First venture in a new land

[Revan Noctis]

Finally he had overheard the name of his other companion spoken by Celestia the answer to that little question had finally found its way to him after all.
He did care for Veritas's health and survival though the man was certainly stubborn but he supposed in his current state it would continue to be forgiven.

Revan did his best to understand everything that was said although it was certainly a lot for him to take in right now.
It seemed that Celestia had said Veritas's injuries were not physical though he disagreed he decided to say nothing more on the subject.

After quite awhile Veritas finally managed to begin walking once more which he did have to admit surprised him and he even wanted to keep going which almost made him worry the man had gone insane.
Still he was in no position to tell him what to do and Celestia seemed to agree that it was best to move on though his offer to help them still stood.

A few minutes later Veritas threw him a copy of the guide and Revan though he was not told what it was looked at it with care using the light from his torch though he was unable to learn anything new from it at least he now knew the information they had been working off.
Now it seemed Veritas was fighting his anger which would have probably been the opposite of what Sombra had taught him which made him wonder again if his decision had been the best or if he should rethink his attempted source of power.


Again they began their journey and Revan moved his torch in front of him and though silence fell upon them all they made their way through the rooms that he had looked in earlier though again he felt the feeling of dread as if it were a being itself stalking him from the shadows. Of course he had to be careful already and paranoia was to be expected after being down here in the dark so long but something was changing down here and he could not place what it was.

He had taken the lead allowing Veritas to lean on Celestia when he needed to though the little light the white pony had summoned continued to move with him at a steady pace.
Revan knew he would have to keep the lead for the moment though hopefully there were no more dark surprises to fight off or worse another trap to deal with.

Finally it seemed they had come across a new room one that was potentially the end of their journey a room of pedestals and items now stood in front of them.
He could see several pedestals in the room though he saw Veritas's gaze fall upon two of the items which he had to admit did appear to be the most useful and interesting at first glance.

It seemed Celestia and Veritas had earned their rewards which was good for them of course now they just had to grab the weapons and they would be able to walk out of here and leave the island.
He decided to stay back while the others approached the pedestals though he could not shake the feeling that this was far too easy and that perhaps this was another trap set up for them though he definitely hoped not.

Finally it occurred to him what had changed a faint sound could be heard in what had once been an abandoned and peacefully quiet place but also the smell a smell had begun to fill this place and he knew not what it was or where it was coming from. Stepping back while the others searched for valuables he took the time to move back to the doorway placing his bag to the wall next to the pitch black gateway that led to the former room. Placing his ear against the wall he attempted to listen as hard as he could and indeed he heard what sounded like metal and footsteps though no voices could be heard.


He was beginning to think that he was simply hearing things perhaps this place was just falling apart yet he noticed something else and that was that the sound he was hearing was growing louder and closer to their position. He was tempted to tell the others as it seemed they had not yet noticed or maybe they had he could not be sure for certain though he was beginning to feel extremely worried about what was heading this way.

The sound of metal and marching he noticed now was certainly getting closer and finally something worse caught his attention as he looked through the doorway the fires that had once been were now extinguished. That meant something had extinguished them and he could only think of one reason why and that was to sneak up on them to ambush them but perhaps he was just going mad down here.

Regardless he swung off the wall and faced the doorway unsheathing his blade prepared for whatever was coming he moved into a combat posture though now having to make sure his torch was in the right position he knew from his engagement with the Trolls he had become stronger but he knew not to take that for granted. Strangely enough though as soon as he popped out the sound went away it just seemed to immediately stop and for the moment he thought maybe he was safe.

Then he noticed the smell it smelled like decaying flesh like something or somebody had died recently enough to still be decaying and it was close but from the darkness he could not tell where it was coming from the room ahead seemed to be its location but no bodies or smell had been there before. He then noticed the hairs on his body continue to stand up as if his body was telling him it knew something he did not though his body told him to walk away in fear he knew that he had to stay it was his job to guard the group now after all.


Finally after a few minutes of silence he had used Omnilium to summon a small batch of dead grass which he was quite proud of himself for managing to do. He could barely take it anymore as he noticed cold gusts of air were now hitting his body carrying that horrible putrid smell he made the decision to light the grass on fire with his torch and after a couple moments pause he threw it into the pitch black room they had come from.

The sight of what appeared to him made him both regret his decision and want to drop to his knees and thank whatever force had provided him the intelligence to do so but he was so scared and time was now so short he knew he could do neither. Upon throwing the dried grass the room had been revealed to no longer be empty indeed it was now fairly crowded though it was certainly not Trolls this time.

The dead grass now burned on the ground its light revealing a horrifying sight of ghastly humanoid skeletal abominations that had their jaws wide open with two black holes on each now watching him like they had been watching him this entire time through the blackness of the room. Truth was he was not entirely sure how to react though luckily for him as he remained still so did those that watched him and he did not dare look away it was almost like they enjoyed watching his eyes open wide with terror at the sight of them like they relished the moment.

Finally after a few more moments the dead grass burned out and the room fell again into pitch blackness and though he heard nothing he now knew what was there and they knew that he knew they were there. A moment later he finally got back control of his body and shaking it off as the thoughts of the horrors he had just witnessed finally clicked in his mind and his survival instincts kicked in.


No time to say anything he quickly jumped backwards hoping Celestia and Veritas were up for a fight and hoping desperately they had payed attention to his sword being drawn he had only a moment to move and prepare for what was coming. Quickly the marching began again and a moment after the dark putrid smelling skeletons in armour and bits of rotting flesh barely attached to their dirt covered bones emerged from the blackness.

Quickly moving he blocked the first blow from one of the leading skeletons that had attempted to hit him with a sword but he noticed most also held shields though some had spears instead.
As far as he knew there was one way out and they now seemed to be trapped he feared what these skeletons might do to him if they were to grab hold of him and so was forced to keep his distance.

He could not tell if Celestia and Veritas were there to help him yet but he would hold them back as long as he could. He used his torch to hit the skeleton and it seemed to be most effective as the skeleton caught alight and seemed to collapse into bones. Realizing his new found weapon he struck attempted to strike another though his torch was blocked by the skeletons shield luckily his sword skills were still useful as he moved to cut the skeleton in half which proved effective as it collapsed onto the ground separated at the waist.

They now had to hold off these skeletons long enough to find a way out or else they were going to have to try something else even more desperate.
Revan began hitting the skeletons with his torch and sword more some fell easily others put up a fight but no matter how many he took down more seemed ot come out of the doorway taking the fallen ones place.

[Celestia]

Celestia's choice words did the trick.  Veritas was calm again, at least for the moment, and that meant the group could move forward without too much concern.  Celestia would of course keep an eye on him, both to keep herself aware of his mental state and to watch for any further developments from the curse, but for the time being they were past the worst of the curse.  Veritas obliged Revan's request, creating and then tossing a copy of the book to him.  And then they moved on.

The group passed through several chambers, which seemed suspiciously empty to Celestia, at least until she spotted the debris on the ground.  Bones, and bits of metal and rock, which she concluded were the remains of previous explores, and now-broken defences of the ruins that they face.  One might assume that meant that the ruins had since been pacified, but Celestia remained on edge.  They'd already encountered one trap that was still active, so who could say what other defences might still be active?

What they initially found was not nearly so dire.  It was a treasure room, with the door blasted open sometime in the past, and a number of pedestals which held valuable items.  Or at least, had held them sometime in the past.  Most of them were empty now, but there were still a few that were occupied.  Veritas immediately gravitated toward a pair of unusual weaponry, but Celestia left them to him and focused on others.

The items which caught Celestia's attention were an ancient book, and an orb with small grooves criss-crossing the surface.  They markings formed a clear pattern, but it was one she didn't recognize.  The purpose of the former was obvious to her, even if the specifics were not: if it were held in a room and on a pedestal such as it was, it was sure to be a book containing some power of its own, and likely to have important knowledge as well.  She was confident that she could not only make use of the book, but do so relatively safely, and thus not only would taking it assist her but it might protect others as well.  The orb meanwhile, she took for the exact opposite reason.  She had no idea what it was, and was intrigued by the prospect of finding out.  She took a few moments to conjure a set of plain saddle bags, to make carrying her finds easier, she was prepared to leave.

It was then that she noticed that Revan was no longer paying attention to the room itself, but rather watching the way they had come, and perhaps more to the point he was listening.  Celestia took that as a sign to pay attention, which was just moments before Revan grew tired of waiting and tossed a bit of dry grass he lit on fire into the hallway ahead.  Skeletal forms of animate, deceased bipeds emerged from the darkness, bits of flesh still hanging off a few of them, and the light glinting off their armour and weapons.

Revan immediately engaged the undead, and with the limitations of the hallway it gave Celestia a moment to think.  Unless one of them could find a secret entrance, or blast or dig their way through a wall, the only way out was through the undead.  That meant they were essentially stuck, and while they might be able to attrition their way through the horde, without knowing exactly how many animate skeletons there were waiting for them it was not the most appealing prospect.  This was particularly true given that the ruins seemed to be 'well fed', as it were.

“We should push for the exit,” Celestia called out, as she held relatively still while she started charging a spell, “the larger chambers should provide avenues to fight or flee!”  She didn't feel the need to mention that she was about to try and create such an opportunity, as the purpose of what she did next was sure to be obvious.  When the spell was ready, she let fly a mass of burning rock into the hallway, aiming at a spot just above many of the skeletons heads.  The ball collided with the raised axe of a skeleton reading to charge, detonating early, but it was enough.  Several undead at the rear were able to deflect the burning shards of ruck with shields or armour, but a number were brought down by the attack from above.  She charged forward, following in the wake of her meteor and planning to capitalize on the damage it did.  When she got close, she let loose a blast of wind and heat that, while it wouldn't bring down any undead directly, would knock them over.  A few might be incapacitated by the suddenly, wildly flailing weapons of their allies, but more to the point the hallway would be relatively clear while they recovered.  Celestia made a motion with her hoof for Revan and Veritas to follow as she charged over the bodies and into the next room.

[Jack Darby]

As he examined the artifacts that he had been interested in,  Veritas took note of something. The sword and blaster were unique and ancient. Upon examining them further, the weapons were rusted and ancient. The weapons couldn't be used probably. Channeling Omnilium into his hands he started to create working copies of the weapons for himself, and then he stored them in his storage unit. As he watched Celestia choose the orb, and book he was impressed. But when his eyes started to recognize the Undead that Revan had engaged he tensed up a little. Undead? Why wre such things in this place? Probably a trap one of them set off, or something else. Nodding he stared at the undead for a moment. Fire could be an effective weapon, but did he dare? Could the curse be used without such anger in order to purge his enemies from their existence?  It was something he was unsure about, given he lacked the ability to Fly. A power that h was envious of Celestia having, he wanted her to have it but he also wanted it for himself. Really right now, Veritas wished he had something to take out multiple opponents at a single go, because the fire as far as he could tell was not made for that. None of his fire-arms could shoot the high yields he needed in order to eliminate all of the skeletons in a single shot, and that frankly? It pissed him off. 

But he didn't allow himself to get angry. No, angry was a ship that had sailed over several minutes ago when he was cursed. Now? He was seething with a cold fury internally that he wasn't allowing to come to the surface. After about eight seconds of concentration,  he said. "Burn the world, consume it in the flames..BURN TO ASHES!"  Once he had said those words, blackish crimson flames surrounded his hands, and he started to punch and kick at the Skeletons, burning some of them on contact while he prepared a beam to deal with the rest. A Six Foot by Three Foot beam of the fire was released by him, decimating most of the horde of skeletons that were around him, and hopefully clearing a path for the others. Charging forward when the flames around his hands fadd he simply attempted to punch, or kick the remaining skeletons and was going to have to be...snapped out of it. 

The anger had consumed him for now. 

[Revan Noctis]

Revan seemed to have gotten himself into trouble with the locals again as it were if these could be called such.
The Skeletons continued to fall to his blade easily enough though their numbers were still quite large for him to handle alone.

Luckily for him Celestia was paying attention to him and was the first to notice the little problem they had ended up with.
Celestia then suggested pushing for the exit which seemed difficult considering the amount of undead now moving toward them.

Fight or Flee their only choices right now he considered the options the numbers seemed to be too great for him to fight right now and the light was surely soon to go out.
As his torch began to fail he slammed it into another one of the undead as it went alight again though he lost hold of it as he pulled his arm away again from another that held an axe.

A large heap of rock then flew over his head as he barely dodged it though many of the undead were not so lucky as it took off their heads.
Celestia then jumped in front of him releasing a gust of heat and wind that knocked many of the dead Skeletons down and even blowing back some of the live ones if they could be called that.


As he prepared to run Veritas began summoning fire from his hands this power proved most interesting to Revan as he watched as flames engulfed the remaining undead near him.
Revan finally got back to chopping the enemies down with his sword once more as he raced after Celestia hoping they could get out of here with the space they had all cleared.

Fighting his way through more of the undead he followed Celestia through the rooms looking back occasionally to make sure Veritas was still fine.
They were managing to fight their way through the rooms though it seemed more undead kept coming having come from secret entrances in the walls that seemed to be scattered randomly everywhere.

The halls were quickly becoming full of bits and pieces as bones were littered around everywhere from the carnage the three had unleashed upon the dead forces.
Still Revan had no intention of staying to fight them all and following Celestia to the exit as quickly as possible was his best bet especially now that her light was all he had left.

It was extremely pitch black as he did his best to fight off the creatures that got close enough to be revealed by Celestia's light some were more intelligent however and waited to strike from the areas of the rooms that remained in darkness. He had no intention of dying down here and continued to fight any that came at him blocking and dodging the aged weapons that they used to strike at him with.


Another tried to grab at his throat as he grabbed the disgusting rotten hand with his own he tried to wrestle it off before using his sword to cut it in off at the elbow.
The grip on his throat was then loosened as he pulled off the now inanimate arm and threw it to the ground with disgust.

He was going to need to clean his armour after this with what seemed to be getting on it with all these close encounters that were endangering his life.
Celestia and Veritas he had to admit were very effective in combat he was still rather shocked that self aware equines existed never mind the existence of Trolls and the undead.

Still he had become more used to it and had begun to come to just accept it and his current situation he was extremely thankful that his sword still served him well.
The place he had found himself in now proved that there were many places in this omniverse as its supposed creator had named it that was still unknown to most inhabitants of the verses that lived in them.

This proved even more that this world he was now stuck in had been set up and he continued to notice the more actions he took the more Omnillium he seemed to gain which he admitted did make him want to continue on even if the thought of these evil spawn getting their hands on him was enough to get him fighting for survival. It was even more obvious then ever these undead were meant to prove a challenge and to serve as entertainment for a being that may or may not be watching.


This place had gone from abandoned to massively crowded very fast and that made him worry what else might be hidden in the world though he had to deal with this current threat right now.
Slicing the head off of another Skeleton he examined them a little closer and wondered if they had been real people at one point or another or if they had been created in their current form though for the moment there was no way to find that answer.

His sword was strong enough to break the shield of another undead warrior as he chopped its leg off from behind he was glad that his skills were still so useful in this strange world but knew that it was certainly not going to be enough to keep him alive in the future. He ran forward and punched another Skeleton sending the skull flying and the body collapsed joining the other mass of bones on the stone floor.

They seemed to be making great progress through the rooms which meant there was a real chance they could all make it out alive.
He hoped they would not run into anymore traps on the way out as that would be the last thing they needed right now as it seemed the number of undead was again rising.

They were getting fairly close to the exit now though it was still difficult to see in the dark he did not need to see to know that he was still surrounded on all sides by the undead horde.
He had to push through another two Skeletons that got in his way as he elbowed his way through them doing his best to avoid being grabbed again by their bony hands.


Finally he found himself in the final room with the way to escape just past another group of skeletons that clearly had no intention of allowing him or the others to leave.
He blocked the first strike that came at him from the middle Skeleton but managed to force it back as he got out of the sword lock though quickly was forced to block another blow from the one on the left.

He quickly struck at one of the Skeletons on the far left taking it down quickly as another one on the right moved to hit him he dodged back taking only a moment to cut it down as well.
Three Skeletons remained in front of him now as he blocked the middle one again but kicked the one coming at him from his left side attempting to grab him he swung his sword right taking off the head of the unsuspecting Skeleton and sending its skull slamming into the one on the left destroying both.

He now needed to destroy the last one in his way as he brought up his sword but the Skeleton blocked his blow as the Skeletons coming up behind him and all around him got closer he knew he needed to hurry.
The light was fading again as the Skeleton seemed to almost snarl at him the dead black voids that used to hold eyes locked with his as he struggled to defeat it before.

Unlocked he launched another two light weak strikes at it but it managed to block them well that was before he kicked its leg out tripping it onto its knee as it continued to attempt to block his blows.
He finally spun the sword around and stabbed down into the back of the creatures neck and and wedges the skull from the body once he did that the skull came off easily as he kicked the body over making room for his final escape.


He was able to finally make it to the stairs which he began to climb with haste though the arms of the undead reached at him through the walls slowing his ascent he was forced to take his time slicing the arms off as it was the only way to proceed at an orderly pace. Another skeleton came running up the stairs behind him but he gave it one good kick as it began rolling down the stairs though it revealed plenty more that began slowly climbing up after him.

He saw Veritas making his way up as well and took a moment to make sure his companion was going to make it though he continued climbing himself wanting to be as far from the Skeletons as possible.
He finally made it to the entrance way at the top of the stairs he wanted to quickly help Veritas who seemed to be a little too eager to fight more of them and he could see Celestia preparing to get the door closed.

Revan pulled out his bow taking a moment he aimed carefully sending the arrow whizzing down the stair case as it hit the skull of a Skeleton that was about to grab Veritas sending it also falling back hopefully defeated. He was able to reach out a hand to help Veritas the last two steps as he grabbed the man helping him up quickly.

Dragging Veritas out of the way of the door quickly Revan pulled his sword back out ready to face them the undead again if they made it out of the doorway but Celestia was prepared.
The sound of bone and metal moving on the stone steps was horrible as he just wanted it to finally end and leave this dreaded island once and for all.

Celestia finally slammed the door shut hard as Skeletons could be heard reaching the last few steps on the other side as they began banging on it wanting to escape their tomb.
Revan helped hold the door steady as he put his sword away and pushed with both hands wondering what they were going to do.

Then there was a sudden Earthquake as the island appeared to rock back and forth throwing off his balance. Rocks began to tumble down from above them as Revan jumped knocking Celestia out of the way he landed on top of her doing his best to shield her from the blows knowing she had no arms or armour to protect herself with and he did his best to shield his own face.

[Celestia]

In Retrospect, it was perhaps fortunate for Celestia that Veritas' episode began with him vocalizing his intent.  It meant that she had plenty of advanced warning that the hallway she had been passing through.  Perhaps she would have been able to see the attack coming in time regardless, as magic went it was both powerful and recklessly cast.  She was glad she didn't have to all the same, when she ducked behind the wall and was able to watch the column of black flame incinerate most of the remaining undead in their vicinity.

And then Veritas decided the finish off the remainder personally, and without weapons.  It was clear to Celestia, that at the moment he was beyond reason.  It was not a good sign to say the least, but the worst part was that she couldn't stop to address the issue.  They couldn't afford to delay while they were in the middle of actively hostile ruins.  They had to get out, so they could have the time and space to think for solutions to any other problems.  With this in mind, Celestia simply picked him up by his coat with telekinesis once he was close enough, and made a dash for the exit.

A few more skeletons were trickling in, either stragglers from the first group who were too far away to be caught in the various attacks which eliminated the majority of them, or quick arrivals from whatever group of horrors would be coming next.  Revan was able to take care of most of them, but one or two managed to slip through.  Fortunately that was more luck than skill on their part, and after taking a moment to aim it took Celestia only a quick jet of flame each to incapacitate them.

They began to move forward once again, and with Revan taking point and dealing with the undead Celestia took a moment to speak to Veritas as they moved.  He'd succumbed to anger again, and although Celestia felt confident she herself could make it out of the ruins alright was wasn't sure if he'd be in a right enough mind to.  And if he did need the help, she didn't want to face the possible choice of putting the group in danger to save him, or having to leave him behind.  “Veritas!” She spoke in a sharp whisper.  “You are stronger than this, don't let it control you!”

Celestia didn't have time for more than that.  Whether Veritas sufficiently recovered or she had to pull him along, they needed to make it to the entryway.  The undead ahead of them lay slain, at least enough for them to pass if they were quick, but the sound of many bones clicking against rock echoed from deeper in the ruins, as well as...other sounds, the source of which she'd rather not discover at the moment.

The reached the exit in good time.  But Celestia realized that wouldn't necessarily be the end.  The ruins lay open behind them, and that meant reaching the surface wasn't enough.  It's denizens could come pouring out at any moment.  They had just a little time.  Celestia looked around quickly, and formed an idea.  It was crude, but that was what she would have to work with, as she slowly recovered her previous abilities.

Taking a tense seconds to aim and charge, with the clamour from the depths getting steadily louder, Celestia fired another ball of molten rock.  Only this time, her target wasn't their pursuers directly, but several loose rocks of the chamber above them.  She could just make out the rotting forms of the undead rounding the last corner when the whole chamber came down around them, sealing the entrance to the ruins.

That wasn't quite the end.  In what seemed like one last stab at vengeance, the island shook, and rocks rained down on the group.  Celestia looked up, and readied to cast her shield slightly too late, the rock would hit her- if Revan hadn't tackled her out of its way.  She was able to get her shield up in time for the remainder, which were deflected into ground around them in small bursts of dirt.

It was over.  The hall was sealed. They had successfully escaped.

Celestia took a moment to catch her breath, and then turned to Revan and smiled.  “I appreciate the rescue.  It was a brave act.”  The fact that she likely would have been able to survive and recover from the damage was beside the point, Revan had still demonstrated both quick thinking and a willingness to take risks on behalf of his allies.

Before Celestia would be willing to discuss where to go next however, there was a matter that required her attention.  She looked over to Veritas, and moved toward him.  She needed to make sure he was recovered, or at least conscious enough to endangering anyone, before they could return to inspect what they recovered, or to consider any further courses of action.

[Jack Darby]

If pain was a country, then right now Veritas was in the capital city. For it felt like someone had stabbed a dagger into his heart. Looking back at the carnage once Celestia had started to pull him out, he was awestruck. Remaining this way, he was unable to resist as Celestia pulled him with her magic out of the room that they had been in, and away from the skeletons. Note to self, don't ever fight the Undead again without something more along the lines of an RPG or a heavy gun in the near future. With the mental note made, Veritas came "to" when they were outside of the ruins and away from the undead horde that had wanted to attack them. Still a bit confused, he asked Celestia. 

"What happened in there?" 

He'd look down, remembering what had happened. 

"I'm pathetic. I couldn't even resist the curse long enough for us to get outside of the place. If I couldn't do that, Celestia then I am not sure I deserve to call you my friend. Right now I am a danger to both you, and Revan. I should leave, and get some training in to control my fire powers, so such cannot control me in the future. But before I do Celestia, I think you need to learn how to access the digital world here. I believe I've figured out what your orb, and my communicator are capable of, if you'd like me to show you." 

Veritas felt rotten, because he had done something he had hoped he never would. There was no sugar coating it....he had lost control of himself. Such a thing was unforgivable. At least he hadn't hurt either of them, especially his friend Celestia. But ultimately? Unless he gained control of his power, he was likely to hurt her. It was only a matter of time.

[Revan Noctis]

It had happened they had gone in gotten what they needed and then they had escaped a sight that Revan would have only imagined in his worst nightmares.
The Omniverse was certainly not a harmless game the horrors were real enough to send any number of men into pure insanity and even then they would remain stuck here.

He quickly brought himself to his feet though he allowed Celestia to lift herself up not really wanting to pull her up by her leg.
Dusting himself off Celestia thanked him even saying what he did was a brave act which was funny considering how much fear he had felt after being surrounded by the undead hordes.

Veritas begun speaking then seemingly attempting to remember what had taken place as well as how he had reacted to being cursed upon entering.
Veritas then began to speak low of himself which was quite sad to hear though he then offered Celestia advice on something called a digital world which certainly caught his interest.

"You fought well Veritas as did you Celestia" he said hoping Veritas would heal mentally from this event in time

"I would also like to hear about this digital world if you do not mind" he said deciding this was the best a time as any to be told

Revan knew it was time to leave but in a way as he began walking back to the ship and upon seeing the shore again he wished he could stay a little longer.
This omniverse was a large and scary place but he was happy that he had met some new people if he could call Celestia a person and Veritas seemed to be from somewhere else rather then his own home.


Simply nodding at the captain as he approached the ship once more he stepped aboard slowly feeling the cool breeze that was so different to how it had been down in that dark place where bodies had rotted and bones had been left to turn to dust.
Shortly they would set sail back for Costa Del Sol where he was unsure of what the others had planned though as he had told Sombra his desire to further explore the Omniverse was strong though he was unsure of exactly what he would find.

As the ship finally got moving again he stared out from under his hood at the horizon it seemed the sun was setting and it was quite an amazing sight though he wondered exactly if it was even really there or if it had been made to feel like the sun he knew.
It seemed he had gotten to know his two travel companions quite a bit better though unlike Sombra Celestia had not mentioned much of a goal though he knew Sombra had been here for far longer then himself or the others.

Perhaps it was time to ask Celestia if she knew about Sombra though the two were probably the same species it is possible they were from different worlds but he had promised to tell her earlier so at least he could try.
Celestia the white pony was much taller and had wings but the resemblance was still strong enough that he needed to mention it to her.

"I think you should know I ran into one of your species before on my first journey out of the Nexus I went to the frozen fields full of blizzards" he explained remembering the icy touch the winds there had left

"I met him and he called himself Sombra though we parted ways shortly soon after" said Revan noticing a strange change in Celestia's expression

He could not be entirely sure but it seemed that name did have meaning to her which was surely good at least he presumed so.
Now their ship was approaching the larger island again and they would probably have to say goodbye to their current ship though who knew if they would meet this particular captain again.


Looking at his unfinished Communicator that he had he finally felt ready to fiddle with it again he had gotten more sure of himself after surviving the battle and sure enough it seemed that with the free time he had on the serenity of the ocean he was able to summon the final necessary pieces to make it work.
He was extremely happy when he made it work it was a strange form of technology and the use of crystals inside it to operate it had been most useful it was fairly bland a square shape with a flat glass window now in the middle that displayed information it took him only a moment to realize it was connecting with any other Communicators it could detect.

He sat down on the floor of the boat and began looking over it like a child with a new toy he found himself fascinated by it he knew other such things form of technology had already been shown to him back at Costa Del Sol but he only now understood how they operated with power electricity and light.
This meant that now he would be able to keep such things in mind for the future though his mind was now more drawn towards Veritas's fire ability that he had seen earlier reminding him much of Sombra's own abilities magic was something else he desperately wanted for himself.

Getting back up onto his feet again he looked out towards the water and for a few moments did nothing it was only when he finally felt ready that he raised his hand and unlike before this time a ball of fire shot out of his palm before slamming into the ocean where it turned a bit of water into steam.
This was remarkable and he thanks Veritas for showing him it could be done and he would make sure this ability was put to use though he would keep his abiliy a secret from others though he did not mind sharing it with Celestia and Veritas.

He knew that more fighting would be necessary after all with so many dangers how could he not although he wondered if Omni would force him into action if he chose to do nothing.
Of course that was too late he had already locked himself into a form of non spoken contract he was in this to discover answers and gain more power though what he did it was his choice alone.


Pulling into the dock Revan thanked the captain before stepping off the ship back onto the large island that must have been a pretty place for people to live if they had the chance to choose.
Still he was sure even this place had many secrets as he saw white armoured soldiers walking down one of the nearby streets he really wanted to learn more about what groups held power here and elsewhere but right now was not the time.

Before he could turn to see what Celestia had in mind his ears picked up some yelling that was coming from a man in a dark ragged robe next to what seemed to be a well armoured soldier looking a bit like soldiers from his own world.
As he moved closer though he noticed they were quite different from their equipment to their armour they seemed to be outfitted with equipment that was far more ornamental though that made sense considering the variety in the omniverse.

"We are looking for strong able bodied men to fight for Darkshire this is your chance at fame and glory and adventure!" yelled the general if he was to presume the armoured mans rank

"Who are you?" asked Revan deciding he needed to know

Many men had already seemingly signed up though the General ignored all of them upon seeing Revan approaching.
The General examined Revan for a long moment having dawned on him that he was speaking with a prime.

"I am General Dallin of the Darkshire army and who might you be?" asked the General looking at him and his companions like they were going to be his saviours

"You can call me Revan" he replied wondering what this was all about

"We have reason to believe an undead army is heading for our home of Darkshire in the Pale Moors and we need as much help as possible" said the General seemingly desperate

"Give me a few moments" said Revan backing away a bit before turning toward the others again

The Pale Moors were exactly where he had wanted to go and though he had known they were dangerous it now seemed the place had even more undead which he could not lie troubled him greatly.
He did not want to force the others into a war he would never do that but he did want to help these people a city attacked by the undead was horrific and they all knew it and Revan was not going to leave innocent people to that sort of fate.


"I will go" said Revan turning his head toward the General before turning it back to see what his friends were going to say

It had seemed the squad of white armoured soldiers had come and seemingly begun harassing the robed man it seemed they liked each other very little.
Revan did not ask but he was sure there was more to it then just them being here though that was not his problem at the moment.

He had no idea really what the others were saying or how they felt about it but he could only imagine that they at least cared a bit though the question was is this what they wanted.
Revan knew Veritas was slightly unstable and feeling down surely the man would want to help out as best he could to prove he could help others still.

Revan was certain he was going to go this was the best opportunity to get into the Moors like he had wanted for some time now though he would prefer to have Celestia and Veritas with him now that he had met them.
The ragged armours of the Darkshire forces told him the Moors were not going to be a good place but if he could make a difference here perhaps it would lead to more answers he sought.

Looking back at the General again it seemed they were done and they were ready to leave for the gate that led to the Moors which gave them little further discussing time.
Revan began to follow the soldiers toward the Moors gate he wanted to watch them go through first before he stepped through himself he needed to know these other people were so certain of going to their own probable dooms.

Watching the remaining Darkshire soldiers and the people from the island that were to be new recruits march through it seemed that the time had come to make the final decision.
Revan then made his decision he was going to step through and like that he did stepping through the gate he was very unprepared for what was going to be on the other side waiting for him.


<Gathering in Defense of Darkshire>

[Celestia]

It was only moments after the collapse entrance that Veritas came to.  In the back of her mind, Celestia mused that 'coming to' was technically inaccurate as he'd never lost consciousness, but then him regaining his reason as he had adhered to the spirit of the phrase even if it didn't meet the letter.  The thought wasn't important though, and she set it aside any thought of semantics entirely once Veritas began speaking.

Simply put, Veritas had lost faith in himself.  He felt that if he failed to resist the curse, and in doing so put his companions' lives in danger, that he didn't deserve to travel with them or be their friend.  While it was technically true that Veritas had a part in that danger, Celestia overall didn't agree.  She stepped closer, and placed a hoof gently on his shoulder.  “You can't blame yourself for this.  It is true that the curse is something that you will need to control, but you didn't cause and couldn't have predicted what would happen inside the ruins.  There is no shame in acknowledging where one can improve.”  She smiled at him.  “And I can think of no better use for friendship than supporting one another through difficult times, so I do hope we can all remain friends.”  Revan as well gave Veritas a compliment.  Celestia gestured to Revan while still looking at Veritas.  “See?  Neither of us thought you did so badly.”

Veritas added that he'd worked out how the devices they'd made would function, and offered to demonstrate.  Celestia replied while taking a step back, and turning toward their transport, which was waiting for them on the beach.  Revan responded first, stating that he would be interested, and Celestia let him finish before offering her own reply.  “That sounds like a wonderful idea, it would be nice to have one less mystery, and one more tool for investigation.  It would also be a good way to pass the time on the boat back.”

It didn't take them long to return to the boat, and begin moving back towards the mainland.  Soon after the boat had set off however, Revan mentioned that he'd seen another pony.  That in itself caught Celestia's full attention, the possibility of finding one of her subjects or even a close friend or family member from Equestria caused a mix of emotions.  On the one hoof, it would be nice to have somepony with which she could speak of familiar subjects.  On the other, she would also prefer to save any of such ponies from being trapped in the Omniverse as she was.

Any such thoughts were derailed when Celestia heard the name of the pony in question.  Sombra.  Celestia stiffened.  She had hoped and thought that she'd seen the last of the dark king.  That he would be here of all places, was a disturbing complication.  If there was a saving grace to that, it was that Sombra being here meant he likely couldn't threaten Equestria or the Crystal Empire anymore.  Celestia looked at Revan with a serious expression.  “It is best that you only met briefly,” she said after a moment, “The King Sombra I knew was entirely evil and incredibly dangerous.  I appreciate you letting me know.”

“I think it's time for the demonstration.”  Celestia turned to find Veritas, not wishing to contemplate this development too long.  It was something she would have to confront, and she would be ready to do so when the time came.  But it had been mere hours since her arrival, and while she was not particularly impaired she was still feeling considerably weaker than she was prior to her arrival.  As well as being useful in its own right, Veritas' demonstration would be a nice distraction.

---

They returned to Costa del Sol to an unexpected sight, a group of soldiers marching down the street.  They were accompanied by a general, who greeted them and explained that he was here on a recruiting mission.  The town of Darkshire, which Celestia only knew in passing from some of her reading hours earlier, was claimed to be under attack by undead, and they were looking for any who would be willing and able to assist in the defence.  Revan readily volunteered, which came as little surprise to Celestia.  He did seem to have an affinity for battle, and if the general was speaking the truth this was likely as noble a goal as any for a warrior.

Celestia herself hesitated at the prospect, however.  “I apologize, but I cannot help you.  Though I have some modest ability, in truth I am a statespony, not a soldier.  My efforts would be as likely to interfere with the battle plan as to provide assistance.”  She was exaggerating slightly.  She probably could provide them some measure of help, but in truth she did not trust only one perspective on the matter.  Even if the general was telling the truth, committing to one side or the other now might prevent her from pursuing a more lasting peace.  And she wasn't truly lying, either.  She was much weaker than she had once been, and direct combat had never been a focus for her.  She needed more understanding before she could commit any broad actions with a clear conscience.  “I am sure Revan will do well by you,” she added, “he is quite capable in combat.  I am sure his presence will more than make up for my absence.”

Celestia turned to Veritas, and spoke quietly to him before he had a chance to speak to the general.  “If you truly wish to join his cause, I will not stop you.  However, I must strongly argue against it.  In your current state, an intensive battle such as this could only make things more difficult.”

[Jack Darby]

"So this is how you work a dataverse device, and how you use a communicator."  This was spoken by Veritas to Celestia as thy mad their way back to Costa De Sol. Upon noticing the number of soldiers that were there and the fact they were recruiting for a cause, Veritas came to two conclusions. One the situation in the Pale Moors according to what he had overheard was not his problem. Thus he didn't feel an urgent need to get himself killed playing the role of the 'hero' as it were. Secondly Celestia was right. In his condition a dragged out battle was inadvisable to say the least, and could result in him literally dying. Until he had control, involving himself in anything like that was folly. 

Veritas told the general after he heard the words of Celestia. 

"I will not be going with you. I have my own plans, and right now am recovering from an accident." 

Not entirely the truth, but the curse had been accidentally triggered. 

He'd turn to Celestia. 

"Now,  Celestia. Tell me more about this Sombra that Revan mentioned. You seem to think he is a villain? Why is that?" 

[Celestia]

Veritas decided against joining the general's gathering forces which would be headed Darkshire.  It was a wise decision, in Celestia's opinion, although she felt his answer was a little cold.  He flatly refused, with reasons that were valid but perhaps a little insensitive to the concerns the people who would would need defending.  Even if Veritas had no intention of befriending these people, Celestia had found it was generally beneficial to play nice.

Not that Celestia intended to be too hard on him for it.  The experience he just had, while perhaps not viscerally violent, was very traumatic in its own right, and a lot could be forgiven on that basis.  Courtesy was something that could he could always develop later, after he'd had time to rest and recover.

With the general given his answer, Veritas had a question of his own for Celestia.  She couldn't tell precisely why he would take an interest in such a thing, her foremost guesses being either an interest in the history of his newfound companion or a potential hazard or resource to be considered later, but the question seemed innocent enough.  It was rare that giving someone a knowledge of future danger would make things worse.

“I call him a villain because he was.  Or perhaps I should say, is.  He was dangerous, ambitious, and entirely self-serving.  He conquered the Crystal Empire for no other reason than because he wanted it, and enslaved the populace.  The only way to save it at the time was to seal the entire nation away.  It was not recovered until a millennium had passed, and the moment it did Sombra returned to take it once again.  I try to see the best in everyone, but if there is any good in that pony I have never seen it.”  She paused for a moment.  Though she hadn't lost control, speaking of Sombra brought back some painful memories, and she wanted a moment to ensure she was calm before she continued.  “Should you ever encounter him, be careful.  He is very dangerous, and I have never head of him taking concerns for others to heart.”

Celestia sighed.  She always hated delivering bad news, but such was a the fate of a leader.  If there was one thing she was looking forward to about being in a place such as this, it was a break from what had previously been constant duties.  Thinking of which reminded her.  “I believe we should part ways for a time.  I have much to learn about the Omniverse, if I am to be a participant in it.  Much as I have enjoyed your company, I really do believe you should rest for a few days, and I intend to go places which I suspect to be quite hazardous in their own right.”

Celestia smiled at Veritas, and held up the orb on her improvised necklace.  She made a mental note to add the additional, explained features in the near future.  “I thank you for teaching me the theory behind these, and I hope we will keep in touch.”  She waited a moment to hear his response, and then began walking toward the gate to the Nexus.

[Exit]