Archmage - Chapter 29 “Knowledge Lost - Part 1”

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Twilight looked out of the train window at the rolling countryside. In her heart, she felt a sense of profound sadness at leaving Luna and Canterlot behind, but at the same time, the pendant lifted her spirits. Her face, it seemed, was stuck in halfway between a contemplative look and a silly grin. Rarity called attention to it about three hours into the ride.

“You seem happy.”

“Hmm?” Twilight snapped out of her reverie, looking up at a smiling Rarity. “Oh. Yeah… I guess I’m just… Confused.”

“Don’t be.” Rarity quipped, waving a hoof dismissively. “You have somepony who loves you. Princess or not, that’s something you should hold onto, darling.” Rarity’s sly smile slowly wilted into a frown. Twilight knew what was on her mind then. It was the same question that had been bugging her since she learned of it. Gently, she leaned in.

“What happened with Cross Stitch?” Twilight’s soft question made Rarity heave a sigh. Already, Twilight could see the tears well up in her friend’s eyes. She almost regretted asking. But she needed answers, and talking over it might just help Rarity as well. With a shaky breath, Rarity began.

“We were doing fine. I was handling commissions while Cross Stitch kept a handle on our inventory, made acquisitions, and took care of minor repairs. Then we both learned of the movement. I was intrigued at first, nothing more than a passing interest. But then I started to read more into it. I attended one meeting, and then another. Soon I was trying to meet with other members every day. I was fascinated. I began putting off commissions just to attend meetings. Cross Stitch picked up the slack well enough, but… Well, there’s only so much an Earth Pony can do with a needle and thread.

“We went on like that for weeks. I began running myself ragged helping the movement. Cross Stitch was tolerant, of course, and helped when he could. But then I became involved with Regal. Not romantically, mind you. Just professionally. But Cross Stitch didn’t see it that way. Each lunch date, business meeting, or charter draft he thought I was off seeing my ‘lover.’” Rarity scoffed and rolled her eyes. She seemed almost annoyed, but her expression soon fell. “Perhaps he was right to doubt me… I began to fall for Regal. And Regal knew it as well. Looking back, I see how much he manipulated me… And what’s more, he never once gave me anything in return.” Rarity shuddered visibly, wrapping her forelegs around herself. Twilight’s brow drew down.

“Rarity… You didn’t… Do anything with him… Did you?” Twilight leaned forward, laying a hoof on her friend’s leg. Rarity’s eyes welled with tears, some of them already slipping down her cheeks.

“I… I’m a terrible pony, Twilight…” She whispered, slowly breaking down. Twilight switched seats, wrapping her friend in her forelegs, holding her close as Rarity sobbed.

Inside, Twilight wasn’t sure what she felt. Disgust. Contempt. Pity. Sadness. Whatever it was, she didn’t like it. Silently, she held Rarity, looking out of the window at the rolling terrain.

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“First stop.” Twilight announced cheerily. “Baltimare. From here, we’ll gain passage to the Gryphon Territories, just across Horseshoe Bay. It shouldn’t take us long. Come on!” The train ride to Baltimare had been a long affair, taking almost eighteen hours. After Rarity’s breakdown, Twilight had let her friend sleep on the solitary, tiny bed they shared. Rarity woke eight hours after that, handing the bed off to Twilight. When she woke, they were already passing through the outskirts of the urban metropolis.

Baltimare was a massive city, and one of the industrial powerhouses of Equestria. It boasted several large factories and production facilities, alongside bountiful fisheries and shipping companies. It was the main outlet for all of Equestria’s imports and exports. Their main trading partners were the Gryphons, just across Horseshoe Bay to the East. The bay opened up into the great Southern Sea, which wrapped around the southern borders of both the Gryphon Territories and Equestria. The relation between Equestria and the Gryphons was always a solid one. Both parties had relied on one another through difficult times. The gryphons could grow certain crops that couldn’t be found in Equestria, and Pegasi were surprisingly accomplished fishers. Being vegetarians, the ponies of Equestria had no need for the fish they caught, so one hundred percent of that particular export returned a profit. The gryphons, in return, would supply strong workers and other crops.

Twilight was looking for a boat, or a ship, something to take them across the bay and into The Aerie, which was the Gryphon Territory’s lone city. From there, they would hire a guide to take them north, towards Saddle Arabia. Equestria traded with Saddle Arabia as well, but travelling to the desert country was difficult, and during certain seasons, impossible. Twilight was thankful that the weather would be mild, and should allow them easy travel.

As they disembarked the train, Twilight turned their party of two towards the harbor. Rarity kept pace remarkably well. Twilight felt lucky that the train depot was nowhere near Baltimare’s glamorous fashion district, else she might have lost the fashionista. After a few questions and directions from a gruff but friendly shopkeep, Twilight and Rarity arrived at a charter. Cautiously approaching the desk, Twilight rang the bell and looked around for the owner.

“Hey there!”

“Gah!”

“What?!” Twilight and Rarity spun around, just as an impossibly large pegasus swept through the door behind them.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare ya!” The colt’s coat was a deep, stormy grey, and his mane was short-cropped, close to his head. His voice was deep and low, vibrating with a mysterious timbre that Twilight hadn’t encountered. There was something else about him, though… Not just his stature. He certainly was bulky. Standing a full head taller than Twilight and Rarity, perhaps a few inches shorter than Princess Luna, he was thick and muscular. He probably weighed twice as much as either of them. A quick glance, and Twilight saw that only one of his flanks boasted a cutie mark. The other was darkened, almost as if something was supposed to be there, but hadn’t developed fully. The one mark that was developed was that of a blue wave, just about to break and shot through with white foam.

“Name’s Bran. Nice to meetchya, ladies.” He grinned wide at them, tucking his wings back against his muscular sides. Twilight looked him up and down once more, and finally found out what it was about this mysterious pegasus that struck her so. His chest, where there should have been a flat coat of fur, was instead a downy patch of feathers.

“You’re half-breed.”

“Quarter, actually.” Bran chuckled. “But good catch. Most others just think I burned my cutie mark off.” The feathers were the same color as his coat, so to anypony who merely glanced at him, they could easily mistake him for a barrel-chested pegasus.

“Half… Quarter-breed? What’s that?” Rarity quipped, glancing between Twilight and Bran. The imposing pegasus swept past them, smiling wide as he began his explanation.

“My mother was half-gryphon, half-pegasus. My father a fisherpony.” Bran settled behind the desk with a somber look, resting his chin on his hoof with a sad smile.

“Oh, I see… Is that a common thing?” Rarity asked.

“It is.” Twilight muttered. “I’m sorry, Bran. I didn’t mean to… Impose.”

“Bah. No issue.” He waved her off. “Some folks just don’t talk about it. They think it’s rude. I honestly don’t mind.” His eyes flickered up to Twilight’s forehead, then back to her face. “Unicorn, eh? Know any magic?”

Rarity snorted under her breath. Twilight shot her an incredulous look before turning back to Bran.

“Yeah, you could say that…”

“Could you show me?”

“What, like a spell?” Twilight blinked.

“Ooh! I know! Fireworks!” Bran leaned forward, his eyes wide with excitement.

“You… Want me to make fireworks?” Twilight cocked an eyebrow, slightly taken aback.

“Yeah! I mean, if it’s too much you can always- WOAH!” Bran jumped back as Twilight’s horn blazed to life. Brightly-colored sparks of light shot into the air, popping and fizzing loudly. Even Rarity backed away a few steps. They were all illusions, and all the smoke and fire that filled the small charter’s office was totally harmless. Nevertheless, Bran bolted around, cursing and flapping at the colorful flames with his wings.

“Okay! Stop! Before you burn the place down!” Bran roared, his voice easily carrying over the commotion. Twilight blinked once, and the entire display vanished. Not a single wisp of smoke remained, though Twilight wore a sly grin. “Alright.” Bran panted, laying a hoof over his heart. “So I guess you know magic.” He took a deep breath, chuckling a little. “What brings you ladies here?”

“We need passage to The Aerie.” Twilight returned, resting her forelegs on the counter.

“Heh. No problem.” Bran looked at the clock on the wall for a few seconds. “I’ve got a ship leaving port in… About an hour. They’re destined for The Aerie after stopping off at a few places along the southern shore. I can get you passage in two days, for… Twenty bits apiece?”

“Sounds fair.” Twilight nodded to Rarity, who smiled in acquiescence. Twilight fished the currency from her saddlebags, levitating them onto the desk in front of the imposing pegasus. He unceremoniously shoveled them into a small sack he retrieved from under the counter and deposited it in the lone register.

“C’mon. I’ll show you to the ship.” Bran jerked his head, indicating they should follow. Rarity shot Twilight a look before following the big colt out onto the large docks. “You’ll be taking passage on the ‘Frothy Mare.’” He nodded to one moderately-sized ship ahead of them.

“Frothy Mare? Really?” Twilight asked, arching an eyebrow at Bran.

“Don’t read too much into it, darlin’.” Bran grinned over his shoulder at them. “The crew’s solid. There aren’t many quarters, and what we do have is reserved for captains and whatnot. I hope you can make do with camping out on deck, or in the storage areas.”

“No need, boss!” Another pegasus swept in out of the sky, landing smartly on the wooden planks beneath them. She grinned at Twilight and Rarity kindly. “If it’s these two comin’ on board, I’ll give up my own quarters.” This pegasus was much smaller than Bran. She had a slender, delicate-looking frame. Her coat was pure white, with a large, golden fish for a cutie mark. Her blue mane was pulled back in a tight braid, and didn’t bob or move when she turned her head. If anything, it appeared to be fastened to her neck.

“I can’t ask you to do that, Star…” Bran rumbled, frowning at her.

“Bah. You don’t hafta.” Star’s eyes glided along Rarity and Twilight’s bodies, in a very pointed fashion. Twilight could immediately tell; this was the sort of mare that didn’t mince words. “I’ll sleep under the stars with my colts, thanks very much.”

“Suit yourself.” Bran shrugged. “They’re headed to The Aerie.”

“On for two days? Plenty of time to… Chat.” Star looked them over once more. Twilight could feel Rarity shift uncomfortably next to her.

“Behave yourself, Star.” Bran’s cautious tone made the pegasus mare straighten up.

“Aye, cap’n!” She saluted smartly, but Twilight could see in her devious smile she most certainly wouldn’t. “I’ll show these two to their quarters, then.” Dropping the salute, Star smiled at the two of them. Twilight glanced to Bran one last time, who mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry for her’ before turning away, shaking his head.

“He’s not… Leaving us with her, is he?” Rarity muttered.

“I’m afraid so.” Twilight grimaced. “Come on.” Twilight nodded to Star, who beamed and trotted up the slanted gangplank to her ship. All around them, earth ponies and pegasi bustled about, climbing or flying around the ship. Twilight watched them work ropes and tug on pulley systems, moving crates, boxes, and other supplies all over the ship. Star steered past the major hubs of activity on the ship’s deck, leading them towards the cabin near the rear. After squeezing down a tight stairwell, she pushed through one of four doors and turned with a flourish.

“Here you go, ladies.” Star beamed. “These are my quarters, but you’re welcome to stay here for the trip.” Twilight looked over the small room with a light smile. Despite Star’s brash attitude, the small room was warmly furnished with a mahogany vanity, a decently-sized bed, and a dresser. The bed was messy, but she quickly remedied that with a telekinetic field. Star blushed a little.

“Sorry ‘bout that… Had some… Ahem… Company last night.”

With a grimace, Twilight made a mental note to change the sheets before they slept that evening.

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My dearest Luna-

As it turns out, I am not a seafaring pony. I spent the majority of the morning hurling over the side of the ship’s railing, and most of the night laying in bed, praying I didn’t add any more to the bucket at my bedside. Rarity’s no better off, trust me. Both of us are miserable. Oh, and the saltwater is murder on our manes. Now I see why the ship’s captain keeps hers in a braid.

Speaking of which, the captain is incorrigible. She constantly teases us about our aversion to the rocking motions of the boat. And if she isn’t teasing us, she’s making passes. She means no harm, so I forgive her, but it gets old when you’ve just upchucked, and found she’s been staring at your flank while your face is buried in a bucket.

Alas, we’ve nearly arrived at The Aerie. I can see the gryphons circling some imposing pillar from here. If the diagrams are true, then this place should be the single largest geographical feature in the world. Rumor says there’s a massive, intricate series of tunnels running through the mountain, leading to and from all of the different balconies and ledges. I’d love to take a tour sometime, but Rarity and I are on a mission. The library first, sightseeing second. Still, we might have to get a guide from there. Maybe I’ll take a minute to get lost.

On the rare moments I’m not sick, I can understand why ponies enjoy the sea… Standing on the deck with the spray on my face is an exhilarating experience. I can feel the large waves impact the sides of the boat, rocking us to and fro. It’s magnificent, seeing the majesty of the sea. It really reminds a pony how small and insignificant they really are. When I look South, out of the bay and into the ocean, I can’t see the end. It’s mystifying. Terrifying, really. But that leads me to the topic of this letter, aside from just letting you know of our progress:

I think I felt something. With the wind in my face and the water beneath me, I felt a presence. Nothing extraplanar or magical, but something else entirely. A… Calling if you will. It was strange, but comforting. Is this what elemental magic is? I really haven’t read many books on the subject, and none of them described anything of the sort. I doubt I’ll receive a response from you, but it’s certainly something to consider.

Rarity and I are nearly to The Aerie now. I’ll see about sending this letter to you via courier before we depart for the library. Oh, and one last thing:

Whenever I was terribly sick, I’d lay my hoof on your necklace. And everything seemed okay. I love you, Luna. With all of my heart. I ache for the day I get to see you again, and while I know it’s not that far off, I still miss you.

Yours now and always,

-Twilight

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The Aerie was imposing, to say the least. Twilight had first seen it halfway through the second day, when the noon sun was high in the sky. Over the wide expanse of rolling water, the small finger of land had seemed miniscule. Negligible, even. The books she had read on the home of the gryphons had seemed to have embellished on the size of the thing. But then they sailed closer, and closer, and closer still.

It really didn’t strike her until they entered the shadow of The Aerie. Star swooped in out of the sky to land on the deck next to her, smiling warmly. “We’ll arrive at the dock in about an hour.”

“An hour?” Twilight asked, turning towards Star with wide eyes.

“Mmhmm. In the shadow, there’s not much wind. We have to rely on the current to carry us in. That, and it’s another two miles.” Star bumped her flank with a grin. “Relax. You’ll be off this deathtrap sooner than you think.”

“Right. Hey,” Twilight turned to Star with a frown. “About… Us.”

“Hey, look, I should apologize.” Star shrugged.

“No, it’s not you. Trust me.” Twilight chuckled. “I have somepony I love, and Rarity is… Well, she’s recovering.” Rarity’s story about the relationship between her and Regal still made Twilight frown. She shook her head, trying to focus on her explanation. “Under different circumstances, I’d have returned your attention readily. You’re… Well, you’re obviously very attractive.” Twilight blushed. “Just… You know… Extraneous circumstances.”

“I’m not but a humble fisherpony, Twilight…” Star frowned.

“Right. Eer. Well, things are just complicated.”

“Aah. Gotchya. Hey, thanks for the compliment.” Star grinned and nudged Twilight’s flank once more. “Besides. I’m too much for you to handle.”

“Oh, if only you knew.” Twilight muttered under her breath, laying a hoof on the pendant.

“Whussat?”

“Nothing.” Twilight grinned as she waved Star off, turning back to look at the approaching shoreline. “Nothing at all…” Star left her with a quizzical look, but was soon replaced with Rarity.

“I swear,” The white unicorn moaned, leaning against the ship’s railing heavily. “The sooner we’re on solid ground, the better…”

“I feel you there.” Twilight chuckled, using a thin thread of magic to pull Rarity’s mane away from her face as she emptied over the side of the boat once more. The hundredth time, it seemed.

“Ooh… Shade…” Rarity fanned her face as the ship slipped into the dark shadow of The Aerie. Twilight relished the cool feeling of the darkness on her coat, a stark contrast to the burning sun. Out here on the water, the seasons didn’t seem to matter much. It was either the middle of the night and freezing cold, or bright and hot. “How much longer, do you think?”

“Star says another hour.” Twilight returned, squinting at The Aerie. She could see tiny black dots circling the top of the column of stone.

“Star… I swear, under different circumstances…” Rarity glanced over her shoulder, looking for the brash captain.

“I feel you there. She’s cute.”

“Cute doesn’t do her justice…” Rarity groaned and pressed her hooves into her temples.

“I didn’t know you swung that way.” Twilight quipped, smiling at Rarity from the corner of her eye.

“Well… We are called ‘the fairer sex’ for a reason.” Rarity returned, waving a hoof dismissively. “Cross Stitch isn’t my only lover, darling.” Twilight was suddenly aware that she was going to be alone with Rarity for the foreseeable future.

“You’re not… We aren’t…”

“Hmm? Oh, no!” Rarity scrunched her nose. “I don’t go in for my friends. It tends to make things awkward.” Twilight sagged with relief, smiling faintly. “You weren’t worried, were you?”

“Well… I’d be lying if I told myself you weren’t pretty.” Twilight blushed. “But you’re right. Doing… That stuff… With friends. It just seems wrong.”

“Take it from Dash and I, it’s not healthy.” Rarity’s frown intensified.

“Really? You and Dash?” Twilight arched an eyebrow.

“Long, long ago, darling. A little bit after the whole crystal kingdom fiasco.” Rarity moaned, lurching again. Twilight pulled her mane up once more, waiting until the coughing died down. “It didn’t end well, but we made up…”

“I think I remember that…” Twilight mused, looking up into the sky blankly. “You two wouldn’t talk to each other for like, four weeks…”

“And she had Fluttershy relay messages between us.” Rarity chuckled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hoof. “Poor girl. She nearly broke down. She thought she was the one driving us apart.”

“Oh, I remember that now… Spike said Fluttershy would burst into tears whenever she was alone for even a little while.”

“Oh that dragon.” Rarity muttered. “Sticking his nose where it didn’t belong… How is he, by the way? You haven’t heard from him?” Twilight solemnly shook her head.

“No… He went off for a century-long nap, Rarity. I’ll be lucky if I see him again. And even if I do, he’ll be an entirely different dragon.” The sudden reminder of her former assistant put a severe damper on Twilight’s mood. She hung her head with a sigh, looking down at the frothing, steely-grey water. She and Rarity were quiet for a few moments before Twilight spoke again. “He fancied you, you know…”

“I had my suspicions…” Rarity said sarcastically. “I never knew how to react around him… He was awfully endearing, but he was so…”

“Young?”

“Scaly.” Rarity countered, scrunching her nose. “Could you imagine? Catching the edge of one of his scales? You know… During?”

“Eew. Okay, stop.” Twilight blanched. She and Rarity looked at each other for a few long moments before they both burst out laughing, leaning against one another for support.

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They made dock shortly after that, and Twilight was extremely thankful for the solid ground beneath her hooves once again. They said farewell to Star with a slightly more-than-friendly hug and turned towards the imposing pillar of stone before them.

“It’s… Massive.” Rarity breathed.

“Agreed. I don’t think we’ll be able to make it to the top…” Twilight frowned at the imposing feature before them. The Aerie was the single largest mountain in the world. How the massive series of tunnels had been constructed was still under speculation, but experts believed it was an extinct race of massive, burrowing insects. When the first gryphons settled there, the tunnels let them traverse the interior of the mountain, and set up their nests and roosts when the tunnels breached the outside. With the help of miners from Equestria, the tunnels had been expanded and fortified, and soon enough, the gryphon’s only city had taken root in the massive mountain. Now, it was the hub of Gryphon-Equestria trading, and home to thousands of the feathered race.

Being unicorns, Twilight and Rarity drew a lot of curious looks from the gryphons they met. They were mostly amiable, though Twilight could sense a little bit more abrasiveness from them than she had expected. Still, they managed to procure directions from one trader, who sent them about a quarter of the way up into the mountain. Twilight followed the directions she had been given, but that didn’t stop her from staring in wonder. Every now and then, inside of the mountain, were massive chambers, hundreds of feet tall. Gryphons milled about in these common areas, meeting with friends or family, trading goods, or just relaxing.

It took them the better part of an hour, climbing up constant inclines and stairways, but the two of them finally arrived at their destination. A swinging sign fixed to the stone of the wall bore the symbol of a map, with a dotted line leading to an ‘x.’ Twilight smiled as she poked her head into the entrance. “Hello? Anyone here?”

“Hi there.” A burly-looking gryphon emerged from a back chamber, nodding to the two of them. Twilight realized it was rather difficult to smile with a beak, which was why most gryphons appeared to be angry or sulky most of the time. “What can I help you with?”

“Aah. Hello.” Twilight approached the male gryphon with a smile on her lips. “We need a guide.”

“Well, you’ve come to the right place. Name’s Gregor. Do you know where you’re headed?” The large gryphon nodded towards a large map pinned on the wall behind them. Twilight turned to the map, looking it over with a slight frown for a while.

“Here.” She said after a while. “The Valley of Knowledge.”

“No can do.” The gryphon frowned immediately, shaking his head. “You can find someone else to go on your suicide trip.”

“Wait, hey!” Twilight called after him. He disappeared into the back of the chamber, going out of sight around a corner. She didn’t receive a reply, and following would have been rude. Twilight’s mind raced as she fought for the words to say. “Double! We’ll pay double!”

“No dice!”

“Triple, then!” Her desperate plea elicited a long silence from the chamber. After a long pause, Gregor emerged, his brows drawn down.

“Triple th’ price?”

“And we’re not asking you to take us into the maelstrom.” Twilight nodded seriously. “Just get us there. We’ll handle the rest ourselves.”

“Look, miss…?”

“Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle.”

“Twilight. My family’s been guides through the gryphon territories for six generations. Each of us have taken ponies and other gryphons to that place.” He gestured with a claw to the map. “And none of them have returned. Not even one.”

“I’m not asking you to take us in.” Twilight stepped forward, re-affirming herself. She looked up at Gregor, her expression serious. “Just get us there. Then you can turn around and return, payment in-claw.” The imposing gryphon stared her down for a long while. She could see the gears turning in his mind. He was considering their offer.

“Three and a half. And I turn back th’ day before we arrive.”

“Done.” Twilight offered a hoof. Gregor took it with his claw, shaking to seal the deal.

“You can stay here for the night. We leave tomorrow. Pre-dawn.” Gregor grumbled, sauntering towards the back of the chamber. He indicated Rarity and Twilight follow with a nod of his head. Twilight followed him into what she could only assume was his home. It was warmly lit with a dozen candles, and maps and charts lay open on the floors and littered the lone table. “You’ll be sleeping here.” He grumbled, shoving a stack of books off of the solitary couch in the room. “Bathroom through there.” He pointed through a fortified archway. “My room through there. There will be another gryphon through here, as well.” He went through the third and last archway, and Twilight heard the clinking of plates and cutlery.

“All I got is oatmeal. You don’t eat fish, right?”

“No.” Twilight scrunched her nose, and Rarity blanched openly.

“Heh. Your loss.”

“You mentioned another gryphon?” Twilight asked, craning her neck to look into the room Gregor was in.

“My daughter.” He grunted in return, hoisting a bag of oatmeal out of storage. He poured two bowls worth and set some water on a small fire to boil. “Her name’s Gilda.”

“Gilda…” Rarity muttered, tapping her lower hoof with a lip. “I know I’ve heard that name before.”

“Hey, yeah…” Twilight frowned. The name certainly rang a bell. Twilight ran through all of the gryphons she had met in her life. There were a few emissaries in Canterlot, whom she had met in passing, but none of them clicked with the name either. She wracked her brain, trying to put a name to a face. In an instant, it clicked.

“Dash’s friends.”

“Yeah, she was one of Dash’s friends. From flight school!”

“From Ponyville.”

“Wait, what?” Twilight and Rarity both spun around, looking at the source of the new voice. Sure enough, Gilda stood in the doorway, looking at the two of them with a shocked expression.

“No way.”

“You’re…”

“It’s…”

“Dad?” Gilda called out. “Mind telling me what Rainbow Dash’s friends are doing here?” She was obviously shaken. Both Twilight and Rarity were taken aback as well. This was the gryphon who had caused quite a bit of trouble between Dash and the rest of the elements of harmony, a long, long while ago. Twilight had nearly forgotten about the entire incident. If she remembered correctly, Gilda was upset with Dash for having changed, and having acquired new friends.

“Whaddya mean, Rainbow Dash’s friends?” Gregor poked his head out. Twilight knew smiling was out of the question for gryphons, but frowning obviously wasn’t. “You’ve got to be kidding me. These are her two unicorn friends?”

“Yeah. Rarity, and the purple one… Twist? Tango?”

“Twilight.”

“Right. Twilight.” Gilda didn’t look angry with them, just shocked. Twilight honestly was, too. Rarity, however, looked to be on the defensive. Twilight could almost see the hairs on her neck standing on-end.

“I think it’s best we find another guide, Twilight.” Rarity muttered under her breath.

“What? Why?” Twilight looked between Rarity and Gilda. Rarity seemed to be seething anger. Gilda’s shock slowly faded into a sheepish look, one of shame and apology. Slowly, the gears began to click.

“You’re not telling me…”

“Mind if I share the story?” Gilda asked.

“Only if you tell it properly.” Rarity growled. The smaller gryphon frowned, but nodded.

“A few years after the incident with Pinkie Pie, I tried to get back in touch with Dash. We actually kind of hit it off. ‘Water under the bridge,’ she called it. I apologized to Pinkie Pie, and we started talking regularly…” Gilda slowly lowered herself to her haunches, sighing gently. “We were friends again. It was really nice. But Dash started to become a little bit more than friendly…”

“Properly.” Rarity glared at Gilda. The gryphon’s frown intensified, but she continued.

“Okay, I was the one who came onto her. Rarity, I swear, I had no idea you two were-“

“Oooohh.” Twilight connected the dots. “She’s the reason things went bad between you and Rainbow Dash?”

Rarity’s solemn nod sealed the point. Twilight awkwardly looked between the two of them, at a complete loss for words.

“Awkward.” Gregor grumbled. “Oh. Hey. Oatmeal’s ready.”

“I’m not about to break bread with the likes of her.” Rarity spat.

“Rarity.” Twilight cut her off, frowning intently at the white unicorn. “Relax. We need a guide to take us to the library. If you want to hike around this place for another six hours looking for another guide, fine. But I’m sticking here with Gregor.” The way the imposing gryphon made it sound, she was going to have a hard time finding another guide to take them to the library.

“Come on.” Gregor mumbled. “It’s gonna get cold.” The four of them entered the miniscule dining room, awkwardly sitting around a table that was obviously designed for just two. They huddled together, with Rarity sitting opposite Gilda. Twilight didn’t miss the nasty looks the two of them were throwing each other, but they remained civil. For the most part. After a short while, though, Gilda hung her head.

“I’ve been thinking, I really messed up, back then. The winds know I haven’t gone a day without regretting what I did to you and Dash. So let me make it up to you.” She leaned across the table, tapping the hard wood with a claw. “Let me take you to the library. Free of charge. And I won’t leave you the last day. I’ll walk straight up to the edge of the storm with you. Heck, if you ask, I’ll go in by your side.”

“Thanks, but I think we’ll take your father’s more professional help.” Rarity spoke out before Twilight could get a chance, and earned an intense frown in response.

“Let’s consider this.” Twilight said evenly. “Gregor, how well does Gilda know the way?”

“She’s taken two groups to the area before… Not to the library, mind you, but she knows how to find it. I can say that much for certain.” The elder gryphon stroked the bottom side of his beak with a claw thoughtfully. “Might take you an extra day or two without me, but she can get you there.”

“I’ll not allow it.” Rarity frowned.

“Don’t let your pride get in the way of this, Rarity.” Twilight frowned at her friend. A half-boiled plan began to form in her mind. She took mental inventory of how much money they had left. The trip was, of course, funded by the Canterlot bank. But Twilight had only been allotted so much. If she blew three point five times the regular going rate for a guide just to get to the library, they might not be able to get back to The Aerie, and finding passage back across Horseshoe Bay was also going to be troublesome. But if Gilda guided them pro-bono, they’d have plenty to afford the return trip. And besides, maybe Rarity would bury the proverbial hatchet between the two of them.

“I think we’ll take you up on your offer.” Twilight nodded firmly.

“Twilight, you can’t seriously-“

“It’s going to happen, Rarity.” Twilight frowned. “We need to save on the cost. And besides, would you really deny someone the chance to redeem themselves? After what you’ve been through?” Rarity balked at that, and finally dropped her head.

“Fine.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, Twilight.”

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.” Twilight muttered. She and Gregor shared a sympathetic look and a shrug as Rarity and Gilda engaged in a staring contest. Neither of them won, it seemed. Twilight knew their disagreement wasn’t over. But she had just secured them a guide, and had done so free of charge. In the back of her mind, she thanked the heavens for small miracles.

“Right then.” Gregor stood from the table, licking his beak free of the last bit of oatmeal. “I’ll get your things prepared.”

“We leave in the morning.” Gilda said.

----------------------

My dearest Luna-

Small miracles notwithstanding, Rarity and I are well on our way. We’re two days journey away from The Aerie, and are being escorted by what I guess you could call an old, old friend. The whole story is rather long and drawn-out, but if you really must know, Celestia has my letter on friendship about the matter. Ask her about the Gryphon named Gilda. I’m sure she’ll remember that particular letter well enough.

Anywho, I’m surprised at the beauty of this land. It’s dominated mainly by a pine forest, though Gilda assures me we’ll be entering the northern plains that separate what she calls the ‘Howling Pines’ and the tundra, a product of the Crystal Kingdom’s frigid environment. We’re travelling due North-East, with the Crystal Kingdom to our left, and the sea far, far to our right. In another day’s time, we’ll reach the plains, and then the foothills leading into the valley another four days after that. Gilda says another three days past the valley is the beginning of the Saddle Arabian desert.

I could have asked for better travelling company. It seems Rarity and Gilda have a past, with their mutual friend Rainbow Dash. I won’t get into specifics, but it’s making for a very unpleasant experience. The two of them bicker and argue frequently, and the rest of the time is spent in a seething sort of silence. I swear, I could light our campfires with the sparks these two throw between each other. It’s tense. It’s stressful. I swear, I found a grey hair in my mane this morning.

Alas, I will persevere. The library lies ahead of us, and I cannot wait to glean even a little bit of information from the books there… I swear, my dreams have been of nothing but them lately. Well, they seem to sway from the lost knowledge to you. There are times when I dream of both. Those are my favorites. I’m anxious, really, at what lies ahead of me. Hundreds of others have failed before. I keep reassuring myself that none of them were the Archmage, that they weren’t nearly as well-trained or as knowledgeable as I am… But still. I’m scared.

On an unrelated note, the stars here are beautiful. Gilda took us through small villages the first two days, but just last night, we camped underneath the stars. And oh my goodness, Luna… You cannot possibly imagine how magisterial they are. Well, actually, you can. But still. I had never imagined in all my years how clearly you can see them. Millions of them. At points, they’re so dense you can hardly make out the individual constellations. Other times, you can pick them out as if they were on the diagram before you. I could have spent hours staring at them, but the uphill trek had worn me out. I slept more soundly last night than I have in a long, long while.

We’re getting closer now. The plains lay before us, and the foothills beyond. Three short days, and we’ll arrive. I don’t know if I’m excited, anxious, or nervous. But whatever this feeling is, I kind of like it. It empowers me. It makes me feel strong; almost like I can do anything. It happened again, by the way. When we were walking through the plains, with dew on our hooves and wind in our manes, I felt it. That strange feeling I got when I was on the boat. I think that’s an elemental connection, isn’t it? We’ll talk about it when I return.

I’m still missing you terribly. The cold, hard ground might not be so unforgiving with you by my side. I hold your pendant in my hooves before I sleep each night, and it helps me drift off. It really is beautiful, Luna. Thank you so much for this wonderful gift. We’ve run across a trading company. They’ve agreed to take this letter to The Aerie, and send it on to Canterlot for me. I’ll wrap this up by saying I love you.

Yours always,

-Twilight

----------------------

“We’ll reach the storm today, won’t we?” Twilight asked, hoisting her saddlebags onto her rump. Gilda nodded as she stretched, yawning wide.

“About four hours hike from here, and we’ll be there.” She curled a talon towards the mountains before them, pointing out two peaks. “That’s Featherhome mountain there, and Beak peak beside it. Between them is the Valley of Knowledge. Above the peaks, the winds are so intense even the strongest fliers can’t cross the mountain, let alone descend into the valley. That’s the border of the Gryphon territories. Beyond that, no one knows what there is.” She swung her claw far to the right, off to where the line of mountains descended past the horizon. “Three days hike that way is the Saddle Arabian-Gryphon border, and the beginning of the desert.” She swung it back to the left. “And over there is the Crystal Kingdom. But you have to pass through Timberwolf territory to get there, so anyone wanting to travel to the Crystal Kingdom usually swings to the south, through Horseshoe Bay.”

“Hmm.” Twilight’s gaze returned to the twin peaks, and the valley between them. Today, she would reach the library. Her heart was already pounding with anticipation. “We’ll need to arrive at the Western edge of the valley, can you do that?”

“Sure.” Gilda shrugged, though her expression turned back to worried. “You won’t… Need me to come with, will you?”

“I don’t think so.” Twilight said softly, shaking her head. “But I won’t stop you if you want to come along.”

“No offense.” Gilda followed Twilight’s gaze to the valley. “But I’ve seen enough ponies not come back from that to know no gryphon stands a chance.” They all fell silent after that. They ate a small breakfast in silence, and wrapped up their small camp in short order. When they set out, it was with grim expressions. The last bit of the uphill hike was arduous, but they went about it briskly. Twilight was surprised that Rarity managed to keep up as well as she did. When they crested the last hill, Twilight’s breath was taken away.

“Oh wow.” She whispered softly.

Before them was the opening to the valley. The steep walls of the two mountains soared up to impossible heights, leaving maybe a mile-wide gap between the two of them. The gap, it seemed, consisted of nothing but a shifting, swirling wall of sand. Even from here, Twilight could hear the terrible, howling noise of the magic-fueled winds swirling about, kicking the sand up in a perpetual storm. For over a thousand years, the storm had raged, and concealed nightmares the likes of which nopony should have been submitted to. The three of them paused atop the hill, watching the storm rage with transfixed expressions.

“Come on.” Twilight managed, swallowing past the lump in her throat. Gilda and Rarity followed her down the hill towards the valley’s entrance. Off to her left, at the western-most edge of the opening, she could see the hunched, huddled mass of what she assumed was Regal’s tree. They wound through a small stand of maples on their way there. Even these were twisted and shriveled hunks of what they should have been. Twilight’s heart throbbed for the pain and torture she knew these trees were enduring. She knew if she reached out to touch them, as she had done with her tree in Canterlot, she would hear their tortured screams. Shivering, Twilight picked up the pace, walking towards the shriveled oak.

“There it is.” Rarity breathed. At the very South-Western opening to the valley sat a solitary tree, shriveled and hunched over. Twilight approached it, searching the trunk.

“There.” She laid a hoof on a smooth circle, ground into the tree’s trunk. Regal’s directions had been true so far. “This is it. Rarity, this is the line into the storm.” This close to the swirling wall of sand, Twilight nearly had to shout to be heard. Now and then, a few stray grains of sand would whip out of the storm to pelt her hide.

“Are you prepared for this, Twilight?” Rarity shouted over the high winds, her expression serious.

“As I’ll ever be. Gilda.” Twilight turned to their guide, smiling warmly at her. “Thank you for your help. It means much to us.”

“I did it for Dash.” Gilda shouted gruffly. “I’m still so sorry for what I did to her. Listen, if you make it out of there alive-“

“When.”

“When you make it out of there… Tell her I’m sorry?”

Twilight held a hoof out, grinning warmly.

“Consider it done, Gilda.” The gryphon gripped her hoof in a firm shake before shrugging out of her pack.

“Supplies for the return trip. I’ll leave them here for you.” Gilda shoved the pack underneath a jutting root of the oak tree, nodding firmly at them. “Good luck, Twilight.”

“Fair winds, Gilda. See you again!”

Twilight and Rarity were alone then. The two of them stood at the edge of the storm, their faces hardly a foot away from the swirling maelstrom. Twilight stared into the shifting depths for a long while. She felt Rarity press to her side then, the warmth of her friend an odd comfort in the face of madness. Twilight looked up to the heavens, and spotted the area of the sky she knew Canis Major rested in.

“Are you ready?” Rarity called out. Twilight glanced at her once more before looking back into the storm. She knew what lay in there. It wasn’t the monstrous beasts, or the disorienting storm. It wasn’t even the library, with all of the lost books of ages past.

It was her destiny.

Twilight stepped forward, into the heart of madness.