A Count of Rings
The hymn of Lexxic's brothers increased in bass resonance, echoing off the domed interior of the hollow chamber deep within the bowels of the Tree of Mothers' roots. There was also a sounding percussion to this leg of the song, with each vocalist bursting with grunts of finality. The group dropped in one accord, including Lexxic. Rainbow and her friends awkwardly followed suit. And finally—after countless hours of dizzying flight—the group had touched down. Silent and settled.
On Bloodwing territory.
Here, they were softly bathed in runic light. Rainbow, Ariel, and the others looked up to see a smooth ceiling, curved like the inside of a skull. Fine pinpricks of glowing sepia stones had been spaced apart across the interior surfaces overhead. Judging them to be moonrocks, Rainbow Dash imagined that they must have once glowed with a pristine silver aura—perhaps when they were first ever enchanted. But time and exhaustion had worn them down to a yellowing flicker of brown malaise. Twilight Sparkle pointed something out, and Rainbow Dash—squinting her eyes—took notice of the faint shadows of equine shapes and astrological intaglio etched into the worn surfaces of the dome. As best as she could make out, there was once an elaborate mural of mares—pilgrims, warriors, sorceresses, and governors—all wrapped around a starry banner in exaltation of a crescent moon. But most if not all of it had been lost to the soot of time, neglect, and military industry.
Even here—as Rainbow Dash looked around and noticed—multiple stations had been erected where stallions of various dispositions hammered away at armor in need of repair. Or they were busy curing leather. Or they were carefully packaging up weapons of war to be housed into chariots for multiple sarosians to carry towards faraway encampments and military bases.
Rainbow looked up at the ceiling once again, then back towards where she entered. The dome was carved into a nexus of branches that all converged on one spot, making what was—or once was—a perfect entrance to the majestic Tree. If she focused long and hard, she'd notice more runes and etchings in the nearest roots that threaded their way overhead to where she was located. No doubt—once upon a time—this was a very sacred place built over hallowed grounds: where sarosians could converge and ruminate over the quest to restore glory to Nightmare Moon.
But at some point—centuries ago—all of that was lost. The mirth was devoured by purpose, necessity, and utility. How long had the Bloodwings been engaged in the Trinary War? Eight Hundred years? Nine hundred? Rainbow wondered if half of the Bloodwings even knew what they were fighting for anymore—only that they were simply fighting.
And then Lexxic spoke and even Rainbow's heart bristled with that queer scent of conjured enthusiasm: “Rejoice, brothers! For we are home! Something our enemies will never have!”
The air filled with chuckles, cheers, and chirps. Limbs flexed and wings coiled at rest. Dozens of fellow warriors came out of the rootwork, exchanging smiles and pleasantries with the freshly-arrived members of Lexxic's personal battalion.
Here—in the copper-tinted light at the bottom of the Tree—Rainbow Dash gazed upon every soldier and messenger and grunt she could see. After a moment or two, she exchanged glances with her ghostly friends—and they all nodded. For they realized the same thing: barely any of the Bloodwings were older than thirty winters. The majority of sarosians had to have been in their late teens or early twenties. Masser, Azarias—they certainly had more years to them... as well as scars. As for Lexxic himself? Rainbow couldn't honestly tell—the helm and its impact on him obscured so... so much.
“M'saalt'ym,” Lexxic addressed the still-frazzled scout. “A mighty fine song, brother. You should be proud.”
Saalt let loose a shuddering sigh, bowing low before Lexxic. “I only w-wish I had more to be proud of.”
“Don't suckle long on the teat of failure,” the First Son advised. “There's no sacrifice to be had in torture with no gain.” He tilted his head towards the Second. “Azarias. Does it still bleed?”
“Ywm, Lexxy'kyn,” the extra-scarred warrior nodded, giving the moist satchel a shake. “It still hasn't cast its lifelights.”
“Praise the Narrow.” Lexxic tilted his helm back towards Saalt. “Perhaps, brother, you would care to do the honors?”
Saalt's fangs showed. “You would... let me place it within the pit?”
“A most harrowing task, but well-deserved.” Lexxic's smile loomed beneath his helm—a passive thing. “Perhaps you will find an opportunity to meditate. The screams carry a cadence of souls tenacious enough to evade the Ruby Song. No doubt you will hear Wy'croww among them.”
Tears lined Saalt's slitted eyes, but he stood tall and resolute, blinking them away with a firm nod. “I shall provide them my song instead.”
“A most hearty plan.” Lexxic rested his hoof on the Bloodwing's shoulder. “All is not lost, brother. The bastards of Flux have made an incredible enemy today.” He tilted his helm back, whistling. On command, Azarias trotted over and hoofed the bag containing the remains of the changeling to Saalt. “Dear Third...”
“Yes, Brother?” Masser spoke up.
“Would you be so kind as to accompany Saalt to the Pit? A brother such as he could use the companionship in his delivery.”
Masser nodded. “Absolutely.”
“While you're at it—I would like a report on the latest supply of totems.”
Masser's jaw clenched.
Lexxic tilted blindly towards the dome ceiling. “Is something the matter?”
“You know very well how much I loathe speaking to keepers.”
Lexxic smiled. “And I know how much you loathe being castrated before an audience in the Hall of Honor!”
The warriors around them laughed and squeaked.
Masser shuddered, ultimately smirking at the displaced air left by the half-hearted threat. Swallowing his pride, the massive Bloodwing marched off with Saalt towards a spot beyond the roots. “All of these insidious threats to my loins, dear Brother...” He shouted back past his tail. “One of these days, you're simply going to drop the pretense and leap upon them!”
“I love you, Brother, but not that much,” Lexxic replied, rewarded with more laughter. “Besides, I seriously doubt you wish to spend the rest of your days pissing ghostly serpents!” He casually signaled the Second.
“At ease, brothers!” Azarias sounded off loudly. “You are dismissed! Remember to Rendezvous at the Hall of Honor before last light!”
The soldiers saluted back, relaxing and congregating in sporadic groups. Around that time, a new voice pierced the echoing chamber.
“Lexxy'kyn! First Son of Nightmares!””
Lexxic's chuckling breaths had barely ended—he replied without looking. “Ywm thy'lna, Sy'lukas'ymb!”
Rainbow and her friends looked over to see a group of Bloodwings trotting down the steps of a raised dais at the far end of the chamber. The platform was round, hugging the carved ends of the hollow where the entrances to the first level of the inner tree were located. Rainbow could make out a large charcoal-black circle filling all but a thin round strip of a circular outline. Among the group trotting down this marked platform, two stallions trotted at the head—a dark dark stallion with an intimidating gaze and a gangly, pale stallion with a wiery, snow-white mane.
The latter spoke, his breaths nearly as ragged as his wrinkles. “By the Narrow's fortune! You have arrived just in time!”
“Can't this wait, Lukas?” Azarias grumbled, nodding his scarred head towards Rainbow and company. “The First Son has an official directive to tackle.”
“A directive by whom?!” Lukas frowned—only one fang showed beneath his wrinkled lips. “Why in Nightmare's name the elders are listening to the Dream Council at a time like this is beyond me!” The aged stallion looked nervously at Lexxic. “Brother, the Fourth and Fifth Roots have been pulled back to the Tree!”
“Indeed, Fifth. So the lances sensed.” Lexxic nodded. His helm pulsed dimly in five spots. “I can only assume Lyw'Malaak is responsible.”
“Eee-eee-eee!” Lukas hissed. “I swear! That insufferable bitch is trying to sabotage everything! What could be so damned important that two whole armies would be pulled back from the bleeding grounds?!?”
“A discussion for another time, Fifth.”
“B-but Brother!” Lukas' eyes twitched as he neared hyperventilation. “Scouts have been running into drones of the Flux consistently between the brink and Petra! If the hive has indeed shifted—then we'll need the Fourth and Fifth Roots to march back and—”
“Another. Time. Brother...” Lexxic's tone dipped low—scraping the bone cold hiss of the moment—which chilled Rainbow's soul like none of his words had done before. She felt a wave of dizziness assault her—even from that distance—and once it had cleared she sensed him tilting his helm in her direction. The menace had been drained from his tongue as he then said: “I must deal with the directive. Then... I shall grapple with the repercussions of Malaak's stupidity. No sooner.”
Lukas gulped, bowing slightly. “My apologies, Brother.” He squinted with no small amount of disgust at Rainbow and her friends. “By the Narrow... is... is this the so-called 'Penumbran trespassers?'”
“As far as the elders are concerned, they're our 'Penumbran guests.'”
Lukas' fang showed again. “I can't say I'm very impressed.”
“How amusing,” Seraphimus spoke boldly. “I was about to say the same.”
Lukas' bright features turned twice as pale as his eyes widened. The Bloodwings accompanying him did double-takes, teetering on the brink of nausea. Within seconds, the bulk of noise and commotion inside that chamber dwindled as every sarosian possessing ears paused to balk at the source of the feminine pitch that had just been sounded.
Ariel blinked at all that. She looked at Seraphimus, and for once a proud smirk adorned her muzzle. He folded her forelimbs as she squatted closely beside the former Commander.
At last, it was Lexxic who broke the silence by clearing his throat. “What interrupts your duties, brothers?” His helm tilted back. “I assure you—if these strangers were changelings... I would have gutted them by now. But since they are here—and still alive—I have obviously chosen to tolerate them.” The veins in his pale muzzle thickened. “And so shall you.”
As if that wasn't enough to hammer down the message, Azarias let loose a shrill whistle.
The chamber once again echoed with murmurs and hisses and the flapping of leather wings. The Bloodwings returned to their tasks at hoof. Most of the members of Lexxic's battalion who had remained loitering about now trotted off towards various destinations. Bosonn and Hyggs—now joined with some like-minded Bloodwings of the curious persuasion—remained in the wings, craning their velvety necks as they observed something from afar.
Rainbow followed their slitted eyesights. She realized that the tall and dark stallion—the one who had approached Lexxic alongside Lukaas—was currently trotting towards her and her companions. She pivoted to directly face the sarosian specimen... having to tilt her head up to see into his grim veneer. The stallion was about as tall as Masser, but far leaner in frame.
“See something you're interested in?” Rainbow Dash murmured.
“H'lymna y'rymml sylna thrym, Myl'sypher'ym,” Azarias said to the stallion.
He kept staring down at Rainbow Dash. Silently. His cold gaze swept across the rest of the party. He held his hoof out, pointing at the floor of the cavern between them.
“Remove your equipment, tools, weapons—and place them on the floor before you,” Lukaas spoke up. “Sypher needs to inspect them.”
Ariel squinted at that.
“And if we refuse?” Seraphimus asked.
This so-called “Sypher” glared at the former Talon Commander. It wasn't so much an “angry” look but rather a curious one—like an avalanche might regard a squirrel for daring to get in its screaming path down a mountain side. Rainbow heard a constant, persistent hissing sound. Her eyes traveled down Sypher's deadpan expression—and locked onto a moon-silver box fitted into the nape of his neck. A collar stretched around the stallion's throat, affixed to the box. As Rainbow stared she became aware of multiple stitches keeping the delicate article in place. There was a great deal of scarring—all dark purple and veiny and issuing outward from the center of the sarosian's vocal cords. Or perhaps—where the vocal cords once were.
It took the entire time that Rainbow Dash spent studying this dark sarosian for his companion—Lukaas, the Fifth—to muster the humility and courage to reply to Seraphimus. “You will not refuse,” he spoke in grunts, as if it made him vomit to so much as look the griffon in the eye. “Although it would please me to see you invite the scent of your own bowels exposed while still alive-”
Azarias cleared his throat.
Lukaas bit his own tongue, ears drooping submissively as Azarias marched closer to him.
“Sypher is in charge of security for the Tree of Mothers,” he said in a raspy tone. “While he answers to the First Son, his directive is one given consistently by the elders—the same protectors of the Book of Saros who summoned you per request of the Dream Council.” Azarias' eyes narrowed with even more intimidating chill than the dark sarosian possessed. “Maybe you don't respect us... but I'm certain you can respect the reason you were brought here.”
Seraphimus didn't take long to respond—and she did so calmly. “Ah. A state-issued keeper of the peace.” A nod of her feathery head. “Now that... I can truly respect.” She removed her helmet and deposited it on the floor, along with the shield and spear that she also salvaged from Blobstain.
“Let's play nice, guys...” Rainbow said, already peeling her saddlebag off and placing it on the floor.
“Yeah yeah...” Ariel huffed, unholstering the musket and placing it onto the floor—along with a full clip of lunar runes.
Lukaas whistled, blinking at the weaponry brought over from Bleak's Plummet. “Sy'ma thr'ymma. Sy'lymma syln Fn'ymbrymmii th'yum m'shrynmhii...”
“Ny'ml. S'rym syla ryk-ryk F'nymbrym...” Azarias shook her head. “A paltry imitation at best, Fifth.”
Lukaas nevertheless rubbed his wrinkled chin in thought, gazing at the weathered runestones.
All the while, Sypher studied each item as they were laid down with close attention. His muzzle—tight and restricted above the silver box that shackled his throat—was forever frozen in a menacing scowl. The only expression he gave was that of intense scrutiny, his slitted eyes darting about and noting every detail. He looked over Seraphimus' things... then Ariel's...
“Th'ryssa!” Bosonn could be heard whistling. “Ee-ee! Myl'sypher'ym my'thyml F'nymbrym ry'm sym sym...!” Rainbow noticed him, Hyggs, and several other bloodwings crowding together, necks craned, watching with deathly-curious smirks as...
...Sypher approached Wildcard. He took a brief look at the griffon's laid-out possessions, then up at the Heraldite in question. The bloodwing and the Desperado looked eye to goggle.
“... … ...” Sypher glared.
“... … ...” Wildcard stood ice still.
Ariel and Seraphimus glanced over.
In the ensuing silence, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy bit their lips.
Sypher slowly—wordlessly—raised his hoof. He pointed at the metal object in Wildcard's prosthetic grip.
Wildcard did nothing.
Sypher's dark brow furrowed.
Rainbow gulped. She made to clear her throat—
Clak-CLAKKK! Wildcard extended Bard's staff, its lengthy end wobbling just half-an-inch from smacking Sypher's skull.
“... … ...” Sypher didn't even flinch.
Exhaling, Wildcard twirled the staff until it was held width-wise. He then tossed it at Sypher.
Sypher effortlessly caught it in the crook of his hoof. He took his gaze off Wildcard just long enough to turn the weapon around a few times, studying it. When he was satisfied with his observations, he tossed it back at the Desperado.
Wildcard maintained his locked gaze, twirling and then collapsing the staff before laying it beside his things.
“S'ymvallymmmmm..” Bosonn grinned wided. Exhaling with relief, he and Hyggs and the others laughed and chirped and murmured from a distance. “Hahaha! Fn'ymbrymal syln Myl'sypher'ym mrym thym sy'lym!”
“Heeheehee-ee-ee-ee!”
“Ee-ee-ee!”
At this point, Rainbow Dash was laying down the last of her things.
“Ahem...” Applejack drifted closer, her eyes reflecting Sypher's dark shape growing closer and closer. “Could make things a mite less troublesome to fully comply, sugarcube.”
“Way ahead of you, AJ,” Rainbow muttered. In pulling out the contents of her saddlebag, she gripped a large canvas bundle wrapped around a familiar round object.
“Oh dear...” Rarity held a muzzle over a worried expression.
“How... are we going to explain that?” Twilight stammered.
“Shhhh!” Pinkie drifted closer to their anchor. “Trust Dashie! She'll come up with something!”
Rainbow's friends were dead quiet as Sypher stepped over to her. The tall dark stallion looked at her goggles, at her blankets, at her rations, at her own supply of runestones. At last—he leaned over the canvas bundle. His sharp gaze darted to the mare herself.
Rainbow steeled herself with a calm breath. She leaned forward and—with a few swift movements of the hoof—unraveled the canvas covering to reveal Axan's dragonstone.
Sypher's eyes narrowed on the alien object. He tilted his head slightly—the first time his rigid stance found itself altered.
This—apparently—was a signal to Lukaas. “What is that?” he asked.
“Quick... think...!” Twilight paced in ghostly circles. “...a good-luck charm? An heirloom? Something precious from the Penumbral Lands—!”
“She could just tell 'em what it actually is,” Applejack suggested. “Especially considerin' it could help Lexxic's gang find the rest of them shards—”
“It's a compass,” Rainbow said.
Ariel and Seraphimus looked at her. Wildcard remained still.
“... … ...” Applejack blinked. “...well, reckon that's at least half true.”
Lukaas' eyes narrowed. “What kind of a compass?”
“A very good one,” Rainbow said.
Silence.
“We done here?” she asked—but then was covered in shadow.
Sypher was looming over her. He leaned down. This close, Rainbow could hear distinctly unique waves of hisses emanating from the seams of his neck-box. It took her a second or two to ascertain what he was looking at, for she finally made out the reflection of a ruby lightning bolt in his slitted eyes.
“If you must know, it is an Element of Harmony,” Rainbow said coolly. “A very important artifact from Equestria. Older than even Princess Luna herself.”
Several offended shrieks echoed from the sidelines—
—but Azarias silenced them with a wave of his hoof.
Sypher pointed at the pendant around Rainbow's neck. Then—with a clenching of his jaw—he pointed at the floor beside the rest of the group's things.
Twilight and Rarity gulped.
Rainbow's eyes narrowed. “It does not come off.”
Sypher took a step closer. Icily, he repeated the gesture.
Lukaas spoke firmly. “You will do what is required by the elders' security measures—”
“If this comes off, there will be no security...” Rainbow gnashed her teeth. “And no elders.”
Azarias blinked.
Sypher remained unfazed.
Lukaas failed to contain his rising growl: “Penumbran, if you refuse to respect our customs—”
Rainbow gestured towards Lexxic. “If he gets to wear his stupid foalday crown...” she barked, “...my pendant stays the buck on.” She slowly—menacingly—shook her head. “Do not confuse what I'm saying with a request. Or you will regret it.”
Lukaas opened his muzzle to retort—
“Fifth, I must say, I'm disappointed,” Lexxic's voice rolled across the chamber.
Rainbow and her friends watched as the First Son of Nightmares walked at a broad distance, making a half-circle across the interior, until he stood a few spaces behind the bloodwings facing off against her.
“This is a creature from Penumbra—a lost lamb of the Solar Deceiver...” A hearty chuckle. “...and yet her threats are far colder and bolder than yours are!”
Lukaas fumed, glaring down at the floor. “The elders aren't giving us much to work with...”
“Don't be a coward. You haven't seen much bloodshed as of late, Fifth. Being old is one thing—a notable if not rare accomplishment—but feeble?” Lexxic shook his head. “If this is what senility looks like, I—for one—am glad to never have to taste of it.” That crescent smile—softer this time—and he nodded towards Sypher. “Very well done, Fourth. But do as she says. The pendant stays on.”
A low-throated hissing escaped the box. Rainbow watched as Sypher tilted his head aside, glaring thinly back at Lexxic.
“You heard me. Opportunities were had—and yet we're both here.” Lexxic tilted his helm to the side. “You—of all brothers—should understand the importance of a priceless neckpiece.”
Chuckles in the distance—no doubt from the twins' group.
Sypher took a deep breath—with a few hisses billowing sideways. He pointed at the Herald's belongings, then at the party members themselves... before marching off with firm hoofsteps.
Azarias sighed heavily, glaring at the group—a bit more prolongedly at Ariel and Seraphimus in particular—before leaving to disperse Hyggs and Bosonn's crowd with impatient gestures.
Having more breaths to spare for the moment, Rainbow Dash picked up her belongings one by one. When she picked up the dragonstone, she saw a bright flicker of light—almost blinding her. Pausing, she gave the stone a slight shake-and-swivel, watching for more pulses of luminescent energy. She found tongues of flame issuing out from the heart of the pearlescent stone... and shooting straight up.
Rainbow tilted her head, gazing straight through the domed ceiling and—presumably—towards the absolute peak of the tree.
Twilight and the others crowded around, their ghostly gazes following Rainbow's.
“So...” Fluttershy curled her forelimbs together. “...does that confirm it?”
“Is it here?!?” Pinkie asked.
“Uh huh...” Rainbow's voice cracked. “It's here, alright.” Her ruby eyes scraped the soot-stained mural. “Now the question is... how will we get to it.”
“Can we get to it?” Rarity asked.
Twilight sighed. “One thing at a time.” She looked at Rainbow. “Took quite a gamble—what with your Element of Loyalty just a moment ago.”
“Don't you mean they did?” Rainbow's jaw tightened. She bundled Axan's stone back in its canvas cover. “I won't expect Lexxic to thank me or nothing,” she continued, whispering. “But I just saved their entire friggin' tree.”
“And yerself, darlin',” Applejack said.
“Yeahhhhh...” Rainbow sighed, putting her things back into her aged, worn-out saddlebag. “...you were always the best at baking pies, Applejack.”
“Hey!” Pinkie frowned.
“Humble pies, I mean,” Rainbow added with a smirk.
“Oh...” Pinkie waved a hoof, smiling. “Well, in that case...”
“Surely...” Lexxic's voice wafted over. “You do realize, no living soul that bleeds here has ever seen one.”
Rainbow blinked. She turned to face the First Son of Nightmares. “Huh? Seen what?”
His smile loomed from afar. “A compass,” he said. “Besides, I doubt a real one would work quite so well. We're awfully far away from the polarized crystals that undoubtedly line the brinks on Penumbra's side.”
Rainbow's lips pursed. “Then how would you know what one is?”
“The same way I know of most convenient lies,” Lexxic said, smiling calmly. A slight tilt of his head. “I'm well-read.”
Twilight and Rarity exchanged glances.
Rainbow exhaled, nodding. “Are you, now?”
“A luxury...” Lexxic paced over slightly. “...that the majority of my Brothers—from the Third and downward—do not share. Naturally—you must be thinking: 'Why would these sons of Nightmare let the matter go once they were told it was a compass?' The answer is simple. I told them to do so.”
He took one step too many.
Rainbow's friends vanished. She caught her breath in the back of her throat, stepping backwards with a jolt of dizziness.
Wildcard and Ariel's muscles tightened, ready to spring—
—but Lexxic had already scuffled to a stop. His muzzle hang open. “... … ...and so there it is.” He tilted his helm back, deadpan. “No. I suppose I don't have to thank you either.”
Twilight and the others reappeared shortly thereafter. Rainbow rubbed her head, squinting suspiciously at the Bloodwing leader from afar.
“Well...!” Lexxic stood tall and proud, his smile slowly returning. “I do suspect patience has been tested in every corner of bleeding. An exercise that needn't tarry longer—for all our sakes.” He turned around with a flick of what few wirey tail-hairs he had remaining. Rainbow watched as Lexxic trotted up a series of wooden ramps carved into the same root structure that formed the circular dais at the rear of the chamber. “Surely, you wish to commence with the culmination of your journey as much as I will it.”
“I really wish she'd stop calling her 'shirley,'” Pinkie grumbled, her hair looking uncharacteristically flat as she glared at the stallion.
“Come, now, Pinkie, darling,” Rarity insisted. “Happy faaaa-aaa-aaaces!” Her marshmallowy cheeks bulged with the effort.
“I don't think I like this creepio-meanio,” Pinkie said. “He doesn't deserve it!”
“Butttttt...” Fluttershy smiled like a hide-the-pain horsie, or maybe an unknown electrical engineer. “Ittttt's the thoughtttt that countttts!”
Pinkie's lips curved, only for her to hiss through bright teeth. “Mmmmmeh.”
Applejack took one look at Pinkie's sagging figure, fanning herself. “Whoah nelly...” She looked at Twilight. “Reckon the pinkie sense is finally piercin' through that chaos helmet of his.” The farm filly gulped. “Not sure I like the looks of it, though!”
“Well, we've come this far.” Twilight turned towards their collective anchor. “Rainbow—?”
“Yeah, I know the drill.” Rainbow finished fastening her saddlebag. “Into the lion's den and keep crawling until we come out the poop chute.” A devilish smirk. “And then some!” She turned back towards her partners. “Go time?”
“Go time.” Ariel fell in first.
“Perhaps...” Seraphimus followed second. “...with less fecal metaphors, please.”
Wildcard flapped his wings, taking up the rear as he hand-signed: “It wouldn't be the Heraldic Seven without them.”
“I can't see whatever it is that Jordan is signing but I'm absolutely certain I detest it,” Seraphimus muttered.
“You detest everything,” Ariel said.
“Depends on what I see inside this damnable tree.”
Up ahead, Lexxic called out to the Bloodwings collected nearby. “Sy'lukas'ymb. L'azarias'ym. Hsyl'm thryln sy'mal hrymwrym thyln.”
Azarias stopped all that he was doing and glided up to join his superior. Lukaas—however—hesitated slightly as he stumbled up the ramp. “But Brother...!” His frazzled features flickered under dying runelights. “With the Fourth and Fifth Roots still setting-up camp, won't you need me to—?”
“Sypher has things well under control. I need you beside me and the Second,” Lexxic said. “I shan't do this alone. More than anything, the elders are going to wish to see a sign of commitment to their directive, or else it may prove impossible to appeal to them on far heavier matters.”
Lukaas shuddered, nevertheless bowing noticeably. “Y-yes, Brother...”
“Now come along, W'ynlppa yln H'luun!” Lexxic said, gesturing for Rainbow and her friends to follow. “This is a rather inopportune time for cold feathers.”
Lukaas' backhairs stood up on end as he clenched his jaw. The sound of that title was clearly the equivalent of scratching talons on chalkboard for the stallion. Other Bloodwings lingering nearby appeared similarly repulsed. Azarias just threw it off with a sigh while Lexxic...
Lexxic trotted briskly along, disappearing behind a notch of the tree, entering deep beyond the soot-stained mural into the heart of the structure itself. Rainbow—feeling the gravity of the moment increasing with each breath—clambered quickly behind, with the rest of her friends following in suit.
Rainbow Dash didn't quite know what to expect as she trotted into the Bloodwings' stronghold.
So—in a perfect leap of idiocy—her mind chose to imagine anything and everything. Rainbow's thoughts lingered on all of the copious amounts of testosterone she had been drenched in since meeting up with Lexxic's escort and flying with them to this destination.
A faint memory from foalhood tickled Rainbow's nose—of the lockerrooms back at Cloudsdale's Junior Speedster's Flight Camp. There was an inordinate amount of stallions in her class: which was perfectly fine, since Rainbow moreover felt comfortable hanging around with them instead of the mares her age. Rules were rules, and she had to go wash up with the mares—a reality that bored her to no end. But whenever she so happened to pass by the stallions' lockerroom, she would catch the inescapably pungent scent of musk, sweat, and all other colors typically associated with virulent stupidity.
For the Bloodwings' lair, Rainbow Dash imagined all of that—only with an added dash of copper, rust, and rotting meat.
So it was with ample surprise that Rainbow Dash found her nose assaulted with a thick cloud of incense upon entering the Tree of Mothers. A veritable haze hung close to the ceiling—twinkling with a faint enchantment, suggesting that there was runic manipulation to the scents being filtered through that ancient, ancient place.
In fact, the interior smelled so delightful that it made Rainbow realize just how utterly rancid the realm outside was. How long had she been assaulted by a tactile fragrance akin to roasted dog vomit? The weapons of war, the butchery of alien meat, the bleeding of a still-living changeling. It was no small wonder that she and her friends hadn't vomited ten times over along the way to the Tree. Rainbow chalked it up to being so fixated on avoiding side effects of the nearby chaos metal. Her friends agreed. “Chaos sinuses,” was what Pinkie Pie suggested, still looking edgy and disgruntled—even as they entered deep enough to chance upon the source of the incense.
A sarosian was quietly, dutifully lighting narrow strips of scented filaments lodged into narrow holes that were bored within the wooden walls of a large second-story chamber.. To Rainbow's and her friends' flabbergasted surprised, the pony turned out to be a mare. She was—in fact—the first female Bloodwing that the group had the pleasure of stumbling across, and she looked the very epitome of dull. A dark velvet coat, a dark silk mane, a monotone expression that contrasted coldly against the warm orange hues of the incense sticks that she was lighting—the pony looked like she fit more into the worn wooden notches of the tree's walls than in the curious spaces between.
Upon crossing paths with the visitors—including Rainbow Dash and all her fantastically bright colors—the mare made no show of noticing. The newcomers—both ghostly and otherwise—watched as the mare continued lighting new incense sticks with quiet, wordless precision. Her demeanor and the manner in which she carried it mirrored that of the dihmers. In fact, Rainbow imagined that if the pony had all her coat and mane hair removed, there'd be no telling them apart. When the mare finished lighting the available sticks, she trotted off towards a bench. Rainbow thought—seriously but not seriously—that she was preparing to wound herself as part of some ascetic ritual. Instead, the mare reached for a length of cured leather. She then proceeded to stitch and sew a saddlebag together.
Fluttershy gestured for Rainbow's attention. Rainbow glanced at her in mid-trot, then followed the ghostly pegasus' pointing hoof. Her ruby eyes narrowed as she realized that the one mare was not alone. There were rows upon rows of sarosians—all female. All deadpan. All straight-laced with their dark manes fitted up in tight buns. They were seated at dozens... hundreds... maybe even a thousand work benches of identical construction. Every other row was working on a different project: stitching saddlebags, sewing canvas satchels, assembling undercoats for armor.
This interior group of Bloodwings was working on an industry for the war effort—much like the procedures being taken outside. Only here—inside this massive chamber—there was so much geometric precision to it. The entire process here was devoid of the same mirth, randomness, and asymmetricaly-organized chaos that characterized the war camps outside. The camps that were filled with stallions.
“Eugh... dear gods...” Ariel's muzzle scrunched as she fought the urge to vomit. Wildcard could be seen weaving a metal talon disdainfully before his muzzle. “Now I know why they're burning incense.”
Rainbow arched an eyebrow curiously. Then it hit her. Rainbow Dash battled a wave of nausea, brought on by an impenetrable wall of horrid body odor. She instantly hated herself for remembering the locker-rooms back at Junior Speedster's Flight Camp. This was a million times worse. This was hundreds of generations' worth of sweat, grease, and smegma layered on top of one another. It was coated into the walls, floor, and... ceiling of the place?
Rainbow Dash looked up and spotted something that reminded her of Bleak's Plummet. The ceiling was covered from wall to wall with leather-winged mares dangling in repose. Even as they hung—above the sweating workers below—they were likewise silently sewing articles of clothing and satchels and pouches together. Sarosians with baskets—also female—flew among them, collecting finished product and flying off towards untold destinations within the tree... no doubt to compartmentalized the fresh supplies and distribute them outside.
“Even when in 'rest,'” Seraphimus murmured—neither enthusiastic nor saddened by what she saw. “These midnighters are working.”
“C-can we just keep moving, please?” Ariel stammered, refusing to look up. “Wherever the Dream Council is—I pray to the stars it's not on this level.”
“What makes you think any other floor will be more pleasant?” Seraphimus said.
Before Ariel could respond to her—
“Is something bothering you about Bloodwing efficiency?” Lexxic asked, his tone as calm and coy as always.
“It's...” Ariel frowned, but took one look at Rainbow Dash. She sighed, trying to relax. “It's not my place to comment.”
“No,” Azarias grunted. “It isn't.”
Ariel glared daggers at the Second, but remained silent from then on.
Meanwhile, Rainbow and her ghostly friends passed a corridor adjacent to the large work chamber. There, they were greeted by a curious sight. Mares and stallions were working together—packaging supplies into crates and placing them on chariots that soon would be carried out. Despite working in such close quarters, there were no words exchanged between the two sexes. The stallions trotted about in armor, looking energetic and busy. The mares—however—constantly trotted with their heads down... even more so when they crossed paths with the soldiers.
But then... as a few of the mares congregated along the hallway in lonely groups—away from the stallions—Rainbow heard them speak for the first time.
“Bulla kemp. Bul bulla melem hool theem.”
Another mare nodded, replying in a dispassionate tone. “Embelum bulla buhrem.” Rainbow saw her unravel a scroll as the group matched supplies to their notes. “Bul buhleem rehmel bulla kembel.”
“Boh bulla. Buhkeem.”
Ariel blinked.
“That...” Rainbow's muzzle twisted as she lingered slightly in mid-trot. “...doesn't sound like Moonwhinny.”
“Because they're not speaking Moonwhinny,” Lukaas spat aside, as if grossed out by Rainbow's ignorance. “It's New.”
“New?” Rainbow turned to squint at the Fifth. “What the buck is 'New?'”
The pale stallion snorted. “Whatever the Hell they want it to be.”
Neither Lexxic or Azarias had anything to add to that.
Applejack, Twilight, and Fluttershy exchanged curious looks.
“Oh sweet merciful heavens,” Rarity murmured. Pinkie Pie floated closer as the fashionista—visibly wincing—pointed at the group of mares. “Look at their necks...”
While trotting, Rainbow's gaze followed Rarity's gesture. It was then that she noticed on the mares' necks—all of them—a round circle filled with darkened flesh. The velvety fur was noticeably absent in these identical patches, resting specifically between the collar and the left ear. While the imprints lingered on each and every one of the female sarosians, they looked far too rough to be natural. They weren't cutie marks.
“Looks like branding,” Wildcard hand-signaled.
Rainbow clenched her jaw in response. She turned to see if Ariel had “read” the Desperado's observation. Judging from her calm canter, Rainbow suspected she hadn't.
“Long ago,” Lexxic sounded off, approaching a dimly-lit chamber at the end of a long series of intersecting wooden corridors. “But not too terribly long ago... our lives became one with the War... and the War became one with our lives. Horrible as it sounds, it remains noble where it needs to be. The rest—naturally—becomes the filth of labor. And the filth stops... … … right about here.”
As he said this, he and Lukaas and Azarias approached another raised dais, much like the one outside. The mural etched above wasn't quite as stained with soot, and the runestones placed strategically within the intaglio of ancient sarosians still glowed with a hint of silver.
And yet, Lexxic tilted his helm back, making sure his smile could be seen by Rainbow and her familiar. “For now.”
Seraphimus and Ariel blinked.
Rainbow—meanwhile—looked down at the surface of the circular platform. A large circle was etched into the wooden surface. However, instead of a charcoal-black stain filling the extent of the rounded frame, it was only a sliver that hugged one hundred degrees of it, tapering at the ends but thickest at the four-o'clock position.
“A crescent,” Twilight said.
“F'lywmym rym'lywm syln thrym'l,” Azarias could be heard speaking ahead. Rainbow looked forward to see the extra-scarred stallion addressing male Bloodwing warriors who were standing guard at the entrances to the next upper level of the tree. The Second pointed back at the group of four following Lexxic and Lukaas. “W'ynlppa yln H'luun ylym Fn'ymbrymii. Hym'wyml thyln srym Natr'do ryssa thym.”
“Slyn...” One warrior fidgeted nervously in his armor, looking at the four. “L'azarias'ym... sym thryml Fn'ymbrym...! Sykk'lym syl'ymma H'cylsialymii ryk-ryk...!”
Azarias growled, clearly frustrated. Before he could lunge in the stallion's face—
“You are quite right, brother.” Lexxic approached the guards, smiling beneath his helm. “I commend all of you on doing your duty to both the elders and common sense. I know that it is not easy. Nevertheless...” He waved a hoof. “H'wym syml wrym th'lynwynd.” A tilt of his helm. “S'lym swym h'jemii. Ywm...?”
A slight shudder...
...but the guards ultimately relented.
“Ywm, Lexxy'kyn.”
They lowered their spears and trotted aside—something Lukaas watched with a twitching gaze for every second it transpired.
Lexxic turned to Azarias—who turned to Rainbow and company. “Come...” He gestured towards the looming passageways. “Let us not tarry any longer than we need to among the keepers.”
Without saying a word, Rainbow and her party trotted up and briskly followed after their guides. The guards—standing aside—glared at them the entire time.
Here... it smelled far better.
There was no incense required for this—but Rainbow and her friends could notice some curiously pleasant scents nonetheless. There was a bit of spice in the air. What's more, it was far brighter... with functioning moon runes planted on metal poles that glowed with cool silver-and-blue brilliance.
It was crowded here—but not as much as in the level below. Once again, Rainbow and her fellow travelers encountered mares. But these mares were... different from the laborers down below.
For one, they could smile. Fangs showed in the rune light as the leather-winged ponies spoke with one another. Chuckles could be heard. The air turned melodic with squeaks and chirps and other more pleasant sounds that Rainbow didn't know sarosians could make until now. They had neatly-brushed coats, and their manes—while still fixed in tight buns—were a great deal shinier than the occupants of the Tree below.
In the same vein as the other laborers, these mares were likewise hard at work. But the pace was considerably less rigid, and the work benches and stations were comfortably paced apart.
As Rainbow passed by, she and her companions—Twilight especially—noticed that the sarosians were working on spells. Their stations were covered all over in glowing scrolls, marked sigils, and finely-etched runes. The mares had tiny strips of lunar metal affixed to their necks and collars. Others had tell-tale layers of moon dust fused to their leafy ears. As they leaned over their spellcraft and murmured key words in ancient moonwhinny, the air around them glowed with otherworldly energy—and the bits of dust and metal affixed to their bodies pulsated in a matching hue of both light and color.
Rainbow—still trotting after Lexxic and his subordinates—watched as this glowing enchantment was harnessed into collected portions of dust. These were then mixed in with dark ash, presumably scavenged from somewhere beyond the Tree, before being bottled and carried downstairs in discreet packages by female laborers.
Room after room, Rainbow passed and trotted. Occasionally, she'd pass by what resembled bunks, supply closets, mess halls, and even a lounge or two. The air was cool—heated only by the mirth of the conversing mares. What's more, these equines looked about at eye level, their slitted eyes filled with hope and ambition and multiple, multiple tasks to accomplish. Several stopped what they were doing to gawk at Rainbow Dash and her companions—standing absolutely dead still with flushed expressions of confusion and curiosity—until a female foreman shrieked at them in moonwhinny and it was back to work.
Yes, moonwhinny—the same tongue as Lexxic and his brothers. Fitting, as the runes and sigils spelled the language out at every enchanting station. As the workers turned about, Rainbow took note of the marks that had been stenciled permanently into each of the mares' necksides: a round circle with a black crescent resting within.
“It would seem that you caught the keepers at a busy time,” Lexxic mused, leading the way towards another ascending chamber up ahead. “As the schedule fits—they're preparing another armament.”
“Is all that dust...” Rainbow murmured allowed. “...actually from the moon?”
“You tell me,” Lexxic tilted his helm back. “I've never seen the moon before!” He tilted it forward. “Have you, Fifth?”
Lukaas groaned loudly. But before he could humor the First Son with a reply—
“Halt!” a female voice boomed authoritatively throughout the chamber from far ahead.
Azarias and Lukaas skidded immediately to a stop.
Lexxic took a few more steps before slowly, casually acquiescing.
Rainbow and her friends looked past the three stallions. They saw a stern-looking mare trotting down the raised dais, accompanied by four guards in shiny silver armor. Four female guards.
“That's far enough, Lexxy'kyn,” she said.
The mare was tall, with pronounced cheekbones and a blue complexion throughout her velvety figure. Rainbow glanced at her neck, seeing a round circle filled in halfway with dark coloring. She glanced down at the surface of the dais and—sure enough—observed a large matching seal.
“L'azarias'ym... Sy'lukas'ymb...” The mare acknowledged the Second and Fifth. “I appreciate your show of duty. I shall take custody of W'ynlppa yln H'luun from here.”
“Custody?” Ariel spoke up for the first time in minutes. “Are we prisoners or are we guests?”
“As far as I'm concerned, you are nothing.” The mare glared at Ariel, then motioned her head towards Rainbow Dash. “But she?” A deep breath. “That depends on the Dream Council and their findings.”
“Nat'rdo,” Rainbow Dash said. “Do you know her?”
“As well as I'm allowed to. Now...” The stern mare approached Rainbow directly. “Remain still—”
Clakka-Clakk! Bard's staff stretched out between them.
The female guards brandished their spears. The lead mare held her hoof up, looking pointedly at Wildcard. “Stand yourself down, creature.” Her eyes softened—if only slightly. “Her time of being harmed has passed.” She breathed. “Long before she stepped into the Tree of Mothers.”
Wildcard merely glared through his goggles.
Rainbow sighed. She flicked her tail—batting the Desperado in the beak. Disgruntled, the griffon leaned back on the staff, standing beside Seraphimus.
Everyone watched as the mare resumed her slow trot towards Rainbow. She towered above the mare, and yet she approached the last distance between them as if she was trotting on eggshells. Her slitted eyes anxiously reflected a ruby pendant.
“Look...” Twilight whispered to the others. “...she's wanting to examine the Element.”
“Do...” Fluttershy squirmed. “Do we let her?”
“Reckon it's the only way to pass on forwards,” Applejack murmured.
The mare's hoof reached forward... forward...
FL-FLASH!
A burst of silver-light pulsed from Rainbow's necklace. While it was far from threatening, it nevertheless summoned a jolt from the mare and her armored companions. Several laborers looked over from their stations, full of bright eyes and brighter fangs. A pronounced hiss of awe and alarm filled the room.
“Huh...” Rainbow glanced down and gave her pendant a casual pat with her hoof. “Neato.”
“Hresssh...” The bluish sarosian shook, looking uncharacteristically timid. “H'Luun...” Her leafy ears drooped. “W'ynlppa thrym sy'wrym... wylna thy'malym???”
Lukaas blinked in awe at the exchanged. Azarias looked far from impressed. Lexxic...
“She performs an impressive headbutt.” His fangs formed as punctuations to a crescent. “Perhaps she will try it on Nat'rdo.”
Snapping out of it, the mare frowned at him. “You have done well, Lexxy'kyn. Your services are no longer required in this matter.”
“A great relief.” His helm bowed ever so slightly. “Since it required the entirety of my services to render.” The lilt in his voice dropped to a menacing low. “Need I remind the Imperial Security that my services and the war effort are one in the same.”
“Enough, Lexxy'kyn—”
“But even that wasn't enough,” he was hissing now, chilling the air around them as a touch of dizziness kissed the back of Rainbow's head. “But Malaak was given an excuse to lasso in the Fourth and Fifth Roots.”
“Enough!” The mare barked, her armor rattling as angry eyeslits glared at him. “This is not the time and place to discuss war strategy!”
“Is it ever?”
“The elders will deal with you when they summon you.” Her nostrils flared. She looked towards the Second and Third. “L'azarias'ym. Sy'lukas'ymb. You are also dismissed—”
“Funny...” Lexxic turned, his smile back as he aimed it at his subordinates. “She uses battle names like a saddle. But she's never been in battle.”
For once, Lukaas had a good chuckle.
Rainbow half-expected the mare to snap at him, but she simply faced Rainbow and her friends, even as Lukaas' laughter rolled on. “There is much I must do to prepare you for the Council. Please...” She gestured towards the guards and the looming doors behind the dais. “...allow me to escort you.”
“Uhm...” Rainbow's brow furrowed. “I don't think I got your name—”
“You will know it. Please. Let us move,” the mare insisted, icily.
Rainbow merely blinked.
At last, the mare sighed, speaking to Rainbow, barely above a whisper: “I would rather not speak further in the presence of him.”
A beat.
Rainbow... eventually nodded. She motioned to the others, then trotted across the dais.
Seraphimus and Ariel followed.
Wildcard was nearly halfway across the platform when—
Th-Thap!
—a floating dagger pressed against his lower feather crest, stopping the griffon in place.
“Not you, I'm afraid.” Lexxic tilted his face towards him. The smile below his helm was a thin one—exasperated. “That's as far as you go.”
Wildcard merely cocked his head to the side.
“Huh?” Ariel looked back, standing awkwardly along with Seraphimus. “I... I don't get it...” She looked at the armored mares. “Why him—?”
The female guards had tensed up. With their slitted eyes locked on Wildcard, they gripped their spears and polearms with cautious readiness.
Rainbow looked closely at them, then at Wildcard... and the First Son who was restraining them. She cleared her throat and said, “I'll be okay from here on, Jordan.”
“???” The Desperado looked at her.
Rainbow bore a crooked smile. “I... don't think you're invited to the slumber party, dude.”
Ariel blinked, lost in confusion.
Seraphimus glanced at the scene, then down at her limbs. She currently stood well past the center of the half-filled seal that marked the platform. None of the mares had made a move for her.
“I think...” Seraphimus spoke firmly, retracing her steps until she retreated to Wildcard's side. “...I shall accompany Jordan for the interim.”
“Accompany him?” Ariel's voice cracked. “Accompany him where?”
“To...” The Former Talon Commander looked from Rainbow to the female guard … and finally to Lexxic. “...wherever it is that we may have the good grace to pass the time.”
Lexxic calmly nodded. “A wise decision.” Sch-Schlack! His one floating dagger zipped back into place within a blink. He patted Wilcard's backside before trotting between the two griffons. “Perhaps... you will care to regale me with Penumbran tales of bloodshed and political strife. My brothers could certainly use the amusement.”
“Wildcard...” Rainbow awkwardly called out to them. “Sera—”
“Fear not, avatar...” Lexxic waved a hoof without looking back. Azarias and Lukaas joined him and the Rohbreddenites. “Besides, they would not even be of good sport. I assure you, as the First Son of Nightmares, that they will be safe. Please... go now and speak with those who live in what they call 'dreams'.”
Ariel exchanged glances with Rainbow before stammering after Lexxic: “You mean... you're not going up with us...?”
Lexxic stopped dead in his tracks. He turned all the way around, bearing a sarcastic smile beneath that pale helm. “No,” he eventually breathed, shaking his head. “I am most certainly not.” Then—just as slowly—he turned back towards the descent, exiting with half of Rainbow's party in tow.
“Ariel...?” Rainbow placed her hoof on the mare's shoulder. “...keep your head in the game, girl. Something tells me we've got a lot to carry on our shoulders soon.”
Ariel gulped, nodding as she turned to follow the other mares—armored and otherwise—up the ascending passageways. “Looks like very few around here are sure of that...”
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Definitely looks like there's some major class strife brewing here.
I am seeing some serious fault lines pushing against each other in the Sarosian war effort, how long before the earthquake hits is the question.
Something tells me Dash is going to try and quash the power struggle that seems to be at play here.
Also, it seems like males of any species are not permitted into the council chambers unless they are explicitly summoned.
Through the path long forgotten, into the darkness long begotten. Ofolrodi.
So I have a feeling that Lexxic is using Rainbow as an excuse to show that the Counsel is incompetent and harming the war effort, likely because he suspects that she will try to get them to abandon the war effort and help her in her quest. He will use this as an excuse to overthrow them, likely by just killing them all or something. This is going to explode into a civil war since it is very obvious there are massive tensions between everyone most likely, though I feel that wouldn't last very long.
Edit: The thing is though it feels so obvious that maybe its a red herring.
Man, I completely forgot about that dragonstone. It might finally be time for a reread.
I’ve been thinking a bit about what Nevlamas was talking about last chapter. This definitely seems to be the center of operations for the Sarosians, and if two divisions of the army got pulled back that quickly, it can’t be that far from the frontlines. I think the question is just how far those frontlines stretch. But even if there is a massive amount of war that we fly over, I think it’s safe to say that we’re closer to the Midnight Armory than it seems. The description does seem to indicate that Rainbow’s getting there in this book, after all.
On another note, what happened to that blob ocean? I’d give a lot for one of Sinrar’s maps right now.
RD: What an interesting intaglio.
Twi: Interesting what?
ok thank goodness, so not a reverse searo.
Sort of.
Granted, I imagine that there's probably a whole caste of mares that are treated like the stallions of Searo (yikes), but it's not all mares, and the dream council is female, and there are females who hold sway over the likes of Lexxic.
I have no clue why there are two castes of female Midnighters. Maybe the lower-class ones are all infertile or something? That might explain why they're treated poorly by the Bloodwings.
As much as I love the scenery depictions in these stories, the smell descriptions were... how do I say, "Thanks I hate it."
Nothing quite like jumping head first into the power struggle of a race that has been at war for 900 years straight.
I keep misreading "Lexxy'kyn" as "Lexxy-kins" and it's messing with the tone just a tad.
Eww.
This is starting to get all the hallmarks of the threeway being totally played.
Just enough information, disinformation, misguidance, and transfers between teh three groups that they become the same within and between each other so that unrest builds at all levels, like taking the soup slowly to a full boil, then just at the right moment, the boiling soup tuns out to be chipfat, and all the Logan has to do it thow in a cup of water, and a match.
Any male that manages to live long enough, and learn enough, gets Salted and fed to the Pit?
Would Dash without Pendant be taken down by Chaos Pyramid Headbut?
So Rainbow seems to have fallen right smack into the fault-line of a deeply divided society. The levels above seem to be entirely governed by mares, to the extent that stallions aren’t even permitted without invitation, whereas the levels below are the exclusive province of stallions, with mares serving as little more than slaves. I get the feeling 10350767 may not be far off.
Only time will tell if Rainbow can act to bridge that chasm or if her visit will sunder it completely... my bet would be on the latter, because we can’t have nice things
. Either way, I think Bloodwing society is going to come out of this irrevocably changed.
I’m also interested in their use of chaos. This:
Seems to confirm that Lexxic is quite thoroughly infested with chaos, beyond just the big helm thing. And I have a sinking feeling I know what’s in Sypher’s throat-box thing...
The situation here almost seems ripe for disruption courtesy of ehsthoers
10359118 There are at least four castes that we have seen, associated with the new, crescent, half and - as I would assume for the council - full moon. It serves to underline the clear divide between military and civil society for Sarosians, the first purely male, the second purely female. This would also imply the males to be outside of the civil chain of command - their conversation with the royal guard implied as much - and the drones of the new moon caste thus being enslaved or at least indentured by higher-ranking members of their own sex.
10359275 Wait until you meet Onii'chan.
Welp, we know where the mares are now. In all seriousness, I expected the matriarchal society to still be matriarchal, didn't expect the female caste system tho, that's pretty neat. Male exclusionary zone sans summons was another unexpected thing. Still, really looking forward to the meeting between Natr'do, the council, and Rainbow.
On a separate note, nice to finally be among the first twenty or so comments. Makes me feel more a part of the community as a whole. Now I just gotta get IC-senpai to notice me. It'd prob be hard naming a character using my username, still, a nickname or vessel or organization would be pretty cool. It could be a year or five, but still, it's good to aim high sometimes, right?
The caste system here is intriguing. There’s a clear caste within castes things going on. First, separated by sex, then subdivided. I wonder what the main differences for the subdivisions are. Age, perhaps? Knowledge and capability of lunar magic? Really can’t wait to find out!
Some interesting culture going on! Not quite straightforward
Huh, looks like the bad living conditions only apply to the lowest level of the place.
There's an obvious tension between the two sexes and it seems like Lexxic wants to overthrow the Council, but I have a feeling his goal is bigger than that.
Moonwhinny, battle-tongue, and now New. so many languages in one place.
Got a feeling that Dash's antics will really change the status quo for the Bloodwings.
Can't wait to meet meet this Dream Council.
10363566
I'm guessing the dream council will insist they will quit the war and the stallions revolt.
Escalation
What I think would be really amusing at this juncture is for a 'shade' of Nightmare Moon to emerge during the proceedings in the next chapter. Would cause plenty of chaos depending on what happens.
Wait a minute...
Wait a minute....
..... Is the whole "second brother", "fifth brother" thing just an elaborate excuse to write Fourths into the story??
It's good to know Luna's enchantment is still in place, but it seemed a lot weaker than before. I'm expecting it to run out very soon.
It's interesting that lexxic didn't seem to react at all to Luna's power.
Looks like the boys ain't allowed any further. Some semblence of the matriarchal society still exists, even if Lexxic is eroding it away from the ground up.
Ah, so the mares do participate in the industry, just not the smithing. Weird division of labor.
Not that weird. It's making use any slight differences in body types to create maximum effieceincy in the war effort. Stallions with better muscels and endurance to handle a forge, mares with better focus and precision for handling the moonstones and leatherworking.
I guess? I mean, I'm not sure how much sex actually affects things like that, but this, I suppose, is more about how certain traditions of division of labor and class came about more than any real grounding in truth. The sarosians at least seem to believe in the traditions of their labors, rather than question the validity of them.
Except there's also quite a bit of tension between the males fighting the war directly and the females supporting the logistics and stragetic end of things.
Yeah, with all this segregation I'm baffled how these people manage to bang each other, but I imagine that aspect of things will be revealed in due time as well. At least it's clear that there's plenty of mares who are essentially normal. I'm... not sure what's with that first caste we saw with the drone-like behavior. Is it drugs or something else that produces that?
Could just be mental reprogramming. A person who is taught to behave in such a manner from birth wouldn't really need any outside factors to keep that behavioral set going. Again, we don't know how things are handled at birth, or at what point a sarosian's place in this society is determined or in what manner. Lexxic appears to hate it, regardless.
Dude does seem to have a barely contained hate-boner for at least some aspects of his people's culture. Clearly he's fine when he's with the guys, mudering bugs or smashing shards, but the guy's up to his ears with sass and criticism for the politcal situation of his people. As plenty of pointed out by now, I think the guy is primed for a coup. Which will probably be bloody, as I don't think those female guards have the kind of battle expereince the male soldiers do.
The insinuation here is that they have no battle expereince at all. Training, maybe, but I'd be surprised if any of these mares have set hoof outside the Tree of Mothers their whole lives.
Hmm, I'm also up from 70% certain to around 80% certain that Lexxic can see and hear Rainbow's ghostly gal-pals. That quip of his was about pies, not a compass.
Maybe. Maybe not. So what do you think about Rainbow Dash getting the shard of Endrax? How will she pull that off?
One impossible task at a time. Personally I'm not convinced those shards are even all that neccessary, as there's more than one way to skin a.... ancient dragon's stupid shield spell.
Like what? The Shard haven't gotten through in centuries. And they probably have giant fuck-off soul lasers.
Maybe that's the problem. The Night Shard only know how to tackle a problem from one angle. Or, at least I get the impression that, for them, everything is 'Souls' 'Souls' 'Souls'. They probably have souls as the solution for everything. Soul guns. Soul ships. Soul bombs. Soul bubble baths. I'd say that they've used a 'get a bigger hammer' approach to problem solving forever and haven't thought to try getting a drill or credit card instead.
Credit card?
You know, get a locked door open with a credit card? You've never done that?
Have you?
...Okay no, I haven't, but I've seen it on tv, so it must be possible.
You know what? Let's just contnue. I really want to see more of how this developes, so onward we go.
I sense a schism amongst the Sarosians.
And I'm not talking about class hierarchy.
Well then. Guess I was half right about the mares. The working conditions for the rest, though... yeesh.
I'll be honest, I like these guys. Lexxic doesn't seem like that bad a guy, yet. I'm guessing we'll either find out that lexxic is a pretty cool dude, or he'll become the next big bad guy.
Feels like a lack of communication between the sexes. And with that tension hostility. They need to bridge the groups before it boils over.
I know I got to this point before falling off the train last year, because I commented on this chapter. So how is it that I never commented on this?
Totally digging the old fart vibes