#141
Spring. Day 152. Evening. The Throne Room

So we left the arena as quickly as we came to climb further up the hollow tower of walkways. The clanking of our hooves against the ancient metal echoed and became such a nuisance, that we slowed to a walking pace. There are far too many stairs for a place like this and barely a teleportation device to be found. It was during this running, I managed a good look at Ginseng. A lot like Ginger in the coat, only less colorful. A buttery yellow with burned orange spots along his back. His curved and tangled mane and tail a light brown. Had a large squared beard too. His eyes were near white however, I wonder if he can truly see properly.

Out of breath and in burning aches, we found ourselves before the new throne room. It was grand enough. I f I can call it that. The peaking arc of an entrance is simply reforged parts from the tower itself. Red and black and orange markings denoting their construction codes laid strewn about. There wasn't even a guard to speak of.

The three of us cautiously carried and went forth to see the floor laid out in steel and stone workings geometrically interlaced. Merging into carefully placed arches that met to form a towering vaulted ceiling. Many smaller ones lined the outer walls to form windows and from in there, the wind whistled by. I wondered how far up we truly were.

Upon a gold veined path we walked to the throne covered in red cloth. Steel rods protruding outward like a cactus. In the cushion of the gaudy throne sat a colt, smaller than I. He held the same features as his impostor, his size was really the only difference. “So, you've come back at last, Ginger. You even brought a friend. Father, I'm sure you're doing well after all that time in the Arena. I didn't bother sending guards after you knowing what would become of it. What I do find interesting is your new friend, Letter Bee, wasn't it?”

“Would you shut your trap already, you've done enough to our father's kingdom.”

“I recommend that you not do anything rash, dear sister.” He hopped off the rigid throne and approached me. “You know why I did all this, Ginger, father. Simple, I wanted to rule. It is my right and that right would only come if I got rid of the rest of the family. Speaking of which, I assume our dear mother passed away, in agony, I hope.” A twisted smile wrought his face as he turned his attention to Ginger. She pounced, he countered with a spell that ensnared, rooting her to the ground. “I told you not to do anything rash. The same goes for you two.”

“What is it you want, Nutmeg.” Ginseng answered scornfully.

“No need to be harsh.” He shrugged. “I already told you. The both of you dead and the kingdom to myself. Letter here can help me with this ancient ruin. A grave of a once advanced civilization whose power sought to control all that is ours. I've yet to find out why they ceased to be, all their books only mark a certain frame of time. A time we don't have.” His eyes lit up at his marveling thoughts. “But there's more, always more. They understood things we have yet to learn! Would you believe they bent anything to their will?” He raised his hooves to reveal silver bands with tracing lines of glowing blue under his large sleeves. “Let me give you an example.”

The roots that entangled Ginger lifter her and shifted to one of the windows. They hushed her too, though she didn't scream. “Such a stare on you, dear sister.” He lowered his hooves. “Now, you see, another flick or though and she will be falling to the ground below. I'm sure I don't need to say what would happen next.”

“How do you know about me and what I can do?” I asked.

“How can I not? I have a fair mare who sees all that there is. You've already met her and her ghost. Did you think she was always a wanderer who had lost her home?”

It made sense. The books, shelves upon shelves of them. The fact that I left copies of my notes to her and she asked me to read through them. Betrayal, but for what? A way home, perhaps? “I see.” I lowered my head, feeling defeated before the fight began. I recalled the way Dagressa had manipulated my wisp, so I set my mind on manipulating his. “You are forgetting something though, Nutmeg.”

“And what may that be?”

“I've learned far more than what she's told you.” I spread my wings wide and created enough gust in a single flap to throw him off. I grabbed my the potion that Zecora had given me all those months ago and gulped down what I could. “And this, is just the beginning.” My wisps again before me, I rifled through my notes to my recorded spells and spoke aloud in the ancient tongue. They came to me as if they were second nature.

Fire he dispersed with a wall, lightning he grounded out, water extinguished by the still hot wall he erected before. I managed to trap him with two forces of wind and then brought him to the ground with the steel beneath us. “I can keep going.” I taunted.

“So can I!” Nutmeg broke the rods with a thrust of air and charged. Throwing random arrows of lightning and ice as he did. Ginseng ran over to Ginger to try and set her free. The potion's effect started kicking in. “No!” he shouted, trapping the both of them with more magic. “I haven't had this much fun in a long time.” Nutmeg sneered as he threw tried entangling my legs.

I moved swiftly, “Good for you, not for me!” I fired off another spell of wind. My wisps looked to fade away.

“I can see your spells. I can counter each one. I can do this much longer than you.” He was right. “What is it they say about pegasus wings?” He muttered. “Ah yes, they're fragile!” Then my wings were captured, tangled in rods of bent steel. He held me there like a prize. “Now, I'll be nice about this, Letter. You agree to help me and maybe I'll let you off. With one wing, maybe both.” he shifted his head around, tossing ideas. “However, should you take some convincing, it may be neither and you'll have to enjoy walking for the rest of your life. You do like that, I hope. If you don't pass out, then it'll be limbs.”

“This is you being nice?”

“Yes.”

“Could you give me a moment to think about it.” I glanced to my journal, opened to the last page of the spells and it held what I needed. But it wasn't the prettiest option either.

“Why should I?”

“Because I'm tired of your shit already.” I closed my eyes and spoke the spell. I heard stone and steel beneath Nutmeg shoot up and run him through.

“That's a good one, I'll have to remember it.” I reopened mine to see the blood smattered about and making a fine coating on each impaled spike. His eyes were beginning to fade. He flicked his foreleg and fired one last spell. “Now no one gets the throne.”

I looked over to the windows, hearing them break. My eyes widened. “Shit!” the rods around my wings loosened slowly and I managed to wiggle myself free but at the cost of breaking half a wing. Limping along I grabbed my journal and threw off my saddlebags. Nauseated by the the sight of Nutmeg I stumbled about and fumbled my way to the windows, dragging Gold Arrow, my flight equipment, behind me. I looked down and took a quick breath. I saw the figures of Ginger and Ginseng gradually shrink. Hestan looked a web of silver and gray surrounded by green grass.

I jumped, equipping Gold Arrow as I fell. I twinged placing the guard on my broken wing. After checking everything, I started the engine. Its whirring turbine began to echo the sound of the wind rushing past me. I narrowed my body, taking on the form of an eagle diving for prey. A method I had learned from Flight Gear. My coat began to feel cold and wet and I could see droplets of water break off of my hooves. Then there was a bang, a crack, one that reverberated off of the Sky Spear and almost threw me off. Sound left my ears.

My eyes watered and burned, I could feel my cheeks begin to blister. My equipment began ice up, the cold crept into my bones. I reached Ginger and Ginseng and held each one of them by either of my hooves. Their faces changed from fear to happiness. With the added weight I began to shift my descent to a lower angle. My speed was still too great however. I only managed to spread one wing, my broken one refused to move. I turned the turbine off and continued to level out, trying to keep a safe distance above the buildings. Still too fast, but my hearing came back into play.

“We won't be able to land safely at this speed!” Ginseng yelled.

“I know, give me a moment!” I managed to level out but I was beginning to lisp to the right. “Ginseng, switch to my left.” I compensated for his movement. “I'm going to head for the fields.”

“We won't make it over the wall. Not at this height.” He shouted. “Can't you do something with your magic?”

“Not without my journal. I cant remember the spells by heart. Any soft spots?”

“The turrets by the gates, aim for the windows.”

So I did. It was hard to spot and lining myself up with it required subtle movements. Using what momentum I had I put my back to it and held the two royals close to my stomach. I felt my back collide with the window, heard it shatter, felt their weight flee from me. Another collision struck me, the interior wall. Speed sent me through that thick stone brick like a boulder. I remember skipping across the ground, soft grass both slowing and forming the finest cuts across my skin. Coming to a stop, strength only remained in a single foreleg.

The sky was beautiful then. A few dancing clouds lit by the late evening sun. Blue beget by orange down the horizon. The call of nature's animals filling the air. I would've lied there forever if I could. My mind turned to the thought of Ginger and Ginseng, wondering if they were okay. Any injuries they have are far less than mine, however. I closed my eyes to the smell of my blood and the strange scent of steel.

“Princess!” I heard over my ringing ears. “ Saw 'em land over here, I did.” that's a funny accent. His vague voice became connected to a blackened figure. “Found him! It looks like him but I can't say it is him.”

“What does thou mean?” A royal voice speaking words familiar. He motioned her over. “Oh my.” My hearing went out and my vision faded away. Death called to me like those who cried for their lost ones. I felt empty and free-floating as if I were leaving myself.