WebNovels

Chapter 5 - Chapter Three: Diamond

Diamond trotted into the Seventh Sector—her part of the Undertown, or rather, the Jewel's—still remembering the soldier's face as she got away. She'd look forward to beating him again tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that. And for the rest of eternity. 

The bag of apples thudded against her chest, and she smirked, pleased with her catch. It wasn't the best ever, of course, but apples! What a treat! The foals were going to be delighted.

Diamond scanned her surroundings quickly, checking for anything out of the ordinary. But the buildings looked the same as always---tattered, dirty, looking slightly crooked, smelling like rot and smoke, nothing wrong. 

As if anyone would dare impose on my territory. She thought imperiously, tossing her head and straightening her shoulders as she moved. Of course, if they do, they'll be dead within a fortnight.Can't have anyone running back to their coward masters and saying the Jewels have lost their edge. 

The Jewels, a little gang of ruffians and scrappers, one of the more dangerous groups of the Undertown. Not as powerful or ruthless as some, perhaps, but they were Diamond's little gang of ruffians and scrappers. And they were different—she always made sure to make them steal only what they needed and nothing more. Of course, she also made sure they had a dangerous enough reputation that other gangs would leave them alone. 

Diamond watched as several horned silhouettes stuck their heads out from the shadows to study her and analyze her threat level, but then immediately disappear again when they recognized her.

When Diamond had first arrived at the Seventh Sector as a weanling after her mother was murdered, it had been far worse than it was now. Shadows jumped out from every corner, trying to snatch whatever she had left on her, or sometimes even Diamond herself, there were dying unicorns around every corner, and it smelled and looked far worse.

There were thirteen sectors in the Undertown, each spreading outwards away from Uptown and city center, each getting worse and more dangerous as the Gold Guard's patrols thinned out and eventually vanished.

The First, Second, and Third Sectors were the nicest to live in, by most's Undertown standards, and the Thirteenth Sector by far the worst. Unicorns said you'd be lucky to survive for a week.

But the Seventh Sector was now much more tranquil and easier to live in. Not quite as much as the Second or First Sector, but at least she'd gotten peace honorably instead of what those dull-horned, stabledrat idiots did to keep order. 

Diamond turned automatically into a small alley off the main path, stopping at the dead end at the back of the passageway. 

She scanned her surroundings again, careful to check the rooftops as well to make sure no one was watching. 

Once she had confirmed that no one was around, Diamond turned back to the wall in front of her and found the hole with practiced ease. It was small, just below her eyelevel, and she ducked her head and slipped the tip of her horn into it. 

Diamond gave a sharp twist of her neck, turning her horn in the hole like a key. 

Passcode, she stated, Carnelian.

Blue and white light briefly lit up her horn, before softly fading into darkness once more. 

Once she heard a soft click echo through the alley, she pulled out and looked around carefully again, just to be absolutely certain no one was watching. The secret door she'd unlocked slowly creaked open, thick as the wall itself. 

Ahh. There we are.

Diamond quickly ducked inside before it closed automatically on her back. 

In front of her, a long gently inclining stone ramp disappeared into the darkness beyond.

As she descended down, careful not to slip, the stone walls around her began to dampen as the air grew colder. After about twenty minutes of walking, the ramp flattened out, bleeding into a tunnel. 

At the end of the tunnel, she could faintly see light and hear voices and smell the scent of several relatively unwashed unicorns and hay. Diamond's pace quickened.

She burst out into a large, high-ceilinged cavern, warm and bright. Stalactites hung from the far up roof, and stalagmites covered the floor where they hadn't been cut away. Around thirty small and large shelters were scattered around the cave, some built of pieces of stone, others of scraps of wood and mud, and they were kind of organized around makeshift paths between them. 

Crystals that had been enchanted to glow lay in piles by the sides of the paths and tied to and hanging from stalactites on the ceiling, casting beautiful multi-colored light on the Jewel's hideout.

Unicorns, young and old, walked between them, rebuilding collapsed shelters and helping carry food and water. 

Diamond inhaled the cool, slightly smelly air. Home sweet home. 

She glanced around before spotting the unicorn she was looking for, actually quite close to where she was.

The Equine in question was sitting by the main path that continued where the tunnel left off. She was talking to another unicorn, who seemed to be thanking her for something.

She had a white coat and mane with a silver horn that had a purplish tint to it, which was why she was called—

"Amethyst!" Diamond singsonged, bounding over to her. 

Amethyst jumped and quickly excused herself from her conversation to turn and meet with Diamond.

"Diamond!" She said grinning at Diamond as the mare she'd been talking to scurried away. Amethyst eyed the bag around her neck. "What's the haul today?"

Diamond smirked. 

"Amethyst, as I'm pretty sure your eyes are working today, and as you've so cleverly figured out, it's apples." 

"Yeah, I know," the white mare said with a snort, "Apples! Finally something good!" She reached to grab one from the bag with her teeth and Diamond deftly dodged her incoming jaws.

"Nope," she said, walking around Amethyst to head into the hideout. "You know the foals get a taste of everything first."

Amethyst mock gasped.

"Could it be? The notoriously aloof Lord of the Seventh Sector is growing soft?"

Diamond paused and turned around to face the raised eyebrows of the white mare. 

"Amethyst, darling, I've told you not to call me that, and if you do again, I'll be forced to skewer you through with my horn," she said sweetly, smiling at the suddenly bewildered mare.

"Annnndd she's back." Amethyst muttered as Diamond turned around and trotted into camp, her bag of apples bouncing on her chest.

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