A pair of green eyes flickered open.
The little foal sat up in a gasp, her bushy mane flouncing. She looked all around.
She was seated inside a cramped metal compartment. The room swayed with slow drifting and bobbing motions. The walls were thin, and she could hear the creaking sounds of shifting cargo, as well as the muffled voices of multiple equines in tense conversation outside.
Chewing on her bottom lip, Kera crawled forward. She felt forward through the dim space, her hoof ultimately brushing up against a bent metal door. Holding her breath, she tried pushing on it. A crack of light formed along the door’s edge, but the thing refused to budge all the way.
She hissed through clenched teeth and gave the panel several more shoves, trying not to make a rattling noise or else she might alert the bodies from beyond the walls. At last, she leaned forward, wincing slightly from a dull pain deep inside her horn. With careful concentration, the magical prodigy felt the other side of the door. Her telekinesis revealed a simple pair of latches to her wandering mind.
One at a time, she unlocked them, and the door gave way with a light creaking sound. Kera held her breath again, and as soon as she slipped out of the metallic crawlspace, the voices became much clearer.
“...wouldn’t have had to take the child if things had gone according to plan!”
“Well, they didn’t, and now we have to explain things to Khao.”
“Khao has enough to explain for herself! None of her calculations accounted for the sheer amount of resistance we ultimately received at the hooves of the Harbinger’s false companions!”
“The prophecies tell us all that we need to know about Austraeoh. They provide no guidance for those whom the Harbinger wrongfully associated with. As emissary of the prophetic word, it was Khao’s task to inform us about the nature of Austraeoh. She did not fail in this department, and I do not see why you are blaming her.”
“I’m not blaming her! I’m just saying that the prophecies also maintain that we must look after our fellow ponies! And… and we l-lost so many brothers and sisters in acquiring the relic! Many of them died under Khao’s very own watch! How… h-how could she let that happen to them?!”
As Kera’s vision came into focus, she saw a large cargo room full of various steam packs, hanging bags of produce, and various metal tools in dangling nets. Amber lanternlight cast nearly a dozen shadows against the brown metal bulkheads. Several equines were just a trot or two away, seated beyond a line of packing crates. Kera could even feel the heat from their breaths as she nervously sneaked towards a door on the far side.
“In our quest to reunite the broken pieces of the grand encompassing world, there are sacrifices to be made. Austraeoh must have her endurance reborn, or else she will not possess the spark she needs to bring harmony to the waystations. These… companions of her are a false Eljunbyro, and she must be forced to break from them at all costs.”
“But they’re just innocent, normal ponies!”
“They’re a deterrent to the path of the Harbinger! All they’ve done is slow Austraeoh down! She’ll never make it to the dark side of the plane at this rate!”
“I just think that if Austraeoh’s purpose is to restore Harmony and balance, then shouldn’t every action that Khao directs us to do be indicative of the prophet motive?”
“The prophets were the holy ones. They communed with the Angels. We are the Herald, and we sing their song with the throats of mortals. We are not worthy of the glory that Austraeoh will bring back. That is a luxury that the Penultimate Ones will relish when the ring becomes whole once more…”
“And it will lead to the rebirth of angels. Yes, I know, but I feel like it is our task to leave a proper legacy as well as bring Austraeoh towards the one true path.”
“It doesn’t matter now. What’s done is done. We have the Relic, and once we reunite with Khao’s party, then we’ll have the means of drawing Austraeoh to us.”
“Blessed Angels, what if she dies trying to get here?”
“Impossible. The Harbinger’s pain is also her healing. It says so in the prophetic words.”
“True. True. I just hope that, in the end, we receive the Austraeoh’s blessing for our sacrifices.”
“We may, or we may not. That is up to the Harbinger when the moment of truth comes.”
At last, Kera had made it to the door. She chose to use her telekinesis instead of bare hooves to open it. As soon as she did so, she wished that she didn’t, for a huge gust of air blew immediately out of the room, knocking over several crates and causing numerous tools to fly off their hangers.
The zealots stood up, their hooves scuffling loudly across the metal floor.
“What was that?!”
“Is it Ledomare?! Are we under attack?”
“No, there was no shelling. Stay here, I’ll go investigate.”
Kera panicked. She darted through the door--paused--then darted back. Flinging her horn from afar, she forced the tiny compartment’s door shut and locked the latches in place. Quickly, before the stallion’s heavy hooves stomped around the corner, she threw herself into the cold, cold air.
Kera almost immediately ran into a metal railing. She stared out into a thick sea of mist, mist, and more mist. Her eyes twitched as a deep chill ran through her body. The air was freezing, and her tiny breaths weren’t getting her enough oxygen. Wheezing, she nevertheless stumbled her way down a wobbling deck. She caught the sight of a bright red pylon of sky marble looming beneath her, having retracted tightly into the dark hull of the stationary manaship. As she heard vibrations of the stallion’s hooves behind her, she scurried towards one pointed end of the ship, looking for a structure--any structure--to hide behind.
At last, she chose a vertical stem of metal steam vents. She crouched low and flattened herself against it, taking the biggest, longest, and deepest breath of her life. She got a modicum of oxygen, but decided it was enough to survive on. Clamping her mouth shut, she curled into a little peach ball and hid there, shivering.
The door could be heard creaking open, creaking shut, and creaking open again. The stallion grumbled aloud, his body still. Half a minute passed. The door slammed shut, and a series of heavy footsteps trotted down along the deck, following the path Kera had taken.
The foal’s face tattoos were blue at this point. She clenched her mouth tighter, her lungs feeling like they might burst at anytime. At last, the stallion’s hooves came into view, the color bands of the fetlocks brimming in the misty morning air. The pony stopped, looming just besides Kera.
Kera couldn’t help it. Her body burst, and her mouth flew open for a deep, desperate inhale. Almost immediately, she heard the stallion shout.
“Hey! Heyyyy!”
She felt like sobbing.
“Brother! Brother Zaid! Over here!” The stallion raised a hoof to raise it. There was another series of steps. A second zealot trotted over, his hooves stopping just a few feet before the first’s.
“What is it, brother?”
“Have we changed course?”
“No.” The voice belonging to Zaid said. “We’re waiting here for Khao’s party, just like she instructed us to.”
“Then we didn’t just pivot the ship about?”
“Not that I know of. I’ve been guarding the deck since we took cover in the clouds. Why do you ask?”
“The door to storage flung open. You know how loose it is. I figured we may have adjusted course and just wanted to be kept up to speed.”
“Heh… I wouldn’t move this ship even if the Harbinger told me to face to face. We barely skirted past a dreadnaught on the way here. Ledo’s got claim to these skies. We’d be dead the first moment we showed ourselves in the daylight.”
“And with the Relic aboard, we couldn’t afford that.”
“I was thinking of my skin, but sure.”
“Unnngh, Brotherrrrr. Keep talking like that and you’ll never earn your feathers.”
“What, and get to be Khao’s suicidal wingponies?” The second pony chuckled. “Hey, I believe in the prophetic word and all, but I’m staying alive long enough to read them all! If you catch my drift…”
“Fine. Keep up with your humble post, Zaid. I’m returning to the others.” The first stallion’s hooves shuffled away.
The other marched off in the opposite direction. “Don’t pretend you’re no less a coward!”
“Good bye, Zaid…”
Kera waited for a minute… two minutes…
She fell back and plopped across the deck, wheezing for even breaths. Her eyes teared as she fought for enough oxygen to stay conscious. At last, her breaths evened out, and her adrenaline coasted towards a normal level.
“I wonder…” She gulped and panted. “If one of them was called ‘Zaid...’”
Another few minutes passed. At last, she stirred, getting up and staring at her surroundings. The mists were wafting about in undulating motions, and it was impossible for her to figure out which direction of the railing led to the bow of the ship or the stern. She daringly peered straight down over the edge of the ship, seeing nothing but cloudy soup.
“Okay…” Kera murmured aloud, trying to settle her nerves. “If I jump over the edge here… and it’s land beneath me… then I’ll die pretty quickly. If it’s… erm… water.” She gulped. “Then I’ll die almost as quickly, but I might get to hug a fish or two before my organs squirt out of my body.”
With a fidgeting expression, she turned about and ultimately decided to skirt along the edge of the hull. She crawled along, ready to dash back to the obscure cluster of steam pipes at a moment’s notice. She was just rounding a bend when she heard a series of hoofsteps and gasped sharply.
“Oh crud! Zaid alert! Zaid alert!”
She spun around in a blurry, tattooed circle. She caught sight of a door to her immediate left. With a tug of telekinesis, she fought the rusted thing open.
“Nnnnnngh!”
At last, the panel budged, and she threw herself in like a living missile. Slamming the thing shut behind her, she locked it from the inside and planted herself against the frame, panting. The filly felt a trickle of sweat running down her brow. At first, she thought it was from pure fear, but as she ran a hoof to her head, she realized that it was stiflingly hot inside that room.
“Whoah…” She gulped. “What gives? Is something b-burning?” She turned around, squinting, then realized she was staring straight into the source of the flickering, ruby light. “No waaaaaaay…”
Before her, in a dark cage, an infamous book hovered, powered by blistering runes.
Unleash havoc, young filly.
and then...
meh, I got nothing~
Its time to break things! Yeah!
I can't get the mental image out of my head that the Herald ponies are wearing white shirts, skinny ties and slacks.
It's somewhere between an original draft of the bible and a spent plutonium fuel rod.
Such an interesting combo.
Passed a dreadnought, eh? What kind of ship is Shell in again?
3299026 Oh man, I just realized that... I hope RD's crew is ready.
3298006 spelling is something that I have never understood
And the t button on my computer is sticky so it doesn't always work... And my computer doesn't have spell check.
I have to use google for spell check
As much as they're misinterpreting the prophecy, it is pretty obvious by now that it's still true. So much about the absence of destiny in this world. So there is a higher force guiding the the fate of the world along. The book and the cult, the Spark's presence and learning in Ledomare, the first proto-pegasi and Rainbow Dash as the last remnant of Harmony - everything is connected.
This actually brings a new wind to my favourite ongoing question, the nature of the Spark. We know of only one other prophecy that has ever been made in the entire FiM universe - the foretold return of Nightmare Moon. While we do not know exactly who uttered that prophecy, the number of people that could have possibly done it were all connected to Harmony in some way (since practically every important person back then was). The powers of Harmony seem to be a higher force capable of foretelling the future - now if the cultist employ the power of the Spark to get things done, that would mean.... that I'm not really getting anywhere.
3298991
Ponky would be insulted, haha.
Let loose the filliy of war.
3299117 Don't be so sure, it's almost a uniform for more than one religion. Hell there are now 2 religions here that wear the exact same thing, I'm still trying to figure out how to manipulate them into trying to convert eachother... face it that would be fun to watch.
So, the machine layer parts are waystations? It seems more and more likely that Kera will save herself before Rainboarke arrive.
~bass
Kera, the book already knows you from when you were with Belle.
This is Kera. This is Kera on holy relic book... Somewhat more than 20% more awesome. I wonder if she can fly the book to relative safety -- or into Shell's clutches.
I also note the descriptions of Kera... Everwatching...
Wonder whats going to happen if Kero turns out to be capable of channeling the flame.
Here honey, did you know that crystals have a resonant frequency, and if you make them vibrate too much, they break, very messily.
3299219 The JW's already knocked on my door the other day. I wasn't converted. Nor did I try to convert them. We did have an interesting discussion about the end of the world though.
Kera's gonna mess some stuff up. Bwahahaha.
Oh, silly me. Here I was thinking Rainbow and Roarke would be rescuing Kera. Really, she just needs to be picked up.
3298991
If one of them is named Ponky...
Thirty-five sit-ups, ):(. Knock 'em out!
1) Shit, the dreadnought is coming.
2) Can Kera supercharge herself with the book? I still want to see Kera whipping their flanks.
And it will lead to the rebirth of angels. That's interesting. Khao mentioned before that the Angelic Host had "spectral radiance". Maybe the Mane Six were reincarnations of those "angels", meaning they could be brought back to life (and possibly become alicorns or something).
3299043
Come to think, Shell's airship should be running low on, er, shells by now. If the Jury's faster all they actually have to worry about are the gliders once that things ammo is gone. And I'll wager a guess that the Jury's durable enough to take at least one of those.
Maybe if we're lucky, Shell will make Khao a "non-issue" the way he did to Nightshade. That seems to be his thing now; he's the only one allowed to be the villain here.
Does this make Kera a mini Solid Snake?
Nice find, kid.
Really good thing she's already got high sneak skills from her days on the streets.
3299922
I know they're supposed to be all cloak and dagger, but with all that "brother..." stuff, I couldn't help it. Blame my tired brains.
3300253
Hi! Do you have a moment to speak about our Lord and Savior, Rainbow Dash? Did you know she spoke to prophets right here, in Ledomare?
Of course, since they're ponies, I guess meeting them at the door naked and inviting them inside wouldn't have the same effect, would it?
Waystations, huh? Rebirth of angels, huh? Don't know if full of crap, or foreboding future plot points. Hopefully the latter, actually.
And now Kera's found the book. Cool beans. I dunno how I feel about the theory that Kera will be able to absorb the energy of the book. Stories where ponies are used as energy sources tend to end in tears.
Otherwise known as "Hoof to the Face".
It's like the "kid found her dad's gun" scenario, but the gun is an anti-tank rocket.
3300340
Remind me never to show up at your place uninvited...
Kera is sneakiest filly.
we have:
- a foal, gifted in magic, and slightly miffed to say the least
- a magical book, probably powering an airship.
I predict fiery, crashy disaster. Or success, depending on your point of view.
I'm...
I'm in the story
Ohmygoshohmygoshomygosh.
I haven't felt this excited in a long time.
Thank you, Mr. Colon.
I will, sir.
Damn right I am.
Now that I got most of the excitement out of the way, there's something that caught my eye here:
Am I implying that they crossed paths with the Steel Wing?
Because Shell is due to appear sooner or later.
3302379
3302466
Hey, here's a crazy idea. This Zaid character seems to be *slightly* less devout than the others of the Ejunbureau. I'm calling it before anyone else does. Zaid may be a future party member.
3304378
I've noticed that too, he seems to really believe what Khao has told them, but not to the point of risking his life for this cause.
And I wouldn't mind if Zaid were to stick around for a while.
Just sayin'...
3302617
Hey you're back!
I missed your evaluations.
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Well...that was rather simple. I feel like they would have protected the Relic a little bit better, but whatever. Also, I noticed that the cult seems to use the names "Harbringer" and "Austraeoh" almost interchangeably. Is there some significance to this or do they both simply refer to Rainbow Dash? These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S.3304537Thanks a bundle for reading them!
3344893 Always read them. Since Austraeoh.
Er...yes..."blessing."
If that's what they want to call a missile to the eyeball courtesy of Roarke, then who am I to argue? Although, I kinda don't mind the two chaps who were shooting the breeze. Hopefully its Rainbow who ends up dealing with them - they should be able to escape with most of their limbs, that way.
Also - aha! I knew Belle needn't have worried. Kera's already finding secret rooms and eavesdropping on private semi-important semi-character-building conversations like she was born to it.
Well, I think I'm calling it quits for tonight. I'm all outta Skystone, or mana-juice, or something, and I fear that no matter how many people's books I steal, I shall remain energy-less. Until tomorrow! (Or the next day - I'm never all that consistent with these things).
Kera is once more fulfilling her role as Little Miss Badass, Those cultists are not prepared for the adorable hell that is about to be unleashed.
3299026
oh shit!
This Zaid has a name.
He is now important.
-Spirit
Kera . . . do it.
Foalsitting 101: Do not allow the scampy archetype within 100 metres of the potential weapon of mass destruction.
Also, another namedrop with a somewhat distinct personality? I detect an upcoming important character in this Zaid.
Excellent! At least one of these crazy cultists has some sanity left in them!
And the crafty scamp soon disabled the entire ship.
I hope the dreadnought they dodged wasn't the Steel Wing...
5266756 Especially if they are shiny/glowing objects that look valuable/important
For those of you who have seen the new Star Wars, doesn't this remind you a bit of Rey's awesome one-woman escape from the Starkiller Base?
If you try to lock Kera up, you're going to have a bad time.
She's going to bless your pieces all over the room, don't worry.