And here we go – my last adventure before this one: The Fortress of Talicon!

2nd of July, 2353

Today, a funny thing happened that only reassured me that I am, indeed, a child of fortune. I spent the majority of the past few months searching through the jungle for any baubles that I could claim have mystical powers. Just something to get Daring Do interested and lure her into my traps – worthless pieces of carved rock and similar junk. One could often find better crafted things in a souvenirs shop. Who would’ve thought that some of them might indeed hold some power?

I’m talking about the golden rings we found. I went with the good old story of eight centuries of sweltering heat, for nostalgia’s sake. Daring Do managed to steal them, of course, just like everything else, but it wasn’t that difficult to re-obtain the most of them with my private army.

What’s more, an earth pony shaman, the one who supported me all that time ago, survived the bird-beings’ onslaught and came here with the rest of his tribe. Being curious, he started studying the carvings on my temple’s walls and, although it took him quite a while, managed to translate them! Well, more or less. We have the general idea of what they mean.

Those circlets are apparently artefacts closely linked to the bird-folk – to this temple in particular. We followed the instructions on the walls – or rather guessed – and found a secret room. There, covered by dust and grime, stood a stone pillar with a golden ring at its bottom!

I’m not sure what would happen if we were to remove it, but probably nothing pleasant. The picture of the temple being crushed by a giant, god-like talon was rather self-explanatory.

Should we complete it, on the other hand, these winged deities should descent upon the land. I can’t tell whether that is good or bad yet, but that’s not important. Daring will come and she will try to get the rings. If she fails, my revenge will finally be complete and I’ll be free to leave this blasted jungle behind! If she succeeds, she’ll get crushed – or whatever is supposed to happen – and I’ll succeed as well!

Do you have any idea just how angry I was when I heard you’ve found like the tenth way of cursing the valley? I thought that somepony must have been manufacturing those artefacts for you!

7th of July, 2353

Where is she? Only one ring remains now, and she still hasn’t shown up! I’ve already hired some archaeologist to get the last ring for me; what do I do when it arrives? The tribals expect me to finish it – they went through a lot of trouble to obtain them all! Just having them lie around would undermine my authority. I can’t tell them I’m doing it all to get back at a single mare: I’d sound ridiculous!

Ancient bird deities... I really, really don’t want to find out what they would do once they saw we chased off their worshippers. I told the tribals that it’ll bring doom to the city and make it ripe for pillage, and now they won’t shut up about it.

One would think that the one time I actually have something that could doom the world, she’d come right away, but instead she’s slacking off somewhere! Getting drunk in some lowly pub, no doubt.

I’m not a drunk, alright? It was just that one time! Besides, I had the last ring, so there was no rush. Couldn’t have known that Caballeron would find me and all.

Got caught easily too. Like a rookie. Stupid fan! I even had to lie and say I planned getting caught – ridiculous! Then again, she did help me afterwards and I wouldn’t have made it out without her. It was her fault I got into that situation in the first place, though! Amateur.

9th of July, 2353

Didn’t account for the other pegasus helping her – she’d end in the debris as well otherwise. Hardly matters now, though; the objectives have changed.

Yes, the temple is gone and we’re homeless once again, but I’m sure we’ll find some other ruin soon – it’s unimportant. It’s hardly the first time, after all. The important thing is that I have realised something about myself. Something that I’ve been carrying for quite a while now.

It’s the trap I used this time – it was perfectly designed. I could watch from above and it was still extremely deadly and near-impossible to escape. At least on paper. When I saw the water rise, however, knowing full well that she’s about to die, I... I had to leave. I couldn’t stand watching it, watching my revenge and triumph! Instead I just went and gave the last ring to the savages. Bird-like deities? Pffft, I didn’t care in the least – I just played the part of an evil lunatic like an actor in a play. What did it matter when I felt dead inside? Daring Do’s new friends provided some amusement, at least.

Realised it’s no fun without the good ol’ me, didn’t you? Nopony to fight against, right?

Needless to say that I was surprised when I turned around, the final ring in my hand, and saw Daring Do removing the last one! How did she escape? It made no sense! Even if she had help, there was no way they could... then it hit me. The temple was ancient and in disrepair – the stones were loose almost everywhere! And I knew that. I knew that well – I’ve been living there for months!

It was a lame trap, alright.

I have known that the trap was, in all likeliness, in need of repair, yet I did nothing. Every other trap I’ve ever used in that temple had been fixed, except this one. Every other trap also had flaws – small ones, but still. This one didn’t. In other words, the one time Daring would undoubtedly die, I left her a loophole so that she could survive.

It’s funny. I realised it right after I got out of the rubble and felt relieved for some reason. Why in the world would I feel relieved? I should’ve been mad with anger, shouldn’t I? Yet all I could think about was that she escaped and was well. It was all that mattered at the time.

What… what exactly did you realise?

Thinking back, it was obvious. Postponing the death sentence, asking her to write a biography, looking at her until the very end... I missed her.

I don’t like where this is going.

It was never about any revenge – maybe the first two or three times, but not more. I simply wanted her to come, and this was the easiest way of doing it.

She gulped.

There is no way of going around it now. I’m in–

Daring Do slammed the book shut, her face redder than a freshly cut grapefruit.

Ahuizotl clenched his teeth. “Catch her!” Daring Do neared, dodging the arrows and hiding behind pillars. “She mustn’t get to the Sash of Reckoning, or the ritual fails!” He held the sash with his tail-hand as far from her as he could.

“I won’t let you doom the valley to eight centuries of unrelenting, sweltering heat, Ahuizotl!” She swept down among the ranks of the tribals, dodging their attacks with apparent ease and advancing towards their master.

“Traps! Trigger the traps!” The air filled with dozens of small darts, shooting from walls on the left and right. Daring Do, however, started flying higher and higher, until she was above the death field and then simply flew over it. She nose-dived towards him.

Ahuizotl growled. “You won’t best me this time, Daring Do!”

“Oh yeah?” She smirked and skidded to a halt right above his head. “Unfortunately for you, I have a secret weapon.” Just as he was about to grasp her, she landed a little kiss on his forehead, her cheeks burning with crimson.

He stopped moving, as if petrified, and she quickly flew behind him and yanked the sash out of his stiff fingers. “See you next time, Ahuizotl!” She dodged a few more arrows and flew away through the entrance.

Ahuizotl’s hand slowly rose to his forehead. “Curse you... Daring Do.”