Chapter 17

Golden Wind did sleep eventually. But his morning proved far less relaxing than he could’ve imagined. There was no quiet bedside conversation, or even angry shouting—instead, he heard loud banging, muffled by several walls and locked doors.

He rolled to his hooves, shambling awkwardly towards the door. Some deep-buried instinct made him check the ground for his discarded pants, without success. He didn’t wear much of anything, save for the illusion crystal sitting on the bedside, and the saddlebags tossed aside not much farther.

“Starswirl?”

He peeked out the bedroom door, conscious of more tired moaning from the bed. Starlight hadn’t gone anywhere during the night, not that there were many places for her to run to.

But the old wizard wasn’t at the door, or anywhere in sight. Instead, that banging came from the front door. Each strike shook the building, obviously meant to knock the door down completely. Instead of crumbling the illusion of old wood outside, it held firm.

“In the name of the King!” called a voice, instantly familiar to him—the same Stormwatch pony from the day before, obviously furious about something. “Open up or suffer the Storm’s wrath, citizen!”

Golden stopped a few seconds later, muttering something to his companions, “Looks like we’ve got company.” He glanced back, but Starlight was already out of bed. She ignored the saddlebags completely, taking only another notebook from inside, and the two illusion crystals. “Come on. I think he’s in the basement.”

He followed close behind. “Are we gonna talk about—”

The mare laughed, her voice high and panicked. “Maybe if we get out of here alive?”

The basement door banged open, and a familiar face poked out from inside.

Starswirl looked like a pony who hadn’t slept at all through the night—his eyes were bloodshot, and his mane was matted with sweat. He gestured urgently, waving them towards the steps.

“You were followed,” he said, gritting his teeth together. “Sounds like they’re quite upset with you.”

Starlight nodded. “How strong are the wards on this place? Can they get in?”

Starswirl stepped aside, gesturing down at the basement. “Wards would be too obvious. The aversion spell should’ve kept them from…”

Somepony started banging on the front door again, even harder than before. Clearly those ponies weren’t about to give up and walk away. The walls shook with each strike, and the door bowed out farther and farther. It wouldn’t hold much longer against an assault like that.

“I can get us out,” Starlight said. “Can you hold the basement for a few minutes?”

Starswirl stepped aside, muttering quietly to himself. “I should’ve known you would bring them to my doorstep! All this effort to avoid the Stormwatch, and you lead them straight here!”

Golden followed Starlight down the steps, staying as close to her as he could.

“I’m sorry!” Starlight called. “We just wanted your help with a spell! This wasn’t supposed to escalate!”

The basement was huge, easily as large as the whole house above. Most was a single open space with stone walls and a stone floor. Shelves of arcane materials covered each wall, along with various complex mechanical and magical objects. Several chalkboards surrounded a drafting table near the center, each covered in more of the arcane marks that ponies used for their magic.

Golden couldn’t read any of it, but there was still something familiar in those illustrations—these were variations of the same spell Starlight Glimmer had brought.

At least the unicorn had been helping, like he had promised.

Starlight ignored the notes, instead heading straight for an empty patch of stone floor. She took a stick of chalk from one of the many boards and started drawing. “Gather… anything you think we need,” she said. “My notes, anything Starswirl figured out. We won’t get to come back.”

He nodded, trotting over to the chalkboards and workbench. He dumped the contents of a nearby canvas bag out onto the floor, scattering quills, old scrolls, and a series of glowing stones. He started shoving stuff in, anything that looked remotely related to Starlight’s notes.

Golden Wind might not have had any unicorn magic, but he could still recognize patterns. That would have to do.

“You’re… completely destroying my work,” Starswirl said, watching from nearby. “You have no idea what you’re doing, pony. The research I conduct is… priceless. Its impact on Equestria could be unparalleled in the years to come.”

He tossed another few notebooks into the bag. “There won’t be an Equestria if we don’t save it first. This other stuff can wait. Priorities, wizard.”

The stallion looked like he might start screaming, or maybe even turn him into a frog.

But then the front door banged open, shattering chunks of wood onto the floor. Heavy hoofsteps stomped their way in. Glass shattered, cloth tore, and furniture splintered.

Starswirl deflated. His ears folded backward, and he suddenly looked away. “Yes, well… Perhaps you’re right. I never wished to be a warrior, but it seems that choice has been… stripped from my hooves.” He levitated an eraser into the air, moving it quickly over the diagrams. Then he tossed a few more books into the canvas bag, along with a variety of other nearby knickknacks and trinkets from the shelves.

“Almost there!” Starlight said as she crouched low over the diagram. “Might have to use a few heuristics in these calculations. So long as we’re away from here…”

Something heavy started banging on the basement door, rattling the ceiling overhead. This one held far less than the front had, cracking on just the first impact. Bright blue light streamed in from beyond, along with the smell of crackling ozone.

Golden Wind remembered that smell—the prison warden’s magic! How had she found them so quickly?

“I wouldn’t trust just anypony to perform high magic correctly,” Starswirl said. “But under the circumstances, I believe I will make an exception. Where are we going?”

“Into the circle!” Starlight yelled. Not an answer, but Starswirl still obeyed. He stepped carefully over the diagram. Golden followed just behind, holding the overstuffed cloth bag across his shoulder.

Just then, the basement door exploded, showering the steps with splinters and chunks of burned wood. Several huge shapes pressed down into the opening—not ponies at all, but fluff-covered ogres, all of them wearing metal masks.

Was that a pony looking down at them from the steps above?

Golden had a few seconds to stare back, then the spell grabbed him, yanking him sharply through the air.

Again came nothingness, an airless void without light. Except this time, his heart raced with every second, threatening to explode in his chest. What if the spell didn’t work? If they sent him to prison again, he knew he wouldn’t survive the experience.

Then they fell. It was only a few feet, but still far enough for his wings to open. That didn’t slow him much, not with the huge bag of books and paper weighing him down. Golden Wind landed in the dirt, straining to stay standing.

Starlight landed in a heap a few feet away, grunting in pain from the impact. The older unicorn hung in the air for a few seconds, his whole body glowing faintly. He touched down lightly, dusting off bits of ice from his robes. “Deftly done, Starlight. You are at least a better spellcaster than you are a spy. I even have all my limbs attached.”

Gone was the basement, and the shelves of arcane books. More importantly, the police and angry invaders hadn’t made the transition either.

Starlight had brought them to the forest, thick with towering trees and bright canopies. Instead of early morning, the sun was already high overhead. “Everfree?” he guessed, holding out one hoof to help Starlight stand.

“Yeah.” The mare took it, though all she did was rise onto her haunches in a relaxed sitting position. Just like last time, her breath came heavy, and she barely kept herself upright. “Well, that was… an exciting morning.” She brushed one leg through her mane, straightening it as best she could.

But between the night and rude awakening, there was little Starlight could do. They would all look like survivors of some disaster when they reached the castle.

“Everfree… yes, I recognize it now.” The stallion spun in a slow circle, before returning his attention to the two of them. “I would not have agreed to help if I knew it would come with a foalnapping. So much for a peaceful retirement.”

Golden shrugged. “I didn’t want to sign up either. But it’s hard to blame Equestria for wanting a way out.”

“We didn’t even…” Starlight struggled to her hooves. She almost fell over, but Golden was there to catch her before she could fall. The unicorn rested up against him for a few seconds, her breathing still ragged. “Get to talking about the stasis. Did you find a counterspell?”

Starswirl nodded once. “Moments before that interruption. The caster invested considerable energy in protecting the spell from interference from within, but far less protecting it from outside. I believe any skilled unicorn could cast a counterspell, with proper coaching.”

“Great.” She grinned wider. “We can… hide you until we win. The rebellion isn’t far from here. But not as cozy as where you were before.”

“At least you won’t have to sing the Storm King’s new anthem anymore,” Golden added. “When we win, nopony will.”

“When,” Starswirl repeated. “Awfully confident stallion you’ve found for yourself, Starlight. What were you before… Wonderbolt? Where were you during the invasion?”

“Another world,” he said. “Not knowing that ponies or Equestria existed.”

The stallion’s mouth fell open.

“And thanks to him, we have most of what we need. The Elements of Harmony are free, and there’s a way to release the Alicorns from stasis… we just have to reach them.”

She pushed away from Golden, shaking the dirt from her coat. “The other ponies will be eager to see you. If you’re willing, we could use your talents in preparing to breach the palace. The Storm King has a reputation for paranoia—I’m sure he has more wards on that place than any sane pony would write.”

Starswirl groaned. “First you swear I’m not getting dragged into this conflict—now you’re suggesting I help you siege the Storm King’s palace?”

Starlight didn’t answer. Neither did Golden Wind—if the old stallion wanted to complain, let him. So long as the spell worked to free the Alicorns…

They walked back to the castle in relative silence. Whatever conversation Golden wanted to have with Starlight would have to admit to what they’d been doing in the old wizard’s home—better to wait until they were alone.

Part of him dreaded what he might find when they arrived—had the Storm King somehow found the secret castle, and burned it while he was powerless to help? No, thankfully—nothing but a thin line of smoke from the kitchens.

Ponies shouted and played, others moved in formation or practiced fighting against oversized dummies shaped like ogres. A few turned to stare as they returned.

Danny was among them, lowering the sword he’d been levitating in his magic. So Golden wasn’t the only former human to be learning how to utilize their new powers after all! “Look who’s back! How was the trip?”

“Great,” he said, looking back at Starlight. “The ending wasn’t quite what we had in mind, but overall, I’d say it went well.”

The unicorn flicked her tail in his face, striding right past him. “In terms of covert missions, it could’ve gone better. But Starswirl made it out, along with his notes. We can use them to free the princesses.”

“Great.” The unicorn set the spear down, nodding to Golden Wind. “Looks like you had some trouble getting out.”

He didn’t reply. He had no chance, because the other ponies had finally noticed his companion.

“Starswirl!” someone said. “He’s alive?”

“He’s here?”

A crowd of dozens surrounded the old stallion, with plenty more landing from airborne maneuvers or emerging from the castle proper. “He’s back!”

Soon they were cheering, pressing the two of them away in a wave of enthusiasm. Even the crotchety old unicorn couldn’t keep up his anger any longer. “Yes, yes, well… I suppose it was about time for me to join you all here. For Equestria!”