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Chapter 3
Megan awoke next morning with the smell of bacon in her nostrils. For a moment, she couldn't remember why that smell was so strange, until recent events came back to her. Imagining it to be a dream, Megan sat up, pushing aside the thin blankets, to find the wagon empty. However, the smell was still there when she sniffed again. Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders against the morning chill, she stepped out of the wagon, grinning at the sight she saw. Someone had lit a fire in a small ring of stones and three frying pans were sitting over it, sizzling energetically. Megan's stomach rumbled and she walked forward easily, finding space on a boulder next to Buttons.
"Morning, Megan." Buttons murmured sleepily.
"Morning." Megan replied, suppressing a yawn. "Where did the bacon come from?"
"A little present from Tran. We found a store of food under the floor. Salted meat, gourds of water, some kind of cheese. Syrus has checked it all and he's says it's perfectly edible. There should be more than enough for all of us, even with Dinah with us." At the mention of their most recent companion, Megan turned to see her devouring a large lump of cooked meat.
"Dinah, what happened to you, anyway? Where's your family that we met back in Dream Valley?"
"I hope that they are safe, back with my pack. I was out hunting alone, far out in our territory, when Tran's men attacked me. I fought bravely, but there were too many of them. I was captured and brought many miles to where you found me. Still, when they discover that I am missing, they will attempt to track me. Our senses are finely tuned and we are expert trackers. I will return to them but now, I will stay with you. You are in danger and my help may be useful. Besides, my home lies along the route we are taking, in the shadow of the Dwindling Mountains."
"Thank you, Dinah. We need all the friends that we can get, especially now."
Danny handed Megan a plate of bacon, which she gratefully accepted.
"I may be separated from my family, Megan, but you are far from home."
They ate quickly, chattering quietly amongst themselves. Even though they were free, they were all conscious of the fact that Tran may be following and the sooner they got moving again, the better. As soon as they had finished eating, they wasted little time in getting back on the road. As their wagon began to move off, Megan was standing at the front, gazing at the mountains looming up ahead.
"Dwindling mountains, here we come."
They travelled for several days with out incident, making good time. Around five days had passed since they had escaped from the slave market and the mountains were now so close that it seemed like they could reach out and touch them. According to Lumir's estimation, one more days travel should bring them to the base of the mountains.
"We're nearly there, Megan." Buttons said excitedly, standing next to her at the front of the wagon. "I say we keep going; we'd be there by morning."
From behind her came a murmur of agreement and Megan turned to see many of the Ponies nodding their heads in agreement.
"I know you're all tired and that the idea of a warm bed tonight is tempting, but we've gotta be sensible. We'd be travelling by night and as we don't know the terrain around here, we be taking quite a risk. If the wagon gets damaged, it'll take a lot longer to get there. We should all get some rest and carry on in the morning.
"I agree. We're so close, it won't make much difference now."
"Thank you, Ribbon. Are we all agreed?"
A chorus of agreement, if somewhat subdued, answered her.
"Alright, then. Bedtime, everyone." Lofty declared, rising to hustle the babies into their beds.
Megan smiled, softly. This would all be over by tomorrow.
It was late, with the moon riding high in the sky, as Galaxy lay awake. Try as she might, she couldn't get to sleep. Some vague unease was hanging over her, despite the quiet of the night. Realising that she was never going to be able to sleep like this, Galaxy decided to go for a walk to clear her head. Careful not to wake the others, she slipped out of the wagon. Stars twinkled above her and she smiled in delight. She'd always loved the stars and they usually brought her some comfort. However, that wasn't the case tonight. In fact, her anxiety seemed to be growing with every step. Involuntarily, she shivered, despite the warmth of the night. She suddenly felt an irrational urge to return to the wagon. She was about to turn away, when she thought she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She spun, but saw nothing except the shadows of night. Scared now, she turned and ran, moving as fast as her legs would carry her back to the wagon. Leaping inside, she cantered over to Megan's bed, nuzzling her head frantically until she opened her eyes.
"Galaxy, what's the matter?"
"There's something out there, Megan."
Megan was about to say that it had been a nightmare, when her sleep-fogged brain recognised the desperate terror in her voice. Instantly, she was on her feet, reaching down to wake Syrus as she passed. Together, they slipped stealthily towards the exit from the wagon, peering out into the night. Nervously, Galaxy crept alongside her and peered out, to see nothing except the shadowy landscape.
"There's nothing there, Galaxy. Are you sure…?"
The rest of her question went unasked, as a bone-chilling screech split the air. She had never heard, or felt, anything like it. It was like a knife to the soul. Around her, the others were awake and clamouring for answers, but Megan ignored them. She headed for the cabin, hurriedly running through the sequence that would start the wagons' engine. Desperate seconds passed and then the engine spluttered to life. Wasting no time, Megan opened up the throttle, sending the wagon speeding towards the mountains, which now seemed so far away.
"What's going on, Megan?" Fizzy asked, a note of panic in her voice.
"I think we're being attacked. Something's out there and it doesn't sound friendly. Immediately, Lofty and Windwhistler sprang to the back of the wagon, staring out into the night. With their excellent eye-sight, they would have some warning of any pursuit.
They didn't have to wait long!
"We are being pursued, Megan!" Windwhistler called, a faint note of fear in her voice.
"And they're catching up fast!" Lofty added, sounding even more scared.
Syrus began chanting under his breath, unleashing a bolt of energy into the darkness. However, Megan couldn't tell if he'd hit anything.
Silently, Megan cursed. The wagon was never going to outrun these things. They would need a plan, and quickly. Ahead, Megan saw a shadowy outline that looked like a rock formation, similar to the ones they had seen over the past few days.
Without taking her eyes off the road, steering towards the stone arch, Megan called over her shoulder:
"Buttons! I'll need your help."
Instantly, Buttons was at her side.
"See that arch? I'm gonna take us under it. When I do, I'll need you to use your telekinesis to bring it down on those things. Hopefully, it should slow them down, at least."
"You got it, Megan."
Megan kept her eyes glued on the arch, trying to will it closer, expecting to hear the scream that meant the creatures were too close. Buttons horn began to glow and she screwed up her eyes in concentration. Megan imagined that she could hear the stones shifting and grinding as the incredible force of Buttons mind was brought to bear. For Buttons, the entire world seemed to drop away, so that there was nothing except her and the stones. As soon as Megan had suggested the idea, she had reached out, seeking for the key stone that was supporting the whole lot. She extended her mental influence to encompass the lot, supporting each and every one. Then, she focused further on the key stone and felt it shift. Now, she was the only thing keeping the arch in place. The arch inched closer and Buttons gritted her teeth. After the longest minute of her life, she heard Megan's cry of 'Now' and…let go. There was a tremendous rumbling and she flinched as the terrible cry sounded again, being cut off almost immediately.
"Yahoo! We lost 'em." Danny shouted, triumphantly.
The cheers that followed were almost drowned out as the inhuman cry sounded again, closer and more dreadful than before. Suddenly, there was a sickening crash and the wagon skidded sideways, coming to rest on its side.
As soon as the wagon shifted beneath her, Windwhistler reacted on instinct, her wings beating furiously, so that she managed to avoid being thrown off her feet. Others were not so lucky. Landing softly, Windwhistler guessed that their unknown assailants had managed to shatter the wagons axle. She also knew that if they remained in the wagon, they would not stand a chance.
"Everyone out, quickly." Windwhistler called, the authority in her voice cutting through her panic that had descended. Galvanised into action, Lofty and the others quickly rounded up the children, shepherding them outside, surrounding them in a defensive circle. Molly was the last to scramble out, Lumir clutched in her arms.
The night had changed. Before, the stars had been visible, twinkling overhead. Now, it was as if a great cloud had fallen, shrouding the world in impenetrable shadow. Syrus raised his hand, generating a ball of purple light that he released to hover over their heads. However, it failed to do more than illuminate the ground around their feet. Around a meter from the wagon, the shadow waited, leaving the ponies exposed in a pool of light created by the lanterns wagons and Syrus' power. Despite the stillness, Windwhistler knew that the creatures were still out there, waiting to attack. They did not wait long. Their screech shattered the night, as the terrible beasts charged. They came in a rush, from the same direction, as if they weren't expecting the Ponies to put up much of a fight. However, they were mistaken. The first that charged in was swiftly dispatched by a solid kick from Sundance that knocked it back into the shadows. Two more fell to well-placed kicks from Buttons and Lickety-split. Vary now, the creatures backed off, as if considering their next move.
Windwhistler knew that they would never get another chance like this.
"Pegasus!" Windwhistler yelled, launching herself into the air, followed closely by her sisters. Airborne now, they could get an overview of the battle. A semi-circle of Ponies had formed around the Babies, who were being protected by Shady, Lofty, Ribbon, Dinah and Syrus. The creatures had formed a pack, watching for any weakness in the defences. They looked vaguely like wolves, their limbs longer than normal, their elongated snouts filled with vicious teeth. Sharp spines ran along their backs and their tails ended in wicked barbs.
Knowing that her sisters would follow, Windwhistler tucked in her wings, sweeping down towards the pack. They had practised this manoeuvre before, but had never attempted it under pressure. Windwhistler, with Paradise and Surprise close behind her, swept low over the creatures, delivering a powerful kick that knock one of her feet as she passed. As she hoped, the creatures' heads followed them, teeth snapping within inches of her hooves as she strove for height again. During that second of distraction, the others struck. Whizzer, Heart-throb and Magicstar had been diving a second behind them and struck without warning, and three more creatures fell. One landed in the pool of light and Windwhistler's eyes widened in horror; the fallen beast was disappearing in a cloud of black smoke.
"Clearly, these are unnatural creations." She muttered to herself, before swooping down for another attack. This time, however, the creatures scattered, attacking the line with renewed fury. Their scream sounded and Windwhistler saw Cherries Jubilee stagger and collapse. Seeing this, two creatures slipped through the gap, heading for the Babies and their guardians. Despite this, they held their ground, determined to protect the Babies, even if they fell in the process. Suddenly, Gusty sprang forward bracing herself, her horn glowing brightly as she called upon her power. With a ferocious howl that drowned out even the screams of their attackers, the storm began. Desperately, Windwhistler dived, flattening herself against the ground as the wind whipped around her. The terrible creatures were not so fortunate: caught off guard be winds that rivalled the force of a tornado; battling against the titanic winds, they were easily dispatched by swift hooves or Syrus' energy blasts. Despite the danger, Windwhistler was astounded; never had she seen Gusty use the full force of her power before. Suddenly, the darkness next to Gusty shimmer and Gusty's scream was cut off as she was flung sideways, her winds dying away. In the gloom, Windwhistler saw a shadowy shape, lacking any visible features.
"Be ware. These creatures cloak themselves in darkness." She called, even though she knew that her warning would come too late. Suddenly, a chill ran up her spine and her head turned of its own accord to see one of the creatures standing over her. She didn't even have time to scream.
The Setak seldom felt emotion. Love, fear, hate, sorrow, despair; all were alien to its being. Satisfaction, however, it was very aware of. Right now, it was very satisfied. At the bidding of its master, it had pursued these weak creatures across the wilderness, waiting for the opportunity to destroy another of it's master's enemies. It didn't think about when the time to attack would be; that decision would be made by a higher power. Even if the creatures were aware that it had lost its freedom to a vast and terrible power, it would not have cared. As long as the dark force that slept in the recesses of its limited mind provided it with things to hunt and kill, it did not care. Now, under the guidance of that dark willpower, it slipped through the night as silent and swift as a passing shadow, nearly invisible in the darkness that flowed around it. It did not fear the darkness, for darkness was everything. This Setak was old and strong, deadly and cunning, but not evil. It was a predator, not a monster. Only the force of the dark will that pierced its mind drove it to kill beyond the need for survival. And to relish in it. The Setak did not know why it enjoyed what it did, but it did enjoy it. All around it, the Setak could feel the other Setak keeping pace with it, by the ripples that they left in the shadows as easily as it could feel the cold malevolence that skewered their minds. Ahead, the circle of light was growing larger where the Setak knew, whether by some ancient instinct or through the dark will's direction that their prey was near. His body tensed teeth and claws extending as he prepared for the kill. Then, as a wave of cold, the dark will focused, stopping him in his tracks. Unable to resist, the creature howled, sending it's clan into the attack, even as it longed to join them in the glorious hunt. However, the dark will was too strong for it to resist. Guided by that terrible compulsion, it slipped away, all the while listening to the sounds of the chase. The hunting cries of the pack. The roar of falling rocks that signalled the death's of Setak, as much as the cold stabbing into Setak. The splintering crash heralding the collapse of the strange creature that had sheltered its prey. The sounds of battle, the screams of Setak, the solid crack as hard hooves struck Setak. The dark will tightened its hold, urging Setak forward at greater speeds. Ahead, its gaze pierced the shadows to see a blue-winged prey flatten itself to the ground. Stealthily, it drifted forward, until it stood over blue-wing. At the sight of its helpless prey, the desire to strike, to kill, surged through its veins, but the dark will restrained it. Suddenly, bluewing looked up, staring directly at him. Cold steel will faded to red hot fury and the creature raised its claw to strike. And then the world of silence and shadow was shattered. Jagged, discordant sounds drove spikes into his soul and hated light filled the plains, revealing Setak. It turned and ran, even as the dark will drove waves of cold through him. Animal fear overrode evil influence, shattering the control that its dark master had placed upon it.
The second that Sweetstuff saw the creature appear behind Windwhistler, she sprang forward on instinct, even though she knew that she would be too late. She could only watch in horror as the creature raised a claw and…stopped. That was when Sweetstuff heard the music. Soft at first, but rapidly growing louder, it soon filled the air. It was sad and it was joyful; melancholy and rejoicing at the same time and yet neither of those things. It brought a smile to Sweetstuff's face, for it reminded her of Dream Valley, as well as tearing at her heart, for the memory was bittersweet. As much as the music affected her, it was far worse for their attackers. Some sat frozen to the spot, quivering with terror, while others raced around madly, making themselves easy targets for the Ponies hooves. Then, it rained fire. From the sky that had suddenly become as bright as day, streams of flame raced towards the mindless beasts. At first, she thought that they were shooting stars, until she saw them swerve in mid-air to strike the creatures with unnerving accuracy. Looking up, Sweetstuff's eyes widened in surprise at the figures now standing in front of them. Tall, with powerful wings, feathers ranging from crimson to orange, he was one of the most majestic beings that Sweetstuff had ever seen. Fierce, yellow eyes gazed pointedly at them over a sharp beak, seeming to see right into her soul.
He too wore armour, a light chain mail hauberk that would not hamper him in flight, bolstered by a thick leather jerkin and he bore no weapon of any kind. He also wore a helmet decorated with an emblem of a burning feather. The unexpected hail of fire had destroyed many of the attackers closest to the Ponies and those that had escaped fled into the darkness. The newcomers, however, were not about to permit this. The winged man spoke, although Sweetstuff recognised it as mind speech like Lumir used.
You may be comforted, for those beasts shall not trouble you again in this land. Not for as long as you remain within our domain. I am curious, however, as to what creatures such as yourselves are doing in these parts, so far from what most hereabouts would call 'civilisation'.
Ordinarily, Sweetstuff would have objected to such disparaging comments. However, the memory of Blackveil was still very fresh, so she remained silent.
Meanwhile, Megan was speaking:
"Before we say too much, might we ask who you are? Not wishing to be rude, but our past encounters with the inhabitants of this realm have been less than trustworthy."
He nodded.
Courtesy and wisdom; a rare combination in these parts. Indeed, you are right to be wary. My name is Grifor, Captain of the Burning Guard, an ari'nasid in the service of my Winglord Dis'ya.
"Ari'nasid?!"
Megan's face broke into a delighted smile;
"In that case, we have a surprise for you. Lumir!"
"MEGAN!"
Molly's scream drew everyone around to see him holding Lumir's limp form in her arms, with Syrus kneeling at her side.
"Bring him here, Molly." Megan commanded, fighting the panic she felt, as Molly laid him gently on the ground.
Suddenly, Girfor was kneeling beside her,staring in mingled disbelief and horror.
What madness is this? Tell me your tale.
"Lumir helped us escape from Kahn's castle, but he was wounded in the process. Syrus said we had to return him to his people, as soon as possible. Is he…dying?" Megan asked, almost choking on the last word.
Something like anger flickered in Grifor's eyes at the mention of Syrus' name, and was gone.
Do not succumb to despair. Lumir's condition is severe, but he is not yet beyond help. When an Ari'nasid returns to an egg, its rebirth can only be completed within the sacred fires in the heart of this mountain. If the egg opens in any other circumstance, then the Phoenix will be weakened and, if he does not bathe in the sacred fires soon, he will perish, never to be reborn.
Girfor turned to his companions
We must return to the Mountain, immediately. Everyone, gather close and do not be alarmed.
Megan shepparded the Ponies together and nodded to Grifor.
A fiery glow surrounded him, becoming so bright that Megan had to shut her eyes.
It was the change in the air that prompted Megan to open the again, warm against her skin. Somehow, they were now inside a large cavern,
Across the far side of the cave stretched a low altar, etched into the rock, within which burned a golden fire. The sacred flame, Megan supposed.
Girfor raised his head and released a shrill cry that echoed throughout the cavern. Immediately, several figures swooped down from a balcony far above to land in front of Girfor. Clearly of the same species as Girfor, they wore flowing robes, silver edged with blue. However, it was the one standing at the front of the crowd that drew Megan's eye. Judging by the slender build and the way that her plume had been decorated with crystal beads, Megan assumed that she was a woman.
What is happening, Girfor? She asked urgently.
Lumir has been wounded, Winglord. His rebirth is not yet complete and he is growing weaker.
Quickly. Bring Lumir to the fire.
She commanded, urgently.
Hurriedly, Molly sprang to her feet, racing towards the fire.
There, she hesitated, unsure of what to do next. She had to put him in the fire, but how to avoid getting burned in the process.
Do not fear the flame; it shall not harm you.
She urged and Molly plunged her hands in, gritting her teeth against the expected pain. To her surprise, all that she felt was a tingling sensation spreading through her arms. Gently, she placed Lumir as far inside as she could reach and then withdrew her hands, turning to the others.
"Will he be alright?"
Only time will now tell. He was very weak and we still may have been too late. But, he will not die without a fight. I am Winglord Dis'ya and, on behalf of the ari'nasid, you have our gratitude for what you have done. Lumir's return is a great blessing to us all. Now, let us tend to you're wounds.
She made a strange chirrup-like call and two of her retinue stepped forward, bearing large metal containers. Gently, they set them on the ground, undoing the latches and opening the lids. Megan breathed deeply, as the invigorating smell reached her nostrils, feeling days of exhaustion and stress dropping away. Looking around, she noticed a similar change coming over the others and realised just how tired they had all been. Bowed heads rose, as though a great weight had been lifted and Megan saw that their eyes sparkled with a renew energy. Taking a cloth from the side of the container, Dis'ya dipped it into the interior, bringing it out dripping with a blue liquid.
This serum will heal your wounds, and prevent infection. Do I have your permission?
Megan nodded, cautiously and Dis'ya pressed the damp cloth across a large gash on her arm. She gasped in surprise at the tingling warmth that spread through her arm. After several seconds, the cloth was removed and Megan could only stare in wonder. The gash was completely gone, with not so much as a scar left behind. Swiftly, the she tended to the rest of her wounds and dropped the cloth into her hand, allowing her to deal with any left in less accessible places, sitting back with her wings folded around her.
"I should introduce myself. My name's Megan and we're really the ones who are in your debt. If Girfor hadn't arrived when you did, we would have been finished. And we'd never have made it this far without Lumir's help. As you probably guessed, we're not exactly from around here.
Do tell. Dis'ya replied, with a note of mirth in her voice.
However, I am curious. In my years, I have travelled the many realms of Tollar but I have never encountered any species like yours. Tell me, which realm do you call your home?
"None." Megan answered
"At least, none in this land. We come from a place called Dream Valley in, another world, I think. Somehow, we found ourselves here."
It seems you have a great tale to tell. Come, we will not know of Lumir's rebirth for several hours. I would suggest sending you all to get some sleep, but I feel that you would welcome that no more than I would. Make yourselves comfortable, as best you can.
When they were all seated by the fire, snuggling together in twos and threes for warmth and comfort, they began to tell their tale to Dis'ya, who listened intently.
When they had finished, Dis'ya hung her head sadly.
We feared that something evil was happening in Blackveil. However, every agent that we sent in to try and discover what that was has never returned. I tried to dissuade Lumir from going, but he was determined. When he did not return, I feared the worst. But now…
Her voice trailed off, and she gazed sadly into the fire.
"Tell us about this land, Winglord Dis'ya." Windwhistler asked, as much to distract her as out of genuine curiosity.
Tollar is a land of many wonders, great and small and is home to a myriad of species, including those of your large companion. Dis'ya said, indicating Dinah, who had curled up in the corner.
It has been many years since I have had the honour of meeting one of the Ysu Pack.
In response, Dinah cracked open one eye and growled in appreciation, before going back to sleep.
However there are five species that are considered the Core Races of Tollar.
Apart from the ari'nasid, there are also the Hiroc, the Wulfkin and the Srin-ysi.
The Hiroc are guardians of the trees, although they would call themselves gardeners.
The Srin-ysi are bear-folk from the Southern Lands, skilled in tracking and hunting.
The Wulfkin are the most numerous people in Tollar, spreading across the plains and dwelling wherever they may. Many wish for a simple life, although a few seek more dangerous ends.
"We've met some of them." Megan answered, and Dis'ya nodded in sympathy.
Time passed and the night wore on, with the Ponies falling asleep one by one. The Babies were the first to doze off, huddling against their mother's sides. Fizzy, Shady, Gusty, and Ribbon succumbed next, moving to curl up by Dinah. One by one the others slipped off, with Windwhistler being the last, huddled against Megan's side. Now, only she and Dis'ya remained awake, sitting in silence staring into the flames. Careful not to wake Windwhistler, Megan reached out to slip her arm around Dis'ya's shoulder. Suddenly, her head snapped up as the flame flickered for a second, before sputtering and dying down nearly to embers.
"Dis'ya…?"
Megan whispered, unable to take her eyes of the flickering flames.
This is the time, when Lumir will return to us, or perish. We will know before long.
Even as she said that, the fire ignited again, shooting up to nearly twice its former height, giving off a golden glow that began to resolve itself into the shape of a man with wings, which faded to reveal a full grown ari'nasid. Even though she had only been exposed to the species for a few hours, Megan could tell from the facial plumage that it was Lumir.
Megan's face broke into a delighted smile and she brushed away a tear.
Lumir took a step forward, stumbled and would have hit the floor had Dis'ya not caught him.
Help me support him, Megan.
She grunted, and Megan moved forward to slip under his other arm, helping Dis'ya guide him towards an alcove at the edge of the cavern. Painfully, he struggled into the bed and lay back, breathing heavily.
Blackveil…I know…I must…He managed, before Dis'ya cut him off sternly.
Lumir, you must rest. Your report can wait until then.
No! It can't! Kahn!
Be still. I see that is it important, so…
Do it! Lumir hissed and Dis'ya rested a hand gently on his forehead and Megan guessed that she was reading his mind in some fashion.
After several minutes, in which Megan waited anxiously, she broke away, shaking her head as if waking from a dream. Lumir gave a sigh and slumped back, clearly unconscious.
Do not be alarmed. The mental effort has taxed his resources, but he will recover.
Dis'ya stood slowly, staggered and would have fallen had Megan not steadied her, wrapping one arm around her waist.
Thank you, Megan. We owe you a great debt for Lumir's return. The knowledge he brings is grave but, now that we are warned, we can act in time. Now, there is much I must do, and you are all tired. Beds have been prepared for you all. Go now and sleep, child. In the morning, we will talk again.
"Nothing improves your disposition like a good night's sleep, especially when it's in a soft bed for a change." Paradise commented. They bed may have been made of a soft moss and there were no blankets, but the heat of the sacred fire seemed to permeate the whole of the Phoenix dwelling, keeping it nicely warm. "If only we'd been able to sleep in a little longer." She added, darkly. Shortly after dawn, after being cooped up inside with an exciting new place to explore, the Babies hadn't been able to wait any longer.
"When those Babies want something, nothing can hold them back. I feel sorry for Magicstar and Shady, though. Those kids will wear them out before long." Fizzy added with a giggle and Paradise had to suppress a smile. Fizzy's eyes were sparkling with her usually energy that showed very clearly that she would like to be outside, playing with the other Babies. Still, the news that Lumir had recovered in the early hours of the morning, as well as the summons from Winglord Dis'ya had them all intrigued.
Dis'ya was waiting for them by the sacred fire, with Lumir standing next to her, his plume and tail now burning like Dis'ya's.
Thank you for coming. I regret rousing you so early, but Lumir's recovery has brought to light some troubling information, as well as news that will be of interest to you.
"There is no need to apologise. We were all concerned for Lumir and are glad to see that he has recovered." Windwhistler replied, polite as ever.
Please, make yourselves comfortable.
When they were all seated around the fire, Lumir spoke:
Firstly, I must give my thanks to you all. Without your courage and compassion, I would never have returned to see my home again. My rejuvenation within the sacred fire has restored the memories that had been buried in my mind and my news is dark. Kahn has returned..
Dis'ya hung her head:
It is as we feared. We ari'nasid have long prepared for this day, though we wished it would never arrive. Shadows spread once more and not even fire is guaranteed to withstand the coming nightmare.
"Who is this Kahn?" Cupcake asked.
Kahn, Bringer of Despair, is his full title.His origin is unknown to us, beyond speculation. Ultimately, the first we knew of him was when he launched an attack on Tollar, two years ago. Armies of twisted creatures began attacking the people of Tollar, overcoming all defences.
Led by the ari'nasid, the armies of Tollar triumphed over Kahn, and he was banished to the Howling Halls.
"But, if Kahn was banished to the Howling Halls, then how can he be back?"
Buttons asked.
Unfortunately, we had made a misjudgement. The Howling Halls was a source of intense power, even if we did not fully understand it. As far as we were concerned, it was sufficiently alien that we would never be able to fully comprehend it. However, we under-estimated Kahn's abilities. Time does not pass in the Howling Halls, meaning that those imprisoned there are condemned for an eternity. For Kahn, that merely meant an eternity to study his new existence and to draw new strength from it. Eventually, the Halls were no longer his master. He had mastered them, and had changed in the process. With his new found knowledge, it was simple for him to part the veils of the world and return to Tollar. He was changed now, no longer the frail mortal he had once been. No, he was a being of energy and malice, with a cold heart for revenge.
"I'm sorry. This is all very intriguing." Sundance interrupted. "But, it doesn't seem to be of any real interest to us."
That is because I have yet to tell you who we found in Kahn's dungeons. For, you see, they were Ponies like yourselves. And their leader was named Firefly.
End of Chapter 3Reviews and constructive criticism always welcome.
