//------------------------------// // Into the Crypts // Story: Spike's Doom and/or Destiny // by terrycloth //------------------------------// Bon Bon was apparently enough of a rogue to find the hidden lever that opened the portcullis, and with Spike bravely taking the lead, the intrepid adventurers descended the rough-hewn staircase that led to their destiny. As they descended, the air got warmer and dryer, and a steady orange glow brightened as they approached the bottom of the stairs. They emerged from the staircase onto a narrow causeway crossing a glowing pool of bubbling orange liquid. “Is that lava?” Spike asked, looking over the edge. “Jump in and find out,” Moondancer said. Spike considered it, but, “Nah, it’s like ten feet down. I wouldn’t be able to climb back up.” “I guess we’re not in Ponyville anymore!” Derpy said, hovering up off the ground and flitting towards the edge. Bon Bon grabbed her by the tail and dragged her back to the middle. “Let’s not tempt fate,” she said. “Everypony stay on the path.” “Even if we see hidden treasure?” Derpy asked. “Look!” She pointed her hoof, and following it, the others were able to dimly make out a bright glint from something shiny on another platform through the heat distortion rising from the lava. Bon Bon shook her head. “I don’t think you’re meant to just fly over the lava. It’s obviously a barrier. There’ll be another way to get to the treasure.” “Unless flying over is the way,” Spike said. “Games have secrets you only pass using a special ability all the time.” “Moondancer?” Bon Bon asked. “What do you think?” “It’s obviously a trap,” she said. “The gold probably isn’t even real. For that matter, this whole bridge could be rigged to sink into the lava. We should get moving.” The trotted – or in Spike’s case, jogged – down the bridge, which showed no signs of collapsing, until they came to a larger platform right in the middle of the room. As Spike set foot on it, the floor started to rumble, and before their eyes, a large pony skeleton rose from the ground, its eyes glowing bright green. It clattered menacingly. Spike stepped forwards, drawing his sword, and roared back at it, drawing its attention. It met his gaze, and as one they leapt for each other, the skeleton with its bony hooves and sharp shards of shattered teeth, and Spike with his rusty blade. “Ahhh! Get it off get if off!” Spike banged on the side of the skeletal pony’s neck with his sword, while its teeth held him in place, latched on to his shoulder. They weren’t able to penetrate his scales, but it kept gnawing, and it hurt! “I’ve got this,” Moondancer said, and then there was the faint chime of unicorn magic, and the skeleton shattered into a pile of bones. “You okay, little guy?” “I’m fine,” Spike said, his breathing gradually slowing. “I was just a little startled, that’s all.” “Are you sure you’re a wizard?” Derpy asked. “Shut up,” Moondancer said. “She’s got a point,” Bon Bon said. “You kind of just hit it with your staff.” “I didn’t want to waste my magic points,” Moondancer said. “Wizards hit things with staffs all the time.” === They had to fight a lot more skeletons. Every few steps, it seemed, the ground would rumble, and more skeletons would rise up before them, hissing and chattering their teeth, and then leap at Spike. Soon he was sore all over, but the skeletons couldn’t really hurt him, so he kept leaping forwards to get their attention, and then did his best to block their attacks while the rest of the party bashed at them with their weapons. “Come on, use a spell!” Derpy said, after Moondancer took out yet another skeleton with her staff. “I want to see your battle magic!” “I’m saving it for the boss,” Moondancer said. “You don’t actually know any battle magic, do you,” Bon Bon said. Moondancer rolled her eyes. “I read through Big Bee’s Basics last year. I’m pretty sure I can remember some of the spells.” “You’d be more sure if you actually practiced with them,” Derpy said. “I’m not going to practice in the middle of a dungeon!” Moondancer said. “I’ll just tire myself out, and have nothing left when we actually come up against something dangerous. I don’t know how these illusions work, but I’m pretty sure that if we mess up and get killed it’s going to hurt. A lot.” “And?” Bon Bon said. Moondancer scrunched up her muzzle. “And I don’t like pain? I thought that part was self-explanatory.” “Don’t worry,” Spike said, getting to his feet, a bit wobbly. “I’ll protect you.” Derpy frowned at Spike. “Looks like somepony needs a muffin.” “Well, too bad,” Bon Bon said. “We didn’t bring any with us, and even if I was a cook, I wouldn’t be able to summon muffins out of nothing. Maybe you should try praying to the great muffin?” Derpy narrowed her eye, then sat up and folded her forelegs against her heart. “Oh great muffin, please heal Spike.” A faint noise wafted through the air, like a choir of angels, and a bright spotlight shone down from the ceiling, blinding anypony who tried to look for its source. Slowly, reverently, a sparkling muffin descended from the light, landing in Spike’s outstretched claw as he reached for it. He gingerly took a bite – and his eyes went wide. “Hey!” he said, around a mouthful of muffin. “This is really good!” === Two thousand million billion skeletons (and half a dozen muffins) later, they finally reached what had to be the last chamber of the dungeon. They’d never found a way to the treasure platform in the lava cave, although they had found a bunch of gold and gems tucked away in one corner or another, as well as some upgrades for their equipment. Spike now had a spiked shield that damaged the enemies as they attacked him, Moondancer had found a wand that shot little balls of light (although she decided to stick with her trusty staff), and Bon Bon had unearthed a well-crafted, jewel encrusted ladle. “It’s a mace,” she insisted. “Rogues uses maces, especially against skeletons.” Derpy giggled. “Whatever you say!” The last chamber was lit by braziers with evil purple flames, and filled with covered sarcophagi that they knew from experience were likely to contain either a group of angry skeletons, or a small amount of gold. At the far end was a majestic doorway, lined in glowing runes, and before it stood a skeletal dragon, flanked by a pair of gigantic skeletal ponies. The party of adventurers froze as they entered the room, but while the skeletons had obviously seen them, they seemed content to bide their time. So Derpy shrugged, and flipped the lid off the first sarcophagus. “Ooh! Gems!” Ten minutes later, they’d fought off the last of the coffin-dwelling skeletons, and were standing directly before what was obviously the boss monster of the skeleton dungeon. “So… do I just go up and hit him?” Spike asked. “That, or try yelling at him again,” Derpy suggested. Suddenly, there was a terrifying roar, and the skeletal dragon leapt at the group. “Big Bee’s Bubble!” Moondancer shouted, her horn flaring as she cringed back and hid behind her staff. With a loud ‘pop’, a force field appeared around the group. It shivered as the dragon slammed into it, then shredded beneath its claws with a noise like tearing metal. But it had bought them some time. Bon Bon and Derpy leapt at it with their weapons clutched in their teeth, and bashed on its sides as Spike danced in front of it and tried to hold its attention. Its fierce teeth darted down at the tiny dragon, latching onto his shield, and lifted him up into the air. “Ahhhh!” Spike let out a high-pitched scream, meant to taunt the dragon into continuing to attack him, and held tightly onto his shield as it shook its head back and forth like a dog playing with a stuffed toy. “Watch out!” Moondancer shouted, but too late. While they were all focused on the dragon, the two giant ponies had moved up, and each gave a hollow, reverberating whinny as it swiveled around on its forelegs to position itself for a mighty buck. “Gah!” “Nooo!” The two hapless ponies cried out in agony as they went flying the length of the room to crumple against the wall to either side of the door they’d come in. “Ahhh!” Spike screamed again, but it was useless – with one last shake, the dragon tossed him down half the length of the room to tumble and roll to a halt between his teammates. “Um… good skeleton?” Moondancer said, taking a step back as all three boss monsters focused on her. The dragon responded with a gout of purple-black flames, that washed over her and turned her into a screaming torch. After a few seconds, the flames stopped, and her charred body collapsed to the ground. “Great muffin…” Derpy said, staring in horror. “Don’t worry,” Bon Bon said. “It’s just a game. Now come on – we need to focus on the little guys first, alright?” “I’m with you,” Spike said, climbing to his feet, a little dizzy. Giving a fearsome war cry, he rushed back down the aisle towards the enemies, Bon Bon tight on his tail. “Great muffin, please let Moondancer be alright,” Derpy said, a tear leaking from underneath her eyepatch. There was a glow, and a muffin descended… but Moondancer was in no state to eat it, so it sat in front of her muzzle, unloved. Worse, while Spike and Bon Bon managed to quickly shatter one of the pony skeletons, and distract the dragon, the third skeleton was making a bee-line across the room, right for her. With a squeak, she leapt into the air, but was too slow to keep it from head-butting her right in the belly, knocking her back against the wall again. But she managed to stay in the air, and sailed across the room to land next to Moondancer. Taking the muffin carefully in her teeth, she focused all her willpower and faith on not eating it herself, right then and there. Instead, she pried open Moondancer’s jaws, placed the muffin inside, and then, with a supreme effort, let go of it. Derpy’s sacrifice was rewarded – as the taste hit Moondancer’s tongue, she shuddered back to life and started to chew. When it was gone she stood up on shaky hooves, and opened her eyes. “Thanks –“ “Bubble!” Derpy said urgently. Moondancer cast another Big Bee’s Bubble just in time to keep the remaining skeletal pony from kicking her butt. She turned around and brandished her staff. “Couldn’t you at least –“ she whacked it over the head “—wait until I was done –“ she smashed in its ribcage, sending it toppling to the ground “— thanking my friend?” With one last blow, the skeleton fell to pieces, the lights in its eyes going out. “I’m your friend?” Derpy said, grinning. Moondancer panted. “We play games together. I’m pretty sure that makes us friends.” “More like acquaintances!” shouted Bon Bon, as she and Spike continued to harry the dragon. She was perched on its back hitting it over and over with the fancy ladle, while Spike kept smacking it in the face to get its attention every time it looked like it was going to scrape her off, then blocking its teeth or fire with his shield. “That’s a type of friend,” Moondancer said. “Come on, let’s finish this stupid dungeon and go home.” === They stood over the remains of the skeletal dragon, panting and bruised. It was thanks to the muffins that they were only bruised – the boss had gotten some good hits in, and nopony but Spike had anything to use for armor. “So much blood…” Derpy said, her single eye staring sightlessly. “It’s okay,” Bon Bon said, clutching at her stomach even though the gaping wound had already been healed. “I got better. And it’s just a game, anyway.” “I’m ready to go home now, and never play this kind of game again,” Moondancer said, leaning on her staff, which was clutched in her forehooves. Her horn was smoking slightly – she was completely out of magic points, without even enough left to levitate it. “End. Quit. Home. Exit.” Spike rolled his eyes at her. “I get it, you want to go home.” “Terminate. Egress. Finish.” She paused. “Spike, you’ve done this before, right? How do we get out of the illusion?” “It’ll happen automatically once we complete the quest,” Spike said. He gestured to the glowing archway of runes, with the ornate double doors nestled underneath. “We probably just have to go through that portal.” “Well, I thought it was fun,” Bon Bon said. “I don’t get to do that sort of thing much anymore.” Moondancer limped towards the doors. “Good for you.” “Was it really that bad?” Spike asked. “It turns out, being hurt hurts even more than I thought it would hurt, and I thought I was being paranoid,” Moondancer said. “So as it turns out it was slightly worse than ‘that bad’ and I want to strangle Lyra and leave her body in a shallow grave, wait for her to reanimate as a skeleton, and then kill her again.” “No,” Bon Bon said. “I said I wanted to,” Moondancer grumbled, “not that I’d do it. Celestia forbid I get to do anything that I want.” “She kind of did forbid murder,” Spike pointed out. “Shut up.” Moondancer grabbed the doorknob in her teeth, turned it to the side awkwardly, and pulled. She was flung back as the doors, once cracked, flew open on their own, revealing a swirling maelstrom of yellow and purple mist. The ponies (and dragon) barely had time to scream before they were sucked inside.