Lunaris

by Madame Ponka

Chapter V - Hollow

Parallax shivered under the glowing moonlight. All he could think about was arriving at his destination and plopping down in a nice warm bed. He breathed heavily, the cold piercing his body like knives. Even through his silver armor, he could still feel the chilly wind penetrate his soul with stinging force. For hours, the sounds of crunching snow filled his mind and pounded in his head. He could see thick vapors from his breath filling the air. But even through all the painful cold, he still gathered the strength and willpower to continue trotting.

“W-We’re just a few miles away,” Mythic said. “I can feel it. Stay strong. Once we get there, we’ll rest for a few days to recuperate.” Even she looked exhausted from the walking and the cold.

Eventide nodded. Her leg healed while they were sleeping, but it took her a while to gain full use back. She still felt a sharp pain whenever she took a step. Eventide didn’t mind though; he had been through far worse. A broken leg is foal’s play compared to her past injuries.

The trio could see a faint light in the distance. It stabbed their eyes yet brought a warm sense of relief into their souls. They picked up the pace, their hoofprints turning into a steady row as they trotted quickly. As the light grew closer, the warmth became even greater. The ice in their hearts seemed to give way to the wonderful sense of relief they were about to experience.

As they came closer, the homely village of the Hollow Shades came into their view. Snow-covered huts dotted the town’s landscape. Robed bat ponies trotted back and forth through the snowy alleys, going about their mundane daily routines. The guards stationed at the entrance stared blankly at the three travelers.

“State your name and business,” one of the guards said.

“I’m Mythic Azure. This is Parallax and Eventide. We just need a place to stay for a few days.”

One of the guards nodded and stepped aside. “Just don’t cause any trouble and you’ll be okay. The inn is located three blocks down. Has the big sign on the front. Can’t miss it.”

“Yeesh. Your guys’ security never ceases to astound me,” Mythic said.

“Would you prefer a fight to the death? Perhaps a dangerous fetch quest? Or a game of chess to determine if you enter or not?”

“Yeah, I’ll pass. You’re just pulling my leg now, Echo.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just move along and let me do my job, Mythic.”

Mythic giggled. “Have fun staring into an endless abyss of snow and trees for hours on end.”

Echo grumbled something to himself and went back to guarding. Parallax looked at Mythic puzzled.

“You know that pony?”

“I grew up here. Echo’s a good fillyhood friend of mine! A bit gruff, but he’s a nice fellow deep down.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not exactly in the mood for a family reunion,” Eventide said.

“That’s… not something we’ll have to worry about… Anyways, let’s get a room at the inn and then we’ll dick around here. Oh yeah, and try not to piss off any of the psychics here. Believe me, it won’t end well for you.”

The trio trotted through the misty streets of the Hollow Shades. The citizens carried out their daily tasks quietly and without interruption. Young bat foals played out in the open, making snowponies and throwing snowballs at each other. Some of them shuddered when they saw Eventide’s robe, to which she responded with a simple eye roll. A long-maned stallion in a dark blue cloak looked at the trio. Mythic nodded at him, and he nodded back. Parallax and Eventide looked at him puzzled, but they continued on regardless. The lovely smell of hay and tomato stew filled the group’s nostrils. Mythic breathed deeply.

It felt good to be home.

~

“I can’t deal with this lame town. Everypony just seems so boring!” Eventide said, sprawled out on one of the hotel beds.

“Better than having spears at our throats every second,” Parallax murmured.

“Us bat ponies are known for being the quiet type. Ever since some former Astra members settled down here after their uprising, it’s been relatively peaceful. It helps to have some powerful psychics keeping watch over things.” Mythic said.

“Is that what that stallion was? Some sort of psychic police pony?”

“Crimson Wing is his name. He’s a good friend of mine. I meet with him every time I come here. He’s a former member of Astra who settled here years ago. We’ll meet him in a bit at his house.”

“Another one of your egghead friends, eh?” Eventide said.

Mythic gave her a sharp glare, to which she giggled.

“Anyways, I’m going to meet up with him right now. Stay safe, and for the moon’s sake, don’t eat all the biscuits they’re serving down there, Even.”

“Not like I was planning to. They tasted like damn cardboard.”

~

Crimson took another swig of hard whiskey and chuckled as he and Mythic trotted on the outskirts of the Hollow Shades. “The Rebellion, eh? Nopony’s heard from them in a while… four months, I think. Rumors say that Las Pegasus is completely cut off from the outside world. Nopony goes in or out. I doubt you’ll get much out of them. They’ve been doing this for millennia, and they haven’t put a dent in Canterlot’s defenses.”

“I say fuck it; it’s worth a shot. Not like we’ll get anywhere just by sitting still and getting drunk off our flanks,” Mythic said.

“Heh… oh, Mythic. Do you know why I left Astra?”

“Because they erupted into internal conflict after their rebellion and you couldn’t take it anymore?”

“That’s it in a nutshell. But here’s the thing. In the period of time before the conflicts arose and after the uprising, members grew silent and their power began diminishing. Any attempts to contact them failed. What they didn’t know is that tensions were rising, and within a few months, Astra broke out into intense conflict. Their capital of Orton in the north became completely destroyed, and the members spersed out across Lunaris. Astra was severely weakened. Now it’s just a lowly group of psychics seeking a goal that for the most part has always been fulfilled.”

“Astra was a cult dedicated to the desire of justice for persecuted and discriminated psychics. It’s lasted for only a few decades at most. The Rebellion seeks the end of Nightmare Moon’s horrific rule, and it’s lasted for centuries.”

“Listen, Mythic. I think it’s great that you and your little friends are going to join the Rebellion. But here’s the thing. The Rebellion isn’t what you think it is. It may seem like they have a desire to destroy Nightmare Moon once and for all, but on the inside, they’re struggling. For years there have been political struggles and failures from inside Las Pegasus. I’m sure you remember the failed uprising in New Whinniepeg a year ago.”

“All too well. I was caught in the middle of it.”

“Well, listen, I sense that something terrible is brewing in the Rebellion. The fact that they’ve gone AWOL doesn’t help. We’ve seen this with Astra, and it seems like it’s about to happen with the Rebellion, too.”

“You were never a member of them, though. How could you possibly know what’s happening in Las Pegasus?”

“I never said that I did. Shit, maybe they’re perfectly okay. But you need to realize that this could very well be pointless. Even if you manage to join those bastards, which isn’t a certainty, it might be too late. Do you really want to risk your life for that?”

“What’s life but an endless journey full of risks?”

“Mythic, you’re a wonderful pony. You’re smart, powerful, and you’ve got many years ahead of you. I’d hate to see you risk your life for something that may be all for naught.”

Mythic glared at him. “I’ve done enough moping around. I’ve seen the horrific deeds of Nightmare Moon. I’ve seen my friends die by her hoof. I want to do something about it, Crimson. I want this to end!”

Crimson took another gulp of whiskey. “Mythic… listen to yourself. You’re being a bloody fool. This won’t end. This has gone on for millennia, possibly even eons. Do you really think that you can defeat a goddess and her army?”

“What’s a goddess but a queen with a big ego? And what’s a queen but somepony with a bit too much power?”

“Somepony who can crush you and your friends with a single thought. I don’t care how powerful of a psychic you are; you are not going to be able to take down the night, even with the entirety of the Rebellion united by your side. The moon’s fury is too powerful.”

Mythic glared at him, her eyes seeming to pierce into his soul like the sharpest dagger.

“The moon and stars must always set and give way to the sun.”

He pulled his blue cloak tighter around himself and sighed. “You know what, fine. If you want to do this, I won’t stop you. But please… be safe. You’re a good pony, and I’d hate to see you get killed because of this risky decision.”

“Eh, it’s a start. Anyways, how’s the town been since I last left?”

“Oh, nothing but the same old shit. Stopping foolish robbers with my mind gets old after a while.”

“Hey, it’s better than having the Eclipsed on your ass.”

Crimson stared at her in bewilderment. “You encountered the Eclipsed!?”

“Oh, did I ever. Heck, I fought one of them on the Astral Plane. Poor lad didn’t stand a chance.”

“Heavens above, Mythic! Do you know what that even means!?”

“That Her Majesty knows about us and is on our flanks? Of course I know. That’s the consequence of having a renegade mage in our group.”

“Mythic, for the stars’ sake… I always knew you as a dangerous mare, but this is just too far. You’re joining the Rebellion AND you have the Eclipsed on your flank!?”

“I’m not gonna get anywhere in life without taking on a few challenges.”

Crimson sighed. “But you shouldn’t go so far as to get yourself killed in the process.”

“You’re acting like I’m thinking this will be easy for me. I know this is dangerous and all, and I know that this could very cost me my life, but if I don’t spend my life challenging myself to overcome these obstacles, then all I’ll ever be is an insignificant little bat with nothing to her name. I’d rather die young while taking these risks than die old and unremembered.”

Crimson gladed at the young bat. “Fine… just stay safe…”

Mythic smiled. “I knew you would come around eventually.”

After a long walk, the two finally arrived at Crimson’s cottage. Upon trotting in, Mythic was greeted with the familiar sight of a stone fireplace and bookshelves full of thick tomes and spellbooks. It was quaint, but it brought a warm smile to Mythic’s face. Her mind flashed back to her days as a foal, when she would spend hours playing by the fireplace, trying to practice her telekinesis or attempt to meditate. But after a few minutes of reflecting, that nostalgic smile slowly turned to a frown.

“You okay, Mythic?”, asked Crimson.

“Yeah… Yeah, I’m fine…”

~

Eventide looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a maroon cloak with a matching robe and boots. They wrapped tightly around her body and made her feel all toasty.

“What do you think, Even?”, Crimson said. “It’s my wife’s old battle outfit. She won’t mind if you use it. It’s not much, but it should warm you up during your travels.”

Eventide nodded. “It’s different… but I like it.” She adjusted the sleeves, swished the cloak around herself, and tightened the boots. “Hopefully nopony will lose their shit when they see me now.”

Mythic giggled. “I dunno about you, but I think you look quite cute in that.” Eventide glared at Mythic, though it only made her giggle more.

Parallax sat close to the fireplace, his armor and sword cast aside. “You look fine, I guess. Not exactly an expert on mage fashion, but at least we won’t spook any more ponies.”

Eventide nodded. “Thanks, I guess,” she said as she sat by the fire.

“Dinner will be done in a second. Hay and tomato stew. It’s the most popular dish here in the Hollow Shades. Mythic likes it extra spicy, right?” He winked.

“Yeah, yeah. Just make it snappy. I haven’t had anything to eat except old beans for the past few days.”

After a few minutes of waiting, the four finally received their dinner. “Trust me. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried this,” Crimson said as he served the bowls.

Eventide levitated a bite to her lips and ate it. Her eyes widened. “Um, are you sure you didn’t give me Mythic’s? This is ridiculously spicy. It’s good, but damn.”

Crimson chuckled. “That’s one of the more mild servings. Us bat ponies enjoy a little spice to our morsels.”

Parallax ate his stew happily. He didn’t care if his tongue was on fire. He was just happy that he finally had something to eat. Mythic’s mouth was practically screaming at the taste, but she didn’t care. It brought her back to her youth. Memories flooded back of her eating stew with her parents and Mystic. She smiled at this nostalgic thought.

“So… what do you three have planned next?”

“Continue traveling west to Las Pegasus,” Mythic said. “Try not to get killed.”

“You three are aware of the Foal Mountains, right? They’re just outside of town. If you want to get to Las Pegasus quicker, you’ll need to ascend them. Well there’s this little settlement near the summit called Oront. Was established a few months ago to help any climbers. They’ll likely give you some supplies to help you on your journey. Only problem, of course, is climbing the damn mountains.”

“Oh fuck me,” Even groaned. “I’m scared to death of heights.”

“If you’re only concerned about heights, then you clearly haven’t climbed a mountain before. There’s… many foul creatures that roam the mountains. Wendigos, dragons, you name it.”

Eventide glared at him. “You’re not helping.”

“Not like you’ll get much help out there,” Parallax said.

“How tall are the mountains?” Mythic asked.

“Oh dear… about 1200 feet, I think,” Crimson said. The group’s eyes widened at this revelation. “But… at the foot of the mountain, there’s this cave system-”

“Caves aren’t much better,” Even said.

“Shush it. There’s this cave system that will lead you to the summit. It’s still quite dangerous, but it’s better than mountain climbing when it’s snowing sideways.”

“How do we make our way through the caves, though?”

“I’ve been through that cave a few times before. If you lads want, I can lead you through the caves and help you scale those mountains.”

“Are you sure? We’d hate to see you get hurt because of this,” Mythic said.

“Oh please. With two psychics, a mage, and a swordspony, I’m sure we’ll get through in one piece.”

Mythic thought it over for a second. Even and Parallax looked at her and nodded.

“Alright. Just be careful.”

“Oh, now you’re concerned for safety,” Crimson chuckled. Mythic rolled her eyes at him. “We’ll rest up and leave once everypony is ready.” The three nodded and went back to their dinner.

“How long have you lived in the Hollow Shades, Crimson?” Parallax asked.

“Slowly coming up to six years, I believe. It goes by so fast. I wouldn’t ask for anything different, though. I’m sure Mythic told you that I work for the town’s guard. Just making sure nopony kills each other.”

“Sounds quite dangerous,” Eventide said.

“It is at first, but a quick blast of psychic magic is no match for a measly dagger. You should see the face of those bastards when I catch them red-hoofed. They quiver like little foals. It’s quite the amusing sight.”

“You sure they won’t mind you missing a day or two?” Mythic said.

“Bah! I’ll go notify them in a bit. They’ll understand and hire a replacement. It’s no big deal.”

The door slammed open and a bright yellow bat pony mare with a black mane trotted through. “Whew! We struck a bounty today! 114 pounds of silver! Most we’ve come across in a - oh for the love of the moon! What did I tell you about inviting too many guests over!?”

“Relax, Snowy. These are some good friends of Mythic’s. This is Parallax and Eventide. You two, meet my wife Snowy Shores.” The two waved at her.

Snowy sighed. “Nice to meet you two. Sorry. I’m just not a fan of having strangers in our house. You never know what could happen. Once second you could be having a wonderful chat over dinner, and the next moment your throat is slit and your home is robbed.”

“Relax, love. These are good ponies. Now sit down and eat your stew.”

Snowy sat her saddlebags to the side and joined the four in dinner. “As I was saying, we hit quite the bounty today. 114 pounds of silver. Chief said we would get a raise, which took me by surprise, but hey, I ain’t complaining.”

“That’s certainly good to hear.” He turned back to the others. “My wife here’s a miner. She hits rocks with a pickaxe all day in dark tunnels in hopes of finding shiny stuff. “

“Boring as shit, but hey, it pays well. What else is there to do? Farming? In this weather? No thanks.” She telekinetically lifted another bite to her mouth.

Parallax looked at her curiously. “Are you also a psychic?”

“I can do basic telekinesis and some weak shields and that’s it. Some of us bat ponies are more attuned to the night’s power than others. I thought about learning more, but I don’t see a reason why. Just need to manipulate a pickaxe for my job.”

“That’s how some ponies are about magic in Fillydelphia. Don’t really learn much except basic telekinesis. Sort of a shame. In this world, one needs all the power they can get,” Parallax said.

“Yeah, well, some of us don’t exactly desire a life of power and strength. Some of us just want to live a regular life, not having to worry about getting your skull caved in by a timberwolf or some shit.”

“We all do, Snowy…” Mythic said, taking another bite of her blazing hot stew.

~

Eventide stared out the window on the top floor, and through the thick mist, she saw their next goal far out in the distance. The Foal Mountains peaked over the landscape like stalagmites in a cave. Its height both amazed and frightened her at the same time. She had seen drawings and heard descriptions of these legendary peaks, but seeing them in person made her jaw drop.

“Quite something, aren’t they?”

The voice behind her made her jump. She turned around and saw Crimson Wing trotting over to her.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Oh, it’s quite alright. Yeah, it really is something, alright. Even more amazing in person. Quite intimidating, too.”

Crimson chuckled. “My father always told me that life is like a series of mountains, always made to be climbed and conquered.”

Eventide nodded and turned away from the window. “So, where am I sleeping tonight? Better be someplace comfortable. Sleeping on logs does wonders for your back.”

“There’s a spare bedroom down the hall and to the left. Don’t mind all the clutter. We use it as an extra storage area.”

“I’ll have fun sleeping with the knick-knacks, I suppose.”

He laughed. “Well, better than a log in the middle of a cold forest. Mythic will be sleeping with you. If you’re going to have some fun, just be sure to keep it quiet.” Eventide blushed.

“We’ll leave for the mountains once everypony wakes up. There’s no real rush though, so don’t feel pressured or anything.

Eventide nodded. “Thanks, Crimson. You’re not bad for a complete egghead.”

“Heh… I try my best, I suppose. If you need anything, I’ll be in my study planning our journey. Take care and have a good rest.” He trotted back downstairs.

“Take care.” She trotted down the cramped hall and opened the door on the left. The room was littered with a bunch of old weapons, clothes, and various other souvenirs and trinkets. She spotted an old bunk bed in the corner. She took off her clothes and shoved them under the bed, then laid down in the bottom bunk. The old bed creaked as her weight pressed down on it. She pulled the old blankets over her body. It wasn’t much, but it’s a step above sleeping in the middle of nowhere. She curled up, meditating on the trip ahead.

Mythic trotted in a few minutes later. She removed her cape, casted it aside, and levitated herself to the top bunk.

“If a window breaks at some point, don’t panic. That’s just my psychic abilities reaching out into the physical realm.”

“Uh… sure… sweet dreams, I guess?”

~

The four stood at the edge of town, looking towards the direction of the mountain. “Only a few kilometers away,” Crimson said. “Just stay close and we should be fine.”

As the four trotted towards the mountain, the Hollow Shades faded away into the mist behind them. Not a sound was made aside from the crunching of snow and the blustery wind, which whipped up some of the snow and blew some of it onto the group. But still, they trudged on.

Crimson suddenly stopped trotting. “Wait…”, he whispered. “I feel something. I don’t think we’re alone here.” His eyes emitted a blue mist as he relaxed, then focused on his surroundings, trying to identify the source of the strange feeling. The world began to quiet down, the wind slowing down its gusty assault.

“Get down!”, he shouted as he summoned a blue psychic barrier around the group. A flurry of arrows suddenly came flying at the group, bouncing off the shield. A group of twenty ponies trotted out from behind the trees, carrying crossbows in their hooves. Their bodies were obscured with long flowing robes and their faces with bandanas.

A stallion unicorn with a strange black symbol on his bandanna began to speak in a gruff voice. Parallax guessed he was the leader.

“Relax,” the leader said. “We don’t have to settle this with violence. We’ll give you a simple wager. Just give us your saddlebags and we’ll be on our way. No bloodshed necessary.”

Crimson continued to maintain his shield. “You bandits are always the same. Trotting up to some helpless ponies and robbing them of their shit. It gets boring fighting you guys after a while, you know.”

“One more word from you and we’ll smash your puny shield to the ground and take your stuff ourselves. You’ll be lucky if you survive.”

“You sure you want to take that risk? I don’t know if your pathetic little platoon can defeat two psychics, a mage, and a swordspony. If I were you, I’d pick on somepony who wouldn’t rip me to shreds within minutes.”

The leader remained silent for a second. “We’ve handled groups far bigger and stronger than yours. Soldiers! Ready your arms!” The group aimed their crossbow at the group. “Fire!” The arrows bounced off the shield, but Crimson struggled to keep it up.

A voice rang in the other three’s heads. Once the shield breaks, give these bastards all you’ve got. Don’t let them intimidate you. They love it when you fear them. Parallax, take the ones on the left. Mythic, you’re with me. We got the ones on the right. Even, take out the rest. Parallax drew his sword and Eventide and Mythic tapped into their magic. All was silent as everypony waited for the next move, the wind serving as the symphony before the battle.

Another wave of arrows was fired, and the shield shattered.

Parallax took the time while they were reloading to spring into action. He dashed over to a couple of them and slashed them, making them fall to the ground with a heavy thud. The bandits managed to fire again at him. Parallax rolled out of the way of the arrows and lunged at the rest of the bandits. He punched one of them in the jaw and stabbed him while he was on the ground. Another countered with a swift kick to Parallax’s jaw, to which he responded with a fast slash on his neck. The bandit’s blood stained the blanket of snow a dark red.

Eventide immediately fired a bright orange bolt of lightning at the group of bandits. One of the unicorns managed to conjure up a weak shield around the group of bandits. Eventide pushed the lightning harder, and the shield shattered, shocking the bandits. She conjured up a blast of fire in her horn and fired it at the group. The bandits managed to get out of the way in time and shoot another flurry of arrows at her. Eventide managed to summon a shield, the arrows impaling into it. Summoning all the power she had, she forced her magic outwards and deflected the arrows back at the robbers. Some managed to roll out of the way in time, but the others had multiple arrows lodged in their throats and chests, collapsing to the ground.

The bandits fired a barrage of arrows at the two psychics. However, they each used their telekinesis to stop the arrows in midair and forced them back at their foes. A couple unicorns summoned a shield which made the arrows bounce off it. Mythic charged her hoof full of psychic magic, making it glow a dark purple. She dashed over to them at breakneck speed and punched a couple bandits in the face. She could hear their jaws shatter from the force. Crimson finished them off with a powerful kick while they were on the ground. The rest of the group attempted to fire at the two, but Crimson used his telekinesis to jam their crossbows. Closing her eyes, Mythic took the opportunity to telepathically assault them. The weak ones tried to resist, but she swiftly overwhelmed them and forced them into the snow, killing them.

Parallax kicked one of the bandits to the ground and crushed his throat with a powerful stomp. Another one took this opportunity to fire an arrow at him, which lodged into one of his hooves. He shouted in pain, but he managed to focus through it. He slashed at the pony, though he managed to dodge him to his surprise. With a swift kick, however, he managed to fell the bandit and force his sword through his chest. Another arrow came streaking towards him, which he blocked with his sword. He dashed over to the last bandit and slowly slit her throat with his blade. He collapsed to the ground exhausted.

Eventide telekinetically grabbed one of the bandits, choking him. He gasped for air to no avail. She tightened her magical grip even more, crushing his throat. As she threw the corpse aside, she fired a large bolt of electricity at another one who managed to block it with a magical barrier. Eventide focused the lightning harder and attempted to penetrate the barrier. The bandit tried to keep the barrier up, but to no avail. Eventide shattered the barrier and delivered a hot bolt of lightning onto the pony, her corpse falling into the snow. She slammed her hoof into the leader’s jaw and shot a powerful blast of magic at him while he was on the ground. The leader managed to deflect the blast back at Even, throwing her into the snow. She slowly managed to get back up and tackle him to the ground. With a magically charged hoof, she jabbed him square into the face. The leader tried to retaliate, but his strength slowly left his body and life slipped away from him. Eventide rolled off of him into the snow exhausted, her cloak and robe blood-stained.

Mythic conjured a psychic shield around herself that deflected the arrows back at the bandits. Some evaded them, while the unlucky ones ended up with an arrow straight through the throat. Crimson levitated and slammed two bandits into each other, making their skulls crack. Mythic charged up her hoof full of a dark purple lightning and fired it at one of the bandits, frying her to death. Crimson focused on two ponies and cast a confusion spell on them. Their minds suddenly became clouded. They tried to fight it, but to no avail. He bended them to his will, and forced them to fire their crossbows at each other, killing them instantly. The two psychics took heavy breaths as they concluded their battle.

The four ponies gathered their strength and looked at the pile of corpses around them. “Everypony okay?” Crimson asked.

The three nodded. “Got an arrow lodged in my damn hoof,” Parallax said, “but other than that I couldn’t be better.”.

Crimson sighed in relief. “Glad you’re all okay, for the most part anyways. We’re not far from the mountain. Once we get there, we’ll treat everypony’s injuries, including your hoof. Grab what you can from these bastards and let’s move.”

Eventide stared at one of the corpses she had killed. It’s dead, soulless eyes pierced into her soul like a silver dagger. Blood poured from her mouth like a leaky pipe. The stench of blood and rotting flesh filled her nostrils, a scent she was all too familiar with. She could swear that she saw the corpse twitch a little.

~

The four arrived at the foot of the mountain moments later. Mist surrounded the group, obscuring the peak from their view. The weathered granite was rough and worn. To the left, they could spot a small entrance to a cave.

“We’ll enter in a second. Let’s tend to those wounds first. I have a good amount of experience in medicine, so this shouldn’t take long.”

Crimson opened up his saddlebags, pulling out a few vials and bandages. He set Parallax’s hoof down and numbed it with one of the vials. Within minutes, he had extracted the arrow and bandaged his hoof.

“Try not to kick anypony with that for the next few moons,” Crimson said. Parallax nodded and stood up with a groan, the anaesthetic beginning to wear off.

Crimson quickly bandaged Eventide and Mythic’s minor wounds. The four trotted towards the mouth of the cave. It was very narrow, barely able to fit a few ponies. Parallax tensed up a bit at seeing the small passage, but he pushed that fear aside. The alternative was much more dangerous.

“Right then. Onward and upward. Stay close behind and we’ll be okay.” Crimson entered the cave. The three followed close behind, Eventide illuminating the way with her horn.

~

General Polaris sat with his advisors in the war room. It had been nicknamed the “Slaughterhouse Star” by many. Polaris quite liked the name. It had a pleasing ring to it.

“General, we have located their position. On your orders, sir. The rest of the council recommends it, but the final verdict lies with you,” one of the head colonels said.

Polaris smirked.

“Proceed.”