//------------------------------// // The Book // Story: Moon Unit Zappa // by RarityEQM //------------------------------// The moments trickled passed slowly. So slowly, in fact, that it felt like each second was a stretched eternity of waiting for Diamond to return from her errand of searching the castle. It wasn't the greatest plan; sending Diamond in alone, but she was the only one who had some probability of success. Crystalline ponies had a natural resistance to magic, and her diamonized skin made her tougher than most. Still that meant Dinky and Blueblood were vulnerable while Diamond was away, and if another one of those goat demons arrived, it would be up to Dinky to actually combat it. It was a thought that left a sour taste in her mouth and a chill that raced down her spine. She doubted her mystic arts would provide much of a defense against goat demons or other creatures in Tartarus, and all she could do was hope everything worked out. The little unicorn groaned quietly and reached her hooves up to massage her temples as another terrible thought occurred to her. Diamond had barely managed to topple a single one of the creatures. If she were forced to combat multiple demons at once, they would demolish her, cursed blood or not. No amount of regeneration would help that number of opponents. The stupid filly wouldn't stand a chance...and Dinky was the one who ordered her into it. Dinky had ordered Diamond to her own death, before the disease or her own stupidity ever could. There was no way she'd stand a chance in Tartarus without her star to support her, but she couldn't leave Blueblood on his own! This was all Diamond's fault. Had she just stayed out of Tartarus like Dinky had told her to in the first place, she could be in the warm comfort of the castle library reading to her hearts content and Diamond wouldn't be in any danger. "Are....you worried about your friend?" A gentle voice asked. Dinky and Blueblood had taken refuge near the 'quarry' which Dinky had figured out was a sacrificial pit. The numerous bodies and the horrid stench of decay was testament of that. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts about Diamond, she'd almost forgotten Blueblood was there. Almost. Until he started talking again. At first, she hoped she could placate him by just answering his questions. About thier mission about the Servants of Shadow, about Luna. He had been blissfully silent for all of ten minutes before he had the nerve to ask about Diamond. She bit her lower lip at the question and rolled her eyes. "No. And she's not my friend. She's an idiot," Dinky grumbled. Blueblood nodded his head quietly. "I guess if you can just bring her back to life, it's no big deal if she gets killed, huh?" Blueblood mused thoughtfully. Dinky's muzzle slowly twisted into a scowl and the filly turned towards Blueblood with a huff. "No, I cannot just -bring-her-back-to-life. My powers don't work like that. So, yes it's a big deal if she dies you moron! She shouldn't be down here in the first place, but she's too stupid to understand that," Dinky snarled quietly. Blueblood frowned in confusion, tilting his head to one side. He squinted at Dinky hard. She pretended not to care, and pushed her muzzle into the book Blueblood noticed she always seemed to have on her. Bound to her through some sort of magic? "Then...why would you come down here?" He asked quietly. She turned towards him with a hateful glare that pierced every defense that he had and violently injected itself into his soul. It was a withering gaze that was almost tangible in its application and it left him mercifully quiet. Dinky returned to her book and flipped a page, grumbling quietly to herself. "It's not like I WANT to be down here, "Dinky snapped after a tentative few moments of silence. She slammed the book shut. She opened the book again. "I didn't WANT to put her in those cuffs, You saw how dumb she is! It was safer if she was under my control...she's a hazard to herself and others and if I could keep her close maybe...I-I mean it's not MY fault she's so stupid! I didn't have a choice! She's the only one who could find the princess! I had to send her alone!! I DIDN'T KILL HER!! SHE DESERVED THIS!" Dinky screamed, listening to her voice echo across the burial pit. She turned away from Blueblood, opening the book again, looking for where she left off. But now the words were suddenly blurry. She shut the book and pushed it away. It was all Diamond's fault. It really was. If she hadn't been dumb enough to come down here, none of this would have happened. She pulled the book closer to her again and opened it up, closed it, and then opened it again. Next to her, silently, Blueblood watched her repeat this action over and over again, muttering to herself bitterly with every motion. It just wasn't fair. Really it wasn't. She shouldn't be punished for how stupid Diamond's behavior was. This was entirely her fault. Anyone who had any intelligence at all would be able to see that. Obviously, of course, had Diamond not come down to Tartarus all of this could have been avoided. Celestia would just send more of the guard. Eventually they'd make it to Luna and rescue her and...and it was...it was only a matter of time. They had no business being down in Tartarus. This was all Diamond's fault!! All of it! If she weren't so stupid, they wouldn't be down here. If she weren't so stupid, they wouldn't be separated. If she weren't so stupid, the Harmonix Collar would still be functional and- And... And at that point, Dinky realized she knew a 'Clairvoyance Spell.' In a rush of blazing magic, Dinky's horn erupted, and she threw open her book. She could use it as a catalyst! A conduit to something she controlled- the capture cuffs! Yes!! With those on, Diamond had technically become her servant- or a familiar of sorts. She could channel that magic into a scrying spell! She could see where Diamond was and if she were okay!! "Are yo-" Blueblood asked, but Dinky turned towards him, eyes glowing white with radiant mystic energy. "SILENCE!" She snarled. Slowly, the pages in front of Dinky, filled with arcane text and forbidden knowledge began to glow. Ideally, a crystal ball or something would be a better conduit for this sort of thing, but Dinky had to take what she could get. A hastily cobbled together spell, cast from memory after having only seen it once in a cave a few hours ago wasn't an exact science, so she wasn't sure this would work in the slightest. Quietly, the pages flickered, and the gentle blue aura from the tome revealed a scene from what looked like a picture book. It was slowly stenciled into view, like it were being drawn in real time. First, a castle, dark and imposing; like the one Dinky had sent Diamond too. She bit her lower lip. The book depicted morbidly flickering torches and long halls of gleaming ebony. It was like the castle itself had been built as a monument to suffering and agony. There were pictures of Imp creatures. Smallish demons that resembled red goblins with wings and a tail. The book drew them hovering about, chittering and barking at one and other in the court yard. Dinky turned the page thoughtfully. Either these were all images Diamond was seeing, or had seen since she'd snuck into the castle, she was sure. The next page illustrated Diamond herself, her hind quarters wiggling through a tiny open window that lead to a store room. Alchemy ingredients and spell components. A few dusty jars and odds and ends of things Dinky didn't want to know about. The next scene etched itself onto the page, showing Diamond sneaking through the halls of the castle, avoiding a trio of goat demons by keeping low and quiet, and the one following that rendered Diamond entering a large master bedroom, where Luna was chained to the wall with a nullification ring wrapped around her horn. Her wings were bound to her sides, and blood trickled from a dark wound in her shoulder. The final page was simply an image of Diamond lying on the ground with a broken neck, and Luna standing victoriously over her. And then there was no more.