Daring Do and the Tears of the Clouds

by TheLegendaryBillCipher

Chapter 11: Magic of Old

Dark clouds had started to spread around the islands as Azazel and Yearling glided down towards the Central Temple. Ominous thunder rumbled in the distance as the wind started to kick up.

“We do not have much time,” Azazel said upon landing, frowning up at the skies outside.

“What do I need to do?” Yearling asked, her eyes focused on the distant airships.

“Go to the temples where you found the Tears and gather clouds from each one,” Azazel said. “I need time to gather my magic for the ritual.”

Yearling nodded, slipping her goggles back on and taking flight.

She fought a strong headwind coming from the first temple, the thunderheads rumbling restlessly. The constant stormfront over the temple lit up like a flashing neon sign with lightning activity. Yearling snatched a large puff of dark clouds and returned it to the Central Temple.

She found Azazel chanting something to herself, eyes shut and wings outstretched. Yearling thought it might’ve been Old Ponish, but she didn’t stop to listen.

A gale of snow and hail met Yearling upon approach to the second temple. The thick snowfall made it hard to find any cirrus clouds until she was over the temple itself – like the eye of a hurricane, the temple seemed exempt from the snow. Snatching as many wisps as she could carry, she made for the Central Temple.

In the distance, she could see lightning arc out from the main decks of the Storm Queen’s ship, and evil laughter carried across the strong winds. Yearling set her jaw, deposited her clouds, and set off again.

The wind blew the rain around the third temple as if it were light as air itself. Much like the second temple, the third temple set in the eye of its own hurricane, allowing Yearling to find some damp cumulonimbus clouds to take back.

Returning to Azazel, Yearling noticed that her wings were starting to glow, and little sparks like static electricity danced along the feathers. Yearling stopped to gawk for only a second before making a beeline for the last temple.

The winds howled like wolves around the fourth temple. Several chunks of floating rock from the island spun in whirlwinds, and spiraling funnel clouds danced around the temple itself. The winds blew Yearling off course, causing her to crash into some cirrocumulus clouds. Scooping some of the puffs up, she fought the winds back towards the Central Temple.

She screeched to a halt just outside the temple. The airships were moving, turning away from the islands and, from Yearlings guess, heading north.

Towards Equestria.

She flew into the temple and set her cloud haul with the others. “Azazel, we need to hurry! The ships are on the move!”

Azazel opened her eyes, and Yearling recoiled. They glowed a bright white, and an audible crackling danced along her wings and hooves.

The ancient Pegasus curved her wings towards the gathered clouds. As if they were magnetized, the clouds were drawn towards Azazel’s wings. Her wings weaved the clouds together as if they were silk, working quickly and smoothly as a spider spinning a web. Yearling watched on with fascination.

Slowly, the mass of clouds decreased in size, and with one bright flash of light, the clouds were no more. As Yearling’s blinked her eyes back into focus, she could see a band of bright grey crystal, much like Azazel’s ring, only the size of a bracelet.

The glow in Azazel’s eyes was long gone, and it was dead silent within the temple. She gave Yearling a tired smile and offered the bracelet to Yearling. “Here,” she rasped.

Yearling carefully took the band and turned it over in her hoof. Unlike Azazel’s ring, there was only one round slot in the bracelet. Yearling slipped it on and turned back to Azazel.

The ancient Pegasus took a step forward, and nearly crashed to the ground if not for Yearling catching her.

“What’s wrong?” Yearling asked, panic in her voice.

“My magic… it will take time for it to come back. I cannot fly.” Azazel sat back on her haunches with a sigh. She smiled at Yearling and nodded. “Go and stop them. I will be fine.”

Yearling frowned, but nodded. “What do I have to do?” she asked.

“Get close to the Control Ring, reach out with your magic. One of the Tears will surely respond,” Azazel slowly explained. “The Storm Queen does not possess… our magic.”

Yearling nodded again, slowly letting go of Azazel. As she took flight once more, she cast one more glance back at the Pegasus, who waved to her with a tired smile, before flying on.

Toward the fleeing airships, and the ominous rumbling seeming to follow the ships.

Author's Note:

Onto the awesome final battle!

Some music for the fight.

-The Legendary Bill Cipher