Chapter 28: Literally In Hell

“Another day of Day Court over, Celly. How about we head over to the dining hall for dinner?”

sigh “Lead the way, Nacreous.” I exhaustingly sighed as my special hippogriff walked beside me. With every step I took, Nacreous ensured his stride was with mine, mimicking my every move. I brushed it off as I looked down the hall, noticing the tall white dining hall doors appear.

I closed my eyes and let out a deep exhale, the atmosphere of the corridor dissipating as I tried to cool my emotions. Not a trace of where Alexander was, and I still couldn’t get my mind off of it. Knowing that the human was still out there was frustrating, hiding in plain sight from us….

Where could that human be? I pensively thought. It feels like he’s hiding in plain sight, yet…he could be anywhere. Oh, but why? Why…why can’t I let it go?

Alexander Walkerson was a very clever creature from day one, knowing how to get himself out of situations he had no business being in. Compared to creatures like us, the human was brilliant for his age, but he was still immensely shrouded in a cloud of mystery.

Alex cares immensely for who he is and what he represents, I reiterated internally. It boggles my mind why he just…ran. It’s…bizarre. What is he running from? Is it from-

“Sunspots?” Nacreous nudged me before opening the door to the dining room, and my body flinched in response. My sister and her fiance were already at the table waiting for us. The hippogriff looked at me with concern as I shook my head, a cheerful smile replying to his internal concerns.

“Tia? Are thou-”

“I’m okay, Luna,” I replied calmly to my younger sister. “It has been a hectic and agonizing day, and all I want to do is rest for tonight. But…dinner comes first.” I reached my chair at the front of the table, sitting beside my sister as she looked at me worriedly.

“Well,” Luna began, “if it makes you feel any better, I may have found a full-proof plan to help us in this escapade. But, for now, let us eat dinner before discussing it.”

“That’s right,” Nacreous chimed in as he sat to my left. chuckle “Cannot make plans on an empty stomach, Celly.”

I nodded and smiled toward the hippogriff as the pony chefs came from behind the doors to our left. After taking down our meal orders and heading back to the kitchen, I sat silently as the others discussed some ideas about the foreseeable future.

“Emperor Nacreous, I think the first and most important thing you must address is decommissioning the tower Alex used to live in,” the Commander began. “Getting rid of a tower because of this entire debacle seems…impractical if you ask me.”

“That, and the copious amount of places in Equestria, creatures that he has interacted with, and ground Alex has covered since he arrived,” Nacreous added. “If the idea is to completely eliminate Alex’s footing here in Equestria, how do you plan on doing that, Celly?” All three of them looked at me as I shook my head and sighed.

sigh “I-I don’t know, actually,” I answered before frowning. “Alex has made such an impact on this world that erasing his existence is nigh impossible….”

“That, and it’ll be next to impossible to stop others from thinking or dreaming about Alexander Walkerson from now on,” Luna interjected before stammering. “N-N-Not in a weird way, p-per say, bu-but…ugh, you understand what I mean, right?”

“Yeah,” Commander Shifting commented. “The…ummm. Gah, what did he call it?”

“A ‘footprint of life?’” Nacreous completed the train of thought. Shifting pointed at him and nodded.

“That’s what it was!” the stallion exclaimed. “Alex’s ‘life footprint’ is too large. He’s been practically everywhere! It’s a tall order to eras-”

“Do we at least have any idea where Alex could be right now?” I asked tiredly. Nacreous shifted backward in his chair while Luna and Shifting turned to each other, shaking their heads. I closed my eyes and exhaled, my head slowly falling and lying on the dining table.

“Tia, don’t beat yourself up over it,” Luna sympathetically reached out with her hoof. “One creature cannot make you feel this exhausted. It’s you that is doing this to yourself.”

“Luna’s right, Celly,” Nacreous responded, lowering his head and locking eyes with me. “I haven’t seen you this mentally drained since you went ‘Supernova.’ You must let this go and focus on preparing Equestria for Princess Twilight and her coronation.”

My eyes blinked as I sat there, my chin resting on the table. “Equestria can’t have its main rulership be transferred in such a weakened state,” Commander Shifting said. “Let it go.”

“Why are you all so sympathetic toward Alexander?” I asked, lifting my head from the table. “Ever since then, it has been ‘we need to protect him,’ but ‘yeah, we got to capture him no matter what before this and that happens.’ I-I…I don’t understand why….”

Nacreous, Shifting, and Luna all looked at each other before turning their heads toward me. I inhaled sharply before relaxing my back muscles. “What is it?” I asked. “What aren’t you three telling me?”

“Tia,” Luna exhaled softly. “Why are you so worried about him?” My eyes blinked in confusion, the statement catching me off guard.

“I’m…I’m worried about him?” I asked quietly through my teeth.

“You are always worried about the human,” Shifting chimed in, “and I’m not saying this in a convoluted and offensive way. It seems like he’s more on your mind than anycreature else…uh. No offense to you, Nacreous.”

“None taken, Commander,” the hippogriff assured the stallion. “I see it as well. Dear, why are you allowing him to live ‘rent-free’ in your headspace?”

As I looked into the hippogriff’s eyes, the doors to the kitchen suddenly swung open, my eyes glancing in their direction slightly. My lower eyelids came up as I tried suppressing any tears from forming, shaking my head in frustration at thei-

“Sunspots?” Nacreous asked before getting up and beginning to approach me. I did my best to activate it faster, but the hippogriff grabbed my hoof at the last second. At that moment, I teleported away from the dining room and into our private chambers, collapsing onto my hind legs in shame.

A claw reached below my chin, and I tilted my head up, looking directly into Nacreous’s eyes as he shook his head and sighed. sigh “Not this time,” the immortal hippogriff replied. “You are no longer hiding how you feel about something or someone from me anymore. Please…talk to me.”

My eyes brimmed with tears as I shuddered. My frame heaved as they began flowing from my eyes, the hippogriff bringing me in for a soft embrace. Nacreous’s talons ran through my flowing mane as he hugged me closely, my suppressed sobs staining his tender feathers.

“I think you need a day off, Celestia,” Nacreous assessed. “Doctor’s orders....” I said nothing as he stroked my mane, my mind collapsing into the ravine of despair. We stayed like that for a while, two creatures that loved each other…trying to be there for one another.

And…and I wasn’t doing my part.

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[...]

bang!

bam!

SLAM!! The rocks on the side of the mountain cascaded forward as the light of the world entered the darkness. They crumbled and collided with one another, resting themselves on the sides of the dirt path that appeared before me.

cough! “Jeez,” I coughed as the dust entered my lungs. hack-hack! “And I thought my entrances were over-the-top. This…this is just too much.” cough

“Well, when you asked ‘what is the fastest way out of here,’ you should have specified, Alex,” the watch responded. “That path led directly to the end of the cave system, with that wall being the last thing standing in our way of exiting the Jackalope Slopes.”

“And now look where we are,” I replied, climbing over the rocks and onto the dirt-ridden path below. I stumbled a bit, tripping over some debris blocking my way. “Whoever finds this will have numerous questions.”

“Yeah, but now, they can make a proper entryway into the caves within the Jackalope Slopes,” the watch reasoned.

sigh “You’re never going to admit I’m right, right?”

“Sometimes….”

I shook my head at the watch’s screen as I dropped my arm. As I watched the clouds overhead shift through the evening sky, this sense of urgency washed over me. Beads of sweat trailed down my temples as the ax on my back weighed down heavily.

groan! “This isn’t what we signed up for,” I grumbled, taking a few steps forward. The ground reverberated our sentiments as the dirt road crunched under the weight of my shoes. “An adventure was what we signed up for, not meeting your maker.”

“But, you didn’t meet hi-”

“I’m not talking about that!” I interrupted, grabbing my ax’s handle and whipping it out. “I’m talking about that!” My ax’s blades shone brightly, pointing directly toward a fire illuminating in the distance. A large metal gate with red symbols and signature markings pierced my retinas, signaling where we were in Equestria.

The gates of Tartarus, my thoughts echoed. We made it to the gates of hell. A shiver ran through my legs as a sudden breeze picked up. I had forgotten how chilly the wind could get in the mountains, so I hurriedly ran to the secluded area.

A few minutes later, I climbed the steps and looked up at the massive entrance. It loomed over me as a threatening obstacle, the symbols pulsing vibrantly through the misty fog. Finally, my eyes traced the door’s surface and arrived at the problem.

The locking mechanism was a devoted part of the door and the only way to open it. It was shaped like a diamond, with four corners that elicited decorative symbolic markings. The keyhole, however, was the main problem.

It was a massive circle that was hollow and darkened. From what I recall, when Twilight told me about her trip here during the magic crisis, she said they used an artifact that made the entrance glow with power and open for them. The only other way to open it was with unicorn magic, which I couldn’t access.

I pondered as I looked at the keyhole a few times. Could it actually work? my thoughts asked.

“What? What could work to open the gate to…‘that’ place?”

I shook my head. After contemplating the options several times, I raised my left wrist to the door. The screen lit up as I spoke into it. “Mikey? Is there any power-up, ability, or weapon in the inventory that could allow us to bypass the gate’s lock?”

“Running a scan. Standby,” the watch’s voice processed as I closed my eyes. The watch buzzed briefly, scanning the large door before analyzing the data. I continued to pray that my guess would be the only available option, knowing it would also be the coolest option.

ding! “Analysis complete,” the watch announced. “There is only one plausible idea that could work. Not only does it have a 78% chance of working, but…the percentage is rapidly declining.”

========================================<>========================================

My face scrunched in confusion as the thought didn’t register. “What do you mean, ‘is rapidly declining?’” I asked in disbelief. “Are we on a timer or something? Or is this like the sundial lock in the desert that only works at a certain time of a certain day of the year?”

“Well, for starters, it only works during the daytime,” the watch answered. “And that is barring there are clouds in the sky.”

Duh! both sides of my mind shouted. It’s the easiest solution, Alex! And you predicted it!

“What can open it? I don’t understand.”

What’s round, powered by solar energy, and can only be charged in the daytime? I asked myself internally. The watch must have sensed it, and the other ax began to appear over my back.

“Oooh. Riiight…I still don’t get it.”

Wake up. I grabbed the handle of the Ax of Orichalcum and set it down beside me. Flipping the other one over and onto my back, I let go of it and said, “Keep it there, Mikey. We may need it.”

“Of course, Alex,” the watch replied. “Better get a move on while the sun is still up.” I nodded and held the ax up high. The sun’s rays were still illuminating the world, slowly charging up the large dual-bladed ax. I looked at it and saw the symbol between the blades slowly heating up, the fiery feeling beginning to leak through the thick, steel blades.

I stood there for a little while before forcefully swinging the ax down. It made a loud bang! as it pierced the ground, steam silently emitting from the blades. I looked back at the keyhole before me while bringing myself back with the ax, clasping it in both hands like a baseball player.

How many swings can it take to open one gate? I wondered as I swung it forward.

Bam!

Let’s find out, my right side cheered on. One!

Slam!

Two! the left side responded in favor. Hit it again, Alex!

Shang!

“More than three? You struck out, my guy.”

groan! Let’s stop counting since Mr. Umpire here plays by the rulebook, the left side complained.

No way, dude. Alex’s going to break it any second no-

SLAM!! Unbeknownst to the bickering parties, I charged it back heavily before the fourth hit, the sun symbol colliding with the keyhole perfectly. It sent all the built-up solar energy into the door’s mechanism, the lock beginning to spark to life as I took a few steps back. I silently prayed as the blue leyline energy flowed through the door, a loud strain! finally coming from it.

“Holy shit, it worked,” I whispered to myself. “It actually worked….”

“Better get a move on, Alex!” the watch warned loudly. “It might close up since you didn’t use much magical energy!” I immediately realized that the watch was correct. The gate had stopped in place, and after a couple of seconds, it slowly began to close. Making use of the moment, I slipped through the crack as the door violently shut, the gate striking and pushing me through.

Boom!

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boom!

“Gah!” I cried out. The noise of something exploding bounced off the cave’s walls and shook the floor beneath me. The cage itself forcefully rattled as I tightly grasped the bars with my hooves. I looked at the centaur nearby and shuddered.

“T-T-Tirek?” I inquired nervously. “Wh-What’s going o-on?”

Tirek’s eyes opened, and looked at me with a puzzled expression. “What do you mean by that?” Tirek asked with suspicion. “Don’t look at me! I don’t know what’s going on either.”

I looked at him like he was crazy, focusing on the guards around our cages. They suddenly threw down their spears toward the winding pathway and growled. I tried to look past them at what it was but couldn’t see a thing.

Is something wrong with Cerberus? I innocently asked my mind. The thought was dispelled as the guards leaned forward and galloped away from us. At that point, I used my little mobility and flew within my cage to get a better view.

“Halt!” a guard loudly shou-

bam!

slam!

shriek! “WAI-”

crash!

I averted my eyes as the guards were picked apart and thrown past us and to the wall behind. They hit the wall hard, their bones crunching and cracking from the pain sustained.

“Hmpf!” Tirek huffed. “About time you showed up….” I looked at him before turning to see the creature responsible for the attacks. I immediately squeaked in disbelief and nervousness as the human creature from before climbed the final step.

The human’s eyes were trained on both of us, his walk slowing down before coming to a stop. I peered over at Tirek, who crossed his arms and sat back, possibly unaware of the potential threat in front of him.

“T-T-T-Tirek,” I whispered while remaining stationary. The centaur didn’t move, making me believe something else was happening here. The human, on the other hoof, moved forward again. But, this time, it was toward me.

gulp! I shrunk in place and scooted away from the cage’s door as the bipedal figure stood before me. I vividly remember his face due to his timely, or untimely, appearance when Equestria was drained of its magic.

None other than by yours truly, of course.

But, now, it appeared as though he was bitter about those events, seeing as he lost some of the abilities he had. I didn’t know how the human utilized them or where he stored them, but it was bizarre hearing about. Weren’t humans magicless? I remember thinking back then. Anon told me they were….

slam!

“Gah!” I yelped, the creature gripping the roof of my cage with his hand. My pupils dilated in fright as the human bent down ominously and glared at me. Clearing his throat, he opened his mouth and spoke to me.

“Well, well, well,” the human began saying. “Look where we are now, Cozy Glow.” My mind immediately attempted to resort to its usual self, one of ferocious rage and witty wordplay knowledge, but I didn’t say anything. The human snickered as he prepared to say somethi-

“Yeesss, look where you are now,” I heard Tirek snidely comment. His body remained motionless as his arms scratched themselves. “The mighty Alexander Walkerson…in Tartarus.”

I finally registered the name as the human let go of my cage and stood up straighter. Flying to the bars, I watched Alex slowly creep to the other cell housing Lord Tirek. His movements were faint and ginger, my eyes glancing toward his back….

Oh no, I thought internally before shifting my glance to Tirek. I immediately jumped to a conclusion and scanned the ground for something to throw. Picking up a decently sized rock, I threw it at the back of the human’s head and shouted, “Don’t hurt him, you meanie!”

clonk! It hit Alex’s head perfectly, stopping him dead in his tracks. His head snapped quickly to look at mine, my face lighting up in fear as his expression remained malicious. The human’s dead, turquoise eyes stared me down before his right arm raised itself and grabbed one of the weapon’s handles.

shing! Alex swiftly brought out the dual-bladed ax and creepily smiled, the corners of his mouth extending toward his ears. I looked at the steel ax and saw the traces of blood on the blade’s tips, my reflection suddenly appearing as he pivoted the ax downward.

“Ssh,” the human creature shushed, bringing his left index finger over his lips. I trembled in terror as he gripped the ax harder, bringing it over his left shoulder. My eyes widened as Alex continued to stare at me maniacally before closing his eyes.

I braced myself as they opened, his expression becoming focused. Alex gritted his teeth and took a step back with his left, swinging the ax around an-

SLASH!!

“WhuaAOH-”

Crash!!

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As the ax sliced through the top bars of the rickety cage before me, it swung back over to my right and dug hard into the ground beside me. The red markings from the gripping tape made my palms sting, shaking them a few times to subsidize the pain.

After growling for a second, I tried to instill calmness within my nerves as I closed my eyes momentarily. The smoke from the roof falling on top of the frail centaur drifted through the air, my nose inhaling a bit and causing my lungs to cough slightly.

Opening my eyes, I looked over at the tiny pegasus child and stared at her menacingly. The filly backed up in her cage as I reached for the ax again, only to notice the rubble moving before me. I grinned as the centaur pushed the cage’s roof off his body, coughing from the devastation.

chuckle “Had enough, old timer?” I asked maliciously. The centaur coughed and heaved as the dust settled between us.

hack! “What was that for?!” Lord Tirek replied angrily, wiping his shoulders off. “I praise you for making it into Tartarus, and your first response is to nearly kill me?”

“Hmm,” I hummed before shrugging. “Sure, let’s go with that.” The centaur huffed in anger as he slowly got up, his arms pushing aside the rest of the rubble.

“Listen her-”

“No, YOU LISTEN HERE!!” I shouted back, grabbing the handle and raising my dual-bladed ax at him. Lord Tirek put his arms up to his chest and stepped back. “I’m sick of this shit as much as you two are, so now, you are going to answer some questions of mine!”

“Wh-What are you doing?” Lord Tirek inquired as he fell to the ground. As the centaur tried backing away, I levied the blades forward and toward his throat. “I-I don’t have the slightes-”

growl “Who sent me here?” was the first question I thought aloud. “I know you know who brought me here.” The old centaur coughed as he stared blankly at me.

“Wh-Who…whu-what are you talking about?” Lord Tirek innocently attempted to play. “I-I don’t underst-stand….”

slam! “YES, YOU DO!!” I shouted, slinging the ax to my right and hearing it hit the ground before the other cage. A loud yelp! came from the right as Cozy Glow jumped in place, now shivering with fear. “Tell me who brought me to Equestria!”

The centaur’s eyes displayed panic as I brought my left wrist up. “Do I really need to ask one more time?” I seethed as Tirek continued to remain quiet. The stalemate was shattered once the watch buzzed with life.

“What will you need, Alex?” the watch asked. I grinned and glared at the centaur with fury.

“Give me the other ax,” I grimly stated, followed by a slight fizzle! from behind me.

“Appearing shortly.”

“Wait, what ar-”

grip! shing!

“Gah!!” The centaur frighteningly shook as I whipped the dual-bladed ax forward and leveled it before his face. The sharp ends of the blade were inches away from his face, staring straight down the middle of his body as I snarled loudly.

snarl! “You got a lot of nerve playing dumb with me,” I growled in a low voice. “And now, you’re going to answer my question…who brought me to Equestria?”

The air went cold as the atmosphere within Tartarus fell silent. The only thing that was heard was our combined breathing, erratically answering each other and forming a collective song. Lord Tirek’s eyes suddenly closed as he sighed heavily.

sigh “Fine,” the centaur admitted. “I do know who brought you to Equestria, Alex….”

I looked at him feverishly as my ax remained locked onto him. “Who di-”

“I can’t say who!” Lord Tirek answered quickly, my eyes blankly staring at him. Tirek relaxed his body backward and took a deep breath before exhaling loudly. “I-I can’t tell you who did….”

My expression remained angry as I looked at the filly to my right. Cozy Glow didn’t say anything as she continued to cower in fear, my ax swinging to point at her. “I’m guessing yo-”

“Cozy doesn’t know! It happened long before her imprisonment!” the centaur countered. “It was before you had even got here.” This made my ears perk in curiosity as I looked back at Tirek.

“Explain,” I asked silently. “How did you know I would be brought here?”

========================================<>========================================

sigh “The ‘creature’ that said it,” Tirek began elaborating, “they…came here after my reimprisonment. After…the events of my illustrious takeover of Equestria not too long ago.”

I rolled my eyes as he sneered. “Don’t give me that look, Alex,” the centaur growled. “You have no idea how ‘good’ it felt. All that power to wreak havoc upon the world that betrayed me….”

“They didn-oh, my God. Why am I arguing with you?” I sighed in disappointment, shaking my head before retraining the ax back onto Tirek. “Don’t try to change the subject, bitch!”

“I’m not!” Lord Tirek bit back. growl! “The creature in question told me that they had this idea. An idea to help free Equestria’s biggest threats and subjugate this world into an era of darkness and despair, unlike anything we’ve ever seen. One that would be led by them…from the dark.”

My mind’s antennas shot up as they began taking notes. “From there, the plan was to remain patient,” Tirek admitted in defeat. “Bide our time and remain in place as this ‘creature’ began preparing the strings that would unravel the world into disarray. But, in the midst of all of that, something changed.”

My head tilted as my mouth opened slightly. “Wh-What changed?” I asked cautiously.

“Well, you came here, and everycreature immediately was terrified of you,” Tirek began saying. “The ponies didn’t know what you were, which caused unrest between them. Not to mention them mistaking you for another.”

I nodded. “The ‘Storm King?’” I inquired, earning a nod from the centaur.

“Correct,” Lord Tirek replied. “The ‘creature’ wasn’t ready, so life went on as it did. After a while, you slowly began forming your bond with all of Equestria and brought old heroes back to the forefront. The ‘creature’ wasn’t this prepared, but after some time, the plan was ready to be put in motion nearly two years ago.”

I stood there puzzled before Tirek corrected himself. “It was to begin the night of the ‘Grand Galloping Gala’ event…starring you.” My eyes widened as the event came back to me.

“My band was playing in Canterlot, and almost every species’ ambassadors were there,” I concluded, earning another nod from Lord Tirek.

“Again, you are right,” Tirek groaned. “It was supposed to begin at midnight, but, to their dismay, the plan never fully took shape. Quite honestly, it never even began.”

I sat there stunned as I brought the ax down. Looking Tirek in the eyes, I blinked before he rolled his eyes in return.

sigh “Come on,” Tirek tiredly said. “Don’t tell me you don’t know what transpired that night either. That was also the night Anonymous arrived in Equestria….”

gasp! “I-I never knew whe-he came to Equestria on THAT night?!” I asked in shock. Tirek’s eyes remained skeptical before shrugging his shoulders.

“Well, now you know,” Tirek scoffed. “Anon arrived and changed everything.”

I stood there in bewilderment before pushing my luck. “How did Anon’s arrival change ‘everything?’” I asked softly.

“Anon came through another rift in time and space, too, just like yourself,” Lord Tirek replied. “The ‘creature,’ however, didn’t see it coming and decided to put the plan temporarily on hold.”

“Why?” I asked skeptically. “Why put a plan to take over Equestria and subjugate it to an era of darkness unlike any other on hold because of something like that?”

“Well, for one thing, it drained the ‘creature’ of their power,” Tirek listed off. “And, two, they had a new idea. An idea that sprouted from their mind and would enable them to gain a significant edge over all of Equestria. Especially since WE were now at a disadvantage….”

I sat there, again puzzled by Tirek’s words. Tirek laid it out in one sentence.

“‘What if Anonymous joined our side?’ the creature had asked me. ‘Would he become a valuable asset in MY takeover?’”

========================================<>========================================

growl! “You are a part of their side, too, Tirek!” I shouted in defiance. “Don’t act innocent! How do I know YOU aren’t this ‘creature?’” The centaur bit the bullet and stood up slightly.

“In my state? Maybe not,” Tirek tiredly admitted with a grunt. “And do I look like I can create an era of darkness on such a magnitude comparable to Blackmane’s reign of terror?”

“Yes,” Cozy Glow piped up. The two of us ignored her as Tirek smirked. “But, think of the power we could have if a ‘human’ joined us. It-er, WE would be…‘unstoppable.’ And nocreature would stand in our way.”

I glared at Tirek as he moved away from me. “Now, the ‘creature’ who told me this wanted to initially have you on our side,” Tirek regaled. “Their goal was to get you to lose hope in Equestria and join us for a little revenge. The problem? You were too defiant and headstrong, keeping your poise and remaining ever-so hopeful that things between them and you would change.”

I shook my head as Tirek pointed at Cozy Glow. “She was the first sent to make you change your mind,” Tirek accused as the filly looked up, her expression changing to bitterness. “Alex? Who was the next creature following that incident at the school that gave you a tough time?”

My mind exploded as the events began to replay themselves. “Fuck….”

“Mmhm,” Tirek hummed in approval. “And you thought Anon was after something else. Anon prodded and provoked every little reaction out of you, ensuring you lost your trust with everycreature and made them believe you were someone else. The ‘creature’ came to Anon and promised him power, fame, and everything he could ever want. Anon simply only wanted one thing in return….”

“Magic,” I answered. sigh “And he got his wish.” I sighed, my shoulders sagging as my mind began beating itself up. Dammit, we were too late!

“Even looking at you right now,” Tirek sympathized, trying to get on my good side, “you would make a valuable asset to our caus-”

shing! “Don’t!” I sternly warned, raising my ax to defend myself. “Don’t…don’t play with me.”

chuckle “Alex, would I really do that?”

“Yes,” Cozy Glow huffed again, earning a stern glare from the centaur standing before me.

“Even if that were true,” Tirek scoffed in defiance, “I don’t need to prove it.” I stared at Lord Tirek awkwardly as he sat back down on his haunches.

“Wh-Why?” I hesitatingly inquired.

scoff! “Because it is your ‘destiny,’” Tirek answered slyly. “And if you don’t believe me, perhaps ‘it’ will confirm I am telling you the entire truth.”

My head tilted in confusion, as did Cozy Glow’s head. “‘It?’” Cozy Glow asked rhetorically.

“Yes, ‘it.’” Tirek sighed before his shoulders sagged. “There’s an artifact in Equestria that can confirm one’s destiny by showing them their intended path. And I’m fairly sure yours, Alex, would lead you to the exact location the ‘creature’ in question envisioned you would end up.”

I stared at him and dropped my ax to my side. “What is this artifact called, then?” I asked. The centaur chuckled before looking me in the eyes thoroughly.

huff! “It’s called…the ‘Crystal Compass.’”

“That’s a load of bullshit!” I immediately called out, placing the ax on my back and approaching the centaur quickly. “YOU KNOW that artifact was lost to the sands of time over a millennium ago, and nocreature has been able to find it since!”

“Was it truly ‘lost?’” Lord Tirek shot back. “As you say, has ‘nocreature been able to find it’ when I learned that it was dug up accidentally in an expedition by the Crystal Empire recently?” My mind blanked for a second as it searched for an answer.

“When I became enriched with power and had taken over Canterlot,” Tirek explained, “Discord told me that it did exist. The Captain of the Crystal Empire Royal Guard, Shining Armor, led an expedition into the Crystal Mountains in search of an object. Instead, they found the ‘Crystal Compass,’ and Discord said they took it, locking it away deep underneath the Crystal Empire.”

I stared at Tirek maliciously before scoffing. “Heh. Okay,” I nodded in discontent before looking at Tirek lazily. “Even if this ‘did’ happen…how can I trust ‘your’ word? Where is this ‘Crystal Compass’ located exactly?”

Lord Tirek smirked. “If I am wrong, Alex, and you do not locate the artifact…you can return to Tartarus empty-handed. You can return here, and in a fit of rage…you can kill Cozy Glow and me with your ax there.”

My eyebrows shot up as the filly slammed into her cage’s bars. “Wait, WHAT?!” Cozy Glow screamed in enraged bewilderment. “Nonononono, don’t listen to him, Alex! He’s lying!”

“Am I?” Tirek questioned me, tuning out the screaming filly. I covered my right ear with my hand and stared at the centaur. “Shake on it, and I’ll honor my word.”

I exhaled through my nose as the noises of the cave got quieter. My blood began pumping loudly as my mind decided to get risky. “I will honor your word, Lord Tirek, but I am sensing you are expecting me to give you something in return….”

“Well, if you are so inclined to give me something in return,” Tirek added as he extended his arm. “If I am right, you will lend me some of your power energy to consume. Only after you find it…and I will know when you find it.” The centaur grinned as his lanky hand opened up.

I immediately shook my head, a smirk tracing my face as I weighed my options. Do we really trust his word? my mind asked itself. Or do we go back to square one, trying to find an answer to this prophetic problem we may face? After much deliberation between myself and my inner minds, I brought my left wrist up to my face. “Hey, Mikey?” I asked with a cool head.

“Yes, Alex?” the watch responded.

“Can I get a ping-pong-sized ball of power energy in my left hand?” I asked with confidence. The centaur stared at me as his jaw dropped slightly, his mouth beginning to water.

“Ummm…are you sure?” the watch asked defiantly.

“Yes. Also, set ‘build-craft ability’ to 10,” I added. “Do it. I’m not holding back.”

sigh “Processing…standby,” the watch sighed in defeat. My eyes lit up in delight as a small ball of energy manifested into the palm of my hand. I brought it up to my eyes and looked into it with a smile. Glancing at Tirek, I extended my hand toward his eager hand, shaking it firmly and transferring the bite-sized power into his frame.

“Deal, Tirek. Activate build mode!”

flash!

POOF!!

========================================<>========================================

pling! “Aaah…feels good to be…ba-back?” Tirek’s voice was deeper and richer in tone, but as the smoke settled around him, the centaur realized too late what had happened.

“Sorry, Tirek. But I cannot allow you to leave,” I replied with a shrug. “Captain’s orders.”

slam! “No!” Lord Tirek angrily answered. He slammed his fists against the cage’s bars and attempted to break free. An electrical surge of energy sparked from the bars, sending Tirek sprawling to the ground.

“I wouldn’t touch those bars if I were you, by the way,” I added as I walked over to grab the ax by the other cage. “I specifically built them with the protective ability to react to any exerted pressure. As a result, you’ll be hit with triple the knockback power if you try to break free.”

groan! “Grrr,” Tirek growled, watching my every move. I smirked before grabbing the handle of the dual-bladed ax, holding it in place. I twirled it around in my fingers before setting it on my back, allowing me to clasp my hands together.

“Alright,” I muttered, now looking at Cozy Glow. “And as for you…I’d stick tight.” I pointed at the filly and made sure she understood this well. “If Tirek is wrong…I will be back. And heads will roll…got it?”

gulp! The pegasus child gulped as I grinned, turning away from her. Heading toward the winding path, I saw that Cerberus was still enjoying the bone I had summoned for him and remained fixated on it. I shook my head, contemplating the ide-

“And you think you’re still not trapped in here, Alexander Walkerson?!” the centaur behind me shouted. I stopped in place, my eyes shooting open at the response. “You locked yourself in here when you entered! There’s no way out of Tartarus now, hahaha!”

Lord Tirek laughed in delight as I slowly pivoted, turning around to look at him. Grabbing both handles of the axes, I brought them out in front of me and held onto them tightly. I whipped them outward in one fluid motion before bringing them back together, a metallic clang!! sounding throughout the world of Tartarus.

chuckle “Funny,” I chuckled as the light from the axes dissipated. A more enormous ax towered before them, four times bigger than the standard axes I wielded. The watch began channeling the strengthening fluid throughout my arm’s muscles, allowing me to grip and hold onto the gigantic battle ax with relative ease.

Tirek and Cozy Glow stared with mortified eyes and wide open mouths as my mouth formed into an angry snarl! From there, I brought my left hand to my eyes and pointed at the two juveniles, making the ‘I got my eyes on you’ motion with two fingers.

They said nothing as I ended the stalemate, turning back around and heading for the gates of Tartarus again. It took me a few minutes to get there, seeing as I now had to carry a large weapon in both hands, but it didn’t matter.

After reaching the gate, I lifted the ax’s handle over my head and brought it down against the gate’s vertical midsection, ripping through the seam.

SLASH!!

BOOM!!

The gate’s doors flung open as I recalled both axes into the watch. Their particles dissipated as I forcefully kicked the door open, nearly severing them entirely from their hinges. They came to a screeching halt against the side of the mountain, digging into the ground and collapsing slowly. Tartarus was now open for however long it would take to discover, but that wasn’t what was on my mind currently.

As Tirek’s confession of a particular ‘creature’ and his admittance about the ‘Crystal Compass’ artifact being real replayed, I inhaled silently and let my thoughts take over. We have our newest priorities set up, and now we know where to go next, my mind thought. Let’s make the most of it!

Finally, as the evening sun began to set over the horizon, I exhaled and muttered to myself.

“It’s macguffin hunting time….”

Author's Note

Just wanted to say, I came up with the idea for the 'Crystal Compass' being a 'Dial of Destiny' way before the title of Indiana Jones 5 was revealed. So, I'm fully expecting royalties for ripping my idea...

I'm doing much better health-wise. That's why I was able to finish the revisions at work last night, proofread and edit it today for publication. Hope you guys enjoy it, since we are just one chapter away from another turning point in the story.

All that, and more, should be available by next Monday, but I'll keep you all posted on my ideas and potential revisions to the book's early chapters. More specifically, revisions to Chapter 8-14.

BYEEE!!

-Harpy