The sun was barely a quarter above the horizon when they began their preparations for the journey ahead. A mist had formed around them over night that was beginning to clear up revealing the lush foliage that was the Everfree Forest.

They strapped Raime’s petrified body onto the back of Sif with a line of rope. Along with Raime were several bundles of firewood. They had recently regained their ability to move around again, and so they had few possessions. The few things they did have were light and few enough to store on their persons. With the few things they had packed, and ready to go, they made sure their bonfire was out, and set off for Golden Oaks Library.

They calmly made their way out of the forest they had inhabited for thousands of years in stone. Today would be the day that they would set off onto an adventure like they had done so in a previous life. When they had arrived in Ponyville the ponies who were out and about quickly fled for safety as the trio strode on by. A few ponies to their surprise gave a sigh or a roll of the eyes, and calmly found their safe haven in their own homes. “I was not expecting this,” Sulyvahn quietly said leaning to Artorias.

“Them fleeing or the few fleeing as if this were a normal thing?” Artorias didn’t care about the fact that the civilians fled. In fact, it was a good thing. If another fight were to break out then at least the inhabitants would be slightly safer.

“The latter of course and a bit of the former. I was sure that the media here would have already spread the news about me.”

“Wouldn’t that be a bad thing,” he gave his head a slight tilt toward his friend.

“Well I helped the young Twilight Sparkle with a spell she had been working on. She attempted to make a spell that would fail no matter what. A few minor adjustments and I’m sure she can figure out how to fix it, or that it’s completely impossible. One or the other,” he finally said with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders.

“Cold as ever Sulyvahn, cold as ever.”

“What?” disbelief present in his tone. “Oh, we’re nearly there.”

“Let me guess: the Golden Oaks Library, is the giant tree.”

“Spot on! You were always the quick one to catch on,” he wrapped his arm around his friend’s back.

Sighing at his friend, “I don’t need your sarcasm. Let’s just hurry up already. Royalty has invited us to the capital and we still have no idea how long the journey shall take.”

The trio made their way over to the library door. Pontiff knocked on the door like he had before, and Twilight’s voice called out, “We’re open!” but under her breath she muttered, “Why does everypony feel the need to knock? I live here and all, but it’s still a library.”

The two looked to one another, shrugged, and made their way in. Artorias looked at Sif which is all he needed to do to tell Sif to stay outside. Going through the door the look on the lavender pony’s face was priceless as her jaw fell and her body froze. Sulyvahn comfortably walked in, but behind him Artorias managed an awkward wave, “Uh… hey?”

She quickly snapped out of her shock, “H-hello,” she tried to act strong, but there was no way of covering up the fear that she had. “The… uh… Princesses have sent me a message that you have uh… been...” she gave an audible gulp. “That you have been invited to Canterlot. She... asked that I make… accommodations. I really hadn’t expected you to come to me, but here we are now… heh heh heh...”

Before their eyes Twilight had disappeared in a fraction of a second only to return in another fraction. In her magic she levitated over two bags of bits over to them. “These should handle your guys’ finances for the most part.” She knew what she was about to ask next and was afraid of the answer, despite the fear she gave an audible gulp, “So… is there anything else you guys need?” In the back of her mind though she thought, Oh please no! Just go, leave! Please leave!

“Truth be told, it’s the reason why we came here,” Sulyvahn answered. “We require a map of the country, Equestria.”

What do they need a map of Equestria for! Plan invasions! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I can’t just say, no! The Princesses asked I make them accommodations! Does this count?Huh! I have it! I’ll give them an old copy! That way they can’t take complete advantage of our geography! Ha! As if they could take Canterlot anyway! With the debate settled in her mind, she quickly set off to finding a their map of Equestria, “That should be easy!”

A minute later she gave the two a map of Equestria, she purposely gave them a map that depicted none of the railroads of Equestria as well as the old more dangerous routes between the major cities. “This is the best I could do!” it wasn’t a lie, it was just that her best was put to a different goal.

“Well I would love to stay around and help you two out with anymore problems, but other duties call to me,” she levitated over a saddlebag onto her. Slowly and cautiously she made her way through the two creatures. After passing them she quickly picked up her pace, opening the door she shrieked at the sight of Sif happily waiting for his master. Twilight teleported behind the pooch and quickly galloped away. Artorias and Sulyvahn peered through the door to see the kick of dust from her hooves.

“Well that was interesting,” Sulyvahn said slowly and unsurely.

“Uh… sure?” Artorias looked over to the table in the middle of the library. He quickly set about making the plans for their journey by setting down the map and grabbing a a nearby quill and ink. “Let’s get to planning!”

“Of course,” Sulyvahn stood next to Artorias.

Geographically Canterlot wasn’t that far from Ponyville. In fact, if the scales on this map, which the legend displayed as a line segment of time rather than distance, were accurate than getting there shouldn’t take more than a day. Even by taking the most scenic and direct paths getting there should be fairly easy. The real problem would be scaling the mountain to the city.

“Astounding,” Sulyvahn pointed at the capital. “They built a major city on the side of a mountain, and by the looks of it, it looks like it’s floating!”

“Well I’m sure it will be a sight to see when we get there. It doesn’t look like there are any stairs though by the picture here, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. In order to get there it looks like we won’t need the firewood, saves Sif a bit more energy. I say we travel up stream. It looks like the river in Ponyville connects to the waterfall in Canterlot,” his finger following the path of the river.

“Agreed. It’ll give us plenty of drinking water too. Provided the ponies of Canterlot do not defecate in their own water supply.”

“It wouldn’t be likely, the ponies here in Ponyville seem to made their home around this segment of the river. We’ll just need a bundle of wood to purify the water, I’m sure even without it we should be able to forage for some more.”

“And for food?”

“We’ll be traveling for less than a day, we could probably figure something out along the way.”

“If you say so,” he shrugged.

“Alrighty then! Let’s go!”

As they had planned their journey, Twilight had met up with her group of friends at the Ponyville Train Station. “Twilight! You’re finally here! So, we going to find those scumbags?” Rainbow Dash wish a smirk gave a few punches mid air followed by a high kick before settling down to the floor.

“Indeed darling, it’s not like for you to be late like that. It’s been two minutes! A few seconds sure, but minutes? It must have been something dreadful!” Rarity brought a hoof to her forehead.

“Sorry Rainbow. We’re not going to look for them,” Twilight pulled out a bag of bits of her own from her saddlebag.

“Wait what?!”

“There’s been a change of plans. The reason I’m late you see, is that they met up with me at the library.”

“Darling... “ Rarity tried to comfort her friend, but she was to busy to care.

“This pushes our schedule ahead of time, meaning we can take the next train to Canterlot,” she placed a few bits onto the ticket box’s counter and was given a ticket.

The other mares followed suit and began a mere hour train ride to Canterlot. Thank Celestia for the invention of trains. I wonder what it would be like taking this journey on hoof. Twilight idly thought as she sat down on to her part of the car.

As Twilight and her friends eased the journey to Canterlot by train, Artorias, Sulyvahn, and Sif with Raime on his back had already begun their long journey to Canterlot. Compared to their previous ventures in the past this one would be a walk in the park. But from Artorias’s experience the easier the journey the higher the last hurdle, and he was praying that it wouldn’t be the case.

Over three hours of walking and in the far distance they could say the silhouette of the city. “It’s just hanging right off,” Sulyvahn often found himself staring at the city again and again saying the same thing. Truth be told he was dumbfounded by the impossibility of such a city.

“Uh huh,” they found themselves in this pattern where Sulyvahn would say something that Artorias would half hear and idly agree to. By the time they believed they were their half way point, a prominent bend in the river, they decided that taking a quick break would be best.

“Well isn’t this a journey!” sarcasm was present in the Pontiff’s voice. He was sipping warm water from a metal cup. They managed to get a pony to talk to them and sell them a few items, a pot and a few cups.

“I don’t need your sarcasm right now,” with his helmet off, Artorias pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. He gulped down his own sup of water and began packing their supplies.

“No need to be such a sourpuss, just having a little fun! It’s not like you ever need it.”

“Because you suck with sarcasm. I never saw you as the type to just have fun. In fact, that was never your style, why the sudden change?”

“This is how bored I am…”

“Then help me clean up and we’ll be there in a jiffy.”

Another few hours of walking in silence and the trio finally reached the beginning of the river and the end of the waterfall. They looked up at the massive city that casted the ground below them in darkness. The only things surviving under the city was bioluminescent fungi and plants. They took a few steps into the darkness, crunches beneath their feet were heard and they stirred thousands of glowing bugs from their slumber. The awakened insects flew around casting the surrounding darkness in more light. This would go on having severe repercussions as the light from the bugs revealed the awful truth of this beauty.

Bones as far as they eye can see were all over the ground. Some were half buried or more while others rested right on top of the ‘fertile’ grounds. Artorias casted his spell Cast Light which revealed even more horrors. Before them was a massive statue of bone that the bugs failed to illuminate, and above the bones was a massive snake the coiled its body around the pile.

“You said you were bored… Look what you’ve got us into,” Artorias unsheathed his sword and took up his shield. “I wanted to this to be a nice and easy quest.”

“Sorry? And when did we ever have a nice and easy quest, oh right. Never.,” Sulyvahn gave a nervous chuckle and unsheathed his own two swords. They cautiously approached the beast, the bones around them were everywhere and a particular crunch from Sulyvahn awoken the snake. “Shit.” The snake screeched in anger the sound reverberating off the mountains side and the city above them.

As for the above city of Canterlot, things had been going well today. Ponies were out and about going from place to place and handling their duties whether it be a job, school, or relaxing. As for Twilight and her friends things couldn’t be further from the atmosphere from the city. Things had been going smoothly for the most part when they arrived, but after several hours had passed, there was no word from the guards at the Canterlot station. They expected to see the knight and the pontiff along with their wolf any hour now.

Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow had been waiting for them at a nearby cafe. Periodically switching off with Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy, “Where in Equestria are they?!”

“Relax darling, maybe they are having difficulty with the train ponies back in Ponyville,”
Rarity gently patted her friend’s back.

“For over nine hours? Not to mention Celestia had personally written a letter to them stating that they should be allowed to travel on the train!” strands of hair began fraying from Twilight’s hair. Rarity quickly sprung into action a summoned her trusty brush to use.

“Maybe they’re going by hoof,” Rainbow lazily waved her hoof in the air, and began to drink her coffee.

“That’s ridiculous Rainbow. Even if they did, the station is on the direct path to Canterlot. The only way they wouldn’t have gone that way is if their map didn’t display that information…” Twilight’s voice slowed down as she finished her sentence as revelation struck her.

Her friends looked toward her when she went oddly silent. “Yo, Twi. You okay?”

“Girls…”

“Yes darling?”

“I think I may have made an error,” questions for the lavender pony would have to wait as a violent screech echoed from beneath Canterlot causing the city to shake violently. Rainbow quickly flew up and hovered above her friends. As she did so tableware from all over the cafe began falling to ground. The ponies who were sitting or standing fell over as the shaking intensified. Not long after would trembles subside.

“What in the name of Celestia was that? An earthquake?”

“No Rainbow, if it was an earthquake we would have felt something from the ley lines beneath the mountain. And even if it was, Canterlot has vibration dampeners all across its connection to the mountain,” She yelled over the sound of panicked ponies as the three made their way outside.

“Even so darling, what was that?”

“Yea! It sounded like a screech from a bird,” she looked up for a possible source, but not even a pigeon could be seen, “Figures…”

“It couldn’t have been a bird Rainbow, it came from beneath Canterlot,” they were closing in on the edge of the city where a wall only half the height of a pony sat.

Rarity was taken aback by the vigorous running through the street of ponies, “B-but darling, nothing is down there for a good two miles.”

“Exactly… that’s what worries me. Meaning there are two possibilities, there’s either a giant creature seating beneath Canterlot right now, or there is something incredibly loud down there.”

“Though it’s be cool fighting a giant monster Twi, I’d prefer the latter. I mean what if it’s something two miles high. Or more!” Unfortunately, many of the creatures across the entirety of Equus have failed to realize not to challenge the universe.

Shortly she had said that black stream flew up above them. Looking up they saw two glowing eyes staring at them. It’s behemoth maw opened up revealing two fangs that were taller than the average house. Another screech would follow soon after, but unlike the first one this one was different. And now the cause could be seen as the beast thrashed its head about trying to get something -someone- off. Its effort would prove to be fruitful as the figure was thrown off and tossed onto platform below.

“What the?! Twi! What is that thing?!”

“I- I have no idea! There’s no record of there ever being a snake this massive, not even in old pony mythos,” thinking quickly Twilight looked to her two friends.”To the castle! We have to inform the princesses.”

As soon as they would make their first few steps, the figure that had attacked the snake was standing and it was none other than the Wolf Knight. “You!” Rainbow quickly stalled in the air, eyeing the creature warily. A blue gleam could be seen in his eyes for a split second, and the moment after he was rushing them.

Twilight closed her eyes in fear but rather than feeling a blow from a sword, she was tossed aside by a gust of wind onto her side. Looking back Artorias had blocked the snake’s headbutt with his shield. “Get out of here! Now,” he yelled.

Rather than flee, the three were stuck in shock. They had nearly died because they feared him, but he had saved their lives. They stared in awe as they saw Artorias, by himself, locked in battle with a creature that was probably taller than the mountain they were on. Another shadow flew from behind the snake. The figure was much like Artorias, but rather than a sword and shield he carried two swords. Pontiff!

Sulyvahn landed on to the snake’s head as Artorias timely disengaged. The force from the impact caused the snake’s head to crash onto Canterlot’s outeredge. Cracks were swiftly forming all across the ground beneath them, some parts even beginning to chip off. Sulyvahn had driven his two swords through the snake’s head, whilst still plunged in, he casted to separate spells. One caused the snakes head to burst in flames, the other emitted a pale purple light that caused the serpent’s eyes to burst out from their sockets.

Sulyvahn stood triumphantly over the creature as the rest of the flames took the snake’s body, “Jesus fucking christ! I thought I was going to die!”

Next to the snake’s head was Artorias, “Nice job there bud! Knew you could pull it off!”

Sulyvahn quickly jumped off from the head, “What kind of plan was that! ‘Use the snake’s tail to launch you and stab it in the head.’ Why do I even bother?! Only you could come up with something that stupid!”

“Hey! Don’t argue with results,” he said as he pointed at the snake that was now on fire.

“Fine, fine. I won’t. But still… Fuck you,” he said as he struck his two swords to the ground beneath him a raised his two middle fingers.

“That went better than I thought though. I mean he barely put up a fight…” Artorias patted his compatriots back, praising their work as realization hit him. “Shit.”

“You’re a dumbass,” the dead serpent’s body began to writhe as the flames over took it. The scales began folding out releasing hot steam. Spikes began erupting from the snake, each one twitching and clawing their way out. They pried open a hold on the carapace to reveal a skeletal millipede.

“Ugh… He has a phase three?! Phase two was just annoying, he just turned bigger. But now look at him! He’s and undead millipede thing!”

“Centipede, Artorias. Centipede. Millipedes are the tubular ones, not the flat ones.”

“Foolish creature! I cannot be killed, I am the eternal Centipede! I will consume this world and-” the snake’s head was completely obliterated in an instance and this time it wasn’t either Sulyvahn or Artorias who had flown up to destroy it.

Twilight and her friends could only look on in awe as they saw the rest of the skeletal remains go limp and they began their descent to the base of the mountain. What in the name of Celestia just happened!Had they awoken some ancient beast to destroy us?! No, no, no! Then they wouldn’t have destroyed it!

“Hey Twi, you okay?” Rainbow hovered next to her friend and gave her a light tap. Twilight quickly shot up from her daze, she looked over to what had tapped her and it was only Rainbow and Rarity.

“Ah! Oh… it’s just you Rainbow. You scared me. You okay Rarity?” A nod was all she got from the white mare. Twilight brought her self up to a standing position. “We need to get to the princesses, now!”
Before they could hightail it out of the scene, another entity, or rather entities, made themselves known. The clouds that once loomed over the battlefield gave way to two alicorns, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The two of them looked down at the havoc and destruction and one thing caught the eye of Celestia. “You!”

With a single flap of her wings Celestia was before Artorias in the blink of an eye,”My sister and I invite you to Canterlot! Not only do you come hours late, but you cause damage to the ponies and city around you!” A gold hue began to envelop her horn, whilst at the same time her eyes began to glow white, “I should not have trusted you!”

“Throwing a tantrum I see… Celestia. It’s a shame that you didn’t get to see the giant millipede-”

“Centipede,” Sulyvahn happily chided behind him.

“Apologies,” he disgruntledly said. “I mean centipede in all its glory, or was it a snake? Either way it was below your capital.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Sister! Artorias speaks the truth, thou must see the scale of this creature!” Luna had flown down at a slower pace than her sister. The broken wall had caught her attention and one glance told more of the story.

Celestia made her way over to the edge after trading stares with Artorias who refused to waver. Looking down it was clear that the centipede was indeed massive, the skeletal frame was easy to make out from the edge.

“I hope you have a somewhat better idea what happened. Controlling the destruction of a city is no easy feat,” Artorias stood now stood at the edge of the wall looking at the remains below.

“Then I must thank you then. My sister and I could have handled the beast, but we had not arrived in time. Thanks to the two of you, my ponies can rest in peace,” she said looking over to her pupil and friends.

“Of course, your Highness, though I must make one correction.”

“And what is that? Did my pupil and her friends assist you?” Of course they did, she is my star pupil after all. And Rainbow can be feisty.

“No. But you were on the right track.”

“What?” Are you trying to take all the credit? What’s your game Artorias.

“Myself, Sulyvahn and Raime slain the beast,” Artorias pointed over to the Pontiff, but no third member could be seen.

“We don’t seem to understand Knight Artorias. There be only two of you before mine sister and I.”

“Well he’s in the crater to your right… unconscious,” indeed there was a massive crater to their right. Smoke continuing to stream out as they all approached. Lying at the bottom of the crater was a figure in black armour. A shield on its back, a sword to its left, and a massive oblong rock to his right.

“Rainbow flown over to inspect further, “Is he dead?” She gave a quick poke. No response. Another poke. No response. On the third poke a loud growl came from him.

“Great! Now he’s asleep. Let me get Sif to carry him and we can talk Princesses.”

“Yes. We would very much like to begin discussions,” unbeknownst to many of those around Celestia, her eye gave an involuntary twitch. By whatever means, I am going to get down to the bottom of this!

Author's Notes:

I'm surprised to I managed to write this chapter! Maybe it was the fact that I'm home, sick, and have nothing else to do! Nonetheless, I did it! This chapter was a little of an odd one with plenty of foreshadowing and a lot that good old "Murphy." Only to be, for the most part, annihilated.

I could've made this part of the story two chapters, but that didn't seem right. That would mean a whole chapter on the Journey which is incredibly short. And to drag out a battle that should really take, in story time, 30 minutes or so. The horror.

Oh well. As per the usual feel free to like, comment or track this story to your heart's content. If you want to be that guy, dislike it! Just know that I despise you with every subatomic particle that makes up my body! Kidding, i don't care. Also feel free to point out any errors in my work.