further,” squinting into the darkness I searched for any sign of-

There they were. Dim red lights, glowing to form sigils of the god’s language.

“Huh, well good news! The door still works. We can get inside the actual hive. I figured we would just have the entrance.”

I heard everypony get up and keep following me as I made my way to the sigils. Feeling the wall below them, I found the hidden panel and popped it open. White light immediately illuminated the small rune covered grid, each square so small you had to use a hoof point to press one at a time. Focusing my mind, I tried to remember what each of the glowing sigils demanded I enter.

“Let’s see… I think the response to this sequence is… Tango, hotel, echo, papa, alpha, sierra, sierra, whiskey, oscar, romeo, delta, india, sierra, alpha, mike, alpha, tango, alpha,” I said out loud to help me think as I touched the proper runes.

The white light went out as I entered the final code, the sequence of sigils flashing green as the rune code was accepted before changing to an entirely different code. One I also fortunately still knew the reply to.

“What did that do?” Blade asked curiously.

The door hissed, the sound of steel grinding against steel echoed throughout the cave as the door pulled back into the wall, followed by a loud wine and creak as the massive block of steel lifted upwards, and light poured out of the growing crack.

Light? But…

“How the flying buck are the lights still on?” I asked myself in shock as the door slid completely open.

The view ahead… The arched steel hallway. The cement flooring. The dross patches covering unused doorways and improvised containers lining the main entrance we would use to transport goods in and out… It was like I’d come home from a guard duty outside only to simply find everyling missing.

“Stay close,” I instructed, slowly walking inside. “Something is wrong!”

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