With a gasp of breath, Arin tumbled to the floor - free of the binds strangling his wrists. A dream. It had all been a dream. But also, not. He felt an awakening within him - power, magic. Hope. There was still a spark of hope to be had, as he darted for the Iron Gate to his right.

It swung open at his touch… as it didn’t have any locks. In fact, it felt more like stone modeled to fit the need of a gate. He honed his eyes - yes, he could see! The castle was just entirely made of stone, a faint illusion in place to give it the look of a proper abode.

Inside the roughshod tunnels of the dungeon, there were only five other doors to check - and a quick hunt found his target. Princess Celestia.

She was strung up by chains galore much like he was, and the sight was a grizzly one. Not only was she hardly stirring in the freezing cold, but her very body was covered in fresh gashes and cuts with a long, familiar blade - save the freezing chills of its magic. Most were just long surface slashes, but a few deep hacks left him sickened. Her once white fur was now a reddish brown from drying blood.

He rushed into the room, anxiety seeping into his soul as he checked for breathing. The faint shudder of breath was enough for him to nearly cry out in relief. Absorbing what little latent magic there was around him, and channeling power from his Ember to make up the difference - he honed his thoughts into the spell, Antithesis.

A ring of a bell chimed, as a soft light soaked into her fur. There was so much blood, how was she still alive?... He had never seen a creature bleed like this in all his days, and he’s gutted animals to eat before...

Flesh began to knit, as he channeled another potent cast of Antithesis into her body. The process doubled over; wounds sealing shut and skin snapping closed without a scar. But still, no signs of life.

His ember ached with exhaustion, chilled from channeling so much lunar energy. He pumped another blast of life-giving light into her spirit. Her body swelled, and a faint mewl of pain followed.

“Tia, Tia - wake up. C’mon,” he hissed, slapping her against the cheek. Her eyes cracked, blinking away pain. Slowly setting her eyes on the Seraph before her.

“W-What?...” She shivered, confusion overtaking her. “I’m… w-what?”

“We’re on the Homeward Crest. Nightmare Moon captured us. I escaped with some help from a friend. We need to get moving.”

His spent, shaking hands shot for the chains - groaning as bolts of magic seeped into each cuff. She had ten times the chains he did; one around her waist, two on each hoof, her wings had one on the base - and a hook through the flesh. Her horn was chained, her neck was chained… it… it was worrying, sickening. This room was definitely some sort of torture chamber. Why did she need so many chains?

Then he started to notice other worrying tools… axes, saws… crafted from stone or ice, and definitely intended to dismember. If Celestia ever recovered from the first round of torture, she would have lost a limb or two on the next. Which was a horrifying thought; he can’t risk her life like this again. He should have just bolted without her… this is all his fault. Had he managed to stay away, they wouldn’t be here, right now. Because he could make distance, lead Nightmare Moon on a chase - and come back for Celestia once he lost that vile mare.

And his effects… he was still missing his belongings. He felt extremely naked without his dragonscale vest - the armor would be useful now, to prevent any unwanted horns from impaling him in the dark.

Hold on. He’s been to jail before. Nightmare Moon wouldn’t have moved his effects far - she would want to stay close by while she examined them. If anything, they could be in one of the rooms or cells.

With the last snap of magic pumping into the false-metal locks, she plummeted into his waiting arms. She hardly gave any resistance, still in shock as wings gently draped around him.

“This… is this a-” she began, but he quickly cut her off.

“No, Celestia. It’s not another dream. We need to move. Nightmare Moon has our ticket out of here - and we’re almost out of time.”

The pink maned Princess blinked slowly, freezing body staggering and broken, unable to do much but fall and shiver. She had starved for another few days - he would have to carry her.

Seizing her in a bridal carry, she looked up to his eyes in bewilderment. Unsure if any of this is real just yet, her voice came in a small whisper.

“Arin… y-you don’t hate me. Do you? I… you wouldn’t abandon me.” she asked, wide eyed and distant. The strong Seraph’s hands cradling her close, as they made their way along the curving corridor.

“What? No, of course not - don’t believe anything you’ve seen. We’ll be out of here in no time,” he stated firmly, a faint whisper as they traveled. She shook her head.

“N-No, I… I dreamed that you abandoned me. Left me here alone, on the moon… a-and took Nightmare Moon with you. I sat and watched, and…”

He silenced her with a gentle kiss on the nose. Enough to snap her back to the senses, even if it was just for the minute. Still, he couldn’t get over her expression. Even when he first found her… she didn’t look like she’d seen a ghost.

A stairway fitted the end of the curved hallway; all this effort in crafting decadent, albeit partially illusionary halls - to feed into a dungeon that could never serve any purpose besides decoration. Well, perhaps recently, it had some point - though it was a vile one. Six rooms… Did she intend to keep Twilight and her friends there?

The chill of the still air rippled his clothes when darting upwards, and made Tia shake in his grasp. She needed food again, and soon - and thankfully, a break in the spiral staircase landed them in what appeared to be some kind of small Jailer’s hall. His bag, and its contents - were simply left unguarded. Some of the items were undoubtedly shuffled about - but even the food was left untouched. Strange.

Of course Nocturne was gone. But Sonata - his famed bow - was still packed tightly inside, along with the quiver - and its small dagger. Setting Celestia onto her shaky legs, she refused to leave his side as he began to slip the armored vest over his chest once more.

Fitted and kitted out, he was left with one last problem. He could carry a weapon, he could carry Celestia - but he couldn’t carry both. On top of that, he needed his hands free to open doors, search desks… anything that may be of use. Would she even have a desk here?

How was this going to work…

“Tia, have you ever… well, ridden another pony?”

Amid her shaking, the question caught her… well, a bit off guard. “No?...”

“If we’re unlucky, we may be stuck here - and we’ll need everything we can get to survive. Otherwise, I would just grab my bow… but this gives me an idea.”

He struggled with the straps of the heavy pack - pulling it backwards on the harness, resting it on the edge of the thin tin support railing. A perfect, adult size pony carrier. Of sorts. He would have to lower it on his back, as her torso was… rather long, after all - and her extensive neck would definitely place her head over two hooves above his shoulders. But it meant that not only would he have a hand on their supplies - but his precious cargo wouldn’t be left behind.

“I… I have done many embarrassing things in my life, for the sake of fun and comedy. But this…” she whispered to the Seraph, stepping her hooves through the straps. He hoisted her up onto his back in mere seconds - the regal mare squeaking as her forehooves darted around his shoulders to sustain herself.

Well, she definitely felt like a foal now.

“I know, I know. It’s stupid. But it’s our best bet; and if anything, the bag will give you a little protection from horns or magic. It’s the what I can come up with on such short notice.”

She leaned over his head, worry filling her features. “Please, just be careful. I-I don’t think we’ll have any second chances.”

Maybe one day, she’ll be the kind, regal ruler she once was. But not now. Not in this castle. The Jailer’s room led to a long, falsely carpeted hallway. Sconces of blue flame pouring light over the tile floors, a few ‘wooden’ doors breaking up empty lounges and tea rooms into their own form of controlled chaos. The structure of the castle had no purpose; it was simply there as a result of a thousand years' time, whittling away the hours in constructive silence.

He was half tempted to read a fake book from the wall - but decided against it, upon reading a few of the titles. ‘Revenge’, ‘How to Kill Your Sister’, ‘I Hate the Sun’, ‘Year 0XX’... He honestly didn’t know what he was expecting here. What, ‘Mary Clopper and the Philosopher's Gnome’? He didn’t take Nightmare Moon for the literary type.

On top of that, time was running short. They needed to locate the Alicorn Amulet, reach the summit - and do so without being detected by Nightmare Moon.

And speak of the devil… hoof steps came from down the corridor, giving him and the Princess on his back just a split second to duck into a pointless side room. It looked to be some kind of… macabre game room, with a punching bag, a dart board, and a training dummy - all with a rough resemblance of Celestia - or Twilight’s face on them.

The hoofsteps passed, traveling deeper down the corridor.

“A-Arin.” Celestia tapped his shoulder, as he peaked out the door.

“What?”

“She’s heading to the dungeon. What’s worse… is she’s heading to the Jailer’s Room first.”

Jailer’s room. He fiddled the pack on his back, blood running cold. She would spot a giant backpack missing well before she noticed her prisoners gone. They had, at most, thirty seconds to run for it.

Arin’s billowing wings pumped hard at the air as he slammed his legs into a dead sprint; Celestia’s pink mane chasing him to keep up as he shot down the corridor without reserve. It continued in a circle around the outside of the mountain; ending in a sharp right, into what appeared to be a main hall.

Main hall. The place an angry, murderous Alicorn ‘queen’ would go to stew in anger would be close at hand; the throne room. Now, it was all up to luck. They either find his shoulder pack, with the amulet inside - or run for it, and try to find a hiding place.

Blasting his wings freely, the throne room lay at the top of a great staircase; a pump of his pinions and a bounce of his heels ascended the duo up to the top with ease. There! On the throne! His satchel!

He rushed to snatch it - and seized it just in time, as a thunderous shock rippled along the castle walls. Arin’s hand flipped the top open - relief. The amulet was there, with his spare clothing. Escape was just a short flight away. The pocket watch inside was also open - five minutes. In five minutes, the stasis spell would blow - and all of the magic that would have exhausted out over the course of a week, will exit all at once - shattering the amulet, and blowing a city block sized crater wherever it lay.

To his left, a massive balcony overlooked the vision of Equis hanging close among the stars. The green and blue marble shined so brightly, taunting them with freedom. By now, Celestia was shaking against his pack. Turning to meet her eyes, he gave the Princess a pinch.

“Let’s do this, Tia. Together.”

Together. All at once, that simple phrase broke her from her stupor. Together.

“...I have faith in you, my subject.” Her erratic breathing came to a steady halt, catching the wind in her chest and relaxing. “We will not die on this day. Not if we work together.”

The duo charged for the balcony - the slam of doors echoing from the grand hall on their left, the Nightmare searching each room as she passed. Taking to the night air, Arin and Tia both just narrowly slipped past her and into the sky.

Panting, reeling, the crazed mare cracked the tiles of her Courtroom with furious beats of her hooves.

“WHERE ARE YOU, MY KNIGHT? COME OUT - COME MEET YOUR QUEEN!” She shouted with such volume, that the rocks on the mountain began to shake.

Arin struggled to gain much height at all - instead using his wings to give powerful strokes, and bounce from the roof of the great hall to the distant low peaks of the crest. Perhaps it was the world shaking boom of her voice - or his heavy boots slamming against the ground. But at some point, a moderate sized boulder rolled down the cliff, clattering roughly against the stone shingles before penetrating the illusion - tumbling down to the Throne Room.

“I WILL NOT LET YOU ESCAPE, ARIN! I WILL NOT WASTE ANOTHER THOUSAND YEARS OF MY ETERNAL LIFE HERE! NOT AGAIN!” she howled, smashing through the castle roof with a blast of magic. Her wings gave chase in dust and snow billowing bellows, ice whipping cleanly around Celestia and Arin both.

Nearly a thousand hooves left to go, the very peak of the Lunar Plane yawned at them, taunting them with freedom. But Nightmare Moon, unimpeded and nearly at full power - moved with such speed and ferocity that she would catch them in mere seconds.

Arin prepared for impact. For the deadly strike to take down Celestia, or the cleave of Nocturn to slice them in twain. Instead, he heard the shuffling of his bag - as the Princess behind slipped a heavy pan up from within.

A blast of icy magic shot towards them with blinding speed - but this was a fatal error on the sable Alicorn’s part. The heavy cooking pan hit the spell - freezing into a block of ice that crashed into Nightmare Moon’s face with a satisfying, ringing BANG.

Celestia’s lucky aim bought them mere seconds, as Nightmare Moon tumbled from the sky. The Princess no longer cowering at the mere sight of the creature recovering behind them gave the Seraph hope, a faint hope that they’d make it.

“...Nice shot,” Arin gasped, wings pumping overtime to carry them up the summit proper. Three hundred hooves. Two hundred. His hand seized the Alicorn Amulet, palm glowing as his Ember slammed fresh magic inside.

Thirty seconds left on the clock; he could feel the amulet whirring with power now. Nightmare Moon’s wings worked double time, as she used a barrier to protect herself from another cookware assault.

The amulet burned intensely in his hand, grunting as his wings began to give out - but to his surprise, a second set joined his own. Celestia, as meek and meager as she was - tossed her hooves around him and pumped in tune with his powerful pinions.

Nightmare Moon was hot on their tail. Ten seconds.

The peak of the cliff was no more than a stone’s throw away. Five seconds.

Arin withdrew the dagger from his belt, the last powerful beat of their combined wings breaking the summit’s icy peak. The pommel crashed into the red gem in the amulet’s setting, a flash of burning, searing Harmony erupting from his hand in a pillar of light - aimed directly at Equis. As the searing agony overtook them, a third body slammed into the blaze - before all three vanished without a trace.

Author's Notes:

If you're reading this now, the story is mostly finished - I have some epilogue to write, and that's it. Along with more editing on my editor's part, I guess - and a reread of 20-ish of the final chapters.

I'll upload more tomorrow (September 28th)~ Thank you for being patient!