Expedition to the Cloudbreak Islands

by Starglider

Trials

In the echoing, dusty atrium of the abandoned air temple, a little blue unicorn stood at the base of the great metal seal, twitching her horn in different directions and concentrating on the signals she received. "Yep, this isn't just decorative, it's magical." Summer Scribe confirmed. "Hmm, definitely going to do something impressive when Azure reaches it, you can count on that..."

"The last one just broke," her companion Set Sail said simply, leaning on the axe she'd recently acquired and staring up at the mysterious structure. "Looks like it needs to if we're gonna get in there. These are probably to keep out creatures that don't qualify. You'd think it could just move aside though," the puzzled pegasus said.

Summer shrugged. "It's strongly enchanted, maybe even summoned; likely it will open only given the right input, while resisting physical force. Thus I suspect Azure will be able to open it like a breeze."

With no way to get through the elemental gate for now, Summer busied herself with a more detailed search of the hallway. Her scanning spell flared out; bands of glowing blue runes flashed in response. She could feel many diffuse echoes through her horn, but there was nothing of particular interest except... there! A lone, but solid 'ping' with a wholly unfamiliar feel, coming from behind one of the statues lining the huge hallway.

On closer inspection it appeared to be a wingless, upright bird, holding a pair of daggers as she leapt upward, beak open in a grin. It reminded the unicorn of something she'd glimpsed a few years back... harpies, birds with a second set of claws instead of wings, living far to the south of Equestria. She'd read that a group of them played a significant role in the Storm King's defeat (though not too significant, she thought, as nopony had included them on a stained-glass window in Canterlot Castle).

Summer gestured to Set Sail. "Hmm, found something over here... checking it out." She kept her distance as she trotted around the statue, in case the 'something' turned out to be another hostile... The other mare took wing and hovered above, ears flicking and eyes peeled for any approaching threats.... or Sprocket fleeing an encounter with the cyclopses.

Instead, tucked behind the statue's feet Summer found a flattened blue stone, like a dinner plate. The surface was polished smooth, showing swirls of lighter blue where layers of stone intersected the surface. One face was featureless while the other had a mysterious, five-part rune cut deep into it, exposing a crystalline material inside that gave off a strong purple glow. The light gently flickered and pulsed as if the stone was alive in some way.

"Heeeey, check it out, Set Sail!" she gently levitated the artifact into the air, a curious smile on her face as she sets it down. "It's seriously magical; no doubt about it. We gotta take this with us!"

"What? Oh hold on, sorry!" Set Sail declared, swooping down to land next to Summer. "Just looking for places to get some height... a little nervous." she said sheepishly. "No sign of those one-eyed creatures though." She considered the blue stone with raised eyebrows, saying, "Well it's pretty! Is that rune one of the elemental uh... shapes?"

Summer shrugged. "I've never seen it before, but it's glowing hot - gotta mean something." She lifted it up in the air and nodded. "So, if we're at a dead end here... wanna head back to the ship? Check on Sprocket, wait for Azure?..." A flash of realisation, then a disturbing grin: "Oh! I bet Sunburn can read this. Geez, I haven't had any free time; I should kidnap him sometime and make him confirm or deny all my theories."

"Let's take a... rain check on outright foal-napping him," Set Sail replied cautiously, "We should head back to the ship though. Azure and the others are probably waiting for us outside."

The two headed outside and up the stairs to the ornate stone balcony. Resting quietly there was the purloined drow copter, which had carried them all this way from the Harmony. Set Sail alighted atop it calling out, "Sprocket? Are you here?"

The spry unicorn mare popped her head out of the engine room, looking up at Set Sail: "Oh, you're back! Nothing bad happened. You weren't gone too long actually. Did you find something?"

"Have you seen any strange one-eyed beasts?" Set Sail asked, worry on her face. "They're bipedal, carrying weapons like..."
Her left hoof was still curled around the big axe. "...this one. We... think they might be hostile."

"Haven't seen anything, captain," Sprocket replied, her pupils narrowing at the heavy bladed weapon, "Should we take off? That sounds d-dangerous."

"Not without Azure, Gustus and Sunburn," Set Sail replied, looking out over the railing, as if she could see around the side of the ruin to where they'd gone. "I guess they're not back yet. Well, let's just wait; maybe they found something. When Azure gets back we have a... barrier that she can probably do something about. Assuming it's not a terrible idea to break into this place. The last time didn't go so well."

Summer Scribe hopped onboard and set her artifact down in a corner, her head tilting as she listened to the conversation. "Azure and crew still aren't back yet? Are they OK? In danger?" She tensed: "Should we go help?"

"Too risky," Set Sail said, "I could go, but you two would have to take the copter. We really don't want to lose this thing. If they're not back soon, maybe I can... take a look. But you stay here."

Sprocket heaved a sigh of relief - they weren't abandoning the copter, and she didn't have to pilot it into battle.

Summer Scribe nodded, but still fretted a bit. "Ok, hopefully they're not long, then." 'Besides, anything that can overpower Azure and Sunburn would trash the rest of us' she thought glumly. So it wasn't like there was much help to provide...

---

With the twin threats of artillery-bearing cyclops airship and swarm of unfriendly, magical bats gone, two more feathered and furred shapes crept out from the temple undercroft. While the first two native griffons were the size of a hippogriff, these two were only the size of Gustus and Grenelda. The larger one had feathers in various shades of golden yellow, accented by lime green highlights; to Gustus she was clearly a hen, while the smaller was light blue and white with striking orange accents, obviously a juvenile male.

Azure was quick to turn her head towards the newcomers, looking to the two groups in turn and asking "More of your people, Emerald?"

"It's ok kids, pretty sure these ones are friendly." Ingido said. "And she's a uni-corn. Not a lama."

"These are our chicks, Amber Thermal and Cerulean Mist!", Emerald proudly informed Gustus.

"Mom! I'm not a chick!" Amber griped, looking away and shyly checking out Gustus with the corner of her eye.

Gustus head-bobbed, waving a foreclaw in greeting to the two new griffons! "Well, hello there! Quite fine children you have there too." Something he needs to work on himself... maybe talk to Grenelda later! "Is everything OK now, then?" He side-eyed Azure seeking confirmation and support.

Azure couldn't help but lower her head at the species confirmation. Maybe she shouldn't have snapped... oh well. Her smile was quick to return as the introduction isn't just other members of their species - no, it was their family. "Nice to meet you both, Cerulean, Amber." She bowed to both before continuing, "Name's Azure Feather..."

The youngest griffon bounded around, staring up at the retreating bats. "You got 'em good dad!" he exclaimed, before Azure caught his attention. "Wow! Did you blow up that airship? Are you magic? Are all uneycornes magic? Is that horn sharp? It doesn't look too sharp but maybe if you got a run up?"

Azure's smile brightened a little as she was interrupted by the young griffon. "Wish I could take credit, but no, that was another of our allies, he did quite the number on them." The barrage of questions made her sweat a little. "We can all wield magic, yes. The horn... isn't that sharp, but... uh, no, no sharpening needed, it's okay, really!" Wow, what a question...

"You must be on your own pilgrimage, to come all the way here?" Emerald asked Gustus. "I've heard it's a long, dangerous flight from your eyries in the north, even worse than it is for us."

Gustus nodded, "Well, yes, we're from quite far away..." He paused, embarrassed as he realised the mistaken species identification. "Oh, no, we're not from the north. We're not from around here at all, actually - me, Azure and the rest of us are from beyond the storm barrier. Long story. But it's a pleasure to meet you and your kind all the more for it!"

"Yeah, I... I nearly got us all... if we'd been hit by that beam, mum..." Amber said shakily, looking at the ground.

Azure caught the golden griffon's eye. "Hey. Don't worry about it. Everyone's safe, unharmed. Sure it was a close call; just learn from it and it's a step in the right direction. I've done some things I regret in life too. Dwelling on it is fine, but the faster you move forward, the better." A soldier's encouragement, it seemed.

"Oookay..." Amber said, giving the unicorn an uncertain look. "...I know I have to be brave, if I'm really an elemental, but I don't want other griffs getting hurt, just because... just so I can..." she trailed off.

"Come on, Amber. You're worth it. You know that." Indigo said, sidling over to his daughter and hugging her with a wing.

"Oh hey Mister Gusty did something happen to your ears?" Cerulean called over, his curiosity now on Gustus. "Did a cyclops cut them off? Was it a cool fight? You must've won, right?" The four native griffons all had tufts of feathers behind their ears similar to a hippogriff, whereas like most of the griffons of Equus, Gustus's head was smooth.

"Misty!" shouted his mother angrily. "If I have to say it for the hundredth time, you keep going around insulting strange griffs, you're going to get your pinions pulled out..."

Gustus blinked, trying to look at the shape of his own head, with little success - before his eyes darted over to the native griffons and he realised his folly. "Oh, I see! No, our feathers are just different. My ears are fine, not to worry!" He chuckled with amusement as Misty was reprimanded.

"Oh, ok." Cerulean says, disappointed and reprimanded. "Buuuut... you've still been in some cool fights... right? right?"

Azure Feather looked to the other youngster... but couldn't quite figure out what to say, so gestured upward instead. "Is there... anything dangerous in the temple?" she ventured. She had to know if there was more trouble waiting inside...

Indigo sighed. "Wish I could say no, but... place gets more dangerous every year. Looked like just the one ship. Just gotta hope those eyeballs didn't breach the seal."

"Why do they... these 'eyeballs' want to attack the temple so bad in the first place?" Gustus asked, with a tilt of his head. "What's the draw?"

Azure tapped a hoof gently to her spiralled horn... and shook her head. "Going to have to hope I can handle it... that fight was a fair challenge. So behind that seal is the real danger of the place?" The anxiety about her personal connection to this 'Air element' was back.

"Oh no!" Emerald said. "The temple itself isn't dangerous. But when we tried to enter... the cyclopses were there, doing something to the seal. That's when they started chasing us. We've been playing hide and seek in these ruins for the last three days!"

"Is entering a good idea, if they were tampering to the seal?" Azure asked, the worry clear in her eyes as she looked to Gustus. Thoughts of Reef Skimmer's fate clouded her mind again...

"We're not leaving now. Not after surviving that." Indigo said, his eyes hard. "If I know eyeballs, they were just trying to break in, loot the place. We'll keep an eye out for booby traps but... if the seal's still intact, we'll be fine. ...Probably."

"Dad, can we... can we just get on with it? Before more of them come?" Amber asked, looking imploringly at her father.

"They could shelter on our ship?" Azure suggested. "What do you think, Gustus? Return to the Second Chance and discuss with the others before we decide our next move? Or head straight into the temple?"

Gustus's feathers drooped. All this talk about the seal! What, was it going to usher in the apocalypse when broken? He hoped not...

"You came on a ship?" Cerulean asked, reprimand already forgotten. "Is it a big ship or a little one? How many guns does it have? Can it go really fast, or just kinda fast?"

"Let's go back to the ship." Azure finally decided, annoyed by the lack of response from Gustus. "You're welcome to follow - I wouldn't leave allies alone and in trouble. You can all fly, yes?" Griffons that couldn't fly? Really, Azure?

"Yeah, just a few bites and broken feathers, painful but nothing too serious..." Indigo said, interpreting Azure's question as an inquiry about the adult griffons' injuries. "You ok to fly kids? Not too tired?"

"We can make it, Dad!" came Cerulean's immediate reply.

"Now stay close, both of you!" Emerald said firmly as she flapped into the air. Within seconds the whole griffon family was hovering and waiting to follow.

"Not sure how our medical supplies are..." Azure sighed. "Come on. Please forgive the darn copter... it's not the ship we came to these islands with but one we... uh... kinda borrowed. Permanently. Not a friendly encounter either." With that she was leading them back up to their ride.

After several minutes of strenuous flapping, with the tired griffons panting and struggling to gain altitude, the flyers climbed above the main entrance level and spotted the Second Chance still nestled on its balcony.

"So it is... a little ship..." Cerulean puffed "...must be... fast... with those... huge propellors."

"Not troll work... looks familiar though..." Indigo muttered.

On the deck of the copter, two unicorns and one pegasus were treated to the sight of their compatriots leading four strange, colourful griffons, two of them the size of hippogriffs, in a glide down to the ship. Sunburn was nowhere to be seen.

"Ooh, wow! These must be Cloudbreak native griffons." Summer Scribe waved a hoof in excitement. "Hello! Glad you're all ok! ...Where's Sunburn?"

Set Sail had been sitting on her belly next to the ship; seeing the returning ponies, she took a running leap off the balcony and eagerly ascending to meet them. Err... pony, and creatures. Unaware of the dramatic fight in the undercroft or the destroyed airship, she accepted the strange, brightly coloured griffons with minimal suspicion.

"Long story short," Azure began as she landed near Summer, "that ship was crewed by... Kaosians, I think Sunburn called them. We spotted this family of griffons under attack by a swarm of magical bats, so while we dealt with them... Sunburn took care of the enemy airship. Destroyed it. Alone. ...He'll be fine. Someone like that doesn't lose to idiots like them."

"Kaosians..." Summer tapped a hoof on the deck, "The eyeball critters, right?" She nodded. "That's great, but when will he be back? I need him for... translation purposes. Oh and before I forget," the little unicorn flashed a smile at the colourful griffons, "Good work on the rescue mission-"

"Those uneycornes have lost their wings!" Cerulean blurted out. "And that one... hey miss grifficorn was your mummy a griffon? Or maybe your daaaahhh-"

He didn't get any further as Emerald grabbed the scruff of his neck with a talon. "Quiet!" she hissed, eyeing up the ponies.

Summer looked startled as Cerulean spoke. "Err, well, see, unicorns don't have wings. Azure's are the result of a persistent magical spell, they're not a part of her body..."

"I can't believe this," Set Sail said fretfully, hovering around Azure fussily. "That ship was more pirates? Different from the drow? Are you okay? They didn't hurt any of you did they?"

"Not pirates, no..." Indigo spoke up "...though yeah, if those eyeballs saw a nice juicy cargo ship, they wouldn't turn down the conscripts or a little plunder... but they were Reformers. Here on a mission, must be."

"Minor injuries to our Gryphon allies - otherwise all fine." Azure reported. "Sunburn missing - I know he'll be back, but not when." The winged unicorn frowned. "The temple's our immediate worry: the seal especially. Is it intact? Untampered? We need to get in. I..." Right then Azure's body language was all too clear. "I'm worried. After what happened to Reef, part of me doesn't want to go... but if I don't go, this place could end up in worse trouble."

Set Sail flitted over to Gustus, but neither he nor Azure seemed to have much more than mussed up feathers. "I guess it wasn't... too bad," she concluded, settling down between them.

Gustus bobbed his head to the captain. "It was... scary. Really scary." He patted down his feathers. "But with Azure and Sunburn around, well, heh... we were on the winning side! I can't be more thankful for that."

Set Sail smiled, then blushed, looking over to the newcomers and saying, "Oh I'm sorry! My name is Set Sail c-captain of the EAS Harmony. Pleased to met you and your... family?" she said uncertainly, looked from the big griffons to the small ones.

"That's my mate Indigo Burst." the female griffon informed Set Sail. "I'm Emerald Downpour and these are our chicks Amber Thermal and Cerulean Mist. We're... very grateful for your help, fighting off those vile Kaosians..."

"Still not a chick, mom." Amber muttered.

"Oh, the seal's fine!" Summer reassured Azure. "It's magical, it's got the wind element symbol on it, still intact. It prooobably won't go anywhere unless you touch it." Which didn't seem like the end of the world - more like the gateway opening will be exciting and scientifically profound. "Hey, between you and me, Azure - do you really think that the purpose of that gate is to transform people into horrific monstrosities? Like, who would make something like that?"

Azure considered Summer's words, looking more nervous and uncertain than ever. "I can't tell you, Summer. This place wasn't designed... this magic wasn't designed for Equestrians. I don't know what will happen if I go in there, and yeah, I know I'm the stupid guard? But... I have this weird feeling..." She stared at the dark entrance and sighed. "Look, if the Captain says to go, I'm not going to say no. I can't say no to helping these gryphons, either. Maybe we should just do it."

Summer Scribe nodded her head low. "It should be your choice, Azure. I'll happily accept the risks for myself, but I won't foist it on you." As much as she wanted to know the temple's secrets... she couldn't put Azure in danger. Not after what had happened to Reef.

"We're here on an exploration mission," Set Sail told the griffons, "We've been stranded in these lands, and we're trying to learn what we can about them. We were told this Air temple was home to griffons such as yourself. I-it seemed to be abandoned, so I'm glad Azure and Gustus managed to find you."

"And you call this little thing the Eee Ay Es Harm-o-me?" Cerulean began, but he didn't get any further before Emerald clamped his beak shut with her free claw.

Set Sail looked at the griffon chick, saying with a bright laugh, "Oh no! I'm captain of the ship we came to these lands on. A-acting captain. This copter, we've named the Second Chance. Unfortunately our own ship is... too damaged from the storm to fly right now. So we had to... borrow one from the drow, to get around on."

"Drow?" Indigo said. "Drow... yeah I've heard of 'em. Supposed to be elves turned evil. Like trolls but sneaky and twice as vicious. You 'borrowed' one? Heh." He tilted his head, beak slightly open.

Set Sail's smile grew nervous, but she didn't deny it. "They do seem to be... rather vicious," she said conservatively. "If we can repair our ship, we'll be on our way um, without getting captured or... eaten."

"We're here for Amber." Emerald explained. "It's her first pilgrimage. The elders said she has a real shot at opening the temple! She might even... so, nogriff has even done it on their first try, but... first time for everything right?" the bright green hen said.

"No pressure sis!" Cerulean whispered through his clenched beak.

Set Sail turned to Amber curiously, saying, "Oh the Gillmen mentioned something about a pilgrimage. Is that what you are you here for? Opening the temple? Do you mean that seal inside?"

Summer Scribe nodded; maybe some cultural knowledge would ground them in reality. "Yes... what exactly is opening the temple supposed to do?" she asked Emerald.

"This is the temple of the four winds, the strongest nexus of Air known to griffkind!" the green griffon stated, a little reverently. "Only those worthy to take the trials can open the seal. Creatures who can pass the challenge of every wind receive the blessing of Air, to follow in the clawprints of Sonic Boom, Whirlwind and the other Champions of the Storm!" she recited.

"And we could sure use one of those right now..." Indigo said, glancing at Amber uncertainly as if apologetic for placing such high expectations on her.

"That doesn't involve... fusing your body with any sort of... destructive wormlike creatures does it?" Set Sail asked, suddenly very uneasily.

"W-What? Wormlike... what? No, nothing like that!" Emerald said, taken aback.

That sounded pretty positive, Summer Scribe thought. "Hmm... doesn't sound so bad, Azure?" She was holding back a giggle at Set Sail's concerns, because the reference was really tragic, but the implication that every time we'd get to some place of elemental power, suddenly slime worms attack, tickled her nonetheless.

"Challenge of the Four Winds..." Azure repeated, nodding. Finally some confidence. Some structure. Some... safety? "Captain? If Amber's venturing into the temple, Emerald, Indigo... I want to go as well. Only with the griffons' blessing, of course." She looked to the natives for a moment before looking to Set Sail again. "The final decision is yours, Captain."

"Looking Azure's way, she added, "Yes, Azure was thinking this temple might have some... answers for her. We've been having a very... interesting experience with the magic of your lands since coming here. Could she accompany you, perhaps?"

"You're all welcome inside." Indigo added. "Not that we own this temple or anything, but... if you're here for knowledge, not to plunder or raid the place, then... if there are any more Reformers, a flock's harder to capture than a clutch, right?"

Summer Scribe glanced nervously at the glowing artifact, now tucked into her saddlebag. Maybe just a little raiding would be ok...? But no more, she promised herself! "I'd like to come watch, if I may?" she asks the assembled griffons-and-ponies. "It's your challenge, but I wouldn't want to miss it!" She noticed the captain looking a little uncertain after Indigo talks about plunder and raid, and leaned over to nudge her gently, whispering "Let me have this one, alright?"

Set Sail frowned fretfully, but held her tongue. Summer let out a sigh of relief, glad she can count on the pegasus in her time of need (or greed?).

"The temple is for any creature friendly to air," Emerald explained, looking down at the little unicorn, "but the challenges are for the champions alone. Only those with the favour of air may face them, and they face them alone"

Gustus clicked his beak. "I suppose I'm not exactly 'champion' material myself either, but... If I could see the temple for myself and cheer Amber on, that would be delightful."

"Then that settles it. Everyone okay with going into the temple?" Azure asked, looking around...

Sprocket popped her head out of the engine compartment, saying, "You want me to stay and watch the copter, or can I come inside? Also where's that dragon friend who came along?"

Set Sail's eyes widened, giving Azure and Gustus a worried look, but Gustus just clicked his beak: "Sunburn? He can handle himself. He's a proper Skylander, is what I hear!"

"He'll be fine, Captain! Someone like him doesn't lose to idiots like them! There just no way!" Azure replied with a confident smile.

"Alright if you say so," Set Sail said, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. Turning to Sprocket, she confirmed: "Of course you can come! There's nopony around now to make off with our copter, since Azure and Gustus, and Sunburn took care of it. We can just... leave him a note for when he returns. It's not far to the gateway."

---

The four ponies and five griffons made their way back down to the cavernous entrance, proceeding into the atrium. Emerald pointed out several of the statues as they passed, intoning the names of the historic champions of air. Soon enough the group came to the base of the stairway leading up to the gate, the smooth blue disc impressed with its spiral rune barring further progress. The golden griffon Amber took a cautious step ahead, before looking at Azure then Gustus. "Is it ok... shall I go... first-I-mean, or do you..."

"You're from here." Azure stated. "We're still strangers. But keep in mind, before we go in: there's a darn reason you were chosen to come here, of all your people. They have faith in you, they believe you can do this. Remember that in there, alright?" she concluded, before looking at the gate. Amber was chosen; she was more like fated. Two roads to one destination. "Come on. Let's go."

Gustus saluted Amber - "Do your best!" - while Summer Scribe pumped a hoof for Azure: "I know you can do it! You're unstoppable!"

"Ummm... okay... if you're sure..." Amber nervously stepped up to the elemental gate, wings making furtive little flaps, looking back to Emerald and Indigo for reassurance. Her parents made encouraging little trills and churrs; reassured, the young golden griffoness clicked her beak and held out a claw, hoping no one could see it tremble. At the instant her outstretched talon touches the blue metal a brilliant white glow begins to spread from the point of contact.

The entire disc shone brilliant white for a second, lighting up the shadowy atrium and making the onlookers blink and avert their eyes. Then it faded away into nothingness, revealing a giant-sized corridor that continued for a short distance beyond, before opening out into an enormous chamber. Set Sail had seen it before, back at Witchway Marsh, but it was a novel sight for Summer, Gustus and Azure.

"That's it honey! You're the one, just like Ebony... and the other elders said!" Indigo cheered.

"That was the same sort of thing as that water park... that water temple!" Set Sail declared excitedly, "Did you see that Summer? It was just like when Reef..." Her excitement faded as memories of that ill-fated visit came back, but her heart did warm at the cheer and hope in the voices of their new friends.

"Huh, really? So that was the Water Temple and this is the Wind Temple, then." Summer tapped a hoof in contemplation. "Does that mean Reef is Water aligned? That 's worth remembering..." She scribbles down a note to follow up later.

"Nice one sis!" Cerulean crowed. "But next time you'll be watching, when I unlock the Temple of Boom!" he trilled.

Azure had to shield her eyes for a moment, but steadied herself with a deep breath, trying to avoid thinking of Reef Skimmer. Instead she looked to Amber: "We're in. Let's get this done." With that she lead the way inside, though her companions could tell she was still rather nervous about this whole affair. It wasn't hard to guess why. Set Sail followed behind: this time, she had an axe slung over her back. Just in case.

---

Without doubt, this was the central chamber of the temple. A vast circular space that must be at least thirty metres across, capped by a domed ceiling partially hidden by the streamers of mist that swirl and stream about the chamber. Compared to the atrium the space was well-lit by giant, irregular spears of crystal that projected from the roof like glittering diamond stalactites, channelling light from outside and spraying it back out in a thousand sparkling shafts of refracted sunlight, overpowering the dim blue glow of the carved runes.

The walls were finely carved in tiers of fluted columns and ornate friezes, barely touched by the passage of time. Far above the visitor's heads, at the base of the dome, a forest of irregular, open-ended stone pipes protruded from the circular wall. Most were in the process of disgorging or sucking in streamers of mist, providing a path for the magic-driven zephyrs to constantly circulate through the temple's countless rooms.

The floor of the rotunda was dominated by the central pillar, an irregular swirl of stone like a tornado captured and frozen in marble; perhaps an altar scaled for giants. Other than that the floor was empty, save for a dozen or so cubical stone blocks scattered around the perimeter. As for exits, aside from the hallway to the elemental gate there were four substantial double doors, equally spaced at ninety-degree intervals around the perimeter.

Each door was finely made of solid wood and brass furniture, set in a carved portal with triangular pediment above... and with thresholds set at an inconvenient three metre height above the chamber floor. Set Sail in particular found it very reminiscent of arenas and meeting halls she'd seen in Cloudsdale; pegasi were known to omit the odd staircase when most everypony who visited could fly; except that instead of packed cloud, everything here was made of white stone.

Summer Scribe trotted in, gazing around. "Ooooh, cool! Airy, beautiful and tingling with magic." She let the breeze ruffle her mane around, eyeing the blocks curiously. What was with the cubes all over this place, anyway? She inspected the doors, looking a bit put-off by their raised thresholds. 'I guess everyone's just expected to fly...' she thought 'Well to be fair, we did step through an 'air elemental only' door to get in here.'

From a distance, the doors appeared identical aside from the patterning of their surrounding carvings, but a quick trot around the chamber confirmed they were distinct in temperature and odour. One emitted a definite chill and a muted smell of pine needles; anypony standing below found their breath steaming in the cold draft, and... is that a faint tang of blood? The second was much more inviting, pleasantly cool and smelling of flowers and grass. The air under the third door was temperate, but the pony's noses scrunched at the scent of mud, sweat and dung. The final exit shimmered behind the warm, muggy air leaking out under the door, smelling faintly of ozone and smoke.

Cerulean loped around, fatigue apparently forgotten. "So which one first sis? This one... no too cold! Brrr! This one's warm... but smoky, puh!"

Set Sail immediately tried to fly up to check out the pegasus-accessible doors. About a foot off the ground, an unexpected course correction sent her tumbling forward, flapping in a panic until she landed flat on her back with a clang. Standing up with difficulty, she looks in puzzlement at the axe she brought with her, saying, "I didn't think it was that heavy!" She lay it on the floor and returned to her companions, attempting to take off again and immediately going tumbling again with another surprised squawk.

Emerald squawked in sympathy with the pegasus. "Ack... You can't in fly here, ah, I should've said. Threw me into a panic, when I was a chick myself."

"Gotta prove yourself worthy of the air first, or something like that." Indigo explained, beak clicking: clearly he didn't think much of the rule.

"No flying... I guess the mist, or the cubes are the thing to get us started here... any initial notes, Amber?" Azure asked, still studying the area...

Amber was staring around in awe; she shot Azure a bewildered look. "It's my first time... amazing isn't it... can you feel it? The wind is alive here..." she said vaguely.

"W-what? No flying??" Set Sail stammered, standing up and fluttering, then flapping to no avail. "T-t-this is impossible!" she stammers, landing with a clop on all fours, looking back at her own wings in horror.

Summer Scribe winces a bit at the crash landings. "That's a pretty cruel joke. So you have to solve some kind of puzzle first?" she guessed, looking over to the pair of would-be puzzle solvers.

Azure was studying the stone cubes... a little under a metre square, maybe they were the path to the doors? Some strange puzzle? Some were sitting individually, while others were stacked into piles of two or even three high. They seemed substantial, but were they even real? She quickly trotted up to one, poking its surface with a hoof... soon discovering that despite being enormously heavy, it was still able to slide, with effort, over the smooth stone floor.

She thought back to Cerulean's words... each door had a scent? What did that tell them? Checking the piles of blocks again... maybe... they have to follow the scents from block pile to bigger block pile... she tried to identify a path, but they were spaced far apart...

Summer Scribe was tempted to backseat... but the main obstacle was that she didn't know the goal state of the puzzle yet, and... it'd be awkward if she started messing with it herself. Gotta watch and deduce!

Set Sail wasn't paying much attention to moving blocks; instead she glared upward at the mists overhead. "What is with the air here?" she called out in frustration. "Air goes up! How can it not be going...!" She tried to fly again, just flapping there in a fluster, before falling back again and exclaiming "I don't get it!"

"We haven't proven ourselves worthy." Emerald intoned, before looking sympathetically at Set Sail. "If it's getting to you dear, you could always have a quick flap about the entrance hall?"

"Alright, no sense wasting time." Indigo said, wandering over to one of the taller sets of blocks. "Who's going first, and through which door?"

"I know I'm not worthy," Set Sail said, sitting up and looking at Emerald incredulously, "But look at the wind here!" she gestured with a hoof at nothing, "It's blowing around but not? They can't just make the air..." the brown pegasus stood, spreading her wings but didn't try flying again, looking off distantly and declaring, "I don't know how they... do it. The wind is not moving, even though you can see it moving! Right up there! Am I the only one feeling this??"

"Get me to that one with blood. I want that out of the way first." Azure stated, mind still trying to figure this out.

Wait, the one with blood? Summer Scribe trotted closer and sniff-sniffed, then scrunched her nose. There's a scent mechanic to this puzzle?! That's.... so novel!

Indigo shot Summer an odd look, before saying "Sure thing." Looking over to his mate, he asks "Give me a claw would you darling?"

"I'm not an elemental myself, dear," Emerald told the pegasus, "but that's the essence of Air at work. If you have any affinity, it must feel... well, I suppose it depends if you've been in a nexus before? Oh..." she saw her mate straining against the block "...can you unicorns get the smaller ones in place?" With that she padded over to assist.

Summer Scribe made a grumpy face as the 'solution' to the 'puzzle' dawns on her. "Wait, that's the solution? Just piling them up in front of the door you want?" Maybe the lack of any other visible goal state in the room should have given it away, but she rubbed her face with a hoof anyway, flummoxed. "How pedestrian." Well, if she could help speed things along, she'll happily start shoving blocks! So heavy, though... this was earthy pony work! She moaned in exasperation as the puzzle devolved into nothing more than manual labour!

Set Sail calmed quickly after a moment standing there, wings still and feeling the weird air of this place. Magic she couldn't even comprehend that governed the fundamental nature of everything she normally could fly in. She would have been familiar with the sensation perhaps, in the lair of a sphynx, but those creatures haven't been seen in Equestria for hundreds of years.

At last, she folded her wings with a shiver of disgust saying, "This place is just... wrong." Strutting past Emerald, she shook her head, saying, "I'm not leaving just because I can't f-fly. Maybe I can help over..." She looked at Summer leaning on that stone block, trying to push it very earnestly and exasperatedly, and... the skinny little unicorn wasn't getting far. "Okay, yes. Lemme get in there," she said, sidling beside the other mare and giving it a huge shove.

It didn't take long for their combined efforts to build a staircase up to Azure's desired door.. "Wish we had Melonwater here! He'd love all the rocks and crystals. But..." she looks up at the exit. "here goes nothing." With that the winged unicorn clambered up to the doorway, took one last look around the grand hall, then went into the challenge chamber without another word.

No sooner had the butterfly-winged unicorn entered than the heavy doors swing shut behind with a conclusive thud. Summer Scribe saluted her companion: "Good luck, Azure!"

Watching Azure climb, Set Sail asked, "What do you s—" and then winced as her unicorn friend was lost forever, and it was all her fault. "S-s-she'll be... fine..." she said tremulously.

"Yeah, the winds be with her and so on." Indigo panted, after watching the unicorn disappear. "So... Amber, have you picked a door?" The smaller golden griffon gulped and gestured with a wing at the next portal clockwise, the cool one that smelled faintly of flowers and grass.

---

The doors slamming shut behind her sealed her fate, Azure Feather thought, looking back as her wings tightened. Surely the challenge would start soon; she had to be prepared. Facing ahead, she saw yet another long, dark corridor with finely carved stone walls, leading to a brightly lit exit at the far end. She nodded quietly and trotted forward, muttering "First test. Let's go."

Sure enough the hall lead to another enormous, empty room, this one rectangular and open to the elements. Three sides consisted of nothing more than rows of columns, between which could be seen the brightly lit temple exterior and cloud banks beyond. A pleasant breeze blew through the permeable walls and ruffled Azure's fur, though a faint shimmer in the air suggested they might not be as passable as they look. Everything was still for a little while, before clouds began to condense out of nowhere, filling in the gaps between the columns and billowing out across the ceiling and floor, shifting and solidifying and taking on colour and form, until the room was entirely hidden behind packed cloud covered in illusion.

The winged unicorn found herself in a dark forest, pine trees surrounding her on three sides. The air was close to freezing, and the sun was nowhere to be seen; instead moonlight glimmered on frosted bark and cast deep shadows in the undergrowth. Ahead was a large clearing, or circular depression; in fact from the shape of the rim and the blasted remains of trees inside it seemed to be a giant crater, scooped out of the earth by a falling star. A combination of ruts, ridges and fallen tree trunks rendered the interior of the crater a maze, barely visible under the carpet of freezing fog that had collected in the hollow.

From her vantage point on the rim, Azure caught constant, fleeting glimpses of movement within the fog. Some are of colourful equine shapes, darting and dashing in fear and panic, others black and stalking, possessed of far too many legs. Screams of pain and whinneys of terror echoed upwards to her twitching ears from the hunting ground below.

With a start, Azure realised she wasn't alone on the overlook. To the right, an enormous raptor towers over her, sharp talons digging into the hard ground, keen eyes and beak pointed at the scene below. With relief she recognised the equine hindquarters and pink-plumed tail of the hippogriff. Glancing to the left, she saw a familiar purple form, almost lost in the shadows save for her glowing white eyes. The pegasus was watching her, waiting to see what the unicorn would do.

Azure Feather's eyes went wide as she saw the two very familiar allies at her sides. "Reef, Cloud Cutter, good to see you. I see the situation down there's pretty grim, do either of you two have anything to report? Make it quick, we don't have time to lose." She knows how reluctant Cloud Cutter was to fight. Reef, on the other hoof, might be a doctor - but she'd seen first-hoof that the hippogriff was a solid fighter if called upon.

"Good to see you too, Azure," Reef Skimmer said sadly, "I wish it weren't in such circumstances." He glared into the fog, steely eyed, saying, "The situation has gone from bad to worse. You have a thousand targets, hundreds of ponies to save, and you don't even know where you are. Can you reach them all in time? Or will you be lost in fog while they fall one by one, because you settle for the easy answer? I don't want to have to patch up all these ponies, Azure. I'll be burying them more than as saving them, if you act rashly. Make your decision carefully. Maybe you can see what I cannot."

Cloud Cutter rose when called with a sense of duty, looking at Azure with a stern nod. "To be frank, it'll be a miracle if you can pull this off. The fog is oppressively thick, and you'd be a fool to try and fight in it." She hung her head, "Yet it is your duty to save the day. What will you do? This might be a job too big for laser blasts and bravery."

"The fog is thick, but you're a pegasus: the wind is your element and we ponies, when it's time to fight, we fight together." Azure stated. "First things first! Cloud Cutter, your weather magic, my wind magic - we team up, clear the fog, clear these obstructions so we can see what we're dealing with! The faster, the better, the ponies down below will see what they're doing - and they're not just prey, they can fight with us if we save them! Reef, stand by for further instructions once the fog is cleared! Good to go, Cloud Cutter?"

Azure's plan was clear, but the purple pegasus was shaking her head sadly. "Argh, right, you lost your weather ability... damn it. I'm on my own... stand by, both of you!!"

Cloud Cutter's face had the hint of a glimmer of hope on it. "Proceed, Azure: once the fog is cleared away, so too will your future be clear." She hung her head, as if remorseful she couldn't be of more help.

Azure flapped into the air and focused magic through her horn, channelling it into blasts of wind that blow holes in the fog, one after the other, revealing patches of the crater bottom. Maybe seeing a clear path will get the ponies all in one spot, or... rolling back the mists revealed spiders the size of dogs, chasing unerringly after the earth ponies that galloped heedlessly through the maze.

One mare tripped and fell, and the spider chasing her... huh, did Azure see that right? The spider actually paused, clicking its poisonous fangs, before the pony scrambles back to its feet and the chase resumes... The unicorn's train of thought was derailed by a keening screech going up from the entire crater, hundreds of spiders suddenly alert to their new foe. A horde of the creatures turned about and started crawling directly toward Azure, climbing on tree trunks and hoping to get within jumping distance of their hovering foe, while the others... the screams of terror begin to turn into screams of pain, then the thuds of falling bodies...

Cloud Cutter looked thoughtful for a moment, flexing her own wings as though remembering her old training and knowledge. "...Azure. If you are to truly command the winds, then you can't manipulate weather like a unicorn. You must do it like a pegasus. You must feel it through your wings if you are to master the Air." The scene down below was nothing short of terrifying - even on her blank face, a wince could be made out.

Slamming down on a spider that was about to reach Azure, Reef Skimmer's weight of presence is suddenly there, tearing into the monster, asking in a fury, "What are these things? No hoard ever moved so in unison! How do they all know where we are? Why are they all attacking as one? I don't have time to analyse their anatomy. We must stop them all, now!"

The numbers... Reef just warned Azure about exactly this outcome and her mental state wasn't looking great at all. Yet she's reminded of exactly what she did not two hours earlier. All she's got to do is channel the magic through her horn and... Cloud Cutter's words sliced right through that battle plan and after a momentary retreat, Azure began trying to use her wings to cause the cyclones, not just her unicorn horn as she did against the bats - all the while wondering... is this the Skylands' ways of Air magic? Or just the pegasus way? Were they the same? Was this... what she should have been doing all along?

Azure had never thought of her fragile, spell-summoned wings as anything other than visual manifestations of a levitation spell, the sensations from them mere psychological comfort food, poor substitutes for real pegasus wings. But... what if? What if they could conduct, like a horn? Awkwardly, she tried to push her will through the unfamiliar channels, work the wind spell through the framework of the flight spell already present, only to discover they didn't just conduct, they amplified.

Howling blasts of wind hammered down, blowing the bowl of the crater clean of mist and blasting back a couple of spiders that were in the process of leaping up at her hovering form. Her elation at this new ability was muted by the scene of horror revealed below; a boiling mass of arachnids, tumbling and clinging and trying to get back to their feet... and bodies. Many brightly coloured pony bodies. As she watched the last few ponies still on their feet were surrounded by spiders, leaping at the equines with poisonous fangs bared.

Cloud Cutter seemed elated to see Azure begin to truly harness the element of Air! Her expression turned to horror when she saw the horde of spiders opposing them. She hopped down with wing blades ready to help in the fight, but doesn't like her odds. "There's too many of them! How can we defeat them?" she ruminated. "And why did they not go in for the kill until you approached them? It seems... unusual."

"There's something here that's leading them... it's not right, they're stupid beasts..." Azure spat... she needed a bird's eye view, to try and make sense of this, but... "Cloud Cutter, if... if you can... try and help them." The confidence had drained from her voice - as if the speech she had given Amber has completely left her mind. After all... when you've got pony lives in the balance, a failure of this magnitude...

Abandoning the hopeless fight, Azure Feather flapped higher, out of reach of any plausible spider leap. Steeling herself against the horror of seeing innocent ponies swarmed by spiders, she scanned the scene, and... there! A cluster of eyes, glinting in the trees... a bloated eight-legged form, bigger than a pony, hanging from a branch in the woods, on the far side of the crater. No doubt the thing had an excellent view of the whole clearing, and at she met the thing's gaze, the last thing Azure felt was pure malevolence, a foul and malign intelligence before...

A flash, and a reflexive blink. What... ? She was standing on the overlook again, with Reef Skimmer and Cloud Cutter at her sides. The mist had returned and the spiders and they prey also: everything was exactly as it was when she first came in.

Reef Skimmer looked out over the mist, at the screaming ponies, at the terrible claws moving unseen all the way from this ridge to the other where a distant tree of a distant wood hangs over the edge. "You know what to do," he said darkly, a calm giant of a hippogriff stallion next to her, "Destroy her."

Cloud Cutter gave a reflexive shudder as everything snapped back to the initial state. She kept her memories, it seemed, and her revulsion. "Did you see that... thing?" she asked Azure. "It was like it was the overlord of these spiders... Our true enemy."

With the unexpected snap-back... there was a shudder through Azure's body as if she's about to be violently ill... but her focus is forced back by her allies' words. "I saw it. The Spider Queen. She must die before anything else. And I'll do it myself. You two be ready for the chaos that's going to ensue!" she cried out, flying directly for the queen, wings buzzing and ready to unleash blades of wind and cyclones at the beast. With creatures like these... you cut off the head and the beast died completely... she would soon find out if that held true here.

Focused on its children in the pit, the arachnid queen didn't focus on the blur of flapping motion heading straight for her until it was too late. Magic leapt from Azure's horn, forming into a concussive blast that knocked the creature clear out of the tree. It fell in a pile of thrashing legs, bloated black abdomen cracking open on the ground before the shattered pieces of wood speared down and impaled it. The gurgling, immobilised creature managed to raise its head one last time, staring hate at its vanquisher before one clean wind blade from the unicorn decapitated the beast.

Cloud Cutter raised a hoof to the air in celebration! "That did it, Azure! Now: clear the fog away and let's see if we can't seize victory!"

"May the might of her majesty's finest fall on these creatures!" Reef Skimmer agreed.

"Time to finish this!" Azure called out, but it wasn't a scream of mirth: the fight wasn't over and there was no time to celebrate when ponies were in danger. Her wings were the catalyst of a sweeping wave of wind to clear out the fog: the last line of defence for the spiders. Not only does she have herself - not only does she have Reef and Cloud Cutter - but the ponies below, ponykind is not one to be hunted and not fight back - as soon as we can see the enemy, as soon as we overcome our fear, we fight back with numbers - and that was exactly what she was hoping to see...

Azure was used to blasting energy in focused bolts or beams; the energy involved here is no less - perhaps even greater - but it's spread out, diffused into a huge volume of air that springs into motion, clearing the mist from the entire crater in one sustained gust. In her first true weather working, Azure revealed a scene of countless spider bodies twitching and thrashing, confused and directionless, while colourful ponies stared around with fear and wonder. A few took the opportunity to stomp their assailants underhoof, before as one they made a beeline for the edge of the crater, looking for any escape from the horror within.

Cloud Cutter swooped down, satisfied at the scene! "Much better! It's all thanks to you, our... Champion." She nodded up to Azure, before helping direct ponies out of the battlefield, wing blades out and slashing through spiders that got in the way. Reef Skimmer plunged in as well, cutting down foes and saving ponies like some sort of feathery pony-rescuing-spider-smashing dynamo.

...Maybe she was asking too much. Maybe her Lieutenant's words that steered her wrong - but the fact remained that ponies were getting away from the fight, escaping with their lives, and that was the ultimate goal. Azure flew down, seeking out any trapped ponies, picking off any spiders that got too close with magic blasts. She wouldn't let any ponies die this time.

By the time the spiders had recovered enough to give serious resistance, every last pony has scrambled clear. Azure methodically flew back and forth over the hollow, firing blade after blade, staying out of reach of the horrid creatures while blasting them to smashed chitin and yellow goo. With a little help from her allies, eventually every single one had been exterminated. It was only then that the unicorn let herself rest, hovering for a moment above the battlefield... and realising that the entire crater was ringed with pony faces, all looking up at her. A thump, then another, then a cheer went up with a thunder of hooves as they applauded their champion.

Now that Cloud Cutter and Azure had a moment together, the pegasus asked "Do you understand now? There is great power in your wings...the power of the wind resonates in you, if you answer its calling." She nodded. "The wind will demand from you calm and level headed assessment - you must be as cool and flexible as the breeze to win wars against hopeless odds."

Covered in green ichor, the hippogriff approached. "Thank Novo you were here." he said, beak hanging open in appreciation. "You may have think you hesitated too long, but instead you took the time to learn what you needed to do to succeed, and then, your bravery and swift action was more than commendable." He gave a sharp salute with one wing, touching his pinions to his forehead, saying "It was a pleasure working with you, Azure Feather."

Azure, however, knew her task wasn't over. One challenge down... but three still remained, to gain the wind's approval. She could only hope Amber was finding it easier going. "Looking forward to working with you again soon, Reef. We all miss you." Azure stated calmly, before turning to the pegasus. "I'll see you back at the Harmony, Cloud Cutter! Well fought out there!"

And with that the colours and textures drained away, leaving only lumps of clouds that soon dispersed into nothing. Sunlight streamed back in; the room looked as it had when Azure first entered, rows of columns showing ruins and cloudy sky outside.

"...I'm done here. One down..." Azure muttered, before turning her back on the empty room and trotting back toward where her allies... her friends... were waiting.

Author's Note:

This story is a collaboration between myself (playing the native griffons and Sprocket), Ferret (playing Set Sail and illusionary Reef Skimmer), Patashu (playing Summer Scribe, Gustus and illusionary Cloud Cutter) and Spearmint (playing Azure Feather), based on an online RP.

This chapter is based on the first two thirds of the twenty-eighth session, with me as the GM. It was a monster session; the second trial had to be split to the next chapter. The big gimmick here was the players RPing each other's main characters, to give the illusionary versions of them (created from Azure's impressions and memories) an appropriate 'uncanny valley' feeling. It was intense, but great fun for all involved (at least, when Spearmint was finally able to exhale...). Here Ferret does a super-military Reef Skimmer and Patashu plays an extra-spooky Cloud Cutter.

P.S. Yes, those simple sliding block puzzles are absolutely ubiquitous in the Skylanders games.