“What do you mean she just disappeared?”
Princess Luna walked briskly down the corridor with Discord slithering through the air beside her. Word had reached Canterlot from the Ashen Fields that Princess Celestia and Royal Advisor Wingston had suddenly disappeared during an unexplainable event that took place near the Obelisks.
While no pony had any real answers to what exactly happened, every pony felt that the simple answer was that they had been pulled into the Void as well.
“A better explanation would be that every pony was simply pulled into the Void. How? I haven’t the slightest idea, but we should assume that it is nothing good.” Discord informed her.
Reaching the throne room, Private Nightshade and Private First Class Cosmic opened the doors to allow them to proceed. Several politician ponies quickly approached Princess Luna to inform her of the issues that will arise with Princess Celestia’s continued absence and the steps to lessen the impact as much as possible.
“Suspend all of Princess Celestia’s meetings indefinitely. I will handle all of her routine duties for the time being. Let us get ahead of this as much as possible before my sister’s absence becomes a serious problem.” Princess Luna commanded.
The politician ponies were quick to disperse, each with their own responsibilities to attend to. Princess Luna climbed the stairs to the throne where her sister normally resided, knowing that it was her responsibility to lead in Celestia’s stead.
“Celestia’s disappearance is most inconvenient, if not, ill timed.” Discord mentioned.
“Your insight into this matter is most enlightening, Discord” Princess Luna remarked sarcastically.
“Celestia has called for a meeting with all the Lords and Ladies of Equestria to convince them of this plan to open the portals to the Void. It will be your job to convince them of this now.”
The color in Princess Luna’s face drained rather quickly.
“Surely, some pony else can make such a case.” Princess Luna replied nervously.
“It has to be you or the meeting is off and don’t call me Shirley.” Discord informed her.
Princess Luna reflected on what a daunting task this would be. Having to address every pony, every leader of Equestria, and convince them of their intentions of opening a portal to the Void where a ancient evil resided.
Discord could sense the apprehension Princess Luna was having towards the whole thing.
“Fear not, Princess of the Night, Celestia had intended a detailed report from every pony today on everything concerning the Void. You will not be without some understanding of what we’re up against.”
At this time the door at the other end of the throne room opened, revealing Private Nightshade stepping in.
“Princess Luna? You have… guests.” Private Nightshade announced sounding unsure.
The doors of the throne room slid open revealing a very unique sight.
“Jungle Ponies?” Discord questioned looking surprised.
Chieftain Talon stepped into the throne room with his large staff adorned with several pony skulls clattering against one another and wore a ghoulish mask etched in gold. He was escorted by two of his honor guards that wore similar ghoulish masks etched in silver carrying large curved swords at their sides. Their appearance would have been the most fascinating aspect of their arrival, but what followed them was even more eye opening. For what followed them was a creature, skin olive black, noticeable markings upon its arms, and its hair drifted behind colored by proud purple stardust.
The Chieftain stopped before the throne. Removing his golden mask revealing his dark, painted face.
“I am Chieftain Talon, descendant of the Wakanda tribe and leader of the jungle ponies. We have come here at the behest of our heart of the jungle, to aid in rescuing the Flame King.”
Private Nightshade and Private First Class Cosmic were still standing in the doorway staring after the creature in amazement. There was an etherealness about it that made her seem otherworldly, which was exactly where it had come from.
“I present to you, the heart of the jungle, the Arcana from the Void, Tier.”
What followed could only be described as stunned silence from both Discord and Princess Luna. Chieftain Talon could sense the awkwardness of the situation, although unsure of why it was, he cleared his throat hoping to salvage first impressions.
“Did our letter not reach you in time, Princess Celestia?”
“Apologies, I am not Princess Celestia.” Princess Luna mentioned drawing her gae away from Tier.
Chieftain Talon looked rather confused, biting his bottom lip while looking at the jumbled creature known as Discord anxiously.
“Is… this a trap then?” Talon asked slowly.
“What? Oh! No! No, of course not! Please forgive me, my name is Princess Luna. I am Celestia’s younger sister.” Princess Luna stated quickly.
Discord slithered up to Tier, prompting Talon’s two honor guards to cut him off with their curved blades unsheathed. With a quick snap of his claws the blades turned to large stems of licorice that bobbed and sagged in their hooves. The honor guards were taken aback by this startling power of magic.
“This is Discord, he is rather impulsive and lacks any sort of personal space.” Princess Luna added. “But he will not harm any of you, I assure you.”
“Discord, Master of Chaos, a pleasure to meet you Mr. Talon. I applaud your choice in decor.” Discord introduces himself poking at the skulls upon the staff.
Tier held her arms close to herself. Looking rather unsure of Discord. His eyes slowly growing larger as he stared at her, to the point where they outgrew their sockets and swollen like balloons. Discord’s eyes popped, giving every pony a start, and watched as new eyes rolled out from inside his head.
“I sense an incredible amount of Black Magic within you. It’s simply intoxicating.” Discord told her.
Tier flushed at his words, taking it as a compliment, and smiled through her hands as she covered her face from embarrassment. Chieftain Talon intervened almost immediately, holding up his staff to create a buffer between the two of them. A look of jealousy strewn about his face.
“We mean no disrespect, Princess Luna, but our reason for being here was to discuss the Obelisks and the accident that has occurred with Princess Celestia.” Chieftain Talon said in a matter of fact tone.
“Accident? What sort of accident are you referring to?” Princess Luna asked sounding alarmed.
“The Obelisks within our jungle had become active for a time, we are unclear what had caused it, but the result being that three ponies by the names of Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Daring Do have been pulled into the Void.”
Discord looked very intrigued as Princess Luna grimaced at the idea of this becoming a more serious problem than before.
“We’ve had a similar issue, Chieftain Talon, my sister, Princess Celestia has been pulled into the Void as well with a mutual friend of ours. The Obelisks in the Ashen Fields had a similar event take place.” Princess Luna informed him.
Discord leaned in closer to Tier, his eye stretching out towards her as if to examine her in greater detail as she nervously drifted away back from him.
“What exactly are you?” Discord asked curiously.
“Introductions can be put aside until later, Discord, I’d like to know if my sister and the others are alright and if they are in any danger.” Princess Luna stated.
Tier floated around Discord, hovering a few steps out from Chieftain Talon as she bowed her head to Princess Luna respectfully.
“As it was said before, I am Tier, an Arcana from the place you call the Void. Something or someone has tried to open the portals to Kingdom of Naught, the Void as it were, from the inside. Although, the attempt was halted before it could come to fruition. In the event that such a thing would happen, the Obelisks discharges what energy is still has and in this case was capable of minor transportation of the closest living matter that surrounded it.” Tier explained to her.
“Could we replicate this? Could we potentially pull them back out?” Discord asked sounding curious.
“These ponies that have been pulled into the Void would need to be standing near the Obelisks and we would have to coordinate with all four sets of Obelisks in this world to temporarily power them before cutting it short. Even then, we don’t know how much power was used to cause the feedback to happen and it could potentially hurt whomever is near them this time around.” Tier explained.
“Too many variables and probabilities. It will easier to simply open the portals and have every pony come through at once.” Princess Luna stated.
“So you plan to go through with this?” Chieftain Talon asked.
“It was my sister who was to address the Summit tomorrow and convince the leaders of Equestria to follow through with this plan, but now that task has fallen to me.” Princess Luna explained to them.
“We have a lot of questions that need answers. Would your purpleness be willing to assist us?” Discord asked admiring Tier’s stardust like hair.
“O-Of course!” Tier blurted out anxious. “It’s my our, the fault of the Arcana, that have placed this burden upon you and have placed your friends in danger.”
“What kind of danger?” Discord questioned her.
Trudging through the black sand of the Fields of Ouroborus, several Void Walkers made their way to what was left of the castle of Naught. The field was littered with debris, upturned earth and stone from the battle that was waged with the Last of the Arcana. Among this lot, was Malachi, leading this group to what would be their final moments in this world.
Castle Naught’s giant metal doors had been stripped away, leaving torn fragments of metal framing the entrance. The castle was now in utter ruin, with not a ceiling or wall that was left unscathed from the battle that was waged. Bolts of lightning flashed overhead, the Storm groaning in it power as Null stood at the precipice of where the castle had been cleaved in two.
There were hundreds of Void Walkers, it was never clear on how much of an offering would sate the hunger of the Storm. Ten of the bravest and most content of the Void Walkers ready to make the necessary sacrifice for those that still feared the unknown.
Malachi and the other Void Walkers kneeled before their Dark King, prepared to make the journey that so many of them had taken before.
Null stretched forth his hand, the Storm churned, funneling its way down towards three of the Void Walkers on the left and consuming them within its fury. Their mangled cries of sheer pain and terror echoed throughout the world before their screams were abruptly cut short and nothing but their tattered robes remained. Brave as they were, the Void Walkers whispered to themselves the prayers of which gave them hope if not courage to face the darkness. Even Malachi found himself shaking and repeating these words.
“Glow, cast your light upon us. Show us fire, bring light to our darkened world, and give us reason to hope.”
These words, riddled with fear as they may be, gave the Dark King pause.
“Lords of Light, find us in our darkest hour, cleanse us in your fire, to which all darkness must yield.”
“These Lords of fire you speak of…”
Null’s words washed over them like an icy wind. None but Malachi dared to raise his head to meet the sullen gaze of their Dark Lord.
“Where are they?”
Malachi and the other Void Walkers remained silent. The groan of thunder rolled over head, Null stepping forth to speak with the Void Walkers.
“Tell me where I can find these Lords of Light and I will spare the rest of your kind.”
Malachi need not look at the other Void Walkers, for he knew that they were all gazing at him to speak. To tell of the two ponies, without fire, that also sought these Lords of Light. Their frightened whispers, begging for Malachi to speak, to spare themselves the horrors of the Storm. Yet, Malachi remained silent. For none of the other Void Walkers had heard the promises the ponies had made to him and it gave him hope.
The silence had given Null his answer, raising his arm once more to the Void Walkers the Storm churned in its hunger.
“I have seen not these Lords of Light, but other creatures that resemble them!” A Void Walker cried cowering before the Dark Lord.
“Asher!” Malachi hissed threateningly.
Malachi felt the arms of the other Void Walkers wrap around him, forcing him down and holding him at bay. Null’s arm lowered once again, stepping towards the frightened Void Walkers known now as Asher.
“Where are they?”
“Asher!” Malachi struggled against the other Void Walkers.
“Beneath the fields of Ouroboros rests a network of tunnels, the creatures use them to walk unseen. These Lords of Light may hide beneath the world to escape your sight.” Asher told him in frightened whispers.
“Return to the ruins of your world and know that you have been spared.”
Malachi felt the Void Walkers release their grip upon him. Every Void Walker bowed low before their Dark King, whispering their thanks to him. Null turned away, walking back towards the cliff face while the Void Walkers gathered themselves and began to retreat back from the castle.
“Is this all it took?” Malachi asked aloud. “A single ray of hope that we would so quickly trade to the darkness? To this monster? A creature of our own making? That we would sacrifice the very beings that have come to save us?”
Malachi’s words had gotten the Void Walkers to stop, turning to see Malachi standing atop the ruined steps that Null once stood. His eyes full of anger and rage at his own people. Null had stopped short, turning his head slowly at the words Malachi had spoken.
“These beings are not responsible for our sins! Yet you have willingly given them to this creature! A creature that despises you, who has enslaved your, that has toyed with our lives, who treats us like cattle! We cannot allow it take the one thing we have left in this world! The ability to choose! To choose to stand against this tyrant, through our silence, through our resolve, through our lives, it has done nothing but demand our cooperation and until now we have defied it!”
Malachi turned towards the Dark King Null, a fire burning in its yellow eyes that Null had seen in the Arcana once before.
“We have the light of the stars residing within us, hearts given to us by our creator, we have the love of Azimuth flowing through us! While you, this empty vessel with no heart and no love, who has tried to destroy everything good in this world! You have destroyed nothing! I have seen hope in the eyes of these beings, the love that they have for one another, and it has more power than anything you can ever hope to achieve!”
Null was now walking towards Malachi with the Storm roaring over head, but Malachi refused to stop. Turning back towards his kin who watched on in silence, he pleaded to them once more.
“We still have the power to make our world free from this creature! To make our world beautiful! Let us use this power to make this life worth living again! In the name of all those that have died before us, let us continue to stand against this creature and-”
A large searing spike coated with fiery embers had pierced through Malachi’s chest. Streams of neon green fluid dripped upon his robes, weakly touching the spike in his chest. Null lifted Malachi into the air as the Storm surged through the spike and began to devour him. The Void Walkers looked on in silence, watching the shreds of Malachi’s cloak drifting through the raging winds of the Storm.
“I have a message for you all as well.”
The blistering heat that emanated from the Mad King forced every pony to step back. His flames no longer seemed to leap from him, but more so devoured what was left of his hide. The roaring flames were drowned out by the malicious laughter the Mad King had at the opportunity to take revenge on the ponies that had banished him here.
“Which one of you wants to feel their skin melt from their bones first? Or would you like to all die screaming together?” The Mad King proposed to them.
Princess Sapphire was quick to place herself infront if every pony, her horn brimming with magic ready to defend the others from the Mad King’s fury.
“You are Lord Tundra’s wailing infant, aren’t you? Tell me, does your idiot father still enjoy his ice sculpting?” The Mad King questioned her.
Almost immediately Princess Sapphire let loose a blast of ice at the Mad King. Her frost was imbued with magic as it struck him with such force it shattered the rock bed beneath him throwing a thick layer of fog around them.
Princess Sapphire’s cloudy mane had turned stormy, growing dark, and swirling with ice. Her rage over the Mad King’s words had caused her to lash out quickly. From the fog the red flames of the Mad King raged against the clouds. Seemingly unfazed by her attack, the Mad King stepped forth, crushing the shattered rock bed beneath his hooves and grinning at her. Twilight carefully took hold of Princess Sapphire’s hoof, urging her to step back with the rest of them.
“You’ve got heart, Princess, but you will come to fear my fire just like every pony else.” The Mad King threatened.
His voice shaking the very cavern. The Mad King set his sights on Princess Celestia, stepping towards her, flaring his mane, causing his fire to screech and twist into the air. Raising her wings to defend herself, as well as every pony there, Princess Celestia stared down the Mad King waiting for him to attack.
Surprisingly, the first move made by any pony were the Twins who stepped before their father. The Mad King stared down at his sons with a look of aggravation and frustration.
“What have you done with Smolder?” Pyre demanded.
The fire of the Mad King roared at the name. “He is no concern of mine anymore.”
“There is no reasoning with him. Both of you need to stand aside.” Princess Celestia warned them.
“We need him. There are creatures within this place that are beyond our ability to face.” Pyre told her.
“I will not side myself with band of mismatched vagabonds! Let them wander the darkness for the rest of eternity, but I will have my revenge!” The Mad King spat.
“You must see how ludacris this is, father, we cannot allow ourselves-“
The Mad King struck Pyre across the face, knocking him aside. Wick instinctively lashed out at the sight of his brother being struck, but was stopped short by the sudden blast of fire spewed from the Mad King’s mouth knocking Wick from his hooves and threw him across the cavern.
Pyre held the side of his head, his sense rattled from the blow, feeling the enormous heat of his father’s flames tower of him.
“You will do well to remember that I am your King. Stand against me again and you will die with the others.” The Mad King warned.
“Smolder,” Pyre began getting to his hooves. “is the King now. You would do well to remember that.”
This time it was Princess Celestia that intervened. A beam of magic erupted from her horn, striking the Mad King and knocking him back to stave off his assault upon the Twins. Daring Do, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack rushed towards Wick to see how badly he had been hurt while the others kept their distance from the battle just beginning.
The Mad King’s horn sparked with magic, his anger having been brought to its boiling point, but every pony had seen enough.
Twilight, Rarity, Princess Sapphire, and Princess Celestia had all cast separate spells that impacted the Mad King sending him reeling away. Spike rushed towards Pyre, pulling his leg to bring him away from the Mad King’s rage while he was distracted.
Pyre pulled his arm away from him, charging his father with Wick leaping over Spike to join in. Together the Twins tackled their father, driving him hard against the rock wall. The Mad King took a swing, striking nothing but air as the Twins drove in hit after hit upon him.
“All we ever did, we did to make you proud, father! We served you, feared you, all to be accepted by you!”
The Mad King roared in anger over the insolence of his sons. As his voice shook the cavern, his fire mounting and glassing the sand beneath his hooves. His flames washed over the Twins who were pushed back against their father’s rage, digging their hooves in deep to withstand his fury. The tension was coming to a boiling point when a sudden realization had come across every pony, the cavern was still shaking.
Even the Mad King looked upwards witnessing the trembling of the ground around them. The low roar of the Storm could be heard echoing many miles up above them and it brought the Mad King’s fire to heel. Anger had turned to silent fear at the groaning, churning Storm that echoed into the cavern. Several minutes had passed, not a breath could be heard among any pony before the quaking and the sounds of the Storm had grown quiet.
“Remnants of Naught, I have messages for you all. To the Arcana that has betrayed me, I will find you, and I will be set free. To the Void Walkers, you have been spared my wrath, for you have told me where to find these Lords of Light. To these intruders, the ones who have come to save these flame ponies, hiding within the tunnels beneath our world, you will not be spared.”
The voice of the Storm seemed so close. Even so deep beneath the world it was as if he was just beyond the walls of the cavern.
“And to the Fire King known as Smolder, you should know that the last Flame Pony to stand against me was devoured mercilessly. With its last words it gave me a warning, that another would rise to challenge me, but I am not impressed. Enjoy these final moments of your life, for when I step into your world, all will know that it was you who failed to protect them and that your title as King meant nothing at all.”
The Mad King looked down to his sons, who looked back at him in unspoken worry, if not for Smolder, but for the activities of the Storm.
“Did you manage to find out what has happened on the surface or have you spent your time harboring these fools?” The Mad King demanded.
The Twins lowered their heads a bit, it was enough to let the Mad King know that they had forgone their original plan to help out every pony. With a snort of flames, the Mad King turned his back to his sons, looking disappointed with them. It appeared to every pony that the Mad King had reconsidered starting a fight at the risk of being discovered by the Storm up above.
“Now… is the time to put our differences aside, for we have a common enemy to face.” Wingston attempted to delegate.
“Don’t even joke of such things. If not for my foolish sons they would have been victims of the Void’s creatures by now.” The Mad King spat.
“You cannot hope to overpower the Storm, Scorch, not even you can withstand its might, not in your current condition.” Wingston told him.
“I defeated the Great Dragon Char without the help of any pony. With my strength alone, a power here to unattainable by you lesser beings. I was able to bend it to my whims, subjected it, and made it kneel before me.This Storm does not search for me for it is too weak.” The Mad King boasted.
“No pony can overpower an Elder Dragon through sheer strength alone.” Princess Sapphire claimed.
“And yet I brought to its knees.” The Mad King spat at her. “Do us all a favor and keep that pretty little mouth shut, your father isn’t here to give you the attention you so desire and I will not humor you with mine any further.”
Sapphire’s temper flared again. This time her eyes did not flash blue, instead they were glazed over by colors that resembled the aurora borealis. Her magic mimicked such colors as well. The Mad King locked eyes with her, his body suddenly running cold as her magic overwhelmed him in that moment.
Princess Sapphire found herself standing before the Great Dragon Char, dwarfed by its size, meer inches away from its snout. Its thunderous breath shook the very air around her. Opening its mouth the Great Dragon Char roared, blasting her back as she found herself flying into the arms of Pinkie Pie and Rarity who had broken her fall. The Mad King stirred, seemingly groggy from whatever Princess Sapphire had done. The Twins stayed near their father, if only to ensure that his rebuttal would not reach the others without going through them first.
“He knew my father, he knows of our kin, so he must have known about our powers.” Princess Sapphire whispered in shock.
The Mad King was breathing heavily, his eyes burning wildly as he glared at Princess Sapphire with such seething hatred. Princess Sapphire was able to get to her hooves, still looking upon the Mad King in disbelief at what she had seen.
“Are you alright, my Lady?” Wingston asked quickly, limping to her side.
“What a mad king he is, to have tried and failed, to do something so foolish on his own.” Princess Sapphire said almost sympathetically.
Every pony looked at Princess Sapphire and then at the Mad King, unsure of what she was speaking of.
“My lady, what did you do?” Wingston implored her.
“It is not what I have done, but what he has done. It is impossible to over power an Elder Dragon through sheer strength alone, but he found a way. Our spiritual readings are meant to read the minds of others, it takes years of practice before being allowed to use it on another pony, and it always performed as a gift to other members of royalty.” Princess Sapphire told them.
The Mad King snorted in anger. Rising to his hooves.
“He must have been desperate, to have tried to invade the mind of an Elder Dragon, and the price cost him his own. Two minds shattered together, in one body, that is the madness of the flame pony king.” Princess Sapphire stated.
Every pony gazed at the Mad King. Speechless as to what would drive a pony to try and control an Elder Dragon with a spell that could potentially destroy the two minds.
“Was it worth, Scorch? To lose everything? Your mind, your family, your kingdom? What was so important that you sacrifice all of this?” Wingston asked him.
I had been walking across the black sand of Azimuth’s Tomb, looking for where Azimuth’s body lay, when Null’s message had reached my ears. I stared up at the dark ceiling, knowing that his words were not to be taken lightly, but that my brothers had not been captured. At least not yet. I had been looking for Azimuth’s body, but I was having trouble finding it. It was rather huge, a colossal giant was hard to miss, even in this big empty space. It took some time wandering around before I discovered two sets of hoofprints within the sand. Their origin led backwards, but I decided to move forward with them in the hope that it would lead me to my brothers.