The Lost Element

by XD-385

Equestria has long been known as the land of ponies. However, the name of Equestria is misleading. For far too long, a certain element has been missing from the world. And now, that element has been brought back. But for better or for worse?

95. Next Steps Towards Hell

The camp was bustling with activity when I stepped outside just after lunch. Everyone was preparing to pack up and go. I knew that the camp would be shrunken down and contained in a box for far easier transportation in a display of sophisticated magical use, but I was still uneasy. The weather was not helping my mood either. A look to the sky revealed dull gray clouds. And the air pressure... A sure sign of rain was approaching.

I knew that we were not in danger of clashing with enemy forces any time soon. The more distance between us and the more enemy units the emperor conjures up, the more time we will have to prepare. Time was on our side for the moment, but it was hard to say if anything else was. But once I stepped out of the command center and looked around, taking in the sights and sounds of everyone preparing to head out, I was given quite the surprise.

I heard something behind me. And much to my surprise, I could see the command center itself rising off the ground. And under the entire structure... Sets of sturdy wagon wheels. Were some of the more vital buildings in the camp going to be made mobile during our marches? Developing and studying more spells in the lab, keep the infirmary ready for any minor cases, and certainly keeping the command center running for the sake of our radar system and long distance communication...

Celestia soon stepped out of the command center while I was trying to peek under it to see the wheels. I heard her chuckle at my curiosity and asked, "Surprised that not everything is going back into the box?"

"Yeah, I am... This is actually really brilliant. Although...um..." I replied before turning my gaze to the sky again. Rain would surely be coming before long. And that would carry the risk of slowing us down, especially the much heavier mobile buildings on wheels. I then looked to Celestia and asked, "Are you sure we should move when rain in on the way? Wouldn't it be wiser to have someone like the Wonderbolts clear the skies up first?"

"We don't want to disturb the ecosystem out here too much, James. We will permit rain to fall, but only lightly. We will have the Wonderbolts on standby to keep the weather manageable as needed." The Princess of the Dawn replied with an unexpected show of respect for the Empty Plains and its environment. She then looked skyward with me and we did indeed see them. Pegasi clad in their suits of brigandine swooping high above as they kneaded the clouds to manage the approaching rainfall. "We won't be bogged down by rain today. Not too much of it, at the very least."

"Good to know. I enjoy a walk in the rain myself, but it's not good for a march in full armor." I added while finding myself smiling a little bit.

Celestia and I then shared a brief gaze before she said, "We will be heading you in a couple of hours. If there's anything you need to do or anyone you want to see, I suggest doing so now while we have time. All airships that are docked here must depart when we do and they will not be able to dock again until we set up camp for the evening."

"Right, got it. I'd best be off then. I'll report back here when I'm done." I said before immediately walking off at a brisk pace. There were a few places and people I wanted to see while I still had time.

I paid little mind to anyone I passed, although I often heard conversations inside the tents whenever I passed by. Infantry excited to finally be moving out. I suppose everyone was starting to go a bit stir-crazy by then. But I knew where I wanted to stop by first. I had some questions on my mind.

I strode over to the magic R&D lab and stepped inside. The place was quiet. Only a couple of the test chambers were in use. Twilight Sparkle was nowhere to be seen, although Sunburst was still looking over some notes on the central table. And nearby, our captive Hollow was still tied to a another table. No signs of movement, but I was still uneasy going anywhere near it. Regardless, I walked over to Sunburst and peered over his shoulder. He did not even notice me at first. "Anything new?"

"Huh?! Oh, hey there, James. Yeah, we've already got a prototype formula down for repelling the materials used in the weapons these things carry. We should be ready to test it in a few days." He replied in surprise while glancing up at me. He then used his levitation magic to hold up a few blueprints as he glanced back and forth at them. "Once we had a material signature to work with, the rest came surprisingly easy. Morale's been pretty high around here today."

"Glad to hear. We're going to be moving out in a couple of hours, but the lab will keep running, right?" I asked while still not able to make any sense of the diagrams on the pages before me. It was simply beyond my comprehension.

Sunburst stacked some papers neatly as he said, "Right. I've heard some of the places around here will be pulled along on wheels. Apparently even the mess hall kitchens will keep running like food carts to feed everypony out there who gets hungry during the march."

"Food on the go? Nice." I said with a smile before I looked over at the lifeless Hollow nearby. Upon seeing that purple humanoid form, I remembered why I was there in the first place. "Hey, uh... as that thing given you any trouble at all?"

"Not even slightly. It hasn't budged at all since you guys brought it here. We're being careful to not cause any damage to it that could cause the whole thing to dissolve, but we've been given strict orders to keep it restrained at all times. There's been some talk that it might be spying on us." Sunburst said with a more cautious tone, his hoof tweaking her little beard. He then glanced up at me and asked, "If you don't mind me asking, exactly what happened when you captured that thing?"

I thought back to that skirmish yesterday and just how smoothly it went. "We whittled them down until there was one left. Applejack snagged it in her lasso. It struggled for a bit before it just...went limp. My assumption was that the emperor wrote it off as lost and severed control over it, but... I dunno..."

"To be fair, we haven't detected any foreign magic wavelengths in the lab. I'm not so sure that thing's creator can really get much out of it just being here. But we still can't rule out the possibility that control can be restored to it, so it has to be kept pinned down at all times." Sunburst muttered in thought while also showing some concern over that thing being a possible means to an end for our enemy. I know that those things are deaf, but...they have no eyes either. Hollows technically cannot see us. I wonder how they respond to enemy threats then...

"I'm starting to get the weird impression that these things are controlled not too dissimilarly to how things work in a real-time strategy game. Their controller probably doesn't have that much direct influence over their actions to begin with. Might give us an edge..." I muttered with a fist held under my chin. If there are limitations in how the emperor handles his troops, that would be another exploit we could utilize.

"When you put it that way... Huh... Yeah, that doesn't sound too farfetched as far as hypotheses go." Sunburst added while also jotting down some notes. Most likely about our conversation. "More to study..."

Having satisfied my curiosity for now, I started to step away. "I've probably taken up too much of your time already. I just wanted to stop by because I was worried that thing might still be more dangerous than it's letting on, but it sounds like you've got everything under control. I'll see myself out, all right? Got some other things to do before we pack it up and head out."

Sunburst took no issue with my departure. he waved goodbye while also taken a moment to adjust his glasses. "No problem, James. Feel free to stop by whenever you want. We'll be here."

I was not sure how much time was going by as I wandered from point to point in the camp. But I knew where I needed to be then. I headed straight for the airship docks. Upon arriving, I saw that it was nearly empty. Aside from the Alabaster, only one cargo ship remained as it was finishing up having its cargo unloaded. And I did not have to look far to find who I was looking for. An alluring whistle came from above, forcing me to turn my gaze up. A grand wing reached over the side of the Alabaster's deck, beckoning me to come on up the gangplank.

Knowing exactly who was up there, I rushed on up. And sure enough, there she was. Queen Novo stood up on deck while her men went about preparing the Alabaster for departure. She held up a finger to shush me as she spoke with a smile. "My room. Now."

"Mmhm!" I retorted before following my beloved indoors. Once going down a floor and stepping into her bedroom, Novo and I fell upon the bed in each other's arms. I spoke softly to her, "I just wanted to see you one more time before we head out..."

"Looks like it. I heard from Celestia that you're all ready enough to advance. Just a shame I can't follow..." Novo whispered to me wistfully as she placed a firm kiss upon my cheek. "You know I have faith in you and that Seaspray and his boys will be watching over everyone, but still... Be safe out there, James. I didn't fall in love with you just to lose you now."

"Trust me, I know what you mean. I don't want to die out there either." I replied as my embrace around that beautiful creature tightened. "Thank goodness we're all in good hands. I'm confident this will go well."

"I sure hope so, baby..." Novo cooed as she caressed my face with her dull talons sliding along my cheek. Her voice low and sultry, she whispered to me. "I just love you so much, James... I'm over the moon for you..."

"Love you too, Novo... So very much." I said with a sigh as I nestled my head just under her jaw. Trying to get comfortable against that soft feathery surface. Novo draped one of her massive wings over me to keep me close to her. I kept whispering to her softly, "Love you so much, my queen... My bird of paradise..."

"Oh, my sweet sugar bear... Let Mama be good to you right now. Just as long as we can." She whispered to me while starting to bring my face up before her. We gazed into each other's eyes briefly before she placed a hand on the back of my head. Beak parting wide, she brought her face forward and clamped her beak over the sides of my face for yet another one of her wonderful experienced kisses. I held her and groaned softly, our voices singing in unison as our tongues danced together. She broke the kiss momentarily to whisper to me, "Mmmm, baby... You sweet...sweet papa bear..."

I was silenced with another kiss before I could even speak. But her words tickled my heart. And at the first opportunity, I whispered into her ear. "I'd be proud to be your papa bear someday."

Novo quietly and lovingly chuckled as she embraced me in her feathery arms. And my hand drifted lower, caressing her slender soft belly. She knew exactly what was going through my head at that moment. "Oohoohoohoo, just can't stop thinking about that, can you? My papa bear wants some cubs someday, hm?"

"I can't help it, Novo. You keep bringing out the father in me." I spoke most sincerely to her as I continued to caress her belly. No signs of life within it. At least not yet. "I can just tell... Having a family with you... It'll be like something out of a storybook. Like something that's too good to be true, but it really is. I really...really want that to become a reality someday."

"James... Oh, honey... You have no idea how much it tickles me when you say things like that." Novo cooed to me as her hands held and caressed my face. A look of profound love and precious desire filled those beautiful eyes as she smiled at me. "If we're so much on the same page with each other right now, then I know we really will be good for each other when the time comes. Give it time, hun. I swear I'll be your wife for real someday."

"God, I hope so..." I said with a sigh as I felt so in love with this wonderful woman before me. And so I finally decided to ask, "In that case... Since I haven't asked it yet... Will you marry me, Novo?"

Her eyes lit up beautifully upon hearing those words. And so she brought her face a little closer to mine and said without blinking once, "Yes, James... Yes. I'll be yours until the end of time... No, beyond the end of time and everything that comes after. There won't be any end of this queen's love for you. And that's a promise."

"Novo... You really are the best..." I muttered while just so touched. We clung to each other desperately, afraid to let go. Such sweet loving words were whispered back and forth between us. If I were to list them all here, it would be embarrassingly mushy. But we spoke our love for each other. How much Novo wanted to meet the rest of my family and how they might take to her. And we... We could not stop discussing the topic of starting a family. The children we will have. What we should name them... Just thinking about it now fills my heart with such a powerful sense of longing. I cannot wait to see and hold her again...

Sadly, we could not stay there forever. There was an eventual knock at the door. And the voice of Seaspray spoke afterward. But his tone was...softer than it usually was. "Your majesty...? Sir James...? I regret to inform you that the Alabaster must depart in a matter of minutes. Everyone is ready to move."

"Thank you, admiral... We'll be up shortly." Novo said softly before we gazed at each other in silence. A look of angst filled those lovely eyes as she whispered, "Please be safe out there, honey... I don't want to hear that my king met his end before I could put a crown on his head."

"It'll be OK, Novo... The odds are in our favor. We just need to keep that in mind." I whispered back to my queen as she began to smile a bit more. My hand caressed her soft feathered face while I said, "I love you. And I always will. I'll see you again soon, right?"

"Oh, I'll be back for sure. Gotta make sure I do my part around here too. The good old Alabaster might not be built for supply runs, but she'll do her part to help our boys win this war." She cooed to me with her hand resting on my hip. Although that beautiful creature then churred most sensually to me, "And you better be up here with me every night I'm docked here. Mama needs to make her sugar bear feel his best."

"Novo, now's not a good time to get me turned on..." I said while almost letting out a laugh. That ridiculously sexy mare... She too let out a chuckle while taking pride in teasing me so effectively. But we still needed to go back up on deck. With great reluctance, we released each other from our embrace. We rose from the bed and left the room together. And once we stood up on deck with the Alabaster's crew preparing for departure, we turned our gazes to each other. "I'll miss you..."

"I don't think there are any words to say how much I'll be longing for you, baby... Out here in uncharted territory... Miles from home... I'm going to molt early at this rate with how much worrying I'll be doing." Novo retorted while almost sounding like she was trying to make light of the situation. Hippogriffs molt? I never knew. Although Novo suddenly turned to her left and spoke with a bold authoritative tone in her voice. "Admiral Seaspray! A word with you!"

The admiral of Capricorn Island's guardsmen promptly galloped over to us, his shimmering iridescent armor glistening in the sunlight. He stood at attention, almost as still as stone. "Yes, your majesty?"

Novo's gaze was stern and focused, her tone commanding his complete attention. "I want you to keep a close eye on this man out in the field. While he's out on the front lines, you will support him from afar. See to it that he survives this war."

"I shall make certain every arrow finds its mark, your majesty. And I will see to it that anyone who dares assail Sir James will taste my volleys first!" Seaspray spoke boldly and confidently without hesitation. And I am certain that he was not bluffing. As the commander of his men, he must be the best archer among all hippogriffs.

"Well said, admiral. I leave him to you." Novo replied before turning her gaze to me as it immediately softened. She reached out to me as she beckoned me to embrace her. And I did. I stepped forward into her waiting embrace. I expected her to drape those glorious wings over me to shield us from prying eyes. But instead, Novo surprised me. She made no attempt to hide us as her beak parted and clamped over the side of my face like many times before. I was initially shocked and tried to point out that she was making out with me out in the middle of her own airship's deck, not to mention right in front of the commander of her island's protectors. But I quickly lost out to my beloved's wonderful kiss as her tongue found its way to mine. Our embrace tightened, our tongues caressing each other as we hummed quietly. We were so madly in love... For just that moment, everything was all right. And once that kiss ended all too reluctantly, Novo cupped my face in her hand and whispered softly to me. "Be safe, my love. I'll be back for you in a few days."

"I'll try to wait... Maybe it'll be easier this time." I muttered while still dreading seeing my wonderful queen depart. That pain was there once more, but not quite as strong as the last time. Perhaps it was because I knew she would return as surely as before. It was just a matter of time. If only Novo was not so wonderfully addictive... "I love you..."

"Love you to, baby. Be safe out there." That beautiful creature cooed to me while stepping back. The bell of the Alabaster tolled to signal its imminent departure. With great reluctance, I turned away and followed Seaspray down the gangplank. And with a heavy heart, I watched with him as the gangplank was pulled away. The engines of the Alabaster began to hum within its hull.

The Alabaster was freed from its moorings as it began to rise high into the air. The propellers at the end of the stern began to spin and buzz as the ship turned to the west. I found myself reaching out the it in futility as that elegant white airship began to soar. Once again, Novo was leaving and I could not go with her. Seaspray took note of this silent gesture of mine and asked, "Something troubling you, my liege?"

"I just... I miss her already..." I muttered as I beheld that elegant vessel buzzing through the air as it drifted further and further west. But as the seconds went by, my eyes narrowed. The cogs turned in my head as I processed what I had just heard. And so I turned to Seaspray and asked, "Wait... What'd you just call me?"

He snorted with a suppressed laugh before saying proudly, "Well, unless my eyes were deceiving me, I just witnessed my queen brazenly kissing the man who stands before me. A man whose life has been entrusted to me by her royal majesty herself. A man she very dearly wishes to see again. What do you suppose I am meant to take away from all of that, hm?"

"Seaspray, really... I'm no leader. I just don't have the traits needed for that role. No matter how much Novo and I love each other, I... I'm not..." I began to say before Seaspray held up a hand suddenly and stiffly to silence me. All the while, a proud smile was set into his beak.

"Oh no no no no, you are mistaken! Do you know what it means to be courted by our queen? To become the man she has her eyes on?" Seaspray asked while trying very hard not to laugh. He then looked me in the eye with such a confident and approving smile on display as he said, "As far as I am concerned, you are simply a king who has yet to be crowned."

I held my face in my hands. The sheer audacity to call me such a thing... It was absurd! Me?! A king of any nation you can name?! I could never see that happening. "Seaspray, come on... I can't... I appreciate that you have that kind of faith in me, but seriously now... I don't think you would ever approve of that anyway if you knew about... Well... This."

I held up my hand. Just to display the wedding ring on it. I knew that the hippogriffs of Capricorn Island are strictly monogamous. I could only imagine what the admiral of Capricorn Island himself would do upon finding out that his queen was courting a married man. And yet, he surprised me. Seaspray looked me in the eye and said, "Yes, I have heard through the grapevine that a certain Miss Fluttershy is waiting for you back in Ponyville. And maybe...just maybe... Someone else as well?"

"I take it you've heard of these kinds of relationships?" I asked while noting that there was no disgust or scorn in those eyes or his voice.

"Yes, though they are admittedly rare. I mean granted, it's certainly not how my people do things and it's very easy to assume the worst. And yet... Would our queen truly entertain the notion of courting such a scoundrel?" He asked while still smiling boldly. "I can see straight away that you are no such scoundrel, Sir James. From the moment I met you, I've had a good feeling about you. And you did not disappoint. And besides that... How can I not approve of my queen finding love with you when you have done so very much for her? I trust you know...of her silent suffering?"

I felt a dull sting in my heart somewhere. Our first encounters were not without a few rough spots. I knew of Novo's aching heart, scarred by the loss of her king. And we both understood that kind of pain, though in different ways. I tried to heal her, even as she tried to heal similar old wounds I had forgotten that I even had. And we... We fell in love. It was never planned. Neither of us expected it. But it happened anyway. And we have been...so very happy together. "Yeah... That's why I was there in the first place... You've seen how she was?"

"As admiral of the royal guard on my island, there are few who know our queen as well as I do. Yes, I have seen that side of her. Bless her heart, she tried very hard to hide it with her amusing theatrics. But she never did heal. King Cygnus met his end well before my time, but I could see how devastating his death was to her." Seaspray explained with a more somber tone than before. But then he began to smile. "But not long after you arrived, I noticed a change in her. It was subtle at first and I simply assumed she was having an exceptionally good string of days. But it became more obvious to me. The happiness on the surface was becoming less of a mask. It was...genuine. And the glimpses I saw of you two when together... I could see that you were to blame for my queen's newfound hope. And I cannot thank you enough for that. When the queen suffers, we all suffer. And we hate to see her in misery."

"She's... She's always been a good boss to you, huh?" I asked while wanting to hear more of what Seaspray had to say about his queen. It was a side of him I had not really seen before.

He let out a hearty chuckle before he said, "My good sir, I cannot recall even once when someone who served under our queen ever had anything ill to say about her. I'm sure you've noticed how enjoyable she is to be around."

"Pfft, right... She's sassy and funny, but gorgeous and genuinely sweet. I don't think she has a single bad in her body. I can see why she would be so popular on the throne for so long." I snickered while knowing all too well just how likeable Novo really is. But as I noticed that unwavering gaze Seaspray was giving me, not to mention that knowing smirk on his beak, my thoughts focused once more on how our conversation got started. "Hey, really now... Look, I know that you know how madly in love Novo and I are with each other. But is that really enough for me to wear a crown? Especially with...what you know about me?"

"Quite frankly, the knowledge that there are so many you love so sincerely in your life only gives me more reason to believe you are more than fit to be crowned as the king of our queen. You are not a man who is driven by your libido or ego. The mares in your life... They are your beloveds. Not your property, yes?" Seaspray asked as his smile brightened. "For you to be able to love so many so sincerely... Yes, I would say that is enough. A true king must love his people. The ability to love many. That is one of the most important traits for a monarch to possess. And you do love my people, do you not?"

I was left speechless for a moment. That kind of faith... Did I really have the capacity to really do that? I could not ever see myself properly leading a nation on my own at all. I just do not have the requirements for it. But...could I at least support Capricorn Island to some degree? Even just a small role while Novo handles the bigger orders of the day? My thoughts then went back to the time I spent on that lovely island while surrounded by those beautiful bird horses. And the sheer positivity they exuded.

"I..." My voice caught in my throat as I tried to remember. I did not know what to expect when I first arrived, but I left that island genuinely loving the hippogriffs who resided there. So very happy and so very hospitable. Easily some of my favorite people in Equestria so far. "Yes... I adore your people. I love everything about the hippogriffs of Capricorn Island."

"Then may the coming of King James be a joyous day for us all." Seaspray said with a laugh while I recoiled in embarrassment. King James... Ridiculous. And yet, I was genuinely flattered. Seaspray soon held a fist before his beak as he cleared his throat. He then said more reservedly, "But truly... I understand that you won't be with us all the time. You have somewhere to be, yes? But know that whether you are seated on her majesty's throne with her or living abroad with the rest of your family, you will always have our support. I can assure you that my people will welcome you with open arms."

"Thanks... Still not sure how to process that, but thanks..." I muttered while still reeling from his claims. Although I then tried to wiggle my way out of that subject by asking, "Before I forget, don't we have somewhere to be?"

"Ah, that we do! We will surely be heading out within the hour! I shall leave you to your duties while I attend to mine. May victory be ours, Sir James!" Seaspray all but shouted in a hurry before taking to the air and swooping off and over the camp to return to his men. Now that I had reminded myself of what was on the verge of happening, I made my way back to the command center to suit up.

Even before I stepped inside the command center, I could see something unfolding up ahead to the east. And I mean that quite literally. The walls that lined the border of the camp began to fall back to open up and provide an exit for the militia. Almost like a big play set gradually being put away. And when considering how the camp was previously set up, I could understand that.

Upon stepping inside the command center, I found the place rather quiet. Aside from the personnel directly stationed there, the only one I found was Nightmare Moon. The Princess of Dreams was suited up in her full suit of barding while she seemed to be examining a longsword that floated before her. Its hilt and crossguard were stained with the colors that lined her armor while its polished steel blade glistened when exposed to light. A personal weapon she had commissioned? Before I could even ask, she glanced at me and asked, "Are you prepared to head out?"

"I will be in a little bit... Kinda glad we're finally making progress here. Not saying I didn't enjoy some downtime, but we won't get anywhere by staying put." I replied before once again eyeing her sword. She even had a matching scabbard affixed to the side of her armor. "That yours?"

"Hm? Ah, yes. Just a little something to compliment my magical might on the battlefield. I will be serving in the thick of battle while my sisters will be carrying out long-distance roles. And... Well, not to boast, but I am the most competent of my sisters when it comes to swordplay. Have a look." She replied before passing the sword to me. I took it in both hands and found that unlike the Celestial Sword, which is more of a hand and a half sword that can be used either way, this one demanded both hands to be used effectively. It was truly a proper longsword. I tried a few stances and practice swings, finding the sword to be easy to use with all the functionality of my own sword whenever I have wielded it with both hands. Once I placed the sword inside its scabbard, Nightmare Moon motioned her head towards the stairs that led up into the loft I am residing in. "Enough talk. We should be departing. Fetch your gear and come outside. You will know what to do then."

I nodded and made my way to the stairs, heading up and stepping inside as a surge of emotions filled me. It was no longer time to wait and prepare. It was time to head out. With the most recent move made by the emperor having only just occurred, a significant window of opportunity was open to advance without interruption. I was so distracted by my thoughts that I did not even notice Smolder sitting on my bed at first.

My eyes were focused upon the helmet that rested atop my dresser. That and the Element of Humanity that was housed on its brow. An artifact that had allowed me to see ghosts of the past on at least one occasion out here on the Empty Plains. As if it was trying to tell me something. The very thing the emperor himself had forged. Recalling that fact filled me with a sudden and powerful sense of unease. A nameless fear that me being the bearer of the Element of Humanity gave me some sort of connection to the very man who had cheated death and the march of time just to resume his betrayal of the world I love. God, I certainly hope that is not the case...

A hand grasped my own. And it brought me back to my senses. I looked down and saw Smolder looking up at me with a gaze of concern, her hand grasping mine. She asked softly, "You OK there? You just kinda...zoned out."

"I... Uh..." I muttered before stepping over to my bed to take a seat on it. Smolder promptly joined me and sat beside me, her hand still holding mine. I let out a sigh as the reality of the situation settled over me. "I'm just worried... We're heading out soon. And...I guess I was just thinking about a bunch of ifs and hows..."

"You were looking at your helmet for a while there..." Smolder said softly while she brought my hand to both of hers as she held mine between them in a tender fashion. "Did you see something there?"

"It wasn't the helmet I was looking at... It was the Element of Humanity being housed on the front. That white gemstone thing." I explained, knowing that Smolder most likely could not even begin to grasp the concept of the seven Elements of this world.

"Element...of Humanity? Never heard of it, but it sounds important. Some kinda treasure?" Smolder asked while being understandably ignorant about it. The Elements of Harmony are certainly legendary, but the Element of Humanity is an anomaly that almost no one knows about.

"You can say that... Doesn't really do much on its own though..." I muttered as I once again eyed the twin dove shapes that reflected the two cutie marks upon my biceps. Almost like it was watching me... "The one who created that thing... He's the one we're at war with. And I'm starting to wonder if I have something to do with him suddenly showing up again after all this time."

Smolder's hands tightened their grip around mine. Almost like she was disgusted at my words. "Don't say that. You've got nothing to do with someone who's an enemy of Equestria."

"But what if... I mean I know I..." I groaned as I bowed my head. So many what ifs and maybes. Now that the Element of Humanity had caught my attention and that I had remembered who created it, so many new questions and fears were in my head. Even then, they were wonderings that had little solid ground to stand on. But I was convinced... The emperor's return so soon after my arrival in Equestria... I could not convince myself that it was merely coincidence. Nor could I now ignore the inherent risks of bringing someone like me to this world when I hail from a world like Earth. The more I thought about it, the more I began to feel like my presence there was a mistake.

"James." Smolder said firmly as she brought a hand to my face and turned my head to look at her. Those beautiful blue reptilian eyes glared into mine, her voice stern and unflinching. "You don't have it in you. You won't betray Equestria. Stop thinking like that, all right?"

"I wish I had your confidence..." I muttered as my eyes wandered away from hers. I could barely look her in the eye at all. I knew where my heart stood. I could never defile the world I had come to love. But now that I had started to wonder about the emperor and his connection to the Element of Humanity that rested in my own helmet... I could not stop thinking about it. "I just want to get this whole thing over with right now... Once he's gone...I won't have to worry about whether or not I have anything to do with him still being around."

"That's crazy... You've got nothing to do with him, all right?" Smolder all but growled at me before suddenly placing a kiss upon my lips. Her gaze softened, as did her voice. She then whispered, "And even if...if this whole world betrays you... You'll always have me. I'll follow you to the ends of the world. I'll never...stop...loving you."

How can someone so young be so deathly sincere with such a claim... There was no faltering in her words or her gaze. Ember was right. Few take the concept of love as seriously as dragons. And I felt honored to know that even if the world falls apart around me, I would always have Smolder. And so I pulled her into my arms and held her, focusing on those words and nothing else. "Ti amo tanto...mia poca draghessa."

"Je t'amie toujours, mi amor... Je t'aime toujours." Smolder whispered back at me while her arms and wings wrapped around me. "Let me hold you for a little bit... Please?"

"I wanna hold you too." I muttered as I rolled onto my side with Smolder resting in my embrace while I relaxed into hers. It took me a moment to recall what I had been told about how seriously dragons take romance. This only reinforced my understanding of Smolder's sincerity. I felt blessed. Even in the worst of scenarios, I would always have her. And so I whispered, "I'm grateful to have you, dear..."

"I'm the grateful one, James. That's why I'm out here anyway." Smolder whispered to me in a hushed tone. And when she looked up at me, she spoke with just the slightest hint of a smirk. "And I'll make sure you'll never get rid of me."

"Why would I ever want that?" I retorted with a chuckle while Smolder did the same. She then caressed my face with her hand before our lips joined for a tender kiss. And another. And then another. Over and over, she kissed my worries out of my heart. I soon sighed while gazing into her beautiful eyes and whispered, "You are just such a wonderful woman..."

"And I'll be your woman someday. Wait for me, OK? I won't give up on you. I'm in this for the long haul." Smolder muttered so sweetly with the usual faint growl in her tone fading entirely. She traced her fingertip along my lips and then down over my chest and the heart that beat within. "You'll always have me, mi amor. Always."

"Likewise, Smolder... I never want to lose you." I whispered back to her as we rested against each other. I held her while she held me. I savored everything about her. Her quiet breathing. Her tender touch and her small body against mine. Even her very natural scent with my nose near the side of her head. "I could just hold you forever right now..."

"Forever...with you...sound great." She hissed with a long sigh. And to a dragon like her, love really is forever. I truly wanted to live up to her expectations. I only hope my love for her turns out to be as stalwart as hers is for me. We lied in bed for a short while, holding and caressing each other. But after a while, I felt a gentle lurch in the building around us. A kind of feeling I only ever really noticed when riding a train. Smolder noticed too and asked, "Is this place...moving?"

A glance at the window revealed that the sky beyond it was gradually shifting. As if we were inside a moving vehicle. It really was time to go. "Yeah, I think we are... They've got this whole thing on wheels. I better get out there."

"Be careful... I'll be here if you need me. I'm not going anywhere." Smolder whispered to me with her fingers sliding across my cheek. With great reluctance, I stepped into the tub nearby to let my liquid armor spread over me before hardening into its familiar winged form. I fetched my helmet and my weapons before reaching for the door. I looked back at Smolder, who brought her fingers to her lips and basically blew a kiss my way. "Je t'aime, mi amor."

"Ti amo tanto..." I sad softly as I began to descend the stairs with the door closing behind me. And once I opened the door leading outside once I was back down on the first floor, I found that the command center was indeed moving. The ground before me was scrolling along to the left. With a sigh, I hopped down from the doorway. "Right... Time to head out."

I could see the tents that served has housing for the militia literally collapsing in on themselves as they were folded up and put away in the massive set that was the camp being steadily being placed back in its own box. Very many ponies, armed and armored, were marching east before and around me. A few exceptionally burly earth pony stallions were harnessed to the command center to pull it along with Big Macintosh being one of them. A steadily marching wall of armor covering pastel hues. And then...the rain fell.

A light pattering of water began to splatter against my own armor plating as my eyes turned to the sky. The clouds were gray and showed few gaps in them. And as the seconds went by, a filter of falling raindrops lined my vision. I glanced up to see pegasi soaring high to manipulate the clouds in order to keep the rainfall from becoming too heavy. We would likely not get bogged down in mud. Certainly not with a thick layer of grass lining the ground we treaded. But the rain carried with it a somber and even ominous atmosphere. Almost as if the sky itself was conveying that we were once again advancing into potentially dangerous enemy territory.

I marched along while keeping my eyes to the darkened horizon. I was in no mood to speak. The last of the camp collapsed behind us as it was stored away, the lot of us now completely without walls for defense. And once again, I felt that profound sense of being somewhere I did not know without knowing when or if I would ever return home. Those first two weeks or so just wandering east through the Empty Plains were some of the most miserably solitary days I have ever spent in my life. The only comfort I could take from things now was knowing I was no longer without friends.

No one spoke to me. I did not even approach anyone to shoot the breeze with. My mood was somber and focused. Just focusing on the horizon and the destination beyond. I just wanted to get this over with and go home. Finally get back home to Ponyville. Hold my wife and our children in my arms. Just...have everything go back to how it was when everything was right in the world. I was actually looking forward to even going back to work at the spa to give out more massages.

My eyes scanned the skies around us. I even looked back to the west, hoping to see signs of shimmering gold and a touch of blue in the sky. I missed Ember. Would she make it back in time for the first encounter with the next wave? We no doubt had days if not a couple of weeks of time between us and the enemy. Just how far away was the Heaven's Pillar?

I eventually felt the urge of hunger growing. And so my eyes scanned the area around me. There were indeed ways to feed everyone. The mess halls had been swapped out for food carts that now rolled along with us. There was even a line building up at each of them with hungry fighters looking to get in a snack while things were quiet.

Now too hungry to resist, I got in line myself. Everyone who received an order from the window stepped away and returned to their formations with their snack either held in their mouths or floating beside them with the use of levitation magic. Our own fleet of miniature gedunk bars. "They do say an army moves on its belly..."

When it finally came time for my turn, I just settled for a sandwich. They were not providing anything that required utensils or a plate in order to insure we would not be leaving any garbage in our wake. The few times I did see something being served on a plate or a cup, it was always composed of biodegradable paper products. Even if just left out in the open, nature would eventually take care of it in the coming months. Although I did have to shield my snack from the rain with my armor's wings.

After what was likely a few hours of marching without incident, we finally came to some very shallow rivers that I had seen the other day while soaring east with Ember. We ended up being diverted to some shallows that we could just walk across, but anything that was on wheels had to be lifted across the rivers with coordinated levitation magic from many unicorns. It ended up going like clockwork without us being slowed down much at all.

There was also something I noticed when it came to the aerial units after a while. Every now and then, I saw one fly to the command center and drop something off only to return to the skies. And then it dawned on me. They were retrieving the radar sensors that Smolder had deployed. The odds of the enemy sensing our approach was very unlikely and it was equally unlikely that they would loop around and attack us from the rear if they could not monitor our movements. The sensors would most likely be sent out again next time we set up camp.

I felt hesitant to break formation even as I found myself becoming profoundly bored. There was nothing going on and rightfully so. I looked back at the command center as it rolled along on its wheels. For the time being, it was my home. My house. And if I needed some time to myself, I could just step inside. But everyone else had no such luxuries. The closest things to houses they have out here are the tents that they could not even access while on the move. I did not want to give the impression that I thought they were beneath me.

Eventually, I got a much more reasonable urge to step indoors. I had to use the restroom, so I might as well. I stopped and waited for the command center to roll my way before walking alongside it and getting the door open. It was tricky stepping up into a moving structure like that without stumbling, but I managed. Rain dripped off the smooth plating of my armor, prompting me to find a floor mat to let it drip onto.

I quickly found why our aerial units were visiting the command center. Indeed, a box near the corner that displayed the crystal panels the radar sensors were broadcasting to showed that a few such sensors had been placed inside. Before I could even make my way to the stairs, the door leading outside opened and revealed Spitfire swooping in before dropping another sensor in the box. She looked at me and said in brief, "Keep up the good fight, James. Hang in there."

I did not even get to reply. She swooped out the door and closed it behind her without a second thought. Everyone had their duties to perform. I was just glad mine would not come into play until the enemy revealed themselves. I then marched up the stairs and entered my room while wondering what Smolder was up to.

The scene I saw was much more subdued than expected. Instead of messing around with my typewriter or reading a comic book, Smolder was nestled in the corner of my bed while just peering out the window as the scenery rolled by. She looked my way, no doubt not expecting me to come in, and asked, "Everything OK out there?"

"So far, yeah... Maybe a little too OK. But I just need to use the restroom, so please excuse me." I replied while putting away all my gear. Once stripped of my weapons and armor, I entered the bathroom to tend to my business. As well as just taking some time to think.

With the light pattering of rain on the roof and window and the hum of the ceiling fan breaking the silence, I rested in my sanctuary. The confines of my living quarters was probably the only real safe zone I had now. I found myself longing for my days in Ponyville. A town where I know where virtually everything is by now. I was past the point of wondering if I would ever return alive and now was just wondering when we could all go home. I especially wanted to get back home before winter could come along.

I ended up losing track of time if the knocking on the bathroom door was anything to go by. I heard Smolder ask, "You OK in there?"

"Yeah, just...having some time to rest and think. I'll be out soon." I replied while leaning to my side with my arm draped on the bathroom sink. I decided to stop stalling and get myself out of there. Once I did leave, I found Smolder back in the corner of my bed and leaning against the walls, her gaze still focused on what lay beyond the window. She looked troubled, but I was sure she was mostly just bored. "Not much to do here, huh?"

"I dunno about that... It's just kinda relaxing to watch everything go by out there. Kinda weird to know this whole thing is rolling along on wheels right now." She replied before patting her hand on the bed. "Wanna chill with me?"

"Well... I should probably... Hold on a second." I muttered before kneeling by the tub that held my armor's liquid form and stuck my right hand in it. Once enough of it crawled up my arm, I pulled my hand out of the rest and allowed what was there to harden into just my gauntlet. I tried casting a spell with a familiar golden yellow aura coating my forearm as I tried to recall exactly how to cast that particular spell for communication. "Let's see... Um... Hello? Celestia? Luna? Anyone...?"

After a few seconds, I heard a familiar voice in my head. That of the Princess of the Night herself. "Hm? Yes? James, where are you?"

"Luna? Oh, I'm... I stepped into the command center to use the restroom. Smolder's asking if I can stay for a while though... Would it be OK if I take a break up here for a while? Do you need me for anything?" I explained quietly while so sure I would be asked to come back out. I was not entirely comfortable with asking for permission to just ride along in the command center while everyone else marched out in an admittedly light downpour.

Luna surprised me with a calm tone in her voice. "All is quiet out here and there is no sign of enemy movements from what I have been told. You are more than welcome to rest if you feel the need. If we truly need you, we will send for you."

"Really...? Thanks, Luna. You take care out there." I said in farewell before casting the spell to melt my gauntlet off my arm to let it drip back into the tub to join the rest of its set. I then looked towards Smolder and said, "Sounds like I've got plenty of time. Nothing seems to be going on out there today."

Smolder cast me a quiet smile before pointing at the pile of goods she brought along with her that was all nestled together in the corner by my dresser. And I could see a quilt folded among them. Knowing what she was implying, I grabbed the quilt and brought it with me before I sat beside her on the bed. I eventually slumped onto the bed with the window only being a few inches higher than the mattress. Between the general emptiness of the Empty Plains, the light pattering of rain on the roof just beyond the window, the dull lighting brought on by the dark clouds, and the gently rolling locomotion of the command center and the rows upon rows of ponies marching beyond the window, the entire atmosphere felt undeniably lazy. I found myself muttering, "You're right. It is relaxing to just watch the scenery go by."

"Mmhm... Makes me wanna sleep." Smolder muttered in kind as her hand rested over mine. I curled my fingers to rest mine atop the back of her hand and rubbed my fingertips along the smooth scales. I noticed Smolder look at me out of the corner of my eye before she placed a kiss on my cheek. She then asked, "Wanna take a nap with me?"

"Sounds lovely. Sure." I said with a sigh while just so very tired all of a sudden. I properly unfolded the quilt in my hands as I found it was just big enough for us. Smolder closed the curtains to block out the sunlight even more and snuggled up against me as we got comfortable under her quilt. She draped a wing over me like she always does and held onto me as my head rested against hers. With only the quiet ambience around us serving as a lullaby, we soon fell asleep.

I am not entirely certain of how long I was out. Maybe a few hours at most. When I awoke, I found Smolder still tucked under the quilt with the light weight of her wing resting over me. The light beyond the window was brighter than before. The rain even seemed to have stopped with the clouds clearing for the time being. It must have been the middle of the evening at the time. I could still faintly hear and feeling the command center rolling along. They were surely trying to advance as far as possible while the sun was still up. Even Celestia would not try and manipulate the sun to stay out over this section of the planet longer than usual. And it would not be wise to be outside the camp's walls in the inky blackness of night. Would be wise not to tempt fate.

As my senses came back to me and I resisted the urge of going back to sleep again, I looked at Smolder while her head was so near my own. I wondered if she was about to awaken. And so I whispered, "Smolder...? Dear?"

Nothing. She sighed deeply with a quiet snore, but Smolder did not respond to my voice. She was deeply asleep. With my thoughts focusing only on her, I decided to take the opportunity presented to me. Only my ears would hear what I was about to say, so I felt it would be acceptable to really speak my heart. Even if just this once. "I... I'm still not really sure how we're going to make this work in the long run... You're unlike any other girl I know. I just can't see the girl in you... But you know I've already said that. You're just such...a wonderful young woman. What you went through to grow up this fast wasn't fair, but...the end result really has been something beautiful. You're wonderful...and I love you for it."

I waited just for a moment longer to insure Smolder had not actually hear me. To openly declare my love for her without even the veil of a foreign dialect was dangerous. Or it at least felt dangerous. Only when she showed no change did I continue to whisper my heart out to her. "I want this to work... I want to be yours as much as I want you to be mine... We'll be very happy together someday. When the time is right... I want to hold you and tell you how much you really mean to me. You're such a rare little lady... And it's so hard for me not to love you. I want to watch you grow. To see you become on the outside what you are on the inside. I don't know how you'll look in ten years, but...I'm sure you'll be absolutely beautiful. Because you have a beautiful heart. And I won't stop loving you no matter how much time goes by. So please... Be patient for me, all right?"

A chill flowed through my spine as I felt a response from her. Smolder's hand curled its fingers around my own under the quilt. I froze. Had she heard me after all? After a full minute of barely allowing myself to even breathe, I let myself relax. She remained still. Her quiet snoring was too rhythmic to be fake. My words had fallen on deaf ears. Convinced it would be too much of a gamble to speak my feelings and hopes towards her any further, I decided now was a good time to get up.

I very carefully wiggled myself out of my beloved's winged embrace and sat up at the edge of the bed. I did not stand up immediately. I allowed myself to wake up entirely as I blinked repeatedly and gazed at my surroundings. But once I stood up and began to approach the door, I heard something from behind me. Upon looking back, I saw Smolder push herself up to her knees while looking very groggy. Tears had formed in her eyes, now doubt from sheer sleepiness, and she rubbed them out of her eyes with the backs of her fingers. I then asked, "Sleep well?"

"Uh huh... My dream got...really nice at the end. I can still remember it." Smolder said softly while letting out a yawn.

I knew that most dreams tend to only linger in your memory upon waking for a very short time before becoming almost impossible to recall. Not wanting those memories to fade just yet, I asked, "Really? Do tell. How'd it go?"

"I... Um... I was a lot taller. I think almost as tall as you." Smolder explained while such a dreamy smile on her lips. She was not even really looking at me. She was probably just thinking about what she could remember and nothing more. "You were there... And I was in a dress. A really pretty white dress. And you... You put a ring on my finger... And I just started crying, I was just that happy... And that's when I woke up."

I could not say anything. What I had whispered to her in her sleep... Had she heard me subconsciously with my words affecting her own dreaming thoughts? Responding to desires she did not even know she had? A white dress... A wedding dress. And a ring... Had I asked her to marry me? Smolder then looked at me and said with a sigh, "I hope I can have that dream again. It felt...really nice."

"I hope I dream of you too sometime..." I muttered before stepping over to the bed as Smolder shakily stood up on it. She stepped forward into my waiting arms before we both held each other in an embrace. There was so much I wanted to say to her, but now just was not the time. We would have to wait. "Ti amo..."

"Je t'aime..." Smolder muttered quietly. We were both still fairly sleepy. We could not quite put in the same level of sincere passion we normally have when exchanging our coded messages. Like a pair of star-crossed lovers trapped in opposing factions, we could only exchange our words in ways no one would think much of. Only when the storm was over and we could hold each other could we truly say the truth without a veil of mystery.

We did not even move from that spot for a few minutes. We just held each other while trying to wake ourselves up. Smolder did eventually ask, "There's nowhere else for you to be tonight, right? Will you be here with me?"

"Yeah, I'll be here. I don't think anyone will ask me to stay away." I replied while knowing that the Alabaster had probably not even reached Canterlot yet. But with that thought, I decided it would be a good time to look around the place while we were still on the move. "I'm gonna head downstairs now. Just wanna see if there's anything I can do."

"Right, sure... I'm gonna try and wake myself up in the bathroom for a bit. See you soon." Smolder grumbled before stepping out of my embrace and hopping down from the bed. She almost staggered into the bathroom with how slow and unsteady her gait was. She must have woken up very reluctantly. Not wanting to bother her for the moment and slipped my shoes on before heading down the stairs.

I found the box that was being used to hold our radar sensors was now filled completely. The corner of the main room being used for those crystal radar panels showed that aside from the area in our immediate vicinity, all of the panels had gone back to being blank. I was then distracted by the tapping of the Morse code device nearby as its operator tapped away with his hoof upon it. All the while, another message was being printed out from it. I decided to approach and asked, "Any word of the Alabaster? Or other airships approaching?"

"The Alabaster is currently en route to Canterlot. As for the rest, we've got a few supply runners idling out west. They can't dock until we set up camp for the night." He replied while he started to decode the new message. I took his words at face value and left him as he was.

I stepped down the hall nearby where the top of the chain of command resided. I was wondering if anyone else out there had stepped inside for the moment. I knocked gently on each door, starting with Shining Armor's dormitory. I was able to identify them due to each door having the occupant's cutie mark emblazoned on the door. I then tried Nightmare Moon's and then Luna's. Just when I was sure I was not going to find anyone there, I tapped on Celestia's door more on reflex than anything else. But when I did, a muffled voice spoke from behind the door. "Yes?"

Celestia was there? I could only wonder why. I then asked, "It's just me. Anything come up out there?"

"James? No, it's been calm this entire time. You can enter if you want." The Princess of the Dawn replied from behind the door. I pushed the door open and found Celestia relaxing upon her bed with a number of documents spread out around her even as one floated in her magical grasp. Her beautiful body was bare, her full suit of barding set in a neat pile in the corner. She looked my way with a smile and asked, "Did you sleep well, my sunshine?"

"Yeah, very well. Smolder makes for a good cuddle buddy during a nap." I replied while still being careful to not give any hints of what was truly going on between me and that lovely little lady. I took a seat beside her on the bed and rested my hand over her hoof. "We haven't really spent much time together lately."

"True, we haven't. I'm glad you could set aside some time for me, dear." Celestia spoke softly while she reached out and placed a kiss upon my cheek. "Thank you for all that you've done. We wouldn't have made it this far without you."

"I think you're misplacing some of your praise... Right, you weren't there to see that skirmish yesterday. I didn't even really need to do anything. They had the situation under control." I replied while just trying to be modest. I did not want to risk developing an ego, especially on the battlefield.

"Yes, I know. Shining Armor was very thorough with his report. We were all very impressed." Celestia retorted while giving me a bit of a funny smirk. "What I mean is... Had you not answered the call when you did, we likely would not have found the drive and courage to stand and fight. War is not in our nature, as I told you, but we can't just let an old enemy have his way with our world."

"I'm really sorry this is happening... Let's hope we can get this over with sooner than later." I said with a sigh, my hand rubbing over Celestia's hoof. She draped a wing over me for a moment as a means to embrace me. But as I turned my gaze to the only window in the room, I could see that it faced north. And by then, a certain mountain range had come into view. "Hm? Wait... That mountain..."

"Mountain? Is there one out there?" Celestia asked while sounding mildly concerned as if I was pointing out a colossal landmass in the way that we would have to find a way around. I instead stood up and approached something that was on display nearby. A globe of Equestria, just like the one in the Ivory Palace's library.

I examined the globe closely where the Empty Plains were labeled. I dragged y fingers along the surface ad found the bumpy texture of a section that conveyed the presence of a taller landmass that is consistent with mountains. The colors matched too. There was indeed a mountain of sorts in the territory of the Empty Plains. But there was no name. No text at all to reveal an identity. I looked back at Celestia and asked, "Shouldn't there be a name on this mountain in the Empty Plains? Most mountains have names on a map. And I'm not seeing any others out here."

"I... I'm not sure what you're even talking about." Celestia retorted while looking visibly uneasy. Was she familiar with it?

I decided to not beat around the bush and proceeded to explain what I knew. "Celestia, that mountain is right out there on the horizon now. And I saw it yesterday when I went flying with Ember. It looks really uninviting. Lots of very jagged peaks. Is it dangerous? Did you just not place its name on the globe so intrepid daredevils wouldn't be tempted to visit it for exploration's sake? Does it even have a name?"

Celestia let out a long sigh as she began to relent. "Yes... That mountain does have a name. And not a pretty one."

"Do tell." I said as I took a seat beside her. "I would not mind a little story about some of this land's history."

Celestia's gaze was directed at the window on the wall and the distant mountain that lay beyond it. Her eyes showed a distinct kind of discomfort I almost never see in them. "That...is the Devil's Mountain. And you must never go there, James."

"Is it really just that dangerous to navigate? I'm sure it must be exceptionally treacherous at night. Probably scary too against the moonlight." I asked while putting the pieces together in my head. "Is it home to dangerous wildlife? It's gotta be dangerous to have a name like that."

"No, there's nothing unusual that lives there. It's just..." Celestia muttered while looking like she was trying to choose her words very carefully. She then looked at me and said, "There is a cave system in that mountain. And if you enter it, I can promise that you will never see the light of day again. Please don't make me explain more, James. That mountain...is cursed."

"OK... OK, I won't ask anything else. Sorry to bother. It's just been at the back of my mind ever since I saw it." I retorted while deciding to just let that topic go. To be so infamous that even its name is not featured on any map... I could only imagine what kind of sordid history the Devil's Mountain has.

I went silent for a moment while Celestia directed her gaze at one of the papers beside her. That one appeared to be one from Cadence. Specifically some sort of status report that I could not make any sense of. I think Celestia was also trying to distract herself from the topic I had just brought up. With an awkward silence hanging over us, I tried to find a distract us with something more contemporary. "So, um... I was just wondering... Has Luna or Nightmare Moon tried to gather some intel from the emperor? Like maybe...spying on his dreams while he sleeps?"

Celestia turned her gaze to me without completely looking away from the paper she had been examining. "Now that you mention it, they have been trying that lately. Although they haven't had much success."

"They haven't? Why not? Does he have a way to keep them out of his dreaming mind?" I asked while suspecting such a feat is not out of the question.

The response I received was not at all what I was expecting. Celestia's tone was quiet and thoughtful as she said, "If he does, they have not encountered it. The truth is that he... He has not been once caught sleeping once. They cannot peer into the minds of others if they are still awake."

"But... But it's been a few weeks already... Are you saying he really hasn't slept a wink in that entire time?" I asked in confusion. Nightmare Moon had been more focused on the here and now while she was traveling with me, but Luna was much more aware of the grand scheme of things while preparing for war with everyone else. And all this time, she never once managed to take a look inside the emperor's dreams? "Not once?"

Celestia shook her head, her eyes filled with a look of unease. "I don't know how he does it. He has not slept at all during this entire ordeal."

I could not find a response to that. I turned my gaze to the floor. What was keeping the emperor going by this point? To be dormant for so long only to awaken now... Something unnatural must have been sustaining him at the time. So many theories filled my head. Was he literally undead? Revived through a type or necromancy cast upon himself to become some sort of lich? Was it due to him holding some sort of connection to the Element of Humanity, which he himself created? Was it because of something I...

Once again, that doubt gnawed at me. The knowledge that I was the bearer of the Element of Humanity gave me a sense of dread that I had something to do with his return. And so I muttered, "Celestia... Do you think his return...might have something to do with me?"

When I turned to look at her, I could see her looking back at me out of the corner of her eye. And I could see that my words...had awakened a nameless fear in her. She looked horrified. It must have been a thought that had not once crossed her mind. I then asked, "Do you think he and I might be linked...?"

"No... Please, don't even go there, James. I can't imagine the two of you having any sort of connection..." Celestia muttered grimly as she placed her hoof upon my hand. "I've been around a long time and I can't think of anything that could possibly link you to him. It's a mystery how he's suddenly returned after more than a millennium."

I knew she was being entirely serious, but that look of fright in her eyes told me otherwise. Even she was afraid there may have been something she missed. Or something that could have be developed under her nose. There was so much we did not know yet about the hows and whys of this war being waged upon us. But with that fear in my heart, I asked, "But what if... What if I am somehow linked to him?"

"James... Please, can we...not talk about that? Not when it's just a baseless theory?" Celestia quietly pleaded before she completely turned away from her papers and embraced me in one of her wings. She spoke to me with her face mere inches away, "I won't do anything to you... I love you too much to send you back now. Do you believe me?"

"Yeah... I believe you." I muttered as I reached out and held my beautiful beloved in my arms. Just trying to push those terrifying thoughts out of my head. The last thing I wanted was to become a threat to a world that was not my own, yet one I loved so very much for how much it was not like my own. I had too much to lose now.

"Here... Down here, dear." Celestia whispered as she pulled me down to her bed and completely pushing aside any of the papers lying about. She held me in her wing and her limbs, cradling me against her. "Let me hold you... It's been too long since we've had a minute together like this..."

"Yeah, it has... I need you." I muttered before weakly embracing the Princess of the Dawn. Her smooth silky white coat felt soothing to caress, as did her warm feathery embrace. Not quite as vast and enveloping as the wings on Novo, but still so comforting to be held by. I let out a sigh as my fears faded enough to let me be reminded of how much I adored the beautiful creature before me. "I love you..."

"And I love you, my king." Celestia whispered to me before I found her lips upon mine. Nothing soothed my worries quite like that kiss. I held her while she held me, our lips touching and caressing each other over and over. "I love you, my king. I won't send you away, my love. I can't..."

"Please don't... I don't want to leave. I love you too much for that." I said softly as I reached out and placed soft kisses along her neck while she lifted her head high. I just wanted to focus on that moment and savor this respite with dear Celestia. "My queen..."

"My king..." Celestia replied while she tightly her embrace around me. All six of her limbs held me like a vice, almost as if fearful of letting go of me. "James... On some nights... Could I ask you to stay with me until morning?"

"Sounds lovely, dear..." I mumbled while just letting my beloved do as she pleased with me in her warm embrace. That wonderful woman was the one who brought me to her world. And we had become so much more to each other. To be placed worlds apart at this point was just unthinkable.

It felt like we were constantly on the verge of just curling up in bed with each other and taking a nap. The gentle rolling of the command center on its wheels was strangely more soothing than if it had been completely stationary. But as time went by, it felt like the place came to a stop. And then the strangest sensation followed. Like we were being lowered on one of those big hydraulic lifts on Capricorn Island. It only lasted for about five seconds, but the entire place became still after that. I asked quietly, "Did we...stop?"

"I...think so. It should be close to the time for me to start the sunset now." Celestia muttered quietly as she lifted her head while I pushed myself up to my feet. "How does it look out there?"

I went to the window and peered outside. Indeed, I saw something familiar. The walls of our encampment could be seen plainly far ahead. Rows upon rows of tents began popping up from the ground as the entire place began to unfold like a popup book. "Yeah, looks like we've stopped for the day. Probably not wise to advance out in the dark."

Celestia stood up while flexing her neck and placing the stack of papers she had received in a neat pile. "I should probably check in with everyone for a status report. I don't think we'll have much of note happening for the remainder of the evening."

"Sounds good to me... I should probably get out there and stretch my legs too." I replied as Celestia began to suit up in her armor, but not her helmet. When I started to step past her, she reached out and tenderly touched her snout to my cheek for a traditional equine kiss. This got a small smile out of me while I stroked my hand down her neck. "Let me know if you need me, all right?"

"I will. And let me know if you ever need my company. I'm always around somewhere, my sunshine." She whispered sweetly to me. With nothing else to do for the moment, I decided it would be a good time to get out of the place and enjoy some fresh air.

Shortly after stepping out of Celestia's room, I found Smolder having just come down the stairs. She looked my way and asked, "Mind if we go outside for a bit? Kinda wanna get some air."

It was easy to forget that Smolder was required to be supervised when outside the command center. Regardless, I liked the idea and took her hand before stepping outside. Indeed, the entire camp had been set up outside the command center and the whole structure itself was back on solid ground. And most of the militia personnel were not back in their tents yet. Everyone was milling about while seemingly trying to figure out where to go now that things had come to a stop for the moment.

Smolder took a step back in the face of more ponies than she had ever seen in one place before. Even I found the whole situation to be a little claustrophobic in a way I did not appreciate. The two of us shared a glance before we both stepped back inside the command center. Smolder looked up at me with a crooked grin as she chuckled, "Maaaaybe we should wait a little while. Still looks kinda crazy out there."

"Yeah, probably. We would just get in the way and would keep bumping into everyone." I retorted while also mildly amused that our initial plans got dashed so quickly. Although when I glanced over at the usually empty buffet table, I saw that some pastries had been set out along with tea jugs. Perhaps we could just relax with a light snack for a little while as everyone got settled in for the evening. "Say, I know just the place we can chill. Let's grab some treats while we're at it."

Smolder and I poured ourselves some sweetly seasoned raspberry black tea and set a few fruit pastries on a couple of saucers before I led the little lady into the war room. While not really meant for casual use, it was the most spacious room in the command center and felt fitting after we had to step out of a massive crowd. We sat close to each other and took a moment to sample our goods. Although Smolder still placed a hand on mine at one point while giving me a silent yet tender gaze. Just a little reminder of the love we held for each other.

I tried to find an icebreaker to help pass the time, but all I could think about is where we are. So I asked, "You said you've spent a lot of time out here after leaving your homeland, right? How'd that go for you anyway?"

"It didn't have anything as yummy to eat as this stuff." Smolder replied with a smirk while she munched on a apricot pastry. "I didn't have any problems feeding myself. And I could always fly away from trouble if it found me. But it was really lonely out here too. I hated it."

"I know what you mean... The environment out here is gorgeous and its easy to lose yourself in it, but that solitude really starts to get to you after a while." I replied while sipping from my teacup. Thinking back on those first two weeks out here really made me long for the presence of my neighbors back in Ponyville. I could not wait to go home.

Smolder finished her snack first and chugged the rest of her tea. Before I even knew it, she had climbed out of her seat and climbed up into mine so she could just sit on my lap. "Got room for one more?"

"Heh, sure. You can get comfy here." I snickered at her boldness. Smolder snuggled up against me with her head on my shoulder while I kept a hand on her side. My fingers idly traced over her smooth orange scales while I sipped away at my drink. Although as I felt all that orange, my thoughts went to the opposite side of the color spectrum. The color blue filled my thoughts as a dragoness came to mind. And so I asked, "What're your thoughts on Ember?"

"Huh...? You mean...the Dragon Lord?" Smolder asked while I nodded. She did not move her head from my shoulder as she spoke softly, "She's...really cool. I knew that the Dragon Lord is female, but I thought she'd be a big tough brute. I really wasn't expecting her to be so...nice. She's got a lot of brains. And she's really pretty too. I really liked what I saw."

"Yeah, Ember is pretty cool." I retorted as my mind wandered. I really did find myself missing her. It was a shame our encounters so far had been so brief. If she did return to aid in the war effort, it would be great to see her every day. But Smolder then asked quietly, "Do you like her?"

"Let's just say I ended up liking her a lot more than I ever thought I would after all I had heard about the dragons of your homeland. Ember really is awesome." I replied while not hiding the adoration I feel for that woman.

Smolder then spoke with a much more subdued tone of voice. Almost as if in caution. "Did...something happen between you two before I found you?"

"Huh? Something like..." I muttered before I noticed the unease in her voice. And the implications in her words. I pulled my head away so I could look Smolder in the eye and saw that she looked distinctly worried. "Smolder... You really don't think I would leave you for someone else, do you? You know about how things are with me, Fluttershy, and every other woman who has become something more to me. Are you afraid I'd really choose someone over you?"

"I know, I know... It's just... I dunno... There's something about...thinking about you feeling that way for another dragon that... I can't explain it..." Smolder grumbled while sounding very conflicted over what she was saying. Was it a product of some inherent instinct? I knew that dragons mate for life and that likely means they are strictly monogamous as a result. She then looked at me, those beautiful blue eyes gazing into mine, and asked, "Do you feel something special for Ember?"

I could not find a response right away. I thought hard on my prior encounters with Ember. She truly is a wonderful woman. Powerful, strong of body and will, but genuinely kind and extremely beautiful by dragon standards. A true warrior princess. And yet... I was uncertain of what to think of her at the time. But if the longing I was feeling for her was of any indication... "I really don't know... I value Ember highly, but...it's way too soon to say what the future holds for the two of us."

"Right... But...nothing will ever change between us, right?" Smolder asked as she tenderly brought a hand to the side of my face. Her gaze was fearful, yet hopeful.

I placed my hand over hers as I looked into her eyes. No matter my feelings for anyone else, I knew I loved Smolder very dearly. "No matter who comes into my life or who finds a place in my heart, I will never be able to replace you... I'll never leave you... Mia poca draghessa."

My veiled words of a foreign dialect brought a relieved smile to Smolder's lips. She knew the gravity of those words and that they were not meant to be spoken lightly. She reached out and placed a brief kiss upon my lips and said, "I guess I still got a lot to learn about love. And I need to stop doubting you... Sorry about that. I know you won't leave me... Mi amor."

I nodded with a smile, but then froze as I felt Smolder's other hand firmly squeeze my own empty hand. Her eyes then narrowed as she smirked at me in a most flirtatious manner. She then whispered meaningfully to me as she said, "My gem."

How bold. Smolder had no doubt in her heart about where things would go between us. Dragons truly do go for the long haul once their minds are made up. But while we tried to pass the time, there was a sudden knock at the door. We did not even get to respond before it suddenly opened. And I was not expecting who I saw. "Excuse me! I'm looking for one Mr. Ja... Oh hi, James! I almost forgot who you were!"

"Uh... Gabby?" I asked while digging through my memory. It took me a moment, but I recognized the griffon hen who came walking around the table. Those big friendly blue eyes looked at me while that curved beak displayed a happy smile. "Oh right. Gabby. It's been a couple of weeks, hasn't it?"

"Sure has! Sorry that I could come by again too soon, but it's not exactly practical to come out here unless I really need to. They've kept me busy with parcels that need to be sent out all over, but I finally got a satchel full of stuff that needed to come out here." Gabby explained before hopping up in a seat beside me. Although she only then noticed Smolder sitting across from her. "Oh, hey there! I didn't know they had dragons here too! But...aren't you a little young to be out here?"

Smolder hesitated in replying, no doubt unsure of how to respond to Gabby's enthusiasm. I decided to speak for her and rested my hand on Smolder's back. "Yeah, she is. That's why Smolder here is strictly assigned to noncombatant roles right now. She's been very helpful so far."

"Yeah... Smolder. That's me. And you're a friend of James?" She asked in return while leaning a little closer in her chair.

"Sure am! I mean...kind of. We only met once, right?" Gabby asked while I noticed she still had her satchel pinned to her side. It did not look very full, so she probably made some stops elsewhere around the camp before coming to me. Still full of pep and pleasantness, she then said, "But I never forgot about you! Was really wanting to see you again. I'm just sorry circumstances didn't let me come out here again until now."

"Now I feel bad that I almost forgot about you. It would be nice if you could visit more often." I replied while petting the happy griffon hen on her round fluffy head. It was mostly on reflex, but she churred quietly in approval of this simple gesture. "Anyway, you said you have something for me?"

"Sure do! Let's see here..." Gabby replied before lifting a very sturdy envelope from her satchel. "They put a lot of insurance on this. Must be something really nice."

"They did? Doesn't sound like something Fluttershy would send..." I retorted while taking a look at the return address. All I needed to do was check the name of the sender to get an idea of what was in it. "Spike?! Did he forget he can just send this stuff through that magic fire of his? Or did he just really not want to take chances with this..."

The contents were pretty much exactly what I was expecting. Half a dozen comic books, each wrapped in a protective sleeve. The previous three issues of Power Ponies and Project H were there. Smolder's eyes lit up in delight as she exclaimed, "Oh, sweet! More stuff to read! Spike, you rock!"

Gabby too looked enthralled with the contents of the package. "You've got a friend who's into this stuff too?! Wow, and it's Project H with it! That series is sooo awesome! I never miss an issue!"

There was a small note among the books. Just a quick little message from that dragon boy. "Hello, James. I thought one issue wouldn't be enough for how long you'll be out there, so I sent more of mine to help you stay...not bored. Take good care of them, all right? I don't have as much free time as I used to while I'm helping Cadence out. Enjoy! And be safe out there!"

"That was really nice of him to send more of these... Wait, you're into this stuff too?" I asked upon noticing what Gabby actually said. She is a bit of a pop culture geek herself?

"Sure am! I've even booked my attendance for a convention in Baltimare next year! I've even got copies of these issues already." Gabby explained while looking over the issues before us, although she handled them all very carefully like someone who understands the value of such items.

I was about to say something, but then paused as I processed what I had just heard. Something that had never crossed my mind once before. "Hold up a second... You're saying there's a convention for this stuff in Baltimare?"

Gabby was all too happy to explain. "Sure is! It happens in early April and is always a lot of fun! I totally recommend it!"

Smolder and I shared a glance while she smirked knowingly at me. "Road trip?"

"Yeah, road trip. We should consider attending. I had no idea Equestria has its own Comicons." I replied while now really looking forward to next year. Definitely something to look forward to.

Before anything else could happen, I saw Shining Armor stick his head into the war room. "Excuse me, have you seen Smo... Oh, Smolder! If it's not too much trouble, we need you to head out and deploy the radar sensors again before it gets too dark. We need those ready whenever we set up camp."

"Right, right... I'll get right on it." Smolder grumbled while Shining Armor departed without a word. While I knew Smolder was happy to help, no one likes being interrupted when they're having fun with something they like. Although Smolder did take the comic books in hand and stacked them neatly. "I'll drop these off in your room before I head out. It'll be nice to have more to read when I've got some downtime."

"Sure thing. You be careful out there." I said before Smolder walked out of the room and left me alone with Gabby. I then noticed that Gabby was still there, just sitting by me while looking at me with those big round eyes. "Yes?"

"She's cute. Where'd you find her?" Gabby asked with her elbows on the table and her round face resting in her upturned hands.

"Oh, I didn't find her. She found me. Literally found her taking a nap in the chicken coop out behind my house. But she's a sweetheart. Really mature for her age too." I explained while being mindful of just how much information I gave away about Smolder. Explaining things to friends and loved ones is one thing, but saying too much to someone who was only barely more than a stranger was an entirely different matter.

"Yeah, she seems sweet. I also never see dragons around. The only one I know is Mina in Fillydelphia. And I always swing by when I'm there to get all the latest news on my favorite series in her comic shop. She's always in the know." Gabby said while still keeping the topic on comic books for the moment.

I was able to keep up with her talk about the Power Ponies and especially Project H, but I was completely lost on everything else she brought up. I recall hearing something about a griffon superhero called Albatross, but that is about it. But if that convention in Baltimare is loaded with stuff about those series, I would have a prime opportunity to expand my horizons about the subject. I would have to bring that up with Fluttershy when I get home.

Gabby eventually saw herself out, but not without giving me a warm hug. Really nice girl, that griffon. I was hoping I would get to see her again before long. Although I was surprised that I did not receive any other visitors that day. I suppose after marching for hours, everyone just wanted to take it easy and rest up for the night.

After a filling dinner and just sitting outside my loft's window to watch the airships come in for a landing, I sat myself down at my typewriter to document this day. Smolder made it back right at sundown and filled her belly with a hearty meal too and is now reading the comic books Spike sent us to pass the time.

Today was fairly uneventful as far as days out on the Empty Plains go, but I do not consider that a bad thing. I will take as much peace and quiet as I can during this war. Although even now, I can see it to the north...

I could see the Devil's Mountain throughout most of the day. Now, under the cover of night, I can barely make it out at all. Only the black jagged silhouettes of its peaks can be barely seen by blocking out the stars over the horizon. It really does look ominous at night, especially with what little one can see of it. I feel compelled to not look directly at it... What sort of sordid history could such a place have?

Perhaps that is enough wondering for now. I should wash up before bed. It will be nice to hold Smolder in my arms again in bed. Until then, this is goodnight.