[MLP:RIM]: The Broken Road III - New Horizons

[BlasTech]

The magic flowed out of the four ponies, swirling up and away as speckled rivers of green. Vereia breathed deeply, and the room breathed with her. When she exhaled, the scents of flowers, grass and spring entered the air. The ponies sensed birdcalls, and the rustle of trees at the edge of their hearing whilst, behind her, the magic she'd taken floated like leaves on the breeze.

She opened her eyes, which blazed green for a heartbeat, before fading back to her usual pink.

Turning to the side, she reached out her talons and ... well, it was hard to describe. The griffoness pulled together those bits of magic, drawing them through one of her talons like a string. As it passed through, the magic sparked an acrid white and became solid green bar of light. Her actions were smooth and practiced as she worked, and once her creation was as tall as she was, the whole construct changed.

No longer was it just energy, but a simple looking stave of wood. The griffoness smiled, a genuine laugh escaping, as she twirled the staff through the air experimentally. As it passed, a faint humming could be heard, and it left faint trails of green through the air.

Nodding in satisfaction, she turned back to the other ponies.

"Thank you. Thank you all." she said. "I feel stronger now, and some of my abilities have returned."

She waved a talon at the blank wall of the room. The stone there shimmered, warping. Where there had only been beige rock, there was now a darkened tunnel leading away.

"The route to the Reliquary is now open. Follow me." she continued, as she made for the entrance. "It's time to end the suffering of this city, once and for all."

[TheAmishPirate]

Crown was the last pony to get to his hooves, but one of the first to stride towards the tunnel. "That we shall, Ms. Vereia. That we shall." He nodded with determination.

[One Tin Soldier]

Grease stood up straight, shaking off the cold as best she could, though this time it lingered deep inside her chest. "We're ready," she said simply.

[Balmas]

Dive Bomb stood to his feet. "Everyone remember their roles, and we should be fine."

[BlasTech]

The ponies entered the dark and dingy tunnel as Vereia lit the way. She seemed able to conjure more of those little green motes at will and they helped the party avoid falling down a flight of stairs as the passage abruptly dipped.

Eventually, it sloped upwards again before a nondescript wooden door lets them into the central, hidden, hall of the Reliquary. Piling up around it, the ponies open it a crack to peek in.

The door opens onto an antechamber made from the same beige brick as the rest of Sanctum. Small alcoves dot the walls, leading down to another door at the far end where a very familiar figure sits, flanked by two of the dark-green unicorn guards.

The Ambassador seems lost in thought, staring forwards into the middle distance, and none of them have noticed you sneak in. However, the three of them are between you and the crystal chamber. What do you all do?

[TheAmishPirate]

The ponies entered the dark and dingy tunnel as Vereia lit the way. She seemed able to conjure more of those little green motes at will and they helped the party avoid falling down a flight of stairs as the passage abruptly dipped.

Eventually, it sloped upwards again before a nondescript wooden door lets them into the central, hidden, hall of the Reliquary. Piling up around it, the ponies open it a crack to peek in.

The door opens onto an antechamber made from the same beige brick as the rest of Sanctum. Small alcoves dot the walls, leading down to another door at the far end where a very familiar figure sits, flanked by two of the dark-green unicorn guards.

The Ambassador seems lost in thought, staring forwards into the middle distance, and none of them have noticed you sneak in. However, the three of them are between you and the crystal chamber. What do you all do?

Drat and drear! It was not the most ideal setup imaginable, but it would have to do.

"Do you think we could occupy the guards for a little while?" Crown whispered to the others, but mostly Vereia. "I shouldn't need long; a short conversation may just be enough to ruffle his feathers."

[Ravian]

Drat and drear! It was not the most ideal setup imaginable, but it would have to do.

"Do you think we could occupy the guards for a little while?" Crown whispered to the others, but mostly Vereia. "I shouldn't need long; a short conversation may just be enough to ruffle his feathers."

"If they can be blinded, beguiled, distracted or deceived, I can help with whatever we need." Soot offered with pride. "Though I suppose the big question is how to do that without scaring off old feather brain."

She considered her options.

"I could lure them off with some sounds of fighting if we can keep them occupied for a bit. Would that work?"

[BlasTech]

"I'm strong enough to handle Permanence's avatars." said Vereia, easing a look around the corner. "Her awareness of them varies, she may not notice anything that happens to them unless one of them actively tries to get her attention."

"But it's more a question of how you ponies would prefer to handle this." she glanced at Soot. "A subtle approach? Or something louder?"

[One Tin Soldier]

"There are only three of them. We could probably take them on," Grease said. "But I don't think that's the best idea. We need to save our strength for fighting Permanence. So yes, I think we should go with Crown's plan. Sounds of fighting should do nicely, maybe even a call for help."

[Balmas]

"Evidence has not shown that his guards respond well to pleas for aid," Dive Bomb mused, "but it's possible our counselor may have to do so, if for no other reason than to maintain his image. Then again, why would any but his enemies be down here? A cry for help may tip him off that something is awry."

[TheAmishPirate]

"Evidence has not shown that his guards respond well to pleas for aid," Dive Bomb mused, "but it's possible our counselor may have to do so, if for no other reason than to maintain his image. Then again, why would any but his enemies be down here? A cry for help may tip him off that something is awry."

"Precisely." Crown nodded along. "He cares naught for image, for standing, for anything other than himself right now. In minutes, his victory will be complete, and nopony will remember any of his transgressions. The absolute last thing we want is for him to think that he's lost. If we turn him desperate, he will surprise us. But if he believes he still has the upper hoof, then we may surprise him."

Crown peered out into the antechamber, a plan slowly forming. "I think it best to subdue Aegis' help with a minimum of fuss. Soot, if you could take Ms. Rinda, Ms. Spot, and Ms. Veriea down to the end of this hallway, it would only be one, easy leap to them. Your magic could conceal your approach. Ms. Veriea can deal with the avatars of Permanence, and I wager the two of you can handle the griffon."

"As for myself and Mr. Bomb...perhaps it would be best if we simply observed at this stage of the proceedings."

[BlasTech]

Vereia nodded, but Rinda grimaced.

"I don't know ..." she said, easing her own look around the corner. "I'm all for beating up those green goons, and I'm more than happy telling the Ambassador where he can shove his tailfeathers ... but actually attacking him? An aristocrat of the Griffon Kingdom? It's one of those 'big deal' things back home. I don't know if I'm okay with doing that."

It was true. In the rigid caste system of Griffon culture, an attack on an aristocrat was treated as a High Crime. Close to Treason. At a minimum, Rinda could expect a court marshal, with exile or even death as the outcome. It was an open question as to whether they would ever get home, of course. But these sort of rules had been firmly drilled into the young soldier from birth.

[TheAmishPirate]

Vereia nodded, but Rinda grimaced.

"I don't know ..." she said, easing her own look around the corner. "I'm all for beating up those green goons, and I'm more than happy telling the Ambassador where he can shove his tailfeathers ... but actually attacking him? An aristocrat of the Griffon Kingdom? It's one of those 'big deal' things back home. I don't know if I'm okay with doing that."

It was true. In the rigid caste system of Griffon culture, an attack on an aristocrat was treated as a High Crime. Close to Treason. At a minimum, Rinda could expect a court marshal, with exile or even death as the outcome. It was an open question as to whether they would ever get home, of course. But these sort of rules had been firmly drilled into the young soldier from birth.

Crown blinked blankly. "...a what of the where now?"

Moments later, realization caught up with him. "He's from outside? As the rest of us?" Well, that certainly complicated matters. "Is he really so untouchable? Is it outside the realm of decorum to simply tie him up for his own good?"

[One Tin Soldier]

"He's like us? Then why is he working with Aegis?"

[BlasTech]

Crown blinked blankly. "...a what of the where now?"

Moments later, realization caught up with him. "He's from outside? As the rest of us?" Well, that certainly complicated matters. "Is he really so untouchable? Is it outside the realm of decorum to simply tie him up for his own good?"

"Is he? ... ah right, memory loss." said Rinda, face-palming. "A soldier like me could get into a lot of trouble if I laid claws on him. Well, assuming anyone back home finds out about it."

"And I don't know why he's working with Aegis." she continued, contemptuously. "But if I had to guess, I'd say he's an ambassador. It's like, always his job to suck up to anyone in power."

[Balmas]

"Of course, much rests on whether or not he's recovered or retained his memories," Dive Bomb murmured. "Rinda, you've known him the longest of any of us. Could you estimate for us whether his gratitude for being rescued would outweigh his indignity at being assaulted by his own guard? And if not, perhaps we can assist you or perform it in your stead."

[BlasTech]

"Griffon law tends to not be big on things like 'mitigating circumstances'" replied Rinda, bitterly. Why, it was almost as if she'd had some personal experience in that field in the past.

[One Tin Soldier]

"Well I don't think he'll just listen to reason if we explain the situation to him." Grease said. "I mean, I'm still having trouble believing it, and I have proof."

She looked to Rinda. "What do you think we should do with him, then?"

[BlasTech]

"Well I don't think he'll just listen to reason if we explain the situation to him." Grease said. "I mean, I'm still having trouble believing it, and I have proof."

She looked to Rinda. "What do you think we should do with him, then?"

"Whatever you guys want?" she replied, shrugging. "I mean, if it were up to me, I'd just leave him here."

[Balmas]

"If you're fine with bypassing him, I won't mind avoiding a chance at confrontation."

[TheAmishPirate]

"If you don't recall him being with us when our memories were stolen," Crown added, looking to Dive Bomb. "Then perhaps he isn't our enemy at all. Still, time is very much of the essence..."

He looked over his saddlebag; perhaps large enough to stuff over a griffon's head? How did one measure such a thing? Did he need to make an allowance for the beak?

Being a criminal was harder than he thought.

"Who among us might reach him? Who were his friends outside this place?" he asked Dive Bomb and Rinda.

[BlasTech]

"Hey, I'm his guard, not his buddy. I don't keep track of his friends group." Rinda just shrugged.

The saddlebag would indeed double as a hood if necessary.

[Balmas]

"Well, to me it seemed like Rinda knew him best. He didn't seem to like Soot much, but you were maybe starting to wear off on him?" Dive Bomb considered. "I would like to register the idea that my memory of before this morning may be imperfect."

[One Tin Soldier]

"Well it's better than I could say," said Grease. "I didn't even know we knew him until a few moments ago. Personally, I'm fine with bypassing him if we can. He'll presumably be released with the rest of us anyway. The question is, how? He and those guards are still between us and the way forward. Vereia, am I right to assume that you can't do that passage-opening trick wherever you like?"

[BlasTech]

"You would be correct" whispered Vereia.

"The passage I opened earlier existed in my time, but had been bricked up by yours. I can't create new passages. What I did was just to bring the two times together, which is only possible because of the nature of this place."

[Balmas]

"In the absence of meaningful foreseeable difference whether we meet him or not, I'd be in favor of skipping him, then." Dive Bomb shot a glance at the others. He'd been making too many mistakes lately. Costly ones, and this might be another.

Then again, bad mistakes and he had a history together. It wouldn't do to upset one of his oldest allies.

"Soot, how would you go about dodging the ambassador? And do you think we should? Any idea whether it'll affect him when we're all, aheh, on slightly less rocky ground?"

[Ravian]

"In the absence of meaningful foreseeable difference whether we meet him or not, I'd be in favor of skipping him, then." Dive Bomb shot a glance at the others. He'd been making too many mistakes lately. Costly ones, and this might be another.

Then again, bad mistakes and he had a history together. It wouldn't do to upset one of his oldest allies.

"Soot, how would you go about dodging the ambassador? And do you think we should? Any idea whether it'll affect him when we're all, aheh, on slightly less rocky ground?"

Soot considered for a moment. Illusions were tricky, there was plenty that could be accomplished with them, but it often required a pony to consider how others would react. It could cause no end of trouble when a pony tried to turn and fight the illusion when you wanted them to run.

"He's definitely not going to want to involve himself in any conflict if he doesn't have to," she spoke to herself, "and given the option he'll likely try to stick by his guards. If we could separate them I could probably get him to go wherever we needed, but there's not a ton of ways I can see them abandoning him."
she pondered it.
"If only we knew what their orders were. If they heard a fight broke out, they might try to join it. In which case they likely wouldn't bring the Ambassador with them. On the other hoof they might just run him the other direction..."

"Of course it might be that either of those reactions could be useful..."

She thought it over one more time.

"Ok I think I've got something." she told the others "It'll require some setup, and a whole bunch of magic, but I think we can do something."

"Step one: We need to hide you guys, there's not a ton of avenues where they can leave, so we need to keep as many of them open. You guys need to hide in one of the alcoves, and I'll try to hide you with some magic darkness, hopefully the natural shadows shouldn't make it too suspicious.

Step two: I'm going to sneak past them and make a lure with my sound illusions, some loud fighting ought to do the trick.

Step three: This is where it gets complicated. One of three things is likely to happen. Either the guards leave the Ambassador to investigate the battle, leaving the ambassador. Two, they take the ambassador done the path away from the fighting. Or Three, they only send one guard to investigate while the other stays behind.

You guys are going to have to keep an ear open so you know what to do next. If they leave the ambassador, we can either grab him, or I can try to scare him off with some more illusions. Either way is up to you. If they take the ambassador away with them, we just wait till they're gone and go on ahead. If they go half and half. You guys are probably going to have to be prepared to fight the remaining guard."

She grimaced "I really don't like a plan with this many unknowns, but this is about as good as we're likely to get in these circumstances. Does anyone have any questions, comments or objections?"

[TheAmishPirate]

She grimaced "I really don't like a plan with this many unknowns, but this is about as good as we're likely to get in these circumstances. Does anyone have any questions, comments or objections?"

Ideaaaaaaaaaaa!~

...or rather, Ms. Soot had the right idea, but Crown had the final piece. Semantics.

"If Ms. Veriea can dispel the guards, that eliminates all our unknowns!" Crown beamed. "You can conjure up illusions to frighten this Ambassador away, we never have to lay a hoof on him, and we go about our business. Easy as pie!" he declared proudly.

[BlasTech]

Soot considered for a moment. Illusions were tricky, there was plenty that could be accomplished with them, but it often required a pony to consider how others would react. It could cause no end of trouble when a pony tried to turn and fight the illusion when you wanted them to run.

"He's definitely not going to want to involve himself in any conflict if he doesn't have to," she spoke to herself, "and given the option he'll likely try to stick by his guards. If we could separate them I could probably get him to go wherever we needed, but there's not a ton of ways I can see them abandoning him."
she pondered it.
"If only we knew what their orders were. If they heard a fight broke out, they might try to join it. In which case they likely wouldn't bring the Ambassador with them. On the other hoof they might just run him the other direction..."

"Of course it might be that either of those reactions could be useful..."

She thought it over one more time.

"Ok I think I've got something." she told the others "It'll require some setup, and a whole bunch of magic, but I think we can do something."

"Step one: We need to hide you guys, there's not a ton of avenues where they can leave, so we need to keep as many of them open. You guys need to hide in one of the alcoves, and I'll try to hide you with some magic darkness, hopefully the natural shadows shouldn't make it too suspicious.

Step two: I'm going to sneak past them and make a lure with my sound illusions, some loud fighting ought to do the trick.

Step three: This is where it gets complicated. One of three things is likely to happen. Either the guards leave the Ambassador to investigate the battle, leaving the ambassador. Two, they take the ambassador done the path away from the fighting. Or Three, they only send one guard to investigate while the other stays behind.

You guys are going to have to keep an ear open so you know what to do next. If they leave the ambassador, we can either grab him, or I can try to scare him off with some more illusions. Either way is up to you. If they take the ambassador away with them, we just wait till they're gone and go on ahead. If they go half and half. You guys are probably going to have to be prepared to fight the remaining guard."

She grimaced "I really don't like a plan with this many unknowns, but this is about as good as we're likely to get in these circumstances. Does anyone have any questions, comments or objections?"

It was a fair enough plan, but a million steps to get done. Fortunately, some of those could be skipped.

The alcoves provided cover, in the form of old ornate artworks and friezes. As long as a pony was quiet, they could hide from passers by without notice. However, this was all mostly redundant ... the tunnel in which they were in already provided ample cover to do spellcasting without notice. It was also probable that, given that Vereia had conjured the place up, that the guards would not make use of it if they left their posts.

That left only the illusion spells. Roll to cast the noise.

Ideaaaaaaaaaaa!~

...or rather, Ms. Soot had the right idea, but Crown had the final piece. Semantics.

"If Ms. Veriea can dispel the guards, that eliminates all our unknowns!" Crown beamed. "You can conjure up illusions to frighten this Ambassador away, we never have to lay a hoof on him, and we go about our business. Easy as pie!" he declared proudly.

"While I have no issues with the plan she has proposed." said Vereia. "I should point out that my method of 'dispelling' these constructs will not be subtle. At the very least, I will be seen by anypony remaining in the tunnel."

[Balmas]

"If possible, I'd like to avoid hurting them. Just because they're working for our enemy doesn't mean they aren't real ponies."