The Shadow in the North

by Dorath

Ch. 03; Over The Snows

The wind howled, blowing sheets of snow across the rolling white expanse of the north, the emptiness broken by scattered stands of conifers, already deeply covered in snow, and the band of multicolored people slowly trudging along in the fading light.

The past two days marching from Hay River had been miserable, although some bore it better than others, and tempers were fraying further with each frozen step. “Will you keep moving?!” Rainbow demanded, half shouting to be heard over the wind, as Rarity stopped to dig the snow out from under her scarf.

“I am trying to not freeze, darling,” the fashionista replied, glaring at Rainbow.

Applejack turned to face the others, “We need ta get undercover while we can still see enough ta make camp,” she declared, one hand clamped on her hat, “Twi’, could ya an’ Fluttershy conjure up some walls out of tha snow? It’ll be right nice ta be out of this wind.”

The incessant wailing eased as the snow flowed and hardened into a pair of curving ice walls, creating a bubble of calm in the storm, “Oh, that’s much better,” Cadance sighed in relief, “I’m not sure how much more of that howling my poor ears could take.” The others nodded as they set up the camp, while several apologies were made for the day’s short tempers.

Later, as they huddled around the fire, Pinkie frowned out at the blizzard wailing beyond their shelter, “Hey, Dashie, I know Sombra-Snooty is messing with the weather, but can you at least feel anything? That storm feels like something a Grievouswind might hunt in.”

Rainbow blinked, before turning her focus upon the tempest, “There’s … something wrong with the weather, and it does feel hungry … and sad, too? But it’s different from what we saw back in Hippeia … it’s more diffused and doesn’t have any drive to it.”

“So, no Grievouswind yet, but it sure as shootin’ sounds like fertile ground for one ta grow from,” sighed Applejack, “As if we didn’t have enough problems already.”

“So, the Inquisitive and Apprehensive Trixie wonders just what a Grievouswind is?”

“A Grievouswind is a stormfront that has been corrupted by wild magic and given the desire to kill,” Twilight replied, “They’re rare even in the deserts of Hippeia, but I suppose one could form here … at least theoretically.”

“And on that cheery note, let’s get dinner going,” suggested Shining.

---

“I know it gets cold in the Northern Marches, but I never realized just how bad it could be,” Twilight murmured, pulling her cloak closer about her, “And the snow doesn’t have the … friendly feel that it does back in Ponyville.”

“Wild Weather often seems hostile when you’re used to proper, controlled, weather,” Shining replied, “I’d have thought somepony so well-travelled would have noticed it before now,” he added, smirking at his little sister as they stood watch together.

“Yes, I did notice,” Twilight grumbled, punching him in the shoulder, “And all the magic Rainbow sensed in the storm isn’t helping things … but this is worse, I think.”

The stallion smiled at her, then his muzzle dropped into a considering frown, “Actually it is getting colder … Twiley, go check on the others, I’m going to walk the perimeter.”

Nodding, Twilight ducked into the first tent, her horn glowing slightly to reveal the sleeping figures within. Satisfied, she moved to the second tent, wincing as the cold bit at exposed skin.

Straightening, Twilight’s gaze fell upon a shape crouched over Trixie’s and Spike’s sleeping forms. Glowing eyes turned towards the librarian as a fang-filled muzzle, fur peeling with frostbite, snarled soundlessly as icy claws hovered above the sleepers!

The crack of a thunderbolt swallowed Twilight’s cry as a bolt of lightning smashed the arctic horror through the tent walls and left it lying, shattered, on the snow. The echoes of her spell casting, and Shining’s shout of alarm, dragged the others stumbling to their feet as more frozen corpses stepped from the ice walls that sheltered the camp.

A trio of arrows shot out with a “twang,” thumping into the undead – to no visible effect. Applejack’s maul rang like a bell as she knocked one of the icy horrors backward, “It’s like tryin’ ta chop a frozen log!” the farmer called out.

Spike, still groggy as he staggered from his bedroll, exhaled a long tongue of flame at the undead – only to fall back with a yelp as they pushed heedlessly through the blaze. “Fire doesn’t work on them!” shouted Rarity, her horn flaring as she conjured a thunderbolt of her own, her rapier flashing as she warded off one of the corpses.

“Jivntir Llonnair,” HellCaller incanted, her spell causing webs of cracks to spread across the horde of undead, before she shattered one completely with a swing of her soulblade.

“‘Caller’s spell has weakened them!” Rainbow Dash cheered, her own swords tearing through another arctic monster.

Encouraged, the Equestrians and their allies fell upon the undead; physical weapons and spells shattered the now brittle frozen bodies, while icy talons tore living flesh in turn and spilt blood steamed in the night.

Eventually, the band stood triumphant among the fragmented remains of their attackers, “An’ jus’ who was supposed ta be on watch?” Applejack demanded crossly as the wind howled outside their shelter and the numbing cold faded from now throbbing injuries.

As Twilight and Shining stiffed, Fluttershy spoke up from where she and Cadance were tending the wounded, aided by Pinkie and Trixie, “Applejack! They were watching!” she admonished the farmpony.

“It doesn’t matter how well ponies are watching when the baddies can go through the ice like a fish through water,” Pinkie Pie added, “Hmm … icefish ….”

“It’s almost morning,” Shining said as Applejack mumbled an apology, “Let’s just have some breakfast and get packed up.”

:Why be thou suffering such pitiful creatures when thou couldst be helping rule over them?:

‘Caller looked up from where she was gathering her gear, :Did you hear that, Kragor?:

:Hear vhat?:

:Nothing … never mind.:

---

The new day proved even worse than the previous, aching muscles screamed, while noses dripped then froze and eyelashes iced over as the band staggered through the buffeting winds, barely able to see a hundred paces through the constant storm. “Does anypony even know if we are going the right direction in all of this?” Trixie asked, the howling winds making her simple question sound peevish.

“We’re on the same track as we started,” Rainbow replied, shoot a glare at the unicorn, “Pegasi know which way is north.”

“Keep your eyes open for a glow in the distance,” Cadance suggested, trying to head off another argument, “Auntie ‘Tia and Luna said that the Capital was surrounded by a magic shield that kept the weather out.”

“Oh, you mean like that glow?” Pinkie asked, pointing up to where a dim red glow bled through the clouds. As the group stopped to look, a rasping roar cut through the tempest.

“I don’t think that’s a magic shield ….,” Spike declared, reaching out to nervously grip Twilight’s robes in one claw.

“Shields up!” ordered Shining, “Everyone keep an eye on the sky!”

“I don’t suppose anyone knows what that might be?” Rarity asked nervously as the group pulled into a defensive circle.

“Umm, I think it might have been a dragon,” suggested Fluttershy.

‘Caller’s bark of laughter was almost swallowed up by the storm, “Fighting a dragon in middle of a blizzard? I think I’ve heard this story before.”

“Trixie would love to hear about it, when we are not all in danger!” Trixie snapped as another roar cut through the tempest.

With a thunder of beating wings, the roiling clouds parted for a moment, revealing the drake as it flew above them; longer than five riding lizards standing nose to tail, its blue grey scales would have blended in perfectly with the blizzard – but for the dull red glow that edged them all.

With a shriek like quenching metal, steam billowed from the dragon’s jaws, rebounding from the ponies’ shields the superheated vapor ravaged the icefield as the wyrm flew over the group and disappeared back into the storm.

“What the Tartarus kind of dragon is that?!” Rainbow demanded as she kept her bow aimed out into the gale, trying to track the creature by the sound of its beating wings.

“It looks like a frost drake,” Fluttershy replied, “But nothing I’ve read explains the light around its scales or the steam-breath.”

“She looks like a frost drake,” Spike corrected the pegasus absently, squinting after the vanished dragon, “She’s a she.”

The screaming hiss of another steam blast, once more turned aside by readied spell shields, heralded the dragon’s return as it overflew the little company again, only to vanish back into the storm dripping blood from retaliatory arrows and spells.

Not even a minute later, the drake attacked again – this time dropping down from directly above the group before flying off into the tempest – but the ponies' shields held firm, “But for how long?” Twilight wondered, “Keeping out a gas –never mind all of the radiant heat – is more difficult than it looks, and Rarity and Trixie are already starting to struggle with maintaining their portions of the shield.”

“I don’t think I like this kind of hide-and-seek game,” Pinkie grumbled as she reloaded her crossbow.

“I have a spell that should bring dragon down,” ‘Caller offered, “But even if it vorks, it von’t make her any less dangerous.”

“No, but it will make us a lot more dangerous,” Shining replied, “Do it.”

The demoness nodded, her attention focused out in the blizzard, “There!” she pointed as the drake breeched the clouds, “Altiui Siteli!”

With a startled bellow the dragon plummeted from the sky, sending up a cloud of steam and powder as she tore a gouge through the snowfield, “Now, while she’s still recoverin’!” Applejack shouted, waving the rest of the band forward.

Even as the group rushed forward, the drake’s tail lashed out from within the haze. Rainbow flew over the attack, her wings beating furiously, but Shining and HellCaller were both knocked sprawling.

Even as the pair struggled back to their feet in the snow, blood dripping from beneath their armor, the storm lit with the glow of multiple auras as Rarity, Cadance and Trixie cast protective abjurations and illusions, while Twilight called a bolt of lightning from the sky – causing the frost drake to rear in pain, her flailing wings scattering the fog that had concealed her.

Pinkie and Rainbow fired at the dragon, but once again their shots failed to bite deep.

Spreading out into a wide arc, the band closed in, weapons at the ready, the drake’s head shot forth, viper swift, only for her fangs to rebound as Shining raised another shield.

“Queelak!” ‘Caller called out, filling her companions with unnatural speed as they descended on the dragon; her side sounded like a drum as Applejack beat on it with her maul, as Pinkie, Trixie, and Rarity disappeared in puffs of smoke to reappear behind the drake and harry her with spells and blades. Meanwhile, Rainbow, Shining and ‘Caller hewed away at the frost wyrm’s head and shoulders, as Cadance, Fluttershy and Twilight rained spells upon the drake.

The dragon, roaring in anger, unleashed another blast of boiling vapor – but a bolt of green flames leapt out from the snows where Spike stood unnoticed, disrupting the steam as it coalesced and dazzling the drake.

Shaking her head, the dragon flared her wings, driving most of her attackers stumbling back. But even as the frost drake gained a temporary respite from physical assaults, she was wrapped in a column of purple and white flames, while a shower of lightning bolts and arcane blasts fell upon her.

The ponies and their Tartarean ally rushed back to the fray, weapons swinging and spells blazing, but even as they pushed every advantage numbers, skill, and magic could give them against the frost wyrm, she lashed out in turn with fangs, talons, battering wings and crushing tail.

Dragon scales, while famous for their durability, could not protect the drake entirely from the group’s assault, nor was armor and spellcraft fully proof against her own attacks, and soon the snow was liberally spattered with steaming blood, as the blizzard raged and laughed about them.

Finally, the frost dragon collapsed, her sides heaving as she bled out her life on the snow. Fixing one, surprisingly clear, eye on the group she wheezed, “Si mi duulo sva annyo.”

“What did she say?” Pinkie asked as the ponies, demoness, and young drake gathered near the dying dragon.

“‘I am finally free’,” replied Spike quietly, as the wyrm’s breathing faltered, and then finally stopped forever, “What was wrong with her?”

“A curse, I’d vager,” ‘Caller replied, “Something keep her under control, maybe?”

“Let’s leave her in peace,” Cadance suggested, leading the group away across the battle-scarred snowpack, as the storm began covering the fallen dragon in a blanket of fresh snow.

---

Huddled together against the gale, the group began to treat their wounds when, with a roar, the ground tore open beneath their feet! A sudden downdraft combined with the cascading snow and ice to drive the pegasi and alicorn into the fissure alongside their companions as darkness swallowed them all.

Comments

[Asolem2]

:Why be thou suffering such pitiful creatures when thou couldst be helping rule over them?:

‘Caller looked up from where she was gathering her gear, :Did you hear that, Kragor?:

:Hear vhat?:

:Nothing … never mind.:

Dangit Caller

That said, I think he picked the wrong person to make that particular offer to

Huddled together against the gale, the group began to treat their wounds when, with a roar, the ground tore open beneath their feet! A sudden downdraft combined with the cascading snow and ice to drive the pegasi and alicorn into the fissure alongside their companions as darkness swallowed them all.

So, I'm guessing this is going to be the moment the psychological attacks start in earnest

[Dorath]

11939327 To be fair, when you actually do have voices in your head ... how do you tell when you're going crazy?

[Asolem2]

11939401
When you're already an Empress that doesn't wanna deal with the hassle of being in charge and the voices, basically offer you another throne