Chapter 17

Answers and Questions

Reyna and Jack were marching at the front of the party with the others following. Flute and Pin Kay worked together to carry their injured friend, Twin Star upstream. Lady Styles was last in the group's formation and kept an ear open for any pursuers.

"So, how's Twin look?" asked the barbarian, "She's been out for a few minutes now."

Pin and Flute shook their heads. "She's still all partied out," the bard stated, "but, I don't think she's any worse than before. That's a good thing."

Just then, the sorceress stirred and her eyes opened. "What happened?" she asked as her friends helped her to her hooves, "It feels like a bookshelf fell on me."

Jack answered, "Them doggies must've got the better of you. Don't worry, we're safe now. Reyna here is leading us to some door."

Twin Star's eyes widened. "Door?" she gasped, "I hope it's not the same door that got us into this situation in the first place."

"You got a better idea of where to go next?" Reyna questioned, "If those Diamond Dogs sent ponies through that door then we have to go after them. Besides," she gave a small smile, "Sir Jack thinks he has the answer to the riddle. Remember?"

The six ponies soon came across the gem in the wall and Jack read the riddle aloud, "Can't be seen, can't be felt, can't be heard, can't be smelt. Alright. Lies behind stars and under hills and empty holes it fills. Yuh-huh. Comes first, follows after. Ends life. Kills laughter. Yep! This one's easy."

Lady Styles approached the door and stood in front of it for a moment before complaining, "Well, I wish that you'd just say it already. I can't see a thing in this darkness."

At that moment, the cave shook and the door began to sink into the floor. After only a few brief seconds, another way through the mountain had opened. Jack was the first to poke his head into the shadows of the new opening and commented, "Consarnit, M'Lady. I wanted to give the answer," allowing his voice to echo through the chamber behind him.

The ponies walked through the door into a small, dimly lit chamber. Though they were somewhat cramped, it wasn't too terrible as this room was at least dry. Once they were all aboard, they realized that there was no other way out of the room.

"Hey, what is this?" Reyna asked in protest as she stomped at the floor. She felt something solid shift under the weight of her hoof and the door behind them sealed itself, causing Flute to scream. The six then felt the whole room move as they were forced down for a brief second and heard the turning of gears.

Twin Star declared "This must be some kind of elevator. Everypony look back to the door and get ready for anything."

The others did just that and after a minute, the door opened again. Light poured into the elevator, blinding all aboard for a brief moment. When their vision returned, the ponies could only stand in awe of what lay before them.

The room before the six adventurers was huge and round with a very high ceiling and clean, stone walls. In the middle was a swirling pool of purple fluid and on the far side of the room was an altar of some kind with a group of Diamond Dogs wearing heavy armor standing on it. Amongst the canines was a pony-shaped figure wearing brilliant, indigo robes complete with a hood and golden symbols embroidered on the trim.

"Do you six know how much trouble you caused me?" the robed figure asked from under the shadows of his hood, "Why couldn't you just submit to the dogs like good little ponies? Are you trying to cause trouble?"

Jack stepped forward with the others following and challenged, "Who are you supposed to be? Takin' ponies from their homes in the middle of the night and sendin' 'em away with some Diamond Dogs. That just ain't right!"

"Yeah!" Reyna added, "What kind of stallion are you sending those dogs after us? Afraid to take us on yourself?"

The mysterious figure laughed at the adventurers' challenge, "You seriously think you little foals can take on the likes of me? Do you have any idea how powerful one has to be to put these canines in their proper place and turn these pathetic catacombs into a proper fortress? YOU think you can challenge ME? HA!" His tone became dark and threatening as he finished, "A new sun is rising, my little ponies, and it has no need for your queen."

"Enough talk!" Screamed Reyna before she let out a battle cry and flew at the mysterious, robed pony. Just as she was halfway across the vortex, a beam of bright, white light shot out from under her foes hood and struck one of her wings. Reyna's cry for battle turned into a scream of pain as she fell from the air and into the swirling pool below.

"Reyna!" The others called out in chorus before Flute asked as threateningly as she could, "What did you do to our friend?"

The robed figure threw his head back in evil laughter before telling them, "See for yourself!" and waving a hoof at them. Seeing his gesture, the dogs at his sides rushed around the poll, at the party. The adventurers turned back to the elevator, only to see its doors shut and hear the turning of gears again.

"All things considered," Lady Styles was panicking, "I'll take my chances with the evil bubble bath," and then she jumped into the purple vortex. Jack followed right after her, then Flute, Pin and Twin Star. As the adventurers slipped into the vortex, they could hear the howling laughter of their enemy becoming quieter and quieter...

Jack lay alone, floating in a large fountain when he woke up. The knight slowly found his footing at the bottom of the pool and stood up, the water only covering his legs. He shook a few drops of water from his suit of armor and looked around.

He appeared to be in some kind of town. Around the fountain was a paved road that branched off in many directions. There were buildings and street signs as well as street lamps. In the middle of the fountain he stood in was a pedestal with a ball of gold sitting atop it. "Where the hay am I?" The knight wondered aloud.

"That's a good question," said a familiar voice behind him. Turning around, he saw Twin Star and she greeted him, "It's good to see that somepony else made it out of... whatever that was. Where are the others?"

"I don't know," he answered, "I just woke up in this place and I ain't seen anypony familiar. Well, asides from you. In fact," He looked around again, "I don't see anypony at all."

Twin Star looked around and saw that even though they were definitely in some kind of town, there were no ponies on the streets. "Well, it is the middle of the night," she reasoned, "Maybe they're all in bed?"

Before he could answer, Jack heard the sounds of whispering just next to the fountain. "Who's there?" he said, "Show yourself!"

A pony in a brown hooded cape peeked over the edge and the fountain and brought a hoof to his lips. "Shush!" he urged in a hushed voice, "I know you must be new to The Colony, but you have to keep your voice down. If the guards hear you then we'll all be in trouble. Understand?"

Twin Star tilted her head. "The Colony?" she queried, "What do you mean? Where are we?"

"No time to explain," the newcomer told them, "Just follow me and stay quiet."

The knight and the sorceress nodded and followed the stranger down one of the streets of the nearly silent town.

Reyna struggled to her hooves, but finally managed to stand up. She was next to some kind of fountain in the middle of a courtyard. Everywhere she looked there were statues of ponies from the past that had done great things, but these monuments had fallen into disrepair with many pieces missing and cracks running all over them. The savage pony started walking through the courtyard with only a strange, pale light from a golden sphere in the fountain to light her way.

In some of the overgrown hedges next to her, Reyna heard something move. "I see you!" She yelled as she pounced at the movement. She struggled with the other figure for only a brief second, quickly pinning them and shooting a threatening gaze at her eyes.

Very familiar eyes.

"Um, Reyna," Flute was as quiet as ever even though she was on the verge of tears, "Could you please get off of me. This looks like something out of A Long Night in Coldfell."

Reyna blushed with embarrassment and quickly let Flute out from under her hooves. "Sorry about that," she apologized, "I didn't know it was you. Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she answered, "Don't worry about me. I'm just a little lost."

"That makes two of us," Reyna tried to assure her friend, "Maybe we can find out where we are if I fly up and take a look."

The barbarian spread her wings, but had to fold them again right away. She cringed and grunted as she took a look at her left wing and saw a large patch of burnt feathers. "Then again, I could use a good walk," she tried to sound tough, "Come on, there has to be a way out of here."

Lady Styles stirred under silk sheets and eventually opened her eyes. She was lying in a bed in a richly decorated room. Paintings hung on the walls, a fireplace sat on the far side of the chamber with a flame already burning inside and a pair of very large windows allowed a very of a large garden far below. "Well," she got out of bed and smiled, "a mare could get used to this."

Just then, she heard a voice outside. "I don't care if it takes all night," it was angry and authoritative, "find where those little heroes appeared or I'll send the lot of you back to the mines! Am I understood?"

The door to her chamber opened shortly after that and in walked the pony from the altar. "You!" she charged the robed figured, but was stopped just inches away from his face. She floated in the air, surrounded by a white light and was floated back to her bed.

"Yes, me," the robed figure spoke, "You are very rude to attack someone that is treating you so kindly."

Lady Styles was confused and irritated, "Kindly! You sent those dogs after us and barged into my chambers without knocking. Somepony really should teach you to be a proper gentlecolt."

The dark figure chuckled and replied, "You don't seem to understand. Most ponies around here treat their prisoners as just that; prisoners. I am treating you as my guest, my lady."

"Oh, puh-lease!" Styles huffed, "Don't try acting so proper now. Just tell me what you did to my friends!"

Just then, Pin Kay burst into the room. "Hi, Lady Styles!" she almost sang, "I just woke up in a really cool room in this fancy castle and there are Diamond Dogs everywhere, but they aren't attacking me or anything and there's a whole table full of food and... and..." she trailed off but eventually asked, "Isn't that the weird pony from that room with the swirly thingy?"

The robed figure walked past Pin Kay and left the room, telling them, "you are free to roam about the castle as you wish, the dogs will keep you out of wherever you're not supposed to be. If you need anything simply ask the guards and they'll bring it to you. Don't try to leave or... well, there are worse things around here than just me and the dogs."

Just as the robed pony left the room, a chill ran up Lady Style's spine. "Um, Pin Kay," she asked, "Where do you suppose we are?"

Pin Kay shrugged, "I don't know, but if we're with that guy then it probably isn't a good place to be. We should find the others and get out of here as quick as we can."

The thief agreed and looked out the window again. Out in the courtyard she could see a fountain with a golden ball sitting in the middle of it on a pedestal. For a moment, she though she saw something moving in the hedges, but then decided it was only the wind or a small animal. "Wherever the others wound up," her voice shook, "I hope that they're safe."