Leviathan illuminated the path through the tunnel alongside Hibiscus, causing the glow coming from the pair of ponies to be a pinkish-reddish hue mixed together. Irradiance felt his heart sink as he once more considered that he may not regain his entire magic ability.

Would Luster Dawn regain all of her magic ability and… what, destroy Equestria with it? No, no. She wanted to rule. She’d imprison Twilight and the rest of Irradiance’s friends and from there she’d become a tyrannical ruler.

Irradiance shivered at the thought. Nightmare Moon, from many many years ago, had been in the same situation. Jealous of her sister, angry she wasn’t valued, planning to take over the entire country as a solution. Luster Dawn was misunderstood. Hibiscus understood that. Even after hurting that poor rabbit (was it even real? Or was it a hologram, like those ponies?) Luster Dawn was presumed misguided by the pink Unicorn.

That was an impressive feat, Irradiance considered, hooves clicking along the stone of the tunnel. He had instantly assumed Luster Dawn was simply evil, but the process of assuming innocence? Of containing enough empathy within to consider that even evil creatures are simply misunderstood? That was something he admired. Hibiscus was truly a good character, through and through.

“Hello?” A voice came from the end of the tunnel. Everyone’s heads perked up at the noise. “Irradiance? Is that you?”

The purple stallion stepped quickly through and made his way out toward the end of the tunnel, greeting Cobalt in the small cavern. He looked disturbed, feathers ruffled and hair messy. Hibiscus quickly ran through as well, embracing her friend in a tight hug.

“Oh, Cobalt! Thank Celestia you’re alright!” The pink Unicorn sighed into his coat, the blue Pegasus’ arms wrapping around her smaller frame.

Cobalt chuckled lightly, “Why wouldn’t I be okay?” He looked to the other two stallions who had uneasy looks on their faces, “What happened to you guys?”

Irradiance and Leviathan shared an uneasy look, and Hibiscus pulled away before she answered for the trio, “Luster Dawn seems to be pulling some mean tricks on us all.”

“She created fake ponies that threatened Irradiance!” Leviathan spat, stomping a hoof in frustration. Cobalt’s eyes drifted to the shorter stallion, who just nodded and shuffled his hooves uneasily.

“Are you serious?” Cobalt gawked, to which Irradiance responded with yet another nod. The Pegasus shook his head in disbelief, shuffling his wings before pacing the floor.

“That’s insane. Why would a pony ever do this?” Cobalt was a bit of a bonehead, but he wasn’t stupid. “Scaring us all? Like that’s going to make us want to defeat her less!”

“Exactly!” Hibiscus quickly agreed, looking to the others expectantly. “We need to keep going and find Marigold, and then we can escape out of this place.”

The now four ponies took stock of their surroundings, looking to see if there was some opponent within the room, like with Leviathan. Or if there was some other stressor, like with Hibiscus. Nothing of the sort was present, however, which left Irradiance feeling uneasy. It couldn’t be as simple as fetching Cobalt and continuing, could it?

“So do we just leave out of that tunnel?” Cobalt pointed with a hoof toward the tunnel at the other end of the cavern. Irradiance and the others shrugged, sure this must be a trap but with no evidence of Luster Dawn present, they weren’t entirely sure what else to do.

“Why not?” Hibiscus asked, beginning her walk over. “The worst thing that happens is we walk out, right?”

“Or the rocks crumble and kill us all,” Leviathan provided unhelpfully. Irradiance delivered a quick smack to the Changeling’s arm. “Ouch!”

“Why would you even suggest that? Be positive!” Irradiance huffed, flaring his nostrils and walking alongside Hibiscus to the exit. Leviathan followed suit, and Cobalt brought up the rear.

“Maybe we just got lucky with Cobalt’s trial!”

“Is that what we’re calling them?” Irradiance raised an eyebrow at the pink Unicorn. Hibiscus shook her head.

“It felt like the right word, was all.”

There was a rumble that started to emanate from within the tunnel and before Cobalt could continue his steps, rocks crumbled between the blue Pegasus and his companions.

“Cobalt!” Hibiscus cried, watching the event unfold but unable to do anything about it. Purple eyes met amber before boulders blocked any ability of sight.

Cobalt was alone and he wasn’t sure what to do. Hibiscus had been with him since they were foals and Irradiance and the rest of them had been with him ever since they’d met in the forest!

“Hibiscus?” The Pegasus tried, voice wavering nervously. He heard nothing behind the boulders before him. “Lev? Anyone?” No response. Cobalt was alone. He stepped away from the barrier and looked around the cavern again. The initial entrance his friends had come in was blocked off, too. Had that just happened?

There was a whisper of wind that swept through the cavern all of a sudden and Cobalt felt a sense of dread overtake his body, goosebumps raising beneath his blue coat. He ruffled his wings in anxiety before turning to search for where the wind was originating from.

“Hello? Who’s there?” He called out. Once more, there was no response. Foolish to think there was another pony in here. Everyone had just been blocked out! Cobalt shook his head, trying to find the humor in the situation.

Searching around, Cobalt tried to consider ways to get out. He wasn’t weak by any means and he had the capability to move these rocks one by one if he really needed to (though it would be a hassle without magic). He had wings so if anything scary showed up he could fly up and avoid it (though there was only about 10 feet of airspace to work with). Cobalt let out a deep sigh and sat for a minute, trying to relax before he took action.

“You want to escape, don’t you?” There was a whisper that suddenly sounded from behind the Pegasus, and he was on his feet in no time to confront the pony speaking. Turning violently, Cobalt was met with a deep magenta Alicorn with a flaming purple mane, dressed in golden armor. Orange irises stared deep within his own golden.

“Luster Dawn…” Cobalt managed, fear filling his body. He was strong, sure, but he was a bit of a scaredy cat if he was being honest. Alone with the villain that they were attempting to defeat? Cobalt wasn’t sure if he’d be able to take her on his own.

Luster Dawn stood up straight, rolling her eyes, “What a foolish name. Breaking Dawn fits far better, don’t you agree?” Cobalt didn’t move. Luster Dawn– Breaking Dawn cackled. “You silly ponies and your inability to respond. Let me ask again: you want to escape, don’t you?”

Staring, mouth agape, Cobalt managed a short nod of his head, never looking away from the mare before him. Breaking Dawn sneered, a devilish look in her eyes, scheming.

“Of course. I can offer you a way out, you know.”

That got the Pegasus. “You can?” He managed, looking up in what could be described as awe. Breaking Dawn nodded simply.

“There’s just… one condition,” Cobalt cocked his head, waiting for the rest of the offer. Breaking Dawn narrowed her eyes and continued, “You’d be the only one that gets out. Your friends would remain here until I regain my power, and then I might let them out.”

“What!” Cobalt stepped back, eyes blown wide. “Absolutely not! I can’t leave my friends here!”

Breaking Dawn tutted, pacing the room for a moment, her form not quite fully opaque. “I can’t sway you, pony. But trust me when I say this cave system is difficult to escape. Why do you think the castle was built above it?” Cobalt was silent. “As a dungeon for insubordinate citizens, of course! Celestia and Luna couldn’t control them all so this was where they sent the ones that didn’t listen!”

“Celestia and Luna were good rulers,” Cobalt defended, shaking his head. Breaking Dawn cackled.

“There are no good rulers, you ingrate. Only those who weaponize power and those who fail to recognize the power they truly wield. If you aren’t careful with who you surround yourself with I’m sure you’ll witness one of the two endings soon enough… that purple pony once carried some powerful magic within his veins…”

Cobalt felt his stomach twist, “You took his magic, didn’t you?” He watched as purple and green swirled around the Alicorn’s horn, a similar color as that of Irradiance’s. She just smiled darkly.

“My offer stands, blue pony. Accept escape now and leave your friends, or be trapped here forever.” She emphasized the last word with a step forward, magic sparking. Cobalt flinched.

The pair stood in silence for a beat but it felt like ages. It was devastating knowing that Cobalt had the option to escape but in doing so he would doom his friends. He licked his lips and ruffled his wings before looking at Breaking Dawn confidently.

“You can’t force me to betray my friends, Luster Dawn. You might not believe in the power of friendship but I’ve seen what it can do.” Breaking Dawn sneered at the refusal of her offer.

“You’ll regret this, foolish pony,” Her form began to shift, fading out as the sound of rocks moving sounded from the cavern’s exit. Cobalt turned to see hints of red and purple magic shining through the boulders blocking his path. “Friendship is the path to failure in all senses. Twilight Sparkle will learn that soon enough.”

“...alt! Cobalt!” The Pegasus heard his friends calling behind the wall of rocks and he no longer cared for what Luster Dawn had to say. As she faded out into mist, Cobalt failed to see the light illuminating the path to an exit he hadn’t yet noticed.

“Hibiscus? Lev? Irradiance?” Cobalt cried, running to the tunnel exit once more, pulling rocks away with his bare hooves. “Can you guys hear me?” He shouted, trying to hear more from beyond the barrier.

No answer. Cobalt pried the rocks away with more vigor, knocking them to the ground and cutting his hoof as he nicked it on the sharp edge of one of the rocks. Feeling as though the barrier would never end, purple magic shone upon the Pegasus’ face and he was met with Hibiscus staring back at him with a nervous expression.

“Cobalt!” She exclaimed, reaching through the rubble and pulling Cobalt through with the help of her and Leviathan’s magic.

“We were worried you might have gotten seriously hurt!” Leviathan expressed, eyebrows scrunched and stance unsteady. Cobalt smiled in thanks as he hugged Hibiscus tightly.

“No chance! I’m the strongest one here!” He went to set his hoof on the ground and hissed as the cut made contact with the bare stone. Irradiance and Hibiscus looked to his hoof to see blood beading.

“Cobalt!” Hibiscus chimed, raising his hoof with her magic, “You’re hurt!”

“Here,” Irradiance reached into his saddlebag and grabbed a potion, likely for healing if Cobalt had to guess. Both by the context of their situation and its color. He’d become used to his Unicorn friends’ potions by now. Irradiance poured the potion on Cobalt’s hoof and quickly bandaged it before letting go and smiling unsteadily. “Feeling any better?”

Cobalt nodded, “Thank you.”

The four ponies stood there for another moment, taking in the safe situation they were all now in. Why did everything have to be so nerve-wracking when they were together?

“What happened in there?” Leviathan asked, red eyes inquisitive. Cobalt’s eyes flickered between his friends before he sighed.

“Luster Dawn showed up,” Irradiance gasped, holding a crystalline hoof to his mouth. Cobalt nodded, “She offered me a way out.”

“Did you take it?” Hibiscus breathed, eyes wide. The Pegasus shook his head, almost appalled she’d asked that!

“No way! Luster Dawn said if I took the offer then I’d have to leave you guys down here forever!”

“Okay,” Irradiance let out a laugh, “We wouldn’t be down here forever. We’re not stupid. I defeated Queen Lilith, for Celestia’s sake!”

Cobalt shrugged, “She said this place was meant to be a dungeon back in Celestia and Luna’s reign. Like, way back when they were super young. That’s why the castle was built above all the caves! So prisoners couldn’t escape and the princesses could keep an eye on them.”

“That’s ridiculous. If there was a way in there’s definitely a way out. The Crystal Empire has one of these cave systems, too, and Princess Cadence escaped that, didn’t she?” Irradiance looked to his friends for confirmation, who all nodded in agreement.

“I dunno. I know we’ll get out. Luster Dawn just freaks me out!” Cobalt shuddered exageratedly at the mention of the Alicorn. Hibiscus let out a small laugh.

“We should get going, then. Avoid coming across her again before we’re all reunited.”

Leviathan turned to the pink Unicorn, looking at her with concern in his eyes, “Do you think Amber’s alright up in the castle, still?” Cobalt had almost forgotten about their Dragon friend.

“Definitely,” Irradiance cut in. “She’s the Dragon Lord, Leviathan! She can take care of herself for a little while. I’m sure she’ll find her way down here soon enough to get back to you.”

“Friendship conquers all, huh?” Cobalt quirked his mouth in a half smile. The others all let out a light laugh. Irradiance began walking back through the tunnel, toward the main cave, if Cobalt had to guess.

The four ponies made their way through the tunnel, Leviathan and Hibiscus following Irradiance closely, illuminating the path with red and purple magic. Cobalt felt his stomach turn, remembering that Irradiance was still magic-less. Hopefully, once this was all over he’d regain that power. It was one of the things that had saved them all initially. If it was gone… Cobalt swallowed. He didn’t want to think about how Irradiance would react. The poor stallion had been through enough already.

“One tunnel to go!” Hibiscus called from in front of the others, approaching the fourth tunnel entrance on the far wall, all the others blocked with boulders. Cobalt figured everyone had dealt with the same fate of the rocks falling after the ponies had exited their respective caverns.

“I hope Marigold is handling everything alright,” Leviathan manifested, staring straight ahead. Cobalt nodded along. Marigold was a sweet pony who had been through nearly as much as Irradiance. If they were all handling trials like his, the Pegasus worried Marigold would be in bad shape once they arrived in her cave.

“No waiting around to find out!” Irradiance exclaimed, rushing forward and making his way into the final tunnel, the other three ponies following suit, heads bowed forward as they ran toward their final trapped friend.

Author's Note

BAM! longer chapter! not suuuuper long, but longer than the last like. three.
ALSO how did we like the perspective from cobalt??? i try to focus this on irradiance bc he's my baby :3 but with how i wanted this chapter to go, the only way would be to isolate cobalt and only write his perspective. element and loyalty am i right. WOAH. spoiler orion!!! don't tell the readers about the elements! (although if you hadn't figured out that's where i was going yet, id be disappointed with my writing ability.)
i plan to extend this to 15 chapters like the last book, but idk well see. i have a word count goal rather than a chapter goal. the book is like maybe halfway through? the plot is all planned but not sure how ill write the ending.
okay bye!