Unity: A Tale of Arcadia

by Kieva Lynn

Book Four: Chapter Four

Book Four: Our Worlds At War

Chapter Four

Unity. Jim, Twilight, and Applejack returned to the Golden Oaks Library to find their friends still in armor and experimenting with the various tools the armor was able to summon to them on demand. "Twi! This is awesome!" Rainbow Dash cheered as she practiced with a sword made of mythril.

"I'm guessing you asked Gandalf some questions?" Jim asked.

"The wizards are busy with some other new research project already." Rarity said, "But yes, they took the time to show us some of the hidden extras they included in the armor."

Claire said "Besides what you've already seen, there are swords, staffs, bows that never run out of arrows, it's like there's a whole toolkit in these amulets!"

"I wonder if adding gems to an amulet would affect the pony's armor too?" Toby mused.

Twilight asked "Gems?"

"Yeah, look." Jim turned his amulet over where Twilight could see the back side. it scissored open, revealing a set of slots, three of which were empty, though the others had glowing gems set in them. "Vendel once told me that 'Humans cut gems to unlock their beauty, but trolls cut gems to unlock their power.' There's a whole chest full of these gems in Trollmarket. Each one, added to an amulet, alters the amulet's power in a unique way. For example, the gems in my amulet right now are called the Triumbric Stones. They make the armor stronger, specifically for fighting Gunmar."

"It sounds like you've asked a good question then Tobias." Rarity said, "Will the gems alter our armor too?"

"Most assuredly." Gandalf said as he and the other wizards ascended from the library basement.

Merlin added "But be cautious. A gem in, for example, Lady Claire's amulet would continue to effect both Rarity and Fluttershy no matter how far away from her they were, since their armor is linked to her amulet. But Tobias and Jim, and the ponies linked to their amulets, would only be effected at close range."

"How close?" Applejack asked.

"I wouldn't trust more than five hundred feet." Merlin replied.

Gandalf asked "So how did your time with Princess Luna go Twilight?"

Twilight quickly explained what she had heard, and what Luna had revealed about the source of the dream voice.

"Faust?" Starswirl said. "Well at least that tracks."

"Tracks?" Applejack asked.

Starswirl replied "Yes, After you departed Miss Tessindra discussed with us what Twilight had discussed with her. The odd cultural similarities between the Modern Equestrian and Western Civilizations, as well as the unexplained magic currents in certain ancient writings. We have no more of an explanation than you for the currents, but the cultural question... We all rather expect Faust has been busy."

"Which cannot explain everything, but at least it's a starting point." Gandalf said. "We know she's doing what she can, as much as she is allowed to, from behind the scenes."

"So is that your new research project? Figuring out the rest of those answers?" Fluttershy asked.

"Indeed."

"But first," Starswirl said, "We have a gift for our young Trollhunters." His horn glowed as a small cloth bag levitated out of his saddlebags and into Jim's hands. "I believe you have a friend who's been turned to stone by Creeper's Sun?"

"Wait... This is the antidote? We can save Vendel?" JIm asked, stunned.

"This is awesome!" Claire cheered. "Come on, let's go! You guys too!" She added to the Ponies, "We can show you the gems while we're there!"

XXXXX

"Are you sure?" Apple Bloom cocked her head slightly as she stared up at Bert Gumbal.

"Yes Bloom, I'm sure." Bert replied. "There is no way I'm letting you or any of your friends anywhere near the work I'm doing for Sheriff Tucker. 'Cutie Mark Crusaders: Munitions Experts" has apocalypse written all over it."

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. One little high explosives mishap and no one ever lets you live it down. "Okay, okay... But there's gotta be something we can do to help you out!"

"Would you mind telling me why you kids are so big on this all the sudden?" Bert asked.

"Because we've got to do something! I mean, everyone else in town is getting ready in case the war fightin' comes here! We've got t' do our part too!"

Bert briefly considered asking if the well known 'Crusader's Curse' could be weaponized. Instead he sighed and said "Let me think on it okay? Come back by tomorrow, I'll let you know if I've got any ideas."

"Y'all know 'come back tomorrow' is what everybody else has said too? And I mean everybody! Herb at the diner, the council, the Bakkers, Brayflox, the wizards, hay, even Mister Blinky!" Apple Bloom sighed.

"Well, for what it's worth I at least mean it." Bert shook his head. "No promises, but I really will try to think of something."

"Well that's something." Bloom turned and walked away, leaving Bert to his work. A few minutes later, she met up with the other Crusaders in the town park. "No dice." She announced. "Any of you have better luck?"

"No."

"Nope."

"Zip."

"Nada."

"Well there's gotta be something we can do." Scootaloo said.

"Yeah but what?" Dinky asked, but no one had an answer.

As they were walking across the manicured park lawns, they suddenly heard a loud, boisterous voice that none of them recognized. "Victory is Mine!" The voice shouted.

"Who or what was that!?" Sweetie Belle wondered.

Scootaloo said "I dunno, but it came from over here! Let's check it out!"

They carefully approached a large wood frame gazebo in the middle of the lawn. Climbing the steps, they could hear the voice from before, quieter now but still louder than another voice which seemed to be arguing something. Peeking around the corner into the gazebo deck, they found that a game of chess had been set up on the center table. Nigel Bakker was the quieter voice they had heard, and also one of the players. The loud voice belonged to Nigel's opponent, a frail looking old man who spoke and gestured much more aggressively than one would expect for his age.

As the Crusaders watched, Nigel rose from his seat and said "Look, you're just too intense friend. I'm out. It was a good game though."

"Forfeit counts as loss!" The old man exclaimed. "Varvatos Vex is victorious again! As he knew he would be with new opponents in this town!"

"Victorious? It's just a game." Nyma said as they approached the table and examined the board.

"That shows what you know, small quadrupeds!" Varvatos exclaimed. "Chess is a warriors game! It teaches strategy, tactics, and when to make sacrifices for the greater good!"

The Crusaders looked at each other. "Strategy?" Nyma asked. "Are you girls thinking what I'm thinking?"

"We sure are." Apple Bloom replied. To Varvatos she said "Will you teach us to play?"

"What!? Varvatos Vex teach children!?"

"You got anything better to do?" Scootaloo asked deadpan.

Varavos sighed. "Very well."

A cheer went up: "Cutie Mark Crusaders! Master Tacticians! Yaay!!"

The tiniest of smirks formed at one edge of Varvatos' mouth. "Glorious..."

XXXXX

Upon arriving in Trollmarket, Jim and his friends led the ponies first to Blinky's library. Naturally, this triggered an episode in Twilight, the mare freaking out over all the many books she had never read before. "Please please please you have to let me borrow some of them!"

Blinky replied "I would be delighted to do so my dear, but they are all written in Trollish..."

"Not a problem! There's a translation spell for writing too!" Twilight was eagerly hopping up and down.

"Hold on!" Jim said, "Twilight, remember why we're here. We can do this later."

"Oh. Right. Sorry."

"And why are you here Master Jim?" Blinky asked.

Jim held up the pouch Starswirl had given him. "Creeper's Sun antidote."

"What!? Oh this is wonderful! We must use it at once! Come along everyone, Vendel is still in his chambers within the Heartstone!" Blinky led them across the market and into the massive glowing Heartstone at their center. Jim started to remove the antidote from the pouch, meaning to use it immediately, but Blinky motioned with all four arms for him to wait. "You weren't here when we cured Aarrrgh, and neither were our pony friends, so a word of warning: When Aarrrgh first returned to life, for several moments, he was confused, irrational, and quite frankly dangerous. The same may happen with Vendel. Be prepared to move quickly and defend yourselves if necessary."

After everyone had nodded their understanding, Jim proceeded. The magical cure worked it's powers quickly, Vendel's body shuddering and flakes of hard stone fell away from him. "Vendel? Old friend...?" Blinky whispered. With a roar Vendel was on the move, smashing everything in sight, lost in the confusion of what had happened. Twilight had to telport around the room after she got his attention, and Dash swiftly flew about grabbing anyone who didn't look to get clear in time.

Then Aarrrgh was there, grabbing Vendel's hands in his own, holding tight. "Stop. Vendel. Stop." The giant troll said softly, and slowly the older troll began to calm.

"Blinkous? What has happened?" Vendel asked.

"That I fear is a long story old friend." Blinky answered. "Come, let us get you to a seat and we'll tell you all about it..."

XXXXX

"Three amulets!?" Two hours had passed, much of it in the telling of the tale, and Vendel was still processing much of what he had learned. "And Gunmar vanquished, only to be taken away by some greater villainy? Morgana herself right here, in the Heartstone!?"

"And Trolls are pretty much common knowledge to humans now." Claire added. "It would have been hard to prevent."

"Yes, with gremlins running about in the streets I imagine it would." Vendel granted.

Twilight said "I imagine you'll want to speak with the wizards yourself. I can take you to them after sunset if you'd like."

"Yes, yes that is a prudent idea." Vendel rose from his seat. "Though Lady Claire does have a faster way... By the way Blinkous, did you ever find my missing staff?"

"Um, no, but we do still have the replacement..." Blinky handed the staff he had been carrying to Vendel. It was little more than a long, mostly straight, piece of driftwood with blinking battery powered lights wound around the crook at the top.

"Ahh yes, Christmas lights. Festive." Vendel said in a droll tone. "Lady Claire, if you will?"

"Right. 'For the Courage of Gandalf, Stardust is mine to command!'" Vendel looked impressed as Claire's armor appeared. She then opened a portal directly into the inner rooms of the Golden Oaks Library. Vendel passed through first, followed by Claire and the others...

XXXXX

New Mordor. Amid the roar of Mount Doom's eruptions, the thick rumbling clouds of soot and ash, and the dark jagged volcanic rocks that comprised most of the terrain, the armies came. Orcs who had been here all along. Changeling drones from Chrysalis' hive, now under the command of a greater evil. Gumm-Gumm soldiers freed from the Darklands, and even darker things as well, all marching together.

They marched in formation, rank and file, all coming together in a vast flat plain to the north and west of the mountain. Here there was a massive raised platform, on which stood Morgana, Usurna, Chrysalis, and the mysterious blue skinned woman Twilight and the others had seen before. With a flickering of light, the woman's image was projected onto the clouds, and her amplified voice rang out across the plains, making her visible and audible to the entire massed army.

"Armies of the Quiet Darkness!" The woman's voice rang out, "Our first mission comes to an end at long last! And our second soon begins, and will never end! Behold the One reborn!" She held aloft a cylindrical container of glass or some other transparent material. Floating within was a simple looking golden ring. The armies cheered loudly, and when the cheer had died down the woman continued "Soon this will be in it's rightful place on our master's hand. And then no force in the universe will stop us!" Cheers rose again.

"Stand in readiness! You march on Earth and Eqqus as soon as our Master is free! And then every other world in the cosmos will fall before us!" The woman turned from the army and the projectors switched off. She approached the others waiting on the platform.

"Is it my turn?" Morgana asked.

"Yes, but not yet."

Chrysalis asked "And why not? Already you've cost be a tenth of my drones!"

"Everything in it's time, according to the plan. Cuchulainn was weak. You are strong. Let our enemies wait and wonder for now. Soon enough we will hit them again, with a real threat..."

Comments

[Jlargent]

"Cutie Mark Crusaders: Munitions Experts" has apocalypse written all over it."

This is true, ask the poor gazebo.

A cheer went up: "Cutie Mark Crusaders! Master Tacticians! Yaay!!"

This is not any better.

[Herald of Opera]

"How close?" Applejack asked.

"I wouldn't trust more than five hundred feet." Merlin replied.

Merlin, that's out of pistol range, and even then it's only the point where it might fail. You need to learn what "close range" actually means.

[badninja]

So do we think that Chrysalis will attempt to pull a Starscream at one point? It would fit the character and I can see it happening.

[Foxfax]

10020983
Oh, absolutely.
I expect it to go just as well, too.

[Silentwoodfire]

You reminded me of Safari Joe there