Selene managed to keep her utter shock and awe hidden behind a mask she’d been honing for an innumerable amount of time. A metaphorical mask, of course, but perhaps she should’ve worn such a garment had she anticipated this happening.

It took all her willpower not to become lost in…Maker knows what this place was.

The skies were red, and the castle’s aesthetics looked as if a battle-hardened clan of minotaurs had occupied it. Then again, Radahn’s alien and titanic presence looked like the perfect blend of Sun Wukong’s fellow primates and the largest of bulls from Minos, but far more naked in comparison despite the Savanna lion-motif golden armor he wore.

But what stole Selene’s interest as she looked skyward again—Radahn staring at her and seemingly pondering on his own observations, she reasoned—was the golden tree to the alicorn’s right, peering over the castle walls and reaching for the sky.

The celestial equine had only been here for just shy of a minute and had already submitted to the fact that this was by far the most unique conception she’d ever witnessed within the Dream Realm.

Radahn’s approaching steps halt Selene’s thoughts and demand her gaze. Due to his height, the titanic alien casually sets down his helmet alongside her and rests his folded arms atop the platform, shaking it in the process, with clear signs of curiosity on his face.

By the sun and moon…she could literally inhabit his helmet…

“Fabrication of the Dream Realm, you say?” The titan asked, which, up close like this, was a fitting comparison Selene had long since made from the very moment she saw him rise to his full stature.

Radahn hummed in thought before flashing a pleasant smile, “Now you’ve piqued my interest, Selene. And you’re a fellow demigod, to boot. Splendid!” He offers a motivational gesture, despite Selene’s stunted reaction to the implications, “But about this Dream Realm business, please, do go on. Obviously, we both have questions for one another, so let’s get right to it. However…”

‘A fellow demigod? Surely he couldn’t be implying…’

Saving that inquiry for later, Selene waited patiently in the following silence as the titan was lost in thoughts, fingers resting beneath his chin.

“Hmmm… I’m getting a distinct impression that you’re being the invasive one here. So, to me goes the courtesy of the first question!” Radahn finishes and throws his head back for boisterous laughter.

The edges of the alicorn’s muzzle curl upward, “Truly. Thou art ev’ry bit liketh what Hangaku did describe thee to beest. Although…” She trails off, prompting a raised crimson brow from the titan.

“All pleasant, I trust?”

“Oh, verily. Though Hangaku might’ve added the word ‘moron’ to her disclosure.”

Radahn playfully rests a hand over his heart and chest plate, “She wounds me.”

Selene suppresses a hearty chuckle behind a transparent rainbow wing. She then takes a few steps closer to the platform-propped behemoth and lowers herself onto her stomach, shuffling in place for comfort despite the hardwood surface.

“Very well, Radahn,” she began after raising her eyes to meet his own. “Thou art right. Given our current circumstances, I can very well be considered the ‘invasive one.’ Thee seeth, there art those in the world, demigods all, who maintaineth the harmonious balance of the celestial bodies—the sun and the moon.

I am among the moon-bearers. With yond station cometh certain perks and abilities. Case in point: Dream Walking.”

“Dream Walking…” Radahn immediately deciphers the alias’s forwardness. “You mean to say that you can enter my dreams? Truly?”

“To putteth ‘t simply, aye, thus the invasive nature of mine own pow’rs, though tis a processeth yond w’rds high-lone couldst nev’r giveth due justice.” She lowers her head, “I am sorry for-”

“Bwahahaha!” The titan explodes in joy, gaining the alicorn’s wide-eyed attention. “I admit that this is my first time experiencing this power, but it’s not something that’s entirely alien to me.” He raises a glove-clodded index finger, “There are several beings throughout the Lands Between who share this prowess: the Tarnished, Deathbed Companions, and even members of the Carian Family,” he shrugs, “myself excluded, of course. And that’s only those who come to mind for me. I’m fairly certain there are others, too.”

Selene could only stare at the giant for what felt like a millennium. However, a severe expression formed as an authoritative aura radiates off her.

“Heed mine own warning well, Radahn: those daws thee mention’d who is’t dareth to meddleth with pow’rs beyond their und’rstanding shalt visage dire consequences shouldst they persist. ”

Displeasure immediately presents itself on the titan, causing Radahn to lift his torso off the platform and take decisive steps backward, growling while crossing his firm arms.

“One of those daws—fools, you mentioned—happens to be my family.” Yellow-orange pupils within a black sclera narrow in anger. “Don’t ever insinuate to cause any of them harm in my presence again.”

They stared at one another unyieldingly in tense-filled silence, like two combatants on this mentally-forged battlefield.

‘Nay, Selene…’ The alicorn internally chastised herself, though she maintained her outward defiance. ‘Calm thyself… This is not the way…’ She takes a recuperative breath, followed by a submissive sigh escaping from soft lips as the alicorn rises up from the platform and performs a respectful bow with outstretched wings.

“F’rgive me f’r mine own rudeness. I… I wenteth too far.”

Radahn continued to glare at the mare, but as she lifted her neck to look up at him, the titan’s face softened as he spotted the faintest trace of watery eyes present on a facial canvas of regret, ears folded against their owner’s head.

He prided himself on being able to read his opponent based on their movements, where even the slightest gesture could speak volumes. And this was clearly a touchy subject for her, one he wouldn’t try to pry into.

The biped raises a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing it while laughing sheepishly. “We seem to have ventured too far off and got rather heated there. Shall we start over again? Oh! And, uh, apology accepted, ma’am.”

Selene giggles at his antics. “I thanketh thee, kind sir.”

Radahn’s lion-motif armor rattles as he approaches the platform again and rests his crossed arms on the elevation, his helmet still resting nearby as it reflects the duo’s exchange.

“Sooo… I believe it’s your turn to ask a question.”

“Yes… If I may beest blunt, what is the species of thine current form? Our mutual pegasus friend didst mention thee declaring something about not always being an earth pony?”

“That is correct. Hmm. Thinking back, I only ever told Philomena about me being human.”

“H-hoo-man? Wait… Thee spake with mine own Philomena?”

“That’s two questions, by the way,” he jests, earning a raised eyebrow from the mare. “Haha! Also, It’s pronounced ‘hew-man,’ but… Eh, close enough. As for your second question, yes, I sure did. Philomena is actually why I’m familiar with the three pony types, and you, Miss. Alicorn.”

“I see…”

“My turn—and I get two.” Radahn rubs his hands together and thinks of an appropriate inquiry—Selene internally compares it to an overexcited colt. “I’ve got it.” He emphasizes with a loud snap of his fingers. “First, you mentioned being a Demigod of Night and Day when you first appeared before me. Yet mere moments ago, you only considered yourself to be a moon-bearer. Shouldn’t that be sun and moon-bearer?”

Selene looks away somberly, “I’d…greatly appreciate it if thou’d ask something else. Please…”

“Ah… I understand. My condolences for your loss.”

Those words immediately draw the alicorn’s stunned attention. “H-how…did thee…?”

“After what you’ve told me, I figured there’d be a sun-bearer counterpart to your moon. Considering you’ve taken the role of both, well… Let’s just say I’m quite discerning. One has to be to survive within the Lands Between.

Even demigods like ourselves should be wary lest we have another ‘Night of Black Knives’ event. Can I assume this sun-bearer had passed during that fateful night, too?”

“I-I’m sorry, but… Night of Black Knives? Mineth broth’r, Solaris, didn’t perish on such a night. He died during the Shattering. Twas then yond he bestowed upon me his mantle.”

“Your broth- wait, what…? How can you not know of the Night of Black Knives but know full well of the Shattering? The Night of Black Knives served as the catalyst.”

“That simply can’t beest right!” Selene angrily protests, stomping a hoof. “It wast the war between the draconequi and the alicorns of Olympone yond triggered the Shatt’ring! Twas a literal conflict between chaos and order! What thee speaketh are poison’d lies!”

“Selene, I’m telling you the truth! How can we both be talking about the Shattering yet seem to have two different events of what led up to it?!”

“Except yours is about as fabricat’d as this constructeth of the Dream Realm and thine claimeth of being a demigod!”

“I don’t claim to be a demigod; I am one! Also, construct?! You’re standing in Castle Redmane within the province of Caelid—which is in the Lands Between!”

“I was BORN on Equus, the Lands Between, thee ign’rant colt! And I can bid thee for a Mak’r-damned fact yond there isn’t a single province called Caelid nor yond giant golden tree over there! Hay, I don’t even recognizeth this coastline!”

“That’s literally the Erdtree! If you don’t know that, then clearly someone’s been spending far too much time in Farum Azu-!”

Radahn’s words are abruptly cut off, the duo’s debate coming to a stop as the realm around them shakes violently. “What’s going on?” He asked, looking around in every direction.

“Someone is forcing thee to stir from thine slumber,” Selene answered. “It must be Hangaku. Curses. I lost far too much time initially trying to breach thine mind.”

The realm begins to magically sizzle away slowly like an alighted piece of parchment, closing in on the duo as the magical particles consume even the visage of the Erdtree.

“Radahn!” Selene beckoned in urgency, gaining his immediate attention. “We must speak in Istanbul! Followeth Hangaku; she shall bringeth thou to me! It is imperative that we…”

The alicorn’s words abruptly fade despite Radahn seeing her muzzle’s continued movements. “Selene? Selene?! I-I can’t can’t hear you!” He reasoned while turning his head and pointing at his right ear.

Despite her best efforts, it was easy to tell that the celestial equine was trying to convey more, but to no avail, as the realm claimed her moments after.

Radahn backed away and found himself within the plaza’s epicenter, its last remnants of brick, dirt, and grass being his only remaining foundation, like a small island dotting the vast canvas of the open sea.

The giant humanoid’s spec of land is removed from beneath him, resulting in him crying out as he falls into a seemingly endless void of purple, blue, and black.

The crimson-maned stallion’s eyes shoot wide open, and he lets out a loud gasp while lying on his back, witnessing the starry skies and the full moon above.

Despite the night canvas being completely different from what Radahn was familiar with, he sharply bolts up while remaining seated on the desert sand, breathing deeply and drawing the attention of a particular neighponese pegasus, who sat comfortably alongside a fire within a campsite erected amongst the ruins of the oasis.

“Welcome back to reality, big guy,” Hangaku greets, prompting the stallion to turn her way. “Feeling better now? That was a lot of power you used the other day.”

Radahn groans as he raises a hoof to his temple and attempts to nurture a migraine. “Hangaku…” His eyes go skyward again, “What…time is it…? And, the other day…?” He trails his eyes over to her, “How long was I out?”

“Woah, woah, not so fast there, B.G. The stimulant I injected you with-”

“You drugged me?!”

“Well, yes, technically. But it’s a natural stimulant. ”

“Oh, how thoughtful…”

“It’s nothing to worry about; you’ll be fine,” she assured while waving a dismissive forelimb. “Now get your titanic flank over here because I am not dragging you through the sand ever again. No way in Jigoku.”

Adhering to her request with a shake of his head, Radahn lifts himself up to his full stature and groggily makes his way over to the campsite. He noticed Galib’s heavily restrained and unconscious form along the way, Shirley’s head still wrapped in cloths but now with what looks like a vibrant and active red enchantment.

The human-turned-earth pony sets himself down on the adjacent side of the campfire, at which point Hangaku points a wing toward a flask and one of Radahn’s crafted baskets.

“Water’s right over there if you need it. As for breakfast, I salvaged some of the nuts and berries you harvested before, so knock yourself out.”

“Thanks for that,” he said with a nod, reaching over to grab the basket and dragging it closer.

“So, here's the thing,” the pegasus starts after allowing the stallion to gather himself—Radahn stuffing a hooffull of nuts and berries into his muzzle, “Sun Wukong should be raising the sun at any moment now. Or was it Ra's turn this week? Sköll's, maybe? Questions for later. The question I should be asking is what did you think about Selene? I hope you didn’t make me look like a fool; I put in a really good word for you.”

He shrugs while chewing his food, humming an ‘Mmm-mmm’ while tilting his hoof side to side for what Hangaku deciphered as a ‘so and so’ gesture.

“Huh… That’s…not exactly what I was expecting, but good enough. You know, Selene’s number one on me and Tzana’s ‘Mares We’d Love To Have A Threesome With’ list.”

The pegasus’ eyes roll up pleasantly as she bites her lower lip, earning a chuckle from Radahn before he swallows his food.

“Hah!” He mused. “Good luck with that one. She reminds me of several Carian Family members. Marika’s tits, she’s even got my brother’s temperament. Come to think of it, maybe even my mother’s…”

“...Who’s Marika?”

“Seriously? First, Selene has no knowledge of the Erdtree and Caelid, and now you with Queen Marika the Eternal.”

“Queen Marika? Wait, is she some kind of changeling?”

“What’s a changeling?”

“Ok—wait, wait, wait, wait,” Hangaku asserts, shaking her head and gesturing with her wings and hooves. “What exactly did you two talk about in the Dream Realm?” The pegasus inquired while the earth pony claimed the flask filled with water, popped open the cap and took a greedy drink.

“Well, it all started off rather pleasantly, I’d say. But then I…”

The sun begins to rise over the desert horizon during the course of Radahn’s revelation of what had transpired within the Dream Realm—which he still admittedly had no idea how it worked.

What breaks the desert’s peaceful silence soon after is a neighponese feminine voice that explodes and practically travels all across the sea of sand.

Thus ends Radahn's first arc on Magius. Now, let's head on over to kickstart Leonard's.