Chapters Prologue: Shadows in the Dark
Praetorian
By Mushious
Prologue: Shadows in the Dark
“Ah, don’t like this Twi’, we shouldn’t be here,” Applejack’s voice echoed out through the dark cavern.
“Yes, darling, I’m afraid I am going to have to agree with Applejack here. This is simply terrifying.” Rarity called out, her horn lit up briefly before being snuffed out like a candle. “Simply unnatural.”
Rainbow Dash grunted, “Aw, come on you guys, quit being such fraidy-cats, it’s not like we’re in dange--” A loud crash rang out, followed by a series of curses.
“Rainbow, I told you, no flying in here, who knows what you might crash into. We can barely see as it is!” Twilight’s voice rang out, clear and true, her magic flaring to life, illuminating a large array of stalactites lining the ceiling. “Now come on, I’ve found the way through.”
Shadows rolled in as her magic dimmed, plunging them into darkness once again. Twilight groaned and recast the spell, only for the shadows to creep up on them again even faster. Tiny trails of energy seeped away into the dark, the four too distracted to notice. After a few minutes of stumbling in the dark they breathed a sigh of relief. Upon turning a corner, they were greeted by a sapphire glow.
“An underground reservoir!” Applejack exclaimed.
Rarity nodded in agreement, “it’s beautiful! Who would have thought such a thing existed here, under Canterlot all this time?”
“Well, since you asked... Canterlot’s location was actually chosen for this very reason. After the destruction of Everfree Castle, Celestia sought out a site where all ponies could live in harmony. To live in harmony for a thousand years, you need fresh, clean water. Lots of water.” Twilight pointed across the lake at a pair of large pipes. “Those pipes draw water from the aquifer up to Canterlot and beyond. This is the purest water in all of Equestria and we’re the first ponies in a thousand years to see it!”
Rainbow rolled her eyes and let out a snore. “Listen Twi’, no offence but, if I wanted a lecture, I’d go tell Mayor Mare about how every window in Ponyville simultaneously exploded.”
“Was that before or after you made Twilight a new window?” Applejack chuckled.
Twilight scowled, “and knocked over every book in the library, the day after sorting day...”
“Hehe, yeah...”
Before she could continue, Rarity’s ears twitched, “Everypony, quiet! Do you hear that?”
The sound of water being displaced quickly filled the air, the ponies looked around, surprised by the sudden intrusion. After a minute the sound dispersed and a new sound filled the air, waves lapping at the shore.
“Twi’ Ah’ thought you said we were alone here.”
“Princess Celestia said nopony had been down here since Canterlot was built. I guess somepony must have found another way in. Let’s go have a look.” Twilight walked over to the lake to investigate.
“Twilight dear, do you think that’s the best idea? Who knows who... or what it could be?” Rarity asked cautiously.
“I highly doubt it will be anything bad, for all we know, we could have just discovered a lost civilization or a... rock.”
“A rock?” Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow chorused.
“A rock.” Twilight confirmed. “I wonder where it came from, I’ve never seen anything like it. Rocks that move on their own? It just doesn’t make sense.”
She moved closer, craning her neck to get a better look. Unable to see clearly in the crepuscular light, her horn flared up, momentarily illuminating the rock before tendrils of amber energy lashed out and absorbed the glow.
Twilight lept back shocked, the others running to her side.
“Woah. What was that Twi’?” Rainbow asked, peering at the rock from a distance.
She shook her head, “I’m not sure, it seems to react to magic within it’s proximity. What it’s doing with it, I have no idea.”
“Ah’ don’t like this Twilight, all this magic hoodoo is making my head spin something awful.” Applejack began backing away, her face full of worry.
“Chill out AJ, it’s probably like an ancient artifact or something. This is awesome! Like Daring Do!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, suddenly enthusiastic at the thought of becoming her storybook hero.
Twilight nodded, “I’ve never heard of such a thing but it would make sense. Much of the archives were damaged in the Lunar War, such a thing could have been common back then. We should take it to Princess Celestia.” She tried to pick the rock up with magic, only to have it instantly absorbed. Sighing, she reached for the rock only to freeze in place upon making contact.
“FREEDOM!”
Light flooded the room, Twilight’s horn instantly went into overdrive, sparkling orbs of energy flew in every direction, narrowly missing her friends.
“You’re mine now... suffer well little foal!”
The voice boomed out across the cavern, coming from everywhere and nowhere.
“TWILIGHT!” Rainbow Dash dove at Twilight, knocking the rock from her grasp. Laughter reverberated through the air.
“YOU’RE TOO LATE FOAL, THIS ONE IS MINE. SHE WILL NEVER SEE YOU OR ANY OF HER FRIENDS AGAIN!”
Applejack galloped at Twilight, “not if Ah’ have anything to say about it!” She dove at Twilight, only to be hit in the chest by a ball of searing energy. She fell back, her coat seared where the magic made contact.
“Oh dear, oh dear. Rainbow Dash, we have to get out of here! Help me with Applejack!” Rarity cried out, traumatized at what was happening.
“Are you kidding me! We can’t just leave Twilight here! Who knows what will happen to her! She’s our friend and friends don’t abandon friends!”
Rainbow made another dive at Twilight, grabbing her tail just as a crackling nova exploded from her horn. Rarity and Applejack flew through the air, hitting the cavern wall with tremendous force. An impossibly dark shadow sailed across the now illuminated room towards them.
Rainbow Dash sailed through the air in the opposite direction, the force of the blast stunning her. Unable to flap her wings to gain control, she smashed into the rocky wall above the lake.
“Girls... I’m... coming...” She uttered, before the darkness took her, venomous laughter filling her ears as she fell into the water below.
Darkness...
Rainbow Dash struggled to see in the pitch black rushing waters. She stuck out a hoof, in search of stable ground only to pull it back in shock as it dragged along the rough wall entombing her. Desperately she kicked out, trying to fight the unrelenting pull of the icy water. Failing this, she did the only thing she could.
Panic.
She struggled against the current, hooves flailing aimlessly as she put what little energy she could muster into fighting it. Just as she thought she had gained some semblance of control, the current shifted, slamming her against the wall of the tunnel. Winded, she opened her mouth to gasp for air but was instead greeted by the ice cold water surrounding her. She began coughing, trying to purge the water only to swallow more in the process.
Her lungs screamed as the icy water forced it’s way down her throat. Liquid fire spread throughout her chest as the mare struggled. Strength waning and unable to fight any longer, her body spasmed. Vision betraying her as the darkness consumed what little light she held onto.
An almost blinding white light danced across her eyelids as she gave in. She reached forwards, waiting for the pain to end.
‘So this is what death is like?’ she thought, ‘Twilight, Rarity, Applejack... I never got to tell the princess... I... I... failed.'
“Sweet merciful Celestia! Is that a pony?!”
A pair of limbs wrapped themselves around her torso, lifting her out of the frigid waters.
“ Goddess be praised,” the voice murmured before shouting, “she’s still alive! Somepony call a doctor!”
With that, Rainbow went limp. Unable to move, unable to breathe, the shadows once again reached out, lulling her into a deep, dark sleep.
Praetorian
By Mushious
Chapter One: Broken
The shadows writhed around them as Rarity cast a spell of illumination for the fifth time since waking up; which at a guess was around an hour ago. She paced back and forth constantly peering towards Applejack who knelt over an unconscious Twilight Sparkle.
“How is she now Applejack dear,” she asked, her voice rich with concern.
Applejack sighed, “for the tenth time Rarity, she’s still asleep.”
“I do hope she wakes up soon,” she complained, “this cave is dreadfully dirty.”
Applejack rolled her eyes and stood up, stretching her singed body, she turned to her friend and declared, “Ah’m going to try and get us some help. You stay here and watch over Twilight.”
“Why do you get to go?” Rarity asked, frowning at the thought of being left alone in the dark cave.
Applejack chuckled, “You have the light. As far as Ah’m aware, bats don’t like light and you don’t like bats.”
Rarity winced and ground her teeth, knowing she was defeated. “Very well. Do hurry though. Twilight could wake up any minute, she’s definitely in no condition to walk.”
Applejack nodded, “don’t you worry your pretty little head. Ah’ll be back in a jiffy.”
Cautiously, Applejack worked her way over the fallen debris leading to the cavern mouth, heading off into the darkness, leaving Rarity alone.
Sitting down next to Twilight’s still body, Rarity allowed herself the slightest whimper; almost certain she could hear laughter amidst Applejack’s fading hoofsteps.
--
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
“And there’ll be balloons and... and streamers!” Pinkie Pie bounced across the room wildly, “ooh, cake! I can’t believe I forgot cake!”
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Fluttershy glanced nervously at the door, “um, Pinkie...” she mumbled, Pinkie’s incessant ravings drowning out her voice.
“But what to call it? The welcome-back-from-a-dark-scary-cave party? Hmmm... nah. Too long.”
“Pinkie!” Fluttershy called out once again, as loudly as she dared. They were indoors after all.
Pinkie Pie stopped mid bounce, “oh hey Fluttershy,” she grinned, “what can I do you for?”
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
“Um... there’s someone at the-”
“Hey! There’s someone at the door! Would love to stay and chat Fluttershy but I better get this.” Pinkie’s grin followed her to the door. Opening it, she stuck her head out, planting it firmly in front of a slightly alarmed guard.
Attempting to regain some composure, he cleared his voice, “Miss Pinkamena Pie, Miss Fluttershy, by order of Princess Celestia, I am here to escort you to the Royal Hospital of Canterlot. Any questions you have will be answered upon arrival.” He stepped clear of the door, allowing the mares to exist the room.
“Woo!” Pinkie cheered, “field trip! How soon do we leave?”
“Immediately.” Once the mares were clear of the door, the guard’s horn flared up. Golden threads lit up the corridor before exploding into bright light all but blinding the surprised mares.
When their vision finally cleared, they found they were no longer in the expansive castle corridor. In place of the long winding hallway now sat a wide open room, which on closer examination appeared to be the waiting room of a hospital.
After the last of the crackling subsided, Pinkie immediately started bouncing up and down shouting, "Ooh, ooh. We totally need that ride at my next big party, maybe we could get Twilight to...."
Fluttershy murmured something incomprehensible, trying to shake away the stars that danced across her vision.
The guard chuckled, “forgive me, I should have warned you to close your eyes first. Now, if you will please follow me, the princess is waiting.” Not needing to be asked twice, Pinkie and Fluttershy quickly fell in behind the guard as he led them through an entire wing that seemed empty save the distraught monarch of the sun.
Princess Celestia greeted them as they approached. “Girls, it is good to see you.” They bowed before her in unison.
“Please do not be alarmed by what I’m about to tell you. About two hours ago, one of my guards pulled your friend Rainbow Dash from the western river, at the time, she was not breathing. Upon administering CPR, she was rushed here.” Celestia’s face was distraught, pained emotion wearing away at her delicate features.
Pinkie Pie had stopped bouncing at the mention of Rainbow’s name. She drew Fluttershy in close, hugging the weeping pegasus for all her worth.
“Is she... will she be okay princess?” Pinkie asked, her lip quivering.
“Thankfully, they got her just in time. A minute more and the doctors may not have been able to revive her.”
They breathed a sigh of relief.
“I am just waiting on the doctor, you you would like to sit with me,” she gestured to a bench along the wall. Without needing to be asked twice, they scurried to the bench and sat down. Celestia joined them and extended a wing, pulling them in her warm embrace.
“Worry not, my little ponies. I am sure she will be fine.”
Mere moments after she had finished speaking, the door in front of them creaked open revealing a disheveled pony garbed in hospital greens.
“You can see her now,” she said before glancing at the princess, “please be gentle, she’s still recovering. Try not to ask too many questions.” She glared at Pinkie who was already bounding towards the door.
Celestia sighed in relief and nodded, “I understand doctor. At the moment, I just wish to make sure she is alright.”
With that, the doctor held the door open, allowing the mares access to the room.
The sight that greeted them brought tears to their eyes. Rainbow Dash lay in a cot in the center of the room, various tubes and wires clinging to her delicate frame.
Upon hearing the voices of her friends, she sat up, eyes welling up with tears. Her cheeks burned at the thought of making them worry, “h... hey girls,” she croaked, choking back tears, “princess...”
Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy rushed to the bedside, “Oh my gosh Rainbow Dash, are you alright? We were so worried! What happened down there? Where is Twi-”
“Girls!” Princess Celestia loomed over them, “you heard the doctor. Be careful, we do not need to wear her out.”
Rainbow chuckled, “relax princess. If it was anypony else I’d be just as worried.” She took a deep breath, relishing the ability to do so. “To be honest girls, I don’t know. All I remember is falling into the water and blacking out. The girls are probably down there looking for me. Trust my luck, I probably flew into something as stubborn as I am.” She laughed at the possibility.
Celestia grimaced, “As long as you are alright. I will dispatch my guards to go find the others.” She turned to leave.
“No need princess!” Pinkie called out, “Fluttershy and I will go!”
Fluttershy’s eyes flew open in alarm, “we will!?”
The princess stopped and asked, “are you sure Pinkie Pie?”
“Yes Pinkie, are you sure?” Fluttershy chorused.
“Sure I’m sure!” She confirmed, “come on Fluttershy, it’ll be fun!”
“Oh... okay,” Fluttershy whispered unhappily, defeated.
Celestia nodded, “Very well then, if you have any trouble or do not come out within the hour, I will have my finest guards come to your aid.” She stopped at the door, “rest easy Rainbow Dash, you need not worry any longer.”
Once the princess had left, Rainbow Dash turned to her friends. “Pinkie,” she called. The pink mare bounded over to her. “Please... be careful.” Her voice faded as she drifted back to sleep.
“Okie... doki loki,” Pinkie confirmed, slightly more confused than normal. She turned to leave, ushering a terrified Fluttershy out.
Pinkie Pie marched Fluttershy through Canterlot’s twisting streets until their goal was in sight. Scaffolding littered the rocky walls surrounding the city, a sharp slit in the rock, uncovered by recent construction lay before them. The pair clambered the steel jungle, awestruck by the sight that met them. What had appeared to be nothing more than a gap in the rock revealed itself to be a cavernous opening, wide enough to comfortably fit an apple cart or in this case, two mares.
With a gulp, they peered into the unforgiving dark. A sharp clatter echoed from within, startling Fluttershy. Moments later, Applejack blundered out crashing into the timid pony.
“Well, howdy!” She greeted them warmly, as she regained her footing in the shade of the cave mouth. “You’re just the two ponies Ah’ was hoping to run into. Twi’s got herself in a spot of trouble, care to lend a hoof?”
“T... trouble?” Fluttershy glanced around nervously, “we should tell the princess!”
“Eh, no need. Ah’ just need a hand lifting her out. You coming?”
Pinkie shrugged, “well okay... how did you get out anyway? It looks really really dark in there.”
Applejack fidgeted, kicking the dirt, “don’ you worry none, years of eating apples has given me great night vision.”
“Um... Applejack... isn't that carrots?” Fluttershy squeaked.
“Bite your tongue, you callin’ me a liar?”
Fluttershy shook her head, hoping to avoid confrontation. Not wanting to argue, they followed Applejack into the foreboding cavern, away from the light of the city.
From the balcony of her room, Rainbow Dash watched the entire encounter. She tried shouting out to them, her warnings falling on deaf ears. Pulling away the wires that kept her attached to the hospital equipment, she began climbing the balcony, only to be pulled inside by a nurse.
“No! You don’t understand! I need to warn them!” She cried out, struggling against her detainee only to be answered by the sharp prick of a needle followed by shadow.
Chapter 2: I Have No Mouth and I Must Whine
Praetorian
By Mushious
Chapter Two: I Have No Mouth and I Must Whine
Rarity shifted uneasily in the gloom as a cool breeze wafted through the quiet cavern. The only noise to be heard was the gentle breathing of Twilight Sparkle who lay, unconscious at her hooves.
She had agreed to stay and protect her friend what felt like an age ago, after Applejack nobly clambered off into the dark in search of somepony to rescue them. For a while, she had managed to keep the cavern illuminated. As time dragged on, she found this increasingly more difficult until, she could no longer maintain the spell.
Irritated, she kicked at the rocky floor. Such a simple spell should not have drained her as much as it had. Glaring at the fragmented stone in lying in the distance. ‘This is all your fault, dumb rock,’ she seethed, her thoughts as clear in her head as spoken word. She half expected the ebon stone to respond, filling the cave with the same rich baritone as it did earlier.
After several tense minutes, Rarity gave a sigh of relief. She squinted through the dim light at her fallen friend, “oh Twilight, please do wake up soon. Just being near that dreadful thing creeps me out.”
“Does it indeed, little pony?”
Rarity shrieked. Jumping to her hooves, she spun around, looking for the source of the voice.
“Such a naive little pony, in the dark and all alone with nopony to help you...” the voice seemed to draw closer, becoming sharper and more precise with every word until Rarity swore she could feel icy lips lingering next to her ears. “Nopony to save you...”
Rarity’s jaw hung loose, the blood draining from her face, “Wh... what have you done to Applejack?” She asked, bracing herself for what she expected to hear.
Laughter boomed around the cavern, shaking loose several stalactites from the ceiling. Rarity shied away, dodging the falling lances. The voice responded wickedly, “Your concern is wasted. The orange one is loyal to me now. This very moment, she is... herding... two more of your friends to this very location. Soon, they will suffer the same fate as the purple one before you.”
She let out a whimper, the accursed laughter continued to echo around the cavern with explosive force. Rarity couldn’t help but imagine Fluttershy and Pinkie writhing in agony at the beck and call of this unknown fiend. ‘No,’ she thought, ‘I cannot allow this. Not my friends.’
Trying to sound brave, she asked, “why do you torment my friends and I? What is it that you want from us?”
Immediately, the laughter stopped. Silence flooded the cavern, not a single word reached her ears. Rarity wasn’t sure if she should be glad or terrorfied. She gulped, calling out her question once again, “I demand you tell me-”
“SILENCE, FOAL!”
She tried to scream as tendrils of dark energy lashed out, binding themselves around her mouth, singeing hair and cauterizing flesh where they made contact. The taste of blood filled her mouth, the metallic tang causing her to gag. Between the pain and eye-watering stench of burning hair, she was unable to do anything but weep. Not a sound escaping the shadowy muzzle entombing her mouth.
Laughter boomed throughout the cavern.“Silence is bliss,” it mocked, “you and your friends have something of mine. Your so called Elements of... Harmony, they hold the key to my freedom. It was them which called you... surely you felt the pull, drawing you here. The purple one certainly did. Now her hubris in pursuit of knowledge shall be the spark that ends all things.
Dark energy surged once again, enveloping her with tainted magic. Small fractures began forming across her horn as it thrummed, resonating with the corruption that possessed her. The magic pulsed, a dark maroon shockwave erupted from her horn, careening off through the cavern. An audible *PING* could be heard as it passed over the rock fragment lying almost forgotten by the water’s edge.
“And there you are... my Rainbow. Those usurpers dared turn it against its master , they shattered what remained of my beaten spirit and bound the fragments to their precious Elements, forming the strongest prison they could think of. What they were unable to fragment, they bound to my Rainbow and in the process shattered it. Little did that vixen Celestia know, using the last of my energy, I planted one of the many pieces in the mind of weak little Luna.”
Rarity’s eyes flew wide open as she realized what was being said.
The voice chuckled darkly, “I see you have witnessed my work firsthoof. Good, very good! I wish I had seen Celestia’s face as her poor beloved sister became everything she stood against as my magic took hold. Given that you are here however, means little Luna failed. No matter, once I am free, I will once again bring everlasting darkness to the land. The night will last forever! ”
Rarity panicked. Fighting through the pain, she managed to drag herself back to where Twilight lay. Fueled by adrenaline and fear, she managed to prop up Twilight - who remained dead to the waking world - and lift the bookish mare onto her back. She staggered momentarily, surprised that such a small pony could weigh so much. She made a mental note to suggest a diet once this nightmare ended... if this nightmare ended...
With Twilight secure, Rarity did the only thing she could think of. She fled. Her invisible captor failing to notice as it continued to cackle maniacally.
Uneasily, she headed for the exit, constantly stumbling as debris got underhoof. She could barely make out details more than a meter ahead of her in the endless expanse of darkness. As she approached where she believed the exit to be, she was caught off guard by something that chilled her to the bone. A breath of fresh air washed through the cave and with it, voices.
Her eyes shot wide with fear, recognizing what she was hearing. Unable to warn her friends, Rarity began to run in the direction the voices were coming from. Without warning, the ground below her gave way and she fell a short distance into the pitch dark.
Rarity wanted to scream, were it not for the shadowy bindings around her mouth, she would have vented her frustration in an instant. She looked around, unable to make out much in the darkness. Thankfully, it seemed, they had landed on what she count only guess was cave moss. Were she not fleeing for her life, she may have been slightly disgusted. This section of the cave seemed much darker as the light from the aquifer somewhere above did not share what little illumination it had to offer.
She shuffled around in search of Twilight. Relieved when she found the mare had landed not far from her on the spongy mattress. Her head was racing, the constant assault of information, unable to contemplate what kind of evil they had just unleashed. Awkwardly, she hefted Twilight back onto her back. ‘Well Rarity, you’re really in for it this time,’ she thought, ‘I suppose I’ll just continue on through this cave, maybe the Matriarch will smile down on us and get us out of here.’
As if responding to her thoughts, dark magic flared at the tip of her horn. A small shadowy nova flared, sending a wave of maroon light throughout the cave. It lasted only a moment, giving Rarity just enough time to see what appeared to be an old mineshaft leading deep into the mountain. Blinking through the tears, she gave her best determined face, carefully inching forwards into the darkness.
--
Hurry up an’ move yer flank Fluttershy!”
Applejack was growing impatient with the fawn-like pegasus. After taking no more than a dozen steps into the cave, she had stopped, frozen in place. A look of dread plastered across her face.
“B... but it’s s... so dark,” she stammered.
Applejack groaned and nudged Pinkie Pie, who bounded over to her terrified friend and beamed a toothy grin at the nervous pegasi.
“Well of course it’s dark! It’s a cave! What kind of cave even has lights? That would be silly. Although, not as silly as the peo-”
“PINKIE!” Applejack sighed, “get to the point!”
“-but it’s not like they’ll read this anyway. Oh...” She flashed Applejack a sheepish smile, “come on Fluttershy, what could go wrong? It’s not like an ancient evil awoke, possessed our friends and is currently luring us into a trap,” standing in the dark a few feet away, Applejack flinched. “There’s nothing to worry about.”
Fluttershy shuffled uncomfortably, “I... I think I should go make sure Rainbow Dash is okay.”
Scowling, Applejack marched up to her and glared, “Twilight needs our help. You’re the only one here with any medical knowhow. What if she’s worse than Ah’ thought?”
Imagination running wild, Fluttershy began to tear up, images of Twilight lying unconscious, bleeding out in the dark flashed through her head. “Okay. I’ll do it.”
Applejack gave her a quick embrace, “for Twilight?”
She nodded and took a brave step into the darkness, “for Twilight.”
“And if the dark is getting you down,” Pinkie Pie rummaged through her saddle bags, “I’ve got just the thing!” She pulled her hoof out, in it was a large jar. Inside, a swarm of glowing insects buzzed around. “Taa-daa!”
Applejack took one look at the jar before proceeding to swiftly buck it from Pinkie’s hooves. It sailed gracefully through the air before exploding against the cave wall. Hundreds of glowing bugs fled, racing off into the depths of the cave. A high pitched cry of ‘freedom!’ could be heard as they disappeared into the darkness.
“Hey!” Pinkie cried out in dismay, “what did you do that for? It took me hours to trick them into the jar!”
“Ah told you,” Applejack growled,” no lights. Just grab my tail and quit your dilly-dallying. You’re just lucky you didn’t wake the bats.”
“Um Applejack, it’s night time,” Fluttershy observed, “the bats would already be awake.”
“Even luckier! Now, come on already!”
They each grabbed a mouthful of her tail and began to trek into the darkness, away from the welcoming glow of the city lights.
Barely ten minutes later, the cave boomed with laughter as Pinkie Pie cracked up at yet another joke nopony else understood.
“Ah’ don’t get it,” Applejack grumbled, “what’s oatmeal got to do with anything?”
Pinkie pulled a face that, had there been enough light for Applejack to see, she would have been swatted at. “Exactly what I was thinking! Now Cream of Wheat on the other hoof, he’s clearly lost his mind.”
Applejack rolled her eyes, “Pinkie, if you’re going to tell a joke, could you at least tell one somepony will understand?”
Several minutes passed in which the pink pony did not respond.
“Ah’ thought so. Now come on, Ah’ reckon we’re almost there.”
Up ahead, the cave seemed to open out into an expansive cavern in which a large body of water sat. A dazzling sapphire glow radiated from deep under the water, granting the ponies just enough light to see.
“Ooh! Pretty!” Pinkie exclaimed, half forgetting the reason they were there.
Fluttershy was about to open her mouth to agree when Applejack held up her hoof. “Shh... y’all hear that?” After a moment she pointed her hoof to a dark opening along the far wall of the cavern. A cloud of dust rose steadily from it, trotting over to it, she peered in. She shrugged and walked back to them, “must’ve been some loose rocks... hey now...” she looked around in alarm, “where’s Twi and Rarity?”
A look of dread washed over Fluttershy’s face, “w... what do you mean Applejack?” She stammered.
“Ah’ left em’ right here,” she continued to scan the dark room, “and now they’re not. Dang it Rarity, why can’t y’all keep it simple?”
“Oh no... where could they have gone?” Fluttershy inquired.
Agitated, Applejack cussed, “the buck if I know!” Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie gasped, “they were here and now they’re not. It’s not like they could just up and leave in the wrong direction, the way in is pretty dang obvious.”
To prove her point, she stepped behind her friends and plowed head first into the rocky wall that now stood behind them. She shook her head in disbelief, clearing away the stairs that danced around it, “what the hay?”
Dark laughter filled the cavern. Fluttershy let out a loud squeak before falling on her side, scared stiff.
Pinkie grimaced, “Really?! Evil laughter AGAIN. At least Discord knew how to laugh like a nor...”
“Not now Pinkie,” Applejack interrupted her. She bucked the stone wall with all her might. Fragments went flying but the wall remained adamant.
“Leaving so soon, little hayseed?” A voice boomed, rich with malevolence.
“Who’s there!” She called out as she looked around for the source.
“Don’t act so surprised, little hayseed. I’ve been with you all along. Why do you think you went back to the surface in the first place? Who do you think guided you through the dark as you left your friends alone and defenceless?”
“What do you mean, Twi needed help and Ah’ got it. Who do you think you are, show yerself!” Applejack was beginning to get angry, nopony called her ‘hayseed’. No pony.
Her demands were met with more laughter, “I mean what I say little hayseed. You have done everything I asked of you and more! It is only fair I reward you for your services. As you wish, Behold your one true king. Tirac, Lord of Midnight Castle and rightful ruler or all that ever was or ever shall be!”
From the dark, a gigantic hand shot out and grabbed Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy in one almighty swoop.
“We can never speak of this to Lyra!” Pinkie cried out as the pair were hoisted high into the air. Fluttershy’s screams drowning her out entirely.
“Now watch, little hayseed as I take back what is rightfully mine! Watch as I become complete once more!”
A loud hum filled the air as dark lightning crackled over Pinkie and Fluttershy’s coats. Their eyes bulged and their mouths flew open to scream. No sound escaped their lungs as they writhed in pain. Applejack tried to tear her gaze away only to have her neck snap back into place, forcing her to bear witness.
“You will watch them suffer little hayseed, their anguish is my gift to you.”
The ethereal hand flexed, squeezing her friends. Through the gloom, Applejack could make out a faint trickle of blood streaming from Pinkie’s mouth. Applejack felt dizzy, her vision began to cloud over as she realized she was unable to save them.
“Please...” she begged, “you don’t have to do this...”
No answer, other than the cruel thrum and crackle of the magic torturing her friends.
“Ah’ll do whatever you say. Just stop hurting my friends!” Tears streamed from her eyes as she continued to weep.
Once again, no answer.
Fluttershy began to spasm, her limbs twitched, flailing around, pointing out at unnatural angles. Moments later Pinkie joined her, her body dancing uncontrollably like a circus contortionist.
After several soul-crushing minutes, their wild thrashing halted and the wicked hum in the air ceased. The hand appeared more substantial now, it’s transparency all but gone. It let go of the pair, who promptly fell to the ground. They landed hard with a sickening crunch that made Applejack wince.
She ran to them, the magic restraining her had all but gone. As she approached, she began to slow down.
They weren’t moving.
“Girls...” fresh tears began to stream down her face. “Y’all can get up now,” her voice was barely a whisper.
She leaned over them, peering through the tears. Their bodies lay broken, limbs stuck out in awkward positions and blood was pooling on the rocky ground under them. Applejack clumsily tried to check for a pulse, first Fluttershy and then Pinkie Pie.
Nothing.
Unable to contain her grief, Applejack stuck her head back and let out an almighty howl. The sound echoed throughout the cavern, shaking loose stalactites which fell, shattering on the ground around her.
Oblivious to Applejack as he could finally look upon his own body for the first time in countless ages, Tirac began to laugh his dark, booming laugh once again. She collapsed next to her fallen friends and cried, her tears mingling with the blood that slowly pooled from under them.
--
A loud roar reverberated through the cave causing Rarity to jump in alarm. She tensed,catching her breath before the panic set in, there was too much at stake to let something so distant make her lose her nerve.
Twilight lay propped against the cave wall. Rarity had been all but forced to stop and rest, the weight of the purple mare bearing down on her was beginning to take it’s toll. She just wasn’t used to so much heavy lifting. That was Sweetie Belle’s job.
She let her shoulders hang, she had only been away from Ponyville for a few days yet, she already missed her sister. As usual, they hadn’t departed on the best terms, words were said that Rarity now heavily regretted. What if she never saw Sweetie Belle ever again? The very thought brought her to tears. Ste wiped them away as they streamed down her face, hissing as they vaporized on the dark magic muzzling her.
For several minutes she was unable to control the tears. They abruptly came to a halt as she felt dreaded dark energy build up once again at the tip of her horn. She braced herself for the searing pain that soon followed, wincing as a dark nova of magic erupted from her horn. The wave of energy bounced throughout the cave, momentarily illuminating the walls. Rarity glanced around as she wiped a fresh batch of tears from her eyes.
Her ears twitched. Not too far in the distance, she was certain she heard something chime. She looked at Twilight, comfortably asleep in the diminishing glow of magic and thought, ‘you stay right there Twilight, I’ll be back before you know it.’
Carefully stepping around her friend, she marched into the enveloping dark in the direction of the persistent ringing noise.
Drawing near the source of the sound, her magic flared again without warning, revealing a cavernous expanse. Mere steps from her was a steep slope, at the bottom she heard it again. An unforgettable ringing noise filled the air, similar to the sound a wine glass makes when struck; something Rarity thought herself very familiar with.
Looking over the edge of the slope, she gulped. It quickly vanished into the darkness and the magic illuminating it was dispersing reducing visibility every second she hesitated. ‘I should go get Twilight’ she thought, stepping away from the ledge and turning around, walking head first into her friend.
“LeAvInG sO sOoN? ” She hissed, face contorting unnaturally, “My RaInBoW cALLs tO yOu LiTtLe PoNy, Go FeTcH. ”
Rarity tried to run, only to have Twilight-not-Twilight fling herself at Rarity, throwing both of them over the edge, tumbling once more into the void below.