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Heart of War- Act XIV

By ThingPaste
Created: 2024-02-28 03:15:11
Expiry: Never
heart of war

  1. >…
  2. >”You know Anon, I’m happy to tell you that your brain has gotten more accustom to these little dream-like pauses we take. I think you could spend weeks in here without any real damage being done… although you might be a little disorientated once your body realizes that barely a second has past.”
  3. >You’re walking through the woods with Harvey.
  4. >He’s ditched his brown pinstripe suit for a pair of jeans and a brown polo.
  5. >You’ve got jeans and a blue polo.
  6. “I thought my puny human mind couldn’t handle it.”
  7. >”Well it turns out that your puny mind is slightly less puny than I thought.”
  8. “Where are we even going?”
  9. >”I thought you could use some time to properly relax and enjoy yourself, so I’ve cooked up a little something you should like.”
  10. “Keyword being ‘should’.”
  11. >”Here we are!”
  12. >A shack.
  13. >In very bad condition.
  14. “How is this supposed to be relaxing?”
  15. >”Come with me.”
  16. >He opens the door to the dilapidated wooden structure and steps inside.
  17.  
  18. >You follow, and notice that the ground is very hard.
  19. >A metal of some kind.
  20. >Harv reaches over and presses a large red button that’s sticking out of a wooden plank.
  21. >And the ground then lurches as you begin to descend into an elevator.
  22. “Was that button even wired to anything?”
  23. >”Willing suspension of disbelief.”
  24. “No elevator music?”
  25. >”And I thought That I thought of everything.”
  26. “Try saying that ten times fast- DON’T.”
  27. >When the elevator stops, you reach an open hallway.
  28. >It’s made of concrete.
  29. >At the end of the hallway, you think you can make out a corner.
  30. “Global thermonuclear war?”
  31. >”I prefer tic-tac-toe.”
  32. >You step out into the hallway, and stand there for a moment.
  33. “Harv, what is this?”
  34. >”Just wait. Three… Two… One.”
  35. >Nothing happens.
  36. >”One.”
  37. >You glance back down the hallway.
  38. >Nothing.
  39. >”ONE!”
  40. >Down the hall, you see someone turn the corner.
  41. >Tattered clothes, grey skin, decomposing flesh…
  42. “Zombies… really Harv?”
  43. >”Don’t say the Z word. They’re infected.”
  44. >The corpse shambles down the hall, at a slow walking pace- it’s arms outstretched.
  45. “Do I not even get a gun?”
  46. >He offers you a Ka-Bar knife.
  47. “How quaint.”
  48. >You take it and grasp the blade.
  49. >Then you turn and nonchalantly throw it at the ‘infected’, striking it in the head.
  50. >As the corpse falls to the ground, you turn back to Discord.
  51. “And let me guess, the bunker is filled with absurd puzzles and doors that require three items to unlock?”
  52. >”… I have a plan B.”
  53.  
  54. >The bunker melts away, and turns into a rundown mansion.
  55. >The main entrance room…
  56. “This better not be more zombies.”
  57. >”Like, that would be- okay, I’m not doing the voice.”
  58. >You turn to face Harvey, who is now wearing a baggy green t-shirt and loosely fit brown pants.
  59. >Looking down, you see that you’ve got a white over shirt, blue collar, and orange ascot.
  60. “Really Harv? Wait, why is that Great Dane purple and green?”
  61. >The dumb dog then speaks:
  62. >”Rhuts rong?”
  63. “Is that supposed to be… Spike?”
  64. >Let’s take a look at the rest of the ‘gang’.
  65. >Velma’s hair is in Diamond Tiara’s colors…
  66. “Horrible choice.”
  67. >And Daphne-
  68. >You remember that purple and it’s highlights.
  69. >Approaching Discord, you give him a swift right hook.
  70. “You don’t go there Harv!”
  71. >”Understood.”
  72. >Looking back at the girl in the purple dress…
  73. >She looks confused, and speaks to you:
  74. >”What’s wrong Anon?”
  75. >Yup, that’s Lancer.
  76. >A voice then calls out from behind you:
  77. >”LEAVVVVE THIS HOUSE!”
  78. “Wow, a bed sheet ghost. Haven’t seen one of those before.”
  79. >You step towards the ‘ghost’ and give it a right hook to the face as well.
  80. >Amazingly, you actually impact something.
  81. >The ‘ghost’ then falls down, and drops the SPOOOOOKY voice:
  82. >”Gah, what are you doing!”
  83. >You pull the sheet off, revealing (as the gang says in unison):
  84. >”Old Man Smithers!”
  85. >Harv however waited and then says:
  86. >”Plan C it is then.”
  87.  
  88. >You then find yourself in the seat of a car.
  89. >A Ferrari.
  90. >A blue Ferrari…
  91. >The street in front of you is cleared and set up for a race.
  92. >Looks like a knock off New York.
  93. >You glance to the car next to you.
  94. >Harv is in the seat of a Brown Lamborghini.
  95. “Come on Harv! BLUE Ferraris? BROWN Lambos?”
  96. >”Plan D.”
  97. >You’re standing in a line.
  98. >In front of soldiers handing out supplies, as a commissar speaks to the crowd.
  99. >”The first man receives a rifle, the second ammunition for the rifle. When the-“
  100. >You turn to Harv, the conscript behind you in line.
  101. “Stalingrad is NOT relaxing!”
  102. >”Plan E, you’re a hard man to please.”
  103. >You are now in a muddy trench, taking cover from the artillery shelling.
  104. “Trench warfare isn’t relaxing either!”
  105. >”Plan F…”
  106. >You stand in an apple orchard, an empty barrel in front of your feet.
  107. >Glancing around, nothing seems out of the ordinary.
  108. “Alright Harv, I’ll bite. I have no idea what the gimmick is here.”
  109. >”No gimmick, just pick apples I guess.”
  110. “What’s Plan G?”
  111. >”Pirates.”
  112. “Already on a ship. H?”
  113. >”Gladiator arena.”
  114. “Why wasn’t that G?”
  115. >”That would have made more sense.”
  116. “Too easy though. I?”
  117. >”Ice cream.”
  118. “Gimmick?”
  119. >”Ice cream.”
  120. “I’m not going to have fake ice cream with you. J?”
  121. >”Oh that’s a fun one. See we’re these secret agents and there are aliens-“
  122. “K?”
  123. >”A sequel to J… not as good as the first though.”
  124. “L?”
  125. >”Barbershop quartet.”
  126. “That’s… maybe. M?”
  127. >”Murder mystery.”
  128. “Did the maid do it?”
  129. >”… N is all about puzzles and number sequences.”
  130. “N is for No.”
  131. >”O involves situational comedy, where you live in an apartment and I’m across the hall from you.”
  132. “Any sitcom ever. P?”
  133.  
  134. >Is that music?
  135. >”Well, you remember that total eclipse of the sun a few weeks ago?”
  136. >”Da doo.”
  137. >Disembodied female voices sing.
  138. “No musicals.”
  139. >The background music stops.
  140. >”Q- Imagine it: You are a starship Captain.”
  141. “You’re not playing Q.”
  142. >”What? No, I’m the first officer. Why would I be Q?”
  143. >He asks completely seriously.
  144. “R?”
  145. >”Revenge. After your family were killed-“
  146. “No.”
  147. >”S is a world where everything is a snake.”
  148. “What?”
  149. >”EVERYTHING.”
  150. “T?”
  151. >”You are sent back in time to protect-“
  152. “U?”
  153. >”Giant underground subterranean worms.”
  154. “That’s redundant. V?”
  155. >”Nam.”
  156. “World War Two isn’t relaxing, World War One isn’t relaxing, what makes you think that Vietnam would be relaxing? W?”
  157. >”Wax on and wax off Anon-san.”
  158. “X?”
  159. >”Playing the xylophone while on a trapeze.”
  160. “How do you even think of something like that? What about Y?”
  161. >”Cowboys.”
  162. “Z? Wait, don’t tell me: more zombies.”
  163. >”Robot Zebras.”
  164. “I don’t even… What?”
  165. >”That’s all I’ve got…”
  166. “What about fishing?”
  167. >”Fishing is boring.”
  168. “When it’d be fake fish and fake beer, I suppose you’re right.”
  169. >”Jousting?”
  170. “I’ve said no to every other fighting related scenario, what makes you think jousting would be any different?”
  171. >”Bear wrestling?”
  172. “One more idea like that, and I’m gonna wish away your mouth.”
  173. >”We could bake something.”
  174. “This isn’t real, it would just taste however I want it to taste.”
  175. >”But that’s cheating.”
  176. “No baking.”
  177. >”I don’t know then… tennis?”
  178. “That… actually sure. Why not?”
  179.  
  180. >…
  181. “Well it’s been awhile… aren’t any of the survivors going to come speak to me?”
  182. >”Tomorrow is for speaking, tonight is for drinking. I doubt any of them are sober enough to find their way here.”
  183. >You’re at a small balcony overlooking the now empty arena, a table was set up for you.
  184. >The Sage is sitting opposite you.
  185. “So, I have to announce the final challenge tomorrow?”
  186. >”You don’t have to. As long as you announce the test to them at the same time, you will be within your rights.”
  187. “But it has to be announced by midday in a week?”
  188. >”It seems all of my words were not lost upon you.”
  189. “And the challenge can start any time between the announcement and nightfall in a week.”
  190. >”Indeed.”
  191. >At most you can give them a week to prepare, or you could throw them into the test immediately.
  192. >You turn your head as you see Offense approaching.
  193. >He’s walking backwards as he drags a large sack of coin with his teeth.
  194. “Why didn’t you just fly?”
  195. >He pauses for a moment before releasing the sack, and grabbing it with his hooves.
  196. >He then flaps the rest of the distance, easily lifting the money bag.
  197. >When he reaches the table, he sets it down and takes a seat.
  198. >And he’s trying to keep a straight face…
  199. “What are you even going to do with your winnings?”
  200. >”Haven’t seen my daughter since before the civil war. Think I’ll take her on a vacation. Rainbow Falls maybe, it’s pretty beautiful in the early autumn.”
  201. >You didn’t know he had any family…
  202.  
  203. “Not taking your wife?”
  204. >His look immediately shifts into a thousand yard stare.
  205. >”N-no ma’am… She passed. Five years ago.”
  206. “I’m so sorry! I had no idea.”
  207. >He shakes his head clear.
  208. >”Let’s just- so what are we talking about?”
  209. “Well, we’re brushing up on the final challenge.”
  210. >”What’s on the table? Tournament style or a free for all?”
  211. “Well…”
  212. >”Combat or a more endurance and survivalist based?”
  213. “Actually…”
  214. >”In the arena or will you set them out into the wilderness?”
  215. “I have no idea!”
  216. >Honestly you don’t…
  217. “Yet.”
  218. >The Sage is the first to speak:
  219. >”That is… disconcerting.”
  220. “Thanks for the support.”
  221. >Offense then proves more helpful:
  222. >”Well let’s work it through. We saw all of their skills, you can use that for or against your preferred choice.”
  223. “I’m not sure who would even make the best leader. The way the Sage described them, they’re all pretty bad choices.”
  224. >”How bad are they?”
  225. “One of them would cause a civil war and invade us, another would just invade us. Two would spark civil wars because they don’t like each other’s families. The two wrestlers have no idea what politics are, they just want to settle a childhood grudge. One is corrupt, and the last one means well, but everyone else hates him.”
  226. >”At least we’ll be fine with six of those options.”
  227. >The Sage grunts.
  228. >”What?”
  229. >Honestly, you’ve taken that into account.
  230.  
  231. “Look, I’ll get blamed personally for whoever gets put in charge. If we want a better relationship with the minotaurs, they need a good leader.”
  232. >”So we have to roll the dice with a pair of idiots, government corruption, or the least popular kid in class.”
  233. “Only problem is, the wrestlers were evenly matched, but I don’t know how the others are in unarmed combat. Then, the other two were fairly straightforward fighters, and I’m not sure how to tip the challenge in their favor.”
  234. >”Arbitrator, if I may?”
  235. >The Sage speaks up.
  236. “Go ahead.”
  237. >”All of the eight survivors are well versed in multiple forms of close combat, and although they all have preferred weapons, the choice wouldn’t change much. In ranged forms of combat, they are all about as equally as mediocre.”
  238. “How would you rank them in a melee?”
  239. >”The favorite to win would be Black Rage. After him I would consider Brass Nerve and Steel Fortitude to be equally matched. Rust Blood would be tied with those two, however he lacks the endurance of the others.”
  240. >He clears his throat, and goes to take a drink.
  241. >”Blunt Force has less skill than Blood, but makes up in endurance. I would rank Wind and Wind a bit lower, many left them alone in the Melee so that a pair of less skilled opponents would make it to the final challenge. Finally there is Iron Resolve, the least skilled by a decent margin. Though many would say it was luck that let him survive, I believe it was actually very clever. He specifically put himself into combat with two other combatants that were equals, but would not ally themselves to defeat him.”
  242.  
  243. “What about in general terms of endurance?”
  244. >”Nerve, Fortitude, and Force. Followed by Rage and Resolve. Next would be Wind and Wind. Last would be Blood.”
  245. >So, you can allow a straight up fight and risk war with Equestria or civil war.
  246. >Or, you could make it a more grueling test, and risk civil war or corruption.
  247. >Or, you could make it an archery challenge and leave it entirely up to fate.
  248. “And this challenge, it doesn’t have to be to the death. Right?”
  249. >”Although the test is usually fatal, it is allowed.”
  250. >Offense then quips:
  251. >”First one to get to Appleoosa and back by hoof?”
  252. >”Endurance on one’s legs is closely related to martial prowess, that would be allowed… I doubt the people would enjoy such a long wait however.”
  253. “It can be anything directly related to fighting, hunting, or war.”
  254. >”Indeed.”
  255. “That wasn’t a question.”
  256. >”So you have chosen a trial?”
  257. “I have, but I don’t think anyone here will like it.”
  258. >”And that would be?”
  259. “Patience, you’ll both find out tomorrow at noon.”
  260.  
  261. >”Oh come on, don’t you have to clear it with the Sage first?”
  262. >”As long as her reasoning is sound, it is her choice to announce when she likes.”
  263. “Don’t worry General, I’m sure you’ll be just as entertained by it as you were the Melee. Who knows, you might even win some more money on it… Speaking of which, isn’t there a regulation that prohibits gambling while on active duty?”
  264. >”Actually, Anon rescinded that regulation before he left.”
  265. >Gee, thanks Uncle.
  266. >”Also it wasn’t really gambling per say, just a friendly wager.”
  267. “Name one minotaur outside of present company that’s on friendly terms with you… other than that drunk you used as a pillow.”
  268. >”Now I know why Lancer wants to retire so bad…”
  269. “And why would that be?”
  270. >”You’re-“
  271. >He stops himself.
  272. “Speak freely Offense.”
  273. >”With all due respect, you and the Field Marshal happen to share a certain trait of…”
  274. “Quit sugarcoating. That’s an order.”
  275. >”Frankly, you and Anon can be insufferable in the exact same way when you want to be.”
  276. “I am not insufferable.”
  277. >”I think he’s said those words almost exactly.”
  278. “Remind me to teach your daughter a few very important lessons.”
  279. >”Please, just no. Anon got to meet Lancer’s daughter once and kickstarted the ‘why?’ phase. It took Lancer two years to get her off of it.”
  280. “Hahaha… oh I can do much worse.”
  281. >”When Anon gets back, I’m going to kill him.”
  282. “What for?”
  283. >”For creating this monster…”
  284. >You look to the sky.
  285. >Almost sundown.
  286. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have a sun to set.”
  287. >As you leave the table, you hear Offense speak to the Sage:
  288. >”So really now, who’d have won in that fight. Wind or Wind?”
  289.  
  290. >…
  291. >With the sun setting a whole different arrangement of creatures will find their way out of the sand.
  292. >Even in the open and desolate wastes, fauna wouldn’t be a rare sight.
  293. >But here, there’s an entire little ecosystem around the oasis.
  294. >Even though things are cooling down, it still might take a while before everything comes out of hiding.
  295. >Your thoughts are interrupted as Sadiq approaches you.
  296. “Hello.”
  297. >He begins speaking in Arabian.
  298. >You have no idea what he’s saying.
  299. >And his tone of voice isn’t really helping you decode the message.
  300. >At least he tries slowing… his… words… to… make… you… understand.
  301. >You shrug and shake your head slightly.
  302. >He then sighs- something that goes beyond any language barrier.
  303. >After sighing, he points a hoof over into the distance.
  304. >You look.
  305. >He’s pointing at Shore.
  306. >You look back to him.
  307. “What?”
  308. >He points again, taking a swifter motion this time.
  309. >Okay…
  310. >She’s sitting against a tree.
  311. >Looking into the distance.
  312. >Thumping a front hoof against the sand every now and then.
  313. >Is she upset?
  314. >Rising from the sand, you look back at Sadiq.
  315. >You pat him on the shoulder before making your way to Shore.
  316. >As you walk, you notice the shift between day and night.
  317. >Looks like a bright moon tonight.
  318. >It’s been like that the past few days.
  319. >Probably because you’re out in the middle of nowhere.
  320. >No lights to muck up the sky.
  321. >Only the moon and the stars beyond it.
  322. >It’s beautiful.
  323. >So much different than looking at the sky in Canterlot or the Crystal Empire.
  324. >The way it shines…
  325. >Were you doing something?
  326. >Right!
  327.  
  328. >You approach Shore and sit a few feet from her.
  329. >”Can I help you?”
  330. “You seem… distraught. I didn’t mean for anything I said to hurt you.”
  331. >”It’s not about what you said, it’s that what you said was all true.”
  332. “I know that. I’m sorry for bringing up bad memories.”
  333. >”I have done HORRIBLE things.”
  334. “I saw how they plague you. Even if you don’t acknowledge them, they were constantly on your mind.”
  335. >”How am I supposed to just forget about it and start a new life?”
  336. “You don’t. You have to remember who you were and what you’ve done. Pretending that it never happened will only delude yourself and be a disservice to everypony that you’ve hurt.”
  337. >”Be honest with me. No matter the answer, I’ll go in willingly. The pardon, was it real or are you going to arrest me?”
  338. “As far as I know, it’s genuine.”
  339. >”Why would you ever let me go free after what I’ve done?”
  340. “People have been forgiven for worse. It’s about what you do from here on out, not about what’s already been done.”
  341. >”It can’t be that easy.”
  342. “It’s simple. Even the simplest of tasks can be incredibly difficult. And it will be.”
  343. >You think you can see a tear swelling in her eye.
  344. “You should get some rest.”
  345.  
  346. >…
  347. >”So what is it that you miss most about Earth?”
  348. >You’re sitting at a table in the gardens of the Royal Palace.
  349. >Drinking a glass of imaginary iced tea.
  350. “I don’t know Harv, there’s a few things.”
  351. >”Such as?”
  352. “Air conditioning for one. But after a campaign or two, it hasn’t really been an issue for me.”
  353. >”What else is there?”
  354. “Cars, TV, the internet, women, and alcohol.”
  355. >”Equestira has alcohol.”
  356. “But all of the serving sizes are about a third smaller to better suit ponies. And don’t get me started on higher proof liquors, finding anything above thirty percent alcohol is damn near impossible.”
  357. >”Are you sure that you don’t have a problem?”
  358. “I have a lot of problems, alcohol is a solution. You know something Harv?”
  359. >”One or two things.”
  360. “I don’t particularly hold anything against you for bringing me here.”
  361. >”Really?”
  362. “I don’t like being sent out here to clean up your mess. But I’ve spent more of my life here than back on Earth… there’s nothing left for me back there.”
  363. >”If it were reversed, I think I’d hold it against you for a century or two.”
  364. “The worst part of all this is that I’m alone here. When I hit forty, by then Flurry was fully grown up, I really started hating that I can’t have any biological children here.”
  365. >”Ah mortals and their obsession with procreation.”
  366. “Now that you’re riding shotgun, you’re technically mortal.”
  367. >”Don’t remind me.”
  368.  
  369. “If I kick the bucket, your immortal ass goes with me.”
  370. >”Oh you can’t die.”
  371. “Before you get out of my head, or is there something you haven’t been telling me?”
  372. >”The only way you could possibly die is in your bed at ninety, or of abrupt liver failure.”
  373. “Don’t remind me about that. I don’t want to think about how my knees will be in five years.”
  374. >”Oh I think you still have ten or twelve years going around fighting dragons.”
  375. “With sword in one hand, cane in another.”
  376. >”That would be a sight.”
  377. “Speaking of which, how much walking will I have to do once we hit land?”
  378. >”It’s about as far as it would be to get to Manehattan from Appleoosa.”
  379. “That’s what, about two or three months’ worth?”
  380. >”If you weren’t being hunted by the local fauna and flora.”
  381. “And flora?”
  382. >”Oh yes.”
  383. “Well isn’t that just peachy.”
  384. >”I’ll be able to point you in the right direction… vaguely.”
  385. “Vaguely?”
  386. >”I’m the spirit of chaos, not a GPS.”
  387. “Oh no, no, no. You are not the spirit of chaos. That’s Discord.”
  388. >”I am Discord!”
  389. “You’re Harvey. The half of Discord that I’m stuck with is very different from the Discord I know. Even your speech mannerisms are different.”
  390. >”How so?”
  391. “Well, you haven’t said ‘pray tell’ for a while, you speak in complete thoughts instead of cryptic half-statements, and honestly you’re a lot more down to earth.”
  392. >”Am I really that different?”
  393. “Oh yeah.”
  394. >”I hadn’t noticed.”
  395. “Well you wouldn’t.”
  396.  
  397. >”Why not?”
  398. “Because for all intents and purposes, you have Discord’s memories, but Harvey was only born when you got cut off from the part of you that’s still in your body. Your basic thoughts and instincts are only based on the parts of your mind that you got.”
  399. >”I hadn’t thought of it like that.”
  400. “There is something I’m wondering about though.”
  401. >”What?”
  402. “I got the half of Discord that’s slightly helpful, less chaotic, and overall more of a decent person. What’s the other half doing while he has access to your body?”
  403. >”Well clearly I’m the more intellectual half, so he’s probably trying to shove a chicken shaped plug through a square hole.”
  404. “You have a way to get back into your body yet?”
  405. >”I might be able to make your body to produce a substantial EM field targeted at ‘Discord’ and I might be able to piggyback on the discharge. Like how when you grab a doorknob after rubbing your feet on a carpet… it’s much much much more complicated than that, but that’s the bottom line.”
  406. “So you want to turn my body into a lightning rod so that you can shoot yourself at your body?”
  407. >”More or less.”
  408. “Okay, now be honest with me… Can you give me superpowers?”
  409. >”Once I get my body back I’ll whisk you up a barrel of nuclear waste.”
  410.  
  411. >…
  412. >A new day.
  413. >The spectators have all gathered, and the claimants stand in the arena below you.
  414. >The Sage stands over them, resting his hands on the low stone wall that separates him from the arena.
  415. >”People! I trust that your celebrations were as great as the skills and deeds of your claimants. Today, the Arbitrator will define her terms and put forward the final challenge. But before she speaks, the claimants may speak to their merits and how they will lead our people.”
  416. >He then turns back to face you.
  417. >”You may ask them to speak in your order of preference, once you finish you may announce your challenge.”
  418. “Thank you Sage.”
  419. >You rise from your seat and take his place.
  420. >The crowd doesn’t cheer for you, but they don’t boo you either.
  421. >You’ll take that as a positive.
  422. >Looking down at the claimants, you think about which to choose first.
  423. >How about the most hated claimant.
  424. “Iron Resolve, speak.”
  425. >He looks a bit shocked.
  426. >But the grey minotaur steps forward.
  427. >His voice doesn’t sound that old, so grey must be his natural color.
  428. >”People, in recent times we have seen more large scale combat than we have in the five centuries previous. That must change!”
  429. >The people begin to boo.
  430. >He waits for them to die down a bit.
  431. >”The battlefield is no place for honor, no true test of our abilities. Our ancestors valued the hunt. Our ancestors valued single combat. We were born to be warriors, not soldiers. It is the duty of the individual to seek glory and lead halls as they revel in glory. The old ways led us to prosper for countless generations, we must embrace them!”
  432. >The crowd does something worse than booing.
  433. >They remain silent.
  434. >Resolve steps back into line.
  435.  
  436. >Alright then, the other not-so-bad option.
  437. “Blunt Force, how would you lead your people?”
  438. >The bluish-grey minotaur steps up.
  439. >”Alright people, listen up! When I win this, we’re setting war behind.”
  440. >The crowd boos just as they did to the first speaker.
  441. >”Because!”
  442. >He shuts them up.
  443. >”We can do better! Where’s the glory in killing a minotaur or pony? I say we start thinking bigger! Manticores? NO. Hydras? NO. We… are going to lead great hunts to slay dragons and claim their hordes of coin! Think of the glory! Think of the revelry! Think of the money! We will be the richest people by far, and our people will prosper more than we ever have before!”
  444. >The crowd cheers a decent amount.
  445. >Force takes in the cheers and saunters back into line.
  446. “Brass Nerve, step forward.”
  447. >The light brown minotaur steps up.
  448. “There is a cancer that infects our society! For too long the Fortitude family has had sway over our politics. Those dirty middlemen need to be eradicated, or else they will continue to bleed our economy dry.”
  449. >Equal cheers and boos.
  450. >He returns to his position.
  451. “Steel Fortitude, care to respond?”
  452. >The bright grey minotaur approaches.
  453. >”The Nerve family only detests us because their vast trading empire would be the ones to bleed you dry without my family to halt their corruption. We give use our wealth to support our people, they only look out for their own interests. Say it with me: traders are traitors!”
  454. >For everyone who boos him, another chants ‘traders are traitors’ in response.
  455. >Now onto the next duo.
  456.  
  457. “Copper Wind?”
  458. >Wind as in how the air blows.
  459. >”When I win, we are going to celebrate every other day… a nice tall larger for all!”
  460. >A few cheers.
  461. “Copper Wind?”
  462. >Wind as in how you set a clock.
  463. >”Well when I win, we’re gonna celebrate EVERY day… And it’ll be a pint of ALE for all!”
  464. >And a few different cheers.
  465. >Heh.
  466. >’cheers’
  467. “Rust Blood, what would you do?”
  468. >The dark red minotaur approaches.
  469. >”We are going to fight.”
  470. >He then walks back to his spot as a small portion of the crowd cheers.
  471. “And how would Black Rage attempt to lead his people?”
  472. >Now that he’s closer, you can see that his eyes are red.
  473. >”This pony killed my father: White Rage. I will honor my father’s plans… We have ten years of ceasefire with the ponies. And we will spend each and every day of that decade building the greatest force that this world has ever seen. We will march through their cities, and take our spoils. When I finish, all of Equestria will be under our banner. Each tribe will have its own city to rule as they see fit. But Canterlot belongs to Rage.”
  474. >He gets the largest applause.
  475. >That’s…
  476. >Disconcerting.
  477. “Well, I wish you the best of luck in that endeavor.”
  478. >A smaller section of the crowd laughs at you jab.
  479. >”Humph.”
  480. >He returns to his place.
  481.  
  482. “Well, it seems to me that many of your potential leaders seek war.”
  483. >Oh they’re going to hate this.
  484. “So, I have chosen to directly test their skills as a military leader. The final challenge I put forward, is-“
  485. >You pause as you feel the stone begin your hooves start to shake.
  486. >You didn’t know that earthquakes ever happened up here.
  487. >The sound that rings through the air seems to indicate that this isn’t a quake.
  488. >You can hear a loud explosion.
  489. >But it sounds a bit different.
  490. >Not quite like a barrel of gunpowder going up, and more like a thundering pulse.
  491. >It’s hard to tell from what direction due to the acoustics of the coliseum, but you think it’s from the north.
  492. >From the mountains maybe.
  493. >A few small rocks land in the arena.
  494. >You see a dozen or so areas where spectators got hit, or received a near miss.
  495. >The Sage soon steps up and addresses the crowd.
  496. >”STAY CALM!”
  497. >His voice carries and manages to quell the chaos among the people.
  498. >”Everyone here knows the punishment for interrupting the succession. Blood has been shed outside of the tests, and until the perpetrator has been found and dealt with, I suspend the succession. As the Arbitrator is not a claimant, by law she serves as Archon of the Minotaur Tribes until the crisis has passed.”
  499. >What?”
  500. >Black Rage immediately voices his opinion:
  501. >”I object!”
  502. >And the Sage doesn’t take kindly to it.
  503. >”ONE MORE WORD AND I WILL NULLIFY YOUR CLAIM!”
  504. >Turning around, you rush over to Offense.
  505. “General, get out there with the pegasi and see what that was.”
  506. >”Yes Ma’am.”
  507. >He rises from his seat and rallies the fliers.
  508. >They then take flight and start flying above the arena.
  509.  
  510. >Inside the arena things are… less than orderly.
  511. >The stands are packed, and it’s a complete cluster as people try to help those hit by debris.
  512. >Although the Sage got a quick moment of calm, it’s deteriorating quickly.
  513. >Alright, let’s go through this a bit.
  514. >You know that there was an explosion relatively close to the arena.
  515. >Maybe one of the tribes was planning something but it went south.
  516. >Saddle Arabians might be an option if they weren’t up to their knees in a civil war.
  517. >Every known changeling queen is dead, but they’ve popped up again before.
  518. >Could there be some MID remnant?
  519. >In the stands, you see a couple brawls start to break out.
  520. >You can only hope that they stay isolated cases.
  521. >You don’t know what’s happening, but an open tribal war would certainly not help the situation.
  522. >Maybe the plan was to let uncertainty take root and let the tribal differences break out.
  523. >You wouldn’t be too surprised if the explosion was the work of one of the claimants.
  524. >Brass Nerve or Steel Fortitude might want to settle their feud sooner rather than later.
  525. >Rage could be attempting a coup.
  526. >The crowd is getting even more unruly, and the Sage tries to deal with it:
  527. >”Calm yourselves! Silence!”
  528. >He’s not getting much attention.
  529. >You see him motion up towards the horn blowers.
  530. >A moment later, they hold a loud sustained pitch.
  531. >It manages to get the crowd quiet enough for the Sage to get noticed.
  532. >”People! PEOPLE!”
  533. >With his voice carrying, the rest of the crowd is silenced.
  534. >”Enough! We will not fall to internal strife through hysteria. The tribes will ORDERLY separate themselves. Find your elders and find your chiefs. You rightfully feel wrath, but you MUST direct it to whomever has truly interrupted this rite.”
  535.  
  536. >In the arena, Steel Fortitude speaks up:
  537. >”My people, we have agreed.”
  538. >Brass Nerve addresses the crowd as well:
  539. >”Calm yourselves. Almost every tribe here respects one of ours.”
  540. >Fortitude takes back over:
  541. >”And our families will settle our squabbles fairly in this arena. If you even have a shred of respect for either of us, save your strength for when it is needed.”
  542. >That’s…
  543. >An incredible olive branch.
  544. >Your eye catches movement in the sky.
  545. >A single pegasi is returning.
  546. >When he approaches and sets down, you’re quick to speak.
  547. “What is it soldier?”
  548. >”The Brigadier thinks you should see for yourself. The site is about a half mile north.”
  549. >You look over to the Sage.
  550. “Think you’ll be fine?”
  551. >”Go, but be quick.”
  552. >…
  553. >As you approach the blast site, you get a good view from the sky.
  554. >The area is relatively flat, but heavily wooded.
  555. >Well, outside of the blast zone it is.
  556. >All of the trees in a fifty yard radius have been obliterated; the shattered wood coats the dirt.
  557. >But there is no real crater.
  558. >Just a hole in the ground.
  559. >It looks to be a perfect circle, maybe eight or nine feet in radius.
  560. >Offense and his soldiers are peering down it.
  561. >Okay, maybe it isn’t the minotaurs.
  562.  
  563. >Landing next to your general, he looks down the shaft.
  564. >You take a peek down.
  565. >That’s…
  566. >You can’t see the bottom.
  567. “How deep is it?”
  568. >”Don’t know. I sent a pair of men down a few minutes ago.”
  569. “Alright… so what can get through that much rock?”
  570. >”Don’t know that either.”
  571. “Discord?”
  572. >”Discord is dead… and it doesn’t fit his style. There’s no sprinkles or inverted gravity.”
  573. “I’ll give you that.”
  574. >”Think this is what Anon went to fight?”
  575. “Why would it be here? I mean specifically here, outside the minotaur arena.”
  576. >”Maybe it’s not just here.”
  577. “I mean that outside of succession, which is somewhat common with minotaurs, this place usually doesn’t have many people nearby.”
  578. >”What if it was meant to pop up in the middle of nowhere?”
  579. “Then why isn’t way up in those mountains?”
  580. >”Look, I know that I have all of a few more minutes of experience dealing with this situation, but I don’t know any more than you do.”
  581. “Why do I even keep you around?”
  582. >You joke.
  583. >”Hey, I just wanted to watch minotaurs fight each other, this is more than I signed up for.”
  584. “What’s that?”
  585. >You ask as you think you see movement in the tunnel.
  586. >”I think it’s the men.”
  587. >A few moments later, he’s proven right.
  588. >Two soldiers are flying up the shaft.
  589. >Quickly.
  590. >Very quickly.
  591. >Offense picks up on that too.
  592. >”Clear the way!”
  593. >As the topside soldiers get away from the opening, the two soldiers soon shoot out.
  594. >They don’t stop and end up going a few stories straight up in the air.
  595.  
  596. >”On the ground soldiers!”
  597. >As they hear the orders, they come down to the ground.
  598. >The first pegasi who lands speaks:
  599. >”Sir! Ma’am! Sir, we need to go. Now!”
  600. >”Calm down son, report.”
  601. >”I don’t know Sir, it was dark but there was movement. A lot of movement.”
  602. >The other soldier then speaks up:
  603. >”And growling, LOTS of growling. I got bit or clawed or something.”
  604. >He indicates to a light gash on his rear leg.
  605. >Offense speaks to him:
  606. >”You alright soldier?”
  607. >”It’s fine Sir.”
  608. “How deep did you get?”
  609. >”I don’t know, two thousand feet maybe.”
  610. >That’s pretty deep.
  611. >”Ma’am, Sir.”
  612. >The first one starts.
  613. >”We’re going to need more men, a lot more.”
  614. “Well aren’t we lucky?”
  615. >Offense asks you:
  616. >”Ma’am?”
  617. “We’ve got a few thousand armed and riled up minotaurs.”
  618. >”You’re awfully casual about this… and that’s coming from me of all ponies.”
  619. “Really?”
  620. >”Well we’re standing here talking about it as who knows what is climbing up the tunnel we’re right next to.”
  621. “That is a good point. Hit the skies ponies!”
  622. >As you start taking flight, Offense gets one more thing in.
  623. >”It’s scary how similar you are to him.”
  624. “Not at all. I don’t have hands… or a beard.”
  625.  
  626. >…
  627. >As you get back over the coliseum, you can see that no one is killing each other.
  628. >Thankfully.
  629. >You can see several minotaurs look and point at you as you fly over the arena.
  630. >When you land by the Sage, you waste no time.
  631. “We need to get the warriors armed and armored, quickly.”
  632. >”What is happening?”
  633. “Well, there’s a great big hole in the ground, and some nasty sounding critters climbing up it.”
  634. >The Sage’s eyes go wide and he stares into the distance.
  635. >He then starts speaking in a strange language.
  636. “Uhh…”
  637. >”In your new home, when a generation of the people have known only war and no clear leader steps forward, the gods will present your ultimate punishment. The ground will tear asunder, and demons will pour forth to devour the people. Fight well, and I will return from hell to deliver your people from damnation.”
  638. “I’m sorry?”
  639. >”The last words of Broken-Horn as he saved our people when the gods attempted to destroy our people for squandering their paradise. He was the first and greatest of our prophets, before his teachings our people were decadent, weak, and pacifistic. As the survivors of our people left their homeland, he remained to hold back the tides of divine wrath so that the others could escape.”
  640. “Wait, you think this is some minotaur apocalypse?”
  641. >”We have fought four separate wars in under three decades, and if any of these claimants were to take power, only war or decadence will follow.”
  642. “That doesn’t mean that the world is ending, it just means that you just got unlucky in the Grand Melee.”
  643. >He ignores your words and looks to the crowd.
  644.  
  645. >”My people… the ground has torn and hell approaches. The Sundering has begun.”
  646. >At first he is met with angry yells from the crowd, and from the claimants in the arena.
  647. >But after a moment they all die down as the minotaurs realize that the situation is similar given the current state of their politics.
  648. >As they grimly reflect upon their lives, the Sage speaks:
  649. >”Today there are no leaders. No kings, no Archons, no chieftains, no elders. There are no rivalries and no feuds. Today there is only life or death for all of our people. Now steel yourselves and prepare! Fight: your lives depend on it, your families lives depend on it, our souls depend on it!”
  650. >As battle cries sound out across the coliseum, he then turns to you.
  651. >”The Arbitration is over, our people will have no leader until the return of Broken-Horn. You are free to return to your lands… but you are also free to join our fight if you wish.”
  652. “Wait, you’re just going to drop this entire thing?”
  653. >”The gods themselves seek to destroy us, this is not a day of politics, this is a day of extinction.”
  654. >The Sage looks to the cane in his left hand and sighs.
  655. >”Now excuse me, I must fight alongside my people.”
  656. >He turns from you and approaches one of his aides.
  657. >”Fetch my axe.”
  658. >As the minotaurs start getting on the warpath, Offense steps over to you.
  659. >”So, you don’t buy any of the ‘end of days’ stuff, right?”
  660. “Not really.”
  661. >”So what are we going to do?”
  662. “Oh I have an idea or two.”
  663.  
  664. >…
  665. >”Ma’am, I REALLY object to this.”
  666. “Well it’s a good thing it wasn’t a suggestion.”
  667. >He quiets his voice:
  668. >”Look, you have no magical abilities right now. None. You can’t just-“
  669. “You have your orders, I take it that you don’t object to that half of things?”
  670. >”No, that’s fine by me.”
  671. “Well?”
  672. >”Well?”
  673. “Why aren’t you and the pegasi flying?”
  674. >He looks over to the soldiers.
  675. >”You heard the Princess!”
  676. >The earth ponies and unicorns are left with you.
  677. “Alright ponies, we’ve got to lead the way! Let’s make sure the minotaurs don’t drag their hooves in all the apocalyptic sentiment.”
  678. >If left on their own, they’ll probably fight a pitched battle across days, maybe even weeks.
  679. >Until all of the ‘demons’ are dead, or every last minotaur warrior has fallen.
  680. >Only problem is that there are only so many minotaurs, and an unknown amount of critters.
  681. >If you’re on a boat and a leak springs up, you don’t just bail the water out- you plug the hole.
  682. >If this is a gateway to the minotaur’s hell… you’re going to blitz it.
  683. >With sixteen men.
  684. >Well, twenty-four but the eight pegasi are with Offense.
  685. >You can only hope that the minotaurs take the bait and fall in behind the schwerpunkt.
  686. >Cause if they don’t, you’re in for a real bad day.
  687.  
  688. >…
  689. >Outside of the coliseum, you start leading the men forward.
  690. >It looks like some of the minotaurs are getting moving, but most are still getting their arms and armor.
  691. >But the ones who are ready are moving slowly, perhaps waiting for more to prepare.
  692. >Keeping a marching pace, you’re quick to overtake them.
  693. >But when you do glance back, you see that they’re starting to pick up the pace.
  694. >Can’t have a pony beating them to the fight, now can they?
  695. >After a while, the nearest minotaurs are about a hundred feet back.
  696. >As you move through the dense forest with your honor guard, you decide to fly just off of the ground.
  697. >Because you’ll have to do this the old fashioned way.
  698. >A sword in the hoof, not telekinetically levitated.
  699. >It’s a good thing that you decided to wear your armor for the event.
  700. >Moving through the ancient oak and maple trees, you can see just how think the woods are.
  701. >Thick and plentiful trees, overgrown brush, even the grass is at least a foot high.
  702. >Wait…
  703. >Something’s wrong.
  704. “Hold.”
  705. >The troops stop trudging through the foliage in their heavy armor.
  706. “No birds.”
  707. >Or any animals in sight or earshot.
  708. >Only the sound of rustling leaves.
  709. >You can see the wind really shaking the branches…
  710. >Which is funny, because you can’t feel any wind.
  711. “Heads up! They’re in the trees.”
  712. >You had to open your stupid mouth…
  713. >Seeing a large mass pounce down from the leaves, you start flapping your wings back as quickly as possible.
  714. >That doesn’t stop you from feeling a claw tear down from your forehead, through your left eyebrow, and down into your cheek below.
  715. >And if it was any deeper it would have hit your eye as well.
  716. >When the creature lands in front of you, it’s immediately peppered by magical blasts and blades.
  717. >Wiping the blood away from your eye, you take a moment to look at the beast.
  718. >What pit did this thing climb out of…
  719.  
  720. >Rough greyish green scaly skin.
  721. >A foot or two taller than a pony.
  722. >It’s front shoulders are very broad, and very muscular.
  723. >The back half of it is much shorter though, only about three feet high, but going on into a five or six foot long tail that reminds you of a crocodile.
  724. >The tail alone is as long as it’s body.
  725. >And across it’s spine is a bony sail, connected by bright green skin flaps.
  726. >Green like a pile of puke that contrasts from the grass it’s lying in.
  727. >It has a good amount of ground clearance, and at the bottom of its legs are three toes that have huge claws.
  728. >There are some strange fleshy pink areas next to the front shoulders.
  729. >Are they layered, like really dense gills?
  730. >But it’s head.
  731. >It’s like a broad crocodile with what looks like layers of broad and serrated shark teeth inside of it’s large jaw.
  732. >As you look to the minotaurs in the distance, you see other creatures dropping down to attack them.
  733. >You see one minotaur get thrown to the ground as the creature hacks at it with its claws.
  734. >Another lets his left arm get eviscerated by an animal’s mouth as he uses his free hand to hack at it with an axe.
  735. >A third minotaur is being surrounded as three of the beasts start circling him.
  736. >Further behind the scattered first rank of minotaurs, larger groups start rushing forward to aid in the battles.
  737. >”Ma’am!”
  738. >One of your men yells.
  739. >Looking back forward, you see five- no, six of the creatures approaching your group.
  740.  
  741. “Hit ‘em!”
  742. >You watch as the unicorns fire bolts of magical energy at the oncoming animals.
  743. >The creatures don’t seem that fazed.
  744. >But then you see a red bolt hit one of them in the pink fleshy bit near its right shoulder.
  745. >The beast screeches in pain as it’s limbs begin to spasm.
  746. >It ends up falling on its side and thrashing around.
  747. >Three of your earth ponies advance to skewer the first approaching creature with their spears.
  748. >The creature that fell is still squirming on the ground.
  749. >You turn to the nearest unicorn.
  750. “Aim for that exposed spot.”
  751. >You point to one of the creature’s that’s eyeing an earth pony, getting ready to pounce.
  752. >The unicorn shoots out a teal beam right into the target.
  753. >Causing the creature to completely freeze up.
  754. >Taking the opening, the earth pony jabs his spear into the animal’s chest.
  755. >As the weapon pierces the beast, it still doesn’t react.
  756. >Looking over to the unicorns, you bark out orders:
  757. “Keep hitting those exposed bits!”
  758. >You don’t know what’s so special about those spots, but if it works- it works.
  759. >Flying forward, you pick out the closest enemy.
  760. >You might not have any magic right now, but you’ve always been strong in the air.
  761. >Speeding towards the creature, you swerve at the last second to avoid it’s jaws.
  762. >While under its neck, you aim your sword and let momentum drive it into the creature’s weak spot.
  763. >Hindsight immediately kicks in as you continue flying past the creature, losing your sword.
  764. >Scrambling to stop, you turn back and return to the creature.
  765. >It looks like the hit killed it, the beast is slumped over to the side.
  766. >Landing, you then reach out to the grip of your blade and try to get it free.
  767. >It takes a try… or two.
  768. >But you manage to get it out of the animal.
  769. >The blood that’s coating the blade is a dark red, almost black.
  770.  
  771. >Looking ahead, more of the creatures are approaching.
  772. >Some sill drop from the trees, but most are just running across the ground.
  773. >They’re remarkably fast for how uneven they’re built.
  774. >As magical bolts fly past, and the earth ponies move forward in groups, you fly at the closest enemy.
  775. >Maybe this time you won’t let yourself fly past it.
  776. >You approach this one in the same way as the first.
  777. >Once you duck under its jaw, you prepare to strike.
  778. >But as you do, the creature kicks off and jumps to the side.
  779. >And it then swipes its tail towards you, impacting with a decent thud and sending you tumbling out of the air.
  780. >You land, completely dazed, with your back against a tree trunk.
  781. >Oh that’s gonna hurt in the morning.
  782. >Your side feels like it was hit by a train.
  783. >Where’s your sword.
  784. >Glancing around, you see it resting in the grass.
  785. >Right past the creature that’s charging at you.
  786. >Magical bolts are hitting it’s hide, but not affecting the animal’s pace.
  787. >You shake your head clear, and roll over to the side- barely avoiding the creature’s teeth as it crashes into the tree.
  788. >Reaching under your left shoulder, you grip onto the only other weapon you have on your person.
  789. >The bronze dagger that’s held by the Arbitrator.
  790. >Wasting no time, you jab it up into the beast’s neck.
  791. >The ancient blade goes up through the creature’s jaw, then you pull it free and strike again.
  792. >And again.
  793. >And a fourth time for good measure.
  794. >You then leave the body there, as you take flight and start dashing over to your sword.
  795. >Sliding the old dagger into its sheathe, you then reach your hoof down and pluck your sword from the ground without landing.
  796. >Back in the distance, you can see many more minotaurs charging forward.
  797. >But when you glance the opposite way, you see dozens, maybe hundreds, of the creatures barreling through the woods.
  798. >Why can’t anything be simple?
  799.  
  800. >…
  801. “Alright, where are we?”
  802. >”About half a day past an unnamed archipelago.”
  803. >This morning, you were at an unnamed archipelago.
  804. “Damn, should have guessed that.”
  805. >Tiara remains silent as she steers the ship.
  806. “So, in your professional opinion, how long do you think we have left?”
  807. >”With good wind and no diversions, two weeks or so.”
  808. “And when there are diversions?”
  809. >”Depends how long you take.”
  810. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
  811. >”Well if we didn’t get caught up with the siren or the fog, we’d probably be almost there. So when we hit the next issue, and you run off on your own to deal with it, how long we take is dependent on you.”
  812. “How will you ever get along without me?”
  813. >”Smoothly I’d guess.”
  814. “Right, because clearly I’m a magnet to all of the nasty critters out here.”
  815. >”Exactly.”
  816. >You let out a sigh as you look to the horizon.
  817. “You know, it feels like an eternity we’ve been on this ship.”
  818. >”I know exactly what you mean.”
  819. “I’ll try not to take that personally.”
  820. >”Well you know how they say that time flies when you’re having fun?”
  821. “I think I’ve heard that once or twice.”
  822. >”Then what’s the logical inversion of it?”
  823. “That one I’ll take as a personal insult.”
  824. >”Good.”
  825. >She replies smugly.
  826. “But in all this, I know something that you don’t.”
  827. >”Just one thing?”
  828. “After you drop me off and turn this ship around, you’re gonna miss me.”
  829. >”But then the headache ends. I get to be in charge of my ship again, and there won’t be any more of these little talks.”
  830. “And the sad part is that you’ll miss the headache.”
  831. >She laughs in dismissal.
  832. >”Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
  833.  
  834. “Oh I sleep just fine. Being trapped under artillery fire for weeks will teach you to rest through anything.”
  835. >”Wait, you’re saying that you actually need sleep? I thought you were beyond such menial tasks.”
  836. “Brace yourself, because it might shock you… I need to eat and drink as well.”
  837. >”Oh I know that you drink.”
  838. “You’re one to talk Miss Gin.”
  839. >”Yes, but my bloodstream isn’t half alcohol.”
  840. “I think you’ll do just fine once you get back to Canterlot.”
  841. >”Don’t tell me that your generals are worse than you are.”
  842. “Not quite, but there are four of them.”
  843. >”Why am I even agreeing to any of this…”
  844. “It’s either from the patriotic fervor making you want to serve your country, or you want the prestige and influence that comes with it. You argue for the former, I’m not sure the latter should be dismissed.”
  845. >”Alright, there’s something I need to know. Were you always like this, or did it take time?”
  846. “Started like this, it died down a bit after a few years, but recent events have started bringing it back up.”
  847. >Recent events as in: the spirit of chaos being a constant devil on your shoulder.
  848. >”What did you mean you started like this?”
  849. “Now that is a very old story, one that I’ve never told.”
  850. >”Oh, and why haven’t you?”
  851. “Let’s just say that it’s personal. Something that I’ve been rolling with ever since.”
  852. >”Well isn’t that cryptic… you’re embarrassed of it, aren’t you.”
  853. “Not embarrassed per say, disappointed works a bit better.”
  854. >”Your greatest shame, is it?”
  855. “Second or third, maybe. Tell you what- so far you haven’t lost a single crewman to this voyage. Get the ship back without losing anyone, and I’ll tell you it.”
  856. >”We both know you’re not coming back.”
  857. “So deal?”
  858. >She sighs before reluctantly responding.
  859. >”Deal.”
  860.  
  861. “And that’s why I’ve won this. Because if you get back in one piece, now you’ll be wondering about it for the rest of your life.”
  862. >”I think you’re overestimating my opinion of yourself.”
  863. “Oh trust me, one of these days you’ll be laying in a palace bed, being kept awake by the curiosity.”
  864. >”I wonder how long it’s going to take you to completely lose your mind once you’re out there on your own.”
  865. “I’m still not fully convinced that I haven’t spent these twenty odd years inside a nice padded room.”
  866. >”You do look like you could use a straightjacket.”
  867. “But then how would I rescue your little boat from danger every week?”
  868. >”I thought you could defeat entire armies just by looking at them. And does that mean you CAN’T breathe fire? I have to say, the man himself does not quite live up to the legend.”
  869. “Only a legend? You do know that last I heard, the yaks were making me a god.”
  870. >”So that’s where the narcissism stems from.”
  871. “Well… a demon, but that’s still a deity.”
  872. >”The yaks are smarter than I thought… they hate your company so much that they decided to make a religion out of it.”
  873. “I take it you’ll be a convert?”
  874. >”It’s tempting, but I think your head is big enough already. And I just don’t want to give you the satisfaction.”
  875. “My head is perfectly proportioned, have any of you ponies ever looked into a mirror? You’ve got a quarter of your body mass up there.”
  876. >”Aww… he’s upset that his head is so tiny. That is adorable.”
  877. “You know Tiara, I think I will miss these little talks of ours.”
  878.  
  879. >…
  880. “KEEP MOVING!”
  881. >By exploiting their weakness to magic, you’ve managed to form a spearhead greater than you could ever have hoped for.
  882. >As far as your eye can see through the woods, the battle rages on.
  883. >Your thrust is deep but narrow into the lines, if as many of the creatures are going to the flanks then the battles would be much closer.
  884. >Even though you only have eight unicorns, they’re managing to break enemy charges.
  885. >With each group of the creatures that emerge from deeper into the forest, they manage to break the cohesion of those attacking your advance.
  886. >Some of the creatures freeze up, others start thrashing on the ground, a couple even attack other beasts.
  887. >Those who don’t get hit have to move around the stunned creatures.
  888. >And when a group gets through, they’ve lost enough momentum or mass to tip the balance in your favor.
  889. >As minotaur warriors form a bulwark to protect the unicorns, the unicorns then tip the scales to support the minotaurs.
  890. >You’ve seen more than one minotaur take a hit to protect the unicorn soldiers.
  891. >An explosion tears a couple of the beasts apart after a minotaur hurled a grenade over the lines.
  892. >As you fly over the spearhead, you then get a glimpse of something through the forest.
  893. “WE’RE ALMOST THERE!”
  894. >You fly over to the minotaur who threw the grenade.
  895. >The sounds of battle force you to shout.
  896. “You got any more of those things!”
  897. >”One!”
  898. >He raises his hand and offers it to you.
  899. >The he rips the slow burning fuse off of his armor.
  900. “I’ll make it count.”
  901. >As he hefts a large axe off of his back, you fly up through the branches.
  902.  
  903. >Getting over the trees, you can see the clearing.
  904. >And the pit.
  905. >Every second another creature climbs from the tunnel.
  906. >You stay well over the horde as you fly to the entrance.
  907. >Horde being the only word that does justice to the army of beasts springing from the pit.
  908. >Once they get onto the ground, they run into the forest- spreading out but all going in the general direction of the coliseum.
  909. >Well, bombs away.
  910. >You hold the burning fuse up to the grenade’s fuse.
  911. >As it catches you drop it down into the hole.
  912. >You see it bounce off of one of the animal’s heads then fall deeper down, out of sight.
  913. >This is only a stop gap solution.
  914. >The blast and shrapnel will take out a few, and the explosive force will make a few more lose their grip.
  915. >The falling bodies will then knock more of the creatures off.
  916. >For a minute or two they won’t get any reinforcements.
  917. >You hear the grenade go off.
  918. >Looking to the tree line, you see your soldiers and the minotaurs punch through.
  919. >Glancing down, you see a few more beasts climb out of the pit, but after they get out it’s just an empty hole in the ground.
  920. “MOVE MOVE MOVE!”
  921. >The warriors shift from a steady advancing pace and start charging forward.
  922. >They start taking ground much quicker, but more minotaurs are falling to the creatures.
  923. >As the spearhead punches through, you see the horde shift.
  924.  
  925. >The beasts that were heading off to the flanks start turning to hit the sides of the advancing troops.
  926. >Over to the tree line where the minotaurs were following in, they’re replaced by the creatures.
  927. >You’ve been cut off.
  928. >Looking down, you see more of the animals climbing up.
  929. >They’re still a decently far off though.
  930. >But your people have made it to the tunnel.
  931. >Getting closer to the ground, you shout to the unicorns.
  932. “Cover the pit, stop any more from getting topside!”
  933. >As they surround the mouth of the hole, you hear another voice yell over the battle.
  934. >”MOVE IN, FORM A WALL! HOLD THE LINE!”
  935. >Looking over to the source of the voice, you pick Iron Resolve out of the crowd.
  936. >As you scan the clearing, you see the creatures start flooding through the tree line.
  937. >And they’re not just charging straight to the pit.
  938. >They’re actually fanning out and going to completely surround it.
  939. >At least it will take pressure off the battle in other areas.
  940. >As the minotaurs form up into a shield wall to circle the unicorns, they prepare to face the full brunt of the horde.
  941. >The only thing stopping the flood of beasts from getting topside is a hundred or so isolated minotaur warriors.
  942. >You set down onto the ground next to the unicorns.
  943. “I now you’re all tired, but I need everything you’ve got right now!”
  944. >Looking to the skies, you’re left with one last question.
  945. >Where’s Offense at?
  946.  
  947. >…
  948. >Sitting against a tree, you watch the oasis.
  949. >The water is perfectly still.
  950. >Then a large leaf from one of the palm trees falls gently onto the water.
  951. >The ripples go out in perfect circles, moving across the entire surface of the oasis.
  952. >A gust of wind then blows past, ruining the serenity of the entire picture.
  953. >You look over to the two tents that the others pitched.
  954. >Near them you see Shore sitting in the shade, fanning herself with a palm leaf.
  955. >Sadiq is further off, tossing a rock at a tree to make some dates fall to the ground.
  956. >There are only two tents set up because you’ve elected to sleep under the stars.
  957. >You can spend hours just laying down watching the wind blow against the palm trees and the bright stars illuminating everything below them.
  958. >This place is very calming for you.
  959. >In this tiny little speck in the desert, everything seems at peace.
  960. >No conflict, no noises, no voices.
  961. >Well aside from the occasional interruption there are no voices.
  962. >Just the wind and various animals that eke out an existence in the desert.
  963. >You slowly inhale the dry air.
  964. >This place is a bastion of life among emptiness.
  965. >But one day, be it in years, decades, or even centuries, this oasis will dry up.
  966. >The animals might be able to set out in exodus and find a new environment, but all of the flora will wither and die.
  967. >Water might return to this spot and old seeds might find sustenance, but the sand might simply swallow this entire area.
  968. >While the oasis remains, it is an anchor to this little ecosystem.
  969. >But eventually everything has it’s time.
  970.  
  971. >…
  972. >As the minotaurs continue to hold off the tides, you look to the sky.
  973. >The overcast is completely gone, leaving only clear blue as far as the eye can see.
  974. >Your eye catches movement.
  975. >A single black speck moving in the air.
  976. >When it grows closer, you can properly make out the shapes.
  977. >Offense is flying alongside a cloud, and four pegasi are moving it through the air.
  978. “JUST A BIT LONGER!”
  979. >The General flies ahead of the men.
  980. >You move up to meet him in the air just above the battle.
  981. “Is that it?”
  982. >Referring to the pitch black cloud that the pegasi are bringing in.
  983. >”Every cloud for over three miles, in one nice little package.”
  984. “Get it into position!”
  985. >He moves back to the other, who are getting much closer.
  986. >”Come on! What am I paying you for!”
  987. >Heading back to the ground, you give orders to the unicorns as they fire down the pit.
  988. “Last volley ponies, make it count!”
  989. >The soldiers start firing magical bolts as quickly as they can, coating the tunnel with attacks.
  990. >As they pull back, the pegasi get into position.
  991. >They take the cloud over the pit and begin forcing it down.
  992. >It was about three times as wide as the hole, so they really have to stamp it in.
  993. >You can feel the hair on your coat start to stand up from the excess static.
  994. >As they get the cloud down, they stop and stand atop it.
  995. >They’re maybe ten feet down from the surface.
  996. >”Won’t go any further!”
  997. “Make it rain!”
  998. >A pegasus carefully taps the cloud once or twice.
  999. >Alright, now water is going to be flowing down, coating the sides of the tunnel.
  1000.  
  1001. >Wait for it.
  1002. >Just a minute longer.
  1003. >It’s got to get nice and deep.
  1004. >The minotaurs just need to hold a bit longer.
  1005. >Hold…
  1006. >Hold…
  1007. “Hit it!”
  1008. >The four pegasi leap up and stamp onto the cloud.
  1009. >Every hair on your body starts to stand up, it even frizzes your naturally curled mane.
  1010. >The ground shakes quite a bit, and an near ear piercing boom that emanates from the pit.
  1011. >That would be the lightning going down the few hundred yards of water that’s gotten down the hole
  1012. >As your ears ring, you see the four pegasi slowly flap above the opening and land on the closest ground.
  1013. >Each strand of hair they have is completely standing out straight.
  1014. >One of them sits down relatively composed, the rest fall over to the side.
  1015. >Yeah, they’re gonna feel that in the morning.
  1016. >And by morning, you mean immediately.
  1017. >That was still a stop gap, but the sheer amount of fried bodies falling down the pit will seriously hinder any reinforcements.
  1018. >Many of the minotaurs were taken aback by the thunder, but they’re still fighting.
  1019. >Glancing down the pit, you see that the rock face on the sides is completely scorched as far as you can see.
  1020. >Stretching out your wings, you start moving up to get a better view of the field.
  1021. >The minotaurs are holding for the moment.
  1022. >They’re taking casualties, but standing firm.
  1023. >Now where are the other four pegasi soldiers?
  1024.  
  1025. >Your ears are still ringing a bit, but you can hear something else.
  1026. >Are those… horns?
  1027. >Scanning the clearing, you see that some of the creatures on the western flank aren’t facing the pit.
  1028. >A single minotaur steps past the tree line.
  1029. >From this distance you can see his massive beard reaching down to the ground.
  1030. >The Sage?
  1031. >As a creature goes to claw at him, he knocks the arm away with his cane.
  1032. >Then brings down an axe into its head.
  1033. >No small feat for a minotaur of a hundred and five.
  1034. >Or was it a hundred and seven?
  1035. >On each side of the Sage, another minotaur come into view.
  1036. >Based on the color of their fur, you think you recognize them as Steel Fortitude and Brass Nerve.
  1037. >Each of them raises a hand, pointing towards your encircled group.
  1038. >As they charge past the Sage, who probably can’t keep up due to his age, dozens of heavily armored minotaurs erupt from the tree line.
  1039. >Behind them are the occasional banner men, and many more warriors.
  1040. >With the horde focusing on the pit, it looks like the western flank was able to break through.
  1041. >Good timing too, you’re not sure how much longer your group could have lasted.
  1042. >The reinforcement easily manage to cut through the creatures that separate them from your group.
  1043. >As the fresh troops get to the lines, they then spread out and begin to push the creatures back from the clearing.
  1044.  
  1045. >When the front lines shift, it gives the minotaurs that were with you a much needed moment to rest.
  1046. >Some of them hit the ground to sit, others pause for a moment before heading back into battle.
  1047. >A couple even just started moving forward.
  1048. >Confident that the area is being secured, you set down next to the pit.
  1049. >You see the Sage approaching as he steps over or around the bodies that litter the field.
  1050. >”So this is it.”
  1051. >He leans over the edge and harshly spits down it.
  1052. >As if to personally tell his hell exactly what he thinks of it.
  1053. >”I’m too old for this…”
  1054. “You seemed to handle yourself well enough.”
  1055. >”You can comment on that after your first century.”
  1056. >Offense sets down next to you.
  1057. >”Ma’am, look.”
  1058. >He points to the south.
  1059. >Four pegasi in two teams each carrying their payload.
  1060. >As the Sage continues to inspect the pit, he speaks.
  1061. >”This will have to be guarded every hour of the day.”
  1062. “I have a better plan.”
  1063. >”Humph, and what would that be?”
  1064. “I’m gonna blow it up.”
  1065. >As the pegasi approach, they set down two large kegs that should be filled with gunpowder.
  1066. “About time.”
  1067. >Offense is less… warm.
  1068. >”What took you so damn long?”
  1069. >One of the soldiers responds:
  1070. >”Sir, the minotaurs weren’t very keen on giving us anything… we may have… stolen these.”
  1071. “I’m sure they won’t miss it.”
  1072. >Another soldier tosses a coil of rope off of his shoulder, and a third soldier reaches into a satchel to pull out a pair of dynamite bundles.
  1073. “Well don’t just stand there, get to work.”
  1074. >Your men begin to tightly wrap a the dynamite to each of the barrels.
  1075. >When those go off, it should trigger a chain reaction and ignite the kegs.
  1076. >Offense takes to the skies, and begins yelling to the minotaurs in the clearing.
  1077. >”CLEAR THE AREA!”
  1078. >You look over to the Sage.
  1079. “That means you too.”
  1080.  
  1081. >Moving over to the pegasi still in shock from the storm cloud, you help get them on their hooves.
  1082. >Looking over to the unicorns, you speak to them:
  1083. “Any of you still strong enough to levitate these and spark the fuses?”
  1084. >One of the men volunteers.
  1085. “Alright, this one-“
  1086. >You indicate the first barrel.
  1087. “-drops first, it’s got a twenty second fuse so it’ll get down a decent amount. That’ll collapse the tunnel deeper down. When it goes up, the other will only have a second or so, that’ll get this end of the pit.”
  1088. >”Yes Ma’am.”
  1089. >In the skies, Offense is still yelling at minotaurs to get back.
  1090. >”MOVE, MOVE! THIS WHOLE PLACE IS GOING UP!”
  1091. >…
  1092. >With the clearing… well… cleared, you stand near the tree line.
  1093. >The unicorn is next to you, hovering the first bomb over the pit.
  1094. >Offense is in the sky offering direction.
  1095. >”Left five inches… towards us by a foot… you’re good.”
  1096. “Fire when ready.”
  1097. >You see a faint spark as the fuse begins to burn, then the magical aura around the barrel dissipates.
  1098. >The bomb falls down out of sight.
  1099. >And…
  1100. >Three.
  1101. >Two.
  1102. >One.
  1103. >The sound of the explosion echoes up the shaft of the tunnel, and you feel the ground shake a bit.
  1104. “Move on to the next one.”
  1105. >The second barrel begins hovering closer to the pit.
  1106. >”Right three feet… left six inches… away from us a few inches… stop!”
  1107. “Fire in the hole.”
  1108. >A brief spark comes off of the fuse, and the barrel begins to drop.
  1109. >A moment later, it goes off.
  1110. >Fire and dust shoots out of the pit as the explosion reaches the surface.
  1111. >While the debris starts settling, you take flight to assess the damage.
  1112. >Well… there was a hole, now it’s a crater.
  1113. >Now the minotaurs just have to mop up the remnants.
  1114.  
  1115. >…
  1116. >”You know Anon, in reflection your arrival here is rather funny.”
  1117. “Harvey.”
  1118. >”Hmm?”
  1119. “Stop.”
  1120. >You toss your tennis ball in the air and spike it down.
  1121. >Harvey jumps to return the volley, hitting the ball back but falling onto the ground to do it.
  1122. >Letting you easily score after hitting the ball back.
  1123. “That’s the match.”
  1124. >As Harvey picks himself off the ground, he speaks again.
  1125. >”I’ll get you next time, just needed a bit to get in the zone.”
  1126. “Maybe badminton is more your speed.”
  1127. >”But Anon, it was one great big comedy of errors!”
  1128. “Harv…”
  1129. >You begin walking around the net to approach him.
  1130. >”And you ran with it!”
  1131. “Harvey!”
  1132. >”In a way, you’re still running with it.”
  1133. >Yeah, he has this coming.
  1134. >You swing your racket down onto his head.
  1135. >The strings break and it ends up hanging around his neck.
  1136. >”Ouch.”
  1137. >He says in a complete deadpan.
  1138. >”That was completely uncalled for.”
  1139. “Don’t give me that.”
  1140. >”Okay, it may have been called for…”
  1141. >He pulls the racket off of his head.
  1142. >”But I still don’t understand your aversion to the topic.”
  1143. “Harv, you can see my memories. You know that I have three regrets.”
  1144. >”And what would those be?”
  1145. “Don’t play coy. You know damn well what the big one is. Number two is the stuff that happened after you hit me on the head with your trans dimensional golf ball.”
  1146. >”We should go golfing!”
  1147. “Three is the I took so long stopping Celestia, we already talked about that one though.”
  1148. >”Then why can’t we talk about the first two? It’s not like I don’t know exactly what happened.”
  1149. “No.”
  1150. >”That’s not an appropriate answer to my question.”
  1151. “No.”
  1152. >”But-“
  1153. “You’re pushing your luck Harv!”
  1154. >”Point taken. You have the pants in this relationship… seeing as I don’t even have a body on which to wear pants.”
  1155.  
  1156. “Harv.”
  1157. >”Yes?”
  1158. “You don’t wear pants at all when you’re in your body.”
  1159. >”It’s about the principle, not the pants.”
  1160. “Well I’m never getting that quote out of my head.”
  1161. >”Then my work is done here.”
  1162. “Don’t tell me that this was all just one big quest get a single concession out of me, and you’re either still connected to your body or you can jump back at any time.”
  1163. >”Oh no, we’re properly joined at the hip.”
  1164. “Lucky me…”
  1165. >”I know, we’re already the best of friends.”
  1166. “No, we aren’t.”
  1167. >”We’re already the best of acquaintances. So, another match?”
  1168. “Not today. I think it’s time you give me a proper rundown on the East.”
  1169. >”Shall we have that talk out here on the court?”
  1170. >You snap your fingers and dissolve the word around you.
  1171. >Replacing it, you create a small living room.
  1172. >Some nice leather armchairs, a burning fireplace, a bit of Verdi in the background.
  1173. “Alright Harv, you get one more concession today. I completely understand why you snap before using magic.”
  1174. >”Isn’t it just sublime?”
  1175. “Take a seat.”
  1176. >You do the same, letting yourself fall into one of the soft chairs.
  1177. >Too soft.
  1178. >Focusing on firming up the padding, you make it a bit more comfortable.
  1179. “Alright Harv, what should I expect? Most of the reports are by ponies who’ve barely stepped hoof on land, or have lost more than a few marbles.”
  1180. >”Well the first thing you should worry about is the geography. You’ll encounter many different shifting biomes. One day you could be walking through a savannah being staked by lions the size rhinos, and the next you’ll be in an overgrown swamp pestered by carnivorous lemurs. When a single environment dominates a large area, it goes on for quite a while. To the south there is one desert so desolate, that there is no life, not even bacterial, for over three hundred miles. Don’t worry, your path shouldn’t bring you anywhere close to that though.”
  1181.  
  1182. “A shame, no life means there’s nothing there that wants to eat me.”
  1183. >”Ah, but the sands are so loose that in a quarter of the desert you’d be literally sinking.”
  1184. “What specific types of environments should I be going through?”
  1185. >”Temperate zones, heavy forests, mountains, jungles, swamps, alpine highlands, savannah, caves, areas covered by volcanic ash. Some of them will come up more than once.”
  1186. “Outstanding.”
  1187. >”Next would be the flora and fauna. You’ll recognize some animals, but they are markedly more dangerous than any examples you’ve seen. Manticores that are twice as large and ferocious. Hydra’s that are much smaller but hunt in packs. Hornets the size of a pegasus. You get the picture.”
  1188. “And the stuff I won’t recognize.”
  1189. >”It would take months to give you a complete bestiary. Ivy that grows so fast that it will latch on your leg and work its way to your head in a manner of seconds. There are creatures that would be best described as fox-gremlins that possess excellent camouflaging abilities. Then these kind of hermit crab like creatures that use skulls as shells, they are very venomous and will plant eggs in the eye sockets of victims as they bleed out.”
  1190. “I get the picture.”
  1191. >”You asked…”
  1192. “What about civilizations, are there any intelligent species?”
  1193. >”Not intelligent per say. A few millennia ago I saw some deer that were showing rudimentary intelligence, but they’ve probably been driven extinct by now, a volcano erupted and destroyed the forest they dwelled in. You might find ancient ruins of sorts from various civilizations I never bothered to look at. If you’re lucky… or unlucky you might find a Cyclops, but let’s just say that the population over there didn’t have a lot of genetic diversity.”
  1194.  
  1195. “How long has it been since you even properly saw the region?”
  1196. >”To be honest it was much more fun around proto-Equestria. I would pop over ever odd century.”
  1197. “So your intel is shaky at best?”
  1198. >”More or less. Although, before I got cut off from my body, I dropped over an came up with a few possible paths for you to take. Before that blasted Siren cut my connection, I was going to drop in at random intervals and offer you vague advice.”
  1199. “Great…”
  1200. >”But I did leave a few supply caches for you. Food, water, weapons. That sort of thing.”
  1201. “What kind of weapons?”
  1202. >”Now that would ruin the surprise. Oh, but I will tell you that I left a boat at one of the swampy areas. By taking the river it lets out at, you’ll cut a week or two off of the walking time.”
  1203. “Assuming it’s still standing.”
  1204. >”I placed all of the supplies behind at least a foot of solid steel, they’ll be there.”
  1205. “What even made this place so feral?”
  1206. >”Now that is a very complicated answer, that I’m not quite at liberty to discuss.”
  1207. >What?
  1208. “You did it, didn’t you?”
  1209. >”… in a way. Partially. Kind of. It’s a very very long story.”
  1210. “Damnit Discord.”
  1211. >”Look, get me back in my body, and I’ll explain everything.”
  1212. “I’m not falling for that, I just used that same shit on Tiara.”
  1213. >”And your language! You hardly ever swore before these last few months.”
  1214. “What never?”
  1215. >”Hardly ever!”
  1216.  
  1217. >…
  1218. >Back in the coliseum, minotaur patrols still continue to search for any stragglers.
  1219. >But this place isn’t looking so hot.
  1220. >Bodies are scattered in many areas.
  1221. >While the center pushed through to the pit, and the western flank had success pushing through once the horde shifted attention, the east side of the battle did not fare well.
  1222. >It collapsed almost entirely, and the minotaurs were pushed back to the camps and the coliseum itself.
  1223. >A few hundred civilians were caught by the creatures.
  1224. >The minotaurs were eventually able to secure it again, but it was too late for many of those taking shelter in the structure.
  1225. >As the Sage finishes conferring with some scouts, he approaches you with a dour look on his face.
  1226. “Bad news?”
  1227. >”The reports. Fifteen hundred warriors died in the field, though I expect that number to rise as we learn more. Four hundred civilians were caught, and two hundred more are still unaccounted for.”
  1228. “I’m sorry for your losses.”
  1229. >”Do not be, I have heard something far more troubling.”
  1230. >He turns back to the scouts.
  1231. >”Bring him!”
  1232. “What happened?”
  1233. >”Early into the battle, there was a struggle for control over the eastern flank. Black Rage and Rust Blood both took their tribes there, and when Blood argued that he should lead the effort, Rage agreed. The second his back turned, Rage struck his axe in Rust Blood’s back. That triggered open conflict between the warriors, and by the time the demons arrived, they were able to quickly overrun the quarreling tribes.”
  1234. “That’s horrible.”
  1235. >”It goes beyond words.”
  1236.  
  1237. >Behind the Sage, you see a pair of full armored minotaurs drag Black Rage in by the arms.
  1238. >His face is badly bloodied, and his nose is visibly broken.
  1239. >The Sage doesn’t say a single word to him, he just stares with stern eyes and a neutral face.
  1240. >When they stop dragging Rage, he just looks up to the Sage with a smug grin.
  1241. >”Is the pony here to lecture to me about friendship?”
  1242. >He then spits his own blood onto the Sage’s face.
  1243. >”What are you going to do old man? Kill me?”
  1244. >Remaining silent, the Sage lifts his cane up to grab the end of it with his right hand.
  1245. >He then swings the blunt end up into Rage’s jaw.
  1246. >The guards let him fall onto his back.
  1247. >You then watch the sage step around his body and hammer his cane down onto Rage’s skull.
  1248. >Multiple times.
  1249. >He doesn’t stop until the skull is visibly smashed, and bits of brain are thrown around by the swings.
  1250. >The Sage then says one word to the corpse.
  1251. >”Yes.”
  1252. >Looking to the nearby minotaurs, he addressees them.
  1253. >”Let it be known that for his crimes, the Rage family is not only struck from rank, but will bear the harshest honor stains until their line ends. Their tribe is hereby dissolved.”
  1254. >You never could have imagined seeing such brutality from him of all minotaurs.
  1255.  
  1256. >The Sage then steps back towards you.
  1257. >”Please, stay a day more. Due in no small part to your efforts, we were able to emerge victorious today.”
  1258. “I couldn’t have done anything without all of your people fighting alongside us.”
  1259. >”Which is why tonight you and your men will stand with the most honored warriors of the day. Rejoice today, for this war is far from over.”
  1260. “You think they’ll be back?”
  1261. >”The Sundering will only end after either my people are extinct, or when Broken-Horn returns to lead us into the final battle.”
  1262. “Look, I really don’t mean to insult your beliefs, but do you really think all this prophecy stuff has any merit in reality?”
  1263. >”Decades ago, your people prophesized that your Nightmare Moon would return, and she did.”
  1264. “Fair enough, but-“
  1265. >”Please, there has been enough battling today. Let us rest.”
  1266. “Oh, one more thing.”
  1267. >You start unstrapping the ceremonial dagger’s sheath.
  1268. “I may have had to use it to kill one of those things.”
  1269. >”Good.”
  1270. >He takes the dagger from you.
  1271. >”Do you know how this dagger became the symbol of succession?”
  1272. “No, but you said something about it being passed down for countless generations.”
  1273. >”Broken-Horn gave this to an unarmed farm boy to fight with. After the exile, he rallied our lost people and took the name Unyielding Dedication, and upon his death he gifted it to his eldest son. That family is said to have ruled as kings for two thousand years.”
  1274. “A king? Wait, how old is that exactly?”
  1275. >”Many records have been lost over the years, but it is estimated to be between three and six thousand years old.”
  1276. >You killed one of those things with a three to six thousand year old dagger.
  1277. “How is it even still in one piece?”
  1278. >”Before the exile, our craftsmen were quite skilled. Now we will guard this carefully, so that we may return it to Broken-Horn upon his arrival.”
  1279. “For symbolic purposes?”
  1280. >”Because he asked us to return it.”
  1281.  
  1282. >…
  1283. >This is chaos.
  1284. >Barbarism.
  1285. >Completely uncivilized.
  1286. >It’s horrible.
  1287. >This isn’t a celebration, it’s a riot.
  1288. >The chants, battle cries, singing.
  1289. >You can’t hear a single sound, only a hurricane of mostly drunk minotaurs.
  1290. >But it’s not only the noise…
  1291. >You’ve seen dozens of fistfights breakout.
  1292. >Supposedly it’s all in good fun.
  1293. >Supposedly being the keyword.
  1294. >At one point you walked by a huge crowd watching Wind and Wind wrestle.
  1295. >You’re amazed that they both survived the battle.
  1296. >Word is that they faced the beasts while completely unarmed.
  1297. >And that they teamed up to fight.
  1298. >Nothing like an apocalypse to bring people together.
  1299. >Between the fights and celebrations, family and friends burn pyres for the deceased.
  1300. >Their chanting and hymns are notably filled with more sorrow.
  1301. >Groups have taken turns urinating on the banners of the Rage tribe.
  1302. >Someone even brought out Black Rage’s body, and many take turns spitting on it.
  1303. >Males and females have been… having fun.
  1304. >Some of them don’t even bother to find a tent… they just let the world see.
  1305. >Lacking the… endurance to keep up with the celebrations, you decided to fly away to the top of the coliseum.
  1306. >The noise is all still there, but at least you’re not directly surrounded by it.
  1307.  
  1308. >Sitting down on the stone, you let the cool night’s wind go through your mane.
  1309. >Today has been… hectic.
  1310. >Now you don’t give much merit to the prophecy that the minotaurs believe in, but you have to admit some aspects are interesting.
  1311. >From how deep the tunnel was, it’s safe to assume that the creatures came from Tartarus.
  1312. >Which probable qualifies as ‘hell’ to the minotaurs.
  1313. >And you have no idea what could have tunneled and broken through thousands of feet of solid rock.
  1314. >None of the creatures were above ground when the pegasi got there to scout it out, so clearly they didn’t dig through it.
  1315. >There are plenty of nasties locked up in Tartarus that could have blasted through the ground, but anything strong enough to do that would have easily been able to gotten past Cerberus.
  1316. >If something, or someone, went so far out of their way to dig that hole in particular, it had to be about releasing those creatures.
  1317. >And why was this location chosen?
  1318. >If you wanted to release a horde to destroy the minotaurs, wouldn’t it make more sense to release them into the wilderness far away from any population?
  1319. >That way the horde could get incredible numbers on the ground without risking the security of their one way to get reinforcements.
  1320. >Sure this place usually doesn’t have thousands of minotaurs present, but there still would have been a small group keeping things clean and intact.
  1321. >And it’s likely that at least one of those minotaurs would have gotten word out.
  1322. >You can see two reasons to strike here and now.
  1323. >Either the entire political leadership of the minotaur people was supposed to be killed.
  1324. >Or this was just a message… that ‘hell’ is coming for you.
  1325. >Neither possibility is rather comforting.
  1326.  
  1327. >”I can’t take any more of this.”
  1328. >You look over to see Offense setting down next to you.
  1329. “Not enjoying the drinking.”
  1330. >”They’ve got fermented goat milk down there. Tried some, it’s by far the worst thing I’ve ever drank. And I’ve had to survive off of my own piss down in Saddle Arabia.”
  1331. “I did not need to know that.”
  1332. >”I know, who’d even drink unfermented goat milk!”
  1333. >Yeah, he’s had a few.
  1334. >”Still though, we did good today.”
  1335. “Yes we did.”
  1336. >”But it’s killing me… what was your final challenge going to be?”
  1337. >Oh, now that’s fun.
  1338. “Well, I was going to put them through a chess tournament. I figured that only Blunt Force or Iron Resolve would have been clever enough to win. Some corruption or a lack of popularity are bad and all, but it’s better than open war.”
  1339. >”Chess!”
  1340. “I told you that they would hate it. The justification was that it can be related to military strategy. Having to attack in clever ways, knowing when to sacrifice, that sort of thing.”
  1341. >”You’re evil.”
  1342. “I try.”
  1343. >”You know…”
  1344. “Yes?”
  1345. >He hiccups.
  1346. >”You’ve got the same cut over your eye as Anon has. Same side even.”
  1347. “Honestly I’m afraid that as soon as he sees it, he’ll start lecturing on how I put myself into harm’s way… well he’d complain about how I let myself get hit just to look like he does.”
  1348. >”Trust me your highness, he’d be damn proud.”
  1349.  
  1350. “I hope… because right about now I could really use his advice. Honestly I’d rather that he was here instead of me.”
  1351. >”Look, I’ve worked with him for a long time. I don’t think he would have done much differently today… well before everything went south, he probably would have goaded that Rage guy a bit more. Actually during the celebrations last night, he probably would have started a fist fight with him to put him in his place… but hey, he got what was coming.”
  1352. >That’s a lot of rambling uses of ‘he.’
  1353. “I would have paid to see Anon and Rage butt heads.”
  1354. >”Rage wouldn’t have lasted ten seconds.”
  1355. “Why did you even let him leave?”
  1356. >”Because there’s nothing that can stand between him and saving you. And I mean nothing. When the parasite tried to get him, he would have left well enough alone after getting rid of it. But when it played for you, Anon started a one man war that only ends one way.”
  1357. “And you let him go alone…”
  1358. >”He’s going to a violent place. Anypony that went with him would only slow him down. This way he goes at his own pace and doesn’t have to worry about protecting anypony else.”
  1359. “I just hope he gets back soon.”
  1360. >”He’ll be back before you know it.”
  1361. “Because I have feeling that this stuff is only just starting.”
  1362. >Offense remains silent.
  1363. “Cause if whatever caused this is still down there, I really doubt that it’ll stop at one try.”
  1364. >Offense still doesn’t reply.
  1365. “Brigadier?”
  1366. >You look over to see him curled up and sleeping.
  1367. “You’re either pretty drunk, or I’m just pretty boring.”
  1368.  
  1369. >…
  1370. >You’d guess that Offense was just drunk.
  1371. >Because you definitely weren’t able to sleep.
  1372. >The minotaurs just kept going.
  1373. >It’s noon for crying out loud.
  1374. >You think this might last as long as the alcohol lasts…
  1375. >Maybe the attack was meant to be defeated.
  1376. >That way, another pit can pop up and the minotaurs will all be too drunk or tried to fight back.
  1377. >It’s a bit quieter now, but the celebrations are still going strong.
  1378. >Walking around the coliseum, after getting a drink of water, you pass by the Sage.
  1379. >”Ah, young one.”
  1380. “Can I help you?”
  1381. >He motions down one of the hallways.
  1382. >”Walk with me.”
  1383. >You start walking with the old minotaur.
  1384. “So, is this kind of celebration common?”
  1385. >”Far from. Though given the circumstances, justified.”
  1386. “No, I don’t think it is.”
  1387. >”If we do manage to survive the Sundering, my people will not stop for at least a week.”
  1388. “Well… good luck with that?”
  1389. >”Thank you.”
  1390. “So what was it that you wanted to talk about?”
  1391. >”I’ve been meeting with the elders and chiefs. The tribes have reached a consensus on leadership while we await Broken-Horn.”
  1392. “Am I going to have to start the final challenge?”
  1393. >”No, in these days, we need the surviving claimants fighting for their people.”
  1394. >He leads you outside of the coliseum, and you stop by the entrance.
  1395. >”Brass Nerve, Steel Fortitude, and Iron Resolve will sit on a war council.”
  1396. “Okay, I understand Nerve and Fortitude. Combined they represent most of the tribes, but where does Resolve fit in.”
  1397. >”He led his small group of supporters down the center with you. He has been seen as the greatest hero from the battle. Behind yourself, of course, although many are slow to accept that a pony was key in the battle. But beyond his part in the battle, many have started to see his more traditional views as a necessity during these times.”
  1398. “And where does that leave you in all this?”
  1399.  
  1400. >”I will help advise the council. Decisions will be based off of vote, however if any decision is made to the detriment of the dissenting party, I can step in to forbid the motion. That is the only case in which I can effect decisions: if the Triarchs are all in agreement, then the matter is settled.”
  1401. “Triarch?”
  1402. >”An older title from the latter days of monarchy. Three factions of tribes formed to circumvent the power of the King. The leader of each alliance was known as Triarch. Eventually they went to war with the monarchists, after much fighting the Triarchs came to power. However the factions soon broke down without fear of the King to keep the tribes allied- after the resulting chaos, the tribes eventually came together to choose the first Archon.”
  1403. “Well hopefully it doesn’t break down this time.”
  1404. >”With the threat of the demons, that is highly unlikely.”
  1405. “Once things start getting settled around here, you can send an ambassador to Canterlot. Trade deals and the like. If another pit pops up, I’m sure we can come to an arrangement for weapons and supplies, troops maybe.”
  1406. >”If you were open to it, one of the topics the Triarchs discussed was reestablishing a diplomatic presence with your people.”
  1407. “One of the topics?”
  1408. >”One was setting up the war council, the other was diplomacy. The people wouldn’t let the Triarchs postpone celebrating for any longer.”
  1409. “Well you know where to find us. Just send the ambassador or ambassadors, we might be able to set up an embassy if you want to go that route.”
  1410. >”A proper embassy would take away too much manpower. Right now we need every man, woman, and child working to the war effort.”
  1411. >You have a feeling that they’re about to mobilize so much that it will make the height of the Equestrian war economy look like child’s play.
  1412.  
  1413. “Well… good luck with the war.”
  1414. >”Your own people should be wary. It is likely that the demons will only target us.”
  1415. “If it does, I’ll make sure that the entire country is on the warpath within a week.”
  1416. >You pause as you hear a voice screaming above the background noise.
  1417. >From above you?
  1418. >Oh crap…
  1419. >You left him on the roof!
  1420. >Offense then comes into view as he crashes onto the ground, wildly flapping his wings to slow the descent.
  1421. >He then groans loudly as he lays on the ground.
  1422. >Running over to him, you speak.
  1423. “Are you okay?”
  1424. >”Yeah… yeah.”
  1425. >He rolls over and rubs his temples with his hooves.
  1426. >”Just really hungover.”
  1427. >You hear the Sage chuckle.
  1428. >”It appears that your general still cannot hold his liquor.”
  1429. >”Bite me, old man.”
  1430. “Offense!”
  1431. >”He started it!”
  1432. “Offense…”
  1433. >”… I’m sorry”
  1434. “I’m sorry…”
  1435. >”I’m sorry, Sage.”
  1436. >”Ha, the little general bows to his little princess.”
  1437. “Bite me, old man!”
  1438. >”That’s merely what I hoped to get out of you. To prove that you have the teeth needed in these days.”
  1439. “Well do it again and you’ll be on your back, looking at the sky.”
  1440. >”Forgive me, young one.”
  1441. “Forgive me…”
  1442. >”Forgive me, Princess Heart.”
  1443. “That’s better. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have soldiers to collect and a nation to get back to.”
  1444. >You start walking away.
  1445. “On your hooves, Offense!”
  1446.  
  1447. >…
  1448. >Another day on the open sea.
  1449. >Atop the poop deck, you lean against the stern railing to the ship.
  1450. >A few minutes ago you started whistling the tune from Bridge on the River Kwai.
  1451. >By now, most of the topside crew is going along with it.
  1452. >Tiara then turns back to yell at you:
  1453. >”Would you stop that!”
  1454. >You think Harvey put in the sound effect of a record scratching as the crew stops.
  1455. “Problem Lady Tiara?”
  1456. >”Yes! You’ve been giving me a headache.”
  1457. “Tell me, did you hate fun as a child, or did you grow into it?”
  1458. >”I do NOT hate fun!”
  1459. “So you just hate when others have fun?”
  1460. >”Anon…”
  1461. “That explains a lot actually.”
  1462. >”Anon.”
  1463. >She’s let go of the wheel and is fully turned to look at you.
  1464. >No, she’s looking just to the left of you.
  1465. >Shit.
  1466. >Pushing off the railing, you spin round as you draw your sword.
  1467. >You see a thick pinkish-red tentacle sprouting from the water, barely a foot from where you were.
  1468. >Maybe a foot thick…
  1469. >Hacking your sword, you swing clean through the tentacle, sending the top three feet of it tumbling down into the sea.
  1470. >As you cut through the tentacle, a second springs into your view.
  1471. >It wraps around your torso too quickly for you to counter, pulling you over the edge.
  1472. >What really annoys you is how your knees bashed against the railing.
  1473. >God that’s tight.
  1474. >As it pulls you down to the water, you hack out lower on the tentacle.
  1475. >You hit it parallel to how it runs, creating a long and deep cut.
  1476. >Enough to make the appendage drop you.
  1477. >Before you hit the water, you inhale and close your eyes.
  1478.  
  1479. >Submerged, you open your eyes.
  1480. >The sting of seawater doesn’t hamper your vision.
  1481. >Working your sword back into its sheathe, you then draw your dagger as you face the beast below you.
  1482. >Eight shorter arms, and two larger ones to the side.
  1483. >In the center, you see a very large beak.
  1484. >A giant squid.
  1485. >Just great.
  1486. >You jab at the tentacles as they press in towards you.
  1487. >Pressing the knife into the tentacle that grabbed you, it reels back.
  1488. >You feel some of the shorter ones around your ankles.
  1489. >They pull you deeper into the water, towards the beak as it rapidly crushes down at the water separating you from it.
  1490. >The creature lets go of your legs as it pulls one last time.
  1491. >You manage to get your feet on either side of the beak when you reach the squid.
  1492. >However the shorter tentacles begin to wrap themselves around your body, trying to crush you down to the beak.
  1493. >You right arm is being completely surrounded.
  1494. >With your free left hand, you grab the knife and start jabbing at the tentacle around your arm.
  1495. >You can feel the suckers against your back, through your shirt.
  1496. >As the beast relents from your arm, you move it down to grab your sword.
  1497. >While a tentacle works its way around your neck, you barely manage to get the sword free.
  1498. >With the little light you have, you line up your sword and thrust it down next to the beak.
  1499. >You think you hear the creature cry out, and you feel the tentacles retract from your body.
  1500. >Wounded, the creature thrusts its tentacles to move down into the deep.
  1501. >Looks like you’re not worth the effort.
  1502. >Working your weapons back into their sheathes, you start making for the surface.
  1503.  
  1504. >Breaching the surface, you see that the ship has been moving off into the wind.
  1505. >You see Tiara and several other crewmen looking off the stern.
  1506. >A few moments later, a pair of pegasi launch and come to pick you up.
  1507. >Reaching your arms up, you let them grab onto them.
  1508. >They fly you through the air, and set you down back on the poop deck.
  1509. >You take a moment to inspect your shirt.
  1510. >It used to be the top of a pair of olive fatigues.
  1511. >Now it’s rather tattered.
  1512. >Damnit.
  1513. >You liked this shirt.
  1514. >Pulling the decimated shirt off of your torso, you then remove the equally as shredded white t-shirt.
  1515. >”Anon?”
  1516. >Tiara asks.
  1517. >Well would you look at that, no one is even at the wheel.
  1518. >That’s just negligent.
  1519. >”Anon?”
  1520. >She repeats herself.
  1521. >Stepping over to the wheel, you take it.
  1522. >The crew looks like they’ve completely stopped what they’ve been doing.
  1523. >”Anon!”
  1524. >You clear your throat.
  1525. “Oh we’d be allllright if the wind was in our sails! Oh we’d be allllright if the wind was in our sails!”
  1526. >You motion an arm to get the crew moving.
  1527. >As they get back to work, they begin singing as well.
  1528. “We’d be allllright if the wind was in our sails, and we’ll hang on behind!”
  1529. >”We’d be allllright if the wind was in our sails, and we’ll hang on behind!”
  1530. “And we’ll roll the old chariot along, we’ll roll the old chariot along!”
  1531. >“And we’ll roll the old chariot along, we’ll roll the old chariot along!”
  1532. “And we’ll roll the old chariot along, and we’ll all hang on behind!”
  1533. >“And we’ll roll the old chariot along, and we’ll all hang on behind!”
  1534. >You get the first line of the next verse to yourself.
  1535.  
  1536. “Oh we’d be allllright if we make it over East!”
  1537. >They join you for the rest.
  1538. “Oh we’d be allllright if we make it over East, we’d be allllright if we make it over East, and we’ll all hang on behind!”
  1539. >”Oh we’d be allllright if we make it over East, we’d be allllright if we make it over East, and we’ll all hang on behind.”
  1540. “And we’ll roll the old chariot along, we’ll roll the old chariot along!”
  1541. >“And we’ll roll the old chariot along, we’ll roll the old chariot along!”
  1542. “And we’ll roll the old chariot along, and we’ll all hang on behind!”
  1543. >“And we’ll roll the old chariot along, and we’ll all hang on behind!”
  1544. >First line if yours:
  1545. “Well a night on the town wouldn’t do us any harm!”
  1546. >You hear a cheer or two from the crew.
  1547. “Oh a night on the town wouldn’t do us any harm, oh a night on the town wouldn’t do us any harm, and we’ll all hang on behind!”
  1548. >”Oh a night on the town wouldn’t do us any harm, oh a night on the town wouldn’t do us any harm, and we’ll all hang on behind!”
  1549. “And we’ll roll the oooooooooooold”
  1550. >”And we’ll roll the old chariot along!”
  1551. “We’ll roll the oooooooooooold”
  1552. >”We’ll roll the old chariot along!”
  1553. “We’ll roll the oooooooooooold”
  1554. >”We’ll roll the old chariot along!”
  1555. “And we’ll all hang on behind!”
  1556. >”And we’ll all hang on behind!”
  1557. “AGAIN!”
  1558. >You start again.
  1559. “We’ll roll the oooooooooooold!”
  1560. >”We’ll roll the old chariot along!”
  1561. “We’ll roooooll the oooooooold!”
  1562. >”We’ll roll the old chariot along!”
  1563. “We’ll roll the old chariot along!”
  1564. >”We’ll roll the old chariot along!”
  1565. “And we’ll all haaang up behiiiiiind!”
  1566. >“And we’ll all haaang up behiiiiiind!”
  1567. >As the song ends, there are some scattered cheers from the crew.
  1568. >While the crew continues their duties, Tiara approaches you.
  1569.  
  1570. >”If you enjoy spectacle and the sound of your voice so much, why didn’t you become a singer or actor?”
  1571. “They don’t exactly cast my type in Manehattan, Tiara.”
  1572. >”Uh huh.”
  1573. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”
  1574. >”So are you going to put a shirt on anytime soon?”
  1575. “What’s the point? They keep getting torn up.”
  1576. >”That’s your fault.”
  1577. “What’s the problem Tiara? Too distracting?”
  1578. >”You can’t even grow a proper coat, just some scruff on your chest.”
  1579. “You don’t get to mock my chest hair.”
  1580. >”It’s just that your naked pink skin is so ugly.”
  1581. “Pink? I’ve been tanning nicely from this voyage.”
  1582. >”And all of the scars are unsightly.”
  1583. “Well now I know that you’re just being facetious.”
  1584. >”For somepony that’s so sure of himself, you’ve certainly taken more than a few hits.”
  1585. “Don’t you remember when I killed all of those creatures without getting so much as a scratch?”
  1586. >”Luck has to account for some things.”
  1587. “Tiara, I’ve been fighting for longer than some of your crewmen have been alive.”
  1588. >”Uh huh.”
  1589. “Tiara…”
  1590. >”Hmm?”
  1591. “Take the wheel, I need to get some dry boots.”
  1592. >Also you need to sit down, because your knees are really killing you.
  1593. >”I figured you would get bored soon enough.”
  1594. “Tell yourself whatever you want Tiara.”
  1595.  
  1596. >…
  1597. “Gah… Damnit!”
  1598. >As you took the final step down, your right leg straightened up.
  1599. >You think some bones hit each other.
  1600. >Holding your right knee, you limp through the deck until you reach your cot.
  1601. “Harvey!”
  1602. >You angrily snarl as you sit on the side of your bed.
  1603. “What happened?”
  1604. >As he appears in front of you, he speaks.
  1605. >”That’s the adrenaline fully wearing off.”
  1606. >Your knees feel worse than the time you broke a kneecap.
  1607. “Shut up, you bastard. I mean with my leg.”
  1608. >”Well, the cartilage in your knees has been ground down after years in the field. When you just bashed them against the rail, a good portion of the stuff that’s still working got crushed and bruised by your bones.”
  1609. “Well why don’t you make yourself useful and fix it.”
  1610. >”That’s not exactly how it works.”
  1611. “I wasn’t asking!”
  1612. >”Anon, I said-“
  1613. “Can you fix it, yes or no!”
  1614. >”… Yes.”
  1615. “Then fix it!”
  1616. >”But, just hear me out for one minute.”
  1617. “You have half of one.”
  1618. >”Okay, look: I can trigger electro-chemical signals to get the healthy cartilage cells to make more, but if I’m not completely accurate in signal and dosage, it could effectively form a cancer in your knees or simply kill the remaining healthy cells.”
  1619. “Harvey, you were able to stop and start my heart on a whim, don’t give me any of that bullshit.”
  1620. >”There’s a massive difference between simply sending an on/off signal, and playing with cellular operation and cohesion. If I was in my body, and you had any magic in you, I could snap my fingers and make you a hundred feet tall if I wanted. But I am NOT in my body, and you are NOT magical.”
  1621. “Harv, I know my damn limits. I cannot hike across a continent in this condition!”
  1622. >He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.
  1623. >”Look, just… keep off your legs for a while, I’ll try to think of something.”
  1624.  
  1625. >…
  1626. >Thankfully none of your men were too drunk or hungover to march.
  1627. >Some of them, Offense in particular, are dragging their heels a bit.
  1628. “General?”
  1629. >”Hmm?”
  1630. “What happened to all that money you won in the bet?”
  1631. >”Alcohol and poker, in that order.”
  1632. “Should have reversed it.”
  1633. >”Yeah… yeah.”
  1634. “Looks like your daughter’s vacation will have to come out of pocket.”
  1635. >”I have a feeling that vacations are off the table for the foreseeable future.”
  1636. “True enough.”
  1637. >”So do you have any plans for this?”
  1638. “Get the troops on high alert and make sure that there’s a military presence at every decent population center. We’ll need groups scouting across the entire country to see if another pit forms.”
  1639. >”And if another one pops up?”
  1640. “Then the military budget is going to be the same as the state budget.”
  1641. >”Conscription?”
  1642. “We have over a million veterans or active duty soldiers. I’d figure another million volunteers if the ponies realize it’s not some nation we can beat into submission, it’s an existential crisis.”
  1643. >”And if two million isn’t enough?”
  1644. “Then you can kiss your flank goodbye.”
  1645. >”I like my flank…”
  1646. “Look, if the minotaurs want to have their apocalypse, let them. I still don’t buy it. Something’s definitely up, but I really doubt that this is the ‘end of days’ and all that garbage.”
  1647. >You wonder…
  1648. >Could this all be from the parasite?
  1649. >Whatever controlled the parasite, that is.
  1650.  
  1651. >…
  1652. >Tonight, tomorrow, tomorrow night.
  1653. >Soon.
  1654. >That’s when the ship should arrive.
  1655. >And when it does, you’ll be leaving this all behind.
  1656. >This oasis will just be a memory.
  1657. >You won’t awake to see the surface of the water reflecting the trees and sky.
  1658. >You won’t watch as the foxes or gerbils continue their life and death struggles.
  1659. >You won’t see the sun set over the desert sands.
  1660. >You won’t experience the blossoming of life as insects and reptiles move in the night.
  1661. >And you won’t even see the pure night’s sky.
  1662. >No more desert wind through your mane.
  1663. >You’ll brush off the sand, likely for the final time.
  1664. >And what’s going to replace it?
  1665. >The endless noise of the city.
  1666. >With thousands of ponies rushing around, completely ignorant to what really matters.
  1667. >Every living creature either driven away or forced to make due in the squalor.
  1668. >And the lights will block out all but the brightest stars.
  1669. >There’s no peace.
  1670. >no serenity.
  1671. >Only complacency.
  1672. >All of them, every single one, just toils in their own way.
  1673. >Nopony ever values living for life’s sake.
  1674. >Just do this and do that, so that this and that will happen.
  1675. >But that’s all very far away.
  1676. >Right now, the desert wind is still blowing past you.
  1677. >The water shows tiny ripples from the wind.
  1678. >The skies are open and clear.
  1679. >The animals rest for the night.
  1680. >And most importantly: it is quiet.
  1681.  
  1682. >…
  1683. >Damnit.
  1684. >Your left knee is bearable, but the right might as well be broken.
  1685. >You could deal with it if you only had to walk around on the ship, but there’s no way you’ll be able to go more than a few miles on foot.
  1686. >Of all the things that have tried to put you out of commission, it figures that you’re the one who’d end up doing it.
  1687. >It’s been a long time coming though.
  1688. >You’ve not treated your legs nicely since you’ve been here.
  1689. >Well, you haven’t treated your body nicely.
  1690. >You’ve kept in shape, but you’ve seen at least ten times the physical exertion you would have had back on Earth.
  1691. >At least twenty would be more realistic.
  1692. >And that’s setting aside all of the wounds you’ve suffered.
  1693. >All of the marches, combat, and falls have finally gotten to you.
  1694. >You hear Harvey speak in a faked feminine voice:
  1695. >”Paging Doctor Harv.”
  1696. >He then steps into your room, wearing a white lab coat over his suit.
  1697. >And he has a stethoscope hanging around his neck.
  1698. >”Thank you nurse, so how is my patient?”
  1699.  
  1700. “Burn in hell.”
  1701. >”Now now, you know that laughter is the best medicine.”
  1702. “Get to the point before I lobotomize you out of my brain.”
  1703. >”Okay, calm down.”
  1704. >The doctor attire disappears from his body.
  1705. >”Well, you see-“
  1706. “Bottom line.”
  1707. >He sighs.
  1708. >”I can make the cartilage that’s still properly working heal quicker, and start some low level cell multiplication. In a week, you’ll just feel a bit worse than you were before bashing your knees, and in a month it’ll be fully back to how it was. After that I can’t heal your knees anymore, but I can stop them from getting any worse while you’re traveling… assuming you don’t get injured again.”
  1709. “Now was that too much to ask?”
  1710. >”Don’t blame me when this eventually goes wrong. Stay off your legs for the rest of the day, you can start walking tomorrow. It’ll be a bit painful, but you’ll be fine.”
  1711. “Good.”
  1712. >”Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a movie to finish.”
  1713. “And Harv?”
  1714. >”Hmm?”
  1715. “Thanks.”
  1716.  
  1717. >…
  1718. >Another night in the oasis.
  1719. >Possibly your last night.
  1720. >You lay on your back, watching the stars.
  1721. >Your ear twitches as you hear a set of hooves approaching in the sand.
  1722. “Can I help you?”
  1723. >”You can’t sleep either.”
  1724. >You sit up to look at shore.
  1725. >She’s approaching from a campfire that she was presumably sitting at before.
  1726. “No, I just prefer to see this place at night.”
  1727. >”Oh.”
  1728. “You can’t sleep?”
  1729. >”I think I’m nervous about going back to Equestria.”
  1730. “Why?”
  1731. >”It’s been years…”
  1732. “But why?”
  1733. >”Well with what I’ve done-“
  1734. “Who actually knows about it?”
  1735. >”It was highly classified, so just your generals and such.”
  1736. “Then why are you nervous.”
  1737. >”I still know what I’ve done.”
  1738. “And you’ve set yourself on changing.”
  1739. >”Yes, but-“
  1740. “Then why?”
  1741. >”I… I don’t know.”
  1742. “So why are you worrying?”
  1743. >”I don’t know…”
  1744. >What’s that?
  1745. >”Major?”
  1746. >In the distance, just next to her head.
  1747. >”Thunder?”
  1748. >Far away in the sands.
  1749. >”Are you… staring at me?”
  1750. >A glow to the south.
  1751. “Strike the tents, douse that campfire.”
  1752. >You rush over to your packs and gear.
  1753. >The equipment has a small layer of sand over it from the wind.
  1754. >It hasn’t been touched for days.
  1755. >Pulling out a sword, you start strapping it around your torso.
  1756.  
  1757. >…
  1758. >You flew wide and low over the dunes.
  1759. >Circling around, you found the source of the glow.
  1760. >Saddle Arabians.
  1761. >As you approach from their 6, you count two dozen.
  1762. >Seven or eight of them are carrying torches as they move through the sands.
  1763. >All of them are armed, and wearing colors of Jagir’s faction.
  1764. >They’re not scanning the dunes, but moving straight towards the oasis.
  1765. >If you could see their torches, they could have seen Shore’s campfire.
  1766. >They’re so narrow-minded in their focus on the doused fire in the distance, that they didn’t notice as you set down not even twenty feet away from them.
  1767. >Their helmets limit their view and hearing capabilities, but all of the motion makes it impossible for them to pick out another pony moving through the sands.
  1768. >If they would just look back, they’d clearly see that somepony else has joined their patrol.
  1769. >You wonder if they are specifically looking for who destroyed their mine, or if the battle lines have moved this far south.
  1770. >You’re not sure exactly what to do.
  1771. >Shore has some degree of combat training, but it’s still two against two dozen.
  1772. >They begin to quicken their pace to a light gallop.
  1773. >You can hear chainmail rattle under their robes.
  1774. >Matching their pace, you remain ten or so feet behind the closest soldier.
  1775. >This will be… interesting.
  1776.  
  1777.  
  1778. >…
  1779. >Seventy-two inch flat screen.
  1780. >Stereo system.
  1781. >Two leather recliners (with cup holders).
  1782. >A couple lava lamps for ambiance.
  1783. >Mini-fridge full of beer.
  1784. >Shelf of every liquor your remember from back home.
  1785. >Plenty of popcorn.
  1786. “Alright Harv, get in here!”
  1787. >He appears next to you.
  1788. >”Hmm… decent, but the walls could use a better shade of beige.”
  1789. “Shut up and take a seat.”
  1790. >”Is it movie night?”
  1791. >You sit back into the left recliner, and pop the leg rest up.
  1792. “Yup.”
  1793. >Reaching over into the mini-fridge that you placed between the seats so each of you can reach it, you pull out a pale beer.
  1794. >”I thought you found the idea of eating fake food and drinking fake beer to be absurd…”
  1795. “What’s the point of not abusing power?”
  1796. >”I… think I might be a bad influence on your psyche.”
  1797. “Yeah, I damn well know. The damage is already done, Harvey! Now are you in or out?”
  1798. >”What’s playing?”
  1799. “Godzilla. You probably won’t care for the first two, but after that the Showa series is right up your alley. You won’t like the Heisei movies as well, but the dubbing gets even worse in some bits and it’s full of eighties special effects, so you’ll enjoy laughing at those. And you should enjoy the spectacle of the Millennium ones.”
  1800. >”One moment…”
  1801. >He pauses and looks off into the distance.
  1802. >”Giant monsters causing rampant destruction, I love it already.”
  1803. “My exact thoughts as a child.”
  1804. >Cracking open the can, you take a sip before reaching for the remote.
  1805. >You could just think ‘play’ and it would start, but if you’re indulging in this fantasy you might as well go all in.
  1806. >And that means all in- you think you added proper effects of alcohol to this little simulation.
  1807. >’Think’ being the operative word.
  1808. >It better work, because you don’t want the two seconds it took you to make all that beer and liquor to be a waste.
  1809. >Oh shit.
  1810. >The shelf is on Harvey’s side.
  1811.  
  1812. >As the black and white Toho logo appears, you lean over and speak to Harvey.
  1813. “Pass the Smirnoff.”
  1814. >He reaches over to grab it, then hands the fifth to you.
  1815. >”Pass the popcorn.”
  1816. >You reach to your left and grab a movie theater style bucket, then pass it over.
  1817. >Unscrewing the lid to your bottle, you take a decent gulp before twisting it back on and setting it on the ground.
  1818. >Yeah…
  1819. >That’s good.
  1820. >”Drinking from the bottle, really?”
  1821. “No other way, Harv. No other way.”
  1822. >You chase it with a sip of beer.
  1823. >Reminds you of your college days…
  1824. >…
  1825. >Well, Tokyo is burning.
  1826. >And the alcohol effects are working…
  1827. >All too well.
  1828. >…
  1829. >Hey look at that, you’re five movies in.
  1830. >Time really flies.
  1831. “Harv, have a beer!”
  1832. >”Based on how you look, I don’t think that’s wise.”
  1833. “Drink, damnit!”
  1834. >…
  1835. “TAIL SLIDE!”
  1836. >”What? How? That was beautiful!”
  1837. >…
  1838. “There it is Harv!”
  1839. >”Yes, I hear.”
  1840. “Come on, sing it with me.”
  1841. >”There aren’t any lyrics!”
  1842. “Wait for it… dun dun dun, dun dun dun, dun dun dun dun dundundun. dun dun dun, dun dun dun, dun dun dun dun dundundun.”
  1843. >”Dun dun dun, dun dun dun, dun dun dun dun dundundun!”
  1844. >…
  1845. >Harv laughs hysterically.
  1846. >”Play it again.”
  1847. >You rewind a few seconds.
  1848. >[Got Him!]
  1849. >[Take that you dinosaur.]
  1850. >You begin chuckling as well.
  1851. “Who the hell dubbed this?”
  1852. >”I don’t know, because you don’t know.”
  1853.  
  1854. >…
  1855. “Shut up Harv!”
  1856. >”But it’s true!”
  1857. “Mothra has way too many crossovers with the big G.”
  1858. >”That’s the point, to have a natural counterbalance to his destructive nature.”
  1859. “Listen here you little shit, any movies she’s in just wastes at least ten minutes of screen time with the stupid fairy singing twins.”
  1860. >”But-“
  1861. “And furthermore, if Mothra wasn’t in every other movie, the other monsters could have had some time in the spotlight.”
  1862. >”I-“
  1863. “Is it wrong to want some variety? Watching the baddies getting covered in string got old the second time it was used!”
  1864. >”Pass more popcorn!”
  1865. >You reach out and throw the bucket at Harv.
  1866. “That’s for having shit opinions!”
  1867. >”Patrician opinions!”
  1868. >You glance back to the screen.
  1869. “How long was that blank?”
  1870. >”Is that it?”
  1871. “Yeah, that’s all of the ones, I think. Well, all the samurai-land ones.”
  1872. >”Awww!”
  1873. “I should-“
  1874. >You hiccup.
  1875. “I should get back to the real world, I needed a nap.”
  1876. >”I just hope the hangover doesn’t carry over.”
  1877. “I am NOT drunk!”
  1878. >There are a few dozen empty cans of beer laying around, and you finished at least three fifths of hard stuff.
  1879. >Proving your point, you push the leg rest down and stand.
  1880. >You walk forward perfectly.
  1881. >For a step or two.
  1882. >Then you fall face first into the TV.
  1883. >”The spitting image of sobriety!”
  1884. >Harv says as he laughs.
  1885.  
  1886. >…
  1887. >The Saddle Arabians reach the tents, and rip them apart.
  1888. >Empty.
  1889. >Shore and the kid obviously went somewhere else to hide.
  1890. >But that means they’ll be spreading out to look.
  1891. >Flying up, you land onto the top of a palm tree to watch the soldiers.
  1892. >One of them, the leader presumably, barks at the others in Arabian.
  1893. >An officer by the looks of his more ornate armor and robes.
  1894. >He then looks around and yells something louder.
  1895. >A message to whoever ditched the camp they found.
  1896. >While the soldiers fan out to search, you take a moment to think.
  1897. >Pondering options, you look to the stars.
  1898. >The constellations are beautiful, even though the occasional cloud blocks the view.
  1899. >And-
  1900. >You’ve got it!
  1901. >Looking below, you watch the search groups.
  1902. >If Shore was smart, she would have headed straight into the desert.
  1903. >You hear yelling.
  1904. >Looking over, you see Shore and Sadiq run out of the sparse tree line towards the clearing around the water.
  1905. >A dozen troops are quick to follow.
  1906. >And the remaining groups move in to surround them.
  1907. >They full encircle your allies, but stay twenty-odd feet away.
  1908. >Shore begins to look around at the situation, a knife in her hoof.
  1909. >The lead Soldier begins to yell over to her.
  1910. >She pauses before replying.
  1911. >This is less than ideal.
  1912. >Time to step in.
  1913. >Flying down to the ground, you yell over to the soldiers.
  1914. “Hi guys! Any of y’all speak Equestrian?”
  1915. >The Arabian leader turns to face you, as do several of the soldiers.
  1916. >”Flying swine! I knew that the traitors were not even so treacherous!”
  1917. “Whoa there buddy, there’s no need for anypony to die today! I’m ready to negotiate a surrender.”
  1918. >He sneers and says something in Arabian to his men.
  1919. >Then he turns faces you again.
  1920. >“I told them that the pony coward would rather die from torture as long as it prolongs his measly life. Very well, I accept your surrender.”
  1921. “Oh no no no, you see: I’m ready to negotiate YOUR surrender.”
  1922.  
  1923. >Before the officer can even begin laughing at the situation, a bright spotlight illuminates the oasis.
  1924. >Some of the soldiers drop their weapons or torches in shock as they look up at the great metal hulk floating above them.
  1925. “I’m sure that the reputation of that airship has spread among your people. I have only one term for the surrender: run.”
  1926. >The interesting thing is that at this angle, none of the guns would be able to hit them.
  1927. >But they don’t know that.
  1928. >And they DO know that there are hundreds of pegasi ready to fly down and fight.
  1929. >A few of the Arabians ran off into the trees before the officer was able to yell orders at them.
  1930. >Presumably, those orders were to run.
  1931. >Because they all started to scatter.
  1932. >As they break off and retreat, you notice a few areas of wet sand where some of the soldiers were standing.
  1933. >Moments later, a squadron of armored pegasi come into view.
  1934. >Of them, only one lands.
  1935. >It’s Call.
  1936. >”Looks like good timing.”
  1937. “I knew you couldn’t resist a dramatic entrance.”
  1938. >”Too true mate, too true.”
  1939. >In the air, you see Lieutenant Baron yell to his squadron:
  1940. >”Move out, we’re on the hunt tonight!”
  1941. >The red pegasus then flies off with his men as they go to deal with the Arabians.
  1942. >Call begins speaking again:
  1943. >”So, how was your vacation? Did you-“
  1944. >He gets cut off, because when shore approaches, she give a nice hook into his jaw.
  1945. >”What took you so long!”
  1946. >She demands.
  1947. >”It’s nice to see you too, luv.”
  1948. >You step in and catch her hoof as she goes to swing at Call again.
  1949. “Calm down everypony.”
  1950. >Call then takes the time to quip:
  1951. >”Never any thanks for the things I do.”
  1952. “Are we going to be carrying these two up to the ship, or…”
  1953. >”Chariot should be on its way. Brairheart wants to see us all once we get up there.”
  1954.  
  1955. >…
  1956. >The ship is a lot more cramped than you remember.
  1957. >Walking into the forward observation post, the Admiral is waiting for you.
  1958. >With a bottle of Champagne, and several glasses.
  1959. >He addresses you as you approach.
  1960. >”Major, the Corporal has given me his report, let me be the first to congratulate you.”
  1961. “Umm, thank you Sir.”
  1962. >”I’m looking forward to hearing your side, it sounds like quite the ordeal you went through.”
  1963. “It was-“
  1964. >He interrupts you.
  1965. >”Ah, Miss Shore. Welcome aboard. Your cooperation was an important factor in all of this, but I know that you only agreed because of the bargain. Let me reassure you that we fully intend to keep our end of the arrangement.”
  1966. >”Thank you… Admiral…?”
  1967. >”Ah yes, we haven’t been properly introduced. Admiral Brairheart, though I’m sure the hesitation was simply politeness. I’m sure you know a great deal about me and the rest of High Command.”
  1968. >”How are your children doing?”
  1969. >Brairheart pauses at the question, unsure if she was simply going on with the ‘polite’ small talk, or threatening his family.
  1970. >He then looks to Sadiq, moving on from the question.
  1971.  
  1972. >”Ah the boy. A shame he doesn’t speak Equestrian.”
  1973. >The Admiral then speaks in Arabian to him.
  1974. >It’s notably rougher than when Call or a native speaker uses the language though.
  1975. “Am I the only one in the military that doesn’t speak Arabian?”
  1976. >Call leans into answer:
  1977. >”It’s a pretty important skill to have.”
  1978. >You then whisper a question to him:
  1979. “Is it just me, or is the Admiral acting a bit more… bombastic than usual.”
  1980. >”He hasn’t slept since I arrived.”
  1981. >Brairheart must have overheard.
  1982. >”No I haven’t. Call rushed to us so quickly, that he passed out after giving the directions. And I pushed the crew to the limits to get here as soon as possible. You see, the Mushir has pushed the battle lines and when we left, they were just a couple dozen miles to the northwest. If he kept pushing at the same pace, there would be armies fighting just a mile or two away by tomorrow.”
  1983. “He’s making quick progress.”
  1984. >”Jagir’s forces are still suffering from broken morale. The Mushir has taken a quarter of the coast already. Now that the mine has been destroyed, it’s safe to say that the war is over. It all depends on how stubborn Jagir will be in these following weeks.”
  1985. “That’s good news.”
  1986. >”And on that note, I propose a toast.”
  1987.  
  1988. >…
  1989. >Your Saddle Arabian guests were both given their own VIP quarters, much the same as to how you have a private room.
  1990. >After cleaning off, you decided to turn in.
  1991. >Laying down, you pull a sheet over your body, and try to get some rest.
  1992. >The Admiral will want lots of answers tomorrow after you’ve each rested up.
  1993. >Unable to find a comfortable position, you roll over and try again.
  1994. >You’re looking up now.
  1995. >At a dark metal ceiling…
  1996. >It’s so close.
  1997. >And the air is so stale.
  1998. >And the sheet is really itchy.
  1999. >You kick it off.
  2000. >But still, this bed is really uncomfortable.
  2001. >It’s far too soft.
  2002. >You squirm around again.
  2003. >But nothing works, and you end up on your back again.
  2004. >Just focus on sleep.
  2005. >It’s quiet, quiet is good.
  2006. >It’s too quiet.
  2007. >There’s no wind blowing through leaves.
  2008. >No animals skittering around.
  2009. >No insects chirping.
  2010. >Just breathe and focus.
  2011. >You open your mouth and inhale deeply.
  2012. >The air is so thin.
  2013. >You begin hyperventilating as the air doesn’t feel like it’s working.
  2014. >Your heart is really beating too.
  2015. >You can’t do this!
  2016. >Jumping out of the bed, you make for the door.
  2017. >Rushing through the endless halls, it feels like they’re closing in on you.
  2018. >And your breathing and heartbeat haven’t gotten any better.
  2019. >Up.
  2020. >Up!
  2021. >You need to go up!
  2022. >Reaching the hatch, you open it up and climb up onto one of the mortar pits atop the ship.
  2023. >Inhaling deeply, you take in precious oxygen.
  2024. >The stars!
  2025. >And the wind!
  2026. >That’s better.
  2027. >Curling up beside the huge cannon, you’re still a bit unnerved by all the metal below you.
  2028. >But you can breathe.
  2029. >And you… can… sleep…
  2030.  
  2031. >…
  2032. >”Umm… Sir?”
  2033. “Wha, what?”
  2034. >Your head pops up to look at the soldier peeking into the mortar pit.
  2035. >”Are you… sleeping up here?”
  2036. “This your post, soldier?”
  2037. >”Yes…”
  2038. “Just… making sure you’re all getting to your duties on time. Good to see you’re still keeping this ship… shape.”
  2039. >”Umm… thank you… Sir.”
  2040. “Now… as you were soldier.”
  2041. >As the soldier and a couple others make their way up the hatch, you move over and drop down.
  2042. >Well, that was awkward.
  2043. >Oh what’s wrong with you?
  2044. >You start walking through the ship.
  2045. >You need some water or something.
  2046. >Last night… you just completely freaked out.
  2047. >You don’t know why.
  2048. >The ship feels fine.
  2049. >You can breathe just fine.
  2050. >It isn’t particularly cramped.
  2051. >The climate control makes things a bit too cool for your liking, but it’s not that bad.
  2052. >Alright.
  2053. >You’ve gone down a couple decks.
  2054. >If you remember correctly, this next room should be a mess hall.
  2055. >Yeah.
  2056. >Several off duty soldiers and crewmen are having their breakfast.
  2057. >The hot pot of coffee catches your eye.
  2058. >Walking over to it, you grab one of the mugs and pour.
  2059. >Then head over to a small table.
  2060. >Sitting down, you let the mug in cool a bit.
  2061. >What’s happening?
  2062. >One minute you’ll feel just fine and on target, then the next you’re in your own world.
  2063. >You still can’t even slightly comprehend what happened with the crystal.
  2064. >At least it’s safe to say that it was the root of these changes.
  2065. >Over this past year, you’ve done more than what you singed on for.
  2066. >A lot more.
  2067. >But this goes a lot deeper.
  2068. >It’s just-
  2069. >”Morning.”
  2070.  
  2071. >Call slaps his hoof onto your shoulder before settling into the seat opposite from you.
  2072. “Hey.”
  2073. >”So how was the last couple days?”
  2074. “It was nice… quaint.”
  2075. >”Shore didn’t get on your nerves?”
  2076. “Actually she’s decent company when you’re not around. But no, actually the others didn’t really bother me much. We only had half a dozen conversations or so.”
  2077. >”That’s still more conversations we’ve had since you had your little date with the crystal.”
  2078. “Is it?”
  2079. >”Come one mate, we’ve sidestepped this enough.”
  2080. “Look buddy, I’m married: sorry but it won’t work between us.”
  2081. >”No, diverting the question with humor is my thing. That thing really messed you up, mate.”
  2082. “I’m fine Call.”
  2083. >”You’re as fine as I am a griffon.”
  2084. “Look, it was… I don’t know how put it. Heavy?”
  2085. >”You sound like my grandfather.”
  2086. “I mean literally heavy… deep.”
  2087. >”What exactly happened?”
  2088. “I don’t really know… for a second I felt like I was everywhere.”
  2089. >”Sounds like you had a bit too much of the giggle gas at the dentist’s office.”
  2090. “No, everything was heightened, not distorted. I could see, more like sense, everything. ponies, griffons, animals, trees…”
  2091. >”That sounds… heavy.”
  2092. “And it goes further than just seeing it, I could feel people: what drives them and makes them tic.”
  2093. >”What do you mean?”
  2094. “This one time I was talking to shore, I just kind of realized… or remembered why she honestly came to doubt her job.”
  2095. >”What?”
  2096.  
  2097. “Back as an actor in Manehattan, you were the same with mares as you are now. But that stopped for a few months- the last months you had on the stage.”
  2098. >”Thunder…”
  2099. “You were at the closing party for your latest show. All of the cast, crew, and producers were there. As were many other high class socialites.”
  2100. >”Mate.”
  2101. “Pretty much every mare was crowding around you and they were basically drooling. But your eye caught the only one in sight that wasn’t staring at you.”
  2102. >”You’ve made your point.”
  2103. “You loved her at first sight, and by the end of the week she loved you. A few months later, she and several others with her company were down in Saddle Arabia working on some trade deals. But the coup happened at the same time, and she didn’t survive the night.”
  2104. >”Thunder… please.”
  2105. “So you got really angry, then real drunk. Only when you woke up, you were still angry. Most of all, she was still gone. But before the end of that day, you had signed up.”
  2106. >”I…”
  2107. >He pauses as he looks down at the table.
  2108. >”I need to go.”
  2109. >As he quickly leaves the table, you add one last thing to yourself.
  2110. “And you try not to think about it.”
  2111.  
  2112. >…
  2113. >Sitting inside of one of the exterior hatches, you let one of your legs dangle off the side of the ship.
  2114. >You’re leaning your head out as well, letting the wind go through your mane.
  2115. >”Oh, there you are Major.”
  2116. >You glance over at one of the Admiral’s runners.
  2117. >He has to speak rather loudly over the wind.
  2118. >”Just as a reminder, Admiral Brairheart will see you in…”
  2119. >He checks his watch.
  2120. >”Twenty minutes. As per usual, he’ll see you in the forward observation room.”
  2121. >You nod in acknowledgement to the soldier.
  2122. >As he trots off, you look back outside.
  2123. >You’ve left the endless sands behind, and now you can see sparse vegetation on the ground.
  2124. >Still a long while to go.
  2125. >You wonder what’s down there.
  2126. >Sure, you can see bushes, but what’s living among them?
  2127. >It would be interesting to stay here longer.
  2128. >There could be flowers that only bloom at a particular time of day.
  2129. >Leaning your head against the hatch’s metal frame, you close your eyes and take in the wind.
  2130. >In its own way, it’s peaceful up here.
  2131. >However, another voice soon interrupts your solitude.
  2132. >”Sir?”
  2133. >You turn to see a different runner.
  2134. “Yes?”
  2135. >”You’re late for your meeting with the Admiral.”
  2136. “What?”
  2137. >”You were supposed to see him almost an hour ago.”
  2138. >What?
  2139. >How?
  2140. >Looking back outside, you can see that the sun is further into the sky than you last saw.
  2141. >You didn’t even fall asleep…
  2142. >At least you don’t think.
  2143. >”Sir?”
  2144. “I’m on my way…”
  2145.  
  2146. >…
  2147. >”Care to explain your absence, MAJOR?”
  2148. “I’m sorry Sir, I must have fallen asleep. Still a bit drained from the mission.”
  2149. >”Make sure it doesn’t happen again. Now sit down and start from the beginning.”
  2150. >…
  2151. >When you reach the part where you were about to enter the fenced off complex, Brairheart begins to go off on a tangent.
  2152. >”Yes, they still had some supply of the sand, but not enough to power a single ship for more than a week. And if my last talk with the Mushir…”
  2153. >Your eye catches a falcon flying in the distance.
  2154. >Past the Admiral’s shoulder, you look through the window.
  2155. >It’s high up, surveying the brush below.
  2156. >On the hunt most likely.
  2157. >Looking for some small mammal or reptile to dive at.
  2158. >It watches it glides on the winds far above the desert.
  2159. >”MAJOR!”
  2160. >You don’t think you’ve ever heard the Admiral yell like that.
  2161. “Sir?”
  2162. >”Oh for the love of- what happened to you out there?”
  2163. “Well, we flew low over the fence when the patrols had a blind spot.”
  2164. >”No, what happened to YOU? Either it was the sun or the crystal, and I doubt that it was the former.”
  2165. “I… I don’t know. As we got closer to it, it started getting into my head. Nosebleeds, migraines… Call felt it too, but I bumped into it and made contact. It was like… I don’t know. Like a higher level… I could feel or sense every living thing in Equestria, and beyond.”
  2166.  
  2167. >You pause to think of the right words.
  2168. >The falcon is still in the sky, but you see it stabilize itself.
  2169. >It then bends it’s wings in, and starts plummeting towards its target.
  2170. >Looks like it found its lunch.
  2171. >You wonder what it found.
  2172. >Some poor creature just going along as normal, completely unaware that it’s world is almost over.
  2173. >”Major!”
  2174. >What?
  2175. “I’m sorry… ever since it happened, I’ve been going through different… moods?”
  2176. >”How so?”
  2177. “Sometimes, everything feels normal. Other times, I feel cloudy and confused. Or I get really interested on something in particular- I was just looking at a falcon that was in the air with us. And occasionally I feel some bleed over. I can be talking to somepony, and just know what defining event is constantly on their minds- and it feels less like I’m sensing it, and more like I remember it. Even down to how they felt the emotions, but it’s off and distant… I’m probably not making much sense.”
  2178. >”Look…”
  2179. >His tone of voice shifts into something more open.
  2180. >”Just try and take things easy until we get back to Canterlot. I’m not sure if you need to see a doctor, a psychiatrist, a magic expert, or all three. So just hang in there until we can get you checked out, because there’s something clearly wrong.”
  2181. “You don’t have any thoughts on what happened?”
  2182. >”I have plenty of thoughts, I just don’t think it’d be good for you to speculate at this point. Now just go try and relax.”
  2183.  
  2184. >…
  2185. >Deciding that you could use a nap, you head back to your quarters.
  2186. >When you get to your bed, you lay on your back and close your eyes.
  2187. >They then shoot open as you realize something.
  2188. >You really shouldn’t have told Call all of that.
  2189. >It just kind of came out without thinking about it.
  2190. >…
  2191. >You’ve searched everywhere.
  2192. >His quarters, all of the mess halls, the cargo bay…
  2193. >And it sounds like nopony has even seen him.
  2194. >Walking down the corridor, you hear a voice come from a room.
  2195. >That would be the officer’s lounge.
  2196. >”Hey, I said you don’t belong here!”
  2197. >Running over to the doorway, you see the Corporal sitting at the bar.
  2198. >With several empty bottles and glasses in front of him.
  2199. >An officer is standing next to him.
  2200. >”I’m taking to you, punk!”
  2201. >He places a hoof on Call’s shoulder.
  2202. >Call responds by brushing it off and returning to his bottle of beer.
  2203. >The bartender then speaks to the officer:
  2204. >”Come on lieutenant, it’s obvious that he needs this.”
  2205. >”Stay out of this ensign, somepony has to put this entitled enlisted back into his proper place.”
  2206.  
  2207. >The lieutenant then focuses back on Call.
  2208. >”Last chance to leave before I kick you out of here, and throw you in the brig for good measure.”
  2209. >Call slowly turns his head over to look at the officer.
  2210. >The Corporal grins and goes to pat the officer’s shoulder.
  2211. >Then as his hoof contacts, he moves it over to the back of the lieutenant’s head, and slams it into the bar.
  2212. >As the officer stumbles back with a bloodied muzzle, he yells at Call.
  2213. >”Oh I’m going to enjoy this, you dirty-“
  2214. “Is there a problem here!”
  2215. >The lieutenant stumbles at the noise, and rushes to stand to attention when he notices who you are.
  2216. >”Uhh, yes Sir! This is the officer’s lounge, and as I was trying to explain that to this enlisted pegasus, he attacked me.”
  2217. “Oh I saw more than enough.”
  2218. >”Good. With all due respect, I’d recommend-“
  2219. >You cut him off.
  2220. “On the ground, two hundred pushups. Now.”
  2221. >He looks over to Call.
  2222. >”Well? You heard him!”
  2223. “I wasn’t talking to him.”
  2224. >”But-“
  2225. “Somepony has to put this entitled officer back into his proper place.”
  2226. >”Sir-“
  2227. “And for decorating the lounge with your blood, you’ll be swabbing the entire place down. I want it completely spotless within an hour.”
  2228. >”I-“
  2229. “Completely.”
  2230. >You look over to the barkeep.
  2231. “See to it that the lieutenant carries out his orders.”
  2232. >Then you look over to Call.
  2233. “With me Corporal.”
  2234. >As Call pushes off the bar, he goes to stand up.
  2235. >Leading him out of the lounge, you hear the barkeep speak:
  2236. >”I’d hurry up with those pushups, your hour’s already started.”
  2237. >Walking down the hallway, you lead Call to an area with less onlookers.
  2238.  
  2239. >At a decent point, you stop and turn to face him.
  2240. >the first thing he does is deliver a sharp right hook to your jaw.
  2241. >You take it and recoil from the strike.
  2242. >That was a good hit.
  2243. “I deserved that.”
  2244. >”Damn right you did.”
  2245. “So how drunk are you.”
  2246. >”Not very, the past few hours I’ve just been looking at the last bottle.”
  2247. “Why did you do that to the lieutenant back there?”
  2248. >”He had it coming, and everypony in the room knew it.”
  2249. “Look-“
  2250. >”No, you look! That’s something I’ve never told a single bloody soul!”
  2251. “I know, and I know that you never intended to. I should have tried to focus more on stopping myself. But this thing… it’s really messed me up. If I start going on something like that, it just all falls out at once. It’s as natural as breathing, and it’s like I can’t even think while it’s coming out.”
  2252. >”Just do me a favor, and don’t bring her up again.”
  2253. “I can’t promise anything right now, but I know damn well that I’ll try.”
  2254. >”Come here, mate.”
  2255. >He wraps an arm around your neck and pats your back.
  2256.  
  2257. >Pulling away from it, he looks you in the eye.
  2258. >”We’re good.”
  2259. “Just like that?”
  2260. >”Look, that crystal was powerful enough to vaporize an entire town. It’s safe to say that it wasn’t really you who brought it up. I’ve got your back for this.”
  2261. “That… that means a lot right now.”
  2262. >”Now let’s head back and get a couple of pints. I’ve got a looming suspicion that a good buzz might cure this.”
  2263. “Lead the way.”
  2264. >As you go back down the hall, when you pass back into the lounge, you see the lieutenant complying with your order.
  2265. >He’s not having an easy time though.
  2266. >”Twenty-one… Twenty-two.”
  2267. “Get up, and go get your nose checked out.”
  2268. >He collapses onto the ground with a sigh.
  2269. >As the lieutenant stands up, Call comments:
  2270. >”Well would you look at that! You actually look a lot better with your nose all bent.”
  2271. >You each then move onto the bar, and get to drinking.
  2272.  
  2273. >…
  2274. >Stepping out onto the deck of the ship, you put on the façade.
  2275. >Can’t let any of the crew see you limping.
  2276. >It’s a pain in your neck-well, your knees.
  2277. >But, you’ve had much worse.
  2278. >Those old wounds eventually got better though.
  2279. >But this is it this time.
  2280. >It gets a bit better, then it only gets worse.
  2281. >You’re too old for this…
  2282. >Of course the single most dangerous endeavor you undertake happens past your prime.
  2283. >Ten, hell even five, years ago this would have been a cakewalk.
  2284. >Because it’s not just your knees.
  2285. >Since your peak, you can probably carry fifty less pounds of equipment.
  2286. >Your physical endurance is notably down.
  2287. >And your significantly weaker when it comes to brute strength.
  2288. >The only thing you have over your younger self is a few more years of experience.
  2289. >And Harvey…
  2290. >You don’t want to think about that though.
  2291. >So: you’re old, tired, and weak.
  2292. >The East doesn’t have a chance.
  2293. >Approaching the wheel, you step next to Port.
  2294. “Commander.”
  2295. >”Field Marshal.”
  2296. “Any trouble?”
  2297. >”Negative.”
  2298. “Morale?”
  2299. >”After the incident yesterday, very high actually.”
  2300. “I would hope.”
  2301. >”I only hope that the morale keeps up after your departure.”
  2302. “I’m sure you’ll all be fine.”
  2303. >”Only time will tell.”
  2304. “So how’s the wind Commander?”
  2305. >”Strong and steady.”
  2306. “Good… good.”
  2307. >You rest a hand on the nearest railing as you watch the horizon.
  2308.  
  2309. >…
  2310. >You walk down the cobbled road with a slight scowl on your mouth.
  2311. >It’s raining.
  2312. >Not heavy.
  2313. >Just enough to be annoying.
  2314. >As you move down the road, you hear two things.
  2315. >The sound of hooves on the stone.
  2316. >And water drops hitting armor.
  2317. >You’ll be on the road for few more days.
  2318. >At least you’re comfortable keeping a quicker pace now that the Sage isn’t with you.
  2319. >While you’ve been moving, you’ve been thinking about the attack.
  2320. >The ‘demons’ the minotaurs are so concerned with.
  2321. >For now, you’ll accept that their ‘hell’ is just referring to Tartarus.
  2322. >What could have let the creatures up to the surface?
  2323. >Currently, you do know about something that definitely has it out for Equestria.
  2324. >And you’ve currently got three links to that thing locked up.
  2325. >It might be time to go visit Mom.
  2326. >”Princess?”
  2327. “Yes Offense?”
  2328. >”I’m not saying that I don’t trust minotaur efficiency. But we might want to keep a few more men on watch until we get back to Equestria. Just in case any stragglers got away.”
  2329. “Fair point.”
  2330. >”Also I just don’t trust minotaur efficiency.”
  2331. >You laugh a bit at the comment.
  2332.  
  2333. >”You know, I wouldn’t suggest this if the situation were any better. But given what happened, it might be worth it to fly back to Manehattan, get to the train and back to Canterlot as soon as possible.”
  2334. “And just leave the earth ponies and unicorns in the rain?”
  2335. >”I think they’ll be fine on their own for a few days.”
  2336. “Well, I’d be fine sending a couple pegasi ahead with the news and orders, but I don’t think it’s necessary to rush there personally.”
  2337. >”Staying in the mud with the average soldiers out of principle?”
  2338. “Something like that.”
  2339. >”You do know that they’re all ready to step between you and a knife at a moment’s notice.”
  2340. “Which is why unless there’s a pressing crisis, I won’t abandon them in foreign territory.”
  2341. >”You also do know that they can hear everything we’re saying about them.”
  2342. “Yes, I do in fact know that these ponies are not deaf… I hope.”
  2343. >You hear one of the soldiers behind quip:
  2344. >”Well we were pretty close to that explosion.”
  2345. >Another one then yells out:
  2346. >”WHAT?”
  2347. >And a third:
  2348. >”We were pretty exposition?!?”
  2349. “Alright, I get the point.”
  2350. >Offense then (loudly) voices his opinion on the matter:
  2351. >”That’s the drawback of Anon handpicking the best and most dependable soldiers for his elite group: they have the nerve to get in their clever comments… Even to their bosses.”
  2352.  
  2353. “How have things been for you guys in Canterlot?”
  2354. >”Well Lancer and Wave have been overworking themselves. Brairheart was as well, but he has a new toy to play with, so he’s gotten a bit of a break from bureaucracy.”
  2355. “New toy?”
  2356. >”The airship that Anon helped to design. They tried to get it out in time for the war, hoping that it could break one or two of the fronts.”
  2357. >Right, that’s what he’s talking about.
  2358. >You think you remember a few words about it.
  2359. “But then we went and beat everypony too quickly.”
  2360. >”Yeah, so Brairheart went down to bully some Saddle Arabians.”
  2361. “And you?”
  2362. >”I’ve been trying to keep the others sane. A lot has been added to the plates, and there’s a difference between military logistics and national logistics… taxes… trade… reconstruction efforts… diplomacy…”
  2363. “Well I’m sure that there are some areas that I can take up the slack for.”
  2364. >”I can only hope.”
  2365. “Anything else?”
  2366. >”Well, we’re grooming Thunder for leadership. Him and Colonel Arrow are looking like the next generation for the army… for when Lancer finally follows through on his threats of retirement.”
  2367. “Arrow is pretty straightforward enough, but how has Thunder been doing?”
  2368. >”Well, if you look at us you can sort us into two categories. Lancer, Wave, and Brairheart are more conventional, then myself, Anon, and yourself are more… nonconventional. Arrow would be the straight man to Thunder’s wildcard. He’s young and still needs more time and experience, but we think it’s worth the effort.”
  2369. “I’m nonconventional?”
  2370. >”The minotaur apocalypse start, and you charge it.”
  2371. “I just like to ask myself: ‘what would Anon do?’”
  2372. >”And honestly… it shows pretty obviously who raised you.”
  2373. “Thank you.”

Heart of War- Prologue

by ThingPaste

Heart of War- Act I

by ThingPaste

Heart of War- Act II

by ThingPaste

Heart of War- Act III

by ThingPaste

Heart of War- Act IV

by ThingPaste