"Everen, welcome back to camp." Karilyn greeted him cheerfully, holding out Tsui for him to pick up.
"Thanks, and how've you been Tsunami?" Everen asked, tickling the dragon.
"Daddy." the dragon giggled gleefully, overjoyed to see Everen again.
"So where's the alicorn that needs our help?" the unicorn inquired, looking around the camp.
"Sleeping in Remix's cot, he's out of it for now." Tia responded, coming out of the tent. "I've been tending to him ever since he passed out, shortly after arriving."
"Keep at it until he wakes up then, this gives me time to work out a couple of things." he said, turning to Topaz. She nodded getting the message.
"Why my cot?" Remix questioned, blocking the pegasus.
"Because Note's polite, and we weren't about to out him in one of our tents." Tia smirked at him. "But if you have a problem with that, I can help you sleep right now."
"N-no thanks." Remix gulped, becoming pale and backing up.
"Didn't think so." Tia stuck her tongue out, teasing the earth pony.
"Pine, Topaz, a word." Everen requested, leading the two off to the side. "Alright Topaz." Topaz let her enchantment fade, revealing her bat wings.
"What? How?" Pine gasped, awestruck. "You're a bat pony, but I thought I was the last one."
"Far from it. There's a whole community of us living in a cave system down near the castle where that first shadow kin was sent to Tartarus." Topaz explained, smiling.
Pine glanced at Everen, a desperate look in her eyes. "You know I have to go, right?"
"I know, but you don't have to go alone you know." he looked over her shoulder.
She followed his gaze to see Karilyn, who was chatting with Sugar and Rigatoni. Pine flew over to her to whisper the news in her ear. Karilyn gasped in surprise, and then nodded. Pine hugged the pegasus, relieved.
Later, after Pine, Kari, and Topaz had packed up they said their goodbyes and left for the bat pony town.
"I hope Pine finds what she's looking for." Tia said as she watched them go.
"I think she'll realize a few important things on this journey. Like what she's looking for, isn't really what she wants." Everen predicted, smiling wisely.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tia stared at him questioningly.
"You're smart, you do the math." Everen responded simply.
Tia merely shook her head to that. "I'm going to check up on the alicorn. Care to accompany me?"
"Sure, I'd like to see who I'm dealing with this time." Everen followed Tia into the tent. The alicorn was still laying on Remix's cot, his mane and tail were brown and blue. Tia put a wet washcloth to his forehead, and he began to stir. He opened his blue eyes, sitting up slowly, Tia helping him up.
"Wh-where am I?" he asked, looking around the small tent.
"You're in our camp. My name is Everen Shamrock, I believe you were looking for me?" Everen stepped forward, getting the alicorns attention.
"You bear the Shamrock Shield?" he asked, to Everen lifted the necklace, giving the alicorn a clear view of it. "Oh thank the stars! I need your help. I'm being pursued by a shadow kin, I managed to shake it for awhile, but it will find me soon." he said urgently.
"We will help you, what's your name?" Everen calmed the alicorn, giving him the feeling he was safe.
"Steele Blade, alicorn of valiance. I have fewer guards than most alicorns because I prefer to fight myself. And as a result, all of my guards were easily taken down. Leaving me to fight something I can't fight, so I ran." Steele said, sounding disappointed.
"Hey, don't beat yourself up over it. That won't do you any good." Tia comforted him. "Just shake it off and move on. It's all you can do."
"Y-you're right, I just have to deal with it. Can't change the past." Steele lifted his head, cheering up a little. "Thank you."
Tia smiled back at him, glad to see him feeling better. "I'm going to go tell the others while you talk with Steele and figure out our next move." she said, looking to Everen.
Everen was almost too deep in thought to respond. "Hmm? Oh, yes. Please do."
"Have you a plan to get us out of this predicament?" Steele inquired, tilting his head.
"First of all, you're currently the only one in trouble here. You just came to our camp, luring the shadow kin here. Second, yes I have most of a plan, but we're going to need luck on our side if we hope to succeed without a hitch." Everen said, grabbing a map out of his saddlebags. "We need to pack quickly and head out as soon as possible."
Steele shrank back a bit, feeling ashamed. "I-I'm sorry. I hadn't thought about the safety of your friends."
"It's not your fault" Everen sighed, softening his gaze. "Fear can drive a pony to do things without thought. Nonetheless, we need to hurry."
The two stallions exited the tent, and Everen called a gathering to discuss the plan he'd come up with.
"What's the plan Everen?" Note asked, ready to move.
"Yeah, where to next?" added Kinetic, eager to get started.
"We're too large of a group all together. So we need to split up." Everen began, looking first to Note and Remix. "You two will go to Canterlot and lay low, but act natural. Sugar, it'd be too dangerous to have two alicorns with us, so I need you to go to Canterlot castle and be by Celestia's side. Rigatoni will go with you." the stallion moved his gaze over at Lily and Jynx next. "You will go to Canterlot as well, do the same, but remember to be careful." Everen finally looked to Tia, Kinetic, and Catalina. "You three and Steele will come with me, we will banish this shadow kin. We'll meet up with the rest of you in Canterlot afterwards."
"Are you sure about this? We can all help you know." Remix stated, stepping towards the unicorn.
"I'm sure, the larger the group we have, the easier we'll be to spot. I only need three of you to be there." Everen said simply. "We'll be fine. Everypony pack up, we have to set out as soon as we can."
"But, we just got back together, I don't want to be away from you Everen." Lily approached him.
"We'll see each other again by sunrise tomorrow Lily. It'll be okay." Everen put a hoof around her shoulders, pulling her to his side. He kissed her forehead gently, resting his head on Lily's.
"Alright, see you at sunrise then." Lily leaned into her colt-friend. "Tsui and I will be waiting."
"Now pack up, we all have quite a journey." Everen rose his voice a little so the others could hear.
After breaking down camp and packing their saddlebags, they all set off to their separate destinations. Everen led his group west, going to another castle he'd done a little research on.
"I must warn you all now, this castle will be more dangerous, it's full of traps, dangerous creatures, and magical wards to keep ponies out." Everen cautioned them worried for their safety.
"What castle? Where exactly are we going?" Steele asked, concern audible in his voice.
"That's right, you aren't up to par on how this goes." Cat said, having only heard about it herself the previous day.
"How what goes? What are you planning?" Steele stopped, his stance demanding an explanation.
"We're going to banish the shadow kin to Tartarus." Kinetic turned around to face Steele.
Steele looked at the unicorn like he was crazy. "It takes the power of at least three alicorn to pull that off."
"We aren't the ones who do that. The Shamrock Shield opens the portal and banishes it. I only channel the magic, control what it does. And these three are the conduits for the portal. One earth pony, one unicorn, and one pegasus." Everen elucidated, stopping for only a second before moving on. "And you'll be supplying a portion of the magic."
"But, that's impossible!" Steele shouted, not knowing the history of the enchanted necklace.
"This necklace was magically enchanted by seven alicorns, including the royal sisters. I think that should be powerful enough." Tia said sarcastically, following Everen.
Steele rushed up in front of Everen, blocking the path. "Are you sure this will work though?"
"We've already banished two of the shadow kin." Everen said, pushing the alicorn aside with a hoof.
"Why haven't I heard about that then?"
"Because it's kept secret by all who witness it, so that the shadow kin don't come after me. And both occurrences happened in very remote areas." Everen was starting to get a little annoyed by all the questions.
"Then how can I trust you to do this?" Steele asked, glaring at Everen.
Everen's horn lit up, and the green energy field appeared around him, and then turned to body armor. He lunged at Steele, tackling him to the ground. Steele retaliated by summoning some ore from underground, which just hit right off Everen's shield, like throwing a small rock at a solid brick wall.
Everen looked right into Steele's eyes, the an indescribable expression painted on his face. "Right now, we are your only chance of survival, and I'm not about to let you die. So I really need you to cooperate with me." he got up, helping the alicorn to his hooves.
"S-sorry I was being so cross. I'm just scared is all." Steele said, calming down a little.
"You think I'm not scared?" Everen laughed. "I'm just good at hiding it. You have to remember to be brave in the presence of danger."
"You might not be able conquer your fears, but you can sure as hay face them." Tia added, glad to see Everen opening up a bit more.
"She's right you know." Kinetic put a hoof over the mare's shoulders.
"Can we get a move on then, we should really get there before sunset, or the shadow kin might catch up before we're ready." Cat got the others' attention.
"Right, let's be on our way." Everen replied, turning back to the path and heading down it.
The castle was smaller than the others, but was nonetheless a castle. They cantered through the main gate into a courtyard. A tower dominated the space, reaching up into the air. Everen led the way into the tower, heading down into the basement. At the bottom of the spiral staircase, there was a large, spherical room. White, yellow, and blue runes covered the entire room.
Everen looked around in astonishment. "This is the most powerful runic ward I've ever seen."
"What's so special about this room?" Steele asked, not seeing why Everen was so interested.
"Arches are strong structures because they can support themselves. Domes are even stronger for the same reason." he started, jumping down to the bottom of the room. "But a sphere is the strongest structure. And to make a runic ward in the shape of a sphere." he trailed off, marveling at the ward. "Well it's just brilliant."
"But it kinda makes you wonder." Cat began, joining Everen on the floor of the sphere. "Why would they need such a powerful ward for this place?"
Everen's eyes narrowed in concern. He stared at Cat, fear behind his eyes. "Oh no." he galloped out of the room, leaving the tower altogether.
"What is it Everen?" Tia asked when she caught up with him.
"Need to find the library. Cat's right we need to know what we're up against with opening this portal." Everen sprinted for the building behind the tower.
"What's the big deal? So it's a powerful ward, maybe they just wanted to be safe." Kinetic suggested.
"No, no. They had to invent a new runic ward, a new style of sealing magic. This is something big, and we need to find out what." Everen entered the library, and galloped for the desk to look for a directory. He levitated a large tome onto a reading stand and opened it, searching for the right book. The unicorn found it after a few moments of searching, he raced through the bookshelves until he came upon the right section. He brought a leatherbound book down from one of the top shelves, opening it and flipping the pages until he saw the correct one.
"AH! Here it is." he shouted. He scanned the page, and then looked up in fear. "That ward is the force field for Tartarus. We can't open a portal here without letting something else out."
"Wait, I thought Tartarus was guarded by Cerberus." Tia said, puzzled.
"The forcefield protects the whole of Tartarus, it has a one intentional opening that is guarded by Cerberus. If we open a portal here, and banish the shadow kin. Then something else very evil will make it's way out." Everen elucidated.
"So do we need to find another portal?" Kinetic asks.
"No, we need to do research, maybe we can control what creature comes out." Everen took down two more books and went over to a table with them and the leatherbound book.
"But I hate research." Kinetic complained, never one to study.
"It has to be done." Cat said, picking up one of the books Everen grabbed.
"Come on, you can tough it out." Tia giggled, pulling him to a table on the other side of the bookshelf.
"What exactly are we looking for?" Steele inquired, pulling down a book himself and sitting next to Everen.
"I'll let you know when we find it." Everen replied, laughing a bit to himself.
A couple of hours later and Cat looked up from her book. "I think I might have found something." she showed the page to Everen.
Everen looked the page over. "This could work, and we really don't have any other options." Everen sighed before continuing. "Let's do it then."
He cantered outside, Cat and Steele following. Tia and Kinetic came out a moment later, their manes rather messy.
"What happened to you two?" Steele questioned, looking them up and down.
"Oh I think I know." Cat stated, giving them both a knowing look. They shuffled uncomfortably under her gaze.
"Cat, quit bothering them. We have work to do." Everen levitated her away from them.
"Why Everen, how forward. Your magic feels nice." Cat said, giggling like a filly.
Everen rubbed his temples, trying to not let Cat's teasing get to him. "You can patronize Tia and Kinetic when we're done here. For now, just focus."
"Sure thing, you can put me down now." Cat grinned as she said her next words. "Unless you don't want to, of course."
Everen's magic disappeared, and Cat landed gracefully on the ground. She pouted at Everen disappointedly.
"Take your positions around the tower." Everen said, as Catalina, Tia, and Kinetic stood in a triangle around the central tower. "Steele, stand close to me. I need your alicorn magic for this."
"Why exactly do you need my magic again?" he asked, still not understanding the whole thing.
"The Shamrock Shield takes your magic and amplifies it. While it is as powerful as seven alicorns, and was enchanted by alicorns, it normally uses my magic to function. Which isn't enough to open a portal to Tartarus, only enough to banish the shadow kin. So I need your magic to open the portal." Everen explained, preparing for the shadow kin.
"Alright, that makes sense." Steele nodded in understanding.
"I see it, the shadow kin." Kinetic called to Everen.
Everen looked ahead to see a darker spot in the night. "Here we go." he said, lighting his horn.
Once the shadow kin got to to tower, Everen started channeling the Shamrock Shield. A massive portal opened in the ground as Cat, Tia, and Kinetic started to float in midair. The shadow kin was sucked into the portal like a vacuum. And when the portal closed, a purple pony with leathery wings lay in front of Everen. Her green and blue mane seemed to have the consistency of fire, flowing down to the ground in a mystifying fashion. She her green eyes to reveal slits for pupils. Four small purple horns protruded from her head, and she looked up at Everen, her pupils increasing in size as she examined the stallion who set her free.
"Wh-why?" she asked, staring at Everen.
"Because I had no choice. It was either free you, or let this alicorn die. And I'm not about to leave him for dead." Everen said bluntly. The pony cowered in front of him.
"How're you so powerful that you can open the forcefield of Tartarus?" she sounded terrified, now looking away from the pony who brought her out.
"I don't think I should tell you that." Everen said, lighting his horn again. He summoned a few magical runes, making a spell circle around him and the pony. A chain made of light connected itself to Everen's hoof, and then around the pony's neck. "This will bind you to me, as well as make you invisible to anypony who I don't want to see you."
"What are you going to do with me?" she asked, not standing up out of fear.
"For, now? Nothing, just take you with me. I will send you back to Tartarus eventually." Everen offered her a hoof. She took it nervously and he helped her to her hooves. "What's your name?"
"May, why?" she complied.
"Because I want to know how to address you." he answered.
"You're seriously going to drag a demon around with you?" Tia questioned, finally recovering.
"That's a bit crazy, even considering what you've done before." Kinetic added.
"I have to agree with them on this one Ev, this is going too far." Cat said, very seriously.
"Do you have another option? I can control her, she's a low level demon." at this, May looked down, seeming to be ashamed of her status. "And I'm the only one of us who can make an indestructible force field, so none of you could handle her."
"I still don't like it." Tia said disapprovingly.
"Nor I, but he is right. Much as I would like to deny it." Kinetic shared a look with Tia.
"Please Everen, let me take her. I know a few tricks. And like you said, she's a low level demon." Cat pleaded. "I might not be able to make a force field, but I know a thing or two about demons. I was the one who found out this solution anyways."
"Absolutely not! I will allow that." Everen exclaimed, surprised at her.
"Listen, you already have enough on your shoulders to bear Everen. Too much if you ask me. Please, allow yourself to lean on your friends. It's why we're here, to help you." Cat begged, taking his forehoof in both of hers.
Everen's eyes became wet upon hearing this. His horn lit up, and the chain transferred from his hoof to Cat's. "Thank you. I couldn't ask for better friends."
Cat hugged him, and then stuck her tongue in Everen's ear. He shuddered and recoiled.
"What the hay Cat! Do you have make every situation uncomfortable?"
"Not all of them, just the one's where it's funny." she smiled, winking at the stallion.
"Ugh." Everen suddenly stiffened. "Oh boy."
"What?" Cat said, looking at him.
"Go get the others. Looks like our reunion will have to wait." Everen said. "I've got one of my feelings. "Tell the others to meet me in Ponyville."