//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Court of Ice // Story: Once Upon A December // by ThePrinceOfTheNorth //------------------------------// Chapter 2: Court of Ice Winter and Luna proceeded carefully into the cavern. The floor was covered in snow, rock and ice, and the hoofprint trail continued deeper into the caverns. It was then that Winter noticed something. "Luna, look at the hoofprints in here," said Winter, pointing to a few. Upon closer examination, Luna realized these prints were heavily iced over, and sme small rocks were already starting to fill some of them in. "How long doth thou think they've been here," asked Luna. "I don't know," said Winter, "But I would venture a guess at about one thousand years, give or take a few. And trust me, when it comes to snow and ice, I'm a foremost expert. Now then, we best press on." Luna nodded as Winter's sword disappeared and his hand began to glow brightly in different shades of blue as he summoned his magic. Luna did the same with her horn as a blue flame appeared at Winter's fingertips. "Will that not melt the ice," asked Luna. Winter turned to Luna. "Oh no, absoluely not. It is a fire, yet, it doesn't radiate heat." "Impressive," said Luna, sounding genuinely impressed. "Thank you," Winter said, "Now then we best get moving." Luna nodded and followed Winter deeper and deeper into the ever darkening caverns. They passed many side passages, but whoever the filly that came here before knew where she was going, as the trail continued down the path they were taking. "Are you not afraid of the dark," asked Luna when the only light they had were Winter's fire and Luna's horn. "No," said Winter, "Though I AM much more comfortable beneath your stars." "We are flattered, Prince Winter," said Luna. "Thank you." Winter nodded and they continued onwards. Not long afterwards they came to some type of blockage. "What in Equestria," said Winter as he examined the blockage. It was apparently made entirely from ice, and when Winter looked through it, he could vaguely see a large, empty chamber beyond, which was where the snows were supposed to be. He noticed the floor and pilliars beyond were covered in a fine sheet of what appeared to be ice, but he couldn't be sure. "What doth thou see," asked Luna. "Well," Winter said, "I see a large chamber that's coated in ice. From what I know, the snow should be just beyond this wall of ice, but now I think about it, this wall shouldn't be here in the first place." "What doth thou mean?" "The snow is magical, that is without question," said Winter, "Despite that, there is no way it can manipulate itself to make such a barrier as this." Witer placed his hand on the wall of ice. It felt natural, and cold. He lowered his hand. "I just don't understand it." Luna came up to the wall and examined it closely. She then lifted her hoof and placed it...into the wall?! Luna quickly pulled her hoof back and looked at Winter, a look of shock crossing his face. "What is it? What is wrong?" "This is no normal ice," Winter said, "It's a magical barrier designed to look like ice, and to keep non-ponies, like Diamond Dogs, out." "Should we go in?" Winter considered Luna's proposition. She coud go in and find the snow, but would she be able to bring them back? This barrier was very powerful for him not to have detected, so he doubted anything other than a pony could pass through. And a barrier like this could only be deactivated from the inside, and he couldn't get inside...or could he? Winter remember the Crystal Pendant, a relic he'd created from the same stuff as the Crystal Heart. It allowed one to transform into any other living thing. Catch was, it could only transform you into one thing at that was it, and Winter had only recently chosen that one thing. He pulled the heart-shaped pendant from one of his pockets and a smile crossed his face. There was a single catch he'd placed on this relic, though. Any godly entity that used it would be permanently transformed into whatever it was, and ran the risk of adopting the mannerisms of whoever it was. In the case of a demigod, they might forget who they were entirely. 'It'll be worth it,' Winter thought as he turned to Luna. "You go on ahead. I'll se what I can do to get in. Don't worry, I'll find a way." "Well, okay then," Luna said with a nod before walking through the barrier. Luna passed throught the barrier, exiting with an audible ping, and was stunned to find not an empty cavern, as she had seen from the other side of the barrier, but a grand reception room, made completely from ice. She heard another ping, and turned to see not Prince Winter, but instead some mare she was unfamilliar with. She had a mane and tail that would make Fleur de Lis jealous, and a cutie mark exactly like Cadence's. Her mane and tail were many shades of light pink that were almost indistinguishable, but looked magnificent either way. Her coat was a white purer than even Celestia's. Her eyes were quite alluring, a shade of the most brilliant purple, catching Luna off-guard. Also quite noticeable was how well she was groomed, which only improved her overall appearance. She was also an Alicorn, and wore a set of silver regalia that had elements from Nightmare Moon, Celestia, Cadence and herself. "Who are you," questioned Luna. "I'm Crystal Heart," Crystal Heart said as the regalia flashed away, "You must be Luna. It's such a pleasure to meet a friend of my friend." "Who doth thou speak of," questioned Luna. "Hmm," said Crystal, "Oh, Prince Winter! Who else? Him and I are very good friends." One question answered, Luna moved on to the next. "So then, where is Winter?" "Oh," Crystal said, raising a forehoof to the back of her head. "Since he couldn't get through, he though I might, and so here I am. He was pretty upset about not being able to...get......in........." Crystal trailed off as she finally noticed the room they were in. It really was beautiful, light glinting off ant through the icy walls of the great chamber. On the far side lay a small throne, too small for any Alicorn or adult pony, but the perfect size for a filly. Luna followed Crystal's gaze to the throne. "Well, Winter did say something about a filly being in here." Crystal nodded. "Yeah, I saw the trail. So, shall we go and explore?" Luna nodded in agreement. "Would thou like to lead?" "I would like that very much, thank you," said Crystal as she led Luna deeper into this Ice Palace. The halls of the palace were wide and long, decorated with sculptures with agonizing detail and other things, some of which, like red velvet ropes, should not heve even been there. Still, Crystal and Luna pressed on, determined to find Winter's prize. Eventually, the came to the last room, which, judging by every other room they'd explored, was the Palace Gallery. "Doth thou hear that," asked Luna. Crystal listened very carefully. Sure enough, there was humming coming form beyond the door. Crystal turned to Luna. "On he count of three." Luna nodded. "One..." "Two..." "THREE!" As Crystal finished the countdown, she and Luna burst throught he doors to find a filly that was thought to have died in the Cloudsdale Collapse 1000 years earlier. "Oh, hi there," said the filly as she turned to face her visitors. Luna was dumbstruck as she uttered her next words. "Snowdrop?"