Morgana's way to anywhere is usually picking a direction that looks like the best way and following it to where it took her. Surprisingly this works out better than you would think. As if Equestria would rearrange the land around her to accommodate her travels. "You need to go where? Okay. Mountains? What mountains? I don't see any...Oh those mountains. I'll be damned. How did they get their I wonder? Lemme just move those for you."
Following a path taking her through some very old caverns, she saw hints that proved she was on the right road. It was the little clues like the piles of pony skeletons, the broken rusted weapons that hasn't been used for over a millennium. The wooden sign that was so old it was pretty much stone now. With the words "This way to Castle Constellation" on it, was the biggest giveaway.
Her sword extended, illuminating the underground, making even brighter by reflecting off her golden armor, turning her into a bright little ball of moving light, cutting its way through the darkness.
Morgana tingled with excitement. This was her time, her moment to show Equestria, more important Celestia who she is and what she could do. Ever since she was young she envisioned a special order of knights under Canterlot's banner. A group to rival the Wonderbolts, with her as its leader. All she needed was something big to get everyponies attention. Unfortunately world threatening villains are few and far between, and those that do pop-up are usually stopped by this Twilight Sparkle and her friends. (Thanks girls.)
Not this time, she was going to personally bring Constellation's head back to the princesses, the rest of her is optional. She was going to get the recognition that was owed to her, she was going to save Equestria, she was going to have Celestia officially see her, She was going to have her name know throughout the land. Surpassing Princess Twilight and her friends. But first she needs to stop daydreaming and pay attention the where she is going or else she might walk into... SLAM! Went the door in front of her stopping her from continuing. ...A trap.
The sound of another door being slid down made her look behind. Turning her head she saw a roughly carved rock-like hand pulling a slab over the way she just came in. Carved from the stone round it that made them almost perfectly blend into the background, the two stone golems detached themselves from the wall. "Haven't seen a pony here in ages," said one of the golems smiling wickedly.
"Maybe she got lost?" Questioned the second one sneering, "I wonder if they are still just as breakable."
"We will certainly find out," said the first golem as the door rumbled to a stop. Leaving the three of them in total darkness.
For a moment there was silence except for the quiet drip of water slowly dropping off stalactites no other noise was heard.
It is a beautiful day in Equestria. Somewhere in the world above them, Celestia is shining the sun over the land, somewhere ponies are singing songs about friendship, or flowers, or cupcakes, or whatever the hell ponies sing about on days like these. Somewhere a pony is learning valuable life lessons that would expand her views infinitely.
Here a loud thumping sound of something large and heavy being slammed against a wall repeatedly followed by a high-pitched feminine squeal , followed by more loud banging, more screams of pain. Accompanying the scraping sound of a door trying to be hastily open, as if someone was frantically trying to escape. Suddenly stopping with more noise of an object being dragged back. With more banging noises, sounding like a head being slapped against a wall, with yet another screaming and even the slight hint of crying. Then silence again.
Somewhere overhead a pony and her friends are visiting her brother and wife to see her newborn niece.
Ever so slowly the door was finally opened, filling the room with much needed light. Calmly walking out Morgana wiped the bits of stone off of her sword before sheathing it, wondering if she might have gotten a little carried away in their. Checking her appearance to make sure everything was in place. Morgana galloped onwards towards her goal.
****
"Rise," said Constellation standing over the glowing pit.
Churning waves of black and green almost a fog hung over the pit, Making it impossible to see what lies beyond. Constellation felt like a god Standing next to the realm of the dead. A kind of god that you paint pictures on ceilings, and leave plates of fruits on some hidden temple in the forest. Not the other kind that leaves a trail of slime wherever it goes, and no one knows how to spell correctly without looking it up in a dictionary, not that kind.
Dark waves of magical energy poured out of the hole caressing Constellation and Cosco, illuminating the both of them briefly in a greenish light before passing away from them in their travels. She was enjoying this, this feeling of power, of being beyond the skills of others. Equestria was going to be hers, she could just taste it.
"Come to me," she said watching the pit with glee. "My armies are needed once more."
"We follow again," said a voice like the opening of a coffin. The sounds of many hooves slowly marching in unison could be heard from beyond the pit growing louder both in closeness and bodies. Damned. An army of the damned was assembling, ready to conquer the world of the living.
"Yes my loyal undead. Follow me too...Eww! Eww!" said Constellation jumping backwards in disgust. As a limb broke through the blackness.
"What?" asked Cosco, "its just the dead."
"But do they have to be so dead-like? Eww! Eww! Gross! Gross! Gross!"
"That's not very nice," said the voice from the pit.
"Yes," said Cosco, "names hurt Con you should know that."
"What if we said you had a big butt. Would you like that?"
"My butt isn't big," snorted Constellation. "I'll have you know I have a very shapely plot."
"Their are planets that are smaller than your butt," said the voice. "Fat ass."
"Hey!" Screamed Constellation as she prepared a magic beam.
"Both of you stop it," shouted Cosco losing patience. "If this keeps up I will cancel the invasion and send you both home. I swear I'll do it."
Even the hole managed some semblance of embarrassment with Constellation standing next to it.
"She started it," said the voice.
"I don't care who started it, it ends now. Do I make myself clear."
Mumble, mumble, mumble.
"I didn't hear that."
"Yes we'll behave," both of them said at once.
"Now I want you both to shake on it."
A partially decayed hoof emerged from the blackness surrounded in a green aura. It wavered in the air moving slightly, waiting for a response. With a great show of disgust Constellation brought her own hoof out briefly shaking it as they touched. "Ewwwww!" she moaned softly while turning her head being unable to look. "Gross! Gross! Gross! Gross!"
"Their now, was that so hard?" asked Cosco.
"Now that we got that out of the way," said Constellation, "can you pretty please release the seal surrounding my palace?"
"Okie-dokie," said the voice. As a flash of green lightning erupted from the pit, traveling upwards higher and higher, it blasted its way through the ceiling, still traveling up, finally hitting the swirling barrier that imprisoned Constellation.
Traveling outwards from where lightning struck the magical wall began to disappear,spreading outwards as it went. For the first time in over a thousand years sunlight began to pierce her land. Constellation found she missed the sun, seeing it and feeling on her made her almost want to jump around with joy. "This feels amazing," she said. "Cosco join me."
"I will Con but first I need to do a few things," said Cosco. "I'll be back in a short time." And with that he got up and walked away.
"Fat ass," mumbled a voice to softly to hear.
****
"Are we their yet?"
"Five more minutes."
"You said that five minutes ago."
"Five more minutes from when you asked."
"I'm tired."
"Keep going."
"I'm thirsty."
"We'll be their shortly."
"I have to go to the bathroom."
"You can hold it."
Aurora Rosewater and Sir William continued walking through the forest following the blue dot not talking to each other for a moment.
"Are we their yet?"
"Five more minutes."
"You said that five minutes ago."
"Five more minutes from when you asked."
Their stimulating conversation was interrupted when a black vortex began to appear a short distance in front of them. The both of them watched the swirling dark energy dissipate, leaving a black castle suddenly appearing over the forest of trees surrounding them. With the blue dot from the crystal ball pointing directly to it
"Five more minutes," said Sir William pushing his way through the brush while using his sword to cut away at the growth. It would have been helpful if he has sharpened his sword at times, once would have been really good. But he was able to clear away a somewhat of a path for the two of them. Branches falling off more out of a desire not to depress Sir William than any labor on his part.
Aurora yipped as another tree limb swatted her on her plot. She didn't trust the trees here, they had an entirely too innocent look on them
Making their way onwards Aurora noticed Sir William getting more and more excited. He was enjoying himself, making it even scarier for her. She wondered would their be enough of the both of them for Hoover Hoovington to bury once this Constellation is finished with them. Probably something small like a lunch box that together they will be placed in.
Kicking herself for following him into certain death. The images of the undead knights tearing apart Celestia and her army still flashed through her mind. A part of her mind was already calculating how far she could get away before everything was destroyed. But...there's always a but in these things. She couldn't ignore everything she saw, couldn't turn her back on her friend, no matter how insane he is.
The black castle loomed closer as Sir William fought the forest, hacking it into submission as he traveled. He could start to see the outlines of her territory through the breaks in the woods. Laughing at the thought of all the evil he would destroy he pushed himself onwards. Almost running as he broke through the last of the trees.
"FOR GLO...Wait this isn't right," said Sir William seeing how wonderful the place was.
The place was beautiful in a if you love-the-color-black kind of way. Black exotic sculptures of ponies tastefully placed along a checker boarded lawn of different shades of black. Off to one side was a small black lake with an island tactfully shaded black in the middle. The whole place gave off a relaxing evil atmosphere. Like a bed and breakfast that would kill you in a horrifying yet polite way.
"I was expecting something more...," said Aurora.
"What? Evil? Sinister?" said a voice coming from a stone chair with its back towards them. "Something from the dark pit of a ponies heart? Why can't we have nice stuff as well."
"Are you Constellation?"
"No I am just her servant, you can call me...uff...call me...call me...grrr...excuse me but this chair doesn't swivel. Could you do me a favor and put your hooves over your eyes for just one moment, I would really appreciate it."
Shrugging their shoulders Aurora and Sir William did what was asked of them. They could hear grunting of someone wrestling with something really heavy that was being moved. This when on for a moment until the voice talked again, "Okay you can open them now."
In the chair sat a stone cat smiling at them with an evil glint in its eye. On its lap sat a rubber mouse squeak toy which he slowly stroked. "You can call me Cosco and I will be your death for today," said the stone cat.
"You expect us to fight?" said Sir William.
"No I expect you to die," said Cosco saying the words again silently under his breath, "You know I like that phrase. I expect you to die, that's a good one I'll have to remember that."
"Ha!" said Aurora, "Rock or not you will have to do better than that."
"Oh I intend to," Cosco said jumping down.
Swirls of powerful magical waves enveloped him, caressing his stone body. Growing larger the stone feline became more menacing, more dangerous. His face elongated as its razor-sharp diamond like teeth protruded from its lips. Claws extending from his now huge paws raked the chair. Leaving deep gashes and still they grew longer. "Will this do?" said Cosco now a lethal instrument of death as he jumped onto the ground.
"I'll handle this," said Sir William drawing his sword, "Demon or not I will still stop you."
WHAM! Went Sir William's sword flying out of his hoof from a flick of Cosco's paw. The sword flipped through the air making a poor swooshing noise His blade wasn't sharp enough to cut the air around it more like move it politely to one side as it traveled, finally sticking into the ground a short ways off.
"What are your plans now little pony?" said the stone cat turning its attention back towards the knight. Which had just enough time to get a nice view of Sir William's hoof punching his face.
"Outh! Thath wathn't thery nith," growled Cosco nose already swelling from the blow, "I'll makth youth patyh thor that."
Crouching downward hind legs extending he prepared to pounce Sir William when a bright flash of magical light hit him in the face. Momentarily confused while fighting the spots in his eyes and the pain. His vision had cleared enough to see Aurora hit him again with another blast of magic from her horn. Then another as he started to shrink back.
"I tham gething theally thired ofth this," said Cosco letting his rage get the better of him. "Die thupid ponth!!" he roared while leaping in the air. Extending his stone claws he was prepared to slice that dumb unicorn in half.
Or would have if not Sir William got to her first and shielded her with his body.
His claw racked downward across his rusty armor, leaving a deep gash running down its back. Too big for Sir William the claw passed inched from his skin, making a horrible noise that made Cosco's body stand straight up.
Aurora wiggled her head from under Sir William's body. With a clear shot she fired another blast of magic from her horn.
"Thath itths!" raged Cosco, "I am gointh tho thear the both ofth you aparth." And with a backhanded swipe of it's claw, Sir Williams flew a short distance in air while tumbling head over heels. Hitting the ground with a loud clang, causing a gentle rain of rust to float down all around him. "Than nowth thits yourth thurn." Cosco said to Aurora who cowered on the ground.
She saw the giant, feral, stone cat flex his paws extending his razor sharp and very lethal looking claws even further. She imagined her death a thousand times as she traveled with Sir William and his insanity. Granted being disemboweled by a giant demonic cat made of rock wasn't on her list but she wasn't surprised with all that has happened since she join Sir William and his craziness. But more than that as her eyes fixated on the claws that will shortly end her, she found herself unable to stop laughing.
First it came out in a short giggle, then to an infectious laughter. Clutching her sides she squeezed her eyes shut as tears started rolling down her cheeks. Each giggle brought out more laughter as she clutched her ribs, chest already sore from her uncontrollable glee. This was crazy and she knew it but she couldn't stop. She really hoped that her final moments on Equestria would be more than insane laughter as she was destroyed.
"Thop That!" yelled Cosco with his nose already swollen considerably, with a mixture of anger and confusion over this pony who was surely going to die. "Whath isth wrong with youth poniths?"
Which only made Aurora laugh harder, "If I survive this I'll probably need lots of therapy," she thought to herself. Aurora remembered reading about his high stressful situations has produced a phenomenon where some ponies have had fits of laughter as a way of coping with it. She wondered if certain death constitutes as one.
Cosco was too busy with the strange pony having the laughing fit to notice Sir William sneak behind him. Sword too far away he was forced to take the fight in another direction. Picking up the giant cats tail he gripped it tightly with his hooves, put the tail into his mouth and bit down hard. He was surprised how the rock bended easily in-between his teeth.
Aurora watched the demon cat jump into the air screaming in pain, with her friend holding on for dear life. The sight of the insanity would have made her laugh even more, too bad she was tapped out in the funny department. But she have enough sense that her friend needed help. Unfortunately her laughter was making everything harder to focus. Trying to concentrate was like trying to tap dance on a bear trap. Granted she knew that didn't make sense but it was the best she could think of at the moment.
Letting her magic reach out from her horn, she grabbed the first thing she could get, which happened to be the stone chair. Lifting it up was hard work, moving it was harder, her laughter was subsiding with her strain. She could see Cosco still fighting with Sir William, trying to get him to off. Nimbly he avoided the attacks, but he couldn't last forever, sooner or later his claws would get him.
As the two fought she brought the chair around and using every ounce of energy she slammed it into the giant cats head, making him drop like a light. Cautiously the two of them got up, readying themselves in case another attack was immanent. "I hope that will put him out for awhile," said Aurora.
"I wanted to stop him," cried Sir William.
"I'll tell you what. You can stop the next monster we fight, is that okay?"
"I guess so."
"So umm where do we go next exactly?" asked Aurora looking around.
As if some cosmic cue was answering the call. A flash of green lightning poured out from a nearby tower. Rising upwards as if to assault the very sky, it showered the air above them with dark evil energy. Because, you know evil, it's what they do.
Grabbing his fallen sword truth, the pair approached the tower.