Failure, Eternally Retold, Part Two: Nature's Blessings

by Kiernan

Chapter the Sixteenth: Beachside Property

Kai was feeling pretty good about their chances now. Seven of the ten tokens they needed were in their possession, and only three remained. Things were progressing very nicely, which was doing very well for his confidence. He felt so good that he barely noticed his shoulder pain. If things kept progressing like this, he'd be off the road and ready to tend to it in no time.

Today, he was walking with Twilight. She and Nik had set up the camp very effectively last night, and had even gathered enough plant matter to allow them to have a hearty breakfast this morning. She'd more than earned the opportunity to ask Kai more about his knowledge of magic. Besides, he wasn't really hiding that information. If it helped her to understand what she was doing better, then he was more than happy to help. After all, she was unlikely to abuse that experience.

"So, whet happens to an earth pony's magic if they lose the function of one of their hooves? I know if a unicorn loses the use of their horn, it stops their magic, and any pegasus would have trouble flying on one wing."

Kai nodded. "It's very true that any pegasus would have trouble on just one wing, especially me, with my unorthodox method of flight. However, earth ponies are lucky enough that, unless their hoof is outright missing, they can work their magic. Even without their magic, they're still a force to be reckoned with, as some of the boons they received through their magic take a long time to wear off. The increased strength and bone density will remain, so long as they weren't wholly dependent on their magic for that."

"What about prosthetics? If we gave them a wooden leg, would their magic return?"

Kai smiled. "Not quite. I'm actually personally experienced with this." He flapped his wings to accentuate his claim. "You need a unicorn's magic in order to connect the wooden leg to the main body with magic, but it can be done. If you're lucky, it'll work, but it will sap some of your magic away from the other three hooves. Essentially, you'll be able to use your magic, but it'll be of a lesser quality and efficiency. Your best bet would be to not lose the limb in the first place."

Twilight laughed at the joke and they continued onward, enjoying each other's company. Today's trek wasn't nearly as far as some of the others had been. One of the boons to having come across the nomadic tower on the way to their next destination was that they were already almost where they were heading.

"Is there anything you can tell me about the next destination?" asked Twilight. "I don't want to arrive just to find that I have to wait outside again."

"Don't worry," smiled Kai. "Everyone can come in this time. It'll be easier if you know any spells that can make you breathe underwater. Do you have such a spell?"

Twilight furrowed her brow. "Not one that I know particularly well. I don't use it often enough to have it memorized."

Kai shook his head. "That's alright. I'll figure something out."

"Excuse me? Figure it out?"

"Yeah," chuckled Kai. "Custom spells, you know? I make my own when necessary."

"And you think you can make a reliable spell by the time we arrive?"

"I'm already working on it," he answered.

Twilight really wanted to see the end result. New spells were always a treat, and she liked to see how they worked. She opted to give him plenty of time and silence, to ensure he had everything he needed to make it work.

---

On arrival at the large lake, Kai and Twilight tucked the wagon away, hiding it behind some very large bushes before bringing Fluttershy and Nikolas out into the open.

Nik looked out across the lake. "There's a city just on the other side of the water. Wouldn't any pony with binoculars be able to see us?"

Kai nodded. "That's why we need to work quickly." He scrawled a string of characters in the sand that only he and Twilight could recognize. "You ready to try this spell, Twilight?"

Twilight looked over his shoulder. The spell was rudimentary, but she could find no reason that it wouldn't work. "You're sure about this? I don't want to try to breathe and end up with a lung full of water."

Kai walked to the water's edge and as he stepped into the lake, his horn glowed. As his face approached the water's surface, an orb of gasses stayed around his head. He spent about thirty seconds underwater, and as he came back up, despite the fact that his body and tail were soaked, his mane and face were still dry, and also pretty dusty.

"It's not breathing water, it's breathing underwater," he explained. "This will last about half an hour before needing to be recast. That's how long we have to make it to the bottom of the lake and into the dome down there."

Twilight followed the spell, casting it on herself and then Nik while Kai made sure Fluttershy was properly protected. With no further delay, Kai led them into the water, using his horn light to guide them. There was some attempt to communicate through speech, but the water made that very difficult. Twilight carried the rear, her own horn lighting up every member of their party to make sure they didn't lose each other. They had to stay together, just in case Kai's spell didn't work as well as he thought.

Fluttershy was amazed by what she saw. As much as she loved fuzzy little critters, one of her biggest regrets was being unable to communicate with fish as well as she would like. Sure, there were turtles to help her, but being able to see them a little closer was just wonderful. She spent a lot of the journey talking with a large carp.

After twenty minutes or so, Kai put a lot more power into his light. Right in front of them was a large, subaquatic structure comprised of multiple domes. Not far from where they were was a stairwell leading up into the smallest dome. It had one connection, that being the largest dome. That was the entrance.

One by one, they made their way inside. The moment they found themselves inside the air that filled the dome, they were met immediately with a horrid smell. Everyone covered their mouths and noses, wondering what was causing it. As they stepped into the main chamber, they saw what it was. Several bodies were strewn about. Three of them were lying next to the altar, arms folded and eyes closed. Others were lying haphazardly as they had fallen. This place had been attacked, and all of the attendants, known for their kindness, caring and healing abilities, were dead. There was nopony to issue them any challenge, meaning they had no way to claim the next token.