Ark and Twilight were simultaneously casting magical bindings over the corrupted boss and as a finishing touch Ark placed a muzzle binding over the boss to keep him quiet. As they admired their work they heard a bang against the library door their hearts stopped, and when their eyes met the door it was slightly open and a corrupted was pushing against it. Twilight activated her magic and pushed it close while Ark activated his and gathered tables and bookshelves to stack against the door.

Their barricade was slowly coming together but on the other side of the door the force on the door was getting stronger. After a few minutes most of the library laid bare and white marble floors reflected in the torch light and ceiling lanterns.

"That's not going to last long Ark, what're we gonna do?" Twilight asked.

"Well first things first, get Spike and the key."

Twilight nodded and scooped up the unconscious drake as Ark pulled the key off the boss. They heard more bangs on the door and the barricade was shaking in response.

"Shit! Twilight I know this is a stretch of imagination, but maybe there is a secret switch inside the bookshelves and it might lead out of here," Ark rationalized backing away from the boss.

"That's a very large stretch Mr. Arkaytis but one I can work with."

Twilight spun towards the shelves and began pulling book after book off the shelves while Ark did the same on the alternate side of the library. In a very short time books were covering the floor and both ponies were feeling the paranoia flooding their senses. The creaking from the barricade was getting more frequent and louder. Unfortunately there was no sign of a switch on either side, and the doors slowly revealed a crack in between.

"Son of a bitch!" Ark swore.

"What now Ark?!"

"I DON'T KNOW! If there isn't a switch there's no alternate way out. The window is a possibility but they would notice the noise and then we would still have their attention," Ark rambled trying to scrape any plan to get out.

"What about teleporting back to the entrance? That's easy for both of us," Twilight suggested.

"You have a very good point but we don't know where they're coming from so for all we know they could be at the entrance as well or at least passing through but that's enough to get to us."

"I think it's a better plan than staying in the library Ark! So it's either more of them or less of them!"

Ark wanted to disagree and say it was too dangerous but at this point it his options were limited. Nodding he got closer to Twilight and they activated their magic and as blue magic mixed with the purple magic they were surrounded by a sphere of aura and in a flash they were gone.

In the next instant, they were back in front of the giant door and surrounded by the bodies of the doctors and workers. The smell carrion flooded their nostrils and they cringed in response. Ark shook his head and made a dash towards the door key in hoof, but just as Twilight followed a corrupted grabbed her from behind knocking Spike off and away towards one of the bodies.

"AHHHGGG!" Twilight wailed as she tried to push the pony off. Ark spun around and launched himself towards Twilight as fast as he could. It's raspy breathing right next to her and a second later it bit in to her wing. She wailed even louder and Ark's eyes narrowed in anger, instead of a blue beam, a purple-ish beam flew from his horn and it shot through the corrupted's head.

The pressure vanished and the body fell off Twilight who held her wing in pain, but her thoughts were short-lived as Spike filled her head and she dashed towards the drake. She picked him up and was relieved to see him unharmed. Ark's magic changed back to blue and his thoughts cleared, and he looked towards the entrance hall. More corrupted were coming in and there were too many for just Twilight and himself. Taking out the key once more he dashed up the stairs and shoved it into the crevice.

The key turned from grey to amber and the color bled into the door revealing the sun and moon insignia on the door and it pushed itself open. Twilight saw this and galloped up the stairs up to Ark but something bothered her.

"Wait Ark! What if these things get out? They would ravage Equestria!" Twilight hollered.

Ark stopped at the midway step and Twilight stopped a few steps above him.

'Dammit she's right, we have to keep these things from escaping.'

That would be easy wouldn't it Arkaytis?

Ark's eyes widened at the voice but he could wonder about it for long as growls echoed below him and the corrupted were gaining on the pair.

"Twilight run!" He yelled and they both continued their ascent above them they saw more pillars and it stretched into a grand hallway leading to a final door with light shining out.

"Ark what're we going to do about the corrupted?!" She screamed as they fled down the granite floored hallway. The brown pillars showed even more wear in contrast to the marble pillars downstairs.

"Simple you keep running and I'll hold them off."

"Are you insane?! You can't take on that many corrupted even if you were an alicorn!"

"Well it's good thing I'm not an alicorn and I happen to know a few spells that will help. Just go and get out of here and if you find help then go with them and take Spike to safety, and I will catch up. Now GO!" Ark bellowed. Twilight was about to refuse but his magic pushed her back and with one last look she continued her gallop towards the door.

'You're willing to go through with this?'

"Just get it over with," Ark grumbled.

'Very well then, brace yourself.

Twilight reached the door and she shoved it open to reveal a grassy landscape with a few mountains around them and forests on the edge, and in the distance, despite being aggravatingly small, was Canterlot castle. She smiled as she felt the sun's warmth on her coat, but then a large boom echoed out of the door and the force pushed her face first on the ground. Pulling herself out she shook the dirt out of her hair, and Spike had landed next to her and groaned in pain.

Spike's eyes were slowly opening but he couldn't move. He saw a purple coming towards him and he felt a magical grip lifting him up, and he could barely make out Twilight's face as she pulled him close into a hug. His eyes grew heavy and he felt his small consciousness dissipating and soon he was once again knocked out.

She sighed in relief and took a moment to look around. She placed Spike on her back and flew up to the top of the temple, it barely protruded mountain that covered it, the and looked out over the stretching landscape. Directly in the distance, was Canterlot castle and looking the other way she saw the sun was a few feet above the horizon and was slowly descending. To the North-east she could barely make out the snowy mountains that guarded the Crystal Empire, but those were the only recognizable landmarks

Flying down from the top of the Temple she landed next to where Spike had previously landed and it was now that she saw the boxes that were placed out of the way.

"I wonder if there's any indicator here of where we are," She wondered aloud.

Another boom echoed out of the door and she turned to it in fear, whatever he was doing it wasn't normal unicorn magic. Placing Spike next to a few rocks and placing a shield spell over him she galloped back to the door and peered back into the temple.

Her eyes had to readjust to the darkness.

"Wait that's not right, there was more light in here before so why is it so dark?" Twilight wondered while slowing to a small trot and continued towards the stairs. She was getting closer but the darkness kept growing until she couldn't see two feet in front of her and the light from the door seemed like a candle in the dark. This darkness wasn't natural that much was apparent, but if it only came from after she left the ruins then only one pony could've created it.

'Ark did say he knew some spells that could help him but what did he mean,'She wondered, yet Ark still remained more of a mystery than ever.

'Ark is obviously a skilled mage, he always maintains a calm expression even in the face of death. However, that means he's been in similar situations prior to this one and if he's this use to it...what could've happened to make him appear so cold?'

Her steps stopped echoing and soon the only thing she could hear was her growing breathing. Suddenly something landed next to her making her jump into pillar in fright. She screamed then groaned and she looked at where she thought the object had landed. Her own horn light up she felt better knowing that she could see a little bit more and she trotted towards the now illuminated body.

She froze in horror as she stared at the corrupted body as it now was even worse. The body had a blotches of necrosis covering the back and the forelegs, but the coat remained the same grey and the veins were still present. But as she trotted even closer she looked into the face of the corrupted and was met with glazed empty eyes.

She covered her mouth and another body landed behind her making her jump in fright. She then turned her eyes towards where the darkness was still at it's darkest and she gasped at what soon came into view.

Five Minutes earlier

"Just get it over with," Ark grumbled.

'Very well then, brace yourself'

The corrupted were nearing the top of the stairwell and soon they would be upon Ark, but as they reached the top Ark was nowhere to be seen. They looked for any trace of the stallion but only saw his hoofprints in the dust.

A cold wind blew through the temple and the corrupted watched the torches flicker out one by one. The last torch was snuffed out and darkness blanketed the entrance.

The raspy breathing was still audible, but the corrupted could no longer sense each other's presence. Suddenly a grunt was heard and they snapped towards the sound but were met with nothing. They all walked over to what they believed to be the origin spot of the noise, but with nothing to find they continued to shamble about.

A purple ball of light fluttered down from the center and caught the attention of all of the corrupted. They all stumbled towards it and stared and as swiftly as it had come it disappeared and a figure burst down blowing them away. One corrupted moved to get up but when he looked back the figure had disappeared. The corrupted turned around and it came face to face with glowing white eyes.

The other corrupted stumbled towards the victim of the eyes, but it had disappeared. The corrupted may have been reduced to base instincts, but it was base instincts that told them there was a predator in here with them.

Seven corrupted remained in the blackened and in the darkest reaches of the room a demon roamed and it wouldn't let any of them leave. Another light flickered in the dark, but this one shone above them illuminating the ceiling and slightly lighting the room.

Once again the figure appeared in the center but this time his features were illuminated. He was drenched in oily black shadows, his eyes were glowing white, his horn remained the same, but black miasma emanated from it as well as his hooves. One of the remaining corrupted charged him, but right as it made contact with the figure it flew through it.

"Hahahahaaha," the figure chuckled.

"I don't know what was funnier, the fact you thought it would work or the fact you tried. Oh wait you no longer understand basic language."

The figure turned towards his attacker and grabbed it by the neck. Using his magic, he wrapped his magic from his hoof around the neck of the corrupted and proceeded to strangle it. The others ran towards him and jumped on top of him only to fall through the shaded body. They all got up and swiped at the shadows, but they couldn't grasp the figure.

"I thought I said it won't work, but then again you're all nothing but animals,"the figure said.

"I don't understand why Ark would hold back against any of you all this time, but he is kind hearted so I suppose it only means he wanted to help you."

The choking corrupted felt something draining from its body and soon the figure's foreleg was lit with the magic spreading towards him. The corrupted started to struggle even more, but it could do nothing as its vision blacked out and its body fell limp. The body fell from the figure's foreleg and the other corrupted were still swiping at his body but to no avail.

He groaned boredom and let a his magic push them back. The six remaining were not ready to give up and they all charged him, but he made no movement to stop them.

Suddenly, black tendrils sprung from the ground beneath him, impaled the corrupted and held them three feet above himself. The black blood dripped from the wounds and down the tendrils, but as it hit the floor it disappeared into the abyss. More of the magic was being drained from the victims and they couldn't move to stop him.

Soon the bodies grew lifeless one by one and when the last bit of magic was drained from the they each fell to the ground. The figure soon came to the last remaining corrupted and stared into the yellow eyes of the pony.

"Power Hooves...I see they got you too,"he whispered.

"I am sorry that you were the victim of this tragedy. I hope that you ended up in a better place."

The large pony growled and snapped at him, but soon the light left the eyes of the pony once known as Power Hooves. He gently lowered the body to the ground and sighed.

"I told you to go find help Twilight Sparkle," he said as the shadows fled into the ground and Ark was all that was left. The darkness in the room lifted and the light from the door had partially illuminated the rest of the entrance way.

Twilight stood away from him with disgusted look and she stared at the decaying bodies of Ark's victims. The bodies may have just lost their magic, but that shouldn't have caused necrosis to appear in their wounds.

'Tirek made sure of that, and when he took their magic they were exhausted. Why does his magic cause their deaths?" She thought.

"Your next line is going to be "You have a lot of explaining to do Arkaytis" am I correct?" He asked pointing a hoof towards her.

"Oh you have a lot of explaining to do Arkaytis but instead of trying to guess my next line you should bother explaining that to the princesses," She snapped.

Ark's eyes widened in surprise at her and how she saw through his small trick.

"Very well then I will answer to her, but I have only done my job that I was asked," he finished as he trotted past her towards the door. She stared at the bodies once more and followed him.

As they both exited the temple they cringed at the light and as it went away slowly they stared at the now setting sun over the horizon. Twilight trotted over to Spike who still lay asleep and picked him up. She placed him on her back and began walking in the direction of Canterlot Castle, but a hoof on her shoulder stopped her.

"I don't think that is wise Princess. It's getting late and even if you can teleport to the castle it will be better for all of us to get some proper rest. There are some provisions in these boxes so we should make use of them while we can," Ark proposed.

Twilight looked at him and then to Canterlot,'As much as I want to disagree with him, he has a point.'

"Fine Mr. Arkaytis, what's the first thing to do?" She asked.

Ark went to a box and pried it open with his magic. He then pulled out a couple of tents and a makeshift fireplace. In ten minutes he had set up a campsite and had a fire going. Just as he finished the sun had set and the moon had risen.

"Well let's see here," Ark muttered as he continued to dig through the contents of the other boxes. Twilight had laid down near the fire with Spike sleeping next to her side.

"Eureka! We have some food!" He hollered. Twilight picked up a stick and wacked him from behind.

"Ouch! What was that for?!"

Twilight pointed towards the sleeping drake and then the woods and Ark realized his mistake.

"Oh."

Ark shrugged and then began to cook the food. Twilight went back and laid down next to Spike before wrapping her tail around him. Ark looked at them while the dried hayfries and veggie patties cooked.

"You two are pretty close huh?" He queried.

"Yes, Spike and I have been together for a very long time. It wouldn't be the same without my number one assistant."

"Number one assistant? I thought he was your adopted son or something," Twilight flinched and looked down at Spike's sleeping form.

"You aren't the first one to say that, sometimes even Celestia says that I am a mother to him," Twilight muttered.

"Well regardless of whichever role you prefer it's a nice thing to see," Ark claimed as he finished the food. He put some in a plate and gave it to Twilight.

"Thank you Mr. Arkaytis."

"Please Princess just call me Ark."

"Very well, Ark."

The shared a laugh while they enjoyed their meal. After their bellies had their fill Twilight had retired to her tent for the night and Ark stared up at the sky. It wasn't often he got to stargaze and it has remained one of his favorite pastimes to do with his brother.

"Vergil, I wonder if you see can see the stars as well," he wondered aloud.

'Then again I guess from where you are it's something you see all the time.'

"Who's Vergil?"

Ark jumped and saw Spike sitting next to him with a very distant look. Ark relaxed and pulled himself up to a sitting position.

"Vergil is my brother, unlike me however he was more into straight archeology rather than the forgotten arts of old," Ark explained wistfully.

"That's not too far different from the same job Ark," Spike said with a raised brow.

"I know but he's more in just discovering and excavating. I am the one who examines and finds the meanings behind the things he used to find," Ark corrected.

Spike mouthed an Oh before falling silent, and Ark took notice.

"So Spike are you doing alright? You've had a pretty rough day," Ark asked.

"I could be better, but I could be worse. I am pretty tired though and I don't understand what happened in the library. How did I do that magic?" Spike asked.

"I have a theory Spike, it could be the ancient draconian magic from the Age of the Alicorn," Ark offered. Spike turned to him as he was crazy.

"Are you kidding? You yourself said that magic was cut off from them and every other creature on Equestria during the The Rise of the Dark Alicorns how could I have magic that's otherwise non-existent?"

"That's my question as well Spike," Ark answered.

Spike opened his mouth but he didn't have anything else to say. He and Ark sat there staring at the sky and soon the moon was straight above them, and it's shining light lulled both of them in to a deep sleep.

Spike's Dream World

Something was out there, but he couldn't see where it was. Spike was running from something and whatever was chasing him wasn't going to let him just escape. He was running the destroyed hallways of the temple and passing the corrupted with each and every turn.

He jumped over the destroyed furniture and broken glass but it didn't stop him from slowing down despite trying to run as quick as he could. He rounded another corner and came to the main foyer except instead of the once pristine architecture he saw instead it was broken and decaying and one the floor below him there was a black oily substance covering the floor.

He heard a groan from behind him and he looked down at the floor. The world around him was closing in and it was either the floor or the monster, and he chose the former.

As Spike fell through the air and looked back at where the monster would've been, but there was nothing there. Spike landed in the substance with a muffled splash and tried to keep moving.

YOU SHOULDN'T COME HERE SPIKE

Spike froze in fear as the voice echoed through his head and all around him. The substance started to creep up his legs and when he noticed he tried to scrape it off but it then began to drag him down. He was starting to hyperventilate and as he continued to to struggle he felt himself falling farther and farther in to the abyss.

COME WITH US SPIKE

YOU'LL BE SAFE

SinK INto ObLIVioN!

The substance had reached his face and began to flood his mouth, and he felt his body shutting down from the exhaustion. With his last bit of energy he force his hand above the substance and reached out for something or someone to help him. The substance covered the top of the head and all that remained was his weakening hand.

"BEGONE FOUL NIGHTMARE!" A voice thundered from nowhere.

Suddenly the substance was gone, the temple was gone, and Spike lay there on the glass-like floor. He looked up and saw the moon but a blue blur was also flying down to him.

"Sleep young Spike, our sister and I will be there to find you tomorrow."

Spike felt his eyes grow heavy and soon they shut and he drifted back into a dreamless sleep.

Author's Note

Here's chapter 4 and I hope you all enjoyed it. I am sure you're aware that this is my first fic so constructive criticism is always appreciated. see you in the next chapter.

Next time: Chapter 5: Explaining and The Princesses