Discord walked down the twisted steps that led deep into the chasm far beneath the surface. Here his powers had been practically nullified thanks to the powerful anti-magical barriers put in place by some of the strongest mages far before he even dreamed of ruling Equestria and proclaiming himself the ruler of all the land. Not a single creature here could cast anything more powerful than a basic levitation spell or make their horn glow.
The draconequus had been troubled, his experience at the hands of Tirek had shaken him to the core. Discord knew that he was still learning this whole friendship thing, but he had been so easily deceived and had his powers ripped from him. Perhaps he sought closure, the entire ordeal with Tirek had confused him insomuch as he no longer understood what he was supposed to do or be. He had spent months learning how to be a good friend and it all came to a crashing halt because of the closure's silver tongue. How could he have been so foolish.
Closure, he told himself. That was why he was down here. He needed to find closure.
"I see you've made yourself quite at home," Discord stated. He looked at the shackled centaur from his place behind the invisible magical barrier.
The pathetic shell of Tirek looked up, his body tiny, bones protruding from every bend and angle, his eyes ashen and weak, but Discord could see the hate and malice there. It sent a chill down his spine and a temptation he had not felt in over a millenia crept into his mind. He could end it, end this threat right here. He was weak, there would be no struggle.
But Fluttershy wouldn't like that.
"Come to gloat?" Tirek asked, his voice a heavy whisper. He let out a gurgled laugh. "Or have you decided to let me go."
"If you got out of that barrier, you wouldn't be alive for very much longer afterwards. Unlike the ponies, I've got no qualms in taking your life."
Tirek laughed mirthlessly. "That is the Discord I know."
"Ah, but you see, I've been reformed! I want to live in harmony with the ponies-"
A disgusted sound emanated from the prisoner. "Bah. I admit that I am not the most trusted of individuals, but what I said is true. The ponies want to control you, use you, and-"
"Yes, but at least they let me be me. I don't mind, after all they forgave me for what I did to them and for that I have to give them at least a teeny bit of appreciation." Discord smiled when Tirek could not reply. "Now that we have that out of the way, I have another question for you. How did you escape?"
Tirek looked at Discord for a long moment in silence before turning his head towards the black ceiling. "The dog fled and the magical barriers were disabled. I was weak, but I managed to get away with some difficulty. As did some of the others. I am not the only thing that slipped through the cracks and escaped."
Discord turned towards the three-headed guard and shuddered. Also from the ancient world, this dog was as much a part of Tartarus. What could have made this beast flee? What could have caused the magical barriers to weaken so much? Curiosity pulsed through his mind. What exactly had happened that time? He did not know, he wasn't around, but perhaps it had caused a chain reaction that affected everything. Perhaps even his stone prison had been affected.
With nothing more to say, Discord turned and started walking away.
"Oh, Discord," Tirek called out. "Don't forget to say hello to your new 'friends' for me. Especially that yellow one. Next time I get out of here, you won't have her being your friend."
"Fluttershy will always be my friend," Discord replied without any hint of doubt. "She won't change."
"I know, but you have grown soft. There are other ways to stop friendships from being unbroken. More... permanent methods."
It took a moment to realize what Tirek had stated and Discord stepped towards the barrier, his face contorted in pure rage. At once he felt himself flying backwards and came to a sliding halt on his back. Tirek just laughed at Discord's expression.
"Not worth it," Discord muttered himself and calmed his anger. "Not worth it." Standing up, he dusted himself off. "You're lucky that barrier is in place, Tirek. Otherwise Tartarus would've had another vacant cell."
The centaur just shrugged. "Your threats are empty. Once upon a time I might have feared you, but no more. Especially now that I know you're nothing but a servant to the very ponies you once ruled."
"Believe it or not, Tirek, but I actually enjoy living in relative harmony with the ponies. You might find it strange and I don't expect you to understand, but I would gladly fight on their side."
"It didn't take much to convince you to be my friend and join me," Tirek stated and smiled as Discord's eyes grew hard. "You will always be tempted into chaos, that is what you are after all. I just hope that when you finally wake up, I'll be there to watch you destroy everything you hold dear. Even your dear Fluttershy."
Discord's face darkened, but he turned away. There was no truth in those words, he would never hurt Fluttershy. Would he?
He walked absent mindedly away, one arm across his chest, the other stroking his goatee as he thought about what Tirek had said to him. Then he stopped and looked around. He found himself walking down a very narrow corridor that led away from the exit of Tartarus. He was about to turn and head in the right direction when something stopped him. A feeling. He looked again down the narrow hall and saw that it widened out up ahead. He had never really noticed it before.
Eventually he came to an opening with stairs leading down. None of this was natural and looked much more constructed than the rest of the prison. This was built by magic and he understood that it had to be much older than the rest of the prison. Much, much older. The anti-magical barriers and magic suppressors would have prevented anything like this made. Therefore it had to have been constructed a long, long time ago. He glanced back once before taking the first step.
Hours, that was how long it had taken him to finally reach the bottom. Along the way there were several levels that led to other floors each one constructed similarly. But he just headed down. Something, perhaps instinct, had told him that the answers he sought were down there. Again he faced a long corridor that seemed to merge with the darkness. He made a face and sighed, wondering whether it was still worth the trouble. He had to climb back up those stairs to get back. No 'poofing', especially not down here. Here the magical barriers were the strongest. It seemed that every brick, stone, floor tile and whatever else was put specifically in place to stop magic. The feeling of curiosity was just too great now, what on Equestria could be down here that was so... dangerous? On he went.
Then a light appeared down the hall. It seemed to change in fluid-like colors, from blue to yellow, purple and green. The glowing of those colors seemed somewhat familiar to him. He approached cautiously and peeked his head outside the end of the corridor and gasped. A bridge led to what looked like a huge floating diamond* that towered over him. It was as big as a mountain. If he had not descended so many flights of stairs, he would have guessed that the top was just a few meters below where Tirek and the other prisoners were. Discord took a few steps along the bridge but could not resist the urge to look over the side. He tried to spot the base of the floating structure but it had vanished into impenetrable darkness below him.
His curiosity sated, he continued along the bridge until he reached the end or what could only be some sort of jetty. In front of him was a huge wall. No, not a wall, but a door. A huge door made of stone with iron bars crisscrossing around it with all sorts of magical runes and symbols carved into it. The most powerful magic he had ever felt seemed to push back against him, yet there was something there. Something at the center of that wall.
With every ounce of strength, he took a step towards whatever it was. A suffocating feeling seemed to pull at his lungs, this power unlike anything he had ever felt before. It did not come from the thing in the center, rather it seemed that whatever that thing was kept the magic away, like it was pushing it back. Did that power come from the floating object behind the wall? Whatever it was made his magic look like an infant's. As he drew closer, it got harder to breathe effectively. The air felt hot and cold, little tingly as it entered his lungs, and faint smell of something in the air. Something burning. Like sulfur.
Everything screamed for him to leave, to get out, to turn and run, but he stayed. He stayed because something about it all seemed strangely familiar. He clenched his lower jaw and slowly approached, taking each step cautiously and deliberately. He tried not to make a sound, but even as he carefully stepped along his footfalls echoed through the emptiness like thunder. He took another step, he was several strides away from whatever it was at the base of that door, and stopped.
Sitting there was a creature he had not seen in eons. An old 'friend'. An enemy that had helped defeat him. Discord did not know what to do.
The creature's head slowly raised his head and stared at Discord for a long moment. Slowly, something akin to a smirk appeared on the lips and in a croaky voice that seemed to be stifled from lack of use, or from too much screaming, came a single word: "Hello."
Discord gulped. "W-what are you doing here?"
"Resting."
"But..."
"Leave! You should not be here. Just go." The creature began to shake and it took a moment for Discord to realize that it was because he was crying.
Discord, remembering what he had learned from Fluttershy and what he had experienced from the past, understood what he needed to do. Discord inhaled a long, deep breath and walked right up to the creature and placed a claw on his shoulder. "Fine. I'll go. You were always so pushy. But, I think you ought to know, she's back."
That made the creature stop. There was a long moment of silence where nothing except for the wind passing on through the empty chasm. "What?"
"She's back, as in 'free'. As in, able to go wherever. She's here on Equestria."
The creature shook his head and hard eyes glared through unkempt, filthy hair that drooped over the eyes. "Lies. Impossible. Banished. Sealed. Moon."
"She's back, I have no reason to lie to you. She's back and that's all there is to that."
The creature raised his head a little more and piercing green eyes looked to him. Those emerald eyes that always had a kind word or warmth to give was there, just for a moment, before the stone-cold more familiar hardness set back in. "Then the land bathed in eternal darkness."
Discord laughed and waved his claw. "No, no, no, silly. She's back, back."
Again those eyes softened and tears streamed down the creature's face as the last word sunk in. He nodded to himself. Observing the creature, Discord noted a pair of huge chains and clasps around his wrists and ankles holding him where he sat.
"Yes. Well, little Luna has come home."
"How happy Celestia must be."
"Do I detect a teeny hint of coldness there?" Discord asked still keeping a good distance away.
The creature narrowed his eyes a little. "A little."
"I would think you'd have forgiven her for what she did," Discord said as nonchalantly as possible. "After all, she did save the world. At least, that's what I heard. It's pretty hard to get news when you're frozen in stone."
"And what of you? Not king again?"
This made Discord chuckle. "Ah, good times, good times! But, as they saying goes, all good things have to come to an end. You and the princesses saw to that," he muttered to himself. "No, you could say I'm no longer interested in that. I've found... other ways to amuse myself."
"And that is why you should leave here," The creature replied.
"Fine, fine. I know when I'm not wanted. But, before I go, I want to know what you are doing here."
The creature eyes rose to meet Discord's. The draconequus met his eyes and felt something form in his throat, and swallowed. The the creature looked down at his clasps on the wrists, then followed the chains that merged with the gigantic door behind him.
"I meant what else besides the chains. Or are you implying that you're actually a prisoner here."
All that he was met with was silence.
"What? You? Oh this is just terrific! Of all the things that I did, all I had to do was put chains around your-"
"I said leave it be, Discord," The voice was quiet, but none could mistake that overwhelming pressure. The energy and power of creature seemed to shake the very foundations of Tartarus.
Discord reflexively took a step back and gulped. This was it. This was the power that had helped defeat him all those ages ago. The power that had helped put an end to his reign. The power that stopped his...
There. The memory. He had forgotten it because, at the time, Discord had other things to worry about. He had done something terrible, but it wasn't his fault. They had forced him to do it. However the realization hit him hard and he quickly looked at the large doors behind him. His eyes widened as he recognized the unmistakable runes and seals plastered almost on every inch of the thing. Again he felt the knot at the back of this throat.
"No. No, it can't be! Still? In there?"
Silence was all that he heard for a long moment before the creature spoke. "You remember?"
Discord gulped. "You've been down here all this time?"
"Time has no meaning here. I have resigned myself to this fate."
"But... didn't you hear me? She's back! You have no-"
"Has your brain remained frozen in stone. Do you understand what is in this cage? It must be contained. It must not..." The voice trailed off, his head glancing back towards the large doors.
"No, I won't listen. It's bad enough that you're still alive, but to be sealed away down here because of me... well, that'd make me a bad friend and I know how Fluttershy hates bad friends... not after Tirek and-"
"Fluttershy?" The voice asked. "You've got a girlfriend now?"
Discord made a face. "I see you still have your sense of humor. She's just a friend."
"Sure she is."
"She is!"
And, for the first time in those lonely centuries, the creature laughed quietly. Or it seemed like he laughed, it was hard to tell considering Discord could not see the face. By the way the creature was shaking his shoulders, it could have been crying as well.
Discord bowed his head. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."
"Sorry? You?"
"I've changed!"
"Have you?"
"I can prove it to you!" Discord replied.
"Can you?"
"Yes!" Discord folded his arms. "I'll come here every day if I have to."
"Why?"
"To prove that I've changed."
The creature turned his head back to look at Discord. "I believe you. Don't bother coming back here."
"You know, for someone whose been trapped down here since... how long?"
"Long."
"You don't seem very bothered about seeing another creature."
"Time has no meaning here," the creature replied. "What's a century to you is but a moment for me."
"Then you don't mind me coming back repeatedly until I've proven myself."
"I said I believed you."
Discord raised an eyebrow. "Do you really? Or is that just to get me to leave you alone."
The creature stared for a long moment before sighing and shaking its head and looking down. "Fine."
"Great! I just can't wait to tell everypony about-"
"No," the voice shouted suddenly, the head snapping up. Discord took a step back. "Don't tell any others. Do not tell Celestia. And not Luna."
"What? Why? Isn't she the one I should tell first?" Discord furrowed his brow.
The creature looked at Discord, his eyes hard and piercing. "No."
"Whatever for? You and-"
"I said no, Discord," the creature roared stamping his foot down to emphasize the point. The entire chamber shook and Discord could hear whimpering from upstairs as Cerberus himself whined in fear. He looked down and shook his head sadly. "No."
"And may I ask why?" Prompted Discord.
"You know why," came the quiet reply.
Discord's eyes looked up at the doors once again. He just didn't get it. What was he doing there chained up the way he was. Surely those chains are not enough to hold him down. No, not him. There had to be another reason. A reason that he didn't catch on. The a knot slowly formed in his gut. A knot that grew until he finally understood.
"No. It can't be," The draconequus whispered.
"That is why you shouldn't be here. For some reason it is dormant in your presence."
"And you've been down here all this time. You're using yourself as the lock. You're the seal!" Discord was beside himself with the revelation. "N-n-n-n-no, t-t-this isn't good. There has to be a better way. I know, I can!"
Discord snapped his fingers a could formed around the seal. The runes suddenly lit up and the creature down below looked up, his eyes widening in resignation.
"Thanks, Discord. You woke him up."
"W-what?"
Suddenly a heavy pulse reverberated throughout the room. If the draconequus hadn't been hovering in midair, he would have smashed into the ground. A long moment of silence persisted in the immediate aftermath of the pulse followed by a noise that seemed to bellow from deep within the large doors. Then the seals glowed even fiercer and a tendril of darkness sneaked itself through a crack. It sliced across the chasm, the power and pressure carving a clean cut through the thick granite walls.
Discord watched as the creature stood up and pulled his arms across his chest and took a step forward and leaned down as far as he could go. The massive doors tried to close, but the shadowy tendril whipped around refusing to budge, like someone holding their finger or talon in a door to stop it from closing.
Then another tendril poked out and whipped around as if looking for the source of whatever it was blocking the doorway. It slammed into the far wall with the staircase blocking the way out. The magical lanterns and lights were blinking on and off and the noise that bellowed forth from the sealed doorway seemed to cut deep into Discord's soul.
Then, suddenly, a tendril latched onto a chain. It held onto it for dear life, or so it seemed, and quickly followed the it downwards. Discord saw this and immediately stood up pointing to it.
"Manny!"
The creature ceased his pulling and stopped to turn around just as the tendril reached him. Then the next thing Discord knew was the lights were off and there was nothing but silence. It had all stopped so suddenly that Discord was unsure if he were still alive or if he had somehow managed to get himself killed.
A small light appeared hovering in the palm of the creature's open hand as he looked up at the now destroyed doors. They looked as if they had been shredded into pieces by a crazed lumberer. A giant, crazed lumberer.
"I take it that's not good?" Discord asked, hoping to be lied to.
"It's not good," the creature responded. "We're going to have to go after it and bring it back."
"Oh? And how do you suppose we do that?"
"We?" The creature turned to Discord. "For nearly a thousand years I have kept that entity locked away. You see me for no more than ten minutes, and you let it escape! Couldn't you have helped me shut the doorway!"
Discord blinked dumbly.
"So, no, Discord. We aren't going to do anything. I am going to find this thing and bring it back here. The best thing you can do right now is to forget you saw me and pretend that I don't exist."
With that, the creature took a step back into the shadows and seemed to vanish without a trace.
"Oh dear. Well, if he says not to worry about then I won't. No use making him angrier than usual." Discord snapped his fingers and vanished into the ether.
