Months had passed since the Light Kingdom was reawakened and Princess Twilight Sparkle had taken its leadership, along with her husband, Prince Blue Sword. Since this had happened, the world couldn't be more at peace. The Light Kingdom emitted its light, reaching the ponies’ hearts and purifying them slowly. The Generals of Order helped in this task, using their abilities to do so.
Heartbeat could balance the positive and negative emotions of the ponies so that none could cause no harm; Melody could enthrall everypony with her voice and her music, spreading calm and tranquility to create harmony; Purple Smoke helped the young foals to find their talents, although he did that discreetly and invisible, in addition to being the official Cutie Mark designer; Leaf Mane was the one responsible of making the coexistence between ponies and nature more enjoyable, besides having assumed her task as the main responsible of the season changing and guardian of the forests; Mirror Coat was the librarian of the Mirror Library and the one who organized all information that entered there, besides being responsible to share that information with the other beings and Golden Paladin had the responsibility of keeping the peace among the ponies and the other magical creatures and ensure that no war lasts for too long.
However, Golden Paladin has a different task that was more important than any other of his tasks. He has the mission to prevent all the villains that amazed that world and were now arrested into the greatest prison there, Tartarus, of stay free and come back to torment those who were once tormented by them. In fact, Tartarus was created by the General of Peace and its guardian, Cerberus, was Golden Paladin’s dog which was created by him on purpose to prevent that nothing and nopony from enter or leave unless its owner or other representatives of the Order. But of course there were other secrets in Tartarus.
On a dark night, months after the restoration of the Light Kingdom, Golden Paladin was waiting for somepony. It was then that, from the earth, arose a polished light blue metal mirror and this began to shine, becoming a portal. From it, Mirror Coat appeared bringing a pony as a prisoner, with his hooves connected to each other with chains and with a bag over his head.
"You took to long" Golden Paladin said to Mirror Coat.
"You know I have a lot of work with everything that has accumulated in the library over a millennium" he replied. "If you want to change jobs, just tell me."
Golden Paladin sighed and then said:
"Let's finish this."
They then entered in the cave with Mirror Coat holding the prisoner, who seemed to be doing enough strength. Then they began to hear growls. That made the prisoner remain motionless. It was then that Golden Paladin whistled three times and then they began to hear heavy steps and it was then that the guardian of the gates of Tartarus, Cerberus, appeared. He was running to Golden Paladin and then sat down, staying with his three tongues out. It seemed he was glad to see his owner.
"Hello, old friend" Golden Paladin greeted. "Long time no see."
The three heads barked in unison and Golden Paladin began to scratch his belly, something he received with immense pleasure.
"I never realized what you see in a monstrous dog with three heads" Mirror Coat commented. "If I'm not too fond to Orthrus..."
"But you don't have to like him, Mirror Coat" Golden Paladin replied. "You take care of your books and I take care of my prisoners. Which reminds me. Cerberus, memorize."
Cerberus then approached the prisoner and the three heads began to sniff him out, something that left the pony uncomfortable. After the Cerberus stop sniffing, he erected the heads and they barked together, what seemed to meaning he had understood.
"Good boy" Golden Paladin said. "Now, take us to the gates."
Cerberus began heading to where he was and Golden Paladin, Mirror Coat and the pony followed him. They came to an end of the cave where there was huge gold gates.
"I can't believe you got this with so little security" Mirror Coat commented.
"What matters is the quality and not the quantity" Golden Paladin replied, who addressed to Cerberus to give him fondles. "And Cerberus has done a great job as a guard."
"Except for the part where he abandoned his post once” Mirror Coat commented, in a cynicism tone.
"Before he was a guard, he is a dog" Golden Paladin said. "All dogs need exercise."
"Yeah, whatever."
"Let's end this conversation and end up with what we came here to do."
And then Golden Paladin’s horn began to shine and then in front of him appeared a wonderful key that, surrounded by Golden Paladin’s yellow magic aura, inserted itself in the lock of the gates and then ran to the left. It was heard a click and then the gates began to open up, revealing something that was immensely spectacular and, at the same time, completely terrifying: the prison of Tartarus.
Just ahead of the gates there was a huge moat, big in width, infinite in length and with a river of lava in the bottom. On the other side of the moat, there was what looked like a huge golden tower, full of light. On the walls, it had what appeared to be cells, due to the bars. Larger cells were at ground level, while the lowest were over, always in descending order.
After Golden Paladin, Mirror Coat and the mysterious pony arrived to the side of the moat, the General of Peace acceded to his magic and then yellow bricks came from the lava and began to form a bridge that connected each side. Once the bridge was ready, the three advanced and, as they did so, the bricks that were left behind fell and returned to the lava, so that, when they reached to the other side, there was no more bridge.
Then they continued to advance through the cells. In the largest cells, there was what appeared to be large creatures, whose eyes which appeared in the shadows were following them. It was then that one of the creatures released a torrent of fire that, upon reaching the bars simply didn’t pass, having reached a kind of magical barrier.
"I never get tired of watching the attempts of your prisoners" Mirror Coat commented, seeing the creature to cease fire.
"Thwarting their attempts is the only way to keep them where they are" Golden Paladin replied, while they continued to walk. "All the cells are properly prepared to accommodate each prisoner. The bars are also impenetrable, whether on the inside as on the outside."
They passed a large cell whose interior was a small water-filled moat. From the water gigantic tentacles arose and went in the direction of the two Generals of Order and their prisoner, but when they touched in the bars, they led with an electric shock that made them back off and go back into the water.
"Yes, I can never get tire of seeing this" Mirror Coat sighed.
They stopped and then Golden Paladin charged his horn once again with magic and then a pillar came up beneath them and brought them up, stopping in front of a cell with the perfect size to hold a pony and it was empty. After that, Golden Paladin invoked the same key and used it to open the gates of Tartarus and then its blade entered in one of the bars. The blade got in magically in it and then the cell just opened and Golden Paladin turned to the mysterious Pony and told him:
"Welcome to your new home. Make yourself comfortable, because you’ll stay here for a long time."
He took the bag off the pony’s head, revealing that it was Fire Punch, whose mouth had been magically sealed. Golden Paladin pushed him into the cell and after Fire Punch entered, the four chains that were holding his hooves annexed to the ground. After Golden Paladin closed the cell, the bars shone with a bright yellow, before Golden Paladin had removed the key. He then waved to Mirror Coat and he undid the magic that sealed Fire Punch’s lips. Once he was free from the spell, he began to say, exalted:
"You're going to regret bitterly for this! You can’t hold me here!"
"After all you did, believe me, the Lord of Order was very merciful" Golden Paladin replied. "Mirror Coat, recalls to our latest guest the reasons for we brought him to here."
"Well, where do I start?" Mirror Coat asked ironically. "Besides the fact you are an active servant of the Lord of Chaos, you did, well let's see… Oh, I know! First, you tried to conquer Equestria, using Princess Twilight and Prince Blue Sword’s marriage for that, not to mention that you stole all princess’ love to strengthen yourself. Second, you helped the Lord of Chaos in trying to steal the original star seed’s light and thus condemn the world to darkness and I would add the fact that you've turned innocent ponies into dark pony. And third... Well, you're the biggest jerk I've ever met and we don't want to suffer any more of your mannerisms and temper tantrums. Now, you're going to piss off the other prisoners, which will be beneficial, because their torture will be bigger."
That made Fire Punch look hastily to Mirror Coat. Golden Paladin then said to him:
"Now, I hope you to be a well-behaved pony and don't try anything funny. Believe me, you won't get out here. This cell will make sure you don't use any of your tricks to escape. Although, I think you’re not a threat anymore, without your wings and that horn you had, isn't it? But, if that happens, believe me it will be a lot worse. This part of Tartarus is a luxury compared to what's down there."
There was an exchange of hostile stares and then Golden Paladin turned back and then the pillar came back down and went back to solid ground. As they walked to the exit, Mirror Coat said:
"Well, you shouldn't really like the guy to threaten him with the solitary."
"He has to learn who's in charge here" Golden Paladin replied. "This is my prison, my responsibility."
"Yes, but..." Mirror Coat started. "You just threaten a prisoner with the solitary as last resort, because you don't like to go there because..."
"Don't you dare finish that sentence" Golden Paladin ordered.
Mirror Coat fell silent for a few seconds and then said:
"As you wish."
Golden Paladin continued to advance and Mirror Coat, after giving a sigh, followed him. They reached the moat and, while crossing the bridge, Mirror Coat asked:
"Will you go to the Great Galloping Gala tonight, in Canterlot?"
"Of course I will" Golden Paladin replied. "The prince and the princess will go to, so I have to go. You never know when the Evil can strike."
"You know, you should have more fun" Mirror Coat commented.
Upon arrival at the gates, Golden Paladin turned to Mirror Coat and asked him:
"You? Telling me to enjoy myself? Are you right, Mirror Coat? Since when did you care with the other’s amusement? You are the most geek of all of us. "
"I know that my idea of fun is different than the most of the ponies" Mirror Coat answered, while they go out of Tartarus and Golden Paladin began caressing his three-headed dog. "But I know you, brother, and I can tell when the excess work begins to change you."
Golden Paladin sighed and turned to his brother, admitting:
"You're right. I need to relax. I can go to the gala in duty, but that doesn't stop me from being able to have some fun. "
"This is the Golden Paladin I know" Mirror Coat replied. "Well, I'm leaving."
"See you at the gala?" Golden Paladin asked, while Mirror Coat began heading to the exit.
"Are you kidding?" Mirror Coat asked, continuing to walk. "I have a library to organize."
And, having said that, he waved to Golden Paladin, while continuing to walk, and then disappeared. Golden Paladin giggled and then turned to the Cerberus and told him:
"Well, lad, the owner have to go. Take care of this and keep doing the good work."
The Cerberus responded with a bark, coming from each one of the heads, and then Golden Paladin also began heading to the exit of the cave.
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Sitting on his throne, the Lord of Chaos was seeing through one of his mirrors Golden Paladin leaving the cave where the entrance to Tartarus was.
"So that's where Tartarus is" the Lord of Chaos said. "A place full of the most dangerous and evil followers of mine. I've got what I need, at least in terms of information. All I need is one more thing, the thing that will allow me to complete my goal."
And, with a snap of fingers, he made the image of Golden Paladin’s key appeared.
"As soon as I get my hands on Tartarus, nothing and nopony will stop me from smite everything and everypony I want with my anger and revenge. Nopony laugh at me. Everypony will pay for everything!
And then he gave the most evil of all his laughters.