//------------------------------//
// The Path to the King, Part 2 
// Story: Sunset Rekindled 
// by EldritchNexus 
//------------------------------//

The Summerstar ascended into the air. As it flew across the cloudless sky, Sunset and the others gathered at the bridge. Sunset Shimmer magically conjured a blackboard with her magic, and began etching notes on the circumstances that surrounded their mission.

"Okay, so we know that King Nelphyn's city is buried deep underneath the desert, so we're going to need to do a lot of digging if we can't find another way down there."

"I could do that." said Maud, holding up her hoof casually.

"And I can help her." added Nose Nip. "I mean...if you'd like, Maud."

"That would be wonderful, Nose Nip." said Maud.

"Also, we need to remember the creatures we've faced before." said Sunset, continuing scrawling notes on the board. "The shadow-ponies, the golems, and also the various deities we've encountered on the way here. Jarukia, Mordikaukis, and the like. And that's not going into King Nelphyn himself. With the Alicorn Amulet, he could do any number of unspeakable things to us, and to the rest of Saddle Arabia. Between him and his Maul-Ras, he was able to wipe out a lot of the Chrysalis Syndicate last month. And in a world where Equestrian magic was next to non-existent. So Trixie, since you and I are the only ones present to use the Alicorn Amulet, I'll need you to help me find a way to get the Alicorn Amulet away from him."

"Got it." said Trixie. "Perhaps the Alicorn Amulet will long to be back in the hooves of its true owner."

She closed her eyes, and pressed a hoof against her chest.

"Well, I'd say right now that anypony would be better off with the Alicorn Amulet than King Nelphyn." said Sunset, blankly. "Though I've gotta admire how he was able to harness the power of the Alicorn Amulet despite not being a unicorn or even a Changeling."

"Whatever he plans to do, I'm sure Daring and I can find a way to counter it." said Golden Sun.

"Also, since we're going to be navigating a dark underground city that's probably never been visited in thousands of years, we're probably going to bring as much equipment with us as possible."

"And maybe a few weapons, too." added Teddy. "I mean, just in case."

Suddenly, Crimson Blade entered the room with Sunflower, and dropped a pile of bulky objects in the middle of the bridge.

"Father...what is this stuff?" asked Scarlet Blaze.

"Weapons." said Crimson, gruffly. "Sunflower and I were working on them."

"They're sho' ta pack a punch!" said Sunflower.

"We made them out of what we found lying around the zeppelin." said Crimson, levitating one of the large weapons. "Mostly spare parts found in the engine room and regular appliances."

The weapon in question appeared to be comprised of old lead pipes, a welding-torch, parts of a miniaturized steam engine, a gas can, and an old-fashioned vacuum-cleaner.

"What's that supposed to be, a makeshift flamethrower?" asked Sunset.

"You can call it a...'Furnace Blaster'." said Crimson Blade. "But yes, that's basically what it is."

Then he showed them another weapon, which was also comprised of steam engine parts, but also had metallic belts and other objects running through it. It looked like a very bulky steampunk-styled shotgun, but with a very large trigger.

"This is a 'Cluster Buster'." said Crimson. "It shoots entire cluster of projectiles at once."

"What kind of ammo does it use?" asked Radiant.

"Anything small enough it fit inside its barrels." Crimson explained. "Rocks, nails, screws, silverware, you name it."

Then he set the Cluster Buster down, and levitated a box of cylindrical objects made from strings and lead pipes.

"Pipe-bombs." he said. "I got the gunpowder from the powder kegs your friends brought with you from Fort Echidna. I only had time to make one batch, so use them wisely."

"Hey, that's cool and all." said Teddy. "But did you make anything  that couldn't potentially get each other killed in the heat of a battle?"

"Of course." said Crimson, levitating a half dozen steampunk-looking rifles into the air. "These are flare guns. They should be able to launch the flares that are stocked in the armoury, for when we're underground."

"Father?" Scarlet questioned, concerned. "How do you know how to build these things, anyway?"

"Because when I was still with the Neo-Templars, I had seen these kinds of weapons being made all the time." said Crimson. "In fact, I helped make some of them."

Sunset and the others look at him with shocked expressions on their faces.

"In fact, the Cluster Buster was one of my own ideas." Crimson told Scarlet. "It was inspired by you, daughter. You and your ability to cast clusters of spells at once made probably one of the most powerful homemade weapons Equestria's ever seen."

"I...think I need a moment." said Scarlet, breathlessly.

She laid on the ground looking at the various weapons her father had made, staring in awe. Sunset did the same, but in horror.

"And...where did the templars get the idea for these kinds of weapons, anyway?" Sunset asked, equally as breathlessly as her mother.

"From Firewing." said Crimson. "Apparently the very first of these were inspired by weapons the Canterlot Royal Guard confiscated from recent intruders of Canterlot Castle."

"The Chrysalis Syndicate." Sunset muttered. "Of course, when they crossed into our world, they must've left some of their weapons behind."

"But the weapons that were confiscated had very small triggers and ringlets around them, so hooved creatures could scarcely use them. So we had to make our own versions of them with enlarged handles and triggers that were...pony-friendly. 'Pony-friendly' being a loose word, of course."

"I'll say." said Golden Sun. "If these weapons are as potent as you make them out to be, then the templars could give even the most elite of the Canterlot Royal Guard a run for their money."

"That's been the idea." said Crimson. "Thankfully, these weapons haven't been mass-assembled...yet. We were only able to make a few of these before Fort Echidna was raided. Which is probably why you haven't seen these so much."

"And why there was only one Gatling Gun in that fort, right?" asked Radiant.

"That's right, Radiant Dawn." said Crimson Blade. "But since these weapons are strictly experimental, I can't guarantee most of them will even work. Especially since they were so hastily assembled."

"So what are you saying?" asked Scarlet.

"I'm saying there's just as much a chance that they'll injure you as whatever you're planning to shoot at."

"Well, what's life without a little danger?" Frosty said. "But I don't think I'd need one of those weapons, anyway. I'm a unicorn and can use all the magic I want."

"Me, too." said Pressure Point. "Besides, I'm a doctor, not an assassin."

"Well, if anyone else wants to use these weapons, then by all means...take them." said Crimson.

Maud Pie grabbed the Cluster Buster, Sunflower, Daring Do, and Teddy took flare guns and pipe-bombs, while Nose Nip took the Furnace Blaster.

"Just be careful not to hit each other with those weapons." Crimson Blade told them. "They're extremely flammable and combustible. Which is also why you should not leave them lying around. Also, keep them away from the electronics on the zeppelin or any other sources of gas or fire, so we don't end up having any...accidents."

"Oh, great." said Sunset, quietly. "Now you tell them, gramps."





The Summerstar was now reaching a massive plateau that was broken at the center and otherwise barren and empty except for a few ruined building and pillars. They were only a dozen miles away from it now.

"My gosh." Daring Do said, wide-eyed. "Could this be...the fabled Plateau of G'nel?"

"The what?" asked Trixie.

"The Plateau of G'nel." said Daring Do. "The place where the Ram King first made his mark on the world. If that's the way to King Nelphyn's lair, then we'd better land this thing before we fly over it.

"Right." said Nose Nip. "Bringing this baby down...now!"

"Why?" inquired Sunset Shimmer. "Why land before we get there?"

"Because nothing that flies over the Plateau of G'nel has ever returned." said Daring Do. "So if that's what it is, then everypony on board this airship is good as dead."

"And ya didn't think ta tell us about this plateau thing, cuz...?" Sunflower questioned.

"I didn't think the plateau would be in Saddle Arabia, or that it even existed. It was a myth, even among the most superstitious ponies. But even if that isn't the Plateau of G'nel, I think we shouldn't take any chances."





The zeppelin landed on a flat patch of sand near the plateau, and the team disembarked with their armor, weapons, and other equipment at the ready.

"Daring Do, if this is that plateau...then what can we expect?" asked Teddy.

"Nightmarish horrors beyond comprehension." said Daring Do, grimly. "The plateau is said to be inhabited by a race of monsters from beyond the depths of space and time, brought there by the power of Saegmuntitus himself."

"Who's Saegmuntitus?" asked Golden Sun.

"A wretched devil-god unlike anything ever seen in Equestria, whose powers and motives are unknown." said Daring Do. "I had an encounter with an apparition of his in the past and barely escaped with my life. And I could tell that it was only a fragment of his true power."

"Oh, yeah!" said Sunset. "I remember...I was told about him a while ago, by Kin--I mean, my boyfriend. I've been meaning to ask someone about him, but I got seriously side-tracked and--"

"Look, since we've decided not to just fly up there, why don't we try finding a path up to the top of that plateau." said Scarlet Blaze. "Cosmic horrors or not, we've got to get to King Nelphyn somehow."

"I'll fly around and check." said Lightning Dust.

"No!" said Daring. "We need to stick together. There's no telling what could be waiting for us out here, so far in the desert."

Teddy looked up, aghast. A long shadow passed over the group.

"How about...them?!" he pointed up, frantically.

They looked up at the sky, and saw multiple winged shapes circling around the sun.

"Relax, those are just vultures." said Trixie.

Suddenly, the circling vultures started to descend towards them, going faster and faster. And the closer they came, the larger they appeared to be. And it didn't take the flashing red eyes, razor-sharp talons, or the baleful wails emitting from their beaks to make it clear...that these giant birds were hostile.

"Look out!" Sunset Shimmer shouted aloud, blasting a beam of her aura at the birds.

And not a moment too soon, as the winged creatures quailed and all flew away in a scattered panic.

Sunset felt her heart racing as she watched them fly away.

"What...was that?" asked Trixie, gasping for breath.

"I'd say we just met some of the more...exotic wildlife of Saddle Arabia." said Daring Do. "Those were Rocs: Big, nasty, and live only to make everypony's live as miserable as possible. On the other hand, through, they're just bullies and complete cowards."

"Those were the Rocs?!" exclaimed Sunset. "But they looked nothing like the one we..."

She paused.

"Um...I think we better get to that plateau now." said Radiant. "You know, in case those birds come back."

"But what about the Summerstar?" asked Golden Sun. "They might come back and destroy it."

"Fine, we can leave Pressure Point to watch it." said Sunset.

"There's no way I'm going to stay behind with those things out and about!"

"Fine." said Sunflower. "I'll stay with ya to protect from the big bad boidies! Besides, I don't wanna take my chances with the plateau, it just sounds scary. Even for me."

"Same here." said Teddy, giving his flare gun to Trixie.

"Fine." said Sunset. "Just promise you three won't fly off without us."

"Deal!" said Sunflower.

"You know we wouldn't do that!" said Teddy.

"Oh, I think ought ta stick around, too." said Frosty. "Ya know, in case this hunk'a junk needs some repairs...or we all need ta get the heck outta here in a hurry."

"Fine, Frosty." said Nose Nip. "If that's how you wanna be."

"As for the rest of us, let's get up that plateau!" said Daring Do.