-TERRARIA, YHARIM’S KINGDOM, INNER TEMPLE-
Having finished gathering some effects from the armory, Pinkamena and Snow were about to take their leave. However, another individual entered the armory; donned in armor that was indicative to Yharim’s forces and noticeably an old terrarian male, upon which Pinkamena says:
“Welp, you’re bucked.”
“Snow, we have to get going. I think I found something that can- Wait, why is there a pink pony here?”
“Leinfors,” Snow replies to the ‘Guard’. “She’s sort of forced to be here so don’t worry about her turning us in.”
“Of course you two know each other,” Pinkamena comments as she finally straps on her gear. However, she takes notice of what Leinfors has within his possession as she comments: “You have one of Dr Draedon’s logs…”
“Yes,” Leinfors responds as he then turns to Snow before he continues: “Snow, I think there’s something in here that can help us-”
“I assume you know about the alarm?” Pinkamena interjects.
“A-alarm?” Leinfors inquired in a cold sweat. Snow stares at Leinfors with an expression that could best be described as: ‘You idiot.’
Pinkamena closes her eyes and says:
“Dr Draedon has amazing technical expertise. I saw first hoof what that cyborg is capable of. To give you the short version: You triggered the silent alarm the moment you removed that log which should be going off right abooout…”
On cue, a loud alarm system goes off to which Snow looks towards his ally and says:
“Oh come on! You should’ve expected something like this to happen!”
“A mere oversight on my part…”
“Oversight?! This is Yharim’s kingdom! Setting off an alarm here is the last thing you could ever want to do! You might not be a rogue like me but come on, that’s just common sense!”
Leinfors chuckles sheepishly before he shrugs his shoulders and exclaims:
“We need to move, now!” Leinfors then turns towards Pinkamena and says: “Are you coming with us?”
“No,” Pinkamena replies simply as the pony exits the armory. She then glances back from within the armory’s entrance/exit and comments: “You’d better start moving, Yharim just had a war council some time ago and who knows which one of those buckers might still be around.” Pinkamena then starts to make her way down the hallway as she says internally:
-I wouldn’t be here if I could just up and leave like you two can-
Both Snow and Leinfors peeks out of the armory as they start to head off in the opposite direction of Pinkamena. As they made their way, Snow took one last glance towards the dark pink pony with a look of sympathy before he and his compatriot continued.
Pinkamena continued to walk away and down the halls of the temple in silence. That is until a voice echoes within her mind, one that only she was familiar with:
-Mena, I don’t have enough time but can you hear me?-
-Light Goddess? Where the buck have you been?-
-I’ve always been in your mind but there is a power in this world that’s been keeping me at bay. I can’t explain it but the forces of darkness and light are heavily suppressed, almost as if they’ve been captured. You must find whatever is responsible for this and once you deal with it, I can return to your psyche. I mean, I am still in your psyche but my words are silenced thanks to this powerful force-
-That explains a lot, actually. And I happen to know what might be affecting you, the same entity that Yharim is counting on to fulfill his desire: The Wall Of Flesh-
-Wait, Yharim? Wall Of Flesh? Also, why do I sense another presence in our psyche- Oh my goodness! There’s a large skull in here! With arms! What were you doing while I was suppressed, Mena?! Who are you?!-
-Skeletron. Now be silent, worm. You’re annoying me with your constant babbling-
-How dare you! No, you stay over there, don’t come near me until we get this settled!-
Pinkamena snorts in a mix of irritation and laughter as she states internally:
-A lot’s happened since we last spoke, Light Goddess-
“Where are they?!”
“They were last seen heading towards the armory!”
“Find them you fools! When Master Yharim hears of this, we’re all dead!”
Various guards were making their way towards the armory as they ran past various rooms and corridors of the temple. One hallway in particular caught the attention of a single guard which caused him to separate from the group. In his peripheral vision, he could’ve sworn that he saw some sort of shining object as he heads down the hallway. All the while, the rest of his squadron moves on without him.
With his weapon drawn, the lone guard starts to slowly and cautiously walk down the hallway as he then exclaims:
“By the order of Master Yharim, come out!”
No response was made and after staring down the hallway for a few moments; while also walking down the aforementioned hallway, the guard sighs in frustration as he comments:
“I’m losing my fucking-”
[WOLF-LEOPARD GROWL]
Confusingly and scaringly, the combined growls of a wolf and a leopard instantly sends chills down the guard’s spine and most disturbingly, it was coming from above him. The guard slowly starts to raise his head towards the ceiling only for him to witness the last thing he would ever see: The open maw of a snow furred entity.
Snow aims his fangs directly for the guard’s neck region to prevent any hope of an exclamation. The werebeast bites down upon the single member of Yharim’s forces; killing him instantly.
“Poor lad, he should’ve just kept on running with the others.” Leifors comments.
“He probably would’ve if someone didn’t let him take notice of that shining object you’ve got there.” Snow responds.
“Oh come now, this log from Draedon will help us to cure your parents. It possesses vital information on the Astral Infection and before you ask, yes, I downloaded all of it. Although, I should’ve expected there to be a damned alarm.”
“I am never doing a heist like this with someone who isn’t very good at stealth, ever again…” Snow replies with a hint of annoyance before the leopard-wolf turns away and says: “Come on, we need to get out of here. As long as you follow my lead and not draw attention to us then things should be smooth sailing from here,” The two allies make their way to the end of the hallway, the same direction that the guard had come from, as Snow peaks his head out and looks in both directions before he turns back to Leifors and conjures forth a particular potion from his inventory.
“Drink this, it’s an invisibility potion.”
“Thanks,” Leifors replies as he consumes the magical beverage before saying: “So, what’s the plan?”
“I want you to leave this place,”
“Without you? What the hell are you-”
“Let me finish. I want to get the layout of this place and see if there are multiple exits and secret entrances. It’s an ancient temple, after all. It’s sort of their thing. No offence but you’re holding me back,” This causes Leinfors to grunt in annoyance before Snow continues: “Call me crazy but I get the feeling that I’ll need to sneak back in here one day.”
“How do you figure that?”
“Call it a hunch. Ever since I met that pink pony, I can’t shake this feeling that I’ll be running into them again, or others like them. Most notably, It’s what she told me that troubles me a lot. Once you get out of here and return to Nexus, I want you and the others to prepare for absolutely anything.”
“Snow, talk to me, what the hell did that pony tell you that’s got you so worried?”
“That bastard, Yharim, he’s up to something big. You and I both know from experience that whatever he plans… it can only lead to calamity.”
-TERRARIA, HOME TOWN, CANDY CANE CORNER-
“Ok, everyone!” Twilight exclaims as the alicorn was positioned on top of a table to which she catches the attention of everyone in Home Town. “It’s time for us to tackle multiple tasks. We’ve got lots to do and many different objectives that we simply must complete. Therefore, I’ve decided to split us up into various teams,” Twilight then fires up her horn and projects multiple individuals assigned to various tasks. “Myself, Tori, Celebes, and Linn will be returning to The Crimson; in order to forge the next blade we need to re-forge The Terra Blade. Applejack, please step forward.”
Heeding to her friend’s request, the cowmare leaves her seat and makes her way towards Twilight. Catching on to what the lavender mare was referring to, the orange earth pony conjured forth her Blade Of Grass and happily lends it to the alicorn as she comments:
“That there was a mighty fine blade. Good luck out there, everyone.”
“Thank you, Applejack,” Twilight responds as the cowmare makes her way back to her seat. “We now have all that we need to create the Bloody Edge!”
[APPLAUD]
Twilight lifts a forehoof upon which the applause and cheers starts to die down before she continues:
“Onto the next objective: Rainbow Dash and Applejack, you two will be assisting Celestia, Sai Sahan, and Tanner The Guide with a mission involving their guild.”
“Awww yeah! Awesome!” Rainbow Dash exclaims excitingly.
“By the way, Twi,” Applejack comments. “What is that there mission yer’ talking about?”
“Oh! Well, I would like for Celestia to come forth and join me for this part.” Twilight replies to which the aforementioned female terrarian nods happily, leaves her seat, and now stands besides Twilight as she says:
“Thank you, Twilight. Now then, the mission we received was from someone that we at the guild has formed great relations with. The King Of The Sea: Amidias. Our mission is simple and comes in two parts:
First: We must help The King to enter the Sunken Sea by entering an ancient Pyramid. We don’t know what we might find inside the Pyramid so we must remain vigilant.
Second: We must find and destroy a terrible creature or more specifically, two of them.”
“What are they?” Rainbow Dash inquires.
“A Giant Clam and an ancient crab that’s worshipped as a god: Crabulon.”
Both Rainbow Dash and Applejack simply stare on with blank expressions before the two mares start to laugh in unison. Rainbow Dash is the first to recover as she comments:
“Are you serious?! A large clam and a crab?! That’s so lame! We’ve fought monsters that are way more dangerous than that.”
“Ah’ got’ah agree with, Rainbow. Hay, even Melony The Nymph sounds like a far more dangerous rotten apple compared to some crab and a clam. Also, who in their right mind would worship a crab?” Applejack says as she recovers from her laughter.
“Well, um, crabs can be pretty dangerous…” Fluttershy chims in.
“Don’t underestimate those two just from their appearances alone,” Terralestia says as she focuses her gaze upon both Applejack and Rainbow Dash. “You should all know by now that appearances can be all too deceiving. You once fought a giant Queen Bee, did you not? That sounds ridiculous but I’m willing to bet that she gave you one hell of a time. As for you, Rainbow, you were with us when we fought The Desert Scourge which by all right was just some large worm. My point is: Just because something sounds ridiculous here in Terraria, it does not mean that one should automatically assume that the threat isn’t all too real.”
Everyone else present simply nods in agreement as both Applejack and Rainbow Dash sighs in defeat as they reply in unicorn:
“We understand.”
Terralestia then turns her gaze to Twilight and gives her a nod to which the lavinder alicorn says:
“Thank you for that, Celestia. Now then, the final group will be comprised of Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Shadow Thunder, Starlight Glimmer; along with some of those who used to be prisoners.”
Rarity’s eyes were widened in recognition as she gets up from her seat and says:
“Darling, surely you’re not referring to… The Dungeon?”
“I am, Rarity. We must explore those depths and make use of what we can find there.”