Metempsychosis

by BlackRoseRaven

Wolf Hunt

Chapter Twenty: Wolf Hunt
~BlackRoseRaven

A week passed in relative peace and quiet: the most exciting event that occurred was returning to the Strange One village to fetch more supplies. Odin had taken the loss of the other materials in stride, and had given them an extra day to rest so that he could take another look through what they had available and append a few more supplies to the new list.

It had gone as creepily and smoothly as the first time: the only difference was that the Strange One artisan had found them just as they were about to leave, and presented them with a gemstone. It was a white pearl that had been carefully cut into a crescent, then layered on either side with black onyx so the layered gemstone formed a large oval. When inserted into the hollow in Scrivener's collar, however, the symbol was all the clearer: the crescent moon, the slice of white pearl seeming to glow as it was framed by the black onyx on either side of it.

It locked into place so tightly that it didn't wiggle around even when jarred... and Scrivener wondered dumbly how the artisan had managed such a snug fit as Luna had stared, but before either of them could thank the Strange One, he had vanished. And more than ever, the collar had felt comforting, natural, warm, resting low on Scrivener's neck, and more than once he caught Luna admiring it on him... which made him grin at her mix of egoism, love, and appreciation.

Apart from that, however, there was little of note: they spent their time working on their cottage, entertaining rare guests, and discussing with Roma, Greece, Illyria and Odin how best to use Valthrudnir's cards. Roma and Greece, after inspecting the cards, studying the enchantments, and recording several pages of findings, both concluded that two of the cards in conjunction with Illyria's magnification devices would be more than enough to achieve their goal of restoring the souls to flesh, especially when backed by Luna's magic power.

It was a surprisingly-bland week... but considering that most weeks they spent were made up of battling monsters across a Hell-ravaged world, bland was a nice change of pace even for the battle-lusting Valkyrie, who was able to indulge her nicer side and enjoy what for the two ponies had become a rare treat: the chores of normal life spent side-by-side. Things like Luna demanding to be taught to bake cookies and the resulting, horribly-burned unnameable things that they had to pry off the melted tray, and Scrivy spending his nights reading to her, and Luna painting as her husband transcribed stories new and old.

They saw the occasional Pale here and there, including the shade of Scarlet Sage, who sat with them for several nights... and it was strangely comforting to have her presence nearby, the filly smiling at her parents and watching them quietly as they looked back at her, talked to her, comforted her and each other. She would silently encourage them, urging them forwards, giving them more hope for the future, and it did a world for her adopted parents that the child was remaining here with them, even if both wondered from time-to-time if the girl's real parents were out there, Pales aimlessly searching for their daughter across this new and beautiful and strange Equestria.

Now, Scrivener Blooms and Luna were both standing in Ponyville's open square, revitalized and strong. Luna had a thick rawhide sheath on her back, the butt of her telescopic spear sticking out of this, and Scrivener wore a new pair of glasses. Around their necks, collar rested and black pearl swayed, and Odin looked meditatively back and forth between the two as he rubbed at the side of his face before saying finally: “I still believe this is folly, Brynhild. The world you came from approaches collapse... that layer of reality is dying, and you have already saved many souls. I will not stop you if this is what you truly desire, to return to that broken layer and continue business as usual, but I must implore you to be careful... to watch for signs and dangers, to be wary of any possible breaches in reality, and to not delay in retreating immediately to this world if the symptoms of collapse are even hinted at. You do not want to be trapped in nothingness for the rest of eternity, which not even I can save you from.”

“Thou cannot save me from many things, Odin. Worry not, if I fall into nothingness, Scrivener Blooms and I shall merely build a new home there, at least safe from thy endless badgering.” Luna replied mildly, and Odin rubbed at his temples but didn't respond to this obvious attempt on his patience. It made the winged unicorn look almost disappointed, and then she huffed and turned, saying easily: “Come, Scrivener. This place wears on me. Let us go.”

“Wait, I'm not quite done yet.” Odin said irritably, holding up a hand, and Luna groaned before she glared over her shoulder at him as the once-god asked seriously: “Have you tended to the Velite? What about the zebra, have you spoken with her?”

“Oh, as if I would go about ignoring them. Well, Pollen, perhaps, but either way I have seen that she knows her way around my home and how to take care of Discombobulation, and she will stay mostly out of the way. If she wanders into Ponyville, though, do be kind, lecher. Thou of all people should know what 'tis like to be trapped in a shape less-amicable than one desires.” Luna said pointedly, but Odin only crossed his arms, continuing to look at her mildly. “As to Zecora, I kicked down the door of her hut earlier. She was not home, so I wrote her a message. I wrote it on the floor, in the most expensive-looking ink I could find. I reflect now that considering the speed with which she built this hut and apparently organized it into a replica of her old home, I should have simply burned it all down. The mess I made will be far too easy for her to remedy.”

“I see you take losing as well as you ever did.” Odin remarked, and Luna huffed at him grouchily. The once-god gave a wry smile, however, then he nodded and said quietly: “Do not worry, I will not interfere with either of them. I have learned to trust your instincts on these matters... and that if you need help, you will ask.”

Luna quickly looked away at this, but then she smiled a little as she met Scrivener's eyes, and the two nodded to each other: the rest had done them both good, after all, and while they had still had more than one 'nightmare 'over the past week, Scrivener felt more in control of himself than he had in a long time, and his mind felt settled, with fewer visions taking sudden hold. Perhaps it was because of the charms in the collar and the unknown magic in the gemstone, or perhaps it was just because they had been able to relax and calm down after spending so much time being soaked in corruption and violence. “Yes, Odin. We shall... if it is necessary.”

Odin looked thoughtfully from one to the other... then he finally nodded and gestured outwards with one hand, and Luna grumbled as she turned around and began to stride through the square, Scrivener falling into step beside her and the once-god following behind them as he said thoughtfully: “Very well, then. But permit me to accompany you and help you open the Bifrost, then. You can allow a little bit of aid there at least, Brynhild, I know it is a more-complex process than it is in your corrupted Equestria.”

“Only because thou refuses to provide another channeling altar.” Luna complained loudly, but Odin only smiled indulgently at her, which vexed the winged unicorn all the more as she glowered over her shoulder at him. “Do not look at me so. And do not stare at my flank. It is not for thee, it is for my husband. And possibly others if I say so, but never thee.”

Scrivener sighed and dropped his head forwards as Odin rolled his eyes, muttering: “By Mimir's head, can we not walk in peace for one lonely time, Brynhild? I wish only for peace between us, or at least a semblance of it-”

“And thou art getting a semblance of it, old cyclops. Forget not that if the urge took me I could and gladly would pummel thee into oblivion.” Luna retorted over her shoulder, and then she grinned when Odin made a face at her. “Oh, thou may want to doubt it, but look at thee, an old lecher sustaining himself off of a dwindling supply of ambrosia, whilst I am a winged unicorn with a Valkyrie's soul. Are thou sure thou would once again let thy pride speak before thy mind thinks, and wager thyself against me? I promise not to kill thee either way, Odin... I am not that kind.”

“Oh, believe me, Brynhild, I would never accuse you of kindness. Arrogance, breeding hostility, and many other things, but never kindness.” Odin replied moodily, and then he sighed and lowered his head, nodding with a grumble. “And I... acknowledge that I am not the warrior I once was. And one day all too soon I really will be nothing but a doddering old man, lingering in Valhalla... I hope I die before that day. I can think of nothing more shameful than dying comfortably in my own bed.”

Luna looked awkwardly over her shoulder for a moment, seeming torn... and then she sighed and said finally: “Well, worry not, old lecher. I am sure that with so much still in chaos and thou refusing to retire quietly to thy rocking chair, thou will die horribly in battle. Perhaps the Norns will even favor us both, and I shall slaughter thee for making some rude remark or for thee allowing thy lecherous hands to wander where they don't belong.”

“Brynhild, you are not attractive to me as a pony, you do understand this, correct?” Odin said mildly, and then he winced when Luna skidded to a halt and gave him a horrible look over her shoulder, Scrivener clearing his throat awkwardly as he winced and stepped carefully to the side.

Silence spiraled out for a few moments, and then Luna huffed and tilted her head imperiously upwards before storming forwards, and Scrivener sighed in relief as he fell back into pace beside her even as her mane and tail sparked, the female muttering: “Perhaps thou will die sooner rather than later if thou keeps this up, so-called 'God of Wisdom.' Truly, it is as if thou wants me to slaughter thee. Thou should keep thine foolish beak shut.”

Odin looked tiredly up to the skies for patience, then simply shrugged at the sun overhead, muttering: “I am learning this, Brynhild, at least when it comes to you, worry not. Perhaps we should just enjoy the day's fine air.”

“Perhaps we should.” Luna said grumpily, and she shot a look at Scrivener, who sighed and looked back pleadingly, but she only gave him a sulky huff, and the male grumbled under his breath before he strode forwards and closer to her so she could drop her head firmly down against the side of his neck, mumbling irritably to herself as Odin looked moodily at the two, then back up at the sky as he walked with his gloved hands behind his back.

They continued in relative quiet to the field where they had first entered this layer of reality, and Luna loosened up a bit, gazing back and forth as Scrivener checked over himself automatically and then sat back on his haunches, adjusting his glasses. Odin, lastly, seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts as he stayed back on the trail, still looking towards the sky, and then Luna cleared her throat loudly, and the once god blinked before he coughed a few times and smiled awkwardly as he shook his head quickly. “I... apologize. My mind is not what it used to be... and once, I was vain enough to think I would never suffer the negatives of 'growing old...'”

“Aye, Odin, we have heard this story before. Perhaps thou should sit back under a tree, then, and watch whilst Scrivener Blooms and I open the Bifrost.” the winged unicorn said moodily, but Odin only shook his head again as he reached into his coat, producing his flask and opening it to sip slowly at the contents with a grimace, and Luna looked at him for a few moments before she asked in a voice that was curious and surprisingly-polite: “Tell me, Odin. What effect would drinking ambrosia have upon a normal pony? Or say on a pony such as myself or my husband?”

“For a normal pony, it would grant them speed, strength and vitality. Perhaps permanent, but the ambrosia's effects upon a mortal are difficult to predict... some handle it better than others, a rare few die from their exposure to it. For you and Scrivener, it would likely be the same sort of effect it has on me... a temporary boost to strength of mind and body. Again, though, it is hard to say... and I would rather you two not help yourselves to my ambrosia to find out.” Odin replied meditatively, then he carefully screwed the lid back on the flask and slipped it back into his vest. “In larger quantities, ambrosia carries more permanent effects... but it loses its ability to extend one's life. Instead, it often shortens the lifespan instead from so much energy being infused into a being at once. At least, that is the rumor.”

“Thou should gorge thyself upon thy stash and discover if this is true or not, then.” Luna grumbled, and Odin rolled his eyes before the winged unicorn turned around and said finally: “Very well, then. Scrivener Blooms, let us begin tracing the runes while the old cyclops prepares himself for a strain.”

Scrivy smiled awkwardly as Odin only rolled his eye, rubbing his hands together slowly, and the two ponies approached a section of the field that seemed as if it had been seared by flames, the grass blackened and the ground splattered with what looked almost like a permanent layering of soot and charcoal. The two ponies traded looks, and then both dipped a hoof into this before they began to trace a rough diagram of runic symbols outwards, forming into a wide double-circle: the area where the base of the Bifrost would be anchored.

Odin watched them curiously, studying the way they moved in near synchronization even as they traced different symbols, and then he nodded slowly when the two stepped away and both lowered their heads forwards in visible concentration. He didn't have to ask what they were doing as he stepped forwards, closing his eyes and putting his own hands together as if to pray as he stood between them, murmuring an incantation in a language forgotten by time as the runes traced in ashes burst into flames and reality around them rippled violently.

The ground inside the circle began to glow, then burst upwards in a wild swirl of flames that twisted forwards and drilled into reality itself, forming a tunnel in the sky as the cyclone of fire burst apart and left behind the multicolored rainbow bridge of the Bifrost. Energy twisted over the earth as recoil shocked over the bodies of the two ponies and the once-god, Odin grimacing and grasping at his chest as Luna and Scrivener grit their teeth and arched their backs, faces contorted in that same expression of pleasure-pain as electricity burst through Luna's locks before they dropped their head forwards with gasps of exertion.

But it had been far easier on them with the help of Odin, as he straightened slowly and cracked his back with a grimace, looking moodily over the burning bridge of rainbow light as he muttered: “Rainbows mean many things, you know. And while you ponies have chosen to apply new meanings to them, I think for me they'll always mean bad luck, even if the Bifrost was once a symbol of the Aesir's power.”

Luna smiled wryly at this, glancing over Odin measuringly before she turned her eyes back towards the bridge, beginning to stride forwards... and then the once-god stepped suddenly forwards and grasped her shoulder, and Luna glared at him before the falcon-headed being pointed with his free hand, saying sharply: “Wait, look!”

The winged unicorn frowned as she looked back towards the Bifrost, beginning to open her mouth to snap some bad one-liner out at the falcon-headed being... and then her eyes widened as she realized what Odin was pointing at. The colors of the Bifrost were fading and the flames burned gray instead of clear and white... and as she and Scrivener Blooms watched in shock, the flames turned dead black as the multicolored bridge began to twist and writhe like it was a living thing in tremendous pain.

Then Odin grabbed them both, hauling them firmly backwards, and the two ponies were surprised at his strength as they staggered and he said roughly: “Leave. Something is coming across the Bifrost, it could be anything, and I-”

“Will be a snack to it.” Luna shrugged him off with a snort of disgust, then she glanced towards Scrivener Blooms, and the pony nodded quickly before the two turned and ran to either corner of the field before spinning around and anchoring themselves, leaving Odin standing in surprise by himself before Luna shouted irritably: “Get out of the middle of the battleground, old idiot, and let us do our job!”

“I am not leaving, Brynhild. I still have some strength left in these old bones.” Odin replied calmly even as he spun around and walked to the foot of the road, then turned with a grimace, rubbing his hands together before he looked up with disgust as the Bifrost wrenched itself upwards, the different strings of color twisting apart as an awful hissing rose up from the bridge, black flames bursting over it before cracks spread through the now-colorless gray rainbow. “Not even enough time for one last drink...”

Luna grinned despite herself as she flicked her horn, her spear flying out of the sheath to extend quickly beside her to its full length, and Scrivener Blooms set himself with a curse under his breath before his eyes widened as the Bifrost gave an awful, almost-alive groan... and then it simply exploded in a blast of shadow and pallid radiance, the three wincing back as the tunnel in reality became an awful, cracked rip in the fabric of space and time.

The groaning rose into a scream as a cold, icy wind burst from the shattered hole in reality, terrible white light shining out of it for a moment before something huge and awful and bulky became silhouetted by the radiance... and then a shape smashed into the too-small hole, a head ripping through like the air was trying to birth a monster, like the corrupt Equestria had been but the womb for a beast that now sought a new world to feast upon and destroy... and Fenrir roared and snarled as the Black Wolf of Hell began to rip and gouge at reality itself, scars pulsing over its terrible dark-flame body, black and soulless white eye burning with what seemed like only hatred and hunger as Luna yelled in disbelief and Odin cursed under his breath before cracks spread through the air around the broken hole in the sky.

The tunnel ripped wider, chunks of reality falling like glass shards as the massive monstrosity tore its way into their world with a greedy snarl, dropping out of the sky to crash to the ground and rip its claws into the grasses, leaping forwards so it was only a few feet away from Odin, who staggered backwards at the raw waves of vileness that radiated off the scarred and misshapen beast. It was even more hideous than when Luna had fought it now, black fire burning in thin lines over a body that was covered in that warped blue-red flesh, lipless maw nothing but ivory fangs and broken, jagged teeth that made it somehow all the more fearsome, its missing ears making the monstrosity's features all the more skull-like.

It began to lean down... then looked sharply up instead, gazing at the blue sky, drool dripping from its maw as it dragged its claws against the ground... and beneath it, grass began to rot, bursting into short-lived flame that, the moment it died, left behind not ashes but thick ice... and Luna's eyes blazed with both fury and fear as she began to move forwards... before her eyes widened in horror as another Black Wolf ripped through reality, landing next to Fenrir. This one, too, was missing an ear, covered in red and blue lines of flesh bared through the black-flame fur as it staggered over the ground and strode to Fenrir's right side.

The hole in reality pulsed as another Black Wolf followed, Luna and Scrivener's horror growing as Odin only readied himself calmly, looking disgusted now more than anything else even as the final fourth Black Wolf half-fell out of the rip in reality, landing with a yelp but ignored by the other three that stood forwards, sniffing at the air, the field around them rotting and trembling as the wound in reality quaked and shivered, then finally, slowly began to close... but the worst of the infection of corrupt Equestria had now traveled, in the form of these awful, abhorrent abominations, into their Looking Glass reality. They were living destruction and corruption, greedily sampling the air, unconcerned with the defiance they faced as they slavered and drooled before Fenrir threw his head back and howled, and reality shivered, the clouds in the sky above darkening and lightning crackling through the air before it dropped its head forwards with an eager growl.

Odin faced it, not flinching even as Fenrir barked several times before it lunged towards him... and then leapt easily over the once-god, the falcon-headed being cursing in disgust as the second-largest, scarred Black Wolf roared as it shot past him as well, onto the road heading for Ponyville, and Luna's eyes widened in horror and rage as the last two Black Wolves split up, one running to the right and the other to the left, both barking gleefully as they tore into the trees and left trails of rot where their paws ripped against the earth. Before Luna could lunge for the nearest to her, however, Odin roared in a surprisingly powerful voice of command: “Brynhild, take down Fenrir! I shall deal with Hati, Scrivener Blooms, distract Skoll! The Nibelung will be able to delay Garm at Ponyville!”

There was no time for argument, and no point, as Odin ran with surprising grace to the side, and Luna cursed as she shot towards the road and gave chase to the two wolves now racing towards Ponyville, wings propelling her as fast as she could fly as Scrivener Blooms turned and ran after the last wolf: the omega, the smallest, and thankfully still limping from the wounds it had sustained in the collapse of the Black Baroque as it stagger-ran through the trees... but wounded or not, it was still large and solid enough to crash its way through the forest as if the pines and oaks and ash trees were nothing more than loose building blocks in the way of an angry toddler.

Luna snarled as she shot along the road as the ground shifted and rumbled ominously, cracks ripping here and there through the earth as rocks tore out of the ground and vents of steam burst up, frost rapidly spreading over soil that writhed as if nature itself was trying to scream. Her mane sizzled with electricity as her eyes caught on the two Black Wolves lunging ahead, running side-by-side: Alpha and Beta, gaining, gaining, gaining on Ponyville, and she knew that she couldn't stop them both from reaching the village... just as she knew that if Odin was right about one thing, it was that Garm was dangerous... but Fenrir was the true destroyer, the true living weapon.

As they began to pass into the plains outside the village, Luna put on an extra burst of speed as she angled her spear downwards and then shoved it savagely into the back of Fenrir's neck, and the Black Wolf of Helheim howled in shock more than pain as it reared back, staggering stupidly as Garm skidded to a halt ahead, looking back over its shoulder with a snarl... but even as Luna slammed her hooves into the back of Fenrir's head and quickly tore her spear back and free, the Alpha looked forwards, then barked and snarled at Garm, and the Beta seemed to take it as a command as it growled back before half-turning and continuing on its way.

Fenrir shook its mighty head, the black flames flaring up over its body for a moment before it slowly looked over its shoulder as Luna hovered, and its glaring, now-mismatched eyes seemed to recognize her somehow, the monster snarling as drool dripped from its jaws, and Luna glared back, fearless, enraged, and most of all, determined to destroy these monsters that had invaded her territory, that had come to ravage the paradise she had helped rebuild as her eyes glowed with ivory light and her mane and tail sizzled with blue flame. They stared at one another, bodies flexing and trembling, and then Fenrir began to turn away... and Luna immediately swept her horn to the side as it gave a sharp pulse, and a blast of blue flame erupted over the Black Wolf's side and haunch with enough force to knock it staggering to the side with a yelp of surprise before the winged unicorn shouted: “We have unfinished business, monster! And this time, there is no retreat for either of us!”

Slowly, Fenrir turned towards her as rot and frost spread over the ground beneath its feet... and then the Black Wolf threw its head back and howled, and a wave of awful malevolence ripped through the air, knocking Luna backwards with a wince before she looked down in horror as trees twisted and distorted into gnarled, blackened hulks around them, as the land rotted and frost spilled over the ground, as the simple presence of this abomination ravaged the earth around it with rot and ice... and then the winged unicorn snarled as she flexed and roared: “It will take more than a show of force to make me submit, creature!”

Fenrir snarled at her, running forwards and lunging upwards... and immediately, Luna flew gracefully skywards, avoiding a wild swipe of one of the beast's paws as her eyes flicked over the monster. It bore awful scars and deformities, but no real wounds, no real vulnerabilities she could see, as she quickly dropped to the black eye and shot in towards its cheek... but its jaws immediately snapped at her, making her curse and propel herself quickly backwards, just avoiding the deathtrap of its fangs with a wince before she stabbed her spear fiercely forwards into its nose, and it yelped and staggered backwards, shaking its head wildly back and forth.

It healed fast, too fast, and Luna gritted her teeth before she dropped to the ground, ignoring the ice and shale that crunched beneath her hooves before she ran forwards and smoothly sidestepped when the monster clawed at her, the wolf attempting to backpedal to try and keep up, but Luna was faster as she ran beneath its body, stabbing her spear fiercely upwards in a straight line through the underside of its chest and sending down a hail of black blood. It shrieked and lunged to the side, but again, the wounds healed unnaturally fast, and Luna cursed as she aimed to run beneath it again... only for it to stagger slightly in circle and slam a rear paw backwards into her, knocking her flying.

She crashed and rolled several times on her back as her spear flew to the side, rattled out of her telekinetic grip, and Fenrir spun around before lunging towards her with a roar... but Luna's eyes flashed as she lay on her back, snarling in return as she lashed out wildly with a blast of both telekinetic force and blue flames: it struck the monster directly in its open jaws, searing the inside of its mouth and shattering its ivory fangs, sending chunks of white shrapnel ripping through its throat and muzzle.

It shrieked as it staggered backwards, smoke rising from its maw, the damage catastrophic as it clawed wildly at its own destroyed, gaunt features for a moment, and Luna leapt to her hooves before her eyes widened as Fenrir lashed its claws down, wincing back and expecting some supernatural attack... but instead, it only tore both front paws into the earth, and Luna frowned in surprise before the beast arched its back and hissed as its body rippled, and the winged unicorn looked back and forth as cracks spread through the earth and the circle of destruction widened as the monster's tattered features rapidly regenerated themselves, new teeth ripping into place as it spat out a stream of bile before looking up with a snarl... and Luna's eyes widened in horror as she realized that the beast was drawing strength from the ground itself. It could feed off the life of the planet itself... and the winged unicorn gritted her teeth before Nightmare Moon said coldly in her head: Then perhaps it will not survive catastrophic damage if you take away its source of strength.

“Aye, then thou had best lend me thine powers, Nightmare Moon.” Luna said grimly, and inside her, Nightmare Moon gave a strange, dark smile as the winged unicorn grimaced, then winced and lunged backwards as Fenrir went on the attack, its claws ripping down, its jaws snapping and biting savagely after her as she cursed under her breath but concentrated on avoiding the Black Wolf's fury.

She could feel the darkness inside of her pulsing and growing, could feel new energy pushing into muscles that were already strong, could feel a strange and wild plan being injected into her mind, laced with Nightmare Moon's ruthlessness... and Luna grinned, her eyes glowing as her mane and tail boiled, concentrating as her horn began to glow before her eyes flicked to the side as she leapt out of the way and landed by her fallen spear. With merely a thought, the weapon immediately threw itself off the ground and spun once beside her before shooting forwards like a guided missile when Fenrir's head lunged down... and then it shrieked in misery, staggering backwards, as its ivory eye was pierced by the spear, shaking its head wildly back and forth as it clawed wildly at the weapon with one large paw.

Luna immediately leapt into the air, shooting straight upwards, flapping her wings powerfully as the Black Wolf managed to tear the spear free as a new eye began to form in its socket, the creature looking back and forth, temporarily blinded as it trembled with fury and hate and confusion... and high above, Luna let her body gracefully drop backwards into a steep fall, her horn beginning to glow brightly as her mane and tail sizzled, her body sparking with energy and electricity as Fenrir looked up with a snarl to see the winged unicorn plummeting quickly towards the ground, the beast lunging forwards and raising both front paws high as if to crush her... and Luna's wings flapped once, giving her a final, extra boost of speed as she corkscrewed her body as her form burst apart into swirling blue mist, becoming a tornado of blue flame that twisted upwards just before it hit the ground and smashed the enormous Black Wolf into the air, the creature howling in misery and terror as its massive frame was shoved fiercely upwards, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty feet into cloudy sky.

The swirling storm of blue mist condensed and narrowed, then tore suddenly forwards, ripping straight through the creature's chest as it glowed brightly, Fenrir's body spasming as it shrieked... and Luna tore out the monster's back, reformed, snarling as steam and dark blood burst around her body and her wings flapped hard as she flew to the side, snapping her horn downwards, ignoring the pain in her body as Nightmare Moon laughed inside her.

The frozen ground shuddered as the ice thickened, then rapidly began to twist upwards, lengthening and shaping, glinting as it hardened even as it transformed... and knowing she had little time, little chance, not wanting to lose a precious second, Luna shot forwards as Fenrir began to fall with flailing limbs, fighting to twist itself over as its jaws shrieked. And in that crucial moment before it could, as its eyes rolled in its head, a force of destruction on the verge of panic, Luna slammed her hooves against the front of its skull, knocking its head back before she leapt forwards with a furious shout of: “For all thou stole from me, monster!”

She crashed into its already-torn ribs, throwing her whole body into the full-body ram above the awful wound she had ripped through it, and Fenrir was launched straight downwards... and then screamed as it was impaled on a single jutting spike of ice, the thick stake cracking at the force and weight of the monster that crashed onto it, but the almost-pillar long and thick enough that it only trembled... then stilled as the Black Wolf foamed at the jaws, shrieking beneath the sun as Luna half-fell to the ground beside it, crashing down hard and rolling several times as she gasped in exertion, then fell on her side... and grinned savagely at the sight of the monster as it convulsed once helplessly, even as tears rolled down her cheeks and blood flowed from her lips and nose, whispering: “I shall never permit anything... to threaten those I love.”

Fenrir threw its head back with a scream that was too-sentient, too-alive, filled with fear and sorrow and pain as it arched its back... and Luna watched, breathing hard, body quivering as the black flames over the living force of destruction whiffed out as its body began to stiffen, its movements slowly before it began to freeze into place, graying and petrifying in death. Finally, all that was left was a statue splattered with black bile, impaled on a spike of jutting ice, Fenrir's last expression somewhere between senseless, animal hatred and sentient terror... and Luna could only grin as she breathed hard where she lay, exhausted from the battle as she closed her eyes and felt Scrivener Blooms locked in his own seemingly-impossible struggle. But thou can do it, Scrivy... if I can face my greatest fear... thou can defeat a wounded pack-wolf.

The ponies were not the only ones engaging the beasts, however, as Odin cursed under his breath, grimacing as he ran quickly down a narrow path through the forest as behind him, Hati roared, the Black Wolf clawing its way madly through the trees. The once-god was leading it through one of the networks of traps that had been set up around Ponyville, but it was doing little to slow the creature down, and to make the situation even more difficult all he had in terms of weapons was a simple longbow he'd made by transfiguring a branch.

The once-god coughed hard as he grabbed at his chest, shooting a quick glance over his shoulder... and grimacing as Hati lunged into the clearing. He quickly looked ahead, eyes locking on a nearby boulder, and Odin ran towards this as the Black Wolf snarled, eyes locking on him and following his movements before it lunged forwards as the falcon-headed being staggered to a halt in front of the rock.

Odin glanced up and leapt to the side, gritting his beak as its jaws lunged down and mashed painfully into the boulder, and it howled and staggered backwards... and a back paw slipped onto a thin covering, crunching through the expertly-camouflaged trap to land in a pitfall filled with spikes. The Black Wolf howled in pain, distracted for the moment, and Odin quickly ran around the boulder, snapping a branch off a tree as he passed, and with a flick of his wrist it became a simple wooden arrow that he quickly nocked into the bow, half-turning to fire it into the wolf's face.

It had little effect but to upset it further as its head snapped back, and it snarled as it dragged its rear paw upwards, shaking its head briskly before roaring and batting the boulder aside, sending it crashing through the trees as Odin hurried along the path with a grimace as he finally reached the trap he had been looking for. He leapt past it as Hati began to charge down the path, only to hit a tripwire, and a heavy log swung down from above to smash into the flank of the enormous creature, knocking it staggering. It did little to injure it, but the monster barked wildly as it looked back and forth before clawing savagely at the dangling log, ripping it down before it snarled as its eyes refocused on Odin as he reached the other end of the path, where several barrels had been stored by a small hutch.

The once-god wheezed hard as he knocked one of these over, then rested his foot on it with a grimace, cursing under his breath as he yanked a branch free from a tree... then clenched his beak shut, eye tightly shutting as a shiver of pain wracked his body, grabbing at his chest as Hati glared down the path at him, the Black Wolf snarling as it bristled visibly. But Odin was breathing hard, almost fumbling the loose branch as he leaned forwards, pained and weakened... and the monster roared before it broke into an eager sprint, smelling weakness as Odin looked tiredly up-

Its front paws landed in two large snares set up on either side of the path, and there was a loud snap as these tightened violently around its ankles before they were dragged taut on hidden pulleys, yanking its front paws backwards beneath it as its heavy body and rapid momentum tried to continue to carry it forwards. It yelped in surprise as it flopped forwards, hindquarters high in the air and face skidding against the grassy path as Odin straightened with a grimace, then kicked the barrel hard, the contents inside sloshing before it crashed into the creature's head and it twitched, then snarled and bit aggressively forwards, seizing into this as if to crush it as Odin took aim with the bow and nocked the branch as it became an arrow before the tip burst into golden flame, the once-god saying wryly: “Even better.”

He fired the arrow just as the beast's teeth began to crush the barrel, clear oil splattering in all directions... and then the flaming missile struck, and the barrel exploded in a torrent of golden flames, Hati throwing itself backwards with a howl of misery as its entire head was engulfed in a torrent of fire, shaking itself wildly as Odin tossed his bow aside and moodily reached into his rawhide jacket to pull out his flask. The Black Wolf shrieked as it burned, then staggered forwards even as the holy flames ravaged its body, the monster's features rapidly petrifying as it began to throw itself towards the once-god... and yet only managed to come with in a few feet as its upper body petrified completely, its lower body shivering violently as its rear paws clawed weakly against the ground before gray spread through it and the entire beast was frozen from head-to-tail in stone, smoke and golden embers slowly rising up off the beast.

Slowly, Odin sipped at his ambrosia, looking fearlessly into the snarling, petrified face of the creature, and then he shook his head and muttered: “Reduced to using blessed oil and holy fire to neutralize a force of destruction. A moment of rest... and then I shall check on the others.”

He closed his eyes, rubbing slowly at his chest as the petrified Black Wolf steamed quietly, forcing himself to calm down as he leaned against the now-statue... and then glanced up with a grimace at a tremendous crash, muttering: “I direly hope that was Brynhild, for once.”

Scrivener Blooms cursed under his breath as he sprinted along the side of a jagged cliff wall, Skoll loping behind him and half-dragging its twisted front leg as it snarled and barked savagely: getting its attention hadn't been difficult, but now all the earth pony could do was distract it while waiting for Luna or Odin to show up, cursing his inability to do anything before he looked up and gritted his teeth as he realized he was heading straight into a narrow corner, beginning to turn... and Skoll lunged immediately to the side, cutting him off before it slapped him savagely with its gnarled paw, the earth pony cursing in surprise and pain as he was knocked flying backwards to crash against the stone wall and then fall to the ground with a wheeze.

The monster had chased him all the way to Horseshoe Pass, a rocky, gorge-torn region of tundra-like waste that cut through the forests and plains for miles, splitting the land with the natural barrier it formed. There were several ragged, difficult-to-pass cuts like this between Ponyville and the village of the Strange Ones several long hours away... and the terrain was only becoming all the more hostile as the ground rotted and froze over from the presence of Skoll, the monster snarling towards Scrivener Blooms even as it listed for a moment, growling and rasping for breath as Scrivy slowly picked himself up despite the aches rollicking through his system.

His body hurt, and he could feel Luna's tiredness and emotions seeping into him: she had put her all into fighting Fenrir, and even as her confidence in him lent him strength, and her victory over Fenrir made him feel like triumph was possible, it did nothing to combat the soreness twisting through his form as he breathed hard in and out as Skoll glared at him, then charged brashly forwards, barking furiously as Scrivener winced, then gritted his teeth as he drew on Luna's memories and his own training, spinning around to face the wall and leaping towards it, all four hooves pressing firmly against the surface before he shoved off and hurled himself higher.

Skoll began to look up, trying to slide to a halt, but its bad foreleg gave out beneath it and instead it bucked forwards, yelping before howling in misery as it crashed face-first into the looming cliff with enough force to send several loose rocks pattering down the side of it. Scrivener, however, yelled in pain as his lower body was pinched between forehead of the black wolf and the jagged wall, mashed into the stony surface as he tried to grasp at it with his hooves, back arching slightly before Skoll drew back with a snarl, shaking his head... and Scrivy winced as he began to turn as he fell, before his eyes widened in horror as the creature's muzzle shot towards him, throwing all four hooves out to shove into its nose as its teeth snapped wildly and it ground viciously forwards, biting madly at the earth pony's lower legs and tail.

Scrivener cursed in pain, feeling sharp stones digging against his back like claws as he brought his front hooves up to dig into its muzzle, yanking himself upwards as Skoll continued to grind forwards even as one of the equine's rear hooves shoved into its nostril, the Black Wolf growling... and then Scrivener winced as he fell forwards and skidded down its broad muzzle towards its eyes, and the immense monstrosity blinked stupidly before it snarled and flicked its head hard backwards, sending the earth pony flying in a wide, low arc over its skull and the entire backside of the Black Wolf to crash to the ground and roll painfully several times through the dust with a groan of frustration and pain.

Skoll shook its head wildly as if to make sure the pony was dislodged, and then its crippled foreleg twitched beneath it again and it snapped its head forwards, smashing its skull against the cliff face hard enough to stun itself and send cracks ripping through the stone with a yelp, falling to one side in a stupefied heap. The ground around it trembled at the heavy fall of the creature, and Scrivener's eyes flicked open from the dazed state he had fallen into... but when he tried to lift himself up, something was wrong.

He couldn't move: his body felt numb, and he realized with shock that he couldn't even blink... in fact, for all the clearness of his thoughts, his mind was filled with a strange buzzing. For a moment, he wondered stupidly if he had been paralyzed, as he stared ahead at a puff of dust that hovered still in the silent air... and a moment later, shock wrenched through his system as he realized that not only could he not move... it was as if all of time was frozen around him, still and silent, and he was trapped in this limbo, somehow conscious and able to think.

Panic surged through his body... and it only grew as he heard a quiet, mocking laugh before Valthrudnir slowly strode into his line of vision, smiling mockingly as he shuffled his cards slowly, his eyes ablaze with arrogance and delight as he turned towards Scrivener and said softly: “What's wrong, cheater? Feeling a little... trapped?”

The Jötnar threw his head back and laughed again, then he grinned as he riffled the cards between his dexterous fingers before continuing in a cocky voice: “Yes, yes, I know, 'what's going on?' It's all very simple, really... I did not freeze time, no. Time does not exist, after all... it is merely a system of measurement, using indefinite figures we all pretend define things that aren't actually there. Nor can you reverse time, because that would mean reversing the passage of molecules, the life of elements that have already whiffed out of existence, twisting the very world back upon its axis, and why would you do that, anyway? If something breaks, then it was no good anyway.”

The dragon shook his head slowly, then he looked down at the cards he was calmly shuffling, his smile toning down to something alluring and threatening with its alien kindness as he said softly: “I have merely sped up your synapses temporarily, accelerated your ability to think and the way you perceive reality for an indefinite period while I give you a helping hand with your little problem here. Oh, sure, it will probably result in some... minor trauma and a little bit of hemorrhaging here and there, but what's a little bit of brain damage between friends? Besides. I'm saving your life.”

Scrivener tried to speak, but he couldn't make his mouth move, couldn't force out the words, but Valthrudnir only gave him a look that was both entertained and patronizing. “Did I not just explain this? Do not make me repeat myself, little slave hoof, at least not so soon. It does not reflect well on you, only concerns me as to your mental status.

“Yes, yes, I understand all the same though, I can hear your thoughts.” Valthrudnir reached up and tapped his temple, looking at him with a cold grin. “Why would I help you? What a foolish question to ask, that I have already answered several times before. Because it amuses me... and because, the more I help you, the more indebted you become to me, the more you suffer. You hate it, don't you? Me, of all the creatures in this wide, wide universe, saving your pathetic hide. It delights me, how you'd almost rather die than take my advice, and kill both of us... but on the other hand, where would that leave your precious Brynhild?”

Valthrudnir leaned forwards as he clasped the deck of cards between both hands, taunting, grinning, and Scrivener glared at him, the dragon throwing his head back and laughing loudly. “Yes! How delightful! Oh, insult me all you want but that only increases my enjoyment of proving my superiority, especially my superiority over a cheater like you, now reduced to crying and begging for my aid... who will have to thank me after we deal with this pathetic monstrosity.” The dragon chuckled a bit, crossing his arms, looking at the earth pony with malicious glee in his eyes. “Some hero you are, Scrivener Blooms. This only proves that you defeated me through foul cheating: faced with a crippled animal, and you're already broken and beaten.”

Scrivener tried to keep his thoughts, his anger, from bubbling up, but Valthrudnir sensed it all the same, the echo of the Jötnar shaking his head with a cruel smile. “Oh, worry not. I have eternity to gloat... besides, as I said before, whether or not I decide you live or die at the end of the day... the decision will be mine and mine alone, and due to my glorious plans and masterwork. It is still more fun – and obviously more profitable – for me to keep you alive, even if that means that Brynhild also continues to exist. But maybe one day I'll make you kill her. Would that not be poetic justice, mocking poet?”

Valthrudnir smiled again, and Scrivener snarled mentally, but the dragon only sniffed disdainfully and flicked a wrist. “Yes, you're right for once. Enough of this gloating, I can feel your brain beginning to bleed even if you can't. All you have to do is listen to me precisely, do you understand? And I could certainly be leading you to death and doom, yes... but again, why would I, when I have so much more to gain – and be entertained by – in keeping you alive? Furthermore, Skoll is the Omega of the Black Wolves. I will not permit myself to be slaughtered by the lowest tier of any pack of stupid animals, no matter whether or not they are engines of destruction, even though all I can do is plant directions in your mind. Now get ready, poet. We're going to begin playing the game.”

Valthrudnir paused, glanced down at his cards, then he tucked these quickly into his suit jacket before he squatted in front of Scrivener Blooms, leaning down with a wide grin as Scrivener could only helplessly stare, snarling inside and yet knowing at the same time he had no choice, which only seemed to make the dragon grin wider. For once, however, the Jötnar didn't make any mocking remarks, instead saying kindly: “When reality returns to normal, your body and your mind will give you a pulse of pain that will disorient you. Ignore it: when you begin moving, you'll feel nauseated, but the act of moving will in and of itself be enough to begin restoring your mental facilities... helped along, of course, by a temporary boost of endorphins in your system.

“You have three minutes of running ahead of you. At first it won't seem like you can do it, but as you run, it will become easier. Do not look behind you: Skoll will follow eagerly, and it is important that you maintain the... I would say, seven second head start you'll get from the creature's disorientation.” Valthrudnir nodded thoughtfully at this, and Scrivener could barely believe what he was hearing... the simple analysis made all the worse by the dragon's derisive enjoyment with what was going on. “I will inform you of your next move as things develop.”

Scrivener's mind went blank as he stared stupidly at the Jötnar, barely able to believe what he had just heard... and then the dragon stood up and held up three fingers before he began to slow drop them one after the other. “Three... two... one... run.”

A surge of agony ripped through Scrivener's skull, and he howled in pain as he grabbed at his head, something wet and warm leaking from one ear as he flinched and convulsed once against the ground... then he snarled as he dragged himself forwards, his vision hazy, his eyes watering, his mouth dry as he hauled himself into a weak stagger, gargling weakly as his stomach lurched. It was impossible to see, everything a blur of color as he staggered stupidly back and forth, but as he forced himself forwards, his steps began to even out and color and shape returned to the world even as pain pulsed through his system, rasping hard as he forced himself into a shambling semblance of a run.

Behind him, Skoll was picking itself up, snarling as it twisted around and glared over its shoulder... and its eyes locked on the staggering, fleeing back of Scrivener, immediately locking on to this prey, and the Black Wolf barked, then threw its head back and howled, the raw force of the sound making the walls of the jagged cliff tremble. Scrivy winced in pain at this, but the sound helped bring him back to reality, helped him tune out the pain and exhaustion with the reminder of what it was he was fleeing and why he was listening to Valthrudnir's madness in the first place.

Scrivener felt his body limbering up as he ran, breathing hard in and out as behind him, Skoll half-staggered, half-sprinted, the wolf moving in an awkward three-legged gait that sent it swaying firmly into the side of the cliffs every now and then, as Scrivy cursed under his breath, hearing the monster closing despite its injuries. He looked sharply back and forth, gritting his teeth: to one side, there was the cliff wall, to his front, dust and dirt and rock, and to the other, the dubious safety of a thin, ugly forest... but as Scrivener turned his eyes forwards again, he realized he was heading straight for a narrow, thin canyon between the seemingly-endless cliff and a small, square-topped mountain.

He thought about breaking for the forest... and in his mind, Valthrudnir's irritated voice snapped: Listen to what I instructed, idiot! It should be no great task to kill this wretched dog... it already is crippled and severely weakened from crossing between layers.

“How do you know all this?” Scrivener gritted his teeth, shaking his head quickly as he ran onwards, breathing hard, but he was greeted only by a snort of contempt from Valthrudnir in his own mind. Then the equine winced as Skoll yelped behind him as it ground against a particularly-rough portion of the cliff-side, then tripped over a rock, crashing heavily enough to the earth to send cracks through the ugly terrain and make Scrivener stumble as he risked a glance over his shoulder.

The Black Wolf picked itself up with a snarl, shaking its head out as it rasped for breath, and Valthrudnir gave a short laugh in the earth pony's mind as he said disgustedly: Easier than I thought. There is a pass ahead leading up to a narrow path along the side of the rock wall. Take it.

“It's a dead end!” Scrivener retorted, but Valthrudnir only laughed mockingly in his head, and the earth pony gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath as he ran forwards, trying to shove away the foreboding feelings in his mind as he ran into the dusty corridor formed between mountain and rock wall, breathing hard as he looked back and forth before his eyes settled on a natural, steep ramp.

Scrivener glanced over his shoulder and winced at the sight of the Black Wolf staggering into the gorge, the monster snarling after him before it put on a burst of speed in an awkward, drooping gait as it tried to haul itself along on its broken front limb, and then the earth pony winced as Valthrudnir ordered in a voice that was sickeningly amused: Stop here, wait three seconds, then continue to run.

The earth pony was tempted to keep running anyway, but curiosity – and wanting to know if the creature could actually be trusted – halted him, and he skidded to a stop partway up the ramp, standing beside the rocky wall, counting in his head as he watched Skoll getting closer, closer... and then he cursed and quickly sprinted upwards as he hit zero, the Black Wolf snarling as it lunged after him... and with its wounded leg, fell short of the goal, stumbling and swaying hard to the side to painfully smash its maw into the ramp and the side of its face against the stony wall, the monster yelping as Scrivener stared over his shoulder in shock... then watched in something like amazement and horror as several chunks of loose stone peeled away from the rock wall, dislodged from the force of the creature's impact to fall down one after the other on top of it, the heavy boulders knocking the beast flat and others crashing to the ground in the place Scrivener had been only moments before to roll down and strike into its features, adding insult to injury.

Scrivener Blooms halted at the top of the ramp, staring in amazement as the Black Wolf roared and swatted the boulders aside before it snarled up at him and began to awkwardly claw its way up the narrow, steep slope, and the earth pony winced as he turned and hurried down the path, breathing hard, his lungs and limbs aching before he cursed as he glanced over his shoulder, wincing at the sight of Skoll yanking its way up onto the narrow path. The huge wolf dominated the way as it slowly lumbered forwards, growling furiously as its crippled leg scraped against the side of the cliff and its other front paw gouged and tore along the stone at the very edge of the only ten foot wide lane, and Scrivy winced as he stumbled past a bush and then skidded to a halt as he reached the dead end of the pass, looking down at a jumble of shale, sharp rock, and broken stone at least fifty feet below him before he turned around and gritted his teeth as he saw the monster only twenty feet away now.

Skoll seemed to grin, its eyes blazing, covered in ugly wounds that pulsed through the dark fire covering its body as it breathed hungrily. The ground beneath it rotted and cracked as its maw opened wide with an eager growl, seeming to understand its victory as Scrivener cursed the Jötnar under his breath... and then snarled as Valthrudnir said patronizingly in his mind: Please, pawn. Apparent vulnerability is everything, don't you know how to play chess? But a true grandmaster never sacrifices any necessary pieces... that would be surrendering to a lesser mind, permitting the plebeians to have a victory when all they deserve is the ashes of defeat.

Scrivener gritted his teeth... and then his eyes widened in shock as the rotten ground under Skoll groaned loudly before stone and shale and ice collapsed, and the earth pony staggered backwards as the Black Wolf yelped in surprise as it was half-thrown, half-dragged off the cliff path, scrambling wildly for any purchase it could... but the mad attempt to stay on the path only ripped more stone and earth free and let the sharpened rocks and blades of ice strike the already-ugly ground below before the monster followed them down with a shriek.

It fell heavily and landed on its back with an ugly crunch and a howling scream... and then another section of the cliff cracked from the partial collapse of the path, and several enormous, jagged boulders twisted and fell out of place from the side of the rocky wall, crashing down and making Scrivener wince at their passage... and flinch again at the sound of them smashing into the Black Wolf as it gave one final, strangled shriek beneath the cloud of dust and rock. For a few moments, the short-lived avalanche continued, and Scrivener cursed as the path beneath him listed slightly... but then slowly, everything began to settle, and finally the earth pony was able to stare with horror over the side of the path to the bottom of the narrow gorge below.

The Black Wolf had become nothing more than a cracked statue, its features frozen in stupid horror, its body laying amidst rubble and ruin and a thick pile of rock and stone. It looked as if several ugly spikes of rock had ripped through it, and Valthrudnir snorted inside Scrivener's mind before the earth pony looked to the side with a shudder as reality rippled... and a moment later, the Jötnar was there, sitting beside him on the cliff path and calmly surveying the damage as he said thoughtfully: “I wonder what it would have been like to match wits with this creature at full strength. Oh, yes, you see... they were much weaker than when first released... like any fire, it burns highest when it has the most fuel. When your world collapsed, those flames began to gutter out, weakening more and more... I almost imagine that the pack came here knowing they were dying, seeking one last wild attempt at replenishing their strength. But I do not wish to attribute too much intelligence to these animals. They are interesting specimens, delightful in their own way... but they are not as perfect as my Tyrant Wyrms were. They felt too much, I see now... they had flaws and vulnerabilities that were very easy for us to take advantage of.”

Scrivener didn't even know what to say, as he stared silently down at the wreckage of the monster... and Valthrudnir smiled coldly at him, stroking thoughtfully under his own muzzle as the dragon said softly: “Disappointed? I suppose I understand. You wanted to hurt it. You wanted to kill it, with your own hooves... or your own claws, if you had them. Such savagery lurks in the minds of mortals...”

“Shut up.” Scrivy whispered, and Valthrudnir laughed before the earth pony snarled and rounded on the dragon, shouting in a haggard voice: “What do you want from me? An admission, for me to surrender, for... what? Why are you playing these games?”

“I want you to suffer.” Valthrudnir replied kindly, and he smiled before he reached up and patted Scrivener's cheek mockingly, the earth pony trembling as he felt the touch as if it was really there, in spite of knowing this echo was only in his mind. Then the dragon slowly stood up and stretched absently, grinning as he looked up towards the sky before reaching into his suit jacket, saying in a gentle voice: “Here. I have a last gift for you.”

He turned and leaned down towards him, towering over the earth pony, both merciless and amiable as he pulled a single tarot card free from an inner pocket and held it down in front of Scrivener... and he trembled as he stared at the image on the front of it. It was of himself, in his half-wyrm, half-pony distorted self-image, with a black crown that looked strangely like a fool's cap upon his head and his collar glinting around his neck, a bottle of whiskey sitting on one side of him, a sword buried into the ground on the other, and five overturned goblets laying around him. “The Five of Cups. The Lord of Loss in Pleasure. This is your last card, Scrivener Blooms... and it's very specifically about you. It's an ill omen but I'm sure I don't have to explain that even to a simpleton like you... the imagery should speak well enough for itself.”

Scrivener cursed as he swept a hoof at the card, but his limb only passed uselessly through it, and Valthrudnir laughed as he said mockingly: “Striking at apparitions now, are we? Don't delude yourself any worse than you've already been deluded, fool... but it seems like I'm wearing you down piece-by-piece now, and soon enough we'll be watching the events of this fortune unfold. But until then, Scrivener Blooms... I'll be eagerly anticipating our next little meeting...”

With that, the Jötnar threw his head back and laughed again, even as he faded from reality, and Scrivy cursed as he turned his head away, covering his ears, trying to block the sound out and the thoughts. Then he shivered as he pulled his hooves away, looking down at some sticky substance on it and realizing that it looked like one of his ears was bleeding... and then he glanced up with a curse as he further realized his link to Luna was riddled with static, meaning they were at either a great distance, or something else was interfering with it.

Slowly, Scrivener checked himself over, seeing only a few nasty-looking wounds that were likely reflected from Luna's form... and then he looked down in surprise as a coarse voice called his name, the pony leaning carefully forwards to look over the edge and blink in surprise as he saw Odin standing by the petrified corpse of Skoll, the one-eyed once-god looking up at him with crossed arms. “There you are. Can you get down?”

“I... I think so. Where's Luna?” Scrivy asked apprehensively, looking back and forth as he hesitated... and then he sighed a bit as he received no answer, carefully making his way to the shattered edge of the path and testing a stone that jutted from the side of the cliff wall. He hopped carefully down onto it... winced when it shifted slightly... and then hopped down to another broken portion of cliff and scrambled quickly to a thicker spot on the half-formed ledge when part of it crumbled away to gravel.

“I do not know.” Odin said finally, and Scrivener looked down at the once-god with more worry now as the falcon-headed being grimaced in the distance. “If your link to Brynhild isn't clear, it may mean she went to Ponyville to engage Garm. Come, we shall head there now.”

Scrivy nodded awkwardly after a moment, and he leapt down to a steep slope, wincing and half-falling down it before he jumped to another ledge, and down a final rough slope made by the avalanche of rock to land in front of Odin. Then he winced as Odin grasped the back of his collar and held him in place for moment, and the once-god looked moodily down at him as Scrivy nervously looked back.

Silence spun out between them... and then Odin sighed and released the collar, and Scrivener's front hooves landed on the ground as he realized dumbly that old or not, Odin had still been strong enough to half-lift him into the air with one hand by the collar alone. It made him wince a bit as he looked apprehensively towards the once-god, but the falcon-headed being only started forwards at a loose jog, muttering: “We have no time for discussion now, but you and Brynhild are going to explain things to me one way or the other later on. Come, to Ponyville, before something happens.”

Scrivener nodded, and he tried to swallow the foreboding in his chest as he ran alongside Odin, fighting back worries for the future... and fears for what may have happened in the present at the village they had tried so hard to restore.