Book Two: Wizard Quests
Chapter Eight
Equestria. With Princess Luna and Gandalf at point, the team went in a generally northern direction from Canterlot. They passed a number of small villages, but stopped at none since the wizard was determined to make good time. And make good time they did, the rolling hills and lush green fields of the land continuing on and on, with little to mark progress save for the dwindling of Mount Canter in their wake. A little before noon on the third day, Luna called for a halt. "This is it." She said. "Chrysalis' Valley is just beyond this next rise."
Rarity experimentally levitated a stone. "I can feel no difference in my magic strength Princess." She said.
"Nor can I as yet. But that is to be expected. We should see no noticeable effects until we cross the border proper, even if the source of the drain is still present." Luna explained.
"I know that we must investigate." Gandalf said, "Yet I would still prefer to be in and out of the area as quickly as we can, even if all of our magics still work perfectly. So, if anyone has anything they need to do before we enter, well, now is the time."
"In that case I vote for lunch!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "It's nearly time anyway."
"No arguments there." Applejack agreed.
And so soon a large checkered cloth was spread on the ground, and rations for the meal laid out. As they ate, they talked, about a little bit of everything though the chief topics were of course related to the mission. "So Princess, if it's okay for me to ask, does anypony know what exactly it is that causes the magic drain in the valley?" Fluttershy asked.
"Not with certainty." Luna replied, "Though there have been reports of a great throne, carved of some black stone, which is said to be the source of the drain."
"Black stone? Obsidian?" Rarity asked.
Gandalf nodded. "That would fit. A magic draining field of such power would have to originate from some enchanted object. Obsidian is a perfect substrate for that kind of dark power... And well, if this Chrysalis is akin to other would be conquerors, making it into her throne would please her narcissism and arrogance."
"That makes sense." Applejack nodded.
"So what exactly is our plan?" Tess asked. "I mean, if we reach the border and find out that the magic blocking effect is still in place?"
"I hope not, considering the time it will add... But in that case we will, very carefully, skirt around the perimeter before continuing on our way." Luna explained.
"Of course a throne sounds like a reeeeeeally heavy thing to move." Pinky said. "Even if the hive is gone they might have left it behind, don't you think?"
"Eenope. A total block on all magic except your own? That's too useful to leave behind." Applejack said.
"Indeed. If it is gone, it is because they have taken it with them." Gandalf said. "Or, that it was taken with them. I confess to suspecting that the same enemy which spirited away Queen Usurna might be at work in this disappearance as well."
"That would fit better with the prophecies, if they are in fact related as we suspect." Luna mused.
Gandalf stood. "Well, I suppose we'd better be moving on."
They climbed the last rise and looked down on the valley. To the surprise of the ponies, it looked basically normal; a wide shallow vale filled with abundant vegetation. But far in the distance, there rose a jagged irregular tower with many holes randomly scattered across the surface. "Is that...?" Fluttershy whispered.
"Yes. Chrysalis' hive." Luna answered. The Princess frowned. "I see no movement."
"Me neither." Applejack agreed.
Tess said "Let me take a closer look." and pulled the goggles down over her eyes, switching them to telescopic mode as she did so. The young elf looked back and forth over the entire valley, but there was no sign of any movement, save for the wind. "Nothing, so far as I can tell." She reported.
"Then let us proceed." Luna said, and strode boldly down the slope into the valley itself. There was a path, which made the journey easier, and when they reached the bottom Luna levitated a stone without difficulty. Seeing that her own magic was undiminished, she called for Rarity to repeat the experiment, and she did with the same results.
"Seems like the throne or whatever really is gone." Applejack said, with a sigh of relief.
"Good news!" Pinkie cheered.
"Maybe. There's something eerie about this place though..." Tess said, looking about. "It's too quiet."
"Yes! There should be birds, at least." Fluttershy agreed.
Applejack answered "I dunno... I'm kinda glad there's not, when the birds could be Changelings. Though, for that, I guess the plants and rocks could be too." Everyone looked about nervously at this statement.
They continued on, and reached the base of the hive three hours later. The structure towered above them, easily the size of a skyscraper, with the many holes over it's surface opening and closing constantly. "Is it supposed to do that?" Rarity asked.
"All our information on Changeling hives says yes." Luna explained. "Like it's makers, the hive is in a constant state of flux, doors and passageways opening and closing of their own volition. Supposedly, only changelings themselves can reliably navigate the resulting labyrinth."
"Well, we've made it all the way here without being attacked. Seems 't me like they must all really be gone." Applejack suggested.
Fluttershy nodded. "That means we don't have to go in, right?"
"I am sorry Fluttershy, but I desire to see the throne room." Luna replied.
"Oh."
Gandalf hefted his staff. "Proceed with caution. I too am now convinced this place is abandoned. But if I am wrong, if they are still here, the attack will come soon."
It was dark inside the hive. Especially after the outside door closed up behind them. Gandalf used his staff to provide light, and they slowly, cautiously advanced. For a long ways, the passageways were empty of anything of interest. More than once, somepony had to move quickly to avoid being left behind when a door began to close with half the team through. The route was confusing, ever shifting, and they were forced to take whatever path was offered, going up, down, around in circles. If there was a logic to the hive, no one could understand it.
After perhaps two hours, they found a large, seemingly stable, chamber. it was round, with a high roof from which hung many green glowing changeling cocoons, thankfully all empty. There were several possible exits, all of which seemed to lead upwards. "Which way?" Tess whispered.
"The throne room is most likely on the highest level." Luna said. "Though that does no good when every path seems to lead up." She sighed. "I am open to suggestions."
"I got this." Pinkie said. She trotted to a place where she was standing before four doors, sat in a lotus position, closed her eyes, and began to chant, "Om.... Om... Om..."
"Pinkie, what...?"
Pinkie cracked one eye open, looking back at Rarity. "Shhh... I need to concentrate! Prepare!" She closed the eye and resumed chanting.
"Do any of you know what she's doing?" Tess whispered to the others.
"Not a clue."
"Eenope."
"Pinkie. 'Nuff said."
Pinkie jumped to her hooves as her eyes popped open. "I am ready... The correct path is..." She began pointing to the doors at random, "Eenie meenie miney moe..."
"Seriously?" Luna deadpanned.
"I recommend we just go with it Princess." Applejack said. "Not like we've got any better ideas. 'Sides which, it's Pinkie. My bits are on her choosin' right."
"Quite." The princess agreed, somewhat exasperated but unable to argue the point.
After three rounds of 'Eenie-Meenie,' three rounds of 'rock paper scissors,' (How do you play with hooves? Best not to ask,) and five coin tosses, (Two heads, one tails, two edge,) Pinkie selected the third door in the row. "This one! This one will take us straight to the throne room!" She declared.
And so it did, spiraling up and up all the way to the top of the hive, where the spacious chamber awaited. As in the lower room, there were empty cocoons on the roof, as well as the walls and floors. What there was not, as expected, was a throne: the dias on which it has clearly once rested was still present, but the throne itself was gone.
"As we thought." Luna said, staring at the empty dais.
"Indeed." Gandalf agreed.
"I'm wondering though," Rarity said, "If the bigger enemy took them away as you suggested... Why would it take the throne too? Wouldn't that hamper it's own non-changeling magic?"
"A valid question." Luna agreed. "Unless... Mayhap, the greater foe to too powerful to be affected? Or perhaps it is able to tune the enchantment to allow its own magic through as well?"
As Luna, Rarity, and Gandalf discussed that question, Tess stepped closer to the dais. She felt something... No... More like she didn't feel something. Even with their greatly diminished power, modern elves were not entirely void of magic. Including, as she had told Twilight before, the ability to sense it's use by others. And there was something about this place, like tiny pinpoint voids of magic. Curious, Tess pulled the goggles over her eyes and switched them to the magic field sensor. And yes, there, on the floor... There were perhaps a few hundred tiny black pebbles, each barely larger than a grain of sand, and each the focal point of a strange gap in the omnipresent magic field. She knelt and picked one up, then lifted the goggles back over her forehead and walked back to the others. "Rarity?"
"Yes darling?"
Tess held out her hand. "Can you try to levitate this?"
Rarity's horn glowed, and a faint glow appeared around the pebble, then vanished. "I can't!" The unicorn said, eyes wide.
Gandalf looked closely, then nodded. "Obsidian. A fragment of the throne, clearly. Small enough to not impact magic at great range, but still imbued with a measure of the jamming enchantment."
"A lot of fragments." Applejack said. "Look, the whole dais is covered in them."
"Yes... Strange that they would lose so many tiny fragments in the process of moving the throne..." Luna mused. " I wonder-"
She was interrupted by, of all ponies, Fluttershy. "Um, you guys...?" The pegasus whispered.
"Yeah Flutters?"
"...I think we have a problem." Fluttershy replied, and pointed behind where everyone was facing.
After the team had begun climbing the winding stairs towards the throne room, back in the lower chamber, something had stirred. A black viscous goop, alive and aware, oozing out of the seemingly empty changeling pods until it filled the room and began flowing up the stairs in pursuit. With everyone focused on the dais, it had managed to flow into the throne room behind them and cut off all exit points before Fluttershy had noticed and alerted the others. And now it was flowing towards them, filling the lower portion of the floor, forcing everyone to shelter on the dais itself.
"What is it?" Tess asked.
Pinkie produced her 'Fetlock Holmes' hat and magnifying glass, zipped to the edge of the dais, and examined the goop. "It appears to be making it's own gravy." She declared.
"Pinkie please! This isn't the time!" Rarity said, exasperated. "But this hideous thing has got to go." She attempted to blast the goop with a magic bolt from her horn. Nothing happened. Luna tried as well, with the same results, and even Gandalf found he could do nothing.
"It's the obsidian fragments!" Tess realized. "Up here on the dais with them, they're blocking your magic!"
"Well ain't that a kick in the teeth." Applejack said, but Gandalf shook his head.
"I'm afraid it's much more than that." The wizard said. "Don't you see? Look at how the fragments are distributed evenly all across the dais. This is not bad luck dear Applejack... This was a trap. And we have sprung it..."