I sat in the privet train cart that was meant for only royals or high ranking government officials in Canterlot. I had a backpack meant for long travel; it was enchanted by the girls to be bottomless so I can fit as many things as I wanted to and pull them back out in pinch. I was wearing a winter jacket under my heavy trench coat and a scarf that covered my face. It had only been seven hours since me, Vex, Steam Whistle, and Aelan left the train station and already the temperature dropped.

Times like these kind of remind me of snowy days back in the human world, my family would have get-togethers at the house and I'd send most of my time snowball fighting with my cousins outside until the cold seeped into our bones or catching up with my aunts and uncles. Nothing but distant memories now and I don't have time to think about them anymore.

"Isn't it beautiful grandpa? Even though it's only September it already feels like Hearts Warming Eve," Steam Whistle said, looking out the windows at the snow covered hills and white capped mountains.

She wore a thick red coat with a white scarf. My granddaughter had decided to tag along since Aelan ruined our time together yesterday, so she said I could make it up to her by letting her tag along. I didn't see the harm in it so I agreed, plus I wasn't worried for her incase anything happened, my little Steamy can handle herself. I stood up and sat next her, putting my arm around her and held her close.

"I'm not going to lie, it is actually pretty nice. Peaceful almost, but who knows maybe we'll find some wild Windigo's out there making all this snow," I said, getting her to giggle.

"That would not surprise me, Windigo tend to make area's like this their domain," Aelan said, sitting in the center of the huge cart, sharpening his weapon near the hearth that was blazing with enchanted fire so that it wouldn't smoke up the place.

I was still uncertain of this unicorn, not because he tried to kill me and hurt Steam Whistle, but because his story sounded too good to be true. If his master saw something that involved the shard bearers then why didn't he come find us himself instead of letting things drag on like they did? Then again, if he probably had then no doubts things would be thrown into disarray. Still, it only made me curious as to what he saw in the first place that was going to happen in the possible near future.

We already had two of the five shards and we've been finding them at a good rate, only drawback is that finding the right one to be the bearer of it. I found the shard of creation by chance but soon became a bearer; Vex only did it to save my life back in the Nexus but she soon accepted it. Was that it, does it have to be someone willing to accept it? My family and friends volunteered but I couldn't let them take on that burden, for it could change their lives for better or worst. That was a chance I was not willing to take.

The door to the cart opened and Vex came in with a tray of tea and cakes. She served everyone and took a seat next to me, leaning against my left side with her eyes closed. Almost like she content with where she was at the moment.

I caught Aelan sneaking glances at us, like he wished he could have what we had but knew that he couldn't since his father Mars sacrificed himself to protect him and his master Kronos became one with time. In a way we were the same, for we both lost people close to us in the past. Getting up from my spot in between my girls, I sat next to Aelan by the hearth but we didn't speak, though he did halt his hoof from sharpening his sword. His look was one of curiosity, but with my Immortal Sight, I saw bits of fear inside of him as well as intimidation and restraint.

"So," I started, hoping to show that I'm not hostile. I did want us to be on good terms since he is helping us so I might as well try and make an effort to be friends.

"So, I see you are pretty handy with a blade, though I couldn't pick up on the kind of fighting style you were using," he said, his guard slowly easing down.

"That's because I don't have a fighting style, it makes it easier to throw off your opponent and they won't be able to read you're attacks and counter easily."

We started talking from there, telling each other stories of our adventure in Equestria, though he was pretty shocked when I told him that never left Equestrian soil once in my entire immortal life.

"So you've never been overseas before?" he asked.

I shook my head at him. Yes there were times where I begged Celly and Lulu to take me with them whenever they go on important meetings or royal affairs to other nations, but they would be quick to say that it was a bad idea since the other nations still don't know about me or the fact that I was the newly crowned prince and brother to them. To me, that was just another for them to say 'no' and treat me like I was helpless and couldn't handle myself.

"But if there was one place I'd want to see first it would be Roam, to see the beautiful city architecture, clear blue skies, fine food and culture. Even bring my family for some quality time out, and maybe romance it up with my wives here and there." Thank Zero Vex and Steam Whistle weren't awake to hear that last part.

"As for me, I'd see Romanenia. My mother was from there, or at least that's what my father told me, she died giving birth to me but he told that she used to tell stories of her home and that her family might still be there. I'd give anything to meet them at least once in my immortal life. What about you, do you ever want to see your family back in your world?" he said.

"They can all burn in hell for all I care," I snapped, making him confused but he didn't pry and dropped it.

We didn't talk after that and just decided to get some sleep since we still didn't know how long it was till we get to our destination. Settling in my bunk, I passed out but I wasn't going to have a peaceful rest since Zero contacted me.

"Long time no see Alchemist, I see you are following another lead to a shard," he said. Zero and I haven't spoken to each other since I found the shard of life a little over a year ago, why he decided to see me now was a mystery and no doubt no good can come from it.

"You know, you can't just bring me here after year and not expect me to ask what the hell you've been up to this whole time," I said and I saw him get nervous for a moment.

"Well you know, watching over Equestria from my little empty dimension. I see you met someone who knew my old friend Kronos; here I thought he died in the battle against my siblings."

That made me curious. "You knew Aelan's teacher?" I asked.

"Of course I did, he was the guardian of time and the only one I could trust with-" he covered his mouth quickly so that he couldn't say more.

"If you know something you have to tell me," I said but he didn't answer only look at me with a sort of regret in his eyes, like he was about to do something bad.

"Listen to me Tyson; you have to trust me when I say that it's important that you find this tree left behind by Kronos. He saw something in the timelines that have involved you and the other bearers since the beginning. It is import, no; curial that you reach the tree for it will have the answers," he said.

But why is it-"

"Like I said, you have to trust me my friend. That's all I can say for now."

The sound of the train coming to a screeching stop woke me with a start and I shot upward, hitting my head on the bunk above me. Yeah, not the best way to wake up, and when I looked out the window I saw that we reached a small town covered in snow and seemed to be pretty lively. Getting off, the four of us were met by a group of unicorns that seemed to be waiting for us. They were dressed in black uniforms suited for the snowy conditions and all bearing an emblem of a hooded unicorn. The one in the center approached and removed the black scarf covering their face and revealed themselves as a mare with grey fur, ice blue eyes and an eye-patch covering the right one.

The mare only smiled at Aelan before they both hugged each other, meaning they no doubt knew each other from somewhere.

"When I received your letter I almost couldn't believe it, it's wonderful to see you again," the mare said, her accent probably meant that she was either from Germaney or Prance.

"It's good to see you again too MistShadow, and thanks again for responding to my letter on such short notice. I know you're a busy mare, what with running the Black Unicorn Guild and everything."

MistShadow just waved her hoof like it wasn't a big deal. "I needed some time off anyway, I was so eager to see you after such a long time. Plus you told me that you needed some help so of course I'm not going to ignore you. Are these the ones that you mentioned in your letter?"

We shook and made introductions. "I'm Nicholas, this is my wife Vex and my granddaughter Steam Whistle," I said. MistShadow looked at Steam Whistle and licked her lips in a suggestive manner that made her blush madly.

"Hello there cutie, I hope to get better acquainted with you later," she said, which brought up a question.

"Are you a-"

"Mare-chaser, why yes I am, I find it much better to hear a mare moaning in pleasure under me instead of hearing a Stallion grunt and that can't even last 2 minutes. Does that bother you sir?" she asked, her brow rose in question.

"Not at all, it's not my place to judge," I said, gaining a nod of approval.

"Let us head back to the Guild hall and warm up, we have beds and warm meal for everyone and you can share my bed tonight if you want to Steamy." She was something that's for sure; Aelan sure knew how to pick his friends.

Their Guild hall seemed to be the biggest building in the town and it sort of reminded me of the Companions building from Skyrim. The minute we walked in, some of the residence cheered when they saw Aelan, greeting him in a manner that comrades would. It made me think what exactly this stallion did in his travels searching for the shard bearers and what exactly this little Guild is all about.

We followed MistShadow upstairs to what we guested was her private quarters. I room was fairly large and the walls were covered in an assortment of weapons, paintings or pelts of various beasts that I don't think I've ever seen before in Equestria. A desk was set near the fireplace and it was littered with maps or scrolls that look like hit-list contracts, something that made me tense up.

"What the hell kind of Guild are you running here?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" I grabbed one of the contracts and held it in her face.

"This is a hit-list of ponies that you are hired to kill, which make you and everyone in here a hired assassin. Aelan what the fuck is going on here?"

"Look, it's been awhile since I've been back to my master's home in the mountains. I don't how much the terrain has changed or what exactly is out there so I called for help from those who do. What better resource than those who everything of the area and have eyes and ears everywhere?" he said, like it wasn't a big deal.

I couldn't believe this; he got us help from killers and just expected me to think it was okay. Whatever trust I had with Aelan was now gone, putting me in danger is one thing but my family is another. I was ready to draw my emerald sword and cut them down. MistShadow approached with a neutral look on her face and took both my hands in her hooves.

"You know, I can see it in your eyes that look that only those who have taken a life can only have. Tell me, how many beings lives have you ended?" she asked.

"Enough to know whose deserved it," I said.

"And what make you think that those I've killed didn't deserve it as well? You can rationalize it anyway you want, I don't really care, but at the end of the day I know that what we do is important and benefits all. Who knows, maybe someday you'll want someone who's bothering you to 'disappear'. And you can wash your hooves as much as you want but the blood will always be there, as fresh as it was when you spilled it."

I hated everything about that statement, because every word was true. Her point of view on things might not be agreeable to most but it did make sense, even if you wished it didn't.

"How can we trust you knowing what you are?" Vex asked.

"In all honesty, you can't trust me because it would be unwise to. But I'm helping you because Aelan asked me to, that's all there is to it," she said while removing her heavy clothing and putting them in a trunk by her bed a putting on a black robe.

"Why don't you three go downstairs and get something to eat, I need to talk to Aelan about something."

Aelan's POV

While the others left the room, the two of were alone in a moment of silence. She walked over to fireplace and lied on her stomach, waving her hoof for me to join her. As I did, we both stared at the fire for a bit before she spoke first.

"How has it been since you left Aelan?" she asked her tone somewhat melancholy.

"About 40 years, you look great for your age," I said, hoping my compliment would try to raise her spirits but it failed, her mood getting to get worst.

"You don't write, you don't visit or contact me in any way for 40 years, then out of nowhere I get a letter from you saying that you need my help. What the fuck Aelan, do you know how much I've worried about you? Whether or not you were alright or even still alive for that matter, do you know how much it hurt me to find out in the morning that you left without even saying goodbye to face?" she was practically shouting at me know, tears flooding out of her good eye.

No doubt this was all pent up anger that she was holding in ever since I left this Guild a long time ago. That was a few years after she started to run this place after her predecessor died in in on the job incident on Griffon and Dragon Kingdom borders. I saved her life that day and we inseparable after that, but I knew I couldn't stay forever so I left without even saying a word to her. I still regret it to this day, but I knew that saying goodbye would be hard for both of us so I took the coward's way out and just left in the middle of the night.

I knew it was wrong because I would be hurting the mare I love so much as my sister. I lowered my head, at a loss for words but able to say one phrase that I knew held no merit.

"I'm sorry sister," I said, barely about a whisper that no doubt Fluttershy wouldn't be able to hear.

MistShadow's anger only grew from that and she pushed me onto my back and pinned me with her weight, her tears started to drip onto my muzzle. I couldn't look at the devastated look she was giving me but her white aura flared from her horn and forced me to look at her, I couldn't even close my eyes for she wouldn't let me.

"THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY TO ME, 'I'M SORRY?' HOW ABOUT, 'SORRY THIS PLACE ISNT GOOD FOR ME AND I DON'T REALLY GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO ME?' YOU GOT ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO SAY TO ME?"

That was fuel for the flames burning within me as every word pelted me without mercy. I charged my horn and fired at hers, momentarily disabling her long enough to flip her under me and summon my sword and hold it to her throat, startling her.

"You listen to me MistShadow Nightmare," I said. I was the only one who knew her last name and knew the story behind it; it was that she was a descendent of one of Nightmare Moon's shadow priests whose last name was given to them for their loyalty.

"You dare have the audacity, no the gull to say that I don't care about the ponies here? You don't know how much I wanted to come back here and be with the family I made, stronger than the one I have in Ponyville if I'm truthful. How much I wanted to be here at same side as my sister that I can't stop thinking about, I know I fucked up in hurting you like that but I had no other choice. I needed to leave so I could finish what my master instructed me to do," I shouted, my own tears falling freely now.

"But I would come back when it was done, I'm not asking you to forgive me sister but to just understand that I do regret leaving you when I promised to always be by your side, don't think for a minute that I didn't."

It felt as if a giant burden had been lifted from atop my shoulders, and for once I didn't that tight feeling gripping my chest anymore. I got off of MistShadow and made my sword vanish, letting her get up and looked at each other before I could speak.

"I know what I did was wrong, but can you still help me and my friends?" I asked her, only to see give me a soft smile and kiss my forehead.

"Of course I can brother, did you forget who you're talking to after all? Come on, let's go talk with Geo," she said.

"He's still here; I thought you would've put him in a psychiatric ward considering his condition."

We headed downstairs and I saw my friends eating with my old Guild mates. Nicholas especially who was making quick friends with Black Iron, a dragon who joined around the same time I did. Steam Whistle was being hit on by Narcissi, a rather full of himself earth stallion but that quickly ended when MistShadow glared at him with such intensity that it scared even Black Iron. Vex was just chuckling at the whole thing, just having a good time.

We headed downstairs which was used as storage for weapons, armor or prisoners that were wanted to be caught alive so that they could face justice in the country or state in which the committed a crime. But it wasn't just used for that, for it was also the private quarters for a very mental Alicorn by the name of Geo, the only one in the entire Guild.

As we reached his door I could hear his voice muttering then for some reason shouting out of nowhere about some land formations changing or a village being blown to bits. In truth I never was at ease around the crazed Alicorn but he was useful in finding something if you asked, though it's certainly an experience that's hard to forget. When entering his work space, it was just like I remember; maps all over the place, both kinds of compasses where at use, navigational tools working double time and birds-eye-view maps constantly being scribbled on to change into an accurate description.

There he was with his back to us, his brown and green fur was all over the place and matted, his red stone mane lashed out randomly, forming mountain ranges and quickly turning to canyons. His cutiemark was of a black rectangle with a mini map in the center of it that actually gave directions. Something he called a Globe Positioning System or GPS for short.

Geo stopped suddenly from his work and spun around quick and was right in my face, his dirt colored eyes still filled with the same kind of unpredictable madness as before. It was frightening to say the least especially when he smiled and his left eye twitched uncontrollably.

"Foresaw Aelan's arrival, accurate estimated time: 18hours 15minutes and 53seconds. HOLY FUCK, Dragon Kingdom is remodeling an old city district, estimated time: 32days 16hours 73minutes and 4seconds," he said rapidly as he pulled out maps and began to scribble on them.

Geo certainly hasn't changed, but I hope he had a resent map of the location I was planning on going to.

"Geo, put those down for a moment so we can talk," MistShadow ordered, and low and behold he actually listened to her. Knowing what would happen if he didn't.

"Good boy, now I'm sure you remember Aelan but right now we need skip formalities and cut to the chase. We need a map of the northern mountains and with a safe and quick route, got any that are recent?" MistShadow asked.

"N-Nope, none that I can think of, now I must return to my-"

He was hiding something and it was easy to tell, but wasn't say what anytime soon. I wasn't in the mood to drag this on so I swiped one of his maps from the table before he could reach it and held it over one of the burning torches in the room, making his eyes widen in fear of having one of his pieces go up in flames.

"WAIT! I'll tell you the location of a mountain filled to the brim with gold and gems, or maybe where to find a city where the mares are just eager to have a Stallion share their company for the evening, anything just don't burn my map," he said, some of his sanity returning in his eyes for a moment.

"I want a location into the northern mountains, tell me and you can have it back. You have my word Geo," I said. "But if you don't then I burn it along with the others."

His madness returned and his eyes darted in random directions, as if trying to come with a solution on the spot. Unfortunately for him, my patience was thinning and I lowered the map closer to the flames where it started to burn slowly. He freaked out and tried to jump to it, only to fly face first in to the wall.

"You know I'll do it Geo so don't try that again or this room will be filled with nothing but ashes. Give what I want before things get real ugly for you," I warned.

"There is no safe route anymore, avalanches destroyed the paths and monsters crowd the mountains, only way through them are by boat, through the frozen rivers and even that is treacherous still but the closest to safest that you can get. From there you must take path that is riddled with false ground that covered by snow to reach the lair of Kronos. Didn't want to say for fear of losing brother and sister."

Say what you what about the mad Alicorn, but he still care about his family here in the Guild, even though one might think otherwise. I gave him back what was his and in return he quick drew up path of where we needed to go. I just hope the others are on board for this detour route.

Please Review if not that's cool too.