Lord Night Light steps out of the shadows with a grin that makes Sunset's skin crawl. “Lost your Princess have you?” He smirks. “She's here, of course, but I think you'll find this tomb is a bit of a labyrinth.”

It takes both AJ and Dash to hold her back. Lord Night's smile gets wider at her rage. The woman on the wall cackles, her form ripples and shifts. Luna's visage changes, the illusion fades to reveal a new person. She looks a little like Luna, tall and dark complected. Sunset growls, and the sorceress, for that is what she must be laughs in her face.

“We finally meet, Red Knight... you killed my favorite general, you know?” Her expression falls between madness and delight.

Sunset swallows, she knows who this is. “Queen Chrysalis. I'd say it's a pleasure but it is most certainly not.”

“What... is tall, dark, and royalty not your type?”

Her skin crawls and she bristles.

The Queen creeps closer, unnerving smile still painted across her face. “You're a pretty one. Lord Night is a very agreeable man. He's promised me your head on a spit; it is a very nice head. It'll look nice next to Celestia's in front of my throne.”

Sunset, unable to contain herself, seized the sword AJ had at her side. The Queen darted backward but Sunset had not been aiming at her. As the queen taunted her, Lord Night had been crawling along the wall. Although there was no obvious exit nearby, she knew he intended to slip away unnoticed. So intent was the noble on his goal, he did not see her coming.

She swung up, cleaving his chest open from hip to shoulder. He fell with a choked scream. She did not stop, spinning toward her other opponent. Chrysalis smiled widely, and tossed something at her. It exploded, not unlike Flash's inventions. The light from the explosion blinded them all and smoke choked them. When the room cleared, she was gone.

AJ kicked the still bleeding and weeping Lord Night in the head. “Shit, Sunset. What now?”

She ground her teeth, still seething. “Pinkie and Dash can take this waste of space to his children. I believe Shining has many bones to pick. You and I will have to search this wretched hole for Luna.”

“And how are we to find our way out again?”

Sunset huffed, glancing around the chamber. She took a torch from the nearest wall and scraped it against the stone. It left a dark smear of charcoal and she motioned to it. “This'll do to show us where we've been. We'll start by going to the bottom.”

Pinkie, already reaching for their prisoner spoke. “That could take days, Sunny.”

Her jaw twitched, “I know.” Turning toward the tunnel that would lead them deeper, she gave a shout. “Luna? Call out!”

Her voice echoed but no reply came.

Rainbow groaned, “we'll send others in when we make it out. And we can tell them to start searching up here.”

With the plan in place, they set off. Pinkie and Dash holding the now unconscious Lord Night between them. AJ and Sunset ducking into the darkness below.

The tomb went deep, far into the dark heart of the earth. Passages both short and long branched out from the main path. Sunset and AJ started at the very bottom, and checked each one. As they worked their way up, they found several hidden passages and cavernous rooms. Every room held dozens of long dead, soldiers who served under Long Light in days past. His children also, and grandchildren, and others who with no names at all.

Some of the burial chambers were open, skeletons exposed to the room. Others, contained massive smaller tombs with graven images of battles past.

“This one was a general,” said Sunset, examining a particularly grand marble slab. “He served in the original Dark Regiment.” They had made it about a quarter of the way back to the surface. Something about this room was drawing her, pulling her toward it.

Applejack grunted as she surveyed the rest of the room, “that'd be very interesting if I cared, Sunset. But, I don't reckon it'll help us find the Princess.”

Sunset shrugged, “there's something... off, about it.” She ran her hand over the engraving of the tomb. “Here in lies the remains of Fading Light,” she read aloud. “First Spear of the Lunar Court, Last...”

“What is it?” Applejack asked, when her friend trailed off.

“Last Gatekeeper of Canterlot.”

Applejack raised the torch higher to better see Sunset's face. “Is that supposed to mean something to me?”

“Well, unless my history is all mixed up, Canterlot has never had a gatekeeper. Celestia never placed gates in Canterlot because she wanted the city to be welcoming.” Sunset turned, raising her own torch to better see the room. Then something caught her eye, “what's that?”

They moved together toward the left hand side where a large mural was carved into the stone. It depicted a massive doorway. It was ornate and large enough that even AJ's long arms would not be able to reach both sides.

Sunset hummed, walking along the carving. In the center, faded and barely visible in the low light, was a riddle.

To protect the secrets of the crown,

We guard the gates beneath the ground,

The path is held by the dead,

Intruders hearts shrivel in dread.

The Dark holds the key,

Secrets here you may free,

Should you, seeker, find the lock,

Hidden here beneath the rock.

AJ scoffed, “there's nothing here Sunny. It's an old carving made by cryptic old soldiers.”

The commander though, would not be moved. She ran her hand over the carved words. Her brow furrowed, “Chrysalis was able to make it out of the tomb somehow. And Night said it was a labyrinth. Who's to say there aren't hidden passages?”

“You think they dragged the princess into a hidden chamber?” AJ asked, eyes wide. “If that's true we might have passed her by, hell she may be in a totally separate tunnel system.”

Sunset had already turned away, her focus on the carving once more. The riddle played in her mind. “He was a member of the Dark Regiment,” she mumbled to herself. She walked along the carving, squinting and glaring at each detail. “The Dark holds the key...”

The sides of the door were made of carved pillars, each bore the likeness of a skeleton. The one on the right was holding a spear the tip made from gold. The one on the left bore a shield, the insignia of the old Dark Regiment engraved on it. Around it's neck was a golden key. With light fingers, she pressed the key. To her surprise, it moved.

Applejack straightened as a grinding noise filled the silent chamber. The key Sunset touched sank into the carving, revealing a hand hold. She could only watch in awe as Sunset took hold and tugged. A section of the door, maybe two feet high and two feet wide swung out. Hidden beneath the intricate carving was another opening, this one in a familiar shape.

It was the perfect size for the type of spear that Sunset typically carried. “She's here! I know she is!” With a harried expression, she stumbled out of the room, AJ on her heels. She barreled into the main corridor. Above them on the stairs there are lights from others who've joined the search.

“A spear!” She bellowed up at them, bringing the entire party to a stop. “Someone give me a spear!”

There's a long pause while the soldiers above stare at her. Some of them probably wondering when the commander had time to loose her mind. Finally, they move, scampering and shuffling as they search. Then a lanky woman half tumbles down the stairs. A spear clenched tight in her hand and a nervous smile on her lips. “Here, Commander,” she breathes, “a spear.”

Sunset snatches the weapon with a manic gleam in her eyes, bolting back into the room. Applejack scrambles to follow. “Go and find Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash,” she orders over her shoulder.

Back in the room, Sunset grips the shaft of the spear with white knuckles. With a snarl of effort, she snaps the wood over her knee. It breaks off to a jagged end. She grinned at Applejack over her shoulder, and shoved the spearhead into the key-way. For a moment, nothing happened, then with a shuddering groan the spear began to spin.

Author's Note

Back on my BS again, hope you all enjoy