“Are you there?” Tempest asked, nervously. The sphere of light was gone, but the line remained.

Yes. Just follow the line back out, and quickly. They did as told.

She was too shaken to say anything, either to the Benefactor's disembodied voice, or to Snowy. There was something about its threats that scared her more deeply than even the idea of Celestia's wrath. It wasn't even what it had said, it was the feeling of looming inevitability that had suddenly crushed down on her as it spoke. It had felt like she was being choked, but... Maybe she actually had been. It was too hard to tell the difference between what had been real and what had been her own fear. What have we gotten into? Tempest asked herself, staring at her hooves as she walked.

“Why w-were you in here?” Snowy asked, her voice a storm compared to the silence of this dark place.

I had a disagreement with Aethera the Ever-free. The Lady of Light, you have come to call her.

“Celestia's grandmother.” noted Snowy.

The very same, I understand. I advise that you keep a fast pace.

“What did you do to her?”

I attempted to right wrongs. I sought justice for terrible grievances done against my kin and I. Aethera and her masters did not share my sense of morality. The Benefactor sounded even more serious than before. Ahead of them, Tempest saw the arch and the room beyond appear. They were almost out.

“Are you a spirit?” her companion questioned.

No. But speaking of such things, the moment you touched Sidâl's crystal to the sphere, there were powers in the world that noticed. I've been telling you to move quickly for a reason. Unless you want to be trapped down here forever, I suggest you listen to that advice. That didn't sound good...

“I don't want to spend a moment longer in this horrible place.” Snowy declared.

A sentiment I share. Onwards, then, Equestrians. And prepare for the flight of your lives.

“Why?” Tempest asked, swallowing nervously.

You'll see.

They returned through the icy-feeling of the arch, the twilight of the chamber being as bright as noon compared to what surreal world they had just come out of. “What did we just go through, Snowy?” Tempest asked. Snowy could only shake her head.

I'll explain later. Up the stairs, quickly! urged the Benefactor, who apparently now was in Sidâl's crystal. Tempest wondered if Snowy could still hear it. The two pegasi jumped straight into the air, half-flying, half-hovering up them, until they came out on the surface. It was still night, but the east was growing light. When they stepped out of the ruin into the open, everything seemed normal...

“Why are you in such a hurry?” asked Tempest, looking at the crystal. “What noticed us?”

Use your ears!

In the distance, she heard a howling wind...

“It's that storm from earlier!” Snowy gasped. Far to the west, the treeline on a ridge started to topple, as something darker than night rolled over it.

That's no storm, the Benefactor stated. That's a shadow spirit.

“Well, shit.” swore Tempest, ears going flat. “It figures something like this would-”

Fly, you fools! roared the Benefactor in her mind.

Tempest flung herself into the air, with Snowy right behind her. They made a mad dash for the east. It was only moments before the screaming and howling wind picked up, despite the air being so still. Snapping and cracking and shattering echoed behind them; Tempest looked back and saw a dark mass plowing through the woods, faster than anything she had ever encountered before. Tree after tree was annihilated before it.

A demon of the ancient world, straight out of a story book, was chasing them. Why did we ever come here? Tempest bemoaned. Oh, that's right. Prince Reshîv, the ungrateful little shit, had betrayed Aharôs. If he had kept his place, they would have never gone to Kakâdras, never come to the Far North, never met the Benefactor just minutes ago, and never been chased by a God-damned shadow spirit right this instant. I'm going to fucking kill him, I swear it! This is all Reshîv's fault!

No, Tempest, this started with Maelstrom. The Benefactor gave off a sense of resigned acceptance, no doubt what it wanted her to feel as well. You were destined to come here.

Well, I can't exactly go back in time and tell her to just give up on Highcrest, can I? snapped Tempest back.

This is a bad time to debate who is at fault here. It's gaining on us.

Any ideas, mighty Benefactor? Care to toss it to the horrors beyond the edge of creation? Tempest thought, almost bitterly.

I had power in there, not out there, not yet. I'm only a voice in a crystal in this world. If that was true- Before you ask, we had to get out because the only alternative was being trapped down there by the shadow spirit indefinitely. It'd sit outside the gateway for eternity if it had to. And if it somehow managed to get in... Very bad news, to say the least. I could have crushed you like an insect in there, but the demon would be something else entirely. This way, we stand a chance against it.

But how? Tempest looked back again; Snowy was keeping up, for now. But it didn't matter, she could see the roiling mass getting ever closer, smashing anything in its way to pieces. It screamed and screamed and screamed, a nearly deafening cacophony of maddened rage.

Survive. That was an order, not a plan.

It didn't seem likely though. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed the darkness; right before it shot forward on either side of her, two arms circling around to far ahead of them. A wall of shadow began to rise in front, in back, and around them. Tempest and Snowy were forced to land, beholding the trap growing around them. Oily, bubbling, slimy clouds of darkness were vomited up out of the ground, piling higher and higher around them, howling its unearthly cry.

Just a moment more, damn you... whispered the Benefactor, almost to itself.

Tendrils of darkness shot down at them, nearly blotting out the pink sky- pink sky! A new scream pierced the air, a scream of pain and dismay. The bubbling in the shadow spirit's vast bulk grew ever faster, as it began to melt away. A ray of golden light blasted through the demon, and another, and another- breaking it apart into smaller and smaller chunks. It howled, cursing the sunrise in a language Tempest didn't need to understand, but it retreated, seeping back into the ground, leaving only bleached devastation around them, as if everything had been sucked clean of life.

Snowy let herself collapse, panting. “Did... did Celestia just save us?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Tempest breathed heavily. “Celestia just saved our lives. I guess that was your plan, Benefactor, lead the shadow spirit on a chase until the dawn.”

So it was. It was closer than I expected, but it worked.

“Was it?” questioned Snowy.

She can no longer hear me out here, only the one who is near the crystal can.

“Yeah.” Tempest nodded. How long am I going to have you talking in my head?

Until we find Sidâl. You will turn this crystal over to him, and then we will plan the other half of your task.

And that is..?

Much the same as this. Go down the stairs, go through the gateway, release me again. The Benefactor made it sound easy. Aethera split me into several parts, the last one remains trapped.

What's the twist?

The other location is in Equestria. Tempest didn't bother replying to that, she just sighed.

“Snowy, let's-”

No sleeping. You need to get as far away as possible; the spirit will return at sunset, and hunt for us.

“Let's get on the move.”

“Normally, I'd object, b-but...” Snowy shivered, looking at the ruined forest around them.

“Yeah, my point exactly.” Tempest stated. The journey went on. In the past day, Tempest and Snowy had met a shadow spirit at an alicorn grave, freed the mysterious Benefactor under the threat of oblivion, and then been chased by that same shadow spirit. This isn't my idea of an adventure, she thought sourly.

Get used to it, Tempest Blackwind, the Benefactor told her.

Are you listening to my thoughts? she asked.

It is not something I can control in this situation... admitted the Benefactor. Tempest Blackwind, you are a young soul, and the fire of life burns hotter in you, even dim as it is for a mortal. This, combined with my proximity to you, makes it very hard not to hear what you think.

Oh... Tempest frowned. I still don't like it.

I'm going to be practically stuck in a fifteen year old girl's head for the foreseeable future, how do you think I feel about it? the Benefactor replied.

I'm not that bad! protested Tempest. At least she didn't spend her days doing... whatever it was that human girls her age did. She didn't even know what Equestrian girls did at her age. At least she got to go on horrible, nerve-wracking adventures with Snowy.

The flight went on, as Tempest focused on not thinking anything at all. The hours rolled by, and they passed over the empty forests and hills of the Far North. To the southeast they went, the air growing ever slightly warmer. As usual, they stopped to gather what food they could find. With so unnaturally few animals about, it wasn't hard.

Where is everyone? the Benefactor asked at one point. The last I was here, this place was crawling with life. Thousands and thousands of little lights dancing about. Now I see only dimness here, but for you two.

You must have been down there a long time. The Far North has been abandoned for over fifteen hundred years.

Why?

Hell if I know, they can't even answer that. But I bet it has to do with that shadow spirit.

No doubt... agreed the Benefactor.

What did you mean by seeing lights? Tempest wondered.

I see very differently from you, at least for the moment. I see the world as the shadow spirit sees it. A dark slate filled with the fires of the living. Some burn brighter, some less so. But they all make their own light, no matter how small. Even the insects, even the trees... explained the Benefactor. They are the dim background noise. You and your companion glow far brighter. Dragons and greater alicorns, the immortals, shine like the moon. And a fire spirit... A star come down to the world. Look at the one above us now.

Tempest looked up. You mean the sun?

You misunderstand, that is a fire spirit. Tempest tried to wrap her mind around that, but to no avail. It could have been a joke for all she knew.

What are you, anyway? Tempest questioned. I'd like to know what exactly it is I'm helping.

Me?I am a savior, an agent of righteousness, on a quest to punish the wicked who think themselves above retribution for their sins and raise up those who were cast down, declared the Benefactor. Aethera found herself opposed to me, that is why I was... banished. The sentence upon her has passed to her descendents now. Much like Maelstrom Blackwind's debt passed to you.

Celestia and Luna?

Yes.

Well, I won't stand in your way, they both want to kill me. Tempest nodded to herself. Perhaps I was wrong about you, Benefactor. We have similar interests.

See, now? I am not your enemy, Tempest Blackwind. I can help you greatly. I just do not take kindly to being crossed.

It did sound fair enough, alright. If she had been stuck in that dark place, she too wouldn't like to lose a chance of escape to someone failing to deliver on their word. Tempest couldn't blame it for being so forceful.

I am a he, not an it. So the Benefactor was male, whatever he really was.

The time came when nightfall was upon them, the sun was slipping under the western horizon. Both pegasi were worried at that. As soon as the sun was gone, the shadow spirit might come after them. I'd like to get as far away as possible... thought Tempest, but one look at Snowy told her that wasn't possible. The poor pegasus had been pushed to the limit and beyond of her endurance today, it was by some grace of her god that she was still flying.

Tempest's eyes were drawn to a rocky outcrop, devoid of trees. “We'll stop there!” she pointed at it. “The spirit came out of the ground, it looked like. Maybe rock would... slow it down, or something.”

Snowy said nothing, and just dived. Not even the Benefactor was saying anything, maybe he was tired too. Regardless, sleep fell upon the two of them, or even all three of them quickly. It had been a very long day. But just before Tempest slipped away, questions came to her mind. Why was there a tower over his prison? What was that strange, dark place? Why did releasing him alert something that had been supposedly dead for thousands of years? But most of all...

How had the Benefactor known how old she was, if he claimed he hadn't even been aware of her existence until today?

Author's Notes:

“A fire demon would live underground.” Corrected Snowy. “And a shadow spirit would only come out at night. But the ancient world is just that- ancient. Not much is left of it.” -from Following the Dashavon, Across the Sea Part I

Th-thanks Snowy... Anyways, it's midterms time, so the next chapter may or may not be delayed. As usual.