I know it sounds surprising but…I fell asleep. When I awoke I was in a cave of sorts. It was open to the weather but still somewhat warm. Outside I glimpsed mountains, but inside I found a few scatted bones, a heap of gold, and an even larger pile composed of knick knacks like one might find in the Archives in Canterlot. The last visual character was a hoard of weapons and armor, rusty beyond use. I still had all of my possessions but my wings were visibly sprained and wouldn’t work. Sombra's accidental curse still encased my horn.

“Ahhh,” a threatening voice purred “I see my guest is awake.”

I turned around to find my captor standing in way of the entrance/exit.

Talk about a sudden appearance.

He was large, very large. Appearance wise he had fiery deep blue eyes and his scales were perfect camouflage in a snowstorm.

I was terrified.

“Guest?” I squeaked. “You mean you won't eat me?”

The thunder-like sound of dragon laughter filled the dwelling.

“No there are plenty of mountain goats for that, I want to know why southern creatures like ponies are in my realm.”

I nodded nervously, afraid to say anything.

“Now,” he began in a darker tone “I, Usagi would like to know who you and your friend are, little stranger.” He stressed the last word and blew frost into the air.

I took a deep breath: “I am Princess Cadance of the Crystal Empire and my traveling…acquaintance, not friend, is Sombra…”

I explained to him my quest, who, why, where, and how, why I needed the Crystal Heart back.

“…and you see Sombra, who knows a lot, okay a questionable amount of mysterious things; says that it must be us two ponies who find the Heart.”

I waited for Usagi to respond.

He burst out laughing. “Quite the good reason to be here little alicorn Princess, but allow me to give you a lesson.”

Was this dragon Twilight in disguise?

  “First, it must be you and this Sombra. That is true. A certain Queen whispered…a prophecy of sorts, that it is not just statistically true that you and your acquaintance are the only ones able to defeat this foe.”

Singular? “You mean ‘foes’, the Ice Legion is many.”

Usagi growled. “Bah! There is your mistake. The ‘Ice Legion’ you speak of is no more than a legend about rusty armor lying in a heap not too far from here. Your real foe is…”

Usagi trailed off abruptly and started to rummage through his trinket hoard.

“…the Gaia-corn,” he whispered.

  But…then that would mean I had it wrong. Gaia-corn, real, Legion, real but not in the story's sense.  He distributed something to me, placing it around my neck. I glanced down. A blue-white chain with a heart shaped pendant of tarnished silver was in the place of the gold necklace I had left at home. The heart though, seemed to be a tool. In its face was an elaborate compass rose and a needle pointing at a bizarre angle.

Usagi noted my perplexed look.

“This is the Heart's Desire, it will guide you to the Northbound Gaia-corn for it is she whom you must vanquish…for good.”

I nodded, grateful for his gift.

“I'VE GOT YOU NOW!” Shouted a voice behind us.

I whirled around to find a haggard Sombra brandishing his sword via mouth.

“Sombra everything is fine.” I said.

He looked confused and transferred his sword into an aura grasp instead of an oral one.

“Are you saying that I wasted three days, getting no sleep only to come here and discover every bloody thing is ‘fine’?!” His left eye twitched.

“More or less,” mumbled Usagi.

“So we are going then?” Sombra asked, eyeing the dragon.

“Yes, now let’s go find the Crystal Heart.”

I nodded my farewell to Usagi.

“WAIT!” I shrieked once Sombra and I made it down the mountain.

“What?” Sombra grumbled, muttering something about ‘how in magic's name can she scream like that’.

I gestured to my horn.

“Oh. Yeah, that.”

He removed the crystals and we continued on our way: westward, according to H.D.

   The setting sun elongated our shadows:  The strong form of a determined fighter followed by the paranoid silhouette of a stargazing rogue. But, as the sun set further it became unclear to me who was who.

Next Chapter: Chapter 12: The Lost Lord-dom Estimated time remaining: 16 Minutes