Hecate's Orphanage

by BlackRoseRaven

Those Forbidden Things

Chapter Seventy: Those Forbidden Things
~BlackRoseRaven

Cadence absently adjusted her body armor as she smiled over at Thesis, who smiled awkwardly back at her as she asked gently: “Are you sure you can handle it?”

“Yeah. I'll be fine... for this, anyway.” Thesis replied with a shrug, and Cadence nodded: it sounded like a fairly simple mission, and all they were doing was gathering information. She and Thesis could probably handle it by themselves, but they would have some 'support' anyway, she thought, as she looked over at the trio of ponies coming with them as her own smile became a little strained.

Luna Brynhild grinned widely at Cadence, opening her mouth, but it was immediately shut by Scrivener Blooms slapping a Talon over it as Morgan Heldóttir said politely: “We look forwards to working with you, Cadence. Don't worry, we'll stay out of your mane for the most part, we know we're mostly there to support you.”

Cadence nodded awkwardly before Thesis brought up a holographic screen from his Mission Drive, saying wryly: “Weird to be working with you guys for once. And in a completely not psychopathic do-it-or-else best-frenemies kind of way.”

“Let's just hope for the best. You said this was one of Thokk's bases after all, right?” Scrivener said pointedly, before he scowled and quickly yanked his hoof away from Brynhild's muzzle as she attempted to bite him.

“Aye, hopefully that means something interesting will happen, at the least!” Luna exclaimed, clapping her forehooves together before she waggled her eyebrows at Thesis and Cadence. “But I am sure we shall all be able to find some way to occupy ourselves, no matter what-”

“Shut up, Brynhild. You're worse than I am, for Odin's sake.” shouted a voice, and Brynhild huffed but smiled, looking up as Freya approached with Thorn on one side and Morning Glory the other. A cluster of other ponies had followed, as well: mostly to see Brynhild and her companions off, she thought, although she couldn't help some amusement at the sight of Moonflower and Necrophage: even if Moonflower kept shooting horrible glares at the Replicant between smiling lamely at her and Thesis. Guess they haven't worked things out quite yet.

“Alright. I've set the coordinates to what you told me and pretended that I work for Hecate for long enough.” Freya said mildly, gesturing irritably at them with a hoof. “I have to say, though, Brynhild, I'm disappointed how quickly you went along with this.”

“What, and miss the chance to punch Loki in his great fat stupid face?” Luna asked with a grin, and Freya glowered at her disapprovingly, but Brynhild only snorted and huffed. “'Tis funny that thou art the one with the moral dilemma this time, Freya, and I am the one who wants to trample him beneath mine hooves. Since when does thou care about anyone apart from thyself and whatever thou can shove between thy legs?”

Freya scowled at Brynhild, leaning towards her and saying moodily: “Some days I question why I missed you, sister.”

“Well, that is precisely why, because we are sisters. And thus no matter how much thou may hate me and I may hate thee, we are forever stuck together. Thou art the peanut butter and I am the jelly.” Luna reasoned, and Cadence slowly closed her eyes before Scrivener and Morgan both scowled as Luna suddenly seized them and grinned widely at Freya. “And look, I have found two slices of bread!”

“While that sounds appetizing, Brynhild, it will have to wait.” Freya smiled despite herself, rolling her single eye before she gently patted Thorn on the head, making him scowl slightly, but he looked... better, Cadence thought. Sure, he looked bruised and beaten up and his stump was goopy and gross even through the bandages, but there was something about his eyes and the way he held himself that spoke much louder. “I'll take good care of your boy.”

“See that thou does, Freya. And Thorn, do not let Freya take too good care of thee, or I shall come down upon thee both like an avalanche of hooves.” Luna added pointedly, shaking a hoof at Freya before she popped to her hooves and turned to face the portal ring in front of the statue of Nightmare Moon, the mare smiling wryly up at this as she muttered: “And the sooner we can put this behind us, the better.”

“And here I thought you must love having all these demons worshiping at your altar.” Cadence mumbled, and Luna grinned widely over her shoulder at her, but then only grumbled when Scrivener and Morgan both pointedly stepped up on either side of her.

Cadence dropped her own head with a half-mumbled apology, and Thesis patted her gently on the back before Morning Glory and Freya both stepped forwards, horns glowing as the Destroyer grumbled: “I agree. The sooner we get rid of all of you, the better.”

The portal ring glowed brightly before a vortex swirled open, and Moonflower hurriedly sprang forwards, blurting out as Necrophage waved happily: “Be good! Take care! Come back soon!”

Cadence smiled despite herself over her shoulder at the stallion before she turned her eyes ahead, letting Luna and her family charge through the swirling vortex first before she and Thesis followed after. There was the now-familiar rush of light and sound and energy, before they burst out the other side, and Cadence immediately shivered at how cold it was as she skidded to a halt through the ashy dirt that covered this strange, alien world. “Where the hell are we?”

“A dead world. Hex warns me he is having trouble finding us.” muttered Brynhild as she rose her head slightly with a scowl, and Morgan looked at her nervously. “Nay, nay. 'Tis not that dire, 'tis rather that... when a world falls loose from the chain, it floats 'freely,' so to speak, and there are fewer paths for Hex to take... and those that he does may not lead to this place at all, for the world may shift and move, as an untethered boat in the ocean.”

Cadence bit back the urge to say something rude to the Valkyrie, while Thesis nodded as he rubbed absently at his chest before he pointed at the black sky above. “Always made me think of Endworld. This world was shattered off the chain by a replication of the Horn of Gjallar. A... another failed experiment of Dad's.”

“The fabled Horn of Heimdall, as we knew it.” Brynhild smiled slightly over at Thesis, who looked lamely away as Cadence stepped forwards slightly, but the Valkyrie let the subject drop as she turned her attention around the area they had landed in, muttering: “But I do not recognize where we are... it is terribly cold, but it reeks...”

“It's a desert of ash. This world was used as a testing site for nuclear armament.” Thesis explained, and Cadence winced and stared at the stallion, but he smiled at her reassuringly: “More than a thousand years ago, Cadence, it's safe.”

Cadence shifted nervously all the same as her eyes roved around: that explained why it was so flat and barren, for the most part: no, there were cliffs to the east, she noted. Probably half an hour's march away, and there was some small structure on top of them.

Thesis followed Cadence's gaze, then nodded, pointing it out to the others. “Thokk... I mean, Loki, used this world because it's empty and dead, very close to breaking down completely on its own. I'm surprised it hasn't collapsed myself. Anyway, there's a bunker up there where he would have us report to sometimes.”

“I don't sense anything around us. I don't sense... anything, except for us, in what feels like the entire world. Even the air tastes stale.” Morgan murmured, and Thesis nodded as Cadence gave a brief smile.

“Loki probably withdrew all his forces to one area, or had them go to ground. We'll have to be careful, but we sent a lot of his forces back to the Void, and that seems to be what he's mainly operating out of.” Cadence explained, and Luna nodded with a grunt as Scrivener uncertainly pawed one Talon through the ashes.

“I have a bad feeling about this.” he muttered, then winced when Luna bopped him with his horn, rubbing awkwardly at his head before he squawked when she leapt up on top of his back, violently heeling his sides.

“Shut up, beetle. Now, I command thee to transform thyself. 'Twill be easier on us all.” she ordered, and Scrivener sighed tiredly before Brynhild peered over at Thesis accusingly. “And thou. Thou must transform as well, into thy final form.”

“I don't even have a final form. This is my final form.” Thesis said lamely, before he rubbed lamely at his face and added: “Also can we not talk about my former life in front of my marefriend? I want to tell Cadence in my own time.”

Cadence blushed ever-so-slightly, grumbling under her breath as she looked away and kicked at the ground, and Thesis smiled awkwardly over at her before Luna loudly rubbed her hooves together as she leaned towards them with a wide grin. “Well, just what hast thou 'telled' and better yet, shown her? I must know, Thesis, thou must tell me every last bit of what thou hast told her, and whether or not a Swan is as ferocious in the bedroom as-”

Tentacles of shadow suddenly wrapped around Brynhild , who huffed as she was hefted firmly off Scrivener's back and deposited on the ground on the other side of Morgan before the tendrils of darkness vanished, as the mare apologized: “Luna's not very good at taking social cues. We've uh... spent too much time on the run. It's made us all forget how to be professional.”

Cadence only grunted as Thesis shrugged a bit, before he watched in surprise as corruption boiled up from the ground over Scrivener's body, forming into a dome around the stallion. The black dome rippled as Cadence narrowed her eyes, the Swan twisting with curiosity inside of her before a shape pressed out against the dome, stretching it, tearing it, and only a moment later, a Tyrant Wyrm emerged from the black womb, shaking itself briskly free of the corruption.

Scrivener's eyes opened and blinked a few times, before he squawked and stumbled as Luna immediately leapt on top of him, nearly knocking him flat on his belly as she declared: “Enough wasting time! Come, all of thee, mount up my noble steed-” Luna tried to stifle a fit of giggling as Scrivener sighed tiredly and Morgan rolled her eyes. “And we shall be off!”

Thesis and Cadence traded awkward looks, but then Scrivener said dryly: “It'll be faster. And I shouldn't have any trouble climbing up those cliffs. Thesis, uh, no offense, but...”

“Yeah. I know. I'm a cripple.” Thesis smiled all the same, however, and he hopped without a flinch up onto Scrivener's back, but Cadence knew it hurt him. He just refused to show it, always smiling, always pushing forward, never hesitating...

Cadence caught Luna staring pointedly at her, and the ivory mare grumbled even as she blushed a little. She leapt upwards, but then caught herself and hovered awkwardly above Scrivener, asking after a moment: “Are you sure you don't want me to just follow along in the air?”

“Don't worry. Luna loves to pile things on me. I'll be fine.” Scrivener said wryly, and Cadence shrugged before she dropped down on the Tyrant Wyrm's back, absently adjusting her equipment: considering that Brynhild was in full armor as well, and none of them were exactly small ponies...

Luna craned her head around to scowl at her, and Cadence scowled back before the sapphire mare reached up and pointedly tapped her own nose. “I know thou just thought that I am fat. But I shall have thee know, I am not fat at all. And if thou does not believe it, I shall sit my rump upon thy face... but then again, kissing ass is what Swans-”

“Let's get going.” Scrivener said loudly as Cadence ground her teeth together, before she winced as the Tyrant Wyrm added awkwardly: “Hold on tight but not too tightly because it hurts, alright?”

Cadence looked down lamely at where her hooves had buried into the Tyrant Wyrm's scales, and she loosened her grip a little even as Luna turned around and stomped on him violently a few times, grumbling: “Oh shut up, all of thee. I am trying to... start a discussion.”

“You know, even when I was completely crazy, I knew that wasn't the best way to try and start a conversation.” Thesis said mildly, before he winced and ducked when Luna spun towards him, flicking her horn out to send a blue fireball shooting over his head.

Cadence reacted before she even realized what she was doing, her rifle seeming to leap into her hooves as she shoved the barrel of the gun into Luna's face, before she twitched and snarled as she realized she was gazing into the pitiless eye of Brynhild's own massive weapon, the Valkyrie grinning at her widely as she said pleasantly: “A conversation between a Valkyrie and a Swan Maiden is a little different than the prattle that stallions so enjoy engaging in.”

The Swan and the Valkyrie glared at each other for a few moments, before Thesis said blandly: “I have the strangest boner right now.”

“Goddammit!” Cadence shouted furiously, spinning around and knocking Luna sprawling with a yelp as she was cracked across the muzzle with the rifle. Thesis only grinned lamely, however, even as Cadence shoved the rifle at him, poking him several times with the barrel of the gun as she snapped: “Do you have to ruin absolutely everything?”

“Yes. Especially when it prevents me from getting splattered with brain matter.” Thesis said pointedly, and Cadence scowled horribly at him before Thesis gently reached up and took her rifle away, carefully compressing the MARES back to its smaller state. “It would also be rude to get Luna all over Scrivener.”

“I get all over Scrivener as often as I please, I shall thank thee.” huffed Brynhild, and Scrivener mumbled under his breath as Morgan rolled her eyes, but the violet mare admittedly seemed a little relieved herself, and now that Cadence was calming down, she had to grudgingly admit, Thesis seemed to know just when to step in.

She took her gun back from him and shoved it into the holster, before she turned towards Luna and said moodily: “We can... talk later. We're on a mission here. Let's try and be professional.”

“Fie on thee. Swan, thou art dumb and unfun. But I suppose that is to be expected, thou hast been trained by one of the most unfun of all ponies.” Luna grumbled moodily, and then she holstered her own gun, before she crossed her forelegs as she sat back against Scrivener's neck, the Tyrant Wyrm sighing in relief as he continued to carry them onward towards their destination.

They remained in an awkward quiet until they reached the bottom of the cliffs, where Scrivener instructed them to hold on tight: Morgan was polite enough to create several vines that snared around Scrivener's body in a sort of harness, Cadence and Thesis holding onto these as Luna clung almost stubbornly to Scrivener's neck and Morgan vanished from sight.

Scrivener was more agile in his Tyrant Wyrm shape than Cadence had expected: it took him a little over a minute to reach the top of the high cliffs, where Morgan was waiting for them. Cadence and Thesis leapt down from his back, and Luna took to the air, looking quickly back and forth as Scrivener returned to his normal shape, his Tyrant Wyrm form seeming to melt before the stallion emerged with a wheeze from the waxy corruption, shaking himself briskly off as his mane and tail visibly grew back into place.

He smiled briefly as Cadence studied him curiously, while Thesis smiled a bit himself before he asked in a tone that said he already knew the answer: “Does it hurt?”

“Every time.” Scrivener admitted, rubbing slowly at one foreleg before he looked down at one Talon, flexing it slowly as he murmured: “But it's not like I don't deserve a bit of pain.”

Cadence frowned a bit, but Thesis only laughed as he stepped forwards patted him gently on the shoulder, saying encouragingly: “Now, enough of that, huh? We all have enough to deal with. And I don't want Luna to whine more about us whining.”

Scrivener smiled a bit again, then he nodded once before he asked: “Can you still focus your own corruption?”

“Yeah. Hurts too, though.” Thesis absently flexed a hoof, before he murmured: “But I guess you of all ponies probably understand that it's both... something I miss, and something I'm awfully glad to be rid of.”

“Yeah.” Scrivener nodded back, glancing down for a moment before the three ponies turned towards the bunker, where Luna and Morgan were inspecting the front door on the low-built, rectangular structure.

It was ugly and the brick was chipped and stained, but the ashen earth was disturbed enough around the front door that Cadence could tell there had been visitors recently... well, that and the giant shiny lock on the handle. “Is that what I think it is?”

“What is it? I do not know what it is!” complained Brynhild, before she stepped forwards and punched it, and Cadence admittedly had a hard time suppressing her grin when Brynhild was electrocuted, before the Valkyrie squawked as she keeled backwards, spasming a few times on the ground as both Morgan and Scrivener shook themselves out, looking dazed.

“Yep. That's what you think it is.” Thesis said dryly, rolling his eyes before he approached the electro-lock, leaning back and forth as he inspected it, before muttering: “Okay, good, still has the serial number on it. Let's see...”

He leaned back slightly, reaching out to tap on his Mission Drive and summon up a holographic screen. He flicked through various documents, then smiled slightly to himself as he entered a string of digits over the screen, and he was rewarded with another code. “Okay. I think I got it. Cadence, do you mind? I can't touch it while it's armed.”

“No problem.” Cadence stepped up beside Thesis, using telekinesis to open a control panel on the front of the lock before she copied the code Thesis was projecting into the control panel.

The lock clicked, then beeped twice before it disengaged from the handle, dropping loose from the door with a clank as Thesis said mildly to Brynhild: “See? Brains. Not brute force. That is what separates us from the beasts.”

“Oh shut up. I do not like thee anymore, fun Thesis. Thou art stupid.” grumbled Brynhild, and Thesis shrugged amiably as Cadence smiled slightly despite herself, while Morgan picked up the device and studied it curiously.

“It's a simple locking mechanism. Uses magnetic resonance to hold a door closed, and electrocutes whoever is dumb enough to touch it.” Thesis looked pointedly at Brynhild, and the Valkyrie huffed as she scooped up a hoof full of dust and uselessly flung it in his direction.

But he became more serious after a moment, saying quietly: “That proves someone was here, though, and moreover, they expected us to come here. We should be prepared for traps ahead. Twilight... I mean, uh, Morgan, sorry. Can you sense anyone?”

Morgan smiled over at the stallion reassuringly, then she turned her eyes ahead as she reached a hoof up in front of her chest, her cloak swaying around her as the dome of crystal in her body pulsed with eerie light. “I sense... only you. There's no other Voidborn present.”

Cadence frowned a bit, before she winced as she felt the Swan suddenly push ahead, taking control of her and making her see. In a flash, she saw everything ahead, gazing through the Astra as her sight roved restlessly back and forth, studying and memorizing every room before Danzsöngr said calmly: “There are three traps on the way, and another lock. There are no guards, but something is waiting for us deep within the bunker. There is powerful magic here... but not dangerous magic.”

Danzsöngr paused, then smiled as her eyes slowly drew to Brynhild: she both saw Brynhild, and saw Brynhild, studying her for a few moments before she slowly, pointedly licked her lips. The Valkyrie immediately flushed, a snarl bridging her mouth, but Danzsöngr only smiled almost kindly before she said gently: “We see all, Valkyrie, and we know enough. But you do not have to fear. We have no quarrel with you. We have learned... empathy.”

Luna narrowed her eyes dangerously, beginning to lean forwards, but Scrivener quickly caught her shoulder as Morgan frowned uncertainly, looking uneasily at the ivory mare as she asked slowly: “Cadence?”

“No. Danzsöngr. There has always been only Danzsöngr. Cadence is...” The Swan paused, tilting her head to the side, before she murmured: “Very well.”

She closed her eyes; a moment later, Cadence shivered before she felt herself return to control, gasping a little as she hugged herself and shivered violently, then she muttered: “I uh... sorry.”

Luna grumbled a little, but then she sighed and nodded moodily, mumbling: “Well, 'tis... there is no harm done, I suppose. And I suppose I understand what it is like to not be in control of thine own self. But still. Thou art stupid, Swan.”

“And you're a bitch, Valkyrie.” Cadence sighed a little, rubbing moodily at her face before she turned her eyes towards Thesis, trying to be professional as she said: “I can point out the traps as we come across them.”

“Alright. Uh, yeah, you take the lead, then.” Thesis smiled awkwardly over at Scrivener and Luna, but the stallion smiled briefly back and the Valkyrie only grumbled and childishly kicked her hooves, so Thesis continued: “I'll follow and our friends can bring up the rear and make sure nothing attacks us from behind.”

“I will attack thee from behind.” Luna grumbled, and then she eyed Thesis as he and Cadence walked back, adding meditatively: “Aye, I shall indeed.”

Someone smacked Luna, but neither Thesis nor Cadence paid attention as they pushed in through the rusted armored door, the ivory mare looking uneasily back and forth as Thesis asked quietly: “You saw through the Astra?”

“Yeah. How the hell does everyone... forget it, right, I keep forgetting you're Hecate's kid.” Cadence mumbled. “Horses of Heaven, she was a lot harder on Thorn than she ever was on you.”

“She likes him more.” Thesis said with a smile, and Cadence sighed a little, giving him a flat look before she looked uncertainly up as they approached another door. Thesis tried to push it open, but then he frowned a bit as he muttered: “Locked. I'll override it.”

Thesis fiddled with his Mission Drive for a moment as Cadence leaned against the locked door, her eyes roving around the room, before she glanced back at the others as Morgan asked: “Can you affect the Astra, as well as see it?”

“Yeah. That's... what made Swans so effective. We see through the Astra. We... I mean, Danzsöngr, Danzsöngr can touch and effect Astra. She can... split it.” Cadence had no idea what that actually meant, only that it was true.

Morgan was looking at her curiously, but Brynhild, to her surprise, grunted and nodded as she admitted grudgingly: “'Tis a truly terrifying power. 'Tis beyond the touch of death that we Valkyrie were blessed with... 'tis the ability to do more than merely kill, after all.”

“Not that I would ever call it a blessing.” Cadence muttered, rubbing awkwardly at her head before she glanced up as there was a loud beep before the door behind her unlocked.

“Okay, let's fall into formation and... uh...” Cadence awkwardly looked over her shoulder: she had Thesis, who was technically her commanding officer, and three rogue ponies, one of whom she considered a rival and a nightmare to be around.

But all of them were only looking at her, and Cadence cleared her throat quickly before she picked up with only a slight stammer: “I'll take the lead and Thesis can follow behind me. Morgan, I want you in the center to serve as magic artillery and Brynhild behind her. Scrivener, you seem like the sturdiest pony here, so I want you shielding our rear.”

“Scrivy has never been very good at shielding his rear. I have made many intrusions upon it.” Brynhild said blandly, and Cadence gave the mare an ill look before the Valkyrie grinned wryly as she sketched a salute. “Very well, though. I shall do my best to be a good little soldier for thee, mainly because I am... curious.”

Cadence grunted, turning back towards the door and shouldering her way through it, before she grimaced as she found herself at the top of a long set of stairs that led down into the depths of the cliff, and the Swan whispered: One hundred and eighty two.

“It's a long way down.” Cadence shook her head, then sighed as she started down the steps, muttering: “Let's just keep ourselves moving.”

By the time they reached the bottom of the stairs, Thesis looked a little sore, and Brynhild was loudly grumbling and complaining. But the Valkyrie at least became serious when Cadence pushed the door at the bottom open before immediately halting, muttering: “Trap ahead. Shaped plastic explosive, proximity trigger.”

Thesis peered past Cadence, then he grunted as he noted the octagonal charges stuck along either wall of the narrow corridor. “Those look like PX-33 units. I think I can disable them from here.”

Thesis tapped at his Mission Drive, and Scrivener couldn't help but remark: “Funny. Seeing you, you know, using your brain. No offense, Thesis, but I never really thought of you as the uh... nerdy type. Like Morgan.”

Morgan gave the stallion a dry look, but Thesis only smiled in amusement as he brought up a small holographic screen so he could quickly enter a series of commands, muttering: “We were all trained in this... we had to be, of course, to work out of Decretum. And while the nodes in my brain don't work anymore, all the knowledge is still there...”

He paused, then looked up as there was a faint beeping down the hall as a light flashed on each octagonal bomb before going dark. Then Thesis awkwardly looked at Cadence before he cleared his throat and said finally: “Go ahead, team leader.”

“Screw all of you.” Cadence grumbled, shoving Thesis back before she strode quickly towards the explosives. She forced herself not to hesitate even as she walked right up to the line of bombs, biting her lip for a moment before she reached up and tapped one of the octagonal devices, then she sighed in relief as she grasped it and yanked it off the wall with magic, the sticky adhesive on the bottom of the bomb ripping loudly as she inspected it. “Safe!”

The others hurried out of the stairwell to join her, and Cadence frowned a bit as she muttered: “These weren't set up properly. They're facing the wrong way and the adhesive wasn't allowed to set. I can't tell if they're here to slow us down, or if...”

“Let's keep moving. Either way, we'll find out.” Thesis replied, and Cadence hesitated before she nodded once as she turned her eyes towards the end of the hall.

The bunker's layout was simple, and she had already seen the path they needed to walk through the Astra. They came across several locked doors, but Thesis unlocked them quickly, noting uneasily that they had each been set with the same security code.

The second trap they came across was even less effective than the first: two turrets had been improperly set up, neither of them scanning for targets and both sitting clustered together in the middle of the hall, where they would likely shoot each other. Cadence simply turned both turrets off, while Thesis inspected the weapons uneasily before he muttered: “I don't remember taking these out of storage.”

“But Valthrudnir had a lot of facilities scattered across the various worlds, didn't he?” asked Scrivener quietly, and Thesis hesitated before he nodded with a grimace.

“Yeah, and a few facilities like Ten Moons, too. 'Sheds,' we called them. Colloquially, obviously. They aren't actually storage sheds floating around in the nothingness.” Thesis explained, and Cadence resisted the urge to punch him before he continued: “But I don't know how the hell he's getting access to the equipment anymore. When I was there, it was one thing: I know all the override codes, I know where everything is. I mean, it wouldn't take a genius to break in, no. But sorting through the layers and layers of crap to find the useful stuff like this? That's completely different.”

“We already know he has someone from Decretum working for him. That's the only way he would have been able to hack the drones.” Cadence muttered, before she scowled a little. And I bet I know who, too. “Look, it doesn't matter.”

“It might.” Morgan murmured, as she inspected the turrets thoughtfully, and Cadence tilted her head curiously. “Loki... even when he was hiding under his disguise as Thokk, he always left clues and riddles behind, didn't he? He can't seem to help himself.”

“He wants to fulfill prophecies. Stories.” Cadence shook her head slowly, before she sighed and muttered: “Either way, let's keep going for now. There's something... left behind for us.”

The others didn't question Cadence, only following her through the bunker. And Cadence barely slowed even when they reached a set of doors that had been sealed shut by a combination of electromagnetic lock and plastic explosive.

Neither proved difficult for Cadence to disarm: the plastic explosive wasn't in any container or shaped properly, just stuck on the door. She peeled most of it off, then reapplied some of it to the locking mechanism before simply flicking her horn to hit it with a bolt of magic.

The lock exploded with enough force to warp the doors and knock them open, and Luna grinned slightly before she swept up the ball of remaining explosive, asking curiously as Cadence and Thesis both winced away: “So, an electric charge, and-”

Morgan delicately grasped the plastic explosive in her own magic, pulling it away from Brynhild as Scrivener said dryly: “Let's save questions like that for later, dear.”

“Thou art all stupid.” Luna grumbled, but even as she sighed theatrically, she turned her attention back to Cadence, showing she was ready to listen.

“Let's continue.” Cadence said after a moment, turning and heading through the broken doors towards their destination.

The group stopped outside a set of double doors, and Thesis frowned a bit as he muttered: “This is the announcement room. Basically where you talk from to make it seem like you're not hiding beneath a giant mountain.”

Cadence frowned a bit at this, and Luna huffed before she flicked her horn, her spear erupting into sight above her head with a gleam of blue fire as she growled: “Well, let us find out what awaits us on the other side, shall we?”

“Wait.” Cadence ordered, and although Luna glared at her horribly, the Valkyrie all the same paused before the ivory mare muttered: “Something's wrong. Morgan, can you scan for any traces of magic?”

Morgan nodded, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards, and Cadence frowned as the Swan murmured to her: If you want to see, you need only look, Cadence...

“I don't think your eyes can see it.” Cadence murmured, before she frowned uneasily when Morgan hesitantly opened her eyes and shook her head minutely. No trace of anything. But... “Something's wrong. Can you feel it?”

“Aye.” Brynhild muttered, stepping up beside the Swan, and for perhaps the first time they were able to stand side-by-side without antagonizing one-another, and if there was ever a sign that something was wrong, that was it, Cadence reflected. “Well?”

“Let's do it.” Cadence said, and the Valkyrie grinned before both she and the Swan stepped forwards and slammed shoulder-first into the door, knocking it crashing open to reveal nothing beyond but an empty cement room, with a moldering wooden stage at the far end upon which sat a podium.

Luna and Cadence slowly advanced, before they both stiffened and dropped to ready positions as a loud humming filled the air, before a crystalline sphere slowly rose up from behind the podium. Both mares bared their teeth, readying themselves to move as the sphere began to spin and flash a multitude of colors, before they both grimaced as bright light filled the room...

“Well, look at that! You found me! Gosh, do you want a sticker?” asked Loki's voice, and Luna and Cadence both snarled as their eyes snapped towards the sound of the voice. But even as they focused on the figure standing at the podium, they both relaxed slightly at the same time: it was only a projection from the crystal, even as Loki continued: “Oh, by all means, take your best shot. I know you can't help yourselves. We're all trapped in our own prewritten dramas, after all.”

Luna growled, beginning to step forwards, but Cadence reached out and caught her shoulder, shaking her head slowly before she turned towards the illusion and said coldly: “Loki, I am here on behalf of Decretum. I order you to-”

“There, do you feel better now?” simpered the illusion, and Cadence frowned slightly before her eyes cleared: of course. It was prerecorded message. “You've had your fun, now sit down and shut up.”

“Oh, as if I did not put up with enough monologuing from every other foe I faced in the past.” Luna grumbled, as she reached back for her rifle, but Cadence stopped her again, making the Valkyrie huff and growl under the rambling of the trickster god: “Were we not in such dire straits, Swan, I would gladly bite off thy hoof.”

“Bite an egg.” Cadence muttered, listening intently as Loki continued to talk. Sure, most of it was nonsense and insanity, but some of it...

“And you, Swan. I bet you're sitting there, just eating all this up, aren't you? Waiting anxiously for the big reveal!” Loki clucked his tongue and waggled a finger over the podium at her. “That's what the 'bad guy' does, right? He spoils it for himself. He gives away the answer.

“So sure. Come and get me. Do you know where I am?” Loki smiled sardonically. “The Void. Which is where I plan on staying, thank you very much, until I've fully healed after Little Miss Jötnar's little temper tantrum.

“Of course, I don't want you guys to be bored!” Loki clapped his hands together, saying in a falsely-positive, somehow sinister voice: “No, no, no, that just wouldn't be right! And hey, besides, they always say that if I can share my pain with the world, I should, right? It's good for everyone, they say... sharing your pain. Sharing the pain of having everyone and everything you care about, taken away. Sharing the pain of betrayal. Sharing that pain, that infinite, endless pain, when you try to save the world... and instead, you end up destroying the thing you love most, hold dearest and deepest in all your heart.”

Loki leaned forwards over the balcony, smiling coldly at Cadence as the ivory mare stared into the illusion's eyes with horror, before the trickster god said quietly: “Thank Hecate for me, by the way. She kept such good records of precisely where you and your little friends came from... Moonflower, Serenite, and La Croix, is it? My, little Cadence, aren't those cute names?”

Cadence snarled in fury, leaning forwards, but this time it was Brynhild who caught her. The ivory mare swore under her breath, resisting the urge to turn and punch the Valkyrie as she dug her hooves into the ground, before her eyes flashed as the Swan seized control, saying coldly: “We will not stand idly by and allow this, Loki.”

Loki laughed loudly, lacing his fingers together and saying derisively: “I'm guessing you just threatened me about now. But you see, the beauty of this whole situation is that you don't have any control over it. You walked right into my trap here. What do you think happened when this message went off? Do you think I'm just sitting here, running my mouth, because it's fun for me? Or do you think, oh, I don't know, maybe I sent out a signal that my soldiers are already responding to... and look at you, still listening to me yammering on! Idiots!”

Cadence swore as she spun around, before her eyes widened as the doors to the room slammed shut, a strange, unnatural energy rippling across them as Loki said softly: “Although, hey, if you want to sit a spell with me, that's fine, too. Come up here on granddad's lap, kiddo. He'll tell you both a story, about the Swans and the Valkyries.”

Luna and Cadence both narrowed their eyes, before Morgan grimaced as she said quickly: “That barrier is made of Void energy, and... he's aware of us. He's playing with us.”

“Yep, you got it. You figured me out. Darn.” Loki sighed theatrically as he gestured widely, before he laughed loudly and declared: “Yes, you got that right, too, you-”

“Loki, stop playing games with us!” Cadence shouted, and by the way the trickster god twitched, it at least confirmed that yes, he was aware of them and speaking directly to them through the crystal: this was more than just a message for them after all. “You stay the hell away from them, you bastard, Shining and Miss Take suffered enough when-”

“Ooh, names to add to my list!” Loki exclaimed brightly, a pencil and paper pad appearing his hand before he asked seriously: “Now, 'Miss Take,' that sounds like two words, but am I mistaken?”

“Yeah, let me spell it out for you, it's F-U-C-”

“Low brow vulgarity is the worst form of humor, aside from puns, Cadence.” Loki chastised, before the illusion neatly jackknifed up onto the podium to sit on it primly, smiling mockingly across at the ponies. “I'm only playing out the role that you and your kind all forged for me, you know. It's funny, considering that I know Hel had a part in your making, Swan. I know that because I did too, as I'm sure you're aware... and all the stories say that Swans are soulless, you know. Toys. Easily claimed by whomever takes their 'dress...' but that's a silly metaphor, isn't it? Although who knows: every time you die, you become a little closer to what you were...”

“Stop it.” Cadence whispered, before Brynhild stepped up in front of the mare, leveling her spear at Loki.

“Enough, Loki. Perhaps Danzsöngr does not remember thee, but I do. I will not speak of whether or not thou deserved the punishment thou faced, but I do know that thou wert cruel to those who showed thee kindness, that thou abused thy brother's love for thee many times; thou acts as if thy hands are clean when they are as responsible for how thou ended up as-”

“I am not responsible for what they did to me!” Loki snarled, beginning to lean forwards, but then he caught himself and clasped his hands tightly together, smiling thinly as he said in a softer voice: “Nice try, Brynhild. But you won't make a fool out of me that easily. After all, I worked long and hard to become the fool I am today.”

Brynhild smiled thinly as Cadence narrowed her eyes, and Loki calmly brushed himself off before he said quietly: “Talk won't solve anything. Our paths are already set. I'm supposed to bring Ragnarok with my armies of the dead, and why not? But when it's all said and done, I have to wonder: will you all still see me as the bad guy, or will you all acknowledge, like Thesis once did, that we can all be one big, happy family now?”

“Not to point out the obvious, but he's trying to distract us. We can all take potshots at me about my sins later.” Thesis said blandly, and Cadence grunted moodily.

“Fine. I'll delay you with something a bit less subtle, then.” Loki said mildly, but the malice was clear in the eyes of the illusion as he hopped off the pedestal before he rose a hand, saying coldly: “How about another taste of the old days? Do you remember this magic, Danzsöngr?”

He snapped his fingers, and the illusion vanished from sight, the crystalline orb that had projected the ghost image flashing before it suddenly dropped towards the ground. But instead of shattering against the stone, it passed through the rock, and Cadence frowned uneasily before her eyes widened even as Morgan said uncertainly: “I'm not sensing any-”

“Get back, don't touch it!” shouted Cadence, backpedaling and yanking Brynhild with her, and the Valkyrie squawked before her eyes widened in horror at the sight of the awful, gelatinous thing that rose slowly out of the ground in front of them, the crystalline core inside the beast pulsing powerfully enough to make the translucent slime that made up its body ripple.

“I don't feel anything coming from it... what is it?” Morgan asked disbelievingly, before she snapped her horn forwards, sending out several bolts of different-colored magic that hammered into it from all sides, and did nothing but get the attention of the hideous shape, which twisted towards them before it slowly began to ooze in their direction.

Scrivener slammed a Talon into the ground, and spikes of black corruption tore up into the shape. Or rather, they tore into the space the shape occupied, as the translucent slime barely rippled as it passed easily over and somehow through the spikes, which decayed away to ashes as Scrivener's eyes widened and Brynhild whispered: “By the Gods, it cannot be...”

“Aetherhaunt.” Cadence slammed her front hooves together, and they burst into white flame before she leapt forwards and swung a vicious punch into the creature. And while the force of the punch had no effect on it, the Aetherhaunt hurriedly withdrew in terror from the white flames on her hoof, writhing violently before tendrils of translucent slime snapped out in all directions from the beast, and Cadence gasped as several of these passed through her, making her legs quake as they siphoned energy from her body, wounding her spirit.

She dodged to the side when the creature attempted to crash down on her like a wave, splashing down violently yet making no sound, giving no sensation of being even as it pulsed and quaked and reformed: it existed on a different level than they did, in a place opposite the Astra, without a speck of soul in its slimy shell. That was why even the Swan couldn't see it, but she could still certainly hurt it.

She dodged back, then swept a hoof sharply upwards when it lashed a tentacle towards her, slicing through the appendage and making it evaporate, soundlessly. And that was the worst thing, Cadence thought, as she dodged back and forth before slamming her hoof through the creature, then wincing and stumbling as she was violently reminded that the beast had no physical mass.

She barely caught herself as the Aetherhaunt's slime body was torn wide open, the monster jerking backwards and away from her before it suddenly lunged, becoming a tidal wave of slimy death as Cadence's eyes widened in horror-

Black spikes tore through the Aetherhaunt, drilling into its chest to slam one after the other into the crystalline core holding the creature together. The ethereal beast shook violently as it twisted backwards, shaking with silent agony before it simply evaporated into steam as the light in its cracked core whiffed out.

The now-useless bauble fell to the ground with a clunk, and Cadence half-turned, staring at Morgan Heldóttir. Morgan smiled faintly, and for a moment, the Swan leapt to the surface, staring through and into her, and Danzsöngr's eyes widened further at what she saw, unable to believe, unable to comprehend...

“Are you okay?” Morgan asked, and Danzsöngr vanished as Cadence stumbled, the mare reaching up to rub at her aching head slowly before she hesitantly nodded. “Sorry. I didn't know if I could channel the right frequency or not to actually damage it. We couldn't sense it because it was in the ether, right?”

“Y-Yeah.” Cadence said after a moment, shaking her head before she closed her eyes. Her skull ached, and she felt weak and exhausted from her brush against the creature, as she murmured: “It was ethereal. Aetherhaunts were forbidden even in my day, but that only meant they had to be out of sight and out of mind, just like us. Relegated to the darkness and the dungeons...”

Cadence lowered her head, and there was silence for a few moments before Thesis asked almost abruptly: “Morgan, uh, can you break the barrier locking us in here?”

“Yeah. Yeah, we have to get back to Hecate immediately, but we'll have to get outside to deploy the portal flare.” Cadence said quickly, before she shivered a little as she looked uncertainly over her shoulder at the crystalline core. Not only had Loki threatened them, but if he had more of those at his disposal... I can't sense them. None of us can. We can only see them and... feel them out, instinctively. There could be more.

“Yes, I think I can. It'll just take me a minute.” Morgan said with a nod, turning towards the barrier and approaching it. She began to concentrate, her horn glowing darkly as she muttered: “He really must have wanted to slow us down... I've never seen magic like this before, either. It's amazing, we've been from one end of the worlds to the other, and still...”

Morgan grimaced a bit as the magic barrier slowly began to crawl back from the doors, shivering violently as it did so, and Luna grunted in agreement as Thesis murmured: “It doesn't look like any of the 'magic' that Thokk performed, either. I'm starting to wonder just how much we don't know.”

“All I care about is where Loki is. Once he shows his face I'm going to punch it off for him.” Cadence grumbled, and Luna grinned widely at this, winking over at the ivory mare.

“Only if thou finds him first, Swan. Perhaps we should make a game of it: whoever finds the wretch first gets to break him.” Brynhild remarked, and Cadence gave the mare a sour look before both of them looked up as Morgan gave a gasp, and the barrier withdrew completely from the doors before shattering into motes.

“Sorry that took so long. It's not precisely... 'magic'.” mumbled Morgan, shaking her head briskly out before she pushed the doors open with telekinesis, grimacing a bit. “I don't know how to describe it.”

“Not magic was a good start.” Thesis muttered, as he took the lead. Cadence let him for now, striding after the Replicant as he continued quietly: “We need to get ahead of Loki. I assume you three already explored Valthrudnir's mansion in Niflheim?”

“Aye, little good that it did.” Luna grumbled, but Scrivener smiled a bit and Morgan shrugged hesitantly. “All the files have been sent to the care of Heaven. Prince Tauros is sorting through them for us. I do not know why Hecate sent them there instead of looking through the information herself...”

“Easy. We don't know for certain yet whether or not the enemy has a mole in our communications. Better to let them do it, just in case so-and-so still has access to Decretum's libraries.” Thesis paused, then he smiled a bit and added: “And as much as I hate to say it, they'll probably be safer in Heaven. Decretum, as we all have learned, unfortunately isn't as protected from attack as we'd all like it to be.”

Thesis quieted, then he hesitated for a moment before he asked almost impulsively: “Gymbr. He was the one who brought you to Decretum in the first place, right?”

“Yes. I never really thought on it before, but... yes.” Luna Brynhild murmured, frowning uneasily as her spear bobbed nervously above her head. “Has this all been some great deception? Did we merely pave the way for a new foe to come forward? Was even the war with Greater Heaven-”

“You can worry about it, or you can focus on the here and now and deal with it.” Thesis interrupted gently, and Luna scowled, but smiled maybe a little, too, as Scrivener nodded and Morgan focused herself ahead. “We need to...”

Thesis frowned slightly, and Cadence felt the bite at her instincts too, as she looked back and forth before her eyes widened in horror as crystalline cores slid out of either wall behind them, followed by ethereal masses that quickly wrapped around the crystalline spheres before they began to writhe and stretch towards them.

“Run.” Cadence said, and when all eyes turned towards her, the ivory mare shouted: “Run!”

The group broke and ran, even as more spheres began to emerge silently from the walls around them, and Cadence gritted her teeth as she decided that yes, the silence was the worst thing about these monsters. The fact that the only sound came from their frantic breathing, the pounding of their hooves against the cement, and the short curses as they dodged and weaved around things that should not be, that should not exist in this plane...

They hit the staircase, and dashed up the long flight of steps to the top: thankfully, by the time they smashed their way out of the bunker, they seemed to have left the Aetherhaunts far behind. Whatever else they were, the creatures weren't very fast, although all the same Cadence shivered as she looked down and muttered: “They could just pull themselves up out of the ground.”

“Oh. Great. That's a great thought.” Scrivener grimaced a bit, and then he looked awkwardly over his shoulder at the open bunker door, asking: “So I guess closing that wouldn't really help, huh?”

“Well, I mean. On the bright side, they probably can't sense us any more than we can sense them. They're just attracted to energy. So I mean I guess I should say they can't hear us or feel us out, they can just sort of home in on us slowly from a short distance away...” Thesis awkwardly patted his front hooves together, and when he sensed all eyes glowering at him, he cleared his throat as he reached back into his sidepack, mumbling: “I'll just send up a portal flare now.”

“You do that.” Cadence grumbled, resisting the urge to punch the stallion before she turned her eyes towards Brynhild, who was scowling as she flailed her spear uselessly back and forth above her head. “What?”

“It frustrates me, that is all. I do not like things I cannot stab or pummel.” Brynhild grumbled, and Cadence smiled wryly before the Valkyrie suddenly spun towards her, eyeing her moodily before she stepped forwards and narrowed her eyes, asking quietly: “Hast thou seen my home? Hast thou stepped inside my cloister?”

“I guess you probably already know the answer to that question, considering that I also know who the Lady of the Moon is.” Cadence snapped back, although it was only her natural aversion to the Valkyrie that let her get off such a quick response.

The two looked at each other steadily for a few moments, and then Brynhild smiled wryly before she poked the ivory mare several times in the chest with her spear, Cadence's eyes narrowing further with each poke until they were only slits when she reached up and caught the spear with a scowl before it could prod her a fourth time. “Stop it. Why are you so-”

“I do not want thee to have any false impressions of me, Cadence Danzsöngr. As I do not wish to have a false impression of thee. I am still not sure what to make of thee, in truth, Swan, for thou seems different every time I lay eyes upon thee, and I do not mean simply in body.” Luna let her eyes draw for a moment over Cadence, before she shook her head and said in a surprisingly quiet voice: “I do not ask to be thy friend. But respect is not impossible, is it?”

Cadence shifted back and forth, before she sighed and muttered: “No. But it's going to be impossible if you keep prodding me with that giant stupid stick of yours, Brynhild.”

Cadence half-flung the spear backwards, and Luna grinned wryly before she said primly: “Most come to like my stick very much, particularly because 'tis so giant.”

The ivory mare rolled her eyes, before she glanced to the side, watching as Thesis cracked the portal flare open a short distance away, then tossed it quickly out onto a narrow plateau. It would just be a few minutes now before the portal opened, and then they could all be on their way, and...

Cadence hesitated, then she looked over at Brynhild and asked: “Where do you plan to go?”

Luna cocked her head curiously, and as painful as it was, Cadence gritted her teeth before she said grudgingly: “We... I could use your help. If you're willing to give it, I mean. I don't know where Hecate will send us first, but... I could use your help.”

The ivory mare lowered her head awkwardly, and Brynhild grinned widely before she squawked when Scrivener grabbed her by the back of the head, half-yanking her away as Morgan said emphatically: “We want to do anything and everything we can to help, especially at a time like this. And I'm sure you've already thought about this, Cadence, but what if Loki's threat is just a false lead, and he's trying to distract you?”

Cadence bit her lip, before she glanced up in surprise as Thesis answered: “Easy. Mom will scan for activity on each world, which is standard practice. Not just where Voidborn are, but what's going on in the world, since Loki will undoubtedly drop some sort of Void signal on each world to distract us. We can compare and contrast the data with past figures to see what's actually happening.”

“So Hecate keeps records of more than just anomalous events on other Midgards?” Morgan asked curiously, and Thesis smiled and shrugged.

“She has to. If you have no base to compare your data too, then you can gather all the data in the world and it'll all still be useless.” Thesis replied, and Morgan nodded in agreement before the Replicant glanced up as a vortex swirled into being. “Alright, time to head back.”

“Good.” Cadence muttered, striding quickly towards the portal: she had a lot to report to Empress Hecate. And, like it or not, a few requests to make as well.

She only hoped that it wasn't already too late.