The Heroes of Olympus: The Other End of the Pit

by Surprise Pie

Chapter 12: The Greater Threat (Part 1) -Twilight

"The time has come to pass judgement." Jetstream repeated, "Truly, I believe it to be a shame that the punishment of torture was abolished eight centuries ago, else I would've made you feel the worst pain you could ever fathom, Chrysalis, and worse even. But in the light of certain, shall we say, legal restrictions, I will instead grant you a quick and unavoidable death."

"You have no right!" the fallen Queen objected, "You cannot make yourself the judge, jury and executioner. In doing so you claim the right to decide who lives, and who dies."

"Silence! You've no right to speak to us as such!. You are a murderer, a traitor, and a thief! You deserve no more common courtesy than a rabid wolf! You are a fork-tongued wretch! You sought to overtake Equestria, you assaulted four of Equestria's princesses, foalnapping three and openly attacking a fourth! You took the identity of one of those princesses and infiltrated her wedding, using the mind-control spell you knew you had no right to use to brainwash the Captain of the Royal Guard! And instead of seeking forgiveness after your defeat you allied yourself with dark powers far beyond your comprehension! You've outstepped your bounds, Chrysalis, and by no small margin. While your subjects will be forgiven, for they were also under your mind-control spell, which again you had no right to know of, much less use, you, Chrysalis, shall die for your crimes."

Everypony gathered sat back and listened to Jetstream and Chrysalis, heads turning back and forth between the princess and the Changeling.

*I can only imagine Jetstream would have been the pony in charge of the justice system if she hadn't been forced into hiding. Then again she probably wouldn't have been anywhere near as powerful as she is now.* Twilight thought. She quietly shared her observation with Luna, who was standing to her left. Luna nodded and commented:

"It was an idea Jetstream and I had been juggling around in the midst of our magical research together. When she became an Alicorn the idea was never lost, however we were both far too busy to discuss it again. After she went missing, I wrote the idea down in the journal I left Celestia before I was banished. Tia admits she liked the idea as well, and suggested it to Cadence some time after she and your brother returned from the Crystal Empire. Your sister-in-law hasn't gotten back to us on the suggestion, however."

"Honestly I'm surprised she hasn't started slipping into the ancient language yet." Annabeth, who stood at Twilight's right, added.

"Just give it a minute." Discord whispered in turn. "After living with her for a few months, I noticed that she does that a lot."

As the draconnequs predicted, Jetstream's speech began slipping towards the ancient language as she went along, and her frustration apparently building, until finally she spoke in full sentences in the language, with Chrysalis and most of the gathered ponies unable to understand her. Twilight, luckily, understood perfectly.

"You've brought pain and misery to countless generations of your own subjects, and yet you were the one who wanted Changelings to become allies with ponies the most. You claimed it would help your subjects grow and flourish, yet when you realized you were on your own, you began to do the very opposite. For that alone, you've lost the right to live. The fact that you attacked Equestria, and allied yourself with the likes of King Sombra, only worsens your case. My verdict is as such: You will die." Jetstream said.

The confused expression on Chrysalis' face did not go unnoticed, however. Jetstream coughed as she realized what just happened.

"To restate myself, I sentence you, Chrysalis, and you, Sombra, to death. However I must grant you one final boon, as is the law. Speak it now." she added.

"If you kill me now, you'll still have my master to contend with! He is more powerful than anything you could possibly imagine! When Lord Tirek learns of this, he will redouble his efforts to be free from Tartarus, and he will burn this world to ashes!" Chrysalis cried. "I ought to strike you down now while I still have the chance!"

"Go ahead, hit me with your best shot." Jetstream snapped back, over the protestations of the other ponies. The only ones who didn't object were Discord and Screwball.

*She's lost it! Sombra's power alone was immense, and with Chrysalis' power added to his, there's no way Jetstream could stand up to it! Unless...* understanding dawned on Twilight, as she realized just what Jetstream had planned.

Darkness gathered around Chrysalis' horn, which crackled with dark energy. With a cry, the fallen queen unleashed a powerful beam of Shadow Magic, that hit Jetstream head-on. The Alicorn recoiled a few inches, but held her ground. Chrysalis redoubled her efforts, but in vain. After about a minute, the energy began to run out. Finally, the fountain of Shadow Magic that poured from the Changeling's horn dried out, leaving her panting heavily. Jetstream, however, remained unharmed. Her entire body shivered as the dark energy settled. Twilight could sense the Shadow Magic radiating from Jetstream.

"But... how?" Chrysalis asked, still panting.

"It's simple, really. Sombra should know about it. The properties of the type of crystal known as katchïn?" Jetstream replied.

Chrysalis shuddered, and when she spoke, her voice was much deeper, much darker. Twilight realized that it was Sombra speaking.

"It is said that this particular kind of crystal cannot be broken, and can absorb magic of any kind to be stored for later use. It was theorized that a creature with katchïn as part of it's body would be able to absorb any magic directed at it, and, if they so chose, retaliate with it. However unless there was some form of... incompatibility... in the creature's genetic makeup that prevented use of the form of magic in question, the creature would be able to call upon any new type of magic absorbed anytime for the rest of it's life. If it indeed was incompatible with the absorbed magic, the creature could utilize it, but only until it ran out of the stored energy of that type." Sombra explained.

"I couldn't have said it better myself." Jetstream replied.

"Wait... No... you can't possibly... you haven't..." Sombra stuttered.

"I have. My entire skeleton is made of katchïn. What you just did was fuel me with enough Shadow Magic to last me very a long time. And seeing as you failed to injure me, I'll use some of it, along with every other type, to kill you swiftly and decisively."

Jetstream's horn glowed gold, and Chrysalis became trapped in a bubble of the same color. Jetstream walked out from under the Crystal Palace, and said:

"You all may want to look away. It's going to get a lot brighter here in a second."

She then turned her attention to the bubble, and sent it rocketing into the sky, until it was only a small golden star among the others in the sky. Finally she cried out:

"Waíse neiat!" Be not.

And the golden star became white, and blindingly bright, like a miniature sun.

"What did you just do?" Percy asked.

"I converted every single atom in Chrysalis and Sombra's collective being into pure energy. It will burn out in about an hour or so, and then I'll send the miniature force field into the core of the sun to safely release the radiation. Until then, we can send our valiant troops home, for they are no longer needed."

With the golden glow on her horn intensifying for a moment, Jetstream turned towards the gathered warriors, thanked them for their service using the Royal Canterlot Voice, and the crowd vanished, with the exception of the Changelings who served the Queens rather than the Equestrian Armed Forces.

"I will be on the northern balcony, keeping an eye on the miniature star I've created." she added, before spreading her wings and flying away.

Twilight turned to her friends. Everypony looked tired, but unharmed.

"I should release my hold on the Crystal Heart now. I don't want to have to sense the entire Empire longer than I have to." she said.

Approaching the heart, Twilight frowned.

"But how am I going to do it?" she asked herself.

A hoof touched her shoulder. Twilight turned to see Cadence standing next to her, smiling.

"All you need is to will for it to happen, and it will." the pink Alicorn said.

Twilight did just that, and the rainbow glow coming from the Heart faded, leaving it the same blue color it had before. Blue which, Twilight noticed, matched Cadence's magical aura. She thanked her sister-in-law and told the others she needed to go for a walk alone, to think. The other ponies nodded and Twilight set out.

Truth be told, Twilight felt miserable. She was glad the war was over, and that Chrysalis and Sombra were gone, but she felt like she'd done nothing. She only stood by, guarding the Crystal Heart. Even then, she spent at least a good hour talking with Annabeth and trying out Iris-Messaging. Twilight looked up at the miniature sun shining above the Crystal Palace. Her mind shifted to the other Alicorns. Celestia raised the sun, and Luna the moon, and both sisters ruled during their time of day. Cadence had been watching over the Crystal Empire, and now she was in charge of the Affairs of State, like she had been before leaving for the Empire with Shining Armor. Jetstream, as Luna mentioned, helped uphold the peace in Equestria. She was also in charge of watching over Discord as his mind healed from the chaos-induced insanity that drove him to attack Equestria two thousand years ago. Meanwhile Nyx was still too young to be responsible of anything major in Equestria, however Twilight had a feeling that the former Nightmare would end up helping Luna watch over the dreamscape. Twilight herself, however, she had no idea what she would do. She was the Princess of Magic, or so everypony thought, but she had no idea what that would entail.

Twilight spread her wings and took flight, circling the Crystal Palace for a few minutes, stirring the dark thoughts in her mind all the while. She then landed on the northern balcony, tucking her wings and leaning against the railing, looking up to the miniature sun, which seemed a little dimmer than before. Jetstream stepped outside, stopping behind Twilight.

"Is everything alright, Twilight?" she asked.

"Leave me alone, Jetstream. I'm lost, and I need to think." Twilight sighed. The sound of hoofsteps fading with distance was heard, then Twilight was again bathed in silence.

She sat there for nearly fifteen minutes, when the sound of four sets of hooves drew near.

"She is broken inside, Celestia. Surely there is something we can do to ease her pain. I do not want for her to be overcome by negative emotions, as I had all those years ago." Luna said.

"Speak to us, Twilight. Bottling up your fears is no way to deal with them. You must tell us what bothers you, or we will not be able to help you." Celestia softly said.

"I don't want to burden you all with my problems. You all have much more important things to worry about." Twilight replied.

"You know that's not true. Nothing means more to any of us than the well-being of those close to us. Tell us what ails you, Twilight. Let us help you." Jetstream said.

Twilight sighed loudly. "Fine."

She turned to the other Alicorns.

"It isn't that I'm ungrateful of all the things that I've earned. Nor of all the journeys I have taken, or the lessons that I have learned. But I wonder where I'm going now, what my role is meant to be. It's just that I don't know to travel to a future that I can't see."

Twilight approached the other Alicorns, who listened intently.

"I have my wings, I wear this crown. I'm a princess, that's true, but it is still unclear to me just what I'm meant to do. I want to have a purpose, I want to do all that I can. I want to make a contribution, I want to be a part of the plan." she added.

Celestia caressed Twilight with a hoof, and said:

"Your destiny is uncertain, and that's sometimes hard to take. Know that your path will become much clearer, with every new choice you make."

"Patience is never easy, I understand wanting more. I know how hard it is to wait to spread out your wings and soar." Luna added.

"Besides, you stand here for a reason. You're gifted and you are strong." Cadence chimed in, making Twilight blush, "If that crown is upon your head, it's because you belong."

Jetstream walked over and stood to face Twilight directly, her asymmetrical eyes peering deeply into Twilight's.

"Know that your time is coming soon, for as the Sun rises, so does the Moon. Just as Love finds a place in every heart, you are a princess, you'll play your part." she said softly.

"Your time will come." Celestia added.

A smile crept onto Twilight's face.

*They're right. There is still time. Besides, I'll live forever, so whatever I'll end up doing will come in time.* Twilight thought.

The sound of hoofsteps filled the air as a panting stallion appeared at they entrance to the balcony.

"Princesses, you are needed at the bottom floor. Prime Minister Consensus would like to speak with you." he said.

"Thank you, Private Sentry." Cadence replied curtly, and the stallion left. "We should go meet him. General Consensus, the Crystal Empire's new Prime Minister, is not the most patient stallion." she added, spreading her wings and leaping off the balcony. Twilight and the others followed. The flight was brief, but it was enough to comfort Twilight a little more. Percy, Annabeth, Nyx, Screwball, Shining Armor, the Changeling Queens and Asbeth, and the other Elements of Harmony were all standing by the Crystal Heart. Relief was apparent on the face of each pony. The same pegasus stallion who had notified them earlier landed by the doors of the Crystal Palace, and said:

"Fillies and Gentlecolts, the Prime Minister of the Crystal Empire, the Very-Honourable General Consensus!"

The doors opened, and a robust crystal stallion with a brown coat and green eyes walked out. A set of even scales marked his flanks.

"On behalf of the entire Crystal Empire, I sincerely thank you for your aid. Without Equestria or the Changeling Nation, the Crystal Empire would be no more. If there is anything we can do to repay this, say it now and we shall do whatever we can to grant it." he said.

"There is nothing the Empire can aid us with at the present time, but we will keep that debt in mind." replied Celestia.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the reply with a nod and added: "In the meantime you're all welcome to stay the night in the Palace if you wish."

The stallion turned around and made his way back to the palace doors

The light emanating from the miniature star faded completely, leaving a small golden speck in the sky among the stars.

"It's over. The souls of the two corrupted rulers are no more. Stydja unin mor'ranr, Chrysalis Dröttning un Sombra Könungr." Jetstream said, and the gold speck flew off to the horizon.

"Where did you send the force field?" Luna asked.

"Into the center of the Sun, where I can safely release the radiation locked in the force field." was the reply.

"A safe plan." Celestia commented. "However we have other things to worry about still. The inhabitants of your hive for example, or Kronos. There is also this "Master" Chrysalis mentioned.

Dianthia stepped closer to the sky-colored Alicorn.

"Allow us to care for the affairs of your hive for now, Jetstream. We must locate and retrieve the younglings who were left behind, for example. I'll see to it that the entire hive is guided to the mesas in the San Polomino Desert, where my Hidden Hive is located. Though I'll personally stay with you, I'm certain one of our fellow Queens would volunteer to oversee this operation. Queen Formora, perhaps?" she added, looking back at the Queen she mentioned, who promptly nodded in agreement.

"Thank you dearly, Dianthia, and you as well, Formora. However I shall keep Asbeth with me, as I promised I'd watch over him." Jetstream answered, the High-Queen returning towards her own subjects to deal with them.

There was a brief pause, then Twilight said:

"Chrysalis mentioned a "Master" she and Sombra answered to. What was the name she gave? Lord Tirek? Who could that be?"

"A puzzling question indeed, Princess Twilight. The name of this Tirek strikes a familiar chord in my memory, but I cannot place where." Luna replied. "But Chrysalis also mentioned him rising from Tartarus, just as we know Kronos is. It is possible that they are one and the same."

"Though I would not want to overlook that fact, little sister, we may want to look into the matter a little closer to be sure. We need to be as prepared as we can be to confront what lies ahead." Celestia added.

"The Canterlot Archives don't mention anything about anyone named Tirek. How are we supposed to find out more?" Twilight asked.

"Perhaps the texts written in the Ancient Language that are located in my library in Altur'Rang could help us. The name Tirek is unfamiliar to me as well, but I feel as if it belonged to someone or something who had a large impact on Equestria's history. It is late however, and we all need a good night's rest after all that happened today. Even I am contemplating sleeping normally tonight, for the first time in twenty centuries." Jetstream suggested.

Everypony in attendance nodded in agreement, and in a flash of silvery light, the group was transported to a vast hall made of a bluish crystal. Golden light emanated from evenly placed tiles on the floor, though it was faint. The ceiling was dark, save for a few specks of white and a larger sphere of white light.

*It looks like the night sky, only much closer.* Twilight noted. She'd been to Altur'Rang before, but never at night, and she usually confined herself to the library it contained.

"Arrows will appear on the floor to each of you and direct you to vacant bedrooms. The very same arrows will guide you to the dining room tomorrow morning for breakfast. Sleep well everypony." Jetstream said, before trotting off, followed by Discord.

The glowing tiles on the floor took on the shapes of arrows and pointed towards the exit of the hall. A number of ponies in the group immediately followed them. Those who stayed behind included Twilight, Screwball, Nyx, Asbeth, and Annabeth.

"Come on, Nyx, Asbeth! I'll show you guys to my room. I've got a spare bed or two I can poof up for you!" Screwball said, and the three foals ran after the chaos filly's parents.

Annabeth turned to Twilight and asked:

"I suppose you'll be running off to the library to try to find something out about this Tirek guy?"

Twilight nodded. "Besides, I don't think I'd be able to sleep right now. Not with everything that went on today. I need to read to distract myself, and I may as well do it productively. The challenge of reading the Ancient Language should be a perfect way to do that."

"Mind if I come with?" Annabeth asked. "I know my way around the Ancient Language now. If we work together, we could find something that much quicker."

"Sure. Company could be nice, follow me." Twilight agreed, a hint of a smile flashing across her face.

Ignoring the arrows on the floor, Twilight set out through the vast crystal corridors, making sure to keep in Annabeth's field of view, so that the demigod unicorn wouldn't get lost. Altur'Rang was nothing more than a vast maze to anypony who hadn't been a frequent visitor. After a few minutes of walking, Twilight pushed open a large set of double doors, opening the way to a vast library. The miniature night sky covered the ceiling of the library, just as it had in the main hall. Shelves almost as tall as the room itself lined the walls and formed a maze of their own throughout the massive chamber. To Twilight's left, the shelves were lined with scrolls and bound books lined the shelves to her right.

"From right to left, you go further into history. In the deepest parts of the scrolls, you'll find the most complex writings in the Ancient Language, that most likely talk about how Equestria came to be, or the ancient history predating the founding of the First Alicorn Dynasty." she explained.

"It's probably also the hardest stuff to read. Let's start in the middle and work towards the older section. If we don't find anything in the next two hours, we go to bed and try again tomorrow, with the help of everypony else who can read the Ancient Language." Annabeth replied, Twilight nodding in agreement.

Comments

[GoldenCyclone4]

Well played. Well played indeed.

[Surprise Pie]

5039629 fixed

[ty2manie]

Moar! I need moar!

[moonlit scribe]

As a dracnae would say, Interessssting.When R u Going to Update!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I Need an Update now!!!!!
That is, if you don't mind of course.