//------------------------------// // Chapter 49 - Seeker Of Knowledge. // Story: Terraria: Friendship Is Magic // by Pomp-Neigh //------------------------------// -TERRARIA, UNDERGROUND CRIMSON BIOME- Deep underground of the biome of flesh there lies a large series of caverns. The walls of these caverns were absolutely covered in fleshy material, in fact, one couldn’t help but feel as if they were walking within someone else’s body as they traverse the repulsive underground. A large entity comprised entirely of flesh is currently floating its way through these caverns. As the entity makes its way towards its destination, all around it were various corpses of many different victims. These victims ranged from animals to terrarians, even a few lesser known species were currently integrated into the cavern’s walls of flesh. In addition, various monsters of the biome moves about the caverns transporting newly deceased corpses. These corpses were particularly unique for the fact that they were only a few hours old, as if some great battle had just taken place on the surface. The large entity then stops and turns its body towards one of the fleshy walls of the cavern. If one could listen closely they’d hear what sounded like a series of... Heartbeats?. The being’s large eye starts to glow with a dark red aura upon which the aforementioned wall splits apart, blood actually starts to leak from the ceiling in the process. A large chamber is revealed upon which the entity enters floatingly, the walls close shut behind it once again as streams of blood slides down in the process. There within this large chamber, floating before the aforementioned being was yet another entity: A large brain. Behind this brain like entity, held up on the walls of the chamber were three very large hearts all of which continues to beat livingly, said beats echoing throughout the chamber. [THUMP THUMP] [THUMP THUMP] [THUMP THUMP] Now floating before the large brain, the flesh entity begins to speak using its multiple mouth’s to perform the action: ”The intruders are drawing near, my Lord. The same adventurers who have defeated your fellow incarnation of Cthulhu.” ”This pleases me well, Perforators. What happens to my fellow brethren is of no concern to me. If The Eye fell to these mere specs of flesh, then my brother was weak.” ”By your will, Lord Brainiac. Shall we continue to hold our forces back until they enter the heart of our domain?.” ”Mmmyes, I want those equines alive, do with the others as you please. I have peered into the minds of those ponies and I must say... My appetite is stirred. They have knowledge hidden deep within their minds that I simply must posses, all knowledge belongs to me. My will is universal, my knowledge is everlasting and infinite. All others are nothing compared to my vision and brain.” ”Very well, we shall return to the surface.” ”One last thing, Perforators. There is one among those ponies whos knowledge Intrigues me most. It would seem, we have a fellow seeker of knowledge amongst them. I have found a buffet of knowledge and soon it will be time to feast.” ”Which among them do you speak of?” ”[CHUCKLE] From what I gathered in her mind, she is the ascended pony, the lavender alicorn Princess Of Friendship. And, by my calculations, the future ruler of Equestria: Twilight Sparkle.” -TERRARIA, CRIMSON BIOME- After successfully traveling to their friends, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Zecora now face a new threat: An endless barrage of questions from a certain lavender alicorn. Sai Sahan, Terralestia, and Celebes watches on with shocked and concerned expressions. The rest of the adventurers observes the commotion while also chatting amongst themselves. “You’re all here?!, how did you do that?!, what kind of magic did you use?!, how did you become a beam of light and travel so far?!, what’s that armor Rarity is wearing?!, wait... You said potion?, what potion?!...” “[SIGH] Here we go again... I’ll take care of her, again.”, Starlight says as she alights her horn and floats her now hyperventilating teacher away from their, ‘New arrivals’. Rarity, Zecora, and Pinkie Pie all go to help Twilight as well. Applejack watches them from a short distance, laughs a bit, and says: “Ah’ see Twilight is the same as ever-”, Applejack’s words were cut off as she notices a certain stunt pegasus who in turn stares with wide eyes towards the farm mare. The orange earth pony then starts to slowly walk towards Rainbow Dash, the pegasus noticeably shivering from her approach. The cowmare was now mere inches away from the pegasus which causes Rainbow to say: “A-Applejack... I’m so sorry- Aw!”, Rainbow lets out a surprised exclamation as she was suddenly smothered into a warm embrace, her head now laying onto Applejack’s chest region as an orange hoof is wrapped around the back of the pegasus’s neck. “Ahm’ so sorry Rainbow, ah’ never should’ve been that mad at ya’. I ignored you ever since the goblin army’s attack, please, fer’give me.”, These words shocks the pegasus who jumps back in surprise and replies: “W-what?... A.J, it’s me who should be apologizing to you. I’m the one who thought it was a good idea to pull off that stupid stunt.” “Ah’ don’t care ‘bout that no more, Rainbow. All ah’m concerned about is if ma’ friends were safe in this... Twisted place.” “You should’ve seen Rainbow’s recent achievement, she bravely forced a stick of dynamite right into the sides of The Eye Of Cthulhu. It worked out well for us, granted, the monster did transform but it was surely weakened nonetheless.”, Sai Sahan interjects. “Heh, still showing off ah’ see?”, Applejack question’s with a smirk. “Aw please, I wasn’t even trying when I did that.”, The pegasus replies as she poses confidently. Terralestia forms a smirk of her own as she interjects: “Such confidence, but, oh my, where was it when we first entered this biome... Hmm?” “What?, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “You know Rainbow, now that I think about it, you were huddled tightly against your fellow ponies as we traversed the flesh.” “Oh shut your face,Sai!. I was just, you know, making sure Starlight and the egghead were ok.” “Ya’ know somethin’ Rainbow?, ah’ love ya’ but I’m inclined to agree with Sai here. Speaking of which, sorry fer’ not introducin’ ma’self to ya’ partner.”, Applejack says as she turns to Sai Sahan. “I’m sure you already know this but I’m Applejack, Element Of Honesty. Put it there, partner.”, Applejack then offers her left front hoof to which Sai shakes happily and says: “It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Applejack. Your friends have told us all about you, especially Rainbow.” “Hey!, stop ignoring me you two!”, Rainbow interjects. Applejack then turns to Terralestia. However, upon seeing the female terrarian, the orange mare’s eyes shoot wide open and her mouth drops agape as she says: “P-Princess Celestia?!, how in the wide world of Equus are ya’ here?!.” “WHAT?!”, Pinkie Pie and Rarity exclaims as they both overhear Applejack’s question and stampedes over. In Pinkie’s case it’s more like zooming off in a pink blur. “Princess Celestia!, oh, it’s so good to see you again darling. When that brute Razeem killed you, I was just so heartbroken.” “Rarity’s right!, but now, we can throw you a: I’m-alive-again-so-let’s-party party!”, Terralestia laughs nervously all the while Sai Sahan and even Rainbow Dash are trying their best to hide their laughter. “I’m sorry to disappoint you dear ponies, but, I’m not... Well... your, Celestia.” “...” “Huh?”, the ponies reply in unison. Some time passes by as the group continues onward, their new visitors joining in. Applejack had informed her friends about the events that has transpired within The Jungle and their success in retrieving The Blade Of Grass. Rainbow Dash asked if the farm mare could show it to them to which she obliges and causes various reactions from the adventurers. Although she was hesitant, the farm mare also told them about their fight with Melony within the mysterious lab of The Snow Biome. As a result, Applejack was once again assaulted by questions courtesy of Twilight Sparkle. Zecora and Pinkie Pie are currently mingling with the other adventurers. The party pony in particular zooming around asking the adventurers about their favorite cakes and treats. The zebra was interested in various potions that the other adventurers offered and gave her the recipes to create them with. After Applejacks various revelations, Rarity informed everyone about her being captured by Skeletron along with the location of another blade: The Muramasa. Twilight, Starlight, and Rainbow Dash were absolutely shocked by the revelation of this entity. Little did Rarity know, this caused Terralestia to be seething with anger as she asks: “What?... What was that name, again?” “Oh, why Skeletron, darling. That foul brute is nothing but a-” “He’s supposed to be dead!, my brother Lunaris killed him seven years ago!” “I’m sorry darling, but, Skeletron is still very much alive. He even has prisoners!, oh, once we return I simply must ask you all for your help.” “Oh you’re gonna get my help, that thing should’ve been destroyed a long time ago. How did it-” “It would appear I have more to reveal to you, Celestia.”, Celebes interjects. “What do you mean?!” “I told you and Sai seven years ago about the events that transpired on the moon. However, I also know of your brother’s battle with Grogar.” “Grogar?!”, Twilight and Starlight shouts in unison. “It was his name back when he still had some meat on his bones, he was the last of the tyrannical Giants. The powerful lord of the dead: Grogar. Even after he died, he managed to become more of a demonic spirit rather then simply being undead. I’m surprised you two know about him.” “Not with this Grogar!”, Twilight fearfully replies with chattering teeth. “Rainbow and ah’ are curious as well. Who in the hay is Grogar?” - Applejack. “Yeah, I’ve never heard of a giant skeleton dude terrorizing Equus.” - Rainbow Dash. “Are you kidding me?!. Back on Equus, Grogar is perhaps the most evil force our world has ever known. Well, before The Moon Lord appeared that is. His sorcery and necromancy were legendary; his bell could steal and store anypony’s magic. The biggest difference was that he wasn’t a Giant like this Grogar, he was a ram.”, Twilight says factually. Starlight lets out a small chuckle as she replies: “That is until Gusty the Great rose up and stopped him. I’ve read about it in some of the books held within the royal library, a thank you gift from Princess Celestia when I was called there for my friendship problem.” “Hanging out with Twilight is turning you into an egghead too.” - Rainbow Dash. “If you all don’t mind, I’d like to get back to Skeletron’s true fate. [AHEM] As I was saying, Lunaris actually sealed away-” - Celebes. [ZOOM] “Mane, eyes, tail, everything!, twitching!” - Pinkie Pie. [RRRAAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRR!] [RRRAAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRR!] [RRRAAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRR!] Seconds after the party mare’s warning, multiple roars echoes throughout the landscape, startling everyone in the process. Nearby, a large mound of flesh suddenly erupts revealing three large entities: “Get ready everyone!, multiple large entities inbound!”, Sai Sahan exclaims which causes the adventurers and ponies to stand at the ready, weapons drawn and spells being charged. “T-Twilight, those t-things aren’t wh-what’s making me go c-crazy.” “What?!, Pinkie that can’t be right!. Those must be-” Suddenly, a large entity materializes and floats behind Twilight: The Perforator’s Hivemind. ”Ah, there you are. You ponies are coming with me, Lord Brainiac has need of you.” The very moment those words were spoken, a blob of flesh engulfs Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie which causes various reactions from the captured mares: “What in tarnation?!, this stuff is disgustin’!. Get off me ya’ darn- Mmf!”, Applejack was cut off as she disappears within a blob of flesh. “No!, I’m not going down that easy you disgusting- Mmf!”, Rainbow Dash’s words becomes muffled as her face is covered by the blob of flesh. “This is not pleasant at all!, what do you say we settle this over a cupcake?, no?... Please?”, Pinkie Pie asks as she too is covered completely within the flesh. “No!, keep fighting everypony- ARGH!, I... Can’t... Give... In.”, Despite putting up a valiant effort, Twilight too disappears within her own blob of flesh. As for Starlight and Rarity, the two mares were incredibly lucky for Zecora manages to save Rarity from a blob that targeted her all the while Celestia manages to save Starlight, the unicorn practically in tears as she tried to free and save her teacher. “Nooooo!”, Starlight, Zecora, and Rarity shouts in unison as they watch the four blobs begin to phase into the earth, taking the captured ponies with them in the process. “Now then, the rest of you can die. We will-” “No!”, Celebes exclaims as she rushes towards the Perforator’s Hivemind with her Fiery Greatsword. [SHLINK] [CRASH] Unfortunately, the dryad misses her mark as the entity phases into the earth and her flaming weapon collides with the fleshy earth beneath her. Celebes grits her teeth in anger as she comes to a very unpleasant realization: Four ponies have been captured and are now gone. To make matters worse, Celebes, Starlight, Zecora, Rarity, and the remaining terrarian adventurers must now contend with their new foes.