Dark Reunions
Out in the abandoned warehouse a distance away from the city, Light Ray stared down at his prizes, feeling their power coursing throughout the crystals. "Soon… real soon. And I'll finally have what I came here for," he said to himself. "I still cannot believe Chrysalis is out of commission, the little pest. No matter, as long as I get what I want, then I can tolerate her incompetence… for the moment."
But soon, his thoughts were interrupted when the warehouse door opened up and three goons walked in with some cases. They look and see Light Ray just sitting there, then pull out these strange weapons he's never seen before.
"Hey, who the fuck are you, gramps?!" goon 1 asked, demanding an answer. Light Ray just sat there, unamused by these low life wannabes. "I said who the fuck are you? You hard of hearing or something?!" he demanded. Light then adjusted in his seat, but heard a loud BANG and saw the glass containers that kept his crystals safe, shatter to pieces. "Next bullet will go through your head, now tell me! WHO ARE YOU?!"
". . .Oh… I'm what you might call… the big… bad… boogeyman," Light's voice became deep and raspy as his eyes became pitch black as the crystals fed him some of their power. Pretty soon, darkness surrounded the inside of the warehouse. More loud BANGS rang out, but Light Ray was already gone.
"Dude, what the hell's going on here?! He was just there!" goon 2 said, panicking. "Hey! You better come out right now, you coward!" Shouldn't have said that. Soon, out of the endless abyss that traps the goons, Light Ray appears in front of the goon, grabbing him by the wrist and crushing his bones. He groaned, then shouted in pain, letting go of his Glock 17. Light Ray stared deep into his eyes with his pitched black eyes and Cheshire cat, sharp-toothed grin. "G-G-Get away! BACK OFF YOU FREAK!!!"
"Awww… so much for your fighting spirit," Light Ray said in a distorted voice. Soon, he shrouds goon 2 in a burst of orange and black fire, making him scream in agony. He dropped to the ground, squirming and rolling, trying to put out the fire.
Then… silence. Later on, the darkness disappeared and right where goon 2 was, there was a great big pile of ash. "Anyone else feeling brave tonight?" Light Ray asked in his normal voice. Goons 1 and 3 stumbled back, dropping their weapons, even the cases, which opened up and scattered some green paper all over the ground. They got back up and ran out the door.
"SCREW THIS, I'M GETTING OUT OF HERE!!!" goon 3 shouted, running for his life.
"OH NO YOU DON'T I'M LEAVING FIR-- AAH!!!" goon 1 shouted, but tripped when his leg was grabbed by something. He hesitantly looked back and saw a massive black claw grabbing him and Light Ray wasn't finished with him just yet. He slowly dragged him back inside the warehouse while the goon clawed the ground underneath, trying to pull away. "NO! NO!!! PLEASE IM SORRY!!! STOP!!! STOP!! PLEASE!!! NO!!!" he begged, tears gushing out as the door closes on him. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"
Meanwhile, with the remaining Rainbooms and some of the guys, the group set off to the West side of Canterlot where gangs dwell. Or in this case, where they used to dwell. Now, because of the evacuation order, it's become a ghost town. "Yeesh, so this is the spot where gangs chill. Glad I don't live in this part of the city," Frostbite said.
"Alright, now remember, everyone. If you find the crystal, don't pick it up with your bare hands, use protective gloves," Twilight said.
"I'll take note of that," Copper Plume said. "So, where you suppose it might be?" He looks around, checking each house on the street.
"Last I checked, they mostly reside in places that give off the more corrupt vibe," Blazing Waters pointed out.
"If it resides in corrupted places, then shouldn't it be lurking in some sort of scam building? I hear THEY are the most corrupted for giving shit they don't have for unreasonable prices," Lightning Burn said.
"You sir would be very good at Cinema Sins," Israel commented.
"Hey! That's my job to break the 4th wall!" Pinkie said, popping up between the two boys. Then she looks over at somewhere. "Hi, all you bronies!!! Hope you're liking this story!" she called out.
"Who is she talking to? And what are these "bronies" she speaks of?" Israel asks, stroking his chin, trying to figure it out.
"It's Pinkie Pie, remember? You don't question her. Besides, she's cute when she does that," Copper said, walking up to his girlfriend and hugging her. Pinkie squees and nuzzles him cheek to cheek.
"Okay, if y'all are done getting all cutesy-wutesy an' lovey-dovey over there, we'd like to get this hunt underway," Applejack interrupted.
“Ok, but to be on the safe side, we’ll each search the area in teams of two. So pick your partner and spread out. And if you find another demon crystal, remember not to pick it up with your bare hands, got it?” Twilight instructed everyone.
"Got it!" Everyone agreed. Soon, Pinkie Pie left with Copper, Blazing searched with Rainbow Dash, Frostbite with AJ, Fluttershy with Israel Yabuki, Lightning Burn with Rarity, and Twilight with Heat Blitz. Everyone spread out in pairs, searching the area for the demon crystal. With Twilight's handy new demon crystal detector she made, she can easily find it more effectively. Of course, Heat helped her make enough of them for their friends to use.
The group quickly split up, searching different parts of the Westside of Canterlot, and right now, Fluttershy has a lot on her mind today. Israel looked at her with concern. "Hey, you okay?" he asked, making her turn to him.
"I'm fine. Um… no," Fluttershy said.
"What's wrong?"
"Well… do you remember what Rainbow Dash said about Eternal Flames?" Fluttershy asked. "You know, how she thinks he's responsible for the attacks and massacres?"
"Sort of, yeah, but I think she's just being paranoid," Israel stated.
“I hope so too, Sunset would be devastated if her friends accuse Eternal of those horrible acts without solid proof,” Fluttershy replied. “I can’t bear to see her hurt again by us,” she added, thinking about the time during winter break years ago.
"What happened back then?" Israel asked. "How was she hurt?"
"You don't remember at all?" Fluttershy asked, surprised, but not overreacting.
"I was probably under Grogar's control, remember?" he reminded.
“Oh, ok. Well, I would tell you, but I wish not to relive those horrible moments, I hope you don’t mind, Israel.” Fluttershy replied.
"I understand. If it's too painful, I won't ask of it," Israel said understandingly. Fluttershy smiled warmly, glad that he understood her, and then she gives him a peck on the cheek in gratitude.
“Thank you for understanding.” She said as she’s walking up ahead a bit, while Israel was left starstruck as he walked slowly behind her.
"Mama-mia, what a cutie little angel," he muttered to himself.
Meanwhile, Rarity and Lightning Burn were keeping their eyes out for the crystal, using Twilight's handy detector. "How does Twilight even do it? Making something like this in just a short amount of time, I'm starting to think she's got at least 10 Albert Einsteins living within her," Lightning said.
“Well, I like to say she’s beyond Albert Einstein, but that’s giving her too much praise. And she's much too humble to give praise to herself,” Rarity replied.
"I don't doubt that. Heat's lucky to have her," Lightning said. "Maybe she should've enrolled at CHS first and not Crystal Prep. She fits in so well with a more friendly crowd."
"That, I can agree on, but everything happens for a reason and we're glad to have Twilight with us regardless of the amount of time we spend together. Of course, she slowly came out of her shy shell eventually, not just by us, but… Ummm, oh dear," Rarity said, remembering that Heat wasn't around during that one trip.
"What? What is it?" Lightning asked.
"Remember Timber Spruce?" Rarity asked.
"Her ex-boyfriend? Oh yeah, what happened to him? I sort of forgot," Lighting said.
"Y-You see… some time ago, when you were still controlled by Grogar, Heat found out that Twilight was with Timber and became more isolated. Timber thought it was nothing and just shrugged it off, but Twilight… she took it very hard. Heat was her best friend from preschool and he understood her more than anyone when they were kids. But then they separated during middle school and reunited years later. But Twilight was also upset with herself because… she also made a promise to him that she accidentally broke," Rarity explained.
"What's that?" Lightning asked.
"That when they met again, they'd always love each other. Then there was the whole incident with Grogar and his demon army trying to take Heat and Eternal. During the pandemic, Twilight broke up with Timber for not taking her seriously, and… he tried to harm Heat. After the war ended, Timber went over to the island castle ruins where the young man was… unfortunately… murdered in cold blood by that demon titan," Rarity finishes.
"WHAT?! Holy smokes, that monster is crazy!" Lightning commented, shocked.
“While I’m not fond of Timber, but I do not believe anyone should die so horrible as he did.” Rarity said.
"So, I'm guessing as soon as we get all the crystals and that moon gem, we're gonna bring him back to life?" Lightning asked.
"Yes, along with anyone else who was killed by that monster. All those soldiers who lost their lives in this dark age," Rarity said.
“There's always a light amidst the gloom, at least that's what some people say," Lightning replied, patting his precious diamond gently on her shoulder.
Meanwhile, with Applejack and Frostbite… "Hey, AJ, I was just thinking about something regarding those crystals we're looking for," Frostbite said.
"What's on yer mind?" AJ asked.
"Back then, when I was under Grogar's control, I overheard a few things regarding the crystals… strengths, and weakness. Do you remember what Heat said about the crystals being able to corrupt others just by touching them with negative emotions?" Frostbite asked
"Sort of, yeah," AJ said.
"Well, get this. Those crystals pose a serious threat if he were to handle all 5 demon crystals. Not only would anyone become overwhelmed with negativity, but the power looming inside them will inevitably eat them out from the inside until nothing but dust remains. Only a demon… or perhaps… a mortal with the coldest, blackest heart can wield them without being killed. At least that's what I learned during my time with Grogar," Frostbite said.
"So then, what about the Moon Gem? Where does that come into play?" AJ asked.
"Unfortunately, none of us knew about a moon gem. I'm not even sure if Grogar knew about such a thing since we never asked him," Frostbite said.
"Well shoot. Well, no use ponderin' 'bout the past. All we can do now is keep lookin' fer them freaky crystals," AJ said. Frostbite agreed and the two continued their search. Just as Applejack and Frostbite turn the corner, the radar Twilight made for them starts blinking. "Hey, Ah think we're on the right track!"
"Then let's get going before more baddies show up," Frostbite said hastily. The two quickly headed off, following where the radar would lead them.
While the group was out, searching for the remaining crystals, Celestia was still at home taking care of her new guest - who she had hit with her car yesterday - and making her feel welcome in her home. She came into the guest room with a plate of food, consisting of homemade mashed potatoes, roast beef, and a side of boiled broccoli.
"Dinner's ready. I hope you're hungry," Celestia said, setting the plate down on Chrysalis' lap.
The former Changeling Queen still refusing to say a word to her and even going far as to look away from her. From Celestia’s perspective, most of Chrysalis’s bandages have been removed from her arms and legs but the one wrapped around her torso was still there since her abdomen had not yet healed. Of course, despite her trying to give the woman in front of her the cold shoulder, but the delicious smell from the food in front of her made it very difficult and her hunger simply overcame her pride. She grabbed the fork and started munching down on her food, but tried not to eat too fast due to her condition.
Celestia smiled warmly seeing that her guest is eating and possibly feeling more comforted in her presence; at least that’s she’s guessing. As Chrysalis was feasting, Celestia slowly and quietly sat down on the bed, next to the former Changeling Queen, and then decided to have a conversation with her.
"Chrysalis, was it?” She said, which caught the attention of her guest, who quickly looked over at her suspiciously.
“How do you know of my name?” She asked.
“Well, it’s what your friend that came by yesterday referred you, so I thought that’s your name,” Celestia stated.
“Oh,” Chrysalis responded. And soon there was an awkward silence between the two for a while until Celestia asked her a question.
“So Chrysalis… Do you happen to move here to Canterlot City yesterday? Cause I never have seen you around here, so you must be new around here.” the woman asked.
"I… suppose you could say that. I came with my two other… associates to do some research," Chrysalis said, trying to make it sound inconspicuous.
“Really. What kind of research?” Celestia replied while sounding a bit interested in what she had to say.
"It's… classified. Orders from our higher-ups," Chrysalis said. 'I can't reveal the truth to her! No doubt she'll blow my cover. I can't let her find out about my true intentions… not with the conditions I'm in right now.' she thought to herself.
"Alright, I guess it makes sense. Still, you kinda came to Canterlot City at the wrong time. Most of the city has been evacuated due to the pandemic of the fire monster lurking around. You're lucky you didn't get caught in the crossfires of that beast," Celestia said.
‘Actually, I was more than caught in its crossfires when we arrived.’ Chrysalis said in her mind. “Well… Good to know. Although, if most of the inhabitants of this city have been evacuated, then why are you still here?” She asked.
“Well, I have considered that option, but I couldn’t leave this place, not while one of my sons is still missing and hopefully trying to find his way home. So I choose to stay and wait for him when he does.” Celestia answered, while her voice sounded a bit sad and worried.
"One of your sons? How many do you even have?" Chrysalis asked.
"Two. But one of them went missing almost a month ago. He and my ex-husband got into a huge argument, both said such horrible things to each other until my oldest son had enough and just ran off. Soon after that, I divorced my ex-husband and I waited for my son to return. After a while, I called the police and informed all my closest friends in town to help me find him. But after searching for three weeks, there was no trace or sightings of him anywhere; I began to lose hope day by day as I continuously wait for his safe return.” Celestia explained as tears soon began to form in her eyes; as she starts to soon feel what is known as “Mother’s Guilt”. “All I wanted was for my baby to come home.” She tearfully stated.
If Chrysalis were still in her original form, she'd be feeding off of her love right now. But for some strange reason, she empathizes with Celestia. In a way, they're the same, with Chrysalis' children leaving her and following their new leader, Thorax. But in another way, she's just like Celestia's husband for driving her changeling army away. It wasn't until now that Chrysalis felt something deep inside her, and that was guilt and shame for driving her hive away, as well as this strange sensation beating within her chest. Was it… compassion? Chrysalis never felt this feeling before. Heck, she never felt this feeling back in Equestria.
She then felt this urge to give the grieving woman in front of her some comfort and assurance. This was a big shock to the Changeling Queen, but she didn’t hesitate to as she starts to move closer to Celestia, and then without a second thought, she wrapped her arms around the heartbroken mother and pulled her in a comforting hug.
"I… I understand somewhat of where you're coming from. Back home… I… I wasn't exactly mother of the year. I, too, drove my children away because of my ambitions. They ended up having to look out for each other without me. Truth be told, they're getting along nicely without me being present. But even so, after hearing your story, it got me thinking… about how I could've done better. If anything… I miss my children just as much as you miss your son. For years, I've lived with this guilt," Chrysalis confessed.
Celestia could not believe what she was hearing. Yesterday, Chrysalis wasn’t very open to her, and now she’s empathizing with her and hearing her story of how she failed as a mother reflected on how she failed to be there for her sons when he was still living under their roof. It felt… really nice to hear someone showing her compassion and understanding how she felt.
"Thanks, Chrysalis. I'm glad to know someone out there knows the struggles I went through. Hey, how about after you've fully recovered and after this whole mess blows over, I can take you to the mall?" Celestia offered. “Cause you’re gonna need some new clothing since your other clothes are looking a bit torn and sort of well gloomy.”
"Yes, I will admit, my current wardrobe has become a bit… unsettling," Chrysalis said, looking at her torn-up clothes. 'I'd better not ask what a mall is, or risk blowing my cover,' she thought.
"Not to mention it might show off a little too much skin, which isn't very lady-like," Celestia joked before giggling a little bit. "Anyways, I'll get started on dessert. I'm making a special chocolate swiss roll cake." Celestia then got up and walked out of the room.
"Swiss roll cake… sounds delicious," Chrysalis muttered to herself.
Meanwhile, in Equestria, Sunset, Halo, Flash, and Eternal have soon arrived at the spot where the Keeper resides. The Royal Guards remained where they stood so they could escort the 4 heroes back to Canterlot. As for the 4 ponies, they pressed on and went to see the Keeper. They walked down the path, which led to this cottage up on this tall hill.
"I think this is the place, but does he have to live out here in the middle of nowhere?" Flash asked.
"Well, it's a necessary precaution when you're holding onto a key to an artifact that might be potentially dangerous in the wrong hands, or hooves in our case right now," Eternal said.
"Right. Better safe than sorry.” Flash replied.
"True. So… to get the key, we need to just tell the truth, right?" Halo asked.
"That's correct. And remember, he's an old acquaintance of my aunt, so let's show him some respect while we're here," Eternal said.
“And hope that he’s willing to give us the key so we can find the Moon Gem,” Sunset stated.
Everyone nodded and continued up the hill and finally reached the cottage within a few minutes. Sunset did the honors of ringing the doorbell. The group waited a few seconds for an answer but got nothing. Sunset rang again.
"Hello? Is anyone home?" Sunset asked. Just then, the group heard a loud thud, along with what sounded like multiple objects tumbling over inside. Sunset gasped.
"That's not good! Hang on, we're coming to help!" Eternal shouted. He charged in strong, pushing the door open and the others came inside with him. "Everyone, search the place and find… whoever is in here?” He stated.
As instructed, everypony spread out in different areas of the house. Flash checked the kitchen area on the right, Halo checked the upstairs area on the left, Sunset went into the back room across from where the front door and Eternal checked the living room area.
The team searched inside the cottage, hoping to at least find someone who's not hurt. And with a breath of luck… "Guys! In here! I found somepony!" Sunset called out. Eternal, Flash, and Halo all left their areas and came into the back room where they find Sunset next to a big pile of fallen books… and a hoof sticking out of the pile.
"Oh boy, as if two Twilights weren't enough. But, no matter, let's get him outta there," Eternal said, walking up closer. He lit up his horn and incased his magic around the stuck pony's hoof. He and Sunset both used their magic to pull him out while Flash and Halo moved some of the books out of the way. In a matter of a minute, the group managed to pull out somepony, freeing him from his book avalanche.
He was a stallion with a pure white fur coat like Eternal's, but his eyes were brown and wore these small spectacles. He also had a black and white mane and the crazy thing was… he was an alicorn.
"That… was embarrassing," the stallion said.
"Are you alright, sir? You're not too hurt, are you?" Eternal asked.
"No no, I'm fine. Thanks for asking. I must say, I wasn't exactly expecting company, though. Can I help you with something?" he asked.
"Before we get to business, I think introductions are in order. My name's Sunset Shimmer, this is my boyfriend, Eternal Flames and these two are our friends, Flash Sentry and Halo Knight. Sorry for barging in earlier," Sunset said.
"Don't worry about that. I'm glad you barged in. And as for me, my name is Moises Munguia, a pleasure to meet you all," Moises said. "Now then, what can I do you for? Are you all travelers from far away places?"
"Sort of. We came here to ask you for an important favor," Flash said.
"You see, we came by to this place looking for the Keeper. And we were hoping that he might have the key to the Crystal Caves," Eternal said. Right away, Moises' expression became a little bit uneasy.
"I see. Please, come into the living room while I make some tea," Moises said, escorting the group out of his study. Everyone sat on the couch while Moises went into the kitchen, not saying a word.
“So… What type of pony is he exactly?” Flash asked.
"He’s an alicorn. Just like Twilight, as well as my mother and aunt. But alicorns are rare in Equestria because they're the most powerful breed. They have the combination of the strength of earth ponies, the speed of pegasi, and the magical talents of alicorns," Eternal said.
"Really? That's pretty cool!" Flash said.
"Maybe to most ponies, but for the alicorns themselves, it can be a real pain in the neck. Most alicorns are considered royalty," Eternal said.
“And why does it sound like a pain to them, exactly?” Halo asked.
“Because you have to deal with snobbish nobles and complete numerous royal tasks 24 hours a day and night,” Sunset responded.
"And let me tell you guys something: You're lucky you didn't have the pleasure of meeting my obnoxious brat of a cousin," Eternal said. "He's no alicorn, but he's still a snob like most of the Canterlot society. It sickens me that he's family."
“I remember meeting him once. He tried to charm me over and ask me on a date. Of course, I refused… And then tossed him off of the top of a tower.” Sunset stated.
"Oh, so that's why Blueblood ended up in the pond out in the private garden. Hehehe," Eternal chuckled, remembering that day. "I couldn't wipe the smile off my face for weeks." While the group was chatting and laughing, Moises comes back into the living room with the tea and sets it down on his coffee table.
"Alright, now that we're all here, why don't you tell me why you want the key, what's so important about going into the Crystal Caverns?" Moises asked.
“We wish to claim the Moon Gem, the artifact which Princess Luna has locked away deep in the caverns; and entrusted you the key to allow entry in them,” Sunset stated. “We require the Moon Gem’s power for a task we set out to complete.”
Moises was surprisingly not fazed by Sunset’s answer, as if he knew they wanted to use the Moon Gem. Of course, there was one thing that puzzled him deeply.
“And what is it you wish to use the Moon Gem for? For infinite power? Wealth? Glory?” Moises asked many questions, wishing to hear what answer shall they give.
“To bring back our friend from the dead,” Eternal replied. “Inferno Blaze.”
"We lost him in a great war against Grogar and his demonic forces. And we're hoping to restore his life… along with the countless other lives lost to a rogue demon titan who's running rampant in a world similar to ours, but a little different," Sunset said.
“Inferno Blaze? As in the infamous Shadow Knight; the assassin that Equestria loathed for decades and the very pony who gave his life to protect you, Prince Eternal… The pony who betrayed him and joined with the demon who murdered his father. Am I correct?” Moises replied, with everyone thinking that his statement was towards Eternal.
"It's true. I let myself get roped into Grogar's army because I was angry at the fact that my father was murdered. Even now, I'm living with that guilt. But I also plan to make things right and fix the mess that I made. But, how did you know he died protecting me?" Eternal asked.
“Word of his death spread across the world. His reputation and fame are a lot more popular than anyone expected. And as everyone soon learned how he died and how he protected you, the son of the Princess who condemned him as a criminal, everyone started to talk about it. And soon that information made its way to me…. Also, I read it in the newspaper.” Moises explained while showing them the news article he was talking about.
"Oh, I guess that makes sense," Halo said.
"So, if you're alright with it, we'd like for you to help us get into the caverns. It's our only hope of bringing back our friend… especially one whom I've… shared a brotherly bond with," Eternal said, placing his off over his heart.
"Just one quick question before I make my final decision. How do I know you're not going to use the Moon Gem for your selfish desires?" Moises asked.
"Because there are far greater things in this world that are much bigger than us. And petty materialistic ideals don't interest me when the entire world might be in danger," Eternal said.
“So will you help us?” Sunset asked.
After hearing their answers, Moises thinks to himself in silence, tapping his hoof against his chin while the others wait in anticipation. Then after a long wait of silence; the alicorn in the room, speaks out his answer.
“Okay,” Moises said. Of course, everyone was surprised.
“What? That’s it?” Flash asked.
“Yep. But only if I accompany you all to unlock the caverns myself and nothing more. Just because I agree, doesn’t mean I trust you.” Moises stated.
"Fair enough. You can come along," Eternal nodded. He got off the couch and shook Moises' hoof, sealing their temporary partnership.
Meanwhile, back in the human world, Sombra was hot on another trail to one of the demon crystals but finds himself discovering 6 familiar girls with a few other guys he's never even seen before in his life. "Damn!" he said, peeking from the corner of an empty house. "It looks like they've beaten me to it. Curse those inferior brats," he muttered.
"Sombra, come in. Have you found the next demon crystal?" Light Ray asked telepathically.
“Found it? Yes. Did I acquire it? No. We are not the only ones searching for the blasted crystals. It would seem that a group of inferior humans collecting the rest as well.” Sombra stated. “Now they have 2 of the last 3 remaining crystals.”
"What?! Hmmm, impressive. They're a lot more ambitious than I thought. Sombra, abandon your current assignment and locate the titan demon. We will eliminate… our obstacles," Light Ray said.
"Very well, I'll see to it that they're taken care of. I've been meaning to deliver a little… payback, even if they're not the actual band of girls that defeated me," Sombra said with a sinister grin before finally leaving the area.
"Okay, that makes 2, 3 more to go," Twilight said. "Good job on the find, AJ, Frostbite."
"Ain't nothin' to it but to do it," AJ said.
"But now all that’s left is finding the other 3 crystals. Only we still don’t have any way of knowing that they are found or not,” Frostbite said.
"Why do you think I built these radars in the first place?" Twilight chuckled before activating it. "Hmm, it looks like one of them is somewhere on the North West side of the city, a few blocks away from the mall."
"I know that part of town! A shady company is set up there. They make all these crappy phone calls to random people and scam them out of their life savings," Heat blabbed out.
“Ugh! I vowed to myself that I never go to that place ever.” Rarity stated.
“Well, Rarity. Looks like you’re gonna have to break that vow.” Rainbow replied.
"Besides, I might pull off some payback pranks at this company for constantly calling and bugging the hell outta me. Even my parents were fed up with their bullshit," Blazing Waters said, cracking his knuckles.
"And for all we know, that may be where we'll find the crystal," Copper Plume said.
“And what a perfect place it chose to remain hidden.” Frostbite said with sarcasm.
"You can say that again," Pinkie added.
"Joke all you want, but remember, we're on a timer and the clock is still ticking. Let's move before we run into trouble… or rather if trouble finds us," Israel said.
“Oh please. Besides the Titan Demon, what else in this nearly empty town can pose any threat to us?” Rainbow stated. "Because I can think of one other guy we should watch out for!"
"You'd better not be referring to who I think you're referring to," Heat said, squinting his eyes.
“Dash, if you say it’s Eternal, I swear to Harmony and Death themselves, I will beat your face to a bloody pulp!” Twilight threatened the rainbow-haired athlete. Everyone was left speechless by Twilight’s new signs of aggression; even Heat.
"Whoa, Twilight, easy there. No need to go that far," Heat said trying to calm her down.
"Sorry, I'm just fed up, that’s all. Rainbow just won't let go of the fact that just because Eternal has demon blood in him that he's the titan demon. I'm fed up with her constantly bringing it up!" Twilight said.
"We all are, which is why I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. So, until we find hard proof that he truly is the demon, then Eternal is innocent," Rarity stated.
"Right. Now let's mosey on outta here and find the next crystal," AJ said. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement and soon all of them left the area and towards their new destination.
After leaving the area and making their way to the North West side of the city, the gang still kept on high alert, despite the city being mostly evacuated. Of course, they had to be careful with the precious cargo they were carrying right now. But then, during their journey through the city, the group heard some heavy footsteps, followed by distant rumbling.
"Uh, guys? Do you feel that?" Blazing asked.
"I feel that," Pinkie replied, getting goosebumps. The rumbling noises grew ever closer, but the group couldn't tell which direction it was coming from.
“Do I even want to ask what that is?” Rainbow said while feeling a bit anxious.
“Please don’t!” Fluttershy replied in terror. Unfortunately, her fears were right, and soon, a couple of blocks ahead of them, the titan demon appeared, bashing out of a building, leaving a whole mess of debris all over the ground. It lets out its menacing, ferocious roar. It looks left and right, frequently, then its sights are set on the gang. It growls, glaring at its meek prey before getting ready to charge.'
"Rainbow Dash… take the crystals and hide them somewhere," Twilight said, unable to take her focus away from the monster. "Take them as far away from here as possible and don't stop. Run as fast as you can."
"What's that gonna accomplish? I can't ditch you guys!" Rainbow argued.
"That beast is a demon, Dash! Who knows what kind of power it'll gain if it comes near the demon crystals!" Rarity replied.
“Also, I don’t think all of us are even capable of taking on this guy,” Copper stated.
"Let's hope we can at least outrun this son of a bitch," Frostbite said, worried.
After staring at the group of teens for quite a while, the Titan Demon lets out its thundering roar before it began sprinting towards them at incredible speed. Seeing that it was charging towards them. Seeing it now charging towards them, everyone turned and ran as fast as they could; desperately trying to escape the monster chasing them or evade it as long as they could.
Back in Equestria, after convincing Moises to help open the caverns, the small group quickly left for Canterlot. "Moises, if I may ask, how do you even get newspapers out in your lodge when you live hundreds of miles away from the rich city?" Sunset asked.
"Easy, Luna sends it via magic. Now, as for you, Sunset. Tell me, what exactly do you see in this demonic, young prince? How are you able to see past his monstrous nature?" Moises asked. "Just out of curiosity."
"Because, he's more than just a violent tempered, demonic royal pain. He has a heart. He's willing to go through extreme lengths just to ensure his loved ones are safe and happy. There's no way I can ignore someone who's got those good qualities," Sunset said.
“That sounds noble and very inspiring, Sunset. Sadly, however, even that was to be true, that still does not change the half of what he is.” Moises replied.
"I know. It's a bitter pill to swallow, even for him. But he's dealing with it anyway. But I know he's not gonna let it define who he truly is. He's Prince Eternal Flames, a stallion of courage," Sunset said, patting her boyfriend's back.
“And, the same stallion who was willing to destroy his own home, slaughter innocent lives, and even destroy his friends and family; all for revenge,” Moises responded while not showing any negative expression.
"Dude, cut him some slack!" Flash intervened. "It's not his fault some jerkwad tried to kill him when he was born!"
"Forget it, Flash. He's right. There's nothing noble about me. I've done nothing but cause misery and destruction. But I'm not gonna let it happen anymore. I'll let my actions do the talking from now on when I bring back peace and resurrect someone who's like a brother to me," Eternal said in acknowledgment of his blunders.
"Still, you shouldn't have to carry the load on your own. You've got friends now and a loving girlfriend who would lay down her life for you," Halo said.
"And I'm gonna make sure she doesn't resort to that," Eternal said.
"Talk is cheap. As you said, you need to let your actions speak," Moises said, unchanged. “However, even letting your actions control your path is not a path of redemption.” He added as he turned to face Eternal eye-to-eye. “While I do not trust you, but I do see the promise of your wish to make things right. So remember this, Prince Eternal Flames: “To truly find peace, one must learn to find peace within. And know that by finding your peace within you, you shall learn to never let the past control your future”.” He stated before facing away from the prince and observing the land below. Eternal nodded and planned to take those words to heart.
Later on, the group finally arrived back at the rich city. There, Princess Luna is at the front steps of the castle, patiently, awaiting their arrival. Moises smiled at the sight of his old friend and couldn't wait to greet her.
After touching the ground, the 5 ponies got off the carriage and Moises quickly went over to Luna, exchanging a nice hug with the moon princess. "It's been quite a long time, dear Moises. You certainly look well," Luna said.
"And you're looking just as lovely as ever, princess," Moises replied. "I trust your sister is doing rather well, too, right?"
"She's still feeling a little guilty over the loss of Inferno Blaze. She never got a chance to properly apologize to him after… well, you already know," Luna pointed out. "But anyway, shall we head off to our… destination?"
“Lead the way, your Grace,” Moises replied.
And so Luna leads the group through the gate and into Canterlot, where they walked through the great capital. Halo and Flash were astounded by the city’s majestic buildings and towers, while Sunset and Eternal felt like they were traveling through memory lane of the years they once shared in this city in their childhood. It wasn’t long until they have arrived at the steps of the Royal Palace, but as they drew near, the group are then met with a sight that made them stop for a moment.
There, near the steps of the Royal Palace, was a memorial statue of a pony on top of a large pedestal; the statue itself was made of pure silver. But of course, this was no ordinary memorial statue of a pony, this was one for their friend, Inferno. The statue itself was an identical copy of the hero himself. His clothing, his smile, and his noticeable scar on his left eye. At the base of the pedestal, written in bold letters, was a message that read.
Here lies the Shadow Guardian of all Equestria.
Forever keeping a watchful eye.
Protecting the innocent souls of the land.
Soon out of nowhere, the group watched as three young fouls approached the statue, each placing down a single white rose at the base of it before bowing their heads and leaving.
Just from the sight of this piece of art hits Eternal right in the heart. The guilt weighed down on the prince even harder, remembering the ultimate sacrifice he made to save his life. But even so, it devotes the prince that much more to accomplish his goal. "Soon, Inferno… soon," Eternal said quietly.
He then went ahead and caught up with the others, finishing up his mourning moment. After he had joined up with them, Sunset walked closely alongside him, understanding the pain he was feeling. It’s hard to experience the loss of a friend, but it’s more difficult to be reminded that they’re gone.
"Say, Princess. If I may ask, is the… caverns somewhere in this castle or outside?" Halo asked.
"You'll see. But we can't talk about it here. The walls may have eyes and ears," Luna said.
“Uhhh, I don’t get it?” Flash replied.
“What she means Flash, is that caverns are restricted to all, as in… they’re kept a secret,” Sunset whispered to the confused human-turned-stallion.
"And for a good reason. A hoofful of bandits and corrupt outsiders once stole the key to that sacred place and even found the caverns. They tried their hardest to take it, but they couldn't even make it past the first few traps," Moises whispered "The Moon Gem's power is very real. And I should know, considering how I once experienced that power. It was too much for me, so Luna and I decided to lock it up and keep it out of hooves reach,"
Flash was horrified by this information. For such an artifact to wield that much power, he now understands why they kept it hidden in the first place. And now they are about to enter the caverns to claim it; what a strange turn of events.
Eventually, the group followed Luna over to the library in her castle. "Ah, of course. Twilight's most favorite place," Sunset joked.
"Does she love books that much?" Flash asked.
"Almost as much as she loves my brother," Eternal replied.
Luna chuckled at the group getting along. However, she brought her focus back on the task at hand, looking through the archives for the secret switch. Luna finds it easily and pulls on it. The bookshelf then slowly moves aside, revealing the entrance to the restricted archives.
"You learn something new every day," Flash commented, wide-eyed.
"And remember… never divulge this secret to anyone outside the castle, period," Eternal said. Flash nodded. The group followed Luna inside the restricted section, as soon as they entered, the entrance seals itself up.
"Moises, follow me," Luna said, walking towards the fireplace. The others assumed she needed to discuss something, so they didn't think much of it. Moises approached Luna and then pulled out a kind of shining key made entirely out of crystal. Luna took it and revealed a hidden lock on the side of the fireplace. The others watched in shock as to what they saw. Luna inserted the key and turned the lock.
The fireplace went out, then came a rumbling noise. Once Luna took the key out and gave it back to Moises, the fireplace opened up and revealed a staircase going down a dark cavern.
The 4 other ponies in the room were shocked and bewildered by the fireplace turning into a hidden staircase. Soon Sunset turned to the others and whispered to them all quietly as she possibly could.
“Okay, from now on, we do not speak of this to Princess Twilight, or else she’ll completely lose her mind.” She whispered.
"Agreed. She can be a real handful when it comes to something like this," Eternal whispered back, thinking about all the times he had to help his brother keep his girlfriend in check.
"Come along, everyone. But for your safety, stay behind us. I know the traps of the cavern inside and out," Luna stated. Everyone did as she asked and followed her and Moises into the crystal caverns.
Inside, the place is lit up by these torches on the wall with blue flames. The place gave the group the chills like they know they shouldn't be here, despite being in the capable hooves of Princess Luna and Moises. "Everyone, halt!" Luna exclaimed. Everyone did so and bumped into each other, one after the other,
"What's wrong?" Sunset asked.
"Look," Moises added, illuminating the room. In front of them was a floor puzzle.
"Wait, why don't we just levitate over the thing?" Sunset suggested.
"That won't work,” Moises replied as he levitates a sizeable rock off the ground and casually hovers it across the floor, only for what appears to be a metal arrow shot out from the walls and shattered the rock on impact; which had everyone jumped and spooked.
“Well fuck,” Flash said in disbelief.
"What about magic barriers? Or were those arrows enhances with neutralizing magic shields?" Eternal asked.
"I'm afraid you're right, dear nephew. The only way to get across is to step on the right stone. Luckily, I know the puzzle. Memorize these symbols so you won't get hurt," Luna said, showing the group her list of symbols from top to bottom. There were 6 symbols. From the top, they all see a picture of a monarch. 2nd, a symbol of a clock, 3rd a ruler stick, 4th, an arrow pointing up, 5th an arrow pointing down. And finally… the 6th symbol was the sun.
"Hey, I think I know what it means. Let me go first," Eternal said, figuring it out. "Trust me, I know I can do this!"
"I… I suppose it couldn't hurt," Luna said, concerned. Eternal nodded and walked forward. He looked down at the puzzle. "Just don't say it out loud. The arrows will fire if you recite it while doing the puzzle."
Eternal proceeded and recited the puzzle… in his mind. 'A monarch's…' he steps on another one carefully. 'time…' Then another. 'as ruler…' and so on. 'rises… and falls… like the sun.' he finished and made it safely to the end of the maze. Everyone was relieved.
"He did it! He did it! Hey, now that you figured it out, how about you tell us how to--" Flash said before Luna stopped him.
"As I have said before, this cavern doesn't condone cheating," Luna said. "Follow my lead," Luna replied before starting. The others followed her one at a time, making sure they wouldn't crowd her.
After the floor puzzle, the group had to make it past a few spiked pits and ceiling axes. Then over a pit of poisonous snakes, hopping on boulders over a lake of lava, fought off a few cave monsters, etc. Until they had arrived at what appears to be a dead-end from their perspective.
“Great! Dead end. Now, what do we do?” Flash asked.
"Calm down, Flash. Maybe there's more to this," Halo said.
“You are very correct, young Halo,” Luna replied as she walks up the cave wall and placed her hoof on it. “What you see may look like the cave’s end; however, it is the entrance to the chamber where the Moon Gem lies. But to open it, you must recite the message ingrained on the wall to gain entry.
"Alright. What's the catch?" Halo asked.
"Recite it right and the doors will open. Recite it wrong… and the floor below us will collapse, along with the rest of the cave. It will rebuild itself tomorrow, but time is of the essence and we can't risk getting it wrong. Only one pony can recite the message. And it has to be you, my dearest nephew," Luna explained.
"Reason being?" Sunset asked.
"Only one pony can enter the cavern. The reason being… well, it's ingrained on the wall. And it's written in ancient Ponish. Eternal, do you still remember the language."
"Sure. I memorized them for years, so I'm pretty fluent in this sort of thing. Wish me luck," Eternal said before looking at the wall. The wall started to glow, showing ancient Ponish words, none that Flash or Halo could understand. "To decide to become a hero is an easy task, but in the darkest and blackest of times, a hero must truly put his skills to the test… by thinking with his heart." he recited.
Right after he finished, the wall grew brighter and then a small rumble emitted as the walls split open, revealing the dark, empty room inside. Only one light was emitted in the whole room, a light emitted brightly by the one and only Moon Gem.
"WE DID IT!" Flash cheered.
"Hold on. Something isn't right. That was too… easy. I'm going in to check it out," Eternal said, proceeding with caution. As he entered the chamber, suddenly the entrance into the chamber is then sealed by a caged door. Causing the door to
"ETERNAL!!!" Sunset shouted in fear.
“HEY WHAT GIVES!?” Halo screamed.
“What the…” Eternal said.
"I didn't think you'd make it this far, Eternal. But you surprise me every time," a voice echoed throughout the room. Then later, hoof steps echoed throughout the chamber.
"That voice! It can't be!" Eternal exclaimed, looking around to see where it was coming from.
Then walking out from the shadows, was a single unicorn pony. But he was no simple pony. And the way he looked was all too familiar.
His mane, his fur, his clothing, his stetson hat, and more preferably… his distinct scar he had on his left eye. Although his eyes… they were as black as night. And his pupils were glowing purple. And he had a threatening glare that was nothing like the pony he knew.
“So we meet again… old friend,” Inferno said.
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awesome chapter you two keep it up cant wait for the next chapter
Awesome work guys