//------------------------------//
// The Ruin part 6 
// Story: The Legend of Lightning Ace: Childhood 
// by LightningAce7 
//------------------------------//

               They entered the ruins as the sun reached the high noon mark in the sky. The sound of hooves on stone echoing off the walls of the gorge. The ruins were layed out like a labyrinth, confusing and twisting. They passed by many large structures, but they only had small slits in them. After an hour of finding their way through the twisting maze, they finally reached the cobweb covered entryway of the inner ruins at last. As they looked in the hallway was seemingly engulfed by darkness as it extended into the wall of the gorge. The stone was all a dark marble with worn gold molding and crowning, indicating  that they could of been perhaps as sophisticated as Canterlot is today. "Be careful everypony." Thunder said, voice with worry. The four of them trotted close to eachother as they approached a large dark marble door. As they stepped closer a pattern on the floor beneath them glowed a faint purple. The mysterious light followed the markings of what looked like a warrior standing before a series of obstacles before him.  The light converged on a lightning bolt crest at the top of the door as the sound of stone grinding on stone echoed throughout the large entry chamber. Bolts of lightning jumped across a series of lengthed raised ledges on the walls as they came ablaze with a purple-white flame, illuminating the room.

"Wow!" Was all the foals could mutter as the once dormant ruins now came to life. As the lights banished the darkness away their feelings of aw quickly turned to shock as in the corners and against the walls were many ancient armor clad skeletons. Thunder approached one and examined the armor.

"They have been here for probably at least two thousand years..." he muttered to himself. He took a closer look. "It can't be...this armor belonged to the armies of Pegasopholos." He backed a little. "If they really were here than the legend was right."

"Dad! The door is opening!" Lightning said as the light around the door faded as it started to open. Dust fell out of the space around the door as it lowered into the floor. More lightning caressed the next chamber as more large torches and ledges came to life.

Thunder left the skeletons and joined the others as they beheld the next chamber. To their astonishment, the walls and floor here were different than the entry. Instead of the lavish marble there was fine cut stone instead. Derpy took one step in and the tile under her hoof depressed into the floor. To her suprise a metal spear jutted out of the wall to her left and stopped about two feet to her right. She looked up to see the spike just inches over her head. Clearly a trap meant for a grown pony.

"I said be careful!" Thunder said sternly. "We don't know what we're dealing with here so stay on the lookout!"

"Maybe we can just fly over it?" Rainbow suggested. She hovered about ten feet in before a strange orb on the ceiling cast a familiar purple glow on the airborn filly. One second later a wall opened up revealing an array of small holes.

"Get out of there!" Lightning yelled, causing Rainbow to turn just in time to avoid the rain of small spikes being launched from the wall. Rainbow quickly returned to the group as the wall closed and the spear retracted back into the wall.

"I guess we can't fly in here." Lightning said. "What should we do Dad?"

"Well for starters this is getting way too dangerous for little foals to tag along. I need you guys to go back outside and set up camp till I'm done here." Thunder said.

"You won't hear argument from me!" Lightning said with a hint of fear.

"Or me!" Derpy said.

"Then it's settled. You guys go set up camp while I-" Thunder was cut off by the sound of the heavy marble door sliding back into place. "No...No!" Thunder yelled as he slammed a hoof into the door. He turned to face the foals. "Now listen very closely. It appears now that the only way out now is forward. Everypony stick close and be very careful where you step."

They nervously proceeded across the room, eye peeled for more traps. Thunder, having explored many ruins before, knew what to look for when it came to traps. Before Dash could take another step, Thunder barred her with a foreleg. He used a wing to point at the floor. She had almost triggered a sudden pit trap, which would of pulld the floor out from beneath them like a rug. Below that was likely a spike pit. "Clever..." Thunder thought aloud.

"What do you mean Thunder?" Derpy asked.

"A trap meant for earth ponies in a room where a pegasus is grounded by wall traps. It's the perfect combo. Too perfect in fact." Thunder replied. He helped the foals over the trigger and they proceeded to the next room. However they were too focused on the traps to notice the wolf like shadow trailing them closely.

to be continued...