((Author's Note: It is my intention that with particular sequences and such, I will put in links to music that I felt fit the situation at the time. It will mostly happen to sequences that you will see below.))
Hoofservants went to and fro, scrambling in hurry to collect supplies that Indomitable Bulwark after a stir that Pax Æterna made last night. Pax Æterna made it a point to show to her little ponies that she was approachable and no pony should fear her so once a month, she took from the palace the first ponies that arrived with her in Tartarus and held a great feast for all. Every year since the First Feast was marked for the ponies to play, celebrate, and enjoy themselves to improve spirits and morale. The aim was to show, despite their predictament of being trapped in Tartarus, they were all still alive to this day since the gate that she and her little ponies' ancestors was sealed shut behind them almost a millenia ago. Happy, thriving and bliss in the air, the ponies celebrated their good fortunes and that their goddess made these public appearances for it pleased the ponies to no end.
However the news she delivered changed that tune.
Everypony in their little slice of Tartarus from young foals to elder stallions and mares had filled their bellies with the finest food and drink they could gather for the yearly celebration of their survival since banishment. Pax Æterna rose from her seat at the head of the long table while the ponies, out of respect, quickly quieted as they eagerly awaited to hear an inspirational speech from their goddess and the plan for this year. Pax Æterna remained quiet for the longest time even though all the ponies present at the feast had long fell to silence as she mentally debated in her mind if the news of encroaching evil along their borders should be told. With a sigh and a quick swig of her drink to wet her mouth and throat, she began, "My little ponies. Another year has passed since the banishment of myself and your ancestors almost a millenia ago. I wish to congratulate you all for helping us survive to see another year come to pass in our piece of Tartarus that your ancestors staked a claim on and turned what was once a barren wasteland into fields of green, a task that took many years to perfect but successfully performed." The ponies audibly voiced their agreement, thankful that their ancestors found a way for them to grow food in the hellish place that is Tartarus. Soon she briefly continued, "Everypony, please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance of your ancestors that made it possible for food to be grown and in their honor." Following her words, each of the families present at the tables bowed their heads in a silent prayer to each respective family's ancestors which the exception of a rebellious teenage colt or filly here and there.
After their silence, they all looked upon Pax Æterna for her to continue her speech and somewhat droning on about the state of things in their piece of Tartarus but focusing mostly on the good to keep spirits high. A lump had formed in Pax's throat as her mind was switching back and forth between telling her little ponies about what had to be done as she went on with her speech. On one hoof, she could send Indomitable Bulwark through on her own power alone but would leave her very weakened. On top of that, the sudden disappearance of her son would cause a stir and they would demand answers of her to allay their fears which she would address but they would see her in such a weak state. On the opposing hoof, if she told them then she could recruit help from all of the magically gifted unicorns for her plan. The more magic fueling her plan meant the more energy she could go ahead and use to protect her little ponies from the dangers that lurked in Tartarus she delegated to her son.
Pax Æterna took a breath then slowly started again after the moment of silence, "My little ponies... I am afraid that our time in our home here is drawing to a close..." The mention of time running out made many of the ponies look up at Pax Æterna, both with half confused, half concerned looks while others thought she was trying to pull some sick joke. Seeing the sorrowful look on their Alicorn goddess' face, however, convinced them she was being serious. "Many of the guardponies here can testify as well as the farmers that tend the farms on the bordermost edge of our lands, the demons and malevolent entities that have been stayed by our vigilence and shows of force are starting to grow bolder, more organized. You may have heard rumors that our guard is having difficulty chasing off such forces without my son's assistance. These rumors are unfortunately true and I can sense something more sinister at work than evil simply wanting to take what is our's." She stopped and gazed upon the forlorn and gloomy gate south of town, the marroon wooden gate adorned with fel green diamonds trimmed with gold along with the symbol of Tartarus repesenting nine descending circles along with ebony chains wrapping around the gate and forming numerous X patterns.
Many ponies turned their gaze to the gate and regarded with a sense of dread, the gate that long sealed their ancestors' and their fates to Tartarus forever but some of the magically adept of unicorns could sense something off about the gate. The diamonds radiating with energy were not as powerful as they once were, the symbol appeared faded and the chains seemed to be rusting at an alarming rate. Pax continued, "My little ponies, I do not understand if it's just the seal weakening after so long or something is weakening the seal itself. However with the powers that are setting amongst our borders, I feel that the time is coming that we must flee from Tartarus. However in the gate's current state, and with enough magical power, only one can escape Tartarus at this point. I have already chosen who shall go through." Stepping up from his spot, Indomitable Bulwark stood beside his mother and began to speak, "Our goddess has asked of me to go forth from home to the Overworld, to seek help to bring everpony here from this hellish land straight to the Overworld, to safety. To execute this plan, I need the assistance of every magically adept unicorn to step forth and help our goddess in cracking the gate open wide enough for me to venture forth and bring us salvation."
The unicorns looked amongst one another, all of them looking worried as they weighed the pros and cons for themselves. Their knew their goddess' power alone was potentially enough to open the gate but if it was just her doing it, then would she have enough power to defend them in Bulwark's place? Then it dawned on them with the guards having problems trying to fend off demons on their own without an alicorn's power could be disasterous if they didn't help. Eagerly, many of the unicorns stood and each filly and stallion offering what power they had to help. Pax smiled at the volunteers, grateful that they were willing to help and she turned to two servants standing behind her, "Go. Fetch the chest that was prepared before we came to town." With a nod, the two servants galloped away with haste to fulfill their orders.
"Everypony, please finish your meal. We have a lot of work to do and only a short time to do it. After I leave through the gate, everypony must focus on being prepared to evacuate as soon as I return." Bulwark urged everypony then sat down to finish his own food, having a feeling it was going to be the last full meal he's going to be eating for a long while. OVer the course of finishing his meal, Bulwark silently looked up and over at several ponies to see how they were taking the news. Looking over a family whose parents worked as guards, Bulwark could discern the look in their eyes as fear. Bulwark could understand why the guards would feel as such for Bulwark was an integral part of the guard in defending their lands which made Bulwark sigh at their dependency on him to maintain safety and security. It disappoints me that these ponies feel a need for me to help protect them... Bulwark quietly thought to himself and turned his gaze to other families.
A much cheerier sight his gaze met as it seemed that all the families at one table were excited for what the future may hold. A future out of the hellhole that they and their ancestors have endured for well over one thousand years. He could see their excitment and it quickly became infectious to the neighboring tables. Mugs being lifted in the air for toasts either by hoof or magic, these ponies were eager to escape from an existence forced upon them by choices of others in the long forgotten past. They are merry and share their revelrie with others so quick. I do not believe the reality that the gate is only weak enough now for one pony to escape has truely sank in. Bulwark shook his head to chase away the dark thoughts, refusing to let his mind dwell on the negatives that his disciplined mind saw and as many guardponies saw too.
As with all good things, their joyous merrymaking and companionship had to come to end as Pax Æterna commanded the attention of her ponies with the arrival of the hoofservants she sent to the palace temple to retrieve a chest. The hoofservants came galloping in with the chest Pax asked for in tow and set it on the ground just as she grabbed the attention of everypony. Once attention was fixated upon her, she rose from her seat at the table and slowly strided over to the chest where once she was beside it, she simply set her hoof on the top of it and looked at her ponies, "As the hour grows late, I must ask that we set to work on sending Indomitable Bulwark forth to bring back aid. I ask that every magically adept unicorn to come forth and claim a focusing crystal. Once you have claimed a crystal, please gather together and we shall approach the Gate." As she finished, the lock on the chest unlatched and promptly fell off and Pax opened the lid of the chest to reveal amthymyst colored crystals of relative shape and size in the shape of a tall hexagonical diamond cut. Soon, one by one, a unicorn rose from their seat from their families and stepped forth to claim a crystal. Soon a moderate group of unicorns were gathered, each holding a crystal in their magical grasp while Pax pulled out a somewhat larger crystal near the bottom of the chest then asked the group to follow her and any pony that wished to witness this event is welcome to join.
During this, Bulwark was donning his armor that he stored away in a nearby building, securing piece and tightening the straps so it held fast to his form. He had only slipped on his helmet when he heard a small voice call to him and he looked over his shoulder, "Bulwark. They are leaving." The voice belonging to a dark red coated and ashen mane hoofservant mare, Cinder Blossom as he recalled her name, stood in the doorway leading outside. Bulwark looked over his body, checking to make sure each piece was secure then reached out with his magical grasp to the sword and shield and shouldered them over his back. He took in a sharp breath as he slowly made his way outside and keeping his eyes forward then galloping off to catch up with the herd that was making its way to the gate.
Some of the unicorns slowly became skittish as they entered the shadow of the gate, fearful of the towering and forlorn gate and what could possibly lurk in just it's shadow. However nothing was actually there and Pax signaled for the unicorns to stop. Some let out a breath that they didn't even know they were holding as they were glad they stopped moving closer to the gate and looked to Pax. She looked at the gate, the long standing symbol of their imprisonment in Tartarus. Quietly regarding the past for fleeting movements, she then flared her wings out and commanded proudly, "Unicorns, take your crystal now and focus your magic then release the energy out of it and to the gate. Everypony must help for the more of us attempt to open the door, the less exhausted we shall be after opening this gate." Pax's crystal rose above her head, just out of reach of her horn, as she began to channel her brilliant orange magic into the crystal.
The crystal resonated with with her magic and then sent the infused energy out at the gate in a beam and slowly started to cover the gate from where it made contact with it. The unicorns, following Pax's example, rose their respective crystals in their magical grasp and channeled their magic into their crystals then shot out at seemingly randoms spots upon the gate. The points of contact spread and connected with the others before spreading over the gate in a visual myriad of colors covering the gate, Pax's own magic covering a majority of the gate already to shoulder some of the magically weaker ponies.
Bulwark had just entered the shadow of the gate as it was completely covered in the multitude of colors from each of the unicorns' and Pax's magic. Bulwark could only stare breifly then heard a groan from Pax. He snapped his attention at the Alicorn goddess started to rear as she pulled her crystal back which earned a deep shudder from the gate. Some of the unicorns were startled at the sound and almost lost their focus until Bulwark called out, "Stand fast, my friends! Remain focused and help our goddess! She cannot do this alone!" The startled unicorns regained their nerve as quickly as they lost, all of them rearing back and kicking out their forehooves which caused the gate's hinges to groan in protest as if they were rusted. The chains rattled, dust falling off followed a resonanting crack. The gate was failing to hold closed against the combined magical might of alicorn and unicorns as it slowly cracked open to show a bright light shining through the slowly opening gate. Bulwark watched with bated breath as his mother and the unicorns forced the gate open, an event he never thought he would ever witness but his disciplined mind berated him for doubting his mother, a goddess the ponies called her, and the teamwork of numerous magically competant unicorns.
The hinges continued to groan then eventually ceased, the maroon colored gate refusing to open any further and provided enough space for only one pony at a time but only one could make it through. Bulwark looked to his mother one last time, seeing her straining to hold it open as sweat beaded her brown and she was flapping her wings while clenching her teeth and her eyes shut. He could tell by looking at her that she couldn't keep it open for much longer and faced the doorway, furrowing his brow and took off at a galloping pace while unfurowling his wings and started flapping. He kicked off of the ground and took flight as he flapped his wings quickly to try and make it through the gate as fast as he could and as he neared the narrow passage, he turned himself sideways and flew through opening. Flying out of Tartarus... and into the Overworld. He was free from that place. He was free from Tartarus.
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It was the same-old, same-old for a black furred, four legged, three head giant of a dog. The wasteland showcasing tumble weeds going across the space in front of it. The sun's rays beating down upon it's coat but never overheating the beast. To it, the sun's rays was the gentle caress of it's master when it was a pup. It had just returned from a nearby lake to sate it's thirst and gnawing hunger from wild animals that went to the lake and now it was quite content to nap in front of the gate, each of the heads resting on either side of it's front paws. Just the same, Cerberus remarked silently, nothing changing and forever to stay guarding the gate.
The silence was shattered, a deep groan was heard and Cerberus perked it's heads up, ears at attention, a new sound it heard. But where was that sound? Cerberus slowly scanned the horizon in front of it, the three pairs of eyes unable to discern anything that could be capable of making such a sound from what it has hunted before and has seen while it guarded the gate. Cerberus scrambled onto it's paws as the groan sounded out again, starting to growl and bare it's teeth as it knew something was out there again. It wasn't until a crack and the chains rattling when the realization dawned upon Cerberus.
The gate was opening.
Turning around and widening it's stance, growling and barking as it saw the gate opening inward and revealing the darkness beyond it, swirling and twisiting with the dark magiks that were hidden away along with the wicked, the heretics, and the unjust, Cerberus' charges to stop from getting out. Growling deeply, the heads focused upon the lowest point of the gate and expected whatever was about to come through to just come walking out. It's ears twitched as something slipped through above of where it was watching followed by the flapping of wings. Looking up quickly it could discern that a pegasus had escaped from Tartarus! No, not a pegasus, Cerberus thought as it looked closer at what escaped, It's... an... Alicorn!? The shock of seeing an alicorn coming through Tartarus, however, was quickly worn out as the other two heads quickly reminded the surprised head that it escaped from the gate and it must be returned or killed. Raising it's three heads, Cerberus howled loudly into the sky and the sky darkened followed by lightning arcing downward, cutting off the alicorn's pathway in the sky.
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Bulwark had barely enough time to veer around for a U-turn, eyes still wide in shock as the lightning was came crashing down and denying him free flight. Looking up he could see dark clouds forming in a circle with the gate at the epicenter and it was then he actually noticed a great, black furred, three headed dog down there howling to the sky. Finishing it's howl it glared at Bulwark, it's eyes showing fury at simply seeing Bulwark then barking furiously. Bulwark scoffed, knowing that so long as he was up in the sky that beast couldn't reach him but then he felt a tingling sensation in his wings. He looked up to see the dark clouds crackling with lightning starting to descend at a rapid rate. His eyes shrank to pinpricks and he dove for the ground, landing less than gracefully but on his four hooves.
Bulwark looked up at the giant dog in front of him, scowling as he drew his sword and shield while his mind mentally identified that this dog was the cause of the lightning blocking passage from his mission. Holding his shield in front of him and his sword at the ready, Bulwark took charge at the dog.
Cerberus looked on in shock at the alicorn rushing at it, used to everything cowering on the spot in it's presence but the alicorn not only stood his ground but actually took the initiative and started to attack. Quickly recovering from the surprise, it reached with it's head to snap at the alicorn only for him to jump with wings flared and flapping followed by a sharp pain across it's nose as metal met flesh. Cerberus yipped at the unexpected stinging pain and stared at the airbourne alicorn again but not going to high to risk being struck by lightning from the clouds. Cerberus growled and jumped to try and pluck the alicorn out of the air but despite being armored, the alicorn was agile enough to just fly wide away from the danger.
Cerberus growled as it was denied once again then rose it's heads to howl once more, the cloud crackling with anger as lightning once again arced out from the clouds and trying to strike at Bulwark. Bulwark's heart skipped a beat as a lightning bolt nearly made contact with him, flying lower than Cerberus while lightning arced to the top of the gate. The wards upon the gate hummed with magic as it was charged with lightning but went unknown to both of the combatants.
Trying to crush Bulwark under paw, Cerberus slammed his paws down upon where the grounded alicorn was and tried to predict his next location as the lightning raged above them, continuing to strike the gate which made the wards hum louder and louder as it absolved the charges. Cerberus lunged forward with maws agape, snaping at all of the possible spots of where Bulwark could go to and when it was pulled back, the alicorn was nowhere to be seen. Two of Cerberus' heads looked around in annoyance while the third drew the attention of the others by growling and moving it's head around. Inbetween the teeth was Bulwark with his hooves on the bottom row of teeth and his shield pushing against the top row of teeth. Bulwark strained at the teeth trying to crush him while the other two heads laughed at Bulwark's misfortune. No, no no no, NO! It can't end like this already! Bulwark thought to himself, his eyes shut as he reinforced his shield with magic to push harder but was barely getting an inch and very gradually losing, Somepony... anypony! Mother! Please help me! I do not wish to be this beast's lunch! Bulwark internally despaired, his magic slowly flickering away...
But then there was a thundering boom.
The two unoccupied heads of Cerberus went, "Aroo?" in confusion as they looked over to the source of the sound that made them fold their ears back in agitation. Turning it's body to the gate, the humming of overcharged magic was incredibly apparent as lightning continued to channel into the wards of the gate. Even the head trying to make a chew toy out of Bulwark went slack-jawed with increasing realization that the wards were about to discharge.
And nothing else except the gate was standing taller other than itself.
One more arc of lightning made contact with the top of the gate, the humming turning into a thundering boom fit to pop the ears of anything in a five mile radius which made both Bulwark and Cerberus cringe and cover their ears from the boom followed by a tingling sensation in their respective coats as lightning arced from the wards down towards Cerberus, the black furred guardian howling in a chorus of pain as the lightning discharged throughout it's body, twitching violently as the wards quickly emptied the charge and once the lightning had ceased, Cerberus fell over unceremoniously onto it's side. Involuntarily twitching and spasming and breathing erratically while unable to form coherent thought, Cerberus just laid there unable to act.
Bulwark rose to his hooves and saw the heap of the black fur where at several spots was singed and it's body spasming as the electrical impulses were causing it to do so. Deciding that the beast would most likely remained incapciated for a time, Bulwark let out a sigh of relief and shouldered his shield while sheathing his sword then looked upon the gate.
It looked the same on the outside. The maroon wood, great ebony chains, burnished gold trimming, nine descending circles from top to bottom. What was different was the swirling darkness through the crack in contrast to the light when he saw it through Tartarus. Bulwark's ears folded back as he knew his mother and everypony he knew was on the other side of that gate and his heart sank as the gate slid closed shut. He cringed as the gate closed with a thud and could only watch but then turned his attention outward toward the horizon of where the gate faced. Nothingness was on the horizon, but the words of his mother rang in her head and soothed him, Remember Indomitable Bulwark, my loving son, the Overworld is as simple to navigate as our own world. The sun sets in the west and rises in the east, just like in our home. When night falls, seek out the brightest star, just like in our home, and follow it. You shall know that you are on the right trail.
Bulwark gently smiled and lightly set a hoof on the medallion resting against his barrel chest, "Thank you mother, for your wisdom." Looking to the sky, he noted that the sun was hanging low, soon to give the its dull, burning orange glow of the descending sun while to the east, the moon was rising over the horizon. "The hour of twilight shall soon be upon me," Bulwark said as he turned his attention to what could reasonably be percieved as north, "I must make haste. Makers know when that beast shall be on it's paws again." Bulwark briefly shot a glance at Cerberus' paralyzed form, still twitching but it's breathing had seemed to returned to normal. Without looking back, Bulwark began to gallop away and take to the sky, wings flapping with a southern tailwind spurring him forward north. He was free in the sky. He was free of Tartarus.