"I'm sorry everyone, but I have to leave Coldurim, now." Everen stated bluntly, trotting to the door. "I'll go get my possessions and then make my way to the closest town."
Everen galloped to his room and grabbed his saddlebags, packing them to the brim with all of the things he brought with him, as well as the gifts he got at his birthday party. Afterwards he ran to the exit of the city under the mountain. But he only made it to the end of main street north before being confronted by Jynx.
"Oh, hi Vex." Everen said, a bit on edge. "What're you doing here?"
"The others told me to stop you, so that they can follow you." Vex looked nervous at the prospect of challenging such a powerful unicorn. "And, to tell you the truth, I want to come too. I don't have anything holding me here, and having betrayed my allies here in Coldurim, I have more reason to leave."
"Don't you have any family?" Everen asked, noticing the sadness in her eyes.
"No, I'm an orphan. I don't know if I was abandoned, or if my parents died, or if I have any siblings." Vex lowered her head, hiding her face from Everen. "I had nothing. Until you gave me a chance." there were tears in her eyes as she spoke.
Everen moved forward and raised her head. "While I don't know what it feels like to not have family, or to not have a home. I do know the sadness of loneliness, I severed connections with with those that I cared about deeply." Everen began, wiping one of the mares cheeks. "I left my home, and my family, so I could discover more about this dangerous world I am destined to be a part of." a tear came to the stallion's eye as he continued. "While I can't say that I've comes to terms with it yet, or that I don't miss my family terribly, I can say that I have found a new family in the friends I've made. And I hope that you can find a family in them too." he stared into her cyan eyes, the years of pain evident in his own eyes. "After I left my home, I never thought that I'd find a family as amazing as the one I crafted here. All of us so very different, and each of us with our baggage, our painful histories. But that's exactly what draws us together, we are connected through empathy, through the pains we've felt, and through the heartfelt feelings we all share towards one another." at the last word Vex lunged forward and hugged Everen, crying like a filly.
"Thank you." she said between sobs. "Thank you for offering me what I've wanted for so long; a family." Everen simply wrapped his hooves around the unicorn, comforting her.
"My, what's going on here?" came a voice from behind the two. They broke apart and turned around to see Catalina standing there. She was wearing her catsuit and was carrying saddlebags on her back. "Well?" she grinned smugly.
"I just learned some more about the newest edition to our group." Everen gave Cat a very serious look, telling her silently to back off.
"Alright then." Cat returned with a face that said this conversation wasn't over. "Looks like I'm the first back here. I hope the others don't take too long."
"As do I. I need to get going soon so I can find find Tsui." Everen gazed back at the city, anxious.
"Well then, it's a good thing I decided to pack light." Pine flew down, bearing a small set of saddlebags.
"Glad your coming Pine." Everen hugged the bat pony quickly.
"Not like I have much keeping me here." Pine shrugged, unconcerned.
"Same here." came Tia's voice as she descended to the friends.
"I'm coming along mostly for the danger, it's so boring around here." Kinetic added, trotting up.
"Well, I have a successful business set up, but I'd still feel like I'm missing out if I don't come along." Remix commented, rounding a corner.
"And I can't exactly stay if my contractor and best friend leaves town." Note was with Remix, the two of them carrying the alicorn, the cloak still draped on her back.
"And besides, there is no way in tartarus you're escaping any of us, especially me." Kari came up and smirked at Everen. "Sorry I took so long, I had to say goodbye to Milo."
"I wouldn't want to stay away." Everen kissed Kari on the cheek. "While part of me is opposed to any of you coming along, I'm still happy you're all staying with me. I hope Milo will be okay on his own."
"He should be fine, if he needs help, he's got other friends he can call on." Kari assured him.
"Everypony ready to go?" Everen questioned, looking around at all his friends.
They all nodded, and the lot of them mad for the exit. When they got to the cave that leads outside, a couple of guards flanking the cave moved and blocked the way. Everen lifted one with his magic and slammed him down on the other guard, not in the mood to create an excuse.
"That seemed a bit extreme." Vex stated, surprised by Everen's actions.
"I don't like it when anypony tries to block my path." Everen explained, trotting through the cave.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Vex made a mental note to stay out of his way.
When they made it out of the cave they all started cantering northwest, to a town called Acullintio. A small town that mostly relies on it's farm, but has small vendors that travel between there and Dodge. Upon making it to the edge of the town they were met by three ponies, who seemed a little apprehensive.
"Are you ponies going to cause any trouble?" the middle one asked, an older earth pony with wise blue eyes, behind thick spectacles.
"No we're only looking for my dragon." Everen said, trying to move around the ponies.
"Well is that case you're not welcome here." said the pony on the right, a strong-looking gray stallion with brown eyes. He shook his blonde mane as he moved to block Everen's passage into Acullintio.
"And why not?" Everen questioned, glaring at the earth pony.
"Because you're not going to take away Sugar's dragon." came the mare on the left, a yellow pony with hazel eyes and a long black mane.
"Who? I'm looking for a yellow and blue dragon with pink eyes." Everen clarified, still glaring at the the stallion in his way.
"Likely story." the stallion scoffed, not moving. "We know you're after Sugar Heart's dragon, everypony for miles around has been after that dragon."
"Well I'm looking for a dragon that I hatched myself." Everen was about ready to punch out this pony.
"Whatever, you're not getting in." he stared Everen in the eye, hoping the unicorn couldn't sense his fear.
"What is going on here?" a light-purple alicorn cantered over, her tone soft. She had pink and purple hair and a pink muzzle.
"Sugar Heart, we were just protecting our village and your dragon from these ponies." the stallion seemed surprised by the appearance of the alicorn.
"I'll take it from here, run along now." Sugar kept her voice level and calm.
"As you wish, princess." the three ponies left, the stallion staying close so he could keep an eye on them.
"Now, what brings you to Acullintio?" the alicorn inquired her ice blue eyes looking over the group.
"I'm searching for my dragon, her name is Tsunami." Everen answered, bowing before the princess. "Greetings, I am Everen Shamrock, and these are my friends, Tia, Karilyn, Note, Remix, Pine, Catalina, Kinetic, and Vex." he gestured to each of them in turn.
"It is good to meet you all. Come on in, allow me to treat you to lunch." Sugar motioned for them to follow her. "Please ignore the towns-ponies. They're a bit on edge because a bunch of mercenaries are after my dragon."
"Why are they after your dragon?" Kari asked, concerned.
"I'm not sure myself, but I don't think I want to know." Sugar led the group into a diner and sat down in a corner booth, the others moving in to sit with her.
"So, what's up with the townsfolk. I mean, I can understand them being a bit jumpy. But they seem downright paranoid." Remix noticed, sitting the alicorn still covered with the cloak up in the booth. "What else is troubling them?"
"Well, the mercenaries have been trashing the town every time they don't find the dragon." Sugar elucidated, looking down at the table. "The townsponies have reason to fear, these mercenaries are dangerous."
"If we can rout these mercenaries away from your town, could you help us to locate my dragon?" Everen asked, putting a hoof on the table.
"Certainly, but I don't see how it's possible to drive away these ponies." Sugar replied, hopeless. "They're very persistent."
"Trust me, I can take care of it." the unicorn said, determinedly.
A light brown stallion approached their table, blowing his dark red and yellow mane out of his pinkish-red eyes. "Hello, my name is Rigatoni and I'll be your server. May I take your orders?"
The ponies all ordered their food, and the stallion cantered off to the counter to place the orders. Vex looked to the alicorn nervous, and Everen noticed the unicorns distress.
"I need some air, anyone care to join me?" he was looking directly at Vex as he spoke.
"Yeah I could use a breath of fresh air too." Jynx got out of the booth, following Everen outside.
"Alright, it's time I tell you something. You don't need to be afraid of alicorns." Everen began, brushing her mane out of her face. "If they try to hurt you, if anyone tries to hurt you, I'll protect you. And there's something else, all the others in our group know the story of how I got my cutie mark, and I think you deserve to know too." And so Everen told the story once again, but this time, he had an unexpected listener. Rigatoni was standing at the diner entrance, mouth agape.
"Woah, that's incredible!" the stallion exclaimed, astonished.
"You know, it's not polite to eavesdrop." Everen sighed, annoyed.
"I'm sorry I just couldn't help myself." the earth pony blushed. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay, just don't tell anypony, it's kind of private." the unicorn requested.
"I won't, I swear." he promised.
"Good, now, why don't we all head back in." Vex followed Everen back to the booth.
What was that about?" Karilyn whispered when he sat down next to her.
"Vex looked nervous, so I took her outside to explain a few things." Everen responded, a little uneasy. "I believe she'll be fine now."
"Okay it only makes sense she'd be nervous considering the circumstances." Kari gazed at Vex, concerned. "I hope she grow more comfortable."
"You and me both." Everen agreed, looking to the alicorn under the cloak.
"So what're you two talking about?" Sugar asked, drawing their attention.
"Just about how we're going to drive off the ponies harassing your town." Everen lied, a strategy already in mind.
"What have you come up with?" the alicorn inquired curiously.
"I'll go out and confront them with Kari, Tia, Kinetic, and Vex. The rest will stay with you to protect you. I figure if they're after your dragon, they'll be looking for you." Everen said, looking around the table to see if anyone objected to the plan, no one did.
"Are you sure that dividing your team so thinly is a good idea?" Sugar questioned. "I don't want any of you to get hurt on my account."
"We'll be fine, We can handle ourselves." Everen replied confidently.
"If you say so, they usually come at around noon." Sugar said, sounding worried.
Rigatoni came back to their table with a tray of food. He handed everypony their orders and asked if he could be of any more assistance.
"No we're fine for now, I believe I'll need your help later today though, so be ready." Everen requested.
"I'll remember that." and with that, Rigatoni cantered back to the kitchen.
"When we finish our food we'll head out and wait for the mercenaries." Everen stated, taking a bite of his sandwich.
After eating their lunches, Everen, Jynx, Kari, Tia, and Kinetic went outside and waited for any sign of the mercenaries. It wasn't long before a group of three gryphons and four ponies came into town, they openly showed hostility to the townsfolk. The one at the head of the group was a gruff looking orange pegasus, his blonde mane dirty and matted. The leader's eyes were a dull blue and there was a scar over his left eye. Everen cantered into his path and faced the group, the others flanking him.
"Are you the mercenaries that have been attacking this town?" he asked, glaring at the leader.
"Yeah, think you can stop us?" the leader rebuttled cockily.
"I think my friends and I can send you packing." Everen replied, then said in a whisper to his friends. "Two of the gryphons are unarmed, the third has a few knives. The ponies on either side of the leader have simple swords, and they look as though they're not used often. The leader has brass knuckles. the last pony seems like the is more dangerous than he appears, despite being the smallest."
"Are you done talking to your band of losers over there? We have an agenda to meet." the gray pegasus joked, laughing with his allies.
"Pick your targets!" Everen shouted, and he leaped forward, creating a strong wind behind him to propel him forward. He soared over the group, landing right behind the gryphon at the rear, the one with the knives. The unicorn kicked back and hit the back of the gryphon's knees, causing them to buckle. Everen then levitated the gryphon, throwing him forward so they were facing eachother. The gryphon regained his composure and pulled out six knives, holding three in each wing. Everen drew his scimitar and disarmed the gryphon quickly, holding the blade to his gryphon rose his wings in surrender.
Tia flew at the leader, punch him in the face and then escalating into the sky. The stallion flew after her, enraged. Tia and the leader were engaging in mid-air hoof-to-hoof combat, Tia battering the stallion while ducking and dodging his attacks. She gave him a hard roundhouse punch to the face that would surely bruise, then ducked under his spinning kick. The mare flew up a little higher, flipped and brought a hindhoof down on his head, sending him spiraling to the ground below. He recovered just before crashing into one of his gang, and flew off retreating.
With the leader out of her way, Karilyn drew her blade and galloped at the two ponies with swords strapped to their sides. They pulled out their weapons and defended against her first strike, but she broke through anyway. The mare then punched one of the ponies hard in the face, then turned and kicked the other in the chest. They both dropped their sword upon being hit, and, when they realized that Kari still had her sword, they galloped away as fast as they could.
Kinetic ran forward and blasted one of the remaining gryphons with that invisible force that seems to be his primary form of attack. The gryphon was shot backwards into a fence, when he regained his senses, he got up and ran off to join the others. Kinetic turned to face the other gryphon, who looked as though he were about to faint. The unicorn lit his horn and the gryphon bolted, wanting to get as far away from this town as possible.
The remaining pony, a small red stallion with green eyes and a steel helmet with spikes on it, charged at Vex, level the spikes at her. She just stood there though and when the pony reached her, he simply ran right through her, as if she were made of air. He was suddenly surrounded by a group of copies of Jynx, and he started kicking and punching the copies, trying to find the real one. A hoof came out of nowhere and punched the stallion on the neck, hitting a pressure point and causing him to pass out.
"And it's over, grab your friend, and never come back here." Everen told the gryphon he had at swordpoint. The gryphon did as Everen said, flying off while carrying the small pony.
"Well that was fun." Kinetic commented, cantering over to Tia to put a hoof around her shoulders.
"It sure was. I haven't fought in mid-air for a long time." Tia blushed a little, but rested her head against Kinetic nonetheless.
"Those two I fought were such novices with their swords." Kari complained, wanting a better fight. "At least I can take their blades, they're in good condition due to their lack of use."
"What exactly was it you did back there Vex?" Everen asked, having glanced at her fight.
"I used illusion magic, it's pretty much all the magic I know." Vex sounded disappointed in herself.
"Well, that was pretty impressive magic, I couldn't do that. And did I see you use a pressure point to knock out that pony?" Everen complimented, encouragingly.
"Uh, yeah I did. I had to learn to fight my own way growing up, with me being so small." the mare replied, reflecting on her foalhood.
"Shouldn't we go talk to Sugar Heart?" Tia interjected, becoming impatient.
"Yes, I guess we should, let's go." Everen led the way back to the diner. "They're gone princess."
"Really? You actually drove them off?" she questioned, astounded.
"Yes princess, now, about my dragon." Everen trailed off, waiting for the alicorns compliance.
"Right, I'll ask the towns' citizens to keep an eye out for it." she began, heading for the diner exit. "In the meantime, how about you stay at the inn."
"Sounds good to me, how about you guys." Everen looked around at his friends, they all seemed to be in agreement.
"I'll show you the way then, follow me." Sugar heart lead them to a large three-story building. She got the group three rooms to share. "Now it's three ponies per room so you're going to have to mix a stallion with two mares in one of the rooms. I'll let you sort that out though." and with that, she left to notify the townsponies about Tsunami.
"Alright, so how are we going to arrange the roo-" Everen started to ask as he turned around. Only to see that Tia, Pine, and Kari had already formed a group. Remix, Note, and Kinetic had formed another trio, forcing Everen to share a room with Jynx and Catalina. "Oh, seriously?" Everen rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Who's taking the alicorn?"
"We've got her, don't worry." Karilyn answered, her and Tia bearing the cloaked alicorn on their backs.
"Is there a reason you all left me to share a room with Catalina?" he asked, glaring at the stallions.
"For one, she's currently into you, and also none of us wants to be stuck in a room with that chick." Remix chuckled.
Cat cantered over and smacked Remix. "Don't insult me, next time it won't be just a slap."
"G-got it." Remix complied, scared.
After some laughter at Remix's expense, they all went up to there rooms to unload their bags. The room Everen was staying in had three beds lined side-by-side on the left side of the room, there was a window on the opposite wall, and a small bathroom was through a door to right. Vex took her armor off and set it next to the bed closest to the exit, while Cat set her saddlebags on the bed nearest the window. Everen took of his old cloak and hung it up on the coat rack, then placed his bags on the middle bed.
*Knock knock knock*
Everen trotted to the door and opened it, Karilyn was standing there, looked alarmed. "She's awake! The alicorn, she's awake!"
They all galloped into Karilyn's room, to see the dull red alicorn sitting up and looking around, dazed and lost.
"Wh-where am I? And who are all of you?" she asked holding a hoof to her head.
"This is a small town called Acullintio, we rescued you from the underground city Coldurim." Everen explained. "What is your name?"
"I am Royal Miasma, alicorn of the myst." she answered, running a hoof through her magenta mane. "Who are you ponies?"
"I'm Everen Shamrock, and these are my friends, Karilyn, Pine, Tia, Kinetic, Remix, Note, Catalina, and Vex." Everen started, indicating each of the others. "I was wondering if you could answer some of my questions."
"Like what?" Royal inquired curiously.
"For instance, what happened with the shadow kin. I know how it was separated by the elements of harmony, but I don't know what happened after that. What exactly occurred all those years ago?" Everen questioned, stepping closer to the alicorn.
"What make you think I'd tell you, I don't exactly have reason to trust you yet." Royal stated, defensively.
"Because I have this." Everen replied, holding out his necklace.
"The alicor gasped in shock. "How did you get that?" she reached out quickly, trying to take it.
"My parents bought it from a peddler for my birthday when I was a little colt. We had no idea how powerful it was until I saved an alicorn's life." Everen elucidated, recoiling away from the alicorn. "I grew up with this, and I've learned a good deal of it's potential. Containing the magic from seven alicorns, two of them being Celestia and Luna, it's strength is immense."
"But, how could you know that unless, Ethereal!" she nearly screamed the last word, looking around for the earth pony. "Where is he?"
"I'm, not sure. He was taking care of my dragon while we went to rescue you." Everen gazed out of the window, becoming distant. "When we got back, he was gone, and he left a note on the door. He said that something had come up, and that he had to send my dragon to the nearest town t Coldurim. That's why we're here."
"Well this isn't the the closest town to Coldurim. That would be Mirudloc a small village to the north." Royal stated matter-of -factly, as if this were something they should all know.
"Wait, what? That's where I came from. Mirudloc is my home, but this town was much closer, it's a two day journey from Coldurim to Mirudloc." Everen stare at the alicorn, questioningly. "How long were you in that prison?"
"I, don't know. I remember Helio locking me away, then casting a spell, and then, nothing." Royal seemed confused. "Where is Starswirl, maybe he can shed some light on this situation." This caused all the ponies to drop their jaws in awe.
"Princess, Starswirl has been dead for centuries." Everen explained, much to the alicorns horror.
"I-I, b-but, oh, no." Royal stuttered, trying to cope with what she had just discovered. "I can't believe it. Everyone I knew, gone."
"Well if you knew Starswirl, would you also happen to know Celestia and Luna?" Everen inquired, trying to help.
"Right! They'd still be around." Royal looked up in excitement. "Where are they?"
"We'll take you to them after you've told us about the past." Everen offered, so close to finding out the information he's been seeking.
"Alright." Royal sighed. "When the Shamrock Shield, the necklace you wear around your neck, was stolen, the shadow kin ran about, trying to murder every alicorn the came across. But they were weak on their own, and unable to hold their own against us. And so one of them figured out that they can possess ponies, other than alicorns. Unicorns were able to expel the the shadow kin from their bodies, and something about earth ponies made it so that they can't possess them. So they took over pegasi, and began emitting a powerful aura that negates alicorn magic. We had to rely on our guards for protection, and one my guards, one I had fallen in love with, was possessed." she stared at the floor, pain evident in her eyes. "However, because of his love for me, he managed to prevent the shadow kin in him from giving off it's aura. I used my magic to try and fight the shadow kin without hurting my beloved." her eyes were wet with tears as she continued. "I cast a spell that put so much stress on my horn, that it broke in half. The spell did it's job though, my beloved had regained some control of his body. He had to struggle to keep control, he prevented the shadow kin from killing me, and instead imprisoned me to keep me safe. The shadow kin must've cast the spell that locked me in time. Time went by and I didn't age."
"What was his name?" Everen asked.
"Bramble Bush, he was a great stallion." Royal answered, tears streaming down her face.
"I don't doubt it. Come on we should go, I need to get my dragon." Everen said, heading for his room.
"I thought you were taking me to Celestia and Luna." she looked up, upset.
"We will, I won't go back on my word, but I need to make sure she's alright, she's just a child." Everen explained, moving into the hallway.
"Okay, but right to the alicorn sisters after that." Royal followed Everen into his room.
"Of course, princess." Everen assured her, grabbing his cloak and saddlebags.
Everyone grabbed their bags and left the inn, heading for the north of town. They were met with Sugar Heart and Rigatoni on the way, and Sugar stopped the group, looking at them inquisitively.
"Where're you going, we haven't found your dragon yet." she said, wondering what they were up to.
"We just got word of where she is, up in Mirudloc." Everen elucidated, trying to move past them.
Sugar got in the way however. "But I want to repay you for driving off those thugs."
"I can appreciate that you feel the need to do us a favor, but it's not necessary." Everen backed up, unable to get by Sugar.
"Yes I do, and I plan to go with you until my debt is repaid." Sugar nodded to Rigatoni, who galloped off, probably to get her things.
Everen sighed, sitting down. "Fine, but you have to promise to come back here when your promise is fulfilled."
"Deal." Sugar grinned and poked Everen's forehead.
Rigatoni came back a short while later, carrying two sets of saddlebags, and handing one to Sugar. "Are we all ready to go?"
"Wait, you're coming too?" Everen questioned, staring at the earth pony.
"Yes I am, I'm interested in traveling, and it looks like I might do quite a bit of that with you." Rigatoni responded, smiling widely.
"Alright, let's be on our way then." Everen started cantering to the edge of the town again, all the others following him. It was time to go home.