“That is a lot of dead vegetation and a lot of lights,” Nor said to Thunder as they glided into their final decent. “Something is up.”

They touched down in the forest and began to pick their way through it towards the lights. They fanned out to avoid getting caught together.

“This is interesting,” Nor said. “These trees are not dead, but they are not exactly alive either. Stunted. Probably due to the radiation we are experiencing.”

“That keeps getting higher,” Thunder stated. “But I am almost to the clearing.”

“Me too.”

Thunder did his best to hide behind a tree and look out. Shacks were hobbled together, often having open walls and going up several stories. They were making good use of the terrain to build them. The whole place was centered around a pit. Inside was a glowing pool of green liquid. The same glowing liquid was suspended in jars and bottles to bring light to other places. Fires dotted the area where food was being cooked or ponies were enjoying the warmth.”

The ponies were ratty, wearing green patch worked rags and missing chunks of their coats and manes. Many of them carried a rifle or some sort of dish slung around their necks The radiation was taking a tole on their bodies. But they were happy and didn’t notice their predicament. There were foals happily playing like they would above the clouds. The only difference was that they were Unicorns and Earth Ponies, not Pegasi.

Thunder was wondering how to best approach them to find out more. That line of thought ended as he saw several heavily armed and armored ponies escorting Nor into the town and over to the largest building they had.

The building was easily five stories tall and had a high vaulted ceiling. There was a porch off the third floor. The only visible entrance was the first floor’s double doors.

“Nice job,” Thunder said.

Nor didn’t respond.

A Unicorn mare, or what Thunder thought was a mare, stepped out onto the balcony.

“Grand Zealot Gauntlet, what have you brought before me.”

“High Confessor Starry Dream, I bring before you an outsider. Though he bears weapons and armor, he said he comes only to see and learn.”

“A Ranger of Steel comes only to kill. You know that.”

“I am no Steel Ranger!” Nor called out. “I am not from the wasteland and have traveled far. My name is Nor. Short for Nor’easter. We have lost many of our group on the way. The hooves of the Steel Rangers have killed some of us. I would take off my armor, to show peace, but I would not survive long here.”

“You come from a forsaken land?” The High Confessor said.

“Yes,” Nor replied. “If you mean one that is without the Balefire Radiation, then yes. We know of it, and fear it.”

“You should not fear her blessing. Her love for us. It is a gift. Too many shun it. Many kill our prophets on sight. They do not want to hear her words. The truth.”

Nor smiled under his helmet. “How is it that you can stand here and not be bent by her power and might?”

“She has blessed us so that we can spread her glory. These other ponies see it and hate it. Her truth is the opposite of what they want. We are the Children of Balefire.”

The High Confessor smiled at Nor. “Tell me, are you alone?”

“No, Ma’am. I am not here alone. My companion is wary. We have been met with only hostility in this land. He is more cautious, I am inquisitive.”

“You suck,” Thunder said over their coms.

Thunder calmly stepped out and walked into the open. Plenty of weapons were pointed at him as he walked over to Nor.

“We are all here,” Nor said.

“Tell me, do you believe in Balefire?” The High Confessor asked Thunder.

“Not like you do,” Thunder stated. “Call me close minded if you must, but no. I see no beauty. I see no higher power. Just death and destruction. I see stupid ponies worshiping something they do not know.”

Rifles were angrily brought to bare on them. The High Confessor was able to halt their use.

“He is open about what he see,” She told them. “Honesty is a good quality. Bullets and Balefire weapons are not the answer to this situation. He has not shown hostility to us. But I trust he can see that it is unwise to try and use force.”

Thunder just nodded.

“May we speak face to face?” Nor asked. “At least you and I? I believe that I have enough medication to help me survive full exposure for a few days.”

“Come, enter the cathedral,” The High Confessor said. She left the balcony and Nor walked up to the door. Thunder hadn’t moved.

“I think I will stay here,” Thunder said.

“Your choice,” Nor replied.

Before entering, Nor took his helmet off and downed medication to protect him. This was going to be an interesting ride.

Inside had rows and rows of benches facing the front where a raised platform was. There were glass orbs with the glowing liquid lighting the area. The ceiling was vaulted, nothing obstructed it as it went all the way up. The main ceiling started in from the wall, far enough in that Nor was pretty sure a hallway was closed off which wrapped around to the outside balcony.

“Your face is friendly,” The High Confessor greeted him.

“Forgive my friend,” Nor smiled. “We have been through a lot. In our group, it is his job to handle weapons and explosives. A protector. That is what he knows. I am a scientist. I like to ask questions and learn.”

“Then come to the back where we can sit and talk.”

She led Nor to a door off to the side near the front. It led them back behind the pulpit where there was a very nice room.

“My husband, Father Silver Slate. He tends the little ones.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Nor nodded.

“Please, take a seat,” The High Confessor smiled.

Nor looked at his power armor. He could see why Shadow wanted a pistol. Nor decided to go for it.

“One moment,” He said pulling off the suit’s covers. Then he was able to slip out.

“Are those, wings?” Father Silver Slate whispered.

“Yes,” Nor said standing proudly. “I am a Pegasus. That information has gotten us killed and hunted.”

Nor sat down. The chair was much more comfortable than he expected. It’s cushions were not worn out, despite the worn fabric.

“We have never seen a Pegasus up close,” Father Silver Slate said. “They have flow overhead once. Close enough to scare the Zealots into opening fire.”

“Did they hit any of them?” Nor asked.

“Maybe,” Father Silver Slate said. “We don’t know. You would have to ask them. Did you have friends who were shot near here?”

“Your guns are different,” Nor stated. “Some of them don’t fire bullets, do they?”

“No, they do not,” The High Confessor stated. “The Grand Zealot can tell you how they work, but they spread her message better than words, directly speaking to the soul.”

“Interesting,” Nor replied as he settled into the chair more. “Our maps call this place the Hollow Shades. What do you call this?”

“It was given the name The Veil by our founder, Soothsayer. It is where Balefire finally found us a home.”

“Tell me the story of Balefire.”

“It is a tragic tale. Long ago, the Unicorns learned to control the sun and moon, and the Pegasi the weather, and the Earth Ponies the ground. In those days, she was free. She could speak to anypony she wanted to and played with many. They loved her embrace.”

“Then, the ones they call goddesses, Celestia and Luna, took control over the land. Celestia seized the sun and bent it to do her bidding. Likewise, Luna seized the moon. Together they bent the whole land to their will. Freezing it into what they thought was perfect and how it should be. An artificial kingdom.”

“Some rose up and they shut them down. Discord tried but they turned him to stone. Lord Tirek had his lands taken from him and locked away for life. King Sombra fought to have the way things were returned, for they were destroying his subjects. In a final act of kindness, he used all his magic to seal them away until Celestia and Luna were destroyed.”

“Celestia was power hungry and pushed Luna out of the picture, banishing her to the moon. She didn’t expect the toll to be so great. When the spell’s power was up, she begged with her sister to rule together again.”

“The Zebras knew who Balefire was. They had always kept a strong connection with her through their arts. When they discovered it was Celestia and Luna, who were masquerading as princesses and protectors, destroying her, they went to war.”

“During the war, they were able to push against the rulers and let more of her free. Together, they developed a way to end their reign and spread her to all corners of Equestria. To make things right. They used their magic to make it happen.”

“Now we have a world where she is freer to play with all. Some of us receive her blessing. Others fight against her and hurt themselves. They take their medications to ‘heal’ themselves but are really shunning her. Those called ghouls are forsaken.”

“Some forsaken have been given a chance to redeem themselves by being given what we call The Glow. They can be a light to all, spreading her light and love, but if they chose to abandon that quest, they are doomed to become feral ghouls.”

“So,” Nor said trying to figure out how to say it right. “Those who take the medications are only hurting themselves because they are not embracing her? She is the very essence of life and death?”

The High Confessor’s eyes lit up. “Yes! And when we die, we return to her full embrace. The very light that is in this room speaks out about her majesty with her glow.”

“And that explains the central pool of glowing liquid,” Nor replied. “How was that made? I don’t see evidence of a strike near here.”

“When we found this safe haven, we cleaned out all the old, princess stuff. A well resided there. It was dug out so that the area would serve as a much larger water source and be beautiful. The Soothsayer, used her magic to seed the well with the Glow. An everlasting reminder for us to gaze upon.”

“Soothsayer?” Nor asked.

“Yes,” Father Silver Slate said. “I teach her story all the time to the little ones. When the spells came, and all of Equestria was screaming in agony, She heard the whisper on the winds that were howling. She was the first to hear her speak.”

“It spoke about Equestria and explained that it was being forced to be released from it’s unholy stasis that the Princesses had it in. Soothsayer was a unicorn, skilled in magic, but forgotten. She was blind. So she never saw the tainted sun, or the blasphemous moon, the Princesses controlled. She was free from their control.”

“She was young, but her family was gone. Her home no longer existed. She braved the newly emerging land, guided by the call of her. It was out there that she found her and was given the Glow. It was not long after that she began to preach.”

“Others had noticed they were not being so afflicted as the others. They flocked to her words. She showed them what their souls knew. No city would have them. They were driven far and wide. After years of being forced to live in exile, they found here.”

“The work was hard, but rewarding. We are in the first building that was constructed, the Harmony Cathedral. We have grown since then. Many of the others have been torn down over time and the area expanded.”

“The last part of her story is the greatest of all. With this place built and the well expanded, she was called to give up the Glow and come home. She walked out into the water and submerged herself. Gone, forever to us. But forever with us. The Glow was passed on to the water, and to all who drink it.”

“Amazing,” Nor replied. “It is a marvelous story. She did a lot for you. So, if you drink of the water, you receive the blessing?”

“If only it were so,” The High Confessor sighed. “I wish, but no. And not all of us here have the blessing. Some must cleanse themselves. They believe and are accepted because of it. Equestria might have been struck a hard blow, but it still holds on. The Princesses’ magic was powerful. That is why the land is torn and tattered. They won’t allow things to return to how they should be. The Princesses want it to stay their artificial kingdom.”

“You drink from the water?” Nor asked.

“No, it is stronger than our impure bodies can handle,” The High Confessor stated. “We can drink it in small amounts for a ritual or special occasions. Fillies and Colts are free to choose their lives. Stay or go. They learn the truth, but are not forced to live it. That would be cruel. They often drink from the water to declare their faith. An internal baptism. Some see visions when they drink.”

“Visions,” Nor said raising an eyebrow.

“You do not believe us?” Father Silver Slate said annoyed.

“The opposite,” Nor smiled. “Intrigued. A blind Unicorn who has been given a great, magical gift, heads into the water to disappear and spread that gift. Magic abounds and where I am from, we know very little. Have either of you seen visions?”

“I am the High Confessor for a reason. I was seen by my predecessor and I saw for myself. I speak for our family and tell them the words from Balefire herself. I intercede on their behalf, helping them to be seen clearly through the magic that still binds this land. It can be like looking at water that has had a few pebbles dropped in it. The picture is there, but wafts and waves with the distortion.”

“Would it be sacrilegious if I were to take a drink?” Nor asked.

“Not just for a passing fancy,” Father Silver Slate said.

“You may,” High Confessor Starry Dream said. “You listen well and if you really wish to experience Balefire herself, you may.”

Father Silver Slate obviously thought it was not a good idea. That it was a passing fancy. Nor wanted to experience it. If it was magic, he wanted to know. He didn’t fear it.

Nor stood up. “Show me how, High Confessor.”

The High Confessor smiled as she got up and headed over the wall that divided the living quarters from the sanctuary. There was a low table there. Three orbs sat on it. One was the color of the moon, another the same glowing green with swirls of yellow, and the last burgundy. The green one was twice the size of the others and in the center.

There was a shallow kylix drinking bowl on the right side, beside the burgundy orb. A chalice was on the other side. The High Confessor picked up the bowl. It was expertly crafted from clay. Three strings of yellow and three of green started at the center and spiraled out. There was only one reason for a bowl of that design.

“What are those orbs?” Nor asked.

“They have always been there,” The High Confessor stated. “The Soothsayer set them there. That is all I know. What importance they hold will be revealed when the time is right.

Thunder was still outside, but relaxed. He was talking with the Grand Zealot.

“You are out of your armor,” Thunder said alarmed.

“Yes. I am fine. Trust me.”

“Okay,” Thunder nodded.

“I mean it,” Nor said getting into his personal space. “Trust me. Do you trust me?”

“What are you thinking?” Thunder asked concerned.

“Do you trust me?” Nor pressed.

Thunder took a deep breath in. “Yes.”

“Good,” Nor smiled. “Find out if they hit any Pegasi when they flew over. I think Shadow mentioned something about it and a scout mission. If they did, its not a problem. Find out anything you can. We can find more friends here. And even if they seem odd, we need to. They might have a better grip on what is going on around here than we realize.”

“What are you going to do,” Thunder said again. “I know that look. What are you playing with in your head?”

“Trust me,” Nor said again.

Nor walked over to the High Confessor and the pool.

“CHILDREN! COME!” The High Confessor called. “I stand before you with one called Nor. A Pegasus. He came here with his friend. They are here to learn about Equestria, and he wants to know Balefire herself!”

The ponies cheered as they gathered around. They stood on porches or rooftops, whatever they needed to see. Little ones stood on parent’s backs.

The High Confessor dipped the kylix into the water. It was deceptive in how much it held. Despite being so wide, it held only a small cup full of water. The High Confessor carefully passed it off to Nor.

“Nor!” Thunder called, breaking the reverent silence. “I just have to ask, are you sure this is smart?”

“I said trust me,” Nor replied. “You don’t usually say that unless there is risk. I am not sure it is smart. But what has actually been smart when it comes to here. Perhaps this holds answers. I do this of my own accord. I believe this holds answers to our questions.”

Nor slipped the bowl to his lips and carefully drank every drop. He took a deep breath in and stumbled. The High Confessor’s magic caught the kylix and a Zealot caught Nor. They had done this before.

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