*Smiles* I appreciate that. Oh, Vin? He wants to become a knight.
“Truly?” Nightmare Moon smiles, but also looks surprised.
“We had begun to think that he had lost faith in Us. It is good to see that We were wrong. He has always struck Us as a stalwart hippogriff.”
Oh, He likes you. He’s totally join ya.
“Excellent!” Nightmare Moon looks pleased.
“You may train him, Sir Starbuck. We shall expect regular reports on his progress.”
Nightmare Moon nods. “We are glad you are all right. It would be a terrible blow if We lost you.”
“Now, what was that about Vindicar requesting training?”
*Smiles* I appreciate that. Oh, Vin? He wants to become a knight.
“Truly?” Nightmare Moon smiles, but also looks surprised.
“We had begun to think that he had lost faith in Us. It is good to see that We were wrong. He has always struck Us as a stalwart hippogriff.”
*He sighs* I fell and hit my head.. Arbor gave me some potions that help a lot, but doc says I’ve still gotta avoid getting klonked on the head or it can cause something worse….
Nightmare Moon nods. “We are glad you are all right. It would be a terrible blow if We lost you.”
“Now, what was that about Vindicar requesting training?”
Dear Your Royal Highness Nightmare Moon,
I’m afraid I must ask for a some time off as a knight as I recently, well to put it bluntly, I fell down three flights of stairs and hit my head. The doctors say I need a few weeks before the concussion fully heals or I could potentially make it worse. I can still potentially train Vindicar as he seems to want me to, but I can’t put my head in risk of injury.
Your faithful knight, and close friend,
Sir. Starbuck Star.
Nightmare Moon, upon receiving the letter, immediately heads over to Sir Starbuck’s house, to check on her favourite (and, at the moment, only) knight.
Stepping up to the front door, she knocks. “Sir Starbuck, are you home?”
*Starbuck opens the door, he has bandages around his head* Hey, Nightmare…How’s it going?
“We are well, thank you.” Nightmare Moon smiles at Starbuck, relieved to see that he is all right.
“Of larger concern, how are you? We just got your letter stating that you’d been injured.”
Dear Your Royal Highness Nightmare Moon,
I’m afraid I must ask for a some time off as a knight as I recently, well to put it bluntly, I fell down three flights of stairs and hit my head. The doctors say I need a few weeks before the concussion fully heals or I could potentially make it worse. I can still potentially train Vindicar as he seems to want me to, but I can’t put my head in risk of injury.
Your faithful knight, and close friend,
Sir. Starbuck Star.
Nightmare Moon, upon receiving the letter, immediately heads over to Sir Starbuck’s house, to check on her favourite (and, at the moment, only) knight.
Stepping up to the front door, she knocks. “Sir Starbuck, are you home?”
Nightmare Moon, walking back from the medical lab after helping to treat Vindicar, finds the little note.
She reads it, smiling, then slowly panicking.
“What? WHAT!? HEARTS AND HOOVES DAY ALREADY!?!?!?”
Nightmare Moon rushes off, desperately, in search of gifts for her special someponies.
Greetings, High Lady Nightmare!
First of all I want to express my endless gratitude for saving my life. I owe You greatly, and I will find a way to repay for it.
But the main reason I’m writing to You is my interest in the Order of Blackened Star. I wouldn’t be taking Your time if all other sources (including its only active member sir Starbuck) had not proven to be quite non-informative.
I’d appreciate an answer for the following questions:
- Is it true that the Order is separated from the Moon Guard and its members report directly to You?
- Is it true that the Order’s modus operandi is to defend those who need to be defended?
- What requirements should an initiate fit to join the Order?
You grateful follower,
- Vindicar the hippogriff
Shortly after sending this letter, Vindicar receives one in return:
Dear Vindicar,
We are glad to see interest being shown in Our orders of chivalry. In truth, We had feared their membership might languish at its current low level indefinitely.
To answer your questions:
We hope this has adequately answered your questions.
-Nightmare Moon
“Y-yes… we can hope….” he speaks quietly, watching, avoiding as well, and strangely more focused on the whirlwind and the damage to the surrounding area, slightly worried for his friends mind.
The shard indeed fits the place, and for a moment hissing sound is heard. The edge of the broken piece seems to melt briefly, and soon there is no trace of the damage left on that part.
As shard after shard is inserted into their respective places, the offshoot beams disappear, while the main one grows stronger. The whirlwind starts to hum softly as more power is pumped into it. Finally, once the final shard is inserted, the tower shudders briefly and its roof opens like a flower, revealing the sky. Pushed by the beam, glowing vortex ascends, stopping at the level of the outer towers.
As far as it can be seen from inside, rolling stormclouds start to dissipate, revealing surprisingly normal sky beneath. At the same time strong, yet somewhat dormant presense surrounds the area. Something or someone is definitely here… but it’s asleep and pays no attention to the alicorns.
The doors are still open, prompting them to leave the place.
Nightmare Moon nods. “That should do it. Vindicar’s mind should be whole again, though he will require rest and nursing for several days, while he recovers from the shock.”
Turning to Mythic, she says “We should probably leave. When you are ready, I will break the link.”
Arcel blinks a bit, that was very strange, “I’m fine… did Fear just try to betray us?” she asks, looking back, having no idea what just happened. He does turn to the now open door.
The tower interior seems to be very, very simple. Plain white walls without any windows surround the place, and the floor is pretty much the same. In the center there is a hole from which a semitransparent beam of magic comes, ascending towards the roof… or it would be ascending normally. The edges of that hole are visibly chipped and burned, as if there was a power surge recently. Right above the hole a damaged crystal floats, and it seems that the shards ponies have been collecting are parts of it. The crystal partially focuses the beam on the strange incandescent whirlwind floating above. The cracks and chipped off parts, though, make parts of the beam shoot aside, leaving scorched marks on the walls.
“This must be where the damage took place.” Nightmare Moon steps up closer to the crystal, careful to avoid the scattered beams.
She slips one of the shards from her saddlebag, and carefully levitates it towards the damaged section that it seems to fit. “Let Us hope it’s this simple…”
Nightmare Moon is, for once, taken by surprise by Fear’s sudden betrayal.
However, her actions are probably not what Fear intended. Rather than fleeing the source of inexplicable terror, Nightmare turns, lowers her horn, and charges headlong into it!
It was certainly unexpected, because her attack in turn takes Fear by surprise. A skeletal changeling-like creature appears before being thrown out of the way. As it hits the ground, it drops the last shard, stunned, and manages to whisper something before disappearing just like the others.
The only chance… So close… I had to…
The door leading into central tower opens, creeking quietly.
As the fear abates, Nightmare Moon checks her charge, coming to a panting halt a little ways away.
“Arcel, are you all right?” She asks. Noticing the dropped shard, she picks it up, walking back over towards Mythic and the now-open door.
