We stopped by Stableton to trade a bit. I frowned when we parked in front of Sunny Spring’s booth. It was closed. I also noticed that Stableton had been slowly regaining traders. After my terrifying ordeal with the zebra that had camped outside of the town, news of me somehow making all the zebra that were camped outside and suddenly vanishing made the town’s folk nervous. And when they saw us wheel into town and saw me, they instantly stared and grew quiet. I ignored the stares and whispers while I frowned at the closed booth of Sunny Spring.

“What now?” Comp asked as he poked his head out of the back and looked around with narrowed eyes at the staring ponies. I shrugged.

“Guess we will have to find another one.” I squinted my eyes and spotted a busy booth. I beamed. “How about that one?” Silver Iris nodded and whipped the reigns slightly. The ponies that were bartering at the booth turned and stared wide eyed at the timberwolf that had appeared behind them.

“No worries, guys. He’s tame.” Iris said as she flew over and pet Rex’s head. That still didn’t ease their surprise. When I hopped out, they all backed away. I pulled my hood down and trotted up to the booth. Well, if these ponies weren’t going to do business, then what’s the point of staying in line? My gaze fell onto a hazel earth pony with a grassy green stripped mane and violet eyes. She narrowed her eyes at me.

“Haven’t I seen you before?” she asked. I blinked.

“Err… not that I know of?” I said. She rubbed her chin and gave me a look over. My eye began to throb. I hissed in pain and put a hoof to my right eye. The mare arched a brow.

“Something wrong?” she asked. I shook my head.

“Sanity! Are you scaring our customers again?” I heard an old raspy voice from within the store. The mare frowned and rolled her eyes.

“No, Nana, I’m not.” She looked at me. “If anything, it’s a few ponies that are making our customers scared.” I narrowed my good eye as my right one kept throbbing. Was it reacting to something? I focused into my mind. I couldn’t see Din. I couldn’t hear her. But I know she was there. She remained quiet. I exchanged glances with Comp before looking back and seeing an old gray mare limp out from behind Sanity.

“What? What are you younglings doing this time? Quiet scaring my-.” She blinked when she looked at me. “Wait a dog gone minute… ain’t you the pony that burned them zebras?” I stiffened.

“What? No, I didn’t mean t-.” I stopped and blinked. Wait… how did she know about the… I looked at her. “You… saw that?” Sanity shook her head.

“I did. And let me tell you, what you had done was a vile thing.” She scowled at me. “I won’t serve a mass murderer.” I said nothing. I could feel all eyes on me now. My eye throbbed more, making me wince and stumble back. Something’s not right here. How does she know? When I told my friends about it all they said was they saw a bright light.

“Dear, are you alright?” Goldenlee asked with a concerned look. I didn’t say anything. I felt my heart thump rapidly. I blinked and found myself in pitch blackness. I felt the warmth of fire from behind me. I looked back to see Din once again bound to her cage. She grinned wickedly at me.

Making contact with us, sister? Hmph. Gaia you are fool if you think you can tame fire.

“Gaia?” I mouthed the name. Isn’t Gaia another word for earth? The pitch blackness suddenly turned into a vast forest. The trees towered high and covered the sky. What is going on? And did Din call Gaia a sister? A… Maiden? I felt a tremor. I was right. I grit my teeth. I wasn’t ready for this. I heard Din cackle in my head.

What’s the matter, dear Keeper? What happened to your courage? Certainly you aren’t afraid of a star maiden. I looked to see her smirk. Gaia has made the connection. She wishes to speak. And she’s not alone either. The tremor grew more. I heard a scream and a thud. Looking over, I saw Sanity laying on the grass. I rushed over to help her up when she screamed and pushed me away.

“Not again! No! I won’t do it! I won’t do what you want! You can’t make me!” she screamed and shook her head furiously with her hooves to her ears.

“Sanity! Sanity, it’s me!” I said. She blinked and looked up at me.

“Y-you… what are you… how are you… what’s going on?” she exasperated weakly. I was about to speak when a giant rocky hoof crashed into the earth in front of us. She quickly ducked behind me and we backed up towards Din.

Sister! You have much to answer for! I winced at the bellowing voice. I felt myself being picked up along with Din and a screaming Sanity. We broke through the tree tops and we were greeted with a carved face of a pony on a mountain.

“Let me down! Let me down! I want to go home!” Sanity screamed. The eyes of the rocky alicorn burned furiously with a green hue.

Gaia, my dear sister. Do be mindful of the children. Din said in my head. Gaia flapped her colossal mossy and vine covered wings.

Impudent sister! You have done a vile deed. You must be punished for your sins against my precious land! You nearly ruined me! She snorted and her volcanic nostrils fumed. What’s more is that these impudent worms are destroying my land with their filthy taint and poison! I smirked.

“Hate to break it to you Gaia, but shouldn’t you be as terrible looking as the Wasteland?” I asked. Her eyes burned more now.

You watch your tongue filth of the earth! I have no need of you!

“But you do need your vessel if you want to continue being tied to the earth.” I said with a frown. The fires in Gaia’s eyes died a little. Then she narrowed them.

What are you talking about? Speak filth! Din chuckled. Both these Star Maidens are going to drive me nuts! I sighed.

“So, Sanity is your vessel? And let me guess. You saw Din in me and made contact.” I shook my head. “A bad move on your part, Gaia.” Gaia flapped her mossy wings once before speaking.

You dare threaten me? A Maiden of the Stars? I smirked again and motioned at Din.

“I give this one hell all the time. In fact…” I felt the warmth surround me. Time to show a demonstration against a Star Maiden. Din laughed as flames began burning a small portion of the trees. “I’ve learned to control her power.” Din stopped laughing and growled.

I will see to it you don’t do it again. She hissed as she struggled against the chains. If it wasn’t for the guardian, I would still be free to roam to create my own beautiful land! Gaia looked confused.

You… aren’t you a Keeper? I nodded.

“My entire family is decedent of Starswirl the Bearded himself.” I said. “Shiva told me so.” Din hummed.

Shiva… Gaia flapped her colossal wings again.

Shiva is here!? I knew it. From the very moment I was put into this vessel. I looked back to see a stunned Sanity looking at me. Then I turned back to her.

“Well, you did pick her.” I said. Gaia’s hum was a like an earthquake that even reached the sky. Din laughed.

Gaia, you are always the clueless of us. Nothing but a hollow head. Gaia’s eyes burned bright.

You silence your tongue, sister! I’m speaking with this vessel of yours. And you… she looked at me. Why are you not cowering in fear like all the rest? I’m a Maiden of the Stars! I shook my head with a small chuckle.

“I may have to agree with Din on the clueless part. You see one Maiden and you know what to expect. I have to thank Shiva for filling me in on you lot when I meet her again.” I said. Gaia didn’t like being called clueless. She reared back and stomped her rocky sharp hooves into the ground, causing the dirt to explode and the trees to shake.

I’ve had enough of this! You all will be punished! Shiva has spoken out of line as well as Din! And if the guardian can’t see to it, then I will make it my own agenda to silence you all forever! She reared up again. I looked back at Din and she scowled.

You’ll regret this day, Courier. She said. As if all at once, me and Din reached out a giant flaming spectral hooves straight into Gaia’s chest. Gaia stumbled back slowly and the earth and sky shook again. If Din is the hothead and Gaia is the clueless, that must make Shiva a genius. But then again, Gaia is the third maiden I’ve seen out of the seven. And a sudden chance that it happened to be a mare in Stableton. I was really starting to not like being a Keeper at this point.

You dare lay a hoof on me, vessel?!

“You’re forgetting, Gaia. When you made contact, you not only opened yourself up. But you also stepped into Din’s domain.” I said. In a blink of an eye the forest around us began burning. I looked back to Sanity, still looking stunned. “Sanity… I know you weren’t expecting this at all.” I rubbed the back of my head. “I wasn’t expecting to find a vessel of one of the star maidens off the bat. So, I’m not prepared for any of this.” She couldn’t say anything in her stunned state. I frowned and gave a good bop on the head. She blinked and rubbed her head.

“W-what’s going on?” she stammered. I looked back to the giant rocky alicorn as she backed slowly away as Din’s fire crept across the trees.

“I’m not sure myself. But when we get out of here, I guess I could tell you.” But there was one problem. How could I force myself out of a made contact? All my encounters up till now have been unintentional. This had been forced. So, now I had to force me and Sanity out along with Gaia. I looked at Din as she laughed at her sister’s grief of her forest being burned. To my surprise, the trees weren’t showing signs of being withered or scorched either. Come on, Courier. Think! How can I force us out? There has to be…

Wait, what if I just imagine it? I’m an illusionist. If I can think it, I can make it. I closed my eyes and imagined a door. A plain door. I frowned. This door needed something so I can remember it easily. I smiled when I put the insignia on the back of my duster. The acronym SOR around the number 16. This time, I added a little something to it. I put Courage’s and Compassion’s silhouettes like crossbones behind the insignia. When I opened my eyes, I saw the door I had imagined in front of me.

What is the meaning of this!?

I looked at the startled Gaia.

“Getting you out of here with Sanity.” I said. I opened the door and was greeted by a blinding light.

When I came to, I jolted up, smacking hard against something. I blinked and realized I had rammed into Iris’s chin once again. She rubbed her chin and looked at me with a small tear.

“Geez, what do you have against my chin today?” she said. I flushed and rubbed the back of my head.

“S-sorry Iris…” I said. I looked around, seeing myself in a musty room. “How long have I’ve been out?”

“Not that long surprisingly.” Comp said as he leaned against the wall and looked out the cracked window. “It was weird though. What you did to Sanity.” I arched a brow.

“Where is she?” I asked.

“Coming to, dear.” I heard Goldenlee say. I looked over and saw Brick, Star and Goldenlee over the groggy earth pony. She shook away the daze and looked at me with a knowing stare. I frowned.

“I guess I should start talking then.” I said.

Sanity said nothing as I finished my tale. Even my friends seemed utterly baffled as well. While I was telling them how my family might be related to Starswirl the Bearded, Sanity’s grandmother, Nana as she prefers to be called, walked in and listened like the rest. She spoke up once I was done.

“So… Is that why my daughter saw you burn those zebra and not everyone else?” she asked. I gave her a small nod.

“A big possibility. I’m not sure how or why.” I frowned. “But I believe there is a pony that can fill us in.” Sanity again said nothing. She narrowed her eyes slightly and bowed her head before nodding. “Time to go find Mr. Marigold.” When I stood up, Sanity looked at me sternly. I sighed. “Listen, for what it’s worth, I didn’t know about it until recently either.”

“Hmph. Yet you had no trouble talking to them like they were your pals.” She growled. I narrowed my eyes.

“I didn’t ask for any of them. Nor did I want to be a vessel. We, Sanity, had no choice when we were born. Din had said that on the day of our births, the stars aligned. The Star Maidens picked their vessels.” I shook my head. “You and me, Sanity. We are the unlucky ones. Just two out of seven unlucky mares out in the Wasteland forced to hold evil maidens within us. And we have to go about our lives with them inside us.”

“Then how about we kill them and be done with it?” she said coldly. “For years, that… thing has been walking around in my dreams. She kept telling me to burn the fire of the mountains.” She grit her teeth and shivered. “I’m afraid. Afraid that if I do, I’ll die. And if I don’t. One day, I’ll die as well.” I gave her a small reassuring smile.

“Din goads me into freeing her.” I faltered after that. My friends looked grimly and by our expressions, Sanity looked frightened.

“You… actually freed her?” she said. I bowed my head in shame, nodding. I quickly spoke after.

“I wasn’t… myself during that time. I was hurt. I was angry. And at the time, I felt everything I cared about fall from me. When I did free her… the devastation she caused…” I shuddered. If Din could easily destroy a giant prison carrier, who knows what she might even be capable of? Then, I remembered the ecotone border between The Empire and The Strip. Brick’s paranormal enthusiastic side told us about two of the Star Maidens, Din and Shiva, colliding in a struggle to claim the land. One of fire and one of ice. I furrowed my brows. But then he said that the conflict had started through the spirit of chaos known as Discord. Finally, after a while it was the spirit of Harmony that brought them together.

So why are they still in conflict? Did they forget what they had done? Do they really not care if they are sisters or not? What had happened to the harmony that brought them together?

Harmony…

Din made the word echo in my head.

“Courier?” I blinked and looked to see Star shaking me. “Are you alright? You dazed out for a while.” I gave a small nod.

“Just… thinking is all.” I walked past them. “Come on. We still have to talk to Mr. Marigold.” We made our way out of their dealing booth. A crowd had begun forming again, but tensed when they saw me. I pulled my hood down to cover my face. The hotel where the Marigolds stayed in was just around the block. When we turned the corner, I stopped and stiffened. The hotel was boarded up and a print of where the dead ghoul that had threatened Rex laid frozen in the snow. I walked over to the boarded door and saw a notice:

ATTENTION. NOTIC OF DISCHARGE OF TENENTS. RESIDENTS MUST EXIT BEFORE XX-XX-XXXX. RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT LEAVE ON SCHEDUALED DATE WILL BE FINED 500 CAPS AND ANY ADDITIONAL FEES FOR FURNITURE OR LUGGAGE. – REPUBLIC OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE.

“The RCE is really starting to piss me off.” I growled.

“So, what now?” Comp asked as he scanned the boarded up building. I looked up and darted my eyes. I arched a brow. I could have sworn I saw movement on the third floor. I sighed and unslung Courage from my back.

“Courier?” Goldenlee asked. My friends gave me questioning looks as I trotted up to a window. Using the butt of the gun, I broke the window and looked to them.

“Can you guys make sure none of the RCE get suspicious?” I asked. My friends exchanged glances.

“What are you doing?” Sanity asked. “Didn’t you read the notice? This place is abandon now!” She shrunk a little when she saw my smirk.

“Sorry, Nana. But can I borrow your grand-daughter so we can get this handled?” I asked. Nana narrowed her eyes.

“Don’t pull anything on my grand-daughter ya’ strumpet.” She said. I blinked. Strumpet? What’s a strumpet? I gave my friends a confused look. They returned the look to me. It was Silver Iris that cleared it up.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure Courier will eventually impress your granddaughter and plant a big one on her.” She said with a sly smirk. Sanity seemed insulted and I flushed.

“Iris! You’re thinking about that now?” I asked. She winked.

“Well, if you say it like that, then yeah.” She put a hoof to her mouth and gave a silent chuckle. “I just like the cute look you make when I mention it.” I pulled my hood down further, hiding my embarrassment. Well… I guess Sanity is pretty. I shook away the thought. Focus, dammit! I turned and climbed in through the window. Iris, you are going to be tortured by me when I get the chance! I’ll make you beg me to stop even after you reach the climax.

I smirked and quickly hid it as I turned. Sanity looked at me nervously.

“Come on. If we want answers, then we have to go through with this.” I looked at her sternly now. “You can’t keep running from Gaia forever, Sanity. You have to be strong. You have to overcome her. Don’t let her take your free will.” I bowed my head slightly. “I’ve had it happen to me four times. I won’t let it happen to another. Trust me, Sanity, you do not want a maiden taking you over.” Sanity glanced nervously at Nana. The old mare gave her a toothy grin.

“Sanity, for years I’ve raised ya’ to be the mare you are. You are strong and independent. If you want the answers, then this mare here is your best chance.” Sanity sighed and hugged her.

“If you say so, Nana.” She said. Sanity trotted over to me and I helped her up through the window. She gave one last look back before we ventured further.

The place seemed more run down than the first couple of visits I paid here. Picklocking the locked door, we entered into the lobby. I turned on my PipBuck’s lamp spell. The boarded windows sealed up any remaining light from the outside. Sanity stuck close to me, but not too close. She kept giving me a look of suspicion. I can’t really blame her. I was also suspicious of the whole thing too. What drowned that suspicious feeling though was the fact that I had discovered another maiden off the bat. And that means if Gaia is awake and inside the mind of Sanity. Then maybe…

I looked up from rummaging through the table and the filing cabinets.

“Sanity… I know this is sudden.” I said. She said nothing. “But, I got to know. And if you want the answers, I have to know. When have you started seeing Gaia?” Sanity squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look at me.

“I always had these dreams since I was little. I’m always running through the forest. The one you saw. I had this feeling whenever I was in there to never turn back. And then one day, I did.” She bowed her head. “And when I had, I was picked up off the ground and brought face to face with that… thing.” I said nothing as I listened intently. No wonder she was afraid. She experienced something as colossal as Gaia as a filly. Even I would have crumbled in fear if I had to face Din like that. Fortunately, I didn’t. But then again, when Celestia told me that I woke LittlePip up to come to the northern regions, I felt like I was being tied to something from the start.

Which made sense if I had a Star Maiden inside me. Sanity looked away as she continued.

“It was only recently that Gaia had actually began speaking to me.” She said. I cocked my head.

“D-did by chance a… blue stallion in a tattered duster and hat meet you one day?” I asked. Sanity stiffened. She looked even more frightened now. She nodded, confirming my fears. Lyon really is going around and waking up the Maidens. But why? If he took father’s place as Keeper, why is he going around and waking up spirits that care not even for each other in order to create the land they dreamed of? “Where did you see him? When did you see him?” Sanity took a moment before speaking.

“I was out running errands. Watched you burn those zebra. When I turned to look away, he was right there next to me.” She looked at me worriedly. “He watched you. He even knew what was happening.” now she frowned. “What do you know of that stallion?” I winced. I sighed, hesitating before speaking.

“That stallion… he’s a courier just like me. Or was a courier. He’s also… my older brother.” I saw her narrow her eyes.

“Your older brother? What does that… how… why!?” she asked. I shook my head slowly.

“I’m not sure myself. He disappeared one day to go after my father who also vanished. It was only later when me and my siblings began hearing that he was still alive and roaming the Wastelands. So while we were out on deliveries, we also made a mental note that if we saw him, we would try what we could to bring him back.” I shuddered. “The last time I saw him was a month ago. He helped me escape from a group of slavers. And when he did, he… did something to my eye.” I put a hoof over my right eye. “I found out later from Din that he woke her up.” Sanity looked baffled.

“So.. how does your family tie in with all that?” she asked.

“Like I said before. Shiva told me that my family is decedent to the most infamous unicorn to have walked Equestria. Starswirl was the first to discover them and his obsession got them to come to an agreement that he and any generations of offspring he had, they would be tasked with the duties of a Keeper.” I bowed my head. “I’m still trying to learn more, but…”

“If you want to know the truth, come to the place where it all began.”

Sanity rubbed her chin.

“So… does that mean that your siblings are also these ‘Keepers’ as well?” she asked. I shook my head.

“So far, I only know that it’s me, my father and my brother who know exactly what we are.” I gave a sad look. “I… don’t want my sisters and brother to have to go through with this. It’s enough that we had two ponies from our family disappearing. I don’t want to follow their hoof steps.” I puffed my chest out and beat it once with a hoof. “So I swore to myself that I won’t let it happen to my siblings.” Sanity said nothing and darted her eyes in thought. She seemed to have come to a conclusion before speaking.

“So… what makes you think Mr. Marigold will be here?” she asked. I glanced at the terminal that still hummed to life on the table. I smiled.

“About to find out.” I said. The terminal had a simple password that really hadn’t made me think at all (which I felt disappointed in).

>MAGAZINE

I scrolled through the ledger file. Every room checked out. Even 302. I frowned and looked back to the key rack. Odd. If every room was checked out, where is the key to room 302? I sighed.

“Yup. They are still here.” I said as I trotted over to the stairs. We made our way to the third floor. The second floor door had been boarded up. The third floor however… I fumbled with the knob. The knob itself fell off, much to my chagrin. I checked my EFS. A faint blue dot kept disappearing and reappearing. They were here alright. “I’ll see if I can-.” I began as I reached for a bobby pin and screw driver, only to have Sanity trot over, spin and gave a good applebuck to the door. The door flew off of its hinges. “Pick…lock…” Sanity rolled her eyes at me and trotted in. I shook away my bafflement before trotting after her.

We crouched low and positioned ourselves on both sides of room 302. My EFS was picking up three blue dots. Oh goddesses, I hope they hadn’t found their threesome. If they had, well… I don’t know what. I braced myself to expect the sight when I drew out Sinful and Malice. Sanity nodded before bucking the door open and I sprang in, magnums at the ready.

“Whoa! Whoa! Don’t shoot!” a voice said. I held up my PipBuck to illuminate the room. There, on the stained mattress sat a blinking and groggy Mr. Marigold. Next to him laid a startled Mrs. Marigold. To my dismay, we did interrupt their ‘fun time’ for Mr. Marigold was still standing out from his legs. Even Sanity looked disgusted.

“Geez, man. Put that thing away…” I winced in disgust. He grumbled.

“The hell do you kids want?” he asked. “Can’t you see I’m trying to do something here?” Mrs. Marigold looked bored as she spoke.

“Really? I still didn’t see no improvement.” She said. I slumped. How the hell… why!? Why these two!? Why do they have to have the answers!? Sanity leaned in and whispered to my ear.

“So… why are we here again?” she asked. I sucked up my disgust before looking straight into the disturbingly disgruntled stallion.

“Because he has the answers we need.” I narrowed my eyes. “And don’t even play dumb with us. I remember you coming in and taking that amber box. Why the hell do you have it? Why is it in your hooves?” Mr. Marigold narrowed his eyes.

“You honestly threatening me right now?” he asked. I grit my teeth. Okay, relax Courier. There has to… wait. I smirked.

“You know why we are here. And I can show you.” I said. I saw the room illuminate with a flickering dim light as I felt the warmth on my head. Sanity gapped and the Marigolds looked at me. Mrs. Marigold obviously surprised. Mr. Marigold however looked grimly at me. He bowed his head and ruffled his messy mane.

“Fuck. I hate my life.” He said. He looked at Sanity. “Guess you know now?” Sanity looked confused.

“What? Know what? We came here because you have the answers.” She looked at me. “Right?” I nodded. Mr. Marigold narrowed his eyes again.

“Fucking kids and their spirits…” he turned to his wife. “This is why we shouldn’t have kids.” Mrs. Marigold didn’t seem at all fazed as she spoke.

“Well, you’re lucky I can’t have any. Medical problems and all.” She said. These two are just… I groaned in frustration. I stopped and blinked. Okay, don’t get too carried away. They must be playing fools. They have to. I smirked. I know because one, I remember Marigold taking the amber box and looking sagely at me. Two, I remember three blue dots. And three, EFS is a courier’s best friend. I turned and aimed Sinful to the corner, seeing a tattered pony in a worn out cloak with a hood over the head.

“Stop playing us for fools.” I said. “You know something about us. The maidens and everything. So we’ve got questions and no pony is leaving till we get answers.” I said, conjuring up five copies and having two of them to move towards the door and the last three to the corners. The spectral flames of my tail and mane illuminated the room fully now. The apartment room still looking cracked and moldy as ever. “And I mean no pony is leaving until we get the answers.” I turned to the Marigolds. Mr. Marigold looked me over before speaking.

“Hmm… I see that we have no choice in the matter.” He said. He then stood up, walked over with his stick still dangling to my disgust and embarrassment and reached into a bag. He pulled out the amber box and held it up. “This is a key. One of the seven that were supposed to be delivered to me by couriers.” I narrowed my eyes. A key?

“What kind of key burns an entire community of innocents?” I hissed. Mr. Marigold put the box down on the floor.

“Touch it.” He said. I looked at him suspiciously. “It won’t burn us. You want answers, don’t you?” I looked at Sanity. She gave me a worried look.

“First off, Mr. Marigold. I want answers about you.” I said. Mr. Marigold arched a brow. “Just who exactly are you? How and why are you tied to all this?” Mr. Marigold rubbed the back of his head.

“Well, they call me Trusty Marigold.” He said. I arched a brow. “Hey, if one can’t be comfortable with his name, then I would care if you know I was having sex with my wife.” Sanity face hoofed.

“Get to the point already!” she said. I whole heartedly agreed.

“Fine. Well, other than my name, you can say I’m like a… collector.” He once again held up the amber box. “I collect rare antiques and relics. After hearing about the keys of the stars, I just had to have them in my collection.” He frowned. “However, you were the only courier to actually bring me one. The other six had vanished mysteriously with their couriers.” I darted my eyes in thought. Okay, missing couriers. It’s no secret or surprise if a courier goes missing or gets killed. They mainly get killed. If they go into hiding for their own greed or curiosity, any express can hire mercenaries to hunt you down and beat you till you pay the fine. If you refuse, they shoot you, leaving you for dead before taking off with the package with the fine before handing the package over to another courier.

But there was one problem. Pleasant Town maybe a hub for couriers, but that doesn’t mean that resident couriers go missing. The problem is, if I recall, no courier has recently gone missing. Well, if you count the fact I was taken prisoner on an Enclave carrier for a few weeks. But I was put on vacation, so I don’t count.

“Do you know anything about the other couriers that were supposed to bring them to you?” I asked. Marigold sighed.

“Oddities such as these.” He held up the small key. “Are very hard to come by. I had to put in a few good words to the higher ups and even hire someone to smuggle them out. Couriers from all over the wasteland were supposed to bring them here to Stableton. You being the first to actually deliver one of the seven. I’m still waiting on the last six.”

“So, if couriers are what ponies say they are.” Sanity spoke. “Then that would mean that they may still be traveling or are dead and the package taken off of them.” A likely hypothesis. But still… something seemed off.

“Most likely dead.” Marigold said. “This key was supposed to be the last one delivered to me. I ordered them nineteen years ago.” Nineteen years? So… that would mean. Marigold caught my look and smirked.

“He’s right when he says you are the smartest of the bunch.” He said. I blinked. What?

“What are you…” I shook my head. No. No more distractions! One thing at a time. “Okay, so you’ve been waiting nineteen years for them to fall into your collection and after nineteen years, I was the only courier to actually deliver one of them to you. So… that leaves the question of where the others are.” Then it was no joke. Someone had been going around hunting down the couriers that had them and took it for themselves. The next question… Who had been doing that? The cloaked pony shifted slightly, making me look at him.

The figure said nothing as he shifted his head slightly over to the box. That’s right… I still hadn’t touched it. I gave the cloaked figure one last look before walking over to the box. I slowly put a hoof out to the box and it popped open, making me shoot my hoof back. I waited for it to stream the fire and burn the place down. But… it didn’t happen. Instead, there was just a small wisp of a flame on the box. Mrs. Marigold winced and shielded her eyes.

“Damn thing is bright.” She said. I blinked and looked around. The room still looked normal. Even Sanity didn’t seem to shield her eyes unlike the Marigolds. The box flipped closed before Marigold took it up in his hoof and put it back in the bag.

“So… you didn’t see the tiny flame that was on it?” Sanity asked.

“It’s because you two are maidens.” A voice said. We turned to see the tattered cloaked pony stand silently in the corner. I cocked my head. He sounded familiar. “Maidens that are tied to the seven keys. Made by Starswirl himself.” He pointed a sleeve covered hoof at us. “Starswirl the Bearded intended for them to react to the vessels. The ones who bear the maidens. Each key colored to their burning spirit. Din’s Amber. Shiva’s Ivory. Gaia’s Emerald. Tempest’s Cerulean. Aquaria’s Sapphire. Acerbus’s Ebony. Lux’s Gold. The keys tied to each individual maiden.” He pointed to the amber colored box. “Din’s Amber shall be opened only by the one who bears Din. The other maidens can see what the keys hold but cannot open the key intended for that maiden. Those who do not bear the maidens shall be veiled from the key’s power.” I gapped.

So… that’s why my friends could only see a bright light. I narrowed my eyes at the cloaked figure. The figure shook his cloaked and scarfed head.

“I am no one of importance. You two, however, have a destiny beyond the reaches of even Harmony’s bearers themselves. Harmony may bring peace, but it is you seven that will decide the fate of this land.” I frowned.

“And that’s going to be difficult considering that each and everyone of them is evil and have their own agendas.” I said. Sanity looked at me. “Shiva confirmed that each of them are evil. Spirits who care not the lives of those who walk the land. Only to shape it to their own ideology.” Sanity bowed her head sadly.

“So what you’re saying is that even if we do come across the other vessels, we can’t rule out that each one hate each other and will do anything to make sure they call dibs on the land.” She said. I nodded.

“You can’t really blame them for hating each other. Think about it this way. Each key is colored to their vessel’s spirits. Mine is fire. Yours is earth. Fire destroys the earth. But then the conflict happens. The earth can regrow if destroyed. Fire can be put out with water. Yet the conflict is that water will also hurt itself. Ice dominates water, but ice can be melted by fire back into water.” Sanity blinked. I sighed. “To put it simply, each maiden is designated to their own psyche elements. And their elements are always in conflict.” Sanity nodded.

“I see… so even though they have the capabilities of hurting each other. They can’t really kill each other either.” She said. Mr. Marigold clopped his hoof in applause.

“The minds of the next generation. Maybe there is hope for the new world after all.” He said. I narrowed my eyes at him.

“So then why collect them?” I asked. Mr. Marigold snickered.

“I was told to actually.” He rubbed his chin. “One by the name of Arbosm. A strange looking stallion. He was also accompanied by another pony. Though he was cloaked just like our friend here.” He said as he nodded to the cloaked figure. Sanity arched a brow.

“Courier, don’t tell me you aren’t at all suspicious about him.” She said. I said nothing and looked at her.

“I’ll tell you later. Right now, we have other things to do.” I said. Sanity sputtered as I turned and my copies followed us out the door. I stopped and looked back. “Mr. Marigold.” He looked bored as I addressed him. “Why… do you and her even bother?” The Marigolds looked at each other before Mr. Marigold turned back to me.

“Frankly, it’s none of your business. But I can give you a hint.” He looked grim now. “Hope. That’s all we want.” I arched a brow. Hope? Well that doesn’t make much sense. I mean what is it that they are hoping for if they are constantly going at it. What were they trying to accomplish out of it for hope? Still, something seemed off. But I’ll worry about it later. This is dealing with the Star Maidens. If I really wanted to know the truth, I should go to the place where it all began. Two problems.

Where is the place and is it really a truth I should be going after?

“You sure you want to do this, Sanity?” Goldenlee asked as she climbed into the wagon. Sanity nodded. She had dressed in a wasteland wonderer barding that she had custom made to fit her needs. Her saddlebags stocked with supplies and a battle saddle with a custom modded assault rifle strapped in. She had made her mind up. She asked us to take her with us. She still wanted to find out why she was chosen and what will happen to her. Nana smiled sadly at the young grey earth pony.

“You’re a big girl now, Sanity. My boy would be proud of you if he was still around.” Nana said. Sanity gave her a sad smile.

“I promise, Nana. When I finally find out why I was chosen like this, I’ll return home. Hopefully maiden free.” She bowed her head. “Oh who am I fooling? I’m not so sure what’ll I find.” Nana threw her hooves around her in a hug. Sanity hugged back. The blizzard softened to snow fall. We watched as the two said their good byes before Sanity trotted over to us. “I’m ready.” She said. I nodded.

“Before we do anything about it though, we have to stop a bit in Las Pegasus.” I said. Sanity said nothing but nodded.

“I understand.” She said. Did she? I don’t know. But the quicker we get to Las Pegasus, the more I can figure out what to do from there. It was my turn to take the reins. Silver Iris insisted she stretch her wings. Comp took a seat in between me and Sanity. Heart, Bell, Star, Brick and Goldenlee remained in the back. “Let’s go, Rex.” I said. Rex barked in agreement before pulling the wagon out of the town. When we did and made our way down the road, Rex stopped and looked up.

“What’s going on?” Star asked as they peeked out. I looked up to see Silver Iris circling around us. Then my gaze fell onto a cloaked figure on the road. The same figure that was in Marigold’s room. I blinked, seeing the amber box floating next to him. He flicked his head, sending the box flying to us.

“Grenade!” Comp shouted as he took cover into the wagon. My friends followed suite and Iris quickly dove down. I caught the box in my magic, making Iris miss and fly into a snow mound head first. She struggled, her hind legs kicking, before pulling herself out with a snow beard.

“Relax.” I said as I held the amber key in front of me. I looked up from the box to see the figure turn and vanish into the snow. Sanity looked grim. Then she looked ahead, dropping the look and bringing up a determined one.

“I promise.” She said. I smiled and pocketed the key into my bag before looking over to the confused Iris. I smirked.

“Nice beard.” I said. Iris blinked and shook away the snow on her face furiously. She smirked back before taking off into the sky to do her exercises. With that, we were back on our way down Route 2 with a new companion at our side. One that was unexpected. I know Sanity was really only going along with us because I am her best lead on what has been happening to her. And if I do come across the other vessels sometime, I just hoped they would be like Sanity and will only want answers to questions.

Goddesses forbid my enemies ending up being maidens.

Footnote: Max Level!

Quest Perk Added: Primordial Keeper: With knowledge on the encounters with the Maidens, you now possess the knowledge of a Keeper. AP is added by 10 and DMG is multiplied by x2 during mutation.