Order, Harmony, and Chaos.
Chapter 9: The Temple of Honesty.
(Hello everyone! sorry, but I might not have the time to update this fanfiction more! And please, I really need you guys review and everything! I need them to survive! So review! :D)
The group stared up at the large structure carved into the gray country side, which could only be described as the front of a cathedral. They used to exist in ancient time, where the people worshipped Celestia and even more as a god, until they slowly abandoned the religion. In the older and larger cities, some of these places remained, slowly crumbling. The entrance was large and imposing, with giant towers and spines, that poked out of the buildings. The doors were huge, with a giant gilded surfaces. On the two sides of the door, two Identical identical statues of Order stood on either side. Then it hit them- The temple was completely symmetrical, down to the tiniest detail. Even the tiny carvings and curves at the very top of the spines.
The group all cautiously approached the entrance, feeling as if the statues watched down on them dissaprovingly, Order's bloodshot eyes staring seemingly into their very soul. They reached the giant door, looking at it expectantly. It had no handles, or buttons, or levers, or anything to open it. Apple Jack stepped forward to inspect it, seeing if it would react to her Element. Nothing happened.
"HEY!" she yelled. She pounded her hooves against it. "HEYHEYEHEY!" she said, louder and louder. She then stood back and inspected the door, wondering what would happen. Suddenly, a loud clunking noise was heard, and with a massive heave, the doors slowly scraped against the ground, squeaking and clunking noisily. They finally opened, showing only inky blackness beyond it. Apple Jack looked back on everyone else. They looked confused. Discord swallowed nervously, while Flim fiddled with his tie.
"Well," Said Apple Jack, turning to face back at the door like it was her new challenge, "We better move on now, shouldn't we?" The party nodded, and made their way through, dissapearing into the inky darkness, the statues of Order still watching them.
XXX
They traveled throughout the darkness for some time, not knowing where they were going. They made sure to only travel forward, It seemed as if you could get lost going into any direction at all, they kept up, walking and walking, for a long, long time. A light slowly appeared in front of them, growing larger and larger. The party began to gallop at it, with Rainbow Dash and Discord flying as fast as they could. They reached the light, and ran through it to find themselves in-
"THE EVER FREE FOREST?" Yelled Flim, Backing up almost immediately, trying to go back. But it was too late. He just stumbled backwards over a hill, and into a tree. Trixie quickly picked him up with his magic, and dragged him back to where they stood. It indeed was, the Ever Free forest, which seemed to stretch in every direction. It was chattering with birds and animals, which was a large change from what they were used to, the eerie silence that always followed them on their journies. The change back to animal noises almost hurt their ears. They stood, looking around in amazement, until Celestia spoke.
"The Ever free forest... I remember this part." She said, seeming to drift off. Discord nodded too.
"Yep, This is the place..." Said Discord, thinking of the old times when their castle was in the forest. All the other ponies looked a bit confused.
"What did happen here?" asked Twilight Sparkle.
"This was the place where we would always camp out..." She trailed off. "And roast marshmallows..."
"This is the place where we would sneak away in the night..." Said Discord. They had been staring at their surroundings for such a long time, that it seemed as if they were almost trapped in their nostalgic memory. This lasted for a while, until Discord shook his head like a dog ridding itself of water.
"Let's keep moving, I can hear something up ahead." he said. They all listened closely. A thumping sound was heard far away. Celestia looked in the direction of the noise.
"It's coming from the old Castle," Said Celestia. "We better move towards it." The group nodded in unison, and galloped off to the noise. After a few minitues of running through the forest, they reached the beginning of the Old Castle ruins. They were very suprised at what they saw.
Order stood in the middle of some overturned and vine covered columns, Concentrating on them with great intensity. His two... Paws, if they could be called that were glowing, and shaping something with them. A tiny, spinning orb appeared, as gray as the ground that was forming outside of the forest. The orb became more and more solid as he shaped it, and he continued until he was satisfied. He released the orb towards the ground. The orb moved slowly to the ground, growing brighter and bigger. It then touched a single blade of grass, and about an inch of gray grew on it. Order looked triumphant as he stared down at the blade of grass, like he had conquered a kingdom. Or a blade of grass. Order was about to ready another orb, when a tiny burst of light, and a 'pop' sound was heard, and the blade of grass sprung back, as green and healthy as ever.
"DAMN IT!" Yelled Order, losing the usual, creepy monotone coolness he had, this time he was truly angry. His eyes turned redder, and he collapsed on the ground, shaking for a few moments. He then stood up straight, and faced the group, no trace of his anger from before left behind.
"I see you've reached me." He said to the group in his monotone voice. Before anyone could speak though, Discord ran from the back of the group to attack Order.
"YOU BASTARD! WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER!" he yelled, a claw extended to attack Order. Order didn't flinch or move or show any fear at all. When it looked like Discord was about to deliver a fatal blow, He just fell through Order as if he were a ghost.
"Ah. Now you see. I'm sorry Discord, but I am merely a projection. The forest around you is a projection of what i'm doing right now. You can't touch things if I don't want you to touch something. Everything in this forest can be transparent at my will." Discord raised one of his hairy eyebrows, barely containing his anger.
"So what are you doing in the Ever Free forest anyway, brother?" Order sighed as he looked at the blade of grass disdaintfully.
"I am trying to change the Ever Free forest back to my perfect designs. However, The spells the Original Elements have placeed keep me from doing anything too it. Nature still runs wild here, in an unorderly fashion. Instead of letting it slowly spread, like in other parts of the land, This one requires my actual prescense." he looked all around the group. "The important matter now, is who is the Element of Honesty?" He asked. A wicked smile formed on his face, while his eyes stayed emotionless. "Now now... Don't lie to me. Step forward." Apple jack follwed his instructions, her eyes full of hate as she stepped forward.
"Yah. Ya' want me?" she asked. Order looked down at her over his beak.
"Ah, I see. The orange one." he said nonchalantly. "Now this part is for you to solve on your own to see if you are really worthy of this element." He waved his hand, and the rest of the group dissapeared, and so did Order. Apple Jack found herself in side of some sort of void, no light, just darkness all around her. She stood there, scared an confused for a few moments, Until Order's voice began to ring about in her head.
"Honesty is the light that shines through the darkness, and takes down illusions. It has it's root in raw power, which you posses. Honesty is not a good thing in it's entirety. Celestia may think that, but I am not fooled by that talk. Honesty is the force that moves revolutions against order, When the honest truth is reavealed about their condition. This has spurred many nations from their Orderly existence. I do not stand for those sorts of things." Order paused talking for a bit, while Apple Jack digested the Information. Honesty? Spurring revolution? Apple Jack had always thought that Honesty was a Harmonius thing. But then again, Order's view on Harmony and Order were warped and twisted, taking away free will in exchange for a brutal tyranny. Order's voice began again.
"Now, you will go through a series of tests to see if you truly deserve the Element of Harmony. Your Honesty will tear down these facades I draw up, And at the end of these passages of illusions and untruth, your Element will sit waiting...And so will your friends. If you can survive my challenge. Do you accept?" Apple Jack looked straight ahead at the point in front of her where she thought Order's voice came from the loudest.
"Whadda' think! Of course I accept your challenge!" She yelled, completely fearless. Order's eye's appeared in front of her.
"Then let the challenge...Begin."
(An: Wooo! Another chapter is done! please give me as much crituques as you can, and reviews, and all that stuff. Review! And also, suggestions! and if you see anything wrong with this fic, Just tell me, And i'll work on my writing skills a bit! ANYTHING! I NEED CRITUQUES.)