Twilight did a circle as she faded into the shrine. Things seemed largely as she left them, save for the Fire Keeper being seated on a bench instead of standing. "Hello," called Twilight joyously, and she was waved back at. What simple little joy to be in a place where her voice and motions inspired friendliness instead of pain.

"You're looking awful chipper," spoke Hawkwood. "Did you accomplish something worth mentioning?"

Twilight wheeled about to face him. She had almost missed that dour man. "As a matter of fact, I did."

"Oh? Got some ash to spill on the thrones?" He laughed at his own joke, pained and miserable. "I shouldn't even joke... What did you do?"

Twilight felt her snout wrinkling faintly. Hawkwood was not the most pleasant person of those in the shrine. "I rescued someone, someone nice."

"Oh, so we have you to thank for that thief's presence?" He lifted his shoulders. "That figures."

Her ears went up. "He's here?" She turned and trotted away, looking for him. "Where?"

The shrine maiden sat up a little as Twilight approached. "Behold, thou'rt fat with souls."

Twilight's ears turned towards the maiden. "How can you tell that?"

"It comes with practice," demurred the maiden. "Mayhaps I can interest?"

Twilight tapped her chin. "Give me a moment. I'll be back, promise. I want to see if Greirat's here."

"Oh, him." There was little warmth in her voice. "He skulks in the shadow, as is his wont. Go, speak to him, but I've what thou need."

Twilight let out a little grunt. Why did people have to be so cool to one another in that broken world. "Thank you." She resumed her journey. The fire of the smith's work lit the back as he pounded on his latest project. Twilight raised a hoof to wave at Andre and got a little nod in return, but he was clearly occupied, or perhaps he didn't care to talk from a distance?

In either event, Twilight turned from the vantage offered by the walkway she was on and spotted her target. "Greirat!" She jumped down into the darkness that the thief was hiding in. "Here you are."

"Oh, hello, you're back. And in one piece. Well, now it's time I do my part. Whatever trinket you need, speak up. Just don't ask me where I got them." It was hard to make out his expression with the mask he wore, but he sounded pleasant enough about it. He pulled back his jacket to reveal more things than he could reasonably fit in there, which actually relaxed Twilight.

The humans had pockets just like ponies did. It was nice to have something in common. "I'll take a look at what you have, but first, hello. Are the others treating you alright? They didn't seem excited about you."

Greirat gave a nervous little chuckle. "They're afraid I'll apply my profession to their things, but I wouldn't do that, no no. I am your faithful servant, my savior. I-I wouldn't even dream, no, not at all, of hurting you or yours." His head turned left and right faintly. "Do me a favour, and don't forget our promise. Give the ring to old Loretta at the base of the High Wall. A nuisance, I know, but it'll help me tie up some loose ends."

"I haven't forgotten." Twilight smiled at the thief. She was sure he was a good person, besides the whole stealing thing. There were worse habits to have. "Where did you get these things?" She pointed at the collection he was hiding. "You didn't have them all in jail, I would think?"

"Oh, no, no no. I... might have... visited a few places on the way back across the High Wall. Their owners will not miss them, this I am sure of, yes. Shame that, the whole world gone the way it has. Maybe you can fix that? No pressure!" He gave that nervous laughter. "Here I am, asking a horse to save the world. Maybe I've gone and lost it..."

"Pony," corrected Twilight. "I think everyone's lost it, at least a little..." She sat on her haunches and leaned forward to browse what Greirat was offering. She saw a burning thing that the shrine maiden had held, but she had paid it little mind. She pointed at it. "What is that?"

Greirat plucked one of the set of three free. "Oh this? Ember. Very useful to ashen ones... which you aren't, sorry... I suppose you don't want that."

Twilight twirled a hoof. "Hawkwood mentioned that. You had to be... burned by the first fire?"

"Oh yes, that's how that works, I'm told. You try to light the first fire, don't quite make it, nothing but ash left. If you come back from that, well, then you get an unkindled. You're more the standard kinda undead. No offense!" He put up his hands as if to ward an incoming blow. "Just... not ashen."

Twilight plopped her haunches down. "Right, thank you. Someone willing to just... explain a few things."

"Don't... get too comfortable with that. I'm no expert, just heard a few things..."

"Well, you sell that." She pointed at the ember. "What does it do, for an 'ashen one'?"

"You crush it, right in your hand, and the fire gets out. Then the ash smolders, like... cinder, right, cinder. They get tougher, and can reach other worlds with that power. Very impressive, really. Never saw it myself, but that's what it's for..." He tucked the ember away. "But not for you. I guess you'll want--" He dug out a little shard of something so black that it seemed to almost draw the light, dim as that was, from around it. "--this."

Twilight could feel some kind of strange power within the thing. "What is it?" But even as she asked it, she could feel an answer of sort. It was... the vital spark of humans. "Humanity? I'm... not a human."

"You aren't," he agreed. "But you are still undead. You'd be far from the first animal with it, nicest though by far." His laughter came with a little hitch as if he had doubted himself in the middle of it. "Use it the same as the ember, it'll chase away the curse... for a little while."

Twilight sat up sharply. "I want that."

"I thought you might." He held it towards her. "For a fair price. I am grateful, don't doubt it, but fair is fair."

Twilight considered a moment. "How little is little? Are we talking a few minutes?"

"That depends on you." He withdrew the precious humanity. "It'll be good until you meet an unfortunate end. You lose your souls, you lose it too."

"I want it." Twilight stomped a hoof. "How much?"

"Five thousand."

Twilight's ears danced. How did one count the ephemeral wriggling of the souls in her. "Al.... right?" She had to trust that he'd take the right amount.

He reached for her and the rush of power was palpable, her fur standing up in a puffy way a moment as most of the souls she had managed to accrue was taken. She was left feeling empty and frowned. "I... was hoping I'd have some left."

He surrendered the humanity to her, holding it up until she took it in her horn's magic. "So very sorry. Not much I can do for that, sorry. You'll just have to go out and get more."

She eyed the humanity. "I hope this is worth it, but thank you." She dipped her head at him and scampered away.

"Goodbye, and stay safe. Oh, this place is a bore. What good is thievery if you've nowhere to go?" His words were lost behind her.

She went to a private corner and bounced the humanity about. "Now let's see what you do..." She clenched her magic powerfully around it until it fell to pieces. The energy inside rushed out across her and she shuddered powerfully. It was like gaining souls, but different. Things were changing, bending, reworking. She let out a sigh and it did not echo with the rattle of death. She felt... whole for lack of a better word. She looked back over herself and the difference made her gasp back the air she had just released.

The wounds and sunken flesh had recovered. Her wings were pristine and unsullied. She was alive. She spread those restored wings with a spreading smile. Would they actually work? Dared she try? She stretched each one in kind before giving a powerful flap. Her body lifted from the ground, but she felt something unusual. Flying was taxing her in some unusual way, as if she were casting powerful spells. Flight was magic, and the world demanded payment for it.

She landed and folded her wings back in place. "Alright, so... I have to be careful with that. I can only use it when I'm... alive, and not for long." She slowly nodded to herself. "Better than where I was a moment before." She trotted towards the main chamber of the shrine, a big smile on her face. How could she not? She wasn't dead! She was whole and all the aches and pains that had refused to go away had been banished entirely. If not for the world still being a broken mess, she would say she was happy.

But the world was still a broken mess.

"Oh, is that what you look like normally?" It was Hawkwood, who clearly had noticed her change. "Enjoy it while it lasts, which won't be too long." He gave his laugh, bereft of hope and full of misery. "Did you buy that? Waste of souls if you ask me."

"Which I didn't." She turned away from him and went for the fire directly. She didn't have souls left for gaining power, which was a shame, but she was whole. That would have to suffice?

She gazed into the depths of the flames and thought of the top of the tower. Her mission seemed far from finished, and she intended to press on as best she could.

She appeared beside the other fire, glancing around. "Right, that means they're all back..." If she rested, so too did the world. It was... fair in a fashion. "But I know where they are." She raised her shield and axe into ready position and trot down the stairs. "I'm ready fo--" She cut off, seeing the armored knight walking through the room. As confident as she felt, she let him do his slow walk outside before she dared to enter. "Let's not take needless chances..."

With the most dangerous combatant past, she rushed into the room with shield upraised. The hollow'd rogue sent a dagger flying at her that she easily knocked to the side and planted and axe where it had come from. "I know your tricks." She smiled as she descended the stairs. She handled each rogue as they came, taking it slow and easy. "Don't panic and this isn't so bad..." She could feel a small amount of souls building. She'd go back eventually with a great stash.

She froze. "Why am I looking... forward to that? I mean, being more powerful would be good, so I don't get hurt so often... but these... this..." She shook her head. "I can't let myself get lost in this. I have to do what I have to do, go home, and cry into a pillow maybe." She drew a thick breath before she noticed something curious. It was writing on the floor, but it was white, like what she had seen when she written her name.

She approached the sigil and poked it with a hoof. A hazy image of a human appeared, male, garbed in armor, two handed sword on their back. It was a warrior. A warrior she could call to for help, she felt certain. How was it possible? Had the humanity done it? It was the only thing that had changed... Did she dare to reach out to another world? Next Chapter: 12 - Jolly Cooperation Estimated time remaining: 17 Minutes