Death was part of life; Celestia was well aware of this. But she refused to accept the death of her closest friend, her best advisor... her beloved. And she would do anything to get him back.
The ghosts of the past never seem to leave Tom alone. In his case, they just happen to be an angered, obsessive sun goddess, of which he wanted nothing to do with.
Celestia refused to accept the death of her Beloved. After her bloodthirsty rampage against the Changeling race, she had refused to let him go. The mere thought of it pained her. She would do anything to get him back. How far will she go? What lines will she cross?
He worked tirelessly, from dawn until dusk. He had to make a living somehow; being a carpenter was not an easy job, but it kept him going. He grimaced as his arms protested against any more sort of use; his chest ached badly, but he was used to that now. Since that kind mare had found him, she had nursed him back to health. Her name was Wisp, an older unicorn mare with an aging complexion that told of many hard times, but behind those eyes, there always seemed to be a spark of life. She wasn't a professional doctor by any means, but she had barely managed to save his life. He scratched his head at the memory of her; he still felt that he had not done enough for the mare, even to this day. When he offered her the meager amount of bits he had in his possession after he had recovered, she smiled and said that it wasn't necessary, and that he 'didn't need to worry about it'. Being as stubborn as he was, he refused to leave until he had made it up to the kind mare. For several months, he helped her around the house, doing errands and chores for her. They were happier times for him, which helped him hide the longing and sadness in his heart.
He had left Wisp in the spring time, when the snow had melted and the roads were once again clear to travel. He thanked her profusely and promised to write to her, and with that, began to walk.
He didn't really have any solid destination in mind, but he knew that the further he was from Equestria's borders, the better. After months of travelling, he had found some land that would suit him well to his needs. It was a quiet, peaceful little place, tucked away from the noise and commotion of the world around him. His home certainly wasn't anything fancy, but it was his own little piece of heaven. miles upon miles of fields surrounded his little wooden shack, isolating and gifting him with a sense of privacy.
The sun had started it slow descent into the hills, giving off an array of different hues. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold; the bright colors of the day blending into the dark tones of the sky, while stars twinkled high above. Just seeing the sun fall every day brought him bittersweet memories of the times he had with her. Times where they had held each other close, her soft kisses, and her heart melting smile, just the two of them, enjoying each other's company as the lights of the day had faded away.
But that dream was dead.
As the painful thoughts drifted through his head, he grabbed the axe and hoisted it over is shoulder, which wasn't easy for him anymore.
Wind began to drift through the forest, giving the air a chill that brought goosebumps across his skin. Zipping up his jacket, he turned and began the long trek home.
Tossing and turning, he was seating profusely. The nightmares never seemed to end. It didn't matter how far he ran from them, they always came back for him, ready to prey upon him in his most vulnerable moments. He woke with a start, frantically looking around to see if it was a dream or not; there was nothing but him and the little stuffed bear he had won at a fair some time a go. Sunlight drifted through the shabby curtains, illuminating the room in a pleasant light. A warm gentle breeze came from the window, giving off the calming scent of nature.
He groaned as he rolled out of his bed and stretched. As he scratched his scraggly beard, he knew that it was getting too long for comfort. After thoroughly stretching and allowing himself to adjust to the morning light, he began his usual morning ritual. Grabbing the corners of the bed sheets, he pulled them taunt and tucked them neatly under the bed. That was the first task of the day. The idea of a nice cup of coffee was quite alluring to him, which was what drew him to the kitchen faster than it usually did. Today was a lovely Sunday if he did say so himself. Usually, he relaxed at home with a nice book and enjoyed the views, but then he remembered he need to run a few errands into the town. Minor things, but essentials none the less.
He grasped the warm cup in his hands and slowly brought it to his mouth. Taking a small sip, the strong earthy flavor greeted his lips. There was nothing better, he thought to himself.
A few hours later found himself into the middle of the town square, admiring the scents that drifted from the various stands and bakeries scattered throughout. As he walked along the cobble road, he smiled and greeted some of the townsfolk. They nodded and returned the gesture, and continued on their way. It was a fairly large town, but everyone there knew each other like family. It reminded him a lot of his hometown, with the nature of the people and its surroundings. Trees around them had begun to turn from a bright green to a dull yellow, signaling that autumn was coming. Some of the leaves had already fallen, scattering, scraping, and dancing across the cobblestone roads as the wind blew them in various directions. As he was walking, a sheet from the local paper was caught in the wind and flew into his leg. Curious to see if there was anything happening lately, he picked it up and glanced over it. The last time he read the paper, there wasn't anything too big; just a court trial for drunken fighting at one of the local taverns where several were injured. It was quite an interesting sight to see a mess of ponies, griffins, and the like in a giant brawl from merely a few feet away. It was unfortunate for him, only because a wing flared open and knocked over his drink. Clouds began to form overhead, heralding what seemed to be rain. He walked over to a local cafe and leaned against the wall.
As he opened the paper, what he saw made his heart stop. He hadn't seen her in... years, it must have been. There was a photo of her meeting with the Griffin King, Ironclaw the Fifth. Her giant magenta eyes, her snow white coat...
Pushing that aside, his eyes jumped to the top of the paper to see the headline, and what it was about. His breathing became laboured as he tried to calm himself, all to no avail. The paper was several days old, some of the text faded, but the headline was perfectly clear:
"KING IRONCLAW AND PRINCESS CELESTIA OF THE EQUESTRIAN EMPIRE MEET TO DISCUSS GROUNDBREAKING NEWS"
The capital wasn't very far from here. He was shaking uncontrollably.
"In light of recent events, political tensions have arisen across Equis. This news comes straight from Equestria. Some of our reporters have captured live photos of the Solar Princess lay waste to the major Changeling Colony, not far from Appleoosa. Reportedly, the ground shook for several minutes and the smoke was seen from miles away. Local residents thought this to be a large fire, but were astounded as they arrived on the scene of the attack when they saw only a scorched wasteland remain. According to..."
There was no love in those eyes as he gazed upon the photo of the "kind and fair" ruler. To lay waste to an area as large as that... it wasn't like her... she couldn't have...
He quickly stuffed the article into his pocket, and began to walk at a brisk pace. The wind had suddenly become more colder, like the atmosphere around him suddenly dropped a few degrees. Nervously, he scanned around to see if there was any sign of danger apparent.
As he walked, he noticed a new copy of the local paper was available for purchase. Hastily throwing the money at the vendor, he snatched a copy and took off, to the bewilderment of the vendor. He hastily snapped it open, reading the headline. Now, he wasn't scared. No, he was beyond that. What shook him so deeply to the core that it made every cell in his body quiver, was the headline:
"KING IRONCLAW AND PRINCESS CELESTIA TO TOUR LOCAL TOWNS IN SUPPORT OF..."
He didn't even read the rest. By that time, he was long gone, sprinting down the beaten old cobble road.
There was no mistaking what he had seen; she was close. All he had worked for, his little piece of heaven, an escape from the world...was at stake. He didn't stop running until he was home. The door flew open and then was swung shut, with several locks falling into place. His exhaustion finally caught up with him, and he fell over and lay still for a long time, thinking about what had just taken place.
A groan was what woke him from his light sleep. He clutched the pitchfork in his hand, his knuckles turning white. It had been several days since he saw what had woken the pain in his heart that he had kept hidden for so long. Night had fallen to day, and day unto the night. He hadn't left his room, unless he needed to eat. Time seemed to move so slowly, yet he didn't keep track of how long had passed; he knew it was only a matter of time before he saw her again. In his nightmares, which were so vivid as of late, he always heard her seething voice, yet underneath the velvety tone lie a venom that made him seize in fear.
"Thomas..." she whispered, her once beautiful eyes now shaded a dark crimson.
This wasn't her. It couldn't have been. But then again, did Thomas really know who she was anymore? It was all fake, the love, the time they spent together... all a fake mask she displayed. How could he have been so foolish? He thought to himself bitterly. Every time the wind blew, he flinched. Never did he want to relieve such a pain; a pain that had plagued his mind even now, after so many years. Physical wounds can heal with time, but they leave will leave scars. But what she had did to him was so much more; his mind had once been a beautiful canvas of happy thoughts and memories...now...
He couldn't even answer that anymore. It was too much to think about.
Huddling deeper into the corner of the tiny hut, he drew his blankets tighter and began to weep.
***
Celestia
She stood by the window, looking into the distance. It was never any easier for her. Even more so recently. She had felt this way before, coming waves of grief and sorrow. Celestia hadn't felt this horrible, even after she had banished her younger sister for a millennia alone on the moon. No, this was something else. She loved her sister dearly, but this love was of a different kind. One she had not had for Faust knows how long.
She sighed as she lowered the sun hastily, weary from a day full of suffocating griffin nobles and the press. It was time for her to settle down for the night.
Which would have been the case, but she felt a pulse through the land. A form of magic that should no longer exist in this plane. She didn't know why, but suddenly felt an unrelenting feeling of anger. She doubted herself, thinking that it wasn't possible. It couldn't be; how could she feel changeling magic when they were all dead? The magic signature came from the north,and even though it was incredibly subtle, she could still feel it; a parasitic form of foul magic. It was late, she thought to herself, deal with it tomorrow. It was difficult to calm her rage. It was all because of them that she had lost her Beloved. With a snarl, she stomped her hoof and stormed away from the window. She would deal with this tomorrow; it was late into the night by the time she had calmed herself. But yet she couldn't sleep, knowing that there were more of the horrid monsters about. She consoled herself in the fact that they would be dealt with in the way that they had shown mercy to her love: there would be no mercy. At least there was that ideal that the Griffin King agreed with. Putting the stubborn old bird aside, she lay her head down as she fruitlessly tried to sleep.
***
Thomas
It had been long enough. Perhaps he was overreacting? It was a possibility. An unlikely one, but a possibility nonetheless. A constant state of paranoia was what kept him going so long; it had nearly been a week since this mess had first started. Food was getting low, which Thomas wasn’t too concerned about. Rationing would have to begin, and water was always readily available from the river about 10 minutes away. Slowly, Thomas rose to his feet, shaking the sawdust off of his stiff legs. Perhaps he really was being foolish. Hell, maybe she had already left. Either way, he needed to go into town sometime soon.
A sharp knock rang through the house. His heartbeat started racing. Could it really be her?
“Hey Thomas, ya in there? Just wanted to make sure you were alright. Haven’t seen ya in a few days,” came the voice of the local deputy.
Thomas let out a sigh of relief. He quietly walked over to the door, and unlocked it. The door opened to reveal an elderly griffin with grey plumage and rich brown eyes.
“I’m alright. I just...wasn’t feeling the greatest the last few days.” The deputy looked him over. Concern was quite evident in his face.
“Are ya feeling any better? You look like ya just saw a ghost or somethin’,”
‘Well, I technically thought I did,’ thought Thomas.
“I assure you,” began Thomas, “I’m alright. Just a common cold is all.”
The deputy stretched his wings and looked around the house.
“Well, I’ll head back and tell everyone you’re alright then. Folks were worried about ya, ya know.”
Thomas smiled, genuinely surprised by the comment. “Thanks, Deputy. It’s nice to know that people care.” He showed the griffin to the door, while deeply expressing his thanks. “I really do appreciate it, Deputy.”
The Deputy smiled and nodded as he left.
Thomas stood in the doorway, watching the Deputy walk away. People were concerned about him. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to himself. But what was he supposed to do now? He had to go into town eventually, but the problem was the Royal Guards. Since he had disappeared, there had been non-stop searching for him. He cursed the primitive technology here; he could really use a delivery service right about now. He sighed. It was inevitable; he’d have to find a way to keep concealed if he was going to go into town.
***
Celestia
It hadn’t stopped. The magic trace had been bothering her non stop; it was like a dull throb that wasn’t necessarily painful, but was more annoying than anything. She woke to feel the same throb. Magic was quite the tangible substance if you knew what you were doing. There were several different ways to manipulate it; she remembered Twilight being set loose in the archives at the castle, and then not resurfacing for days at a time.
She trotted over to the window, staring off into the distance at the quiet town several miles away. It truly was a beautiful view. The sun rising into the sky, casting a warm glow onto the rivers, valleys, and the trees. A small smile formed on her face. It was little moments like this that meant so much to her. Small fragments of her endless life where she could be at peace with the world, if only for a moment. Her entire world, which seemed to be going by very fast, would slow down for a minute, and she was able to take a breath, and relax without the thought of all the work that needed to be done looming over her like an executioner. It was always like this; it seemed like whenever there was a moment to relax, there was always something else to do. Such was the job of a princess, and a co-ruler of a country. But when she did get the small chances to enjoy life for what it was, she always appreciated it. It always brought joy to her heart to see Thomas sneak through the balcony window with a little snack for her. The guards weren't to fond of him, considering all the mayhem he had caused when he had first come to Equestria. If she remembered right, there were several guards hospitalized. All that mess because he somehow found the kitchen and was hungry. Whatever it was, it smelled good. She hadn’t genuinely smiled since she lost Thomas. Thomas… suddenly she snapped out of her daze as the pulsing began to speed up. It must be him. It must be. Could she just be getting ahead of herself? No. It wasn’t possible. She hadn’t felt anything like it in a very long time. Her goal set, the great solar equine lept from the balcony, gliding towards the small town that lay far into the distance in the morning sun.
***
Thomas
"Goddamn fucking bugs," Thomas swore as he swatted the insects away from his nose for the umpteenth time. This had been going on all morning. It seemed logical to try to hide in the woods, trailing alongside the road. It also seemed stupid, because it took him considerably longer to get to town, and there wasn't anyone to be seen. And when he did end up getting to town, he got a couple of odd looks for stumbling out of the woods when there was a perfectly good road a foot away.
What followed was an hour of quickly running from stall to stall to get what he needed. No one asked too many questions as to why he was covering his face. If they did, he just said that he was "sick, and didn't want to spread the cold". It seemed to sate the questioning glances he got, which worked fine for him.
Apples were the next thing on the list. A friend of his sold them in the northern section of the market. They were cheap, but pretty good. As he was walking back, he became aware of a weight upon his shoulders. When he turned to look behind him, no one was there. But still the pressure remained. Sweat began to pour down his brow. It seemed the sun had shone a bit harsher on him, which was odd considering it was Fall. A thought occurred, and he really hoped he was wrong. He began to walk faster. Everywhere he looked there seemed to be more and more guards by the minute. No, no, no... he really hoped this wasn't happening.
It was then when he saw her in her regal glory; Princess Celestia. She walked slowly down the street, looking around the area, as if she was looking for something. When she got closer more and more ponies and griffins bowed. It seemed like he was the only one who wasn't. It was at that moment when she turned her head exactly in his direction, all he could do was stare as her eyes studied him intently. The air was still; no one moved. She took a tentative step forward; he stepped back. It was then when his survival instincts kicked in. He turned and ran as fast as his legs could take him.
***
Celestia
Who was this thing? And why did it remind her of...Thomas? Was it really him? She couldn't believe it. She had finally found him. But...he was running? She angrily huffed and shouted "Guards! Seize him!" He wouldn't escape her. Not again. She would make sure of it. After so long, she couldn't bear to lose her Beloved again.
He hadn’t stopped running for the last 20 minutes or so. The only thing that was keeping him going was the feeling of pure fear in his heart.. His scar began to hurt again, and it hadn’t for a while. She was close. Yet, even though the guards were faster, had wings, and magic, he was still eluding them. Somehow. Ahead of him was the forest, which lead back to the farm, and his home. Swinging himself around the corner, he jumped to avoid yet another stall that was in his way. Thomas found that ponies weren’t very flexible, or very good at hurdling over things. This was proven to be true when one of the guards ran straight into the stall. It was definitely an odd discovery, but one that he couldn't think about right now. Sweat poured from his brow as he weaved to and fro to avoid his pursuers. Faces blurred as he ran. Griffins and ponies alike were shouting and yelling as he burst through the busy streets. Ahead, he saw a large group of ponies and griffins that had all gathered around a large stage by the town hall. The mayor of the town seemed to be addressing the townsfolk. It was the perfect getaway option; get in among the crowd, make yourself small, and get away when it’s safe to do so. Quickly, he found his opening into the crowd and began to make his way towards the butcher’s shop; if he could get there, then he would be able to sneak around back and get back to the pathway home. From there, he would figure out what the next step was. Even though most of the time he was not fond of his short stature, he was quite thankful to be the way he was right now. He was still taller than most griffins and ponies around, but he was able to somewhat fit in. As he moved among the crowd, he dare not look behind him, because they’d be able to see his face if he did. Various difference fragrances wafted about; perfumes, colognes, different fruits, vegetables, and baked goods. He moved slowly, careful not to draw attention to himself. Eventually, after squeezing through the large crowd, he slipped behind the old butcher’s shop. It wasn’t the most well-kept spot, but it was part of a family business. It was only after he was behind the shop that he turned around and gave himself a chance to look at his pursuers. There were several guards combing through the crowd, trying to find Thomas (which, in reality, shouldn’t be that hard considering he’s an alien), and several more circling the sky, like vultures. The area behind him leading towards his home looked to be clear, but it probably would be the best option to take the woods again.
After waiting 5 minutes to make sure he wasn’t being followed (or hadn’t been seen by anybody), he quickly moved to the dense brush ahead of him. It was only once he was well hidden, that he let out a heavy sigh. He lay still for a very long time, watching the guards scamper about in an attempt to find him.
***
Celestia
“How did you lose him? He’s literally an alien! No one else looks like him!” hollered the Lieutenant.
The troop of guards tried to look shameful, but it wasn’t working out very well. The Lieutenant sighed and rubbed his hoof against his forehead. This was going to be painful. After dismissing the troop, he made his way to the princesses’ private room, where two Centurion guards were posted. They always managed to get under his skin. They never moved. It wasn’t like the regular guard-type of not moving, but like a dead-type of not moving. He slowly raised his hoof to knock, but he heard a gentle voice ring through the door.
“Come in.”
Taken aback, the Lieutenant was startled for a moment. Then, after gathering himself, he entered the room. The Princess of the Sun stood at the mirror, staring at her own reflection in a deep state of meditation. The Lieutenant swallowed and stepped forward, suddenly feeling a heavy weight upon his shoulders.
“Am I correct in my assumption that you were not able to detain him, Lieutenant Flare?” said the Princess in a monotone voice.
“My apologies, Your Grace,” said Flare, “The Human is evasive, and we had a very difficult time tracking him. For some reason, the tracking spells would not work due to magical interference from an unknown source.”
Celestia was quiet for a minute. “And the pegasi squadron?”
“Reported the same. The Human…”
“Thomas,” the Princess snapped, anger quickly rising in her tone, “His name is Thomas, and you will do well to address him as such.”
“But of course, Your Majesty,” Flare gulped, “forgive me. I will remember that.”
The Princess didn’t move from the mirror. She already had an idea in mind that needed to be done.
“Dismissed,” she said simply.
***
Thomas
He didn’t know how long he was waiting for. Obviously it was several hours, because the sun was quickly descending behind the horizon. Now seemed like the best time to move, but not before looking around the area one last time. It seemed that the guards were leaving, hopefully giving up. It was 5 minutes later when he finally made his move, slowly rising to a crouching position. Looking around one more time, it seemed to be clear. Then, he slowly began the walk back home, pondering what had happened earlier that day.
***
The sun had set long before Thomas returned home. The night sky was covered in diamonds of light. The moon was like a centrepiece of the sky, drawing the eyes to the white glow. Crickets softly chirped and jumped as he made his way through the path in the field. Relief overcame him when his humble abode came into view; he was due for a long rest tonight. It would be a well earned rest. As he got closer, he began to think about what he saw earlier. It was almost surreal; he thought she would leave him alone. After all, to most ponies in Canterlot, it was known how and when the Human had died When he walked up the steps to the wooden house, the door was slightly ajar. He made sure it was locked when he had originally left; he never left home without locking the door. There was something definitely wrong here. Instead of going through the main entryway, Thomas went around the back door. As he entered, he grabbed the pitchfork from the corner of the room. Quietly, he crept over to the torches and lit one. Nothing seemed out of place. There wasn't any noticeable difference from when he had left. Originally, he thought that he had been robbed, or it was some animal from the forest. To his left he heard a noise that was so quiet, it almost wasn't there. Thomas called out,
"Hello? Who's there? I just want to..."
But before he could finish, Thomas felt a heavy hit in the stomach, which made him recoil in pain. The pitchfork went clattering onto the floor as Thomas held his bruised abdomen. In the dim light of the torch, he saw several figures advance towards him. One of them swung for his head, and the other lunged forward with a baton. Thomas quickly threw up an arm in defense of the oncoming attack, and swung with the other to disable the figure. The second figure crashed into Thomas and began to beat him savagely. Gathering his strength, Thomas threw off his attacker and stood up into a defensive position. From what he could see, they wore some kind of armor, but he couldn't tell who they served based on what they wore. Suddenly, Thomas felt like all energy was drained from him. He looked down to see a dart protruding from his chest. Rage suddenly overcame him and he rushed towards his attackers with new motivation. One unfortunate bastard got a uppercut and fell over. Another was given a firm kick in the head. Then, the world became distorted, and Thomas felt nauseated. It was incredibly hard to stay upright, and he felt himself fall over onto the cold wooden floor of his home. Thomas felt his stomach lurch as he was picked up and thrown at the wall of his home, breaking the shelves of his kitchen pantry that he spent so long making. Everything in his view was blurry; all he could see were outlines of the figures in the torchlight... They were... Griffins? They weren't strong enough to throw him, nor did they have the balance. It was then that he knew who they were, when a white light filled his view.
"It's good to see you again, my old friend," said a snide voice.
It was dark when Thomas awoke. There wasn’t any light, no matter where he looked. In an attempt to wipe the sleep from his eyes, Thomas tried to lift his arm, only to find that it was secured in place. He had been restrained... but why? When did it happen? He sat there for a while, thinking about how he got into this mess, but all he could remember was the need to go into town to get food. That’s right, he went into town...but what happened there?
He slumped back against the wall and sighed. Since he had woken up, the aching had gradually grown worse the more he gained consciousness. Pain scorched up his back and front as he tried to adjust himself in his restraints. When he looked around, there was still nothing but the blanket of darkness. Water dripped in a continuous stream somewhere in the corner. With nothing else to do, he hung his head and reminisced of the past.
Celestia
It wasn’t the most gentle form of persuasion, but the job was done. The Recovery Team could have been a tad less aggressive, but then again, it really didn't matter any more. All she had to do was bring him back to Canterlot…nay, his home, and then they would be together again. Celestia, the ruler of the Sun and Co-Ruler of Equestria finally had what she wanted. Yet, inside, she felt her stomach knot; was it right of her to do that? Did it really even matter if it was right? Shaking her head, Celestia turned to the door, and grabbed the golden doorknob with her own magic. The day was slowly beginning to sink into the night, as the sky turned to a stunning display of rose and amber hues splashed across the sky. Ambient lights from the windows illuminated the hallway. Things had certainly changed since the last time she had been here. Celestia smiled as she remembered the last time she had ventured this far North; it had been a ‘break’ for her with her love. Of course, it was a business trip, yet it was comforting to have him with her. Thomas would always take the time to sit down and listen to her troubles, and ease any impending fears or troubles she had. He was such a good listener...
But now, he would not willingly listen to her for obvious reasons. Life was never easy, not for a Princess of the Sun. All she wanted was to be with him, caress him just once more, to hold him and cherish each moment she had with him again. As much as she longed for those times again, she would have to wait. She had other matters to deal with; one does not commit a genocide and have it go unnoticed.
As Celestia slunk down the halls of the Royal Equestrian Embassy, she glanced at the numerous paintings that had adorned the walls. There were many that depicted some grandiose battle from years long past. The Battle of the Scepter, The War of the Witches… victory had never come at an easy price. It never really did. Even now, with the Changeling rage exterminated like the vermin they were, political tensions had grown tenfold. While the Griffins and Minotaurs were thankful to not have to put up with anymore kidnappings, the display of power Equestria had shown had proven that Equestria was no longer fearful, or soft, and would not hesitate to display that power again at a moments notice. Thoughts of trade promises and negotiations flew through her head as she continued to tread down the hallway.
Thomas
It was a sharp clang on the metal bars of his cell that awoke him from his slumber. An urgent voice called at him.
“Hey, you!”
Thomas’s head was still pounding, and he could tell that he was severely dehydrated. Turning to the noise, he flinched as his eyes adjusted to see a bright light in from of his cell. It was a guard holding a torch surrounded in a rich green glow.
“Water,” he managed to rasp out of his parched lips, “Please. Water.”
The guard looked at him impassively, and then frowned. “Do you want to get out of here?”
And with a flash of green magic, a scarred changeling stood in front of him. It looked to be an average drone, not much more taller than the average pony. As it began to move closer to the bars, he could make out many scars from the past that had obviously not healed well. The changeling's characteristically jagged horn had a large portion missing near the tip. It fixated Thomas with its dull blue eyes.
“I said, do you want to get out of here?” he asked again, this time with less patience then before.
One thing that Thomas had learned was that skepticism was definitely a good thing. “How can I trust you won’t try kill me,” he whispered, “because that’s exactly what happened I let my guard down around one of you freaks.” Thomas was scowling now, a look of pure hatred evident on his face.
“I don’t have time for this shit. You remember when you were stabbed? Well, the Queen left some of her magic within you. I came looking for her by following her magical signature, but it seems I’ve been disappointed.” the changeling scoffed at him.
Thomas snarled at him, “and how is that supposed to help me? I’ve been here for god knows how long.”
“What is the one thing Changelings are known for? Hint: it’s in our name. You have just this one chance to get out of here before you won’t be able to step a foot away from her without her knowing.” The stranger looked to his left and to his right, making sure that no one had overheard him. “I can get you out. Do you want to sit here and rot, or have the ability to make your own decisions for yourself?”
He thought for a period of time. After considering having to back to her again...
“Fine,” Thomas answered, feeling like he would regret his decision. “Do what you need to.”
The stranger quickly set to work, selecting a large grey key from the keying and navigated it into the lock. Within seconds, the great iron cell door swung open, and the stranger entered the cell. He set to work on the restraints, and one by one, they all came off. Soon enough, Thomas was standing and rubbing his aching wrists.
"Come now, we don't have much time here. We must be quick before we are noticed by the patrol." the stranger gestured towards the dungeon entry way that was illuminated by a set of torches. "You're too weak right now to be able to Shift, so I'll have to disguise you with a spell. Thankfully, doing so should not be too difficult." the stranger explained quietly, as he peeked around the corner. "This way."
They snuck through the thankfully empty halls, checking around each and every corner they passed. It was a slow process, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Thomas couldn't help but feel like he was doing something wrong, like he was committing some crime. To be fair, he thought, he was, yet it was for his own personal safety. And his own sanity.
The pair navigated their way towards the barracks. Oddly enough, Thomas heard no voices. "Hey," Thomas hissed, "aren't we trying to, you know, get away from them? It seems pretty suicidal if we go to the place where they're most likely to be!"
"Quiet!" the Changeling hissed back, "they're probably all passed out drunk already. I've been watching their rotations for some time now. As soon as their shift is over, they drink themselves into a coma. It's a Friday night, so what else are they going to do?"
Griffins were notorious drunks, from what Thomas had heard.
There were no voices to be heard in the barracks. It was entirely barren, thankfully. Each of them grabbed a weapon in case things went sour. There were plenty of options available; unfortunately, Thomas was definitely not a fighter. He settled with a regular sword that wasn't too fancy. He just wanted something that could do what he needed it to. The stranger grabbed a set of knives and a Minotaur-made crossbow that was able to work for equine races.
"While we're here and have the time, we might as well disguise ourselves now." The stranger's outer chitin faintly shined green for a minute before he turned into an average griffin scout. "Your turn."
There was an odd sensation for a moment, as if he were submerged in a pool of water for a second, and then it was over. Glancing down, he was surprised to see that nothing had changed. Upon seeing the questioning look on his partner's face, the stranger simply said, "Illusion Magic. You can see yourself for what you are, but a field of magic distorts what others see. Shall we go?"
Thomas fixed his sword belt to his waist and nodded.
Acres upon acres of land of the freshest grass came to view. A cloud lazily drifted in the midday sky, making its way across the endless horizon. He breathed; the air here was pure, and clean. He was at peace. An oak tree lay a short distance away, swaying with the rhythm of the wind. Slowly, he shuffled through the grass to make his way over to the weathered tree. He felt the cracks in the bark as he ran his fingers across the tree. Looking up, there was a nest snugly tucked away into a hole. A bright coloured bird glided into the hole, presumably looking after it’s own young. Leaning back against the tree, he slid down and sat there for a moment. Life was still. Life had no rush; only the flow of nature at its own pace could be observed. It was beautiful; sometimes the simplest things could be the most unappreciated. He lay there for a while, dreaming.
He awoke with a chill. Leaves of crimson, orange and yellow were scattered across the floor of the tree. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he looked up to see the tree naked of it’s colours; a husk of it’s former beauty. The nest was long gone; it had fallen to the ground long ago. He rose to his feet slowly, and looked around him. The former beauty that had once enthralled him had long decayed into nothing. A partly green leaf with speckled shades of red floated by, and was carried into the wind. He watched as it was carried away, letting the forces of nature guide it’s final course.
Thomas woke to his companion smacking him on the head with a mossy stick.
“The fuck was that for, you overgrown gnat?”
“What do you think? We need to keep moving. If they didn’t know before, they do by now. Ergo, let’s go. Preferably now.”
“You know I’ll need a minute to get up. Not everyone loves mornings as much as you do.”
“What does that mean?”
Thomas inhaled, and sighed. “Forget it.”
Rolling over onto his back, he took a minute to look up, recalling the dream he had. Dreams were fickle things that he never quite understood. It was like trying to reach for understanding for something that just wasn’t there.
“Take your time. Not like we have anywhere to be. Well, I mean, you do, but I don’t think you want to go back. So get up already.”
“Fuck off.” Thomas grumbled, and rose to his feet, brushing the twigs and dirt off his tattered clothing.
“Do you even know where we’re going?” he asked the changeling, who was currently taking in their environment.
The changeling paused for a moment, before responding, “No. Not really. Anywhere but here is best for now. Once we’re safe, we’ll assess that.”
“Fine by me.”
Sunlight broke through the trees, illuminating their campsite. It wasn’t much, but at least Tom managed to get a fire started. So that was something. It didn’t take long for them to have everything squared away for their travel, due to the fact that they had nothing except for their gear. They set out through the forest, hoping to come across an establishment of some sort. As time began to pass, Tom realized he knew next to nothing about his companion.
“I don’t think I ever got your name. We’ve been travelling together for nearly a week now.”
The changeling looked at Tom with his grotesquely large blue eyes, which, frankly, still bothered Tom even now.
“I don’t really have a name. In the hives, we associated with pheromones and smell as opposed to names. It seemed pointless.”
Tom spent the next few minutes racking his head for any synonyms for smell. It didn’t work.
“Well, instead of just calling you changeling, would Shift work?”
The changeling pondered for a minute, and asked, “what is the significance of that?”
“It’s just another term for change. I figured it worked.”
“Fine by me.”
They were now following a small creek that ran parallel to a well trodden path. It was now mid-afternoon, with a chill slowly beginning to settle into the air.
“Why not stop here and rest for a while? We’ve been travelling all day. Plus, I’m thirsty as hell,” Tom suggested.
“That’s fine, but we shouldn’t stay too long,” Shift said.
“Right,” Tom replied, “also, I’ve been meaning to ask you, what do you eat?”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean, what do changelings eat?”
“We eat feelings -”
“Don’t we all,” Tom muttered under his breath. “Have you not been starving this entire time?”
“Well…” Shift began, “yes.”
“If you were that hungry, you could have said something.”
Shift looked at Tom with an inquisitive face. “Are you not bothered by this?”
“I mean, not really. Everybody’s gotta eat. You can have some of mine, even though I have no idea how that really works.”
A flicker of a grateful look crossed Shift’s mostly impassive face. “I’d appreciate that.”
They settled amidst a dense canopy of trees. Tom slid off his sword holster and gear, and turned to face Shift.
“So how does it work?”
Shift walked over towards Tom. “Think of something that makes you feel a certain way. Something that provokes an emotion. In your most recent case that shouldn’t be too hard.”
“Fuck you. Any certain preference?”
“Love fills us up the most.”
“Don’t have much of that left, but I’ll see what I can do.”
A look of concentration crossed Tom’s face. A thought popped to mind of his childhood dog, of which he had spent many happy years with.
Shift’s horn piece began to glow a rich emerald green colour. “That should be fine.”
There was a slight tug on Tom’s conscience, and then as quickly as it came, it was gone.
“So how long should that keep you full?”
“Usually, it depends on how strong the emotion is. What I got from you should last a week.”
The sun was slowly beginning to fall. In an hour or so, they would be covered in darkness. “What’s the plan from here?” Tom asked, “should we keep going or set up camp for the night?”
“The nearest village is another day’s walk away. Assuming news of them looking for a large hairless monkey hasn’t spread, we should be fine. The last time I was there, the village mostly consisted of wandering travellers, like a melting pot of everyone.”
“Ah,” Tom replied, “do you have any indication of where we are?”
“Somewhere near the border of the Everfree.”
Tom nearly choked on his drink. “Are you trying to tell me we’ve spent the last week running haphazardly through the Everfree? What the fuck!”
Shift snorted. “Get a grip. We went the safest way, along the border and tracking shortcuts along well trodden roads.”
Tom let out a heavy sigh. “Well, we aren’t dead yet, so I guess that’s something. Let’s start setting up for the night.”
The duo began to settle in. “I’m going to get firewood.” Tom rose and disappeared into the dense brush.
Shift sat alone. He began to recall how everything had gotten to this point. Sure, freedom from the hive was nice, but at the price he had to pay? He had spent much time debating this. He sighed as his own thoughts began to plague him once more.
Fire and brimstone reigned from above. A white flash as hot as the sun struck the ground with such tremendous force. Shift could only watch as everything he ever knew had disappeared before his own eyes. Smoke clouded the skies. The hive mind was screaming in pain, the young, the old. This was not war, this was genocide. There were no prisoners. None were safe.
Shift had only just returned from a reconnaissance mission, to see his home ablaze. It was as if he had walked straight into the macabre heart of Tartarus itself. The dune he sat up seemed to fade around him as he was overwhelmed by the pain of the hive mind. The worst part was he felt every single thing as it happened. He could only watch in horror as the life he had lived burned to nothing. His mind raced with questions, but for every one that came to mind, he couldn’t answer. He had heard of other nests being obliterated and had known that it was only a matter of time before the impending doom would fall upon his own nest. He sat there on that dune for a while. What was he supposed to do? There were no survivors. The attackers had made sure of that. It was quiet now, there was no screaming. There was no pain. Only a numb feeling of being hollow inside. He could see the lingering trails of emotion dispersing in the air. Terror, fear, anger, and sorrow. Shift stood. He took his fill of the emotion in the air, and began to walk away.
Tom waded through the thick of the brush, looking for fallen trees. It was apparent that It hadn’t rained here recently. The weather of the Everfree was always unpredictable. Hell, it snowed sometimes. After a few minutes, Tom had gathered an armload of dry firewood. Mind you, he wasn’t the best at making fires. It mainly came from trial and error. Turning to head back to the campsite, he began to walk when he heard the noises of the forest come to life. It wasn’t a particularly good spot to find himself in, so he began to pick up his pace. He broke through the bush to find Shift lost in thought. Not wanting to impose on him, he began to set to work on the fire. There wasn’t much to it, just setting a small base and putting logs on when that caught. Soon enough, there was a fire started. The campsite was illuminated with it’s warm glow. The pair sat in silence as the fire crackled.
“Shift.”
The changeling in question snapped back to reality. “Hm?”
“I was meaning to ask you about a few things.”
“Ask away.”
Tom turned to look at Shift. “When you first found me, you mentioned that you detected a trace of changeling magic within me. What did you mean by that?”
Shift, for his part, was just as confused. “I can't really explain it. I mentioned that changelings can detect each other with smell, but magical signature as well. You had the Queen’s magical signature with you. If you don’t mind me asking, when did you meet the Queen?”
Tom jerked at the memory. Raising his hand to his chest, he reminisced of the day that started it all.
“It wasn’t so much a… meeting, per se.”
“...oh?”
“I was once the lover of Prin-... Celestia. One day, the Queen decided to attack Canterlot in an attempt to feed off the emotions of the civilians.”
Shift looked away in shame. “That.. was not our proudest moment.”
“Were you starving that badly?”
There was a large sigh. “Yes. We cannot eat material things, just emotion. There were nearby towns and villages that we would feed upon, but it wasn’t ever enough.”
“Ah. That makes sense then.”
“Myself, I never took part in the actual raid. I was elsewhere.”
Tom looked down, and thought for a minute. “It was a massacre. She never once held back after that…”
“You mean the genocide of my race?”
“Yes. She wasn’t ever like that,” Tom replied, “She was once loving and kind. After… the meeting with the queen, she changed into something hideous. Something I couldn’t love.”
Anger flashed through Shift’s mind. “She is a tyrant, a vile being. To preach friendship and love, only to turn and strike the defenceless down. Not only did she strike us down, she damn near killed every single changeling in her mad crusade. I am, as far as I know, the last of my kind.”
“Yeah,” Tom replied, “I understand how you feel. Welcome to my world.”
Shift stared into the light of the fire, which was slowly beginning to putter out. “You never answered my question about meeting the queen.”
Tom stood and walked over to the pile of sticks. Throwing one in the fire, he walked back over and sat down.
“She tried to kill me. Stabbed me in the chest. I fell to what I thought was my death. Turns out, fate had other plans, and here we are.”
Silence hung over the pair like a fog.
“That’s probably why I sensed her magic within you.”
“I’m glad you reached that conclusion. I’m proud of you.”
“Do you have to be an ass all the time?” Shift retorted.
“No,” Tom smiled, “Just most of the time. Gotta keep things interesting.”
“Yes, your Majesty. We have completed scans of the surrounding area, but there have been no signs of him. As you know, we have informed the public of his status as a fugitive. We have set up posters as you instructed.”
“That is not enough. I want double the effort. Raise the bounty on his head. I want him alive,” she paused, “however, should he resist… gentle convincing is warranted.”
“Yes, your Majesty.”
“Leave me.”
The guardsmen bowed to her, and promptly turned and left the grand throne room. Celestia, high ruler of Equestria, sat on her throne, pondering the days gone by. There was a knock on the tall oak doors, which broke her from her reverie.
“Enter,” she called.
The doors slowly opened to reveal a battle mage, adorned with various trinkets and weaponry. He silently approached the throne, and knelt before her. A smile crossed her face. Presumably good news?
“Report.”
“Your Majesty,” the mage spoke in a rumbling tone, “your sister has not yet been located. She was last seen fleeing the castle a day after your task, heading Northbound. The council suspects cloaking magic, hiding her trail and magical signature. As you know, this makes it rather difficult.”
Celestia reclined in her throne. “She will make her way back here eventually. She is not my absolute priority right now. Are there any updates on the Human?”
The mage lifted his head. “Yes, your Grace. We have retrieved an old sample of his blood, which can be used in coordination with the Bloodhound spell. However, we do not have access to the forbidden Archives-”
“Granted. Use any means necessary.”
“That is all, your Majesty.”
“Dismissed.”
The mage left the room, with ghostlike steps. The great oak doors swung shut once more, and the Princess was alone once again.
It was times like this, in idle moments, where she was the most restless. There was a hunger for what had consistently eluded her for so long. She grew tired of these games Thomas was playing with her. That’s all they were; mere childish games. After all, she would soon find herself into a checkmate with him. How does one run from the Sun, when it’s always there. She chuckled to herself, a wretched sound. It would all be over soon.
Tom and Shift drew closer to the village; the little huts and buildings grew closer into view.
“Would a disguise not be the best idea for you?” Tom suggested,“There may be some who attack you on sight.”
Shift concentrated, and in a burst of green fire, he became a nobody.
“You’re really lucky to be able to do that,” Tom grumbled.
“You may be able to do it. At least, partly,” Shift began, “You have a large enough concentration of our magic, the Queen’s, within you, to be able to do so.”
Tom was shocked. “Really? Well, I have little to no magic experience whatsoever, so we’ll see about that.”
By no means was the village extraordinary. It resembled a mere outpost for those who came through on their travels.
As they entered the town gate, Tom noted the location of the nearest pub. It struck him that they don’t have any money.
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unless you have a bit bag up your ass, we’re broke,” Tom stated.
Shift reached in his saddle bags, only to turn up nothing.
“Would you object to finding a small job?” Shift suggested, “It would be a decent way to make a quick bit.”
“Fine by me. There’s a post board over that way. Maybe we’ll find what we’re looking for over there.”
They made their way to the board and started reading potential job options. One listing caught Tom’s eye.
“There’s a listing here for… moving bags of wheat? Sounds easy enough to me.”
Shift looked at the offer. “Doesn’t seem too difficult. Let’s find this… ‘Baked Bread’ fellow.”
It didn’t take too long to find Bread, as he had a little stand in the market. As they approached him, he didn’t seem to notice them. Tom and Shift watched as the baker went about his business.
“Excuse me, you wouldn’t happen to be Mr. Bread Baker? We’re here about the listing.”
Bread’s attention shifted to the large monkey and a pony he had never seen before.
“Ah, yes. I can’t say I’ve seen either of you around these parts before,’ Bread asked, “What brings you around here?”
Tom looked to Shift expectantly. “Um… we’re just passing through. We came looking for a way to make a couple bits for the road.”
Bread seemed to accept that answer. “Alrighty then. Just follow me. You said you’re travellers?”
“Yes. We roam from town to town looking for employment.” Tom added.
Shift internally groaned. ‘Obviously, you haven’t done this before…’
Bread led them to a farm a few minutes away from his storefront. “All I need you to do is just move these bags to where we were before. Sound simple enough?”
There was a mountain of wheat bags before them. Tom reached over and picked one up. It was the shape of a pillow, but a lot damn heavier.
“That’s fine. What can we expect for pay?”
Bread pondered for a minute. “You say you’re travellers? I can put you up for the night with food free of charge and give you 75 bits a piece.”
Tom was surprised; it was more than they were expecting. “That’s fine by us. If you don’t mind, we’ll get to work.”
“Alright. Thanks for the help. Come find me when you’re done, I’ll have dinner ready around 6 or so.” As Bread began to walk back to his store, Shift piped up, “Well, that’s pretty good if you ask me.”
“I’d say,” Tom agreed, “but this is going to suck.”
They spent the next several hours filling a cart with as much as they could before making the journey back to the town. As they worked, Shift noted how quiet this town seemed to be. There wasn’t any real Equestrian Guard presence here. This was a great relief to him, but he knew it was only a matter of time before the guards would arrive and comb through the town.
Many wheat bags later, the two found themselves back at the storefront. Bread was found inside tending to a stew.
“Thanks again for the help. It would have taken me forever. Pay and food is on the table in the back.”
The duo walked, well, Tom basically ran, to the back room to find a hot bowl of stew and, unsurprisingly, bread, on the table and two small leather pouches. Tom attacked the bowl without regard for where he was, and Shift looked onward in amusement. Bread came into the room a few minutes later. “Well, how was it?”
Tom, now sporting an empty bowl and plate, gave his utmost approval in the form of an obnoxiously loud belch. Shift had not touched his plate.
“We thank you for the meal. My companion here,” Shift indicated Tom, who was still enjoying himself, “are quite tired from the day’s work. Would you mind directing us to our rooms?”
“Up the stairs and to the left. You’ll have to share a room. I hope that’s not an issue,” Bread offered.
“Not at all. Thanks again for all of this.”
“Oh, it’s no problem at all. And… Tom, was it? There’s seconds if you would like. They’re just in the kitchen. If that’s all, I wish you both a good night. If there is anything you need, please let me know.
At the sound of seconds, Tom basically jumped. Shift could only shake his head in disbelief of his companion.
Bread left soon after, and the two were left alone again.
“Since when did you become such a glutton?”
“Stuff it. If you could eat this stuff, you’d have the same reaction as I did. Plus, there is nothing I can think of that’s better than a home cooked meal. And bread. Especially from a guy named Bread Baker.”
Shift just stared at him for a moment. “You can have my plate.”
Again, he was surprised how quickly the bowl moved to the other side of the table. Tom was, once again, inhaling the stew like it was going to run away. He sighed and left to go to their room.
“Guards are here. We need to leave. Now.” Shift was already dressed to leave.
“Fuck.” Tom rolled out of bed and threw all of his gear on in a daze, tripping over the bed sheets.
Shift began to look anxious. “There’s no time for-” a knock rang through the house. “Fuck!” he hissed. “Let’s go!”
Tom's heart began to beat in his head. How were they here so fast? He wasn't a difficult person to pick out in a crowd, but they had only arrived yesterday. He looked around the room for something to cover himself. In the corner was a cloak that looked to be long enough for him. He threw it over his shoulders; a tad bit short, but there wasn't much that could be done about it. The two looked at each other.
“Window?”
“Window."
"Easy for you to say, you have wings.”
“Then get with everyone else and evolve. Let’s go already.”
Shift changed into yet another random pegasus, and flew to the window. The sound of a door opening could be heard from below. Tom began to panic. He pulled the cloak over his head, and soon followed after Shift, climbing through the frame of the window and lowering himself into the bushes below. He peered slightly into the kitchen window to see the staple armour of the Equestrian guard, except something off about these ones…
“Praetorians… shit,” Shift noted, “If we didn’t already have a reason to leave, then there’s another.”
It was still early morning, which meant that sneaking about the village would not be an easy task. to undertake. Upon surveying the surrounding area, they both saw several guards at several different homes, inquiring to the villagers about a ‘tall, lanky, and mostly hairless ape’, while showing them a piece of paper, of which Tom assumed was a photograph.
“Shift,” Tom hissed, “they know what we look like. We spent enough time making those trips yesterday; everyone here knows about us. We need to get out of this town, or we're gonna have to deal with... them.”
Praetorians were the Guard’s version of special operators. From his time with Celestia, Tom knew how bad this situation was. The Praetorians began to move about the town again, moving house to house. Through the window they were currently hiding under, they heard Bread speaking with the Guards. “...they were here, yeah… worked for me yesterday… slept upstairs.” ‘Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.”
“Tom! Move it!” He didn’t need any more convincing. They moved through the back of Bread’s yard and hopped a fence into the connecting alleyway. Not long after, Tom watched in alarm as the guard’s red helmet plume came into view from the window they just escaped from, and looked through the window. Shift yanked Tom back down from the top of the fence.
“There is a port city a few day’s away. We cannot stop for whatever reason, or else you get to reunite with the love of your life, and I get to reunite with my Queen.”
Tom stopped himself before he said he wished he had a horse. “Fine by me, let’s get the hell out of here.”
They crept through the alleyway, dodging every opening they could. Soon, they came to the back of a house near the edge of town. Unfortunately for the pair, it was guarded by several Praetorians.
“Fuck...What do we do now?” Tom asked, glancing around for any possible guards they may have missed along the way.
“Shut up, I’m thinking,” Shift growled.
A tall, unicorn stallion came into Tom’s view. He was a Praetorian without question, but he had a yellow streaked helmet. “Centurion…”
A beige canvas covered wagon came rumbling into view of the main street. By the looks of it, it was transporting the wheat they spent hours stacking the day before.
“Look, a caravan! Could we sneak into it?”
“Don’t be stupid!” Shift snapped at him.
“Ok, then tell me what other options we have right now!" Tom snapped back at him. "We’re surrounded by every angle imaginable, and things are not looking good for either of us right now. You are capable of illusion magic. Tell me why this won’t work out for us.”
Shift was silent for a moment. “Fine. I guarantee you they won’t expect changeling magic. However, it won’t work without a distraction.”
“Fucking burn something. Bread’s house for all I care.”
“That… may work.” A look of concentration crossed Shift’s face,
“If you’re planning on theatrics, now’s the time for them…”
“Will you shut up and let me concentrate?”
A plume of green fire caught onto the side of a nearby building. Slowly, it began licking up the sides of the building and began to engulf it. Bells began to ring across town, and the guards abandoned their posts to help those who needed it.
A sigh of relief followed. “We’re clear. Let’s move before they come back.”
The two quietly snuck towards the wheat cart. The back of the cart was covered in a canvas drape, mostly hiding the contents of the cart. Tom lifted the drape vaulted in first, and grabbed Shift to pull him in. He went flying into the back of the cart.
“My god…” Tom was trying not to panic. “They’re hell bent on getting me back.”
Shifts head poked out from under a burlap bag. “Still would rather be a changeling.”
A malicious look was shot towards him. “Really not helping, Shut up, someone’s coming,” Tom took the chance to bury himself underneath the mountain of bags. Hoofsteps surrounded the cart. They heard the sound of the hoofsteps heading towards the front of the cart.
“You’re cleared... Make way... firefighters! ....apologies...take the main road..,better off.”
A gruff response was all that came after. The cart suddenly jerked forward, and they were off.
It was only a few minutes before Tom threw the bags off of him. The scent of wheat began to irritate his nose and eyes, Before he could say anything, Shift covered his mouth with his hoof, indicating silence. If they were caught by whoever was driving the cart, there was no guessing what would happen to them. So, they resigned themselves in silence, travelling through the main road.
It seemed like an hour before Shift said or did anything. Prodding Tom, he suggested that now would be a good time to leave their cart. In a flash of magic, Shift teleported the two of them behind a mossy boulder nearby. The canvas cart continued on it;s way, disappearing from sight after a few minutes.
“That was way too close for comfort,” Tom stated. "We need to keep moving."
Shift looked exhausted. He swayed in place for a moment leaning against the boulder. "I need a minute to recover...I used a lot of magic back there, after not using it for so long."
Tom looked at Shift, and he didn't like the look that crossed the human's face.
"Before you do anything stupid, what are you planning on doing?"
Before Shift could get an answer out of him, Tom lifted him onto his back.
"Normally, I'd object, but I find myself incapable of walking right now."
"Just shut up and say thanks already."
Shift ignored his comment. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s only going to get much worse from here for us.”
A look of anguish adorned Tom’s face. “What next?”
“Did you see the Centurion’s horn?”
Tom recalled the stallion’s magic display. “What about it?”
“It was a tracking spell-”
A groan escaped tom. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
“It’s a shit joke. They now know that we were in the town. Fortunately for us, I don’t think the spell he was using could pinpoint exactly where we were.”
“But they still know where we were, which means-”
“They’ll be swarming this entire area in about an hour,” Shift finished. “Remember that port I mentioned? We should probably get going. Now.”
The pair emerged from behind their hiding spot, and once again took to the long road ahead.
Celestia found herself dazing off as she listened to yet another noble whimper and moan about tariffs imposed upon their business. She grew tired of this fickle matter.
“Very well, I shall look into the matter further on my own time.”
The noble didn’t seem satisfied, but accepted these terms nonetheless. He gave an exaggerated bow before her, and left the room.
Since she had granted the use of the Forbidden Archives, there had not yet been any update as to his location. She became tired of waiting. ‘I will find him, if I have to tear the planet apart to do so’.
Memories drifted into the forefront of her consciousness, memories of a much happier time. Now was not the time to reminisce of the past, for that would only lead her further and further away from her goal. From him.
A knock resounded through out the room. “Enter,” Celestia ordered,
The very same battle mage had returned. Celestia’s attention peaked as he drew closer and closer to the throne.
“I trust the Archives have been of great use to you?”
“Yes, Your Grace. We have received word from the Praetorians about the whereabouts of the fugitive.”
Celestia snapped her head towards the guard at this information, and stared into the pits of his soul. “Tell me everything you know. Now.”
“The bloodhound spell had tracked them to a local traveller’s outpost on the outskirts of the Everfree. He seems to be heading towards Stoneview Port.”
‘No matter where you run, I always find you in the end.’ “that is good news indeed. Prepare my chariot, we depart at once.”
“Yes, your Highness.” ___________________________________________________________________________