"All right Girls, be ready for anything..." Twilight said with a hint of trepidation as the last auracite stone was removed from the door. The loud grinding of stone on stone signaled the movement of the massive door as it slid apart. Luna and Celestia stood firm. flanked by the elements, ready for anything to jump through the gap... but nothing came but a low moan. Anxious energy was expelled with a sigh of relief. Celestia halted briefly, needing to take a moment to collect herself, as Luna strode forward through the gap with nary a pause. The alicorn of the looked to her student and offered a wane smile.
"Well this is a good sign, but remain on guard..." she pulled the drawstring on the bag closed and hovered it over to Pinkie, of all ponies. "Our trip may be short but we shouldn't linger longer then necessary. Hold on to this bag, do not let it out of your sight... There are more stones left." she finished ominously receiving a hoofed salute from the party pony.
"You got it Princess!" The pink pony's cheerful demeanor seemingly unaffected by the dank surroundings, The bag disappearing to.... where ever it was she tended to put things when no one was looking. The group set off in silence into the caves below Tamblelon. The deeper they traveled the darker it grew, soon they're journey as lit only by the magic of the unicorns' horns. The air was stale and held a foul scent, the stone becoming more rough to their trotting hooves. As soon as it was at it's darkest it began to lighten up, a sickly orange seemed to permeate from the stones themselves making it easy to see once more. There were buildings, or at least structures that were buildings at some point. Nothing stirred, the only sounds the clopping of hooves on stone. The group paused briefly at the intersection of two 'streets', the ruins going on a fair way in all 4 directions.
"A city?" Dash muttered confused. "Ponies actually LIVED in here?"
"Not exactly." Celestia replied softly glad for the distraction. "There are powerful magics the world has long forgotten. Thankfully. Let us just say if the portal had been mishandled then Tambleon may have joined this undercity."
"Somepony managed to transport a WHOLE city?" Twilight looked around her with a mix of awe and disgust. The feat itself was impressive for it's power and control... it's results though.
"Here." Luna said with certainty ending the impromptu discussion. She turned at the apparent crossroads and headed toward a large building sitting at the edge to a dark abyss. No pony questioned the decision doing their best to keep pace the the princess of the night. The doors lay strune on the ground in pieces, inside was something akin to a ship dock with the shattered remains of a massive ship split in half. Their goal sitting in the center of the destruction... a fact clear even to those who didn't know what they were looking for.
"My word, Sister... I believe we have found them." Luna's voice drifted out the massive entrance way. Celestia trotted through the door with the elements a step behind, only Pinkie and Rainbow dash crossing the threshold without hesitation.
"Landsakes..." Applejack was at a loss. Before them was a tablau of statues, the center piece being a Massive skeletal alicorn with bladed wings rearing up striking a threatening pose. It was surrounded by a handful of pony statues, in defensive stance. As impressive as the scene was it was diminished a massive metal beast that stood firmly between the scene and the entrance. Gears ground together and it's joints creaked as it moved a step forward. It was a bulky thing, standing on two legs with a form not so different from a Minotaur or an Ogre. Massive arms twitched as they slowly raised upward. a large red light, in the approximate place where a being's head might be, flickered weakly.
"I-I-Intruders...D-Defensive proto-c-col eng-g-g-gaged." It spoke in a fluctuating monotone.
"What IS that...thing." Rarity asked take a step back from the mechanical monstrosity.
"It looks to be an automation of some kind... ancient and heavily damaged..." Twilight said tempering her curiosity with caution. "I'm surprised it's even functioning."
"You are correct Twilight Sparkle." Luna said with a slight smile. "A Worker unit from times long past, uncovered in secret during the Tribal war." Twilight's eyes widened at that though the others just seemed lost. With a piercing screech, the chest of the clockwork 'worker' opened revealing a worn cannon.
"C-C-Charging..." Slowly, magical energy began to gather inside the barrel.
"Sister now would be a good time, it always liked you best." Luna said coolly, earning a chuckle from her sister who trotted forward to meet the beast. "Ladies, you best stay behind me. That cannon may be designed for clear debris but it is quite effective against ponies." The princess of the night erected a starry shield between the Worker and themselves.
"What about Celestia?" Twilight asked clearly concerned.
"My Sister was always better at dealing with the beast, it was stubborn on whose orders it would accept."
Celestia stood, eye level with the creaking automation the cannon in it's chest gathering energy slowly as the gears ground sickly. With a sad smile she placed a hoof on it's forehead. "You've done a great job protecting everypony Eighter... You deserve some rest." The red eye glowed brightly, the cannon wavering in it's charge.
"Ce-ce-ce..." she reached up and lightly touched the side of it's Face(?) with a hoof/
"Shhh, it's okay. Everypony is safe now. Your job is completed." The cannon fully powered down and the chest plates slowly closed.
"Job c-complete... Powering down... U-Unit may be in ne-e-ed of re-re-repairs." it's voice grew softer as it knelt down and a small metal shutter slid over it's eye. the gears slowly to a halt and With a hiss of steam the room fell silent. With the with a careful tug of magic Celestia pulled a blue stone from the automation's back, another piece of auracite. Luna lowered the shield gratefully allowing the elements to approach the scene.
"Is it..." Fluttershy asked, still a step behind Luna not wanting to get any closer to the beast then she had to.
"It is taking a well deserved rest." Celestia said, stone floating by her head sending it hovering toward Pinkie who opened the bag without prompting shutting it once more when it was placed with the others.
"It recognized you Princess... That would mean that you were around even back during the Tribal War... but all the history books." Twilight looked to her mentor in a whole new light. "Princess, How are y-"
"Twilight, are you calling me old?" Celestia forced a pout enjoying the immediate effect it had as her pupil flushed brightly and tried to backpedal away from whatever questions she was about to ask. The princess of the sun let her stew for a moment more before smiling and giving the unicorn a wink "All will be explained and due time my faithful student, we still have a job to do."
"Indeed, it is in our best interest not to dwell any longer then necessary." Luna agreed looking over the statues with a far more serious expression. The others followed taking a closer look at the statues, only pinkie being held up as she looked over every nook and cranny of the sleeping automation with avid interest. On closer inspection the details became more obvious. There were six statues set up in a semi-circle around the monstrous alicorn. A pair of earth ponies to stood directly opposite, a mare and stallion. The latter stood protectively in front of the former. The Mare looked concerned, her petrified dress fluttered back as if against a great wind. While the stallion stared down the alicorn with an expression of determination, his body covered in battered armor though bore no helm.
To his right were a pegasus stallion and a Unicorn mare with a long braided mane. The pegasus stood in an aggressive stance with a massive blade clamped in his teeth, he was armored much like the earth pony though a petrified cloak sat atop it. The cloth all blown back by the same invisible breeze, the stallion was noticeably older but seemed in top shape. The Unicorn's own blade stuck in the ground in front of her both hooves atop the pommel in motion of prayer eyes closed. Her armor was lighter but held barely a scratch.
To the left of the earth ponies were two more unicorns, a mare and stallion though unlike the earth ponies they couldn't look more different. The first was another armored mare, though baring a much heavier grade like her stallion counter parts, her blade was the largest of the three available. It lay embedded in the ground as well but in a more aggressive manner with a furrow of carved earth stretching from the blades resting place all the way to the feet of the monster. Her expression was one of grim satisfaction, short cut mane barely visible under the petrified hood of her cloak. The Stallion on the other hand was unarmored, one hoof up as his to shield his eyes from a bright light. He wore a harness covered in pouches and several strange tubes. His frame was definitely the slimmest not baring the muscle and poise of the other warriors.
"Who are these ponies?" Twilight asked softly looking between the arrayed statues and menacing alicorn beast with reverence and curiosity.
"Yeah, These ponies look awesome." Rainbow said far less eloquently taping the ancient blade in the pegasus' mouth. "Ow... It's still sharp..." she said in awe.
"They are.... Old friends. Lost in the pages of history." Celestia said softly, Luna said not a word standing across from the earth stallion with an unreadable expression. Applejack removed her hat giving a respectful moment of silence. Fluttershy crept forward to the side of the princess of the night.
"Princess Luna... are you okay?"
"What?" Luna blinked coming back to reality looking to the timid pegasus at her side. "I... we are fine." she said firmly, adding after a beat. "Your concern is appreciated Fluttershy." The yellow mare nodded but did not lose her concerned look as Luna walked off to her sister's side. The princess' shared a long look before Celestia nodded.
"My little ponies... we have come to the reason we asked for your assistance." Celestia said formally catching all six mare's attention. "As I said previously, the auracite are stones of massive magical power and a great danger should they fall into the wrong hooves. It would be in everyponies best interest to have them locked away..." Luna gave her sister a firm look bring the older sister to sigh. "But as you know our reasoning is more selfish then that." Celestia admitted reluctantly. "To retrieve the last two stones we would ask you to use the elements of harmony to break this eternal stalemate." she said waving a hoof to the statues. "and free our dear friends from their self imposed prison..."
"Princess..." Twilight said softly looking back to the frozen tableau once more, She never realized how little she truly knew about the princess. Several ponies frozen in stone that apparently walked and lived alongside her mentor long before her recorded history.
"Begging no disrespect princess." Applejack spoke up. "But ifin' I'm hearing this right you want us to free yer friends... and that big ugly thing they were fightin'"
"Yes." Celestia admitted with closed eyes. "It is dangerous, but my sister and I have discussed this and believe you are strong enough to lift this curse. Ajora was a great foe, of that there is little doubt." Celestia's tone grew more determined. "But You six have grown to embody the elements on a far stronger level then we ever had in the past."
"And you will not be alone. We shall be right at your side in this, it is a mess that has been left untidied far too long. But not one we alone could rectify." Luna said with a slight bow toward the six mares, joined by shortly by her sister.
"Please will you help us?" Celestia voice was far softer and more vulnerable much like it had back outside the sealed door.
"Of Course Princess... er, if that's okay with everypony else..." Fluttershy was surprisingly the first to speak up, seeming to shrink into herself as soon as she realized it but fortunately Rainbow stepped forward a second later.
"No sweat Princess."
"Indeed, we'd be glad to assist you." Rarity said with an easy smile.
"All ya had to do was ask." Applejack agreed placing her hat back in place. Pinkie bouncing in placed with a wide grin
"Yup! Ooh I wonder what kind of party you plan for ponies frozen in stone for over a thousand years." she mused tapping her chin lightly.
"Twilight?" Celestia looked to her faithful student who seemed the most lost from all these revelations, at her name though she jumped to attention.
"W-what, of course!" Twilight said with full sincerity. "I'm always glad to help."
"Thank you." Celestia said with a shuddering sigh, tension easing and she raised her head offering the six a genuine smile.
"I told you sister, Honesty is the best path for such things." Luna said more at ease then she had been the whole trip.
"It was never one my strongest virtues, but you know that better then anypony." she said with a familiar tinge of mischievousness.
"So whats the plan princess?" Rainbow Dash said taking to the air in a low hover. Celestia nodded to her sister who stode forward confidently.
"It tis a simple plan. You are to use the elements of harmony to dispel the stone curse, as it is reseeds mine sister and I shall bind Ajora in place so the others can be moved to safety. Then you are to use your elements once more to reseal the foul creature once and for all. Both friend and fiend should be in no condition to continue this fight, so our old friends may need some assistance. Unlike discord they are merely mortal ponies and will need time to recover after their self imposed stasis."
"That should go for Ajora as well. Between myself and Luna it should not muster much resistance," Celestia added. "But we must be careful nonetheless, Ajora was a powerful sorcerer and a master manipulator. Do not listen to a word it speaks." Both princesses moved to opposite sides of the room eyes toward their monstrous counterpart.
"Understood." Twilight nodded firmly. "Ready girls?" a round of approval rose up from her friends as they too their positions at her side and closed their eyes gathering their power...