Chapter 8 - Quarry's & Palace's

Dagger felt her heart pumping at a quick and steady pace. The monster she and Snowball were pursuing, a monster that had broken into their home whilst they were out. The monster had fled upstairs and Dagger had cut it off leaving only one direction it could run. She'd lived here long enough to know the monster was running down a hallway that ended with a dead end. Appropriate in an ironic sort of manner.

Snowball was beside her, her horn lit up as she levitated her bow. They rounded the final corner of the hallway, only to find it empty. They both looked at each other grimly, knowing that these doors were rigged with traps. They hadn't had time to disable the alarm rune carved by the coat room, and now faced the dilemma of facing the monster... or Tick Tock's booby traps.

"Snowball, we appear to have reached an impasse. The monster could be in any of these rooms and we don't have time to deal with each trap, or risk being trapped ourselves. Any ideas?" Dagger looked to Snowball who nodded her head a small smile playing across it.

"I have an idea, go back about twenty steps. I'll join you in a minute" Dagger complied and stepped back down the hallway a bit, and waited for Snowball. A minute later she rounded the corner and backed up until she stood next to Dagger. Her horn lit up all the doors and her eyes were closed as she concentrated unlocking them all and ready to open them.

"Dagger get on my back." Dagger raised an eyebrow but complied, leaping up onto Snowballs back. My god her fur feels like silk- Before Dagger could continue this train of thought, every door in the corridor opened. Snowball's magic dissipated and then surrounded them both in a shield. The lights flickered as various traps activated simultaneously. Nets, and cages fell, trap doors sprung open, doors snapped forward like spring loaded mouse traps and one door curiously did nothing but leave a pie with a note beside it.

They waited for the traps to subside and after several minutes the hallway quietened down again. "That was... something different." Snowball chuckled at Dagger and levitated them both around the corner, not wanting to let either of them set off any more traps. The monster was lying unconscious, a spring loaded door kept it pinned to the floor, it's breathing was slow and steady.

"Funny, I swear I've seen something like this before?" Dagger tapped her hoof to the floor thinking. "Canterlot Gardens, I recall seeing a statue like this monster there." Dagger's expression was curious now as she looked over the monster, she turned pale when she saw his flank.

"Snowball, come here a second... please?" Snowball walked over, careful to avoid standing on the door and saw what Dagger was looking at. The monsters flank had a cutie mark, a magnificent fiery inferno.

"Dagger dear, I think he might be... one of Tick Tock's new Acolyte's." Dagger face hoofed as she realized where she'd seen that mark.

"Oh Snowball, we just chased one of Nightmare's soldiers through the house. One Tick Tock was having fixed up." Dagger examined his front legs looking a little queasy. "Snowball, if I'm ever seriously injured, don't let Tick Tock take me to Manehatten. I enjoy being a full pony."

Snowball patted her on the back and lit up her horn pulling their 'Monster' free. "Let's take him to the medical ward. Oh and be a darling and turn off the security please? I don't want to open a door and have it flatten me or flood the corridor."

Dagger nodded smiling sheepishly as she took off, sprinting back to the door. Snowball levitated the unconscious Pyretread besides her as she made her way back to the main hall.

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Pyretread ran as fast as his mismatched limbs could carry him. FIGHT THEM YOU FOAL, CAPTAIN HORIZONS WILL NEVER BE INTERESTED IN SUCH A WEAK STALLION! He groaned, the damn voice was back. You must hide, if you wish to live to see her again. Both of them. he mentally face hoofed as he rounded the corner and realised he was trapped.

He backed into the furthest corner and tensed up. Wishing he was invisible, wishing he could simply get out of this unharmed. He saw the indigo purple mare round the corner, her fierce eyes scanning the hallway and looking right at his eyes. He gulped and readied himself for a fight. Only the mare had a look of confusion on her face and looked to her taller snow white friend.

"Snowball, we appear to have reached an impasse. The monster could be in any of these rooms and we don't have time to deal with each trap, or risk being trapped ourselves. Any ideas?" The purple mare looked to Snowball who nodded her head a small smile playing across it. That smile made Pyretread uncomfortable, but he was more curious about the fact he was undetectable. He lifted his arm and noticed he could see through it, his outline was there, vague and shimmery when he moved his arm. He stopped remembering the other two were still looking for him.

He watched the purple one head back down the corridor they had just come up from. And the white one's horn shimmered her aura surrounding each door. He could hear small clicks as she worked to unlock them. He relaxed and noticed he was becoming visible again, he tensed up again but found himself becoming more and more visible.

Luckily the white mare had her eyes closed in concentration. Do not rush her. The purple one is still around the corner, remember. His dark voice was right, he waited as he already intended to do in the first place as she rounded the corner again. When she rounded the corner completely he relaxed himself and stepped out of the corner he had been hiding in.

Pyretread stretched his wings a little and readied himself to sprint, hoping he could employ his new ability to sneak by the mare's and perhaps clean his mouth out so he could talk properly. But before he could the doors all opened. The door he stood beside sprung open and a burlap sack swung from a newly revealed hatch on the roof. The sack was heading right for him, he jumped but felt his manticore tail crunch painfully, gritting his teeth, he rushed forward only for a trap door to open up beneath him. Pyretread beat his wings and avoided it, he also avoided the frost rune which activated as he flew over it creating a tall pillar of ice, the snapping door caught him. Just as he made it past a blow tube firing blue capsules at a door. He landed on a pressure plate which caused the door to snap over him.

The instant that happened his whole body and head rushed to the ground, smacking it painfully. This place is a madhouse.... Was the last thing he thought as he passed into a pleasant dream involving Captain Horizon.

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Crow finished incinerating the last of the griffons. His body ached from the strain of performing so much magic throughout the day. A unicorn with less raw power than himself would've been exhausted hours ago. That was his major advantage, as far as magic was concerned he had vast stores of energy and stamina.

He saw Shade bring the sky carriage around and was not ungrateful, he would rest up on the way home and then settle for a night in bed.

"Thank you Shade, take your time going back. I want to catch some shut eye." Shade nodded as he began to draw the carriage back to their manor. Crow settled down in the back seat, buckling himself in and allowed himself to doze off, one eye opened and aware whilst the other remained closed. It was a trick he picked up from a dragon when he cooked him a particularly spectacular lightning gem meringue.

Shade scanned the skies as he pulled the carriage. His mask now stowed away safely. The cold night air whipped against his face as he flew off in the direction of home. He could take his time, but it would be better to be cautious than relaxed. The griffons were already manoeuvring themselves into a position to take over Equestria and it wouldn't be long before they began assaulting supply lines and trade routes.

The skies seemed relatively clear. He closed his eyes for a moment. Grey? I need you to take care of the journey back. The mental image of a an all Gray pony with a Gray mane looked up from the book she was reading.

*sigh* Fine, scoot over. Go play in your palace or do whatever it is you need to do.

Shade opened his eyes again, they looked the same but had a more sombre and dull look to them as Gray was put in control.

Shade flew freely through the dark, looking down on the realm of his mind. A massive wall stretched out, disappearing over the horizons. The wall divided the land in two, behind the wall there was only darkness, something that wanted to get at him. On the other end was a vast landscape of greenery. The most important feature of this vast greenery was a fortress, built to be strong and impregnable. It was surrounded by a thick wall, which in turn was surrounded by another and another. This was his Memory Palace.

The Palace was staffed with troops, all of them wore heavy armor and carried vicious weapons, far too large for the average pony. Much like how he himself used a weapon as large as himself. They stood as silent as statue's. He could make them talk, give them personality and sentience, allow them to develop. But he already had Red, Watcher, Tick Tock and Gray and he was certain a few others who were hiding out, and avoiding him. Shade walked past the silent ranks and arrived at the front doors.

Shade stood before the two massive black doors. Blackened by Red back when they were learning to get along. Shade approached the doors without hesitation, and enjoyed watching them open at his whim. He entered into the main hallway, from here it branched out into dozens upon dozens of corridors. All on the first floor, above him were several other levels with just as many corridors.

Shade began flying up, not content to take his time. As he flew up he sensed the familiar trickle of Watcher's presence. He turned and saw him on the fifth floor watching him, an amused expression on his face. "Couldn't stay away for too long, could you?" In here his voice was clear, no lisp or dark undertones.

Watcher's inky black mane writhed and moved on it's own, acting like tendrils as they batted each other and his glowing yellow eyes made him stand out from any normal pony. Watcher's grey coat was speckled with spots of black and most strangely a cutie mark. A yellow eye surrounded in a black sphere with a red pupil at the center of the yellow eye.

"This is my mind Watcher, I can come and go as I please." Shade's force was firm as he glared at Watcher who merely shrugged.

"Suit yourself friend, do you want some company?" Shade tapped a hoof and nodded flying higher and letting Watcher follow. Watcher's mane spread out like a pair of wings and lifted him up, behind Shade. As they rose they started to hear the screams. Unperturbed by this the two began walking down a corridor on the ninth floor.

"It seems Red has chosen to relive our night in Ponyville." Shade stated as they heard the final moments of Jill's life play out. A door opened behind them as a terrifying pony exited.

Red, if he existed outside Shade's mind, would be considered a demon. His mane was composed of fire in various shades of yellow and red. His skin was coated in dragon scales, his flank had a pony skull with two blades crossed beneath it and encircled by a ring of fire. His Pony head turned to look at them, his red eyes, one larger than the other looked at them with a friendly gleam. His hooves were black with tufts of fire at the hooves and his back had a pair of dragon wings with clawed tips. He smiled revealing his teeth to be finely sharpened points.

"Shade, Watcher how nice to see you, are you both just out for a stroll... or here for a trip down memory lane?" Red watched them both expectantly, as Shade finally replied.

"Yes red, we're going to room one-oh-one."

"Aw, Room one-oh-one? Why not room five sixty-two? I always get a chuckle when that one guards neck collapses from..." He stopped himself seeing the sad look on Shade's face and walked over patting him on the back. "Sorry Kid, I sometimes get carried away, why don't we go and see them together hmmmm?" Shade nodded and began walking away, Watcher saying nothing but gliding along the floor on his mane, whilst Red tried to think of a non-violent way to make it up to Shade.

They all arrived outside Room one-oh-one, the door was made of steel and had two Guardian Ponies standing outside it. Shade walked up to the door and manifested the key needed for entry, it rose out of his form a black and viscous smoke. The smoke key entered the lock, causing the door to de-pressurize and open. The three entered and a bright flash enveloped the room, revealing a camp fire, a small family was huddled around it. Two adult ponies and their young colt. The colt was meticulously working on crafting something when a small flash of light caught his attention. "Mom, Dad look, look, look." The colt excitedly pointed at the sky as a shooting star shot past, followed by a few others.

"Make a wish Shade." His mother's voice was soft and gentle as she walked over to Shade and sat next to him, her white mane and cream coat making her almost ghostlike against the night. She watched the young Shade make his wish.

"Did you make a wish Shade?" The colt shook his head a bright smile played across his face. "I don't need to Mom, I have everything I could ever want." Young Shade was leaning into his mother as he said those words.

Shade gritted his teeth and felt tears spread on his face, watching his younger self. "Always remember Shade. This is what they took from you." Watcher's voice was full of anger as he slunk off out the room. Red wanted to go after him, but Shade needed him, he placed his hoof softly on Shade's back and stood with him, watching the rest of Shade's painful memory play out.

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"Thats Ah Bit Oh A Doozy There Tick Tock Mah Auld Friend." Big Dave rumbled as he looked over the designs they had all come up with, in the last three hours, in between tea breaks and brainstorming sessions. "It's No Impossible, But Ah Couldnae Make The Whole Lot Frae Thae Dainty Wee Rocks, Starmetal Or Not."

Tick Tock nodded, as he tinkered with a music box, which began playing a rather pleasant melody. Blackbird tapped her talons on the table, and picked up her mug of tea draining it of the last dregs and biscuit lumps. She placed it down and examined the list of materials Dave and Tick Tock had made.

The list read as follows:

1.Star Metal

2.Dragon Bone

3.Hydra Spine

4.Steel

5.Gold

"Why don't you use wood?" Everyone turned to Blackbird who recoiled a little. "I-I mean, this is Everfree right. Aren't there some magical trees with wood strong enough to endure the forge?" Blackbird felt silly but a dawning look of comprehension filled Dave's sons face.

"Ironbark faither, we could use ironbark. It's a tricky business shaping it right enough."

Dave stamped a hoof. "By Nightmare Bleedin Moon Ah Think This Lass Really Is On Tae Somethin. Ironbark Is Just The Ticket." Dave stepped out of the room and began rummaging in a cupboard. "Ah Better Get On Mah Buckin Shoes. Gotta Buck The Necessary Amount Oh Wood, Probably Take Ah Day Or Two." Dave closed the cupboard holding a fearsome pair of steel shoes in his teeth, he levitated them onto the table. "Come N See Me Again In Aboot Three Days Tick."

Big Dave nodded to Tick Tock then turned to his son. "Jock Ma Boy, Go An Find Jock, Big Jock & Wee Jock. Ah'll Need All The Help Ah Can Get Wi This Project." Dave's son now revealed to be Jock saluted and galloped off quickly, levitating a hammer after himself and snagging some armor off a stand. Dave made his way upstairs waving to Tick Tock and Blackbird.

"So, I guess we just... leave?" Blackbird looked to Tick Tock uncertainly as he put away the music box.

"Tick-tock. Oh definitely, my dear. It would be rude to impose on poor Verdant and Dave's hospitality." Tick Tock brushed off some crumbs from his muzzle. "Come along then.... Oh and take as many of Dave's Rock Cakes as you can carry." Tick Tock himself had filled a small satchel and was strapping it to his side.

They left five minutes later bidding Verdant a long and pleasant night. As they left, Dave's home, Blackbird noted they were taking a different forest path, to the one they had been walking on originally. An hour on the path Blackbird was covered in numerous minor cuts, Tick Tock somehow managing to go unharmed by the hostile forest. The tree's covered the night sky, obscuring even the ghostly moonlight, leaving Blackbird to rely on her nocturnal senses. She knew ponies didn't see as well in the dark, she could run away, or she could kill the stallion in front of her.

She felt the reassuring weight of Bianca on her back and remembered how Dave had fixed it up and actually improved it. She could whip it out and fire it faster than before. What would be the point in killing him? He actually accepts me for my talents, where as my own people ignored me. She patted the weapon and continued to focus on navigating through the forest. Tick Tock halted.

"Congratulations my dear."  Tick Tock sounded pleased as he rounded on her. "I knew I had chosen well with you." Blackbird cocked her head in confusion. "HmHmhm. You had the perfect chance to kill me, or what anyone would assume was the perfect chance." He patted her on the shoulder. "You've taken a step in the right direction, my Dear. Do you mind if we fly from here? It will take dreadfully long to make it to my home by hoof or paw."

Blackbird nodded, feeling like a small hatchling again, he was pleased with her, and he was willing to fly the rest of the way. Blackbird adjusted the crossbow and slid it on to her side. She expected Tick Tock to jump on to her back. Instead he took out a bubbling green vial and downed it. A small drop fell and she noticed it combusted when it struck the ground. She looked at Tick Tock anxiously and then a mixture of horror and awe.

Large Wings as big as an Alicorns burst out of his back which had a large hump on it. His whole body bulged with unnatural muscle, and Blackbird watched him with a worried expression. He took off into the air, his powerful wings beating, brought him through the forest roof and sent him into the night sky. Blackbird followed at a slower pace as they both headed in the direction of Tick Tock's manor.

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A massive hammer stood in the middle of an old quarry. the moonlight glinting off it's massive form. It was too big to be of practical use for any normal creature. It's black metal head, was inlaid with gold and silver vein patterns, making the hammer look almost alive. The Quarry it stood in was a ghostly white, the surface layer of chalk from long ago contributed to the name this place earned itself. It was christened the Bone Caverns, after the miners began turning up dragon bones. Celestia had prohibited the mining of the Quarry years ago and did her best to erase traces of it's existence.

It was here a flight of forty griffons had decided to camp out. They would be here until morning and move out. They had discovered the giant hammer and the boldest griffons were trying to lift it. A particularly barrel chested griffon with a gold plumage began hefting it when a voice caught all their attention.

"If You Plan On Usin Them Talon's Again Boy." The group of griffons turned to see a massive stallion. "You Best Not Be Touchin, That What Ain't Yers." The stallion stamped his hoof to emphasize the point creating a small crater at his hoofs. "Ah Don't Like Strangers. Especially One's In My Quarry."

One of the griffons moved forward to strike. The stallion disappeared in a black flash that left them feeling tired. The Hammer was gone too. The griffon commander began squawking out orders as he hovered above his men when the hammer came down from the sky glowing red hot as it sent the griffon into the ground.

"Ah Don't Like Pigeons Crappin In Mah Quarry. GO ON PIGEONS! FLY AWAY AH'FORE A PLUCK YA!" The stallion stood above the quarry, giving himself a bird eye view of the quarry below. "That's The Only Warnin Yer Gettin From Big Dave The Black Hammer."

The Barrel chested Griffin padded over to the Hammer again. "Pony bastard, you think.... we'll leave after....you killed our commander." He paused in between words as he tried to heft the hammer.

"BWAH HA HA HA HA HAAAA. Please Allow Me." Dave leapt, wreathing himself in his magical aura as he landed again in the quarry sending out a powerful shockwave stunning several griffons and turning the barrel chested one into an unrecognisable pulp under his hoofs. He gripped the hammer in his massive jaw and brought it around in a massive, over the top motion smashing three griffons standing there into broken messes.

"THATS WHAT YE GET FER TOUCHIN WHAT ISNAE YOURS. Time Tae Make Some Feathers Fly Boys." A group of stallions emerged, all hefting various large weapons. The griffons charged at their attackers in hopes that their numbers and skill would win out.

Dave laughed as he used his magic to effortlessly block various arrows and bolts that flew at him, and then sent them back at full force. The other stallions prevented the others from escaping, lassoing or shooting them out of the sky with arrows or magic. A grim silence filled the air as the griffons lay dead, all forty of them.

"Hoo many did you get Big Jock?" A unicorn stallion asked.

"Och only four No as Big as Big Jock, but no as wee as Wee Jock, Jock. Hoo aboot you?"

"Ach Ah only managed two, but they was good ones, two griffons tryin tae fly off whilst mah faither was busy wi his own magic." The unicorn paused "An jus call me Jock, it's easier than the full name Big Jock."

"Only Four Big Jock, tsk tsk. Ah managed tae bag 6 oh the flyin buggers." Wee Jock walked over, a grin spread out over his small snout.

"Aye Aye Lads, All Good N All. But We Dae Have A Job Tae Dae Here." Big Dave's booming voice broke up the friendly chat. "Besides Ah Got Twent Four, You Lads Need Tae Be Quicker." He levitated a gourd to his lips and drank the concoction within, perform passing it to the Jocks. "Big Jock, Jock and Wee Jock. You three search the bodies. Wee Billie Git Doon here n Get The Minin Equipment Ready. And Where's Black Bart? He's Meant Tae Help Me Buck Them Ironbark Trees." Dave wandered off gathering the various members of their Motley crew together.

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Shade returned to full control once more. The sight of a large mishaped flyer and an approaching Griffin had him on high alert. He stopped and bucked the carriage waking up Crow.

"Crow wake up, we have company." Crow blinked away the tiredness and charged up his horn, his short nap left him feeling a little refreshed but still tired. He examined the forms and then chuckled.

"Ah Shade that misshapen flyer is Tick Tock, only he would have the moxie to give himself Alicorn wings." The two flyers approached Shade recognizing the Griffin from earlier and Tick Tock too, his face was the same but his body out of proportion.

"Tick Tock, Ah Shade my lad. Good to see you and Crow finished quickly." Shade nodded and waited for Tick Tock to continue. "I'll be riding the rest of the way, the Alicorn wings are... uncomfortable. He hovered round to the back seat of the carriage and downed another vial his transformation receding slowly. Blackbird hooked herself up next to Shade, who merely nodded.

The group flew for another hour Tick Tock apparently nodded off like Crow had once more. When the smell of Smoke and Fire awoke them both. Looking forward they could see cast them a concerned look as they got closer to their home. A raging fire was burning and an angry mob had the house surrounded.

"Tick-tock, tick-tock... Tick-tock."Crow looked at Tick Tock with concern as the Stallion shook angrily and stood up.

"TICK TOCK, KILL THEM, NO ONE ATTACKS OUR HOME AND GETS AWAY WITH IT. NO ONE!"

Shade and Blackbird pulled the carriage into a landing pattern and then unfastened themselves flying off to sow death from above. Tick Tock readied his blades and prepared to leap, Crow was ready to jump, but Tick Tock held him down.

"Tick Tock, no, no old Friend. Much as I might want you in this fight. You are tired. Get inside and make sure everything worth saving is saved and all our people are out here helping." Crow nodded, teleporting himself away, whilst Tick Tock used the altitude to aim the sky carriage directly at the crowd surrounding his home.

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Author's Notes: What's this... a Cliffhanger? Why yes it is. Sorry to leave you guys on a cliffhanger but I couldn't resist. Peppy does it all the time anyway's, I'll try not to make too much of a habit of it. And only end it on Cliffhangers when it would be cool or appropriate.