Button and the Dungeon Master
Chapter 4 – The Phoenix King Part II
(The Phoenix King’s underground tomb maze)
The room ahead of them shinned brightly. Rock Kicker stood at the entrance looking at the piles of gold and jewels. He started to step into the room when something physically pulled him back. He turned to see a familiar looking dark mist around his waist and back hooves.
“We don’t know if there is a spell or enchantment over that room. If we just go into it we could be sitting off a trap,” Magick said.
“Well, why don’t you do a check to see if it’s enchanted?” Jewel Chaser asked.
“I’m not the only unicorn here, so why don’t you do it?” Magick asked.
“I’m not really good at most magic. I mean I can do some scrying, I can bring out the truth, and I have the ability to sense treasure and power, but I’m just not that good at most magic,” she said.
“So, unless we’re hunting for a treasure, and facing two people who always tells the truth or lies, you’re pretty much useless,” Magick replied.
“Hey, I said I can sense power!” she shot back.
“Fine, oh powersensing one, what do you sense in there?” Magick asked.
“Not really anything,” she said.
“Because enchantments and spells don’t release power until they’re tripped,” Magick replied.
“I know traps when I see them,” Rock Kicker said.
“Then why did you try to walk in there?” Magick asked.
“Because there’s a buttload of treasure in there!” Rock Kicker said.
“You’re going to walk into a room full of treasure in a tomb of a powerful lich king, not worrying about a trap, because your mind shut off at seeing the treasure?” Magick asked.
“Look at it!” Rock Kicker said pointing a hoof toward it.
Magick face hoofed.
“Okay, look, it’s obvious there is some kind of trap set up on the room. Either walking in or touching the treasure is going to set it off. I’m not sure which. Jewel, you said you knew about this tomb, so I’m going to ask if you know at least some of the lay out,” Magick asked.
“Not really, I mean I know the fleece is toward the bottom of this place,” Jewel Chaser replied.
“Magick, can you do a sweep spell over the room?” Cloud Hopper asked.
“I can, but I don’t want to have to alert anything that can sense magic were we are if I don’t have to,” she said.
“Then why did you want me to do it?!” Jewel Chaser asked.
“One, because I didn’t think that your magic would be dark magic, and two because if you could do it there was no guarantee that you would,” Magick replied.
“Okay, so, if we enter the room we run the risk of getting cursed, or having a trap go off, but we don’t know if there is even a choice or not right?” Rock Kicker asked.
“Basically,” Magick replied.
“Then it seems like we don’t have a choice. Magick, why don’t you go ahead and see if the room itself is protected. If it isn’t we’ll move forward. If you want to see if the treasure is that would be awesome, but you don’t have to. We’ll cross the room, see where it takes us, and then head further down,” Rock Kicker said.
Magick looked at him for a moment and then nodded. In truth it was better than just standing here, and if her magic did alert something there was good chance they would be far enough away from this point not to be a danger. She closed her eyes and focused her senses. The spell itself was similar to scrying, but slightly different. She wasn’t looking into the future, nor was she trying to use something to look on or into. How it was the same was how it showed her what was there. Scrying saw future events touched with magic. This allowed her to see magic.
She opened her eyes and looked ahead of her. This was part of the blessing and curse of being one of the dark magic users, of being a cursed one, whatever she saw with the sight would remain part of her forever. No matter how beautiful or terrifying it was she would always see it in the back of her mind. Her eyes opened and she still saw the treasure, but ghost like dragons sat upon different piles. They seemed to call to her to touch the piles. It was most likely what was drawing Rock Kicker.
She closed her eyes again and the sight left her. She turned toward Rock Kicker and opened her eyes slowly. Seeing that the sight was indeed gone she breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Some of the treasure has been cursed. It has the dragon touch upon it,” she said.
“What’s the dragon touch?” Cloud Hopper asked.
“It’s a curse that turns the unwitting pony that touches it into the last dragon that owned the treasure. You lose yourself and crave nothing more than collecting treasure and wealth. It makes guardians for the tomb,” Rock Kicker said.
Magick looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
“I said that I hunt treasure, and I have to know some about the traps that could be set. I suppose it would be a bad idea to touch any of it then right?” he asked.
“I don’t know how much of it cursed, but to be safe I wouldn’t touch any of it,” Magick said.
“It’s a shame, there are some beautiful jewels in there,” Jewel Chaser said.
“Not worth it if it means becoming a greedy dragon,” Cloud Hopper said.
“I don’t know. I mean being a dragon could be helpful at times. Scales that are thicker than most of the Pegasi Warrior’s armor, the ability to breathe fire, the ability to fly, and an extremely long life,” Rock Kicker said.
“And the entire lifetime would be spent down here guarding a treasure and tomb that you would never leave,” Magick replied.
“You’re right. Okay, let’s cross the room,” Rock Kicker said.
They entered the room and it was hard, for all of them, to not walk over and begin filling whatever they could with gold and jewels. The draw they felt was almost too much, and by the time they reached the other side of the room both Rock Kicker and Jewel Chaser was having to be pulled out of the room. Once they were through the open doorway closed leaving them trapped in a long hallway.
Rock Kicker looked at it and studied the hall. This wasn’t like the treasure room. He didn’t feel a draw, but instead there was a heavy feeling here. It felt as if something didn’t want them walking through the hall. He eyed the walls of the hall suspiciously. He studied them and could see something hanging about halfway down the hall. A single earth pony skull was barely sticking out of the wall.
He pulled a bit from his bag and tossed it to the floor. When he did several long wooden spikes came out and stretched across the room. After a moment they retracted back into the wall. He looked further down the hall and could see a switch that was near the ceiling. There was no telling if it would be trap, but as far as he could tell there was no other choice.
“Cloud Hopper, do you see that switch?” he asked as he pointed his hoof toward it.
“Yeah, wait, you want me to fly down there don’t you?” she asked.
“There’s really no other choice,” he said.
“What if it’s a trap?” she asked.
“We’re stuck here unless you do it,” he said.
She groaned and looked ahead of her. Taking off she flew down to the other end of the room and grabbed the switch. She pulled down on it and the sound of stone began to move. They looked at the end of the hall as the wall separated and revealed several glowing stones on the floor.
“It’s a map!” Jewel Chaser exclaimed.
“Guys, the switch is going back up and I can’t hold it much longer!” Cloud Hopper shouted.
“It looks like we have to try to do this one at a time. Okay, I say we try to make it across as soon as possible!” Magick exclaimed.
“both of you go first,” Rock Kicker said.
“Wait, what about you?” Magick asked.
“I’m going to be studying that map and hopefully I’ll remember where the stones are, but you both need to move now!” he shouted.
They nodded and began moving down the hall. Magick went first and followed the steps, although she nearly stepped off of the trail twice. Jewel Chaser seemed to move quite a bit quicker. She reached the end and then waved to Rock Kicker. He began to follow the map, but about halfway through Cloud Hopper grunted and the switch began to close faster. He could see the wall closing up and tried to move even quicker. As he was near the end the fact that three stones stood between him and the end of the room.
“Jump!” Cloud Hopper said.
He closed his eyes, jumped, and barely touched the end stone. The long wooden spikes came out and caught a bit of his tail. He pulled loose and looked back to see a tuff of hair suspended in the air. Breathing his own sigh of relief he looked at the others.
“Okay, lets get moving,” he said.
They looked at the door ahead of them and opened it. It revealed another stairwell, and this one glowed a dim red. They slowly walked down it until they reached a glowing red door. Magick studied it and didn’t need the sight to tell her this was dark magic. She started to reach out to it, but it opened on its own.
They walked inside and sitting on a throne in the center of the room was a mummified skeleton of a Unicorn. It’s eyes had been replaced by rubies, all of its teeth had been replaced by razor sharp diamonds, and on its back was a golden fleece. Jewel Chaser stepped forward and a sickening pop echoed through the room. They watched as the skeleton began to look up at them. The rubies glowed a brilliant red and its mouth began to open.
“Welcome to the lair of the Phoenix King!” it exclaimed its eyes watching Jewel Chaser, “You’ve braved my traps, faced my guards, and still made it to see me. Such bravery should be rewarded. Tell me travelers, what do you desire?”
“Sire, we seek the golden fleece of power,” Jewel Chaser said.
“Ah, you wish to force me to part with my beloved fleece do you? Very well, I shall grant it to you if you can prove your worth. To reach it will be difficult, too difficult to do alone, but only one can touch it, if their soul is pure and do not wish for its power, or my throne,” he said.
Jewel began to step forward when several piles of bones began to pick themselves up and march on them.
“More skeletons! Seriously, that’s what you’re going to throw at us?” Rock Kicker asked.
A roar echoed from behind the king and two Minotaur skeletons walked toward them.
“You had to ask didn’t you,” Magick said.
(Mash family table – two hours later)
“Well I think that’s a good place to stop,” Di said.
“Wait, what about the Phoenix King, and the fleece?!” Rarity asked.
“Well, we can finish this part of the quest tomorrow, but I think that the younger members of our group need to catch a little sleep,” he said.
She looked at Sweetie Bell who was trying to stay away and the same was with Button Mash. She nodded.
“I have to run the boutique tomorrow, but afterward I wouldn’t mind playing again. Would it be possible to invite someone else into this who might enjoy it?” she asked.
“The more the merrier right Dad?” Love asked.
“Well, I don’t mind, but they will have to wait until we’ve finished the Phoenix King’s tomb,” Di said.