No Time for Lies and Empty Fights
They flew with haste; speed bequeathed to them perhaps by the hand of the almighty, or it could simply have been the drive of seasonal shifts by heaven’s foot, while Frostfall grew nearer. Far beyond the tumbling landscape, and with any luck safe from the ravenous appetite of those walking corpses upon its ailing crust, Hector never let their journey slow. It may not have been the inauguration the golden-winged mare expected- deserved even, but it was more than necessary for the assigned warrior to whisk her safely from the grip of inevitable terror. Still she would have the opportunity to wander the fields or corruption and explore those forests riddled with sulphuric clouds of toxic gas; but the soldier would see to it that she did so with a solid education nailed into her slight, attractive girth.
Finally, when the sea of billowy green meadow so far beneath gave way to the burnt soils and golden grasses of the Heart, the stallion began to circle broadly; guiding his recruit loosely around the vicinity which bore both the beauty of glossy gems baking beneath the autumn sun, and the danger of molten lava lakes. To the southern end he dipped gradually towards the fissure whose jaws peeled apart the barren land crudely. Veci confirmed resolutely that no other lingered by the door to The Sanctuary, and carefully they made their final decent. As steady hooves collided with the hard packed clay, he turned hurriedly towards the mare and gestured in cautious silence, with pursed lips, that she follow into the tunnel. Trusting her to conform, Hector stepped inside and they began down the slippery path.
Hector’s vigilant steps clattered along for some time. The light which had been shed some from the outside world began to dim, but a new light- warm and luminous began to seep from their destination. So too did a mellow thrum of voices rise; and that sound grew steadier as they neared the entrance to the vast chamber. The room was large enough to accommodate a grand number of horses (many herds even), and the dim light cast was from the smouldering lake of fire; the heart of the land itself, held back by crystal sheet walls. Still it was dark and dank within, and quite unlike the natural habitat Pegasi sought to occupy.
Hector paused against the cool upward stretch of one black stony wall and offered at last, something of a thoughtful smile. His manner was naturally aloof and precautious; but he wished to comfort the still unintroduced soul who had trusted his rocky proposal, so willingly. "Welcome to Helovia." He offered heartily through a slightly scornful scoff. "Recently the country has been overwhelmed by plaguing sickness, and fearful confusion has been spread with that disease. Those from Dragon’s Throat; myself, our Sultan’s Midas and Gaucho included, who have not been infected thus far have been warned that it is not a beatable presence. Not something our army can surpass. So we have sheltered here, in this Sanctuary along with many others who are not our family." He said this last piece carefully, narrowing his eyes and casting them both left and right.
"There are Unicorns who will undoubtedly seek this cave as refuge also. These in particular hail from the north and they are wicked hearted and cruel to those of our blood- the Pegasus. The Basin herd are frightfully racist so you must travel through these corridors with that in mind." He drew a breath, and the mistrust slipped again from his expression. "We have allies also, who you will no doubt come across. They are the World’s Edge herd; and still friendly are those from the Asylum and the Windtossed foothills. You will find no trouble in their company, sister." A quiet nod concluded that delivery of information and he looked patiently towards her lovely sky-blue eyes. "What is your name friend, and what else can I offer you."
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