Shattered Pentacle

They went to the excavation early in the evening, once the streets of Ponyville had emptied and ordinary people were all at home having dinner with their families.

Lyra and Bonnie sat together in the back of an old van, while Reagan had the wheel.

“First mission!” Tabitha exclaimed, from the seat just beside Bonnie. “Are you excited? I'd be excited. Maybe a little terrified. Jumping in with both feet on this one!”

They all wore practical clothing now, sturdy and unremarkable. That meant something a little different to Bonnie than anyone else in their cabal, who wore a tactical vest along with several different firearms, all stashed in different places.

Unlike in her previous career, the new sleepwalker had magical protections too. Lyra told her about most of them, but not all. Her girlfriend had lived through so much on her own, relying on Lyra's magic clearly made her uncomfortable.

“Guess so,” she said, eyes on her hands. “Not exactly sure how this helps keep people safe. Seems a little... esoteric. Ancient ruins?”

“Atlantean ruins,” Starlight corrected. “Not just among the most dangerous places to explore. But filled with the greatest rewards when we can get inside. Tools, new spells, ancient secrets that the exiles brought when the city fell... all kinds of incredible things.”

Bonnie stared back, expression unchanged. “Sounds more like Thule. Digging up old trinkets they can turn against monsters. Lots of digging around through dusty old places, tinkering with things they don't understand, and getting blown up.”

“Sounds familiar,” Reagan said. They left Ponyville behind, and now wound their way along a one-way road, occasionally slowing as they made sharp turns. “But we shouldn’t be blowing up today. I don't like our odds of getting in tonight. Otherwise, Akiko would've been calling all day, demanding we get there. Not a peep, so... things must be slow.

Bonnie leaned closer to her from the next seat, whispering into her ear. “Does this do anything for people?”

“It might,” she replied, just as quiet. “Depends on what we find in there. It matters to a lot of people. All those deaths in spring, that whole war—it was about these ruins. Should we throw away the key after all that?”

Bonnie looked away from her, staring out the heavily-tinted window. “Magical ICBM?” she said. “Is that what this is? Guess it would make sense for people to want to kill each other over that.”

She could only shrug. The one person who might know what was inside hadn't volunteered anything useful since spring. Not even a hint about how they could get the door open. “Maybe. Could be a cure for all disease, or an amazing new crop that could solve world hunger.”

“Or maybe it's a prison, and we could accidentally release a monster so terrible that we're dead before we even realize what happens,” Tabitha suggested, unhelpfully. “There's a degree of caution in these things.”

Bonnie made no reply, though the worry on her face was obvious even in the gloom. I promise you're on the right side. We're the good guys!

Soon they were pulling the van off the side of the road. They passed a few no-trespassing signs, and finally a pair of stern-looking men wearing tactical gear and modern camouflage. They parked under some camo netting, then clambered out of the car. They made their slow way towards the crumbling wreckage of a town, lying beside an abandoned mine.

“Good luck, Libertines,” one said, raising one hand in an almost-salute. “Try not to get blown to hell if you get the door open.”

Lyra and Bonnie happened to be at the end of the line, and Lyra lingered for a few seconds longer. “Still slow out here? No sign of Seers?”

One man nodded. Up close she could see few discerning details—shaved head, muscular features, military tattoos visible poking out from his short sleeves. “Not a peep. A few spirits nosing close to the entrance, lapping up the essence from underneath. Looks like they've had this place to themselves for a long time. If that means wolves, we'll be ready for it. Whole squad has silver if we need it.”

“10th Mountain?” Bonnie interrupted, eyes fixed on his tattoo. “Afghanistan?”

“Iraq,” he corrected. “Still stationed out of...” He stopped, eyes narrowing. “Who's the sleepwalker?”

“Had a few friends from the 10th Mountain Division,” she said, ignoring the questions. “Absolute lunatics. Some of the best soldiers I ever knew.”

“You're damn right.” The man settled his glasses back into place, waving them through. “Get into the wards, you two. Arrow can't do its job if you stand up here in the open.”

Lyra hurried to obey, dragging her girlfriend up the narrow trail behind her. Capper followed in her footsteps, keeping his paws clear of the muddy patches.

“You sure we're with the right people?” Bonnie asked, as soon as they were a little way up the trail. “Those guys knew what they were doing. And some of that gear—even my old organization had trouble requisitioning those rifles. Who were they?”

“Adamantine Arrow,” she whispered back, as quietly as she could. It would make no difference. Someone from the Arrow would be close enough to overhear. “They're the army of old Atlantis. Hard to get in without a military background. I think they're headquartered in a base somewhere, lots of their guys are active duty. Don't know the specifics.”

Bonnie looked back, the same way she might if they passed a bakery in the mall and didn't have time to stop for a treat. Of course, she would want to be part of a group like the one she'd left behind, not the scholars and innovators. Bonnie hadn't even been to college!

Neither had Lyra—but now was her chance to make up for lost time!

They passed rusty metal tracks, a few overturned minecarts overgrown with weeds, and lots of wooden buildings. Few were still standing, or had all of their roofs intact. The words once printed here were faded, most beyond recognition.

Her friends were already gone, except Tabitha. She lingered near a hole in the hillside, talking animatedly with—nobody?

Lyra's eyes narrowed, focusing on the spot beside her. Without much effort, she stretched her vision, opening her eyes to the Awakened world. Magic danced around Tabitha, an active spell with a slow, plodding resonance. Rot tickled her nose—Death magic?

Tabitha looked over as she approached, waving. “These are my other friends! Heartstrings—she's the one who makes turning into animals an art. And her girlfriend. Aren't they sweet together? Yes, it's perfectly acceptable in our time. Whyever would that be—” She looked back. “Just inside. They're waiting at the elevator. I won't be going down yet, some matters to attend to up here.”

Lyra stopped just beside her, eyeing the empty spot. “Do you need help?”

“Not unless you've mastered more of those Death spells we talked about. But this is Florence. She was a washwoman in the old mining town, before... well, that is a bit too gruesome to repeat. But she's been assisting with security.”

“Thank... you,” Lyra said, giving the empty air a polite wave. “If there's anything I can do.”

“There might just be,” Tabitha said, grinning. “Her old locket is somewhere in that building there, and recovering it is a bit of a priority. I have my ways of getting inside, but they risk damaging it. A set of tiny paws, though... perhaps you could be of some assistance?”

“Right now?” Lyra asked, glancing sideways at Bonnie. “That sounds like it could take some time.”

Tabitha shook her head. “No no, not now. Miss Florence has been gone some time yet, another few days will make little difference. Just find an opening in your calendar and talk to me. We'll find that locket.”

They hurried into the open mine, before an old ghost could ask more awkward questions. Bonnie caught up with her after a few steps, taking her hand again. “Typical workday for you? Talk to a ghost you can't see about becoming a mouse for a little while. By the way, she's not coming to the wedding.”

Lyra grinned back. “I was thinking ermine, but yeah. Ghosts aren't that weird. Now get spirits involved, and all bets are off.”

They found the rest of the cabal waiting on an old mining elevator, lit by a dangling propane lamp. Starlight waited by the controls, tapping one foot impatiently. “Did you get lost on your way up?”

Lyra shrugged. “Almost, yeah.” But I'm not doing that favor with Bonnie here. She already makes fun of me enough when I'm a cat.

They stepped onto the rickety elevator, and soon it was descending. Metal groaned, wood creaked, and an array of old gears filled the air with a deafening rattle and clank.

“Are we sure... this is safe?” Bonnie asked, shouting over the din. “Kinda feels like this thing is shaking itself apart!”

“More or less,” Reagan said. “Tabitha fixed it with her magic. It's as safe as it was when they built it in the 1800s. Which is... probably not very.”

“Floor!” Starlight yelled, pulling sharply on the brake lever. They jerked to a stop so fast that Reagan nearly fell over and would've if Lyra wasn't there to catch her. Lyra and Bonnie did a little better—one because of magical enhancement, and one because of a lifetime of difficult physical training.

The elevator had no door, so nothing to separate them from the narrow, cramped tunnel opening in front of them. But for as dark as it was, a dull glow radiated from somewhere beyond, inviting them deeper.

“No wonder you always want to come back,” Bonnie said, nudging Lyra's shoulder. “Look at all the fun you have!”

“Wait until we get the doors open,” Reagan said, voice flat. “You've never seen a party until you meet an Atlantean guardian. They're hilarious. Love meeting new people.”

A little further down the path, and they reached their destination—a huge chamber excavated from the rock with perfectly smooth walls and pillars of a shiny white stone instead of rotting timber. The slight curve of the ceiling shone with reflected light and made every sound echo.

Including the loud conversation between Akiko and a familiar woman, shouting so loud that a small group of other researchers scattered through the camp all looked away with sympathetic shame.

“It was supposed to open,” Akiko said. “We should already be inside! But those secret spells you gave us didn't do a thing!”

At the far end of the room towered a vast doorway, at least twenty feet in height. It emerged from old rock, its surface polished to a reflective shine.

Akiko lingered near that door, holding something heavy in both arms—a notebook, covered with various dense markings. Far more frightening was the woman facing her—Tempest.

She wore simple clothing now, no trace of the robes and cloaks of the Seers. A heavy collar wrapped around her neck, radiant with its own magic. Not hers—that collar was what kept them all safe. “I gave you what you asked for. If it was not performed properly, or it wasn't effective against this barrier—that was not my intention. I've kept my word.”

“The hell is she doing here?” Bonnie asked, tugging Lyra to the side. “I thought she was in a cell!”

“She was...” Lyra said, tugging her hand free. “I'll find out what's going on.”

“Fine,” Bonnie said, trailing only a few steps behind her. “And I'm coming with you. I'm not taking my eyes off that bitch for a second.”

Lyra groaned, but there was no way to stop her now. Pushing to add Bonnie to the order could do a lot to keep her safe—but she would still have to live with the consequences.