Past Remnants

Chapters

Strife
The Professor
The Final Fall of the Saurian Empire
Return of the Lost
The Last Battle
Epilogue
The Call

Strife

The sound of voices pulled Lyra from the depths of her dreams.

“...it was truly massive.” Corona muttered, “How did a construction like that….”

“The whole floor was obscured from my vision. I was told as soon as my charges discovered it….”

Their voices faded as they passed the room, continuing on their way. Frowning, Lyra carefully untangled herself from Bon Bon and crept to the curtain door. Peering out, she caught the tail ends of Corona, Luna and The Watcher turn out of sight.

Frowning, Lyra turned her head the way they came, and the pathway that was leading deeper into the pyramid. Glancing back at the sleeping form of Bon Bon, she sighed and began to trot into the depths.

The logical voice in her head spoke up again, asking exactly what she was doing.

I’m seeing what’s so important that the reptile called two alicorns over. She answered to herself. That’s what I’m doing.

But you don’t even know what that reptile is. The voice argued back. Should you really be doing this?

I’m a knight of Equestria!

Luna can handle herself!

“Lyra?”

Luna’s voice was unmistakable. Putting on her best innocent smile, Lyra turned to find the alicorns and ghostly creature all staring at her.

“...Let’s face it, this isn’t the most reckless thing I’ve done.”

Corona and Luna exchanged an exasperated glance, while The Watcher just shook his head with a bemused expression.

“Curiosity killed the pony you know.”

“Look, you promised me answers.” Lyra fired back, “And I am a knight of Equestria! I want to know what you’re all talking about and when you’ll be able to send Bon Bon and me back home!”

“Ooo! This one’s got fight in her.” He beamed, “Strong ponies you have Luna. Strong ponies.” Sweeping forward, he motioned with his staff, “Follow me. I’ll show you exactly what the problem is.”

“Are you sure this is wise?” Corona spoke up, of all ponies, “What you showed us-”

“Can’t hide forever Celestia. Can’t hide forever.”

Corona frowned, but didn’t offer any further objections. Concern was evident on Luna’s face as well, but the Princess of the Night didn’t say anything, only following behind as The Watcher lead the way into the lowest level of the ziggurat.

Lyra couldn’t help but notice that they passed many large chambers that looked like they had once been storage rooms, but were now turned into communal sleeping chambers, large mess halls, and other bastions of domesticity.

Eventually, however, the rooms and corridors, decked out to resemble a very large house transitioned abruptly back to those of a war fortress, with harsh carvings on the walls, and a thick, musty scent in the air. The carvings were intimidating, showing the motif of the three kinds of reptiles from the disk, decked out in armor.

The chambers here were also full of...things. Blocky shapes arranged in the rough forms of the disk creatures. Constructed out of thick, blocky stone they reminded her of the golems of Bray and Grogar, except tougher looking; constructs built for a conflict that never happened, judging by thick layer of dust on their surfaces.

Eventually, they stepped into a truly massive chamber, the vaulted ceiling disappearing beyond the glow of the magical lights and their illumination. The back wall was dominated by a pair of thick stone doors, that looked like they could lock away a dragon. But what truly took Lyra’s breath away was the golem that dominated the center of the room.

Standing nearly twenty feet tall and forty feet long, its bulky body was balanced over two powerful legs, tipped with obsidian claws. Its forelegs...or arms? looked very small in comparison to the rest of its body, but its head seemed truly massive, a rictus grin carved into its stone form. A half-circle shaped crest rose from its neck, runic hieroglyphs carved into the stone.

It was crouched down upon a section of floor that was criss-crossed with little channels that pulsed with magic. Said magic washed over the golem in regular intervals, amounting to not more than a light show.

“What...is this thing?” Lyra gaped, trotting around the edge of the glowing floor, taking in every inch of the construct.

“It is a war golem.” Luna commented, “One of the more powerful that I’ve seen. Thankfully, it is currently dormant.”

“But still drawing from the magic reserves of the pyramid here.” The Watcher waved a claw at the massive slab of stone, “I was barely able to activate the disks that brought all of you here before the energy levels dipped to low.”

“You can’t send us back?” Lyra blinked.

“Well, I’ll be able to easily. But this thing needs to be dealt with first.”

“Can’t you just...blow it up or something?”

“I wouldn’t risk it.” Corona stated, “Far too dangerous. Could also be trapped. The connection will need to be carefully pulled apart and the golem dismantled.”

Lyra sighed, scratching the back of her head. “I am still very confused about everything that’s going on here.”

The Watcher sighed, shifting his reptilian gaze towards Lyra. “Celestia and Luna still need to discuss some things.” He motioned back the way they came, “Walk with me. I shall endeavour to fill you in the best I can.”

Lyra hesitated for a moment, but with a nod from Luna, she fell into step next to the strange creature as he lead the way back up through the corridors.

“Where should I begin.” He hummed to himself, tapping one of his oversized hook claws against the stone as he walked.

“How about with what you are? And what the other creatures on the carvings are, and what the uintatherium are?”

“Hmm. That is the obvious question, I suppose.” He sighed, “I, and the creatures in the carvings, are known as saurians. We rose about the same time as the alicorns and dragons, but that’s so far ago in antiquity I couldn’t give you anything more specific.”

“How come I’ve never heard of you then? Everypony’s at least heard of alicorns and dragons.”

“That’s because they’re still around. I am what’s left of the saurians and even my own existence is...complicated.”

“And the uintatherium?”

“A primitive race of mammal. One of the creations of the legendary beings that carved out the world so long ago.”

“And how do you know Princess Luna? And Corona?”

“I met them when they were wandering the world, after they inherited the sun and moon, but before they became involved in Equestria. They brought me the uintatherium to look over, which I’ve been doing ever since.”

“And the golems down there?”

“The remains of my people’s hubris.”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “That’s a big collection of ambiguity. And it feels like you’re leaving a bunch of things out.”

The Watcher paused, gazing up at the ceiling.

“Perhaps I am….There are just aspects of what happened, both with just myself, and between myself and the princesses, that aren’t the most pleasant things to discuss.”

“Think you could tell me anyway? I mean.” She shook her head, “This is a lot to take in and you’re asking me to trust you….” She trailed off with a helpless shrug.

“Hmm. Let me ask you this, Lyra Heartstrings. Do you trust Princess Luna?”

“Of course! I’m loyal to her and Equestria!”

“Then trust this.” He answered with a smile, “I owe Luna and Celestia more than you know. I would never harm her, or any of her ponies.”

“What about Corona though? You just said that you owe her too and she still wants to take over Equestria.”

The Watcher paused as they reached the room where Bon Bon was still sleeping.

“How would you feel if you had to watch two of your friends tear each other apart? Everything good they accomplished together forgotten in a sea of rage and hurt feelings?”

A frown crossed Lyra’s muzzle, as she nervously rubbed a leg. The thought of any of her friends being at each other’s throats, of them reaching the level of near insane hatred she had seen in Corona’s eyes back when they had first used the Elements on her.

“That would be pretty terrible.”

“I hold out hope that those two will reconcile. And maybe, just maybe, working together on a problem like this will help.”

“Hope springs eternal?” Lyra smiled slightly.

“It’s what’s kept me going.” He motioned to the room, “Sleep well Lyra. Tomorrow morning I’ll help you and Bon Bon call home.”

Lyra nodded, trotting back over to the bed and snuggling back down next to Bon Bon. Slipping off to sleep with a sigh a slight smile crossed her muzzle. She had a feeling that everything was going to be alright.

Back in the depths, Corona and Luna were contemplating the golem.

“It really is amazing.” Luna observed, probing the side of the construct with her magic, “Puts every other war golem we destroyed to shame.”

Corona nodded, flicking an experimental tongue of flame towards the crest. The fire impacted against the stone, crackling and popping for a moment before the magic sunk into its surface, eaten by the runes.

“Magic absorbing properties as well.” A deep scowl darkened her face, “The amount of effort they must have expended to build this thing.” She shook her head, “Well, it is frightening to consider.”

Luna glanced towards her sister with a raised eyebrow. “So, the question remains sister. What will we do here?”

Corona pondered the question, slowly pacing back and forth before the giant carved head, keeping her eyes fixed upon it, “You and I both know what the ancient saurians stood for.” She answered after a few moments, “If this thing were to activate fully, all of my ponies...nay all mammals everywhere would be in danger.”

“Starting with his charges in the valley.”

They both fell into an uncomfortable silence, staring at the magic that continued to pulse across the golem’s form.

“An agreement then?” Luna proposed, “We work together? We help an old friend?”

“Agreed.” Corona nodded, “We shall help.”

Luna smiled. “Well then, where do you think we should start?”

Corona tapped her hoof to her chin. “We should start by severing the power transfer.”

“Agreed.”

And with that, the sisters set to the task, the night stretching on as they worked.

Bon Bon smelled biscuits.

Warm, fluffy biscuits with honey. And was that fresh fruit?

Rolling towards the scents, she beamed wide. “Oh Lyra, you shouldn’t ha-”

She yelped, toppling over a bed edge that wasn’t where it should have been. Pain shot through her snout as she smacked it off the stone floor, the covers flopping over her a moment later. Stone floor. Unfamiliar bed.

“We’re still in the pyramid.” She groaned, kicking the blankets off of her and sitting upright. A quick look about the room revealed a still sleeping Lyra in the bed, and lots of warm sunshine streaming in the window, “And it’s morning!”

Bolting out of the room, and ignoring Lyra’s confused shouts, Bon Bon tore her way back to the throne room. Blazing right past the form of Grayback in the hallway, the old creature almost dropping a tray of mugs in surprise.

She skidded into the room, and came to a halt. A line of the uintatherium were standing in front of the pillar, patiently waiting. Shaking her head, Bon Bon quickly recovered and charged at the pillar.

“Wake up! You promised to send us home you overgrown gecko!”

The waiting petitioners gasped, but Bon Bon didn’t care. She was angry. She just wanted to be back in Ponyville, selling her candy. Pounding her hooves against the stone cylinder, she was rewarded after a few moments of effort by The Watcher’s form stepping from its depths.

“Oy, with the noise.” He muttered, rubbing the side of his head with a claw, “What?”

“You!” Bon Bon jabbed a hoof his way, “I thought you were going to get us home!”

“That’s still the plan!” He held up his hands in a calming gesture, “There’s just not enough power right now.”

“What!?”

“But!” He quickly grinned, “There’s still enough power for you to call home.”

Bon Bon glowered at the ancient creature. If looks could kill, she probably would have blasted him right through the wall.

“How?”

“Just place your hoof against the pillar and let me do the rest.”

Still glaring at him, Bon Bon followed his instructions all the same. The Watcher did the same, his eyes lighting up with an unearthly blue glow. Bon Bon felt magic flow through her body, and the world suddenly shifted around her.

Everything around her was huge, stacks of books looming above her like towers, as she stood on the edge of a reading table. She appeared to be in the Golden Oaks Library, from the sea of book stacks all around her.

A collection of ponies were passed out on the floor. Trixie and Twilight had passed out almost back to back, a book draped over Trixie’s snout, while Twilight was using another book like a pillow.

A selection of fluffy cloud had been hauled into the building, upon which Raindrops had flopped. Carrot Top and Cheerilee were passed out underneath her, Carrot Top having rolled onto Cheerilee in the middle of the night. Ditzy was no where in sight, Bon Bon guessing that she was at home with her young one.

Glancing down at her body, Bon Bon could see that she was basically a mini transparent, blue tinted version of herself, standing on top of the disk from before.

“Hey!” She called out, “Wake up!”

The ponies partially stirred, but didn’t fully wake.

“WAKE UP!”

That got them moving, Trixie jerking awake with a rather spastic motion that sent her book flying.

“Bon Bon?!” She sputtered, her eyes falling on the diminutive mare, “What’s going on? Where are you? Where’s Lyra?! This is all my fault!”

“Trixie its...okay.” Bon Bon sighed, “I’m alive. Lyra’s alive. And...wherever we are, Princess Luna is here with us.” Sweeping her gaze across the books, she raised a questioning eyebrow, “What's with the book stacks anyway?”

“We were trying to research that thing.” Trixie frowned deeply, “And largely coming up empty. I’m glad you two are okay though.”

“Why haven’t you come back?” Raindrops asked, pushing herself to her hooves, “I mean, if the princess is there….”

“I...don’t understand all of it.” Bon Bon shrugged, “But we can’t come back yet because there’s not enough power or something. And Luna has business here. But that’s not important right now!”

“Being stuck Luna knows where isn’t important right now?” Twilight Sparkle blinked, “Then what in Equestria is?”

“My candy shop! It’s the weekend and that’s when I do most of my business. Somepony needs to run the shop for me.”

“I’ll do it!” Trixie shouted, “I brought you both over, so I’ll do it!”

Bon Bon bit her lip.

“Like I said. Somepony needs to watch the shop for me.” She glanced towards Cheerilee, pleading with her eyes, “Somepony good with organization.”

“...Are you saying I’m bad with organization?”

“Not as good as Cheerilee.”

“We’ll all help.” Cheerilee spoke up, “Don’t worry. Everything will be okay when you get back!”

“Thank you.” Bon Bon sighed, “I can rest easier now.”

“Oh!” Twilight perked up, happily tapping her hooves together, “I don’t suppose you could bring some books back for the library? Something from a place tied to a mysterious item like this...oooo, it would be so amazing!”

Bon Bon stared at Twilight for a moment, the unicorn beaming all the wider.

“Please?”

“Alright Twilight.” She smiled, “I’ll see what I can do. Hopefully we’ll be back in a few days tops.”

“Stay safe, both of you.” Trixie nodded.

“We’ll do our best.”

The interior of Golden Oaks suddenly fell away, the throne room of the pyramid snapping back into place. Lyra was at her side, having trotted up to her while she was mentally projecting into the library.

“How is everypony?” She asked, gently nuzzling Bon Bon’s neck.

“In less of a panic now that I touched bases with them.” She sighed, leaning into the nuzzle, “They’re going to help at the Confectionarium. Though, now I’m wondering what we’re going to do with our time.”

“Please.” The Watcher beamed, “You two are my guests. You have a run of my city and the surrounding villages. Stay in the guest chambers if you wish, or explore what you want. The weekend market occurs in the city center, if you’d wish to indulge in some shopping.”

“That does sound nice...but we don’t really have any money.”

“I’ll see that some is delivered to your room. In the meantime, enjoy your breakfast.”

Trotting after her marefriend, Bon Bon’s stomach rumbled at the thought of those warm biscuits and honey who’s smell had pulled her awake. Her stomach rumbled again at the sight of the trays and their spread.

Stacks of corn biscuits were piled next to bowls of fresh sliced watermelon, and dishes of oval shaped red berries that were unfamiliar to her. The meal was topped up with jugs of fresh water and mugs of beer.

“This is a nice spread.” Lyra grinned, dipping a biscuit into a dish of honey and popping the whole thing into her mouth.

“It is nice, I will admit.” Bon Bon nodded, picking up one of the oblong red berries, “Don’t recognize these though.”

“Give it a try at least.”

Shrugging, she threw it into her mouth and chewed, slowly savoring and identifying the flavors. It was mildly sweet, but with just a little bit of a tang to it. It was an interesting flavor, but it had potential. Definite candy potential.

Lyra smiled, recognizing that look on the face of her significant other. As they continued to eat, Lyra filled Bon Bon in with what she saw last night, and what she had been told about the golem down below.

Bon Bon winced at that. The thought of Princess Luna and Corona working together on something. ...It bothered her. She could still picture those hateful glowing eyes, feel the heat of the crackling flames….

“Bon Bon?”

Lyra’s frown was deep, her eyes wide with concern. Bon Bon smiled back.

“I’m okay Lyra. Really.”

“Okay.” She nodded, the frown lightening somewhat, “So, do you want to go check out the market?”

“Mmm. Might as well. We are kind of stuck until Luna and…” An involuntary shudder ran through her body, “...Corona do whatever they do.”

Luna growled in frustration as the magic slipped through her grip again.

Grappling with the enchantments running into the golem had become akin to wrestling with pudding. Every time she thought she had the thread of the spell, it slipped loose again and flowed away.

A cry of frustration from Corona revealed that she was having similar difficulties.

“Curse the saurians and their incessant trickery!” She shouted, stomping a hoof, “Thousands of years and their problems still rise to strike at the living world!” Sighing, the sun alicorn plopped onto her haunches in a rather undignified manner.

“Then, we shall take a deep breath,” Luna commented, “And try again.”

Celestia sighed, her eyes flicking to and away from her sister in rapid succession, like she was summoning the courage to say something.

“What is it sister?” Luna asked, keeping her expression neutral.

“I wanted to...thank you. For giving me control of the sun again.”

A soft smile played across Luna’s muzzle, a warm feeling rising in her chest. Celestia was reaching out to her, for the first time since the banishment.

“I have enjoyed seeing your mornings again. The colors in your dawn...they’ve always been more vivid than mine.”

“And your nights are truly beautiful.” Celestia nodded back, “I would like you to continue making them, once I am ruling Equestria again.”

The warm feelings that had been lifting Luna up vanished in an instant, replaced by the same tired, strained and empty sensation that she had come to associate with the memory of her sister.

“Tia, please. Must we do this?”

The angry expression returned to Celestia’s face, the mask of Corona reforming.

“I must control Equestria!”

“Why?!” Luna snapped, “By the stars above! We manage to make connections like this, I can trust you with the sun again, why can’t we rule together?”

Glowering, Celestia turned from her sister, jabbing an angry hoof at the golem, “This, right here. Do you not see why I need the throne of Equestria?”

“No sister.” Luna glared back, “I do not. We were meant to rule together! Sun and moon, in balance! Why can’t you see that?”

“Because of things like this! Our joint rule didn’t stop every vile thing from crawling out of the depths! Equestria needs a strong hoof. A strong hoof for our little ponies!”

“Not at the cost of their trust of us!”

A loud bang echoed through the room, the alicorns swiveling their heads to observe the form of The Watcher, sparks arcing off the floor where he had just slammed his staff.

“Do forgive the attitude,” He growled, “But can we focus on the golem and less on your fight? I’ve seen more than enough of it.”

“Your long distance voyership aside,” Corona glared back, “I don’t suppose you have any hidden insights into this construct. You were in charge during this era, were you not?”

“I was far too busy driving my species to ruin to pay attention to everything my people were building.” He sighed bitterly, “Besides, this city was technically under the control of Lord Kerzog. I couldn’t keep track of half the insane ideas he floated past my throne and that was before I gave him free reign to do what he must to defeat...well, you know.”

“My question still stands.”

“And I have nothing.”

Luna sighed, tapping her hoof to her chin.

“Perhaps if we attacked the same thread of the spell at the same time?”

“Its worth a try.” Corona sighed.

The sun was warm and moving towards its noonday height as Lyra and Bon Bon trotted their way through the city. Bon Bon glanced towards the burning orb, instinctively flinching at it and then quickly looking away. Normally at this hour she’d be staying inside for the noontime break, and getting ready for the post lunch customers.

Here though, the usual superstitions seemed useless. The natives obviously weren’t afraid of the sun, as the streets were packed with uintatherium, the creatures rushing every which way as they saw to their daily routines; save for when they’d pause for a moment and stare at them.

But the larger reason was the obvious one. She didn’t need to worry about Corona catching her out in the middle of the day. The monster was already here, supposedly being kept in check by Princess Luna.

The heat wasn’t helping. Where ever they were it was obviously south of Equestria, because the muggy weather was clinging to her like an exceptionally warm sweater, making the usual summer temperature truly uncomfortable.

Lyra was trotting along beside her, examining a coin that she had pulled from the full bag that was floating alongside them. The coins of the natives were...odd. Instead of a normal circular shape, they were small rectangular bars, matching the very blocky nature of city’s architecture. They were marked with either a sun, a moon, or an oddly shaped hoofprint, supposedly depending on value.

“I wonder why they use tin instead of gold or silver?” Lyra mused, tossing the coin back into the bag.

“I don’t know.” Bon Bon shrugged, trotting on at a slightly faster pace.

The pair continued to dodge and weave their way through the great beasts, until they eventually came to what Grayback had told them was the “Great Market”. Set up in a grand square smack in the middle of the city, it was easily the most familiar looking thing that both ponies had seen since arriving.

Booths constructed of wooden frames, wrapped in multicolored fabric, were arranged both around the edge and in four long rows in the center. Uintatherium were milling about, haggling, buying and selling; the usual market patter.

At least that’s what Bon Bon thought they were doing. Their native language was only so much noise to her.

“Lyra...how are we supposed to shop when we can’t speak their language?”

“I dunno...maybe they’re bilingual? Both The Watcher and Grayback could speak Equestrian.”

Bon Bon sighed, scanning the booths as they passed them. Most of the contents were domestic enough. Delicious smells rose from food stalls, both cooked and raw, while in other stalls shawls of patterned cloth, jewelry of gold, silver and colored beads were hocked by eager hooves.

Passing another booth further down the line, Bon Bon’s eyes lit up at the sight of a booth that seemed to be selling chocolate.

“Could you pass me the money?”

With a hoof full of coins, she jabbed a hoof at a few choice bars and extended the strange bits to the stall owner. The uintatherium behind the counter seemed to get the gist, sliding the chosen candy bars forward.

“Ah ha!” Lyra beamed, tapping her hooves together, “I just realized something.”

“What’s that?” Bon Bon asked, taking a bite of the chocolate.

A mixture of salt, pepper and other spices exploded in her mouth, mixing with the vaguely bitter sweetness of the chocolate itself.

I guess they don’t use sugar for their chocolate. She mused, continuing to chew and consider. I wonder what sweets are for them. It was unexpected, but not an altogether unpleasant flavor, just different from what she was used to.

“They’re speaking Zebra.” Lyra continued with her explanation, "Some of the words they’re saying sound familiar from that whole naked bear incident.”

“You weren’t a bear. You were a homin...thing.”

“Details.”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes as they took off again, Lyra slightly ahead of her, her curiosity getting the better of her. Bon Bon just sighed as she trotted along...though she did help herself to another bite of chocolate.

Lyra’s focus was more on the clothing and jewelry booths. She poked about, holding up items against her own and Bon Bon’s coat, humming and hawing over the glittery bits of jewelry spread out on tables. Grinning, she threw a shawl across Bon Bon’s neck.

“What do you think? Genuine hidden culture made.”

Woven from red, gray and light blue cloth, the shawl was covered in blocky, geometric patterns. It was also light, woven from a breathable fabric, which was appropriate for the climate.

“Its kind of nice, I will admit.”

Taking that as explicit permission, Lyra tossed the coins down on the table. Shrugging, Bon Bon wrapped it a little tighter around her neck as they trotted onwards.

“Oh!” She spoke up a moment later, pointing a hoof at a particularly colorful looking stand, “That looks interesting.”

A large group of uintatherium foals (or maybe calves?) were sitting before the stand, staring up at the window with rapt attention. Their tusks and head bumps hadn't grown all the way in yet, leaving them much cuter looking than their adult counterparts. A pair of alicorn puppets flanked a smaller uintatherium one, all three bobbing up and down as a deep voice narrated something.

“I’d really like to know what he’s saying.” Lyra sighed as they came to a stop behind all the foals, “I imagine it would be interesting.”

The puppet’s movement stopped for a second, a gray head peeking over the bottom lip of the window. It dipped back out of view, the voice now alternating between Zebra and Equestrian.

“The sun and the moon lead our ancestors through the depths of the jungles, away from the lands that now were our death. But the jungles were full of dangerous creatures.”

Two snakes cut from green paper and supported by little sticks, darted in from the sides, jabbing and “biting” at the uintatherium puppet.

“But the sun and moon were vigilant in their search for a new home for us. Every day, the sun would guard the path. And every night the moon would guard our camps and our dreams.”

The alicorn puppets swung about, putting themselves between the snakes and their charge. Bon Bon blinked at that. The idea of Corona as some kind of protector…. She just shook her head. It was insane. Impossible. Almost an insult. But the narrator continued on, a silhouette cutout of the city rising into view behind the puppets.

“After two weeks of travel, our united group reached the city that you are all standing in.”

The snakes disappeared, a puppet of the The Watcher rising up, a silhouette of the central pyramid rising behind him.

“But the creature that would become our ruler was distraught and angry. He howled and raged from the pyramid, demanded that we leave his city. The sun and the moon stepped forward again, the sun talking The Watcher down.”

Glancing to her side, Bon Bon could see that Lyra was enthralled by the story. A frown crossed her muzzle. Lyra was taking the contents of the show surprisingly well.

And the more she dwelled on that fact, the more she realized that this was something she should have seen coming. From charging off into the Everfree to help rescue her in the first place to...well, everything that had come from being tied to the Element of Loyalty. The strange, the frightening and the dangerous, all had seemed to have become part of Lyra’s life now.

She was standing on a rain soaked hill, the mound of gray stone poking from the dirt like a cracked tooth. The lyre mark was freshly carved into its surface, the edges still crisp and clear. A three sunflower marked stone rose next to it and so on down the line. Six graves, for six ponies.

A hoof snapped a branch behind her, a hateful voice filling her ears.

“There you are.” Corona’s angry words drilled into her being, tendrils of flame wrapping around her body. “You thought you could escape? You thought that your Element Bearers could stop me?”

She was spun about, the angry glowing eyes, searing into her. “I am eternal.”

The whips of flame reared back, preparing to strike. “I am the sun!”

“Bons!”

Bon Bon snapped out of her morbid fantasy. The puppet show was over, leaving her and Lyra alone. Lyra was staring right into her face, eyes wide with concern, a hoof resting on her withers.

“Are you alright?”

“Can we go?” Bon Bon snapped, “Twilight Sparkle wanted some books from this city and I haven’t seen a stand selling those yet.”

Not waiting for a response, she stalked away from the puppet show, cutting and weaving through the crowds to just put some distance between herself and the memories it had stirred up. She reached the far end of the marketplace before Lyra managed to catch up to her. The mint green unicorn hopped in front of Bon Bon, throwing her hooves against her shoulders.

“Bon Bon!” She shouted, eyes wide and pleading, “Talk to me. Please.”

Sighing, the earth pony shook her head. “I’m sorry Lyra. Just...that kind of took me back to when...well...you know…” She trailed off lamely.

Lyra’s hooves moved into a full hug, Bon Bon burying her face into Lyra’s neck.

“I’m so scared.” She softly muttered, “This isn’t what I do. I’m a candy maker! Not a knight, not an Element Bearer just…” She shook her head, keeping her snout buried in Lyra’s coat, “And now Corona’s here. Corona’s here!”

“Hey. It’ll be okay.” Lyra soothed, rubbing her back, “Luna’s here. She’d never let anything happen to either of us. She was willing to lock her sister away in the sun, after all. And I know that it hurt her to do it.”

Bon Bon’s panicked breathing slowed and then steadied.

“Okay Lyra.” She hesitated for a moment, “I trust you.”

“Come on. Let’s go find someplace to get some lunch.”

“Take a break.”

Luna and Celestia ignored The Watcher’s statement, instead slowly working their own magic through the connection that ran to the golem.

“On three.” Luna stated.

“One.” Celestia began.

“Two.” Luna followed.

“Three!” They both shouted, shoving their magic outwards at the same time. The expanding threads of their spell power strained and pushed against the connection, magic clashing against magic.

For a moment, it seemed like the magic flowing between the golem and the pyramid would somehow hold fast. But then they felt the threads of the spell begin to unwind, each thread popping loose in sequence. And then, with a resounding clash of sparks, the whole weave collapsed.

Celestia and Luna sighed in relief, plopping back on their haunches.

“Connection, severed.” Luna smiled.

“Good.” The Watcher grinned, “Now take a break. You two have been at this for almost two days straight. Take a breather. Have some breakfast. Talk.”

Celestia’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“I know what you’re doing.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The saurian flashed a toothy grin, “I’m just being a good host.”

“A good host?” Celestia asked incredulously,

“Yes. And that’s why you’re going to wait here and I’ll have some breakfast brought to you. You can tackle the next stage after some sister time.”

Not bothering to respond, The Watcher strode from the chamber, head held high.

“He meddles.”

“Of course he does.” Luna pointed out, with a ruffle of her wings, “He cares.”

Celestia rolled her eyes, wandering around the side of the golem to look her sister in the face. “I suppose we should humor him. Or he’ll never leave us alone.”

“I suppose that if the status of our relationship has moved from ‘thing to vanquish’ to ‘annoying relative’ then for us that would be an improvement.” Luna bitterly sighed.

“Don’t try to guilt me, sister.”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

The alicorns stared each other down for a moment before Celestia finally spoke up again.

“You want us to rule together. I do not think it is possible. You are unwilling to do what’s needed. But...maybe…” She paused, racking her brain for a moment. “I would offer something.”

Luna considered that statement for a moment.

“Lyra’s companion. She is one of the ponies you took hostage during your initial escape. If you’re worthy of my trust to control the sun again, then I believe you owe her an apology.” She tilted her head slightly, “You are sorry, correct?”

“I was...in error.” Celestia said eventually.

“Then apologize to her.”

“Please. I have more important things to do than apologize to somepony.” Celestia stomped in response, “She’ll see that I’m correct, in the end.”

Luna, slowly shook her head as Grayback came shuffling into the room, pushing a cart full of fresh fruit and other goodies. Perhaps if the fates were willing, she’d be able to enjoy breakfast with her sister acrimony free.

“I just wish to let you know.” Celestia intruded upon her thoughts, “That if you wish to save your ponies the trauma, you could always voluntarily abdicate.”

Or, maybe not. She mentally grumbled, sinking her teeth into a pear. “Tia...please?”

The name cut Celestia to the quick, the alicorn recoiling slightly.

“I shall...consider it.”

The summer heat was lessened for Lyra and Bon Bon as they trotted down the cobblestone path leading out of the city. Away from the towering stone buildings, they could catch the breeze flowing through the valley. To the right of the path, rows of rolling farmland were tended by the hooves of uintatherium while, to the left, a crop of jungle greenery swayed in the wind.

Lyra floated a basket along with her, full of goodies and other food items. The musician had a plan. A plan to help ease the weary mind of her love from the puppet show induced trauma, with the kind of adventure she could handle, nice things to eat, and a cuddle attack.

Once they were a bit of a way away from the city, she picked up the pace, dipping off the road and into the jungle.

“Come on! Let’s look around, find a clearing and have ourselves a little picnic.”

Bon Bon bit her lip, but followed as Lyra happily trotted her way through the underbrush. While her marefriend lead the way, Bon Bon observed the trees all around them. They all seemed to be supported by oversized roots that rose like buttresses on some of the taller buildings in Canterlot.

Bright colored birds flitted from tree to tree overhead, their calls and squawks similar to, but also very different from the birdsong around Ponyville. Exotic, but recognizable in some way. A slight smile creeped into her muzzle as she continued to trot along. This was nice.

It took them a few more minutes of walking before they found a small clearing in the jungle. A small ring of stones set into the ground fenced the spot in, like the clearing had been created intentionally.

“Now this is a nice little spot.” Bon Bon observed.

“Yeah. I wonder if the locals set this up.” Lyra mused, snapping a blanket out for them to lay on, “Now come sit down. I wanna cuddle in the jungle.”

“You are so cheesy with your romance at times.” Bon Bon chuckled, plopping down next to her, “Did you bring some more of that chocolate?”

“And plenty of other things too.” Lyra nodded, rummaging around the basket, “Wanna try this? I think it’s some kind of lentil dish.”

“What’s a lentil?”

“I’m not sure. Smells nice though.” She mused, scooping up a spoonful and offering it to Bon Bon.

Smiling, Bon Bon ate the offered lentils, and snuggled up next to Lyra, enjoying the feeling of their bodies side by side. They sat and ate for a little while, trying the various dishes, enjoying some and lightly ribbing some of the flavors they didn’t care for. Once their bellies were properly full, they began to turn their attentions to other pursuits.

“So, what do you want to call that one?” Lyra asked, pointing to a green bird with a seemingly out of place red head.

“Strawberry Bird?” Bon Bon posited, tapping her chin.

“Wouldn’t it need to have a red body with a green head for that to be accurate?”

“Oh, well, if you’re going to bring logic into our random bird naming session.” Bon Bon chuckled, “Then yes.”

Leaning against Lyra, Bon Bon let her eyes drift closed and just listened to the sounds around her. It was pleasant, listening to the sounds of the birds and the beats of their wings as they darted all about.

...Wait. One of those sets of wing beats was growing very loud.

Opening her eyes, a startled yelp escaped her lips as she scrambled backwards from what lay before her.

Corona.

Her angry eyes, her crackling mane and tail of pure flames. The white magic tendrils ripping her from the crowd, the screams and sobs of the foals all around her.

“Bon Bon!”

She was cowering behind Lyra, Corona still staring at her as she tried to hide. She took a step forward.

Bon Bon took two large steps back.

Corona frowned. “Bon Bon, is it?”

She froze. Corona knew her name!

“I understand that I caused you some...distress upon my initial release.”

“You took me hostage!” She shrieked, backing up a few more steps, Lyra running to comfort her.

“And I realize now that was incorrect. It did nothing but turn you against me.”

“Oh, really? Its taken you over a year to work that out?” Bon Bon shouted, trembling in Lyra’s embrace. It was insanity, to be screaming at such a powerful alicorn, but she’d kill them anyway. Luna was no where in sight. Corona had them. “You’re a monster!”

“Tis a lie!” Corona snapped with a hoof stomp, slipping back into her archaic dialect for a moment. The impact left a perfect hoof shaped crater in the dirt, Corona plowing on unheeded, “I just wish what’s best for my subjects!”

“You’re not my ruler!”

Corona snarled in frustration. “Stars above! If my sister can trust me with the sun again-”

“She did WHAT?!” Both Lyra and Bon Bon shouted, scarcely believing what they just heard. Lyra looked towards Luna, eyes wide and questioning, while Bon Bon just continued to tremble.

“It is simply a re-establishment of the proper-”

Bon Bon didn’t wait to hear the rest of that sentence. She just tore herself from the Lyra’s grip and ran as fast as her legs would take her, Lyra’s increasingly distant shouts echoing in her ears. The jungle turned into a blur as she crashed through the underbrush, wanting to get as far away from Corona and her horrible glare as possible.

Breaking through the edge of the jungle, she ran all the faster across open ground, sparing a glance behind her to see if Corona was chasing. A slight smile of relief crossed her muzzle at the lack of white coated alicorn. And then her legs suddenly gave out from underneath her.

“Ahhh!”

She was suddenly tumbling head over tail, her legs tangled up with each other. After a dizzying couple of moments, Bon Bon found herself staring up at a pale blue sky. Quickly rolling back to her hooves, she could see Lyra rushing her direction, seemingly alone. Bon Bon looked around wildly, only beginning to calm down when there was no sign of Corona.

“Did you know about the sun?” Bon Bon asked her, “That Luna had turned over control?”

Lyra emphatically shook her head no, eyes going wide. “I had no clue. Luna didn’t mention anything about it. I guess...maybe it happened after Tambelon? I mean, she seemed to be improving.”

“Improving? Is Luna running a twelve step program for despots?”

“Come on.” Lyra, motioned for her to follow. They began to trot their way back towards the city, while Lyra continued to talk, “Corona is her sister. She has to at least hold out hope that there can be some kind of reconciliation.”

“Insanity.” Bon Bon glowered, tossing her mane in a huff, “She kidnapped us. She was prepared to burn us all if you hadn’t gotten the Elements in time.”

“She seemed...better at Tambelon.” Lyra admitted with a shrug, not having much more of an explanation.

Bon Bon stopped, slowly turning to face her.

“Do you...agree with her?”

“Well…” Lyra nervously rubbed her foreleg, “I do think that Corona is coming from a place of good intentions, no matter how warped her mind and means are.”

“Good intentions?” Bon Bon gaped for a moment or two, before shaking her head and continuing along, “I can’t believe this. You’re siding with Corona!”

“Hey! I am not siding with Corona!” Lyra fired back. “She’s completely in the wrong here. All that I’m saying is that maybe I’m with Luna in hoping that she’ll come to her senses and give it up.”

“I’m not having this conversation with you.” Bon Bon shook her head, picking up speed, “All I want to do right now is talk to Luna and The Watcher about this and when I can get home and away from all of this...madness.”

“Fine.” Lyra frowned, “Let’s go do that.”

“Fine!”

“FINE!”

The Watcher rested in his pillar.

He was aware of his charges throughout the valley, aware of the Element Bearer and her significant other moving through the streets of Zhalast-Zin. He was also aware, of the world beyond. The threads of history and possibility played before his minds’ eye.

And despite all of that, the room where Luna worked was blocked to his vision.

That fact made him very nervous. In all of the centuries of his existence he had seen wars, sickness, and death. All of the great events of history, seen with almost perfect clarity.

So, what is it about that room that makes it and its contents invisible to my sight?

One of his charges was entering the pyramid, running at top speed. He sighed, flowing out of the pillar just in time to meet the uintatherium in question. He was panting and sweaty, seemingly on the edge of exhaustion. He must have ran all the way from the outlying villages.

The Watcher mentally kicked himself. Focused on the golem as he was, a problem that was facing one of the creatures he was tasked with guarding had slipped his mind. Some creature, aside from the pony princesses, had pierced the valley.

And the very illusion spells that Luna and Celestia had put in place to hide the valley.

“What is it?”

“Watcher. More outsiders have arrived in the valley.”

“What?” He blinked in disbelief.

“Its a large group of zebra, being lead by a pony. Some of them are armed.”

“Where are they?” He questioned, eyes narrowing.

“They were right behind me when I left.” The scout panted, “I ran through the night. They have supplies and numbers however.”

“Which will slow them down.” He sighed, “...Have they been violent so far?”

“No. Their leader claims that they are here for peaceful exploration and historical purposes.”

“Of course.” The Watcher smiled, a bitter edge creeping into his voice, “I’m quite sure he said that.”

“What are your commands my lord? Shall we try to force them out?”

The Watcher considered that question carefully. His hidden kingdom did- probably - have the numerical edge over any incoming expedition. But the nature of wars and how to fight them had not been high on his list of things to do. But, their arrival, completely blocked to his sight beyond sight….

“They will be allowed into the city. But we shall keep them out of the pyramid. Now go! Spread the word!”

As the scout rushed from the room, The Watcher strode for the cavernous chamber where Celestia and Luna still worked.

This was going to be a problem.

Lyra fumed as she and Bon Bon stomped back towards the pyramid. She was angry with Bon Bon, but also somewhat angry with herself. She couldn’t deny that the cream coated mare had legitimate reasons to be afraid of Corona, but...well, she had seen, with her own eyes, that Corona wasn’t the same pony from the day she had returned.

“Oh!” Bon Bon growled, stomping a hoof, “We forgot to get some books for Twilight!”

Before a Lyra could respond, a shocked ripple of noise rolled through the crowd behind them. Turning, the pair of ponies watched the uintatherium part like water, a procession coming into view.

Two rows of armed zebra came marching down the way, heads held high in a gesture of supreme arrogance. Other zebras brought up the rear, carrying a supplies and other gear in a crude baggage train. The strangest part of the whole affair though, was the pony at the lead. His tannish brown coat was neatly brushed, but he sported a distinct five o’clock shadow and his dark gray mane and tail were dishevelled. A golden ring cutie-mark stood out on his flanks. He wore a golden amulet with a circular green stone set into its face and a tan colored shirt with a pair of pockets set into their front.

He also appeared to be remarkably pleased with himself.

A long maned zebra mare rushed alongside him, saddlebags crammed to bursting with papers and other documents. She glanced every which way as she half-walked, half-stumbled, along; her eyes wide with wonder at her surroundings.

As they drew closer the stallion noticed both of them for the first time, and his expression changed instantly. It was brief, but a deep scowl crossed his muzzle before a fake smile sprung back into place.

“Visitors!” He nodded past them, “And Princess Luna...and the Tyrant Sun. My, this is interesting.”

Both alicorns stood side by side on the street, placing themselves resolutely between the approaching pony lead zebra column and the pyramid.

“And you are?” Princess Luna asked.

“Doctor Ritter! World renowned archaeologist and explorer.”

“Hmm. A pity that I’ve never heard of you.” Luna smiled sweetly, “Are you sure that you operate in Equestria?”

“Yes. I do.” He smiled back, “So, am I to assume that all of you discovered this valley?” The Doctor asked, his smile growing more strained if anything.

“That would be correct.” Corona stated, her eyes narrowing.

“In that case. I have something for you.”

Bon Bon gaped at the mad pony as he took four stacks of papers from the depths of the zebra’s saddlebags and passed them out to herself, Lyra, Princess Luna and then finally, Corona. He strode right up to the mad solar alicorn without a care in the world and presented the stack.

“What is this?” Luna asked, her voice incredulous.

“It’s a release.” He explained, “Legally binding all of you from infringing upon my discovery, or claiming that you discovered it.”

Lyra’s jaw dropped, joining her marefriend in the opinion that this stallion had flipped his lid.

Luna shot a sideways glance at her sister, her own magic coiling in preparation to intercept if need be.

Corona stared at the documents for a moment, her eyes wide. She seemed...stunned. Which wasn’t a situation that most creatures were used to seeing. Then the corners of her mouth twitched. Once, then twice.

And then she began to laugh.

Author's Note

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

The lovers had to have a quarrel.

This is mostly due to the change that the L!Six's view of Corona underwent at the end of Return of Tambelon. For Bon Bon, Corona is still the monster that kidnapped her and used her as leverage. And the two of them will have to come to an understanding over this.

Of course, there's something else at play here as well. How's the guts on Doctor Ritter there? Brave? Insane? Both? We shall see!

The Professor

Bon Bon and Lyra stared at the laughing figure of Corona, eyes wide.

The alicorn flopped backwards onto her haunches, her whole body shaking as she cackled at the stack of documents clutched in her magic aura. Even Princess Luna seemed unsure of her sister’s actions, one hoof raised, almost questioning if she should strike or not.

But Corona just continued to laugh, balling up the contract with her magic.

“Surely, you can not be serious! I knew of this location before your father was born. Before your grandfather was born! And you think that,” She waved the crumpled up pages at him, “These pages give you...power over these creatures?”

“Power? Oh my, of course not!” Ritter gaped, “But I have invested a significant amount of financing in funding this expedition, and I won’t have my discovery infringed upon. Not even by the Tyrant Sun.”

Corona’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Do not call me that!”

“Why?” He blinked, “That is who you are. I mean, I don’t hold it against you. But I still need that release signed.”

The documents exploded with a flash of crackling flame, causing Bon Bon to yelp and jump away from the alicorn.

“That,” Corona spat, “Is what I think of your inane documents.” Spreading her wings, she lifted into the air, glaring down at the pony with an imperious disdain, “Dear sister, I leave this mad stallion to your care. I will continue to work on our more important task.” Winging over, she flew for the pyramid, leaving the main street in an awkward silence.

Princess Luna spared a glance towards the retreating form of her sister, before turning back to the doctor and his entourage. “So, my good doctor.” She smiled, still the picture of benevolence. “You are of course welcome to conduct your expedition, so long as you keep your intentions peaceful.”

“I was unaware these were your lands, princess.”

“They are not. You are correct there. However.” Luna’s voice suddenly dropped the pleasant, conversational tone, her eyes flashing with power. “These lands are under my protection. Understand clearly that if you cause these creatures problems, or try to harm them, you will invoke not just my wrath, but my sister’s wrath as well. Is that understood?”

“Yes, quite.” He sighed.

“Very good.” Luna nodded, motioning to them with a wing, the solid form of a uintatherium servant stepping forward. “He will see you to your lodgings for the stay. The Watcher will see you when he is ready.”

“He can’t meet us now?”

“I’m afraid not.” Luna smiled again. “He is quite a busy creature. As am I.”

Her piece said, Luna took to the air, swooping back towards the pyramid. Ritter shrugged, falling into step behind the guide and motioning for his expedition to follow. Lyra and Bon Bon watched as the mass of ponies and zebra marched off into the city.

“Huh.” Lyra blinked, “Well, I guess its not a hidden city anymore.”

Doctor Ritter took a swig from his flask as he stood on the street, watching the hidden city go about its business. The small collection of buildings that he and his expedition had been so graciously granted, were situated away from the more populated city center. But they did give a nice view.

“They really have no idea.” He muttered.

The sound of hooves on stone elicited a roll of his eyes as he turned to face the young zebra with a spring in her hooves. Ayana’s constant cheerfulness was like a chisel to the back of the head.

“Are you ready to start cataloguing sir?” She chirped, saddlebags still full of notebooks and pencils, “We could start with the marketplace and get a view from the creatures on the street? They’re all speaking zebra after all, so it should be easy.”

“You go ahead.” He flashed her a smile, “The rest of us will start here and we’ll work our way out from here.”

“Oh.” She blinked in confusion for a moment, but recovered very quickly, “Okay! I’ll catch up with you later!”

She tore off into the city, a few blank pages spilling from her overfull bags. Ritter shook his head as she vanished from view, part of him regretting bringing her along, even if she did add weight to his claims of exploration. Turning and trotting back into the building, he found himself snout to snout with the other major figure in his expedition, Girma.

The zebra stallion wore a permanent scowl on his features which, with his prodigious size, made him quite the intimidating figure.

“So, what was that stunt?”

“What stunt?”

“You marched up to two alicorns, and presented them with a legally binding document about ‘your’ discovery.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Why? The sun seems pretty convinced you’re insane now.”

“Which is intentional.” Ritter explained, slowly and evenly. As much as he wanted to deck the zebra for second guessing him, that wouldn’t accomplish anything at the moment. “So long as the alicorns think that I’m some glory seeking explorer, interested in publishing research papers, they won’t look to hard at what we’re doing.”

“She still could have vaporized you.” Girma grunted.

“I wasn’t worried.” Ritter shrugged, “She’s not the first godlike being I’ve stared down. Now, get the digging team to work. And remember! Within a hundred feet of the orb at all times! Its the only thing that’s keeping The Watcher’s vaunted sight from seeing our efforts. Make sure they get it right.”

“And what are you going to do while my zebra dig?”

“I’m going to go play my part.” He grumbled.

By the time the time Lyra and Bon Bon got back to the central pyramid of the city, both ponies were in a fowl mood, a mood that wasn’t improved by the fact that The Watcher and Luna seemed to be waiting for them.

“How’d you know that I wanted to talk to you?” Bon Bon glared daggers at the ghostly reptile, anger overriding common sense.

The Watcher shrugged.

“I keep telling everycreature, my name’s not just for show.” He smiled wryly.

Frowning, Bon Bon continued glaring at him. “Can you send us home yet? Have Luna and that witch accomplished anything?”

“Mmm. Not yet.” He smiled apologetically, “But I imagine it won’t be much longer. They are quite talented.”

With a frustrated snort Bon Bon whirled about to face down Luna.

“You gave her control of the sun back?” She gaped, “Why?

“A display of trust.” Luna answered.

“Trust?” Bon Bon yelped, “She kidnapped me! Lots of ponies! She was ready to burn us! Do you have any idea what she’s done?”

“Yes, Bon Bon.” Luna frowned, “I am very painfully aware of what my sister has done. But I have to try. And she has been...better.”

Bon Bon snorted. “How many ponies has she killed in the past!”

“Fewer than I have.” The Watcher interrupted, “With all due respect, out of the three ancient beings here. I’m the one you should be the most afraid of.”

Bon Bon glanced towards The Watcher for a moment, then quickly back to Luna.

“Please….” She sighed, “Just...why is so worth taking the risk over?”

“Because.” Luna responded, slowly and evenly like she was trying to maintain control, “We remember what she was. And how...good she was. She had this...way about her.”

A smile, full of good memories and bad, played across the alicorn’s muzzle, “She had this smile. I found it so infuriating back in the day. She’d ask a question, or imply something related towards a problem I was obsessing over. And then when I figured it out, she’d just give me that ethereal little smirk.” A crack crept into her voice for the barest of moments, “It has been a very long time since I’ve seen that smirk.”

“She helped convince me to be a better being.” The Watcher nodded, idly pacing before his pillar, “To move beyond the mistakes I had made, and work towards all of this.”

“You’re both crazy.” Bon Bon snorted, shaking her head, “Just...how much longer until we can go home?”

“A little while.” The Watcher answered, “I just ask you to be patient. We have to be careful, now that this doctor is here.”

Lyra- who had been very quiet, shuffling from hoof to hoof while the arguments had played out- suddenly perked up, her gaze questioning. “You think he’s up to something?”

“Of course he’s up to something. I can’t see him!” The Watcher snapped in frustration, throwing his arms up. “Very few things escape my gaze. The last time something so thoroughly escaped my view, was when you, Luna and the rest of the Element Bearers literally left the planet!” He turned his head towards Luna, “By the way, I’d still like to know what happened during that trip.”

“I do suppose I owe you that much, Watcher.” Luna nodded.

Leaving Luna to her explanations, Lyra and Bon Bon trotted the rest of the way to their room. A slight frown crossed Lyra’s muzzle the whole way back. Bon Bon frowned even deeper, because she knew full well what that expression meant.

“Lyra,” Bon Bon blinked, as they stepped through the curtain. “What are you thinking?”

Lyra bit her lip, nervously looking from her marefriend, to Luna and The Watcher. “If they’re planning something-”

“Lyra! No! They can handle this! Can’t we just be a normal couple?”

“We’re plenty normal! But I am an Element-”

“A lone Element Bearer. Please Lyra.” Bon Bon sighed, grabbing her marefriend by the sides of her head, staring deep into her eyes, “Please, I know you’re loyalty but with Corona here-”

“If she wanted me dead, she had more than enough opportunities to do it. She could have vaporized both of us in that clearing.” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, “If there’s a chance I can help stop what’s happening here, or maybe make Corona come around, I have to take it.”

“Lyra…”

“Picture it Bon Bon. No more needing to worry about Corona. No more ponies needing to look up at the noon day sun, wondering what might happen. And Luna...she’d have her family back. And these uintatherium?” She waved a hoof back towards the curtain. “If they’re in danger, they need help! Its...well, my duty.”

Bon Bon squeezed her eyes closed, resting her forehead against Lyra’s, just under the horn.

“Sometimes,” She whispered, barely audible even to Lyra, “I think you care more about your duty than me.”

Shaking her head, she let go, and trotted from the room, leaving Lyra feeling very alone.

Luna swooped over the city, her keen eyes scanning every street Bon Bon’s expression of anguish burned into her mind. The Princess of the Night had no doubt that Lyra was feeling just as torn up by her decision as Bon Bon was. So, partially to clear her mind and partially to see if Ritter was sticking to his word so far, she had decided to take a flight around the city to clear her head.

Perhaps I can arrange some manner of romantic get away for the two of them. She idly mused, flying on, Some manner of reward for risking her own relationship to assist.

Continuing along, she could make out small groups of zebra examining portions of the city walls and buildings every now and then. Frowning, she dropped into a lazy circular descent, landing a few feet away from the a trio of them.

It seemed innocent enough upon first glance, as two of the stallions seemed to be taking intense notes on the carvings on the side of the building, while the third was redrawing them. But, every so often, they’d casually tap their hooves against the stones, and strain their ears.

Frowning deeper, she launched back into the air with a flap of her wings, observing some of the other groups scattered through the streets. Always the same story. Investigations that could easily be legitimate exploration, mixed with them tapping and feeling at the stones.

Taking to the air once more, she flew to the building that the expedition had been sequestered in, tapping into her power as she went. Landing neatly in front of the two zebra standing guard outside the door, she nodded to the pair, in the form of a dark blue pegasus.

“Gentlestallions." She bowed. "I am one of Princess Luna's assistants. Are you finding the accommodations well?”

They grunted a short agreement.

“Fantastic.” Luna smiled serenely, “Might I come in? Speak with the Doctor? See if there's anything I can assist you with?”

“Afraid that he’s busy right now.” One of them grunted, “If you could come back later....”

“Of course.”

Trotting away from the building, she once again took the sky, looking around again. While she could use her shape shifting magic to sneak down there and see exactly what was going on, perhaps she could start from a more subtle position.

She spied a young uintatherium perched upon a roof of a building, a large roll of paper supported by a crude easel. From her position on that roof, she had a view of the building the expedition was in.

Ah ha!

Diving, she landed near the young artist, who turned at the sound of Luna’s hooves hitting the stone, the princess returning to her natural form.

“Excuse me, my artistic friend.”

The uintatherium blinked, her charcoal dropping from her mouth in surprise. She had been sketching the skyline, the detail quite impressive, which was exactly what she needed.

“What is your name?”

“M-m-most creatures c-c-call me Black Tusk.” She stammered waving a hoof towards her soot stained tusks, “For obvious reasons.”

“Your work is impressive.” Luna smiled, trotting forward, “But I would make a request of your skills.”

Dropping the charcoal, the uintatherium dropped into a bow. “Of course! What can I do for one of our saviors?”

“That house,” She pointed to it with a wing, “Is holding the zebra expedition. I do not believe they are being truthful about their numbers or intent. I wish for you to draw them tonight, as they return, and then draw them again tomorrow, when they leave. Then bring the drawings to The Watcher’s pyramid. You would be doing The Watcher and I a favor, and we would see you well rewarded.”

“O-of course! I would be honored.”

“Good.” Luna nodded, taking wing again, “I look forward to seeing your results.”

With that, she made for the pyramid again. If there was something to find, she was going to find it.

From his position on the wide city streets, Ritter could see the small dark blob that was Luna blurring her way through the sky. He ignored the alicorn princess. While quite sure that she was trying to find out what he was doing, he didn’t really care. If everything went according to plan, he’d have everything he needed before she or her insane sister could stop her.

Every so often he stopped, to make a few scribbles in his journal, more for show than anything else. He already had a map of the city. Or, more accurately, the extensive series of chambers, both hidden and not, that made up the undercity. Unfortunately, his source had informed him that many of the hidden tunnels and rooms were partially collapsed, purposefully walled off by the inhabitants in the last days of the city’s existence, or -even worse- infested with the stars knows what.

Really, it was amazing that these creatures had lasted as long as they had.

Breaking down a side street, and then waiting for a moment for some of the uintatherium to pass, he slid down a gap between two of the buildings. With a quick glance about him, he tapped a hoof against the wall, a small door rumbling open to reveal a dark tunnel beyond.

Disappearing into the blackness, his amulet flickered to life, casting a warm glow across his surroundings. The tunnel was thick with webs, dust, and the smell of age and neglect. But he didn’t care. He liked the smell, in fact. It was a smell that spoke to the existence of old things, which spoke to the existence of his favorite thing of all.

Money.

His light spilled over the frame of an archway, and the slabbed floor of the room beyond. The webs were growing thicker here; and larger. Much, much larger, almost the size of a pony’s leg. Slowly drawing his dagger, he clenched the handle firmly in his teeth and slowly crept forward, taking great care of make his hoof falls as quiet as possible.

The chamber in question was full of long tables, crammed to bursting with arcane looking apparati, that were in turn choked with more of those thick webs, the bones of small animals occasionally littering the floor. A series of cells, their bars long rusty and tarnished with age, sat along the right wall.

Stop!

He paused, hoof hovering over one of the many square tiles.

Trap. Tile to the right.

Nodding to the voice in his head, he stepped past the spot and deeper into the depths of the ancient laboratory. He moved slowly and deliberately, picking his way past more trapped tiles, and thick strands of silk that stretched from ceiling to floor like anchors. Small crystals sat on many of the tables, all of which Ritter took.

Reaching the far side of the room, he found what he was looking for. A small square stone chest, with an arcane looking symbol etched into its sandy colored surface.

He grinned, pushing the lid back slightly, the light from his amulet illuminating a series of dark green stone spheres.

“Jackpot.”

Glancing about again, he made a few mental calculations before carefully shifting the whole thing onto his back. His legs almost buckled from the weight, but he was able to get it balanced upon his back with some effort. And then, he carefully began to work his way back towards the entrance. He had no desire to awaken what might have spun the sticky forest that choked the room.

But, if he played his cards right, maybe he-

We.

Could find a use for them.

Author's Note

As some of you might have picked up in the comments section, Doctor Caballeron has become "Sir Not Appearing in this Fic" and has been replaced by his twin brother, Doctor Ritter. Because of reasons.

.>....

Pay no attention to the pony behind the curtain. And do point out if I managed to miss an instance of switching the names around.

And we begin to see that Zhalast-Zin has a lot more hidden in the depths of the city than most would expect. The saurians did not vanish quietly.

The Final Fall of the Saurian Empire

Trixie slowly kneaded her forehead with a hoof, while shooting a venomous glare at the stone disk that had started all of this. It was magically active again, pulsing in her arcane sight. Cheerilee and Carrot Top were working the Confectionarium, giving her time to study the item more.

Lyra and Bon Bon had been gone for a day already. But at least they had made contact yesterday. And while she was sure that Princess Luna would do everything she could to keep her friend safe, Trixie really wished she was by Lyra’s side.

But if it was active again.

She sighed.

Bon Bon said they were okay. And Luna is with them. Just trust them. Everything should be okay.

She glanced at the disk again.

If I don’t hear something by tomorrow, we’re going after them.

Lyra awoke to an empty bed.

She didn’t believe it at first, her foreleg instinctively reaching for the familiar form of Bon Bon next to her. But all she felt was a soft mattress. Blinking, she rolled over, confirming that she was alone. With a grunt, she kicked the covers aside and rolled out of bed.

Landing on her hooves, she looked up to see Grayback pushing another cart of breakfast into the room. The quantities on the plate were obviously intended for one pony, rather than two. She sighed. Bon Bon had moved to another room last night, after their fight. Shaking her head, she pushed the thought from her mind and decided to focus on something else.

“So, Grayback. Is this what you normally do? Taking care of guests?”

“Among other things.” He nodded, “I also teach the younger generation, and act as The Watcher’s voice beyond the pyramid.”

“His voice?” Lyra blinked, “Can’t he speak for himself?”

Grayback carefully grabbed the handle of a pitcher in his teeth, and poured a full glass of some kind of juice before answering that question.

“The Watcher can only take physical form within this building. He can only interact with the world beyond through intermediaries such as myself.”

“Why?”

“That is a story for him to tell, if he wishes.” He answered with a bow of his head. He hesitated for a moment, but then spoke again “But, I would like to apologize.”

“What for?” Lyra asked, casually plucking one of the warm biscuits off the tray, and wolfing it down. They had been delicious the other day, and they were still delicious today.

“Causing distress to your friend with my puppet show. I did not mean to trigger bad memories.”

“That was you?”

“Yes. As I said, I teach the younger generations. And I do like puppets.” He smiled.

“Well, you didn’t know about Bon Bon.” Lyra shrugged, “How could you?”

“Can I ask…” Grayback began, slowly, almost nervously, “What happened? The legends of Celestia. They speak of a being with boundless compassion and an even head. Slow to anger, and full of wisdom.”

“Well, I don’t know all the details.” Lyra admitted, “But our own legends have always said that she grew greedy, and that she wanted to control the day, the night and everything in between. But,” She took another quick bite of biscuit, “I think that it’s more that she’s...manicly obsessed with protecting her ponies, and lost it.”

“Best intentions, turned sour.” Grayback frowned, “Sad.”

“Yeah. Anyway...have you seen Bon Bon yet?”

“I took her her breakfast already.” Grayback answered as he began to take his leave, “She’s the next room down.”

Nodding, Lyra quickly inhaled the rest of her breakfast and cantered for Bon Bon’s room.

“Bon Bon?” She called, peeking past the curtain that served as a door, frowning when there was no sign of her marefriend, “Great.”

She started at the empty chamber in silence for a few moments, the fight from yesterday playing through her mind again. Something that The Watcher said nagged at the back of her thoughts, something she just couldn’t shake.

Sighing again, she headed for the main throne room, which was also currently empty, at least on first view. Trotting over to the pillar that The Watcher liked to hide in, she hammered her hoof against its side.

It wasn’t long before the saurian stirred, flowing and condensing into being.

“Good morning Lyra. Did you need something?”

“Watcher...can we speak in private?” She frowned, pointing a hoof back towards her room, “I need to ask you about something you said yesterday.”

“Of course.” The Watcher nodded.

He followed without complaint, standing just inside the door as Lyra stalked over to the bed. She took a deep breath and turned to face the ancient saurian.

“You said that you had killed a lot more ponies than Corona ever did.” She nervously licked her lips, “What did you mean by that?”

The Watcher’s expression grew distant, almost dead as he stared right past Lyra. “That story, is not pretty. Are you absolutely sure you want to know?”

“It feels like a relationship with a mare I love is falling apart, and its because of the presence of Corona.” She sighed, “If I’m going to help you, try to help her, and deal with this doctor...I want to know the kind of creature I’m dealing with.”

“Understandable and wise. But I need to set a few ground rul- Don’t give me that look!”

If he wasn’t a ghostly creature to begin with, Lyra’s glare probably should have blasted him right into that state.

“You have to understand something, Lyra. I can’t tell you everything, because I don’t remember everything. When you’re as old as I, Luna or Celestia are, sometimes, you forget things. Just the way it is.” He flashed a friendly smile, “You can’t remember your own birth, I bet.”

“You have a point there.” Lyra admitted. She paused for a moment, raising an eyebrow, “Did you have a name other than The Watcher?”

“Can’t remember it, honestly. I think it started with an X?” He tapped his chin, “Anyway, as I said before the saurians first emerged about the same time as the dragons and alicorns. We ar- were a very old race.”

“They didn’t all look like you though, right? I’ve seen some of the carvings.”

“Correct.” He nodded, “We were made up of three sub groups, not unlike ponies today. First was the swiftclaws, who looked like smaller versions of myself, and who tended towards scholarly or administrative roles. Then there were the sharpbeaks, who tended to be the farmers and crafts creatures, and were those four legged ones. And finally, were the leatherwings, the fliers and weather crafters, much like your pegasai.”

“And it was a just and peaceful kingdom?” Lyra smirked. The ancient stories tended to follow a pattern of just kingdoms, undermined by a corrupt chancellor, bickering nobles or backstabbing princes.

The Watcher opened his mouth, but then paused, his toe claws tapping out a disjointed rhythm upon the stone while he thought. “Perhaps, there is a more direct way to tell the tale.” He nodded, lowering himself into a sitting position. He motioned to the spot in front of him with a claw, “Please. Sit.”

Intent on finding out the past of her host, Lyra obliged, settling onto her barrel across from the saurian. “What are you going to do?”

“I,” He responded, extending a hand so that it hovered just above Lyra’s horn, “Am going to show you my memories.” He paused, the hand pulling back a barest inch, “Last chance to back out. I was not a nice creature.”

“Do it.”

Nodding, The Watcher began to glow, the familiar tingle of magic engulfing Lyra. For the unicorn, the world suddenly began to spin, her consciousness being pulled towards and focused upon the castor and- with a final twist of the room- Lyra found herself someplace else.

They were familiar surroundings, the place she found herself in, at least on the surface. The layout, the structure of the buildings, it was all familiar from her and Bon Bon’s exploration of the hidden city since their arrival. But the splendor, was not.

Wherein the city that the uintatherium inhabited was clean and uniform, the large scale art on the buildings reflecting their very down to earth nature, this metropolis of the memory was the exact opposite.

The buildings, either through plaster or the stone used to build them, were a brilliant white color, capped with gold and silver, rather than the dull gray or tan they were now. The murals were larger, and fuller, almost overflowing with their bombastic declarations of saurian superiority. Always the lizard creatures standing dominate over primitive looking mammals.

Lyra and The Watcher were standing on the corner of a bustling marketplace, suarians of all three tribes engaging in the hustle and bustle of commerce that, despite their own rather alien appearance, wouldn’t have looked out of place in Ponyville. Though there was distinctly more meat for sale, presumably to satiate the appetites of the swiftclaws.

“Watcher…” Lyra blinked, glancing about as she watched families of saurians go about their daily lives, “It’s...normal. I was expecting more...horror, I guess?”

“Oh, that comes later.” The Watcher sighed, pointing a hooked claw down one of the wide avenues, “Observe.”

Lyra turned, watching the saurians in the street begin to cheer as a large group of armed soldiers came marching along, heads held high. They strode forth with all the swagger of conquering heroes. But, as they passed where Lyra and The Watcher stood, they could see a group of uintatherium, locked in chains, being dragged along behind them.

“We were conquerors. The empire was built around seven great cities, each ruled by a local lord, who in turn answered to me.” The Watcher explained to Lyra’s horror, “Any creature that wasn’t us, was to be subdued and brought to claw.”

“Why?”

“It was how I viewed things back then.” The Watcher shrugged, watching the rows of soldiers marching by. “See, we saurians could all cast like unicorns can. Every sub group.”

Lyra stared at the Watcher, the gears in her head grinding away at that statement.

“How? That’s like saying your whole race was like alicorns.”

“Not exactly. It wasn’t holding the ability of all three groups in one more…” He paused for a moment, searching for the correct analogy. “Its more like everycreature was a unicorn, who could then do one other thing.”

“That’s still pretty impressive.”

“Which is the main reason that, at the time, I was convinced that saurians were the superior form of life on the planet. I was wrong. Very, very wrong. But it doesn’t change the fact that’s what I thought. Which got us in trouble when we first came in contact with the alicorns.”

Turning, he guided Lyra right through a wall, the stone almost swirling into mist to allow their passage. Lyra found herself in a great banquet hall, the smell of roasted bird and fresh fruit assaulting her nose in a clashing wave. The table that dominated the middle of the room was crammed almost to bursting with saurians, all helping themselves to food.

The Watcher sat at its head, tearing into the flesh of some manner of roasted bird with gusto. Bereft of his ghostly form, The Watcher was a reddish-orange color, with mottled brown patterns resting over that base hue. It was somewhat of a shock to Lyra, that the saurian at her side and the one eating were the same creature.

The Watcher that had been their host since arriving radiated a certain warmth. Always with a smile, and an offer of hospitality. The one at the table, however...Lyra shuddered. Having met Celestia-slash-Corona face to face, she was well familiar with the mad look that tended to play across that mare’s eyes. The Watcher however, was the exact opposite.

They were cold, calculating. Ready and willing to sacrifice any creature within the room. A chill ran down the mare’s spine.

Sitting next to him, was one of the quadrupedal sharp beaks, who seemed to be trying to outdo The Watcher in terms of ostentatiousness. The bony crest characteristic to his tribe seemed to have been replaced by one made of solid gold and studded with a collection of flawless gems. The rest of his body was covered in jewelry to the point that Lyra was quite sure she’d be blinded if she shined a bright light upon him; she could barely make out his off green hide.

“Who’s that?” She asked, pointing to the saurian.

“That’s Lord Kerzog. Zhalast-Zin was technically his city. Though, as Emperor, I was his superior in all matters.”

The sound of hooves on stone alerted Lyra to the arrival of the alicorn, before she saw her. Her coat, much like Corona’s, was a pure white color, but that was where the similarities ended. Her mane and tail were a golden yellow color, the former short, falling only part of the way down her neck. Her cutie-mark was a coil of rainbow, arranged in a loose heart shape.

“Wes hal?” She asked, the picture of serenity, her voice containing an almost musical quality to it.

Lyra blinked as the alicorn continued to speak in a dialect so old that she couldn’t understand any of it. The ancient Watcher said something back, equally as unintelligible, but much more angry sounding. The alicorn visibly recoiled, her expression turning incensed.

“What did you say to her?”

“Oh, I demanded the complete surrender of all alicorns to my state.”

Another bout of angry words, this time coming from the alicorn, tore through the chamber.

“And right there is where she told me to, in the modern vernacular, ‘Go soak my head’.”

“...It sounded a bit worse than that.”

“I was paraphrasing.” The Watcher shruggled, swirling a claw to change the scene, “But let us say that the diplomatic process broke down. And, little did I know at the time, I set in motion the events that would lead to the doom of my people.”

The world snapped back into place with the crack of a thunder and the pelt of rain. They were standing on a hill, saurians and their war golems stomping and rushing about in the chaotic mess of battle. The Watcher of the past paced back and forth, screaming, shouting, desperately searching for something.

Faster than Lyra’s eyes could track, something impacted into The Watcher at supersonic speeds, her ears instinctively flicking flat from the boom that rumbled its way to her core. The saurian was sent snout over tail, his body tearing a great furrow into the ground as he was punted over the edge of the hill.

Lyra gasped at the alicorn hovering where the The Watcher had been a moment before. Her mane waved as if tousled by an invisible breeze, pink, blue and turquoise a stark contrast to the crackling mane of flames she was used to seeing on the mare. Her magenta eyes were resolved, but not full of hate.

Another boom of sound echoed across the battlefield, the saurian ruler nothing more than a streak of color as he rushed back into view. Transitioning into a leap, a bone chilling screech escaped his mouth, the killing talons on hands and feet aimed at Celestia’s throat. But then wispy coils of blue magic snaked past the him in mid air, the form of Luna solidifying, blades of pure moonlight aimed for the Watcher’s back.

Just as the three beings were about to collide, another crack-boom tore through the air, another shape blurring through the dark, rain soaked sky, lightning bolts raining down on the war golems. The Watcher- the current one- raised a claw and the scene froze.

“As you can see, as powerful as I was, it didn’t matter. They were too powerful for my armies and there were too many for me to handle. Slowly, but surely, we were pushed back. Morale began to drop like a stone. So I decided to try grand display to show that we still had power.”

“And that,” He sighed sadly, as the scene changed, “Was the end.”

They were back in the city from before, but unlike before, it was the depths of night. The sky was full of glittering stars, arranged in shapes and patterns completely unfamiliar to Lyra. Looking around, she could see that they were standing on the highest tier of one of the distinctive pyramid shaped buildings that dominated the city’s skyline.

A flickering torch stood at each corner of the tier, casting a dancing orange glow across the stones, and the figure of The Watcher. Dressed in flowing white robes, and bedecked in glittering gold jewelry, he truly cut the figure of an Emperor. His eyes were closed, head tilted back and arms spread wide as a blue glow danced about his claws.

The rumble of drums banging out a primal tune drifted up from the streets below. They were clogged with the land based saurians, while the flyers were perched on the buildings like a flock of giant bats.

And they chanted.

“Vos! Vos! Vos!” Came the primal cry in their reptilian tongue.

“They’re waiting for something.” Lyra blinked.

“Yes.” The Watcher nodded, crouching next to her. Pointing a ghostly claw towards the sky, he traced it to the right, “From what was the North Star at the time, we follow that line to right...there.”

The star looked very normal at first, but as Lyra’s eyes locked on it, it began to move. Slowly at first, but then faster, curving in a lazy arc across the sky and across the city.

“We called it Vos, the Wanderer.” The Watcher explained, as a tail of brilliant, multicolored light began to flow from the star. “It was a comet that passed by on a regular basis and was important to our festivals. And I was making it bow to my whim.”

“It is beautiful.” Lyra smiled. The multiple hues of the comet’s tail were spreading wider now, painting a full rainbow across a glittering black canvas. “Must have been hard to take that from Luna’s control.”

“Well….” The old saurian considered, tapping a claw to his chin, “Truth be told, I’m not sure if Luna was in charge of the night sky yet. Never thought to ask her.”

“What do you mean?” Lyra blinked, “Luna’s always controlled the night sky.”

An impish smile crossed The Watcher’s snout. “As far as you know.” He waggled a claw, “But these were the early days, when the world was wild, fresh and new. When beings of legend walked the earth and every creature was still trying to figure things out. It was,” He spread his arms as wide as he could, “the age of possibility.”

A panicked gasp rose from the saurian inhabitants of the memory. The upbeat expression on The Watcher’s face vanished as quickly as it had came, his arms dropping to his sides in a gesture of defeat.

“I just wish I had realized that at the time.”

The comet had made a sharp turn, suddenly rushing towards the ground, its multicolored brilliance giving way to an angry red glow. The Watcher of the past whirled about, raising his claws skyward, the glow of his magic blazing brighter as he tried to arrest the comet’s plunge.

But he might as well have been trying to stop time itself. The angry red light grew larger and larger in the sky, screams of panic rising from the streets, the flying saurians beginning to take wing in an attempt to escape.

As the comet drew ever closer Lyra could begin to hear the roar of it ripping its way through the air. She could even begin to make out the spiky shards of black stone that made up the bulk of the comet’s form as it passed overhead and then over the horizon.

The impact sent a fireball rising into the sky, night becoming day again for a brief moment, a shockwave of sound slamming into them a matter of seconds later, knocking The Watcher of the past off his feet. A split second later, a gigantic cloud of ash rolled over the horizon, bearing down on the city like an out of control freight train.

Before Lyra could yelp in shock, the cloud swept across the city, the heat washing over her mane and coat, the blast of the impact ringing in her ears.

And then she was back in the guest room, the city and the ash vanishing in a swirl of smoke.

“My next memory was waking up, bound to that pillar.” The Watcher sighed, rubbing his forehead, “My people never recovered. Those who survived Cometfall and who were actually able to find this city.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “Well, they begged me, demanded me to take up the fight again. To get...revenge.”

“Revenge?” Lyra blinked, “No offense, but wasn’t that bit with the comet your fault?”

“Of course it was my fault!” The Watcher emphatically agreed, nodding his head. “But for a very long time I had pushed the idea that I was the flawless immortal emperor. That I knew everything and could do no wrong. The lessons took too well, it seemed. Save for this time.”

He sighed deeply again.

“I kept saying that we needed to focus on survival. Aside from the damage done by Cometfall itself, the world was already beginning to change, becoming wholly unfit for us.”

Lyra frowned, already sensing where this part of the story was going. “They didn’t listen, did they?”

“Some thought I was damaged. Others thought I was a false replacement.” He frowned. “They were angry. They wanted to lash out at something. But, eventually...they just stopped coming.” The Watcher smiled sadly, “No one wanted to listen to the crazy old ghost of the past. And, in the end, the saurians just,” He waved a claw through the air, almost as if he was reaching for something, “faded away. And no matter how hard I searched for survivors, I couldn’t find anymore. I was alone. I couldn’t even talk to the new civilizations rising up, being a ghost on the wind outside this building.”

“Until Luna and Celestia showed up.”

“Right.” He nodded, “Though our first meeting could have gone better. Luna wanted to destroy me. Celestia was actually the one who offered me a second chance.”

“Okay.” Lyra interrupted, frowning deeply, “This has been bugging me. You talk about this sight thing you have, and how you knew Corona back when she was Celestia. Even if you couldn’t exist outside the pyramid, couldn’t one of your uintatherium sent a message? Warned Luna? Talked Celestia out of her downward spiral?”

“The bitter irony of sight beyond sight, is that the wisdom to properly utilize it doesn’t automatically come with.” He shrugged. “Besides, no one saw Celestia’s fall coming. Not really.”

“Really?”

“Really.” The Watcher nodded, very firmly, “Lyra...she was willing to give me another chance. Me. The idiot who killed his own race with his hubris. I guarantee you, that if I was to transport you back to Canterlot, before Celestia’s fall, everypony would react to the news that she would become a tyrant by looking at you like you were insane.”

“But...there had to be some signs.”

“I can’t read minds Lyra.” He sighed, “Yes, sometimes she would yell and shout behind closed doors. But who hasn’t? I just thought that she was venting. Besides….”

He began to pace, slowly walking a line before Lyra as he spoke.

“I’ve been The Watcher for over a thousand years. I’ve seen conflict, sickness, death and the crushing oppression of tyrants. And through all that time, one inescapable conclusion has been laid before me. That the world is better off without saurian influence in it.”

He stopped his pacing, blinking at Lyra’s glower.

“I can see that you disagree.”

“You better believe I do! You have these powers, you see everything...you could help more!”

“Okay then, how would I do that Lyra?”

The question sounded more like a challenge of some kind to the musician, which made her bristle all the more as she stomped angrily towards him.

“You could tell us what’s coming! If we had known that Corona was going to escape-”

“Let me stop you right there.” The Watcher interrupted with a raised claw, “First, I don’t actually see the future. I see the here and now. I get...feelings about creatures or events that might be important. That is the extent of my prophetic abilities. Secondly,” He began to approach Lyra, drawing very close as he asked a question. “What if I had been able to warn Luna ahead of time? What do you think would have actually changed?”

“I-” Lyra sputtered, suddenly on the back hoof, “She could have been prepared to fight her.”

“Oh, don’t be so obtuse! Lyra, you were there when she arrived! You saw how easily Celestia overpowered her sister. With the Elements still stone, what would some extra preparation time done?”

“She could have lead us to the Elements, maybe?”

Even as those words left Lyra’s mouth, she realized how hollow they were. The initial bonds between the group that had grown into their friendship had been planted during that trek in the Everfree. Without it….

“It is very easy.” The Watcher frowned, interrupting her train of thought. “To look back upon events and say ‘I could have.’ or ‘I should have.’ It is not so easy to know what to do when the spectre of your previous failures keeps echoing in your head.”

He paused for a moment, looking past Lyra, as if he were watching some kind of distant event unfold. Then he shook his head and sighed.

“Go to your marefriend, Lyra. She’s on the far side of the market. That young zebra mare from the expedition will be bumping into her soon, assuming she doesn’t change course at all. I would still appreciate your assistance with my plans, but I do understand if you’d rather not.”

He strode from the room, sweeping past the musician without a backwards glance.

“I will be in the pillar.”

Bon Bon idly poked at yet another pile of fabric, the cloud of misery that clung about her refusing to leave. She didn’t like to fight with Lyra. In fact, she hated it with every fiber of her being. But, on the other hoof, she still couldn’t wrap her head around her sudden change of tune over Corona. The sudden sensation of somepony bumping into her, however, did manage to drag her from her funk.

“Oh, I’m sorry!”

Blinking, Bon Bon turned to face whoever had run into her. She recognized the zebra mare that had arrived with the rest of her expedition. A few of her books had spilled from her saddlebags from the impact, but she seemed more embarrassed than anything else.

“I’m so, so sorry!” She babbled in Equestrian, scooping up books as she rushed about, “I was just so focused on this place! It’s so amazing!”

“I suppose so.” Bon Bon nodded, bending down to help the zebra collect her tomes, “If you’re an explorer I guess.”

“Which, I am.” She grinned, flipping the last book back into her saddlebags, “I’m Asyana.”

The candy maker couldn’t help but smile, just a little, at the zebra’s enthusiasm. The fact that she was kind of cute with her long black and white mane didn’t hurt either.

“Bon Bon.” She introduced herself, tilting her head slightly, “You speak Equestrian really well. You’ve spent time in Equestria?”

“Quite a bit, in fact.” She nodded, “I just had to see it.”

Bon Bon blinked again.

“Really?”

“Well, with all the stories I heard growing up, of the mysterious kingdom ruled by the moon across the sea, how could I miss the chance?”

Bon Bon blinked for the third time. Equestria, the mysterious and legendary kingdom? It seemed so...strange. Asyana chuckled at her shocked expression, her dark eyes shining with mirth.

“You seem so surprised.”

“I’m sorry.” Bon Bon shook her head, “I just live in Ponyville, which is generally a quiet and peaceful place, so-”

“Ponyville!” Asyana interrupted, suddenly springing forward, her grin all the wider, “You live in the same town as the Elements of Harmony?”

“Well...yes.”

Asyana let loose a high pitched squee of joy, almost bouncing in place at the news.

“That’s so amazing! I’ve always wanted to know more about the Element Bearers. You need to tell me all about them!”

Before Bon Bon could object, the zebra explorer was already behind her, pushing her towards another building with her head, jabbering on just as excitedly as before.

“Let’s talk over drinks! I have so many questions! What are they like? Are they nice? Was there any apprehension over their new roles?”

Bon Bon sighed as she let herself be lead away. She was already trapped.

Sitting just outside the entrance to The Watcher’s pyramid, Luna frowned as she shuffled through the collected sketches that Black Tusk had dropped off, before passing half of the stack to her sister.

“Those,” She motioned to the collection of pages with a wing, “Are the zebra that were out exploring the city last night. And these were the ones who left today.”

Corona took the other pages, looking between the two stacks.

“They’re different. Completely.”

“Which does lead to the question of ‘Why?’, if Ritter is hiding half his zebra down there.”

“Searching for something, I would imagine.” Corona proposed, “Who knows what magic survived the downfall of the saurians.”

Luna’s frown deepened. She couldn’t fault her sister’s logic, as she was quite sure that most ponies would love to get their hooves on some of the ancient trinkets that could have lasted. But it had disturbing implications, as it implied that Ritter and his zebra had some knowledge about this place.

Unless they really are just stumbling around in the dark, which could almost be more dangerous.

“We must confront them.” Corona continued, firmly stomping a hoof against the the stone floor, “They must not be permitted to complete their nefarious plans.”

“Very well.” Luna agreed, “Let’s go talk to the good doctor.”

Within moments, the two alicorns were touching down outside Ritter’s building, the earth pony striding out with a large mug of coffee balanced in one hoof. He flashed a smile that passed for charming, nodding to each sister.

“Good morning my dears.” He raised the mug, “Can I offer you any coffee?”

Corona smacked the mug away with a flick of her magic, the coffee splashing across Ritter’s hooves. The explorer spared it a quick, half disappointed glance before looking back at Corona.

“...Now, that was a waste.”

“Do not play ignorant, doctor.” She frowned, “We know that you are up to something.”

“Yes. I am up to something.” He frowned back, “And that is exploration. Both above and below ground. Or did your host never tell you about the undercity?”

Luna highly suspected that The Watcher had just forgotten about its existence, those memories lost in the mists of immortality.

“Your presence here is problematic.” Luna added, “So, Ritter-”

“Doctor Ritter!”

“Doctor Ritter. If you are really here for simple exploration purposes, you need to show us something that proves that. Otherwise, my sister and I will remove you.”

“With great pleasure.” Corona added.

“Of course.” He smiled, slightly strained, “I could use an alicorn’s insight anyway. This way, if you please.”

“As you can see, this was spell lab belonged to some creature back in the day.” Ritter explained with a wave of his hoof, “I found it while poking about. Anything you care to add?”

Luna hadn’t taken her eyes off the rows of the rusty cage-slash-cells. Considering the character of the ancient saurian empire, she was quite sure that those prisons had been the source of a great deal of misery.

And the webs.

In the waning days of the empire, the saurians had grown more and more desperate in their attempts to stop the alicorn counter-attack. The war golems grew larger and more experimental, and they had began to experiment with the darkest depths of the various schools of magic.

She dearly hoped that whatever had made these were long dead and gone.

Her eyes flicked to her sister, who was poking at some of the channeling crystals and arcane foci with a very sour expression on her muzzle. It was easy to see that similar thoughts were playing through her head as well.

The sound of a stone clicking on the floor cut through the silence, Luna and Corona whipping about to see what caused it. A small stone, plucked somewhere from the tunnel, had been dropped on one of the many tiles that made up the floor. And Ritter was nowhere in sight.

Now glowing with a sickly green light, both alicorns could sense the rising tide of magical power, a thick stone door dropping from the ceiling, blocking the way out. Spells began to fire off in rapid succession, starting with a rippling pulse that washed across the whole room.

Dimensional Lock. Luna blinked, recognizing the spell and its ability to seal off transportation magic.

The next moment, the room filled with energy. Electricity, flame, acid, ice and a booming sonic pulse in one horrendous maelstrom of power. It slashed and tore at both of the alicorns, sending lances of pain through both their bodies.

They recovered quickly, as their alicorn nature was want to allow, another spell flickering to life. One of the creatures that the sisters recognized as a member of the sharpbeak tribe of saurians appeared. His head crest, not made of flesh and bone like most of his kind, was made out of solid gold and set with precious gems in circular patterns.

“Greetings, thieves. I am Lord Kerzog. If any of you filthy vultures survived my traps, then allow me to congratulate you.” He spat, in a croaking old voice that seethed with bitterness and rage, “You are officially stronger than I gave you filthy, mammal thieves credit for!”

Luna and Celestia were already charging their magic as the illusion continued to speak, the sounds of scuttling limbs beginning to shift through the darkness of the vaulted ceiling high above their heads.

“You may have come here, searching for the riches of an empire long dead. Well, I hope you choke on them!”

He smiled as pony sized black shapes picked their way down the thick cable like webbing.

“But, I’d rather some of my creations choke on you!”

And as the scuttling horde of blackness leapt at the sisters, they responded with blasts of sun and moonlight, their shouts of battle mixing with the shrieks of their attackers.

Author's Note

I based the saurians off of two primary sources. The first being The Reptiles from Chrono Trigger, which is mostly seen in their hated for mammals, and the fact that a giant space rock dropped on their heads kind of brought them down.

The other major influence in their creation are the Runelords from the Pathfinder RPG campaign setting of Golarian. As the Watcher stated, the empire was built around seven great cities, each one ruled over a different lord. Each one of those lords had a different specialization of magic, with Lord Kerzog being the master of Transmutation. The other lords lined up with the other schools, save for divination.

Alaza- Lord of Evocation
Belimara- Lord of Abjuration
Erunk- Lord of Conjuration
Sarken- Lord of Enchantment
Xanhagul- Lord of Illusion
Zartha- Lord of Necromancy

Connections between the ancient saurians and dragons and even where they came from originally are unknown, as lost in the mists of time as the origin and eventual fate of the alicorns aside from Luna and Celestia.

Return of the Lost

Beneath the streets of Zhalast-Zin, the remains of a long past war raged.

Princess Luna was quite sure that the creatures attacking her and Corona had been spiders at one time in their existence. But now, they resembled more of a warped parody of arachnids, rather than any creature that should have naturally walked upon the world.

Their bodies had been swelled to the size of an average pony, the chitin of their exoskeletons a lurid purple flowing into a deep red on the underbelly. Where the eight eyes would be on a normal spider, there were now three, set above a fanged maw, flanked by two sharp tusk like protrusions. Even the pedipalps had been altered, now tipped with slicing claws.

They scuttled from the darkness of the high vaulted ceiling, climbing down the walls, down the webs, throwing themselves at both alicorns. And for their part, the sisters responded with equal fury.

Corona’s fiery mane crackled and hissed, spreading wider and fuller as she tapped into her wellspring, her face a dismissive mask. Volley after volley of flaming spheres were thrown back into the ranks of the spider creatures, only for more to scuttle over the burning bodies of their fellows.

Luna was calmer, but no less focused. A collection of razor sharp crescents, forged from moonlight, buzzed around her like angry wasps. She flung them in wide arcs, spearing whole groups of spiders with each flick of her telekinesis.

On their own, the spider creatures would have been easy to deal with.

“You’re not dead yet?”

But they weren’t the only things they had to deal with. The programmed image of the ancient saurian hadn’t gone away with the activation of his glyph and, much to the annoyance of Corona and Luna, he had not stopped talking.

“Well, I still have plenty more spells in my sequencer. Let us see what we can scare up, yes?”

“I would pay a king's ransom for him to shut his cursed mouth.” Corona growled.

“Agreed.”

“Ah ha!” The illusion perked up. “I could use some new statues!”

Twin beams of green tinted magic lashed out, striking the sisters full on. The coldness of metal began to creep through the tips of their wings, the transmutation spells going to work; silver for Luna and gold for Corona. But with a roll of her eyes and a surge of magic, Luna fell apart into starry mist, the creeping enchantment falling apart with no target to act upon.

Reforming on the other side of the rectangular chamber, the spider creatures struck, spitting a veritable avalanche of webs over the lunar princess. Luna reeled back, the silky strands becoming caught up in her coat, a light sensation of numbness beginning to sink into her skin.

Poison! She realized with a start.

She quickly shifted her magic, coiling it through her body and dismissing the toxins with thought.

“AH HA!”

The green tinged light of the rune marked tile flared again. In the next breath, the searing pain of a lightning bolt forking its way through her body lit up every nerve. Swearing under her breath, Luna swung her magic back around, spreading a wide arcane shield before her body.

But then there was a sudden surge of weight upon her back, a group of the monsters tearing and slashing at her with their claws. Luna ignored their efforts, instead focusing on the illusion that seemed to be thinking about what to do next.

It was obvious to Luna, now that she had a moment to observe it, that the illusion was more akin to a projected image enchantment. Acting like the actual Lord Kerzog, it was capable of thinking and planning to a limited extent.

And its plan seemed to be to try and overwhelm the pair. To throw enough smaller spells and creatures their way to split their attention, and slip something more debilitating through. It seemed the other alicorn had reached the same conclusion, as Corona shouted a warning, “Sister! Prepare thyself!”

Luna blinked, the temperature in the room suddenly spiking. As the tongues of flame began to lick along the walls, she pulled her arcane shield fully around her body, shaping it into capsule to survive what she knew was coming next.

The room was suddenly the blazing inferno of the sun’s interior. Every inch of space was filled with flames, the shrieks of the spider creatures spiking and then falling silent. Even some of the stone and tiles in the room broke, the staccato cracks and explosions echoing through the room like cannon fire. But as quickly as the fire had been summoned, it faded away, leaving the room charred and blackened by the heat.

Not to mention the large piles of charcoal that had once been the spider monsters.

Casually glancing towards where the illusion had been, Luna smiled at the jagged crack down the middle of the tile. All in all, it had been an effective use of spell power by her sister.

“Luna...I seem to have found something else.”

At the far end of the room, part of the wall had crumbled away, the secret door having been destroyed by Corona’s explosive power. The dark corridor beyond sloped downwards, heading even deeper into the earth.

“Just how large is this complex?” Luna blinked, walking to the edge of the doorway.

“Who knows.” Corona shrugged. “The Watcher admitted to us that he had no idea half of what was going on in this city by the end.”

They exchanged a weary look, before trotting deeper into the depths of the catacombs.

“Where is she!” Lyra shouted in frustration.

It seemed that by the time she had gotten across the city, that Bon Bon and that zebra had moved on. She briefly considered turning about and going back to The Watcher to have him pinpoint their location again, but there would be no guarantee that they wouldn’t have moved on again when she got back here.

“Alright, think.” She muttered, logically working through the steps. “She looked like a scholar. Bons and I obviously look out of place here, and we’re with Princess Luna. That probably grabbed her attention and she’d want to know more about what’s going on. Which would mean finding a convenient place to talk.”

A few of the passing uintatherium gave her odd looks over her conversation with herself, which Lyra promptly ignored.

“Discussion over food.”

It made sense to her.

Turning her attention back to her surroundings, Lyra scanned each of the nearby buildings, looking for hints of what they were. Most of them appeared to be homes, save for one towards the end of the block. The collection of large stone tables and chairs sitting outside the door said “cafe” to her.

Not hesitating, she tore off again, closing the distance of the street in a few minutes. Thankfully, spying a pony and a zebra among the forest of gray was pretty easy, but what she saw made her eyes bug out.

Bon Bon was leaning forward, holding one of the zebra’s hooves in both of her own, her eyes half closed as she muttered sweet nothings to the striped mare. A happy laugh escaped said mare’s muzzle, an embarrassed flush peeking through her coat.

Lyra rushed to the side of the table, her nostrils flaring, a surge of anger temporarily overwhelming her common sense.

“Bons! What are you doing?”

The earth pony flashed a nervous grin, sinking into her seat. “I...well. It really, really isn’t what it looks like.”

“What is it then?” She glared, her coat bristling. “Cause it looks like you were proposing to her or something!”

“Umm...actually.” The zebra spoke up. “She was telling me the story of your first date.” She nervously waved at Lyra. “Hi, by the way, I’m Asyana.”

Lyra blinked, the memories coming back to her. She had knelt down, taken Bon Bon’s hoof in hers and proposed that they go get some hayfries in the same manner she might ask for a pony’s hoof in marriage.

“Oh.” She sunk to her haunches, the burning sting of embarrassment coursing through her body. “So..uhh...the floor can swallow me up anytime now.”

Asyana chuckled, extending her hoof.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Lyra. Bon Bon’s been saying good things about you.”

“Really?”

“Don’t get me wrong.” Bon Bon frowned. “I still think we shouldn’t be sticking around, considering Corona.”

“Bons….”

“But I don’t hate you or anything.” She sighed. “You’re just not thinking straight.”

Lyra bristled at the accusation. “That’s not fair Bon Bon! You keep expecting me to just...walk away from all of this! Do you really think that Trixie and the rest of us weren’t going to clash with Corona at some point?”

Bon Bon flinched, her ears flicking back, but she pushed on all the same. “But the rest of them aren’t here. It’s just the two of us.”

“And Luna.”

“Who is so much more powerful than you! If she can’t stop Corona, what chance do you have?”

“And pointing out that she isn’t the same mare who kidnapped you?”

Bon Bon snorted, picking up a mug of some drink in her hooves. “Oh, well, if that’s the case.”

Asyana nervously shuffled in her seat. “Look...this might not be my place, to speak up. I’m not Equestrian. The sun...well, it isn’t something we zebra really fear. But isn’t this kind of thing what the Element Bearers do?”

“But that’s the thing.” Bon Bon sighed. “Ever since Lyra became one, I can’t shake the fear that one day, she’s going to go off on one of these adventures and never come back.” She squeezed her eyes closed and sighed even deeper. “That it’ll be Princess Luna standing at my door with a hung head and the news that you’re...gone. And this...this feels like such an extra, unnecessary risk.”

Smiling sadly, Lyra took her marefriend’s hoof in her own. “Bons. I have this element because I couldn’t let Corona just take you. And I can’t just let Equestria down or Luna down. But I can promise you this.” She slowly, carefully lifted Bon Bon’s foreleg, planting a soft kiss upon her cannon. “I would align the stars to always come back to you.”

Bon Bon bit her lip. “But, what about Corona? I mean, you can’t expect me to just go with this.”

“Miss Bon Bon.” Asyana spoke up. “No offense, but...well….” She took a deep breath. “WhatifitwasLyra!” The words came tumbling out, Asyana trying to get it all out before she lost her nerve.

Bon Bon blinked. “What?”

“Well...think about it. What if Lyra had gone all evil or something. Would you be so quick to write her off?”

“It’s not the same though!”

“Why?” Asyana pressed.

“Because! She’s my Lyra!”

“And Corona...Celestia is Luna’s sister.” Lyra frowned.

Bon Bon squeezed her eyes closed. “I can’t forgive her. Not now. But….” She slowly nodded. “I trust you. Just please...be careful.”

“Hey, it’s me.” Lyra grinned.

“Naked bear.” Bon Bon smirked, taking another sip of her drink.

Asyana looked from Bon Bon to Lyra and back again, an eyebrow arched in disbelief.

“Okay. I’m not letting that comment pass without question. Can I get an explanation?”

“Right…” Lyra smirked bemusedly. “The whole thing began when I our friend Trixie asked for help with testing some zebra magic….”

The light from Celestia’s horn filled the dusty stone corridor, the sisters continuing their their trek deeper into the catacombs. Celestia frowned, continuing her own mental count of how long they had been walking. The corridor was long and almost annoyingly straight, seemingly going onwards and onwards like an unending tunnel of boredom. They walked in silence, each locked in their own thoughts.

Celestia just wanted her sister to step aside. To allow her to do what was necessary to protect Equestria from threats like, well, the saurians for example. Since it seemed that the damned beings had left a whole army of monstrosities behind. What if some were, even now, slumbering beneath the cities and hamlets of Equestria? Ready to threaten ponies. Her ponies! And Luna wanted her to just...put trust in going back to the way things were.

As she pondered how she could go about dissuading her sister from continuing opposing her, a stab of irony struck her that no doubt Luna would likely be thinking the same. She would laugh at the absurdity of it all, were it not such a tragic irony.

Sparing a glance towards her sibling, Celestia could almost see Luna’s thoughts playing out in her head. Most likely, she was trying to work out some way to talk her down, to use the fact she had given Celestia the control of the sun back as leverage.

There was a stab of frustration that cut through her at that but at the same time her logical mind couldn’t fault her if she tried that angle. After a thousand years of anger and conflict, that gesture had become their sole recent connection.

No! She will understand. They’ll all understand and soon.

So lost in their thoughts that they were, they didn’t notice only snapped out of it as Celestia’s light spilled into a new spell laboratory.

Asyana was locked in a giggle fit that didn’t seem like it would be ending anytime soon.

“They really-” She managed to get out between giggles.

“Yup.” Lyra nodded.

“Unbelievable.” Asyana chuckled. “I can’t believe that you were actually turned into a hominin! They’re nothing but legends anymore.” She smirked, looking wistfully out the doors. “I was actually hoping to find them here. Ritter was pretty tight lipped on what we’d actually find once we hit the valley.”

“I do have to ask, why are you working with Doctor Ritter?” Lyra inquired with a wave of her hoof. “You seem so nice, and he seems so…insane?”

Asyana frowned, tapping her hooves together. “Well...he’s been under a lot of stress as of late. So many of his colleagues called him mad for saying this place existed.”

“But you look like the only one who’s taking this seriously.” Bon Bon frowned. “Your boss walked up to the Tyrant Sun herself and presented her with a legal document. That’s not something a sane pony does.”

“Look...this is going to work.” Asyana insisted. “The existence of this place is nothing short of amazing! It’s going to prove that Doctor Ritter and I are right about a lost, ancient civilization and the world will get a little bit smaller.”

Lyra and Bon Bon blinked.

“Not literally.” Asyana quickly amended. “It’s more…”

She paused, biting her lip as she contemplated what to say.

“In my life.” She eventually answered. “I’ve always wondered what was over the horizon. The fact that our countries might as well be the moon to each other has never sat well with me. That’s why I travel, that’s why I explore. I just want to...close those distances.”

“Seems like you’re a hopeless romantic in your own way.” Lyra smirked back.

“I suppose I am. But I trust Ritter.”

“How did he find this place anyway?” Lyra asked. She waved a hoof at their surroundings to emphasise her question. “We only wound up here by accident.”

“Oh, well, it all started with this green stone orb he bought from a noble of your land. A…” She paused, face scrunched up in thought for a moment, “Vicereine Puissance, I believe. And- what?”

Lyra and Bon Bon’s jaws had dropped open, the two ponies staring at her in a blind shock.

“What’s wrong? What did I say?” Asyana blinked. “Did I say her name wrong?”

“Vicereine Puissance...you’re sure that’s the exact name he used.” Lyra asked.

“Yes! That’s the exact name he used! What’s wrong?”

“Puissance is a collector and a control freak.” Lyra frowned. “The only way I can possibly see her giving something up something from her collection would be if Ritter could give her something of greater rarity, value and age in return.”

“And if he had something like that to give, why would he need to get the orb and go on this expedition in the first place.” Bon Bon pointed out. “That would be enough to make his academic career, I’d think.”

Asyana was suddenly looking very nervous. “But why would he lie about having acquired it from Puissance?”

“Maybe he stole it?” Lyra proposed, rubbing her chin.

“Or he got it from someplace else entirely and Puissance was a story that would hang together enough for somepony not really familiar with Equestrian politics.” Bon Bon proposed.

“Maybe we need to talk to The Watcher.” Lyra suggested, already pushing herself to her hooves. “He’s already suspicious. Maybe if you describe the orb to him, he might be able to tell us what it is or where it came from.”

“Wait…” Asyana blinked. “Who’s The Watcher?”

“Seriously?” Lyra blinked. “Ritter really hasn’t told you much, has he?”

Asyana’s cheeks turned red through her fur. “That’s not…. Just who is he!”

“The de-facto ruler of this city.” Lyra smiled. “And a creature that you’ve never seen before.”

Despite the uncertainty still evident in the young zebra, that line got a reaction, her ears perking up. “Alright.” She nodded. “Let’s go see your mysterious Watcher.”

While the other lab had been large, or at the very least tall, Luna couldn’t help but be impressed with the size of the one they now found themselves in. In truth, it reminded her of one of Duke Fisher’s Stalliongrad factories, done via magic and much, much older.

The remains of rusty scaffolding dominated the center of the room, strung up around the half crumbled remains of a construct. Stepping closer, the nature of the damage became more apparent to the alicorn sisters. The center of the golem had ruptured outwards, as if some manner of explosion had started within its core. Corona tilted her head forward, sweeping her light towards the left side of the room.

The retreating shadows swept away from even more shattered creations, each one progressively more damaged than the last, till the remains that were at the end of the line were just a pile of shattered stone.

“They were refining the process.” Luna blinked. “Just how many of these did they build?”

“Enough, obviously.” Corona frowned, swinging her light to the right side of the room.

The darkness parted, revealing a large and intricate...contraption, for the lack of a better term. Two large stone platforms stood side by side, each wide enough for Luna and Corona to stand on, and standing four inches tall. Their sides were shod in gold and silver bands, etched with saurian writing. The bands of metal were carried over into the wall, forming a connection between the two stone slabs.

Upon the left platform, a jumbled skeleton rested, a crest of gold and jewels standing out from the pale bone. A collection of green stone spheres were scattered about the floor, their surfaces marked with a criss cross pattern of silver engraving, most of them damaged like the constructs.

“Lord Kerzog.” Luna blinked. “I suppose this was where he spent his final moments….”

Corona plucked one of the orbs from the floor, closely examining it. “I wonder what these are.”

“Power sources? Magical storage? Those would be the most logical things.” Luna pointed out, picking one up herself. “Though I doubt that we’ll find anymore details.”

Corona snorted, but didn’t argue the point. Detecting fleeting traces of magic as they escaped broken magic items was tricky enough in the immediate aftermath. After over a thousand years of time, any traces would be long, long gone.

“I would think a storage device of some kind.” She ventured, trotting over to the right pad and gently setting the sphere within the divot. “With this apparatus one could conceivably quickly store spellpower.”

“Except that the golem itself seemed to be able to store magic. Why create something that can store spells, and stick it into something else that can store spells?”

Corona traced a circle on the floor with a hoof, considering that. “It stores something else then?”

“But what?”

Lyra, Bon Bon and Asyana strolled into The Watcher’s throne room, Asyana looking around with a wide eyed energy. She was almost bouncing on her hooves as they approached the pillar in which The Watcher slept.

Before they could progress much further into the room however, The Watcher burst forth from the carved obsidian. With three great bounds, he closed the distance, landing before Asyana and standing to his full height.

Asyana recoiled, her ears pulling flat, and Lyra couldn’t blame her. The Watcher’s eyes were hard, the light heartedness gone.

“What did it look like?”

Asyana yelped, scuttling backwards as he loomed over her. “W-what?”

“The orb!” The Watcher snapped. “The orb that Ritter has, what does it look like?!”

“H-how do you?”

“Oh, for crying out loud.” He groaned. “What about the name ‘The Watcher’ do you creatures not get? I see all! Except for things around your boss and the underground chambers of this city! Which probably means they’re connected somehow and that’s a very bad thing miss Asyana! So! If you please, can you tell me what the orb looked like!”

“U-umm...green stone...about the size of a hoofball.” She stammered. “Covered with silvery etchings, in kind of a twisting, criss-cross pattern.”

“We need to find Ritter. Now.”

“Watcher.” Lyra frowned. “You know what that thing is?”

“Kerzog showed me the designs.” He grit his teeth. “I didn’t think he ever got them out of the prototype stage.”

“But what is it?”

“He called it, the mind trap.”

“Faster! Work faster you ignorant louts! Schnell!” Ritter bellowed. “We’re running out of time! The labs won’t hold the alicorns for long!”

The chorus of picks picked up the pace, hammering out a discordant cacophony. All of Grima’s stallions were at work now, tearing into ancient stone and masonry like their lives depended on it which, with the presence of Corona, just might be the truth.

My wards are still in place. The carved sphere whispered in Ritter’s ear. But the average gallop speed of an alicorn can approach supersonic speeds! We need to get through that wall, now!

“Grima! Bring up the powder.”

The zebra gave him a wary glance.

“Are you sure...the noise….”

“Just do it!”

Three small casks of powder, acquired at great expense were rolled forward. Stuffed with volatile black powder, they brimmed with explosive potential. Unfortunately, as much as he wanted one, Ritter had been unable to get his hooves on an Equestrian naval cannon. The powder itself would have to do.

The receptacles were wedged into the hole that had been gouged into the wall, Grima himself quickly running a wick from each one to the far side of the room. Smirking to himself, Ritter carefully removed a match from his shirt pocket.

“Gentlestallions. Beyond this wall lies our future.”

He let the match drop.

The fuses snapped and crackled, the flame whipping across the room while the expedition scrambled for cover. The sparks hit the barrels, and they detonated with an ear ringing crack.

The Watcher, Lyra, Bon Bon and Asyana’s heads snapped towards the sound of the explosion that rose from the depths of the pyramid.

“That can’t be good.” Bon Bon frowned.

Corona and Luna’s ears twitched at the distant rumble, the pair exchanging a glance before tearing off back through the catacombs.

Ritter bolted through the hole, his hired muscle swarming in behind him. A chorus of gasps escaped the lips of some of the workers at the massive golem that rose before them. Their tunnel had lead them right under The Watcher’s snout. Ritter ignored the shocked zebra, clambering up onto the massive square snout of the stone beast.

“Grima! The orb!”

Nodding, the zebra boss picked it up from its resting place pitching it underhoofed across the room. Catching it, Ritter looked to the appropriately shaped divot that was carved into the center of the head.

Gently lowering it into place, green sparks of magic began to flick back and forth from the sphere to the golem, growing in intensity as the two surfaces drew close to each other. And then, they touched, a flash of light rippling from snout to tail of the construct.

Ritter quickly scrambled down from the golem, its whole form shaking and shuddering. It rumbled to life, shaking its whole body like a dog awakening from a deep sleep. Stone ground on stone, the monster pushing itself to full standing size, towering over the surrounding zebra. It swung its blocky head about, sweeping its gaze across the assembled expedition, a baleful green light flickering into existence around its carved eyes.

“Well done Ritter.” A voice, ancient with age, echoed from the carved rictus grin. “For a mammal, you are quite competent.”

“What’s going on here?” Grima demanded, whirling about on the doctor. “You told us that there would be riches for the taking in this city! You had us digging to a golem?”

The construct turned its head to Grima for a moment, in a gesture of near contemplation, before swinging back around to regard the four creatures that had just come rushing into the room.

“Ahh, Emperor!” The construct addressed the shocked looking saurian, bowing its head so low that it scraped against the floor for a moment. “It has been a long time. But you seem to be in as good of health as possible, considering the circumstances.”

The Watcher glared back at the construct. He stepped forward, placing himself resolutely between Lyra, Bon Bon, Asyana and the gigantic golem.

“Kerzog.” He frowned, nodding curtly. “I’ll confess, I’m surprised you survived Cometfall.” The frown turned into sneer as he took in every inch of the stony form before him. “...In a manner of speaking.”

Corona and Luna came barreling into the chamber via the hole smashed into the wall, knocking a few zebra aside (and eliciting some shocked curses) in their rush. Kerzog immediately turned to face them, his footfalls echoing against the room’s high walls.

“Ahh. The alicorns.” He cocked his head, voice taking on a mirth like tone. “How so very good to see you again.”

Corona growled back. “You are the one behind all of this?”

“Guilty. I-”

“My riches.”

Everypony turned to stare at Ritter, who was also glaring up at the giant construct. “You promised me riches. Silver, gold, platinum.” He continued, placing a hoof upon the heavy stone chest he had collected before. “And this doesn’t leave my side until I get my money. I do not care about whatever quarrel you have with the alicorns.”

“You thundering moron!” The Watcher shouted. “Do you have any idea-”

“Now, now Emperor.” Kerzog admonished, mockingly waggling one of his undersized arms. “I did promise the stallion money. The weight of his followers in silver, gold and platinum, I believe.”

They felt the surge of magic ruffling their coats the moment before the spell kicked in. The web of the spell tore through the the zebra, leaping from one to the other in a chain, panicked screams following suit. But as quickly as they rose, they grew silent, their bodies stiffening, their coats taking on a metallic gleam.

It was over as quickly as it began, the small army of zebra reduced to a shining forest of precious metals. Lyra and Bon Bon gaped in shock, flinching a few steps back from the now platinum form of Asyana, who had not been lucky enough to escape the effect of the spell.

“Your reward.” Kerzog chuckled. His off green telekinetic aura sprung up around the stone chest, yanking it boldly into the air. “I hope that you find it acceptable.”

Author's Note

Lord Kerzog.

Also known as the Lord of Avarice, he was responsible for most of the saurian empire's defences against the alicorns, sending legions of enhanced constructs into the grinder of war. A magical genius, he originally devised the Mind Traps as a possible way to deal with the alicorns, locking their minds seperate from their bodies.

But, after Cometfall he re-purposed the original prototypes so that he and his fellow lords would have a chance to survive the changing world.

The Last Battle

Bon Bon’s heart was racing like a humming bird. Each beat crashed in her ears like a thunderclap. Corona was looking furious, Luna equally incensed. There was a giant golem that seemed to contain the mind or ghost or something of a long dead wizard. And the nice zebra mare was now a statue of precious metals.

They had officially reached the level of in over their heads.

“I see that time hasn’t reduced the saurian capacity for cruelty.” Luna frowned, her magic already beginning to glow and coil about her horn.

“Oh, please.” Kerzog chuckled. “Ritter hardly recruited from sources that one would define as ‘on the level’. It’s not like I struck a bunch of foals. That comes later.”

“Nay!” Corona snapped, her mane flaring brighter for a moment. “You shall not leave this valley!”

Kerzog tilted his head, once again his voice the only thing to indicate his mood. “And you are going to stop me?” He almost chuckled. “I designed this receptacle specifically to battle your kind, which there are so, so fewer of now aren’t there?”

“Two are more than enough! You are alone.”

“Ahh yes, about that.”

The chest- still clutched in its magical grip- shattered, a cloud of green orbs flying free. Smaller than the one that had brought the giant golem to life, they were bodily propelled from the room by Kerzog’s spell power.

Luna moved to intercept, her own aura striking back out to try and catch the the flying spheres. Kerzog’s crest blazed with magic, twin beams of deadly magic leaping from its eyes towards the two normal ponies. Swearing, Luna was forced to shift her magic, forming a shield to block the spells.

Corona tried as well, but one of Kerzog’s massive stone feet lashed out, catching the alicorn in the side. Her balance thrown off, the grip was lost and the spheres flew from the room. The next moment, other sounds of stone grinding to life filled the air.

The Watcher spun about. “RUN!” He bellowed, frantically waving his arms towards the surface.

Bon Bon didn’t hesitate, her legs already running at top speed, Lyra right at her side. Rushing through the dust and cobweb choked tunnels her eyes kept flicking to the shadow filled rooms where more monsters stirred.

“We need to get to my pillar.” The Watcher explained, easily pacing ahead of them. “You need to call your friends!”

“What? How!” Bon Bon shouted, sparing a glance behind her. “I thought the teleporters weren’t working!”

A chorus of roars and growls rose behind them, the horde of awakened golems spilling into the corridors. Bon Bon and Lyra put on another burst of speed, almost running straight through The Watcher.

“Well...technically.” He winced. “But I might be able to fandangle enough power for your friends to send Lyra and her lyre! You need it for your magic, yes?”

“Why not bring one of them through?” Lyra asked, a frustrated edge creeping into her voice.

“Teleporting ponies isn’t like playing music! I’m not risking any of them on an unstable connection! I mean, I could have asked Celestia and Luna to recharge the pyramid’s magical stores, but I didn’t want you two to leave until you worked your issues out….”

“You-you...ass!” Bon Bon shouted. She resisted the desire to take an angry swing at the saurian shooting a venomous glance his way, picturing all of the horrible things she could do if he were only solid. “You are so lucky that you’re a...a...ghost...thing, or I’d make you one right now!”

“Really,” The Watcher drawled as they came barrelling into the throne room. “compared to some of the things I’ve done in my life, hiding the truth to try and play relationship counsellor is downright altruistic.”

“I’m still angry with you!” Bon Bon snarled, nostrils flaring as she and Lyra skidded to the base of the obsidian pillar. Motioning to it with a hoof, she tried to ignore the roars and howls that were still drawing closer. “Just like last time?”

“Yup. Hooves on the stone. I’ll handle the rest. Tell your friends to put the items up against the disk!”

Nodding, Bon Bon shoved Lyra’s hooves against the pillar. “Call! I’ll watch your flanks.”

Resisting the urge to make a comment about how Bon Bon usually did that anyway, Lyra felt the world spin away from her.

The next thing Lyra knew, she was standing atop Trixie’s desk, about the size of an average curio. Thankfully, the illusionist was here, which saved Lyra from having to go and find out just how far away from the stone disk her diminutive self could travel. Though it was somewhat disconcerting to see Trixie’s head looming over her like some kind of pony giant.

Fee-fi-fo-fum. Lyra thought, a foalhood fable choosing this inopportune moment to spring to mind. I smell the blood of a unicorn. Be she alive, or be she dead, I’ll grind her bones to make my bread.

“Lyra?” Trixie gasped. “What’s wrong? Is it Corona? Is she trying something?”

“No. It’s not Corona. It’s...something else. I don’t really have time to explain, but everything here is going straight into the sun! We need help! Get my lyre and my armor and put them on the disk!”

Before Trixie could question that further, Lyra felt the world go topsy-turvy again. Finding herself back in the throne room, Lyra immediately wished that she wasn’t.

The golems had flooded into the chamber and were rushing right for them. Bon Bon had yanked her away from the pillar and was dragging her towards the exit. The Watcher’s intangible form rose from the surge of stone, but the frantic waving of his arms was clear. Keep running. Twisting out of Bon Bon’s grip, she shoved herself forward, breaking into a full gallop again, stone claws slamming into the floor where they were a moment before.

“Where are we going?” Bon Bon asked as they spilled out into the sun, taking the pyramid steps two at a time.

“The teleporter! You can wait there and-”

Her suggestion was cut off as she was slammed to the ground, one of the swiftclaw golems pouncing upon her. Golem and pony went head over tail down the stairs, Lyra yelping in a mixture of shock and pain.

“LYRA!” Bon Bon cried, rushing even faster down the stairs.

But she hadn’t moved more than a few steps before a vice like grip wrapped around her hind legs. Yanked into the air with a sudden surge of motion, Bon Bon found herself dangling upside down, the stone spires of Zhalast-Zin whipping past beneath her. Twisting and thrashing, she caught just enough of a glimpse of what had her to come to one very strong conclusion.

Flying golems just weren’t fair.

- - - -

“This is where it all begins again.” Kerzog laughed, slowly stalking around the two alicorns. “The return of the Saurian Empire.”

“It will be a small empire with just you and a collection of golems.” Luna glared back, her wings twitching with a nervous energy. “Not even your former emperor cares for your tactics anymore.” She jabbed a wing at Ritter. “The only creatures you have helping you are here thanks to deceit and their own greed!”

“I resent that!” Ritter shouted back.

The golem rocked back on its feet, a deep cackle filling the room. “As if his opinion matters! His boundless stupidity is exactly what drove our race into this situation!”

“Your fate was sealed the moment you struck out against us.” Corona frowned. With a flap of her wings she rose into the air, drawing level with the great head, calling on her her power. “And now, we will make sure that it takes!”

Kerzog charged. Corona’s eyes went wide at the sudden burst of speed from the golem. The impact sent the solar alicorn crashing through the wall, an avalanche of stone raining down upon her head. Ritter scrambled out of the line of fire, throwing himself back through the hole his zebra had blown through the opposite wall.

Luna slammed her body into Kerzog’s side, throwing the full of her considerable strength into the strike. The claws of the golem body carved furrows in the stone, sparks flying as it was pushed back. Kerzog struck back with equal fury, a bone shaking body check that sent the lunar princess sprawling next to her sister.

Corona exploded from the rubble with a snap of her wings, her form reduced to a white blur as she drove to bury her strong as iron hooves in Kerzog’s snout. But he responded with a burst of magic, jumping into the air with surprising grace as the spell took hold.

Everything was suddenly a jumble of motion, alicorns, blocks of stone and metallic zebra tumbling through the air. Corona and Luna twisted about, flapping their wings to find purchase in the suddenly topsy-turvy environment. Kerzog, against all odds, was now latched to the ceiling.

“Ha! No gravity!” The mirth was evident in his voice.

Pushing off from the ceiling, the archmage quickly wove two spells. The first radiated out over the floating remains of the wall, and the zebra. The bricks twitched once, before springing into motion almost hopping through the air as they moved towards the alicorns. The zebra likewise came to life, each part of their bodies regaining mobility with a groan of metal and a horrific spasm. The second spell affected Kerzog’s own form, as he let the reverse gravity spell end. The animated objects swarmed the alicorns while the golem plummeted towards the pair.

Corona and Luna vanished with twin flashes of light, re-appearing where Kerzog had been a moment before. If the saurian lord cared, he didn’t show it, not bothering to arrest his fall, knocking the petrified zebra aside. As the tip of his snout hit the floor, the stone rippled and flowed like water, the massive bulk of the golem disappearing from view like a breaching whale.

The metallic zebra hit the ground a moment later with a series of echoing clangs, before springing back to their hooves and staring up at Corona and Luna. The sisters stared at the glittering legion below, the animated bricks bouncing off their bodies in a futile attempt to wound them. Kerzog would be harder to stop than they first realized.

Lyra squirmed under the grip of the golem. Perched on her back, its stony body was keeping her resolutely pinned in place. Through her frustration, she was at least thankful that the thing wasn’t trying to kill her. On the other hoof, what she had seen of the saurians through The Watcher’s memories didn’t make being captured look any better. Which made her worry for Bon Bon all the more, carried off the way she had been.

The rest of the horde had vanished into the streets, leaving Lyra alone with her captor, but she could hear the screams and cries on the wind. Chaos was spreading through the city as the saurian golems spread out from the pyramid.

She had to get out of this thing’s grip.

Tapping into her magic, she threw her aura around the golem’s legs and yanked to the right, while rolling to the left. It pitched off her body with a thud, springing back to its stony feet while Lyra scrambled back to her hooves.

In the light of day, it was easier for Lyra to take in the details of the construct. About her size and constructed of sandstone, it was carved to resemble one of the swiftclaws. Its head was focused on her, as if it was staring, but as it lacked the energy like eyes of Kerzog, the effect was much more disturbing.

She eyed the green sphere that was set into the chest of the creation. Similar to the one in Kerzog’s giant model but lacking the series of criss crossed silver lines on its surface. It darted forward, once again aiming to pin Lyra to the ground.

Lyra skittered to the side, wracking her brain for a solution. If only she had her lyre, then she’d be throwing spellsongs at this thing already. I’ll have to improvise then. She thought. Humming a tune to find her musical range, she slid away from another charge from the golem and began to sing.

Do you know the muffin mare,
the muffin mare, the muffin mare?
Oh do you know the muffin mare,
Who lives on Derby Lane?

As she sung, the bolt of sound formed before her, jagged and unkempt. The spell was barely holding together but it would have to do.

Yes I know the muffin mare,
the muffin mare, the muffin mare!
Oh, yes, I know the muffin mare,
Who lives on Derby Lane!

The bolt snapped into it’s full size as the golem charged again. Lyra scrambled backwards, whipping her creation right at the orb. Everything seemed to slow for a moment, as construct and sonic bolt rushed towards each other. For one horrifying instance, it looked like she might have missed the mark.

But the bolt struck true. Hitting dead center, the control sphere shattered, the creation it powered skidding to the ground. Sighing in relief, Lyra turned towards the rest of the city.

“I’m coming Bon Bon!”

All the blood was rushing to Bon Bon’s head.

She had lost track of how long she had been hanging upside down, with her mane whipping in the wind, but it was getting old. Brushing it back again, she could see the that the flock of flyers were beginning to break into two smaller groups, swooping towards different areas of the city.

With a grunt, she flailed, forearms reaching for the golem’s head. Maybe she could force the stupid thing to land if she could control its head. Admittedly, she had no clue if it would actually work, but trying was better than just hanging upside down.

Her hooves barely scraped along the edge of the edge of the beak. Flopping back into her dangling position, she swore and thrashed again, stretching her legs as far as she could. Her right hoof caught the edge of the neck and with another grunt she managed to get the other into place.

“Land, you stupid thing!” She shouted, tugging at its thin stone neck with all her might. The golem didn’t even seem to react, however, steadfastly flying along. Swearing again, she tugged even harder. But it still refused to move.

Flopping back into her upside down state, Bon Bon grit her teeth and looked towards the ground again. She could see that the golems were herding as many of the uintatherium towards the large central market as they could. Those that weren’t heading that direction were mostly being trapped inside their homes and businesses.

A glittering blur of white and gold arced across the sky, growing larger and fuller in a matter of moments. The streak that was Corona shattered the golem, her tendrils of white magic catching Bon Bon before she dropped more than a foot.

“Are you unharmed?” Corona asked, dipping towards the ground with Bon Bon securely in her grip.

Bon Bon’s eyes went wide, remembering the flames and white and glowing power and stars above, Corona had her again! She was going to use her as a hostage just like last time. And then Lyra would have to come and save-

“You need to be someplace safe.” Corona said, aiming for one of the cliffs surrounding the valley. “Once Kerzog is dealt with, either my sister or I will come for you.”

“Wait!” Bon Bon shouted, snapping out of her fear induced state. She couldn’t believe that the same mare that had foalnapped her was now trying to get her to safety, but Lyra needed help. “Lyra! We have to help her!”

“My sister is searching for her now.” Corona explained, her own eyes glancing towards the market. “I am more concerned with getting you to safety. You are just a civilian and-”

“No!” Bon Bon shouted! “The teleporter! You need to go there.”

“Excuse me?” Corona blinked.

“Lyra’s lyre! It might be there. She was able to send a message before we left the pyramid.” She took a shuddering breath, still fighting the urge to panic and scream. Instead, she made a request. “Please?”

Corona looked down at her with her hateful angry eyes, but nodded, changing course.

A pair of sharpbeak golems slammed away at the house door, muffled cries coming from calves trapped inside.

Little bird, little bird
fly through my window.
Little bird, little bird,
fly through my window.

The constructs slowly turned towards the singing unicorn that was charging right at them. Lyra smirked, whipping her jagged song bolt into the right one. It collapsed, the other one charging at her in response. The crest smashed her into the wall of another building, Lyra wincing from the strike.

Little bird, little bird. She began to sing again, but the golem pushed forward, compressing her barrel between it and the wall. The air was pushed from her lungs with a yelp, the song lost. But before the golem could continue crushing her against the wall, it was engulfed by a sparkling blue aura. It kicked and thrashed for a moment, before being pitched down the street like it was shot from a cannon.

Princess Luna landed before Lyra, a smile on her face. Lyra grinned back, waving a hoof. “Nice throw princess.”

“Glad to see that you’re alright dear Lyra.”

“Thanks! But we need to find Bon Bon!”

“Fear not.” Came Corona’s voice, the solar alicorn landing next to both of them, gently setting Bon Bon upon the ground, who quickly rushed to Lyra’s side. The glittering suit of star metal armor that Luna had gifted to Lyra was balanced on her back, along with her lyre, just like she had asked Trixie for.

She greeted Bon Bon with a kiss, that was eagerly returned before they broke apart.

“I’m glad that you’re okay.” Lyra nodded.

“Me too.” Bon Bon smiled back. “Here, I got your stuff.”

“Thanks.” Lyra nodded, floating the armor onto her body, which hung loosely on her frame.

“Here, let me help.” Bon Bon nodded, quickly moving around her marefriend’s body, tugging straps and buckles into place, snugging the silvery armor into place.

Luna looked to her sister, while Bon Bon worked. “I am guessing that you saw the uintatherium?”

“Aye.” Corona nodded. “It is undoubtedly a trap of some variety.”

“Undoubtedly.” Luna agreed. “But we can’t just ignore them.”

“No. We can not. Kerzog has already proven his willingness to strike at innocents.”

Lyra and Bon Bon shivered at the thought of the frozen expedition and the looks of terror that were locked upon their features.

“You can help them, right?” Bon Bon asked, looking from Luna to Corona without flinching away. “I mean, they aren’t stuck like that are they?”

“Nay.” Corona shook her head, adding in a stomp of her hoof for good measure. “No base saurian enchantment shall last. But Kerzog must be dealt with first, otherwise he will just strike out again.”

Bon Bon nodded, unable to find much at fault with the Tyrant Sun’s logic this time, as much as that made her skin crawl. She supposed that even an insane pony could stumble across a logical statement every now and then. She looked up at Corona, Lyra’s earlier comments about the alicorn ringing in her mind again.

Luna nodded in agreement, rubbing at her chin with a hoof. “I imagine that he will strike at us the moment we enter the market, using the denizens as living shields.” Looking to Lyra, she frowned slightly. “We shall have to rely on you to help free them Lyra. Containing Kerzog will most likely take most of our efforts.”

“You can count on me princess.” She nodded.

“Then I’m coming too!” Bon Bon declared with a hoof stomp of her own. “I’m not going to just let you do something so risky by yourself!”

“Bon Bon.” Lyra frowned back.

“Nope! I’m not letting you run off alone.”

Raising an eyebrow, Corona gave Bon Bon an almost appraising gaze. “And what do you propose to protect your beloved with? Your bare hooves?”

Bon Bon glared back, a mixture of anger and fear in her eyes. “If I have to.”

Quickly looking around, she snatched up a discarded frying pan that had been abandoned on the street, clutching it in her teeth with supreme determination. Luna and Corona exchanged a glance at that.

“Perhaps I can help.” Luna commented. Extending a tendril of magic, she took the frying pan from Bon Bon. It tumbled in her magic, being whittled and reformed into a pair of blunt hoof guards.

“They will not last in the long term.” She explained, passing the weapons over to Bon Bon. “But it should hold for now.”

“”Wait.” Lyra interrupted. “That’s it? We’re going after an army of golems! You can’t just have my Bons fighting them naked!”

“Perhaps.” Corona, suggested with a slight frown. “We can go about this another way. I can handle Kerzog. My sister can handle the lesser golems. You can lead the citizens away.”

“That’ll work.”

A bolt of lightning shot into the air, the accompanying thundercrack echoing through the stony canyons of the city. A moment later Kerzog’s voice followed on the air.

“Alicorns! The fate of this city lies in your hooves! Face me or these primitive brutes shall die!”

“It appears that we are out of time.” Corona frowned, lifting into the air.

“Let’s do this.” Lyra nodded.

And the four took off down the street, old conflicts put aside for the sake of an even older one.

The gathered uintatherium cowered as they were herded into the great open air market of Zhalast-Zin. The golems were blocking every street leading out of the area, their blank faces a unified wall.

In the center of the space, rising above the gray sea that was the uintatherium, Kerzog stood upon the shattered remains of market stalls, magic still crackling about his body. An enchantment had animated the spilled wares of the shopping area, and now the jewelry and clothing was coiled about the the necks and bodies of those who had crafted them like chains.

Kerzog kept another enchantment coiled around his body’s artificial magic reservoir. For a being of his significant intelligence, said reservoir was his crowning achievement. Crafted from a chunk of solid astranium, he had ripped the raw material from the still smouldering crater and crafted it into sublime magical perfection.

The heat from the metal had burned at his skin and body as he hauled it back to Zhalast-Zin. The pain had been immense, but he hadn’t cared at all. It what was needed to be done. He had the drive. That was why the other lords had come to him to try and survive. That’s why now, he stood in the city that was once his, prepared to do what no other creature had done.

He was going to end the alicorns.

A pair of thunder cracks cut through the air, a collection of his golems sent flying as the alicorns smashed right through the lines. A few of his captives nearest to the gap made to flee, but with a simple mental command, his creations adjusted their spacing and closed the hole.

The alicorns circled him, wings beating, horns glowing, a perfect balance of light and dark. Kerzog would have smiled if he could. They had no idea what was coming.

“Alicorns!” He demanded with all the power and bombast a ruler could command. “I give you one opportunity to surrender and submit to the new world order.” The white one... Corona or something, sent a crackling tongue of flame whipping past his crest in a manner of response.

“Very well then!” He barked, letting his prepared magic loose, whipping a crackling blast towards her. “Choke them.”

The clothing and jewelry obeyed his command and began to strangle those they had bound.

While the uintatherium began thrash at the things that bound them, the golems continued to stand stock still, blocking each street leading into the market, ready to move when given the command. As such they were unprepared when the dark blue earth pony mare landed in their midst, crushing one of them under her hooves.

They reeled surging towards the mare, only for a dark blue pegasus to smash her way through another two. The group of constructs split, some rushing after the earth pony, while another gave the pegasus chase, the two splitting off in different directions.

A third dark blue mare appeared with a flash of light, grabbing a pair of the remaining golems and smashing them together like they were toys. Forming beams of moonlight, she lashed out at some of the others, stabbing and slicing into their control spheres with reckless abandon.

With the wall of golems blocking the north street reduced to tatters, Lyra and Bon Bon tore through the gaps. Lyra immediately began to play a kind of formless tune, wracking her brain for a spellsong that would be useful here.

Bon Bon lashed out at a golem that broke away from Luna, her magically created hoof guards impacting against the control sphere. Cracks formed in the surface, the construct still trying to push its way forward. Bon Bon pulled a hoof back, punching at the sphere again and again, the crack turning into a split before it collapsed to the ground. With it collapsed, she examined everything around them again. The uintatherium were struggling and gasping against the animated clothing, the life slowly being squeezed out of them.

Lyra’s music began to solidify into a distinct tune, a slow dirge like affair that seemed to coil and thread through the open air of the market. Her magic merged with the tune, seeking out the enchanted items and engulfing them. She continued to play, plucking and hammering at the strings, pushing her magic into every nook and cranny.

The spells fought back, steadfastly refusing to allow her spellsong to break the enchantment. So Lyra grit her teeth, moving into a different key and tempo as she attacked at it from another direction. Light, airy notes rung through the air, as she hammered at the enchantment.

“Ha!” Kerzog laughed, ducking a tongue of flame from Corona. “My enchantments won’t be beaten by the likes of you!”

“I will not…” She clenched her jaw even harder, horn lighting up to amplify song and spell. “Let you hurt these creatures!”

Dragging her hoof across her lyre, the golden tendrils of spell power grew opaque enough to almost look solid. Now she was plucking the strings with both of her forehooves, standing on her hind legs, sending little pulses of power down the line. She could feel the enchantments loosening. A smile crossed her muzzle, and she built her song towards a gathering crescendo. Then, with a final strum of the strings, the collection of animated items were sent clattering to the ground.

“Let’s go!” Bon Bon shouted, waving for the open street where Luna’s efforts to remove the golems had been quite successful. The uintatherium scrambled to their hooves, rushing for freedom with Bon Bon at the lead.

Lyra followed, backing up so that she could whip more sound bolts towards the other groups of golems that now surged forth from the streets they had been blocking. With a thud, Princess Luna landed at her side. Or at least her earth pony side did.

“Stand firm Lyra. This is within our grasp.”

“Right with you princess.” She smiled.

Celestia relished the satisfying crunch sound her hooves made as they slammed into the stone of Kerzog’s snout, a wicked grin growing on her features. But the grin died as quickly as it came, when she pulled her hooves back and saw very little damage to the constructs form.

“I have made extensive modifications.” Kerzog gloated, an annoyingly smug tone in his voice. “I watched over one hundred instances of your kind in battle. I am well aware of your species capabilities.”

“That may be.” Celestia frowned, fully grabbing the massive stone head of the beast. “You may know who I was, but you know nothing of what it is I have become!” She beat her wings, slowly pushing Kerzog towards the edge of the market, her eyes glowing white hot. “I am Celestia!” She roared. “I am the sun!”

A bone shaking strike slammed into the underside of her barrel, vaulting her from one end of the market to the other. Kerzog cackled, a wickedly sharp stone spike sticking from the tip of his nose, where Celestia had been a moment before.

“Oh contraire.” He cackled, Celestia clutching at her stomach. Pawing the ground with a massive talon, another spell wrapped around his form. He was a blur when he charged. Celestia looked up just in time for a heavy stone foot to slam down upon her with a bone shattering speed. Half a scream escaped Celestia before she was able to bite it back, Kerzog leaning forward to put even more weight upon the alicorn. “I know exactly who you are.”

“That fool Ritter told me all about you. You are Corona, the Tyrant Sun! The worst traitor and monster pony kind knows!” He leaned his massive head closer, the glee rising in his voice. “And you truly, have no idea how pathetic that really is. That you taking a hard line with your subjects damaged their psyche so badly, that even to this day, they hide when the sun hits noon; that my dear, is how pathetic your ponies are.” The green color of his eyes began to blaze even brighter. “And now, sing for me!”

Crackling beams of magic lanced from his eyes, searing and tearing at Celestia’s body. Her body was screaming in agony, as the disintegration spell did its best to tear her apart. She knew what he wanted. He wanted her to scream, to beg. She grit her teeth, blocking out the agony.

“I said, s-”

“Silence thy insignificant sorcerer’s apprentice!”

“What?” Kerzog demanded, spell and concentration broken.

“Thou know nothing!” Celestia spat, shakily getting back to her hooves. “While ponies may need a strong hoof to guide and protect them, and the element bearers may be mistaken in their opposition of me, I can say one thing with certainty.”

“And what might that be, oh most glorious of rulers?”

“They are, to the last pony, better than you!”

“For a change, I agree with my sister!” Luna shouted.

Kerzog whipped about just in time for all of the ensorceled items from the uintatherium and the remains of the market stalls themselves- fused together into a magically propelled slug- to slam into his side. Sent stumbling, Celestia didn’t give him a moment to recover, charging and hitting the same spot, sending him crashing into one of the buildings lining the market.

Luna- in her fused pegasus and unicorn sides- swooped next to her, horn still glowing with power. Celestia smirked, tapping into her own magic. They would end this together.

Luna glanced towards where her other self was fighting with Lyra. They were doing well, while Bon Bon and the uintatherium were clear from the market, which was good. Kerzog charged, once again a blur from his transmutation enhanced movement, calling stony spikes forth across the whole of his body. Luna shot backwards with a flap of her wings, wheeling around the right side of Kerzog’s body while her sister went left.

Celestia quickly shifted direction, pulling closer as Kerzog barreled past, Luna following suit. Their hooves lashed out, snapping and breaking the spikes he had just finished calling forth. Kerzog spun about, lashing back out with lightning, fire and his beams of magical agony.

Luna spun a shimmering field of stars before her as a shield. Her sister nodded to her, whipping together her own wall of crackling flames, blocking Kerzog’s view of them for a moment. Luna took the hint, soaring high into the air. The world spun away from her, Kerzog turning into a sandy colored dot as her wings caught the warm thermals rising up from the stone city.

But as soon as she reached the zenith of her ascent, she dove. Hooves outstretched, the shockwave grew around her. She wove her own magic, using her own shape shifting abilities to increase the density of her own body. Kerzog grew in size just as rapidly as he had vanished, still focused on Celestia as she darted about, throwing spells at him. Luna steered herself right for the orb that was set into the giant stone head.

At the last moment, Kerzog looked up. He jumped backwards, recoiling from Luna’s dive. She impacted a moment later, carving a crater a few feet deep in the middle of the market. She quickly recovered fluttering back into the air.

“Well done, but you won’t have a chance to do that again.” Kerzog gloated. The control orb sunk into his body, disappearing in a moment. And with another cackle, his magic flared again, whipping towards the sisters.

“He’s lasted longer than I expected.” Lyra blinked, watching the two alicorns whip through the air, dodging and exchanging strikes with the saurian.

The rest of Kerzog’s golems had abandoned chasing after the city’s residents and were now swarming around her and earth pony Luna. Not to be confused with unicorn/pegasus Luna who was fighting both Kerzog and his flying golems at the same time with her sister.

“The fact that he can eat magic isn’t helping.” Luna frowned. “It’s keeping my sister and I from being able to cut loose.”

“How is he even casting like that? Golems can’t do that, right?”

“Normally, no.” Luna admitted, kicking the head off another charging construct. “He would have had to construct some manner of artificial magical reservoir….”

“Artificial huh?” Lyra raised an eyebrow, snapping off a sound lance at another golem. “I wonder how much power something like that could hold.”

Luna blinked, then grinned, an idea running through her mind. “That is a very good question. I think I’ll go find out.” She winked at Lyra. “Thank you for the inspiration, but it would be wise to get clear.”

As Lyra took off, Luna jumped into the air, her other self swooping in. They merged in an instant, the princess an alicorn once more as she wheeled back towards the form of Kerzog. A massive blast of starlight jumped from her horn, the energy snapping and hissing through the air.

Kerzog recoiled, tilting his blocky head in confusion as the spellpower whipped about his body, sinking into the stones. Then he began to laugh, raw magic dancing between his claws. “A worthy effort, but futile.” He chortled. “I can handle all of your power!”

A crackling stream of sunlight hit him from the other side, Corona batting the flying constructs aside as she fed her own magic into the saurian lord. Trapped under the focus of two alicorns, the sparks and rivulets of power that danced around Kerzog’s body exploded into streams and rivers that writhed and twisted. It was as if enraged serpents of raw power were grappling with Kerzog’s body. Even the stones along the back of the golem body were beginning to glow red hot, magic escaping from cracks with loud pops.

“Still so sure of that, are we?” Corona mocked, her flaming mane and tail flaring brighter as she turned up the heat.

Kerzog stumbled, failing as he tried to channel a spell. But with a roar like cannon fire, the back of his body exploded. A fount of raw arcane energies erupted into the air, a few chunks of star steel raining back to the ground. Smiling, Luna and Corona threw themselves at the golem again.

Whipping around Kerzog as fast as they could, a vortex of wind began to rise from the ground. Soon their magic aura’s joined the whipping winds, an out and out tornado roaring to life. Kerzog and his remaining golems were lifted into the air, helpless in the the magic vortex that they found themselves trapped in.

They reached the top of the funnel, the former lord of the city bellowing threats at the alicorns that bound him. “You will not win! The saurians will not fall again!”

And then he was whipped towards the ground with earth shattering force, the stone breaking like somepony had just thrown a collection of plates on the kitchen floor. Pieces of rock flew every which way, Kerzog’s control sphere shooting into the air before coming to a rolling stop at Lyra’s hooves.

Blinking, Lyra poked at it.

An exasperated sigh escaped the sphere, the ghostly form of Kerzog’s original body shimmering into view. His expression was a mixture of frustration and sadness as he hung his head. “You mammals ruin everything.”

“I’m surprised you survived that.” Corona frowned, landing behind him alongside Luna.

Kerzog turned to face the alicorns, his frown deepening. “My vessel needed to be able to survive the ages. I spent a great deal of time enchanting it.” He looked from Corona to Luna, shaking his head. “Very well, you are the victor. Make it quick.”

“With pleasure.” Corona grinned, her magic snaking forward and plucking the sphere up. But Luna’s cool aura interrupted Corona’s attempts to crush the sphere.

“Hold sister. While I’m sure it would be quite within your power, considering the nature of what he did to The Watcher, I feel that something more ironic is called for.” She smirked. “After all, shouldn’t his fate be left in the claws of his emperor?”

“Ahh, Kerzog!” The Watcher grinned as they walked back into the throne room. “Let me give you a proper welcome home, now that you aren’t trying to wreck everything.”

“I hate you.” Kerzog snarled, forced to follow along as he was bound to the orb.

“I’m sure you do, but given both our present states, I’m sure we’ll have a long, long time to work through those issues.” He smiled wider, before nodding to the ponies. “Lyra, Bon Bon, Luna and Celestia. Can’t say that I expected things to go like this when I first called you here, but I owe you all deeply for saving my charges.”

A slight smile played across Corona’s face as she placed Kerzog’s orb next to The Watcher’s pillar. “It was...something, Watcher.”

“Yes. It was.” Luna smiled as well.

“I’m glad.” The Watcher grinned again. “Since you’re going to have to give some explanations in just a moment.”

“Excuse me?” Luna blinked.

“Well, with bonehead’s golem destroyed, the magic levels are returning to normal. Which means that Trixie and the rest of her friends are going to try and teleport here. Might want to meet them at the teleport pad, let them know that everything’s okay.”

As Luna trotted for the exit, Corona raised an eyebrow at The Watcher.

“You enjoy doing that, don’t you?”

“It’s the little things in life that keep me going.”

Author's Note

Troll-Watcher!

Even with his sight beyond sight, I imagine that he would have gotten rather bored without being able to good heartedly prank and razz creatures at times. And now Kerzog is stuck in the peanut gallery too. Ahh well. He'll have a long time to think about what he's done, now that he doesn't have a golem body anymore.

Epilogue

“So,” Trixie deadpanned, over a full mug of a hot chocolate. She, Lyra, Bon Bon and the rest of the group of friends who were the element bearers sat in one of the uintatherium cafes that had escaped most of the damage in the chaos of attack. And it was there, that the story of everything that had happened to Lyra and Bon Bon had been told. “There’s a ghostly lizard who’s been watching the world unfold for thousands of years?”

“You’d be correct.” Lyra nodded.

“Yeah, that’s not creepy at all.”

“It’s not like he’s watching us in bed Trixie.” She argued back.

“How do you know that! He could be watching us during our most intimate moments!”

“Trixie.” Raindrops rolled her eyes. “Somehow if he was doing that, I doubt that Luna would have tolerated it.”

“Maybe.” Trixie shrugged, grabbing a biscuit from its plate. “But she’s working with Corona right now.”

“That’s family though.” Bon Bon argued, enjoying a bite of spiced chocolate. Leaning over, she gave Lyra an appreciative nuzzle. “And well...I guess it can be different at times. ...I guess.”

“Where are they anyway?” Ditzy inquired, an unsure frown crossing her muzzle.

“Fixing all the zebra Kerzog petrified.” Lyra supplied. “Might take them a little bit.”

At that moment, a familiar looking zebra- to Lyra and Bon Bon at least- came stumbling into the cafe, still looking a little shell shocked. Asyana blinked as she looked the room, before she came shuffling over to the table, plopping down next to Bon Bon without a word. The earth pony wordlessly slid a mug of juice over to the zebra, who took it in her hooves and gulped it down.

“Or not.” Lyra blinked.

“I recognize that look.” Trixie nodded sagely. “You look like a pony who’s had something important to her shaken up.”

“I trusted him.” She muttered. “This was going to be the discovery of my career. And instead I was used as a pawn in a plan to kill the princess of Equestria. I am such an idiot.”

“Oh, come on.” Lyra waved a dismissive hoof. “Two alicorns and a spirit thing that can see the flow of history didn’t see Ritter’s tricks. Don’t beat yourself up.”

“Yes!” Trixie beamed, slamming a hoof on the table. “I’ve just met you, but let me tell you. Some nobles tried to ruin my long term goals. But my friends and I didn’t just roll over, we fought back! You can’t just lay down!”

“Also...well...not to put too fine a point on it.” Cheerilee added. “You were still involved in discovering an ancient city and a long lost group of creatures. That’s something isn’t it?”

Asyana smiled slightly. “Thanks. I do appreciate that. What happened to Ritter anyway? Everything’s all fuzzy from when I got turned into metal.”

“He ran off during the chaos of the battle.” Lyra frowned. “He’ll probably pop back up sooner or later, I imagine.”

“Well,” Asyana growled, rubbing her forehead. “I’ll do my best to make sure he’s equus non grata in my homeland.”

“And I’m sure that Luna will do the same in Equestria.” Lyra nodded.

“Speaking of which.” Trixie spoke up again. “Where’s Luna now? We should probably be getting back to Ponyville.”

“She flew off with Corona. It seemed like they wanted to have a conversation with each other.”

Luna nervously fluttered her wings as she landed, Celestia touching down next to her a moment later. They stood on the ridge that fenced in the valley, which provided a commanding view of the city below. From here, the differences between what she saw now, and what she remembered from their first visit to the city stood out all the clearer.

“Remember how it was back then?” She asked, waving a hoof towards the buildings. “The jungle had the buildings completely choked.”

“Aye.” Celestia nodded as she sat down as well. “We spent time helping the uintatherium clearing the jungle away. It was fine practice for what we would go on to do.”

“So...all those years ago, why did you want to spare The Watcher?”

Celestia frowned. “Because he seemed...so broken.” She shook her head. “Do you remember how we felt, when we were the last of our kind? And how we felt when we first discovered mortal ponies? We had a purpose again. I thought that maybe giving him the same thing would help him find the same.

Luna nodded. “I suppose that it is a good thing we were both here to stop Kerzog. We did fight well together.”

“...We did.” Celestia agreed.

Sensing an opening, Luna pushed her point. “Don’t you see sister? Together we are so much stronger than we are apart. Why not come home with me?” She paused for just a moment, letting the question hover between them before asking again. “Please?”

Celestia didn’t say anything at first, her own wings twitching. “And you would cede to me my rightful title of Queen.”

Luna resisted the urge to shout in exasperation. “You know I can’t do that Celestia.”

Celestia looked at her, her eyes narrowing in anger. “Why is it that even when you address me by my proper name, it still stings no less like of a knife! Tell me sister, how do you think I view the gulf that exists between us?”

“You are so angry! How can I tell? I have felt your hate and anger every morning for a thousand years!”

Celestia stomped a hoof, but the strike seemed to lack the power and anger it usually contained. “No, Luna. It pains me as well. I would wish for you to be by my side again, but I must be in control.” She shook her head, a slight and ethereal smirk crossing her muzzle. “It is...funny in a way. Much as your betrayal still pains me, dear sister, it makes me no less proud to see what a strong mare you’ve become in my absence.”

“I wish I could take comfort in that Celestia. I really wish I could.”

“You shall, in time.” Celestia said, standing up and then taking wing. “You will see. I will come to Canterlot, and everything shall be as it should.”

Without another word, she flew off, rapidly disappearing over the horizon. Luna watched her go, blinking back the tears that were already flowing. She threw herself from the cliff, to go collect Lyra and the others. She would need to be back in Canterlot, quickly, after all.

The Watcher cast his mind’s gaze out over the valley again, watching his charges go about their lives. Luna and Celestia had left a day ago, their fates once again in their own hooves, as it should be. But, there was a sense of unease as he looked about, a growing pit of anxiety in his non-existent stomach. He just couldn’t shake this feeling of unease, like something equally important and horrific was about to unfold.

“So, is this what you do with all your time?”

And then there was the jerk he was watching now.

“Yes, Kerzog.” He frowned, keeping his eyes closed. “I am called The Watcher for a reason.”

“Right.” The former lord of transmutation spat back. ”This was supposed to be torture for you by the way.”

“If life gives you lemons.”

“Oh yes.” Kerzog rolled his eyes. “Lovely attitude.”

“It is a better attitude than trying to recreate a kingdom that can not exist again.”

“Ha!” Kerzog barked. “Please. I am not a fool. Even if I had somehow won here, what would it have accomplished? All of our kind are dead. Would I have ruled from Canterlot with an army of golems like some kind of cargo cult king?” He shook his head. “No. I just wished to do as much damage as I could before some creature got lucky.”

“You waited a long time for that.” The Watcher blinked, tilting his head.

Kerzog was quiet for a moment, before shrugging. “I didn’t preserve only myself in this fashion. Alas though, as I’ve failed to find any sign of the other lords, it would seem my shell was the only one to endure the countless millennia.”

“Mmm. So, Kerzog, there is one more question I have to ask you. How did you blind yourself to my sight?”

Kerzog smiled, sitting a little taller as he elaborated. “You exist in the greatest mind trap created, one that all of we surviving lords worked on. And, as such, we made you blind to a certain variety of green marble that exists under this city. We used them to make the other mind trap orbs.”

The Watcher nodded. That was one question answered, at any rate. He moved his gaze beyond the valley, beyond the continent that hid it and to Equestria. The feeling of unease grew, the closer to Canterlot his mind’s eye wandered. His vision was becoming...clouded...his ability to see everything lessened.

He frowned, looking at Kerzog again. “And this blocking of my vision now?”

“Don’t look at me.” Kerzog blinked. “When would I have had the time to do anything else?”

Frowning, The Watcher pushed his vision fully into the city. From his point of view, he was in the middle of Canterlot, ponies walking past and straight through him, like he wasn’t even there. Which he wasn’t, technically. But something horrific was in the air, a vice like grip settling around his equally non-existent heart. The buildings all around him were twisted, coiled, and in some places impossible to see even though logically they would be there.

“What?” He muttered, turning in place to examine everything around him. Something bad was going to happen in Canterlot, that much was obvious. He had felt this coiling, twisting feeling of dread before a hundred other horrible events in history. But the jumble of images...that he had only ever felt once before.

Mocking laughter almost danced down his spine, The Watcher slowly turning to face its source. A billowing dark cloud coiled above the spires of Canterlot, a pair of crazed eyes swirling in their depths.

Ah, ah ah! No peeking from the peanut gallery!

A burning lance tore across his eyes, inflicting a pain upon him that he had not experienced since his days as a living being. Blackness engulfed him. He could hear Kerzog shouting in shock next to him as he thrashed about, Greyback calling for him in a panic, but he couldn’t even see the room he was in anymore. And as the mocking laughter continued to echo in his mind, he realized just what had happened.

He was blind.

Author's Note

And if you gaze long enough into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you.

The Call

For any pony that would have wandered near the chambers of Princess Luna Equestris this evening, they would have heard the gentle scritch-scratch sounds of quill on parchment floating down the stairs.

Paperwork. The lifeblood of any government. And one of the more horrific aspects of Princess Luna’s rule, at least in her opinion. But she attacked it all the same. Petitions and proposals, possible laws and the pomp and circumstance of office. All were subject to the Princess of the Night’s wrath. And quill.

While she would normally see too such tasks in her office, tonight she desired a little more seclusion as she worked. A warm breeze drifted in through the large window, gently tousling both her mane, and the tips of the stacks of paper that lay all around her.

Her mind wandered as she scribbled away, the red reading glasses she used to help keep herself focused on task finding themselves inadequate tonight. A sad sigh escaped her lips, the quill’s journey across the page stopping as Luna’s mind turned back to happier days.

She would guard the night, her sister the day and share a meal together during the hours when they were both awake. She remembered the nights when she and Celestia would stay up late, tinkering over laws and how the nation for their little ponies would function. And then they ruled, side by side, at least at first. But now all of that was gone. Even the Elements of Harmony hadn’t brought her sister back to her.

That last fact was a particularly bitter pill for her to swallow. She had so hoped...dared to believe, even….

A soft chime drifted from the chaotic collection of memories and keepsakes that dominated her room, pulling Luna from her morose thoughts. Flicking her gaze that direction, she reached out with her magic, carefully sifting through a pile to find what was continuing to sound like a note from a delicate bell.

It took a few moments, but she plucked a small carved stone disk with a purple jewel set into its center from its fellow items. The glowed on a cycle, the chime sounding again each time the purplish light reached its crescendo.

She blinked. It had been a very long time since she had seen a magical peep out of that item.

Frowning slightly, the princess set it down and scribbled off a quick note, tapping her horn to the parchment. The note coiled up and shot off through Canterlot Castle, a series of commands transferred to subordinates.

With that taken care of, Luna floated the disk back over to her. Extending her magic once again, she brushed it against the gem and vanished.

In another part of Equestria, another would be monarch was staring down her own crystal and stone trinket. For Celesia, the light was an intrusion upon her plans, but one that she couldn't ignore.

“Zecora!” She commanded, enhanced voice echoing through the halls, “There is something I must see to. Continue with the preparations for Canterlot. I shall return as soon as I am able.”

“My liege…” The zebra began, only to be cut off by a raised hoof.

“Zecora….I appreciate your concern and desire to follow me.” She responded, with a softness to her voice that was uncharacteristic, “But this is a matter that I will need to handle myself. Continue with the plans.”

“As you say.” The Zebra bowed.

My little pony, My little pony
Ahh ahh ahh ahhh...
My little pony
Friendship never meant that much to me
My little pony
But you're all here and now I can see
Stormy weather; Lots to share
A musical bond; With love and care
Teaching laughter; It's an easy feat,
And magic makes it all complete!
You have my little ponies
How'd I ever make so many true friends?

The smell of sugar and fruit filled Lyra’s nostrils.

They were familiar scents for anypony that spent a good deal of time in Bon Bon’s Confectionarium, and for Lyra in particular. Though, usually she was smelling them in her marefriend’s mane during romantic moments.

This was a stark contrast to what was happening tonight.

Lyra had joined Bon Bon in the back room slash kitchen of the Confectionarium, where the earth pony was up to her hocks in making candy.

“Okay!” She smiled, watching the beige colored mare rush from stove to counter and back again, stirring pots, and arranging molds. “How can I help?”

“No, no! I got it under control!” Bon Bon shook her head, grabbing a spoon in her teeth and rapidly stirring a pot of fudge.

“Bon Bon! Let me help!”

Huffing, Bon Bon turned around, fixing Lyra with a look that was half glare, half pout.

“Do you think I can’t do it?”

“What?” Lyra blinked, sputtering in shock, “No! Of course not! I just...I just wanted to spend some time with you, doing your special talent.”

Bon Bon considered that for a moment, before breaking into a smile, trotting over to her and nuzzling Lyra’s neck. “Okay.” She tilted her head up and turned the friendly nuzzle into a deep kiss, holding it for a few moments before pulling away, “Grab that pot of cherry candy and fill those lollipop molds...sugar buns.”

Chuckling, Lyra picked up the pot in her aura and began to slowly fill the circular molds, while Bon Bon returned to stirring her fudge. The pair soon settled into a rhythm, Bon Bon giving instructions, and Lyra following them.

“Pass me those chopped walnuts if you could?”

“Walnuts!” Lyra grinned, the small bowl spinning through the air, even as she kept rapidly stirring a pot of grape flavored candy. Landing next to Bon Bon with a slight thunk on the wood, the candymare didn’t miss a beat.

Pouring the fudge onto a cool marble slab in one smooth motion, she snatched up the nuts, dumped them into the mix and began to fold. As it solidified, she quickly lashed out with a knife cutting it up into a mass of delicious looking fudge squares.

Lyra loved watching her work. In the kitchen, Bon Bon just kind of...flowed. Quiet smile on her muzzle, she constructed candy like an artist painted, like Lyra composed music. It was beautiful, watching her take joy in something so normal.

The scent of burning sugar interrupted her calm musings. Yelping, Lyra quickly returned to stirring before she lost the whole batch.

Bon Bon laughed her musical laugh and bumped her flank against Lyra.

“Focus honey.”

“Okay, okay.”

After falling back into the candy making process for a bit, the two ponies soon found themselves surrounded by trays and racks of cooling candy treats.

“This is a nice supply for the weekend. That was...fun.” Bon Bon smiled, bumping her flank back against Lyra’s, “I should have you make candy with me again.”

“Yeah.” Lyra smiled back, “We should do this again.”

“Umm. I hope I’m not interrupting anything?” Came a voice from the edge of the kitchen door.

Both ponies turned, Lyra smiling at the sight of the azure unicorn, with her star studded cape and cloak. Trixie nodded back at the pair, jabbing a hoof Lyra’s way. “Any chance I could borrow Lyra for a little while?”

“So, what did you want my help with Trixie?”

Lyra asked as she stepped into the Residency, addressing her friend with a raised eyebrow. Bon Bon stepped in after her, having insisted that she come along for this particular bout of magic testing.

“Well, I found something.” Trixie admitted with a shrug. Her brow was furrowed, like she wasn’t entirely sure how to describe it. “Well, it’s a disk thing. With carvings and a gem. And I can’t work out what it is. And since you're the legend pony, I was thinking maybe you had heard something about this.”

Lyra shrugged. “Sure. Show me what you got.”

Trixie led the way into her office. Stepping inside, she just motioned to her desk with a shrug of her shoulders. “There it is.”

Stepping closer to the desk, Lyra peered down at the strange item before her, Bon Bon peeking around her marefriend to get a look as well. True to her friend’s description, it was a circular stone disk, covered in pictographic carvings, and a small purple gem set right in its center. The gem was glowing softly, casting a purplish light across the wooden desktop.

The pictographs were strange. She had never seen creatures like the ones displayed on its surface. Some of them looked similar to Spike, the young dragon they had met when they found the Elements of Harmony. Admittedly, they weren’t exactly the same. The tails and snouts were longer, and the feet sported a large hook like claw.

The other creatures were divided between two groups. One group was quadruped, with some kind of bony crest covering their necks. The last group was some kind of reptilian looking bat, with long leathery wings and a fang filled snout.

“I got nothing.” Lyra shrugged, “Where did you find this?”

“Well, after all that madness involving the mirror pool.” Trixie explained, with a wave of a hoof, “I thought it would be a good idea to poke around and see if there was any more to find. You know. Try to avoid any more surprises.”

“Makes sense.” Bon Bon admitted, “I think that everypony would like to avoid another horde of copies.”

“Right.” Trixie continued, “I figured that since we found the Elements of Harmony at the castle, that it would be another good place to check.”

“You went back there alone?” Lyra frowned.

“Not alone!” Trixie quickly corrected, “Cheerilee was with me. We found this in one of the other towers.”

Lyra picked the disk up with her magic, flipping it over a few times to investigate it for further markings.

“Strange...I really have no idea what this is. It looks old, that much is for sure.” She squinted slightly, “There’s something odd about the gem though.”

Pushing her magic sense forward, Lyra poked and prodded at the gem, reading the auras that coiled and twisted about it.

It’s like conjuration, but it feels like there’s divination and enchantment there too. But what in Equestria is this strand...

Frowning, she focused on that one spell thread, trying to identify the strange strand of magic that defied identification. A tingle danced down her spine as her aura mixed with that of the item, the purple glow that emanated from the gem surged forward, engulfing her body in a sudden spasm of movement.

A panicked shout escaped Bon Bon’s lips, the earth pony throwing herself forward in a valiant effort to save her beloved from the violet snare. Wrapping her hooves around Lyra’s flank and pulling, she yelped again when the glow surged forward, enveloping her as well.

“Stay calm!” Trixie shouted, in spite of the fact she was beginning panic herself. “I can fix this!”

Her trapped friends began to levitate, hooves leaving the floor, the glow growing brighter.

“Fix it faster!” Bon Bon shouted, her legs thrashing to somehow find purchase.

Lashing out with her own magic, Trixie tried to drag them from the grips of whatever spell had them in its grip. But with a snap and pop, Bon Bon and Lyra vanished.

“Lyra?! Bon Bon!?

As the last swirls of magic faded from the room, a singular thought ran through the unicorn’s mind.

Bon Bon was going to kill her.

The world was still spinning for Lyra as she reappeared...wherever she was now. She could feel Bon Bon’s body tucked up against hers, the candy maker groaning as she shook off the remains of her own dizziness.

“Smooth one Lyra.” She grumbled to herself, slowly getting back to her hooves, “Just go and touch the ancient glowing thingie. That’ll work out well.”

“Your words. Not mine.” Bon Bon commented, following suit.

Now that the world had stopped spinning for the two mares, they turned their attention to their surroundings. They were in some manner of cavern, standing atop a three tiered ziggurat that seemed to be of similar construction as the disk Lyra had examined moments ago. Glowing yellow spheres were set into the walls, providing illumination, while a single corridor led out of the chamber.

It had a bleak, almost forgotten feel to it, like an attic that no pony had cleaned out in decades. In fact, it seemed to Lyra that she and Bon Bon might have been the first creatures to stand on the ziggurat in centuries. A fine layer of dust lay over everything, even the light orbs, which lead to a muted cast across the whole room.

Frowning, she tapped her hoof against the ziggurat a few times, hoping it would somehow instantly whisk them back to Ponyville. The construction remained quiet however, the pair still stuck in the room.

“Lyra?” Bon Bon’s voice wavered, “It isn’t working…”

“I know.” She winced, “Hold on, let me take a closer look.”

Turning to her magical senses again, Lyra examined the structure, searching for the tell tale sign of magic. But the aura was as cold as the stone itself. Whatever enchantment had brought them here faded and gone.

“Nothing.”

“What are we going to do?” Bon Bon asked, an edge of fear and panic beginning to creep into her tone, “We don’t know where we are! We might not even be in Equestria any more!”

Lyra was at Bon Bon’s side in a moment, with an affectionate nuzzle to help calm her down. “It’s okay Bons. We’re smart ponies and we’re together. We’ll figure this out.”

Bon Bon nodded, taking a calming breath. “Okay.” With a furtive glance towards the only other direction they had available to travel, she nodded. “I guess we should see where we are?”

“It’s a starting point at least.” Lyra pointed out, trotting for the corridor.

It was plain and unadorned, seemingly bored straight through the rock. Lyra tried to ignore the twisting fear that thrashed about in her stomach, and the voice in the back her head (that, as it often did, spoke in Bon Bon’s voice) that pointed out that she had no idea where on the planet they were right now, and that this was a complete shot in the dark.

Even if they could work out where they were, it might take them years to find a way back home.

Unless Trixie finds a way to get to us. She thought. She could always write Princess Luna and then maybe she’d be able to work it out?

The sound of voices pulled Lyra from her dark thoughts.

“So, sister...what happens now?”

Lyra blinked, Bon Bon immediately drawing close to her side, body shaking slightly.

“Is that Corona?” She whispered.

“It sounds like her.” Lyra admitted, taking another careful step forward.

“We were both summoned. I have to assume that he wished to speak with us both.” Princess Luna evenly responded, “So, we either fight and possibly bring this valley to ruin….”

For a moment the only sound that reached Lyra’s ears was her and Bon Bon’s hooves on the stone floor of the tunnel. But as they approached the end, Corona spoke again.

“A cease fire while within the valley then? At the very least, until we work out what The Watcher wants.” She sounded uncharacteristically unsure of herself.

“Agreed.” Luna said, sounding just as weary as Corona, “I have to assume this isn’t a minor matter.”

Lyra and Bon Bon slowly emerged from the tunnel, to a rather odd sight. Corona and Luna were standing side by side on a simple stone platform, looking down at a collection of lights that hinted at a city. The pair looked more awkward than anything else, shooting occasional glances at each other, but not doing much else.

Somehow, Lyra was expecting a more dramatic confrontation between the two sisters than this. She shuffled her hooves for a moment, shooting a questioning glance towards Bon Bon, who was staring at sisters mouth open in shock, her whole body shaking.

“C-Corona.” She whispered, pushing herself even closer to Lyra’s side, “W-why is Corona here? Why is Luna talking with Corona!”

“I don’t know.” Lyra admitted, nervously biting her lip.

“No. This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening!” Bon Bon trembled, the panic threatening to overwhelm her voice.

Lyra couldn’t really blame her, considering her kidnapping at the hooves of Corona. But she hadn’t seen what had happened in Tambelon either. Her experiences in there had proven that there was more to the solar alicorn than the legends.

And she wasn’t attacking Luna right now either.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out onto the platform, pulling her way out of Bon Bon’s grip as she tried to hold her back. From there, she could see that the tunnel she had just exited was bored back into a natural rock wall, that extended out of view, into the darkness in either direction.

The terrace itself was built onto a slope, and had a set of stairs that lead down towards the collection of lights below.

“Umm. Hi?”

It was bizarre to see a pair of living legends spin about in surprise like that, but a little bit on the amusing side all the same.

“Lyra?” Luna blinked, “And Miss...Bon Bon? How?”

“Strange disk thing.” She shrugged, “I kind of...poked at it. And then Bon Bon tried to grab me and then here we are.”

Corona groaned, kneading the side of her head with a hoof. “Joyous. And where is the disk that sent you here now?”

“Back in Ponyville, with Trixie, I assume.”

Corona jabbed a wing at her. “Return. This place is not for you.”

“Hey! I tried that already. The transporty thing isn’t working.”

“The Watcher must have turned it off.” Luna shrugged, “He has always been protective of this land. Should be easy enough to fix. Let’s go and speak with him.”

“The Watcher?” Lyra blinked, “Princess, what’s going on?”

“It’s a long story.” Luna sighed, “And I do not think that now is the best time to go into all the details…”

“Sister.” Corona interrupted, pointing down the slope, “Some creature approaches.”

Lyra followed her hoof. A small sphere of light was slowly bobbing its way up the hill, most likely from a lantern. While Lyra was somewhat scared and confused over her current situation, the other part of her was rather curious. Even Bon Bon had left the safety of the tunnel entrance to stare at the yellow circle as it moved closer.

The lantern light gradually, almost painfully slow in fact, grew closer and brighter. Its bearer obviously wasn’t in a hurry, Lyra observed. Eventually, the lantern and the creature holding it clambered over the last step and into view.

It was, in a word, strange. It was about the size of the princesses, but that was about where the resemblance ended. Its skin was rough, gray and full of wrinkles from age. A pair of downward pointing, fang like tusks poked from the muzzle that also carried the lantern and, probably most bizarrely in Lyra’s mind, three pairs of nobby like bumps ran down the middle of its head. They were almost like horns, except not quite as pronounced.

It wore a multicolored checkered blanket across its back like a saddle, the edges marked with a beaded fringe that clacked softly as it moved. A torc- forged from what looked like tin- fasted around its thick neck was the only other piece of clothing it wore.

Carefully placing the lantern on the terrace, it looked from pony to pony, blinking as it took in everything.

“Greetings.” He rumbled in a deep, slow, male voice, speaking almost perfect Equestrian, “Celestia.” He bowed his head to her, “Luna.” And to her as well. He then turned his large head towards Lyra and Bon Bon, he carefully observed them before he spoke again, “And welcome, Lyra Heartstrings, Bon Bon. You may call me Grayback. Everycreature does. Please, follow me.”

Without waiting for a response, the great beast picked the lantern back up and began to trundle his way back down the mountain side. Corona followed after him, seemingly unperturbed by the strangeness of the creature or the situation. Bon Bon looked up at Princess Luna, shrugging helplessly, her eyes asking for some kind of explanation.

“It’s okay.” Luna nodded, “They may look somewhat intimidating, but the uintatherium are no better or worse than any other creature on the planet.”

“I’ve never heard of them.” Lyra blinked, heading down the stairs alongside Luna, Bon Bon at her side.

“That’s because they don’t exist outside this valley. This is the last population in the world.”

“Oh.” Lyra frowned, lapsing into silence as they continued to trot along.

From what she could see of the city as they walked along, it was very large and very old. The buildings were either carved stone, or adobe bricks, constructed in a very boxy style; sometimes in layered tiers with sloping ramps to connect the stories.

Carvings were evident across some of the buildings, similar to what she had viewed on the disk that brought her here, but what was more evident were all of the places where they were being stuccoed over.

But of the creatures that were on both disk and buildings weren’t walking the streets. Just more of what Princess Luna had called uintatherium. Though she couldn’t help but smirk at how they looked just as weirded out by her presence as she was by them.

Eventually, they reached the destination that Grayback was leading them to. Centrally located, it was the largest building in the city; a giant five tier pyramid that towered into the air, each tier protected by a defensive rampart, topped by a crenellated parapet.

It was like a more intimidating version of Canterlot Castle in a way. A structure built by creatures that were not only thought that they were going to be attacked, but who were downright certain of it. And it was through those series of ramparts that they were lead, to the top tier.

Continuing the whole “like Canterlot Castle, but more intimidating” vibe, the chamber they trotted into was arranged like a throne room. Constructed in two tiers, the remains of a stone throne lay crumbled in front of the second tier. Two sets of stairs lead up to the second level where a pillar, carved from black obsidian, ran from floor to ceiling.

The pillar was carved as well. A high relief of one of those bipedal reptile creatures stuck out from its face, arms folded across its chest, head tucked in with its snout pointing towards its claws.

Putting his lantern down again, Grayback bowed to the group. “Please wait here. I will bring tea.” He trundled off again, leaving them alone.

Lyra was about to open her mouth to ask what would happen next, when the pillar began to glow. A moment later an ethereal copy of the carved creature flowed from the statue, solidifying into a more perfect replica a moment later.

He...at least she assumed it was a he- she was having a hard time telling with these creatures she had never seen before- seemed much taller than she was expecting from the carvings, the tip of his snout almost coming even with Luna’s. He was bedecked in golden jewelry; a torc around the neck, bracelets on the arms, legs and tail all stamped with square patterns upon them.

Carrying an ornate staff in one of his clawed hands, he tilted his head, observing each of them in turn. When his eyes landed on Corona, however, the corners of his mouth twitched into a kind of exasperated smile.

“Celestia.” He shook his head, striding down one of sets of stairs. Slowly circling the alicorn, he stared at her flickering mane and tail, raising an eye as he completed the circle and stopped in front of her. “You look ridiculous like that.”

Lyra snorted, quickly biting back the burst of laughter that threatened to follow. Corona shot a glance her way, before looking back to The Watcher.

“Watcher-”

“Don’t give me that! You look ridiculous! What was wrong with the blue, pink, turquoise thing you had going on?”

“It didn’t suit-”

“Yes...I’m sure it didn’t.” He snorted, striding over to Luna next. Corona glared daggers at his back while he conducting the same circular observation, this one much quicker.

Satisfied with whatever he was looking for, The Watcher took a few steps away from the pair, turned to face them again, and let loose a deep sigh.

“So, you two never visit.”

“I’ve been trapped in the sun.” Corona deadpanned.

“You’re not trapped in the sun now. I have to call for help for you to visit?”

“Watcher.” Luna coughed, a frown crossing her muzzle, “Can you tell us about that?”

“In a moment.” He waved a dismissive claw towards her, as he turned his attention to the non princesses of the group.

Lyra couldn’t help but feel intimidated as the strange creature’s eyes took her in. He spoke with both alicorns like they were peers, but he was just one more brick in the castle of crazy that this whole situation was in her mind.

Bon Bon was a little more panicked. It had claws. It had sharp teeth. It had stepped out of a pillar of stone. Every inch of her body was screaming that this creature was wrong.

But a wide smile crossed his muzzle after a moment or two of observation. “Greetings, young ones.” He dipped his head into a quick bow, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Nice...to meet you too.” Lyra grinned nervously.

“Yes. Nice.” Bon Bon followed suit.

“Well, can’t be that nice. I can only imagine how confusing all of this for you right now.” He perked up, smiling all the wider as Grayback came shuffling back into the room, a tray somehow balanced on his nobby horns, “I do have some business to discuss with your rulers.”

“Rulers? Wait…”

“Grayback! Please escort Miss Heartstrings and Miss Bon Bon to one of the guest rooms.”

“Watcher.” Luna interrupted, “I wish to send them home.”

“And we’ll handle that in a little bit. For now, we need to have a conversation.”

Grayback motioned to another doorway with a hoof. “Please. Follow me.”

Sparing another glance back at Luna the pair allowed themselves to be lead off.

The Watcher kept the wide smile on his face until Lyra, Bon Bon and Grayback disappeared through one of the doors that lead deeper into the pyramid. Once Bon Bon’s tail flicked around the corner, he sighed, his whole body slumping with weariness as he faced Celestia and Luna again.

Glancing between the two, he sighed even deeper, kneading the side of his head with a clawed hand.

“You two break my heart.”

Celestia and Luna exchanged a glance.

“If you sent the signal just to berate us...” Celestia began.

“Berate? Miss ‘I am the sun!’ is going to lecture me about berating ponies?” He snapped, voice growing more and more angry, “Or would you care to do a repeat performance of your re-appearance at Canterlot?”

“And who are you,” Celestia snapped back, “To tell me how to look after my little ponies? You are hardly one to talk!”

The pair glowered at each other, neither creature moving as their own anger clashed against each other.

“Watcher.” Luna interrupted, “Why did you call us here? From everything I’ve seen as we passed through the city...well, it seems that the uintatherium are doing quite well.”

“For once, I agree with my sister.” Celestia nodded, “From a band of stragglers, to a hidden nation.”

“Oh, yes.” He nodded, “They’re doing quite well. They’ve extended towards the entrance of the valley, built roads between all the villages, crop rotation is working quite well. They’ve come quite far.”

Luna and Celestia glanced at each other again.

“Then...why did you summon us?” Luna asked.

“Because, they found something. Something that neither I, nor my charges can deal with.”

For Bon Bon, it felt like the walls were closing in on her.

As much as Grayback was insisting that they were being taken to a nice room, she had her doubts. They were going down into the pyramid...castle...thing. And down in castles are where rulers kept dungeons, not guest rooms.

A stab of annoyance shot through her when she looked at Lyra. Her marefriend had apparently gotten over her earlier nervousness, and was now taking in everything they passed with a wide eyed wonder.

Then again, she always had been a bit of a bard. And even through her fear, she couldn’t help but admit that a lost city of lost creatures was the seed of many a legend. This place must have been fascinating for her.

But right now, all she wanted to do was go home.

“The Confectionarium!” She shouted, realization crashing down on her, “It’s supposed to open tomorrow! How am I supposed to run the shop while I’m here!”

“The Watcher will do his best to assist you.” Grayback rumbled, stopping at a curtain, “But for now, rest.”

Pushing the curtain aside, he gestured to the room beyond.

It looked nicer than Bon Bon was expecting. A large square bed dominated the center of the room, built low to the ground, pillows and blankets piled upon its surface. Two window shafts, built diagonally into the wall, allowed for natural light during the day, while another one of the glowing yellow orbs from the cavern set into the ceiling provided light during night.

“Is it to your satisfaction?” Grayback asked, carefully sliding the tea into a small table, “Can I get you anything else? Fruit? Sweets? Alcohol?”

“Nothing, thanks.” Bon Bon quickly answered, cutting Lyra off, “Will we have to wait long? We’d really like to go home.”

Grayback shrugged. “I can not guess how long the master’s meeting will take. He has not spoken with your rulers-”

“Corona is not my ruler!” Bon Bon barked, taking an angry, emphatic step towards the great beast. Her fear of the situation was forgotten in the heat of the moment, her fury intense enough that Grayback took a shocked step back from a creature a quarter of his size.

“I have been...misinformed.” He bowed his head, “Please forgive my mistake.”

Bon Bon registered the feeling of Lyra’s hoof on her back. “Bonnie. It’s okay. He didn’t know.”

Taking a few deep breaths, Bon Bon felt the rage flow from her body, Lyra’s presence a port in the storm.

“I will inform you as soon as The Watcher can speak with you.” Grayback explained, “Until then, please rest.”

Not waiting for a response, he retreated from the room, leaving Bon Bon and Lyra alone. Lyra nuzzled up to her marefriend, slowly rubbing her back. “It’ll be okay. Princess Luna is here, and she’ll make sure we get home.”

“Yeah.” Bon Bon sighed, trotting over to the bed and throwing herself down on the mattress, “...At least the bed is nice.”

Lyra plopped down beside her, prodding her neck with the tip of her nose. A goofy grin crossed her muzzle, a thought crossing her mind on how to take Bon Bon’s mind of the situation. With absurdity.

“Well, so long as we’re here...want to join the lost ancient temple club?”

A combination of a snort and a giggle burst from Bon Bon, as she rolled onto her side to peer at her significant other. “That’s not a thing!”

It was a simple declaration, backed up with a friendly hoof jab to the shoulder.

“It’s totally a thing! I just made it up.”

Cuddling close to her, Bon Bon shook her head. “At least I can always count on you.”

Wrapping her forearms around Bon Bon’s trembling frame, Lyra hugged her against her body, doing her best to calm the mare’s fear. As the minutes ticked by, Lyra could feel Bon Bon’s breathing slow, and then settle into the kind of regular rhythm that came from sleep.

Lyra sighed, looking out the room’s slanted window. The stars glittered in the night sky, just like they did back home. She yawned. It was late. Snuggling a little deeper into the mattress, she closed her eyes. Princess Luna would probably have more information in the morning.

Author's Note

My second Lunaverse story! Wooo!

Doing a fic that involved the relationship between Corona and Luna is something I've wanted to do since I first started writing for the Lunaverse, and I've really been enjoying writing this one so far. A little bit of action and adventure, and a little bit of interpony relationships is a winning combination, doubly so when I added Bon Bon to the fic at RDD's suggestion so that their relationship can be explored a bit more too.

This one had a long and winding path to reach where it is now, starting all the way back with my suggestion in the Lunaverse brainstorming thread for the existence of dinosaurs somewhere in the setting. While them in the modern day wasn't something that we could make a go of, it did eventually hit a workable point.

I'm quite happy with the end result, and I hope that all fans of the Lunaverse will enjoy it too!