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Dramatis Personae:
Megan's Party
Megan, Danny, Tridus, Buttons, Galaxy, Ribbon, Baby Ribbon, Lofty, Baby Lofty, Locket, Paradise, Whizzer, Baby Cuddles, Gingerbread, Lickety-Split, Baby Lickety-Split, Posey, Sweetstuff, Baby Tiddlywink, Sundance, Baby Sundance.
Jake's Party
Jake, Molly, Spike, Fizzy, Gusty, Baby Gusty, Heart-Throb, Baby Heart-Throb, Northstar, Surprise, Baby Surprise, Windwhistler, Cherries Jubilee, Cupcake, Baby Half-Note, Magicstar, Shady, Baby Shady, Baby Tic-Tac-Toe, Truly, Masquerade.
Sea Ponies:
Beachcomber. Aqua with blue hair.
Ripple White with Dark Pink hair.
Seashimmer. Green with Aqua hair.
Sunshower. Light Gold with Gold hair.
Surf Rider Lavender with Light Pink hair.
Water Lily Pink with Aqua hair.
Jake Scott walked along the tunnel, his footsteps drowned out by the sound of hooves from the tide of Ponies that he was being swept along with. Even though he'd only met them a short while ago, he was constantly being surprised by them.
Despite the pace of recent events, they had taken it all in their stride, with Windwhistler and Surprise immediately taking charge. Jake found himself feeling slightly put out, although he knew it was uncalled for. He had to remind himself that they had been doing this for years. So, why was he annoyed?
If he was honest, he was still smarting over Megan's harsh words, when she'd called him a thug. And after he'd rescued her, too. Remembering what he'd been taught, Jake shook off those thoughts, turning to check on Molly, who was keeping pace with him.
She gave him a long stare, not hostile, but wary. Jake realised that he needed to start building bridges.
"You don't trust me, do you?"
He asked, although he knew the answer.
"Well, that's okay. You don't know me. But, I promised your sister that I'd look after you and help out, so that's what I'm going to do."
"We don't need your help."
Molly replied, in the level, matter of fact tone that children used.
"Maybe not. I can see you're all accustomed to danger. Still, I couldn't just walk away, even without my promise."
"Why?"
Molly asked.
Jake shrugged.
"It's how I've been taught. That everyone should be responsible; do what they feel is right, no matter what."
He cracked a smile:
"Besides, it's not like I know my way around here."
Molly walked in silence, chewing her bottom lip for a couple of seconds, before she spoke.
"Thank you, for what you did. If you hadn't fought Varlfang, we'd never have gotten away. "
She looked down at her feet, before moving off to walk next to Truly and Cherries Jubilee.
Never having had any siblings, let alone a younger sister, Jake wasn't sure how to react to her directness.
"Give Molly some time. She'll come around."
Jake turned to see Truly walking next to him.
"She's always been headstrong, and curious. She's not sure about you yet."
"Have I given you a reason to distrust me?"
Jake asked.
Truly stared at him for a moment, awkwardly.
"That's not a rhetorical question, is it? Oh, dear. No, Jake, of course you haven't. And, for what it's worth, I trust you."
Jake felt strangely shaken; never in his life had he been distrusted, before.
As if sensing his mood, Truly nudged him playfully in the side.
"Don't worry. The others will warm up to you in time. Hey, what's that?"
Jake looked up to see a patch of daylight ahead of them and, five minutes later, they were standing in bright sunlight on the green plains of Dream Valley. Looking behind, Jake could see Varlfang's Fortress rising over the hill and felt a surge of fear. However, the sky was clear, with no sign of the horde of Dragons he'd been dreading. Breathing a sigh of relief, Jake turned back to the others and was not surprised to find them sitting on the grass, basking in the sunshine. Jake's immediate reaction was to say that they couldn't afford to be sitting around, with Varlfang bound to be after them, soon. However, another part of him reasoned that they would have plenty of warning of attack here. Giving in, Jake walked over to Cupcake, Magicstar and Windwhistler, sitting down beside them.
"We can rest for a while but, we do need to get moving. Do you have any suggestions about where we should go next?"
Windwhistler spoke up;
"We have a number of strategic options at this point. However, I think the most viable solution is to head for the Whispering Woods. They are fairly close and should provide adequate shelter from any pursuit. "
Cupcake and Magicstar shared a nervous glance, and Cupcake said:
"Windwhistler, you know the stories about the Whispering Woods. I'm not sure about this."
"Those stories are purely speculative, with no basis in fact."
Windwhistler countered, calmly
"Hold on." Jake said.
"What are these 'stories'?"
"The Whispering Woods are said to be inhabited by Spectres, ghostly apparitions that prey on travellers."
"The Whispering Woods are definitely home to the Kasaari, the Tree People. They will be able to give us shelter."
"Even if they're not there, the Forest will make good cover from any Dragons."
Magicstar added.
"Besides, the stories say that the Spectres don't come out until after dark. I think we have to take the risk.
"Alright." Said Jake, although he had his misgivings.
"We'll move off in an hour."
Megan walked with Danny and Tridas, still unsure of their new companion, although he seemed sincere.
Still, he had knowledge that would be useful to them.
"Will Varlfang come after us, do you think?"
She asked.
Tridas shrugged, helplessly.
"I'm afraid so. Varlfang can't let any challenge to his leadership pass, not if he wants to avoid a coup. If he shows any sign of weakness, he'll likely be deposed, if he's lucky enough to survive. "
Despite his casual and unkempt appearance, Tridas was clearly an intelligent and compassionate soul. And he was obviously pleased to be out in the sunshine again.
"What will he do, do you think?" Danny asked.
"He will likely dispatch his fastest flyers to scour the lands for you. Once they find you, they won't be too bothered with bringing you back alive."
"Yeah. We'll need to find somewhere to lie low for a while." Danny said, casting an apprehensive glance skywards.
"Megan! Megan, over here."
They turned towards the shout, to see a head poking out of the river.
"Seashimmer!"
Megan exclaimed, jogging over to the bank and kneeling down. Seashimmer swam closer, still looking strange without her inflatable ring. Now that the Seahorses were growing up, they we're stronger swimmers, able to manage without them.
"Oh, Megan, I'm glad you're alright. What's happening? We've seen Dragon's flying all over the place."
"We'll explain everything, Seashimmer. For now, we need a safe place to hide. Can you help us out?"
"Sure, Megan. We'll take you to Coral City. Wait one minute."
Seashimmer dived below the waves, returning quickly with Beacomber and Surf Rider, who had baskets strapped to their backs.
Seashimmer plucked a shell out of the basket and tossed it to Megan, who caught it one-handed.
"These are siphon-shells. They extract oxygen from the water, letting you breathe. We've got enough for each of you."
Megan was sceptical, but she trusted Seashimmer.
Slipping it into her mouth, she dived head first into the river. Several seconds passed and then Megan surfaced, removing the shell from her mouth.
"These are amazing, Seashimmer. Okay, everyone, Coral City seems to be a safe place to catch our breath. Everybody buddy up, and keep an eye on the Babies. Beachcomber, Surf Rider, will you bring up the rear and make sure nobody gets separated?"
Gingerbread and Galaxy swam at the head of the formation with Seashimmer, keeping watch for dangers. Another side effect of the siphon-shells was that they vibrated in sync with each other, allowing the wearer to communicate.
"What's been happening, Gingerbread?"
Seashimmer asked.
"We've been so worried, seeing what's been happening on the surface. We didn't know what to do."
"There was nothing you could have done, Seashimmer. If you'd have tried, you wouldn't be able to help us now. Anyway, now that we're together, we can start to take action."
Ahead, through the rippling water, Gingerbread could see lights glowing in the distance.
"Is that...?"
"Coral City!"
Seashimmer confirmed.
As they drew closer, Gingerbread was able to make out towers of coral rising from a shelf carved into a rock edifice. Seashimmer lead them through a large archway, stone doors grinding shut behind them. Seconds later, they surfaced from a pool in the middle of a large chamber. One by one, they pulled themselves out, the Ponies shaking the water out of their manes. However, Megan and Tridas were not so fortunate. Seashimmer looked them over and smiled.
"Don't worry, Megan. We've got some dry clothes. We'll get you sorted out. "
Fifteen minutes later, Megan walked back into the Great Hall of Coral City, feeling much more comfortable in the new clothes that the Seahorses had lent her. While she wasn't sure that red was her colour, the long sleeved shirt and trousers were comfortable. All around, the Ponies had seated themselves, chattering softly in a way that lifted Megan's spirits. They clearly felt safe, now, and Megan hoped that was so. However, she couldn't help worrying about Molly. Despite knowing that Molly could look after herself, she still found herself fretting, and she wasn't sure why. She slipped into a coral chair with a plush cushion next to Danny, who gave her a knowing look.
"The others will be fine, Megan. Although, I don't think it's them that you're worried about."
Megan sighed;
"You're right. It's Jake that really worries me. I'm not sure we should trust him."
"The Moochick trusts him. He wouldn't have said to look for him if he was a danger to us."
"He can be a danger without meaning to be. He's a fighter; what if he chooses to fight when he should run away."
Danny shook his head;
"I don't think he will, Megan. Remember, he only fought Varlfang until we were safe. If he was a glory hound, then he would have tried to finish the fight."
Megan looked at Danny for a second and then settled back into her seat quietly, as she usually did when she was angry or frustrated. Danny knew that she wasn't angry with him, and that she would deal with this in her own time. For now, they all needed some rest. With that, Danny closed his eyes, knowing that things would feel better after a few hours sleep.
Surprise breathed a sigh of relief as they stepped into the shadows of the Whispering Woods. Despite being one of the stranger places in Dream Valley, it felt comforting to be out from under the open sky and away from prying eyes. That being said, the Whispering Woods were the source of many stories and rumours among the inhabitants of Dream Valley. Ghostly sightings, haunting voices; suffice to say that most agreed that it was not a place to be after dark. Still, provided they could reach the Kasaraan Village, they would be safe enough.
They set off, moving easily amongst the trees, and Surprise looked over at Jake, wondering for an instant if he could keep up. However, he was striding through the trees with a confident pace. For the first hour, they made good progress. After that, as they got deeper into the Woods and the trees got closer together, their progress became slower. The sunlight now only came through gaps in the canopy, creating pools of bright light amid the murkier gloom that had settled in around them. A chill wind whipped through her mane and Surprise shivered, despite herself.
With the sun largely hidden, it was nearly impossible to tell whether they were going in the right direction. However, they couldn't go back. The chill began to get stronger and Surprise felt a faint dread clawing at her heart. Surprise hurried over to Jake, Spike and Gusty, whispering;
"Do you feel that? There's something out there. I'm sure of it."
"What is it?"
Jake asked, putting one hand on the hilt of sword.
As if in answer to his question, a low, haunting moan floated through the trees. Looking down, Jake saw that his feet were lost in a thick blanket of fog.
"Okay, I'm no expert but, we're in trouble."
Jake said, unsheathing his sword."
Raising his voice, he commanded;
"Everyone, stay close and keep moving. Windwhistler! Heart-throb!"
Immediately, the two Ponies were at his side.
"You said there were takes about the Spectres. Do the tales say anything about dealing with them?"
Heart-Throb paused for a second, before answering.
"Why, to run away, Sugar."
"Perfect. Alright, will these 'Kasaari' be able to help us, if we can find them?"
"It is logical." Windwhistler replied.
"As they've been living in the heart of the woods for several hundred years, it is reasonable to assume that they must have some way to protect themselves."
"Do you have any idea how close they are?"
Jake asked, his eyes scanning the forest.
"Details of the interior of the Whispering Woods are limited. However, the deeper we go, the more likely we are to encounter them."
Jake grimaced; that wasn't the news he'd hoped for. Still, they had to keep going.
"It's a slim chance but, it's all we've got."
He said, hoping that he sounded confident.
Doggedly, they kept moving, struggling against the dread that weighed down their steps. The Babies were affected the most, constantly needing to be encouraged or urged on by the adults. Occasionally, grey whisps could be seen drifting between the trees, circling around them. Jake didn't say anything to the others, but he had the feeling that they were being herded somewhere. Suddenly, the trees fell away, as they emerged into a clearing, and Jake knew that he'd been right, for the trees ran in a ring, the space between them, thick with knarled branches and knots of vines. Turning back, Jake saw the mist flowing thickly through the path they had come down, followed by ghostly forms. Wavering like semi-solid mist, their form was constantly changing, although two points of lights burned within them.
The Ponies backed away, forming a ring around the Babies. Slowly, the Spectres advanced, drifting forward inexoribly. Suddenly, Spike stepped forward, unleashing a stream of fire towards the Spectres. They halted, hesitantly and then came on again, undeterred.
"Fear!"
Windwhistler exclaimed, suddenly.
"I am a fool. They are drawn to fear. Jake!"
"I gotcha, Windwhistler. Unicorns, give me some light."
Gusty stepped forward, challenging;
"Well, you heard him. Come on!"
Behind Jake, horns began to glow, bathing him in a pale light. Advancing slowly, Jake raised his sword, saying;
"I do not fear you. Leave this place, shades of night."
At his words, the Spectres slowed, and Jake hoped that they might be able to drive them off. That hoped evaporated as, with a mournful wail, the Spectres surged forward, eyes blazing. Instinctively, Jake swung his sword down and was surprised to feel it make contact. With an effort, he tugged the sword free, the smoky form of the Spectre burning where the sword had struck.
"Don't give in to your fear."
Jake called,
"They can be hurt."
Forming a ring around the Babies, sword and hooves struck, the air filling with the screams of the Spectres. Fizzy reared up on her hind legs, driving back a Spectre that had closed on Jake while he was engaged.
Even though they were winning for the moment, there was no end to the Spectres and Jake felt himself tiring.
Suddenly, a strange sound echoed through the woods, like a gong booming. Instantly, the Spectres halted, drifting in the air before the Ponies. Through the trees, Jake could make out points of light, like torches, slowly getting nearer. The gong sounded again, closer and, like a mist in the face of a strong breeze, the Spectres began to drift away. As they watched, the vines receded and the trees seemed to shrink, until they could see the woods beyond and the figures moving towards them, through the shadows. Dressed in muted greens and browns, they had smooth, silver skin, long hair and red-irised eyes. In their hands, they carried torches, the source of the lights that they had seen through the trees and their attitude seemed cautious, rather than hostile. Taking the initiative, Jake sheathed his sword, waiting. While the majority of the strangers spread out between the trees, a group of three approached them. The one in front wore a cloak fastened with a silver clasp with a stylised device in the shape of a tree. He stopped before them, saying;
"You are most fortunate that we found you, my friends. Wandering the Whispering Woods after dark is most unwise. While there is little time for introductions, I am Lior Adastran. Now, we cannot remain here. As night gets deeper, the Spectres will grow stronger and they will not be as easily repelled. We will be glad to offer you sanctuary with us, tonight. It is not often that we have guests to entertain, although tonight seems to be the exception. In fact, our other guests will most likely be very glad to see you."
"What do you mean? Who are they?"
Cupcake asked, but Lior held up his hand.
"You will find out soon enough. Now, we must return."
After half an hour's walking, during which the Ponies strained their senses for a sign of the Spectres, they saw the lights of Kasaraan Village. A large stone wall ran round the perimeter, topped with solid battlements and glowing in the light of countless torches and beacons. Passing through the archway, they saw the large beacon burning in the centre of the settlement, in addition to those on the ramparts. Clearly, fire played a great part in keeping the Spectres at bay.
Sentries could also be seen patrolling the ramparts. Lior lead them inside the gatehouse, the heavy wooden doors closing behind them.
"Redek. "
Lior called, gesturing to a figure that was standing just inside the gateway.
"Take these visitors to Seendai Greenbough, right away."
He turned to the others, saying;
"I'm sorry, my friends, I will have to leave you, now. With the Spectres so active, we'll be needed on the Watch. Redek will escort you from here. Good fortune to you."
Lior lead his people away, as Redek advanced towards them.
"Greetings. Welcome to Kasaraan Village. Sendai Greenbough will be entertaining his guests in the Feasting Hall. Please, follow me."
Redek lead them out of the Gatehouse, into the Courtyard, with solid wooden buildings in the shadow of the walls. Standing in the centre, dominating the scene was a large building of red stone, plain and undecorated, but in good condition. Two Kasaari stood by the main doors, dressed in chainmail, domed helmets and carrying staffs. They stood aside, opening the doors as they approached and Redek led them inside. The Hall was warmed by a roaring fire that cast flickering shadows on the floors and walls, and divided into two halves. One half was dominated by a large banquet table and the other by group of comfortable recliners in front of the fire. Sitting in one of the chairs was a Kasaari, dressed in a finely woven tunic and trousers in matching blue and midnight black. Despite this, his demeanour was of one who didn't feel the need to impress, or throw his weight around.
Standing up, he smiled, warmly.
"Welcome, my friends, to Kasaraan Village. I am Sendai Greenbough. Please, make yourselves comfortable. Now, I have some others here who would like to meet you."
At his words, several figures rose from where they had lain on the couches, and Jake felt his eyes widen in surprise.
"Hi, everyone!" Said Firefly.
"Are we glad to see you?"
Pandemonium erupted, with everyone's voices clamouring at once, until Cupcake shouted them down.
"How did you all get here?"
She asked.
Firefly exchanged glances with the others, before continuing.
"We've been in the Whispering Woods before, and we were visiting the Kasaari, when Varlfang appeared. Seeing what was happening, Greenbough offered to let us stay. So far, the Dragon's haven't come near here."
At Greenbough's invitation, they settled into the chairs around the fire and servants brought bowls of soup and small, bite-sized rolls.
"What I want to know is,' Surprise asked,
'What were you doing in the Whispering Woods, anyway? You know the stories better than we do."
Applejack answered with a knowing grin;
"You know Firefly.'Danger is her life.' Since we couldn't stop her, we weren't going to let her wander around in there alone. Eventually, we met the Kasaari."
Everyone was silent for a minute, before Firefly asked;
"Where's Megan? And everyone else? Have they been captured?"
Molly spoke up;
"They're fine, Firefly. At least, we think so. We got separated escaping from Varlfang's Fortress. As far as we know, they're alright."
"Maybe we can find out for you."
Greenbough mused. "We'll make contact with our friends and the other settlements through the Mirror Link. Maybe somebody will have seen them, or they may have taken refuge with them."
"Thank you, Sire."
Firefly replied.
"We would appreciate knowing anything that you could tell us."
She then turned to Jake, saying;
"I didn't expect to see another human here. What's your name?"
Jake introduced himself, adding;
"I'm not exactly here by choice. Still, I made a promise to help, so that's what I'll do."
Firefly raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
They finished their meal and Heart-throb and Shady ushered the Babies off to bed. They stayed up for another hour recounting their recent adventures and sharing what they knew of Varlfang with Greenbough.
Eventually, Greenbough stood and stretched.
"Well, my friends. It is late and there is likely to be no news of your friends until morning. I suggest that you try to get some sleep."
Looking around at the tired faces, Magicstar smiled.
"That might be a good idea. Thank you for your hospitality."
Greenbough nodded in acknowledgement;
"Redek will show you to your quarters. Good night to you all."
Jake sat up in bed, running a hand through his hair, as the memory of the dream washed over him. The details were blurred but one impression remained strong.
The cave...the sword...and the man's voice, tantalisingly familiar. The Dream Valley Blade, that was what he said. Somehow, Jake knew that he had to find it. Driven by a strange yearning, Jake slipped out of bed, changing quickly into his day clothes, buckling his sword around his waist. Quietly, trying not to wake the others, he slipped out of his room, thankful that he'd been given one to himself.
"Where are you going?"
Came a voice from behind him, and Jake spun around. Standing in the shadowy corridor and regarding him intensely was Firefly.
"I can't sleep. I'm just going for a walk."
Jake replied, trying to sound relaxed.
"Uh-huh. You're up to something; I can see it written over your face."
Jake started to protest, but she interrupted.
"I'm not going to give you away. I can see that there's an adventure here, and I'm not going to miss out."
Seeing the determined expression on her face, Jake new that he couldn't talk her out of it.
"Alright. Come on."
Jake slipped to the window, and eased it open.
"We need to get into the Forest, but I don't think the guards will let us leave, not with the Spectres around. We'll need another way down."
Without warning, Jake vaulted over the window sill, dropping out of sight.
Firefly stifled a shriek, and she launched herself after him, although she doubted that she would be able to catch him before he hit the ground. To her astonishment, however, she saw Jake land and roll across a roof several feet below, bounding off to land in a crouch. He rose, waving her down and Firefly landed next to him.
"How did you do that?"
She asked, in a whisper.
"Parkort."
Jake replied.
Seeing Firefly's confused expression, he continued;
"From my world. Parkort involves using your agility, smarts and speed to overcome obstacles quickly and efficiently."
Firefly was staring at him, avidly.
"You'll have to teach it to me, sometime. Now, which way are we going?"
Jake turned in a circle, slowly.
"This way."
He said, setting off at a fast pace through the trees, Firefly easily keeping up with him. They continued for about ten minutes, until emerging into a clearing, where the forest brushed against a rock face, a cave mouth yawning ominously. Sharing a glance with Firefly, Jake drew his sword and they stepped inside. Despite appearances, the cave was not pitch black, holes in the walls and ceiling providing some faint illumination. Rocks crunched under the feet and they had to move carefully to avoid stumbling in the gloom. Despite that, the journey was uneventful and, several minutes later, they reached an open cavern. As they stepped inside, a voice seemed to come out the air, deep and masculine.
You have come. I hoped that you would.
Despite the years and the strange environment, Jake recognised the voice immediately; it was his Grandfather.