“—I can’t take another day in this place… I can’t. I can’t live like this. All of this stuff is nice and all, and I like having these crystals to use as a journal, but the conditions here in Skyreach are… I can’t even say. There are no words. The pegasus ponies can’t be trusted, no matter what Ocean Gold says. Spear Breaker is becoming more and more insane with each passing day, and nopony can seem to see that. Everypony is on edge. More and more ponies are eating meat. I’ve had to issue harsh punishment to the soldiers under my command for doing such, as I will not allow it.

“I plan to escape soon, in direct defiance of Commander Ocean Gold. I will take the soldiers that are still loyal, still sane, and we will get out of here. There is a second lift that leads up topside, it is past the quarantine labs. During the last ‘incident’ the main steam lift was damaged and a few dissenting voices suffered an ‘accident,’ plunging to their deaths.

“I understand that I am defying direct orders from Commander Ocean Gold, but my loyalty lies with those still loyal to me. Since undergoing his… transformation, Ocean Gold has become increasingly unlike himself. I must save my soldiers, and myself. This is Captain Hard Knocks, and if you hear this, I hope that you too, will flee from Skyreach before it is too late.”

The crystal shard began to crumble into dust and a profound silence was left in its passing. Daring looked thoughtful, Rainbow looked disturbed, Vinyl was nodding, and Tarnish lifted his head, hopeful, his eyes burning bright with the indomitable equine spirit he possessed. Even though nopony said anything aloud, for certain, they all had to be thinking the very same thing.

There was another way up.

It was just the sort of hope they needed in their current condition, even if it was sketchy hope, an uncertain, unknown hope. Rainbow’s expression shifted, going from disturbed to relieved, and she even managed to give her tail a little shake. This single action was evidence, proof of a shift of moods, and then, out of the blue, quite literally, as her face was blue, Rainbow smiled.

“So, where are the quarantine labs?” she asked.

“I dunno.” Tarnish would have shrugged, but didn’t, as he could not be bothered to muster the effort. “Maybe we can find a map that hasn’t been destroyed? Maybe we’ll get lucky. Even if the lift doesn’t work, and let’s face it, it might not, it might be safer than the shaft that we currently know about.” He watched the glittering dust trail down like snowflakes and there was a far away look in his eyes.

“The pony in that recording… he sounded smart. Educated.” Daring Do’s lips pressed together for just a moment, just long enough to make her wince from pain, and then she continued, “He wasn’t the common soldier. It’s a shame that there is no way to preserve these recordings. We’re hearing history as it happens. It will exist in our heads until such a time that we expire, and then, that history will be truly lost.”

Tarnish found the words sobering.

“I do wonder if there might be a way that Princess Luna could preserve our memories,” Daring Do remarked in an absentminded manner. “Come, we’ve rested long enough, surely by now we are feeling better, and we should be going.”

In silence, the companions nodded, agreeing.

The swampy smell grew more acrid and once again, the companions found themselves having to be wary of spots of bad magic. Each of the mares stayed close to Tarnish, as it was his magic protecting them from the worst of the magical radiation and the effects of the artificial ley lines. The walls were pitted here, the stone no longer smooth, but there was no telling what had caused the damage.

There were puddles on the floor in some places, slimy, clingy muck, and water dripped from the ceiling. Overhead, in some places, the ceiling had holes in it, places where the stone had shattered, and in the shadowy darkness pipes could be seen. Steam leaked from some pipes, water from others, and all of this contributed to the moist, humid environment.

“There’s a door,” Rainbow said, pointing, but not leaving Tarnish’s side.

Together, as one, the companions moved over to the door, only to find it ruined. Vinyl pulled out the ancient spectacles, wore them for a moment, and then shook her head. Then, she placed them in front of Tarnish’s eyes so he too, could see and read the faded, pitted sign.

Pegasus science—

The rest of the words were unreadable, with the stone pitted and somewhat dissolved. The door, metal, was warped, partially melted, and had fused with the door frame around it. Dents protruded from the door, and Tarnish found these odd. They weren’t dents going into the door, but misshapen protrusions that seemed to have been pounded through from the other side of the door. The thought of it chilled his blood. What could possibly pound a door like that and warp the metal?

Something had tried coming out of the pegasus science wing, it seemed.

“Dare we open the door?” Daring Do asked.

“Daring, don’t.” Rainbow Dash began to snicker, but, not much effort was put into it.

“That door is several inches of some kind of metal, I don’t know what type, and something punched it with enough force to leave dents. Also, parts of it look melted. I think something or somepony did their best to seal the door. If you recall, the other entrance to the pegasus science wing was also demolished.” Daring Do rapped upon the door, and her ears perked at the ringing sound her hoof made against the strange metal.

“Vinyl?” Tarnish asked, and even as the word was being spoken, the mare was shaking her head from side to side. “I’m positive that whatever punched the door is long dead… but yeah, let’s look elsewhere. For now. Maybe we can find another way into the pegasus science wing.”

Odd as it may be, the swamp now seemed promising. The overhead blue-green sky flickered, and the sun shone through cheerful yellow clouds. Perhaps other labs or other locations could be found on the other side of the swamp. In the trees, spiderwebs could be seen, spiderwebs of exceptional size, and it was a good visual reminder of the danger they faced here.

“Princess Celestia, when she made you a hero of the realm, that was when she gave you the title of Spider’s Bane, right?” Rainbow asked.

“Yeah, why?” Tarnish replied.

“I never got a title when I was made a hero of the realm.” Rainbow Dash stepped into a patch of mud and it made a squelch. “I just got a medal and not much else.”

“Well then… we shall call thee… Wind Breaker… destroyer of wind, and defender of the realm!” Tarnish did his best to look regal, while still keeping a wary eye out for danger.

“Tarnish?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

The air had a curious, cloying dampness, and the stench clung like snot clogging a nostril. Rainbow was laughing, a soft sound, and Vinyl wobbled a bit on her hooves, having trouble standing on the uneven ground in her current state. Daring Do extended her wings, gave them a few flaps to stretch them, and then folded them against her sides once more.

“What’s that?” Rainbow squinted, her eyes narrowing, and having the keenest vision amongst her companions, she peered ahead.

Tarnish too, squinted in the direction that Rainbow was looking, trying to see. He could see trees, and little splashes of colour in the trees. Fruit maybe? Fresh fruit might be good, and hungry as he was for something sweet, it would be worth the risk of eating it. Then, he saw what Rainbow had seen, and it took his breath away.

Below the fruit trees were deer, but not just any deer. They were tall, lean, lanky, creatures much like himself, but also different. These deer did not have antlers, but from where he was standing, it looked as though they had arms growing out of their heads, where antlers should have been. These arms and hands were picking fruit from the trees, making swift motions, and the fruit was carried from tree to mouth in moments.

“Big Guy, are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Rainbow asked, almost breathless.

“Yeah, and it’s weird, real weird.”

“I have questions.” Daring Do, too, also squinted.

“Like what?” Tarnish asked.

“During rutting season, with no antlers, do they just punch each other in the face?”

Hmm… Tarnish nodded. “Perhaps.” He realised that he was looking at food. Not the fruit in the trees, but the strange deer. No doubt, the spiders ate them, and anything else they could catch. Skyreach had its own ecosystem, and that terrified him. The centaurs were long gone, and the ancient invaders had long since died out, leaving life to flourish on its own in this dreadful place, this vault of horrors.

“Tarnish, name them.” Daring Do turned her head to look up at Tarnish.

“What?” As he said the word, he realised that Vinyl was pulling out a camera. “Name them?”

“Yes.” Daring gave a curt nod. “You. Name them. Right now. You’re the druid. We’re seeing a new form of life. Now get busy.”

“Do you think they poke each other in the eye if you don’t like one another?” Rainbow asked.

“Quiet, Wind Breaker.”

“Hey…” Rainbow whined. “That’s just mean, Daring.” Unable to keep a straight face, she began to snigger, but was quiet, so she wouldn’t spook the deer.

“Boxing deer,” Tarnish said, and a second later, Vinyl’s camera flashed.

The deer, startled, clapped their hands together, one after another, and then they began to bound away to safety. Vinyl snapped another picture and Tarnish watched them vanish from the edge of his vision. It dawned upon him just how large this underground cavern was. Had the mountains of Skyreach been hollowed out?

“Boxing deer.” Daring nodded her head, a slow, considerate movement, and then added, “I approve.”

“I’m getting me some fruit.” With that, Tarnish strode forwards, and Vinyl lurched a bit when she moved to follow him. “I have the munchies and I’m getting me something sweet. I don’t care what it is, so long as it is edible.” He raised his shield, alert to danger, and tried not to think about his saddlebags rubbing against his sore, tender, scalded flesh.

Three much smaller mares moved to follow him.

Author's Notes:

There was some interesting conversation in the Discord because of this chapter.