Chapter 11
For two millennia, the creatures that were once the Hatred waited in Darkness.
Caught between the river Styx and Death’s vigil at the gates, the many bodies simply stopped to bide their time.
In their exile, those of similar forms banded together, but this only caused the groups of demons to battle against one another.
First, there were the Sloths. Massive slimes and slippery fungi that hardly moved. Incredibly destructive, their bodies tore and dissolved the infernal earth below them, turning it pitted and broken. All fear the Sloths, but it is their own listlessness that keeps the others safe.
Second, the Lusts. Succubi, Incubi, and shapeshifters all. Mothers of the changelings and fathers of the sirens, the Lusts were perhaps the weakest in their pits of Darkness, but they knew their power was far stronger in the mortal realm.
Third was the Greed. There was only one Greed. Tiamat was her name, mother of dragons. The five-headed queen amassed her hoard, taking everything she could from all over the Pits. Her greed led her to murder any and all who tried to approach her, and by the end, there was no one who would dare claim the title of Greed.
But there were Envies. Those Greeds that survived the Rampage of Tiamat learned quickly that such a title could lead to their death. But in their cores they still wanted, still yearned and lusted after the jewels of Tiamat and the beauty of the Lusts.
Fifth came the Prides. Hideous monsters with massive heads and thick necks that lumbered across the nine rings of Tartarus as though they owned it. They had considerable might to their name, but they thought themselves more. Lies were the weapons of the Force, but the Prides had swallowed their own swords. Their words said that Faust herself could not stop them, but they resided in Tartarus all the same.
The Sixth House of Hell was that of the Gluttony. Miserable, fat mountains of living lard, while Tiamat hoarded metals and stones, the Gluttonies hoarded food. Anything that came within arm’s reach was eaten, swallowed whole, whether meat, demon, or even one of their own. Nothing was safe from the gnashing mouths, grinding teeth, and endless thirst for flesh and blood.
But the seventh House…
The seventh house was composed of three leaders, three terrors of shadow. The first, master of Fear. The second, of Anger. The third, the master of them all, Hatred. Together, they ruled the house of Wrath. Beneath them were hundreds of terrors, from the fearful Windigo of the frozen, ninth layer, to the tiny imp, ready to whisper dissent and anger into the closest ear.
These seven Houses ruled over the Nine Pits.
And for two millennia, they waited.
<<<|Ω|>>>
“Alright,” Alan said, his hat pulled over his head, and duster flapping in the breeze. “We ready?”
The ponies, dragon, and griffon nodded, dressed in their equipment as the moon began to rise.
Alan nodded back. “Alright, Trixie, stay out here, if we don’t come back in two days, head back west. The rest of you,” he said, pulling out a small case, “grab a communicator.”
“We got some in the helmets,” Twilight replied, answering for the girls.
The rest of the party picked one up before pushing them in their ears.
Julius hesitantly followed suit.
“Testing, testing…” Alan said, hoof to his ear.
“Got ya.”
“Loud and clear.”
“Roger, roger.”
“What is this?!” Julius asked.
Ignoring him, Alan continued. “Alright, Julius has a way in, once we get in, our objectives are as follows: Spread dissent between the the two factions, sabotage any war efforts, save any innocent prisoners, and Locate and kill the Queen. Any questions?”
No one said a word.
Alan nodded. “Good, and remember, no griffon casualties.”
With the plan laid out, the figures then began their mission.
An invisible Spike flew forwards, slowly circling the massive space between the mountain and the forest. After three slow circles, he landed on the opposite side of the clearing before speaking into his communicator. “All clear.”
The others quickly crossed the gap, running at full sprint to reach the mountainside.
Once gathered, Alan nodded towards the True King.
Julius swallowed. “Very well, be careful not to be separated, the Keep is built like a maze, and there are corridors that even I am not familiar with.”
“That bad?” Rainbow Dash asked.
Julius smirked as he turned to the large boulder they stood next to. “There are rumors of a lost hoard that hides in the Keep, one that’s been lost for hundreds of years.” he said as he began to search the stone face. “There’s a good chance they are true.”
It took him a moment, but he finally found what he needed. With a quick motion, and a click and a whir, the stone face receded, revealing a hidden door.
“If worse comes to worse,” Julius said, “head up, you’ll get to the throne room eventually.”
And with that, they all disappeared into the boulder. Then, with another whirr, and the sound of grinding stone, the door slid back into place.
<<<|Ω|>>>
Trixie watched them from a distance until they disappeared from sight.
Sighing, she turned back to the covered wagon and continued to cover with large branches. Once properly camouflaged, she climbed into the back of the wagon and covered herself in a small blanket.
The wagon felt incredibly empty now…
It-it’s fine, Trixie. It’s fine. They’ll be back.
They have to be.
<<<|Ω|>>>
“Movement above us,” Spike said, the life detection on his goggles seeing directly through the ceiling. “But everything else is clear.”
Alan nodded, leading the small party further into the flagstone covered corridor. “Let me know if they do anything sudden.”
Spike nodded.
“The path barracks should be on the left coming up,” Julius whispered.
They moved slowly, close to the ground, the defenses of the sudden right-angle turns rendered useless by Spike’s Life detection goggles.
“Man, I hate it here,” Dash said as she walked next to Thunderlane. “Not enough room to fly right.”
“These tunnels were designed to stop any invader,” Julius answered. “Whether pony, Liger, or our own. You are meant to be unable to fly.”
“Any other defense in the hallway?” Alan asked.
“A few murder holes and archery killing fields. Nothing too creative.”
“So mostly we just need to not get lost.”
“Exactly.”
“Sounds easy,” Alan said, “which of course means that it won’t be.”
“Isn’t that always the case?” Shining asked.
“Hang on!” Spike said in a sudden, harsh whisper.
The ponies froze.
The stallions quickly took position.
The mares readied themselves for battle.
A drawn Judgement shimmered in the nearly non-existent light.
Soarin’s wing blades clinked as his wings shifted.
Silence.
Alan’s eyes shifted back and forth over the hallway in front of him. His muscles tensed and ready.
“Sorry,” Spike said finally, “false alarm.”
“Maledizione, Spike. Give us a heart attack, why don’t you?”
“Sorry, sorry, geeze,” Spike said, “Look, I saw something, and until I could get a good look at it, I can’t tell if it’s a changeling fifty yards away, of a large rat twenty feet away.”
“Rats!?” Rarity shrieked, suddenly jumping up and latching herself to Spike’s head. “Where?”
Spike blinked as he now stared through a pair of white legs. Signing, he decided it was probably best to not say anything about the rest of the vermin that he saw scurrying along the walls and floors. “Rarity, if I could have my face back, that’d be nice.”
“What? Oh...of course, sorry dear,” she said, slowly sliding down his neck and situating herself between a few of his spines on his back.
“Thank you,” he said. Noticing her hesitation to touch the smooth flagstones beneath them, he then began to move, letting her ride sidesaddle.
The group began to move forward again, moving with purpose along the walls and carefully peeking around corners.
Well, except for Pinkie, who continued to hop and bounce as she always did.
Spike froze again.
“What?” Rarity asked, as she saw the dragon turn his head to the side.
He said nothing for a long second. “Nothing. Just another rat.”
Rarity shivered.
They went deeper into the mountain, taking turn by dizzying turn in stride.
Before long, Alan had lost all sense of direction.
“No resistance so far,” Alan said. “Which means we are probably walking into a trap.”
“Okay, Alan, now you’re just being pessimistic,” Shining said.
“I prefer the term ‘dramatic realist,’” Alan said, “In a dramatic reality, that is the most likely outcome.”
Shining blinked.
"You get used to it,” Twilight said, walking by her brother.
Julius shook his head. “Maybe that’s why we don’t get along with ponies too well, they keep giving us headaches…”
“What do you mean by that?” Pinkie asked.
He stared at her.
And palmed his face.
“Nevermind…” he said.
Spike’s head spun again.
“What is it, Spike?” Rarity asked.
“It’s just...it’s just there’s...these rats aren't moving right.”
“What do you mean?” Alan asked.
“They’re...they’re almost...almost methodical in their movements. Two or three of them come up, stay still for a second, and then leave, and this is the third time I’ve seen it.”
Alan’s brow furrowed. “Really?”
“Yeah, it’s freakin’ me out a little.”
“It’s probably nothing, Spike. After all, they’re…” he trailed off.
“Alan?” Twilight asked.
“Twilight,” Alan said, “I just had a thought…”
She did not like the tone of his voice. “What?” she asked.
“Can changelings turn into animals?”
She stared at him.
The corridor began to shake.
“Run!” Alan yelled.
The group bolted down the hall, even as the whole passageway began to shudder.
“Faster! It’s coming down!”
Flagstones along the walls and ceiling began dislodge, shattering as they hit the floor.
A pair of intersections appeared ahead of them, and the party began to run for them.
A large rock fell from the ceiling, slamming into their path.
Silver drew his hammer, the topaz glowing brightly, and with a powerful swing that left a bright trail of yellow light in its wake, smashed the rock.
It was instantly pulverized.
More stones began to fall, slamming into the ground where ponies once stood.
Big Mac saw a large boulder come down over Fluttershy, and slammed into her, throwing down a hallway as the stones began to pile up.
Rainbow Dash flew forward, before being suddenly stopped by another stone, that fell inches in front of her.
Thunderlane blindsided her to safety.
More stones fell, sending up clouds of mosaic dust as flagstones shattered.
Dust was everywhere, and nopony could see.
The hallway behind them filled with rock, compacted by the weight above until there was nothing but a huge wall.
When the dust cleared, that wall was all Alan saw.
“Twilight?” he called.
He saw Julius.
“Twilight?” Alan called again, panic rising.
Only Julius.
“Twilight!” He screamed, before slamming into the wall of fallen stone behind him. “Twilight, where are you?!” He yelled, magick hands tearing through the stone, causing only more rubble to fall in its place.
“I’m okay, Alan,” Twilight said through the communicator.
Relief flooded his veins at the sound of his voice. “You’re okay…Thank you, Faust, you’re okay….”
“Good to know you care about the rest of us,” Dash said with a huff. “Thunderlane and I are fine, thanks for asking.”
“Now, Rainbow,” Applejack said. “Y’all know he’s worried about us too. He’s just worried about Twi more. Silver’s with me. Y’all alright there, Big Mac?”
“Eyup!”
“We’re-we’re both fine,” Fluttershy added.
“Pinkie and I are still in this!” Soarin said.
“I’ve got Rarity, safe and sound,” Spike said.
“And I’m with Twi,” Shining said.
Alan took a deep breath. “Alright. Alright...Julius is with me, so that’s everyone, right?”
“Yeah, I think so,” Shining said.
“Good, good.”
“I think they may have figured out we were coming,” Spike said.
“No, duh,” Dash said.
“Enough, Dash,” Thunderlane said.
“Sir,” Silver said, “I think I can break through the stone with enough swings of my hammer here.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Pauldrons,” Julius said. “These corridors were not made to collapse, and well, let me put it this way, I’m surprised the mountain is still standing. Removing more stone may end up dooming us all.”
“Really?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I would much rather not find out.”
“I’d think we’d be alright,” Alan said, “but we’ll err on the side of caution this time.”
“Understood.”
“Hey, Twilight,” the Pendragon continued.
“Yes?”
“What are the chances that the Changelings can find this signal?”
“Well, I would say slim, but considering they have abilities we do not yet fully understand...it’s...possible…?”
“So no idea?”
“Yeah, that’s about right.”
“Great,” he sighed. “Alright, ponies, as much as I hate to say it, I’m going to be ordering radio silence. Your objectives remain the same, head to the throne room and try to complete them on your way up, understand?”
“Yes, sir!”
“One last word of advice,” Julius said, “Avoid going down at all cost. Buried treasure may not be the only thing you find down there.”
“Well that sounds ominous,” Spike said.
“If you have anything else to say, now’s the time, radio silence in ten seconds.”
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
“Be careful, Alan,” Twilight said.
Five.
Four.
“You too, Twi.”
Two
One.
<<<|Ω|>>>
Two.
One.
The communicator went dead, and Twilight sighed.
“So…” her mental self asked. “How’s the plan going?”
Shut up.
“You know, the plan, the one about how ‘you weren’t going to tell anypony. You weren’t going to let Alan get hurt. You weren’t going to get hurt herself. And you would tell all of them once they all got home safe and sound?’”
Shut up, Brain.
“Oh, right! You can’t do any of that, because we’re all split up now! In a little accident that almost killed us all!”
Brain, two words. Shut. Up.
“I mean, it’s almost as if we were on a dangerous mission of some description…”
Buck you, Brain. Seriously.
“Not my fault. That would be yours, for, you know, not telling anyone that—”
“You okay, Twily?”
“Hm, what?” she asked.
“You kinda spaced out.” Shining asked. “I was asking you if you were okay.”
“Oh, yeah, yeah, I’m...just worried about the others! Yeah, that’s all! You know, Alan, my friends, everypony, I’m just worried.”
Shining gave her a look.
“Anyway, we have our mission,” Twilight said, eager to get out from under her brother’s gaze. “So, we should start heading...up I guess.”
“Right…” Shining said as he stared down the long, dark, stairless hallway. “Up…”
The sibling looked at each other, and, with a sigh, began to head forward into the darkness.
<<<|Ω|>>>
Two.
One.
The communicator went dead, and Rainbow Dash gave an indignant snort. “Alright, Thunderlane, looks like we’re on our own.”
“Well, I guess this is where I apologize, then,” Thunderlane said.
“For what?”
“For not quite being the awesomest traveling partner,” he said with a deadpan.
That got a smirk out of her. “Eh, don’t worry about it. Since I am the most awesome pegasus ever, I’ve gotten used to dealing with the only moderately awesome.”
“Moderately?”
“I...uh...I did use that word right, right?”
“Yeah, yeah you got it right.”
“Of course I did! Because I am awesome!”
Thunderlane chuckled. “Alright then, Miss Awesome. Let’s move, we got some sabotage to lay.”
The two pegasi began to trot down their corridor, and as they did, Rainbow began to mutter to herself. “The Amazing Daring Do, and her friend, uh...uh…”
“I’ve always thought the name Swash Buckler sounded cool.”
"Swash Buckler descended into the depths of the ancient temple...”
<<<|Ω|>>>
Two.
One.
The communicator went dead, and the hallway was filled with a deathly silence.
Admittedly, deathly silence was something these two ponies were quite comfortable with.
“Whelp,” Macintosh said.
Fluttershy said nothing.
The large draft pony rolled his neck, and checked his bracers. “Got anything to keep yourself safe?”
"Hm? Oh, yes…”
"What’cha got?”
“I...um...I have this…” Fluttershy said as she drew a pair of small wing daggers. “They’re not much for...permanent damage. But they have a never-ending supply of Blue Whinnis.”
“What’s that?” Big Mac asked as he began to walk down the hallway.
“Oh, well, it’s...it’s a venom. It will almost always knock out anything pony-sized, and even if it doesn’t it’ll make them too weak to fight.”
Big Mac nodded. “Good,” he said, “Good to know you’ve got something.”
She nodded.
“Well, come on then, we’ve got to get going.”
She nodded, before hesitantly following the lumbering tank disguised as a pony in armor.
He looked back to check on her. “Y’all alright?”
“I’m just nervous,” Fluttershy said.
The large pony chuckled. “You’re so brave, Miss Fluttershy.”
The sentence hit her like a hoof across the face. “Brave!? Me!? Have...have you met me?”
The large pony chuckled again. “Eyup.”
Fluttershy stared at him, mouth hanging open. “You...you can’t mean that...I mean...not that you’re wrong, it’s just—”
“Miss Fluttershy,” Big Mac said, smiling, “do ya want to know what the scariest thing Ah’ve done is?”
Fluttershy looked at him, before suddenly becoming afraid of the possibilities of the terrors the draft pony had faced.
“The scariest thing Ah’ve ever done, Miss, was having to admit that Ah was afraid.”
Fluttershy blinked.
“Once Applebloom was born, and our parents dead, Ah pretty much raised mah sisters. Granny Smith did what she could, but Ah was who they ran too when it was dark,” he paused a moment. “Ah was afraid, but Ah didn’t dare say as much. Ah couldn’t think about what lil’ Applejack would do if she found out Ah was scared. But you? You admit it, and then follow through anyway. And that makes you brave in mah book.”
Fluttershy blinked. He...he couldn’t be serious, could he? All she wanted to do was be brave back home, in her closet, under a blanket, and he thought she was brave?
“It takes a lot of guts to be here when you’re afraid. It takes even more be do so when you’re so scared that you can admit it.”
He...he was actually serious.
He…
He thought she was brave…
"Now Ah may not be thinkin’ ‘bout it right. Ah ain’t no philosopher, Ah’m just a farmer, but that’s how it is in mah book.”
He actually thought she was brave.
“So, Miss Fluttershy, say what you will about yerself, but it seems to me that you are as brave as any of the others. Just in your own, separate way.”
He, honestly, truly thought that she was brave.
That...that was so…
The small pegasus took a deep breath, and as she did, her back straightened. She gave her wings a moderately powerful flap, and held her head a few inches higher than normal.
“I am brave in my own way,” she thought to herself, “and I will prove it.”
And so, she followed the clanking, armored pony into the darkness.
<<<|Ω|>>>
Two.
One.
The communicator went dead, and Soarin took a second to drink in the silence.
“Well, Pinkie, looks like we’re in this together.”
“But alone!” she said with an excited bounce.
He looked at her. “On the hoof, if you are implying what I think you’re implying, I’m up for it. On the other, I don’t think this is the time.”
“But there’s always time for ‘Would you Rather!’” Pinkie said, eyes wide at the terrible thought of there not being enough time for her favorite two-player game.
Soarin blinked. “Only you, Pinkie…”
The wonderbolt sighed. “Fine, sure, we can play a round or two.”
“Yay!” Pinkie cried, throwing confetti into the air. “Would you rather go back in time and meet your ancestors, or go to the future and meet you great grandchildren?”
Soarin tilted his head as looked at her. “Where do you come up with this?”
“Places.”
“Places like…?”
“Like here! Or over there. Or somewhere inbetween.”
Soarin sighed.
Pinkie got close and smiled at him.
Sorain smiled back, and hugged her.
They shared a quick kiss.
“Well, come on, Slow-poke!” Pinkie said, bouncing forward. “We got some meanie-pants changelings to stop!”
Soarin chuckled.
Yeah, that mare was definitely going to kill him.
<<<|Ω|>>>
Two.
One.
The communicator went dead, and Applejack gave a sigh as she pushed her hat over her head. “Whew-wee, better we best get to work, huh, grey hairs?”
Silver gave her a look. “You know that stopped being funny after the first time you said it, right?”
“Ta you, it did,” Applejack replied with a smirk.
“Hey, now,” Silver warned, “Ah have a super hammer now, choose yer words carefully.”
“Lotta good that’ll do ya, ya still can’t catch me.”
“Is that so?” Silver asked, leaning forward.
“Did ya hit yer head, or did ya just forget?” the mare answered, leaning in to meet him, head to head.
“You couldn’t outrun a tree,” Silver taunted.
“And you couldn't catch a cold!” the mare answered.
“And you of all ponies should know that talk is cheap!”
“Then come on, twig legs!” Applejack challenged. “Let’s see what y’all got!” and with that, the apple farmer bolted down the hallway.
Silver followed, hot on her heels.
They galloped down the black hallway, the glowing gem in Silver’s hammer providing the only real light.
AJ slowed as the yellow light slowly revealed a set of stairs, going down.
Silver trotted up next to her.
She stared down into the darkness.
“Hey,” Silver said, “you okay?”
“A-Ah’ll be fine.”
“You sure?”
“Ah’m as ready as Ah’ll ever be.”
Silver looked at her, watching her body stand with a resolution that did not make it to her face.
Silver gave her a slight, reassuring nuzzle. “I know you are,” he said, before walking down into the depths.
Applejack followed, suddenly very glad that Silver couldn’t see the blush on her cheeks.
Little did she know the feeling was mutual.
<<<|Ω|>>>
Two.
One.
The communicator went dead, and Spike took a look at his frazzled passenger.
“Oh, ew, so much dust in my mane…” she whimpered as she did her best to pick out the rubble that had fallen into her normally perfect coiffure.
Other than that, she seemed unharmed.
“You alright, Rarity?”
“Not now, Spike,” she muttered, her eyes focused on her mane. “I’m a little busy.”
Yeah, she was fine.
He let her fuss over it for a moment or two before nudging her with his snout.
She whined. “Oh, but…er...oh, fine, I suppose I’ll have to make due for now.”
Spike rolled his eyes behind his goggles.
“Well, what are we supposed to do now, Spike?"
Spike smirked. “Grab the leathery part of my wings, and pull them over you,” he said.
“What? Why?” Rarity asked.
“Just trust me, Milady.”
She smiled a bit at the title, always the gentledrake. Even so, she had no idea why he wanted her to do this. “Like this, Spike?”
“Yeah, just be sure to tuck your tail under them, too.”
“Like this?” she asked, now almost completely covered in Spike’s wings.
Spike smiled as the stealth gem on his goggles began to glow, and then, with a shimmer of the light, Spike disappeared. Both the dragon and the unicorn were now all but invisible in the darkness of the silent hallways in the Onyx Keep.
“Perfect,” the dragon said, before slipping away, unseen.
<<<|Ω|>>>
Two.
One.
“Stay safe, guys,” Alan whispered as the communicator went dead.
There was no answer. There wouldn’t be.
“Brother?” Julius asked.
Alan stared silently at the rubble that separated him from his friends before sighing. “I’m coming, Julius.”
Alan walked away, following the griffon into the darkness.
The two walked in silence for a while, before they came upon a set of descending stairs. “Ah...well, Alan…” Julius said.
“Yes?”
“Would this be a bad time to tell you that, because of that cave in, I have no idea where we are?”
Alan blinked. “Yes, this would be a bad time.”
“I’m sorry, I just, I’ve never been down this way before!”
Alan sighed again. “Just...just don’t worry about it, Julius. We’ll just do our best to head up to the throne room.”
The griffon grumbled.
The two brothers walked forward, hoping the ones they had left behind would be safe.
<<<|Ω|>>>
Two.
No, one. One AM, then…
Cadence sighed as she lay on the large, half-empty, king-sized bed in the large, half-empty, guest room Princess Celestia had given to them on indefinite loan.
It wouldn’t be so bad if she wasn’t forced into playing marriage counselor every time she showed up to her aunt’s house. There was one couple in particular that really just needed to get a room and not come out for a few weeks. The first two, the Princess was sure, would be fighting, after that, well…
She sighed.
“Shining’s fine, Cadence,” she muttered to herself. “He’s going to be just fine.”
The poor alicorn had bags under her eyes, and her eyes seemed almost dulled from night after night of lying awake in bed. Still, things could be worse.
The griffon lioness, Lydia Snowlily, had been in many ways a god-send. She had proven to be an excellent listener over the past month or so, allowing the pregnant Princess some feminine relief and company.
“He’ll be fine,” she said as she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. “He’ll be just fine.”
--------------------------------
Chapter done!
“Alright!”
Hey, guys, just a quick update I thought I’d share with you. I was finishing up here, doing my thing, when I suddenly remembered something. I forgot to add a scene to the last chapter. What makes it worse is that it was a scene that I had been waiting to write, and then forgot about.
“How did you forget about it, even?”
I don’t know!
“Well, what are you going to do about it?”
Let everyone know about it so they can go back and read it.
“You think that’ll work?”
I hope it does, it’ll be the only way I’ll really make up for this abyssal word count.
“Hey! 4647 words is not bad.”
But...but it’s not even 5000…
“But it’s better than 3000…”
...yeah...I guess you’re right.
“Anywhosie! We’ll all be super happy to see you next time!”
That we will, Pinkie, and we’ll be joining Shining and Twi as they go deep into Mt. Ebonrock.
“Don’t forget to comment and be sure to read the extra scene!”
Bye!