Chapter 21

As has been stated, Death’s vigil over the gates of Tartarus was not perfect.

Imps, and such things were constantly escaping, and a few larger denizens would make their way out, when Death was away and Cerberus was asleep.

Still...there was one…

The one that Death would consider his greatest failure.

Hatred, King of Tartarus, had waited for millennia. He had sent out minion after minion to weaken the world, and bring him closer to his goals.

And then, finally he made his move.

Escaping into the world as a shade, past the sleeping dog, and Death who was away, he made his way and prepared his plan.

Umbra Shade, of House Shade watched over the Crystal Empire from his balcony. As he stared out into the distance, though, his heart felt heavy.

Worry wormed into his being, and the hazy future clouded his mind.

His duty to protect the Royal House of the Empire set him on edge, what with the echoes of a war with the Minotaurs floating in the wind.

His fear had driven him to study magics that no other pony had dared to delve into

It was here that Hatred found him.

“What troubles you, little pony? What aid can I offer?”

Umbra stood, thinking he had summoned the voice that now echoed in the room. “Creature! I need strength!”

“What strength do you need?”

“I need the strength to protect the Imperial Prince and Princess. I need the strength to keep them and the Empire safe from our enemies.”

“I could help you,” Hatred whispered. “I can give you aid. But it will come at a price.”

“Your price matters not, so long as my people are safe.”

“So it shall be.”

And the ponies were safe.

Safe under the iron hoof of a demonic tyrant.

The bed felt cold.

Twilight stirred, searching for warmth.

It had been there a second ago.

Her eyes snapped open.

“Alan!”

Her heart slammed into her throat, and a horrified thought ran through her head.

He was dead and it had all been a dream. She was still alone.

She sat up, searching the room, and found her husband, staring up at the makeshift window of their room.

Twilight let loose a tense breath.

It was real. He was alive.

They both were.

“Alan? Is something wrong?” she asked.

“A lot of things are wrong,” he said.

Twilight slid up to him, and nuzzled the crook of his neck. “What’s the problem, Alan?”

“My dreams,” he muttered.

“What about them?”

Alan sighed. “I’ve seen things...I’ve seen thing that will be, and things that will never be, things that were, and things that could have been. I’ve seen Canterlot burn in Chaos’ black flames, and I’ve seen rise into a Golden Age that makes my own world look backwards in comparison. I’ve seen my own death at the hooves of these changelings among us, and I’ve seen our son lay me in the ground a grandfather. I’ve seen our many times great-grandson stare down an army, proclaiming that he holds the ancient fighting techniques that have passed from generation to generation in our line.”

He sighed, again, feeling thirty years older. “I’ve seen us win, and I’ve seen us fail, Twilight. I’ve seen them both, and the failure is too great...”

Twilight kissed him. “We’ll be fine, Alan. You’ll lead us to victory, like you always have.”

Alan shook his head. “I hope so...I hope so, Twi…” he kissed. “Let’s just go back to bed, Twi. We need to be ready and alert.”

She nodded, and dragged her husband back with her.

Alan followed.

But he had not been perfectly honest.

He had seen something else.

He did not know who, but Alan knew that Chaos was not working alone.

Daisy Chain sighed as she came up to the librarian’s desk.

It seemed wrong, in a way.

Twilight had asked her to library-sit for her, and now...now it seemed like she would be running it for a while.

Dawn Flame came in, and set down a pile of books. “Got some more for you, dear.”

“Thank you,” Daisy muttered, before stamping the return date into the book’s return card.

Dawn shook his head. “I can’t believe they're both gone…”

“I know…”

Volo, Alan’s eagle was perched, despondent, joined by Owlowiscious, who had been equally depressed. Daisy shook her head, it just seemed so wrong.

As the two began to settle into the daily grind, somepony walked in through the door.

“Mom! Dad! You here?” Pipsqueak called, walking through the door as he was followed by Scootaloo and their friends.

“Pip, Scoots?” Dawn called. “What are you kids doing here?”

“It’s Diamond’s turn to pick the activity!” Pip said, pointing at the pink filly who gave a shy wave. “And since Scoots has been forcing us into some crazy stuff, she wanted to do something that wasn’t as physically challenging.”

“So we’re here to help you sort through the books!” Silver Spoon finished, smiling.

Dawn blinked, and looked over at Daisy.

Daisy blinked and looked over at Dawn.

And both of them looked to the bored-looking pegasus filly that stood behind her step-brother. “And you agreed to this?” they asked in unison.

Scootaloo sighed. “Yeah...it’s only fair…"

The parents looked at each other once more. “Well…” Daisy said. “We...could use some help going through the returns…”

Dawn looked down at Scootaloo, mouth open, before closing it.

He took a long look at his daughter.

“O...kay…” he said. “You...do that…”

Alan and Twilight sat at the bar, finishing the last of their oatmeal.

So far, the day had passed without too many issues, in fact, so far it had seemed quiet. And while that did fill Alan with a sense of foreboding, he was happy to keep the peace around for as long as he could.

As the dead couple finished their breakfast, sitting in the cistern room of the hidden base, a changeling approached them.

“Morning, sir!” the changeling said.

Alan turned, and smiled. “Ah! Anvil! How are you doing this morning?”

“I’m doing well, sir,” Anvil said.

“Twilight, you remember Anvil, don’t you?”

“Of course!” Twilight said. “He’s the armorer. You made a point of him being an armorer, and his secret project.”

“Speaking of, how’s it coming?” Alan asked.

“Actually, sir, I just finished.”

“Oh! Sweet,” Alan said.

“If you’ll both follow me,” Anvil offered.

“Lead the way,” Twilight said.

Anvil smiled and led the way.

They made their way down a set of stairs, and into a simple room that has a fire pit dug into the center.

“Not much of a smithy, is it?” Alan asked.

“It’s better than Thimble’s loom,” Anvil said. “Besides, when you do what I do, you do not need much.”

“And what do you do?” Twilight asked, interest peaked.

Anvil smiled. “Chitin smithing.”

Both ponies blinked.

“What?” Alan asked.

Anvil chuckled, as he led them to two figures that lay hidden under some ratty sheets. “Well, considering that we had quite a few volunteers show up from the starvation before you showed up, sir, I’ve had quite a lot of material to work with.”

“Oh…” Alan said. “Lovely.”

“Well,” Anvil said. “If you’re willing to get over the discomfort, I have these for you,” and with that, he ripped the sheets aside to reveal two, old, beat ponyquins.

But the armor they were wearing was spectacular.

The first set, Twilight realized, seemed to be a silver and black version of the Silver Stallion’s, complete with face-shrouding chamfron and flank-obscuring plates. The only real differences seemed to be the newly-minted, black plate that sat in the chest, stamped with a silver image of a rampant dragon, and the diamond that sat beneath the horn opening.

The second set was for a slightly slimmer figure, made of silver and lavender plates that would cover the neck, barrel, back and shoulders. A circlet-shaped helm, set with a star-shaped amethyst sat proudly on the ponyquin’s head, and a skirt of what looked like cloth shimmered green as it’s hem sat just below the flank.

“Chitin,” Anvil said, “specifically changeling chitin is ten times harder than steel, and a fraction of the weight. There is not a blade on this earth, magical or otherwise, that can cut or pierce this hide. That, and there’s normally just enough residual magic in the plates to allow for altering texture and colors to make each piece perfectly unique.”

Alan nodded, impressed as he began to look over the armor.

“Each piece is made completely out of cleaned and recycled changeling chitin, carefully molded and designed to keep you protected in all of the major areas. I even have a heavier set for you, sir, that will even keep your joints safe.”

“No, no...this...this is good…”

Anvil nodded, smiling wider and wider as both ponies stared wide-eyed at their pieces. “Now, Miss, Sparkle,” he said, turning to Twilight as she looked at her armor. “I had to take some liberties for your armor, as I am not really familiar with your fighting style, so I had to go with the traditional battlemage armor design.”

Twilight nodded, staring at her piece and trying not to have a gaping mouth.

“No objections to the design, then?” He asked.

Twilight shook her head in silence.

Anvil smiled. “Wonderful. I’ve also take the time to enchant the pieces with a magic resistant enchantment in the gems, just as an overall blanket spell to keep you safe.”

The two ponies circled their armor once more, before Alan finally spoke. “Wow...Anvil...you weren’t kidding when you said you had a talent for armor.”

“No, sir!” Anvil said with a smile, pleased at the reception.

“Well...I...I’m definitely wearing this when the time comes.”

“It’s an honor, sir,” Anvil said with pride.

The door to the armory slammed open. “Sir!” the entering changeling said, running down to they smithy floor. “Sir! Chess Piece needs to speak with you immediately!”

“What’s the problem?” Alan asked.

“They’re all coming to Canterlot Castle, sir!”

“They?” Twilight asked.

“The Big Three! All of them!”

Twilight blinked, confused, and turned to Alan to ask what exactly that meant, only for Alan to sprint up the stairs. “They’re what?!”

Twilight followed quickly after, trailing the bounding form of her husband. “Alan! Where are you going?!”

She knew the answer to that, really, there was only one place to go.

Alan burst into the war room, where Chess sat, poring over maps and reports while changelings buzzed around her.

“Chess, what’s going on?!” he asked. “Are the Big Three on the move?”

Chess nodded. “Yes, sir. The reports just came in,” she said, standing. “Big Red stopped his rampage, and then turned around, heading straight for the center of the City. Shortly after that, we received word about both Bad Joke and Mr. Domino. Their heading for the castle as we speak.”

“Mobilize all changelings!” Alan barked. “I want every member of the Mare Do Well Corps dressed and ready within the hour! Initiate Operation First Born! I want the Stallion Seven armed and warned yesterday!”

“Sir! Yes, sir!”

“Shadow! Quickstep!” Alan called.

“Sir!” two changelings answered.

“I need the locations of the Elements of Harmony and Judgement in my hoof ASAP! Understood?!”

“Sir! Yes, sir!”

“Alan,” Twilight called. “What’s going on?”

“Big Red doesn’t move,” Alan explained. “He wanders. For him to move anywhere with any sort of purpose means he’s up to something. And as far as I know, there’s only one thing that can order Big Red.”

“Chaos…” Twilight said.

“Exactly, and if all three of his minions are heading to the same place?”

Twilight nodded, following the mental breadcrumbs her husband was leaving. “Then he’s up to something.”

Alan nodded. “Something big.”

It seemed they’d be wearing that armor much sooner than he thought.

Silver Pauldrons walked the streets of Canterlot, a frown on his face.

It had been bad.

First Alan had kicked the bucket and now Twilight too? It was just too much.

Applejack, the pony who could take anything, had even been affected. She couldn’t even get out of bed today.

So here he was, getting food for the two of them until Applejack felt better,

It was just too much.

“E-excuse me! Mister!”

Silver looked up.

“Mister! Hang on a second!”

Silver checked behind him to see a young unicorn stallion walk up to him. “Sir! You dropped this!” The stallion said, waving a small folded piece of paper.

Silver furrowed his brow. “I don’t think—”

“Here you go, sir!” the young stallion said, slapping the page into his hoof. “You need to be more careful, sir, that looks important.”

“But it’s not—”

“Well, have a good day, sir!” the unicorn said, before he began he turned and began walking away.

“Hey! Wait! This isn’t mine!” Silver yelled after the escaping colt.

The young stallion never stopped.

“Hey! Come back here! You’ve got the wrong stallion!”

And then it was too late. The young stallion turned a corner and was gone.

Silver grumbled.

Great, now he had to go and find who this note belongs to, and all that jazz.

Sighing he opened the note.

“Silver,” the note read.

“Get your hammer out. You might need it soon.

—Al.”

Silver blinked.

And his bag of groceries hit the ground.

Spike had grown lethargic.

He knew this day would come.

He knew one day he’d have to bid Twilight, his sister/mother good bye.

He just didn’t think it would be this soon.

He needed to be alone.

Alone so that no one, not even Rarity, could see the tears the dragon would shed.

His sleep was riddled with nightmares, torturous dreams where he could have done something.

He had tried to be with her after Alan left, but...but it wasn’t enough…

It just…

Maybe he could have done something.

Maybe there was nothing he could do.

The best that he could do was not think about it.

A knock sounded on the door to the apartment, the one he and Twilight had lived in so long ago, before Nightmare Moon returned.

“Go away!” he roared, his voice echoing in the emptiness.

It was quiet for a moment, and then the knock sounded again.

Spike growled. “Didn’t they hear me?” he mumbled to himself, anger rising in his voice. “Don’t they know when to leave a dragon alone?!”

He got out of bed and stormed down to the door, causing the room to shake with each step.

He grabbed the door in his powerful claw and ripped it open. “What do you want!?” he roared.

At...no one in particular…

He looked around, and snorted. “Better,” he grumbled, before his eyes set down on a small box that sat in front of the door.

Perhaps it was curiosity, perhaps it was something else, but Spike picked up the box, and inside the box, were four things.

Two of them were his pistols. The little firearms that he had wielded so long ago as a smaller version of himself during the war.

The third was his bullet belt.

All three of those items had been secured in a safe in Canterlot’s vault.

Spike blinked.

The fourth item was a letter.

“Spike,

We need our number one assistant.

Make sure to bring both of yours.

—Al.”

Spike blinked again.

There was no way.

Soarin sighed.

“Featherbrains,” he muttered. “My wing's what broken, not my legs. They don’t need to keep me bedridden.”

“It’s okay, Soary,” Pinkie said, sounding not quite as bubbly as normal.

“No, it’s not alright,” Soarin growled. “I missed the funeral because these Thunderheads wouldn’t let me go!”

“Sh, it’s okay,” Pinkie said. “It wasn’t something I really wanted to go to either…”

Soarin sighed. “I know, Pinkie. Still, I wanted to pay my respects…”

There was silence between the two for a moment.

“Hey...Pinkie?”

“Yes?”

“Could you get me something to drink? They never bring me enough water when I ask…”

“Sure, Soary. I’ll be right back,” Pinkie said, before walking out of the room.

Soarin sighed.

“Everything alright, Mr. Soarin?” A nurse said, walking into the room.

Soarin sighed. “No, but I’ll live.”

The nurse smiled, and came in. She then quickly moved around her patient, fluffing his pillow, checking the monitors, and all that, before she smiled and spoke to him. “Alright, there you go! Do you need anything else?”

“No,” Soarin grumbled, “I’m fine.”

The nurse smiled, before leaning in and quickly whispering in his ear. “Keep your eyes open,” she said, before dropping his phoenix amulet into his hoof, “The Pendragon will need you soon.”

Soarin blinked, confused, and the nurse quickly backed out of the room.

Soarin looked down at the amulet, before looking back at the empty door.

“I...um...what?”

Night was beginning to fall.

Daisy Chain walked in on the small group of foals in the backroom, and smiled. “Wow, kids, I have to say, I’m impressed!”

The Crusaders, along with Rumble, and Featherweight all looked up from the books they had been sorting all day.

“You have really done a lot of work today!” She said, very impressed with the children.

“Not a problem, Mom,” Pipsqueak said with a smile.

The other foals beamed.

Except Scootaloo, who looked like she was half dead, and wishing for the end to take her now.

“I’m so impressed, in fact, that I’m going to take you all out for ice cream!”

And the beams faded.

Daisy looked slightly confused at the signals she was getting, which only compounded as every foal then looked to her son. Even Scootaloo looked to him, fear clearly written on her face.

“Um...well...uh…thanks, Mom...but we…” Pipsqueak said.

Applebloom bit her lip.

“We...uh...we’d rather stay here and...uh…”

Daisy’s eyes narrowed. “Pipsqueak...what are you not telling me?”

“I...uh...we...um…”

“Mrs. Chain,” Diamond Tiara said, standing suddenly. “We have to admit we haven’t been totally honest with you.”

Sweetie Bell looked like she was going to faint.

“You see, your son had an ulterior motive tonight,” she said, moving up beside the mare.

“Oh, did he?” she asked.

“Tiara!” Silver Spoon whispered harshly.

“The truth is, he emptied his entire piggy bank to pay us for the work.”

Daisy’s head snapped to the pink filly. “He did?”

Diamond Tiara nodded as the other foals stared at her with wide eyes. “Oh, yes. You see, he’s been worried about you and Mr. Flame lately, and he wanted you two to go...do whatever is you grown-ups do at night, so he hired us to help him close the library up for you, so you could enjoy yourselves. It was supposed to be a surprise.”

“Really?” Daisy asked, tears in her eyes, as she looked at her son.

Pip nodded emphatically.

“Oh, honey! That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever done for me!” she said, grabbing onto her son in a hug.

“N-no problem, Mom,” he said.

“Alright,” she said, releasing Pip. “I’ll go take your step-father, now. But tomorrow, you all are getting ice cream, alright? No buts.”

“No, Ma’am!” Applebloom said.

“Thank you so much, kids,” she said, before leaving and closing the door behind her.

A collective breath was released from the foals.

“Good thinking, Tiara…” Pip said.

“It’s what I do.”

“Alright!” he said, taking the lead once more. “You know your mission, let’s go.”

Night was beginning to fall.

Alan took a long, shaky breath as he stood before his armor.

All of the stallions had been warned, the Elements of Harmony had been located, but Judgement eluded them still.

He needed to find that blade.

In the meantime, he could not let Chaos run unopposed.

A pair of mana-hands grabbed the back piece to the armor, and lifted it above his head.

“Here,” Twilight said, adjusting Alan’s path down onto his back. With her help, he began to dress, and once all but the chamfron had been put on, he turned to help her dress.

“So this is it, huh?” Twilight asked.

Alan nodded. “Don’t worry, it’ll just be like taking down Discord.”

“We lost the first time,” Twilight noted.

“So we did,” Alan agreed.

“So, if we follow the pattern we’ll win this time,” she said with a smile.

Alan chuckled. “Yup, that sounds right to me.”

Twilight sighed. “Oh, Celestia, I hate the waiting…”

Alan nodded. “We’ll make it.”

“I hope so,” she said finally.

And with that, both were almost completely armored. All but the headpieces.

Alan grabbed his chamfron.

Twilight grabbed her circlet.

“Alright,” Alan said. “Time to face this together.”

“Like we always should,” Twilight said.

“And always will.”

The put their helmets on and began to head up.

They were about to make their debut.

Alan pulled out his iPod. “Alright, buddy. Gimmie a song to walk to.”

The iPod gave a boomp, and began to play a slow sounding song.

“I'm not the same as yesterday

Ooh...It's hard to explain

How things have changed

But I'm not the same as before

And I know there's so much more ahead

I can barely believe that I'm here

And I won't surrender quietly

Step up and watch me go…”

They walked, moving along, and a Mare Do Well joined them.

Suddenly the song burst into harsh clash of chords and rough lyrics.

“Break down, ya really want it?

Wanna make a scene?

Show me what ya mean

Let's get it started

Let me see whatcha got

Can ya take it up a knotch?

Don't think you got it

Can't handle the pressure?

Get, off, stop talkin' about it

Gotta make this count, let's go.”

More and more changelings joined them walking next to them as they made their way up, to the land of the living.

“When we move

We camouflage ourselves

We stand in the shadows waiting

We live for this and nothing more

We are what You created.”

They made their way up and out onto the street now surrounded by forty Mare Do Wells, all of which stood ready.

One came up to them and spoke in Chess’ voice. “I’ve contacted the splinter hives. We’re getting some reinforcements.”

Alan smiled. “Glad to hear. We can use all the help we can get.”

Chess nodded. “I like the song, by the way.”

Alan smirked. “Alright, let’s go. Canterlot needs us.”

“When we move

We camouflage ourselves

We stand in the shadows waiting

We live for this and nothing more

We are what You created.”

They broke the surface, and Alan quickly formed a disk for himself and Twilight to stand on.

The Mare Do Wells bounded up into the air, jumping onto the buildings as they prepared for their assault on Canterlot.

“When we move

We camouflage ourselves

We stand in the shadows waiting

We live for this and nothing more

We are what You created.”

Alan landed on the building.

He stood, staring at the castle.

The Corps stood behind him.

And Twilight, his Twilight, stood beside him.

The time had come.

Alan took a deep breath.

“Jotum!”

Night was beginning to fall.

And Chaos smiled.

The time had come at last.

The pitiful puppet Luna was already on her way, and his minions were closing in on their locations.

The End was about to begin.

“Are you ready, servant?” His master asked.

Chaos turned to see Sombra, Hatred made flesh, and bowed.

“We are ready, my Lord.”

Sombra smiled, and opened his mouth letting his tongue unroll from the depths of his stomach.

And at the end of it, sat a key.

The key was forged of a green, almost blue metal that glimmered even in the deepest darkness. Every face of it was decorated by jeweled skulls, and the teeth of the key had taken from Tiamat’s own mouth.

“Take the key, my servant,” Hatred ordered. “Take the key of Tartarus and open the floodgates of Hell.”

Chaos took up the key.

The Key of Tartarus, one of the three stolen from Faust herself.

He took the key, and laid it before him, lining up the key to the chalk keyhole drawn into the ground.

It turned with a click, and the room went dark.

Sombra smiled. “Goooooood…” he said. “Soon all the world will bow to my true armies.”

“As you wish, my lord,” Chaos said with a bow as the key began to work it’s magic.

Suddenly a dragon’s roar echoed through the stillness of the night, and both figures looked out to see the source.

“Well, well…” Sombra said. “It seems that the Pendragon is not as dead as you thought, servant.”

“He’s not?” Chaos asked, trying to suppress the fear edging into his voice.

“No...no he’s not.”

The cloud of smoke stared out to the horizon, where a herd of ponies gathered, standing on the roofs and led by a pony dressed in silver.

“Perhaps I can fix your mistakes yet, servant.”

“M’lord?”

Sombra’s eyes narrowed and his smile grew. “Bring me the boy.”

The fight has begun! Ladies and gentlemen, the time is now.

The end is about to begin!

“You’ve said that four times already, they get it!”

Alright, alright, I’ll lay off it.

“Good, now we can—”

But the end of the book is coming.

“—move on…”

Seriously, though, this is the last arc of the book and after that…

Well…

“Anyways guys, thanks for reading! Here's the song that played if any of you were interested.”

Be sure to comment and stuffs.

“And we’ll see you next time.”

Bye!