-TERRARIA, CAMELOT CASTLE: THRONE ROOM-

After telling her story from the moment of her capture to the strange interference of an unknown entity, all while Queen Mi Amore listens intently while sitting on her flank, Twilight takes a breath and says:

“And that’s everything we experienced in The Underworld, Queen Amore. That’s the absolute truth.”

Queen Amore, still in her unicorn form and purring with a hoof to her mane, takes in these words before she responds:

“So it’s true, then. The great change that Excalibur has told me about is our worlds merging into one.”

“Yes, but I’m not familiar with that strange creature who seemingly saved us. And I haven’t seen Tanner The Doll ever since we came here,” Twilight responds before she looks down to the floor, “I’m sorry about that.”

“Nonsense, my dear,” Queen Amore responds with a dismissive forehoof, “You’ve done so much for my kingdom by just telling me all of this. However, I sense that you refrained from telling me more about Yharim’s little visit.”

Starlight was now nervously fidgeting in place as, truth be told, Twilight neglected to reveal the full details of the Jungle Tyrant’s visit to their prison. In addition, they had no idea how to reveal Twilight’s ‘former’ self, nor if they should.

Linn takes notice of this as she herself knew the truth via Anubis’s Pyramid. She walks down the small flight of stairs that were at the base of the throne and stands by Twilight’s side.

“I can confirm that everything said here is the truth, dear aunt,” Linn lied. “What we also learned from Lord Anubis’s Pyramid backs these claims as well.”

Hearing Linn’s statement, Queen Amore looks to her daughter, Cadence, who nods in response, before the Queen rises off her flank and stands on her hooves, “Twilight Sparkle, you and your friends from Equus have our undying gratitude. In fact, If our worlds are indeed destined to become one,” She trots down the stairs and stands before Twilight, “I’d be happy to extend a hand, or hoof, to your world’s leaders and form peaceful relations with them all.”

Twilight’s ears perk up at these words, “R-really?!” She questions in slight disbelief. The alicorn then starts to hop in place, “Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh! I’m the first Princess to create peace with a nation from another-” The lavender mare cuts off her words as she notices smirked faces and various chuckling from those present.

“Ehehe, um, sorry,” Twilight comments after she laughs sheepishly.

“Don’t worry one bit about that, my dear,” Queen Amore responds as she starts to walk towards the exit of the throne room, “Walk with me, Twilight,” She looks towards Starlight and Shadow Thunder, “You too, Starlight, if you’d please. I’d like to personally, and properly welcome you all to Camelot.”

Starlight nods in response with a vibrant smile as she and the dark pegasus joins them. Linn takes a few steps before she notices something, and stops. She looks over her right shoulder and says:

“You coming, cousin?”

“I’ll catch up with you guys!” Princess Cadence exclaims with her hands behind her back, “I need to finish up here and dismiss the guards!”

Linn gives her cousin a smile before joining the others and leaving the throne room together. The large double doors seemingly shut soon after, but not entirely, as Cadence now positioned herself in front of the throne.

“Alrighty boys, It’s time for us to get busy,” The Princess says as her eyes start to flash with red energy, instantly shocking the guards present as their eyes widen, as a fiery aura sheds the form of Cadence and reveals a dark-skinned female entity.

“Ah! That’s so much better,” The newly revealed female said.

“What is this?! Who are you?!” A guard positioned by the throne questions while others begin to take on combat positions.

“I’m a witch, one that you don’t want to fuck with,” The witch poses by throwing her right hand into the air and stepping sideways, “Call me, Calamitas!”

……….

As this goes on, a male terrarian with decent features, brown skin, and black hair made his way hurriedly towards the throne room. Incidentally, he had just missed Queen Amore and the others who accompanied her as they traversed down separate hallways.

“I-I’m gonna be late!” He exclaims as he reaches the doors to the throne room and crashes through them, “SHIT SHIT SH- Uh… Um…” The terrarian pauses as he sees the current situation in the throne room, “A-am I interrupting something, or…?”

He seemingly goes unnoticed as one of the guards aims their spear towards Calamitas, “What have you done with our Princess, Witch?!”

The witch pouts, “Awww, but I AM a Princess...”

“No, you’re not, devil!” The guard roars out in protest. Many other guards start to approach the throne with their weapons drawn as the male terrarian from earlier says:

“Um… So…. Someone want to direct me to Princess Cadance, or…?” His question goes unanswered, and he’s seemingly being ignored, “I got, like, really important stuff to do… I-If you’re busy, I could always come back…”

A maid suddenly runs past him, and pulls him along via his right arm as she guides him towards a nearby pillar of the throne room. Now hiding behind the golden pillar, the maid comments with a whispered tone:

“Are you stupid? That’s a witch.”

“Uh… So?” He responds with a shrug, “Not really my thing to worry about. Just, like, I got really important papers I should have delivered an hour ago…”

The female terrarian open and closes her mouth before turning away and saying:

“Fine, but I’m not sticking around to deal with this.”

“Look, lady, I just need directions to Princess Cadance or Queen Mi Amore… Either will do…” He runs a hand across his face, “My day’s fucked enough as it is when I got blamed for a bigass mech shooting out of the ground.”

The maid turns around with a dumbfounded look, her whispering tone still present, “That WAS the Princess.”

The terrarian tilts his head sideways, “Oh, that’s the Princess?” He blinks twice, “Must’ve been one hell of a makeover, no wonder I didn’t recognize her. Thanks for the help!” He shouts nonchalantly, tossing a gold coin to the maid and walking back out, beelining to Calamitas.

The maid opens and closes her mouth in absolute shock, “Wh-what the fuck was that?!” She exclaims.

..........

“Hey, uh, your Majesty!” Calls the terrarian to Calamitas, “I’m here to deliver that report on gem functions you wanted! Can I have a few moments of your time?”

Calamitas was thrown off by the terrarian’s words as she blinks twice and raises an eyebrow, “Uh, what?”

“I got the weekly report on gem functions from the Order of the Guide for you! My first time bringing it here, so sorry for being late,” He chuckles, “Castles, y’know?”

A moment of silence ensues to the point that one could even hear a pin drop.

“C-can’t you see what’s going on here?” Calamitas questions with a small sense of dumbfoundedness.

“Uh… You’re talking to the guards? And adopted a new look?” He questions. “Love the fiery stuff, really suits you, your highness.” The Terrarian says with a nod.

One of the nearby guardsmen was looking at this strange individual with their mouth agape, before recovering their composure and shouting:

“What are you doing?! She’s impersonating the Princess!”

The terrarian raises his hands into the air, with the papers in hand, “I’m just delivering a report, dude, cool it,” He lowers his arms, “And as far as I can see, there is no other Princess here, other than the honestly extremely beautiful one in front of me.”

The guard’s eye twitches, while others momentarily facepalm.

Calamitas suddenly smirks, “You know what? I’ll happily take you to The Princess,” She chuckles, “Oh yes, you can even give those papers to her personally.”

The terrarian from the Order of The Guide looks confused, “Uh… Sorry, what am I missing here?” He questions. “If you want to take the papers, then please do,” He says, offering them to Calamitas.

Calamitas chuckles, “Oh, but I insist, my good sir,” The witch snaps her fingers as all of the guards present start to let loose discomforting grunts before a vibrant red energy consumes their eyes.

“Oh, cool,” The terrarian comments with a raised eyebrow, “I like the look you gave them, your highness. Matches you perfectly.”

Calamitas gestures towards the guards, “Please, take our dear messenger to her highness, will you?”

“Uh..? But I’m right here already? I’ve gotta be missing a joke or something?” The Terrarian questions.

The entire platoon of controlled guardsmen draws near the terrarian as a portal opens itself at the entrance of the throne room.

“Go give her a pat on the head for me, mmkay?” Calamitas questions. “I’ll be killing you both later on,” She shrugs, “loose ends and all that.”

“Hey, pal, watch the sword!” The Terrarian shouts to one of the guards as they force him towards the portal with their drawn weapon. He seems to drain the magic out of it with a touch as he tries to move it, “Aw, SHIT! This always happens, goddamnit. Sorry, I’ll pay for a new one.”

“Get the fuck in the portal already!” Calamitas roars out as she covers him in a red aura and throws the terrarian into the anomaly. The witch closes the portal soon after and gestures for the now mind-controlled guards to attend her. They all stand before the witch as she says:

“Listen up. You lot will continue to act as if none of this ever happened,” She places a finger onto her head, “But do keep in mind, I’m always up here,” Calamitas lowers her hand, “I will give you all the signal when the appropriate time has come,” The witch waves her hand dismissively, “Now get out of my sight.”

The guards all nod in response as they begin to leave the throne room all together. Calamitas chuckles lightly before taking on the form of Princess Cadence once more. She walks down the flight of stairs at the base of the throne, dancing all the while, as she skips merrilly towards the exit. She then stops in what seemingly was the center of the throne room, and looks up towards a very particular window. The very same window that Tori, Zecora, and The Mech were watching from all along.

“I can see you three,” Calamitas said with narrowed features, “A kenku is still alive? Samyueru will have a lot to explain,” She ‘hmms’ in thought, “That mech…”

After unfortunately walking in on Calamitas’s actions, The terrarian is harshly thrown into an unknown location--to him at least--but within an apparent cell. He lifts himself up and rubs his head while saying:

“Ow... Fuck… Man, if she didn’t want the damn papers, she could’ve just told me. Jesus.”

“U-uhm, e-excuse me...” A feminine voice said.

“Huh? Hey. Glad to see… well, hear someone who might not give me shit for trying to deliver a damn paper,” He responds, but hasn’t turned around to the voice’s source just yet, “You happen to know the way outta here by any chance?” The Terrarian questions while still rubbing his head.

“Pardon me, good sir, but did that witch capture you too?” The feminine voice inquires.

The terrarian turns around as the source of the voice is revealed to be a beautiful, pink-haired terrarian, albeit in a somewhat poor condition, as she wore pink-torn royal apparel. She was currently sitting in the corner of their shared containment. Incidentally, the containment itself was made of orange/ancient Temple bricks. In addition, the ‘bars’ of the cell were magic-based as a series of red energy beams with small gaps between them imitated the traditional entrance to a cell or containment.

The Terrarian’s jaw drops for a solid three seconds before he closes it and clears his throat, “Sorry ‘bout that. Got a little surprised to see you. The hell’s someone as beautiful as you doing here?”

She stares at him in momentary shock before responding:

“P-please, you must trust me when I say that I am The Princess, the real one.”

He blinks twice and shrugs, “Well, you never really gave me anything to believe in, but sure. I believe you.” The male terrarian walks up to her and offers her a helping hand. She takes it gleefully and soon finds herself being lifted onto her feet. “Can’t leave a beautiful girl down, you know?”

She smiles and bows respectfully, slightly lifting her torn dress with both of her hands, “I thank you for your chivalry, good sir,” She then takes a few steps back, “My name is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, or Cadence if you will.”

“Whoa, whoa, hang on,” The Terrarian says while flailing his hands up and down, “There are two of you now? Damn, now I don’t know who to deliver these papers to- shit,” He takes notice of the missing papers he once held, “Where’d the papers go?” The man questions, now looking around the cell for the missing pages.

The Princess momentarily stares at him before giggling to herself. She notices the papers in question lying on the bed and points at them, “I believe these are what you entail?”

“Oh shit, thanks,” He says with brightened features and goes to collect the papers from the bed, “You’re a lifesaver. I would have SO gotten fired if I had lost this stuff.”

She chuckles, “Well, consider your job fulfilled. You technically did deliver them to me, the real Princess,” Cadence laughs sheepishly, “Just not in the way you might’ve wanted...”

“Oh. Fuck, man, I am not having a good day… You mind signing here?” He asks, holding out a clipboard and pen that he had strapped to his person.

The Princess blinks in response before she laughs uncontrollably, while barely managing to say:

“Y-you’re still w-worried about that?” She wheezes, “E-even now?”

“Well, my job is kinda at stake. I’m usually the garbage guy for the Order, right? But then this big-ass mech just exploded from the ground, everyone blamed me for it, and then the boss told me to deliver that stuff or I was gonna get fired,” He says, walking towards the magic comprised bars, “So I did, but I got lost because the castle’s so big. Never been there, y’know?”

The Princess nods, “I’m so sorry to hear that. Can I get your name, my good sir?”

“Oh, uh, everyone calls me: Tirek. Nickname’s Cyclone, because I keep breaking shi- FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!” Tirek yelps as he tumbles through the magical bars, having absorbed their magic. He lands on his back, groaning.

Cadence’s jaw drops in response as she imitates a goldfish for a mere moment, “H-how did you do that?! Do you know what this means?!”

“Usually it means I get to pay another hundred gold coins to fix it,” Tirek says, raising a thumbs up from his landing spot.

Cadence hurriedly rushes to his aid and helps the terrarian onto his feet while saying:

“You just saved not only my life but all of Camelot!” She then looks into his eyes, “You possibly even saved all of Terraria by freeing me!” She lunges forth and brings him into a hug, “Oh, thank you thank you thank you!”

“Uh… You’re welcome? So how much is this cell gonna cost? I think I have like fifty silver on me right now… You take IOUs?” Questions Tirek, a little confused at the sudden lunge.

The Princess gently breaks away from the hug and giggles, “Fear not, my dear savior, for no such thing is necessary,” She then conjures forth a very particular coin from her inventory, “Please, take this Platinum piece for your trouble.”

“Oh… uh… No need to thank me, really. I’m fine.”

“I will not take no for an answer,” The Princess says with a stern tone, “You saved me, and a mere Platinum Coin doesn’t even begin to express my gratitude,” She then offers her hand, “Come with me, and let’s escape together.”

“Uh, alright,” He takes her hand, “Just be warned, some funky gal I thought was you for the longest time, being the idiot I am, did some voodoo shit with your guards.”

Princess Cadence looks around, “Where are all of the guards? There should be some here...”

Tirek shrugs, “Not really sure as I just got here. And, wait, where exactly are we? We under Camelot or somethin’?”

Cadence takes on a determined expression and pulls the terrarian around a nearby corner. The two reached an empty room as Cadence closes the door behind them, locks it, and turns back to Tirek.

“This place we’re in?” She questions while raising her hand and gestures all around them, “It’s perhaps the worst place to be in all of Terraria.”

Tirek was naturally confused as he looks at the room and takes in its walls, floors, and ceiling. He then looks back to Cadence and shrugs, “This just looks like some Temple to me.”

“This isn’t ‘just some Temple’, Tirek,” She swallows a lump in her throat, “This is the domain of the Jungle Tyrant, Yharim.”

-???-

Cozy Glow floated nearby as Zalgo was currently standing before both The Doll and The Murasama.

“This shouldn’t hurt too much, I assure you, Tanner,” Zalgo said.

“I suppose I appreciate that, but so long as you stay true to not harming Twilight and the others, I welcome this.” The Doll responds.

“How many times must I tell you that I do not sacrifice pawns without reason?” The eldritch questions.

The Doll chuckles, “Hey, can’t blame me for being somewhat fearful after all I’ve been through. But, I guess you deserve the benefit of the doubt.”

“Hm,” Zalgo hums, as his visor opens to reveal the fanged interior. With a strange tug, as if squeezing his organs, Tanner feels a part of him go missing, a wisp disappearing into Zalgo’s mouth. As soon as he’s done, he looks at the blade.

“Before I release you, Lucifer, we must do something I believe you are very familiar with.”

The voice of Lucifer sighs, “I get it, the whole bound my soul to your whim shtick, eh?”

“Not at all. As I said, you will be free to do as you please. A soul contract would not work, even if you had a soul. Which you don’t. Nice try.” Zalgo responds.

“Oi, I wasn’t actually trying to trick you there. But, can you repeat that again?” The blade questions. “Because, it kind of sounded like you were giving me some free range in this, well, transaction.”

“Exactly. The contract I am willing to offer you provides you ample opportunity to pursue your vengeance and run the Underworld, all of those boring duties.” Zalgo says. “No, this contract will simply force you to come to me when I call on you. Simple, is it not?”

Lucifer’s voice ‘hmms’ in thought, “So let me see if I’ve got this straight. In exchange for damn near giving me freedom, but with a leash still present, I’m free to do as I please so long as I answer your call?”

“Indeed… other than the obvious ‘You can’t do anything that would ruin my plans or harm me’ thing, of course, but that was a given.”

“I’ll be honest with ya. At first, I was just gonna go get some nice old payback on my good old friend, Oblivion, and his pony harp, after I got free,” Lucifer then sighs, “Know what I learned in that blade?”

Zalgo simply remains silent.

“I’ll take your silence as some form of interest. But to put it simply: I bloody give up on this shit. Think I’ll just keep the cogs of The Underworld spinnin’ until I either get replaced or kill myself just to be replaced. You’re probably confused by this, huh?”

“What you do is of no concern to me. I have seen many outcomes, Lucifer, in my many resets. The only one that I care about is destroying the filth that calls themselves ‘Old Ones’. That just so happens to be an ending I haven’t gotten yet.”

“Eh, fair enough. As for me, I think I’ll just hang out in The Pit until some sob tries to pick a fight with me. So, when do we begin?”

Zalgo nods, moving Lucifer’s piece to the ‘Yes’ on the contract. Lucifer feels as if something lightly pricks him as Zalgo does so.

“Ohoho, easy there. Dinner and movie first, eh?” Lucifer questions.

Zalgo pays no mind, as he takes a thin metal knife of an unknown origin and scratches the surface of Lucifer’s piece, before placing it down.

“The contract is in effect. I will be releasing you now,” He says calmly.

The process begins as The Murasama floats into the air as vibrant red energy emanates from it. Although Zalgo wasn’t affected, Cozy Glow could feel immense pressure building up.

“Cozy, switch to no personality for now, please. You may return to personality once Lucifer is free.” Zalgo intones, shoulder screens flashing.

The filly’s face loses all expression as it shifts into a state that could even rival that of Maud Pie.

Cracks start to form from the hilt of The Murasama and make their way to the edge of the blade, all while the red lights emanating off the weapon become more vibrant. A large wave of energy is let loose as the shattered pieces of the former prison of Lucifer fall to the floor. Much like in Draedon’s laboratory, the newly freed form of Lucifer was still donning his black suit and tie as he stretched his arms.

“Oh man, let me tell ya, all those years in that blade can leave quite the crick in my limbs,” Lucifer says while a series of cracked bones echo out.

“Welcome back, Lucifer. I am sure your demons anxiously await your arrival,” Zalgo said. “The Ancients, however, most likely do not.”

“Hold onto that thought, Zalggy,” Lucifer says with a raised finger, then brings it to his chin in thought, “I think I’ll enjoy watching things unfold for now. After all, instead of just going down there to tear that wall a new arse, I’ll let the mortals handle it for me,” He shrugs, “Win-win if you ask me.”

“Do as you will. I will call you if I have need of you.” The eldritch comments.

“Yes, I know,” Lucifer responds while rolling his eyes, “And despite what the mortals say about me, I do make good on bargains. I’ll come should you ever need me.”

“Then go and enjoy your freedom. Walk around in Camelot, perhaps, quite a bit has changed there. I would VERY much suggest it.”

Character inventory/equipment:

Fluttershy: Statigel Armor(pony, equipped), Overloaded Blaster, Eviscerator, Crimslime Staff, Corroslime Staff, Slime Staff, Finch Staff, Snow Flinx Staff, Hornet Staff, Blood Clot Staff, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Healing Potion, Honey Comb(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Honeyed Goggles, Slime Mount, Staff Of Necrosteocytes, Purified Jam.

Rainbow Dash: Necro Armor(pony, equipped), Star Cannon, Minishark, Eviscerator, Aquatic Discharge, Bloody Rupture, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Healing Potion, Aero Stone(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Bone Glove(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Victory Shard, Slime Mount.

Zecora: Crimson Armor(zebra, equipped), Dune Hopper, Sausage Maker, Beenade, Tooth Ball, Aorta, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Various Potions, Rocket Boots(equipped), Honey Comb(equipped), Sand Cloak(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Bloodstained Gloves(equipped), Bone Glove(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Honeyed Goggles, Skeletron Hand.

Starlight Glimmer: Meteor Armor(pony, equipped), Space Gun, Starfury, Vein Burster, Purple Phaseblade, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Mana Potion, Healing Potion, Victory Shard, Rocket Boots(equipped), Aero Stone(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Bone Glove(equipped), Slime Mount, Book Of Skulls, Skeletron Hand.

Rarity: Meteor Armor(pony, equipped), Space Gun, Hornet Staff, Snow Flinx Staff, Ice Mirror, Blood Clot Staff, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Mana Potion, Rocket Boots(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Slime Mount, Book Of Skulls, Skeletron Hand, Staff Of Necrosteocytes.

Applejack: Crimson Armor(pony, equipped), Vein Burster, Orange Phaseblade, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Rope, Metal Detector, Healing Potion, Rocket Boots(equipped), Honey Comb(equipped), Flurry Boots(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Honeyed Goggles, Slime Mount, Bone Glove, Skeletron Hand.

Twilight Sparkle: Meteorite Armor(pony, equipped), Space Gun, Book Of Skulls, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Mana Potion, Ichor, Victory Shards, Aero Stone(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Slime Mount.

Pinkie Pie: Crimson Armor(pony, equipped), Vein Burster, Blue Phaseblade, Bloody Rupture x2, Aorta, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Metal Detector, Rocket Boots(equipped), Honey Comb(equipped), Flurry Boots(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Bone Glove(equipped), Honeyed Goggles, Slime Mount, The Blood Butcherer, Skeletron Hand.