CRISIS: Equestria - Divergence, Book 3

by GanonFLCL

Chapter Nineteen: Reverence

Gray Skies had never been to the particular meeting chamber that the summit was being held in before. Usually when she had meetings with Blackburn and/or Lockwood, they would either take place in one of the smaller, private meeting rooms, or else they'd meet over lunch at a restaurant. Gray had even sat in on a few Council sessions before in their meeting chamber, but that room was different too.

The summit was being held in a room that Gray supposed was meant to appeal to southern customs. It was similar to the Council chamber in that sense, with a central table surrounded by chairs, but there was a clearer hierarchy to the seating arrangements. The Council table was just a simple round table sort of deal—though the table was rectangular and felt more like a long desk—while the table here was a long rectangle with a raised platform at one end.

Blackburn herself sat on an ornate chair upon the raised platform, as she was the ruler of the city and thus deserved "head of the table" accommodations. This was unlike her usual, equality-based ruling system, but then the southerners were used to having the heads of their noble households treated as a step beyond the others. Everypony else was seated along the sides of the table, except for Lockwood, who sat at the opposite end in an ornate chair of his own, though his chair wasn't raised like his wife's was.

And then there was the young Serendipity sitting in a small chair in a darkened corner of the room, quietly observing everything that was happening. Nopony even knew she was there, except for Dawn, Gray, Blackburn, and Lockwood. And so long as she stayed quiet, it would stay that way.

Even the seating arrangements at the table had to be very particular. The table was big enough to easily accommodate five ponies to a side, and three ponies and two zebras—the visiting southern delegates, and Zircon—sat on one side. Opposite them sat Golden Dawn and Gray Skies… and that was it. They were the only two representatives of the north, after all, apart from Blackburn and Lockwood, who had special treatment.

Southern traditions were weird.

The meeting was called to order and Blackburn went through all of the boring-but-necessary steps to begin the summit according to southern customs, which meant that while Gadget sat in a corner taking down the entire meeting like a stenographer, Crossfire—as a servant of the crown—rattled off titles of introduction for everypony present.

Blackburn's was particularly impressive: Her Majesty Queen Blackburn of Hope's Point, the Iron Queen, Daughter of King Stormchaser, Breaker of Fleets, Mistress of the Open Skies, Head of the Council, Crown of the North Upon Which the Jewel Rests, Watcher Over All.

Gray's was not nearly as robust: Ambassador Gray Skies, Representative of New Pandemonium, Daughter of Lord Silvertongue, Vanquisher of Evil.

But then Gray knew she hadn't really done anything particularly impressive in her life, and the one "impressive" thing on her list she shared with Dawn anyway. Not that she cared, but she wondered how one obtained all those fancy titles and what they all meant in some cases.

Naturally, once the meeting's traditional opening remarks were complete, the questions immediately started flying. "What nonsense is dis, yah?" Lord Golden Shield quipped, gesturing at Gray and Dawn with his hoof. "Dis 'Daughter of Lord Silvertongue' nonsense. Dat some sort of order you ladies joined or somethin'? It's not a cult, is it?"

"On the contrary," Dawn replied with a polite grin. "It applies just as equally as the titles of lineage apply to the rest of you. My sister and I are as much daughters of our father as any of you are of your fathers and mothers." A pause. "Adopted, of course."

"Which puts them in a similar boat as me," said Lockwood with a polite smile.

"And dat just makes it sound like more nonsense, if ya don't my sayin' so. Lord Silvertongue 'adopted' dese mares? You know how ridiculous dat sounds?"

"Lord Silvertongue has been dead fer centuries," added Lord Skycatcher. "Now I can understand y'all lookin' ta him as a hero worth regardin' as a father figure. Ain't nopony knows much about what's been happenin' up there in yer big ol' city, so maybe y'all formed a cult or somethin'. Ya know it ain't really Lord Silvertongue that's adopted y'all, right?"

"Again, I must insist that you are quite mistaken in that regard," Dawn said, adjusting her glasses; she looked like she was starting to get annoyed, and honestly Gray couldn't blame her on this one. "There will be proof provided shortly, but that will be after Her Majesty Queen Blackburn presents this gathering with the information that facilitated a need for this summit."

Lady Silverluck, who Gray knew was already aware of the truth, nodded firmly. "I agree. Let them provide their proof once we have an understanding of why we're here in the first place. Surely there is a reason that their presence is needed here, and I would like to know why."

Golden Shield squared his jaw a bit, then nodded. "Yah, fair enough cher." He turned to Blackburn. "Apologies, Your Majesty."

Blackburn shook her head. "Not necessary, understand completely. But yes, must begin summit discussions proper. Summit has been called for two reasons: first, to present information that impacts world's safety and well-being; second, to present information that changes worldviews of southern nobility. Second reason is complex, multi-layered, hence will be presented second.

"First piece of information concerning, and as-said, relates to survival of our world. Question: are any of you aware of what a 'Chronomancer' is?"

The southern delegates all looked to one another and grumbled and whispered slightly. It was Ambassador Zultan who spoke, oddly enough. "There art tales in many southern houses even in Zeb'ra'den, tales of strange ponies who doth travel the land performing strange rituals, and who liveth apart from others and scareth away those who came near. Hermits. They didst call themselves Kronomagi, which soundeth similar to this 'Chronomancer'. Be they related?"

Blackburn nodded. "One and the same. Generations of tales passed down corrupted title, apparently."

"Those are just stories fer lil' foals, though," said Skycatcher, looking very confused. "Ain't nopony seen one o' them sorts since 'fore the Beacons went up, an' even then it was just a rumor."

"Because they have resided exclusively in the north since. Job requirement. Do not have one present to explain in better detail; she is on a mission."

"Wait, you're saying these 'Chronomancers' are real?" asked Silverluck, eyes wide. "You know one? Personally?"

Gray found a bit of amusement in the fact that this knowledge was so mystifying to the southerners. Lockwood didn't just know one, he'd roomed with one for a few months and slept on the couch so that she could sleep in a comfortable bed.

"Correct. She has provided grave news for us all. Will repeat as… clearly as possible." Blackburn took a breath. "Our world is dying. The Darkness is overwhelming the Light, and soon an outside force, the Void, will consume everything and everyone. In thirty-six days, our world will be destroyed by this outside force. Nothing can stop it; it will happen.

"However, there is a solution: we abandon this world and move to another. The Chronomancer has provided details on how to go about this task, and we need the southern ponies and zebras to work together with us to make it happen. Should we succeed, we will all live; should we fail, we all die. This is non-negotiable; the summit is not to ask permission, it is to discuss solutions."

There was a long pause once Blackburn had finished, followed by Golden Shield abruptly rising from his seat. "What proof do you have of dese here wild claims, hmm?"

"Without Chronomancer present, cannot provide more details. She is on a mission, will return soon, can provide more details."

"And what kind o' mission she on dat's more important dan tellin' us what's goin' on? Hmm?"

"Seeking information to help us. Ancient history provides clues, hence the request for your historical records."

"Form a period in time where writing things down was considered unnecessary and time-consuming," quipped Silverluck. "Ponies didn't start keeping detailed written records until shortly before the civil war in the south, and that's well after the period you were asking for information on."

"Regrettable, and hopefully unnecessary."

"You're serious about this?" asked Skycatcher. "You're really serious? The whole world's gonna end?"

"Yes. And if we don't act, we will too."

Skycatcher hummed and nodded. "Well, this here claim o' yers is way outta my comfort zone, I tell ya what. My first instinct is ta call ya a liar and say you're just tryin' ta scare us so ya can get more power or somethin'. But I know you, Queen Blackburn, and I know that ain't somethin' you'd do." Another nod. "So I believe ya."

"I'm also inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt for now, Your Majesty," said Silverluck with a nod of her own.

Ambassador Zultan tapped his hooves together under his nose, then nodded as well. "I should like to knoweth more about this before agreeing to anything that thou dost claim, but I hath no reason not to hear what thou hast to say on the subject. Our peoples in the past hath done great things to ensure our world survives; I can at least listen."

Golden Shield sighed, shaking his head and leaning back in his seat. "Dis here story's crazy, but alright, I'll give ya a chance ta tell us more 'bout what ya expect from us. I don't like dat dere 'non-negotiable' comment, but if it's really dat serious, I get it."

Blackburn nodded appreciatively. "Excellent. Time for debate is later, not now. As for solutions, have discussed one already with allies. We can present it now." She nodded at Crossfire, who moved to the door and cracked it open. "Fair warning: more surprises incoming."

Indeed, Gray could see the looks of surprise on the delegates' faces when Lorekeeper Gilderoy walked into the room. He was dressed in a resplendent new robe, purple like his old one and accented with gold, and with a high collar. Gray was absolutely certain that Rarity had made it for him, even without asking for confirmation. All of his tech had been upgraded and replaced by now, too; the gryphon looked as healthy and able-bodied as anyone else in the room.

"Greetings to all of our gathered guests," the old gryphon said with a polite nod. "I am Lorekeeper Gilderoy. I must say, it's a pleasure to be here and to look upon the faces of southerners once again in such a capacity. Particularly zebras! To gather you all here for this purpose, dire as the situation is, well… I never thought that I'd see anything like this ever again."

The old gryphon then took a seat at the table, separate from Dawn and Gray, but on their side where there was room.

"You're… a gryphon," said Silverluck flatly, her eyes blinking. "A real gryphon."

"No way that's a real gryphon," Skycatcher said with a grin. "It's gotta be some sort of illusion—"

Gilderoy dispelled that notion immediately by taking the stallion's hoof briefly in his metal talon and giving it a little shake. "No illusion, no matter how potent, can simulate physical contact."

Skycatcher's eyes widened as he stared at his hoof, even after Gilderoy had released him. "Hot damn, y'all're real. A real gryphon." He shook his head. "But… but I thought—"

"And you thought correctly. The gryphon race is no more; I am the last of my kind, and I lack the… hmm, the 'equipment' with which I would, shall we say, propagate the species."

Gray had to stifle a laugh every time he said it like that, as it was wildly inappropriate and insensitive for her to do so, but damn if she couldn't help but remember how Havoc had reacted when she'd heard it the other day: "You mean your balls don't work?" Havoc certainly had a way with words… and about as much tact as a slug.

At least Gilderoy had been a good sport about it.

"If thou art truly the last of the gryphons, Lorekeeper, mayhap thou canst tell us exactly what happened?" asked Ambassador Zultan. "We hath heard that the once-great city of Aeropolis was abandoned and that no trace of the gryphons had ever been found, no clues as to what fate had befallen thee and thy people."

Gilderoy sighed and nodded. "I can tell you, certainly. However, there is another who wished to perform that task, and I find it appropriate that he be the one to tell you. I'll give the floor to him."

"Thank you, Lorekeeper," came the voice of Silvertongue, perfectly in unison with Dawn's.

Nopony had noticed Silvertongue's appearance, as it was a sudden, instantaneous thing with absolutely no detectable signs of happening before it happened. Gray found it slightly amusing that her father had such a keen sense for dramatic timing and could make himself appear at just the right time to pop into the conversation when it would be most impactful. She had to wonder if he enjoyed it.

Naturally the shocked reactions of the delegates was roughly equal as it had been when Gilderoy entered the room. While Lady Silverluck's reaction was much more subdued due to having met Gray's father already, it was Ambassador Zultan and Sir Zircon who more than made up for it, their eyes wide with sheer awe.

"What the hell?" Skycatcher blurted, nearly falling out of his seat. "Who's this? What's goin' on here?"

"Apologies if I startled anypony," Silvertongue said with a light smile. "I understand that my appearance can be quite striking the first time you see it. My daughter, Dawn, is able to channel this astral projection of mine for me, as she is my Warden; that will be explained in due time.

"I will otherwise cut to the chase, however: you already know who I am, you just don't know that you do. I am Lord Silvertongue, formerly of House Silver, now something much more. But you can see that for yourself, of course."

"Bullshit," quipped Golden Shield, his face hard and angry. "What kind o' joke ya playin' here, Shadow Associate? Ya think dis is funny?"

"It's not an illusion spell," Silverluck said calmly. "The Shadow Associate's horn isn't glowing. This is an astral projection of Lord Silvertongue himself. And yes, it's really him; I spoke with him yesterday and confirmed his identity then. He knew information pertaining to our family's genealogy that he couldn't know unless he were who he says he is."

"Spent time yesterday to save time today," Blackburn said with a nod. "Easier to confirm with one individual than with five."

"I, too, confirm his identity," said Gilderoy. "I am unique amongst those present here in that I knew Lord Silvertongue personally in the distant past and can confirm any claims he might make that you might not necessarily believe." With a look towards Gray and Dawn, he added, "And as such, the claims of these two are also legitimate: they are indeed his daughters, via… adoption, if that is the term they wish to use."

Zultan and Zircon both immediately pushed back their chairs so that they could rise to their hooves and then subsequently bow low, so low that their noses nearly touched the floor. "Hail! Lord Silvertongue hath blessed us with his presence," Zultan said, not removing his nose from the floor. "What wouldst thou asketh of us, My Lord?"

"The hell are you two doin'?" asked Golden Shield, tilting his head.

"The zebras consider Lord Silvertongue as one of their greatest heroes," explained Silverluck. "To them, he's essentially an honorary zebra warrior of the highest caliber."

"I get dat part, cher, but—"

"Imagine if one of their most revered, ancient warriors suddenly appeared before them… which is exactly what's happening, actually. Say it was someone as influential as Princess Zarya herself. They revere their greatest warriors as just a step below deific; they're more than mere mortals to them."

"That's not entirely inaccurate, though I'd say that I actually am deific now," Silvertongue said with a grin, spreading out his translucent wings. "Rise, my zebra friends. There is no need for such reverence here. Believe me when I say that I hardly deserve it."

The two zebras rose as asked, though gave each other odd looks; clearly Silvertongue's last words confused them.

"I still don't rightly understand what's goin' on here," said Skycatcher. "My Lord Silvertongue, it is an honor an' a pleasure ta meet you, but uh… you'll have ta forgive me if'n I don't quite get what ta make o' this here situation we find ourselves in. This is a lot ta take in."

"Perfectly understandable, and I am more than able and willing to explain it. However, it is worth noting that there are some details in my tale that some here will find disturbing, and other details that might inspire… outrage," Silvertongue said, his gaze briefly sweeping over Golden Shield. "I would ask that everyone remain silent until I have told the entire story."

Since everyone seemed to be in agreement, Silvertongue then told them everything that had happened here in the north once the war had been won, just as he'd told Silverluck. From sending Princess Zarya of Zeb'ra'den back home to build and guard the southern Beacon, to his deceiving of Nihila to earn a place as her Warden, to proving his loyalty by exterminating the gryphons, to the murder of Lady Golden Heart, all the way up until the events of seven years ago, in detail.

"And now we find ourselves here, with Nihila still at large in some capacity and evading my sight through means unknown," Silvertongue concluded. "It is a source of tremendous consternation that after everything I have done in the name of balance, of security, Nihila managed to slither out from the jaws of defeat and even now is attempting to destroy us all."

After a moment of silence, Golden Shield rose up and planted his hooves firmly on the table. "I hope you understand, My Lord Silvertongue, dat after everything you just said, dere ain't no way in hell that I trust you, yer family, or anypony associated wit' you, and never will ever again."

Golden Shield then wheeled on Silverluck. "And you. Your family and mine are no longer friends, and we are no longer allies. Your ancestor is a traitor who slew my ancestor in cold blood, murdered her and left her body to rot. Unforgivable, and grounds for war."

Silverluck stared him down. "Absolutely, I agree. My family's legacy is built upon a lie that we have unknowingly perpetuated for generations. However, I must advise against hostilities. Embroiling the southern continent in war just to satiate your misguided thirst for what you call 'justice' will do nothing to solve our current predicament.

"But, if it's war that you wish to bring to our doorstep, then that is your right to do so, and my father will accept this and meet our house's forces against yours on the battlefield. We will not do so gladly, and we will take no pleasure in putting your house to the sword. House Silver's legacy may have been built upon a lie, but know this: our military prowess is based in facts."

"Hmph. You talk big, but I guess I shouldn't expect anythin' less from somepony related to dis genocidal monster here. Just another braggadocious, pompous ass who thinks too highly of herself. I'm disgusted knowin' that my son lays with you, dat I have a grandson that shares your tainted blood. Thank Harmonia that there aren't more of your filthy spawn runnin' around."

"Don't flatter Goldenglow, My Lord. Your son has only ever laid with me once," Silverluck scoffed, looking the larger stallion up and down with contempt. "He's not a real stallion any more than his chest-pounding fool of a father is, whose wife only lays with him on the promise of baubles and trinkets."

Golden Shield rose up and snarled. "You would dare insult my wife? At least she lays only wit' me, unlike my son's wife who is so desperate to fill her cavernous quim—"

"Enough! Both of you!" snapped Gilderoy of all creatures, drawing attention from everyone else in the room; Gray was only a little disappointed, having quite enjoyed the back-and-forth.

"If anyone in this room has any reason to truly be personally angered by the actions of Lord Silvertongue, it is I who deserves that right, not you," the old bird said, addressing Golden Shield specifically. "You think that you have been wronged because he murdered a single member of your family in cold blood? A pony whom you never knew personally? Pah! That you would go to war over this is troubling; have you ponies truly advanced so little since the gryphons left the south?

"Everyone I once knew is dead. My brother, Gilliam. My sisters, Griselda and Glyndis. All of my colleagues who I worked with over fifty years of my life, fellow Elders of the Aeropolis Senate, pupils who I had taught and come to view as sons and daughters." Gilderoy shook his head. "You know nothing of loss, Lord Golden Shield, and to insinuate that you have been wronged so greatly is an insult to every gryphon that Lord Silvertongue murdered.

"But now is not the time for your petty squabbles over the death of a single mare, no more than it is time to provide vengeance for the tens of thousands of gryphon souls who cry out for justice. Our world is in danger, My Lords, My Lady. If we do not act together as one, then our final days will be spent at each other's throats and Nihila will have had the last laugh after all."

Gilderoy then sat forcefully back in his seat, leaving a rather bewildered Golden Shield and Silverluck still standing. The two southern nobles then grumbled silently to themselves, and meekly retook their seats, thoroughly cowed like a couple of arguing teenagers whose grandfather had just scolded them. Gray was impressed; she couldn't have done it better herself.

"Thank you, Lorekeeper," said SIlvertongue with a short nod.

"I didn't do it for you," Gilderoy snorted back.

"I know. I am not thanking you on my behalf, but on the behalf of those who will survive thanks to your well-heeded words."

Ambassador Zultan cleared his throat. "Am I to understand, then, that thou hast a plan to save our world once again, My Lord Silvertongue?"

"We do, Ambassador," Silvertongue replied, tilting his head towards Gilderoy. "Credit where credit is due."

"I'm surprised that you're willin' ta just go along wit' whatever plan he has," Skycatcher grunted, glancing at Zultan and Zircon. "I know I ain't been wronged personally by what he's done in the past, but I don't know how much I wanna follow any plan he's got considerin' where that led."

"A valid concern, and a well-deserved strike against me and my trustworthiness," Silvertongue said with a simple nod. "However, this plan was developed as a joint effort between myself and Lorekeeper Gilderoy here, and I will admit that the efforts were mostly his own, for he is more acquainted with the Beacons than anyone, myself included."

"'Tis irrelevant," Zultan said with a firm nod. "Thou art Lord Silvertongue, friend to the mighty Warrior Princess Zarya, vanquisher of the forces of evil. I hath heard thy tale and yes, 'tis a grisly story that doth end in heartache and pain. But I hath considered the alternatives; hadst thou not done with thou didst, 'twould be possible that none of us wouldst draw breath today.

"Thou art an enemy of Nihila first and foremost, and 'tis good enough reason for me to believe that thou wouldst go to any lengths to end her reign. Were Princess Zrya still alive today, 'twould be no surprise were she to taketh up her lance to join thee again in battle." Zultan thumped his hoof over his chest. "Zeb'ra'den stands with thee, My Lord Silvertongue."

Silvertongue tilted his head. "I believe that I made it clear that Zarya would not have stood by while I committed the acts of evil that I needed to commit in order to destroy Nihila. It was why I ensured that she remained in the south as long as necessary; I knew that she would raise an army to stop me."

Zultan nodded. "And she wouldst again, and so shalt we, shouldst thou giveth us reason to do so. Nihila is an enemy of all, and we shalt standeth with thee to oppose her, but we shalt not tolerate betrayal. Judgment of such an ancient wrong is not ours to deliver, and punishment doth not seem possible."

"Hmm. Well spoken, Ambassador, well spoken. You possess much wisdom and strength of will for one so young." Silvertongue nodded as well, then turned to Gilderoy. "Lorekeeper, if you would?"

Gilderoy leaned forward and steepled his talons under his beak. "The main crux of our problem is finding Nihila, and subsequently destroying her for good. As Silvertongue's tale no doubt made clear, Nihila somehow survived the ritual that attempted to destroy her, even with the assistance of some potent wielders of the Light.

"I believe that in order to truly vanquish Nihila, we need a more powerful Light to do so. This Light, naturally, would be Harmonia, whose Light should be potent enough to not only subdue and destroy Nihila, but to do so so utterly that we can proceed with the Chronomancer's relocation plan safely." Gilderoy shook his head and sighed. "And therein lies another problem."

"The Beacons," Silvertongue continued. "Their energies divide our world into its two halves so utterly that even the Dreaming is affected, and as such Harmonia has had no knowledge or influence in northern progress or goings-on in centuries. So long as the Beacons stand, Harmonia cannot help us here."

"Thus, we must deactivate the Beacons," Gilderoy said with a nod. "This summit's primary purpose was to inform the southern nobility of our plan so that we could lay a groundwork and save time in debate and discourse later."

Silvertongue looked at the pony nobles. "You three are the most powerful nobles in pony society, and can convince Harmonia's current Warden to grant you an audience with Harmonia herself so that she can listen to our plan and then support it. I have no doubts in my mind that Harmonia will agree to it once she hears all of the information you learn here today."

He then turned to Zultan and Zircon. "As for you, Ambassador, you can send word ahead to King Zaratite so that he and his court will already have debated amongst themselves by the time our own delegates arrive to negotiate a deal with him." He gestured at Blackburn. "Her Majesty's good relations with your people will also help in that regard."

Silverluck looked between herself, Golden Shield, and Skycatcher, and the three of them nodded, almost in unison. "We can do that, My Lord Silvertongue," she said. "And I, too, have no doubts that Harmonia will agree to this plan. She backed you before to put an end to Nihila's rampage of destruction, she will surely do so again."

"Indeed."

"And while His Majesty King Zaratite might resisteth the demands and requests of most ponies, particularly the false Warden of Harmonia, there is little doubt that he wouldst listen to the words of the great Lord Silvertongue," Zultan said, thumping his chest again. "'Twill be a simple matter, in that regard, at least one canst hope."

Silvertongue raised an eyebrow. "'False' Warden?"

"Aye. The last pony to holdeth the title was thee, and the position was never officially vacated. In Zeb'ra'den, thou art still considered Harmonia's Warden." A pause. "Naturally thy story changes things, but 'tis the case in the south at present."

"What about the northern Beacon, My Lord?" asked Skycatcher, scratching his chin. "The Beacon o' the south sounds like it's all settled up. Might take some time ta get through all the politics 'n' such, but it'll work. How 'bout the north?"

"That is a source of consternation as well," Silvertongue grunted, shaking his head. "The northern Beacon cannot be safely deactivated, not by me. I could destroy it, certainly, but that would defeat the purpose of trying to save as many lives as we can; the Beacon's destruction would create an explosion of magical energy that would kill thousands and spread toxic magic elsewhere."

"He is trying not to perform a repeat performance of Aeropolis," Gilderoy grunted, more than a little bitterness in his tone. "How commendable."

Silvertongue ignored his comments. "To deactivate the Beacon, I would require Nihila's power itself, as it was her magic that fueled the Beacon in the first place and still does today. My magic is a combination of hers and my own, and my own has too much Light within it to work; it requires a source of pure Darkness, as Nihila is."

"I doubt you could trick her into deactivating the Beacon," Silverluck scoffed. "She fell for your plans once before, My Lord. No doubt she would be wary of any attempt to convince her that it is in her best interests."

"Correct. Luckily, we have another source of pure Darkness equally as powerful as Nihila was."

"You do? What? Who?"

"That would be me, little one," came the voice of Pandemonia as she stepped out of the darkness in the corner of the room.

The southerners all jumped at once at the sudden appearance of not just another alicorn in the room, but one with a physical body. The only reason the northerners hadn't jumped is that they'd all known she was there the entire time, carefully observing the discussion so that she could learn more about the southern societies, unfiltered and raw.

"Wh-who is this?" Silverluck asked, pointing nervously at the tall, dark alicorn. "Another alicorn? How?"

Gray was glad on a personal level they could at least avoid all of the accusations about Pandemonia actually being Nihila; the alicorn goddess was… a friend, and the accusations seemed to hurt her deeply. None of these ponies or zebras knew what Nihila looked like, because like Harmonia herself they had no real physical forms until seven years ago, and Harmonia hadn't joined the Physical Alicorn Club yet.

"I am Pandemonia, Alicorn of the Moons, Goddess of Adversity," the dark alicorn mare said, her voice calm and soothing despite her imposing appearance. "From what I have come to understand, none of you know who I am or would even recognize the name or titles I have just given you. Is that correct?"

The southern delegates, all still in awe, shook their heads in almost comical unison.

"A pity. I had hoped to glean some more information from the ponies of my homeland, but it would seem that I truly have been forgotten by history." Pandemonia sighed, then gave the delegates all a small, warm smile. "It is not your fault. But I do sense a great deal of confusion from all of you. Allow me to explain."

Pandemonia then gave the delegates the rundown that she had already given to everypony else who knew her story, namely that she had been the sister of Harmonia in ages long past, and that her Warden was lured to the minotaur kingdom in the north. After that, more than two thousand years of nothing, until one day she woke up here, in Hope's Point, with no memory of the time in between now and the memory of her Warden's arrival in Athenos, and no explanation as to why or what happened.

Blackburn then chimed in, "Have an expedition team seeking Athenos now; Chronomancer is with them. Answers may be found, provide us with information, context."

"I agree with this course of action, and am glad you're already taking care of it, Your Majesty," said Silverluck with a firm nod. "If this story is true, then I would very much like to know what happened that our entire southern culture came to suddenly begin acknowledging Nihila, rather than Pandemonia."

"Even we zebras knoweth nothing of Pandemonia's history," mused Zultan. "'Twas not until the civil war that Zeb'r'aden didst even accept Harmonia and Nihila as part of our pantheon in full. Before then, only minor sects that paid them reverence, and no records pertain to Pandemonia even then."

"If I might ask, O Pandemonia," said Skycatcher with a slight bow. "How is that Nihila has the same sort o' Darkness as you do?"

"I know not," Pandemonia said with a frown, looking at the ceiling. "I only hope that the explorers return with some answers. My memories are still clouded even from before my long sleep, but some glimpses here and there of the old south peek through at times. Nothing clear enough to help, but… enough to alleviate my woes that I had forgotten everything."

"So, if I'm understandin' dis right," said Golden Shield, hooves steepled under his chin, "the plan is ta get Harmonia ta put out the southern Beacon? An' den Pandemonia here, she can do the same wit' the northern Beacon, yah?"

"That is the plan we have, yes," Silvertongue said with a nod. "The timing will need to be exact, so we will take great pains to ensure that all parties are agreed in the south first, then we might arrange a proper 'schedule', so to speak."

"The timing needs to be exact, or at least relatively close, because if one of the Beacons is left 'on' for too long, the already-deadly imbalance of the world will simply become worse," Gilderoy added, strolling his beard. "Everything must be carried forward with great care and caution."

Silvertongue sighed. "And yet we must also hurry the plan along, for if Nihila should decide to make her move while we are all still making arrangements, then everything will likely be for naught."

The southern delegates conferred quietly amongst themselves for a few brief moments—just for show really, since they all knew the plan needed to happen—before breaking apart.

"We, the southern delegation, are in agreement wit' this here plan," Skycatcher said, hoof over his heart. "We'll start makin' arrangements immediately ta prepare fer whatever negotiations need ta be made to work this all out. I take it that Pandemonia will be coming with us?"

Pandemonia sighed and shook her head. "I cannot. The Beacons' magic will prevent me from doing so, much as they prevent my sister from reaching out to me here in the north. Until these contraptions are gone, we can never be united."

"Hmm. Sounds like we got our work cut out fer us, then."

"In the meantime," continued Silverluck, "we're in agreement that we ourselves shall remain here in Hope's Point until this 'expedition team' returns to the city, in the hopes that they will have new information for us that might help enlighten those we are trying to convince of this admittedly fantastical tale."

"Dey ain't all here like we are," said Golden Shield. "We can hardly believe all dis ourselves, and we're hearin' it straight from the horse's mouth as it were, yah? Gonna be a bit harder ta make sure other folks accept it. But I s'pose we're gonna have ta do our best."

Silvertongue smiled and nodded. "Excellent. Then we are all in agreement for now." he turned to Blackburn. "Your Majesty, I believe that we can conclude this summit meeting if that's agreeable with you? I'm certain that your guests would care for a moment to recuperate after this deluge of information."

Blackburn nodded back. "Indeed." She turned to the southerners. "Delegates, we are adjourned. If you need anything else, feel free to ask. All of Hope's Point's resources are at your disposal be it for personal reasons or otherwise."

Nods and acknowledgements went around the table, and slowly everypony who had been invited to the meeting began to trickle out, even Serendipity, who likely left to wait in the hall for Dawn.

Gray was about to do the same when she felt a chill on her shoulder; her father's hoof, and only his, was there, intangible as it was. Dawn still sat motionless in her seat, eyes closed, as she had been the entire meeting, only more… still, like she was in an even deeper trance than usual.

"A moment, Gray, if you would?" he said quietly enough that only she could hear, and it was only his voice, not Dawn's as well.

Gray nodded and turned to face her father fully. "Yeah, sure Dad. What's up?"

"When Dawn channels my astral form through her, she must enter a deep meditative state to do so. In that state, I work in tandem with her so that I might use her limbs to move and interact physically with the world in even that minor capacity. I cannot use her magic nor can I put much force into physical contact; I can barely even walk."

He paused. "She is normally fully aware during this state, as I feel that it allows her to experience what is happening around her, so that she still feels as though she is involved with matters. I only utilize this connection with her with her permission; should she not wish to allow me to channel myself through her this way, she may refuse at any time."

"Oookay?" Gray muttered, an eyebrow rising up into her mane. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I am fully capable of usurping total control if I so wished," he said simply. "She would enter a meditative state so deep that she would be unaware of anything whatsoever. I am doing just that as we speak, and have been for the past few minutes; she cannot see you, cannot hear you or me, and as far as she is aware, we are still in the meeting."

"What? You mean Dawn doesn't know what's going on right now?"

"Precisely."

"Is she okay with that?"

"I did not ask her for permission."

Gray's jaw fell a little; this was highly unusual for her father to do, especially to Dawn. "You didn't? Why not?"

Silvertongue sighed and shook his head. "Gray, my dear… feel free to deny me if you wish, but I would very much like to hear from you, and you alone, what has been happening in our family over these past seven years." He looked right at her, his golden eye boring directly into her soul. "I want to know everything that I have missed. Please."

Gray stared at her father for a moment, then nodded; she realized in that moment that Dawn really hadn't been telling their father everything. "Where do you want me to start?"

"You needn't trouble yourself with that. With your permission I can gaze into your memories and see everything I need to see, hear what I need to hear. You just need to sit back, relax, and open your mind to me."

"Yeah… okay, I can do that." She paused. "Just, uh… you can avoid some of the, er… personal stuff?"

He chuckled lightly. "Of course. I have no interest in spying on you and your husband, hmm?"

"Yeah. Good." She took a breath, leaned back, and closed her eyes. "Go for it."

"Thank you, Gray. This will only take a moment. And please, do not mention this to Dawn. I will speak with her later."

*****

It was late at night and Golden Dawn was finally crawling into bed and preparing herself to go to sleep.

It was so much different making her usual nighttime preparations here in a guest chamber at Hope's Point than it was back home. The room's layout was completely different; she had to settle for a portable music player and earphones instead of a record player to hear her music; and, of course, she was sharing the room with another pony, Serendipity, so she felt a distinct lack of the normal privacy she was accustomed to.

It wasn't too bad of course, even if everything was woefully inferior to her usual amenities. The bed was comfortable, but not quite comfortable enough; the room was at a pleasant temperature, but was either just a bit too warm or a bit too cold; the sheets were soft but a little too clingy; the pillows didn't stay cool for long and she had to flip them over too often; the room wasn't quite perfectly quiet, and that wasn't even counting Serendipity sometimes getting up to use the bathroom.

Not too bad, but it wasn't home.

Still, she could at least get to sleep even if it took a little longer than usual, and she could still focus herself enough to let her essence waft outwards and call out to her father. As usual, her dreamscape became an endless black void, with only herself and her bed—her real bed—present in the darkness. And, as usual, she would step away from her bed just far enough that her father would appear before her.

Only there was something a little off about him tonight. Dawn had communed with her father many times over the years, and every time she did they always met face-to-face without exception. She knew this because every time she would approach and smile and even sometimes run to hug him, and every time she could see his warm smile there to greet her. Or at least that's how she remembered their previous encounters.

He never had his back to her when they met.

"Father?" she said, stepping forward to greet him as she usually would.

"Dawn," was his simple reply, so simple that it felt… cold; Dawn could feel a little shiver through her body when he said it, and not the pleasant sort of shiver either.

She paused, blinking, unsure what to make of that, but shook it off; it had been a stressful day, so perhaps he was just being contemplative. "Do you share the same opinion on the proceedings of the summit as I do, Father? I was under the impression that it went surprisingly well, all things considered."

"Mmm," he grunted.

She blinked again; this was most unusual. "Father, is everything alright?" She tried to circle around to look him in the eyes, but no matter how many steps she took she didn't even seem to be moving from out behind him.

Her father paused for a long moment, then shook his head. "Dawn, my dear… in my long life there has only ever been one thing that I have ever truly regretted. You already know this to be the moment when I had to kill Lady Golden Heart, the mare who I loved with all my heart and soul, in order to do what I felt was right."

"Of course, Father." Dawn gulped; why did she have an uneasy feeling in her gut? "You haven spoken on it many times."

"Yes. I have. It is still a resounding memory to me, the point of no return on the path to becoming who I am today. Even though I have been able to see My Heart again here within the Dreaming, it will never quite be the same between us as it was before that moment. I still love her, and she still loves me, but never again can we have what we once had.

"Ever since that moment, however, I have lived my life with no more regrets. I did not allow myself to be wracked with guilt or remorse, lest I weaken my resolve with such emotions. It was not until you and your sisters were born that I allowed my heart to open up again to anything beyond the cold-hearted logic that I felt for everything else until that point.

"Since then, I have learned to love again, to concern myself not with results and machinations and schedules and plans, but with the well-being of others. Of you and your sisters." He looked up into the nothingness. "You are my daughters. My family. And I love you all very much."

Dawn felt the warmth of his words filling her heart and soul, and yet there was a strange… hiccup to it. She couldn't explain it. "And we love you as well, Father. But… might I ask what inspired you to deliver such a heartfelt speech? Not that I do not appreciate it, of course, but it is rare to hear such unfiltered sentimentality in your vernacular."

"Indeed. Which is why I blame myself, mostly, for what I am about to say."

"Hmm?"

Her father turned to face her now, his expression as sullen as she'd ever seen him. "Dawn, my dear… I am disappointed in you."

Dawn felt her heart almost immediately stop, like a bomb had just went off in her chest. "Wh-what? Why? I… have I not performed my tasks admirably enough? I assure you Father, I—"

"No, Dawn, that is not what I mean. Our family. Your sisters. I am disappointed in you for the way that you have treated them over the years. I blame myself for not being a better father to you all, to you specifically, such that you are under the impression that what has happened between you all is somehow acceptable.

"You belittle them, you disparage their interests and ideas, and worst of all, you show them a distinct lack of warmth and love. Three of your sisters are married; you did not attend any of their weddings, to the point that Havoc did not even invite you to hers. You have three nieces and a nephew, and yet you have never taken a single moment of your time to interact with them.

"And all of this might be forgivable, yet you show no remorse for any of this behavior. You hear their grievances against you and then you either ignore them or you insult them for it." Silvertongue shook his head, his expression awash with disbelief. "It was your connection as a family that helped us defeat Nihila before, but in seven years you have destroyed that connection.

"Because of this, I consider the arrival of Twilight Sparkle and her friends to not just be a lucky boon, but an absolute necessity. Their arrival in our world seven years ago was a happy coincidence that I could take advantage of to defeat Nihila; now, because of what you've done, they are crucial to the survival of us all.

"And I blame myself for this. I did not teach you well enough, it seems, did not prepare you adequately for the responsibilities that I have placed upon you. I wonder now if perhaps I might have been misguided in making you my Warden instead of Curaçao. You were not rea—"

Dawn abruptly woke up from her sleep, clutching her stomach in pain. She felt like she was going to vomit; no, not just vomit, she felt as though her insides were on fire and needed to get out of her as soon as possible. The worst of the pain was in her heart; there was no blood, but she felt as though she'd been stabbed straight through the chest.

"Dawn."

Her father's voice. It hurt to hear it. It hurt so much that she couldn't stand it.

"Da—"

It hurt so much that she shut it out entirely.

Silent, painful sobs wracked her body; she'd never felt like this before, not once in her entire life. The tears just wouldn't stop, no matter how much she tried.

Comments

[RoboRed]

Do you truly get it yet, Dawn?

Do you now?

[Turquoise pony]

11088302
She did everything she thought Silvertongue wanted her to do, as perfectly as possible.
That coupled with her pre-existing Asperger's, and Silvertongs thousand years of cold calculation rubbing off of her. I don't blame Dawn for being the Pony that she is.
I want to hug her and tell her, and tell her, it's okay we can help you.