Chapter 13
Virtually Brothers
In the Desert of the Underworld, Helpful and company rode on Scorpios’ back as they “closed in on Arigos. “What is that place?” Boltage asked as they got closer to the giant stone prison.
“That, Boltage, is Arigos,” Magi told them, “A prison for the criminally insane and wicked after death.”
“So do demons and warlords live there?” Trixie asked the sorcerer, curious.
“Indeed, Trixie,” Magi told her, “But we are here for one thing.”
“The path through the Undersea,” Helpful said, “There’s a Star here that works as a warden here in Arigos.”
“However, I fear that Kronos may have manipulated the warden,” Magi told him, “That would only make sense since now the titans guard the prisoners and they even tried to imprison me.”
“But why are you coming back here?” Trixie asked him, confused a little.
“It’s one way or no way, dear Trixie,” Magi told her as they grew ever closer to the gate, “Prepare yourselves,” Magi told them as he hugged onto Scorpios’ shell. The others did the same, and for a brief moment, Scorpios stopped, raised both its pinchers and hissed, and then, nothing.
After a long, silent moment, Boltage breathed in to speak, but sand exploded before them and as the dust settled, the group could see a giant worm before them. Pale as the sands, and even more disgusting with its mouth gaping open, letting its venomous spit drip and slip out between its thousands of shark-like teeth.
Trixie screamed at the top of her lungs and Scorpios charged, full speed into the worm, jabbing its pinchers into the monster’s gelatinous body, spilling green blood into the sands. The worm shrieked in agony and gurgled out his blood. Scorpios chopped the sand worm in half with its pinchers and the body slid down onto the sand, staining it with green blood. The Star Symbol scuttled forward toward the prison. More dunes appeared from the sands, but then a loud horn was blown and the dunes retreated to the underground. Helpful and company looked around to see them disappear from sight. “What’s going on?” Gilda asked, confused.
“They’re accepting our challenge,” Magi replied, looking toward the open gate that Scorpios broke through earlier. He tapped on Scorpios’ shell twice and the Star Symbol moved forward. Scorpios scuttled into the prison, and the group took a look around themselves. The ground was made of metal as they heard Scorpios’ scuttling legs smack and tap the ground; the walls were made of a thick black stone, most likely obsidian, and they were lined with and black iron fence on the inside and the top of it was lined with fire, always burning, everyday. At the very center, ahead of them, was a great ancient fortress made of cold steel and stone. Smoke exerted from the many chimneys on top, and they could tell this is no ordinary fortress. Surrounding them and watching, were the legion of stone, and lava titans. Trixie, Gilda, and Boltage were each growing nervous of their numbers and intimidation. The lava titans were especially scary.
The lava flow, acting as a gate, opened up and the group turned their attention to a normal sized stallion walking out from inside. The lava flow closed behind him as he stopped beside a pole with a pyramid on the top. It stretched well over his head. The stallion had hazel brown color, and his mane was black. He had no Cutie Mark as he was seemed to be the only pony that lived here. His left eye had a dark brown three pointed star on it. “Magi of the Seventh Chain,” The stallion began, “Please, excuse my security. The titans can be rather brash than good.”
“Cut the small talk, Rigel,” Magi shouted, obviously, growing impatient, “We know that you’ve been working for Kronos, and you why we’re here as well! If you don’t let us pass through the Undersea, then we will be forced to defeat you.” Trixie gulped as she looked around toward the titans around them, each looking anxious for a massacre. She swiftly turned her attention to the conversation.
Rigel looked at Magi rather cross, “Very well, Magi,” He spoke as he took a hold of the pole, “If you wish to defeat me and cross the Undersea…” He broke out the pole, and dashed toward them with extreme speed, jumping into the air, readying a downward strike, “Then you best do it without hesitation!”
“Jump!” Magi shouted and he jumped off of Scorpios. The group followed, except for Trixie, who was too scared to move. Helpful landed and turned around in time to see this.
“Trixie! Move now!” Helpful shouted, however; Trixie couldn’t move in time to dodge. She closed her eyes in fear, and all she heard was a clang and thud. Trixie opened her eyes to see that Scorpios blocked the incoming blow with his pinchers. It chattered at Rigel, who stood with his weapon in hooves. Trixie could now see that the pole Rigel was using had an ax blade as a head with square teeth on its sharp blade. The back of the weapon's head was broad and square, each corner nailed with a piece of steel. It was a war hammer! “Trixie, get away from there!” Magi ordered her, and the unicorn finally jumped off and galloped toward them.
“What should we do?” Boltage asked as they watched Rigel and Scorpios fight. Magi looked around, and spotted something within the smoke above Arigos.
“There!” Magi shouted as he pointed up, “Do you see it?” Helpful looked up and so did the others, but they couldn’t see anything.
“What is it, Magi?” Bolt asked him, confused as he squinted his eyes to see through the smoke.
“It’s a glowing light. It should be easy to find,” Magi told them as he turned back to the fight, “I will draw Rigel’s attention. You go and find it.” The sorcerer walked toward the fight as the others turned to him in surprise.
“What!?” They all shouted in unison.
“But Magi--,” Helpful’s sentence was cut off by Magi’s sharp gaze. Helpful knew what that meant. It meant he should trust him and not argue for the sake of something very important; which in this case, Kronos taking over the world. Helpful then turned around, “C’mon, guys,” He spoke as he walked toward the building.
“But, Helpful, there’s titans watching us at all angles,” Trixie said as she cut him off by standing in front of him, “There’s no way we can get up there without being in danger!” Helpful paused in thought by these words. He didn’t know what to do now. They can’t climb without a proper distraction. Distraction… That’s it! Helpful turned to Bolt. “Boltage. Do you think you can grab their attention?” He asked his friend, and the Storm Charger nodded, “Good. Gilda, Trixie, you’re with me. Let’s do this.” Gilda and Trixie both nodded as they separated to execute this plan.
Meanwhile, at Canterlot Mountain, Discord dragged the burnt and unconscious Nightmare Moon by the hind legs through the main hall of Kronos’ Castle; a mighty chamber that had several cases of stairs and had several hallways that lead to more dangerous chambers. Above could be seen a great chandelier of bones. Iron Titans stood guard on both sides of the main stairway. They were like giants spiders in suits of armor. Their eight legs were sharp and deadly and their fangs drooled venom. They couldn’t spin webs, however; they spouted molten steel and they also breathed solid ice. Their hides had sharp spikes and razor edges that slice through anything. Discord sighed as he stopped to take a breather. “Why must I always go through the throne doors to make an entrance? I’d much rather enjoy teleporting into there, myself…” By that moment, he heard Nightmare Moon moaning and he looked down to her, “Well, it’s about time you woke up, my dear; means less work for me!” The draconequus let her legs go and the Alicorn stood up a little dizzily.
“What is this place?” She asked, half-conscious, “Is this Canterlot?”
“More like what’s left of it,” Discord chuckled, “I’d much rather have a different look here, but the master is our master. He’s the one who made us who we are!” The Alicorn looked at him oddly.
“Is that so?” Nightmare nodded, thoughtfully, “Please, explain.”
“All in due time, my dear Nightmare,” Discord spoke as he flew upward toward the throne door, “First: we must report back to our commander and chief.” Nightmare Moon followed and they entered the throne room. They came to the foot of Kronos’ throne and knelt. The doors behind them slammed shut as Kronos looked at them both with silence. It was a long silence. More like a condescending silence. As if, something important was missing. Discord eventually grew tired and stood up. “Master, I ha--,”
“Failed, yet again!” Kronos shouted as he raised his scepter and slammed Discord onto the floor, crushing him with sheer magical force. Nightmare was startled by the outburst and stepped back. “You have only done a fraction of your task and you have the nerve to return here, unfinished!”
Discord winced from the pain he endured, “Please, m-master!” He stuttered, “Their forces were too great… We couldn’t fight them!”
“Have you forgotten what you are?” Kronos then lifted Discord from the floor into the air, “You are Discord; the Titan of Illogic!” He then tossed him backward beside Nightmare Moon, “These ponies have made you weak and nearly useless to me!”
Discord coughed as the wind was knocked out from his lungs, “Please, Kronos…” He stood back up, shakily, “I can still finish what I have not! Give me a second chance…” Kronos sat there with silence, but a thoughtful glimpse was under his cloak.
“Very well, Discord,” He told him, “But the next time you fail me, you better come up with a far better excuse.” At that moment, Scorch entered the room and knelt to Kronos, holding a scabbard in his claws. Discord slowly got back up to see this and so did Nightmare Moon.
“Master, I have brought to you the Scabbard of Order,” Scorch spoke as he held the object high and continued looking down. Kronos stood up from his throne and gently took the scabbard, eyeing it fondly.
“Ah, yes,” The dark one said as he turned it around, studying its design. It was five feet long, a foot wide, and an inch thick. Made of leather, it was made with precious silver the overlapped like vines on a tree, and in each gap was a silver chain. The very bottom was capped with steel for a dual-edged sword, and the top had a small triangle cut out from the top, most likely for the hilt of the sword. It was quite beautiful. “This is it. Well done, my ifrit,” He looked at Discord coldly, “In the end, some prove to be stronger than others.” Discord sighed a bit, hurt.
“Eli was also disposed of as well, my master,” Scorch told him, “By now, he would be coughing out his own blood, dying a tragic death under the rubble of a once great kingdom. A death, I would say, too good; for him.”
“Excellent work, Scorch,” Kronos spoke as he raised the scabbard up and broke it in half. Scorch looked up as Discord cracked a smirk. Nightmare just watched silently, trying to follow.
“A great triumph, Your Excellency!” Scorch praised as he stood up with both arms in the air, curling his claws into fists of triumph, “Now nopony will be able to--.”
“Fool!” Kronos threw the shards at Scorch, who flinched as they hit his armor and fell onto the stone ground, “The Gear of Alamos is completely indestructible! None can merely take them and break them with ease, like so! If it were that easy, I would have done so generations ago!” The being pointed toward the door, “Go! Return to the castle and retrieve the true scabbard! Now!” His last word was manipulated darkly with rage. Nightmare Moon cracked a smile.
“It would seem that your subordinates are lacking in discipline,” She said with a clever voice.
“Hey!” Discord grabbed her attention, “We’re jus’ a little rusty! That’s all!” Scorch remained silent.
“Well, if that’s it, I believe I can give better service then these two combined,” Nightmare then slowly, causally walked to Kronos, “Allow me to find this ‘scabbard’, and let Scorch, here, go and help Rusty back there.” Kronos looked at her, thoughtfully.
“You must be Nightmare Moon,” Kronos said, “I must say, you make a rather alluring proposal,” Nightmare nodded to him as she stopped before him, matching his height, “But your task is to assist Discord, not my general’s.” The Alicorn gave him a glare and turned around.
“Very well,” She said as she walked toward the door, “Let’s go, Discord.”
“Alrighty then!” The draconiquus snapped his fingers and disappeared with Nightmare. Scorch turned around toward the exit.
“Do not fail me a second time, Scorch,” Kronos told him, “We do not have room for error.”
Meanwhile in Spike’s world, “Augh…” Spike groaned as he sat up, holding his pounding head with one claw, “What happened?” He looked around himself to find that he was deep within Everfree forest. The baby dragon stood up and took a moment to remember what happened. “Well, I was in my version of Ponyville and then—oh, yeah! I was shot of that chimney!” Just at that moment, he heard the rustle of bushes and turned toward the source, “H-hello?” He asked and immediately, Snips and Snails jumped out and charged past him. “Run!” They both shouted as they disappeared into the next brush.
“Run? Hey! Where’re you going!?” Spike shouted after them and at that moment, he felt the tremor of a stampede from behind him. The baby dragon looked back to hear the squealing and shouting of the entire town load of Raritys! “Gah!” Spike shouted as he quickly followed his unwitting spirit guides, “Run!” Spike dashed as fast as his little legs could take him, however; the Rarity mob slowly gained on him. “There! I see him!” One Rarity shouted, “Our little Spiky Wikey!”
“Stay away!” Spike shouted in fear, “I’m not adorable! I don’t taste good, either!” Right when he entered another brush, Spike was grabbed by the claw from behind and pulled back by a Rarity, who gave him a great big bear hug. “Oh, Spiky Wikey!” The Rarity that looked a lot like Mayor Mare shouted happily as the rest surrounded them, “I missed you sooo much!”
“Hey!” Another Rarity shouted, “Get your dirty off him! He’s mine!” The rest of the Raritys began a fuss.
“No, he’s not!” The Rarity Mayor shouted, “He’s mine!” She hugged onto Spike a little tighter and Spike made a rubber duck squeak. Everypony grew silent for a moment, staring at Spike, surprised. Mayor Rare squeezed him again and he squeaked once more. The Raritys began to giggle and laugh as Mayor Rare squeezed him several more times, making more rubber duck noises. “No!” Spike shouted, “Stop!”
“Aw, is poor little Spiky feeling sleepy?” Sparity cooed as she walked over to him.
“Or is he hungry?” Rarijack added as she followed, “I could make some pies!”
“Hold it!” Pinkity jumped between them, “I’ll be making the food for Spiky Wikey!” She then pulled the dragon out from Mayor Rare’s hooves, “He’s jus’ the cutest, wittle dragon there is!” Pinkity cooed as she cuddled him.
“Please! Just lemme go!” Spike shouted, holding both claws together, like he was begging, “I’ll be a good dragon! Honest!”
“Nonsense, Spiky!” Rarity told him as came and patted his head, “We’re gonna keep you forever! Come now, girls.” They all followed Rarity back to Ponyville.
“No! No, please!” Spike shouted in fear, “Heeeelp!” During this entire time, Snips and Snails have been watching the scene.
“Oh, no!” Snails frowned, “We have to save him, bro!”
“Yeah! You said it, bro!” Snips nodded to him, “Let’s follow them!” They both nodded and silently followed the group of Raritys.
Meanwhile, in the Underworld, Helpful, Trixie and Gilda find a ladder that leads them to the top of Arigos. Helpful looks back to Boltage and salutes to him, and he salutes back. The Storm Charger jumps onto a Stone Titan and whistled, grabbing it and others’ attention. “Hey, just to let y’all know, uhm, I’m on your head, so like, yeah!” said Boltage, “I bet you can’t catch me!” The Stone Titan growled and lifted up its arms to smash Boltage on his head, but the Pegasus swiftly jumped down and the Stone Titan smashed his own head, breaking it apart. He looked back to see it shattered onto the ground, and blinked twice. “Well then…” He said as the others turned toward him, looking menacing, “That wasn’t what I was going for, but…uh…” Bolt grinned and dashed off, between the legs of a titan. In that moment, the Stone Titan beside it turned and socked the titan into pieces, resulting in another attacking it and mass confusion began. The titans began attacking themselves. Boltage soon returned to the others, who began to climb the ladder. “Hey! I got ‘em distracted! How’s things on your end?”
Helpful looked down to him from the ladder and toward the mass battle, “That won’t last too long,” He said, “We need to move faster!” Helpful then climbed quickly up the ladder.
“Ooh, but Trixie’s getting tired…” complained Trixie, “We should let her take a break.” Boltage climbed up the ladder and pushed her upward from behind.
“Less lip, more climb!” shouted Boltage as they climbed upward. Down below, Magi stood on the back of Scorpios, crossing his arms as he sat.
“Come now, Rigel,” said Magi, “Have you forgotten who you serve? Have you forgotten who gave you life?”
Rigel jumped and chopped downward, but Scorpios grabbed him with his pinchers and slammed him onto the ground. The Star grunted from the pain, but he clutched onto his weapon, determined to continue fighting. Magi walked closer to him and stopped on Scorpios’ head, “Please, Rigel,” calmly begged Magi, “I do not wish to fight a fellow servant. We were once proud and just, but now you stain our honor by betraying our masters. Why would you do such a thing? You, of all the Stars, were the most selfless and strong. You never allowed any evil to control you. Your power was tremendous and so was your responsibility. Now, you serve what you were sworn to imprison. Why?” Rigel glared back at Magi, sweating from their battle, “Well, Rigel?”
The Star winced and sighed, “I’m sorry, Magi,” He then opened his eyes, “It’s Kronos… He’s taken…her away…”
“’Her.’ Hm…” Magi understood what he meant and nodded, “I see. Well, let us aid you in retrieving her back.”
“I can’t, Magi.”
“Why not?” Magi asked, confused.
“Because Kronos will kill her, if I do,” said Rigel, “I don’t want to lose her,” then, Rigel broke free of Scorpios’ grasp and slammed the hammer side of his war hammer on Scorpios’ face, knocking the Star Symbol back as Rigel jumped and landed a distance away from them, “If you truly wish to cross the Undersea, you must defeat me!” He raised his weapon and aimed it toward Magi, posing for a strike. Magi stared him long and hard, and soon he sighed, stepping off of Scorpios.
“Very well, Rigel,” the sorcerer told him, “I accept.”
Up top, Helpful and the others had climbed to the roof of the prison. It was wide, rusty and grated as smoke rose up from below. They all searched around for the shining light. “I can’t find it!” Boltage told them as he tried to see through the smoke. He coughed a bit from the smell of molten metal and another smell… something… flesh-like…
Trixie also coughed a bit, too, “Oh, Trixie can’t breathe in this smog!”
“We need to look around,” Helpful told them all, and then, he spotted it at the center of the smog, “I see it!”
“Where, dude?”asked Gilda as she came beside him, squinting her griffin eyes as she search. Eventually, she also spotted the light. It was fair and pleasant, like a bright candle at night. Helpful spreads his wings and stirred up a breeze to clear out the smoke. They could now see that a scepter, golden and shiny, stood alone. The gemstone was smooth and round as two golden and silver-tipped pegasi wings wrapped around it. “That’s it,” said Helpful.
“Well, what’re we waiting for?” said Gilda as she hastily trumped to the scepter, “Every second we waste, Magi’s life is in danger!”
“Gilda, wait!” shouted Helpful as he raised a hoof after her, but it was too late. The smog from under reappeared but with a great wind as it rushed up from under Gilda, launching her into the air.
“Gah!” Gilda shouted in surprise as she flew upward, and then, the smoke departed from under her, and she fell, “Whoa!”
“Gilda!” Trixie shouted as she galloped to his rescue.
“We’re coming, Gilda!” Helpful shouted as well as Boltage followed him as they charged to catch the careless Griffon. Trixie was the first to catch the griffon as she slammed onto the grating, softening Gilda’s fall, but hurting the unicorn, gravely. “Trix!” Boltage shouted as she hurried to help her back up with Helpful, “You okay?”
“Heh…Trixie is grateful for your concern…” said the unicorn as her yellow friend lifted her onto his back, “but she is fine.”
“Shut your yap, dude!” Gilda told her with a stern look, “You’re just lucky.”
“’Lucky’?” Boltage turned to Gilda with a look of fury, “You’re jus’ lucky that you’ve got a friend that would give her life for you!”
“Am I supposed to be grateful?” said Gilda, nonchalantly as she crossed her arms, “You ponies are just a bunch of weirdos.”
“Weirdos?” Bolt gritted his teeth as his anger grew so much that Helpful could hear a teapot whistle.
“Stop it!” Helpful told them as he stepped between them, “We need that scepter.”
“Whatever, Junior,” said Gilda as she turned around, “I’ll just chill here.” At that moment, a great roaring wind spun around them and the smoke came out from under them, stunning them as they coughed and wheezed from the rancid smell. Then, the smoke was caught by the wind and it spun around them in circles, cradled by the current. “Oh!” coughed Helpful as two sharp red eyes appeared before them in the wind, “A Smog Titan.”
“Foolish ponies!” The Smog Titan said with a raspy voice, “You will now perish in my toxic fumes!” The monstrosity laughed at them all.
“B-Bolt…” Trixie grabbed the yellow stallion’s attention, “Bring me to the scepter…”
“I’ll try,” Bolt coughed as he charged to the scepter.
The titan took notice of this, “Not so fast!” He laughed as a wind began to push them back, making them both cough harder from the disgusting stench. Boltage didn’t give up. He charged again. “Give up, you fools,” The titan said as he unleashed another wind, but Helpful flapped his wings to stirrup a new wind that countered the Smog Titan’s. “Argh!” It shouted as he summoned a new wind to stop Boltage, who grabbed the scepter.
“Here, Trix!” said Bolt as he gave it to his blue friend, “Do your thing!” Trixie grabbed the scepter, and held it high.
“Here we go!” she said as the scepter shone a bright light. The unicorn aimed it toward the Smog Titan and lighting shot out, slashing through the face, however; the being seemed unfazed.
“Is that all?” He laughed as the wind pushed them back to the others, “Now perish!” The titan then summoned an iron spear and launched it toward them. During this, Trixie held up her scepter to block the weapon. The spear hit the jewel of the scepter with a ding, and at that second, a great surge of magic exploded out from the scepter, knocking away the spear and eviscerating the Smog Titan as he writhed in agony.
The spear came to a free fall. Its point slowly turning downward and suddenly it struck deep into the steel floor, beside Rigel, who was too busy trying to chop Magi in half. However; despite his old age, the bearded sorcerer was too quick and agile for the Star’s mighty ax blade.
“You still haven’t changed, old stallion!” laughed Rigel, who was beginning to enjoy this more than he probably should.
Helpful took the scepter from Trixie, “Thanks,” said he in a happy tone and he threw it to Magi, “Magi! Catch!” The old unicorn looked up to see the flying scepter come toward him, but a titan, locked in battle, swung his arms upward, knocking the scepter upward once more. It came to a slow in the midair as Magi took action and climbed up a Stone Titan’s back and made his leap of faith. Rigel slammed his hammer onto the floor and the force took him upward to the scepter as well, in an attempt to thwart Magi’s catch.
Magi came close enough to the scepter and reached, but to his surprise, Rigel swung his long weapon around and knocked the scepter away from him, sending it far away to the ground, in the midst of the titan battle.
“No!” The unicorn said as he reached after the scepter. Rigel raised up his weapon and prepared for a final blow. Magi noticed and grabbed one of Rigel’s hind hooves and pulled him downward, forcing Rigel to miss his mark. They both fell onto the ground, and Magi was the first to stand back onto his hooves, and made a run for the scepter. Rigel slowly got up after he landed hard on his back, and saw Magi’s charge after the mystic artifact. The Star raised up his war hammer and, with a great huff, launched it toward Magi. The war hammer it its mark, sending Magi forward and onto his stomach, sliding some distance under the titan mob. Once he stopped, the old unicorn looked up to find the scepter in front of him. Magi cracked a grin.
As Rigel picked up his weapon, he spoke, “The death under the stomping feet of titans is more than enough to suit you,” Rigel laughed, but then he spotted a bright violet flash in the chaos, and he made a dull look, “Oh, no…”
“I’m afraid so, Rigel,” said Magi as he summoned a great wave of magic and obliterated the titans around them. Rigel remained unharmed as he turned back to Magi, keeping his dull expression. He then slammed the blade side of his war hammer into the floor and raised both hooves. “Fine,” said Rigel, “You win.”
“Whooohoo!” Helpful and his friends, besides Gilda, shouted.
“Now, since we have some privacy,” Magi summoned a great bubble around the fortress, and he levitated the rest of his group beside him; he also casted a healing spell for Trixie so she could stand up, “Tell me. Where do they have Mira?”
Rigel remained silent for a couple moments of anticipation, “I don’t know,” he finally answered, “All I do know is that they’ve trapped her somewhere.”
“I’m surprised,” Magi said with a look to match, “Mira is the last being I’d expect to be captured by Kronos’ forces. In fact, I thought you two were inseparable.”
“Who’s Mira?” Helpful asked the old unicorn.
“She’s a Star; the Guardian of the Underfrost,” Magi told them.
“And my wife,” added Rigel with a plain look, “She may still be in the Underfrost for all I know.”
“We can save her for you, Rigel,” Magi assured him, “Just let us.” Rigel thought it over quickly and nodded.
“Very well, Magi,” he said, “With that Magister, you can even break the spell that Kronos put upon here right now. Go ahead.”
“Wait,” said Trixie, “I thought you were our enemy.”
“I am but a simple pawn in a bigger game,” Rigel told them, “I don’t mean anything to the one that forced me to serve.”
“He makes a good point,” nodded Boltage. Magi then tapped the bottom end of his scepter onto the metal floor with a clink. A small wind exerted from the Magister and passed through them, gently.
Helpful looked at his hooves, “Did it work?”
“Only one way to find out!” shouted Boltage as he spread his wings and took off into the air with small streak of voltage behind him. Gilda and Trixie both gaped in surprise as Boltage flew around at the speed of light, making a large ring of controlled lightning in the air. Helpful got excited and in his excitement, the black tips of his falcon wings shone red once more and he flew up into the air, making Bolt’s speed and they made two rings in the air. Helpful’s bright red ring of light was vertical and inside Boltage’s horizontal ring of lightning. They began to move in opposite directions, making a midair gyro sphere. They spun faster and faster until the rings blurred into one another, and they stopped suddenly. Their bodies wrapped in a red aura and energy dancing around their bodies.
“High hoof!” Bolt shouted, not noticing their new look, and neither did Helpful as he raised his hoof and they slapped their hooves together, making a huge shockwave of red lightning. Everything was devastated and once the dust settled, Boltage and Helpful were relieved to find that Magi had summoned a forced shield to protect Arigos from the unintentional explosion.
“What…was that?” Trixie asked in shock as the force shield went down.
“What were you two thinking!?” shouted Rigel, cross, “You almost destroyed Arigos, and then what would’ve happened?”
“The inmates would get loose…” Helpful ashamedly answered, “Sorry, Rigel… We got carried away.”
Gilda flew up to them, “But that was pretty awesome!” She laughed a little, “How did you do that?”
Boltage and Helpful only shrugged, and Magi’s gentle laugh grabbed their attention. “It was the fusion of light, and lightning that created such a powerful explosion,” Magi explained, “Helpful’s powers of light, and Boltage’s control over lightning made it possible for a fusion, and, as witnessed, had devastating effects.”
“But how is that possible?” Trixie asked, curious.
“Lightning and light are one of the same,” Magi replied, “Light may be a more gentle form, and lightning may be more volatile, but they both are bright, shining examples of power. They are virtually brothers.” Everypony nodded in understanding.
“Brother!” Bolt shouted as he gave Helpful a great big hug, and Helpful embraced his hug tightly.
“I have two brothers!” laughed Helpful. Everypony laughed for a few moments, and then Rigel cleared his throat.
“Okay,” he said, “So I’m assuming that we need to get you all through the Undersea.”
“Yes, old friend,” Magi nodded to him, “We need you to open the path.”
Rigel nodded and walked to the lava doors, “Follow me.” Magi nodded for the others to follow and they followed Rigel into Arigos.
Meanwhile, in Kronos’ Dungeon, Granny Cookie slowly awoke from her long sleep in a craggy, black prison cell, which hung from the ceiling of the chamber. She looked around for to see only darkness. There were no lights, no way of knowing where she was, being suspended in midair. She began to grow nervous and scared. “H…Hello?” she whispered at first, but raised her voice slowly, “Hello?” Granny coughed a few times and wheezed. The air down here was foul. The scent of death lingered around her profusely. The old mare held onto her nose, and at that moment, there was sudden loud crack of steel, scrapping against stone, and the old mare could see a dim light around the corner of some stairs. A door was opening.
“Hello? Who’s there?” she shouted, “What do want from me?” Silence was her only answer as there was no other shadow casted in the light. After a moment of unsteady breathing, the cage shook and Granny yelped in shock. “Leave me alone!” she pleaded and the shaking ceased. She looked around through the shadows, trying desperately to see any movement. Abruptly, the torches were lit ablaze, hurting poor old Granny Cookie’s eyes as she winced and yelped a second time.
Soon the old mare opened her eyes again to see a tall figure before her, floating outside of her cage. She saw his tattered black cloak swaying in the air, and his red piercing eyes through his hood. He clutched onto that strange scepter, like it was his life. A long moment of silence passed as neither of them said a word. They just stared at each other. Eventually, Granny spoke up, “Who are you?”
“Who am I?” suddenly answered the cloaked being as he swiftly looked into the cage closer, forcing Granny back a little in fear. The being then flew around the cage like a hazy wisp and stopped behind Cookie, “I am the fear that runs deep beneath you,” he said as Granny turned around and took a few more steps away, “I am the one you call, ‘the Bearer of Chaos’, ‘the Hoarder of Evil’, ‘the Devil,’” the being flew around one more to behind Granny, who instinctively repeated, “I am Kronos, the Lord of the Titans.”
“Oh…okay,” Cookie then collected her composure and nodded, “A mythological creature. Nothing more.”
“What!” Kronos banged against her cage with his scepter, forcing it to swing and Cookie to lose her balance and fall onto her stomach. Once the swinging quelled, the old mare stood up.
“Well, then again, you could be real,” Cookie nodded in thought.
“Watch your tongue,” said Kronos with irritation in his tone, and he cleared his throat, “I know who you are.”
“Oh, you do?” Cookie said with a look of indifference, “Well then, that’s a nuisance, isn’t it? I shouldn’t be running around and putting my face on the newspaper. Naughty, Cookie,” she patted her own forehead, like it was a joke. Kronos summoned a Colt Roadburn before Cookie. He smiled at her and waved happily.
“Hi, Granny! I love you!” the duplicate shouted, happily, “Can we play today?” The old mare looked at the colt with a shocked look.
“Such a sweet, little foal he was,” Kronos told her, “I wonder where his parents are…if there were any for him.”
Granny grew cross, “Leave my grandson out of this!”
“Oh?” Kronos tilted his head to the side, “Is that attachment I sense? My, my, Cookie, you’ve made such a mess.”
“I’ve made a mess?” Cookie looked at him, “You’re the one who stole me from my grandson, and destroyed Canterlot, trying to rule over Equestria!”
“So you do recall the legend!” Kronos laughed, “And so I assume you remember everything else,” Granny Cookie just stood there and stared at Kronos, long and hard, “You see, I have a deal for you. You must show me your work, and if you don’t,” he clutched one hand and the colt Roadburn disintegrated into dust, “I will have to destroy what pathetic things you hold so dear.” Granny was shocked by this and growled at Kronos.
“You monster!” she shouted, “You leave my grandson out of this!”
“He was already in this to begin with, Cookie,” Kronos told her, gravely, “You must understand that what you’ve done has consequences. And he is one of them.”