• Published 20th May 2013
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The Road Not Taken - levarien



Twilight has spent her adult life keeping Equestria safe. While her friends found careers, family, and love, she has spent her time searching for ways to defend them all. Resentment now rules her heart, and somepony has to get through to her.

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Ch. 8: The Trotting Dead

A wave of cheers ran through the Appleoosans gathered in the town hall as word spread that a princess had arrived to deliver them from the terrors that walked their sleepy little town. Twilight made her way through the crowd, commiserating with the distressed ponies, and offering a reassuring embrace to those who needed one. Questions came at her from every direction so quickly that they coalesced into a white noise of desperation and sorrow. She climbed the stairs to an elevated stage that dominated one side of the large auditorium. Argent followed her with Braeburn in tow.

"Everypony, please calm down," she said pleadingly. The dull roar continued unabated, leaving Twilight convinced that a bit of magical amplification was needed. "Quiet, please!" she shouted, her voice augmented with an invisible cone of solid air. Her words echoed off the walls several times in the confines of the now silent meeting hall. "Thank you," she said without magical aid. "I know everypony is frightened, but we're all going to need to stay calm to get through this." She turned to Braeburn and waved for him to join her. "Braeburn," she said for all to hear, "what is the most pressing problem?"

"I reckon it's the schoolhouse," he replied resolutely, "When the dome came down and those things came through, Sheriff Silver Star and a few of his deputies ran to fetch the children. We haven't seen them in hours, and every time we try to get past those creatures we get pushed back here." Several shouts for the princess to save the children echoed through the auditorium. "If we can get the colts and fillies back here, it would take an awful weight off our hearts," said Braeburn.

"Then that's what we'll do," replied Twilight. "While we come up with a plan to get to the schoolhouse, I want everypony to look around the building for anything that might be useful in getting past these things." The crowd began moving around the room and into the meeting rooms and offices of the large building. The fear and anxiety of the crowd was diminished as they focused on the task at hand. Twilight's company joined the alicorn on the stage.

"Argent, you're the Guardpony here," she said as they circled around her, "any ideas on how we can get the children here?"

"Well, they seem very focused on the plaza," he said with a hoof to his chin. "Perhaps if we can keep their attention on the front doors, a group can sneak out and make their way to the school."

"A diversion?" asked Braeburn.

"A little bit more than that," replied Argent. "We need to keep them pinned down for however long it will take for somepony to get to the school, find the ponies there, and return them to the town hall." He walked over to the young dragon and rubbed his head spines. "Spike wisely sent a message to Princess Celestia from the train before we entered, so a division of guards should be on its way. We get everypony safely here and hold out until they arrive."

"That might be asking too much," said Braeburn with a sigh, "Some of these folks are injured, and the rest are terrified." He stretched his injured leg and stomped it on the floor for good measure. "I reckon I'm up for it though." He looked around the crowd and mumbled as he counted out loud. "I'd say we've got maybe thirty solid young stallions and mares, twice as many older or injured, and even more young'ins and seniors."

"I think we can find something for everypony to do," replied Argent, "We'll need everypony's help to pull this off." He arched his neck and looked towards the ceiling. "Is there anyway to get into the clock tower and onto the roof?"

Braeburn nodded and pointed at a door behind the stage, "There's a staircase that takes you up the clock tower," he said. "There's a door to the roof on one of the landings."

"Perfect," replied Argent, "We'll put some of the injured and older ponies up there. They can throw whatever we can find while a few ponies hold them at the door."

"It could work," said Twilight, "But who will go with me for the children?"

"I'll need you here," said Argent. He saw the flash of annoyance in his charge's face and moved to defuse her anger. "Things will be much more dangerous here," he said, "and we'll need all the magic you can give us."

"Trixie can do it," answered the Trixie. "Even with her magic compromised, Trixie can use her illusions to hide."

"I wanna go too," said Pinkie Pie with a serious look of determination on her normally smiling face.

Twilight nodded and smiled at her friend. "Giggle and the ghosties huh?"

Pinkie returned the grin and patted her saddlebags. "Auntie Pinkie has some other tricks up her sleeves."

"Trixie will need a guide," said the showmare, "preferably somepony who the children know and trust."

"I reckon cousin Applejack would tan my hide if I didn't help her friends myself," said the earth pony stallion. "My leg ain't so bad that I can't move quickly and quietly, but I'm not gonna be much use in a stand up brawl."

"But your hide is already so close to tan!" said Pinkie. "Well, more of a light gold, but why would AJ buy all that dye and ruin a tub just to make you tan? Plus, you look so good the way you are!"

"I mean to say that I'll be your guide Miss Pie," said Braeburn with a blush. "I know this town better than anypony. Celestia knows I've given enough tours."

"It's settled then," said Twilight, "You three will stand a better chance at sneaking past them than a larger group." She walked to Argent and laid a hoof on his back while Trixie, Braeburn, and Pinkie left to plan their mission. "Are you sure you can hold the door?" she asked, "Even with some of the larger stallions here, you'll be hard pressed by those monsters."

Argent nodded and smiled. "It'll be like your brother's wedding all over again." He saw her confused face and laughed. "You don't even remember seeing me there do you?"

"It was a busy day," replied Twilight, "Forgive me if I can't remember every single guard."

"I was one of you brother's groomsponies," retorted the stallion, "well, I was a replacement for one of them."

"The fidgety unicorn in the too-small coat!" said Twilight suddenly. "That was you?" She laughed and playfully shoved Argent with her hoof. "Rarity nearly had a fit over the 'Ill dressed lout' who was ruining the wedding."

"Hey, it wasn't my idea," said Argent defensively. "The captain made my attendance my first official duty as his squire." He raked a hoof through his mane. "And seeing as how I spent the previous day fighting off changelings at the orphanage door, I was a bit too exhausted to argue."

"Well then," said Twilight, "I suppose you had best take care of yourself then."

"Oh?" said Argent, perplexed by the statement.

"Quite," replied Twilight, "You may not know it, but you're a fashion felon and must face the judgement of Rarity." She giggled and pictured the penance he'd have to endure to appease the fashion maven. "If you were to return with your, and I'm quoting here, 'simply marvelous lustrous coat,' marred, well I'm not quite sure you'd survive her wrath."


"There it is," said Argent as he squinted against the glare of the midday sun and mopped the sweat from his brow. "Sweet Celestia, I forgot how hot it was out here." He floated the spyglass towards Twilight, who grabbed it with her own magic.

She looked through the collapsible tube at the cluster of dilapidated stone buildings set at the base of a large mesa. A small pool of water fed by a subterranean spring allowed a grove of apricot trees to blossom in the harsh badlands. Twilight folded up the small telescope and placed it back in Argent's saddlebag. "I don't see any movement," she said, "He may have sent them all to Appleoosa."

"Makes sense," replied Argent, "That's where the amulet is after all."

Twilight looked towards the ruined lab of Shoebert the Desperate. "Let's get this over with," she said with steely determination.

The pair trotted towards the collapsed building, taking cover behind the trees of the oasis as they approached. Argent took the lead and wove his way around the rubble towards the shear mesa cliff that had at one time acted as the rear wall of the stone building. Occasional shards of pottery and severely rotted wood poked out from under the collapsed roof and walls; the only evidence that the building had ever been inhabited. They reached the cliff face and began examining the worked stone. Argent placed his ear to the stone and began gently tapping his hoof against the rock wall.

"I know it's around here somewhere," mumbled the stallion. He slowly moved across the wall, until he heard the hollow echo he was listening for. "Right here," he said, pointing his hoof at the faux rock.

Twilight nodded and pointed her horn at the cliff. A ray shot from her horn and struck the stone face at the point Argent identified. She surrounded a small section of the wall with a lavender aura. With gritted teeth, she reared her head back and attempted to rip away the wall with her magic. Cracks formed around the rock face as Twilight strained herself. A small patch of the cliff face pulled away, revealing a passageway that extended some distance into the mesa.

Argent squeezed through the small opening and held his hoof out to help Twilight through the small portal. "Last chance to turn around and wait for help," he said as she set her hooves on the floor inside the passageway.

"No," she said while lighting the way with her horn. "You know what he's capable of, what he did to us last time." She shook her head to dispel the painful memory. "They're babies compared to what we were at the time. They would come here to face him, and they would be worse than dead." She started down the worked stone hallway, dimming the glow of her horn to illuminate only the immediate area. "Now keep your eyes open, he's sure to have some of his pets around."

They continued down the long hallway until it opened into a large chamber. Green crystals radiated a sickly green light from the walls. Twilight let the light from her horn wink out and warily stepped into the room. Three rows of regularly spaced stone slabs extended across the cavern. The floor was crisscrossed with small grooves connecting each slab to a larger channel that led to a small pool at the end of the room. Flakes of dried blood stained nearly every surface and the smell of iron pervaded the air.

"Nothing fresh," said Argent as he examined each stone table. "At least we know he hasn't been too active." Twilight nodded and waved him over to the large double doors on the other side of the collection pool. "His throne is on the other side of this door," she whispered, "Remember, you handle any of his thralls, I'll counter any of his magic. The Phylactery should still be above the throne."

Argent nodded, took a deep breath, and levitated his shield to his side. He reared up on his back hooves and slammed the door open with his forehooves. Two large skeletal forms stood before him as he regained his footing, their curved ossified beaks mere feet away from him. He had to time to mutter an oath and bring his shield in front of him before the first griffon skeleton slammed into him, its vicious foretalons narrowly diverted before they could rip out his throat. Twilight flared her horn and teleported a few feet into the room just as the second beast lashed a claw where she had been. She fired a blast of hornfire at the beast, but was not rewarded with the expected shower of bones. A dark black aura absorbed the brunt of her attack, staggering the creature, but leaving it otherwise unharmed.

Twilight took the opportunity to look towards the front of the chamber. The desiccated corpse that sat in the throne slowly swiveled its hideous head towards her, its empty eye sockets afire with a malevolent red glow. The abomination's mandible hung loosely from its skull as it rose to its hooves. Shriveled hide covered it in patches, with large gaps revealing blackened musculature and worse. A baleful laughter filled the room as the horror aimed its chipped grey horn at Twilight. She put up a curtain of sparkling purple energy in time to intercept the blast of black hornfire that erupted from the Lich.

Argent moved backwards as the creature swung its skeletal wing-bones at him like whips. He avoided a beak attack by falling onto his back. Levitating his shield in front of his rear hooves, he bucked it with all of his might as he released his levitation field. The solid steel bound shield rocketed into the creature's skull, separating it neatly from its spine. He rolled to the side to avoid the still flailing eagle talons. The beast thrashed around blindly, talons, claws and wings savaging the doors and stone around it. Argent ran into the throne room to engage the other beast.

The remaining griffon took advantage of Twilight's focus on the Lich to charge at the mare. She continued throwing up barriers as the black hornfire rained down upon her, shattering each wall of magical energy as if it were glass. Argent's horn flashed gold and his shield teleported in between the oncoming griffon and Twilight. He focused every ounce of magic he had in making the round shield hold its position as the beast impacted it. An explosion of bones flew from the collision like shrapnel. A sliver of it continued its momentum and grazed Twilight's cheek, opening a small stinging cut.

She continued deflecting the fell magical onslaught. "It's over Shoebert!" she shouted while countering a nasty paralysis spell. Her jeweled breastplate hummed as she drew on its reserves to augment her already potent magic. The lich hissed at her in frustration. Argent turned and used his magic to slam the door on the decapitated griffon skeleton, sealing it in the other room. He moved to the other side of the lich, flanking it between himself and Twilight.

"I have defied Celestia you worm," cackled the mad lich in anger. "Shoebert the Undying will not fall to one such as you." His boasting fell on deaf ears as Twilight continued her advance.

"Every wounded traveler, every defiled grave, every poor soul you've murdered will be avenged," said Twilight as she slowly strode towards the hideous walking corpse. She gathered her magic for a final blast of hornfire. "Not one more pony, griffon, or buffalo dies by your hooves you monster!" A single drop of blood fell from the shallow cut beneath her eye. Its trajectory abruptly altered before it could hit the ground, sending it hurtling into the lich's gaping maw.

"Alicorn," it said in delirious rapture. Several more drops began to funnel directly from Twilight's cut towards the undead wizard.

Twilight roared and sent a pony sized bar of searing white hornfire towards the evil abomination. Blinking away the afterimage of the blinding ray, she gasped as the Lich stood unharmed behind a disc of impossibly black magic. It was as if the very light in the room was pulled into its ebony abyss. Argent launched himself towards the throne, lashing a hoof at the blood red jewel centered on the top of the high backed stone seat.

"Pitiful," rasped the Lich as it casually caught Argent in a levitation field and sent him hurtling towards the far wall. Twilight teleported herself between Argent and the wall, catching him and slowing his momentum before being slammed against the wall. A sharp crack in her chest and the corresponding lance of pain from a broken rib left her gasping for air as she struggled to regain her footing. Before she could react, a ray of blackest night struck her and Argent. Her muscles all gave way at once and she collapsed to the ground in a heap. Both ponies were levitated and brought to a small stone altar before the throne. Twilight's eyes darted around, looking for some sign of movement from the unconscious stallion next to her.

The lich pressed a hoof to Twilight's cheek and brought it to its ruined face. An eerie wail of ecstasy filled the room and Shoebert began laughing manically. "With your blood I will reclaim my Amulet." He took a seat on his throne and sent a tendril of black energy to attach to Twilight's horn. "With your soul I will lay claim to all life in Equestria." Twilight tried to scream, but her body refused to cooperate.


"Be safe," said Argent as he hugged his sister. "Stay off the main roads if you can, and remember to signal us when you've reached the children."

"Blue starburst when we get there, red when we leave, and yellow when we've reached the plaza," Trixie said as she released her brother and donned the dusty linen cloak that somepony had found in a storeroom. "Trixie remembers, it was her idea after all." She turned towards Twilight who was squeezing Pinkie Pie in a hug of her own. Trixie waited for the two to part and pulled Twilight aside.

"You take care of him," she said seriously, "I know he's your guard, but he needs you to protect him too." Trixie looked over at her brother as he talked with Braeburn. "He's more than just a shield for other ponies."

Twilight nodded and straightened the hood of Trixie's cloak. "You should know I take care of my friends," she said while tightening the girth on her saddlebags. "Don't worry, he's safe with me." Twilight looked at the front door of the auditorium and lowered her voice. "About Horizon and Oracle," she began.

"You said that we'd go for them after we rescue the children," interrupted Trixie, "You promised."

"And we will," Twilight said, "but can you at least tell me why you're so sure they went to the ruins without us, and why they would do such a thing? I mean, how well do you know these ponies?"

Trixie almost burst into laughter at the suspicion on Twilight's face. "Trixie assures you Sparkle," she said with a semi contained grin of amusement, "Horizon and Oracle mean no harm to anypony. They'd sooner harm themselves." Trixie snorted in laughter as soon as the words left her mouth.

Twilight was confused by the humor that Trixie had found in the situation. She decided to let it drop: More serious matters had to be attended to first, and the pair of older unicorns certainly seemed to be able to take care of themselves. "Okay everypony," she said aloud to every pony in earshot. "Remember that we need to draw in as many of those things as we can, so make as much noise as equinely possible." She looked towards her friends and raised her hoof. "Trixie, you three head to the cellar and be ready for my signal. The rest of you head to your positions."

The clatter of hooves against wood filled the room as the townsponies of Appleoosa separated into three groups. Argent led the ablest stallions and mares to the front door. While he was the only pony armed with any martial weapon, the stout orchard workers and laborers all bore the well toned bodies of those familiar with hard labor. "Remember" said Argent to his ragtag militia, "We need to push them off the steps first. We'll want the higher ground if we plan on holding them off for longer than a few minutes."

Twilight followed the larger contingent of older mares and stallions, as well as a few older colts and fillies, up the winding clock tower stairs. They exited onto the flat roof and took their position near its edge. Small piles of debris lined the roof, each manned by an Appleoosan ready to distribute the make shift ammunition to nearby ponies. The final group stayed inside the town hall, making a equine chain to keep supplies moving up the roof.

Twilight stepped to the edge and watched the skeletons shambling across the central plaza. "Let 'em have it!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. The screams of the ponies coalesced into a wordless roar that echoed through the empty streets of Appleoosa. Bleached white skulls turned towards the source of the noise, their combined shrieks countering the bellowing ponies. The beasts emerged from alleys and buildings with smashed in doors. A stampede of bone descended upon the central plaza, while the creatures already there began pounding at the door and walls.

"Wait!" shouted Twilight. A few of the younger ponies were preparing to fire an opening salvo. "Wait until they start downstairs." She ran to the roof access door. "Tell Argent to begin," she told a young mare on the landing. The message was transmitted down the stairs and into the main hall.

"Here we go," said Argent to his motley crew of defenders. "Stumps, Quake, do your thing." The two massive stallions planted their forehooves and bucked each of the double doors open. The skeletons on the other side were blasted out into the square, their bones shattered, scattered, and trampled by the other beasts that rushed in to take their place. Argent and his group emerged from the door, hooves swinging. Argent pressed forward with his shield taking a defensive position at the edge of the first step. As he showed them, the improvised guard force formed a wedge, with Argent at the apex. He turned and shouted into the doorway. "Tell the Princess to start!"

Moments later a hail of buckets, nails, paperweights, and discarded boards began to rain down on the unsuspecting skeletons. Not every piece of junk found its mark, nor did they all cause damage, but the combined effect considerably thinned and weakened the crush of monsters that threatened to overrun Argent and his defenders. Twilight surveyed the sides of the building and the four main avenues that exited the plaza. A few stragglers trotted on damaged skeletal legs from the direction of the school, but it appeared as if the vast majority of the creatures were focused on the front of the large meeting hall. "You all know what to do!" she shouted. "Keep it up!"

She concentrated her magic and teleported to the cellar. "Now's your chance," she said to Trixie, Braeburn and Pinkie Pie. "The road south looks clear, but I would stick to the back alleys." She ran from the cellar back towards the main hall and stood just inside the main doors, blasting one of the creatures when it threatened an unaware pony on the front line.

Braeburn nodded and threw open the cellar door. "Follow me ladies," he said as he climbed up the wooden steps into the small shed on the south face of the building. Pinkie followed him closely while Trixie stayed a few feet behind, keeping a close eye behind them. They quickly crossed the southern portion of the plaza and ducked into an alley behind the Salt Block. Braeburn set a brisk pace between the buildings, zigzagging from alley to alley. The sounds of the melee at the town hall continued unabated.

"Horseapples," whispered Braeburn as he suddenly stopped, causing Pinkie to collide with his flank. She looked up in time to see a pack of nearly a dozen of the skeletons trotting north through the alley they had just started walking down. Trixie jumped between the two earth ponies, held them against the wall of a building and flared her magic. "Quiet," she whispered.

The group of beasts stopped as they passed the ponies. The lead skeleton slowly swiveled its skull towards the three ponies. It saw only a dumpster piled with bags of refuse. Sweat poured from Trixie's brow as she focused on keeping her illusion from flickering or collapsing. The lead skeleton screeched and continued down the alley. When the last one was out of eyesight, she dropped the illusion and breathed heavily. "I don't have too many more of those in me," she said softly, "let's hurry."

Braeburn nodded and continued leading them at a quickened pace. The space between buildings grew as they entered the outskirts of the town. They edged around the side of a saddler's shop. "That can't be good," said Trixie as they surveyed the school. A large white fence surrounded the schoolhouse and nearby playground. An improbably large and old Oak tree rose from the cracked badlands soil. Several swings hung from its heavy lower branches, slowly swaying in the light southern breeze. The lovely scene was marred by a score of the relentless skeletal ponies. Several beat their hooves and skulls against the front door of the schoolhouse, the wood flexing but holding under the onslaught.

"What now," asked Trixie, "We can't get anypony out of there if those things are surrounding the building."

"We have to do something," whispered Braeburn, "If the sheriff is in there, he can rush them from the inside while we attack from this side. We might surprise them." He listened to the wind, his ears twitching in concentration. "I don't hear any screeches, we're far enough from the plaza that I don't think they'll be able to call for help."

Trixie nodded and looked at Pinkie Pie. "Are you ready Pinkie?" she asked, internally doubting again the wisdom of bringing the pink mare with them. "You might want to hang back, this could get dangerous."

Pinkie smirked and swatted Trixie's flank. "Don't be silly," she said, "I've got a bunch of little fillies and colts to put smiles on, let's do this thing."

Trixie turned nodded to Braeburn. The three ponies galloped from cover towards the fence. Braeburn's hoof clipped the top crossbar with a solid *thunk*. He cursed and charged the closest skeleton, rearing up and striking at it with his front hooves.

Trixie grabbed the attention of several of the beasts with a few well thrown rocks and drew them towards the large tree. Galloping towards the makeshift swing set, she leapt into one of the seats, twisting her body as she landed so as to see the oncoming stampede of bones. Her momentum carried the swing backwards until it was nearly parallel with the ground before swinging back towards the skeletal ponies. The beasts had no time to react as she slammed her hooves into the two beasts in front of the swing. She let go of the ropes and jumped at the apex of the return swing, landing behind the skeletons and ran back towards the front of the schoolhouse.

Braeburn and Pinke stood at the door surrounded by the shattered bones of several of the creatures. Braeburn's vest was torn open revealing a large gash on his shoulder. He beat against the door with his good hoof. "Sheriff, open up, it's Braeburn!" he shouted.

"Hold on," replied a muffled voice from inside, a note of panic evident in its tone.

"Hurry!" shouted the stallion as he pressed himself flat against the door, facing the ring of undead ponies slowly moving in for the kill.

Trixie's forehooves trampled through one of the beasts as she joined her comrades in front of the door. She raised her hooves in front of her, threatening to bring them down on the first bony form to come into her reach. The beasts were within fifteen feet when the pink mare decided she had enough.

"I don't remember inviting you all to the party!" she shouted as she reached into her saddlebags. "But since you're soooo excited, here you go, one Pinkie Pie special coming right up." She pulled a long metal tube from her pack and stood on her rear hooves. Grasping the handle situated on the middle of the contraption, she hefted it on her shoulder and pointed it at the approaching skeletons.

"Smile, Smile, Smile," she said cheerfully as she pulled the lever by the handle. An explosion of confetti, streamers, cakes, punch bowls, cups, and other assorted party paraphernalia erupted from the end of the device and straight at the encroaching monsters at a frightening speed. The wide spread of the blast encompassed nearly every remaining beast in the onrushing colorful and sugary doom.

Trixie shook off the expression of shock that had briefly paralyzed her in time to buck one of the remaining skeletal ponies with her hooves. Braeburn grabbed a planter from beside the door and hurled it at the last abomination, dispatching it with an explosion of dirt and pottery shards.

The door behind them opened revealing a disheveled mustachioed stallion and bespectacled mare. "Good heavens," said the kind faced mare, "What in Equestria happened out here."

Trixie and Braeburn looked at Pinkie Pie in confusion. The party mare was busy funneling more party supplies into the bottom of the pink tube. "What?" she said defensively, "I didn't have room for the Party Cannon, so I packed the Hullabazooka. Darn thing always needs reloading though."

"Right," said Braeburn, "I can't say cousin AJ didn't warn me about something like that." He turned to the two older ponies just inside the door. "Gather the children Ms. Merry, we have to get moving before more of them show." He turned to Trixie who was busy examining Pinkie Pie's odd invention. "You can send the signal now Trixie."


"We're running out of junk to throw at 'em Princess!" shouted one of the runners. Twilight glanced towards the back of the auditorium. What was once a formidable pile of debris nearly three ponies tall now was little more than a foot tall and three wide. "Tell everypony on the roof to aim carefully," she said, "make every throw count." The older colt nodded and ran up the clock tower stairs. Twilight turned back to the front stairs in time to see Argent smash a leaping skeleton out of the air. She trotted behind him and surveyed the carnage before her. The higher ground of the stairs had indeed been critical. The stout ponies on the front line had rained down hoof strikes on the creatures with relative ease over the first few minutes of the assault. The high ground, however, was no longer quite so high. The shattered bones of the fallen skeletons soon made a grisly ramp for their reinforcements to attack from.

"Look!" shouted Stumps. The stallion pointed one of the enormous hooves he was nicknamed for to the sky. A red burst of light from the south sent sparks showering towards the ground.

"They're on their way back!" shouted Twilight. "Keep it up everypony!"

The plaza in front of the town hall was still full of the screeching monstrosities. It had been nearly twenty minutes since Trixie, Pinkie, and Braeburn had left, and five since Trixie's first signal indicating that they had made it to the school. Twilight looked behind her at the collection of injured ponies on the stage. Doc Splints hovered over his patients, dispensing his gruff but effective brand of medicine. Several of the ponies tried to get to their hooves and head back to the door, but were quickly chastised by the physician. He met the Princess's questioning gaze and shook his head side to side.

She turned back to the three stallions left defending the door. With their reserves injured and no one to take their place, they had fallen back to the doorway. Argent used his shield to cover both stallions as well as himself, but the sheer number of creatures pressing the attack made it impossible to avoid every bite and buck. Small cuts and other assorted wounds had began to accumulate on all three of the defenders.

Twilight stepped forward and squeezed in between Argent and the stallion to his left. "I don't want to hear it," she said as she lowered her horn and began laying into the attacking skeletons with bolts of lavender energy. Argent clamped his muzzle shut and continued slamming his shield into any creatures that made it past her covering fire.

"Stumps, Quake," said Argent, "Get Doc to patch you up and take a breather: We'll handle things for a few minutes." The two stallions reluctantly stepped back into the building while the princess and her bodyguard held the line. "Aim for the spine," said Argent while turning and bucking a creature off the stairs. Twilight nodded and adjusted her aim. After a few minutes of furious fighting, the bolts of magic started coming fewer and father in between. Her purple horn smoldered with a red glow. The skeletal horrors began advancing in larger numbers, crowding the doorway and threatening to push the two ponies back.

"Watch out!" screamed Argent as one of the attackers attacked from Twilight's blind spot. Wrapping a hoof around her midsection, he spun her around his body and used her to stabilize himself as he let loose a vicious rear hoofed kick to the beast off the side of the porch. Twilight grimaced as she drew upon her magic more heavily than she had in months. A construct of lavender energy materialized by her side, taking the form of a large sparkling flanged mace. The weapon floated through the air at her direction, its wild arcing swings shattering the beasts before they could reach her.

Argent's backside pushing against her flank warned her of the trouble he was having. She dropped to her belly and rolled underneath the stallion and fired two bolts of energy at the skeletons that his shield couldn't hold back. The magic mace followed her and began securing their left flank. The two continued the intricate ballet of martial and magical prowess. Without words, without thought, they spun around each other, guarding the other's flank while theirs was simultaneously protected. The yellow starburst in the sky went unnoticed as they lost themselves in the frantic dance of survival. Sweeps of the hooves were followed by powerful stomps. Shield bashes preceded blasts of purple hornfire. Time had no meaning to the two combatants, only the next swing; the next shot; the next kick.

"Princess!" shouted the doctor, "Guardspony Defender!" The grizzled old stallion grabbed the tails of the two ponies and yanked them inside the building. Stumps and Quake quickly slammed the large doors shut and slammed the bar into place. The sound of skeletal hooves beating on the other side resumed immediately.

"The others are back," said the doctor with concern painted across his face. "You two need to come lie down."

Twilight waved him off and began walking towards the stage where a large crowd of ponies were jubilantly celebrating. She stumbled on the steps to the dais but was steadied by the stallion at her side. "You need to rest after this," said Argent sternly.

Twilight nodded wearily and continued up the stairs. "Only if you join me," she said absentmindedly. She took three steps before realizing what she had said. "I mean to say that you should rest as well," she stammered, fighting the blush that was forming on her cheeks. "We both might have overdone it."

Argent agreed and raked his hoof through his sweat matted mane. "Lets see how they fared first," he said.

Trixie, Braeburn, and Pinkie Pie stood surrounded by Appleoosans. Hooves were shaken, backs were patted, and thanks were freely given. All around the auditorium, young fillies and colts were grasped tightly by their families and friends. "Is everyone okay?" asked Twilight as she trotted up to Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie released a chubby cheeked filly from her hug and bounced around Twilight. "It was super scary, but Trixie and Braebie were superduper brave!" said the bubbly mare.

Braeburn peeled himself away from a grateful mother and cantered towards the two mares and threw his arm around Pinkie's shoulder. "Don't let this one act all humble," said Braeburn in his customary overly excited tone. "If not for Miss Pinkie we'd be in a heap of trouble." The pink mare blushed under the praise, and was, for a blessed moment, utterly speechless.

The crowd parted as Trixie made her way towards her brother. Her face darkened as she saw the various bite marks and cuts that covered his body. "Trixie told you to take care of him," growled the mare in an irritated tone.

"Easy there sis," said Argent as he interposed himself between the two mares. "I don't need anypony to watch over me, and I'll have you know that she was in the thick of it with me." He backed up and stood beside Twilight. "She's more than a match for most Royal Guard's I've known and trained with."

"Fine," said Trixie as she backed down. "We still need to go to the ruins. Horizon and Oracle will need our help."

Twilight sighed and walked towards the makeshift bedding that lined the back wall. "Of course Trixie," she said, exhaustion rolling off of each word. "Just give me a few minutes to catch my breath."

Argent scowled at his sister as he passed her on his way to the beds and sat on the mat a few feet away from the princess. Trixie narrowed her eyes and stalked off towards the clock tower stairs, eager to survey possible routes they could use to exit the town.

Pinkie's smile faded and her mane lost half its volume at the sudden animosity. "I found a bottle of hard cider earlier Miss Pie," said Braeburn, his arm still around the back of her neck. "What's say we have ourselves a victory toast?"

Her pink mane inflated and her frown turned upside down. Braeburn smiled and walked with her to the mayor's office.


An hour later Trixie led her brother and Twilight through the western half of the town and the black shimmering wall that separated it from the outside world. "You see," she said confidently, "Argent's plan worked. All the skeletons were drawn to the plaza."

Twilight began counterspelling a hole into the wall. "I didn't say it wouldn't," said Twilight, "I'm just worried about leaving everypony back at town hall." She adjusted the output of her spell and continued. "I know Pinkie and Braeburn can keep everyone calm, but I still worry." Satisfied that the portal she created was stable, Twilight released her magic and stepped through the hole in the barrier.

"They'll be fine," said Argent, "And the ruins aren't too far away. We'll be back before anypony misses us. He took the lead into the desert. Each of them kept a vigilant lookout for any sign of the skeletal ponies. The prominent mesa in the distance slowly dominated the horizon as the next hour was spent at a brisk pace. "Do you suppose those creatures have something to do with the ruins?" asked the stallion.

Twilight hopped over a washed out gully, taking the opportunity to stretch out her wings. "It seems almost too much to be coincidence," she said, "and Oracle and Horizon coming out here makes me even more certain." She glared at Trixie's back. "Mark my words, those two know something about what's going on here."

Trixie gritted her teeth and continued leading the way towards the base of the flat topped mountain. "Those two better appreciate this," she thought to herself. "Trixie is so touched by Sparkle's concern for the safety of Trixie's friends," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I am worried," said Twilight defensively, "I'm afraid that they might be putting themselves as well as everypony in Appleoosa in danger by not being honest with us."

Trixie grunted a noncommittal response and continued her quick pace. Argent, incredibly uncomfortable at the growing acrimonious behavior from both mares, tried to defuse the tension without angering either of them. "Maybe when we're all done with this we can help them set up the Western Days festival," he said. "Pinkie says it's quite the good time."

"She certainly came prepared for it," said Trixie with a laugh. "Did Sparkle have something to do with that contraption of hers?"

"The Miniaturized Party Delivery System?" asked Twilight. "I might have had some input into its design." She proudly described her analysis of the Party Cannon. "The propulsion was the simple part," she explained, "It was Pinkie's seemingly impossible compression of party supplies inside the barrel that tripped me up."

The two mares talked shop and Argent heaved a sigh of relief. As the cluster of rubble at the base of the mesa came into view, Argent reluctantly got the mares' attention and held a hoof to his lips. The three ponies quickly trotted towards the ruined building, alert for any sign of danger. They reached the ruins and began searching for any sign of the two missing ponies.

"Trixie will look in the back area," said the cyan unicorn.

"Argent, go look around that pool of water," said Twilight, "I'll look around what's left of the entrance."

As they split up, Trixie walked towards the cliff face at the back of the shattered building. "Argent wrote that it was somewhere back here," she thought. It didn't take her long to find the large hole in the side of the shear mountain facade. She peered down the darkened stone passage, squinting her eyes to try and make out something in the pitch black corridor. She turned and looked back towards Twilight and Argent. Both examined their area with intense focus. Trixie crouched and pulled the parchment from her pack and read:

Trixie,

There's something at those ruins. We know that neither you nor Twilight will heed any warning we give, so consider this an apology. We're going to get there first, of that I'm certain. We'll sneak away in the night, or simply send you in the wrong direction. I'm sorry, we both are, but it's for the best.

Just know this: Shoebert is still in his caverns, but he is not alive. He's something else. Twilight called him an Equilich, a pony who has managed to conquer death itself. He's insane, and he's been busy for the few centuries. We faced him several years from "now," and only just survived the encounter. He's the one sending the skeletons to Appleoosa, as well as the barrier. Once we defeat him, the magic should fade away, and Appleoosa will be safe again.

If we somehow fail, it's up to you. Do whatever it takes, just don't let him out of his cave. It's located inside the mesa. Look at the back of the ruins, on the face of the cliff. Remember this: Everything he is, everything that sustains him, is contained in a crimson jewel he keeps on his throne. Shatter it, and you destroy him utterly.

If I don't see you again, remember that I love you. Stay with Twilight and my younger self: They're good for you. If you still need that favor, just ask them. I'm sure they'll take up the debt we owe you.

Love,

Argent

Trixie folded up the note and placed it back into her saddlebags. She judged that the few minutes that had passed were sufficient. "Sparkle," she shouted, "Trixie has found something."

Twilight and Argent came trotting over, quizzical looks on the faces. Trixie pointed at the hole in the cliff face. "There's a cavern inside the mountain," she said. Argent trotted to the hole and stuck his head through it. His ears twitched as he listened to the wind flowing out of it. He squeezed through the narrow opening and held his hoof out to help Twilight through. Trixie followed them into the passage, one hesitant hoof after another.

They descended down the narrow passageway, the air noticeably cooler the deeper in they went. Twilight gasped as they reached the room full of stone slabs. "This is..." she stammered, "I don't know what this is." She ran a hoof over the top of one of the altars, flakes of dried blood scraping from the stone surface. Twilight noticed this and shook her hoof in a panic. Her squeak of panic was stifled by Argent's hoof over her muzzle. She turned her head and looked at him with wide eyes. He removed his hoof and pointed towards the other side of the room. A large, headless, skeletal form stood in the corner by a large set of double doors. The sound of bone scraping on stone filled the room as it repeatedly walked into the wall.

Twilight nodded and stood. The group gave the beast a wide berth and moved one cautious hoofstep at a time towards the doors. Argent reached out and pressed his hoof against the door. They each cringed as the hinges creaked loudly. The headless griffin skeleton continued its futile attempts at walking through the wall. With a sigh of relief, Argent carefully pushed the door open and stepped inside.

A hoof flashed from behind the open door, streaking towards Argent's head. Quick reflexes allowed the stallion to turn into the blow, forcing it to connect with the back of his neck rather the side of his head. He staggered into the room and pulled his shield from his back with his magic.

Trixie kicked the door as hard as she could and heard a satisfying *thump* from its collision with the hidden assailant on the other side. She jumped through the doorway and gasped in surprise at the sight of the silver stallion with the burnt orange and yellow mane recovering from a stumble. "Ar...Horizon, what are you doing!"

The elder Argent gazed at her with wide black eyes. His horn flared with an ebon aura. The shocked mare was blindsided by the roundshield that crashed into her side. Trixie was sent sailing into a wall, her body falling in a heap on the floor.

Twilight dashed into the room, her horn flared with sparks of magic arcing between it and the floor. She rolled out of the way of Horizon's stomping hooves and stood next to her bodyguard. "Get to Trixie," said Argent, "He's mine." With a bellow, he launched himself at the elder stallion, his shield held before him like a battering ram.

Twilight leapt from between the two charging stallions and turned to run to Trixie when a bolt of black energy narrowly avoided striking her in the chest. She followed the trajectory and recoiled in horror at the sight of the desiccated unicorn seated on the foreboding black onyx throne. Twilight traced the conduit of black energy emanating from its horn to the thrashing body of Oracle Dreams. Her muzzle was open as if she were screaming in agony, yet no such sound came forrth.

"You have interrupted my spell," said the Lich in annoyance, "Yet, I feel my Amulet." The husk of a unicorn stood and stepped down from its throne. "Bring it to me and I shall make your end swift."

"Shoebert the Desperate!?" said Twilight in a mixture of awe and horror. The sound of shields smashing together caused her to glance behind her. The two stallions each had their shoulders pressed into their shields, attempting to bull rush the other to the ground.

"You dare turn you back on me!" shouted the Lich, "After insulting me with that name, you have forfeited the small mercy I have offered." The conduit of energy winked out of existence as the rotted legs of the beast slowly carried it around the altar and towards Twilight. She glanced to her right and saw Trixie slowly rising from the floor, one hoof held off the ground in obvious pain. Trixie looked at Twilight and silently began moving along the wall, towards the large throne.

Twilight flared her wings and horn and glared at the approaching horror. "You want it?" she asked defiantly, "You'll have to best a Princess of Equestria for it." She levitated the jeweled necklace from her saddlebags before dropping it back inside.

Shoebert hissed and fired a sickly green ray towards the mare. Twilight ducked under it and returned fire with a bolt of hornfire. The purple jet of fire impacted some unseen barrier and dissipated before it could strike her foe.

"You think I fear an Alicorn?" queried the beast rhetorically, "You are but a child compared to her, and she couldn't stand before me." A bar of pure darkness erupted from the Lich's horn. Twilight's hastily conjured barrier intercepted the torrent of magic but shattered under the powerful blast. She quickly erected another barrier and backed away from the advancing fiend.

"Still though," said Shoebert as he effortlessly destroyed the second barrier, "Alicorn blood is such a rare delicacy. Almost as rare as an Alicorn soul."

Twilight continued backing herself into a literal corner, barely turning aside each fell blast of energy. To her left, Argent shook off a glancing blow from Horizon's forehoof, his shield shaking form his brief loss of concentration. "Run Twilight!" he yelled while trying to charge the Lich. Horizon leapt in front of him and threw his rear legs at Argent's head. The young stallion slid to a stop, the kick missing him by inches ruffling his mane with displaced air. The black eyed stallion pressed his attack sending Argent retreating back to the other side of the room.

Twilight threw up her hooves and erected a reinforced barrier. Her horn pulsed with a lavender aura, feeding the dome with a crackling magical energy. Shoebert cackled in amusement. A lash of black magic materialized and cracked against the dome, showering sparks throughout the room and sending cracks propagating across the bubble of energy. Twilight whimpered in effort as the whip flailed against the dome in rapid succession. She cried out in pain as the barrier shattered and her magic fed back into her horn. Her gasping breaths were cut short when the lash coiled around her throat. She brought her forehooves to the thick coil of solid magic, futilely trying to pull herself free from the Lich's grasp.

Argent grabbed his shield with his hooves and hurled it with all his remaining might at the shriveled unicorn. Horizon's shield teleported between the missile and its target, sending both shields falling harmlessly to the floor. The older stallion threw his shoulder into the younger, leaving Argent sprawled on the floor on his back. Horizon straddled him and began throttling the stallion by the neck.

"Rejoice," shouted the Lich. "I was like you, fighting for every breath, clinging to every last bit of life." It brought Twilight to its side and stroked her quivering face. "You are a slave to life. I give you your freedom."

Black spots began floating in Twilight's vision. Her struggling slowed as her oxygen starved brain began shutting down. Just before darkness enveloped her, a glint of red light flashed from behind the Lich.

A scream of utter and complete terror reverberated through the room. Twilight fell to the floor drew in deep breaths, the stale air of the cavern tasting like the sweetest spring breeze to her deprived body. She opened her eyes in time to see the screaming Lich thrashing in agony. No words of protestation, or threats of revenge were voiced by the undead horror, only the wail of the damned.

The pressure against Argent's neck eased and the stallion threw Horizon off of him. The elder stallion stumbled back and shook his head in confusion. Argent crawled to Twilight and held a shaking hoof to her neck. He sighed in relief as she reached up and patted his hoof with hers. "Just give me a moment," she said with a raspy voice, "I feel like I've been galloping for hours."

"Horizon," shouted Trixie from across the room, "Get over here!"

The stallion galloped to her side and dropped to his knees in front of the low altar. He reached out his hooves and cradled the deathly still mare in his forelegs. "Come on love," he sobbed, "Talk to me." He gently shook the mare's head. Twilight's head lolled back and forth without reaction. The stallion brought her to his chest and squeezed her tightly. "Come back to me Twilight," he whispered, "Don't leave me alone."

"Never," said a faintly hushed voice. He pulled back and looked at Twilight. She looked back at him with sleepy eyes and smiled. "How?" she asked.

"Trixie came back for us," said Argent proudly as he looked up at his sister.

"Trixie should be mad," said the showmare, "but she is too relieved at the moment."

"Help me up," said Twilight as the two younger ponies approached. The hooves around her failed to comply. Argent cradled her head in his hooves, bent over, and brushed her lips with a kiss.

"Not yet," he said with a smile before wrapping her in a tight embrace.

Author's Note:

#Victory fanfare music#
Level Up!
So falls Shoebert the Undying, his symphony of undeath will remain unfinished.