I was at a loss for words. Did she really mention Shiva? The blindfolded pegasus, who I am going to call Cold Wind based on the crowd, didn’t move as she spoke again.

“Maiden.” She said. She then turned and faced up to the tower. “Maidens.” She reiterated. Star looked at me.

“Is she…?” he began. I only nodded in reply. So… this is Shiva’s vessel. Now that I realize it, it has been a while since I’ve first encountered Shiva herself. But she didn’t give any vague hints as to who her vessel is. And to think that her vessel was blindfolded. Did the Fiends do that to her?

“I’m curious.” I said all of a sudden. The pegasus faced back to me. “Did the Fiends damage your eyes or did it just happen in a freak accident?” Cold Wind didn’t even move. Not even twitch.

“My eyes can’t lie.” She said in her monotone voice. “It’s what he told me. Before awakening her.” I furrowed my brows. Lyon told her to put a blindfold on? I suddenly found my eye twitching again. I’ve gotten used to it at this point, but it still hurt. In a blink of an eye, I found myself surrounded by snow. The blizzard made it hard to see what was in front of me.

Don’t be too cocky, sister!

Din’s voice rose over the howling blizzard. My horn suddenly shot a beam of fire into the air and the blizzard softened to a normal snow fall. There, standing only a few feet away was the blindfolded pegasus. And next to her stood Shiva. She wasn’t colossal at the moment, but she was tall nonetheless. Din had suddenly appeared next to me.

“You should know better than to cheap shot me!” Din hissed. Shiva gave a small and somewhat eerily kind smile.

“It’s good to see you too, Din.” Shiva nodded to me. “And you as well, Courier. It has been a long time since our last encounter.” The blindfolded pegasus shifted slightly.

“You never mentioned contacting another.” Cold Wind said. Shiva giggled.

“Dear vessel. What would be the fun in spoiling things to you? I enjoy surprises.” Shiva placed a snowy spectral wing over Cold Wind. “Don’t you?” Cold Wind said nothing. Din growled quietly.

“Vessel. Tell me you see it too.” She said. I arched a brow and looked at the two. Din was seeing something? I couldn’t tell. Din slumped and sighed. “You are such a useless vessel. Take my eyes.” I was taken aback at the sudden change in my vision. Everything was amber. In fact, I could see through the snow. And not only that, I could see a red aura around Cold Wind. When I looked at Shiva and Cold Wind, I noticed Shiva a little more… solid. The pure white alicorn smiled again.

“How very strange, sister. To think that you would allow your vessel access to your own abilities.” Shiva said. Din hissed.

“I’m trying to make the worthless fool see!” Din frowned at me. “Do you see it?” I scanned the area around us and then around Cold Wind and Shiva. My gaze fell to a faint hazy mist in the back. I squinted my eyes to get a better look. There was something in the haze. And what’s strange was the mist was also slithering around the two.

“What exactly am I looking at?” I said. Din growled.

“Something abusing the power of my sister. Two guesses as to who it is.” She said. Black haze, faint mist… I grit my teeth.

“Dammit. He got to one already?” I asked. Don’t tell me Sombra managed to get ahold of Shiva! But there was no denying it. That haze had Sombra written all over it.

“So, you can sense it?” Cold Wind asked. “It’s been there ever since Shiva was awakened.” I darted my eyes in thought. Lyon was going around, awakening the maidens. And he even told me himself that he awoke Shiva. But… then how did Sombra get ahold of her? Shiva smiled again.

“Whatever do you mean? I do believe the years haven’t been too kind on you, sister.” Shiva turned her head slightly and gave a sly smirk. “But of course. You just were so eager to claim the Keepers as a vessel. It was rather… how do you say… cute?” Din hissed.

“Silence your tongue, sister! How dare you try to ridicule me!?” she then returned Shiva’s sly smirk. “But of course, giving yourself to the very creature that had disrupted time itself is the lowest form of forfeiting your own agenda. Why, come to think of it… I shouldn’t be bothered at all about this. You just stepped down from your perch, leaving me a much better opening on the land.”

I winced when I saw Shiva’s eyes glow intimidatingly fierce. But Din continued to grin. Wow, I was completely shaken to the core. The way Din and Shiva talked to one another. It wasn’t simple sibling rivalry. Maidens were in fact, really evil. Even to one another. And out of the ones I’ve come across so far, Din and Shiva seem to be at an impasse… constantly might I add. Cold Wind sighed.

“You two are annoying.” She said. Din scoffed at her.

“A simpleton like you has no means of interfering.” Din grinned, showing her fangs. “To think that you picked a blind pegasus, sister. A worthy choice.” I expected Shiva to retort in her kind and yet eerily threatening tone. But instead, she smiled.

“I am pleased that you do, Din. I knew from the very moment I saw her, that we would be the best of… friends.” She said as her spectral wing caressed Cold Wind’s mane. A chill ran down my spine the way Shiva said “friend”. I noticed Din cocking a brow slightly, only to make a small hum in thought.

“Err… Din?” I asked. Din didn’t even blink, let alone face me, but kept her eyes (which she had taken back, leaving me disoriented in the process) focused on her sister.

“Courier. I do not care what happens to her vessel. Nor do I really care about my sister. There is one thing, however, that we maidens do hold close to us.” She flapped her wings once. “Our power. It is our power, that were given to us by the stars that granted us our own ideals of a land.” Shiva smiled.

“How quaint. You say I had risked my own position and agenda by siding with a relatively fascinating creature. But by telling your vessel about our power and how we obtained it… then you have done more than forfeited your own position. You have just given your entire life away.” I arched a brow and looked at Din. Shiva was right. I remember that the maidens have said that it is forbidden to speak of their origin. And technically, Din did just tell us about how they got their powers.

“From the stars…” I repeated. Din didn’t even look phased at all. She just grinned.

“Please. I’m tired of that withering snake talking about balance and universal order. Frankly, I’d rather actually do something that isn’t just code and conduct. What’s the fun in following the rules all the time?” I looked back at the duo. Cold Wind remained as she was, but Shiva looked amused and somewhat… challenged? I cocked my head. Wait… are they both actually trying to get themselves in trouble with Oroboros? Shiva shifted slightly and smiled.

“Very well then. We shall once again let our power do the talking. I’m more tired of having to wait for the opportunity. Since you are in such a rush to vanish. Then by all means, have the first strike.” I noticed Cold Wind crouch low, as if she was waiting to pounce. I couldn’t help but suddenly feel like this was all so sudden.

“W-wait! There has to be something we can do to talk about this!” I protested. Din scoffed.

“Becoming a coward already, vessel?” she narrowed her eyes at me and smiled. “No matter. It’s much fun if things were my way.” I blinked and we were suddenly back into the real world. Only, the real world wasn’t so chatty than before. In fact, there were hardly any Fiends around the arena. The Fiends I could see were… dead. My insides lurched when I felt myself suddenly above the tower.

“Oh no… not this again…” I said, feeling something I had come back up. Din had once again forced wings on me and was taking control of them. As for Cold Wind. I saw her not too far. Her wings were replaced with Shiva’s own wings. However, I think Clod Wind is in more control of her own wings considering she’s a pegasus. Even her mane and tail were formed by spectral rotating snow.

“It has been decided.” Cold Wind said. I took a second to gather myself before putting my game face on. I was completely taken aback by the sudden fire beam from my horn lash out at her. Cold Wind skillfully avoided the beam and retaliated by opening her wings out to the side. I saw what looked like sharp icicles rocketing towards me. Oh goddesses, I hate flying now. Din wasn’t helping either. The sudden evasive maneuver left me sick to my stomach.

Focus, fool. I shall not lose to my sister!

Din’s voice snapped me out of my flight sickness and back onto concentrating on Cold Wind. I aimed my horn, trying to follow the blindfolded pegasus. Cold Wind suddenly flapped once and twirled around my beam, zooming in close. She was suddenly in my face and I felt something strike me hard across my cheek. The blow sent me spiraling and spinning. I flailed my hooves to keep myself from getting even sicker. Regaining myself, Din kept me away from Cold Wind, who was trying to get in close again.

And when she did finally get in close, I reactively put my hooves up to my face, only to have the wind leave me. After the slug, Cold Wind followed it up by swinging her hoof down on my head, sending me down to the concrete. To make it worse, she got behind me while I fell and wrapped her hooves around me. I couldn’t break free in time when I heard a sickening crack of bones and cement colliding. Cold Wind landed gracefully on her hooves not too far away from me, leaving me to be dazed.

My lower body finally met the rest of the concrete. I was in utter pain. The impact left me immobile. I couldn’t move, let alone even turn my head to see what was going to happen next.

Bah! You worthless fool! Must I really do everything myself!?

The pain that was coursing through me increased as I felt something move my spine.

Tsk. It’s only a hairline fracture. Nothing too serious. At least your brain is still working.

“Hairline fracture!?” I rasped. “If I didn’t have star metal bones, that impact would have killed me! No, not only kill me, but I would be a pile of goop!” I slowly stood up. Well, other than the blood that was dripping from my head, I was okay… in a sense. Cold Wind shifted slightly.

“A synth? An FEV? It surprises me that you still walk away with only a hairline fracture.” Cold Wind said. I cracked my neck, feeling the soreness run through me.

“Yeah, you would be surprised that the only things that nearly killed me was a snowwolf bite and a bullet to the head.” I groaned. Cold Wind cocked her head.

“You shouldn’t be alive. To be alive after a snowwolf bite…” Cold Wind looked a little surprised and looked slightly behind her. Her mouth turned into a frown. “So… fortune favors you. It refuses to give you up to death.” I sighed.

“A couple of times I had to outrun him. But yeah, I guess you can say that every hand I play is always the winning one.” I said. Cold Wind swiped a wing across her, as if dismissing what I said.

“Gambling your life for fortune’s favor? I don’t know if you are brave. Or just plain stupid.” She said. Okay, I don’t let petty insults get to me so easily. But she led me head first into the concrete from twenty odd stories. Din chuckled amusedly at my reaction to the insult.

“And what about you then? What oh-so bad luck got you to lose your eyes? I hardly doubt my brother came to you and asked you to put it on.” I said. Cold Wind remained still as she spoke.

“I’m blinded by this cloth. To see what I need to see is a way to lose one’s ambition. But to hear it however. You would trust your instincts more than what you see.” She said. I hummed silently at the reply. “I guess that means we aren’t so different from each other. The gamble we make is a risk no pony has even dared to challenge. And to those that did. Fortune never favored them.” She moved her head to face a dead Fiend beneath her. “The work of others. Is it that other maiden with you? Or perhaps you weren’t alone when you came here.” I studied the mare before speaking.

“I don’t understand your notion. But I can say, I did not come here alone. I have friends who I trust fighting to free the slaves here.” I said. Cold Wind faced back to me.

“Another gamble. Leaving your friends in the heat of battle to sate your own agenda.” She said. I shook my head.

“That’s where your assumptions end. I know my friends. They don’t need me to hold their hooves in a fight.” I said. Cold Wind remained stoic. But I swore she almost… grinned? Her mouth seemed to twitch, so it was hard to tell.

“Assumptions. Gambles. All necessities to the life we lead. Especially to those around us.” She said. I felt a slight pain in my head.

Enough chat! I plan to erase my sister, so if you would be so kind as to shut up and let me handle this!

My spectral fire wings moved and I was lifted off of the ground again. Cold Wind followed suite. Only this time, Din rushed her. I instinctively extended my fore legs out in front of me, making myself into an equine projectile. Cold Wind just strafed it and I would have crashed into the electric fence that surrounded the arena if I hadn’t pulled back when she did. Cold Wind took to the sky and I followed after her. The clouds loomed overhead as we raced above the Fiend territory. I could make out gunshots, both energy and normal, along with explosions. My friends were doing their best to fight off the Fiends.

I had to finish this up quick so I could help them. As poorly conditioned the Fiend’s gear were, they pretty much outnumbered us in groups. I didn’t take long to catch up to her. Once I got next to her, I shifted my body weight towards her and rammed into her. Cold Wind did the same, but used her elbow in the process, jabbing me in the chin. She tipped down and Din wasted no time in doing the same. We were soon zooming through the ruined buildings. Fiends and slaves zipped underneath us as blurs.

I blinked when I noticed a group of dirt brown blurs go by. I looked back just enough to see that there was a group of RCE elites taking on the Fiends. What is the RCE doing here?

Focus on the matter at hoof!

I looked back quickly and yelped, kicking off of the side of a building. Cold Wind vanished on the other side, but soon reappeared, coming in close. I grit my teeth when she locked her hooves around me in a headlock. Cold Wind had a strong grip, I’ll give her that. But if she was planning on taking me down or leading me into a building or into the concrete again, I won’t fall for it.

I reached out with my magic, grasping any random object that came by. It just so happened that we were passing through an alley when I snagged a loose pipe from the wall. Me and my good friend were reunited once again. I smirked and struck the mare over her head. She groaned and hit the ground hard. She went rolling while I slid on the road on my hooves. Cold Wind stood up, swaying a bit.

“You… resort to dirty tricks…” she said. That blow must have done a number on her. She had trouble standing. I was surprised that I still had the pipe gripped in my magic. I flicked my head slightly, twirling it in the air before catching it in my magic again.

“In the Wasteland, it’s survival of the fittest.” I said with a challenging smile. “I don’t know what kind of honor you were expecting from me. It’s no holds bar once you are out here.” I chuckled and shook my head. “I’m surprised you, of all ponies, haven’t figured that out yet.” Cold Wind shook away the daze from her before facing me.

“Then, I have no means of holding back. Shiva.” I wasn’t expecting this at all. Cold Wind slowly sat down, reaching behind her and with ease, took off her blindfold and let it drop to the ground. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. What I saw weren’t really eyes at all. They were hollow. And green. And had small smoke tendrils at the corners. I gapped.

Of course… Shiva, you fool.

I blinked once and found myself alone with just Din, Cold Wind and Shiva once again. Only this time, there was another pony in attendance. He was tall. Dark. Wore intimidating armor and his black mane moved like smoke in wind. He grinned, baring his fangs in the process.

“LittlePip certainly knows how to delay the inevitable. It has been a while Courier. I would have come sooner, but you know how dreadful that mare can be.” He said with a small smirk. I growled.

“Sombra…” I hissed. Sombra gave a small nod.

“Indeed. But you shouldn’t call me Sombra anymore. You may call me… King Sombra II.” He said. I arched a brow.

“Hate to break it to you, but a tyrant like you doesn’t have the makings of a king.” Sombra chuckled.

“Ah yes. I should have expected those who have no faith in a king. But I am not like my father was. Yes. The previous King Sombra, my father, was a fool. His lust for crystals and the defeat of the celestial sisters blinded him. He was too intent on destroying, when what he should have done was merely… create.” I narrowed my eyes.

“Create? What you’ve created is the end to all things. You broke a valuable law that is going to destroy the kingdom you create.” I said. King Sombra looked a little surprised and gave me a fanged smile.

“Ah. And just because I bear the title King doesn’t mean I want to rule a kingdom. No, I want more than a kingdom. I want the land. I want the world.” He now grinned evilly. “I want the universe.” I shook my head.

“That’s not going to happen. You won’t be stepping even one hoof out of the Empire.” I said. Sombra chuckled again.

“And I am to assume that you will do the honors of making sure of that?” he asked. I darted my eyes in thought.

“Whatever it takes to make Equestria better. The universe may be everything, but we can only focus on what we have now. And to save Equestria and bring it back to what it once was, I will have to stop you and those that oppose it. There a tons of ponies like that out there in the Wastelands.” I said. Sombra gave me an amused look.

“Like daughter like father.” He said. I lowered my head a little.

“What are you talking about?” I asked. Sombra looked down at himself, frowning like he had found something that had dirtied his armor and brushed it off before he spoke.

“You and your father share the same ideals. But I wonder.” He studied me. “Yes… yours has more 'oomph' in it. But then again, Lone Road’s isn’t as bad either.” I stomped my hoof.

“Shut up about my dad! This isn’t about him or what I think is right. It’s how I am going to kick your sorry flank into the Everfree Forest.” I said. Sombra bowed.

“Then by all means. But I should warn you. Dear Shiva and Lilac Rose aren’t all too keen on your… ‘ass kicking’.” He said. I looked at the duo.

“So… you couldn’t get to me and went straight for the other one.” I said. Sombra rubbed his chin.

“Like I said. I would have come sooner when I heard your plea. However, LittlePip made it rather difficult. But no matter. That mare is probably drowning in the poison that is around the Crystal Empire. Such a sad end for the hope so many ponies put on her.” He said. No… LittlePip… I shook away the thought. No, she can’t be dead. She’s a survivor. Just like me. A mare like her wouldn’t go down so easily. Especially to a buck like Sombra. But… what if…

Din knocked me on the head, which didn’t hurt, but took my completely by surprise. I rubbed my head and looked at her.

“I do believe you are forgetting something.” She said. I blinked and looked back at the others.

“R-right.” I said. Sombra smirked.

“I would love to stay and enjoy a good cat fight. But I have some important matters to handle. Shiva, I command you, as your king, to destroy that mare.” He said. Shiva flapped once and nodded.

“Most certainly. I plan on plucking every… little… amber.” Shiva giggled and it sent more chills down my spine. Well, now we know that these two are under the influence of Sombra. From what Heart told me, dark magic is a very risky kind of magic. She had to learn some in order to maintain her shadow manipulation. Man, that was years ago. And to actually see dark magic first hoof. It was pretty scary. Whatever Sombra had pulled in my dream, I’m pretty sure this pegasus, who I now knew as Lilac Rose (called Cold Wind by the Fiends), could pull it off without a hitch.

“Shiva…” Lilac Rose said. I readied myself when I saw the snow from her mane and tail suddenly engulf her. But the snow was no longer its usual white. With the dark magic now active, the snow turned tar black.

‘Din, any ideas?’ I asked her in my head. Din hummed in thought.

I have a solution. It won’t completely destroy her, unfortunately. But it’s enough to buy us time when we do get the chance to destroy her. She replied through my mind. I nodded and blinked once more, finding myself back to the real world. The entire south area of outer Las Pegasus was in complete chaos. I snorted in disgust. The RCE certainly wasted no time in trying to “purge” the situation. Despite the RCE leaving a very poor impression to me, I took to the sky and let Din control my flight path again.

I gained a bit of distance before Lilac took off after me. Din flew me over the burning buildings and areas. I saw RCE, Fiends and slaves all trying to fend off one another. It was horrible. I caught sight of Brick and Sanity with Goldenlee, aiding a group of slaves. I caught sight of Shining Star not too far away, leading slaves to the safety of the underground. I noticed that the fire that had started by the RCE began flowing up towards me.

The fire twirled like thread and formed around me in a barrier. Before I knew it, Lilac Rose had caught up and like a speeding bullet, rammed into the barrier, sending me bouncing like a toy ball over a couple of buildings. I grit my teeth.

“Din, I don’t think a barrier is going to help if she keeps constantly attacking it with force!” I said as the bouncing stopped. Din quickly moved me away from a super punch from above. The force was so strong, that the building shook. Lilac Rose glared at me with those hollowed eyes. The dark magic wisped away into the air like smoke from her hoof. Din kept me aloft. The building that had been shaken by the impact now crumbled into a dusty heap.

If it’s more power she wants, then we will return the favor.

I blinked.

“Y-you mean… I have to use dark magic against her?” I asked. Din scoffed.

Not like you had any bright ideas. You were just fixated on sight-seeing.

I shook my head.

“No! I won’t use dark magic!” I protested. Din growled.

Okay, genius. What do you propose? And don’t give me that “there has to be another way” saying. I know my sister and she won’t listen to reason.

Reason… What was it that Brick told me about? The story of two sisters, one of fire, one of ice. They were in constant conflict. Thrown into a self-war with one another through the spirit of discord. Reunited through… Harmony. The spirit of harmony! Din laughed uncontrollably in my head, giving me a pounding head ache.

“What’s so funny?” I growled, rubbing my head.

Oh, you fools are one in the same. Do you honestly believe that ridiculous story? Inspired by the tale of the two regal sisters. What nonsense! You think me and my sister had any kind of harmony? Bah! I never liked any of my sisters. And I loath Shiva to pieces. Face it, Courier. Some battles cannot be won through harmony.

I shook my head.

“Not necessarily.” I said. I didn’t get time to explain when Lilac Rose suddenly shot out of the rubble and tackled me in a blink of an eye. Dammit, I have to find a way to get her to calm down so I can speak to her. I wiggled out of her grip and balanced myself on my forehooves on her head before swinging my lower body down and sending her flight path over me. Lilac crashed into the side of the building. As if thinking the same thing, Din propelled me forward and I cashed into her, hooves first and pinned her into the wall.

Lilac looked at me. She had one eye that was swollen and the blood dripped from her head where I had hit her with the pipe. I ignored the small slithering creep of the dark magic twirl slowly around my hoof.

“Listen, Shiva. You and I are going to have a nice little chat with Din.” I said. Lilac’s mouth didn’t move when I heard hers and Shiva’s voice combined into one in my head.

Yet again, you fool yourself. I have told you before, Courier. Why are you so insistent on words?

I smirked.

“Just have a lot to say. And I really think we should talk about this.” I said. Shiva’s mixed voice giggled.

Not everything can be won through words. Wisdom is indeed something to have. But you must have the valor to face any problem to remedy it. Actions are louder than words as they say.

I rubbed my chin with my free hoof.

“Hmm… I guess you’re right in a sense. But I’m good with improvising.” I said. I saw the blank look went to confusion when I brought back my free hoof. The fire that had gathered around me, albeit minor now after that attack from Lilac, now formed around my hoof. I gave a good slug across her cheek, leaving a mark that immediately was visible. “How about both then?” I gave another hoof slug across the muzzle.

Lilac grit her teeth and her hooves wrapped around me. She propelled off of the building and the both of us went crashing through three buildings. Once we got through the last building, I kicked away when I felt her grip loosen and took off into the air. Lilac was not too far behind. I aimed my horn and fired at Lilac. Feeling a tad frustrated that I was missing, I went into S.A.T.S. I was surprised to see I had a 30% chance of hitting her in the torso and the rest were below 15%. I aimed at the torso and fired.

I only got one shot in that hit her. But the dark magic had quickly formed at the impact area and took the hit. Lilac was up close again and she swung a hoof at me. I blocked it and retaliated with my own hoof punch. Trading blow after blow, we broke away in time to avoid crashing into another building. Only this time, Din stopped me and flew me quickly and quietly into the destroyed building.

When I touched ground, I stumbled. I was exhausted. Taking a moment to catch my breath, I quietly peeked out of the window. Lilac had her back turned to me, but she was scanning the area no doubt.

Now what?

‘If we can find a way to clear her mind of the corruption of the dark magic, I can speak to her. But it’s the matter of having to deal with Lilac in the process. Is there a way I can get to Shiva without having to face Lilac?’ I asked. Din snorted.

Please. As if I wanted to be bothered figuring out how to reach my own sisters. How about you? You’ve met all but two of my sisters. How have you escaped their force contacts?

‘Well, there was a door I made. But I can only use that when I’m in a maiden’s domain.’ I said with a frown. There was a moment’s pause. I slumped, hearing Din chuckle. ‘Right. I have my own maiden.’ I blinked once and found myself standing next to the chained fire alicorn. I arched a brow.

“Weren’t you free of your shackles earlier?” I asked. Din scoffed.

I so wish to break free of these chains. The guardian leaves no chain unlocked, that’s for certain. Another pause. I do believe you came here for a reason? I blinked and nodded. Why is it so hard to think now? Is being around Din giving me distractions? Or… maybe I received brain damage from that impact with the cement. I gulped down the thought. Focus, Courier.

I closed my eyes and imagined the door with my insignia on it. Opening my eyes, I saw the brown plain door with my insignia imprinted in it. I opened the door with my magic and I was soon blasted by a cold wind and a blizzard. I looked to Din.

“Alright Din. In order for this to work, I’m going to need your full cooperation.” I said. Din narrowed her eyes at me.

A proposal? What is it you have in mind?

I held up a hoof.

“Din, I’m serious about this. I’m going to need your help. If we can get rid of the dark magic, I’ll have a chance to talk to Shiva.” I said.

No deal! I refuse to see my sister as she is! She can rot in that place you call “hell” for all I care!

“What did I just say, Din?” I said coldly. Din shook her head.

Fool! You won’t receive my help with my sister! I refuse too!

I sighed and rubbed my face. Without thinking, I conjured up Din’s key. Din immediately grew quiet and studied the key.

“Din. The very moment I free you, I know exactly what you are going to do. But you must not do that. Me doing this also gives Sombra a chance at you. If you go free on your own, Sombra will indeed go after you.” Din scoffed again.

That worthless filth cannot grasp the power of a maiden! My power is beyond his control. Or anyone’s for that matter! It is through my own will that I even give you my wings and eyes. I promise you, Courier. Free me and I will not hesitate to recreate the carrier incident.

I looked at her. My expression was clear. I was dead serious about this. And it wasn’t hard to maintain it. Din shifted slightly.

“Din. We saw Shiva under the influence of dark magic. We both saw what it is capable of. And if you noticed, Sombra didn’t even have control of Shiva’s powers. If he did, he would have been using it to get at the rest of the maidens. The fact that he is using some sort of mind control spell on Shiva means he still doesn’t know how to acquire the power of a maiden. Think, Din. You recreate the incident with the Enclave here and I promise you, Sombra will not hesitate to put you under his control.”

What makes you think a fool like him can control me?

“You maidens are cocky.” I said bluntly. “You hate each other to the very core and would do anything to make your own land a reality and the destruction of the competition leaves one’s mind open to influence. Your greed and lust for power is how Sombra is going to get to you. Shiva is the same, just like the others. Evil, power hungry and hate beyond imagination.” I sighed. “Face it, Din. Without vessels as the voices of reason with you all, you would have gone corrupted by the influence of not just dark magic, but by something else entirely.”

Din was quiet. She looked at me, then looked at the key before looking behind me and at the door. As much of a stubborn hot head Din is, she knows what I said to be the truth. She’s fully aware of her own personality, but refuses to obey it. Besides, I’ve seen plenty of corrupt officials and leaders in small groups fall victim to the Wasteland.

The Wasteland is a harsh land. It will throw everything it has to break you.

He was right. Even in the universe for these maidens, the entire world they seek to claim will not be all perfect. Nothing is perfect. Because that is how life works. How Oroboros intended the balance to be. The alchemist’s depiction of a snake eating its tail is not an exaggerative design. It’s a warning. Without some sort of law, nothing would exist. It’s scary to think about it. Maybe that’s why everyone is how they are.

They cover up this warning through their own personalities, agendas and the life that was conditioned or carved out for them. If I had a choice of picking living everyday life over what the universe has in store, I would go for the former. Along with every other pony in the process. No one like warnings. Especially one that has been around for eons.

Hmm… I see your point. You seemed to have put a lot of thought into this, Courier. It makes me wonder how a thing like you can even think of such a high place such as the universe itself.

I shrugged.

“I really don’t know. I think it to be common sense, I guess.” I responded. Din, for the very first time and to my utter surprise, smiled. Not toying-with-you. Not because-I-want-to-piss-you-off. No. Din gave me a genuine smile. And it quickly vanished as it had appeared

Very well then. I will aid you. But mark my words. If things do not go your way, I will end it personally.

I smiled and with a twist of the key, the chains and shackles vanished. I expected the fire to suddenly rise again, but Din calmly stood up and flapped her wings. She winced and moved her neck.

To think that I would get a cramp after all this. What is becoming of me?

I giggled.

“I think for once, you are experiencing what it’s like to be a maiden that enjoys helping her vessel?” Din frowned.

Do not push it any further, vessel. We have no time to lose. I nodded and we both stepped in through the door.

Din’s fiery body kept me surprisingly warm in this blizzard. She even took it upon herself to stretch out a wing over me to shield me from the falling snow. I couldn’t believe this. I actually talked sense into a maiden! And who would have thought that the first maiden I would talk sense into would be my very own, let alone the dangerous of the seven.

I was kind of hoping Aquaria to be the first one. Something about her was a bit more… reasonable. Although, I felt like it would go horribly wrong the moment I screw up. I don’t know how long we were walking. My PipBuck was useless in the maiden’s domain too. The screen was fuzzy and static constantly. Din eventually stopped and looked at me.

“Here.” She said. I nodded and with her horn, she fired a beam into the air and the blizzard softened once again into a soft snow fall. There, standing not too far away, was Lilac Rose. She still had the dark magic active around her and she immediately glared at me.

“Using your tricks again? I was about to finish off the silver one!” she hissed. I arched a brow. Silver one? She wasn’t talking about Iris, was she? I slumped when I imagined Iris duking it out with Lilac. And it ended when she had beaten my silver love and was about to deliver a blow that probably would of killed her if I hadn’t entered her mind.

“Lilac. We need to talk to Shiva. Can you bring her to us?” I asked. Lilac Rose narrowed her hollowed eyes.

“You honestly expect me to have Shiva confront you when all you do is use cowardly methods?” She asked with a slight growl. I smiled.

“You say it’s cowardly. But I see it as survival. And what do you think would dominate more in the heat of battle? Honor and pride? Or dirty tricks for survival? I prefer the lateral. The lateral has always worked for me.” Not to mention my own father made it possible too. Lilac growled. Her monotone voice rose slightly.

“There should be honor in a battle. Especially one that are equals.” She said. Me and Din exchanged glances.

“You… do remember using dark magic, yes?” I asked. Lilac opened her mouth to protest, but immediately closed it. “Call me out on using dirty tricks to aid me in battles. But using dark magic against someone who isn’t experienced in facing dark magic is by all means a dirty trick as well. You use a power I am not capable of.” And refuse to use. “To start, we did act as equals. Then you went full blown dark magic while I just smacked you in the head with a pipe. You fight dirty, I fight dirty. You fight with honor and pride? I still fight dirty.”

Lilac scoffed.

“Cheaters never prosper.” She said. I frowned.

“Says the one using dark magic.” I retorted. I had cornered Lilac now. This mare has some sort of strange attitude when it comes to fighting when she should be doing everything she can to live. This is how everyone is when I defeat them. Corrupt, cliché, too much honor in ones work or voice. Just shut up and eat a pile of brahmin feces while I beat you to a pulp with a nailed board. Or better yet, just stand there while I take a salt laced knife and stab you during an all-out fight with others. Unless you are on good terms with me, our conflicts will always be dirty fighting. Betray me, I play dirty. And so on and so forth.

“Now then. We need to talk to Shiva.” I said. Lilac shook her head.

“Sombra… ordered us… to destroy you…” she breathed suddenly. I arched a brow.

“I wonder. If you are so intent on destroying me, why are you holding back with honor? You are just too much contradictory. You need to stop it or else you will be killed. And it’s not going to be me killing you. The same goes with Shiva.” I could tell it was working. Whatever influence the dark magic had on her was breaking. Sombra is just too readable. In fact, I saw the dark magic form over her in a black swirl.

“I… must… destroy…” she stumbled. “N-no… I won’t… I won’t use… this power…” she sat down on her rump and clutched her head. She was really struggling now. “But… the power… you can’t resist….” She groaned and shook her head. “No… it’s too much… this power… it is not… honorable…” she swayed, bowing her head. “Dark magic… how can you resist? Power… the power is…” she smacked her hoof into the snow and grit her teeth. “I won’t… I refuse…” she suddenly shouted into the air.

“I won’t let you control me!!” She glowed brightly and the dark magic that had formed around her left her body and swirled into a mist. Inside that mist was Shiva. She gave us her eerie smile.

“How very interesting. You fight with not only your hooves. But your voice is your weapon as well.”

I shrugged.

“There is victory in wisdom, Shiva.” I said. Shiva nodded, her smile fading.

“But unfortunately, I cannot let my vessel go of this power. Her life hasn’t been too kind to her.” It was Din’s turn to talk.

“You care for a vessel?” Din snorted. “Why am I not surprised? The soft hearted one out of all of us. It’s a wonder why we loath each other.” Shiva remained stoic.

“And you, dear sister. You ridicule me for showing sympathy for my vessel. And here you are, side by side, free from your shackles next to your own vessel. Pray tell, how is it you have not gone unnoticed?”

Din put a wing around me. The fire didn’t burn. It felt… warming. Almost cozy.

“Because… I am not truly free. Yet.” She looked at me. “My vessel made me realize that I am… how should I say… playing my hand too early?” I smiled and nodded. “While you, sister. You played your hand, expecting to be the victor. In fact, our sisters have done the same. But there is one thing about… gambling. From what I learned, it is a risk of one’s judgment.” Shiva blinked in confusion.

“Gam…bling?” she repeated. “Risk of… one’s judgment?”

Din nodded.

“Indeed, sister. The hand you have dealt made Sombra, who has yet to play his own, see what you’re capable of. And it was because of that, he made the first move he had, because you so foolishly left yourself open.”

“Din’s right, Shiva. Your haste in trying to acquire the land first before any others led Sombra to control you. Not your powers, per se. But your mind. And if he has control of your mind, then he has a better chance of figuring out how to acquire the powers of the maidens.” I said. “Wouldn’t you rather… rule the land without being told what to do?” I noticed Din giving me a suspicious look. But I had to maintain my poker face. I wanted this to work. Shiva rubbed her chin.

I do not… quite follow. Being told how to create my own land? A ridiculous notion. What makes you think Sombra can tell me what to do?” I looked at Din and her suspicious look changed to one of triumphant victory.

“But indeed sister. You remember how I said you forfeited your power to a creature that wants to abuse it? He is certainly on his way there. And because you have yet to realize this is because your own vessel was blind. But you now realize it, don’t you? The veil has been pulled over.” Shiva hummed a tune in thought.

“You say I am… controlled. How can such a thing like that exists?” Din nodded to the still floating and glowing Lilac Rose.

“The very reason why you suspected Sombra pulling something. The blind one suggested to your vessel to wear a blindfold because he believed your suspicion. You sympathize with your vessel. And you have done just that once you were awoken.” I was surprised. I hadn’t thought about that at all. Thank the goddesses Din isn’t as simple-minded as she has been known to be. The twitch in her eye made me realize that I had said it in my mind and I had forgotten that we were pretty much linked to one another. Din ignored my unintentional thoughts and continued.

“I have come to realize that as much as I so desperately want the land for myself, we are nothing without our vessels. I shall wait when everyone has played their hand. You have played yours, sister.”

“But since we are generous ponies.” I said. “We will buy you back in.” Shiva looked at me and then to Din, who nodded.

“I… do not understand this… gambling method you speak of.” Shiva bowed her head. “But… I feel as if… your words have… sense in them. Wisdom that even he doesn’t have.” Shiva darted her eyes in thought, looking from me, to Din, to Lilac and lastly to the swirling mist. She suddenly glared and I wasn’t ready for what she pulled next. She flapped her wings once and the swirling mist around her and Lilac was dispelled into nothingness. The glow from Lilac ended and she landed gently on her hooves.

She shook away the daze and looked around. Her eyes, however, are what took my breath away. Despite being glazed, I could see that they had once been a luscious cerulean. She blinked and cocked her head.

“Shiva? Are you there?” she asked. Din and I watched as Shiva formed from the snow and she put a wing over the pegasus mare.

“I am here, vessel. I am sorry I had done that to you.” She said. Lilac Rose smiled. Another first time thing for me.

“Shiva… I don’t sense that presence anymore. Is it gone?” she asked. Shiva smiled.

“It is.” She looked at me. “Courier. You are truly a work of art. Never have I’ve heard such wisdom from anyone.”

“If wisdom is in the metaphor of a poker game then I guess so.” I said, rubbing my head slightly. I looked to Din and noticed her glaring coldly at Shiva. Oh boy…

“See if I ever go out of my way to save your sorry ass again.” Din said. Shiva blinked and looked at her.

“Oh yes, of course. But, please do be mindful of where you trot, sister. I don’t want a single precious flake ruined.” Shiva said. Din grinned and held up a spectral hoof. Shiva glared coldly at her. “You wouldn’t dare…” But she did. Din stuck the tip of her hoof into the snow and gave a sly smile.

“Oopsie.” She said. Shiva bristled.

“Fool!” she shouted. Din stuck her tongue out and evaporated into the thin air right as Shiva shot an icicle shard at her. Knowing Din, she probably went back into my mind. I had convinced her that when the right opportunity happens, then she’s free to do whatever. Something I’ll definitely regret. But what can you do? I’m just a courier pony. Lilac sat next to me and smiled.

“Courier, is it?” she asked. I nodded, realizing that she was still blind, I spoke.

“Yes.” I said. I stiffened in shock. Lilac had locked her lips with mine. It didn’t take long for her to pull away and blink in confusion.

“Oh… I’m sorry. I thought that you were a stallion.” She said. My surprise shock instantly changed to annoyance. Dammit all to hell, even a blind pony thinks I’m a stallion. But the look she gave when she pulled away, it wasn’t shock or shame. She was… smiling. Her confusion vanished and she giggled. “Either way, it’s my way of repaying you for saving me. And Shiva.” I looked back to see Shiva nodding.

“Yes. Now that we have that out of the way, Sombra is still a problem.” She said. I nodded.

“Indeed he is. Which is why, I want you to do exactly what I told Din.” I said. Shiva rubbed her chin.

“Waiting until the right moment… you do realize that will not last long.” She said. I nodded.

“I know full well. But it will last long enough for me to take down Sombra.” I said. Lilac nodded and I helped her up. “Ready to head back to reality?” she nodded again. The door appeared in front of us and I opened it.

“Courier…” I looked at Lilac and saw her flush slightly. “You have soft lips.”

Footnote: Level up!
Quest Perk Added: Primordial Control: You have come to understand your inner spirit and your spirit has come to understand you. You gain a +50% in DT and your ATK and AP is increased by 30 when under the influence of your primal mutation.

Author's Notes:

I apologize for another late upload. I want to say that the usual "things have happened over the week and there was nothing I could do" shpeel, (even thought it is partially true) but I found myself more focused on Project Apocalyptica. I am dead sense on trying to have this original idea I have had for so long that had never seen the light of day be... well... exposed.

And it is going to be completely different to what I originally had intended. However, while the drafting of Project Apocalyptica is still undergoing, I will continue to upload Lineage and eventually find time for another project that correlates to this story. And for those wondering about Lucid Dreams, I am currently working on the chapter idea. It has been slow and tedious, but I believe I have found a direction I want it to go. Expect an upload of Lucid Dreams in a week or so.