//------------------------------// // Antipodes- Chapter 8 // Story: Antipodes // by PK //------------------------------// Antipodes Chapter 8 By PK Alarms blared all around the Jigsaw and Tiptoe, so loud they had to shout to be heard. The formerly dark room was illuminated by harsh red lighting. The screens around the room were lit up, flashing a word in the old language that neither of the two ponies recognized. “What have you done?!” shouted Tiptoe. “I don’t know! I must have set off an alarm!” Jigsaw shouted back. “No, really?” “Look, there’s a chance I can still fix this! Not all of the systems have been locked down! If I can just... get...” Jigsaw closed his eyes in concentration. Tendrils of blue light burst from his horn and seemed to spread across the wall like vines, taking the edge off the red light that shone through the room. The tendrils of energy seemed to wiggle their way into the various cracks and gaps in the surface of the wall. Some of the monitors stopped flashing and instead displayed lines of text that flew by far too fast to be read. A swirling cloud of blue light appeared around the unicorn and soon he was obscured from view. Tiptoe stood back from him, staring in awe at the bright blue ball of swirling light. One by one, the monitors stopped flashing and the lines of text appeared. Eventually, all the monitors were displaying the rapidly moving text. Then, without warning, all the monitors went dark, and the red light was extinguished. The room was illuminated by the swirling blue light coming from Jigsaw, but even as she watched, the light spun slower and slower until it faded away. The blue tendrils shot back into Jigsaw’s horn and he collapsed to the ground. The room went dark. Tiptoe ran over to Jigsaw’s collapsed form, barely visible in the darkness. He was breathing, but unresponsive. Suddenly, the room was flooded with light. The monitors all around the room had flared to light, each one showing the same image. The symbol on the floor began glowing, as well, and with a loud slamming noise, the metal doors on one side of the room receded into the walls. The air suddenly grew warm, and the metal sun and moon moved into the center of the domed ceiling. They met, the sun fitting perfectly inside the stylized crescent moon. Tiptoe stared in awe at the open doors. Floodlights lit the passage beyond, which stretched downwards. She sighed to herself. “Do they really have to make opening doors that dramatic?” Jigsaw’s eyes fluttered open. “Did it work?” “Oh! You’re awake. It kind of worked. Half of the door opened, and this half leads downwards.” “Lovely. What does this symbol mean? It’s everywhere.” “Who knows? It obviously has something to do with the sun and moon. Maybe it used to be a government institution.” “I think it’s more than that. The magic here is some of the strongest I've ever encountered- except maybe for that dragon. This facility is way higher up than a simple government institution.” “If it’s so powerfully protected, then how did you manage to get in so easily?” A smile crossed Jigsaw’s face. “Because I’m good at what I do.” Tiptoe nudged him playfully. She couldn’t quite forget, however, that every time he did magic, it seemed to be more impressive than the time before it. She wondered how she could ever compare to his level of ability. Jigsaw stood up shakily and approached the passageway. “There’s nothing more I can do from here. Our only option is to go through that door, I suppose.” He passed under the metal archway, Tiptoe following next to him. The passageway turned into a staircase as they walked on. The passageway ahead was only illuminated for a few feet in front of them- more lights came on as they walked forward, and the lights behind them switched off. Before long, they came to a platform. The hallway ahead of them was forked. On the left, the sun-and-moon insignia was engraved on the ground . Tattered scraps of fabric were littered along the ground. On the right, the passage was barren. “I think we should follow the symbol. It seems like it’s led to good places so far.” Tiptoe said. Jigsaw shrugged. “I don’t really see why not.” As they entered the hallway, the sun-and-moon insignias on the floor began to glow softly. It provided the only light in the hallway, as this particular passage way conspicuously devoid of lights along the wall. Eventually they entered a much larger, round room. It was obvious this room had once been lavishly decorated: Empty flower vases, tattered banners, and torn-up chairs and seats littered the space. The most interesting feature of the room, however, lay directly opposite the door. Two ornate thrones sat against the wall. One looked as though it was once bright white, though it had been faded and dirtied with time. The other throne looked black as night. Behind the thrones was a giant, solid-gold sun-and-moon insignia. Jigsaw and Tiptoe stared at it in awe. After a few seconds of slack-jawed staring, Jigsaw spoke. “I think... I think this was once a royal chamber. Celestia and Luna themselves once sat here! This explains all the heavy-duty magic- they must have enchanted this place themselves!” “It’s incredible you managed to break through the enchantments, then.” “Well, they’ve gotten much, much weaker over time. Before the Great Cataclysm, this place was as good as impregnable.” “Then... then what was that attacking on the video screen back in the room with all the monitors?” “That’s what worries me. If something powerful enough to get through those enchantments exists... I don’t even want to think about what it could do.” They walked up to the thrones and noticed a small stone platform in-between the two seats, this one strangely uncarved. Tiptoe walked onto it. A low buzzing sound could be heard emanating from the platform, but other than that, the room remained unchanged. Jigsaw walked on to the platform to join her. “What do you suppose this could be for? It doesn’t seem to do anything.” Jigsaw said, prodding the stone surface with his hoof. The room was filled with a brilliant golden light. The stone surface of the platform appeared to turn to clear crystal, beyond which stars could be seen. Then, the crystal opened up, and the two ponies were sucked inside.