//------------------------------// // Escape // Story: Zero 30 // by Dreagknight-LostWriter //------------------------------// Going through the back entrance was easy, due to the fact that somehow the guards was scarce in the area. Most of the royal guards was focus around Celestia chamber, and the royal bat guards near Luna. Sneaking through the palace was far easier than they have thought, only a few times did they have to knock out a guard. “I thought the Palace would be more heavily guarded than this.” Volt said, as he rounded the corner. “Think this might be Celestia’s doing?” Aurora said, as she dragged a guard in a nearby closet. “Remember, Cherry said Celestia herself don’t know what's about to happen, so that mean Flint may have something to do with this instead.” Volt said, taking out the map that was given to him. “So, how far do we have to go?” Aurora asked, looking around the corridor. “Not far. Lets go, the sooner we do this, the faster we can get out of here.” Volt said, stuffing the map back into his saddlebag. “What's wrong, getting nervous?” Aurora smirk, at the same time using this as an excuse of removing the tension in the air. “No I’m no-, your getting a kick out of this are you?” “Maybe.” Aurora laugh to herself. Volt sighed as they continue to trot through the Palace. The library was one of the few places that wasn’t guarded, but the duo wasn’t taking any chances, so they stuck to the shadows. Finally making it to the forbidden wing, they begin to search around for the Tome. “So, where this Tome suppose to be at?” Aurora asked, looking through the old scrolls. “Don't know.” “Does the map give any clues?” Aurora asked, peering around bookcases. “No.” “Really,” Aurora ears flatten at that. “Not even a little?” “No, it only point in this area.” Volt said, showing her the map. Scuffing, Aurora went back to searching all the shelves while Volt search for any hidden spots. After 20 minutes of searching Aurora gave up, thinking it might have been moved. Volt on the other hoof kept searching, but to no availed. “Are you sure it’s here?” Aurora question. “I mean the Tome should be hidden away in an area unknown.” As she said this, her tailed hit one of the scrolls and knocked it off the shelf sending it rolling across the floor. Picking up the scroll in her telekinesis grasp, she was about to place it back on the shelf when the corner of her eyes caught something. There inside the shelf was a book among scrolls. Walking over to it, Aurora removed the scrolls to find the book was wrapped and stuck inside the shelf. “Volt, I think i found the Tome.” Aurora called out in a loud whisper. “You did?” Volt asked, rushing over to Aurora side. The book was large, but wrapped, so Volt couldn't tell if it was the one or not. With a quick spell check, he found the shelf to be enchanted. “Yeah I think this is it. Ok quickly, lets replace the book and get out of here.” Volt said taking the fake book out of the saddlebag. With a quick swap they had the book as the fake one was suck into the orginal place. Unwrapping the book, they found it to be the Tome they was looking for. Quickly placing the Tome into his bag, the duo made a B-line to the back entrance. They didn't even make it out the library before trouble found them. As they headed for the doorway they had to quickly hide as they heard galloping in the halls. “All guards on look out for any suspicious intruders within the area. A few guards are missing and the ones that was found are unconscious.” They over heard one of the guards say as he rounded the corner with more guards in towed. “Dammit, what do we do now?” Volt whispered, as he looked back out in the hallway. “I don’t know? We can’t just hide here all day or we’ll get caught.” Aurora hissed back. “It would be easier if we could just teleport out of here, but we are at risk of being found out and or followed.” Volt said, now peering over the corner wall. “I think it’s clear. Come on, let’s go before they make a double search time in this area.” Now Volt and Aurora senses was on high alert as they crept through the halls. The guards was scatter about as the duo found themselves hiding most of the time. While the guards was in a frenzy searching for the unknown invaders, Volt and Aurora made use of the rocks they had  to throw the guards off their path. As they continue on their way to the exit, they heard more guards coming their way. In a panic, the duo dove into the closes room near them. Peeking through the doorway they overheard two guards talking. “Any news on the invaders whereabouts?” One off the guards asked. He was a sturdy grey unicorn with a silver mane. “No sir, all the area’s where anything that's valuable, has been thoroughly checked.” The other guard said, who was a white earth pony with a brown mane. The one thing that Aurora notice about the guards, was that the unicorn had a different set of armor then the normal guards. The big difference between the two set of armor, was that the unicorn was wearing a full set of armor. While the regular guards had armored hoof padding, body armored and a helmet, the unicorn guard armor cover every ounce of his body, but his head. “What about the magical arcane wing or the Equestrian artifact archive?” The unicorn asked. “Sir, the archive has been checked, guards are now making there way to the arcane wing as we speak.” The guard replied. “Good.” The unicorn said before casting a spell. The spell looked like it was sending off pulsating waves of magical energy rippled through the area. “And the Princesses?” The unicorn asked as his spell pulsate through the halls. “Sir, the Princesses has also join in on the search with a group of guards by their sides.” The guard said as he shifted where he stood. “Sir, if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing?” The guard asked as he watch the energy waves rippled through the halls. “I am searching for any hints of magical uses within the area. Unicorns, pegasus and changelings are the most likely subjects that would dare break into a Royal Palace.” The unicorn replied, his magic dying down as the last magical wave rippled through the halls. “Even though I can't detect pegasus with this spell, I can say for certain that there are unicorns within the area. How many, I do not know, but I do know where their last location was.” The unicorn said, trotting down the hall where Volt and Aurora came from. “Sir, how can you tell the difference between our own ranks and the invaders?” The guard asked, following the unicorn. “Lets just say…” he stop for a second as he answered. “There's a difference between a train unicorn guard magical correspondence relay, to that of a regular unicorns magic.” That was all the Unicorn said before he trotted down the hall with the other guard.