Equestria Lost: Dragons beyond time

by Tythen

Castle in the Mist: Part 2

"All this within a Forest!?" Flash exclaimed as the group crossed the bridge, "You're kidding! With this thing sitting on top of a mountain, surrounded by a canyon and a very large river, it could be spotted in the air! How has this place not been discovered!?!?"

"Oh, the Halidom used to be taller," Cleo answered, "But it doesn't change its invisibility to the naked eye. You can only see this place and its surroundings if you enter the surroundings in the first place."

"Gosh," Rarity looked all around her as they entered the grounds of the Halidom. Aside from the numerous trees, she could see decorations in the form of flower bushes, statues, and torches of medieval times. "I'd never ever dream we'd be living so close to a castle!!! This is like walking through a history site!"

"You can say that," Cleo agreed as the group walked uphill, "The Halidom was the capital for New Alberia. Food, Trade, Economy, Entertainment, Refuge, Tourism, it has everything that a Country and its people needs to thrive through time."

"Around your time..." Sweetie corrected, "You don't even have a single sight of today's technology!"

"Perhaps," Cleo calmly replied, "But the Halidom also had the fairest, kind-hearted, and open prince, alongside some mighty dragons to be its shield. I believe the leaders of Equestria is run by a group of people?"

"Only when it comes to drafting constitutions or agreeing with plans. Otherwise, we have a President that governs Equestria, even if he's an idiot." Flash spoke up, "But you mentioned Dragons... are you trying to say Dragons are real?"

"Yes," Cleo nodded,

"That's impossible..." Flash shook his head, "There's been no evidence of a dragon appearing in our world's history... so is this an alternate dimension?"

"Why don't you find out for yourself instead of arguing with Cleo?" Adagio responded a bit frustrated, "Go to the balcony of the Castle and look towards the direction of where we came from."

"O-Okay..." Flash nodded and scampered up ahead.

"Oh yeah, I should let you guys that despite what you think, there is phone reception and data around here. No wi-fi though." Adagio added,

"Are you serious!?" The three teens jumped. Sweetie and Rarity immediately scrambled for their phones. To their absolute surprise, Rarity had been notified with many missed calls and voicemail alerts alongside a load of texts from concerned friends. Likewise, this also popped up in Sweetie Belle's phone, and Big Mac's.

"Perhaps you'd like to show your friends around Adagio?" Cleo suggested, "I'll be off to make some lunch for all of you."

"They are not my friends, Cleo." Adagio snapped back, "In fact, they are my enemies!"

"Either way, you still decided to save them. That makes them your friends in my book." Cleo shrugged and went on her way, taking every step gracefully.

"Grr..." Adagio growled under her breath,

"To be fair Adagio..." Rarity perked up, "I'm quite surprised myself that you'd rescue us despite what we've done to you and--"

"Save it." Adagio interrupted, "I'm not the Adagio you knew back then, that's all you need to know. Now, where would you like to go?"

"Well... Umm..."

"On second thoughts," Adagio interrupted again, "Why don't we go to where that idiot is? You guys all should look at it first so you understand what's going on with this place."

"You mean Flash right?" Rarity clarified with a confused look, "He may not be the brightest, but he's not an idiot."

"His attempt at fighting fiends is appalling like his music and band. I couldn't care less if he was from the other dimension."

"They were pretty good in my opinion." Sweetie disagreed, "Just as good as me, Scoots and Apple!"

"HEY! YOU GUYS!!!" Flash hollered to the group, "You need to get up here!!!"

"Better not keep him waiting," Rarity asked as the group walked uphill and up to the castle, where it grew bigger and bigger the closer they got.

"Wow, this castle looks very big!" Sweetie marvelled at the size of the stone castle, standing on top of the stairs like a princess waiting to walk down to show everyone in the ballroom how beautiful she looks. "Is there a ballroom inside? A library???"

"A library?" Adagio answered, "We do, but it's not part of the castle. It's on the 5th area of the castle grounds. Currently, it's under renovation but I'd advise against entering it if you value your sanity."

"So whatcha lookin' at?" Big Mac nudged and open-jawed Flash, and he responded by pointing towards the direction of the bridge, and where they entered. The three turned their heads to see what had captivated their blue-haired companion, and their jaws dropped like Flash one-by-one. Across the canyon and river, they could see the green forest they came from spanning as wide as the eye can see. However, they could clearly make out, somewhere close to the horizon, but not as far to make everything so tiny, was a bright green park with a big blue pond with urban buildings and concrete jungles beyond.

"That's Mayleaf Park. We just came from there!" Sweetie gasped, "I don't recall travelling that far!"

"As Cleo said, that mist is a portal," Adagio responded. It'd take you straight to this side of the forest, and through the Mana Barrier."

"I take it that this 'Mana Barrier' is what's hiding this place from the rest of the world?" Rarity asked,

"Yes." Adagio answered, "More importantly, it also holds together the absurd amount of mana that flows through this area. From what Cleo told me, mana is some sublime energy within the people then, and the source for all life and magic."

"M-M-M-M-M-M-Magic!?!?" Flash and Sweetie jumped. Big Mac just tilted his head,

"Flash, as someone who's followed us to Camp Everfree, it shouldn't be that much of a surprise to you. And let's not forget what happened with Sunset, The Dazzlings, and Twilight!" Rarity called out,

"It's a different type of magic, FYI," Adagio continued, "It's not from Equestria. I mean, 'that' Equestria."

"Sis, what's she talking about? You seem to know about it." Sweetie asked,

"Everyone???" Cleo called from one of the Castle Windows, "Lunch is ready!!!"

"We can talk about it over the table then," Rarity answered, "We need to eat!!!"

---

Following the Purple-haired lady, the five Equestrians sat on a regular dining hall that happens to be located right next to a rather large kitchen. Four of the younglings seemed a bit... disappointed, but Adagio knew exactly why.

"Not as grand a dining hall for a castle eh?" Adagio chuckled, "If you ask me, it's better if dining tables were closer to the kitchen rather than a separate room!"

"I guess?" Flash shrugged.

"Here you go!" Cleo carried a tray with five loaves of bread and five bowls of... Something. She stopped at each of her guests and placed down a loaf of bread and the bowl. Sweetie, the first person to receive the bowl and bread, felt an overwhelming and delicious scent slide up her nose. The bowl's contents appeared to be a thick creamy broth with an assortment of carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, and a large helping of meat.

"It's stew!!!" Sweetie Belle shouted with joy. The others could see her eyes sparkling and her mouth drooling.

"Hmm..." Flash poked at one of the mushrooms with his spoon, then the carrots.

"Something wrong?" Cleo asked,

"I mean no offence," Flash started, "But uhh... what is this made out of?"

"Flash???" Big Mac raised an eyebrow, "Is yer mind alright? This is just a normal stew. But Ah'll admit it smells better than the last time I had somethin' similar."

"It is made out of..." Cleo started, using her fingers to count the ingredients. "Carrots, Mushrooms, Broccoli, Beef, and broth boiled straight from the animal bone and fat. The first three ingredients are grown in the Halidom's garden, and the other three I bought from the local butcher and supermarket. Isn't that what you normally eat too?"

"So they're the normal ingredients that we have." Flash nodded, "I see."

Cleo's eyes furrowed with suspicion, "What are you trying to imply?"

"When there's a different world or dimension, fruits or food unknown to humans are a possibility. Please pardon my questions and doubts, that's why I said I don't mean any offence." Flash explained in defence.

"You're rather inquisitive today Flash, but questions and suspicions won't fill empty stomachs!" Rarity sighed. She dipped her spoon into the stew and drew a small amount. Blowing on the broth to cool it down, her eyes widened as she took a sip.

"Mmm... Mmm!..." Rarity closed her eyes and tensed her face, "... Mmm!!!" The moment she made the third sound of joy, as a hollow pillar of stew dropped from the ceiling and engulfed the fashionista. Surrounded by the broth, meat, and vegetables, Rarity began to 'pony up'. Her pony ears sprouted out of her hair and head like magic and began to levitate upwards, towards the source of the stew pillar.

"This is the most delicious bowl of stew I have ever tasted in my entire life!!!" Rarity sang, her voice booming across for all to hear as she spun around with her arms out.

"Umm... What is she doing?" Adagio asked Rarity's friends, who just like the Dazzling, was wondering what in the world Rarity was doing having her arms in the air and with a look of pure bliss.

"Either the stew's really good, or something else was added to the ingredients." Sweetie Belle responded, taking a spoon and cooling it down to try some for herself. "Mmm! This is really good!!!"

"You should try it with the bread," Cleo suggested, "I didn't add it here for it to be eaten on its own."

"Thanks," Big Mac responded as he grabbed the warm bread, tore off a soft and smooth piece, dipped it into the stew, then popped it in his mouth. "My... Ah, can see why Rarity's acting dramatic. This is some really good grub, hats off to you Cleo."

Cleo curtsied, "You're most welcome--... I'm sorry, I don't recall your names. I don't think you've introduced yourself to me yet."

"For the record, she's not a dangerous person like me," Adagio vouched, "It's safe to do so,"

"Big McIntosh," Big Mac waved, "Howdy."

"I'm Sweetie Belle!!!" Sweetie waved, "Wonderful to meet you, Ms Cleo!"

"My name's Flash Sentry." Flash bowed, "Honour and pleasure. Again, I apologise for my early suspicions. This is a very nice stew you made too."

"Ahh..." Rarity was still enamoured by her lunch. Sweetie nudged her a bit to get her attention but to no avail.

"Sorry about that. This is my older sister Rarity." Sweetie introduced. "So uh... may I ask a bit more about this place? Aside from it being called the Halidom or New Alberia?"

"Well sure. I know all about this place from head to toe, as well as its history." Cleo accepted as she sat down with her own bread and bowl of stew, "This Halidom was built by King Alberius, the founder of the Alberian Kingdom and a man who I was indebted to."

"Royalty huh?" Sweetie Belle asked, "No wonder why Rarity likes this place, she's always a fan of royalty."

"Sounds like a good guy if you've sworn your life to him. You never hear people swearing their lives to others these days." Flash added,

"He is." Cleo nodded, "Kind, wise, but at the same time a man not to be trifled with. Aside from his charisma with people, his bloodline holds a special power that humans would desire to have. The power to make pacts with Dragons."

"Woah, you mean he can actually control dragons!?!?" Sweetie Belle clarified. Flash and Big Mac looked a little suspicious.

"Not control. Form a bond." Cleo corrected, "Dragons are more intelligent and wise than Humans and Sylvans would ever be, not to mention that they are responsible for the blessings of nature."

"So they're like Gods? Oh dear," Flash shivered, "Humanity's not going to like being underneath the food chain."

"All too true Flash." Cleo nodded forlornly, "Indeed, Humankind wished to advance in many things... and such acts harmed nature, which angered the Dragons. It's because of that, Dragonkind and Humankind had clashed for a long time."

"But there's gotta be some unity right?" Big Mac asked, "Otherwise this place wouldn't 'ave existed."

"Yes. The war between the two went nowhere, and so humankind resorted to summoning a terrible demon in order to match their power."

Flash held his face and shook his head in disgust.

"Am I insulting your kind Flash?" Cleo noticed,

"N-No." Flash jumped, "It's more like I'm a bit... sad that we'd pull something like this. I take it we thought that we'd control such a demon, and it ended up ruining the humans too yeah?"

"Yes." Cleo nodded, "And as I'm sure you can piece it together, that's when one dragon was determined to fight back and sought the help of a young human woman, one that had noble intent. Together, they were able to form that unity and achieve victory, making a promise to coexist once more... Until a few centuries later."

"Promise broken." Big Mac answered,

"Indeed. But this was the cause of well... humans fighting each other. As such, some group decided to summon the same demon again. That's when Alberius came into history in starting the initiative to fight once more. Humans and Sylvans banded together, with me being one of their ranks, and not to mention his pactbound dragons."

"I take it a dragon being pactbound means more than just fighting alongside humans?" Sweetie asked,

"More than that." Adagio jumped in, "You turn into them."

"Oh... that... that's awesome!" Sweetie beamed,

"Hold the phone guys," Flash stopped, "How are we supposed to know that the stories you say are true?"

"You truly are a sceptic." Cleo responded, "Then allow me to convince you the truths behind the tales. Would you like to start us off Adagio?"

"Fine..." Adagio sighed and took off her hat. The four (including Rarity), dropped their jaws once again. Adagio's usual long curly hairstyle was replaced with a short, bushy and messy one, but sticking out between those large tufts of hair...

"Ears!!! Rabbit Ears!!!" Rarity snapped back to reality, pointing at the tall long ears. Evidently, Rarity then looked to the sides of her face to see whether or not she had human ears, but Adagio's messy hairstyle had cunningly obscured it from her view. "Don't tell me they're real!?"

"Oh, I assure you..." Adagio crossed her arms, twitching her bunny ears without any help from her hands, "They are 100% real."

"I thought you were a Siren!!! What in the Sun are you!? I demand to know!!!" Rarity demanded,

"Now that I think back on it..." Sweetie deducted, "You mentioned something alongside humans teaming up with dragons. Are they called Sylvans?"

"Indeed." Cleo gently nodded, "However, it is just a temporary form. It's something she uses to go out incognito, as well as to fight. At the same time, she also performs simple tasks like delivering produce and taking up in odd jobs around the city. Some of the local shops know her as Francesca."

"Francesca? So the entire 'Alberia Markets' schtick is real?" Sweetie Belle gasped,

"That is a very interesting name," Cleo chuckled, "But yes. As a means to live alongside today's society, I sell fresh produce such as flour and vegetables grown in the Halidom Gardens to the locals in Canterlot. Some of the greengrocers, and bakeries like Sugarcube Corner. After I found Adagio, we took turns being the delivery person."

"... Knew it was familiar." Big Mac jumped, "This loaf has the same unique taste that Sweet Shoppe's pastries have."

"You're absolutely welcome. Speaking of food, would any of you like some seconds?"

"Oh!' Rarity perked up with eyes of greedy opportunity. "Me, please! Me, please!"

"Hate to interrupt your train of thought, but if you seem excited to eat, what about letting your friends know that you're alright?" Adagio reminded,

"Oh dear, you're right! I forgot." Rarity gasped, "Please save some of the stew for me. I'll just make a quick call..."

---

"Thanks a lot for lunch Ms Cleo." Flash thanked, passing a stack of empty bowls, "But I think we have to leave soon. Our friends are getting kind of worried."

"About that!" Rarity perked up, "I told them that we're safe, and to have lunch without us. Surely we can have some time to explore?"

"Really???" Big Mac scratched his head, "Ah'm not sure..."

"Oh come on!!! I want to know so much about this place!!!" Rarity pleaded, "Please???"

"I want to explore myself too." Sweetie Belle supported, "Surely it's fine with you boys?"

The boys looked at each other and sighed,

"Alright then. If you say so..." Flash gave in.

"Yay!!!" Rarity and Sweetie high-fived.

"So Ms Cleo." Big Mac answered, "Wanna continue with yer story as we walk?"

"Very well, I can clean the dishes later." Cleo smiled, "Would you like to join us Adagio?"

"I'll pass..." Adagio declined, "Someone's got to watch the Halidom." Without looking at the four of them, she walked away, putting her hat back on.

"She wasn't like this when I met her..." Cleo gave a straight face, "Perhaps there's more to the relationship between you?"

"That's a long story." Rarity responded, "How about we just continue looking around?"

---

"Like Ilia and Elysium," Cleo continued as they walked through a well-dusted hallway, lined with portraits of seems to be paintings of figures that hold some importance to the Castle, "King Alberius and his forces were able to lock Morsayati away. This time, they made sure that no other creatures from his world would invade ours, and he ruled his kingdom till his departure, leaving me to guard the Halidom. It was until 300 years later that I had brushed with his family line again. His descent King Aurelius represented the Kingdom of Alberia, with seven children. I had the honour of fighting alongside one of them."

"Woah there..." Big Mac stopped, "King Alberius was yer master... And you were fightin' with his descendants three centuries later?"

"Yes,"

"Y-You know that means you're about more than three--"

"Stop!" Rarity quickly clasped a hand on Big Mac's mouth, "You do not ask a girl about her age!"

"That's right. I am a Sylvan, not human. We have longer lifespans," Cleo clarified,

"I am starting to find these stories a bit more believable now." Flash answered, "Anyway, who's the lucky prince?"

"His name is Euden." Cleo answered, "This is what he looks like." She stopped and presented the portrait painting of a young adolescent boy with blond hair. He had his back turned at what seems to be a castle, holding a sword upright with his two hands, staring at some horizon with a straight, determined, and no-nonsense face. The name of this painting was titled 'Valiant Crown'. Rarity didn't like what she saw, however.

"He may have the posture of a prince, but his hair certainly unfitting!" Rarity spoke, pointing at a large tuft of the prince's hair sticking out. "That is a massive cowlick if I've ever seen one!"

"This may be a bit farfetched..." Flash asked, "But is he a bit... absent-minded?"

"Not at all. However, there were times that I could not comprehend his logic or his open mind. He's been accommodating and giving amnesty to various adventurers with absolutely questionable backstories and dangerous eccentricities. There is also his compassion and kindness, which I'd say is as big as the sun. There was a time when someone mugged him, to which he shrugged off since he had an abundance of money."

"Hmm... like a prince he'd have plenty of money, and considering most thieves had stolen to provide for themselves or others, I'd guess he'd let it slide. Crime's a crime though." Flash nodded in understanding,

"That's not the problem." Cleo continued, "Though trying to escape, the thief tripped and wounded himself. That's when Euden IMPLORED the thief to use the money he stole to see a doctor."

"WHAT!?" The four students blurted out in disbelief.

"Yep, I knew it. He's an idiot." Flash snickered, "All-Loving guy, very respectful, but still an idiot."

"That guy's a pushover!!!" Sweetie criticised while trying to hold in her laughter.

"Well, it doesn't change that fact that the morally questionable adventurers that he invited had proven more than honourable and powerful allies." Cleo balanced, "And the Prince is no slouch in the fighting department. He is Alberian Royalty, and they carry the Dragonblood in order to make these pacts. With it, he, as well as all his companions, are able to harness the power of the dragons."

"Oh snap! You can turn into dragons too!" Sweetie gasped, "Can you do it now!?"

"Only those with Dragonblood are able to pass that blessing to those without." Cleo lowered her head, "As he passed away, so too did that power."

"Oh. Sorry for bringing up bad memories..." Sweetie apologised,

"Not to worry. His memory lives on thanks to the castle and all that he had done to fight back against the fiends and our enemies at that time. Come, let me show you the rooms."

"Hey, Rarity?" Big Mac noticed that Rarity stayed behind to look at the many portraits of adventurers in service to New Alberia.

"O-Oh! Sorry!" Rarity jumped and quickly rejoined the tour. "I was enamoured by the clothes that these Alberians wear. Also, I found a particular type of fashion trend that these 'Sylvans' don, judging by the pictures. Perhaps Cleo might be an odd one out, but they really seem to like clothes that show their midriffs and navels!"

---

"Each bedroom you see here are sometimes shared or single. They also happen to be decorated by the adventurer's life and story. Originally, they were rather messy, so I've tidied their rooms as much as I could in honour of their memory, and I've placed the clothes they wore back then on their bed." Cleo explained as guided the group from door-to-door, and opening each one just to show how distinct they have been made thanks to its tenant. For examples, there was one room that seemed to be shared by two people. The two single beds each had a distinct set of midriff-bearing clothes and a fresh red apple on a table desk. Cleo claimed that she would change it every three days so it won't get rotten.

Another room seemed to have the table covered with test tubes, flasks and beakers. However, there lies a nasty black stain that covered about half of a bedroom wall, and Cleo responded that this was caused by an explosive experiment performed by the room's resident, and Cleo was unable to clean that off even after all these years due to it unknown and heavily experimented properties of that stain.

"Ah, I can see why people would question the Prince's decisions on giving refuge to pretty much anyone." Flash noticed, "Seems like this person could blow up the entire castle if they tried!"

"As long as she tries, she will always fail." Cleo laughed,

Then there was one room that seemed to entice the fashion-loving girl of the tourists. She could tell that this room belonged to a priestess, with the white cloth-like clothes with gold linings, a navy hood, and some rosaries that depict some symbolic order. Despite being the fashionista, she was interested in one peculiar item, not related to clothes, leaning on the side of the bed...

"What is this... stick?" Rarity pointed at the item in question: A 'stick' that had an open palm made of gold attached on one end.

"That is 'The Loving Hand.'" Cleo answered, "A staff that not even the blacksmiths can replicate. It also acts as a disciplining tool for when children, or anyone for that matter, commits bad behaviour."

"Corporal punishment." Flash smiled, "Whilst a lot of people today will press charges at such a practice, I must admit it has made me what I am today, and I am all the more thankful for it." A tear ran down his eye,

"TMI. Do you really need to mention that?" Sweetie nudged,

"Actually, while it may seem like that, The Loving Hand happens to be an object that delivers the preacher's tough kindness and love. It does slap hard, but it is painless."

"A cane that doesn't dish out pain. That's... pretty confusing." Big Mac scratched his head, "how does that work!?"

"Perhaps with a lot of skill and trust in oneself." Rarity stepped forward, "M-May I Cleo?"

"Oh, sure! Go right ahead." Cleo smiled. Rarity went and picked it up, to the shock of the others.

"You know," Rarity mused, carefully swinging it around, "A painless discipline stick sounds really nice!"

"E-Eh..." Sweetie took a few steps back, "I-Is that so?"

"Sweetie? Why the stuttering?" Rarity cheekily turned to her sister, "It's not like you've got any bad behaviour acts to answer for! Besides, you normally get away with any bad behaviour because one, I can't find any way to discipline you without Mom and Dad's help, and two, I'm pretty busy with school and work anyway!"

"S-S-Sorry!!!" Sweetie Belle fell to her knees, with tears in her eyes, "I swear I'll apologise for the mess I made to your room and clothes... And burning your breakfast!"

"I must say, I'm not one for faith in Gods and Goddesses, but I do like this priestess' pluck. What is her name? The owner of this Loving Hand?" Rarity turned around with a smile,

"Reverend Estelle." Cleo answered, "Also known as 'The Loving Preacher'. She's a compassionate and orthodox preacher of the church and she's also a teacher for kids that live in the Halidom. All of them love her and play pranks on her. That's why she's constantly got her hand around for disciplinary measure."

"Y-You know what? Can I carry it around for a little while? I'll promise to return it." Rarity requested,

"Hmm... You seem quite enamoured with this adventurer. May I ask why?" Cleo inquired,

"As I said, I admire this 'Estelle', despite different beliefs and jobs. The way she carries out her duties as a teacher to children, and most importantly her concerns with disciplining them... I'm afraid it hits quite close to home, being an older sister figure to a certain someone... who gets into lots of trouble for her own good."

"Hisss!!!!" Sweetie hissed, "Slander!!!"

"You know that to be true Little Sweetie Belle! You do know how many times I had to sit with you when you go to the Principal's office for your antics!?" Rarity furiously turned to her sister, slapping the Loving Hand like a teacher slapping a ruler onto his/her hand, itching to deal punishment. A big chill rattled Sweetie's spine.

"Y-Yes Rarity." Sweetie Meekly responded,

"Awkward..." Flash carefully whispered to Mac, who slowly and discreetly nodded in agreement.

"You know what?" Cleo gulped, "Perhaps you've had enough fun with the Loving Hand. Shall we continue onwards?"

---

"And now, I present to you the Castle Grounds." Cleo led the group outside. "As you have seen when you first got here, many plots of land make way for various facilities. Some as houses and camps for the people's shelter, others like mines, taverns, farms, mills, and shops for economy and welfare. Then there are weapon dojos, elemental altars, and other peculiar facilities that empower the adventurers and soldiers in service to Alberia. Of course, there are such statues to empower dragons too, like the Dracoliths and Fafnir statues."

"Elements?" Rarity asked,

"Yes. Almost every living being, including dragons, are attuned to one of the five elements from the day they are born into the world. Flame, Water, Wind, Light, and Shadow."

"Your world's natural rules and laws are beginning to sound really simple. Like something out from a video game." Flash noted, "Then again, the same could be said for us."

"Anyway, right next to the Halidom is the Smithy." Cleo pointed to a lone building with a medium-sized furnace right next to it. "A majority of the weapons the adventurers use are built from here. At a time of peace and fleeting lives, I had to sell a lot of them to make ends meet, or had the blacksmith dismantle them. Though I've kept some for a memento's reason, they're still plenty in there. I don't have the time or manpower to clean them up. Now, if you please look up..."

The group looked two see two islands floating in the air... And for a third time, their jaws dropped.

"ISLANDS!!! FLOATING IN THE AIR!!!" Flash bellowed, "There's no way that this is NOT another dimension!"

"We won't be able to visit them as of now," Cleo ignored, "but one of them is the Dragon's Roost. It's where dragons would take a small rest in the Halidom, as well as a way to get special treats that only humans can provide. The second one that's a bit higher is a special pool that contains a power vital for the Halidom's protection."

"What is it?" Sweetie asked, "It sounds like something cool if its powerful enough to protect this place!"

"It is," Cleo responded. "This pool is able to summon the memories and essences of the many adventurers who fought with the Prince and I. Whoever wields an adventurer's essence is able to assume everything that the adventurer knows. Their fighting skills, knowledge on their trade, and body appearances. The only thing that stays the same is your hair, eye and body colours."

"So whose's body is Adagio using?" Rarity asked,

"It's Francesca, isn't it?" Flash asked, "I mean, an adventurer by that name. That's her essence Adagio has yes?"

"That's right. The Cheerful Merchant." Cleo answered, "I first met this business-minded Sylvan when she came to the castle, selling spices, books, and all sorts of wares, and wanted to stay for a while so she can find more business opportunities. However, she came to really like this place, and in the end, wanted to settle down shop here with us as a home to stay. She's such a charming girl. I miss her just as much as Euden and everyone else..." Her eyes closed in a bittersweet smile.

"You must have seen many friends come and go..." Rarity sympathised, "I'm sorry for their loss."

"Hey, I hate to break her reminiscence, but Francesca is a Sylvan right?" Flash whispered, "And apparently, she passed away too, alongside the Prince, who's a human. I have a feeling Ms Cleo's much MUCH older than the average Sylvan and definitely more than 300 years--"

"We're done talkin' 'bout this from now on." Big Mac grunted,

"And that's the end of the tour!" Cleo concluded, "I hope you had a wonderful time here. Is there anything you'd like to do? Any questions to ask?"

"One thing for me." Flash started, "First off, I would like to say that this is a wonderful place you have, albeit rundown, judging by the looks of the grounds."

"Normally, renovation and building management are the Smithwyrm's responsibility. But I'm afraid they've left."

"I see... But that's not my question. What I am concerned about is this. Is this another dimension? Or is this place something else? I may have seen things that are not possible with our world, but as someone who lived here the most, you're the one with the answer to all this, No matter how farfetched it may sound."

"Hmm..." Cleo responded, "I--"

"Cleo!!!" Adagio yelled from afar, "We've got company!!!"

"Huh???" Cleo and the others turned towards the approaching siren, one with a worried look on her face.

"There's a group of fiends approaching the Halidom, and there's a giant one in the lead too! It's a... Giant Red Shroom..."

"Oh dear..." Cleo gave a conflicted look, "And to think we have guests here too."

"A Giant Red Mushroom?" Rarity reiterated, "It doesn't sound intimidating at all."

"That's what I thought too, genius!" Adagio sarcastically snarled, "But even Francesca has weaknesses like us!!!"

"Remember when I talked about living beings being attuned to the five elements? That also includes fiends." Cleo explained, "The Red Shroom indicates that it's attuned to Flame. Francesca is attuned to Wind. Since you find it simple Flash, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about yes?"

"Flame beats Wind." Flash nodded, "So, in that case, Water obviously beats Flame, and for the final line of the triangle, Wind beats Water. What about Light and Shadow?"

"They are strong against each other, yet weak at the same time." Cleo responded, "I'm attuned to the Shadow Element by the way."

"Of course! You're dressed in Purple!" Sweetie noted,

"Look enough talking. I've got to get ready to fight back you hear? Especially when I need to deal with that thing!" Adagio desperately spoke,

"So you're planning to fight them? Even when you have a weakness they can exploit?" Rarity asked,

"I don't have a choice Rarity! How dumb a question can you ask!?" Adagio lashed out, "If you can't tell, I'm living here with Cleo right now. If those fiends get through, this castle's done for. It's only been the two of us living here. I'm not going to let that change!"

"Huh..." Rarity smiled, "Looks like you really aren't the Adagio I knew before."

"Don't test me..." Adagio growled, holding out a dagger, "The reason why I'm here is because of you and your friends' after all."

"Adagio, that looks like a dagger made out of wood." Flash noticed,

"I know, a battleworn dagger. Even so, I can still take down some Fiends with a wooden knife, unlike you who can't seem to wield a tree branch to save his life!"

"H-Hey!" Flash stepped forward, "I do know how to fight, and keep in mind I was fighting with a tree branch, It's not up to the standards as your wooden dagger!!! If I had a proper weapon, I can beat those things just like you can!"

"You seem willing," Cleo blinked, "As I've said, there are weapons lying around the Halidom for you. I just need to know what ty--"

"Flash, save it!" Rarity broke the two apart, interrupting Cleo in the process, "Look, just... I still can't shake what happened to you fighting those things. Let me take care of fighting the Fiends with Adagio. Okay?"

"You? Fight? Don't make me laugh." Adagio smirked, "When have you ever raised a fist to someone else?"

"Well, it has been a few months Adagio." Rarity responded, dusting her hands, "And I've learned some magic of my own. Sure, I didn't use it back at the forest because... I admit it, I didn't think Flash would put up much of a fight. But then I saw you, and I'm confident in your fighting abilities. So I'll be your support!"

"I heard that!!! You'd better have something for me to do then!" Flash demanded,

"Sorry, none can do. But I'm sure you can think of something!" Rarity winked, "Well Adagio? After you?"

"What a weird time to be alive, fighting alongside you." Adagio grumbled, "But if you want to be supportive, you'd better protect my blind spots!"

"Give them pain!" Sweetie yelled as the two girls sternly marched down to the entrance.

"Actually, I thought of something..." Flash snapped his fingers, "Weapons lying around the Halidom. Do you know if there's a dagger around here Ms Cleo? Something better?"

"Hmm... Despite what I just said; If you're wanting to find a stronger dagger, I'm afraid really strong weapons are the ones I've asked to be dismantled. But don't give up hope, not every strong weapon is dismantled... thinking of something?"

"As a child and a teenager, I have a big obsession with medieval weapons. How they're made, how they're taken care of, yadda, yadda, yadda. It's why I took up a martial art that involves wielding a weapon."

"Well, since you trust me about knowing the place, I'll put my trust in your fighting skills and encourage you to fight with them, with a proper weapon." Cleo gave a small smile, "Now let me ask the question before Rarity interrupted me. What type of weapon do you use? I can handle the rest once you tell me."

"Sorry, but I'll have to turn that offer down. The lady insists on me not to fight. That's why I asked for a new dagger in the first place. If possible, I hope there are tools to sharpen it so Adagio can get an extra edge. I don't trust her wooden knife."

"Fair enough, and a wonderful idea. There are plenty of whetstones in the Smithy that you can use to sharpen your dagger." Cleo guided,

"Thanks, Cleo. I got this..." Flash nodded in acknowledgement and ran off.

"As for you two, do you have any ideas on what to do?" Cleo turned around,

"No... sorry." Sweetie shook her hand, and Big Mac did the same without any word.

"Then follow me to the castle. We'll help your older sister Sweetie." Cleo commanded, "We must hurry!!!"

---

"Well, Rarity?" Adagio asked as they reached the Halidom's bridge. "Having second thoughts?"

"Of course not dear." Rarity joked, "But perhaps a little more knowledge about those fiends could help. They look different from the ones we saw back then, yes?"

"Fine..." Adagio rolled her eyes and pointed to the horde of beasts. No longer were they the floating apparitions with robes and claws. Bur rather creatures of different features.

"There's the Slimes." Adagio pointed at four jars with the supposed slimes in them hopping eagerly across the bridge.

"Then there's the Goblins." Adagio turned the attention on four two-legged creatures with long ears, grotesque skin, and hilarious short hights. They too marched forward, menacingly.

"And lastly are the Shrooms." She pointed to the last group: Five bouncing fungal Fiends (excluding the big one) with glowing yellow eyes and a thirst for destruction.

"They shouldn't be so hard..." Rarity laughed, "I'm sure you can take them on without getting hurt!"

"That reminds me, what magic did you learn?"

"Watch." Rarity arched her brows in focus and revealed a necklace that she'd been wearing underneath her shirt. All of a sudden, she darted towards the enemy, an action that the Dazzling did not expect.

"H-Hey!!!" Adagio ran after her, "Are you trying to get yourself killed!?"

"Relax!" Rarity laughed, "these Fiends aren't so terrifying last time. Besides, I know how to duck and weave." The first Fiend to attack was a slime, aiming to jump high and squish her. Using its shadow, Rarity danced around its landing spot with a spin and ran forward. The next Fiend was a Goblin, ready to deliver a slugging blow. Alas, Rarity gracefully bent backwards as she watched the goblin's swing sail over her and miss completely. Then there were the Shrooms, and Rarity didn't even need to anticipate their attacks. With a laugh, she used the head of one of the shrooms to spring herself up to the air and began an impressive yet hilarious cakewalk on the heads the other shrooms. For the last shroom, she used its head as a trampoline and bounced herself to the air before landing flawlessly on the ground, straight to the other side of the horde and the bridge. Sure enough, the three groups of Fiends had their eyes right on the acrobatic fashionista and advanced on her quickly.

"Rarity!" Adagio yelled at the top of her lungs, but Rarity was still determined. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and raised her arms. Adagio could only stare as a fluorescent sparkling light was reflected from Rarity's location.

"Let's see you try and get me!" Rarity glared while enveloped in some transparent sphere that reflected the sunlight from all around. With her swaying arms, a large projection of a diamond wall rose from the ground before her. Rarity, through her concentration, smiled at her foes. Each and every one of their attacks did little to create even a crack in the wall, but then again, what can cause a wall made of diamond to shatter?

"Adagio!!! They're fully distracted!!!" Rarity yelled at the top of her lungs, "And they aren't leaving this bridge! I'm sure you know what to do now. Right?"

"Oh... Oh!" Adagio looked at the situation and gave a sly smile. "Well played Rarity. Now it's true that your magic wall is just a wall that stops you from getting hurt, but you've cunningly jumped across them so you can block them from retreating! Now that they can't run, they're trapped between you--" She drew her dagger with a scary glint in her eyes and charged towards them with a frightening lunge, "-- And me!!!"

The Fiends had no idea that their focus on the girl with the shield had left their backs unguarded to the girl with the weapon, and the moment they could feel a painful slit on their bodies did their lives come to a crumbling end. Adagio showed no hesitation as she cut down each and every fiend in front of Rarity's eyes. Rarity could not help but feel sick at the sight of the disintegrating Fiends, but the knowledge that those Fiends were set on killing her, as well as the damage they had done to Flash, helped her stand firm amidst the culling of these dark beasts, as does her Diamond-projected wall.

---

The other four had devised a role for themselves to perform in order to help the defence against the invading Fiends. Flash dashed towards the smithy shop, sitting on its lonely rock platform and entered its doors. The first priority at hand is to find a dagger.

"Not here... Not there..." Flash rummaged through each weapon rack, littered with swords, spears, blades and bows, staffs and wands. Each completely absent of his intended weapon. Finally, he was able to see the miniature weapon rack for daggers, but alas, it turned out to be the same wooden battleworn daggers that Adagio equipped.

"Perhaps the drawers?" He thought to himself and looked into the drawers of the Blacksmith. Some he found were long pieces of parchment with notes and drawings that Flash could decipher were schematics and blueprints of various types of weapons, though the notes were, unfortunately, a different language.

With the worry about Rarity and Adagio, he started scanning the floor, as he was not going to leave any stone unturned in this house. Instead, all he just found were pieces of dirt, broken bits of claws, shredded bat wings, and broken bottles on what seem to contain liquid metal.

"Darn it!" Flash cursed, kicking the anvil in front of him and reeled in pain. The anvil, though what seems to be years, still stayed solid and strong, with the force of a kick only causing a dagger resting on top of its face to shake a little.

Wait a minute...

Flash faced the anvil, realising that he failed to find the right weapon in such an obvious location. This dagger was not like those wooden daggers. No... This one had a blade of steel, and a brass hilt adorned with small red jewels... he couldn't tell whether they were real or fake, but that wasn't the concern right now. What he got is a weapon, and judging by how dull the dagger's steel blade is, it's time for sharpening.

"Now whetstones, whetstones..." Flash mumbled to himself, "Surely there must be an organised place..." His answer came as he looked to the side of the furnace and found three cubby holes each holding a stash of different coloured whetstones. Without hesitation, Flash grabbed a few of each, placed it on the anvil with the new dagger, found a stable chair, and sat down.

"Man... this place really does have something if it's able to send calls and use data." Flash chuckled as he pulled out his phone, "Better safe than sorry... now let's hope there's a set of instructions of weapon sharpening!"

---

"Come on you two!!! Don't fall behind!" Cleo pushed, running through the hallways of the Halidom,

"So uh, where are we going?" Sweetie asked while she and Big Mac followed fastly behind. "Does this castle have any defensive measures?"

"Just the watchtowers. We always try to make sure skirmishes happen as far away from the Halidom." Cleo responded, "But anyway, we should be right about... here!" Cleo ground to a halt at a normal wooden looking door that had a mosaic picture of three crystals stuck together. She opened it to reveal a spiral flight of stairs. "Please hold the handrails, you might be surprised by where this will take you!"

Running up the stairs, Sweetie noticed that design and aesthetics of the staircase began to change halfway. From the normal common grey stone steps, it changed into a different material glossed in marble white with linings of yellow and gold. Big Mac later noticed this too, and they silently pondered on this sudden change... until they finally reached the top of the stairs in the minute, and felt the unexpected taste of air.

"You got to be kidding me..." Big Mac gulped. Waiting at the top of the stairs, they found themselves standing on a stone ring platform surrounded by a pool of water. Likewise, the ring platform they were standing on surrounded another pool of water, which in turn surrounded another ring platform, this time in gold, and it too contains a third separate pool of water, the smallest of them all. The ring had ten thorns where each thorn was pointing to a platform across the water. Each of the ten platforms looked exactly alike, and the distance between them was even across the circumference. Finally, there were stone pillars that were the closest to the far-edge platforms, rising to quite a high distance.

"This place just keeps on getting weirder..." Sweetie spoke, as she poked the lifeless and stilted water on the outside of the ring.

"Oh, it sure is..." Big Mac agreed, tapping Sweetie to show her another thing. In the middle of the grey ring, was a large statue of a fierce-looking dragon wearing a large shard, embroidered with gold metal, on its chest, holding out a platform that loomed over the golden ring.

"This is the island where the summoning takes place," Cleo informed, "In other words, we are on one of the floating islands right now."

"How!? Just how!?!?" Sweetie clutched her head, "We just went through a normal door in the castle, and we end up high in the clouds! This place is making little physical sense!"

"I take it you're going to summon an adventurer for Rarity to use???" Big Mac called,

"Yes, but just to let you know, this island has been very inactive for a while. Using its power now can cause some damage around here." Cleo warned, "That's where you two can help."

"What can we do?" Sweetie asked,

"The water around you should be flowing as normal water should, in order to regulate the summoning flow of this place, like an electrical circuit. Since it's not moving, the summoning process will have hiccups, so you're going to have to manually fix the circuit by making the water move. Get ready to make a splash."

"After all this wacky stuff that happened today, we have to end up doing this as well!?" Sweetie raised her voice, "This really is crazy! We're crossing the line here!!!"

"Ah don't like it either..." Big Mac scratched his head, "But it has been consistently wacky, and if it's gonna save Rarity and Adagio, ah might as well run till the end." He took off his socks and shoes. Sweetie Belle shook her head in disappointment at the course of events, but also to the fact that the farmer had a point.

"Uh... How deep is the water here?" Sweetie asked, "I can swim alright, but just asking."

"I... Well, I don't have any idea myself..." Cleo confessed, "but for safety's sake, you can hold on to the stone ring and paddle with your feet. That should be more than enough. By that, I mean going in the water and using your legs to swim towards the ring. Just sitting on the ring and kicking the water to the edge is not enough."

"Rarity's going to be so mad when she finds out I got these clothes wet." Sweetie sighed again, then looked up straight in determination, "But... I'd rather have a grumpy sister than a dead one. And I'll make sure of that here!" Like Big Mac, she took off her shoes and socks and jumped into the lifeless water at the same time Big Mac did. It was freezing, but the feeling soon subsided, just like jumping into any normal swimming pool. The two swam opposite each other on the stone ring, ensuring that they covered a large body of water.

"Ready!" Big Mac yelled, treading on the water. "This pool is actually pretty deep!"

"Ready!" Sweetie yelled, clutching on to the stone ring as Cleo advised.

"Make sure to splash with all your might when I say go!" Cleo commanded, taking out a small pouch, "I only have enough for just one summon!" She turned to face the risen platform. "Excuse me, I'd like to summon!"

"... As you wish." A woman's voice, as divine as light itself, echoed around the island in response. The teenagers watched in awe as an astral image of a woman in robes magically appeared on the platform. "But it has been a long time since you summoned. The waters in the pool have been silent, and it will take some time to get them moving. Summoning now would be very risky, and may cause irreversible damage to this island, which may prevent future summoning."

"I-In that case, will any manual help do?" Cleo asked, "To cause the water to move,"

"... I can sense them..." The lady spoke, turning to face Big Mac, then Sweetie Belle. "Two bodies in the water... Young human adolescents, and not from our time... it is possible to perform a summoning with their aid, but they will need to a keep consistent rate of motion in the water... can you hear me, young ones? I can only feel the presence of those who set foot on these grounds and hear their voices."

"Y-Yeah!!!" Sweetie gave a thumbs up, "We know what to do!"

"All right then, go!" Cleo signalled. Grabbing hard on the ring, Sweetie rapidly kicked her feet and legs in the water, creating splashes and mini waves around the place, and propelling the pool's water to slowly ripple and move. Big Mac dived down and began performing a breaststroke motion, propelling the waters around his body, sometimes coming back up for air.

"Yes... stay at this pace as long as possible... for the sake of the adolescents, please pour the offerings into the golden ring immediately. I will be able to sense how much you've offered."

"Here!!!" Cleo opened the pouch and turned it upside down over the waters of the golden ring. From last she counted, one-hundred and twenty rainbow-coloured pebbles cascaded out of the pouch and dropped into the water with a satisfying 'plip'.

"Done!" Cleo responded as the last little stone sank into the depths of the pool and disappeared under the aquatic veil.

"Understood... beginning the process for one single summon." The astral woman nodded, and bent low with her hands together. A light began to shine in the waters of the golden pool, and the island began to shake.

"Woah!" Sweetie slipped, almost losing her grasp.

"Hey!" Big Mac quickly rose to the surface, halting the motion of his arms.

"Do not falter!!!" The woman warned, "If you slow down, the shaking will worsen! Please swim just for a little longer!!!"

"Oh fine!!!" Sweetie growled and pushed away from the stone ring, deciding to swim in the open areas of the pool in freestyle stroke.

"Hmph!" Big Mac took another breath and dove back down, this time also changing his stroke to freestyle for better propulsion.

---

Back at the castle bridge, two girls stood amongst the bodies of slimes, shrooms and goblins, either dissolving, disintegrating, or turning into mist. The two of them seemed to come out unscathed.

"That... actually went pretty smooth!" Rarity spoke, "not bad Adagio!"

"I'd say you're pretty smart yourself." Adagio admitted, "I can sense that wall you made was Equestrian Magic. How did you learn that anyway? All I remember is that you can 'pony' up whenever you play an instrument."

"Going out camping can lead you to very new experiences and discoveries." Rarity responded, "like the Geodes in Camp Everfree!"

"Everfree?" Adagio cocked her head, "Isn't that--. Oh... so there is a human equivalent of the Everfree Forest."

"GRR!!!" An inhuman roar came from the forests. The girls turned around to see a giant red mushroom slowly making a hopping advance.

"So this must be the leader..." Rarity noted, "Other than size, it doesn't look any much different than the normal shrooms!"

"Remember Rarity, I'm at a disadvantage here!!!" Adagio reminded.

"R-Right. Red Beats Green, Green beats Blue, and Blue beats Red. Red Fiend and Green Adventurer." Rarity clarified, "How bad is the disadvantage?"

"I won't do so much damage to the enemy, and the enemy will damage me greatly."

"D-do you have any adventurer with the Water element?"

"It would be lovely, but sadly no. It's the only one Cleo was able to summon because she had enough Wyrmite, and without constant maintenance when she's not using it, it began to freeze over time."

"Seems like I'll need to learn a lot of new terms later... it may be a bit cowardly, but are you familiar with the term hit & run?"

"Oh, of course!!! That's what dagger users do best!!!" Adagio responded. "I'll take it you'll try to get his attention?"

"Same tactic like before." Rarity nodded, "You'll just have to work on your evasive skills, and don't get too greedy!"

"Understood." Adagio nodded, "Let's waste this Fiend and be done with this!"

"Over here!" Rarity yelled, creating a projection of a round diamond shield. Using the light from the sun, she shone it on the giant shroom's eyes.

"Hrm???" Sure enough, the shroom was bothered by the ray in his eyes and turned to face the perpetrator. The mushroom growled, with a little cloud of gas bursting from his head as it lurched towards the fashionista. Rarity wasn't able to notice it, but Adagio did.

"Wait a minute... I've never seen a shroom do that..." Adagio mumbled to her self,

"Adagio! Quit daydreaming!" Rarity commanded harshly, her diamond shield now turned to the same wall. "Do something!" The large red shroom, managing to get close enough, began to tackle the wall with its size. The diamond wall proved to be more than durable enough, but it didn't mean it can't be pushed around. With every tackle, the walls budged a few centimetres back, and Rarity could feel the weight of each attack on her palms and muscles, and with every hit, the pain accumulates. "My hands feel like they've been hit by a giant hammer!"

"That doesn't sound good! Hah!" Adagio complied, zipping forward and delivering a flurry of slashes. The visible wounds were clear to see that some damage was being dealt, but it did not flinch the beast one bit.

---

"Raaahhh!!!" Big Mac surfaced for air to alleviate his rapidly pulsating body, then dove back down into the trembling waters, moving his arms rapidly.

"Yaaaaa!!!" Sweetie kicked harder than before, even though her legs are starting to feel extremely tired in the water.

"Don't lose hope! You're doing really well! Keep at it!" The lady encouraged as she too focused on the glowing water in the golden ring. The more she squints her eyes, the more the light intensified.

"I'm not sure if this will help your stamina, but let me heal you anyway! Elder Cure!" Cleo responded, casting the healing spell and enveloping the two swimmers in a ball of green light,

"It helps a little!" Sweetie moaned,

"Ah... Don't know... How long... Ah can... Do this now." Big Mac talked with each chance he got to breathe in the air.

---

"Hah!!!" Adagio laughed as she leapt onto the Jumbo Shroom, and began stabbing the cap on different parts. "You'd better tell whoever sent you... to never come across this castle!"

"Rrrr... ROAAAAAAARRRRR!!!" The Red Shroom roared and flailed wildly, causing Adagio and Rarity to cover their ears. Because of the flailing, Adagio was thrown off the Fiend and landed on the path. It was lucky though, that she wasn't thrown off the cliff.

"I'm okay Rarity!" Adagio stood up, "He hasn't done any damag--" Before she could finish, the Jumbo Red Shroom released a miasma of green gas and spores like a bomb, swallowing up Adagio. Though Rarity's wall did block the gas from hitting her, the quantity was still too much that hit swallowed even the diamond wall, and no sooner was Rarity swallowed by it too. On the bright side, the spore cloud only lasted for five seconds, and the view was clear. On the absolutely dark side... the girls were red all over, their skin swelling up into sores, their insides on fire, and their faces with a pain that no one could ever imagine.

"Arrgh!!!" Adagio yelled, grabbing her arm, "My entire body feels like it's on fire!!!"

"What... Is... This!?!?" Rarity shrieked, "I knew that mushrooms can emit spores... but these aren't the spores that exist in my world. These spores are like fire itself, and it burns on the inside and out!!!"

The fiend said nothing. But knowing that its attacks were meant to inflict pain, it would smile if it had a mouth, seeing its predators (or in this case, prey) feel the painful effects of his spores. Now that the purple-haired lady was occupied with the pain, the diamond wall she made was no more... the two were now defenceless!

---

"Young ones, this is the final stretch!" The woman announced, the light within the pool now going brighter and brighter.

"It's been five whole minutes with this shaking!!!" Sweetie spluttered, "Get on with it!!!"

"Mah bones are aching..." Big Mac moaned, who can no longer hold head his head under the water, "Ah really can't take anymore!"

---

"You know..." Flash spoke to himself as he carefully slid the dagger's blade onto the smooth bronze whetstone, "... I have a feeling I picked the least exciting activity to do... but..." He took one more look at the dagger, looking as sharp than it was from before. The next step, he stumbled outside and pulled up a single tuft of grass. Carefully with his fingers, he slid the grass onto the dagger's blade and smiled with joy when the tuft was split instantly within the motion.

"Yes!" Flash raised the dagger to the air, "I did it!!! Now I need to get to the girls! Let's hope Cleo and the others had done what they need to do!"

---

"Haaaahhh!!!" The woman yelled as she looked towards the air with her arms spread wide. As if she was commanding the small pool, the light within the waters burst forth and up into the air. In a split second, that light turned into a large blue circle with glyphs and all sorts of shapes.

"It is over... thank you so much..." The woman bowed to the brave swimmers. "You have done well... As for what your efforts have rewarded you..." She pointed towards the blue circle above them. Following her ghostly finger, the three watched the large circle shrink inwards and produce a singular blue ball of energy. The ball of energy dove hovered over one of the ten outer platforms dove straight down. Instead of an explosion, the ball of energy dispersed into the air, revealing a silver staff within, which landed firmly on the platform with a thud.

"I hate to say this, but as much as you two had tried, the summoning pool has garnered a few damages... but thanks to you, it is only minor and can be fixed. Perhaps for a later time, but not TOO late, you can seek to fix it, and I shall instruct you. Have a wonderful day..." Those were the woman's final words before her image disappeared in a flash of blue light.

"Yay... We did it..." Sweetie raised her fists to the air, tired as she may be. "What now?"

"I'm so proud of you two..." Cleo smiled, "Anyway, collect the silver staff."

Sweetie was the one closest to the platform with the staff, so she swam towards it and hopped out of the water to grab it. Once she did, she used it as a temporary kickboard to swim back to the stone ring.

"There you go." Cleo grasped one of Sweetie's arms while Big Mac, who got out of the water early, grabbed the other. With one gasp, they hauled her out.

"So exasperating," Sweetie smiled, sitting on the ring in relief of touching solid ground.

"Since you guys are so tired, I'll take the staff and hurry to Rarity. Flash better be done with that weapon." Cleo informed, "Take your time to recover as you go back down the stairs... But if this doesn't work... No. I'll make sure this won't happen."

"This better work!" Big Mac called as Cleo rushed down the stairs, back to the Halidom.

---

"Darn..." Rarity sat on the dirt path, her arms, legs and face covered in red and black smoking sores. She looked at Adagio, who was a metre away from her, slouched on all fours, covered in the very same burning sores.

"A-Adagio... Are you okay?" Rarity coughed her body out of breath from trying to survive.

"No... Those spores really hurt me bad... That burning's gone over time, but my body's still in pain..." Adagio moaned, and Rarity gulped. Rarity still had the energy to stand, but it seems Adagio had been brought to her knees by that one attack, because of this advantage of elements over her.

"W-We've got to retreat..." Rarity moaned, hobbling over, "Will it hurt if I touch those sores?"

"Naw..." Adagio gave a weak smile, "But... I'll probably slow you down... You go on ahead,"

"Preposterous!" Rarity choked as she pulled Adagio up, "I'm not going to leave you behind! If you're going to fight till your last breath, you'll still need someone to pull you out!"

"Uh, Rarity..." Adagio noticed a looming shadow around their feet, "... Looks like we won't be pulling out anytime soon..."

"Hurry!" Rarity increased her pace, now dragging Adagio's feet instead of getting her to walk. But as much speed as they can muster, the Jumbo Red Shroom could catch up with them, ready to pounce and squash them under his stalk...

That is until a brilliant beam of purple struck the shroom directly in the eyes. The mushroom still didn't flinch, but it slowed its moment to pounce. That's all it took for one spiky-haired shadow to swoop in and drag the two girls across the bridge and back onto the Halidom's side.

"Ow! Easy on the hands Flash!" Adagio growled. "Those sores hurt!"

"Sorry..." Flash sighed, "Being delicate isn't a priority when someone's near death. What the Moon happened here anyway?"

"This thing... is a literal death sentence for me!" Adagio pointed back at the Red Shroom, now beginning to hop across the bridge itself.

"Well, good thing I'm able to use my healing spell again." Cleo responded, "Elder Cure!"

The green healing energy flowed through the girls' bodies, and one by one could they see the burned marks and aggressive sores clean itself and ebb away.

"To think can easily heal as quickly as you can get injured." Rarity smiled, "If this sort of magic existed where we live in, you'd make a nice profit!"

"Don't be hasty, it can only heal certain wounds. Definitely not broken bones. And you guys still aren't fully healed yet." Cleo warned,

"Anyway, we're not only here just to provide you with an escape route." Flash continued, "Here." He passed the dagger he worked on to Adagio, "You'll need this more than ever."

"The Bejeweled Dagger? Nice find." Cleo complimented, "Granted it's not the strongest weapon, but it is better than the battleworn ones by far."

"Huh, so you finally did something useful in that unbright mind of yours." Adagio shrugged, taking the weapon. "Keep it up, you'll be more memorable that way."

"If I had a bit for every time someone belittles me, I'd be rich." Flash grumbled, "Now your gift Cleo?"

"Yes." Cleo nodded and held out the silver staff, "Please take this Rarity, and place the tip of the staff where your heart is. Hurry, before the Fiend comes forth! He's halfway across the bridge!"

"O-Okay!" Rarity took the staff, "Like thi--" A sudden flash of light burst forth the moment the Rarity touched the staff on her heart, interrupting her question. It blinded the Generous Girl and all those around her...

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Comments

[shadow0knight]

I read this a few days ago and as someone who's played Dragalia Lost since Day 1, it's quite interesting to read.

First off, from what I've read, this takes place hundreds of years after the main storyline seeing how all the rooms appeared to never looked touched and their clothes were left on their bed since everyone appeared to pass on and the only one left is Cleo out of all the characters that are in the original game, which does make me wonder what happened to Mym since I doubt old age would be something that would take her down. But I can see if she left because her beloved is gone from her life meaning there's no reason to stick around with everyone she's been close to gone. Same goes for Cleo but stays behind as she's the last remaining member of the original Halidom group. It's kind of tragic now that I think about this more.

It is interesting how you made the Summon Pool act like a transformation for the Equestria Girls characters as it showed where Adagio is Franchesca and from what I can tell Rarity's going to take the form of Estelle which is funny since both Rarity and Estelle share the same VA. Now that I noticed, every single character that's in the Halidom all share VAs with Dragalia Lost characters. Adagio voiced Franchesca, Rarity voiced Estelle with 2 other characters, Sweetie Belle voiced Pia, Peter New voiced Vixel, and Flash voiced 3 characters including the main star of Dragalia Lost (Euden). It all makes sense why you picked these characters specifically to end up there. That's quite a very nice Easter Egg and shows a lot of knowledge of Dragalia Lost.

Can't wait to see where this goes in the near future and even get to know what happened post-main story.

[Tythen]

9677586
My Friend, I salute you for your perception and present you with so many cookies.

🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

And thank you so much for enjoying the story. I want to make sure that this story is accessible to those who haven't heard of Dragalia Lost, and are more familiar with the group, but those who know about DL can catch a few ideas on what had happened to the upcoming world (but no spoilers!)

Reading all the adventurer and dragon stories and all the little details help a lot in trying to build the world of Dragalia into the EQG universe. I've planned a lot for other chapters! To prevent any further spoilers, I will just say continue reading!