*I apologize in advance for the horror you are about to experience.

The scream was still echoing around the gardens as we both leapt to our hooves (or in Max’s case, feet) and glanced back towards the palace.

~That sounded like it was coming from the ballroom~ Max signed, his eyes narrowing. His bad eye seemed to glow eerily in the moonlight as he stared up at the palace.

Another scream filled the air, followed by another, then another. Whatever was going on in there, it wasn’t good. Then, through the screaming of ponies, another sound could be heard: a terrifying shriek like that of a banshee. The very sound sent shivers running down my spine. I immediately recognized it, having heard it once before.

It was the scream of a human.

Beside me, Max’s whole body tensed, his muscles coiling under his skin. His jaw clenched, and a soft growl reverberated from deep within his chest. ~Come on!~ With that, he was off up the path, heading back towards the double doors that led back into the palace. With a gulp, I took off after him, trying not to trip on the hem of my dress.

Why did something have to happen now? I silently asked, trying to fight back my frustration. My ears splayed back against my head as I ran. I was this close to telling him. This close to telling him the truth! Shaking my head, I hurried to catch up with Max.

“Given your track record, shouldn’t you be running away from the screams?” I asked as I caught up with him. “It seems like whenever there’s trouble, you get hurt.” He just glanced at me as he continued to thunder down the path, his feet pounding against the dirt road.

~I do not~

“Fighting with Rainbow, the timberwolves, the human fighting ring, the manticores--” I shot him a glare, still remembering his stupidity with that little act, “--the little stunt you pulled on Nightmare Night, Lyra. Face it; when there’s trouble, you get hurt. It’s like you have Derpy’s luck, or something like that.” Somehow, Max managed to huff, even as he ran, tilting his head away from me.

~Our friends might be in trouble~ he replied, not slowing down. ~That’s reason enough for me to risk it~ I smiled slightly at the determined look on his face and shook my head. My dumb, rash human, I thought, a glimmer of pride slowly welling up in my chest.

“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

As we approached the doors, the sound of screams and shrieks grew louder. It was when we reached the doors that I realized that there were several different humans screaming, instead of just one. What the hay is going on in there? Pushing a burst of magic through my horn, I grasped the door handles in my magic and flung them open. The screaming instantly grew louder, causing my ears to splay backwards as I winced in pain.

As we both stumbled in, looking for the source of the screams, we paused, shocked at what we saw. The entire ballroom was in chaos, ponies running to and fro, terrified looks on their faces. Nobles were shoving and pushing each other, trying to be the first ones to get out of the doors that lead to the main part of the castle. Royal Guards were trying to keep order, but were having a hard time making themselves heard over the shouts and screams. Luna’s Lunar Guards were mixed in with the Royal Guards, their lavender armor standing out against the golden ones.

I could see the girls all grouped around Princess Celestia, trying their hardest to get the nobles to calm down, but to no avail. Rainbow and Applejack looked ready to buck somepony’s lights out, but were restraining themselves. Fluttershy was hiding behind Rarity, who was using her magic to keep the nobles from trampling them in their panic, a disgusted look on her face. Pinkie Pie just looked hurt and confused, her normally poofy mane hanging limp.

Princess Luna was hovering near the center of the room, shouting at the nobles to calm down, but even with her Royal Canterlot Voice she could barely be heard above the wailing.

And there, amongst all of this chaos, was the source of the horrific screams. Scattered throughout the room the humans that had been brought with their owners were now lying on the ground, clasping at their throat as they shrieked. Several of them were still on their feet, staggering around, attacking anypony who got too close. Several ponies looked like they had been hurt already; one in particular was lying unconscious on the floor, blood slowly pooling around her.

A human lying nearby, a young female with short brown hair, was convulsing on the marble floor, her mouth foaming slightly as she clawed at her throat. The decorative fog, disturbed by her movements, gave the whole thing a horrific look, like something out of a nightmare.

“What the hay is going on?” I breathed, taking a step back from the flailing human. I glanced up at Max, who was just watching the scene before him with a horrified look on his face, his good eye darting back and forth from human to human. “Have you seen anything like this before?” Numbly, he shook his head, unable to take his eye off of what was happening.

“Twilight!” a voice called out. I turned to see Ebony running up, a relieved look on her face. “Thank Celestia, you found him!”

“Yeah, he was in the gardens,” I said loudly, trying to be heard over the shrieks of the humans. Waving a hoof at the mass of writhing bodies, I asked the unicorn, “What’s going on?!”

“We don’t know,” Avera said, zipping down from the ceiling to hover near Max’s head. “Everything was going fine, and then suddenly a human started freaking out and attacked one of the nobles--” she gestured at the motionless pony in the middle of the room “--At first we thought he was just reacting to what he thought was a threat, but when the guards tried to escort him and his owner out, he just collapsed. It looked almost like an advanced infection, but then another human started to do the same thing, and then another, and another, and soon all of them were doing it.”

“Maybe there’s something--” I started but was interrupted by a loud gurgling sound coming from right beside me. Startled, I whipped around, only to scream when I saw the source of the noise. “MAX!”

My human was clutching at his collar, gagging and retching, his eyes wide. He struggled to stay on his feet, his whole body convulsing horribly. His tongue lolled from his mouth, drool falling to the floor as he stumbled. A large vein was pulsing on his forehead, looking ready to burst.

No, no, no! I started pushing magic through my horn to try and to protect him, but the instant I did so a sharp shock ran through my horn, causing the spell to fizzle out. I tried again, but met the same result. A quick glance at Ebony showed that she was having the same problem. What’s going on?!

Avera moved to help, but Max jerked away from her. Fighting to stay standing, he fumbled with his collar, his eyes clenched shut in pain. Finally his hands found what they were looking for, and with a twist, he wrenched the latch open and tore the collar off, flinging it to the floor.

As soon as his neck was free from the collar, Max collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. I squealed in fright, instantly moving to his side. I breathed a small sigh of relief as he sat up, rubbing at his neck. I moved to nuzzle his side, and he draped an arm around me. I could feel his whole body trembling, his heart pounding against the inside of his chest. Every so often, his body would spasm weakly.

“What was that about?” I asked him as I rubbed a hoof against his chest, trying to help calm him down.

“Look,” Ebony said, pointing a hoof at the now discarded collar. The piece of leather was lying on the floor, blue sparks crackling up and down the length. Every now and then the collar shook slightly as a particularly large shock ran through the leather.

“What the buck?” Avera breathed, scrunching up her face in confusion. Reaching a tentative hoof forward, she pulled in back sharply with a hiss when a large spark leapt at her. Shaking her head, the pegasus leapt into the air with a flap of her wings. “Hey!” she shouted, trying to catch the attention of several nearby Lunar Guards. When they glanced over at her, she pointed at the sparking collar. “Something’s up with their collars!”

The guards gave her a confused look before their eyes fell upon the sparking collar. Their eyes light up with realization.

“Get their collars off of them!” one of the guards shouted, her gruff voice ringing out through the ballroom. All around the room, Lunar and Solar Guards descended upon the humans, ripping the collars off. Within a couple of minutes, all the humans had stopped thrashing around and were now lying on the ground, gasping for air.

By now all of the nobles had cleared out of the ballroom, leaving only the guards and the humans. The only sound that could be heard was the ragged breathing of the humans, as well as the hoofsteps of the guards.

“Some owners,” one of the Lunar Guards said, rolling a trembling human onto her side. “Didn’t even stick around to help their humans.”

“It’s okay,” I murmured, holding onto Max’s arm with a wing. “Let’s get you onto your feet.” Ebony slid under his other arm, and together we managed to lift him up. He stood with a groan, sagging against me slightly on unsteady feet. Sighing heavily, Max rubbed his neck, a pained expression on his face. I felt a twinge in my heart at seeing him in pain.

“Take it easy there, tall stuff,” Avera said, hovering next to his head. “Don’t strain yourself until we can get you checked out.”

I glanced over at Princess Celestia, who was directing some of the royal guards that were bringing water to the humans. Feeling my eyes on her, she looked up and glanced over in our direction. Our eyes met for a brief second and she tilted her head towards a side door that led to a private sitting area.

I nodded once, before turning my attention back to Max.

“Come on,” I said, gently leading him towards the door, picking our way around the prone humans. He stumbled slightly and I placed a wing against his back. His entire body was shaking, but if it was out of fear, the adrenaline coursing through his system, or because of the horrible shock he had just gotten, I didn’t know.

Reaching the door, I swung it open with a push of my hoof and eased Max on through. Once inside, Max collapsed into a chair, groaning softly as he sunk into the cushion, his eyes closed.

“Trouble just seems to follow you around, doesn’t it?” Avera asked jokingly as she settled down beside him. Without opening his eyes, Max raised his hand and lifted his middle digit towards Avera. She blinked, a confused look crossing her face. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Even though my human was hurting, I couldn’t help but giggle at the look on Avera’s face.

“So, it seems I was right. Do you regret not running in the opposite direction?” I asked Max. This resulted in me becoming the target for his middle finger. I just laughed softly, shaking my head as I ran a hoof over his arm. “How are you feeling?”

~Sore~ He replied, not opening his eyes. He moved his hand back up to his throat, grimacing as he did so.

“Here, let’s check you out,” Ebony said, moving to stand in front of Max. Standing up on her back hooves, she leaned in to get a closer look.

As she gently pulled his hand aside to check his neck, the door to the room opened again. I tensed up slightly, but relaxed when I saw who it was. Princess Celestia, Luna, and the girls all slipped in, all with looks of concern on their faces.

“How is he, Major?” Princess Celestia asked, glancing over at Max.

“His neck is slightly burnt from the collar,” Ebony said, using her hoof to gently lift Max’s head so she could get a better look. I winced when I saw the red band of skin around his neck. “Nothing too serious, thankfully; a minor first degree burn. Some muscle spasms every now and then, but those should pass.” She placed an ear against his chest, listening for a few seconds before backing off. “Heart sounds normal, it doesn’t seem to have been affected by the shock.

“He also has some bruising around his jaw, but I’m not sure if that was due to the collar or something else.”

“Is he going to be alright?” Fluttershy asked worriedly, fluttering over to stand next to Ebony.

“He looks good overall, considering what happened,” Ebony said, falling back down onto all fours and stepping away from Max. “He’ll be sore for a couple of days, but he should be fine.” Relief flowed through me at those words. Thank the Maker.

“Okay. does anypony know why exactly the collars were acting up like that?” Rainbow asked, glancing around at the other occupants of the room. “Last I checked, collars weren’t meant to do that.”

“They aren’t,” Princess Celestia said with a frown. “It would appear that somepony placed a large magical field over the ballroom. Any collar within the field would suddenly become electrified and shock the wearer. It also affected horns when magic was attempted.”

“But who would do such a thing to all those humans?” Fluttershy asked, her eyes tearing up slightly. “What could they possibly gain from hurting all of them?”

“Yeah,” Pinkie Pie said, her mane still straight. “All they did was ruin a perfectly good party!”

“We’re not exactly sure who did it,” Princess Celestia said, ruffling her wings slightly. “Whoever it was, they would have to be an incredibly talented magic user in order to single out only the collars and horns. Nothing else was affected by the field. That kind of precision is extremely difficult to manage, considering each collar could be made out of different material.

“As for why, at the moment we can not say,” she said, hanging her head slightly. “But right now our guards are looking into it. Hopefully they will be able to find some answers. Also, once I can find the Archmage, we’ll get him and the Academy on the case as well.” A gentle murmur of understanding ran through the room as everypony digested that information.

I sidled up closer to Max, nuzzling his arm. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Princess Celestia smile slightly, along with Rarity smirking. I didn’t care, especially when Max started scratching my ear again.

“Look on the bright side,” Avera suddenly said, turning to look at Max and giving him a big grin. “At least none of the nobles tried to jump ya!” Slowly, Max turned his head until he was glaring at Avera. I whined softly when he stopped scratching. Dangit, that felt good!

~You’re wrong about that~ he told the pegasus.

“Oh…” Avera’s smile vanished and her ears drooped. I could only look up at my human in confusion. Wait, what is he talking about--

“We are sorry the night turned out like this,” Luna said, interrupting my thoughts. “We wanted this night to go perfectly for all involved, but it appears that that won’t be the case.” She hung her head, a defeated look on her face.

“Come now, Luna,” Princess Celestia said softly, draping a wing over her sister. “It wasn’t all that bad, it certainly wasn’t your fault.”

~Yeah~ Max signed, smiling slightly, although it looked more like a grimace. ~There were some parts that I enjoyed~ When I looked up at him to ask what he meant, I saw that he was eyeing a bruise on the back of his hand as he signed. It was already turning a nasty shade of purple.

Ebony saw where he was looking as well, and she tsked, shaking her head.

“How did you get that bruise?” she asked, sounding slightly annoyed as she eyed the injury.

~I punched Blueblood~ he replied with a smirk.

“You did what!?” I shrieked, looking at him in horror. “What possibly possessed you to do that?!”

~He was trying to kidnap me to his bedroom, so I defended myself~ Max shrugged, still eyeing the bruise as he signed. ~I regret nothing~

“He… but, what… I--” I tried to formulate words, but was unable to. The very thought that Max had been in trouble when he was by himself upset me greatly. You just had to abandon him, didn’t you Twilight. You could have paid closer attention to him, you stupid, stupid mare!

“Uh, somepony want to fill us in?” Rainbow huffed, crossing her forelegs in front of her chest.

“Max punched Blueblood,” Ebony deadpanned, earning a gasp from the others. Max held up two fingers, his smirk growing. “Twice.”

“WHAT?!” Suddenly, Rarity was right in front of Max, a crazed look in her eyes. Rearing up on her hind legs, she grabbed his face with her hooves, bringing the two of them nose to nose. Max hissed in pain as her hooves hit his bruise.

“Why?” Rarity breathed, staring into his eyes. “Why didn’t you do that somewhere where I could have seen it?!”

“I did hear about that,” Princess Celestia said as Ebony and Avera worked on pulling Rarity off of Max. “And I must say that I’m thoroughly disgusted by my nephew’s actions.” Turning to look at Max, who was now eyeing Rarity with a wary expression, Princess Celestia gave him an apologetic look. “I can not express how sorry I am for what happened. I realize he has an… unhealthy fascination with you, but I didn’t think it would go as far as kidnapping. Had I known that he was going to try something like that tonight, I would have had him locked in his room for the evening.

“Needless to say, there will be repercussions for his actions. He shall be stripped of his rank, as well as half his wealth, and he shall be placed under watch. He will not be going anywhere without an escort to make sure he behaves himself.”

“Somepony’s been grounded,” Rainbow whispered to Applejack, who just snickered behind her hoof. I ignored them, however, instead focusing on my human. Avera sidled up to him and leaned in close.

“You’re not going to let this stand, are you?” she asked in a hushed whisper. Max just smirked, nodding his head slightly.

~You have no idea~ he signed softly, trying to not draw attention to himself. I decided that I would have to keep a closer eye on him in the near future.

“Half his wealth seems to be letting him off easy, Tia,” Luna said, rubbing her chin with a hoof. “How about all of it, and we shall put him on a monthly allowance from the Royal Treasury; just enough for him to live by. He will have to get a job in order to pay for any and all… pleasures that he wishes.”

“Very well,” the princess said, nodding her head. “All of his wealth it is.” Lowering her head, she turned her attention back to Max. “Is there anything we can do to make it up to you?” Max just yawned, scratching the back of his head before he replied.

~Personally, I just want to get something to eat, go back to the room, and go to sleep~

“I think we can arrange that--”

BLAM

Everypony jumped as the door to the room flew open. Ebony and Avera were both in front of Max in an instant, taking up defensive stances. Princess Celestia and Luna wheeled around, their horns alight with magic. They calmed down when a Lunar Guard rushed in.

“What is the meaning of this?” Luna asked, her gaze stern. The guard stopped before the two princesses, saluting.

“Apologies for interrupting,” he said, his tufted ears splayed backwards. “But, unfortunately, we have a situation.”

Not many ponies knew it, but the dungeons within Canterlot were unique. Unlike the rest of the palace, which had been crafted painstakingly by horn and hoof, the dungeons weren’t made out of marble and gilded paint; they were carved out of the stone of the mountain itself. While Canterlot, in all its glory, was no more than eight hundred years old, the caves that made up the dungeons were at least two thousand years in age.

Buried deep within the mountain Canterlot was perched on, no natural light reached the ponies, and other creatures, unlucky enough to find themselves imprisoned there. In order to reach the dungeons, one had to travel down a long set of stairs carved into the stone. Darkness surrounded the steps, only broken by the occasional red torch. The fact that one side of the stairs dropped off into a massive chasm just made it more perilous.

Once you reached the bottom of the stairs, you had to cross a bridge that spanned over a large natural underground lake, the bottom of which was too deep to reach without assistance from magic. Even then, nopony had ever dived into the lake. Dark creatures lurked in the still waters; large fanged fish with glowing lures on their heads, massive eels with rows of sharp teeth, and large jellyfish with stingers thirty feet long that glowed eerily in the dark. There were even rumors going around the guard that something lived down there that had long black tentacles and large, glowing green eyes the size of a grown pony.

Despite the creatures living in the deep, the cavern the lake was located in was a sight to behold. Large crystals grew from the walls, evidence of the crystal caverns deep beneath the dungeons. Long stalactites, many of which were six or seven feet in length, hung from the ceiling high overhead, covered in luminescent moss that glowed softly in the darkness, the uneven patches giving the illusion of the night sky.

Once you managed to cross the lake, you reached the actual dungeons themselves. Made from several long tunnels, the cells of the dungeon were basically small holes in the rockwall, with iron bars covering the entrances. Each cell contained a small bed, a hole in which to do one’s business, and a small light source in the form of a tiny gem embedded into the ceiling of the cell.

All that wasn’t what made them unique, however.

What made them unique was the fact that the entire cave complex had been carved out of the mountain by the humans that had lived there before ponies had arrived to build the large mountainside city. It had been during the building of the palace that the pony construction workers had stumbled upon the humans and their cave. After domesticating the humans, the ponies had taken over the cave system and turned it into Canterlot’s dungeon.

Over the years, hundreds of members of the various universities scattered around Canterlot tried to get permission to descend into the caves to study the system. Some wanted to explore, some wanted to study a naturally formed human habitat, and some wanted to study the wildlife living within the lake. All were turned down due to the nature of what the caves were being used for.

Hundreds of professors, explorers, and splunkers would give their hooves to be able to spend one day in the cavern. However, only the scum of Equestria would ever bear witness to the cave’s beauty.

The irony of that fact was lost on Corporal Melodic Wind.

“The one night of the month I requested off, and I end up down here,” she grumbled, resting her head on her hoof as she sat on one of the stone platforms surrounding the entrance to the dungeons. Leaning her back against the cavern wall, she gazed out at the massive lake with a bored expression on her face, her spear held loosely in her wing.

Dangling her back hooves off the edge of the platform, she sighed heavily, “Figures they planned the Gala the same night as my little brother’s birthday.” She could see it now: her entire family gathered around the kitchen table, singing happy birthday as her little brother bounced happily in his seat, a large grin plastered on his face; his enthusiasm causing smiles to spread across the table.

His first birthday since getting his cutie mark, and it was the first birthday she couldn’t be there with him. Instead, she was stuck in The Pit, on guard duty.

“I didn’t even get a chance to get him a birthday present yet,” Melodic huffed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She had been planning on getting him that Wonderbolt poster he had been eyeing, she had even been saving up her bits just for it, but due to the amount of work she had taken on over the past few weeks, she hadn’t gotten a chance yet.

Eyeing the clock just above the entrance to the dungeons, Melodic noted that it was currently nearing ten o’clock. Right about now, her brother was probably getting ready for bed, exhausted after all the excitement of the evening.

“Happy Birthday, bro,” she said, a feeling of melancholy falling over her. Absentmindedly, she brushed some dust off of her blue coat. Unlike the rest of her family, all of whom were covered in white fur, Melodic Wind had been born with a coat of the most lovely shade of aqua blue. It was this blue coat, combined with her abnormally large wings, that had earned her the nickname ‘Blue Heron’ amongst her fellow guards.

A low growl suddenly echoed around the cavern, causing Melodic to blink in surprise. Perking up, she looked around, trying to locate the source of the noise. The lake remained still, no ripples from something breaking the surface. It took her a few seconds to realize the noise was coming from her stomach.

Blushing heavily, she clambered to her hooves. Stretching her large wings, she jumped from the platform and drifted down to the floor, alighting gently. Flicking her mane out of her face, Melodic turned and trotted into the dungeons, keeping her spear clasped in her wing. Almost immediately, she turned and slipped into a small doorway just on the inside of the tunnel entrance.

Inside was a small living area designed to house the guards that were on duty at the time. There was a mini fridge that held different types of food and drink, a small countertop and sink, as well as a cooking stove. A table stood in the center of the room, a couple of decks of cards thrown across the surface, remnants of the last poker game played there. A small alcove in the back of the room held several beds, as well as a small bookshelf.

This same living space could hold up to four guards comfortably. Tonight, it was just Melodic.

Trotting over to the fridge, Melodic swung the door open and glanced inside.

“Figures,” she huffed, looking at the sparsely filled shelves. “As usual, the boys ate everything, and left nothing good for me.” Grabbing a small oatcake, she shut the door with a click. Well, it’s not as good as birthday cake, but it’ll do. Biting into the stale treat, she turned and head back out towards her original spot.

“It’s so boring down here,” she grumbled, sulking as she exited the tunnels and re-entered the cavern. “Why can’t anything exciting happen?”

“Well, my dear,” a deep voice chuckled from beside her, making the pegasus jump. “Speak of Discord, and up he shall walk.” Melodic yelped, dropping her oatcake as she spun around, bring her spear up.

“Celestia fuck me,” she growled, holding a hoof to her chest. She glared at the elderly stallion who emerged from the darkness. “How can somepony as old as you be so quiet?” The graying unicorn just smirked, his blue eyes dancing with mirth as Melodic lowered her spear.

“It comes with experience.”

“Experience my right flank,” Melodic grumbled, bending down and picking up the fallen oatcake. Brushing it off, she eyed the treat before shrugging and taking another bite. Meh, she thought, chewing slowly. Tastes about the same.

Still chewing, she turned and gave the new stallion a bemused look, “So, what’s the Archmage of all ponies doing down here in The Pit, especially with something like the Grand Galloping Gala going on upstairs?”

“Well, it was a toss up between spending the night with the cold, unfeeling scum of Equestria, or coming down here and visiting these fine ponies,” the Archmage said, scratching at his goatee, the smirk still on his face.

“And you chose down here, why?” Melodic asked, cocking an eyebrow as she tried not to smile.

“Work, unfortunately.”

“Work?”

“Princess Celestia put me in charge of interrogating the unicorns captured in Ponyville,” the Archmage explained, examining his hoof with disinterest. “Since I’ve had just about enough of the nobles and their scheming for the night, I decided to get started on it immediately. Better sooner rather than later.” Taking another bite of the oatcake, Melodic eyed the unicorn before her.

“Let me get this straight,” she said, chewing slowly. “Instead of hanging out at the Gala, you came down here to see the dangerous prisoners?” The Archmage nodded. “And, under the orders of Princess Celestia, you are allowed to see these prisoners whenever?” Another nod. Swallowing, Melodic ran her tongue over her teeth as she thought.

“Got any proof?” she asked, cocking her head to the side. The Archmage laughed softly, a smile touching his muzzle. Lighting up his horn, he pulled a scroll out of a pair of saddlebags across his flank.

“I believe you will find this satisfactory,” he said, levitating the scroll over to Melodic. Clasping the scroll in her hooves, she unrolled it and quickly skimmed through the content. Reaching the bottom of the scroll, she tapped on the signature, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Everything seems in order,” she said finally, handing the scroll back to the Archmage. Reaching a hoof into her armor, she pulled a large key out of one of her hidden pockets. Shoving the rest of the oatcake into her mouth, Melodic turned and headed back into the tunnel.

“I’ll let you in,” she called over her shoulder as the Archmage followed her, “but don’t expect them to be as fun as the nobles.”

“I suspect that nothing could be as fun as the Canterlot nobles,” the Archmage chuckled, shaking his head. Walking past the living quarters, Melodic took the stallion deeper into the tunnel, where a massive iron gate rested. Grabbing the padlock in her hoof, she slipped the key into the keyhole and twisted, unlocking the gate with a click. Grabbing the iron bars in her hooves, Melodic pulled on the gates, groaning loudly. They swung open slowly, creaking loudly as the rusted hinges moved.

Once they were open wide enough, Melodic motioned for the Archmage to enter, slipping in behind him and closing the gate with a loud clank.

“So, you know which of the bad boys you want to talk to first?” she asked, slipping the key back into her armor. She turned and started heading deeper into the tunnel. Nodding, the Archmage fell in step behind her.

“I was hoping to talk to the leader. Darkflare, I believe his name is.”

“Darkflare it is.”

When did my life go so wrong? Golden Ingot thought, lying on the small, uncomfortable bed within the cell. Staring at the rocky ceiling above him, Golden tapped his hoof against the wall absentmindedly, a small frown on his face.

His originally pristine golden coat and mane were now matted and ragged looking, his mane hanging in front of his face in dirty locks. His manicured hooves were now cracked and chipped. He looked nothing like the rich earth pony that had lived in Ponyville only months ago.

Stupid unicorns, Ingot growled, glaring at the small light gem in the ceiling, which provided his cell with a dim red light. This is all their fault! My life was going perfectly until they started to intervene! Golden could still remember the first time a unicorn had ruined his life; it was forever burned into his mind and caused his blood to boil.

Born to an influential family in Vanhoover, Golden had been raised by the harbor, in sight of the ocean, and the ships that sailed it. His father, a wealthy earth pony, owned a large fishing company. His mother had passed during his birth, dying from a weak heart, forcing his father to raise him. A family stallion, his father did just that.

From an early age Golden had been taught how to run the business, even when going to school. He had even earned his cutie mark working for his father, managing the expenses of the fishing fleet.

When Golden had become a young adult, his father had fallen ill with a rare disease that could be treated only by a doctor in Manehatten. Unable to move his father due to health concerns, Golden had sent for the doctor, begging him to come immediately. The unicorn had taken his merry sweet time responding to Golden’s pleas, and by the time he had arrived in Vanhoover, it had been too late; his father had passed, in excruciating pain.

With the death of his father, Golden had inherited ownership of the fishing company, as well as all of its employees. For three years Golden had managed to run the company smoothly and without complications. For three years profits had grown, and everything had been good and stable. For three years, Golden had actually been content.

But that all changed when the unicorn arrived.

Under the guise of an up-and-coming fishing company, the unicorn and her helpers had slowly, yet steadily, begun to encroach on Golden’s fishing grounds. Using their magic, her workers had managed to bring in twice as many fish as Golden’s, as well as twice as big. At first it had been simply a minor annoyance; a stinging blow to his pride, nothing more.

But as the months continued, Golden’s business saw a steady decrease in sales, as well as the amount of fish that were being caught. By the end of the year, the business that Golden had grown up with, and inherited from his father, went bankrupt. It had been Golden’s displeasure to have to fire over fifty workers, most of whom were relying on him for income for their families.

It had been even worse to sell his father’s business, one of the few things his father had left him after his death, to the unicorn that had destroyed him.

With nothing left for him in Vanhoover, Golden Ingot had packed up his dwindling fortune, and left.

Traveling from town to town, looking for a new profession, Golden’s travels soon took him to Appleloosa. Arriving at the frontier town, Golden Ingot had used what little remained of his fortune to buy an old mine from an aging prospector. Hiring a young colt to work for him during the summer, Golden had delved into the earth, searching for fortune.

After several months of finding nothing, Golden had literally struck gold. It may not have been the rarest element in Equestria, but there was enough there to make him, and his young helper, very rich. Soon, Golden had a growing mining company on his hooves.

As the years went by, Golden Ingot’s fortune continued to grow, as did his love life. Within five years, Golden was happily married to a loving wife called Dusty Withers. For the first time since being driven from Vanhoover, Golden was happy. He had a loving wife, a steady income, and plans for a foal in the near future.

And then it had all crumbled down around him.

A group of unicorns, sent from Canterlot, showed up in Appleloosa one day. Immediately they had staked a claim on the Macintosh Hills, carving them up as they searched for gold, claiming it was for the Royal Treasury. With the help of their magic, they had been able to locate and mine the gold faster than Golden could even hope to.

Once again, within a year, Golden’s fortune was slipping, as was his relationship with his wife. They would constantly argue about what needed to be done, all while the company was slowly going broke. Unwilling to stand by his side anymore, Dusty had left him, taking half of his money, as well as their unborn foal, with her. Heartbroken and alone, Golden had signed his company over to the unicorns and had left town.

Similar experiences followed him wherever he went; Manehatten, Baltimare, Canterlot. Everyplace he went, unicorns drove him out. Down on his luck, barely any bits to his name, Golden Ingot had gone to the last place available to him: Ponyville.

It had been there that he had settled down for the last time, it had been where he had started his shipping company, and it had been where he had lived for the past twenty-five years, up until a few months ago.

Where did everything go so wrong? Sitting up in the bed, Golden closed his tired eyes and ran a hoof through his long, greasy mane. Scratching at the nape of his neck with a dirty hoof, he sighed heavily. Lowering his hoof, Golden scrunched up his face, ears perking up. In the distance, echoing down the tunnel, came the sound of hoofsteps.

Slowly slipping out of the bed, Golden approached the bars of his cell, his ears straining. The two sets of hoofsteps grew louder as whoever was walking down the tunnel grew closer.

Who could that be? Golden Ingot wondered, leaning to try and see further down the passage.

As they walked down the tunnel, Melodic Wind glanced back at the aging unicorn behind her, a smirk on her face, “So, anything interesting going on up at the Gala this year?”

“Oh, the usual,” he replied, waving a hoof airily. “Nobles trying to gain favors with one another, attempting to earn bits and higher positions of power. I even had Winter Cold trying to convince me to hoof her some bits for a weather project she was working on. Something about some new spell that will reduce the need for pegasi in other weather factories across Equestria.”

“Did you agree?” Melodic asked, a concerned look on her face.

“Buck no,” the Archmage said with a snort. “Do you realize the outcry that would cause in the pegasi community alone? I would have hundreds of families sending me angry letters for just suggesting such a thing! Besides,” he added, a large smirk spreading across his face, “she doesn’t even have enough magic to perform the spell she wanted. It would be nothing but a waste of bits.” This earned a laugh from Melodic.

“A noble wasting bits?” she chuckled, swishing her tail. “Who’s ever heard of such a thing!” The Archmage chuckled humoredly, before he sobered.

“How much more of a walk do we have?” he asked coolly, trying to hide his annoyance. “I don’t mean to complain, but I’m not as young as I once was. These old joints of mine can only take so much.”

“Not much further,” Melodic said, glancing into a passing cell. “It should be right about… here!” With a cheerful grin, she moved to stand in front of the cell in question. Keeping a neutral face, the Archmage moved to stand next to her.

Gazing into the darkened cell, the Archmage almost had to squint to see the stallion inside; almost. The crimson unicorn glared up at the pair from his spot on the bed, his black mane hanging in front of his face in long, thin strands. His icy blue eyes cut through the darkness, almost glowing in the gloom of his cell.

As the pair watched him, he growled before lowering his head and looking away.

“Aw, come on now, Darky,” Melodic cooed at the stallion, a teasing smile on her face as she tapped the bars of the cell with her spear. “Don’t be that way! This is, after all, your first visitor in weeks. I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about.” Turning to look at the Archmage, Melodic nodded her head at the imprisoned stallion. “You need any help with him?”

“No,” the Archmage said clippedly.

“You need anything else from me at this time?” Melodic asked, scratching her chin.

“No,” the Archmage said again, not taking his eyes off of the stallion in the cell. “Your services are no longer required.”

“Okay then, if you need me, I’ll--” The Archmage’s horn lit up, and Melodic yelped in surprise and pain as her head was smashed against the rock wall of the tunnel. The pegasus was unconscious before she hit the floor, blood flowing from a large gash on her forehead.

With a burst of his magic, the Archmage reached into the fallen guard’s armor and pulled out the cell keys.

“That, my dear,” he said as he stepped over the downed mare. “Is why you should always wear your helmet when on duty.” Walking up to the cell, he rested a foreleg against the cold steel as he leaned on the bars. The stallion inside had returned his attention to the front of his cell during the commotion. He looked at the Archmage coolly as the two of them eyed each other.

Finally, the older stallion spoke, his voice barely above a whisper in the silent tunnel, “Darkflare, what am I going to do with you?”

“Hey,” growled Darkflare as he clammered to his hooves. “I did what you asked me to do!” Stretching his tense muscles, Darkflare rolled his shoulders, working the kinks out of his neck. Stepping forward, he made his way to the front of the cell where he leaned against the bars as well, staring the Archmage in the face. “Which is more than you can say for the others you hired. They all ended up either getting killed by enraged humans, or murdered by the guards raiding their hideouts.”

“You didn’t do everything I asked,” the Archmage said, his eyes narrowing.

“I did enough,” Darkflare snarled, tilting his head to the side.

“You sold humans on the side, as well as ran those fighting rings. That went against what I asked you to do, and ended up being the reason you got screwed over in the end.”

“Bits are bits,” Darkflare said with a unconcerned shrug. “You weren’t complaining when you got a cut.”

“The fact that you singlehoovedly funded this operation off of your… winnings is the only reason we’re having this conversation.” Jingling the keys in front of Darkflare’s face, the Archmage smirked. “Ready to get back to work?”

“Do I have a choice?”

The Archmage chuckled, shaking his head, “No, you really don’t.”

Inserting the key into the cell’s lock, the Archmage gave it a quick flick with his magic, and the bars unlocked.

“Finally,” Darkflare huffed, pushing the cell door open and stepping out into the tunnel, treading on Melodic’s wings as he exited. With a pulse of his magic, the Archmage freed Darkflare’s horn from the magical inhibitor that was clamped around its base. “You have no idea how aggravating it’s been being confined to such a small space for so long.” The Archmage’s eye twitched slightly and he glared at Darkflare.

“At least you weren’t turned into a statue,” he said coldly, causing Darkflare to pause.

“Please,” he said, waving a hoof at the elderly stallion. “Who do I look like, Discord?” Huffing, the Archmage turned his attention away from Darkflare, focusing instead on the key suspended in his magic. His brow furrowed slightly as he concentrated on the key. Pushing a little magic down his horn, there was a brief flash of light. When the magic faded, a duplicate key was floating next to the original.

“Here,” the Archmage said, tossing the cloned key at Darkflare. “See to releasing the others.”

“Just our original crew?” Darkflare asked, catching the key in his own magic with a bored expression on his face.

“See if you can round up any more volunteers,” the Archmage said with a smirk.

“And if they refuse?”

“Then take care of them,” the Archmage said evenly. “One way or another, there will be nopony left here when we leave.” An evil smirk slowly spread across Darkflare’s face.

“Yes, sir.” With that, the freed stallion turned and slipped down the tunnel, disappearing into the darkness. The Archmage watched him go, a blank look on his face. Sighing heavily, he sucked on his tongue as he thought. After several minutes, the Archmage shook his head, sighing again. The things I do...

Slowly turning his head, he glanced into the cell across from Darkflare’s, a small smile slowly spreading across his muzzle. Trotting forward casually, the Archmage peered through the bars at the pony on the other side.

“Now, what are we going to do with you, my little pony?” The pony inside the cell shrunk back, trembling slightly. This just caused the Archmage to chuckle darkly. Let’s see if we can add another piece to the board. “Well?” he asked the pony again.

“W-what do you mean?” Golden Ingot asked, swallowing nervously.

“What do I mean?” the Archmage asked, feigning surprise. As he looked at Golden, his eyes wide, the Archmage’s ears twitched as they picked up the faintest sound of music.

It started low, almost non-existent, before beginning to grow. Slowly, the deep sound of a pipe organ began to fill the tunnels, the beat coursing through the Archmage’s body. He could feel his heart beginning to beat in time with the organ, his body becoming one with the music.

“What I mean is you now have a choice before you, my dear boy!” the Archmage cried with a dastardly smile, “And it’s time for you to choose what your future holds!” With that, the music swelled, echoing down the tunnel and causing the very rocks to vibrate. Words leapt unbidden into the Archmage’s head, and his wicked smile only grew as he stared down at the cowering pony before him.

Opening his mouth, the Archmage sang!

“♫ You can continue living your sorry life the way you’ve been, and you can hope that you’ll get ahead in the end ♪” Twirling the key around in his magic, the Archmage couldn’t help but sway on his hooves to the beat of the music. “♫ You can be a goody two-shoes and follow every law, but that would only prove to be the final straw ♪”

With a flick of his magic, the Archmage inserted the key into the cell’s lock. There was a click, and the cell door swung open, in perfect time with the music.

His smile growing large, the Archmage slipped into the cell with Golden, throwing a foreleg over the stallion’s shoulders. The earth pony flinched at the contact, but couldn’t find it within himself to move away.

“♫ I, on the other hoof, can offer you more, Gems and power and bits galore! ♪” Still keeping a leg draped across Golden, the Archmage flicked his other forehoof through the air. A stream of bits flew from it, scattering through the air like golden rain. They clattered onto the floor, only adding to the mystical music.

Golden’s eyes followed the bits as they fell, an almost hungry look in his eyes. The Archmage saw this, and couldn’t help but laugh. This will be easier than I thought! Grabbing Golden’s shoulder with his hoof, the Archmage spun him around, flinging him out of the cell in the process.

As Golden staggered around, his eyes rolling in his head, the Archmage exited the cell, kicking the door shut behind him. Not missing a beat, the Archmage continued where he had left off, “♫ So why would you continue to struggle through strife, when I can offer you a better life? ♪”

Shaking his head, Golden blinked a couple of times, trying to get his eyes to settle. Turning to look at the Archmage, he fell back with a yelp as he found himself face to face with the elderly stallion.

“♫ So join with me, and you shall be free, of this dreaded hypocrisy! ♪” the Archmage sang as he looked down at the stallion at his hooves. The music died down slightly, cellos and contrabassoons taking over for the pipe organ. Reaching down, the Archmage grabbed Golden by his hoof and hauled him to his hooves.

The stallion staggered slightly, trying to get his bearings. Huffing, the Archmage shoved him down the tunnel, in the same direction Darkflare had headed. They continued down the darkened tunnel; one pushing, the other stumbling. The red torches along the wall flickered, casting an evil red glare over the pair as the flames seemed to loom around them.

As they walked, the music began to swell again, the pipe organ roaring back to life. The Archmage took that as his cue to continue. Pushing Golden into the wall with his shoulder, the elderly stallion grinned at the terrified pony.

“♫ Now, come on, boy; are you in or out? Are you going to be a coward or be devout? ♪” Golden gagged as the Archmage’s body pressed into his neck, cutting off his air supply. Stepping back, the Archmage let the stallion fall back to the floor gasping for air. Lowering his head, the Archmage continued to smirk as he eyed the prone stallion. “♫ Are you going to head back to your damp, dark cell, or will you come with us and help rebel? ♪”

Golden staggered to his hooves, rubbing at his neck gingerly. The Archmage leaned forward, grabbing onto Golden’s shoulders with both forehooves as he spun the stallion around. Staring Golden in the eye, the Archmage couldn't help but laugh at the fear he saw there. “♫ Come put your faith in me, and soon you’ll see, that you’re living in the lap of luxury! ♪”

Golden stared back at the Archmage, his mouth open slightly as he breathed heavily. His eyes flicked to something over the elderly stallion’s shoulders, and he frowned, an uncertain look flashing across his face.

Turning his head, the Archmage looked over his own shoulder. His eyes narrowed and he snarled at what he saw. Some moron of a guard had hung a picture of a smiling Celestia in the empty spaces between two cells. Why they would pick this particular spot, the Archmage didn’t know, but it didn’t matter; he would fix that soon enough.

Turning to look back at Golden, the Archmage gave him a villainous grin.

“♫ You won’t have to fear these morons anymore--” Without taking his eyes off of Golden, the Archmage reached up and grabbed a hold of the picture. With one strong pull, he tore the picture down, tearing the painting to shreds “--All they ever do is make life a bore! ♪” Tossing the torn piece of painting aside, the Archmage threw a hoof over Golden’s shoulders ferrying him away from the now empty picture frame.

“♫ You won’t have to listen to those Royal pests; I promise you, that I’ll come through, and make your life the best! ♪”

Reaching the end of the tunnel, the pair came to what appeared to be an intersection. Spinning the earth pony around, the unicorn glared down at him with a knowing smirk. His grin spread as the organ slowly grew in tempo and volume. A unseen choir joined in, their voices as deep and resonating as the pipe organ. The flames of the torches in the intersection seemed to flare to life, creating pillars of red flame that licked at the ceiling.

Taking a step forward, the Archmage seemed to tower over Golden, like a dragon before a lamb.

“♫ So, come on, you deluded soul!” the unicorn snarled, baring his teeth at the earth pony. “Stop acting like a scared, little foal! Just grow a pair, and join the team! I promise you, once we’re all through, you’ll be able to do almost anything! ♪” The choir and organ swelled to an almost deafening roar, bits of rock and dust falling from the tunnel’s ceiling.

The Archmage didn’t notice; he only had eyes for the pitiful excuse for a pony that was sniveling before him. Growling, the Archmage took another step forward, the torch flames flaring as he did so. The music had reached the peak of its crescendo.

“♫ Make a deal with me, and you shall be free, to do everything you’ve ever dreamed! All it will take, is one little shake, and I can set you free! ♪”

Everything froze; the flames of the torches died down to embers, barely producing any light. The music and the choir dying out instantly, the only sound filling the tunnels was the soft sound of a violin. Golden’s brown eyes stared up at the Archmage’s ice blue ones. They seemed to glow in the semi-darkness, creating a disconcerting feeling within Golden.

Slowly, with the tension building, the Archmage held out a hoof to Golden Ingot, offering it to the earth pony like one might offer a hoof to a drowning pony. Golden stared at the hoof, his ears splayed back as his mind raced. Flicking his eyes up, Golden swallowed nervously, licking his suddenly dry lips. Slowly, tentatively, he reached out his hoof…

...and clasped the Archmage’s, giving it a trembling shake. The smile that spread across the Archmage’s face could have given foals nightmares for the rest of their lives.

“Excellent…” he hissed, as the torches flared back to life, the organs rumbled, slowly beginning to crescendo again. Now, along with the cellos and contrabassoons, drums began to beat along with the other instruments. The choir, starting low, slowly began to increase their pitch as the Archmage’s smile grew.

“Now then, Darkflare…” Out of the darkness, the unicorn emerged, a dark smirk on his face. Behind him, other ponies began to materialize as well. They were composed of mostly unicorns, both mares and stallions, with a few pegasi thrown in. There was a surprising lack of earth ponies.

A strong, unpleasant smell hit Golden’s nose, causing him to gag. He recognized it from his time working at a blacksmith’s in Manehatten. It was the smell of burning flesh.

The Archmage turned to look at the new ponies. Running an appraising eye over the group, he nodded before glancing at Darkflare. The Archmage smiled, baring his yellowed teeth.

“Rally the troops,” he hissed.

“Pearl! Rose!” Darkflare called over his shoulders. The two sisters appeared, smirks adorning their faces. “Get this rabble moving!” As the freed prisoners surged forward with a shout, heading back up the passageway towards the entrance to the dungeons, the Archmage reached forward and pulled Golden along. The drums pounded as the herd of ponies moved down the tunnel.

Glancing at Golden out of the corner of his eyes, the Archmage sneered, “♫ Now you see, dear boy, life’s not too hard to live! All you need to know is when to take and give! ♪” Golden glanced around at the ponies around him, the majority of which were unicorns. The nervousness in his eyes was clear to see. I know just what to do to make him feel better, the Archmage thought, his smile growing. If I can take them from ponies, I can give them as well! “♫ Now, I can tell you’re spirits are down and need a lift, so how about this fabulous gift? ♪”

The Archmage’s horn lit up, his magic flashing through the tunnel. A cheer went up from several of the unicorns as the music swelled again. Golden felt a sharp pain flash through his head, and he gritted his teeth in pain. As soon as it had come, it had left, leaving Golden with a strange tingling sensation across the top of his head.

As the magic faded, Golden blinked, trying to clear the stars in front of his eyes. As his vision cleared, Golden caught something just on the edge of his vision. Glancing up, he nearly stumbled when he saw what the Archmage had done. Golden could only gape, in awe and fear, at the horn that was now growing out of his forehead.

The Archmage had just changed him into a unicorn!

In a daze, Golden Ingot could only stare up at the new appendage in shock, pushed along the tunnel by the wave of unicorns. He turned to look at the Archmage, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly.

“♫ Now, now,” the Archmage sang, waving a hoof through the air. “There’s no need to thank me; it’s what I do! Consider it a present, from me to you! Now come along, boy; it’s time to start life anew, and bid your sorry old one a heartfelt adieu! ♪”

The horde stopped suddenly as they reached the end of the tunnel and the large metal gate that rested there. The freed prisoners gazed up at the gate in confusion, unsure of what to do. One of the unicorns stepped forward, her horn lighting up as she reached for the gate with her magic.

The moment her magic neared the gate, however, she winced. Her magic fizzled and died, leaving the gate untouched. The Archmage tsked, shaking his head as he stepped forward. Can’t use chaos magic; Tia will recognize it immediately. We’ll need to do this the old-fashioned way. Drawing upon his vast reserves of magic, the Archmage began the process of weaving together a very complicated spell.

With a grunt, he forced a large blast of magic through his horn, ripping a large portal open in front of the gate. Slightly winded, he turned and smirked at the wide-eyed ponies behind him. Gesturing at the flickering portal with a hoof, the Archmage said smugly, “Olly olly oxen free.” With a cheer, the horde surged forward through the portal, and out of the dungeons. Caught up in the crowd, Golden was pushed through the portal with the rest of the ponies. The Archmage just smiled, waving a hoof at him as he looked back through the portal, the fear and confusion clear on his face. We’ll have to see if we can’t use him somehow, the Archmage thought as he lowered his hoof.

Darkflare was one of the last ponies to pass through to freedom. As he approached the portal, he looked back at the Archmage, a dark grin on his face. His horn lit up, and Melodic’s unconscious body was suddenly draped across his back.

“I’ll be taking this with me,” he chuckled before disappearing through the portal. With that, the Archmage found himself alone in the dungeons. He stood there, staring at the swirling portal before him, breathing harder than he would have liked. It appears I’m rustier than I thought. He could hear the ambient music around him slowly beginning to die. With a flick of his horn, the Archmage severed the magic keeping the portal open. As it vanished, he turned and unlocked the main gate to the dungeons.

As the large, rusted gate swung slowly open, the Archmage glanced back down into the depths of the dungeon. He could still smell the scent of burning flesh on the air, and a thin layer of smoke was slowly beginning to waft up from the darkened tunnels. The Archmage stared into the darkness, his eyes unfocused.

“♫ Now, Tia, did you really think you’ve won this game? Nothing you do can smother this flame. You can’t trap me with the same old trick; that’s the part of the joy of being so chaotic...♪” The drums died down, and the other instruments slowly began to die with them; the song was coming to an end.

“♫ Ever since I came here, I’ve had to fight, to try and have the ponies see things in a different light. Now, it’s time for Harmony to be upturned...♪” As the Archmage trailed off, the music died; the choir was silenced. Thus ended another moment of the music of harmony. Silence fell over the tunnel as the Archmage stood motionless.

Sighing heavily, the Archmage’s eyes narrowed.

“Then we’re all going to watch this world die and burn…” he muttered darkly.

The sound of approaching hooves caused the Archmage to perk up, his ears swiveling around behind him. It seems that my distraction has run its course. The approaching ponies paused as they entered the dungeons, no doubt eyeing the lone unicorn.

Eventually, one of the new ponies spoke up, “What are you doing down here, Archmage?” Turning his head slightly, the elder unicorn glanced over his shoulder. Princess Celestia stood in the entrance to the dungeons with a group of guards behind her. As the Solar Princess continued to eye the Archmage, the guards slipped by him and hurried deeper into the tunnels.

“Princess Celestia,” the Archmage said, nodding at the princess before turning his attention back to the tunnels. There was a brief moment of silence before Celestia moved to stand next to him.

“What are you doing here?” she asked again, her voice soft. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“When the humans at the Gala started acting up, I sensed a large magical field come to life down here,” the Archmage lied, not looking at the princess. “By the time I arrived, however, it was already too late. Whoever was here had already disappeared.”

“Disappeared?” Princess Celestia asked, still looking down at the unicorn beside her. He motioned around at the surrounding area with a hoof.

“Check the magical residue,” he said quietly. The princess continued to stare at the Archmage for several seconds before her horn lit up with a soft golden light. It pulsed quickly before Celestia’s eyes widened and a small gasp escaped her lips.

“A mass-teleportation portal?” she breathed. “It’s fresh too; we just missed it!”

“It disappeared right when I showed up,” the Archmage replied, nodding his head. “I was just fast enough to see the last prisoner escape. The portal closed seconds later.”

“And who was this pony?”

“I believe it was the one called Darkflare,” the Archmage said, finally looking at Princess Celestia. “The one your student caught in Ponyville.”

“Damn,” the princess swore, stomping her hoof. “Damn it all to Tartarus.” Snorting, she turned to look at the Archmage. “You didn’t happen to get any info from him before he escaped, did you? Did you interrogate him at all yet?”

“No, I haven’t had time to come down and talk to him yet.”

“Of course you haven’t,” Celestia muttered, rubbing her temples with her hooves; she looked stressed. Like she should be, the Archmage thought smugly. Breathing deeply, Celestia lowered her head and groaned softly. “Why did this have to happen tonight of all nights?”

“Your Majesty?” Both Celestia and the Archmage turned to look at the guard that had emerged from the depths of the tunnels. He looked like he was about ready to be sick, but managed to salute nonetheless.

“Yes, my little pony?” Celestia asked, forcing a smile onto her face.

“Ma’am, we’re still searching the cells, but by the looks of it half the prisoners are missing, and the other half--” he swallowed, a queasy look on his face. “The other half appear to have been torched in their cells.”

“Torched?” Celestia asked, her ear twitching slightly. The guard just nodded his head, not trusting himself to speak. Celestia closed her eyes, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Go find Luna and inform her of the situation,” she eventually said, her voice quiet. The guard saluted once more before hurrying off, back towards the surface and out of the dungeons.

The minute the guard was out of earshot, Celestia started swearing explosively. Wheeling on the Archmage, she glared down at him.

“You wouldn’t happen to know where Darkflare is going, or what he’s up to?” she asked, her voice tense. Unperturbed, the Archmage just shook his head. Celestia groaned loudly.

“Look on the bright side,” the Archmage said, a smile playing across his lips. The Solar Princess glanced down at the stallion, a confused look on her face.

“Bright side?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “What bright side?”

“You have a team of experts out there right now, tracking down the remainder of Darkflare’s original group, those who remained free,” the Archmage explained. “They are currently cracking down on Darkflare’s hideouts with the help of an ex-member. They are essentially stripping the enemy of their resources, as well as anything that Darkflare can use against us.”

“I guess,” Celestia said, a small smile spreading across her face.

“Speaking of which,” the Archmage added. “Have you figured out what that artifact was Second Lieutenant Pyre sent you?”

“No,” Celestia sighed, glancing back down the tunnels. “We haven’t seen anything like it before.”

“Well, obviously you aren’t trying hard enough,” the Archmage chuckled softly, his tone teasing. His eyes however, were narrowed, and he was giving the Solar Princess a calculating look.

Instantly Celestia wheeled around, snarling as she glared down at the stallion, her eyes blazing with inner fire.

“WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME THAT I’M NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH?!” she roared, her voice causing the cave to tremble. The Archmage stumbled backwards, his ears splayed against his head. As her voice echoed around the cavern and tunnels, Celestia glared down at the Archmage, her face a mask of rage.

And then, just as suddenly as it came, her anger was gone. A look of shock and horror fell upon Celestia’s face, and she staggered backwards, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Oh,” she choked, raising a hoof to her mouth. “Oh, I’m… I’m so sorry, my little pony. I don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s alright, princess,” the Archmage said, rubbing his ear with a hoof. “It’s just the stress speaking.”

“No, it’s not alright,” Celestia said, shaking her head. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. I shouldn’t have yelled at anypony like that. I don’t know where that came from!”

“It’s fine, princess,” the elderly stallion said again, running a hoof through his mane. It was taking all his might not to smirk at the moment. “It’s been a long night, and we both have a lot of things on our minds. You just finish up with your guards down here, and I’ll go get the Battlemages. We’ll start working on a means to find Darkflare, or at least prepare for whatever he might have planned. You and I can discuss this later, okay?” The Solar Princess nodded, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Very well,” she said, nodding her head. “Keep me posted.”

“I’ll just leave you to it then,” the Archmage said, before bowing. Turning, he exited the tunnels and slowly began to make his way across the massive lake, leaving Princess Celestia and her remaining guards behind in the dungeons that had become a tomb.

Author's Notes:

So, I tried something new and attempted to add a moment of musical harmony to the story. As you are now no doubt aware, I can't write songs worth a damn…