After a month of preparation Shining and Argyle were finally ready to head back out to the strange land.
They had two big bags that carried the nine books. And they brought the prism stone along just in case. And a single bag on their backs that carried food and water. Ropes and flashlights hanging off the bags. They were very much eager explorers that day.
Argyle and Shining soon arrived at the same strange spiral land they found before. Only this time they had a picture of a map to guide them.
When they got to the center they unpacked the books. And set their hooves on the imprint on the rock. “Ready?” Asked Argyle.
“Yes.” Said Shining. And they pressed down. And everything activated like before. The tree roots came out of the ground spiraling and connecting themselves to the rock in the center. And the tree trunks opened up. They were the perfect size for the books.
And the rock’s lid opened with the pedestal rising back again.
“Alright hurry! Put the books inside!” Argyle ran over and put one of them in the tree compartment.
Shining did the same. And they both ran back to the center, picked up the other books and back to one of the trees.
Filling each compartment in the trees they did it. When the books were placed in. The front cover of each books glowed a light blue color and the blue color travelled down the tree roots towards the rock and pedestal.
When all nine books were placed all nine trees were glowing blue and the roots as well. The ground started spinning slowly.
“Oh woah…” the two were a little startled when the ground started turning. And the pedestal was glowing blue.
“Argyle! The prism stone!” Shouted Shining. Argyle got the crystal out and Shining put her hoof on it as they placed it on top together.
Suddenly in a woosh of light the prism stone color changed from white to the colors of their coats. “My coat color.” They said together.
The ground started rumbling. Shining looked over the edge and saw that it was… Rising?
“Argyle. Look at this!” Shouted Shining.
Argyle looked over the edge and saw the ground was rising up above the rest of the land. “What is happening!? Is it floating!?” Argyle asked.
Eventually the rising of the ground stopped. And they were three feet off the rest of the land.
“What happened?” Asked Argyle. “I don’t know. But maybe we should see.” Said Shining. She tied one of the ropes to one of the trees to help them climb back up.
When they climbed down the rope and onto the regular ground. They couldn’t believe what they saw.
They saw a cylindrical building of white bricks full of engravings that were incredibly aged by time. After walking around it they saw double wooden doors with a six pointed purple star on each one.” Twilight’s cutie mark.
“Twilight Sparkle” they both said. They silently walked up to the door and opened it up. Argyle and Shining got their flashlights up and explored.
After walking down a flight of stairs they walked into a large hallway of dimly lit glowing engravings on the wall.
“What do all of these mean?” Asked Argyle.
“I don’t know. But I would like to come back here to find out.” Said Shining.
They walked along the carpet of the hall. Spotting another door. They walked over to it and opened it and walked through. Inside was a large central chamber brightly lit with different rainbow colors. The walls had several glowing illustrations of the mane six throughout different events in their lives.
“Woah… it’s them. Everything we were reading about.” Said Argyle in disbelief.
In the center of the room was a circle of imprints like the ones on the rock outside.
When Argyle and Shining stepped into the center they pressed down on them and nothing happened.
Shining suddenly looked up. “Look!” She shouted.
Looking on the ceiling of the room was a circle of more illustrations. This time of earth ponies doing a dance each drawing a new sequence.
“Wait. Argyle spin me around. That’s a zoetrope on the ceiling. When you spin around it creates a moving image.” Said Shining.
Argyle took her by her hooves and he launched her out spinning her like a top.
And she saw everything. Each image stepped and moved in correspondence with the imprints on the floor.
She stopped spinning. And while she was a little dizzy. She memorized everything.
“Did you see anything?” Asked Argyle.
“Yeah. You wanna go?” Asked Shining, walking over to him.
“Yeah.” Said Argyle. And so this time Shining launched him out of her hooves spinning him around the center.
Argyle was amazed as he saw the once still images move around. And suddenly he understood the imprints on the ground.
When he stopped spinning he walked to one side of the imprints on the floor. “Shining that dance. I think we need to perform those exact steps on these buttons.” Said Argyle holding out his hoof. She took it and moved to the other side of the imprints.
And then they did just that. They danced their way across their sides of the circle. Taking in each step and movement with grace. Before performing the final move.
When they stepped on the final button. The floor’s center opened up and a beam of light shined down.
A large rectangular block of black stone with glowing blue writings was rising out of the floor. And on top was a red pillow with something shiny on it.
Argyle and Shining rushed over to it. And Argyle immediately started reading the writings on the stone.
On side one.
“Congratulations for passing my trials. If you have found the earth pony crystal you almost certainly have my books.
If you know the secrets within. It is imperative that you guard this crystal with your life!
It is one out of three crystals that contain all magic in equestria!”
On side two
“They are very powerful. But obviously with great power comes great responsibility.
The division and ultimate conquest of pony kind is almost as big a threat as the real enemy I am facing.
Do not under any circumstances let this crystal out of your sight! Make sure it is with you forever.”
On side three
“When the three crystals are present a spark will allow them to reunite and bring magic back to equestria.
And perhaps invent brand new magic along the way.
However, Finding the crystals is the easy part it’s finding the spirits that will be hard.
Inventing new magic depends on how the new generation of the new spirits will do.”
On side four
“You must have patience and hope. It is exactly what I had to endure. And I want ponykind to experience what I did.
Only this time. I want equestria to make that decision for itself. Not out of force or need.
I always say friendship is magic, not the other way around.
And if you found your way here. You are undoubtedly worthy. Remember that. Make the foundation of a new equestria a worthy new generation.
Bring them all back together.
Twilight Sparkle.”
Argyle and Shining looked on in wonder at what they were reading. And what lies before them. On the red pillow on top of the chiseled stone was a clear circular crystal gem.
Argyle picked it up admiring the detail. “The earth pony crystal.” Argyle whispered.
“That must mean there’s a unicorn and pegasus crystal.” Said Shining.
“Which means there are two more of these things in Bridlewood and Zephyr Heights.” Said Argyle.
“But what is this spirit that Twilight is talking about?” Asked Shining looking at the crystal.
“I don’t know. It’s probably something more than even the crystals themselves.” Said Argyle.
“We gotta get this thing out of here.” Said Argyle placing the crystal in the most secure pocket in his backpack.
“Yeah. Let’s come back with a camera later.” Said Shining.