"Oh?" Met said, a little surprised; she hadn't pictured either of them as romantic types, but she was incredibly glad some one in this realm now had the opportunity to be. "Well, um, that's good!" She turned to Xarame and spoke softly; "This is good, isn't it, Xarame?" Xarame nodded her confirmation. "It is indeed glad news, sister," She replied, with equal softness. "Ah, all's well then." Met said, before giving Xarame a double take, on account of her new speaking pattern. She looked at her friend curiously until she spotted the small yellow bird on her shoulder. "Ah, a Babel Bird," A look of comprehension passed across her face. She looked expectantly at Discord. "And? Were any other matters discussed whilst I was absent?"
"We decided it was best to discuss battle plans when you were present, so you could be involved," Frozen said.
"I appreciate that," Met said, nodding to Frozen respectfully. "Has your control over your hive returned?" Discord inquired, gingerly. Met hung her head a little sadly. "Unfortunately it has not. At least, not fully; I can reach out to the Changelings remaining here, but I would need to get closer to contact those still enslaved in the other fortresses."
"Then that's what we will do," he said as he slipped an arm around Xarame, "we'll get as close as we comfortably can to each fortress and use subterfuge to contact the changelings inside, to formulate a plan."
Xarame eeped a little at the contact, but quickly relaxed and didn't protest. Discord and Met both smiled a little to see their respective friends happy. "A commendable plan, Frozen," Met reponded. "Yes, good good." Discord agreed. "I suggest we only take a small force with us. This fortress is unlikely to see another major attack in the immediate future, so perhaps Xarame and our old friend Healing Hoof could organize things here whilst we are gone? Bury the dead and destroy the relics of the previous regime; make this place an oasis of hope and a beacon for those that would be free."
Frozen nodded, he would feel best if Xarame were back at the base and safe. He was certain she could handle herself, but didn't want to put her in any more danger than she was already in. "We'll leave as soon as you are ready," Frozen said. ("For now i must use the pool of contemplation!")
(The pool of contemplation is a powerful tool! Socrates had one you know.) Xarame gave an affirmative nod. "I think I would rather do this; I am not built for war. I shall see if I can find this 'Healing Hoof'." She stood and trotted to the door, giving them all a nod, and Frozen a lingering look, before heading down to the courtyard. "Ok," Discord said, standing up and walking over to the map table. "So where exactly is this... Mauron's Fortress?" "Here." Met said, joining him and pointing to one of the marks on the map. "There are cliffs overlooking it from the North; that would probably be the best location for our purposes." "Hmm, looks like the spot Frozen and I entered this realm at is closer than here," Discord observed. "Do you think you could teleport us there, son?" He asked, looking at Frozen.
Frozen nodded gently and touched his hooves together. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He visualized the location in his mind, and visualized the three of them within that space. A flash of blinding light popped, and there they were!
"Ah! I'd forgotten how lovely this place was." Discord said, dryly. Met looked around, trying to get her bearings. "I believe it is that way." She said, after a while, pointing towards a rocky rise, just beyond the sulphur lake. Discord conjured a compass, to try and help guide them, but to his dismay it simply span erratically.
"I see," Discord said, throwing the useless device over his shoulder, where it promptly exploded. "Well, looks like I'll have to do this the old fashioned way." He transformed into his crow form, and took flight, circling higher and higher until he could spy the fortress; Met was right about the direction, and the distance was not so great as he'd feared. As he returned to terra firma, he informed the others of this. "Well of course it's over there." Met said, shortly. "I said it was." "Yes, of course, I- I wasn't doubting you! I just... Sorry, Met." Discord responded, reproachfully, returning to his normal form. He sighed as she trotted off without a word.
Frozen started to interject, but soon thought better of it. He patted his father on the back and motioned for him to follow as he followed Met.
In a short space of time, they had skirted the sulphur lake, crested the rocky rise, and made their way to the top of the cliffs; below them lay Mauron's Fortress. It was a different animal entirely than Arzeroth's Fortress had been; the perimeter was horseshoe-shaped, and ringed by a curtain wall; inside this wall, the land was scared by a vast quarrying and rock-farming operation, with deep pits and crude machinery; at the centre of it all rose a tower, a brutal and jagged affair, seemingly made of some kind of obsidian, it looked like some broken and burned rib thrusting from the very bowels of the realm. "Hmm. Are we sure we have the right place?" Discord quipped.
Discord sat heavily on a rock. "How are we going to liberate that?" he asked, despairingly. Met was quiet, seemingly focusing on something far in the distance.
Met held up a hoof for silence; she was attempting to contact her swarm within the fortress, and required total concentration. As she struggled, Discord pulled out a pair of binoculars and studied the grounds within the walls; they were teaming with a similar mix of species to those they had already liberated, with one vital difference; here the Changelings were the guards. Unsure what this meant for them, he handed the binoculars over to Frozen, face graven with concern.
Frozen's face scrunched in concern. Why would the changelings be the ones in charge of the other prisoners, ubless they had already rioted? He wasn't sure..
"I can feel them," Met said, suddenly looking back at Discord and Frozen, "And I think I could reach out to them, but there is something wrong, some dark force acting upon them; I'm not sure how they would react to my commands. I think we may need to isolate one of them, question him and see if we can find a way to lift this dark influence."
