Equestrian scrolls I : epic pony tales

by Sanguine Eyes

Chapter 12: Change of plans [remastered v2.0]

Change of plans

Twilight awoke, blinking away the lightheadedness face down on cold stone, excitement strummed through her, though that was not what woke her. What had brought her back into the state of consciousness was laughter, very loud laughter. She stood up on all four hooves and looked back towards the source of the laughter.

From the look of everything they had all somewhat just fallen into a pile when they passed through the mirror. Atop the pile was a cream colored Unicorn with a long graceful looking horn, a short light brown mane up in a familiar bun, and one metal leg, hoof and all. However this Mare was not laughing in amusement, she was laughing very directly at what looked like a very old gray furred bipedal wolf. It took her a few seconds but she was convinced she was looking at Taara and Baldir.

Spike was the next to stir from his sleep. “Twilight? What is going on? Did... did we make it?”

Twilight looked all around, they were not in the small outpost she had first entered the obsidian mirror from. But it was still was a place she was unfortunately familiar with. “The Crystal caves! Spike we are below the Crystal empire.”

Taara helped up a few of her other mages all bumbling about on four legs, they were very clearly trying to get used to the pony form. Baldir and his two companions had been turned into wolves and for some reason Taara found this incredibly hilarious. Spike found her laughter insulting, mumbling something about how humiliating it was to be turned into a dog. Though as they stirred Baldir and his two friends did not much seem mind the change. Ra’shala however, seemed to have not changed at all. Other than becoming shorter and over all a little fluffier she stayed nearly identical to her original form, even her armor and weapons had stayed the same. Taara's magic was spot on, she had weaved together a complicated spell matrix in order to transform everyone the moment they got through into already existing races, mostly through a universe comparison biology analysis. Simply put, asking the universe what each person would look like if they were born in one dimension instead of their own and slapping on a disguise.

Taara finished her chuckling and checked a few things, surprisingly she took to her form rather well and her grasp of simple Equestrian magic was quite impressive, but then Twilight stopped and figured she probably had some practice.“Aye good news Twilight, it seems as though I was right, our two worlds were dilated to each other in time. Time moved faster, or at the very least varying degrees of different speeds all mostly faster in our world than it did in yours, a LOT faster. Which is what we were hoping for, after all it was like 240 years in our world.”

“Taara, exactly how did you just confirm all of this?” Twilight eyed her friend over with a suspicious stare. She did enjoy Taara's spontaneous knowledge gathering, but sometimes everything would be so much easier if the old mage would just let her in on the details beforehand.

“I brought an anchor from our time just in case a time dilation was actually something we had to deal with, I set it to go if there was any active temporal drift, and low and behold it did. The anchor activated, which means something is pulling on it, like a normal iron anchor going taut against the boat. Time is pulling on it, its also likely the reason we were knocked unconscious. It could not have been gentle, and our physical bodies probably just couldn't keep up with the changing flow of time. Never the less if this is the Crystal empire then lets go and meet that friend of yours up here, and your brother I am eager to proceed.” She grinned and started forward, the rhythmic pattern of her hooves sounded just a little off with the metal hoof.

Taara chuckled trotting relatively easily along the path. The whole four legs bit threw most of her mages off, enough for Twilight to and get a good chuckle out of it. She remembered how awkward it was to learn to walk on two legs the first time. Baldir seemed to be happy with his new form. Taking to it like a fish to water, She always found it somewhat disturbing how such an old and muscularly large person could move about so quietly and now it was twice as bad. He seemed to love to run in the shadows without making so much as a peep of noise, very different from the heavy clanking armor she was used to hearing when he was near, but even then he seemed to know how to be quiet when he wanted to. Spike was a bit chatty with the mages, regaling them with stories and Taara seemed to be mentally cataloging everything they came close to. Ra’shala as usual was in the shadows where she felt the most comfortable, easily twice as stealthy as Baldir. It was all so much, Twilight nearly had to hold back tears. She was finally home, soon she would be back in the presence of those she loved so much, and to top it all off, those who cared enough to make it happen would be here too .

Stepping out from the cave Twilight’s eyes adjusted and she stared, not in awe, but shock. Stepping out next to her, Taara looked at Twilight then back out at the empire before clearing her throat. "I suppose it's not supposed to look like this?"

The land ravaged. The great majestic crystal buildings had old heavy burns over them, large cracks, and a banner Twilight clearly did not recognize flew over the main tower. As damaged as the city was, it was clear that the it was not empty, she could spot the occasional pony moving in the distance, Twilight could tell they were Crystal ponies but she did not get a chance to get close enough. Before them two heavy set Pegasus landed kicking up dust and levying spears.

“Identify yourselves! And why are you in the Crystal caves?” they pointed their spears with a little extra vigor and Taara gave a slow and low laugh, raising a hoof but then correcting herself to use the new magical organ attached to her head. Her horn began to glow when Twilight raised her hoof.

“Wait! They are just guards, please let me try... without killing anything. It's my world, can we please at least try things my way first? just please don’t just rampage, alright?” She tried to smile while addressing her friend.

The glow faded and she smiled with a nod. “Very well… but you know I don't like petty fools pushing weapons in my face. And we do things our way if your plan fails” She smiled and nudged Twilight playfully.

Twilight turned back to the guards who seemed rather impatient. She straightened up and cleared her throat speaking evenly. “We need to see the princess, and we need to see her now.”

The guards scoffed. “By what authority do you intend on making such a demand?”

Pushing aside her cloak Twilight spread her wings wide and regally. “By my own authority, as princess Twilight Sparkle the princess of friendship.” The guards noticeably flinched staggering back in fear, which of course was not quite normal, but neither was her not being recognized. The whole ordeal was burning a hole in her stomach with uncertainty and worry.

Stammering and stuttering they both nodded firmly. “Y…yes your majesty…right away…” Twilight looked back, somewhat surprised to only see Spike and a group of unicorns. Baldir, Ra’shala and the companions were all gone. Twilight just sighed, those were experienced warriors and assassins. They knew what they were doing so she would not question where they went.

The Pegasus guards took them deeper into the city, Twilight could not help but grimace at the damage done to the city. Something was very wrong. Even the Crystal ponies had lost their shine. Twilight’s mind churned wondering why Cadence would allow such a thing to happen, or shining armor for that matter, it would have had to have been something extremely important to draw them away long enough for this madness to start up, but the guards were taking her to the 'princess' so someone was still here. Making their way up the grand tower Twilight worked out a line of questions and concerns after she let her brother and beloved sister in law know that she was back, then they could all work on fixing whatever this madness was. However, all her thoughts were blown away when the doors opened, but the state of the city began to make sense.

There on the Crystal throne was an alicorn that she had never seen before. Very light pink coat with cyan colored mane. She looked familiar but Twilight could not place it. Whoever it was, Twilight still had questions. And despite her desire to keep things civil and to level with the Equestrian way of life, she was tempted to make things a little ugly if this new princess was responsible for the condition of the city and not a victim of it.

“And just who is this?...” The alicorn stared down at Twilight, her commanding and somewhat haughty voice snapping Twilight out of her thoughts. The stranger narrowed her eyes in anger as she saw Twilight’s wings. “So then, a new alicorn comes to take my place? I'm sure you will come to see that will be a little harder than you think.” Her very posture was dismissive and spoke of a person who used overwhelming displays of tyrannical power to remind people why she was in charge.

Taara nudged Twilight and whispered. “Who in Oblivion is that?...”

Twilight shook her head and whispered back. “I don’t know, but we are going to find out.” clearing her throat and putting on her best smile Twilight stepped forward hoping to salvage this and get some answers. “Ahem, well you can relax. I am not here to take anything from you, I am just looking for Princess Cadence.”

The ponies all about shuttered and eyes wide they stepped back, some left the throne room in a hurry as the Alicorn stared down at her. A wry smile spread across her lips. “My mother is indisposed at the moment… and if you come calling her by that name, then you must be…” She giggled looking down at Twilight with narrow angry eyes. “My auntie, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Goodness… you have been gone for quite some time now haven’t you? Everypony thinks you are dead. What say you… I make sure they are not disappointed?” Twilight’s eyes widened, looking up as the alicorn leveled her hoof at Twilight and Taara. In perfect sync the guards all drew their spears.

Quickly taking a step forward Twilight blurted. “No please… wait we can still resolve this”

The new princess scoffed with a sadistically playful grin. “Not that I don’t enjoy hearing ponies beg for their lives but I-“

Taara cut her off with a hearty laughter waving her hoof dismissively at the alicorn princess. “Oh I am sorry you poor dull beast, Twilight here is just a little soft hearted, she’s not begging you for HER life, she’s begging us... for yours”

The slightest shift in air pressure combined with Taara’s comment made the Alicorn leap from her seat taking flight just as a heavy axe cleaved through the Crystal throne like butter as Baldir finished his pounce. “Damn it woman! If you would have shut your damned mouth for just two more seconds, I would have that ugly assed horse’s head in my hands right now.”

Taara chuckled, her horn crackling with energy. "You would just be chewing on it silly, and hey, it's still right there."

Adrenaline shot through Twilight as she waved her hooves about frantically. “No no no no! Please we can still resolve this please.”

Taara shook her head staring up at the flying princess. “No… I am sorry Twilight, things plans have changed. Even you are out of your element here. Whatever happened here has changed this world for the worse, this is not the Equestria you knew, and certainly not the one you told us of. We must act to preserve ourselves." She looked back over Twiligh'ts shoulder and lowered her head a little, "That and do you really think you can stop Baldir?”

Twilight quickly followed her gaze taking note of the wolf pouncing off of walls to try and meet the alicron princess in the air. Frowning and nodding at the scenario. This was another thing she had learned during her time on Nirn. There was a time for peace and friendship, then there was a time to fight, even if she feared for Cadence’s well being, all of that would have to wait until she and her friends were safe.

The guards rushed in only to be met with the far more combat focused Tamrielian destruction magics. A line of unicorns, with Taara at the lead blasted the guards back with ice, fire, and lightning, very little remained of the first line of guards, the unicorns instantly split into pairs taking to looking for more guards and for a chance to establish battlefield supremacy.

“Don’t just stand there… KILL THEM ALL!!!” The flying princess roared in anger before suddenly shrieking in pain as an arrow popped through her wing. Screaming and shrieking all the way to the ground. Ra’shala leaped from her spot in the shadows high up drawing a blade as she descended tip first at the downed princess. However, when the princess’s lips parted, her voice rang out.

“Bronze Armor!!!”

The ground rumbled and there was a streak of magical energies as a light brown glow flashed through the air and scooped up the downed princess, reflecting the descending Ra'shala. Standing tall, a lean powerful alicorn stallion glared down at them with vacant eyes. Heavy shackles bond his legs and around his neck. His vacant eyes were not the only telling sign, he moved like a puppet getting its strings yanked, his every last movement hinted that he was almost void of sentient thought. Whatever it was, he was thoroughly dominated by magic. However, the concerning thing was the seething power that flowed off of him. It was the same dark magic that Twilight had seen before the first time she was in the Crystal Empire. This stallion was possessed by the same magic that Sombra used. Only he had no control, he was just a vessel to the power and the magical shackles about him likely dominated that power through direct control of his mind and if Twilight had to guess, the leash of all that power was connected to the one who called him there. This new princess.

“Now this is a bit of a game changer… but we can still take them methinks.” Taara grinned happily readying another volley of destruction magic. However, she froze as the new alicorn, Bronze armor stared down at her with vacant wide eyes. Baldir even shuttered, his confident near predator like eagerness for the fight vanished. Taara turned to Twilight quickly and her words flowed. “We have to leave, now! Twilight we are leaving! Quick what is the fastest way out?”

Twilight glanced her way a little confused. But she would not object, she did not want to kill any more ponies. At this point, she just wanted to leave. “Back down the way we came, why whats going on?”

Spike too seemed to be in half a trance still on Twilights back but he was definitely afraid of or at the very least, influenced by something. Though it did not take very long for Twilight to get her answer. The ceiling gave way and dragons poured into the throne room.

“Oh… yeah.. um.. through the wall right here is a little faster” She gave a light disturbed smile and Taara blasted through the wall leaping without looking, Baldir and his two companions instantly leapt from high point to high point dashing their way through the upper areas of the room to follow the arch mage in the escape. First the Pegasus guards rushed to meet them, but their blades danced and blood rained as fine steel glided through pony flesh. Then directly afterward as the dragons began swooping down upon the fleeing mages Baldir’s old paws raced down the dragon’s backs like mobile platforms beheading each dragon as he danced from dragon to dragon, occasionally skipping one which fell to extremely precise arrows piercing through eye sockets from somewhere in the shadows. Thankfully, as the dragons saw their comrades fall and the somewhat surprising sight of their soul being ripped from their bodies to be consumed by this wolf creature, a new definition of terror flooded them, only to be erased as the dark green bubbly darkness magic dominated their minds and pushed them forward nearly the moment the fear of death struck them.

Baldir and his companions were last through the hole in the wall. Twilight was quite thankful that the ground was clear below. As the group fell, a spot of worry began brewing at the thought of the sudden stop that would accompany them at the end, but the fall was broken by a gravity spell Twilight quickly whipped up to drastically slow their descent at the last moment. A quick glance showed her that Taara who had made the leap first had done so as well, or at least something similar.

Taking quick note of everyone she had come in with, she took a deep breath and drew in deep on her magical power. “Alright everyone, hold on tight!” Baldir was about to ask what Twilight was talking about when her magic consumed them all and blinked them to the outskirts of the Crystal empire.

Twilight gasped loudly, out of breath and slightly singed. She had never teleported that far before. Or that many people for that matter. Her magical prowess was easily ten times what it was before, but still that spell had been extremely taxing. Nearly taking her off her hooves.

“Wow, Twilight, that was quite impressive. Next time don't be afraid to ask for some help, magical burnout is not something you want to tempt.” Taara smiled as Baldir hauled her back onto her hooves.

“Agreed, but little horse, next time less singing on the fur aye?” Ra’shala grumbled, brushing her fur with an open palm.

Taara looked back at the city, just about two miles off. "I don't want to sound picky or anything, but you could have gotten us a bit further away. If we don't move now, they will catch up soon." Twilight nodded, happy just to be safe she started down the road moving further and further away from the waking nightmare as she tried to think of what could have happened to Equestria.

“South and east yes? According to your map here, all drawn by memory it appears as though you are quite good at this, even if it’s a little sloppy, is still impressive.” Ra’shala’s smaller clawed fingers traced over the details of the map before looking down at Twilight. There were plenty of things on Twilight's mind, but as she fell to her knees and teetered over, answering a friendly question was not one of them. Things got dim but only for a moment, she tasted the bitterness of blisterwart and blue mountain flowers.

She winked, looking up, she could feel her body had been slung over her someone's shoulder, and it didn't take many guesses to find out which massive old nord turned wolf she was being carried by. She could have been thinking of the new princess, and the enslaved male alicorn, she could have been worried about where they would go, or how they would get back to the mirror, or perhaps why this stretch of land was forested instead of snowy like it had always been. But something else rested on her mind. “We should not have left… That princess had Cadence. She’s alive I know it, how could this have happened? I don’t understand, why would princess Celestia allow this to happen.” She drooped her head defeated at the thought of how all that had transpired could have happened.

Baldir flinched, then nodded to Ra’shala who nodded back taking a single step off the path and seeming vanishing into darkness. Taara sighed looking over at Twilight. “Hey, not to add to your burden but it looks like this place is even less friendly than you said.” Twilight summoned the strength to look up at Taara with a “what?” face.

“We are surrounded, an ambush I think. They are in the trees, in the clouds, and in the bushes. Ponies I think, a whole lot of them, we should have stayed off the roads” Taara’s horn began to glow but Twilight shook her head and spoke from Baldir's shoudler. “No, please. Let’s do this peacefully this time, or at least without killing, please”

Taara sighed and nodded. In Tamreil all she had to do was let people know who she was and usually they would give up. But here she had to reestablish herself. As such, she flared her magic and bellowed. “We know you're there, do us a favor and come out or we will just have to assume that you have no intention of peace, at which point we will burn you all to cinders and maybe find out who you are from your smoldering corpses.” The mages lined up with the others leveling horns and weapons waiting for a response. Slowly out came a few ponies, half clad in rusted malformed formed armor, they looked starved and worn down. One however who strode out, old and weathered mare, she looked to be about Taara’s age. The female earth pony brushed off the slightly more uniform armor that neatly fit her soft orange coat. It looked as if she was about to say something when her jaw hit the ground.

“…T…Twilight!?!?!”

The voice was much older but Twilight recognized it instantly and summoned up as much strength as she could to hop off Baldir’s back and weakly stand.

“A…Apple Jack?”

Comments

[Sanguine Eyes]

9379390
OwO
BY ASURA BY ASURA BY ASURA!!!

It's really you! the poneh princess of friendship!!!

[Starlight Nova]

Will I need to know anything about Skyrim to understand this story?

[Commander Darklight]

9379390
STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM

NOBODY ESCAPES THE LAW ON MY WATCH

[Sanguine Eyes]

9405967
No, but it certainly helps.