Avatar: Legend of Diamond Tiara. Book 3: Tirek

by Jeweled Pen

Chapter 17: Confrontation

Diamond panted with exertion when they made it to the Everfree Forest. The trees looked oddly foreboding, the branches seeming to reach out and grasp at them. Diamond stared at them, chewing on her lower lips. “Have... any of you been here before?”

“No,” Acrylic said with a shake of his head. “Why would ANYPONY want to come here? This place is just...” He shuddered and shook his head. “We'll be fine, though. We've made it through tougher places than this.”

“Like where?” Button asked, before cringing when the others glared at him. “I mean, yeah! We're going to kick some flank!”

The alicorn nodded. “So uhhh... I know you all said you'd help me, but this is my fight and--” She yelped as she got a shock on her flank. She glared at Silver.

“There's no way, no how, we're letting you run off to get yourself killed on some stupid... stupid thing,” Silver said with a shake of her head. “There's four of us, four of them. It'll be fine.”

“Yeah, but you're not a--”

“I will zap you again if you say I'm 'not a bender'.”

“Errr...” Diamond coughed before turning ahead. “Right. Let's... go. We can do this,” she said nervously. She slowly walked forward, her friends following behind her. She walked around a few of the trees before letting out a sigh of relief. Despite the ominous feeling, everything felt fine. She kept walking. “Okay, so this isn't so bad.”

She was greeted by silence.

“Guys?” She looked back and froze. Her friends were gone. Worse than that, even though she was sure she'd only walked a few feet in, the trees spread out as far as they eye could see. “Silver! Acrylic! Button!” she screamed, galloping back the way she'd come.

------

Button looked to the left when they passed a weird flower. When he looked back ahead, Diamond was gone. “Diamond?” he called out. “Hey, guys, where--” It took him only a moment to realize the others were gone. “SILVER! ACRYLIC!” He started galloping forward. However, after a few steps, he heard a loud snapping sound, followed by a growl.

He froze and slowly looked back the way he'd come. Three large wolf like creatures made of wood stood before him, eying him angrily. He gave a little squeak. “O-oh. Oh no. Not... not good. H-heyyyy doggies. Gooood doggies,” he said nervously, forcing a grin on his face. “T-that's some good doggies. Right?” he asked softly before nervously backing away. “You don't... errr... you don't want to eat me, right? I'm not tasty at all! Nope, not at--”

The wolves charged forward and he quickly turned and galloped away, screaming as he went.

------

Acrylic let out a sigh when he stepped in something sticky. He looked down and grumbled. “Stupid--” However, a chill went down his spine. He quickly looked up and then let out a yipe. “Button? Silver? Diamond?” he called out, but received no answer. He took a few more steps but didn't see them. “Guys, this isn't funny. I know you're here, you were just here a few seconds ago!” Still he received no response. He started trotting forward, chewing nervously on his lower lip. “This isn't funny. Diamond? Is this your doing? No, Button. You're the joker. Stop it. We need to be serious.”

He kept walking and soon he came to a small little clearing in the woods. He felt a small sense of relief when the sun peaked in through the trees above. It felt warm and safe and he felt the panic begin to ebb away. He took a slow, deep breath.

“Okay. It's okay. You know this place is weird, mom told you about it. Just need to keep going. That's all there is to--” He froze when a bit of movement caught his eyes. He looked down, but all there was was grass. He frowned and shook his head. “Getting paranoid.” He started walking, but again he saw a little hint of movement, but when he looked there was nothing but grass. “I've only been in this place a few minutes and I already hate it,” he muttered.

When he made it to the center of the clearing, suddenly the grass came alive around him. The little blades started leaping into the air, circling around him as they lashed out, giving him cuts across his body. He let out a shriek as one cut in particular drew blood and he galloped forward, trying to escape the swirling mass of bladed grass hoppers.

------

Silver's eyes were narrowed as she trotted through the forest. She couldn't believe how stupid she'd been. She'd only looked away for a moment, just a single moment. Then there'd been a small surge of magic and when she looked up, the others were gone.

All she could feel now was frustration and annoyance. The magic seeped through the plants and wildlife of the forest, licking at her hooves and crossing over her skin like a thick ichor. Even if she couldn't physically feel it, she knew it was there. It wasn't evil, but it wasn't good either. It was chaos. Strange magic of a forgotten time, swirling around in a great mass, creating trees and a whole forest of strange creatures to serve its will. If it even had a will to begin with.

She took a slow, deep breath before her eyes began to glow green. She felt something in the forest stir and begin to awaken. “Yes, I know you're there,” she said softly. “What are you? Some kind of ancient spirit? Or perhaps something left behind by Discord? A touch of chaos in a world of Harmony? It doesn't matter.” She took another step forward and she felt the magic of the land start to climb up her hooves, testing her. She smiled none the less.

“No, not a spirit. You'd know what I was, then. You're not quite alive, now are you? But not unliving, either. Somewhere... in between. I haven't really encountered anything like you before.” She lifted up her hoof and looked down at it. “Some kind of... taint, I suppose. A strange thing that doesn't like the order of the world. Or more tries to create its own way of doing things.” She heard a low growl from behind her. She turned back and saw a wolf made of wood behind her, towering over her.

She smiled and started to walk towards it. The wolf froze, slightly shocked by this reaction. Normally things ran FROM it. However, she came closer and it lunged forward, its teeth lancing at its preys throat.

Then it froze, fear suddenly embracing its heart. It slowly pulled back, mouth closing as it stared down at this little creature. She merely smiled back at it.

“Go ahead. Try.” Her metallic wings began to spread.

It let out a whine before turning and running off. She chuckled softly before taking a few more steps. She felt the ichor of the forest spreading up her hooves, trying to overwhelm her. But there was something else to it now, a fear. “Oh. So you're getting an idea now, aren't you?” she asked casually. “But you don't know who I am yet, do you?” she taunted.

“You're a creation of chaos, little forest.” She reached out and put a hoof to a nearby tree. “With a strange, unique magic. Did Discord make you? Or something else?” She then tapped the tree and her eyes glowed white. The bark began to turn to stone. “It doesn't matter though, does it? You were made with chaos.” Her hoof lashed out when the tree was fully stone and it crumbled to pieces. “I was born of it. It flows through you like a river. But me? I guide it. I collect it. I am it. And right now? You have my friends.” She felt the magic receding from her body, frightened now. “You're going to give them back. Do you know why?” As the last bit of magic fell away, she let the magic flow out from her hooves, into the land.

“Because if you don't... I'm going to be very, very cross with you.”

------

Meadowbrook grinned, her head raising before she turned to Dazzling and Hothoof. The staff glowed ominously in her grip. “She's here.” She then stabbed the end of the staff into the ground and took a deep breath. “Good. You two, get ready. Just distract them for a bit... I'll come get you when I'm finished. I doubt this will take long.”

Filthy groaned from the ground, bound and gagged as he awaited his rescuers.

------

Diamond galloped through the forest, shaking her head left and right. “Button! Acrylic! Silver! Where are you guys?” Each step seemed to get harder and harder, as if the bushes and vines were tugging at her. The trees seemed to block out the sun, as if they were daring her to try and fly out, to break free. Something told her trying would be a bad idea. She never should have come here. Even worse, she never should have brought her friends here. She might have doomed them all.

Then suddenly it was as if everything was normal. The trees above seemed to clear out a little, allowing gentle light of the sun to filter in. The vines that slowed her seemed to recede, allowing her to run without incident.

Then she heard the yell. She turned to the right and galloped towards it, quickly making it out to be Button. “BUTTON!” she yelled.

“Diamond, run!” he yelled and then she saw him. Relief flooded her heart as she saw her friend galloping towards her. Then she saw the wolf-like creatures racing after him. Her eyes narrowed when its teeth parted.

“Oh buck no,” she said firmly. She tapped the ground and tried to make a wall of rock, but the ground only rose a few inches, the roots and vines seeming to hold it back. She looked down at it, before shaking her head. She galloped straight at him. “Button, duck!”

“What? Huh?” he yelled back, before eeping and going down to the ground.

When she galloped forward the wolf lunged. Her horn lit in fire and she sent the flames hurtling forward, striking the wolf in the chest and sending it hurtling back, crashing against a tree with such force it shattered into a dozen pieces. She let out a sigh of relief before smiling down at him. “Hey. You okay?”

He blinked and looked back, before red flooded his cheeks. “Y-yeah. I uhhh... I was totally about to do that. Yeah. I just, err... was distracting it.”

“Of course you were,” she said before stepping forward and giving him a hug. “Now, let's go find the others.”

“Uhhh... right. This time, let's not take our eyes off each other. Or maybe a rope?”

“I didn't bring any and I'd rather not risk putting these vines around ourselves.”

“Okay, just watching each other then.”

She nodded and gave a smile, before she started trotting through the woods.

------

Acrylic tried to cover his eyes as he struggled to shield himself from the grass hoppers. They cut little tin cuts all over his body, so small and weak, but slowly getting more focused. He struggled to keep them from getting to any vital areas, but they were persistent and while each cut wasn't very damaging, they hurt. He kept backing away, each strike getting more and more vicious.

Then, as quickly as they'd started, they stopped. He froze in place and looked down, slowly unshielding his face. He was under the trees and back in the shade, the grass hoppers unwilling to follow after him. In fact, they seemed to be blowing in the wind now, even though he didn't feel any. He slowly let out a gasp of relief before he looked down at himself.

“Can't believe the grass just kicked my flank,” he muttered softly. Dozens of little grass cuts covered his body. None of them were serious, but they still hurt. Some of them were even deep enough to be bleeding. “At least nopony saw that.”

“Acrylic!” Silver's voice rang out. He barely had time to react before she was on him, giving him a tight hug.

“Silver?” he asked, glancing back. To his surprise, there wasn't a scratch on her. He looked her up and down, his mouth falling open. “You're... you're okay. I thought--”

“What? I just got a little lost. I--” She paused and looked him over. “What happened? You look horrible!”

“... I'd really rather not say. I'm fine though,” he said with a smile. “Come on, let's go.”

“Okay,” she said before she walked forward. His eyes widened.

“Don't!” he yelled. However, when she stepped into the grass, it merely parted ways for her.

She blinked and looked down, before reaching down and picking one of them up. “Oh? They're just grass hoppers. Cute little guys, too.”

Acrylic stared, his mouth falling open when she proceeded to nuzzle the little thing before it hopped off her hoof and moved with the others. He shook his head and nervously followed after her. None of them moved to attack her, instead they seemed almost happy to be around them now. He couldn't be sure, but it almost sounded like they were purring. “I bucking hate this place,” he muttered.

“What? Why?”

“I just do.”

“I think I'm starting to get a hang of it, honestly,” Silver said with a shrug. “It kind of reminds me of the Badlands. But at least lightning and thunder isn't striking at us.”

“Yet,” Acrylic muttered darkly.

The earth pony just snickered, shaking her head. “Come on. I think Diamond is this way.”

“What? How can you tell?”

“I smell something burning.”

“Burning? I don't--” He paused and realized he actually DID smell something burning. He supposed there was no clearer sign that Diamond was this way. He trotted after Silver, occasionally glancing back towards the grass hoppers. They seemed almost completely tame now. He shook his head and tried not to think about it as he trotted after the mare.

Within a few moments the smell was getting stronger and they came to a small pile of scorched wood. “That would be Diamond alright,” Acrylic muttered, nudging one of the twigs. “But where'd they go?”

“DIAMOND!” Silver yelled, stomping her hoof. Acrylic couldn't be sure, but he swore he saw a little flash of green when her hooves hit the ground. It made the frown on his face darken before he shook his head. Silver glanced back. “Is something wrong?”

“No, just imagining things. It's this forest. I swear it's... messing with me.”

Silver nodded. “It wouldn't surprise me. The magic here is just... weird. I'm sure if daddy was here, he'd be making up all kinds of theories about it. He'd probably want to spend a few days studying it. Probably get himself killed doing it, too.”

“Secretary would probably keep him safe.”

“I'm not sure Secretary could protect him here.”

Acrylic went silent and moved to catch up with Silver. “Really? Then what about us?”

“Well, that's what we have Diamond for. Right? If the Avatar can't keep us safe, who can?”

He nodded, though he eyed her a bit more. He then shook his head and turned forward, focusing on the world ahead. The forest was just playing with his mind, he was sure of it.

“Silver! Acrylic!” Diamond's voice rang out, making his ears perk up.

“Come on!” Silver called before galloping forward. “Diamond! Diamond, where are you?”

“Over here!” the alicorn yelled. Within a few moments the four reunited. Silver hugged Diamond around the neck, tightly squeezing her.

“Oh I was so scared! One moment you were all with me, the next everypony was gone!” Silver said, shaking her head.

“Y-yeah,” Diamond said softly, blushing once the earth pony pulled back. “It was just... weird. One moment everypony was with me, then I was all alone. But I ran into Button a little bit ago. Whatever... separated us seemed to only do it for a moment.” She then looked to Acrylic and gasped. “Are you okay? What happened? Was it a wolf?”

“No,” he said darkly. “I'd rather not talk about it. Come on, we need to find your dad.”

Diamond nodded. “Right. Everypony, stick close. There's no telling what other tricks this place will have waiting for us.” She then took point, but made sure the others were close before she started walking again.

Acrylic glanced back to Silver, before shaking his head. She seemed the same as always, he didn't know what he was working himself up about. He finally looked ahead and rolled his eyes. “This place is just... weird. But I think we're through the worst of it.” When he stepped he couldn't help but imagine the vines and weeds were getting easier to move through. “Mom used to tell me about the magic here. How it could... change things. Alter a ponies ability to perceive reality. Not to mention the entire place always seemed to be alive.”

“It was pretty bad a little bit ago,” Diamond said as she trotted. “Every step felt like a challenge. But then...” A frown formed on her face. “Then it just stopped. It got... easier. A lot easier. I wonder if it's leading us deeper inside?”

“It wouldn't surprise me,” Acrylic mumbled. “Only the fire benders who had grown up in here were said to know how the forest worked, and they were surrounded by it since birth. But... we aren't trying to get out, yet. So that might be the reason it's letting us pass now. Maybe it's trying to draw us to Meadowbrook.”

“Or maybe Meadowbrook is doing something to the woods,” Silver said softly, a frown on her face.

“Huh? Like what?” Diamond asked.

“What?” Silver asked, before shaking her head. “I-I don't know. Just a thought. I mean, her magic is all... weird and stuff.” Though she couldn't help feeling a sense of unease. The magic in the land seemed to be shifting a bit. It was still scared of her and was no longer fighting, but there was something else to it, now. It was getting weaker.

She shuddered as the realization dawned on her. The magic in it was being drained. Slowly, very slowly. But just a little bit of it at a time was being pulled into Tirek. She was amazed it wasn't making him sick. Fortunately, at the pace it seemed to be going it would take him years to drain it all.

Diamond frowned and started walking faster. “You really think the forest is leading us to them, then?”

“I don't know. Maybe?” Silver said with a shrug.

“Do you hear that?” Acrylic asked.

The four froze and within a few moments they heard it. A light tinkling of water. The sound of gentle ripples.

Diamond's eyes widened. “A way out? Or maybe... come on!” She galloped forward.

“Diamond, don't!” Silver shrieked as she raced after her.

Acrylic cursed and followed after, Button closely behind. They raced through the trees and then, within an instant, the trees were gone and they were out in a small clearing. A deceptively calm brook stood off to the right side and the ground was clear of any plant life. All that stood in the clearing were stumps and a small cave.

However, sitting on two of the stumps were Hothoof and Dazzling. “About time, Avatar,” the unicorn said softly.

“Dazzling,” Diamond said, her eyes narrowing. She looked between the two. “Where's Meadowbrook and Shining?”

Hothoof snorted. “Shining's keeping your friends busy. Besides, if she came in here she probably couldn't get out, this place bucking sucks for wings. And Meadowbrook is in there with your dad,” he said, motioning to the cave. “Not that you'll be able to get past us to find out.”

Dazzling sighed and put a hoof to his forehead. “And my cohort here will be more than happy to give you all the little details of where everypony is. Because his head is as thick as the stones he throws around,” he muttered, his voice filled with sarcasm.

“Hey! What's it matter if they know where they are? We can kick their flanks easy. Buck, I could do it on my own.” Hothoof stomped his front hooves down and a small puddle of lava formed in front of him. “In fact, I think I will.”

“As much as I would enjoy watching you get throttled by the Avatar and her friends, it is sadly part of my responsibility to... aid you in this endeavor.” Dazzling said before looking between them. “The only one we aren't supposed to kill is the Avatar.”

“Huh? I thought she said not to kill the--”

“Silence!” Dazzling snapped before galloping forward. His horn glowed and he drew blades of ice from the brook, sending them hurtling at the ponies. Acrylic stepped forward and his own horn glowed. He caught the blades in his magic and swirled them around himself, turning them to water.

“Button, can you back me up and take care of Hothoof?” he asked.

“Probably!” Button said before stomping his hoof and sending rocks flying at the two. They scattered.

“Good. Diamond, we'll take care of these two. You go and get your dad. Silver--”

“I'm going with Diamond,” Silver snapped.

“What? It's dangerous, you ca--”

“I can and I will.”

“Silver--” Acrylic yelled, before yelping. His entire body froze and he let out a low cry when he was brought to his knees by the other pony.

“A normal water bender doesn't stand a chance,” Dazzling said coldly as he focused on Acrylic. “Hothoof, finish him!”

“A little busy!” Hothoof yelled as he was driven back, raising up walls of rocks that were battered to pieces by Button's unending assault. He let out a yelp when suddenly a ball of magma came soaring at him and was forced to gallop aside. “You can lava bend?”

Button didn't answer, instead he spun around and kicked both his back hooves out. Two streams of lava formed and shot out, one racing at Hothoof, the other at Dazzling. The two were forced to scatter and Acrylic managed to break free of the bindings, before forming an orb with his water and sending it hurting at Hothoof.

The earth pony laughed and stomped his hoof, forming a wall to catch the orb. At the last second, the orb disappeared, reappearing behind him and slamming into his head, sending him forward with enough force to leave an indent on the wall.

“Fine! You two, be careful! Diamond, keep her safe this time!”

The alicorn blinked, before nodding. “I will, I promise!” she yelled before galloping forward, jumping over the lava and spreading her wings, flying over it as it began to harden. Silver followed closely behind her.

Dazzling galloped forward, blocking the way while more water streaked up to swirl around his horn. He formed blades of ice, before launching them at the two. Diamond landed on the ground and formed a wall of stone, sending it hurtling forward and catching the knives. He leaped to the side, more ice swirling up, but was forced to drop and roll when rocks began to rain down on him. Button grinned, swinging in a tight circle and sending boulder after boulder raining down on the two of them.

Acrylic drew more water up and raced forward, forming a whip of water and swinging it low at Hothoof's hooves. The stallion laughed and dug his hooves in. “Ha, it--” A boulder teleported over his head and landed on him, smashing him into the ground. After a moment the boulder cracked and he popped out, swirls for eyes and shaking his head. “You're... you're making me mad!” he called out, before shaking his head and clearing his focus. “I'm going to burn you to ash!”

“Of course you will,” Acrylic said with a grin. “Button, how you doing?”

“A little dizzy, but good!” he said with a chuckle before grinning over at him. “I think we've got this.”

Dazzling growled. “You foal! You let the Avatar and her friend get away!”

“What? No, you did!”

“You're an earth bender, you could have blocked the cave!”

Hothoof blinked a few times. “Oh yeah... I forgot.”

Dazzling face hoofed, before turning to the two. “Very well. We'll just kill you two and then--” He swirled around, narrowly avoiding another stream of pebbles. “-- go after your friends!”

Hothoof galloped forward and stomped his hooves, sending out a wave of lava at them. Button grinned and then stomped his hooves right back. The ground formed a small pit, the lava flowing into it and then beginning to harden a moment later. Acrylic sent out blades of ice hurtling at Hothoof. He yelped and leaped to the right, landing on his side, some of the blades barely missing him. Button stomped again and the dirt rose up, wrapping around his hooves, binding him for a moment.

Dazzling formed blades of ice yet again, sending them skewering at the two.

“Help me!” Hothoof yelled.

“Stop screwing up!” Dazzling yelled back. “Just take care of the earth pony and I'll deal with the unicorn!” He leaped back when more rocks began to rain down on him.

Acrylic galloped forward, drawing up water around himself as he went. “Button!” He yelled. Dazzling reached out and once again tried to blood bend the unicorn, but suddenly the ground sunk under him and he leaped to the side to avoid being caught. At the same time, the ground under Acrylic shot up, sending the unicorn hurtling through the air. He twisted and sent the water down on Hothoof who was digging himself out, enveloping him in ice and freezing him in place. He twisted around and landed on his hooves, skidding a few feet. He then raced at Dazzling. Button raced at the blood bender from the other end, pebbles flying around him as he went.

Dazzling narrowed his eyes and made more water swirl around him, shifting back when Acrylic went in for a kick, narrowly deflecting it with a quick twist of water. He formed a blade of ice and cut through one of the rocks Button sent at him, before using it to try and block Acrylic's strike. However, Acrylic used water with his strike, the liquid molding around the blade and coming down hard on Dazzling, making him stumble back. The ground shifted under him and he narrowly leaped back, barely avoiding being caught in grasping dirt. He leaped back again, landing in the middle of the brook.

The water swirled around him and he smiled. “You two are a bit more... competent than I first imagined, but it won't avail you.” He licked his lips. “It seems I'll just need... to get serious.”

Acrylic smiled and swirled his water around himself. “Come on, Button. We've got this.”

Behind them, a roar echoed from Hothoof as the ice around him shattered into dozens of pieces. The stallion stomped a hoof, forming a wall of earth between the two and forcing them to spring away from it when rock spikes shot out. Dazzling headed to his right, sending a flurry of ice shards at Button while the stallion backed up, forming walls of stone to block them, yelping with each assault. “No wait hey I think you need to calm down!”

Acrylic tried to race around the wall, but suddenly found his way blocked by a small puddle of lava. Hothoof grinned at the stallion, rocks raising up behind him. “Oh no, little water bender. You're mine.”

------

Diamond galloped through the cave, glancing back towards the way they'd come. Her horn lit the way, allowing the two of them to see. “Are they going to be okay?”

“Button and Acrylic will be fine,” Silver said, though more to calm herself than Diamond. “They've been fighting together since they were kids. Those other two don't have a shot as long as they're together. Probably.”

The alicorn nodded, though she couldn't help feeling nervous. When they went through the tunnel, she couldn't help noticing something was strange. The walls were covered in little tiny holes, all over the place, as well as other tunnels. However, they didn't seem to line up with the main tunnel entrance and were quite a bit more narrow, many having had even collapsed on themselves. Something about it just seemed off. “What do you think those tunnels are for?”

“Probably how they got here. They probably came in underground or something,” Silver said with a shrug.

“They can do that? Why didn't we do that?”

“I don't know. I'm not an expert on this place.”

“Sorry. Is something--” The tunnel began to rumble and the two froze in place. “Silver, what's that?”

“You're the earth bender, you tell me.”

“Oh, right.” Diamond tapped the ground. Her ears went flat on her head. “RUN!” she shrieked, galloping forward. Silver followed closely behind her, moments before the cavern began to collapse behind them.

It took the earth pony a moment to realize it wasn't collapsing behind them. Instead there were strange, giant worm like creatures popping out from the holes and snapping at them, before disappearing back into the ground. Silver squeaked and started running faster, letting out a frightened squeak. She glanced to Diamond and weighed her options, considering for a moment.

Then her hoof caught a rock and she went toppling forward. She rolled a few feet before landing on her back, dazed. A hole above her seemed to part before the jaws of one of the creatures plunged down at her.

Then a wall of rock and stone formed over her, forcing open the creature's jaw and holding it above her. Diamond stood over the mare, her hoof lifted up and the earth following suit. She panted with exertion, gritting her teeth. “S-Silver, are you okay?”

“Y-yes. Are you... did you you...”

“L-let's go! Come on! I-I can't hold it forever!” Already the rocks were beginning to show cracks, slowly beginning to crumble. Silver yiped and rolled back to her hooves, galloping forward. Diamond raced after her, the giant creature slamming through it.

“What are these things?” Silver screamed.

“I don't know! Some kind of giant like... rock... snake... eel things!” Diamond screamed back. “We're almost out! I think we're almost out! Look!” she yelled, nudging forward with her horn. There, off in the distance she saw it. A small light. Behind them the eels tore and bit, snapping their massive jaws at whatever they could find nearby, tearing through the stone behind them.

Silver squeaked when suddenly ahead of them the roof started to cave in. One of the massive creatures came right down at them. Her eyes glowed green and then one of the stones crumbling down landed in just the right angle to jam into the eels nose. It recoiled, allowing them to pass.

Diamond let out a sigh of relief. “We're almost through, just hang on!” she yelled before kicking back with her back hooves. The ground behind them erupted, collapsing the tunnel behind and surging them forward, away from the snapping eels and into a wide, open chamber. She rolled a few feet before landing on her back with a groan. “S-Silver, you okay?”

“Y-yeah, just peachy,” the mare said, her head rolling from side to side. “Think... think I'm going to be sick.”

“O-oh. So, A-Avatar, you finally... finally show your face here,” Meadowbrook said from across the chamber. Diamond shrieked and got to her hooves.

She then paused and stared. “Meadowbrook? Are... are you okay?”

“I'm fine!” the mare said as she wobbled to the side, having to use her staff to steady herself. She jammed it into the ground and shook her head. “Com... com--” She belched and a strange white mist came out from her mouth. She gave a little giggle.

Diamond stared, her mouth falling open. “Meadowbrook, are you drunk?”

“What? NO! You're drunk! I just... just underestimated how this would feel. Just... it's not important!” She shook her head and leveled the staff on her. “Now we gotta fight! Cause... why are you standing on the wall? How are you doing that?”

Diamond face hoofed. “I'm... not on the wall. You fell over. This... this is just sad.”

Silver nodded. “Indeed. I guess we should go and... tie her up, or something?”

Meadowbrook got back to her hooves and used her staff to support herself again. She closed her eyes and took slow, deep breaths. “Not... not drunk. Just ate too much. It's not like the ponies, you know. It's... different. Thought I could... thought I could hold it now. Thought I was strong enough. But need the amulet first. Everything comes back to that.” She then smiled at Diamond, shaking her head. “Oh Avatar, how naive you are. You don't even know, do you?”

The alicorn blinked. “Know? Know what?”

“About--” She gave another belch and a red mist flowed out this time. She held up a hoof. “Give... give me a moment. Just need to... ugh this was a bad idea. At least it's not a total wash.” Her head turned to Silver. “Not a wash at all.”

Diamond took a step forward, gritting her teeth. “Meadowbrook, enough. Who are you? I know you're not the REAL Meadowbrook!”

“Starlight? No, I'm not. I'm not your enemy, either.” She sat down and slowly lowered her staff. “You and I have the same goals, Avatar. Sadly, I'm not really strong enough to help you. Not yet, at least. I thought this would be enough, that we could--” She belched again and this time stars came out. “Bucking... I really shouldn't have done this.”

Diamond took another step forward. “Where's my daddy?”

“Him?” Meadowbrook thrust her staff out and a nearby rock fell out, revealing her father. To Diamond's amazement, he looked fine. A bit dazed, but his cutie mark was intact. The alicorn rushed forward, but yelped when a rock wall formed in front of her, blocking her way. “Now now, you can have him back. But there is much for us to discuss.”

Diamond froze, eying the rocks for a moment before turning to her. “What do you mean? How can you NOT be my enemy? Look at what you've done! Look at who you've sided with. Ponies like Dazzling and Shining.”

“A matter of convenience. Don't worry, they've almost out lived their usefulness. It--” Meadowbrook let out a yelp when a rock from above broke from the ceiling and nearly crushed her. She stumbled back.

Diamond shook her head and stepped forward. “You know what? No. I'm not falling for any of your tricks, Meadowbrook. If you want to 'help' me as you so claim, you can surrender and come with us. Tell whatever you know to the council and--”

“Now that's not really an option, now is it?” Meadowbrook asked before closing her eyes. She gave a deep belch, a purple mist flowing out from her. Slowly a grin spread on her lips. “Ah. That's better. Much better. Not... quite what I hoped, but after all, this was all preparation.” She turned back to Diamond. “You and I will have to meet again, you know. When all this is over, you'll thank me for what I've done.”

“What the buck are you talking about?” Diamond asked before fire flowed from her horn.

“Isn't it obvious? Who is it that could make old enemies allies?” Meadowbrook asked, a grin forming on her lips. “The--” Her eyes widened and she clutched her chest, coughing and hacking, mist coming from her mouth. She lifted her staff into the air.

“No!” Diamond shrieked and galloped forward.

The staff came down and, in a flash, she disappeared. Diamond reached out, but touched nothing but air. “Dang it! Not again!” She turned towards Silver, who was covering her eyes with her hoof. “Silver, can you help my dad? I need to go after her!”

“Don't!” Silver said, shaking her head. “It's a trap, obviously!”

“But she--”

“We have your dad, we need to go get Acrylic and Button, what if they're in danger?”

Diamond grit her teeth, but slowly nodded. “You're right. Come on.” She galloped around the wall, coming to her dad and kneeling besides him. She nudged him with her hoof. “Daddy?”

After a few seconds his eyes opened and he stared with wide eyes, before shouting into his gag. She reached out and tugged it off, a big grin on her face. “Daddy!”

“Diamond! Oh, my little girl. I thought--”

“This is all touching and stuff but I really think we should go check on Acrylic and Button. We've got what we came for,” Silver said quickly.

Diamond blinked and gave a small nod. “O-oh, right. Uhhhh... right.” She tapped the ground and small rocks shot up, cutting through the ropes holding him. “Daddy, let's go.”

He got to his hooves, but promptly fell onto his face, his head rocking to the side. “Just... just need a moment.”

Silver moved besides him, putting her side to his. “Come on, Diamond. We need to hurry. He's going to need all the help we can give him if we're going to get past those creatures.”

“R-right,” Diamond said quickly, moving to his other side.

Silver turned towards the tunnel they'd come through, her eyes narrowed into slits. She could hardly believe how close everything had come to falling apart. She was pretty sure Tirek knew who she was now, even if her little trick there at the end hadn't tipped him off. She wished she knew what he was playing at, though.

It worried her that he was able to absorb some of the power of the Everfree Forest. Not a lot of it, but enough that it seemed to not be hindering him as much as it should have. She thought he could only steal pony magic, now she was beginning to wonder what his limits actually were. She could still feel she was stronger than him, though. She suspected Diamond was, too. But there was no telling for how long that would last.

She needed to find out what game Tirek was playing before it was too late. Just what were his goals with her and Diamond?

------

Acrylic jumped back, again and again as he launched little orbs of ice at the earth pony across from him. Hothoof galloped forth, stomping his hoofs down and turning the ground ahead of him to burning chunks of lava, before sending the waves hurtling out at the water bender. Occasionally one of Acrylic's teleported attacks would get around the stallion's defenses but he was finding the earth pony to be extremely durable.

Button wasn't doing much better as Dazzling held his hooves out, focusing on the earth pony and bending his body to his will. Button grit his teeth and struggled against the powerful bender, trying to break free from the magic but unable to resist it. He tried to move a hoof down, to tap the ground and launch some kind of attack. Dazzling was finding holding the stallion to be quite the difficult feat, requiring all of his concentration and bending power just to hold the stallion still and unable to launch an assault. He slowly forced the stallion to the brook, sliding a hoof down and burying his head under the water. He wished Hothoof would hurry up and finish the water bender so they could finish the younger lava bender, but drowning him would work just as well. His focus was so great that he didn't hear the low whistle as the orb of ice came flying forward, slamming into the back of his head and sending him toppling forward.

Button didn't hesitate, the moment he was free he twisted his body around and bucked out with both his back hooves. A pillar of stone shot out and slammed into Dazzling's chest, sending him flying through the air and crashing into Hothoof. The two yelped and toppled through the air.

“Get off me!” Hothoof roared.

“You foal, you were supposed to take care of the water bender!” Dazzling yelled before he removed himself from the other stallion. He tried to roll back, but found a pool of lava blocking his way. Hothoof jumped to his hooves but was slammed back down and sent flying back by a spout of water. Button and Acrylic rushed the two of them, sending out more bursts of rocks and water.

Meadowbrook appeared a few feet behind the two. “I'm done. We're leaving,” she said before hitting the ground with her staff. There was a flash and then the three disappeared. A whip of water crashed down where they had been a moment later.

“Dang it!” Acrylic yelled.