Phil led the ragtag group of desperate prisoners up the ramp, towards the heavily guarded checkpoint. On her whim, Tempest Shadow could move that crystal, crushing any realistic chances of escape. She might have moved it already, but he wouldn’t let himself consider that possibility. He needed hope right now, not reasons to doubt.
"Alright, everyone," Phil whispered, trying to keep his voice steady, despite the pounding in his chest. They circled around the ramp, stopping only when they were just out of sight of the checkpoint. "Pinkie, are you ready?"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Her mane no longer hung straight, but had entirely given way to unruly curls. Whether that was from the sweat of working hard, or some other force, Phil couldn’t guess. At this point, it might be best to just accept whatever she said. "All this time down in a hole, I haven’t had many chances to be silly. That changes right now."
"Good," Phil said, nodding his approval. "We're counting on you." Without someone to get the magic-proof gate open, they stood no chance of ascending higher in the prison.
Pinkie bounced forward, clutching her heavy bundle of cloth to her back as she went. She vanished around the corner. Phil listened, his ears straining to hear what she might be doing. He resisted the urge to peek out and see, instead remaining out of sight. If the guards suspected anything, even for a second, they might seal the gate up tight, trapping them in high security until reinforcements arrived.
"Don’t worry about her," Rarity whispered. "I’ve not seen Pinkie this enthused about anything since Twilight—since this started. She’s quite capable when she means to be."
Before he could reply, voices shouted from the other side. Guards at first, demanding that the prisoner explain something.
The mare didn’t answer. Instead, a wave of sound erupted from around the corner. A cacophony of bizarre noises echoed off the stone ceiling—honking, whistling, and even mooing filled the air. How was she doing that?
"Yee-haw! It's a party down here!" Pinkie whooped.
Metal ground together, and the huge gate banged against the wall.
"Unbelievable," Moiré muttered, her bat wings extending all the way to either side. She was ready to fly, though he didn’t know exactly how she would manage in such a confined space. "It's actually working."
"Indeed," Rarity said. "Pinkie's unique talents never cease to amaze me."
Fluttershy seemed more anxious than impressed. "How long do we wait? When do we know if she’s ready for us?"
"Relax," Phil reassured her, his athlete's instincts kicking in. "I’ll look. Everyone else, stay behind me." Phil didn’t stick his head out to watch—the torches from the distant guard station would reveal him too clearly. Instead, he lowered a bit of dirty metal around the corner with his hoof, watching through the reflection.
Pinkie had somehow transformed the space in front of the checkpoint into a party. A heavy blanket covered the floor like a carpet, balloons lay scattered everywhere, and guards on both sides of the fence had party hats on their heads and streamers wrapped around their clubs. As he suspected, they had opened the gate now, with two of the three advancing cautiously down the ramp towards where Pinkie took swings at what was unmistakably a piñata.
When did she make that? Where did she get any of this stuff? These were questions that would evidently be going unanswered.
The guards approached Pinkie, their suspicion mounting. Their confusion soon turned into irritation. One ripped a streamer from his club, lifting the weapon high in crude paws.
"Hey!" the other shouted, pointing an accusing gauntlet at Pinkie. "Get on the ground. If you want attention so bad, we’ll take you to the warden."
"Uh-oh," Phil muttered. "Looks like she needs some help. Rarity, plan B!" His eyes locked on the ogre guards as they closed in on Pinkie.
She darted around the corner, aiming her horn up the ramp like a gun. It glowed to life, shimmering with a sudden wave of brilliant blue. The guards groaned as they were lifted off their feet, then slammed into each other with a resounding crash.
Phil joined her, charging up the ramp towards the gate. One last guard remained on that side, shoving his weight against it. If he got it shut…
Phil reached it, bracing his forelegs against the metal and his back legs on the stone ramp. He dug in tight, then shoved with all his strength. The guard stumbled backward, smacking into the stone wall. His club tumbled out of his other hand, rolling away along the floor.
"Come on!" Phil urged, as loud as he could. "Move!"
The guard retreated from him, reaching for something Phil couldn’t see well in the gloom. He spread both wings, preparing for an attack—then a piercing whistle split the air. He charged, closing the distance in seconds, but not before two more blasts echoed up the hall.
His hooves met the guard, smacking him down. He followed up with a few quick strikes on the ogre’s helmet, finally silencing the whistling.
But the damage was done. Somewhere far away, others repeated the whistle. An alarm rang, echoing through the empty hallways. Other shouts joined it, boots clattered against the floor, and doors banged open.
"Not quite according to plan," Rarity muttered, her elegant features marred by frustration. She stepped through the gate, followed by the other members of their desperate band.
"Doesn't matter! Can't stop!" Phil shouted, his wings flapping with urgency. "We need to move!"
The once simple route to the warden's office was now swarming with additional guards, but Phil pushed the group forward, his determination fueled by his previous failure to protect the crystal from Tempest.
As they hurried through the dimly-lit corridors, they came across the central holding area, packed full of pony prisoners. There must have been hundreds inside, sleeping on narrow bunks or tucked away in corners. Conditions up here were far better than maximum security, but still, these ponies had obviously suffered tremendously.
Doors all over the room banged open, with club-wielding guards already making their way towards Phil and the others—directly into a space with hundreds of prisoners. It was true that Starlight couldn't teleport all of them at once. But if they took over themselves, maybe she wouldn't have to.
"Join us! Help us fight for your freedom!" Phil stepped up onto a half-rotten box, spreading both of his wings. He couldn't look that imposing, not with a body covered with burns and bandages. But someone had to lead the fight—and it might as well be him. "Fight beside us!"
"Your magic is stronger than theirs!" Rarity added, joining Phil. There were at least a dozen guards rushing towards them, straight across the room. Once they reached them—he knew the brutal beating that would follow. He might not survive it this time. "Go on! The rebellion has a plan!"
Many prisoners scoffed or cowered at the prospect, but a few brave souls took up the call to action. Someone knocked over their bed, toppling the heavy wood into a group of guards. Others started shouting or throwing rocks at them from across the room. In seconds, the guards turned towards the crowd, battering random ponies with their clubs.
That did it. Ponies of all kinds rose from their resting places. Many just screamed and fled, but even that helped. Stampeding hooves did a great deal to block the path.
"Phil, come on," Fluttershy whispered. "That's enough."
"Right. Let's get that crystal."
The sounds of clanging metal and shouting echoed around them as they moved forward, surging through an open hallway out of the holding area and towards the prison offices. Soon the fighting spilled out into every room and passage, the crowd getting larger and more violent as the conflict spread.
Please let the crystal still be there. If Tempest moved it after he left, or got to her office before they did—the whole fight might have been for nothing.
Panting from the pain of his injuries, Phil led the band of escaping ponies towards the warden's office. Despite the beating, he still remembered the route clearly. The chaotic cries of rebellion reverberated behind them as they pressed on. The further they got, the more other ponies joined them, breaking in little waves. They battered down barricades and fought back small groups of prison guards, advancing through the castle with relentless determination.
"Are we going to seize this place?" a grizzled Pegasus asked, wiping blood away from his bruised and broken face.
Fluttershy hesitated before answering. "Probably not," she finally admitted. "But if we can keep this rebellion going, you'll all be free soon. We'll get you all out."
The prisoner's face fell. He faded back into the crowd, letting the other ponies rush around him like water. Many of them had crude weapons now, holding them in magic or tucked under wings. Strange that now of all times, the ogres didn't pull out their crossbows and spears.
They continued onward, using the chaos as a cover to slip past the remaining guards. Finally, they were on the top floor, surrounded by metal bars and high windows. The crystal would be easy to use now, if only they could get their hooves on it.
A pair of soldiers stood with their backs to the warden's office, their spears at the ready. They straightened as Phil approached, prepared for a fight.
"Get behind me!" Phil commanded, stepping forward. He had lost the crystal once, but he refused to let it happen again. Both guards charged—not with the deadly points, but wielding the weapons like staves, ready to beat him into submission.
Phil took off. There was little room in the hallway, just barely enough to fly without smacking his wings into the wall. There was no space left in his mind for doubt or hesitation, only acceleration. No need to wonder how he would stop—two perfectly good guards stood in front of him. He smashed into one, his hooves impacting their heavy chest and taking the ogre to the ground.
These soldiers might be taller than he was, but they were also fat and soft. It took little strength to rule over captives in a prison, but a great deal more to fight the nation's mightiest athletes on the battlefield. Phil had them outmatched.
His body screamed in protest, still weakened from his interrogation, but he pushed through the pain, battering over the first guard and turning on the second.
"Come on, Phil! You can do it!" Pinkie Pie cheered from the sidelines.
He turned, just in time to see the second guard swinging towards him with the staff.
Rarity caught the strike in her magic, sending the weapon spinning free from the beast's meaty paws. "I believe you'll have no more need of that."
Phil's vision blurred from exhaustion. His muscles burned, but he refused to give up. He tackled directly into the other guard's knees, right at his shoulder level. The creature gasped, then buckled, toppling sideways.
Moiré was there seconds later, bringing a stolen club down on the ogre's metal helmet.
He dropped to the ground, unconscious.
"Is everyone all right?" Phil asked, leaning weakly up against the nearby wall.
"For now." Moiré reached the door and tried to kick it open. "Earth pony?"
Pinkie screamed, her words melting into an incomprehensible roar of rage and frustration. How long had she spent trapped in this prison? The door buckled, then went flying backwards, smashing into Tempest's desk.
The others cheered, filing into the office behind her. Except for Fluttershy, who urged the crowd of rioting ponies past the door. "Go for the guardhouse! If you can get the gate open, you can escape!"
"Let's get that crystal and put an end to this," Phil said, his voice filled with determination.
The office was dimly lit, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Phil scanned the room, his eyes finally settling on a glittering crystal on the bookshelf. It was still here, exactly where Tempest left it! "Here!" He pointed urgently. "Can you activate it, Rarity?"
"If everyone would like to join me," Rarity answered. Her horn glowed a soft blue, lifting and spinning the crystal into the air. It zipped over to them, and the glow began to increase.
"Is that it?" Fluttershy whispered, her eyes wide with anticipation.
"Indeed," Rarity replied, her focus unwavering. "Now, everypony should brace themselves. Starlight was never known for the comfort of her teleports."
"Hurry," Moiré urged, her ears twitching at the distant sound of running feet. "Reinforcements could be here any second."
As Rarity concentrated, beads of sweat formed on her brow. With one final surge of energy, the crystal burst into brilliant life, its light filling the room."
"Over here! As close as possible!" Rarity instructed, positioning the group next to Tempest Shadow's window. As the crystal's magic swirled around them, a dark figure appeared in the open doorway.
"Going somewhere?" Tempest sneered, her broken horn crackling with dark energy.
The teleportation spell reached its peak, enveloping the group in a cocoon of light. As they vanished, Phil saw Tempest's rage, a flash of electrical energy—then darkness.
They were free.
tf-sential
