The Darkest of Stars

“The First Inter-Equestrian War?” Twilight asked. “I've never heard of that before.”

“Because no one wants you to know of it,” Allis explained. He approached Twilight and seemed to be looking straight through her. “There are secrets in this world that you have no idea about.”

“But an entire war?” Rarity said.

They had skipped forward again. Now they were in the middle of a battlefield. Bodies of slain buffalo and pony alike littered the ground. The smell of carnage and blood were everywhere. Even the sky looked blood-red. Broken weapons were strewn all over the ground. The heads of defeated ponies with gruesome expressions rested on pikes placed all across the field. Buffalo carcasses were scattered about the desecrated ground.

Fluttershy couldn't take it anymore and passed out, falling to her side. Applejack was quickly at her side, letting her lean on her. “Easy there,” she said said calmly. She addressed the trio. “This is just plain awful...”

“This is...this is...how could this happen?” Pinkie asked, starting to tear up.

“I'll tell you how!” Dash exclaimed. She looked directly at Allis. “Because it isn't true! They're making all of this up!”

“Believe it or not, weather pony,” Allis responded calmly. “But what we are showing you is the unadulterated truth.” He paused for a moment. “Tell us, for what reason would we have to lie to all of you?”

Dash got right into Allis's face. “How about if you were the ones that made Luna go all crazy? You'd tell us all of these lies just to throw us off!”

Allis's eyes widened beneath his blindfold. Radley noticed his hesitation and decided to step in. “Hold it you two,” he said, literally stepping in between the two. “Rainbow Dash, all of you, we know that this is pretty difficult to take but rest assured that this is the truth. You will all see that soon enough.”

Dash still looked skeptical, but didn't push the issue any further. “Fine...” she relented.

“But wait...where is everyone?” Twilight asked. She noticed the distinct lack of living souls around them. “Are they all...” She gulped. “...dead?”

Radley shook his head. “Not at all. They've moved on to another field of battle. This is but one battleground that this war was fought on.”

“From the look of everything, I would say that the ponies lost,” Rarity said.

“Also incorrect,” Radley said. “They had a few distinct advantages over the buffalo, but one of them stood out above the rest.”

Kassandra had moved them forward to another scene. This time, there were live ponies and buffalo fighting each other. Bodies were falling left and right. Buffalo were picking up ponies in their teeth, snapping their neck and tossing them aside. Still more ponies would arrive and take on buffaloes in groups, stabbing them with spears and other sharp objects until they fell.

Allis had regained his composure and spoke up. “Unlike buffalo, some of the ponies had wings or magical horns. The advantage of having aerial combat and even magic proved to give the ponies an edge over their physically stronger foes.”

“But it was their numbers that truly won them this war,” Radley finished.

“Whaddaya mean by that?” Applejack asked, still trying to support an unconscious Fluttershy.

“Do you remember why this war was started?” Radley asked.

“Because their weren't enough resources to support both the buffalo and growing population of--” Recognition suddenly dawned on Twilight. “The ponies outnumbered the buffalo!”

Allis nodded. “By the time the war started, there were already twelve ponies for each buffalo.” He paused as he held his head down. “The war was already over before it began.”

Now they had come to another scene, this one showing a group of ponies standing before a dwindling number of buffalo. There was one of the large creatures standing at the front of his herd. He was pleading with a pony in full metallic armor. He was holding up a fearsome looking spear. All of the other ponies, which were about seventy five, were all carrying similar weapons. Though they couldn't understand the conversation, it was clear that it was not going in the buffalo's favor. One final word passed between them before the lead pony pointed his spear behind the buffalo. The buffalo looked like he was about to attack, but the ponies standing behind their leader stepped forward as well, weapons drawn. The buffalo stepped back and sighed. He then turned around, followed by all that was left of his people.

“Where...where are they going?” Pinkie asked.

“The records aren't too clear,” Allis admitted. “The most excepted theory is that the remaining buffalo settled somewhere south of what is now Equestria.”

“They just – I mean “we” - just forced them out of their home?” Rarity said, getting angry at no one in particular. “That's just...that's just awful! How treacherous of them! And after all the kindness they showed!”

Radley shrugged. “That was a long time ago. Remember, by the time the war occurred, it had been nearly two hundred years since the ponies arrived here.”

“All of that kindness was simply forgotten...” Kassandra added, sounding a bit sad.

Allis shook his head. “The ponies were simply doing what they needed to do to survive. If both of them stayed, there's no way the land would be able to cope.”

“Still...there must have been another way,” Twilight insisted. Then she brightened up. “Couldn't Celestia-”

“Neither princess existed at this time,” Radley cut her off. “They wouldn't for another four hundred years, after the first arrival of the Darkest Star.”

“These ponies were primitive,” Allis said matter-of-factly. “All they cared for was the survival of their own species. Personally, I cannot blame them.”

Applejack was fanning Fluttershy, who was just beginning to come to. “How can ya say that!?” she objected. “Now that I think about it, that whole Appleloosa business makes a lot more sense!”

“Yeah!” Pinkie chimed in. “They didn't just have the orchard first-” She took an angry bite out of an apple. “-they had the whole thing first!”

“Why those no good little-”

“But that wasn't all,” Radley interrupted the angry Rainbow Dash. “The situation did not remain peaceful for the victorious ponies.”

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked.

Radley glanced at Kassandra. “I think it's time to get a little deeper into the story.” He stopped. He saw that Kassandra was sweating and breathing hard. “Hey...what's going on?”

“Oh dear...what's wrong?” Fluttershy asked, still looking a little dazed herself.

“It's...it's nothing,” she dismissed, wiping perspiration from her brow. She laughed it off. “I guess I'm not as young as I used to be. This spell isn't as easy to maintain with multiple ponies.”

“Perhaps we should stop for now and continue later,” Allis suggested. “The rest of you must be exhausted from the day's events.”

Applejack yawned. “Yeah...I betta hit the hay. I'd betta check on lil' Applebloom first. She's still pretty shaken after...uhh...” She paused, as if wondering if she should continue.

“After what?” Twilight asked. “Did something happen in Ponyville?”

Applejack scratched the back of her head uncomfortably, looking at the rest of her friends. They all looked tight-lipped as well. Fluttershy was biting her lower lip with a tear in her eye. Rarity was looking away and straightening out her mane awkwardly. Rainbow Dash looked like she had something she wanted say, but couldn't. Pinkie Pie was looking away and had zipped her lips shut, literally.

Twilight noticed the uncomfortable poses of her friends. She knew something was up. “What's going on girls? Talk to me!”

For a little more than a second, all of her friends turned to look at Allis. He straightened the blindfold over his eyes. “It probably isn't that important,” he said dismissively. “Nothing that you need to concern yourself with, princess.”

Twilight squinted her eyes, but didn't press anymore. She would have to wait, she decided. “Alright...I guess it is time to go to bed.”

Radley nodded, looking a bit worried for some reason. “Kassandra, take us out-” His eyes widened. “Kassandra!” The unicorn was collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily. “Kassandra, wake up!”

Fluttershy was at her side immediately. She felt the side of the unicorn's neck. “Her pulse is racing,” she exclaimed. “It feels like hypertension! She needs attention immediately.”

“Sounds like she needs a hospital!” Rainbow Dash swooped in picked her up off the ground. “Let's get out of here fast!”

Allis joined her in the air and took Kassandra out of her hooves. “Only Kassandra can take us back, weather pony. A little more attention to detail would be appreciated.” He slowly lowered her back to the ground.

Pinkie Pie pointed towards the group of ponies that had been victorious in the war. “Hey, look! They're not moving at all!”

She was right. Everything seemed to frozen in place. From the ponies, to the retreating buffalo, to the birds flying through the air. There was also some kind of static going through the air, creating a fizzle effect.

“That's because she's unconscious,” Radley explained, looking very worried and concerned. “She can't maintain the illusion in her current state. Something is very wrong.”

“Well, what can we do about it?” Applejack asked. “The poor thing looks worse than a rotten apple in tha' noonday sun.”

Twilight stepped forward. “I think...I think I can heal her...”

Radley's eyes got even bigger. “I wouldn't advise that,” he said, shaking his head. “We're inside a magical construct of Kassandra's making right now. Mixing that with another unicorn's – scratch that, alicorn's – magic could have disastrous effects.”

Twilight gulped. “We have to try don't we? Besides, I've read several books on healing spells. I'm sure I can do it without causing any harm.”

Radley glanced at Allis, though he was looking away. The deformed pegasus nodded in affirmation. “Everyone, stand back.”

The Ponyville ponies all stood back, save for Twilight. Allis joined them. Radley took a second before backing up as well. Twilight took a deep breath before saying something under her breath. “I'm not doing this for you, just so you know.”

She closed her eyes and began to concentrate deeply. After a while, sparks followed by high-pitched crackling  noises erupted from her horn. It glowed with her familiar purple energy. Kassandra was bathed in it, and began to rise off the ground. Twilight looked like she was about to falter, but continued with her spell.

The world around them began to flicker even more. At some points, it would go completely dark before lighting back up again. “Now what's going on?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Kassandra is fading in and out of consciousness,” Radley explained. Then he added under his breath, “Hopefully that's all that's happening.”

Suddenly, lightning struck directly in front of them. Fluttershy screamed and ducked behind Rarity. The dress maker's mane frizzed up immediately, turning into a giant ball of fluff. “Oooh, good look!” Pinkie commented. “Wish I had thought of it first!”

Rarity just glared at her. She addressed Twilight. “Could we please do this without ruining my hair?”

Allis turned his head toward the sky. “Radley, do you feel that?”

Radley spoke without taking his eyes off of Kassandra. “What?”

“It feels like...like the Alicorn Amulet.”

Radley gave him a perplexed look. “The amulet is back at the Citadel. What are you talking about?”

“Of course it is. But something...or someone is messing with it's magic.”

Radley began to look even more worried. “That's impossible. No one except for Blackstar and us even know that Citadel exists. And Blackstar has been locked away for the time being.”

Allis was firm in his response. “Radley Kane, take a look up at the sky and tell me that there isn't something wrong with this spell of the princess!”

Radley did and stepped back in horror. What he saw was a black, swirling mass in the clouds above. Lightning crackled inside of it, spreading out across the sky in a terrifying pattern. A roaring noise “Everyone! Get back now!” he shouted.

Applejack took a glance up into the sky as well. “What's got you so worked – whoa nelly!” She held on to her hat as wind began to pick up around them. “It's some kind of Twister!”

Allis had to yell to be heard over the cacophony of noise. “It's not a tornado! Mixing the magic of Kassandra and the princess has produced a new Blackest Heart! Stop casting that spell!”

Twilight opened her eyes and looked around in shock. “What's going on!?” She had to take hold of a tree root to avoid being pulled towards the vortex. She held on to Kassandra with her other hoof, who was still unconscious.

“Disaster!” Radley yelled. He tried to hold on to a nearby bush. The wind was getting stronger, pulling them all towards the Heart. “That's what's happening!”

Rarity had grabbed on to a bush as well, with Pinkie Pie holding on to her tail, laughing wildly. “What is that horrible thing!?” Rarity asked.

Allis was holding his ground, with only his long mane blowing in the wind. “The Blackest Heart. Something like this exists deep inside of the Badlands, but...it doesn't have this kind of power!”

Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were all holding on to the same bush. Applejack was desperately trying to keep her hat in place. Fluttershy had her eyes tightly closed, screaming. “Where did that thing come from!?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“The best explanation is the mixing of Kassandra's and Twilight's magic!” Radley yelled over the din. The wind was getting even stronger. “They reacted with each other somehow!”

“Nothing like this has ever happened before!” Twilight screamed. “I've used magic on other unicorns before!”

“Uhh...where exactly does thing lead!?” Applejack asked.

“We're not sure,” Allis admitted. “All we know is that whatever...or whoever falls in is never seen again.”

“Looks like we're about to find out!” Rainbow Dash yelled nervously. The bush the three of them were holding onto was coming lose. Before it even came lose, Fluttershy lost her grip.

“I got you!” Applejack and Rainbow Dash both grabbed Fluttershy before she could fly off.

“Can't...hold...on...!” Rarity's grip had finally given way. Both she and Pinkie Pie were ripped away into the Blackest Heart, vanishing almost instantly.

“Rarity! Pinkie!” Twilight screamed, her own grip loosening as well. “Nooo!”

Applejack glanced towards the sky. The Heart seemed to be growing in size and strength. “We have to go in there!”

Fluttershy had finally built up the courage to speak. “Are you crazy!?”

Rainbow Dash smirked. “I guess we are! Anyways, Rarity and Pinkie are in there, wherever it goes! We have to rescue them somehow!”

Applejack nodded. She addressed Radley and Allis. “Do either of you have any idea where that thing leads to?”

“If could be anything or anywhere,” Radley said. “From another world to eternal destruction!”

“Hey, Radley!” Allis called out.

“Not you too...” There was dread in the Earth Pony's voice.

There was an uncharacteristic smirk on the pegasus's face. “I have to say like the mettle of these Ponyville folk! It's about time we found out just what's up with this Heart! What do you say?”

Radley gulped, grinning nervously. “No time like the present, I guess!” He looked at Twilight, who was still hanging on tightly. “What do you say, Princess Twilight Sparkle?”

There was determination on her face. She was still hanging on to the unconscious form of Kassandra. “If my friends are in there, I have to go after them too!”

Fluttershy was tearing up, creating a stream of water. “Alright...I-I'll g-go too!” she said, not sounding too sure.

“Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!” Rainbow Dash said, holding Fluttershy close and shaking her.

Applejack held on tightly to her hat. “On three then?”

“On three!” Everyone agreed.

“One...!” Radley loosened his grip.

“Two...!” Twilight started to let go, but not releasing the unicorn in her hooves.

“Three...!”

There was nothing but darkness surrounding them.