Part 1
A torrential storm raged. Wind howled and lighting sadistically assaulted the ground; the intensity of the abnormal salvos made the earth shatter under the might of each hammering bolt. Rocks and mud fragmented after each lighting strike shredding the vegetation of the Ever-Free Forest. Protected from the assault two cloaked ponies smirked cruelly behind their brilliant green barrier, they scoffed in boredom as the storm wailed in frustration; and projectiles vainly sacrificed themselves against their barrier.
“It would seem the old pony legends are true, this storm is quite sudden…and unnatural. It seems the world is trying to stop us.” The cloaked stallion surveyed the forest, his crimson eyes burned with a sinister intellect. “We are getting closer,” he smiled. It was enough to make the bravest of ponies shiver.
The storm redoubled its meager efforts; rain turned to hail as the winds climaxed to a level of madness only the insane would comprehend. Trees snapped like twigs under mighty hooves and fell towards the barrier in a chaotic frenzy. The cloaked mare sighed with profound disinterest, as her eyes blazed a deep lavender, enveloping the trees in an icy blue glow; she suspended them in motion and crushed ther–e lifeless husks. Thousands of wooden shards bombarded the forest floor. The forest screamed in agony from the attack.
“You sure-do know how to show a mare a good time,” she smiled under the shroud of her cloak. The stallion softly chucked at the comment.
“Let us go my friend; we must not keep destiny waiting.” The stallion said; he playfully nudged the mare; who smiled warmly. “I’m going! I’m going!” She lightheartedly fussed and they trotted off though the storm.
The two ponies break through a dense drove of trees and enter a desolate clearing. The supernatural storm that once raged with a wrath never before felt by ponies’ rumbles with a horrifying moan in defeat; and diminishes as quickly as it did emerge. The light of the waxing moon pierces the canopy overhead; bring a welcomed but eerie light. The stallion lowers his hood and tilts his head upwards looking upon the welcomed sight of the moon. He was a unicorn with a horn the color of obsidian; and a coat darker then the raven’s feather. His mane and tail were short and strait, with alternating shade of brilliant and dark green.
“This is it, this is the spot,” he exclaimed. It was bleak circular clearing of lifeless earth – void of weeds and even rocks. Not even the most skilled Earth Ponies could bring back life to this patch of land.
The mare trotted alongside him and lowered her hood. She too was a unicorn with a horn and coat of vibrant icy blue, her mane and tail were long and the hue of delicate winter day. Her eyes blazed with a level of equal intellect and intent as the stallion and soft as lavender.
“So this is it?” The mare scuffed at the dirt with the front of her hoof. “Not what I was expecting - the legends always spoke of grand entrance that led to the underworld.” She frowned, looking around. “Maybe we got turned around in the storm?” she asked inquisitively.
The stallion trotted into the center of the clearing. “No Trixie - this is the correct place. We just need to use the key.” The stallion raises his left hoof to his mouth, he bites down; tearing a chuck of flesh from his left cannon, and spits the bloody lump tissue onto the ground he then starts to chant.
“Qh'nglui! Mglw'nafh!” His horn enthusiastically burns with a green flame.
“Phear! What in Celestia’s name are you doing?” Trixie screams in dismay; as she watches Phears blood eagerly flow from his limb onto the lifeless ground. The dirt slurps and churns in a disgusting spasm as it consume at his essence.
“Ia’! Ia’! Som-bra! Mlqe’wtui!” Phear continued the chant his horn engulfed by black chaotic energy; and body immersed in magical aura. Forging a lance of dark power he pierces the Earth. Gasping in horror Trixie staggers back as the ground tears apart like flesh lacerated by a jagged blade.
“Wgah'nagl-fhtagn! Wgah'nagl-fhtagn! Wgah'nagl fhtagn!” Phears chant comes to an end, as the dark energy dissipates from his body and cascaded onto the ground. A maw of earth and stone juts forth from the tear, he weakly looks upon the entrance he sought. A breach into a world of unknown and unspeakable horrors - or so the legends told. He wilts to the ground; the loss of blood and magical energy had fatigued him greater than he estimated. His mind was racing with abstract and horrific thoughts.
The earth continued to slurp at his blood, the sound echoed in his ears. “Surely I am just going mad,” he mumbled, placing his hoof over his injury to slow the bleed. The ground whimpered in protest. Phears eyes dilated as he shook his head in a maddening disbelief.
Trixie galloped up to Phear a plethora of emotions were inscribed on her face. Ranging from anger and fear to happiness…but mostly anger...he saw a lot of anger. She straddled over him lowering her forehead and placing her muzzle to his. She growled lowly.
“Trixie is not amused - why did you not tell us about this key…”
Okay…I know what you are thinking. Why was Trixie talking to me in third person? A fair and just question…as you know Trixie and I go way back…heck I’ve known her since she was my self-proclaimed rival in magic kindergarten…uhh I’m digressing. Bottom line, were close, and the two of us have always been very informal with one another. So here is your answer. Over the years I known Trixie I discovered “The Great and Powerful Trixie” speak is only used in three scenarios.
Scenario One: She is on stage conducting a show for ponies. Scenario Two: She is interacting with other ponies that are not her friends or self-classified as “The Drones of Equestria”. Then there is Scenario three: My least favorite…I say this because it was reserved only for me. This magnificent performance was always private and only occurred when I did something to upset her. So here I am lying on the ground, bleeding out in the middle of the Ever-Free Forest, straddled by an angry mare, while getting a private performance from the Great and Power Trixie - under any other circumstances this wouldn’t be that bad…Ahhh! What am I saying? I don’t have time to fantasies - enough with the inner monologue. I have a problem at hoof. A problem with S-Class magical powers!
Phear’s eyes widened in terror, he tried to wiggle his way out from under Trixie. She stomped her hoof next to his head and her horn glowed with an excited blue light.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie demands and answer and she will get one now!” She stomped her hoof by his head again. Her voice and body trembled with anger and terror alike. Phear’s pupils dilated as his adrenalin coursed. He had never seen Trixie this upset, but he knew she had good reason to be. He lied to her…
Trixie had been his friend forever they even attended “Celestia School for Gifted Unicorns” together. She was the only pony he ever called his friend. Sure he knew other ponies…but no one he could trust like Trixie. She was his “BPFF”. They shared everything, and he never once told her a lie. He had been keeping secrets from her and lying all night. He knew this had to be done, what the spell called for, and that it could have got them both killed.
Phear tried to look…ashamed by his actions, but he couldn’t, her soft lavender eyes brimmed with tears.
“I’m sorry Trixie…I…I’m sorry. I…I should have told you. I was scared…scared that if you found out you would have tried to stop me.” His voice was weak, shameful of his actions. He hurt his only friend, the only pony he cared about more than himself. Phear reached up with his right hoof and wiped the fledging tears from her eyes.
“Phear…I…I…you’re an idiot.” Trixie sniffed. “I know how important this is to you, why in Celestia’s name would I try to stop you?” She lowered her forehead to his, and nuzzled him softly. “We started this together…and we will finish this together. I’ll be here with you to the end.” She sniffed again. “Just promise me next time you do something, like this again you will warn me.” Phear returned her nuzzle, trying not to bleed all over the mare. “I promise” he whispered.
After a short hug Trixie un-straddled her captive and helped Phear sit upright. Trixie them applied a bandage; and cast a healing spell on Phear’s self-inflected wound. Pleased by her work she helped him to all fours; he stood firmly but favoring his injured forearm.
“You should favor that leg for a few days but should have no problems tolerating weight if needed…How does it feel?” She lowered her voice asking in motherly tone, as one might address a small foal. Phear flexed the flexor tendons in his injured cannon a few times.
“It feels good, your art of healing would rival that of Celestia. Thank you Trixie.” She smiled at the complement. Then narrowing her eyes turned and bucked him in the chest. Phear traveled several paces under the assisted flight, crashing by the entrance of the great maw. Trixie sashayed up to him and looked down upon him as an as a disapproving mother.
“That is for making Trixie worry about you, don’t ever do it again.” She huffed, tossing her head aside. Her wintry mane covered her face allowing Phear to catch a glimpse of a quick smirk. He let lose an exaggerated moan and over emphasized climbing back to all fours, trying not to place too much weight on his injured forearm.
“Yes…yes ma’am.” They both exchanged a jubilant grin, as their horns glowed with a vibrant light illuminating the maw. The sight of the breach was beyond words. Old pony tales always spoke of a vast tunnel of earth and stone that lead into the underworld.
What lay before them gave even Phear the chills, which is saying a lot…after all he was a renowned writer of pony horror. The sight made his stomach descend, and skin skulk… he looked upon terror, absolute unmolested terror. His body seized and his mind scrapped and screamed for the escape of death…for sanity, a moment of lucidity.
The two laughed nervously; attempting to hide the madness that escaped their lips. They stood motionlessly, their minds desperately trying to rationalize the spectacle before them. Where should have been earth and stone, was only bone…pony bones bound with a mortar that could only be conceived as liquidized flesh and blood mixed with mud. The path was littered with various skulls some native to the world and others…others so exotic they could not be of this world…this dimension. Then there was the sound…oh the sound…the beating…a thumping... rhythmic pulse from within the walls. What hysterical that sound could cause…The two ponies stood for what seemed an eternity, their minds feebly attempting to rationalize what lay before them.
As the battle of frantic control ended in the ponies psyche for dominion of their limbs, they turned to one another and released a sigh of relief. Nodding weakly they trotted down the path of skulls, there hoof beats muffed by the feverous rhythmic pulse of the walls.
Both were unsure what obstacles lay before them, what unspeakable terrors they might find, or horrors they would face. Regardless they would do so as they have always have done in the past…they would do so together.
