After walking a bit, the group found themselves in a round room with another door right in front of them. One the walls were carvings of animals, constellations and magical symbols. Only the glow from Sunset's magic allowed them to look around.
"What is this place?" Fluttershy asked.
The door looked like it could be a map of the night sky: several constellations were painted on it..
Sunset walked to the center of the room where a pedestal stood. Carved onto the top was a sort of square diagram with four symbols carved at each side: two were skulls and bones, one was a triquetra and another was a star. A square tack surrounded a round disk, where a stone with a pentagram carved on it was stopped in front one of the skulls. One the long side was another arrow and a line with several animals carved onto it: an owl at the top, followed by a bat, a dragon, a bear and a wold. Currently, the arrow was pointing at the owl.
"I wonder what's behind here-" Rainbow said, reaching for the door.
"DON"T!" Sunset screamed as Rainbow pulled it open, revealing a dark room. Before she could step inside though, Sunset pulled her back.
"Hey! What-"
Suddenly, the two walls clashed together before slowly opening back up. Rainbow's eyes were pinpricks.
".....Oh."
Sunset hurriedly closed the door. "I think this is another puzzle. I think that pedestal controls what's behind the door."
"And considering we're currently in front of the skull and crossbones...." Rarity shivered. "Who know's what's behind the other one?"
Sunset tried to turn the disk, but it wouldn't budge. "Okay, maybe we need to unlock something for this to work."
AJ leaned down and picked up a few things off the floor. One was a stone carved into a heart with holes in the center. The other looked like a mini scythe.
"Now where have I....?"
"Look at this." Fluttershy pointed to another plaque on the wall. She began reading; "To find what you seek, find the two lovers and they will show you the way."
"What does that-" Sunset wondered.
"Now I remember!" AJ exclaimed before showing what she found. "I think this goes into the statue of Andromeda and Clover! Remember Shy? How it was missing something on the bottom? And Rarity! What did you find in the compartment?"
Rarity pulled out what looked like a little fork. "Only this little thing, why?"
AJ grabbed the object and held it next to the scythe. "Ah think these pieces go on the columns in the Great Hall! Remember some pieces were missing from there as well! I think someone took them and hid them all around this place!"
"Applejack you're a genius!" Sunset said, hugging her friend. "Let's head to the statue right now!"
A low growl could be heard, making the girl's freeze up. Fluttershy latched onto AJ.
"W-what was that?" Fluttershy asked, looking around nervously.
"Me!" Pinkie said, patting her belly."That particular grumble means it's lunchtime!"
"Okay, we can go after we've grabbed some lunch." Sunset conceded.
After a quick lunch, the group immediately headed for the garden and from there to the statue of the two lovers.
"Here it is!" Aj said, walking ahead. Indeed, the statue looked just as they had left it earlier.
"Now let's see what we find." Carefully, she fitted the stone over the pegs and slid it on.
It fit perfectly.
As soon as it slid into place, the panel opened up, revealing another secret compartment containing a piece of paper and a little crown.
"Quick! What does it say!?" Sunset asked eagerly.
AJ took the object and opened the yellowed note. "'To continue on your path, bring water to what once was dry. Pray to Thalassa and she will bring forth water."
"So....we're just supposed to pray?" Fluttershy asked.
"Oh please!" Rainbow rolled her eyes. "What weirdo solves all of their problems by praying? That just sounds like a story from a religious nutjob!"
"There has to be more to it than that..." Sunset started thinking.
"Um.." Fluttershy whispered aloud. "What about the pillars?"
"What darling?"
"The....pillars in the great hall. They had Gods on them and they were mssing things..."
"Goodness darling! You're right!" Rarity said, giving the shy girl a hug. "I found Thalassa's trident in the piano!"
"And Mictlan's scythe in the weird room!" Pinkie pointed out before suddenly disappearing and reappearing on top of the statue. "And that looks like Sola's crown!"
"Well what are you waiting for?" Rainbow asked eagerly. "Let's get going!"
The sun was beginning to set by the time they returned to the castle. Back in the Great Hall, they gathered around Thalassa's pillar. It showed the woman rising from the sea, arm stretched above her as though holding something up high.
Rarity quickly set the trident and it clicked into place.
Then, the pillar opened up, revealing a long pipe going from the ceiling to the floor running inside the column. Stuck in the valve was another not while on the floor was a marble duck.
"What the-?" Sunset picked up the duck, examining it closely for any clues. "Who would put this here?"
Rainbow took the note and read it out loud.
"Turn to start the waters. But to finish, go to where rare life flourishes, and return your new friend to his home."
She crumpled the note. "Well, might as well turn this on and see what happens." Before anyone could stop her, she turned the valve, and the old pipes shook as water flowed freely through them again.
"Well, what did that accomplish?" Rarity asked.
"It has to be part of the riddle." Sunset deduced. "Where in this castle would 'rare life' flourish?"
"What even is 'rare life'?" AJ wondered.
"Maybe we should place the other pieces on the columns and see what happens?" Rainbow suggested.
Before anyone could ponder further on this question, a scream echoed from down one of the hallways.
"That's Twilight!" Sunset realized.
"Let's go!" Rainbow said, leading the group towards where the sound had come from.