Stories in Stone 2, Memories of Twilight

by TheDarkRabbit

Twilight Sparkle and her friends are again called to defend Equestria from an attack, but can six ponies raised in a time of peace be any match for creatures who know nothing but war and conflict? Perhaps the only hope Equestria may have lies with The Five Beasts of the Moon, Nightmare Moon's Generals.[Please read SiS,LRG first] / thedarkrabbit

10. Everybody, needs somebody

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
by TDR

"Everybody, needs somebody..."

Journal entry 1,

My assistant has suggested I write these notes for the prosperity and potential book deals that may come from the success that will be had. Quite the optimist that we will find anything at all. Normally I would not bother with such a thing though she is most persuasive and I have little else to do on this ship right now. Perhaps she is correct at any rate I suppose I should start from the beginning.

My name is Crystal Crusade, I am an explorer and cartographer for her Majesty Princess Celestia. The year is 6407 or 6407 AD. A number of pundits are attempting to change the yearly cycles to AN or ANM The Princess is refusing to accept that though the defeat of Nightmare Moon would be a significant event ,perhaps one fitting of a new age. In any even if the writers succeed then this will be 23 ANM. Personally I prefer AD, After Discord sounds much better than After Nightmare Moon.

I apologize for my rambling I have never bothered to make notes of a expedition before. This will be the first so I best explain it. Flying scouts have reported that a new mountain has appeared in the center of an area of land called the Haysead swamp, named after the first pony to explore it centuries ago. Granted it was called the Haysead Forest until the events of Nightmare Night flooded the region. Ours will be the first expedition into the swamp since those events so we have a full team with us in this exploration. There is no telling what we will find.

I am the lead of the expedition, primary cartographer, and primary mage.

My assistant Golden Glow, is the secondary cartographer and second in command of this mission as well as our aerial scout. She is also the primary medic, having trained with the rather legendary King's Cross before coming into my employ..and, ahem, other things...

Charming Chime is another from the explorers league. He was primarily responsible for the full exploration and subsequent discovery of numerous mineral veins in the newly raised Foal Mountains. To be honest I am surprised I was named head of the expedition over him, his track record is much longer than mine. His primary place in the group is as an adviser, mineral expert, and practitioner in some of the more esoteric forms of magic having studied both dragon and zebra spells while he was in the Royal Guard. Needless to say the small group he has brought with him are also armed to the teeth in case we encounter trolls, rogue dragons, stragglers from the Lunar Republic, or any other assorted nastiness. While nervous about the griffon and zebra company he keeps I trust that we are very well protected.

Velvet Moss is our earth pony botanist and zoologist. To be perfectly honest I do not think there is anything that grows or moves that she does not have near encyclopedic knowledge of. Given her rather excessive age I did not expect she would accompany us on this mission, though for her age she is still quite spry and sharp as a tack. She seems to be hoping to find something she has never seen before in this newly formed land. Perhaps more than some sort of life form adapted to a new environment.

I do hope she finds something considering she is the reason this entire trip even got off the ground. Years ago she presented the Princess and her husband a wedding gift of a single phoenix egg. Since then the Princess has offered to bankroll anything Moss wished. I am forever grateful that she decided that my trip was worth calling in that favor.

==============================================

"Spike! Spike? Are you even here?" Twilight shouts out pushing the door open to the library.

"Yah I'm in the kitchen Twilight." shouts a voice from the other side of the library.

Twilight sighs and lets the saddle bags and the Brilliant Dawn fall off her sides and thud loudly on the ground. At least nothing here had changed. Had it only been two weeks since Fluttershy was attacked? Time was rushing past with as many trips as she had been forced to go on. It didn't help that even three days after the events in the volcano her head was still killing her from all the casting she had done. She looks wearily at the stairs leading to her bed and opted instead to move over to the much closer couch and collapse on that.

"Well you've looked better." comments Spike "I guess everything went alright? Where's every pony else?"

"Well we won, though Chrysalis was rescued by Sombra, so we can expect to see them again. Most every pony stayed in Canterlot, though Rhede is still at the volcano. Only AJ and Fluttershy came back to Ponyville with me. Sooo tired and I have to go back to Canterlot tomorrow to report..."

Twilight barely opened her eyes to look at her friend though for some reason she thought he looked apprehensive about something. Maybe she was imagining it.

"Well it's good to know every ones alright. Rarity came back from Canterlot yesterday and has been locked up in her shop ever since. I've been worried sick about what was going on and no one told me anything. Any way I've got something really important to tell you, I found Silv... you're already asleep and not listening to anything I say any more... great..." Spike grumbles heading back into the kitchen leaving Twilight passed out on the couch.

"Probably better if I keep that to myself for now any way."

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Journal entry 2,
3-17-6407 AD

Our third day aboard this ship. We have been traveling the coast line looking for a suitable place to go ashore. A small river was thought to be a likely landing point though it was far too shallow. The long boats would likely not manage to traverse it either. Perhaps in time it may grow to be a mighty river but for now we need to find another landing point.

Pity as it seems that little river might have run right up next to the new mountain.

=====================================================

Rhede trots among the ponies and griffons that had been scouring the Changeling hive, looking over the things they had found with interest. Lion Heart had informed all the troops that if they wanted to keep anything they needed to let Rhede and some of the unicorn mages look at it first to make sure it wasn't dangerous. He was also given a small group of Guards to help him dig through the place for any sort of information.

The Griffon's leader was rather curious as to what Rhede was doing, let alone who he was,and also left a few of his own troops to aid and watch him. Rhede would not have minded a bit of help from the Diamond dogs as well though as soon as the battle was over they packed up and left.

Most of the other Guards were loading the statues of the changelings onto the ships for transport to the Canterlot gardens until there was some way to cure them. While a typical Celestia tactic Rhede figured that to be more trouble than it was worth. He doubted there would be any way to save them and if Chrysalis or Sombra managed to figure out a way to unstone them they would have a ready made invasion force already in the heart of Canterlot. Unless Celestia had something else in mind this was a bad idea.

Strangely while there were a large number of injuries, there were only two deaths in the forces attacking the changelings. One was a Diamond dog who fell off the ship and drowned before even finding the river, the other was a earth pony killed in a rock slide after the battle was already over. The changelings had done exactly as predicted and done little more than try to capture every thing. The only time they started to use lethal attacks was when protecting their queen and by that point it was too late.

Rhede was a little worried that those seeking trophies of their victory would hide what they were really taking. Having Lion Heart hint that some things might be cursed as well as letting most of the trophies go helped make this a bit easier. Very few Guards had collected things he was looking for to take home and place on their mantles.

Rhede sighs as he looks over the last batch of things. A troll skull, some archaic pottery, what he assumed was a dragon scale. Nothing of any real interest until what a young griffon wanted caught his attention. He almost passed her and the small dagger she had by, in fact he had taken several paces past her before back peddling to look over the weapon again.

The blade was old, possibly even before his own time, very intricately done and the grip was made of jade, it had not been wrapped either which hinted that it was used by creatures that had use of hands or claws. The blade itself was the issue however.

Star metal.

The other troops he let keep what they found, though as they filed out he made sure the griffon stayed. This was going to be a bit tricky, with the griffons he normally had to explain why he wanted something in great detail before they would give it up, the ponies followed orders, the griffons were loaned from another force and tended to be some what temperamental if asked to give something up.

A book or some script, even something strange that no one understood was easy enough to claim as needed to investigate the changelings. A simple richly decorated dagger would not be that easy.

"I take yer are interested in this thing huh?" the griffon begins twirling the blade in her clawed hand. "Any special reason? Not much too it, but it would be a fairly good trophy. Specially with all this jade on it. Though I guess you noticed that."

"It is the blade itself that is important, if you want the handle you can have that, but the blade is connected to a few of the notes I have found and until I figure those out I would like it to remain with the other items I have gathered, errr miss?"

"Dusty, though my call sign is Dust Devil, don't ask. And who might you be? Only name that I have heard dropped around you is Pelt, or sexy tail by that dragon of yours."

Rhede slaps his face with a hoof.

"Do ignore what Bleu calls me. My name is Pelt, Rhede Pelt to be exact, I am a... investigator for Princess Celestia, though your commander was informed of that when he set you to work for me."

"Not quite right there, Rhede..." Dusty smirks scratching her chin with the pommel of the dagger ruffling up her white feathered head a bit." We were sent to help you, but not work for you. I rather like this toy and I'm not willing to give it up without you giving me something else I want in return."

Rhede raises an eyebrow. The dagger was important to be sure, but depending on what she asked he might simply let it go. Still he was amused the Black furred and white feathered griffon was trying to put one over on him. It was also clear she had no idea about the significance of what she held. However if she brought it before the griffon god who was in charge of their expedition she would find out rather quickly.

"Alright what is it you might want?" Rhede stops a little unnerved by the griffons grin. It reminded him a good deal of Bleu's smirk when she wanted something.

Dusty slowly walks around him, her grin remaining the same, she was quite a bit smaller than he was though that was not saying much, as nearly everyone was smaller than he was. Though she was also smaller than most of the other female griffons he had seen.

"Yup I think you will do nicely. Unless you're one of those racial purity snobs."

"Not sure I follow." Rhede mutters, though in truth he had caught on just from the looks she was giving him. Though he was quite content to let her take lead and pretend to simply be pleasantly surprised. Griffon females in his experience did tend to enjoy taking the lead in such things.

" We just got finished with a big battle, sex and violence always tend to go together, as for why you well, lets just say I picked up some interesting tastes hanging around Equestria. I know pegasi are judged on wing size and hope earth pony is height. I mean you have griffon dick" she spreads the claws on one hand apart as if to show a size of something. "Then you have pony dick." She spreads both her hands apart to show size.

"Really? That seems a bit small." Rhede mentions idly turning to look over some papers on crate he was using as a desk. The griffon's expression at that line was priceless. "Hmm I suppose that is acceptable, though I do hope you would not get attached. I am not looking for anything long term over a simple dagger I need for my task. This would be only a one time thing."

"Ahh no deal then I suppose." Dusty sighs.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, dagger this nice should be good for a couple rolls in the hay while were stuck in this rock, don't yah think?"

Rhede smiles, not able to help himself. "Yes I suppose it is."

=======================================================

Journal entry 3,
3-19-6407 AD

It has been slow going as we stop every so often for inland treks to test the feasibility of landing points. So far we have had no luck in this regard. This land is naught but marshlands. Much further along the southern coast however we have come across something strange.

A very large swath of the forest is clear and the land exposed all the way down to the rock. The edges of this strange formation are raised where the swamp itself has been pushed aside into a earthen barrier.. This great furrow has created a natural bay that the ship can easily moor in. This strange path seems like something had gouged the very earth itself in a long line. In all my years of cartography I have never seen it's like, nor had any one else aboard the ship.

Charming Chime and his team disembarked to investigate and came back as confused as those of us with no knowledge of minerals. He claims he at first thought it was a lava path and that the mountain most likely was a volcano. Though it made no sense that there was only one path to the sea and nothing along the route had been burned merely pushed aside. The path that was left however seemed to lead directly to the mountain and the bed rock was a solid path that we could follow easily with out worry of the swamp.

This mystery is a most perplexing one though I suppose we shall not found out the true answer of what it is until we investigate the mountain itself.

Thankfully it seems that fortune has smiled on us and provided a clear path directly to our goal.

==========================================

["I do not see what the issue is auntie. He seems in perfect health aside from the exhaustion."] states Zecora glancing back at the door to Jer'rahd's hospital room.

["Physically he is fine, which is a surprise in itself considering his track record, and he has been what one could consider a model patient."] Velkorn comments rubbing her face with a hoof.

The two zebras start to head down the hall towards the dining hall to grab something to eat as they talk.

["I am still not seeing the problem. Why are you so worried about this Auntie? Everything seems to be perfect."]

["It is perfect. TOO perfect. Jer'rahd is one of the worst patients I have ever dealt with. He doesn't listen, he doesn't stay in bed or do anything he is supposed to when injured. He has been in much worse states than this and he was up and back in combat before the blood from the first wounds was even dry. That all he is doing now is sitting there following my instructions is frankly rather terrifying."] sighs Velkorn.

[" Ahh now I see the issue. Perhaps age has mellowed him some?"]

["I could only hope it was that. Unfortunately I do not see it being the case."]

==================================================================

Journal entry 4,
3-23-6407 AD

Disembarking has taken more time than anticipated. We have set up a primary base camp on the edge of the clear land. There are forty six of us in the party each with our own role. Several members of the crew seek to curry favor with us should we discover something valuable and have offered to aid us in setting up the forward base. The ships Captain and most of his crew will remain on the ship moored in the bay for the next ten days before returning to the harbor in Fillydelphia. He shall return every three months as per our agreement with fresh supplies and crew as needed depending on what we find.

He agreed to wait the ten days simply in case we did not find anything of interest. Moss however already has shown that this time was unnecessary as a number of things have caught her eye. She has already filled a note book with sketches of strange plants she claims to have never seen. They all seem like weeds to me, but that never was my area. I am more interested in the idea that this is some sort of volcanic eruption, particularly one that could change the terrain in this strange sort of way. I have already started to sketch a few maps of the landscape.

I will say, even if the rest of this expedition is a failure, it is nice to see the old mares last trip was not for nothing.

======================================================

Sleep would not come and he was rather glad of that. He knew what he would be seeing if he did fall asleep and witnessing the foal's death once in his mind was bad enough. Velkorn and her niece had just left, Pinkie and Bleu had all but been thrown out a few hours before that.

The pair had done their best to try and cheer him up, but after repeated failures their mood had gone south as well. Velkorn refused to deal with the pair of depressed pranksters and threw them both out.

Jer'rahd was simply content to lay back in bed and stare at the ceiling. He had been though bad situations before, but he was usually too busy for any sort of depression like this. Now he had seen what could have been. Every detail of another life had been laid out before him. He knew what had happened was a false memory and the real one was there too, but all it took was one event to change and his life would have been entirely different. He likely would have circled back to making himself feel worse from the beginning when the door swung open again.

"Forget something Velkorn?" mutters Jer'rahd.

"Well it is good to see you are alive Kaisur, though no, she is still gone." a rather subdued voice responds.

He turns his head sitting up suddenly and wincing at the sudden head rush that brought.

"Princess Luna... what are you doing here?"

Luna sighs glancing back at the door as she closes it behind her quietly though she does not move any closer to his bed.

"Lay back down, you do not need to hurt yourself further just because I am here." Luna softly commands "I came to see how you were doing after all that has happened."

"I am fine.." he lays back down with a huff his head hitting the pillow with a little more force than he intended. Of all ponies he did not wish to see her right now.

"That is good to know."

"I did not expect you cared on my state after the last time we spoke."

Luna winces a little. "I apologize for what was said, and how, I was not in a proper state of mind the last two times we spoke."

"You spoke quite a bit when you sat before us while we were statues."

The Princesses eyes widen though she flattens her ears looking away even though Jer'rahd had not moved his gaze from the ceiling.

"Despite everything, I still felt that you five were the only ones I could speak with. I was unaware you were able to listen."

"I was awake from the point of the battle in the garden. Before that I was asleep though Velkorn was awake the whole time I believe."

"I did not know..."

"I wouldn't expect you to have known and before this you never bothered to ask. That doesn't matter now I suppose."

"I see."

"I don't blame you for anything Princess. I cannot say that for the others, but you don't need to apologize to me for anything you have done. I am quite aware I deserved it. Was that the purpose of you coming here? I know you did not just show up to check on me, you could have asked any pony in the hospital and they would have told you,yet you waited til I was alone, why?"

"I .. I did not wish any of this Kaisur... I just.."

"Ahh, I see... I am sorry, that I caused you any concern with my failure. I should never have gotten caught. This whole operation could have been avoided if I kept running with the others rather than try and fight. How many were lost trying to save my sorry flank? No one else will tell me."

"What.. no that's... " Luna sighs. " Just two and neither of them from the conflict itself."

"Just two? That is a record for any thing I wind up being involved in. Guess I was a shitty leader after all."

"Do shut up a moment Kaisur. I do not know what you underwent but you were not a poor leader, you never would have reached the rank you did if you were not skilled."

"Never thought I deserved any of that. There are a number of things from the past that I don't feel add up. Everything you did for me and what I did to you... I feel I still owe you for a great number of things, it is unlikely I will ever feel we have broken even in that."

Luna sighs her ears flattening to her head."I will agree with that. We never will be be 'even' in what we have done Kaisur. However I only came here to check on you, I did not come to dredge into the past. I am curious as to what you were subjected too however."

"A perfect life."

"What?"

"Never mind, it is not important. Nothing worth troubling you over."

"As you wish then." Luna sighs turning to leave.

"Princess."

"Hmmm?"

"One last question for you."

"What is it?"

"Do you think Bleu might have succeeded,"

"In what?"

"Trying to get the two of us together."

Luna goes quiet a moment not turning from the door.

"I have no answer for that Jer'rahd. Too much has happened since then, perhaps if Canterlot had not been attacked we may have had time to explore the possibility. I do confess an attachment for you, though it never truly progressed beyond that. As Nightmare Moon I used the affection I knew you had to keep you in line. So do not judge that as how I felt."

"I see. It was nice of you to visit at least."

"I would not call this visit nice Kaisur. Depressing and futile are more fitting words.." mutters Luna stepping out side and shutting the door behind her with a faint tug of her magic.

====================================================
Journal entry 5,
3-29-6407 AD

It has been some time since I have written here, though with the travel and set up of the forward base camp it is a understandable delay.

The trek to the foot of the mountain was a rather uneventful one, the cleft in earth formed fairly high walls of dirt which kept the swamp water from retaking the furrow, and made our travels easier. We left most of our team to watch the main base camp and fifteen of us followed the gouged rock. Chime stated that it looked very much like a glacier had been drug across the land with how it was ripped up, though he had never thought of a glacier so small nor one that moved away from the sea and up a slope towards the mountains. There was speculation that a ice burg or floating island hand been thrown onto the land in the midst of Nightmare Night though the mountain had only been in sight for perhaps a little over a month, not the years since that horrific event.

Less than a days travel from the mountain the smell hit us. The great scent of rot and decay coupled with rancid sea weed as if some great sea creature had beached itself and was left to dry in the sun. Progress was slowed and little by little we became used to the odor though most of us tore strips of cloth and soaked them in wine or perfume to cover our muzzles with. Moss thought we all looked like some sort of roguish bandits and laughed a great deal when Chime gave her his best pirate impression.

It seems nothing can spoil the old mare's good mood and thankfully it is quite infectious.

The Princess of the night sighs glancing back to the door of Jer'rahd's room. She managed a few steps before a weight drops down onto her back suddenly. A tail flicks over her face stifling a yelp before a small pair of claws presses into her mane and a blue reptilian face leans over her head to meet her gaze.

Luna's eyes narrow as the tail looses from her mouth and she hisses at the dragonling." Bleu what in Equestria are you doing I could have blasted you from existence!"

"Not likely. Your combat skills suck when your depressed, plus with that whole woe is me shyt you have going on right now, you're hesitant about even using your magic." Bleu snarls."I was hoping your visit would cheer him up, not depress him further. I am regretting letting you into the room now."

"Why are you even guarding his room?"

"Rhede thinks after that threat he made to Sombra and the Queen he's gonna be a target for them."

"They did not target Shining Armor and Cadence again after they were defeated. I doubt they will after losing such a large percent of the hive."

"Was that a bit of optimism in your voice?"

"Bleu please get off my head before any one sees you, this is rather undignified."

"Since when did you give a crap about that? What happened to the overly efficient Princess I used to know and torment?"

"A great deal has changed in a thousand years."

"You mean in two years? Cause that's all you have been free more than us." Bleu states sliding down to sit between the Princesses wings.

"You are acting much more bold than usual. I am still royalty Bleu."

"Yer a royal pain in my scalie flank is what you are Luna. Besides I'm a dragon you don't hold a lick of sovereignty over me past what I am willing to deal with. I am sure you realize the whole reason we even agreed to be turned to stone was because we felt sorry for turning on you when you went crazy."

"I am aware of that yes."

"Good, then I don't need to explain that and can get right into calling your sorry flank out. Right now I don't give a shit about you forgiving me. Honestly you deserved to get smacked around til you stopped being a bitch." Bleu glances up at the back of Luna's head seeing her ears droop. "To add to that, how you have treated boss since being cured puts you on my little list. I never considered regicide before but you are trotting that fine line and you know damn well I am more than capable of pulling it off."

Bleu glares at Luna who doesn't respond before she continues.

"Now lets add to that, because of you Starfall lost any chance of making up with her daughter, Rhede lost his entire family,and that last dragon you killed, turns out she was my grandmother, the first dragon outside of Celestia's school that I was actually starting to like."

"If your goal was to make me feel even worse about my actions Bleu then you have succeeded marvelously."

"Good now wrap your mind around this. After all you did to us, possessed or not Boss and the others still want you to forgive them for turning on you to save the world. And you can't be assed to even do that? Now you see why I am so pissed? But there are a few reasons I am not about to write you off as hopeless."

"Dare I ask?"

"Don't bother I plan to tell you any way." Bleu states as she hops down off Luna's back. First off boss would be in even worse shape if something happened to you. Do you know what he saw while he was under Chrysalis's control? He saw himself married to your sorry flank and you had a kid. A little alicorn filly he called Venus. Chrysalis showed him the kid getting killed. The idiot has been dwelling on that since we saved his ass."

" So that is why he asked that...No I did not know that, he said nothing of the sort... Though that is not possible..."

"Like that matters in a dream? What Aqua did to him is still affecting him and now after this crap the night mares have even more fuel to buck with him about."

Bleu glares up at Luna who refused to meet her gaze.

"Another reason I have yet to so much is slap you silly is I know what you were talking about in there. When boss said there was no way to be even, you agreed, but you weren't talking about him owing you were you. You don't think he owes you, but you feel you owe him. That at least is a step going the right way."

"So you heard that..."

"Hey I'm watching for changelings, I pay attention everything. Another interesting thing, changelings don't have a smell, you however do, which brings me to my third point in all this and this is the one that actually makes me smile."

Luna blinks looking to the little dragon as she hops over to dig into her flight bags sitting against the wall. Bleu whirls about suddenly slapping something onto Luna's head.

Luna jumps back, her magic yanking it off her head with a glare at Bleu though she freezes as she recognizes the purple wide brimmed fedora the dragonling had put on her head.

"You ran off so quick Luna you forgot your hat." Bleu grins. "I know what Celestia told you and I know you ignored that to come any way. It means there's some hope for you after all."

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Journal entry 6,
3-30-6407 AD

It was as we were setting up the forward base camp at the foot of the mountain where things got a little odd.

The mountain itself is quite large though what we took as a jagged stone edifice from a distance instead seems to be a massive collection of dead coral and limestone. This cover is so thick that the structure looks like a massive white tower of stone. In fact the upper part of the monolith seems almost carved under the coral. The lower part of the mountain however bears a striking resemblance to an over sized cow pie.

All of it is swarming with birds. Birds of all types including a number that Moss said were so rare as she had never seen them before. Despite that interest in the rare ones it was the reason they were gathered that confused her.

The birds seemed to be eating the rock and dirt at the base of the castle, drinking up the oily tar that seeped from the rocks and devouring strips of the stone and earth. Upon closer examination it was discovered the rock and soil they were feasting on was in fact some sort of flesh and blood creature. Quite deceased, though clearly not for very long.

It was a young sailor that had tagged along with us from the ship that finally gave us our first clue. The young pegasus claimed his mother told stories about these sort of things from her time in Dullahan keep. It seems his mother had been a specialist on the creatures of Discord that resided on the other side of that great wall. He claimed it was called a Discord's Castle, and that it was in fact very similar to a massive snail in it's existence.

His information was laughed off at first, until Moss confirmed that she had too heard of this sort of creature though she assumed all of them were destroyed when the Darklands fell into the sea. We sought to question the young pegasus further ,but he only spoke of the horrors that his mother said such places contained and we would all be smart to flee. He himself took the first opportunity to wing his way back to the ship as fast as he could.

A rather ominous portent, though after consideration the four of us decided to investigate the mountain anyway. Moss was even more excited to think these massive creatures could still exist. Golden was clearly curious as to how it may have gotten here as well as what treasures might be inside. Chime was up for a challenge and even I was intrigued by what sort of magic might dwell in such a feared place. We were not worried about the young pegasus's warnings.

After all with unicorns of mine and Chimes skill about, there would clearly be very little we would have to fear from magic.

================================================

"Next time you send me on a mission you had best give me more information. I was nearly caught by the Element Bearers in there" snarls Scarlet glaring at the Zebra who simply grins.

[" I am sorry I was under the impression you were competent enough not to get caught."] explains Bloodtail. ["Now that I know other wise I shall endeavor to give you much less important tasks in the future, like taking out the garbage or making Claymore a sandwich."]

Claymore doesn't bother to hid his laughter as Scarlet seems ready to burst into flames in anger. Nocturne ignores them looking over the table before her and the four books seated on it. The Red Tome, the Teal Text, the Gray Grimoire, and now the Silver Script. Four of the six books were in their possession.

The Gray Grimoire had a few spells though was mostly a book on the rituals. The Red Tome was a book of dark magics and vile power. The Teal Text was a book of history of the books, along with a listing of all of those who had successfully used the books. The Silver Script was a book full of foul acts and summoning spells that pulled evil creatures from Tartarus to do the casters bidding. All of them had a part of a ritual to attain god hood within their pages though each of them added a small measure to the puzzle that the others did not.

The Gray Grimoire added locations of ritual sites that added to the power of the spell. The Red Tome explained how more than one individual could use the same ritual to gain power. The Teal Text explained why the Elements of Harmony were also needed as filters for the power. And the Silver Script showed ways for the ritual to be preformed with almost no materials to be gathered.

Bloodtail watches the alicorn as she compares the notes between the books. He did not like the idea of the power the mare might gain by learning all the spells in those tomes, even though he learned the scant spells in the Teal Text, he could make heads nor tails of the spells in the other books. However the alicorn did not seem to be able to cast the spells that were in the Teal Text either so he had hoped there was something in the Silver Script he could use.

"I have deciphered the location of the next book." Nocturne states suddenly, the squabbling between the two ponies stopping dead.

["So where is this one? In the belly of a giant whale?"] Bloodtail mutters.

"No it is in the lands south of Los Pegasas. Beyond the San Palomino Desert near the edge of the zebra lands." Nocturne states as if not catching the snark in Bloodtail's voice. " This also confirms that there are a total of six of these books."

["According to Discords book the other two were destroyed."]

"Yes the Teal Text and Silver Script were the ones supposedly destroyed and as you can see, we possess those."

"So whats the plan then?" questions Claymore.

"You and Silver Claw go retrieve the book." Nocturne orders.

"Don't think that's gonna happen. He's got some plan of his going right now that he can't leave. That's why he ain't here. I'll take the stripe head and the bird with me. Both of them have been too lazy as of late any way." Claymore explains.

"Fine I do not care who goes so long as it is retrieved. Each book has more parts to the ceremony. While all of them say what is needed to preform it they all leave out certain details that the others cover. I wish to gather all the books to have a full understanding of this before we proceed."

"Make sense to me." shrugs Scarlet.

Claymore stares at Scarlet and sighs. "Alright since yer all avoiding it I'll ask. What the hell is up with that goofy looking outfit mare?"

"I don't have to tell you shit Claymore."snaps Scarlet still wearing the Mare-Do -Well outfit sans hood and hat.

["I will admit to a bit of curiosity myself."]

"Hmm why are you wearing that? Judging by the state it is in armor is not the reason, and you need not any aid to hide with your skills." points out Nocturne.

"Bah..fine... Like our lizard, I have a contact. Unlike Silver Claw my contact is in Canterlot. This costume is of some one that the papers consider a local hero. I have a bit more freedom running about in Canterlot with it because of that. If by chance I am seen no one is going to bother a local hero or even consider it suspicious. I wore it hoping that the effect would be the same on the Canterlot Guards at the volcano, thinking a hero came to help or something like that. I didn't expect Pelt and the others to show up as well. My intel also did not include the information that Jer'rahd was a captive of the Love Cursed Ones."

"That was unexpected though considering what we saw him do in the garden it is easy to see why Celestia would send a force to rescue him. If he was turned to the changelings we may even have fallen to the swarm." Nocturne states.

Scarlet sighs. " Do we know who has used the books? I do not want any more surprise gods dropping on my head."

"The Teal text lists several. I am unsure if this is all of them, but there is quite the list." Nocturne mutters flipping open the book to the list. " Jer'rahd Kaisur, Princess Luna, Queen Crystal, King Sanguine. There are a host of various names here, several pages worth, not many that are recognizable however. Queen Aqua, Andrew The Brobdingnagian, Queen Clopopatria, Discord, some Princess named Aviana and a host of others. To be honest there is no telling if any of them are still alive or dead. As such we must proceed with caution and expect any of these to possibly be near the books."

"Yes that is news I really wanted to hear." Claymore curses" Fine, guess it's better than sitting around here, get yer shit together stripes, soon as we find the bird we're going on an adventure."

["Oh yay..."]

====================================================

Journal entry 7,
4-04-6407 AD

We have come across a entrance that we may be able to use. It has taken us sometime to bring the rest of the camp to the forward camp. The main camp will still be used for those who cannot deal with the smell of the rancid carcass as it rots though I have been here long enough that I can barely remember what fresh air smells like.

We saw the ship off, though before it left I offered the young colt some bits to keep the discovery to himself and perhaps try and persuade his mother to come with the next supply run to offer information on the structure. He refused the bits and explained that his mother had been killed in the events of Nightmare Night and would not have helped them any way. He warned us again to leave and when he was refuted he refused to have any more to do with us.

The Captain was informed it was a dormant volcano by Chime and that we would be staying to survey everything and that supplies would still need to be delivered as per the agreement.

We did not bother to watch the ship sail out of the bay. Chime and I returned to the forward camp as rapidly as we could, the crew was only waiting for our return before breaching the entrance.

On our return there was a great deal of panic going on. The birds had all gone and the remains of the creature were calcifying into a strange bone like rock rather rapidly. The change had happened so suddenly that several birds that had been trying to feed were caught in the newly formed stone trapped in the rock.

Moss was doing her best to rouse the team to save as many as they could though a large number of them were mired to deep in the rock and expired before they were able to be free.

The samples we had taken remained rotting flesh so likely what ever had caused the strange process was focused on the main body under the towering monolith. Golden pointed out that it made a twisted sort of sense, even if the creature the castle was built on died, the structure would not fall if a solid foundation was created below it.

Truly Discord was a mad creature to have concocted this sort of thing.

==============================================

"Twilight you're headed out already?" Spike mutters watching the unicorn as she starts packing things into her already over loaded saddle bags.

"I need to. The Princess is waiting for a full report from me on what happened and whats going on and she wants me to meet the ambassadors form Saddle Arabia as well. Besides you know I can't leave that lot alone for very long. Zecora is keeping an eye on them for me right now but who knows whats going to happen." Twilight responds packing." In the state Jer'rahd is in there's no telling whats going to happen."

"Right... oh before I forget you got a letter from Octavia."

"Really? That's kinda odd. What did it say?"

"She says that the opening of the new music school in Canterlot is coming up on... lets see the seventh... wait that's tomorrow. She says the last album that was made from the first Platinum Swan concert did so well they managed to create a music school for Platinum in Canterlot rather than just donate the money to other schools. It says that Princess Luna actually extended the Pelt grant to include music scholar ships for the new school. She sent us two tickets to the opening. There's going to be a festival with live music for the opening featuring the Platinum Swan and being headlined by... HOLY BUCK! Pontera is going to be playing!"

"Who? Never mind. Send her a letter thanking her but... it's tomorrow?"

"Yeah! Can we go?"

"A School for Platinum... I think Bleu would love this and it might cheer her up. I never even told her about any thing I've done with the music, this is perfect. Maybe it will get Jer'rahd out of what ever state hes in too. Thanks Spike, now I gotta go I have a train to catch."

Spike blinks as the tickets are yanked out of his claw along with the letter by Twilight's magic as she rushes out the door leaving the little dragon standing there staring after her.

" But...Yeah... not like I really wanted to go any way..." Spike sighs.

=========================================================

Journal entry 8,
4-05-6407 AD

The entry was discovered during a small scouting mission around the base of the castle. On closer examination it is quite clear that this thing was a castle at one point. It's time at the bottom of the sea since the Darklands sunk turned it into some sort of strange mobile reef. It was the creatures movements that made the furrow in the earth. A large mound of rock and dirt was piled before it covering the forward half of the dead creature. It's movements and weight had simply pushed the soil up before it as it moved. The question remained as to why however.

The door way was a curiosity, as it was clearly not part of the castle originally. A great double door of some unknown metal seemed to have been bolted into a frame that may have once held a much more normal door. The door way was covered with runes and marks in a language I recognized as Aquian, or Sea Pony.

The warnings struck me as odd as they were common symbols for various undersea threats, sharks lava vents, and other dangers. They all seemed to have been written by more than one hoof, or fin in this case, but there was no clear information on what was inside. Just multiple warnings to keep away.

Chime thought perhaps it was a way of marking no trespassing to those under water. Since the creature was dead and we were on dry land then there should be no problem with half of the dangers listed and the other half would likely be dead by the time we got to them inside.

I agreed and work on opening the doors began.

====================================================

Rhede sighs taking a sip of his coffee as it was called. It was nasty stuff really, but he had never felt this awake in his life.

The journal was a interesting read, though it was not telling him anything useful yet. There were a number of pictures of wildlife and maps that had not aged well though the artistry of them was the same as the image of the book and all save the maps were initialed with a VM. This confirmed what he had deduced about the changeling hive being a Discord's castle though the sea pony writing was a bit odd, though everything else made sense. With the normal wear and tear of weather the limestone and coral would have worn and collected enough sediment to look like a mountain in a thousand years.

Still this did nothing yet to tell him about the Silver Script and what it might contain. Several pages were missing from the journal though a few had been recovered and he had pieced the disintegrating paper carefully together enough to copy a transcript.

It was slow tedious work, though the occasional distraction from his new companion did help break up the monotony more than a little. Not to mention he now was in possession of a star metal dagger that had some how escaped Celestia's purge of the element.

Of course, Dusty still claimed that she had not been paid in full yet, and he was not one to complain about that.

He had expected some sort of subterfuge or attempts at information gathering on the griffons behalf. Instead she seemed solely fixated on exactly what she said she wanted.

A refreshing bit of honesty though he still was not fully trusting of her motives.

========================================================

Journal entry 9,
4-07-6407 AD

Well that was a rather unexpected event. We have two ponies injured who will be headed home on the next supply deliver. One of the porters broke both his back legs and the other suffered a mild concussion and a eye injury. The rest of us gathered about the door received minor injuries, those two were the ones who opened the doors. As soon as the seal was broken the ocean itself came to meet us.

The door was sealed with some sort of mud and stone mix that the sea ponies used, Moss stated it was was taken from the adhesive that barnacles clung to ships with. As soon as that seal was broken the double doors all but blew off their hinges causing the injuries and sending the rest of us tumbling down the hill with the force of the draining.

We spent the next few days collecting all the items that had rushed out of the castle along with the water.

There was nothing of any real value a few grinning statues of who I assumed was Discord, a great many sea pony furnishings and art,and a great many ruined tomes and surface items,likely stolen or salvaged.

There were also a large number of live fish and at least fifteen nearly skeletal sea pony bodies.

Any thoughts of a fish dinner quickly died when we figured out their food source.

Water is still flowing out of the front doors though with not any notable force the mass of water seems to be pushing towards the swamp rather than the furrow caused by the castle's passage. This is a boon for us as that is where we set up both camps. It would be a waste of time to move them again.

We are already behind the schedule we were trying to set due to the injuries. It has been four days now and we have accomplished very little.

The suspense is what is getting to me.

==================================================

"... GAAAAH WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?" shouts Rainbow Dash landing on a cloud and glaring at Starfall.

"Err nothing … umm why do you ask?" mutters Starfall landing on another cloud.

" Bull crap. I don't know what you saw in the volcano , but your the only one who seems to have anything wrong aside from that Jer'rahd guy.

"Bleu is actually rather depressed as well."

"Yeah well, wait... that's not the point! What is causing you to be chicken now?"

"I am not being chicken."

"You freaked out when I did a simple stunt, you've been trying to get me to stop by saying they were too dangerous. Those were my warm up exercises! Then you refused to show me a couple of moves that you promised you would before. I wanna know why the heck you are doing this sort of crap now."

"Umm no reason..."

"Oh come on you wielded the Element of Honesty .. you suck at lying, just like AJ. So stop trying."

Starfall winces, withering a little under the menacing glare the younger pegasus was giving her.

"Well...umm your friend Twilight..."

"Yesss, what about Twilight?"

"Well she told me that we were related... like my grand, I dunno what ever a thousand years is, grand daughter."

Dash blinks staring at the other pegasus and slaps her face with a hoof.

"Oh for bucks sake why did she tell you that. Geez, that explains why you suddenly turned into a wus around me."

"Hey that's not fair..."

"No you listen. I read the book, I know how you are. And I am stopping it right now. I don't need a mother." snaps Dash her ears flattening to her head." So get that thought out of your head."

"Twilight said your own mother abandon you so.. I thought."

"GAH WHY DID I TELL HER THAT! Look I never met my mother, and my father only came by the orphanage a few times to try and pretend to be a dad. After I threw a fit over Cloudsdale not hosting the Equestrian games I never saw him again. Evidently all he wanted was a perfect angel and that's not me. I don't need or want a mother. And if this sort of crap is what you are going to do when your in that mother hen mindset of yours I can go train on my own again. I don't need or want that sort of crap."

"But..."

"NO BUTS! I 'm gonna have to twap Twilight up side the head over this. When you just thought of me as a skilled flier it was a different story, I might have learned something and you were pretty cool. If today is any indication, that's over, yer trying to show me stuff I mastered in grade school cause it's safe. GAH forget it. I'll train myself from now on, you go do what ever it is that leader of yours wants you to do and leave me alone."

"I just ..."

"Look I AM NOT YOUR DAUGHTER! She's a thousand years dead and gone. The faster you get that in your head the better off you'll be." Dash growls kicking off the cloud and leaving Starfall alone.

=================================

Journal entry 10,
4-09-6407 AD

The search of the castle has been rather slow going. Nearly all of the closed rooms are still filled with water and much of what was in them, not of seapony make, is ruined. Rather disappointing really, or it was until we found that the uppermost parts of the castle were dry, untouched by the sea.

We set out to have a look over everything before we started a more thorough search of the dry area. A few sea pony bodies were in this area though they seemed more ripped apart than simply gnawed on by fish. That should have been our first warning.

It was Chime and his team who discovered the cause, unfortunately the discovery cost one of his groups number their life. They were exploring the uppermost section of the castle when they were set upon by dozens of monstrosities. They lost one of the griffons before they realized what was going on and counter attacked.

I will say this about Chime's troops, they are very skilled, and if they have a purpose they are bloody effective, the death of one of their own gave them the purpose. By the time the rest of the group got up there after the first scream, a dozen of the monsters lay dead and the group was fanning out seeking the rest, destroying them where they hid.

Looking over the bodies of the creatures and the one dead member of the team was done in total silence save for the scream of the monsters and the rage of the warriors that were killing them.

Moss broke the silence with one word, a word that gave name to the monsters and mad the castle all the more threatening by it's utterance.

'Trolls.'

=============================================

"Forget it. I have no plans to go any where Sparkle." Jer'rahd mutters.

"Jeez trust me this is for your own good. You and Bleu need to get up and go to this." fusses Twilight.

"Hey if boss ain't going neither am I" comments Bleu sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Oh no, I might accept a no from this lout but you are going to this festival if I have to drag you by your tail Bleu."snaps Twilight.

"Sounds like a good idea. I really don't need a angry and depressed dragonling around me right now any way." states Jer'rahd. "She's getting annoying."

"What was that emo colt? I'm surprised you aren't listening to angsty teen music and started wearing black eyeshadow yet!"

"What the heck is a emo? Some kinda bird?" questions Jer'rahd, frustrating Bleu further.

"Never mind, let's just go Sparkle Butt I can't handle being near mopey pants here much longer either." snarls Bleu hopping on Twilight's back.

"We'll be back later to check on you Jer'rahd." remarks Twilight.

"Don't rush." Jer'rahd comments as the pair head out the door. He sighs lightly looking to the open window across from him, his eyes narrowing.

"I can hear you out there Starfall, go ahead and come in before some pony spots you and tell me what the heck has got you bawling like a foal."

===================================================

Journal entry 12,
4-17-6407 AD

As I stated in my last note the troll bodies were odd. Moss has spent quite a bit of time studying them and deduced that they were some sort of aquatic variety having fins and gills. They seemed to be surviving on the fish that were trapped in the tower. At least that was the first thought. In one of the flooded rooms we found a pit still filled with water that led down into a jagged rocky cavern that seemed to tunnel under the castle. We soon realized that the rocky tunnel was the petrified remains of the creature that made up the castle. The trolls had been eating the castle from the inside out. That would explain why it had left the sea and tried to forge inland before it died, it had been driven mad by the pain of slowly being eaten.

We removed the bodies of the trolls and sea ponies, burning both in a pyre well away from the castle. Chime set his troops on full guard and would not allow any of us to go any where with out at least one of them until he was sure the keep was clear. No pony had any problem with this.

================================================

"So you were left again?" Silver Claw mutters. "Not exactly what I would consider a fair situation. Particularly since all the work you put into the books and she gives the ticket to another ignoring your obvious desire to go to this festival."

"I know right. She didn't even listen to me the short time she was back. I still have no idea what even went on or if every one is alright." Spike sighs dropping his chin into his hands as Silver Claw stretches out on a large rock across the clearing soaking up the sun. " I get that Jer'rahd is alright, but I have no clue about any of the others."

"If she managed to come home to sleep then I am sure they are fine. At lest she let you know that much." Silver Claw mutters letting the dragonling rant.

"Bah she only came back to grab a couple of books then she took off again as soon as she woke up." Spike sighs. "Not fair in the slightest. It's like she doesn't even care so long as I keep the library running."

"She is simply busy with all that is going on. I am sure she has never done anything like this before." Silver Claw comments idly.

Spike winces and sighs." More and more often it seems. Not the first time shes run off to do something fun and left me to do her work for her."

"It cannot be that bad or I am sure you would have left before."

"Yeah that didn't work out too well. Almost got eaten by another dragon."Spike grumbles" She had to run up and rescue me along with that owl of hers."

"Well she did save you so there is that."

"Yeah, but her ignoring me is what started that whole thing to begin with."Spike throws his hands in the air. "It's not like I expect her to fawn over me , but a 'nice job Spike', 'thanks for the help Spike' or at least allowing me to tag along to some of the stuff she does would be better than being stuck at home. Of course it's not like I can do much of anything about it for a good number of years yet."

"Well you are still a hatchling for all purposes, god or not. You still have not even discovered what you are the god of. I have not noticed anything odd about you save for the energy you radiate that marks you as a god. Well that and your ability to tolerate all the annoyances in your life."

"See even you are pointing out I can't do anything."

"Not entirely true, while your rambling is some what annoying. I am quite cheered due to your apparent commitment to learn more about your kind. I still hope you plan to aid me with the rebuilding of our race."

"I am still on the fence about that. I mean I've read a lot of what was done and I've seen how the dragons act nowadays. Something needs to be done, I still don't think I am the one to do it. And I still don't trust you."

"Good, I have done little to actually earn your trust, though I have also done nothing to betray it. Unlike those you currently call friends if your rambling is any indication."

"Just .. stop... I'm not going to help you with that. It's bad enough I am still coming out here three days after finding out who you are to talk."

"I told you I will handle that part on my own. I only need your aid in rebuilding the dragon empire. I may also have a way to aid you and that task at the same time. I have other caves from my time as Mustang, I made a number of lairs around Equestria. Most of them have been found out this far in the future, but several have not been. Including one not far away in the Everfree forest that is of significant importance."

"Why is that one important, it have your horde there or something?"

"Some of it, though that is not the reason. This lair was not found and remained sealed. It contains my personal library. While not as large as the one lost in Cindervale or even as large as the one you now reside in, it has a number of tomes that give the history of the Dragon Empire as well as the rules and codes created in the Empires heyday. There are a number of a pony books as well and a fair amount of books of a fictitious nature, including a rather insulting one about the tale of Kaisur and his sidekick. I am highly amused that bit of smut survived."

"Yeah so what about it? Does this mean you have a few books for me to read instead of just your word"

"Indeed I do, though with how rare they are I will not be risking them outside of the cavern. However if you wish to study them you are more than welcome to go there. This will keep you out of the coming conflict and give you time to decide on if you wish to aid with the rebuilding of the empire or not."

"Why would I want to go any where with you?" Spike grumbles.

"Considering how much you complain about your current living conditions, I thought a change might be good for you. It is not as if I need to watch over you all the time and I know you understand the care of rare books. If it is not to your taste it is perhaps a days journey back too Ponyville and the comfort of your solitude in the library and your foal sitting duties.. Though the choice is up to you. Learn what it means to be a proper dragon, or stay with those who treat you as little more than a pet or a inconvenience. Unlike them I could truly use your help to rebuild what my race has lost."remarks Silver Claw. "The only thing stopping you from learning more about dragons is you, and the ties you have to those who do not seem to feel the same."

-

Journal entry 17,
6-07-6407 AD

We have finally completed our months long exploration of the tower. We have sent our dead and injured back on the supply ship. A wave of new ponies have come as well and our expedition has swollen to a rather large sixty three members.

At Chime and Moss's insistence we have sent no word back on what we have found and the few sent back have been silenced with a sizable collection of bits, as well as the agreement to acknowledge their contributions when the time to reveal our findings comes. All of the new team members have agreed to the same treatment.

A rather sizable trove of random artifacts of both Discordian and sea pony make have already been recovered as well as a rather large collection of precious metals and gems.

Moss was quite excited with the finds in some of the still flooded areas. She also had plenty of notes to take on the trolls and sea ponies before they were disposed of.

Chime and I however made the greatest discover in a half destroyed chamber the tolls had been using. The chamber looked to be prepared for some sort of ritual, strange lines and archaic writings covered the place. We first thought it discordian, but the runes were proven to be sea pony. In the center of the chamber was a large pedestal with a single book in the middle of it.

While investigating it we found that it was written wholly in some sort of dialect as sea pony, though as Chime and I watched the script changed itself to Equestrian. It was at that moment that the pair of us first heard the voice.

It had a feminine tone to it, and Chime seemed to be certain it was being flirtatious in its discourse with him. With me it was rather straight to the point. It asked that it be called by its proper name.

'The Silver Script.'

-

"Sparkle Butt what the heck is all this?" Bleu questions standing up on Twilight's back looking over the mass of ponies,griffons, and other creatures filling the large park in front of a massive stage.

There were vendors every where selling everything from ice cream, to flugelhorns and everything in between. A number of small stages that were little more than planks stacked on barrels in some cases filled all the other open spaces. Each had a performer of some kind atop it, the mish mashed melodies drown out normal conversation any where near the impromptu stages and joined with the other performers to create a mad canopy of noise every where else.

Bleu resisted the urge to fly up and check everything out, wondering exactly was going on. The main stage was little more that a open platform with the wings hidden by curtains. A large building behind the stage was partially covered as well with a massive curtain hiding the entire front of the building. A few small statues were scattered around on pedestals in the park. Bleu did not recognize any of the names of them, though most were depicted with a instrument of some kind and a small plaque depicting what they were best known form.

"It's a music festival Bleu." Twilight explains." A rather special one at that, now if only I could find the... ahhh there she is. SCRATCH! MISS SCRATCH OVER HERE!"

Bleu looks to the pony Twilight was yelling at. A white unicorn mare with wild blue hair and a pair of purple sunglasses covering her eyes. The mare grins, trotting over to the pair of them.

"Yo grape flavor whats up? Didn't think you would make it when we didn't get any sort of response from you." Vinyl chuckles looking up at Bleu." Hey who's this? Yah trade in the purple assistant for a newer model with wings or something?"

"No, this is Bleu, Spike is still at the library. He wanted to come, but you only gave us the two tickets."

"Babe this whole deal is thanks to you, if you'd have told us to let the entire Canterlot guard in for free we woulda done it. Shoulda brought him any way."

"Ooh I hadn't thought of that... maybe I should try to get him an autograph or something. He seemed interested that Pontera or who ever was playing."

"Hah little dragons a Pontera fan, figures, you can ask Tavi bout that one, I was supposed to meet her here someplace. Her and the lead singer kinda hit it off, bet shes back stage now giving that lucky colt some special encouragement for a good show."

"Watch your tongue Vinyl. You should not be gossiping about some one else when most of your trysts are near public knowledge or need I remind you about that debacle with Spitfire." Octavia snaps trotting up behind Vinyl.

"Heh, speak of the devil. So what kept you? A little sucky sucky five bits on yer new colt friend?"

"Certainly not!"

"Then whats that white stuff on your face?" Bleu remarks in mock seriousness.

Twilight slaps her face with a hoof as Tavi blushes, rapidly wiping her already clean face, Vinyl simply falls over laughing her flank off.

"That was great, I like you little lizard." Vinyl gasps out between her laughter.

"Scratch do you not need to be in the sound booth with the show this close to starting?" Octavia mutters coldly.

"Oh yeah later lil' lizard, nice seeing yah again Grape." A genius's work is never done."

"That explains why you are often unemployed." snaps Octavia at the retreating Vinyl.

Bleu chuckles." I like her. She's silly."

"Yes well tis a pleasure to meet you again Miss Sparkle, though I did expect you to bring Mister Spike along with you. Who might this be?"

"This is Bleu Scale." Twilight states again.

"Ahh nice to make your acquaintance Miss Scale. I am afraid I do not know of many dragons though you are the second one I have heard of with that name. Is it a common one?"

"Not that I know of. I was the only one I ever knew named Bleu Scale and I had other dragons refuse to acknowledge it as a real name cause my sister gave it to me." remarks Bleu.

"Sorry to hear that, i see nothing wrong with the name though I would like to welcome you and Miss Sparkle to the opening of ommmph." Octavia starts stopping as Twilight puts a hoof to the gray earth ponies muzzle.

"Sorry but I don't want her to know what this is about until its fully revealed." Twilight comments getting a strange look from both the pony and the dragonling.

"Well I suppose... though you could have refrained from shoving your hoof in my mouth."

"Sorry." Twilight remarks. " Oh, Vinyl said you could help with getting an autograph or something from this Pontera group?".

"Um yes, well the lead singer and I … well I suppose since he is in costume I should use that ridiculous stage name he has of Bloodmoon, met some time ago when we were first trying to publish the music you gave us. He pulled a few strings with his record label, Black Shuck, and made it happen. Since then he has been supporting this endeavor rather single mindedly. Despite his appearance on stage he is quite the quiet shy type with a strong interest in all musical types."

A loud guitar riff from the curtained stage followed by a mass of fireworks draws every ones attention along with a loud cheer. Octavia smirks and gestures for the pair to follow her.

"Did I say single mindedly? I meant dramaticly, as when in costume he seems not to have any other way about him. Frankly I find it rather annoying, though I can see the appeal of it for the younger generation I still prefer him out of costume, he is much calmer I am sure he would be willing to sign something for Mister Spike."

She trots up a ramp into a large booth standing on stilts before the stage. Vinyl and another white unicorn mare were already up there working the sound boards and firework triggers, both wearing large ear phones. Vinyl glances to them as they climb up smirking with a nod though the other unicorn ignores them.

"Be sure not to touch anything in here or Bass will throw us all out I am sure." Octavia comments getting a rude gesture from the mentioned unicorn. " At any rate, Pontera playing here is one of the reasons the crowd is so large. There is only going to be one song though it is a preview track from one of their albums that has not come out yet. After they are finished the Platinum Swan shall preform a number of songs before it finishes with the song that started this being sung by Fleur of all ponies with Pontera offering back up accompaniment. At the end of that I will conduct the opening ceremony."

"Wait, the Platinum Swan? The Platinum Swan? Sparkle Butt what the heck is going on here?" Bleu comments bouncing about on twilight's back.

"Can you shush and just listen Bleu."Twilight snaps ignoring the glare from the dragonling. That glare faded as a strange rhythmic twanging started from the stage as the curtain was raised.

The stage was dark save for a spot light on a black suited pony playing a strange instrument that was giving off the rather eerie music. Bleu and Twilight both stiffened at the sigh of the tall lanky pony, he had no face and tendrils of darkness emerged from his back to wave about in time with the music.

"Wha,... what is that?" Twilight questions.

"Oh one of the bands costumes. Bloodmoon tracked down a pony from Saddle Arabia who could play the sitar solely for this song. The costume is some creature from his homeland called Slender pony or some such rubbish. I warn you, the other band members are all in very realistic alicorn costumes. Bloodmoon is really a pegasus, while his brother on the bass is a unicorn, the drummer is a earth pony. Jerrad, Nico, and Percussive respectively. Now shush." Octavia commands.

A soft voice with a rather smooth tone reverberates from the darkness as a spot light illuminates a black alicorn stallion with dark blue hair that fluttered and flowed about his head, not unlike Princess Luna's.

"There must be some way out of here
Said the zebra to the chief.
There's too much confusion

and there is no relief..."

"The ponies they clear my vines
Plow mares dig my earth.

Cutting along my tree line,
Exposing more of the earth."

The drums kick up with a thunder as a soft bass and guitar begins to play backing up the sitar player. A white alicorn with flaming orange hair is on the bass, his magic pricking across the strings. A brown alicorn sits at the drums his black hair flicking across the spectrum of visible light as he lays into the drums.

"No reason for you to worry
the chief he kindly spoke
there are ponies among us
who do not fear the poison joke
But we both know a cure for that
our words still carry weight
these lands do not suffer for now
We can change its fate."

The sitar and guitar start for lack of a better term wailing before the music builds into a crescendo . The singers dips his head a little his wings flicking across the powder blue guitar he holds.

"All along the Everfree

Princess kept the views

while all the ponies came and went
element bearers too.
Outside in the forest
A manticore growls
The forest began stirring,

And the wind began to howl, YEAH!"

The music kicks up again from the crescendo and the band lays into the end of the song fully.

"All along the Everfree."

The music slowly begins to die ending with a last few energetic notes before dying out completely to the scream and carrying on of the crowd.

Bleu stares at the stage and the band, her mouth agape as twilight rubs her ears.

"Well that was certainly loud. No wonder Spike likes them."Twilight mutters.

"Well it was an attempt at an environmental song about the rapid deforestation of certain parts of the Everfree, though he feels the message won't carry unless, as he puts it, ' has a kick ass song to go with it.' Octavia sighs." Frankly I do not share his opinions of what is good, let alone kick arse."

"Get over yerself Tavi, you know you love it." laughs Vinyl." Any way is Lyra gonna be able to handle your spot with the Swan?"

"She only specializes in the harp, she is a talented pony who can play a number of things. I have had too much else to do with setting everything up here to have practiced with them for this."Octavia comments looking to Bleu. "Not to alarm you Miss Sparkle but your companion seems to have gone catatonic."

"I am surprised she lasted this long, This will be the first new music she has probably ever heard, let alone music with this sort of style. Once the Platinum Swan starts I am sure she will be fine." Twilight points out.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF LUNA'S FIRM SLAPPABLE RUMP WAS THAT!?" Bleu shouts falling off Twilight's back.

"Or sooner." sigh Twilight.

-

Journal entry 19,
6-17-6407 AD

Chime and I have been studying the tome we found. Apart from the rather creepy ability it has to speak with us, it is filled with a number of names and rituals for various purposes, few of them benign. It is with some interest that I take note of the names Princess Luna and Jer'rahd Kaisur in this tome.

We questioned what had happened and it simply explained that it was once part of a collection with three other tomes in Queen Aqua's library. With the destruction of Neighlantis it was cast adrift with a number of survivors who sought shelter in this sunken tower. They resided in the tower for a short time before they were beset by Scrags, or aquatic trolls.

In desperation the few surviving sea ponies tried to enact a ritual within it's pages. The ritual had been used by the Queen and her consort. The queen had gained tremendous power and her consort had become the behemoth protector of Neighlanties until they were defeated by the treachery of the Princess of Night using the stolen power of the other tomes.

The group had started the ritual with hopes to gain power and perhaps their own god like ability with which to rebuild the nearly destroyed sea pony race, when the Scrags found their way inside and fell upon them killing nearly all of the sea ponies present. The few survivors sealed the door and fled leaving the ritual incomplete and the book in the claws of the Scrags.

The book was unsure how the castle had wound up on dry land though it was aware of the Scrags feeding on something. It lay undisturbed on the pedestal for what it assumed to be years before we recovered it.

Chime collaborated a bit of it's story knowing that Nightmare Moon had indeed beset the city of Neighlantis, that encounter was what brought about the events of the dreaded Nightmare Night.

The story had interest for me as well, though not in the explanation of history or what happened in the castle. I was rather curious about this ritual that could make gods of mortals.

A pipe dream really as I had no belief that it could be done, although...

It is best I not continue this train of thought. This thing is an artifact that needs to be brought to the Princess to let her deal with it. If even half the power in it's pages was true then it was something far beyond what we should have access to.

-

"So that's what happened?" Jer'rahd muses. "Sorry."

"Don't be, I brought it on myself. I just hope I can fix it somehow. I don't want some one else hating me like that." Starfall mutters.

"She is not your daughter Starfall you know this. Trying to make her into something shes not will not end well for you." Jer'rahd sighs.

"I know, but..."

"Starfall. Just be glad you even had a daughter to be missing. Mine was not even real and I am still depressed over it."

"Yeah that is pretty bucked up. So what do we do?"

"Well if Rhede was here I am sure he would tell us to just fuck and get it over with."

"Sorry General you are not my type, You need a decent pair of wings before I would even consider that."

"That's fine, my next mare friend is going to die any way if the pattern holds true."

"Luna didn't die General,she just turned into a monster."

"Close enough to death, she no longer existed and the mare that holds her name now is not the same one we once knew either. Our Luna is dead, and Night mare Moon betrayed our belief in her just as we betrayed her to Celestia."

"Fine I am too depressed to have this argument. So what should we just track down some training weapons and spar til we get over this crap? That's the usual plan for you after something happens. At least it has been since you can't drink any more. I do feel like working out some frustrations."

" No, I have a better idea this time."

-

Journal entry 20,
6-24-6407 AD

It seems I have made a mistake. Chime and I were going to be tight lipped on the results of our study with the book, though I let what we found slip while basking in the afterglow of one of Golden and my...liaisons.

She was far more interested in the possibilities than she should be. The concept of immortality liken to the Princesses or other gods was a tempting fruit. To be able to live to see what the future held, to experience history as it happened , to chart the world with no fear of injury or age that would stall mortals.

Suffice to say Golden's descriptions of what could be done with an immortal lifetime were much more vivid than my own.

Perhaps the book bears more consideration.

-

After a brief explanation of rock music from Octavia, with snide comments added by both Vinyl and Bass, Bleu went silent.

Twilight was a little worried at first on how the dragonling would react, though as the classical music playing Platinum Swan took the stage Bleu went silent. Twilight noted it was not from anything wrong but from rapt, and some what judgmental attention she was paying to the groups playing.

Octavia seemed rather concerned with what Twilight's reaction to the music was though she seemed to be surprised at the rapt attention Bleu was paying the playing.

Vinyl at this point had dozed off.

When the last few deep cords of the cello faded for the song Bleu finally spoke.

"Not bad, not bad at all, though it's all wrong." Bleu mutters.

"What do you mean?" Octavia questions.

"They had three songs and they only played orchestra pieces, not familiar with the composers of any of them, but seriously is that all they play? Just orchestral?"

"Usually yes, this is not the whole group though the Platinum Swan is the premier orchestra in the world."

"Impressive accomplishment I suppose, though they missed the point."

"Then what was the point?" Octavia watches the dragon clearly getting rather miffed at Bleu, though she lets the dragonling speak.

"Music itself is the point. They were never supposed to play only one type of music. There's hundreds of cultures and races with their own taste, and their own styles of music. I mean the Platinum Swan's first play list pulled from pony, griffon, zebra and dragon music types..., okay so the dragon culture was represented by me and I'm a terrible dragon, but still. We also altered the griffons song to fit better with our audience but that's not the point either. The goal was to play a bit of everything, yeah this orchestra stuff is nice but it's too strict, too set in one path. Not every one is gonna like it so it fails in what the point is."Bleu rants. "Least that was how it was supposed to be. Guess this is the end result...pretty, but diluted."

"While rather poetic I must say you have quite a bit of hubris to claim to know exactly what the Platinum Swan should be about. I apologize for my ire miss Sparkle but who does your companion think she is?"

"One of the founders of the Platinum Swan. And the partner of the one the group was named for."

"What?"

"Miss Octavia when I introduced her as Bleu Scale, I meant she is THE Bleu Scale. She is one of the founders of the Platinum Swan and the singer in the last collection I gave you and Miss Scratch."

"Yeah I thought she looked a little familiar, but all lizards look the same to me." snarks Vinyl.

"If yah took off yer glasses every so often you might see stuff apart form a purple blur Scratch ." grumbles Bass with a chuckle.

Octavia seems stunned at the revelation and Twilight was sure Bleu was going to lay into her when the first few strains of a new song filled the air.

"Woop looks like Pontera and the swans are set up, and there's Fleur." Vinyl comments sliding her hoof over a few switches.

Bleu's eyes widen as the notes are repeated in the sound check as a rather lithe white unicorn mare trots onto the stage wearing a rather ornate gown. The mare stops before the mic in the center stage as the lights on the stage dim until she was the only one visible humming the first lines to herself as the band finishes the set up.

"Wha... that song... I know that song... Sparkle HOW DO THEY KNOW THAT SONG?" Bleu shouts glaring at the Purple unicorn.

"We do not have the real name for it , so it was simply called Platinum's Last Song when it was published." Octavia comments, still reeling from the revelation of who Bleu was, her focus fully on the dragonling now.

A visible shiver runs down the dragonlings spine as the music begins again, the clear notes of Fluer's voice filling the air.

" A falling star, fell from your heart..."

Journal entry 21,
7-04-6407 AD

Things have taken a rather predictable turn. It seems I am not the only one with loose lips. I was confronted by Moss today. She had spoken with Chime while the pair were taking a respite from their work.

Chime did indeed have a weakness for alcohol and Moss had happily provided some only for a drunken Chime to let slip what we had found.

The elderly mare was positively brimming with excitement, though she wished more details. It seemed she and Golden shared the idea of wanting to extend their lives so that their work might continue indefinitely. Moss was interested enough she confessed almost planning out how she would live if immortal, she would get to see her granddaughter grow up and have her own children and she would be able to teach them everything she knew about animals and plant life.

I must confess the old mare rambled for a time seeming to have forgotten she and her daughter were not on the best terms due to her marrying of a pegasus. Though as excited as Moss was, perhaps this was not the time to bring that up.

Still.

With both Moss and Golden clearly for attempting this ritual, my own hesitation was quickly slipping away.

-

Rhede sighs shifting in his seat as the train pulls away from the station. This was a dire situation after all. Scarlet had the one of the cursed books. One that was supposedly destroyed. Assuming she was working for Nocturne with the others it was clear they seemed to be seeking information.

Twilight's history book, now the Silver Script? How had they even know where it was? The only books location that was listed in the history book was the Red Tome and the Gray Grimiore, both of them were supposed to be in Tartarus...

Rhede blinks his ears flattening. According to Twilight and the book Bleu found Sombra and Chrysilis were also supposed to be in Tartarus. The rant Twilight had over seen made it seem that Sombra had gotten out first and been trapped by Luna and Celesita along with the Crystal Empire. It was a known fact that Chrysalis's first appearance in Equestria in this age was an attack on Canterlot and a disruption of a wedding as she sought to take over.

Could it be that the the escapees already went into Tartarus and stole the red and gray books, freeing Chrysalis in the process? Exactly how the Crystal Empire suddenly returned after Sombra supposedly cursed it was also in question. Were all these things connected?

He needed to speak with Twilight, Jer'rahd, and Celestia and drill them for every scrap of info he could. There was something there, he knew there was a connection and a reason for what they were doing, but too many pieces were missing. He would need to scour more of Twilight's Library and the one in Canterlot as well, he needed to know more about Tartarus, hopefully Celestia still had access to Discord's Book of Blue, though he was not very hopeful on that. That strangely worded little guide might be a wealth of information that he missed last time he read it.

He had not been in the frame of mind to do more than skim it before, and with a smart as Twilight and some of her friends seemed to be their insight might shed more light on this.

It would be tomorrow morning before the train made it back to Ponyville. He would check on every one there before heading to Canterlot.

They finally had a hint of a lead as to what Nocturne was doing and he would not let it slip past him.

-

Journal entry 24,
8-17-6407 AD

As I have stated in my last few entries a consensus has been reached among the remaining crew. There are perhaps forty of us left. A conflict broke out among the crew over who would be involved in the ritual.

There were a rather large number of the expedition that did not wish any part of this. Some who even considered it profane and threatened to inform the Royal Guard as to what we were planning.

I regret their loss, but the gain far outweighs any risk. Chime and his crew should be finishing the graves of those who would try and stop us now. It seems there is no turning back, though once our goal is achieved what we have done here will only be an unpleasant memory as we move through time unaffected by it's cold grip.

The others have started to hear the book speak as well. It is attempting to prepare us for the ritual and what we must endure.

-

Celestia's ears perk up at the sound of conflict outside the throne room where she was holding a meeting with the Griffon god. King Sharp talon bristled hearing the sound of conflict as well his eyes widening as a armored guard was sent barreling through the double doors to crash in a bruised heap followed by several other guards and a couple of griffons as well.

"Pathetic!"shouts a voice.
"Seriously you weren't kidding. Jeez the training dummies put up more of a fight. How the heck did they manage to storm a volcano with out stabbing themselves?"

Celestia groans burying her head in her hooves. King Talon looks at her reaction then back at the door as a pair of ponies trot in.

A gray unicorn stallion with a sandy blond mane and tail, with a double bladed sword resting on his side strides in first. He side steps suddenly Avoiding a griffon diving at him from above. The solider back peddles in the air to keep from crashing into the ground and slams head first into a shield created above the griffon. The impact causes even Celestia to wince as the griffon tumbles to the ground unconscious.

The other pony was a light gray pegasus with a short cropped mane and tail wearing what looked to be two massive scabbards on her back. A pegasus guard launches himself at her and is casually flung aside with a bat of her wing sending the armored pony to crash into another Guard trying to attack from behind.

"What is the meaning of this!?"shouts King Talon.

""Calm down Talon. These two are on our side... mostly." Celestia rolls her eyes as the pair approach."While I am happy you have recovered, can you simply set up an appointment like every pony else Kaisur? I do not like having half the Royal Guard applying for medical leave every time you come to see me."

"Kaisur? This is the pony your strike force rescued?" King Talon growls." This is the due he pays you for this rescue? Attacking your own why bother to save him at all?"

Jer'rahd cricks his neck gesturing back to the mass of unconscious ponies and griffons filling the hall behind them as well as a few terrified guards and griffon troops were were peeking into the throne room urging each other to try and do something.

"I did that with out drawing my blade." comments Jer'rahd. "Did you really want to see what happens if I get serious? Think of the result if Chrysalis controlled me."

"We did that, General. Though honestly I expected a bit more fight from the birds." Starfall sighs. "Did everything go soft in the last thousand years?"

"I told you." Jer'rahd states.

"Would you stop patting yourselves on the back long enough to tell me why you interrupted the royal court this time Kaisur?" Celestia groans ." And please do not adopt his disregard for authority Starfall I do not need two of him."

"Errr sorry Princess kinda got caught up in it."Starfall smirks sheepishly.

"You the one leading the griffons who helped in the fighting at the volcano?"Jer'rahd questions looking at King Talon.

"I am. What of it?" bristles King Sharp Talon.

Jer'rahd looks him over a moment before nodding. " Thanks for the assist, We'll let you add a few troops to this training as well."

"I disagree with that General." snaps Starfall.

"Give it a rest, they are supposed to be on our side this time, and if they turn out not to be, you will have more of a challenge taking them out." Jer'rahd comments.

"KAISUR."shouts Celestia. " Why are you here?"

"The request you made before I left for the Crystal Empire. We accept, training begins tomorrow. Pick your best and his best, and I'll weed out the ones worth a damn. But there are conditions."

"While that is uplifting news I doubt I will enjoy your conditions."

"Only three for now."

"And?"

"We train them our way."

"I shall have the medics all on standby."

"We get our ranks back."

"General is no longer an existing rank. Guard Captain is the highest rank in the royal Guard and there are only three of those at a time. Currently they are held by Shining Armor, Nicker Fury, and Silver Sword. I am not placing another in that rank."

"Then put me back to the last rank I served with you as. That's higher than any of those any way."

"Fine, though you shall not be of General rank. You will only be allowed a rank above the guards you are Training. The Guard Captains will still be your superiors, and since you will be back in my employee you will actually listen to what I tell you to do."

"Fine. Unless you or they order something that I disagree with."

" That is not how it works... gah...What is the last one?"

"You reinstate the 42nd as a valid force."

"The 42nd were stricken from the Guard record when they all followed you to the Lunar Republic."

"Then unstriken them, the ones that pass are going to be the new 42nd..I refuse to let any one that manages to make it through my training be anything as simple as a Royal Guard."

"You still have issue with the Guards?"

"Bleu calls them Rent a cops. Not sure the meaning, but it sounds degrading enough to fit."

"I do not like the idea of reviving that unit Kaisur."

"There are six members of the 42nd alive right now Celestia if you count your sister. It has no need to be revived, just reinstated. If the idiots you send our way can be taught, then there will likely be more than enough to make it a proper unit again. Luna's Hoof has gotten dusty and depleted. I plan to bring it back to what it should be."

"Fine. Though it is a stupid name."

"You had one of your Royal Guard units calling themselves Celestia's Tail. I don't want to hear it." chuckles Starfall covering her mouth quickly and pretending she didn't say anything."Err sorry Princess."

"If the dogs want in too tell them to send their best. We have our own task, so once we start it will be a rush job. We can only spare a week or two tops, maybe less depending on what Rhede has found out. We'll go set up a training spot, you get what you need going Celestia."

The pair turn and stride out sending the few Guards still up running for cover. Starfall offers a slight bow to Celestia ignoring the griffon though Jer'rahd offers the King a small nod and ignores Celestia.

King Talon watches them as they leave then glares at Celestia as she sighs sinking down in her throne more.

"Who in your lands were they? I have never heard of such insolence and disrespect. Demanding to have what they want as if they themselves were royalty? I know of the 42nd they were a unit of your sister when she was possessed by the malevolent spirit. What logic would have that fool wish their restoration?"

"King Talon you have a very interesting distinction. You are the only non pony god to meet those two and not be either imprisoned or slaughtered. That Kaisur thanked you is possibly unheard of as well. "

"That explains nothing Princess. Why do you let them speak to you as such? Your own subjects?"

"They are not my subjects. No matter how my sister denies it they are hers. Jer'rahd Kaisur, also known as The Demon of Dullahan. Starfall Silvertail, also known as the Light of Death. Two of the Five Beasts of the Moon."

"The Beasts of the Moon? They live? How?"

"A long story, I am glad you actually recall them. Few to none do any more."

"I was born after the events of Nightmare Night Princess. I grew up during Equestria's civil war. You may have hidden what they did from your own people, but the griffons and other races remember. This will cause just as much trouble for you as your sister returning, if not more so. That both Princess Luna and The Five Beasts are free will cause no end of panic in some circles. That they seek to restore the 42nd as well."

"I know, I expect that though. They will be a great help with what lies ahead. I trust that none of them will fall back to what they were before."

"You seem far too confident of that."

"There is a reason why I am not worried about a return of the Lunar Republic."

"Then you best start explaining that now Princess. I do hope that your reasons are just or you will have violated your own treaty. Those who remember the War of Night will not sit by for it to happen again."

-

Journal entry 27,
9-01-6407 AD

Tonight is the night. We have gathered all we needed from the castle itself . The seaponies clearly were prepared to invoke the ritual multiple times with all the ingredients gathered.

The book suggested that we utilize them all as our group was rather large. It's seductive voice had gotten quite strong now and I could hear it even in my sleep.

I write that I experience a great deal of regret and worry. This is a change that shall perhaps shake the very fabric of the world. Thirty two new gods suddenly created, The other nations likely would not be tolerant of such things. It was unlikely Princess Celestia would either. Though she would not seek to destroy us, at worst we would be imprisoned for a time.

I informed the ships Captain at his last supply drop that there was a issue with trolls and a number of our expedition was killed. This should give the families of those we had to kill some closure. The last of the funds, as well as a good amount of the treasure we recovered was sent to the families of those dead as per the agreement.

The die has been cast. When we do not meet the Captain at the next supply drop he will likely assume we have all fallen to the trolls. In truth we shall be on our way to other lands with our immortality. Once all who would link us to the expedition have passed on we shall return to Equestria as previously unknown gods. Celestia may remember us, though perhaps the act of ascension will render us unknown to even her.

We can hope, though we may also simply pressure her into leaving us be. Thirty gods against one, no matter her supposed power, would still place the odds in our favor.

It should not come to that however, the Princess does prefer peace to conflict.

"Alright Sparkle. What is going on?" Bleu questions wiping tears from her eyes as she looks down at the softly smiling unicorn." Why do they know that song? No, better still, why do they know it so well? That was almost spot on."

"I am needed on stage Miss Sparkle if you will excuse me. Please do not depart I wish to speak with both of you again." Octavia comments slipping out of the booth.

"When I was studying the past I heard a great many bits of music and songs I had never heard before. At the time I asked Princess Celestia if there was a way to copy them, she showed me a way to copy the music into a crystal. She also contacted Miss Octavia and Miss Scratch here to help me with what to do with the songs once copied."

"You... you have a copy of the song... sung by Platinum?" Bleu questions shakily.

"Yep, word for word and tone for tone. Got published real quick too made a small fortune with just the single. A voice from the past was the compilation. Most of that money was invested in music schools to help finance some students... then we got another message from grape here." Vinyl chuckles flipping her sunglasses up and looking the dragon and Twilight over. " That album had a few more songs on it , but damned if it didn't sell even better that the first one. It was enough bits for this. Vinyl points out to the stage where Octavia stood having just finished thanking every one involved.

Octavia, The members of the Platinum Swan, Pontera , and Fleur Dis Lee all stand on stage as a pegasus flies over handing a cord to Octavia. The rope drapes over the top of the stage to the massive curtain covering the building behind it.

"The funds of that album were turned into this." Vinyl finishes as Octavia pulls the cord and the curtain falls from the building.

The marble structure practically glowed gold in the setting sun A massive multistory window took up most of the front of the building simple metal braces and lines crossed over the glass and reinforced it, but all of them were strategically placed and the giant window looked like a page of sheet music.

Bleu swallows hard recolonizing the song that was displayed by the window.

"I would like to welcome you all to the grand opening of the Platinum School of Music." Octavia announces to a massive cheer from the crowd.

-
Journal entry 28,
1-19-6408 AD

This was a horrid mistake. We never should have done it this … this is an abomination.
I must write this down before my wits fully take leave of me as they have the others... even my Golden...

The ritual was completed successfully though the book did question if any of us had borne the Elements of Harmony before. The artifacts were lost some time ago during the war of Night so none of us had done so. The book explained there were some side effects to former wielders and urged we progress.

The ritual was preformed and finished as it should be though none of us felt the slightest bit different after it was done.

Chime was the first to test our supposed immortality, drawing his blade and running it across his foreleg. We all watched as the wound rapidly healed itself before our eyes and left no scar or sign there was a wound save for the blood on his fur.

We rejoiced, taking the Silver Scripts laughter as participation in our merriment.

It was not the case.

Moss was the first one afflicted, as she was the most ill of health out of all of us. Her temper soured and her anger grew. One day she vanished into the woods, leaving the bodies of two of our number torn apart on the ground. It was a stark proof that our immortality was not what had been promised.

The book itself had stopped talking to us, yet it's laughter was still heard. Others vanished into the woods compelled by the same madness that took Moss. As the months past our numbers dwindled, either to the madness or the trolls that had come to stalk the woods. The few unicorns seemed to be resistant to this madness though even they eventually lost themselves or were killed by the trolls.

My own Golden succumbed to the madness just before the fall of the new year. I spent much of my time comforting her after the horror we were witnessing. One night she turned leaning close, as to whisper something in my ear, before she bit it off and attempted to kill me.

I fended her off and before I could stop her she fled into the woods. All Chime and I could find of her the next morning were her wings and patches of her fur that seemed to have been peeled off.

I wept at discovering the patch that held her cutie mark.

-

Velkorn's ear twitched as she looked over the empty room. Zecora and the mass of balloons and deserts that was Pinkie Pie took a few steps back away from the clear annoyed zebra.

"Where did Bleu and grumpy head go Zecora? " questions Pinkie.

"To be honest I do not know, this is the first movement I have seen Jer'rahd show." Zecora mutters.

Both of them wince as Velkorn screams clutching her head with her hooves.

["Auntie?"]

"Though it is clear he is better, I must be quite frank, when I see that fool Kaisur again I am kicking his flank!" shouts Velkorn.

-

Journal entry 29,
1-21-6408 AD

Chime was my last companion and he took his own life yesterday. I plan to do the same, I am the only one left now and the madness has started to come to me in fits. My ear and the wounds Golden inflicted upon me have healed, though it is not the ear of a pony that adorns my head now, nor are the wounds healing with the flesh and fur that should be my own.

The long whip like ear on my head is more akin to a trolls, as is the flesh that covers my scars. I fear this is what happened to the others. The trolls that harried us are not some random encounter. Nor were the Scags in the castle attackers. They were the sea ponies that completed the ritual, just as the ones in the woods outside now are the remains of our expedition.

I... I can barely think straight now, I can no longer even concentrate fully on writing. I am finishing this warning with my hoof writing as my magic is gone, my horn simply fallen off my head to reveal the sickly troll flesh. I am not sure how much longer I can write. I will not be ending my life as I first expressed, though that would be the proper way. I am giving into the change so I might still at least in body be with my Golden.

My skin feels like it is covered in fleas. So itchy... all I hear is that books laughter though I wish I had the foresight to bury Chime's corpse. The smell of it is making me … rather hungry... even as it rots... it seems so tasty...

Itchy.

Tasty.

-

Claymore was pissed, though there was nothing new there , it was becoming a constant state for him.

Due to the bird being on another task his plans to seek the next book would be delayed for a time. That gave the stripe head more time to try and weasel his way out of work. That thought and the boredom of waiting put him in a foul mood.

He had a new sword, he had a mission and yet he was still in the process of hurrying up to wait. He thought he got away from that shit when he left the guards, but noooooooooooo. His boredom was not helped by the fact that his latest toy had killed herself several nights ago. He had thought she was properly broken in, but she still saw her own death as a way to escape him. It was clear he had not broken her enough.

Nocturne was too damn skittish after her encounter with Sombra or whatever his name was. She was always cautious, but her reluctance to do anything with out looking it over twelve ways was grating, this was a new height of paranoia for the damn mare.

Scarlet was off at Canterlot again with some contact or another. Claymore didn't know who she found, but if they trusted that bitch they were fools.

Silver Claw was focused on that new protegee of his and the dragon was never really that good of company to begin with.

The stripe head was buttering up to Nocturne as it was. Stupid racist bastard made himself out to be better than any one else by the sheer fact he was born with a rock in his forehead and a monochrome coat.

He needed to get out of that hole and since no one was stopping him he set out. There was a small town not far from the hideout along the road leading away from Ponyville. A couple of unicorn brothers ran a bar there, Flick and Flame or some such nonsense, he didn't care. The booze was strong and cheap so anything else didn't matter. Maybe he could find a new pet in that place like he did last time.

The faint clack of hooves on the trail ahead of him caught his attention. He paused at the top of the hill looking down at a single cloaked figure trotting along the road heading towards Ponyville. The sway of her form and her canter gave him the impression that this was a female.

He considered ignoring her and pressing on to the bar, though he seemed to have a spring in her step that was a sign of confidence and youth. He smiled darkly his scared face scrunching up hideously. He might not have to go to the bar for a bit of fun after all.

He stood in the path watching her approach, either she did not see him as a threat or had not seen him at all, as she continued on as if he was not there .

A swift twist of his body moved his massive blade within reach of his mouth. He whips the blade from his back slamming it down before her blocking her path, the grin on his face widening as she comes to a stop.

"Well, well, whats a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone this time of day. Night's coming mare. You looking to end up in some monsters belly or some ruffians bed being out like this?"

"You do not know with whom you speak knave. Be gone before what good humor is to be had in your antics flees."

"Seems you don't know who the heck yer messing with either."Claymore grins. This one was haughty he was already picturing what he would need to do to make her more pliable.

"Thou were warned." A soft glow appears under the mares hood and both Claymore and his sword are lifted into the air and flung out of the road to crash into some bushes.

A unicorn, of course. He grips his blade leaping at her bringing the massive weapon around with a growl planning to knock her across the road with the flat of his blade. The weapon clangs loudly stopping dead and rattling his teeth in his skull to the point he was forced to drop the weapon.

"What the bucking hell?" Claymore growls looking at the red shield around the mare.

"You do not know when to give up do you." laughs the mare a wide grin crossing her face.

A shield suddenly forms around Claymore squishing him into a ball. The tiny prison bounces a few times bludgeoning him about in it's confines. He curses prolifically as the mare lifts his sword with her magic taking a few test swings. She grins under her hood a lock of white hair framing the pale blue fur of her face. She swings the blade suddenly connecting with the shield and rocketing the globe into the air towards the Everfree Forest like a baseball headed for the bleachers.

"Let that be a lesson to you brigand, one that Twilight Sparkle will learn soon enough. You do not mess with THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!"