Trixie battles the Nuckelavee

That fool! How could he pass out on the Great and Powerful Trixie like this? Better think quick Trixie because here comes that insufferable beast now. I quickly hoist Anon upon my back with some magic, but the beast has already caught up. Being a pegasus, Anon's body wasn't -that- heavy; however, my magic managed to ease the burden a bit. The spell was part of an old illusion I used to perform during my shows. As long as I keep my focus, Anon won't be a problem.

Easier said than done as the beast is right in my face and roaring loudly.

"Ehehe, perhaps we can discuss this?" I ask it while backing away slowly.

Its only response is to cover my face in its disgusting drool. I hope this washes out of my mane. Oh yuck, it's starting to stain my coat.I shake the mess off for a moment and look back up at the creature.

"Hmm, if you won't listen to reason, then listen to THIS," I shout as I pelt the beast with a slight fireworks spell.

This dazes the unruly monster as I redouble my focus on the spell keeping Anon secured on my back. He owes the Great and Powerful Trixie big time for this. I don't care if he is pretty handsome because that does not excuse him for leaving me to fend off such a monster.

Finally, I had reached the entry of the temple and darted my way inside. It seemed foolhardy to rush in without a second thought, but that beast was already hot on our hooves. The temple appeared to be quite old on the inside; just as anyp0ny would have guessed. The walls are pretty standard for your ancient temple design with stone slab style tiling everywhere. There are lunar markings along those walls signifying just what I had told Anon about. I can even spy the obvious trap triggers lining the room in many positions along the walls and floor. Ugh, why does there have to be moss everywhere as well? And just what is that stench? Fortunately, the temple appears to have torches along the walls, which I light with some of my amazing magic.

Hah, this first trap is no match for the Quick and Nimble Trixie. I dodge the flying axes and arrows with ease. Anon doesn't seem to have fared that well since his armor is covered in arrows. Fortunately, they didn't penetrate the hard shell. It must be made out of the same material as his head. That thought amused me a little.

I turn back to see the beast entering the temple as well. I laugh at his pitiable plight. No really, I am laughing at him right now. This first trap shall be its undoing.

It doesn't seem to care about the traps as it continues its charge. Axes and arrows embed hit their mark on its body, but it doesn't appear to be receiving any real damage. How is this possible!?

"You think the Great and Powerful Trixie will just give up here you vile beast? The game has only just begun. Let us see what you've got." I taunt the beast as it rears up for another attack with its blade.

Not today feather brain, as I stun it with yet another spell. This time I caked the surrounding area with a somewhat dense smoke, and rush off further into the temple. I can hear its frustration apparent in the pained roar. Hehehe, insufferable foal. I purposely made the smoke near its eyes the densest. Judging from the sounds, I assume it is randomly swinging his sword about.

This next room appears similar to the first, but there's quite an obvious difference to be seen after I light the torches. Somewhat small holes dot the floor, and even more holes are placed almost evenly along the walls. I do not like the looks of those holes on the wall, but there's no time to lose as the beast has crashed through the doorway. It's swinging wildly and swaying about like a filly after spinning around on one of those merry-go-rounds at school.

It stumbles onto the first trap and is instantly impaled by a spike. This does not stop it however, as it quickly dislodges itself from the spike. This monstrosity is much tougher than I gave it credit for. I also quickly realize why I didn't like the looks of those holes. Snakes are pouring out of them, and they look rather poisonous. How in the name of Luna have they lasted this long? No matter, I must continue forward.

The foe continues its blind thrashing about as I dance gracefully between it, the spikes, and the snakes. Okay, so maybe I got really luck on making it through, but nop0ny can prove I wasn't graceful about it. It was really by sheer luck that I wasn't impaled, bitten, or slashed myself. I assume that anyp0ny watching this would have seen a rather chaotic scene involving two ponies stumbling and hopping their way passed; in addition, they would also notice the monster behind the two ponies thrashing madly with its sword as it took hit after hit from spikes and snake bites. It would be amusing were I not a part of that nonsensical display of Luna knows what.

Anon appears to be safe upon my back still, and only the damage from those arrows seem to coat his armor. He is the real lucky one. Not a single move, yet he manages to come through it cleaner than I, the not-so-fresh and not-so-spotless Trixie. I am definitely taking a bath once this is over.

"You have got to be kidding Trixie," I say to myself after lighting the next room. Swinging pendulums with giant axes, bottomless pits in between said axes, and topped off with more arrow holes along the wall.

The Nuckelavee wastes no time in entering the room, but it now has the added benefit of not being blind anymore. That doesn't matter though as the damage appears to be taking its toll on the beast. Its breath sounds ragged as it raises its blade once more.

That's my cue as I bound over one of the pits during the furthest point of a swing from the pendulum. Let's see that beast make it across this gap. Oh, it could... and it did. That pendulum didn't stand a chance against its might as the pieces fall into the pit and vanish in the darkness. I can't wait around to find out how deep that it is though.

I confuse the monster once more with a few fireworks to the face, and scramble within its footsteps to dodge the arrows. We both reach the edge as it brings its accursed blade down once more, damaging the stone floor around it with a crater.

This thing has taken so much damage, and it still lumbers about while being just as much a threat as it was before entering the temple. Why will it simply not give up? There is no time to ponder it further.

Assessing the next jump, I dizzy the Nuckelavee with another spell. This spell knocked it off it's feet with a sudden sweep that was compounded with the arrows hitting it. It was basically a force spell not unlike levitation.

I timed it just right so that my jump was aided by the shaking of the stone beneath my hooves. It served as a springboard that gave me all the boost I needed to make it across. Fortunately, luck was on my side as the two pendulums for this pit were on the apex of their swings.

I land with a heavy thud as my magic weakened a tad on Anon. He's getting a little heavier, but I just know we're close. I take a moment to peer back at the monster, and then quickly make my way to the next room. It was actually getting to its feet without any sign that it had received such a great degree of damage. I hope I never encounter such a creature again.

Once in the next room I once more light the way. This is it! The thing we were looking for lies before us.

The chamber is pretty large compared to the hall of trials we passed through. It is circular in design with our artifact prize placed in the center. It also appears to be upon an altar of sorts as stairs lead up to a platform in the center. It's like a circular pyramid raised in the center of the room.

My excitement is short lived as the Nuckelavee comes rolling into the chamber. It defies destruction as it stands once more. Its body is a testament to torture with all the marks surrounding it.

There does not appear to be any more traps I could utilize in order to put an end to this beast. I examine the surrounding area as much as possible. There isn't much time as the monstrosity approaches. Those heavy hoof falls and the foul breath it emits are about to bear down upon me. Wait... those hoof falls sound a little different. Obviously, they would sound different from outside, but they also sound different from earlier on the stone inside the temple.

I tap my hoof upon the stone floor in different spots. I attempt to blind the creature once more for time, but it caught on to my plan. I have no other options. That noise has to be a clue somehow.

I then catch sight of something unusual about the floor surrounding the circular pyramid. There appears to be strange grooves lining the floor around it, as if the floor does not connect in the center. These grooves also trail along a path to the doorway. Were this particular part of the floor not here, then that would serve as a bridge. That's it! There must be one last trap within this room related to the floor. The Intelligent and Perceptive Trixie has done it again!

Now to find out how to activate this trap without getting myself caught in it. I pace around the room in frantic fashion as the beast continues to attack me with its blade. It is getting immensely frustrated as I repeatedly dodge the onslaught.

Luna be blessed as, even though it was short, her training has done wonders for my abilities. Anon is safe, I have a good magic reserve left, and I can spy things much easier than ever before.

Aha, there upon the steps of the circular pyramid rests an unusual lunar mark. It looks different from the others, and it appears to be positioned just so.

I smoke screen the Nuckelavee once more, and dash towards the mark. The creature stands upon the assumed wrong location of the floor when I reach the mark. The pyramid has many of these marks upon its design, but this one looks as though it were a button.

"You were a mighty opponent, but you made your last mistake by choosing to take on the Great and Powerful TRRRRRIXIE!" I yell as I stamp my hoof upon the button.

Surprise was etched on both our faces as the floor began to dissipate underneath the hooves of the Nuckelavee. Revealed beneath was a pit deep enough to hold the beast, but not so that it would end it. It comically groans before falling into the pit, and the floor reappears to cover it.

A magical floor capable of supporting much weight, but could vanish at the simple press of a button. Those supporters of Nightmare Moon knew their magic and enchantments.

I sit Anon down upon the steps as I make my way to claim our prize.

I trot cautiously up to the altar, but find something unusual next to it. There on the floor next to the altar was the remains of a pony wearing some kind of robe. I recognize the markings on the robe as the same as that cult the unicorn named "Ivory" mentioned. The insignia matches the description I was told about.

The pony appears to have been here for ages if the body is any indication. There doesn't seem to be any signs as to wha- wait, there's a note next to it. I levitate it gently before me so I can read it.

The note reads, "To defy harmony, he shall return by the tip of a lance."

I had better pocket this to show Luna later. This could be important.

Once the note is placed carefully in my bag, I look upon the prize. It appears to be some sort of armor. This has to be what we were sent to collect since there's nothing else here.

I've secured the armor and I drag Anon over to it. This is going to be difficult. Luna taught me a lot on this spell, but not everything. I take a deep breath and begin charging the spell.

I look down at Anon sleeping so peacefully. I can't really think of another stallion, or pony for that matter, that I would have gone to such great lengths for. Was it out of duty that I protected him, or was there something else? I did say he was handsome earlier, but can I really admit such a thing to myself. The Great and Powerful Trixie needs only rely on herself and her charge, Luna.

I cast those thoughts aside as they're beginning to distract me.

"Brace yourself Anon," I chuckle, "this is going to be a wild ride."

With that, we're gone. We're on our way home for that well deserved bath.

Aaaand I blew it. We're just outside of the mountain home grounds, and I don't have the magic to carry Anon and the bag. With a sigh, I sling the bag upon my back, and begin the process of dragging Anon to our destination. So close, and yet so far.

"What did Trixie do to deserve this? Was defeating a Nuckelavee not enough?" I stupidly ask nop0ny in particular.

The rest of the trip is only made audible by the sounds of my grunts and Anon's body sliding across the ground. That bath had better not have any interruptions.

I finally make it inside the home, and have a couple maids cart Anon off. They had more magic left in them than I did.

I relax in the bath as a maid informs me that Anon is fine, and he is currently resting comfortably in bed. That's good, I think to myself. Nothing else in this world matters but this bath right now. I earned it.

That night, I deliver my report to Luna as well as receive our next set of orders.

The next day is spent in silence as I watch Anon sleep like a foal. Why does he have to snore? One interesting stallion comes my way, and he has to snore. I'm too annoyed to be bothered that I called him interesting. Why is it so important to me that he's alright? Sure, we're fellow guards, but it doesn't feel like that's all. He has been out for two days now.

Suddenly, he begins stirring in bed, and I begin calling to him. They said they had no idea if he would wake up. I do hope he comes out of this alright.

"Anon?"

Nothing.

"Anon?"

Still nothing.

"ANON!?"

That did the trick as he springs up from his slumber.

"Oh, thank Luna you're not dead," I say to him as he looks over.

He's alright, and I suppose that is all that's important right now. Amusing, I wasn't thinking that before.