Princess of Infinity

by Echo 27

VI: Alharara

They could feel the heat before their jump had even come through, an intense, violent wave of warmth that set their skin to broiling. As the light fled and the whispering tendrils faded from view, Celestia fell forward and stumbled onto hard, unforgiving rock and was knocked down as Ford fell just behind her in a heap.

“Ow! Move, you’re digging into my back!”

“Oop! Sorry, didn’t mean to!” Ford was on his feet in an instant, hand outstretched to help up his beloved. “Every time we’ve jumped it’s been uncomfortable. I wonder if the gateway does it all intentionally.”

“It has a mind of its own, but I do not wish to prescribe it malice,” Celestia said, eyeing the now-serene gate of wrought-iron with distaste. “It only obeys the will of its master.”

They took a moment to soak in their surroundings and found themselves surrounded by tanned rock and fine sand, all enveloped by a great boiling heat that sat upon them with an unrelenting force. Already she could feel sweat beginning to form upon her brow and they had only been in this place a few moments.
“We are sheltered from the sun beneath rock and still the heat of this place burns my eyes,” she remarked. “I shudder to think of how fierce it must be outside.”

“We need to get our bearings. It’s the only way we’ll be able to know where we need to head next. Are you alright?” Ford asked.

“We should have brought more water with us,” she said, taking the canteen at her side and giving it a shake. “We have enough to last a little while, but not long enough. Maybe a day at best.”

“I have more than you do. Switch with me,” Ford said bracingly. “Come on, you need it more than I.”

“Ford, I’m not going to let you risk your life like that,” she chided. “I know you mean to do your duty, but this is survival, not a war. I will have both of us make it through.”

“Princess, it may not be something we can debate. No matter what comes, we need to make sure you get to Sombra and stop him, all I am is the one who makes sure that happens.”

A sudden rush of affection welled up within her and she kissed him, the first show of love she had given him since before they had entered the depths of the Palace. Ford turned rigid at her touch, taken aback by the unexpected gesture. “Please, stop selling yourself so short,” she said. “I married you, did I not? It hurts me to hear you say such things.”

“I’m not trying to be negative, I’m trying to say the truth-”

Another disparaging comment earned another kiss, this one forceful and enough to take his breath away. “Do not think so lowly of yourself. Sombra may think nothing of you, but I do not. He should do well to fear those who do not fear him.”

“Uh.”

“Exactly. Now come, you said yourself we need to know where we are. What do you suggest?” she said.

She knew full well what to do in the situation, as it was, but she wanted him to take the lead and try to command again. His confidence had been shaken ever since they had met the Sanctelior, and a once-proud soldier now found himself out of his depth and surrounded by powers far older and greater than he. She, however, believed his presence was not accidental. He would bring good things about before they came to the end.

“There’s light seeping through the ceiling,” Ford said finally. “Do you think you could fit through the gap if I gave you a boost up?”

“No, too small,” she said, taking a look at the hole and finding it unpleasant by sight alone. “Though… I might be able to poke my head through and get a view of the area, can you keep me up for that length?”

“Easily,” he said, taking a knee and offering his hand. “When you’re ready.”

Her balance was not what it once was, but she grasped the rock above her and held herself steady as Ford raised her up. The edges of the stone rubbed against her skin and she feared she would be cut –or worse, stuck- but soon found herself in the open air and nearly blinded by the unrelenting sun. She gave a grunt of displeasure and held her eyes tight until she dared open them again, slowly allowing herself time to adjust until the world was cool enough for her gaze to bear, and she found they were now surrounded by a vast desert, widespread and empty save for the sand, the sun, and the lone cavern of rock in which they now stood. She peered about in search of water or the signs of civilization and found none, with only the winds and the spray of sand against her face that spoke of anything in this waste.

“Come on, come on,” she said, “let anything be revealed to us!” Despite her prayers, the only answer was a sudden rush of roasted air against her face, mingled with granules that raked at her eyes.

“Do you have anything?” Ford called from below her.

“It’s not good. Let me down!” she called, and soon found herself settled on the stone floor while Ford wiped the sand from her face.

“A desert, then,” he said grimly.

“Yes, and a lot of it,” she said, taking the small cloth from his hands and wiping away the last vestiges of her small excursion. “We are in a valley, somewhere near the lowest point. Dunes crest everywhere around us.”

“From one ocean to another. And no sign of water?”

“And no sign of people, either. I was hoping for sight of a caravan and yet nothing,” she answered. “Ford, the heat will kill us if we venture out while it is light.”

“I agree. We venture out the moment sundown arrives, and as fast as we can. It will be miserable, tiring, but we can’t afford to be caught out in the sunlight with what little resources we have.” He felt the canteen at his side and gave a grimace at its lightness. “If we needed to, could you manipulate the weather to bring rain if push came to shove?”

“Maybe, but it might not be enough. Weather is a force all its own, and even the best of our weather-tamers back home can only do so much. It is a science more than it is a magic.”

“For one who could raise the sun, I was hoping magic would be a better solution to our problems than it’s come to be,” he remarked.

“It is a tool, just as much as that trident in your hands is. Useful only when properly applied. I could bring about some relief in the form of cloud cover, but I could also bring about something worse if it ever grew beyond my control. The natural things of the world are as much alive as you and I.”

Ford’s once-strong skepticism was beginning to fade, and he only gave a small nod at her words. “We may as well stay here, further back in the cavern to avoid the worst of the heat,” he said. “Too close to the cave mouth and we may as well broil ourselves.”

“And if someone ventures nearby? We would miss them,” Celestia said, immediately wishing to kick herself. Be encouraging, not critical! He’ll know this!

“It’s a bad risk either way,” he admitted, “but with water so low… I want us conserving as much as we can. We’ll just have to keep our ears open.”

They took seat opposite one another in that dust-filled cavern, letting the rushing wind roar over the rock and the surrounding dunes of infinite sand until the sound became so commonplace that anything beyond it struck their ears like a crash of thunder. Occasionally they would perk up at the sudden arrival of a strange sound, only to discover it was a sudden gust at the cave mouth, or flecks of sand rubbing hard against the rock above.

“Celestia?”

“Mm?”

“Did you- know Sombra?” Ford asked.

Celestia feared the words had made her shudder, the memories she kept so deeply repressed and buried suddenly resurfacing, along with all the shame and fury that came along with them. If she gave hint to such things, even for the briefest second, Ford would be left crushed by the revelation. She forced herself to stay serene, and pushed the darkened memories aside. “What would make you ask?” she said in a voice that she hoped sounded calm.

“He reigned in the Empire while you were ruling in Canterlot, didn’t he?” Ford said. “For all the things he did there… it just seems strange that he was so easily able to get away with it all. Was he always evil, or did he just- I dunno- become that way?”

Does he suspect me? Surely not, he only asks. “Sombra and the Empire were not part of our concern for some time,” Celestia said. “He came to power not long after Discord’s defeat. Luna and I spent a great deal of time restoring the trouble within our own borders and Sombra… as you might have guessed, he simply worked well in secret.”

“Then he attacked you.”

“Yes, and nearly broke us. It was only a portion of his forces, but the kingdom nearly fell. Sombra’s attack was brilliant in strategy.”

“Was that when you knew?”

“No. We heard rumors, stories from escapees of the Empire about what was going on. We knew the Empire was a city of mining and great jewels, but we did not know how deep it all ran. An entire kingdom enslaved… Ford, perhaps it is because you came into a world where it was already known, but back then… no one believed such a thing could be happening.”

“What was he doing with all that wealth? Just hoarding it?” Ford inquired.

“We thought so at first,” Celestia said bitterly. “But once the battle was over, Luna and I began to research his activities, taking stories from the few that had managed to escape for the Empire was sealed away. Sombra wanted to find something deep below the surface, and would not rest until he did.”

“What was he looking for?”

“The Rifalamh. An Abyss that was buried long, long ago.”

“… And what did he want from that Abyss?”

“To open it, and release his master on the world again. To bring the End of All Days.”

Ford appeared perturbed by the discussion, suddenly going quiet and trying to find semblance of order. “How come no one knows of these things any longer?” he demanded. “Sombra is an Umbra, a fallen Alicorn. Yet nobody knows this and only thinks of him as some wicked king. All of what we’re experiencing, your past, the Sanctelior and all these ancient things… how does all of this end up getting lost? Why were none of these stories told?”

“For some, Ford,” she said, “to forget them was the only way healing could be found. I am old in the eyes of the world, but I am not so ancient as to know how deeply the wounds of those days ran. Have pity on your ancestors. They suffered for a world without such darkness- a world you have reveled in.”

“And yet Sombra still lives,” he said. “So we fight to bury that world for good.”

“Yes. We do.”

The absence of conversation fell and in it they found the wind that had so steadily roared across the sands during the day had begun to dissipate, only a gentle whisper now audible to the ear as they sat. Ford leaned out to the crevice above and peered at the sky, finding the once bright blue, cloudless skies had turned a soft pink. “I think our time is coming,” he remarked, rising to his feet and offering his wife his hand. “Any ideas for water or cover if we have to continue beyond the sunrise?”

“Only one of them,” Celestia answered. “I can cast a spell to bring forth water from what little moisture is in the air, but I can do nothing for respite from the sun. No matter how much water we consume, the heat will put us down if we can’t find shelter.”

“Then we’ll have to move quickly. Any shelter we find –and I mean any- we take without hesitation.” He looked up at her. “I’ve yet to have any real dealing with this sort of climate, but I hope you do. Any ideas for which way we should head?”

“The temperature drop will be painful. When the night reaches its deepest, we will feel the bite of the cold like we are in the dead of winter,” she said. “As for our course… truthfully, Ford, we have no real clue. No particular way will be more likely than the other. Just keep your eyes open for tracks in the sand, firelight- anything that hints at signs of civilization.”

“Very well, then. We should move out now. Ready?”

She nodded, and the two took to the entrance of their stone shelter, coming to a halt at the edge of the cave’s mouth to soak in the view. If they had knowledge of their whereabouts and the direction of their quarry, the sight would have been beautiful to behold as the sun was setting over the peaks of the dunes in a fireblaze of reds, pinks, and soft yellows that turned the unforgiving landscape into a tapestry of colors, the harsh winds of the day having cooled into a soft breeze that kissed their skin.

“That’s gonna be murder on our legs,” Ford said, reaching out and feeling the fine grains beneath their feet. “The wind’s been keeping the terrain tumultuous. Ground won’t be firm.”

“We have no choice,” she whispered.

Ford nodded. “Then let’s get moving. Come on!”

Their journey into the fire-scorched desert began as the dying throes of the sun disappeared from view, only a soft pale light in the distance speaking its cries as the last rays faded away. Behind them came a baleful, yellow light that was the moon in full power, beautiful and huge as it loomed over the terrain. They ran across the sands and across the dunes as best as they could manage, the grit loose and unforgiving of any misstep as they plunged ahead through valleys that spanned miles, over dunes that felt as tall as mountains, each unwilling to rest for even a moment lest the strands suck them down and impede their progress further. The sweat on their brows that began hot and damp turned cold as the night took hold in its strength and the world became icy, and now neither dared to stop for fear they would freeze. Their clothes, already battered by the salt and ocean waves of the last leg of their journey, had been soaked by the early beginnings of their trek here and now clung to their skin. Granules of sand were kicked up and stuck to their skin until they were as discolored and tanned as the earth below them. But not once did they cease, even for rest, pressing on into the deep of the night.

“Slow ahead! This dune is massive!” Ford said, coming to a halt at a thin ‘peak’ of their path. “We take a leap down and slide our way into the valley, keep pressing forward, I don’t think the path ahead will support us safely.”

“Keep your balance as you go! We don’t know if the sand conceals any rock beneath,” she advised, she herself struggling to remain balanced as the cascade of sand brought her thundering down the dune slope and into the valley again. As she came to a halt, she paused for Ford to arrive and the two readjusted their course and continued on.

“How long have we been on our feet?” he asked.

“Hours. It won’t be long until the sun is up.”

“How do you know?” he asked.

“I can feel it coming. This star is young and strong, and wishes to burn hot.”

“How fortunate for us,” Ford growled, merely pressing forward.

They could feel the change in the air as they moved ahead, though only the smallest filament of light had begun to appear on the horizon. The temperature, having remained frigid throughout the night, was already beginning to escalate; the once-gentle breeze was steadily churning into strong gusts that spat sand into their eyes. They dared not to look, knowing that the great star overhead was awakening on their part of the world, its fierce rays ready to shine down upon them without mercy. With no shelter in sight, the circumstances were prepared to turn dire, even with their water source still intact.

“Halt- Ford, halt!” Celestia suddenly cried.

He fell to his knees and gasped for air, clearly eager for a small break. “Are you alright?” he asked through his heaving.

“I am fine- but listen! Do you hear that in the air?” she said.

He paused and listened intently, desperate for a sound over the growing howl of the wind. At first he heard nothing beyond it, save for the movement of the sand below him- but there! In the distance, somewhere ahead of them, came a great clatter of movement that mingled with cries of terror, all overwhelmed by a great, shrieking cry that thundered through the air like a roaring of wildfire.

“Someone’s in trouble- come on!” Ford said, the dormant soldier within him revived by the sounds of distress, and forward he raced to the plateau ahead to give aid-

“Ford!” Celestia rushed to rejoin him and leapt to the plateau and found him standing there, staring out across the plateau at a massive caravan of tents, livestock, and people, all under threat and harassed by a great bird whose wings seemed to smolder and burn.

“What is that?” Ford breathed, stunned by the sight of it. “I’ve never seen such a thing even in the deepest wildlands of the world.”

It was a magnificent creature, terrible in size and shape, a dread beast of the depths of this great desert. A Fire Roc was its title, a mythical beast that had touched the sun and came back full of fire and rage that now burned within it like a smoldering furnace, keeping its great body alight and its once-lovely feather smoking at the tips. The breadth of its wings were monstrous, its talons and beak sharper than even the most terrible of blades. In its eyes was a great, wrathful fire and its cry caused shudders in the hearts of men.

“We need to keep it away from them, buy the caravan time to get away- can you do that?” Ford asked.

“Be ready, it will come for us immediately,” Celestia warned, taking aim and steadying her shot. Suddenly her palm alighted and a great burst of energy poured forth from her fingers, spiraling into a great prism of light that raked through the air and struck the beast along its breast, the terrible bird suddenly crying out in pain and reeling from the sudden assault. Its attack on the caravan ceased and it rose into the air, searching for its attacker and its beady eyes saw Ford and Celestia in the distance, and the fire within burned hot with rage.

“I think he’s seen us,” Ford said, steadying his feet as best he could in the loose sand and preparing his weapon. “Be ready to fire again, he’ll come straight for us.”

Celestia raised her hands once again, a ball of energy now resting gently in her palm as she prepared to throw-

The great bird gave a scream that shook the heavens and rushed towards them, leaving the caravan of tents behind as it raced towards its aggressors-

Celestia took aim and threw, the prismatic ball shuddering as the sheer magnitude of energy within began to burst forth, shrieking through the air toward its target-

The Roc gave a shrill cry and flung itself higher into the air, the ball of energy flying harmlessly beneath it and detonating beyond in the dunes-

“Let him get close!” Ford roared-

Celestia steadied her hands again, trying to summon the power forth. Far above her was the now-miniscule silhouette of the great bird, soaring so far above their heads it was now only a mere pinprick of shadow in an ever-brightening sky. “What’s he doing so high up?”

“He’s keeping himself out of range,” Ford snarled. “This thing’s no dumb beast, it’s thinking of how to fight back. Be ready as soon as he drops back down- wait for him to come to you-”

The sudden rush of movement was so fast that it seemed to happen in a heartbeat. The great shadow of the Roc turned downward and streaked towards them, the tips of its feathers igniting as a muffled cry escaped its beak-

“What on earth-”

“Move!” Celestia felt a great weight slam into her and she was sent staggering back-

The flames came down in a pillar of fire that set the very air ablaze, missing the killing blow but enough to bring the scent of singed hair and burnt flesh to their nostrils-

The pillar dissipated as the beast soared through, its magnificent claws outstretched and reaching for its prey-

Instinct kicked in and Celestia fired a small burst, a jet of water flowing from her hands and striking across the beast’s head-

The Roc screeched its displeasure and veered off course, taking itself just out of range as it began to circle the two humans below, its crimson eyes locked onto them-

“He can spew fire- we’re not safe-”

“I can’t get a good shot, it’s moving too fast-”

“We need to lure it in close again. I’ll try to give it something to focus on-”

“What are you doing- Ford!”

Ford separated himself from his wife and charged towards the encircling beast, his grip tight upon his weapon as he moved. He had the beginnings of an idea, and he would need the trident to make it succeed-

The Roc took notice and ceased its circling, diving down towards the desert and racing just above the edge of the ground, claws outstretched as it closed in on its prey-

Ford, move!” Celestia screamed, hands raised as she prepared another lethal burst-

The Roc’s eyes zeroed in on her screams and its beak opened to allow a great billowing of fire from within, the rushing flames cutting through the air and throwing Celestia back-

She flung her attack straight at the flames, the water streaming forth and turning the great rush of fire into smoke and steam that clouded her view-

A roar of pain followed by the great beast’s cry and she knew the bird had claimed Ford Forcing the steam aside, she searched wildly for any sign of them, scanning the skies- there! The beast had returned to its circling around her, while the struggling figure of Ford could be seen in its claws-

The gave another scream and dived towards its last aggressor, claws kept tightly wrapped but its beak just barely agape, ready to fire-

Celestia raised her hands though her mind was frantic. How could she manage to hurt the beast without possibly killing Ford? The power in her hands crackled, eager for expulsion-

Another column of fire and she dodged, swerving to the side as the bird rushed through, its molten feathers missing her head by mere inches and Celestia fell to her knees to avoid the blow, feeling the excruciating heat upon her face-

“Get ready!” Ford’s words, muffled by the rush of air and the spattering of sand on her face, came to her ears and she leapt back to her feet, keeping her hands at the ready. She kept her eyes on Ford, watching him continue to struggle against his captor- he had his arms free!

Ford could feel the heat of this beast burning his flesh as they continued to fly, but he had at least managed to succeed so far. His arms had been freed and his suspicions were confirmed: the bird was igniting the fires from somewhere just below the neck. Celestia wouldn’t be able to fire if she kept having to move, but if he could stop the creature’s attack-

The pressure changed and the bird swooped down again, ready to make another pass with its flames-

Ford locked his eyes onto the bird’s breast, waiting for the sight- yes, there it was! Just below the neck, the flames were growing and burning through the skin, a red-hot spot on the creature’s magma-colored body. He gave a grunt and thrust his trident into the beast’s neck, gouging it through feather and muscle and bone until it found the source, the flames exploding out from the Roc’s neck in a blaze that scorched his hands-

Celestia saw the sudden flare and rushed towards the now staggered Roc, her hands at the ready. She needed one more movement to make sure-

The Roc stumbled through the air and listed to the side, its weakened state loosening its grip and Ford crashed into the sands just below in a plume of tan dust-

The bird gave a cry of displeasure and refocused on its primary target, claws outstretched in the hopes of snaring its prey-

She gave it no time to get close. With a cry of a mighty warrior she flung herself out, a great column of light erupting from her palm and tearing through the air, crashing into her foe and tearing across its until it would seem consumed by the blow-

The Roc screeched as its wing was severed from its body, its blood pouring out in a lurid display of flames and the beast crashed into the earth, tumbling end over end until it at last came to a rest at Celestia’s feet, its ravaged breast still heaving with what few remaining breaths it had left. The flames within were quickly doused by the sand that had been flung across it, the crimson eyes turning brown and dull.

Celestia observed the Roc, kneeling down beside the once-magnificent head of this creature and gazing into its fading eyes, seeing its fear and pain that now consumed it. What a creature it was! She felt no great pride in killing such a thing, a mighty beast now brought low. It had been necessary, yes, but she found no need to revel in her victory. It was simply what had to be done. “I am sorry, my friend,” she whispered, stroking the Roc’s smoldering feathers gently as it panted away its final breaths. “You were beautiful to behold.”

The Roc steadied its gaze for a brief second and looked upon her before fading away forever, that last glimmer of light proud and strong with no fear to tarnish it. It had recognized her as something other, and found its death had come well after all.

A shuffling of feet through sand and Celestia looked up to see Ford moving towards her, his hand held tight against his chest in an attempt to help ease the pain.

“You’re hurt,” she said, rushing forward and taking him to her immediately, ignoring his wincing at the sudden movement. “Sit down, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Are you injured?” he asked her through gritted teeth, his eyes looking everywhere but where her hands worked upon his.

“Shut up. You’re the one who’s hurt now- and more fool you!” she said angrily. “You could have been killed, what if it had decided to crush you?”

“I needed to get you a clear shot,” he said, his displeasure evident as his fresh burns were pelted with sand. “I’d say it worked.”

“And you were nearly killed- don’t do that to me, please! Not again!” she snapped.

“You’re only able to be mad at me now because it worked,” Ford said, flashing a grin that appeared more like a pained grimace.

She could not argue with the logic of his words, instead settling to her work, bringing her hands gently across his wounds as her power flowed forth, sealing away the worst of them and accelerating the healing underneath his skin. “They’ll need to be kept covered from the sun or else the worst of them will linger,” she said, suddenly taking him and kissing him, her anger against him meshing horribly with her pride and relief. “And do not ever attempt such a thing again.”

The sound of a great many footsteps met their ears, and they turned to see a gaggle of robed men rushing towards them, crying out at the sight of the defeated Roc. “Travelers- you have done this feat?” one of them called.

“Do you have any injured?” Celestia replied, ignoring their words as the sight of the beast attacking the caravan flashed in her mind. “We can provide any help you might need.”

The man, a swarthy fellow with a frazzled beard that fell to his chest, was taken aback by the offer and stared at them, perhaps silenced by the outlandishness of their appearance.

“Do you have any wounded?” Celestia pressed again.

“Y-yes. My son and wife are hurt, among others,” he stammered. “If- if you can help, we would be grateful. Come quickly!”

The caravan of traveling folk had been savaged by the Roc’s attacks and Celestia found herself stretched thin, giving what aid she could. The less severe wounds were looked over by Ford, whose medical skills were enough to lessen pain and staunch blood flow while she was occupied with the more critical injuries that threatened further loss of life. Though those who survived were terrified at the sight of Celestia’s powers, they were grateful nonetheless for this sudden rescue from their assailant who had threatened to destroy them. Despite the pleading that came before her, the tears that fell, there was nothing that could be done to save those who had been lost, and Ford helped those strong enough to withstand their grief to bury the dead, from the old to the far too young. All around the camp was the sound of grief and wailing of family and friends who could not be comforted.

Celestia brought her hands gently across a little boy’s forehead, her magic weaving through the still-bleeding cut and watching as the wound healed before her eyes, her powers accelerating the recovery process until only a faded mark above his eye was visible, pale against his darkened skin.

“Thank you, Sahiria,” the boy’s mother said, holding her son tightly as she examined the freshly healed injury. “Thank you. My son is alive because of you today.”

“I wish we could have found you sooner,” Celestia replied, staring out into the distance where Ford and a group of men worked burying the lost, the number of which was painfully large.

Ford returned soon enough and came to his beloved, cleaning his hands of the blood that had fallen upon them before tending to the cleanliness of his wife removing the gore that had dirtied her. “How are they?” he asked.

“The wounded will survive, though some will be shaky for a time,” Celestia answered, beginning to feel somewhat shaky herself. “The more grievously injured will need to rest as best they can.”

“And as for you? You have expended yourself greatly here.”

“I can still stand and walk without fear of failure,” she said, giving his hand a small squeeze to show her strength- it was not much. “Do not worry, I have not expended myself so greatly that I cannot continue on.”

“If that is the case, then their leader wishes to see us. The one who came up to us earlier? His name’s Zareim, the patriarch of this entire group. This is one massive family unit, and he said he wanted to thank us for our help.”

“Did you tell him about us?”

“You used your power openly among them, Celestia. They think of you as some kind of sorceress or angel, I can’t tell what they’re saying exactly,” Ford replied.

Soon after, the two were requested to appear before him, and Zareim greeted them with great joy, though he too bore the mark of injuries upon his visage. “My friends, it is thanks to you I still have my many children here with me today,” he said, bowing deeply before them both. “I know that not one of us would not have lived to see the sun fall if you had not arrived to deliver us. We are forever in your debt.”

Ford’s discomfort at such remarks was easily apparent, his distaste shared by his wife. The two shared a look before returning to Zareim, Ford taking a step back to allow her to speak for them both. “We only did what we could, my friend,” she said, “I am truly sorry we could not have done more to aid you.”

“I, too, wish you could have come sooner,” Zareim replied, his eyes momentarily tinged with grief before returning to gladness. “But you have saved many today, my friends. I will surely be thankful for that instead. Please, Sahiria, allow me to grant you kindness in return for your deeds, for you and your husband are surely mighty beings who come here for some great purpose.”

“We would be glad of shelter, Zareim,” she answered. “And direction. We seek a gateway, a means of passing through this world. It would seem a piece of wrought-iron to you, a whispering thing that allows no entry. Do you know of such an object?”

“Of course! Ataba it is called, and to there is where we travel! Please travel with us to it, and grace us with your presence, for we sought it out to plead its Maker for mercy from the Great Bird and were given freedom by you! So our arrival shall be cause of celebration, and a great feast will be held in your honor.”

“Please, save your celebration for one another, my friend,” Celestia protested. “We seek to enter it and pass on, for our journey leads well beyond it. All we ask if for rest and shelter along the way so that we may find relief from this sun.”

“And it shall be given to you! The Ataba is three day’s and night’s away, and your journey shall be in the finest we have to offer you! My wives and my children, as well as their children, shall be at your side to give you aid.”

“Where did that beast come from, Zareim?” Ford asked, stepping forward and coming to his wife’s side. “Surely such a creature is not commonplace to you, if you had traveled here to ask for rescue from it.”

Zareim’s countenance fell instantly, his joyous expression falling away and promptly replaced by a dismal melancholy. “The Great Bird was once a mighty thing of the skies, my friend,” he said. “Many thousands of years ago, it safeguarded our world and kept it from harm. Our world was green and beautiful, so it is said. But a newcomer came into the world and wounded the Great Bird, and stoked the fires of hate and wrath within it so deeply that all wisdom and justice that it knew was lost. Our world turned bitter and painful, and is now the wasteland you see today. But perhaps, now that it has perished, the world may become green yet again- and it shall be green because of you.”

Celestia and Ford, though disturbed by Zareim’s tale, were grateful for an end to all discussion and were led away to one of the few untarnished tents and given beautifully crafted bedrolls, the two of them crashing down and struggling to remain awake in mere minutes.

“Sombra was here- millennia ago! How can time be so deeply set against us that it allows him to perform such deeds?” Celestia asked aloud.

“You said it yourself,” Ford yawned, “we could be anywhere in this Palace. Before he arrives, after he arrives, right at the same time… it’s all random. You think the gateway is opening up for us at a specific point, right?”

“I do.”

“Then it must see this point in time as where we are needed to be,” Ford replied. “Let’s not bother ourselves with things we can do nothing about. Come, let’s get some rest, we have more traveling to do.”

Ford was fast asleep in minutes, the battle and his subsequent wounds having drained him greatly, and his gentle snoring filled the tent as Celestia tried –and failed- to block it out. She turned and gazed at him, taking in the peaceful expression that set upon his face, so free and serene- so different from the cares and worries he bore for them both when they were awake. She felt a warmth at the sight of him, grateful for his companionship and loyalty.

He’ll need to know the truth- soon, she thought, her mind drifting to Sombra as a cold wave of guilt fell over her. He deserves to know what really happened, even if it may break his heart. He gives so much of himself to me. It is only fair he receives the same in return.

Their journey across the ocean of sands turned out to be a week-long excursion, the massive caravan continuing in a steady but tedious pace due to its size and the number of people within it. Zareim’s family was great in number, with his many sons and daughter possessing large families of their own. The caravan was lively wherever they went, with the cries of children and the sound of laughter as they moved steadily along. Grateful for their rescue from the Roc’s fiery clutches, Ford and Celestia found themselves traveling in relative luxury alongside their host, with nothing but the finest amenities to help shield them from the sun’s unforgiving rays. Simply relieved to be sheltered from the heat, the cool shade was a moving oasis to the weary travelers, allowing them time to speculate on what trials would face them next, or Sombra’s current moves against them.

“So far we’ve seen the environment turned against us- three times now,” Celestia said, riding beside her husband on her steed, “The frozen mountains that sapped me of strength. Then the endless oceans that were meant to isolate us. Now here, with this desert.”

“And then nature’s beasts as well,” Ford added, “he had to have done something to that bird for it to become that way, and causing pain is his nature. But how is he doing this? Sombra was able to match you in strength, yes, but this is beyond mere shadow magic. It’s a strength we haven’t seen before. He’s destroying worlds just to try and slow us down.”

“Time has been his ally in this fight so far,” Celestia mused. “He visited this place thousands of years before our arrival, and bided his time. He’s using the flow of time within the Palace to grow his strength.”

“Then that means, when we find him…”

“Yes, Ford. He will be beyond any normal strength. He will be dangerous.”

“So is that why you’ve been so hesitant to use your magic since we entered this place? You wish to conserve your strength and let it grow.”

“It can replenish itself easily, but the more I use it, the more time it takes to recover,” she replied. “And since life in Equestria often asked me to use it regularly, I have not been at full strength in some time- to allow it to grow and multiply is even more difficult.”

Ford grimaced and said nothing, turning to his own thoughts for a time. “Celestia,” he said slowly, “how long have we been in the Palace?”

“I am not sure. Two months, perhaps?”

“We chased Sombra for ten years, beloved. Yet he was in here –in this particular world- thousands of years ago by their time,” Ford pressed, “you said time flows differently within the Palace, correct? So what if what we’ve seen as two months within its depths is decades back home? Or centuries, millennia even? We’re timeless until Sombra is defeated, but what about home? Are we even going to have a home to go back to, or will the world have changed so greatly that everything we know will have faded into the black?”

Celestia did not have an answer for that, and the sudden anxiety within her in response to his words unsettled her.

The day they had awaited soon came and the Gateway stood on an outcropping of rock before them, its gates open and alive in welcome for its travelers. Zareim and his family gave cries of thanks at the sight of it and a feast was declared, in honor of their saviors.

“Zareim, I am sorry, but we cannot remain. We must go until we have our quarry, and it awaits us through those open doors,” Celestia said.

The entire family seemed to wilt at her words, and Zareim gave a cry of sadness in response. “So our liberators must depart from us? And they refuse the gifts and honor of my people!”

“We are honored, Zareim- truly, we are,” Ford replied, trying to placate the gracious man. “But we simply did what we should have done. There is no need for great honors or gifts. To see you safe and whole is more than enough, and the kindness you have shown us in bringing us to this place is all the gift we need.”

Despite the pleas of Zareim and his kin, the two were determined to depart, and there was weeping as they said their goodbyes, turning to the opened threshold that beckoned them with tantalizing whispers. As they came towards its doors, Ford hesitated and came to a halt just before it.

“Is something wrong?” Celestia inquired.

“We’ve seen threats of nature and beast,” Ford murmured, “but none of Sombra himself. He’s turning worlds against us. So what facet of existence has he yet to throw at us?”

“Man…”

“Perhaps it is nothing,” Ford said, “but something in me hesitates at the thought of what comes next, beyond those doors. I fear it.”

Celestia took his hand in hers and gave her warmth to him, the light that dwelled within her rising to bring relief to his darkness. “It cannot overwhelm us. Not your or I,” she said encouragingly. “For whatever we find next, beloved, will not have seen the likes of us yet.”

Yet even her words rang hollow as they stepped through the tendrils of white and into the beyond, as the weeping of their fellows drifted into the ether and all light and darkness was consumed in its grasp, the heat dissipating as they departed and replaced with an ill wind that rang cold and deep against them.

Beyond the dunes, beyond the horizon, far into the rising of the sun and beyond all thought and hope and handiwork of what men remained, the sand still tossed and turned as the wind roiled and the sun bore down. But against the endless ocean of dust and granules was an untouched pool of water, clear and beautiful as it rested in a basin of rock, and beside its tranquil waters was movement below the sands, and a small tendril of green pushed through to seek light and life from a sun whose rays had finally relented in its fury.

Author's Note:

Brace yourselves. We have seen frost and oceans and endless sands, the beasts that wreak havoc upon a tormented world...

But the worst is yet to come.

New additions to the soundtrack found here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below. Enjoy!