The yellow-orange mare ran through the desert, breathing heavily from exhaustion. She looking behind her briefly, the shadow was closing mare turned, her fiery red and orange mane flapping behind her as she sprinted for the cottage. The shadow caught up, surrounding her in an orb of darkness. She looked down and closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable. Suddenly, a green light appeared in the dark, pushing it back and covering the alicorn.
"It's alright, you're safe, for now. Kinetic, now!" said a unicorn who was creating the shield, his emerald eyes sparkling.
"On it." came the other unicorn, casting a spell to blow back the darkness.
"To the cottage, hurry!" they all galloped to the nearby structure under the cover of the green forcefield.
"W-who, are you?" the alicorn asked between breaths when they shut the door behind them.
"I am Everen Shamrock, and this is Kinetic. I've come to help." Everen stated, staring out the window at the gathering darkness. "This house is powerfully enchanted, it will hold back the shadow kin, for now."
"How did you create that shield?" the alicorn inquired, impressed by such extraordinary magic.
"I bear the Shamrock Shield, have ever since I was a foal." he explained, showing her the three pointed shield around his neck. "You are Flare allon correct?"
"That's right, I am the princess of courage." she answered holding out her chest proudly, before collapsing on the ground from exhaustion. Everen hurried over to help her up, but she refused his assistance, insisting to get up on her own and make it to the small bed in the room. "I'm fine, I just need some rest."
"Alright, Kinetic, go back to the others and send Jynx and Lily." Everen said, looking to his companion.
"On it, I'll be off then, good luck." Kinetic trotted to the door.
"And to you." Everen watched him go out the door and into the desolate landscape, galloping to the rest of the group.
"Wait, did you just send him out there with the shadow kin still out there?" Flare yelled, glaring at the stallion.
"He'll be fine, the shadow kin wants you, not him. And Kinetic can't be possessed, his will is too strong." Everen stated confidently, laying down on the floor to rest.
"I guess you're right." she said, glancing out the window, then looked back to Everen. "Are you going to sleep on the floor?"
"Yes, I am." Everen said simply.
"Wouldn't you rather sleep in a bed?" Flare asked,raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, but there's only the one bed, and you need the rest more." Everen closed his eyes, and relaxed. "The enchantment on the house will hold until morning, get some sleep."
"Like I need you to tell me that. My unicorn guards warded it themselves." Flare scoffed turning over.
"But they're not here to save you this time, are they? I am, so listen well tomorrow if you'd like to remain breathing." Everen said, eyes still shut.
Flare curled up, wishing that her only hope of living would be a bit nicer. "O-okay, sorry."
Everen rose his head and looked over at Flare. "No, it's fine. You're just under a lot of pressure. It's understandable, I came here in quite a rush, and I've been going through my share of stress as well." the stallions eyes drifted off, and when Flare looked into them she saw more pain than she had seen in awhile.
"You've clearly been through alot, more than I have at least. And I can sense great courage passion in you, what drives you?" Flare asked.
"The desire to defend those who can't protect themselves. And to protect those I care for." Everen looked at the floor seeming ashamed.
"Have you lost someone?" Flare inquired, concernedly.
"Not to death no, but I have been separated from loved ones." Everen answered, holding back a tear. "And I'm scared for my friends often. They've decided to travel with me,despite the obvious danger."
"Well I think that makes them great friends. Imagine how THEY must feel about you, your life will be drawn to danger thanks to that necklace you wear." Flare consoled him.
"I guess so, I didn't think about that before. Thank you, Flare." Everen laid his head down again closing his eyes.
"Don't mention it." something in her tone made Everen believe she was serious. "Let's get some rest, we have quite the journey tomorrow."
"Right." Everen replied, relaxing.
"Princess, wake up." Everen gently put a hoof on the alicorns shoulder. "The shield is beginning to fail, we need to be on our way."
"H-help me up, I'm so tired still." she said, stirring from her slumber.
Everen used his magic to assist Flare out of the bed, setting her on the ground next to him. She leaned into Everen, and winced in pain at the action.
"Your wing is broken! We need to hurry so we can patch you up." Everen looked behind him. "Lily, bring the bed sheets with us. Vex, I need you to create an illusion. Make it seem as though we are still here."
"I'm on it." Lily replied, moving to the bed.
"I-I'll try my best."Jynx added, unconfidently.
"That's all I ask. Let's get going." Everen cantered to the fireplace, pushing in one of the bricks. A staircase was was revealed leading down into a cave in the fireplace, and Everen helped Flare into it. Lily came in with the sheets, and Vex followed closely after that, having cast her spell. Everen took the front of the group, while Lily brought up the rear. Evere lit his horn to provide light in the pitch black cave. Flare lit her horn and created two streams of fire and sent them down the tunnel, lighting the way.
"Pretty impressive fire magic." Everen complimented, his horn dimming.
"I know, I specialize in fire magic. I like to burn things." Flare grinned, trying to appear creepy. Everen wasn't scared in the slightest.
"So, what is this cave?" Lily asked looking at the walls. It was hard to tell if the tunnel was pony made or natural.
"Nopony knows, it's been here as long as I can remember. And the townsponies don't have any idea of how this cave got here either." Flare said, looking around herself. "So who're these mares?"
"Lily, she's my mare-friend, and Vex, she's a friend. And they're here to help like I am." Everen introduced them both to Flare. "I trust them both with my life. And you'll have to do the same."
"I didn't ask for your help you know." Flare retorted, not appreciating Everen's comment.
"All the more reason to to not take our help for granted. we didn't have to help you, we were asked to aid you, not commanded." Everen glanced back at the alicorn, his green eye gleaming with anticipation. "We're almost out of the cave, let's hurry on our way then."
When Flare looked into his eye, something about him seemed, off. Like he wasn't himself. Light came into view, and Flare killed her fires. They all cantered outside, and found themselves surrounded by a large band of ponies. The ponies clearly had hostile intent, as they were pointing weapons at the group.
"Here, we go." Everen said, his eyes gleaming again.
"So, Kinetic, where's Everen?" Flare asked, looking right into those emerald eyes.
"Wha- how'd you figure it out?" the pony before them changed revealing the two tanned unicorn.
"Your eyes, they don't carry the pain that is in his. And it wasn't farfetched to think you weren't Everen, you have a pony on your team who specializes, in illusion magic." Flare summe up facing outward, to the new threat. "Where is Everen?"
"Tell you later, we have something else to deal with." Kinetic lit his horn, ready for a fight.
"Fair enough." Flare lit her horn and immediately created a ball of fire, preparing to throw it at the first pony to approach her.
Lily pulled a whistle out of a small pouch strapped to her flank. She gave it a loud blow, and somewhere among the bandits, screams erupted. Snakes were coming up from the sand and attacking them. Lily ran into their ranks and grabbed the first weapon she could, a sharp machete. She cut open a cactus with the blade and splashed the juice on a bunch of the enemies. Then she ducked as a couple dozen snakes flew over her head and bit into the ponies with cactus juice on them. She then ran back to see the stunned faces of her allies.
"How in Equestria did you do that?" Kinetic questioned, amazed.
"I noticed the snakes on my way to the safehouse. I saw that one was injured, so I patched him up and now they're repaying their debt." Lily looked back at the carnage she had caused. "Oh, and they love cactus juice."
"Wow, I think you'll fit right in with the group." Kinetic said, putting a hoof on her shoulder.
"Thanks, but we should really get going." Lily turned and started for the edge of the ring of ponies. The friend galloped through the chaos and came out of the other side.
"Who were those guys anyways?" Flare inquired, running alongside Kinetic.
"We fought off a group of mercenaries in Acullintio. Those were probably more of them, trying to get revenge." the stallion explained glaring through bright light. "Why does Celestia have to make the sun so bright today?" The others shared a laugh at Kinetic's complaint.
They soon arrived at another house this one a bit more run down than the last. Lily entered first, the others following behind her.
"Alright, now tell me, where is Everen?" Flare asked as she shut the door. The others shared nervous looks, not wanting to tell the truth.
"Well this morning, the three of us arrived, and not long after, the ward guarding the house collapsed, and Everen ran out to slow down the shadow kin. He sent us ahead to protect you." Lily stepped up, looking into Flare's crimson eyes.
"IS HE INSANE?" Flare yelled, outraged to have been deceived.
"Sometimes I wonder."Lily started, looking out the window. "He'll be fine though, he's a great strategist and Everen's the most capable pony in a fight I know."
"We have to go back!" Flare insisted, opening the door.
"No, we need to get you to safety. The shadow kin's after you, not him." Kinetic blocked her way. "And there's no chance it'd be able to possess Everen, he's too good for that."
"But we can't just leave him." Flare protested, stubbornly.
"We have to, Everen will meet us at the rendezvous point." Jynx piped in, confident in her friend.
"But-" Flare started, but Lily cut her off.
"But nothing. Everen gave us instructions, and we intend to follow through with them." Lily moved to the window and looked out of it. "Looks like a sandstorm is headed our way, we'll hole up in here for awhile before proceeding through the caves."
"How can you all be okay with this?" Flare yelled outraged by the lack of faith she saw.
"Because we trust him that much." Lily answered simply, taking the wind out of Flare's sails.
"Seriously? You really think he can get out of there?" Flare questioned, incredulous.
"I know he can." Lily said definitively.
"Then I guess we'll keep going." Flare replied, defeated. "I hope you're right. I hope he'll be okay."
Everen galloped along, not daring to look back. He had to get to the gate, that would surely slow down his assailant. The large sandstone archway came into view, and Everen sprinted for it, his goal in sight. A ram-headed sphinx blocked the entrance, and the unicorn stopped in front of it.
"Would you like to pass?" the sphinx asked.
"Yes I would." Everen responded, mind already racing.
"Then solve my riddle, answer correctly and you may pass. Answer wrongly, I kill you, but if you refuse to answer you're more than welcome to turn back." the sphinxes voice took on an ethereal tone for the riddle.
"They come out nights,
They are lost in days,
Never seen by sunlight,
But by moon rays."
Everen didn't even need to think this one over, before he answered; "The stars."
"Correct." the sphinx growled, disappointed to have lost a potential meal. "You may pass."
Everen galloped past the creature, heading straight for the cave entrance beyond. He glanced back to see the shadow kin stopped by the forcefield guarding the area.
"Looks like it's all going as planned." Everen moved into the cave, making his way to the rendezvous point.
"Oh and who is this that enters my caves in the light of day?" camea wispy voice, sounding as though it was coming from all around.
"I'm merely passing through, I do not wish to cause any trouble." Everen bowed his head as Lily had instructed him to. "I only hope to meet up with my friends on the other side of this cave."
"Hmm, and why should I let you pass, pray tell?" the voice asked, curiously.
"Because lives are at stake, and I'm currently the only one capable of saving them." Everen started, rehearsing the lines he'd practiced repeatedly back at camp. "And I can make it worth your while."
"I'm listening." the voice sounded interested.
"I have a Dusk-Cloak." Everen pulled out the enchanted garb.
"Ooh, how can I help you?" the voice got closer, right in front of Everen. He kept his head down.
"Change into a form that is safe for me to look at, and show me the quickest way out of here. Do this and the cloak is yours." Everen put the cloak away, and pulled out a whistle, blowing it gently. A phoenix flew into the cave lighting up the gloomy darkness and landing on Everen's back. "This form will do."
"As you wish." an odd noise filled the cavern and Everen looked up to see a second phoenix. "Follow me." the voice now came from the new phoenix in the cave, but it's mouth made no movement. Everen tied a note to his phoenix's leg, and sent him off to deliver the message.
The phoenix flew off, and Everen went after it, having to trot to keep up. It wasn't long before he saw light coming into the cavern, and he turned a corner to see the exit.
"Before you leave." the phoenix demanded, holding out a wing.
"You can rely on me to hold up my end of the deal. There's no guarantee you won't try and kill me if I give you the cloak now." Everen rebutted, stepping back.
"How do I know I can trust you?" the bird questioned, landing in front of Everen.
Everen showed the phoenix his necklace. "This is how."
The birds eyes widened, fearful, and surprised. "Go on ahead then."
Everen cantered through the cave opening and turned around. "Here the Dusk-Cloak, as promised." Everen levitated the black garb into the darkness.
"Thank you. I hope we never meet again." the bird disappeared, along with the cloak.
"The feeling is mutual." Everen turned and galloped off, his next destination in view. A towering sandstone castle, with a heavy portcullis of granite blocking the main entrance. Everen trotted up to the castle, looking for the easiest point of entry. He saw a low window on the side of a tower on the right of the portcullis. Lighting his horn, he created a powerful wind beneath his hooves as he jumped up to the window and climbed through it. Everen cantered down the spiral staircase on the inside of the tower, exiting into a large courtyard garden. There was a fountain in the middle of the open area, and a large number of plants surrounded it. Everen cantered to the back of the courtyard, moving through an archway into the throne room.
"Who dares to enter my home unannounced and uninvited?" said a cyan mare sitting on the throne, her black mane braided with sapphires.
"Accept it's not your castle, it's been abandoned for decades." Everen countered, gazing at the the pony. "And it WAS home to a mysterious group of ponies who were very self-reliant. They always kept to themselves for reasons unknown."
"You dare question my authority here?" the mare feigned offence, looking left and right.
"I do, and I doubt you're going to do anything about it." Everen's horn took on it's shamrock glow as he prepared a spell.
"Eep, HELP!" the pony shouted, getting out of the throne and hiding behind it.
Two ponies came out of the side rooms, charging at Everen. The unicorn created a blinding light, disorienting the ponies. He then kicked the two stallions, knocking them out on the spot.
"Now, why don't you tell me who you ponies are, why you are here, and and where you came from?" Everen levitated the throne out of the way, taking away the mares hiding spot.
"P-please don't hurt me." she pleaded, cowering before the unicorn.
"I won't, I just want to know what's going on." Everen offered a hoof out to her, which she took tentatively. "What's your name?"
"T-Topaz." she complied.
"And why are you all here, what exactly is going on here?" he inquired, gazing into her golden eyes.
"A couple months ago, our home was attacked by creature made of shadow. We had no way to fight it and were driven from our home. And so we wandered aimlessly until we came upon this place so we took up refuge here." Topaz explained, looking at the ground, the painful memories coming back to her. "P-please don't make us leave, we've nowhere else to go."
"I won't drive you from this place. I believe the creature that forced you from your homes is pursuing me. Which would mean your old home is free again. And don't worry about it returning, I'll make sure to eliminate that shadow so that it can't hurt anypony else." Everen promised, raising the young mares head.
Her ears perked up and her eyes widened. "Really? You can do that?"
"Yes, I'm not exactly sure how I will defeat it yet, but I know I can beat it. I can feel it." Everen assured her. "But if you want your home back, you might want to leave as soon as possible."
"Okay, there's not many of us here. We can be out of here by tonight." Topaz nodded, grinning all the while. "What's your name, by the way?"
"Everen, oh, I almost forgot to ask." Everen replied, a thought suddenly occuring to him. "Does the name, Pine Needle ring any bells for you?"
"No, why do you ask?" Topaz inquired, tilting her head curiously.
"Because she's a bat pony like you." Everen elucidated, staring at the mare's leathery wings.
"Wha, how can you see my wings has the enchantment worn off?" Topaz looked at her wings nervously, then backed up slowly.
"No, the enchantment is still in place. As well as the spatial awareness enchantment on me." Everen smiled, the sight calming the bat pony in front of him. "It allowed me to see through your enchantment."
"Oh, and you're not frightened?" Topaz seemed very surprised by this, as most ran in terror from the bat ponies. This is why they drink potions that conceal their wings.
"As I said, I already know a bat pony, and she's a good friend of mine." Everen's face became sad as he continued. "She thinks she is the last bat pony in existence."
"Well, if you like, I can stay behind to show her she isn't." Topaz offered, hopping a little bit from excitement.
"Are you sure you can make it back home on your own safely?" Everen questioned,raising an eyebrow.
"No, but I want to do you a favor. Since you say you'll be getting rid of that shadow." Topaz answered honestly.
"Well I wouldn't ask you to stay if you'll be in danger going home." Everen said, holding up a forehoof.
"Well then, either you escort me home afterward, or I'll just tag along with you." she replied, her eyes seeming to increase in size.
"You can stay if you want, and I will escort you home if nothing comes up after I defeat the shadow kin." Everen promised, getting the feeling his group would never stop growing.
"What do you mean 'if something comes up'?" Topaz hopped a step closer to the unicorn.
"Hopefully you won't have to find out." Everen sighed, shaking his head.
"And what is THAT supposed to mean?" Topaz narrowed her eyes, prepared to slap the stallion if he didn't provide a good answer.
"I seem to pick up new ponies into my group wherever I go, at this rate I'll have a pony from every town across Equestria before winter." Everen said, wondering if he's ever get a break. "There's something I still don't get though. If you're bat ponies, and don't have magic like unicorns, how did you put enchantments on yourselves?"
"I have to keep some secrets from you. I don't trust you that much yet." Topaz winked, teasingly. "So, what do you want to do while you wait for your friends?"
"Why don't you show me around. I'd like to see more of this place." Everen suggested, enjoying all the old architecture.
"You got it. I know every corner of this castle, I love places like this." the bat pony turned around and led Everen to a secret door behind the throne. Behind the door was a long corridor that opened into a large bedroom area, the bed big enough to fit six ponies comfortably. Topaz leaped forward onto the bed and looked back at Everen expectantly.
"What?" Everen asked, seeing the gleam in her eyes. He suddenly realized her intent. "Oh, I-I." Everen trailed off, looking down and sighing.
"wh-what's wrong?" Topaz questioned worryingly, getting off the bed.
"I'm, so sorry." Everen started, not making eye contact. "I have a mare-friend."
"O-oh, I see." Topaz said, pain apparent on her face. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't know."
"It's fine, you couldn't have known." Everen flinched a bit, turning to head back out to the courtyard.
"Why me?" Topaz asked the emptiness after he had gone. Tears began to stream down her face.
Later that day, Everen's phoenix returned, with Lily, Flare, Pine, and Karilyn close behind. Everen looked at the group curiously.
"Where're the others?" he asked, expecting more of his friends to be here.
"Remix and Note had to stay behind to stop a chimera that was chasing us." Kari said, breathing heavily next to Pine.
"And Kinetic and Jynx delayed a group of bandits that continually pursued us." Lily explained, stepping forward to hug Everen. "Glad you're safe. Where's the shadow kin?"
"Another magical shield slowed him down, he should be here in a few moments." Everen gazed out to the horizon, noticing a dark spot that seemed to be getting closer. "Ah, there it is now. Flare, Lily, Kari, come with me."
"What're we going to do?" Flare asked, worried.
"We're going to kill a shadow kin." Everen grinned, turning and cantering to the portcullis. He lifted it over their head as they cantered through. The shadow kin loomed before them, and Flare looked to Everen questioningly.
"Now what?" Flare asked.
Everen said nothing, he simply lit his horn, closed his eyes, and the Shamrock Shield began to glow brightly. Flare's aura became visible and a portion of it wa sucked into the necklace. Everen, Lily, and Kari were all lifted into midair and the green forcefield surrounded them. The light intensified, and as the shadow kin got closer, the shield filled with a red-orange mist. The shadow kin engulfed the ponies in darkness, and Everen opened his eyes. The shield imploded back into the necklace, taking the shadow kin with it, and Everen aimed his chest at eh ground, where a portal to Tartarus appeared.
"NOW GO TO WHERE YOU BELONG!" he shouted as he blasted the shadow kin through the portal, expelling it from the necklace. The opening closed and Everen, Lily, and Kari were lowered back to the ground.
"Whoa." Pine said, astonished.
"What, just, happened?" Flare asked between breaths, feeling as though she had just run a marathon.
"The Shamrock Shield banished the shadow kin to Tartarus using alicorn magic for power supply, and earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn magic as conductors to open the portal." Everen explained, not sure how he knew that.
"I didn't know it could do that." Kari said, huffing as well.
"Neither did I." Everen responded, taking a seat.
"Is that Phae?" Pine inquired. The others followed her gaze to a phoenix descending towards the group.
"No, Phae's plumage looks different." Everen answered as the bird landed on his head. It dropped a message at his lap and flew off. He levitated the letter and opened it up. "It's from princess Celestia. 'If you're all done rescuing Flare, there's another alicorn in need of assistance. Pine Needle, alicorn of patience, lives just north of the mountains that hold up Canterlot. Please make haste to save her, you are the only one capable of saving her.'" Everen looked up from the letter to look at all his friends present. "Well, here we go again."