Failure, Eternally Retold, Part One: The Human Element

by Kiernan

Chapter the Thirty-First: High Water

When Twilight woke up and saw that Fluttershy hadn't yet returned, her worry came back. She knew how Fluttershy felt about thunderstorms. Stepping out of the wagon and into the deep mud, she looked around. Neither Kai nor Fluttershy could be seen, just mile after mile of flooded plains. Every so often, a bush or tree would poke up out of the water. At least it wasn't raining quite as hard today.

She climbed up on the stump where the tent has been set up. Poking her head in, she was relieved to find Fluttershy, curled up under Kai's cloak. At least she was safe. However, Twilight had a new concern. If Fluttershy was sleeping alone in Kai's tent, where was Kai?

Twilight shook Fluttershy's shoulder, rousing her from her slumber. Fluttershy rolled over and looked up. "Twilight?" she yawned. As she returned to the waking world, she sat up. "Sorry. I know I said I'd be back, but I guess I fell asleep out here."

Twilight smiled. "It's fine. I'm just glad to know you're alright. After that storm last night, I was afraid you'd run off."

Fluttershy shook her head. "I'm okay now. Kai was around to help calm me down." She looked around. "Where is he, by the way?"

Twilight furrowed her brow. "I was hoping you could tell me."

Fluttershy looked down at the floor of the tent. The dried food she had brought for Kai were still there, sealed in their packaging. After she'd leaped into his embrace last night, he hadn't had the opportunity to eat. She felt awful. "He was here when I fell asleep. Maybe he went to look for breakfast?"

It didn't take long for them to locate him, as he was right outside the tent. What had kept them from seeing him was the tent itself. Fluttershy's hoof glided across his exposed shoulder, wiping off excess water as she woke him. As he stood up and stretched, he had to keep himself from shaking, as doing so would only serve to saturate the girls. "Good morning. Sleep well?"

"I did," answered Fluttershy. "Thanks for helping with that."

Kai looked around through the light drizzle. "You're all ready to go, then?"

"Go?" asked Twilight incredulously. "How do you expect to be able to go anywhere in water this deep?"

"I don't know," answered Kai. "Even yesterday, I was running into a lot of resistance with the wheels sinking into the mud. Now the ground is even softer. On the other hoof, I refuse to just sit around waiting for this flood to dry up. We should caulk up the wagon and wade. I think the water may be deep enough that a wagon floating on the surface won't sink into the mud below."

Twilight smirked. "Your information might be a bit outdated, Kai. Most modern prison transport wagons are already sealed. It helps to prevent escapes. That all started because of a prisoner that somehow managed to squeeze through the floorboards twenty-two years ago."

Kai raised his eyebrow. "Would this have been between Ponyville and Canterlot? En route to Canterlot?"

"So you've heard of the event?"

Kai and Fluttershy exchanged knowing glances. "You could say that, yeah. The prisoner escaped into the Everfree forest and was never seen again."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "I don't know about that, but the point I'm trying to make is that this cart should already be sealed enough that water can't enter."

"Load up, then," responded Kai, stretching his back legs. "Let's be underway."

Fluttershy grabbed Kai's shoulder, causing him to tense up. "Not yet. You didn't eat anything last night. I insist that you have something to eat before we set out."

With a somber nod, Kai did as he was told, sitting down and eating his dried food while Twilight and Fluttershy struggled to take down the tent. The problem they were having was with the surface that the tent stakes had been driven into. Wood was stronger than dirt, and with water added to the mix, the stakes were tighter than ever. Only when Kai had finished eating did he stand up and help, employing the assistance of a prybar. In no time, he had the tent stakes out of the tree stump and packed up in the back of the wagon. But as he was sliding it into place, Fluttershy noticed that he was twisting and flexing his left shoulder a lot.

"Is something wrong with your shoulder, Kai?"

He lowered his hoof to the ground. "I probably just slept on it wrong. Once we start moving, it'll calm down." He harnessed himself into the pulls. "Are we ready?"

Fluttershy slipped into the second harness. "Whenever you are."

With a smile, Kai began pulling. He was glad to have somepony to assist him. They moved down into the water, feeling the rapids wrap around them. It turns out the water was higher than they'd initially thought, as they weren't wading, but swimming. Twilight was correct about the seals, however. The wagon was indeed floating, and the wheels were up above the ground.

Kai was glad to have his leg in the cold water. The murkiness of the water coupled with the ripples caused by the droplets still falling from the sky meant that they couldn't see more than half an inch down. No longer using his sore leg, Kai was making better ground using his wings to propel them through the flood. Unfortunately for Fluttershy, feathers were more delicate than metal plates, and she couldn't move the water as well without injuring herself.

They swam until afternoon. At that point, Kai had them pull out of the water and up another hill. It would do them no more good to stay in the water, as their target location was nearby. Another ancient graveyard stood on the other side of a nearby hill, slanted down so as to keep any floods at bay. At the base was a ravine, sending the floodwaters away.

When evening came, the rain had stopped, and the tents were all set up near the peak of the hill, just outside the cobblestone wall marking the edge of the graveyard. It was still cold and humid, but at least they were dry.

Kai stood up as soon as they'd finished dinner. "Tomorrow, we face our fourth trial in the mausoleum of wraiths. I won't lie to you, this is the trial that terrifies me the most. More than facing the embodiment of fear. More than walking directly into a volcano. More than facing an opponent that could tear me to pieces. This is the worst of the trials, and I will completely understand if you don't want to face it with me. I won't force you."

Nik swallowed hard. He had no idea what the trial was, but if it had Kai shaking in his horseshoes, it couldn't be good news.