Sword, Shield, and Scabbard

by Shadowslash101

Allies

Chapter 8

Allies

“This isn’t happening. This just isn’t happening!” Twilight told herself, trying her best calm down as she paced in the crystal throne room. “Discord’s betrayed the crown; the Elements of Harmony are dead, and Kronos has taken over Canterlot! This isn’t happening!” Merciful and friends watched from the doorway. They too didn’t want to believe this either, but the experience was overbearing--chaos reigned from Canterlot now, and they have no power to counter it. Magi has not come back and the Star Symbols were silent still. None of this boded well for the existence of ponies anywhere. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor were talking with Princess Celestia and Luna. Merciful did not participate in the discussion for he felt pity over Twilight. Her loss of Spike would be too much for her heart to take, and so he kept the information silent until it would become necessary. Fluttershy was in her room crying on her bed and Snowy was trying to comfort her as best as he could.

“I don’t believe it.” Sunny spoke up finally. “No defenses, no nothing was prepared for what just happened.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow nodded in agreement, “How come the Princesses didn’t protect their kingdom?”

“Indeed, the motives of my sisters hardly seem…logical, but we must remember that there is a reason for whatever they do.” Mercy reasoned with them.

“But what about Ponyville?” Dashie pushed.

“And Sweet Apple Acres?” Applejack added.

“What about everypony?” Pinkie Pie asked Merciful with sad eyes. Merciful remained silent. Finally, Twilight returned to them sadly.

“I guess…we can’t do anything to stop them.” Twilight admitted with a sigh, calmed down already.

“Don’t say that, Twilight.” Merciful told her. “There’s a reason for everything that happens in this world.”

“I wish I could believe you, Merciful.” Twilight looked down sadly. Merciful saw her sadness and remembered something his father told him once when he was saddened.

“Twilight, let me tell you something.” Merciful led Twilight to a window in the throne room. Through it they could see the Crystal Empire, and all the happy Crystal Ponies below. “When I was young, like you, there was a time when I felt sorrowful too. I thought that there was nothing I could do to make everything better, and so my father told me ‘when life gives you lemons…”

Twilight immediately got the message. “You make lemonade!” They both finished and laughed.

“But how does that help the situation?” The Purple Alicorn asked him.

“It means ‘to look at the bright side of things.” Merciful continued. “Look out the window. You see that the Crystal Empire is still in one piece.”

“Yeah.”

“And your friends are still here.”

“But where’s Rarity?” Twilight then remembered her friend. Everypony behind them exchanged looks and shrugs.

“Wherever Rarity is, I’m sure that she’s fine.” Merciful assured her.

Meanwhile, in Everfree forest, “I am so totally not fine!” Rarity growled as she, Eli and Spot smoothly rode Fido through the forest. The thunderstorm had faded long ago, making their travel easier.

“What?” Eli asked her, confused at why she yelled that.

“Canterlot is what!” She barked. “Our magnificent city is now destroyed by some tyrant who wants to rule us all with a gemstone on an iron stick!”

“Well, I’m sorry, Rarity,” Eli told her with an awkward look, “But there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“I hope Ponyville’s safe.” The White Unicorn sighed, worried about her home. “I need to know if everything’s safe…” She sniffed in a rancid smell coming from Eli, and looked at him with a disgusted look, “And to give you a bath.”

“A what?” Spot and Fido simultaneously asked. Rarity rolled her eyes at the fact that dogs hated baths and that they misunderstood. They eventually reached Ponyville and it was completely abandoned as morning came to aid their vision. Barrels were rolled over and scattered in shards, spilling their contents across the dirt roads, doors were left open, and windows were broken, a few houses had collapsed; most likely from the tremors and harsh winds from earlier. Just about everything was desolated. They passed by Sugar Cube Corner and it had partially collapsed at the back end, making it seem that there was a flaw in the construction. A pitter-patter of little hooves could be heard from inside. “Hello?” Rarity called out to whoever was inside. Fido stopped and they all climbed down.

“Is anyone here?” Eli asked and three faces appeared at the open doorway. It was Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetiebelle! They probably hid themselves in Sugar Cube Corner when the panic hit Ponyville. “Rarity!” They all shouted at dashed over to hug her for comfort.

“It was scary, big sister!” Sweetiebelle told her. “Everything started to get dark and we thought it was just a normal rainstorm, but it was much scarier than that!”

“The thunderstorm hit so strong, it was unnatural and everypony began to panic!” Applebloom continued. “We just didn’t know what was going on!”

“So we hid in Sugar Cube Corner for cover,” Scootaloo added, “And we waited until the storm passed, but everypony was gone!”

“Shhh.” Rarity comforted them. “It’s alright. It’s over with. You can calm down now.”

“But everypony’s gone.” Sweetiebelle hugged her older sister tighter. “I don’t know where Mr. and Mrs. Cake went when we ran inside.”

“What about the babies?”

“Gone too.” Scootaloo told her. “They all just disappeared.” Eli looked around himself and saw that they were right. There were no other signs of ponies anywhere in this forsaken ghost town. As the three fillies and the mare discussed their phenomenon, the Earth Pony looked down to the shield attached to his arm. He tried to pull it off, but it wouldn’t budge. He shook it, but this attempt was futile. Eventually, he took the time to study the design of the shield. It was old, obviously. Designed with a ruby in the center and lighting under the inscriptions carved into the shield. Wind drawings were put over the inscriptions and the ruby had two over-lapping, golden lines going around it. “That’s nice.” Eli commented silently.

“Fool!” The shield shouted at him.

“Ah!” Eli jumped onto his rump, surprised by the unexpected reply. Everypony noticed this. “A shield? Talking? Shields don’t talk!”

“A pony? Talking?” The shield mocked him. “Ponies don’t talk!”

“Okay, okay.” Eli calmed down. “How is this possible?”

“Humph! You are the chosen one? You are but a squire, who knows nothing of eloquent art.”

“A what?” Eli looked at the shield with anger. “You’re the piece of steel that attaches to ponies’ arms without warning!”

“Ah, yes. So you are the one.” The shield continued. “Then I shall train you until you are worthy of the sword.”

“Okay, what is this shield talking about?” Eli asked the others, who all only looked at him with surprise.

“I am not merely called ‘shield’, knave.” The shield told him. “I am called Alamos, Shield of Sanctuary, and you are my apprentice.”

“Wait a minute. I’m your apprentice?”

“Yes.”

“First off: you should let go of my arm.” Eli told Alamos.

“Very well.” Alamos detached from Eli’s arm and fell onto the ground. “Could someone, please, stand me up?” Scootaloo walked over and stood the shield upright. “Thank you, my dear.”

“Second off: my name is Eli.” The Earth Pony told him, interrupting Scoot’s thanks.

“Very well, then I shall call you Eli, the Knave.” Alamos said.

“Please, don’t.” Eli sighed as he placed a hoof on his face.

“It is appropriate. You are now being taught in the arts of a Knight of Justice.” Alamos continued, “I shall teach you the code of Chivalry and you will become what you are destined for, knave, and there is no turning back.”

“Why would I be in this?” Eli asked him.

“Because you have been chosen—hence reawaking me—Kronos has returned. He will be attempting to destroy the world,” Alamos told him, “And recreate his ‘perfect’ order as a god.”

“What?” Eli asked him. Another lighter rainstorm came upon them and began a downpour, soaking everypony below. “Perhaps we should search for shelter.” Alamos suggested.

“Right.” Eli nodded and they began a search for shelter.

Meanwhile, Magi was pushed by a Stone Titan behind him. Cuffed with bare memory of Kronos capturing him, Magi was held tight in a titans’ fortress. He observed the fortress around him and found the cells of the prison were all lined around the walls and above. Some cells were iron boxes that held the insane. The doors of this prison were actually molten lava. Only the Stone Titans could come in and out. Magi knew of such a place in the Underworld, Arigos. Arigos was a maximum prison that was controlled by titans to keep the most diabolical of villains in the living world’s history in the Underworld. He was pushed into a cell by the titan. “Welcome, Prophet of the Stars.” The Stone Titan mocked at him. Its body was made of entirely obsidian and his face had two red gemstones for eyes and a big mouth was stretched across it. His face was his body, like many titans. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you like this, Magi--alone, imprisoned, and frail. Your immortality means nothing here! The magical seal that our god, Kronos, has casted upon this realm nullifies all power to his captives, even their ability to fly. So I hope you enjoy your stay—it’s gonna be your last.” He laughed darkly at Magi, who only looked at him back with indifference.

“If I am a Prophet of the Stars, then let Scorpios come and free me.” Magi said, and the Stone Titan stood there with nervous silence. This lasted for a long moment.

“Is that all?” The Stone Titan finally laughed, and a huge orange stinger broke through the titan and launched him away. It was Scorpios; the Star Symbol of the desert! He heard Magi’s call and followed his command. It was over twenty feet high and several more feet wide. It busted through the cell bars with its pincher and Magi stepped out. “Thank you, my friend.” He climbed onto its back and it scuttled its way to the exit and two lava titans stepped before them, blocking them from the exit. Scorpios stopped and hissed at the two titans.

One titan roared, its magma sloppily drooling from its mouth, spraying it about. It raised a stone fist and swung it downward toward Magi, however, Scorpios countered by stabbing its stinger into its arm, breaking it into shards. Titan howled as it stepped back, its lava pouring from its destroyed forearm. The desert Star Symbol hissed again and used a pincher to grip the titan’s leg, it did the same with the other pincher, and squeezed. During this, Magi sat onto his rump, meditating in the battle. The pinchers then broke through the legs, causing the titan to fall onto its back, lava pouring out from within.

The other Lava Titan then made its attack, using both its fists and swept the Star Symbol back, almost knocking the wizard off. Scorpios scuttled around to face the titan and blocked another two-fisted attack with its pinchers, and it held its grip above its head. The Lava Titan then crudely laughed at the Star Symbol, and opened its mouth to spill its lava onto Magi, who saw this and jumped off Scorpios, who took the lava attack. The lava quickly hardened and encased the Star Symbol within. However, its pinchers still held their grip and broke off the fists of the Lava Titan, who howled and stepped back, its contents spilling from the forearms.

Once it regained balance, the Star Symbol broke the stone encasing and then stabbed its pincher into the titans face, breaking it apart, and spilling the lava everywhere. Magi had given himself distance from this battle, and he returned once the lava cooled. He looked up to Scorpios. “Well done, my friend!” He then pointed to the lava covered exit. “Now cease the lava flow so that I may escape.” Scorpios then screeched and went to the exit, and used its pinchers to stop the lava flow from above. Magi then ran through his window of opportunity and came to the main gate. Scorpios followed. Stone Titans then blocked the wizard’s path. “Halt!” One shouted, but the squealed seeing the giant scorpion coming their way. They then jumped out of the way of Magi and Scorpios. The Star Symbol using its giant orange pinchers to obliterate the troop of titans. The wizard then stopped and turned back to the Star Symbol. “Please, my friend, break down the gate so we may escape.” It then lowered its body for Magi to climb on and after he set himself onto it, the desert Star Symbol clashed its pinchers into the stone gate, chipping and breaking the rock. Eventually, it pierced a pincher straight through the gate, breaking the gate into scattered stone. It then scuttled onward with Magi meditating as they escaped Arigos. “They weren’t prepared.” Magi joked as they continued through the desert area of the Underworld.

Meanwhile, in Ponyville, Eli stacked some wood into the fire they made some time ago, and the flames flared brightly. Alamos was set beside Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetiebelle, while Rarity sat beside Sweetiebelle, hugging the filly to keep her warm. Spot and Fido sat directly on the other side. Eli sat beside Spot. They were all inside the barn of Sweet Apple Acres that was the only building that stood through the storm. “That’s all the dry wood I could find.” Eli told her.

“What are we gonna do now?” Applebloom asked curious.

“Ah, yes!” Alamos remembered. “I believe I was to tell you of the story of Kronos.” Everypony listened as Alamos began. “Thousands of generations ago, there were ponies and certain creatures named humans that lived in complete peace. It was the time when none knew evil or chaos. It was at the dawn of great dynasties that Kronos, a human, intended to create a perfect order of tranquility. The Star Symbols saw his purity and bestowed him the gift called: the Kronite, a mystical scepter with incomprehensible power. He was the first to ever learn magic. He ruled his dynasty with no equal until…”

“He got a little sidetracked?” Eli asked him.

“Indeed. Somehow he developed a complete lust for power and it made him so mad that he enslaved ponies to construct his empire to greater size.” Alamos continued, “It was enormous.”

“How big was it?” Scootaloo asked with obvious interest.

“It was a utopia with humongous structures that reached ever closer to the sun, but it still wasn’t enough to satisfy him.” Alamos answered her. “He wanted more, and it was like that for some time until two ponies and two humans escaped the Empire and made war against it with a town named Hope. Hope was a village that knew nothing of evil and friendship blossomed like spring daily, and the Star Symbols saw the good will of Hope and its purity, and that was when I was made.”

“By who?” Rarity asked him.

“Not all heroes chosen by the Stars are powerful alone.” Alamos explained. “Sometimes gifts must be given. The Star Symbol of Construction, The Sculptor, created me.”

“Who’s The Sculptor?” Sweetiebelle asked curious.

“The Sculptor was the Star Symbol that gifted this world the teachings of building. His great intelligence in construction and welding,” The shield continued, “I was made with two other gifts: the Scabbard of Order and the Sword of Justice, the Alamonaire.”

“Okay then,” Eli listened, “Who were you gifted to at the time?” Alamos became silent. It was an awkward silence. Nopony could understand why he wouldn’t answer, but he spoke up after some moments. “Eventually the Kronic Empire was defeated and Magi exiled Kronos into a different dimension, and he did with the other humans.”

“So humans don’t exist here?” Applebloom asked him.

“Indeed, child,” Alamos answered him, “Eli. The moment I attached to your arm was the moment I deemed you worthy of my power. You are the next Knight of Justice, and I must train you in the ways of your predecessor.”

“Whoa. Why do I have to do this?” Eli asked the shield a little annoyed.

“Eli, think about this for a little bit.” Rarity told him. “If Alamos is telling you to be the next Knight of Justice then you have to take the chance.”

“But why me?” Eli asked, obviously frantic about the scenario. “I’m no hero! I woke in some mine some time ago, and when I get out, this junk happens!”

“Knave, this is not your decision.” Alamos told him with a stern voice. “If you don’t accept this, the world will perish into Kronos’ everlasting rule. You must accept your future.” Eli growled at Alamos.

“Why don’t you just be quiet?” Eli shouted with an angry look as he stood up. “You don’t know me!”

“Eli.” Rarity tried to calm him, but he stormed out the barn in a huff. “I’ll talk to him.” Rarity trotted out after him. Another awkward silence filled the barn, and Sweetiebelle sneezed.

“Bless you.” Fido said.

“Thank you.” Sweetie thanked him. “Um, I’m Sweetiebelle. What’s your name?”

“I’m Fido,” The Diamond Dog replied, “And this is Spot.”

“Sh!” Spot shushed Fido. “I don’t want them to know me.” He crossed his arms. Sweetiebelle and Fido grew sadly silent.

“It’s okay, Sweetiebelle.” Scootaloo assured her. “Spot’s just gonna be a sourpuss.”

“What did you call me?” Spot growled at Scootaloo.

“A sourpuss.” Applebloom stuck out her tongue.

“Well, you’re all mules!” Spot mocked.

“You take that back!” Scootaloo growled at him.

“Donkeys.” Scootaloo jumped up and tackled Spot from across the fire. They beat one another on the ground, tumbling and tossing over as Fido, Sweetiebelle, Applebloom, and Alamos watched. They soon looked back to Alamos who sighed. “Well, what are you staring at me for?” Alamos told them. “Separate them quick.”

Meanwhile, in the Underworld, Helpful pulled Trixie up the steep cliff they had to climb over to continue their journey. Boltage and Gilda were ahead of them. “Trixie thanks you, Helpful.” Trixie thanked him as they turned to see what was ahead. A vast desert was before them and it didn’t seem that they were making positive progress…

“Maybe we took the wrong way…” Boltage shrugged as Trixie and Helpful walked over to him and Gilda.

“It doesn’t seem that there’s any ice here, Junior.” Gilda crossed her arms and gave him a stern look. “I don’t think there is any.”

“Well, it seems that we’re entering another layer in the Underworld.” Helpful remarked as he observed the surroundings. “We must be in the sixth layer.”

“’Layer’?” Trixie looked at him oddly.

“Yeah, you see. The Underworld is made to keep the dead in.” Helpful explained. “There are a total of seven layers in here: the core, the desert, the sea, the ice land, the caverns, the valley, and the jungle.”

“’The jungle’?” Boltage looked at him oddly. “There’s a jungle in the Underworld?”

“Well, the jungle’s actually filled with monsters and demons,” Helpful chuckled, “But they’re the least of our problems.”

“’Monsters and demons’?” Trixie asked him with alarm in her expression.

“Yeah, but the most dangerous is the Kraken which is found in the fifth layer.”

“The what?” Gilda asked him, also alarmed.

“The Kraken. Y’know. The Leviathan, Giant Squid.” Helpful trotted ahead of them, “Oh, and careful of the sand worms! They say if you stand in one place too long in this layer, they’ll find you!” After exchanging quick looks of uneasiness, everypony quickly followed Helpful through the blasting hot desert.

Later, in the downpour in Ponyville, Eli trudged through the mud in a very sour manner. “Eli!” Rarity’s voice caught his attention and he looked back to see her not too far behind. She stood at the very edge of the mud patch Eli was in. Her mane was soaked and her makeup dripping from her eyes. Eli’s mane was just as soaked as Rarity’s. “Eli, where are you going?” Rarity asked him.

“I…” He took a moment to think. “I don’t know…” He sat down on his haunches, upset. “I just think that shield’s crazy. I’m not a hero.” Rarity, at first felt repulsed to come after him in the mud, slowly trudged her way to Eli. She noticed a tear falling from his face.

“Eli? Are you crying?” Rarity asked him concerned.

“No.” Eli sniffed as he wiped off his sorrow. “It’s just my head hurts.” He put his right hoof onto his head as he replied.

“Eli…” Rarity thought for a brief moment what to say. “You remember how we escaped that Diamond Dogs’ Mine?” He nodded. “I just want to say thank you for helping me.” Eli looked at her confused.

“What do you mean?”

“If it wasn’t for you, I’d still be stuck in there, working for those ruffians,” Rarity explained, “And I’d still have to wear that muzzle on my face.” Eli listened carefully as he remembered everything that happened. “I guess what I’m trying say is that you’re not just a pony, Eli…you’re a hero…” The White Unicorn hugged Eli. Surprised by this hug, Eli just remained silent, unsure of how to respond. Eventually, Rarity lets Eli go. “Promise me one thing, dear.”

“Yeah?” Eli nodded.

“If you are to become what this shield says you should be, please, do it.” Rarity gave him a pouty face. Eli began to blush until his face was bright red. How could he say “no” to a face so adorable?

“O-okay…” Eli stuttered to answer. Rarity smiled and took his hoof.

“Let’s go back.” She helped Eli back up and led him back to the barn. Eli couldn’t really understand it, but he felt very strange.