The Antiquis visits Equestria (Closed!)

[AlextheAngel]

Alex yelped as he was dropped four feet from the ground, nearly knocking the wind out of him. He continued shivering and whimpering inside of the body bag as he was carried inside of the castle, still unsure of where he was, but hoping that his first guess was wrong. Once the bag was pulled off of him, the child blinked as his eyes began to adjust to the light. The first thing he noticed was the icey-blue figure standing on what looked like a throne of ice. He didn't have his glasses, so he couldn't see exactly who it was... but he knew. And in those seconds of realization, his worst fears have been confirmed.

Diana smiled and slowly walked away from her throne, closer to the quivering bipedal youngling. "Come now, dear. There's no need to be afraid." She said onimously, stepping closer. As she did, Alex took a step back, only to slip on a patch of ice and fall back against Malagog's massive skeletal paw. With a yelp, he began to scramble away, slipping on the freezing floor. As she did, Diana gave a sigh in response. "Calm down, now..." She tried to keep her voice gentle, but to the child it only sounded more terrifying.

"S-stay back!" He squeaked, his back hitting against the wall of the icy structure. His bluish-green eyes began to glow and flicker for a second, before going back to normal. He cupped his right hand, and in it a small flame began to appear, growing larger until it filled his palm.

 

Zed flinched when the yelling from behind the door continued, and immediate sign that something was indeed wrong. "Hang on!" He shouted. Then, without checking if the door was even unlocked, he began to bash into it with his shoulder. At the fourth try, the door swung open with a loud crash against the wall. It was then that he noticed Noedig standing still, no longer yelling. However, he seemed to be in a deep trance. "Noedig! Hey, snap out of it!" He said, snapping his fingers in front of the human's face. "Can you hear me?" Taking a risk, he gritted his teeth and grabbed the man's shoulders, shaking him rather roughly. "Dammit, I need your help to find Alex! Snap out of it!" He shouted.

[Noedig]

Malagog sees the boy using fire magic. "Fire!" He exclaimed. He snatches Alex's hand with his left fore-paw, then using weak ice magic to snuff out the fire before it grows any hotter. "Don't you dare attack Queen Frostmere!" Feeling the weak fire extinguish from his ice, he released his hand. He quietly growls, "Listen to her..."

 

Noedig's body being shaken did not make Noedig react at all. Actually, it caused his shades to fall off from the shaking, revealing that his eyes are slightly open. He is breathing, but he's not responding. A guard comes in to check out the disruption, noticing Zed and the other human. "What has happened, prince Zed?" He asked him. He then got concerned with the human's dead-like appearance. "Is the human dead?"

[AlextheAngel]

Alex yelped as the skeletal wyvern snatched up his wrist, before using a weak ice spell to snuff out the flame in his hand. His eyes watered as the ice stung his already-numb hand, and he yanked his hand away as soon as it was released, holding it to his chest to keep it warm. It was now buzzing through his mind that he would never use fire magic again, just as long as that giant brute stayed away from him...

Diana, however, seemed completely unphased by the fire created in the boy's hand. She did, however, give a slight glare at Malagog's response. "Malagog... in order to win a child over, one must be patient and gentle." She stated, before turning back to the child and giving a warm smile. "What is your name, little one?" She asked, even though she already knew well enough. "Do you know who I am?"

Alex, still shivering heavily and backed against the wall, kept silent for a moment before stuttering his answer. "A-Alex... my name is Alex." He said, before nodding at her next question. "Queen Diana Frostmere, and Malagog." He said, his voice still shaky. "I... learned about you in the history books..."

"Smart boy." She mused. "You look so much like your father. I've seen him before, but have never had the pleasure of meeting him in person." She was now standing right in front of the boy, looking down at his quivering form. As gingerly as possible, she reached out a hoof and brushed it through his hair, trailing it down his cheek before resting it underneath his chin and gently lifting his gaze to her eyes. "You wish to be back at home, with your father. I can see it in your eyes." Diana said softly. "Not even you know how powerful you are... but I can show you. If you stay with me, then you will know the true meaning of power... you will become the most respected creature in all of Equestria, and beyond. It would be a shame to have all of that potential go to waste. If you stay by my side, I will give you any and everything you could ever want, and more."

Alex blinked a few times as he listened, completely caught in her hypnotic gaze. After a long moment, he turned his head away. "N-no..." He whimpered. "No... I can't."

"I see..." Diana said, before sighing. "But my dear, sweet child... you do not have a choice. Malagog! Have him warmed up, and send him to the room I have prepared. And make sure he stays there." This room that Diana had prepared was not a dungeon or a cell like most would think. No, it was an actual room complete with a bed, night stand, desk, books, toys... basically anything that would hold a twelve-year-old's interests. It was just like his room in Canterlot, only much larger and takes place at the top of one of the spires in the castle, hundreds of feet in the air. The only exit was a small window with shutters, and the actual main door.

 

"No... He's not dead, but something is wrong." Zed replied as he stared for a long moment at Noedig's empty eyes, before releasing his shoulder. There was one other idea that came to him... one that he very much didn't like, but it seemed like the only reasonable thing to do at the time. And who knows? If he didn't, then the human would probably be completely lost. "I'm sorry... this is probably going to hurt." He said. With that, he grabbed Noedig's shoulder with his left hand, before raising his right... and delivering a rather powerful slap to the human's cheek, hoping the shock would be enough to jar him out of whatever trance he was trapped in.

[Noedig]

Having been told what he should be doing with that glare, Malagog silently winced with repressed rage. He is very prideful of himself, it's rare that he is criticized for something like this, for someone so... seemingly weak.

He can't talk back, he wishes to, but her hold over him makes it impossible to do so. It holds him down in a deep pit, where the only other thing is light, and that light is Diana Frostmere. The only light which he can see, feel, and live on, and no other. "Yes, my Queen..." He said. "I'll be more... gentle."

 

It is pitch black, void of anything but one... Noedig. He is sure that he can sense, there's just nothing to sense. Unless you count that small chuckle somewhere in the void."Ah... he's back in limbo, I see." The voice speaks. It speaks without a body to hinder its voice and thought. It doesn't sound very intelligent, but it does sound old. Ancient, perhaps. "But not for long."

"Not for long?" He asks the voice. "But I just got here. How can I return to reality as of now? My... whatever it was that brought me here, it did it again."

"Not exactly..." the voice speaks. "You didn't do this to yourself, not EXACTLY, but you did leave an opening for someone."

"Someone, you say?" Noedig replied. "Was it the sad man?"

"No, not the sad man. He can't even get to your head like he did to the sweet thing." It replied. "It was someone new. You just confronted it not too long ago. It likes to mess with you."

"Hmm..." Noedig hummed. "Confronted someone new... it likes to... Ah, the bloody horned one!"

"Correct!" It says, proud of silly Noedig's deduction. "Would you like a treat for that?"

"I'd love one, please." He says, eagerly wanting one. The treat... whatever it was, it appeared before Noedig for him to grab. He does so, and consumes it childishly. "Mm! Gud shtuff." He remarks, rudely too.

"Hey, master father taught you better about eat-y things!" The voice reminds him gently.

"Mm!" Noedig hums. He then swallows, clearing his mouth to say, "Sorry, it was just so delectable."

"Dee-leck-able? Funny word." It says. "But enough treating! The bloody horned one did this to you. You know, yes?"

"Yes, yes, I recall a bit of it. How'd he do it?" Noedig asked.

"He caught you when you were most take-able!" It said. "You failed to get the wingy boy."

"Poor wingy boy!" He exclaimed.

"Yes! That's what you want." It said, applauding Noedig for finding his motivation.

"But... reality sucks, pal." Noedig said, doubting the voice. "If I managed to get in here, then I don't deserve to go back conscious."

"C-conscious? What's that?" It said. "It's been so long since I heard hard silly-bills."

"Awake, pal." He said, making it simpler. "To do things restricted to reality."

"Re... restricted?" It asked, worried about thst word. "That sounds like something I don't like..."

"Never mind that, we can just do stuff here, yeah?" Noedig said. "So let's do stuff! Show me something you can make, pal!"

"Oh, sure! Just let me... wait, no. No, this is wrong!" It said. "You're forgetting about relativity!"

"Reality." Noedig corrected it. "How do you know that word?"

"Don't worry! Just get back out there!" It said, worried for Noedig.

"Why? What good can it ever do being awake for whatever it did to me?" Noedig questioned it.

"Because you're not a weak-minded pal, buddy." It said, slightly frustrated. "You're the Antiquis!"

Noedig fell silent at the word for a long while. "... Antiquis."

"Yes! Antiquis!" It exclaimed. "Hard word, but worth the time spent here!"

"I... I'm remembering things now. But... how?" He asked. "I'm in limbo, aren't I? I shouldn't know exactly when I repress my memories in limbo."

"Pal, even if you know now, you'd still have to find a way out of here, unless someone else wakes you up!" It said.

"Who'd ever want to..." Noedig faltered, he hears something else in the void. A voice he's heard before. Someone recent, hopefully good. He speaks his name. Actually shouting at him to snap out of it. "... Is that Zed?"

"Don't care, too much knowing. You're leaving now! Have a good time being con-suss!" It says, happy to see him leave.

"It's pronounced--" A hard slap suddenly shocked his head, which shifted his brain-cells to start working again. "CONSCIOUS!"

He shouts. He groans at the severe headache he's experiencing. "Oh, God... You literally knocked out my limbo... that's supposed to be virtually impossible, you know?"

"Sweet Celestia! He's come back to life again!" The guard yelled. "Are you a sarcastic zombie this time?"

"No!" Noedig said strenly. "Get out, you paranoid creature!"

The guard does just that, even resuming work.

Noedig sighed. "Okay... how much of what's been said did you hear me scream about? Be honest."

[AlextheAngel]

"Good..." Diana replied, before going back to sit on her throne, staring at the child for a moment. "Now, Alex... I need you to be a good boy and cooperate, dear. Go with Malagog."

"I want to go home!" Alex demanded clenching his fists, though he was still quite terrified. "Please, just let me go back to Canterlot... I don't want to stay here!" If he weren't so terrified of the skeletal dragon, the child's hands would be flaming up again. However, his eyes did begin glowing brightly, just as his father's did whenever strong emotion was surging through him.

"Malagog, please do as I asked." Diana demanded, completely ignoring the child's pleas.

 

Zed shook his hand for a bit, trying to shake away the stinging sensation from the rather hard smack to Noedig's face. He flinched when the human finally snapped out of his trance-like state with a jolt, before blinking in confusion at the comment. "There's that word again..." He said lowly, before watching as the guard trotted away. "The only thing I could make out was 'Limbo'. I don't know what it means, and not to be rude, but I honestly don't care right now. I need your help." He stated bluntly, crossing his arms. "That skeletal dragon you fought? His name is Malagog, the undead dragon servant of Diana Frostmere. You probably don't know this, but my son is terrified of Frostmere, who is currently doing gods-know-what to him as we speak. Not to mention that he's extremely sensitive to cold climates, and could be freezing to death right now." He sighed. "I know you did what you could. You and... Hammer Rivet." He paused for a moment. "But it's not over yet. I need you to help me get my kid back."

[Noedig]

Malagog was now doing as told. He used his right clawed paws to gently pick the boy up. He was being gentle enough to not hurt him, but strong enough to not let him loose from his grip. "You heard her Highness, little boy." He said. He began moving to the side of the hall, to an entrance of the spire, where his room is. "Let's get you warmed up in your room." After entering the entrance, they were met with spiraling stairs. Malagog swiftly snaked his way up the stairs to the top, at the top was a reinforced door, made of ice-cold metal. Malagog opened the door with his spare claws, and opened it. "This is the warmest place you'll get in the Frozen North." He said to Alex. "So, get in there. Or would you rather freeze yourself to death, and break not only Queen Diana Frostmere's heart, but your parents' as well?" He mentally smirks at himself. Either way, He thinks, if things go well, you'll break your parents' hearts regardless.

 

Listening till his request, he finally responds with a grunt, "Hmm." He then gets off his bed to check something in his bag. "One moment..." He said. "I need to get something from this for you and me to use." Taking out the item from the bag. He hands it over to him. They're four small little round things, with two others that have something sticking out, fit for human ears. "These are ear-phones." He begins explaining. "They're absolutely elemental-proof except for extreme heat, up to seven hundred kelvins." He splits one of each things in both hands, one round and one pointy-round. "You know what kelvins are, yes? Anyway, this one round piece will allow you to hear what I can say, and this other pointy piece will allow you to speak to me." He reaches his  right hand out to Zed. "Wear them on either ears. Like this." He demonstrates the procedure to wearing them for Zed. "Currently, they're off. To turn it on, gently press on the round item. Then you may hear and speak, if mine are on as well." He walks off to reload his revolver, he's already carrying enough bullets for whatever comes. He then picks up his sheathed sword and puts it on him. Since he is wearing the sword's weight, his steps are heavier. He walks back to the bed, and fetches something else in his bag. He takes out what appears to be a foil-wrapped food-bar. He unwraps it half-way, lowers his face-mask, and then eats a part of it. He then lowers himself again to pick up his glasses with his spare hand to put it back on him. Swallowing his food, he then says. "Let's get Alex back, Zed."

[AlextheAngel]

Alex gasped as Malagog lifted him up and held him in a firm grip, the child struggling to squirm from the grip. "But I want to go home!" He cried, tears streaming down his face. "Stop! Put me down!" But the child's struggles were powerless against the skeletal dragon's grip as he snaked his way up the spiral staircase and to the cold steel door. He stopped struggling as the door was opened and he was immediately greeted by a rush of comforting warm air. He looked down at the ice-covered floor and sighed. He didn't want to make his parents sad by being reckless and refusing what rare warmth would be provided in this frozen wasteland... though, he didn't really care about Diana. "Fine..." He said softly, his heart sinking.

 

Zed blinked and studied the ear-phones for a second. He knew what ear-phones were, as he used to have a pair he used to play music through before he ever arrived in Equestria, but he had never seen the likes of these before. "Seven hundred kelvins? Well, I don't think we'll be delving into anything that hot. Quite the opposite, in fact." He said, putting them in his jacket pocket. "All right, give me a bit to pack up some extra clothes for myself and Alex. When they kidnapped him, he didn't have his glasses with him, so I imagine it'd be difficult for him to see..." He paused for a moment, realizing that he was again worrying out loud. "We'll meet up with Gale in fifteen minutes, and head off to the Crystal Empire. That's the deepest into the Frozen North the train will be able to take us. After that, we're on our own."

[Noedig]

Malagog listened his submission and put him on the ground. He did not prod or even poke him to go, he only waited for him to go inside. "This door will not be locked. You are welcome to leave your room to do other things, if the Queen thinks it is acceptable." Malagog said to him. "But keep in mind: Any attempt to escape will be futile--even through that small window. There is no clever way out of this. Understood?"

 

"All the more reason to use something that is only weak against extreme heat." Noedig pointed out. "Anyway, you do that... meanwhile, I'll just be around with the princesses until we leave." And so he walks out of his room, heavily stepping with ease with his sword on his back. He arrived at the main hall, where the Princesses were at.

"Ah, sir Noedig. Good to see you again." She said to him, unaware of the knowledge of his recent dilemma. "Are you well, though?"

"Peachy." He replied. "For the most part. I've come to discuss something with you."

"What do you want to discuss about?" Celestia asked.

"I want to discuss about royalty." He said. "The kind that currently exists in Equestria, that is. Specifically, who is Queen Diana Frostmere? Aside that she resides in the Frozen North, and commands an undead army of skeletal horses and a massive, undead dragon-- a wyvern--named Malagog." He comes closer slowly with two steps toward her, not with any hostility, but with curiosity. "Who is she?"

"... Are you curious about your opponent because of what her subjects did to you?" She asked.

"No." He said. "Being as old as I am now, my intuition is disturbingly sharp. This queen has something to do with you. Was Involved with you. At least... in the far past." He steps away. "I'm not judging you. I can't criticize what's been done in your past because I think you already understand that."

"That's correct." She said. "I'm impressed that you'd think she has anything to do with me on a such personal level."

"I won't explain how I came up with that deduction. So instead, I'll ask again." He said, and then asks, "Who is she?"

Celestia sighs. She's never spoken to anyone about this, to anyone who isn't preferably family to her. She has written it down, but that was different. She's only met him since yesterday, and he already got this much information without touching a sensitive subject to anyone until now. "Alright." She said. "I'll tell you about her as briefly as possible:

"Long ago, Diana Frostmere, among us three, was a part of the making of Equestria. My sister ruled the Night, I ruled the Day and Summer, and Diana ruled the Winter. It was our responsibility to take care of our inhabitants. After some time, Diana Frostmere, however, questioned her role in our world. She questioned that winter is resented by life, and that she shouldn't have to do her part because she believes she does not get accepted. My sister and I dismissed her questioning and scorned her for that. And in response, she turned against us by attempting an eternal winter in Equestria. Using all our powers, my sister and I fought against her plans and succeeded. We banished her to the Frozen North. So, she has been living there ever since."

Noedig listened carefully and acknowledged this. He believed that their dismissing her and scorning her only made things worse for Diana, but he did not wish to speak this.

This is what he suspected from her and she understood this. So, he kept it to himself. "I see." He said. "Thank you for telling me, Princess Celestia."

"It wasn't a pleasure, but it felt necessary." She replied. "So, thank you for not feeling less of us."

"Certainly." Noedig said to her.

[AlextheAngel]

As the large skeletal dragon set him down, Alex stared at the ground, a sense of longing already beginning to plague his mind. "I understand." He said in a small, weak voice. Even if he did manage to escape, where would he go? The Frozen North was a massive and unforgiving region, which would surely tear a nearly defenseless child like him to pieces. The only sensible thing he could do was sit in this warm room and wait for something to happen... hopefully he would be rescued in time before Diana did whatever she was going to do. As he backed up into the room, he looked up at the undead wyvern. "My father will be here shortly. I hope you're prepared for what's to come." His eyes flashed brightly for a bit, before the child turned around and walked toward the bed and sat down on it.

 

Even though said to meet him in fifteen minutes, he was there in less than eight, still wearing his usual leather jacket and carrying a large bag over his shoulders, which contained extra coats, food, and clothes. his eyes were a bit red and puffy from the bit of crying he has done. Other than that, he looked fairly normal... aside from being a bit silent. He couldn't help but worry about Alex... and as much as he tried to reassure himself that the boy would be all right, he couldn't help but feel scared for his well-being. He was his father, after all. It was his job to worry.

[Noedig]

"Hmm. I'd like to see him try." Malagog scoffed in a sinister tone. "So, thank you for your hope on our preparedness. I'll put it to good use." With that said, he closed the door quickly. Very quickly.

"Grah!" He grunts. He crawls on his four legs back down the stairs with great distaste. "I'd better not be anywhere close to any boiling damnation for months after this!" He monologues. "I'd demand compensation... but my cursed allegiance makes that impossible!" Frustrated and finished, and resumes his work.

 

Gale Storm had also finished his preparations for the Frozen North, but he won't be able to put his special abilities to as much use than usually, due to recent issues which only he, his grandfather, and Celestia understand (which isn't old age). He will help out with plans and guidance, flight, physical combat, and nothing more.

"Rrrgh!" Gale Storm growled as he entered the main hall. "Of all the times to be in this condition..."

Noedig was curious about that statement. "Condition?"

"I can't use my powers." He said. "They're disabled for now."

"That's a shame..." Noedig said. Sincerely.

Gale Storm's powers go off for a long while due to over-exhaustion. A really long while. "I'll live." He said. "Let's get going. The train is ready for departure."

They went to the train station to get to the Crystal Empire, the closest empire to the Frozen North. They all got on board, and the train went off with its passengers of three dozen soldiers and the three. The train ride will take three hours to get to its destination.

[AlextheAngel]

"I'm sorry to hear that, Gale." Zed simply replied, his voice low and almost monotonous. However, he kept completely quiet as he boarded the train, and for most of the trip there. He mainly sat in a seat by himself, debating whether or not he should visit the mini bar. He thought better of it, however and continued to sit alone at his seat, rubbing his eyes. "I swear to every god that ever existed... if Diana or her undead pet so much as touch a hair on his head..." He growled to himself, clenching his fists. "Ugh... I'm such a bad father..."

[Noedig]

Noedig having seated parallel to Zed, he heard him beating himself. He has heard many fathers beating themselves like this, including himself apparently. He detests the ignorance of their situation.

"A bad father is man who intentionally abandons his family." he said to him. "A bad father is a man that exploits his family. And a bad father can also be a man that regrets having a child." Noedig softly shakes his head at him. "You are nothing like these men, so don't beat yourself for it. You only have the queen and her wyvern to blame for that." he then says something which could have sounded remorseful or simply a statement. "I failed to get your son back. I shouldn't have failed, but I did. Does that make me a bad man?"

[AlextheAngel]

Zed sighed, before looking up from his lap at the human. "No... it doesn't." He said, wiping his eyes a little. Zed could sense that he was a bit regretful that he was not able to save Alex, even though Noedig didn't outright make it obvious. "It's not your fault..." He reassured the man. "I know you did your best..."

[Noedig]

"... Let's think about what we're going to do on getting your son back." Noedig suggested.

"So," Gale said coming by to sit next to Zed, to talk with them, "I have multiple plans in mind, but I'd like to hear your plans first."

[AlextheAngel]

Zed leaned back in his seat and rubbed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart. "The only plan I've been able to scrape together is charging in with everything we have blazing about, but that's probably... not the best idea." The angel replied with a slight shrug. With that, he kept silent and allowed himself to listen to whatever Gale had to say. In situations like these, the Pegasus usually had fairly decent plans that often worked.

[Noedig]

"I've never seen her place." Gale replied. "We will need to lay out her place and system from the surface-perspective before we do anything."

"Yes. I can only give you this strategy; Do some reconnaissance first, then incapacitate her army as simultaneously as possible." Noedig said to them. "It would have to be initiated as a stealth attack, but they would be alerted after that happens. So, while they're distracted with that, one or two other persons capable of covert ops will locate the boy and retrieve him from a different entrance. What happens after retrieving the boy is up to you people to decide." he then says his next words to Zed. "This isn't my son, so it's clear that it isn't my place to judge her, Zed."

[AlextheAngel]

Zed nodded and crossed his arms, leaning back into his seat with a sigh. "Sounds good enough to me..." He replied. "But once we get Alex out of there, then it's best if we just leave as soon as possible. I don't want anymore of my mother's soldiers getting hurt." He added in a rather stern tone. "Once I have Alex back, then there's no other reason to stay. Diana is almost as powerful as Celestia herself, so trying to defeat her would only prove fatal."

[Noedig]

"Understood." Noedig responded.

"Then that's that." Gale Storm said, "I hope my powers will recover soon. Otherwise, I'll just have to make the best of it..."

"You won't need it." Noedig said. "I'll be that power for this case. Keep your princess's soldiers safe and sharp. If your powers ever come back, stick to the soliders; that means better security for them to handle when we get the boy."

Gale Storm thought for a second and nodded. "Fine." he said. "I'll do that. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some things to prepare in our cargo cab."

Gale Storm got up and left to do just that, leaving just Noedig and Zed to themselves. Noedig crosses his arms like Zed did, though at a later time, to think. He isn't sure with himself; on some occasions he would sigh or quietly groan. He is disturbed about something...