It was really dark before we found something safe to sleep under. The ground felt like it was getting steeper the more we trudged through. I was really tired, but he insisted that we should make up for the lost time. Now that I think about it, he was probably more tired than I was. He kept holding his good hand to his head while he casted a large white light. I led the way, but I could only see a couple of feet in front of me. We were lucky to find a couple of fallen pine trees pressed against a large boulder. We dug into the snow and he placed his traveling cloak down as a makeshift bed. He opened the sack he was carrying and pulled out a flint fire starter. He flicked it a couple of times before any sparks started to fly. He bobbed his head towards some large rocks while he started to reach for a few twigs. I arranged them in a circle while he stacked them in the center. I put my hands around the pile while he flicked at it with the starter. After a short while, some small embers started to appear. The embers morphed into a small flame. It wasn’t anything to write home about, but I wasn’t about to complain.
“You hungry?” He sat down in the snow and reached into a pouch on his left side. He pulled out some crackers densely packed together in a thin wrapper held together by an even thinner ribbon. “Can you take care of this knot?”
I untied the string and handed him one-fourth of the stacks. I took the same amount and wrapped the rest. After taking a bite for himself he sighed and let himself fall back onto his cloak. It looked like he was smiling but I couldn’t really tell. I took a bite and felt myself relax for the first time today. The fire is hot but not overbearing. My cloak blocked the wind on my back and my stomach isn’t begging me for food. Couple more nights like this and I’ll be able to live my life of luxury, at least for a while.
“Hey.” He was still lying down on his back. “Do you do this all the time, or is it like a one-time thing.”
“Do what?” He said.
“You know, this. Wandering in the woods, looking for things, abducting pretty mares.”
“I’ve been known to get distracted in side jobs or projects.”
“Is this one of those.”
“More the former than the latter.”
“So, who’s looking for this book? I get that it’s magical but It’s gotta be something special if the pay is enough for two.”
“That I’m not allowed to say, but you have the right idea about the book.” He stopped abruptly.
“Well.”
“Well what?”
“What so cool about the book, If I’m gonna die out here I think I should know what I’m dying for.”
“You’re not gonna die out here.”
“And why’s that?” He jolted back up and then flexed his good arm.
“Because your big, strong Master’s gonna take care of anything that comes our way!” He looked annoyed when he saw that I was unimpressed. “Fine.” He pulled out the journal he kept slung around his chest and handed it to me. “Go ahead and skip to the end.”
Each page of the book looked crowded with writing and drawings. Circles with little symbols inside them, rambling sentences and drawings of flowers, potions, and ponies. About halfway through I saw a drawing of a book. A shut eye is etched into its cover and above it in letters larger than those on either side he wrote the name.
“Tome of Dreams?”
“Yep. It’s your standard super powerful magical artifact. There are some legends about a cult or some town full of crazy ponies using it to do things that magical items tend to do.”
“It says here that it can make dreams real.” Along with other things. Side effects, maybe?
“Vague, right? That’s about as much as I and the higher-ups know about it. The first we heard of it was when soldiers coming back from these mountains started talking about it. The locals here would talk about how it could be used to destroy towns or maybe even kingdoms or the like.”
“Why don’t more ponies know about this?”
“The stories didn’t amount to much more than the forward base ramblings of a few guards. An official report was made but it didn’t get looked into until now.”
“Then how do you know about this?”
“Perceptive.” He took another bite from his crackers.
“...” He locked his eyes onto mine as he chewed. He didn’t make a weird face or anything, but he did not flinch as he continued taking more and more bites. “Well?”
“Hmm?”
“You’re not gonna tell why you know?”
“Nope.”
“But, you just told me about the book.”
“If anything about the book is true then we are already dead anyway.”
“All the more reason to share right?”
“Sharing’s not fun when it’s only one way.”
“Forget it.”
“Oh, something to hide my bothered and duplicitous apprentice?”
“Nope, just don’t feel like sharing.”
“You’re already taking after me.”
“Whatever. What was that about the whole dying thing.”
“The part about the stories?”
“Yeah.”
“If they are true then we don’t stand a chance, although I’ve got to be honest I think this whole thing is an old mare’s tale.”
“What?”
“I think it’s completely fabricated, made up, a hoax. I mean, all I have to go off of are a few stories of towns or cults that may or may not have existed in the first place. I could be off doing something that could be getting me real tangible results, whatever that may be. Did they ever consider my feelings before sending me off? Of course not. ‘Go get the book Arcane, you’ll be doing the ponies of Canterlot a great favor!’ Puh-lease! I could be mixing potions or watering my garden, you know something worth my time. Instead, they have me out here on this wild goose chase. If I’m being completely honest. I don’t think a good number of them like me.”
“Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying this book might not even exist?!”
“That’s what you follow up with!?”
“AM I NOT GETTING PAID!?”
“Probably not.”
Ok Trixie, just think, just think, just think. Walk around and think, that usually helps. It’s not so bad. You can figure something out.
“You are taking this a lot better than I expected.”
“I’m gonna die out here…”
“Like I said, probably not.”
“I’m actually going to die out here on this mountain.”
“Only if we’re not careful.” He pointed toward his broken arm. “But you can infer our chances.”
“Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.”
“Peanut Brittle?” He reached out toward me with a small aluminum tin about the size of his palm. Inside were small, milky brown discs rough with small beige nuts. I lost control of myself for a brief moment stuffed one of them into my mouth. The sweetness was calming but the slight saltiness dancing around it kept me from losing myself completely.
“You had this the whole time?”
“Don’t eat it all, those are really good walking snacks. We’re gonna need them if we’re going to be climbing the mountain.” He dropped back onto his cloak. He pulled a small, light-purple candy-like thing from a pouch on the satchel that held his book and tossed it into his mouth. He chased it with water from his canteen and then laid down on his left side. “Gonna need all the rest we can get. Hurry up, back-to-back or we’ll freeze. Also, you’re gonna have to share your cape. Mine’s the bed after all.”
“I don’t think so.”
“I mean if you want to cuddle-”
“Shut up, fine.”
“I thought so.”
It’s way too late, I don’t want to argue. Besides, it looks like he’ll just shut up if I go along. I took off my cape and laid down with my back against his. I got about as comfy as I could get sleeping next to him. Oh, Trixie how did you get yourself into this. You could have just walked away and continued along your merry- no, you couldn’t have. It’s always like this, but you always get through it. You’re resourceful, you’re easy on the eyes, not to mention great and powerful. It’ll be alright.
“Are you going to share that cloak or am I gonna have to get a little more comfortable?”
“Ugh…”
“Thank you.”
It’ll be alright, It’ll be alright.
***
It was a little chilly when I woke up, but the little light that got through the trees felt so good that I couldn’t help but stay where I was. I wrapped myself completely in my cloak; it just felt so good to be a warm little burrito for a couple of minutes. Maybe not just a couple of minutes, I could stay like this all-
“SWEET CELESTIA, HE LEFT ME!”
“Relax, I’m right over here. You hungry?”
“Huh wha-” He was sitting over by the fire we made last night plucking small red berries from a stem with his good hand.
“I filled the canteens. The river cuts through the mountain. We can follow it to the other side and, just like that, we should be at the base of the mountain. A quick sweep and maybe we can call it quits there. Bearberry?”
I took a couple. “They don’t taste like anything.”
“Great source of fiber though! Helps with all the pain and suffering if something isn’t sitting right.” He held out a bigger handful towards me. “All in all, not a half-bad walking snack.”
“How much longer do you think we’ll be out here.”
“The plan is to get to the base of the mountain by tonight. We have a good look around the following morning and then, hopefully, we’re out of here. Maybe we find the book, maybe we don’t. Either way, I’m going home, and I’m sure you don’t want to be out here any longer than you need to be as well.”
“You’re right, but when we get there you better make sure you take a good, long look around. Like hell I’m walking there and back and not getting my bits.”
“Our bits.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I hope I do.”
“Whatever.” I sat down across from him and started picking at the small orange embers reaching from the black ash. He was moving berries from a big pile to both his left and right sides, first to the right and then to the left, continuously until there was nothing left of the pile. He put each stack on their own square of cloth and carefully wrapped each one as best he could.
“This one’s yours. We have more food in the sack but these are for whenever you want. The rest is lunch and dinner.” The bags under his eyes were deeper this time around. I took a pouch and hooked it to my belt.
“Did you get enough sleep last night?”
“Why you ask.”
“Just curious.”
“I appreciate your concern for your master.” Even his laugh seems a bit down.
“I’m just worried about the pay...seriously though, are you sure you’re ok to walk?” Yesterday must have taken a lot out of him.
“Well...I’ve definitely felt better. I guess I could take it a bit easier today.” He looked a bit lighter, like a load was taken off his back. “Do you mind carrying the sack?”
“Yeah sure, just don’t drop dead on me.” He sprung to his feet and started stretching his arms toward the sky while a jovial grin grew across his face. He started punching the air around him like he was trying to find his reach. Bastard was holding out on me.
“No Givesies-Backsies!” he said with an obnoxious laugh; kicking snow into the fireplace.
“What is wrong with you!?”
“Pick that thing up! Who in the right mind would want to carry that two days in a row!” He’s not wrong, it pulls down hard on your shoulder and the single strap digs into my neck whenever I shift my weight. Yeah, this could get annoying. “I really appreciate your generosity Trixie, I don’t know what I would do without you!”
“You could return my kindness with a little bit of your share.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Please, let’s.”
“Alright, I think it’s about time we start walking wouldn’t you agree. We’ll follow the river bank!”
“We’re not done here, I think we should have a serious talk about this.”
“We don’t even know if we are even going to find anything.”
“Then we should talk about how it’s gonna be worth my while.”
“Are you saying the valuable experience you are getting by coming under my tutelage isn’t enough for you.”
“I’d like to be able to eat after this. Besides, if you’ve got enough bits to be feeding strangers I think you have enough bits to at least get me to the nearest town.”
“I’ll have you know that stranger was you.”
“Don’t sweat the details, it’s the principle that matters.”
“I think the details, in this case, are very important. If my memory serves me right, I’ve paid for your food, offered you warm shelter on top of that and have reluctantly allowed you to accompany me on this job of mine.”
I don’t like that higher-than-thou tone.
“I think you’re forgetting that I saved your life back at the chasm-”
“-After you had caused that little avalanche that has put me in this lovely situation.” He paraded his broken arm in front of me and raised his eyebrows in a way that made me want to rip them off and shove it down his throat.
“Who do you think you are! This whole time I’ve known you, you’ve been nothing but rude to me! I mean, who makes somepony sleep on the floor without a pillow. You walk around like you’re on some big and important mission but I really doubt anypony would trust somepony like you.”
“You’ll watch your tone, Lulamoon.”
“I’m not worried about what some foal thinks of my tone.” His mouth looked like it was about to burst. He inhaled deeply through his nose and then closed his eyes. He held it in for a couple of seconds before finally relaxing. Hah! Looks like I struck a nerve! Serves him right. Maybe now, he’ll keep his mouth shut.
“How do you expect me to tolerate you if I can’t have a little fun. I’ve carried well more than my weight while you’ve leached from me food and time.” Leached. “You have no idea what I do and that is so because I’ve made it so.”
“Oh! You’ve made it so!? Don’t make me laugh! You-”
“Quiet!” A spark flew from his horn. I saw his eyes focus on it for a brief second before he quickly turned his back toward me and started looking around.”
“Haha! You must be some piece of work if you-”
“I said quiet!” This time he looked directly at me with deathly serious eyes I had not seen before. He started darting his gaze back and forth looking at trees, behind himself, and then back at the trees again. I ran back to where we had slept and grabbed my cloak and hat. I hadn’t had a good look of where we had slept until now. It was under a felled tree, a really big felled tree. I looked back at Arcane. His horn was sparking lavender brighter and brighter and faster and faster. He was struggling to rapidly put on his equipment. I looked toward the base of the tree. The top of the stump was jagged and splintered as if the sinewy strips of wood were knives thrusting from it. Along the bark were long scrapes that cut deep into the dark brown shell of the tree. I looked back at the path we came in from last night and saw similar scars spread across the trees. It sounded like thunder was coming closer and closer to us. Each time it struck the ground shook and launched a thin layer of snow into the air where it waited for a short time as if to stay away from the ground. I clutched the sack I was carrying and looked back again at Arcane. This time he was looking directly at me. He looked as if he was thinking a thousand thoughts in a single moment. His horn might as well have had a solid glow permanently strangling it. The powerful crack of a thick and meaty nearby tree being snapped rung through our campsite. It echoed three times before the ground erupted from the monstrous explosion of wood and snow.
Through the treeline behind him I saw something moving. It was big and fast. It punched through the trees dropping ancient trunks into the snow below; their crashing dwarfed by the explosion of each step pushing against the earth hidden beneath the white blanket. Two crimson lights pierced through the treeline; it’s gaze focused on Arcane in front of him. He pointed in the direction behind me and strained his voice so I could hear.
“GO! NOW!”
I don’t remember thinking, I don’t remember being tired. I don’t remember seeing where I was going. I only remember the loud, deep, pop, as if the air itself exploded, and a sick feeling in my stomach. A sick feeling that lysed its way through more and more of me every second. I was breathing harder and my head felt light. I didn’t know what else to do. I just ran.
My hooves were sore; there was no trail where I ran. Each step cut through the painful sheets of ice reaching as high as my knee. The strap of the sack dug into my neck each time I thrust myself forward. The brush is way too thick. I can’t see. How long was I running? What was that thing? I started kneeling into the snow; hugging my knees close to my body just to keep them from shaking. It’s Okay Trixie, you’re not afraid. You’re just cold. You just need to warm up and then you can keep going. You’re gonna make out of here, just like you always do.
Now that I think about it. It’s really quiet. No squeaks, no chirps, no steps...no screaming. I need to get out of here, but which way is out? Anyway is out as long as it is not that way, Trixie! Yeah, yeah. Just keep moving, as long as it's farther away from here. Look at the bright side! You probably have enough food here for a couple of days! If you play it safe, you’ll be off this stupid mountain with a little leftover to sell! Sorry Knight, Celestia doesn’t give chances like these to just anyone. Don’t worry, I’ll leave you an “In Memoriam” on my ticket at my next performance or something if I remember.
I just gotta be sure to stay quiet, I don’t know how good that thing can hear. Can it smell good? Do I smell? And what’s that hissing. It sounds like a bunch of high-pitched bees? No, not exactly. It’s more like...Water! A waterfall! Maybe there’s a watermill somewhere on the bank. Hah, I don’t know what I was worried about! Better pick up the pace before- ah!
“Ow!” Ok, maybe just watch where you step Trixie. This is how you fell in the river last time. Stupid beaver.
It looks like the river slopes down the mountain from here. I can’t see its end because it flows to the left eventually hiding behind the trees. Every couple of meters there are some big boulders sitting along the bank but it’s mostly fist-sized rocks in between them. A tree fell from the opposite bank and landed close to where I was standing. I could cross to the other side If I really wanted to, but it looks like the mountain becomes a lot steeper just after the bank. There are wet rocks all over the place. I’d rather not slip and fall out here. I grabbed a nearby stick and jammed into the flowing water. It was a deep sapphire blue and you could see pebbles with purple, scarlet, and green stripes resting at the bottom. I moved the stick a little deeper. The water reached my upper thigh near the bank and only got deeper closer to the center. If I need to I could cross like that too. I could try swimming across, the current is kind of strong, but the freezing cold might do me in before that.
I looked back toward the forest to see if anything was staring at me. It was only mid-day so I could see pretty far into the treeline. I listened for a second...nothing, but there was something marked on the trees that I didn’t see before. It was on the side of the tree facing toward the river so I must have walked right past it. As I got closer I could start to see some more details. It was carved into the wood with some kind of knife. It looked too clean to be done by anything else. It was a circle with an X marked into it, but the tips of the X tapered off toward the bottom of the circle. The top half of the circle was where the crossing the two lines laid, the whole thing lacked symmetry.
Looking back toward the river I saw the same symbol again, this time against a medium-sized rock. It wasn’t the only one. They were all over the place, at least one pony or so away from each other except for a stretch extending from the forest near me to where I was standing; wide enough for a carriage.
I would have gotten closer, but the low shaking of the snow kept me in place. Oh no. It’s coming! Nonononononono, this can’t be happening! I’ve got to move now while I still can. Come on, come on...the tree! Yeah! I’ll just cross the river. Just got to make sure the coast is clear. Wait, what’s that noise? It’s not loud enough to be that thing, and it’s moving much faster. Get down Trixie, you don’t need the extra attention! Just pass, just pass just...it stopped. Why’d it stop? Don’t peek, Trixie, peeking has never worked out for you. Don’t peek, don’t peek, don’t- maybe just a quick look. You need to know what you’re dealing with.
It’s him! He’s alive! He must have been running this whole time. He couldn’t have made himself more useful and run in the other direction? I mean, great, he’s alive but he’s bringing that thing toward me! His eyes were frazzled and he looked around quickly; his vision switching focus between the river and the trees behind him. I tried to duck back; he must have heard me move. His eyes locked onto me, and he mouthed a word I couldn’t hear, but I could probably guess. Up yours too…
He flinched. The steps were getting closer. I started to move but he shook his head no and moved his finger up to his mouth. His not-so-happy-to-see-me look turned into that of begging filly. Well, what else am I supposed to do, hmmm?!
He tapped his fingers against the tree he was hiding behind and started looking around again. He looked tired but looked unscathed, minus the arm. When he looked back, he immediately moved his good hand in a big circle and then slashed his arm twice into the air. He stopped for a second after feeling the ground shake a little more; pressing himself against the tree. I did the same. His chest huffed and puffed as if it was about to burst and, to be honest, so was mine. The shaking stopped again. This time he moved his fingers into a walking formation while nudging his head toward the river. Next, he closed his fist and then spread his fingers quickly while mouthing a pop. He topped it all off with a thumbs up and a concerned smile fighting against the stress of his face.
What?
All I could do was nod no. All he did was nod yes. He was about to start again but by then we could hear the thing’s breathing over its steps. He nodded his head one more time in affirmation. I shook my head and felt like crying, I don’t know what’s going on anymore.
“AHHHHHHHHHHH” What is he doing?! He bolted for the river but then he started skipping when he got to the weird circles, making sure to land in the spaces between them.
“WHAT ARE YOU DO-” I couldn’t even finish the thought in my head before my left ear started ringing. It sounded like the avalanche from the other day had exploded right next to me. I fell to my knees and Arcane stopped to catch his balance. It looked like his spirit had run away before his body could.
It launched toward him. Its crimson eyes streaked by me followed by what looked like an armored carriage with legs. This is it. This is what’s going to kill me.
The rocks and dirt by the bank of the river erupted under its weight. Arcane fell over. It raised its claws; claws that could cut through the mountain itself. That’s when the ground shone a glaring white, as if the stars in the night sky had landed on the ground in front of me. Then there was the noise, like a squad of canons opening fire in an echo chamber.
It felt like hours had passed before I could barely make out my own hands in front of me. I looked up. My insides were having their own personal earthquake. I saw the armored monster reel backward on its hind legs before falling over on its side next to where I was hiding. It slashed and thrashed at the air, changing the course of the wind as with each motion. I looked back toward Arcane. I couldn’t hear him but he was hunched over rolling side to side, clutching his ears in pain.
I was the first one up. My legs felt like jelly melting in water and it hurt to keep my eyes open. I crawled over to Arcane as quickly as I could manage. The sudden burst of movement made me nauseous; like my head was filled with warm water. I grabbed him by his collar and pulled his head toward mine.
“GET UP! YOU BROUGHT IT HERE, YOU DO SOMETHING!” His eyes darted around before settling toward me, but it didn’t seem like he was looking at me at all. “I SAID, GET UP!”
I looked back over at the thing, now beginning to prop itself up on its front two legs. It’s crimson eyes locked onto me as it regained its footing. Things still looked bright, but I could make out what looked like a hard shell on its back studded with grey and white scales like stalagmites laying on their side. The scales continued along its tail finally ending in a single sharp tip. It’s triangular head extended from its shell; its neck disappearing somewhere between the two.
“GET UP GET UP GET UP! PLEASE GET-” All of a sudden I couldn’t make out any details with my ears. They were all drowned by its deafening roar; like a geyser exploding directly into my eardrum. I turned to see it tense its forward legs, bending them backward. It set its gaze on us.
“WHAT?!” yelled Arcane, lifting his hand trying to feel the air in front of him. He latched onto my cuirass, pulling me back toward him a bit. “TRIXIE!?” He tried to get back up while I tried to run. The pull forward caused him to slip onto his knees. I tried to pull his hand off but his grip was too strong. “WAIT TRIXIE, I CAN’T SE-” I can’t move. I looked back toward the thing and pulled out the old sword hanging off his waist. I clutched the handle with both my hands; the pommel digging into my left palm. I pointed it at the thing. My arms were shaking; it felt like it knew. It looked right at me, it didn’t even acknowledge my weapon. By now Arcane was on his feet. He was blinking eyes quickly, trying to make sense of everything around him.
“ARE YOU GOING TO DO SOMETHING OR NOT.”
“WHAT?!” He tilted one of his ears toward me “TRIXIE I CAN’T HEAR-”
I looked back at him. I wanted to yell at him again but I couldn’t. Something stopped me. Goosebumps shot through me; I made a mistake. It was already in the air headed toward us. The wind was quiet and a chill covered us as it blocked the morning sun. Trixie, you’re scared...
I reached into my right pouch and pulled out the first thing I felt; just like every time before. I threw it at my feet. Blue smoke exploded from the ground. I couldn’t see a thing, but neither could it. Neither could Arcane… I jumped in place and brought my knees up to my chest. My tensed back felt like it was on fire. I couldn’t see Arcane in the smoke, but I knew he was nearby. I shot my legs forward; square in his chest. He fell away from me and for a moment I felt like a bird, reclining in the sky. I could see clearly again even if it was only to the extent of my reach through the smoke.
That’s when I saw two crimson orbs piercing through the smoke somewhere on my side. There was no sky, no ground, no noise. My stomach dropped and I braced myself.