“The dragon slayer has been avenged and Fortune’s Peak is ours once again. And yet...we return in shame.”

Commander Hurricane was addressing her companions at the base of the mountain, near the remnants of Humble Pie’s old home. At her hooves lay the body of Tempest, tenderly wrapped in some fabric they salvaged from the ruins of the house. They had used the same fabric to bandage the pitiful remains of Silver Lining’s wings.

“There’s no shame in a warrior dying in battle,” the advisor offered.

“But there is shame in failing to save the commander we swore to protect,” the commander replied. Silver Lining hung his head, followed by Swift Cloud and Thunderhead, none of them able to think of a proper response. Befitting her new title, Hurricane’s tone had become more commanding. It had always carried that hint of authority, honed from years of training for this day, but until now Tempest’s presence had kept it in check; a wise, calming tone that acted as the foil to Hurricane’s brashness. Now that it was gone, there was a distinct gap in the conversation.

Star Swirl, who had remained at the rear of the group, now trotted forward. He looked pale, the color of his face showing an alarming similarity to his beard, and was covered in cuts and bruises. When he began to speak, his tone was slow and deliberate. “Commander Hurricane, I’m deeply sorry for your loss-”

“Save your breath, unicorn,” Hurricane grunted, not lifting her gaze to meet Star Swirl’s. “This is a pegasi matter.”

“No. This is a matter of concern for all ponies,” the magician insisted.

“Huh.” The commander raised her head to give Star Swirl a cold glare. “Funny, I doubt any of your freaky unicorn friends are going to be offering their condolences.”

“Commander...” Silver Lining muttered in a concerned tone.

“Commander Tempest was a friend of mine as well,” Star Swirl retorted, glaring back at the pegasus. “We shared a vision for all of ponykind.”

“It’s just ‘Tempest’ now,” Hurricane said bitterly, looking down at her mother. “Unlike your unicorn royalty, our leaders don’t retain their title after death. She now belongs to the ages and I am the one commander.”

The magician remained undeterred. “Tempest and I agreed that at the end of this journey, she would spread word that a unicorn and an earth pony aided you in the defeat of the dragon and the reclaiming of Fortune’s Peak, to foster respect between the three tribes.” Humble Pie stirred uneasily in the background, uncomfortable at being mentioned given the grim reality of the situation.

Commander Hurricane gave a sharp, bitter bark of a laugh at Star Swirl’s remark. “Haven’t you been paying attention? Today was not a triumph, but a defeat. But if you want me to tell everypony that a pair of groundlings helped us in the mission that killed my mother, I’ll be pleased to accept your request.”

“If I may, I believe that would be counterproductive,” Silver Lining quickly advised, cutting off Star Swirl before he could offer a retort. “Nevertheless, Commander Hurricane makes a compelling argument. This is a sad day for the Pegasi Empire and to inform our citizens that a member of each of the other tribes was involved is unlikely to evoke good will towards them.” He looked from his commander to Star Swirl. “I think it would be best for all if we forgot you were here.”

“This is not what we agreed to,” the unicorn growled, putting Silver Lining on the spot, who shifted uncomfortably.

“You made an agreement with a mare who is now dead,” Hurricane said pointedly. “A death, by the way, you played a role in.” Star Swirl looked pained and offended as the commander went on. “You are in no position to be demanding anything of us, unicorn. If you had listened to Tempest when she ordered us to leave the cave, she’d probably still be alive right now.”

“Don’t try to blame this-” Star Swirl began hotly.

“Don’t try to skirt your responsibility!” Hurricane interrupted, now taking a fully aggressive stance as she faced the magician down. “You unicorns are all alike, high-minded to the end! You think you know best, only this time my mother placed her life in your hooves. And now the entire empire has paid the price,” she finished, stepping back to afford him a view of the pegasi behind her.

For a moment it looked like Star Swirl would continue to argue. He opened his mouth to speak, but then caught a glimpse of the cloth that covered Tempest’s figure and his words suddenly died in his throat. His face became even paler, his face sinking as his eyes began to reflect the terrible sadness he felt, looking upon his fallen companion. Suddenly his age began to show; he no longer looked like a cunning and brilliant magician but a weak, feeble old stallion. His will failed him and he hung his head shamefully.

“Frankly, you should be grateful I’m letting you off this easily,” Hurricane grumbled, turning away. “And you!” she suddenly shouted at Humble Pie, who jumped at the commander’s abrupt yell and looked back fearfully. “You can have your mountain. I have no interest in it. With all that must be done now to ensure the safe transfer of power it will be a long time before we can return to build a new cloudpost here.”

Humble Pie grew more alert at this statement and glanced at Swift Cloud, who was looking back with widened eyes. Thunderhead had noticed the earth pony’s glance and gave his fellow private a curious, slightly suspicious look. Hurricane, on the other hoof, missed all of this, having turned toward the figure of her mother before addressing the other pegasi. “I do not wish to stay any longer! Soldiers, we leave immediately! Privates, take grip of Tempest; we shall carry her home.”

“W-Wait,” Swift Cloud stammered. “Now? But can’t I say farewell before-”

“That was an order, private!” Hurricane yelled, startling Swift Cloud into quickly standing beside the body of Tempest and preparing the cloth for transport.

“Hold on!” Humble Pie exclaimed before faltering under the stern gaze of the commander. “Err...when will you return, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Hard to say. It could be years,” Hurricane answered dismissively. “We have to assure stability to our citizens and assert our authority over any colonies who may see this as an opportunity to rebel. In that time, expansion of the empire will be unlikely.”

“Well, err, feel free to come back sooner. If you, uh, want to, of course,” Humble Pie said hurriedly, smiling awkwardly. “After all, I am in your debt for having my old home back.”

Commander Hurricane, however, was paying the earth pony no attention, watching as the two privates wrapped the ends of the cloth around themselves and secured it with their teeth. “Right, then. Let’s leave this place,” she grunted, glaring at the mountain for a moment before launching into the air.

“But...” Swift Cloud hesitated, casting an anxious glance over at Humble Pie.

“PRIVATE SWIFT CLOUD, IF YOU DO NOT MOVE THIS INSTANT, I WILL HAVE YOU COURT-MARTIALED FOR INSUBORDINATION!” the commander exploded, her patience at an end. Swift Cloud squeaked with fright and promptly began flapping her wings as she and Thunderhead lifted into the air, carrying the body of their old leader between them. Humble Pie’s mouth hung open; he tried to think of a proper farewell to shout out, but nothing came to mind as they started to fly north, heading back to Pegasopolis. Swift Cloud didn’t dare look at the earth pony, shrinking under the harsh gaze of her commander.

Hurricane, still hovering in mid-air, turned back to Humble Pie and Star Swirl, reserving her coldest, most hateful glare yet for the unicorn before she turned on the spot and followed the two privates. Silver Lining trotted along the ground after her, his wings too weak to allow him to fly; he would have to be carried up to Pegasopolis by his companions as they drew closer.

Humble Pie watched the pegasi leave, crestfallen at their abrupt departure. He fell back on his haunches, his gaze following the retreating form of Swift Cloud as she flew off. The earth pony sat in the midst of the remains of the farm that was once again his, but as the pegasi faded out of sight he felt nothing but a painful sense of loss. Beside him, Star Swirl remained silent.

***

It took the unicorn and the earth pony a couple of hours to prepare their things for the long trek back. Star Swirl moved slowly and now looked paler than ever; Humble Pie had suggested he get some rest, but his mind was too occupied to push the matter, so when the unicorn declined the issue was quickly forgotten. The two managed to procure a pair of saddlebags from the ruins and took the rest of the fabric they had used to wrap Tempest’s body as well as a few charred timbers from the house that they could use as firewood. However, the site yielded little else of use. Humble Pie climbed up the mountain to the cave to retrieve some precious gems that he could show to his family as proof that he had been to Fortune’s Peak and lived to tell the tale.

As he clambered down the slope, the earth pony absentmindedly looked up at the sky. He had a faint hope that he would be able to catch one more glimpse of the pegasi flying away into the distance, but that wish was quickly banished as they were too far away by this point. What he saw instead was the great cloud of smoke already breaking up, a process that was started by the explosion that happened when Star Swirl had battled the dragon but now aided by the free-flowing winds that swept across the Badlands, dissolving the smoke and allowing sunlight to grace the mountain once again. It was a hopeful sight, but for Humble Pie it merely reminded him of how much work there was still to do before the mountain could be ready for farming again. And now the mare he had been hoping to share that time with was gone.

The earth pony sighed, resuming his trek downhill. “The family. There will always be the family to help out. Nopony is going to make them disappear from my life,” he thought to himself. Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but glance up at the sky again. Once again, he was disappointed by the lack of pegasi in it.

***

Star Swirl trotted forward slowly, placing one forehoof in front of the other as he made his way back across the plain, the bells attached to his cloak and hat chiming softly with each step he took. Humble Pie was a short distance ahead of him, his head lowered sadly. Fortune’s Peak was well behind them now, but there was still a long way to go before they made it back to the Southern Peaks.

The unicorn’s mind, normally full of complex plans and nuanced analyses which fit his scholarly pursuits, was unusually empty at the moment. All he could think of was the battle, his last memories before the dragon knocked him out, and later coming to terms with the fact that Tempest had been struck in the moment he had let his guard down. The idea that he, Star Swirl the Bearded, the only unicorn who was actively seeking peace between the three tribes, had now made matters worse was absolutely sickening to him. Rather than his usual clarity and thoughtfulness, everything felt clouded by emotion.

Clouded...strange, everything was clouded. His surroundings suddenly seemed hazy as the air became thin and a strange lightness came over him. Star Swirl had just enough presence of mind to note how unusual this was before he felt hard rock pressed against his cheek.

A great clatter of bells pulled Humble Pie out of his thoughts as he turned around to see that the unicorn had collapsed. “Star Swirl!” the earth pony shouted in alarm as he galloped back to where Star Swirl lay, breathing rapidly and laboriously. His hat had fallen off and his complexion was even whiter than ever, as if all the blood had drained from his face. Despite this, he chanced a small smile up at Humble Pie.

“I think I...may have...exerted myself...” he mumbled between breaths. The earth pony was not comforted by this and promptly began pulling Star Swirl into the shade of a large boulder nearby. He retrieved the fabric out of his saddlebag and set up a canvas that would shield the unicorn from the elements.

“You need to rest,” Humble Pie insisted, though Star Swirl looked so weak the earth pony doubted he was going to try to move. “You might be dehydrated. I’ll get you some water; there’s a spring nearby. Just stay here, all right?”

“Humble Pie...I’ve made a terrible mistake...” Star Swirl mumbled, barely paying attention to what his companion was saying.

“Just stay here and rest!” the earth pony yelled before darting out of the makeshift tent and galloping off to retrieve the promised water.

***

Swift Cloud flew silently, the weight of her old commander an emotional and literal burden on her as she made her way across the foothills of the Southern Peaks. Night had started to fall but Commander Hurricane showed no sign of wanting to stop and nopony felt like suggesting otherwise.

She absentmindedly flapped her wings, her mind focused on things besides flying. While she felt a great sadness, there was also a clarity to her thoughts. Swift Cloud glanced over at Thunderhead, who was staring straight ahead, not for a second pulling his gaze away from what lay in front of him. This was nothing unfamiliar to Swift Cloud; what was different was that his eyes were strangely distant, showing that he was still coming to terms with what had happened. She glanced down at the wrapped body cradled between the two ponies; the body of the pony who, while not close, had welcomed her and been her leader and moral compass, the very model of a soldier and all pegasi.

“No...” she muttered aloud.

“Huh?” Thunderhead asked, snapping out of his thoughts and turning towards Swift Cloud.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” the mare said, more to herself than anypony else. Thunderhead opened his mouth to inquire further, but she turned to him before he could say anything. “We need to land.”

“Wha...are you crazy?” Thunderhead hissed. “You’re going to get us both in trouble with Commander Hurricane!”

“I’m landing,” Swift Cloud insisted, falling a few inches in altitude to prove her point. Thunderhead, more alarmed for the safety of Tempest’s body than winning an argument, reluctantly followed. They carefully made their way to a flat ledge on the slope of the mountain, just shy of the pass they had come through on their way to Fortune’s Peak. Both pegasi were exceedingly cautious as they set the body of their old leader on the rocky ground before Swift Cloud landed and untied herself from the wrappings. She removed the last of them just in time to hear the beating of wings which signaled Commander Hurricane’s arrival.

“What is the meaning of this?!” she yelled. “Why have we stopped?” Behind her, Silver Lining caught up with the group and gave a curious look to the two privates. Thunderhead stood back, looking ill at ease with the commander practically glowering at her. Swift Cloud swallowed hard before speaking.

“Commander, with all due respect, I believe we are making a terrible mistake. We can’t leave Humble Pie and Star Swirl like this.”

Hurricane stared at Swift Cloud for a moment, her mouth agape before she gritted her teeth and a look of deep malevolence crossed her face. “Private, we are not discussing this now. Retie yourself and get back into the air, now.”

Swift Cloud gulped. If she went any further now, there would surely be consequences; she would get court-martialed for sure. But it seemed foolish to stop now that she had already landed. She thought of Humble Pie and decided this was the moment to make her stand, repercussions be damned.

“I...I can’t do that,” Swift Cloud mumbled, standing strong but avoiding Hurricane’s gaze. “This isn’t what Tempest would have wanted. She invited them along, and they were her friends too. She trusted them. We shouldn’t abandon-”

“You are going to tell me what my own mother wanted?” Hurricane’s voice was calm, but the cold rage behind it caused Swift Cloud’s heart to sink in her chest. Fear bubbled up within her as the young mare tried to continue, knowing she had crossed a line.

“W-we shouldn’t abandon them like th-this,” she stammered, visibly shaking and still too frightened to look Hurricane in the eye. “Th-they were T-Tempest’s friends too, and I think they sh-should have the chance to say good...goodbye.” She swallowed, trying to contain her frantically beating heart.

“Oh, is that what you think, Private Swift Cloud?” Hurricane growled in a mocking tone. “Then let me ask you this: WHY SHOULD I GIVE A FLYING FEATHER WHAT YOU THINK?!” she screamed, causing Swift Cloud to sit down quickly, cowering in fear. The commander flared her wings, looking like she was ready to strike her private, but Silver Lining stepped between them with a raised hoof to calm Hurricane down.

“Private Thunderhead, perhaps you have an opinion on this matter?” the advisor asked. Swift Cloud felt a glimmer of hope; if anypony could help her through this, it would be Thunderhead: the pony that had been her mentor, that had gotten her this position and had always been her brother-in-arms.

But her fellow private was silent, looking down at the ground. Swift Cloud stared at him, but as the silence continued the horrible truth sunk in: she was hoping for him to stand up to Hurricane, his longtime friend and now commander. And now he was being asked to choose between his ‘sister’ and his leader.

“...No,” Thunderhead muttered, avoiding Swift Cloud’s pleading gaze. “I don’t have any opinion.”

Swift Cloud’s head sank as Commander Hurricane turned her attention back to the young mare. “Private Swift Cloud, you disobeyed a direct order of mine. That is a very dangerous place to be. I will give you this chance now to admit your mistake.”

The private was silent for a moment. “...I...I still think we sh-should help Humble Pie and Star Swirl get home.”

A heavy silence descended following her words. Nopony seemed to want to even breathe, fearing what was about to happen. The commander towered over the private, staring down her with a mixture of anger and disgust, practically seething with rage.

Finally, she spoke in an eering level tone. “I do not have any place in my army for pegasi who disagree with their commander. Especially low-level privates like YOU!” she screamed, causing each of the other three ponies to flinch. Swift Cloud’s lip trembled.

“I STRIP YOU OF YOUR RANK!” Hurricane yelled, forcefully snatching the helmet off of Swift Cloud’s head and flinging it to the side. “YOU ARE NOT WORTHY TO BE IN MY ARMY!” The commander tore off the straps that held the private’s armor on, letting them fall to the ground. Swift Cloud merely sat there, her head lowered so far that her mane obscured her eyes as her whole body shook. Hurricane hovered upright just in front of her, glaring down at the pegasus before her.

“I relieve you of your duties, Swift Cloud.” The young mare trembled at the commander’s words; it was the first time she had been addressed by Hurricane without her title. “You are free to do as you wish, but don’t expect to be welcomed back in Pegasopolis.” With that ultimatum, the commander landed and strode past the silent mare, tying the end of the cloth that held Tempest’s body around her figure before she and Thunderhead promptly lifted into the air, resuming the journey back to their home and leaving Silver Lining alone on the ground with Swift Cloud.

Silver Lining looked at the mare for a while, as if considering her. He opened his mouth to speak, but soon found that no words came that could adequately express his feelings. Instead, he opted to reach out a hoof and pat Swift Cloud on the shoulder, letting it rest there for a moment before slowly letting it slide off. He turned around and followed after Hurricane and Thunderhead, climbing up the slope quickly to catch up with the flying pegasi.

Swift Cloud remained in place, sitting quietly on the ledge with her head bowed. Tears began leaking down her face, still half-hidden by her mane. Her body shook, but she couldn’t find the will to move a muscle. Despite her sadness, she remained silent even as the tears continued to flow.

***

Humble Pie sat beside Star Swirl, who was still lying on the ground taking quick, ragged breaths. A container of water stood beside the earth pony, but it proved to be of little use. The magician was still very pale, his skin was clammy and his pulse was far more rapid than normal. His eyes were open but vacant; he at least seemed more aware of his surroundings now, but the unicorn remained distant.

Night had fallen and both ponies were still under the makeshift tent Humble Pie had constructed. He had also built a fire just outside the tent, to bring some warmth and light, but Star Swirl seemed to be in no condition to move and the earth pony felt it best to keep him under the canvas, out of the elements. The earth pony sat by his side, watching the light of the fire flicker and dance across the magician’s face.

“Humble Pie...” he mumbled quietly, his gaze drifting slowly towards the earth pony, who drew closer. “Do you remember...when I said that one does not fight fire with fire?” he asked between breaths.

“Err...yes?” Humble Pie answered uncertainly. Star Swirl was silent for a moment and the earth pony began to wonder if he had forgotten what he had been about to say.

“...I think I forgot my own advice,” he finally muttered, giving Humble Pie a small, grim smile.

“I’m old, Humble Pie,” he continued, giving a weary sigh as he struggled to keep his breath. “Too old to see...his own mistakes. Here I believed I could...unite the three pony tribes, but my vanity prevented me...from seeing the wisdom of anypony but myself.”

Star Swirl stared down at the ground, his energy running low as his voice feebly continued on. “I can’t fail, Humble Pie. There’s too much at stake.”

“Get some rest,” the earth pony insisted, pulling a thin sheet of the fabric over the unicorn’s body as a blanket.

“Humble Pie, I need you to promise me something,” Star Swirl suddenly ordered, his tone becoming more alert even as his voice grew weaker. “You need to do everything in your power to encourage unity between the three tribes. It is of the utmost importance that harmony between ponies is achieved!”

“I...but I’m just-” the farmer began to stammer, but Star Swirl cut him off.

“You must spread this message!” he insisted, his tone alert even as his voice cracked and became more feeble. He reached out to grab the earth pony’s shoulder and locked his gaze onto him. “Without it, all will be lost! Please, promise me this, Humble Pie!”

“Yes! Yes, I promise!” the earth pony exclaimed, more out of an attempt to calm the unicorn down than anything else. “Please Star Swirl, just rest...” The unicorn’s hoof fell from Humble Pie’s shoulder and back onto the ground as his gaze fell to the floor once again. He stopped talking and closed his eyes, relaxing slightly but still breathing heavily. The earth pony took a section of the fabric and draped it over the unicorn’s body like a blanket, patting him on the shoulder before stepping outside to tend to the campfire.

The moment Star Swirl was out of sight, a terrible realization exploded in Humble Pie’s mind: there was nothing he could do for him. Whatever was afflicting the unicorn was beyond his ability to treat. The shock of getting battered by the dragon followed by the heartache of losing his companion had taken a great toll on the magician, and now it was overwhelming him.

Humble Pie stepped towards the campfire. Now that he wasn’t in the presence of Star Swirl, his carefully assembled calm facade soon broke down. He took a great, shuddering breath before looking up into the sky. The stars shone overhead in a perfectly cloudless sky, their twinkling light reflected in the earth pony’s watery eyes. He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes, lowering his head before letting out a pained sob. Humble Pie slowly lifted a hoof to his face, collapsing on his haunches as his whole body shook with emotion.

“Humble Pie!” The earth pony bolted to his hooves, startled by the distant sound of somepony calling his name. Somepony with a very familiar voice.

He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and scanned the sky, searching for the source of the sound. He soon spotted it: the faint outline of a figure flying towards him, obscured by darkness. It was clearly a pegasi, but something about it seemed off to Humble Pie. His heart leapt when he saw Swift Cloud’s face illuminated by the light of the campfire, shortly realizing she was missing her helmet and armor. Their absence made her seem smaller, yet somehow she looked stronger without them. The pegasus landed in front of him, near the edge of the circle of light created by the fire.

Swift Cloud folded her wings, looking at the earth pony in front of her. Since the other pegasi left her, she had been feeling heartbroken and depressed, but seeing Humble Pie brought a sense of elation to her. And yet, despite her desperation to see the earth pony again, words failed her now that he was in front of her again. Humble Pie remained frozen in place, staring at her with a dumbfounded expression.

“...Swift Cloud?” he mumbled, asking the question as if afraid of the answer.

The pegasus was very self-consciously aware of her current lack of a helmet; it had become such a regular fixture atop her head that it felt strange for nothing to be there now. She felt herself holding her head higher simply to compensate for the absence of the weight that was normally there. “...I’m, uh, I’m not a soldier anymore. Commander Hurricane...kicked me out,” she finished, looking down at her hooves as her lower lip trembled. She put on a brave face before looking up at Humble Pie.

“So I, uh, thought I’d come back and find you,” she continued before glancing around. “Say, where’s Star Swirl?”

Humble Pie remained quiet, continuing to stare at Swift Cloud. The silence went on so long that it began to unnerve the pegasus. A memory of the changeling version of Humble Pie acting strange appeared unbidden in her mind, but it was quickly banished as the earth pony suddenly raced forward and flung himself on Swift Cloud, wrapping his forehooves around her and burying his face in her shoulder. Despite her strength, the pegasus nearly buckled under the weight of the earth pony, partly due to his height but also just her shock at his action. As she came to terms with what was happening she felt him shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face into her fur as sobs wracked his body.

After a moment she placed a forehoof around him, setting it against his mane and stroking it tenderly as she leaned her head against his. She hadn’t imagined her return going like this. With what had just happened she had thought she would be the one weeping, just as she had in the forest, but seeing Humble Pie like this brought out Swift Cloud’s strength. She would stand this time as the sturdy one the other could hold on to in his time of need. She closed her eyes, a pair of silent tears streaking down her face as she comforted her partner, whispering reassurances in his ear.

***

Star Swirl the Bearded passed away a few hours later. Consumed by guilt and weakened by his illness, the greatest conjurer of magic in his era fell asleep for the last time. Swift Cloud almost didn’t get a chance to say farewell; the unicorn seemed to be barely aware of her presence before his condition worsened, mumbling incoherently as his breathing became more and more ragged until he finally slipped away. Humble Pie and Swift Cloud remained by the unicorn’s side even after death claimed him, both weeping and comforting each other as they struggled to come to terms with what had happened.

Neither the earth pony nor the pegasus slept that night, and the next morning brought the grim task of seeing to the corpse of Star Swirl. Swift Cloud suggested a simple burial, a method apparently common even amongst winged creatures like the pegasi save for the elite. But Humble Pie refused, stating that he didn’t like the idea of laying him to rest somewhere far from any of his fellow unicorns. Additionally, the earth pony privately felt he couldn’t stand to see the grave of a trusted friend so close to the place he wanted to once again call home, but he kept this thought to himself.

So, it was agreed that they would carry Star Swirl back to Unicornia, despite the inconvenience. The fabric they had salvaged from Fortune’s Peak was once again put to the use of wrapping a corpse as they dismantled the makeshift tent and gently placed the unicorn on the cloth before covering him. Swift Cloud added a small flourish by draping the magician’s cloak and hat over his wrapped body before she and Humble Pie tied the fabric around themselves and began carrying the unicorn between them, just as the pegasi had done with Tempest. Star Swirl’s bells rang softly as they moved forward, a sound which despite now sounding solemn rather than cheerful, brought a calmness to both of the ponies carrying them. Hearing the bells, it was as if the unicorn still walked amongst them and Humble Pie could almost convince himself that was the case; so effectively, in fact, that at times he would willfully refuse to glance at the wrapped corpse he was carrying, choosing to indulge in the thought that his friend was still alive for as long as he could.

The journey back, though long, was strangely uneventful. Where their journey to Fortune’s Peak had put them in the presence of many dangerous creatures, the return home was marred by nothing more dangerous than a flock of birds. With each passing day Humble Pie grew more astounded at their good fortune. On the third day, while passing along a ridge in the foothills of the Southern Peaks, just above the Forest of the Mists, the earth pony suggested removing the bells and stowing them away in case the sound gave away their location to any dangerous wildlife. However, Swift Cloud declined, revealing that she too felt comforted by the sound of the bells. Humble Pie promptly dropped the idea and they continued on as before.

It was fortunate that they had the bells, because otherwise their return journey was marked by silence, a far cry from the regular conversations they had shared before. Both had suffered great loss, Swift Cloud especially so, having been thrust out of the life she had always known; her home was now closed to her and the duty she had spent so long training for was no longer hers to follow. She fell into a depression as this stark new reality sank in and it was only the presence of Humble Pie that kept her going. Even when the two weren’t tied together as they carried Star Swirl, they spent every moment at each other’s side, each drawing strength from the other. No words needed to be exchanged when a simple embrace or a gentle touch said all that was necessary.

Eventually they finally made it back to the Mane Valley, where Humble Pie was able to borrow a cart and find a couple of earth ponies willing to help pull it for the final leg of the journey up to Unicornia. Despite their reluctance to travel to the realm of unicorns, the ponies were good friends of Humble Pie who trusted him enough to go through with it. Together they carried Star Swirl’s body to the gates of Unicornia’s great castle, where they were met by a great deal of attention, much of it hostile. Humble Pie quickly grew nervous; a group of earth ponies and a pegasus bringing the corpse of a gifted and noteworthy unicorn was likely to draw great suspicion and quite possibly mortal danger, so they quickly left, staying only long enough to relate what had happened.

Word spread swiftly through Unicornia of the death of Star Swirl the Bearded, and despite the suspicion much of the nobility had developed for him given his suggestions of unity between the three tribes, the academic community and Unicornia’s Guard still held deep respect for the late magician. The former because of his contributions to advancing the understanding and applications of magic and the Guard due to the great battles Star Swirl had fought alongside them, proving his mettle in combat as well as his incredible magical skill. It were these achievements that the organizers of the funeral focused on and any mention of his political beliefs was glossed over so as not to offend the nobility. Despite their recent antagonism towards Star Swirl, none wanted to appear in opposition to such a widely beloved figure after his death.

Nearly all of Unicornia attended the funeral. Unicorns from the surrounding villages traveled up to the castle to take part in the mass procession that wound out of the palace, across the drawbridge that led out of the castle and through a hamlet on the other side of the bridge before climbing up to a cemetery on a picturesque hillside that overlooked the castle. A number of important figures such as King Silver, the Keepers of the Circle of Day and Night and an old Guard Captain named Opal Beam, who was a dear friend of Star Swirl, gave speeches honoring the fallen unicorn. They laid him to rest in a grave near the top of the hill, adorned with a small monument of his likeness gazing solemnly over the kingdom he had protected and called home.

***

A month had passed since the funeral and summer was now beginning to give way to autumn. The nights became cold and gloomy, heralding the coming of the snows that would soon blanket the surrounding mountains. On one particular night, a chilly breeze swept up the slope the cemetery sat on, rustling the tall, yellowing grass and passing between the many headstones that marked the graveyard.

All the windows in the castle were covered to keep out the cold and the chimneys spewed forth thin trails of smoke into the air as the occupants got the fires going for the first time since the previous winter. From the cemetery one could see the occasional flicker of torchlight or the light of a magically-powered lantern coming from the castle, but no eyes were turned towards the graveyard and nopony was outside on a night like this. It was perfect for a creature who wanted to approach the cemetery undetected.

Upon an icy cloud carried by the wind it strode forward resolutely, her cold, blue eyes scanning the tombstones that marked the resting places of these dead equines as the creature searched for the one she sought out, to see if the rumors among her kind had been true.

And there it was. Near the top of the hill was a single, solitary stone rising from the ground, capped by a small statue of the pony the creature had once had the misfortune of meeting in the flesh. Now it was but stone, the bells carved onto its frozen figure mere copies that would never ring. As she looked at it, the creature found a cruel smile forming on her face. The great scourge of her kind now lay dead beneath her hooves.

She leapt into the air, her legs carrying her seemingly incorporeal form into the air as she let out a triumphant howl. It was soon met with similar howls that echoed down from the mountains, all joined in celebration and to spread the announcement to all dark creatures who lay in the shadow of ponykind:

The one with the bells was dead. The windigoes were on the march.