The Kingdom of Heaven and Earth

by Bucephalus

Chapter 9: The sweet scent of the past

Kingdom of Heaven and Earth
Chapter 9: The sweet scent of the past

The sounds of grinding gears and wailing wood mixed with the shouting of the crew as the cloud-glider soared higher thanks to the thermal updraft. The winds sweeping through the valley kept the ship soaring forward, swooping towards the sky in all its majesty. The creaking sound of the four gigantic wings beating in synch was like that of the dragons the ship was modeled after.

“Ah still can’t believe this thing here can fly…” Applejack peered down over the edge of the ship, gulping heavily as she saw how high up they were.

“Eh, it’s not as cool as flying with your wings,” Rainbow Dash commented. “This thing is just clunky.”

“And, um… It really feels unsafe,” Fluttershy said and squeaked, clinging to Applejack. “And really, really rickety!”

Twilight had to agree with her friends’ concerns. The cloud-glider was built like the ancient longships of the feral ponies that had once lived in the north. The major differences were the huge size of the cloud-glider and the additional deck under the primary deck. Instead of oars the cloud-glider was powered by four huge wings powered by unicorn-magic. The bow of the ship was shaped like a dragon’s maw. The wind the ship broke was sucked into the hull and then propelled out, adding additional propulsion to the craft.

As the mountain path to the Fort Stronghoof had been destroyed by an avalanche, this contraption known as the cloud-glider was currently the only way for non-pegasi to reach the fort.

This, however, that was not the main concern in Twilight Sparkle’s mind. What she was currently worried about was something far more mundane.

“…I look ridiculous.”

Thanks to the spell Twilight had used to defeat Silent Relic, her body had suffered extensive damage, her muscles and nerves expecially. Thus, she was currently wrapped tightly in Fluttershy’s artifact, the Veiling Shroud. While the shroud was doing good job at healing her, it also made her look like an oversized Hearth’s Warming Eve present. Rarity had nearly fainted at the sight of the clashing purple and green.

“Don’t be such a Miss Grumpy-Pants, Twilight!” Pinkie said and giggled. “You’re the patient now, so no moping!”

“I know, I know,” Twilight grumbled. “But still this feels ridiculous. But I guess it’s my own fault…”

“Hey, at least you won,” Lovely Corn chimed in. “And lass, you really did it with style. I don’t think Silent Relic will ever forget that spell of yours.”

This finally got a giggle out of Twilight, and she flashed a smile to the older mare.

“Well, it was not exactly my own spell. I based it on something Star Swirl the Bearded came up with,” she explained. “Tsubame Gaeshi was but a legend, but when you explained to me about how my teleportation worked, I figured I could mimic that legend.”

“And it worked out well,” Lovely Corn said with a grin. “Well, except concerning your body. Good job, nonetheless!”

Lovely Corn patted Twilight on the back, causing the latter to flinch and let out an embarrassed laugh. Whistling a strange tune, the older mare left the unicorn to her thoughts, heading towards the starboard where Rarity was quarreling with the captain of the cloud-glider over the dull-grey that they had painted the cloud-glider.

Now that she had been left alone, Twilight’s thoughts turned back to her discussion with Elfin Fresh before they had left for Fort Stronghoof. The older mare had walked straight into their room at the inn while Twilight had been recovering, wanting to stay true to her earlier promise. Twilight had suggested that Elfin Fresh’s parentage was not as simple as it was with most ponies.

Her suspicions had turned out to be true.

“You were right when you commented on my lineage, by the way,” Elfin Fresh said, smoking a long pipe. “My mother was of the Cervidae. Part of the Tuatha Dé Cernunnaan. The original inhabitants of Equestria, who came from the four forgotten cities. They live in their mounds these days, hidden by ancient magic and runes long forgotten, but they sometimes come out to play. On one of those trips my mother came across my father and somehow fell in love with the idiot.”

Twilight found herself absorbed in this story. While there were many books speculating about the Tuatha Dé Cernunnaan in Canterlot, there was nearly no actual information. The Cervidae had always been a mysterious and enigmatic race, one that had disappeared when they started to lose their war against the feral ponies who had come to conquer Equestria at the dawn of time. The Cervidae were known for their fickleness and enmity towards ponies, so the idea of a one falling in love with a pony was surprising to hear.

“My mother was the guardian of one of their four artifacts, though, so you can imagine that the rest of the Tuatha Dé Cernunnaan did not appreciate the union,” Elfin Fresh continued to explain. “Nuada, their leader, wasn’t happy that her daughter wanted to be wed to a pony. So the two ran away and ended up here, in this small mountain-town, where they started a happy family.”

Elfin Fresh took a drag from her pipe, blowing a cloud of smoke through her lips. Her eyes were staring into the distance beyond the walls of the room, seeing into the past that was now long gone. Twilight did not dare to speak before the mare continued, for fear of breaking the stream of memories that must’ve been running through her head.

“It worked for a while. I was born. But after that, the Tuatha found both of them. Too late, though. My father was terminally ill, and my mother did not want to live without him. So, showing a surprising amount of compassion, they took both of them back to the mounds, in order to use their magic to heal my father,” Elfin Fresh said, and her expression wavered. “The price was that I had to remain here, amongst the ponies. And I did. End of story.”

Twilight felt a pang of sorrow as she saw the expression on Elfin Fresh’s face. She averted her gaze, wanting to give the older mare a moment to compose herself. After a nearly minute of silence, Twilight finally spoke up again.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it would be a… story like this.” She looked at Elfin Fresh with apologetic expression. “I didn’t want to open up old wounds.”

“Oh, it’s alright,” Elfin answered and flashed a slightly-forced grin. “There was actually a point to this. You should understand now that I don’t have that good of a relationship with my clan. And yet…they sent me a letter just a week ago.”

“What!?”

Twilight turned so quickly towards the older mare that her body screamed in pain, causing her to flinch. Elfin Fresh chuckled and put her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, forcing her back into the bed.

“Yeah. I got a message from my grandmother, and it was a strange one: they wanted me to come to their mound.” Elfin Fresh nodded to Twilight’s surprised expression. “Apparently they think that something terrible is approaching Equestria and are about to seal themselves inside their mounds. And they want me to be there, too. Weird, huh?”

“Something terrible?” Twilight whispered. “Could it be about Ma—“

She was cut off by Elfin Fresh putting her hoof on her lips.

“Better not tell me about it. If it’s truly dangerous, I don’t think the Princess wants rumors to spread before she’s ready to make an announcement.” Elfin brought her pipe back to her lips. “Plus, I could never leave that hubby of mine. So don’t go scaring me with what’s to come.”

Twilight managed to crack a smile which widened after Elfin winked at her.

“Alright. But don’t worry, we’re currently trying to fix it,” Twilight concluded.

Twilight was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts as Rarity walked up next to her and patted her on the shoulder.

“Do not worry, darling, I am sure I can come up with something that will reduce the atrocious combination of your outfit’s current colors,” Rarity assured her friend. “Since it seems that I cannot sway the mind of that brutish captain over there, I think it might be best to get you at least somewhat presentable before we are at the fort.”

Twilight giggled as her friend started nipping and tucking her outfit, concentration pressing her brows down and twisting her lips. It was such a familiar scene that Twilight suddenly felt like the events that had transpired in the past few days had been nothing but a dream.

But as she looked into the distance and saw the rising peak where Fort Stronghoof lied, she realized that hope was for naught.

“Sure. Since we’re official envoys of Princess Celestia, might as well look our best!” Twilight said and smiled. Rarity returned the smile.

“Exactly. Nothing like a little couture before we are thrust into a crude fort filled with even cruder soldiers,” Rarity said and chuckled before giving Twilight a gentle glance. “Plus, fashion helps to drive away a mauvais quart d’heure, if you are suffering from one.”

Twilight nodded and sighed, returning her gaze to the mountains around them. She could not describe in words how glad she was to have friends like hers.

“Indeed. Thanks.”

“Do not mention it, darling.”

****

There was a strange sense of accomplishment the ponies felt as they stood before the magnificent gates of Fort Stronghoof. It had been nearly a month since they had first met Cleitus the Black, the stallion who had started their journey. Now, they had finally arrived at the place where they knew they would get some answers.

However, there was a slight obstacle that they would have to be conquer first.
“This is the famous Stairway of a Thousand Steps. Built to repel possible invaders as well as to test the soldiers who train here, it is one of the most fabled sights of western Equestria,” Twilight spoke, looking ahead. “The fort lies at the very summit, so let’s get climbing!”

The clear blue sky seemed to be just within the reach of their hooves, but even that sight was dampened by the stairs that towered ahead of them. They were made out of pure white stone that, and they seemed to continue for eternity, like they were like some sort of temple or a statue built in honor of a long-forgotten god. It was both imposing and awe-inspiring sight, and at the very top, they could see the glimmering rays of the sun hitting tiled rooftops.

“Darling, even though I have survived the grueling training of Lovely Corn… no offense intended.” Rarity gave an apologetic look towards the mare. “…not to mention having journeyed through the tunnels of the Everfree City, this is still… A bit much.”

Fluttershy was quick to nod in agreement, and even Twilight herself had to admit that the idea of climbing the unusually large stone steps was not an inviting one. Unlike in most cases, the stairs had not been carved into the mountainside, but instead they had been built from scratch, using blocks with surprisingly beautiful carvings adorning them. The sheer impracticality of such a project was enough to stagger Twilight, but the words she heard next nearly caused her jaw to drop.

“Oh, I know these steps!” Pinkie Pie suddenly shouted in joy. “I built the first three hundred and thirty of them! And the one at the very top!”

This drew the attention of everypony in the group. They stared at Pinkie with mixture of shock and disbelief. Sensing the expressions of her friends, Pinkie giggled and jumped to the very first step.

“Stop looking so silly, girls. It’s true. I told you our farm helped to build this place, right?” Pinkie let out a sharp whistle, listening as it echoed from the mountainside. “So this is my second time here, and nope, there isn’t a shortcut! We gotta climb aaaaall the way up there!”

Rarity’s expression fell like a rock would fall down the mountainside, into the deep drop below. However, they all had understood the implications of Pinkie’s words. As much as they disliked the idea, there was no way around it; they would have to climb.

And so started one of the more unpleasant parts of the ponies’ journey so far. Even Applejack found herself struggling, as little before the halfway point, she had to start carrying Spike, who had completely exhausted himself. The only one who wasn’t panting from fatigue by that time was Lovely Corn, but even she did not seem to enjoy the climb one bit.

What little vegetation there was near the landing pad of the cloud-glider was gradually replaced by something rather unusual the higher the group climbed. It started with few simple sprouts and flowers, but after the halfway point, the ponies started realizing they were surrounded by strong and resilient trees. Twilight tried to recognize the species of these strange plants, but found nothing in her memory that would have matched. The closest resemblance their vertical growth had was to Huangshan Pine, but the size of the trees was wrong – these pines were far too large.

As they started getting closer and closer to the summit, the ponies quickly understood that the air was getting thinner. This was an especially familiar feeling for Rainbow Dash, who had experienced it many times during her flights. For pegasi like herself and Fluttershy, it was not a problem. Unlike earth ponies or unicorns, the pegasi ventilated their lungs by means of air sacs, which maintained a constant flow of oxygen through them. Their bodies also produced a special type of hemoglobin that absorbed oxygen quickly, or so Twilight had told to Dash. The rest of the ponies did not have such luxuries, however, and were panting rather heavily.

“Sometimes it feels like there’s but a single reason those two test ponies who want to climb here,” Lovely Corn grumbled. “They want to make sure the climbers are tough. If somepony hasn’t got the stamina to beat them, there’s no way one could climb these stairs.”

A silent atmosphere of agreement hung over the group.

Eventually the group made it to the very last stretch of steps, which put a little more energy in their climb. They saw the rooftops of large buildings made out of wood, but little else. It also became apparent that there was a gate ahead of them, one that was colossal enough to fit a whole army through. It was built from a shiny metal that even Twilight couldn’t recognize, and the frame was made out of wood that had been painted a beautiful red. There was even the symbol of twin-alicorns painted in the very center of the gate.

Any thoughts of the gate were whisked away from the minds of the group, however, when a shadow fell over them.

“Good day. You are the new arrivals, right?” A gruff female voice asked. “Here on a task from the Princess herself?”

There, at the very top of the stairs, stood a red mare who made even Lovely Corn look fragile. She was dressed in gleaming armor and carrying a thick lance. Her blue mane flowed in the wind of the mountain, framing her strong facial features. One of her eyes was closed and a gruesome scar ran over it, but the other was staring straight at the group like a burning piece of amber.

“Y-yes. That’s us,” Twilight answered, trying to mask how out of breath she was. “I am the personal protégé of Princess Celestia—“

“Twilight Sparkle. Yes, I know. It is my job.” The mare cut her off. “I am Cyclone Lance, the commander of Fort Stronghoof. My rules are now ones that govern over you. Here, at the top of the world, the only words that weigh more than mine are those of the Princesses.”

A wave of displeasure washed over the group. The strict aura that flowed from the armored mare was not just that of a soldier. Her words carried the arrogance only a high-ranking official could show against civilians. Even though Twilight had heard of the Lance family, dating back to the war against Discord, she found herself immediately disliking Cyclone Lance.

But then, surprisingly, Cyclone Lance smiled awkwardly at the group.

“—Well, that is what I was going to say. I was afraid that you’d be the type to use their authority to get past Elfin Fresh and Silent Relic. But, judging from your bodies, you took the hard route.” Cyclone Lance stepped out of the way. “I respect that. I truly respect that. Please, follow me. Allowing you inside our bastion suddenly feels like a much more pleasant job for me.”

As the ponies climbed up the last steps, they were greeted by the magnificent, full sight of Fort Stronghoof. It was clearly more of a castle than just a fortification. Large stone walls encased the perimeter and they had been both reinforced and decorated with the same red wood that had been used to construct the framework of the gate. Large bastions flanked the outer wall, along with bartizans set into every corner. It seemed that the ones who built the fort had wanted to give as great an advantage for ranged defenders as they could.

The fortress itself had been built against the side of the highest peak, and its sturdy walls climbed nearly all the way up. Numerous walkways stretched between and around the buildings, creating a display of architectural ingenuity. Below the actual castle, from the very root of the peak, a small town spread out. It lay behind the protection of the large walls that the ponies had seen before. At the very center of the town they could see a beautiful, white church.

Numerous large flags had been raised to the poles that hung over the gate they approached, one of them being the official flag of Equestria. While some were flags of various armed forces, such as the pegasi legions, to Twilight’s surprise there were two flags that she did not recognize. One was a blue flag depicting a blazing sun rising from behind raging waves. The other one had a black crow with three legs against a white-and-red background.

However, while Twilight did not recognize the flags, somepony else did. The moment they arrived at the gate, Rainbow Dash’s eyes locked onto the crow-flag, and she seemed to shiver.

“W-what the hay is that flag doing here?” Dash asked in a strange tone.

“Oh, the one with the crow? We’re currently doing a joint-exercise with a few other armed forces, so we display all of their flags up there,” Cyclone Lance answered.

The armored mare saluted a few of the guards on the ramparts. She then led the group away from the main gate. Just beyond the large tower east of the main gate they found a postern: a secondary gate, much smaller in size. When the armored guards saw them arriving, they saluted Cyclone Lance immediately and hurried to open the postern. Once open, the group continued their journey, entering the fort proper.

“Yeah, I got that,” Rainbow Dash continued. “But I mean, why are they here? It doesn’t make sense!”

“You got that right,” Cyclone Lance said and snorted. “The Firefly Faction tends to keep to themselves, most of the times, but for some reason they sent us a message a few months ago saying that they wanted to hold a joint-exercise. Who knows why?”

As they entered Fort Stronghoof, it quickly dawned on the ponies that the normal-looking town they had seen was anything but. The houses were more like barracks, housing multiple squads of soldiers who were not on current duty. Most of them seemed to be trainees. As the group walked past these barracks, down the cobblestone streets, some of the rowdier soldiers kept wolf-whistling at them. A single glare from Cyclone Lance was enough to send these soldiers fleeing back inside.

They finally arrived on the main street and immediately ran into some sort of gathering. In the large plaza ahead, a huge crowd of ponies, soldiers and officers alike, had gathered to look at something. There was loud buzzing in the air, caused by hundreds of ponies whispering to each other. This immediately piqued the interest of the group, and even Cyclone Lance seemed to be surprised at what was going on.

“Huh. So I guess the rest of them finally arrived,” Cyclone Lance grunted. She took the lead, starting to clear a path through the crowd. “It was about time.”

“Rest of them? Who is it?” Twilight asked, getting more and more confused each second.

“Well, it certainly cannot be anypony civilized,” Rarity commented, shooting annoyed glares at stallions who kept ogling at them. “Judging from this audience, I’d wager it is just a brawl or something similar.”

“A brawl, huh?” Applejack chuckled. “Ah would welcome that. That ride before was darn borin’.”

“Nope. It’s nothing like that,” Cyclone Lance said as she finally stopped at the very edge of the crowd. “If I’m guessing right, the big shot of the Firefly Faction has just arrived.”

“W-wait! Big shot!? You mean, like their leader!?” Panic rapidly appeared on Rainbow Dash’s face. “I-I gotta go now! I can’t stay here!”

“Hold yer horses, girl!” Applejack caught her friend by the tail just as Dash was about to flee. “What’s got ya in such a hurry? It’s like ya were afraid of something!”

“N-no! I’m not afraid!” Rainbow Dash let out a nervous laugh. “What would I be afraid of?”

“Oh, my,” Fluttershy suddenly said, raising her hoof to her lips. “You said Firefly Faction. Isn’t… Dashie, isn’t that your—“

Fluttershy wasn’t able to finish her sentence as just then, a loud noise cut through the air, silencing everypony. The smell of gunpowder hung in the air, and everypony’s attention was drawn from Rainbow Dash to the center of the plaza. There, flanked by two squads of pegasi dressed in dark-green light armor, stood a tall mare with a flowing red mane. In her raised hoof she held a strange weapon, one not often seen in Equestria – a short matchlock pistol, with a handle made out of ebony.

“Hear the sound of the Crimson Bell! We are the honorable Firefly Faction! In the name of the Oath of Ariothens, we have come to teach you in the art of war, citizens of Equestria!” The mare’s voice was as booming as the sound of her gun. “We who are the daughters of the greatest warrior, born from the union of Balius and Xanthus! Guided by our ancestral leader, Firefly, our song shall from here forth guide your steps in battle!”

To emphasize her words, the mare once again pulled the large trigger of her gun, shooting towards the sky. The sound was so loud that all the ponies flattened their ears and winced. Even Twilight, as curious as she was about the exotic weaponry the mare used, found it hard to not avert her eyes from the bright muzzle flash of the gun.

Twirling her gun on her hoof, the mare who had spoken put it back to the holster at her hip. It joined the array of two dozen identical guns, twelve at each side. Each one had a crimson holster decorated with a camouflage pattern, similar to that on the red cloak of the mare. The turquoise eyes of said mare gazed at the crowd that had gathered to listen to her announcement. There, in the middle of all the ponies and under the bright rays of the sun, her orange coat looked like it was ablaze.

Behind her, Twilight sensed movement. She threw a quick glance behind her only to see that Rainbow Dash seemed to be trying to sneak away from the crowd. Unfortunately, this sudden movement only caught the attention of the mare at the center of the plaza. The leader of the Firefly Faction smirked, striking her hoof against the cobblestone so hard that it stopped Rainbow Dash right in her tracks. The leader began moving forward, head straight to Twilight and the rest of the group.

Now that she was closer to them, Twilight could see this mysterious leader of the Firefly Faction clearly. She was more handsome than beautiful, with sharp features and even sharper eyes. She wore a red, painted breastplate and bronze greaves. Along with the smell of black powder that hung around her, this gave her the aura of a fearsome warrior. But the most shocking thing Twilight understood when she looked at the mare was that she looked strangely familiar – very, very familiar.

“Rainbow Dash, how come I am not surprised to I find you here? Or that you would sneak away like a coward when the Crimson Bell of the Firefly Faction tolls?” The mare asked, raising an eyebrow. “It simply feels as if history is repeating itself.”

Rainbow Dash turned to face the older mare, and while doing so, adopted a different sort of expression. Her panic was replaced by a deep frown and strange sort of anger that none of her friends had ever seen her exhibit. For a moment, the two mares stared at each other, both glaring daggers.

And finally, Rainbow Dash answered the mocking words of the older mare.

“Yeah, I guess I didn’t want anything to do with you or your job back then either,” Rainbow Dash said, nearly spitting out her words. “But that feeling’s mutual, isn’t it, Mom?”

A deafening silence descended over the group, as the friends of Dash could only stare at her and the older mare in utter shock.

****

“You’re saying that the Crimson Bell, the leader of the most advanced mercenary group in the Middle Continents, is your mother!?”

Twilight was not the only pony who had wanted to voice that question. The group was currently sitting in the mess hall of Fort Stronghoof having a dinner amongst the numerous soldiers. All eyes were glued on Rainbow Dash, who kept nibbling on her hay steak.

Lovely Corn, seeing the expression on the pegasus’ face, erupted into uproarious laughter.

“Now that’s what I call a family reunion! Who’d have thought that this pipsqueak was the daughter of the Crimson Bell?” She said. “I have to say, you ponies keep surprising me more and more with each passing day!”

“It’s not funny!” Rainbow Dash groaned, and shot a glare at her food. “She’s the last pony I’d want to meet, especially during a time like this.”

“Now, what’s so bad ‘bout meetin’ your mother?” Applejack asked. “Ah thought ya would be happy ‘bout it.”

“Indeed,” Rarity chimed in. “Although your mother was certainly rather… uncouth, she is still your mother, is she not?”

“You guys don’t get it,” Dash grumbled. “Mom and I never see eye to eye about anything. She wanted me to lead the Firefly Faction after her. I wanted to follow in the hoofsteps of my dad, Prism Blitz. You wouldn’t believe how angry she got when I told her that. She barely came to visit dad and me in Cloudsdale after that. The last time we met, she told me I was the biggest disappointment in her life.”

An awkward silence grew between the ponies, as they had not anticipated that kind of answer. However, it was broken just as suddenly as it had fallen when Pinkie Pie patted Dash on the back so hard that she fell muzzle-first to her food, and granting Dash a beard made out of mashed potatoes in the process.

“Oh, don’t be silly! She’s your mother, after all!” Pinkie said and giggled. “She might say she’s disappointed, but she’ll love you anyway! That’s what moms are for!”

“I dunno. Lately it’s been pretty hard to stay positive like that,” Dash said and let out a drawn-out sigh. “It’s like Equestria isn’t Equestria anymore.”

“Cheer up, sugarcube. While some horrible things might’ve happened, it’s not because the world’s changed,” Applejack consoled her. “No matter what that Cleitus bloke did, it ain’t changin’ the true nature of ponies.”

“Applejack’s right, you know?” Twilight agreed. “You haven’t seen each other in a while, right? Maybe you should just have a talk with her. Tell her what kind of things you’ve been up to lately. Saving Equestria three times must impress even her.”

“You don’t get it.” In her frustration, Dash hit the table with her hoof. “My mom’s been busy saving Equestria every day. She fights dragons, monsters, and all sorts of enemies. It’s a routine for her. What I’ve done is just a shadow of her achievements.”

“Um, don’t you still think you should talk to her?” Fluttershy asked. “Having family is… always a precious thing.”

Rainbow Dash froze for a moment, her eyes directly locked at her pegasus friend. Fluttershy, on the other hand, hid her face under her mane, becoming even quieter than usual. The others switched their attention from Dash to Fluttershy, unsure as to what was going on. Finally, the blue pegasus opened her mouth.

“Yeah. Sorry, Fluttershy. I forgot.” Dash swept her mane from her face. “Yeah, I’ll talk to her at some point.”

“In that case, you should talk to me now.”

The ponies were shocked by the sudden voice behind them. As they turned to look, they found that Crimson Bell was standing close to them with a stern expression on her face. The mare did not seem any less threatening now that she was in a different environment. In fact, her exotic weaponry and commandeering bearing made her seem even more unnerving. With her turquoise eyes locked straight at the group, her presence fell upon them like a heavy blanket.

“What do you want?” Dash asked, glaring at Crimson Bell. “The way you simply left after talking down to me, I thought we were done.”

“Hardly, little magpie, you simply left in a hurry, scurrying away from under my sight. The way you were right then, my words were unneeded.” Crimson Bell walked over to the group, keeping her eyes locked at her daughter. “Now that time has passed, I have come to speak to you again. You are no longer a filly, little magpie. If we are to speak, we must do it as mares who understand their position.”

Rainbow Dash simply grunted and turned her gaze away. She seemed to have no interest in getting dragged into her mother’s pace. The archaic way of speaking was in direct contrast with that of Dash, as was her poise.

“U-um, it is an honor to meet you, Crimson Bell.” Twilight had realized that somepony needed to steer the conversation to safer waters. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I am a friend of your daughter. In fact, we all are. And I can say that there is no friend more loyal than Dash.”

“Hm. Twilight Sparkle? Ah, yes, the protégé of Celestia. It seems that you have surrounded yourself with companions with fame and talent greater than yours, little magpie,” Crimson Bell said and snorted.

While Dash’s eyebrows twitched dangerously at the jabs from her mother, Twilight noticed something strange in what the older mare had said.

“Celestia? You seem to refer to the Princess rather familiarly,” Twilight commented.

“We, the proud Firefly Faction, are not to be bound by any form of authority, whether it be a monarch or a country. The flame of our pride is lent to those in need, but we follow no lord. We will, and never shall, think of Princess Celestia as our Princess. We are our own masters, born from the honorable legacy of the city of Ariothens. That is why she shall be merely an equal asking for our help, never anything more,” Crimson Bell told them frankly.

“Well, I did read that the Firefly Faction was created a long time ago…” Twilight frowned a bit, putting her hoof to her chin. “It’s an age-old tradition amongst the pegasi, right?”

“Indeed,” Bell answered. “To be a part of the Firefly Faction is to be a part of the family. Each member passes the flame of our pride down to their daughters, and so shall our numbers never diminish. Unlike ambitions such as being a clown in the sky, performing tricks to those ponies who have their feet stuck to the earth, the Firefly Faction is a way of life. One that should be an honor for those invited to it.”

That was the last straw for Rainbow Dash. She hit the table with her front legs, causing the plates to clatter and the ponies to jump back in surprise. Only Crimson Bell remained calm, staring at her daughter with an odd smirk on her face. This expression was returned by Dash in the form of an angry and somewhat hurt glare.

“Okay! I get it! You didn’t like it when dad and I chose to become the top flight acrobats in all of Equestria! You hated it when I still dreamt of that after dad passed away! In fact, all you ever did was disapprove my choices!” Dash shouted, pointing an accusing hoof at her mother. “But guess what? I’ve got great friends now! I’ve saved all of Equestria over three times! Even if I chose my own path instead of yours, I’m in no way inferior to you nowadays!”

While the other ponies seemed to be rather disturbed by this outburst from their friend, Crimson Bell simply chuckled at her daughter’s anger. Rainbow Dash was breathing heavily after all the yelling, but still refused to back even an inch inch, staring daggers at her mother.

“You? Equal to me?” Crimson Bell asked with an arched eyebrow. “Would you wish to prove that, little magpie?”

“What’cha got in mind?”

“The traditional challenge of the Firefly Faction. We face each other tomorrow,” Crimson Bell answered. “If you manage to defeat me, I’ll acknowledge that you have not only become my equal, but surpassed me. If you do not… it shall only show that nothing has changed, even after all these years.”

“Fine!” Dash agreed. “I’ll show you just how much I’ve grown!”

“Ooh, ooh, a challenge?” Pinkie Pie suddenly joined in the conversation, confusing both Dash and her mother. “Is it a bake-off? The Cakes’ traditional challenge was a bake-off! My family had a challenge too, but it always took so long to grow pyrite! Anyways, if it’s a bake-off, I can be a judge!”

“No, little and excited one,” Crimson Bell said and chuckled. She turned around, ready to leave the mess hall. “The traditional challenge of the Firefly Faction is a no-holds-barred combat between two individuals. It shall only end when the other surrenders or either participant has a chance to deliver a fatal blow that cannot be avoided.”

Leaving the ponies in a disturbed silence, Crimson Bell marched out of the mess hall. She was greeted by her soldiers outside, and after giving them a quick nod, she disappeared completely from the sight of the group. All eyes were now on Rainbow Dash, who seemed to be switching between worry and determination.

“Well, that’s a strange way to show motherly love,” Lovely Corn said and snorted. “But I think that there was something else you girls came here for other than to pick a fight with your family members.”

This snapped Twilight out of her daze. While she was still worried about her friend, it seemed that Fluttershy was already consoling Dash, and so there was little she could do. What Twilight had to focus on now was the original reason that they had come to the Fort Stronghoof.

“A-ah, yes,” Twilight answered. “Cyclone Lance, do you have any records of a pony named Cleitus the Black? He came with some foreign forces a few years back, and I believe he may have trained here for a while.”

This question seemed to surprise Cyclone Lance. The gruff mare raised her only working eyebrow, before giving a bark of a laugh and slamming the table with her hoof.

“That brat Cleitus? Sure, I remember him. He was the leader of the youngster brigade from Coltic Lands that came here to train with our youths about eight years ago,” Cyclone Lance said. “I’ve got some records about their group in my office. I’ll show you them after we’ve eaten.“

With nothing else to truly discuss after what, the ponies fell back into silence and turned their attention back to their meals. Many things were happening all at once, and multiple concerns were brewing. While Rainbow Dash was cursing her own hot-headedness and how she let her mother antagonize her like that, Twilight was getting anxious about finding out just what had happened between her brother and Cleitus the Black.

And, while it was unknown to the rest of them, Spike had finally made a decision to search through the fort’s library, just like the strange dragon he had met had suggested.

****

The office of Cyclone Lance was as bare as most of the rooms in Fort Stronghoof. Whereas the exterior of the fort was designed beautifully, the interiors had been clearly made for function over fashion. There was just a single desk in the office, one bookcase, one shelf, and a window through which Cyclone Lance could observe the training crowds. Even now, a group of young trainees was practicing melee-combat on the field.

“Erm, girls? Has anypony seen Spike?” Twilight wondered as they stepped into the office. “I saw him when we left the mess hall, but after that…”

“Oh, Spikey-wikey said he wanted to check something in the fortress’s library,” Rarity answered. “I believe he said there was some book he had to search for.”

“A book?” Twilight asked, looking a bit skeptical. “What’s gotten into him now?”

“Ah dunno, that dragon’s been actin’ a bit weird since we left Ross-on-Welara,” Applejack commented. “Ya sure nothing’s happened to him?”

“Not that I know of, no…” Twilight put her hoof to her chin, thinking back to few days ago. “He did seem a bit quieter than usual during our training, but I just assumed it was because he got bored watching us train.”

“Maybe he’s getting homesick?” Fluttershy suggested. “He’s awfully far away from Ponyville, after all, and he’s still a baby dragon.”

“Pshaw. Spike’s been getting somewhat tougher lately, right?” Dash said with a grin. “I don’t think he’s gonna stay a baby for long.”

“Well, whatever the case, that mister better explain what’s going on once he gets back.” Twilight turned her attention to Cyclone Lance, who was going over the files in the bookcase. “So, how’s it going? Did you find anything on Cleitus the Black yet?”

As Twilight called out to her, Cyclone Lance answered by slamming a stack of papers, along with what looked like a personal file, onto the table. She tapped them with her hoof before moving away so the ponies could begin pouring over them.

“These are his personal files. I wouldn’t usually show these to outsiders, but since you lot are here on Princess Celestia’s orders, I figured I might make an exception.” She cracked a smile. “While you go over them, I might tell you a bit about him, or at least what I personally remember.”

“That’d be mighty helpful. Lots can’t be seen just by reading about what he did,” Applejack said.

“Well, let’s see. Cleitus came here with the rest of the youth legion from Coltic Lands. Joint-exercise, like I said. It was a bit before the time that Princess Cadance began training her personal guards here and lived here for few months at a time to oversee their progress,” Cyclone Lance told them.

This caught Twilight’s interest. She looked at Cyclone with a confused expression.

“Princess Cadance? I knew she disappeared from Canterlot every once in a while, but she was actually here all those times?”

“You didn’t know? Since you were asking about Cleitus, I figured you’d know the most famous tale about him. Well, if that’s the case, I think I better start from there.” Cyclone Lance scratched her chin before continuing. “Back then, both Cleitus and her were barely your age. And since they arrived at roughly the same time, both burdened with the responsibility of leadership, they hit it off pretty well; of course they became friends.”

Giving a low chuckle, Cyclone Lance shifted her gaze to the window and the fields beyond it, watching the rookie soldiers train as she continued her story.

“Cleitus was quite the wild colt back then, but Princess Cadance was there to make sure he straightened up his act every time he was about to do something stupid. Though most mercenaries end up being rambunctious good-for-nothings, Princess Cadance was the one who made sure Cleitus became a whole different breed compared to them,” Cyclone explained. “Thanks to that, Cleitus became something of a rowdy vigilante, popular and loved by everypony in the fort. He was really a stallion amongst stallions, a colt with a straight back and firm ideals, all thanks to Princess Cadance.”

At that point, the papers on the desk had been all but forgotten. Cyclone Lance’s story had completely captured the attention of the ponies. She dug out a few photos from the pile on the desk, ones showing Cleitus in his youth accompanied by other tough-looking stallions. Yet there was something clearly honorable in their postures, not unlike the Royal Guard of Canterlot.

“During his first year here in the fort, Cleitus the Black was undefeated in combat. However, that changed shortly after the spring of his second year. A stallion arrived who matched Cleitus in brawn, brain and skills,” Cyclone Lance said. “Shining Armor, the prodigy of the Canterlot Guard, and the one who was rumored to be the sweetheart of Princess Cadance. He had immense strength and used all of it to protect both his ideals and those dear to him, so you can understand that he became popular very quickly.”

Cyclone Lance paused for a moment to pull out yet another picture. For a moment Twilight thought it looked awfully familiar, and she realized it was an eerie echo of the picture in her own album. This showed young Shining Armor and Cleitus standing back to back, each holding a weapon and staring into the distance. For Shining Armor, the weapon was a sword. For Cleitus, it was a long spear.

“They were a strange pair: a mercenary and a soldier. Only once did they get into a serious fight during the year they met, and that was because of the different backgrounds they came from. But as individuals, they both fought to protect the country they loved. While Shining Armor was a native to Equestria, Cleitus the Black had learned to adore this country, and wanted nothing more than to ensure its peace,” Cyclone Lance continued. With a sigh, she sat down on the chair behind the desk. “It was after that one fight that those two became the greatest of friends. They were simply inseparable, those two fools. But… unfortunately, there was a problem. You see, they were in love with the same mare.”

Five ponies gasped out of surprise. While Pinkie Pie remained oblivious, and Lovely Corn didn’t seem to care, the others had understood what Cyclone Lance meant.

“That’s right. They both fell in love with Princess Cadance. Shining Armor had known her for a longer time, but ponies of Coltic Lands fall in love furiously and at first sight. That was simply a disaster waiting to happen. While Princess Cadance clearly shared Shining Armor’s feelings, she saw Cleitus as nothing more than a great friend. For Cleitus, who was even ready to abandon his fiancé waiting for him back in the Coltic Lands, this was a grave insult.”

Cyclone Lance gave a sigh, leaning back in her chair. She stared at the ceiling, as if she saw the memories of those days right in front of her.

“Eventually, things came to a boiling point. Cleitus challenged Shining Armor to a duel over Cadance’s hoof. Neither of course told anything about this to the mare in question. I still remember that it was raining that day. They both had snuck out of the barracks at night, in the darkness where not even the moon bore witness to their battle,” Cyclone Lance told. “It was a grievous match, lasting well into the following morning. But, in the end, Cleitus was defeated and Shining Armor was victorious. I don’t know what those two said before parting, but after that neither talked much to each other.”

“S-so, in the end…” Twilight was unable to finish the question.

“In the end, Shining Armor returned to Canterlot to take over the position of the Captain of the Royal Guard. As to what became of him and Princess Cadance… well, even you must know about the wedding about two months ago?” Cyclone Lance said. “Cleitus the Black left around the same time, and I haven’t heard much about him since then. They say that Cleitus completed his training and returned to the Coltic Lands, where his fiancée was waiting for him, but apparently he had no interest in either his heritage or his future wife. He quickly returned to Equestria with his troops and started his own band of mercenaries.”

At this point, Cyclone Lance’s eyes grew cold.

“They said that no matter how underhoofed the deal or the tactic, he was willing to use it if it meant that his band of mercenaries remained on top,” she explained. “He was neither the loved vigilante nor the respected warrior he had used to be. The reason and the culprit for his change have never been pointed out, but I think we can all make our conclusions from his tale.”

“So for the sake of love, he was willing to destroy his friendship, only to end up losing them both in the end?” Rarity asked, having quite a troubled expression on the face. “Had I not met him and seen how unpleasant he is, I could probably… Sympathize with his plight, to some extent.”

“Ah don’t really care what’s his deal is,” Applejack firmly said. “Even if he can’t get over an unrequited crush, he ain’t got no right to do the things he did.”

“Hmh. The only pony I felt sorry for in that story was the fiancée,” Lovely Corn said with a stern expression. “To wait for somepony to come back, only to find out how fleeting the supposed love was… I guess that’s curse of every mare, huh?”

“Wait a minute,” Rainbow Dash suddenly interjected. “Wasn’t there something a bit weird in that story? Didn’t you say that Shining Armor won most of the times when he faced off against Cleitus, Cyclone?”

“That’s right,” Cyclone Lance answered. “They were more evenly matched in the beginning, but as time went on, Shining Armor clearly proved to be the superior fighter.”

“Okay. So, how did Cleitus beat Shining Armor so easily back in Ponyville?” Rainbow Dash continued. “Doesn’t that seem a bit odd to you guys?”

Twilight’s mind, despite her initial hesitation, momentarily returned to the fateful night. She remembered running until she was out of breath. She remembered the heavy, cloak-like rain. She remembered the sight of blood. She remembered the sight of what she had presumed to be the corpse of her own brother. She remembered the rage that had taken over her afterwards.

But, pushing aside the red haze, there was one other thing she remembered: the wound that had been inflicted on Shining Armor. A single thrust-wound, caused by a horn, cleanly on his side where there was a crack in the armor. A wound so perfectly inflicted that it was almost artificial or unnatural. Ignoring the painful memories, Twilight focused on the shape and the direction of the wound. It was clean and round, not one made in the heat of a brawl. It was also slight aimed downwards, which would mean…

“…That wound on Shining Armor. It was never meant to be fatal.” Twilight could scarcely believe her own words, and neither could her friends.

“Now hold on just a minute!” Applejack protested. “Ya know that Shining Armor ended up in the hospital bed for far longer than ya.”

“I know, I know! But the more I think about it, the more it becomes clear that the wound could have never been fatal,” Twilight answered. “It was too clean and too well-aimed for that to be a simple mistake.”

“But that don’t make a lick of sense!” Applejack said. Pinkie giggled at her friend, patting the orange pony on the back.

“Of course it does, silly!” Pinkie said. “It just means that Cleitus didn’t try to kill Shining Armor.”

A shocked silence overtook the room after this revelation. The mere suggestion that Cleitus the Black, the aughisky who had been a source of so much misery, hadn’t actually tried to kill Shining Armor was hard to swallow. In fact, it seemed that everypony other than Pinkie Pie found it simply ludicrous. Both Rainbow Dash and Applejack wore a doubtful expression, while Rarity and Fluttershy simply seemed confused.

As for Twilight… she hardly showed any expression at all. It was like her face had completely frozen into an emotionless sate.

“B-but what, pray tell, does that mean?” Rarity finally asked. “Things simply do not seem to add up.”

“I don’t know, I don’t really care!” Twilight suddenly said, nearly shouting. Her expression had not changed, but now there was anger brewing in her eyes. “What I know is that he nearly killed him! Just what sort of decent pony would maim their own friend!?”

“…That wouldn’t be the first time for Cleitus.”

All the eyes were on Cyclone Lance after she had said those words. With a sigh, she leaned forward, giving a stern look to the ponies before her.

“This isn’t a story I’d like to repeat either, but I think you deserve to know,” she said. “Cleitus the Black is from Coltic Lands, and their way of handling things is a bit different. It happened during their first year here. There was an outbreak of rebellious Diamond Dogs near the border, and the youth legion that Cleitus led went to stop them. One of those warriors was a young colt, few years younger than you are right now. He was awfully unfit to be a warrior, but since his parents so wished, he tried his best to fit in. To the others, he was nothing but a deadweight, one that would probably get himself killed one day, and when the mission regarding the Diamond Dogs came, Cleitus was afraid that it would be that day.”

Cyclone Lance closed her eyes and an expression of distaste rose to her face.

“No words would sway the colt’s intention of going on the mission. So, despite the fact that it went against everything ponies of Equestria are taught, Cleitus did the unthinkable. He shattered the horn of that young colt, effectively preventing him from taking part in any battle. The poor pony was so traumatized by the act that he left for his homeland the next week,” Cyclone Lance told them. “But he survived, just like Cleitus had wanted. When I later asked for his explanation, he said that he’d rather maim those dear to him than allow them to die in a futile battle. It is not the way that we do things in Equestria… but for those raised in the Coltic Lands, it was acceptable and even merciful for Cleitus to do that.”

If the last revelation had caused a shocked silence in the room, this time it was like all the sound had been simply stolen from it. Ponies stared in horror and realization at Cyclone Lance, all of them quietly connecting the pieces in their heads. And when they did, they turned to look at Twilight, who had gone completely pale.

Only Lovely Corn showed an indifferent expression, but even she was biting her lip.

“So… So you’re telling me he did it b-because of some… some twisted sense of pity? Some twisted sense of mercy?” Twilight whispered with a quiet voice, before it turned into a roar of bursting anger. “No! No he didn’t! That’s simply ridiculous! Nopony would traumatize others in order to save them! That was nothing but an act of cruelty, some aughisky way of humiliating your opponent and everything that is dear to them!”

In the face of that outburst, Cyclone Lance could do nothing but to look at Twilight with apologetic eyes. For that one moment, the trauma that had been haunting Twilight ever since they left Ponyville came boiling out, and it scared her friends. It made them realize just what the unicorn had been trying to hide from them.

“I cannot judge the reasons behind Cleitus’ actions. I couldn’t before, and I certainly cannot now,” Cyclone Lance said, quickly glancing at the stump of a horn on Twilight’s forehead. “But I know this: while it was not with physical violence, Cleitus did hurt Shining Armor, too. When they still had been friends, they had made a promise: a promise to protect Equestria as long as they lived and as long as their strength did not fail them. It was a warrior’s promise, reins that kept them both tied to this country and the land they loved.”

Cyclone Lance let out a drawn-out sigh, with her body losing strength in the process. For a moment, her armored form did not seem strong at all, but weak and powerless.

“…I admit, I lied to you before. I know some of what they talked about that day, when their friendship was broken,” she confessed. “It was then that Cleitus, despite beaten and lying in the mud, told Shining Armor that he would be never able to protect Equestria with his convictions. Cleitus spat on the face of their promise, and told Shining Armor that only he, the one not bound by the morals of ponies, could protect this country. Cleitus said… that he alone would uphold that promise, and that Shining Armor should simply live his life as the husband of Cadence, a position where he could never risk his life anymore.”

There was a loud sound as Twilight slammed her hoof against the table so hard that the wood cracked. Her expression was no longer that of anger or sadness. There was still a hint of sorrow hanging around her, not to talk about the doubts swimming around in her mind, but right now what radiated from her was determination. Something in that tale, the tale of the bitter friendship between the two stallions, had awakened something within her.

“Then I’ll take that promise as mine to uphold,” Twilight spoke, and her voice no longer wavered. “He said my brother couldn’t protect this country. And while he might have been wrong about it before, he’s not now. Cleitus made sure that Shining Armor could only lie in the hospital bed and watch as Marecedonia tramples over us., but there’s no need to worry…”

Twilight let her eyes wander from one friend of hers to another, absorbing the faith they had put in her for all these years. Time and time again, she had been able to push forward only because these ponies were there standing by her side, and this time was no different. The only difference was their opposition, but even so, Cleitus the Black was simply just another obstacle who wanted to see the skies of peaceful Equestria painted over with the red color of war.

“…if my brother can’t do it, I will,” Twilight announced. “I’ll keep that warrior’s promise, and allow those reins to chain me to the destiny of this country. Not simply because this is my dear home, but because it’s the only thing I can do right now for my brother.”

“And how do you intend to do that?” Cyclone Lance asked. “Will you defeat all the enemies of Equestria like Shining Armor and Cleitus intended?”

“That’s just the same path as the one your enemies travel, you know?” Lovely Corn added, looking at Twilight with a strange expression. It was both melancholic and proud. “And look where it led them.”

“No, I won’t make that mistake,” Twilight said, placing her hoof over her heart. “I’ll simply do what I’ve always done. I’ll protect all of those who live in this wonderful land, one where peace reigns over everything. I simply won’t allow anypony else to get hurt anymore.”

“…even though you’ve been hurt so much?” Fluttershy asked with a voice that was nothing more than a whisper. “Even though we’ll probably be hurt more in the future?”

“Even though we can’t be sure we’ll even succeed?” Rainbow Dash continued, staring sternly at Twilight. Applejack joined in, asking the next question.

“Even though there ain’t no way to know what lies in the end of our journey?”

“Even though we cannot know just what we will lose in the process, darling?” Rarity chimed in, looking almost solemn.

“Even though nopony can promise we’ll make it back alive?” Pinkie Pie concluded, her face uncharacteristically serious.

For a moment, the unicorn at the center of the attention was silent. Then, having been given strength by her new determination, she raised her head and faced the eyes of her comrades.

“Even so.” There was no hesitation in her voice. “Because I made a promise to my brother just now. And we won’t lose anything, nor will anypony else, because I’ll protect you all, and I know you all will protect me.”

“That’s right,” Lovely Corn said and chuckled. “That’s not just simply friendship. That’s something gained only through understanding each other perfectly… in other words: harmony.”

Then and there, after what had felt for them like the longest of times, the six ponies embraced each other in a tight group hug just like they had used to. They squeezed each other with all of their strength, and yet they shared only smiles and not a single tear, because they knew that no matter what had happened in the past, and no matter what tragic events drove their enemies to do what they did… there was always someone who would protect them, and whom they would protect.

That was what they had promised to each other. A single, simple promise they had decided to uphold, for the sake of the one mare who had lost so much and yet decided to strive forward, despite the pain that refused to leave her.

Twilight knew her trauma was long from gone, and that nightmares would still continue to plague her, but there was now a glint of hope in the dark distance. It was something she could run forward to, to the day when she would finally understand the true reasons behind her loss… and maybe even accept them.

Unfortunately, at that point, something happened which broke the heartfelt moment between the group. It started with the sound of pounding footsteps coming down the corridor outside, which Applejack picked up first. She looked at the door with curious eyes, wondering what could cause such a racket. Soon enough everypony else heard it too, and everypony’s attention had switched towards the door.

When the door finally opened with alarming force, none of them could believe their eyes.

Eight jaws hung open in amazement at the sight that stood in the doorway, panting as if he had run all the way to the office, which he probably had. However, his mere appearance was so absurd it took the ponies a good while to even comprehend what was going on. The first one to react was, unsurprisingly, Twilight herself. She took a careful step forward, and tried to mask her shock, only to fail miserably.

“S-Spike? Is… is that you?”

What stood in the doorway was Spike, the baby dragon who had accompanied them through the whole journey. However, there was something very, very wrong about his appearance.

Spike could be hardly called a baby anymore. Standing on two legs, he was now somewhat taller than a pony. His arms and legs were now considerably longer, but not as gangly as on the day when the dragon-greed had overcame him. They were more muscular, just like his general appearance. A thick tail swept nervously back and forth, and the spines growing on Spike’s back had become even sharper. Those on top of his head jutted upwards like a mane with some of them even spreading to the sides of his head. The fangs in Spike’s mouth had grown too, as could be seen from his awkward smile. The eyes of the dragon were now the color of bright emeralds, shining like the flames he tended to use.

All things considered, the change could be summed up with four simple words: Spike had grown up.

Now, standing before the shocked ponies in all his confused glory, the dragon seemed more like a teenager than a baby, and the ponies had no idea how they should have reacted to this shocking turn of events.

“E-erm… well, looks like you guys noticed it already.” Spike gave an awkward laugh. “I wasn’t sure how much had changed since the library had no mirror, but looks like… it’s really noticeable.”

Twilight could only let out unintelligible noises when she heard her assistant talking. Spike’s voice was now considerably lower, but not to the point that it would have been an adult’s voice. Just like the rest of his body, the young dragon’s voice seemed to have changed into that of a young adult, and just like the rest of the changes, this new voice unnerved the ponies greatly.

Giving an embarrassed laugh, Spike scratched the back of his head.

“Erm, anyways… Twilight? I think I may have messed up a bit,” Spike said.

The only response Twilight could give at that point was a very agreeing nod.

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