Wrath of the Stormguard

Chapters

A Survivor is Lost
The Master of the Sun
Taking a Life
Under My Protection
Fury of The Sun Queen

A Survivor is Lost

Lara Croft holstered the twin pistols she held, her gaze never leaving the cliff face, even as the screams of her enemy, Father Mathias, faded into nothingness. The newly born survivor felt a rush of relief flood into her. Even with everything she had endured to get here - all the wounds and scars, the tears in her clothing and the dirt on her skin, the people that had died before her eyes - she felt good.

She had done it. She had accomplished one of her goals. She had killed her enemy, the one that had caused so much death and so much heartache for her. The one that had tried to rout her at every turn. The one she had defied all odds to beat. Now there was one thing left for her to do.

She turned about on her heel, facing the pedestal where her friend, Samantha, was being undone. A mighty force, known as Himiko, the Sun Queen, was attempting to imbue her soul into Lara’s friend, Samantha, in order to be born anew. Even as Lara watched, the corpse on the pedestal was beginning to fall apart, and the blue, unnatural light that connected it to her was increasing in intensity. There was no more time. It was act, or let Sam die.

Striding over, Lara stepped up next to the screaming corpse, her hand gently brushing over the blue light. She felt a tingling rush through her, one she didn’t recognize or like very much. Upon further inspection of the corpse, she found that there was no way to break the connection without force. So, without a moment’s hesitation, she drew an arrow from her quiver and plunged it into the throat of the corpse.

There was a long, blood chilling scream as the corpse, which was imbued with a large amount of magical energy, began to feel it’s half life slip away. Lara held tight to the shaft of the arrow, praying for the thing’s death to come swift.

But Himiko had other plans.

Lara felt the magical energy begin to rush into her body, and immediately released the arrow, trying to fight back the unstoppable blue force flowing into her. Her body began to glow. Sam, who was now released from the Sun Queen’s grasp, turned weakly to gaze at her friend. Her eyes went wide as she watch Lara glow brighter and brighter.

“Lara! What’s happening?” She cried, her voice hoarse and raspy as she tried to make herself heard over the rushing of an unnatural wind. Lara turned to gaze at her. She felt the magic filling her body, the tingling rushing across every nerve, every cell of her being. But not taking control. She felt herself growing distant from the mountaintop. Distant from the world. She was being carried away.

She understood what was happening. In a last, desperate act, Himiko was trying to take Lara down with her. Even though she was going to die, she wouldn’t let Lara rob her of victory without great cost. Lara understood this. But she refused to accept it.

Lara tried to fight back, not sure how to force the magic back outside her body. No matter what she did, be it flail at the corpse or mentally strain herself to try and block it out, the blue light kept filling her body and soul. She couldn’t be possessed by Himiko. But she sure as hell wasn’t going to die like this.

As the blue light began to fade, Lara felt herself grow weak. She turned to try and find her friend, but her sight was giving out, fading away with the world around her. She began to panic. She opened her mouth to scream, to call out for her friend, but no words came. She tried to move, but her body would not respond. She knew something was very, very wrong.

‘Is... is this what it feels like to die?’ She wondered as the world around her began to grow dark. She wanted to close her eyes, wanted it to end. But she couldn’t. ‘At least... at least Sam is safe. I did what I came to do... I’m on my way, old friend.

The last thing Lara heard was a familiar, gruff voice. Then everything went black, and she knew no more.

__________

Groaning in pain, Lara Croft slowly came awake. She blinked her eyes open, shielding them from the glare of the sun. Propping herself up unsteadily, she gaze around blearily at the world, trying to make out just where she was.

‘Well, I'm not on Yamatai, that’s for certain.’ Lara rose unsteadily, gazing at the trees that surrounded her. She was in a deep, sinister looking forest that she had never seen before. It felt unnatural, with how bright all the colors were around her. And yet, at the same time, it felt inviting. There was something in this forest calling to her, pleading for her to come. Lara could feel the tug, but taking a step forward, she cried out and collapsed, her leg buckling under her.

‘Bloody hell... so I can stand up just fine, but try and take a little walk and nope, not happening. Damn it.’ Lara fixed her gaze upon her leg, which was obviously damaged more than she thought physically possible. Her bones were poking out of the skin in places, there was a great deal of skin torn off, and blood everywhere. How she hadn’t died was beyond her.

Looking around for some form of medical supplies, Lara discovered that most of her gear had survived whatever had happened to her. Out of all the weapons she had taken up to the mountaintop on Yamatai, only the combat shotgun was missing. She was curious as to where it had gotten to, but had more pressing matters to attend to. Specifically, the lack of any sort of medical supplies.

She sighed inwardly, cursing Himiko with as many obscenities as her mind could conjure up. She knew that she was likely to die in this forest. There were bound to be predators, and, without being able to move without enduring excruciating pain, she was a sitting duck. Well, a sitting duck with an assault rifle, but a duck nevertheless.

A noise caused her to jerk around, grabbing for one of the pistols at her side. She raised it, aiming at the small patch of shrubbery where the noise had originated. On the other side, she heard voices.

“Are you sure this is where it is, Twilight?” spoke a soft, feminine voice, so quietly Lara almost missed it.

“Positive,” Twilight replied, her voice much louder, and more... commanding? Lara shook her head. No, that wasn’t it... authoritative? She went with that as the voice went on. “I felt a strong magical disturbance around this area, and I want to find out just what it was. Come on.”

The shrubbery in front of Lara rustled again, moving aside to reveal the strangest creature she had ever seen. In front of her stood a lavender unicorn - ‘Scratch that, it’s got wings too... oh, what did Alex call them? Alicorns! That’s it!’ - with a deep violet mane and tail striped with some lovely highlights, and the most stunned expression she had ever seen on an equine. Lara wasn’t even sure if she could call it an equine, because it most certainly wasn’t one by her standards. It was short, only about three and a half feet tall, by her guess, and very round and soft looking. It looked more like a cartoon than a real horse.

Right behind the lavender alicorn was another small pegasus, this one a pale yellow with vividly pink mane. The pegasus seemed very timid, hiding behind the larger alicorn and gazing at Lara with untold fear. She thought the timid creature was quite cute, but she didn’t have long to dwell on it. The alicorn had started speaking.

“What on Equestria are you?” It questioned. Lara took note that its voice matched its appearance. The alicorn was obviously female. And although Lara was quite weirded out from having a talking magical equine in front of her, she had killed a sorceress. It wasn’t that strange to her. What surprised her was the thing spoke perfect English, albeit with a more American accent to it.

“Well, you can talk,” Lara replied, making the two equines jump. “That’s a new one.” The alicorn was looking her up and down, sizing her up. Lara gave her a warm smile, trying to see if they were going to be allies. They hadn’t attacked her yet, so she took it as a good sign.

“Oh!” The alicorn cried, her eyes fixated on Lara’s leg. “You’re hurt!” Lara looked down at her leg, then back at the alicorn. She raised an eyebrow.

“So, let me get this straight. You’re a bloody, purple... alicorn... thing, you can talk, and the first thing you do when you meet a strange new creature, potentially dangerous, mind you... is to get worried about its injury?” The alicorn seemed to mill the thought over before nodding.

“In this case, yes,” she replied coolly. “You’ve had plenty of opportunity to attack us, given that you do have a bow and several other... weapons?” The alicorn bent down to get a better look at Lara’s assault rifle, which was laying near her hooves. “These are weapons, right?” Looking up, she got a nod from Lara. The alicorn continued. “As I was saying, you’ve had plenty of time to attack us, and you didn’t. It’s more than likely that, if you really were a threat, you would have tried to harm me. The fact that you have not... well, that puts me at ease enough to worry about your leg.” The alicorn stepped a little closer, bending down to take a look.

“I’m Twilight Sparkle, by the way... ooh, that looks really bad. What happened? Did you fall? Were you attacked?” Lara shook her head, not looking at Twilight. Her gaze was fixed on the yellow pegasus, who was trying to make itself as inconspicuous as possible. It was failing miserably, too.

“You can call me Lara, and I don’t know... I kinda just woke up here.” Lara’s eyes never left the timid pegasus for an instant. “What’s with your friend?” Twilight turned to look. She rolled her eyes.

“That’s Fluttershy. She’s incredibly shy around new ponies, and I guess you too.” Twilight stepped over to Fluttershy, reaching out and gently tugging on her friend with a hoof. “Come on, Lara’s not gonna hurt you, Fluttershy. In fact, I think she’s nice.”

As the pegasus drew closer, Lara watched as more and more of the timid face began to peek out from behind the bubblegum pink mane. By the time she and Twilight had reached Lara’s side, Fluttershy was no longer trying to hide. She was, in what Lara could only describe as the most adorable personality swing she had ever seen, cooing sympathetically over Lara’s wound.

“Oh, you poor thing!” She shouted, her voice unreasonably quiet for a shout. “That must be unbearable. Twilight, we have to do something!” Twilight nodded, and closed her eyes for a brief moment. Lara watched in fascination as the horn jutting from Twilight’s forehead began to glow. Suddenly, Lara felt the ground fall out beneath her. She turned down, half expecting to see the center of the earth rushing up to meet her, but found herself looking down at the bloodstained grass where she had been lying not a moment before. Her fear gave way to confusion.

She turned around in midair, finding herself floating just above Twilight, whose horn was still glowing with an unnatural purple light. The same light seemed to envelop her, and she guessed that was what was holding her aloft. ‘But that can only mean... that’s impossible.’

“Are you a telekinetic?” She asked, watching as Twilight lifted the assault rifle with the same aura. Twilight gave a soft smile and shook her head.

“Not quite. True telekinesis is quite rare, but one of the most basic magic spells every foal learns is telekinesis. It makes things a lot easier for us.” Lara stopped listening at magic. This alicorn, this pony, could use magic. The only magicians Lara knew of were storybook characters and psychotic queens. And yet here was Twilight, holding her aloft with magic.

“Can all your race use magic?” Lara inquired. On a sudden thought, she followed up with, “Are there even more of you? Is this whole planet inhabited by pastel ponies?” Twilight gave a laugh, now trotting out of the clearing down a path, with Fluttershy in tow.

“Yes, there are many, many more ponies, although I don’t think we inhabit the whole planet. There’s several other races with kingdoms set up all over the world. And as to your first question, no. Only unicorns and alicorns can cast spells.” Twilight turned to look at her newest acquaintance. “Why the interest?”

Lara didn’t respond at once. There were a million thoughts racing through her mind, but the most prominent two were ‘I can’t believe it! I’ve discovered an entirely new race... and civilization!’ and ‘I’m pretty sure that I’m either dead... or never getting back to earth.’ Either way, Lara found herself enjoying the new sensation of gently floating through the air instead of falling through it at terminal velocity.

As Twilight levitated her through the forest, Lara finally gave her answer. “I... well, let’s just say back on my world, something like this would be considered,” she paused, trying to find the words. “childish, and unrealistic. In my world, this whole place, creatures like you...” She lowered her eyes and her voice. “You’re not real.”

Twilight shrugged and shook her head. “Really now, you sound like that’s a bad thing. Every universe is different with what species inhabit it. I mean, here there are griffons, minotaurs, dragons...” Twilight watched as Lara’s jaw fell lower and lower, smiling as it did. “I take it none of those things are real in your world either.” Lara nodded.

“This place...” Lara looked around her, taking in what she could of the forest. “This place is unreal. I bet you have quite a history here, don’t you?” Twilight gave her a nod.

“Are you an archaeologist, Lara?” the alicorn inquired. Lara gave her a nod. “Interesting. Although, I must say, you seem pretty heavily armed for an archaeologist. Then again... maybe your world needs you to be more heavily armed.” Lara sighed at that, nodding grimly.

“Unfortunately, yes.” she replied. “My world is fraught with danger and strife, chaos and evil. Being well defended is a necessary precaution, especially in the situation I was in before... well, before waking up in pony land.” On a whim, Lara turned awkwardly and looked at Fluttershy, who had been silently watching her with concern. “Are you alright? You’ve been awful quiet.” Fluttershy made a quiet ‘eep’ and shook her head.

“Oh, I-I’m alright. It’s just... I’ve never seen anything like you before. I have to admit I’m a little nervous... and curious.” She gave the human a gentle smile. “Plus, you’re hurt. I can’t bear the thought of an injured creature, no matter the race. I’m just concerned.” Fluttershy paused, before blushing furiously. “Um, I mean...” Lara waved her hand.

“I understand. And thank you,” Lara replied, returning the pegasus’ smile. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been shown such kindness.” She watched as the forest thinned out and faded as rolling plains appeared, with a small town set onto the horizon. Lara’s eyes went wide. “You have entire towns and civilization structures in place?” Twilight nodded, gazing at her in puzzlement.

“Of course. What of it?” Lara didn’t answer. She couldn’t. Her mind was reeling. Just a short while ago, she had been excited to finally be searching for a lost kingdom that may or may not have existed. Now, she had inadvertently stumbled upon the greatest lost civilization the world had ever seen.

A world full of pastel, miniature marshmallow-like equines, minotaurs, griffons, and other such mythical beasts? It was as if a storybook had come to life all around her. It was something she could barely wrap her mind around, but was glorious and wonderful to her. A brand new civilization, full of new history, relics, legends. For Lara, this world was a goldmine. And, from what the ponies had told her, a much safer goldmine.

As these thoughts passed through her mind, a wave of weakness washed over her. She realized that the moment the pain kicked in from her trying to stand, her body had been running on adrenaline. And it had just run out. The blood loss was taking its toll, and Lara felt herself grow limp. She slumped over in Twilight’s magical grip, blissfully unconscious.

__________

The steady beeping of a heart rate monitor was the noise that brought Lara back to her senses. She groaned, blinking her eyes open and rising slowly. A gentle nudge pushed her back down, followed by a calm voice she didn’t recognize.

“Please, try not to move, miss Lara. You’re still healing, and you need to rest.” Lara turned towards the voice, and found herself gazing into a pair of gentle blue eyes on a field of white fur. “Glad to see you’re awake. I’m Nurse Redheart. Welcome to Ponyville General.” Lara watched as best she could as the white pony stepped around the bed. As she moved, Lara noticed an odd mark on the pony’s flanks. It appeared to be a red cross, flanked by small pink hearts. She wondered if all ponies had those marks.

Redheart was still going on. “You’re lucky Twilight found you when she did. A little bit longer, and you would have been beyond saving... but I must know. What have you been through to gain all those scars?” Lara shook her head gently.

“I’ve been through a lot before winding up here. But I’d rather not talk about it. At least, not yet.” Redheart gave her a nod.

“That’s fine. I’d recommend trying to sleep. Twilight and her friends want to have a word with you, but you need to recover a bit more before I’ll allow them in.” Nurse Redheart stepped out of Lara’s line of sight, and the survivor heard a door open. “Get some rest.” The door gently closed after a moment, and Lara closed her eyes. The nurse was right. She did want to rest. Within minutes, Lara was asleep once more.

When she awoke some time later, she found that Twilight and Fluttershy had arrived, along with several new ponies she hadn’t met yet. Each of them was as unique as the last, and although she wasn’t fond of all of them, they reminded her of how diverse the crew of the Endurance had been.

As she summed them up, she made a mental list, checking off each of the six. ‘Alright, first is Twilight. She seems to be the ringleader, and is incredibly intelligent. A bit nerdy, but in an adorable way... somehow. Also, the only alicorn. Fluttershy seems nice, but is incredibly... I don’t want to say weak, but in a way, she is very weak. She’s timid and bashful, but has a good heart.

‘Next is Pinkie Pie... I don’t... gotta remember to keep a sharp eye on this one. I don’t know what it is, but something about her unnerves me... she’s almost too happy. Definitely hiding something. Applejack seems strong... but goddamn, I cannot get over that silly accent. She sounds like an American... redneck. That’s it. Redneck.

‘Rarity... now she and I, we will have issues. She’s sickeningly prim and posh. Oi, and her reaction to seeing my clothes? She fainted. I think I’m not the only one who needs a hospital right now. Last, the rainbow one, Rainbow Dash. She seems laid back, but also very diligent. Also, she keeps comparing me to a “Daring Do” character. I don’t know who that is, but she sounds a lot like Indiana Jones...’

Lara was shaken from her list as Twilight asked her something, something she didn’t really want to answer. “What happened to you? Why do you have all these scars?” Sighing in reply, Lara turned to the group, giving them a sad smile.

“I hope you are up for a story that’s none too pleasant,” she stated, her voice flat. “I’ve been through a great ordeal, one that’s really opened my eyes. But it was not without great sacrifice.” She gazed at the ponies, waiting for some sort of reaction. At a nod from the small group, Lara began to tell her tale.

She told of the Endurance, and of the whole crew and their expedition to find the lost Kingdom of Yamatai. She told of the shipwreck, and her getting separated and kidnapped. She told of Mathias, and how he duped her and kidnapped her best friend. She told of the mystical powers of Himiko, of the Solarii and the Stormguard, of the crashed plane and the daring rescue.

She told them of the deaths of Roth and Alex, the former from his wounds, the latter saving Lara’s life. She told of her ordeals, the amount of times she was shot, wounded, stabbed, and otherwise put in a miserable position. She told of her climb to confront Mathias. She told of the battle between her and the Stormguard behemoth. And she told of the death of Mathias and the rescue of Sam.

“Then, this weird blue light surrounded me, and I felt myself dying. At least, I thought I was dying... then everything went black and I woke up in that forest. I don’t even know how I got the leg wound, but that’s the story.” As she finished, she took in the expressions of the faces of the surrounding ponies. Most of them were in tears, sympathy laden in their features. Only Rainbow and Pinkie were unfazed. Pinkie had, amazingly, produced a pad and quill, and was furiously scribbling notes. But it was Rainbow Dash that surprised her.

Rainbow was watching Lara like the human was the most beautiful thing in existence. Lara wondered if her tale had confirmed the pegasus’ opinion of her being like that Daring character was confirmed by her story. She didn’t have long to think about it. Twilight, breaking off from the others, stepped over to her side and placed a hoof on her arm.

“I can’t imagine what that must have been like, especially to lose someone as close as Roth had been. But I can promise you this: Equestria is a place of peace, albeit somewhat unstable peace. You will be safe here.” Lara nodded and thanked her. At that moment, Nurse Redheart stepped into the room.

“As nice as it is for you all to be here for your new friend, I’m afraid visiting hours are over, and miss Lara needs her rest.” The ponies all gave a collective groan, but Redheart waved them off. “Come now, you can see her again tomorrow. And don’t worry, she’ll be up and about within the next two days. Now, please.” The ponies filed out of the room, all saying their farewells. Twilight was the last to go, and, pausing in the doorway, she turned to face Lara.

“Just so you know, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, the rulers of Equestria, will be here tomorrow. They wish to meet you.” Lara was a little perplexed, but nodded and thanked her for the heads up. Twilight smiled and waved, before stepping out the door, closing it behind her.

Redheart sighed, checking through her medical equipment. “As nice as it is to have visitors, I’m always nervous whenever Pinkie Pie enters a room.” After a few moments, she nodded. “Everything seems alright. I’ll be back with some dinner in a few minutes as well as some painkiller. You just relax... Oh! I almost forgot. Do you have a last name? It’s for the medical record.” Lara nodded.

“Croft. Lara Croft.”

__________

Far across Equestria, just south of the border to the Crystal Empire, there was another magical fluctuation. Another portal opened up in the world, and another being stepped onto Equestrian soil for the first time in her life. Unknown to all, a new, powerful magic had entered the world. And it was alive. More alive than it had been in a long time.

Himiko, Sun Queen of Yamatai, lifted her hands in front of her eyes, studying them. A thousand thoughts rushed through her mind, but the most prominent was that she was alive. That, and the magic inherent in the world around her was far more powerful than back on earth. A wicked smile crossed her face.

“Well...” She said, her voice dark and full of a sinister desire. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

The Master of the Sun

Lara found herself in a strange place, most certainly not the hospital where she had fallen asleep. The ground she stood on was soaked in blood, and the smell of death hung in the air around her. She looked around, trying to take in what she could. From what she could see, the burning and ruined town was unfamiliar to her, and at the same time, she knew the place well. She knew that this was the town she was residing in currently. The one called Ponyville.

She then realized just what this meant. It meant that something, or someone, had come and slaughtered the ponies that lived here. And Lara instinctively thought of only one person. Her fears were confirmed when she turned about and saw a being floating in the air, the clouds and wind bending to its will. Lara knew who it was.

And she screamed.

__________

She woke up screaming. Nurse Redheart was by her side, trying to calm her down. Once Lara regained her senses, she panted heavily, trying to figure out what she had just witnessed. Redheart was still talking to her, and it took the human a moment to register the words.

“Miss Croft!” Redheart was saying. “Are you alright? What’s wrong?” Lara took some deep breaths, trying to compose herself. the expression worn by the pony was one of immense concern. Something she hadn’t seen since before Roth died.

After a moment, she shook herself and replied. “It was just a dream... a terrible one, but a dream nonetheless.” Sighing, she laid back down, clutching her head with a hand. “I’m sorry for worrying you.” Redheart gave a sigh of relief and smiled.

“Oh thank goodness. I thought the painkillers had worn off or something. One of the other doctors here heard you screaming and sent for me.” After a moment, the pony started checking all her equipment, making sure everything was still functioning properly. “Must have been some nightmare, huh?” Lara nodded.

“You have no idea.” It took Redheart a little while to do the proper checks on all of her equipment, but when she was done, she gave a quick nod and strode to the door.

“I’ll be back with your breakfast in a little bit. Oh, and Twilight and the Princesses will be here in about an hour. I can help make yourself presentable, if you’d like.” Lara nodded and thanked her, and with that, Redheart left. Lara took the time to think over what she had seen in the dream.

‘Well, that was obviously Himiko. Only one human can control the weather like that. The real question is, was that a true nightmare... or was that prophecy. I’ve seen stranger things, but if that was truly a foreshadowing of things to come... oh dear.’ Lara sat upright, fear and dread growing in her heart.

‘That’s impossible. There’s no way that she can still be alive. I killed her. I put an arrow through her neck. I... I...’ Her eyes went wide, and she began to panic. ‘I should have died... so she... son of a bitch.’ She wanted to leap to her feet, wanted to get her equipment and weapons, and go and seek out the monster that had most likely followed her here. But she knew she couldn’t. At least, not yet. But the time would come.

At that moment, Lara realized something. She had no way of getting back to earth. As amazing as it was to discover this brave, new world, she knew her place was back on earth, with her friends. But she was trapped. Magic had brought her here, and she didn’t know any magic to bring her back. She was thoroughly stuck. And with a possible, imminent threat on the horizon, her mood was growing ever more sour. Things were going very, very wrong for her.

Redheart chose then to return with breakfast, which consisted of toast, eggs, and water. The nurse noticed the pained and worried expression on Lara’s face, and her tone changed from cheerful to concerned once more. She set the breakfast down on a nearby table and strode up to Lara.

“What is it? What’s bothering you?” she asked quietly. Lara didn’t look at her, only sighed and shook her head.

“Just some things weighing on my mind. Mostly the fact that I don’t know how I’m gonna get home.” Redheart sighed, turning back to the table and picking up the tray once more.

“Ah. Don’t worry. The princesses will be able to help you. Their magic is very, very strong. I’m sure they know of a way.” Lara gave her a gentle smile, and accepted the food gratefully.

“I hope so.”

__________

“So, you are Lara Croft.”

Lara found her jaw slack. She thought she had seen everything, but when the two imposing figures stepped into the hospital room, followed by Twilight, she couldn’t believe her eyes. These two alicorns stood a head and a half taller than Twilight, probably on level if not taller than Lara herself. One white, one blue, both with manes that seemed to flow in an unnatural wind. They wore some jewelry, and each had a tiara that show their position. Obviously, these were the two alicorn princesses. And they were a sight to behold in their own rights.

The taller of the two, the white one, giggled a bit at Lara’s reaction. “Come now, say something. Am I so beautiful that you have no words left?” Lara shook herself, blushing furiously at the laughs from the other two ponies.

“I’m just a little taken aback, is all,” she grumbled, before muttering, “Not at all an awkward statement, it seems.” The ponies didn’t hear her, and so the white one continued.

“I am Princess Celestia, and this,” she gestured to the smaller, blue alicorn, “is my younger sister, Princess Luna. I must say, in all my years of reigning, I’ve never seen a creature quite like you before. And I’ve been in power for well over one thousand years.” Lara’s eyes were as wide as dinner plates as Celestia finished her statement.

“A-are you serious? One thousand years?” Celestia gave her a nod. Lara paused for a moment. “Normally, I’d say that’s bloody impossible. Now... I’m not so sure that anything’s impossible.” Celestia giggled again.

“It appears that you have been through a great ordeal. Twilight has explained much of it to us. But that is not why we are here.” Celestia took that moment to look Lara over. Although her clothes were still quite worn and dirty, along with her skin, her scars had healed over nicely, along with her wounds. According to Redheart, Lara would be fit to move about within the next few hours. Celestia knew that was essential, for a number of reasons.

“Then just what is it you want of me?” Lara asked, full well knowing that Celestia had something in mind for her to do. Celestia felt a bit dissapointed that Lara had caught on, but was in a way quite pleased to see that the survivor was quick witted. She gave Lara a smile that was deceptive of her true feelings. But instead of replying, she turned to her sister, and gave her a nod. Luna stepped forward.

“As you are no doubt aware, a creature like you has never existed in Equestria. At least, from what we know of the history of our race. Now, although we would be willing - and very pleased, mind you - to accept you into Equestria and allow you to live here in peace, we can tell that you dearly long to return to your world. That being said...” Luna paused, frowning as she watched Lara. It was clear to the human that Luna was apprehensive of her. She didn’t blame her, though. Given the chance, she probably would have worn the same expression.

“We cannot help you get back.” Lara sighed. It was what she had been expecting all along. Her worst fear - and greatest hope - had come to pass.

“Well, figured as much. Damn...” There was another laugh, and Lara looked up to see Luna holding a hoof to her lips, trying to suppress her giggles. “What?”

“You,” Luna replied, still trying to fight back laughter. “You seemed and sounded so determined from what Twilight told us, and yet here you are, giving up without even letting us finish. Come now, don’t get so down. We may not be able to send you back, despite our power... but there is yet a way.”

Lara’s demeanor changed in a heartbeat. Her face lit up with the brightest of hope for but a moment, but as quick as it had come, it was gone. Lara instead glared at the two sisters, obviously put off about something. Before the two could inquire as to what, Lara asked her own questions.

“What do I have to do? And what do you mean, despite your power? What, can you raise the sun or something?” Celestia bit her lip and looked off to the side. Lara’s mouth fell open again. “No. No bloody way. I... no, that’s not possible.”

“It is,” Twilight interjected, speaking for the first time since she had entered the room. “I’ve seen it done, numerous times. In fact, I’d bet that the princess would be willing to show you, come tomorrow.” Lara shook her head, still not quite believing what she had just heard.

“Lara,” Celestia began, trying to dispel the tension she had created. Lara held up a hand, silencing her.

“Please. Just... just give me a minute, alright? This is... this is all just so much.” Celestia responded with a brief nod, and, gesturing to her fellow alicorns, stepped out of Lara’s hospital room. When the door had closed behind them, Lara let out a huge sigh.

‘Damn it all. Just when I think I’m out of trouble, it seems to find me. So Celestia claims to raise the sun. That basically makes her the Sun Princess... great.’ Lara closed her eyes, resting her head in her hands. ‘She doesn’t seem all that bad... I just feel like I can’t really trust her. Nor her sister. Luna... probably raises the moon, if the name is anything to go by...

‘But they’re my only way home. They know how. And I need to get home.’ Lara paused in her musing, a small smile gracing her lips. ‘That being said, I think I can take my time. I still have no confirmation that Himiko survived, or is even here. Until I have some definite proof, I think I’m going to find out what I can about this place. Maybe do some digging, find out about the history of this pony civilization... collect a few souvenirs.’ She chuckled, her spirit rising. Her frown seemed transfixed on her face, however.

‘I still don’t fully trust her. I don’t really trust any of them, apart from Twilight and Redheart. But I have no choice. I have to trust them in order to get back home.’ Lara took a deep breath, composing herself. ‘Suck it up, Lara. Time to face the music. Let’s see what the Sun Princess has for me to do.’

She wasn’t sure if they were within earshot, but she gave a call towards the door, telling them she was alright, and that they could come back in. It took a few seconds, but the door swung open, and the three alicorns stepped back inside. All three of them were eyeing Lara with concern and apprehension.

“Is everything alright, Lara?” Twilight asked, stepping over to the side of the bed. Lara gave her a quick smile and a nod.

“I’m fine,” she replied, lying through her teeth. “It’s just... well, the last being I met with power as great as Celestia here claims to have... she tried to possess one of my best friends, indirectly killed three others, and tried to kill me. She was known as the Sun Queen, although I have no idea whether or not she could stop the rotation of my world, thus stopping the sun. She could control the weather, however.” Lara paused, before closing her eyes and sighing. “Let me guess, you can do that too?” Twilight frowned, but nodded.

“All pegasi can manipulate clouds. In fact, they’re the ones who make the weather happen as it needs to. Rain, snow, sun and storm, they bring it into life. Why?” Lara groaned, and lay back on her bed, clutching at her forehead with one hand.

“Nothing... just forget it. Please, tell me what it is you want me to do.” She waved her free hand in Luna’s direction. The moon princess rolled her eyes at the uncannily rude treatment.

“Well, ancient Equestrian history speaks of a set of relics, four in total, that were once used to breach the barriers between worlds. The four ponies that created them were master spellcasters, and each item was sealed away in a tomb. There was a necklace, a staff, a crown, and a blade, each one empowered with a piece of the spell needed to reach other worlds.

“If you want to get back home, the best bet would be to find these items and use their magic to cross the worlds. We would seek them out, but we do have a country to run. Politics and all the joys that come with it must come first. I know it is a lot to ask of you, but if you want to get back, you must seek the items yourself. Of course, Twilight and her friends are ready and willing to aid you in any way they can.” Lara didn’t react for a long while. Luna and Celestia shared a look, and, right when they had decided to try and press the matter, Lara finally found her voice.

“Where do I begin?”

__________

The next day, just before dawn, Lara rose from her bed. The evening prior, Redheart had given her the okay to walk on her leg, but to do so with care. Lara was astounded at the rate at which the wound had healed. Granted, there was a massive scar showing her just where her leg had been torn open, but it was whole and functioning once more. Stretching and letting loose a large yawn, Lara pushed open the door to her room and made her way outside, as she had agreed to do. She found the hospital easy to navigate, and even bumped into Redheart, who was up and about, looking tired but cheerful. With a quick greeting and a wave to her caretaker, Lara found the front entrance and made her way out.

Waiting outside the hospital was Celestia, her eyes closed, smiling as a gentle breeze drifted past her. Lara gave her an irritated look, and cleared her throat. Celestia’s eyes opened, and she turned, giving Lara a quick nod.

“Watch carefully,” Celestia whispered, her horn lighting up with a beautiful, golden aura. Lara’s eyes turned to the east, watching and waiting for the sun to appear. As it did, Lara noticed that something about the sun seemed off. She had seen the sun of this world - which Twilight had earlier told her was called Equestria - and knew it was like her own sun. But something was not natural. Then it hit her. The same golden aura that surrounded Celestia’s horn was surrounding the sun. Lara’s eyes went wide.

She turned back to Celestia, whose face was strained in concentration. Only then did Lara truly understand what it meant to raise the sun. Even in Equestria, the sun was no small object, and for a single being to be able to move it on their own was an amazing feat. Although still unnerved, Lara had to admit she was impressed. Celestia was not only powerful, but she was honest.

At last, Celestia’s horn stopped glowing, and she let out her breath, panting slightly. Shaking her head, she gave a soft chuckle as she turned to face Lara. “You know, normally it’s not that hard for me. I didn’t sleep all that well last night, so I apologize.” Lara nodded with understanding. Celestia took a deep breath and continued. “There’s something I wish to ask of you, miss Croft. Why is it you don’t trust me?”

Lara sighed. “Figured that out, did you?” At Celestia’s nod, she closed her eyes and frowned. “It’s nothing personal. Just understand that, in my world, there are no beings that possess powers like yours, or like any of the other ponies in this world. They simply do not exist. The only one I’ve ever known... well, that was the one that tried to kill me. So, forgive me if I find that every being who possesses unimaginable power makes me a little uneasy. The only one who does not is Twilight, and that’s because she was so eager and willing to help me in my time of need.” Celestia smiled slightly.

“I understand completely,” was her reply. “I would react the same as you, I should believe, were I in your place.” Celestia turned about and gestured for Lara to follow. “Come with me. I’ll take you over to Twilight’s, where she will be able to provide you with the information you need to begin your quest.” The two of them began their walk through Ponyville. As the sun had only just risen, pretty much everypony was still asleep, or just beginning to wake up. Lara took in the sight of the plain, somewhat cute town as she conversed with Celestia.

“So, where’s your sister?” Celestia laughed and shook her head.

“Oh, Luna... she’s really trying hard to make my little ponies love her like they love me. Right now, she’s back in Canterlot, presiding over the day’s political hubbub. Once we reach Twilight’s, I will be heading there as well.” Celestia’s cheerful demeanor vanished as Lara groaned over the terrible pun of Canterlot. “She’s had a real rough time adjusting to Equestria after her banishment, and I fear that my subjects will never truly accept her. They’re ready to love her... but I feel that they still do not trust her. And it saddens me.” Lara nodded knowingly as they passed by a building that looked remarkably like a giant gingerbread house.

“I know what that’s like. Well, apart from being banished. I’m not even gonna ask about that, you’ll probably just tell me you banished her to the moon for a thousand years or some other rubbish,” Lara noted the nervous glance Celestia shot away from her. “But I know what it’s like to have others want you there, and yet at the same time, want you gone. It was like that for the crew of the Endurance. Some of them got a little edgy after our time on the island, and some of them took it out on me. It was my idea to seek out Yamatai in the manner we did, and they felt I was responsible for their suffering.

“I guess I was, in a way. I had directed them there, and I wasn’t really around to help them with repairs and survival. I was trying to save Sam. And then... Roth and Alex... and Grim, our captain... We lost three too many.” Lara felt a burning in her eyes as thoughts of her fallen friends rushed through her mind. “I feel responsible, in a way. I feel like I let them down... I...” She trailed off, biting her lip and fighting the urge to break down crying. It was a moment before she had registered that the two of them had stopped walking. And it was another moment longer before she felt the sensation of a large wing caressing her.

“I can honestly say I know that pain well, Lara. A millenia and then some has torn my heart asunder watching the ones I love die before me, helpless to stop it. But you know as well as I do that you cannot let it bring you down. If I let every death of a loved one get to me, I’d have killed myself centuries ago. And although you may not have great power, you are much stronger of will than most dragons are. You can and you will do this, Lara.” Celestia’s face lit up with the most genuine and heartwarming smile Lara had ever seen. “And remember: we’re all here for you. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate.” Lara wiped her eyes, which had been letting the tears flow for some time, and smiled back.

“Thanks. I needed that... you’re not that bad, you know?” Celestia gave a light hearted laugh, pulling her wing back.

“I’ve been told. Oh, by the way, we’ve arrived.” Celestia pointed with her hoof at a tree in front of them. At least, that’s what Lara thought it was at first glance. But, upon further inspection, she found herself staring at a building that was literally carved into the tree. She whistled.

“Now that’s something,” she muttered, turning at the sound of wings unfurling. Celestia had spread her wings, watching the sky with a purpose.

“Tell me, Lara. This Himiko... do you really believe she is alive and present in Equestria?” Lara shrugged.

“To be honest, I don’t know. I survived her trying to kill us both, so it’s probably a safe bet to say she might be. Which is worrying.”

“I agree. I did sense a second magical fluctuation in the north, but that is near the region of the Crystal Empire. Many magical fluctuations come from that region, so I thought nothing of it... now, the moment I return, I’ll need to send some scouts to investigate.” Celestia turned back to Lara. “Word to the wise. Twilight and her friends may offer to aid you on your quest. I will not tell you whether or not to allow it, just be sure that, if you do, you will protect them.” Lara smiled and shook her head.

“I promise, although don’t count on me actually letting them come along. I work better alone.”

Celestia gave her a nod, and, without another word, took off into the air. Lara watched her go for a moment, before turning back to the tree. She walked up to the door, and, with a quick knock, prepared to step into the unknown.

__________

“For the last time, Rainbow Dash, no!”

Three hours and a long, enlightening talk with Twilight later, Lara found herself in a small park inside of Ponyville, munching on an apple and having a shouting match with Rainbow Dash. Twilight, like Celestia, had warned her that some of her friends might try to come with her on the venture once they found out. Of course, Rainbow somehow heard about it, and was now trying to convince Lara to take her along.

“Look, I could be very helpful!” Rainbow was screaming back at Lara. “You never know when you might need a pegasus, and I’m the best there is!” Lara rolled her eyes.

“Right. Please, do tell me how you would be helpful to me on my journey?” Rainbow gave her a cocky look.

“I know most of Equestria like the back of my hoof, given that I’ve taken some time to fly over the whole of it! You’ll need a guide to show you the way! That’s where I come in.” Lara shook her head, reaching into a small bag she was wearing and pulling out a scroll.

“Not entirely true. Twilight did supply me with several maps, along with descriptions of the regions where the tombs are located. A guide would only weigh me down.” Rainbow’s cocky look faded for but a second. She recovered quickly and spat back a retort.

“Yeah, well, you never know when you’ll need an eagle’s eye view of the area. I could be extremely helpful with surveillance.” Lara shook her head again, stowing the map back in the bag.

“A scout with a loudmouth would be counterproductive. Sorry, Rainbow, but if that’s all you’ve got, I can’t let you come with me.” Rainbow’s face fell, her only two reasons being dashed to pieces before her eyes. She lowered her head in defeat. Lara was about to leave the park when Rainbow spoke again, this time much softer.

“Have you ever faced down a manticore before? A hydra? Cockatrice, timberwolf, dragon, changeling?” Lara stopped. Not a single one of those creatures existed back on earth. She turned back to face the cyan pegasus.

“No. Those creatures are all myth in my world. Why?” Rainbow slowly raised her head back up, staring Lara in the eye with a confident smile.

“I have. They’re here, and they’re very much real. Not only that, but they are very dangerous. I know you’ve faced a lot of danger, but you’ve never faced the Equestrian wilds. These monsters will chew you up and spit you out. Unless, of course,” Rainbow sidled up to Lara and nudged her in the side with a hoof. “You have a daring, dashing, and knowledgeable assistant.”

Lara sighed and shook her head, before flashing a smile at Rainbow. “Alright. You can come. BUT!” She poked Rainbow’s muzzle with a finger. “Only you. None of your other friends are coming.” Lara swore she heard an “Oh, come on!” from a bush not far behind her, but shrugged it off. Rainbow flew up into the air, pumping her hooves in a victorious fashion.

“Yes!” She cried to the heavens. “This is gonna be just like Daring Do! So...” She landed next to Lara, a quizzical look crossing her face. “Where exactly are we going?” Lara pulled out the map again, unrolling it and laying it on the ground. She pointed to a spot on the map that had been marked by Twilight earlier.

“Back to where I was found. The Everfree Forest.”

__________

“Welcome, my Stormguard.” Himiko spread her arms wide as she shouted to her forces. The army of samurai, greatly diminished from the last time she had been alive, along with some remnants of the group that had tried to bring her back, the Solarii, stood before her. She had opened the gates between the worlds, and brought them here. “Welcome to this new world of magic.” She turned, facing down into the world below.

She had chosen a mountain as her base of operations. Maybe it was nostalgia. Maybe she just love mountains. She wasn’t sure, nor did she care. She was secluded, and she was preparing. She pointed down at the world that was displayed before her.

“Down there is a world of peaceful, weak equine creatures, some capable of powerful magic. I want this world for myself, and this is where you come in.” She turned back to her forces. “You shall seize this world in my name. And you,” she pointed at the Solarii. “will start. There is a small town near the base of this mountain. Capture it for me, prove your loyalty. And be rewarded.”

A battle cry rose up from the two gathered armies. Himiko smiled to herself, pleased with their undying loyalty. 'Soon, very soon, it shall be time.' She mused. 'It has been far too long since I've tasted the sweetness of conquest. I dearly long for it.'

Taking a Life

“Sooo... where exactly are we going again?” It was midday, and the newly formed duo were making their way into the Everfree Forest. Rainbow, quickly growing bored, had asked the question, and although Lara had told her cyan companion that their destination was in the Everfree, she had forgot to mention what that destination was. Sighing and pulling a scroll out of the pouch at her belt, she unrolled it and glanced at the text.

“It’s a place called ‘The Ancient Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters’,” she replied, tucking the scroll safely away. “Not sure where that is, but Twilight did say to stick to the path. Has she been there before?” Rainbow gave her a nod.

“Five of us - Rarity, Pinkie, Flutters, AJ, and myself - went with her to that castle when we first met her. We needed to find the Elements of Harmony in order to stop Nightmare Moon.” She stopped after noticing Lara was giving her an odd look. “Um... yes, I know the way. I just hope that sea serpent isn’t out.” Lara didn’t even bother to comment on the sea serpent. Now that she had a general idea of the beasts and creatures that inhabited this world, it didn’t really faze her anymore when something new was revealed to her.

She stopped dead in her tracks, her hand instinctively reaching around for her bow. She signaled to Rainbow to get down, then ducked off the path into the underbrush, nocking an arrow. Rainbow followed, watching her with a quizzical look.

“What is it?” She asked in as loud a whisper as she dared. Lara didn’t answer, merely shook her head and pointed back at the path. Rainbow turned, but she heard it before she saw it. Giant, padded paws sank into the dirt of the path as a towering beast, snarling and waving it’s stinger tipped tail, strode forward, obviously on the hunt. Rainbow recognized it at once.

“Manticore,” she muttered to herself, so softly she almost didn’t hear it. The manticore did, however, and with a twitch of the ears, it swiveled about to face the underbrush where the two were hiding. Lara tensed, drawing back on the bowstring. She knew that she would only have one shot, and if she missed, they were both dead.

She heard the pawsteps resume, this time coming closer to her hiding place. Rolling into a kneeling position, she put herself directly in front of the beast, her bow taut and pointed square between the eyes. The manticore barely got the beginnings of a roar out when the arrow pierced its skull, entering through one of the eyes. There was a guttural sound from the beast’s throat, then silence as it fell to the earth with a soft thud. Lara sighed, standing back up and slinging her bow over her shoulder once more. Rainbow was staring at her with a mixture of awe and terror.

“You... you killed it?” the pegasus asked hesitantly. Lara nodded, stepping back out onto the path, kneeling to get a better look at the corpse. Rainbow kept her distance, watching Lara. “Why?”

“I had no other option,” Lara sighed, grasping at the arrow. There was a sickening squelching noise as she pulled it out of the beast’s eye, letting blood begin to trickle from the now open wound. “That thing was out for blood, and given the chance, it probably would have killed us both. I wasn’t about to let that happen.” She wiped the blood off the arrow on the corpse, then stuck it back in her quiver, rising once more. “I understand that, given this seems to be a world of peace, killing must be foreign to you. Back in my world, I had to kill in order to survive. Man and beast alike, if they were trying to kill me, I killed them first.”

Lara began to resume her walk down the path, not giving Rainbow a second look. “I tried to warn you. I told you my story. You knew that I was capable of this. If you don’t think you can handle it, I suggest you return to Ponyville.” Rainbow paused, watching Lara walk away. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind. She wanted to run, wanted to stay as far away from Lara as possible. But, at the same time, Lara was right. It was a terrible thing she had done, but if she hadn’t, they might have been killed. Rainbow weighed her options for only a moment.

Lara heard the hoofbeats travelling away from her and sighed. Although she didn’t want to show it, she appreciated the company that Rainbow Dash had given her for the short time they had ventured together. Having roamed Yamatai by herself, she liked the change of pace that the pegasus brought. Now she was gone. Lara stopped in the path and closed her eyes, letting her senses take in everything around her.

She smiled, looking up to the sky. Hovering just above her head was Rainbow Dash, her face alight with a cocky grin.

“You didn’t think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?” The pegasus inquired. Lara laughed and shook her head, continuing her walk with Rainbow at her side.

“To be honest, I did,” Lara replied as Rainbow landed next to her, as to trot alongside her companion. “I thought that maybe the toughest pegasus Equestria has to offer was turning tail and running, to be blunt. I must say, I am surprised.” Rainbow pushed her mane back and made a “pshaw” noise.

“Aw, you think so? Believe it or not, I’m called the Element of Loyalty for a reason. I never leave my friends hangin’.” Lara didn’t reply at first, her eyes focused on the path ahead and her mind racing with the words that had just been spoken. Had this pegasus really called her friend? Could she say the same? She didn’t get the chance to respond, as Rainbow continued. “I wanna know. How did you know the manticore was coming? I didn’t hear it until it got close.” Lara shook her head.

“I don’t really understand it myself. I just have this... instinct. I can sense things that are out of place in the area around me, even when they’re out of sight. It just happens.” Rainbow gave her a weird look.

“Don’t tell Twilight about that. Trust me, she would have a field day trying to figure it out.” By this point, the pair had arrived at the river where Rainbow had first met the serpent. To her relief, he was nowhere in sight. She led Lara across the river and down deeper into the forest, heading for the castle.

The walk took some time, but it was pleasantly uneventful. Not like the earlier, brief encounter with the manticore. Eventually, after passing through one of the darkest sections of the forest and crossing a perilously unstable bridge, the pair found themselves in front of the castle they had been seeking. Rainbow noted there was no change to it since the last time she had been there, but Lara’s eyes lit up with a burning curiosity. As the two stepped inside, she began to ask Rainbow about the castle.

“So this is the castle of the Royal Sisters? Does that mean that Celestia and Luna once ruled Equestria from here?” Lara strode into the center of the hall, trying to imagine what the place looked like before it fell into ruin. Rainbow gave her a shrug.

“Eh, I dunno. Maybe? Twilight’s the one to ask about stuff like that.” Rainbow was gazing around the hall with less enthusiasm. “So, what are we looking for? I’ve seen this place before, there’s nothing strange here.” Lara shook her head, looking towards the pedestal in the center.

“What rested there?” She asked, striding over. Her sense, what she dubbed her Survivor Sense, told her that all was not as it seemed with the pedestal. Rainbow, once again, seemed bored.

“That was holding the sealed Elements of Harmony. You know, the powerful magic artifacts that we needed to stop Nightmare Moon?” Rainbow paused at Lara’s confused expression, trotting over to the pedestal. “Probably shoulda mentioned that.” Lara rolled her eyes and stepped to the side of the pedestal opposite the door. A long groan escaped her.

“Oh, no. God no. That is terrible.” Rainbow trotted over to look. Sticking out of the back of the pedestal, concealed from almost every other angle, was a lever. A very prominent, pink lever. “This is, beyond a doubt, the worst design for a lever I’ve ever seen.”

Rainbow paused for a moment, slapping herself mentally. How she had missed that the first visit was beyond her. She turned to Lara and gave her a nod.

“Well, no going back now. Let’s pull it and see what it does.” Lara returned the nod and gave the lever a pull. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Lara looked around, seeking a change in the world around her. She found none. Rainbow seemed disappointed. “Really? That’s it?”

“Guess so. Looks like we need to search the rest of the ruins,” Lara replied, stepping back around to the front of the pedestal. She groaned again. Rainbow stepped around to find out what she was groaning at, only to roll her eyes and shake her head. A small, concealed stairwell had opened in the pedestal base. It was large enough for Lara to fit, but small enough to conceal it from sight.

Lara sighed, stepping onto the top step. “Well, all annoyances aside, looks like we’ve found our way in. Stay close.” With that, the two began their descent into the bowels of the ancient castle. As they went further and further down, the light began to fade around them. Lara reached to her side and pulled a small, well used torch out, along with a lighter. With a quick flick of the lighter, she ignited the torch, giving the duo a small, flickering light in the darkness of the underground ruin.

As they descended, a small ticking sound began to ring throughout the stairwell. It grew louder the lower the two of the descended, but they were unable to pinpoint the source. Of course, their search for it grew much harder as they reached the bottom step, finding themselves in a large, seemingly never ending room. Rainbow gasped as Lara stepped off to the side, gazing at the wall appraisingly.

“This must have been a great hall or throne room,” She muttered, loud enough for the pegasus to hear. “To think, a brilliant mage was buried with the old castle. I’ll give it to Celestia, that’s clever. That’s really clever.” She noticed a small pool of liquid sitting in a vessel on the wall. Giving it a quick sniff, she took a step back and lowered the torch. As she had anticipated, the liquid, which she had determined to be oil, burst into flames. The flames shot around the room, illuminating the entirety of the hall. As it reached the far wall, it shot up and around a doorway, then back to the entrance. Lara whistled.

“Told you. Great hall.” Lara smiled as she looked over the room. It was vast, and looked like, at a time long past, it would have been very beautiful. In the present, there was dirt and rubble all around, with a section of the roof collapsed further down the hall. How it hadn’t caved in the entire ruin was beyond her. Lara attributed that to magic.

Striding forward, Lara and Rainbow quickly moved through the hall. As they walked, Rainbow kept her eyes fixed on the wall.

“Do you think there’s traps and stuff? Like in the Daring Do books?” She asked, trying to find a concealed spear or spike trap. Lara shook her head.

“Most likely not,” she replied softly, the continuing ticking noise beginning to irritate her. She took yet another step forward, not really paying attention to where she was going. So when the ground in front of her foot sank suddenly, she fell over, dropping the torch. Luck was with her, for as she fell, a spear whipped past her, missing her head by inches. Rainbow flew over, trying to hold back a grin.

“Not a damn word,” Lara growled, picking herself up and reaching down for the torch, which she extinguished. She lowered herself back down, trying to determine if the plate of tile she had stepped on had any markings, something that would give it away. Seeing nothing, she attempted a different approach. She focused her senses, searching for anything that seemed out of place. As the pressure plates revealed themselves to her, she smiled.

With a wave, she led Rainbow through the minefield of spear traps, navigating each small pad so as to avoid another near miss. As they progressed further in, the ticking noise grew ever louder. Both Lara and Rainbow were now thoroughly irritated by the noise, but were unable to pick out what it was. Even Lara’s senses couldn’t find the source. Rainbow voiced her concern.

“Do you think there’s a monster or something down here?” She asked, eyes fixed on the doorway ahead. Lara nodded.

“You mean like a dungeon guardian? Given that there were traps, I wouldn’t be surprised.” She narrowly missed one of the spear plates, her focus being distracted by the pegasus. She wouldn’t put it past whoever built this place to put some sort of immortal guardian to protect the magical artifact. As they approached the doorway, Lara stopped, focussing her senses on the blackness beyond.

“Rainbow!” She shouted, stopping the pegasus dead in her tracks. “Don’t move. There’s something in there. Something massive.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Something massive? Please, I’ve faced down a dragon. What’s the worst it could be?” Before Lara could stop her, Rainbow began to advance on the blackness lying in wait beyond the door. It was only then that Lara heard it.

The ticking had stopped.

There was a thunderous roar from the doorway, and Rainbow barely had time to dodge out of the way as a huge, lions paw crashed into the light. Out of the darkness emerged a creature the likes of which neither of the two had ever seen before. Three heads, each of a different creature, rose up to the roof of the cavern. All three pairs of eyes were fixated on the pair. And, as the creature strode into the room, Lara realized just what it was. Body of a lion, wings and talons of an eagle... and the tail of a snake, plus the heads of all three.

“Chimera!” She cried, leaping to the side as the beast took a swipe at her with a paw. Rainbow had to dodge a similar attack from the tail, but she was left more than a little confused.

“C-chimera? That’s impossible!” She shouted back, taking to the air as the beast took another swipe. “All the chimeras died out centuries ago! At least, that’s what Twilight told me!” Lara rolled her eyes, drawing her assault rifle and bringing it around, aiming at the snake’s head.

“Well, one’s right here! We have to take it down!” Lara squeezed off a few rounds, but they didn’t seem to have any effect. Most of the shots just bounced off the snake’s scaly hide, but one did manage to find its mark. Just as the snake opened its mouth for a strike, one of Lara’s bullets hit the roof of the mouth. The snake hissed in pain, glaring down at Lara. The triumphant smile that Lara wore was quickly replaced by a look of sheer terror. At the hiss of pain, the other two heads, who had been focused on Rainbow, were now focused on her.

A plan quickly formulated in her mind. If it worked, they might be able to survive this after all. She turned and began to sprint, calling out to Rainbow.

“Rainbow! I need you to distract the eagle and lion heads!” Rainbow gave her a frightened and confused look. Lara nodded. “Just trust me here!” Rainbow gulped, but steeled herself and dove in, striking the eagle head with a quick blow before moving out of range of the paws and tail. The three heads turned in unison, giving Lara the opportunity she needed. Stowing her assault rifle, she drew her bow, quickly nocking an arrow. She leveled it at the head of the snake, which was turned sideways to her.

The first shot was a clean miss, sailing well over her target and bouncing off the roof of the cavern. Cursing under her breath, Lara nocked a second arrow and took aim again. The second shot, while closer, still only bounced off the scales of the snake, just under the eye she had been aiming at. The snake, now noticing it was being shot at, turned to face Lara just as she nocked her third arrow. It opened its mouth in a blood chilling hiss, and Lara took the third shot.

The arrow passed through the roof of the snake’s mouth, piercing the skull and severing the brainstem. As the snake felt its life slipping away, it hissed and screeched in agony, the other two heads turning to watch helplessly as it died. At last, the snake ceased writhing and went limp, collapsing to the floor. Lara smiled, and she heard a cheer of victory from Rainbow Dash.

“Alright, I think we have a chance now!” Lara shouted to the pegasus. “The loss of one head should cripple it effectively, and- Oh dear god!” Lara and Rainbow both cringed in disgust and horror as the lion’s head bent over to the base of the snake’s neck and bit down savagely. There was a cry of pain from the eagle, and then the gut-wrenching sound of skin and bone being torn asunder. Pulling hard, the lion tore the now dead snake off of the chimera’s body, spitting it aside and allowing the blood from the newly formed stub to flow freely. As Rainbow violently ejected the contents of her stomach, Lara had no choice but to keep on fighting.

Unfortunately, the Chimera had other plans for her. The lion’s head took a deep breath, and released a stream of flame from its maw, aimed for Lara. Only just dodging it, Lara shook her head, re-slinging her bow and drawing her assault rifle once more.

“God damn this thing!” She cried, jumping further back as a second stream of flame shot forth. “Rainbow! Stop being sick and help me out!” The pegasus, now thoroughly shaken, nodded weakly, trying not to vomit again at the sight of the neck stump. She flew up to the roof of the cavern, then dove towards the eagle’s head, intending to try and draw its attention away. Due to her newfound weakness, she wasn’t able to react in time when a paw came swinging at her. She was knocked back to the entrance, hitting the wall with such force she left an indentation.

“Rainbow!” Lara cried, watching her now unconscious companion slide to the floor of the room. Fear began to claw at the survivor’s heart as she turned back to face the chimera, which was now leering down at her. Knowing she didn’t have much of a chance to win anyways, Lara brought her rifle up and squeezed the trigger hard, spraying bullets straight into the head of the lion. The beast let loose an ear-shattering roar of pain as its face was torn asunder, bullet after bullet ripping it apart. Lara didn’t let up until the gun began to click. She reloaded quickly, resuming her destruction of the lion head.

Blood, bits of bone and brain, and other such gorey detritus fell onto Lara as the lion finally gave up the ghost. Slumping down, it let out one last, strangled gurgle, then moved no more. The rifle started clicking once more, and Lara reached into her pouch for another clip. She found none. Her eyes going wide, she turned to face the head of the eagle, which looked scared, but determined. There was a flash of motion from off to Lara’s left, and before she knew it she was hurtling across the room, certain she was about to die. As she came to a rough stop, laying at the base of the collapsed section of roof, she tried hard to focus on the chimera.

It wasn’t as hard as she had first thought, however. The chimera had collapsed, struggling to breath with the loss of two brains. That, and the sheer amount of blood the beast had lost over the course of the battle had made it very weak. Lara shook herself out of her daze, checking herself for severe injuries. Finding nothing truly worrying, she rose, striding unsteadily over to the dying chimera. Rainbow, who had awoken at the lion’s roar, was already there, staring at the last head with a mixture of sympathy and disdain.

“I can’t believe it... the last chimera ever, and we... you killed it,” she muttered as Lara drew near, not really believing what she was saying. “I don’t understand. The manticore, now this. Why so much death, Lara?” Lara sighed.

“I already told you, Rainbow. Sometimes, you don’t have a choice. And this was certainly no exception.” Lara knelt down to look Rainbow Dash dead in the eye. “This may and very well will continue to happen. If you cannot handle taking a life, I suggest you return home.” Rainbow gave her a glare, but said nothing. Lara, on the spur of the moment, drew her climbing axe and offered it to the pegasus. “Here. I want you to end it.” Rainbow looked at the tool in disgust.

“You want me to kill it!?” she cried. “I’m not a murderer! I’ve never killed anything, and I’m not gonna start here!” Lara shook her head, expecting the reaction.

“Rainbow, this chimera is suffering. It’s going to die anyways. I want you to learn the feeling of taking a life. It never gets any easier, but you need to get the initial shock out of your system. I can’t have you killing something and then freezing up, paralyzed by the realization of what you just did, when I need you most. Either do this, or go home.” Rainbow’s gaze, along with her resolve, began to waver. She understood what Lara meant, but she didn’t like it. Reluctantly, she took the climbing axe from Lara - who was astounded that the pegasus could hold it in her hooves - and walked over to stand directly above the dying head of the eagle. Lara closed her eyes. She didn’t want to watch a monster - another monster - being born.

There was a thudding noise, but not the fleshy, gorey, pain-filled noise Lara had been expecting. She opened her eyes and turned to see the axe stuck in the ground by the head of the chimera, and Rainbow glaring at it defiantly.

“No. I don’t care, I refuse to end a life, no matter how much they deserve it. It’s just not what ponies do. A long time ago, ponies fought wars. They died by the hooves of another pony. I will not be like them.” She turned to face Lara, her eyes glassy as she held back the urge to cry. “I’m sorry to disappoint, but if this is what it means to be an adventurer, then I want nothing to do with it.” Rainbow turned and began to walk towards the staircase when she heard Lara laugh. It wasn’t a spiteful laugh, either. It was lighthearted. Rainbow turned back to see the survivor bending down to retrieve her axe.

“Disappointed? I’m proud,” With a quick tug, Lara pulled the axe out of the floor. “It takes a lot of guts to refuse to kill something that was trying to kill you. It reminds me of a book I once read. ‘True courage is not knowing when to take a life, but when to spare one’, or something to that nature. The fact that you’re character and resolve are so strong you refuse to take a life is admirable. Foolish in this journey, but admirable.” Lara paused in her praise, turning to face the eagle’s head. With a swift, downward stroke, she plunged the axe into the beast’s head. As the chimera’s life finally began to depart swiftly, Lara swore she heard a faint voice whisper, “Thank you.” Pulling the axe free and allowing the chimera’s blood to flow freely, Lara wiped the blade clean and stowed it away, turning back to Rainbow. The pegasus eyed her with disgust.

“I could not think of a better companion. I am someone who has had to survive by killing. It was either that, or die and let all those I love die as well. You are someone who is deathly loyal to her friends, but despite being a bit of a prick at times, your heart is golden.” Lara gestured to the dark doorway waiting on the other side of the hall. “Ready to go find the magic artifact?” Rainbow didn’t answer at first, still eyeing Lara. After a moment, she replied.

“I don’t know how much I trust you anymore, or even how much I like you, but I did agree to help you. That, and you did save my life twice now. I suppose anyone who does that can’t be all bad.” Rainbow gave her a smile, striding past the corpse of the chimera towards the doorway. “But I’m going to keep my eye on you. I still don’t know if I can trust you completely.” Lara nodded, following after the pegasus.

“I would expect nothing less,” she muttered to herself, pulling out her torch and re-lighting it. As they approached the dark doorway, bits and pieces of the room beyond the doorway became visible in the flickering torchlight. It was completely barren, save for a solid black pedestal in the center. From the top of the pedestal, something gold glinted.

Stepping into the room, Lara and Rainbow found themselves staring at the most beautiful sword the pair had ever laid eyes on. The blade glowed in the light of the torch, seeming to swallow the light it gave off in order to create its own. The hilt, crossguard, and pommel of the sword were plated in gold, and a solid, well cut sapphire rested in the pommel. Lara reached out and took the sword in hand. Instantly, she knew this weapon was not natural nor normal. This weapon radiated pure magic. And she felt it.

“Wow. The first of the four artifacts, and it’s something so wondrous,” Lara muttered, turning the blade to get a feel for the balance. It was weighted perfectly, and she knew that even someone with little training would be able to use it effectively. “And to think, the magic I feel in this thing is a quarter of the portal home. Amazing.” Lara stowed the sword at her side, bending down to get a better look at the pedestal. It was carved out of a single piece of onyx, with an inscription chiseled into it. “‘Gladius, captain and master mage. To claim this sword is to prove your strength’. The chimera was put here inentionally, to test those who came looking for the blade... this isn’t a ruin. The ancient castle... the entire thing is a tomb.”

Standing up, Lara gestured wordlessly to Rainbow, and the two of them made their way out, skirting around the corpse and heading back up the stairs from whence they had come. As they steadily rose, Rainbow posed a question.

“Why the hurry to get out? That’s kinda unlike you, from what I’ve seen.” Lara sighed and shook her head.

“I don’t know,” she replied, the light of the sky above just beginning to reveal itself. “I just had this really weird vibe. Almost like something didn't want us there any longer than we needed to be.” Rainbow scoffed, but posed a second question.

"Well, what did you mean that the chimera had been put there?" Lara, now being able to see without the light of the torch, extinguished it and stowed it away.

"Well, the chimera was a test of strength. If we beat it, then we were deemed worthy to bear the sword. I expect that each artifact will test us in different ways, depending on the item and mage involved." Rainbow gave her a quick "Oh" of understanding and nodded.

As the two emerged back into the dim sunlight of the Everfree, Lara took a moment to stretch, breathing deeply. To the pair's surprise, a voice called out to them from the entrance of the ruin. Applejack, wearing her signature stetson and out of breath, waved them over. The two quickly made their way over.

“Applejack? What are you doing here?” Rainbow asked. Applejack, for her part, was trying not to panic. Lara could easily tell something terrible had happened, judging by the small twitches and worried glances that Applejack kept shooting off.

“Twi sent me. Ya'll need to get back to Ponyville, pronto.” The mare replied replied, her voice confirming Lara’s fears. Something was clearly wrong, and Applejack was quick to fill them in. “Ponyville's been attacked...

“By humans.”

Under My Protection

“So, let’s make this really easy, shall we?”

Thomas, or “Rainmaker” according to his brothers in the Solarii, was leering down at the crowd of cute, colorful ponies before him. After the initial attack, the Solarii had rounded up most of the ponies, killing those who tried to run. Now, they had the entire population - save one in a stetson that had managed to not only get away, but break the ribs of his best friend Gerald - trapped inside of the town hall. Rainmaker leaned onto the railing of the balcony, his eyes fixed on the one at the front, the purple one with wings and a horn.

“You surrender nice and easy like, and we won’t slaughter all of you. Not like those ones that tried to run,” he gave her a charming smile, one laced with deception. “We really don’t want to do that to you, but we will, should we have to.”

Twilight, for her part, was trying hard not to begin channeling her magic. The last unicorn who had cast a spell against them, a good stallion named Pokey Pierce, had been decapitated on the spot. He wasn’t the first, nor was he the last casualty in the short and bloody conflict that lasted between Ponyville and the Solarii. Despite the pony’s magic and strength, the guns, bows and explosives of the Solarii were just too much for the small equines to handle. More than forty of the town’s population had fallen before the resistance ceased, and they had been herded into the town hall.

Twilight knew that fighting back would be futile, but she had to buy time. Applejack had managed to get away, and had hopefully reached Lara and Rainbow Dash. In order for the three of them to accomplish anything, she needed to give them the time they needed to get back to Ponyville. So, Twilight set a plan in motion.

“I speak for the residents of Ponyville, given that the only other pony in authority was... disembowled,” Twilight gagged on her words, trying hard to forget the sight of her friend’s body. “What are the terms of the surrender, should we choose to accept?” Rainmaker paused, unsure of how to respond.

“I... uh, I’m really sorry, but I’m kinda new at this job. What the hell do you mean, ‘terms of surrender’?” A smile crossed the alicorn’s lips.

‘Gotcha.’

__________

“Lara! You need to slow down!”

Applejack gave her friend an odd look, mostly due to the out of character comment, but voiced her ascent, calling out to Lara alongside Rainbow Dash. The survivor, for her part, was charging back down the path as quickly as she could, only one thing on her mind: Himiko. She should have known that her fears about the queen were justified, but now it was a little late. She had to act.

And yet, she still stopped, waiting for the two ponies to catch up to her. She knew that something had to be done, but rushing headlong was bound to cause more harm than good. As Applejack and Rainbow caught up, Lara sat herself down in the path, resting her head on her hands.

“So... what’s the plan?” She asked. Applejack twirled a hoof.

“Simple. Those varmints have all the ponies at the town center. All ya gotta do is take ‘em all out, right?” Lara shook her head.

“Too easy. The men you described, the Solarii, were most likely brought here by Himiko. Doing that would only provoke her into real action. If we want to take them out and protect the ponies of the town... we need to think smart.” Lara stared at the ground, frowning and pulling an arrow from her quiver to draw in the dirt. “If only I had some rounds for my rifle. That cripples my combat effectiveness.”

As if on cue, Rainbow perked up, a sudden thought racing into her mind. She called the other two to her, fixing their attention on herself.

“What if we don’t go for a frontal assault... but, at the same time, we do?” Lara and Applejack gave her a look of deepest confusion, and Rainbow continued. “We’ve gotta get back to Ponyville, right? Well, there are bound to be tons of guards. We take them all out of the picture, and what are we left with? A small group, guarding the townsfolk. None of them leave, but not all of them die. We get some hostages, use them for leverage. See what I’m getting at here?”

“Rainbow... allow me to be the first to ask,” Applejack took off her hat, staring deeply into the eyes of the cyan pegasus. “Why on all that is good in this world would you have a plan like that stuck in your head?” Rainbow shrugged.

“I read it in a book.” Applejack groaned as Lara burst into a fit of giggles. She didn’t know why, but something about ponies being non-violent and then having something like that in a book seemed very amusing. Regardless, Rainbow’s plan was sound for the most part. Lara didn’t like the idea of leaving Solarii alive, but having hostages did have its benefits. For one, they’d have some leverage over the rest of the Solarii. For another, they could gain some valuable information from the ones they capture.

“Well, if that’s the plan,” Lara grunted, lifting herself back up to her feet and stowing the arrow back in its quiver. “What are we sitting around here for? For all we know, Ponyville’s nothing but ashes by now.” Applejack, who had donned her Stetson once more, smiled and gave Lara a knowing look.

“Not likely, Lara. Not by a longshot.”

__________

“So, let me see if I understand you here...” Rainmaker was sitting at a table across from Twilight, a long strip of parchment in front of them. On the parchment were the terms of surrender that the two had agreed to. Of course, Twilight had tried to be coy and slip in some things that would allow them to easily wrest power from the Solarii, but she didn’t give Rainmaker enough credit. The man was smart, just not educated in the art of diplomacy. Nothing Twilight tried to throw in to help Ponyville got past him. In the end, the terms were not looking good. Rainmaker only reminded her by reiterating what was already written on the parchment.

“You agree to give up, and submit to our authority completely. Ponyville will become a police state, and anything we say, goes. You agree to step down and submit yourself to custody, where you will be locked up, but not harmed. No harm will come to the ponies of Ponyville, so long as they submit to authority and don’t try to run. Unicorns will be forbidden from using magic, and all pegasi will be grounded. Also, Sugarcube Corner will become Solarii property, and the owners will provide Solarii soldiers with free sweets. Seems right to you?” Twilight sighed, but nodded reluctantly.

“Yeah. Everything's in order.” She muttered, her eyes downcast. Rainmaker rolled up the parchment, handing it to one of his subordinates before striding over and laying a hand on Twilight. She jumped, but looking up into his eyes, she didn’t see malice or cruelty. Instead, she saw sympathy.

“Don’t be so down. To be honest, most of the guys don’t wanna hurt you little ponies anyway. You’re all too darn cute. We’re just following orders.” Patting Twilight gently, he turned to two of his men, one of whom was the one with the parchment. “Speaking of which. You two!” The soldiers snapped to attention. “Run that back to Queen Himiko. Ask her what our next move should be!” Twilight’s ears perked up at Himiko, fear creeping into her heart.

‘Himiko? But that’s... oh, oh no.’ She placed a hoof on Rainmaker, pleading with her eyes as he turned back to look at her. “Please! Don’t take that to her! She’ll kill us!” Rainmaker shook his head.

“Don’t worry about it,” he deadpanned, waving the two soldiers to their task. “Himiko’s a mean bitch, to be sure, but she’s not mercile- wait. How do you know how she is?” Rainmaker glared at Twilight, who was sweating bullets under the gaze. It didn’t last very long, as a cry and a thud from the doorway brought Rainmaker out of his death stare. “What the hell is going on out there?”

“I am.”

Rainmaker whirled around to find a woman he didn’t recognize tossing aside the body of one of the two Solarii, the scroll in her hand. The woman was glowering at him, an unnatural fire in her eyes.

“You’ll pay for the deaths of those ponies outside. You, and every Solarii bastard in this place.” The woman tucked the scroll away and drew a bow, nocking an arrow and drawing it taut. “You’ve got ten seconds to make your men surrender. Otherwise, my companions and I kill them all.” The woman looked past him to Twilight. “Rainbow and Applejack have the men outside covered. Think you can handle the ones in here?” With a nod, the alicorn dashed off to deal with the Solarii.

“Who are you?” Rainmaker asked. The woman stepped forward, training the arrow on his forehead. Rainmaker suddenly didn’t feel in charge of the situation anymore.

“My name is Lara Croft. I am the survivor of the Endurance, the one who stopped Father Matthias and that bloody sun queen, Himiko. I am the last thing you want to see, and this town, these ponies, are under my protection. And you... well, times up. I’m afraid you’re dead.” With that, Lara loosed her arrow, putting it clean through Rainmaker’s skull. The Solarii soldier crumpled to the ground, blood trickling from the wound. Lara didn’t even bother with the arrow. She stepped over the corpse and strode over to the door where Twilight had disappeared. As she walked through the door, her ears perked up at the noise of cringing, crying men. The Solarii soldiers - seven in total - were surrounded by a group of very angry, armed ponies. Lara couldn’t repress a smile as Twilight trotted up to her.

“Well, that’s all of them. Friends of yours?” The alicorn shot her a smirk. Lara chuckled, stowing her bow away.

“We’ve had some dealings in the past. Mostly me tearing these guys apart. Now, let’s get these bastards tied up. I want them secure and under close watch. I’m putting you in charge of that, big guys.” She strode up to the two largest stallions of the crowd, a snow-white, muscled bound pegasus and a bulky, stoic red earth pony. “Make sure these gentlemen cooperate. Otherwise... bash their heads against something hard.” The Solarii whimpered in fear as the two stallions, along with a small group of other ponies, led them away. Lara turned back to Twilight.

“I need to go mop up outside, make sure none of the others will be walking away from here. Alert Celestia and Luna, then help these ponies out. Get whoever you can to help.” Twilight nodded, turning to the crowd and shouting out orders. Knowing the ponies were in good hooves, Lara dashed back outside, drawing one of her pistols.

As she emerged from the town hall, she was once again met with the terrible sight of the slaughter that had occurred in Ponyville. Bodies of ponies and humans alike littered the ground. Among the dead, Lara had noticed Nurse Redheart on her way through town. The sight of her caretaker’s neck adorned with a long, gaping laceration was enough to send Lara into a bloodlust. Secretly she hoped that one of the seven captives was the one that had killed Redheart. ‘The things I will do to that waste of a man when I find him.’

Hearing a shout from Applejack, Lara charged off in the direction of Twilight’s library, where the farmpony was currently occupied with three Solarii. The men were all armed with machetes, but none of them wanted to get too close to Applejack. Lara wondered why, until she saw the groaning, crumpled heap of a man sitting at the base of a wall. A single shot put the man out of his suffering. Lara then turned the pistol on the other Solarii. She squeezed off two rounds, puncturing the shoulder and back of the man closest to her. He fell with a cry of pain, and the other two, now noticing the sounds of gunfire, turned to look.

That proved to be their undoing, as Applejack took the opportunity to buck one of them not against, but through the wall where their companion had been felled. Lara whistled as she popped another three rounds into the last Solarii, who collapsed without a sound.

“That’s some impressive strength you have there,” Lara remarked, striding over to the earth pony and kneeling down. “Remind me to stay on your good side.” Applejack gave her a nod.

“Same to you,” the farmpony grunted, turning to face the town. “How’s everythin’ back there?”

“The ponies are safe, and we have our hostages. Now, every Solarii still left is a target.” Applejack shook her head, chuckling.

“While ya’ll were busy helpin’ out the town, Rainbow and Ah just ‘bout cleaned house. Every last one of the varmints is down for the count. Most of ‘em are still alive, though. Ah have a feeling you’ll wanna deal with that.” Lara didn’t answer. She instead opted to turn and walk back into Ponyville without so much as a backwards glance. As she passed the wall again, she turned her pistol on Applejack’s second victim, who was groaning and trying to rise. A single shot ended his life.

“Get back into town and begin what reparations you can. I will deal with the Solarii.”

__________

It wasn’t long before Lara returned to the town center, where a sorrowful sight was beginning to unfold. As some of the stallions began to ready transport for the fallen, loved ones of the slain were mourning. The sound of weeping, from stallion, mare and foal alike, was all Lara could hear. She felt like a monster, blood-stained and weary, wading into a sea of sorrow. Of all the dead ponies she saw, only one she recognized. And, though she was deeply grieved, she was also thankful that none of the others had met the same fate.

Striding over to the body of Redheart, Lara knelt down, her eyes beginning to burn as she fought back tears. Only two other ponies stood by her, and neither one she recognized. The fact that one was a small colt, though, made her wonder if Redheart had once been a mother. Lara never asked, and now she wouldn’t be able to. The colt watched her with watery eyes.

Before any words were spoken between the two, Lara felt a hoof on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Celestia looking down at her, the princess’s face speaking more than any words ever could. Lara stood slowly, wiping her eyes and turning to face the princess. Celestia gestured for Lara to follow her, and together the two walked, joining up with Twilight and Luna a short distance later.

For some time the four walked in silence, heading in the direction of Twilight’s home. Lara didn’t want to speak, because she knew there was nothing she could say. She had no excuses, no justification. The ponies of Ponyville were suffering because of her problem. Himiko had no reason to harm them, and yet the innocent had been cut down. Lara wanted to apologize, to say that she never meant for it to happen, but she felt that would be tactless and cruel. Instead, she chose to remain silent with the group, at least until they had entered the library.

“Lara, you must not blame yourself for this.” Celestia began, but Lara cut her off before she could get any further.

“No. Himiko was my responsibility. I was the one who had to kill her, and I failed. Now, she’s taken the lives of innocents, while I was off on a quest. I cannot allow any more lives to be lost because of me.” Lara glared at the three alicorns. “The quest will have to be put on hold. Himiko has to die. Now.” Celestia held up a hoof and shook her head.

“You underestimate me and my sister, Lara, and I will not allow you to put yourself at unnecessary risk.” Lara rolled her eyes. “The quest is imperative, and nothing else must stand in your way. Leave the defense of Equestria to us.” Celestia eyed Lara, looking at the subtle hint of the golden blade. “I take it your first venture was a success?” Lara nodded, drawing the sword. Luna drew in her breath sharply as the blade came into the light.

“Yes, and let me say, I am very surprised. The raw power I can feel from this blade.... it’s incredible.” She watched Luna, who was staring at the blade with a curious intensity. “What’s up with you, Luna?” Luna turned to Celestia, not giving Lara her answer.

“Sister, you did not tell me...” Luna trailed off, her eyes roaming back to the blade. Celestia sighed heavily.

“I am sorry, Luna. He passed about two years after you were banished. Time has made me forgetful of some things, so I did not remember...” Luna, her eyes welling with tears, walked off into the kitchen of the small library. Lara rolled the tip of the sword down, leaning against the hilt.

“Someone gonna tell me what’s going on?” Celestia turned to Lara, a deep sorrow, one that had been long buried, present in her visage.

“Gladius, the unicorn captain that wielded that blade, was a great friend to my sister. To see it again... I cannot imagine what Luna is feeling right now.” She turned her gaze to the kitchen doorway, trying to hear the sounds of her sister’s mourning. Lara sighed.

“Huh... well, aside from that chimera, I was surprised by what little defense there was down there. Getting this blade was actually really easy.” Celestia’s sorrow vanished, being replaced by a look of confusion and horror.

“What chimera? There haven’t been chimeras in the world since before Nightmare Moon,” Lara opened her mouth to respond, but Celestia cut her off, taking the sword with her magic and glaring down at the human.

“Tell me everything.”

__________

Lara sighed, sitting on the doorstep of the library. After telling Celestia everything that had occurred down in the tomb of Gladius, the monarch’s emotions had taken a turn for the furious. She seemed enraged by the mere notion that a chimera had been placed in the tomb. Even more so when Lara told her about the beast speaking as its life was snuffed out.

Rainbow Dash, who Lara hadn’t seen since the fighting started, had wandered over, and was now sitting next to the survivor. Neither spoke, each of them waiting for something different. Lara was waiting for news of her next assignment. Rainbow was waiting for Twilight. They had some things to discuss about the prisoners.

After over an hour and a half of sitting on the doorstep waiting, the pair of raiders were finally rewarded when the door opened, and out stepped the princesses. Celestia immediately turned to Lara, and gestured for the human to follow. Lara did so, and she, Celestia, and Luna went on their way, leaving Twilight to deal with Rainbow Dash.

“It has been settled. Due to the encounter with the chimera, we have found it prudent to send two of our guards with you on your journey.” Celestia raised a wing, cutting Lara off before she could even begin. “And do not argue that we will need all our forces to hold off Himiko. We can spare two guards. We have many.” Luna nodded in agreement, but Lara still seemed disappointed.

“Really, I already have Rainbow Dash with me. More ponies will only slow us down and make it that much harder to get our work done.” Celestia nodded understandingly.

“Rest assured, these guards are well trained. They will stay out of your way when they need to be, and are only there to protect you.” Lara groaned, knowing it was a battle she wasn’t going to win.

“Alright... fine. When will I meet them?” Celestia turned to Luna, who gave a quick nod.

“You’ll meet them once Twilight and her friends have had their way with you. They want to thank you for protecting Ponyville,” Luna said with a smile. “And, to be perfectly honest, we should be thanking you as well. You did a great thing, saving the lives of our subjects. Even though there were lives lost, you prevented the destruction of an entire town. For that, we are most grateful.” Both alicorns gave Lara genuine smiles. The human felt somewhat odd, not used to receiving this kind of praise. But she returned the smile.

With that, the two princesses took their leave, heading off to prepare their defenses. Lara watched them go, wondering why they hadn’t been more shocked or distressed about the lives lost in the battle. Eventually, her mind shifted to the possibility that the two had seen more than their share of wars in their time. Maybe the losses they suffered here were nothing compared to losses they had faced before. And even though they felt pain at the deaths of their subjects, Lara surmised that they had to save face. They needed to appear strong in the face of this new danger.

A newfound respect for the princesses in her heart, Lara turned back the way she had come, heading back to Twilight and Rainbow Dash and whatever the group of ponies had planned for her.

__________

As it turned out, the plans were dinner at Sugarcube Corner, a brand new outfit, and some defensive spells from Twilight. The dinner was nice, and the spells would come in handy, but it was the outfit that irked Lara the most. She had been wearing the same tank top and jeans since she arrived on Yamatai. But, at the insistence of Rarity and Twilight, she was now at the Carousel Boutique, forced to sit in her underwear, waiting for the dressmaker to reveal her latest creation. The other five of the main group sat with her, each trying not to make her situation more awkward.

“Why do you guys wear clothes all the time, anyway?” Pinkie Pie shattered the tranquil silence. Lara turned to glare at her.

“One: humans don’t have as much hair growing on their bodies as ponies do. We need clothes to keep warm. Two: public nudity is taboo back on my planet. Social norms make us respect rules, even though they don’t make sense to some. So please, just let me be.”

They didn’t have to wait much longer. Rarity emerged from the stairs leading up to her studio, a wide smile on her face and a magic aura surrounding her horn.

“I think I’ve outdone myself, if I might brag a moment.” She stepped aside, levitating in a brand new set of clothing, specially crafted to fit Lara’s frame and lifestyle. She had kept the light blue tank top, but added in a heavy, navy blue coat for contrast. A pair of silver eagles had been painstakingly stitched into the shoulders, as if giving Lar her own pseudo cutie mark. The jeans had also been replicated, but as they landed in Lara’s grasp, she felt a tangible difference in the material. They were much lighter, but felt more durable.

Lara quickly slipped them on, testing their weight and how they felt. She appreciated the care that went into making the clothing, but one thing confused her.

“These feel amazing. But why the coat?” Rarity made a “tut tut” noise and shook her head.

“You said it yourself, dear. Humans don’t have nearly enough fur, so they get colder much easier. Considering you and your group are heading to the far north for the next part of your quest, I figured you’d want something to keep you warm.” She paused, giving the tomb raider a winning smile. “Of course, I also wanted to make sure you looked simply stunning, no matter what you’re doing.” Lara rolled her eyes, sliding all her gear into place.

“Whatever you say. I really appreciate it.” She gestured to Rainbow. “Come on. We got a long journey ahead of us, and I want to swing by the prison. That place is loaded with ammo, and God knows I need some.” She paused, turning to Twilight. “Did you keep all their guns?” Twilight paused, trying to remember what a gun was. She nodded after a moment. “Good. Hopefully there’s a shotgun somewhere in there.”

The pair bade the others farewell and left the boutique, heading in the direction of the town’s makeshift prison. Being that crime didn’t really happen in Equestria, the town didn’t have a proper jail. Instead, in what some would call the cruelest of irony, the basement of Sugarcube Corner had become the holding cell. The place was soundproofed, but not smell proofed, so as the two descended into the basement, the sweet aromas of delicious treats wafted down with them. It was the biggest slap in the face to the Solarii trapped below, who hadn’t tasted sweets for years.

Lara didn’t stay long, instead opting to gather up as much ammo as she could for her assault rifle and pistol, then turning to the line of weapons. Spotting a decent shotgun, she hefted it up, testing the weight for a moment. Satisfied, she strapped it to her back, gathering up as many shells as she could find. Once she was satisfied that she wasn’t going to run out of ammo anytime soon, she gave a nod to Rainbow and the two left quickly, not wanting to stick around the Solarii for much longer.

After some time walking in silence, the pair arrived at the train station, where a single locomotive was waiting. Waiting beside it, a pair of ponies waited at attention, both of them decked out in armor. Lara was most drawn to the pegasus on the right, not because she was grey, or had night blue armor, but because the wings of the pegasus were not normal. The pony had bat wings. A quick smirk crossed Lara’s face. ‘It’s because I’m Batpony.’

The pony on the left, a snow white earth pony mare decked in golden armor, stepped forward and saluted.

“Sergeants Tarnished Honor and Pale Moon, reporting, ma’am.” Lara returned the salute hesitantly. “We are here to provide combat support for you and miss Dash, as per orders. Whenever you are ready to depart, we can head north to the Crystal Empire and meet with Captain Shining Armor. He has agreed to help us with directions.”

Lara lowered her hand slowly, the pony in front of her mirroring the movement. “Um, thank you. You know, you don’t have to be so... formal. I’m not going to bite your head off.” The new pair sighed with relief, sharing a quick smile.

“Thank Celestia. You have no idea how hard it is to do that for hours on end.” Tarnished Honor, the golden clad mare, gestured for Lara and Rainbow to follow her onto the train. As they boarded the lone passenger car, she gave a whistle, signaling the driver to go. “I hope that we’ll be able to help. I don’t know why the princesses chose us to help you out, but from what I’ve heard, you can really handle yourself. That doesn’t mean you can push us around, but we’re actually a little humbled to be working with you and an Element of Harmony.” Pale nodded earnestly.

Rainbow eyed them cautiously. “You two seem way too relaxed to be guards. How do we know you’re not spies?” Honor rolled her eyes, looking to Lara.

“Is she always this skeptical of new arrivals?” Lara nodded, and the train car erupted into laughter. As the train began to pick up steam, the sound of jovial conversation began to fade into the distance. For a short time, Lara didn’t feel any danger. She wasn’t worried. She felt that she could truly relax, if just for a little while.

__________

High upon the mountain, Himiko sighed, shaking her head and turning to what remained of the Solarii forces.

“Your brethren have failed me. Again. I should have realized that my Stormguard would have done a much better job than you idiots.” She turned again, gazing out to the horizon. “There is a city to the east. A large city, but not well defended. You shall accompany me and my Stormguard. Maybe, just maybe, you will be able to redeem yourselves in the battle to come. Otherwise,” she snapped her fingers, and a bolt of lightning cracked down behind her, startling the Solarii.

“I will personally see to it that your internal organs turn to ash.”

Fury of The Sun Queen

Lara sat awake as the train rumbled along the tracks towards the Crystal Empire, Luna’s moon shining brightly overhead. The three mares, who had quickly become fast friends and had spent most of the trip chatting, joking and gossiping, were all now fast asleep. Lara would have joined them, but her bed was the one closest to Rainbow, and the snoring was unbearable. So instead she had left that car and moved back to the one where she had spent most of the trip, pondering what lay ahead in the north.

Other thoughts crossed her mind, but it centered on Celestia’s reaction to the chimera. Something had seriously bothered the princess, and Lara wondered what it could possibly be. She didn’t get a lot of time to think about it, as the door to the car opened, and Pale Moon, yawning and stretching her wings, stepped in. She smiled at Lara.

“I didn’t know humans were primarily nocturnal,” she said in a sing-song voice, hopping up into the seat across from Lara. Lara smiled and shook her head.

“Not even close. I just can’t stand the chainsaw in there.” She tilted her head in the direction from which Pale had come, and the bat pony giggled slightly.

“I hear ya. She woke me up and I couldn’t get back to sleep. She’s in for it in the morning,” Pale sighed, watching Lara’s face. “Something’s bothering you. What’s up?”

“It’s the chimera. Celestia seemed extremely angry about that whole thing. I just wish I knew what the big deal was.” Pale smiled, rubbing her hooves together.

“Luckily for your, Princess Luna anticipated this. She hoof picked me and filled me in so I could tell you what’s what. But you’re gonna wanna brace yourself. It’s a bit of a long story.” Lara leaned back and nodded at Pale, who continued. “What really has the princesses worried is the fact that artificial chimeras haven’t been seen for a long time, even though real chimera’s still survive, but in no great numbers. They fear that necromancers have returned to the world of Equestrians.

“Way back in our history, before the princesses came to power, chimeras used to roam free and wild. They were mighty beasts with the strength of dragons and wisdom to match. Unfortunately, as time began to go on, their intellect began to dwindle, turning them into primal, savage beasts. This degradation of their intellect was underway when Celestia and Luna took power and created a new Equestria under their rule. At first, they tried to reason with the older, more intelligent chimeras, and there was peace for a while. But then the elders were replaced by younger, far more savage beasts.

“Celestia, being the wise and dedicated ruler she has shown herself to be numerous times, watched as the chimeras slowly declined into mere beasts instead of a proud, warlike race. She knew that allowing the chimeras to continue growing and spreading - oh, I forgot to mention, they bred like rabbits. How’s that for a kicker?,” Pale paused, biting her tongue. “Where was I? Oh yeah, if they kept spreading, they’d cause untold amounts of damage. The havoc, devastation and loss of life would be unimaginable. So... they were mostly wiped out. Mostly.

“This is where things get kinda dicey. Apparently, around the same time as the chimera purge, a group of unicorns, calling themselves necromancers, were beginning to gain a lot of ground in society. These ponies were practitioners of the darkest forms of magic, toying with spirits, the dead, and the lives and very beings of creatures and ponies. These were the ponies that made artificial chimeras using the parts of other creatures. It was dark, sinister magic, and immediately these ponies came under watch of the princesses. But it was merely a watch, not action.

“That lack of action led to seven chimeras, each one containing a single pony, being created and loosed upon Equestria. When the princesses discovered that there were ponies in the chimeras, they went on a second purge, trying to cleanse Equestria of necromancers and all like them and related to them. Unfortunately, it seems that they might not have done enough. They fear that somehow they missed something, and now necromancers are back in Equestria.”

Lara sighed, holding her head in her hands as Pale finished her monologue. “What does that mean for me? I’ve already got enough on my bloody plate as it is.” Pale shook her head and smiled.

“Nothing. The threat of your sun queen is far more important than necromancers. So, we’re to continue on this quest while the princesses prepare their defenses and begin to seek out the necromancers. Hopefully, they’ll be able to deal with it by the time you head home.” Pale hopped down off the seat, turning to the door she had come from. “Even if you can’t sleep in there, I’d recommend doing so. Most of the north is a barren waste. You’ll need to be as alert as possible.”

__________

The sun was just beginning to rise, courtesy of Celestia, over the streets of Manehatten. Ponies, rising from their slumbering, were getting ready to begin the day. For one particular pony, a filly named Babs Seed, it was the beginning of a new adventure.

“Today’s the day I finally get some new recruits,” she smiled, slipping into her cape and striking a heroic pose. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders Manehatten Branch starts now.” With that in mind, she began to rush, getting herself ready for another day at school. She already had potential members selected - a filly and a colt in her class, who were blank flanks like her and had recently come under the attack of bullies - and was going to ask them to join today.

Waving goodbye to her family for the day, Babs headed out the door and down the street, keeping her eyes open for her potential new recruits. She never saw them. Something else caught her eye. There was something tall striding down the street. It was bipedal, armor clad, and was carrying a large sword in its right hand. Instinctively, Babs knew that this thing was not friendly. She turned and ducked down an alleyway, watching apprehensively. The titan moved forward, gazing around the street. Ponies stood in silence, watching the creature.

Suddenly, the creature came to a halt. It turned, facing back the way it had come and knelt down. Before it materialized a second creature, this one somewhat shorter, but seeming to radiate an aura of power. This figured turned to the street, gazing around at the ponies. Babs could barely make out what was going on, but she heard a distinctive snap. The next moment, a bolt of lightning blinded all in the nearby area. Then the panic began.

__________

“Hey, Shining, what’s going on? Why the rush?”

The small group of Lara and company had arrived in the Crystal Empire early that morning. After being given a tour of the area by Rainbow Dash, the pegasus had led them all to the castle at the center of the city. As the team was expected, the guards let them in. The four were eager to get going, but by the time they arrived, the guard had begun to mobilize. Something was calling them to action, and even Shining Armor was in a state of panic.

“Something’s happened down in Manehatten, and Celestia has called all the guard to action. I’m sorry, but if you want help in finding that old tomb, go talk to Cadance. I don’t have time right now.” With that, the stallion dashed off, leaving Lara and her companions standing in the hall, dumbfounded. Lara frowned and crossed her arms.

“It looks like I underestimated Himiko again,” she muttered. “She’s attacked Manehatten, wherever that is. Unfortunately, I fear for the lives of those in the city. Himiko used to rule her people with a fist of iron. She will kill as many as she can, just because of our actions back in Ponyville.” The sound of steady hoofbeats alerted Lara to the presence of a fifth pony. She turned to see a bright pink alicorn - who she presumed was the princess of the Crystal Empire, Cadance - striding towards them.

“You must forgive my husband,” she sighed, moving to stand next to the four. “We’re all worried about the Manehatten situation. We’ve received word that even foals have been targeted in the onslaught. Celestia and Luna are both on their way to Manehatten now, but you four need to continue on your own quest. Follow me, if you will.” Cadance turned on her heel, and led the four down a hall and into a room with a large table. Laid out on the table was a large map of the Crystal Empire and the surrounding area. Cadance led the four around the map and took up a small rod with her magic.

“The tomb in question, the tomb of ancient Arch-Mage Nexus Breath, is located somewhere in this area,” she tapped the location in question, several miles to the north of the Empire. “The crystal empire used to extend much further, but now it has to remain within the bounds of the barrier. Trying to resettle beyond has proved... fruitless.” She sighed heavily. Lara cut in.

“Is it just the cold, or is there another reason why you can’t settle out there?” Cadance shook her head, waving a hoof.

“It’s not your problem. You have your own quest ahead of you. We can deal with bringing the Crystal Empire back to full glory. Now, please follow me. We need to get your supplies for the journey.”

__________

Sitting in the Manehatten town hall, a wicked smile on her face, Himiko watched as the town burned around her, listening to the screams of the dying ponies. It had been a long time since she had felt so alive. She sighed contentedly as a single Solarii soldier, their commanding officer, approached her.

“The town is completely under your control, milady,” he said as he knelt at her feet. “All the subjects are either imprisoned or dead, as per orders.” Himiko rose to her feet and gestured for the soldier to rise, striding past him.

“You have done well, Solarii. You and your soldiers have redeemed yourselves entirely. Now we move, on to th-” She never finished her statement as a cry resounded across the land, rattling even the windows.

“HIMIKO!!” Himiko sighed and shook her head, striding out of the building and onto the street. She headed off to find the origin of the shout.

“And apparently, that pathetic worm from Yamatai, the one that should be dead, is still alive,” she growled, causing the Solarii soldier to cover in fear.Himiko rose, and took to striding through the streets. “This just got a lot more interesting.”

After some walking, Himiko arrived at the edge of the city. Standing just on the skirts of the city was a rather imposing armed force, headed by a pair of large alicorns. The shorter of the two, blue with a moon on her flank, was glaring at her in fury.

“You must be Himiko,” said the taller, white with a sun on her flank. Himiko watched her carefully, but nodded.

“I am. My guess is you are the ruling bodies of this land. Am I wrong?” The white one shook her head.

“No, no. You are correct. Unfortunately for you, it appears you’ve sacked one of our largest cities and slain many of our subjects. You do realize that this is a declaration of war against you and your kind?” Himiko shook her head and snapped her fingers, causing a bolt of lightning to strike the ground in front of the pair. They leapt back, startled.

“If you want a war, then let war begin. I welcome it.” The white one leveled her gaze n Himiko, fury in her eyes.

“Power over the weather, a disregard for life, and a power-hungry attitude. You’re no sun queen. You’re a tyrant who needs to be put in her place.” The alicorn took a step forward, causing Himiko to recoil. “I swear, by the end of this war, I will have your head.” After recovering herself, Himiko smiled, stepping backwards into the wreckage of the city with a laugh.

“Take it then.”

__________

“Why does it have to be so cold up here?”

Lara sighed and pulled the edges of her coat closer together, struggling through the snow in front of her. The small group had made some headway since leaving the Crystal Empire, but the further they travelled, the colder they became. Even though the sun shone brightly and the wind was gentle and calm, the team could feel themselves grow more chilled with every step. And to top it off, Pale Moon refused to stop complaining.

“Look, Pale,” Rainbow groaned, turning to face her. “I know it’s cold, but your constant whining isn’t gonna help us get to the tomb. Plus, that place isn’t likely to be any warmer, so let’s try and save our strength for what lies ahead, alright?”

“Bat ponies aren’t built for cold weather,” Pale grumbled in response. “Our fur isn’t as thick, so we get colder faster.” She shivered, but pressed on. The small group knew they were close to their destination, but thoughts of Manehatten and whatever was lying in wait out here in the wastes clawed at their minds. The situation was much more dire than any had anticipated. If they didn’t hurry, many more innocent ponies could lose their lives. It wasn’t a thought they liked to reflect on, so they quickened their pace through the deep snow.

Suddenly, Tarnished Honor, who had been walking a short distance ahead of the group, stopped and called out to them. “I can see it! We’ve made it!” A renewed sense of purpose in their hearts, the small team called upon their strength and dashed as quickly as they could, struggling to keep a steady pace in the snow.

As they arrived next to Honor, she pointed a hoof at a small nearby cave. At first it appeared to be nothing more than that, but closer inspection reveal small, glowing crystals of pure magic glowing inside the entrance. This was no ordinary cave. The team made their way over to it, dashing inside and leaning against the walls.

“Right,” Lara said, unslinging her pistol. “Honor, Pale, you two stay here. We may need to make a very hasty retreat, plus the less of us down there, the better. Rainbow, you’re with me. Let’s go.” The ponies all nodded, Pale and Honor cuddling up next to each other to stay warm. Rainbow and Lara turned away, and began the slow descent into the tomb. It was gently lit by magic crystals all the way down, so Lara chose to keep her torch slung at her side. As they descended, the pair noticed the air began to grow considerably warmer. Rainbow ruffled her wings.

“Maybe we should tell Pale and Honor to move down here, to keep warm,” she mused. Lara smiled, amused at the thought.

“Or, we could be cruel and lie about it. After all, we’re the one’s risking our necks down here.” Rainbow chuckled, but Lara’s words reminded her of something.

“Aren’t they supposed to be here to protect us while we’re down here?” Lara stopped in her tracks, staring at Rainbow dumbly. She facepalmed, sighing.

“Right. Next time, I’ll remember that.” She continued on down the tunnel, leaving a chuckling Rainbow Dash to catch up.

The tunnel continued to wind down for some time, delving deeper into the earth until finally it leveled out and began to widen. The crystals began to grow larger and brighter, illuminating more of the surrounding area, and soon the duo could see everything around them. It still came as a surprise when the tunnel opened up into a large, ornate room. Lara took in her breath as she scanned the area around her.

Whereas the rest of the cave had been worn and crumbling stone, this room was carved out of a single slab of jade, with gold pillars rising to the darkness of the ceiling. Between the pillars were several statues of ponies, each one standing in a different position. All the statues rose to different heights, and also appeared to be solid gold in composition. And, straight down the middle of the pillars lay a gold pathway, inlaid into the jade and leading to a raised platform, upon which a tomb rested. The tomb was bathed in light from surrounding crystals, and seemed to give off a light of it’s own. Lara paused, her eyes searching. Rainbow, on the other hand, stepped down the gold path, heading towards the tomb.

“Well, this is easy. This place is way too brightly lit to hold any secrets from us, and there’s no traps or monsters. Let’s go.” Rainbow took a few more steps, but not hearing her friend following her, she turned and gave Lara a quizical look. “What’s up?” Lara’s eyes were fixed on a point high in the room, well shielded by darkness.

“It is too easy. Unfortunately, the item we’re seeking isn’t in the tomb. It’s there.” Lara pointed up into the darkness. Rainbow followed her direction, but frowned as she saw where Lara was pointing to.

“Really? It’s up there?” Lara nodded, striding into the room.

“Exactly. And one can tell just by looking at the room itself,” she strode over to one of the statues, giving it a quick once over with her eyes. “First off, look at the statues. All of them are different heights, and the way they are arranged appears to be a pattern. They grow larger as they wrap around the room. Now, these pillars have ornate designs around them at fixed intervals,” Lara knelt down, gently rubbing the design in question. “Most of them appear to be carved into the pillar, but not all of them.”

“Slow down, I don’t get it,” Rainbow cut in, holding her head in a hoof. “So you say that somepony planned for this to happen?” Lara nodded.

“Precisely. Look, this pattern is jutting out. There’s even a small groove where my fingers can grip it... it’s almost as if someone knew I was coming...” Lara paused as that thought crossed her mind. ‘What if my arrival here was all foretold? What if I was supposed to come here?’ She shook her head and, without a moment’s hesitation, grabbed onto the carving and pulled herself up. “Rainbow, fly up there and see what you can find, but be careful. I’ll be up shortly.” Rainbow shook herself and gave a nod, taking off and flying into the darkness.

Lara pulled herself around the pillar until her back was to the nearest statue and, after gauging the jump, pushed herself off the pillar and onto the outstretched hoof of the statue. Lara looked up, checking the gap between the hoof she was on, the hoof she needed to jump to, and the pillar beyond it. She knew she would have to moderate herself and keep her strength at peak if she was to make it up, so she paused before making the next two jumps. As she grabbed onto the pillar, her left hand slipped. She gasped and grabbed on with her right, hanging on with all her might. The fall from her current height wouldn’t kill her, but she certainly wouldn’t be walking again anytime soon. Swinging her arm up and latching on, she sidled around the pillar, making sure to gauge each movement carefully.

The process continued for some time, with Lara leaping from statue to pillar, rising higher and higher off the floor. Eventually, she had climbed so high that the light of the crystals no longer permeated the darkness, and she began to have trouble seeing. As she landed on the hoof of the last statue, she called out to Rainbow. There was a pause, then the cyan pegasus appeared by her side, barely able to be seen in the darkness.

“What’s up?” Rainbow asked to where she thought Lara was sitting. Lara unslung her torch and lit it, bathing the area in light. Rainbow grimaced and blinked in the sudden light.

“I need you to hold this for me, so I can see where to go next. Otherwise...” Lara’s eyes drifted off the side of the hoof she was sitting on. Rainbow looked down and frowned.

“Yeah, that would be a problem. Here.” The pegasus flew over and gripped the torch in her mouth, flying a short distance ahead to the statue’s second hoof. Lara knew the distance between the two was too great, but she found her path in the mane of the statue, using it as a bridge between the hooves. She leapt from the second hoof onto the final pillar and sidled her way around, Rainbow following with the torch. As Lara rounded the pillar and turned to look for something to grab onto, she saw a golden ladder carved into the jade in front of her. Smiling, she leapt for it, taking hold and climbing up onto a ledge, far above the cavern floor. Rainbow landed next to her, spitting out the torch and blinking in surprise.

“Well, didn’t see that there. Pretty nifty, that sense of yours. Although I think Pale might have had a better time up here than I did.” Lara nodded, picking up the torch.

“Probably. Now come on, let’s collect our prize.” The two strode forward, and it wasn’t long before they came upon a small pedestal, upon which rested a medallion. Lara felt it before she saw it, and as she picked it up, the magic radiated through her body. She smiled, pocketing the medallion. She was about to turn when the walls caught her eyes. Something was carved into them. Lara took a step forward, letting her torch illuminate the carvings. She drew in her breath sharply.

The carvings depicted her. Well, her and Himiko, to be exact, locked in battle over a broken city street, the bodies of ponies scattered everywhere. Rainbow stepped beside her, looking over the carving herself. She frowned.

“So this Arch-Mage guy knew that you two were coming and that ponies were gonna die because of it? That doesn’t seem righ-” Rainbow trailed off, her eyes going wide with fear. Lara turned to look at her.

“What’s wrong?” Rainbow didn’t answer, instead pointing at the pony clutched in the carved hands of the sun queen. He was obviously dead, but he was also the only carved pony with a visible cutie mark. A shield with a six pointed star.

“We need to get back to the Crystal Empire.” Rainbow said, turning around. “Cadance needs to know. We need to hurry before the troops get to Manehatten.” Lara scratched her head, not understanding.

“I don’t get it, who is that?” Rainbow stopped, sighing heavily.

“Twilight’s brother and Cadance’s husband. You’ve met him once. His name is Shining Armor. And if that is to be believed, we is going to die if he goes to Manehatten. We have to stop him.”

Author's Note

Well now, look who's back and back to stay? More chapters will be rolling out more regularly, so keep your eyes open. Thanks to all who were waiting so patiently for this to come back.