Chapter 21: Personal Hell
Troubles Arc
Ama and Noach found themselves in a patch of forest on a road. It was early morning.
“Here we are, Ama. We’re in Zyra’s memory. In here, we’re less than ghosts. We don’t even exist. There’s no relating with that which is around us.
“This is not what I expected to find in Zyra’s mind…” Ama looked around wonderingly.
Noach was nonplussed, “What were you expecting?”
“Well, in my mind it was… formless. I saw glimpses of things and only saw myself when you called out to me.”
Noach nodded, “That was normal. It’s usually only powerful unicorns and ponies in touch with certain magic… or those with a certain frame of mind that can display what we see now.”
Ama peered around; it was real enough, but hazy and dreamlike, “I imagine Orni can… maybe Loress. They are no magic users but are of magic.”
She added without malice, “I doubt Dechaa is able to… she is the anxious sort.”
Noach chuckled, “You’re right about Dechaa, Ama. The other two… that isn’t the case with all Terrans or Knollwings, but… yes. Both can do it. Though the rest of you cannot, seeing three of you able to do it… That’s something I’ve never encountered.”
The fact she was “normal” didn’t bother Ama in the slightest; she was so unusual in so many other ways.
“Noach,” Ama poked a hoof at the ground. “You told me we cannot interact with this world… How is it we can stand? We are on gravel… Why is the ground… smooth?”
Noach waved a hoof, “It’s just a physical barrier spell. It gives us something to walk on… nothing more. Try touching that shrub.”
Ama reached to the nearby bush he had pointed at and found her hoof passed right through it, “Fascinating…”
“It would be the same if you touched anything… including a pony. This is a memory. We can’t change or otherwise manipulate anything.”
Ama asked, “This road leads to Zyra’s hometown?”
Noach began to walk, “Indeed. I suppose you’ve never heard of it; it’s a little village by the sea. A place called Oswald… a place that no longer exists.”
The two walked a couple miles, with little more to say. As Ama had suspected, Noach had brought them to the time and place where Zyra lost her friends, her family, her town… and a big piece of her innocence. Ama dreaded what she knew they would see and experience, but it was a memory. They had no way to interact with this realm… at least as they watched the memory unfold.
As Noach had described to Orni, Zyra was able to project herself and the environment from without. Instead of seeing things through Zyra’s eyes, they would see everything around them.
They arrived in Oswald. It was a rather small town. Situated in a cove, rounded mountains loomed in the east. Ama could see ponies harvesting seaweed; it happened to be the town’s major export. Ama knew well enough dried seaweed made a fine, salty snack and could be used in anything.
It was as picturesque a town as Renata, if not much smaller. It didn’t take them long at all to find what they were looking for. Even a town as small as Oswald had a magic guild. It was the largest structure in town, other than the storehouses. Made of pine like the rest of the town, it was a lovely place. Atop the front door was the same symbol Zyra had burned into the rock she tortured the “Fire Breathers’” assassin upon.
And they saw Zyra in the front yard, facing the sea. It was unmistakably her. She was smaller and kept her mane longer, but it was her. She couldn’t have been more than 8-years-old. But what stood out most to Ama were the eyes. They were the steely color she was used to, but the eyes were not dulled. They gleamed with youthful exuberance and curiosity. The filly had a cute-as-pie smile on her face as she watched a trail of ants move along.
“Zyra, dear.”
The little filly looked up. There stood a unicorn stallion with the same pale green coat, sandy mane, and steely eyes.
“Hi, Dad!” Zyra said, hugging him. “How was Fulco?”
He ruffled her mane, “Oh, it was just business. Nothing too exciting. Have your lessons been going well?”
“I think so. Uncle Tatius said he was ready to teach me more fire manipulation. Creating it’s easy as making a spark, but commanding it… I know that’s a little more complicated.”
The stallion laughed, “I can’t believe my little filly has such a gift for fire magic. My brother’s really lucky to have somepony like you to take under his wing, so to say. When I was your age, I could only dream of membership in the guild one day… and you were initiated when you were 6-years-old. That’s never been done before.”
Zyra began to walk, “Mom’s cooking your favorite lunch. When she heard you’d be back today, she had me go to the market for fresh tomatoes.”
Ama and Noach sat back, almost bored with this. But the mundane between father and daughter was best appreciated, for this was the day Zyra’s life changed.
Ama looked up, but still down at him, his being shorter, “If we cannot interact with this world, how will we communicate with Zyra?”
Noach looked sad, “Once the memory I’ve placed us in is over and fades away, its… ‘ghost’ will lead us to her essence. It was how I found each of you, in your own minds. If I could spare you traveling through here, I would. But it’s such a convoluted mess in here, it was the best way to find a sure line to Zyra herself.”
Ama looked both sad and anxious, “When will it happen?”
Noach patted her shoulder, “I’m unsure… but sometime this afternoon.”
Ama looked with great longing after little Zyra alongside her father.
“I know this hurts, Ama… But as I said, we’re in a memory. We can’t help her. We can’t comfort her… not until the end of things. And she will need you, Ama.”
Ama couldn’t help herself; she began to weep, seeing the happy little filly bounding around. The knowledge she was about to see this town torn apart by death and fire was too much for her to readily process.
Noach sighed, “It’s an entire mindscape we’re in, Ama… if you wish to step away, it won’t be difficult to find Zyra once it’s over.”
Ama sniffled, shaking her head, “No… That would be wrong. If I- if we- are to help Zyra, we must weather this. I will not turn away.”
Above the front door to the Argon house, the same symbol was present. Ama never knew Zyra had siblings; none of the company knew, but she had four. Zyra was the youngest by quite a bit… an unexpected pregnancy. All her siblings were grown up; two of them were married and had foals of their own. And all of them were in town to welcome their father home.
The oldest of Zyra’s nieces was 6-years-old, so Zyra and the young ones frolicked in the front yard as if they were cousins. It hurt Ama’s heart yet more, the happy filly both tending to and playing with her nieces and nephews.
Ama and Noach noticed Zyra’s father and uncle slip out the side door. Zyra had a new trick she wanted to show her father, so she went out after them. Ama and Noach followed, right behind little Zyra as she snuck a peak at her father and uncle in the woodshed.
“Tatius,” Zyra’s father spoke quietly. “I’m beginning to take issue with Zyra learning some of the things you’ve been teaching her.”
Uncle Tatius scoffed, “Nestor… don’t start on this again. You’re my big brother, but I’m the one Dad chose to carry on the guild. If you’re still sore about being passed over, it’s not my fault. Your interests and talents lay elsewhere.”
Nestor came in close, “You know that’s not what I’m worried about. I wanted the guild, sure, but I couldn’t have done much with it. That’s in the past. What I’m worried about is Zyra. She’s only 8-years-old. I can understand her being in the guild, but she’s too young to be learning some of those spells. Just because she can do them doesn’t mean she’s ready.”
“You worry too much, Brother. Zyra’s a lot more mature than you give her credit for… she understands the implications of the things I teach her. She has a gift and it must be cultured. Her fire magic is already on par with my own, even if she doesn’t know it. Easing her in works.”
Nestor was losing his patience, “Tatius! I don’t know if you’re pretending to look past this or if you’re really that clueless. Zyra’s 8-years-old! She needs to enjoy her childhood. There’s time to learn things later… She’s been shirking her friends… All she seems to do is practice magic. Let her be a filly a few more years before pinning this inheritance on her shoulders.”
“And I say she has a responsibility!” Uncle Tatius pointed to his heart; something underneath his flesh glowed. “This is what she was born for: to inherit the Fire Diamond. It was given to me when I was a teenager. Zyra will be ready very soon if she keeps the pace she’s held. In fact, she’s ready now…”
At this, Nestor pushed his brother against the wall, “I’m not letting you crack my daughter’s ribcage open to insert that infernal curse into her body. That’s what killed Dad, pulling that thing out of him! And Grandad, too! It’s hard to believe anypony falls for that heart-storm nonsense, especially when they die just after passing on the guild. And I can’t stand the thought of you, dying before your time just to fulfill that stupid ritual. That’s the only reason you’re much good with fire. If Zyra’s as talented as you say, let that miserable gem die with you and save her the agony of dealing with it. Live out your life and end the cycle!”
“Don’t be stupid… I’ve learned of a way to remove it without killing me. Zyra will inherit this from me. Only an Argon can wield the Fire Diamond and you know it. Don’t deny this.”
“Fuck you!” Nestor took a swing at his brother and the two began to scuffle.
Zyra, growing more and more frightened at the things revealed, let out a little yip, stopping her father and uncle.
They saw her, and seeing them take notice, she ran off towards a patch of woods.
“Zyra!” one of the stallions called; Ama couldn’t tell which one.
The stallions before Ama and Noach began to fade.
“What’s happening, Noach?”
“We can only see what Zyra remembers and what she saw, Ama. She knows our surroundings but cannot conjure up the vision of her father and uncle. We’d best stick closer to her.”
This knowledge was rather tough for Ama to take: The Argon family possessed some magic gem that they passed along to the next generation… and passing it along possibly killed its supplier and involved open-chest surgery for the receiver. Lovely…
Trailing the little filly, Ama and Noach came to a clearing near the forest’s edge. Inside, they found the little one crying. She said nothing, but she didn’t have to.
“Zyra!” “Zyra!” the voices of her father and uncle could be heard nearby.
Zyra scrambled through the woods, deeper in. Unencumbered by the forest around them, Ama and Noach were able to pass through trees, brush, and other obstacles as if they were air.
Little Zyra led them around for some time. Eventually, Ama and Noach had followed her to a stream. The filly sat on a rock and appeared to agonize over what she’d just learned.
“Noach,” Ama murmured. “I know we cannot interact with her, but is there any way to know what she is thinking?”
Noach said, “There’s no reason to whisper, Ama. As you know, she can’t hear us. And I can tell you what she’s feeling, at least to an extent. Managing this space is difficult enough.”
“What is it she is feeling?” Ama stared at Zyra.
“She’s confused… scared… unable to wrap her young mind around her legacy. I admit, Ama… I could channel her feelings to you, but I don’t wish to. With all my heart I don’t. Please don’t ask it of me. It would overcome you…”
Ama could’ve guessed as much and decided to trust Noach’s judgement; she looked on with increasing sadness, “What a day…”
For about an hour, Zyra simply sat before them, letting out an occasional sniffle. Ama and Noach had already been in this memory half the day… and it was far, far, far from over.
Ama sat almost transfixed, watching over the little unicorn.
Noach abruptly sat up, “It’s time, Ama…”
Ama looked up; she heard the noise first. Little Zyra heard it too and she looked in the direction of Oswald. It sounded like far-off explosions.
Down in the rocks beside the river the three ponies on the beach saw columns of inky, black smoke begin to rise. The alarm on Zyra’s face was palpable and the little one, after coming to her senses, ran back towards town.
Zyra had led them a good mile away from Oswald. It took her a long while to weave her way through the forest. Ama and Noach had an easier time, keeping right on her tail.
Yet in the afternoon sun, a glow could be seen emitting from Oswald, even a distance away from the forest’s edge. As the three ponies left the brush at the very edge of the forest, a perfect vision of Hell greeted them. The very air in and around the town appeared to be in flames.
Ama wasn’t sure if she believed in Hell. Heaven? Who knows? She wasn’t sure if God or some kind of god or collective of what have you existed, watching over and pulling the strings of the world. But she had an idea of what Hell looked like. Her nightmares did this no justice.
Even over the roar of the flames, ponies could be heard screaming. The screams were rat-like and staggered the mind, reminiscent to Ama of the stallion Zyra had cooked in their campsite recently.
Zyra stood transfixed at this. Ama stood the same; this was horror she’d never imagined. Noach stood, his stomach feeling mutinous as the horrible sounds invaded his ears.
Then ponies began to totter out of Oswald. Blind and in flames, their flesh was literally melting from their bones and they could only stagger so far; when there wasn’t enough to remain upright and allow for locomotion, they fell over, mercifully dead.
The little unicorn, taking all this in, wet herself as somepony, unseeingly staggering near her, fell to pieces before her.
Ama was too dismayed to even scream; she couldn’t smell anything, but she could see and hear. The horror…
After a few seconds, Zyra suddenly snapped back, “Dad! Mom!”
She immediately took off; Noach had to urge Ama to move after Zyra.
Before entering her town, Zyra encapsulated herself in a barrier. Ama screamed uselessly as the little filly jumped into the flames. But Zyra was unharmed, shielded by her powerful magic. Noach once again had to prod Ama along, hesitant to enter that which couldn’t harm her.
Inside the town, everything was unimaginably worse: what they’d seen outside of town was all around them. Ponies and pieces of ponies lay everywhere, some still moving as they cooked in the heat.
How Zyra managed to keep moving through all this, Ama couldn’t fathom. But she kept moving past all the horror in what seemed an obvious attempt to reach home.
And reach home she did. There, outside on what was once the front lawn, she found her family. Bodies and pieces lay everywhere. There was no counting this. They may have been sitting down to dinner when this happened. But it hadn’t been inside the house where they died.
Even with their charred remains, it was obvious to Ama some of them had been tortured. Their horns lay, detached, in a pile. The horrendous burns that had killed some of them were too precise, to specific in their nature, to have been casual. It stood out from the rest of the town, where the damage was complete and indiscriminate. As for several members, they’d been blown to smithereens.
With the fire raging around her, Zyra fell to her knees. No tears came. She was beyond that. But an unmistakable alarm crossed her face and she screamed. Unearthly and loud, the sound was unlike anything Ama had heard in her life. She screamed herself hoarse over a few minutes and fell over.
Standing there, Ama and Noach could see it in her eyes: Zyra had just given up on life. Her barrier flickered, and the flames threatened to consume her. Ama couldn’t help herself. She reached out to touch Zyra, knowing it would do nothing.
“Zyra!” a voice wavered nearby.
Zyra perked up, her barrier again strong, “Wha-?”
“Zyra! To your left!”
Zyra looked left; it was her uncle, clad in his own barrier. To her horror, he was missing a chunk of a back leg, the stump crudely cauterized below the knee. He managed to crawl and no more.
“Help me, Zyra!”
To her credit, the little filly, summoning a strength unlike that which she knew, rolled him to his back. His tunic and cape were intact, so she clamped her teeth around his cloak and ran. She ran out of the town and the fire still consuming it, swiftly dragging him along.
Zyra only quit running once they’d entered the forest. Finally letting down her barrier, she collapsed in a heap, sobbing uncontrollably. Her uncle, in some intense pain, was using magic on his leg-stump, soothing it; he seemed far too calm given all that happened.
He was calm, “Zyra… we can’t stay here. Whoever did this might still be around.”
He explained to Zyra he needed help beyond what either of them could do; he would die in a week otherwise. His magic could only keep infection from spreading for so long; he wasn’t a healer and knew little of medicine. Too numb to do anything else, Zyra was convinced. He was all she had left.
In an almost trancelike state, Zyra put together a sled made of tree limbs. Helping her uncle onto it, she began dragging him away from Oswald.
Barely stopping to rest, other than eat and drink what she could find for herself and her uncle, Zyra pulled the sled.
For three entire days, the little filly pulled the sled, to where, she didn’t know. She only followed directions. She’d maybe slept five or six hours since escaping Oswald. When she slept, Ama and Noach found themselves in darkness, unable to see her dreams, if she was having any. Ama knew Zyra dreamed; she’d seen her cry in her sleep and worse. Perhaps it was best they couldn’t see Zyra’s dreams.
Ama and Noach followed closely; this was almost too much for them to bear. To them, as it had been for Zyra, they had been in Zyra’s memory four days. Zyra came close to collapse more than a few times, but at the urging of her uncle she continued to move.
And move she did, never complaining or questioning. Her eyes were quite dead, but there was a gleam of hope in them. Her uncle was alive. Even after learning their family’s secret, she trusted him. With that powerful gem inside of him, she was confident he’d be able to hold on.
Relief came at last when Uncle Tatius told Zyra to halt. In the grove up ahead was an old colleague of his… a unicorn stallion named Aeolus. He was a healer and he’d be able to help them. Zyra didn’t question why they had to come so far but was simply relieved.
Meeting Aeolus, Zyra fell upon the offered food and water before passing out. For 12 hours, Ama and Noach found themselves in darkness. Unable or unwilling to speed up time within the dream, Noach insisted Ama sleep. She didn’t need to sleep, in that space, but she could; it would pass the time.
Noach put a gentle hoof on Ama, “Ama… wake up.”
Sitting up, Ama saw the space around her develop and come clear. Zyra was waking up.
Zyra lay in a bed in Aeolus’s house. She stiffly got up and foggily ambled out into the main room.
“Zyra,” a voice said.
Looking over, Zyra saw Aeolus tending something on the stove, “Aeolus?”
“Yes, Zyra. Please sit down.”
She did, and he put a bowl of soup in front of her. Zyra hadn’t realized, but she was very hungry. She thought about the things she’d been through in the last few days and wept silently as she ate. But she suddenly stopped, remembering.
“Where’s my uncle?!” she almost fell out of her chair.
Aeolus came to her side, “Take it easy, Zyra. You almost killed yourself getting him here. But he’ll be okay. He’s sleeping. I was able to help him.”
Zyra, for the first time in five days, smiled. She wept anew, this time in relief. Her world wasn’t over, yet.
Ama believed she would soon start to lose her mind; they’d been in Zyra’s memory for a week… She and Noach had talked about everything a pony could think to talk about. She almost came close to begging Noach to knock her out or speed up time (for them) but she knew tampering could throw off the memory and leave them with nothing. So, she waited. Until they reached the end of whatever this turned out to be, it would be hard to reach Zyra.
Zyra had been helping with the chores. Her uncle had been sleeping quite a bit; she had to remind herself his wounds could’ve killed him, while she was merely exhausted. A few times during the miserable trip bringing him there, she’d worked up the courage to ask what had happened. He told her to concern herself with it later.
Being young, she couldn’t really help herself. She wanted to know. As the days went on, her uncle got stronger. His leg had all but healed up; soon he’d be ready for a prosthetic. Even Zyra felt better. Time heals wounds, even those of the mind and heart.
After three weeks of being inside Zyra’s head, Ama had trained herself to enter trancelike states in addition to sleeping, at least when Zyra was sleeping. They had no knowledge of the things when Zyra wasn’t awake and there was no reason for Ama to go nuts stuck in there.
Noach barely slept. To Ama, it was as if he never did. Maybe he didn’t; she never saw him sleep…
Zyra had become more insistent that her uncle tell her what happened. She felt it was owed to her as it was her family. He hadn’t had family, other than his brother, so he couldn’t understand the way she felt. Continually, he told her to wait and that he’d tell her when she was ready. He claimed to be not ready to relive it. Be that as it may, he seemed awfully at ease with things; he was hiding something and was just keeping her in the dark about it. She was growing angry with him and with Aeolus, still telling her to be patient.
Five weeks… Five weeks had passed in Zyra’s memory. Ama was sure of it now: if she hadn’t trained her mind to endure this, she would have gone off her rocker by then. The days dragged out in great tedium… Zyra did chores, ate, slept, and agonized over her family.
One day, when Ama and even Noach were beginning the creep towards insanity, Zyra did something she’d been contemplating for three weeks.
Her uncle was a heavy sleeper. Aeolus was out, visiting a nearby farm; he wouldn’t be back for hours. With this opportunity, Zyra decided to take a look at her uncle’s mind. She couldn’t read his mind, per-say… but she could “open” it and look at his memories. This was something nopony had taught her… she figured it out on her own.
Desperate to learn something, she lulled him into a deeper sleep and invaded his mind. Not surprising to Ama, she and Noach then entered his mind within Zyra’s.
Once inside Uncle Tatius’s mind, Ama had no clue where they might be. It was a city, somewhere. It was strange: she and Noach stood in a memory within a memory. Zyra was standing there, assuredly unable to interact with this world as they were.
Uncle Tatius sat in a pub; he was nervous. His drink untouched, he’d make a move to it from time to time, but his hooves shook so badly he couldn’t pick it up. His horn wasn’t working any better.
After a time, a cloaked unicorn sat across from him, “Tatius Argon.”
Looking scared and relieved at the same time, Uncle Tatius leaned forward, “Commander Ra-”
The cloaked figure barely whispered, “If you say my name, I’ll kill you where you sit.”
Uncle Tatius shut up. He gulped and shivered uncomfortably.
The “commander” shook his head, “You piece of shit… you’ve pissed yourself. I can already smell it.”
Uncle Tatius looked up, both terrified and embarrassed, “Well, I’m here… What do you need?”
“I’m growing impatient with you, Tatius. When will the Fire Diamond be mine? You’ve had four months. The only reason you’re alive is because it won’t work without an Argon. And only you and that hermit Aeolus have the knowledge to transfer it. And you refuse to tell me where he is. I let you have that, as a courtesy you don’t deserve. Even if I sent my trackers after him, I doubt they’d be able to find him. The hermit is quite skilled in evasion. Still, I know you’ve probably figured out together how to get it out without dying. It’s not a matter of just knowing how to do it; if somepony else had the talent to pull this off, I’d kill you now.”
The cowardly unicorn looked as if he wanted to bolt, “The filly isn’t ready. I need more time… It’s hard enough forcing all this knowledge onto her with my brother trying to protect her. Putting it into her now would probably kill her. She’s the only appropriate vessel. And she’s more powerful than any Argon in history… She’s more powerful than you- and that’s no disrespect, sir!”
“And you’re sure you’d be able to wipe her soul upon the transfer’s success?”
Uncle Tatius moved in as close as he dared, “She would be yours… an absolute puppet with more power than you can probably imagine.”
The “commander” snorted, his intense eyes and fiery mane visible under the hood, “I can imagine pretty big, Tatius. But if she’s half as powerful as what you tell me, you’ll get the full reward. In fact, it’s a bargain for me… that some pathetic mage like you would sell out his own niece for only 200,000 gold pieces. I’d’ve paid more than that.”
“Only 200,000? I could start 10 new lives with that and never want for anything. I like living… And I hate that life in Oswald; this would be the end of it. If I can get away with both of those things, I’m okay with it. And that little filly… as far as anypony knows, she’ll have just died in the river or something.”
The cloaked figure’s voice was barely a murmur, “Very well. How long do you need? But watch yourself. I’m so very tired of you dodging.”
Uncle Tatius swallowed the vomit threatening to rise up, “I need two months. I need that much time. It’s the absolute earliest she’d be ready… I’m sure of that.”
“I will give you three months. I expect you to push her as if you had only two. You will push her as hard as possible, while keeping up appearances.”
The mage all but bowed, “Thank you! That will be time enough. I promise you… she will be ready and so will I.”
“Good. Now… you know how this operates: in three months’ time, give or take a few days, I will arrive in Oswald. You will not know I’m coming, so be prepared. Even if we must render her unconscious, we’re taking you and that filly for the operation. If nopony impedes us, it will be a quiet exit.
“And know this: with me, I will bring a detachment of my very best stallions. If you fail me… if you cannot deliver the moment I ask it of you… I will wipe Oswald and all with it of the face of the Earth!”
Unable to speak, Uncle Tatius nodded frantically.
With that, the cloaked stallion left.
Sitting in a puddle of his own making, Uncle Tatius managed to down his drink.
Looking on, the three silent spectators were shocked. Little Zyra was staggered, but she continued to explore the mindscape of her uncle.
The next place Zyra looked was immediately following her running away from her father and uncle, when she had heard them in the woodshed.
It was clear to Ama, Noach, and little Zyra it was, give or take a few days, three months since the meeting in the city.
“Tatius! What’s wrong with you, today?!” Nestor eyed his brother with loathing.
Uncle Tatius knew he would be called upon, possibly at any moment, to fulfill his disgusting bargain, “I’m just worried about Zyra… she wasn’t ready to hear any of that!”
“You’re damn straight! And she’s not ready, period! As soon as we find her, I’m going to make sure she spends a little less time with you.”
This obviously worried Uncle Tatius. But his worries went unnoticed by the few out looking for Zyra.
Soon, Nestor threw in the towel, “Everypony, let’s go back. She’ll come back when she wants to. She’ll show up and if she doesn’t, we’ll actually search for her. Don’t worry… she knows these woods as well as she knows the town.”
Content with this, the hoofful of ponies out looking for the little unicorn filly trotted out of the woods and back to town. As they went about their business, Uncle Tatius was on pins and needles as he made his way to the magic guild. He knew very well that his “client” could show up any moment- Hell, somepony could come up behind him and tap him on the-
“Tatius. It’s time.”
The mage turned around slowly, his bowels already threatening release. There stood the “commander”. He was disguised as a traveler, his fiery mane subdued. But his eyes were the same and they bored into Uncle Tatius.
The mage stammered and soiled himself where he stood.
The visiting unicorn looked down with disgust at the diarrhea pooling, “That better mean you’re happy to see me, Tatius.”
“I… I… the filly… my niece is in the woods. She ran off an hour ago,” Uncle Tatius managed.
The penetrating eyes bored further, “And why did she run away?”
Torn between telling the truth and lying, he chose both, “My brother and I were arguing. It scared her. She ran away.”
“Why do I have the feeling you’re lying to me?” the visitor hissed.
Uncle Tatius threw himself to the “commander’s” hooves, “She heard us talking about the Fire Diamond! My brother’s been hounding me about the amount of time I have Zyra training. He took me out to the shed to discuss it, and she heard us! Please forgive me!”
The standing unicorn breathed deeply, “I told you… if you failed me… Oswald would pay the price. You’ve failed catastrophically. And now you will have your reward.”
His fiery mane flared up and he cast aside his cloak. He lit up his horn and sent a tiny spark into the sky. Above the town, it popped inoffensively, but a barrier could be seen descending on the town. It settled, enclosing the town in a column.
Pillars of fire erupted from the ground, obliterating everything in their path. Ponies around the town screamed. And from the shadows, emerged unicorns shrouded in black; they began to blow fire from their mouths, lighting everything nearby on fire. As ponies tried to escape town, it was clear they were unable to do this; the barrier held against all attempts.
The fiery-maned unicorn enveloped Uncle Tatius in a magic bubble and began to walk, “Let’s go find this family of yours, shall we?”
Ama could see little Zyra was practically having a panic attack at this, but the little one still managed to shadow her uncle as he was dragged along within his memory. Ama and Noach followed.
Outside of the Argon household, Nestor and one of his sons looked on as the pillars rose; everypony else was inside. A blast of fire suddenly engulfed the house. Screams issued from within and the family began to pour out. Quickly counting, Nestor realized everypony was out.
As they sat in front of the ruins of their house, the family came to face about 25 ponies. Among them was the fiery-maned stallion and Nestor saw his brother in the bubble.
Nestor stood up, looking both terrified and repulsed, “‘Fire Breathers’…”
The leader of the “Fire Breathers” laughed openly, shaking Uncle Tatius around in the bubble, “Indeed we are, Nestor Argon. I suppose you can’t imagine why we’re here in your little seaweed town…”
“I can think of a thousand reasons, ‘Commander’… that’s what I’ve heard you called… But I don’t know why. What do you want? Whatever it may be, take it, pull down your barrier, and leave!”
The “commander” motioned to Nestor’s brother, “We’re here because your brother promised us something. Your little daughter… Zyra.”
Nestor’s mouth fell open and his family cried out.
The Argon patriarch looked sick, “Tatius? What would they want with Zyra?”
Uncle Tatius couldn’t look his brother in the eye; he sat mute.
“Oh, Nestor…" the "commander" chuckled, "I want the Fire Diamond… and the filly it’ll go with, once we crack her open.”
Nestor roared and lunged.
The “commander” shook his head, “None of that, now.”
Nestor was halted. An explosion lit up his forehead. He screamed, falling over, his horn blown off.
The “commander” winced, laughing, “In fact, I don’t feel like putting up with any of that.”
At his signal, all of Zyra’s family lost their horns. The little ones’ cries mingled with the older ponies.
Uncle Tatius screamed within the bubble, barely audible.
The “commander” looked at him, amused, “Oh, you don’t like that? How about this?”
One of the “Fire Breathers” sent out a blast. To the family’s horror, one of the infants was blown to ashes. As their screams of shock rang out, more blasts were sent out. Within seconds, half the family no longer existed.
Then the torturing began. Despite the pleas and ear-piercing cries, the “Fire Breathers” methodically dismantled and murdered the family with flame and electricity.
Ama had to look away. Noach managed to not avert his eyes; he’d never turned away from such things when he was within a mind, even though he avoided them when he could in the waking world. Zyra stood, mouth slightly agape; she saw all this. Her brothers… her sisters… her mother… and then her father was the only one left.
Nestor sat there, looking defeated.
The “commander” jostled Uncle Tatius’s bubble, “Oh, look what you did to your brother, Tatius. He’s sad. Why don’t I put him out of his misery?”
In a blast, there was nothing left of Nestor.
Uncle Tatius had nothing left. He sat there, numb.
“Well, that’s enough of that,” the “commander” casually stated.
He released the mage from the bubble. Free of it, he fell over.
“Looks like I need to get your attention,” with that, the “commander” blew off one of Uncle Tatius’s back hooves.
The mage howled, as if he was feeling pain for the first time in his life.
“We’re going to play a little game, Tatius… the barrier comes down in an hour. If you manage to find your way out of the town, we’ll pick you up. We’ll find your niece and see the operation done. After that happens… I don’t care whether you live or die. I’ll give you the gold, if you decide to live. If you die in here, we’ll retrieve the gem once you’re dead. We’ll still find the filly and your hermit. Either way, I get what I want. Better put up a barrier of your own, Tatius. Things are about to get a little hotter.”
With that, all the “Fire Breathers” vanished in a puff of smoke. Tatius, desperate to remain alive, despite what had happened, managed a barrier as fire engulfed the whole town.
Ama, Noach, and Zyra all watched in horror as everything around them burned… Ponies, property… it all burned. Other than the horror, they were quite numb, now.
The three waited. And they knew Zyra would be along soon enough.
After an hour of watching Uncle Tatius cower in his barrier near the house, the three mind-walkers saw Zyra show up from out of the woods. They followed her as she desperately dragged her uncle to safety. And they saw her collapse, sobbing at the forest’s edge.
Ama’s mind was moving furiously; she could scarcely believe any of this.
Oswald hadn’t been attacked because somepony hired the “Fire Breathers” and not because of some grudge. Oswald had been destroyed out of simple wickedness; that worthless mage couldn’t immediately provide something that fiery-looking unicorn wanted, so he’d destroyed the town and murdered all its ponies as easily as throwing a stick into a firepit.
And so began that long, miserable journey to Aeolus’s, once again… just from a different point of view. There was little to say about this that wasn’t already known by the three mind-walkers. But Uncle Tatius seemed to be doing better than he should’ve and it was seen why. When Zyra slept, he pulled energy out of her- just enough to “top him off”. It exhausted Zyra but didn’t kill her. Still, she moved almost tirelessly to save her uncle.
Since the three were in Uncle Tatius’s mind, they could see things Zyra missed. Once she’d eaten her fill and fallen asleep at Aeolus’s sanctuary in the woods, the older stallions talked.
Aeolus gently treated Uncle Tatius’s stump, “You’re in better shape than you should be. Don’t tell me you’ve been draining your niece…”
“Of course, I’ve been. I need my strength… I’ll need it for the operation.”
“You’re far too weak to even consider it. It’ll be weeks before you recover.”
Uncle Tatius smirked, “And I can wait. I’ve thrown off the ‘Fire Breathers’. There’s no way they’ll find us here; you know that as well as me. It’ll be at least a month, but I can wait. Once I’m ready, we’ll do it. She’ll fall asleep as herself… and wake up as my own personal weapon. I’ll wake up before she ever does. Containing her soul will be easy for me. It’s not something you’ll be able to do… your talents lie elsewhere.
“I’m gonna kill the ‘Fire Breathers’. All of them… Hell, I’ll even share their treasure with you. I know where they reside… and where they’re planning to go once that damned war in the valley is over.”
Aeolus allowed a smile to cross his face, “Yes… with her power… you could obliterate them. We just have to bide our time. And you have to heal up.”
Uncle Tatius patted his stump, wincing, “That’ll be easy.”
All the three mind-walkers could do was look on, more and more sickened.
Suddenly, Ama felt the bottom fall out of the space they were inside.
Now back in Zyra’s own memory, she was held in a magical forcefield. Only a few minutes had passed in this realm. Aeolus must have come back for something.
He shook the filly, “You little cunt! What have you been up to?”
Zyra was so shaken up by everything, she just hung there.
Her uncle woke up, “What’s going on, Aeolus?”
“Your niece was reading your mind! How could you be so careless?!”
“She what?!”
Zyra still hung there. But her eyes were coming back to awareness. Tears streamed down. She didn’t even have it in her to be angry; she wasn’t sure what to feel.
“Uncle…” she croaked. “Why?”
It was all she could get out.
Aeolus considered his friend, “Is she ready, Tatius?”
For possibly the first time in weeks, uncle felt love for niece, but, “She’s ready. So am I.”
Zyra was gripped with dread, “Uncle?”
He looked back, the love gone, “Goodbye, Zyra…”
Suddenly, the space around Ama and Noach shuddered and collapsed on itself. Ama felt a tremendous pressure before clocking out. It was quite unlike Zyra passing out or falling asleep, as they’d become accustomed to.
Ama found herself in total darkness, but still had ground beneath her. She was gasping as she lay there, feeling as ill as she ever had. Feeling as if she’d just had her bell rung, she staggered to her hooves.
Weeping over everything she’d been experiencing, she felt around in desperation, “Noach!”
A gentle hoof found her shoulder, “I’m here, Ama.”
“What happened?!”
Noach explained, “It’s as we saw earlier… We can only see the things Zyra remembers. She’s been rendered unconscious; it was rough. I managed to stay alert when the space fell in… we’ve only been this way a couple minutes. And we may be sitting her for a while. Stay close and try to remain calm.”
And sit they did. They experienced real-time within Zyra’s memory… and they waited a good four days in absolute darkness. Ama fell asleep as often as she was able within Zyra’s mind. It was rather easy in the darkness, with only Noach’s and her own breathing and heartbeat reminding her she was there. It was the only relief from the terror of the fearful darkness.
Noach just sat there, waiting.
Neither needing to eat or drink, being “less than ghosts”, all there was to do was sit.
“Ama.”
The Mazan awoke… or at least she thought she was awake, “Noach? Am I dreaming? I truly cannot tell…”
“You’re awake, Ama. Zyra’s beginning to stir. She will regain consciousness momentarily.”
And so, she did. Ama and Noach found themselves in the familiar room. Zyra was stirring on the bed. Ama was disturbed upon closer inspection of Zyra’s body: a line of staples ran down her sternum. Magical restraints held her fast.
Ama fell to her knees, “Noach… they did it. Zyra… she has the diamond…”
Noach put a soothing hoof on Ama’s shoulder as the Mazan sobbed.
The both could only look on miserably as Zyra came to her senses. The little filly screamed bloody murder upon seeing her chest.
Aeolus entered the room, “Calm down, little mage… yelling won’t do you any good.”
Zyra looked at him wildly and in perfect panic, “What’d you do to me?! It hurts!”
“Calm yourself. The trauma of splitting your sternum is quite substantial. You don’t want to rupture the repair.”
But Zyra probably didn’t even hear him; she continued to scream in disbelief at what happened to her.
“You may feel different otherwise… that’s quite a gem I put inside of you. You’ll feel power like nothing you’ve imagined…”
Zyra had a moment of clarity, “Where’s Uncle Tatius?!”
Taking on a look somewhere between sadness and curiosity over the whole thing, “You forced our hoof, little mage. You were strong enough to make it through, but he wasn’t. He managed to hold on until last night but taking the Fire Diamond ultimately claimed his life. He had no chance to wipe your mind. It’s your own, as the gem is. Had we been able to wait a few days, he'd likely be here still.”
Zyra could only scream and thrash around. Blood began to seep from her sternum.
“You stupid little girl. Stop this at once. You don’t have the magic to break those bonds. All you’ll do is slow your recovery.”
Zyra roared at him, “You’re dead!”
He actually laughed; she was showing real hatred, “Oh, shut up. You’ll stay like this until I figure out what your uncle can’t do when he’s dead. I’m not interested in killing those 'Fire Breather' mercenaries or whatever they are, but I’m most interested in you. You’ll make quite a weapon once I find a way to contain that soul of yours.”
At this, Zyra raged; a mixture of spells and foul language poured from her mouth, her horn sparking feebly.
“You really are a stupid little girl. You don’t listen. This is getting old. I think I’ll knock you out until I can figure out what to do with you…”
As he approached, Zyra’s instincts kicked in; she called on a new, yet seemingly familiar power. Energy burst from her, propelling the old healer into the wall. The restraints melted from her body, and she levitated off the bed.
Aeolus was now very afraid, facing down this filly, “Now, Zyra… don’t do anything-”
Zyra opened her mouth and let out a blast of fire. Calling it a blast didn’t do it justice. To Ama and Noach, it appeared as dragon fire, but even more extraordinary. Everything in the fire’s path… Aeolus, half of his house, and a swath of forest the size of Oswald… were reduced to less than ash. The forest floor was glass. It had been unclear until then, but it was pouring rain outside.
After a few seconds, Zyra eased down to the floor. As if she was coming out of a trance, she staggered backwards, realizing what she’d just done. Ama and Noach could see her deliberating within her own mind.
Zyra ran through the muddy forest. She just ran, sobbing raggedly. Not knowing where she was going or what she was doing, she just ran. Ama and Noach followed. It was quite a while before Zyra collapsed. She lay there, panting and vomiting bile; she had nothing else in her stomach.
Once again, Ama and Noach felt the world around them fall into darkness. Zyra was clocking out again.
This time, Zyra was only out about 12 hours. When she awoke, it was night. She was cold. Her chest hurt. Her stomach growled. She was thirsty. She satisfied two of these things, eating a patch of clover and sticking her face into a mud puddle.
Turning over onto her back, rain continued to fall. She just lay there, shivering violently, the mud and blood gradually washing off her body. She couldn’t really move, beginning to sob once again.
Ama shuddered, “I do not know how much more of this I can take, Noach… This is too much!”
She fell to her knees, weeping. It didn’t readily occur to her, but she and Noach had spent six weeks in Zyra’s mind. She’d had no food or water in six weeks. Still, she wasn’t hungry or thirsty.
She’d barely even thought about the rest of the company, not since soon after entering. This had been her everything. She’d had more than anypony could take. Any more time in Zyra’s horrid remembrance… and she was sure she’d lose her mind or die.
Noach kneaded her shoulder, “Ama… You’ve done better than anypony could imagine. I didn’t know what we’d run into in here, but I’m so very glad you were the one I chose. This has been worse than anything I’ve ever seen, felt, or heard in my life. Nopony other than you would’ve stood a chance in here. You have the stoutest heart of anypony I’ve ever known, by far. I can’t possibly make this up to you. Even your friendship with Zyra… this might not have been worth it to you, but I can tell you yet love your friend.”
Ama didn’t like thinking this way; but it was a powerful thought, “Oh, Noach… I do not know what to think. I… just want this to be over.”
“And it will be soon Ama… look.”
Looking up, Ama saw a unicorn stallion trotting through the forest. His face betrayed… kindness. Caught unaware by almost tripping over the delirious filly, he was brought to his knees at the sight of her.
Ama wasn’t sure how she knew, “That is Zyra’s master… Amelbert.”
“Yes, Ama. I know him, myself. Any magic user worth his salt knows of Master Amelbert.”
Watching him cradle the semiconscious Zyra, Ama felt a weight lift from her heart. She felt more relief than she had in six weeks’ time. She could only stand up again and view their surroundings fade out; Zyra was falling asleep again.
As darkness descended on them, Ama let out a sigh, “Something tells me that is the end of our journey.”
“Indeed, Ama. I can go no further. I’m leaving it to you.”
Ama couldn’t see a thing now; confusion dawned, “What do you mean, Noach?”
“The path to Zyra’s essence is open. You need only to walk. You’ll find it.”
“What about you, Noach?”
The old healer chuckled, “I told you… I can go no further. Zyra’s aware you’re here. She’s… calling out to you… I’m unsure. She knows someone she loves very much and trusts as much is looking for her.”
Ama was unsure how to feel, “I am afraid.”
Noach nodded in the dark, “I know, Ama. Still, she calls to you. I’ll be leaving now. I’ll keep the connection open as long as it’s needed. When you’re ready, you’ll simply come to yourself, beside me, where we began our journey all those weeks ago.”
There was little else to say for Ama, “I understand. Thank you.”
Noach left Zyra’s mind. Ama began to walk. Deciding to have faith she’d find whatever it was she needed to, she began to walk. She noticed, for the first time in six weeks, a stimulus other than sight, sound, and Noach’s touch.
There was… a beacon. Somewhere in there, there was a beacon of confused emotions. It was weak, but there.
Ama was in total darkness. All she had was the level space beneath her hooves. Afraid, yet determined, she walked in the general direction of this feeling.
With little idea how long she’d been walking, Ama continued. The feeling grew stronger. She recalled Noach referring to a “ghost” of the memory. It still made no sense, but there was something waiting for her.
Minutes, hours, days… it didn’t matter.
After an inordinate amount of time walking, Ama felt something new. It wasn’t evil or threatening; it just was. She turned around and found herself in a plane of white. Something told her this was where she was supposed to be.
Turning around again, Ama saw something a distance away. It was a pony in a blanket, lying on what constituted the floor. Ama knew it was Zyra.
Walking up easily, Ama spoke softly to the figure, “Zyra.”
The blanket shifted as the pony underneath stirred. The blanket shuffled around, and the sandy mane Ama was familiar with appeared. Then Zyra’s head poked out. The eyes Ama was familiar with looked towards her, dull and metallic. Further rolling out of the blanket, Zyra exposed herself. Ama saw it was Zyra as she knew her… 17-years-old and plain, but attractive.
Taking in Zyra’s appearance, Ama smiled, “My friend… I have not seen you for some time.”
Zyra gave an all-in look and hoofed the ground, “Ama… how’d you get in here?”
Ama realized she’d been searching for Zyra as long as she’d known her, literally, “It is quite a story, Zyra. Now may not be the time to tell it.”
Zyra shook her head, “Whatever. I imagine you’ve been looking for me. Just what have you been up to?”
Ama saw no point in hiding it, “I have been traveling through your memories, Zyra. After the night we were attacked, you left us, spiritually. Back in the waking world, you have been a shell of yourself for 10 days.”
Zyra showed little emotion at this, “I see… and how long have you been rifling through my mind?”
“Six weeks… I have been trying to find you for six weeks… and possibly longer. I must admit… the horrors you live with shook me in ways I never dreamed possible.”
The unicorn paced around, sighing, knowing she had nowhere to hide, “So you know… about all of it. You saw… Oswald… everypony I knew and loved... the ‘Fire Breathers’. You saw the power I have. I’ve been unable to replicate that in all the years this awful gem has been lodged next to my heart.”
Sitting down, Zyra parted her chest floof, considering her scar, “This thing has really faded. You no doubt saw this in my memory. Waking up, realizing that power… it’s difficult to describe. But you saw… I don’t need to try to explain.”
“Did your master know of the Fire Diamond?” Ama hated asking but wanted clarity.
Zyra actually chuckled, “There’s no hiding this miserable thing from Master Amelbert. He knew what I had the moment he came across me. But he protected me. As far as everypony knows, this is just an old injury and I’m merely an above-average fire mage. As far as I know, you and Master Amelbert are the only ponies living that know this secret. I expect anypony that knows of the Fire Diamond figures it lost… that my… uncle… escaped that nightmare he brought upon us… and that the little filly that ran off that day… just died in a ditch somewhere.”
Ama had been confused at Zyra’s general lack of emotion but mention of her uncle brought some things out. The little mage teared up and began to weep. Ama went to her and hugged her. Zyra cried and cried into Ama’s shoulder. After a while, they separated and sat next to one another, in that void. For some time, they just sat.
“Ama… I don’t know what to do. I’ve been trapped in here with my thoughts all this time. I think… I’m ready to go back. But I don’t know what to say… what to do…”
Ama patted Zyra’s back, “I do not know myself. But our friends want you back. If you are indeed ready, all you must do is let go. And we will wake up in a town called Silas. Our friends are in the next room of a little cottage we have rented. Beside me is a stallion named Noach; he helped guide me through all this. You will like him.”
“Ama… I don’t know a thing about mind-walking… but you could’ve left at any time… But you stayed here for… weeks. Why?”
Ama could tell the little mage was serious; still, she marshaled a smile that shined from the bottom of her heart, “You are my friend, Zyra. You are… the first friend I think I have ever had. I was not about to leave you alone in here.”
The Mazan put a friendly hoof on the unicorn’s shoulder and roughly jostled her, eliciting a laugh from Zyra.
Zyra sighed heavily, “I’m ready to go back, Ama.”
Ama had never felt such relief, “You have no idea how welcome those words are.”
For the final time, Ama experienced the space falling in on itself. But this time, she would appear in the waking world, with Zyra.
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Ok, that was admittedly a fire, dark and bloody chapter. I liked it quite much.
Thank you for the hard work and the new chapter.
Good luck with the tractor, may it still work.
Now get your usual piece of Baumkuchen, vanilla-caramel cake, tea, coffee, beer, Grog and rum.
8880467
Thanks. I gave Zyra her own chapter for a reason. The blood and fire will let up for a while. The girls are onto better things.