Chapter 26: The Crystal Cave

Crystal Plains…

Twilight and Applejack were back in the snowy plains between the Crystal Empire and the Crystal Mountains, they had retrieved a map from the Crystal Heart showing the correct path and they were now carefully going the right way making sure they didn’t stray so much as one hoofstep off the path or else the blizzard took them back to the start and it was a looooooonng way back!

About 2 hours later…

They finally hit the end of the plains reaching the Crystal mountains and according to the map they key should be inside the mountain all the way up those stairs made of Crystal which seemed easy enough but Twilight Sparkle was experienced enough to know that things will never be easy as it may seem…

Somewhere near the top of the Badlands…

Spike and Rainbow Dash had found Dragons as they passed by determined to reach the top to get their key to defeating the Entity whom was Celestia knows where!

But they made it to an area with a huge dragon that must be the leader but like the others he was exhausted, his red colour could still see sweat all over his body.

“Who sets hoof into my presence?” asked the Dragon

“My name is Spike and this is Rainbow Dash” said Spike

“A Young Drake and a Winged Pony? Not something one sees everyday especially one as old as I am at 2500 years” commented the Dragon moving his head slightly

“Wow…that’s a long time” said Spike impressed

“It seems so large to one as young as you, Young Drake. But to a Dragon like me, years seem to fly by like nothing but do tell me young ones, why did you travel up here and how is it that you are not tired at all?” asked the Dragon curiously

“We need to get a key from the Shadow Dragon, it’s to unlock a power to stop the Entity who’s been destroying our cities” said Dash

“That fiend! He destroyed a few of us Dragons with that Shadow Dragon of his, I would of fought him myself but he drains energy, Pony magic can not harm him and you, Spike the Dragon, your flames are not matured enough to damage him either.” Explained the Dragon with a growl

“Well Princess Celestia sent gems so we couldn’t get drained and can get the key to defeat the Entity” said Spike

“Did you say Princess Celestia? She has not visited in 200 years, one would think she may of died or forgotten me” said the Dragon

“Yeah, and I thought Luna was the only one Celestia knew as old as herself” said Spike

“HA! Celestia is a young child compared to my age and I noticed you all know Luna which must mean she’s back to normal” said the Dragon laughing

“Well Mr. Dragon dude, we gotta go get that key” said Dash

“Samol is my name and I wish you good luck young Drake and Pony, but I think it goes without warning that whatever you do, do NOT wake him up!” warned Samol

“Thanks, (offers Gem) here! This Gem protects the user and anypony in contact from their energy being drained if you need to fight or evacuate” said Dash

“Wow, I feel like I just got a huge burst of Energy but the my kind come first but if I need to fight, I will fight!” said Samol

“We’ll be on our way” said Spike

“Good luck again!...you’ll need it!” muttered Samol as he went down to save his kind

Spike and Rainbow Dash were on their way to a hot place where things can heat up if one thing goes wrong!

Crystal Mountains…

After a exercise up some long stairs both Twilight Sparkle and Applejack made it to the top of the stairs where it was very cold but thankfully they need not worry about the narrow stairs as they go straight into a cave which had a look of danger yet it was inviting to the pair as they knew they were getting close to their goal.

“Phew-wee! Ah’d say somepony really makes these keys plain tiring to get” said Applejack panting slightly

“Yes…somepony has a bad habit of putting stairs so much, that from what Logan said about Elevators and Escalators, I wouldn’t mind those myself…” said Twilight catching her breath

“Well, no use foaling around here, Ah’m just wanting tah get this key and git out of here” said Applejack

“True, the fate of Equestria lays on us getting these keys and I will not let Princess Celestia down or my friends” said Twilight getting her head up as she walked further in the cave

“Tha’s the Spirit Twi!” said Applejack lifting Twilight’s spirits

The Crystal cave seemed to be quite endless and an uphill battle, Twilight herself was torn between studying the Crystal and having a field day with it and saving the world but she knew her duty and she pushed on, Applejack on the other hand was quite focused and uninterested in the beautiful Crystal that she knew Rarity would of killed to be here right now.

About 5 years ago anypony would assume Rarity always wanted to move to Canterlot due to the Sophistication and Glamour it had but she had a taste of the dark side of it, which she likes to call Prince Blueblood. On the other hand about a year ago, she was shown the Crystal Empire and she absolutely loved it! Just the way it looked and the expression when she was temporarily a Crystal Pony could be read as Heaven was not enough to describe it. But Still Canterlot had more than the Empire but there were always other choices out there.

The Pair made it to a door and Twilight consulted her map and showed her with her magic that it should be on the other side of the door but she needs rest.

“Alright Applejack, the key is behind this door” said Twilight

“Y’all sure?” asked Applejack

“Sure as sure can be, but first we need to rest” said Twilight

“Shucks! Ah say we get the key now” said Applejack impatiently

“No we can’t! There may be danger and we need all the strength we can get!” said Twilight sitting down

Applejack sat down and wondered just what dangers could lie behind the door and will they survive whatever could be up ahead?…