Quest For Harmony

by destinedjagold

Chapter 128 - Bridge

“Kronz”

---

I stumbled back the moment a blue dragon head roared mightily in front of the front door Xilfer had opened. I lost my balance, and I think I bumped into Jay as well... My heart was still racing when loud explosions struck the dragon. The loud sound echoed and bounced around the apartment, hurting my poor ears.

Closing the door calmly, Xilfer turned around. “So, Jay, what's the plan?”

“H-how could you be so calm!?” asked one of his lackeys who was shaking on the floor. “There's a f*cking dragon outside! A. F*cking. Dragon!”

And then the ground shook, followed by a mighty roar from outside. And then loads of gunshots and a few explosions. Are we in a middle of a war zone here!? And how the hell could Xilfer be so calm about all of these!? I quickly shot myself up into a sitting position.

“It's okay, it's okay...” I turned towards the voice, and saw Claire was embracing her little sister, who was sobbing quietly. “E-everything's gonna be all right...” ...but she sounded really doubtful about her own words.

As I pulled myself up, I saw Xilfer helped one of his lackeys getting back on his feet. Another earth shake, and a few dusts fell down from the ceiling. I turned again, and saw Jay. He fell the same time I fell when that dragon head roared at us. He was still on his back, mumbling something. I saw his eyes, and I already knew what was going on: he was in panic, but not because he could die, but because other people he care about might die.

He always cared about me...about us. He never had time for himself, even less after he got a job...

Another explosion, this time it sounded distant from before, but it still sounded close. And then, a whine of a horse. I turned and looked at Rainbow Dash who stood beside the sisters. I saw her just before the whine died in the wind. Her mouth was closed, and one of her eyebrow was raised questioningly. Suddenly, her brows furrowed and she glared at me. I...think she read my mind. I smiled nervously.

I heard a set of footsteps. I turned and saw Xilfer walking towards Jay. He stood beside him, and extended a hand, waiting for Jay to grab it, but he didn't. I heard a sigh, and it came from my older brother.

“Kronz,” Xilfer spoke, staring lamely at our eldest brother, “he zoned out again?”

“O-obviously...” I replied quietly. The last time I saw him like this was when I was hanging for dear life on a cliff. That was a long time ago, and Xilfer did something back then to snap him back.

“I guess it's your turn, then...”

I looked at him, and his expression was still the same, however, his voice had a mischievous tone to it. I guess he remembered that time as well. I'm not sure if I should be doing this, but after another earth shake, I knelt down and grabbed Jay's ear...and pinched it with my fingernails.

“Ah!” he screeched as he swatted my arm off. “The heck was that for!?” He glared at me as he rubbed his ear.

I smiled apologetically. “Love you too, bro.”

“Stuff a sock in it.”

---

We, except for Xilfer and his crew, rushed back to Claire's room to see if Spike wrote us something. Unfortunately, there was nothing. It would have been okay if Claire didn't notice the tall and black crystal-like walls that suddenly appeared on the edges of the city. Actually, now that I think about it, no, even if she didn't notice those, it was still not okay for us to stay here.

The lights of each flash of lightning from the heavens and the lights from buildings and street lamps reflected on the mirror-like surface of the black wall. What is worse, Sombra was jumping on top of buildings, leaving black crystals from his wake, and black mists were oozing out from each crystal.

“This is getting worse and worse...” Jay mumbled, starting to panic once again.

I'm panicking as well, but unlike him, I can still concentrate on things that were needed to be done instead of giving in to panic. But I'm still panicking...

“Okay, okay okay...” he mumbled to himself as he took deep breaths.

I heard a whimper, and I guessed that it was probably Claire's sister. It was then followed by a few words from her, but she was talking too quietly that I couldn't make out the words. Rainbow was just sitting on the sofa, shifting her gaze from Claire, to me, and to Jay.

“T-Twilight's great in magic, right?” Jay asked as he faced me. His question was met by a growl from Rainbow Dash. He turned to her with a frown. “So you didn't believe me, I take it?” He sighed. “Look, Rainbow, we don't have time for this! As I've said, the war's over and the unicorns and pegasi are in peace now!” But Rainbow still didn't look like she was willing to accept that through mere words alone. “N-not in pieces!” Still nothing. “Look, whatever. I know you want to go back, and we want all of...” he gestured at the scene outside, “...that to disappear, so let's help each other here, okay? We need all the help we could get, and right now, we need the heart that is still in your world! I asked Spike to retrieve—”

“Bro, you're wasting time,” I cut him off.

“Right, right...” he sighed and turned to me. “Twilight's good in magic. And he was able to track me down here.”

“He?” I arched an eyebrow.

“Okay, ‘she’!” he rolled his eyes. “Sorry, but I'm a little nervous here!” An explosion was heard from somewhere. “Okay, I'm really nervous, but... Ack, just tell Spike if Twilight could send the heart through the portal on Mount Comet!”

I turned to my laptop and began writing the email. “But why Mount Comet?”

Jay was already running towards the door, but stopped after he opened it. “'Cuz that's the only portal I know about, and probably the only one high above the mists!”

That made me blink. I turned towards the window, and stared at the island far far away, and there, above the sea of mists was Mount Comet poking out, aside from the tall towers of black crystal spikes.

“Kronz! Claire! Rainbow! You guys stay...there's a basement here, right!?” I turned to him, and saw him staring at Claire, who nodded. “Good! Then stay down there! If this building collapse, then at least you're safe underground!”

“Wait, bro!” I called as soon as he stepped outside. “How the hell are you going to go to the island without going through the mists!? We don't even know what happened to you while you were in the island!”

“I-I...” he tsk'ed and glared at the door frame. “I'll cross that bridge when I get there!” And he ran off.

I stared at the opened door with a deadpan. “But you are gonna cross the bridge to get there...”

Shaking my head, I silently wished him luck and continued typing my short email. As soon as I was about to click the send button, I heard hooves running towards the door. Turning, I managed to catch a glimpse of Rainbow's colorful tail before it disappeared entirely.

“R-Rainbow!?” Claire's sister called, but she was ignored.

After a quick edit on my email, I pressed the send button, and then lifted my laptop with both hands. “Okay,” I turned to the sisters, “where's the basement located?”