The Northern Badlands
Chrysalis's PoV

The wind slashed at me as I cradled Alkeyore’s head in my lap, the bleeding has stopped now and the beast that he had summon was weakening, it won’t be long till we’ll be forced to land. His breathing was still labored though it had grew more steady than when he collapsed, I poured what magics I could into the man who saved me from Lady Spider’s cultists. The healing arts wasn’t a school I used often, it wasn’t a school of magic that was truly traught out here in the wastelands, battle magic was the preferred school. With an cry the great bird flew to the earth and vanished into the sands, leaving us in the hot sands of the land my people was outcasted to, I did what I could to shield us from the sun, hiding amongst the sand dunes where we would linger till moonrise when travel in this harsh land wasn’t was as fatal. Thirst and hunger took their spoils of me, there was little to eat and even less water, using my magic I roasted the few mice I could snatch out from their homes in the nearby dunes and called up what water I could from their blood and the odd patch of grass.. only a day’s worth at the most. Tearing a little from his sash I set about cleaning my future husband of his blood. The thought of marriage still left me giddy, slowly I cleaned Alkeyore of the dried blood encrusted on his face, it was slow work, yet soon the blood was cleaned from him and my mind filled with wishful thinking. Yet there were still my people, they needed us, we needed to save them from the path Spider was leading them to.. We needed to seek the other queens and unite as well the other natives, in the diction we were headed in before the great bird felled was that of the north. We’re heading straight for the traitorous buffalo and the Concordians as well the hidden road of Merlin’s pass. A groan was heard for the man in my lap, with a small smile I continued to wipe his brow “C-Chrysalis?” he croaked before trying to get up.

My hands forced in him back down to rest his head on my lap. “Rest, Alkeyore rest.”, “We are safe for now… How are you feeling?”

“Pain is nothing to the likes of me, for I draw power from suffering.” he says “although it still quite an annoyance.” then he changes the subject, “From our position I can see that Aroo felled and now sleeps.”

“Yes,” I said with an nod before though my magic I pressed a roasted mouse to his lips, he eats the small creature willingly. “It was just a small time ago.”

“You cook mouse well, it had been quite a time since I last had such a thing.” he says mid-chew, a grateful smile his lips. His amber eyes shining like gold in the badlands sun.

I blushed at his praise, my hole filled hoof twirling a lock of my hair “Thank you, we often have such things, there is little to eat in this land so we make due with we can find when feeding from emotions isn’t open to us.”

Again he tries to rise and he stops me this time, with steady legs he stood to his full height, looming over me like an giant of old. He tests his footing and the strength in his arms then he smiles, “You have a healing touch, Chrysalis I’m almost back to full strength.”

Again I felt my cheeks burn, somehow he knew that I used my healing magic on him. Standing up from my position in the sands, I found him staring towards the southeast, following his eyes I felt my face pale, there in the distance was a great sandstorm and it heading straight for us as well an small cohort of cultists searching for us in the west. Without a word we starting running with the hope in our hearts that we could escaped from the badlands warth, we ran for what felt like hours yet the storm reach with ease. I yelped I found myself under Alkeyore, his powerful frame overpowering me, I frozed up with fear but then I realized, he was shielding me from the sandstorm by using himself as an barrier. His hands glowed inky black was the shadows themselves saw it fitting to form around us creating a magical barrier as well. Gently he rose off of me seeing that his magic had sealed us away from the outside world.

“Chrysalis are you alright?” he asked

“Yes,” I said in an small voice, my body shivering in the coldness of the shadows. I gave out a squeak with I felt him warping his arms round me, and the coldness quickly retreated away. He was using his own body heat to keep me warm while the shadows kept the storm outside at bay. For a time we sat there in the shadows, waiting for the storm to pass, we didn’t spoke leaving the both of us free to ponder. Again wishful thinking came to me, yet as my fear of being intimate which I knew Alkeyore understood from me telling of the tortures my mother gifted me with, turning my mind from that I instead thought of the road we were taking, the Buffalo tribes. The Buffalo were hunched over brutish creatures with horns on the sides of their heads. They were perhaps the most barbaric brutes in all of Avalon and I had the displeasure of dealing with them, dispatching them like leaves in the wind. They so happen to find Changeling eggs as an delicacy. If I recalled what the old scrolls claimed when Eraidor was alive, the buffalo were our chief enemies and rival having to war upon each other for generations even before the Alicrons and their ponies came to our shores, we nearly destroyed them.. It was only ironic that we are now the ones at their end instead of the buffalo they had grow in strength and in favor of the Alicorns, if we were ever to rise again they would be amongst the first to war on us. “Alkeyore..” I said breaking the spell of silence, “Why are we heading north?”

“Because, there are those in Equestria who wait for me, my students and an dear ally. We had planned on going south together to escape the eyes of Sleipnir and that of Celestia, I need to be sure that they are unharmed.” said Alkeyore, “and that Gimmnjor gave us a quest, that needs to done, we need to find three items, one in Northern Awan another in Transylmania and the last in the far south.”

“Gimmnjor!?! He still lives!” I said in shock, learning that another of the old gods still lived, was heartening. To me, it meant that there was still some strength in the native cause and goodness in the world. I wonder just who else survived the titan war. Then there was that quest Alkeyore mentioned..

“He.. well he was alive when I last saw him but he said that would be the last time I would see him alive.” said Alkeyore, “ His kingdom, Indolia was nothing more than a tomb that didn’t know it was tomb. He and his children was passing from this world, it wouldn’t be out of the question that he haven’t already died by this time.”

That made the hope I was feeling sink, both Gimmnjor and Indolia had passed to the next world it seems. And with them more of old Avalon left us, I wasn’t foolish enough to think that we could fully restore Avalon back to where she was before the invaders, far from it. I knew that we never fully restore her, too much had been destroyed or just plainly lost over the curse of time. However we still had Alkeyore, with him the natives could as least retake some of our realm back.. But then I realized that just made me sound like Lady Spider.. Shaking that thought out of my head, “Alkeyore what do you want?” I said suddenly.

“What I want?” said Alkeyore questionly with an unsure look about his face “What you mean what I want?”

“The natives want to you to lead the fight against the ponies, and the Alicornd want to destroy you.” I said with sadness for the god in my barrel, I never thought of what he would want, only what the natives and my people need. We were being selfish, throwing our wishes onto him without ever thinking about wishes he could have. “Everyone in Avalon want something of you, even my people who will see you and me as the only ones that could save them, they wish for you to do the all of the fighting, all hard decisions but none them wants to know what you want... I want know what is it that you want.”

For a moment he doesn’t answers, stunned by the fact I would asked him what his wants instead. “What.. I want?” he repeats, “No one ever asked that of me, only what they needed of me.. What needed to done, me sacrificing everything in their place so they could live. What is it? What do I want? What I want Chrysalis is many things yet all of them simple yet unobtainable for the likes of me. Family; peace; freedom; never to raise my sword again.. This is what I desire most yet all them were denied to me, the blood on my sword will never dry for I must fight; Peace only but a dream one that will never come to pass for war is reality; Freedom is something I can’t not claim for if I claimed freedom then it’s pointless for it will have no meaning.”

“And what of family” I asked fearing what he world say.

“Family.. My children would be curse to walk in my footsteps, denied of the freedom and lives they should have, just as I was cursed to walk in my clan’s footsteps, we are war.” said Alkeyore with an haunted expression, “ We are death on red raven wings.”, “The spell in the bloodlines, this is what I speak.”

I-I think understand what he’s trying to say or least I think, “You fear… you fear that your children will share in..your fate?” I asked, taking his hand in mine. I was Merlin’s heir.. All of my life I had been told that, that I had to be just like him, always compared to him. Yet I know that I could never be him, I am Chrysails not Merlin.

“Yes..”

“Can we change it?”

“I don’t know, and as in my nature logic is power and ignorance is weakness, and weakness means death. I want to have a family yet I don’t want them to bound to the fate of others and of Avalon just as I am, I want them to have a choice.” said Alkeyore, “You understand this wish of mine?”

“I believe I do.” I agreed, it was the wish of everyone, all beings wanted their children to have better lives than they did, it was only natural to feel it as so. “So what now?” as those words left my lips both the sandstorm and the shadows calmed, returning us to the outside worlds, yet I could not enjoy in feeling the familiar of the badlands sun.. we were surrounded yet not by the cultists.. We were surrounded by Buffalo… their matted brown fur shined sickly in the light of the badlands sun, their eyes held a wicked gleam in them as they looked at me. There were at least forty of them, small warband but for them it was a large army, Buffalo were giants compared to other natives minus the dragons. I gulped fearfully at the sight of the barbarians, and their crude forms of pure muscle and axes of land shark jaws. I prepared myself to repeat the past and battle the buffalo once more as my ancient kin did before me, they whoop and holler at the sight of the changeling fire dancing on my hooves and back .

The largest of them, the chief I presumed licked his lips and shivered in pleasure at me, no doubt imagining the pleasure he could have in enslaving me for his Alicorn masters. Alkeyore only smiles darkly at the beast before us. “I wonder when you lot will show yourselves.”

Just a few miles away
Gable’s PoV

The badlands sun beat down on me and that of my new companion, Starheart she calls herself, it had been almost a whole day since my finding of her. We spoke little to each other outside of what could be said in polite company, I know her name and she kept mine and of course that we both had duties needed seeing to, although we had agreed to travel through the waste together since we didn’t had anything else to do. In other words she was too stubborn to rest her hurt leg and I didn’t want to hit by her warhammer. Another hiss escaped the lady’s lips, however we just kept moving, since we were dragons the sun did little to slow us. I was surprised at just how quickly we entered the northern parts of the badlands in so little time, usually it took months to trespass through the wasteland however this was an land sundered by magic, logic was often a hindrance, the mage dust often fooled the mind and that of the passage of time. “Starheart.” I called to the strange dragoness, “you should rest before you harm yourself even further, we don’t have the supplies to mend you again.”

“Bah, this is nothing! I had suffer fouler wounds before, damn beast got the jump on me that is all.” hissed the strange dragoness quickening her pace, her hammer was mounted on her back, it’s metal glaring darkly in the sunlight. “Worry about yourself Gable.”

I hissed in annoyance, if I knew that she was going to kill herself I wouldn’t stop to save her, Dragon code or not. She was unlike any dragon I ever come across, She wasn't Sun; water; Moon; nor was she Starback; or Kirin… she was something else. A elf of some kind. Every great clan I could think of, none of them fit. I had asked her what clan she hailed from and the only word I could understand was of Adin, the rest was another tongue that I never heard before leaving me with little to go on. Adin, I knew not it meant but from what I understood it was a name of a location not of an clan but it was at least something to go on, we continued walking till my nose picked up on an scent I hoped not grace myself with buffalo. I had hoped that I would be able to fly over their lands in the high roads of the sky without drawing their attentions, not that I was afraid of the boarish beasts but they not only tasted horrible, they were the favorite servants of Sphinxes and Pongaea the Alicorn god of the earth. “Starheart, stop!” I hissed warningly.

“Oh what is it now!” seethed the strange dragoness, her rose colored eyes burning at me as if daring me to war with her. To play the law of fangs, the original draconian law.

I am the clan father of the ironfoots, any dragon lord would gladly put her in place, to set an example, yet I plan to be the greatest of dragon lords then I must set my own path, not that of the others who force loyalty out of fear. “Get down and stay low, I smell traitorous buffalo on air.”

She raised a brow at me however she did as I bid, slowly we crawled over the next dune and stopped in our tracks at what we saw. A whole warband of buffalo being slaughtered by an human...Then a mighty roar erupted in my ear, Starheart running to join the battle at the human’s side with an flaming hammer bashing into the closest buffalo warrior, not to be out done by the dragoness I too joined in with flames building up in my throat.

The Northern Badlands
Alkeyore’s PoV

I felt my blade sink into the hide of as what Chrysalis called a buffalo, I had seen the beasts amongst the winds of the sandstrom using it as cover, it may work with the younger races well but not with an Ageless. I felt the heat of Chrysalis’s fire on my skin as she blasts the buffalo away, keeping the brutish things far from her while my sword and magics feasted on death magic pouring from the slain Buffalo, restoring my magic and strength even fuller than my momentary rest and Chrysalis's healing magics. I slaughtered the beasts with ease, none even scratching me and of course the bulk of the warband were focused me, frothing at the mouth to avenge their fallen leaving Chrysalis free to snipe at their flanks while I demanded their attentions, my sword as ancient it may be, still demolished their axes as if they were only made of air, their thick matted fur asunder by its ancient might.

From the east I saw more of the buffalo coming to reinforce, hen I thought let them come, they only food for my hungers, a cry from the west came drawing my eyes from the coming foes, Starheart the flaming hammer of Adin came. Her flaming two handed war hammer bashing the buffalo away like leaves in the wind and crushing skulls whilst setting the more greasy of the foe on fire, I had heard of the she dragon-elf a few times in my talks with Morningstar.. He had planned on taking her as his student and eventual replacement in the lords of magic when it was his time to rule as the dragon elder. She wasn’t alone, another dragon this one an Avalonain dragon joined in the fight with torrents of fire coming out of his maw, together they strengthen my battle line and kept even more of the buffalo off of Chrysalis. Gaping one of the buffalo hornsI ripped it out taking most of my victim’s face with it before goring another though the eye. Thorned whiplike vines erupted from the gored buffalo, the many vines warping around the screaming buffalo and those around him, the thorns digging deeply in their hide slowing them down for Starheart’s hammer. The battle only last for a few more minutes, most of the first warband either dead or dying and the reinforcing band running away into the sands with arcs of fire at their backs turning the very sand at their hooves into jagged glass. We stood there in the among the slain in victory, slowing drawing breath and easing out of the battlelines. Placing my sword at it’s place at my hip, I turned to Chrysalis and spoke to her in hushed whispers before speaking to the newcomers. “I thank you for your aid in the battle.”

Suddenly Starheart knelt before me and spoke in Gaeaish, and what she spoke left dread in my heart of hearts while she was cursed with tears in her eyes. “King Alkeyore, last of the kings of Gaea I submit to you, the gates had fallen and blood rides on the breeze.. Gaea had seen death’s hand. I am of the six thorns and your mother sent us to join you in this realm, my companions are scattered throughout the land, all of us seeking you to rebuild our peoples in this land.”

Neither Chrysalis or the Avalonian dragon understood the words that left her, only that Starheart knelt before me showing her fealty. Unknowing of the failure I felt, Gaea was dead, my kingdom was dead and the demons had won, all thanks to my absence.. Artemis was dead. However I learned that Amdula still lives yet that didn’t bring me peace only emptiness, the Gaeaish were gone. “Starheart.. Who else survived Gaea’s fall?” I asked in Gaeaish.

‘Gwendolen Choppa; Belgar Dakra-Kah; Vleei Skyre; Gonia The Watcher and.. Artemis Bloodraven, your wife whom your memories of were stolen..’

“What is she saying?” asked both Chrysalis and the other dragon.

“Nevermind what she said, we must leave while we have the chance. I sure that the buffalo come for us with greater numbers.” I quickly said, at my words Chrysalis gulped and agreed that the Buffalo would come back for us, especially for her. “Starheart rise, there no need to offers oaths of fealty and to you drake, who are you?”

“Gable, son of Dragon Lord Syelth.” said Gable with an nod of his head before he too took to the knee. “Alkeyore, god of yore, I pledge myself to your service and in turn my clan to prove ourselves as true Avalonians and I pledge to you as well Queen Chrysalis of the changelings.”

As I bidded Starheart rose from the ground, her eyes alit with joy with the fact that she completed her quest in find me, not questioning why that Gable called me a god. All that remained now was to gather the others and somehow rebuild. The only way I could think of was to join with nation I shall build with the wolfponies and the changeling in mind, we would have to interbreed with them and each other to restore the Gaeaish people lest we are absorbed by the other cultures. With an nod from both me and Chrysalis, Gable rose.

“Everything will explained later, now we flee.” I said, and we started running for the north. With my magic, I eased all evidence of our passing through and that of the dead. Burning the bodies with blackened flames, hoping that rain will come to throw off both the buffalo and the cultists. Hours passed, as we followed the sun and the wind, Gable and Chrysalis took to the skies where they could see the surrounding realm freeing me and Starheart of the Avalonians and free to speak of Gaea. She told me all that had happened since my disappearance, and of their last stand before my mother saved them from Donyalc, it gave me little peace hearing how the world ended but she said it was only a matter of time. Gwen, Artemis and Vleei had survived, three of my old friends. Belgar and Gonia I had heard of them just as I did with Starheart however I knew them little. With Kern that only made eight.. eight Gaeaish, nine if Amdula was counted. Eight souls in a new land, too few if I failed them then we would disappear into the pages of time, unremembered by friend or foe, Teigue and Tydorel may had survived as well although the demon king’s life was tied to that of Gaea’s, he would be dead.. Freeing his legions from his power, they would splinter into many smaller legions fighting over the scraps of Gaea’s husk yet Teigue may come for us and the stone in Dust’s keeping. I welcome it, if he does, no quarter no mercy. But for now I must focus on other things.

“Once Gonia and me landed in this land, we were ambushed by Landsharks and were separated in the struggle, I know not if she managed to get away or not. However knowing the Dyrad she would continue her mission and head for the heartlands of this Equestria.” she said.

“Starheart.” I called, one part of me dreading what I was about to say, but it had to be done. If Gaea was too live, then she should know.

“Yes, my king” replied the dragon-elf hybrid dutifully

“You know if we rebuild Gaea, you’ll have to become an broodmother.”

“What?”

“You heard me, you’ll have to become a broodmother so we can give rise to the new Gaea, as we stand now, we’ll be absorbed by the Avalonians. So would the others. We’ll have to face it, we can not rebuild Gaea as she was, many of the races will be replace by new ones, such as the Adonia, who your were destined to birth. I also planned on inviting two of the Avalonian races to join us as Gaeaish.”

She makes face for a moment and a hiss escaped her lips before sighing in resignation, “I know, you spoke true my king yet however brutally. If means that Adin lives again there I’ll do it. But..”,

“I’ll will not force you or order you to do this duty, that is not my way of kingship. I am only pointing it out to you, that it will come to past,” I said with logic favoring me in this endeavor, “You can have your choice of men should you wish it so.”

“And does that include you my king?” she says with a hopeful look

Tilting my head skywards, I saw that the Avalonians were soaring overhead, preparing to land near us, no doubt reporting what they had seen in the surrounding lands. “As I said you’ll have your choice of men no more no less.” it was only logically that she would ask that, my renown was known throughout the whole of the twelve kingdoms, she was just another of the many who lusted after my frame as both a king and a lord of magic. She wasn’t one of the dark brides, only my soon to be victim. “Come Starheart, let’s see to the others so we can leave this waste. Never liked wastelands, much prefer the mountains and the forest.”

“Aye, so do I, my king.” she said in agreement. “So do I. Wastelands and I never gotten along for long.”

Once the Avalonians landed, Gable and Chrysalis quickly reported that the Buffalo were nowhere near us, there were an warband heading deeper into the west far from us, chasing Spider’s cultists as Chrysalis hissed. The way north were open to us. I took the head of our little group and led us further to the north, Gable took up an hushed conversation with Starheart, I paid them little attention and instead I focused on Chrysalis. She too was focused on me, our eyes never meeting yet we both knew that the other had wandering eyes. Summoning the gold of the desert, water, I quickly handed it to her. She smiles sweetly at me as she took a drink before sharing it with the two dragons in our company. Nightfall came freeing us of the heat and gathered about the fire. We spoke little and ate what we could fine in the dunes, mice, lizards and the odd bird before most of us decided that it was time that the dreaming realm claimed us, all of us except me. I remain awake while the others slept, silently I wandered a little ways from the camp and shed my disguise, freeing my true self to feel the wind playing with my fur; wings and wings before I took to the skies.

From the skies I watched over the others whilst dancing amongst the clouds. It was comforting to finally take to the skies after so long being earthbound, yet that comfort didn’t last. I had to return to the earth and all of it prisons, both of others and my own design, Gaea was gone. All of my sacrifices and that of the others became meaningless, my human family and majority of my friends and allies perished for nothing. ‘No..’ I thought, ‘It wasn’t for nothing.’ Returning the the ground and I regained my disguise and returned to the camp where I found Chrysalis sitting in the sand waiting from me. “You should be asleep.” I said to her.

“So should you be Alkeyore.” she replied before patting down on the sand next to her, “Sit with me.” seeing no reason to denied her, I took my place next her and I felt her hoof taking a hold of mine. I returned the gesture, my fingers curling about hers. “Where did you go?”

“I was ensuring that the camp was secure.” I replied with ease, "I rather not have a repeat of what happen last time we rested.”

“Oh.. I see.. For a moment I thought that this was all dream..” She says relieved yet she wasn't

“Why?” I asked

“Because it all seems too good to be true.. Marriage and your return to us.” Her grip on my hand tightens, “I should be dead, sacrificed to some forgotten monster by a madmare and her cult yet here I am holding the hand of an god, speaking to him. The gods of old would never allow this. They never allowed us to be this close to them. I have a hard time that all of this is happening.” she said her eyes trembling as she looked into mine. She trembles as her other hoof took mine. The rest of the world faded all round us into nothingness. “I’m terrified that at any moment you would disappear and I would be right back on that rack, drained of my blood.”, “If this is a dream then I never want it to end.”

My heart went out to the trembling Changeling mare and I did the only thing I could think of.. I kissed her. She froze at the touch of my lips against hers before her hooves left mine and wrapping themselves round my neck. My hands wrapped themselves around her as our kiss deepens, we held the kiss for long as we could. “Chrysalis, I assure that I am no dream.” I said while trying to catch my breath. “I am real, this real, my soon to be bride.

“Alkeyore..” she says with a heavy blush as we kissed again. “Could you hold me.. Like you did before?”

“Of course.” I said, kissing her again.

Western Sylvania
Kren’s pov

It’s was ironic in a way, that we in essence had to retrace our steps for different quest than the one we first set out on. The sky over our heads were dark with storm clouds and I had yet to see any omens cursing our quest, due the means how we were handed this and the nature of whom asked this of us, I was naturally suspicious of it. However, Alkeyore knew what he was doing, after all he unlike me had many quests. The sound of thunder and lightning hid the sounds of our foot falls, the boat long abandoned at the river’s edge, Nara claimed that we had no more need of it, Northern Dvlor was rocky and mountainous, boats had little use up there. It would be days till we enter the Wolf Dens, the borderlands of Sylvania and Dvlor, we had to stop often so I could gather what herbs I could, luckily many I knew from Gaea and those I didn’t I kept in order to barter with should if it came to it. When we made camp, Nara didn’t waste time and would often drag me into our bed, where we would join our bodies together in the blissful moment of consummating our newfound attractiveness towards each other and afterwards, when laying there exhausted and covered in sweat but with content smiles on our faces, she would asked me more about my old home Gaea, I shared with her what I could at times going over what we had already talked about long before finding Alkeyore in the Ahiu Lein. I told her about Alkeyore and his many adventures… and about how I met him… She was shocked to learn that I was a slave at his deathbed before I was saved by the framed Shadow Devil, the greatest serial killer in all of Tahuia and Gaeaish history since the early days of the lords of magic. And I was shocked to learn that she herself was a slave before Eldon’s mother saved her, giving us something in common our hatred of slavers and that we were saved by great people, leaders of renown. I could feel our bond tightening, it was only fitting that our bond would grow especially with what Alkeyore told me…

We spent the rest of the night in each other's arms, Nara slept while I remain wake thinking of what’s to come and what would become of us. We had to succeed with the quest, the path of blood and wine or we’ll face failure, death. Just like father and mother… Alkeyore knew both of my parents, he told me that they went on a quest and they died on it though he never told me their names or what their quest was, he told me enough to know of them. Father were a healer of renown and mother was monster hunter, my name came from her, telling me that I was the second born as per Rohinrian tradition. He never mentioned who was the first yet by rights he knew who was the first if I was truly the second. Morning came and we continued on the path, saying little to each other yet I believed that the words weren’t needed. The morning sky was that of red, an omen. Someone had died in the night. After a few hours of walking, our path grew a fork, one that wasn’t on the map nor known to Nara and the next thing we know... We were falling into inky blackness and a lullaby was playing in the depths. When my eyes open, I found that we were surrounded by red crystals that and we we’re far from the light of day, we weren’t harmed in the fall though Nara had yet to awaken.

“H-hello.” went a small feminine voice not far from we were laid, following the voice, I found that an strange yet cute spider like creature dressed in reddish gold monk like garments was staring at us from the shadows.

I was baffled, the red light of the crystals made it hard to fully decipher what exactly she but I could clearly see that this spiderlike creature was at least female, taking in her upper torso and her curvy forms but otherwise most of her details were hard to see because of the dark yet in her arms was an instrument of some kind. “A-are you okay?”

“I.. Think so, but Nara.. she still sleeps…”

“OH my! You stay right there, I’ll get some help” said the spiderlike creature before disappearing into the dark. I carefully moved Nara onto my chest, holding her tightly, waiting for help to arrive. Again my mind regaled me with what Alkeyore told me of my parents, they died on their quest.. Would I? Would I died for the quest just as they did? Would Nara? Luna and her daughter? Alkeyore? Would we all died once this quest was done? It was harrowing thinking, and I forced myself to think of other things, like Nara and of Gwen. Gwendolen and the other orcs were they safe? Did they live still? Does Gaea? Or were they gone.. Were Alkeyore and me the last Gaeaish, surly not. The Gaeaish would survive just as we always had, hanging off the edge of the blade. Nara please wake up..

“Sister! There they are!”

Southern Sylvania
Luna’s Pov

We walked in a southwadly direction, our flight had to stop at some point so we could rest our wings. It seemed that our small group had gained little attentions from the others on the road just as I intended, I and the rest of our little group wore disguises that aided us in escaping the wondering eye. Both Celestia’s and Sleipnir's followers were watching out for us, each of different reasons. Pulling my cloak closer to me and that of the girls we slip past another company of Iron Guards, while we knew that the iron guards were looking for us, we weren’t their only prey they were seeking for Changelings with buffalo warriors at their beckon and call, the buffalo were perhaps the best at detecting the changelings. The further south we walked the more buffalo were sighted, the buffalo tribes long shared a border with Sylvania and the guard often employed the odd warband in changeling hunting, once we leave Equestian territory we’ll had to pass through their lands to reach the badlands. It was slowing going but alast again we fooled both pony and buffalo, I knew not just how much longer the guises would work, questions would be asked of us sooner or later. Especially when we reach the border, which was only few days away now, we’ll need to be more careful. “Princess, what is the plan for when we reach buffalo lands?” whispered Lighting Dust into my ear, being mindful of girls at my side and of the wandering solar guard, it was only natural for Celestia to send forces coexisting of only solar guards to guard the borderlands instead of my night guards who should be loyal to me alone. “It won’t be safe for us to shed our guises or to fly least we are confusion with Changelings.”

“Simple, we fly over them in airship or plainly just fly.” I said softly, at my words the sister-captain sinks and attempts to spoke yet I stopped her, “The buffalo’s eyes are solely set on the south to the badlands, they wouldn’t even think of watching the north.”

“Ah,” said Lighting dust with a small nod “that could work.. Yet…”

“Yet what?”

“How are we to return to Equestria?” asked the sister-captain

I stop in mid step, I hadn’t even thought of the trip back to Equestria, only of saving Alkeyore. At my sudden stop the rest of our group cease movement as well, their ears staining themselves in hopes to catch my answer. I didn’t know what to tell them. We couldn’t return that way we came once we reach the badlands, the buffalo would never allow it unless we took them along first yet even then I wouldn’t, it would be either by sea or traveling through native lands, both were poor choices. Looking down at the two teenage girls at my side, seeing their faces, I made my decision “We’ll take our chances though the natives lands, I dare not go to the sea whilst to route over land is still open to us.”

The warmaidens and the two girls agreed with me, we shall remain on dry land as long we could, the sea was the territory of Gryphon pirates and other beforgotten monsters. Only the most desperate ponies would take to the sea, if was not like we weren’t a sailing people, we had took the sea before. Yet we fear the inky black waters and with good reason. Slowly we began our march south anew, this time only quicker about it. As we traveled down the road to Appleloosa, the largest Equestrian holding in the south, we found that we weren’t the only ones on the road. The passing tradesponies and merchants warned us of going further south, something had disturbed the buffalo warbands, many of the chiefs were snorting and whooping about an attack on three of their hunting parties who had not returned to camp, and their search parties found all three hunting parties slain and a set of tracks heading north as while a mixed band of natives lead by Minotaur offering their services to anyone worth their salt a few miles west of Appleloosa but what made this band interesting what the strange creature among their numbers, a creature calling himself Vleei Skyre of the Shokr. Both mine and Niightmare’s eyes widen at the word, looking at each other we instinctively knew what the other was thinking, Gaeaish.. we thanked the merchant for the word of warning and hurried towards Appleloosa and this Shokr.

It was nightfall once again when we reached the outskirts of Appleloosa, the town was perhaps the last drop of civilization we’ll see once we entered the lands of the buffalo and later the badlands proper. Discussing it with Lighting dust and the girls we decide against spending the night in the small town, as we gather ourselves to move further west, the shadows of the city hissed with the light of flames.. And then the sounds of horns ranged all round us, quickly followed by war cries. From our position, we watched as a warband of buffalo and solar guard ran about dueling some sort of unseen foe that was busy setting flame to the city and attacking the defenders. Who or what was attacking the city, we didn’t know and instead we fled the outskirts and into the west with the burning town lighting our way. Hours passed before the light of the burning city faded into the coolness of night as we sought out the Shokr and the company of mercenaries yet we didn’t found them, only the ruins of a old camp. We took what little we found with we and once again headed south. It was sunrise when we stopped for some rest and cleaned ourselves using cold water from a nearby river, there were few rivers in this part of Equestria however the badlands held more rivers and lakes than all of southern Equestria, all of them relics from another age where the badlands bloomed with life instead of the lifeless waste it was now. The war maidens spoke little to me or to the fillies in my keeping, yet it seemed that Moonlit may had grew use to being around her ponykin and no long hid herself from others, while Nightmare and I seemed to grow closer, late at night when the others slept we would speak of the elder days together. We ate some of our rations and were off once again, letting the sun dry our damp fur.

We were nearing the border when we stopped again, but not of our volitation and we were shocked by what we saw. Sphinxes and others breeds of ponies as well buffalo were dragging captured Changelings out from the badlands into an city of tents and already an line of buyers were forming at their city of tents, cutting us off from the crossing. Nymphs were roughly ripped from their screaming mothers and thrown into cages that were often rusty and dirty while the older changeling were chained up to posts and beaten before leaving the changeling’s bodies to bare to full wrath of the sun.. the sounds of blades and the shouts of slavers selling their ill gotten wares filled the air. We were at an slavers’ market…in Equestria. Moon persevere us.

Author's Notes:

Wow, a short chapter... wasn't expecting that yet...

I adore the Alkeyore and Chrysalis scenes, always intended for them to get together ever since I first thought of writing A wizard's tale but to see it... it warms the heart. However it's seems that darkness seems to have other plans in it's inky claws...