CHAPTER FOUR

"Are you sure you want to do this, Twilight?" Spike asked. It was later that evening and Twilight was busy in the process of packing. With flowing motions projected by her magical levitation spell she packed her the few things she would need for her small journey. Aeon's note, her copy of Spooky Tales & Legends, the train ticket Princess Celestia had sent her, a piece of snack to eat during the trip and a few other insignificant items. She was leaving with the early morning train, so her packing had to be done by then.

"Yes. It is crucial for my research to know more about his experiences from Tantibus."
"But Twilight, didn't you hear what Princess Celestia said? He hasn't spoken a word for years!"
"Maybe I can change that. After all, I know what happened to him. I saw him, in my dream. If it was real, that is."
"When will you come back?" Spike wondered.
"The trip should only take one day. I'll leave early in the morning and expect me to be home by dinner time." Twilight added while closing up her saddlebag. "There, I'm done packing."

Now Twilight could only wait for the sleep to catch up with her, and then for the morning to gloom. She was actually quite anxious to fall asleep, hoping that she might finally know what happened to Maverick and Aeon. Also, she couldn't help but to see a small resemblance between Decker and herself.

Spike on the other hand didn't really care too much about Twilight's new passion. She was always chasing a new legend or myth, trying to prove its existence. If you are a friend of Twilight you will quickly get used to her constant researching, he used to think.

To begin with, Spike used to come along on her trips and be kind of her sidekick, but now he had just accepted her exploring personality and besides; someone had to take care of the library while she was gone.

The train will drop me off at the center of Canterlot. From there, it will be an about twenty-minute walk to the Canterlot mental institution. That should be easy, as long as I remember where to go and which road to take. Twilight went through her plan and routes one more time before finally blowing out the candle to fall asleep soon after.

All of the ponies backed off into their own corner, not trusting anyone else but themselves. Maverick's thoughts were racing to find any possible escape routes. There were no windows and the main door was as blocked off as it could possibly be. There was also a large staircase, covered in a torn up red carpet, leading up to the second floor, but it was broken and impossible to climb. There were four other doors in the hall. Two of them were on each side of the giant staircase. The other two were on the opposite walls from each other. All of them were locked. Maverick ran up to one of them and began bucking on the door in hopes of it to break down, but it didn't even budge.

"What are you doing?" one of the female ponies asked. It was one of the unicorns; she had light blue fur matching the fur of Aeon. Though, she had a pink mane while the Aeon had a blonde mane color.
"I am looking for a way out of here!" Maverick shouted back. The unicorn backed off at the very sudden and frustrated attitude of the light brown pony. The other ponies started to panic and similar to Maverick, looking for a way out.

The female pegasi were jumping like crazy next to the broken staircase.
"I… I can't fly!" she shouted panicking.
"Well of course, my dear. That would be cheating." Decker stated while at the same time noting down into his notebook what he just said. That notebook, everything he knows about Tantibus is probably written in that notebook. If there only was a way for me to get a hold of it! Twilight added, only as an helpless spectator.
"What do you mean?" Maverick stopped with his bucking on the door and turned to him. In his mind, Maverick was angry; throwing suspicions at everything he could think of. That professor… How come he knows so much about this place! More than he should if you ask me…
"Well, flying and magic would be an unfair advantage in a challenge like this. Makes only sense to deactivate it. You there, the yellow and red mare…"

The unicorn with light yellow fur and bright red mane looked over at Decker and responded. "My name is Glory, for that matter."

"Well, Glory." He added while with his hoof pushing over a small vase in her direction. "Here. Make this float."

The unicorn did her best, putting all of her energy into her horn, but the vase simply wouldn't budge and remained in it wobbly place on the creaky planks that made up the floor.
"I can't." she stated as she gave up her struggles.
"And neither can we earth ponies. We are leveled now. This mansion wants a fair battle."
Finally Maverick had enough of this know-it-all and spoke a piece of his mind. "And why do you know so much about this shit-hole!"

Slightly offended, the dark brown pony turned around to his direction. "Mind your language, mister." Keeping his calm at hand, he continued. "But as for your question; when I first heard of this legend I found it very fascinating and for weeks I studied its origin, rules, locations, and competitors. Quite frankly, it was only a matter of time before I ended up here myself."

The female pegasi turned to the professor, asking him "If you are such an expert, why don't you tell us how to get out of here?"
The professor Decker, who was now the center of attention, responded. "Well, you see. There is one way for you escape Tantibus, actually."
"What is that?" The second female unicorn commanded. It was the one with the light blue fur and pink mane.

Still keeping his calm he smoothly made his way across the enormous hall. His creaky steps were echoing in the hall of this very old mansion. He approached the bloodstained wall, stopped and pointed at the dripping letters. "Win."

"Are you crazy?" Glory yelled.
"What if we refuse?" Aeon suggested while getting up on unsteady hooves. He looked very weak. Weak and peaceful. How did he win? Twilight thought.
"Well, I am afraid it is not that easy for us to…" Decker began but was shortly interrupted as the candles in the crystal chandelier temporarily blew out.

One of the mares screamed for a moment, surprised by the sudden darkness, but three more joined in when the lights came back on. It was only Maverick and Decker that did not burst out by the sight of the newly added arsenal of blunt and edged weapons. On the creaky floor, in the center of the room, they could now find everything from sledgehammers to swords and axes. There was even a morning star lying fairly close to the wooden, broken staircase. Maverick flinched back and Decker once again took notes.

"Why do you keep writing in that thing?" Maverick shouted.
"Well, my chances of survival are very small. I might as well write down as much information as I can so that someone in the future may find it. And maybe…" Decker looked straight into the eyes of Maverick. Straight into the spectating eyes of Twilight as if he knew she was present, "Just maybe… Figure out a way to stop this game once and for all."

"You guys are not going to… accept the challenge? Right?" Aeon said with a taste of panic in his voice.

"I'm not going to. But the ending is inevitable." Decker replied.
"Neither am I!" shouted the female pegasus, who didn't seem to get the 'ending is inevitable' part.
"I'd rather suicide than end the life of a fellow pony. Make that four of us!" Glory stated proudly.
"Then it is settled! We aren't going obey the insane rules of this maniac!" The other, light blue unicorn finished with a giggle.

The ponies walked up close to each other, trying their best to laugh it off. But one pony didn't join the group and walked unnoticed forward to a nearby resting sword.

They exchanged identities to make it, mentally, even harder for anypony to even think about the challenge. The female pegasus was first to introduce herself; as she was named Skydance. Twilight also overheard Aeon confirming his name.

Soon, it was the light blue, female unicorn's turn to introduce herself. "Well, my name is Dawna. I have a big sister, mom and dad. In my free time…"

Dawna's words were left hanging in the suspended atmosphere of the chilly, old and worn out hall of this mansion. As a last effort of her struggling muscles she stretched her hoof in terrible pain and stroked her own throat. The hoof was now dripping red as she pulled it back. She attempted to scream but any efforts of using her vocal cords were met insufferable pain and choking gags of blood.

Her hoof met the steel blade that had penetrated her from her neck. As the steel blade was slowly pulled out again she fell down onto the floor and Dawna was no more. As the body was dripping and forming a puddle of the soaking blood, everyone's attention was directed at the pony responsible.

With a firm stance, soulless expression and a killer stare, Maverick was ready to strike again.