A pair of pegasi beat their wings hard, holding the quarter of the trunk segment steady as a pair of earth pony on a scaffold took turns hammering it’s pointed end further and further into the ground with heavy thunks.

Everypony was watching the big wooden hammers slamming into it again and again until it got level with the ones next to it for a pair of unicorns to bind it into place.

“And we’re done!” Moonglow exclaimed, raising one hoof into the air.

There was a general cheer going through the work part and I grinned, holding my hoof up for the pegasus next to me.

Dee Dee, as she wanted to be called as she claimed not to like her actual name, grinned back and tapped her own hoof against mine. She was a dark yellow pegasus and she had her black and gray mane pulled back in a ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. She was wearing a shirt with a bunch of pockets which almost felt like something I should look into for myself.

I miss having pockets sometimes. I should get something with pockets!

She had been the spotter for my spells all day today as well as yesterday.

Letting my breath out, I sank down to sit on the ground, reaching up to touch my horn again before quickly pulling it away.

Ow.

Two days of casting a heavy cutting spell and my horn just ached constantly now, not just in time with my heartbeat as this morning.

“You okay?” she asked with a small frown, shifting her wings.

“Is my horn glowing?” I asked in turn, “Because it feels like it should be glowing. And possibly smoking”

Dee Dee grinned, “Well, you managed to keep casting for longer than any of the unicorns, so I’d say you earned yourself some rest,” she said and nodded towards where the fires had been started to get set up again.

The sky was already starting to go dark above, we had been at it all day.

“You know what?” I asked her, “That sounds like a great idea.”

XXXXXXXXXX

The fires crackled in the darkness and somepony had found a guitar somewhere and were playing by one of the other fires.

There was a bit of a feeling of celebration in the air. The barricades were set up around the entire camp.

It had been a long day of hard work but we got it all done. The guards were still patrolling, but with the walls up everypony could relax slightly.

I glanced to the side and then quickly returned my attention to my current journal entry with today's details. Midnight was giving Tempest another magic lesson in the light from the fireplace and the light from Midnight's horn.

They were laying awfully close to each other, obviously to make it possible for Tempest to see what Midnight was pointing out in the book.

Obviously the only reason.

Damn Cadance, you scary.

I better stay on her good side because seriously, that was almost Chrysalis level of manipulation.

Her danger level in my mind was now about level with Luna and below Sunshine only because I was pretty sure Celestia was just as sneaky when she wanted to be and could set things on fire with her mind.

Still, she seemed to use her powers for… good? Goodish at least.

Midnight seemed happier at least and Tempest seemed happier so I wasn’t about to complain as long as she didn’t try to set me up with anypony else.

Sighing, I put my pen down and touched the base of my horn again. The throbbing pain had gone down to a dull ache by now but it’d likely be a couple of days before it was back to normal again.

Luckily using something as simple as telekinesis didn’t seem to bother it overly much, at least it didn’t hurt more than usual, but I didn’t dare try any other spells at the moment.

So glad that I didn’t need to do that again tomorrow.

Stretching my wings for a moment I rolled my neck before I yawned and closed the book, putting my pen and ink away in my satchel. Well, at least getting some sleep tonight won’t be a problem, achy horn or not. I’m exhausted.

Finish my tea and then sleep I think, I may sneak over to see if Sunset was asleep. I was fully aware that I had decided to not do this because it wasn’t fair to everypony else in the expedition, but after today, I needed some Sunny time I think.

Besides, I should likely report back what had happened. They couldn’t do anything about it really, but I knew that if I didn’t at least let Luna and Sunset know about it, I’d be in serious trouble when I got back home again.

And I wanted to see them both so badly right now.

Reaching for my tea, I then paused and looked down at my cup.

The dark surface suddenly rippled from the edges and in.

I frowned at it.

That’s odd.

Then it happened again and my eyes went wide as something clicked in my tired mind, “Alarm!” I yelled and surged onto my hooves as my wings raised high, “All guards to their sta-”

An earsplitting roar filled the air followed by a crashing and snapping sound as something absolutely massive just completely ignored the barricade we had spent so much time to build and charged into the camp.