Terror in Equestria 11: Death and Destruction

Two days after leaving Neigh Zealand and spending a great deal of their days in the sky, LaurFa and her envoy finally saw Faustica off in the distance. When they saw the city approaching, all of them breathed a sigh of relief although one would be much less happy to see the city than the others, Brevity. Brevity couldn't help but scowl knowing that her sister had changed things from when she ruled during LaurFa's corruption and banishment. The thing that bothered her the most though was the name. No longer did it have a unifying name like it did when she ruled, it was back to Faustica, a name that glorified LaurFa and LaurFa alone.

When they landed, they immediately headed to the palace. As they headed there, LaurFa hoped that the royals from Unicornia along with Scootaloo would be there. She knew that if Colgate had captured them, that things would be only worse than they already were. When they headed into the throne room, she would be shocked when she suddenly found herself in an embrace, "LaurFa, we were all so worried about you."

LaurFa broke the embrace and would be happy when she saw that it was Queen Ruby Heart with White Magick back near the throne. She looked around and was concerned by the one pony that she did not see. "Scootaloo?" she asked. "What happened to Scootaloo?"

Galaxia added, "She didn't rejoin Colgate's side did she?"

Ruby gave the two a nervous look, "Well no she didn't but she was captured by Colgate and her forces."

White Magick chimed in, "Yes and if I know Colgate well enough, Scootaloo is either already dead or begging for death. With the way Colgate was when she was captured, I know nothing good can come of this." He then noticed that somepony that should have arrived with them was not, "Cosmos, where is King Cosmos?"

Galaxia held her head low and began to sob, "He fell. He fell to a tatzlwurm during an attack by the Witch Queen of Marentreal."

Ruby asked, "Who?"

LaurFa replied, "It is a very long story involving Colgate, wicked necromancy and Twilight Sparkle."

The royalty from Unicornia gasped, "Twilight Sparkle, Colgate, necromancy?"

"Yes," LaurFa began. "On our trip to Neigh Zealand, we were attacked by a cloaked Alicorn rider riding a huge dark gray beast. It struck Celestia with energy before picking up our ship and throwing it onto an island."

Again Galaxia began to sob, "And then that is when the tatzlwurm got Cosmos and even worse, this thing that had Twilight's cutie mark in it stabbed Celestia with a cursed blade."

Luna added, "And this creature that had Twilight's cutie mark on it but it was inside a much larger one, Colgate's. She stated that she served Colgate, The Goddess of Terror."

The two gasped, "The Goddess of Terror?"

LaurFa replied, "Yes, the Goddess of Terror. I have a feeling that Colgate has gone many places most ponies would never dare to go since she acquired the black gem that was stolen."

Luna added, "And we are thinking that perhaps she went to Midnight Castle to acquire those blades because no other place would have such things."

Celestia added, "Regarding gems, where is this prophecy book you mentioned regarding them."

LaurFa replied, "It is in my sleeping chambers. Let me go and get it."

Once LaurFa headed to get the prophecy book she had been telling everypony about, they all began to speculate about the book. Luna was the first to comment, "Well now we shall see if this prophecy book of hers has any truth to it or this whole trip" she began to become angry, "including losing our father was all for naught."

Celestia too was suspicious, "If this whole journey was for nothing, I will blame her for the death of our father."

Galaxia wasn't much more positive, "Well we shall see but I'm not going to go accepting some prophecy book as truth until I see what is in it for myself!"

Ruby wasn't quite as skeptical, "If this prophecy book did mention something about gems and they do indeed exist, I wouldn't just discount it yet."

Just as Ruby had finished her statement, LaurFa returned. She was holding the book in her aura and motioned for them to follow her, "Join me in the dining hall. There I can show you what I found and why I am so concerned."

They followed LaurFa into the dining hall where she sat it down and they all gathered around it. LaurFa had bookmarked the area that had her the most concern about so finding what she wanted them to see was no problem.

She opened the book to the very first prophecy she had come across and pointed it out to everypony. The first to say anything was Celestia, "How are we supposed to figure this out? Half of it isn't even legible!"

Brevity began to examine it more closely and she was able to decipher it better than her sister or anypony else. She began to mumble as she was reading it until she finally came to a conclusion, "Sister, it seems as though thy book does speak the truth. The theft of the gems, the beasts, the necromancy, the resurrection of Twilight" she then began to become more nervous as she continued, "And towards the end, it states that the Creator will be shattered by death on the battlefield against the black tower."

LaurFa knew that since she had sacrificed her immortality to save Celestia, that that could mean only one thing. She gasped, "Brevity, if this battle does indeed take place, the prophecy states that you will fall."

Brevity scoffed, "Not if Brevity has anything to say about it. Thanks to this, Brevity will be prepared, Brevity will know that she must slay Colgate before she can be slain."

This brought out a smile from Celestia, "So now you believe me? Now you believe that Colgate has created foul beasts and used black magic?"

Brevity finally resigned herself to the fact that she hoped was not true, "Yes, we have. Brevity just wishes she knew why Colgate became so distrustful and why she has gone down this path."

The one who was once Colgate's closest ally believed she knew why spoke up, "Brevity, I believe it dates back to when Colgate ate Twilight's heart after we defeated those centaurs. I believe it was the dark magic from that 'meal' that led her down this path."

White Magick added, "And I also believe that our concerns about her taking those broken relics with her added to her distrust."

Brevity replied, "We know but still, why would she go this far?"

LaurFa snapped, "So she can rule this world with an iron hoof, that's why! I have a feeling that she believes the whole world must suffer her wrath because of our distrust!"

Brevity remembered that it was Colgate who freed her from her banishment and believed that perhaps she could be the one to get Colgate to see the errors of her ways and maybe stop her from going beyond the point of no return. She suggested, "Perhaps we could travel to the black tower and speak to her. Perhaps we could reason with her."

LaurFa objected, "I don't know if that is a good idea. I know for a fact that if she saw you return through that eye and travel up here with us, she will distrust you as much as she does the rest of us."

Luna added, "And do not forget about the prophecy, she may simply see you approaching her as an act of war and slay you right there at the base of the tower."

Brevity sighed, "Very well, Brevity can see your point." She grabbed the prophecy book and continued, "Sister, is there anything else in this prophecy book that may be of importance to us?"

Brevity continued to read over the prophecy that LaurFa had found and continued, "So the lavender one will bring terror to the sun?" She pointed to Celestia and continued, "It appears as though that has already occurred and we have a feeling it will happen again so Celestia, we would advise that thou remains vigilant, we would advise thou always keep an eye out for her."

Celestia replied, "Well that is the plan but she could appear in nothing flat! It's not like I can tell if she is coming."

Brevity continued, "And she will use wicked necromancy. Well we have all seen that with our own eyes. We have also seen her using these beasts to attack the world with as well so this whole prophecy is legit."

LaurFa groaned, "Well no kidding, we already know that!"

Brevity returned her focus to the book and suggested, "Perhaps we should continue to read through this. Perhaps it will mention something that will counter the dark power Colgate now has."

While many unicorns and Alicorns can easily flip through a book and know what is in it in nothing flat, Brevity was taking her time going through it. She knew that something this important may take a while to find. After a half an hour of going through the book, Brevity came through something that gave her hope. She pointed to it and suggested, "Look at this everypony, perhaps we can defeat the darkness!" She pointed at the text and continued, "Read this."

"In the future, the darkness of the hourglass will have brought suffering to many. The minions of the black tower have slain many and none have dared oppose the hourglass. Yet in the darkest hour, not all hope is lost for the light. Those who hold true to the values that have shaped the world shall find something special, something powerful that will still provide hope of the victory of harmony.

In the western caves lie a truly magical and pure gem. Off to the side of the sapphire lies a chamber, a chamber that contains the opposite of the black gem, a heart of purity. With the gem, the wielder can counter the darkness. With the gem, the Queen of the Unicorns can stand tall against her foe. With the gem, victory is certain. With the gem, She will free the world from the darkness of the tower of the east.

Even with the gem though, victory will not be easy. Blood of both good and bad shall be spilled at the tower. Freedom of the world will come at a price yet in the end, the Queen shall slay her former ally and her minions, minions that are many. After a battle of much spilled blood, love, light and harmony shall finally return to the world. The world shall return to how it was prior to the corruption of the lavender one."

When Brevity finished reading the prophecy, she stated, "Now we know what we must do, we must head into the caves where the sapphire Alicorn was found and find that chamber." She pointed towards Ruby and continued, "And we need to find the gem meant for you, we need to find that gem that will allow you to save our world."

Ruby was more than ready to go and headed towards the exit before LaurFa would grab her in her aura, "Ruby, we can't! The last time I was in those caves I was almost crushed and one of my guards was crushed! We can't do this."

This was the wrong thing for her to say, "LaurFa, you heard the prophecy, with that gem we can defeat Colgate." She was able to free herself from LaurFa's hold and continued, "Look, it is either we go and get that gem or we all perish. It is either we go get that gem or Colgate succeeds in plunging this world into darkness and despair." She raised her voice and continued, "I don't know about you but I want to be able to bring love and light back to this world. I do not want it to fall into pure darkness."

Everypony else agreed with Ruby and then cast their gaze at LaurFa, looks of determination causing her to know that Ruby was right. She replied, "Very well but we must be careful. Even if that part of the caves is not cursed with evil, it is still likely unstable and could collapse on us."

Ruby sighed, "We should be ok, alright." She again headed towards the exit and continued, "Alright everypony, let's go get that gem." She then turned to LaurFa and finished, "You know the way to the caves so lead the way."

LaurFa gave them all a nervous look but led the way as they exited the caves. The caves were one place that she had grown to fear after the death of White Wings, the caves were the one place on Alicorn Island that she had no desire to go. She also knew that she was the only one familiar with the caves and had no choice but to lead them in. She knew it was either lead them into the caves or suffer a certain death at the hooves of Colgate.