Chapter 8: The Perfect Crime
Sunset Shimmer never would have admitted it, not in public and likely only to those few closest to her, but she was absolutely terrified. Sure, she was maintaining her composure, outwardly. In the presence of so many others, plus a foreign diplomat, and an enemy one had to maintain their ‘game face’ as the old saying went. But in the back of her mind Sunset knew Raven was likely scanning her and could detect her heart absolutely racing as if she were in the middle of the Kentucky Derby. Had her PAAL still be attached to her it would no doubt be flashing cardiac warning signs on the holo screen.
It was the most scared she could ever recall being. When she had faced down the reunited Athanatoi in the throne room with her mother dead before her she was too angry and filled with a need for vengeance to be scared. When Sunset had faced down her own father, twisted and demented by darkness, she had been too concerned with protecting her friends and their world to be scared. But seeing before her, feeling this… thing work her magic from who knows where over a poor lost soul’s body…
It was one thing to read about the horrors of dark magic and necromancy. Sunset had first hand(hoof) experience at this having peeked in some of the forbidden and restricted books in her wild youth. Then, of course, she had her own brush with dark magic when she had dabbled in mind control of a bunch of high schoolers.
That had certainly been walking the knife's edge of true evil, but it was something else entirely to see an animated corpse before her, to FEEL the darkness pulsing from the violated body as the spell forcefully worked the vessel that had once been a simple guard. It was a horrifying atrocity that rocked Sunset Shimmer to her very core. In that moment, she finally understood why Celestia had been so angry and disappointed in her the night she had run away. This was not magic any good pony would dream of using in the everyday.
Sunset did not know the solar guards as well as the lunar guards who were sworn to her service, but she felt the burn in her heart to avenge the one before her. She reached inside and grasped that righteous vengeance within and it calmed her racing heart, gave her the strength to speak again without her voice cracking.
“You are going to pay for what you did to our ponies. Mark my words.”
“Oh, like I haven’t heard that one before. It’s right up there with, ‘why are you doing this?’ and ‘will you please put your boobs away!’ That’s always a fun one.” Sunset arched a brow at the interesting word choice, but allowed herself no other reaction.
“As cliché as it may sound to you,” said Twilight, also regaining her voice with crystal clear regality, “I do ask, why are you doing this? Luna said you disappeared in a magical flash thousands of years ago. Why are you here? Why now?”
“The long and short answer that will be both honest and completely unhelpful to you is, I was not welcome to come back here, until now. As for why I am borrowing Private Teakwood here, it was the fastest and easiest way to relay my intentions to you. Specifically, the princesses. If you want me gone back on my merry way and the return of the Saddle Arabian prince all you have to do is kill Sunset Shimmer. Any way you choose. I would suggest something quick and most thorough like a beheading. Plus, much easier to show me the proof that she is dead that way. Bodies are heavy, but a head is light and easy to carry.”
“Oh, you’re not asking for much,” growled Sunset.
“I’m really not, darling. One beautiful head on a plate or in a box and you can spare all your friends, subjects, and citizens as a whole what the alternative will be. I can get quite creative when it comes to mutilation and murder. Just ask… hmm. I guess he hasn’t caught up yet. Never mind. Luna remembers some of it, I’m sure.”
“Thy niece’s head shall remain firmly attached where it belongs, fell creature. If thou truly wishes to attempt to collect a head, thou will gladly be met by thine own steel and horn.”
“You overrate your importance in this game, Luna. As far I can tell you are not even a player anymore. Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle however. They now rule and they are the only two pieces on the board that matter right now.”
“Fuuuuck yooou, bitch.” The words were not so much a shock as the fact that it was Flurry Heart who had said them. It might have even been funny her borrowing of Sunset’s go-to curse word had the situation been different.
The corpse head examined Flurry a moment before turning back to stare dead eyed at Twilight. “Think about it for a little bit. There is an old mining network of tunnels south of the Canterhorn along the hoofhills at the Rambling Rock Ridge. I will await your answer there… but not too long. I do not wish to linger in this dimension any longer than I have to. Ta ta!”
The glowing light left the guard’s eyes and the body fell to the ground like a bag of sand. The other guards who had been standing by quickly swept in and checked their fallen comrade, but they knew he was already gone.
Luna leaned down and whispered a quiet prayer before closing the violated guard’s eyes. “See to it that he is properly taken care of and his family notified.”
The guards nodded and retreated from the room. The moment the door was closed once more the double layer of magical shields were once again applied.
“Well, this is obviously a trap.”
“Of course it’s a damn trap!” Sunset snapped at Twilight’s comment and then cringed at her own words and put a hoof to the bridge of her muzzle. “I’m sorry, Twily, that was rude of me. I...”
Twilight smiled warmly. “It’s okay. We are all rattled just now and of course yours was the head she asked for.” Twilight sighed. “All I wanted to do today was go over my wedding plan details. Was that so much to ask for?”
“Soooo, what do we do then?” asked Flurry Heart. “I mean, sure, it’s a trap, but knowing it’s a trap is half the battle right there. Now we just have to deal with it.”
Luna nodded and conceded, “She is not wrong. However, you have never faced an enemy this clever and malicious before… And speaking of clever.” Luna pounded her hoof on the table a few times and Clover emerged from underneath. At least he had the decency to look sheepish and embarrassed.
“I know that appeared quite cowardly of me, but I assure you it will be a huge advantage that she does not know I am here yet. It has been quite some time since I was able to corner her in a world.”
“You have yet to prove you are a pivotal asset or advantage. Also, no pony else was under the table,” commented Raven flatly.
“True, and I know what you are thinking.”
“Oh, you don’t want to know what I’m thinking,” said Sunset before a previous thought reoccurred to her. “However, along that line of thought. I DO want to know how you were able to block my empathic skim earlier.”
“Is that really important right now?” asked Twilight, her eyes filled with genuine concern.
Sunset met her fiancé’s eyes and nodded. “Yeah, I think it is. Because here’s a thought that goes along with it. I don’t believe a certain Clover the Clever was quite as clever and brilliant as history likes to paint him as much like how Star Swirl the Bearded, though brilliant, turned out to be a huge asshole. I’m currently wondering if perhaps somepony doctored those records in his favor to make him look better as well as to try and play down how horrible his wife really was.”
“You met my mentor, Star Swirl?”
“You were not the only pony who found themselves displaced from time and space,” said Twilight. “It’s a long story that we do not have time for and, begrudgingly, I have to agree with Sunset. You need to come clean with everything in regards to you and your wife if you expect us to trust you.”
“The seven trials were indeed real and I bore witness to their results,” said Luna. “However, that was a long time ago. How is it that you have chased Datura for this long and STILL been unable to catch her?”
Clover sighed then nodded. “First, when dealing with a pony such as Datura, one must learn to shore up their mental defenses even more than normal. This can be done through discipline, magical wards, or certain null field charms. She is an expert at all things mentalist and mind altering magic. She has learned and honed her ability to break down almost any unprepared mind’s defenses over a wide range of area. It is honestly frightening and I have seen her do it many times, much to my dismay. So, I developed my own spells and mental defense techniques to repel such invasions. The only way you could read my mind is if your horn were to touch mine to create a direct mental link with our most attuned instruments.
“As to why I have yet to catch my wife? Honestly, because she rarely stays in a world long enough for me to do so. Each time she jumps to a new dimension it leaves a detectable signature. I follow those. However, there are places between places, pocket dimensions, the in-between. Places I cannot follow and that she can hide in for decades.”
“She can hide in the in-between for decades?! As in the actual in-between of dimensions?” Sunset said with her jaw hanging open. “But that place… no, no, just… fuck it. You know what, I’m not going to try and figure that one out. I’m with Flurry Heart on this one. We know where she is, we know it’s a trap, let’s hammer out a plan of attack.”
Flurry grinned and pounded her hooves together. “Now we’re talking my language.”
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Tempest Fury walked to one side of the rail of the airship, turned, then walked the ten paces to the other rail of the bow, turned, and then resumed. She had done this many times over the last few hours. Fog Gauge had remained sitting at ease while watching her, mostly lost in his own thoughts.
Finally, she groaned and shouted to the pilot house. “Can’t this thing go any faster?”
“We’re already making better time than you would by train and since you made me dump all my cargo at the dock, we are light and won’t need to stop for rest or refuel. You better be right about all them bits you promised me though. Otherwise, my boss will be wearing my hide as a pelt coat for casting off with no cargo other than two guards.”
“Two captains, actually,” Gauge amended.
“Princess Twilight’s personal assistant assured me that you will be reimbursed your lost time and earnings so just push as hard as you can.”
“As hard as safety will allow,” Gauge amended again.
Tempest glared at her husband. “Are you going to be like this the whole way?”
Gauge arched a brow. “If by 'this' you mean be your stable rock foundation to ground, support, love, and cherish you forever and always have your back, then yes.”
Tempest shook her head to try and hide her bashful smile. “Sometimes you are just infuriatingly good at this game.”
Gauge turned completely to Tempest and lifted her chin with his hoof, gliding it along her face which she nuzzled into. “One is only as good as their competition pushes them to be.”
“I didn’t realize I was the competition.”
“When it comes to who gets to be on top, you most certainly are.”
“Flatterer.”
Gauge smiled. "I try." Tempest had no other words to add to the exchange and instead locked her lips to his.
The ship captain kept his eyes on the horizon and smiled to himself. He could not hear what the two guards were saying, but it was not for him to hear judging by how close they were speaking to one another. If they kept the tail wind and luck was on their side they would see the Canterhorn in about two hours and be ready to land in three.
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Sunset Shimmer could not remember if she had ever been to the Rambling Rock Ridge. Considering Sunset had an eidetic memory and could remember almost any important even in her life with photographic clarity the most logical conclusion was she had never visited it before. Ultimately, that was not a surprise. From what Twilight had said and Raven had scrounged from scrap data was that the entire ridge had once been a rock quarry and gem mine and had been abandoned centuries ago. There was not much else out there and most of the trails in the area were for campers.
As far as the ridge itself, many of the tunnels had been boarded up and blocked for safety, but a few had remained open for geological study as well as used for on-site sets for plays and various other training purposes. Most of the main pathways were considered stable and safe under normal circumstances, but the network was crisscrossed with side tunnels and wear and tear from time meant that none of them were perfectly safe. The perfect place to lay a deadly trap.
“So, I’m guessing we don’t really have a plan, do we?”
Sunset turned from staring at the ominous cave entrances to Princess Flurry Heart and smirked. “I have a few ideas and contingencies, but nothing that qualifies as a 'plan' by Twilight's definition. However, if we stayed in that conference room Twilight would have never let us leave, so I told her I had a plan.”
“Lied to your fiancé. Wow, you really are a bad pony.”
Sunset rolled her eyes and hip bumped Flurry, her black armor clanging against Flurr'y bright silver metal and mixed bluish crystal armor plates. “Because I’m sure you tell Thicket all the details of when you put yourself in harm’s way.”
“Touché.”
Sunset bowed her head, and double checked to make sure all her straps were tight, but not constricting her movement. It was at times like this she really appreciated how much time went into making sure her armor was as comfortable as it was protective. “I love Twily with all my heart, you know that and so does she, but Twilight does not like to see anypony intentionally put into danger. You and I however seem to be danger magnets.”
“I have to agree with that last sentiment, Your Highness.”
Sunset turned to Sable Nimbus who was at the head of a large squad of lunar thestral guards all outfitted with mage hunter armor and weapons. It had been a long time since Sunset had seen the red maned thestral in full armor, her helmet obscuring a bit of her face. Behind them, bringing up the rear of the formation was Clover the Clever, hiding underneath his hooded cloak. It was difficult to tell with the hood what he was thinking about the entire situation and he had not spoken much since the party left Canterlot. Sunset agreed with Raven. He was the next greatest unknown variable and that made him just as dangerous as Datura. Perhaps more so since he had their backs.
Flurry Heart had suggested before they left that just her, Luna, and Sunset should go and rush the cave. That had been overruled as reckless by several voices. To move things along, Sunset had amended the suggestion and said that she and Flurry should lead while others hang back as both backup and to sneak around to get the drop on Datura from one of the side caverns. Clover volunteered to lead the flanking team while Luna begrudgingly remained half way between Canterlot and the caves in case the entire cave fiasco was a distraction of some sort, much like when the Athanatoi attacked. Those who had witnessed it recalled how Aethon had successfully split their forces during his surprise attack of Canterlot and the deadly results of that confusion.
Flurry had bowed her head and remained silent when the attack had been mentioned, but no one elaborated further. It had been unnecessary.
Raven volunteered to accompany Sunset and Flurry citing the fact that she was immune to mind control magic. Sable stepped in and reminded the PAAL in disguise that she had no real-world combat experience even with her ferronite defensive sleave cuffs along her forelegs. The two were about to bicker when the lunar guard reminded her friend that though she was a personal assistant she was also a lieutenant and gladly pulled rank in this instance. Sunset had to admit, her friend and personal assistant looked absolutely fierce and intimidating in blued plate armor and battle helm, covered in wing blades and throwing weapons that most bat ponies preferred.
“I know it sounds crazy, but this is the Red Clover we are talking about and she wants me for some reason. The more her eyes are on me the less they are on you. Clover leads Blue team to the left caverns, Sable leads Red team to the right. The mission, find the prince and get out and if possible, we subdue her, but rescue is the primary goal. Everypony understand?”
“And if I get a clear shot?”
Sunset gestured her blessing to Flurry Heart. “Then you take it, but ONLY if you see a golden opportunity. There are too many unknows and this whole situation is giving me the creeps.” Sunset turned to address the rest of guards. “Keep those helmets on no matter what. That is the only thing keeping her out of your heads. If one of your fellow guards loses their helmet, do all of us a favor and knock their ass out before they can hurt you or themself. We'll drag them back out to safety at the end.” The guards all saluted, Sable included. Sunset and Flurry nodded.
Cautiously, Sunset Shimmer and Flurry Heart entered what was considered the main entrance to the cave network. Flurry was a half step behind Sunset so as to watch their backs. She was constantly scanning with both her eyes and her senses. The temperature dropped subtly inside the cavern, but that was not unexpected. It still sent a shiver down Sunset’s spine.
“Serious, what is the plan?”
Sunset never turned her head, keeping her eyes forward and sharp. “I’m going to pull one from Mom’s playbook for once. I’m going to try talking to her.”
“Seriously?”
“I have a LOT of questions and it will serve to distract her from our flanking teams. If what Clover said was true she sounds like one of those types that looooves to gloat and monologue about herself and how brilliant she is and her evil plans. Plus, with you watching my back I feel like I can keep my focus on her when this turns ugly.”
“Because of course it will.”
“Eyup.”
Sunset was not entirely sure where she was going. The cavern tunnel was lit by string lights that were either attached to a power node or magical generator somewhere. It was clear they were old given how dim the lights burned. Some of the filaments were blown out entirely. Not exactly the most promising of welcomes. The uneven rocks had been cut primarily by tools and threw wicked, long shadows that caused Sunset's anxiety to further spike, her heartbeat pounding in the creeping silence. There were no obvious traps like trip wires or spring trap spells, but there was a sense of foreboding that only grew stronger the further from the entrance they went.
Once they reached their first junction, the two flanking teams silently split and began making their way around what was, hopefully, a central chamber. After nearly ten minutes of cautious walking the two alicorns spotted a cluster of mage lights and what appeared to be a large open junction. They slowed their walk to a crawl trying not to drag their armored hooves.
“There is no reason to try and be sneaky, darling. I have been waiting for you after all. Though I am a bit disappointed but not surprised your head is still attached to your neck.”
Sunset Shimmer brought herself to her full height, back straight to show the gleam of her armor in the soft light, her mane waving to the side like a living fire. Flurry Heart also stood tall, wings unfurled with hard blue eyes laser focused on the mare who was sitting back in a chair at an old table, reading a book.
In Sunset’s honest opinion, she was rather pretty, with fetching curves, a perfectly brushed coat, and a uniquely styled dark brownish black mane that was still popular in the southern Equestria territory of Somnambula, incorporating twisted braids and beads. Her muzzle was long, slender with the most sublte of upward curve that one usually only saw on runway models. Her dark blue eyes even had black eyeliner that help accentuate her long lashes and made the color pop. However, as Sunset looked into those dark orbs she saw no heart, or compassion, or even a hint of loving decency. Those were the eyes of a soulless monster. Eyes Sunset had seen in herself in the Lunar Lock mirror long ago. That thought was quickly brushed aside. Focus was required.
“I like my head where it is, thank you very much.”
“I imagine so. I too like my head where it belongs as well.”
“Then explain it to me. Explain it to me how you got here, why you came at all, and why do you want me dead because I have to tell you, I already have enough problems to deal with. I really don’t feel like dancing the tango with a legendary monster to get to the heart of the problem.”
Datura closed her book and stood. Taking a few steps closer. Flurry lit her horn, but Sunset held up a hoof to settle her. “Feisty that one I see.”
“She’s had creatures mess with her head before and is not receptive to letting it ever happen again. Flurry Heart is also more of the shoot first and ask questions later type, so you might not want to piss her off.”
Datura smiled. “But not you. I can tell there is… something unique about you. Obviously, as the daughter of Celestia you must have picked up some of her habits and intellect. You certainly have some of her genes. Tall, sexy, commanding. A room full of lesser beings bows before you not just because they must but because they sense your superiority. You radiate with it.
"Very well. Let’s play Quid Pro Quo, sweet thing. Your first question was how I got here. Easy really. I discovered, with some help and research that our world is but one of many. The magic needed to open a gateway is not difficult, but it is costly and each dimension has a unique resonance. Finding the right frequency to create a bridge is tedious otherwise one could accidentally implode an entire universe. That is unhealthy for all. My turn. Are you aware that Celestia was the daughter of a true god?”
“I know about other worlds. And yes, I know about Aine and her siblings and that some of the old folk stories are true.”
Datura narrowed her eyes at Sunset and the alicorn felt a passive scan spell pass over her. Nothing too invasive or she would have fought back, but it gave Sunset just a hint of how powerful the unicorn was. Another chill ran down Sunset's spine setting off a warning bell in her mind. “Hmm, your defenses are noteworthy. As they should be for a demigod. Kudos to you. Probably one of the reasons Void wants you dead.”
“Void?” said Flurry, her eyes turned to a dark corner while she played it back in her head. “I’ve heard that before. Like a name…”
“Hmm… so you are interesting too. Well, as you might have guessed, or maybe you haven’t, why I came and the whole chopping your head off thing go hand in… or hoof in hoof I suppose. I, in fact, do not care if you live or die. But I have an obligation to fulfil and to keep certain parties in good graces.”
Sunset caught movement in the shadows behind Datura but kept her eyes straight. “I know what hands are too. Why does Void want me dead?”
Datura raised one of her metal forelegs and the hoof opened just as Clover’s had earlier and flexed a set of five robotic fingers. “Hands are soooo niiiiice, right? I got tired of some of the dimensional transformations not having them or something even more useless than a hoof. So, I found a place that has amazing biomechanical technological interfaces and had my forelegs replaced with these. Now, I can grab things anytime I like. Anyhow, it’s my turn for a question before I answer yours.”
“Fine.”
Datura’s smirk was arrogant and far too confident. Sunset felt warning bells go off again in the back of her head. Well honed instincts she had come to trust that had saved her life more than once. Sunset’s weight shifted ever so slightly on her hooves in preparation to spring into action. “Tell me, did you really think I didn’t know you had other ponies trying to sneak up on me? I mean, really? You strike me as a fairly educated and traveled mare. You had to know this was all a trap.”
Sunset jumped right and Flurry to the left as a magical blast left Datura’s horn. It took Sunset half a second too long to realize it had not been aimed at either of them. The blast struck a point on the ceiling of the cavern and exploded with far more force than either alicorn had been expecting. The rocks fell like chunks of lava, splashing around and a few of the smaller cinders burned fur and flesh. Both Flurry and Sunset were knocked off their hooves and tumbled, disoriented and ears ringing from the concussion.
“Dragon’s blood is pretty amazing stuff, yes? Highly reactive when applied to the correct runes and far more stable than most compound explosive material. Often leaves rock in a molten state that can burn as hot as flecks of white phosphorus.” Sunset heard Datura say something about dragon’s blood, but it all sounded like she was in the back of a mega stadium with the sound check ringing in her ears.
“I have to say, dear, you do look stunning in that armor. But someone should have told you that if you planned on fighting a witch who can turn most pony’s brains inside out with a flick of her horn that perhaps you needed one of those full helmets your friend or the bat ponies were wearing earlier. I mean, look at you. Your head is completely exposed. Your mane is flowing everywhere like a silly warrior supermodel! Have you ever done this before?” Sunset shook her head and scrambled back to her hooves. Datura was now just out of hoof reach distance, her horn glowing a blackish green color along with her eyes. “I should just kill you, but I'm curious to take a look inside and see what you are really made of, shall we?”
Sunset felt the invasive spell crash over her like a high tidal wave. She grit her teeth, squeezed her eyes shut, prepared to defend her most sacred sanctum just like she had been taught and then… Sunset’s eyes reopened, irises burning bright teal. She summoned her sword and slid into an attack stance no worse for wear. The spell had crashed against her mind and just as quickly Sunset felt the magic simply bounce back to the caster. Datura screamed, painfully. She stumbled back and blinked several times. Sunset relished the change in her demeanor and the utter shock that was now plastered on her face. Datura’s eyes turned to the burning sword and her pupils shrank to pinpricks as her eyes grew wider.
“You’re… you’re a bloody, bucking construct with a soul?!”
Sunset lunged forward, firing her horn to the right and slashing down to the left. Datura had no choice but to leap back. She sensed movement behind her and quickly teleported before Flurry magically constructed war hammer slammed down, pulverizing the spot where she had just been standing.
“So, they tell me. I don’t think about it most days.”
“Celestia’s daughter…” Datura muttered to herself, “the complexity of the woven spellwork is so deep, in utero application? The blood of Aine… you… you exist outside the bounds of the tapestry and can wield a soul blade. Yes, now I see it. Well, no wonder Void is terrified of you.”
“What the hell are you talking about and why do you keep saying that like it's a name?”
Datura regained her smug composure. “You just might be the most fun challenge and puzzle I get to tear apart yet. Time to shake things up a bit.”
“I don’t like the sound of that. Take her down before she fully recovers!”
Sunset nodded and fired her horn again just as Flurry unleashed a massive torrent of power. The two energy blasts mingled and wrapped around one another and bore a new passage right through the rock. However, Datura had already been moving and the spectacular waste of energy missed terribly.
“Well, you two certainly do not lack for power. Especially you, big girl. Tempting, tempting. MMMM!” Datura turned her eyes to the cave in the back of the open causeway. “Too bad I already have someone else in mind.”
“You can’t keep hopping around like that in a confined space,” shouted Sunset Shimmer.
“And you can’t keep blasting holes. Or did you forget about your friends already? I imagine they are in quite the pickle about now with my pawns and burying them alive under a small mountain would be rude even for a princess.” Flurry growled and fired again. Much to both alicorn’s surprise, she simple smacked the blast away with a fluid gesture of her forelegs. The unfocused, small blast ricocheted off her metal foreleg and struck the wall, ejecting more debris. Upon a second inspection Sunset could see magical shield auras surrounding her forelegs like a skin of armor.
Damn, she has some fine precision control. How do we get an opening?
Sable Nimbus had six other thestral guards at her back. Four were traditional bad ponies like herself, Whisper Gale was a unicorn thestral who specialized in medical spells, but had a few defense spells at her disposal as well, and Ceramic Stone, an earth pony thestral who was surprisingly quick and quiet on his hooves despite his enormous stature. While he had no wings or horn he was sometimes called “Tank” by his fellow lunar guards for an obvious reason.
While they did not have any precise layout of the cavern system, from what was on record nearly all the tunnels were dug in a hub and spoke system, meaning that all the paths always led back to a central chamber. There were at least six such central chambers, but only one so far had been lit with unicorn mage lights like a welcome sign. That had been helpful even at a distance being that all thestrals had superb night vision and none of the side passages had much light.
Sable silently signaled her team forward once she had checked for traps. She lacked a horn to sense magical tripwires, but her armor did not. Luna had designed the lunar guard armor herself and the fin crest atop every guard’s helmet would vibrate to warn the wearer if they were approaching a magical minefield or other pre-laid trap. After several more steps Sable’s ears twitched at the sound of voices. She recognized her princess’s husky smooth vernacular anywhere.
While it was good they had found Sunset and Flurry they had yet to find the Saddle Arabian prince. She could only hope that Blue team was having more luck on that front. Carefully, so as to not make a sound, the bat pony lieutenant crept to the tunnel cross section edge and used the reflection on one of her polished daggers like a mirror to look around the corner. The image was not clear, but it confirmed that there were only three blobs she could see in the central chamber. All they could do now was wait and see what happens next while continuing to quietly search deeper for the prince.
As Sable signaled her team to settle in, movement from the cavern across the throughway caught her reflective, vertically slit green eyes. Sable’s first thought was that it must be the other team, however, if it was their movements were sloppy. She could hear shuffling of hooves on loose gravel, which others could hear it as well. As things tended to do, everything went to Hell in a handbasket all at once.
The central cavern lit from an explosion and concussion blast. Red team jumped back to their hooves and Sable moved to assist her princess when a pony she had never seen before emerged from a pitch black side passage and ran directly at her with reckless abandon. He was quickly followed by a dozen more. Sable shoved the pony off after several blows to his head. It was then that she realized that these were some if not all of the missing creatures from the market square. They lunged with hooves to stomp or talons to claw flesh with no regard to their personal safety. Some even tried to bite. All of them had cloudy eyes and no sense of awareness beyond trying to attack armed guards, not slowed in the least by fear or physical injury.
“Lieutenant! We’re surrounded! Orders?!”
“Disable them! We’ll drag them from here and heal their wounds later, but only if there is a later! Only the prince is to remain unharmed!” Sable kicked the pony who lunged at her again when he tried to stand back up. Another thrall moved in to take his place, stepping right on the fallen thrall. On instinct, Sable deployed her gauntlet blades and raised them when another pony tried to swing a pickax into her skull. She blocked, smashed the handle then stabbed the pony in the chest. He staggered, but still tried to bite her while impaling himself further upon her blades turning a nasty wound into a fatal one. “Empty night! They are nothing but mindless zombies now!”
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The moment Canterlot came into clear sight Tempest called Isabella to tell her they would land within the hour. To not have to repeat everything to her husband she put the SunLight crystal on speaker. It only took her a small moment of hesitation to remember which rune it was that did that. The pause did not go unnoticed by Gauge.
“See? I’m figuring it out.”
“I made no comment.”
“You smiled. I KNOW that smile.” Before Gauge could retort, Isabella answered her crystal. “Hey, we’re about an hour or less from docking. We commandeered an airship, which you will have to pay for and deal with when we get there. Can you explain more of what is going on now?”
“Is the city in lockdown protocol?” asked Gauge.
“Yes,” Isabella said something to others in the room and then a moment later returned to her call. “Apologies, there is a great deal going on at the moment. The short version, a Saddle Arabian prince was abducted by a very powerful witch who has not only mind control powers, but a host of other horrible abilities apparently. So far, only dragons or guards that have cold iron in their helmets have been able to fend off the domination and, unfortunately, the guards were outnumbered and killed by the mob that overpowered them. Spike was also severely injured in the exchange.”
“Tartarus below.” Gauge agreed with Tempest’s curse and began to examine his helmet, once again thankful that his wife had insisted they take their gear with them even on vacation. He quickly strapped it back down tight. “How are the princesses?”
“Twilight is burying herself in logistical work right now so as to not think about everything. Luna is probably somewhere below you, standing as first guard between Canterlot and where the witch likely laid a trap. Sunset and Flurry Heart took a squad to try and spring said trap in their favor and rescue the prince, but… I have to agree with Twilight. I am growing more worried by the second. We should have heard something by now.”
“Where was the ambush to be?” asked Gauge, his eyes scanning the forest and rolling hills below.
“Rambling Rock Ridge.”
Gauge turned to the rail and spread his leathery wings.
“Wait!” shouted Tempest. “You can’t fly all the way there without a plan!”
Gauge returned to his wife and kissed her, gliding his hoof down the side of her face. “Watch me.” Without a second thought, the thestral leapt from the airship and flew faster than he had ever attempted in his life. Tempest growled then quietly whispered, ‘be safe’ knowing she would have done the same if it had been Twilight and she had the wings to do so.
---------
Sunset Shimmer stood just to the left of Datura with her sword up at ready position. Flurry Heart was on the right, horn glowing, a bright golden poleaxe construct in her magical grip. It had taken a minute of convincing, but once ceiling cracks and fissures began to spread and flecks of cave dust fell on Flurry’s head, she understood that pulverizing magical blasts were not the way to go while everyone was STILL inside said cave network. However, even with two alicorns flanking the Red Clover she still appeared far too confident to Sunset.
“You sure you don’t want to just give us the prince and let everypony else go? I can’t see this going well for you.”
“I think the tit for tat is over, darling. And besides, if you can’t see other ways out of this then you sorely lack tactical imagination.” There were screams that echoed from the other cavers as fighting continued elsewhere. “Oh, and you are running out of time on that whole saving everyone front.”
Sunset charged and went high, Flurry in turn charged and went low. They knew she could probably teleport and were ready to dodge each other if she did. What she did instead was not something either of them had expected. Datura remained put. A flash of green light emitted from under her cloak and two small orbs floated out and into her telekinetic grasp. Both orbs reshaped into long black sabers shrouded in sickly green fire.
Sunset had summoned and used her sword more times than she could remember and had come to expect certain things from it. For starters, unless she wanted someone to, no other creature could touch it without causing themselves harm. That went along with the fact that, much like the fictional lightsaber (which it had resembled more than once) her blade had cut through everything it had come in contact with. That included walls, solid rock, metal, even magical barriers. To say Sunset was surprised when the black and green blade had blocked her attack was a vast understatement.
The two blades flashed at their point of contact and Sunset felt a small stab in her chest and had to fight back to keep from having all her forward momentum blunted and her blade thrown back at her. Flurry Heart, however had it worse. Her poleaxe completely shattered on contact with the other black and green saber and the large alicorn stumbled, forcing her to roll out of the way when the dark ethereal weapon went on the offensive. Flurry frantically scrambled back and fired from her horn again, which the blade easily parried. She began to panic and sweat, the scar on her left foreleg itched and throbbed each time Datura's blade came near.
“How?!”
Datura’s smile was sickeningly cute and malicious at the same time. It infuriated and disturbed Sunset in equal measure. “Did you really think you were the only one who could summon a soul blade, sweetheart?” To that Sunset growled and pushed harder, trying to keep Datura’s attention on her and off Flurry Heart. Both soul blades flared with light and heat, bathing the cavern in a fluctuating array of colors. “Do you not understand what this is? Did you not receive any training on how to use it? Self taught perhaps? Hmm… On second thought, maybe you are not as dangerous as I initially thought. No matter.”
Datura’s sabers quickly reshaped into fu tao hook swords and pulled Sunset’s blade away. The shift in magical and physical force pulled Sunset off balance and dangerously close to Datura. The witch raised her left hoof and a cannon barrel emerged from the center. Datura fired twice, both bolts ricocheting off Sunset’s armor, the defensive gems flaring with use. Sunset recovered and brought up a shield that deflected the rest of the energy volleys.
Flurry was about to fire again when she heard the sound of a pony screaming for help behind her. Sunset must have heard it as well, when the younger alicorn looked up Sunset nodded and shouted, “GO!”
Datura grinned again. Sunset Shimmer was really beginning to hate that grin. The witch threw her cloak back and Sunset saw two things. First, there was a glass flask about the size of a wine bottle at Datura’s left side with what looked like swirling green clouds in it. Secondly, the witch had pulled a large dragon’s tooth from her belt pouch that had some of the most intricate runecraft work etched into it that Sunset had ever seen.
Datura winked at Sunset. “Gotcha.” Her telekinesis threw the tooth up into the fissure along the ceiling. The cracks spread with a reddish glow far and wide, reaching across the entire cavern ceiling. Then, they spilt apart and began to fall.
Sunset lit her horn and created a magical net to hold the ceiling in place and immediately fell to her knees from the tremendous mass of what felt like the entire ridge being held up in her magic. Flurry Heart stopped at the back cavern entrance and saw the magical net go up and added her own power. She too instantly felt the weight of the mountain.
Sunset Shimmer knew she was screwed. If she lowered her magic to fight back or defend herself the mountain would fall. Granted, that SHOULD crush Datura as well, but since she did not seem concerned meant she had another means or plan of escape or was just that kind of crazy. Even with armor on Sunset knew she was completely exposed. Fuck me, fuck me, Fuckity fuckfuckfuck FUCK ME!
Sunset felt ice cold lips press against her left ear, nibbling on the lobe a bit right above her engagement gem. “Mmmmm, your sweat taste of sweet fear. Just stay put. I’ll deal with you in a moment.” Datura strolled pass Sunset and moseyed over to Flurry Heart. Flurry was bearing her clenched teeth, wings unfurled as far as they could go. The witch stopped and smiled.
“Stay… away… from her! It’s… me you want!”
“Noble,” said Datura without turning to look at Sunset, “but if you stop holding your end of things you’re dead, and if I kill this one, you’re dead. Sooooo, no, I do not want you. I've already beat you, child of Celestia. Give you mother my regards when you see her in Elysium.”
Flurry Heart, in response did the only thing she could do in utter defiance of the situation. The most unprincess-like thing she could think of. She spat in Datura’s face. Datura grimaced for a moment, then shrugged and wiped the spit away. She next unsheathed a blade from her belt that had a greenish sheen to it and stabbed Flurry precisely in the neck at the artery. Flurry cried out as blood began to spray like a broken fountain and stained her light pink coat. Datura stood ready and collected three vials of blood.
“You have a great deal of power, young false god, but you are not the one I’m after. Still, waste not, want not.” The sound and familiar change in air pressure from a teleport caught Datura’s attention and she turned. She rolled her eyes and groaned at the figure standing in the cavern, horn glowing light blue. “Of course, you would show up now.”
“I always show up. You are my responsibility, my most important mission. There are innocent ponies in the back caverns. Allow them to leave so that you and I may finish this chase and end it. I have cast an interdiction spell over the entire cave network. You cannot teleport away.”
“Ohhh noooo! Will I be trapped here to die with all of youuu???” Datura fluttered her eyes. “Also, you should know by now, Clover, there are no such thing as 'innocents'. You are either a fighter or you are meat. Since I don’t eat meat, I just use or experiment on it, you know what I am. What are you, dearest?”
“S-S-Sun… Sunset…” Sunset could see Flurry blinking tears from her eyes as she struggled to say the other princess’s name. She had lost a lot of blood already and would pass out soon and die soon after if they did not get that wound closed.
“Datura,” Clover pleaded, “I know you are better than this. Please.”
“Oh, fine,” Datura huffed and turned to look at Sunset. “I’m sorry, beautiful. I was going to end you quickly and painlessly, but once again, my husband had to step in and get all holier than thou and ruin it for everyone.”
Sunset growled. “Get… stuffed, bitch.”
Datura smiled cheeky once again. “The prince is already dead and basically so are all the townsfolk I brought with me. They are all mindless husks now. They will never feel the cave crush them. Die knowing you did not fail because you never had a chance to begin with.” Datura dropped a large crystal to the ground and crushed it under her hoof. “Chow!” The witch disappeared in a purple cloud and light flash.
“I thought you said you sealed the cave!” shouted Sunset and frustrated disbelief. It was bad enough to die, but to die and not take the bad guy with you…
Clover blinked and had the decency to look ashamed. “A portal crystal. Advanced locational point-to-point spatial tear. It can bypass an interdiction field because the bridge was already established elsewhere.”
A hoof reached around Flurry’s body that was partially blocking the back cave and pressed a heavy cloth bandage to her neck, magically adding much needed pressure and coagulates to slow the blood loss. Whisper Gale peeked her head around Flurry as best she could, pinkish magenta eyes wide and shining in the low light. “That’s really damn fascinating! But maybe, get us the flying flip out of here!”
“If…if I move. I might… stumble and… lose my spell. G-Getting hard… t-to think,” rasped Flurry Heart, breathing heavy.
Sunset growled and struggled, pushing herself back to her hooves. She unfurled and wings and they caught fire snapping Clover from his funk and caused him to jump back. He gawked, about to reach out to touch the flaming appendages when Sunset glared at him, her irises burning bright teal.
“Flurry.” The younger alicorn struggled to pay attention. “PRINCESS FLURRY HEART OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE! DAUGHTER OF PRINCESS MI AMORE CADENZA! YOU WILL LOOK AT ME!” Flurry Heart’s eyes snapped open to the sound of Sunset using the Royal Canterlot Voice. She was bleary eyed and about to fall over, but she looked up just the same.
“I’m going to step towards you and you are going to step towards me. You need to just move enough to let the guards out.”
“Princess!” Sunset recognized Sable’s voice. “We have wounded back here!”
“Clover.”
“I will collect them. I will not fail again.” Sunset swallowed her snide rebuke, not wanting to waste precious seconds or extra breath.
Sunset nodded and slowly, carefully, to maintain her spell, moved closer to Flurry Heart to put more of the spell load on herself. Her armor gems were burning brightly, heating the metal as she siphoned from their stored power to aid her spell. Quietly, under her breath just above a whisper, Sunset chanted, “I can do this, I can do this, I have to do this.”
With equal care, Flurry Heart moved on shaky legs. She did not dare lift her hooves and instead just scraped them along until the guards signaled her they were free. Sable stood near Flurry’s hind legs and shouted orders. They had thankfully not lost any lives, but several were wounded, mostly from Blue team, who were all giving Clover nasty looks. That would require investigation later, Sunset noted.
Once the guards were all in the central cavern Sunset pointed with a shaky hoof towards a partially blocked cave at the far end. “That’s the… most direct way out. Hurry.”
Sable ordered the guards to follow Clover and move the wounded up front. She then hesitated next to Sunset. “What about you and Princess Flurry Heart?”
“C-Can you call… Luna?”
“I tried to earlier, my crystal exploded.”
“I suggest you fly to her fast. I can’t hold this… forever.”
Sable nodded and fled down the path with the others. Sunset let out the breath she had been holding, blinking the sweat away that was stinging her eyes. As far as she could hear her guards were not running into any additional traps left by Datura. Cheers for small blessings.
“We’re going to die, aren’t we?”
Sunset looked up at Flurry Heart and shook her head. “Sure, eventually. But not in here and not like this.”
“Are you… j-just saying that to make me feel b-better at how badly I m-messed up?”
“We both… messed up, kiddo. She knew exactly what she was doing. She played us like a pro and I’m still not sure why. I think that’s… that’s what scares me the most right now. It was more like she was just testing us. Trying to find our weaknesses. That would imply she has bigger plans.”
Flurry fell to her knees and Sunset screamed as most of the spell net transferred to her, driving Sunset to her knees once more. Flurry, breathing heavily, struggled again to bring her eyes up. Sunset watched as the golden aura flickered on her fellow alicorn's horn. Need a plan! Need a plan! NEED A PLAN!
“I’m… sorry,” Flurry whispered as she swayed a bit. "I... should have said something earlier, but I was afraid."
"What are you talking about?"
"I know what everypony thinks of me. How I'm this ridiculously overpowered juggernaut of magical power, but... truth is... I'm not. Not anymore. Not since we defeated Scylla and the others. I never realized before how much extra power they were pumping into me, to make me the key to freeing them. It's... why I haven't done much the last few years other than focus on helping the students at the school. I... I mean... I'm still strong-ish... al, alicorny wooo..."
"Flurry?"
"I'm... sorry."
Sunset did not get to reply as Flurry Heart passed out and all the spell fell upon Sunset Shimmer, along with half a mountain.
The guards stopped moving. Sable Nimbus rushed to the front of the column where she found Private Ryegrass trying valiantly to move some fallen rocks with his hooves. The pathway out had been completely blocked by fallen boulders. Or they had taken a wrong turn. Either way, if they did not get out and get help soon the entire tunnel complex was going to collapse as shifting dust and debris constantly fell upon them. Sable also shifted some of the rocks to see if they would fall away, trying to make even a small hole to work through.
“We’re doomed.”
Sable snarled and hissed at her fellow thestrals, flashing her fangs in the low light. She was not sure who muttered it, she would find out later. “Keep your nerve, soldiers! You think we have it bad? Right now, our princess struggles to hold up this whole forsaken mountain above our heads so that we may live! Stow the dripping tears, grow some bucking balls, and help me clear a path! Tank! Get up here!” Those that could help moved material did so, spurned by their lieutenant’s confidence and tenacity. Inside her head however… Please, oh, holy goddess of the moon, please don’t let us die like this! Let me see you one more time, let me hold you and whisper what my heart tells me in your ever listening ears. Just. One. More. Time.
The large boulders were not moving even with Ceramic Stone doing his best to break them up and Whisper Gale was a healer not a mage, she did not have the strength or control to levitate objects so heavy.
Not like this. Please, my beloved Mistress Luna Moon, not like this.
Several guards gasped and jumped back as part of the rock exploded inward and a staff could be seen through the hole with daylight spilling forth. Sable leaned down to peek through the opening.
“Get clear!”
“Captain?” Sable’s eyes widened as she saw a torrent of midnight blue magic gathering. She turned and waved her hoof. “Get back!”
The rockslide collapse began to glow and all moved at once. First inward, then, as if being pulverized through a massive grinder, the rocks rotated and broke into smaller and smaller pieces, each group being pulled back though to the entrance and discarded off to the side. Once clear, standing before the wounded thestrals and Clover the Clever was a midnight blue goddess with her mane and tail waving with ethereal power. From where Sable was kneeling, the backlighting also framed her head in a glorious halo of light.
“Quickly, my children!” The guards did not have to be told twice. Sable made sure the others were all clear before facing Captain Gauge and Luna.
“Lieutenant, where is Princess Sunset?”
Sable pointed back into the cave. “Princess Flurry Heart was badly injured. The Red Clover stabbed her and then collapsed the cave. You have to hurry! She was trying to hold up the entire moun-” The cavern rumbled and shook violently, a massive rush of air and dust washed over the three still left in the cavern entrance. Sable shielded her face, tears beginning to sting her eyes. “No.”
Luna waved the dust away and rushed in the moment it was clear enough to see. Sable and Gauge were fast on her hooves. They only made it part of the way in and found the central chamber completely buried. Gauge tried to hit the rocks again with his staff, barely taking a chip from the boulders. He struck it several more times, growing more angry and frustrated with each strike.
“How far in were they?” asked Gauge, a growl under his voice, his eyes practically glowing with frantic adrenaline.
Sable collapse to her knees. Despite the risk if the witch was still nearby she slid her helmet off to wipe her tear filled eyes. What could she possibly say to her captain, her mistress? To Twilight? “Far… Too far. Near the center of one central cavern.”
Luna gently touched Gauge's armored shoulder, the gesture helped steady his breathing. He nodded and stepped away.
Luna next touched the rock with her horn, closed her eyes, and let the magic flow through the cracks. Neither bat pony dared make a sound to disrupt their mistress of the night while she worked. A full two minutes later Luna’s eye opened wide. “Blessed be my stars in heaven!” She turned back to both thestrals. “Get thyselves clear!”
“What di-” Sable did not need to finish. A burning, red and gold beam of light melted through the fallen rock like molten butter causing the mare to yelp and scramble as she returned her helmet to her head. The blade cut a small hole then disappeared. Luna peered down the cooling breather hole and could see some movement in the distance of what looked like a small chamber, bathed in golden light.
“Beloved niece?”
“Hey! Get us the hell outta here, will ya?!”
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Clover, either you are the most hopeful stallion ever, you are under Datura's control, or you are the biggest idiot in the universe.
Yoikes, for a second there, Gauge thought he failed his duty to protect his princess. I mean, he should know that Sunset Shimmer doesn't go down that easily, and will bounce back.
I'm beginning to wonder, considering Datura is true evil, that we'll get to see Sunset's Darydream form like with she faced the Athanatoi, (unlike when she took on her demon form when she faced her (even influenced) allies)
And, not that I'm complaining or anything as I love her endearing term of "beloved niece" (as it seems along the same lines as Celestia's "Little Sun") but does Luna ever use Sunset's name directly?
It's going to be so satisfying when Sunset destroys Datura.....hopefully
Clover is still trying to save Datura. That is why he can't beat her. If he took his chance and just went for a killing blow... But there is something else.
He has likely been in a on again off again relationship with her still. After everything she has done. Because he still loves her. That is his greatest weakness.
Otherwise, very good chapter. Sunset is still a badass.
11241722
Or more than one of these.
11241788
Well, all the thestrals would feel that way, but for Gauge it's more personal considering he sees Sunset as more than just a friend and his boss.
11241839
Maaaaaybe.
11241879
Oh, he definitely loves her or at least who she used to be. There is a difference. Nicknames are of course terms of endearment so Luna would likely only call Sunset, "Sunset" in a formal capacity or if she was angry at her. Kind of like when your parents use your full name. You know something is wrong or going on.
11242021
. But to add to that I would imagine, going along with "something wrong", Luna (or Twilight) would shout her full name if something tragic were to happen to her.
Ah, I see. Also, I think you accidentally, put the response to my question in a response to another comment.
Oh, can't believe I didn't mention this before but I love how well Sunset and Flurry work together and respect each other, especially after the Athanatoi incident.
11242037
Ah, yes I did. Whoops! Sunday morning got me. Yeah, rebuilding that relationship bridge was important to both of them. Sunset knows in her mind Flurry had been influenced but she will never forget the pony holding her dead mom begging for death. They needed to move past that together to know it was not either of theirs fault.
11242294
I wonder,with the power downgrade, if Sunset is more powerful than Flurry now or they're on the same level. (Either way, neither of them will beat Twilight)
I just finished chapter 8. It is always hard waiting for the next chapter.
But I get the feeling the first part will end with sunset dying. It is confirmed there are 2 parts and that would be a sick stopping point.
However...
At the start of the second part she will talk with death and after finding out Datura is on E-prime will bring her back to life. Because there is obviously animosity between death and her as Datura is no doubt the mare mentioned during the past that was trading for knowledge when they were talking with Death before.
And the secret to defeating both Datura and Void will be her glowing soul blade we saw in the previous parts the one that looks like pure light.
11244013
Thanks for reading. It's always great to hear theories. Let's see what happens!
Red Clover, you done really fucked up.