Chapter Five - The Void They Left

Back in Equestria, at the crack of dawn, Clarion Call finally came upon the worn-down shop he had been searching for.  Trying the knob, he found it to be locked.  "Hey!" he shouted, pounding on the door.  "Haggle, you in there!?  Open up!"  There was no answer.   "Good thing I tagged the place," he thought, grinning, as his horn flickered to life and he was instantly transported inside.

"Yeesh," he hissed, observing the room full of dusty, disorganized wares, piled atop one another, "this place has seen better days.  How am I gonna find it under all this junk?"

"Junk, you say?" an elderly voice said behind him as a light fixture clicked on illuminating a gray-coated pony with a braided, light blue mane and a small pair of glasses clutching the top of his muzzle.  "I find that to be rather rude of you, especially seeing as how you've broken into my shop before I've opened it for the day."

"Yeah, well," Clarion replied, turning towards the shopkeeper, "I'm trying to keep a schedule here."

"Clarion Call!" the shopkeeper gasped, taking a step back, eyes wide and teeth bared.  "How dare you come into my shop after everything you've stolen from me!"

"Sure, it's awkward, I get it," Clarion replied, rolling his eyes, "but this time I'm actually willing to pay you for something, so calm down before you give yourself a stroke, geezer."

"Your money is no good here, thief," the shopkeeper replied, shaking his head.  "Leave my shop this instant.  Rest assured, I'll be reporting this to the Royal Guard as soon as you do!  I know that you're still a wanted man!"

"Oh, hey, look at that!" Clarion exclaimed, pointing towards the wall behind the shopkeeper, upon which had been nailed Clarion's very own wanted poster.  "Didn't realize they were passing those out!  That picture's really out of date, though.  I've lost a little weight since then, thanks for noticing by the way.  Been running around all over the place, it's been a busy three years for me."

"Get out!" the shopkeeper shouted, stomping his hoof.

"Fine, here you go, jerk," Clarion sighed, producing a rather large sack from his saddlebag, suspended in the air with his magic, before tossing it onto the floor between the two ponies.  The heavy sound of countless, shifting metal pieces denoted that the bag's contents were gold bits.  "That's compensation for everything I've ever stolen from you.  There are two more bags with me, and if you help me out, you'll get all three."

"We'll just see about that..." the shopkeeper replied, raising an eyebrow, as he prodded at the sack until the top fell open.  His eyes widened and he practically salivated as he saw the sheer amount of money in the bag.  "Keep talking," he replied quickly.

"'Atta boy, glad to see you haven't changed!  I'm looking for the Alicorn Amulet," Clarion explained, causing the old stallion to jerk his head upward and give him a strange look.

"My word!" the shopkeeper exclaimed.

"I've been tracking the thing across Equestria, and the last piece of info I got led me here.  If you've still got it, I'm buyin'."

"Something as valuable as that..." the shopkeeper replied, tilting his head.  "And to think you'd actually be willing to pay for it instead of stealing it.  What do you want it for?"

"Power," Clarion replied, simply.  "I know, I know, 'power is a means, not an end', etcetera, but I'm working on something that's top secret, very hush-hush, so don't get nosy!  All you need to know is that your contribution will make you a very rich pony."

"Seems as though you have at least some idea of what it does, as well," the shopkeeper said, stroking his chin.  "Well, that particular item has already been sold to somepony else, and even if it weren't, I can't imagine a scoundrel like yourself using a relic like that for anything pleasant."

"Who'd you sell it to?" Clarion asked.

"Terribly sorry," the shopkeeper replied, raising a hoof as if gesturing for a full stop, "but it's against store policy to share that sort of information."

"Bag number two for the name," Clarion replied, producing a second sack, just as large as the first.

"Trixie Lulamoon," the shopkeeper replied flatly, snatching the bag away from Clarion Call.  "I believe she's some sort of travelling magician."

"Yeah, I've heard of her," Clarion replied.  "Shouldn't be too hard to find.  Anyways, think fast!"  Immediately, the third sack shot out of the saddlebag and landed in the shopkeepers compulsively outstretched arms, causing him to collapse to the ground.

"In exchange for what?" the shopkeeper asked, returning to his feet and adjusting his glasses.

"I was never here," Clarion explained.  "You didn't see me, you didn't talk to me, and you definetely didn't hear me ask about the Alicorn Amulet.  Capiche?"

"Fair enough," the shopkeeper grinned.  "Thank you for your business, and please come again."

...

Twilight Sparkle's parents came upon the large, stone door, which was promptly opened.  Spike had been waiting for them.  "Glad you're here," he said, the bags under his eyes reflecting his recent lack of sleep.  "Everypony else is already inside."

"Thank you, Spike," Twilight's mother said, embracing the baby dragon tightly.  "It was very kind of Princess Celestia to let us use the Castle Ballroom to come together like this."  Her father nodded as they entered the grand chamber.  Inside were numerous cots, chairs, and a wide variety of food and drink.  The Apples were there: Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and a teary-eyed Applebloom.

Magnum and Pearl, Rarity's parents, were seated near them, Sweetie Belle at their side.  Scootaloo sat between Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, and a stallion who appeared to resemble Rainbow Dash sat amongst them.  Those three families were deep in conversation with one another, and attempting to console the three fillies, who seemed unresponsive to said attempts.

A few feet away were Pinkie Pie's parents, Cloudy Quartz and Igneous Rock, as well as her sisters, Marble and Limestone.  With them sat the Cakes, whom Pinkie had been staying with in Ponyville, and their two infant children.  "I think we should say hello to the Apples first," Twilight's father said to his wife.  "It was Applejack who disappeared with Twilight."  As they approached the other families, the doors swung open yet again, and Princess Celestia walked into the room.  All conversation stopped, and all eyes turned towards her.  Everyone waited with bated breath.

"Let me begin by saying that it is an honor to meet all of you," Celestia said, continuing her approach.  "Your relatives have aided my sister and I time and again, and they are all exemplary heroines.  I offer you my deepest condolences on the recent news of their disappearance."

"Have your guards found anything?" Spike asked, his eyes shimmering.

"Very little," Celestia replied, bowing her head.  "Though we do have more information to work with than we had at first.  Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were last seen in Las Pegasus, as we initially believed.  The Griffon they were travelling with, who goes by the name of Gilda, also disappeared."

"Was this 'Gilda' involved?" Carrot Cake asked.

"We've found nothing to indicate that," Celestia replied.  "Rarity and Fluttershy were spotted heading into Diamond Dog territory the day before yesterday, following one of them."

"I bet they kidnapped them!" Spike said, clenching his fist.

"The Diamond Dogs allowed my soldiers to explore the entirety of their mine, but we found nothing.  Spot, the one they were travelling with, testified that Rarity and Fluttershy did, indeed follow him to the mines, but that they departed shortly thereafter, heading back towards Ponyville.  We've found no evidence to contradict that testimony," Celestia said, shaking her head delicately.

"What about Twilight and my big sis!?" Applebloom shouted.

"All we know is that someone tampered with the train they were riding," Celestia replied.  "The cart they were in was disconnected from the rest of the train at the front and back, but nopony we've come across witnessed what, exactly, caused that.  There is no trace of the cart itself, and no clues at the scene to help us.  We found everypony who had tickets placing them in that cart bound and gagged near the train station, but none of them were able to identify their attackers."

"Tell me, Apples," the Princess continued, "did you notice whether or not the cart they boarded had been empty?"  All three family members shook their heads, indicating that they had not noticed.  "I see," Celestia replied, lowering her head.  "What's more, the Zap Apple order that came from Princess Cadence, which actually requested the presence of all of Twilight's friends, had been intercepted by an unknown party, and altered to only invite Twilight and Applejack."  Gasps from the Apple family could be heard.

"So basically, my daughter and her friends vanished without a trace from three separate places," the stallion with the rainbow colored mane replied, standing up.  "What could that mean?"

"I fear that this may have been an organized effort to deprive Equestria of the wielders of the Elements of Harmony, or perhaps a personal vendetta against Twilight and her friends."  All heads sank as the family members whispered amongst themselves.  "Spike?" the Princess asked.

"I did as you asked, Princess," Spike replied, nodding.  "I took the Elements of Harmony out of the library's display case and hid them away."

"Good, do not tell anypony where they are," Celestia replied.  She then addressed everyone in the room.  "Rest assured, we are devoting as many resources as possible to this investigation," Celestia continued, lifting her head and speaking even more deliberately.  "What's more, those six ponies are among the most resourceful I've seen.  I have great confidence that wherever they are, they are unharmed.  We will do everything in our power to bring our girls home."

"Thank you, Princess," Spike said, his voice quivering as the others extended similarly-phrased gratitude.

"In the meantime, I encourage all of you to remain here, together.  This is likely going to become a more difficult process as our search continues, and I believe that it will be beneficial for all of you to have each other to lean on."  All heads nodded, and all ponies turned to look at one another, smiling weakly.

"What about Shining Armor and Cadence?" Twilight's mother called out.  "Will they be joining us?"

"I do not know," Celestia replied, looking off to the side.  "They haven't left the last known location of Twilight's and Applejack's cart since the investigation began.  Shining has been working himself to the bone trying to find clues.  He... is not handling this well, and Princess Cadence is doing everything she can to help him."

Princess Celestia bid them all farewell, and exited the ballroom, only allowing tears to flow from her eyes once the others could no longer see her face.

...

"Shining, you really should take a break from this and let the others take over," Cadence said, laying her hoof on her husband's shoulder.  "The Sun's starting to set, and you've been wandering up and down this train track for the better part of the last two days.  What are you even looking for?"

"Clues," Shining replied as he glared down at a section of the tracks, his jaw clenched and his horn aglow.

"So let's allow the other soldiers to take over for a while and head back to our tent.  You need to get some rest."  She pointed towards the large group of tents that were pitched and moved as the investigation progressed from the length of the track between the train's detachment and the Crystal Empire.

"The others don't know what to look for.  I do," Shining said, continuing to shine the light of his horn down on the tracks as he moved forward at a slow pace.

"And don't you think it's about time you told me what you were looking for?" Cadence asked.

"Yeah," Shining sighed.  "and I'm sorry I've been so short with you."  He turned to gaze into her eyes.  "I'm just worried."

"We both are," Cadence replied, locking him in a quick embrace.

"As for what I'm looking for, do you remember those wanted posters that were being passed around the Kingdom?" Shining asked.

"Yes, I think so..." Cadence replied, tapping her chin.  "The ones about that unicorn, Clarion Call?"

"Exactly," Shining replied, nodding, as he turned his focus back to the train tracks.  "He and I served in the same squad in the Royal Guard, back before I was promoted to Captain and he was dishonorably discharged and arrested."

"Arrested?"

"Right," Shining Armor replied, nodding.  "When I knew him, he used his magic to create these sorts of two-way windows that allowed for communication between locations that were really far apart.  The guy was a total jerk, and I never really liked him, but that ability came in handy for us quite a few times."

"I'd imagine it would," Cadence replied, following him along the tracks.

"But that wasn't all he could do," Shining replied.  "Eventually, we found out that he could use his magic to place a sort of invisible mark at any location he chose, and could then instantly teleport to any mark he had placed any time he wanted.  He had been using that ability to commit countless thefts."

"Right, I remember that now," Cadence replied.

"And I was the one who apprehended him," Shining continued, stopping to focus more closely on a single spot before shaking his head and continuing on.  "After the warrant was issued for his arrest, I was tasked with bringing him in.  While tracking him, I had figured out how to use my own magic to detect those tags of his."

"After that," he continued, "all I had to do was figure out the next place he'd attempt to rob, which wound up being a rare diamond exhibit at the Trottingham Museum.  I waited by the mark he had placed there until the museum closed for the night, and trapped him with a barrier spell once he showed up.  He went to prison, but wound up escaping three years ago.  It was on the night that Nightmare Moon returned, he took advantage of the chaos.  He hadn't been seen since."

"Didn't Princess Celestia seal away his magic?" Cadence asked, now walking alongside her husband.

"She did," Shining Armor replied, sparing a glance up at her.  "But he was seen using it again a few weeks ago."

"And you think-"

"Yes," Shining Armor replied, interrupting her, "I think that when three pairs of ponies, all in different locations, and all vital to Equestria's defense, disappear without a trace on the same day, it's extremely likely that Clarion Call is involved.  I'm going to search every inch of this track until I find his mark."

"Shining, that's going to take a very long time," Cadence replied, frowning.

"It takes as long as it takes," Shining Armor replied, unfazed.

"If all you're looking for is his mark, why not search the other two locations?" Cadence asked, shrugging a shoulder.

"Hm?" Shining grunted.

"The hotel room or the area around the Diamond Dogs' lair.  Those areas are much smaller than the length of this track, and if your theory is correct, you'll still find what you're looking for!" Cadence replied, leaning closer to Shining Armor.

"Babe, you're a genius," Shining replied, giving her a peck on the cheek.  "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you've spent the past two days in a constant state of panic and refused to sleep," Cadence replied, smirking.

"I get it," Shining replied, scratching the back of his head.  "I'll get some rest before we head out.  It isn't fair to Twily if I do this half-hooved."

...

Two Pegasi guards stood on either edge of the bridge connecting the sidewalk to the entrance of the great hall which contained the magically sealed vault of the Elements of Harmony, and the stained glass windows which depicted various key moments in Equestria's history.  It was midnight, and though they were exhausted with everything that had been going on, the guards were ever vigilant.

"I never like standing this post so late at night," the guard on the right said.

"No kidding," the guard on the left responded, nodding.  "This area's so poorly lit beyond the bridge, and it's so quiet here, the slightest sound always makes me want to reach for my sword."  Suddenly, the sound of a snapping twig a few yards in front of them caught their attention.  "See?"

"Actually..." the guard on the right said, peering into the darkness, "I think somebody's there."  The other guard looked more closely as well, perceiving some sort of shadowy figure standing at the edge of the darkness.

"Look at how tall that thing is," the guard on the left said.  "That's definitely not a pony, and it's really making me feel uneasy."  His knees shook.

"What's your business here!?" the guard on the right demanded.  Near the top of this strange, tall figure, a pair of eyes opened, emitting a light so bright that if they did contain pupils, they were not visible.  Both guards gradually started to hyperventilate, and they clutched at the backs of their heads with a  single hoof each, the sensation of pain reflected in the way the flesh around their eyes contracted.

"Turn back!" the guard on the left shouted, sweating.  "Turn back and get out of here or we'll throw you in the dungeon!"  The glowing eyes tilted to the side.

"You heard him!"  The guard on the right whimpered.  "You can't be here!"

"You have until the count of three before I draw my swor-" the guard on the left was cut off as the figure darted out from the darkness straight towards him, moving so fast that both guards could only perceive his now-visible head as a gray blur, the rest of his body covered by a long, black coat.  As it closed in, the guard, not being physically touched at this point, was slammed against the wall by an invisible force as a wave of pressure crashed down on him, pushing his lips apart, exposing his teeth, and blowing back his mane.

His armor was completely shattered as he screamed in pain, bruises now covering the entire front of his body.  The street lights exploded, sending a cloud of sparkling glass shards hurtling away from the scene.  Only the moonlight illuminated the single claw that shot forth to grasp the guard's neck, pinning him against the wall.

The guard, wide-eyed and pale, was losing air.  His vision was blurred and distorted, but he still managed to wrap his hooves around the thing's arm, applying as much pressure as he could.  The glowing eyes, now only inches from the guard's face, illuminated a large, disgusting smile filled with pearly-white, asymmetrical teeth of varying sizes.  The other guard, having been knocked flat on his back by the pressure emanating from the creature, his armor now visibly cracked, watched helplessly as his comrade gradually loosened his grip on the monster's arm.

Finally, he released his grasp completely, and his arms fell, hanging lifelessly at the poor stallion's sides.  The strange creature released its own grip, and the guard's limp form fell to the floor.  Not even acknowledging the other guard, the monster slammed its palm against the door, causing it to break and fall inwards.  It entered the hall and began to walk towards the other end.

The guard struggled to support himself on his elbows and turned to observe this thing that had gotten past them.  The moonlight shining through the stained glass windows offered a clearer view of the creature.  Tall and thin, with arms and legs of a great length that was disproportionate to its torso, the creature's posture while walking was surprisingly elegant, a slight swagger punctuating each step.

"What is that thing!?" the guard whispered, feeling more at ease with each inch the creature put between them.  Its head drifted back and forth, its eye-line lining up with the various stained glass windows.  It stopped in front of the vault door, which was said to contain the Elements of Harmony.

"That's it," The guard whispered, grinning.  "Just try and force it open, monster!"  The being did just that, slamming its palm against the surface as it had done to the entrance, when suddenly, the figure was consumed by a bright light.  The monster jolted backwards, stumbling away from the door, screeching in pain as the light enveloping it grew brighter.  Though the guard was happy that the beast had been immobilized, the unusual sound it was making threatened to rupture his eardrums.

He covered his ears with his hooves and waited for reinforcements to be drawn to the activation of the failsafe.  Unfortunately, after about a minute had passed, the containment field burst, and the creature returned to its upright position.  "That just isn't possible..." the guard said, his mouth agape.  Again, the creature slammed his palm against the vault door, only this time, the door collapsed, and the monster was unharmed.  "He's immune to it now?" the guard thought, breathing heavily.  "This is really bad.  Just what in the hay am I dealing with!?"

The creature reached into the exposed vault and removed a box that was adorned with gems.  The guard could hear the creak of metal hinges as the box was opened, and subsequently thrown to the ground, the imprints of the Elements of Harmony within it being empty.  Before the guard could react, the creature dashed back down the hall and was upon him.  Anxiety overtook him again as this unknown monster leered down at him.  He felt as though its very gaze was pressing him into the ground.

"Where are the Elements of Harmony!?" a deep voice growled, the tone of it making the guard feel as though his very bones were shaking inside his body.  He was terrified, but at the same time, felt a strange sense of what he could only describe as familiarity, or perhaps it was longing that he felt.  Neither possibility made any sense to him.

"They've... they've been hidden..." the guard said, struggling with his words under the creature's watch.  "I wasn't told where, I'm sorry!"  The monster straightened its stance, leaning away from the guard, who at this point was suffering from an extreme case of nausea.  That was when a large, rough, leathery foot was dropped upon his throat.  A squad of Pegasi soldiers arrived a few moments later, finding two fallen guards, injured but still alive, two shattered doors, and a lot of questions.