Chapter Twenty One: Pass or Fail
In a large stadium like cavern two doors opened at almost the same time. Several torch laden pillars sparked to life bringing light to a small portion the massive pitch black space. Anthony and Twilight were the first to enter. Seeing they were safe Twilight stood smiling up at Anthony, unable to hide the joy of his confession.
"What er ya so happy about?" asked Apple Jack as she and Adrian walked through the other door and towards them.
Anthony reached down and ran his hand through Twilight's mane.
"Well it's about buckin time you two owned up ta yer feelings." said Apple Jack as she hugged Twilight.
The comment caused the purple pony to blush brightly.
Anthony noticed a third door nearby which remained closed tight.
"Have either of you seen Dustin or Rainbow Dash?"
"Nope. We haven't seen anybody until we found you two." was the reply.
"Nice armor." said Anthony looking over his friend.
"Same to you."
Adrian whistled as he took in the rest of the room. Just on the edge of the torches light was a mound of gold and gems. He walked over and grabbed a torch and headed for the nearby pile. As he got closer the torches flame revealed more rolling hills of gold and jewels. There were pieces of armor and various weapons strewn into the mix as well.
"Land sakes, there must be more gold down here then in the treasury of Canterlot."
"That doesn't make any sense." added Twilight. "The only reason for there to be that much gold in a cave like this would be a….."
The ground shook as gold coins and trinkets started to cascade down over each other in waves.
"DRAGON!"
Adrian and Anthony quickly stepped in front of Twilight and Apple Jack. They watched as the remainder of the cavern flared to life and a giant blue and white dragon slowly raised out of the mountain of gold.
Once he had emerged the massive dragon stretched and roared loudly. Rubbing his eyes he looked down at the group as his vision slowly cleared.
"Thy third has not completed his trials, I shall wait to observe thine outcome." said the dragon in a low ominous tone.
"Wait for what?" yelled Anthony in response.
"To see if I shall kill you!"
….
Tears streamed down Dustin's face as he climbed back to his feet. Slowly the black ooze drained out of the barrier. As the level lowered Dustin saw that nothing remained of the rainbow maned pony.
"RAINBOW DASH!"
The sight of the empty cage caused him to yell out in both anger and pain. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts and emotions he didn't hear the black tar starting to bubble and churn to his right. It was movement that finally snapped him back to his current situation. The ooze had extended up out of the fountain and taken a slender black ponylike form. Now he had a target, a place to focus the rage. He whipped up his rifle and fired a shot to the head and two for the chest. The first two rounds seemed to past through the goo but the third made a distinct sound and the form lurched backwards. It snapped its head up and seemingly stared into Dustin's very soul. He found himself entranced by these oval eyes with large blue irises, and narrow catlike pupils. He couldn't help but see Luna in the figure for some reason. He took aim once again but couldn't pull the trigger. The image of Luna continued to transpose itself over the creature. A sinister female laugh echoed around the chamber as Luna charged. Out of sheer reflex he fired, but the shots passed through the creature with no obvious effect. Dustin turned and ran to the fountains edge where he knew the pathway would give him more room.
Glancing over his shoulder he saw Luna starting to close the distance. He hit the wall and grabbed a nearby torch before spinning around to face her. He thrust the torch forward and the form glided to a stop. The flame of the torch was close enough that the tar seemed to melt away along with the image of Luna. The creatures chest dripped open revealing a gold and red amulet where there should have been its' heart. Then the torch flared out. Dustin dropped it and made a break for the next torch but the black mare cut the distance across the fountain and beat him there. He turned and ran back the other way, however the figure reacted almost as quickly. With that Dustin spun on the balls of his feet and headed back the opposite way. He lunged forward and yanked the torch off the wall throwing it into the fountain. The fire quickly spread across the liquid and the creature howled in pain. It moved around the fountain trying in vain to avoid being engulfed in flames.
"Now you can die the same way she did. Slow and painful!"
The creature screamed loudly as it galloped forward at Dustin. He charged ahead in turn meeting it at the edge of the fountain. Despite the burn the ooze had delivered earlier he rammed his hand into the monsters chest grabbing hold of the amulet and started to pull. He yanked hard and the ooze seemed to solidify around his wrist.
"Give it up and DIE you bitch!"
With one more mighty jerk Dustin's hand and the amulet came free causing him to fall backwards against the wall, as the flame finally caught the creature. It squirmed and twisted, flailing about in an attempt to extinguish the fire that was consuming it. Dustin simply glared at the creature, taking in its agony.
"WHY?" came Luna's voice as the figure melted back into the fountain.
Dustin stood in the fires light questioning everything. Why had he seen Luna in the black figure and heard her voice. He started to cry as he looked over the odd jewelry in his shaking hand. Rainbow Dash was dead, because of him. He should have tried harder. Done something. The look of pain she had was burned into his mind. All his friends could have met the same fate. He didn't know what to do other then push ahead and hope he could find them. But what if he found them trapped like Rainbow Dash and he was unable to save them, just like he couldn't save her. He couldn't bear to helplessly watch another die, but he couldn't sit and do nothing. With a quick survey of the room he spotted the next door staggering along the wall towards it..
…..
Twilight and Apple Jack both jumped at the sound of the door opening behind them.
"Dustin!" they shouted together as they saw him stumble out of the darkness.
Twilight ran to check him over as Apple Jack ran to the doorway and peered inside.
"Uh Dustin, where's Rainbow Dash?"
Dustin dropped to his knees and stared at the floor not speaking a word. What could he say? How could he tell them he had let her die.
"Are you alright?, asked Twilight."
There was no response.
"Thy Third has Failed! Now you ALL shall DIE!" boomed the dragons deep voice as its eye's flashed red.
The ground shook again as armor clad skeletons of both humans and ponies rose up from the gold and started making their way towards the group.
"Apple Jack wanna come give me a hand with these bone heads?" asked Adrian reaching over his shoulder and drawing his massive sword.
"I'm on it!" she replied stepping up to his side.
"Twilight keep an eye on Dustin. We'll handle this." ordered Anthony as he reached back for his rifle.
Much to his surprise he found himself pulling up a beautifully crafted re-curve bow. He reached over his other shoulder for an arrow but found the butt stock of his rifle.
"He gets a sword and shield and I get a bow with no fucking arrows, what the fuck." he remarked dropping the bow and swinging his rifle off his other shoulder.
"That don't work on em." hollered Adrian as he started towards the the nearest skeleton.
"Well shit! What the hell am I suppose to do?"
Anthony reached down and picked up the discarded bow looking around for any stray ammo.
"Ya gonna help anytime soon?"taunted Adrian severing a skeleton cleanly in two.
"Yeah, here!" replied Anthony sarcastically as he started to draw the bow.
An arrow of white light started to form, growing larger as he pulled the string further back. Startled he let the string go and the magic arrow shot forward.
"That'll work." he remarked drawing the bow to it's full length and taking aim at one of the skeleton's in front of Adrian.
He took a deep breath and released the arrow of light. It screamed through the air and found its target. The skeleton on the receiving end nearly exploded from the arrows impact. Anthony and Adrian both stood for a second in shock.
"About damn time." remarked Adrian as he slammed his shield into a pony to his left.
….
"Dustin. What happened to Rainbow Dash?…Where is she?….. It will be okay, we can go get her together. Please just talk to me." said Twilight in a soothing tone.
"She's dead." whispered Dustin softly.
"What was that?"
"SHE'S DEAD!" he yelled looking up into her eyes.
The pain she saw was so deep Twilight could feel it. The sudden revelation caused Adrian, Anthony, and Apple Jack to stop cold in their tracks. Apple Jack turned and ran to Twilight's side.
"What did you just say?"
"Rainbow Dash is dead! I couldn't save her. I tried and tried but….."
Tears started down Twilight and Apple Jacks faces.
"We can mourn later you three. If you don't get it together we're all gonna end up the same way." said Anthony firing another arrow.
He couldn't explain it but every arrow he fired seemed to find it's target. However, every shot caused him to feel a little more fatigued. Suddenly a line of new skeletons raised up out of the top of a pile of gold. This group was different then the others as they were not wearing any armor. Once they were fully emerged they each raised and drew a bow taking aim at the small band of friends.
Anthony sprang into action whipping around and firing six shots in rapid succession. When he released the last shot he dropped to a knee as if the energy had been sucked out of him.
"What's the matter?" asked Twilight blasting an approaching corpse.
"I'm not sure. I felt weak all of a sudden." replied Anthony using the bow to help him stand back up.
Without warning, Dustin jumped to his feet and ran towards his friends. Seeing Anthony and Adrian's new weapons he scooped up a sword from a downed skeleton as he charged into the approaching horde. Screaming like a mad man, he started swinging recklessly at any target that presented itself.
"God Damn Dustin get your head in the game." yelled Adrian running forward to help.
Images and memories of Rainbow Dash played though Dustin's mind as more and more skeleton's emerged from the piles of gold. His rage only built as he hacked and slashed his way into the mob. He wasn't going to let anyone else die. Even if it meant dying himself. As he pushed further ahead into the fray the ancient sword he was swinging so wildly finally shattered from the abuse. He dropped the broken weapon, balled up his hand and swung hard at the head of the closest corpse. A dark red, gauntlet covered fist struck the side of a skeletons' head knocking it clean off its body. Dustin didn't even take the time to notice the piece of armor. Seeing a sword swing coming from his left he instinctively raised his arm to block. He felt the impact of the blow, but the sword was deflected away by the armor which now covering his other arm. He reached behind his shoulder for his rifle only to grasp the handle of a sword. He drew it up and out, not caring where it had come from, and continued his rage filled onslaught.
Twilight and Apple Jack pushed their way into the melee bucking and blasting anything in their way until they where in the middle of the triangle the humans had formed.
The dragon raised its head high sucking in air as it climbed.
"Not Good!" shouted Twilight but her voice was drowned out by the continuous sound of steel striking steel.
"FIRE!" she yelled catching the attention of everybody.
The dragon dropped its head down level with the ground as a wall of flame erupted from its mouth. Adrian grabbed Apple Jack and ran ahead of Dustin slamming his shield down onto the ground in front of them. Twilight's horn glowed brightly causing a defensive shield spell to materialized around her and Anthony. Wave after wave of flame cascaded around both shields. Adrian held firm praying the heat wouldn't melt the metal protection he was holding.
"We have to do something about that dragon!" yelled Anthony over the roar of the flames.
"Dustin!" yelled Apple Jack looking at his half armored form. "Yer fightin crazier then a bull seein red. Get yer beans in a row and lets work tagether."
Dustin crouched low ignoring her pleads. He sat staring at his reflection in the slender slightly curved blade of his new found sword, lost in his thoughts. But, as the flame subsided he was back on his feet pushing forward into the mass of now burning skeletons. Before Anthony and Adrian could react the mob turned it's focus to him and he was quickly surrounded.
"Bring it, you son's a bitches! I'll crush every last one a you." he yelled striking out to one side then the other.
"CLANK"
A sword struck the back of Dustin's now armored leg forcing him down to one knee. He raised his own sword up to block a blow but it was knocked out of the way and several weapons started to bear down on him. When there was no killing blow Dustin looked up to see what was going on. Terror filled him as he was looking down the dragon's maw. It's massive teeth grew larger and larger as they drew closer. He quickly fumbled around pulling a grenade off his molly vest. The dragons jaws surrounded him, as he pulled the pin and lobbed the grenade into the dragon's throat.
As the massive mouth started to close around him a burst of color shot through the gap between the dragon's teeth and struck, knocking him out the other side.
"That's TWICE newbie!" came a familiar raspy voice.
Dustin looked into the most beautiful crimson eyes he had ever seen as he slid across the piles of gold . He threw his arms around Rainbow Dash's neck and pulled her tight against his chest. There was a muffled boom and the dragon's head recoiled upward from the pain of the explosion inside it.
"Rainbow Dash! Your ALIVE!" yelled Apple Jack seeing the familiar rainbow streak through the air.
Filled with rage the dragon sucked in far more air then before. The mass of flames swept across the floor of gold and barreled down towards the group. Again Adrian pulled Apple Jack behind the cover of his shield. Twilight and Anthony were looking over at Dustin and the rambunctious pegasus, and didn't take notice quite fast enough. The roaring of the approaching flame caught Anthony's attention however. As if guided by instinct he raised his arm and an odd aura surrounded his hand. Then a bright blue barrier appeared in front of him and Twilight parting the flames around the couple. Twilight stared in disbelief at Anthony's new found magic.
When the flames subsided all eyes turned to Dustin and Rainbow Dash.
"AIR!" gasped Rainbow Dash as she tapped her hoof on the breast plate of Dustin's armor.
Dustin loosened his grip off the mare he loved but refused to let go completely.
"What's goin on?" she asked looking over the expression on his face.
"I thought I lost you Skittles. I saw you die." he replied pulling her back against him again.
"Well, it wasn't me. I got sucked into that bucking mirror and I wandered around the caverns looking for everypony. Then I heard you calling my name so I followed the sound til I found you."
Dustin hugged her again and looked over to his friends, his mind now focused on keeping them all alive. Much to his surprise he couldn't see anything. He and Rainbow Dash were encased in some kind of cocoon. He let go of her and started to stand which caused the black metal shell to unwrap from around them. As the shell unfolded a strange but oddly familiar sensation pasted through his back. Looking over his shoulder he found a black and red metal outstretched wing protruding off his armored suit. Just like in his dreams he focused on moving the muscles where he could feel the wings attached. With that they both flapped inward sending out a breeze which whipped around the rainbow mane of his mare friend. When Rainbow Dash took notice her smile slowly grew larger and larger..
"NO WAY!" she exclaimed zipping around him.
Dustin smiled at her seconds before a streamlined helmet formed around his head. He walked up joining Adrian and Anthony with sword in hand as his new wings folded in on themselves twice and came to rest firmly against his back. With that the trio looked at each other and nodded as they prepared for the fight.
"You four keep em busy while Twilight and I figure out how to bring down that dragon." ordered Anthony.
Adrian charged forward along side Dustin and smashed through the mob of corpses with his shield. The power behind the charge sent the group flying backwards. Carrying forward with his momentum, he cleaved through several ponies with a sweep of the massive sword. Another ran in behind him only to explode from the impacted of a glowing white arrow. Dustin swung his sword in large arcs, it's curved blade crashed through corpse after corpse.
"So are we just gonna sit here like a bunch a foals or are we gonna help?" asked Rainbow Dash looking over at the other two mares.
"Right!" replied Twilight running to Anthony.
Rainbow Dash disappeared in a whirl of dust. She spread her wings as she approached the front line and spun around bucking the helmet covered head of a human skeleton. With a loud clank the head separated from its' shoulders and struck the skeleton behind it.
Twilight blasted the dragon with an attack spell followed closely by a hit from one of Anthony's arrows. The dragon jerked from the impact of the combo but seemed relatively uninjured from the attack. There was a flash in the dragon's eyes as a new wave of skeletons rose, flanking the group forcing Twilight and Anthony to join their friends in defense. Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash, Adrian and Dustin continued to smash away at the unending horde.
"Hey newbie, it's easier to fight em up here." called out Rainbow Dash from above.
Dustin focused and his new found wings unfolded outward. He gave a hard thrust which propelled him upward faster then expected and he crashed into the cavern ceiling before failing back to the floor.
Dustin's ears were ringing as he shook his head. He started to raise himself up, but a sudden intense pain in his chest caused him to fall flat on his face with a grunt.
"DUSTIN!" cried Rainbow Dash as she zipped over next to him. "Are you okay?"
A muffled groan was the only response. With that Rainbow Dash straddled his body and lowered her head as she looked at the approaching corpses.
"If you want him you'll have to go through me!" she shouted with a snort.
The dragon raised its head once again, watching the battle with great amusement. A broad smile crossed its' face at the humans and ponies fighting side by side as true friends.
Rainbow Dash jumped to the side as Dustin slowly raised his head and started to push himself up off the floor to his knees. He reached out grabbing her for support as a wave of pain surged through his body.
"Don't Dustin. I don't want you to hurt yourself more."
The others were doing their best to hold off the attackers, but they were slowly losing ground. In a last ditch effort Twilight surrounded the group with a magical barrier separating them from the skeleton hordes. The skeletons piled against the barrier pounding on it with their weapons, fists, and hooves. Twilight strained to maintain the protective field, but despite her efforts cracks started to appear in the shell.
"ENOUGH!" growled the dragon. His voice booming through the cavern as the skeletons all collapsed into small piles on the ground.
With ragged breath the group fell back into defensive formation around Rainbow Dash and Dustin. They held their ground preparing for whatever the dragon would bring next.
"What a marvelous display." laughed the dragon as he lowered his head back to the floor.
"To summon the armor of flight in the throes of battle, through sheer will alone is most impressive. The three of you truly are worthy indeed. I feared this day would never come, how many millennium have past?"
"Who are you, and why were you trying to kill us?" yelled Twilight, her voice filled with anger.
"I am Gorath son of Morath, the guardian of this chamber. It gives me great honor to proclaim your victory. These trials were designed to test the mind, body, and spirit of all who entered, but also to test the friendship and loyalty between the human knight's and ponykind."
"So how did you end up down here?" asked Anthony as he cautiously removed his helmet.
"In my youth I caused great pain and suffering to ponies throughout the land. The king and queen had no choice and struck me down, ending my tyranny. However, King Cosmos showed mercy and spared my life. In return I swore my life to him, to serve however he felt necessary. Not long after, a Minotaur Warlord named Kerrib attacked the pony nations. Against King Arthur's orders, three brave holy knights from the court of Avalon arrived to help unite the ponies in battle against the minotaurs onslaught. Out of gratitude for their aid, King Cosmos commissioned the creation of this armor to protect them as they forged their way in battle. After the fall of Kerrib and the banishment of the humans the king told me that one day the humans would return. I swore to stay in the cavern to test any humans that came seeking the power of the armor. While I would consider your survival a cause for celebration, I fear what your arrival brings. This means Kerrib has been freed and the ponies are again in grave danger. I am sure you have a great deal of questions, but I have little time left in this world. Even now I feel my life force starting to drain, so allow me to tell you about your prize."
"Dustin, the Armor of Flight has obvious benefits, created from the ore of a fallin star it gives the magic of the pegasi. With it you shall walk among them on the clouds and fly gloriously into battle with speed and grace.
Rainbow Dash looked at Dustin excitedly for a moment, the though of them being able to fly together for real caused a smile to cross her face.
"Adrian, you now possess the armor of strength, the magic of the earth ponies is yours to command. It was forged from the densest metal from deep within the dragon mountains. Only time will tell the limits of you new strength."
"And Anthony the armor of magic which you now wear is special to me."
Gorath raised his left wing revealing a patch of missing scales on his side.
"I gave my own scales for that armor. They are stronger then the hardest steel, and as durable as time itself. However, the unexpected has happened. This armor was designed to siphon part of the magic from a unicorn and transfer it to a human. By doing so it would awaken any latent magical abilities which were lost over time. The king however did not anticipate an Alicorn being the magic donor. You see a unicorn's magic has limitations. Once it is depleted it will slowly regenerate, But when you and Twilight connected even I was shocked at the amount of raw magic she possessed. This power now flows through you. Alicorn magic is endless, but your body still has its own limitations, so use it wisely.
The amulets which each of you now possess will allow you to summon or dismiss the armor either piece by piece or in its entirety, regardless of where you may be. It may also react to your emotions and be summoned by reflex alone. With this armor the three of you are truly prepared to battle the minotaurs. Now be warned! Kerrib is merciless in his endeavors. He does not seek to rule over ponykind, but to eradicate it from the land. If he does so any unfortunate survivors will be enslaved and forced to endure a life of pain and brutally. You must not let this come to pass."
"What else can you tell us? How many soldiers does he have? Does he have any specific weaknesses? How soon can we expect his attack?" asked Adrian.
"I am sorry, my time here is ending. Go forth into battle and fight with strength and honor."
"Could ya at least tell us how ta get outta here? I don know if we could find our way back out, this place is more twisted then a gopher tunnel." said Apple Jack.
Gorath nodded before resting his head on the floor. As his eyes closed his massive tail drove outward like a spear striking the cavern wall. There was a loud crash as rock and crystal fell to the floor. Slowly Gorath pulled back his tail and sunlight started to shine in through the debris.
"Thank you for everything, are you sure there is nothing we can do to help you?" asked Anthony.
"I have been alive long past my years, and I welcome death as you would welcome an old friend. I offer you all a final gift, the gold in this chamber is now yours. Use it to aid your preparations for the battles which are sure to come."
With that the mighty dragon exhaled a final time. His scales seemed to glisten slightly and then his body started to decay. Before long all that remained in front of the group was a massive skeleton. The group looked at each other wondering just what to do next.
"I guess we had better go tell Princess Celestia what happened. Maybe she can give us a little more insight about this armor as well." said Anthony with a shrug.
"And we should get some ponies down here to move all this gold." added Twilight taking in the true size of the cache.
"What about Dustin?" asked Rainbow Dash slightly irritated and the others lack of concern..
"It's alright Skittles. I just need to rest for a bit. You guys go on ahead, I'll catch up when I feel a bit better.
"Are you NUTS! I can't go back to the castle without you, Luna would kill me." said Rainbow Dash in a near state of panic.
Twilight worried her lip as she considered their options.
"Rainbow Dash is right. I'm not sure we should leave you behind in your current condition. What if something happened? I don.."
Dustin dismissed her concerns with a wave.
"I'll be fine. I just need to let my muscles relax for a bit. I promise I'll see the doctor when we get back."
Adrian walked over and laid his large tower shield on the ground next to Dustin.
"Get on! We'll carry you back."
Dustin shook his head as he realized he wasn't going to win the argument. With the help of his friends he laid on the shield. Anthony and Adrian each grabbed an end and started to lift. The side Adrian was on shot upward, however the other end barely moved. The sudden change of angle made Dustin slide off into Anthony and they both hit the ground.
Oh shit! Groaned Dustin clutching his chest.
"How the hell are you lifting that thing?" asked Anthony as he carefully worked out from underneath Dustin.
"I dunno. It doesn't feel that heavy to me."
Anthony helped Dustin back on the shield and Adrian reached over the top of him grabbing both sides. With a grunt he lifted the shield off the ground and stood up.
"I guess I'll carry him."
After what felt like hours they finally approached the edge of Canterlot catching the attention of a guard patrol. The armored ponies charged towards them in a V attack formation. As they neared the V split and they encircled the small group.
Twilight stepped forward, spread her wings and focused magic into her horn causing it to glow brightly. With that the guards quickly lowered their weapons and bowed.
"Our apologizes Princess. Is there anything we can do to assist you?" said the patrol leader, slightly flustered.
"Yes, Sir Dustin has been injured please fetch the royal chariot so we can get him to the hospital as soon as possible."
"Right away your Highness!"
The patrol leader turned and pointed at two of the guards. Without a word they turned and ran back towards the city.
…...
Luna paced impatiently across the throne room shaking her head.
"Sister it has been far to long, one of us should have accompanied them. Perhaps I should take a contingent of guards and head into the caverns myself. Who knows what has happened. They could be lost, or injured, or possible de…."
Luna came to an abrupt stop as she found herself nose to nose with Celestia.
"Do you have such little faith in the Knights of Equestria?" asked Celestia with her usual smile. "The caverns are vast, but these humans are quite resourceful, I find it unlikely that any misfortune has befallen them."
At that moment the throne room doors burst open and a guard charged in.
"Princesses!" the guard almost yelled with a bow. "Princess Twilight and her friends have been found on the outskirts of the city. Sir Dustin is injured, a royal chariot has been dispatched to take them to the hospital."
Celestia's smile quickly faded under Luna's gaze. With a flash, Luna disappeared.
…..
Dustin groaned loudly and grabbed his chest as he was lifted off the chariot.
"Take it easy you guys, that shit hurt."
"I see you have found armor befitting of your stations!" came Luna's voice as she walked out of the hospital. She gently picked Dustin up with her magic and carried him inside, followed closely by Rainbow Dash and the rest of the group.
"How bad are your injuries my love?" she asked placing him down on the same bed he was in after Chrysilis' attack.
"Well…"
"If you'll excuse me your highness I can answer that in just a moment." remarked the doctor from behind her.
His horn glowed as he started to to examine Dustin with his magic. He stopped abruptly and gave Dustin a puzzled look. My magic can't seem to penetrate that armor. We'll have to remove it.
"I'd love to doc but the dragon didn't exactly say HOW to do that!"
"A DRAGON! Under the Castle?" exclaimed Luna.
"It's a long story."
"Try thinking about where you want it to go, like to your room in the castle. He said we could call or dismiss it at will." replied Anthony.
Dustin focused on his bed in the castle and piece by piece the armor started to disappear, revealing the gear he had worn into the caverns.
"That'll work." he said with a smile as he looked back to the doctor.
Once again the doctors' horn started to glow. After a few moments it dimmed and the pony shook his head. I had instructed you to take things easy for awhile, it appears you have aggravated your previous injuries. However, there doesn't appear to be any additional damage outside of the magic burns to your arm. You should be okay after a few days of rest.
Luna let out a sigh as she shook her head.
"I'm glad you made it back, I was worried about you all."
"Things got a little crazy down there…."
As Dustin rested the other's told Luna and Celestia the tale of their adventure.
….….
Aura shivered beneath the snow. The changling partol had come out of nowhere and caught him by surprise. His only course of action was to dive into a nearby snow drift. Now the changlings hoovered overhead guarding the mouth of the canyon he had come from.
"We need more!" yelled Chrysalis.
The patrols all converged on the mountain to assist. Aura saw his chance and made a break for the canyon. A sickening crack echoed off the cliffs followed by the sound of a thousand breaking windows.
"YES!" cried the queen as the crystal barrier started to crumble.
The barrier exploded outwards sending stone and crystal flying in every direction. Drones scattered frantically trying to avoid the debris. Many were to slow, being wounded or crushed in the fray. Aura felt the wave of magical power that burst outward from the mountain and started to run. Crystals the size of chariots crashed into the the ground and cliffs around him as he ran. He had know choice but to use his magic to deflect or destroy the projectiles.
"Stop him you fools!" ordered Chrysalis.
Two drone patrols broke from the maelstrom and rushed towards Aura.
A giant piece of crystal landed high up the mountain there was a rumble and an avalanche of snow started to rapidly descend down its face. Aura picked up his pace trying to get ahead of the incoming torrent. As the first wave drew near he charged forward with everything he had. He looked over his should and watched as the avalanche filled the canyon behind him burying his pursuers. However a long thunderous battle cry downed out all the chaos as it echoed through the canyon causing him to slide to a stop. The ferocity of the cry sent a shiver through Aura like he had never felt before.
…..
"I AM FREE!" shouted Kerrib raising his battle axe above his head in a stretch. Crystal dust glittered as it fell from the joints of the rune engraved plate mail armor that adorned his near seven foot frame. He slammed the flat of his ax against his massive tower shield as if ringing a bell.
One by one the other forty minotaurs and one human in the fortress courtyard, broke free from the crystals grasp and howled.
"That fool, King Cosmos and his ponies shall pay for this cowardly trap." shouted Kerrib as his soldiers rallied around him.
"And just how do you intend on doing that with the King already dead?" came a female voice from above him.
Kerrib raised his ax and prepared to strike down his unnoticed intruder.
"A changling assassin! Have at thee you spineless murderer."
"Oh Great Lord Kerrib." said Chrysalis with a bow and a smile as she landed on the ground. "I am Queen Chrysalis leader of the changlings, and am no threat to you. Times have changed and we have a common foe."
"Is your honor less assassins magic the cause of the kings death? If so I will strike you down where you stand. I intended to watch the life leave his eyes as he died by my hands."
"I do not know how the king met his end, but I know it was several thousand years ago that he perished. His daughters now rule this kingdom, and I have freed you to aid me in conquering this land."
"INDIGO! How could this be?"
"My Lord Kerrib." said the cloaked human in the crowd as he stepped forward. "It would be possible that the crystal prison froze us from time as well. Such a result is not unheard of in the realm of magic."
"If what you say is true changling, The the sins of the father shall fall unto his children!"
"Now that is exactly what I had in mind." replied Chrysalis with a wicked grin.
…..