Dark Corners of Equestria

by Pankrazius

Chaptere 6 - Redemption?

Great. Got lost in this darn maze. Rainbow Dash grumbled, while following the dark path, seemingly upwards.
The wrong direction for sure. But as she had passed some crossings and forking ways, she decided to go as far up as possible. Maybe she got the chance to find an exit. Back in the forest, she could start again.
Or she never found out and therefore starved to death.

Dark thoughts, meandered through her mind and a fear swelled inside. She was used to fly, to feel the wind around her. Pegasi could even read the air around them. The angles in which gusts blew, smells, cloud forms. Flying in an outright storm was merely a reason for worries. A challenge, for sure - but nothing impossible. But this cave? To narrow to fly - or at least spread her wings and strange unreadable winds changing their direction for no reason. This cave could easily become her favorite nightmare.

Suddenly Rainbow heard sounds. For moments she struggled with panic. Any creature could easily reach her, for she was nearly trapped. "Who is it?! Show yourself!" Rainbow challenged into the dark. She ran along the way, hoping to find an opponent, to fight. Her eager gallop ended - abrupt on some stonewall.

"Ouch," stars and strange lights flickered before her eyes. And they just didn't want to go away. It took a while, before she realised, the lights were actual there. Not far in front of her - right behind the column she ran into - there was a bright green shimmer, sharpening the contours around her. Rainbow Dash dared to breath again.

She walked towards the opening, just to stop in the last moment. Her foreleg over the gap leading in a really gigantic cave - the bottom dozens of metres below.

Directly beneath: A big dark hole led into sheer black darkness... with something moving inside. From stone figures, cluttered around the abyss, chains stretched from one to another, building something like a five-pointed star. But somepony had botched on this. Some chains were to long, so they sagged. And anyway the statues didn't stand in a regular pattern, so the star was completely off.
Shrouds of black fog whirled around the abyss. Greenish lightnings zapped around.

Rainbow could spot a lavender and brownish spot down there. Her heart skipped a beat. Twilight and Applejack. A bit away stood another blue spot. Trixie for sure. But again a little behind them some hooded figure stood upon a raised plattform.
She could hear single words through the winds. But not one of them sounded reassuring.

* * *

"Come up here!" the mage demanded, one red furred arm raised

"Trixie. Stop!" a voice behind her yelled.

Turning her head she recognized Twilight Sparkle. What in Celestias name, was she about to do here?! The cinnamon colored Pony was around with her. Applejack, she meant to remember. A few steps behind them stood the Zecora.
Where they here to hinder her, reaching her goal?

The hooded stranger had begun to read. The language, although alien and unintelligible, was clearly some incantation. Trixie felt the creeps, as raw magic sizzled along her coat towards the altar.

Twilight, now near the dais, shivered. Small bilious-green lightnings danced in patterns over her body, culminating in her horn just to jump towards the book. But she recovered fast, preparing a spell herself. Purple energy engulfed her horn.

"Stop them! They are about to destroy everything!" the mage had interrupted his monotonous chant. But magic already wailed through the dome.

"Stand back!" Trixie called towards the approaching opponents. "You won't stop me!"

"You don't know, what you are doing! Stop right there!", Twilight shouted. Trixie could see the fear in her eyes, while storming gusts of magic swept through her mane.

"Oh - you don't have to fear my dear, for the Great and Powerful Trixie don't want to do anything evil. I am just helping a friend in return for him saving my life!"

With this Trixie unleashed a magic push against Twilight. Not strong enough to hurt her - but sufficient to break her concentration. The purple unicorn lost her trip and stumbled.

"Whatsha doin?!" Applejack ran towards Trixie. For a moment she felt guilty. Somehow this didn't turn out like estimated. But after this, she could make up for everything wrong she has done before.

A second energyblast hit the cinnamon colored earth pony, sending her to the ground as well.

* * *

Twilight tried to bob up. Trixies spell had not been very painful but it felt hard to concentrate or even to coordinate. To see Trixie doing this - and the anger in her eyes, was much harder to take.

"You are the one, don't knowing what she does. This very time, the Great and Powerful Trixie won't do anything wrong."

Greenish and black flashes of energy emerged from the book, while the carvings around the chasm started to glow brighter. The clash of magic cracked like thunder, echoing from the walls.

"Trixie!" Twilight shouted through the gathering magic storm. "Stop it now!"

* * *

Trixie felt, as if she were watching herself. Whatever happened was wrong. Why was Twilight fighting her? Didn't she appreciate to see her turn in the right direction?

"Very well, my friend," the mages voice spoke. "Now we could complete the ritual! Finish them off!"

She took a few steps toward the lying enemies of hers.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie don't want to fight them.", Trixie, explained. "They are of no danger now.... If they listen, I can explain them..."

"Why? They are here to destroy your very future..." the voice sounded impatient.

"Trixie. You have to stop this. Its black magic!" Twilight, managed to pull her up again, AJ sorted her feet, but soon she would stand as well.

"You have gone to far already. Do you really think, they let you get away with this?" the hooded mage shouted through the din.

Applejacks angry face illustrated the mages point. Trixie let her horn glow again, fearful about, what to do next.

The creaking in the strangers voice vanished, as he intoned the last lines - in common language. "And now, as anything is, as it should be - Cyägha - I present you the victims. The Mage, the Fighter and the Innocent."

Trixie, distracted from the words turned her head, just to fell the blood drain away from her face. Her mouth formed a silent 'no'... her eyes went small.

"Finish the unicorn, and this earth pony, as Cyägha demands it!", the voice roared now, while he got grip of Pipsqueak holding the foal in one, skinny crimson red arm. "I'll take care of our young friend."

Trixie stood in shock. The words had hit her like a hammer. Without mercy the hooded stranger proceeded.

"What? Doubts? You have gone too far already. Do you think, they can forgive you THIS?" the strangers gesture enclosed the clouds of black magic, the lightnings and the lying ponies ahead of her.

No. This couldn't be true.

"Oh, you can oppose me, if you want. I don't need you as an enemy. But I still offer you to stay at my side. As long as you are loyal. Now - carry on! Cyäghea is waiting."

The time slowed down. Trixie felt her legs moving like through syrup. The shrieks and shouts behind here blurred to an undistinguishable murmur. The mages wilted muscles tensed, before he tossed, the small body of Pipsqueak towards the chasm.

* * *

Rainbow knew, diving down there wouldn't work... But...

Terrified she watched the strange hooded creature raising one arm. Holding a little white and brown bundle. Her eyes went big - then small like needlepricks.
The little foal flew, tossed by the mage.

Before Rainbow Dash realised what happened, she dropped down the shaft, accelerating with her wings. Nothing mattered, but Pipsqueak. Seconds expanded, while the dark hole stretched before her. Focusing just on the falling foal, she ignored anything other. Even Applejacks yell towards her, deteriorated to a mere whisper.

She knew her attempt was in vain. The distance was to big. But then - in the very last moment, a pale pink cloud surrounded the little body, reined his fall, eventually to a dead stop.
Rainbow managed to catch Pipsqueak. The bottomless abyss directly before her.

* * *

Everything happened at the same moment. She concentrated. Pipsqeak! Magic shot from her horn. Flying wasn't anything other, then distract gravity!
Twilight unleashed magic herself two times, the hot blasts just inches away from Trixies head. A split second later a third bolt flashed from the purple, angry unicorn.

Something exploded anywhere in her back.

Suddenly a deep, unearthly scream emerged. Pain. Anger. Frustration.
On instance the magic storm disappeared, and a shock wave pushed herself through air and smoke, away from the stage. Something hard hit her. Most probably the ground.

* * *

Twilight had fired at the strange hooded mage. Two times. With no visible effect - the magic just had faded and disappeared. It won't work this way.
Then she realised - the book. A third time she concentrated, but led her magic a little lower then before.
The bolt hit.

.
.
.

As the smokescreen faded away, Twilight halfway expected to see Trixie try something stupid, like running away. Bad idea - as the tunnel leading to this place were blocked by Zecora.
But then - she gasped in shock. Not the blue unicorn had disappeared - she laid unconscious between edge of the chasm and this strange altar - but the creaky voiced stranger in his cloak was gone.

Had he... Had he jump in this abyss? What in Celestias sake was going on?!

"What in tarnation....", Twilight heard behind her.

Trixies forehoof twitched, followed by a long groan, as she slowly woke up. Instantly Twilight focused on her again.

"Don't you dare to move!", Twilight yelled. No, it was no anger, that filled Twilight. Sadness, the feel of betrayal. She just couldn't believe what had happened. She couldn't believe she were this wrong with Trixie. But it had happened. Before her eyes. Pipsqueak - the missing foal - pushed over the edge, pale pink magic surrounding his body. The cry, echoing in her ears. The blurring blue silhouette of Rainbow Dash shooting after the child. And then this deafening silence.

"You're so finished, missie!", Applejack besides her, snorting in wrath, and charged to the unicorn lying prone without further warning.

"No! No. Please... stop. Stoop!" Trixie begged and cried at her attacker, blocking the head with her hooves. Just a moment afterwards Applejack, tackled and pinned the frightened mare to the ground, one hoof risen above her own head, ready to strike her finally down.
"One good reason, wha a shouldn't."

Twilight stood paralysed. She knew, she should stop Applejack. She should do something. Anything. Rainbow Dash had fallen in this abyss. Along with the foal. Icy shivers run down her spine.

"Hey. Haaa-eeeey. If you are done up there, maybe you could consider to HELP?!"

The relief to hearing Dashs voice was almost as stunning as the terror moments before. Luckily it had the same effect on the raging Applejack. Still holding Trixie gasping down, she had full stopped her hoof.

* * *

This was bad. Falling winds in this abbyss, much to small in diameter anyway. Any try to leave this hole flying, was prone to disaster. So Rainbow Dash stood on this way to small ledge, trying to get a grip on the wall with one hoof, and hold this small colt with her other at the same time. The edge was a good dozen meters above her. And then she saw something move in the darkness. Dark, greenish fingers made of fog, groped upwards.

Perfect. Really.

Rainbow Dash tried to not think about this pitch black hole at her hooves. She tried to ignore the cracking and clattering sounds emerging from the stones she stood upon.

Literally in the last moment a rope fell down in front of her. Looking up, Rainbow felt a weight was lifted from her shoulders, she saw the worried but unharmed faces of Applejack and Twilight.

* * *

Trixie had sunken to the ground. Her face buried between her forelegs.
No. She wasn't crying. No tears left. She had seen the most terrifying thing in her whole life. By far more devastating than a furious Applejack. Even the sad, disappointed face of Twilight touched her not as bad.
She had reached the edge and had stepped over it. This was no little act of bragging. Even the 'Alicorn Amulet'-incident was merely a harmless prank in comparison.

"Now... to you! " she shivered just a bit, although the cold voice of Twilight pierced her painfully.
"What have you done?" Accusing, questioning, but Twilight didn't stop to walk towards her.

"I...", what was left to say? Apologize? Begging for mercy? After... that. "I should have known. But I didn't. He was suspicious. He said, that he admired me. That he would help me to get back on the track...
Inside I even felt he was doing wrong. That he lied. But I enjoyed this lie so much. I wished it were true. I wished I were wrong. So I followed this stranger. Until.. until" the lump in her throat grew to big.

Trixies eyes brightened for a moment. A few steps behind Twilight, the blue Pegasus managed to climb over the chasms ledge. Pipsqueak hanging on her back. At least they were saved.

Twilights voice softened a tone as she spoke "Why didn't you come back?"

"Does it matter anyway? I am finished. I could tell of my pride. The will to get it on my own. Maybe I feared you and your friends. You have less then no reason to help me. To ask you ... and now..."
Trixie sighed.

"Why did you push Pipsqueak down there?" Twilights voice sounded hoarse now, as if she had herself a lump in her throat.

Trixies head shot up. "What? I never did such a thing!"

Why would Twilight accuse her of such a deed? She may have done many bad decisions, she may have committed more then one thing, that would qualify as a crime. But that? She stared in disbelief for a moment.
Then - what would it matter. Maybe she didn't it by herself. But she helped the guy who did it. Blessedly the small one had survived. Her only true fan after all, she thought bitter.

"Thank Celestia Rainbow was fast enough to save the boy. You tried to murder a child. Do you understand that?" sadness lay in Twilight Sparkles voice "I thought, we were able to help you. But I fear even me couldn't do that anymore."

"Hey! Stop it. Wait a minute!" the pegasus remarkable voice yelled from behind.

Twilight turned her head, as her friend trotted near and laid a hoof on her back.

"I saw it. She didn't push - her magic hold Pipsqeak and managed to land him on a small platform." - then breathy - "She saved him. Not Me. I weren't even able to fly down there. The wind..."

"But... I..." sadness and anger made way for surprise followed by real dismay. Twilights head tilted between the blue pegasus - Rainbow according to Twilight - and Trixie.

"I. Oh Celestia... Oh no. I accused you."- she blushed -"How could I. Sorry. Sorry I didn't want to..."

"It is OK. It won't change anything." Trixie replied quiet.

"No. This changes everything! I got this whole thing wrong. I thought you teamed up with this hooded stranger!" Twilight gasped.

"I did, so to speak. I broke with him in the end. But the damage was already done."

"Twi... don't get me wrong... I am not afraid or something. But this place gives me shivers. Would be better to head back, hmm? -" Rainbow meant uneasy. "- We can play court at Zecora's, if you don't mind..."

* * *

Trixie felt weak, as she managed to walk besides Rainbow Dash.
Twilight and the other two walked a few lengths before them - with Pipsqueak sitting on Applejacks back.
Everypony was eager to leave this eerie underground dome. The narrow passage walls seemed to move towards another. Like a wound in the world trying to heal...

Nopony spoke a word, silently heading towards the entrance.
She felt, as it had took for hours - but at last she could spot the vaguely paler hole in the distance.
But instead of growing with each step, it got... smaller, Trixie realized with a chilling feel.
And she wasn't the only one!

"It collapses! RUN!",Twilight yelled. In no need of a second warning, she ignored her sore body and forced herself towards the opening. The last few meters she felt a hoof longing after her.

"Now come on!" Dash grabbed her foreleg, pulling her faster forward. Blurring sensations, and a awful din surrounding her.

The hole in the hillside closed with a cacophony of cracking and breaking sounds.
.
.
.
Only a noselength behind her tail.

Trixies heart raced and she pumped air in her exhausted lungs. Just like all of the others.
For a moment she couldn't think on anything other, than to have survived this nightmare and just embraced the wonderful cold nightly air.

"Anyone hurt?", Rainbow recovered the fastest.

Some different versions of 'no' accentuated with heavy breathing were the answer.

Saved? For good now?