Between Life and Death

The next morning, the group started getting everything packed away and prepared to continue their journey to Ce’dal.

“Clockwork, where’s my toothbrush!?” Monochrome yelled as he rummaged through the large travel bag Twilight packed.

“How should I know, I never touched it!” Clockwork yelled back as he torn down some of the boards on the buildings.

“Clockwork I know you did something with it, this has you’re drug addicted scent on it.” Monochrome picked up a rock and threw it at him, and without noticing he ducked down and it went through the window he was un-boarding. He looked up and saw the hole in it. “Clockwork, just tell me what you did with it since I’m not leaving without it.” Monochrome continued. Clockwork ignored him and continued ripping boards of the window, Monochrome sighed.

“Monochrome, come see this!” Nyx yelled from a block away, Monochrome put the bag down and rushed over to her, when he turned a corner I met with the others.

“What is it?” They moved out of the way and he walked past them and was immediately surprised by what he saw. It was Braeburn, his body was in a mangled mess, hos right ear was missing, his legs were gone, he was missing his right arm and he had no eyes.

“Holly shit-“

“I think I’m going to vomit.” Agony interrupted and went back around the corner.

“Who is that?” Nyx asked.

“He’s a relative of mine. Was kind of wondering what happened to him.” Apple jack replied, and without saying anything she walked off. Monochrome touched his head to his chest then his shoulders together then walked off, then the others joined them shortly later.

“So, all of you ready to go?” Clockwork asked as he threw a board threw the window.

“Yeah might as well, got nothing ells to do-why are you doing that, I’ve been wondering that.” Monochrome asked as he put his helmet on and sat on the second quad.

“Oh, I kind of got bored, so decided to do a little destruction.” He replied as he tore off another board and threw it through the window again.

“Clockwork, problem!” Monochrome yelled.

“What is it.”

“Things are out of gas, it won’t start.”

“…Crap, ok hold on, give me a sec.” Clockwork snapped his fingers and red tanks appeared next to each thing. “Fill them up; I’ll be with you in a sec.” He continued pulling off the boards, Monochrome shook his head in irritation then picked up the red tank and started filling up the quad and the others did the same. After about seven minutes everyone was all set and ready to go, they got onto their quads and started them, as they got ready Clockwork finished pulling boards off the windows then got onto his quad. “You all ready?!” everyone sounded off, afterwards, Clockwork started his engine the led the others further into the desert. Three hours passed and the group made it to the border of the Ce’Dal research camp. They stopped the motors of the quads and dismounted.

“Yo! Ankh, we’re here.” Clockwork shouted as he took off his helmet. Ankh side with disappointment.

“So it would seem.” He turned around and faced them. “You’re majesties I welcome you to sanctuary, for reason of safety I must ask that you not wander off the…grounds.” He slowed down as he noticed that it wasn’t the regal sisters Clockwork brought with him. “Clockwork…what the bloody hell is this?”

“Oh, yeah, the sisters died so…they kind of demanded that I brought them.” Clockwork started laughing nervously. Ankh’s eyebrow started twitching with irritation.

“Clockwork, we had a deal, you bring the sisters here and I allow you to stay here-“

“Hey, you never said what to do if they died-“

“Their bloody immortals! They can’t die-!”

“Yeah well tell that to the two tons of metal, the fire, and a horde of undead the size Pony-Ville-!”

“Wait, wait, hold up a second…Did you just say, undead?” Monochrome interrupted.

“Yes, undead, zombies…how could you not know?” Clockwork replied.

“I was honestly thinking they were just sick.”

“Monochrome, some of them had missing limbs. How could you think that.” Ankh added. Monochrome groaned. “Anyway since your all here, might as well let you stay, I could use the extra security while I’m researching. Come with me, I’ll show you to where you’ll be staying. Oh, and before I forget, be careful, there is this one man here, he tends to anger quickly.”

“Who is it?”  Monochrome asked, as he took a step forward, a special carbon steel arrow hit the sand ground right in front of his hoof. He looked up to see where it came from, turns out there was no one there with a bow besides Ankh.

“That must be him.” Ankh told the others. He lifted his arm and pointed behind them, and it turns out the arrow came from behind them all. “Ladies and gentlemen,” He walked pass them all and up to the strange man and patted him on his back. “This is my body guard and personal assistant, Arrowhead-“

“I don’t mind you calling me a body guard, but don’t you ever, Ever, call me an assistant.” The man snapped at him. He was wearing a light brown vest with what looked like tacks in the pockets, greyish colored jeans, and a blood red shirt.

“Nice to meet you all, the name’s Arrowhead.” He reached out his arm and offer to shake hands with one of the others. They all hesitated to meet him, but after a second Twilight walked past them all and shook his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, My name is Twilight Sparkle, Princess of magic.”

“Ah, princess, it’s an honor to meet you.” Arrowhead too knee.

“You can suck up to her later Arrow, we have business to take care of.” Monochrome separated the two of them. “Ankh you said you needed extra security?”

“Yes, yes I did-“

“What, worlds best archer not good enough?” Arrowhead complained. Ankh groaned in annoyance. “So, Ankh told me that he hired someone to escort the regal sisters-“

“Right here.” Clockwork stepped forward.

“Cool…so, where are they?” Arrowhead asked.

“Where are who?”

“…The sisters, you were hired to escort theme here.”

“Oh…um, yeah sorry pal, they uh…didn’t make it”

“What…?” Arrowhead replied with a fainted voice.

“Yeah sorry…but why do you care-“

“Clockwork shush.” Ankh interrupted. Arrowhead turned away from them, his body started shaking and trebling. Ankh approached him casually. “Arrow, are you all-“Arrowhead extended his arm and punched him causing him to fly 5 feet away.

“”Luna was my mother…” Arrowhead started, he turned around and faced them. ”When I was 5 my house caught on fire. My parents couldn’t get out, so they got me out. Luna must have been watching out of pity that night and couldn't get there on time. She took me in, raised me, and treated me like her own son. When I was of age, Princess Celestia saw potential in me for the royal guard. She sent me off to a master of Archery off the coast of Manehattan there's literally an invisible island called Isle Artemis. She sent me there to train with Quick Shot, the master of archery.” Ankh stumbles up to him and places his arm on his shoulder to keep himself balanced.

“Any who,” Ankh said as he striated his glasses. ”Follow me, I have something important to show you all.” He lead them all through the camp site and to the sphinx, he waved to the two people on the paws and they started turning the wooden wheels on it and the large stone gate leading into the catacombs started opening. Ankh guided them in and when they were all in the gates quickly closed behind them.

“So…what’s going on exactly?” Monochrome asked as he lit up his horn and lit up the entire room.

“I have something, very shocking to show you all, be prepared to see this.” Ankh walked forward and knocked on the stone wall, and a second later it started opening.

“We had to transform the temple into a prison due to all this.” He guided them deeper into the tombs of the stone temple and eventually they reached a colossal stone room that was almost empty, except for a single light source at the bottom of the pit.

“This is all because of…him…”