Decretum

by BlackRoseRaven


Gears Of The Imperium

Chapter Seventy Three: Gears Of The Imperium
~BlackRoseRaven

They found Gymbr waiting for them in what had likely once been a guard checkpoint, and was now simply an empty, ghostly hollow in front of a set of stairs leading up into Canterlot above. There had been no signs of skirmishes in the halls they had passed through, apart from a nick here, a hoof-print there, some fresh debris... Scrivener thought that was probably a good thing, though.
They paused only for a few minutes: enough for Scrivener to dig in one of his satchels, then wince as he found most of the potions they had brought with them had been broken in the fight against Herrófriðr. They drank the little remaining in the broken jars, then cleaned the bag out and checked the equipment satchel on Scrivener's other side.
Most of their equipment, thankfully, wasn't easily breakable. The only thing that had broken was a flashlight that Cowlick had given them, which they simply tossed aside. They redistributed the gear into the second satchel, and Luna took this one, muttering that this way if one of them got squished again it would only ruin half their equipment.
Scrivener also noticed with curiosity that somepony had tossed the stress ball they'd found in Valthrudnir's manse into the bag. He had shrugged, but kept this, tossing it back in his own pack, deciding there was no point in throwing it away... it could be a souvenir, if they made it out of this.
Luna softened, glancing over at him as she felt these thoughts; they were striding now through a long, ghostly corridor that ramped gently upwards, likely on their way out of the subbasements. Scrivener smiled awkwardly over at the winged unicorn when he felt her eyes on him, but before either could speak, Gymbr murmured quietly: “Oh, what despair fills us up; the pain we feel, the world still screams with denial of it...”
Scrivener and Luna both only nodded silently as they rounded a corner, and stepped through a wide archway into an enormous hall that had likely once been beautiful: but the painted glass windows had all shattered, leaving bare the vision of the broken sky and jutting, burnt cliffs. The gold and red carpet on the floor was rotting away from the corruption dripping from broken pipes half-hanging out of the cracked ceiling above, everything had a sense of age, of decrepitude, of death.
Scrivener began to step forwards as his eyes slid over the room... and then pain filled his mind, and he gritted his teeth, stumbling forwards and clenching his eyes shut before he looked up in shock at
the beautiful, smooth white walls, marred with the blood of soldiers. One Pegasus Guard was still in the throes of death, fighting for breath despite the fact he had been thrown through the window... and he wouldn't even be granted the soothing sight of grass and majestic mountains and the sunset. Oh no: the sky was a swirling mass of black and red, lightning thundering through the darkness as the world around Canterlot burned...
And Valthrudnir was standing with his back to these windows and corpses all around his feet, smiling calmly across at the figures of Celestia and Discord with a body hanging limply from one hand. Enemies turned ally by necessity.
“Look at you. Almost as pathetic as this.” Valthrudnir calmly rose the body... and Queen Chrysalis shivered weakly, her horn broken, her body ripped apart, green blood dripping from her beaten frame. “You should choose your allies more wisely... she tried to turn on you, to make a deal with me. Such a quaint notion, as if I really need any help taking over your pathetic little world. I thought I made that clear after I killed your little sister, though, Celestia...”
Valthrudnir grinned, then his eyes flicked back and forth between Celestia and Discord as the winged unicorn stepped forwards, her eyes glowing with determination, anger... and fear. “We'll do anything, everything it takes to stop you... and even if we fail, the Elements of Harmony-”
“Oh, don't make me laugh with your children's fables! You truly have no idea what you're dealing with, do you?” Valthrudnir threw his head back and laughed, then he grinned widely and held Chrysalis up in front of his features, leaning in and asking mockingly: “Not that you were much smarter, but at least even your insectile mind could process that-”
Chrysalis leaned forwards and spat a stream of greenish, acidic bile over Valthrudnir's face, and the Jötnar roared in disgust, wiping at his features as Chrysalis kicked and bit at him. Celestia and Discord both began to move forwards, but then Valthrudnir simply flung the Changeling to the ground before stomping savagely down at her, eyes glowing with rage as a blast of green blood spurted up with the sickening crunch that tore through the air, as Celestia shouted: “No! Monster or not, Chrysalis was-”
“Was nothing but a pathetic parasite, which is exactly the worth that you and the rest of this world carries in my eyes!” Valthrudnir retorted, and then he simply snapped his fingers, and Celestia screamed as flames erupted up over her body, her eyes widening in horror as the dragon snarled: “So I will burn away this disgusting disease to replace it with something far superior.”
Celestia threw her head back, shrieking.. and then Discord snapped his eagle talon, and the flames transformed into red confetti that flew in all directions, Celestia dropping forwards as the Draconequus looked up with a grimace. “Well, congratulations on finding the one thing that would actually make me want to help this annoying, preachy pony princess.”
“Oh, I see. You fools desire to play a game, is that it?” Valthrudnir smiled coldly, and when Celestia gritted her teeth and Discord readied himself, the dragon laughed before raising a hand as his eyes glowed. “Here, Celestia, let's start at something appropriate for your skill level!”
Discord began to jump forwards as Celestia's horn glowed... and then Valthrudnir grinned and clenched his hand shut, and a thick black noose appeared around Discord's neck before yanking him into the air, the Draconequus' eyes bulging in horror as he grabbed wildly at the taut rope hanging in midair, his eyes bulging as Celestia stared in shock that interrupted her magic.
Valthrudnir laughed, then he snapped his fingers, and a chalkboard appeared floating in the air beside Discord, blank spaces quickly drawing themselves in powder white along it as Valthrudnir mocked: “Even little toddlers play this so it shouldn't be too hard for your simple mind to process. Three words, seventeen letters in total. He has about five minutes before he chokes to death as the rope tightens, more or less... and every time you guess incorrectly, the rope will tighten further. Have fun.”
Valthrudnir leaned over the back of the chalkboard as Discord's eyes rolled wildly in his head, kicking madly at the air as shocks of energy traveled over him, Valthrudnir smiling mockingly towards the Draconequus as he said softly: “Don't even bother. Your powers, patchwork doll, are very easy to negate. Struggle all you like, but you'll only die faster.”
Discord rasped for breath, clutching at the rope as Celestia's mind raced before she shouted: “E!”
“Oh yes, the path of the coward, going for the most common first.” Valthrudnir said kindly, even as three E's wrote themselves quickly in over the board. “Pathetic.”
“I!” Celestia gritted her teeth, watching as two I's wrote in, then she rattled quickly off: “S, T, R, A, M!”
Valthrudnir frowned as more letters wrote themselves in, and Celestia grimaced at the board, then looked with fear at Discord as he tried to wheeze something before she said sharply: “D!”
Two D's wrote in... and Celestia shouted: “Equestria is doomed!”
Valthrudnir looked disgusted as the solution wrote itself over the board, and then both chalkboard and noose vanished, Discord falling to all fours to gargle and clutch at himself before he howled in pain when Valthrudnir kicked him hard in the rear, knocking him rolling across the room. The Jötnar turned around as Celestia began to step forwards... but without bothering to look over his shoulder, Valthrudnir snapped his fingers, and a massive hourglass appeared around Discord before the chaos entity could even look up, gasping in silent surprise as sand half-filled his prison, leaving him mostly buried before his eyes widened in horror as more white sand began to spill down from above. “Next game!”
“You monster!” Celestia started towards him again, but Valthrudnir only turned around and simply pointed at her, and a moment later she was staggering backwards, screaming in agony as her skin began to steam and rot, gargling and foaming at the jaws.
Then Valthrudnir simply rose his finger, and the wounds quickly vanished from Celestia's body as she slumped forwards, the Jötnar repeating coldly: “Next game.” A pause, and a dark smile as he said calmly: “You've already lost quite a bit of time, Celestia. Now, I'm going to ask you a riddle...”
“Why don't I... ask you a riddle?” Celestia whispered, looking slowly up as she breathed hard in and out, and Valthrudnir frowned as he cocked his head towards her.
“You may, but I'm not going to let the Draconequus out of his cage if I answer it correctly. If I fail to answer before the sand reaches the top, however... then I may reconsider.” Valthrudnir said mockingly, smiling at the hourglass, watching as it filled slowly with sand, sand that was over halfway to the top of the hourglass already already.
Valthrudnir's eyes lingered on this for a moment, feeling like something was off before Celestia rasped: “What's white and red all over?”
Valthrudnir frowned... and then Celestia leapt to her hooves and flicked her horn hard, and the massive hourglass glowed brightly before it shot through the air, Valthrudnir staring stupidly before it smashed into him. Fragments of wood and glass tore past him as it all but exploded, ripping through his pristine suit as he roared in fury and staggered with a snarl... and then he looked up in shock to see Discord standing beside Celestia, the Draconequus raising both his arms violently as he shouted: “Looks like someone skimped on childproofing!”
The shattered glass and wood shrapnel around Valthrudnir swirled violently, forming a maelstrom around him that tore upwards before gravity reversed around the dragon, sending the Jötnar crashing head first into the ceiling with a shout of frustration... and Celestia stepped forwards, snapping her horn out with a snarl of pain and tears in her eyes, a golden fireball shooting forth to crash into the Jötnar and explode with such savagery that it blew out half the ceiling and an entire section of wall beyond, blinding both Discord and Celestia. The chaos entity stared with shock at the winged unicorn as she slowly hauled herself to her hooves, breathing hard and whispering: “You are.”
Smoke rolled quietly through the room, not a sound in the air... before a hand shot out from the thick, dark pall of smog, seizing into Discord's throat. The Draconequus gagged, clutching at this for a moment as Celestia's eyes widened, before she shrieked in denial when the ivory-scaled hand briskly snapped Discord's neck... and then Valthrudnir, his suit shredded and burnt but his features only singed, emerged from the cloud as he threw Discord's limp corpse away, reaching for Celestia as he shouted angrily: “I'm going to take my time ripping you-”
Celestia lunged forwards, doing the only thing she could: she buried her horn into Valthrudnir's stomach, and the Jötnar howled in agony before he slammed both hands down into her spine. It broke loudly, Celestia falling backwards and spitting blood before the Jötnar snarled in fury as he began to savagely stomp down on her, again, again, again, shouting vulgarities and insults and reprimands through his humiliation and his pain.
And then he staggered backwards, clutching at the wound in his stomach before he slowly wiped up the silvery blood, staring in disbelief at the sight of it before a snarl spread over his features; of fury and hatred and... and was it fear? He had been hurt. She had managed to hurt him, to pierce him, to wound him... he couldn't believe
what he saw, at the visions that raced by in front of him as Luna winced in pain, feeling the rush of emotion, the blur of memory and corruption spilling through her mind before her eyes widened as she whispered: “Scrivy... thou... thy visions...”
“I...” Scrivener trembled, closing his eyes tightly as Gymbr looked towards him curiously and Luna stepped nervously forwards, touching his shoulder and studying him intently. “Nothing... nothing useful to us now, but yeah. I'm as shocked as you are... I saw... I saw what happened here. I saw Valthrudnir... kill...”
He shivered after a moment, then shook his head slowly and looked back and forth through the room. He could still faintly feel the emotions that had raged in this place, could still almost hear the thoughts that had run through the minds of all present. Pain twisted through his ringing skull, bringing him back down to reality, and Scrivener breathed hard before he turned and headed quickly for the nearest set of doors leading out, pushing through them as Luna hurried after him and Gymbr followed calmly.
Once the earth pony was out in the long stone corridor, he felt better, feeling his mind stabilizing, his emotions returning to normal as Luna leaned in beside him, studying him intently. But he knew he wasn't bleeding or leaking corruption, and it didn't feel like the other visions had: no loss of control, no feeling of madness... somehow, he had simply... seen. “This... maybe this was what Visionary meant to give me...”
Luna nodded slowly, nuzzling him silently, and Scrivener shivered a bit before he straightened and looked ahead down the long corridor. But there wasn't much here... and Scrivener shivered as he murmured: “For a world with apparently infinite resources... that attacked Celestia with an army of countless soldiers... there doesn't seem to be a whole lot here. And the state everything is in...”
“Yes.” Gymbr said softly, looking slowly back and forth. “There are few signs of travel here. But as we go deeper, we suspect we will find more. Perhaps the reinforcements we destroyed were all that were deployed here... a foolish tactical error.”
Scrivener grunted as Luna nodded slowly, frowning up at Gymbr and asking slowly: “Just how many did thou kill, creature?”
“Only a hundred or so. Dullahan, and the shapeshifting Drones.” Gymbr replied calmly, and Luna stared at it with disbelief before it smiled calmly. “Fear not. We are certain you shall taste your share as well.”
Luna and Scrivener traded apprehensive looks at this, before continuing onwards... and what made this horrible place so much worse, so much more oppressive, was how familiar the structure was to their own Canterlot. Almost the same maze of halls they were able to follow upwards through the massive castle... all of which were as hollow and empty and broken-down as everywhere else they had seen so far had been.
But then things began to change, as they ascended higher, and heard the sound of enormous gears and pistons chugging and pumping. As they headed up another flight of stairs, Scrivener grimaced at the sight of several large pipes running around the wall: each as thick as his forelimb, dripping black ooze and fuel from where they hadn't been bolted or sealed properly together.
At the top of the stairs, they found a closed, armored set of sliding doors. Scrivener and Luna looked at each other, and then Gymbr calmly stepped forwards, its hooves clicking apart into claws before it wedged these forwards into the narrow gap between the foot-thick metal doors, and then it slowly yanked to either side and pulled the sealed shutters open as Luna and Scrivener both stared in shock at the creature's raw strength.
Some alarm began to blare weakly in the rooms beyond, but Gymbr only smiled and dropped back on its haunches as its claws clicked together to reform into hooves, and Scrivener and Luna traded an awkward look before heading slowly forwards, the winged unicorn muttering: “We do not need thee to do everything for... for... us...”
Luna broke off as she gazed slowly back and forth in horror and disbelief, and Scrivener shivered: they were in the first intersection of what looked like several long halls, and gazing down them, they could see enormous – and often cracked – glass tubes filled with corruption on the walls, thick cabling, and gurneys and what looked almost like steel cocoons. One of these latter was close by, and a glass screen on the side of it had shattered, allowing the goo that had filled it to spill out and harden: all that remained inside was a corpse too rotted and broken to know what it had once been in life.
Scrivener looked down the central hallway... and shivered as he saw a flash of translucent images, watching as Beauty and Wisdom calmly strode together down the corridor beneath the flickering lights shining down from above. Then they vanished, and Scrivener started quickly down the passage where their apparitions had walked, Luna and Gymbr following him on either side as they hurried past blood-stained steel tables, past shelves stocked with jars and chemicals and glowing, eerie violet cores, past sealed tubs of silver liquid...
Luna looked through a broken window as they passed, and shuddered at the sight of enormous golems shaped like 59133 inside in varying states of broken decay, some clogged with rust, others falling apart, all hanging from fraying cables and chains. This was a temple of malevolence and suffering, where magic and science were fused not to help, but to hurt as much as possible.
They reached a six-way intersection, and Luna and Scrivener couldn't help but look up at the massive, black crystal suspended above that still glowed like a beacon. Tubes of corruption fed in and out of it, and Scrivener breathed hard for a moment before Gymbr turned down the hall to their front and left, the winged unicorn striding with a little more visible purpose as it said softly: “He is here.”
Luna and Scrivener traded a look, then hurried after the strange creature, before both ponies cursed and staggered to the side as a large monitor flickered on as they were walking by it, Valthrudnir glaring out of it at them as he snapped: “T-This is a re-restricted area, there is n-n-no admittance of non-medical... oh. It's y-you... still alive?”
The sapphire mare responded by stepping forwards with a snarl and punching the monitor in, and it half-fell off the wall in a hail of sparks as Scrivener frowned at the television, a chill running down his spine. If anything confirmed for him that wasn't really Valthrudnir... what had just happened did. He couldn't form into words exactly why, but... now, now he truly felt confident that whatever the Clockwork King was, it was not the real Valthrudnir.
Luna was looking at him strangely, but before either pony could speak, Gymbr's voice called calmly to them: “Antares Mīrus is here.”
The two ponies traded a sharp look, then they both ran forwards down the corridor to an open door, stumbling inside... and staring in both shock and relief at the sight of their son. Antares was strapped to a table, unconscious and weak, bruised and beaten and hurt... but he was alive. Alive, and okay, despite the fact that around him there were all manner of perilous machines: drills and needles hanging on robotic arms extending from the ceiling, a blood-stained table stacked with surgical equipment, jars of silver and black goo sitting at the ready.
This room was different from the others: it was clean, polished, and the machines looked like they were in good condition... except that a tube on one had burst and spilled corruption into an open control panel of some kind. Its innards were covered in black goo and still steaming faintly, and Scrivener sighed in relief as he looked down at this, whispering with a tremble: “The corruption must have jammed up the whole system... if he hadn't... if...”
Scrivener looked back up... and a flash of pain went through his eyes as he saw and heard
her screaming in agony, but they didn't care: she was strapped down to the table as Beauty and Wisdom calmly worked on her with horrible tools, as the mechanical arms and awful, magic-powered machines hanging from the ceiling almost gracefully worked side-by-side with the Clockwork Ponies. And the worst part was that they had cut out her eyes, yet still she could see them... a feeling that was worse still than the pain she thought would drive her insane long before they were finished, as they tried to make her into something else, as they took pleasure in her agony. To Beauty and Wisdom, life was not sacred: it was the opposite. They were doing all people a favor by making them like they were, transforming them, warping them, mutilating them to fit Valthrudnir's wicked designs for ultimate order. And who cared that it was
Visionary being experimented on... and it made his stomach churn as he staggered backwards, but Luna caught him, held onto him, and Scrivener slowly opened his eyes, staring at Antares laying where Visionary had once laid, before he whispered: “Thank the Horses of Heaven we found him.”
“No. Thank yourselves, and thank us.” Gymbr replied softly, and then it flicked its horn, and the straps restraining Antares snapped loudly before the strange creature leaned gently forwards as its front hooves snapped apart into claws, carefully lifting the colt from the table and turning slowly to Scrivener and Luna, and they both took their son between them with faint smiles at the creature, as it said quietly: “Heaven would have left your child to die, jealous of his radiance.”
“Now what? How do we send our child home?” Luna asked quietly, looking up at Gymbr, and the creature seemed almost surprised before Scrivener allowed Luna to quietly pull Antares into her forelegs: he was a little big to cradle, but she did it all the same, leaning down and silently kissing his forehead as she whispered: “Sweet, precious child... saving thou... that is what matters most to me...”
“I believe that I am strong enough to force open the Bifrost, if we find an open area...” Gymbr replied softly, and Scrivener and Luna both nodded as the earth pony stood and smiled faintly as Luna slipped the comforting, familiar weight of Antares onto his back. “The child is very weak... we should not awaken him until it is necessary. Or that is our opinion.”
“I agree.” Luna nodded slowly, trembling a bit as she breathed hard before looking over at Scrivener as she stood, asking quietly: “Where do we proceed?”
Scrivener began to shake his head as he strode out into the corridor... and then he flinched and stared in shock at the sight of another illusion of Valthrudnir standing nearby, snarling at them and shouting furiously: “W-What is this? The child should have been restructured h-h-hours ago! Enough g-games! W-W-Worthless Prophet, y-y-you have been wrong every s-step of the way!”
Scrivener looked sharply up at this as Luna snarled and Gymbr only looked calmly at the image of Valthrudnir, as it glared over its shoulder at something they couldn't see before the Jötnar looked ahead and pointed at them furiously. “All forces, r-r-raze the Imperial Citadel to the ground! Eastern Division, W-Western Division, d-d-destroy Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild! Shut down all e-escape routes! B-Blockade them in and t-t-tear them apart!”
“Crap.” Scrivener muttered, and then he simply ran forwards, making the illusion of Valthrudnir fizzle wildly as he ran through it, and the Jötnar shouted in apparent frustration at this as Luna and Gymbr quickly followed behind him. Yet still, he felt Luna's mental order in his mind, telling him first to guide them to a place where they could open the Bifrost, and then they could find an escape route... but as they shot through the maze of corridors all filled with terrible equipment and soulless malice, Scrivener's instincts whispered to him that there was perhaps something close by that would provide both.
He veered around in a circle... then winced as a glowing green sphere with a single blue eye shot by above his head, staring up at this in surprise before it zipped to the end of the corridor. It sparked as it floated in front of a pair of large doors leading outside, and a moment later, the image of Valthrudnir appeared in place of the sphere, the illusion of the giant apparently generated by the tiny magical device as Valthrudnir leaned up towards some kind of black dome in the archway and shouted: “L-L-Lockdown!”
There was a crackle, and then a loud beeping as a heavy, rusted shutter began to slowly lower over the door, the illusion of Valthrudnir glared over its shoulder at them as it stepped back to stand in front of one of the barred windows through which red light was shining in, snapping: “S-S-See? There is n-no escape f-”
Luna half-shoved past Scrivener with a snarl, her horn glowing brightly before she snapped it forwards to send a blue fireball flying through the air, and the illusion of Valthrudnir vanished as the tiny sphere hurriedly shot out of the way before the ball of flame smashed into the window and exploded, blowing the rusted bars out and turning the little glass that remained into a twinkling rain. Luna leapt outwards through the hole that was left, and Scrivener followed before Gymbr came last, the three diving past the staircase going along the side of the building as Luna winced and dropped back to hold Antares in place over Scrivener's back, as the male gritted his teeth and concentrated on leading them on a long, curving flight, descending a little as they rounded the massive, concrete and charred steel exterior of Clockwork Canterlot.
He winced as steam vented out of an enormous pipe on the side of the building, complete with a splatter of corruption, and it almost knocked him off balance as he looked down and shivered at the sight of enormous pistons pumping steadily on some kind of massive turbine system force-feeding the corruption upwards. He didn't want to imagine where all these pipes were going, as he looked up at the enormous towers that jutted here and there, the crown-shaped tops making them look like claws reaching desperately for the skies.
And as Scrivener looked at Canterlot, Luna looked away, and grimaced at the sight of Thunderbirds in the distance flying in... and what looked horribly from this far away like one massive flood of silver. An army had been gathered, an army had been waiting, but apparently the Prophet had expected them to go somewhere else, to attack something else... had they missed something? Had they just been lucky? Had the Prophet and the Clockwork King meant to lure them through somewhere other than the Black Mirror, was that why this world seemed so confused, why they had run into so little resistance?
But her thoughts were interrupted as Scrivener shouted and pointed outwards, and she turned to stare in amazement at the sight of a massive bridge. It was made of steel and black metal, and unlike almost everything else they had seen so far, seemed well-maintained, standing on solid pillars that had to be more than a hundred feet tall, towering high overtop most of the mountains... and it stretched from the Clockwork Castle's back to the far northern horizon, where amidst the red glow, Luna thought she could see something, some shape, some landmark, some... light?
But a moment later, her attention snapped back to Scrivener as he shouted something to her and they turned to follow the bridge south instead of north. At first, Luna frowned... and then her eyes widened as she took a second look at the bridge and realized that along it ran an enormous rail system, which meant...
They swerved around another tower... and there, not far away, was a train platform, a massive, armored and terrible black train sitting calmly, as if just waiting to leave. Scrivener grinned widely... then he winced as he realized that the wide, cracked concrete platform already had occupants: at least a dozen shapeshifting Soldier Drones, two clanking Hobby Horses, and what looked like griffins... except they had heavy armor banding bolted into their bodies, and long, hooked metal blades in place of natural claws, beneath what looked like plate-sized bucklers fused directly into their limbs.
Luna snarled at this, then she flicked her horn, and Scrivener had a moment to stare over his shoulder at her as her spear snapped out of its holster before she lashed her horn forwards, sending the weapon firing like a rocket through one of the Hobby Horses. The metallic monster gave a wail as it staggered backwards, enormous gear-wheel clanking before it exploded in a wave of force and anti-magic, and a moment later, the second Hobby Horse went up as well, the double-blast dissolving most of the Soldier Drones and knocking all three griffins flat.
Luna winked as she pulled Antares off Scrivener's back, and the charcoal stallion grimaced before he shot downwards, straightening his body out to dive as fast as possible before he simply tackled one of the griffins when it began to get up, and it was crushed against the platform, skidding forwards on its features as bones and armor plating both snapped loudly. Then Scrivener flew free, bouncing several times with a wheeze of pain.
And a moment later, one of the other griffins shot in, raking its claws against his side with almost supernatural speed and no emotion, no fear, no shock in its eyes, sending Scrivener rolling with a howl of pain towards one of the surviving Drones. He winced as he looked up at it as it began to raise a claw that transformed into an axe, as the griffin rushed forwards... and then Scrivener hurriedly dropped on his back when the Clockwork griffin lunged, slamming his hooves into it as it passed overtop him to throw it into the Drone.
The Drone's axe slammed down, cutting through the griffin's back, as the griffin's hooked blades drove into the Drone's stomach, and Scrivener scrambled to his hooves to hurry away with a wince over his shoulder. And then he could only stare in horror when the griffin tore the Drone carelessly in half, reducing it nothing but a burst of liquid metal as it turned calmly around despite the gaping wound along its spine, and it rushed rapidly forwards again-
A silver claw seized the back of the griffin's neck, lifting it easily into the air as electricity burst over the Clockwork soldier's body, and the griffin spasmed violently before it finally fell limp. Gymbr smiled calmly down at this... then its eyes widened when the third griffin shot in and raked its claws across the creature's face, tearing a shallow wound.
Gymbr retaliated with a hard swing of his free claw, but the griffin brought one of its shielded limbs up and blocked the attack, skidding backwards even as the shield crumpled. It spread its wings, leaping into the air, but was quickly knocked back down when a blast of lightning tore through the sky and hammered into the creature, knocking it flat on its back and leaving it spasming as electricity raced violently over its banded armor, the fight knocked out of it from the concentrated jolt.
Luna sailed quickly down, Antares held tightly in her forelegs and her horn still glowing as she dropped on her haunches, as Scrivener looked awkwardly at Gymbr, but the creature only shook its head, saying quietly as it reached up to touch the strange, silvery wounds in its cheek: “Whatever words we may have had to lecture you with, they clearly have no value now. We... we shall open the Bifrost.”
It halted, looked down at the griffin in one claw, that still was staring mindlessly, sightlessly outwards, and then it grimaced in disgust and threw it down. They were as alive in death as they had been in life... the only difference was that they weren't moving any more, as a flash of pain went through Scrivener's mind before he muttered: “Hoplites. They're... called Hoplites.”
Luna looked over at him nervously, then her eyes roved towards Gymbr, but the creature only shook his head before saying quietly: “Awaken Antares. We only have a short window of time, and he must be prepared to make the run through the Bifrost himself... none of our magic can run the length of the bridge for him. And he must go before the invasion force arrives.”
“Then we better hurry. Thunderbirds will cut off our aerial escape, but they won't attack from above... but more Hoplites could fly in at any moment.” Scrivener said abruptly, and Luna only nodded, not questioning his knowledge as she laid her son down before closing her eyes as her horn began to glow. Scrivener lowered his own head, passing what strength to her he could as he strode over to her and began to rummage through the bag on her side, knowing they had to have at least one potion left somewhere...
A soft blue glow surrounded Antares, and he whimpered weakly, shifting on the earth before both Luna and Scrivener heard the whisper through their minds, felt Nightmare Moon almost leaning out of them over their son: No, your magic will not suffice, not alone... but if you will trust me, just for this moment, sweet Luna...
Luna shivered... but then she allowed Nightmare Moon to guide her hoof up to rest quietly on Antares' forehead, breathing slowly before her eyes widened as she felt a distinct sensation rising through her, as her horn glowed darkly and her mane swayed backwards... and a moment later, there was a sharp sizzle before Antares shouted in terror and sat up as electricity sparked along his body.
He clenched his eyes shut, breathing hard in and out before he looked slowly up at Luna and Scrivener as they leaned worriedly in... and then he trembled violently before throwing himself forwards, and they both hugged him fiercely, clenching their eyes shut and holding their son close. He rasped for breath, and then looked up at them, whispering: “Mom... Dad... I... I knew you'd come, I knew it, I always knew it...”
“Here, drink this, Antares,  as much as you can.” Scrivener said quietly, opening the bottle of translucent elixir he'd found in Luna's bag, and Antares nodded mutely as he took it and gratefully drank it down. It would provide him with energy, settle his nerves, give him a boost of strength... hopefully enough that he could make it across the Bifrost.
Then Antares dropped the bottle, and the rest of the precious elixir spilled out over the platform as he stared up at them, a bit of the fluid dribbling down his chin as he stared up at them and whispered: “No... no, no... no! You gotta c-come with me, you c-c-can't-”
“Antares.” Luna said quietly but firmly, and the colt trembled as tears began to leak from his eyes, staring at his parents with disbelief. “We love thee, and... and there is nothing thy father and I desire more than to be with thee, to keep thee safe... but... we cannot turn our back on what is happening here. On this one chance... perhaps this only chance... to set what is wrong, right again. To stop the evil of Clockwork World... I know that thou must know this, and I know that thou must know why. If we turn away... how many others will suffer? How many others will be hurt? How many parents will be separated from their crying children...”
Luna trembled and swallowed thickly, as Scrivener closed his eyes and looked down, whispering: “We love you, kiddo, but... your Mom and I... we need to do this. We need to stop this, stop other people from being hurt... it's our responsibility, because maybe we're the only ones who can.”
“No!” Antares shouted weakly, sitting up, looking desperate... but Scrivener and Luna only both reached forwards at the same time, each grasping a shoulder, and the colt looked up at them brokenly, trembling hard as tears rolled down his cheeks. “Mommy... Daddy... I d-don't want to l-lose you... what about your p-p-promises...”
“We plan to keep them, Antares.” Luna smiled faintly, reaching up and touching under the foal's chin gently, “I know we are asking much of thee... but Gymbr shall open the Bifrost, and  thou shall run. Thou shall run as hard and fast as thou can across it, and run to Ponyville, to Twilight Sparkle or Celestia. And we shall return... as soon as we can, Antares.”
“You will see us again. We will be there.” Scrivener said quietly, then he reached up, taking his son's face into his hooves and leaning down to kiss his forehead softly, closing his eyes. “I'm sorry.”
Antares trembled, then stared as Scrivener leaned away and Luna leaned down, nuzzling her son slowly and letting their horns rub together before she leaned back. The colt breathed hard in and out, staring up at them, seeing into them, seeing through them... and then he whimpered and whispered: “Can't I come with you?”
“No, Antares, no. Thou has a great future ahead of thee... to become... anything thou wants to be.” Luna smiled faintly, then she and Scrivener both closed their eyes as there was a loud rumble, and a sense of growing power in the air.
And Antares looked miserably to the side as Gymbr arched its back, eyes closed, wings spread wide and claws raised to the air as an inferno of golden flame ripped from the platform, swirling into the sky and shattering through reality as it formed into the rainbow bridge, the Bifrost. Energy sparked over it as it solidified... and then Luna leaned down, pushing Antares forwards, ordering sharply: “Go!”
“Run!” Scrivener shouted, shoving Antares on towards the bridge, and the foal stumbled before he stumbled to his hooves and broke into a sprint, Scrivener and Luna staring after their child as the colt ran past Gymbr without caring, without acknowledging the creature, tears leaking from his eyes and sobs ripping up from his chest as he charged up the Bifrost and vanished into the tear in reality.
Gymbr rested back almost as if frozen, horn still glowing, as Scrivener and Luna only stared, tears in their eyes as they stared up at the hole in reality, at the portal to back home, at the path to the place where they most desired to be. But they had something to do first... they had something to do, that no one else could, that was up to them. Not because of their strength, but because of their darkness, because between them and Valthrudnir this was personal, and because... they had so much to lose, whether they fought or ran, lived or died.
And then, finally, Gymbr dropped its head forwards, and the Bifrost began to rapidly disintegrate as the hole in reality sealed shut. For a few moments, they only sat on the platform, in this hell of Clockwork... until finally, in a dry voice, Luna ordered: “Onto the train.”
Scrivener nodded silently, heading towards what looked like the door, as Gymbr only sat silently, but neither pony paid it any attention. All their focus, instead, was on the swirl of emotions between themselves, on the pain, on the despair, and on the way Antares had looked so hurt because he had seen into them...
Nightmare Moon twisted through them worriedly, apprehensively, feeling the pain that fed the despair and the anger and the frustrations in them both. Luna only watched numbly as Scrivener managed to force open the sliding door on the side of the train, and then she closed her eyes at the feeling of Nightmare Moon's uncertainties, asking disgustedly: “I suppose thou desires apologies and thanks, is that it? For if Antares had not had thy bastardized Centurion Enchantment upon him, thou would not have been able to connect to his mind and awaken him so easily, is that it?”
No Luna, my sweet, no. You know it is not. Nightmare Moon said softly, and Luna grunted as she followed Scrivener into the train, looking back and forth with a tremble at the long, cold benches that followed along the train walls and the wide, open passageway, as Scrivener headed towards the engine. We do not desire this kind of pain, nor do we enjoy it. Pointless emotional suffering and questioning... think of the future. Of when we shall return to little Antares... you have the tools, the strength, to conquer this.
“I... I do not know. I hope so.” Luna whispered looking miserably at the ceiling of the train, and then she gritted her teeth and strode forwards, following after Scrivener through the open door of the train as she felt a faint pulse of frustration. “What is it, Scrivy?”
But Luna saw the problem the moment she stepped into the train engine: nothing was on, the large monitor screens in either corner were both off, and Scrivener poked uselessly at the levers and controls in front of the tinted windshield as he sat back in one of the two large, leather-bound control chairs, but nothing was working, nothing was activating.
“This is not good...” Scrivener muttered, and now worry was beginning to quickly overwhelm despair, as Luna cursed under her breath before the earth pony grimaced and opened his satchel, yanking through things. “Maybe if you just... I dunno, electrocute it... we... I get the feeling we're just going to go straight to the end of the tracks, who cares if you fry it...”
“Aye, but that has never worked well with most of Cowlick's infernal machines... maybe Gymbr knows more of these things than we do.” Luna replied with a shake of her head, and then she frowned when among the other tools Scrivener tossed out, she caught sight of the stress ball. “What in damnation art thou still doing with that?”
“I dunno, it was in the bag.” Scrivener shrugged and gestured at it with a shake of his head. “Cowlick or Ross or somepony must have put it in...”
Luna grumbled, picking it up with telekinesis and bringing it over to her, and Scrivener winced as she took it between her front hooves and squeezed it firmly, muttering: “Damnable stupid everything is going-”
As she released the pressure on the stress ball, there was a loud click before lights flickered on in the cabin, and both ponies jumped, startled. Luna dropped the stress ball and stomped on it by accident as she stumbled backwards, and there was another click before the lights died out, electricity sparking over the controls as Scrivener leaned backwards with a shout of surprise, before he gaped over his shoulder and spluttered: “The... what did you...”
“I did... I just...” Luna stared down at the stress ball, then she swept it up and squeezed it firmly between her hooves again, and once more the lights flickered on. Scrivener winced back when the controls sparked at him a moment later, but then there was a loud clicking sound, and dials began to light up as both monitors at either top corner above the windshield flared into life, displaying what looked like maps of the rail system.
Scrivener stared back and forth incredulously, and then he looked stupidly over his shoulder at Luna as she marveled at the stress ball, muttering: “It must be some... I know not, and furthermore, care not, all I know is that perhaps we have a way out of this madness after all and I am glad for it!”
Scrivener grunted, and then he winced when Gymbr's voice called calmly from the car behind them: “Then we would suggest that we get under way, Scrivener Blooms. Thunderbirds are circling above, and we believe that much larger and worse things are already tearing their way towards us.”
The stallion grimaced as Luna looked forwards, then she reached out and shoved a lever currently at what looked like a zero all the way up to some number Scrivener couldn't recognize. The machinery gave a scream of protest as steam and sparks began to fly, and the charcoal earth pony gave a yell of horror before he shouted: “Luna, if you break it, we're not going to be able to get out of here in time!”
The train began to vibrate violently as Scrivener looked back and forth, feeling like they were going to shake themselves off the tracks as Luna half-shoved Scrivener aside, yanking down another lever, and the entire train rocked violently as blast of smoke belched up from the wheels and electricity sparked along the tracks. “'Tis like Cowlick's damnable machines!”
“Dammit, Luna!” Scrivener shouted, looking desperately back and forth before he yanked down another lever, and the train bounced violently again as the two ponies yanked and pounded on the controls until Luna reached up and seized a large, important looking lever on the side wall and jerked it all the way back.
The moment she did, the train lurched forwards as the brakes released, almost jarring itself off the tracks before it began to shoot rapidly along, gears and pistons screaming in protest as smoke poured up from the hood and abused machinery along the train wheels, sparks spitting up from the tracks as the enormous train rolled down the rails.
The monolithic, dark-armored train rumbled as it accelerated rapidly to incredible speeds, the flat-faced, demonic engine in front leading several large, rectangular freight cars, and behind that were being pulled more than a dozen massive silver and white tankers. As the sounds of its machinery evened out, so did its movement, the rumbling smoothing into a steady purr as inside, Scrivener sat back with a wheeze of relief, and Luna grinned widely as Gymbr sat calmly on its haunches at the back of the first empty car.
Scrivener and Luna traded awkward looks, then shared a faint smile, reminding each other and themselves of why they were here, what they were doing this for... and that one way or another, they would be fighting to make it back home, as they sped away from Clockwork Canterlot and towards...
They didn't know. But what they did both know was that there was an army behind them, and this train seemed to only have one destination: and since that destination was connected to a Canterlot that even in Decretum had seemed like an important place...
Scrivener lowered his head, wondering if he could summon up any more visions or memories... but before he could, one of the monitors sparked violently before Valthrudnir's snarling face appeared in it, shouting furiously: “Get off the Vena Cava!”
The stallion winced and jumped backwards in surprise, half-falling out of the chair as Luna flinched, then snarled up at the monitor, saying moodily: “Oh, aye, we most certainly shall, just as soon as we reach the next stop. Or perhaps instead we shall ram this train up thy shiny buttocks.”
Scrivener cleared his throat, his leathery wings flapped before he carefully sat up as the Valthrudnir image snarled at them... but thankfully, that seemed to be about the extent of how much the Jötnar could threaten them at the moment, as he snapped: “Idiot p-ponies and idiot soldiers... h-how dare you try and a-attack me, and in my own h-home! Do not think getting to me will be s-so easy, pathetic little B-B-Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms, my armies will cut off your re-retreat and I still have forces laying in w-wait to give you a nice, p-pleasant reception before you arrive at the A-Atrium! And even if you somehow managed to s-survive... there is simply no way you can penetrate my s-sanctuary! Cortex is invulnerable!”
“I have heard that before, Jötnar, and proven it wrong as well.” Luna retorted, her eyes narrowed coldly. “Say whatever thou likes but 'tis actions that count, and 'tis thy very actions now, screaming thy pedantic, paranoid words, that proves to me thou art weak, vulnerable, and helpless to stop us!”
Valthrudnir growled at them furiously in response to this, and then the monitor became static-riddled before returning to a map of the rail system... the Vena Cava, as Valthrudnir had called it. Scrivener grimaced a bit, flapping one of his leathery wings before he absently looked over his shoulder at these, but Luna only shook her head and reached out to touch his shoulder gently, saying softly: “I would prefer thou keeps them, for now. I know they may become uncomfortable and... we will be pressing our luck with the polymorph, but all the same. I suspect foul play.”
“So do I.” Scrivener admitted after a moment, and then he shook his head slowly before slipping out of his seat, glancing over at the equipment bag and reaching towards it... and then he hesitated before turning his eyes to Luna, asking quietly: “Most of the stuff we brought is going to be useless, huh?”
“Well, Scrivy, we did not expect... such a nightmare.” Luna replied finally, and Scrivener nodded slowly before they both traded a look, their eyes locking, minds meeting, and emotions twisting between them.
Then the two smiled to each other before Luna leaned forwards and kissed him quietly, and Scrivener let his eyes slip closed as he returned it slowly, gently, tenderly; in that kiss, he reaffirmed his promises to her, as she did to him... and they reminded each other of what they were fighting for, what they had accomplished, what they sought to save... and most of all, that they had people waiting for them at home. That they weren't alone, and had so much to live for... so much to return to.
The kiss broke, and Scrivener sighed a little as Luna stepped back, the earth pony reaching up and rubbing at his forehead slowly as he muttered: “We're going to be in so much poop when we get back when Antares shows up and... tattles.”
“Oh, do not be so mean to thine own son.” Luna punched him gently in the chest, then she added reflectively: “Besides, just... because we had a bad moment during the stress of saying farewell to our beloved child... it will be outweighed by when we return. When we make good on our promises, Scrivy...”
Scrivener nodded slowly, closing his eyes... but he smiled after a moment, thinking of this. Treasuring the feeling of what it was like to know there was something to return to, something more, something they didn't have to fight for, but rather, were fighting to protect. Then he sighed softly, slipping carefully out of the seat before heading out of the cabin, opening his eyes and looking into the passenger car to see Gymbr, Prudence, and Delight...
Scrivener stumbled stupidly and whacked his head off the frame of the door, Luna wincing as the earth pony fell in a sprawl and gazed up in shock, but it didn't dispel the visions. Gymbr was only looking at him with interest, even as Scrivener stared back and forth, before Prudence said gently in his mind: The vena cava, superior and inferior, are the veins that bring blood up to the heart, since you seemed curious. It leads to the right atrium... just as our Vena Cava leads to the Atrium, the heart of Decretum. I hope you find this as interesting as I do...
Yummy-yummy in my tummy! Delight crowed in his mind, giggling and grinning brightly as she bounced beside Prudence. Blood's good, and hearts are great, but you know what's the best of all? Brains, just like Wisdom always says! But you know what's funny about Decretum? The heart is right next to the brain. But it's a long boring trip to get there... oh, the fun we used to have on the way, though... me and all the others, it was almost like old times, because here, there's no eyes to see you, there's no one to judge you or order you around...
Then, as Delight smiled up at the ceiling, pain ran through Scrivener's eyes and he winced... and when he looked up again, the visions were gone. Slowly, carefully, Scrivener hefted himself up to his hooves, even as whispers of memory passed through his mind... and he closed his eyes, shaking his head briskly, forcing himself to calm down as Luna reached a hoof up and touched his back gently. “Scrivy... art thou alright?”
“I... I'm fine, yeah. But... corruption or not, if these visions keep happening, they're still going to drive me insane.” Scrivener muttered, reaching up with a shiver and rubbing slowly at his face. Then he sighed softly, striding forwards, grimacing at the way he could faintly still hear music in this car, like the past was trying to merge into the present, and he shivered despite himself after a moment as Luna strode after him worriedly. “We probably have a few hours to rest, anyway... I... I mean, I know we should stay on guard but...”
“Please. Allow us... we do not require rest as you do, and this way, you may at least repair your armor and regain some of your lost strength.” Gymbr said calmly, bowing its head politely towards them. Then, before either pony could answer, it only looked up and smiled before vanishing from sight, and both Luna and Scrivener winced a bit.
There was an awkward silence for a few moments, and then the sapphire mare sighed and grumbled under her breath: “I wish that such magic was truly as easy as the foul creature makes it seem. Very well, Scrivener Blooms... take off thy armor and we shall attend to repairing it first, then mine. We may as well take the chance the creature has so generous 'given' us.”
Scrivener smiled despite himself before he nodded slowly, beginning to slip off his gear even as he looked nervously out of one of the narrow windows in the walls of the train car, watching as mountains whipped by as the dark-steel train sprinted violently onwards towards its inescapable destination: the very heart of Clockwork World.