Chapter 20
The True Treasure of Luna's Moon
Octavia was in awe looking around seeing the whole interior of the giant chamber was covered in bright crystals, making the chamber shine like a sun. The floor was covered in gold and jewels of treasure. All the pirates and greedy guards ran into the chamber to get as much treasure as possible.
Octavia gulped at the immense chamber, breathing hard as she felt two different forces fighting in her body. The first force was the dark power of the daemon pushing her further into the chamber and the second one was actually a force that was evading her body since she pulled off the Luna’s Tear. She ignored most of those feelings, staring in the room in awe.
Apple Bloom ran into the room and immediately started to shrink with fear. She ran to Octavia’s side and held her hand with fear. Daring stood by Octavia as her guard ran into the room grabbing a few rubies in his hand. Daring started thinking as she looked around herself with a smile of joy.
“Look at it all?” Daring whispered in awe. “Treasure that belonged to the Crystal Empire sitting in a temple all this time. Think of the history behind this place. How it was built, what the ancients used, and most importantly, why did Luna come here?”
Octavia nodded. “She was called here. But why didn’t she escape?”
Daring nodded. “You have a good point, Princess.” She looked down to see Apple Bloom shaking. “What’s wrong Apple Bloom?” Daring asked. Apple Bloom looked up at the ceiling as if looking for something.
“There’s something watching us.” She whimpered hugging Octavia. Octavia patted her back.
Daring nodded grimly. “Yes, I can feel it, too. Something is watching us.”
“It’s him.” Octavia whispered. “The daemon is waiting for something.”
“Hmm, odd,” Daring whispered as Blueblood and Nightmare Moon were talking farther away. “The daemon wants someone here. But for what? Maybe to take control of someone and escape?”
Octavia gulped, not sure what to say. She gasped feeling something tug behind her. She turned around toward a group of dark doors against the crystal wall. She walked slowly over to the doors feeling the daemon’s influence pulling her closer to them.
“Octavia?” Daring said worriedly fidgeting as she walked over. Apple Bloom stuck her hand in her pocket holding Luna’s Tear, feeling only cold stone. She gulped, fearfully following the older mares to the black glass doors.
Octavia placed her hand on the black crystal surface. “There’s something else here.” She whispered thinking. “Not just the daemon but another power.” Daring walked over looking at the faint hieroglyphs on the glass.
“Can’t you feel it?” Octavia asked a little louder.
“Feel what?” Daring asked looking around.
“There’s another power here.”
“Well yes-”
“No, not the daemon.” Octavia quickly said flicking her ears around trying to see if she could hear it. Instead she could feel it in her heart. “I feel sadness. A powerful power that is sad.” She whispered, feeling sad herself. Daring was confused as she looked up at the crystal ceiling.
Blueblood laughed. “Well look at this.” Daring and Octavia turned as Blueblood walked over. “You found something, hmm? What are behind these giant doors?” He asked.
“We don’t know.” Daring answered glaring at him. “But it could hold the daemon king.”
Blueblood scoffed. “Please nothing can harm me, the powerful Prince Blueblood.” He turned to Octavia with a smirk. “Open the door.” He ordered
Octavia gulped looking at the door. She walked forward thinking about what to do. She stared at the black glass door trying to figure it out. Suddenly the black crystal doors started to shift, Octavia gasped to see that the glass doors shifted to make an indention shaped like a hand print in the center of the door. Octavia gulped looking to Daring for advice, the professor turned away staying silent.
“Well go on,” Blueblood threatened pulling out his pistol again.
Octavia sighed with defeat and carefully pressed her hand over the print and let out her breath. There was a sound of a lock being unlocked. Octavia stepped back seeing that the hand print she left behind was glowing purple. The giant door slowly started to open revealing a powerful purple light that blinded everypony. When the light faded everypony gasped. Octavia opened her eyes and blinked with shock to find an empty room.
“What?” Blueblood yelled out pushing Octavia out of his way as he ran into the room. “What was in here?” Apple Bloom helped Octavia up on her feet. Daring walked inside the small four by four room to look around for clues. She noticed that compared to the outside chamber, the crystals inside the room were dead and dark. She looked down at the granite floor to find scuff marks of many hooves and the items that were pushed out in the past.
“Looks like the evidence of early exploration. They came in and took everything inside this room.” Daring concluded what shrug of her shoulders. Blueblood’s eye twitched with anger as he turned and grabbed Octavia’s shirt and pulled her close.
“Check another door! Check the rest of them!” He ordered pushing Octavia to the next one. Daring flicked her ear, hearing something and turned to see that the rim of the crystal chamber leading outside to the castle had started to turn pink. Daring gulped as she turned away and bit her lip, starting to get a bit worried.
Octavia reached the second door and pressed her palm on the door. Another empty chamber. Octavia was pushed to the last door. Daring gulped getting nervous as she took another quick look at the rim to see now that the white crystals were turning pink and the pink ones were turning red. She turned to see Apple Bloom looking around, afraid as well. Something was happening and Apple Bloom was getting antsy.
Octavia opened the last door and instead of a room it was a door to an underground staircase. Octavia gulped as she looked down to feel a horrible power below. She stepped back into her uncle, not wanting to get any closer to the dark presence below. But Blueblood was smiling with glee.
“Yes!” He cheered turning to the alicorn pirate. “Captain, care to join me?”
Nightmare Moon nodded. She snapped her fingers and turned to see her pirates all watching her. She pointed down the dark stairwell. “Men, get down below!”
“Aye-aye!” The pirates responded and started down the dark staircase. Blueblood pointed to six guards.
“You all stay here with the left over baggage.”
“What?” Daring yelled out as a guard grabbed her and pushed her to the ground on her tail. Apple Bloom was pushed down next to her. “You need us!” Daring yelled out glaring at the prince.
Blueblood shook his head grabbing Octavia by her arm. “That won’t be necessary. You’ve done your job.” He nodded to his guards. “Kill them if the princess returns without me.”
The guards nodded holding their spears and weapons at the two prisoners. Blueblood pulled Octavia along with him toward the stairs. At the first two steps they stopped to hear blood curling screams blow them. Nightmare Moon turned to look up at Blueblood with worry. Blueblood snorted.
“Let’s get moving.” The three disappeared down the stairs. Daring gulped, looking up to see the pink continuing to travel down the crystal walls. At the top the crystal is turning red and orange. She gulped feeling heat where she was sitting. That’s not good.
“Professor?”
“Yes, Apple Bloom,”
Apple Bloom gulped. “Are we going to live?”
Daring nodded slowly. “We might.”
Apple Bloom sniffed clenching the Luna’s Tear tightly in her fist. For some odd reason the stone felt cold and dead in her hand.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
A unicorn guard was standing guard on the Fancy Flute. He looked over the rail to see the moon below with a sigh. “I’m getting bored up here.”
“Just shut up.” A pegasus guard scolded. “Quit your whining and keep marching.”
The unicorn snorted and started marching again. Suddenly the ship shifted, causing the two guards to look at one another with surprise.
“What was that?” A pegasus mare asked looking over the rail to see nothing.
“I don’t know.” The first pegasus replied. He pointed to the unicorn guard.
“Since you like to complain Pierce, why don’t you and another guard check the Bombay area?” He said with a smirk. The unicorn cursed and grabbed a second unicorn as the two went down the stairs, down the third hatch, and down another flight of stairs to the engine compartment.
“What do you think it was?” The second guard, a grey unicorn with a brown mane asked. The first unicorn, called Pierce, a blue unicorn with a lighter blue mane shrugged.
“How should I know, I just want to go back to Manehattan and be with some whores.”
Pierce opened the door to the Bombay area and blinked seeing a shadow move across the floor at the bottom of the stairs. He held up his fist to stop his comrade and pulled out his pistol. He start down the stairs slowly with his partner behind him held up his pistol too. Pierce reached the bottom first looking around. The Bombay is empty except for two lifeboats.
“Wait, two?” Pierce asked with shock. “When were there two of them?” He asked out loud. He gasped feeling a sharp sword through his neck. The second unicorn yelled out falling back on the stairs. He looked up to see a guard, and saw her aqua colored eyes and a smirk.
“Raindrops?” The stallion gasped out with fear.
“Tootles.” She purred pulling the trigger of her pistol killing him instantly. She turned to the others as Blossomforth dragged the first body away.
“Alright, get out quickly.” Raindrops ordered pulling the second body away. Twilight, Derpy, Spike and the fillies leaped out of the lifeboat. Derpy ran to the gun cabinet, unlocked it and growled.
“Horse apples, they took every weapon.”
Blossom nodded pulling all the weapons off the dead unicorns and tossed a pistol to Twilight. Twilight caught it, checked the charger, and nodded.
“I have six shots left.” She warned sticking the pistol into her pants
Blossom nodded. “We need to know everything about this ship.” She looked to Derpy.
Derpy nodded. “There are three hatches, one leads to down here, the second one is storage and hammock room, and the third one leads to the engines. The kitchen is connected with the mess deck. Then there is the captain’s cabin which we fixed to hold four small cabins. That’s it.”
Raindrops nodded cleaning her sword. “So that means this is a smaller ship than I thought.”
Blossomforth chuckled. “Well you know the ship best. Lead the way.”
Derpy nodded. Raindrops stopped to hold back the young ones.
“You two stay here with the dragon. Sparkle, you’re with us.” Twilight nodded turning to the three young ones.
“You three head for the engine room and get this ship powered up. We’ll call you for help if we need it.”
“Roger!” The three saluted.
Twilight smiled hugging each of them. “Keep each other safe got it?”
“We’ll do fine.” Spike said blushing at the contact and the concern.
Twilight smiled patting him on his head. “I know, I just wanted to say it.”
Twilight started up the stairs with the dragon and fillies behind her. As the adults took one hall the other three took another hall to a large room where the engines sat.
“Alright let’s get this thing moving.” Scootaloo said hopping up on a metal seat with levers. Sweetie Belle ran to one side finding the tools where they left them. Spike took some tools and started to look inside the engine hatch and start tinkering as Scootaloo pressed some buttons to prepare for liftoff.
Near the first hatch, Blossom Forth looked out of their hiding spot to find two soldiers standing watch. One was a pegasus, the other was a unicorn. Blossom turned to Raindrops.
“It’s Winter Breeze, and Sarge.” She whispered. Raindrops rolled her eyes.
“Who? Are they with us?” Twilight asked.
“No, but they will sound the alarm if we reach them.” Raindrops said with annoyance Twilight glared and pulled out her pistol. “What are you doing?” Raindrops asked with a glare.
“Fighting back.” Twilight answered running out of their hiding place and pulled the trigger. One unicorn guard fell with a new hole in his head, dead before he hit the ground. The pegasus turned and started calling for help. He managed two shouts before he died like the unicorn did.
Raindrops and Blossomforth looked at one another. Raindrops has fear in her eyes, while Blossom’s eyes were filled with fascination to the unicorn.
“Who the heck is that unicorn?” Raindrops asked turning to Derpy for an answer.
Derpy shrugged shaking her head. “Don’t look at me. She was an assistant the last time I checked.”
“Come on!” Twilight called out running up the stairs. The three pegasi ran after her in time to dodge lasers. Raindrops pulled out her sword and charged a unicorn enemy. Blossomforth pulled out her own pistol and fired behind her, hitting a pegasus in the stomach. Derpy flew up to the yardarms and started untying the ropes that held up the sails.
Blossom turned and started shooting her pistol in the air. Some ponies looked at her as if she was crazy. One stallion grinned, and turned towards his comrade and stuck his sword in his gut. Another pony attacked against her neighbor and soon more and more guards fought against each other.
Blossom turned to dodge a sword, but slipped and fell hard on her back. She looked up to see that the sword belonged to the Captain of the Guard.
“Blossomforth?! What the hell are you doing?”
Blossom smirked. “Liberating the damned.”
“That’s treason!”
“Sure it is,” She kicked up into his crotch, causing the stallion to drop his sword screaming. She grabbed a pistol and fired, killing him instantly. She sighed in relief as she lay down, breathing hard.
The last guard was killed and every pony that was left in guard armor dropped their weapons, showing they were no threat. Twilight pushed a dead guard off of her. She gasped, seeing the hand of a pony in guard uniform. Twilight took her hand and was helped up to her feet. Twilight was amazed to see how many of these guards were on their side. She turned to see Raindrops smiling at her.
“See, friends.” She said with her arms around two guards’ shoulders.
Twilight nodded. “Incredible. How-”
"Cloud Kicker's plan," Blossomforth stated, stood up with the help of two unicorns, "Any pony trained in Baltimare, unicorn and pegasus alike, are told the truth of the government and their treachery against the old ways. We are trained that any commanding officer or chosen pony of that unit who gives the signal we are to fight back until all are dead, so as not to report our desertion of the Royal Guard. Once done we immediately drop our weapons to prove that we are done fighting and that we are allies to the cause."
Twilight was amazed. She started laughing. “That’s... Wow... I never thought there were ponies like us out here anymore.” The unicorn that helped Twilight nodded.
“Yeah I know right?” She said laughing.
Raindrops clears her throat loudly. “Alright you scurvy dogs get these bodies off this ship and get this ship running!”
“Aye-aye!” The guards all cheered and started getting to work. Twilight gave Raindrops a look as she smirked.
“I’m now senior Corporal. I control these guys now.” Raindrops said with a smile.
After the bodies were thrown overboard, Twilight counted that there are twenty guards that were loyal to the old ways before the queen. Blossomforth and Raindrops stood together at the quarterdeck, talking. Twilight looked up to see the sails were finally released to catch the sun’s rays. Soon the ship could blast off. She walked over to the two mares.
“Now what?” She asked.
Blossom sighed. “We wait.”
“What about the other two ships?”
Blossom smirked. “Those are filled with pirates, Sparkle. They could care less about us.”
Raindrops snickered. “Or they will keep to their slimy selves and see nothing.”
Twilight stared at her with shock. “You bribed them?”
Raindrops shrugged. “They’re pirates, they take anything that is shiny and gold.” Raindrops and Blossom gave each other wing slaps that reminded Twilight of a high five.
“What about the guard ships?” Twilight asked seeing the giant ship that carried Blueblood.
“All the guards are on the moon.” Blossomforth said smiling. “We made sure to confuse the duty rosters before landing. So everypony will think that somepony is guarding when they’re not. Blossomforth paused turning to the guards. “Which reminds me!” The guards stopped their work to look at her. “You lot have to transfer to the prince’s ship so as to not show suspicion.”
The rebel soldiers saluted. “Pegasi carry the unicorns across and get to guard positions, claim you didn’t see anything. Until next time.” Blossom said saluting. The soldiers all returned the salute. Blossomforth pointed to a green unicorn.
“Mac! You show the next sign if time comes. I’m counting on you.” The unicorn nodded saluting.
“Of course, Sergeant.” He called back.
Twilight looked at Blossom with curiosity as the pegasi carry the unicorns across the large gap to the giant ship.
“Aren’t you and Raindrops going to join them?”
Blossomforth shook her head. “Nah, the way I see it, you ponies can use some extra hands. Raindrops and I will stay around and make sure you guys are safe.”
Twilight smiled with a blush and nodded. “I see. Thank you, Sergeant.”
“No problem.” Raindrops retorted smiling. “At the end of this, Sergeant, I need a promotion.”
Blossom chuckled. “You’ll get one when Cloud Kicker gets word. Trust me.”
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
The darkness was vast as that three continued down the stairs. Octavia gulped feeling bile rising in the throat. The deeper she went down the steps, the worst she felt. Even Blueblood was getting sick too, by the heavy energy in the staircase. Nightmare Moon didn’t seem to be affected by the dark power radiating below them. She seemed a little lighter on her step.
Octavia happened to have looked down. At what she saw made her scream backing into her uncle. What she saw was a head of a unicorn pirate. Blueblood gasped too seeing the head.
“Well it looked like we got into some traps. All of my crew must have set them all off.” Octavia and Blueblood stared at Nightmare Moon as her eyes glowed a touch. “Shall we?” She asked nodding to the darkness with a smile. When the two royals didn’t move Nightmare Moon chuckled and headed down. Octavia was pushed forward as Blueblood continued at the back keeping his pistol trained to Octavia’s back.
Octavia gulped, feeling the power was strong now. It caused her to stop. “Can’t you feel it?” Octavia begged. “That dark magic? It’s getting stronger.”
“Quiet.” Blueblood ordered shakily staring at the dead, sliced bodies in on their path. Octavia kept her eye facing forward to their destination, trying hard to keep from staring at the dead pirates around her.
Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, the three could see more dead bodies; headless, armless, and stabbed. Octavia couldn’t handle it anymore and vomited to the side. Nightmare Moon laughed.
“Show some backbone, princess! This is normal.” She said smirking.
Octavia spat the left over gunk from her mouth, glaring at the pirate. “This isn’t normal!” She snarled breathing heavily.
“Of course, it is. Bodies littering the streets of your home all begging or dying. You should be used to this.”
Octavia turned to see Blueblood a little green but not as bad as her. Octavia swallowed hard, deciding to not say anything. The sad thing was, it was true. On the rare occasions she went out into the city she did see the beggars all begging for food, coin, or even warmth from her family as they passed. She remembered seeing the dead bodies in alley ways but kept silent. Octavia sighed shaking her head and started to walk with her captors again watching the bodies under her.
“Well look at that.” Nightmare said pleased seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. “That could be our big treasure, Blueblood.”
Blueblood nodded walking forward, pulling Octavia along by her arm. Nightmare smiled as she followed behind them. Her eyes flashed green and red again as she chuckled silently to herself.
They reached the light and entered a giant gray chamber. Blueblood and Octavia both gasped with awe seeing a giant blue crystal floating in the center of the giant chamber room.
“The Central Chamber.” Octavia whispered remembering the story on the hieroglyph wall. Blueblood dropped his pistol and walked forward to the giant crystal with the greed in his eyes leaving. Nightmare Moon used her magic to levitate the pistol to her hand ad stuck it in her empty holster smiling.
Octavia could care less what her uncle or Nightmare Moon were doing as she looked up at the tall ceilings. It felt strange in the room. Earlier she felt the hungry, dark power pushing her thoughts and making her ill. Now she could feel the dark power gone to where she could breathe again. Octavia looked down, staring at the giant blue crystal. It was beautiful and bright. It was stuck to the ground. Octavia blinked and looked down and gasped to see through the floor! The floor was made of clear crystal. She could can see giant blue and green roots connecting to the crystal then out into the walls and towards the stairs. It was like the crystal was controlling the whole planet!
“Was the giant crystal this planet’s life source?” Octavia thought to herself..
Suddenly something else caught her eye. She turned to the side as Nightmare Moon walked past her towards Blueblood. She could see another smaller crystal glowing and floating in the air over a dais. Octavia turned to see Blueblood and Nightmare Moon talking. She tip-toed toward the strange blue crystal that looked strangely like a heart.
Octavia gulped then reached up to the crystal heart. She gasped pulling her hands back feeling something grab her. She gulped and reached to touch the crystal heart with her finger. She gasped blinking to see visions flowing into her mind. Flashing pictures of crystal ponies running away from a daemon shaped like a giant black shadow with green and red eyes. She turned to the left to see the two regal ponies standing up to the monster as the ponies ran past them. Octavia gasped recognizing them.
One was the eldest of the two, dressed in golden armor with a golden staff in her hands holding three crystals. Next to her stood the younger dressed in dark blue armor that shimmered like a night sky, holding a midnight blue staff in her hand. Attached to her staff were three other jewels.
Octavia blinked and watched the monster being consumed by a powerful rainbow light. Another flash showed the daemon being locked in the temple. Octavia blinked seeing six powerful earth ponies... No, Crystal ponies staring below a crystal that looked like the crystal heart. Each pony held up a small jewel. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple. Octavia’s eyes lingered to the purple crystal that felt like the Luna’s Tear.
The vision flashed to another time. She recognized the temple, except it was old and dead and the six jewels were glowing on their pedestals around the Crystal Heart as if protecting it from the dark magic surrounding it. Suddenly there was a shadow of a pony, it looked like an alicorn.
It was Princess Luna! Octavia’s mind screamed out seeing the princess staring at the Crystal Heart with a smile. But there was a dark force pushing her towards it pointing at the jewels. Luna placed her hand on the dais and took the purple jewel and held it in her hand to study it.
Suddenly the whole temple started to shake and Luna was snapped out of her daze. She gasped and turned to her lingering crew and ordered for her ponies to run. They escaped but not Luna. A young filly took the jewel from Luna and ran away leaving the temple closed to never reopen. Octavia stood there watching as the dark mass grabbed Luna’s jacket and dragged her away into the darkness.
Octavia jumped back, breathing hard from the experience she just went through. She looked up at the Crystal Heart. She blinked staring at the crystal in a new light. She felt something wet on her face and touched her cheek to feel tears. She sniffed, wiping her eyes. She turned to see Blueblood and Nightmare Moon arguing. She turned to the heart then look down to see the daises surrounding the Heart. All of them glowing except for the last dais where the Luna’s Tear came from.
“I’m so sorry,” She whispered to the spirits guarding the heart. “I didn’t know about your purpose here. If I would have known about this I wouldn’t have come here in the first place.” She said bowing her head to them. “Luna, did something, didn't she?” She asked. “She took away Luna’s Tear... I mean your crystal that helped in protecting your Crystal Heart. Without the spirit of the guardians, you can’t deflect the daemon that is bringing ponies here to release him.”
For some odd reason Octavia could hear the guardians talk to her, telling her by her feeling and her magic of what had happened.
Octavia gasped staring at the crystals. “She’s what?” Octavia asked with shock.
“I said no!” Octavia turned hearing Blueblood yelling at Nightmare Moon and for the first time realization struck. Octavia gasped seeing the daemon for the first time hovering over Blueblood controlling him. Like puppet to a puppeteer. Her memory flashed to the vision of Luna reaching for the jewels with the daemon pushing her along.
“Oh no,” She whispered getting scared. The daemon the crystals called Sombra was controlling her uncle!
“This crystal is mine, this whole temple is mine, not yours.” Blueblood screamed out snarling. His eyes flashed green and red. Octavia didn’t know what to do. Could she runaway without being detected, or stay here? She had to think about her friends... What was she thinking? She had to get away and get her friends out of here before Sombra was released again and caused havoc! The galaxy was already deep in suffering because of the Queen. What would happen in Sombra went into that mess as well?
Octavia made her choice. She looked to the adults then began to run.
Take us!
Octavia gasped hearing the five male voices in her mind. She stopped in mid-stride and turned back to the dais at the crystals. Did they just told her to take them? But if the Guardians were all taken, Sombra would go free!
“But would that make everything worse?” Octavia asked silently with fear.
Hurry! The voiced pleaded.
Octavia quickly walked back to the dais then reached for one crystal. She carefully plucked the green jewel free. Suddenly there was a deep rumble and the whole room shook violently. Octavia fell to the ground, turning to see Blueblood and Nightmare staring at the giant crystal. There was a loud crack that resonated throughout the room. Octavia gasped looking at the crystal to see a giant crack, and it was growing. The giant crystal was cracking.
He’s escaping! The voices screamed out.
Octavia grabbed the Green Guardian and got up quickly, knowing who the Guardians were referring to. She started grabbing the other four jewels, sticking them in her vest pockets. She stared at the Crystal Heart left floating in the center. Octavia gulped then turned to see Blueblood staring at her. Octavia gasped and grabbed the heart.
“Get back here!” Blueblood screamed out getting up from the ground. Octavia jumped up the steps and out into the dark hallway. Sprinting to the stairs and leaping over the bodies as she ran.
Nightmare Moon growled her eyes glowed green and purple again, “So close.” She growled in a deep voice. She ran after them as the crystal continued to crack. Through the crack in the crystal, a large black and red hand grabbed the sides and pushed them apart to make an opening. The large black blob fell out of the crystal prison to the floor.
"Finally, after so long, I am FREE!" The dark blob started to laugh, it's sound resonating throughout the chamber.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Vinyl peeked past the corner to see the four pirate guards at the intersection in the halls. Vinyl pulled back and turned to the three elder ponies.
“There are four of them down there.” Vinyl whispered pointing to the hall.
Tick Tock was thinking of a plan. Rainbow and Applejack turned to one another and smirked. Applejack nodded, pulling out her pistols. “I take the front,”
Rainbow nodded, grabbing Vinyl’s sword. Vinyl blinked watching the two war veterans. “I’ll take the back.” Rainbow said testing Vinyl’s sword.
“What are you planning?” Tick Tock asked surprised.
“Just watch and learn.” Rainbow said with a silent chuckle. She nodded to Applejack. Applejack nodded in return then stepped out. Vinyl moved back as Rainbow took her position.
“Howdy, fellahs!” Applejack called out stepping out in full view of the four pirates. The pirates gasped.
“What are you doing out of your cage traitor?” One of the pirates asked pulling out his knife. Applejack shrugged innocently.
“I thought I could relieve ya’ll.”
“Why would we want to be relieved? We were ordered by the captain to stand watch!” A mare asked glaring at her.
Applejack smirked then pulled out her pistols surprising the pirates and fired. Both shots hit their marks on the two first guards, they fell dead with holes on their foreheads.
“Go Dash!” Applejack fell on her knees as Rainbow swooped over her with both swords out. The last two pirates screamed out in shock. Rainbow rammed her two swords into their necks and knocked them on the ground. Rainbow landed hard on her knee on the ground with a grunt. She stood up pulling the two blades off the corpses while kicking out her leg with a wince. Tick Tock and Vinyl had their jaws to the ground in shock.
“And that’s how you do it.” Rainbow winced. "You might want to pick up your jaws." She tossed Vinyl back her sword giving herself an extra hand to massage her knee. Vinyl caught her sword by the handle, still amazed by the old guard's skills. Rainbow and Applejack gave each other a high five smiling at their victory.
“Man, I missed working with you.” Applejack said laughing. “That was just as fun as the time we took out those Changelings together.”
Rainbow chuckled. “Yeah, well I haven’t done anything like that in years. Ow.” She whimpered still hurting on her knee. “I forgot how hard I can land.”
“Are you okay though?” Applejack asked with worry.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I can fight.” Applejack nodded then turned to Vinyl.
“Go back on point. Warn us if there are any more.” She ordered. Vinyl nodded and quickly headed down the hall then took a left turn. As she continued down the hall she noticed a strange red glow bouncing off the wall. Vinyl turned the corner.
Vinyl slid to a stop seeing that the chamber she just entered was bright in red. The red light was coming off the strange symbols and letters all over the walls.
“Hey guys, get over here!” Vinyl called behind her, seeing Tick Tock look at her as he called for Rainbow and Applejack. The three adults came in and stared with shock and awe at the giant chamber they entered. Rainbow Dash stared at the glowing symbols with worry. Suddenly the whole room shook. Applejack fell into the wall.
“What in tarnation is going on?!” She yelled out trying to stay as still as possible.
The shaking finally stopped causing the four to shake with fear.
“Something’s going on.” Rainbow whispered. “I can feel it.”
“Me too.” Applejack whispered being helped up by the prince.
Vinyl walked to where the red glowing started and saw the indention in the wall. She stroked her finger over the letters thinking about what they could mean. She gasped seeing a purplish-red mark glowing in the center of the indention.
“Hey, isn’t this the same mark on Octavia’s jewel?” She called out pointing at the mark on the wall. Tick Tock ran over and nodded seeing the mark.
“Yes, that’s Octavia’s cutie mark. She opened the door. But why is it turning red?” He asked looking to the older mares with worry.
“You know what red can mean right? “Rainbow asked looking at the prince. “Danger.”
“Let’s go then.” Applejack ordered pulling out her pistol. Vinyl took the lead again as she ran into the giant crystal chamber and gasped to see treasure on the ground. As she looked up at the ceiling she started to get scared at what she saw. The chamber ceiling was turning red.
“Halt!” The four turn to see the guards pointing their weapons at them.
“Applejack!” Apple Bloom called out smiling. Daring took her chance and kicked a guard in the back of his knees causing him to fall with a cry.
“Kill them!” A guard ordered ready to fire his pistol. Apple Bloom growled out and leaped up and grabbed the guard by the waist, pulling him. The guard yelped out losing his balance and turned with a snarl at Apple Bloom.
Vinyl pulled out her pistol and fired at the first guard, killing him. Rainbow leaped forward to tackle another guard. Applejack fired and got a third guard in the chest. Tick Tock pulled out his sword and fought off another soldier.
Apple Bloom was hit in the head by a punch from the guard she grabbed. She fell on her back rubbing her head. She looked up with fear seeing the guard pointing his pistol at her at point blank range. A sword was pierced through his stomach. Apple Bloom yelled out, covering her face from the spray of blood. The prince pushed the soldier away, he grabbed Apple Bloom by her shirt then pushed her away to safety. He yelled out a curse as he dodged a sword swing from another guard. Apple Bloom fell hard on the ground and turned to see Applejack being beaten by a pegasus.
Applejack got a heavy punch in the face then one in the gut before falling on the ground out of breath. The guard pulled out his knife ready for the kill. Rainbow turned and growled seeing the attack. She kicked the soldier off of the earth pony and stuck the sword into his gut and twisted.
“Nopony hurts her!” She snarled. The guard shuddered and went silent. Rainbow sighed then pulled out her sword. She turned and reached for Applejack to help her up. She froze to see Applejack glaring at her with her pistol pointing at her.
“AJ?” Rainbow asked with fear.
Applejack pulled the trigger missing Rainbow, causing the pegasus to yelp and duck. Suddenly there was a yell and a crash behind her. Rainbow turned to see a dead pegasus guard with a knife in her hand. Rainbow sighed looking down at her. Applejack smirked.
“Did you really think that I would kill ya?”
Rainbow glared at her offering her hand. “Don’t you ever do that, again!” Applejack chuckled grabbing her hand and was hoisted back up on her feet.
Tick Tock killed the last guard and ran to help Daring out of her ropes.
“What are you doing here?” Daring asked as Tick Tock helped her up to her feet.
“Where’s Octavia?” Vinyl asked running over.
“Vinyl? How are you-?”
“Twilight, did a great job. You've got to give her more slack, you know.” Vinyl said smiling.
Daring smiled in return and nodded. “I do, but she claims that she doesn't need it.” She turned to see Rainbow walking up. Applejack was hugging her sister, holding her tight.
“Prince Blueblood, and Nightmare Moon took Octavia down there.” Daring said pointing to the last door leading to the staircase.
Vinyl pulled out her sword and started for the stairs. Another deep rumble and a long shake occurred causing everypony to stay still and try to stay up. The crystals in the ceiling suddenly started cracking and falling. Applejack let out a yell, pulling Apple Bloom away in time when some sort of orange and red glob fell from the ceiling. It was so hot that Applejack backed away with Apple Bloom in her arms.
“Please don’t tell me that is what I think that is.” Vinyl whimpered backing away from the intense heat. Daring gulped.
“Deep underground. The hieroglyphs mentioned that if the key to the temple is removed by somepony other than the bearer,” Daring turned to Apple Bloom. Applejack looked at her sister as Apple Bloom gulped putting her hand into her pocket. She pulled out of her pocket the Luna’s Tear. Still cold and lifeless, no shine at all.
“The temple will destroy itself and its life force.” Daring concluded to the fear of the others.
“Life force?” Rainbow asked jumping away from a falling crystal from the ceiling.
“I didn’t quite understand that part. It seems that this planet must be powered by something that the Guardians of the temple and the Crystal Empire was were trying to protect from the dark force!”
“Uh still in the dark here,” Applejack said as Apple Bloom wrapped her arms around Applejack’s heck staring at the ceiling.
“Apple Bloom removed the Luna’s Tear from the engraving. Only Octavia could remove it.”
“I thought I could hold on to it for her.” Apple Bloom said worriedly. “I didn’t know I would cause this.” Apple Bloom said with tears, squeezing the cold jewel tight in her fist.
Daring smiled. “I know.”
“Wait, you knew?” Tick Tock asked confused.
Daring nodded. “I was trying to get a little revenge, I know it’s horrible of me, but I can’t let those monsters escape this place.”
Tick Tock nodded. “The only pony who’s killing my brother, is me.”
Daring nodded. “Of course.”
Another earthquake started up. But this one was so hard that Vinyl fell on the ground by the stairs. Vinyl blinked open her eyes watching the gold coins vibrate to the stairs and fall into the darkness. Vinyl gulped and backed away. Suddenly a beam of blue light flashed past her. Vinyl screamed out covering her head as the spark hit the ceiling.
“That’s a laser!” Rainbow yelled out. “Kid, get out of there!” Vinyl nodded crawling away as fast as she could. She heard something coming up the stairs. She turned pulling out her pistol.
“Someone’s coming up!” She called.
“Who?” Applejack asked moving away from the lava flow.
Vinyl stood up seeing a glowing light. She turned behind her to see Rainbow and Tick Tock standing by ready if that someone was a guard. Vinyl turned back and screamed when a pony crashed into her. A large crystal heart slid toward Rainbow’s feet.
Octavia slowly sat up groaning and gasped. “Vinyl!”
“Princess!” Vinyl yelped out with shock.
“Kill them! Kill them all!” Blueblood shouted from down the stairs. Octavia noticed that the guards Blueblood assigned were dead on the ground. Vinyl stood up grabbing Octavia and pulled her away from the staircase. Blueblood ran through the doorway and gasped to see his guards dead. He turned to see Vinyl with Octavia behind her. He snarled seeing Vinyl as he pulled out his sword.
“You! Again!” He swung his sword wildly as Vinyl pushed Octavia away into Rainbow. Vinyl blocked the strike then was kicked hard in the gut. She fell back on the hard ground, coughing. Blueblood was ready for another strike but Tick Tock intervened and pushed Blueblood away from Vinyl.
“Get my daughter out of here, Blueblood is mine.” He snarled angrily pulling out his sword.
Blueblood stared with fear at his brother. “You...You can’t walk!”
“Healing magic wasn’t my forte. But I had some help.” Tick Tock said with a smirk. Blueblood stiffened then another earthquake shook the cavern.
Applejack fell over shaking her head. Suddenly the ground right in front of her cracked and the rock floor started splitting with lava flowing in the growing cracks. She backed away as the cracks grew larger and larger as the dead crystals fall from the ceiling into the growing chasm with the lava.
“Whoa, nelly! This place is falling apart!” She screamed out over the roar.
Octavia gasped seeing the Crystal Heart moving toward the chasm. She leaped forward grabbing the heart before it fell in with a sigh of relief. She opened her eyes and gasped seeing the Heart glowing in her hands.
Release Princess!
“What?” Octavia asked as the room continued to shake.
Sombra has control of Princess Spacer.
“Sombra? Princess Spacer?” Octavia asked confused trying to think. She gasped suddenly seeing Princess Luna’s face in her mind. The vision faded away. “Princess Luna is here?!”
Yes, hurry before Sombra takes control of another. He won’t stop until he has control of one of you and escapes the temple!
“Octavia!” Octavia slowly stood up and turned to see Apple Bloom running to her. “I got this!” Apple Bloom yelled out showing Octavia the Luna’s Tear. Octavia gasped with joy seeing the old jewel again. She took the Tear and gasped feeling how cold it was.
“How did you-?”
The final Guardian! The Crystal Guardians yelled out at once with excitement.
Octavia felt something tugging at her mind. It wasn’t the dark energy but the sad energy she felt when she entered the temple. She turned seeing something at the end of the chamber. She stood up and started running for the strange light.
“Octavia!” Apple Bloom called out. Vinyl heard the call and turned to see Octavia running with the Crystal Heart in her arms deeper into the chamber. Vinyl got up and went after her.
“Hey!” Rainbow screamed out seeing Vinyl chasing after Octavia. Applejack grabbed Apple Bloom. Rainbow groaned turning to her friend. “Get to the surface,” Applejack turned to her with shock.
“What?”
Rainbow sighed pointing to the filly. “Get your sister out of here,”
“What about you?” Applejack asked with concern.
Rainbow turned to the prince fighting Blueblood, then she turned to where Vinyl ran off to. “I’ll stay here and defend his highness.” Applejack gave her a look as Rainbow glared back at her. “He’s my responsibility, AJ.”
“Why not leave him, he’s a royal after all.” Applejack snapped.
Rainbow glared at her coldly. “If you were in my shoes this whole time AJ, you would do the same.” Applejack searched Rainbow’s eyes trying to understand her friend, then she blinked with realization. Rainbow nodded with a sad smile. “Now you know why. Now get going!”
Applejack nodded. “If you’re not back in ten minutes I’m coming for you.”
“Whatever, just go!” Applejack nodded pulling Apple Bloom onto her back and started running for the entrance, jumping over some cracks. Rainbow sighed pulling out her sword as some left over pirates start surrounding her.
“Oh yes, time for some fun.”