“So who is it that kidnapped Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, and what’s he gonna do to them?” Asked Scootaloo. Twilight and herself had been walking in silence toward the black beacon in the sky for about an hour now. The entire time Twilight had been reading one of the books she packed and told the filly to be quiet so she could concentrate. Twilight put her book back in her bag.
“Not who, but what.” Twilight answered, “the creature that captured them is a parasite that’s taken another pony as its host. Thanks to today’s research I’ve learned quite a bit about our slimy friend. Its name is Driknul and is the last of the Drukaan Parasites. It was rumored that over a thousand years ago a famous sorcerer known as Starswirl the Bearded killed Driknul thus exterminating the Drukaan Parasites. Though his death was never confirmed and Starswirl vanished shortly thereafter. The parasites take complete control of their host and gain all of their abilities, including the use of magic. I think that Driknul took Starswirl as his new host and has been gathering strength here in the forest all this time.”
“So if you’re right, and you’re almost always right, the most magically powerful unicorn in all of Equestria’s history has been under the control of an evil slug for a thousand years?”
“Yes, though I still don’t know what he needs Rainbow and Fluttershy for or what this ‘item’ he spoke of is or what it’s used for. Or for that matter why he would tell us everything he did.” The two ponies continued to walk in silence until the parasite’s castle loomed over them.
The walls of the castle were made of a shiny black stone, obsidian. The outer wall blocked all view of the main courtyard and stood to about one hundred feet in the air, with spear-like crenulations at its top. The actual castle appeared to be a massive jumble of towers with spear-like spires, with bridges connecting them from several hundred feet in the air. In the center of the the wall stood a massive archway, sealed by a gigantic portcullis, behind which was a flat cobblestone courtyard.
“Well, that sure is intimidating.” Twilight stated in awe. There didn’t seem to be a way to open the portcullis nor did they find another entrance. “Although, it does look like you could squeeze through the gate there.”
“Can’t you just use your magic to teleport us through?” Scootaloo seemed annoyed.
“Possibly, but he’s probably set up magical barriers to keep me from doing just that. All you have to do, is get in on the other side, and find a lever or something like it to open the gate.
“Ugh, fine.” Scootaloo easily slipped through the gate, and into the castle grounds. A short distance to her right were two levers. “There’s two levers here, which one do I pull?”
“I don’t know, try them both.” With a sigh, Scootaloo kicked both of the levers and the gate opened.
“Alright Twilight, that should do it,” she turned the corner to meet the older pony as she came through the gateway. But Twilight Sparkle was nowhere to be found.