Stories in Stone, Luna's Royal Guard.

by TDR

Mine, Smelt, Forge, Sharpen. Part 3 [14] [E]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Mine, Smelt, Forge, Sharpen.
Part 3

[ Finally ]

“So this is it?”Starfall asks.

“So help me if he named this place AGGGGH or Anthrax I will scream.” Bleu growls.

“While I do not pretend to understand that joke Bleu, the castle is simply named, Discord's Castle.” Luna states

“Wait, that's it?”Rhede stammers.

“That is what he named it.” Luna admits.

“All this nonsense getting here and the castle is just Discord's Castle? Where is the creativity?” Bleu rants.

“Honestly Bleu that is quite creative. Every one expects some strange or complex name and then, BAM , he makes it so simple it seems crazy. Truly a master of the mind screw.” Rhede nods sagely.

“While I am so glad you have developed an appreciation of him Rhede lets just go in and get the book and go home.” Jer'rahd mutters in annoyance.

“I second that “Starfall grumbles.

Velkorn nods her agreement as well.

The structure itself stood upon a rather steep hill with a spiral walk way leading up to the main gates. There was a stench that smelled like some sort of dead beached sea creature that lingered in the air as they climbed.

The castle itself was a towering edifice made of stone, dirt, wood, metal and what looked like sea salt ice cream at some points. The general shape of it was not that different from Canterlot castle though the towering spires seemed to twist and loop among each other in a way that made them difficult to look at without going cross-eyed.

As they made it to the main gate it was clear this place had seen better days. Everything inside looked chard as if it had been subjected to a great heat. The front gate was smashed in, and a half chewed portcullis made of red and black licorice dangled half stuck on a broken section of the wall. The court yard itself was filled with statues of Discord posed every way one could think of, from regal and daring, to eating a bowel of cereal and sitting on the toilet in a thinker pose.

Many were knocked over, some were embedded in the walls, others placed on the walls as if the walls were the ground, and some even floated about in the air, lazily drifting about. Once past the gate everything smelled of an odd combination of cinnamon and lemons, which was not exactly a welcome change from the dead fish smell outside.

Only one door was in the courtyard and that opened to the main keep. Pushing the tattered neon purple canvas door open revealed a spiraling landscape of madness, with doors and stairs leading to impossible angles often times doubling back on themselves in mid air. One set of stair cases formed a square floating in mid air that connected with each other , but always seemed to be going up. Ladders and inflatable landing pads ran every where nearly covering every surface giving the place a look of a circus fun house.

“Ummm.” Rhede mutters.
“Errr” Jer'rahd blinks.
“Hey what is this thing?” Bleu asks.

The whole group snaps their attention to the little dragon as Bleu tugs on a green string sticking out of the floor and the entire scene of madness suddenly shoots upward rolling into it self with several flaps of canvas like a scroll before it vanishes leaving a much more plain room with five hallways leading away from it.

“Have I mentioned I hate this place?” Luna states.

“What does the map show now?” Starfall asks.

Luna pulls out the map the others glancing at it as it now shows the inside of the keep and the five paths before them. Bleu's eyes narrow at the caption across the top. 'Power to restore the ones we lost'. The dragonling whips her head letting the Princess and Jer'rahd decide, she didn't want to think what the map was trying to lead her too.

“The map is showing me that the way is the third hall.” Luna states.

“Same for me Princess.” Jer'rahd comments.

“Likewise Boss.” Bleu adds.

“Shows the first one for me.” Rhede points out.

“Fourth for me Princess.”Starfall explains.

“The path it shows to me, is the same one that Rhede can see.” Velkorn observes.

“Well majority is the third one, seems like a good a start as any.” Jer'rahd puts forth.

The group begins making their way down the chosen path, though barely twenty paces down the path Velkorn stops them, her ears perked up high on her head.

“Are all your ears full of fuzz, or am I the only one to hear that buzz?” the zebra chimes looking around.

“Now that you mention it, crap that’s not parasprites again is it?..”Starfall shudders before her eyes go wide. “What the buck!? Bees!! Get to cover no telling what these things will do.”

“I have this, Starfall.” Luna placates.

Luna's magic bursts forth from her horn, the wave of energy burning through the swarm. The hall is silent for a moment before the buzzing increases and a even larger swarm appears. Many of these new bees are glowing with the same coloration of Luna's magic. A second blast from the Princess has no effect on the glowing ones at all and new bees seem to replace the destroyed ones almost instantly, more and more of them glowing. Jer'rahd's green wall of energy forms blocking off the entire hallway, stopping the bees from advancing.

“Alright any ideas while they are held off?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Umm boss? They are eating through your shield” Bleu points out.

“What? Crap.” the gray unicorn curses.

Looking back the purple bee's remain flying behind the wall but the ones that did not glow were eating into the green shield taking on the coloration of his magic.

“New plan, find a new path.”Luna states.

“Goody more running away.”Starfall snarks.

“Better plan Starfall?” Rhede asks.

“Strategic withdrawal.”Bleu suggests.

“No, just call it what it is.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

Jer'rahd raises a few more shields hoping to slow them down, but the glowing green ones were completely unaffected this time. Luna pauses and blasts the green ones that made it though the shield, though the force of her attack knocked out the weakened shields allowing the others to advance. Jer'rahd manages to shake off the ache of having his shields destroyed and toss up a few more to slow them down again.

The group dashed back down the hall Luna and Jer'rahd bringing up the rear, as the pair of rear guards make it back into the open area where the halls split the others were gone. Two of the other hallways and the exit outside had vanished as well.

“So much for easy. Pick a path Luna here's hoping you have a better time of it than me.... GAAAH sonofa. “Jer'rahd swears smashing a bee to the ground with his hoof only to be stung by another.

“Jer'rahd what OW!!”Luna curses a blast of energy flung over her self vaporizing several of the bees but a couple of the blue ones flew off after stinging her.

She lashes out with her tail swatting one of the bees that had managed to sting her flank, another had gotten though and stung Jer'rahd's exposed jaw. Both offending bugs fled just as quickly as they had stung. The advancing swarm slowed as if confused then disappearing back to the hall they came from.

“That is not a good sign.” Luna frowns.

Luna's horn flares the magic covering Jer'rahd.

“Ehh?” Jer'rahd grunts rubbing his jaw.

“There does not seem to be any poisons in your body. Trace amounts of that alcohol you had with the bears, but nothing more than that. And aside from your eye no odd magical ailments either.” Luna comments.

“My eye? What about you?” Jer'rahd asks.

“I am a goddess Jer'rahd there is not anything here that could hurt me.”Luna admits

“Unless Discord made something that was just to hurt alicorns. You did fight him. He might have rigged up some defense here. Might be anything wrong with me because I'm not an alicorn.”

“Yes, but at the time I was not...... you raise a valid point.” Luna admits.

“I do that from time to time. Bleu calls it the thousand monkeys at typewriters effect.” Jer'rahd grumbles as Luna runs the scan over herself.

“I know monkeys, but what are typewriters?” Luna asks. “ I am clear as well. Odd there is not even the usual toxin left over from a normal be sting.”

“A Bleu thing, its easier to think of it like that. The others should be fine on their own, they probably ran down the paths that sealed themselves up. Not sure I want to know what this place would do if we started smashing it. We might as well head back down this corridor. If the bee's are leave us alone anyway.” Jer'rahd considers, Luna nods in agreement and the pair of them head back down the path they had run from.

“Did we lose them?” Starfall asks panting.

“It seems we lost the others.” Rhede grumbles working to catch his breath as well.

“What? Oh crap. Just us then I suppose Rhede.”Starfall sighs.

“Please try to contain your enthusiasm Starfall.”Rhede mutters.

“What about Velkorn and Bleu? They are kinda the rookies here.” Starfall comments.

“Oh crap.”Rhede face hooves.

“Oh crap, oh crap, where are they? Where is every one else? Wheres Boss!?! Oh Buck, shit, shit, what am I gonna do ..?!?!? I can't lose some body else...” Bleu wails.

[“Please slow down Bleu, I cannot understand you that well. My studies have yet to teach me many of the swear words you are using, I do wish to memorize them for when I need to yell at Rhede.”] Velkorn comments in zebra.

“WHERE ARE THEY VELKORN?!?!?” Bleu flails her wings fanning madly.

“You should calm down please, or do you think our friends can be bested by bees?”Velkorn sighs.

“Calm yes, calm I’m doing, that I’m calming.” Bleu continues to flail

[“No you are hyperventilating. Sit down.”] Velkorn commands.

Velkorn grabs the little dragon by the spines on the back of her neck tossing the panicked dragonling onto her back and starts heading down the hall.

“What where are we going? They are all back there!” Bleu shouts.

“Since when have you know them to stay in place, to our goal it is already a race.”Velkorn responds.

“ Dammit Velkorn! Pick a language and stick to it!!” Bleu rants.

“This place is interfering with my magic I cannot detect any of them.” Luna admits.

“What about that spell you cast on the necklaces?” Jer'rahd asks.

“You noticed that?” Luna smiles.

The pair of them had slowly returned to moving back down the hall they started on listening for any signs of more bees. So far there was buzzing, but not as loudly as before.

“I am a unicorn you know. “ Jer'rahd snorts.

“Yes well.....” Luna admits

“You did not expect me to be able to notice anything out side the two spells I can cast?” Jer'rahd asks.

“I am sorry, I did not mean to assume.” Luna tries to explain getting a snort from Jer'rahd that was not annoyance.

“Don't be, I rather enjoy it when I am underestimated. I might not be able to cast many spells, but I can recognize the general types of ones I can feel being cast, just like every other unicorn. Any way anything from the necklaces?” the gray unicorn asks.

“All I can tell everyone is alive, nothing more than that. “ Luna responds after concentrating a moment.

“Good.” Jer'rahd responds.

“Good?” Luna questions.

“In case you have not been paying attention, every pony here can handle themselves in adverse situations. By now I am sure they are working to get back to us. Or at the very least trying to find each other or the book we are after.” Jer'rahd explains speaking rather proudly of how his friends would be dealing with this. He pauses at an archway at the end of the hall with a small whistle. “Hmm look at that. I expect we are here Luna.”

Luna moves closer looking up into the vast chamber the hall way had ended in. Countless shelves ran along the walls , filled with books of various stages of decay, some little more than dust, others looking newly printed. The room smelled of mildew and honey strongly enough to make her feel a bit queezy

Occasionally one book would fly off a shelf and slide into another spot, some crawled along the shelves on their own and others seemed to be reading themselves on one of the libraries desks. There were rows of shelves seeming to stretch back much further than the outside of the castle could have possibly contained.

“Well..... good I guess, now we just need to find the one book we need in all this mess.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Why do I have the uneasy feeling this is what you wanted Rhede?” Starfall grumbles as she shouts back at the galloping red stallion.

“Well lets do the math. A very large collection of hot mare's, check. All of them really want to get it on with me, check. Suddenly sprouting extra appendages and mouths with fangs that try to eat me, no check.” Rhede shouts back.

“Well if I was not stuck here with you running for my life, I would be much more amused by this.” Starfall snarks

Rhede glances back as the pair gallop down the narrow hall ways being chased by a horde of scantily dressed, shapely mares of all colors. Most of said mars had grown spikes, hooked limbs or had parts of their body split open into fanged maws or writhing masses of tentacles. All of them were screaming for Rhede's body and not in the way he would have liked.

“Shut up and fly faster!” Rhede shouts.

[“You... you killed him!!”]Velkorn stammers.

[“I killed it, yes.”]Bleu growls.

[“How could you kill him like that? “] Velkorn asks sitting down hard.

[“Your turn to calm down Velkorn. When was the last time a pony bled green worms?”] Bleu snarls.

[“But he was perfect, it was Rhede.....”] Velkorn mutters.

[“Considering he seemed to have suddenly taken an interest in you after how long of spurning your advances. He also knew nothing of the others and did not seem to care. Then when he returned my flirting it got kinda obvious.”] Bleu spits out having a hard time getting rid of the foul taste from where she tore the doppleganger's throat out.

[“But....”]

[“Lets go, this place is no longer funny.”] Bleu snaps.

Velkorn looks down at the pile of goo that had up until Bleu ripped its throat out a perfect copy of Rhede Pelt. She swallowed following along behind the angry dragonling. At the very least Bleu was no longer panicking, though Velkorn felt like she might start.

“I think I found it Luna.” Jer'rahd comments from a few shelves over.

Luna moves around the shelves following his upturned gaze to the oddity before them. The thing was vaguely egg shaped and took up a spot where a good three of four rows of shelves should have been. She had no idea how she had missed the thing during their first look around.

“Where did this come from?” Luna asks.

“It sort of appeared when I pulled a book off a shelf titled easy answers to complex problems.” Jer'rahd admits.

The entire thing seemed to be made out of copper, brass, wood, and what seemed to be cheesecake. Large and small pipes of assorted metals ran in and out of the machine some venting steam others doubling back into the machine or running into the walls, many of the pipes were of odd materials as well including bacon , paper , and pretzel. Poles and fans and other spinning or bouncing bits stuck out of the central body at odd angles doing what ever it was they did. A giant blue gemstone, easily half the size of the machine sat dead center of the whirling mess showing the pairs slightly distorted reflection.

The bees that had attacked earlier buzzed around the machine unbothered by the steam or their presence, the soft glow of Luna and Jer'rahd's magic still clinging to some. The entire thing seemed to be half made by a toddler with access to building blocks, and the other half a master crafts pony of unparalleled skill. Just under the giant gem sat a silver pedestal with three books atop it, two of them covered in wires and glowing softly, the third just simply sitting there.

“The Book of Blue, The Red Tome, and the Gray Grimoire, Discord had all three, but he still was defeated? This does not make any sense.” Luna mutters to herself.

“From what I have seen he did not make any sense any way. Why? What are the Red Tome and Gray Grimiore?”

“The Blue Book deals with the elements of harmony, it tracks them allows their recovery, it's what we were after here. It's just supposed to be a guidebook to the Elements and other things. Really it's just Discord's journal, he claimed to know how to get the Element's of harmony during the war and that book has that info. Supposedly.” Luna admits.

“You don't know for sure?”

“No but it was our best chance.” Luna admits.

“ So I gather the others are different.” Jer'rahd comments ignoring that Luna admitted this could have been a wild goose chase.

“The Red Tome is a spell book of dark magic. It raises dead, summons demons, and the like. The Gray Grimiore is rumored to have the ability to grant wishes and make gods.“ Luna hisses.

“Well now, as much trouble as we went though to get just the blue one better take them all so no one else follows our trail of destruction.” Jer'rahd nods.

“That may be for the best.” Luna hesitates before agreeing.

The dark alicorn floats the books up off the table, tucking all three into the saddle bags she wore. No sooner had she done so then the gem starts glowing brightly and a strange face appears on the surface. Jer'rahd thought it looked some what like a snaggle tooth bearded pony with mismatched eyes a curled horn and a straight one, the rest of the creature was either hidden from view or it did not have anything past its shoulders.

“Well, well what is this that comes into my lair. OOOh look a new set of toys. I think those maps were the best idea I ever had. I must remember not to break these toys too soon. It has been a while since I've had a plaything.” a echoing voice with constantly changing pitches speaks out of some spot hidden on the machine.

“DISCORD!!!” Luna snarls.

“Ahh crap.” Jer'rahd mutters.

Star fall staggers back looking down at the crumpled form, then at her blood covered hooves and sword. Her sword drops to the floor with a clang, the blade having been pressed to the stallions throat ready to take his head. She stumbles back as the red stallion sits down hard reaching a hoof up to rub his neck.

“Oh goddess, I am sorry Rhede...... please... I’m sorry..... “Starfall stammers tears welling in her eyes.

“You know,ugh, while I expect lovely mares to cry over me when I’m gone, I don't expect it to happen because they tried to make me gone.” Rhede chuckles with a wince.

Starfall opens her tear soaked eyes as Rhede slowly gets back to his hooves. He was bleeding from a multitude of cuts and torn skin where her hooves had impacted him. The flowing blood was making a mess of his coat and the light armor he wore. He winces a bit, lifting his front hoof off the ground not willing to put any weight on it. Starfall drops her head back down. Not able to look at him.

“I'm sorry.....” she mutters.

”You're fine ow... mares dig scars... I mean look at Jer....” Rhede chuckles. “Okay maybe not. Aside from Platinum most of the ones after him have been total bitches.”

“But....” Starfall protests.

“Stuff it Starfall, you reacted pretty much how I expected you to. Okay to be honest I was hoping you would catch on a little sooner. But at least you managed to realize it before you actually managed to kill me.”

“I... it looked like her, sounded like her, buck Rhede, it even smelled like Cloud Dancer, with how this place is, it could have been her. I ….am am sorry I lost control, you, when you killed it......all I saw was my daughter with your dagger buried in her.” Starfall explains.

The corpse of what Starfall had thought was Cloud Dancer lay several feet away, the steel grip of one of Rhede's daggers buried in the bubbling mess, a scorpion like tail twitching against the floor as muscles spasm. The face of it still looked like cloud dancer, but even that was starting to dissolve.

“Well I am glad I managed that much, before what ever that was got you. I suggest in the future not to hug anything here......” Rhede comments dryly.

“I'm sorry....”

“Well if you're really sorry, we could see if there's a bed room some where in this place that's normal. After you patch me up of course.” Rhede grins.

“ I am not THAT sorry.” Starfall snorts.

[“You are hyperventilating again Bleu.”] Velkorn comments shakily.

“I have seen easily twenty different gory deaths of Boss since we started along this path.” Bleu snarls.

[“And they have all appeared to be Rhede to me.”]Velkorn states coldly.

“That is the only reason I am not completely freaking out right now. Especially after that one where he was impaled on all the spears.....” Bleu shudders. “ Something about that one....”

[“There is more noise ahead, it sounds like some one talking, we should hurry to see what is going on.”] Velkorn swiftly changes the subject.

“Lets go, I'm hoping its a clear target of some kind. I feel up for a little bit of the ol' ultra violence after all this emotional trauma.” Bleu growls.

“How is this even possible your sealed in stone!!” Luna shouts.

“OOOH so that’s what that light beam did to me, pretty rainbows and all. But I do have a secret. I'm not really Discord... well no I take that back. I am, but not anything more than a imprint of him on this machine.... and yes that's what its called, This Machine. Honestly it seems I was experimenting with being dull for a while there. Call me D2 if you must. Bigger longer and uncut. Hmm now for my questions. The first of which is, which one are you. Your not Celestia or Aviana, but you are a alicorn, the blood confirms that..... oooh you must be a replacement... which one left, oh I do hope it was Celestia. I would get a good chuckle of thinking of that fire brand having grown all old and decrepit. Sadly it was probably Aviana, pity because that means I can't kill her. Ahhhh wait, I recognize you now. That warrior hanging around with princess fat flank, so being a proper hoof licker paid off for you in the end.”

“Shut up Discord. I beat the real you once. This toy of yours should be foals play to destroy.”Luna snarls.

“Wait what does he mean by your blood confirms it?” Jer'rahd interjects having been quiet through the pair yelling at each other.

“I lay out a potentially embarrassing secrets for you about how your whole belief in the goddesses could be false and its THAT part of what I said that you focus on!?!” Discord snaps.

“The rest is none of my concern.” Jer'rahd admits. “ What they were before doesn't mean anything as they are now Goddesses.

“Pffft, boring. Its no fun when you're are not even willing to play. Nothing spectacular about you either just boring old unicorn and earth pony blood.......... I think this is earth pony blood. Never looked at the mud hooves red matter before. Well there must be something special about you to have made it this far. And that armor is rather snazzy, who's your tailor?” Discord rants.” Wait I recognize those bones!! Those are from a Tank!! No way..... you took down one of my Totally Awesome Nag Killers.”

“I thought the T was for Tortoise.” Jer'rahd comments.

“It was a turtle!!! Never mind, to answer that little query it's another one of my little experiments. My little bees here took a bit of the magical blood from you both as you seem to be the most interesting in that little adventuring party. Well she is, you're not, so don't get your hopes up you lump of gray fur. The bees just go after any magic user anywhere near them. You were just there so you got stuck. But lets play match maker shall we? Or at least geneticist. Ever wonder what your kid will look like, oh come on you've been hanging out with such a delightfully well formed mare over here and you have not given any thought to banging her? What are you gay? Never mind, just think on it now cause once she comes out you won't have long to consider before she kills you. Toodles.”

“Did the real Discord ever shut up or take a breath?” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Not that I can recall no.” Luna admits.

The image of Discord swings both his arms to the left, both mismatched hands pointing to that side of 'this machine'. A large seam splits along the side of the egg, the split swinging apart like beetle wings opening. A rush of steam and smoke billows out of the opening along with flashing lights and what sounds like a synthesizer trying to play muskrat love as played by an accordion.

A tall form steps out of the heated mist, red and aqua colored eyes glowing menacingly as the mare clears the billowing steam. A single flap of leathery green wings sends her airborne to land lightly before the two of them. Her black coat was highlighted by amber hair that swayed and waved in a unfelt breeze, her tail was made of the same coloration as her mane though it seemed to be dotted with sparkling points of light like Luna's. The cutie mark gracing her flank was the same crescent moon on a shield that had been imprinted on the armor they all wore. A long jade colored horn spiraled from her forehead a black light radiated from it as she regarded the two of them. Her well muscled form easily taller than Luna's giving the impression she was looking down on them both .”

“Hello mother, father, I am Nocturne. I am your end.” The alicorn snarls.

“OK, Rhede I am now freaked out a little.”Starfall mutters.

“Oh, why is that? The bodies of our fallen friends? The other bodies of all the ponies you have ever known and loved?” Rhede grumbles.

“No sadly I have gotten used to that. What bugs me is that you have been walking on your hind legs for a while now, how are you even doing that?” Starfall asks.

“Tha's whats is bothering you?”

“Well given it's like you are trying to put your junk on display....” Starfall mutters.

“Practice is how, besides not like I can use my left hoof here.” Rhede snaps.

“Are you going to continue to make me feel miserable about attacking you.”Starfall grumbles

“No, that's not my intent but given how much you're complaining it seems you are trying to find a reason to be miserable.” Rhede grumbles.

“Yes well, how many bodies of the others have we passed now.” she sighs.

“None.”Rhede states.

“How are you so sure?”the pegasus snaps.

“I have my reasons, but until we actually find the others I have no plans to reveal that. No telling if the castle will take note and make it harder.” Rhede admits.

“Can't this place get into your mind and find out what that is?”Starfall shivers.

“At first yes, But that was because I did not expect it. Now no it can't.” Rhede states as if it was fact.

“How...?”

“Training. Its more of mind conditioning exercise for torture survival than anything else. Works surprisingly well against variations of mind reading too.” Rhede grins.” Unicorns hate it.”

“What the buck kind of training did you go through after basic?” Starfall stammers.

“Hold up... Do you hear that ?” Rhede asks stopping and dropping back down to three hooves.

“Don't try and change the....... yeah what is that?”Starfall comments.

Starfall stopped glancing back at the upright stallion her ears perking a bit. The crash of metal and crackle of magic easily heard when their hoof falls stop.

“Sounds like fighting, probably Jer'rahd.” Starfall nods.

“My thoughts exactly. If there is combat Jer will find it.” Rhede grins.

“More like it finds him.” Starfall sighs.

The first bolt of energy was cast so suddenly it took Luna by surprise, the shock of Discord and now this new alicorn had thrown her for a loop. Jer'rahd on the other hoof did not seem to be bothered by any of it. A green shield snapped up between Luna and the blast of magic the blot barely slowing as it pierced his shield fortunately for Luna he had started moving as soon as the other alicorn's spell had been cast. Luna yelps as she's knocked aside, the energy bolt struck him hard in the side , flinging him back through the air, and several book cases before he impacted a stone wall.

Luna snaps out of her surprise, horn flaring brightly as a swarm of energy blasts launch back at the alicorn. A panel of almost black light with traces of green forms in front of the new alicorn deflecting Luna's attack effortlessly. The mare calling herself Nocturne grins firing a number of her own bolts around the raised shelf seeming to not have the same issue with them Jer'rahd did. Luna hops and flips easily out of the way of the bolts, though the impact of them smashing into the floor and ceiling dropped a portion of the latter onto the spot Jer'rahd had landed.

“Oh! hey now stop that, your going to mess up my new rug.... oh wait, the moths ate that centuries ago... carry on then hehehe.” D2 cackled.

The rubble explodes outward as Jer'rahd bursts free of it rushing the mare with a growl. Bits of stone and and wood being flung at Nocturne as he charged her.

Nocturne shifted dancing about the flying debris flapping into the air as nearly tackles her twirling in place and planting a hard kick on the back of his armored head, sending him crashing through another series of book shelves.

“NOOO that was my Porn!!” D2 screams. “Not the good stuff mind you....”

Luna took advantage of the opening landing a hoof blow again the other alicorn who moved with the kick reducing the impact. Jer’rahd pushed up to his hooves again shaking the rubble free of his armored form before moving over to flank the mare between himself and Luna.

“I really love this armor.” Jer'rahd grins.

“If you love it so much why not marry it? Hmmm. I'm sure that's legal some where. Maybe Haygas.” D2 chimes.

Jer'rahd responded by yanking a pipe out of the side of the egg with his magic, tearing a hole in the metal, a wide grin seen on his muzzle. He rushed forward again, copper pipe swinging at the new alicorn. He bites down on the pipe, his own green shields appearing, deflecting the hoof strikes of the mare as she fires a few blasts of magic at Luna at the same time.

Nocturne could not land anything more than a glancing blow on either of them , but they could not manage much more than that on her either.

“They are not doing to bad.“ Bleu comments.

“It seems they are under great duress, if indeed that is Jer'rahd and the Princess.” Velkorn responds.

“The better question is if you two are who you are supposed to be.” Starfall states

Bleu and Velkorn whip around staring down the two ponies coming up the hall way behind them.

[“Rhede what happened?”] Velkorn asks stepping forward only to be stopped by Bleu's tail.

“Hold up Velkorn.... are you who you are supposed to be?”Bleu asks.

“Kind of a loaded question. If we say yes, we might be lying if we say no then that’s the same thing, how about you two slide to the left a bit and let me have a look at this battle.” Rhede mutters.

“Rhede.....” Starfall warns.

“Do keep in mind Starfall, I told you I could tell. These two are who they are supposed to be, but I want to make sure the ones out there are...... oooh through the wall?” Rhede winces watching as a whip of the alicorn's tail sends Jer'rahd smashing though some of the remaining untouched book shelves and through a stone wall on the other side of them.

“Good idea with the shields though.”Starfall comments.

“Try anything stud muffin, and I will gut you.” Bleu snaps

“Stop calling me that ….. I can't tell with Jer, of course I doubted I could with that armor, but that is the Princess.” Rhede states.

“How do you even know that?” Bleu grumbles.

“The castle has yet to duplicate your gift to us Bleu. None of the bodies have the sword fragments, just the vine of the necklace. I am not sure if they cannot be duplicated or the place just did not notice.” Rhede responds.

The three others look at each other, then each others necklaces, then back at Rhede who grinned before slumping against a wall with a wince.

“You are a lousy medic Starfall, now get out there and help before those two get killed.” Rhede orders.

“Enough of this foolishness” Nocturne screams.

Nocturne’s magic flares destroying all the green shields and flinging Luna and Jer'rahd back to crash to the ground. Jer'rahd was on his hooves quickly the bent copper pipe floating beside him. He moves in front of Luna as she regains her hooves shaking her head to clear the after effects of the spell blast.

“I know all of your powers and weakness' and I am stronger than both of you.” Nocturne snarls.

“So how are you going to turn the inability to talk to mares and the thing with raisins against us?” Jer'rahd snarks.

“Heh, still time to be snarky in the middle of all this?” Nocturne states grinning wide. “Well aren’t you a clever pony, father.”

“SHIT!” Jer'rahd stumbles back looking around wildly.

“Is that a weakness? Being called clever is a weakness? Honestly General that is the lamest weakness ever.” Luna growls.

“You have no idea what that little phrase has done to me.” Jer'rahd responds glaring at Nocturne. “ Of course it should work against you too.”

Nocturne's tail lashes out wrapping around Jer'rahd's throat yanking him into the air between Luna and Nocturne. Luna hesitates firing at the other alicorn for a second though Nocturne had no such limitation. A blast of power burst from her horn, barely dodged by the hanging Jer'rahd. Luna however takes the brunt of the blast full force and is sent crashing back to tumble through the shatter remains of the library.

Jer'rahd growls, his magic grabbing the pipe and belting the dark alicorn in the side of the head, slipping free of her coiled hair, He lands hard in front of the mare, lunging forward to finish her only to slam into a shield , bounce off and then get flung back as the panel exploded.

Luna mages to get to her hooves just in time for the flung Jer'rahd to crash into her sending both of them crashing back into a wall, chunks of rock and wood falling atop of them with a horrendous crash. The led pipe thudded to the ground near by her. The mare barely spares it a glance before a flicker of her magic melts it into slag with a maniacal laugh from the Discord image.

“OOOOh this is delightful. Finish them off dear and then we'll go see what happened to the others.” D2 cackles.

“I do not take orders from you. But I was planning to do that any way. With this I become better than you both. A child outdoing the wastrels that spawned her.”Nocturne smirks baring fangs.

“DEATH FROM ABOVE!!!”

“What?”Nocturne blinks looking up.

The bright glow around Nocturnes horn fades as dragonling lands hard on her back as her full pony size, flattening the mare to the floor. The alicorn sweeps her wings back screaming as a lightning bolt from the dragon burns a hole though one of them. She spines suddenly , bucking the dragon off of her back, Bleu's claws digging furrows in the mares back. Starfall's rear hooves slam into her blind side with the crunch of bone that sent the alicorn staggering to the her right foreleg crushed. Her mane whips at the pegasus who leaps back avoiding the blow, blades whirling along her wings, severing the strands before they get close. Nocturne winces taking the weight off her injured hoof as three daggers impact into her flank. She fires a blast in the direction they came from but Rhede had already moved. She screams out with rage power flaring about her as the shields form a bubble about her trapping the others outside away from her as her bones start to knit.

“You bastards, I will make your skulls water bowls for the rats!! DIE ALL OF... HURRRK.....!!” the mare shrieks before suddenly being cut off.

The alicorn jerks, a gush of blood escaping her mouth as she attempts to breath. Her eyes drop down to the half invisible zebra mare standing just in front of her. Velkorn smiled a little,she had just managed to get close before the alicorn put up her shields, a few dozen blows to the mares ribs and belly from the zebra was all it took to take her out. The newborn goddess' shields fell and a heartbeat or two later so did she.

“That went better than expected, every one still alive?”Starfall calls out.

“Well I’m still bleeding a bit but I don't know about Jer and Luna.” Rhede responds.

“Hey what about me? I am still supposed to be ranting here about how you all will rue the day and all that ….. where are the bee's, oh wait she fried them all hmmm maybe a maticore or something what can I make... I do have a lot of blood in here. Maybe a bee crossed with a bear, a bugbear oh that sounds perfect....” D2 rants.

“Bleu fry that thing.” Starfall orders.

“Not a problem.”Bleu grumbles

The gem stone dwelling Discord blinks and yelps as Bleu breaths a bolt of electricity at him, the metal and wood deflecting he lightning which strikes another wall in a shower of stone chips and dust and sets some of the books on fire.

“HAHA, this shell is impervious to your paltry dragon spitting, nothing you can do about it.” D2 yells triumphantly.

“What if she shot it into holes where that pipe used to be, would that be enough to ruin this things guts?” Rhede suggests.

“What cuts... oh right the pipe, that was for grounding I think........ hmm I suppose I did not think this taunting the electric dragon thing through GAAAAHHhzzzzztt......” D2 comments as Bleu shoots a bolt of lightning through the gaping rent in the side of the machine.

“Well that's it for that one,Velkorn go check on the Princess and Jer'rahd what do we do with this one?”Starfall asks looking down at the alicorn.

“No clue Starfall. Not sure we even have the power to kill her. Her wings already healed up same with the cuts.” Rhede points out as he hobbles over.

Bleu had already darted over and was tossing rubble off the fallen pair as soon as the machine was fried. Flinging another rock aside she exposed the dust coated back of Jer'rahd's armor. She rapidly cleared off the rest of them nearly beaning Velkorn as she dug. Jer'rahd half stood over the Princess locked in place over the unconscious Luna. A soft panting was heard from the armor, though a drip of blood fell from his muzzle splattering in a growing pool next to the Princesses head.

“He better not be dead I need to smack him for making me worry.” Bleu growls.

“He is bleeding but seems well, I suppose it's thanks to that armored shell.” Velkorn admits.

“And the Princess?” Starfall calls out.

“I do not know,my alicorn knowledge is low.”Velkorn frowns.

“Bleu get him out of that armor.” Rhede orders.

“Why don't you come over here and help then Rhede...... oh wait, your in crap shape too.” Bleu sighs.

“Here, I'll help, lets get him out of there first... Oh crap he weighs a ton....” Starfall winces

Between the three of them, with directions barked out by Rhede, they get Jer'rahd from the pile of rubble and manage to lay him down. However they utterly fail to get the helm off of him even with all three of them trying.

Leaving him alone a moment Velkorn checks over Luna finding nothing really wrong with her save some small burns on her chest. Velkorn pulls some smelling salts from her bag running them under Luna's nose. The Princess suddenly sits bolt upright with a yelp, winces, and nearly passes out again.

“Easy there Luna, its all good at the moment. Least until this thing wakes up. So I know we have been separated a while, but you and Jer had a kid I hear? He does work fast that one.” Rhede chimes from the other side of the room where he was looking over some books.

“What are you rambling about?” Luna mutters.

“Never mind, humor aside you up for helping get that thing off of him?” Starfall asks pointing to Jer'rahd. “ Velkorn can't check on him very well with the bone armor on.”

“Get what off, arrgh my head....” Luna winces. “ What happened here?”

“Well you did just have a rather large armored stallion smack into you, maybe a few rocks as well not sure if he blocked them all.” Bleu comments.

“How is he ?” Luna asks.

“I could tell you that which you seek, but with the armor on I can't even peek.” Velkorn snaps.

“It needs to be magically, ugh, Alright give me a moment.” Luna sighs rubbing her temple with a hoof.

Her horn flares,the visible wince bringing a sympathetic wince from the others as well. The helm of Jer'rahd's armor glows as she pulls it off over his horn the rest of the plate falling off to crash on the floor around him. The slow rise and fall of Jer'rahd's chest the only movement he offers though there seemed to be no visible wounds. Velkorn begins checking him over rapidly.

“How is he Velkorn..?”Rhede asks.

“There is no reason to fuss or shout, it seems that all that is wrong is he is knocked out.” Velkorn sighs.

“But the blood?” Bleu asks.

“Here we all were about to flip, and it seems the fool just bit his lip.” Velkorn chuckles.

“Yep, defiantly gonna kick him.”Starfall growls.

“How the heck does he get flung through several walls, blasted with magic, have half a building fall on him and hes fine. Yet he bounces off a nice soft mare and has another few rocks bounce off his head, and that knocks him out?” Rhede questions.

“I'm not exactly soft.” Luna mutters.

The next few hours went rather well. Velkorn stuns the alicorn a few more times before Luna recovers enough to seal her in a stasis spell. The Princess planned to bring her back to study how she was made. This was met with protests until Luna pointed out they didn't know how she could be killed, and leaving her here and free was a worse idea. The others calmed down a bit more when Luna stated she would likely be placed in the Garden if Discord's programming could not be removed.

Jer'rahd had awoken to Bleu hugging him, then smacking the fool out of him, then hugging him again. Velkorn had checked Luna then had been fussing over Rhede for a good while now. Starfall was sitting off to the side watching Rhede and Velkorn with as dark an expression as she had when she told the story of her husband. Something had happened and Jer'rahd was not sure he wanted to know, doubtless it probably wasn't good , but Rhede didn't seem to show any signs of a issue with Starfall. Perhaps he should ask later. Despite Velkorn's protests he put the armor back on letting Bleu ride around on his back as he went to check on the Princess and Nocturne.

“So what now Princess?” Jer'rahd asks.

“We head home shortly, my magic should be strong up enough for that, even with the new body. The clear magic room is through one of the walls you were thrown through.” Luna answers.

“Which one?” Jer'rahd asks looking at the holes in the wall around them.

“What ? Oh the first wall. “Luna admits pointing a wing at a particular hole.

“So whats wrong with you now?” Jer'rahd asks.

“What makes you think anything is wrong.” Luna snorts.

“Well you managed to get out of your silent brooding contemplation through most of the trip. Kinda was hoping it would stay that way, but its back. I can tell by the look on your face.” Jer'rahd smirks.

“I was ill prepared for this. We could have died. I should have done better.”Luna admits.

“We could be killed walking down the street of Canterlot. A clumsy pegasus mover could drop a piano on our heads. If you worry to much about the stuff that can kill you, you never get any where. Granted all you have to worry about is strange daggers.” Jer'rahd whispers the last.

“And mystical copies of myself.” Luna admits.

“Keep in mind part of me is in her as well.” Jer'rahd states.” She has my hair.”

“So should I worry about you being something trying to kill me?” Luna snarks

“Why not, the rest of Equestria seems to already consider me ready to eat them when they sleep.” Jer'rahd shrugs.

“Mostly the nobles, but yeah, boss here is a scary one.” Bleu comments landing on Jer'rahd's back suddenly. “Throwing himself into a energy beam to save you and stuff.”

“Wait you saw that? Why didn’t you help earlier then?” Jer'rahd growls.

“Err we were not sure you were you.” Bleu admits.

“What?” Luna asks.

“I'll tell you later. For now are we set to go? This place lost its funny a while back.” Bleu grumbles.

“Yes. I should have enough power to get us back to Canterlot now.” Luna admits slowly rising to her hooves.

“Please try to keep me out of the lake this time Luna.” Jer'rahd smirks. “Starfall! Steel your gut, we're getting ready to go.”

“Glad I have not eaten anything in a while. Starfall comments.

The group moves into the half collapsed room, Jer'rahd floating the unconscious alicorn behind him, before dropping her unceremoniously on the floor in the middle of them all.

“ Boss! You don't shake the baby!” Bleu gasps.

“Seriously?” Jer'rahd grumbles.

Luna smiles a little her horn glowing brightly as she starts to cast a spell. All of them quite happy to leave this madness behind them, and return to the relative normalcy of Canterlot.

The spell fades leaving them standing in a sealed court yard inside the castle. Jer'rahd lets out a sigh of relief that he hadn't been dumped in a lake this time, and Starfall looked ready to hurl. The group barely had time to get their bearings before Princess Celestia appeared with a loud pop of teleportation , nearly tackling Luna. The group froze looking at the worried expression on the Princess of the Sun's face.

“You're all right sister, what in the name of Equestria happened?!”Celestia shouts.

“Relax Tia, we are alright, the trip took a few days longer than I planned, but we have not missed our return time by more than a week. Nothing to have you fret over.” Luna states.

“A week? Sister you and the others have been gone for nearly ten years.” Celestia exclaims.

**********************************************************************

Twilight opened her eyes, her horn's magic fading. She blinks lightly, eyes adjusting to the rooms soft light. She glances back noting Spike passed out on the couch and Fluttershy humming softly to herself next to him.

“Welcome back Twilight. Was it interesting this time?” Fluttershy asks.

“Actually it was, very informative, and confusing. All that talk of watching over me and he still falls asleep.” Twilight sighs.

“Well he did try. He is very loyal, maybe he would have made a good new Rainbow Dash after all.” Fluttershy giggles as Twilight rolls her eyes. “Well, he would have if the rest of us were ourselves at the time too. I suppose since your back, you want to write about it? I better get going then Angel might get worried.”

“Thanks Fluttershy.” Twilight nods.

“I promise I will be back, oh, I keep meaning to ask you what you want for your birthday coming up. Oh yes, and what Spike wants for his.” Fluttershy asks a bit quieter in case the dragonling woke up.

“I think both of us are pretty happy with just about anything. But you don't have to get me a gift Fluttershy. Just to have every one show up at my party will be enough.” Twilight admits.

“I still think to get you something, maybe Rarity will have a better idea. Good night Twilight.” Fluttershy states.

“I said don't worry about it. Good night Fluttershy.” twilight responds as she Picks spike up to take him to bed while the pegasus slips out the door.

Comments

[link4]

wow... 10 years? well then... this should be interesting. little cloud chasers all grown up O.o

[Snowdrifter]

Let's do the Time Warp again!
Let's do the Time Warp again!

[Compezell]

[omegasnowfall]

So, having read the description for the sequel, who wants to bet on their daughter returning from petrification to be a pain again?