36 The Palace of Kings
Rainbow Dash spooned porridge into her mouth, smacking her teeth together ravenously. Once she had seen the the appalled look on her roommate's face, however, she hesitated, the spoon balanced delicately on top of her hoof. A dollop of the food fell onto her thigh.
“Good, is it?” Lightning Dust asked sarcastically, looking over from the gramophone player she had been poking at.
“I'm starved!” Rainbow shrugged, swallowing and giving a rich burp. She slurped the rest of the bowl down and threw it onto the bedside table. It hit the edge of a picture, which rattled, threatening to tip over. “Whoops,” she mumbled, reaching over to steady it while she wiped off her lap with the corner of her bedsheet.
“Who's that, anyway?” Lightning Dust asked, flying to the top bunk as the sounds of The Canterock Brothers' latest album began to fill the room.
“It's a filly from Pon-er, I mean, that's my little sister,” Dash explained, looking up at the lilac pegasus leaning over the edge of the upper mattress.
“You don't even sound convinced.” Lightning Dust smirked down at her. “You make that crap up?”
“It only just happened, y'see,” Dash said with a shrug, flopping against her sheets and massaging her belly. “I'm like a... a surgery sister.”
“You mean 'surrogate', you retard?” Lightning Dust suggested with a harsh laugh, her head disappearing from sight as she stretched out on her own bunk.
“Uh, yeah. That,” Dash answered, feeling both embarrassment and anger rising within her in equal measure; that horrible word was a bit too close to 'handicapped' for her liking. She decided against telling her roommate that she was thinking of adoption. “She means a lot to me.”
“Retards abound, here...” Lightning continued, apparently losing interest in whatever Dash had to say. “For instance, that Soarin 'Bolt was watching our drill as he walked by the courtyard behind Administration. He walked straight into a trash can! What an idiot!”
“First Officer Soarin,” Rainbow Dash corrected mulishly.
“Whatever. Speaking of the hotshots, word is it you went to talk to Spitfire this morning, before the flag race. What was that about? You tryin' to stir some crap up? Just leave the lesser cadets to me, Dash, and they won't slow us down.”
“It wasn't that. It was... uh, nothin',” Rainbow said quickly, gazing happily at the framed picture of her biggest fanfilly. “Bet Soarin was lookin' at my butt when he was watching us, though,” she added quickly, smirking to herself. “I swear, he digs me. Which is good... 'cause he's pretty hot, himself. Those hindquarters...” She sighed deeply.
“I don't think he cares for overly-obsessive fans. What use are fillies like you to a celeb like him, huh? I bet that goofy moron gets a million love letters a month,” Lightning suggested savagely, giving a little chuckle.
Rainbow Dash made a rude gesture with her hooves at the underside of Lightning Dust's mattress, fuming. There was a soft knock on the door. Rainbow's ear perked up and she waited to see if the lead pony was going to answer the door to their dorm.
“Grab that, would you?” Lightning sighed, a muffled voice telling Dash that she was face down in her pillow.
Biting her lip, Rainbow Dash pressed her wings against the bed and thrust herself into the air, ducking before she smacked her forehead against the steel supporting the upper bunk and zooming toward the door. Landing softly, she pulled it open.
“Oh, uh,” she began in a nervous mumble, looking anxiously at the uniformed Wonderbolt. “Lieutenant-Major! R-Rapidfire, sir!”
“Rainba Dash. I wanna word, newbie,” he spoke in a growl.
“Um, yes, sir,” she said quickly, running a hoof across her mouth, just in case she had any stray porridge there.
Before she knew it, she found herself sitting on her haunches inside of his office. Rapidfire crossed the room, rounded his desk, and sat down on a chair. Brushing away a stack of beige folders with a wing, he focused his bright-green eyes on the cadet before him.
“Ya went to see Cap'n Spitfiah today.” It wasn't a question, but a statement. Rainbow went a little rigid where she sat as he scrutinized her.
“Yes, sir. I did,” Rainbow answered after a few seconds' hesitation, inclining her head. Immediately afterwards, she realized that she was not standing properly at attention. Kicking off the ground with all four hooves, she stretched her body out and landed, reared on the back. Wings folded, arms glued to her sides, she stood tall before him and continued as casually as she could. “I wanted to ask her—” Rapidfire silenced her with a single look. She seized the opportunity to take a good breath.
“I knows why ya went to 'er office, Rainba Dash. And stand easy.”
Rainbow Dash relaxed, falling back to all fours. “You do? Sir?” she added, trying to sound respectful.
“'Course I do. Blaze and meself had to go ovah da sheet dat was posted in da mess hall. Spitfiah has been... preoccupied,” he explained, shooting a quick look out of the window and into the courtyard. Following his gaze, Dash could see Soarin shouting at a stallion in the distance, his fellow cadets standing in rows. Evidently, the stallion was being mouthy. “So, she has delegated da task of organizin' da teams to us. She did make some
suggestions, mind... she personally paired yaself with Lightnin' Dust.”
Rainbow bowed her head, sighing. “Yeah. I asked her about that.”
“Are ya satisfied wit' whatevah ans'ah she gave ya?” He seemed to already know what she was going to say.
Rainbow looked up at him. “N-No, sir,” she said honestly. “She made the claim that Lightning Dust pushes herself harder than I do, and—”
“She wrong?” Rapidfire asked, cutting across her swiftly. “Is it really jus' a 'claim'?”
“I...” Dash groaned. “No, sir. But, I-er... I'm sorry, I mean, I'm just...” she mumbled, struggling with herself, not really sure how to word this without sounding arrogant. “I'm just...”
“Da best?” Rapidfire suggested.
“Y-Yeah,” Dash responded, not meeting his eyes, instead gazing at his aquamarine carpet.
“Ya think da Cap'n don't know dat? Spitfiah ain't a fool.” Rapidfire stood up and walked over to a cabinet. Rainbow Dash flinched as her exhausted mind half expected him to pull a cane from it, or something like that, but instead he retrieved a blade; it did not make her relax. “A mare like Lightnin' Dust pushes 'erself to new heights. She could be truly inspirin' to other cadets, ya? She ain't jus' a pony who excels in solitude.”
“I suppose...” Dash mumbled, watching the aged stallion unsheathe the sword and strike a stance with it. It was incredible how easily he held such a thin handle with both hooves. “And, uh... not to sound disrespectful, sir, but I do try to help or coach others! I try to help out my friends. Like my friend Applejack, she's something of a riv—”
“Spitfiah is aware, Rainbah. Aware of ya talents.” Once again, she was silenced as he spoke over her. He swung the blade through the air, balanced on his back hooves. He did not look like a stallion in his senior years, but like a younger soldier training for battle. “Jus' because ya ain't got a shiny gold badge on ya chest don't mean ya futuah prospects are down da drain. I can undahstan' if ya feel the Academy means everythin' to ya, but this is jus' basic trainin'. Got it?”
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. She could accept the wisdom of his words, even if she wasn't entirely happy with it. “I d-do. Thank you, sir.”
“A'ight. Beat it!” He said this playfully. “I'll be watchin' ya progress t'morrow. Don't disappoint, an' lead by example.”
Rainbow nodded. As she turned toward the lavender wood-panelled door, she could feel a subtle shift in the positioning of the floor. It was so odd that she didn't immediately believe it. Her thoughts drifted back to her meeting with Spitfire. I just thought that Captain Spitfire would've respected my initiative and it would've been all gravy, then... she thought sadly. Another shift, this time throwing her off balance. Alright, what the hell is that?!
“Rapidfire, do y—” Her jaw dropped. As she turned back to talk to him, the very ground beneath her seemed to shift dramatically and crack, a great tremor causing a rift in the very floating earth the Wonderbolt Academy stood upon. Rapidfire stumbled and fell flat on his stomach. The sword twisted and turned, whizzing up into the air and back down again. Although she watched in slow motion, her hooves did not respond to her brain's orders to rush forward. “Rapidfire! Sir!”
It landed, point down, straight on target. A soft scream left her lips and she was finally able to charge toward him. “I'll help you! I...” She tried to pull it from his back, but the blade was hot to the touch and she was unable to move it without roasting her hooves or wings to a crisp. Dropping to her knees, she lifted the ebony pegasus' chin, watching his blanching face critically. “Rapidfire! Oh, Celestia... help!” Dash twisted around, screaming toward the distant ponies in the courtyard. “SOMEPONY HELP!”
However, they had vanished. The ground was shaking; splitting in two. The sun in the sky had disappeared. She was outside. The buildings of the Wonderbolt Academy grounds were becoming eclipsed by the darkness. It crept around corners, a dense fog of impenetrable darkness. There was no where to run. The darkness was above her, preventing flight. She twisted on the spot, eyes raking for a place to hide, but there was nothing. A bleak, depressing emptiness stretched for miles, as the shadows threatened to consumed her.
A single circle of bright sky appeared overhead. Rainbow reared onto her hind legs, staring into the heavens. Could it possibly be the salvation from the dark that she needed? Larger and larger the hole grew until a cloudy sky broke through and stretched endlessly, like a deep sea of white and grey, from horizon to horizon. As her front hooves found the grass again, it didn't feel as neatly manicured as the grounds of the Wonderbolt Academy. However, the clouds in the distance were on eye-level, so she had to still be in Cloudsdale.
Blinking her eyes as a sudden ray of sunlight pierced through a gap in the overhead coverage of clouds, however, she noticed a group of ponies nearby. The flexing of the occasional wing told her that it comprised mostly of, if not entirely, pegasi. Galloping forward, she nearly tripped over low-running fences lining either edge of a cobbled path. Stone obelisks and squares dotted the landscape around her. Of course! Pausing in her canter, Rainbow Dash took a good look around. Now she recognized this place; she was in the Cloudsdale Drifts Cemetery, the floating burial grounds that drifted amongst the clouds that made up the aerial city she had been born in.
A hoof on her shoulder. Looking around, she saw a set of dull-blue legs. Scanning higher, she saw her father. Radiant Dash smiled sadly back at her, his pressure on her shoulder almost painful. She followed his gaze to the white and gold coffin sitting on a platform of magic, suspended above a neatly dug rectangular hole in the earth.
Was Rapidfire in there, she wondered vaguely? But, no, she was much too young to know such an old stallion, anyway. Supported by her father, towering above her, Rainbow's chest constricted as the truth hit her and threatened to take away the light and warmth of that afternoon. She wanted her mother to come back to them, to return from Heaven once more and climb out of that casket and make all of the sadness and the bad things go away forever. Without that beautiful mare, Rainbow Dash knew she and her daddy would be lonely. Why did Mommy have to go?
“YOU CANNOT COMPREHEND THE TAR THAT WASHES UPON THE SHORES OF YOUR FUTURE. YOUR HEART WILL BE YOUR WEAKNESS, RAINBOW DASH. THE WORLD WILL RUPTURE AND ALL CREATION WILL BLEED FORTH THEIR COMFORT AND ELATION. THE SUN WILL NOT RISE AGAIN AS THIS FINAL DAY TURNS TO NIGHT.”
Pain. Unbearable pain. Though her limbs worked with the greatest effort, it was barely enough. With difficultly, Rainbow Dash pushed herself off of the floor. The cold air assaulted her chest and stomach as they parted company with the worn stone she had been warming. Pegasus down littered the floor. Had she been shedding her feathers? After what felt like minutes, she rolled over, first on to her side, then on to her backside. Opening her eyes, she made out that she was in some dark room, the only light being a dim red glow from somewhere.
Despite the darkness, there was no mistaking the closest figure. So, she most definitely wasn't alone. The breath caught in her chest, but panic made her force it out. She had to get help for Rapidfire! She had to stop them from lowering her mother's coffin, too, or else Heavens Above would truly be gone forever. Rainbow Dash already had to say goodbye once. She wouldn't manage it a second time. Rainbow had already forgotten about the Voidwalker's terrible proclamation.
“S-Soarin...” Her voice was very hoarse, barely above a whisper, but he didn't seem to hear her. As reality caught up with her senses, however, she realized that she was not in the cemetery. Nor was she in the grounds of the Wonderbolt Academy. “What... happened? Where... where are we?” Again, no response.
Her brain felt like mud as she fought to remember details, either of the events that might have lead to her waking up on cold stone in the dark, or of the dream of Rapidfire and her mother now trickling from her mind like a stream over pebbles. Then, just as suddenly as a gust of frigid wind, the memories stabbed through her head, a burning dagger of terrible recollections. Being frozen in mid-air alongside Spitfire. She had watched Rapidfire die, powerless to do anything about it. Wave Chill had turned his attention to Soarin. However, from that point onward, things had become blurry. Luna had arrived at some point, she knew, and Gwyndolin had left for some reason. Wave Chill seemed to decide to ignore Soarin and returned to Rapidfire's corpse, whispering something like an incantation. Something about Rapidfire's soul and the name of the demon she had read about in that old book.
Leaning forward, Dash attempted to crawl over to Soarin, praying that he was still alive and there had to be another reason for his silence. Had the whole thing been a dream? She wished she could understand this.
Soarin looked over at her approach and relief poured through her. At least he's still alive! Wave Chill wanted him so badly... The swelling sensation vanished as she caught a glimpse of Soarin's face. It was puffy and swollen, with purple lacerations around his eyes. There was no sign of his goofy smile, none of his good-natured chuckling. He looked a century old.
“Soarin...” she croaked. “It wasn't a dream, was it? Is Rapidfire—”
“Dead.” Soarin's voice was as flat and lifeless as the word he had used. “Wave Chill took Spitfire. She's dead, too. At least... she must be by now.”
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, willing herself to maintain control. He was dead; the rugged, tough old stallion was gone where she could not seek reassurances in his presence and experience. Even Captain Spitfire could be gone. Spitfire... she ached with the pain of it. They had just settled their differences, too... She tried to remember the others who had been with them. Opening her eyelids once again, she could just make out the coffee-coloured Dameer and the blood-red Numane in the corner of the room, just a short distance away. Turning her head, she caught sight of Fluttershy, lying asleep or possibly worse. Fire Streak was beside her, sitting up with his eyes closed, accompanied by his brother. Twilight Sparkle sat a distance away, closest to Lightning Streak, a glowing red ring around her horn, the light obscuring view of her Element. Rainbow caught her eye, knowing she was awake.
“Where are we, Soarin?” Dash asked, returning her gaze to his face and grimacing as she studied his features closely.
“I don't know. Could be the palace,” he replied dully. “There's no doors or windows to this room, so none of us know for sure... maybe we'll suffocate in a few hours?”
Soarin sounded tragically unconcerned. The hope that he was just displaying his old knack for saying stupid things died in Dash's chest as she watched a single tear drip from his eye. He had given up completely. Defeated.
“What about the others? Do we know what happened to Rarity or Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Grape...” Her heart squeezed rather painfully. “Scootaloo...” She pushed any horrible or frightening thoughts from her mind. Scoot was safe, she had to be safe, with her friends.
“Nopony knows, Rainbow. I'm sorry,” Twilight supplied sadly. Rainbow Dash had not heard her approach. “After Rapidfire's d-death, Wave Chill did some odd ritual to the body before Luna showed up. He ordered her to take us to 'the pit'. The warlock had vanished, but returned shortly after. It sounded like she thought she could catch the 'rogue sorceress'. So, I suppose Luna drew her away before arriving herself. Gwyndolin knocked us all out with a spell before Luna could do anything to help,” Twilight explained slowly, holding a hoof to her chest as she struggled to maintain control of herself. “I... I expect he got rather physical with you and Soarin while we were all out, but th-thankfully, I don't think he ki-killed anypony else.”
“That would explain all the pain I'm in,” Dash groaned. “Does it look bad?”
“Soarin's a hell of a lot worse,” Fire Streak spoke up, leaving Fluttershy's side. “I don't think that bastard has killed Spitfire. Not yet, anyway... Sicko probably wants to torture her first.” Fire Streak held up his front hooves, which shook. “When I get a hold of him... argh!”
“We're all upset, brother, but don't do anything stupid if he shows up,” Lightning warned, flexing his large wings. “Wave Chill is stronger and faster than any of us realized. Besides, he can somehow use magic now. Don't risk your life, please!”
“We're all going to die if he's not stopped, what's the difference?!” Fire stormed. “If he and that warlock don't get us, The Shadow will. It could be mid-day by now. That only gives us about seven hours before our little time limit is up!”
Everyone fell silent. Fluttershy whimpered softly and Fire Streak, fuming quietly, returned to her side. Rainbow made to question what the red ring around Twilight's horn was, but the unicorn forestalled the question by answering it beforehand.
“I wish I could get us out of here, but there's some sort of inhibitor around my horn. I can't cast any spells. Even then, I fear my magic would fail the same way it did back in the Amber Cottage. Gwyndolin has probably taken the measures to keep us here.”
Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Great. There's gotta be a way out of here, though!” She made to get up and start moving about the room, intending to feel along the walls for who-knew-what, but Soarin placed a hoof to her shoulder.
“There's no way out, Rainbow. We've lost.” He let out a great sigh, turning to look her straight in the face. “Gymkhana is doomed as soon as The Shadow gets loose, wherever it is... and even if we could escape, we don't have the time left to change anything.”
“Don't say that, Soar!” Dash scolded him, wanting to smack some sense into him but unable to bring herself to cause him anymore pain.
“It's the truth, Rainbow. We should have abandoned all hope ages ago. Wave Chill is... beyond saving, for a start. After Rapidfire...” He trailed off for a moment. “It's too late... I can't forgive him. I can't ever forgive him. Not with a clear conscious, anyway... My brother doesn't deserve to live, and if I have the chance, I want to be the one to end his life.” Rainbow opened her mouth again, but he shook his head and placed a hoof to it. “Please, just stop. Stop with your childish fantasies, Rainbow! I appreciate your kind and hopeful words, I do, but it's time we faced facts.” Soarin buried his face in his hooves. “He murdered Rapidfire! He's killed countless Gymkhanites if he's the pony who brought The Shadow here... and he's tried to kill you.”
Rainbow refused to accept this. She placed a hoof to the red lightning bolt still wrapped around her neck. “We have the Elements of Harmony, Soarin!”
“You need all six together, don't you? I thought that was a requirement. With Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie outside these walls, and the other three of you in here, your treasures are useless,” Soarin explained, his voice graver still.
“So, you've just given up, then?!” Dash yelled, leaping to her hooves. “I've admired you for so long, Soarin, for everything you and the Wonderbolts stood for. Even moreso as I got to know you and understood how strong your own morals and values were. No matter what STUPID crap you said, I never gave up on you!And now you're just gonna quit playing because you're losing? Are you freakin' kiddin' me?! Have all of you given up?” she asked the room at large.
“Honestly, Rainbow Dash, what can we do?” Fluttershy squeaked from the floor, sounding cold and indifferent. “Soarin's right. We've lost.”
“That's BULL!” Dash roared, stamping her hooves. “There's gotta be a way! We didn't come half-way across the damn world just to lose now!”
No one answered her. Rainbow Dash wordlessly appealed to Twilight, but not even she seemed able to muster any arguments to rally up the rest. Lightning Streak moved closer and gestured for Rainbow Dash to follow him, beyond the dim light cast by Twilight's inhibitor and out of earshot of anyone else. Dejected and frustrated, Rainbow followed.
“Listen, Dash... you have to admit, things are grim,” he said in a clear voice.
“We can't be beaten so easily like this... we've never lost! Never...” Rainbow moaned, stamping the floor with her hoof. “Why is Soarin being so pig-headed?”
“Wave Chill is his brother,” Lightning said simply, laying down on his stomach with his legs folded beneath him. “How would you respond if your own brother had committed such atrocities? Wave Chill is a murderer! He would've killed Soarin, too, but for some reason he opted not to. It also doesn't help that Wave Chill was always so... gentle. Once upon a time, he was actually even going to be a father, believe it or not.”
Rainbow gingerly sat down beside him, her aching body still painful. “Oof... uh, he was going to be a father?”
“Wave Chill used to be romantically involved with Blaze. You can probably guess by now that the Wonderbolts are fairly lax about teammates going out with one another. Long story short, Blaze ended up with foal, but suffered a miscarriage when she didn't lay off her training and take better care of herself...” Lightning sighed.
Rainbow rested her head against her hooves. With every second that passed by, it felt like her comfortably bright world got darker and darker. “Soarin never mentioned that Wave Chill almost had a kid. Although... we never really talked about his brother much before now.”
Rainbow's ears drooped. It suddenly occurred to her that she and Soarin never did talk a lot about anything but whatever they were focused on. Some private evenings alone were all very well, but all of their discussions seemed to be hinged upon three subjects: first it was all about their training for the airshow, but with occasional encouraging words from Soarin related to Scootaloo's anxiety struggles. After that, this mission in Saddle Arabia had eclipsed everything.
Here they were, imprisoned and perhaps facing the fight of their lives against Soarin's twin brother, the warlock, and the terrible evil that was backing them up. And the only things that connected her with that stallion in such a troubled period were common interests. She couldn't explain, even to herself, why this hit her so powerfully just now. Rainbow Dash was always fantasizing about a life together with him, but she didn't really know all that much about Soarin. She knew nothing about his parents, Rainbow didn't know where his mansion was, who his friends were outside of the Wonderbolt Academy. And, really, did he know all that much about her?
“The loss of the kid could've been what unhinged Wave Chill, for all we know,” Lightning pressed on, pulling Dash swiftly from her revery. “Wave was over the moon about the idea of having a family with her, but Blaze put her duties first. Their relationship fell apart afterwards, and Soarin was there for him during the whole ordeal. He's got to be feeling so betrayed...” Lightning sighed again and Rainbow heard him readjusting his position on the floor. “Think about it: those brothers have helped each other through so much, and for things to turn out like they have is nothing short of a tragedy. I'm surprised Soarin's held on for even this long. You'll be very lucky that he has any affection left to give you, Dash, because this has probably broken his heart for good.”
Rainbow bit her lip, slapping her hooves against her face in the darkness. Did Soarin ever have genuine affection for her, she wondered miserably, or was this all just short-term attraction? Was he even capable of opening his heart to her now? How much more distress would she need to endure before things started making sense again?
As these questions crossed her mind, guilt tore at her heart. How could she be so selfish? The Wonderbolts had lost a long term member. He had died in front of their eyes. Slain by one of their number, by Soarin's only brother. And yet here she lay, concerned about her love life.
We've gotta get out of here. We've gotta fix this. I need to find Scootaloo... get her home. Home... all this crap will make sense when I'm home! Where the hell is Luna?!
She made her way back to the group at large, away from Lightning Streak, sitting back down beside Soarin. She couldn't prevent herself dwelling on her confused feelings and painful doubts.
Suddenly, a flash of dark blue illuminated the room, causing everyone to gasp in surprise. Fluttershy's wings began to flap like mad as she fluttered away several feet. A smile spread quickly across Rainbow Dash's face and she smacked Soarin on the shoulder, pointing.
“Right on cue! Luna!”
Princess Luna struggled on shaking fetlocks, collapsing to the floor. Dash reached her first and helped Luna get back to her hooves. It was only then that she realized that the Princess was not alone. Just behind her, blinking with a baffled expression on her face, was a very battered Spitfire. The alicorn straightened up, swinging her light blue mane from her eyes. Dash noticed that she was still in her unicorn form, the wings hidden from sight. Twilight quickly joined them, the rest of the captives making their way over. Numane and Dameer were gazing, transfixed. Lightning Streak moved to Spitfire's side, helping her up.
“What... the...?” Spitfire moaned, shaking her head. “Lightning!” She blinked, looking around quickly. “Oh, thank Celestia!”
“I h-had,” Luna gasped, taking a deep breath, “to warp you here at a distance... while teleporting in myself. The magic takes its toll, especially in this... this weaker form... Spitfire, are you... hurt?”
“N-no,” Spitfire said, gazing around the room as Luna's horn glowed brightly. “Well... yes, I am. I-uh... I'm not physically hurt. Not much... Wave Chill... he was already content with my suffering.”
“Captain,” Soarin breathed, “thank the heavens you're alright!”
“You showed up just in time, Luna!” Rainbow said, grinning broadly. “Even bringing Spitfire. Everypony had lost hope...”
“Luna... as in, Princess Luna?!” Dameer croaked, finally coming over with Numane.
“Yep,” Dash confirmed, still grinning. Their luck was bound to go back up with Luna with them again. “That's Princess Luna. Disguised, of course, bringing with her the luck we need!”
“Luna,” Spitfire said quickly, holding a shaking hoof to her eyes as she turned away from Soarin. “I need to know... now. Did you get his b-body?” The atmosphere, which had been so suddenly charged, became bleak and depressing once again. “I want to give him a... a proper burial. Please... tell me you got his body. It was his... it was Dad's wish to be laid to rest beside his sister, and I'll be damned if this place is going to stop me fulfilling that desire.”
Luna closed her eyes for a brief moment, giving a small nod. “I've already hidden it. I convinced a pair of guards to retrieve it under the pretence that Gwyndolin would use it for her research. I had a feeling Wave Chill might try and desecrate Rapidfire's corpse, so I made sure he would never have the chance.”
Spitfire wiped her eyes, taking a deep breath. “Thank you.”
“Are you going to be alright, Spit?” Dash asked, extending a comforting hoof.
“I'll manage,” Spitfire said with a soft smile. “I've already spent the night crying... my grief feels different now.” She spat on the floor. “I want my vengeance!”
Twilight was looking between the party around Spitfire and the Princess of the Night, who was still shaking with exhaustion.
“I thought you had to keep your powers in check, Luna?” she asked, looking disconcerted.
“Gwyndolin has managed to block any teleportation that does not involve a direct line of sight to the destination. It requires great amount of energy to circumvent. A power surge that is noticeable. In other words, she is now aware of my presence. The game, as they say, is up! It was the same yesterday evening; I used my powers to create a vicious lightning storm in the Dynasty District. It drew Gwyndolin away. So, she's bound to know I'm here.”
“Oh, no... oooh, no, no, no...” Fluttershy whimpered, falling slowly back to the floor and covering her face with her hooves. “Please say it isn't so!”
“Can you be certain, Luna?” Twilight asked, the concern and worry increasing all over her face as Fire Streak laid down next to Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash could hear him whispering words of comfort to her. While she felt he was being awfully forward with his recent affections for the shy pegasus, Rainbow thought that her friend could nevertheless use the comfort. “Is she absolutely aware of you now?” Twilight continued, dragging Rainbow's mind back to the conversation.
“If she has not sensed my power yet, she surely will when I drag you all to safety.” Luna stood tall, blinking several times before exhaling deeply, coming together. “Now, the most important thing presently is for us to craft a plan to disable the towers surrounding the city. This will break the magical transportation seal over Gymkhana, and I will be able to send citizens to safety.”
“Captain...” Soarin continued to moan with relief, repeating the word over and over. He had finally ambled his way over. His gait looked painful and he seemed to be taking no interest in the discussion taking place. With great difficulty, he threw his hooves around her. “I can't believe it... you're alive! You're alive, Spit... I was sure, so fully convinced he had claimed your life, too! You're alive!”
“Yes, Soarin; we've established that,” she agreed smartly, accepting his embrace. “I am alive.”
Soarin detached himself and looked enquiringly at the Princess. “Thank you, Luna.” He was starting to sound his usual self. “What's been happening with the others?”
“Yeah, is everypony alright?” Dash added quickly, turning her attention back to Luna and trying not to feel too ashamed of herself; she had a short fit of jealousy when the two Wonderbolts embraced.
“Your friends... everypony is safe. Everypony”, she assured them. Rainbow Dash could have laughed out loud. “Fleetfoot has returned with the New Lunar Republic and joined forces with the Steel Talons. There is to be a siege on the palace. However, I have a job for you all...the towers I just mentioned.”
“Your Majesty, is there anything we can do?” Numane asked, gesturing between himself and Dameer. “And, more importantly, how is Grape Blossom?”
“Grape Blossom and her friends have returned to their sewer sanctuary, for the time being. Pinkie Pie is looking after them. I think it is best if the pair of you join them as soon as possible. Once the barrier around the city is disabled, I'm sending you all to Canterlot. This is not your battle.”
“Like hell it isn't!” Dameer swore, his temper rising. Even against the Princess, the horse reared, hooves kicking the air. Meanwhile, Numane showed similar signs of agitation, both colts glaring Luna down. “The darkness took our homes and our families, how DARE you suggest this isn't our fight?”
“You misunderstood me,” Luna said calmly. “The siege and the Elements of Harmony's planned attack on those behind these calamities are nothing you or your friends have the power to influence. You are better off safely out of the action. Worry not, your losses will be avenged.”
“Princess Luna's right, you two,” Rainbow Dash cut in quickly. “No offense, but Grape needs her boyfriend and Neighshyte needs his big brother more than anything right now. Once the barrier's down, you'll be shipped to Canterlot, where it's safe... whether ya want to or not!” she finished with a wink.
Dameer stared at them for several seconds. Finally, he spoke again. “As much as I wish to help... fine. I am very worried about Neighsh, Numane. We should try to get back. And you can see Grape, then...” Dameer sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly.
The red horse nodded, tossing his mane. “Yeah, you're right... But if we get the chance, we'll take out some guards along the way, eh?”
Dameer smirked and nodded. “Yup.”
“Well, if we've gotta destroy the towers, then let's get out of here!” Fire Steak jumped to his hooves, helping Fluttershy up. “We can continue to enjoy this cozy catch up another time.”
“Right.” Luna's horn began to glow brightly. “Gather around me, everypony. While the seal on teleportation is active, my magic can only take us so far. I'll teleport us to the gallery above this cell. We can make our way through the palace until we can locate a window. From there, we take to the air.”
Rainbow Dash and the rest of the cell occupants moved in close to the alicorn. A zap from the horn shattered the glowing red ring on Twilight's own horn before another pulse blinded Rainbow's eyes with a bright white light.
After a moment of nauseating compression, her eyes adjusted to their new location: a long, dim, and extravagantly decorated hallway. Spans of fabric hung from the ceiling and draped across the walls above tapestries and murals. But there was something wrong. Rainbow's eyes locked onto a torch burning in its bracket.
“Why... why is the light so dim?” she asked, flying above it to examine whether or not the light was low from all directions.
“Why, indeed,” Luna repeated darkly. “Gwyndolin is up to something. Your cell happened to be near the path to her library and laboratory, which is bathed in a shroud of darkness, like deep black cloak light can't penetrate properly. I ventured there myself yesterday evening while I was speaking to Princess Celestia... I should mention that we are in contact telepathically. This was all before I was alerted to the events taking place at the Amber Cottage.”
“What's going on back home?” Spitfire asked, eyes narrowed to try and see as far into the shadows as she could manage.
“Let's just say that Celestia has a few visitors who may be joining us if we can manage in disabling the barrier,” Luna said evasively.
Rainbow was on the verge of asking who the visitors were when Soarin asked a different question. “This enhanced darkness... Princess Luna, do you be-believe it has... anything to do with—” Soarin stopped abruptly as he fell sideways, stumbling into the wall.
“Soar!” Rainbow Dash gave a cry of anguish and flew over to him, landing roughly and lifting his head.
“S-sorry...” he croaked. “I'm exhausted...”
“Luna, do you have a healing spell? Wave Chill roughed him up... bad!” Rainbow kept his head elevated as she shouted to the Princess.
Luna nodded and bowed her head in his direction. “I do, Rainbow Dash. However, you should try and keep your voice down, we don't want to be found that easily.”
A pomegranate coloured swirl of what appeared to be solid wind washed in a spiral from her horn and struck Soarin squarely in the back. He let out a groan of pain as a few cuts on his neck and face mended themselves before Rainbow's eyes. Some of the bruising left his countenance and he opened his eyes wide.
“That's the best I am able to do right now. I admit... I am not very proficient in restoration magic. Such things are better left to potions, medicine, and doctors. Ponies who spent a thousand years on the moon in a bad mood aren't the best healers,” she concluded with a wink.
“Feeling better?” Dash asked Soarin, helping his abnormally warm body up again.
“Y-yeah,” Soarin replied, arching his back and then straightening it out again. There was a loud pop. “Celestia, that spell makes me feel like the room's boiling!”
“Healing spells have a thermogenic effect, you see,” Luna explained, angling her horn low again to try and flood the distant intercepting hallway with light. “We must get moving. Even this moment, Gwyndolin could be rushing to meet us.”
Before anything could happen, however, a lone horse guard strolled into it from a connecting corridor and stopped dead in his tracks, eyes squinting against the beam of Luna's light. Jaw falling open, he stood and stared, mesmerized, at the group for a moment.
“Good afternoon,” Luna said casually, shooting a dark blue beam from her horn. The moment it hit him, the guard's eyelids drooped, his head bowed, and he fell over, fast asleep. “And good night.”
“Slick.” Rainbow Dash grinned appreciatively, nudging Soarin's flank with her head to get him walking.
Fluttershy whimpered, staring at the sleeping horse. “This isn't going well at all...”
“And... what part of our little va-cay is going right?” Rainbow asked. “I mean, I hope you're not expecting this to be fun, Flutters. There's only so many times a pony's life is threatened before they stop having a good time.” She looked to the Wonderbolt Captain. “Right, Spitfire?”
“You've got a point, there,” she conceded. “I think you and me are on par for receiving death threats. Maybe Soarin, too.”
They rounded the next corner cautiously. Lightning Streak and Numane peered around the corner carefully before declaring the coast as clear. Rainbow stayed near by Soarin, who still looked a little weak. Luna stayed in the centre of the group, keeping her light shining brightly through the thick veil of the darkness.
“Is this darkness related to the Voidwalker, Luna?” Soarin asked again. “There has to be a reason the warlock has the place caked in black.”
“I'd agree with you, but it could very well be just another experiment of Gwyndolin's. After all, the barrier around the city was her doing, as my reconnaissance has revealed,” Luna explained as they continued down the next hallway, as finely dressed as the last, though just as dark.
“So, this barrier, Luna...” Twilight began, curiosity in her voice. “You've explained that it's preventing teleportation in and out of Gymkhana. You also said it's the reason teleportation within Gymkhana is so difficult, right?”
Luna nodded. “Indeed. I've had to use so much power to reach your cell, not to mention retrieve Spitfire, because warping that does not use a direct line of sight is very difficult,” she explained again. “The towers are enhancing the barrier, so if we can deal with them, then it should fall.”
“Still holdin' up, Soarin?” Rainbow Dash asked in a low voice, walking a little closer to him.
“I'm fine, Rainbow. Luna's spell has at least given me strength, and I'm trying not to think about... everything.”
“Just keep faith that everything's going to be alright!” Dash encouraged him, lifting her left forehoof and bumping his shoulder.
“How can you even still say that?” he asked wearily. “Rapidfire is dead.”
Dash breathed deeply. “I know, Soarin... but we're still alive. We can still win!” They began to climb a twisting staircase to an upper level, moving slowly as to prevent their echoing hoof clopping from raising every security pony in the palace. The next floor was much brighter than the previous, the darkness lifting as they distanced themselves from the rough direction of Gwydolin's lab. “We just need to get out of here and deal with those towers. We'll meet up with Applejack and the rest and we'll use our Elements, and... it'll be over. Just like that, I promise.”
“I don't think—” Soarin stopped dead, his eyes widening. “—it'll be that easy...”
Rainbow looked ahead and groaned. Lightning Streak and Numane were already kneeling low, ready to spring forward and attack with their hooves. Spitfire had flown into the air, ready to strike. Luna moved forward, standing in between the group and the four pegasi guards blocking access to a large set of doors at the end of the hallway.
“M-Moonlight Sonata?! I... y-you can't do this! You can't take the prisoners away from here!” One of the guards said in a cowering voice.
“Right,” Luna said briskly, tapping her hooves together. “We'll make this quick: remove yourselves from here and go home. That way, you're not in danger. Speak to no one.”
Rainbow Dash backed up a little, moving to where Fluttershy was shaking so violently that here chattering teeth could be heard quite clearly. She attempted to reassure her, but another guard spoke up. It didn't help that this one had a sense of humour.
“Now, now, we can't do that, can we? We're on duty, aren't we?” He moved forward, in front of his cowering cohorts. “Besides, I'd rather face you than the rebels I hear are storming the streets right now! I suppose that was your doing, huh?”
“Why, yes, I thought that much myself,” came a voice from the stairs behind the prisoners.
Rainbow Dash wheeled around. Just behind Dameer, who was near the back of their group with Fire Streak, a figure emerged up the staircase. Long, black hair flowing over her cloak, the terrifying silhouette of the warlock stood there, partially obscured by the green light flowing from her horn.
Rainbow Dash swore, shaking her head. Twilight gasped, her raspberry glow of magic surrounding her own horn.
“It's the warlock!”
“I must be losing my touch,” Gwyndolin said, placing a hoof in front of her face and completely ignoring Twilight Sparkle. “I had intended to warp in front of you, following the traces of magic you are leaking, Miss Sonata. I must've just missed you downstairs.”
Luna hit the guards with similar sleeping spells that she had used earlier, turning her full attention to the warlock. “Get moving, all of you!” she commanded, though her eyes remained fixed upon the sorceress. “Through those doors is a larger room. The second hallway on the left will lead to an arboretum upstairs. You can get outside from there!”
“I'm so sorry,” Gwyndolin sighed theatrically, narrowing her eyes and expelling a burst of magic. As Rainbow seized Fluttershy by the hoof to drag her onward, her entire body froze, just like when the warlock had immobilized her the previous evening. “Your little friends aren't going anywhere.”
Luna countered the spell with a shot of blue light, flooding the hallway. Able to move again, Dash started down the hallway, following Soarin and Spitfire, still dragging Fluttershy along. The pale-gold pegasus seemed to be frozen, not by magic, but by fear. Twilight, meanwhile, had not left Luna's side.
“Come on, Fluttershy!” Fire Streak said, trying to rouse her. He ducked low and literally scooped her onto his back. “Let's get out of here!”
“Dameer!” Numane shouted back, already at the doors with the two leading Wonderbolts. “Hurry!”
“I'm coming!” he bellowed, overtaking Rainbow as he sprinted forward.
“Dashie?!” Soarin croaked, looking back as well. “Fluttershy, Fire Streak, come on!”
“Hold your horses!” Rainbow yelled, spreading her wings and taking to the air as her heart beat so furiously, she could feel a vein in her throat throb. “TWILIGHT, COME ON!”
“It seems I have underestimated your arrogance,” Gwyndolin spoke in a dangerous voice. As Rainbow Dash looked back, she saw the warlock wave her hoof in their direction. A swirl of emerald magic surrounded it for a moment. “What other secrets are you hiding, Moonlight Sonata? Are you the rogue unicorn I've been chasing all over the city? Using your powers to lure me away so you can enchant Azure Wings with your sultry ways, is it?”
“The doors... dammit, she sealed the doors!” Numane cursed, banging his hooves against them.
Luna laughed. “I must admit, that theory is hilarious! There's a lot you don't understand about me. You may be powerful for a Court Sorceress, but I am concealing all of my energy! The game you and Azure Wings, or rather, Wave Chill, have been playing with this city is about to come to its conclusion.”
“You are quite right,” Gwyndolin agreed, emerald magic vanishing from her hoof. “Our time in Gymkhana is coming to an end. The Voidwalker will arrive in mere hours and will shake this city off the face of the planet like a flea!”
“Twilight Sparkle!” Luna had only just noticed she was still there. “Go with your friends and get that door open! I will be fine.”
“Much like I have, thus far, underestimated you, words like that make it quite clear that you, Sonata, underestimate me!”
“Twilight, run!”
At last, Twilight Sparkle heeded her. She turned and started down the hallway, galloping toward Rainbow Dash. Gwyndolin smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes, and bowed her head.
“You will not escape me again, you inadequate magician,” she said disdainfully, firing a spell.
“Twilight!” Dash cried over the bangs that echoed from behind her as Soarin and Dameer launched themselves at the sealed door, desperate to breach to the room beyond and to safety.
However, Luna sprang to action. Leaping aside, she blocked the path of the sinister green beam of magic, absorbing the brunt of it into her own chest. Grunting a little, she staggered for a moment, but straightened up, tossing her mane; completely unharmed.
“Try to unseal the door, Luna will hold her off!” Rainbow Dash implored the purple unicorn as Twilight reached the end of the hallway. “Don't scare us like that! What the hell were you thinking, trying to stand up to somepony that powerful?!”
“So, it is true, then… this is not some foolhardy ploy to gain the trust of the prisoners. Your betrayal is absolutely genuine,” Gwyndolin decided, shaking her head.“Is this how you want events to play out? You will give your lives for these wretches, I presume?” Almost bashfully, Gwyndolin's hoof hovered before her mouth yet again. “How brazen!”
“Do you not realize precisely who I am?” Luna asked, standing confidently before her.
“A fool,” Gwyndolin answered immediately. “And soon, a cadaver. It was unwise to challenge me.”
Another vicious spell lurched forward from the warlock's horn. Luna intercepted it with a spell of her own. The hallway lit up as both beams of magic collided; Gwyndolin's green, Luna's blue. Cyan sparks flew in every direction as both mares fought to keep their spell alive. However, it was clear by immediate contrast that the Princess' magic was the lesser of the two.
The point where the spells had crashed together was sliding inexorably toward Luna's horn as the warlock's strength began to dominate. Seemingly unable to overpower it, the Princess of the Night threw caution to the wind. She transformed.
Rearing onto her hind legs and without breaking the beam of conjoined magical power, a separate flash of white from her horn caused a sphere to temporarily conceal her body. As it faded, her blue coat had darkened and her mane was elongated and swirling, dotted with stairs like the night sky. With a cry, her wings burst forth from her back, spread wide and domineering.
“DO YOU NOT REALIZE WHO YOU BATTLE?” Luna screamed, her power surging with her usual form. The connecting point of the two spells stopped inches from her face and began to move back toward the warlock.
“You are… Princess Luna…” Gwyndolin whispered, eyebrows forming one severe line. “We… shall see about that!”
Luna's spell burned through the air, pushing back Gwyndolin's as it went. Ignoring Twilight Sparkle's efforts to break the magical lock upon the door, Rainbow Dash watched in awe as Luna's incredible magical prowess was closing in on victory. Luna took a step forward, suppressing the glow of Gwyndolin's magic as the combined spells reached the tip of the warlock's horn.
The seconds ticked by. “Come on, Luna!” Rainbow cheered, stamping her hooves. “Finish her off and let's blow this place! Ya got her against the ropes!”
Fire Streak and Spitfire were beside her, both staring as well. Fluttershy, Lightning Streak, Soarin, and the two Gymkahanites were hammering against the door, trying fruitlessly to assist Twilight in breaking through.
“Tell them, Princess Luna...” Gwyndolin mocked, holding her head high so that the cyan glow covered her face. She took a step forward, and Luna, shaking, moved back a pace. “Tell them the truth. Tell them that you cannot overpower me! TELL THEM, PRINCESS LUNA, THAT I WOULD BE A FOOL TO RISK EVERYTHING ON A DUEL WITH ANOTHER MAGI! TELL THEM, PRINCESS LUNA, THAT I ONLY DUEL WHEN MY SUCCESS IS A FOREGONE CERTAINITY!” Gwyndolin was furious; incensed. The red light of her initial spell swelled, threatening to completely engulf Luna's attempt to counter her. “In another lifetime, perhaps, things could have been different... you, an alicorn, the Princess of the Night, a damned demigod amongst us mortals... and me, the most powerful being alive! We could have had a glorious rivalry, respectful of one another's abilities!”
“This is a nightmare,” Rainbow said in a hollow voice, looking down at her hoof. It was impossible that their one great hope, their salvation in Princess Luna, would fail so easily. “I'm still sleeping.” She punched herself hard in the stomach, feeling the breath leave her body and the strength leave her other three limbs. She hit the floor with a hard smack, her wings splayed around her. “It's a d-dream! A nightmare from the Voidwalker, like before! It's not real! Soarin, tell me it's not real!”
“Dashie, what are you doing?!” he gasped, racing to her side. “Help us break through the door... hurry!”
“YOU, PRINCESS LUNA, ARE NOT PREPARED… FOR ME!” Gwyndolin bellowed, a terrible malediction, rearing onto her hind legs and then flattening back down, launching her spell forward.
“G-get down! GET. DOWN. NOW!” Luna's royal voice echoed off the walls as she threw herself sideways, unable to keep the warlock's magic at bay for a second longer.
Burning through the air, Gwyndolin's magic, along with whatever remained of Luna's counter spell, collided with the sealed door. The deep red burst of light was blinding. The sounds of vaporizing wood and stone, a wicked, scorching hiss, filled Rainbow's ears. The force of the explosion had sent shock waves crashing over her back like waves of the sea. Shavings of wood flew through the air like party streamers as she opened her eyes. Craning her head, she saw that there were no signs of debris, even though the spell had obliterated the door, a section of the ceiling above, and most of the left wall. Everything had been broken down to pebbles, or else completely annihilated.
“Wh-what... what awful po-power!” Twilight moaned in a croaky voice, filled with the sorrow Rainbow had associated with tears. “If that hit anypony... they're gone!”
“We're fine!” Spitfire hissed from several feet away. “I can see everypony...”
Looking back down the hallway, Dash saw Gwyndolin standing with a hoof against her eyes. The shock waves had sent all the dust her way. Princess Luna, crumpled against the edge of the wall, slowly got to her feet. Her entire body shook. With a cry of rage, she leapt forward, wings spread, head bent low. Whether she was intending to pierce the warlock with her horn, Rainbow Dash didn't know. As Gwyndolin noticed her, Luna's horn glowed a bright purple. Dash recognized the spell.
As she reached the warlock, Luna cast it. Both herself and Gwyndolin were encased in the light for a moment, before everything down the corridor went dark again. Luna had teleported both of them away.
Coughing, Rainbow Dash made it to her hooves, feeling her fetlocks quaking. She shook her mane like a wet dog, bending her limbs and arching her back. Everything seemed to be in order, she noted. Her recent nightmares crossed her mind and she immediately checked to make sure her wings weren't broken, even though the lack of pain should have been a dead giveaway. Rainbow flapped them several times, exhaling in relief.
“Is... is everypony alright?” Twilight Sparkle asked, gingerly rising from the floor.
“Y-yeah... a bit winded, but otherwise, I'm okay, at least,” Dash moaned. She rubbed her croup, the furs all ruffled from the explosion. “Well, this escalated quickly, didn't it?
“You could say that!” Spitfire spat, checking her wings herself. “No more Luna. And she didn't even tell us how we're going to take care of those towers! We're once again going into this blind.” She looked up at the hole blasted in the ceiling. “You think we're better off climbing, or going to that arboretum that she directed us to? I can't even remember where the hell she said it was.”
“I don't know, Captain,” Lightning Streak said with a shrug. “I remember her directions, and we don't know our way if we go upstairs from here.”
Rainbow Dash flew up to the hole, peering into the upper corridor. It was much brighter, as the darkness did not extend this far. Aside from two knocked out horse guards, the coast was clear.
“We can try upstairs,” Dash suggested. “We'll fly up Twilight, Dameer, and Numane...” She focused on the downed guards. “Phew, that spell did a number! Couple blokes nappin' it off up here.” She glanced down at the four guards on the floor below, knocked out by Luna's spell. “Big pajama party around here, anyway...”
Soarin frowned up at her. “Not the best time for jokes, you know...”
Dash shrugged, though she felt annoyed at being chided like a foal. “Nothing wrong with trying to brighten up the mood, y'know! Any bleaker and we may as well kill ourselves now.”
Twilight looked from the vaporized door and the hole that Dash had investigated. “I think... I think we're better off climbing,” she decided hastily. “We'll find an alternative exit. The damage down here is bound to attract Wave Chill. Besides, the higher we go, the more likely we are to find some windows, right?”
“I'd rather meet him, to be honest... I owe him,” Spitfire snarled, but agreed anyway as she rose into the air.
“Right.” Rainbow swooped low and scooped Twilight around the chest. “Let's fly.”
Beneath her, Lightning Streak and Fire Streak picked up Dameer and Numane and lifted them to Rainbow's level. The three pegasi lead the way through the blasted ceiling, Spitfire, Fluttershy, and Soarin bringing up the rear.
Now that she could examine the upper hallway properly, Rainbow Dash deposited Twilight on the tangerine rug that ran the length. The end was singed where it had covered the section that endured the spell fallout. The walls were painted a midnight blue, to compliment the carpet. Several vases of exotic plants dotted the right wall from the hole in niches every few yards, though there were no windows to be seen.
Spitfire flew over to one of the two doors lining the left wall and tried it. She peered into it for a moment before closing the door and trying the next one. As she withdrew her head, she spoke up again.
“This is one friggin' weird palace. One room looked like some sort've classroom, and the other is just... odd. Inside, there's clear tubes of glowing liquid leading through the walls and ceiling, and nothing else. It's like some steam pump, but... not.”
Twilight moved over to the second door and looked in herself. “Glowing fluids... hmm,” she mused for a moment, scratching her chin. “Almost looks like one of Zecora's potions.”
“Zecora's potions?” Rainbow looked over her shoulder, seeing three wide tubes. The middle ran floor to ceiling, the left from back wall to ceiling, and the right from back wall to ceiling. She didn't see the connection to potions, however. “I don't think Zecora's here, Twilight.”
“You don't say,” she sighed, frowning and rolling her eyes. “It could be related to alchemy. One of the books I was reading yesterday was about the palace history and architecture. For example, there aren't any staircases in the central chamber, but lifts! Parts of the floor, platforms, that move magically, using alchemical properties. No doubt these potions could supply the energy necessary alter the air currents, transmuting them into a stronger force. That is... if the lifts use air currents at all; the book was not very clear on—”
“Fascinating,” Rainbow said darkly, her stomach squirming uncomfortably. “So, let's get back to working on getting out of here, eh? I don't like just standing here, it's making me nervous. We've got a window to find and, y'know, towers to reach, or maybe friends to find!”
“Right, right, I'm sorry,” Twilight apologized, closing the door to the tubed room.
“What's the central chamber?” Dameer asked, pulling his head out of the classroom-like room.
“It's the main hall of the palace, as far as I am aware. Several floors, leading up to the throne room. The Ruling Council should have a nice view of the entire hall, but the structure sounds more beneficial to pegasi than Saddrabian horses,” Twilight explained as they finally made their way to the opposite end of the hallway from the blasted hole.
One spiral staircase later and they found themselves before what appeared to be the antechamber to a guard barracks. Armour and weapons adorned open-air wardrobes that could be seen just through the doorway, in a small locker room. Numane approached a spear on a weapon rack.
“Although I don't hear anyone inside the guard room, we should arm ourselves!” For a kid, Dash thought, he certainly had the right idea. As he looked around, she approached and took hold of a scabbard, with a strap to tie it about her waist.
“Awesome,” she noted with a casual smirk, adjusting it. She felt strengthened, nigh invincible. “A weapon! Let's see Wave Chill kill me now...” She pulled out the blade, but was disappointed to see a tiny knife, compared to a large and impressive brand. “A dagger? Seriously...?”
“This place is actually pretty deserted... We might actually get out unspotted,” Numane continued, examining the spear. He took it and flung it around his back, securing it with a similar strap. “God, I hope Grape is alright...”
“Yeah...” Dameer agreed fervently. “I'm sure they're okay with Pinkie Pie! Bet she and Neighsh are having a laugh with Marius. Grape's probably rolling her eyes and yelling at them for waking Appleberry with their skylarking!” Numane grinned his appreciation for his friend's attempts to encourage him. “We're finally getting lucky! There's no guards, so our path to freedom is clear! We're almost out of this mess.”
Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy didn't take a weapon, but both Soarin and Spitfire took spears. The two Streaks got swords, though Rainbow Dash never bothered to try another scabbard. As they turned away from the locker room, a worry crossed her mind.
Where were all the guards? Why, she wondered, was it so easy to waltz through this place? Sure, they had encountered resistance, but she had expected much more. A lot more. After all, whenever they had walked through the streets of Gymkhana, a small procession of patrolling ponies and horses were a constant sight out of the corners of her eyes. More than likely, since Wave Chill took over and rechristened the military as the 'Tempered Feather', the number of guards and soldiers had increased.
So, where are they? This place is like a ghost town. What Rainbow Dash didn't realize was that she would be getting her answer sooner than later. From the guard barracks, they traversed another series of corridors before finally reaching a section of the building that offered access to a window: the central chamber of the Palace of Kings.
They emerged onto a walkway. Behind them lay the previous corridor, while ahead, Rainbow Dash watched a beige, tiled platform descending away from the bridge she stood on. It was connected to the wall by an eerily glowing cloud. Rainbow Dash barely had a chance to marvel at the sheer size of the room they reached before she heard voices.
Peering over the edge of the walkway, Dash's view showed her that she and her friends were standing five stories above the ground floor. Looking up, she saw another four or five more, some floors just consisting of a few, railed off walkways, others being single bridges extending across the span, connecting corridors. The ceiling was shrouded in darkness, and Rainbow Dash knew there had to be more floors above the central chamber. After all, the palace towered over the city.
She continued to marvel at the complexity of the architecture, astounded beyond belief. Two floors below, the throne she had dreamt about before stood empty, on a raised platform enclosed by three walls, unceilinged, and connected to another platform by a walkway. The throne had a perfect view of the lower levels and suggested that Gymkhana had a solitary monarch, despite the Ruling Council having multiple members. Two or three automated platforms continued to rise and fall from their respective heights, and by following their progress, Dash was able to easily work out a path to the ground.
One thing she had not failed to notice, however, was that they certainly were not alone. There were groups of soldiers everywhere. On the platforms, pacing in rows, standing against the eastern wall, and leaving through a towering set of heavy wooden doors that, she guessed, lead outside.
“We're surrounded...” Fluttershy groaned, her eyes raking above them to see if there were any guards who could spot the group.
“We can see them; they can't see us,” Rainbow assured her. “We've just gotta be careful... anypony got ideas?”
“Look!” Twilight said in a low, excited rush. Looking around, Rainbow Dash saw her gesturing an upper level. “I can see the sky! There's some on the platform above!”
“That's going to be a problem...” Soarin pointed out, nodding toward the lift that was returning to the bridge before dropping again. “That elevator doesn't go up. We probably have to backtrack and find another path into the chamber, if we want to get to the higher levels...” He shook his head. “Always something.”
“We could... fly,” Fire Streak suggested uneasily. “We would need to be fast, to make sure no one looking up can spot—” He fell silent immediately as a bright flash from below threw shadows all over the room.
Gwyndolin had appeared in front of the doors leading into the city. Immediately motioning for some guards to approach her, she started to shout words that were incomprehensible at this distance; she looked livid. Rainbow Dash felt her stomach plummet.
“Where the hell's Luna?! Did the warlock beat her?” she asked in a panicked whisper.
“How should we know?” Spitfire demanded, her eyes raking the chamber. “She doesn't look happy, so maybe Luna gave her the slip? All the better, since it's a distraction. Let's fly to the windows!”
Now that it was time to make their escape, Rainbow Dash was oddly calm. Nodding, she turned to look at the two horses. “Looks like we won't be needing those weapons after all, but we'll need to be fast! I'm going to carry you two and Twilight across myself, because I'm the fastest.”
“That's a terrible idea!” Spitfire snapped. “We can fly just as well with luggage, thank you very much, and taking multiple trips is just stupid! We should only cross over the chamber once, unless you want to give these assholes multiple chances to spot you?”
“Fine, it was just a suggestion!” Dash groaned, taking another cautious glance toward the bottom floor. Gwyndolin seemed to be issuing orders to the different groups of soldiers. “Dameer and Numane, you should ride Lightning and Fire Streak, since it'll be easier to wrap around their necks and shoulders, rather than be carried.”
“That's a good idea, Rainbow Dash,” Lightning Streak agreed, bending low.
“You guys cross first,” Soarin said quickly as Twilight Sparkle climbed onto Rainbow's back. “Go with them, Fluttershy! If any of you are spotted, me and Spitfire will swoop down and get their attention!”
“Why don't you just volunteer us for death?!” Spitfire snarled, whacking him in the back of the head with her hoof. However, she smirked. “Well, that would've been my own suggestion, anyway.”
Determined, Rainbow took a steadying breath and flung her wings wide, feeling the weight of Twilight pressing against them. Thankful for her weight training, she jumped and flapped rapidly, beating her wings against the air so fast that she rocketed over the void and ascended to the higher platform. As soon as she drew level with the next floor, she could see the windows properly. There were five of them, each six feet tall, with a glass door on a metal hinge built into the centre one. Outside, she could see a terrace overlooking the ruins of the Mesa District.
She touched down and Twilight slid off her back. As Fire Streak and Lightning Streak landed on either side of her, Rainbow turned, watching anxiously as Fluttershy flew up. She had both front hooves covering her eyes, but managed to touch down safely. Numane and Dameer dismounted, Numane panting slightly.
“I'll be honest...” he croaked, looking toward the terrace, “I never thought I'd see Gymkhana again...”
“None of ya shoulda gave up!” Rainbow Dash laughed as Soarin and Spitfire joined them. “Like I said, me and my friends didn't travel across the ocean just to lose that easily!”
“Doesn't look like the guards saw us!” Spitfire said, exhaling a little. “A smooth escape. Well, the 'Bolts are professionals.”
She approached the window, placing her hoof on the door. Rainbow looked beyond her, out over the Mesa District. Just beyond, she could see one of the five towers, set along the perimeter wall. Well, she thought, they may not have gotten the details from Luna, but there had to be a simple way to disable the towers and dispel the barrier.
Maybe Twilight could try a spell? She usually had a spell for any situation. Although, perhaps they needed a more physical solution? If alchemy could be used to create explosives, they had the option of blowing up the towers. The only drawback, Dash reasoned, would be the fact that they would attract attention.
“Dashie!”
Soarin's voice had cut through her internal monologuing, tearing her away from her brainstorm. Had she actually been paying attention to her surroundings, she would have been able to react. With a sharp pain, the air left her lungs. The whole world flipped as the ceiling became the floor. Unable to grip the platform, she rolled over and over again, coming to rest on the very edge of it. Her tail flopped over the side, dangling toward the lowest level, six or seven stories down.
“Lightning Streak, Fire Streak, take them!” Soarin's voice sounded distant.
“Carry Twilight Sparkle, Fire!” Lightning rang out. “I can carry the horses!”
“No! Go with them, Fluttershy! Soarin, be careful!” That was Spitfire, Rainbow Dash was sure of it.
Oh, why did her head hurt so badly? What happened? She was dazed, exhausted from pain and hunger, and trying to draw breath. She had sustained a terrible blow to the chest and head, as though she had been smacked by an uppercut with a truncheon. Gingerly, she made it to her hooves. Very slowly, she raised her head. Soarin skidded to a halt beside her. Grabbing her by the arm, he pulled her roughly away from the edge. It was all very well, she mused stupidly; she was in no condition to fly right now.
She closed her eyes tight, shook her head, and opened them again. Rainbow Dash had to focus. Her eyes moved from Soarin, who was looking back at her anxiously, standing sentinel in front of her. They found Spitfire, standing by the open door, teeth grit as she stared across the platform at something. Twilight, carried by Fire Streak, Numane and Dameer, both dangling either one of Lightning Streak's front hooves, and Fluttershy were all fading into the distance beyond the window.
“What's the matter? Why aren't you escaping? The window's open, Captain!”
Dash found him at last. Reflexes razor sharp again, she dived out from behind Soarin's protection and a hoof flew to the dagger in its scabbard, still miraculously strapped to her torso. Of course, she thought: while they were yards from freedom, it would all crumble to dust.
Spitfire's chest was heaving as she glared knives back at him. Rainbow looked back at Soarin, who was frozen, just like the fiery maned pegasus. Neither of the two remaining Wonderbolts seemed to be able to take their eyes off the traitor. As the light of the sun shined suddenly through a gap in a distant cloud, two curved blades glowed with gleaming orange light. They were clasped in either of the steely blue pony's hooves as he reared onto his hind legs, crossing his weapons across his chest. The one on the left bore a stain of crimson. With a rush of dread, Rainbow recognized it as the weapon that had claimed Rapidfire's life.
“Why so glum, you two?” Wave Chill asked, giving a sharp, high laugh as he looked from his brother to his former Captain. “What? Let me guess... he was only one day away from retirement!”
“You b-bastard!” Spitfire roared, angry tears spilling from her eyes as her hooves wrapped around her spear. “He was like a father to me... HE WAS LIKE A FATHER TO ALL OF US!”
“And now he's dead.” Wave Chill spoke with no remorse. “Not exactly a stallion I'd look up to. I give you this one opportunity, Spitfire, to leave now, while you still have the chance. Chasing you down will be fun sport! You might even have the great honour of dying at my hooves, your soul forfeit into the belly of the Voidwalker.”
With a cry of rage, Spitfire charged forward, leaping from the ground and flicking her wings wide. Spear couched under the embrace of her limbs like a jouster's lance, she was moving in for a direct strike. At the same moment, Soarin leapt into the air as well. He had ignored Rainbow's shout of warning, completely consumed in his fury against his brother. He circled around, aiming to attack Wave Chill from behind with his own spear. Swearing loudly and with no option other than leaving them both to die, Rainbow Dash flew forward, armed with nothing but that sad, pathetic little dagger held limply in a curled hoof.
Wave Chill wore a broad grin across his face as the three pegasi closed in.
Stats
Page generated in 0.102 seconds
Total duration
1,004 users online
2,064,817 hits today, 2,454,720 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Woohoo! The story, the reason I made an account on here, is updated!
Dude, I really really enjoy reading these chapters of yours. The darkness, the sudden hope, and dark again. It sends the reader on an emotional roller coaster, and it's incredible. I'm looking forward to every update, keep writing as you do! Every time, the wait is well worth it!
Thanks for authoring such a gripping tale, my friend!
Where's Scootaloo?
Very good, worth the wait. Hope the next chapter is up soon.
Why is Luna apparently so weak against a unicorn? It shouldn't even be close!
Finally I've caught up, this has gotta be one of the longest stories I've read on here so far. Not that I'm complaining.
This story is so well written and descriptive. I kept telling myself that I was gonna take a break from reading it only to reach the end of the chapter and want to continue. Can't wait for more! 
4288729 She's in the Gymkhana sewers with the and the rest of the Mane Six. This was in Escalation.
4291126
I explained about warlocks back in chapter 30, but that was awhile ago!
So Gwyndolin has incredible power, enough to rival Princess Luna. Whether or not she's also under the influence of a power boost like Wave Chill hasn't been touched upon yet. She could be hiding more power. Not to say that Luna isn't capable of more power, either.
Just another day in the life of badass Rainbow Dash.
Sorry I forgot to send you the chapter header, i'll get that to you soon
4293695 Death, pain, and thwarted escape from prison.
Dash is all 'not again!
'
4293071 I had forgotten about that. Ya read so many fanfics, you tend to forget those details.
The ending... I cant decide wether to beg you for more or try unleash as much rage as I can into this
Regardless good chapter and always with your new chapter up im back to writing mine. Don't know why but everytime you post a new chapter I get inspired
4295348 understandable, especially since these chapters take forever from me lately.
KK, you are way to awesome on writing this..
Gives me chills.
ANYWAYS!
I will probably paint the scene where RD, Soar and Spit charge Wave Chill..
It could turn out intresting.
I feel like shit hits the fan every chapter... I like it.
Shit be goin down.
swings spread,
extra letter here
4414417 Thanks.
Is it sad that I lost interest in this story all because of chapter 35?
4447696 A little. I always viewed that chapter as a potential roadblock to readers.
4448645 It's too long!
Hey sorry didn't notice you had a new chapter up loved it Btw can't wait for the next one.
Any idea how long it will be till chapter 42
4592248 I lost around 70k worth of writing (including the next chapter), so I've put it on the backburner while I pick up the pieces right now. I've switched gears to a different project that's upcoming (currently on chapter 2 with that).
I'll return to the next chapter once that's out of the way and I finalize some new ideas, since I gotta scrap the old ones.
4598047
Man that sucks but eh it happens btw did you change your account name I thought some one else wrote this?
4600818 Nope. Always been me.
4601158
Lol weird I guess I forgot your username sorry :P
4598047 You should probably change the status to hiatus so readers know that it'll be a while until the next chapter.
Is this on hyatis?
4630357
4655196
Pretty much is, yeah. I haven't started progress on replacing the lost chapter yet.
4655375
Awwwws well I was wondering so etching since this is on hold I know hat still Doesn't mean you have a lot of time but would you do me the honor of reading my first chapter of a new fic I'm writing after my editors done with it?
4655437 I don't see why not. Shoot me a PM with it when it's ready.
God longest story ive read in forever well maybe second biggest but still i hope the next one comes out soon its difficult waiting for the end to this story
I guess finish that other story if you really need to!
I know this story has been on hiatus for a while, and you may not even be checking here anymore, but you asked for feedback, and on the off-chance you're still around, I'll give it.
I think you have an excellent concept going on here, but it's execution leaves a lot to be desired. I made it up to about chapter 8 before I decided I just wasn't getting emotionally invested, which I feel would be quite necessary for a story of this nature.
The biggest problem you had is that many of the important scenes and especially a lot of the emotional development is happening off-screen. You're telling us about all these important moments that have happened between Rainbow and Scoots, but we (as the audience) aren't getting to see them. We can't truly relate to the struggles they've gone through together because we aren't really seeing what they went through.
Despite this, I stayed with the story, as I said, until Chapter 8. This is because in Chapter 7, the story just broke. She went from being almost out-of-character fawning over Soarin' to nearly hating his guts. And why did this happen?
Good question.
We didn't see it. You wrote a vague line that says something along the lines that [Soarin'] made some little comments here and there that pissed her off. But we didn't get to hear any of those lines. We just have to trust that he said something vile enough to warrant her blowing up at him, and that really destroyed what little immersion I had. For instance, what little conversation between the two of them there was, I thought Soarin' had made some very legitimate comments that anyone in his position would make. He wasn't surprised that she was in shape because he, understandably, believed that she had been pregnant many years ago, something that admittedly takes some time to get over. Then he asked why Scootaloo wasn't in a flight school instead of the one in Ponyville. Considering he couldn't have known that Scootaloo was unable to fly, that was a very valid question.
I guess my point is that I just can't understand why Rainbow got so upset with him when, in my eyes, he did nothing wrong. And granted, if anypony would blow up at someone undeservedly, it'd be Rainbow. But by that merit Soarin' should have called her out on what a bitch she was being.
My recommendation, if you ever go to continue this story, is absolutely get some additional/better pre-readers to help you show more and tell less.
5022920
I'm always here for feedback.
Before I continue with this reply, please understand that I never used an editor until about Chapter 12 or so. I'm actually working on a total rewrite of this on the side using all of the skills I've learned writing this story, my others, and working with many editors... basically, I'm aiming to ensure the quality is consistent across the board, and not just Act 2 onward.
That said...
A lot of what happened between RD and Scoots were setup to be flashbacks later in this story and bits and pieces in others. This is something I'm aiming to fix in the rewrite.
This is a very valid point of criticism and I thank you for it. If you decide to read on or instead opt to wait for the rewrite, Rainbow's faults will start becoming apparent, because she certainly has them in spades. However, that scene was an interpetation of how an ex lost her mind at me for something I had no way of knowing about prior to the altercation. The story could have definitely benefited from more examples of Soarin's habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, and upon reflection... I really don't think it's in there. He tends to be a more level-headed character at times in this story, but that inconsistency doesn't do him any favours. I'll make sure to address this, too.
Fear not, at least! I've been using ShootingStar for the vast majority of my WRTMI editing requirements, and while I don't really give him much to do (or talk to him as often as I probably should :(), he's adamanet on show vs. tell, from which I've benefited.
5023474
I have to admit, I'm a little surprised. Every time I've taken an author up on their 'please leave me criticism so I can improve' plea, I've been either ignored or justified away. Knowing that you at least intend to consider what I've said (which is all I ask anyway), I think I will continue reading, especially knowing that a rewrite is planned eventually anyway.
5025523 Much obliged, good sir.
5100462 I remember when I first discovered this story a super long time ago, I read the first 20 chapters in a day because it was so addicting
I know ive already asked this once but have you got another story or somthing? its been 25 weeks since this chapter was realsed and i kinda wanna know the progress for the next one
5143365 I lost all my progress on it, not to mention loads other stuff, which downright murdered my drive for awhile. It's only now getting back to where it was.
Chapter itself is 75-80% done, I'd reckon.
5146461 oh thanks dude sorry about the story getting destoryed wow i honestly expected no answer thanks again cant wait to see the remainder of this you did an amazing job
This story is amazing and awesome, and the incredibly simplistic cover art still puts me off...
Really, I just can't fathom how an amazing story like this, with thousands and thousands of words, who can introduce at least two new races (anubi and satyr, one of which can do friggin magic) as if they had always been there... does not have the epic cover art it deserves.
Even if it spoils the first quarter of the story (where the main plot doesn't even get hinted at), I just can't help some large poster with Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo falling down through the dark, with the Voidwalker and his (presumably) two giant wings on the horizon, in front of him Wave Chill and Gwyndolin, a lot larger than Soarin and Spitfire who are charging towards the former... With Luna/Moonlight Sonata and Rainbow's five friends in one bottom corner and Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and the outcasts in the other bottom corner.
Well, that's how I would imagine it, at least.
5152041 I've always imagined a cover to be a stylized representation of something coming later on in Act 2, but if only I had the drawing ability or the right resources to commission... ah well. I think simple has its advantages.
Also, thanks for your praises on anubi and satyrs! I think I put a lot of effort into my world building and I love feedback.
(just gotta make sure my concept of alchemy makes sense next time it crops up)
5152397
Let's see... over 400 Likes and Faves? I think you could get the resources for a commission if you wanted. Hay, I'm surprised no artist did anything to this yet.
And while I agree that simple is sometimes better, I put off reading this story for over a year just because the cover picture gave me no idea what to expect... Not anymore than the character tags would, at least.
(And if you ever encounter any plotholes... well, solving those is usually something I'm pretty good at. If you need assistance, just ask before I've forgotten all the details again. I'm a busy reader.
)
Yeah, so.....I love this story, but it's really leaving me hanging. I love cliffhangers, but not when the next chapter isn't eve posted yet. So far I love it. I've recently developed an MLP Fim obsession and since "sleepless in ponyville " is my favorite episode (still makes me cry at the end no matter how many times I watch it.) I was itching to see some fanfics with RD and Scootaloo. When I found "I'm sorry sis, Scootaloo" I was over the moon! The spanking was expected. On my part, because I saw your version on fan fiction.net. I've managed to get one of my friends hooked on this, but we're both finished with all the posted chapters, and eagerly awaiting the next one. The rest of my friends think my obsession is annoying, and I probably won't stop obsessing til this story is done. Please continue this. I'm glad I joined so I can give feedback I probably wouldn't be able to give otherwise. Please finish soon it has been a hiatus way to long in my opinion :)