A/N: Alright, another chapter.
Last night was the series finale for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, the show that had resulted in this fanfiction to spawn into action. I haven't watched the three-parter yet since I was busy last night, but I plan to check it out when I finish work. Honestly, I can't believe I actually made it this far with the show, and I would like to thank everyone at Hasbro, the voices, animators and writers for such a good show. I plan to tell more about my feelings on the show once I have wrapped up with Learning To Live.
There's only seven chapters left for this story until the book closes up, as I feel as I am beginning to enter that phase where I have begun moving on to other stuff. As much as I would have loved to keep this story going, work and life matters play a big role as well on why I have lost a lot of interest in writing sometimes. Plus I have some original material that I am eager to get to work on as soon as possible.
Next chapter will most likely be much shorter, but honestly, with me beginning to run out of ideas, it explains why I am shortening down the chapters. But I believe that the ending for this story will be really sad, but worth the read.
We had stepped through the portal, once again embracing the winter chill of a blizzard when my boots set foot onto the snow. My eyes squint a bit from the fast falling snow that blew across the faces of my friends, love and myself. I get used to the snow falling onto after a bit of moving forward, seeing the stones of the lost temple on our right.
"Why'd we have to go in the freezing cold?" Blueblood complains behind me. "Right now, I could be home in Canterlot, enjoying some goood hors d'oeuvres."
Daring Do turns to look at him as I was leading the group. "Look, the sooner we grab the book from the temple, the quicker you can return home to your paradise of living in the castle."
I can hear Blueblood laugh for a moment before he responded to her. "And I am glad that I will be when that time comes. Enjoying the time of my proper 'friends' and not partying out loud unlike some certain pink pony - I enjoy it more quiet with respected music like classical. As if human scum here has the right to listen and enjoy the music taste I have."
I wasn't at all bothered by this point of Blueblood's insults, as I have gotten used to being mocked by him or insulted for that matter. After all, the first time I went face-to-face with him was when he shoved my other love Coco aside to throw more of his petty insults at me and tell me I wasn't welcome in Equestria while others welcomed me with open hooves.
"Blueblood, that's enough." My wife Twilight says to him.
"Did I strike a nerve with you, Princess?" Blueblood says to her.
I turn and look at Twilight. "Don't respond to him, Twi. He just wants a reaction out of you." I told her.
She smiles for a moment, moving closer to me, nuzzling me on the front chest as all of us are heading up the stairs towards the giant two-door entrance.
It's appearance is much more bronze unlike the dull grey in the stones for it's outside walls. Above the temple are statues that guard from above, blood dragons... though they are petrified into stone, as if something had happened here that the legends have not told about. That I may or may never know, but I have to keep going.
Once at the top of the steps, I place my hands onto the bronze doors. I push the both of them open, bringing a bit of light into the dark interior of the temple which showed a hallway, with only two ways at the end.
I can hear somepony channelling magic to their horn, seeing that it was Twilight as she lights up the way inside. I turn around to look at everypony else, seeing their reactions as we step inside of the temple.
Daring Do keeps in her brave side, taking a look and observing for us if there is any traps throughout the temple. Sonata and Bon Bon look quite nervous about being here as we continue, observing all of the images on the temple walls which portrayed events of the past all the way to the end of Equus' time many years into the future, probably long after all of us here are gone.
Blueblood has no reaction except just wanting to get the journey over with. I can tell that arrogant prick was just really eager to go back to Canterlot. Sunset on the other half, is looking around at everything, making sure we are alright.
Each step all of us took would echo throughout the hallway, with only the faint sound of the mountain's winter winds blowing outside heard. It gave off a rather eerie presence, but I knew we had to keep going until we found the First Alicorn's white book.
We reached the end of the hallway, taking a look down the small hallway to the left, seeing that there was a bit of light at the end of it to the right. Though I wouldn't want to go past from where the source of light was. Why? There is a hole in the ground that looked like an endless fall, possibly to anypony's death. Thank goodness Twilight has her light spell cast to light the way.
"Brayden?" I can hear Sunset's voice calling from beside me. I turn to look at her, her face looking away to the right at some kind of wall with a good sized red-colored jewel that had only a reflection from Twilight's magic onto it. "I know what that is."
Twilight trots forward, studying it like the mare she is for studying everything - even as a princess. "I've heard about this in books, but never thought it would have existed." She says to her.
"I know all about this as well," Sunset says, a little fearful. "It's a magic seal, keeping out the most terrifying threat to all of Equus."
"You mean, Gro-"
Sunset was quick enough to slap her hoof right onto Twilight's mouth, silencing her from saying the rest of that name. "That name is best not muttered, said or whispered. At least not here, saying it could unleash him from his eternal prison - to bring about darkness to the world like he tried before in legend!"
I knew exactly what Sunset was talking about from the carvings on the wall where the red jewel was. From the books I've read and what the Song of Order has told me, it is the necromancer ram Grogar. In the carvings, I could see the Songs of Order and Nature as well as the three other songs mentioned from the book I've read. Above the carving of horns is some sort of blade... the one that the ram himself seeks to forge with the songs.
What was it again? The Aria of... Shadows? Wait... maybe it is Darkness? It's still a mystery to me.
"This seal is quite different from Tartarus' seal. You know, where Tirek was thrown back into when he tried to take our magic." Twilight responded to Sunset, trying to keep on track.
"I think the book might be found down this hall. We must continue." Daring suggested to us, trotting towards the light.
Twilight takes her focus off from Grogar's seal, lighting the way for us and Daring as we turn to the left, heading on our way down the last hallway which is quite surprising for quite a temple. I would have expected booby traps like that one film series back on Earth does with usual dark temples.
Approaching the doorway, I line up close by, taking a peek inside of the room, seeing right there on that pedestal in the shining light from the outdoors.
"Is... is that it?" Sunset asked audibly as I slip forward into the room.
Twilight sounds just as surprised as she was. "Yes... that's the book..."
What many in Equestria and beyond had believed to be only a legend, was now right there... lying ahead in this room. It's covered as the studies described. The cover being that of an ancient symbol which I assume is the First Alicorn herself. Her book itself and one of the first artifacts born in the creation of Equus.
Standing there above me as I slowly approached the pedestal is a statue of that of a petrified blood dragon, looking as if it was tortured and forcefully turned this way as punishment. But what punishment? Did it do something to piss off the Dragon Queen herself?
I drew closer to the book, placing my hands onto the hard cover. Not a single dust attracted onto my hand. I am a bit nervous at first, but with the encouragement within myself, I had let go of what I should expect, knowing what not to expect.
And so I opened the book...
What the First Alicorn had written in the beginning of all Equus, was now at hand with Equestria in these hard times...
I took only a peek into the beginnings of Equus, seeing all of the prophecies that had come true before as I knew at the end was where the prophecies yet to come true were. I didn't want to look into it right away as I figured that was something Sunset or Twilight can look into to see what could be deciphered of the upcoming events.
I closed the book, taking it into my hands as I turn around, heading back towards the hallway where everypony else was waiting for me. Twilight is quite surprised to see the book in my hands, trotting over towards me with Sunset.
"That's the book, as described..." Sunset says to me, studying the appearance of the book and its cover.
"Then let us not waste any more time," I said to her with a smile on my face. "My mother will definitely want to see this when we return to Canterlot."
We turn around to go down the hallway again to where we saw the Seal of Grogar, ready to leave. I just didn't expect myself and everypony else to be gasping in shock at what we were seeing before us.
It was Prince Blueblood, yes. But he held a rather firm glare upon his face, directly at everypony including myself. His magic was channelled and using that, wielded a sharp blade, pointed at us.
"I'm afraid that your journey ends here for all of you!" He declared, the tone of his voice sounding rather threatening.
"Blueblood!" Twilight is surprised when she says his name. "What in the name of Celestia do you think you are doing?!"
"I'm doing exactly what must be done! I made a promise to someone, and I intend on carrying it out - for her in Mortem!"
"Wait..." I said to myself, finally raising my voice at him. "You mean that you've been working for the Dragon Queen this whole time?! You're stupid! If she wins, she'll betray you in the end!"
Blueblood laughs at my comment. "Not likely. She made me quite a big offer, and I couldn't refuse it. Why do you think Luna was asking about me when she couldn't find me? Remember the night before your Nightmare Moon was killed?"
I grit my teeth, reaching and grabbing onto the Song of Order. "Don't you ever say anything about Nightmare!" I warned him, sheathing the blade, ready to use it if necessary.
"All I really want is that book! The Dragon Queen orders me to destroy it!"
"We're not giving it to you!" I said to him.
He chuckles for a moment. "I figured you would play rough here, in that case..." His horn channelled another magic spell at the same time, with only a short scream heard as Twilight disappeared from right next to me, appearing in front of Blueblood. He proceeds to grab onto Twilight, holding her in place.
"Twilight!" I called out, afraid of losing her.
"Brayden!" She also called out my name, in fear.
"What difference will a young mare like this make to you? If you are a true hero and if you were a real Equestrian, you would let her go and carry on." He says, using magic to open a portal somewhere, tossing Twilight into it as she screamed. He closes the portal with her on the other side.
I had a feeling of anger from within, myself in battle stance and ready to strike when he is ready. "WHERE DID YOU TAKE HER?!" I screamed at him.
"Don't worry about her, she is in Mortem with that Dragon Queen. I know very well what I am doing at this, now give me the book!" Me and him stood our ground, not making a move at one another quite yet. But he yells again. "GIVE IT TO ME! Or all of you will die!"
"Take it from us!" Daring Do shouts at him. "Brayden, I knew that it was a bad idea for Princess Celestia to make him come!"
"I knew that too! There is no way he is taking this book!" I shouted to her, ready to fight Blueblood as he stamps his hoof onto the groud, ready to charge directly towards me.
He began to charge at me, seeing that I have tossed the book over to Sunset who has caught it with her magic. She begins to take cover, keeping an eye out if Blueblood began to target her next. Bon Bon is the first one to jump at him, knocking him down to the ground. With his short blade, he swipes at her, creating a cut upon her chest.
Quick as he got up, he sees that Sunset now has the book, headed directly at her. She takes to keep back but is overwhelmed and gripped onto. I run towards the prince as he stabs her in the right front leg, knocking her down to the ground, taking the book for himself. He is about to stab the book with his blade, but my intervention with the Song of Order stopped it.
With no other option left, this will be the last time I ever go back on my word on attacking anything pony-related for once, as I drive the blade towards him, clashing with his short blade.
Sunset's POV
As I lay wounded, I saw everypony struggling with Blueblood. The book of the First Alicorn in his grasp...
Brayden and him were fighting it out, the Song of Order against a small steel dagger of his. I find my vision beginning to close my eyes as I struggle to keep awake from all of the pain when he had stabbed me. The prince kicks me during the fight as I lie there...
My friend managed to overwhelm him and take back the book, tossing behind him to Daring Do. He drives the blade into a fatal part of Blueblood, wounding him greatly.
But... before the unicorn prince had fallen to his death from that hole in the ground... I was in shock... he had torn out the last few pages from the book of the First Alicorn... he had taken those torn pages with him in his fall...
Then... everything around me and my vision turned... to black.