NOVEL WEB Chapter 8: Assault on Twilight's Castle - Act III
[12:00 mediodia]
The guardians of Eulfalia, cursed within an ancient urn, had spent their existence fulfilling the whims of all kinds of individuals who possessed it: kings, adventurers, peasants, and more. Always yearning deep in their hearts to one day break free from the spell that had deprived them of reuniting with their loved ones in the third heaven.
Thus, by a twist of fate, after a terrible amount of time, that wish was finally coming true.
The leader of the guardians, Celenia Starwish, wept with joy for that blessed miracle. She could only feel the purest gratitude towards the person who had allowed them to be free.
That pony with the extravagant appearance was, indeed, the most humble and generous being in the world.
With these final thoughts, her spirit began to ascend, just like those of her other companions, leaving behind the cocoon of darkness woven by the malice of the dark lord Ever Fand's emissary. Their free souls shone like swords towards the sky until they finally found the right path among the stars and left behind the world they once protected.
Like a sigh, the guardians of Eulfalia disappeared at the gates of Twilight's castle, without any words of farewell or story to remember them by.
There, before the peaceful gates of the castle, the only witness to this extraordinary event, Trixie Lulamoon, watched the spot where those forgotten guardians had stood.
"Really, they just left like that? They should have been polite and at least said goodbye. Hmph!" Trixie protested, annoyed by the ghosts' rudeness. But it was a brief feeling. It was pointless to think about them any longer; they had fulfilled their purpose, and she no longer needed them.
With this in mind, she turned her gaze towards the interior of the castle. Now she would just have to deal with the Young Six...
"GROUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" A blood-curdling roar came from the other side of the main hall.
Trixie, stunned, with a feeling of danger coursing through her body, watched as a massive shadow rose just a few meters away, charging towards her like an uncontrollable torrent.
"AUUUUUUUUUU HAUUUUUUUUUUU!" An intense scream, like that of a chicken being strangled, pierced the tranquil meadow outside Twilight's Castle.
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[11:55 am]
A moment earlier, at Twilight's castle security post.
"We must tell Headmare Starlight immediately!" said a worried voice.
"Wait! We need to talk to Counselor Trixie and apologize first," interrupted a calmer voice.
"That can wait," added a casual voice.
"Haven't you seen the ghosts outside?" retorted the previously calm voice, now grave.
Listening to the discussion between her companions, Smolder loudly chewed gum. She appeared to be relaxed in her seat, but in reality, she was very uncomfortable with the situation. So uncomfortable that she felt like she could breathe dragon fire at any moment.
Just as a bit of smoke began to filter through her nose, a double beep "beep-beep" in the air caught her attention, and the red light in the corner of the control panel, which she had repaired in record time, changed from red to green.
"Phew, just in time. HEY, GUYS!" Smolder exclaimed, drawing the attention of her companions. "Look, I don't know how this will turn out, but we have to open the doors now. We can't just leave Counselor Trixie outside the castle. If she's mad at us, so be it! We're just following Headmare Starlight's orders, so technically, we haven't done anything wrong."
Her companions fell silent, reflecting on her words. She was right, but that didn't take away the great concern they felt. Trixie had summoned some extremely intimidating ghosts at the castle gates. They didn't understand how she had done it, but they were sure it wasn't part of a recreational show, like the ones she often boasted about.
It was certain she had summoned these unknown entities with a hostile purpose.
"Isn't it dangerous, Smolder? What if the counselor, well... let's say, in her current state, loses her temper?" asked Silverstream, remembering the cider bottle Trixie had left at the castle entrance.
"Well, that could happen, or it might not. We don't know," Smolder responded, keeping calm. "What we do know is that we have to confront her. As students of the School of Friendship who are in charge of the castle's security on behalf of Headmare Starlight, we have to act accordingly."
Again, her companions didn't respond immediately, looking at each other and murmuring in agreement.
Smolder sighed inwardly, aware that things were not going well. Normally, the team relied on Gallus or Ocellus to make decisions. However, Gallus had a great hostility towards Trixie, which didn't help at all, and Ocellus was more indecisive than usual. The others felt dragged into a situation they hadn't foreseen.
"It's like sticking your nose into the dragon lord's bed," Smolder thought for a moment. "If things are like this... isn't this a good opportunity to lead?"
Almost always, Smolder kept a low profile in group activities. She was energetic and helped others as much as she could, but she didn't usually take the initiative in the team's actions.
It was a good opportunity. A fire ignited within her. Smolder savored the idea.
"Besides... it's not like we all need to go outside. Gallus, Ocellus, and I should be enough; the rest can stay and see what happens. If something goes wrong, just activate the disaster alarm and Headmare Starlight will contact you immediately."
"We should all go..." Ocellus replied, but another of her companions was quicker to respond.
"Of course! We'll keep an eye on what happens! Count on us!" exclaimed an energetic Silverstream, while Yona and Sandbar nodded behind her, outside the room.
Gallus, lying complacently on the floor, shrugged. Only Ocellus remained looking aside silently, unsatisfied.
"Alright, no more talk. Let's do this!" said Smolder, confident in the commitment reached with her companions, as she pressed the button to open the castle doors.
A mysterious noise, like an intense drumbeat, echoed in the hallway, catching everyone's attention. After a brief moment of repeated pounding, it gradually faded away...
"What was that?" Gallus asked the others, with a look that for the first time appeared worried.
That wasn't what he had expected. Smolder, very nervous, looked at the button she had just pressed. She was sure it was the one for opening the castle's main doors. That's what it said in the manual!
"The manual..." A bad feeling ran through her scaly dragon skin. Without saying anything else, she pushed aside the papers on her desk and opened wide the thick manual for the castle's security system that she had used to repair the control panel. She quickly began anxiously flipping through the last pages of the book, where the authors usually added notes and acknowledgements...
Just as her companions began to notice something was wrong with the castle doors opening, someone shouted.
"Friends! I think there's a manticore loose in the hallway upstairs..." Silverstream pointed fearfully at the monitor showing the main hallway leading to the castle doors.
It was true. To the surprise and dismay of her companions, a huge manticore had appeared out of nowhere and was heading towards the main door.
While everyone stared in astonishment at the monitor, Smolder could barely contain her panic as she finished reading the manual. "Oh no!" she muttered with effort not to be heard.
On one of the last pages, written in elegant black handwriting, it said:
"... version 1.4 of the maintenance manual for the School of Friendship's security system. Written by Princess Twilight Sparkle in collaboration with Princess Luna."
Below, other words were written in wild and colorful letters:
"... edited to perfection with much love, saved money, and friendship. By the best Headmare in the world, Starlight Glimmer. With help from her greatest and most powerful friend."
Finishing those ominous words was a drawing of the smug face of a unicorn wearing a wizard hat, winking.
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Twilight's castle had a dungeon. It was a bit hard to accept given the title of "Princess of Friendship" held by its owner. However, the idea hadn't come from Twilight but from Princess Luna, as part of the security improvements for the castle.
In Princess Luna's words: "... a castle without a dungeon is not a castle." Twilight could have easily refuted that, but since she had sought Luna's advice, she decided to add it as an optional improvement.
Over time, the dungeon was built, and its guardian was none other than Goldroar, the manticore.
Goldroar stood out among his kind. He was an enormous manticore, even larger than usual, with a scar over his right eye, a black mane with golden streaks, sharp teeth and horns, claws protected by guards, an exceptionally long tail, and a saddle equipped with magical artifacts.
He was, without a doubt, one of a kind. Fluttershy had met him and considered him very kind, as intelligent as he was imposing. Princess Luna, for her part, had considered him an exemplary subject and had promised him a job as a castle guardian after his retirement.
Goldroar understood his job perfectly and enjoyed it. Whenever he was called, he knew what to do: "Attack first, ask questions later." And this time would be no different.
Alerted by an attack message, Goldroar finally received the call to action he had eagerly awaited since he had assumed his role as the castle's guardian. Excited, he emerged from a secret passage next to the main hallway and confronted his target at the entrance.
"Today is a good day to work," thought Goldroar, eyes gleaming with delight before letting out a roar and charging towards his target.
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[12:10 pm]
"¡AUUUUUUUUUU HAUUUUUUUUUUU!"
Like a projectile fired from a cannon, Trixie's body shot across the sky, spinning like a lifeless puppet towards the meadow. Anyone witnessing that spectacle and hearing the accompanying scream would have feared the worst. However, just a few meters from hitting the ground, in an unexpected move, a magical bubble materialized around her, protecting her from the fatal fall.
Within her magical bubble, Trixie bounced several meters, sending flowers and grass flying in the meadow. Finally, she reached the nearest hill, where she came to a stop. The protective bubble vanished, and a dizzy Trixie fell to the ground.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" the unicorn shouted in dismay, barely catching her breath. She didn't understand what had happened. No, she did understand something—she had seen a huge shadow coming towards her and then...
In the distance, still within her sight, Goldroar watched his target. He was surprised. Usually, anyone who took his charges head-on ended up unconscious on the ground. However, the pony he had attacked was getting up unscathed, without any injury. It made sense since in the last second of his attack, she had raised a magical barrier that protected her before being thrown through the air.
Still, considering the roar he let out and his charge... how quick were that pony's reflexes?
Without a doubt, she was a formidable opponent.
Aware of all this, Goldroar's adrenaline surged even more.
Trixie, now standing, looked at where she had been moments ago. At the entrance to the castle, an enormous manticore was looking at her like a predator at its prey.
Outrageous, Trixie couldn't contain her scream.
"WHO LET THE MANTICORE OUT?!" she shouted furiously. Trixie knew him; it was the dangerous manticore that inhabited the castle's dungeon, a dungeon she herself had ordered to be built. How could he have gotten out? He only had permission to do so if Starlight ordered it directly or if the castle's last defense protocol was activated...
A chill ran down Trixie's spine. She remembered. The Young Six had told her they were testing the castle's security system. The only ones who could do this were them...
"HAS EVERYONE GONE CRAZY?! WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?!" Trixie shouted furiously, aware of the danger she was in.
In response to Trixie's scream, Goldroar began advancing towards her slowly.
Nervously, Trixie backed away.
Goldroar kept advancing, and with each step, his figure grew more imposing.
Even though Trixie was retreating, Goldroar's figure kept growing, getting closer.
"THIS ISN'T RIGHT! THIS ISN'T RIGHT!" Panic began to dominate the unicorn. It was obvious she couldn't fight a manticore, much less one like Goldroar. What should she do?
Goldroar continued advancing.
Trixie's instincts began screaming the obvious: she had to flee! But a part inside her refused to do so. Her pride wouldn't accept that all the effort and hard decisions she had made up to that moment had been in vain.
The potions... The urn... All those sacrifices.
She couldn't flee, not when she was so close to achieving her goal. Trixie's pride stood up to her fears, and a new determination was born within her.
She stopped retreating. She no longer felt fear. She would fight!
As soon as the indecision disappeared from Trixie's eyes and she took a firm stance, Goldroar stepped back. More than a step back, it was a leap back, returning to the castle doors. In an instant, the manticore switched from an attack posture to a defensive one.
Trixie raised an eyebrow. She found it amusing. A few seconds ago, the enormous manticore was about to pounce on her, and now it was hiding at the castle door. It was an intelligent beast.
"You're running away! Well, well, I suppose you understand this pony doesn't plan to flee," Trixie murmured to herself. At that distance, maybe Goldroar could hear her, but she didn't care.
Confident in her decision, Trixie began advancing with apparent confidence. Despite having been thrown through the air just a moment ago, she was now walking firmly towards the castle doors, where her attacker was. Anyone watching might think it was an act of pure arrogance and naivety, but it wasn't. Trixie wasn't showing off. Her path subtly veered from a straight line to the castle, approaching her trailer in the middle of the way. Trixie had come up with a plan...
On the other side, however, she was being watched attentively. Trixie underestimated Goldroar's intelligence.
As soon as Trixie reached her trailer, Goldroar swung his scorpion tail, as large as an anaconda; the tail twisted like a snake seeking to catch prey in the air.
It found it.
The sharp tip of the tail hooked onto one of the door handles and pulled it shut. Immediately, it did the same with the other handle. Without taking his eyes off Trixie for a second, Goldroar had closed the castle doors.
Trixie frowned. Had the manticore guessed her intentions?
"Oh, so you really are the smartest manticore in Equestria," Trixie murmured cheerfully with a forced smile, not stopping. It was, of course, a fake performance. Inside, Trixie was furious. She cursed the manticore.
The plan Trixie had imagined was simple: reach her trailer and, from there, talk to the manticore. That would obviously be a useless effort, as she was sure the manticore wouldn't let her in. So, she had planned to annoy him; when he lost patience and charged at her again, she would hide behind the trailer and, from there, teleport to the castle doors. Once there, she would shut the doors, leaving the confused manticore outside. Her success would be perfect.
But now that would no longer be possible. The doors were closed. Goldroar already knew.
Having the most dangerous manticore in Equestria living as a guardian in the basement had seemed like a wonderful idea to Trixie at the time.
Now she could only regret it.
"Don't despair, Trixie! You still have your trailer, your amazing items, and, above all, your magic. You can do it!" Trixie continued advancing, encouraging herself internally. Upon reaching an ideal position near her trailer, she stopped.
Next to her was a box on the ground. It was the same box she had dropped before meeting the guardians of Eulfalia.
Glancing at the box, Trixie smiled to herself. Now she had another brilliant plan...
Casually dropping her hat to one side, Trixie began to speak.
"Good morning, Mr. Giant Manticore. If I could have your attention..." Trixie introduced herself in a feigned formal tone. "... we had a little altercation between us a moment ago. I trust this was a mistake. You see, I am the great... (she cleared her throat) Trixie Lulamoon, and I live here. I don't know what you've been told to give me such a welcome. But I assure you, this is my home, and you are blocking my way."
Goldroar did not respond. Trixie continued.
"I am known for being a very tolerant pony, so I am willing to overlook this grievance, as long as you step aside immediately."
Trixie finished speaking with a friendly voice sweetened by her characteristic accent. At that distance, about six meters, Trixie was sure her voice should reach Goldroar without problems.
Goldroar then let out a growl.
Wary of what the manticore would do, Trixie watched as Goldroar began carefully rummaging through the contents of his saddle with his tail. A moment later, held by his tail, a large metal plaque emerged from his back, similar to the plaques that houses display at their entrance. The plaque in question served a similar role, as it had words written in large golden letters on a black background. It read: "GOLDROAR / will K.Y."
Trixie wasn't sure what that meant.
"Oh, excuse me, Mr. Goldroar. Is that right? I wasn't aware that was your name," Trixie apologized with a smile. She was half-lying; she partially remembered the manticore's name from months ago when he had told her and Starlight during the meeting they had with Princess Luna at the dungeon's inauguration. However, that was unnecessary information that had no place in her short memory and she ended up forgetting it.
Goldroar let out another growl. The plaque returned to his back.
Silence...
"Well, are you going to step aside?" Trixie asked impatiently. Goldroar didn't move.
"If you don't step aside, I'll tell my friend who made your contract. You wouldn't want to be fired, right?" Trixie threatened subtly. But Goldroar didn't move.
Trixie was starting to get impatient. Goldroar wasn't reacting at all! She didn't like it. Even less did she like the look Goldroar had. It reminded her of that difficult audience she could never win over with her performances.
"Is this how you work? What a disappointment! I suppose I have no choice but to inform my friend about this. Now if you'll excuse me..." Trixie said, taking her hat. But she didn't finish her words. Many things happened at that moment.
Goldroar, who had remained unperturbed until then, moved. As fast as only he could be, he closed the distance to Trixie and, with a thrust, launched his tail at the hat she was picking up. The hat flew through the air and landed limply a few steps behind the surprised unicorn.
Trixie's ruse had been discovered.
She wasn't just picking up her hat with her magic; she was also taking the box of C-4 explosives she had left behind earlier when she met the guardians of Eulfalia.
Goldroar had seen through Trixie's suspicious behavior. With his tail, he had caught the box. He didn't know what it contained, but his instincts warned him of potential danger. Ignoring the unicorn's look of dismay, he carefully brought the box to his nose.
The scent from the box was one he knew all too well. It was gunpowder.
With an angry look, Goldroar turned his attention to Trixie.
"Oh, well, that's... um... a gift from my friend! Could you give it back to me, please?" Trixie said with a smile. But it was an obviously fake gesture; the intense feelings she had against the manticore could barely be hidden.
If Goldroar's look could speak at that moment, it would say something like: "I don't believe you."
Just then, a bell rang in the distance. From Ponyville's bell tower, it announced the midday call, that is, [12:30 pm]. A perfect time to take a break and prepare for a delicious lunch with family or friends.
For Trixie, that bell was the miraculous signal she needed to act.
Taking advantage of Goldroar's opportune distraction, Trixie moved with the speed of a bird, running to position herself behind her trailer. Once there, she aimed at Goldroar with her horn.
Surprised, it took Goldroar a few seconds to understand what the unicorn intended to do; it was obvious and useless for the pony to try to attack him with her horn's magic. Goldroar had high defenses; an attack from a simple unicorn wouldn't be enough. However, a spark of fear ignited in him when he noticed she wasn't aiming at his body... but at the box!
A shiver ran through Goldroar's skin. However, the fear he felt was sudden and controlled. In an instant, he evaluated it coldly; he was no novice. If the box exploded beside him, he would be badly injured but not die. He had no doubt about this outcome. He just had to ensure the box wasn't damaged.
Three beams of magic shot towards him. Elegantly, Goldroar dodged them all; none of the beams came close to hitting him, much less the box. But the attack didn't end there.
Behind the trailer, Trixie continued her offensive, launching more beams from her horn, desperate to hit her target.
Goldroar kept dodging, moving with grace and agility. He performed precise spins on one paw, shaking his mane under the bright midday sun. Anyone watching would think he was dancing, and in a way, he was: a unique dance born from the training and experience of a warrior on the battlefield.
After launching a long barrage of magic beams, Trixie stopped. Sweat was falling from her forehead like rain; she had used up all her magic and was drained. Exhausted, she watched as Goldroar nonchalantly adjusted his mane. He hadn't sweat a drop; there was even an amused look, as if he was enjoying the show.
Seeing this, Trixie's anger exploded like a volcano.
"IT'S NOT FAIR! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HIT YOU IF YOU KEEP MOVING?!" Trixie screamed furiously, completely beside herself. Trixie's new brilliant plan had just crashed and burned, just as Goldroar had expected. Trixie had thought of using the box of explosives to knock him out; however, with her intentions guessed, Goldroar took the box. And Trixie had no choice but to destroy it from a distance, even knowing how dangerous it could be for her being so close. Even so, despite Trixie attacking with maximum concentration, it was not enough; Goldroar's agility had outmatched her.
All the confidence and security that Trixie had had fallen to the bottom.
On the other hand, Goldroar was calmer. His opponent was finished; she had no more magic. It was disappointing, as he had expected more, but he should not act arrogantly. That way of acting was typical of the weak...
"Grrrrrr," he let out a growl of annoyance. Goldroar looked at the box of explosives that he still held with his tail. What should he do with it? After glancing at the meadow, he noticed a small lake in the distance.
Without thinking much, Goldroar swung his tail. Just as one would throw a stone with a sling, Goldroar's tail swung and hurled the box of explosives toward the lake. It spun through the air like a disc until it reached the water.
"ZAPPPPP." A beam of magic crossed the meadow and hit the box of explosives in the air. The box split open, and several packages of explosives fell into the lake like rain. Wet, the explosives sank, disappearing from sight.
"HA HA HA! SEE, I DID HIT IT. YOU THOUGHT I COULDN'T, DIDN'T YOU? BUT I DID! I DID IT! HA HA HA," behind her trailer, Trixie rolled on the ground, ecstatic, tears streaming down her face from her pyrrhic success.
Her only success all morning.
Goldroar was confused. He scratched his head with one claw. He didn't understand this pony. Using what little magic she had left in that way, instead of fleeing, was strange. Blowing up the explosives far away from him served no purpose. So, why was she so happy?
Moreover, why was she doing all this?
Goldroar knew Trixie; he knew she was a friend of the current castle owner. A moment ago, he had recognized her just when he was about to attack her on the hill; embarrassed, he returned to the gates and waited for her to give him the security code to let her pass.
However...
Trixie did not. During all that time, she behaved like a stranger, as if she had never seen him before, as if she knew nothing about the security protocols she should follow. To Goldroar, this seemed very suspicious, and he did not lower his guard at any time.
Now, with everything that had happened, Goldroar was even more suspicious. Perhaps she really wasn't the owner's friend but someone else posing as her... If so, then knocking her unconscious should be fine.
Certain of his logic, Goldroar began to advance toward Trixie.
Trixie, who was still celebrating, froze when she saw Goldroar advancing. It was like watching a giant boulder roll toward her. Although her body was free from restraints, she did not move. Her limbs were too tired, all her magic was gone, and her will to fight had completely withered under the shadow of the terrible creature that was Goldroar.
Everything had gone wrong. What else could she do?
Goldroar finally arrived where she was. His imposing figure loomed like a steel wall about to collapse on her.
"Fine! ... If you're going to eat me, just do it!" Trixie shouted, maintaining a defiant stance. Though at that moment, a flicker of oddness seemed to cross the manticore's eyes, Trixie chose to ignore it and closed her eyes firmly.
"I'm sorry, Starlight... here ends our friendship," Trixie murmured to herself, her last words directed to her friend, resonating in the tension-filled silence.
There, waiting for her end, Trixie waited...
And waited...
Several minutes passed, but nothing happened. Finally, Trixie cautiously opened her eyes.
Goldroar was not there.
Confused, Trixie scanned her surroundings nervously. It was then that she saw Goldroar exiting through the castle door. How had he returned so quickly? And more surprisingly, his appearance had completely changed; he had abandoned his imposing armor to wear a straw hat and a T-shirt, even sporting sunglasses. He looked ready for a vacation.
Indeed, Goldroar was leaving. He hurriedly closed the castle doors and walked down the main path, but not before crossing paths with Trixie again, to whom he bowed his head in an enigmatic gesture.
After a few minutes, his large silhouette disappeared over the hill.
Stunned, Trixie could not comprehend what had just happened.
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The unknown presence knew. This was the moment he had waited for all morning.
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Royalinda, hidden among the bushes, finally saw her opportunity. Leaping from the shrubs behind Trixie, she pounced like a sprung trap toward the pony's unprotected head. Every millisecond of that jump was a moment of satisfaction as she saw her unsuspecting prey oblivious to the impending threat. Waiting had been sheer torture for her, but it was about to end—Trixie was already hers...
However, just centimeters away from reaching her target, something happened. The world around her seemed to spin and become translucent. In an instant, the air seemed to compress around her. Dismayed, Royalinda tried to change her trajectory, but her gelatinous body collided with invisible walls.
Her body began to spin uncontrollably until it finally stopped. With her senses still reeling, Royalinda heard an unfamiliar voice speaking to her.
"Gotcha!"
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Several minutes had passed, and Trixie was still watching the hill where Goldroar had disappeared. It was then that she noticed the voice behind her. She turned around, though the astonishment on her face had not yet faded. She was surprised again to see the 'unfamiliar presence' that had been observing everything that had happened in front of the castle that morning.
There, next to her trailer, was Derpy Hooves holding a jar in her hooves. She was wearing a black leather jacket with the initials 'LESSON' on its sides.
"Gotcha! Gotcha! Gotcha! Gotcha!" the pegasus repeated joyfully, celebrating the capture she had made a moment earlier.
Inside the jar she held, an orchid-octopus thrashed furiously, spitting bubbles of rage.
Watching this spectacle and not noticing the magical barrier of the castle reactivating behind her, Trixie still couldn't understand anything.
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[12:50 pm]
Goldroar, the manticore, hurried along the path that crossed the hill. It was unusual to see him so rushed, considering how calmly he usually took the journey home after work.
As he walked, a thought lingered in his mind: "How could I have forgotten?" The fight he had just had had distracted him too much. Although fulfilling his duty excited him greatly, today was a holiday; leaving work at noon was the norm, and instead, he had been delayed by having to deal with that pony.
Returning to that point... was it okay to leave the pony like that, just like that?
Goldroar shook his mane a bit, letting go of that thought. It no longer mattered. Matters outside working hours were not his responsibility. What was important was that he was on his way to his wife's house; he wouldn't take long to arrive.
He was in a hurry, and for a good reason—a delicious surprise was waiting for him. He knew this because he had caught his wife bringing in a substantial prey the previous night. From the smell he had detected in the middle of the night, he deduced it was a "spin-rabbit," a true delicacy among manticores. Adding to this his wife's habits, he was sure the afternoon lunch would be something memorable.
The fact that she had hidden it so carefully was proof that she loved him. She was so affectionate... and also a bit wild. But this latter trait made her even more special to him.
"Special?" A new thought paused Goldroar's steps for a moment. He had just realized something obvious. This day was the longest day of the year. This day was a special day.
Could it be that the night would bring more surprises...?
Goldroar licked his teeth at the thought.
With a renewed pace, he walked along the path until he crossed the bridge. He paid no attention to the body of the old pony floating downstream nor to the danger signs warning against orchid-octopuses on the other bank. Just like that, he entered the Everfree Forest.