//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Encounter // Story: Equestria Wars Episode XVI: The Crystal Princess // by sonicdash123 //------------------------------// Charming Thunder leads the group through the Frozen North when he heard a sound coming from the distance. He stopped as the group looked around as a sound of a wampa cried in the distance and what appears to be a sound of a dragon. They continued on to get a closer look. When they got there, they saw a dead wampa on the snowy ground appears to be burnt to crisp. Charming Thunder drew his blaster and slowly stepped up to the corpse. "No dragon has come this far in the north," he said. "It's probably best to press on," Starlight said. "Dragon or not we are being hunted." The group then walked past the corpse and continued onward to the temple. Charming Thunder's medallion glowed as they walked. "He's here," Primus's voice said. Charming Thunder looked up to see a silhouette of a dragon flying over them and land in front of them. The dragon then flashed and transformed into a stallion. The stallion revealed himself as Charming Thunder activated his lightsaber. The stallion stopped as he evilly grinned. "Who are you?" Charming Thunder demanded as he pointed his blade directly at the stallion. "I am Midnight Predator; bearer of the Predacons and your executioner," Midnight said. "And you must be the bearer of the Autobots. What a surprise." Midnight spreads his bat wings and floats in the air. "Mephiles has told me a lot about you, king of Equestria. Now you will meet your end!!!" Midnight then transformed into a cybertronian robot and roared. Charming Thunder did the same and charged at him. Midnight avoided the attack as Charming Thunder transformed to an armored car and popped out its cannon to fire a shot. It impacts Midnight as Sombra and the others ran to safety inside a nearby cave. Midnight transforms into a dragon and breathes fire at Charming Thunder. He rolls away from the fire breath and mounts Midnight on the head. He then used his machine gun cannon to the head just before Midnight shook his head and managed to get Charming Thunder off of him. Midnight then tackled him to the ground in robot form and readied a punch strike to the head. Time then suddenly stopped as Valkorion appeared next to Charming Thunder's head. Charming Thunder turned to see him. "What is this?" "An opportunity," Valkorion said. "You are outmatched. I can save you. I only require the briefest moment of control. Accept my help or watch your self get struck down. Choose quickly. Time has not stopped." Charming Thunder looked at Midnight and back at Valkorion then nodded at him. "Take care of it." "Gladly." Time resumed and when Midnight was about to strike, Charming Thunder's eyes glowed purple and grabbed Midnight's fist and threw him across the snow. Midnight got up with a shock look as Charming Thunder surged himself with power and repulsed some of his power towards him. Midnight quickly transformed into a dragon and prepared to breathe fire at him, but Charming Thunder quickly rolled into the cave and fired his arm cannon at the top of the entrance collapsing it in order to block the entrance. Midnight charged at the collapsed cave and tried to dig his way through the cave. Charming Thunder transformed back to normal and looked at Sombra and the others who had a surprised look. "What did you just do?" Starlight asked. "Was that him? The power at your disposal?" "Him?" Radiant asked. "What's going on here?" Sombra asked. "Nothing," Charming Thunder lied. "All that matters is that it is going to take forever for him to get us as long as we are safe in here." "Who was that?" Radiant asked. "And why does he look like you and your brother?" "I don't know. All I know is that he has a medallion of the Predacons just like I have the medallion of the Autobots. He said that he was sent by Mephiles to kill me." "Mephiles must've created him then," Sombra said. "Danny did say something about him using your DNA and your brother's." "Indeed. So what now?" "We continue through this cave and hopefully find a way out," Starlight said. Rocks crumbling can be heard from the other side as the group began to take their leave. --------------------- Charming Thunder tried contacting backup from the Crystal Empire, but the signal was feint. He puts away his holo communicator as Radiant went ahead of the group as she saw something. "Guys, over here," she said as she gestured. "This is it." When the group arrived they couldn't believe their eyes to see the sunlight revealing the temple itself standing in the cave. "Thank Celestia it's still standing" Sombra said with relief. "I've never seen a temple like this in my life," Starlight said. "Let's hope that the shard is in there." "It is. I know it." Time stopped and Valkorion appeared next to Charming Thunder. "At long last," Valkorion said. "The temple where the last piece of the puzzle is here. Don't think that this would be easy. There are things worse when you enter the temple." "Like what?" Charming Thunder said. "Traps?" "You'll see." Valkorion vanished as time resumed. The group then began to walk to the entrance of the temple and stopped at the front doors. Charming Thunder looked up to see statues of Sombra on every corner of the temple. When Radiant touched the door to look at the markings, the doors slowly began to slide open. Charming Thunder and the others looked to see the door opening revealing a pathway. When the doors stopped opening, Charming Thunder had a look of concern. "I fear that there are traps in this temple. This won't be easy." "If anything comes at us, we'll be ready," Starlight reassured. "In that case, care to lead the way, father?" "With pleasure," Sombra said as he leads the group inside the temple. Midnight watched from above as the group entered the temple and grinned. He flew down to the temple and followed them into the temple.