Adventures in the TARDIS

by Scroll

Part 19: A Desperate Gamble

I waste no further time. As I swoop past the High Priest Nelkra Shlog'znof, I successfully snatch up the Alicorn Amulet far more easily than I suspected I would. Those hands of his are really big after all so I expected a much greater struggle to steal the Amulet from him, but apparently he didn't have a tight grip on it due to completely not expecting my arrival. Likely for the same reason, all the cultists just freeze in surprise while I land next to Caballeron and proceed to cut away the ropes that bind him to the slab using my machete. In my effort to do so, I am blessed with one more surprise. The ropes that tie Caballeron to the slab don't look especially tough, but they are definitely tough enough to secure him to the slab when he has no tools or leverage. Nevertheless, I proceed to slice through the ropes like a hot knife through butter.

Caballeron proceeds to stand up, shake his hooves to restore circulation then gives me an appreciative but also deeply surprised nod. We then look up at the Head Priest and discover that all the cultists have still not made a move against us. At least nine seconds elapsed by now and the temple remains dead silent with no other movement and activity. They still look like they simply cannot accept the new reality they see before them.

In fact, the only one in the whole room who seems completely calm is Decay himself. He is just staring down at us and me in particular. While he does that, he silently assesses me very carefully. In return, I regard him very tensely. I am struggling to hold onto my courage but it is very likely clear to those regarding me I'm not succeeding effortlessly.

I probably could have heard a pin drop in this tense moment if one did fall.

“I appreciate the rescue, Mademoiselle,” Doctor Caballeron expresses quietly as he regards everyone around us tensely and continues to circulate each of his hooves one by one. “That said, I'm afraid I must insist to ahsk what the next step of the plahn is.”

“Right now it is to not die,” I whisper back.

“Ah! An excellent plahn thaht is,” Caballeron replies a little dryly.

The Head Priest Nelkra Shlog'znof finally seems to snap back into reality enough to react to this development. His face contorts into an angry sneer. He lifts and shakes his arm as he shouts something in anger. Although I cannot understand his language, it looks as if he's shouting in a demanding tone, “GET THEM!!!”

“Okay. Now the plan is to RUN!!” I cry out then gallop away. Wordlessly and frantically, Doctor Caballeron follows at the same pace.

The whole room suddenly explodes into action as they race to slither their way after us, but again with the curious exception of Decay. He's the only one in the room who holds his ground. The only move he really makes is to turn his head and has his gaze follow me out of the room. I do spare a brief moment to glance at him over my left shoulder to notice that. Decay continues to make no other move or sound. He just studies me very sharply.

I whip my gaze forward again as I continue to race out of the room. While I do so, I find I can't get Decay's expression out of my mind. With a being that powerful and evil, I expected him to laugh maniacally or give some villainous monologue. I don't know. Just something to show he has supreme arrogance that normally accomponies overwhelming power like that, but instead he seems to be cautious, reserved, and deeply analytical. He's studying me as if convinced he wants, or needs, an even greater advantage over me than he already has.

I don't know why, but his calm reaction frightens me even more.

As I race into a hallway connected to the last room, it occurs to me that perhaps Decay's powers would have been too effective if he dared to use it. Powerful, but imprecise. Maybe he could have projected a cloud of spores or locusts, but it would have hit everyone, including his own minions. This one actually seems reserved as if trying to avoid unnecessary collateral damage against his own resources. Instead he's watching to see if the actions of his minions alone is enough to take us down, and indeed it seemingly is only two ponies against . . . Gosh. I don't know how many. Probably too many.

Another thing I have to keep in mind is that, as a pegasus, I can just fly away even at this moment up to the limits of the roof of this hallway, but now I'm with Doctor Caballeron and he can't do that. That, in turn, restrains my options because I refuse to abandon him unless it becomes strategically necessary to do so, and even then I plan to return and re-collect him.

As we continue to gallop away, I spare a quick moment to gaze down at the Alicorn Amulet that I am now holding with my left wing. Consciously I realize this item is pretty light. I estimate that it is probably only a few ounces at most. That said, it psychologically feels much heavier somehow. I don't know why, but my wing starts to feel tired within the few seconds I've been staring at it. The ruby eye of the Amulet looks particularly mesmerizing. The promise and temptation of overwhelming power swirls in my mind and briefly makes me dizzy.

But then I tear my gaze from it and tuck it back into my wing. The moment I do, my dizziness and strain on my left wing immediately goes away and thus proving both symptoms were psychosomatic.

I am no fool! I read about evil artifacts like this all the time. There's no way in Tartarus I'm stupid enough to give into to such temptations while knowing perfectly well what the true cost is. Items like this doesn't grant power that the pony controls but rather the other way around. I'll forever say, “No thank you” to slavery options like this.

“Do you know where you are going?!” Caballeron calls out to me with some oomph to his voice. I notice that he's on the verge of panicking but he's still struggling to sound calm and collected. I'm starting to wonder if he's doing that for my sake or his own.

“Actually, I do,” I call back to him with similar volume in my own voice. “I have a map of this place and I studied it carefully. I even know where some of the secret passages are.”

“Really?” Caballeron replies, looking taken aback. “Thaht is surprisingly re-sourceful of you, Miss Keystone. Som day you'll hafta tell me how you were supplied with it.”

“I'd be happy to when we're at a-”

“DUCK, YOU FOOL!!!” Caballeron interrupts in a cry of alarm. I don't know why he insisted, but I tumble on the ground cooperatively in order to duck but also maintain my forward momentum. Because I did that, I dodge a mighty scimitar swing of a sword considerably smaller than the one the Head Priest wielded, but this blade still could have lopped off my head if I hadn't dodged it. When I recover back onto my hooves, I look over my left shoulder and showed my teeth because of how tense with fright I feel upon noticing just how close I came to dying by the blade of one of the temple guards who was hiding behind a serpent statue down this hallway.

When I look forward again, I notice two problems I didn't see before. One is other cult members emerging from just about every nook and cranny in this hallway. Either they were already there and somehow got the memo of two retreating prisoners, or the ones behind us somehow gained a shortcut ahead of us. I also notice a flood of snakes starting to pour down many various holes in the walls, and every single one of those serpents seem to want the two of us dead, for it is soon apparent that we are their only targets. That's too much teamwork and focus from animals like this. Most likely they are either charmed by the Naga or magically summoned by them.

As we continue to flee, the situation is gradually looking worse and worse. More Naga and snakes are just showing up in many places down the hallway. Psychologically it makes it feel like the walls of the hallway is closing in on us because there is fewer safer spots to go to as we flee. In fact, it doesn't take me long to realize there will soon be too many threats in this hallway for us to reach the destination I had in mind.

“Pony Feathers! We're not going to make it!” I cry out in alarm. “In that case, new plan. Keep following me.”

“Right behind you, Miss Keystone,” Doctor Caballeron assures.

This is definitely very difficult. Soon we are dodging several dozen sword swings, tail swings from the Naga that try to coil around us, and all kind of snapping bites from the ever increasing number of snakes in this hallway. A little later on we also grow busy dodging many tiny needles shot towards us from the Naga's blowdarts. I actually see one of those darts bounce off a wall then land on the floor. I get a long enough look at it to realize that not only does the dart not appear to be lethal, it doesn't even look like it would be very painful to be struck by them, but . . .

“Do nught get struck by dose darts!” Caballeron cries out in alarm. “They are most likely laced with poison!”

Which is exactly what I was thinking. I would have echoed my agreement if I weren't so busy dodging instead.

Swishing, hissing, and whistling sounds abound around me from many attacks all around us that probably would have been fatal, at least eventually. I twist and contort my body in various ways to dodge some of those blows. The way I dodge might be painful to me later, but right now I'm just trying to survive and my adrenaline is temporarily hiding my pain. I even leap up and once jump off the face of a Naga that was about to attack me. In mid-air, I also give a wing flap, my right in this case since it is not holding the Amulet, at a rain of darts and use the wind thrust to knock each of those darts off course from hitting me and my partner.

Sweet Celestia! I'm doing amazing right now! I can't believe it! I really hope I survive long enough to write all of this down later on.

I get the feeling that my partner, Caballeron, almost feels the same way about me.

“In here!” I cry out as I leap into one of the rooms adjacent to this hallway. From within, I spin about and put a hoof on a lever beside the door. When Doctor Caballeron charges through, I press the lever down. In response, a door from above drops and slams into the ground, thus blocking those chasing us from getting in or us getting out.

---

“Now what?” Doctor Caballeron asks me while wheezing. He looks like he is struggling to catch his breath. I have some strain too but curiously not as much.

I shake my head as I reply, “I'm not sure yet. This wasn't part of the plan.”

Doctor Caballeron's eyes explode widely enough to see red cracks in it as he asks incredulously, “What?! Baht you said you 'ad a plahn! You even said you 'ad a map of this place.”

“True, but I couldn't get to the secret passage I had in mind before that hallway got too dangerous,” I reply. “I'm sorry.”

Doctor Caballeron grunts in annoyance then demands, “Give me dah map.”

Absently I do so while I continue to contemplate the situation we are in. I have no doubt that this door won't hold them back for long. They know this place better than I do for the most part, but they were unaware of some of the secret passages of this place. If push comes to shove, they eventually could probably ram this door down with brute force.

“Huh. Pretty good map, I should say,” Doctor Caballeron notes in an impressed tone behind me. “Really detailed. You actually scouted out all of this yourself?”

“No,” I answer with a shake of my head as I look back at him. “I had help.”

Doctor Caballeron winces at me as he asks, “Help from whom? Also, where are duh others?”

“Tanon Burrows and Doctor Smith are working on different phases of the plan,” I inform him. “Tanon was working on a trap for them while Doctor Smith was working on freeing the rest of our friends. My job was to rescue you and relieve them of this Amulet,” I say as I regard it in my left wing again.

“That's the Alicorn Amulet, isn't it?” Doctor Caballeron asks with some reverence in his voice.

“You heard of it?” I ask him as I look at him, then wince as I ask myself, “What am I saying? Of course you have.”

“True, but I did'ant think it actually existed,” Doctor Caballeron expresses with awe in his tone.

“That's still good enough for you to know how dangerous it is,” I say back to him. “And how much worse it could be if they get a hold of it again.” I look at the door with a haunted expression while I can already hear some efforts to bash down this door. “The former Silurian that joined the ceremony would be especially bad if he wore this. He is an actual Worm that Trots!”

I whip my head back at Caballeron when I hear him rant and curse in a language I don't understand but it at least sounds familiar. Like I heard it before. It is not too hard for me to guess the general theme of what he said based on the look of horror I see in his eyes.

“A Worm that Trots . . . and the Alicorn Amulet!” Doctor Caballeron says with horror. “If dose two things get united, dare is no telling what he might do.”

“From the way I hear of it, that one calls himself Decay, and he plans to bring back his Dark Master. In this case something called The Dark Star which supposedly is the source of all dark magic. Right now that much greater entity is trapped in the Shadow Plane of this world, but if that changes . . .”

“You can spare me the details, Miss Keystone,” Doctor Caballeron expresses with a wave of a hoof. “I know enough to know how bad that might get. My question for you now is what should we do next?”

“I'm not sure,” I reply with a shrug. “I say we wait here and hope for a rescue.”

“I'm done with that!” Doctor Caballeron spats. “Been dare, done that. Not again, Miss Keystone. At least, nary so soon.”

“Then what are you thinking?” I ask him as I look back at him questioningly and hopefully.

“At all costs, dis Decay person cannot get the Amulet back,” Doctor Caballeron says with determination. “Even if it cost us our lives, we have to make sure he doesn't get it back. The whole world could fall if an actual Worm that Trots gets further empowered by the Alicorn Amulet.” He shakes his head. “It wouldn't matter where we flee after that. Rot, disease and decay would eventually catch up to us.”

“Agreed, but what are our options?” I ask him.

“According to dis, there is no secret passage in dis room,” Doctor Caballeron says as he looks back at my map. “That means the only way we can escape,” he looks back at the door that continues to be assaulted as we speak, “is through that door. That's also the only way dey can get to us.”

“Dodging them was hard enough,” I add. “That took everything I had back then. I came into this room just to buy us some valuable time.”

Doctor Caballeron nods solemnly as he says, “A good plahn at the time, Miss Keystone, baht I'm afraid the next step may require us to make an impor'dant sacrifice.”

Suddenly alarmed, I ask him, “What do you mean?”

Doctor Caballeron reaches a hoof towards me as he requests, “Give me dah Alicorn Amulet, Miss Keystone. I'll use it to battle dose beyond the door and clear a path to dah rest of our friends.”

My eyes explode widely as I cry out, “You can't be serious! You know what that Amulet will do to you! What it always costs in exchange for that power!” I firm up as I shake my head. “That's not an option. We wouldn't really be the ones controlling that power.”

“And we should stay in dis room and die instead?” Doctor Caballeron asks me tightly then points a hoof at the door. “Dose minions there will eventually break through the door and we'll have to face them anyway. When they kill us because we're not prepared for dem, dale take back dah Amulet and give it back to Decay. At least dis way we have a fighting chance.”

I return my gaze to the door grimly. I hate to admit it, but he does have a point.

“A Worm that Trots cannot get a hold of the Alicorn Amulet at all costs. At all costs, Miss Keystone,” Doctor Caballeron firmly assures. “So pick your poison. Which is dah greater evil here?”

“That Amulet will corrupt you,” I warn him as I look back at him.

“But it won't corrupt you,” he returns as he steps up next to me. Almost close enough to hug me tenderly. “You'll still 'ave a good head on your shoulders and keep me in line. Keep me in check. To remind me that I must take off dah Amulet before it corrupts me too much.”

I frown as I look down at the Amulet.

“I want . . . Neigh. I need to protect you, Miss Keystone,” Doctor Caballeron urges. “I promised I'd protect you, and instead you rescued me. Well . . . now it's time for me to return the favor, but I'll need more power to get through those goons out there.”

I continue to frown at the Amulet in my wing. It disturbs me to notice the Amulet seems to quietly whisper agreement with Caballeron's words in my mind. It's trying to tell me this is the only way. Whatever it takes, it wants to be worn. In exchange, it'll gain a new body to control in order to spread its own dark influence to the world.

“We do dis, or we die here and dey get the Amulet back anyway,” Doctor Caballeron reminds with a firm press of his brown hoof on my shoulder. “At least dis way we get a fighting chance.”

While my face remains directed down at the Amulet, I lift my gaze up to his eyes as I say, “Whoever wears the Amulet is the only one who can remove it baring that pony's death. If you put this on, I cannot take it off for you. Only you can do that. Do you promise me you will remove it once we get back to the rest of our friends?”

Doctor Caballeron scoops up both of my fore hooves with his own with debonair charm as he looks deep into my eyes and passionately promises me, “I swear to you, Miss Keystone, that I will remove the Amulet once the threat is over. After all, I have no desire to be this thing's pawn either. By the time we meet the rest of our friends, you'll be safer so I'll no longer need its power either.”

I just stare at him while feeling a little enchanted by his words. This might sound cliché to say or to even think, but passionate words like that said to a mare really does sweep her off her hooves. Charm like that really does work. I should know, being a mare myself.

But then I frown again. Doctor Caballeron is a good pony. I know that in my heart, but that may change quickly once he puts this Amulet on. It is brimming with dark magic and it wants to corrupt the soul of anypony who wears it. Whose to say that influence would stop even after the pony takes off the Amulet? That would only stop it from corrupting them any further, but the damage already caused while wearing it may linger. Most likely the pony in question would need a lot of psychological counseling to recover from the damage this Amulet could cause. I just can't stand the thought of this stallion becoming something he is not.

“Miss Keystone, please,” Doctor Caballeron begs. “Let me do this. Let me save you as you once saved me. I'll take this hit so you don't have to. In return, you stay by my side and bring me back to my senses if I stray too far.”

My frown deepens at him as I announce, “There is another problem with the Amulet. The degree of strength it grants is proportionate to the corruption it causes. While that means its influence is weak at first, so to is the augmentation it grants.” I shake my head. “That means you won't be much better off than you are now at first. I'm not sure if you'd have enough power to get through all of them anyway, and it sounds like there are reinforcements out there by now. The only good part of that is that means more of them are distracted targeting us, and that also means there is less to go after our friends right now.”

Doctor Caballeron regards the door grimly after I mentioned that the Amulet's augmentation would be weak at first. I can see wheels spin in his mind as he mulls over that latest bit of information. Eventually he shakes his head and regards me again as he says, “It's still better to have a chance than none at all. I'd rather trust myself, and my struggle against the Amulet's influence, rather than fighting a Worm that Trots and he is wearing the Amulet instead. I promised you I'll take it off when we reach the rest of our friends. You're unlikely to get the same sincere promise from him.”

“Good point,” I reluctantly agree. “And while your motives is to protect me, his is to corrupt the world and summon his dark master back into this world.”

Doctor Caballeron nods at me solemnly as he says, “Then you know what we must do.”

I notice that Doctor Caballeron has been standing next to me for a bit of awhile now. He is currently close enough to snatch the Amulet away from me if he wanted to, but instead he's waiting for me to give it to him just to prove that he's trustworthy. Another thing I see in him that curiously gives me a bit of confidence is the lack of total confidence in him. He's still determined to do this to protect me, but I also see some fear in his eyes. He knows that as soon as he puts this thing on, he'll have to battle against himself. Gradually it would be the internal battle that would be harder to win compared to the external. He doesn't want to lose control of himself anymore than I do, but at the same time we're thrust into a corner and forced to consider this desperate gamble. We either take this risk, or we're taking an even greater risk that this Amulet could fall back into their . . . Well. I guess “hands” is the correct term here for once.

I grin in amusement as I realize I wish Doctor Smith was here and he said that, for he would be correct in using the term “hands” for once.

Then I give a very serious stare back into Cabelleron's eyes while he patiently waited for me. During that time, I'm starting to hear cracks spread in the door behind me due to the enemy's efforts.

“Please don't make me regret this,” I beg of Caballeron. “I'm trusting you,” I continue as I finally give him the Alicorn Amulet. When he has it, I feel further reassured by the look of fear in his eyes as he regards it. It's as if the reality of this situation doesn't fully sink in until he finally has that Amulet on his hoof while fully aware what it would cost him to wear it. Seeing that, I can't help but admire his bravery. He is quite literally willing to risk his soul just to protect me. I swoon at that thought.

Then he transfers his gaze back to the door. At this point he can now visibly see cracks spreading on the door, and I can as well when I glance back to it. I then look back at him as I see resolve sink deeper in his eyes. It looks like he realizes he's out of time. He has to put this thing on now or it won't have enough time to augment him enough to matter.

“Stay behind but also near me, Miss Keystone,” Doctor Caballeron requests with a firm voice. He casts a deep sigh then finally clips the Alicorn Amulet to his chest.