As everypony got through the main gate, the violent shaking stopped, and Darkness said, "Everypony, bar the gate, with whatever you can find, Lunar Ebony Blade and myself, may slowed down that army, but it won't stop them, we need to keep them out of the city, for as long as possible. We need to get to Bolverk, and kill him, again. Once he's defeated, the spell will disperse, and fade off." Everypony found some old carts, and other large old things, and put them in front of the gate, and Darkness said, "That should do, alright, let's get going."
Everypony could immediately tell something was wrong with Darkness, as they all walked along down the street, and Snowshy asked, "What's wrong?"
Darkness said sadly, "I had always imagined you would all get to come here and visit this city....but not like this, I didn't want you all to see it...like this... I also know, that this land, it wasn't always a desert, it used to be a beautiful land, full of life, full of lush trees, and grasslands, and forests, the Gods of Equestria, when they cursed the city, they cursed the land too, a testament, and reminder of the pain and suffering my kind had caused, and as long as evil remains in this city, so shall the land remain a desert. I have seen what it used to be....by sending my consciousness, my soul, to the past, that is how I know, what it once was like, it was quite something let me tell you."
Twilight said, "We understand, this has got to be hard for you, because this time, you're physically here, and with the state it's in..."
Darkness said, "Yeah, it's hard, but we got to keep on moving, I used to send my consciousness, my soul, here all the time, when I was younger, and although I couldn't interact physically with anything, it is still unlike anything I have ever seen. But we best keep on going...Maybe someday, when this is all over, I can take you all there, and you can see it for yourselves."
Rarity said, "I for one, would love to come along, the next time, you go there."
Applejack said, "I usually not one for cities, but if it is as good as you say, I'll come along, after this is all over, of course. And perhaps, maybe once Bolverk is gone for good, maybe the land, will go back to the way it once was." One by one, everypony said the same thing, and
Darkness said, "You guys are the best. And yeah, maybe it will."
Rainbow Dash said, "That's what friends are for!"
Darkness seemed to have his spirits back up, as he said, "Okay, right now, we are in the slums of the city, if I'm right, the path to the stronghold, is straight down this road to the right."
Darkness pointed, as they continued to walk down the road in the middle, and everypony saw where Darkness was pointing, and Rainbow Dash said, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's head down that road!"
Everypony made a turn to the left, and began to head down that road, and Darkness said, "This road is rather long, as we got to follow it, all the way up that giant cliff."
Darkness pointed in the direction of the stronghold castle, which lay on the very top of the cliff, and everypony saw where he was pointing, and Rarity said, "All the way up there? And why so high?"
Darkness said, "Simple, it prevented any enemy, from storming the castle. Well, at least that was the idea, but it couldn't prevent an army of millions, from taking over the city, and storming the castle anyways."
Rainbow Dash said, "Oh, right."
Just about then, the shaking returned, and from beneath them, as cracks began to form, and Darkness said, "Well, so much for sightseeing! Everypony! RUN!!" Everypony trotted as fast they could, as the dead began to rise out of the cracks, and after what felt like forever, they had reached the bottom of the cliff, and everypony took a quick break, and continued, as they all trotted up the long path, that lead up to the castle.
The shaking was getting worse, as a all-too familiar voice said, "What's this? Intruders in my city? Ah! If it isn't Darkness and his so-called friends! Arise! My Army! Take care of these fools!"
Darkness said, "So much for the element of surprise! Bolverk knows we are here! Just keep going!" The shaking was getting worse, as a large part of the ground began to collapse behind them, as a massive swarm, of dead, rose out from it, and Darkness said, "Don't look back! Keep going! We are almost there!" A few moments later, everypony reached the main doors of the castle, and opened the doors, as Darkness ushered everypony inside, and they all closed the doors behind them, and barred the doors, with whatever they could find, and Darkness said, "Let's hope that keeps them out long enough for us, to defeat Bolverk. Alright, let's keep going, the throne room, should a few rooms ahead of us." Everypony just followed Darkness, as they went left first, then left again, the forward three rooms, then right, and then a sharp left, when they came upon, a strange, but rather ornate large doors, with a massive blue glowing symbol on them.
Snowshy said, "Is this...what I think it is? The throne room?"
Darkness said, "It is, but everypony stand back a little, I think I know what particular spell this is, and it might push us back a little, once I break the seal." Darkness closed his eyes, held out his front hooves, and began to speak the words of the ancient ones, as eight orange symbols appeared in front of him, and Darkness opened his eyes, and with one of his hooves, moved the symbols in front of the massive one, and the orange symbols began to slowly spin, and then little by little, it got faster, until both the orange symbols, and the massive one, both turned white, and faded away, as a rather violent shockwave, pushed everypony back a little, followed by a the sound of a 'click'.
Darkness said, "There, the seal is broken, now all that's left, is to.."
Rainbow Dash finished Darkness's sentence, "Defeat Bolverk! Yeah! Let's do this!" Everypony all readied themselves, as Darkness began to open the throne room doors, and everypony went inside, alert and ready for battle.