Star Hunter and the lost Kingdom

He'd known it was a trap.

Why did he still go? Star Hunter would have time to ponder that in the blackness that he plunged into headfirst.

A portal, he'd guessed. He couldn't hear the others anymore, and even his large, blue-silver eyes had trouble sorting out all this darkness. It wasn't a new feeling, just a new place. Taking a careful step, he noted that his hooves touched nothing. His wings were already spread from before he hit the portal, and unlike some pegasi they didn't lock shut when he snapped through. There was air around him, but not much else. The silence pressed on him, urging him to take some action.

Giving his wings a few good flaps, he pushed forward, whatever cardinal direction (if applicable) he was heading.

"Hello....?" he started in a normal speaking voice. No response, and even that low of speech echoed. He slowed, realizing he was indeed still in a tunnel, but not the one he had entered previously. His eyes were finally starting to make out details to where he arrived, and the sight troubled him.

These were deep caverns, with no outside light. He was thankful for the glowing moss that lit as he glided past, activated by the stir of air in an otherwise dank corner of wherever. He could see the ground now, some ten feet down from his position. The ceilings another ten or fifteen feet above. No sign of water trailing through here. It smelled ancient enough, perhaps this used to be an underground waterway.

Following the hall, he'd hoped that he only jumped dimensions and not times. He had lost track of time in his current locale of Equestria and despite the pastel coloring and low crime, he'd grown to like the place. Where he was now, however... that may change, depending on his destination.

The hallway wound about before blossoming to an enormous, hoof-hewn temple, carved from the reddish stone around him and adorned with all sorts of gems. The statues guarding the main entrance showed three alicorns in "rampant" (reared) stances. Two stallions, one mare. All three had trailing, amophous manes captured in various shades of quartz, tails long and strewn around their hind legs to provide stability to the poses. All three were unarmored. Curious, he swooped through the open area outside the temple, seeing the remains of identical rectangular buildings crumbling below.

Closer inspection showed him bits of armor and old weapons - many lacqured in darker colors and covered with settling sands. A whip of his wings revealed that many had jagged ornamentation and were studded with hematite and moonstones. The armor was of similar design, sometimes bordered in gold or silver.

Most of the bardings he found were for pegasus stock, which looked all the more curious. That would mean there must be a way out of the cavern, but where......

skree.... skreeeee......

The squeaking sound was barely audible, and the pegasus was unsure if he had actually heard it.

Skrree.... Skreeeeeeee.......

There, that's the sound. He looked up one second too late as he was tackled through the crumbling walls by what looked like giant armored bat skeletons. His yelp of panic more of the surprise than ... well, giant armored bat skeletons WAS a new thing. Flailing with his wings and kicking with his legs, he managed to send one across the room as the second tumbled off and returned airborne. This time, the "squeal" was a SCREEECH~!! that sounded more like a demand than a threat. Star Hunter backed up, nearly tripping over some discarded weaponry. He scooped up a spear with his wing and balanced it on his back. "No closer," he warned.

The skeleton looked him up and down, then chittered authoritatively. Star Hunter didn't comprehend, but realized how long this "civilization" may have been here. "Equarnem Noctern. Pax arcis?"

The skeleton nodded, expecting more. Star Hunter tried to remember his ancient Equestrian. "Lunaris Artemii, militia phalanxyan XV."

The skeleton cocked its head to the left, then slowly turned toward the temple. It looked back once, enough to tell Star Hunter to follow it. He would have followed regardless - how does it stay in the air? The wings had no feathers, but there were bones.... more like a---

The skeleton wheeled as though hearing his thoughts. "Alarisey!" Star Hunter insisted. "Alarisey... um, er..." his mind raced. "Puallus.... er-" the skeleton screeched again, doubting Star Hunter was anyone's ally."Caligo Akley-ess," he stammered with a point to himself. Satisfied, the skeleton continued toward the temple. As they closed, he could see the name of the facility etched into one of the walls. Star Hunter noted the name (Equareum Artemii Tidus Lunar) but remained silent through the rest of the trip. The two sailed past the long flights of stairs to the main entrances to glide through a doorway even higher up. The skeleton landed, kicking up dust with its bony wings. Star Hunter landed beside him. With a short screech and a point with a wing, Star Hunter was sent walking down another hallway, this time the pegasus in the lead.

Several entrances to each side caught the pegasus' large eyes - barracks? dining halls? he did not see much in the rooms but his guard did not pause in his walk. He wondered further as there were no doors at the end of the hall but another entryway into a much larger room.

The guard stopped at the threshhold, but nodded to Star Hunter to enter. The pegasus stepped in carefully, noting that there was some light to the room. Several, he noted - thirty feet above him he could see glowing mosses, dutifully arranged... the constellations? It was a night sky, all right; he scanned the positions of constellations in an attempt to date.

"CALIGO!" a voice boomed through the area. Star Hunter shot airborne.

"ALARISEY!" Star Hunter replied.

"STEP FORWARD SOLDIER," The voice echoed in ancient Equestrian. Star Hunter reset himself with his back to the entryway and trotted to the base of a dais, where a shadowy figure stood. "STATE YOUR NAME, SOLDIER."

"Jack Harkness....?" Star Hunter mangled into the ancient tongue.

"Black Darkness......" the creature responded. "Welcome to the Garrison of the Moon and Tides. Do you not know who I am?"

"I've not been here in some time, sir."

"KNEEL!" he ordered, "I am Artemei Aphelion of the Moon and Tides! You are the first to find this temple in a thousand years!"

"Aphelion?!" Star Hunter Boggled. "But Equestria thought -"

"Imprisoned, Alas," Aphelion replied tiredly. "This entire base was scooped up by Discord and thrown to the driest place he could find. While I remain here in sancto-steel shackles, The soldiers here tried, tried their hardest escape this place. We dwindled as the food and water ran out, and the ghosts that remain have maintained their duties they had in life."

Star Hunter noted that. "So if I'm the first living thing you've seen in so long, I'm sure you've got something for me to do to break your curse?"

"Smart, aren't you? Since you were escorted here, you're aware of the Guards that were stationed here."

"Lunanthropics - Darrigans - some called them Moonshadows. I don't believe I qualify."

"With a name like 'Black Darkness' I think you're more than capable." The creature nodded, and two skeleton soldiers trotted forward, a pile of armor on a platform between them. "This armor should fit you just fine. Try it on."

Suspicious, Star Hunter looked over the barding with a close eye. He could see that this suit was pristine, compared to the pocked and damaged suits the skeletons were wearing. Everything looked freshly lacquered. Something ... else.... tickled his senses the wrong way. "So I wear this, then what?"

"Proof that you actually worked for Phalanx. Not under my watch."

Star Hunter frowned. "Fine. I work for the current Phalanx units under Princess Luna herself."

"Prove your loyalty to the Lunar side of the royal family and suit up!" Aphelion ordered. "Show me your aerial skills in this arena!"

"So what's wrong with flying as I am?" Star Hunter stretched his wings. "These generate more than sufficient wingpower - let's see, in Equarinem measurement is..." he did some quick math in his head. "38 Gutrus. 11 in modern wingpower but -"

"SILENCE!"

"Or you'll kill me?" Star Hunter snarked.

"INSOLENCE! Don the armor and complete my order."

Huffing in resignation, Star Hunter pawed each piece to the ground and started shrugging this on. "Don't know what this has to do with showing you how well I fly."

The armor fit well on the dark-furred pegasus. It had been too long since he'd worn barding like this, and well aware of what it meant. A sidelong glance to Aphelion spoke volumes; the entity's eyes growing wider and brighter as each piece fell into place. Star Hunter locked stares with Aphelion and stood at attention.

"Now," Aphelion leered, "we see if you're telling the truth."

Aphelion's eyes flashed, and the armor gripped Star Hunter like an iron vise. Gritting his teeth, he stomped about, thrashing his head and wings as the armor's magic permeated into his body. He could feel the dark tendrils wrap around his muscles and set fire to them. His wings quivered and the feathers exploded off, exposing black membraned wings that flapped in protest. He reared, bellowing and howling as his fur paled to gray, his eyes glowed golden and catlike. Stomping, bucking and snarling, Star Hunter's mind an angry fog.

"Yes, much better," Aphelion whispered. "Now, Dark one, fetch me the blade of the War Dogs."

Aphelion pointed to the star-studded ceiling, where a blade had been impossibly embedded within the constellation Canes Venatici. "Bring that to me, soldier, and sever my bonds."

Without a word the bat-winged pegasus launched, rocketing toward the blade. He swept past it once, twice, swatting the flat with his powerful wings to loosen it enough to carry down. When it refused to budge he arced around and raced along the ceiling, pausing to cartwheel and buck at its base. The sword trembled, a faint ringing as the metal loosened from stone. The next pass he snatched it by the grip and forced it from its place, flying even faster with the weapon in his mouth. He dipped a leathery wing to head back to Aphelion when he saw them coming.

The skeletons were awake. They chased him all around the arena, screeching and chattering as he kept the sword from them. Star Hunter growled, refusing to speak (could he speak now?) and kept the blade close as he swooped toward Aphelion. Some broke rank and tried cutting him off. Two shattered from his swing and a third from his wings. Yes, battle! He would fight them all! He reversed field again, staring down the skeletons.

"AN ORDER IS AN ORDER, DARK! HEED YOUR MASTER AND BRING ME THAT BLADE!"

His mind erupted with static, lightning in the fog. He hovered, flapping his wings hard and staring down the skeleton soldiers. The fog and lightning made his head hurt, the thrum of the armor demanding to fight, the roar of Aphelion telling him what to do only made it worse! Growling and backing up, he refused to tear his gaze from the soldiers.

One of the skeletons advanced, head low. It spread its bony wings and pawed the ground, the others giving him room. Star Hunter snorted at the challenge and crouched, threatening to use the sword on the upstart. Nostrils flared, he stared down the sightless eyes of this brave thing. What will it do?

It backed off the challenge and saluted him. The rest of the contingent saluted him as well.

"IGNORE THEM, DARK! BRING ME THE BLADE!" Aphelion demanded, the fog and lightning in Star Hunter's mind growing darker and louder. He wasn't ready to return; he stared again at the skeleton horde, awaiting the brave one's next move.

It scrawled a moon in the dust with its bony hoof. Star Hunter's eyes narrowed, flickering in query. The soldier then drew its hoof across the moon once, twice, a third time. The skeletons all focused on the soldier with the blade, whose comprehension of the message was unknown.

Star Hunter was immediately airborne, the skeletons shrieking after him. He closed on Aphelion, snarling an oath. "Yes, Dark, that is my blade - cleave these bonds from me!"

The skeletons were gaining. Star Hunter pumped his wings harder. He dove in the direction of Aphelion - oh, he was getting this blade, all right! The skeletons shrieked in protest as they saw the one living soldier give the sword -

• right through his ear and slicing the shroud he wore. Aphelion bellowed in protest as the shroud fell away, then a howl of rage as Star Hunter landed, blade on the ground and just out of reach.

"You're not Aphelion," Star Hunter growled. "Discord has no rules but one - he would never put the punishment he suffered on anyone else, including the Family that imprisoned him!"

"How DARE you!" the creature shouted, facing Star Hunter and revealing what he was.

"How dare YOU impersonate the Family that guarded this world! Mestenarus, blue demon of the mists!"

Indeed, for under that shroud stood a dark blue unicorn with blood-red, glowing eyes. Its body transluscent, partially faded into the shadows of the dais, but rooted by the shackles on its hind legs. Blue "arcs" of veins rippled up and down his flanks. = He reared and roared at Star Hunter, who lay the sword just out of hooves' reach.

"Free me, demon," Star Hunter warned. "and send me away. Then you will have your blade."

Mestenarus blinked at Star Hunter and the armor collapsed from his body. Strangely, the beastly form remained. "You, impersonating the Bearer of the Agate of Honesty~!!" Star Hunter accused. "That alone you deserve to be locked here!"

"You know this?"

Star Hunter pulled himself to his full height. "Aphelion knew me as Starwatch when I served him. Your history was flawed, your orders too angry and desperate."

Mastenarus continued to stare. "Sent away? I'll send you into the heart of a sun!"

"You'll only send me to where I came," Star Hunter spat. "Or I shatter this sword, and these skeletons will shatter you."

Mastenarus snorted in protest. "Fine. Two stars left of Canes Venatici will take you to your destination. Now free me!"

Star Hunter dropped the demonic form. "As you 'command'."

Both forehooves shattered the blade. The skeletons charged.

The pegasus chose not to watch - he had someplace else to be.