Chapters
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Hayden was slow to wake, in the cold and the dark. His memory was a mess, and what he did remember just didn't make any sense. His weekend hikes were always an adventure, even though he was walking trails he had visited many times before. He remembered the voice, a voice that came from his earbuds over the music he'd been listening to. It hadn't been a call—that was the first thing he'd checked. There was no service in Denver’s mountains. That was the whole reason he came out in the first place.Then…-
141.3 K •
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Iron Quill landed with the harsh impact of dust and blowing sand. The incredible force of Celestia’s magic washed over and around him for a few more seconds, charring at his mane and burning at his eyes. Is this the end? The Tyrant has beaten us. Now I die for choosing the wrong side.But he didn’t die. Alicorns were capable of terrible things, and he’d heard all the stories about the artifacts kept securely in the Castle of the Two Sisters. That was why they had to seize it so badly. That was why the…-
231.4 K •
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“Miss Starlight, we’re just about there. If you’d like to join us on the deck, this will be your only chance to see Scythia from above. It’s not an opportunity I would soon miss,” Sure Heading said, stepping aside from the door to her tiny cabin so she could follow. He had been a considerate first-mate during the whole voyage, though she would’ve expected nothing less. Considering what Twilight had paid for this trip, treating her like royalty every made complete sense.“I would like that very…-
98.4 K •
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It began near dawn, when Ponyville was at its quietest. Second Chance rested soundly in bed, sleep no longer light or troubled with nightmares. There would not have been very much for her to hear even if she had been awake. Chance couldn’t hear the grinding sound as lasers sliced clean through the glass and shutters of her lab. There were none awake to see the hoof-full of drones that poured in through the opening, each smaller than a football. Thick cable spooled out behind the last of the group, even…-
194.9 K •
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Blake Hodges knew a desperate situation when he saw one.It wasn't like leading a group of clandestine, urban explorers had ever been an entirely safe way to spend his time. If anything, the danger was part of the appeal of the hobby. Only an urban explorer could venture down where law enforcement, dangerous gases and structural collapse, were only the beginning of the danger. But going somewhere that others hadn't seen for decades, maybe even centuries was a thrill that could be matched by little else.…-
194.6 K •
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Applejack watched her older brother smash his hooves into the tree so hard she was afraid it might come crashing down. Apples rained down into the buckets on the ground, and Big Mac turned to collect them without so much as a backward glance in Applejack’s direction.“Do you think…” Applejack said, her voice coming slowly even for her usual drawl. “Don’t you think you should talk about it?”“Nope.” Big Mac hoisted one of the baskets onto his back with the skill of a pony who had spent his…-
19.5 K •
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Star Orchid adjusted her dress, settling the high collar about her shoulders. She stared back at her reflection for several seconds, inspecting each crease and little gemstone. Her own nervous face stared back, with faint bags under her eyes and a few strands of her mane out of place.There was nothing she could do about the former—it was what came with months of service in the Twilight court. It was a privilege to be around ponies of such power—but the proximity could use a pony up and spit her out.…-
247.0 K •
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The only regular train to Alexandria arrived by night. As was true during most of these trips, Lonely Day was aboard. For company she had only Huan, her loyal (if aging) companion. The massive dog rested at her hooves, ever vigilant.Of course, they were nearly done with the twelve-hour ride, the second Lonely Day had taken in as many days. A pair of dark metal shackles sat beside her on the seat, artifacts of another world. Thank God she only had to wear them while she was inside Raven City.Her train…-
153.4 K •
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Even after hours of assault on the surface, her eyes still hadn’t adjusted to the brilliance of sunlight. Everything was washed out, colors drained away to a few feeble pastels.She was one drone among hundreds of thousands, a creature of black chitin and sharp teeth. She could fly, without having ever been taught to fly. There were others in the air beside her—creatures that were like her and also nothing alike. They were so much bigger than she was, and every time they spoke the things they said were…-
102.0 K •
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Mira was born to rule.She thought of it while begging for grain on the side of the road. She reminded herself when scavenging through the middenheap for scraps of moldy bread. She dreamed of it while catching moths during the deepest darkness of the night, collecting all into her basket.Only when it was filled could she fly home, watchful every second of her flight in case a particularly cruel pegasus was following her. It wouldn’t be the first time. Being small and pathetic sometimes helped ponies feel…-
87.2 K •
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