Zeccaran closed the heavy hatch to the engine room with a hard shove. Drenched in sweat from the work of feeding a fresh set of coal into the monstrous vessel’s power plants he slumped down against the vault door huffing from the dusty air and exertion. He could do physical things, but truly they were not his forte. After his moment’s rest the zebra righted himself.

“Gonna be a long day,” he grumbled quietly to himself. Stiffly pulling a hoof up to put pressure on the area between his eyes, he groaned at his own futile attempt to alleviate his headache. Said skull pain had started about the time Gusty had went screaming out of the mine like a banshee. He had managed to sleep for most of the trip back to Equestria, avoiding the consequences until now. Heaving a sigh Zeccaran began to make his way topside to see how Bunker was faring. Absently he ascended from the bowels of the Onyx all too aware that he was a glutton for punishment.

He had no logical reason to go up to the helm. He had even less of a stand to make with this attempt of confronting Bunker. Zeccaran silently surmised that his purpose was to hear himself explain it. Just to make sure that how he was living his life now was the only way he could; to be certain he was right. He climbed up the stairs to the main cabin area and plodded to the door to the deck.

Opening up the door, Zeccaran was buffeted with heavy wind. While it was annoying, it at least was not freezing him where he stood. The suit Luna had given them was already proving its worth. Lowering his head as he walked forward, so as to keep his eyeballs in their sockets he proceeded. He slowly made his way towards the stairs up to the helm fighting the elements until the wind broke and the only air moving was by the force of the airship. It was much more manageable than the blistering, howling barrage mere moments before. Quickly, he reached Bunker, content for the moment to watch his fellow stallion manage the controls of the vessel.

The loud hum of the propellers reigned supreme for quite some time. Meanwhile, Zeccaran scanned the horizon between the boring parts of Bunker’s movements. They had made good headway over the last two hours, better than Zeccaran had expected. They were passing by the area of sky that Cloudsdale inhabited, and had almost reached the snow boundary in the area before the Crystal City. It would seem the reduced number of crew made the vessel much lighter. It was a huge difference in fuel economy meaning he had a surprising bit of time to kill while they stayed at cruising speeds. He estimated the engines would not need his attention for at least another hour.

Zeccaran caught Bunker scowling at him out of the corner of his eye. He turned to look at his friend but the other stallion snapped his head back forward towards the bow of the Onyx.

“What was that all about?” he asked Bunker. His companion’s only response was to turn back, scowl fully at him, and give an angry grunt before looking back forward.

Zeccaran pursed his lips. He felt concerned with Bunker’s attitude, but the feeling seemed far away. That, however, did not mean he would not try to continue engaging his friend. He just did not know where to start. Should he apologize? Probably as good as any to start. The trouble was, as Zeccaran thought to himself, he realized he was not particularly sorry for what he had done. Even if it had upset everypony else and caused more problems than it solved, in the end he was merely the instrument and he did as he was instructed. Deciding it was time to explain such to Bunker he cleared his throat idly. He owed it to his friend, especially since it was the stallion’s wife that had been the most affected by the ordeal.

“I’m sorry,” he stated, projecting his voice just enough for Bunker to be unable to ignore him. Ultimately, he did regret the situation putting Gusty in danger and Zeccaran could be honest about being sorry for that.

Bunker grunted and mumbled something in his native tongue as a response. He at least did not seem as angry as he had been over the last day and half. It took a moment but Bunker turned to give him a cool look, it was just slightly better than his scowl.

“Da? What are you sorry about?” he croaked through a tight jaw.

“Well...about Gusty. I had no idea she would freak out quite so hard. I figured she’d be mad but…” Zeccaran answered.

“Ohhh! So you think,” he paused before mocking Zeccaran’s voice, “Da! Killing little ewe in front of unstable mare is good idea!” Bunker let go of the wheel looking like he was about to punch him. However, the ship listed some as the air blew on her hull and the larger stallion was forced to put his hooves back on the controls.

“It wasn’t like that.” Zeccaran pursed his lips.

“Then how was it? Huh? Is not some mystery to me, you striped idiot!” his friend shouted, anger having already built back to where it was before. “You ignore consequences and do what you want, like some sort of madpony!”

“It wasn’t what I wanted!” he shouted back at Bunker.

“What you think I born yesterday?!” his friend retorted from over his shoulder.

Zeccaran let loose a deep sigh. This was it, he was going to have to tell Bunker everything if the stallion was to calm down so they could work together. And after Luna ordered him to find Gusty he really needed Bunker’s help completing the task.

“Look, there’s a lot to why I did something I thought was stupid,” he began.

Bunker adjusted his grip and allowing him to partially turn his head so one eye faced Zeccaran.

“Explain,” he ordered.

“I’ll start at the beginning. Because otherwise this won’t make sense.” he explained. Bunker nodded in agreement. Zeccaran felt another sigh coming on, but fought the urge, instead he bowed his head, before raising it up to speak.

“I’ll try to be brief, but long ago when I was but a small foal, my parents were murdered by my village for protecting me.” Zeccaran ran a hoof through his now long mane.

“What?! That’s insanity!” Bunker balked.

“Well, the village was right to want me dead. Long story short I was beaten left for dead but was found by an older mare and her young daughter. They took me in and brought me to Equestria. The mare that found me, my mother as I came to know her, taught me many things, and prepared me for a world she described as populated by zombies.” Zeccaran gave a brief pause.

His friend looked on, confusion growing on his face but remained acutely attentive.

“The trouble was, that was all a lie. But I believed it with all my heart. Princess Luna? I thought her a fake, a masquerading monster that had sucked the minds from all the innocent ponies of the country and she was slowly expanding her influence to the other races. And we were the only ones that knew, and could bring the real Princess of the Night back to stop the fake one.” He continued doing his best to keep most of the details unstated, unless Bunker asked for them.

“Masquerading monster? The Cave…” his friend pondered aloud. “I remember the ritual. Da. You knew it, you completed it! Those cultists...they were your family!” Bright sparkles of recognition twinkled in his eyes before his face darkened.

“How did you escape that cult?” he asked in a very serious and clear tone.

“I didn’t,” was all Zeccaran could answer. Bunker raised a brow in disbelief.

“You missed out back when we first came to Canterlot. Princess Luna actually brought Gusty along into my dreams to show her what I did to Stormwalker. Why when we met him he was so...well for the lack of a better terms, evil and depraved.” Zeccaran clarified.

“But, why did you help us fight them then? It doesn’t make sense.” Bunker squinted at him suspiciously.

“Well, that comes back to why I don’t think when the real Luna gives me a task,” he responded to his friend.

“For a long time, I performed horrible acts on other ponies thinking that I was doing the right thing. Under my mother’s tutelage and even worse after she died, I caused or personally committed the murder of thousands, stallions, mares, and foals.” The truth was out, Zeccaran winced at his own words

Bunker stood there for a moment before sliding ever so slightly closer to the wheel of the Onyx and away from him. He looked away from Zeccaran for a moment his head bobbing as he rolled his tongue around the inside of his mouth nervously.

“You were gifted with the darkness. Like the old shamans of legend. And you used it for terror and slaughter.” Bunker met his eyes, his face critical, lips nearly in a snarl.

“Yeah. I regret every moment of it too. Worse yet that dark path culminated in my greatest mistake. Simply, I was the one behind Stormwalker’s original loss of control. He had been captured securing Luna’s escape from our clutches. Back then he wasn’t as strong as he is now. So we tortured him...but not by hurting him, but by doing...awful things to a little mare I had discovered that he was engaged to. I forced him to watch.”

“What? That’s awful!” Bunker actually gasped. “How long ago was this?”

Zeccaran paused, trying to remember the exact amount of time it had been since that fateful night. After a moment it came to him.

“It will be thirteen years ago in about a month,” he answered before blowing a depressed raspberry, “I...I had almost forgotten how long it had been.” The reminder made Zeccaran feel very, very old, he then started to ponder his age, as that was somewhat blurry to him since Luna had reworked his mind those thirteen years ago.

“How old are you, zebra?” Bunker asked the question he was already attempting to answer.

“I think I’m...fifty? It’s my best guess.” The age felt about right, but he honestly had no idea, only that he was already in his late thirties when he had his purpose properly realigned.

“Damn. You don’t really look it,” his friend responded kindly.

For a moment only the sound of the wind and the turbines could be heard. Zeccaran nearly forgot why they had been speaking, especially with Bunker’s mood improved. However, it would seem that the stallion was merely reflecting on the material before continuing.

“What does this all have to do with you being idiot in land of sheeps?” he asked more curious now.

“Well...after those events I met the real Princess Luna. The one we just flew off from I mean.” He sighed before continuing, “She saved me from Stormwalker’s wrath, and showed me...showed me how wrong I had been. That what I had been doing, I had been doing to real ponies, not husks, nor zombies ruined by Nightmare Moon. But normal, innocent ponies...and what was worse...was that I enjoyed it.”

He blanched, sick at his own behavior and how he had been so gullible in the past. After he finished the brief bit of gagging. He shook his head and felt hot around his face and neck, his headache returning with merciless fury as he tried to pull himself together.

“I kinda fell apart after that. Heh. And you think Gusty is crazy? Nah. I had that contest won.” He sighed before looking up at Bunker. His friend nodded waiting for him to continue.

“Somehow, a part of me decided that I could not trust my own judgement. That I could not be the one behind my actions. Regardless of how dangerous that may be, I decided it was better than letting myself return to the way I was. Luna helped some, she toned down some of the more...unforgivable memories, flat out removed others. I owe her everything.” He waited a moment looking away from Bunker and towards the east.

“So when Luna tells me to do things, I listen. Regardless of the consequences or if I personally disagree with her decision. And I execute her orders with as much efficiency as possible, even if that sometimes means doing some pretty bad things.”

“Then Night Princess ordered you to kill young ewe?” Bunker interjected.

“No. She told me to do whatever Dame Gertrude instructed. And Dame Gertrude asked us to do the deed. So I did,” Zeccaran concluded.

Bunker shook his head. He gazed out over the wheel of the ship and gave a long yawn into the wind. They sat in peace again for a short time before Bunker looked over his shoulder to address him.

“How do you live like that, Zec?” he asked using his nickname. Anytime the larger stallion used actual names or informal terms it was because he was truly concerned about the pony he spoke to. Zeccaran did not make mention of his empathy but respected his friend’s compassion.

“Because I have to.” The zebra had never uttered a truer statement.

“Da.”

Zeccaran felt better now that the conversation was over, but the headache had not reduced in strength. He stood rubbing his temples for a moment until Bunker yawned again.

“”Well...now I use secrets to mine advantage.” He said letting go of the wheel entirely and looking and Zeccaran with a smirk.

“I need to sleep before navigating the big north mountains. And you...have to figure a way to pilot airship to do what you do, the best way possible.” he chuckled with a bit of vengeance.

Instantly, Zeccarn felt sweat bead up on his brow. “Uh...that’s not cool, friend,” he stammered.

“Bah. Just don’t touch anything but wheel. You read compass, da? Da. Now I go sleep. Keep ship steady, I’ll be back for mountain navigating.” With his intention decreed Bunker strode of with an urgency as the ship began to list from not having steady hooves on her wheel.

Immediately, although he had no idea what to do, Zeccaran dashed to the helm. He placed his hooves into the steadily spinning mechanism forcing it to stop. The slow list to the left also held steady. Gingerly, he began rotating the wheel to the right until the vessel’s deck flattened. He stood there panting, his mind racing as he gripped the wheel. In truth it was no longer ignorance that kept him from piloting the Midnight Onyx, it was nerves.

His senses sharpened as he looked up from the wheel and down the bow of the ship. Time seemed to slow as the slightest tug from the wind pushed on the mechanism in his hooves. Swallowing hard in an attempt to calm himself, Zeccaran relaxed his forehooves and tried to let the wheel balance on his extended limbs. The sweat on his brow began to slip down his face, some of it getting into his eyes, and he tensed up again. The ship remained steady throughout the few brutal moments even as Zeccaran struggled to become calm enough to fly the vessel.

Time drug on and eventually the zebra was not externally shaking as he held onto the helm. He looked around after the experience to noticing he could not tell how long he had been stuck in his fear-stupor. The sun seemingly had not moved but to him half the day had passed. He let out an angry grunt

“Damn that Bunker and his shittily good idea to blackmail me,” Zeccaran cursed to himself. His friend had always been more intelligent than he let on. As time passed however it was becoming more apparent that he knew exactly what was going on around him and how to manipulate the situation.

Bunker knew that Gusty was dangerously unstable, and most likely beyond help. He understood that the situation they were in necessitated an answer that he could not reach. The big lug always played his part, and played it well, Now he had an extra leg up to control situations more to his liking. The realization made Zeccaran suddenly feel more than a little compromised by his admission to his friend. Hopefully, Bunker would not tell Gusty some of the finer details about his history of harming children. She had declared Stormwalker a permanent enemy for causing only the most temporary of harm in the long run. He shuddered at the thought of what she would do to him if Bunker let slip the truth. Zeccaran just hoped the stallion would keep that in his back pocket for something more serious than emotion-driven revenge.

Casting his thoughts aside, Zeccaran sat in relative calm for a decent span of time before he caught a glance of something sparkling in the far off open plains in front of the ship. Squinting through the billowing wind he recognized the brilliant structure. The Crystal City of the ancient Crystal Empire and her grand palace’s silhouette twinkled in the midday sun. The city was still quite the distance away but with his current heading they would be passing over the citadel in about an hour. A powerful realization hit him: he had not been keeping tabs on time since he had been forced to take control of the Onyx. Worse yet, he had no way to hold the wheel steady while he went to check on the engines.

As panic began to sink in, Zeccaran looked around the deck of the helm for anything that could possibly be used to keep the wheel still. He had to act fast, if he took too long there was a distinct possibility that the engines’ fire would cool enough to have the airship literally fall out of the sky from lack of hot air. After staring at various sections of deckrail, he decided the wood was too thick to be lodged into the space between the wheel’s spokes. He looked down at the deck as he racked his brain trying to come up with a solution. However, looking down was the best source of inspiration for the moment. The boots he wore were cloth, and could easily be tied into the helm’s tower and control fixture. He hooves would be cold, but he would at least not send the Midnight Onyx plummeting to the ground.

Immediately, Zeccaran pulled his front pair of boots off of his hooves. He hastily tied their cloth lengths together before slipping the knotted pair through a wheel spoke. Tossing both of the hard bottoms around the fixture and pulling them taut against the wheel. He struggled to make a proper knot while keeping the ship at an even keel. After fretting and several re-tying attempts he eventually got the makeshift wheel holder strong enough that he felt safe to go check the engines. He bolted down to the room without looking back.

A half hour later covered in soot and sweating profusely from having narrowly kept the engines from dying, Zeccaran lugged himself up to the helm. The ship had not randomly shifted as he had been funneling new fuel into the dual fireboxes of the vessel’s powerplant. Before returning to the controls he hazarded a glance over the deckrail to see if they had drifted off course, somehow. Zeccaran was pleasantly surprised to see the vessel passing over to pass of the Crystal City. Smiling, he returned to the controls and went about merrily untying his boots and putting them back on, gingerly holding the Onyx steady as he did.

“UNIDENTIFIED VESSEL. THIS IS RESTRICTED AIRSPACE, DIVERT COURSE OR BE SHOT DOWN!!” Boomed the sound of somepony’s magically amplified voice. Zeccaran’s cheery grin vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. He remained transfixed in abject horror as the words sank into his brain.

As soon as the reality hit him, Zeccaran spun the wheel like a mad stallion. The ship moaned from the sudden change in her propeller and sail orientation. Leaning with the list Zeccaran nervously waited as the Onyx began to turn steadily to the left. After a painful moment the vessel had turned enough to satisfy him and he realigned her controls.

“UNIDENTIFIED VESSEL. WE WILL BE SENDING A BOARDING PARTY TO CONFIRM YOUR STATUS. STANDBY.” The voice echoed unnaturally again. Zeccaran released a tepid sigh, the Crystal Guards were at least not going to blow him out of the sky. However, he was not terribly interested in having them interrogate him while he was trying to fly. How is Bunker still sleeping? He grumbled internally looking around for the boarders.

A flying chariot pulled up alongside the helm escorted by a small squad of pegasi. The three unicorn of the occupants hopped over the deckrail and stood examining the empty helm before their center most member raised a hoof to point at Zeccaran. Meanwhile the pegasi landed on the deck surrounding him where he stood at the wheel.

“Helmspony! What exactly is an Eyrie-class battleship doing over my city?” barked the commander.

“Uh…” he managed before the soldier continued.

“And where is the rest of the crew? What sort of charade is this?” This time Zeccaran recognized his voice as the stallion who had been hailing them before. However, he still did not have any response convincing enough for the fellow, nonetheless he tried anyway.

“Well...uh the only other crew member is below decks...he had been sleeping but…” He let his voice trail off. The soldier nodded in surprise silently realizing his screaming had likely woken the slumbering stallion below. He was likely also confused by the skeleton crew of two on such a large vessel. Zeccaran had no idea if the fellow knew anything about the Baylands or he and Bunker’s mission. However, before he could explain the stallion cut him off.

“You’re wearing an envirosuit. Are you special forces?” he asked tentatively over the wind.

“I guess you could call us that. I certainly don’t have any verification if that’s what you are after.” Zeccaran responded carefully. He did not know how to properly address officers and he definitely knew this mission was not a sanctioned military endeavor.

“Who would send you out without verification?” He paused before a frown came over his face, “Don’t answer that.” The commander leaned over to one of the other unicorns making his purple finished armor glint in the sun. He held a hoof over his mouth as he whispered something to his comrade.

“I don’t see why I shouldn’t.” Zeccaran spoke up. The officer stopped whispering and gave him a scrutinizing look.

“Princess Luna sent us to fetch, Lord Stormwalker from the Frozen North.” he explained to the unasked question. The stallion raised a hoof to stop him from continuing.

“Lord Stormwalker is not in Equestria?” he asked sounding rather flustered at the statement. “Well, why is it important to Princess Luna that you find him?”

“The Princess wants him to help her find Gusty Twilight. You know that most recently inducted royal? She’s gone missing.” Zeccaran answered him.

“Well I know about her missing. It’s actually why we caught your ship. Our pegasus scouts saw it coming. Not the thing we were looking for of course, but with that international debacle involving the Griffons you will have to forgive my caution.” The commander removed his helmet as he finished speaking.

He was a handsome fellow with white fur and a two-tone blue mane. Zeccaran was certain he had seen him before, but could not fathom his name. Not a moment later the heavy clopping of hooves on wood broke the momentary silence. Everypony present turn to look at a Bunker who had just finished climbing the stairs to the helm. He stood staring back in one part confusion and another part awe, looking between the soldiers. The moment passed and a bit of a gasp escaped the commander.

“Hey! I recognize him! He’s the missing alicorn’s husband! At ease boys, these guys are legit.” A visible tension released from the other ponies arranged around Zeccaran.

“So this is the Midnight Onyx. It’s a nice ship, you should bring her up here sometime so I can train the Crystal Guard on airship operation.” The commander said pleasantly.

“Sure. If I ever get away from doing the Princess’s bidding, I’ll get her up here to the Crystal City.” Zeccaran answered with the least liable position possible.

“Fair enough,” the stallion nodded with a warm smile, “Well, now that that is settled, we’ll leave you to your business. Sorry to divert your course.” With that he and his two unicorns jumped back into the air chariot and the pegasi left the deck.

“Hey!” He yelled over the wind and distance pulling Zeccaran out of his surprised stupor.

“Yeah?” he screamed back to the stallion.

“When you find Gee Ayy, tell him: Shining has his twenty bits. He’ll know what it means.” The chariot pulled away in the next instant and the only two left were Zeccaran and Bunker. They stared at each other blankly unable to comprehend who had just accosted them or why they left so quickly.

“Uh...Da.” Bunker broke first trotting over to Zeccaran so he did not have to strain his voice as much. “What...what uh..just happen?”

“I think we just got boarded by the Equestrian Military based in the Crystal Empire...but then they left...their commander said he recognized you.” Zeccaran shrugged causing him to accidently move the wheel some now that he relax. He quickly adjusted for the bump he had given them, and elected to set the ship on a more northerly path again.

“You mean she not he, da? Look like mare anyway.” Bunker snorted, laughing at his own hubris. Zeccaran could not help be smile as well.

“You wanna take over, since you are up?” he asked his friend tentatively. Zeccaran had caught the other stallion’s questioning look with the way he handled the turn.

“As you wish.” Bunker slipped his hooves onto the controls just as soon as Zeccaran released them. Free from the stress of piloting he stepped back a few paces and collapsed on the helm’s deck with a thump. He sat there for a moment closing his eyes as he tried to relax. Truthfully, it proved futile, but Zeccaran managed to trick himself into feeling good enough to speak again. Somewhere inside of him he remarked to his mind that that was probably not very healthy.

“How long is it going to take us to reach the Crystal Mountains?” He stood as he spoke. He took the few paces necessary to get closer to Bunker.

“Eh...I give it a few hours, should be just before sunset,” Bunker answered squinting ahead of them and then up at the sun.

“And what about getting to the other side?” Zeccaran questioned some more.

“It will take all night. Have to slow down. Don’t want to hit mountains, da?” his companion smiled confidently.

“Alright one last question: How did you have this all planned out?”

Once asked, the air fell silent between them. Bunker grew a pondering look as Zeccaran stood there stumped as to what he could be mulling over. The zebra had not been considering the crossing of the grand mountains until now. He knew it was supposed to happen but had just let the issue slide, waiting until this moment when it was pertinent.

“When learning how to read Equestrian, my teacher had me read maps. To learn places, names, you know, pony stuff.” Bunker chuckled starting his answer. “Some of maps showed hills and valleys. I am no expert, but I know there are three main passes through Crystal Mountains. One to th’ west by Yakyakistan and two north of Crystal City. We find one, and we follow it.”

Zeccaran bowed his head in surprise, nodding approvingly. “I guess you have this all together care if I go double check the map I have in my cabin, make sure we are going where we are supposed to?”

“Da! Is good plan, map out of context is poor guide.” Bunker confirmed sagely.

Taking his leave Zeccaran plodded down to the cabins below the helm. He arrived to the door into his on ship residence rather painfully aware that he had spent nearly no time in the cabin even while on the Onyx. Stepping into the room he began to dig around the tossed about parchments and books that the previous owner had kept. He knew the map was in here, he had found it after having fixed up the vessel back in the Baylands. Finally, after a bit of more careful searching he located the rolled parchment.

Strolling over to the four-poster bed he untied the maps twine binders and let it unfurl across the surface. However, he was forced to find some weights, mostly just old books to hold the pesky paper flat so he could read it without laying on top of it. He quickly located the Crystal Mountains as the map was curiously only a map of Equestria. The observation was merely another piece of evidence suggesting the Griffons had indeed been planning some form of an attack.

Searching the mountains for one of the two mountain passes Bunker had mentioned Zeccaran found his quarry. The pass was called “Ice Giant Trail” and was marked with various skull and crossbones to indicate danger. He did not pay much mind as the airship rather perfectly avoided any ground related hazards such as the frozen monsters. Further, the path was the most direct route through the Middle Crystal Range and, judging by its location, the closest to their current location just north of the Crystal City. All they had to do was fly into the grand valley and follow its winding path past Mount Everhoof and reach the other side. Simple enough, but Zeccaran knew better than to think this was going to be easy. Even with the Onyx, there was no telling if Windegos or other unknown beasts would attack.

He let loose a long sigh. There were many things he still needed to do just so they could make it through the mountains and that came before any wild beasts. Zeccaran stood silently and exited his cabin setting his mind to the task at hoof. It was going to be a long night.

Next Chapter: Act 2: Chapter 3 - The Frozen North Estimated time remaining: 13 Hours, 42 Minutes