The Midnight Dance 10

World Above

A haze of colors and sounds soon sharpened into the inside of the quarters and low groaning, Blackthorn shook his head to regain his senses and turned to see his comrades just waking up, what happened, then, he remembered, Gladmane, the mirror, and lastly, being suddenly overwhelmed by darkness, he realized that Gladmane's last words were that he wished them unconscious 

Blackthorn thinking: Pretty powerful magic, that mirror 

He walked towards the wide double doors and tried to open them, they wouldn't budge, as he suspected 

Blackthorn: Bad news, friends, Gladmane has locked us in, no doubt it was to keep us from spoiling whatever evil plan he has, that leaves us with only one option: the secret passageway 

Rootstock: But if Gladmane knows of your nightly pilgrimage to the gingko tree, then surely he'll have the passage blocked 

Blackthorn: We'll know for sure in a moment 

When Blackthorn pulled the blanket in his stable aside, he and everyone else were surprised to see that Blackthorn's magic could move the large stone covering the entrance, he gave a small smile of amazement 

Blackthorn: Well, I'll be, he knew I had made pilgrimages, but he didn't know how I got in and out, come on, boys 

In a straight line, the deer crouched into the underground passage and crawled a good mile or so until Blackthorn lifted the stone on top of the exit, lifting the stone also parted the bramble bush growing on top of it, one-by-one, the deer lifted themselves onto the ground until the bramble bush rejoined, covering the exit stone in the process, this elaborate route had been perfected years ago so no one would suspect that a bramble bush growing in a tiny corner of the otherwise-glamorous palace would hide a secret passageway known only to the deer, it only took a moment before they looked towards the hills and saw a giant gingko tree touching a giant cloud 

Blackthorn: You'll carry out the plan to go into the castle town and reveal yourself as Dark Riders, I will confront Gladmane myself 

The rest of the deer guard nodded and rushed towards the castle town, Blackthorn, on the other hand, raced towards the gingko tree 

                                                         Meanwhile 

Mischief landed on the roof and spoke 

Mischief: Let her go, Silver, she has nothing to do with this 

Silver, who had his right hoof covering Gabby's beak and his left pinning her arms against her torso, chuckled menacingly 

Silver Tongue: I don't plan to harm her, how else was I going to get you to duel me 

Mischief in disbelief: Duel you, you're crazy, there's a battle going on right now 

Silver Tongue: What's more important, the battle or this little girl's life 

With that, he squeezed Gabby a bit, he held his hooves out as he spoke 

Mischief: Okay, okay 

He then scowled 

Mischief: I'll play your sick game, but only if you let Gabby go 

Silver Tongue: Fair enough 

Once Gabby was released from the unicorn's grip, she pleaded 

Gabby: Mischief, whatever he wants, don't do it 

Mischief calmly: Gabby, this is just between Silver and me, I'll be fine, go find Steven and Vapor and make sure they're all right 

After Gabby flew over the rooftops of the castle in defeat, Silver drew his sword and smirked