~Shae~

I don’t know where I am… No… No, wait. Of course I do. This infinite night sky, I’ve been here countless times. I live here. I am a Divine, after all. We all live here.

The Plains of Eternity never cease to fill me with a joy unlike any other. Like a blanket after a long summer’s day of frolicking among the mortal folk, this wonderful feeling washes over me as I gallop along the seemingly infinite stars. The world below need not concern me for the time being; it sleeps now, as do its denizens. Until I must raise the sun, my time is mine and mine alone.

I leap from one constellation to the next in a single bound. As I spread my wings, lights dance through my bronze mane, becoming one with my alabaster coat. I land upon a blue and red nebula, and turn my head skyward to look upon a distant galaxy. Turning, swirling forever among the void, I wonder what sorts of constellations it holds? Perhaps I can take a flight over there for a spell, and see what portraits I can make with its stars. I’m sure I would be back by morning.

Oh, but I know myself too well. Not long after arriving, I would end up distracting myself with my artwork, and my dearest sister would not be terribly amused if I were to return even slightly late. We are gods, after all. Our responsibilities take precedence over all other things, as we ourselves preside over all things. And besides, I would never forgive myself if I wasn’t there to bring the world alive.

Instead, I settle for a different sort of entertainment. I turn my horn to a collection of stars within the nebula, lifting them up to my level. I bend and shift them, I spin them all about until they bind together and take the form of another pony. Granted, they are featureless, bright as a star and do not speak, but by my will they move forward, bowing to me and offering their hoof.

I act as though I didn’t expect such a gesture. I take the pony’s hoof and bow to them in return. “Why yes, I would love to partake in a dance with you.”

And so we dance. It is slow at first, our legs moving gracefully, crossing each other, sometimes intersecting, yet never do we stumble. I turn my head and take a step away, sweeping my hoof through the nebula. Its colors splash against me, yet my coat remains untainted. I leap into the air and twirl over to my dancing partner, who reaches out to me. I take their hooves in mine and lead them into flight.

My foreleg wraps around their waist, the other held to its length by their hoof as we spin around in the air. The stars become a white blur around me up until the point where we stop and let go of each other. We descend onto a pathway made entirely of stars, our dance slowing once again. The bright pony gently takes my hoof and bestows upon it a polite kiss. Then, with a swish of my horn, they disappear.

“Thank you,” I say.

“Partaking in self-amusement, sister?” I hear a certain somepony speak from down the star path. Dearest Epona, why must you sound so condescending towards all I do? I see her in the distance, her chestnut wings spread as she leaps onto the path, landing in front of me. “I figured you would be down below, fraternizing with the mortals.”

“Nothing passes you by, does it?” I ask playfully. “Since when is socializing a sin?”

Epona smiles and sighs. “I never said it was, loved one. ‘Twas but a question. Although I must ask another…” She brushes her hoof against my own, rather smitten by the sight of my new bracelet. “Rubies and sapphires? Why do you wear such earthly items? It ill suits your celestial regalia.”

I glance at the radiant metallic vestments that decorate my body, and compare them to the bracelet’s humble steel and gemstones. “I know, I know, it’s not quite appropriate, but how can I say no when a strapping stallion offers me something of his own creation?” I chuckle as I recall his nervous laughter, and how much his foreleg shook as he slipped this bracelet onto my hoof. “Ah, Hephaestus…”

Epona’s interest in the bracelet is renewed. “A mere pony created that?”

“Don’t think much of it, sister. He heard of my arrival and saw fit to welcome me in his own special way.”

Epona raises her eyebrow at me. “Care to rephrase that, loved one?”

I chortle and step past my dear sister. “I just think it amusing to have an admirer go so much further than the usual prayer. So many voices can get lost to even my ears; a physical gift is far more memorable, wouldn’t you agree?”

“It is, but…” Epona’s horn comes alight. “I come to you tonight out of confusion. See, ponykind isn’t exactly what I would consider a race of creative types. At least, I’ve never intended them to be. And yet…” With a swing of her head, a collection of moving projections rise from the star path on either side of me and Epona. “I have cause for concern, and so should you.”

The first projection I look upon displays a herd of sleeping ponies in an open field. The moon sits high above them as they lie peacefully among each other. I’m particularly warmed by the sight of the children snuggled up close to their parents. At least, I assume those are their parents.

“Honestly, either I’m in a moment of daftness, or there’s nothing wrong with what I see here,” I say with a hearty chuckle.

“I won’t accuse you of the former. I simply ask that you look at the clouds.” Epona gestures to the sky of the projection, on which a few stray cirrus clouds drift along. “They should not be moving while my children sleep, nor should the wind be blowing. Not without your jurisdiction.”

Well, under normal circumstances. I don’t have it in my heart to tell my dear sister that this might become the new normal. She’ll either figure it out for herself in due time, or she’ll guilt me into answering. Epona can be very persuasive.

“How odd. I would suggest walking among your little ones. Ask if there’s anything strange they’ve taken notice of, moving clouds aside. Perhaps a rustle of grass, or a hint of unscheduled snow?” I turn on a single hoof and trot away with a proud smile. “I, myself, fancy a flight.”

The moment I turn my head, Epona has shifted positions. She appears in front of me, seeming just on the cusp of furious. “What did you do to my children, Fauste?”

“Fauste?”

I wake up, my eyes shooting open. Again, it makes no difference, but I don’t have to see to know that my invisibility spell worked. Whatever passed by earlier didn’t catch wind of me. Either I’m better at mimicking Eavesdrop’s specialty than I thought I was, or these… things… are not very intelligent. Judging by their nonsensical, primitive language, I’m more willing to assume the latter.

I come to realize that there are ways to appreciate the sunlight, despite being blind. This accursed cave’s pungent stench and suffocating moistness is taking its toll on my remaining senses. It’s all the same. I have nothing to indicate if I make any progress forward. And who’s to say forward is even the way out? What if it were to lead me straight to whatever’s lurking about here? What would they do to me?!

I stifle a shriek by slamming my hooves to my muzzle. It hurts. As I keep my mouth shut, I breathe, very slowly. I inhale for so long I fear I might pass out. After several minutes of it, my heartbeat slows ever so slightly. Not enough, but it’s a start.

I lean my head against the wall. I’ve only just woken up, and already I’m exhausted. Every second is filled with fear and dread of things I can’t see. Is this my life now? Even among the safety of the Imperial Legion in the Rainbow Palace, will I forever remain in fear?

I shoot to attention, my forehooves digging into the ground while my hind legs are kept to the ground by my terror. I hear growling. Snarling. Something doglike. Did a pack of wolves find their way in here? Perhaps a bear? Bears sleep in caves… Oh no, did I wake one up in a panic?

Now I hear steps. Hoofsteps. Somepony’s coming this way. I focus my magic once again, in the same way as before, and hope that I’m turning invisible. I don’t know what I can do to defend myself against something I can’t see. If I am caught… I think I’ll just have to hope I can scream loud enough to go berserk. But will they even allow me to?

The hoofsteps grow louder, as does my heartbeat. Closer and closer, inch by inch…

There’s nopony here, there’s nopony here, there’s nopony here, there’s nopony here, there’s nopony here, there’s nopony here leave me alone go away go away GET AWAY FROM ME!

Hooves wrap around my neck.

“NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!!” I scream, piercing even my own ears. “GET OFF! GET OFF! I’LL KILL YOU!!”

“Well, I hope not, lassie! Else we’d both have one less pretty thing to look at!”

I freeze up as the revelation slowly hits me. It’s not a monster. Never have I been so happy to hear that thick northern brogue. “ROSEMARY!” I scream, this time a different sort of hysterical. I melt, both physically and emotionally, bursting into tears as Rosemary scoops me into her embrace. “H-how did you… You were gone…”

“Ya think I could stay away?” Rosemary says. She sounds so brave. “I need you, in more ways than one. And I get a feelin’ that you need me right now. These caves ill suit you. Somethin’ scare ya silly?” She gently strokes my cheeks. After hours of nothing but hard rocks and dirt, her cracked hooves are the softest thing I know of. “Some beastie I need to get back at for ya?”

“No, I…” I rest my foreleg over hers.

“Blimey, Shae. What happened to your eyes?” she asks.

I sniffle. I never thought of how I would tell her. In this case, though… I must be honest. “I’m blind…” I say, my voice quivering. “I used the Elder Scroll to fix Caro… It did this to me in return.”

If I could see Rosemary, I’d imagine she’d be fuming. “Who made that Elder Scroll?! I’ll break their legs!” Indeed, she’s fuming.

“It’s nothing you can do anything about,” I reassure her. “It hurts, yes… But I…”

“Why you?! Why is it always you?!” She removes her foreleg from me. I hear it slam into the wall. “DAMMIT!”

“Rose, please!” I plead. “It’s nothing you can do anything about! I hate this as much as you do, hell, I’m terrified! But don’t let this be your fault!”

“It’s always my fault…” Rosemary sighs. “Any time I can’t be there to pull you out of danger, or say the right words to make you feel strong, that’s my fault.” I hear her take a sharp breath. “Well, if you can work through this, I’ll help you every step of the way, I suppose… You can still help me. But first, let’s get you out of here.”

“Of course I’ll help you… But do you know the way out?” I ask with a cautious smile. “And have you encountered Caro or Tohro?”

“When I heard you whimperin’, I had to go off course. Haven’t been able to locate them. But they’ll be fine. Our boys simply laugh at death. As for us, we should leave as soon as equinely possible.” I hear parchment rustling in her grip. “I got a bit of help from a friend in a high place, see. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t’ve been able to find you, or figure out that I can’t complete my mission on my own.”

“What is your mission?” I ask.

“I’ll tell you later, when I’m…” I hear her shudder. “W-when I’m ready. But I owe you everythin’ if you help me with it, so you’d best think of somethin’ good for me to do.”

“I will.” I nod excitedly. "Because, honestly, I think you owe me for all the times you’ve taken off unannounced.”

The parchment rustles again. “Ain’t I ever the tricky skeever? Still, I’ll make a point to let you know when…” she goes quiet.

“That’s not funny, Rose,” I remark.

She laughs out loud. “Sorry! I was just lookin’ for the quickest way to the surface… Aha! This route should take us fairly close to the villa.”

“The villa’s up north, isn’t it? That’s a while away from Everfree…”

“It’s what I need you for…” Rosemary says with a bit of reluctance. “I won’t put you in danger, especially as you are. I promise.”

“I trust in that.”

“All I need from you is to set a few things in order, supply some magical aid, that sort of thing. Caro and Tohro can do the rest. And if you’re truly concerned about Celina and Luna, we can have a courier send a message, Oh! Even better, I can hire a carriage to take you to Everfree faster than we’d ever get on hoof! The runnin’ boys at the villa don’t slow down for nothin’! I remember, back when I was about a hundred pounds lighter, they—”

“Rose?” I say, wanting to stop her before she hurts herself. “Please come here.” I wait for her to shift positions. I then pucker my lips and eagerly await the moment she kisses me. When our lips part, I say plainly, “Thank you.”

I don’t see the light, but I can feel it, no question about that. The difference is like night and day. As I step into the warmth that enraptures my body, I listen to the sounds of rain. Until now, I didn’t appreciate how many different sounds rain can make beyond hitting the ground. I hear it collide with the stone wall, descend along the cracks and seams, coalescing with other drops along the way, until it settles into the corner, becoming one with the earth.

Huh, was that all a single drop? And how do I know there’s a wall here?

“We’re walkin’ along a cliffside, lass,” says Rosemary. “Mind your hooves.” Rosemary takes my forelegs and lifts them, moving them to the left until I’m touching the wall. “There. Stay close, and follow my sound.”

I listen for her hooves, moving my hind legs every time I hear her take a step. “How narrow is the path?”

“Not as wide as you’d want, not as thin as you’d think. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to walk freely. In the meantime, I’ll keep talkin’ so you don’t lose me.”

I want her to keep talking regardless of how I am. “Okay… You’re good at this. Helping me along and all…”

“I raised my siblin’s practically by myself. I know a thing or two about helpin’ the helpless.” She lets out a small gasp. “Oh, not that you’re—”

“I know,” I interrupt, not wanting her to embarrass herself. “So, tell me about your siblings. Nutmeg and Cinnamon, are they? I’ve been eager to meet them. Are they even half as brave as you are?”

“Half as brave, half as stupid. Little sweethearts, the both of them. You’ll see for yourself when you meet them. You know what their favorite thing to do is? Go on, guess.”

"Um..." I pretend to think for a moment. "Study?"

"There aren't any schoolhouses at the villa. We’re baron warriors with years worth of books, we never needed such a thing. Try again, this is fun."

My imagination takes hold. I see her, albeit dressed more properly in fine robes, with two little ponies running around, playing soldier while she watches happily; not a boisterous, cocky sort of happy, but a warm, glowing sort of happy. Such a vivid fantasy, it’s as though I can reach out and touch it.

I hazard another guess. “Hm… Do they listen to their sister and do everything she says?"

Rosemary sighs and chuckles. "Cinnamon usually does, but I should be so lucky with Nutmeg."

"There's always a feisty one. But sounds like he learned from the best."

"Nutmeg's the filly, silly,” Rosemary quips.

"Oh!" I let out a giggle. "Well, that just makes it all the more appropriate."

"There's a smile. Wish you could see how beautiful you look right now."

My smile fades at that. I know she didn't mean it, but it still hurt.

"Oh, I'm so sorry..." Her hoof graces my cheek, like always when she wants to comfort me.

"No no... it's alright. I'll just have to learn to live with it... I believe you."

My mind sees myself smiling widely, almost as if it'll break out of the edges of my face. Seeing myself wrapped in Rosemary's strong embrace makes me feel so flustered.

I make that vision a reality. I remove my forelegs from the wall and wrap them around Rosemary, and she returns the favor several times over. Her grip is mighty, like a titan gripping a tadpole. “If it makes you feel better,” she says, “just pretend I’m your knight in shinin’ armor. It’s always been a bit of a fairy dream of mine. Closest I ever got was stoppin’ a few two-bit crooks and sleepin’ in a cellar, but I always have the dream.”

“You’ll get there someday. I can imagine you in a suit of armor. You already have the figure for a soldier’s uniform.”

“Let’s not get carried away, love…”

I smirk and put on the voice of a damsel in distress. “You’ll protect me, won’t you? Oh, my brave knight!”

I laugh as her hoof scratches the peak of my mane affectionately. If anypony else were doing it, I'd find it uncomfortable. Not with Rosemary, though. Not for a moment. "Knight of the noogies, at your service, m'lady!" she jests in a dramatic boast. She then kisses me between the eyes. "All unfortunate accidents aside, I'm havin’ the time of my life. Just bein’ with you is enough.”

I hear the snarling again. “Rose, is that you?”

“‘Scuse me, lass?”

I let go of Rosemary and cautiously go around her. My hoof nearly slips on the edge, but Rosemary is able to pull me back onto safe ground and let me advance forward. The snarling is still there, echoing off the cliff face. “Can’t you hear that?” I ask.

Rose grunts. “Now I can, yes… That can’t be good. But we can’t turn around. Keep goin’. I’m right here.”

“I know.”

“Just let me take the lead…” I feel the laces of Rosemary’s jacket brush against my coat as she maneuvers around me. “You’re very close to the edge, so scoot back.”

I do as she asks, moving until my back hits the wall. Rosemary starts walking, and I follow. I listen closely for more snarling, hoping that it was just the wind against a peculiarly shaped rock formation. I can hope that, anyway. “We’re nearly there?” I ask.

“Nearly off this path? Yes. There’s an open area ahead, a few large rocks surroundin’ it. I think we’re finally clear of the cave.”

“That’s wonderful…” I sigh happily. In moments of desperation, even a small victory is a blessing. “After all that’s happened, I could do with a bath.”

“Ain’t that an appealin’ thought? I’m sure there’s a pond or two to be found in this spot of land. Can you still use magic?” Rosemary asks.

Rosemary’s hoofsteps increase in speed as I feel the path broaden. I know now that it’s safe to move away from the wall, “I believe so. I may need a little direction, but—”

I hear the noise again. It’s close, very close. Among the sounds of snarling and growling, I hear scrapes. Loud, booming steps against solid stone.

Rosemary gasps. I hear her draw her sword. “Shae, you’d better hide.”

“Where?”

“Run forward, find a rock, get behind it. I can handle this one.”

I start moving. Compared to the terror I felt back in the cave, knowing nothing of my surroundings or what could be hunting for me, this is merely concerning. But I know Rosemary is strong enough to take on a single foe, whatever it may be.

“What is it?” I ask, sliding behind a stone barrier. It’s big enough to hide me, and hopefully the rain will dowse my scent.

I hear a sharp growl, and a clash of metal. “It’s a lycan, and it ain’t friendly!” Rosemary yells. She grunts several times between loud poundings of the ground. I hear the lycan yelp, and assume that Rosemary landed the first blow. So long as I hear her moving and leaping about, with confident chuckles every time she dodges an attack or dishes out a successful strike, I can rest easy.

The lycan resumes its assault. As Rosemary continues to resist its attacks, I start to wonder why a lycan would be hunting us. I know that it can’t be of the Carrier Clan, as the lycans within their circle have full control over the transformations. Until now, I never truly considered the existence of lycans outside of the Carrier Clan, despite knowing that they do exist.

We’re faced with two possibilities here. Either this lycan has fully embraced the bloodthirstiness of its transformation, or it’s a victim of poor circumstance, and Rosemary will have to put the unfortunate pony within out of their misery. How awful… I’d hate to be in her spot.

I hear Rosemary yelp. “Damn!” Her sword clatters to the ground. She’s wincing in pain. I think she’s straining herself to pick her sword back up.

“What happened?” I ask with a tremor in my voice.

“My foreleg! It got my—” I hear a blunt bash, cutting Rosemary off. I hear her slide on the ground, cough, and groan. “Urgh. Sunuvabitch…”

I hate this. I’m blind, I’m hiding like a coward, and my love is being played with like a slab of meat. I’m allowed to be scared, but I will not sit by and do nothing. “Get away from her!” I scream, rising above my barricade and channeling my anger and terror into my horn. I fire off a blast strong enough to knock me on my back. I then hear a rock formation explode and collapse.

“Holy shit…” I mutter.

Evidently, that did the trick. I hear Rosemary get back on her hooves and grab her sword. “That’s right, don’t mess with… Hey, where are you goin’, furball?!”

I hear the lycan sprint away from Rosemary, and she gives chase. Their combined movements get louder by the second. I gasp I as realize that the lycan is coming right for me. I slip on my wet coat trying to move away from my barricade, making it only a jump away before I feel my coattails tighten and snag. The lycan has me in its grip.

“NO!” I scream as I’m pulled out of hiding and into the air. I hit the ground on my back, sending a reverberating burst of pain throughout my whole torso. I belt out a bloodcurdling shriek, only silenced when the lycan grabs my head, covering my mouth, and throws me away. My head slams into solid stone, horn first.

My scream resumes, drowned out only by the rain puddle I lie in. I clutch my horn. It’s worse than every headache I’ve ever had combined. All noises dwindle into whistling, my screaming overtaking it all. Though my vision remains black, the throbbing in my head somehow becomes visible, pounding in my eyes. A faint, red ripple against the darkness.

I slam my hoof into the ground, and in my anger, I can’t bring myself to tolerate my hoof stopping there. I demand that the ground moves for me, and it does. I feel a crater form where my hoof makes contact.

That’s it… I’m not powerless. I’m not weak. I’m not some victim! Bandits can’t kill me, cultists can’t kill me, Shokenda can’t kill me... Dragons can’t kill me! I’ll be damned if I’m done in by a dog! And if this is the day I die, I refuse to die in darkness!

I’m not useless! I am a unicorn! I am a Sparkle! I am the future headmistress of Wintercolt Academy! Protege of Headmaster Frosthelm! I am the mother of the immortal princesses! I’m one of the strongest mages alive! I will not stop until I’m on the level of the Fauste herself!

“What the hell is this?” Epona asks incredulously. She examines the paper I’ve given her like I’ve written several lines of expletives upon it.

“I already told you, it’s one of my scrolls. I rather fancy the name Elder Scroll, what do you think? Although it might make the little ones think an elderly equine designed them… Oh well, it’s fitting enough.”

“Fauste, please…” Epona folds up the parchment and sets it nicely on the star path, as opposed to giving it back to me. I know when I’m being insulted, but at the very least she had the decency to not throw it away. “I’ve known you to be creative, but this is a flight of fancy, at best. I can’t imagine a world where such a thing would be necessary. It’s just so… overly complicated.”

“So is a pony, but you managed to shape them in your image regardless, without fuss or fail.” I gesture to the blue and green world beneath the path we walk. “It truly is a work of art. I’ve admired it ever since its inception. All I ask is that I get to play a part in its beauty.”

Epona smiles. “Flatterer. But your words do ring sincere. You’re many things, but a liar is not one of them.” She returns to the parchment and picks it up. “What do you intend on doing with this, again?”

My wings flap excitedly. I stand next to Epona, my hoof grazing the crinkles of the paper. “I mulled over it for a long time. I thought perhaps I could write down guidelines. Rules. Ideas for ponykind to follow in times of doubt. But I decided against all of that.”

Epona sniffs the scroll. “Hm. I sense tremendous strength within it.”

“Well, I did put a bit of myself into it. Just a bit, though. I figured, in times of crisis, your children could make use of these to help them see their goals through. A bit of a helping hoof from yours truly.”

Epona doesn’t seem too amused. She merely grunts. “Continue. I know you wouldn’t stop there.”

“You know me well. I also jotted down a few key events, based on what I saw when I looked through the stream of time.”

“Events?”

I pass over a sketch of a six ponies — two unicorns, two pegasi, two earthwalkers — all with their forelegs crossed. “I only caught a few glimpses, and even then, whatever I saw might not come to pass. I haven’t written any details, or even specified the genders for these six,” I giddily explain. “All that matters is that, at one point in time, six ponies will cross hooves in unity. I don’t know when, or how, but it will happen.”

“And what if it doesn’t happen?” Epona asks.

I shrug and take the scroll back. I roll it back into its container and send it away. “Then, I will have been wrong. But, as Hephaestus told me, there’s nothing wrong with being wrong.”

“Unless being wrong could condemn my ponies to an unhappy future. You’ve already thrown things off-balance, you know. Letting clouds move on their own, setting the wind free, and what’s this I hear of seasons? Snow beyond the mountaintops, Fauste, it’s just madness.”

As she always does when she wants to have the last word, Epona turns and walks away. I know that she wants to end this argument right here and now, just as she has every time we’ve discussed my ideologies. But I won’t allow her to walk away this time. It’s my turn to have the last word.

I leap to Epona and land in front of her. “It’s not madness. It’s chaos, there’s a difference. And chaos is a wonderful thing.”

“Why?” Epona raises an eyebrow.

“Because chaos brings change. If I can instill just a little bit of chaos among these ponies, then maybe, just maybe, they can find their own way. They can use their own unique talents to change their world for the better.”

“And they would want to change the world… why?”

“I’ve seen the looks on their faces as they run and graze and sleep in the fields. Yes, they’re content, but they’re bored, Epona. They’re happy, content, and bored. They have a world rich in materials and space, they have the capacity for creativity and drive, but you never gave them the means. You left them incomplete.”

“Hm. Well, while you’re telling me the difference between chaos and madness, allow me to tell you the difference between complete and perfect.”

Epona points to the stars. Their alignments change until they take the forms of several ponies. They all kick their forelegs and break into a gallop, running across the sky until they reach a distinct red nebula.

“I only made the three races for the sake of identification, but you suggest giving them all unique abilities for their own sake. I don’t need to look through the stream of time to know what that will bring.”

Some of the ponies, specifically earthwalkers, leap to the top of the nebula without any struggle. The unicorns fail to do the same, falling down with every attempt to scale the massive structure. The earthwalkers laugh for their success, but it’s short lived. The pegasi fly up to the top, kicking the earthwalkers off. They are only able to stay on high for so long before the unicorns summon their magic to lift the pegasi up by their wings and drag them down by force. They then levitate themselves up to the top of the nebula.

“I see inequality. Inequality breeding contempt. Contempt breeding a struggle for superiority. A struggle bringing war. A war bringing death. Death to my children, Fauste. Why would I permit such a thing?”

"Your ponies are no more than dolls, as they are. Figurines. If you had your way, you’d just create more figurines and place them around a stagnant blue marble. I looked into them, sister. Their minds yearn and desire more.”

“Fauste—”

“You call me irresponsible? Not a week ago, you scattered a gathering of ponies that had formed around a tall tree to escape the rain. The month prior you snuffed the flames of a fire spell a foal had cast to bring warmth to its cave. You call that perfection? You’ll only drive them to hate you. You gave them such beautiful minds, hearts, and souls, but no place for them to truly become their own. Throw some chaos into this orderly arranged playfield, and suddenly you'll have new structures to protect from wind and rain, new places for them to congregate. New languages so they can speak to one another as do you and I... Sister, just the smallest spark of change could have them sing!"

“Sing? Is this all some performance to you?” Epona asks, confused and aghast.

I advance on her, my glare intense. I’m at the apex of fear and excitement, and I’m not coming down. In my passionate, happy anger, I find myself singing. “‘Neath a faltered sky, cross loamless plains, and watered bliiiight!”

Epona places her hoof over my muzzle. “Would you compose yourself?!”

“Where gone those days once glory shone so bright?!”

“That’s enough out of you!” Epona waves her foreleg and wing simultaneously. I’m swept off my hooves, thrown onto my side. Stars form a wake in my path of collapse. “I won’t wait for the day my children destroy one another for you to understand how wrong you are!” Epona yells, hovering over me with wide eyes. “Sister, you must give up this pointless pursuit!” She glares at me. “Unless you wish to test my strength.”

“You always left me in the dirt, even when we were young…” I flap my wings and stand back up. I brush the stardust off of my coat, returning me to my natural gleam. “But I’ll take my chances.” I light my horn.

My horn is alight. I don’t need to hear its telltale sound, or see its bright glow, I just know it’s alight. I can feel it. I can feel the Fae coursing through my blood, my nerves, my organs, my everything.

Leaving a crater in the ground wasn’t good enough. I turn to the wall behind me and bring my foreleg around. I focus the Fae into the tip of my hoof, and just as it makes contact, the wall shatters, bringing down a cascade of stones and dust. I concentrate on the Fae within the earth and silently command it to obey me, and it does. I feel it form a shield around me, protecting me from the rest of the falling debris.

I turn my head, and suddenly the picture becomes clearer. Out from my hooves, the curtain is lifted, and the world becomes visible to me, all surfaces appearing as a faint blue glow. The world has no texture, but it has light. Light that bends and shifts to form a landscape before me. I can see it. I can see it all.

“Get back, you lout!”

I see Rosemary as well, and the lycan she fights. They stand out from the rest of the world, aglow and bright. Rosemary is a rich yellow, with her hooves shining brighter than the rest of her. The lycan is a deep red, and its light pulsates as though it’s on fire.

Rose swings her sword, but the lycan knocks her foreleg aside and grabs ahold of it, as well as her other one. It lifts her up and pins her to the ground, leering over her. It snarls, showing off its bloody teeth.

Blood is especially bright to me now. I can see specks of it all over the ground, intermingling with the rainwater. But I can’t focus on that. I need to help Rose.

I command my earth shield, collapsing it and sending every piece of stone after the lycan. Just before it tries to take a bite out of what’s mine, a rock slams into its back. It turns, roaring, only to be pelted with more stone. It yelps as a large slab breaks across its forehead. But even that’s not enough to take it down. Now its attention is on me.

I concentrate the Fae within the ground into my hooves. With its power, I’m able to leap effortlessly into the air, right over the charging lycan. I pull the rain out of the air and focus it into a ball of water. As soon as I land behind the lycan, I bring the weight of the water down over its body, forcing it onto the ground. I then force the water back up, sending the lycan into the air.

I tap my hooves to my horn, and from it I pull out two ethereal whips. I send them out to the wolf, and they wrap around its body. With a yell, I bring it over me and slam it into the ground.

I concentrate on a single hoof, willing the Fae within it to expand. In an instant, my hoof is surrounded by wisps. I leap onto the lycan, and just as it roars at me, I bring my hoof onto its chest. There’s a mighty crack that ruptures the air. The wisps burst out from the point of impact, spreading over the lycan’s body. Its head goes limp, though its eyes remain open, and it still breathes.

My heart couldn’t be pounding any faster as I get off the tamed lycan. Rosemary, however, is completely aghast, panting heavily as she lies prone on the ground.

“Up you get,” I say, levitating her onto her hooves. She doesn’t weigh more than a feather.

“H-how, did… did you…” She runs her hoof through her hair, noticing her hat is gone. I levitate that as well, back onto her head. “Shae, that was…”

“Amazing…” After a moment’s silence, I stomp my hooves in place and giggle, like I would have if I had gotten top marks on an academy final. I leap around Rosemary in a fit of jovial laughter. “Ahahahaha! I did it! I-I don’t know what I did, but… but I did it! I just focused on myself, and the world around me, and then I saw the Fae and...” I stop myself in the air. “Fauste’s horn! Rose, I can see!”

“What?!” Rose exclaims with a wide smile. She takes my hoof, pulling me down to her. Her glow is a bit more mild up close, and I can see the details in her face and clothes, but she’s still just a single color to me. I also can’t help but notice that her various scars, freckles, and other blemishes are gone. “You gave me a heart attack with your goin’ blind, and suddenly you get it all back in an instant? What is your deal, Shae Sparkle?!”

“I didn’t get my sight back, Rose, I… I just… sense the Fae. Like… Like when I look at you!” I touch her cheek. Finally I’m able to see the light of my foreleg. It’s a radiant purple. “I see your soul, Rose! You look beautiful!”

“And you… have glowin’ eyes.”

“Do I?” I touch my own face, then look around for a puddle. I see one, and walk towards it, taking a gander at myself. At least, I try to. I can't see reflections, as they don't carry any Fae of their own. I'll just have to take Rose's word for it. “I don’t think I can do anything about that.”

“Please, don’t! It’s a good look for you.” Rosemary walks up to me and brushes her hooves along the front of my robes. “...I’ve never seen you so powerful. Not just with your magic, with your… You look taller.”

“I feel taller. I feel a lot of things.” I stand on my hind legs, motioning my forelegs upward. The puddle goes with them. “I could do this before, easily… But this…” I move my forelegs again, and the floating puddle changes into my family crest, the six-pointed star. Then it shifts into a mobius strip. Then a sword. Then, with a dramatic swing of my hooves, it disperses, splattering back to the ground. “The world is at my beck and call!” I turn to Rosemary and levitate her over to me, her yipping in surprise as I hug her tight.

“Shae! Darlin’, please!”

At Rosemary’s behest, I finally let myself calm down. I let go of her, and chuckle as she brushes herself off. “Oh, sorry…”

Rosemary walks back towards the still incapacitated lycan, picking up her sword. “Shae, I’ve had a hell of a day,” she says. “I’ve seen things that I’d rather not have seen, had a few encounters I’d sooner forget… My heart can’t take much more, and I’d like to lie down for a while before I take another step.” She walks over to a nearby wall of stone and falls onto her haunches, leaning up against it. She beckons to me, and I answer, walking to her and sitting down beside her.

I manage to get her smile to come back when I set my head against her neck. I see her light flourish a little from my contact.

Rosemary gestures to the lycan. “How long do you think it’ll be out?”

“Long enough, hopefully,” I say. “That was a petrification spell. Very taxing, especially when used on larger beasts. I didn’t think I’d be able to pull it off, but…” I look at my hooves, which begin to glow. I wave my hooves, forcing the glow to disappear, and continue. “With any luck, it… I mean, they’ll turn back into a pony before they wake up.”

“Ten bits says they’re a mare,” Rosemary says. “Look at the mane. It’s shorter than the male wolves’ were at the battle of Ghastly Gorge. The muzzle is also a bit pointier, and there’s that tuft of fur on its chest… Don’t take my word for it, it’s been a while since I last picked up a bestiary, and even then, all I can really remember are the pictures.”

“That’s still very astute of you.”

“The bestiary books were my favorite, back in the villa’s library. My daddy always got me new ones on my birthday.” Rose sighs. “He read every page to me, and only him.” Her light begins to flicker. “He inspired me to read to Nutmeg and Cinnamon.” Her light dims slightly as she lowers her head. “And Mum, well… She just kept bein’ a soldier.”

I touch her chin and bring her head back up. “Rose, if you’re going to cry, please let me stop you.”

She’s not crying. She looks determined. Resolute. “Shae, I put up with everythin'… That villa is like a display case to me. It’s beautiful, and cold, and dry, and lonely, and I wasn’t allowed to do anythin'. Couldn’t touch my father’s swords, no sir. No roughhousin', lest I break some precious family vase. I couldn’t do anythin' to make Mum proud of me. She never trusted me with anythin' that wasn’t food or clothes. Didn’t allow me to make mistakes. Didn’t allow me to stick up for myself in times of doubt. I’m not a daughter. I’m a pawn. I’m a toy to her. Just some model of a pony she can place around the house at her convenience. At least, as convenient as I can be...” Rose whimpers and buries her face in her forelegs. "As if she wanted me in the first place..."

“Oh no…” I say, watching sadly as her light flickers out almost entirely. She’s dark and featureless now, a huddled wreck against the earth. I get close to her, as to not lose her somewhere I can’t see. My forelegs grip her tight, and my muzzle presses gently against hers. “I’m so sorry…”

“They wanted Nutmeg and Cinnamon...” she mutters. “They only wanted them… Daddy loved me, but to Tangerine, I was the tack. The tool. First chance she got, she found a rich bastard to marry me off to…” She bites her lip. “I swear on my own grave, if it means spiting her, I’ll never get married.”

“Never?” I ask, tilting my head.

Rosemary looks up at me, the light faintly coming back to her. She shakes her head, then kisses me beneath my right eye and rests her head against my shoulder.

I wondered when this day would come. I imagined it happening in snowfall, just outside Wintercolt Academy. A broach or hoofring embellished with my favorite gem (lapis lazuli). A dramatic hug or kiss as music escalated in the distance… I much prefer this. A simple talk under a downpour of rain as the happiness of seeing the world anew washes over me.

I lean my head back and let the rain cascade down my mane and face. Every drop is filled with a small glimmer of Fae, and I’m able to feel it against my fur and hair. It’s surreal, but it feels exactly as I would expect; like hundreds of little tingles over my body. Life in its most basic form, dripping off of me and onto the ground. The water will eventually soak in, or evaporate into mist, and the Fae within it will take a different form, joining other pieces of the Fae elsewhere in the world.

I hum to myself as an idea comes to mind.

The lycan stirs, the faintest growl escaping from its drooling mouth. It’s still unconscious, judging by its vacant expression. Its light is no longer red, as it’s not a threat to us anymore, but something about it has me curious. Perhaps, if I can see the Fae within Rosemary, I might be able to see into the lycan and discern the identity of the pony inside.

“Shae, what are you doin’?” Rosemary asks as I stand up and slowly approach the beast. “Not havin’ cold hooves already, are ya?”

“Just want to be sure… Either this poor thing lost control, or it actively wanted us dead.”

Rosemary clutches her sword. “If it’s the latter…”

I crouch down next to the lycan. It seems to be lucid enough now to follow me with its eyes, but it still can’t move beyond that much. I look into its eyes and notice how the red in them has subsided, and how the lycan’s brow has come unfurled. I’m also able to get a look at its irises. “Hm. Green,” I comment. “It looks sad. I think it’s coming back to sanity.”

The lycan whimpers. What was a monster just moments ago doesn’t seem any more harmful than a puppy. A large puppy, but even so. I can’t help but suspect this is just a newly transformed pony gone mad from the polymorphism. I don’t doubt how painful changing one’s entire skeletal structure might be.

“I’m sorry I hurt you. Can you turn back to normal?” I ask the lycan.

It shakes its head. It opens its mouth, its tongue contorting in a strange way. Odd half-barks keep escaping its throat, like it’s trying to say something.

I reach out with my magic and stroke the lycan’s mane. That calms it down. “Don’t hurt yourself. Just let me see who you really are…”

I focus on the lycan. It’s hard to understand, but if I focus my eyes enough, it’s as if I can see past its skin to the inside of its body. I don’t see organs or blood, just more pockets of Fae, conforming to the shape of its body. There’s not much to be found within the lycan. There’s not much need for magic when you have claws like swords.

Within its chest, I see a greater concentration of Fae, taking an equine form. A mare, just like Rose suspected. A strong body. A proper mane, tied back into a bun. If I strain myself, I can see the wrinkles under her eyes, her stone jaw, her orange mane—

“Fauste’s horn, it’s Tangerine,” I mutter.

“What?” Rosemary asks, rising up and dropping her sword.

I gesture to the lycan. I step in front of it, just in case Rosemary decides to do something stupid. “Rose, it’s—”

“WHAT?!” Rose slams her hooves to her mane, sounding much like a lycan herself. She hangs her head low and snarls. “HOW?! WHY WOULD SHE—”

I run to her and press my hoof to her lips. “She couldn’t control herself! She didn’t want to hurt you!”

“It’s a little late for that, wouldn’t you say?!” Rosemary pushes back against me, grabbing my hood. “Your magic eyes better be playin’ tricks, Shae Sparkle!”

“They aren’t! Rose, please…” I gently move her away from me and Tangerine. “I know this is complicated, but blind rage caused this problem, and it isn’t going to fix it. You can’t fix a fire by throwing more fire at it.”

Despite that, Rose looks fit to burst into flames. She bites her lip and storms off.

I call out to her as she descends to a lower level of the stone structure. “Don’t run off! Like it or not, we have to get her to safety! After she goes back to normal, you can ask her about everything.”

Tangerine is able to turn her head now. She looks at Rosemary, who, fuming as she is, kicks a few rocks away. I see the confusion and sadness in Tangerine’s wolfen eyes. It’s even more miserable than it would have been if she were a pony right now.

“Did you hear all of that? What she told me?” I ask Tangerine.

She nods.

“...You didn’t want to hurt her, right?”

She shakes her head, as I expected.

“This is your first time transforming, isn’t it? You lost control, couldn’t hold back the bloodlust?”

She nods again.

“Well, now you and Caro have something to talk about.”

Tangerine tilts her head, checking the surrounding area with a curious grunt.

“He’s not here. I lost him and Tohro in the caves. Wherever they are, though, I’m sure they’re better off than us. Now it’s just a matter of tracking them down...” I look at my hoof. “Hm. I wonder…”

Rosemary climbs back up to my level. She still looks sour, but not as enraged as before. She has her map tucked under her foreleg. “Think you can spot them usin’ your fancy eyes?”

I smile at Rose. “I might be able to sense their Fae, if I focus hard enough. Unless your map…?”

She sighs and stuffs the map into her bag. “I still can’t get a trace on them. I think the lass who lent me this thing was less genuine than she seemed, though given her dark garb and hood, I wonder why I should be surprised at all…”

I walk to an open patch of land and place my hoof on the ground. “She led you to me, so she was at least genuine in that regard. I might as well give this a go… It’s a long shot. I don’t really know the extent of these powers.”

I’ll show you, Shae.

Huh? Who are you?

I think you know that much. You’ve studied under my name for almost your entire life, I’d think you’d have figured out what’s happening by now.

You mean… you’re...

As I lie on my front, my body broken and my will to fight rapidly dwindling, Epona stands at the edge of the crater, reveling in her moment of victory, a well-earned one at that. Burns and bruises aplenty litter her face and body, and feathers fall from her wings when she flaps them in triumph.

For a moment, I see in her the young alicorn who would wrestle with me for domination over trivial matters, like choosing the name of a star, or playing with a toy one of us created. But now she’s several feet taller, her magic is stronger, and she no longer has a tooth gap.

This is different, though. She named this world, and she named its inhabitants. Ponies. Unicorns, pegasi and earthwalkers. They were always hers, and she never intended on letting them go. They’re still just toys to her. But from the moment I learned they could walk, run, talk, and develop the capacity for thought, I knew in my heart that they deserve more. They deserve magic.

Wisps float out of my mouth as I cough. I can only support myself by my forelegs. “You impress me, sister… I knew you were passionate, but I never thought you so driven to protect your… belongings…” I choke out. “Perhaps I… bit off more than I could chew.”

Epona chuckles mockingly. “It’s nothing new. I didn’t hurt you too badly, did I?”

I’m never worried about myself.

The damage we’ve caused extends far beyond this crater. Looking out into the field past Epona, I can see the remains of a mountain, half of it shattered from our fall from the sky. Scorches and fires blemish the grass, as do patches of ice and snow.

I look up at the sky. Gaps in the starlight are proof of our missed attacks, and new constellations show where we clashed.

Violence, in the end, did nothing for me. Epona is victorious, and several ponies have gathered around to bear witness to this. They’re confused. Unsure of why their beloved goddesses had a grudge match on their peaceful world.

“What say you we go back home?” Epona asks, fluttering down to my level. “I’ll put on a cup of tea. We can nurse these wounds, and go back to how we were.”

The ponies look at the damage we’ve caused. Some are covered in snow, others are nursing burns. Those who haven’t been inadvertently damaged are left in worry over the destruction of a mountain, and the sudden change in the stars. They’re afraid, and rightfully so.

Perhaps Epona has a point. If I were to grant my powers to them, the effects could be catastrophic. It could be more than a mountain toppled, or a field scorched. It could be a whole biome flattened or turned to glass.

Could be. Could be. But it doesn’t have to be that way, does it? They can do better than we have. They can have restraint. They can have but a sliver of my strength. Then, piece by piece, they can make this world theirs. They can go beyond what they are now, forever unto the horizon, evolving, becoming something more than just walking dolls. They can live. What greater gift is there than that?

I slowly reach out to my sister. I take in her majesty as much as I can, knowing that this might be the last chance I have to see her. She smiles reaches out to me in turn, which allows me to shove her hoof away.

“No.”

With one word, I let myself fall. My strength disappears at my command, my essence leaving my body, becoming strands of light. They feed into the ground, spreading out from where I lie, turning the ground into a glowing canvas; an expanding, glowing web.

I feel my essence spread beyond the crater, extending onto the grass. Every pony it overcomes begins to shine. Each one has a different color to their glow, forming a beautiful rainbow of lights that bring a never before seen radiance to the world. I wish I could see it from on high.

Epona steps away from me, her hooves trying to find spots of plain earth to stand on. “What is this?” she mutters. “What are you doing?”

I flash her a confident smile.

“What are you doing?!” she yells. “Was this your plan all along?! You intended on letting yourself die, just to make a point?!”

“You didn’t drive me to this…” I say in the most assuring voice I can manage. “I chose this path, so your children may choose for themselves.”

My body has become tethered to the ground. I can’t move, and my body is fading. There’s no turning back. My heart pounds as I anticipate what lies ahead for me, and the world I will soon become a part of.

I see an earthwalker’s hooves come alight. He looks at them, momentarily confused, but his concern disappears when he drags his hoof through the grass, able to pierce effortlessly. With this strength, he and his brethren can tame this land for their own, providing nourishment for ponykind.

Epona is still ignorant of her children. She’s focused entirely on me. “You're just going to... to abandon me? I made these ponies. I built this world... But you'd leave me with..."

“Everything,” I say. “Don’t be ashamed. It’s only nature running its course.”

As the clouds move above them, the pegasi feel newfound strength pour into their wings. With happy flaps, they take to the air, now able to transcend the boundaries that were once set for them.

"You have your children…” I say. “They'll show you things that you never knew about yourself. Life. Love. Their definition of beauty. All you need to do is open your mind to the possibilities, as I have."

“But it won’t matter if you’re not there!” Epona chokes out. She gallops to me and moves her hooves over my own, only to gasp when they pass through.

“I won’t truly be gone, loved one,” I assure her.

Finally, the unicorns. Their horns are no longer just an aesthetic distinction; it is a catalyst for my essence to take many forms. Lights in darkness. Elemental abilities. Levitation. They’ll come to learn a vast variety of skills in time. Knowledge is power, after all.

“But you won’t be here,” Epona pleads. “I wanted you to stay with me and shape this world into something perfect! Something beautiful! It could have been our world!”

I use the very last withering trace of my power to stroke Epona’s tearstained cheek. In all the time we’ve been together, I’ve never seen her openly weep. “It couldn’t be beautiful... It was already perfect,” I tell her.

“But… If you’re not here, then it’ll never...” Epona, clearly desperate and afraid, throws herself at me, trying to clutch what remains of my physical form. There’s little for her to grasp. “I-I love you, sister! P-please… Please don’t leave me…”

Over Epona’s shoulder, I look at the bracelet Hephaestus made for me. "Worry not. You shaped the world in a way that allowed me to be enlightened... I never thanked you for that. I truly do apologize." I glance at the surrounding ponies, solemnly smiling at their awestruck faces. "Treat them well."

“FAUSTE! FAAAAAAAUSTE!!”

I already feel the earth, sky, and sea abreast my being. I'm not atop or within any of it; I'm interwoven with it, into all things. More than the world, I am interwoven with the ponies I've grown to love. It's a constant, everlasting embrace from so many beings, young and old, big and small, pure and corrupt. I feel them all.

Including you, Shae Sparkle. I am with you, and every moment you are happy is me being happy with you, happy to experience life with you. I cherish every second.

All I can do is grant you this gift. I am so sorry you suffered for it. But you know me more than anypony else, and for that, I will light your way. Feel what I feel. See what I see. Let us walk this world together.

We will, Fauste. Thank you.

“Shae? You’re cryin’.” Rosemary comments.

“Huh?” I dab these unexpected tears off of my cheek. “D-don’t know where that came from…”

“You’re sure?”

I consider everything I just saw. Everything that it could mean. How can I explain the feeling of understanding? Knowing the origin of everything I am, everything I defined myself as? It’s intangible. I don’t know how to make it known. Even if I had the words to describe it, I don’t think it could be comprehended by those I told it to.

Maybe someday, when this fight is over, I can try to explain what I’ve seen. For now, though, this is something I will keep to myself… and perhaps Celina and Luna. They’d likely understand.

“I’m fine. Better than fine, actually…” I say, smiling back at Rose. “I think I can find our boys.”

My hoof remains in contact with the ground. With just a thought, I send out a pulse through the Fae, and in my skin feel everything the pulse comes in contact with. Stone, grass, water, wind… I blush as I feel a bit of Rose in there as well. Her smell, her voice, how her fur feels, it all washes over me in an instant.

I feel a few more ponies through the Fae. Their smells are less pleasant; musky and filthy, voices of gravel. Those must be the cave dwellers I had the fortune of not seeing.

“Anythin’?” Rose asks.

“Hold on…” The tension climbs. I worry that I’ll sense an outlying village’s whole population before I detect Caro or Tohro.

Then, suddenly, I feel them. Musky smells again, along with a hint of perfume. I can also hear their voices, though whatever they’re saying is a mystery. They talk softly to each other. Either not to be heard, or otherwise… I try to focus on them, and where they might be. By how far deep I had to reach, I can assume they’re underground, and their trace is gaining distance by the second. They’re moving away from us.

“Damn. I found them, but we might have to go back underground to find them,” I say. Then, an idea strikes me. “Or… perhaps we just need to place ourselves somewhere they can find us.”

Rose smiles and nods. “There you are. We just need to figure out what to do with our, uh…” She turns and glares at Tangerine, who remains in her lycan form. “...cargo?”

“She’s your mother, Rose. Be better than how you feel about her.” She does have a point, though. I don’t know when Tangerine will return to normal, nor do I think lugging her around in a dangerous place like this while she’s vulnerable is a good idea. “Hm. Come to think of it, I don’t really know what to do. We can’t just leave her here.”

Rose grunts. “We’re agreed there.”

“Levitation might be our best—” I start to say. Before I can continue, I feel another presence within the Fae, an intense one. It feels like a blast to the chest. “Agh!”

“What is it?”

I immediately pull my hoof away from the ground. I feel my chest, relaxing when I know it was just a metaphysical blast. “I’m fine. Wasn’t prepared for that. Must have been a lot of ponies at once… Or a particularly strong soul.”

“Strong? At my age? You flatter me, Shae Sparkle. Every bit as sweet as Caro described, it seems.”

A booming, deep voice breaks through the sounds of falling rain and wind. I look up, and the first thing I see is the giant wings of a dragon, faint through the cloud of raindrops. It flaps, and out of the mist comes the rest of the dragon. It’s black, and it has a distinct beard.

“I’m glad I raised him to be kind.”

~Vision End~

~Caro~

Every shadow cast by the uneven walls is a filthy lie. I keep ending up betrayed, thinking for a moment that I’ve finally found a way forward, only to see that it’s only a long shadow that I mistake for a tunnel. It’s infuriating.

Worse than being stranded in a dark cave is being stranded in a dark cave with Tohro. Not because I wish he wasn’t here; I wouldn’t have anypony else. Rather, I hate that he has to experience this. He tries to wear a brave face, but even Shae would be able to tell he’s terrified. His shaking is obvious in the light of the lantern. He’s hanging on by a thread.

We come across what appears to be another dead end. A circular chamber, with a puddle of water forming from a trickle that descends from up above. I take that back, this might not be a dead end. Looking up, I don’t see sunlight, but the roof goes past the visibility provided by the lantern. Maybe there’s another path up there. Anywhere closer to the surface would be fine by me.

I turn to Tohro and ask, “Do you think you can lift me up there? It can’t be too far.”

Before he responds, I hear a sizzling noise coming from the lantern. I look down at it, suddenly aware that the flame has dwindled down to its lowest point. I was so concerned with finding a way out, I never even noticed.

I set the lantern down and open my bag. I look through my vials of potions and canteens. I can’t find any lantern oil.

I look up at Tohro, only able to say, “I’m sorry,” before the lantern goes out completely. The cave walls disappear, consumed by black. All I can see is Tohro.

He doesn’t respond. He stares at the abyss above us, his eyes shaking in their sockets, tears forming within. He opens his mouth. “Fff…” He makes a strange clicking noise. “Fuck.”

“Tohro?” I step closer to him, but I fear I might be setting off an explosion.

He shakes his head and stomps away from me, going out of sight. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Why?! I can’t, I can’t, I can’t do this! Why is it so fucking dark?!”

His being scared just serves to scare me, but one of us has to be the voice of reason here. Else we might as well just lose our minds together. I rush through the dark to Tohro. As soon as he becomes visible, I sit down next to him, and try to gently stroke his shoulder. He just shrugs me away. “Please be calm,” I say softly to him.

He shakes his head violently, his eyes held shut. “It hurts, Caro. I can’t see anything.”

I turn his head my way, despite his resistance. “You’re not blind. You can see me. Open your eyes and focus on me.”

He shakes his head again.

“I told you, the darkness can’t hurt you. Do you know why?”

He makes that clicking sound again. “Be-because…”

“Because? Say it out loud.”

“Because… you’re… here…” he gasps.

“Good. Now…” I clutch his cheeks with my hooves. “Open your eyes, Tohro Blackwing.”

His eyelids slowly draw themselves open. Even in the darkness, I can plainly see that they’re stained with tears. His eyes glisten. It’s not any state I want to see my beloved in. This isn’t what he’s supposed to be. Where’s his bravery? Where’s his unbreakable wit? Where’s the stallion I fell in love with?

“I want to lie down,” he says.

“Okay.” I hold his shoulders tight, replicating his slow descent down onto his side. His eyes remain open, fixated on me, as we lie down together. “Don’t forget to blink, okay?”

He blinks rapidly. “Right, sorry…”

“What are you apologizing for?”

“My nyctophobia... Pegasi aren’t supposed to be in places like this, Caro. They’re supposed to fly free. There’s supposed to be a sky over my head. Not this. Not this damp, dark, unending…” He trembles. “Nothing makes sense down here. Where does it end? Why am I even here?!”

“Shh…” I shift my forelegs, joining them together around Tohro’s back. I clutch him like a doll, holding him against my body as tightly as possible without hurting him. “You’re here with me, remember? I don’t want you to be afraid… You don’t have to be.”

Tohro grunts into my chest. “Try stroking your ego further, Dragonborn… It won’t make this… this void go away. What are we even supposed to do? We have no light, we have no mage...”

“I’ll light the way out. I’ll burn scraps of parchment if I have to. I promise you’ll see the light again, and I’ll hold your hoof every step of the way.” I intertwine our hooves together. “I’m never going to let go.”

Tohro frowns. “I’ve been told that before, Caro…”

“Did any of the ponies who told you that know you like I do?”

Tohro shakes his head.

“That’s it, then. I don’t just love you, Tohro. I know you. From the day you saved me from the chopping block, I’ve known you, and my world has been brighter for it. I should know that you’re better than this.”

His shaking lessens, just a little bit. “Go on…” he whispers.

“Would you believe me if I told you you’re the most amazing pegasus I could ever hope to know?

"I am?"

"Of course. You conquered the leader of the Thieves Guild. You braved a whole cavern of draugr. Even Shokenda was impressed by your efforts. She called you her finest assassin, and when she told you to do something outside of your morality, you cursed her out. Name somepony else who could ever do that."

"I'd vouch for you,” he says with a chuckle. His shaking has lessened further.

"My point still stands, Tohro Blackwing... But the greatest thing you ever did was save me from the axe. If somepony else had attempted such a thing, they never would have made it out alive. Much less befriend me. Much less become somepony I love. It couldn't have been anypony but you."

"Nopony but me..." Tohro rests his head and closes his eyes. However, instead of this being a belligerent effort to avoid facing the darkness, it’s him finally relaxing enough to get some sleep.

“It’s all true. You're strong. You're smart. You're charismatic. You’re my angel. The thought that just a few choice events could have kept us from meeting is incredibly painful to me.” I tighten my clutch on his hoof. “I can't imagine being here with anypony but you. There’s nopony else. I'm glad this happened. I’m happy that I'm here with you."

“Happy...” Tohro mutters, a smile finally crossing his lips. “...I love you, Caro...”

“I love you too, my angel.”

Tohro chuckles as he appears to drift off to sleep. I hadn’t intended to calm him this much, but perhaps I’m better with words than I thought I was. It’s all worth it to watch Tohro sleep peacefully. I’ll stay here all night, watching him, if I have to.

Because I wouldn’t feel complete unless I did, I plant a small kiss against Tohro’s forehead.

My moment of bliss ends prematurely. Something’s wrong. Tohro doesn’t feel like this. The kiss should have been soft against his forehead, with little strands of his blonde mane tickling my nose. All I taste is something hard and musky.

I snap my head away. “Tohro?”

His eyes open, and I’m greeted with a light less welcome than a lantern. Two intense, cold, blue lenses catch me by surprise. I immediately back off, getting onto my hooves and stepping away. Tohro gets up, his movements sudden and unnatural. A pony should not move so stiffly.

A green flame washes over the imposter, revealing him for what I assume he truly is. By the light of its eyes, I see a black exoskeleton, white fangs, and rotted legs full of holes. I don’t know what it is, but its very appearance offends me. It pretended to be my angel.

“Where is he?” I ask demandingly. “Tell me, or I’ll crucify you on stalactites until you do.”

“I love you, Caro,” it says, in Tohro’s voice.

“How dare you?!” I growl.

“I love you, Caro,” I hear from behind me. I turn to see another insectoid monster walking my way.

Another one appears beside it. “I love you, Caro.” And two others behind it, attached to the wall. “I love you, Caro.” And more above and below them. A field of monstrous eyes staring at me from all sides. "I love you, Caro."

“I love you, Caro.” “I love you, Caro.” “I love you, Caro.”

“I love you, Caro.””I love you, Caro.”

“I love you, Caro.” “I love you, Caro.” “I love you, Caro.”

“I love you, Caro.””I love you, Caro.”

“I love you, Caro.” “I love you, Caro.” “I love you, Caro.” “I love you, Caro.”

“I love you, Caro.” “I love you you, Caro.” “I l-l-love you, Caro.”

“I love you, Caro.”
“I love you, Carorororo.” “Love.” “I love you, Caro.” “Caro. Caro.” “I love you, Caro.”