By the time Cosgrove was warped back to his cell, day succumbed into night early. The colt walked back and forth among his cell trying not to sleep. Faust knows what would happen if one would sleep while Nightmare Moon was around. And this is was going one against all match, he needed to find his friends and get out of Tambelon.
His head and ears pricked up at the sound of hooves down the hall. Assuming a defensive pose, he came face to face with the goat he fought at the arena with Schnookums. Cosgrove bared his teeth ready to attack.
“Lets go!”
When the goat opened the door, Cosgrove pounced on the goat, pressing his hoof against his throat
“You’ve said the right words!” he said with a growl.
“No, not fight. Move!” The goat yelped
Cosgrove cocked his head after releasing him.
“What?”
The goat shushed him, “I’ve overheard what is happening tomorrow and I want to get you out of here.”
“Not just me, but my friends too!”
The goat looked around before eying the colt. “There are many prisoners, how do you know which ones to find?”
“Oh I’ll know when I see them. Let’s go.”
The colt and the goat ran through the dungeon, looking at each cell. They found an interesting array of creatures he never seen before; specimens include a red-brown Baku, a black and violet Wyvern, and a Roc. They later began hearing frantic noises too indescribable to understand by a slow wit. Following the noise, they found a constant blur running back and forth, mumbling words that at best can be described as,
“Getmeoutofhere! Igottagetoutofhere!”
The goat unlocked the cage when he was pushed back by the force of the Sleipnir as he ran away down the hall.
“He’ll be far away by now.” The goat groaned
“We’ll split up, we can cover more ground!”
“You won’t stand much of a chance alone.”
“...Better one… Than both…” Cosgrove shakingly said.
The two went on separate paths. The goat bounded down the hall. At one point he found two of his fellow goats knocked out. The brown ram scratched his head when an orange blur leapt at him, pinning him to the wall. Second time a hoof was at his throat, a growl was heard.
“Start talking…”
Cosgrove made his way out the dungeons. Sticking to the roof tops, he avoided the sight of the guards that would otherwise through him back or worse interrogate the goat that helped him.
“But Master, I did not know he would be such a great fighter.” a gravely voice heard from inside the building.
Leaping onto a window sill, the colt looked inside. Grogar was talking to a fire. Cosgrove couldn’t make out the image, but it appeared to be a pony. Somepony was telling him all the locations of certain combatants.
“Silence pony! This could be one that may be won by those your wretched kind again. Fortunately I found one that will turn the tide tomorrow.”
“Yes Master, Nightmare Moon will prove a great asset, maybe even a queen.”
“Don’t overdo it, no… When I have conquered Equestria, she will join the fallen, yes. Don’t fail me and I may just spare you’re worthless life.”
“Y-yes Master…”
As the flame died out, Cosgrove crept out. Hopping down an alleyway, he turned around when he bumped to a larger object. Looking up, it was a guard ram, but not the one that helped him. Display ran back down the road with the goat following him. While the Hipparion leapt over any obstacles, the ram charged through.
The mountain goat bounded in front of his prey and thwacked the colt with his hard head. Display rubbed his chest, paying good attention to his larger foe approaching him. Just as the ram rose up to stamp him, the wall to his right burst open. The larger chunks of rubble crushed the ram. From the hole another ram walked forward, this time joined by an injured horse filly. The young horse looked at the ground.
"Excuse me." She said before stamping her hoof.
Display noticed her right away, though there are a few noticeable marks such as a cut on her left ear.
"Chelsey... You look terrible..."
"Well you are no picnic basket yourself."
Chelsey shook off the dust from her fur.
"Where is Zecora?"
"We split off to find Diver. Where is Zipper?"
Suddenly a speedy blurry knocked the larger mare to the wall. The dust cleared again, revealing Zipper cuddling with Chelsey. Chelsey yelped constantly before shoving the Sleipnir away.
"Feeling better?" Said Cosgrove
Zipper responded with a simple nod.
"Good, then follow me." Said Chelsey as she turned around.
The group of foals and goat followed her through the dark alleys. Stopping frequently at the patrolling guards, they avoided their line of sight in the shadows. Cosgrove had no clue just where the young horse was leading them. They finally stopped at a small, yet ugly, garden.
Ahead of them, Zecora carried Diver on her back. The Merpony suffered a great deal. Aside from cuts around her entire body, a well aimed bite mark removed part of her tail. The Zebra kept patting her cheek to keep her awake.
“Oh Celestia…” Said Cosgrove as he examined one of his circus friends.
“Your have such a strong friend, but this one has many wounds to mend.” Said the zebra while shuffling the merpony’s weight around her shoulders.
Cosgrove, Zipper and Chelsey then turned their attention to the goat soldier that joined them.
“You! Is there anything like a potion shop around here?”
The goat turned the group’s attention to a smoke cloud a short walk away. A while later, Chelsey and the ram bust open the door, allowing them to enter a very elaborate potion store, one triple the size of Zecora’s hut. Zipper grabbed the Merpony and carried her to an illuminating hourglass structure.
“Well?” Cosgrove asked Zecora
“All the mixes for the healing brew, this will do.”
As Diver rested on the Sleipnir’s lap, he noticed blood flowing from her limp tail.
“Sheislosingalotofblood!”
“Let’s help Zecora then!” Shouted Cosgrove.
Under Zecora’s guidance, the other foals and goat spread throughout the room. Cosgrove climbed on a ladder, grabbing a pink vile and a jar containing water reeds. Chelsey grabbed a hoof full of containers holding sugarcanes, apple cores, and strawberry seeds. Zipper ran up and down the shelves, each trip holding a jar containing a pickled animal. The goat handed each jar to Zecora, who then emptied the contents into a large pot.
After the brew finished, Zecora handed a bowl to Cosgrove, who then ran over and funneled the elixir down Diver’s mouth. The tail wound was covered up by accumulating flesh, though it did leave a dark bruise. Chelsey drank the brew as well, restoring her chipped ear among other wounds. Cosgrove, believing Screwball’s magic was temporary, drank the potion to permanently address the wound. The Hipparion looked at the goat who helped them escape their cells. He walked over to the goat.
“Thank you… Uhhh…”
“Trog. My name is Trog.”
“Why have you helped us?”
“I am one of the few that kept our sanity each time Tambelon is sent to the darkness. Every 500 years we return to Equestria, and I watch as many of your world’s finest warriors fight to defend their home. Including Celestia.”
“Can anyone defeat Grogar… Permanently?”
“The only way to fully defeat Grogar is to ring the Grand Bell, the source of his power. Problem is, nopony, not even I know-”
Trog was interrupted by laughter that sounded from a Filly. Cosgrove and the others looked around the hall just when the former’s shadow zipped from under him, giving the Hipparion a jump. The shadow lightened itself into Screwball floating in mid air.
“Then it’s fortunate you have a Jr. Spirit of Chaos with you.”
“You know where the bell is?” said Diver
“Uh hello! I have lived for millennia, I know virtually anything.”
“Then you can show us the way!” Said Chelsey as she pointed her hoof at Screwball.
Screwball furrowed her eyebrow.
“Didn’t your parents say it is rude to point?“ the Chaos Pony asked as she moved the much larger mare’s hoof.
Cosgrove realized what she meant. Screwball wouldn't do anything without a favor in return. While the Hipparion has been in good terms with the Chaos pony, it wasn't much of a case between his friends.
"Screwball... Remember how you said if I lost one of your games, I would do you a favor?"
The statement caught the pony from her huff.
"What was that favor?"
Screwball landed on the floor and began walking slowly to the colt. Her static expression made him uneasy. When she was right at his face, Cosgrove shut his eyes. A few moments later he opened them again to find her gone. He looked around and found Zipper, Chelsey, and Diver with their mouths agape. Zecora and Trog held a straight expression.
“...What...?” Said Cosgrove with a cocked head.
Chelsey sheepishly eyed the others before shaking her head.
“Okay, we need to formulate a plan. Trog, you will release the rest of the combatants from their cells. Chelsey, you will help Diver and Zecora get out safely. ...I will search for the bell.”
“You mean I will lead you to the bell.” said Screwball’s disconnected voice.
“And what will I do?” said Zipper with a yawn
“You will run over to Canterlot and tell Princess Celestia of our whereabouts. And that there is a double agent among her.”
“But I’m so exhausted from all this running all night.”
Cosgrove recalled that the brew had sugar materials.
“Drink the brew.”
“You know I’m-”
“Zipper, this is a life or death situation. Our only hope is to keep Grogar occupied enough until I ring the Grand Bell or The Elements of Harmony arrive.”
Zipper furrowed his eyebrows, trotted over to the large pot and dunked his head into the brew. Large slurping sounds can be heard as the Sleipnir drank the entire pot. Zipper turned around, his snout wet, and his belly distended to the floor. The others looked at him closely as the brew reacted with his stomach. His eyes shrank before becoming completely black. Immediately he darted out the door, ran up the wall and out into the rocky outcrops.
Cosgrove followed Screwball to the tunnels. Chelsey lifted Diver onto her shoulders and followed Zecora. Trog made his way back to the dungeons. The first cell he came to contained Schnookums.
“Your friend needs you.” Said Trog as he opened the cage.