The Sword Coast

by AdrianVesper

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Dark, Alternate Universe, Twilight Sparkle, Main 6, Princess Luna, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other
Length: 157542

With a price on Twilight Sparkle’s head and the shadow of death on her heels, her only hope for salvation is the Magic of Friendship. (Baldur’s Gate Crossover)

When a dark enemy begins hunting the young wizard Twilight Sparkle, the walls of the fortress library of Candlekeep cannot protect her. Not even her mentor, the archmage Star Swirl the Bearded, can keep her safe. With a price on her head and the shadow of death on her heels, her only hope for salvation is the Magic of Friendship. Perhaps, with powerful allies at her side, she can find answers and uncover the truth about her destiny.

(This story is inspired by the Baldur's Gate CRPG series by Bioware, but you do not have to be familiar with BG to understand its events)

Featured on Equestria Daily
Cover by Bluest Ayemel
"I love this fic. Keep it up!" – Sethisto (on the EQD page)
"From it's fantastic character development of Twilight and fast pace and exciting action, The Sword Coast is an excellently written and well thought-out story." – Amy Clockwork

Side stories: Tales of the Sword Coast
Sequel: Shadows of the Crystal Empire
Warning: Comments contain spoilers. Proceed at your own risk.

Published 2013-05-06 11:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-10-18 22:47:20 UTC

Candlekeep

“He who fights monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster... when you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.” Friedrich Nietzsche

Nestled atop the cliffs that rise from the Sword Coast, the fortress library of Candlekeep holds the most comprehensive collection of knowledge in all of Equestria. Great scholars travel from far and wide to dwell within its secluded confines. The walls of Candlekeep stand as a bastion against the politics of the region, providing a sanctuary of learning in war and in peace.

For all that Candlekeep was to others, to Twilight Sparkle, Candlekeep was simply home.

Candlekeep

At the end of a dusty corridor between two towering bookcases, Twilight Sparkle levitated a worn tome into its place on the shelf above her head. After letting it go, she reread the familiar title: ’The Compendium’. The name of the author had been lost to time, but she knew every detail of its pages, from the collection of simple spells in the first chapter that she could complete with a thought, to the higher-level arcana in the later pages that she dared not attempt.

Even though the theory behind the more complex and powerful magic fascinated her, she would never cast it. She doubted she would ever reach the same level of mastery as her mentor, the Archmage Star Swirl the Bearded. Sighing, she reminded herself that she knew more about magic as Star Swirl’s apprentice than most unicorns would know in their lifetimes. She was lucky to have him; for as long as she could remember, he’d cared for her.

She reached out to pull the book down, wanting to reread her favorite passage before leaving, but as she lifted it off the shelf, a horrible creature interrupted her studying.

“Surprise!” a voice shouted, filled with bubbling excitement, and loud as thunder in Twilight’s ear. Startled, she dropped the book, her levitation field collapsing. It hit her squarely in the snout before dropping to the floor with a thump.

“Oww. Pinkie!” Twilight said. Rubbing her injured nose with a hoof, she glared at the pink, curly maned pony responsible for her pain.

Pinkie Pie peered at her with concern. “Sorry, Twilight. I guess I can be a bit too surprising.”

“What’re you doing?” Twilight hissed. “You’re not supposed to be in here!”

Pinkie looked at her quizzically, then gasped. “Right! The explosion incident. I was framed!”

Twilight's eyes narrowed. “Even if you were framed, and you weren't, rules are rules. You’re not allowed in the library.”

Pinkie grinned. “I got permission.”

Twilight frowned. “Oh really, from who?”

“Star Swirl!” Pinkie said.

Twilight groaned. "Of course."

Why does he like her so much? Twilight wondered. Chaos and destruction followed in Pinkie’s wake, washing away her quiet study time. Still, she and Pinkie were the same age, and they were both adopted before they were old enough to remember their original families. Few children lived in Candlekeep, and as she was growing up, Star Swirl insisted that she at least try to make friends. She hated trying to interact with other ponies, but with Pinkie, she didn’t have to try.

“That reminds me, he said, if I saw you, to tell you that he said you should meet him on the first floor at the entrance to the keep—” While Pinkie babbled, chipper as ever, Twilight lifted the book up off the floor. “—and I told him that I was sure you were in the library, and I’d find you if he told the chroniclers to let me in, and then they let me come up here, and can you guess what happened next?”

“You found me, obviously,” Twilight said as she put the tome back in its place.

“Yep!” Pinkie said, beaming. “You are going to go see him right?” she added. The grin fell off her face as she spoke. “He seemed worried.”

Twilight nodded. “I’m going to go see him.”

It must be important, Twilight thought. Worried was nothing new for Star Swirl, but he’d gone as far as overriding the chroniclers judgement to send Pinkie. She trotted quickly down the dusty, candlelit hallways of the massive library keep, heading for the stairway that would take her down to the first floor. Pinkie followed her every step of the way.

As they walked, Pinkie hummed in the sacred silence of the library archives. Twilight did her best to ignore the infuriating noise, but by the time they reached the bottom of the third flight of stairs, she reached the limit of her patience. “You told me Star Swirl wanted to see me, now what in wide world of Equestria are you still doing here!?” she shouted.

Immediately, four pairs of eyes turned on her. Ponies with greying hair and yellow robes glared at her. Their bones creaked as they ambled towards her. Surely, they intended to scathingly reprimand her with their polite whispers. Twilight froze. Nothing frightened her more than the cold disapproval of the chroniclers. Last time she’d been involved in excitement with Pinkie, they’d banished her from the library for an entire day.

“Uh oh,” Pinkie murmured, looping one hoof over Twilight’s neck, “looks like you've really done it. But don’t you worry, I’ve got just the thing; all you need to do is cast a grease spell.”

A second look of shock passed over Twilight’s face. She knew exactly what Pinkie planned. “Oh no! No no no, that’s what got me in trouble last time! You can’t be serious.”

“Come on, Twilight, lets have some fun! Please?” Pinkie said, her eyes wide and pleading.

Twilight rolled her eyes, but a thrill ran through her anyway. Last time had been pretty fun. “Fine.” She planted her hooves. “One Grease spell coming up!” Power surged through her horn as she went through the magical routines required to facilitate her spell. Preparing that spell in the morning had taken as much as a minute, but now, she completed it in seconds.

“Cannonball!” Pinkie shouted and, coated in magical grease, jumped down the stairs. She careened down the jagged steps like a hot slab of butter, jubilantly laughing all the way. Twilight jumped after her and slid off on the coat of grease left in Pinkie's wake. Her own laughter joined Pinkie’s as they shot down the final flight of stairs. Twilight felt like a filly again. She hadn't enjoyed herself like this in a long while. Unfortunately, Twilight spotted a disaster waiting for them at the bottom of the steps.

“Pinkie, look out!” Twilight cried. Too late, she realized an instant later.

Pinkie barreled into a book cart, and the impact launched priceless tomes into the air. Twilight instinctively shielded her face with her hooves, protecting herself from the hard bindings that bounced off her while she slid through the chaos. Eventually, they both came to stop in a pile at the hooves of somepony. Before Twilight fully processed what happened, she found herself on her feet, levitated back to a standing posture. The grease vanished into nothingness as she released her spell, leaving no residue. She watched as the books floated through the air and obediently reordered themselves on the cart.

When Twilight turned to look at the pony whose hooves had stopped them, she immediately shrank. He wore a tall pointed hat, his bushy eyebrows poking out beneath the brim. A long, white beard trailed from his chin. His horn glowed as the unicorn finished repairing the mess Twilight and Pinkie had caused. His stern, golden eyes focused on the recently righted book cart, not even staring at her with the disappointment she deserved.

Twilight’s ears drooped. “Star Swirl! I’m so so sorry! I know there is no excuse for roughhousing and—” A firm embrace interrupted her.

“Twilight Sparkle, you came. Good. You need to listen to me very carefully,” Star Swirl said as he released Twilight. His voice was stern, but it didn’t carry the disapproval that Twilight expected. It was heavy with something else: worry.

“But what about the mess and the Chroniclers and the book cart!?” Twilight blurted.

“Don’t worry about that, Twilight. You need to pack your things. And here,”–Star Swirl levitated a small pouch of coin over to Twilight–“buy some things for the road; we’re going on a trip. I need to get something out of my study before we leave, so meet me back here when you're ready.”

“But... Star Swirl. I don’t understand! What's going on?” Twilight said, distraught.

“We need to leave Candlekeep. We’ll return when we can,” Star Swirl said. “If we can...” he added with a murmur. Twilight was certain she’d misheard.

Twilight stared at Star Swirl in shock. “But why? Why would we leave?”

Star Swirl smiled softly, concern in his eyes. “You must trust me, Twilight. We have to go. Know that I would not ask this of you if there were a better way.”

Twilight paused, opening her mouth to protest, but found no words. Instead, she nodded. “I understand,” she murmured, taking the bag of coin. She walked out the entrance of the keep that housed the library in a daze, hardly noticing the glare of the sun as she stepped across the threshold into the relatively peaceful town inside the castle walls.

Twilight trotted down sun-dappled garden paths, her eyes fixed on the neatly laid stones beneath her feet. The thought of leaving Candlekeep stalled her mind. The library was all she had ever known. The books contained in this place gave her the knowledge of a thousand minds, all in safety, comfort, and regularity. A variable never factored into the equation, but now a variable had thrown her life into uncertainty. Something must have changed to cause Star Swirl to uproot their whole world.

A familiar voice shattered her musings.

“An adventure, Twilight! Are you excited?” It was Pinkie Pie. Twilight hadn’t even noticed the other pony tagging along behind her.

Twilight whirled on Pinkie. “I’m not going on an adventure, Pinkie!” she practically shouted. “Nothing interesting is going to happen. I’m not going to slay diamond dogs, I’m not going to face death, I’m not going to fight a dragon, and I am certainly not going to save the world!” she screamed in Pinkie’s face. She took a breath to push down her rising panic. “Everything is going to be completely normal,” she finished sweetly. Pinkie didn’t say a word, apparently stunned by the outburst. “Now, I’d better go buy what I’m going to need.”

Pinkie followed her as she walked onto the dirt path that encircled the low wall surrounding the library gardens. The entire non-scholar population of Candlekeep lived within the outer walls of the fortress, with the scholars living in the keep. Most of the businesses and residences were located along the dirt path.

Quickly, Twilight made a list in her head. First, she would visit the general store for traveling gear, and second, the tavern for provisions. Whatever bits she had left, she could spend at the alchemist's shop on potions in case of an emergency. She finished her task at the general store quickly and easily, simply telling the gentlecolt behind the counter what she needed.

Her errand at the tavern turned out to be much more difficult.

“Sure, I can get that out for you, but what in Equestria do you need so much preserved foodstuffs for?” Mrs. Cake asked Twilight from behind the Tavern’s counter, concerned.

“She’s going on an adventure!” Pinkie Pie announced.

Twilight thumped her forehead against the counter and groaned. “I’m not going on an adventure. Just a quick trip.”

Mrs. Cake lifted a large bag of oats up from behind the counter with her mouth. “Oh? Where are you going?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight murmured, still face down on the counter. “Star Swirl didn’t tell me.” It hit her, then, something she’d known from the moment she’d spoken to Star Swirl in the library: something was terribly wrong. It was the only explanation she could think of for Star Swirl’s secrecy.

“Well, I’m sure he has a good reason. Did he tell you why you were leaving?” Mrs. Cake said around the scoop in her mouth as she parceled out oats into smaller packages for Twilight.

“No.” Twilight took a breath, a tightness building in her chest. “He... he didn’t tell me why. I don’t know what's happening. I don’t know what's going to happen to me.” She turned her head to look up at Mrs. Cake. “Why wouldn’t Star Swirl tell me what was wrong?”

Mrs. Cake set down the scoop. “Pinkie, could you fetch a mug of warm cider?” She walked around the counter to put a foreleg around Twilight’s shoulders. “Let’s talk about it.”

Twilight let Mrs. Cake lead her over to a seat at a table. Mrs. Cake promptly eased her into a chair and sat next to her. With a warm smile, Pinkie set a steaming mug of cider on the table in front of her. Twilight lifted the mug with her levitation and sipped its contents gratefully almost as soon as it had left Pinkie’s hooves. She let out a breath as the warm alcohol tingling its way down her throat calmed her nerves.

“I’m sure Star Swirl wouldn’t leave without considering it carefully, dear. He loves his home here, and he knows you do too.” Mrs. Cake said.

Twilight took in a shuddering breath and sipped down some more cider. “I know.” She inspected the froth in her cup. “I’m going to miss you and Mr. Cake.” She turned her gaze to Mrs. Cake, meeting the older mare’s eyes. “You’ve always been there for me. You’re like family.” The Cake’s were the ones who raised Pinkie Pie, and their tavern was filled with the nurturing care Star Swirl sometimes lacked. It had always been a second home to her, after the library.

Mrs. Cake smiled. “We’ll miss you too, Twilight. I’m sure you won’t be gone long though, right? You’ll be alright, won’t you?”

This is happening, she realized.

Twilight nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be okay.” She didn’t tell Mrs. Cake that she didn’t think she’d be back anytime soon. “I’m going on an adventure,” she said.

Pinkie gave her a quick hug from beside her. “There you go! You’d better go meet up with Star Swirl. Don’t worry, I’ll be there to see you off, Twi.”

Twilight returned her friend’s hug with a smile. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Pinkie. I’m going to miss you.”

Twilight swung by the alchemist’s dingy little shop on the way back to the library, swapping some golden bits for a few valuable healing potions and an antidote potion: in case of poison and injury. When she arrived at the library, Star Swirl was waiting for her in the gardens. He wore saddlebags now, no doubt full of useful items, and a rugged traveling cloak draped across his back. He held an old oaken staff with a knot of curled wood at the top end. Twilight could sense enchantment in the simple object. A wizarding tool like that could ease the load that preparing spells placed on a unicorn’s mind.

Star Swirl eyed her up and down, regarding her with wisdom that came from age and experience. “You seem ready. But I think you could use one more thing.”

He smiled at her and drew a blade out from underneath his cloak, presenting it to her. The elegantly crafted sword was a little over two hoofspans long – a slight bit shorter than her forelegs. It had a thin, beautifully curved, single edged blade clearly built for slashing. The handle looked like it would be comfortable to hold in her mouth, with soft natural padding wrapping it for her teeth to grip, but the overall shape of the blade told her the maker intended it to be wielded with magic.

She’d never contemplated needing a sword in her life, but in that moment it felt natural to reach out for it with her magic. She pulled it from Star Swirl’s levitation field easily. The blade felt light, lacking a great deal of inertia. If she swung it, she knew that it would leap through the air swiftly and change direction easily. She could feel an empty magical void in the weapon, waiting to be filled.

“This is a unicorn spellblade, crafted in an age past. It’s called Solstice, and the magic in it will help you parry blows and strike your mark. It can even store a few spells for you,” Star Swirl explained.

Twilight regarded the blade and shook her head. “No, I can’t. I mean, its beautiful and functional, and thank you for offering. I wouldn’t know how to use it right, though. I never learned much about using levitation to swing weapons.” She held up Solstice to return it to Star Swirl. “I never thought I’d need to,” she murmured.

Star Swirl smiled at her knowingly. “But you may need it. Should the worst come to pass, and you do need it, you’ll find that you know more about using it than you think, but I pray to Celestia that it does not come to that. Keep it, Twilight, if only to ease an old man’s worries. The road can be a dangerous place, and I may not be there to protect you.”

Twilight levitated the blade back over, sheathed it, and slid it into a strap of her saddlebag for storage. It wasn’t often that Star Swirl invoked the name of the solar goddess. “I’ll keep it, Star Swirl.” She threw her forelegs around Star Swirl’s neck, hugging him tightly. “Thank you.” She took the blade, even though she knew that Star Swirl would always be there.

Star Swirl chuckled lightly. “We’d best be off, then.”

True to her word, Pinkie was waiting for her at the gate leading out of Candlekeep. They shared a close embrace, a heartfelt goodbye, and a promise that they would see each other again soon. Twilight could tell that Pinkie wanted to join them, but she also knew that Star Swirl wouldn't allow it. The old mage would never put anyone in danger that he didn't have to. Twilight took the last step out of her home and onto the long road ahead with only her mentor at her side. She looked back as the gates to Candlekeep slammed shut, then looked out at the world beyond.

She was going on an adventure.

Author's Note

Hoofspan: About a foot, the distance between an average pony's hooves when they stand with their feet shoulder-width apart.

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Editor: The Music Man

Road

Road

A canopy of trees covered Twilight and Star Swirl in darkness, shrouding out the meager light of the crescent moon in the sky above. They’d traveled well into the night, and Twilight began to wonder if Star Swirl planned to stop and rest at all before they got to their destination. Star Swirl’s horn lit their path, but still Twilight managed to stumble on the rough ground of the forest floor, rocks scraping her sore hooves. Star Swirl had opted against following the smooth road. Sweat had built up between her flanks and saddlebags during the heat of the day. Now, the cold night breeze that blew through the trees made her shiver. She had long since pulled out a traveling cloak to shield herself against the chill.

Twilight plodded on. On the bright side, at least she knew where they were going. Apparently, Star Swirl had an old friend he wanted to meet at the Helping Hoof Inn, about three days’ travel from Candlekeep. Although if Star Swirl planned on marching until they both collapsed from exhaustion, it could take a fraction of that time. She noticed she wasn’t the only one suffering. Star Swirl expressed his share of grunts and grimaces. Fit as he was for his age, years of a relaxed, scholarly lifestyle couldn’t be making this easy on him. She wished Star Swirl would tell her what had him so worried.

“You know, I’m not a filly anymore. You can tell me what’s going on,” she finally said, panting.

“What was that?” Star Swirl said, not looking back at her.

“I’m not a filly anymore! You can tell me what's going on.” This time, she stopped, stamping her hoof in exasperation – which only made it hurt more. She was certain Star Swirl had heard her the first time.

Star Swirl turned back to look at her, stopping as well. They stood on the edge of a clearing, with three circular rings of stones arrayed on the ground within, likely placed there by druids, or perhaps by superstitious woodsponies. “This isn’t the time to have this conversation, Twilight.” He sighed. “Look, I’ll tell you what I know when we get to the Helping Hoof. I promise.”

“All right, fine, but can we at least get some rest? We should keep our strength up,” Twilight said.

A dark expression crossed Star Swirl’s features. He spun, gazing around the clearing intently. “It’s too late for that now,” he murmured, barely audible. “You need to get to the Helping Hoof Inn, Twilight, no matter what happens,” he said, this time just loud enough to be heard clearly by Twilight. He tapped the end of his staff on the ground three times and gave her a sad smile.

Twilight tried to speak, to ask him what he meant. She opened her mouth. She felt the air pass through her throat, but no sound came. Magic, she realized. What spells had Star Swirl been storing in his staff?

Her attention snapped to the far edge of the clearing when she heard something crashing through the underbrush beyond. A dull clang of metal on metal accompanied the sound of breaking branches. She watched in horror as Star Swirl strode out into the center of the clearing, his eyes fixed on the source of the sound.

Moments later, a figure coated in charcoal black armor emerged into the clearing. Twilight remained rooted to the spot as the armored figure swept its malevolent gaze over her. The helm’s face looked like the maw of a demon. She thought she saw the muzzle of a pony within the darkness of its confines, but all she could truly make out were two burning lights where its eyes should have been. Spikes and jagged metal edges adorned the figure’s armor. A spike large enough to encase a unicorn horn protruded from the helm. Slightly to the left of the figure, a dark miasma held a massive tower shield covered in arcane symbols. Its jagged, sharpened edge glinted in the moonlight. Her heart raced in panic, but the figure looked straight through her. Then, its gaze continued past her.

The figure spoke, its rumbling voice clearly male. “Where is your ward, Star Swirl?”

Twilight looked down. Her hooves were gone; she was invisible. She glanced back up to see two more figures step out into the clearing. Hideously massive knots of muscle deformed their limbs. Tiny, frail looking wings drooped pitifully from their backs. They were ogres, a race twisted from pegasi with dark magic long ago. What they lacked in intelligence they made up for with raw strength and a cruel disposition. Both of them had a hoof encased in a vicious, spiked mace.

“She’s in the safety of Candlekeep,” Star Swirl countered. His voice held no fear. “Do you think I would bring her out here, with the likes of you afoot?” He spat. “Murderer.”

“I’ve long reconciled my lot. If I must be a murderer to stop a thousand murderers, a murderer I will be. You know what I must do. Stand aside, and I can spare you.”

“If you think that you can defeat an archmage with brute strength, then you are wrong. Fight me, if you must, but I will not allow you to harm Twilight Sparkle.” Star Swirl stood defiantly, his head held high, staff ready.

“So be it.” The armored figure lurched into motion. Star Swirl breathed, and a blast of fire leaped from his horn, throwing the ogres off their feet. Their charred corpses would never rise again. The figure ducked behind his shield as the fire raged around him. The wall of metal absorbed the blast, leaving a cone of clear air behind it. As the figure closed the distance, Star Swirl channeled a spell through his horn that called up a protective, multi-layered stone shell from the ground beneath his hooves.

The figure held for a split second, his shield aloft, ready to strike. From the surrounding trees, two metal bolts arced forth, striking Star Swirl. The bolts each shattered a layer of Star Swirl’s stony defense, but did no deeper harm. The bolts themselves were not the threat; they carried something far more dangerous with them.

Twilight had seen the faint signs of abjuration glowing around the bolts as they traveled through the air. When they both hit their mark, the last of Star Swirl’s protection vanished. Bolts of Dispelling, Twilight realized.

The figure attacked. When his shield struck Star Swirl with a vicious crack, Twilight screamed, silent and helpless. Her magic was likely too weak to truly harm the figure, and at this distance, her levitation would be too weak for her to parry the brutal stroke of his shield with Solstice. Finally, her hooves responded to her, and she started to move. If she could close the distance, maybe she could stop the second blow.

Twilight felt time pass slowly. She saw Star Swirl spin to the ground with a hard thud. One of his shattered ribs stuck grotesquely out of his chest. A deep dent creased the side of his frail old body. She saw a glimmer of magic as a contingency spell hidden in Star Swirl’s staff fired. A second multilayered skin of stone leaped up to encase Star Swirl, and other protections were likely to follow, but before the staff could complete its task, a single blow from the figure’s shield shattered it into dozens of fragments.

In the same instant, Star Swirl fashioned another spell with his horn. With a brilliant flash, a single lightning bolt arced between two trees. Two charred griffon corpses started to fall. Twilight felt hope swell in her chest. There should be no more dispelling bolts, and the Stoneskin spell protected Star Swirl from physical blows. The old mage might live.

The figure cast a Breach spell. Disbelief crossed Twilight’s thoughts. She had never seen a unicorn weighed down by so much armor successfully perform complex magic. Regardless, a Breach spell it was. The spell washed over Star Swirl, and his protection shattered completely. The third blow fell on Star Swirl’s prone body. An arc of blood painted the earth and vegetation of the clearing.

It was over before the griffons hit the ground, it was over before the flames of Star Swirl’s first spell had fully dissipated, and it was over before Twilight Sparkle had taken three steps. Her mentor, her father, was dead. She had done nothing.

Twilight collapsed in despair. She could do nothing. There was no tool available to her that could harm the figure in armor. The only result of any action now would be her lying in the dust, dead beside Star Swirl. She watched the figure as empty, silent sobs wracked her body. The figure casually scraped the edge of his shield clean in the dirt. He paused and took a moment to slide Star Swirl’s open eyes shut with a brush of magic. Then, with purpose, he strode off toward Candlekeep. He left the charred bodies of his accomplices and Star Swirl’s corpse without even a glance over his shoulder.

Twilight stared after the armored figure, her mind focused and clear for the moment. I’m going to kill him, Twilight thought. He took Star Swirl from her. He had the advantage now – the strength, and the power. I’m going to learn, and then I’m going to make him pay, she promised herself.

It took all the willpower she had left to rise to her feet and stumble away from the aura of death in the clearing. Her stomach lurched, then emptied. By the time she finished vomiting, leaned up against a tree a few yards from the clearing, she realized that her hooves were visible again, and she could hear her own groans. Perhaps the liquefied contents of her stomach had disrupted the spell, or perhaps it had worn off on its own. Either way, if the spell dissipated even a minute sooner, she would be dead right now.

As heavy as her heart felt, at least she lived. Star Swirl wanted her to live. He gave his life for her.

She wearily trotted forward until the scent of charred flesh, blood, and vomit no longer filled her nostrils. A branch in the dark caught her hoof, tripping her, and she collapsed onto a soft patch of moss. Lacking the will to move any further, she curled against the base of a tree and closed her eyes. She fell asleep without even removing her saddlebags, shivering as the cold breeze passed over her.

A voice calling her name awoke Twilight from a dream. She opened her eyes, blinking them clear as the bright light of day stabbed into them. Her left side was uncomfortably warm, her lavender coat heated by the morning sun. The foreleg she had been resting her head on felt like pudding. Pins and needles shot through it as circulation began to return. She could only remember a voice, Star Swirl’s voice, from her dream. 'I will not allow you to harm Twilight Sparkle' echoed over and over again inside of her skull.

She dragged herself to her feet, her rubbery hind legs almost failing to lift her weight. “Twiiiliiight,” a singsong voice called again, much closer.

“Pinkie?” Twilight murmured in disbelief. She stepped out to get a look around the next tree. Sure enough, Pinkie Pie bounced along between the trees. Twilight drew a foreleg across her eyes, and she looked again. Pinkie remained. “Pinkie Pie!” Twilight called.

Pinkie changed trajectory almost mid bounce and barreled toward Twilight. “Ohmygosh, Twilight! I found you!”

“Pinkie! Slow down—gah!” Pinkie slammed into Twilight and wrapped the unicorn in a tackle-hug. Twilight tumbled backwards. They rolled in the grass two or three times before coming to a stop. “Urgh,” Twilight grunted, disentangling her limbs from Pinkie’s. “Ow.”

“Sorry.” Pinkie Pie at least gave the courtesy of looking a little ashamed as she stood up. “I’m just so glad to see you, Twi!” She extended a hoof to Twilight.

“It’s okay...” Twilight accepted the helping hoof and pulled herself up into a sitting position. She regarded Pinkie. “What are you doing out here, Pinkie? Why did you follow us?”

Pinkie looked at the ground. “I knew something bad would happen. I could feel it.” She looked pale and queasy. “I saw Star Swirl.” Pinkie paused, possibly expecting a reaction from her. Twilight simply nodded. She felt dull now; the knife of grief buried in her chest had left her numb. “I’m glad you’re okay, Twilight,” Pinkie said finally, “and I’m not going to leave you out here alone! I’m not going anywhere without you. You need help.”

Twilight nodded again. “You're right. I do.” She managed a smile. “I’m glad you’re here, Pinkie.”

“We should get back to Candlekeep. Someone there will know what to do. Maybe Chancellor, or Thunderfoot?” Pinkie said.

Twilight shook her head. “We can’t. He’s headed that way.”

Pinkie Pie quirked an eyebrow at her. “Who?”

“The pony that killed Star Swirl. He’s encased in black armor, and he wanted to kill me.” Twilight took a shuddering breath. “If Star Swirl hadn’t stopped him, he would have. The weird thing was, he didn’t even seem interested in Star Swirl. It was like Star Swirl was just a rock to be kicked aside.” She pointed to herself with a hoof. “He only wanted to kill me. Why, Pinkie? What did I do to him?”

“I dunno, Twilight... if we can’t go to Candlekeep, where should we go?” Pinkie said.

“We should go to the Helping Hoof Inn, it should be along the road. It’s where Star Swirl and I were headed.” Twilight took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she had to say next. “But first, we need to take a look at those bodies.”

Pinkie blinked at Twilight. “Why? It’s... terrible in that clearing. Why would you want to go back there?”

“I don’t want to, but I need to. There might be a clue. Something to tell me why he wanted to kill me... Something to tell me why Star Swirl died. Because one day – one day when I’m stronger – the armored pony who killed Star Swirl will give me answers.”

Returning to the clearing wasn’t as hard as Twilight had imagined it would be. The numbness in her chest remained a dull throb, even as she watched the flies buzzing around the bloodied stump of Star Swirl’s severed head. She breathed through her mouth to help keep the stench out of her nostrils. With her levitation magic, she looked through Star Swirl’s possessions for anything that could tell her why this had happened. All she found was a small note crumpled in one of his bags like he’d forgotten to throw it away.

Twilight took the note, tucking it away for later reading. She proceeded to take everything that might be of value. She took the golden bits in a back pocket, the ornately crafted clasp for Star Swirl's cloak, and even his ivory beard comb. He didn’t need them anymore. She knew she was going to need money to survive. She considered taking his traveling gear, but she remembered seeing saddlebags on Pinkie’s flanks. She glanced over at Pinkie to confirm their presence. Pinkie looked back at Twilight with concern, sitting on her haunches at the edge of the clearing while she watched Twilight coolly loot Star Swirl's fresh corpse. Twilight mostly noticed that Pinkie did have the foresight to pack.

Twilight moved on to the other corpses. Each of them had a charred note, but only two on the griffons were legible after the damage. The same thing was written on both them in neat red ink, and they both included a sketch of a large six pointed star surrounded by five smaller stars: her mark.

This is a Contract on the Head of Twilight Sparkle
If you have Proof of your Involvement in the Death of Twilight Sparkle, you will be Paid FIVE HUNDRED (500) Bits upon Presentation of this Note.
If you can Present the Head of Twilight Sparkle, you will be Paid FIVE THOUSAND (5000) Bits for your Exemplary Service.

Money – that couldn’t be it. She didn’t feel like the armored figure wanted to kill her for money. From what the armored pony had said, she knew he acted with some sense of duty. Besides, the enchanted shield he carried was probably worth more than five thousand bits.

She took a few other items as well as the note, a few bits here, a shiny gem there, anything worth carrying. Notably, she found that the griffons had four more Bolts of Dispelling each. They might fetch a decent amount of coin. When she was sure she had anything worth keeping, she left the clearing and smoothed out Star Swirl’s note in a field of her magic. Pinkie crowded in behind her to peer over her shoulder.

Candlekeep not safe. He comes for your ward. Gather allies. I can not be there soon enough.
PS: Avoid a fight. He is ready.

“Of course.” Twilight frowned. “No signature. You’d think if they wanted to help, they’d write their name. But no, too much trouble apparently.” She dropped the note, grinding it into the dust in frustration. Her memory already burned with the words scrawled on that paper. Avoid a fight. Why, Star Swirl? she wondered.

Pinkie leaned against her side comfortingly. “It’s better than nothing, Twilight. Maybe it’s from his friend that he was going to meet at the inn?”

Maybe, Twilight thought.

Pinkie and Twilight stopped at a fork in the road. They’d found the cobblestone highway when they realized that neither of them could find the Helping Hoof Inn without following it. Twilight read the worn sign at the fork carefully. She pointed down the correct path. “This way to the inn,” she announced. She let her hoof drop when she saw a traveler coming down the road toward them. Twilight reached out with her magic, finding the handle of Solstice. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously as the stranger approached.

The stranger neared. She was a unicorn, with a soft, long pink mane and a pristine white coat. A brown linen cloak covered her back, clasped snugly around her neck. “I’ll do the talking,” Twilight told Pinkie.

Pinkie giggled. “Sure thing, Twilight, just as long as you don’t hog it all.”

Before Twilight could tell Pinkie that she had missed the point, the stranger was within talking distance. “Hail, travelers,” the stranger said. “Are you traveling from Candlekeep?” Her soft, melodious voice caressed Twilight’s ears. She reminded Twilight of Star Swirl, in a way.

No matter how kind the stranger seemed, Twilight remained guarded. She started to shake her head, but Pinkie said, “Yep! Sure are.”

The stranger inclined her head. “Would either of you be familiar with Star Swirl the Bearded by any chance? I’m told he’s taken up residence in Candlekeep.”

Twilight almost tried to deny the truth again, but she realized her suspicion could have consequences. What if the stranger was one of Star Swirl’s friends? she considered. “Yes,” she answered. A moment later, she added bluntly, “He’s dead.”

The stranger kept her expression passive, but Twilight noticed a hint of shock in the stranger’s lavender eyes. “I’m sorry to hear that. He was a good friend of mine,” the stranger said.

“Me too...” Twilight murmured.

“Regardless, I should continue on my way.” She walked past Twilight and Pinkie calmly. “By the way, my name is Sunny Skies.”

Pinkie beamed at Sunny Skies. “I’m Pinkie Pie!”

“Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight said automatically. She cringed internally, remembering the bounty note with her name on it.

Twilight’s wary eyes caught a hitch in Sunny Skies’s step when she heard Twilight’s name. Sunny Skies’s horn lit, and an aura of levitation pulled something out of her saddlebag. In response, Twilight nearly drew Solstice, but the object turned out to be a relatively harmless spell scroll. Unless it was opened and the incantation performed, the scroll was completely inert.

Sunny Skies looked back over her shoulder. “I think that Star Swirl would’ve wanted you to have this, Twilight Sparkle.” The scroll dropped onto the cobble at Twilight’s feet.

Twilight nudged the scroll with a hoof while Sunny Skies trotted briskly off down the road. “Well, that was interesting,” she said as soon as Sunny Skies was out of earshot.

“I’ll say.” Pinkie watched Sunny Skies walk into the distance. “She seemed nice.” She looked down at the scroll at Twilight’s feet. “What do you think that is, Twilight?”

Twilight picked up the scroll with her magic, unraveling it just enough to peek at the spell within. Strangely, the spell was one she’d never heard of before: Find Familiar. She let the scroll snap shut. “I’ll have to look at it more closely later,” she said, tucking it into her saddlebag.

Twilight felt uneasy. The air only carried the rhythmic clip-clopping of the duo's trotting hooves to her ears. She and Pinkie had been traveling for almost the whole day now, and the sound of chirping birds that normally accompanied them was notably absent. A crow perched on a rocky outcropping ahead, silhouetted against the sunset reddened sky. It carried something in its beak. Twilight thought she glimpsed a small piece of raw meat before the crow swallowed.

The road bent around the outcropping. As soon as Twilight could see around the bend, she stopped abruptly. Pinkie noticed the same thing Twilight did, her foreleg briefly hovering mid step when she came to a stop. In front of them, the wreckage of a merchant caravan sprawled on the side of the road. The thin frames of six formerly covered wagons stuck up like the bones of a rotted fish. The wagons held only ashes now. Twilight thought she spied a singed corpse peeking out from behind one of the wagon wheels.

“This is horrible,” Twilight murmured.

“Must have been bandits,” Pinkie commented nonchalantly.

Twilight narrowed her eyes at Pinkie. “That’s all you have to say?”

“Yep, I’m trying the hard-boiled emotionless thing you’ve got going,” Pinkie said. “Should we keep moving, or do you want to loot their bodies, too?” Pinkie gestured at the wreckage.

Twilight glowered. “If I hadn’t looked through Star Swirl’s things, we’d have nothing to go on now! We’d be no closer to answers than I was before he died.”

“Oh I get it.” Pinkie made an exaggerated frown at Twilight. “It’s more of a hard boiled grumpy thing!”

Twilight stomped angrily. Pinkie could be infuriating. “You know what? I do want to look. We need what we can get if we’re going to survive.”

“You got it, Twilight. We’ll do what we gotta!” Pinkie nodded. Twilight couldn’t be sure if Pinkie was being sincere or not.

Twilight approached the wreckage cautiously with Pinkie a few steps behind her. This time, when she approached the first corpse, nausea filled her stomach. She could see holes in the charred flesh where the pony had been struck by projectiles. To avoid losing her lunch, she decided she would focus on containers with possible goods in them instead of corpses. The last thing she wanted to see was Pinkie Pie staring at her with a righteous, smug expression while she vomited, though it occurred to her that she’d never actually seen Pinkie being either smug or righteous.

Twilight only found burned and empty boxes. Unsurprisingly, the bandits had picked the caravan clean. She was about to give up in defeat when a pony stepped out from behind one of the charred wagons. His coat was mangy, matted in places, and an ugly scar split his face from his eye to his muzzle. He wore a tattered vest of brigandine armor. He held a short blade in the corner of his mouth, and when he spoke, he spoke around it.

“Why hello there, ladies. Here to clean up after the Cloakwood Gang?” He gave an ugly chuckle. “So are we.”

Twilight turned when she heard the flapping of wings behind her. Two Griffons appeared over the top of the rocky outcropping, carrying crossbows in their talons. A pair of ponies stepped out from behind the wreckage of the carts, cutting Twilight and Pinkie off from the road. Their hoofmaces thumped on the hard ground. Twilight guessed the bandits must have secured the maces to their forelegs moments ago to sneak up on them like that. Emerging from the treeline on the opposite side, two ponies carrying rusty shortswords and wearing chainmail completed the encirclement of Twilight and Pinkie. Twilight whirled back around, looking at the first bandit fearfully.

“That's a mighty fine blade ya got there filly,” the pony wearing brigantine said while he gestured at the tip of Solstice peeking out from beneath Twilight’s traveling cloak. “If ya hand it over, we won’t be takin’ anything else from two pretty young ladies like yerselves, if ya know what I mean.” He grinned lecherously and took a firm, threatening grasp on his blade with his teeth.

Twilight fought down rising panic. A Sleep spell she’d prepared back in Candlekeep still thrummed at the edge of her consciousness. She spread her hooves, taking a firm stance. She had no intention of relinquishing the blade Star Swirl had given her. These weak-willed bandits wouldn’t know what hit them – or so she hoped.

“We need to get them to group up,” she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

“Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie Pie whispered back.

The pony wearing brigantine advanced toward them, as did his compatriots. Together, they tightened the net. He loosened his grip on the blade, shouting, “Oi, don’t you two be plannin’ any funny business. Just hand over the blade, and nobody needs to get hurt.”

“Betcha can’t catch me!” Pinkie grinned and shot off, leaving only her saddlebags behind.

It took a moment for Twilight to spot Pinkie making a beeline for the gap between the griffons. Pinkie darted between them while they stared in shock. Twilight watched in awe as Pinkie bounced up the rocks. Almost all of the surrounding bandits gave chase. They rapidly clustered up with the griffons near the base of the outcropping.

The griffons fired. One missed, but the other hit his mark. Dread filled Twilight when the metal bolt thudded into Pinkie, knocking her off balance and sending her tumbling down the rocks. She couldn’t see where Pinkie had been hit, and she couldn’t look away while Pinkie fell, her body solidly slamming into two boulders on her way down. Finally, her limp body came to rest in front of the bandits.

“Pinkie!” Twilight screamed. She’d been too slow. She knew she should have cast her spell sooner, but instead, her only friend might be dead.

“Well, that was stupid.” Twilight heard the smug voice of the pony in Brigantine beside her. “Now, I trust you won’t be trying anything stu—” He never finished.

Twilight didn’t think; she acted. Solstice flashed out from beneath her cloak, wrapped firmly in the field of her magic. Only the sharp tip of the blade nicked the pony beside her, but it was enough. Star Swirl was right, she realized. She knew what she needed to wield a blade. In shock, the pony looked down to see his lifeblood seeping out through a gash in his neck. The sword dropped from his mouth as he lost the strength to hold it. Twilight watched him collapse beside her, then turned her attention to the group of bandit’s standing over Pinkie’s motionless form.

Twilight unleashed her spell on the bandits, sending the magic through her horn. With the griffons still reloading, she knew they couldn’t stop her. They didn’t stand a chance. Most of them dropped unconscious onto the dust, but two of them managed to shake it off. They faced her, fear in their eyes. If they killed her... she thought. She advanced on them, her eyes cold and merciless. Solstice floated menacingly beside her, its tip red with blood. She would make them pay.

Twilight stopped short and stared in shock when Pinkie jumped to her feet suddenly, her hooves shooting out. Pinkie pummeled both bandits in the jaw with a quick one-two punch before they could react. While they reeled from her blows, she tripped them with her hind legs. They struggled to get back to their feet, but before they could stand, Pinkie finished the work of Twilight’s Sleep spell with two solid kicks, leaving them out cold.

“Pinkie!” Twilight cried in joy, surging forward. She let Solstice drop from her levitation as she wrapped Pinkie in a tight embrace.

Pinkie’s eyes were crossed when Twilight released her. “Ow.” Pinkie rubbed her own face with a forehoof. “Twilight, rocks are haaard.”

“You're okay!” Twilight laughed with relief. “Pinkie, wait,” she said when she saw Pinkie start to fold her hind legs.

Pinkie dropped onto her haunches. “Owwie!” She whimpered, and tears sprang to her eyes. The bolt sticking out of her rump had pushed a little deeper.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Twilight wiped away moisture clinging to her own eyelids. “Let’s get that out.”

Pinkie made an enormous fuss when Twilight cut out the barbed bolt with the sharp edge of Solstice, but fortunately kept still. With the bolt head free, Twilight placed a hoof on Pinkie’s flank to keep pressure on the wound and reached with her mouth to retrieve a healing potion for Pinkie to drink. The moment Twilight’s hoof came to rest, she felt a surge of power pass down her foreleg and into Pinkie. Twilight abruptly jerked her hoof back. The wound was gone.

“Oooh,” Pinkie turned her head to look back a Twilight. “I didn’t know you could do healing spells!”

Twilight blinked, looking at her hoof. “I can’t.”

Twilight tried to explain what had happened while she and Pinkie lashed the unconscious bandits together, relieving them of weapons and any valuables in the process. “It wasn’t a spell, Pinkie. Spells do come from within, but also from magic in Equestria and other planes that unicorns can channel through their horn. This came entirely from somewhere... inside,” she said.

“So more like a cleric or a druid then?” Pinkie mused while she checked over some of her knots. “Isn’t three classes a little much, Twilight?”

“No, not like a cleric or a druid,” Twilight said, exasperated. “A cleric gets their power from the Sun or the Moon or some other celestial body and the divine spirit associated with it, and druids get their power from nature in a similar fashion. No horn necessary.” She gestured widely at the sky and at the land around them. “Their power comes from out there.” She tapped her own chest. “Not in here.” She paused, looking at Pinkie oddly. “What was that about classes?”

“Huh?” Pinkie grunted around a piece of rope.

“Nevermind.” Twilight set back to the task of tying up the bandits, silently thanking the book Adventuring 101 for reminding her to bring at least a fifty hoof spans of rope. After a few more well-placed knots, she was certain the bandits wouldn’t be getting free anytime soon. They were all tied up hoof-to-hoof in a pretzel shape: Pinkie’s idea. Twilight almost wished they could stick around to watch the would-be bandits try to get untangled.

Twilight and Pinkie packed up and prepared to hit the road. As they left, Twilight paused to look down at the corpse of the bandit she'd killed. Dark thoughts flickered through her mind. What did it feel like when I cut open his throat? she wondered. She couldn’t remember.

Pinkie stepped up behind her, placing her hoof on Twilight’s flank comfortingly. “Are you okay, Twi?”

“I’m fine,” Twilight lied and turned away from the corpse.

Twilight groaned in frustration. “We should be there by now.” Her horn spread a pool of light ahead of them, giving them enough light to see the road. The Sun had vanished completely beneath the horizon over an hour ago, and she felt ten times as exhausted as she’d been when Star Swirl had pushed them last night.

“We’re almost there, look!” Pinkie pulled her into a headlock and pointed ahead of them with her hoof, slightly upwards.

“Pinkie, there’s nothing there—” Twilight paused and squinted when she noticed rectangles of warm firelight hovering above them in the night sky where Pinkie’s hoof pointed. With the glow of her horn in the way, she hadn't noticed the lights before. “Oh,” she said dumbly. “The inn must be up on a hill, and we’re seeing the light in the windows. It could still be miles though.”

“Nope!” Pinkie grinned, pointing lower.

“Gah!” Twilight recoiled in fear; something massive loomed over them. She felt stupid when the ‘threat’ resolved into a fortified stone wall. She took a couple steps forward, and the light of her horn illuminated an iron portcullis set into the wall. Above the gate, a painted sign read: 'Welcome to the Helping Hoof'.

“Strange inn,” Twilight muttered as she took a step onto a wooden drawbridge that spanned a dry ditch between them and the portcullis. She crossed the drawbridge, her eyes scanning the gatehouse topping the wall above them for a gatekeeper. “Hello?” she called.

“Let us in!” Pinkie wailed from beside her.

A wooden shutter on one of the gatehouse windows slammed open, and a voice called out, “Who’s making such a racket?”

“We’re weary travelers, looking for a place to stay the night,” Twilight answered.

A wrinkled old pony stuck his head out the window. “There’s no admittance after dark,” he said. “Sorry, come back in the morning.” His head whisked back into the interior of the gatehouse.

Twilight stomped furiously on the wooden drawbridge. “No admittance after dark! This is an inn! How do you even do business?”

The old pony’s head poked back out. “The Helping Hoof is doing just fine, thank you very much. But with all the bandit trouble afoot, the guests are much more comfortable if we close up after dark.”

“We’re not bandits!” Twilight shouted, fuming.

The gatekeeper harrumphed. “A likely story!”

Pinkie looked up at the gatekeeper with large, sad eyes. “Please let us in.”

The gatekeeper yielded to Pinkie’s pleading stare. “Alright, alright, I suppose I could make an exception,” he said. “But before I let you in, you have to agree to these terms: If you act out in violence against any other guest, you will be thrown out. If you attempt to kill any other guest in anything short of self defense, our guards will kill you. Do you agree?”

“Yes.” Pinkie and Twilight said in unison.

“Names and purpose?”

“Pinkie Pie,” Pinkie said.

“Midnight Shine,” Twilight lied. “And we’re here to meet some friends.”

“Fair enough, welcome to the Helping Hoof. Now let me get the gate.” They heard some muttering and grunts of exertion from the open gatehouse window, before the sound of clattering chains filled the night air. The portcullis rose slowly. When it had fully receded up into the wall, it settled onto a locking mechanism with a dull thump.

Twilight and Pinkie crossed under the arch of the gate, entering the courtyard of the Helping Hoof. Twilight sighed in relief when the portcullis fell shut behind them with a clang. Finally, they had reached a place of safety after a long and dangerous march.

“You can rent a room from the innkeep in the keep,” the gatekeeper called from behind them.

Pinkie giggled. “Innkeep in the keep!”

Twilight gazed up at the keep. Its windows housed the warm glow they’d seen from the road. It rose up multiple stories from where it stood in corner of the outer wall. Twilight noted with a hint of scorn that – unlike the free standing keep that housed Candlekeep’s library – the keep here was essentially an oversized tower, but the stone wall around them comforted her. It reminded her of home, even though the keep was wrong. Eagerly, she made her way across the courtyard toward steps that led up to the keep entrance. She knew a soft bed, a warm fire, and maybe even a bath awaited her inside.

As she approached the base of the steps, a unicorn appeared from the keep’s doorway. The sound of boisterous laughter and clattering mugs filtered out into the night air before the unicorn shut the door with his levitation. He was young, handsome even. He wore dark, wizardly robes. Twilight estimated from his appearance that he possessed some ability as a spellcaster – more than her, most likely. “Hello travelers,” he said with a warm smile. He trotted down to the bottom of the steps to meet them.

Twilight nodded to him. “Hello.” She stepped to make her way past the unicorn.

In response, he moved to block her path. “Hold on a moment, are you by any chance a friend of Star Swirl's? Twilight Sparkle maybe?”

“Nope, her name is Midnight Shine, definitely not Twilight Sparkle,” Pinkie said with a laugh. “I can understand the confusion though, she’s very sparkly.” She grabbed Twilight by her hoof and dragged her roughly past the unicorn in the dark robes. “Sorry, gotta go, better get a room and all that.”

Twilight bit her lip as Pinkie tugged her away, torn. Maybe this unicorn was the pony Star Swirl had intended to meet. However, something had Pinkie on edge. Trusting her friend’s judgement, she let Pinkie pull her up the stairs. Before they reached the top of the steps, she felt cool air brush against her flank. She glanced over her shoulder. The unicorn held the edge of her cloak with the red aura of his magic, lifting it high enough to glimpse her mark.

He grinned. “Nice try.”

The unicorn’s horn lit with a spell, and he closed his eyes in concentration. Twilight drew Solstice. She wished she could cast a quick magic missile to stop the unicorn, but with the stress of the last couple of days, the sleep spell she’d cast on the bandits was the only bit of magic she’d managed to hold onto. Solstice was all she had left. Still, if she could land a blow before he finished casting, she could break his focus. She charged down the steps, and Pinkie joined her with a shrill battlecry.

The unicorn finished his spell before they could close the gap. He conjured a dark gate at the base of the steps, and two fiends stepped out of it before it snapped shut with a crack. Pinkie and Twilight scrabbled to a stop on the wooden steps to avoid crashing into the spiny, Tartarus spawned creatures. The demons shared little in common with ponies except for their shape. Everything about them revolted Twilight, especially the spikes that stabbed grotesquely from their naked red skin. They hissed, bearing their carnivorous canines at Twilight and Pinkie.

Pinkie jumped over the railing and off the edge of the stairs. She hit the ground running. On fleet hooves, she advanced to confront the wizard, leaving Twilight to deal with the fiends on her own. One of the fiends lunged out ahead of the other. She sidestepped evenly, opening a space between her and Solstice. As the demon moved past her, she laid open its far side with the sharp edge of her blade. Caught off guard, the fiend squealed in pain and tumbled against the railing. Twilight felt a thrill run through her; she’d dealt a mortal blow to the creature.

Her elation vanished when she realized her maneuver left her exposed to the second fiend. Before she could reposition Solstice, the creature lunged forward, slamming into her. Pain blossomed in her mind as its spikes gouged her forelegs and chest. The force of the impact broke her levitation spell, and she heard Solstice clatter on the steps beside her. Now, instead of the thrill she’d felt moments ago, terror gripped her heart.

The fiend had her sprawled on her back and cornered between the wooden steps and the stone wall of the keep. It leaned in for the kill. Desperate, Twilight pushed against it with her forehooves, straining to keep it away. Its sulfurous breath stung her nostrils, and droplets of its spittle singed her coat where they landed. It slowly pressed forward, its gnashing teeth getting closer to ripping out her throat with each passing moment.

Twilight flicked her eyes to where Solstice lay beside her. Before the fiend could kill her, Twilight snatched up the blade. She stabbed the sword into the side of the fiend’s head. She didn’t stop pushing with her magic until she heard the dull thunk of Solstice’s hilt hitting bone. A sense of relief filled her when demon went limp. Sizzling with heat, fiend’s black blood seeped out from where her sword protruded from its skull. Before the blood could fall and burn her, Twilight threw the corpse aside, Solstice still lodged firmly in its skull.

With the second fiend out of the way, Twilight focused on the wizard. She saw four copies of the unicorn smirking up at her from the base of the steps. A mirror image spell, she realized. They pointed their horns at her in triumph. Twilight watched as Pinkie attempted to land a blow, but instead of connecting with the wizard, her hoof evaporated one of the images. Electricity surged down the length of their horns toward her. His next spell was nearly complete.

Twilight closed her eyes. With Solstice stuck in the fiend's head, she was out of options. It was over. In an instant, mage lightning would course through her body, stopping her heart and leaving her a burned corpse on the steps. She heard the door at the top of the stairs slam open, but it sounded like it was worlds away from her. “I’m sorry,” she breathed, hoping that somewhere Starswirl’s spirit would hear her last apology. He had sacrificed himself, and she had already failed.

Death never came to Twilight. Instead, something whizzed past her head with tremendous force. She opened her eyes just in time to see the spiked tip of a golden chain strike true, impaling the wizard in the dark robes. The remaining two images collapsed, and he stood there for a moment while the life left his eyes. As the body fell, the chain clattered back up the steps from whence it came.

Twilight turned to look. Above her stood an earth pony with an orange coat and a straw blonde mane and tail. The firelight from within the doorway illuminated one side of her face, but left the opposite side shrouded in shadow. The pony expertly wrapped the golden chain around her tail.

“Demon calling scum,” the pony said as she spat over the railing.

Twilight stumbled to her feet, the cuts on her forelegs and chest burning. Her sticky red blood matted her fur. With a sense of satisfaction, she watched the two corpses of the fiends she’d killed slowly evaporate as their spirits returned to Tartarus.

“Woah, you don’t look so good,” the newcomer said as she approached. Her voice carried a rough country drawl.

Twilight started to limp up the stairs. “I’m fine,” she said.

The newcomer spun her around with deft hooves, pointing her back down the stairs. “The shrine is back down. You need to see a cleric.”

Twilight caught a pink blur out of the corner of her eye. An instant later, Pinkie had her forelegs wrapped around the newcomer’s neck affectionately. “You saved her!” she squealed, squeezing.

“Choking,” the orange pony coughed.

Pinkie released her. “Sorry.”

“I don’t need a cleric,” Twilight grumbled. She pulled a healing potion out of her bag and prepared to drink it. “I've got these.”

“Drinking that won’t do ya much good.” The orange pony eyed her up and down. “Them fiends have a bit of venom in their spines that obstructs healing. You’ll need those cuts cleaned with a bit of blessed water, or more powerful healing magic than what's in those potions.”

“Right.” Twilight returned the potion to her bag. She knew that; she’d read all about fiends and numerous other demons in a book. She chalked the lapse up to exhaustion. “Where is the shrine then?”

“I’ll walk you over,” the orange pony said.

Twilight made it across the courtyard by leaning on Pinkie. By then, a few uniformed guards had noticed the corpse at the bottom of the stairs and come down off the walls and towers of the inn. They watched the trio, no doubt attempting to determine the correct course of action.

“Here we are,” the orange pony announced. She ducked into the doorway of a small stone building nestled in a corner where the rectangular keep met the outer wall. Two burning torches flanked the door, illuminating a stylized brass sun that hung above. Twilight and Pinkie followed her inside.

A small basin of glowing water lit the interior of the shrine with a warm white light. Beyond it, a mint green unicorn drooled on a stone altar inscribed with an image of the Sun. Her snores filled the small space as she blissfully snoozed. “Hey, Lyra, you awake?” the orange pony said quietly.

Lyra jumped up, blinking sleep from her eyes. “Huh, what? I’m awake!” she sputtered. She wiped drool off the corner of her mouth with a forehoof. Then her eyes settled on Twilight. “You don’t look so good.”

“So I’ve been told,” Twilight said. “Can you help me?”

“She’s been in a tussle with a fiend,” the orange pony explained.

“A fiend? Here? How did that happen?” Lyra asked as she led Twilight over to the basin.

Before Twilight could tell her the story, a guard stallion barged into the shrine. Twilight noticed that he wore a uniquely patterned uniform. He probably held a position of rank in the guard here. “Miss Applejack, can you explain the violent death of the pony Tarn Inkstroke?” he said with authority.

Applejack faced the guardspony down, her eyes smoldering. “I can, and I will.” She pointed at Twilight with a hoof. “This mare was accosted by a fiend summoning sorcerer who would’ve taken her life had I not intervened.”

“I don’t think he was a sorcerer,” Twilight interrupted automatically. Her mind felt cloudy. “He seemed to cast more like a wizard, drawing on rigorous study and magical knowledge rather than intuitive power. I guess he might have been a sorcerer though... it can be tough to tell them apart,” she rambled.

Applejack advanced on the guardspony and talked over Twilight’s muttering. “I killed him, and I wouldn't have needed to if you’d been better at doing your job.” She punctuated her final sentence by prodding the guardspony in the chest.

“I understand, Miss Applejack. Thank you for your statement.” He backed down, retreating halfway out the door. “But as you surely understand I have to explore all avenues of possibility. I don’t believe anyone saw the start of the fight, and these newcomers are completely unknown to us.”

“It was self defense!” Pinkie interjected, glaring at the guardspony.

“You don’t believe me? Why don’t you get Lyra to question the body?” Applejack challenged. “In fact, I demand it! I want to know what kind of a beef the fiend-summoner had with with these two travelers.”

“Oh no.” Lyra shook her head. “I hate doing that,” she muttered as she removed Twilight’s saddle bags and cloak. She situated Twilight next to the basin.

Applejack pushed past the guardspony and out into the courtyard. “In fact, I’ll even carry him over for you.”

“That won’t be necessary, Applejack! The guard can handle this!” the guardspony blustered, his voice fading as he chased Applejack out.

“Good, now I can get some quiet while I work,” Lyra grumbled as she started to clean Twilight’s wounds with water from the basin.

Twilight murred at the pleasant feeling of the warm water cleaning the sting from the gashes. She relaxed on her back next to the basin with her legs sticking up in the air where Lyra could access them easily. Her eyes slid shut.

Twilight started awake when Applejack dumped the body of the dead unicorn on the altar behind her, the guardspony trailing close behind her. Twilight noticed that she didn’t feel any pain, and her forelegs looked like they’d never been injured. She picked herself up off the floor to watch as Lyra stood over the corpse.

“The power of the Sun compels you to speak, corpse!” Lyra chanted, her eyes lighting with a golden glow. The eyes of the corpse filled with the same golden light, and Lyra went rigid.

The corpse spoke. It was not the voice of Tarn that left the corpse’s lips, but the voice of Lyra.

“I am compelled to answer.”

“Why did you try an’ kill this Twilight pony?” Applejack blurted before the guardspony could pose a question to the corpse.

“I was ordered to wait here and watch for Star Swirl and his ward.” Twilight saw Applejack grow more alert and intent when the corpse mentioned Star Swirl. Applejack peered at her while the corpse finished answering the question. “If I saw them traveling the road or at the inn, I was to inform the Black Knight. But I found Twilight Sparkle! On her own! I knew if I succeeded, I would be rewarded!”

Twilight shivered when Tarn mentioned the Black Knight. That must be what the armored pony who killed Star Swirl called himself. She wondered if he had a real name.

“Hey! She wasn't alone. I was there!” Pinkie said from the corner of the room.

Applejack held up a hoof to shush the guardspony before he could ask the next question. “Whose orders were you acting on?”

“I was acting on the orders of Hay Brittle.”

“Where is Hay Brittle?” Applejack said.

“I don’t know.”

“What are Hay Brittle’s responsibilities?” Applejack pressed.

“He is coordinator of the Appleloosan Mines project.”

The glow faded, and Lyra gasped in a breath. “That's all, no more of that.” Lyra shook her head. “Euagh.”

“Thank ya kindly, Lyra.” Applejack inclined her head to the cleric. “You were very helpful.”

“Yeah yeah,” Lyra grumbled. “Now thank me by getting this corpse out my shrine. You’re lucky I owe your Granny a favor or else you’d owe me a couple hundred bits for all this trouble.”

Applejack chuckled lightly as she hefted the corpse onto her back. “You got that right.” She adjusted the corpse so that its limp limbs fell around her torso and looked at Twilight. “So you’re Star Swirl’s ward. That explains a lot. Come with me up to the keep. I know someone who would like to speak with you. I just have to drop this body off with the guard before we go.”

Twilight nodded. Perhaps she’d finally found the friend Star Swirl intended to meet.

Ponies and a couple other creatures sat around circular tables on the main level of the inn within the keep. They swapped stories over mugs full of cider. It was crowded, despite, or perhaps because of, the late hour. Barmaids nimbly navigated the chaos, serving drinks and collecting bits. Applejack guided Twilight and Pinkie to a table where a wrinkled, old, green mare with white hair and a big, red stallion sat.

Twilight slumped wearily into an offered chair. The smell of stew in large pot in the middle of the table woke her up a little bit, and her mouth started to water at the thought of a warm meal. Pinkie’s stomach growled beside her. “Big Mac, why doncha serve these two mares some supper?” the old mare spoke, her voice creaking.

The big red stallion nodded, then ladled both Twilight and Pinkie a heaping bowlful of hearty potato and vegetable stew. They both dug in eagerly. Twilight opted to simply eat out of her bowl like Pinkie was, instead of investing energy in levitating a spoon.

“This is Twilight Sparkle,” Applejack introduced her. “Twilight, this is Granny Smith, and Big Macintosh. An’ I’m Applejack. We’re of the Apple Clan.”

Twilight lifted her head out of the bowl and swallowed. She stared at Granny Smith in shock. “You killed the Lich Mortimer who held the forests east of here in shadow!” Twilight cringed at her own outburst. “Well, you and Star Swirl, and the rest of your group.”

Granny Smith chuckled. “Thats right lassie. That was over a century ago though. I’m a family mare now, I’ve got the Apple Clan to look after. My adventuring days are long behind me.”

“So were Star Swirl’s,” Twilight murmured morosely, laying her head on the table.

“I’m afraid I’ve gotta ask, Twilight, do you know where Star Swirl is?” Granny said.

“He’s dead,” Twilight said, focusing on the grain of the table. A now-familiar dull throb returned to her chest. “A pony that I believe calls himself the Black Knight killed him.” She closed her eyes tightly while she struggled to hold back tears. “He died to save me.”

Granny hung her head. “I can’t say it surprises me to hear that.” She heaved a weathered sigh. “If Star Swirl were still with us, I knew he’d be with you. The world ain’t kind to old do-gooders like him an’ me.” She reached over with a hoof and patted Twilight’s head. “I wish I could do more for you. I’m sure you want to get to the bottom of this. What I can do is send my granddaughter Jackie with ya. She’ll keep you safe.”

Twilight sniffled and opened her eyes to look across the table at Granny Smith, grateful for her kindness. “Thank you.”

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Editor: Extravagaunte
Editor: The Music Man

Ponyville

Ponyville

The gates of Candlekeep were open wide to Twilight. She floated back into the confines of her library home. A weight lifted off her soul now that her short adventure was over. The gardens whispered around her, their sound filling the space with color as she approached the doors to the library-keep. A figure opened the doors ahead, shattering Twilight’s bliss.

It was the figure in armor. The Black Knight was here, in Candlekeep. Twilight screamed and tried to run, but everywhere she turned he stood before her in the open doorway. The world forced her to watch as the residents of Candlekeep stepped up to him one by one. “Stand aside, and I can spare you,” the figure said to each in turn.

The residents only had one answer. “I will not allow you to harm Twilight Sparkle,” they said, the voice of Star Swirl on their lips. One by one, the Black Knight addressed them as he had Star Swirl, received their answer, and beheaded them with his cruel shield. The Keeper of the Tomes, Chancellor. Mr. and Mrs. Cake. The guard captain Thunderfoot. A kindly old sage who had once helped her when she was lost, but whose name eluded her. Each face became a head in a growing ocean of blood.

Finally, when no one else remained, Star Swirl stood before the Black Knight. “Stand aside, and I can spare you.”

“I will not allow you to harm Twilight Sparkle.”

As the shield bit into Star Swirl’s neck, Twilight drowned in helplessness. Star Swirl’s head rolled in the dust.

Something reared its head within her, shattering her cage of despair. Her hatred came ablaze and lashed out. Black tendrils tore away the Black Knight’s invincibility until he was left naked and weak. A jagged, cruel ebon blade materialized before her. It floated a hairsbreadth from the exposed chest of the Black Knight. It waited for her to drive it home.

Taking hold of the blade, Twilight embraced her revenge, but for a moment, she hesitated. As much as she wanted the Black Knight’s life, she knew she wanted answers more. “Why!” she cried, searching the Black Knight’s shadowed features for any sign of the truth. Before she could end him for his silence, two orange pulses of light filled her mind.

A voice in the darkness screamed in rage.

The sound of two knocks on the door chased away Twilight’s nightmare. She shot up, panting, covered in perspiration. She winced when her horn struck the frame of a second bunk above her. The impact rattled her skull, starting a morning headache.

Applejack’s voice called through the door, “If you two are alive in there, breakfast is gonna be served downstairs in about thirty minutes. There’s some hot bathwater in the tub on this floor if you want to wash up.”

Twilight settled back onto her warm pillow, loathe to leave the comforts of the linen sheets. She could tell from the light slanting through the small, square window of the room that it was well into morning. “Thanks, Applejack,” she called back. Her stomach felt empty, but leaving the soft bed would be challenging.

“Breakfast? I’m starving!” Pinkie announced as she bounded out of the top bunk. “See ya in the bath, Twi!”

“Uh... I’ll—” The door slammed shut before Twilight could finish. Pinkie was already gone. Twilight sighed, closing her eyes. Immediately, the dream plagued her thoughts. Her head throbbed. Rather than confront phantasms of Star Swirl’s severed head floating in her imagination, she gathered her resolve and dragged herself out of bed, if only to supply something else to occupy her mind.

As soon as her hooves were supporting her weight, Twilight winced. Her sore leg muscles protested every movement. Magical healing and a good night’s rest could only take the edge off the strain her unprepared body had been under since she left Candlekeep. After spending a couple minutes on stretches she’d learned from a book in the library she found pain from her sore muscles tolerable.

Twilight reached out with her magic to the door out of the room, but she hesitated when her eyes caught the curved blade of Solstice leaning up against her bunk. She considered bringing the blade with her for protection, then decided against it. Without any saddlebags or cloak to tuck it into, carrying the sword she’d killed a pony with around the inn like an over-sized kitchen knife would be awkward to say the least. As soon as she prepared spells, she could protect herself with those if somehow another assassin lurked in the Helping Hoof.

Twilight left the room and hurried across the common room, hoping that the bathwater was still hot. She noticed steam wafting over a flimsy looking dividing wall and bee-lined for it. Beyond the wall, she found Pinkie luxuriously soaking in a giant wooden tub, along with a few other late risers. Eagerly, Twilight slipped into the soapy steaming water. She sighed happily as she sank up to her neck in the tub.

“This is – hooves down – the best bath I’ve ever had,” she said.

Pinkie nodded beside her. “You got that right, Twilight.”

Twilight started to prepare spells while she relaxed in the bath. Whether she liked it or not, her apprenticeship was over, and she attempted to prepare spells more complex than she’d ever cast before. In a couple of minutes, the paranoid, ignorant guests they shared the tub with had left, driven off by her wizardry.

Twilight considered a moment, then scaled back her judgement. Most ponies, even unicorns, lacked understanding of advanced magic. She supposed that if she heard a unicorn mutter ‘ley lines,’ ‘planar rifts,’ and ‘fireball’ under their breath while their horn was glowing, she’d get nervous too.

Conveniently, she felt Solstice’s presence while she prepared spells. It lingered on the edge of her mind, ready to accept part of the burden of holding onto the prepared magic until the proper moment. However, as soon as she placed spells within it, she couldn’t feel them anymore. She guessed that in order to unleash magic stored within Solstice she’d have to actually be close to the weapon, possibly wielding it with her levitation.

She finished preparing the last spell she considered herself capable of maintaining for the rest of the day. She felt surprised at how easy preparing the more complicated spells had been. Back in the library, she preferred theory and tended to avoid more advanced practice. Now, she needed those spells, whether she believed she was ready or not.

“You know what would make it better?” Pinkie said.

“Make what better?” Twilight asked.

“Cucumber slices!” Pinkie said.

Twilight blinked in confusion. “What?”

“Cucumber slices would make this bath so much better,” Pinkie finally elaborated.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You don’t need to put cucumber slices on your eyes.”

Pinkie quirked her eyebrows at Twilight. “Why would I do that?”

“I dunno, isn’t that what ponies do at Spas?” Twilight said. Now they were both puzzled.

“What’s a Spa?” Pinkie said.

“Enough!” Twilight yelled and jumped out of the tub, splashing water onto the floor. She cursed Pinkie under her breath for not reading the same books about upper class city living that she had. “Let's go get some breakfast.”

“Good, because I just wanted to eat some cucumbers,” Pinkie said matter-of-factly. Twilight facehooved.

Twilight sat next to Pinkie on the main floor of the inn. The scroll that Sunny Skies had given her lay open next to her empty bowl. Beside her, Pinkie noisily slurped up her third serving of oatmeal. Twilight ignored Pinkie’s messy eating and focused on the scroll. The spell seemed to be entirely innocuous, except for one small detail: it involved binding her essence to some extraplanar creature. No, that’s not right, she realized. She read over the runes again. Apparently, the Find Familiar spell drew on an existing bond. Where did that bond come from?

The sound of something clattering on the table distracted Twilight. She looked up. Applejack stood over their table, and she had dropped a ring onto it. When the ring came to rest facing Twilight, she saw a rounded, red stone resting in the setting of the simple gold band. “What is it?” She leaned in closer to inspect the ring.

“It’s a horn ring the sorcerer wore. You being a wizard taught by Star Swirl and all, I figured you could use it,” Applejack told her.

“Not a sorcerer,” Twilight corrected Applejack, who gave her a blank look in return.

Applejack ignored Twilight’s interruption. “Anyways, its not cursed or anything. I checked.”

Twilight levitated the band over, peering at it more closely. “Are you sure?” She considered taking the time to identify the full properties of the item using a spell.

“I’m a hundred percent positive, and Granny told me to protect you. I’m not gonna let you down by passing you a cursed ring. Trust me.”

Applejack radiated a sincere confidence that Twilight could not deny. After all, the earth pony had saved her life. She twirled the ring once in her levitation, then slipped it onto her horn. The thin band easily slid down to the base of her horn, settling into her mane. Her head throbbed painfully as a tingle flowed through her mind. The feeling passed when the tingle resolved into a focused clarity.

“Whatsit do?” Pinkie said as she licked up the last of her current bowl.

Twilight tilted her head noncommittally. “Something with magic, I guess. I’ll find out when I cast a spell.”

Applejack pulled up a chair and settled into it, seating herself across from Twilight. Twilight noticed Applejack didn’t have the same qualms about carrying a weapon around the inn. Her chain remained wrapped around her tail. Twilight also noticed that Applejack wore a Stetson almost perpetually. Something red glinted on the hat, sewn into the crease between the crown and the brim. It looked like the scale of a ruby colored lizard.

“So, where are we headed?” Applejack said.

“I think we should go to Appleloosa and look for this ‘Hay Brittle.’ He might know who wants me dead. I have a feeling the Black Knight left Candlekeep alone as soon as he realized I wasn’t there, but if I ever want to go back home, I need to resolve this. I don’t want anyone else to die trying to protect me,” Twilight said.

Applejack nodded. “I know the road to Appleloosa, and I can take you there. Its an Apple town after all, even if they’re part of the Empire now.”

“I thought the Empire only controlled the lands around Canterlot?” Twilight said.

“That's all they used to control, but a while back the Appleloosans appealed for help. Apparently, they had some issues with the local races out on the frontier. Manehattan ignored them, but the Empire sent soldiers,” Applejack explained. “Anyways, they’re Empire now. And lately, I keep hearing about funny business with their iron, so its not surprising that the Tarn feller mentioned the mines.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What sort of funny business?”

Applejack shrugged. “Dunno. I just hear rumors. We could swing by Ponyville. It’s nearby, and I know a blacksmith there who might know more.”

“Wow, the world outside of Candlekeep sure is full of strange stuff,” Pinkie interjected. “How about the bandits? Are they normal?”

“The bandits? Sorta, the Coast Road has always been a bit dangerous, but less risky than braving the pirates and the sea beasts out on the water. Now, it seems like trade can barely get through. Even travelers are holed up here instead of finishing their journey. They’re all waiting for it to blow over.” Applejack gestured at the full tables of the inn. “With this crowd, you're lucky that Bon-Bon had an open room. Demand is so high that she’s been charging double, but she’s probably not gonna charge you a single bit on account of Granny giving her this place.”

Twilight blinked at Applejack. “Granny Smith gave her this castle?” When the innkeeper, Bon-Bon, didn’t charge her for their room last night, she’d assumed she’d be paying when they left.

Applejack nodded. “Yup, this place used to be a bastion against the Deadwood, but when Granny killed the Lich, the Order paladins who defended it didn’t have much left to do. They gave the place to Granny and her group for ridding the world of such an evil. None of ‘em had much use for it, so Granny gave it to Bon-Bon to run after she finished founding Ponyville. Since it’s kept in good maintenance, and the inn pays for the guards, if Ponyville were ever attacked the population could hole up in the Helping Hoof until the danger passed.”

Twilight stood up from the table and collected her scroll. “Well, Ponyville it is then. We’ll see what we can find out there.”

The trio assembled at the gates of the Helping Hoof, kitted, resupplied, and ready to go. Of the three, only Applejack wore armor. Chainmail covered most of her body. Steel plates covered her shoulders, back, flanks, and the front of her forelegs for added protection. A single plate with a ragged gash torn partially through the steel sat beneath her hat, covering her forehead and between her eyes.

Applejack’s armor reminded Twilight that she’d forgotten to prepare a Mage Armor spell. The plates that the earth pony wore provided better protection than any ethereal conjured armor, but the mage armor had the advantage of not obstructing her spellcasting. She decided to cast the spell unprepared, rather than be vulnerable out on the road.

The Mage Armor spell came together within ten seconds when it should have taken more than a minute; the clarity she felt from Tarn’s horn ring greatly expedited the process of shaping raw magic. So that’s what the ring does, she thought.

“I’d better cast this before we go,” Twilight said, levitating out her scroll.

Applejack peered at the scroll. “What’s it do?”

“I don’t know. A friend of Star Swirl’s gave it to me. It doesn’t do anything bad,” Twilight said.

“How can you cast a spell if you don’t even know what it does?” Applejack said.

“It’s held by the scroll. All I have to do is the last bit, then the scroll will be consumed,” Twilight explained. “Here goes.”

Twilight opened the scroll and spoke the incantation. The magic took hold of her, pulsing through her horn. Her body fell to the ground. Her mind ventured out beyond its confines.

Twilight felt the spell come together, flickering into being like a lit candle. Two strings in the darkness held together by a single thread intertwined. Her mind wandered a bridge between planes, where, in the middle of it, she found a kindred spirit: an entity wholly different from herself, yet with familiarity, like she’d known him her entire life. She saw the sun. A sensitive part of her soul burned in its light, forcing her to turn away, and then only black remained.

When Twilight opened her eyes, she lay where she’d been standing, and a small green and purple lizard stood with its back to her. It held itself up on its stubby rear legs in a bipedal stance. “Back! Back!” he shouted as Applejack advanced toward her prone form, his voice childlike, but male. He brandished the Solstice awkwardly, struggling to hold it high enough to keep Applejack at bay.

The armored Applejack loomed over him. “We’re trying to help her, you varmint!” Applejack yelled and stomped her hooves angrily.

“Surprise!” Pinkie giggled from Twilight’s opposite side. The lizard yelped, spinning around to face the second pony behind him. He nearly cut himself with Solstice as he turned.

Twilight lifted Solstice into the air before the little guy had an accident. The lizard dangled from the handle like a ripe purple pear. She picked herself up and shook her head clear of the effects of the spell.

She eyed the lizard. “Let go,” she ordered.

“No, I’ve got to protect you!” he protested.

Twilight jiggled Solstice with her levitation until the lizard lost his grip. He hit the ground with a plop. She stood over him. “They are not a threat. Who, and what, are you?” she said.

He clambered back to his feet and extended a claw toward her. “I’m Spike! I’m your familiar.”

Twilight sheathed Solstice and placed her hoof in his claw. “I’m Twilight Sparkle. What’s a familiar?”

Spike shook Twilight's hoof as firmly as he could. “I’m not sure, but I know where you can find out. Hold on a sec,” he said.

He released her hoof and turned his head away from her. Twilight recoiled when he coughed up an eruption of green fire, but her surprise turned to curiosity when a book materialized in the flames, entitled: Celestial Familiars: A Guidebook. He caught it with his claws before it hit the ground and presented it to her. She took the book, opening it.

“Are you a building?” Pinkie suspiciously inspected Spike. “Libraries are usually big buildings.”

“No.” He giggled as Pinkie investigated one of his ears. “I’ve got a direct line to the Celestial Library though. I can transport any book here!”

Twilight stopped looking for information in the pages, and her eyes widened in shock. “Any book?” she confirmed. “As in: Any book ever written?”

Spike nodded proudly. “Yep!” His expression fell. “Well, so long as its not restricted. And some newer books have yet to be added to the archives. And I can only retrieve so many before I get tired.”

He made a comical little squeak when Twilight hugged him. She squeezed him tightly with a foreleg while she levitated the book off to the side. “Where have you been all my life?” She laughed and let him go. “That’s amazing!”

Spike beamed with satisfaction. “Yep, I’m pretty amazing.” He stroked the green spines on top of his head. “It’s no biggy, but I can also send messages straight to Celestia herself,” he boasted casually.

That claim made Twilight quirk an eyebrow at Spike. It wasn’t unheard of for an extraplanar creature to have powers, but the ability to communicate directly with a goddess would be quite unique. She flipped through the book, stopping at a useful segment. She read it out loud, before both Pinkie and Applejack could decide to cram in and read over her shoulder.

“Some spellcasters are blessed from birth with a Celestial familiar. A thread of destiny forged from the Sun itself connects them. If they are true of heart, these individuals can summon their familiar from the Celestial Plane with the spell Find Familiar. The familiar will become a permanent companion. A familiar will never betray their master and will do everything in their power to assist their master. However, a familiar is not suited to combat and should danger arise they will typically retreat back to the Celestial Plane. Should they die, their master’s soul will suffer a permanent and terrible scar. They can return at will when the danger has passed.”

Twilight flipped ahead, looking for more information. “Ah, here we are,” she announced when she found an illustration that resembled Spike. She began to read again.

“Fey Dragon. Fey dragons are small lizard-like creatures that resemble their draconic namesake. Fey dragons have unique dragonfire that allows them to transport written works between the Celestial and the Material planes, though they cannot transport any inherently magical object, such as spell scrolls, except in rare circumstances.”

“It doesn’t say anything about sending messages directly to Celestia,” Applejack said, scoffing at Spike.

“Yeah, but I’m special! She told me so,” Spike protested. “I can prove it. Do you have some parchment? And something to write with?”

Twilight levitated a charcoal stick and a page of parchment out of her saddlebag and offered them to Spike. He took them gleefully. “Alright, what do you want me to write?” he said, charcoal poised.

“Dear Princess Celestia,” Applejack began sarcastically, “Your lizard here is tooting his own horn a bit loud. If you’re actually reading this, and the lizard in question is not a bag of hot air, please reply at your earliest convenience. Sincerely, Applejack,” she dictated.

Spike scribbled away at the parchment. Twilight noted his penmanship was excellent, but ‘convenyence’ was a rather glaring spelling error. He rolled up the note dexterously and promptly incinerated it in a gout of flame. Applejack watched him expectantly. “It... might be a little bit.” He rocked on his feet awkwardly.

“Till then, you’re a windbag,” Applejack said with a snort. “We’d better hit the road.”

They trotted out the gate, Spike hurrying to keep up. Applejack paused when they heard Granny’s voice calling from the gate, “Jackie, you keep Twilight safe, y'hear!”

“You got it, Granny! I’ll see you back at the farm before ya know it!” Applejack yelled over her shoulder before turning back to the road ahead.

“Alright, that's it. I’m not carrying you anymore!” Twilight said, glaring back at where Spike perched on her hindquarters. It was nearly noon now, and they’d been traveling for over an hour. It turned out ‘swinging by’ Ponyville meant a four hour march.

“But my feet are so tired...” Spike complained.

“So are mine. Go back to the Celestial Plane! You can do that whenever you want, can’t you?” Twilight said.

“Yeah, but its so boooring there!” Spike whined.

“You are leaving, or you are walking!” Twilight ordered. “You can come back here when we get to Ponyville.”

Spike’s eyes widened, and he poofed into green flame. Twilight humphed with satisfaction. “Good. He finally learned to listen.”

“Uh, Twi, maybe you should get ready for a fight,” Applejack said.

“With what? There’s no one around.” She continued to trot as she scanned both sides of the tree-lined road. She’d passed Applejack and Pinkie, both of whom had taken up a guarded stance, flanking each other on the road. She looked forward, and there before her towered an ogre. “Oh...” she said. She nearly planted her face in his chest before she could stop. “He’s big...” she marveled as she looked up at his angry face.

“I AM WOMAN!” The ogre roared, dousing Twilight’s face in a deluge of spittle. He reared up in front of her. Judging by the shrunken thing that dangled between his legs, he was most definitely not ‘woman’, she noted with disgust. He kicked his forelegs in the air, and the chains wrapping them clattered ominously.

Twilight rolled just in time to avoid a direct blow from his smashing forehooves as they plunged back down out of the rearing motion. Her invisible mage armor lit momentarily as the chains glanced off it. She tumbled across the road from the force of the blow and slid uncontrolled into the muddy ditch beside it. “Twilight!” she heard both Applejack and Pinkie cry as she fell.

The lip of the ditch where Twilight had fallen hid the ogre from sight. His heavy steps thudded toward her. Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline taking full hold of her body as her mind caught up with the danger of her situation. She reached for Solstice with her magic. The blade failed to respond. She wriggled in the mud, starting to panic. When she fell, her back had buried deep into a crevasse at the bottom of the ditch, simultaneously trapping the blade and preventing her from rolling off it.

Twilight heard the characteristic hiss of Applejack’s chain streaking through the air. An instant later, the ogre grunted in pain, but even as the chain clattered back, he kept moving. Twilight whinnied in terror. Solstice still wouldn’t budge. Desperate, she closed her eyes and focused inward in an attempt to save herself with a spell, but as she began to cast, muck oozed into her nostrils and shattered her concentration. The spell fizzled pathetically on her horn while she snorted out the mud.

Twilight opened her eyes when warm liquid splashed her underbelly. The ogre loomed over her, his blood dribbling down from a deep wound in his shoulder. She saw Pinkie leap onto his back and wrap her forelegs around his neck. He kept his chin down to prevent Pinkie from getting a chokehold and bucked her off his back with tremendous force. Pinkie lost her grip and sailed over the trench. The ogre planted his hooves on the edge of the road, raising one of them up above Twilight. An instant before the ogre’s deadly blow fell on her, Solstice pulled free.

She positioned the blade between herself and the ogre’s earth shattering punch at the final moment.

The edge of Solstice caught the chains wrapping the ogre’s hoof. Muck splattered her cheek when the deflected hoof plunged into the mud beside her head. She couldn’t feel Solstice; the ogre’s blow had knocked it from her grip. Half in the ditch now, the ogre pulled back his second hoof, ready to pummel her to death. She had nothing to parry with this time, but before the second blow could fall, a cerulean blue blur flashed by. Twilight blinked when a gust of wind hit her face. A rainbow afterimage clung to her retinas.

The ogre no longer loomed above her. He had been knocked onto his belly in the ditch. A deep gash ran from his formerly uninjured shoulder to his hindquarters. His guts oozed out into the trench from the open slit in the side of his abdomen while he dragged himself toward her with single-minded purpose. Eyes bloodshot, he stared at her in blind rage.

Twilight frantically cast about with her magic for Solstice. Within a second, she found the blade buried point first in the mud dangerously close to her head. She drew it free. When she returned her focus to the gasping ogre dragging his broken body toward her, Applejack stood over them both. Without a moment’s hesitation, she loosed the chain on her tail and bucked the spike at the end cleanly through the ogre’s skull. The fury in his eyes vanished, but even in death they stared forward.

Twilight gazed up at Applejack with silent thanks. Applejack gave her a tiny but firm nod in return.

“Hey! You stole my kill!” an unfamiliar voice yelled.

Pinkie reached down a hoof to help her out of the trench. Twilight took it gratefully. “Maybe you should have finished him then, so that he would stop trying to kill my friend!” Applejack shouted back at the unknown speaker.

“What? He was down in the ditch, completely helpless. I had him!” the voice said indignantly, closer now. Twilight recognized it as female, though it carried a rough edge.

The mud sucked at Twilight’s back, but with Pinkie’s help, she finally came free. She dragged herself out of the ditch, covered in a thick coat of mud. “So much for that bath,” she muttered to herself. “Can’t I go a day without almost dying out here?” she said with a relieved, mirthless chuckle.

On the road, she saw a cerulean blue pegasus with a uniquely patterned rainbow mane and tail standing across from Applejack. Narrow metal blades covered the leading edges of her wings, protruding out to the tips of her primary feathers. Twilight noticed the pegasus holding her left wing like it had been injured, and fresh blood spattered it.

“Woah, someone was down there?” the pegasus marveled. She leaned around Applejack to get a better look at Twilight. “Did I just save your life?”

“Yeah, I guess you did,” Twilight replied. She set Solstice down on the road and started attempting to sweep the mud out of her coat and mane with her magic.

“Awesome!” The pegasus pumped her hoof into the air. “I just saved somepony’s life!”

“So you attacked that ogre for no reason?” Pinkie said, looking down at the body in the ditch.

“What can I say, I hate big brutish bullies like him. What was I supposed to do, let him finish whatever he was doing in the ditch then come after you two?” the pegasus said.

“Naw, you did right,” Applejack said. “Ogres, however unfortunate their condition, are twisted creatures. I’m Applejack, by the way.” She offered her hoof to the pegasus. “Of the Apple Clan.”

“Rainbow Dash,” Rainbow said as she planted her hoof against Applejack’s, “fastest wingblade out of my village near Cloudsdale.” If her mark, a tri-colored lightning bolt descending from a cloud, was any indication, she might be right. “Hold on a sec.”

Rainbow flexed her wings. She winced as she took to the air, essentially limping on her injured wing, but still managing to fly. She collected a small cloud, pushing it through the air with her forehooves and positioning it over Twilight. Before Twilight could protest, Rainbow dumped a deluge of water on her head by bouncing on the cloud. A few seconds later, the empty cloud dissipated. Twilight glared up at Rainbow from where she sat shivering in a puddle of mud.

Rainbow settled back to the ground. When she landed, she shrank a little beneath Twilight’s unamused stare. “Sorry. At least you’re clean right? I’d dry you off, but I think I sprained my wing.” She flexed her wing again, and a painful groan escaped her lips. “I guess hitting things that big that fast isn’t always a good idea.”

“Hey Twilight, look at this! It looks magic!” Pinkie pulled a thick leather belt out of the ditch. “The ogre was wearing it.” She started to wrap the belt around her waist with her mouth.

“Wait, Pinkie, don’t put that on! We don’t know what it does,” Twilight warned.

“Aww.” Pinkie slumped dejectedly with the belt loosely draped over her back. “You got to put on the ring.”

“Yeah, but I knew it wasn’t cursed,” Twilight said as she levitated the belt away from Pinkie. Magical runes were pressed into softer inside of the belt. “What do you think?” she asked Applejack.

“Dunno,” Applejack said while she inspected the belt from beside Twilight. “It looks a bit more complicated than the ring.”

“I’ll have to use a spell,” Twilight decided. She focused. Casting an unprepared identification spell took a bit longer than the armor spell, about thirty seconds. The ring helped, just not as much.

While Twilight worked, she heard Applejack strike up a conversation with Rainbow. “So what brings you down here? I don’t see many Cloudsdale Pegasi that aren’t Flaming Wing mercenaries on the ground.”

“I’m looking for a friend,” Rainbow told Applejack. “She fell. I think someone took her. Have you seen a creamy yellow pegasus with a pink mane anywhere?”

Applejack chuckled. “How in Equestria did a pegasus manage to fall?”

Rainbow bristled. “She’s not a strong flier!”

“Alright, alright,” Applejack said. “How long ago did she fall? Do you think she’s near here?”

“She fell into Whitetail Wood, near Ponyville. She’s pegasus gifted with druidic magic, which is pretty rare.” Rainbow puffed out her chest proudly. “I was sent to find her because I was the fastest.” She paused, then pleaded, “I have to find her, and... she’s my friend.”

“‘Nuff said.” Applejack nodded sagely. “I know a lot of folks ‘round Ponyville. We could help you look. Its up to Twilight though. We’re sorta in the middle of something.”

Twilight finished her spell. Her eyes widened. “That explains a lot...”

“What? Whatsit do?” Pinkie vibrated with excitement in front of Twilight.

“It would change you into a stallion if you put it on,” Twilight said, “or a stallion into a mare, I would imagine.”

Pinkie eyed the belt slyly. “That could be fun to try out.”

“Ew, no.” Twilight made a face. “Besides, its permanent.”

Pinkie’s expression shifted to disappointment. “Oh,” she sighed. Twilight stowed the belt in her bag. Ponies of a certain predicament might find it valuable.

“So, Twilight,” Rainbow addressed her, “if you help me find my friend Fluttershy, I’ll help you with whatever you’re doing, favor for a favor.”

Twilight eyed Rainbow. “Are you sure you want to commit to that? I’m trying to find my foster father’s murderer. He’s a powerful unicorn called the Black Knight. I can’t predict how long it will take to find him.”

“And I have no idea how long it will take to find Fluttershy.” Rainbow extended a hoof to Twilight. “If you help me, I’ll help you. Deal?”

“Deal,” Twilight said as she bumped her hoof against Rainbow’s. She knew she could use the help.

“Is it over?” Spike re-materialized on Twilight’s hindquarters. Rainbow jumped back in shock. Applejack chuckled, and Pinkie giggled briefly at Rainbow's reaction.

“A bit late there, Spike,” Applejack said with a chuckle.

“What’s that?” Rainbow peered curiously at Spike.

“My familiar, a fey dragon,” Twilight said.

“Huh. Neat,” Rainbow said. Twilight could tell from her tone that she knew absolutely nothing about familiars, and she probably didn’t care.

“We’re about to get going again,” Twilight told Spike.

“Aww,” Spike sighed. “I know, I know, back to the Celestial Plane.” Twilight nodded sternly, and Spike vanished.

“Does he do that often?” Rainbow said.

“I don’t rightly know, we just met him,” Applejack mused, “but I’ll betcha he does.”

The loud clangs of a falling hammer filled Twilight's ears while she looked around the interior of the dark, soot filled, blacksmith’s shop. Applejack walked beside her. When they reached Ponyville, Rainbow and Pinkie had split off to find them a place to stay the night. Spike had wanted to go with them, so Twilight let him. Also, she had entrusted the task of selling off the trinkets and bolts of dispelling they’d acquired to Pinkie’s haggling skills.

Meanwhile, Twilight and Applejack hunted for information in the blacksmith’s shop. “I’m gonna wait until he’s finished working to chat,” Applejack said over the noise.

Twilight nodded and trotted over to one of the walls to inspect the blacksmith’s wares. Horseshoes, chainmail, hoofmaces, axes, spears, swords, and plow blades were all on display. She glanced over her shoulder when a shower of sparks shot up near the forge in the back. Two ponies and a donkey worked metal, wielding heavy hammers on their hooves and tongs in their mouths.

Out of curiosity, Twilight tested the axe’s sharpness with the sensitive pad at the base of her hoof. The edge scraped across her skin, shearing away a couple of tiny hairs where her coat began. The blacksmith did good work. She tapped the axe firmly with her hoof in satisfaction.

She jumped when the axehead cracked off the shaft and landed on the dirt floor with a dull thud. “Eep!”

Her ears swiveled back when she sensed someone behind her, and she realized that the sound of clanging hammers was gone. A tan earth pony stallion in a blacksmith’s apron with a three horseshoe mark on his flank looked at the axehead on the ground with disappointment. Twilight’s head drooped with shame. “Sorry! I’ll pay for it,” she said.

The caramel-coated stallion raised his eyebrows at her. “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.” He stepped to the side and pointed toward a donkey standing next to Applejack. “This is his shop.”

“I won’t take a single bit from you,” the donkey grumbled. “Not your fault that what's supposed to be steel behaves like porcelain.”

“How is this possible?” Twilight said. “If its so brittle, wouldn’t it break while you were hammering it into shape?”

“As I was saying,” Applejack cut in, “Cranky, this is Twilight. We’re curious about the rumors floating around involving the Appleloosan mines.”

Cranky nodded. “You’d think it would break the moment I took a hammer to it, wouldn’t ya? Wrong! The ore carted in from Appleloosa looks perfectly fine, smelts into fine steel, then bam! A couple days after I smelt it it falls apart.”

Twilight rubbed one of her hooves across her chin. “Humm... so there’s nothing wrong with the ore? And you’re not smelting it any differently?”

Cranky humphed. “No! There’s definitely something wrong with the ore. Whatever it is, it can’t be seen.”

“Do you know anything else?” Applejack said.

“If I did, I’d tell you,” Cranky shot back at her. “Why don’t you ask a pony like Rarity? She’s much better informed about trade relations with the Empire. All I know is how to use a hammer and work steel.”

“We’ll let ya get back to work,” Applejack said quickly and herded Twilight out the door before they broke Cranky’s patience.

After they were outside, Applejack started to grumble. “Sounds like a bit a’ voodoo trickery t’me. I’ll reckon the buffalo are involved, trying to drive the good settlers out by taking away their mine,” she said as they trotted down the cobblestone streets to the town center, where they’d all planned to meet.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Voodoo isn’t a real thing. However, it is extremely likely that magic is involved.”

“Voodoo, magic, what’s the difference?” Applejack said.

“Well, voodoo involves superstitious rituals that don’t actually work...” She paused, considering. “You know what? You’re right. The difference is semantics.”

“Of course I’m right,” Applejack stated smugly.

“Other than that voodoo doesn’t work and things like wizardry do: hence it doesn’t meet the practical definition of magic,” Twilight quickly added.

“Oh really, and what book did you read that in, Miss Smartypants?”

“Practical Forms of Magic by—” Twilight frowned. “Wait, what’s your point?”

“Did ya stop and consider that whoever wrote the book didn’t have any more experience with the topic in question than you yourself?” Applejack said.

“She was a well respected scholar,” Twilight said, her nose in the air.

“Did you know the author? Did she ever try to practice voodoo? How’d she get so knowledgeable about voodoo anyway, if she were a stuffy scholar and weren’t a member of a buffalo or zebra tribe?” Applejack said.

Twilight paused to consider her response. “Well, no... the book didn’t mention where she got her information. But it was in a book! In Candlekeep! It must be true!” she protested.

Applejack stopped and gave Twilight a hard look. “Look Twi, all I’m saying is that before you accept something to be true, there needs to be a good reason to believe it. You’ve got to think for yourself. Unless you have reason to believe something and you know what the evidence is, maybe its true, and maybe it ain't.”

“I do have reason to believe it! It’s in a book!” Twilight argued.

“Did you ask someone who actually has experience with the world and wasn’t making assumptions about something they didn’t understand?”

“Well, it never came up with Star Swirl... but—”

“I happen to have it on good authority from someone who has seen the world that voodoo has very real powers, just like wizardry,” Applejack said, interrupting. “Your ‘respectable scholar’ was makin’ stuff up.”

“She wouldn’t!”

“Okay, maybe she believed what she said.” Applejack shrugged. “Still don’t make it true.” Applejack turned and continued down the tree lined street.

Twilight opened her mouth to argue some more, but she found nothing left to say. What if the author hadn’t done her research? she considered. Finally, she snorted and quickly trotted to catch up with Applejack.

Ponyville had an appreciably sized town center with an open air market where farmers and craftsmen alike sold their wares. Twilight judged from the architectural style and the citizens they passed that Ponyville was primarily an earth pony town. She spotted the recognizable frizz of Pinkie Pie’s mane above the crowd and pointed her out to Applejack.

When they approached, they found Pinkie midway through haggling the price of a gem. Rainbow Dash leaned up against an empty stall with a nonchalant, bored expression. Spike hovered around the pegasus’s hooves. He looked around the town with interest, and he drew a few curious glances in return.

“Twelve bits!” Pinkie shouted.

“Nine bits!” the merchant said.

“Twelve bits!”

“Nine bits!”

“Nine bits!”

“Twelve bits!”

“Deal!” Pinkie giggled and snatched her twelve-bit share of currency.

“Hey! Thats not fair!” The merchant protested.

Pinkie blew the merchant a raspberry while she shoveled the coins into her pouch. “A deal’s a deal!” she said.

Twilight eyed the swollen coin pouch around Pinkie’s neck. “Looks like she’s doing pretty well,” she whispered to Applejack.

Applejack nodded. “Right... if yer noticing that, somepony else is bound to be. Ponyville is a peaceful place, but even so, there’s any number of cutpurses in this market. We’d better get indoors.”

Applejack was prophetic. As soon as the earth pony finished speaking, Twilight saw Pinkie’s bag lift off her neck, caught in a sparkling blue aura. “Hey!” Pinkie cried. “That’s mine!” She took off after the bag. It danced through the crowd, forcing Pinkie to dive under pony’s bellies and prance across their backs to keep up. Numerous ponies shouted complaints as she blazed past, under, and over them.

Rainbow shot into the air to get a vantage above the crowd. She hovered – only slightly favoring her injured wing – and pointed. “There!” She leaned into forward flight. “I’ll stay above the thief!” she called down.

Applejack galloped after the flying Rainbow. She pushed roughly through the crowd. “Outta the way! I’ve got a thief to catch!” she warned the ponies ahead of her. The crowd fearfully opened a path for the armed and armored Applejack.

“Sorry!” Twilight said to a downed pony she passed while trailing after Applejack. Twilight noticed Rainbow zip around a corner into a side street. When she and Applejack rounded the corner after Rainbow, they found the pegasus hovering again, looking around in confusion.

“Where did the thief go?” Applejack shouted.

“I don’t know!” Rainbow yelled. “I had her, and then I lost her!”

“I got her!” Pinkie called from a shadowy crevasse between two buildings. She emerged from the darkness. She dragged a white unicorn with a purple mane and tail toward the rest of the group. Pinkie wore her coin bag proudly on her neck.

“Put me down, you barbarian!” the unicorn wailed, ineffectually pounding on Pinkie’s side with her pristine white hooves. She closed her eyes, and her horn started to glow. Pinkie bonked her squarely between the eyes and the light went out. The unicorn whimpered, and Twilight winced in sympathy. Pinkie unceremoniously dumped the unicorn on the ground in front of the other two ponies. Rainbow settled beside them.

“Rarity?” Applejack said in confusion. Twilight blinked in surprise. The unicorn Applejack called Rarity did not at all fit the image of the villainous cutpurse she imagined in her mind. Despite the dust clinging to her coat and mane, she was immaculately groomed. She also held herself with an air of importance, even after being dragged across the street by Pinkie Pie.

Rarity rubbed her forehead in discomfort, then picked herself up off the dusty cobblestone. “Ooh, you are so lucky that you snuck up on me,” she growled at Pinkie.

“Rarity, why’re you taking pony’s coin purses?” Applejack said. “You run a business. You're not a street urchin.”

“Why Applejack, it’s good to see that you're associated with these... proto-ponies,” Rarity said. “A lady has to do what a lady has to do. Surely you understand.”

“That ain't no excuse for theft,” Applejack told her.

“How does that saying go? ‘There ain't no rest for the wicked.’ I’ve got to make ends meet, Applejack! I haven’t made a sale in weeks. Nobody wants to commision something as valuable as my services with so many highway robbers stalking the Sword Coast.” She gestured at Pinkie and Rainbow while she spoke. “When I saw these two ruffian adventurers poking around the market like they owned the place, with their strange little pet, I followed them until the right opportunity. Money like what the pink one is carrying could cover my expenses for a week!” she said, then added the assurance, “You know I’d never steal from good, hard working, Ponyville folks.”

Applejack sighed. “Times are tough for everypony, Rarity. I can understand that a pony with your line of work has it pretty hard, though.”

“Ooh, is she an escort?” Pinkie said.

“No!” Rarity screeched indignantly. “Absolutely not! I’m a seamstress. I make dresses.”

“She means she smuggles Empire gems into Manehattan tariff-free disguised as part of dresses,” Applejack corrected.

“Smuggling is such an ugly word,” Rarity said. “I prefer to call it open-commerce.”

“Isn’t that a bit... illegal?” Rainbow said.

“Technically, no, because I sell dresses, not gems. Either way, I pay my Ponyville taxes like everypony else. All the Empire lords would do with the money they embezzled off of the trade is spend more on ridiculous magic institutions and their military interests,” Rarity explained.

“Speaking of trading,” Twilight interjected, “what do you know about the problems with the Appleloosan iron?”

“Oh, that awful business. What I hear ranges from the Empire is trying to cripple the Flaming Wing’s military equipment and leave Manehattan ripe for invasion, to the Appleloosa mine is simply out of good ore. Either way, Manehattan merchants are talking about a trade embargo, but that would be bad for everypony involved,” Rarity said. “With the bandit presence on the road though, I’m not sure if an embargo would make much difference.”

“Why are they talking about one then?” Twilight said.

“Because it’s leverage. Manehattan moves a lot of goods out of it’s harbor to other places in the world, more goods than Canterlot, but the ponies in power there are terrified of the Empire sweeping in and taking everything. Without trade, tensions are high. The Empire wants to send in troops to secure the Coast Road, but Manehattan doesn’t want Empire armies anywhere near them.”

“Where did you hear all this?” Twilight said.

Rarity waved her hoof. “Around. Merchants, mostly. I also have a business partner who writes from Manehattan.”

“Alright, that’s all we need to know. You’d best get out of here, Rarity – before I change my mind and turn you in for theft. And don’t let me catch you doing it again!” Applejack said.

“You won’t,” Rarity said with a sly wink. She trotted down the road and paused before turning a corner to call. “Oh, and one more thing, there’s a group of merchants called the Iron Circle. Without Appleloosa, they’ve got a monopoly. I’ll bet anything that they’re involved.” Then, she was gone.

Spike ran up beside Twilight, panting. “Who... was... that?” he wheezed.

“Rarity,” Twilight answered.

“You left me behind!” he said when he caught his breath. “And I missed her!” He stared wistfully at the corner Rarity had disappeared behind. “She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Pinkie giggled. “You silly! You could’ve just disappeared and returned next to Twilight.”

Spike moaned. “Why didn’t I think of that? This familiar thing is tough.”

Applejack patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t feel too bad, you’re too good for a miscreant like her anyway.”

“I have a feeling we’ll see her again,” Twilight said.

It was edging into the evening hours when the four pony group, plus one familiar, sat at the end of the bar in an establishment named Berry Punch’s Tavern. Pinkie had rented them a couple of rooms before the incident in the marketplace. “The market seemed pretty crowded this afternoon,” Applejack said as she took a mug of cider from the barkeep. “Any idea why?”

The barkeep nodded as he scrubbed the counter with a dirty rag. “Yup. Folks from the farms around here have all taken a trip into town this weekend to see the Carnival. I hear the headline act is really something special.” He reached under the bar. “Here, they paid me to pass out fliers.” He placed a well-scribed poster on the bar in front of Applejack.

Rainbow tapped Twilight on the shoulder and whispered in her ear. “The group at the table behind us have been watching you since you came in. Do you know ‘em?” Twilight turned her head to glance behind them. “No, don’t look!” Rainbow hissed.

Twilight had already taken the glance. She glimpsed two earth ponies, a unicorn, and a griffon sitting around the table playing cards. One of the earth ponies wore plate barding not unlike Applejack’s, the griffon wore leather, and the other earth pony wore chainmail. The unicorn looked like a wizard.

One of them saw her look.

“What do you make of this, Twilight?” Applejack asked her innocently while she gestured at the poster on the bar.

A chair clattered to the floor behind them. Twilight cringed. “Shoot I forgot about the bounty thing. We’re about to get in a fight, aren’t we?” Applejack said. Twilight nodded. Spike vanished.

Twilight heard the sound of weapons being readied behind them. Rainbow kicked off the bar with a shout. She looped through the air, using her hooves to bounce off the ceiling and come down in a flanking position on the opposite side of the group at the table. Applejack bucked her stool behind her. It crashed into the unicorn and sent him sprawling beneath the table. Pinkie jumped up onto the bar, ready. Twilight drew Solstice as she turned and held the blade in front of herself in a guarded stance.

Twilight saw the heavily armored earth pony lunging toward her, and she froze for an instant. Then, her survival instinct took over and she sidestepped the powerful stroke of his hoofaxe. With a tremendous crash, the axe bit into the wood of the bar. The pony wielding it expertly twisted it free, but Twilight took the brief opportunity to stab the tip of her floating blade into his flank, just beneath the plate. Solstice easily punctured his chainmail, drawing blood. Pinkie pummeled him from above as he limped back, and her forehoof thudded solidly into the plate on his forehead. Twilight saw his eyes cross momentarily from the blow, and he staggered, wounded and disoriented.

A bright flash of sparks drew her eyes to where Rainbow battered the earth pony in chainmail with her wingblades. He wore two kite shields, one across his foreleg, and one across his back, allowing him to hold off Rainbow’s precise spinning strikes, but each arcing glance of her wingblades against his shield pushed him back. His eyes began to glow, and Twilight noticed him mouthing a prayer.

Oh no you don’t, she thought. She concentrated for a moment, bringing magic to the surface of her mind, and shot a quick spell out of her horn. Two violet balls of energy zipped across the room with unerring accuracy. They passed through the cleric’s chainmail as though it wasn’t there and burned him with pure magical energy. Twilight noted with satisfaction that the glow in his eyes faded; her spell had interrupted his concentration.

Twilight heard a crash, and an instant later wooden splinters glanced off her mage armor. She looked at the source of the sound. Applejack had sundered the table with her chain. The wizard huddled behind the broken pieces of the table, horn aglow, and before Applejack could strike again, he finished a spell. With a pulse of light from his horn, he vanished into thin air. Applejack refocused her attention on the cleric as she readied her next attack.

“Twilight, look up!” Rainbow warned as her wingblade glanced off the cleric’s shield.

With only a split-second to spare, Twilight adjusted her guard up. Her eyes widened when she saw the griffon descending upon her from the rafters. He swung a cutlass at her with his right talon. Solstice moved partially of its own accord to parry the blow, saving Twilight from the ambush. Beyond the griffon, Twilight saw the recovered heavily armored earth pony moving in to join the assault, but before he could, a pink blur slammed into his side; Pinkie tackled him to the ground.

In the following seconds, Twilight barely held her own against the griffon. He was fast and ruthless, and every time she blocked the sword in his right talon the claws of his left would follow. Her mage armor saved her from a couple of the blows, but she still received deep lacerations on both shoulders and the side of her neck.

While Twilight fought the griffon, she saw Applejack’s chain puncture the cleric’s shield and skewer his foreleg. Before the shock and pain left his eyes, Rainbow spattered his blood on the wall with a stroke of her wing. He fell, gasping, his throat cut open.

Twilight backpedaled as the griffon pressed his advantage until her rear end hit a wall. With nowhere left to maneuver, she locked Solstice against his cutlass to stop him from finishing her. Before his talons could rake her again, a blue blur collided with him. Rainbow hit forehooves first, striking the griffon in the side. Twilight heard ribs crack. Wrapped together, the two winged combatants tumbled against the bar.

Twilight caught sight of the wizard when he appeared behind Applejack, his horn lit with a spell. “Applejack!” she shouted. Applejack turned to look at Twilight, and the wizard touched his energized horn to her flank. Applejack’s jaw clenched as electrified sparks jumped across her armor. Spasming, she fell to the floor of the tavern.

Twilight felt something shift within her when she saw Applejack fall. Her thoughts only held room for actions – no hesitation, no mercy, and no regret. She rushed forward at the wizard and made a looping strike with Solstice, sending it out ahead, then drawing it back. The floating blade cleanly severed the unicorn’s head from his shoulders, leaving his features forever frozen in an expression of terror.

Unphased, Twilight turned back to the griffon. He’d gained the upper hand against Rainbow. His sword lay forgotten on the floor of the tavern, useless in the close quarters fight. Rainbow lay on her back, battling the griffon back with bats of her wings and strong kicks, unable to make effective, swinging strokes with her wingblades.

As the griffon’s talons descended toward Rainbow’s neck, Twilight unleashed a spell. She inserted a phantasm into the griffon’s mind, changing the struggling pony beneath him into a creature of pure terror. He scrambled back in panic. It only lasted an instant, but Rainbow only needed an instant. She spun on the floor and slashed the griffon across the chest with her wing. Two more blows, and he stopped moving entirely.

Twilight turned her attention to the final target, the earth pony in armor, but he lay motionless, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle. Pinkie straddled his back, tears freely flowing down her face. Twilight levitated a healing potion out of her saddlebag and set it down next to Applejack. “Give that to her,” she ordered Rainbow, who nodded and rushed to Applejack’s side.

Twilight sat down on her haunches next to Pinkie. “You did what you had to do, Pinkie,” she said softly.

Pinkie sniffled. “It was fun until I had to kill somepony.” She turned to Twilight, burying her face in the unicorn’s chest. Her wet cheeks dampened Twilight’s fur. “How do you do it, Twilight? How do you kill a pony, and then just walk away?”

Twilight wrapped a foreleg around Pinkie and held her dearest friend comfortingly. “I don’t know, Pinkie, I don’t know.”

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Editor: Extravagaunte
Editor: The Music Man

Carnival

Carnival

“Ouch.”

Twilight winced. Spike poured some form of strong smelling alcohol into the talon gash on her left shoulder and then tightened a bandage over it. The alcohol stung as much as it cleaned. Her wounds were too minor to warrant a healing potion, but they were painful. She sat on the steps to the second floor, Spike above and behind her, surveying the chaos inside Berry Punch’s Tavern. Four dead bodies populated the formerly jovial and active space. Shattered tables, broken stools, and bloody smears marred the scene. They had done that.

She had done that.

She caught something out of the corner of her eye and did a double take. For a second, in the dim light, the unicorn’s severed head had looked like Star Swirl’s. Killing the young wizard had been so easy. In the moment, there was no hesitation. With one simple stroke, she’d crossed out his life like it was a name on a list. As with the bandit on the road, she felt no remorse.

Pinkie, unable to confront the pony she had killed, had disappeared upstairs into one of their rooms – like a normal pony. Why Twilight remained unaffected by death, she didn’t know. She didn’t enjoy it. In the moment, she felt nothing, no thrill of success, and after the fact, all she felt was a morbid curiosity. She knew each of the two lives she had taken had changed her, probably for the worse.

Rainbow and Applejack were talking down the local militia on the other side of the room, near the door to the tavern. The truth of what had happened, the ponies at the table had drawn weapons first, was easy to tell with the barkeep backing them up. The bounty notes on their bodies only added evidence to their story. Twilight hoped the guards and the barkeep would keep quiet about the price on her head.

The notes had included one segment that hadn’t been there previously: Last seen in the Helping Hoof Inn, causing her mind to boil with questions. Who sold me out out? A passerby? Another guest at the inn? Lyra? Bon-Bon? Whoever they were, did they believe that they were doing their duty, like the Black Knight seemed to, or did they simply want golden bits to fill their coffers? What kind of pony would kill for money?

A whisper filled her mind, You killed a pony for a sword.

The self-conscious voice brought her train of thought to a dead stop. It took her a moment to dismiss it. After the Bandits had her sword, they could have taken everything she and Pinkie had: property and innocence. They had tried to hurt her, and they had payed the price. She was going to live – as best, and as long as she could.

A moment later, another dark thought flashed across her mind, Maybe you should have killed them all to keep them from hurting anyone else.

Applejack broke her silent musings. “Well, that's that; the coin they had will pay for the cleanup, and the guard is going to keep the rest of their stuff,” she said from the bottom of the steps. She paused for a moment before adding, “Next time, tell me which direction to look.”

Twilight’s ears drooped. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. After Rainbow poured the potion down Applejack’s throat, the worst mark she bore from the wizard’s spell was a few singed hairs. Still, one of Twilight’s friends had been hurt because of her inexperienced mistake.

Applejack sighed. “No, I’m sorry, sugarcube.” She sat next to Twilight on the steps and put a hoof around her shoulders. “You did good. It’s partly my fault. I heard you call and thought you were in trouble again.” She chuckled. “Granny told me to look after you, but I need to keep my own hide intact to do that.”

“Yeah, you did good!” Rainbow said from her opposite side. “Your first spell went all fwoosh and ruined that Cleric’s day! And then you took on that griffon in a swordfight, and even I had trouble with that one! Oh man, and that last spell. I’m pretty sure that griffon wet himself!” She guffawed, tears of mirth springing to her eyes. “And then before I got up, you’d taken out the unicorn too!” She regained her composure and said, “You’re a real terror, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight cringed at Rainbow’s statement. Her expression, combined with Applejack’s hard stare, made Rainbow backpedal. “I mean, you did what you had to do, nothing that anypony wouldn’t have done,” she said awkwardly. “But, Applejack is right, communication is key, like how I let you know where the griffon was.”

Twilight nodded. She closed her eyes, remembering the frightened look on the unicorn’s face before he died. She was a terror on the battlefield, a natural killer. During the fight, after Applejack had been hurt, everything had become so clear.

“It’s a good thing you can look after yourself, Twilight, or I’d be stuck in the Celestial Plane forever,” Spike said, no doubt attempting to lighten the mood. She almost smiled, but Spike ruined it by adding, “I mean, with the bounty and all. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about it!”

Twilight ignored Spike. She considered Applejack and Rainbow. She could tell from their demeanor that they had both killed before. Maybe they can tell me something... she thought.

“You’ve both been in a lot of fights, haven’t you?” she asked.

Rainbow nodded vigorously. “Oh yeah, tons!”

“I’ve had my share a’ tussles,” Applejack said.

“What were they like?” Twilight said.

Oddly, they both went silent, even Rainbow. Finally, Applejack broke the pause.

“I’ve only ever had one real big one before I met you,” Applejack began. “A trio of bandits came to our farm. It was just us there in those days. They was running after robbing a place in Ponyville, and they needed a spot to hole up for the night. Once upon a time, Granny coulda’ taken them all without breaking a sweat, but she ain’t as young as she used to be. She let them come in and hide in our house. I didn’t understand why at the moment, but now I know she didn’t want us getting hurt, and she wasn’t sure she could take down all the bandits before something terrible happened to one of us. They were lucky they didn’t hurt Big Mac too bad when he tried to stop ‘em, or Granny woulda really let ‘em have it.”

Applejack’s eyes grew distant as she continued her story. “My lil’ sis Apple Bloom called down from upstairs. She’d been in bed, seeing as she was a teensy filly and it was after her bedtime, but she wanted to know what all the commotion was about. The bandits reached for their weapons, and I knew I couldn’t let ‘em hurt lil’ Apple Bloom. I ran up the stairs to warn her. One of the bandits shouted ‘get her’ and they started chasing me. They must’ve thought I was going to do something, but I was nuthin’ but a scared little filly. I took Apple Bloom, and I ran into my parents old room, shutting the door to keep ‘em back.

“They were right behind me though, and before I knew it they were banging the door down. I was right terrified at that point, I thought they were gonna kill me and Apple Bloom, so I grabbed my pa’s old chain out of a chest at the foot of their bed. I grabbed his hat, even though it was a size too big then, because it made me feel bigger. By the time I had the chain on my tail, the door slammed open. I loosed it, and I closed my eyes and kicked as hard as I could, like Granny had taught me. My rear hooves caught the chain, and launched it hard and fast. No swinging it with my tail, nuthin’ fancy like that, just one hard strike.

“The spike hit the first pony through the door right between his eyes. He didn’t even make a sound as he fell. He was just dead. Everything was instinct at that point. I pulled back the chain with my tail and swung it in an arc, but the second bandit batted it aside like it was nuthin’; I wasn’t strong enough. I thought for sure I was done for, but Granny’s old magic axe came whirling through the doorway. She killed ‘em both in one throw.

“When she got to me, she didn’t scold me, she didn’t say a word, she just held me.” Applejack blinked back tears as she finished her story.

“So... that chain?” Twilight asked, looking closely at the chain on Applejack’s tail. Despite being golden hued, the chain was simple. The spike that had saved both of their lives sat offset on the end, with a chip taken out of the metal near where the spike connected to the chain. A single magic rune was etched into the spike. Seeking, Twilight translated the rune. She guessed it bore some enchantment.

“Yup.” Applejack nodded and hoofed the brim of her hat. “And this hat.”

“And that was that?” Twilight said. She opted against asking about Applejack’s parents. The story she’d been told already seemed hard enough.

Applejack chuckled. “Naw, I bawled like a baby for a week, and I couldn’t sleep alone in my bed without nightmares. I felt terrible, as bad as they were, all they were was ponies that wanted to hide, but instead my actions took their lives. I still wonder if what I did was right or wrong.”

“Oh...” Twilight murmured. Nightmares, she had, but no remorse. Tears? Her eyes were dry. She held up one of her hooves and inspected it. Am I normal? “What about you, Rainbow?” she said.

“I’ve killed loads of ponies, kicking evil’s flank and all that... I’d rather not get into it though,” Rainbow said. “But they all totally deserved it.”

“Okay...” Twilight said, deciding not to press the issue.

The barkeep walked up to them. “That was a helluva fight you folks had, I’m glad you won, you seemed nicer than the other bunch,” he said. He held up the carnival poster in his mouth. “You left this on the bar.”

Rainbow squinted at the poster, and then she lunged forward and snatched it from the barkeep’s mouth. She spread it on the floor and jabbed it with her hoof. “Look!” she said, pointing.

Twilight got up and trotted down the steps to look at the poster. The poster’s title blared, ‘The Carnival: From Canterlot to Manehatten, and the lands far beyond the Sword Coast, Madame Bedouin’s troupe travels far and wide to bring you marvels your mundane eyes have never before beheld!’

Below the title, a sketched unicorn stared up at her brazenly. She wore a pointy hat and a starry robe. She reared on a stage, and a nimbus of sparkling magic surrounded her ostentatiously. Beneath her, the poster read, ‘Featuring: The Great and Powerful Trixie!’ In smaller text, it added, ‘And her lovely assistant, Butterfly!’

A demure pony peeked out from behind Trixie. Her flowing mane delicately covered part of her face, and Rainbow’s hoof obscured the rest. “That’s her! That’s Fluttershy!”

With Trixie’s cape in the way, Twilight couldn’t see the pony’s body to tell if ‘Butterfly’, or Fluttershy, was a pegasus. Rainbow seemed convinced. “Then we’ll go to the carnival tomorrow, and we’ll take a look,” she told Rainbow.

Twilight stepped into the clearing. An array of three stone rings covered the ground. Shadows swarmed around her, grasping. She recognized the clearing, and she ran. She galloped through the gates of the Helping Hoof. Before her loomed a monolith of shadow. Rectangular orange eyes peered down at her. Steps led up to a single door set in the monolith’s side. Inside, she would be safe.

She lifted her foot, steps beneath it, and started to climb toward the door. Fear gripped her when the figure in armor appeared. The Black Knight rose from the shadows at the top of the steps. When he began to walk towards her, each hoof fell silently on the wooden steps. She tried to move away from him, but – no matter how fast she galloped – he effortlessly closed with her. He walked past her without a glance. She looked down, and she couldn’t see her own hooves. Quickly, she darted towards the door, but before she could get there, cool air kissed her flank.

“Nice try,” the Black Knight said, the voice of Tarn Inkstroke emerging from his helmet. His burning eyes fixed on her; he saw her. Nowhere left to run, she drew her sword.

“So be it,” the Black Knight said, his voice his own. He swung the monolith at her, the keep coalescing into his shield, betraying her trust. She lifted Solstice and met the shield with a brilliant flash of violet. Both weapons spun off into the darkness. The Black Knight stood over her with his hoof poised to strike. On her back, she desperately scrambled for her survival. She found his shield. With a cry, she lifted it and swung it in her levitation. The bladed edge bit into the Black Knight’s neck.

Star Swirl’s head rolled in the dust.

A whispered accusation rose from the shadow.

“You killed him.”

“No!” Twilight screamed as she came awake. She lay in a bed, heart racing. With the dim light of a cloudy dawn flitting in through the window, she could see Pinkie stir in a bed a short distance away on the opposite side of the room.

“Twi?” Pinkie said as she looked blearily at Twilight.

Spike shifted, curled in a basket. He murmured, then returned to softly snoring. “Sorry,” Twilight whispered. “It was nothing.”

“Bad dreams too huh?” Pinkie said, careful not to wake Spike.

“Yeah...” Twilight nodded. “Pinkie?” She paused.

“Yeah?”

“Did I kill Star Swirl?” Twilight said.

“What? No. The Black Knight killed him, silly.”

Twilight held one of her hooves above her and stared at it. “But if Star Swirl hadn’t decided to be my guardian, he wouldn’t have died. He died because of me.”

“No! He died because the Black Knight killed him!” Pinkie hissed.

Twilight sighed as she let her hoof drop back onto the sheets. Typical Pinkie Pie, she thought. “You wouldn’t understand,” she murmured.

Pinkie sat up suddenly in her bed. “What? You know I miss him too, right? He was important to me too. If anyone understands, it’s me, and I know that he was one of the kindest, and bestest, and nicest ponies I’ve ever known. I know he wouldn’t have had it any other way.” She stared at Twilight hard.

Twilight met her gaze immediately. “And here you are, blaming yourself,” Pinkie continued. “Twilight, sometimes, ponies will die for you, and sometimes, they’ll join you on some dangerous quest, even if it means they might die or they might have to kill somepony. ‘Cause sometimes – when they have to – that’s what friends do.”

Twilight bristled. “I never wanted them to do that!”

A look of hurt crossed Pinkie’s features. She jumped out of her bed and she stormed toward the door.

Twilight sat up. “Pinkie, wait!”

After opening the door, Pinkie paused in the doorway. “You help, and you want help. That’s what being friends is. Do you even know what a friend is, Twilight Sparkle, or did Star Swirl dying make you too cold to remember?” She stepped forward and slammed the door shut, leaving Twilight behind with only her accusing question.

Spike lifted his head out of his basket. “What was that all about?” he said.

Sighing, Twilight clambered out of the bed. Before Pinkie even finished recovering from having to kill a pony, she pestered her friend with misplaced guilt. She really was a terrible friend. “I said something I shouldn’t have, and she’s been through a lot.”

“Is she gonna be okay?”

“I hope so.”

Awkward tension permeated the morning. Pinkie remained icy over breakfast, and they hardly said a word as they prepared to leave for the carnival. She tried to apologize, but Pinkie cut her off. Pinkie wasn’t ready to talk. Something occupied Rainbow’s mind, probably her friend Fluttershy. Even Applejack seemed distant. Only Spike was in a good mood; the idea of the carnival fascinated him.

Before they left the Tavern, Twilight took a moment to prepare spells. The fight of the previous night had depleted her reserves, and each new day brought new threats their way. Again, she tried spells harder than she’d ever before attempted, and again she found them easier than expected. She felt silly, now, for holding back – even when Star Swirl had encouraged her – because she didn’t want to fail.

Together, they trotted toward the carnival. When they left the town center, the cobble beneath their hooves turned to dirt. “Sweet Apple Acres ain’t far from here,” Applejack mused from beside Twilight.

Twilight blinked at Applejack. “Where?”

“Its mah farm, well, the family’s really. I wonder if Apple Bloom came to the carnival...”

“Alone?” Twilight said.

“Naw, Auntie Fritter’s been looking after her with us all gone. There are a lot more’n just us four farming Sweet Apple Acres these days. It’s a lot of work, but between the Apples and the hired workers we make do,” Applejack said.

“I’ll bet it’s gonna be tons of fun! The carnival, that is,” Spike said from his position on Twilight’s back. “Are carnies really all scum of the earth thieves? I heard that once from a Celestial Archon.”

Applejack chuckled. “They don’t need to actually steal from ya to take all your bits,” she said.

Twilight barely listened while Applejack launched into an exaggerated tale about carnies and their games for Spike’s benefit. She focused instead on Rainbow and Pinkie walking ahead of them.

“And then I said, ‘Weather? I barely knew her!’” Rainbow said loudly as she finished a story. Twilight smiled, not because she found it funny, but because she saw it bring a smile to Pinkie’s face. She was glad the mood of the group had begun to brighten.

After they had walked for a couple minutes, they passed a stand of trees, and the carnival came into view. Brilliantly striped circus pavilions covered a grassy field ahead of them. Only sparse groups of ponies moved through the circus. Twilight guessed that the bulk of the crowds wouldn’t gather until the afternoon.

When they reached the edge of the tents, Twilight gathered the other three ponies off the path. Next to one of the pavilions, she told them, “We should scout the carnival for this pony.” She held up the poster and pointed at Trixie’s assistant. “We’ll cover more ground if we split up. If we don’t find her, we’ll be meeting up at that stage.” She pointed down the path between the tents at a makeshift stage in the middle of the carnival area. “That’s bound to be where Trixie is performing.”

“Right!” Rainbow said and took off, eager to start the search. The normally energetic Pinkie Pie lagged slightly behind. Last to leave, Applejack lingered beside Twilight.

“What do I do?” Spike said.

Twilight smiled. “You can stick with me.” Satisfied, she set out to explore the carnival, and Applejack trailed after her. Twilight rolled her eyes. “You don’t need to watch me all the time. I’ll be fine.”

“It’s not that. I wanted to talk to you about Rainbow Dash,” Applejack said.

Twilight paused beside a game stall that promised fabulous prizes. “Something wrong?”

“She lied to us.”

Twilight blinked. “About what?”

Applejack hoofed the ground moodily. “Well, we got to talking last night, and, long story short, she’s no village hero sent to rescue the town druid.”

“What do you mean?”

“It turns out the pegasi up there aren’t as fond of a druid as she said the first time. They don’t have much use for a pegasus that can barely fly and prefers the ground more than the sky. They kicked Fluttershy out, and Rainbow stole those wingblades and went after her,” Applejack said.

Twilight raised an eyebrow at Applejack. “What’s the problem then?”

“Well, for one, she lied. An’ for two, she’s a thief. An’ for three, how do we know we can trust her?”

“It sounds like she did the right thing to me,” Twilight said. She regarded Applejack. As much as she trusted the earth pony, she hardly knew her. “What do you think we should do?”

Applejack looked off to the side at a colt trying to beat the carnival game instead of meeting Twilight’s eyes. “I’m not saying we shouldn’t help her find Fluttershy. Like you said, it sounds like she did the right thing, but maybe you should convince her to return what she took instead of joining us.” Applejack, resolute so far, seemed unsure.

Twilight frowned. “She’s a good fighter though; she wasn’t lying about that. I’m not sure we would have won that fight without her.”

Applejack nodded. “That she is.” She met Twilight’s gaze. “But, she is also a rebel. Everything I’ve been taught tells me that she’s gonna let you down.”

“Do you think she’ll let us down?” Twilight said.

Applejack shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll give her the choice, then, after we find Fluttershy. She can come with us, or go wherever she wants.”

“Fair e’nuff,” Applejack said. Satisfied, she turned and ventured off among the pavilions.

Twilight stared after Applejack. “Come on, Rainbow’s not gonna let you down,” Spike said.

“I hope you’re right, Spike,” Twilight said.

A voice caught Twilight’s attention. “One more try!” a colt said irritably as he slammed a bit down on the nearby game booth’s counter, beside where Twilight and Applejack had been talking. He was old enough to have earned his mark, but not quite old enough to be considered an adult. The filly beside him looked bored.

The unicorn in the booth smiled and nodded. “Sure thing, son.” He levitated a ring out from behind the counter for the colt.

Twilight peered into the booth. Clearly, the objective was to land the hoop on one of three poles within the booth, with the middle one labeled ‘Grand Prize’ and set the furthest back. Dolls, pretty rocks, and Zehervian bead necklaces stocked a shelf above the poles, serving as prizes. She saw the colts two previous missed throws lying in the dirt. The colt took the ring in his mouth and tossed it with a flick of his neck.

The colt’s quality throw sent the hoop sailing toward its mark. It hit the Grand Prize post and flipped over it. Twilight squinted. There was something off about the way the ring hit the post. The colt groaned in frustration. “I give up,” he said.

“About time,” the filly said.

“Ooh, I wanna try,” Spike said in her ear.

“I think he’s cheating. The post is enchanted,” Twilight whispered back.

The unicorn took his bit, and moved it into a drawer in the back of the booth. Twilight was about to confront him, but before she could, she noticed the drawer slide open again, this time moved by a blue aura. A pile of bits slipped out the back of the booth, unnoticed by the unicorn.

Rarity stepped into Twilight’s view, a couple tents away. The fashionable sun hat poised perfectly on her head made her look entirely unlike a thief. Twilight noticed that she levitated the bits out of her line of sight around a tent: a challenging skill to master. Still, the bits filed into her saddlebag in a controlled fashion. With a natural confidence, Rarity strode out onto the path. Twilight kept her eyes on the white unicorn, and she spotted Rarity slip one bit into the colt’s bag.

Spike gasped and pointed. “Look, it’s Rarity!” He shoved a claw in his mouth when he realized how loud he’d been. “Are my spines straight?” he whispered, fervently grooming the scales on his head with his claws.

Rarity turned her head and noticed them. She trotted up to Twilight and, eyeing spike, said, “Oh, it’s you. Hello again, and sorry about calling you a ‘strange pet’, by the way.” She inclined her head respectively to Spike. “I made a bit of a faux pas.” She tittered gracefully. “I was so flustered by the pink ruffian.”

Twilight could hear Spike’s breath coming in short, quick gasps. Still, the little fey dragon had the composure to say, “A lady as gracious as you need not apologize.” He nearly fell off Twilight’s back bowing, but Twilight felt him start to slide and caught him with her levitation.

Rarity pretended not to notice Spike overbalance. “How noble of you, so quick to forgive.” The complement left Spike speechless. “Well, ta-ta.” As quickly as she’d appeared, Rarity moved into a growing throng of ponies.

Spike sighed as he watched Rarity leave, starting to flow off Twilight’s back as his legs went weak. This time, she let him fall. She looked down at him while he stared up at the sky. “She’s so amazing...”

“You do realize that she’s a pony and you’re... well...” Twilight said, trailing off as she realized that her statement could be dream crushing for her poor familiar.

“I’m what?” Spike said, semi-alert.

Twilight quickly picked him up and set him on her back. “Nothing.”

She caught a glimpse of Rarity moving around a pavillion, and she followed, curious. “Where are you going?” Spike said.

“I want to know what she does next,” Twilight said. She followed Rarity around the bend. Trailing after the purple flashes of the white unicorn’s tail, she lurked in between the pavilions.

“If she accuses me of stalking her I’m blaming you,” Spike whispered.

“If she does that, blame away,” Twilight hissed back at him. “Now be quiet.”

It wasn’t long before they reached the edge of the carnival. Rarity trotted toward a line of unloaded carnival wagons on the edge of the field beside a well rutted dirt road. Twilight saw a few young, gaunt looking zebras and ponies grazing on the tough, muddy grass beside the road – hands and helpers, no doubt. She watched from the corner of an empty wooden booth while Rarity approached the group. She passed them a few bits. Twilight was out of earshot, but she could see their grateful expressions.

“Huh,” Twilight murmured, starting to like Rarity a little more despite her earlier attempt at taking the bits from Twilight and her friends. She retreated back onto the main carnival grounds and headed for the stage at the center. Her friends were probably gathered there by now.

Twilight arrived just in time to hear, “Come one, come all, come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie.”

Over a small crowd, she saw a sparkling display of magic, and, from a cloud of smoke in the middle of the stage, the unicorn from the poster appeared, complete with the same hat, robe, and smirk. Twilight maneuvered her way through the crowd to where she found her friends standing near the front. A murmur of interest rippled through the crowd around her.

“Watch as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by Pony eyes!” Trixie continued with grandiose flair.

“Betcha she’s got nothing on you, Twi. I already know I’m more amazing.” Rainbow said in her ear when Twilight reached the group.

“No sign of Fluttershy?” Twilight said back, rolling her eyes.

“Not yet,” Rainbow answered.

“Stand prepared to be awed, for on this magical journey the Great and Powerful Trixie will take you to faraway lands with her unheard of teleportation abilities. If you do not have the fortitude for such an adventure, the Great and Powerful Trixie must warn you to leave while you still can, for this journey is not for the faint of heart!”

Twilight’s eyes widened at Trixie’s claim. According to what her books said, teleportation magic was exceedingly difficult. While short-distance teleports could be performed with relative ease, long range teleportation required anchored gateways.

Trixie feigned surprise. “No one wishes to leave? Very well! To the Crystal City!” Trixie closed her eyes, her horn glowing brightly.

A flare of white light forced Twilight to close her eyes. When the light faded, she stared in astonishment. Her, her friends, and the entire crowd stood on a polished crystal street. She looked around in confusion. All the normality of the carnival had vanished, replaced by exotic crystalline structures of various hues. In front of them, Trixie stood on a sapphire stage. Behind Trixie, a grand, white crystal spire held up by four massive arches rose to a dizzying height.

The space around them contained both a mystical quality, and a sad, eerie emptiness. The frightened murmuring of the audience surrounded Twilight.

“Have no fear! My little ponies, you are perfectly safe. The Great and Powerful Trixie will protect you!” Trixie assured. “Now, certainly you are all wondering, ‘Why did you bring us here?’ and the Great and Powerful Trixie has the answer. She brought you here because she was once a crystal pony!”

A collective gasp went through the audience, and Twilight found herself joining them. Crystal ponies existed at one point, but no one had either seen or heard of them for a thousand years. It would be impossible for Trixie to be one.

“Oh yes, we all know of the Empire that claims connections to the grand Crystal Empire, but the Great and Powerful Trixie assures you that they are but a candle in comparison to the roaring bonfire of the glory of the crystal ponies!” Trixie continued. “But our tale turns sour, for the crystal ponies were so jealous of the Great and Powerful Trixie that they banished her to faraway lands. Do you want to know what inspired such an insipid jealousy?” Trixie raised her hoof to her ear, waiting for an audience response.

The spellbound crowd cried, “Yes!”

Twilight hoofed the dirt beneath her with unease. This whole thing – in any realm of magic she understood – was thoroughly impossible. The Crystal City was gone, and time travel was even more impossible than ungated mass teleportation. Wait, dirt? She looked down and pulled back her hoof as Trixie continued her tale. Her hoof was pristine, the ground beneath it solid crystal. She set her hoof back down. The ground felt smooth once more.

“Well then, witness as the Great and Powerful Trixie takes you to find an Ursa Major, so that she may do the deed that caused her banishment!”

Before Twilight could fully process what Trixie said, the world around them changed again in a brilliant flash. Trixie stood above the crowd on a rocky outcropping, silhouetted against the night sky. A treeline loomed eerily around them. A distance away, a creature, large as a house, that looked like it ripped its coat from the starry sky itself, stood on the rocks. Its intimidating roar shook Twilight to her core. The crowd screamed.

“Have no fear!” Trixie cried. “It cannot hurt you with The Great and Powerful Trixie near! In order to make this demonstration as authentic as possible though, she shall have to call upon her assistant, Butterfly!”

Between the Ursa and Trixie, a pony with a creamy yellow coat and a long pink mane and tail rippled into existence on the rocky outcropping that Trixie had made into her stage. Twilight stared at the Ursa. It waited, unmoving except for the shimmer of stars on its coat.

“That’s Fluttershy!” Rainbow hissed in her ear.

Twilight flicked her attention back to the new pony on the stage. Cruel manacles held Fluttershy against a stone slab. She had no wings that Twilight could see. The Ursa loomed over Fluttershy.

“We have to help her!” Rainbow shouted as she launched forward with a powerful beat of her wings. Before she closed the distance, a ring of steel appeared, encircling and constricting her wings. She plummeted like a stone, her momentum carrying her face first into the rock beneath Trixie.

Twilight thought she heard a cracking sound. “Rainbow!” She called with worry, her voice joined by Pinkie and Applejack.

Rainbow stirred. “I’m okay!” she grunted. Twilight sighed with relief.

“Do not interfere!” Trixie warned. She flicked her cape, and strode forward to face the Ursa. The bear pulled back a massive paw, eliciting a whimper from Fluttershy. Twilight almost cast a spell to intervene, but Trixie addressed the creature. “Face the Great and Powerful Trixie, foul beast!” Trixie shouted. The Ursa turned its massive head to look at Trixie and began to lumber toward her.

Trixie channeled a spell, her horn consumed by a powerful glow. The Ursa stumbled, then fell as a dark portal opened up beneath its feet. Trying to pull itself up, it clawed angrily at the stone, but its hindquarters drug it down into a black nothingness. The portal closed shut like an iris. In an instant, the Ursa was defeated.

“As you can see, for the Most Magical Pony in Equestria, such a creature was hardly a challenge! And now, the feats that the Great and Powerful Trixie can accomplish are far beyond your imaginations, for she has had over a thousand years to master her art!” Trixie said. “But I am afraid that your time here is done, and the Great and Powerful Trixie must return you back to your mundane existence.”

Another flash of light, and they all stood back in front of the stage at the carnival. Trixie and Fluttershy were gone. Twilight stepped quickly up to the base of the stage to help Rainbow. She noticed distractedly that several of the wooden supports along the base of the stage languished in varying states of disrepair, including the cracked one Rainbow lay next to.

Rainbow groaned and rubbed a rising welt on her face. “I don’t suppose I can have one of those healing potions.”

Twilight shook her head while she helped Rainbow back to her feet. “Nope.” She glanced at the bandage on her own shoulder. “Look what happened to me, and I didn’t use one.”

“Right,” Rainbow grunted. “Well, Trixie is powerful, and she has Fluttershy.” Rainbow removed the hoof from her face. “What in Equestria was that?”

“I’d rather not tangle with her.” Applejack said from behind Twilight. “How much of that do you think was true?”

Twilight glanced at Applejack, a frown crossing her features. “It doesn’t seem possible, but I’m not sure what to believe. We saw what we saw, didn’t we?”

Applejack nodded. “Yup. So what do we do now?”

“I think we should pay a visit to Madame Bedouin. Maybe she will let us see Fluttershy, and we can resolve this whole thing peacefully,” Twilight said.

The air within Madame Bedouin's tent was so heavy with acrid, smoky incense that it made Twilight cough when she breathed too deeply. Unsurprisingly, Madame Bedouin, who lay on a bed of expensive fabrics in the back of the tent on the other side of a low table, was not a pony. Small eyes, and a long, elegant muzzle, identified her as an arabian horse. Her greying mane betrayed her age.

“Midnight Shine, right? Come here, filly,” the Madame said, her voice grating and rough.

Twilight stepped forward and folded her legs beneath her, lying next to the table. Soft fabrics covered the floor of the tent. She was alone; the Madame had only agreed to meet with one of them. “I’m here to talk to you about—”

“Give me your hoof,” the Madame said, interrupting her. “I’d like to know who I’m speaking to before we do business.”

Twilight eyed the Madame skeptically, but she set her hoof on the table. The Madame closed her eyes and seized Twilight’s hoof, then proceeded to probe every line in the keratin. Twilight found the sensation strangely relaxing. With each passing moment, the Madame seemed to grow tenser, until finally, her eyes shot open wide, and she abruptly released Twilight’s hoof.

The Madame gasped theatrically. “I cannot read your fate,” she said. “Your destiny, and your identity, is beyond my sight.” For a moment, Twilight thought the the Madame looked sad. “I only know that great trials await you on the road ahead.”

Twilight snorted inwardly, not wanting to openly disrespect her host. Not only was the Madame, as Twilight suspected, unable to predict anything specific about the future, she couldn’t even tell Twilight something she wanted to hear. She made a poor fraud. Instead of telling Twilight believable lies, she told Twilight nothing.

“So, is a mystery like yourself with a fantastical creature as a companion looking for a spot at the carnival? We are always looking for new talent,” the Madame said.

“No, it’s not that. My friends and I are looking for a pegasus named Fluttershy. I believe she is Trixie’s assistant,” Twilight explained.

Madame arched a brow. “We have a few pegasi in the circus, but none named Fluttershy. The Great and Powerful Trixie’s assistant is an earth pony named Butterfly.”

“Could we speak with her? Just to be sure?” Twilight pleaded.

The Madame shook her head. “I’m sorry, I cannot allow it. We don’t allow slaves to speak to customers.”

Twilight blinked. “She’s a slave?”

“Yes, we purchased her legitimately, I can assure you. All of her documentation is in order,” the Madame said.

“Are you sure you can’t make an exception?” Twilight pressed.

“I cannot.” The Madame’s welcoming attitude turned hard. “Now, unless you have something I can help you with, I suggest you leave.”

Defeated, Twilight stood up and pushed her way out the tent flap. As soon as she stepped blinking into the daylight, Rainbow launched a question at her.

“Well, what did she say?”

“She claimed there is no pegasus named Fluttershy in her troupe. She said that ‘Butterfly’ is an earth pony slave, and she said we couldn’t see her,” Twilight said.

She turned once her hindquarters cleared the tent and started to make her way toward the edge of the carnival grounds. She took a deep breath of fresh outside air. The others followed her, Spike hurrying along on his own two legs.

A thought occurred to Twilight. “Spike, get me a book on with information about Ursas,” she said.

“Coming right up,” Spike said, then produced a book.

Rainbow landed in front of Twilight with a blast of air. “Where are we going! I’m not going to give up!”

Twilight stopped and opened the book that Spike handed her. She flipped through the pages, ignoring Rainbow. “Ursa, Ursa, Ursa... major...” she muttered. “Ah!”

“Twilight!” Rainbow said, seeking a response.

“Here we are... wait, the size is wrong,” Twilight said.

Pinkie stared at Twilight with wide eyes. “What do you mean, Trixie found something bigger?”

“No,” Twilight flipped the book around so that they could see. “Smaller.” The drawing she’d seen on the page made an Ursa Major out to be astoundingly massive. It outsized the pony used for scale a hundredfold at least. A fully grown dragon would be comparable.

Twilight flipped the book around again and turned the page. “Ursa Minor... Juvenile Ursa.” Twilight turned the book so that they could see again. “This is what Trixie fought, not an Ursa Major. She may be powerful, but she is fallible.”

Twilight lowered her voice before continuing. “We’ll sneak into this place after dark, and we’ll save Fluttershy. If Trixie tries to stop us, we’ll find a way to win.”

Several hours later, Twilight found herself wondering how she could have been so monumentally stupid, so staggeringly arrogant, as to even think of confronting a spellcaster with Trixie’s abilities.

It had been easy enough to sneak into the tent where Twilight suspected the Madame kept her slaves. It had been easier still to find the cage where ‘Butterfly’ slept, along with a small white bunny curled in her hair. But, while Rainbow and Applejack argued over the quietest way to get the lock open, Trixie had appeared in the doorway.

Before Twilight could react, a white flash of light had replaced the tent and its dozen cage-bound slaves with an exotic arabian palace, complete with satin curtains, lush velvet rugs, and an ivory throne.

At the moment, she was alone – other than Trixie sitting on the throne looking down at her with contempt. She deserved contempt. She was an arrogant young wizard trifling with magic she didn’t understand.

“Who dares trespass upon the glorious realm of the Great and Powerful Trixie?” Trixie’s impressive voice echoed through the chamber. Rapidly, Twilight scrambled for an excuse that could get her and her friends out of this mess alive. “Well? Speak, worm!” Trixie demanded.

Quickly, Twilight threw herself to the ground, groveling before Trixie. “I’m sorry Tri—”

“Great and Powerful Trixie!”

“I’m sorry, Great—Your Great and Powerfulness, I am a young wizard, and I was so stunned by your magic that I wanted to know more. I didn’t mean to intrude where I didn’t belong.” She looked up at Trixie nervously.

Trixie nodded. “Acceptable.”

Trixie motioned with a hoof, and a pony servant that Twilight hadn’t seen before stepped forward and presented Trixie with a golden goblet. She took the goblet in her levitation, and the servant stepped back while she sipped it. The servant returned to a spot by the wall and stood eerily still. Twilight looked to the opposite wall and rubbed her eyes. A second servant stood there as well.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie appreciates your interest. But... she cannot tell you about her power. As you are so young, you would not understand the sheer complexity of it.”

While Trixie spoke, Twilight couldn’t shake the feeling of something being terribly wrong, beyond her own stupidity. She felt like she did when Trixie had teleported her and the audience at the show across Equestria. There has to be an explanation, she thought.

Trixie’s next statement made Twilight cringe.

“Besides, the Great and Powerful Trixie would never share her secrets with someone conspiring to steal her assistant!” Trixie stood up from her throne and approached Twilight with an attitude of righteous anger. “Don’t look so surprised, Bedouin told her all about your conversation, Midnight Shine.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed. Trixie, once again, was faillible. Shouldn’t Trixie know my real name? How could someone be so powerful and still make such simple mistakes? she mused. As much as she and her friends tried to only use her name when other ponies weren’t listening, they hadn’t been all that careful. Just like the Ursa, it would be easy enough to figure out for a normal pony. Trixie should know these details.

“Now what is the Great and Powerful Trixie going to do with you, humm?” Trixie said, standing over her. “You have audacity, she’ll give you that. Perhaps even a worthless individual such as you can be of some use to her.”

For all that Trixie was, her powers were strangely limited. Her main trick seemed to be instant, unlimited, mass teleportation. And then it hit her; it was a trick.

It all came together: The dirt beneath her hoof, the crack when Rainbow hit what was actually the stage support, the way that other creatures stood eerily still, why Trixie would be preforming at some two-bit carnival, and the sheer impossibility of it all. She should have trusted her instincts from the beginning. She knew it was impossible. Instead, she let Trixie’s flair and attitude mislead her and distract her from the truth.

The truth was: Trixie was a fraud, and this was all an illusion.

Twilight picked herself up off the floor and looked around the room. Every imperfection, every place where Trixie had failed, became obvious to her. The way the curtains moved was wrong. The way the servants stood, glassy eyed at their posts, was wrong. The whole place was like the way the ring had struck the stick in the booth: wrong.

“Grovel!” Trixie demanded.

Twilight looked back at Trixie. The truth gave her confidence. “This isn’t real,” she told Trixie.

Twilight saw a hint of fear in Trixie’s eyes, but wrath quickly replaced it. “You will find that this is very real!” Trixie threatened.

The servants grew, towering until they were giants whose heads nearly brushed the ceiling. They stomped toward Twilight, and the floor cracked beneath their hooves as they advanced. The ceiling started to crumble, then the walls, and even Trixie’s form standing in front of her. Fear shot through her as one of the giant’s massive hooves descended toward her, but she repressed her instinct to run and closed her eyes, hoping she was right.

No hoof fell.

When Twilight opened her eyes, she was standing back in the tent. She looked around for her friends. Rainbow Dash shivered on the floor of a cage next to the sleeping Fluttershy, her wingblades discarded on the floor outside. Pinkie Pie had tangled herself up in a pile of ropes until she could no longer move next to the edge of the tent. She giggled uncontrollably. Trixie stood near the entrance of the tent, her horn aglow, and her face twisted in a mixture of concentration and panic.

Bang!

Twilight turned around to face the sudden sound. Applejack relentlessly bucked at the door of a metal cage from the inside, trapped. Her chain lay on the floor of the tent, outside the cage. The slaves, still under the effects of Trixie’s magic, slept on.

“Applejack?” Twilight said in wonder.

Applejack stopped bucking to look at Twilight. “Tell me you ain’t just talking to yourself. Tell me you figured it out.”

Twilight smiled, clapping her hooves together. “Yes! It was an illusion.”

“She tricked me; she tricked us all. Got me to trap myself in this cage before I figured it out. She didn’t trap you though.” Applejack flicked her head toward Trixie. “Go kick her flank.”

Twilight nodded and drew Solstice. Confidently, she advanced on Trixie. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted movement. The white bunny that had been sleeping next to Fluttershy easily slipped through the bars of the cage and bounced toward her. Behind him, Fluttershy raised her head, her eyes opening. While Twilight watched the bunny, she heard the caged pony gasp in fright.

The bunny paused in front of Twilight. Woody vines emerged from the dirt floor of the tent. They picked up the bunny, surrounding him and empowering him. He rose up until he was a creature of bark and wood a head taller than her – a massive, wooden rabbit. Twilight eyed the tree-beast skeptically. She ignored it, not even moving Solstice to guard. Trixie’s illusions couldn’t actually harm her.

“Really, Trixie? I already figured out your illusions. Is this really the best idea—”

Applejack’s voice called from behind her while she spoke, “Twilight, look—”

The rest of Applejack’s words were lost when her head snapped violently to the side; the wooden bunny’s hind leg made contact with her jaw. She spun toward the ground. She remained aware of every moment of falling, but although she was aware, she couldn’t consciously react. Her useless limbs failed to even reflexively protect her from the impact when the floor came up to meet her: hard.

She heard Trixie’s voice over the ringing in her ears. “Oh he is very real, as you can see. And you know what the best part is? He thinks you’re Trixie!” Trixie said with a cruel laugh.

With a groan, Twilight gathered her barely responsive limbs beneath her. She tried to order her thoughts enough to cast a spell as she stood, but long before she could even begin, a second impact hit her side.

The blow knocked her to the ground, where she lay, coughing. Blood trickled out her nose and from a reopened talon gash on her neck. Solstice lay a few hoofspans away where she had dropped it after the first kick. She reached out toward it with her magic, but the rabbit’s foot came down on it as soon as her levitation field glowed around it, trapping the blade flat against the ground.

“Stop it, you varmint!” Applejack bucked the cage again. “She’s...” Slam! “Not...” Slam! “Who you think she is!”

From Twilight’s position on the ground, she saw something white past the flaps covering the entrance to the tent. A bolt of coalesced light blue magic shot from the opening and struck Trixie. Trixie reeled, the glow around her horn dissipated. Relief filled Twilight when the rabbit, formerly looming over her, stopped abruptly and turned his bark covered face toward Trixie with an angry glare.

Rarity strode in the doorway of the tent with a beautifully crafted recurve bow floating in an aura of magic beside her. She stood over Trixie.

“That’s what you get for keeping slaves, hurting ponies, and giving me green hair!”

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Editor: Extravagaunte
Editor: Rainbow Twister
Editor: The Music Man

Friends

Friends

“It’s stuck,” Twilight told Applejack.

She tugged a key out of the jammed locking mechanism keeping Applejack caged. Applejack’s earlier attempt to break out on her own had left the metal twisted and warped. Twilight sighed in frustration, then suppressed a pained groan; when she breathed, she felt like she had a spike lodged in her side. She gritted her teeth and tolerated the discomfort, at least for the moment.

Applejack nickered and stamped furiously in the small space. “Well, I ain’t stayin’ in here.” She turned around, aligning her hindquarters with the cage door. “Guess I’ll have to finish what I started!”

Twilight took a couple steps back to get clear of the door. “Wait a second, I have an idea.” She laced her levitation magic around the grate of the cage and started to pull. “Alright, now go.”

Applejack’s next buck shattered the locking mechanism, flinging the door wide open. Before Twilight could react, her levitation tore the door’s damaged hinges clean off and sent it flying straight at her with dangerous speed. She released her magic in shock while she ducked beneath the metal. The deformed grate sailed over her head, hit the dirt, and rolled across the tent on its corners. The metal came to a stop with a ringing clang when it slammed into the open cage where Rainbow and Fluttershy had recently been trapped. She winced, both at the loud sound that stung her ears, and at the way the rapid motion to evade the grate had driven the pain in her chest to new heights.

“I’m working over here!” Rarity cried in exasperation. She sat in front of a cage, picking the lock, her bow slung across her back. She’d gotten the door to Fluttershy’s cage open with only her levitation before Pinkie had even found the keys.

“Sorry!” Twilight said. She crossed her eyes to look at her horn. She didn’t think her levitation was that strong. The hinges must have been mostly broken already, she concluded.

“Thanks, Twilight,” Applejack said, stepping out of the cage.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie will not stand for this! A projectile has painfully punctured her posterior, and she demands treatment!” Trixie whined from the ground where she lay near the tent’s door. Rainbow stood guard over the prone unicorn, one of her wingblades poised near Trixie’s throat.

Rainbow groaned. “Shut up already!”

Applejack flicked her head toward Trixie. “Now what do you think we should do with her?” she said softly to Twilight.

Twilight flashed Applejack a smile. “I’ve got an idea.”

Twilight stepped forward. While she approached Trixie, she brushed dried blood off her muzzle with a hoof and put on her most confident expression. She felt like a beaten dog. She hoped she looked like a victor.

“Tell you what, Trixie,” Twilight said, standing over Trixie as she levitated a healing potion, “I will consider giving you this if you dispel the illusion you’ve put on Fluttershy’s wings.”

Trixie looked up at the potion from the floor and nodded eagerly. “Done!”

Twilight looked up at where Fluttershy sat next to the edge of the tent. The white bunny snuggled against Fluttershy, back to his original, adorable, small self. Fluttershy’s wings gradually faded into existence on her back, confirming her identity as a pegasus. Twilight smiled; she’d correctly identified the spell hiding Fluttershy’s wings as long-term, sustained magic, like her mage armor.

“Now give Trixie the potion!” Trixie said.

Twilight held up her hoof. “I’m thinking.”

“We should just kill her and be done with it,” Applejack said with a grumble from beside Twilight.

“Does she really deserve that?” Pinkie said as she stepped up on Twilight’s other side.

“She’ll cause no end a’ trouble if we let her go,” Applejack said.

Twilight looked down at Trixie. The baby blue unicorn stared back at Twilight in defiance, but her eyes betrayed her fear. “If we kill her, would we deserve to die?” Twilight murmured.

“It ain’t about that, Twilight. Killing her isn’t right because she deserves to die; killing her is right because it’ll keep ponies safe from her illusions,” Applejack said.

Twilight continued to stare down at Trixie. She wanted to kill Trixie. She wanted to to wipe that arrogant smirk from the face of Equestria. Trixie had manipulated her, hurt her, and attempted to kill her by proxy. Still, she couldn’t decide.

“But what does that mean about us?” Twilight said, then paused, remembering something Star Swirl had told her months ago. She turned to look into Applejack’s eyes. “Doesn’t everyone deserve a chance at redemption?” The difference was, Star Swirl stated it with conviction while she could only question.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is sorry for hurting you. She promises she will be better!” Trixie said quickly.

Applejack snorted. “There ain’t nothin’ she can say that we can trust.”

“I think Fluttershy should decide,” Rainbow said. “Out of all of us, she’s been hurt the most.”

“Oh, um...” Fluttershy said softly from where she sat. “I–I don’t...” her voice faded, becoming too quiet for Twilight to hear.

“I agree with Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said. She felt a little selfish for shifting the weight of the decision onto Fluttershy’s shoulders, but if anyone should decide, it was Trixie’s former slave.

“I don’t think you should kill her,” Fluttershy said, loud enough to be heard this time, “Even though she was mean and nasty to me, everypony deserves a chance.”

Applejack sighed. “Fair enuff... but mark my words, she’ll be trouble.”

Twilight started to levitate the potion down toward Trixie, but Fluttershy stepped forward before she could give it to the wounded illusionist. “I could heal her...” she murmured, “but you look like you need it more.”

Twilight watched Fluttershy approach. As soon as the demure pegasus stood next to Twilight, she gently pressed a hoof into Twilight’s injured side. Twilight groaned in pain, collapsing onto her haunches.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “Oh dear, you’ve got a broken rib. I’m so sorry Angel hurt you, I was just so frightened, and—” Fluttershy said.

“It’s okay...” Twilight interrupted. “It’s Trixie’s fault, not yours.” She glared at the tiny white rabbit hanging onto Fluttershy’s tail. “And his.”

The rabbit blew her a raspberry.

“He only gets like that when I’m really scared,” Fluttershy said.

Fluttershy focused her blue eyes on Twilight, and a natural green glow filled them. Twilight sighed in contentment as a warmth spreading from Fluttershy’s hoof purged her injuries. Her side felt whole again, the soreness in her jaw disappeared, and even the gashes on her neck and shoulders were healed.

“Thanks,” Twilight said.

Fluttershy’s head drooped wearily as she finished the spell, but she picked back up a moment later. She turned to Trixie and carefully extracted the crystalline arrow with her teeth. Twilight returned her healing potion to her bag, leaving the task to Fluttershy.

Twilight focused on the entrance to the tent when she heard commotion outside. In her peripheral vision, she saw her friends ready themselves for a fight. She drew Solstice.

A moment later, the Madame burst into the tent. She froze in the entrance when she saw Rainbow’s wingblade poised against Trixie’s neck. A number of armed carnival folk came to an abrupt stop behind the Madame.

“Don’t kill her!” the Madame cried. “You can have the pegasus...”–she looked around the tent at the open cages–“and the rest of the slaves can go free!”

“That sounds like a good—” Twilight said.

Rarity interrupted her before she could finish, saying, “That sounds like a bit of a raw deal. I imagine that a wizard of Trixie’s caliber is what keeps your carnival safe on the road.” Twilight hadn’t noticed the white unicorn step up beside her.

“I have some magic items; enough Cloaks of Protection for all of you. That would be good for adventurers like you, yes?” The Madame said.

“Not a wizard...” Twilight grumbled. Trixie’s brand of spellcasting had all the marks of sorcery.

“Shush, darling, I’m negotiating,” Rarity whispered out of the side of her mouth at Twilight with thinly veiled irritation. She tapped her chin with her hoof, then addressed the madame, “That sounds almost fair. You give us those, and the slaves their freedom, complete with papers to confirm it, along with fifty bits for each of them, and you’ll get your wizard back.”

The Madame shook her head, but she said, “Agreed. You rob me, unicorn. Now let her go.”

Rarity smiled sweetly at the Madame. “Ah-ah-ah! Papers, bits, and cloaks first. We’ll let you have her back at the edge of the carnival.”

The dozen or so slaves gratefully trailed behind Twilight and her group while they walked back towards town. Twilight held her blade to Trixie’s neck, eyeing the carnies that surrounded them on all sides warily. They carried a motley collection of weaponry, but Twilight didn’t think they looked like they wanted a fight, at least not while she had Trixie as a hostage.

“How’d she do all that anyway?” Rainbow said. She looped through the air above Trixie, inspecting the sorceress as she passed over, before coming down to land beside Twilight.

“She’s a sorceress. Some sorcerers can cast a variety of spells through innate understanding, but Trixie is a bit more unique: she can only do one type of magic. However, she’s very, very good at it,” Twilight said. “Isn’t that right, Trixie?”

Trixie nodded aloofly. “The Great and Powerful Trixie’s abilities are awe inspiring.”

Rainbow glared at Trixie. “And she uses them to pretend to be something she’s not.”

Trixie stuck her nose into the air. “The Great and Powerful Trixie spoke only truth. Her illusion magic makes her the Most Magically Gifted Pony in Equestria, and she was truly a Crystal Pony. How else could she know what the Crystal City looks like?”

Rainbow laughed. “Yeah right! You’re a Crystal Pony, and I’m an Alicorn!” She wiggled her head with an annoying expression plastered on her face. “See my horn!”

Trixie ignored Rainbow’s taunting and continued to walk proudly alongside Twilight. Failing to get a response, Rainbow gave up and settled down. “What’s a Crystal Pony?” she whispered to Twilight a moment later.

Twilight wished she could stop walking and plant her face in her hooves. Lacking that option, she chose a brief lecture.

“Crystal Ponies were crystalline ponies that—”

“Crystal Ponies were crystalline? You don’t say...” Pinkie said playfully from behind Twilight, interrupting.

Twilight rolled her eyes and continued, “That lived in the Crystal City at the heart of the Crystal Empire over a thousand years ago. They were destroyed during the Time of Troubles, and there has been no record of them since, making it quite impossible for Trixie to be one.”

“Time of Troubles?” Rainbow said.

“Yes... I’ll tell you about it later,” Twilight said.

“Eh, don’t worry about it. I’m sure it was some cataclysmic event of epic proportions that happened too long ago for anypony to remember, or for me to care,” Rainbow said.

Twilight sighed.

The transfer went off without a hitch.

While the Madame and her group returned to the carnival grounds, Twilight clasped one of the silky, grey cloaks around her neck. The magic made the silk strong as steel, and the cloak would keep her warm in the cold and cool in the sun. The enchantment would even offer her minor protection against spells.

A moment later, an odd sensation passed through her, and she felt like Spike was about to return. She turned her head, looking at a spot on the ground next to her. In a flare of green fire, Spike appeared precisely where she expected him to.

Twilight smiled. “Your timing is improving.”

Spike grinned back at her. “I’m learning.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I think I can—I dunno... feel when you feel safe. Earlier it was more guesswork.” He pointed at the yellow pegasus standing next to Rainbow Dash. “So she’s the pony you guys rescued?”

Twilight nodded. Her ears perked when Fluttershy whispered something. She thought she heard Fluttershy say something about a baby dragon.

“Naw, he’s a familiar or something,” Rainbow said.

“Well, actually...” Spike said, running over to the rest of the group.

Twilight shook her head with amusement. Apparently, fey dragons shared ego as well as appearance with their namesake. She turned her gaze toward Ponyville, watching the last of the former slaves make their way toward the town. She hoped that the fifty bits they each had would last long enough for them to get settled or get back to their families. She noticed Rarity sitting a bit away from the rest of the group, staring after the slaves. While Spike conversed excitedly with her friends, she walked over and plopped down on her haunches next to Rarity.

“That was the reason you came to the carnival tonight, wasn’t it? To set them free?” Twilight said.

“Wasn’t that why you were there?” Rarity said as she turned to look at Twilight.

The question caught Twilight off guard. After a pause, she said, “Well, sort of. Specifically, I... we were there to help Rainbow Dash free Fluttershy. But, I don’t think I could have left the other ponies caged.” She turned her gaze down to the ground in front of her. “I don’t care if it’s technically legal. It’s wrong, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know, Twilight... that’s your name, right?” Rarity said. Twilight nodded, and Rarity continued, “Does the idea of taking a pony’s destiny away from them and turning them into a piece of property sound right to you?”

Twilight shook her head. “Of course not.” She wasn’t sure how much stock she put in fate, but she agreed with Rarity’s sentiment completely.

“Precisely. Now, the ponies who benefit from slaves will attempt to justify it as due punishment for crimes committed or a legitimate spoil of war, but even if they were right, plenty of slaves are just poor, innocent ponies,” Rarity said. “Take Fluttershy, for example. She was probably captured by slavers, had documents forged, then had her wings hidden to avoid unwanted scrutiny.”

“Well, thank you for your help,” Twilight said. Almost every day out here somepony has to save my life, she thought bitterly. “We should probably get back to town though. We’ll need to rent rooms for the rest of the night.”

“Absolutely not,” Rarity said. “I insist that you come stay at my boutique. There’s more than enough room for you all there, and I never would have had the opportunity to help those ponies if it weren’t for you and your friends.”

Twilight glanced at Rarity. “So you were planning this for a while?”

Rarity shook her head. “No, it would have been futile to try and help them on my own. Every year the carnival came to town I wished I could do something. But, after I heard about that business in Berry Punch’s Tavern, I started to keep a close eye on your group. At the carnival, I learned you were trying to help a slave. When you snuck in this evening, I knew I had to seize the moment, and I’m glad I did.” She smiled at Twilight.

Twilight furrowed her brows. The amount of attention she attracted troubled her, even though she had benefited from it in this case. If the Black Knight was still on the hunt, he could be almost upon them. Surrounded by allies, maybe she could beat him, but she doubted it. Even though wizards of Star Swirl’s caliber were not to be trifled with, the Black Knight made killing him almost look easy. She knew that if the Black Knight caught up with them, she would die, and if her friends made the same choice Star Swirl did, they would die as well.

Twilight noticed Rarity giving her a confused look and quickly brightened her expression. “We’d be happy to stay at your boutique.” Hopefully, Rarity’s shop would be better than the tavern at keeping them out of the spotlight.

“We’re stayin’ where now?” Applejack said.

The gates of Candlekeep were open wide to Twilight Sparkle. She knew no shelter awaited her within, but she found herself irrevocably drawn to the shadows beyond the gate. Unable to walk away, she drifted into the main hall of the library. A form moved on the stairway to the upper levels.

The figure resolved into the Black Knight, who strode silently down the steps toward her. His very presence defiled her beloved books. Ready to fight and die, Twilight reached for her sword, but she found nothing. She felt naked, as unprotected and ill prepared as when this adventure had first entered her life.

The Black Knight raised no weapon to strike her down. Instead, he stopped, standing on the stone floor before her. Fluttershy, still and statuesque, cowering behind her wooden guardian, appeared from the shadows next to him. A shadowy voice emanated from his helmet.

“Fluttershy, the Healer. Alongside Rainbow Dash, she will join you. But can she heal you?”

The Black Knight turned, taking one pace to the left. Beside Fluttershy, Rarity appeared, her bow ready, a sinister light in her eyes.

“Rarity, the Enigma. She will ask to join you, but can you trust her? Noble though she may seem, deception is her game, and you will be made a fool.”

The Black Knight took another step. Next was Rainbow Dash, wingblades ready, unbridled fury on her face.

“Rainbow Dash, the Fighter. She will fight for you, she will kill for you, but when she finally cracks, what will happen to you?”

Another pace. This time, Applejack appeared, armored, glancing over her shoulder, chain at the ready behind her.

“Applejack, the Guardian. She will not waver from her task, at least until she realizes exactly what it is she guards.”

One more step. Finally, Pinkie appeared, hair straight, hooves planted, a dark look on her features.

“Pinkie Pie, the Friend. She has stood by you all this while, through trauma and trails. But in the end, when she sees who you truly are? What will happen then?”

Twilight shook her head. The others, perhaps, she hardly knew them, but not Pinkie; she knew Pinkie. Something was wrong here. She found her thoughts, her identity, and with her voice, challenged the shadows for the first time.

“What I truly am? All I am is a friend, a wizard, and a scared mare trying to survive! I am nothing more!”

The Black Knight loomed before her. She saw him, close, every detail the way she remembered: every chink in his armor, and every contour of his terrifying helm.

“You will find that I am you, and you are me. And you and I... ?”

The Black Knight coalesced into a bolt of shadow. He whispered through the air, black ink spilling from his form as he traced black lines around the five statues of her friends.

“We.”

The statues came to life. Together, they turned away from her, not even giving her a passing glance.

“Are.”

Her five friends strode away from her. She could only watch in silence as they left her.

“Alone.”

The Black Knight’s form rushed through the chamber as a wind, becoming one with the darkness around her. As her friends walked away from her, they began to crumble. Brightly colored dust, yellow, white, blue, orange, and pink, spilled from their bodies until they fully dissolved away into the same featureless black. Only Twilight remained.

A deep horror filled her. Alone, friendless, the shadows would consume her. Still, she held her head high: defiant. She rejected the idea. Her friends would not leave her. Again, she challenged the darkness.

“‘I am you, and you are me...’ What does that even mean?”

“You will learn.”

The first thing Twilight noticed when she woke up was something terribly hot constricting her. She searched her mind for a defensive spell as her eyes shot open. She glanced around the room in panic and saw that she lay in a small guest bed. A larger, neatly made bed occupied the majority of the other half of the room. The midmorning sun beat down on her covers. Rarity’s room... she realized, then let out a pent up breath in relief. No spells were needed.

It took her a moment to free herself from the twisted sheets that she’d wrapped around herself in her sleep. Rarity’s empty bed told her that her hostess must already be awake. She also noticed that Spike was nowhere to be found. Twilight rolled out of bed and placed her hooves on the cold floor. When she glimpsed her reflection in the mirror of Rarity’s vanity, she crossed the room to get a closer look. Her haggard, worn features gazed back at her, beneath her mess of a mane. Compared to her tidy appearance back in Candlekeep, she was a wreck.

She retrieved her brush from her saddlebag and set about battling the knots in her hair. After a few minutes, not only did she look neater, but she felt better. She focused on herself in the mirror. Despite all that had happened to her, she bore no permanent physical marks. So far, she had weathered all that the world had thrown at her, and she felt stronger for it.

She left Rarity’s room and heard a voice drifting out the door of the guest room across the hall.

“So yeah, that’s pretty much the story, Twilight has a bounty on her head and she’s trying to figure out why, and I promised her I would help.”

Twilight easily identified the first speaker as Rainbow Dash, but it took her a moment to recognize the faint sound of the next speaker.

“And you killed a pony?”

“It’s no big deal, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said.

Twilight poked her head in the partially open door. Rainbow, who was sitting next to an open saddlebag that lay on the floor, turned to glance at Twilight. “Ey,” she grunted around one of the bag’s straps as she tightened it. She dropped the strap from her mouth and said, “We were just talking about you, and—”

“If Rainbow Dash is going with you, I’m coming too!” Fluttershy interrupted. Twilight stepped fully into the room and saw Fluttershy cringe at her own outburst. “That is, if it’s okay...”

Twilight paused, hoof raised mid step. It bothered her that the malevolent voice from the shadows of her nightmare spoke true.

Noticing her hesitation, Rainbow said, “I know, I know, she seems timid, but her magic would definitely help out. What do you say, Twilight?”

“No, no, that’s fine... but there is something else I wanted to talk about with you,” Twilight said, eyeing Rainbow’s wingblades on the bedside table. “Applejack tells me you stole those.”

Rainbow snorted. “So what. What else could I do? It’s not like I was going to abandon Fluttershy, like the rest of them.”

“I know. I just wanted to tell you that I don’t hold you to our deal. Now that you’ve found her, you could go back and—”

“No way! I’m not going back!” Rainbow said and turned away from Twilight in a huff. “They wouldn’t take her back, and they’d throw me in jail! Besides, Firefly would kill me.”

“Over a set of wingblades?” Twilight said.

“I’m sorry...” Fluttershy murmured.

Rainbow turned on Fluttershy. “It’s not your fault! I’ve said that a million times already.” She stalked over to the bedside table and snatched up her wingblades. “See these?” She held one of the blades out, one of the straps looped over her hoof. “I lifted these straight off the altar at the temple. They’re important. They aren’t just any wingblades.”

Twilight blinked. “What do they do?”

Rainbow shrugged. “Something ceremonial I guess... hey!”

Out of curiosity, Twilight levitated the wingblade off of Rainbow’s hoof to get a closer look. She turned it over, ignoring Rainbow’s objection, and peered at the padded inside edge that rested against the wielder's wing. She saw runes inscribed in the fabric. She flexed one of the leather straps. It was supple, even though she’d never seen Rainbow care for the leather.

“These are magic,” Twilight said.

“No duh, they don’t get old and all that,” Rainbow said, plopping onto her haunches angrily. “You didn’t need to snatch ‘em just to tell me that.”

“No, they do more than that. Let me cast a spell,” Twilight said as she closed her eyes. With her mind, she formed the identification spell. She could hear Rainbow’s tail lashing against the floor while the impatient pegasus waited for her to finish.

The spell complete, she opened her eyes. “Wow...”

“What? What do they do?” Rainbow said.

“How’d you even get access to these?” Twilight said.

“I was training at the temple. What does that matter?”

Twilight levitated one of the wingblades toward Rainbow. The pegasus fidgeted away. “Hold still! I need to show you what it does,” Twilight said. Rainbow irritably blew a lock of hair out of her face, but held out her wing.

Once she had both the wingblades fastened, Twilight told Rainbow, “Focus, think about wind, then swing the blade through the air.” She took a step back as a precaution.

Rainbow closed her eyes, brows furrowing in concentration. After a brief pause, Rainbow opened her eyes and swung her wing. The blast of air from her innate abilities alone lifted a blanket off one of the beds, but it was not the result Twilight expected.

Rainbow shook her head. “Nothing. You could just tell me what they do.”

Twilight thought for a moment. She would have to try something else. What would trigger Rainbow Dash? she wondered. Rainbow looked at her expectantly. “Try again,” Twilight said.

As Rainbow closed her eyes, preparing to swing, Twilight said, “Think about the cleric’s shield in the way.”

This time, a powerful blast of air sent the bed skidding back across the wooden floor. In an instant, it slammed against the wall. A half open window shutter twisted violently and broke free as the wind rushed past it to escape the confines of the room. Twilight winced when she heard the shutter clatter against something wooden as it fell.

“Woah!” Rainbow said.

“Sorry. It wouldn’t have worked if I just told you,” Twilight said.

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah.” She sat again, staring out the damaged window. “Anyways, we’re coming with you.”

“If that’s what you want, I’d be glad to have your help,” Twilight said. She turned to look at Fluttershy. “Both of your help.”

“What in Equestria happened here?” Spike said from behind her.

“Um, well—” Twilight began, turning her head to glance at where Spike stood in the doorway.

“Nevermind!” Spike said. “Tell it to Rarity. She sent me up to let you know breakfast is ready.”

Rarity’s dining table wasn’t small, but it seemed that way with several ponies and Spike crammed around it. When she arrived downstairs, the available spot happened to be next to Pinkie. Remembering last morning’s argument, she hesitated a moment, but the aroma wafting from the table prompted her to wedge herself into the space anyway. As she reached for a pancake that Rarity had prepared, she jumped when she heard Pinkie’s loud, excited voice in her ear.

“I forgive you!”

Twilight blinked. “What?”

“You know, the thing I was grumpy about because you made me mad, but it wasn’t really your fault I was mad. I forgive you!” Pinkie wrapped a hoof sticky with syrup around Twilight’s shoulders and gave her a hug. “We’re best friends, even if we’ve had to deal with some hard stuff.”

Twilight smiled. “Thanks, Pinkie.”

’But in the end... what will happen then?’ echoed through her mind.

“Friends forever, right?” Twilight said.

“Friends through eternity,” Pinkie said with a grin, releasing her.

Twilight nodded. “Absolutely.” She turned back to her food. How could I doubt Pinkie Pie? She felt like their bond had only grown stronger since she left Candlekeep.

After breakfast, they all pitched in to help clean up. In the kitchen, the two unicorns made quick work of the dirty dishes. As Twilight dipped a plate into the kitchen’s soapy trough, she said to Rarity, “If you were wondering about the noise upstairs... we—well, we kind of broke your window and maybe scraped up your floor a bit. I’m sure we have enough bits to cover the damage though.”

Rarity took the plate from Twilight, rinsing it in some clean running water provided by a pump she operated with her magic. The pump drew water from a well dug below the building, a common feature of a well-off merchant’s house. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it, I’m not planning on staying here much longer anyway.”

If it weren’t for her dream, the news would have surprised Twilight. “Why not?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

“You’re trying to get to the bottom of this trade crisis, aren’t you?”

Twilight looked down, scrubbing a dish. “Sort of. Someone’s trying to kill me, and I’m trying to find out why so that I can go back home. It looks like they are connected to the trade crisis though, at least the iron part.”

“That’ll have to do, I suppose,” Rarity said. She regarded Twilight. “I’d like to offer you my services; you’ve already seen some of my abilities. Of course, I’ll expect a fair share of any loot we happen to acquire along the way.”

Twilight set down the dish and gazed back at Rarity. “Are you sure you want to do that? I have no idea how long it’s going to take, or how dangerous it is going to be.” She wasn’t sure why she was trying to dissuade Rarity. The white unicorn appeared to have already made up her mind. I’m testing the voice, she realized.

“It’s better than sitting here waiting. I don’t own this shop, not fully. I bought it on credit. If I want to keep up with the payments, I’d have to sell Amethyst, my bow, assuming I could even find a buyer. I find that I would rather take Amethyst and use it. It’s a tool, after all, and hopefully it can help me solve my problems.”

“You’re welcome to join us,” Twilight said. She wouldn’t let her nightmare’s doubts about Rarity’s reliability rule her. “I’m curious, though, about your bow. It’s a manabow, right?”

Rarity nodded. “You have a good eye.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow when her suspicions were confirmed. Manabows were quite valuable; they were enchanted with magic that ensured a unicorn archer would never run out of arrows. “Where’d you get it?”

Rarity winked at her. “I acquired it.”

“So, you stole it?”

“Yes, a long time ago.” Rarity grinned. “But there’s no need to be so blunt about it.”

Twilight held a board in her levitation while Pinkie nailed it into place over one of Rarity’s windows. Together, they helped Rarity close up shop. Through the window, Twilight watched Rarity grab a few small items from the clutter in the main workshop area of her home, and insert them into a small pouch held on a strap at her side. Two hoofspan long, needle-like blades sheathed in rugged fabric dangled next to the pouch. Twilight levitated the next board into place, cutting off her view.

Next to her, Rarity stepped out of the doorway of her shop, turned, and appraised their work. From the second story, Rainbow called, “All done up here!”

“Thank you, Rainbow,” Rarity called back. Twilight let her magic fade as Pinkie finished securing the board. Her task complete, she watched Rarity. The white unicorn set one of her hooves against the door, and murmured, almost too faint for Twilight to hear, “This isn’t the end, Carousel Boutique.”

Rarity closed her eyes, her horn lighting. Twilight heard three bolts click into place in succession as Rarity locked the door with her levitation. Twilight had seen the bolts from the inside; they’d be near impossible to operate unless she knew exactly where they were.

“Is that all you’re bringing?” Applejack said to Rarity as she stacked excess boards against the shop.

Rarity nodded, turning to face Applejack. “Only the barest of essentials.”

Twilight raised a brow. Rarity wore no saddlebags. “Are you sure?” Twilight said. “If you need something, and you don’t have it, there’s no going back.” She thought that they’d need to cut down Rarity’s pack, not encourage the shopkeeper to pack more.

Rarity gave a good-natured chuckle. “I’m pretty sure I’ve got everything worth keeping in here.” She levitated the pouch from her hip over to Twilight. It was purple velvet, with a golden drawstring, allowing the mouth of the bag to open wide. “Here, have a look.”

Twilight regarded the bag suspiciously as she took it from Rarity. She loosened the opening, wondering why such a small bag needed to open so wide, and peered inside. Within, she could only see a black void. Out of curiosity, she leaned closer, until the tip of her muzzle crossed the opening. Her lungs choked when she breathed only emptiness in through her nostrils. She jerked back abruptly, coughing.

“That’s a bag of holding!” Twilight said.

Twilight let the bag slip from her levitation when Rarity took it back. As the white unicorn fastened the pouch back on it’s strap, she said, “Yes.”

“Sounds handy,” Applejack said. “I think Granny mentioned one once. What’s it do?”

Rarity stuck her hoof inside the still open pouch, then pulled it out. A massive glinting diamond rested in the center of her hoof. “You simply reach inside, think of what you want, and if the bag has the right object within, you can retrieve it.”

While Twilight said, “Let me guess, you ‘acquired’ the bag too.” Rarity returned the diamond to the pouch and tightened the drawstring.

Rarity smirked at her. “If by ‘acquired’ you mean won in a fair bet, then yes.” She smiled warmly at all of them. “It’s got plenty of space inside, and it never gets any heavier, so if there’s anything burdensome you’d like me to take care of, then simply ask.”

Twilight joined the rest of the group in offloading some of her supplies. She didn’t relish the idea of carrying her bedroll and provisions all the way to Appleloosa, which was about three or four days of walking away. The bag’s mouth seemed like it could stretch wide enough to engulf a pony. She imagined what it would be like to step inside, and a shudder ran down her spine when she remembered the feeling of attempting to breath nothing. Putting anything alive in that bag would be a bad idea.

Feeling lighter when they set out, together, they started down the road to Appleloosa

The Sun beat down on Twilight, painting an afternoon shadow on the road beneath her hooves. Unlike the Cobblestone of the Coast Road, the path she trekked down now was little more than packed dirt. Ahead of her, it curved into the distance over rolling hills. Back towards Ponyville, she could see the treetops of Whitetail Wood, a large forest that used to be the Deadwood.

On one side of the road, the trees loomed close. At some point, the relatively peaceful and safe Whitetail Wood morphed into the Everfree Forest, a gloomy and dangerous place. The darkness that made the Everfree what it was did not end when the Lich of the Deadwood was destroyed.

From what she had read, she knew that little was known about the forest, other than that the beasts of the Everfree mostly stayed within their territory, and powerful storms built there that battered Cloudsdale while they flooded the rivers below. The Everfree, together with the Badlands, bounded the lands of the Sword Coast on the inland side. No nation-state could lay claim to either of the unsettleable expenses. She knew that the trees near them were not part of the Everfree proper; it was the depths of the forest where the monsters dwelled, but the combination of the tree’s dense growth and the way the forest ended in a near perfect line filled her with a sense of unease.

She paused to wipe her brow and glanced up at the sky. Above her, the sky held only thin wisps of cloud in its blue expanse, but she thought she glimpsed something between her and the Sun. She squinted, attempting to filter out the brightness, and she made out a pair of pegasi descending toward them.

Twilight checked her group. Both pegasi were on the ground; unless Rainbow and Fluttershy wanted to outdistance them, walking was the least taxing way to travel. “Hey, girls, we’ve got company,” she said, gesturing upwards.

She reached for Solstice while the rest of the group stopped, their eyes trained skyward. She tracked the pegasi’s descent until the pair landed on the road ahead of them. When they cleared the glow of the sun, she could make out the red-orange emblem on the tabards they both wore. Beneath the tabard, silver-white chainmail covered their torsos, but left their legs and wings bare, other than a pair of wingblades. They wore helmets with orange plumes.

“Halt, in the name of the Flaming Wing,” one of the pegasi, a mare, called.

Even though the pegasi did not appear to be attacking them, Twilight kept the glow of her magic around the hilt of her sword. “Careful,” Rarity said softly. “They’re paid by the merchants of Manehattan to keep order. You don’t want to get on the bad side of the Flaming Wing.”

Twilight let her magic go. The lead pegasus stepped forward, the other to her left, a few hoofspans away and a pace back. “That pony”–the pegasus said while she raised her wing to point at Rainbow Dash–“is Rainbow Dash, a criminal wanted in Cloudsdale for Grand Theft.”

“Oh crap,” Twilight heard Rainbow mutter.

For a moment, no pony said anything, both groups facing each other warily. “So?” Twilight said, breaking the silence.

“What?” the pegasus said, furrowing her brows angrily. Her wingpony beside her shuffled nervously, glancing at the five armed mares, and Pinkie, facing them down. “So she should step forward, and come with us, and there will be no problems.”

Twilight held her head high and took two steps forward until she was face to face with the pegasus, trying to look more confident than she felt. She didn’t want to be made a criminal in addition to having some private bounty on her head, but she wouldn’t let them take Rainbow Dash.

“How much is she wanted for?” Twilight said.

The pegasus blinked at her. “What?”

“How much? How many bits? Could we pay to clear her name?” Twilight said. She hoped it would work. Government sponsored or not, the Flaming Wing was a mercenary organization.

“She stole a pair of skyblades from the temple of war in Skywall Village!” the pegasus said. After a brief pause, she added, “For a thousand, I take the wingblades, and she’s clear.”

She glanced over her shoulder at the rest of her group, trying to read their faces. If they scraped together what they had, they could afford that price, especially if Rarity pitched in a gem or two. The wingblades were useful, but she didn’t want the Flaming Wing dogging their every step.

Before she could reach any sort of decision, the sound of something whirling through the air filled her ears, ending abruptly with a clang.

Searching for the source of the sound, she whipped her head back around. Shock filled her at what she saw. The blade of a hatchet stuck through the pegasus’s helm and into her skull. While Twilight watched the body fall, the pegasus’s lifeless eyes stared back at her. As the pegasus hit the ground, Twilight heard the tell-tale sound of a second hatchet. With a wild cry, she drew Solstice, and, in the same motion, she faced the threat, arcing the blade through the air. Her reflexive swing managed to catch the haft of the spinning hatchet bound for her skull.

The butt of the deflected hatchet’s handle bounced off of the dirt next to her, continuing to turn. She heard a fleshy impact, and a grunt of pain from where the second Flaming Wing pegasus was standing. A rush of wind hit her side, and she glanced up, watching as the pegasus took flight, one of his hind legs bleeding profusely.

Before he had risen more than a few hoofspans above her, out of the corner of her eye she noticed a flicker of movement in the treeline beside the road. As soon as she saw a hailstorm of projectiles, all flying toward her, she instinctively dropped in an effort to get beneath the volley. A shaft whizzed close to her head, and she felt another graze her steely cloak. Most of the projectiles shot overhead.

Beside her, she saw the pegasus plummeting back to earth, an arrow protruding from his chest. With her levitation, Twilight caught his body, and she succeeded in softening the impact and preventing his head from striking the ground. It was a futile effort; his dull, unblinking eyes gazed up at the sky. Feeling helpless, she let him go, and his limp head struck the ground.

“Hold fire!” she heard a rumbling voice call from the treeline. A creature with stocky limbs, fingered hands, a coat of coarse, bronze colored fur, and a pair of curled horns stepped out from behind a tree. She identified him as a minotaur.

Out of immediate danger, Twilight registered a sting of pain in her foreleg. She ignored it; the minotaur demanded her attention. He strode forward, crushing the underbrush beneath his thick, short legs, a throwing axe in each of his massive hands. Hatchets attached to a harness adorned him like they were armor.

About ten paces from Twilight, he stopped and called, “Heh... you’re lucky I missed with the first throw.”

Twilight felt a twinge of unease as she realized she’d brushed with death again. When she heard Applejack say, “Tell me why we shouldn’t end you,” she glanced over at her group. Applejack stood ready, hindquarters facing the enemy. Rarity had her bow drawn, trained on the minotaur, a crystalline arrow set on the string.

“I’ve got a dozen good fighters on that treeline, ready to take you down. Let’s not make this a bloodbath. You give me Twilight Sparkle, and you get five hundred bits each, just like them.” He gestured at the treeline.

Twilight snorted. “Your ‘good fighters’ missed, just like you.”

The minotaur chuckled throatily. “Did they? I’d look down, if I were you.”

Before she could think better of it, she glanced down. There, an arrow stuck through her foreleg. She felt nauseous when she saw the blood oozing from where both the tip and the shaft penetrated her skin. Quickly, she looked forward again, and a tremor ran through her limbs. She lifted her leg to keep the weight off it, wincing.

She turned her head to look at her friends. They wouldn’t turn on me, would they?

The five ponies standing along the road beside her remained silent. “Come on!” the minotaur said. “How about you, Rainbow Dash, I just got the mercenaries off your back, what ties you to her?”

“After she just stood up to them for me? Hell no,” Rainbow said without a moment’s hesitation. “Come on, bring it. Let’s get this fight started!”

Twilight saw the battle happening in her mind: Another volley of arrows from the trees, not at her, but at them. They would get hurt. They might die. Not this time. This time, she wasn’t going to wait for one of her friends to lie limp on the ground. This time would be different. The pain in her back vanished as she purged emotion – hesitation – from her mind and focused on one thing: destruction.

Her horn lit.

She reached into her mind, finding magic, one of the strongest, most complex spells she’d prepared. “Stop her!” She heard the minotaur cry. He sounded so very far away. He winded up, readying a throw. As the axe left his fingers, she wondered, The spell, or Solstice? She knew she should choose to defend herself, but before she had the chance, a gust of wind blew the axe aside like it was a twig.

“Gotcha!” she heard Rainbow say. Rarity’s arrow hit the minotaur in the wrist, and his second axe fell from his grip. With his good hand, he reached for a third. Angel, rising up in front of her engulfed in wood, blocked her view, his back to the trees. She heard Applejack’s chain. Projectiles thudded into wood, and Angel turned toward the enemy, clearing her view, his back riddled with bolts and arrows.

A second layer of glow bled off her horn, and a moment later, the spell flashed into completion. A tiny red spark leaped from the tip of her horn and raced upwards. She focused on the tree that the minotaur had stepped out from behind. Faster than any arrow, her spell descended. A split second after she’d finished casting, the treeline detonated.

For one crystalline moment, Twilight saw the minotaur silhouetted against the inferno. With one hand, he gripped Applejack’s chain, the spike buried in his chest. With the other, he held an axe.

She closed her eyes reflexively as a wave of concussive force and heat nearly knocked her off her feet.

When Twilight opened her eyes, her vision swam, and her ears rang, but she could faintly hear high pitched screams of pain. The treeline burned. The trunk she’d aimed at was split down the middle. Near the edge of the blast, Twilight saw a unicorn mare levitating a bow fleeing the burning foliage. Before the unicorn made it five steps, Rainbow flashed past her in a blur. The archer’s head hit the ground, cleaved from her shoulders by Rainbow’s outstretched wing.

On the far side of the blast, two griffons broke skyward, frantically reloading crossbows as they beat their wings. A crystalline arrow hit one in the wing. Before the wounded griffon had even begun to fall, a blast of air knocked both griffons into the branches of a burning tree. Squawking in terror, they flailed their way free as Rainbow descended upon them from above. Twilight, her thoughts sluggish, could only watch the carnage as Rainbow spun toward the griffons, finishing them both.

When the ringing left her ears, her thoughts refocused. She saw the scene of devastation before her, and, to her surprise, the only thing she felt was a grim satisfaction with the power she wielded. She glanced at her friends, and none of them were hurt. She’d won; she’d protected them.

Movement caught her eye. Face down in the dirt, his back still smouldering, the minotaur raised his head with a painful groan. He let go of his axe, holding his bare palm upward in a signal of defeat.

Rainbow hit him in the back. “Why...” Slash! “Aren’t...” Slash! “You...” Slash! “Dead!” After the first swing, the minotaur’s head had fallen back into the dirt. With the third, a spray of blood and gristle flew off Rainbow’s wingblade as it arced through the air: she had severed his spine.

Twilight stared at Rainbow in shock. “What!?” Rainbow said, staring back at her, a smear of blood marring the normally uniform pattern of her prismatic mane. “What’re you all looking at!?” Rainbow raged, stamping her hoof into the back of the minotaur’s corpse.

’It’s no big deal...’

“What do you think we’re looking at! You just—” Applejack said.

Twilight interrupted, “Before you met me, you’d never killed a pony, right Rainbow?”

Rainbow stepped away from the corpse. “No, I’m fine... all under control here.” Twilight noticed that Rainbow wouldn’t meet her gaze.

“He was trying to surrender,” Twilight said.

“Oh...” Rainbow murmured. Twilight saw a flash of shame and remorse in the pegasus’s eyes, but anger quickly replaced it. “I didn’t see it! Stuff happens!” Rainbow finally raised her eyes from the ground and looked back at Twilight. “I was trying to protect you, all of you...”

In Rainbow’s eyes, Twilight saw herself, equally willing to do what it took to persevere. The difference was: She was completely in control, but Rainbow Dash was not.

“If you need to talk—” Twilight said.

Rainbow spread her wings. “I don’t, I’m fine!” She glanced at one of her crimson stained feathers. “I’m gonna find a cloud and rinse off this... stuff!”

In a powerful flap, Rainbow was gone.

Twilight’s leg hurt.

Awkward silence ruled the group as they inspected the bodies of their fallen foes. In the aftermath of her fireball, Twilight felt like she had done something wrong when the others looked at her. Between her and Rainbow, not a single one of her enemies had made it through the fight alive. Her wound was gone, Fluttershy had seen to that.

Fortunately, before the fire could spread through the treetops, a wind had begun to blow out from the forest and across the road. The blaze was little more than a few smouldering patches in the undergrowth by the time Twilight stood over one of the ponies she killed.

The corpse beneath her had no face now. She peeled a lump of deformed gold off the charred leather armor covering his chest: an amulet of some sort. As soon as she had it free, it slid apart in her levitation, one piece separating from the other. In between the two halves, she saw a small circle of fabric. She peered closer. Three blurred shapes inked into the fabric stared back at her. Though they were marred by the heat, she knew what the shapes were. She dropped the locket in shock.

How could a pony that would kill me for money have a family?

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Preread by: Extravagaunte
Editor: The Music Man

Appleloosa

Appleloosa

The Flaming Wing patrol had been carrying two sketches: one of Rainbow Dash, and one of the minotaur who attacked them. Twilight held the image of the minotaur. The writing below the picture read, ’Bronze Fury, wanted for 7 counts of murder in the city of Manehattan. Known Bounty Hunter. Dangerous if confronted. 800 bit reward. Acceptable items of proof: burn scarred patch of skin on left shoulder, nose ring.’

Twilight stood over Bronze Fury’s body. The others were engaged in various activities: searching bodies, putting on new chainmail, or in Fluttershy’s case, hiding in the grass on the far side of the road as distant from the carnage as possible. Spike was still in the Celestial Plane; Twilight had told him to stay there unless they were camped.

She smiled wryly while she ripped the distinctively marked nose ring from Bronze Fury’s face. Though the locket still lingered on her mind, she found the irony of a bounty hunter after her with a bounty on his own head amusing. She glanced down at the mutilated corpse. Even though he’d tried to surrender, and even though he might have been able to give her information, she was glad Rainbow had killed him.

She wasn’t as sure about his band of hunters.

Did they really all have to die? What if I had cast a Sleep spell instead? Would it have worked? she wondered. Countering her nagging doubts, she immediately rationalized. A Sleep spell simply wasn’t as thorough, as reliable, or as widely effective as a Fireball. Spread out like they were along the treeline, she probably wouldn’t have caught more than four or five of them with the Sleep spell. No, the Fireball spell was the correct solution.

Her mind, countering her own cold logic, conjured a scene that had been running through her head since she saw the locket. A small family sits around a table in a humble one room cottage, eating thin porridge from wooden bowls. A knock sounds at the door. Lying in a crib made beneath this very roof, an emaciated baby begins to wail. The unicorn stallion at the head of the table stands and opens the door.

There stands Bronze Fury. Five hundred bits, enough to feed his family through several hard winters, enough to own land and lift them out of poverty, and all he has to do is help kill one mare. He levitates his bow from the corner, previously only used to hunt beasts at the behest of the local farmers. It’s a powerful weapon; a weapon made to kill. It had cost him a small fortune, but it’s the work it brought him that put the crops of the farmers on their table.

He steps out the door. He waves goodbye. He’ll be back by the end of the week.

Later, he is hunkered down in the brush beneath the trees. There she is, on the road, out in the open. He wipes a bead of sweat from his forehead, and draws back his bow, waiting. Maybe, if he’s the one to bring her down, he’ll have a fortune. Bronze Fury’s axes fly through the air. It’s time. He fires. To his horror, she’s still standing, his arrow in her leg. She looks unfazed.

She stands tall, even when she realizes she’s been wounded. She glances over at her group, then back at the treeline. He sees murder in her eyes. Her horn starts to glow.

“Stop her!”

He tries, but a demon of the woodland blocks his shot. The next thing he sees is a red spark descending towards him. His world becomes pain. He lays there, for a fleeting instant, writhing as his face burns off.

He won’t be coming home.

The scene ended, and a brief glimmer of hope found it’s way into her thoughts. Maybe, he was not the victim she imagined.

What if he stole the locket?

She shook her head. It’s far more likely I took him from his family, she concluded. Her friends, or them. She’d chosen her friends, and she’d chosen right. It wasn’t her fault someone wanted her dead. She hated the Black Knight even more, for what he’d made her do. Even if he hadn’t put the bounty on her head, he’d been the catalyst. He’d forced her from her home. And now, down that path, there was blood on her hooves.

It was his fault. It was his fault Star Swirl was dead – not hers. The satisfaction she felt in bringing death was his doing. The Black Knight made me kill him.

A gust of wind on Twilight’s cheek brought her back to the present. Rainbow Dash landed beside Twilight, droplets of moisture still clinging to her fur and feathers. Rainbow had missed a couple spots when she cleaned away the bloodstains, but she looked much better. She avoided looking at the corpse. In fact, she seemed to only be near it because Twilight was.

Seeing Twilight look at her, Rainbow said, “I’m sorry, okay?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Twilight said.

Rainbow blinked at her. “But I—”

“He deserved it.”

“He was trying to surrender, but I killed him!” Rainbow said, guilt written all over her face.

“Okay, maybe you should have left him alive, but only so that he could answer our questions.”

“What do you mean... ? Why do you have his ring?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight glanced at the nose ring. She’d left it floating in her levitation, a bit of his black skin still clinging to it. She wordlessly held the parchment with the sketch in front of Rainbow.

“Oh... seven murders, huh... I guess he was pretty bad.” Rainbow said. “But, I still killed those others. I didn’t even give them a chance.”

“You didn’t know they wouldn’t shoot.” She levitated over the chainmail the wingpony had been wearing and held it up so that Rainbow could see the ragged, bloody hole where the arrow had pierced it. “All it takes is one arrow to kill a pony. You were the only one who could do it fast enough. You didn’t have time to think; you didn’t have time to second-guess yourself. You acted, and by killing them, maybe you saved one of us.” Twilight wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince Rainbow, or herself.

“Yeah,” Rainbow said as she glanced at the ground.

“You should wear this,” Twilight said, offering the hauberk to Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow eyed the bloodstain disdainfully, but she shouldered into the armor as Twilight held it. Twilight figured the chainmail wouldn’t hinder Rainbow’s fluid fighting style. The hauberk was extremely light; it was skymail, forged in Cloudsdale, as strong as earth-forged steel but with only a quarter the weight. She didn’t bother suggesting that Rainbow wear the helmet as well. The heavy plate helm was forged on the ground; clouds couldn’t make solid sheets, only small links. It would probably get in Rainbow’s way more than protect her.

As the chainmail settled around her neck, Rainbow looked wistfully up at the sky and said, “Up in Skywall, I’d been told to fight for as long as I could remember. Honor, duty, discipline. Pegasi are always fighting. We fight the weather, we fight each other, we fight the griffons, and we fight down here to pay for our food up there.” Rainbow shook her head. “The only pegasus I know who didn’t want to fight was Fluttershy.”

Twilight pulled the black skin off the ring, wiped away some of the blood on the grass, and tucked it into a pocket of her saddlebag. She let Rainbow continue uninterrupted while she listened intently, her eyes on Rainbow, and her ears perked. She knew so little about Cloudsdale – pegasus culture produced few scholars to write about it – but more than that, she wanted to learn more about Rainbow.

Rainbow sighed. “I could never get the discipline part down. This one time, some colts were picking on Fluttershy. I got aggressive, and I challenged them to a race. I won. Hoo boy did I win, but I did this... thing. I was small, but I went fast enough that the air around me—well, it wasn’t good for clouds. It nearly destroyed the village. After that, they sent me to the temple, where they could keep an eye on me. I never tried to do it again, even though it’s what earned me my mark.”

Rainbow started to pace, her eyes shifting to ground. “They hated me there; the other students at the temple. I saw the way they looked at me: as if I was about to explode and take their homes away from them. And, to add to that, they knew what I could do. They knew I was stronger, faster, and better than them. Firefly, our teacher, always said that I never kept my form, that I wasn’t as good as I could be because I let things get under my skin. I lacked self control: ’discipline.’ She didn’t go easy on me, but she taught me to fight, and she taught me not to hesitate.” She glanced at the corpse. “She taught me to kill.”

Rainbow dropped onto her haunches and turned her gaze back upward. “In the end though, I think I’m glad I left. After what I did, I don’t think anypony really wanted me there – except for my parents. Everypony could see the mark on my flank and know I was Rainbow Crash, the pony who went too fast and ruined everything for everyone. I came down here, and I found you, and Pinkie Pie, and everypony else. I found friends.” She took a ragged breath. “Then, I killed somepony for the first time. I tried hard not to think about it afterwards, but it ate at me. As much as Firefly taught me not to hesitate, she couldn’t prepare me for what it felt like to take a life. No one could.”

Rainbow looked away from Twilight, trying to hide the fact that she was blinking back tears. She paused, her feathers ruffling. “Why am I even talking to you about this! I should be talking to Fluttershy, even though she wouldn’t get it! I don’t know you! I—”

Twilight wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow. She didn’t know why she did it, other than it was something Pinkie would do to her when she felt sad. Rainbow went silent, freezing for a moment. Then, hesitantly, she wrapped a wing around Twilight, reciprocating.

Rainbow’s breath caught in her throat when she spoke again. “Thanks, Twi,” she said with a small smile. They broke the embrace. “I don’t know why I lied about killing ponies.”

Twilight shrugged. “You had to look strong where you come from.”

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah...”

“I have to ask, though, what was it? The thing you did?”

Rainbow frowned. “I don’t want to talk about it. Ask Fluttershy, she’ll tell you.”

Now, Twilight felt like she understood. Rainbow Dash bottled up her feelings until she lost control. Do I do the same thing? she wondered. She realized the problem with that theory was she didn’t remember having the same experience when she took a life for the first time. She hadn’t felt anything. She was different.

’We. Are. Alone.’

Once more, the presence of another pony brought Twilight out of her thoughts. Applejack stepped up to them, wearing the lighter silver-white skymail beneath her plate armor. Twilight had seen her offer the skymail to Pinkie Pie, but Pinkie had refused, saying, “Don’t be silly, it’d keep me from using my Chi-eerfulness!” Wisely, Applejack had chosen not to question it. Similar problems had arisen with Rarity and Fluttershy. Rarity claimed the armor was too gaudy, and Fluttershy seemed convinced that wearing metal armor, cloud-forged or not, would break her connection with nature.

Applejack eyed Rainbow. “Looks like you’ve talked it out. Good, don’t want you killing any other potential sources of info. We’ve got precious little to go on as it is.”

“You too, huh? That’s why you were mad?” Rainbow said.

“Yeah, mostly. It was a little cold, what you did, but I know you didn’t mean to do it,” Applejack said.

“We all know you didn’t mean to do it,” Rarity said as she strolled up to them, Pinkie and Fluttershy beside her.

“Fights can get pretty confusing,” Pinkie said, nodding sagely. “You have been... forgiven!”

“Thanks,” Rainbow said, smiling.

“Um... can we go now?” Fluttershy murmured.

While the first rays of dawn broke over the horizon, Twilight sat on a weathered log in front of a small fire, sipping a cup of tea. When Pinkie had woken her to take the morning watch, it was still dark. It took some doing to extract Twilight from her bedroll before the Sun had even come up, but soon, once she had a fire going and something hot to drink, it didn’t seem so bad. Despite the absurdly early hour, she felt well rested. For the first time since leaving Candlekeep, she’d slept for a full eight hours with no nightmares.

Fluttershy sat next to her. As a druid and a wizard, they both had to prepare spells for the day, and it was agreed that they would guard over their sleeping group in the early hours of the morning. Both of them watched as the Sun crested the horizon. Spike would be with them, but he’d complained about the chill and the discomfort and returned to the Celestial Plane.

Twilight’s usual experience with the sunrise was when the light filtering in through one of the Library’s windows informed her that she’d lost track of time and stayed up all night studying. Once, years ago, she’d realized how late it was before the dawn and gone up to the keep’s roof to watch the Sun come up. That morning, gazing at the sunrise from Candlekeep’s battlements as a spectrum of orange painted the sky, she had felt like there was someone watching over her from far away.

Now, she had that same feeling again, but the dawn possessed a certain majesty, and she was certain everypony felt the same way she did. Celestia watched over them all.

Legend had it, long ago, before the Time of Troubles, Celestia walked Equestria in person, ruling ponykind alongside her sister, Luna. According to the stories, once every year, on the day of the Summer Solstice, Celestia would demonstrate the raising of the Sun. She’d launch into the sky on wings of the purest white, rising with the dawn, her horn glowing with sunlight as she brought the day.

Today, and for the past thousand years or so, Celestia stayed a world away from the Material Plane. From her domain in the Celestial Plane, she chose clerics and paladins to represent her here, where ponies lived. Many scholars attempted to explain why Celestia chose to watch over Equestria from afar, rather than rule in person, but they all agreed on one thing: Celestia was a sole survivor.

The Time of Troubles was a war. It was a war the likes of which Equestria had never seen before and would never see again. It was a war where gods fought, and gods died. According to what little records remained, before the Time of Troubles the gods struggled against each other, but neither the dark or the light could inflict any lasting harm on the other. For centuries, possibly millennia, Equestria enjoyed peace and plenty. Celestia and Luna themselves ensured Harmony prevailed on the Material Plane. Through their combined power, they kept evil and chaos at bay. Eventually, the Time of Troubles brought an end to the stability.

Star Swirl told her once that the Aspect of Chaos, Discord, had changed the rules of the existence itself when Celestia and Luna achieved something that would ensure their victory; he’d made it so that gods could die. While it made him vulnerable as well, it gave him a way to get what he wanted. When she’d tried to find out more on the topic, all she found was the raving of lunatics, prophesying the end of all life when the gods all died due to the whimsy of the God of Chaos. Her existence today proved them wrong.

Regardless of what upset the balance, war raged. Some scholars claimed that Celestia and her allies were the victors. They’d killed the Abyss itself, the Shadow, albeit at a terrible price; in the end, Celestia stood alone. She’d been forced to strike down her sister goddess when Luna became corrupted. Several lesser demigods that allied themselves with the Sisters were dead. As far as Twilight was concerned, one needed only to look at the world of today to see that the price the gods paid to kill the Shadow was far too high.

Equestria after the Time of Troubles was a much darker place than it was before. An entire ordered civilization of ponies had been nearly obliterated, leaving behind only fragments that reformed into the city-states of today. Even the Empire, though strong, held sway over only a few cities. The agents of the Shadow lingered, like the Lich of the Deadwood. Clerics that pledged themselves to darkness still had power. Finally, perhaps most importantly, the goddess Celestia no longer shared her presence with Equestria.

As the rays of the Sun started to warm Twilight’s coat, her musings came circling back to Celestia and the explanations for her absence. Speculations abounded: Celestia the coward, Celestia the mournful, Celestia the weary. Once, when she’d asked Star Swirl what he thought, he’d told her, “Celestia is older than most of us can understand, and wiser than most of us combined. When she does something, she does it for a reason, and she has the best interests of everyone, pony or otherwise, at heart.” It didn’t answer the question, of course, but it was an answer Twilight could believe.

Twilight glanced at Fluttershy beside her. In the stillness of the morning, chirping birds perched on the log within a couple hoofspans of the pegasus, heralding the coming day. A small family of mice sat on the grass at Fluttershy’s hooves.

Twilight broke the silence with a question that had been nagging at her since the previous day.

“What was it? What did Rainbow Dash do?”

The mice glared at her angrily, and the timid birds took flight, chirping in a startled frenzy. Twilight glared back at the mice, and they hid behind Fluttershy.

“Oh, um... you mean the Sonic Rainboom?” Fluttershy said.

“The what now?”

Fluttershy began shakily, but her confidence built as she spoke, “The... Sonic Rainboom is – I mean it was – an old pegasus fable. There were a few different versions. In one, a pegasus stopped a storm by flying fast enough to clear the sky in a single explosion of sound and color. In another, a proud pegasus flew too high, and when he came back down, he went too fast and exploded, killing his entire family and all of his friends... or so the stories go. Well, they were stories, until Rainbow Dash did one.”

A memory flickered through Twilight’s mind. A Rainbow of color in the window. Star Swirl and the chroniclers gazing at her: expectant, disapproving. A jump of sound, shattering her concentration. Pure, uncontrollable magic, spilling forth in a wild torrent. Desperately trying to hold it back. A calming, melodious voice in her ear. Her mark, finally earned.

She shook her head. Before, all she could remember about the experience of earning her mark was waking up on the library floor with an odd tingle in her flanks as a Dispel Magic spell washed over her. It was the first time she’d cast a magical spell more complicated than levitation, and she didn’t remember the experience. After the first time, she’d never blacked out when spellcasting again, even if she got interrupted. The fear that more complicated spells would cause another blackout was part of what held her back.

No sense dwelling on something I can hardly remember, she thought, bringing her mind back to the present.

Fluttershy had gone silent again. Out of curiosity, Twilight asked, “What happened?”

“Um... well... a rainbow shockwave radiated out from Rainbow Dash, pushing away the clouds. It shook me up, and dissolved the clouds beneath me. My wings locked up, which happens when I get scared, but before I hit the ground, a flock of pink butterflies rose up from the forest below. I remember feeling very grateful as they attached to me and beat their wings as hard as they could, but it did so little to slow me down. I was certain I would die, but before I hit the ground, the trees caught me and set me gently on the forest floor. I don’t think any pony even noticed me gone, except for Rainbow.” Fluttershy glanced at the bedroll where Rainbow slept. “She’s the one who found me and helped me to fly back up.”

“Were you mad at Rainbow?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy shook her head. “No, I was fine, and I earned my mark on the ground. I learned that I could commune with nature. If anything, I was grateful. I met Angel on the ground.” Fluttershy squeezed Angel in her hooves, and the bunny glared at her. “I loved the ground; it’s why I got banished. But, I understand why everypony else was mad at her. I remember looking up at the sky, watching some of the buildings of Cloudsdale get shattered by the Rainboom. In the end, ponies got hurt, but nopony died. At least, until the storms came in. The Rainboom, so close to the Cloudwall... it was bad. I think some ponies were calling for Rainbow’s head...” Fluttershy stamped her hoof on the log. “It wasn’t fair, she was just a filly!”

“The Cloudwall?” Twilight said.

Fluttershy answered with a dull tone, as if reciting something she’d heard many times before, “The duty of every pegasus in Skywall Village is to maintain the Cloudwall, the barrier between us and the Everfree. If the Cloudwall ever falters, it could spell disaster and famine for everypony in Cloudsdale.”

“Did it?”

Fluttershy shook her head. “Well... no... sort of... the Cloudwall is packed so dense that Rainbow only damaged it slightly. Still, any breach is a problem.”

Twilight nodded. “Were you ever mad at them for banishing you?”

Again, Fluttershy shook her head. “No, of course not. I didn’t contribute. I’m useless, a clutz. I couldn’t help.”

True or not, Fluttershy’s self depreciation bothered Twilight. “But, you could heal them at least, right?”

“My powers don’t work as well up there, and they had clerics for that. When they told me I was being thrown out, I didn’t mind. I could live on the ground. My animal friends would provide for me.” Fluttershy sighed. “At least, that’s what I thought it would be like, until I got captured by slavers. If Rainbow hadn’t gotten mad at them for kicking me out and came after me, I’d be stuck as Trixie’s slave for who knows how long.”

Twilight frowned, unconvinced. Even the insular society of Candlekeep would never throw somepony out because they were slow or stupid. If they weren’t good at reading or writing, there was always some other way they could help. Finally, she said, “I’m glad you’re with us. There will always be a place for you.”

Fluttershy smiled at her. “Thanks, Twilight.”

The next few days passed uneventfully. Twilight was sore when she pulled herself out of her bedroll each morning, but she slowly became accustomed to the long marches. The nightmares continued their absence and she slept peacefully. Even though they faced no threats since Bronze Fury and his bounty hunters, the group remained vigilant, and Twilight shared another morning watch with Fluttershy. She continued to get to know the shy pegasus a little better, but she passed most of the time on watch reading books that Spike retrieved for her. The Celestial Library had more writing on Cloudsdale than Candlekeep, allowing her to sate her curiosity without making Fluttershy uncomfortable.

As they traveled, Twilight noticed the vegetation changing to hardier varieties of plants, with narrow, oily leaves and sparser ground coverage. The Everfree retreated until it was little more than a green smear in the distance, but Twilight knew they were approaching the equally dangerous Badlands.

On the evening of the third day, they came to a covered wooden bridge crossing a shallow river.

On one side of the river, the vegetation grew lush and thick next to the water, and parts of the floodplain were covered by tall trees with rich, green leaves. The landscape Twilight saw on the other side surprised her. Starkly contrasting with the greenery, a reddish brown expanse of sand and rock encroached on the river. Even right next to the water, only a few, rugged Cacti grew. They stood on the border of the Badlands.

Applejack advised that they should press on, even though they would normally make camp when the Sun dipped below the horizon. They were close to Appleloosa, and it would be too hot to travel during the day once they crossed the river. Even though fatigue weighed her down, Twilight agreed, along with the rest of the group. After refilling their supply of water, they kept walking into the night.

After they crossed the bridge, Twilight illuminated the road with her horn. The meager light of the moon and stars did little to brighten their path. As they ventured deeper into the Badlands, Twilight asked Applejack, “Why would anypony settle out here anyway?”

“Iron, mostly. Also, they aren’t that deep in the Badlands. The river bends back ‘round up ahead, and the Appleloosans diverted its flow to grow enough crops to feed themselves. In fact, the road never goes too deep into the Badlands. Back there was just the best place to build a bridge,” Applejack said.

Twilight couldn’t see the river in the dark, but if she perked her ears and listened carefully, she thought she could hear the water running.

Twilight willed each step from her stiff legs. Her best guess put the time at about three o’clock in the morning, and, despite the numerous breaks they took, they’d been traveling for the past twenty hours or so. Applejack had been insisting that Appleloosa was ‘just up the road’ for the past half-hour. Twilight almost sent Rainbow ahead to check, but she was quickly reminded that the pegasus wouldn’t be able to see much at night anyway.

Her tired mind registered two glowing points of red light in the darkness. She stopped absently, staring at the lights.

“Look out!” Pinkie shouted.

Twilight drew Solstice as a cat nearly twice her size leaped from the shadows. It was bound for her, Fluttershy, and Rarity, who lagged behind the other three ponies. Her reaction was immediate. She swung Solstice out ahead of her, to ensure that she struck the creature long before it could pounce on any of them, but when the blade of her sword connected, the creature dissolved into sand. She closed her eyes as the rough grains rushed past her, then whirled when she heard a growl behind her.

Before she could reposition Solstice, it raised a clawed paw. When it swung, the plates of her mage armor lit, but the creature was too strong to be stopped so easily. Its claws punctured through the ethereal plates and pierced her skin. Before they could leave anything more than three shallow holes in her skin, a blast of wind scattered the creature into a million tiny grains.

“Got your back, Twi,” Rainbow said with a smug smirk. She glanced at her wingblades. “These things sure are useful.”

“It’s not over yet,” Rarity said.

Twilight faced the spot where the creature had last dissolved. She watched the sand whirl, build, and form four legs. A torso coalesced, then a head, and the creature bounded at her, jaws open wide.

Before it connected, another gust of wind scattered it. “Hah,” Rainbow said, “I can do this all night long.”

“If you use those things too much, they won’t work for a while. Don’t worry, I can handle it.” Twilight said.

She reached for magic. The sand slowly built as she cast. When she completed the spell, she held it, keeping the glow on her horn, and waited. She clenched her jaw.

Just a little longer... now!

As the creature’s head reformed once more, her spell, a conjured flaming arrow, struck it in the mouth. Heat exploded from the head of the arrow, turning the inside of its head into a solid ball of glass. The rough orb landed in the sand while the rest of the creature dissolved into a loose pile.

“There we go,” Twilight said.

“Um... what about them?” Fluttershy said, gesturing around the group.

Twilight glanced at the shadows. Four more pairs of red eyes watched her, circling slowly. All six of the ponies were gathered now. They drew close, back to back, shielded only by the ring of light from Twilight’s horn. Twilight noticed Fluttershy’s eyes glow, and Angel grew, this time covered by a thorny green skin. He protected Fluttershy, standing between her and the predators.

“I don’t have any more Flaming Arrow spells prepared...” Twilight murmured.

“They aren’t like any normal animals, I can’t hear them,” Fluttershy said.

“Well, what do we got?” Applejack said.

“I can keep a couple out of the fight for a while,” Rainbow said.

Twilight went over her options during the brief respite. A Fireball spell, maybe, but she doubted it would have the concentrated heat needed to turn sand into glass. Before she had come up with anything substantial, the cats were closing. They were out of time.

Down the road, she heard battle cries.

“For the Empire!”

“Yeehaw!”

She turned her head to look. A unicorn clad in chainmail and four earth ponies wearing Stetsons charged toward them. Their weapons: buckets of water. If it weren’t for the danger she was in, Twilight would have laughed. Some rescue.

However, when she turned back to the cats, she saw their shapes fleeing into the night. She watched the lead pony set down a bucket. He wore a leather vest in addition to his hat, and she saw a silver star affixed to the vest glint in the light of her horn. He lined up a shot and bucked the bucket into the air.

The bucket sailed toward the target, the water inside sloshing out and spreading as it flew. The majority of the water came down on the hindquarters of one of the fleeing cats. Twilight heard a hissing sound. The cat stopped moving, and she couldn’t make out its shape against the darkness.

“Cousin Applejack!” the pony called.

“Cousin Braeburn!?” Applejack yelled.

The two Apples raced across the space between them. “I haven’t seen you in nigh on four years now!” Braeburn said, laughing merrily as they embraced.

Applejack nodded. “Yep, not since I came out here to help set up the apple orchard. How are the foals, and the wife?”

Braeburn grinned. “Bigger and stronger every day!” He lowered his voice and added with a chuckle, “Don’t tell the wife I said she was gettin’ bigger.”

The unicorn in armor stepped up, looking at them. “You know these ponies?” he asked Braeburn.

“Yup! A friend of Applejack’s is a friend of mine. We’re all good here, Amber Stone,” Braeburn answered.

Amber Stone turned, irritably muttering something about backwater posts and night shifts as he walked toward Appleloosa.

“If no pony minds me interrupting your little reunion, what the hell were those things?!” Twilight said, too tired and irritable to care about not being rude.

“We call em’ Sand Cats,” Braeburn said, unperturbed. “The water deals with them for a while, and they hate it, but as long as there’s sand, they keep coming back.”

“We thank you for your assistance, but we’ve been traveling all night. Can you direct us to a place to stay?” Rarity said, her tone far more diplomatic than Twilight’s.

“Shoot, y’all can bunk at my place,” Braeburn said.

Even though Braeburn only had a single room to spare for all six of them, Twilight couldn’t have been more grateful to finally have a place to lay her weary head. To keep the Sand Cats at bay, the Appleloosans had protected their town with a muddy trench around the perimeter. She felt safe here. She hoped the small, out-of-the-way town lacked bounty hunters.

As she lay down to sleep in her bedroll spread on the floor, a fear that the nightmares would return when she had a roof over her head struck her. Despite her fatigue, the fear kept her awake. While the others softly snored, she quietly moved her bedroll onto the back porch, and finally, beneath the stars, she could close her eyes.

Twilight was curled in her bedroll, partially awake, when she heard a filly’s voice.

“Careful, Auntie Applejack said she’s a wizard.”

Something prodded her in the flank.

“She ain’t gonna wake up. She’s been sleeping like a log all mornin’ long,” a colt said.

“Jus’ cuz she hasn’t woken up yet don’t mean she ain’t gonna, ya’ doofus,” another filly said.

With a groan, Twilight cracked her eyes open. The moment she made a sound, she heard the three foals screech, even the colt, and scamper away. She pulled herself out of her portable bedding, blinking in the light of the day. When the brightness faded, she could see the three foals hiding over the edge of the porch on the other side of a railing, watching her. She approached them.

When she reached the edge of the porch, the filly in the front, the smallest, stared up at her with large eyes. “Please don’t turn us into newts, Miss Wizard,” she said.

Twilight couldn’t stop the warm smile that spread across her face. “I’m not going to turn you into newts. Why would you think I’d turn a nice little filly like you into a newt?”

“I told you she ain’t gonna turn us into newts,” the colt hissed at the filly in the back.

“Shush!” the filly whispered back when she noticed that Twilight had heard them.

“You’d turn us into newts because Crumble poked you!” the filly cried.

“I did not poke her!” the colt objected, then said with confidence, “I poked her with a stick.”

Twilight held back a snicker at the colt’s childish logic while she glanced up at the Sun. It had to be nearly noon. She was lucky her bedroll rested in a well-shaded part of the porch, or she would have baked in the heat. “Eh, I probably should have been getting up anyway. Besides, if I were going to turn you into something, it wouldn’t be newts. You’d dry up like raisin out here. Dying that way would be—”

The foals ran from her, wailing at the top of their lungs. “What did I say?!” Twilight shouted.

A peach colored mare with an orange-blonde mane met the foals as they fled around the corner of the house. “Woah now. You know Daddy works the night watch. No shrieking and hollerin’ before lunchtime!”

“But—but she’s gonna turn us into newts and then we’ll dry up and die!” the little filly said as they clustered around the mare’s hooves.

The colt nodded, adding, “Like raisins!”

“Who in Equestria put that idea in your little heads? She’s our guest!” the mare said.

“So she’s not—” the second filly started to say.

“She’s not gonna turn you into a newt!” the mare said. She shook her head in exasperation as the foals ran past her. “You’d best be back within half an hour, clean an’ tidy for lunch, or I’ll tan your hides!” she yelled after them. Putting on a sweet smile, she turned to Twilight. “I’m Marigold, Braeburn’s wife. They weren’t bothering you, were they?”

“Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight dipped her head respectfully to her hostess. “No, they weren’t a problem. It’s my own fault for sleeping out on the porch.”

“If you don’t mind me askin’, why were you out here?” Marigold said.

“No reason, really... I just like the night air,” Twilight lied. “I hope it’s no trouble.”

The answer seemed to satisfy Marigold, and she said, “Wherever you’re comfortable is fine. I just wanted to let you know that you and all your friends are welcome to join us for lunch.” Again, she smiled sweetly.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Twilight said, inclining her head again.

Marigold smiled one more time, but it never reached her eyes, then turned and walked back around the corner of the house. With a shrug, Twilight ignored the fake smile at the end of their awkward exchange.

There wasn’t enough space in the kitchen area toward the front of the house for both Twilight’s group and Braeburn’s family, so Twilight and her friends ate in the family room at the back, where they’d stayed the night. Twilight savored every bite; Marigold’s Apple Stew was delicious.

When she had come inside after speaking with Marigold, her friends had asked her why she’d chosen to sleep out on the porch. Not wanting them to worry, she’d fed them another excuse, saying that it had been too crowded inside and she couldn’t sleep.

Beside her, Spike belched up a gout of fire. Out of the corner of her eye, she briefly checked to make sure her familiar hadn’t caused any damage to their hosts’ lovingly crafted home. Seeing none, she piled another heaping spoonful of stew into her mouth.

When Spike shouted in triumph beside her, she nearly choked on her food. Spike rushed over to Applejack, brandishing a scroll. “I told you!” he yelled, pulling the scroll open and holding it up for Applejack to see.

Applejack looked up from her bowl. “Well I’ll be... it’s for you, Twilight,” she said, then added something under her breath.

Twilight raised a brow and took the scroll from Spike with her levitation. When she saw what was written there, she nearly dropped everything she held, including the scroll. The calligraphy in front of her was beautiful, each letter written in flowing black ink, without blotch or blemish. In awe, her eyes scanned the scroll.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

When I heard of Star Swirl’s death, I mourned the loss of a hero, a great scholar, and a brilliant mind. I hope you, like him, will strive to be a better pony and learn all you can. I have been told that you seek to investigate the Appleloosan iron mines. It is good that you have already met Applejack, for you will need friends on the path you travel.

There is a darkness inside the mines. An evil presence haunts the deep shafts, but it is not the creatures that call the mine their home. Do not stop descending until you have the answers you seek.

When he confronted evil, Star Swirl would write to tell us all about what he learned. I hope you will continue his path and help expand our understanding of the enemy and ourselves. I am sorry it took me so long to write you, but I had pressing matters to address.

Sincerely, Princess Celestia

P.S. Please tell Applejack that Spike is a fey dragon, and not a bag of hot air. Also, I rather like the title “Princess.” It is so much nicer than Queen, or Goddess.
P.P.S. Remind Spike that he has full access to Celestial quills and parchment.

Despite the humility of the words, Twilight found the signature on the page overwhelming. Princess Celestia, one-time ruler of ponykind, goddess of the Sun itself, and the last source of divine good, had written her a letter and blessed her with a familiar that could convey messages between her and a god.

“She wrote back,” Twilight said, dumbstruck. She’d forgotten all about the letter Applejack had sent.

“Of course she did, silly!” Pinkie Pie said. “Spike said she would, after all.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes at Pinkie. “I didn’t even say who I was talking about.”

“Princess Celestia, who else?” Pinkie said with a laugh. She trotted up and peered over Twilight’s shoulder. “Are you gonna tell her about what you learn?”

Twilight furrowed her brow. How can I help her? she wondered. She was nowhere near the wizard or the scholar that Star Swirl had been, but she couldn’t refuse a request from a goddess, the Goddess, not that she wanted to. “I suppose I will,” she said.

Twilight and her friends stood in the dusty main street running through the center of Appleloosa while they waited for Braeburn to meet them and guide them to the iron mines. Around them, the citizens of Appleloosa went about their business. A few held their heads high, but most gazed at the ground, worry in their eyes. Beneath the town water tower, ponies waited in a line for their turn to fill jugs and drums from a rusty spigot.

“Twilight, you forgot your cloak,” Applejack said, glancing at her.

Twilight looked down, the clasp absent from her throat. In the shade at the side of the road, she hadn’t noticed the lack of the barrier between her and the Sun. “Shoot, I’ll go back and grab it,” Twilight said and trotted briskly toward Braeburn’s house.

Shoot? Since when do I say shoot? she wondered as she rounded the corner to the back of the house.

Not wanting to disturb Braeburn’s family any more than they already had, she crept in through the back door. She spotted her cloak over the arm of an easy chair. As she levitated the silken fabric toward her, she heard Marigold’s angry voice emanating from the kitchen.

“Tell me you aren’t going down into the mines!”

“I’m not gonna go down into the mines, unless they need me to,” Braeburn said.

“It’s dangerous down there, Braeburn! Why would you go with them?” Marigold said.

Twilight turned as soon as she had the cloak fastened, realizing this wasn’t a conversation she should be listening to, but out of curiosity, she paused in the door.

“It’s dangerous, but I’ve got a job to do. I’m not gonna to stand idly by when I can help our town. Besides, who would I be if I wasn’t hospitable enough to help our guests?” Braeburn said.

“Ah, your hospitality, the same reason why you invited six young attractive mares into our home to share our food and our water!”

“Not this again... You know you’re the only mare for me, Marigold. Besides, Applejack’s my cousin!”

“It’s not like that’s ever stopped you Apples,” Marigold muttered. Twilight caught every word, so she knew Marigold wanted Braeburn to hear her.

Braeburn nickered angrily. “Ya’ don’t listen, do ya’.”

Marigold’s voice softened. “I don’t want to lose you, Braeburn, not to the mines, not to the sands, and not to another mare. Just... promise me you’ll be careful, and you’ll let Applejack and the soldiers handle it.”

Realizing that she was still eavesdropping, Twilight stole out the door and trotted away from the house, but before she left, she levitated a few golden coins out of her coin purse and dropped them in the ‘Rainy Day’ jar high on a shelf. The jar was mostly filled with copper bits, and she was pretty sure her gold doubled the value of their fund. She hoped the money would ease the burden they’d placed on Marigold and her family.

She managed to make it out of line of sight before Braeburn left the house. When she made it back to where her friends were waiting, an argument had broken out at the base of the water tower. An armored Empire soldier pushed a mare trying to fill a jug away from the tower’s spigot. She stumbled, nearly falling.

“This is my ration!” she shouted. “It ain’t fair.”

“That was your ration last week,” the soldier said. “You’ve already gotten your maximum for this week.”

While Twilight walked up to her group, the mare continued to argue. “But the ration keeps getting smaller and smaller. Last week we barely had enough fer cooking and drinking, an’ not nearly enough fer washin’,” the mare said. She strode up to the soldier, eye to eye with the armored pony. “I say you let us take our water!”

“Yeah!” a voice sounded from a pony in line, followed by several others.

“This is our town!”

“She’s gonna start a riot,” Applejack said to Twilight as soon as she was near.

“Yeah, but whose side are we on?” Twilight said.

“What do you mean?” Rainbow said angrily. “Obviously we’re on the side of the ponies getting bullied by soldiers!”

“I don’t think it’s that simple, Rainbow,” Rarity said.

“If there’s a fight, we should break it up,” Applejack said.

“Agreed,” Twilight said, sifting through her mind for appropriate spells as the townsfolk grew more heated.

The first blow came from the Appleloosans. Somepony, it was impossible to tell who, bucked a brick at the pair of soldiers guarding the spigot. The brick slammed into the ground next to the soldier who had been arguing with the mare. Twilight watched with concern as the emboldened ponies surged forward. The two guards moved close together. She saw fear in their eyes as they readied their weapons; they were outnumbered more than ten to one.

Twilight started to cast a spell she thought would help stop a riot, but before she could finish, Braeburn ran onto the scene.

“Woah now!” he cried.

The Appleloosans jostled, but stopped moving. Somepony shouted, “Sheriff, they’re trying to keep us from getting enough to drink! Do something!”

Braeburn addressed the thirsty ponies, saying, “Water is scarce, everypony. We need most of it to keep the Sand Cats at bay and the crops watered. Everypony is hurting, and every family has the same ration, per member, ‘less they need more for some particular reason, like providing food for the rest of us. Times are tough, and that means we’ve got to stick together.”

As Braeburn spoke, Twilight released her spell, and the magic faded completely from her mind. She’d wasted the spell, but she could always prepare another.

“Is it true that the reservoir is drying up?” a pony shouted.

“Sheriff Silverstar woulda’ never let things get this bad!” another cried.

Braeburn took off his hat, holding it to his chest with a forehoof. “I ain’t gonna lie to you folks, things are pretty bad. We’re draining the river dry. Without the coin from the mine, we can’t afford to get much extra water out here, and without rain, the Sand Cats are getting worse. And, I’m sure y’all have heard about the buffalo sneakin’ into our fields at night and stealin’ our crops. Add to that the fact that I ain’t half the Sheriff Silverstar was, and we’re in a heckuva’ pickle.”

Rarity winced at Braeburn’s speech. “Negativity isn’t going to help,” she murmured.

Braeburn placed the hat back on his head and pressed on. “But that don’t mean we should be losing our heads! We’re Appleloosans! These Empire ponies ain’t the enemy, the Badlands are! If we want to continue to make a life for ourselves here, a good life, a free life, we’ve got to stand together! Besides, it ain’t like we’re alone.”

Braeburn pointed over the gathered pony’s heads, toward Twilight and her friends. For a moment, Twilight glanced around, until she realized Braeburn was pointing at her and Applejack.

“Mah Cousin Applejack has brought some help our way. They’re all good fighters, and they’re gonna get to the bottom of the problem with our iron!”

Twilight cringed internally when she saw the crowd turn to them, hope in their eyes. Why are they looking to me for salvation? she wondered. She had killed a pony just like them a few days ago. She’d burned him to death. She looked down, afraid to meet their eyes lest they see the monster the Black Knight had made.

When Twilight glanced at her friends beside her, she realized that she didn’t have to bear the burden alone. She had them. They were better ponies. They felt remorse. She turned back to face the townsfolk, holding her head high. Together, they could save Appleloosa.

Braeburn took them out of the town center along a road leading up a nearby mesa. When Twilight reached the crest of the hill, the road curved down, descending into a small basin in the middle of the mesa. Below her, in the center of the depression, rested the dark mouth of the main iron mine entrance. Wooden supports framed the entrance, holding it wide enough for multiple sets of rails for minecarts. The central mine lay dark, silent, and unused. Around it, set into the edge of the depression, were secondary shafts where stubborn Appleloosans continued to push and pull carts full of red ore. They were beyond the trenches protecting Appleloosa, so a few ponies sat next to buckets of water, guarding the miners.

Twilight turned and looked back down the hill at the town whose fate rested on their shoulders. Spread beneath her next to the town, the green of the crops and the apple orchard rested along the thin band of the river they had crossed yesterday. Past the town, the river terminated in an earthen dam. Only a muddy trickle spilled beyond the dam. Where the river ended, the land around the riverbed turned from green to barren.

From her vantage, she saw that dam’s reservoir held only about half its full capacity. Hard at work pushing rotating pumps that drew the water up from the reservoir, the shapes of faraway ponies spun in circles, ensuring the supply of water keeping the town alive.

“So you’ve been having more trouble with buffalo?” Applejack said, already descending toward the mine with Braeburn.

Twilight realized she’d been dawdling and trotted briefly to catch up while Braeburn answered Applejack.

“Yup, they were worst when we first built the dam. They attacked us, and that’s when we had to ask for help. The Empire answered.”

“There doesn’t seem to be very many Empire soldiers here,” Rarity said.

“They only left a skeleton crew after they pushed back the buffalo. In return, we have to pay them a portion of all the profits from the mine for the next ten years, but since we’ve barely made any profit recently, they’re threatening to leave. We Appleloosans will fight if we need to, but we ain’t soldiers. We need their support,” Braeburn said.

“What about the Sand Cats?” Applejack said. “Come to think of it, I don’t remember ‘em at all from last time I was here.”

“That’s because they only showed up last year. Some folks say the buffalo called them up to drive us out. All I know is the buffalo are lil’ more‘n a nuisance now, but the Sand Cats are one of our biggest problems,” Braeburn said.

Twilight eyed the empty main mine as they approached. “What about the mines?” She flicked her muzzle toward the entrance. “Why aren’t you digging there anymore?”

“Two reasons: diamond dog problem, and the ore ain’t no good anyway. That’s why the miners have started digging new shafts. I hear it smelts okay sometimes, but sometimes ain’t good enough with the hit our reputation took. We need to ship quality ore, and only quality ore, to get buyers to trust us again,” Braeburn said.

Twilight nodded. She’d read and heard stories about diamond dogs. They were bigger than a pony, but not altogether bright; while they were strong, the weapons they used were crude at best. Diamond dogs occasionally raided towns at night for food and other resources, but a decently armed and organized militia could easily repulse them. They mostly survived on fungus and gemstones they found and grew beneath the ground. Still, they were dangerous, savage, and in enough numbers they could overrun defenders by burrowing up beneath them and breaking their lines.

“If ya’ want to go inside and take a look, it should be safe. The diamond dogs moved into some deeper shafts the miners dug to extract veins of silver and gold, and they don’t come this close to the surface during the day... most of the time,” Braeburn said.

“They come out at night then? Are they a problem, or are they just having fun?” Pinkie said.

Braeburn frowned. “We’ve lost a few miners to them, but since we abandoned the main mine it hasn’t been too bad, and they’ve also taken some crops like the buffalo. Their tunnels have been seen in some of the new shafts, so no pony mines after dark, and the miners always stay in groups. They don’t seem to want to confront us directly... but if the soldiers left... well, I worry about what would happen then. The Sand Cats are already bad enough.”

“I see...” Twilight said. Celestia seemed to think there was something down there other than diamond dogs. “I think we’ll have to go down there to find out what’s going on.”

“Would ya’ like me to come with? I’ve been down there a few times, part of the job, and I know my way,” Braeburn said.

Twilight shook her head, wondering if Braeburn had made the promise Marigold wanted him to. “I think we can handle it.”

“Are ya’ sure? I wouldn’t want ya’ getting lost down there...” Braeburn said.

Twilight sighed internally. He clearly wanted to help, and she didn’t know what to say to convince him to go home.

Fortunately, while Twilight considered what to tell Braeburn, Rarity came to her rescue, saying, “Braeburn, we need you to keep the townsfolk calm. Besides, I’m sure your wife would be happier if you were safe at home.”

When Rarity mentioned his wife, Braeburn nickered and looked at the ground. It was obvious Rarity had hit a nerve. “There’s no sense taking risks when you don’t need to. We can handle it, we’ll be fine... trust us,” Rarity said.

“Alright... good luck,” Braeburn said and turned away from them. He glanced over his shoulder as he trotted back toward town. Rarity waved him off.

Twilight stared at the doorway. Mentally, she catalogued her spells, making sure she was ready for what lurked below. She had a couple of Shield spells prepared, which would protect her from the crude bows she knew diamond dogs were fond of. Her mage armor was active. Down there, in the tight quarters, it would be unlikely that a Fireball would be usable, but she had one prepared anyway, just in case.

She lit her horn and strode forward, illuminating the entrance. “Here we go,” she said.

Twilight stepped down a passageway, setting her hooves between rail ties. “Hold up!” she said as she stopped abruptly. In front of them, a dark chasm split the tunnel. A rickety bridge provided a way across.

She heard Rainbow’s voice say, “Is it another dead end?” The pegasus was around a bend behind her, protecting the rear of the group.

Applejack, beside Twilight, answered Rainbow, “Naw, you’d better come up here.”

Twilight eyed the bridge. It looked to be in poor condition, and someone – probably the diamond dogs – had hacked away part of the bridge, leaving only one narrow, railing-less path forward.

When Rainbow stepped up to the chasm, Twilight asked, “Can you catch us if we fall?”

Rainbow flared her wings. “I dunno, the air is pretty still down here, and it’d be tough to fly in such a small space. But if anypony can, I can. Just... try not to fall.”

“If the bridge broke, could you fly us across?” Twilight said.

Rainbow shook her head. “Four of you? No way. I might be able to catch you, once, but I’d be whipped.”

“Alright... I’ll go first. That way, I can levitate Applejack’s armor across when I get to the other side,” she said. Among the group, she figured Applejack would be the heaviest, with her dense build. She was most worried about the bridge cracking under her weight. She gingerly took the first step onto the bridge.

While Twilight gradually made her way across, she focused on the far side to avoid looking down. Carefully, she took another step. She was almost at the middle; if it was going to break, it would most likely break here. The wood creaked, and she paused.

“If you think it’s gonna break, you should come back. Even if you do make it, we don’t want to get seperated down here,” Applejack said.

Twilight nodded and started to gradually inch her way backwards. To check the position of her hooves, she glanced down. The chasm faded into darkness, the bottom an untold distance away. A point of firelight, glimmering below her, caught her eye. She blinked when the fire started fly toward her.

With a thud, a flaming arrow impacted the bridge directly in front of Twilight.

She yelped when she saw the fire licking along the dry wood. She felt the heat on her hooves, and panicking, she turned fully on the narrow span. One of her hooves slipped, and she barely kept her balance with the other three. She heard a second arrow thunk into the wood beneath her and ran for safety.

“Jump!” Applejack shouted, hooves outstretched. Beside her, Rainbow spread her wings, preparing to take flight.

Twilight leaped toward her friends, but the burning bridge cracked away beneath her hooves, leaving her kicking air. She felt the brief moment of weightlessness as she plummeted toward the darkness beneath.

Applejack caught her forehooves, pinning them vertically against the ledge. The pressure hurt. She desperately scrabbled against the rock with her hind hooves. She was starting to slip.

“Gotcha!” Rainbow said, wrapping her forelegs around Twilight’s waist.

The air around Twilight swirled as Rainbow beat her wings powerfully, and they rose upward. Before she was high enough to climb up onto the ledge, she heard something strike flesh, and Rainbow grunted. Twilight slid from Rainbow’s grasp, and her belly hit the wall. Her forelegs jerked free from under Applejack’s hooves.

“Twilight!” Applejack cried as she fell.

Twilight gazed upward, watching the ledge retreat.

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Preread by: Extravagaunte
Editor: The Music Man

Tunnels

Tunnels

Before Twilight hit the bottom, she felt Rainbow’s teeth close around her foreleg.

With a jerk, she slowed abruptly, but her foreleg slipped from Rainbow’s grasp, leaving only lavender hair behind. For a brief moment, she saw horror in Rainbow’s eyes. She hit the bottom, crumpling backwards until her head struck hard stone.

When Twilight regained her senses, she felt a pair forelegs looped underneath hers. “I’m gonna get you out of here, Twilight,” Rainbow said in her ear.

Twilight’s heart raced. She couldn’t see anything. I’m blind, she thought. She hit her head too hard, and now she was blind. Can Fluttershy heal blindness?

Rainbow grunted, and Twilight heard wingbeats in the darkness. Something warm and wet splashed her coat.

With relief, she realized that the light from her horn had gone out. She focused magic into the tip of her horn, illuminating her surroundings. Her vision swam as the light filled the space, and the first thing she noticed was the copious quantities of red liquid oozing from Rainbow’s foreleg. Rainbow’s straining muscles were pushing blood out and around an arrowhead buried deep in her flesh. The shaft had broken off, opening the path for blood to spill out of the wound.

“Twilight, Rainbow!” she heard her friends calling from above.

Twilight glanced around the space. The shaft had narrowed towards the bottom; there wasn’t enough space for Rainbow to fully spread her wings. “You have to let me go, Rainbow,” she said.

“No... way,” Rainbow said through clenched teeth.

“Fly up. Get healed. Get Fluttershy,” Twilight ordered.

“I’m not... gonna—”

“Now!” Twilight said, using her levitation to slip free from Rainbow’s limbs.

“Twilight, let me help you!” Rainbow said, panting as she stared down at Twilight.

“If you don’t fly up there right now, I’ll use a Charm spell on you and make you!” Twilight said. She doubted she could convince the strong-willed pegasus to do anything with magic, but the threat seemed to work.

“Fine!” Rainbow shouted. “I’ll get help...” Without Twilight weighing her down, she reluctantly rose up the narrow passage. “I’ll get help!” she said and beat her wings faster. Within a few seconds, the pegasus was a shadow beyond the light from Twilight’s horn.

Twilight groaned, assessing the damage to her body. Her head throbbed, and her back ached. She moved each of her limbs in turn, making sure they weren’t broken. Her right foreleg hurt, but she could move the limb. A sprain, most likely, from when Rainbow had caught her. Her next two limbs were largely uninjured. When she tried to move the last limb on her list, her left hind leg, she felt only pain – no movement. She looked down at her leg. It twisted at an unnatural angle, broken.

She heard Pinkie’s voice echo down the chasm. “Sit tight, Twi, your pal Pinkie is coming!”

“We’re getting ropes set up, we’ll be down in a couple minutes!” Rarity called.

Twilight sighed, settling back. There was nothing to do but wait.

She heard something moving in the darkness and immediately put out her horn. She noticed firelight spilling out from the mouth of a tunnel a few hoofspans above the bottom of the chasm. She didn’t have a couple of minutes.

“Kill the intruders!” a hissing voice echoed out of the passage.

She wrapped her levitation around her leg.

I’m going to live.

She clenched her jaw and pulled with her magic. The pain was excruciating, but her leg quickly set with a snap. She barely managed to keep from crying out and giving away her position. Panting, she groped around in her pack for a healing potion. Something sharp cut her skin.

No!

The flasks containing her healing potions had shattered, despite the glass being magically reinforced. Panicking, she continued to probe the pack with her hoof, with only more cuts for her efforts.

I don’t need a potion, she realized.

Twilight reached down and set her bleeding hoof against her thigh. She closed her eyes, focusing. She let out a breath. It wasn’t working.

The moving creatures were closer now, she could hear them sniffling. “I smell pony, live pony,” one said.

Star Swirl wanted me to live.

She dug deep and remembered the feeling she had when she healed Pinkie. There was a power within her, a force she didn’t understand, and it filled her with divine energy that surged down her foreleg and into her body. The warmth that spread through her was nothing compared to the healing spell Fluttershy had used, but it was enough to purge the pain from her hind leg.

She saw the silhouette of a diamond dog clambering out of the tunnel. On its fists and hindpaws, it moved toward her. “It’s down here!” it hissed, and a second dog climbed out of the tunnel, holding a torch in its paw.

As Twilight stood, she felt something rise within her. It spread through her limbs and into her magic as she drew Solstice.

When the light hit Twilight, she was already moving. She sheathed Solstice in the gut of the first dog before it could react and cast the stunned form aside. While she pulled the blade free, the second dropped the torch and raised a crude short sword to defend itself.

The torch sputtered on the ground, but before its light had faded, she swung Solstice at the dog’s head. Driven by the full strength of her levitation, the sharp edge of Solstice cleaved cleanly through the dog’s inferior sword, leaving only the broken hilt in its hand, and she felt the blade contact a body and continue through.

When Twilight lit her horn, she saw grey matter oozing blood. She could identify the two diamond dogs as male now. She’d taken off the top of the second dog’s skull, and he lay dead in the bottom of the passage.

“Demon,” the first dog coughed, clutching his gut. “Pony fell... pony shouldn’t be standing...” He coughed again. “Demon!” he shouted with all the air he had left in his lungs.

With a flick of Solstice, Twilight silenced him. She heard more movement. She wasn’t going to wait down here like a trapped rat. She would take the fight to them.

Twilight scrambled her way up through the tunnel. The walls were roughly hewn through the earth, and some larger rocks looked like they’d been dug through by a mixture of claws and metal tools. Claws: dangerous, sharp enough to cut through stone, she noted.

As Twilight made her way along the the diamond dog’s tunnel, she cast two spells. First, she cast Shield, and second, Mirror Image. When she was finished, an invisible barrier floated in the air in front of her, and four identical copies of herself surrounded her, overlapping and clipping through the stone around her.

In the narrow tunnel, the next two diamond dogs she encountered had nowhere to go, and she simply drove Solstice’s tip into the first dog. She didn’t stop when the hilt hit his sternum. She pushed him, sending him staggering backwards. The second enemy turned and fled in an attempt to get around a corner before Twilight’s blade caught up with him. He didn’t make it. The blade buried into his back and pinned him to the wall. He screamed while the other creature behind him let out his last breath.

She was strong, stronger than she’d ever felt before. The power she felt within her had done more than heal her.

Still holding Solstice to keep the living foe pinned, Twilight picked up one of dogs’ fallen weapons: a short spear.

A voice whispered in her mind, ”Kill him, he would kill you.”

Twilight launched the spear with her levitation. It entered through his ear. He went silent.

Twilight pulled her blade free, and the two limp bodies slumped down to the bottom of the tunnel, a spear sticking from one of their heads. She stepped over them, then whirled when she felt something cut her hind leg. She relaxed a moment later; she’d accidentally clipped herself on one of the dead dog’s claws. Picking her hooves up higher, she continued around the bend.

The tunnel widened into a small room. Brandishing spears and swords at her, four diamond dogs in crude makeshift armor patched together from chainmail, plate, and leather waited a few hoofspans into the room. She didn’t even flinch when a flaming arrow arced over them and impacted her shield. The barrier lit into a translucent lavender rectangle for a brief instant as it deflected the arrow.

”They want to kill you.”

She focused, a second layer of glow joining the light on her horn. Two dogs with spears lunged at her. Twilight smiled slightly; she’d made sure she was far back in the tunnel enough that only two of them could come at her at a time. While she cast, she cleaved through one of the spear shafts, sending the head clattering to the ground, and sidestepped the second. The spear passed close by her, and one of her images evaporated.

She finished her spell and launched a conjured acid arrow past the four diamond dogs in armor, striking the archer behind them. The archer writhed and fell, a hissing sound coming from her burning flesh. Before the dog with the broken spear could come at Twilight with his claws, she swung Solstice down on him.

Her sword rent his leather helmet, cleaving into his skull, and she twisted it free as he dropped. With ferocious determination, the other dog thrusted directly at her, but her shield blocked his spear. She spun Solstice in the air, redirecting the tip downward, and stabbed it into the exposed space between the dog’s shoulder and neck.

The full two hoofspan length of her sword plunged into the diamond dog’s body cavity. Blood dribbled from his mouth as she pulled the blade free. He collapsed, his body tipping forward. As she took a step back to avoid the falling corpse, she caught his spear before it hit the ground.

Shrieks drew Twilight’s attention as she advanced. Behind the remaining two diamond dogs, the archer rolled on the floor, clawing away at her own chest as the acid burned ever deeper. Both weapons floated in Twilight’s levitation. She watched the two diamond dogs draw close together, their eyes wide with terror. One of them carried a round metal shield; they both tried to hide behind it.

“Demon!” one of them shouted.

”Kill them.”

With a powerful thrust, she shattered the spear on the diamond dog’s shield. The sheer force of her blow knocked him stumbling back. Now that the second dog was exposed, she swung Solstice with precision past his blade and took the paw holding his sword off at the wrist.

She deftly caught the sword, and in one smooth motion, she stabbed it into his gut clean through the chainmail protecting him, angling it up to penetrate the vital organs protected by his breastplate and ribcage. He stared down at the stump of his severed limb in shock. She knew he would be dead in a few seconds.

Twilight shoved him off balance with a push of her magic and advanced on the final threat in the room. The archer had gone silent; the acid had finally dissolved her heart. Only the diamond dog with the shield remained to face her.

“Demon Pony!” he shouted. “Demon Pony will kill us all!”

He roared and charged at her.

”Kill him, or he’ll kill you.”

He swung his sword precisely, but instead of striking her, his blade cleaved through air when it evaporated one of her images. He gave her a brief look of acceptance, and she could tell he knew he was about to die; his futile attack had left him exposed. She retaliated, and Solstice bit into leather and flesh until it finally lodged in a plate protecting the middle of his chest.

She tugged at Solstice. It wouldn’t come free.

She heard something move behind her and immediately glanced over her shoulder. A diamond dog lunged at her exposed back from one of the room’s side passages, his claws outstretched.

”One more.”

Without even turning, she released Solstice, picked up the sword of the armored diamond dog she’d just killed, and sent it tip first at the diamond dog pouncing on her. When she heard the creature whine sharply, she knew she’d missed. He should be dead.

Twilight spun slowly to face her attacker. He dangled from a painted wooden target, pinned by the sword impaled through his shoulder. Frantically, he gripped the hilt and pulled. Twilight levitated the broken spear shaft, its end a jagged splinter. She lined up the shot.

Screaming in pain, the dog wrenched at the sword, jerking it desperately back and forth in a final bid for survival. He was small; she saw that he was either young, or a runt. She didn’t care.

Thud!

The spike quivered, sticking out of his eye socket. His limp fingers fell from the hilt, the blade nearly free. Twilight felt nothing.

It’s them, or me.

She heard shrieks coming from the side passage.

“Demon! Demon Pony! Flee! Regroup!”

”You’re not finished yet...”

She formed a Sleep spell and yanked Solstice free while she stepped into the side passage.

Twilight stood over the bodies of six diamond dogs, panting. She started when a comforting hoof pressed against her flank.

“Twilight, are you okay?” Pinkie said.

Twilight swallowed, staring at the dead beneath her hooves. “I’m fine...” she said. Quieter, she murmured, “me or them... them or me... me or them...”

A warm embrace wrapped Twilight, despite the mixture of pony and diamond dog blood that soaked her fur. It was her turn to be held. She pulled close to Pinkie, shivering.

What am I?

Contrary to popular belief, diamond dogs are not stupid, Twilight concluded as she ducked behind an old abandoned minecart. In fact, they can be quite clever.

After her group had found her, she felt composed and in control again. At first, the diamond dogs left them largely alone while they explored the deep passages of the mine, but eventually they returned in force. With a series of crude traps, collapsing tunnels, and deft maneuvers, they’d forced the ponies down a dead end and cornered them.

Now, over a dozen diamond dog archers pelted their cover with arrows from down the passageway, keeping them pinned down. They all clustered behind the overturned minecart, pressing close together to avoid exposing themselves to fire.

“What now?” Applejack shouted in her ear over the din of flint arrowheads impacting the metal cart.

“They’ve got to run out of arrows eventually!” Twilight shouted back.

“Why don’t you Fireball ‘em or something?” Rainbow yelled, frustrated.

“Down here, in this space? Do you want to get burned too? That is, assuming we could even breathe afterwards!” Twilight shouted.

The volley withered, dying out, and for a moment, the tunnel was quiet. Cautiously, Twilight leaned around the corner of the minecart, peering out. She saw a point of light glinting off an arrowhead bound for her and quickly jerked her head back. It flew past the side of their cover.

“Not yet, I guess...” Twilight murmured.

“Shush, I hear something,” Pinkie said, her ears perked.

Twilight listened intently. She could hear something scraping above them. She looked up, and a plume of dirt fell from the ceiling.

They’re going to collapse the tunnel on us... she realized.

“We have to move!” she said. “On three!”

She spent a couple seconds to cast her second Shield spell – her first had run out a few minutes ago. Then, as she cast another, different spell, she started to count.

“One.”

Next to her, the rest of her group nodded, preparing to move.

“Two.”

Her spell finished. A white light emanated out from her horn and wrapped around all six ponies and the bunny in Fluttershy’s mane.

“Three!”

Twilight shot out from behind their cover, her movements enhanced by the Haste spell she cast a moment ago. She heard a rumble behind her. With no time to look back, she kept her eyes forward and saw an arrow closing toward her. It moved slowly enough that she simply dipped her head beneath it as she galloped. Two more arrows deflected off her shield, but before the rest of the diamond dogs had time to fire, she was upon them.

Them, or me...

The edge of her blade drew blood. She moved among them, everywhere at once, deftly dealing death. A diamond dog flanked her, and she turned a moment too late, but before he could strike, a crystalline arrow pierced his throat. From the tunnel she’d ran down a moment ago, a wave of dust and debris hit her. It scattered the light of her horn, turning her surroundings into a mess of shadows and fog.

She glimpsed a pegasus wing, and a claw beside it. She severed the claw at the wrist, and someone howled. Next, she dealt with an exposed diamond dog throat. Applejack’s chain punched through the air past her head and hit something with a sickening thud. A pink blur flashed by her. She saw the silhouette of a giant rabbit stomping on a broken body.

For Twilight, it was one moment to the next in a sensory deprived world. Nimbly, she evaded a claw that clipped the air ahead of her. With the help of the Haste Spell, she was as quick on her hooves as Pinkie was on a good day. Like lightning, she ended the life of whoever the claw belonged to.

Close beside her, she heard Fluttershy scream, and she glimpsed fire.

Twilight took a step through the mist. She saw Angel rolling in the dirt, fire licking at his natural armor, a broken arrow protruding from his back. He made a pitiful whimpering sound. Without hesitation, Twilight dispatched a diamond dog that descended toward the prone bunny.

“Rainbow, here!” Twilight shouted.

With a gust of wind, Rainbow appeared next to her.

“Put him out,” Twilight said.

Rainbow nodded and pirouetted. Two arcing blasts of air flowed off her wingblades and sucked the life from the flames that consumed Angel. The blasts also pulled most of the dust with them, clearing the air.

Twilight coughed, looking around at her friends. Other than Angel, her group remained largely uninjured. Most of the twenty-or-so diamond dogs scattered around their hooves lay dead, but a few still moved, groaning in pain. A rotted elevator platform dangling on a rope above them identified the chamber as a central mineshaft. A half dozen tunnels spread out around them like the spokes of a wheel.

The fire out, Angel shrunk back down to a white bunny. His coat was blackened in places, and his eyes were closed. Fluttershy gingerly picked him up in her hooves. Twilight noticed a glimmer of moisture in Fluttershy’s eyes as she healed her guardian.

Rarity pointed down the passage they’d fled from. “We’ve got company.”

Twilight turned. Shapes moved among the rubble, diamond dogs emerging from the ceiling of the recently collapsed tunnel. As soon as the healing was complete, she picked Angel up in her levitation and nestled him into Fluttershy’s mane.

“We need to keep moving,” Twilight said.

She picked an unfamiliar, downward tilting tunnel, even though the deeper they went, the worse the diamond dogs seemed to get. Celestia had said there were answers down there, and after all she’d been through so far, she wasn’t about to leave empty hooved.

“This way, let’s go,” she said as she set off down the passage at a trot, but due to the effects of the Haste spell, she was moving as fast as she could normally gallop.

The passage was too narrow for more than two ponies at a time. They proceeded down it, Twilight and Pinkie first, Rarity and Fluttershy in the middle, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash in the back. A moment before they rounded a sharp bend, Pinkie raised her foreleg in front of Twilight, and the group came to a dead stop.

“Another booby trap?” Twilight said, scanning the tunnel ahead for the tell-tale signs of a hidden pit.

Pinkie shook her head. “Nope, worse.”

“I see what you mean,” Rarity said from behind Twilight. “This’ll take a moment to deal with.”

Twilight glanced over her shoulder. The sound of diamond dogs in pursuit echoed down the passage. She switched places with Rarity and faced toward the sound. She could Web the passageway, or cast a Confusion spell down the tunnel, but she preferred to conserve her resources. She’d already burned through the majority of her spells, and only had a few more powerful ones left in reserve.

Fortunately, before the first diamond dogs came into view, Rarity made a sound of triumph. Twilight glanced over her shoulder, and saw Rarity pull a rod-shaped object from the wall of the passage. It was a cobalt-blue cylinder, about a hoofspan long, with a gemstone set in the end. Twilight recognized it as a spell wand, though she couldn’t be sure which spell it held. Walking around the bend while the wand was still in place surely would have triggered it.

Twilight turned her gaze back down the passage. She knew the diamond dogs were close; even though they had yet to step into the light from her horn, she saw the light of their torches and hear their claws on the stone. There are so many of them, she thought. She might have to cast a spell anyway, to buy them some time.

Before Twilight could cast, she noticed Fluttershy’s eyes glowing. From the sides of the passage at the limit of her light, Twilight could see insects emerging from the walls, both flying and crawling. They steadily swarmed toward the approaching diamond dogs.

“We moving, or what?” Rainbow said.

Twilight nodded and switched places with Rarity. They proceeded around the corner. The pained howls of diamond dogs echoed through the tunnel. She glanced at Fluttershy, realizing that, when pushed, the shy pegasus could do far more than heal.

As soon as they rounded the bend, Twilight stopped, gazing at the sight before her in awe. The tunnel hit a natural sandstone cavern. Hundreds of dwellings were dug into the walls and ceiling of the cave. What shocked her the most was a diamond dog shaman wearing ceremonial garb made from bones prostrated before them.

“Demon Ponies! Spare us!” the shaman wailed. Twilight could tell from the tenor of the shaman’s voice that she was female.

Twilight blinked. “We’re not demons,” she said automatically.

The shaman glanced up at her hopefully. “Then what is Pony? We can wound these ponies, but they do not die. They kill our best warriors by the dozens, and there is only six. They do not stop. They unleash great spells upon us. They penetrate our defenses, and mercilessly descend to our home. If not Demon Ponies, what are they?”

The shaman placed her forehead back against the ground. “Spare us! If Demons agree to leave, and not destroy our home, we will give Demons a thousand gemstones, we will give Demons the souls of our firstborn pups. Does Dark One seek to punish us? We work hard, we swear!”

“Tell me about the Dark One,” Twilight said.

“Dark One dwells beneath! Dark Pony makes the bones of our ancestors walk again if we do not do his bidding, but he promises that we will be blessed after we die in return,” the shaman said.

Twilight glanced over her shoulder. While the shaman was speaking, the swarm of diamond dogs had arrived at the corner and stopped in the passage. They listened in silence, except for the occasional yelp when an insect stung one.

“What does he have you do?” Twilight asked.

“Pony Diggers dig, and then we pour on the red rock where they dig. We know not why Dark One has us pour, only that it pleases him.”

“Pour what? Tell me!” Twilight said, making sure to insert wrath into her tone. If the diamond dogs realized that they weren’t demons, and went back to trying to kill them, they could easily be overrun.

The shaman squirmed on the floor, whimpering. “He told us not to show ponies. He told us not to be seen!”

Beside Twilight, Rarity spoke, her horn glowing. Rarity’s voice filled the chamber, and the light warped, darkening.

“We are Demon Ponies, pitiful creature.” Her voice echoed off the walls, several shades deeper than it was normally. “Tell us what we want to know, or we will consume the souls of your firstborns, then we will come after you!”

“Please, no! Spare us! We show Demon Ponies!” Frantically, the shaman sat up on her haunches, and beckoned one of the warriors to step forward. The selected warrior gingerly crept past the group of ponies, knelt, and pulled a bottle of green liquid from a pouch, presenting it to Twilight.

Twilight snatched it from his grip and inspected the vial. The liquid within surged and bubbled. “I think I know what’s wrong with the iron...” she murmured.

She glanced around at the diamond dogs. They were here before the iron mine, she realized. This was their home, and they’d fought tooth and claw to defend it. Now, something deeper beneath was manipulating them. When she spoke again, her voice carried all the authority she could muster.

“You will take us to the Dark One, let us pass through your tunnels unhindered, and stop pouring. Do not fear the Dark One; we will deal with him. When we are finished, you may continue to live here in safety. If you attack or steal from the nearby pony town, we will return, and you will be destroyed. If you give the ponies the rocks that they want, they will give you food in return. If you negotiate, you will get a fair deal. If you do all this, you will be spared.”

The shaman nodded fervently. “Destroy Dark One, yes!” she cried. “Destroy Dark One! We shall do as Demon Pony commands!”

The two diamond dog warriors assigned to guide them led them ever deeper down twisting tunnels, and Twilight was beginning to suspect that the Shaman had tricked them. The diamond dogs could be trying to get them so lost that they could never find their way back to the surface or the diamond dogs’ cavern.

Her sore muscles protested as they clambered through the narrow tunnels. The Haste spell had a price; a second of movement under the effects of the spell taxed the body like ten seconds of activity. Now, the spell itself was long gone, but the price stayed with her. Mercifully, when the tunnel emerged into a cavern, they finally stopped.

The diamond dogs pointed across the cavern at a case full of vials filled with the green liquid. “This is where we get Pour. We go no further. Ancestors walk down here.”

“Stay here, then, and wait for us,” Twilight ordered.

The diamond dogs squirmed with displeasure at the task, but beneath her gaze, they nodded fearfully. Twilight stepped out into the cavern. In contrast to the barren land above, down here a large, mirror smooth pond reflected back the light of her horn. When she looked down at her reflection, she understood why the diamond dogs mistook her for a Demon.

Her coat was matted and stained crimson from her first encounter with them. Next to her, Solstice floated, its blade as bloodstained as her coat. To them, she was death, unstoppable and inevitable.

Twilight skirted the pool, her group following. While she made her way toward the case, Twilight wondered what time it was up above. How long has Braeburn been waiting for us? Do the Appleloosans think we’re dead? All she knew for certain was that it had been hours, and she was tired.

In stark contrast to the natural cavern, beside the case of vials, a square edged passage led into darkness. Twilight paused in front of corridor, letting the light of her horn shine down it. It terminated in a perfectly square T intersection.

“Any traps?” she said, glancing at Pinkie and Rarity. She’d learned that they both had an eye for details that she sometimes missed.

Rarity and Pinkie glanced down the passage.

“I don’t see anything,” Rarity said.

Pinkie stepped across the threshold and pointed. “Nope, there’s something there, see the hole next to the corner?”

With it pointed out to her, Twilight could see what Pinkie had noticed. “Where’s the trigger?” Twilight asked.

“Ah, I see it,” Rarity said. “It’s right...” Rarity lit her horn, and a narrow row of small, faintly inscribed magical runes glowed midway down the passage. “There!”

Between the two of them, Rarity and Pinkie extracted the wand without tripping the trap. “It looks the same as the one the diamond dogs had,” Rarity observed. “Do you think this Dark One gave them wands?”

“Actually, if I were to guess, I’d say that the shaman made them,” Twilight said. “Do you see the claw marks? A diamond dog at least handled this one too.”

Rarity blinked. “I didn’t think diamond dogs could do magic.”

“They can’t, at least not the same way unicorns can, but magic is a part of Equestria. Magic formed solely from ingredients is usually called voodoo, and conventional understanding holds that it doesn’t exist. Even alchemy is merely the art of making a liquid medium that can hold spells. They say that for magic to work, somewhere along the line a spellcaster had to cast a spell... but they’re wrong,” Twilight said.

It was a chilling realization, that her books had betrayed her. She realized she had known it was true ever since the argument with Applejack. She could never assume something was true; she had to know it was true.

Celestia said there was darkness down here, and she was about to find out for herself. She strode confidently forward down the dark corridor. She would finally have some answers.

It didn’t take long for Twilight to realize that they were in an ancient mausoleum. Once they were inside, nooks filled with the mummified remains of long dead ponies occupied the walls. The much fresher bones of diamond dogs littered the floor.

Someone brought them here, Twilight realized. “Looks like these are what he used to scare the diamond dogs,” she said.

Rainbow picked up one of the diamond dog skulls and held it in her hoof. “What did he do, put on a bone outfit and dance around?”

“What a boner!” Pinkie said, snickering.

Twilight frowned. She couldn’t understand how Pinkie could be laughing after what they’d done to the diamond dogs – what she’d seen in Twilight’s wake.

“No, he animated them,” Twilight said.

Rainbow dropped the skull, shocked. “You can do that? I thought that was just a scary story.”

“Certain clerics can, and there are arcane spells that can have a similar effect. I know Celestia’s never do it, but others do,” Twilight said.

“So we’re probably dealing with a cleric who can animate corpses...” Applejack said. “Sounds like he earned the name Dark One.”

Twilight stepped around a corner and said, “Well, we’re about to find out.”

Ahead, a light that wasn’t coming from her horn illuminated a doorway. She moved forward toward it, her hooves clopping on the stone. Surely, whatever lurked down here knew they were coming.

When she arrived at the door, she stopped and stared in shock. Sitting there at a dark wooden desk, scribbling away at some parchment with a quill in his mouth, sat an earth pony in silken robes. Around him was room decorated with fine furniture, lush rugs, and a large four poster bed. Tapestries hung from the walls of the tomb.

The pony at the desk didn’t even look up at Twilight.

“What? Are they out of vials again? Just grab some more, they’re in the same place that they always are,” the pony said around his quill and gestured over his shoulder.

Twilight followed the gesture with her eyes. In the corner, beside a large mirror, a pile of cases full of green vials rested.

“Well, chop chop, we don’t have all day. Come on, just because you’re dead doesn’t mean you’re brain-dead... well, maybe it does,” the pony said.

Twilight continued to stand there, stunned. This wasn’t what she expected to find. She expected an armored pony like the Black Knight, standing there ready to do battle with her. She expected to fight for her life once again.

The pony sighed, planting his face in his hooves. “I’m a cleric of the Nightmare, cloaked in obscene power, but apparently that doesn’t entitle me to decent help.” He pulled his hoof from his face, and turned toward Twilight. “I mean, you can’t hold a conversation, the least you could do is your job, you stupid—” The quill dropped from his mouth. “How?”

“Tell me everything you know!” Twilight said, brandishing Solstice while she closed the distance between her and the pony at the desk.

The pony’s eyes started to glow with a black-silver light. Before he had time to cast, she stuck him in the gut with her sword. He fell backwards out of his chair as she pulled Solstice free, the glow in his eyes gone. He groaned, clutching at his gut with his forehooves.

Twilight glanced at the blood streaking her blade, and she knew she’d stabbed too deep. She didn’t want him dead; she wanted answers. “Fluttershy, heal him!”

“I can’t,” Fluttershy murmured.

Twilight whirled on Fluttershy. “What do you mean you can’t?!” she shouted.

Fluttershy cringed. “I used the last of my magic saving Angel... I’m sorry... I–I can try...”

The pony on the floor laughed dryly. “I guess I’m going to die then... I was going to be a Lich... they say only wizards can become Liches... silly arrogant unicorns...” he rambled.

Twilight turned back to the pony she’d stabbed. “Argh!”

She was so close to answers. She placed her hoof on him, trying to heal him like she’d healed herself and Pinkie.

“Twilight, what’re you doing?” Applejack said.

It was no use, either she couldn’t focus, or she needed rest before she could do it again. “This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen!” she yelled.

“I know what you mean...” the dying pony said, his eyes growing distant. “I got too complacent. Fat and lazy. Have you seen my cave? It’s very nice... nobody should be able to get to me down here. Oh well, they’re gonna eat you now... I made it so that they would do that if somebody got me... it’s too bad, I was going to be a Lich... I was so close.”

“Tell me about the Black Knight!” Twilight shouted, violently, desperately shaking him with her forehooves.

The pony coughed after she shook him, his eyes going crossed. “Heh... heh... shiny, shiny, shiny, hiding in the dark...” He focused on Twilight. “You’d better run... they’re coming... all my beautiful, beautiful bones.”

She could see him getting paler by the moment. There wasn’t much blood oozing from his belly, but she knew he was bleeding internally.

“Can’t you heal yourself!?” she yelled in his face.

She heard the clopping of hooves and the snapping of bones coming from the doorway.

“Um, Twilight, I don’t think they’re friendly dead ponies,” Pinkie said.

“I could... I could also kill you with a spell... I’m pretty sure you’d stab me again if I tried. Getting stabbed hurts... good life lesson,” he said.

Time, more time. I need more time.

Twilight cast a spell. It hit the doorway as the first mummified pony reached it. Thick, gooey webbing shot out, covering the doorway and spreading down the corridor. She saw the mummy stop, held back by the webs, and returned her focus to the pony on the floor.

“Tell me!” she cried. She needed what she’d done to get down here to mean something. I didn’t do it because I wanted to!

“Tell you?” He glanced over at a spot on the wall. “Tell you how to get out? I’ve got a way... I’m not telling... they’re going to eat you!” He started to laugh, but it quickly deteriorated into a fit of coughs.

She shook him again, harder. “Tell me about him! Tell me, tell me, tell me!”

She felt a hoof on her shoulder. “It’s done, Twilight,” Applejack said.

Twilight blinked. The pony’s eyes were staring lifelessly up at her. She heard the sound of stone sliding against stone, and looked up. Rarity stood next to the spot on the wall the dying pony had looked at. A portion of the wall had swung open, revealing a hidden tunnel.

“We need to leave,” Applejack said.

Twilight nodded and turned to the desk. It was empty. The papers were gone. The drawers were scattered on the floor, also empty. She rushed toward it in disbelief and frantically swept her hooves over the surface of the desk, spilling the inkwell. There was nothing there.

“Where are they?!” Twilight shrieked.

“I already got them,” Rarity said.

Twilight swallowed, her eyes traveling first to the skeletons clawing their way through her webbing, then to the dead pony on the floor, and finally to the open door where her friends waited. There was nothing left down here.

She rushed over to her friends, and they galloped down the passage. Out of spite, once they’d made it a safe distance, Twilight turned and launched a Fireball into the room. She smiled with satisfaction when the explosion swept down the corridor and rattled her skull.

She heard a secondary explosion, and her eyes widened. “Crap! Run!”

“Already doing that!” Rainbow shouted from ahead.

“The green flasks are flammable! Very, very flammable!” Twilight yelled as she sprinted after her friends, explosions rattling the corridor behind her.

Twilight lay on her back in the sand. The fact that it was morning, and they’d spent all night underground, was the first thing Twilight noticed when she cleared the collapsing passageway. The second thing she noticed was that all of her friends had made it out ahead of her. She could barely move her legs. She wanted to rest, but some part of her mind knew that she couldn’t stay out in the Sun.

“Come on, get off your flanks and on your hooves!” she heard Rainbow shout in her ear.

Twilight groaned and curled into a ball, her eyes closed. It had taken all the strength she had to sprint full speed down that passage, with the light at the end her only promise of salvation. She thought it was never going to end. The light never seemed to get any closer, until suddenly, she was outside.

She heard a heavy hoof fall and a deep snort.

“Who are you? Stop!” Rainbow said.

The hooves moved toward her.

“I’m warning you!” Rainbow said.

Twilight flicked her eyes open. She made out the outline of a pony with an unusually large head above her. Rainbow fell onto the sand beside her, out cold. A hoof touched Twilight on the forehead, directly below her horn. The figure’s eyes appeared when they glowed with a soft green light.

”Peace, Little Shadow.”

Twilight’s world went dark.

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Preread by: Extravagaunte
Editor: The Music Man

Sand

Sand

Twilight watched a lavender silhouette fall, long and deep down through the earth. A cerulean blue light chased after her, drawing a line of color through the black. A moment after the lights met, the lavender light hit the bottom of the cavern and shattered into a million fragments. The blue one tried to collect the fragments, but the lavender one sent her away.

The fragments gleamed in the shadows. Thousands of rippling shapes approached the light and swarmed over it. Alone, darkness all around her, the light became a shadow. A splatter of red spilled on the obsidian earth.

The Black Knight rose.

A terrible laugh echoed through the cavern. All around him, heads rolled: ponies, diamond dogs, griffons, ogres, minotaurs. He spared none, be they young or old, male or female, warriors or farmers, parents or children. He killed them all.

The blood rose around him, surging in a liquid sea of red. He was hooves deep in it; the red painting him gave his black armor color and definition. He was mighty. He was indomitable. He was power.

Twilight stood in a river of blood. It licked at her belly and matted her coat. She saw the bodies floating on the surface. One drifted past her; a diamond dog pup the same size as she was, with a spike of wood driven deep into his eye. He looked at her with his good eye, and his lips moved.

“Demon Pony.”

His voice struck her to the core, and she answered.

“I had to kill you!”

The diamond dog closed his eye and gave her no reply.

“I had to live!”

Next, a pony with only burns for a face drifted beside her, and spoke from the charred hole of his mouth.

“You enjoyed it.”

Horror gripped her.

It was true.

The broken corpses all opened their eyes and turned them on her.

“You enjoyed killing us.”

Stumbling, Twilight fled the bodies. The blood clung to her hooves until she pulled herself free of the river. Crimson dripping from her fur gave definition to the obsidian plane beneath her. Ahead, on the bank of the river, she saw him.

The Black Knight.

He made her do this. He killed Star Swirl. He set her down this path.

She would make him pay.

She lunged forward, thrusting Solstice into his chest. His breastplate yielded to her blade, flashing with violet as her sword pierced into him.

Cracks spread across the Black Knight. Reflective shards fell away from where her sword had pierced the mirror in front of her. From each of them, a black, demonic helm looked back at her. She stared at the fragments in shock.

A whisper rose from the shadows.

“Have you learned?”

Before Twilight, a door appeared in the place of the shattered mirror. Beyond, she saw a path. She knew what lay down it: shadows, death, and the graves of her enemies. It was a path made for her, straight and long, with the Black Knight’s head impaled on the tip of Solstice’s blood-stained blade beside it. If she walked down it, she would have her revenge and her answers as surely as the Sun rose at dawn.

“Do you see your destiny?”

She raised her hoof, about to step through the doorway, but before she could, a pink light appeared in the darkness next to her, and the voice in the shadows cried out in response.

“No!”

She glanced at the light, hesitating for a moment, and four others appeared beside it, orange, blue, white, and yellow. When she saw them all beside her – with her – she realized: whatever she was, with them at her side, she could make her own fate.

Another road appeared to her. It was not framed neatly by a doorway. It was not made for her. It wound and twisted into tortured knots. It frayed at the edges, splitting into countless possibilities. On this path, it would not be easy, and every step would be a battle, but she knew that she would not have to walk it alone.

She turned away from the doorway, and set her hoof on the winding path.

As the cavern crumbled around her, the voice in the darkness screamed in fury.

“Fool! You are alone!”

Twilight woke with the voice still echoing in her mind. She was lying on a mat, with a woven blanket draped over her. Sunlight flitting in from an open doorway revealed the masoned stone of the floor, walls, and ceiling. She was alone in the room.

She sighed. Just another nightmare...

Strangely enough, this time, her heart beat normally.

With a yawn, she rolled and arched her back, stretching luxuriously. She could vividly remember the river of blood from the dream, along with the voices of her victims taunting her. Even if the voices were right, she had to defend herself. From the moment she’d taken a pony’s life, she’d only killed out of necessity. She’d never murdered, but she knew that any killing was still wrong.

She settled back onto the mat, remembering a time when she was just a filly and there had been a murder in Candlekeep.

A young mare had confessed to stabbing both her parents to death. Star Swirl was one of the scholars called upon to decide her fate. Out of curiosity, Twilight listened to the deliberations with her ear pressed up to the door. The murder fascinated her. She wanted to understand why a child would kill both her parents.

Star Swirl argued for mercy. The mare’s father was a drunk, her mother a loon. They may have been abusive, but he couldn’t prove it. In the end, the mare was sentenced to be hanged.

Twilight managed to sneak away before any of the scholars left the room, but Star Swirl caught her around the corner. He asked her why she’d been eavesdropping, and she answered with a question: “Why is killing wrong?”

Then, she needed a sound argument to explain why it was wrong. To her young mind, it had seemed like killing was a natural solution to a natural problem. It was obvious the mare could not tolerate her parents. A lesser guardian might have told her, “Because it is,” but not Star Swirl.

Star Swirl recited a poem:

”No mare is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every mare is a piece of Equestria,
A part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea,
The whole is the less,
As well as if a pony city were,
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s,
Or if thine own were:

Any one’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in all kind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.”

At first, she didn’t understand, and Star Swirl explained that everyone has value; taking a living creature away from Equestria took something important from everyone. He also told her, “Sometimes, killing is necessary. Sometimes, the guilty have to be punished. Sometimes, some creatures have to be killed to save the lives of others. But that never makes it right.”

The moment in the caves came back to her, bringing her mind back to the present.

She was alone with only shadows around her and she had one way out. She’d slaughtered the diamond dogs while the voice from her nightmares whispered in her mind. She was untouchable, unstoppable. She had been alone, outnumbered, bleeding, and probably suffering from a concussion, and they could only hurt her when she cut herself on their dead claws.

Did I lose control? she wondered.

She went over the memories with detached clarity, every moment – every kill – even the ones she’d executed while they were sleeping helplessly on the floor. She knew she should feel vile, but she didn’t. Instead, she felt powerful. It scared her. She feared the monster she had seen reflected in the diamond dogs’ eyes. Now that she’d killed, she knew something she would have never found out in Candlekeep; she wasn’t like other ponies.

What am I?

She heard the clip-clop of hooves outside the door. An instant later, the events of the caves came back to her. She remembered an unknown entity standing over her, eyes glowing.

She took a split second to frantically glance around the room, but Solstice was nowhere to be found. She had no other weapons, and exhaustion had robbed her of all the prepared spells she had left after the events in the mines.

She was helpless.

When a shadow fell over her, she quickly closed her eyes, pretending to still be asleep. The hooves drew closer, and her heart raced. Whoever my captors are, if they wanted to kill me, I’d be dead, she told herself as she tried to control her breathing. Paranoia gripped her. In her mind’s eye, an ebon dagger floated above her, waiting to plunge down and extinguish her life.

I’m not helpless, she realized.

She had one trick left, one of the simplest spells in the world. With a shout, she jumped to her feet and lashed out with her levitation.

Her magic caught nothing; there was no one there. A curtain draped beside the doorway fluttered in the breeze, and she sighed in relief.

She was safe.

Thump!

Something hit into her side, wrapping around her neck. She dropped her chin instinctively to protect her throat, and a furry limb wedged its way into her mouth. She tried to scream as she fell to the ground, but it came out as a muffled grunt. Something strong pinned her to the floor. She reached out with her levitation to grab some part of her attacker. She had to break them, before they broke her.

Pinkie giggled in her ear. “Twilight, that tickles!”

Twilight spat out the limb in her mouth and released her magic. “Pinkie Pie?!”

Her pink attacker loosened her grip, and Twilight slipped free. Pinkie giggled again, and said, “That was fun, Twilight! I didn’t know you liked to wrestle.”

Twilight sat up and turned to glare at Pinkie. “Don’t do that! I could’ve—”

Pinkie nodded emphatically. “You could’ve really hurt somepony!” she interrupted. “If I hadn’t been quick, you could have smashed me against the wall, like a ragdoll!”

“I thought you were—”

Pinkie gripped her shoulders, shaking her. “Like. A. Ragdoll!”

Twilight pushed aside Pinkie’s forehooves and shook her head. “My levitation isn’t that strong.”

Pinkie tilted her head quizzically. “It’s not? Because, when you—”

“It’s not! I was stronger then!” Twilight cut Pinkie off, practically shouting. She didn’t want to think about the time she’d spent alone down in the mines any more than she had to.

Pinkie raised a brow at her, pausing for a moment. “Okie dokie loki, Twilight.” She smiled. “Anyways, you’ve got to aiff!”

“Aif?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie shook her head in exasperation. “No Twilight, it’s aiff.”

“That’s what I said,” Twilight mumbled.

Pinkie continued, talking over her, “Always Identify Friend or Foe. Aiff! I made up a song to remember it. It goes—”

Twilight shoved a hoof into Pinkie’s mouth. “No! No singing. We don’t even know where we are!” She let her hoof drop.

Pinkie blinked at her. “Sure we do, Twilight. The buffalo took us to their village! It’s in an old bridge. I’ve never seen a bridge this big!” She gestured at Twilight. “They even gave you a good scrubbing!”

Twilight glanced down at her forehooves. She hadn’t noticed that the dried blood had been cleaned from her coat. “Is everypony okay?” she asked.

Pinkie nodded. “Yep, safe and sound. A-okay! That reminds me: I’m supposed to let everypony know if you were awake yet.” She jumped up, trotting briskly to the door. In the doorway, she paused and glanced over her shoulder. “You coming, Twilight?”

Twilight stood up and followed Pinkie.

When she stepped out the door, the light forced her to close her eyes. Compared to the cool stone room, the air out here was uncomfortably hot. Her hooves clopped on a wooden surface as she took another step.

She cracked her eyes open.

Yelping, she quickly stepped back from the edge of the walkway beneath her hooves. Over a hundred hoofspans beneath her, a dry riverbed snaked its way across the barren earth. When she noticed the wooden guardrail, she breathed a sigh of relief, and stepped forward again. The light of the setting Sun bathed the ruddy red landscape, casting long shadows on the floor of the canyon beneath her. On one side of the riverbed, dry trees stood; only a few of them bore leaves.

To either side of the riverbed, immense stone pillars rose up from the ground. Twilight followed them up. They supported a massive stone bridge that extended to either side of her, spanning the canyon. From the pillars, towers continued up on either side of the bridge. She had to crane her neck to see their crenelated, weathered tops.

“Pretty neat, right?” Pinkie said from where she stood beside Twilight.

Twilight nodded as she gazed at the crumbling architecture of the ancient bridge around them.

“Come on,” Pinkie said with a laugh and set off down the walkway.

Twilight followed Pinkie. Beside her, curtained doorways led off the walkway into rooms shielded from the heat of the day by thick stone. Tilting upward, the boards followed the rubble, and Twilight climbed the walkway to the surface of the bridge.

Where it was intact, the bridge was wide enough for hundreds of ponies to walk across at the same time. She watched lumbering creatures with large heads, pairs of curved horns, and massive, hunched shoulders maneuver their way across wooden walkways that patched the gaps in the bride. From their distinguishing features, she identified them as buffalo. They glanced at her and Pinkie with curiosity, but left them alone.

Ahead, as the Sun set, a pair of buffalo drew back a wooden walkway leading over a wide gap between the central portion of the bridge and the Badlands. No Sand Cats would reach them here.

Twilight noticed her friends waiting in the shade at the base of one of the towers. Rarity manipulated a book with her levitation, biting her lip in concentration. Next to Rarity, Fluttershy gently ran a brush through Angel’s fur. Beside Rarity and Fluttershy, Rainbow and Applejack stood in each other’s faces next to a pony-sized buffalo that appeared to be an adolescent.

“You see this apple?” Applejack shouted, holding up the offending object in her hoof. “It’s fresh; it was stolen from the Appleloosan’s apple orchard less than a day ago!”

“They didn’t have a choice! Do you see any water around here?” Rainbow yelled back while she gestured at the barren land beneath them.

“Says the thief,” Applejack grumbled loudly as Twilight trotted up, oblivious to the unicorn’s approach.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “You’re acting like I’m Rarity or something. One lousy pair of wingblades...”

“That is enough!” Rarity said. She dropped the book and stood. “You two have been arguing constantly for the past five minutes, and now you talk about me like I’m some petty thief. It’s insufferable, inequine! I can hardly get—” She stopped, noticing Twilight. “Oh, hello Twilight. It’s good to see you up,” she said sweetly.

The rest of the group turned to look at her, mumbling greetings.

Twilight glared at Applejack and Rainbow. “Questions: First, where’s my sword? Second, how long was I out? Third, how long have you all been up? Fourth, why did the buffalo help us? And finally, why are you two so mad at each other?”

“Applejack thinks that—” Rainbow said.

Cutting Rainbow off, Twilight stamped her hoof and said, “In order!”

“I have it,” Rarity said. She levitated Solstice out of her Bag of Holding and over to Twilight. “And here’s your cloak... and your pack...”

Twilight donned her gear while Applejack answered her next questions. “You were out for about ten hours, give or take. We’ve all been up for an hour or two. We figured you needed your sleep. The buffalo helped us because they were nearby when we escaped the collapsing tunnel and they noticed we’d confronted ‘the Dark One,’ who they don’t care for much either. Rainbow and I were debatin’ the finer points of law and order. She seems to think it’s right for anybody to jus’ take what they want.”

“I’m right here, you know,” the buffalo grumbled.

“Who’re you? If you don’t mind me asking,” Twilight said, turning her attention to the buffalo.

“I’m Strongheart. I was with the group that found you in the sands of the canyon floor, and I was the one who picked that apple,” Strongheart told her confidently.

Twilight inclined her head respectfully. “Thank you for helping us.” She turned to Rarity. “Why did you take my sword?”

“Well, you were a bit on edge in the mines. After Rainbow woke up and—” Rarity said.

“Hey! I wasn’t gonna hurt anybody; I just wanted them to tell me where the others were!” Rainbow interrupted.

“Regardless... given your mental state, we were afraid an accident might happen,” Rarity said.

Twilight looked at the ground. My mental state. First her own subconscious seemed to be telling her she was crazy in her dreams, and now her friends. She couldn’t deny it; she’d almost hurt Pinkie. When she remembered her behavior in the final moments down in the tomb, something incredibly important occurred to her.

She focused intensely on Rarity. “The notes! Do you have them?”

Rarity nodded, holding up a book bound by sewing the pages into a cloth cover. “Right here. They were a mess, so I ordered them by date and binded them. I skimmed a bit of it, and the cleric you were after was connected to the trade crisis. Clearly, the iron mine was the right place to look.”

Twilight spent a moment in stunned silence while she read the letters Rarity had inscribed on the cover’s fabric.

Journal of Hay Brittle

She threw her hooves around Rarity’s neck, shouting, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Rarity smiled and gently patted her on the back. “It was nothing, dear. I could tell how much this means to you, and it means a great deal to me too.”

“Well, she’s up, so shall we?” Strongheart said.

Twilight released Rarity, feeling a little self-conscious after her outburst. “Shall we what?” she asked.

“Go see the buffalo chieftain, of course,” Pinkie piped up from beside her.

“Since you’re our leader, we’d figured we’d wait for you,” Rarity said.

Twilight blinked. “I’m not the leader.”

Pinkie peered at Twilight. “You’re not? Is there an evil overlord in your head telling us what to do?”

Ignoring Pinkie, Twilight glanced at her group. “It’s a mutual thing, right?”

Applejack nodded. “It is. You’re the one who makes decisions. You’ve led us fine so far; I don’t think anypony can honestly say they’ve had any serious complaints, and without your quick thinking, we might’ve died down there.”

“You’ve been doing simply fantastic, Twilight. You’ve kept your head above water, even after you’ve been through so much,” Rarity said.

Applejack added, “Though, in hindsight, the decision to try an’ cross that bridge was a bit—”

“Alright, alright, I get it,” Twilight interrupted. “Let’s go and see this chieftain.” She nodded to Strongheart. “But, if you don’t mind, I’d like something to eat and drink first.”

“Of course,” Strongheart said.

After quenching her parched throat and filling her belly, Twilight stood in the dark interior of one of the towers, surrounded by the elders of the buffalo tribe. Despite their large shapes looming around her, Twilight felt comfortable with them. From all she had seen, the buffalo were gentle giants with no intention of hurting anyone. She had her friends with her, even Spike.

When Spike had first appeared in the village while she was eating, the buffalo had regarded him with respect. They had even fed him some turquoise. Apparently, the buffalo respected celestial creatures.

“It is good to see you awake and well, Little Shadow. When Wildhorn found you, he was concerned that your body had been pushed too far,” said one of the buffalo, Chief Thunderhooves, his deep voice rumbling in the enclosed space.

’Little Shadow.’ It was the last thing Twilight remembered before her world went dark. “Why do you call me that?” she asked.

“Because that is what you are,” another buffalo said.

“Who are you, and what does that mean?” Twilight said.

“I am Wildhorn, Head Druid and Lorekeeper for the tribe. I cannot claim to fully understand you, Little Shadow. I know only that you are a coin resting on its edge. Whichever way you fall, the shadow of death follows in your wake,” he said.

Inwardly, Twilight seethed. Here was another fortune teller, pretending to have wisdom and answers, but in the end he could tell her nothing of value. Of course the shadow of death followed in her wake; someone was trying to kill her.

How could he know anything about me? She took a breath and suppressed her anger. He probably means well.

When she said nothing, the Chieftain started to speak again, gesturing at her friends beside her. “You ponies have rid us of the one who disturbed the dead and called up the Sands. We felt his presence leave, and we suspect he is dead. You seek balance, and perhaps you can help us. The—”

Twilight raised her hoof, and the Chieftain paused. “Sorry, one more thing.” She turned to Wildhorn. “Why did you put us to sleep?”

“I did not force sleep upon any of you. I am no unicorn spellcaster; I merely gave your minds peace. You were all beyond the point of exhaustion, some more than others, and the moment you felt calm, you slept,” Wildhorn explained.

Twilight heard Fluttershy murmur something quietly. “Fluttershy?” Twilight said.

“Oh, um... sorry. I just thought that druids could only calm animals,” Fluttershy said.

“Druids have a duty to care for and nurture all of Gaia’s children, Little Windtalker, even those of us blessed with speech,” Wildhorn said.

Fluttershy shook her head. “I may be a pegasus, but I’m not a windtalker. I can barely push a cloud. Rainbow is, though.”

Thunderhooves snorted impatiently, and Fluttershy cringed.

Wildhorn chuckled softly. “You have only tried to speak to the wind with wings, Little One. You have the power to do far more than that.” He nodded toward Thunderhooves. “We will speak more later; at the moment we have pressing matters to discuss.”

“Indeed we do,” Thunderhooves said, “The land beyond the river is no ordinary desert. Even in the driest places in Equestria, some life thrives, but deep in the rock and dunes of the Badlands, there is no life, only demons and elemental beasts. It is a scar on Gaia from the War of the Gods. This bridge was once a part of a highway to a grand pony city. The gods fought over that city, and they wreaked terrible havoc on nature. In the end, the only mortals that survived were the ones that fled.”

Twilight shifted while Thunderhooves told his story, but she respectfully stayed silent. If it’s important, he could get to the point.

“While the Sands buried the city, to contain the Sands as much as they could, our ancestors came to this canyon and called upon the river to flow again. Since the War of the Gods, we have been here, trying to find a way to heal this scar. Then, four years ago, the Appleloosans dammed the river.”

He paused, sighing deeply, then said, “When I heard of the dam, I made a grave mistake. In anger, I gathered my warriors and attacked the Appleloosans. We tried not to cause more harm than we needed to, but in war, mistakes happen. The innocent often suffer more than the warriors. The ponies protected their dam and called upon allies to drive us back. It was a dark day when their soldiers found one of our villages near the base of this canyon and slaughtered our people in retaliation. We fled here, to the bridge, beyond their reach.

“After six months, once the pony’s reservoir was full, they allowed the river to flow again, and I felt like a great wrong had come to pass because of my foolishness. But, the next year, the river barely flowed. The year after that, it was a tiny stream. With so little water, the plants and grass we relied on for food could hardly grow. Most of my tribe left, seeking a new place to settle, while mostly Druids remained, to keep fighting back the Sand with what little water they could call from the earth and air.

“Six months ago, the river stopped flowing entirely, which brings us to the problem in question. The settlers have dammed the river completely, and within a few decades, the Sands will fill this canyon, and then spill into the world beyond. Who knows how far they will spread? You understand the importance of the river, yes?”

“I do,” Twilight answered.

“Then you understand that the dam must be destroyed.” He held up a hoof when Twilight opened her mouth. “Before you protest, I know that the Appleloosans need the water. Whether it means the end of Appleloosa or not, you must understand that the river is more important than the town. You have their trust. Will you destroy the dam, for the good of us all?”

Twilight looked down. She shuffled her hooves, considering the request.

“Twilight, you can’t actually be—” Applejack said.

Twilight focused on Thunderhooves, saying, “I can not, in good conscience, betray the faith that the ponies of Appleloosa have placed in us. I’m sorry.”

Thunderhooves nodded solemnly. “I understand, and I harbor no ill will toward you. You are free to leave, of course, though I advise that you wait until the day. The Sand Cats tend to stalk at night, and though the day is hot, it is safer to travel under the Sun. Tomorrow morning, I would be honored to guide the ponies who killed the defiler back to their land.”

Twilight dipped her head in a respectful bow. “Thank you for your hospitality. We will leave in the morning, then.” She stood, turned, and strode out of the elders’ chamber.

Twilight lay on the stone of the bridge in a spot with a good view of the canyon. The light of her horn illuminated the pages of the journal spread on the stone before her. After spending the better part of the day sleeping, she was wide awake, even as the hours crept past midnight. Her friends hadn’t said much about her decision, and she interpreted that as agreement.

Spike slept next to her. Unlike her, the fey dragon had been sleeping normally. While they were crawling through tunnels, he was napping and attempting to amuse himself in the Celestial Library. To her understanding, he spent a great deal of time cataloguing books. She smiled softly as she watched him quietly snooze, curled into a small, warm ball against her side.

She glanced up at a ledge above her, where Fluttershy and Wildhorn stood, talking quietly. The two druids had been discussing their magic since the end of the meeting. Occasionally, Twilight had seen their eyes glow. At the moment, Wildhorn gestured at the night sky.

Twilight followed the gesture, and in the distance, she could see a tower of clouds blotting out the stars. Based on it’s position, she figured that it was above the Everfree Forest. When she looked back to the two druids, both their eyes were glowing. Twilight shrugged and turned back to her book. She didn’t understand druidic magic – few did. Druids were extremely insular and tended to keep to themselves. She knew only that their power was similar to the magic clerics wielded.

During the meeting, Twilight had recognized the name Gaia. Some believed that she was the God of Life, but she had no avatar to give herself form. Others believed that Gaia’s avatar was the Material Plane. Avatar or not, the power that druids could wield was undeniable, and it had to be sourced from somewhere.

She hoped Fluttershy was learning something. As far as Twilight could tell, without any druids in Cloudsdale, Fluttershy had taught herself and had little understanding of her own power. She probably needed teaching.

Twilight turned back to the pages of the journal. The cleric’s notes confirmed what Thunderhooves had said about the Sand Cats. The cleric, who identified himself in his notes as Hay Brittle, the pony that Tarn Inkstroke had mentioned, was the cause. She reread a particularly informative section.

Finally, I have pieced together a portion power that caused the city of Ponix to be destroyed. Once I complete my ritual, the Sands will rise again.

The journal entry broke into a detailed list of ritual components: Several mummified ponies, a substantial quantity of sand, and a long, complicated spell that included a few other material components and a great deal of incomprehensible prayer. A portion of the prayer appeared to be to Discord. Dabbling in the power of multiple gods was not uncommon for clerics.

She flipped the page to the next day’s entry.

It has been done, and all is proceeding to schedule. The smaller sand beasts will slowly wear down their defenses. I need more souls to fuel my rebirth, and when Appleloosa is destroyed, I will have them. I’m so very close now. Years of work, and now only 212 days.

From the journal, Twilight found that Hay Brittle was obsessed with what happened after death. He claimed to have glimpsed the horror of the Abyss sometime early in his life, and had since been trying to find a way to live forever. Apparently, eternal life as an undead Lich was good enough for him. Unfortunately, it gave her no insight into how to stop the Sand Cats. The plans for the destruction of Appleloosa bothered her, and she hoped that without Hay Brittle they would never reach completion.

She reread the date on the entry. There was something important about that day, but she couldn’t place it. Shrugging, she flipped to a slightly earlier page and read another interesting passage.

Years ago, when I went to Azrael’s cultists in an attempt to research my plans, they told me I couldn’t do it, that only arcane power would allow a pony to be accepted as an eternal servant of the Shadow. They laughed at me, in their deranged manner: Even if I were a unicorn, Azrael is dead, and though the cultists whispered hopes for his resurrection, he will be unavailable for the foreseeable future. Without him, there can be no new Liches.

I figured it out though, of course. The crazy, foal sacrificing bastards said it couldn’t be done, but through the Nightmare, I have the solution. I just need to perform a few more experiments.

My arrangement with the Iron Circle is fortunate. I found a tomb where I can do their work and my own research. They send me what I need through the mirror portal. I can’t pass through it, nothing living can. I’m no wizard, but from what I understand, it is much easier to teleport material than living souls. For the most part, they fulfill my requests, though they denied my request for bodies. Is it really asking so much, that they dig up a few graves? Regardless, when my mummies finish collecting the bones of the dead diamond dogs, I will have enough remains to continue my work.

Also, with the diamond dogs’ bones, I will be able to complete the task that has been assigned to me. It may be months before the substance is spread, but once it is, the mine will be worthless.

Rarity was right. The Iron Circle was connected to the degradation of quality of iron produced by the Appleloosan mine. She recognized Azrael as another name for the Shadow, typically only used by his servants. Oddly, the Nightmare he referenced was no god she recognized.

On other pages, she found references to other Iron Circle agents working with bandits on the Coast Road. In those entries, the journal firmly connected the Iron Circle to the trade crisis. She flipped ahead, finding her favorite portion of the journal. It was the only part that mentioned the Black Knight.

The Black Knight is at it again, killing somepony important. But, apparently, there is some chance his target might slip the net. Of course, it’s up to me to coordinate the response. They say I’m the ‘senior region agent,’ whatever that means, even though my only means of communication is through written letters transported by the mirror. I think the merchants just don’t want responsibility for this debacle. They’ve got a bounty going. Whoever’s in charge wants this Twilight Sparkle good and dead. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do exactly, but other agents are supposed to report back to me.

She flipped the page to the next day’s entry.

Well, that’s just great. It turns out that I’m completely in charge. The Black Knight’s been recalled to Manehattan, something important. I got a report from one of our spies in the Helping Hoof through the mirror. Apparently, Twilight Sparkle has been seen there, and a pony named Applejack killed Tarn Inkstroke.

I acknowledged the message, and sent it along. I’m starting to understand why they put me in charge. Multiple agents have mirrors of their own, and I can send letters to any of them, though most of the mirrors don’t have strong enough enchantments to handle more than a sheet of paper every day or so.

I don’t need this kind of distraction. They tell me to burn all correspondence, which means I have to get the diamond dogs to do it because I can’t exactly have a great deal of fire down here. I’d suffocate. Getting the dogs to do anything is a hassle. It’s slowing down my work.

For posterity, I kept a letter cataloguing the stupidity of my coworkers. One of them actually identified the location of a safehouse in their correspondence. Maybe, I’ll make them into a zombie and have them clean bones or perform some other task suitable for nincompoops. Soon, I won’t have to worry about this nonsense any longer.

She’d have to find out if Rarity had the letter. It might be helpful, but it wasn’t important to her at the moment. What was important was the entry had given her direction. She knew where to go next.

Manehattan.

She picked up a quill and blank scroll she’d requested from Spike earlier. After dipping the quill in ink, she began to write.

Dear Princess Celestia,

There was a darkness in the mine. An agent of the Shadow wished to become a Lich. Fortunately, he believed himself to be beyond the reach of any threats, and we caught him by surprise. He is dead now. I have enclosed some notes on the rituals that I found in his notes, and I hope they will be a useful addition to the knowledge in the Celestial Library.

Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle.

She rolled up notes that she’d taken on the journal with the letter and nudge Spike awake.

“Huh... what?” Spike mumbled, blinking his eyes and uncurling.

“Could you send this to Celestia please?” Twilight requested.

Spike nodded, blearily reached forward, and took the scroll. With a breath, he incinerated it in green fire, then curled back into a ball and closed his eyes.

Twilight turned her gaze up to the stars, picking out a few familiar constellations. There were stories in the stars. Great heroes from ages past were immortalized by them. For the past thousand years, the stars had remained unchanged, and Celestia turned the dome of the sky alone, driving the cycle of night and day.

She sighed. Star Swirl, much as he deserved to be up there, would never be. Will I ever belong up there, like Star Swirl? she wondered.

She shook her head. I’m no hero.

She jumped when Spike snerked awake and coughed up a scroll.

“What?” Twilight said, blinking at the scroll.

Spike shrugged and curled back into a ball. Twilight spread the scroll on the stone in front of her.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

While I appreciate your letter and thank you for taking the time to write, I do not think you understood the spirit of my request. Your notes are surely helpful, but they do not tell the important story of how you prevailed. I want to know what you learned.

If you would not mind, I would appreciate it if you could write me another letter.

Sincerely, Princess Celestia

Twilight quirked a brow at the scroll in confusion. What does she mean? Sighing, she set another blank scroll on the stone in front of her.

Dear Princess Celestia,

She hesitated, holding the quill above the page. What did I learn?

Early on in the mines, I was seperated from my friends. I found I was capable of doing almost anything to survive.

She found her voice, and her feelings spilled out into the letter.

Without my friends near me, I had no restraint. I spilled the diamond dogs’ blood without mercy. I know that they did not deserve to die, but I had to kill them to live. When my friends found me, I felt numb, like I had awoken from a dream, a nightmare. I do not know what I would be without them, but I know it is not something that I want to be.

As we continued through the mines, the diamond dogs fought us. We eventually found the reason for the diamond dogs relentless attacks against us; they were defending their home. Evil individuals manipulate and twist the motivations of normal creatures to suit their own design. The diamond dogs were responsible for the trouble the town of Appleloosa had with their iron mine, but they were not to blame for it.

The villain, the darkness haunting the mines, was a cleric named Hay Brittle. Without my friends, I never would have reached him, and even if I had, without them, I would not have escaped the horde of undead he had prepared to animate if he was attacked. If I had survived, I would not have had any answers, only blood on my hooves. I learned that to face darkness, I need friends.

Without friends, I may have lost myself after Star Swirl died.

Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle

A couple hours later, Twilight’s eyes shot open. She was using the book as a pillow, and up until a moment ago, she had been trying to catch a couple hours of sleep before the dawn. She lifted her head and urgently flipped through the pages until she found the entry about the Sand Cats.

Two hundred and twelve days.

She added them to the date of the entry. She remembered the date of the day she left Candlekeep. She quickly listed the time since in her head.

One, the night Star Swirl died. Two, the night at the inn. Three, the night in Ponyville. Four, the night in Rarity’s shop. Five, Six, and Seven, on the road to Appleloosa. Eight, in the mines. Nine, here. Nine. Which makes it... today.

Amazement at how quickly things had changed crossed her mind, but at the moment, something far more important held her attention. If she was interpreting the journal correctly, Hay Brittle believed that Appleloosa would be destroyed – today, regardless of whether he lived or died. In fact, Hay Brittle had intended to die today and be reborn as a Lich.

Twilight shot up and rushed off, disturbing Spike. “Twilight, where are you going?” he called after her.

“No time!” Twilight shouted over her shoulder. “Find the others, tell them to get ready to leave and meet me on the end of the bridge. Tell them Appleloosa is in trouble!”

Not too far from where she had been studying, she found Strongheart sleeping out under the stars. By Twilight’s best reckoning, they were several hours travel away from Appleloosa, and they needed to be at the town as soon as possible. She needed a guide. As she shook the buffalo awake, she said, “I need to talk to Thunderhooves, now!”

Strongheart blinked sleep from her eyes and groaned, “Now now?”

“Now!” Twilight shouted. “It’s of extreme importance!”

Twilight stood inside the tower with Strongheart, Thunderhooves, and Wildhorn. She quickly explained what she’d found in the journal. When she was finished, Thunderhooves snorted and shook his head.

“Well?” Twilight asked.

“It is regrettable, but I cannot give you a guide. If Appleloosa is destroyed, we can break the dam and allow the river to flow again,” Thunderhooves said.

Twilight froze in shock. A moment later, fury filled her mind. “A thousand years of history is more important to you than the lives of innocents?!” she roared. “What happened to caring for all life?! You’re unbelievable.”

“I’m going to help,” Strongheart said.

Twilight looked at Strongheart, grateful, but her fury still smoldered. “Great, we’re leaving.” Without missing a beat, she strode out of the room.

From behind her, she heard Strongheart say, “Why are you looking at me like that? In years, the settlers have accomplished more than we have in centuries. Their crops grow on the Badlands side of the river! If we worked together, who knows what we could accomplish?”

As she trotted toward where her friends waited at the end of the bridge, Thunderhooves’ deep voice spilled out into the night. “You have the right to make your own decisions, Little Strongheart, but they are responsible for the death of your parents! You, out of all of us, should know there are no innocents in Appleloosa.”

When Twilight stepped off the end of the bridge and into the Badlands, she didn’t expect Strongheart to join them. With or without a guide, they would do the best they could. To her surprise, Strongheart trotted up beside her.

“Glad to see that you decided to come,” Twilight said with a smile.

“I know I’m doing what’s right,” Strongheart said.

Applejack nodded in agreement. “We’re mighty grateful.”

As they set off across the desert, Twilight remembered Braeburn’s daughter looking up at her with wide eyes. No matter what the buffalo believe, there are innocents in Appleloosa, at least three of them.

Panting, her coat slicked with sweat, Twilight stood on the lip of the mesa overlooking the town. Behind her, the mines were empty; the miners that worked there had fled. Before her, she saw the townsfolk out in force, the Sands swarming around them. She couldn’t make out individual Sand Cats in the mass of ruddy sand built up on the far side of the trench. There had to be hundreds of them. By the river, in addition to the spinning pump, she saw a line of ponies passing buckets up toward the town. The trenches were filled with as much water as they could hold.

The reservoir, however, was dangerously low.

She glimpsed a cat break from the swarm and leap the trench. A pair of armored ponies blocked its path, and it fell into the water. More shapes crossed the trench; some of them were pushed back into the water while others were cut down with buckets after they broke through. For the moment, the Appleloosans and the Empire soldiers held back the tide.

They won’t be able to hold out for long, she thought.

In the sky above them, Twilight saw hope. A massive thunderhead rolled toward them, low over the planes. The edge of its shadow had nearly reached the river. The Appleloosans didn’t have to hold out for long, just long enough.

Rainbow landed next to her. “Yep, I took a look, and it’s bad, but,”–she pointed at the storm with a wing–”what in Equestria is that doing here?”

“I called it here,” Fluttershy said, her eyes wide. “It worked!”

Twilight wrapped her hooves around Fluttershy’s neck. “You’re amazing!”

“Oh... um... I didn’t do it on my own,” Fluttershy said.

“Nevermind that,” Twilight said, releasing Fluttershy. “We’ve got to get down there and help!”

Before Twilight could set off down the hill, she heard the rumbling of hooves behind her, and she turned to see Wildhorn and Thunderhooves making their way across the depression in the center of the mesa. They’re like vultures, already circling, Twilight thought.

“If you take another step, I will end you!” she shouted, drawing Solstice.

“Peace, Little Shadow, we’re here to help!” Thunderhooves called.

Twilight lowered her blade, and the buffalo continued forward. Thunderhooves panted as he neared. He faced Strongheart. “Wildhorn convinced me that your young eyes saw something our old ones could not. You were right, Little Strongheart, and I’m sorry for doubting you.”

“It is time that we try something new and seek reconciliation,” Wildhorn said.

Twilight smiled, her anger melting away. “Well, come on then!” she said and took off down the hill.

With the buffalo backing their charge, Twilight and her friends cut a swath of scattered sand through the swarm. When Twilight reached the trench, she bounded for the far side. One of her hind hooves slipped on the rim and splashed into the water, but she made it across.

As soon as she found her footing, she shouted, “They’re on our side! The buffalo are here to help!”

After leaping the trench, Applejack echoed her cry, “She’s right! They’re here to help! Let ‘em cross!”

She saw relief in the eyes of the defenders around her. To clear a path, they pulled back. As soon as the buffalo crossed the trench, three of them turned, digging deep furrows in the muddy ground with their hooves as they stopped and began to cast spells. When their eyes glowed, globules of water pulled from the air itself formed above the Sand Cats.

A flash of metal caught her eye, and she closed in on an armored soldier. Around her, she heard her message about the buffalo ripple through the defenders. When she reached the soldier, Twilight shouted, “Where’s Braeburn?”

“The sheriff?” the soldier said around the handle of a bucket. “He’s down by the dam.”

Beside Twilight, Wildhorn asked, “Where are your wounded? We have healing magic.”

The soldier passed the bucket on to another pony. “I’ll take you to them,” she said.

“You and the buffalo do what you can here.” Twilight said to Strongheart. “We’ll find Braeburn, and find out where he needs us.” Strongheart nodded and nimbly moved toward Thunderhooves.

After turning away from buffalo, Twilight maneuvered her way through the chaos and bucket lines toward the dam. Her friends followed her, except for Rainbow, who shot into the air shouting, “I’ll catch up!”

Every single able-bodied Appleloosan was in the streets moving water, even foals. She glimpsed a Sand Cat who had broken through the line rushing toward a young bucket bearer, and as the cat closed the distance, she cast a spell.

The colt closed his eyes, cringing, when the Sand Cat pounced at him, but before it could reach him, Twilight hit it in the head with a flaming arrow. A ball of glass harmlessly hit the dirt at his hooves, and he opened his eyes, staring at her in awe. What she saw reflected in his eyes was no monster.

Feeling warmth swell in her chest, she wordlessly turned away from him and pressed on.

When they reached the reservoir, Braeburn was nowhere to be found. The cats thinned out the closer they got to the river, and there were none down here. By focusing their efforts on the town, the Sand Cats were thinning out the Appleloosans by forcing them to move water further, though whether they stayed away from the river due to tactical thinking or simple fear, she couldn’t be sure.

She found a pony with a deputy’s star supervising the crew at the pump and asked him, “Where’s the Sheriff?”

“Don’t know! A couple scouts said they saw something big moving up the riverbed. They were terrified. Braeburn and Amber Stone took a group of soldiers and went to try and slow it down!” he told her.

Twilight nodded and turned away. As she galloped toward the top of the dam, Rainbow came in for a landing. The pegasus folded her wings and hit the ground running beside Twilight. “These wingblades are so awesome! I must have dumped fifty of those things into the trench on the way over here! So, where’s Braeburn?”

Twilight slowed when she hit the upward slope of the earthen dam. Applejack and Pinkie rushed past her, bounding easily up the slope. “Down the river. Fly up and take a look,” she said.

Rainbow gave her a salute. “Aye aye!” With a blast of air, she shot into the sky above. As Twilight watched Rainbow climb, she noted the position of the storm. Only a sliver of sunlight peeked around the clouds. The rain would fall any second now, and when it hit, the battle would be over.

Before she reached the top of the dam, Rainbow turned and flew back toward them, shouting, “It’s coming! It’s coming!”

She crested the top as Rainbow landed again. Ahead, the riverbed curved sharply. Whatever was down there, it was beyond the bend. Rainbow grabbed her shoulders and yelled, “Twilight, we have to flee! We have to get out of here!”

Twilight blinked at Rainbow. “What’s wrong with you?!” As long as she’d known the pegasus, she’d never seen her run from anything, no matter the danger.

Rainbow released her shoulders and backed away. “We’re all going to die,” she whimpered, her eyes wild.

“Get it together, Rainbow! You’re scaring Fluttershy!” Applejack roared. “We’ve got to—”

Braeburn shot around the bend in a full gallop with Amber Stone and another armored soldier behind him. As they ran, the bank behind them burst into a plume of debris. An enormous black claw emerged from the cloud of dust and grabbed Amber Stone; a scream followed, then a crunch, and finally silence.

A moment later, Twilight saw the monster towering above the riverbed, big enough to swallow a pony whole or tear a house to pieces. She stood there, frozen, watching as it burst from the cloud where it had cut across the bend. In one of its claws, it held Amber Stone’s broken body at the waist, his armor warped. His torso dangled, whipping around freely on a broken spine. It lashed out with its second claw, and caught the other soldier by the head as he ran along the riverbed. Before he even had time to scream, the creature crushed his skull inside his helmet.

It released the soldier’s demolished head, and the body hit the ground.

The creature resembled a scorpion, with two claws at its sides and a tail tipped by a stinger poised over its head, but it had no face – no eyes – only a terrible maw filled with grinding, whirling pieces of jagged stone. Beneath its obsidian carapace of armored plates, red sand surged and swirled. As it moved across the riverbed on eight legs, bearing down on Braeburn, it shoved Amber Stone’s corpse into its mouth.

A horrible noise of rending flesh and bone filled Twilight’s ears, and as the monster consumed the body, blood-red sand fell from it’s belly and dusted the rounded stones of the riverbed beneath it.

We’re all going to die.

Some part of her mind realized that an aura of demonic fear had caught her in its grip, but it was too late to escape. She watched helplessly as the obsidian scorpion’s tail lashed out and struck Braeburn. The force of the impact flung his body forward until he came to rest at the base of the dam, bleeding from a jagged gash in his side.

She heard a distant singsong voice, ages away, but it cut through the the fear clouding her mind.

”Pinkie, you’ve gotta stand up tall”

As she regained her senses, Pinkie charged fearlessly down the slope at the monster while she sang loud and clear. She glimpsed Braeburn’s chest rising and realized that he was still breathing.

”Learn to face your fears”

“Rainbow, get him out of here!” she shouted.

“On it!” Rainbow replied, zooming forward.

Twilight caught motion in the corner of her eye and turned toward it. A small group of Sand Cats bore down on them from the town, presumably drawn to the demon’s aid. “Rarity, Fluttershy, cover us,” she ordered.

Rarity launched an arrow at the approaching cats. One of them scattered as the projectile struck it. “I can’t kill them, but I should be able to hold them off until the rain gets here!” Rarity shouted.

”You’ll see that they can’t hurt you”

As Twilight refocused on the monster, she glimpsed Angel bounding off to meet the Sand Cats long before they could reach the dam.

Twilight started down the slope, her eyes on Pinkie. The creature's tail lashed out toward Pinkie, and she dodged nimbly. The air filled with a powerful thump, and the ground beneath Twilight’s hooves shuddered when the stinger pierced the earth. As the tail pulled back, Pinkie grabbed hold with her forelegs.

Pinkie let the tail lift her into the air, then released it, dropped onto the scorpion’s carapace, and struck it with all four hooves. A sharp crack filled the air when she hit, and jagged lines spread out from the impact. The monster staggered, stunned.

”Just laugh to make them disappear.”

In a golden flash, Applejack’s chain spiked into one of the creature’s claws. With a mighty tug, Applejack yanked the scorpion off balance, and four of its legs crumpled as it slipped. Pinkie, her song devolving into laugher, rode the demon as it fell to the side, staying on its back.

Twilight used the opportunity to cast a spell. It was the most powerful spell available to her for physical defense, and she’d never attempted it before. It took her only a moment to summon up three layers of stony protection. As she finished the spell, even though it only had half its legs under it, the scorpion prepared to strike at her.

She stepped forward fearlessly, and with a crack, the tip of the stinger hit her square in the chest. The first layer of her Stoneskin shattered, completely blocking the blow. The tail came to a dead stop, and a shock wave rippled along the appendage, fragmenting the obsidian plates that protected it. In one rapid stroke with Solstice, she cleaved the stinger from the tail.

A horrid screech emanated from the creature’s maw. Wounded, it scrambled to its feet and scuttled backwards, its stinger-less tail writhing. Twilight noticed Applejack jerk her chain free rather than be pulled along.

Twilight’s eyes widened when the stinger on the ground in front of her dissolved into black and red dust and flowed toward the creature. As the dust rejoined its body, the demon’s obsidian plates rippled, the cracks sealing, and a new stinger jutted from the tip of its tail.

Of course, Twilight groaned inwardly. It was just like the Sand Cats. The best they could do was hold it off until the rain hit.

As she advanced on the demon, Twilight watched Pinkie jump clear as the scorpion struck at the object on its back with its tail. Missing, it cut a ragged gash in its own carapace with its stinger.

“Ha!” Pinkie shouted in midair. She tumbled acrobatically as she made contact with the ground, and came up on her hooves.

Twilight cast another spell, choosing one that had been effective against the Sand Cats, a Flame Arrow, but when it hit the creature in the joint where one of its claws joined its body, the flames rolled off like water on oilskin.

Whatever sort of demon the creature was, it was resistant to fire or magic, possibly both.

The demon lunged at Pinkie, and she danced backward, avoiding its snapping claws. Before it could recover for another strike, Applejack lassoed her chain around its tail and dug her hooves into the earth beside the riverbed. She wrestled with the slack, trying to control the monstrous stinger.

Twilight’s pulse quickened when the creature turned toward her. Both its claws came for her with singular purpose. She reflexively tumbled beneath the first claw, but before she could get to her feet, the second wrapped around her waist, crushing one of the stony layers protecting her.

Twilight lopped the claw off at the joint to prevent it from shattering her last layer of defense, and as soon as she escaped the grasp of the heavy, limp appendage, she jumped to her feet and fled the monster. The impact of its legs on the riverbed reverberated through her hooves as it charged after her. A moment later, she heard Applejack’s chain pull taught with a clang.

Two clashes of stone on stone filled her ears as its claws snapped in the air less than a hoofspan behind her.

Realizing the Scorpion had stopped, Twilight dropped out of her sprint and glanced over her shoulder as she reached the base of the dam. The demon had turned toward Applejack and arched its tail back, pulling on the chain. Applejack stubbornly held onto the chain with her mouth as well as her tail. Her hooves dug deep furrows in the dirt, but within moments, the demon tugged her into reach.

To dodge its claws, Applejack released the chain. While she managed to avoid getting caught, one of the claws clipped her and flung her into the slope leading up from the riverbank. She hit the dirt with a thud, crumpling.

“Applejack!” Twilight shouted, closing the distance. She watched the creature pull back its tail as Applejack struggled to get to her feet. She desprately swung Solstice at the back of the creature’s tail, but it was too thick at the base, and the blade lodged in the obsidian plates only a quarter of the way through.

Applejack was about to be struck.

A cerulean blue blur flashed across her field of view. In front of her, the tail, cut nearly through at the base, cracked and fell – Solstice still stuck below the break. She followed the blur with her eyes, wincing when she saw Rainbow tumbling in the dirt beside the riverbed, a bloody piece of bone jutting from her wing. As the demon turned around to attack whatever had cut off its tail, Twilight glimpsed Pinkie rushing over to help Rainbow.

The monster loomed over Twilight, its tail reforming. She had no weapon left to defend herself with. She could only take one more hit.

A shadow that didn’t belong to the creature fell over her. She felt her hair stand on end. A deafening boom of thunder filled ears as a flash of light turned her surroundings monochrome for a brief instant, and a lightning bolt struck the demon. The lightning left a scar in its carapace, and it made the same screech it had made when she cut off its stinger. Moments later, black dust filled in the mark.

While she backed away from the creature, Twilight glanced over her shoulder. Fluttershy stood with her wings spread at the top of the dam, silhouetted against the black clouds that filled the sky, her eyes glowing.

The rain hit.

The torrent soaked her instantly. Large, heavy drops splashed mud onto her coat. She watched the demon writhe in front of her as the sand beneath its armor washed away.

The beast was done.

“What? Afraid of a little bit of water?” she shouted, laughing. She could barely hear her own voice over the ringing in her ears.

It was over.

She cried out in surprise when its reformed tail, nothing more than an empty husk of obsidian plates, struck her and shattered her last layer of protection. When she glimpsed its claw coming at her from the side, she sidestepped clear of its grasp, but not far enough to avoid the claw entirely.

Crack!

Twilight was vaguely aware of tumbling across the riverbed until she came to rest at the base of the dam. As she stared up at the sky, blinking away the mixture of blood and rain water running into her eyes, one last shaft of sunlight shined down on her through the clouds. She glimpsed wings of the purest white before the window into the heavens closed.

A sword speared into the ground next to her head.

She turned her head, gazing up at it. It had the same design, the same elegant curve as Solstice, but it was over a hoofspan longer. Its golden blade gleamed like it was still in the sunlight. She read the runes inscribed in the blade near the hilt.

’Celestial Fury’

She felt something close around her leg and screamed when the pressure shattered her thigh bone. Her blood rushed to her head as she was lifted into the air. Inverted in front of her, she saw the grinding obsidian blades that filled the demon’s maw. There was no sand there, nothing but teeth. Behind them, a pulsating black orb the size of her head floated in the center of the empty armor that formed its body.

She heard her friends desperately calling her name. Her coat stood on end, but no lightning came; if it struck the demon, it would fry her.

No! she thought, horrified.

She was still alive; it was going to eat her alive.

It’s not over yet.

She yanked the sword out of the mud with her levitation and cut herself free. She hardly felt any resistance as the blade cleaved through the stone. As soon as she was clear, lightning flashed. She fell, managing to catch herself with her forehooves before her head struck the ground, and stumbled away on three legs, dragging her broken one behind her.

She glanced over her shoulder, sure the demon was about to grab her again. The creature was frozen, surrounded in an aura of golden, glowing light. The blades within its maw still whirled, and even under the downpour, black dust still swirled around its wounds, restoring it.

There has to be a way to kill it.

She needed enough water to wash away more than sand. She needed enough water to wash away stone.

The dam! she realized.

While the demon was held, Twilight cast a spell. She launched a Fireball at the dam. The result was less than dramatic. The Fireball exploded in the wet dirt with a pop, and a wave of mud splashed her, but the dam stood firm.

“Twilight, what are you doing! Get away from it!” Rarity called.

“The dam! I’ve got to break the dam!” Twilight shouted.

She turned to look at the creature. It was starting to move again, the glow fading. Its tail lashed out at her. She held up the sword between her and the tail, and the edge of the blade split the stinger. From where the sword cut, a golden aura spread across the obsidian, paralyzing the demon.

“Get clear! Fluttershy’s going to break it!” Rarity cried.

Twilight tried to hobble fast enough to reach the edge of the riverbed. She slipped in the mud, fell, and grunted in pain when her broken leg struck the ground. Behind her, she heard the demon moving again. She transferred the sword from her levitation to her mouth so that she wouldn’t lose it, gripping the muddy handle with her teeth.

“I’m coming, Twilight!” she heard Pinkie yell.

Long before the monster reached her, a clap of thunder drove spikes of pain into her ears. A wave of mud and debris washed over her, followed by a flood of water. The torrent hit her in the back and drove the air from her lungs before sweeping her away.

The wild currents tossed her until she couldn’t tell up from down. In the murky water, she couldn’t see more than a few hoofspans. She glimpsed the river bottom, and as her lungs screamed for air, she kicked off it with her three good limbs.

Before her head broke the surface, something struck her, grazing a wound along her flank and sending her spinning in the water again. She noticed a jagged obsidian spike in the water.

The stinger, she realized.

From her flank, a burning sensation spread. She felt her muscles go weak as she kicked against the water. She saw light above her; the surface was so close. As the edges of her vision started to go dark, she noticed the pulsing black orb drifting in the water beside her.

Power surged within her, and her vision snapped into focus. Why won’t it die?!

She reached out with her levitation, pulling the orb close, and released the sword in her teeth. With the full power of her magic, she drove the tip of the golden blade into the demon’s black heart.

It shattered in flash of light.

The last thing Twilight saw before her eyes closed was a pair of pink forelegs.

Pain was the first thing Twilight became aware of when she regained consciousness. It was everywhere, burning through every muscle and every nerve. Her chest heaved, and she coughed up a lungful of water. Somepony patted her firmly on the back.

“Let it all out, Twilight. You’re going to be okay. Auntie Pinkie has you safe and sound,” Pinkie said.

She groaned as hooves rolled her onto her back, and as she drew in a breath, her chest seized. A hoof struck her in the sternum, and she coughed up some more water. “Don’t you dare stop breathing!” Pinkie shouted at her. “If you stop breathing again, I’ll choke you!”

“Now, I’m going to take you to Fluttershy,” Pinkie said, a sob catching in her throat. “She’ll have you right as rain before you can say ‘Pinkie is my bestest friend.’”

Twilight groaned again as she felt herself hoisted onto a pony’s back. Every movement hurt. When she was settled, her hooves dangled limply. With her sternum resting between her rescuer’s shoulder blades, she had to fight for every breath. Droplets hit her back, igniting fires on her skin where they struck.

“Just keep breathing, Twilight,” Pinkie said.

The body beneath Twilight shifted, walking over uneven ground. She nearly spilled off, but teeth caught her mane. Though they saved her from a fall, it hurt.

“You probably wouldn’t be in such bad shape if you hadn’t broken your leg. I mean, what is it with you ponies and breaking bones? First Applejack gets hit, then Dashie hits a rock while she’s going like zoom fast, and then you let yourself get caught, and I have to carry three ponies to safety all by myself, one after another. At least the others were smart enough to not to go for a swim without all four of their legs. I mean, look at me. It’s really not that hard to keep all four legs intact!”

Twilight laughed weakly, wasting some of the air in her lungs.

“Don’t laugh, Twilight! It’s not funny,” Pinkie said in a tense tone, and teeth gently nipped her ear. “Anyways, I suppose Dashie gets a pass because she has two more limbs to keep uncrippled than the rest of us, except for Fluttershy, but Fluttershy...”

Twilight lost track of the words Pinkie was saying, but the comforting, friendly voice in her ear kept her mind off the pain enough to keep breathing. Eventually, hooves supported her, and set her gently on the ground on her side.

“Oh thank goodness! You’re back, and you found Twilight!” Rarity said.

She felt a pair of hooves on her body, and tendrils of warmth spread through her, exploring. Part of her pain, the gash on her flank and her throbbing head, melted away, but her broken leg and the burning sensation remained.

“Well, aren’t you gonna heal her leg?” Applejack said.

“I can’t yet. I need to make sure the bones are in place before I heal them, and if I set her leg right now she might go into shock,” Fluttershy said. “She’s been poisoned, like Braeburn, and I can’t neutralize it. He’s an earth pony, and he’s pretty bad... I—” She paused, and Twilight felt a breath on her ear. “You’re going to be just fine, Twilight,” Fluttershy whispered soothingly.

Twilight slipped into a deep slumber.

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Preread by: Extravagaunte
Editor: The Music Man

Poem adapted from the work of John Donne

Family

Family

Twilight Sparkle couldn’t distinguish between dreams and reality.

One moment, she was being eaten alive. She experienced her body being chewed up by the scorpion demon’s maw. It started with her forehooves, grinding away the keratin until she felt the burning sensation of her bones being sawed into pieces. Her head was next, and even though she should be dead, she felt her neck and torso follow in a wave of pain.

The next moment, hooves held her down while her body convulsed. She heard her friends’ voices in her ears, telling her not to give up, telling her that she was going to be okay.

She didn’t believe them.

She had watched them all die, over and over, one after another, while she walked down the winding path she had chosen. Sometimes, the Black Knight would kill them. Sometimes, the demon would kill her, and she would watch as it slowly bore down on her friends and finished them. When it was done with her companions, it would move onto the town; the last thing it ate was the three little fillies.

Paradoxically, at the same time they were there beside her. At least one glowing light in the darkness remained at her side through it all. Their voices were always with her, calm and soothing.

She wanted to know why pain filled every moment of her existence, and why she was still alive.

She should be dead.

The scorpion demon had eaten her.

No. I killed it. It’s dead, and I’m alive.

It came back to her then – the last reserve of strength that had risen to her aid when she needed it most. She remembered driving the unfamiliar sword into its black heart. She knew those moments were real.

Then why is it still here?

It loomed before her – an ethereal plague on her soul. Still, it tried to kill her, impaling her with its tail, ravaging her body with its claws, eating her again and again, but no matter what it tried, she would not die. No matter how much pain it caused her, she continued to breathe, and her heart continued to beat.

I’m alive because I’m stronger than it is, she realized.

At first, she had run, galloping into the darkness away from it. It would always catch her. Eventually, she had given up. The pain was inevitable anyway. Over and over again, she let it attack her, destroy her, and tear her limb from limb, waiting for death to finally take her.

She was tired of waiting to die. She was tired of seeing her friends die. She was tired of pain.

“Enough!” she roared.

She lashed out at the monster as it bore down on her, and an aura of shadow wrapped around it. With surprising ease, she lifted it aloft. It floated above her, its many limbs spread out. She focused her fury, and in the blink of an eye, she crushed the massive, mindless creature into a black ball smaller than a grain of sand.

Finally, her pain went away, and she drew an easy, peaceful breath of sweet air.

Twilight opened her eyes. Rafters criss-crossed above her, holding up the roof above her head, and she faintly heard the pitter-patter of raindrops on the shingles. She swallowed dryly; her mouth tasted like cotton. She felt soft linen sheets around her and a comfortable mattress beneath her.

Food, Twilight thought. An empty pit burned with hunger in her belly, and she longed to fill it. She glanced to the side, and saw Fluttershy and Angel dozing on a chair beside her bed, next to a shuttered window. She rolled to the edge of the mattress and extended her hooves to the floor.

Her legs crumpled beneath her, and her chin hit the wooden floorboards with a crack, pincering her tongue between her teeth.

In an instant, Fluttershy was beside her, gently caressing her back with a hoof. “Oh thank goodness, you’re awake!” Fluttershy said.

Twilight whimpered pitifully as tears clouded her vision. She gathered her hooves beneath her, trying to rise, and her muscles trembled with weakness. A fey-dragon sized purple smudge rushed over to her from around the foot of the bed.

“She’s awake!” Spike cried.

“That was a nasty spill you took, Twilight,” Fluttershy said soothingly as she pressed Twilight back down to the floor. “You shouldn’t be trying to stand just yet. Don’t you worry, we’ll have you back in bed in a moment.”

Twilight heard the bed she had just fallen out of a moment ago creak, and Rainbow Dash appeared with her hooves poised on the edge of the mattress. Twilight noticed a splint tied to one of Rainbow’s wings.

“She’s back!” Rainbow said. “See, I told you she’d be okay. Nothing to worry about!”

Fluttershy glared at Rainbow. “I told you not to move around so much! You could make your wing worse!”

While Fluttershy spoke, Spike embraced Twilight, and she weakly nuzzled him in return.

Rainbow chuckled. “Aww, Flutters, don’t sweat it. I only have one fracture left; you said it yourself.”

“Back in bed!” Fluttershy ordered, her glare intensifying, and Twilight focused on Spike to avoid even the periphery of Fluttershy’s gaze.

“Alright, alright,” Rainbow said, backing down immediately. Twilight heard the bed creak again and the sound of hooves hitting a mattress.

“No jumping on the beds,” Fluttershy said.

“Ugh!” Rainbow grunted. “Fine.”

Fluttershy paused awkwardly, her hoof still resting on Twilight’s back. “Um... actually, could you help me get Twilight up?”

A few minutes later, Twilight was back in bed, happily spooning hot, brothy soup into her mouth and munching on soft bread. While her muscles were weak, her magic remained strong enough for her to feed herself. While she ate, she read a note from Celestia that Spike had given her.

To my Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle,

I hope this finds you in good health. In our last correspondence, I was able to determine from your notes exactly what Hay Brittle had summoned. I knew that a Sand Ravager, a demonic beast that has not been seen in many long years, descended upon Appleloosa. You would need help to face it, so I sent Celestial Fury.

I only wish I had been able to get the blade to you sooner. If I had, you might not be in such dire circumstances as I am writing this. Celestial Fury is blessed with great power, and it is a formidable tool for one capable of wielding it. From your last letter, despite what you believe yourself capable of, I knew you had the spark in your heart required to hold my sword.

It will serve you well.

Sincerely, Princess Celestia.

P.S. I have instructed the Keepers to give Spike access to materials in the library that detail Celestial Fury’s capabilities.

Twilight set the note aside with a small smile. Before, she had thought that the honesty of her last letter might have turned the goddess away from her. She glanced over at Rainbow Dash in the bed beside her. “So why aren’t you healed?” she asked.

“Eh, Fluttershy got me mostly okay as soon as the fight was over, but she used a lot of her magic on you and Applejack. The town cleric and the buffalo have been running themselves ragged trying to help the wounded, and I’m a low priority, since it’s not like I’m going to keel over if I don’t get healed,” Rainbow explained. “It’s been crazy boring for the past couple of hours though, with everypony in the room asleep.”

“Well, maybe you wouldn’t be bored if you hadn’t tried playing chicken with a rock and broke your wing in three places,” Applejack said as she stepped into the room, her coat glistening with rainwater. “I can see why they called you Rainbow Crash.”

“Hey!” Rainbow cried. “I saved your life, didn’t I?”

Applejack nodded. “That you did... thank you.” She turned her eyes to Twilight. “I came as soon as I heard you were awake, Twilight. We were mighty worried.”

“What happened to me, exactly?” Twilight asked. “I mean, I remember being pulled out of the river by Pinkie, but everything after that is...” She paused, shaking her head to try and clear away the terrible memories of being torn apart. “... Fuzzy.” She turned her gaze to Fluttershy. “I mean, I know I was poisoned, but why did you heal my leg, if I wasn’t going anywhere anyway? Didn’t other ponies need the healing?”

“You were convulsing, Twilight. Like, a lot,” Rainbow said.

“With the way you were spasming from the pain, you would have made your leg worse,” Applejack added.

Fluttershy nodded. “If I didn’t heal you when I did, you would have never been able to use that leg again without being healed by very powerful magic,” she said, then added in a murmur, “if you even lived.”

Twilight blinked at Fluttershy. “How bad was I?”

“Um... very bad,” Fluttershy said. “The poison was... well, even Wildhorn had never seen anything like it before. By last night, we... we thought you were going to die. Sooner or later, your heart wouldn’t be able to keep up anymore, and you’d stop breathing. Through the night, it was terrible. But then, this morning, three hours ago, it just stopped. You smiled peacefully, and you slept normally. You pulled through. It was a miracle. Celestia, or Gaia, or something must have intervened.”

“For the record, I said you were gonna be fine from the beginning,” Rainbow added.

“I see...” Twilight said. She knew she had crushed the Sand Ravager’s infecting specter, not a god. Maybe Celestia did empower me, she considered. Or maybe it was the same thing that saved me in the caves...

Pinkie suddenly bounded through the door and onto her bed. Twilight barely managed to stabilize the tray of food while Pinkie squeezed her in a loving hug. “Twilight!” Pinkie cried.

Twilight returned the hug despite Pinkie’s waterlogged fur and mane. “Thanks, Pinkie, for everything,” she whispered in Pinkie’s ear.

Pinkie pulled away with a smile and raised her hoof. “Through eternity?”

Twilight met the offered hoof with her own without a moment’s hesitation. “Absolutely.”

Twilight noticed Rarity standing beside Applejack. The white unicorn smiled softly at her. “Twilight, you’re extraordinary,” she said. “Oh, and we found your swords in the river, both of them. They’re downstairs.”

Twilight returned the smile. “Thanks.” Her thoughts turned to Braeburn. If she was okay, the hardy earth pony must be too. “So, how’s Braeburn?” she said.

The room went silent.

Twilight strode down the main street of Appleloosa through a light drizzle of rain with newfound strength in her limbs. Both her swords menacingly floated beside her. Citizens cleaning up the town in the aftermath of the battle fearfully cleared the way.

“Twilight, stop!” she heard Applejack say, somewhere behind her.

She saw Wildhorn conversing with a pair of buffalo beneath a brass sun hanging above the door of a small wooden structure and advanced toward him with single minded determination. Pinkie rushed in front of her, blocking her path. “Twilight—”

Twilight cast Pinkie aside with her levitation. Pinkie tumbled in the mud, unhurt. With nothing left to impede Twilight, she trotted up to Wildhorn.

“Rainbow brought Braeburn to you, to this house of healing, to be saved! And you betrayed him!” she shouted, brandishing her swords. “You were just waiting for the opportunity to weaken Appleloosa!”

“Calm, Little Shadow,” Wildhorn said. “We did all that we could.”

Twilight saw fear in the eyes of the two buffalo beside him as she raised Celestial Fury, but instead of striking them down, she flung the blade above them.

Clang!

The sword impaled the brass sun, lodged in the metal up to its hilt. The sign swung wildly, the chain suspending it clinking.

“Why!?” Twilight screamed. She collapsed onto the steps at the entrance of the shrine as the strength left her limbs, Solstice clattering to the ground beside her. Why him, and not me?

Fluttershy was there at her side, soothingly stroking her mane. “Everyone did everything they could, Twilight, for both of you. None of us could stop the poison.”

Twilight curled into Fluttershy, a familiar dull throb in her chest. In her mind’s eye, she watched three foals grow up without the father they’d known their entire lives.

Twilight sat, still too weak to stand for long, in a wooden wheelchair on the eastern slope of the mesa. She watched Braeburn’s coffin as its bearers, Applejack among them, lowered it into a grave. A cluster of gravestones surrounded them, marking the bodies of other Appleloosans buried there. The rain still drizzled calmly from the light grey clouds above. The voice of the town’s cleric, Golden Delicious, filled Twilight’s ears.

“We commit the body of our friend Braeburn to the earth. His body will return to whence it came, but his spirit will soar. Celestia, in her infinite wisdom, will guide him to the heavens, where he may rest in eternal peace. One day, we will all join him, in a grand family beneath her pure wings. May Celestia watch over us all.”

“May Celestia watch over us all,” the funeral attendees echoed.

As the cleric’s voice faded, the sound of dirt hitting the coffin as the bearers filled in the grave replaced it. Twilight glanced at where Marigold stood in a black dress. Braeburn’s widow looked down at the grave with tears in her eyes; her children clustered around her hooves. One of her fillies, the smallest, tugged at the hem of her dress.

“Daddy’s not coming back, is he?” she said.

Marigold choked back a sob as she answered, “He’s not coming back.”

Twilight turned away, unable to bear watching the family any longer. She focused on the grave. As the bearers shoveled dirt, the rain stopped, and the dim shadows of the clouds gave way. The morning Sun lit the eastern slope. The rays warmed her damp coat and illuminated Braeburn’s gravestone.

Here lies Braeburn
Sheriff, Husband, Father, and Friend

She would trade places with him in a heartbeat. If the foals could have their father back, she’d gladly be buried in a grave for the worms to eat her. She wished that things had happened differently. She wished she had figured it out sooner and arrived in Appleloosa before Braeburn went out and got himself killed, but this was the way things were. No amount of wishing would change the fact that Braeburn was dead.

I’m not going to fail again, she decided.

Applejack wiped her brow, her head bare, and stood beside the gravestone, taking Golden Delicious’s place. “I’m no Appleloosan,” she began, “but I wanted to say a few words.

“I’ve known Braeburn since we were both foals. He’s always been strong and kind. I have fond memories of the friendship we had as children, and that friendship was still with us when I last came here to help y’all with building this town. I know that he believed in Appleloosa, and no matter how bad it got, he would have stuck with it.”

Applejack paused before continuing, and Twilight could tell she was having trouble keeping her voice steady. “In the end, he died fighting to save this town, and I think, if he had to go any way but peacefully in his sleep, he would have wanted to die for that purpose. His death was not in vain. We’re still standing here, and the terrible beast that killed him is no more.”

Applejack placed her hoof on Braeburn’s gravestone. “There’s no bond stronger than family, Braeburn. I won’t forget you... we won’t forget you,” she said, then turned away. With her eyes on the ground, she stepped to join the crowd observing the funeral and placed her Stetson back on her head.

Twilight pulled out the note she’d received from Celestia as the next speaker stood at the head of the grave. She produced a stick of charcoal from a bag she had looped over the arm of her wheelchair, and scribbled on the back of the parchment. She drew a few glares, but she ignored them. There were questions burning in her mind, and she believed she could get answers.

Is this true: There is no way to reach mortal souls after they are gone. Many powerful wizards and clerics have tried to find a way to resurrect lost loved ones, and all have failed. Though their bodies may be restored, their souls never return, and they remain dead.

Do we really join you in the end? What happens when we die?

What does death mean?

Why am I still alive, and why is he dead?

What am I?

She stared at the last question she’d wrote. She’d added it without thinking, and she considered scribbling it out, but in the end, she handed the paper to Spike as it was. He wordlessly incinerated it as quietly and as courteously as he could.

She didn’t get a response until after the funeral was over.

When Spike coughed up Celestia’s reply, she was sitting back in bed, toying morosely with another meal of soup. She knew she should be eating to keep her strength up, but she had no appetite. Her friends were all helping with the negotiations between the buffalo and the settlers, and she was left here, alone except for Spike.

Spike had attempted to converse with her and lift her spirits, but she gave him little response when he tried. Eventually, he sat with her in silence, but he never left her side. When he finally produced a scroll, Twilight snatched it in her levitation before he could catch it and hand it to her. It was the same note she’d sent to Celestia, with new writing in ink beneath her scribbles. A small line separated the new writing from hers.

Is this true: There is no way to reach mortal souls after they are gone. Many powerful wizards and clerics have tried to find a way to resurrect lost loved ones, and all have failed. Though their bodies may be restored, their souls never return, and they remain dead. – True

Do we really join you in the end? What happens when we die?

What does death mean?

Why am I still alive, and why is he dead?

What am I?

------------------

Many attribute powers to me that I do not possess. Some say I have control over life and death as I do over day and night. Some say I rule over the afterlife. Many blame me for things that are out of my control. I do not tell them they are wrong because the beliefs they have are far more comforting than the truth.

The harsh truth, something that I share with very few ponies and I hope that you are prepared for, is that death is meaningless. Before my Sister and I killed the Shadow, only the Abyss awaited mortal souls upon their death. Now, the Shadow is but a corpse, and the Abyss is closed. Instead of the Abyss, nothing awaits those who die. An uncountable number of mortal souls, all those who have died since the Shadow fell, exist in an eternal limbo. If I could help them, I would, but I have no power over the dead; they are beyond my reach.

The answer to your question is: Nothing happens when you die. There is no peace, no happiness, no family, no great adventure: only nothingness. Death, as it stands, is an inevitable, terrible robbery of the gift of life.

I must apologize, for I cannot give you all the answers, even though I wish I could. I cannot tell you why you lived and why he died. I only know that you, Twilight Sparkle, are extraordinary, and a destiny awaits you that few of us can imagine.

Those blessed like you must fight a world of suffering and death, no matter how hopeless the battle may seem, for without you, there is no hope.

—C

Her eyes scanned the page over and over in disbelief. She’d always thought that Celestia watched over their spirits after they died, even though she’d never gotten a straight answer from Star Swirl on the subject. With the stroke of a pen, Celestia had shattered her hope.

She crushed the note into the smallest ball she could. Unfortunately, it didn’t become a grain of sand and disappear, like the scorpion in her mind. It was still there, reminding her of the cruel truth that Star Swirl was gone – forever.

Focusing her magical power, she lit the letter with a simple spark. She watched the crumpled paper suspended in her levitation slowly burn.

“I’m sorry, Twilight,” Spike said, holding her.

She gave him no response; she only stared at the flames in front of her.

I’m not blessed. I’m no hero... I couldn’t even save one pony.

Her friends returned with good news, but it did little to lift her spirits. Though the Appleloosans could tame the river’s flow once more, they agreed to never block it again. Instead, they would work with the buffalo, combining their cultivation with the druids’ knowledge and magic. Wildhorn predicted that together, they could grow more food with less water.

That only left the problem of the mines. Fortunately, only the top layer of iron ore was contaminated, and hopefully the diamond dogs would follow her orders and trade ore with the Appleloosans, who would have plenty of food to give in return. Even if the Sand Cats somehow returned after being destroyed by Fluttershy’s storm, the Appleloosans should have the funds to pay for more rain.

As it was, the rain had swollen the river, and it quickly refilled its old channel, spilling down the canyon on its path to the sea once more.

Over the rest of the day, well wishers sent Twilight tokens of appreciation. Though they had destroyed the dam, she and her friends were hailed as heroes for killing the Sand Ravager, dealing with the buffalo, and solving the problem in the mines.

Despite the Appleloosan’s hospitality, Twilight wanted to be on the road as soon as possible. Rarity had found the letter Hay Brittle had kept in her Bag of Holding. Since it was undated and not written by Hay Brittle, it had been lost in the bag when she retrieved the journal entries by date. It revealed the location of the Iron Circle’s Ponyville safe house. While Twilight knew that the Black Knight was in Manehattan, Ponyville was on the way, and she needed as much information as she could get.

However, she knew she needed rest before she could leave. Fluttershy said she needed at least two more days, but she hoped to be on the road in one. She needed to find the Black Knight as soon as she could. Even though she couldn’t blame Hay Brittle’s actions on him, or the actions of the Iron Circle as a whole, it was still his fault that Star Swirl was gone and she was a killer.

She was going to face him. While Star Swirl was powerful, he’d fought the Black Knight alone. With the help of her friends, she’d destroyed a nigh-invulnerable demon. She’d faced death many times now and survived.

She wasn’t afraid of him anymore.

It was time for the hunter to become the hunted.

Twilight Sparkle stood on a path. Shadowy trees loomed around her on both sides. Ahead, the path forked, and bent away into the darkness. Five lights floated at her side, comforting, ever present.

The voice whispered behind her.

“I’m still here.”

She turned. The shadow in her mind had shed the guise of the Black Knight. Before her, burning red eyes shone from the eye sockets of a unicorn skull. A body of shadows supported the skull, tall and imposing in stature, with wings that spread across the trail and connected with the dark trunks around her. Behind the specter, opposite the way she had chosen, was the straight road. Without fear, she addressed the darkness.

“I made my choice.”

A laugh spilled from its jawless mouth in an inky cloud.

“Let me show you where it leads.”

The ground slid past beneath her feet. The trees shot past her with incredible speed, turning as the path twisted and forked. In an instant, she stood next to the Black Knight in the center of a room. Around her, at the edges of the room, were her friends, unconscious – dying. Shadows boiled from beneath his armor and spilled across the floor, engulfing her and her friends. It consumed them, but she was left untouched. Their bright, brilliant souls wisped from their mouths, lost forever. She shouted in denial.

“This is but one ending! One path!”

Its reply was quick.

“You cannot escape me, no matter what you choose. I am at the end of every trail you may walk, long and short, hard and easy. I am nothing, and I will be everything. No matter where you run, no matter what you try, you will serve my will in the end.”

She would never bend.

“I will not.”

Fury rose from the shadows.

“I am not your enemy; I am you! You cannot deny me! One day, you will learn what you are, and that you will never escape me.”

She held her head high, faced forward, and strode down the path she had chosen. A whisper behind her lingered.

“Very well... but in time, you will learn...”

Twilight woke the next day feeling refreshed, despite her nightmare. By the end of the afternoon, she was ready to leave. They could travel to the bridge by night and exit the Badlands before the Sun came up.

That evening, she stood downstairs, and after securing her cloak and Solstice, she picked up Celestial Fury. In order to keep her mind off of what Celestia had told her while she was stuck resting in a bed, she’d spent much of the time studying books from the Celestial Library, especially ones concerning the blade.

It had many powers, beyond being sharp enough to cut diamond and never becoming dull. When it struck an enemy, it would hold them in a field of light for a time. While certain creatures could break free quickly, others would take longer to escape. The light would have the strongest effect on demons and the undead, though they could still overpower it. The blade also stored sunlight, which could be released in a burst that would vaporize creatures of darkness. When Celestia wielded it during the Time of Troubles, it earned the name ‘Godkiller’; few entities existed that it could not harm.

Despite all she’d learned, she felt the books Celestia had allowed her to acess left something out. Nothing she read told her about its origins, or its history outside the Time of Troubles.

“Are you sure you’re ready?” Fluttershy said, sitting on the floor nearby.

Twilight nodded. “Of course. I’ve been eating well, haven’t I?” It was true. After she’d refocused on her goal, her appetite had returned.

“Um... I don’t mean to pester, but I’m worried about you; I’m not sure you’re ready to travel.”

Twilight finished securing Celestial Fury. The hilt protruded beside her head, and the sheathed blade rested diagonally across her back over top of her cloak. It was too long to rest comfortably at her side like Solstice.

“I’m fine, okay?” Twilight said. In truth, her limbs were still a bit weak, but she knew she was strong enough to travel. I can’t stay here any longer, she thought. With everything that lingered on her mind, the only way to escape was through action.

“Are you—”

Twilight stomped angrily, and Fluttershy stopped mid-sentence, cringing in response. “I’m fine!” Twilight shouted. She pulled on Celestial Fury with her levitation to ensure that the blade would draw smoothly. It did.

“... okay,” Fluttershy murmured.

Twilight glumly marched down the road to Ponyville. Exhaustion clung to her. After reaching the bridge, they’d only slept for a few hours before the Sun came up. She pressed on, determined to reach Ponyville as soon as possible, despite her lingering weakness.

Rainbow Dash trotted effortlessly up beside her. “I’m going as fast as I can, Rainbow,” she muttered irritably.

“I didn’t say anything!” Rainbow said.

“You were going to,” Twilight said.

“Well, yes, but not about that... I wanted to talk about something... I wanted to apologize.”

Twilight blinked at Rainbow. “For what?”

“I failed. I ran away. If I hadn’t, I might’ve been able to—”

“You’re not the one who failed; I did,” Twilight interrupted. “There was something in those notes that told Celestia what we were about to face. If I had noticed it, I could have cast a spell to protect us from the fear. Or, I could have realized Appleloosa was going to be attacked sooner. Two-hundred twelve days. How did I miss that?”

Applejack stepped up on her other side. “It ain’t easy to add days like that. Goin’ by months makes it hard to tell just how many days ago a particular date was. I don’t blame ya, Twilight, or you, Rainbow. Without you, there would’a been a lot more dead ponies. You did good. We all did. I know it don’t make it hurt any less, but what happened ain’t our fault; it was Hay Brittle’s, and he got his.”

Rainbow sighed. “Yeah... you’re right, Applejack.”

Twilight nodded, but she said nothing. She needed somepony to blame, and she was the last pony left.

“This the place?” Applejack said, eyeing a small townhouse wedged in between two other buildings.

Twilight checked the letter Hay Brittle had saved. They had arrived in Ponyville at around noon after a few days of traveling, and Twilight had insisted on their first stop being the Iron Circle safehouse. “They mention being beside a general store, and near a tavern.”

“Can’t hurt to check,” Applejack said and knocked on the front door of the townhouse.

They waited – no response. Twilight peered through a gap under one of the window shutters. She couldn’t make out anything more than the vague shapes of furniture in the darkness within. “Rarity?” Twilight said.

Twilight watched a blue aura slither around the door’s handle. A second later, the lock clicked. With her magic laced around her sheathed swords, Twilight moved in front of the doorway and gently pushed the door open.

The door gently creaked as it swung inward. Sunlight behind Twilight cast her shadow onto the house’s floor. Nothing moved. She lit her horn and raised her hoof.

“Twilight—” Pinkie said.

She was already in motion, stepping across the threshold.

“—wait!”

Twilight looked down when she noticed light from beneath her. A line of runes worked into the crease where the doorframe met the floor glowed softly.

Crack!

She knew that sound. She’d heard it once before, when the portal closed while she was fighting Tarn Inkstroke. She snapped her gaze forward. A spineless, winged, black demon rushed toward her, the fading remnants of a portal lingering in the air behind it. Through its open mouth, past its glistening fangs, she saw the glow of flames.

In one smooth motion, she drew Celestial Fury and cleaved through the creature’s neck, long before it had the opportunity to spit fire at her. A gout of flame burst from the stump and scorched the ceiling above. For an instant, a golden aura enveloped the creatures body, but the demon was already defeated, and a moment later it freely hit the ground with a thump. Droplets of its sizzling black blood sprayed onto a rug in the center of the room and set it on fire.

“Rarity, Pinkie, look for traps. Everypony else, put that out,” Twilight said, unfazed.

The safehouse was a treasure trove of information. It appeared that three ponies and one griffon lived there, probably the same ones who had tried to kill her in Berry Punch’s Tavern. It would certainly explain why the place is abandoned, she thought.

With the help of Spike and her friends, she’d found documentation indicating that the Cloakwood Gang raiding the Coast Road was on the Iron Circle’s payroll. The papers in the safehouse described how to acquire new recruits for the Cloakwood Gang and where to send them. Also, though there were few names, she found hints at the workings of the hierarchy in Manehattan responsible for the trade crisis. When they reached the city, they would have plenty to go on.

Still, after spending the better part of the afternoon in the safehouse and finding all of that information, she was disappointed. The reason for the bounty on her head and the Black Knight’s identity remained just out of reach. Though it was clear that the Iron Circle was the organization promising to pay the bounty should her head ever be presented, there were no further details, at least not here.

Twilight paused by a table with a small mirror sitting on its surface. She picked up the mirror, and after glancing at her travel-worn reflection, noticed a sheet of paper that had been laying on the table beneath the mirror. Written on the paper was a list of non-descript locations, among them ‘Headquarters’ and ‘Coordinator’, accompanied by arcane symbols. The symbols matched with symbols pressed into the mirror’s frame.

Out of curiosity, she pressed the symbol for ‘Coordinator’ on the edge of the mirror. It didn’t surprise her when nothing happened: Hay Brittle’s mirror, if it had somehow survived the explosion, was buried under a ton of rock. Next, she touched the symbol for ‘Headquarters’. This time, a featureless white surface replaced her reflection.

She furrowed her brows. An idea occurred to her, one that she knew was risky, but greatly appealing. Setting the activated mirror face up on the table, she levitated a quill and wrote a quick note on a blank sheet of paper. She rolled up the note, and after hesitating a moment, dropped it into the mirror. The paper passed through the surface of the mirror, vanishing, and the mirror returned to its normal silvery sheen.

She’d written:

I am coming for you,

Fear me.

She no longer blamed the Black Knight alone for taking Star Swirl from her. They were responsible as well, and she planned on making them pay their part of the debt for the terror and loss she’d suffered.

It’s their turn to be afraid.

A voice broke her thoughts when Rainbow Dash said, “Woah! Look at all this!”

Twilight turned away from the mirror, and saw Rainbow standing in front of the door of an open pantry. Within were jars of preserved foodstuffs, enough to last for weeks. Twilight sighed. “Rainbow, I told you not to open anything without it being checked by somepony who knows what to look for.”

“Aww, relax Twi, we haven’t found anything dangerous except for the trap you triggered. Besides, who’d put a magic trap on their food?” Rainbow said with a laugh. “With all this to eat, we could just stay here tonight,” she suggested.

“Or, we could always unlock my boutique and stay there,” Rarity mentioned as she stepped into the room. “This place is a run-down, shuttered-up bachelor cave. It’s dreadful.”

“Your windows are boarded,” Twilight said.

“It’s still better than here; there’s no color... except for ‘scorched.’”

“I think we should head out to Sweet Apple Acres to stay the night,” Applejack said, joining them. “We could get a fresh, home cooked meal there. It’s less than an hour away, and it would be nice to stop by and see my family. Granny Smith and Big Macintosh will definitely be back by now.”

Twilight nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

Twilight trotted down a path toward a cozy farmhouse atop a hill with a big red barn next to it. Sprawling around her, Sweet Apple Acres occupied a vast tract of land on Ponyville’s outskirts near the Everfree Forest. The trees of Whitetail wood had been cleared away to make room for apple orchards, homesteads, and fields of crops. She spotted three fillies, a unicorn, an earth pony, and, oddly, a pegasus playing under an apple tree near the path.

The red maned earth pony, sporting a large pink ribbon in her hair, looked up. “Applejack! You’re back!” she cried with wide eyes.

“Hey there, Applebloom!” Applejack called out.

“Don’t worry! I’ll tell everypony you’re back!” Applebloom yelled and took off toward the farmhouse as fast as her little legs could carry her.

“Just for one night, Applebloom. Don’t get their hopes up!” Applejack shouted. When Applebloom continued running and gave no indication that she’d heard, Applejack sighed. “Foals...” she muttered.

“Sweetie Belle?” Rarity said, astonished.

“Rarity?” the unicorn filly said. Twilight watched her rush down to the path and meet Rarity with an affectionate hug. “Rarity!”

“It’s so good to see you!” Rarity said as she wrapped her foreleg around Sweetie Belle. “What’re you doing here?”

“I’m staying with Applebloom for a couple days,” Sweetie Belle said. “We’re building a clubhouse!” After a pause, she added, her voice cracking, “Mom and Dad were so worried after they got your letter. Last time you left you were gone for years!”

“I’m not staying for long, Sweetie. I’m dealing with something, like I said in my letter,” Rarity said.

“Filthy Rich has been looking for you. He said your payment was due,” Sweetie Belle said.

Rarity winked at Sweetie Belle conspiratorially. “It’s a good thing he can’t find me then.”

Twilight noticed the pegasus filly eyeing the Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash with interest from the edge of the path.

“Hey squirt, what’s your name?” Rainbow said while she waved her wing in greeting.

The orange pegasus smiled at Rainbow. “I’m Scootaloo! Are you from Cloudsdale?”

“I was from Cloudsdale, but after they told my friend here Flutters that she had to leave, I was out of there!” Rainbow said.

“I could have stopped some of the storms...” Fluttershy mumbled, almost inaudible.

Scootaloo hoofed the ground nervously. “I was banished too. They said my wings were too small when I was born.”

“Hey, no sweat,” Rainbow said as she approached the filly. “Cloudsdale doesn’t know talent when it’s right in front of their noses. Small wings or no, I’ll bet you’re great with air.”

“Well, I can beat my wings really fast!” Scootaloo said proudly and began to flap her wings. She rose a couple hoofspans off the ground, her wings buzzing as they clipped through the air. She only stayed aloft a few seconds before she settled back to the ground.

“Hey, you want to fly up to the farmhouse?” Rainbow said.

“I can’t fly that far... or at all, really...” Scootaloo mumbled.

Rainbow grinned. “No problem!” Before Scootaloo could react, Rainbow swept her up, and they were both gone, shooting skyward.

At first, Twilight heard a shrill scream from the sky above, but it was quickly replaced by whoops of joy.

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie pranced on a large table in the center of the Apple’s spacious barn, nimbly avoiding pitchers of liquid and platters of food.

“So there we were...” Rainbow said to the assembled ponies, over a dozen pairs of eyes on her. Several ponies were gathered around the table for the evening meal: Twilight and her friends, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, foals, among them three that Twilight had seen beside the path, and farm workers, Apple or otherwise. They all gave Pinkie and Rainbow their undivided attention.

“There we were!” Pinkie echoed.

“Running down the tunnel with an army of diamond dogs yipping at our heels. We rounded a corner, and can you guess what we saw?” Rainbow continued.

Sweetie Belle’s hoof shot up. “Ooh, ooh, pick me! I know!”

“Rainbow, you forgot about the trap!” Pinkie said.

“It’s not important, Pinkie, or exciting,” Rainbow said, exasperated.

“Well, I saw it, so I think it’s important!” Pinkie said.

“Fine, Rarity and Pinkie dealt with a trap, then we went around the corner, and can you guess what we saw?” Rainbow said and turned to point at Sweetie Belle.

“A cave full of diamonds!” Sweetie Belle cried.

Pinkie grinned. “Not quite, silly. It was a cave full of diamond dogs.”

“And before we knew what was happening, their leader surrendered the entire civilization down there to us!” Rainbow said.

“Now I know you’re tellin’ a tall tale. How in the heck could that happen?” Apple Fritter said.

“Oh, I dunno, Rarity can be preeetty scary,” Pinkie said. She stepped to the edge of the table and extended a hoof down to Rarity. “Come on up here, Rarity! Do the voice!”

“Oh, not me. You two are doing a fine job telling the story,” Rarity said, raising a hoof to wave Pinkie away.

“Do the voice! Do the voice!” Rainbow and Pinkie chanted.

Soon, the entire table was chanting those words, and Twilight found herself joining them. For a moment, even though she knew this was not her home, and the welcoming faces around her were not her family, she felt like she was back in Candlekeep at one of Pinkie’s parties in the Cake’s tavern.

“Alright, alright,” Rarity yielded. She took Pinkie’s offered forehoof, and clambered up onto the table. Reluctant no longer, she strode to the center of the table without getting a speck of food on her hooves. She flicked her mane dramatically, her horn glowing, and the light around them warped into shadow.

“I will be your queen! Not dark – but beautiful and radiant as a gemstone! All shall love me and despair!”

With the echos of Rarity’s voice in her ears, Twilight shivered. The room lay silent, but as Rarity calmly walked back to her seat, applause and laughter erupted from around the table.

“That was amazing!” Spike yelled.

As Rarity settled into her chair, Rainbow began again. “But that wasn’t anywhere near as awesome – no offense Rarity – as when we fought...” she paused dramatically and stalked toward the foals low over the table. “... the Sand Ravager!”

Twilight nearly spat out her drink. They’re going to tell them about that?

“So there we were...” Rainbow said.

“There we were!” Pinkie echoed.

“Atop the Appleloosan’s dam – and this giant scorpion beast comes barreling down the riverbed at us, ready to devour us all,” Rainbow said.

Twilight winced, remembering the horror she’d felt when the Sand Ravager first emerged from the cloud of debris and the two ponies it had killed a moment later. She glanced at the spellbound foals. At least Rainbow and Pinkie seemed to be telling the story with tact.

“It was a harrowing battle. We wounded the monster many times, but just like the Sand Cats, it could heal itself. Pretty soon, we were all beaten down. I broke my wing in three places!”

Pinkie held up her two forehooves, glanced at them with disappointment, and flexibly balanced on one hind leg to add a third hoof to her count. “Three places!”

Rainbow steadied Pinkie with a hoof to keep her from falling into an apple pie. “We were on the brink of death, about to all get eaten, fighting something that could heal from any wounds we could give it – and you’ll never guess how we survived.”

“Tell us!” the ponies demanded.

“The rain came!” Pinkie said excitedly as she regained her footing.

“That’s right! Right after I saved Applejack’s life,”–Rainbow added with a smirk–“Fluttershy here had called in this epic storm from the Everfree Forest with her special pegasus druidic powers, and it arrived just in time! The rain wrecked the scorpion, and it tried to run away. But we weren’t going to let it.”

Wait, what? Twilight thought.

Fluttershy cringed when attention turned to her.

“No way!” Pinkie said. “Fluttershy zapped the dam with a big ol’ lightning bolt and let all the water in the reservoir chase after it.”

Did they rehearse this? Twilight wondered.

“Sploosh! The river swept it away!” Rainbow said. “But Twilight saw its black heart floating in the water, and she—”

What!?

Twilight slammed her hoof on the table angrily. All eyes turned to her. She didn’t care. “That wasn’t what happened!” she shouted. “I nearly died! While you were lying in the mud with a broken wing, it nearly ate me! Alive! If Fluttershy didn’t break the dam on that thing when she did, I’d be dead! I got caught by the river, and I nearly drowned! I destroyed it because I thought it was the last thing that I’d be able to do!”

Twilight rose up out of her chair, glaring at Rainbow and Pinkie. “And if that wasn’t enough, I nearly died from its poison even after it was dead and gone! It wasn’t happy, it wasn’t glorious, and it wasn’t heroic; it was terrible! How can you stand up there and pretend it was anything different!?”

She stood there panting, her forehooves poised on the edge of the table, the room around her chillingly silent, and the foals looking at her with horror in their eyes.

Rainbow and Pinkie shamefully looked back at her. “Sorry Twi...” Rainbow murmured. “We didn’t mean it like that.”

“We were just telling a story,” Pinkie said, dropping her gaze to her hooves.

Granny Smith intervened from the head of the table. She raised her mug, and said, her old voice strong, “To Twilight Sparkle. She is a heroine who killed a powerful demon and lived to tell the tale. A toast – because, at the end of the day, that’s all we can ask: that we live to tell the tale.”

Twilight sank back into her seat, blinking in surprise as all around her ponies raised their drinks to her and said, “To Twilight Sparkle.”

She saw a better pony reflected in their eyes – a pony she didn’t feel like, but a pony she could be.

Granny Smith smiled at her and said, “Star Swirl would be proud.”

The barn door abruptly slammed open. From the doorway, a pony in a Helping Hoof uniform shouted, “I have a message for Granny Smith! It’s urgent!”

The moment was gone. The table went quiet as the panting messenger approached the head of the table and passed a folded letter to Granny Smith. Twilight watched with trepidation as Granny Smith unfolded the paper, separating it out into two sheets. The old mare’s eyes scanned the first sheet, then the second, while everypony at the table gazed at her in silence.

“Twilight, I’d like you and your friends to speak with me in the house.” She grinned at the ponies, showing her old gums. “As for the rest of ya’, why the long faces? Eat, be merry! Nothing to worry about.” She eyed the messenger. “And you, siddown. You look exhausted!”

While the Sweet Apple Acres barn had plenty of space, the family’s house was a small homestead with only a few rooms. Twilight and her friends sat with Granny Smith on the ground floor in a small living area next to the kitchen. The old mare leaned back in her rocking chair with both sheets of the message in her lap.

“I need y'all to listen close now, y’hear? No inturuptin’,” Granny Smith said.

Twilight nodded, along with the rest of the ponies.

“The Duchesses of Manehattan are considering givin’ Ponyville and the Helping Hoof to a lord—”

“What!” Applejack cried. “Ponyville has always been a lordless holding!”

“Jackie,” Granny Smith said, shaking her head with disapproval.

“Sorry Granny... but they can’t do that!” Applejack said.

Granny Smith nodded. “Yer right, so hear me out... ya’ listening?” Applejack nodded. “Good... One of these letters is from a Lord Ruby. He’s required to meet with me, as even though Mayor Mare runs the town, I am the official representative and primary landowner of the holding. He’s at the Helping Hoof right now. According to a Duchess, he’s been granted the title of Baron of Ponyville, but all of the Duchesses and Dukes of Manehattan need to meet to confirm the grant. That’ll be in two weeks.”

Granny Smith leaned forward, her chair creaking. “Now, I’m not sure why the Duchesses are considering the grant, but I can guess: The Helping Hoof would be a good base for trying to root out the Cloakwood Gang. I’ll bet that this Lord Ruby has promised to clear out the bandits in exchange for the Barony. I think I have a solution though...”

“I’m sure that we could talk to the Duchesses of Manehattan and speak on your behalf... I know a few ponies that could get us a meeting,” Rarity suggested.

“Or we could just say ‘no way!’ I mean, what if you said no? Have a rebellion! They can’t force you to accept a Baron, and if they can’t even deal with the bandits—” Rainbow said.

Granny Smith held up a hoof and shook her head. “No, we can’t. Lord Ruby is an influential noble, so I doubt that you could convince the Duchesses to deny the grant, and the nobility takes commoner uprisings very seriously. Unlike bandits, townsfolk have homes.” She focused on Rainbow Dash. “They’d rather see Ponyville burned to the ground than have a rebellion on their hooves. Is that what you want?”

Rainbow looked down. “No...”

“There’s gotta be something!” Pinkie said

Granny Smith glared at Pinkie. “There is, if you’d let me finish!”

Pinkie averted her gaze. “Sorry.”

“There’s a tradition that if a lowborn pony who rises in defense of a landless holding in service of the city, they become the land’s Baron.”

“Like Sir Fletcher?” Twilight said. “Sorry,” she added quickly.

Granny Smith heaved an exasperated sigh. “Yes, he was the first, although that was before even my time. What I’m gonna do is I’m going to have Jackie go to the Helping Hoof and meet with Lord Ruby in my place.” She eyed Twilight. “Now, I know ya’ have your own quest, but I hope you’ll continue on to Cloakwood after stopping by the Helping Hoof and give them a reason to grant the barony to somepony who cares about it.”

Twilight blinked. “Me? I mean, if that’s how it works, why didn’t they make you a Baroness when you killed the Lich?”

“One old fort don’t make a holding, lassie. Can’t be a Baroness when there ain’t no barony.” Granny Smith smiled sadly. “Us common folk, we built this town, and now they want to take it away from us!” With surprising strength, she pounded her hoof down on her armrest. “This is everything I worked for, and if Lord Ruby has his way, he’ll be able to confiscate what he wants, tax what he wants, and make the rules that he wants. This ain’t right!” Granny Smith stared into Twilight’s eyes. “Will you help us?”

She knows... Twilight realized. She could see it in Granny Smith’s eyes. Twilight saw an old mare who knew her time was running out and knew what awaited her, struggling to keep the legacy she’d left behind.

If there is one thing I do before I die, it’s going to be avenging Star Swirl, Twilight decided.

“I... I can’t,” She mumbled. She hated what she had to say, but she said it anyway. “I need to find him; he killed Star Swirl, and he’s going to pay,” she said. “I’m sorry. I can’t help you... not when I’m so close.”

“Whaddya mean you can’t help?” Applejack said, her voice low and angry. “This is my home! If you’re not gonna help, then I will!”

“Jackie! You’ll go where Twilight needs you to go! I made a promise to Star Swirl, an’ you swore you’d help me keep it!” Granny Smith shouted.

“Yes Ma’am,” Applejack growled. She stood up, shot a glare at Twilight, and trotted for the door. “Find me when ya’ want to go where you want to, leader,“ she said. As soon as she crossed the threshold, she spat into the dirt, and left the door wide open as she strode toward the barn.

Twilight watched in horror as the rest of her friends stood. Rainbow Dash started for the door first, giving her a glare. “I made a deal with you, Twilight Sparkle, and I won’t abandon you, but if all you care about is revenge, don’t expect me to be your friend.”

Twilight opened her mouth, but she couldn’t make any words come.

Rarity was next, Fluttershy and Spike trailing after her. “Twilight... is that all that matters? I thought we’d be helping ponies...” Rarity said, shaking her head sadly as she left.

“It isn’t right...” Fluttershy murmured while she followed Rarity out.

“Pinkie?” Twilight asked.

“I’m still your friend, Twilight... but Star Swirl would want you to help others if you could,” Pinkie said. She pushed the door shut from the far side, and she was gone.

Twilight gritted her teeth. She knew what the consequences of her decision were likely to be, and she’d made it anyway. She wanted to shout at Pinkie through the door – to tell her that Star Swirl wasn’t around to see the choices she made. Star Swirl was gone. She had no one to answer to and one simple goal to achieve. In her mind’s eye, she saw the straight path unraveling before her, with no friends by her side. The end of that road was the same as the end of any other; she’d be dead.

She remembered the voice from her nightmare saying, ’You will learn...’ It knew her better than she knew herself. Is this what it meant? she wondered.

“She’s right, you know,” Granny Smith said quietly.

Twilight glared at Granny Smith. “You know, don’t you!”

Granny Smith cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. I asked Celestia what happens... about death.”

“Ah...” Granny Smith murmured. “Always the curious ones.”

Twilight blinked. “What do you mean?”

Granny Smith sighed. “When I was adventurin’ with Star Swirl, he would cast a spell to send messages to Celestia, not unlike what Spike can do. I don’t think Celestia can say no to ponies like you, because you’ll keep asking until you have answers. The real problem with ponies like you, though, is you’re compelled to teach everypony around you.”

“He told you, didn’t he?” Twilight asked.

“He did.” Granny Smith leaned back at her chair and stared distantly up at the ceiling. “I first noticed it when my husband died in the battle with the Lich. Days later, I finally mustered the courage to say goodbye, and I said, ‘he’s in a better place now.’ Star Swirl gave me this... look... I knew he knew something, but he wouldn’t tell me, at least not then. My son was born not long after. He was a strong one; he was barely a month old fetus at the time, but he lived through the battle with the Lich. When he was little, I was telling him a story about how his Daddy was up in the sky, watching him grow up, and Star Swirl overheard.”

Granny Smith focused on Twilight. “Star Swirl was visiting at the time, and after I put my son to bed, he gave me that look again. I had to ask, and that time, he told me. I didn’t take it very well. I think I would have been better off not knowing. I think I would have rather believed that if I weren’t an evil pony in life Celestia would look after me in death. I found something that mattered though: my family, and this town. I didn’t want to be nothing, and the best way to do that is to leave an impact on the world.”

“Was that why Star Swirl never had children of his own? Because they’d die and be nothing?” she asked.

Granny Smith shook her head. “No. Star Swirl knew there was joy in life. He would have had children, but the mare he loved died shortly before he started adventuring. He never found another. I might have had feelings for him once, after my husband died, but he was always so distant. You, though – you made him feel. You should have seen the joy in his eyes when he brought you by here on his way to Candlekeep when you were a wee lil’ baby.

“You meant the world to him, and he did everything he could for you.” Granny Smith smiled softly. “He brought you to Candlekeep where you could grow up with knowledge and sheltered from danger. You were the daughter he never had, and now you are the legacy he died for.”

Twilight blinked back tears. “He–he never told me... I mean, I knew he loved me, but...”

“He loved you dearly, lassie...” Granny Smith murmured. “Did he tell you how he found you?”

“He told me I was kidnapped by death cultists who murdered my parents, and he found me when he was investigating the cult in Manehattan,” Twilight said.

“And the moment he saw you, crying on a their sacrificial altar, he loved you as his own. You were what mattered to him.” Granny Smith gave Twilight a hard stare. “What matters to you, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight gazed down at her hooves. It doesn’t matter what I am... she realized. All this time, and she’d been asking the wrong question. Blessed or cursed, hero or monster – it wasn’t important. She knew what she was capable of, and what mattered was how she used that power.

What matters is the choices I make. There aren’t going to be any second chances.

She had one chance, one life, and Star Swirl had sacrificed everything so that she could keep it. What mattered to her was doing something worthy of that sacrifice with the one life she possessed. I chose the hard path, and I’m going to stick with it, she decided.

“I’m going to help you,” she declared. “And I’m going to help Ponyville, and Bon-Bon, and everyone that I can.”

She still wanted to find him, but he could wait. She wasn’t going to let Granny Smith’s legacy be eroded away, not while she could do something about it. Maybe I can do something that matters. Her mind drifted back to Appleloosa – to the town they had saved. Maybe I already have...

Granny Smith smiled warmly at her. “If that’s your choice, then you’d better tell your friends, before they think they’ve lost you. You’d best get some sleep; you can leave in the morning.”

The Sweet Apple Acres barn was full of warm bunks in small rooms, providing space for visitors and workers to lay their weary heads, and Twilight found her friends up in one of the lofts. She heard them talking as she climbed the ladder.

“She’s struggling, and you should give her a chance,” Spike said. “She’s learned a lot about herself and the world in a matter of days.”

“I don’t have time to give her a chance when my home is at stake!” Applejack said.

Twilight came up over the top of ladder and the conversation went silent. They awkwardly looked at her. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I talked to Granny Smith, and I changed my mind. I’m going to help.”

In an instant, she found herself wrapped in a warm embrace. Forelegs wrapped around her body, and Spike attached to her leg.

“It’s tough to give up what you want to do what’s right,” Rarity said. “I’m sorry for being so hard on you.”

“I didn’t mean it... about not being your friend,” Rainbow said.

“I deserved it,” Twilight said, burying her face into somepony’s soft mane. “I lost track of what mattered... I’m so glad you’re all with me.”

She looked up; there was one pony missing.

Applejack stood in front of her – stoic. “I... I’m glad you came ‘round, Twilight,” she stepped forward and joined the hug.

Twilight’s heart swelled with joy. Wherever she went, with these ponies at her side, she was home.

Twilight tossed and turned in her bunk, unable to sleep. They were all bunked in the loft, even Applejack, who passed up on her bedroom to stay with the group. A small amount of moonlight spilling in the loft’s open double-door illuminated the unmoving forms of her sleeping friends. She glanced through the gap in the door at the second-story ledge outside the loft. The ledge was more than wide enough for a pony.

As quietly as she could, Twilight slipped out of her bunk. She stepped softly on the floor and levitated her bedroll along with her. Once outside on the ledge, she she laid it out, got comfortable, and closed her eyes.

“There’s plenty of room inside, ya’ know,” Applejack said from the doorway, yawning.

Twilight looked up at her. “I like sleeping outside,” she murmured.

“Good thing there’s no rain scheduled for tonight, unless we get a storm,” Applejack said and gazed toward the horizon, keeping her voice low to not wake the others. “I don’t see any storm clouds though... hard to tell at night.” She stepped back inside.

With comforting stars overhead, Twilight closed her eyes again, but before she had even begun to drift off, she heard a bedroll being laid out beside her. She cracked her eyes open and saw Applejack lying down. The earth pony rolled onto her back and stared up at the stars.

“I didn’t say it earlier, but I’m sorry – for how mad I got. I should have tried to talk things over,” Applejack said.

Twilight rolled onto her back and stared up at the familiar sky. “It wasn’t your fault...”

“Twi, just say, ‘I forgive you’.”

“I forgive you, Applejack,” Twilight said.

“Thanks... so, what’s eating you? Why’re you out here?” Applejack asked.

“I dunno... I’ve had nightmares ever since Star Swirl died – every time I’ve slept under a roof. When I sleep outside, I don’t have nightmares. I don’t know why; I don’t know if sleeping inside or outside even changes anything, but I have trouble sleeping inside now,” Twilight explained.

“Mmm... makes sense,” Applejack murmured. She went silent for a moment. “You want revenge, don’t you? That’s why you wouldn’t help at first,” Applejack said.

Twilight nodded, even though Applejack wasn’t looking at her. “Yeah,” she admitted.

“I understand... I want revenge too. I want to kill the thing that took my parents,” Applejack said.

“Who?” Twilight asked.

“I’ll tell you the story some other time. Maybe we can hunt him down together, after we deal with the Black Knight.”

Twilight didn’t press further, and after a pause, Applejack said, “Remember, Twilight, Star Swirl is still watchin’ out for you up there, just like my parents are for me.”

Twilight turned away from Applejack to make sure the look in her eyes was hidden. “Yeah...” she murmured. She doesn’t want to know... Twilight thought.

She finally drifted off to sleep in silence.

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Preread by: Extravagaunte
Editor: The Music Man

Cloakwood

Cloakwood

Late the next morning, Twilight and her friends sat across from a regal, ruby-colored unicorn at a table in one of the Helping Hoof’s rooms. A cloak of expensive furs draped across his broad shoulders accompanied his sculpted golden mane. His face was uncannily perfect, and the only blemish Twilight could see on his toned body was a small scar in the center of his chest directly to the left of his sternum. On the whole, she might’ve found him attractive if it weren’t for the way he looked disdainfully down at everypony with his nose in the air.

A small group of attendants hovered around him on his side of the table. “Now that all the important parties have representation, we can begin,” one of them said, inclining his head first to Bon-Bon sitting at the end of the table, then to Applejack.

Twilight glanced at the innkeeper. Bon-Bon practically hovered over her chair, her hooves poised nervously on the edge of the table. Lyra sat beside her, calmer, but watching Bon-Bon with worry.

“Let it be stated for the record that Granny Smith’s representative delayed me here at this... inn for a whole day,” the noble said while wiping dust off of one of his manicured forehooves.

“Yes, Lord Ruby,” a unicorn scribe beside him said and set his quill to a long, blank scroll that spilled off the edge of the table.

“Let it be stated that I arrived as soon as can be expected, given the late hour of the message,” Applejack said, her voice low and angry.

When the scribe stopped writing and stared blankly at Applejack, Lord Ruby chuckled. “You seem to forget who’s paying my scribe, Miss Applejack.”

“I should have seen this coming,” Rarity whispered to Twilight. “We need to play his game.”

“Spike, take a record,” Twilight said.

Spike produced a sheet of paper and a quill with a burst of green dragonfire. “On it!” He immediately began to write.

Twilight glimpsed a momentary flash of anger in Lord Ruby’s eyes, but when he spoke, his tone was as calm and mocking as ever. “It appears your pet can scribble... fascinating.”

Twilight furrowed her brows, his words digging under her skin. Her swords were right outside the negotiating room with the other weapons. She could have them in a moment. She doubted he would be insulting anyone when he had Solstice’s razor sharp edge shoved up one of his nostrils.

No... that’s not the solution here, she told herself, suppressing her violent urge.

Twilight glanced at where Spike was writing beside her. He appeared to be focused on his task and doing better than she was at ignoring Lord Ruby’s words.

“Something the matter?” the Lord asked.

It took Twilight a moment to realize he was addressing her. “Nothing...” she growled.

“You don’t have much poise for a unicorn, unlike your friend,” he said, turning to Rarity. “You seem familiar... Rarity, isn’t it? We met a few years ago, when I was on a diplomatic trip to Canterlot.”

“You have a good memory,” Rarity said.

“I could never forget the name that goes with such a beautiful mare,” he said as he gazed at Rarity. “I never did see you again after our date. I thought it went swimmingly.”

Spike broke his quill, spilling a splotch of black ink all over his scroll.

“I seem to remember you failing to pay the waiter and the night ending in disaster,” Rarity said.

“I never did find my coin purse.” Lord Ruby mused.

“That’s too bad,” Rarity said, and Twilight caught the corner of Rarity’s mouth rising into a smirk.

“Can we get to the point already?!” Rainbow interjected.

“Pegasi – never patient.” Lord Ruby shook his head in disappointment. “Very well. The point is that I’ll be Baron of Ponyville in two weeks. In three weeks, I’ll be back to discuss the taxes that need to be paid to fund my campaign against the bandits, retroactively for the past year, of course. Additionally, I’ll need some land to construct a new manor in Ponyville. I can’t exactly govern without a residence, after all.”

He smirked at Applejack. “I hear there’s a nice hill where you can see the emerald expanse of the Everfree Forest that would be a perfect spot.”

Applejack glared at Lord Ruby. “Your title ain’t confirmed yet, and it never will be.”

Lord Ruby laughed darkly. “You’re mistaken, Applejack; the Duchesses are very supportive of me. I have full confidence that they will make the right decision. It’s inevitable. I was required to inform Granny Smith that I will be her new Baron.” He dipped his head almost imperceptibly. “Consider her informed.”

“What do you want with our town?” Applejack asked. “We never did anything to you!”

“Oh, you mean besides money and power?” He leaned forward, setting his hooves on the table. “I enjoy taking things away from creatures who try to rise above their station.”

“By the time the Duchesses meet, there won’t be a Cloakwood Gang,” Twilight said.

“Oh really? What’re you going to do, find their lair and kill them all with your six mare band? In less than two weeks?” He scoffed.

“Yes,” Twilight said.

“You’ll find you’re biting off more than you can chew... it might make you into a mouthful.” Lord Ruby said with a smirk. “The Cloakwood Gang has only been located once. A single Flaming Wing pegasus came back from a mission that actually managed to find their hideout. Somehow, she escaped... or perhaps, they let her go as a warning. Either way, she’d been tortured, and all anypony could get out of her was something about beasts of fire.”

He stood up from the table. “We’re done here.” He strode toward the door. He paused in the doorway, his servants scrambling to catch up, and fixed his gaze on Bon-Bon. “Three weeks, and I expect my fortress to be cleared out for my garrison.” He was gone a moment later.

“I can be very patient...” Fluttershy mumbled.

“This place... it’s everything to me... where will the guests go?” Bon-Bon said, sinking into her seat.

“Hey, chin up! We asked Granny Smith for help, and she sent some,” Lyra said.

Pinkie smiled. “That’s right!”

“Don’t you worry; we’ll fix this,” Applejack said.

Twilight smiled at the grateful look in Bon-Bon’s eyes. “We will,” she said. “Something about him was... off,” she added, looking out the door.

“I know what you mean. A pony as loaded as him shouldn’t be safe on the Coast Road without at least twenty armed guards, and he only has a dozen.” Applejack said. “He seems... familiar somehow. Was there anything in the stuff we found about a Lord Ruby?”

“No, but there’s supposed to be a noble connected to the Iron Circle who’s overseeing the bandits,” Twilight said.

“I’ll reckon it’s him,” Applejack said.

“He’s crafty, I’ll give him that,” Rarity said. “If he’s actually going to get rid of the Cloakwood Gang, he’s playing both sides... we shouldn’t underestimate him.”

Twilight nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind... but either way, he’s going down. We’ll use the mirror to send a message to the Cloakwood Gang. They’ll take us right to them. We’ll blend in, and take out their leadership when we have the right opportunity.”

That evening, they ventured off the Coast Road and into the depths of Cloakwood.

Twilight’s mind thrummed with magical power as she walked beneath Cloakwood’s canopy. She’d prepared a slew of high level spells, some of which she’d only seen Star Swirl cast once. This time, she’d pushed herself to her limits when she’d readied her magic, and she almost failed with some of the harder spells. Additionally, she was using Solstice as a Sequencer that held completed spells, rather than using it to ease the burden on her mind. This time she was confident she was using every tool at her disposal. With all of the power she held, she hoped she wouldn’t fail again.

Twilight lead her party through the forest toward a clearing where they were supposed to meet the Cloakwood Gang. She stopped short when a web of thick spider silk blocked their path. She glanced down, checking the directions they’d received through the mirror.

“Whoops,” she said.

“Wrong turn?” Applejack asked.

“Yes, well... unless this is recent.” Twilight peered at one of the fibers. “What’d make a web this thick anyway?”

Rainbow pointed at the trees above them. “There’s your answer.”

Twilight looked up. A giant spider, twice as big as she was, lurked in the branches. It stared at her with eight dull eyes, waiting to pounce. “We should probably go around,” Twilight said.

Later, while they were sitting around a campfire eating supper, finally in the right spot, she heard a voice.

“Raven,” someone called from the edge of the clearing.

“Feather,” Twilight answered with the countersign.

Twilight and her friends rose warily with their weapons ready as four armed figures in black cloaks creeped out of the undergrowth, surrounding them.

“Ah, so you’re the new recruits,” a griffon wearing wingblades and holding a crossbow said. She tossed back her hood, revealing her white feathered head. “At least you look more capable than the last bunch... except for you.” She eyed Fluttershy with disdain.

Fluttershy looked absolutely terrified. Trembling next to Rainbow Dash, she whispered something, and the blue pegasus extended a wing protectively around her. Angel glared at the griffon venomously from Fluttershy’s mane.

“We work as a team,” Twilight said.

“Gotcha – thieves with honor.” The griffon nodded. She approached Twilight, extending a claw in greeting. “Name’s Gilda. I’ll take you to see the Boss.”

Twilight extended her hoof and accepted the shake. “Midnight Shine,” she said. Rarity had modified Twilight’s mark with dye, just in case.

“Wait a second...” Gilda said, staring at Rainbow. “I’d know that mane anywhere.”

Twilight laced her magic around her swords.

Gilda laughed. “You turned to a life of crime? I didn’t think you had it in you... wow!” She looked at Fluttershy again. “And you brought your little friend? How’d you get her free?”

“You made her into a slave!” Rainbow said, glaring.

“Rainbow... remember why we’re here,” Twilight said quietly as she relaxed her guard.

“Yeah! To join up.” Gilda snickered. “Leave your problems at the door, junior speedster and cloud destroyer extraordinaire!”

Rainbow lunged forward with her wings flared. “You want a fight? I’ll give you a fight!”

“Rainbow!” Twilight shouted.

“Aww Dash, I was just kidding. Can’t you take a joke? We’re on the same team now.” Gilda turned back toward the forest. “Come on, I’ll show you groundwalkers the way. No spiderwebs, I promise.”

“That wasn’t a funny joke,” Pinkie said.

“Come on, Gilda, don’t you want to know what happened to the rubber chicken?” Pinkie said.

Twilight groaned inwardly. Pinkie had been incessantly telling nonsensical jokes to Gilda for the entire duration of the trip to the bandit’s camp, probably to get on the griffon’s nerves. It had amused Twilight at first, but now it only irritated her.

“If I told you that we were there, would you shut up?” Gilda said, apparently sharing Twilight’s sentiment.

“Maaaybe...” Pinkie said.

“Then we’re here,” Gilda said.

“Where?” Pinkie said. “All I see are trees...” She blew a raspberry at one of the trees. “Ominous, scary looking trees... Oooh!” She pointed between the trunks. “Ruins!”

Twilight peered through the trees. In the dim light of dusk, she couldn’t make out whatever Pinkie was pointing at. After following Gilda for a few more steps, she made out a faint, fiery glow. A little further, and she emerged from the trees. An overgrown stone amphitheater formed a depression in the ground in front of her. Stumps marked where a few stubborn trees had cracked the masonry with their roots, only to be cut down.

A thousand ponies must’ve sat here – once... Twilight thought.

Beyond the amphitheater, Twilight saw a massive stone structure coated in vegetation looming above them. Crumbling ruins spread out from the base and spilled around the amphitheater. The faint shapes of ponies and other creatures lurked among the ruins, probably the bandits of the Cloakwood gang. She spotted the glow of a few fires, but the flames themselves were hidden within the structures around the theater or in hollows where the stepped seating used to be.

A rugged wooden structure stood on the flat stone covering the central stage of the theater. The wall facing them was open, and inside, she saw a blue-furred minotaur seated on a stone throne, illuminated by a pair of blazing torches mounted beside him. Crates and chests were piled behind him.

Gilda led them toward the minotaur. As they descended the cracked steps, Twilight had the uneasy sense of being watched, and she noticed small groups of bandits gathering on the edge of the ring. As they approached, the minotaur shifted a stocky shortbow out of his lap and stood. With a smile on his face, he spread his arms wide.

“So you’re the new recruits! Welcome,” he said.

Twilight nodded respectfully. “I’m told you’re in charge.”

“I’m the Boss, and as far as you’re concerned, I’m in charge. I talk to the Big Guy.”

“The Big Guy?” Twilight asked.

“You don’t want to meet him; if you did, you’d be dead.” The minotaur chuckled. “If he thought you looked tasty, anyway...”

“Boss is a funny name,” Pinkie said.

The minotaur chuckled again. “Name’s Iron Will, and welcome to our little slice of paradise. If you’ve come here, you’re tired of playing by somepony else’s rules, being pushed around, and being thrown in prison. Here, you’ll get three square meals a day. You’ll get paid, regardless of if you take in loot or not. I’ll give you the opportunity to be a winner, instead of flattened beneath society’s hoof.”

While he spoke, Rarity whispered in Twilight’s ear. “I don’t like this.” She glanced up at the amphitheater around them.

Twilight followed her gaze. At least fifty ponies, griffons, and minotaurs were watching, armed with bows, crossbows, slings, and javelins. Three ogres stood at the top of the steps behind them.

“The Big Guy has three rules, though,” Iron Will said. “They’re really simple, and I’m sure they won’t get in the way of your fun. Rule one: No fighting with other Gang members on a whim. If you want to schedule a throw down, you can throw down, but I can’t have scuffs and murders happening anywhere, anytime. Rule number two: Our job is to make the Coast Road impassable. I don’t care if you kill, maim or torture. What you bring back comes to me. You get a ten percent cut in addition to your salary. If you try and cheat me and hide loot, I will kill you.”

Twilight warily glanced around. She caught Gilda slowly slinking away from them. There were at least a hundred ponies assembled now.

“Actually, I lied. Those are both the rules. But I have one special rule that applies just to you, Midnight Shine, or should I say, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight’s eyes widened, and she took a step back.

“Sorry Dash, business is business,” Gilda said, and spread her wings, flapping away to join the ranks formed on the seating of the amphitheater around them.

Iron Will picked up his bow. “What? You didn’t think the Iron Circle wouldn’t let me know that a certain mirror was compromised, did you? Iron Will is no fool. Your little message wasn’t all that subtle... I’m not afraid.”

Oh no, Twilight thought.

“Twilight, what’d you do?” Rarity asked.

“She made this easy for me, that’s what she did,” Iron Will said as he methodically picked up his bow.

“Girls, close your eyes when I raise my sword,” Twilight whispered while Iron Will spoke.

Iron Will nocked an arrow. “My special rule for you is: don’t kill my kin. Rumor has it that my brother went after you and didn’t come back.”

“What’re you planning, Twilight?” Applejack said quietly.

“The five thousand is an added bonus...” Iron Will said.

“Just trust me,” Twilight whispered.

Iron Will raised his bow, shouting, “Twilight is mine!”

Twilight drew Celestial Fury. Before Iron Will had even begun to draw back the bow’s string, she pointed the blade toward the sky and closed her eyes tight.

Please work...

A painfully bright flash of sunlight lanced through her eyelids. After she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the tip of Iron Will’s arrow, the bow drawn by his coiled arm. Tears glistened in his squinted eyes, reflecting the fading glow of her sword.

As Iron Will’s arrow jumped from the string, Twilight triggered the Sequencer in Solstice. A lavender shield lit when the arrow stuck it, shattering the missile, but the sheer strength of Iron Will’s bow allowed the forward fragment to cut a hole through the shield and spin beyond. It hit her sideways, and the piece of the wooden shaft still attached to the arrowhead drew a stripe of pain across her chest through her mage armor. While Twilight watched the broken arrow fall, Applejack’s chain punched through the air. Twilight flicked her eyes back up and saw the spike impaled precisely between Iron Will’s eyes.

With the immediate threat eliminated, the world around her returned to focus. They had a few seconds, at best, before the bandits around them recovered, and a volley of slung, launched, and thrown missiles saturated the center of the theater. Her Sequencer had included a Mirror Image spell, but it would do little to protect her from the sheer volume of fire, and that said nothing for her friends. Past the wooden structure in the center of the ring, she made out an entrance into the ruins.

“We’ll lose them in there!” she shouted and sprinted for it.

Mist rose up around her hooves, and she glanced over her shoulder. The rest of the group followed her, but Fluttershy lingered behind them, her eyes glowing, Angel shielding her from the inevitable volley of fire. Twilight stopped immediately. The rest of the group blazed past her, unaware.

“Fluttershy! There’s no time!” Twilight yelled.

“I’m making time...” Fluttershy answered.

As the words left Fluttershy’s mouth, a wall of thick fog blocked Twilight’s view.

Projectiles riddled the amphitheater stage, wispy lines of turbulence lingering behind them as they streaked through the white mist. The stones around her clattered with the sound of metal. Three of her images vanished. Missiles bruised her through her cloak and her armor, but mercifully, none penetrated. Through the mist, from Fluttershy’s position, she heard the thunk of arrows striking wood and one fleshy impact.

Fluttershy’s cry of pain filled Twilight’s ears, and she lifted her hoof to run back to help Fluttershy.

“I’ve got her! Get out of here!” Rainbow shouted as she shot past Twilight in the air.

Nodding, Twilight swallowed, made her best guess at the direction of the entrance to the ruins, and galloped into the mist. She joined the three others in a crumbling stone corridor, the white fog whisping at the door. She noted with relief that they were unharmed. Confused shouting followed her from outside.

“Where are they!”

“I can’t make them out!”

“Did we get them?”

“Where are you?”

She recognized the last voice. Rainbow Dash, she realized. She opened her mouth to call back, but before she could gather the air in her lungs, Rarity held a hoof to her mouth.

“Shhh!” Rarity hissed. “I’ll show them the way.”

Rarity closed her eyes, and a series of dancing lights jumped from her horn, forming a line trailing into the mist. They waited in silence for a few tense moments. When Rainbow emerged from the mist with Fluttershy draped across her back and a foreleg looped around a small Angel, Twilight let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“Ugh... moving through that stuff is like swimming... she’s pretty bad,” Rainbow said, panting.

Twilight’s relief was short lived. When Rainbow lowered Fluttershy to the stone floor, Twilight saw a bolt sticking out from between the yellow pegasus’s ribs. Fluttershy whimpered with each shallow breath she took. Angel snuggled up to her face, worry in his small animal eyes.

“I’m... sorry,” Fluttershy murmured, nuzzling her bunny.

Rarity approached. “Darling, if I pull this out, will you be able to heal yourself?”

Fluttershy closed her eyes and nodded.

Twilight could see the pain on Fluttershy’s face as Rarity carefully extracted the bolt. The head suddenly jumped free, and Fluttershy’s eyes shot open, a gasp escaping her lips. When her eyes slid closed again, her chest seized.

Fluttershy stopped breathing.

No! Twilight thought. She couldn’t bear another funeral filled with lies and loss. She shot forward, and placed her hoof on the wound. The magic – the healing – it wouldn’t come. It was just beyond reach.

“Somepony do something!” Rainbow cried, hovering over Fluttershy. “Can’t anypony do anything?”

”What? You didn’t think there wouldn’t be a price for turning away from me, did you?” the voice from her nightmares whispered in her mind.

“Twilight... you can’t help her...” Applejack said, her voice on the verge of breaking.

“I’m going to heal her,” Twilight said.

“You can’t!” Applejack yelled.

“She can,” Pinkie said.

With Pinkie’s confident words in her ears, Twilight closed her eyes and dove back into her mind. There was a barrier between her and the power she’d drawn on before, but the power belonged to her, not the spectre of shadow in her dreams. Though Fluttershy was on the brink of death, she knew the pegasus was still alive, and she had the power to save her friend.

All I have to do is take what is mine... I’m not going to fail again! Twilight thought.

She reached out for her inner strength, bending it to her desire. The barrier shattered before her will, and she felt Fluttershy’s chest stir beneath her forehoof. In her mind, the voice screamed in rage.

“You did it, Twilight,” Pinkie said, her voice chasing away the echos of the scream.

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief and opened her eyes. Pinkie’s hoof rested comfortingly on her back. Fluttershy’s chest calmly rose and fell. Her eyes were still shut, but she would live.

Applejack picked Fluttershy up, and the pegasus murmured softly. While she positioned Fluttershy on her back, she nodded toward the mist in the doorway. “That isn’t going to last much longer.”

Twilight followed Applejack’s gaze. She could already glimpse torches through the fog and shapes moving in the central ring of the theater. Soon, the mist would provide no protection at all.

“Ah, here we are,” Gilda said, her voice emanating from the middle of the amphitheater. “If you want to catch wounded prey, follow the blood.”

“It leads into the ruins. We can’t go in there! You know the rules...” another bandit said.

“Who says you’re in charge, anyway?” yet another voice said.

“Iron Will, that’s who! He’s dead now, and I was his second. That means I’m in charge!” Gilda shouted. “Do you want to make five hundred bits or not?”

“Come on,” Applejack said. “We’d best get deeper before they make up their minds.” She set off down the passage.

“So you aren’t going to yell at me?” Twilight said as they walked down a passageway.

Their path wound and twisted, and she hoped they could find another exit. Often, they had to detour around collapsed passages or rubble blocking their path. At first, she could glimpse stars through cracks in the roof, but within a few minutes they must have moved underground. Now, the only light came from the unicorn’s horns.

“Nope,” Applejack said. “What you did was stupid, but I think you saw the consequences.”

Rarity nodded in agreement. “Though the worst part was you didn’t tell any of us about the message you sent. What were you thinking?”

“I don’t know...” Twilight murmured. “I... guess I didn’t think they’d know which mirror it came from. It was an impulse. I’m sorry.”

“I forgive you,” Fluttershy said. Mercifully, the pegasus was back on her own hooves. Once she had regained consciousness, she’d healed herself fully. “I shouldn’t have slowed down to cast that spell anyway...”

“If you hadn’t, all of us wouldn’t have escaped,” Rainbow said.

“I’m more curious how you healed Fluttershy,” Applejack said. “That wasn’t wizard magic.”

“And you’re eyes didn’t glow when you performed the spell, so you’re not like any cleric I’ve seen,” Rarity observed.

“She’s part god!” Pinkie said.

Twilight blinked at Pinkie. “What?”

“Healing magic is divine right? And last time, you said it came from within! It’s the only explanation!” Pinkie said.

“Last time?” Applejack said.

“Before we met you,” Twilight explained.

“Or, she’s blessed by Celestia. The goddess sure seems to like her,” Rarity suggested.

Twilight stared at the floor of the passage. She knew Pinkie was at least partially right – her power belonged to her – but she said nothing. She’d rather her friends think that Celestia had chosen her then tell them the details of her nightmares and her power.

Further into the ruins, Fluttershy abruptly sagged against the wall. “I hear... screaming,” she said.

Twilight perked her ears and peered down the corridor they were in. At first, she heard nothing, then a mournful howl echoed down the crumbling tunnel. Ahead, around a bend, she saw the glow of flames.

“They’re burning... forever,” Fluttershy murmured, shuddering.

“Who, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, glancing back at the pegasus.

“Them! We have to put them out!” Fluttershy said, her unblinking gaze focused on the glow spilling around the corner.

Twilight looked back down the passage, and she saw a wolf’s head made from burning wood emerge from around the bend. It glared at her with flaming eyes and stepped out into the passage. The scorched charcoal branches and logs that made up its body glowed with heat, and everburning flames licked at its back. Two smaller wolves flanked the first, similarly ablaze.

“Uh... Fluttershy... can you talk to them? You talked to Timberwolves once.” Rainbow said.

Fluttershy shook her head. “They’re Emberwolves... he’s making them do this! We need to put them out!”

The wolves gradually stalked towards them, as if hunting prey. Twilight drew her swords.

“Don’t!” Fluttershy said. “If you just destroy them, they’ll never be free.”

Rainbow shot two blasts of wind down the passage, but they only fanned the flames. The Emberwolves growled as they approached, fires dancing on their charred teeth.

“Rainbow, when I say ‘now’, do that again, in the other direction,” Twilight said.

“Got it!” Rainbow said.

She launched a Fireball down the corridor. There was just enough space for her to cast the spell without the blast hitting her and her friends. The Emberwolves didn’t flinch as the magical spark shot over their heads, and they didn’t break their stride when the explosion washed down the passage and the heat licked at their heels.

“Now!” Twilight shouted.

Rainbow twisted, arcing her wings through the air. The twin gusts pulled the dead air left in the Fireball’s wake down the corridor. The Emberwolves’ flames flickered, then died out. They staggered, but parts of them still glowed.

“Any other ideas?” Applejack said. “If we don’t finish this soon, we’re going to have to smash—”

Before Applejack finished her sentence, thick roots broke through the roof of the passage above the Emberwolves. In a roar of falling rock and dirt, crumbling masonry buried the Emberwolves, suffocating them.

A glow faded from Fluttershy’s eyes as she stared at the debris. Tears clung to her lower eyelids. “How horrible does someone have to be to do that to another creature?” she said as she approached the rubble. “Don’t worry, you’re free now. Go back to the forest.”

She’s talking to the wolves, Twilight realized. She respectfully kept her distance and noticed that the rest of the group was doing the same. Applejack held her hat against her chest.

Fluttershy breathed gently on the rubble, and a wisp of green leaves spilled out from beneath the crumbled masonry, lifted into the air by an ethereal wind. Two more groups of leaves followed and gusted past Twilight, filling her lungs with a sweet natural scent, but the first lingered. The leaves swirled around Fluttershy until they alighted on her cloak.

“Oh no, you don’t have to do that... you’re free!” Fluttershy said, looking over her shoulder at her cloak as the leaves became one with the fabric. “Um... well, if you insist, I guess it’s okay... thank you.”

Pinkie raised her hoof to point at a side passage. “I’ll bet that goes around.”

Applejack placed her hat back on her head. “We’d best keep moving.”

They found the Emberwolves’ lair, a small room with blackened marks on the stone and stairs leading up. They took the stairs, hoping they would lead them to an exit. Halfway up the steps, Twilight glimpsed moonlight, and at the top, they arrived in a courtyard surrounded by stone walls. She could tell from the cracked stone paths and rectangles of exposed ground that this place held a garden not unlike Candlekeep’s. Now, the courtyard held only ashes and the charred remains of plants – perhaps the work of the Emberwolves, or the creature of fire that had entrapped them.

Above them loomed the same structure she’d seen from the amphitheater. From the distance they’d traveled underground, she guessed that they were on the far side. Wide steps lead up to a massive doorway. The wooden gates that once closed the entrance had long since rotted away, leaving only rusty hinges behind. An inscription was carved above the doorway. It read: ‘The Sister’s School for gi—’ Whatever words remained had crumbled away, lost to time.

“How much ya’ wanna bet the ‘Big Guy’ is in there?” Applejack said, flicking her muzzle toward the large structure.

“Rainbow Dash, could you fly up and take a look around? I’d like a better sense of where we are... don’t get spotted,” Twilight said.

“Sure,” Rainbow said, “and I won’t.” A moment later, she disappeared into the night sky.

Twilight trotted toward the steps, struck by her surroundings. They’re all gone... she thought. Whoever used to live here, they were no more, and there was no life here. At least the bridge had someone living there. The maw of the open door dominated the top of the steps, and she wanted to know the history that lay in the shadows beyond.

Her eyes widened in surprise when a pony appeared in the doorway. “Twilight Sparkle, I’m surprised you made it this far,” he said.

Twilight brightened her horn enough to light his face. Lord Ruby smirked down at her. “What are you doing here?!” she yelled.

“This is my home, of course,” Lord Ruby said. “In a way, I’m glad you could make it.” He turned his gaze away from Twilight, and focused on Applejack. “Especially you, little Apple.”

Applejack glared up at Lord Ruby. “What’re you talking about?”

“You don’t remember me, Applejack? I’m hurt...” Lord Ruby said. “You all should come inside. I have something to show you, and I think you’ll realize why you can’t save Ponyville.” He twirled, his red cloak billowing behind him, and disappeared through the doorway.

Applejack furrowed her brows, then realization dawned on her features. “It’s him,” she shouted and galloped up the steps.

Twilight blinked. Applejack had the same venom in her voice that Twilight did when she spoke of the Black Knight. Quickly, along with the rest of her group, Twilight rushed after Applejack, but the earth pony was already several strides ahead of them, and she moved up the steps with unmatched zeal.

“Applejack, wait!” Twilight shouted, but Applejack stubbornly followed Lord Ruby through the doorway.

Twilight felt tremors in the ground beneath her hooves as something huge moved inside the structure.

Pinkie reached the top of the stairs first. “We’ve got a little problem... actually, it’s a big problem!”

When Twilight crested the stairs after Pinkie, she could see beyond the threshold. The room inside was a massive banquet hall with a vaulted ceiling. A few chandeliers still dangled above, though most had fallen and shattered on the floor years ago. Above the head of the hall was a gold and silver emblem of the Sun and the Moon in an ever-turning give and take. Three claw marks made by some huge creature scarred the symbol. Applejack’s Stetson lay on the floor in the entrance. A single entity filled the space: a fully grown Dragon.

A coat of thick ruby scales covered his body, pristine except for one hoofspan-wide patch of thin pale scales next to his sternum, tiny in comparison to his bulk. He lay on a pile of gold and gems in the center of the hall. In one gigantic claw, he held Applejack aloft, dozens of hoofspans above the floor.

“Lemme go so I can kill you!” Applejack shouted, struggling in his unyielding grasp.

Twilight drew her swords. “Put her down!” Her own fearlessness surprised her. She was a mouse facing down a wolf, but she was prepared to fight.

The Dragon chuckled, a deep rumbling that echoed inside the hall. He peered down at Twilight with golden eyes as big as she was, his pupils dark vertical slits. “Or what? You can’t hurt me, little pony. My scales shrug off magic, and though your blades can cut through them, your swords are simply too short to penetrate deeply enough to cause me any lasting harm.”

Twilight gritted her teeth. She knew the Dragon was right. “What do you want, Lord Ruby?”

“Lord Ruby... a transient name of fancy, one I wore like the facade of pony nobility. Call me Pyros the Everburning, and what I want is revenge,” Pyros said.

“If what you want is revenge, why don’t you jus’ kill me already!?” Applejack yelled. By closing his claw, the Dragon could extinguish her life in an instant. “Why all this?”

“Ah, my dear Applejack, that would be far too simple. I want you, and all your father’s children, to live. I want you to watch everything you care about crumble away while you sit there, powerless to stop it,” Pyros said.

“You already took our parents from us! What more do you want!?” Applejack roared.

“I had intended to take you from your parents, but they stopped me. This isn’t about you, Applejack, this is about your father.” Pyros said.

“What did my father ever do to you?” Applejack shouted.

“You mean, besides wound me?” He lowered Applejack, holding her directly in front of him. “He took something that I wanted. Eve Orange... a gorgeous mare from an up-and coming merchant family, a perfect bride for my noble identity at the time. Somehow, a dirt-sucking farmer from the countryside swept her off her hooves and carried her away. It was unimaginable – a mere pony could take what a Dragon wanted! He took what was mine, and she left me!”

He laughed darkly. “I had more than enough time to make them pay, though. I let them have two strong children. I let them watch you grow and dream of your futures. Before the glow of the birth of their third child faded, I struck. I arrived at his farm, and challenged him and his wife to meet me in their fields. That way, I could burn their children alive in their house while they watched helplessly.”

Twilight couldn’t see Applejack’s expression, but the earth pony stayed silent while Pyros told his story. “They succeeded in intercepting me. He met me wielding that same chain you carry today, and his cleric wife wore that same old suit of armor,” Pyros said. “Empowered by divine blessings, he hit me with one near-mortal blow. With that chain, he nearly pierced my heart, and in my anger, I made the mistake of crushing them both.”

He clenched his other front claw, treasure clinking around it as he drew gouges in the stone floor beneath his hoard. “But all was not lost. You were still alive. You had watched your parents die. I couldn’t make your father pay, but I could make his children suffer for their entire lives... it took me years to recover from the wound he gave me. I kept the scar to remind me to never lose sight of my revenge, just like you kept one of the fragments of my scales.”

Twilight held up Applejack’s hat. The ruby object sewn into the crease between the brim and crown matched the color of Pyros’s scales perfectly.

“Until the injury subsided, I couldn’t return to pony form, and without disguising myself as a frail mortal, I couldn’t influence your nobility and gain control over your lives.” He looked past Applejack, focusing on Twilight and her friends in the doorway. “Now, my plans are in motion, and you are powerless to stop them. Take her, and go. I want you all to see the folly in challenging a Dragon. Leave this place, leave my bandits alone, or I will kill you all and rely on Russet Apple’s two remaining children for my revenge.”

He roughly set Applejack on the ground near the entrance. As soon as she was free, Applejack snatched her hat out of Twilight’s levitation and placed it on her head. She turned to face Pyros. “If you think we’re just going to walk away—”

“We are,” Twilight interrupted.

“What?” Applejack said, looking at Twilight like she’d been stabbed in the back.

Twilight focused on Applejack. “He’s clearly much too powerful for us to fight. We have to leave.”

Applejack glared at Twilight. She’s not getting it... Twilight groaned inwardly.

Rarity, catching on, said, “Just look at those magnificent scales!”

“Do you trust me, Applejack?” Twilight whispered, hiding her voice behind Rarity’s.

Applejack nickered, but she gave Twilight a tiny nod.

“It’s time to go,” Twilight said, then turned and headed back down the steps. Fortunately, everypony followed, even Applejack.

When she reached the bottom, Applejack prodded her in the chest. “I don’t know what you’re doing, but I’m gonna fight that Dragon. If you’re too scared to help, I’ll do it without you!”

“I—” Twilight said.

“He made those Emberwolves...” Fluttershy interrupted. “We have to do something!” She swallowed. “Even though he is a great big Dragon... nobody should be able to do that to a creature and get away with it!”

“So, what’s the plan?” Rarity asked.

Applejack blinked at Rarity. “What plan?”

“Twilight’s plan,” Pinkie said sagely. “She’s a smart cookie!”

“He gave us the opportunity to prepare, and we’re going to take it,” Twilight said, finally able to get a word in edgewise. “If we work together, he won’t know what hit him.”

Rainbow Dash came in for an abrupt landing. “I’ve got good news, and bad news. Bad news is they’ve started poking around in the ruins. We’re a ways away, on the far side of this big place, but they’ll get over here sooner or later. Good news is I wasn’t spotted... so, what’d I miss?”

“Rainbow, how would you like to help us kill a Dragon?” Twilight asked.

“A Dragon? Sweet. What’s the plan?” Rainbow said.

How to kill a Dragon... Twilight thought, poised on the entrance of Pyros the Everburning’s lair, with both her swords and one of the diamond dogs’ wands floating beside her.

Pyros, still in his true form, sniffed the air and looked up from his treasure. His eyes swept over her invisible form, lingering on her visible floating swords. “I smell you, pony. I told you to leave!”

Twilight tripped the wand with a magical flick and launched a cloud of noxious green gas into the center of the great hall. In the blink of an eye, the cloud spread, filling the space with nearly unbreathable fumes. After dropping the spent wand, she ducked around the corner and nestled against the archway of the massive door before he could retaliate. Her spell was powerful enough to keep her invisible even as the wand fired, but he would be able to locate her based on proximity sooner or later; dragonbreath need not be accurate.

Step 1: Drive it from its lair.

“Insolence! You beg for death! I will kill all of you, and leave Applejack to bury your corpses!” Pyros roared.

The ground shuddered beneath her hooves as his massive form lumbered within the structure. He burst out of the hall beside her, barely squeezing his shoulders beneath the archway, and scanned the empty courtyard with his huge eyes. The bodies of five ponies were hidden there, concealed behind the remains of ancient pillars.

Step 2: Trap it.

A thunderous crack filled her ears. Above her, thick roots rippled through the stone of the archway, breaking it on Pyros’s back. The weight of the roof of the grand hall fell on the Dragon’s shoulders. He roared, his forelegs crumpling as the burden drove him to the ground. After side-stepping out of her hiding place to avoid a piece of falling rubble, Twilight glimpsed Fluttershy’s glowing eyes peeking from around a chunk of masonry.

Step 3: Hit it where it hurts.

Before Pyros could locate her and take out his anger, two crystalline shards launched from behind a piece of rubble, one after another, the second in the air before the first hit its mark. Rarity struck him in both eyes. Roaring in pain, he blinked the arrows from his eyes and shook his head.

Pyros gathered his limbs beneath him and started to lift himself up, the rubble above him shuddering. “You will all pay! You sting me like puny gnats, and I will crush you!”

Step 4: Exploit its weakness.

Rainbow Dash dropped from above, whispering beneath his chin like a gust of wind. She flared her wing and touched the tip of one of her wingblades to his chest. Sparks flew as she cut a line through his armor across the top of his scar. As Rainbow pulled out of her dive and disappeared around the corner of the building, Twilight stepped in front of the dragon and raised both her swords. She dug both blades into his chest and cut a V in his armor. Celestial Fury’s golden aura barely fazed him; he freed himself in an instant with his bulk. When she pulled her blades free, blood spilled from beneath his skin, outlining a red triangle in the middle of his pale scar.

Step 5: Expose its vulnerability.

“I know where you are!” Pyros shouted.

As Pyros sucked air into his massive lungs, Twilight ripped and tugged at the piece of armor that she and Rainbow Dash had cut free. Something kept it attached. A moment later, Pyros opened his maw, flames glowing in his throat. Focused on her task, she swept Celestial Fury beneath the lifted plate, easily cutting the tissue that held the scales, and cast the triangular piece of armor aside. She wondered if he even noticed the tiny wound. Pyros breathed, and a torrent of red dragonfire washed over her. Her swords clattered to the steps. Immense heat surrounded her, but but she felt no pain.

Her world went dark.

Step 6: Misdirection.

Twilight opened her eyes, unhurt. Pyros’s fire had washed away her projected image, an illusory copy that carried her magic into battle while her real form lay unconscious. She picked her head up, peering over the curve of the fallen pillar she had hidden behind before casting the Project Image spell. She felt intense heat lingering in the air, and the far side of her cover glowed red in the aftermath of the Dragon’s breath.

“Applejack, now!” Twilight shouted.

Step 7: Hit it in the weak point.

Applejack whipped out from behind cover, her speed and strength enhanced by layers of magical power. She moved with ferocity, rapidly closing on the Dragon. Twilight glimpsed a foreign emotion in Pyros’s wide eyes as he watched Applejack bear down on him carrying the chain that had nearly killed him all those years ago: fear. A layer of protective magic tinted her fur blue when Applejack’s hooves hit the stones that still glowed red, warding away the heat.

Twilight watched while Pyros sucked in a breath and rose free of the rubble, desperately attempting to wash away the avenging warrior that rushed toward him with his dragonfire. Even with the Fire Protection spell, the sheer intensity of a direct blast would turn a pony to ash. His half-blind, wounded eyes struggled to track Applejack. Mere seconds after she started her run, well before he could unleash the inferno in his lungs, she arrived beneath the exposed hole in his chest. She carried her momentum into her strike, spinning her hindquarters towards him, and bucked with all her might.

The tip of her chain hit its mark, the spike clearing the way for hoofspan after hoofspan of thick golden links as it bored through Pyros’s soft flesh and into his beating heart. Applejack let go of the chain, and the remaining length flowed off her tail until the spike stopped somewhere deep inside the beast. Twilight saw nothing but shock in Pyros’s eyes. He raised one foreclaw and clutched his chest.

Applejack strode away from the Dragon, her eyes cold. The fire inside Pyros’s swollen lungs still boiled as his life faded away, glowing around the wound Applejack’s chain had left. His body began to fall, his head pointing skyward as his limp neck dragged it down.

With a tremendous roar, the flames escaped. They ripped through his neck and throat, bursting skyward in a brilliant conflagration and towering behind Applejack. She dug her hooves into the stones as the explosive wave of air hit her, holding her hat on her head with a forehoof as the wind whipped at her mane and tail, the Fire Protection spell glowing brightly. She didn’t look back.

Twilight stared in awe until Pyros’s head fell from the sky above and cratered the stone pavement near her hiding place.

Applejack tipped her hat. “Good plan, Twilight.”

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Preread by: Extravagaunte
Preread by: Furutta
Editor: The Music Man

Bandits

Bandits

Twilight perched on Pyros’s charred skull, her blades aloft at her sides. Rain fell around her from the black sky above, rippling off her cloak and running down Pyros’s draconic features. She faced down a pair of griffons and a pegasus. After the column of fire, it hadn’t taken long for the gang’s scouts to locate them.

With a smooth sweep of Celestial Fury, Twilight lopped off the tip of one of Pyros’s golden fangs. She levitated the fragment up to eye level and wrapped a scroll around it. She dropped it in an oilskin bag and floated it over to where the bandits crouched on the ground beneath the watchful gaze of her friends.

“You’re free to go. Take this back. If anyone reads the note but Gilda, I put a spell on it that will kill them,” she said. A lie, but she needed to ensure her message made it back to the bulk of the bandits.

She’d written:

My name is Twilight Sparkle. I’m an agent of the Iron Circle, and I killed your leaders because they betrayed our cause. The bounty was a test, and for your attempt to collect it for the good of the Iron Circle, you have passed. However, this organization has served its purpose and must be eradicated. Consider the Cloakwood gang dissolved.

You did earn something for your efforts. If one of you can rise and bring this fragment of Pyros’s fang to me at his lair, you will be presented with a sizable portion of the Dragon’s hoard. I expect only the strongest to arrive. I am sure you understand what I mean. If you do not have the strength or the resolve for this sort of contest, you are free to go. Never return.

Lies, layer after layer of them, made up the message. She couldn’t afford to fight the Cloakwood Gang, not after depleting her and her group’s resources to kill a Dragon. Even if some of them saw through the deception, she hoped it would divide them enough that when they came for her, she could win. She doubted she could escape the forest before they caught up with her – there would be a confrontation.

It might as well be beside his corpse, where they can see what we’ve done, she thought.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I am glad you told me the truth. I would rather know. What we do in this life matters more than I could have imagined. This life is all we have; it is everything, and knowing that helped me do the right thing, despite how angry I was at the one who took Star Swirl from me forever.

Even with your response, I have more questions than answers. What does it mean, to be consumed by the Abyss? What did the Shadow do with souls before you and your sister killed him? Is it possible to reach the souls trapped in nothing? If you can’t help them, can anyone else?

Once, you defeated the Shadow. But what of death?

Twilight lifted her quill from her scroll, looking up when Spike’s voice cut through her thoughts. It had been nearly an hour since the scouts had left, and there was no sign of the confrontation she expected.

“So you killed him, huh?” Spike asked. He was seated on a block of stone, not ten paces from Pyros’s hindquarters. He ignored the rainfall that plummeted from the cloudy night sky and drenched his scales.

“Yes, we did,” Rarity said while rummaging through the Dragon’s hoard, her cloak protecting her from the rain. “He didn’t give us much of a choice. Leaving wasn’t an option.” She paused, and added, “Thank Celestia none of us were hurt.”

Spike looked wistfully at the massive corpse. His eyes traced up the body until Pryos’s shoulders disappeared beneath a pile of rubble.

“Not too bad, anyway,” Applejack said from a rain free spot beneath the hall’s ruined roof, drawing Twilight’s attention. Fluttershy gently rubbed a salve into Applejack’s coat, paying special attention to the spots where her fur had singed black. The sheer heat of the Dragon’s last breath had scorched her back even through the Fire Protection spell and her cloak.

Twilight tucked herself deeper into the warm nook she occupied, shielding her letter. Though the roof had largely collapsed after Fluttershy damaged the structure’s integrity, pieces of it remained intact. Cloakwood bordered the Everfree, and storms like this were not uncommon here. The storm had eased up since it first hit a few minutes after they’d killed Pyros, and she hoped it would move on altogether soon. With a sigh, she set her quill back to the page.

I’m sorry, you probably don’t have the answers. Everypony else talks like you know everything and can do anything. Ponies act like faith in you will solve their problems, and wonder why you don’t help them. Some scholars say that you’ve abandoned us, since you walked the world once and don’t anymore. Star Swirl said you had your reasons, and I am certain they are good. But, I still have to ask, why?

“Did you think he was handsome?” Spike said abruptly.

Twilight glanced up from the letter again, watching her friends.

Rarity stopped shoveling gold coins into her bag of holding for a moment to look at Spike. “He had a pretty face as a pony, but there’s a lot more to being handsome than that. You have to be a Gentlestallion.” She eyed Pyros’s corpse disdainfully. “It doesn’t matter what he looked like, because all he had in his soul was venom, and the only thing he cared about was himself. It’s probably why Applejack’s mother left him, like any intelligent mare would.”

“So if he was a Gentlestallion, it wouldn’t matter that he was a Dragon?” Spike asked.

Rarity blinked at Spike. “Well, no... but I’ve never heard of a noble Dragon.”

Spike slumped dejectedly, toying with an emerald. “I’m like a Dragon, what about me?”

Rarity chuckled. “Like a Dragon, yes... you’ve got a good heart. You’re not like him.” She laughed brightly and wrapped a hoof around his shoulders. “You’re a perfect little fey dragon. What’s gotten into you?”

“Well... I can sort of see what Twilight is doing while I’m on the Celestial Plane now... and I told one of the Keepers that you were fighting a Dragon... and he said some stuff.” He brightened, smilight. “Thanks though, you’re right, of course.”

Rarity quirked a brow at Spike. “Celestia lets her servants get away with bullying?”

“Well, no, but... don’t worry about it,” Spike said. He brought the emerald up to his mouth.

Rarity yelped when Spike bit down on the emerald. “What are you doing?!”

Spike froze, half eaten emerald in his claws. “Um... eating? These are really good.”

Rarity narrowed her eyes at Spike. “How many of those have you had?”

Spike shrank under her gaze. “Um... three or four?”

“Spike!” Rarity shrieked. “You just ate a thousand bits!”

“I’m really sorry!” Spike said. “I didn’t realize they were worth so much,” he murmured.

Rarity took a deep breath. “It’s okay.” She gazed at the mound of treasure before her and squeed gleefully. “Look at all this! I’ll be able to pay off my shop with just a sixth of it, and have a fortune left over!”

Twilight chuckled softly and returned to writing.

Again, I’m sorry, I should get to the point. I learned something about pride today. We killed a fully-grown Dragon who believed himself to be invincible. In his arrogance, he gave us the opportunity to prepare. I also made a mistake out of pride, and because of it we were discovered as imposters by a gang of bandits. Fluttershy very nearly lost her life.

I learned that if I want to keep my friends safe, I need to be confident in my abilities, but I should never take any unnecessary risks. There is simply too much to lose, and I don’t know what I would do without them.

Your Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle

“Twilight! Twilight!” Pinkie said.

Twilight looked up as she finished her letter. Pinkie was practically vibrating with excitement in front of her. The earth pony threw four shoes on the ground. “You need to tell me that these won’t turn me into a stallion forever before I put them on!”

Twilight rolled up her scroll. “Spike, could you send this to Celestia please?” she called out while waving the scroll above her head.

Spike dropped off his seat and scampered towards her. While he took the scroll, Twilight turned her attention to the shoes. Silvery spider web designs were inscribed on the surface of each steel shoe.

“Come on, Twilight!” Pinkie whined.

“Give me a second,” Twilight grumbled. This was the fifth object that Pinkie had brought to her attention since they started looking through the Dragon’s hoard. Though the items were ornate, nothing so far was cursed or magical. “Just relax.”

“I had to wait and do nothing for the whole fight!” Pinkie complained.

“I told you, you were backup. If something had gone wrong, I was counting on you to provide a distraction,” Twilight said while inspecting the shoes. I don’t think I need a spell, she decided. It had been a long day, and if she invested magic on every little thing, she’d drain her remaining reserves.

“Yeah, I know, and nothing went wrong, which was great, but I still wanted to do something,” Pinkie said.

“The fewer ponies in the line of fire, the better. It was bad enough Rainbow and Applejack had to get so close to that thing.” Twilight shoved the shoes away. “These aren’t cursed, and they probably aren’t magic. Go nuts.”

“Thanks Twilight!” Pinkie said. “Rarity, I need you to help me put on shoes!” She snatched up the four metal pieces in her mouth and headed for Rarity.

“Hey, Twilight, if you’re done writin’ your letter could you come lend me a hoof?” Applejack asked. She stepped over some rubble and out into the rain, her cloak tightened snugly around her shoulders. “I think my Pa left me a little present.”

Twilight climbed to her hooves and tossed her hood up. “Where?”

“Over here,” Applejack said, approaching the corpse. “How do you feel about cutting open chest cavities?”

Twilight blinked and trotted after Applejack. They arrived on the lip of a small excavation they’d made in the rubble around the Dragon to retrieve Applejack’s chain. “Your father left you a present in the Dragon?” Twilight asked, quirking an eyebrow at the corpse.

“Well, he didn’t mean to leave it there.” Applejack held up the tip of her chain, indicating a spot next to the offset spike at the end. “My Pa hit him so hard with this chain that he cracked it, even though it was magic. A piece stayed in him, and I’m hoping it’s still there.”

Twilight nodded. “We’ll take a look.” With a grimace, she began to cut away at the Dragon’s chest with her swords. Pulling Applejack’s chain out link-by-gory-link had been bad enough, and this task was even worse.

After a couple minutes, they found the golden piece lodged beneath a flap of the Dragon’s collapsed lung in the fibrous tissue beside the heart. Twilight pulled it from the corpse and took a step back. It looked exactly like the spike still fixed to Applejack’s chain. The rain washed away the Dragon’s blood, revealing a magical rune.

“Truth...” Twilight said, reading it aloud.

“The chain used to be called Truthseeker,” Applejack said. “Thanks, Twilight, for helping me get this back... and for everything else.”

Twilight slipped the spike into Applejack’s pack. “Do you feel any better, now that he’s dead?”

“Not really,” Applejack said, regarding the desecrated corpse. “I didn’t expect to. Granny told me nuthin’ good ever comes from revenge, but there was justice in killing him; I’m glad he’s dead.” She looked into Twilight’s eyes. “We got mine, and now we’re gonna get yours.”

Twilight glanced down at her hooves. Will killing him really change anything? she wondered. The only thing she knew for certain was she wanted him to pay for what he’d done.

Before Twilight could say anything more, Rainbow Dash swept in from above, the leading edges of her wings spraying them both with rainwater as she touched down. “Someone’s coming.”

“Just one?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow nodded.

Twilight stood beside Pyros’s skull out in the courtyard. The stones glistened with moisture beneath the light of her horn, but the rain had moved on. Gilda limped toward her, covered in blood, clutching the fragment of the golden fang in one claw. The shaft of an arrow protruded from one of her wings, and the other was nothing but a messily cauterized stump. She looked at Twilight with one yellow eye, the other covered by a mess of clotted blood pasted over the side of her face.

“I did it...” she gasped and collapsed to the ground a few hoofspans away from Twilight.

“How... how many did you kill?” Twilight asked, horrified.

“More than ten... I lost track...” Gilda said.

Twilight felt a shiver run down her spine. “What about the rest?”

“I don’t know... I didn’t tell them what was in your message, but I dropped it... they read it, and came after me. They turned on each other, and I killed them when they tried to take the fang from me... they all wanted it.” Gilda murmured, inching her way forward.

“Did any leave?” Twilight said.

“I... I don’t think many did...” Gilda said.

Twilight looked down at her hooves. “This wasn’t what I wanted...” she mumbled.

“Wasn’t this the plan?” Rarity said from beside her. “We got them to fight each other, instead of us. We beat the Cloakwood Gang.”

Gilda’s good eye widened.

“I wanted them to leave,” Twilight said.

Rarity shook her head sadly. “You can’t dangle treasure in front of desperate ponies and expect them to turn away, Twilight. It doesn’t work like that.”

“You...” Gilda gasped. “You... aren’t going to give me anything... are you?”

“No.” Twilight drew Solstice. When she’s dead, this will all be over... she thought. She focused on Gilda. She saw nothing but despair in the griffon’s eye – a cold acceptance.

Before she could bring her blade down, Rainbow intervened, moving between her and Gilda in the blink of an eye. “You can’t just kill her!” Rainbow said. “She was my friend!”

“What else can we do?” Twilight asked, meeting Rainbow’s gaze.

Rainbow glared fiercely at her. “What happened to everyone deserving a chance?!”

Twilight fell back onto her haunches. She raised one of her forehooves, staring at it. When did killing become my first choice – my only choice? she wondered. “You’re right, Rainbow,” she said, sheathing Solstice.

“Now hold on just a second,” Applejack said. “She’s a criminal. We can’t just let her run free!”

“We can, and we will,” Twilight said. “We can’t execute her, even if it is what she deserves. We should only kill when we have to, and we don’t need to kill her. I’m not carting her to some dungeon where she’ll rot away, either.” She glanced at the ponies beside her. “Fluttershy, if you can forgive her, heal her. Rarity, give her fifty bits, enough to get a fresh start.”

Applejack nickered, but said nothing. Rarity and Fluttershy nodded, stepping forward. Fluttershy pressed her hooves against Gilda’s wounds, almost without hesitation.

As Fluttershy healed her, Gilda said, “Thanks, Dash. I won’t forget that you had my back... I owe you one.”

“You always owed me one,” Dash muttered. “It never changed anything.”

Gilda pulled herself to her feet, restored. Her eye and her wing were beyond repair, but she could stand and walk on her own. She took the offered bits from Rarity. “This time, I mean it,” she said, before turning and walking out of the courtyard. The first rays of the dawn illuminated her for a moment, then she slipped out of sight.

“There’s one more thing I need to do before we leave,” Rarity said. “Can I borrow Solstice?”

“Sure... what for?” Twilight asked as she passed the sword to Rarity.

“Dragonscale is a fantastic material... oh, and one more thing.” Rarity nonchalantly pointed to Pyros’s head with the blade. “We need to get that in the bag. We shouldn’t go before the Duchesses without undeniable proof of what happened here.”

When Twilight opened her mouth, Rarity added, “Yes, it’ll open that wide. It’s magic!”

Twilight Sparkle sat in the Amphitheater. The stones were fresh, uncracked, and unblemished. She looked forward at the central stage, alone, but not alone. The five lights of her friends floated beside her, and the spectre lurked in the darkness next to her. Except for Pinkie, she’d met them on the road, and now they were always with her.

She watched herself step take the stage and face her first foe, the sniveling bandit from the road. He lunged at her, oblivious to her strength. Her blade struck him with a violet flick, and his form froze and shattered.

Next was Tarn Inkstroke, and after him, the ogre with the belt, and every one of her foes, in order. As often as not, she wasn’t the one to deal the final blow. Sometimes, they escaped with their lives. The end result was always the same: she won. Battered, bloody, and beaten, but better than all that stood before her.

It wasn’t fair, what she did. Sometimes, her enemies were greedy, and sometimes, they were desperate, but the ones that crossed her path and lived, Trixie and Gilda, were truly sinister. Iron Will died in a blink of an eye because he was angry about his brother’s death, but Gilda slaughtered her comrades for treasure and lived.

After Pyros shattered, and after Gilda limped out of the ring, there were none left to challenge her. The spectre whispered to her, “We’ve grown strong, haven’t we?”

Twilight raised her gaze and turned to face it. “I thought I beat you too.”

The shadows around her pulsed with laughter. “No matter your choices, I will always be here. I will make us strong.”

Twilight glared at the spectre. “You tried to take Fluttershy away from me! How does that make me stronger?”

“Can’t you see that your friends are holding us back? Your attachment to them makes it... difficult for you to be what you were meant to be.”

“What am I meant to be?” Twilight asked.

The skull grinned at her. “You revel in killing, but still you repress your desire – because of them. Surely you can feel the surge of satisfaction every time you take a life?”

“I can...” she admitted.

The Black Knight took the ring, facing her on the stage, and she circled him warily. His helmeted head tracked with her. His essence thrummed inside of his armor, and she wanted to taste it.

“Despite your choices, I will help you kill him, because it is one of the things you are meant to do. I promise you, his death will be the most delicious one we’ve ever dealt,” the Spectre told her.

“Good,” Twilight said.

When Twilight opened her eyes, a pair of blue ones greeted her, piercing into her soul with their intense gaze.

“What’s good?” Pinkie asked.

“Nothing,” Twilight grumbled sleepily and swatted at Pinkie’s face with her forehoof. “Go’way.” She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes.

“Nothing’s good? That’s a pretty depressing way to look at things. I mean, I know you can be the glass-half-empty type, but there’s still water in the glass, isn’t there?” Pinkie said.

Twilight flicked her eyes open and glanced up at Pinkie. “I didn’t mean—”

Pinkie was standing on the wall.

Twilight groaned and shoved her head under her pillow. “I’m still dreaming,” she muttered.

A point of pain flared on her flank, and she threw off the pillow. “Ow!”

“I pinched you, and this isn’t your dream,” Pinkie said with a smile. “You had me going for a second there, Twilight, good one!” She giggled. “Oh, lookie!” She waved one of her hooves in front of Twilight, revealing the shoe from the Dragon’s lair fixed to the keratin. “I figured out what these do.” She pranced up the wall and stepped onto the ceiling. “I’m a spiderpony!”

“That’s nice...” Twilight thumped her head back against the mattress beneath her, staring up at Pinkie. “Can I go back to sleep now?”

Pinkie nodded vigorously. “Yep!” She contemplatively brought a hoof to her chin. “Well, if you want to miss dinner...”

Groaning, Twilight climbed out of bed. She set her hooves on the floor of their room at the Helping Hoof Inn and pulled her comb out of her bag. “Okay, I’m up.”

Pinkie dropped off the ceiling, flipping gracefully before landing lightly on the floor. She made for the door. “I’ll see you downstairs!” she called over her shoulder.

“And that’s how I got over my soap addiction!” Pinkie said with a grin to the group gathered at a table on the main floor of the inn.

Twilight struggled to avoid laughing while she tried to swallow her mouthful of cider.

A piece of food fell out of Rainbow’s mouth when a guffaw burst out. “Pinkie! Not while I’m eating!”

Twilight managed to gulp down her drink without choking or snorting it up her nose. As soon as her airway was clear, she let go, laughing while she watched Rainbow try and remove the offending bit of dinner from her chainmail.

“Quiet for a second...” Applejack said.

Pinkie chortled. “What’s the matter, Rainbow, can’t keep clean?”

Applejack thumped the table. “Quiet!”

Twilight managed suppress her laughter to a quiet snicker. “What’s wrong?”

“Fluttershy is trying to say something,” Applejack said, indicating Fluttershy with a hoof.

The table finally went silent, and Fluttershy stood up to say, “Um... has anyone seen Rarity? She wasn’t in our room when I woke up.”

Twilight glanced around, noting that their headcount was one short. “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Spike either... has anyone seen her since she went into that outbuilding with the dragonscales?”

Out of nowhere, Rarity pounced on Applejack, grabbing the earth pony’s shoulders. “Applejack, you simply must come see what I’ve made!” Her eyes were bloodshot, and her mane was uncharacteristically disheveled.

Applejack recoiled, tensing. “What in the hay?”

“Rarity, did you sleep?” Twilight asked.

“Not a wink,” Rarity said while she tugged on a reluctant Applejack. “You can’t stop the muse, even if you’ve been up for a day straight.” She let go of Applejack and beckoned to everypony. “Come, come!”

Twilight stepped into the small outbuilding that Rarity led them to. Inside, what used to be a tool shed had been replaced by Rarity’s workshop, complete with a body-size mirror. A folded piece of Pyros’s scaled, magically cured skin rested on a table in the center of the room. The object that drew Twilight’s attention, however, was a set of dragonscale armor on a mannequin.

Rarity rushed over it, running her hooves over the lamellar layers of hide and scale that made up the armor. “Put it on Applejack! I need to make some final adjustments.”

“Wow, Rarity... this is...” Applejack said as she approached the armor.

Spike shifted in the corner of the room where he was putting Rarity’s sewing equipment into a bag. “It’s a bit morbid, if you ask me.”

Rarity shrugged. “It’s just like any other leather. He isn’t using it anymore.” She swept Spike into a hug. “Thanks for all your help, Spikey-wikey!” she said as she planted a kiss on his forehead.

Spike blushed. “No problem.”

“You did get permission to use this space, right?” Twilight asked.

Rarity nodded. “Absolutely! Bon-Bon was so grateful after we told her what happened, after all. She’ll get to keep the inn.”

Applejack held the faceplate. She rapped it with a hoof. “Isn’t it a little thick?”

“It’s much lighter than steel, so I spared nothing on protection. I had plenty of material to work with,” Rarity explained.

“How’d you manage to get this done so soon?” Twilight said.

Rarity smiled at Twilight. “A creative spark, a wonderful assistant, and a touch of magic.”

“So much sewing... Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a needle through a dragonscale?” Spike muttered, massaging his claws. “Diamond tipped or not...”

With Rarity’s help, Applejack strapped on the pieces of armor. Each one melded perfectly with her form. Thick multilayered plates defended critical areas. The joints were left open, protected by curtains of scales flexibly threaded together. The oversized left shoulder plate jutted up from the armor, providing a shield that Applejack could use to cover her face.

Rarity pressed a hoof into the plate covering one of Applejack’s sides. It compressed beneath her hoof. “I layered it to absorb impacts. Each scale folds under another.” She walked around Applejack, giving her a once over. “It looks like I got it almost right the first try. I’ll have to adjust some of the straps though. Hold still!”

“You’ve done enough today, Rarity. Take a break,” Twilight said.

“But I’m not finished!” Rarity whined. She attacked the straps holding the armor with zeal.

Applejack winced as one of the straps pinched her. “Ouch!”

“You really should sleep,” Fluttershy quietly said from the doorway.

“Sorry,” Rarity said. “It seems... I’ve lost a bit of precision. Don’t worry, I just need to refocus. I’m not tired.” She tightened another strap.

Applejack tensed, gritting her teeth. “Rarity!”

“Get some rest,” Twilight ordered.

“I don’t wanna!” Rarity complained, childishly prancing in place. She suddenly sagged, and the aura of her magic faded.

Twilight glanced over her shoulder and caught Fluttershy’s eyes glowing.

Rarity slowly settled down onto the ground. “Maybe... a quick nap wouldn’t be too bad...” Within a few seconds, she was snoozing peacefully, her head nestled in her forehooves.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened as the glow left them. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to make her do that. I just thought I should help her relax... I didn’t mean to use magic on her.”

Twilight rubbed her forehead with a hoof. “It was for her own good. We have plenty of time to get to Manehattan – the trip shouldn’t take more than a few days. We can leave tomorrow, after she gets some sleep.” She sighed. “We could all use a good night’s rest.”

Twilight Sparkle gathered with her friends in the courtyard as the morning sun peeked over the fortress’s wall. She remembered no dreams from that night, despite sleeping indoors. Ahead, two wagons rolled out the gate, each pulled by a pair of young ponies. At least twenty travelers clustered around the carts on their way out of the inn. Twilight fidgeted. She tried to be patient, but all she could think about was the road ahead – the path leading to the Black Knight.

“Why does there have to be so many?” Twilight muttered, sitting on the grass next to one of the worn paths criss-crossing the courtyard. “The Sun’s barely up.”

“I guess the word spread,” Rarity said. “Once they heard the Cloakwood Gang had dispersed, there’s nothing to keep them here.”

“Hey look! It’s the Dragonslayer!” One of the ponies shouted and pointed at Applejack.

Applejack shifted in her new suit of dragonscale armor. She awkwardly smiled and waved at the ponies exiting the gate. They cheered in response, and Applejack lowered her hoof. “I’m glad they aren’t swarming me,” she muttered out of the side of her mouth.

“Ponies need a hero,” Pinkie said.

Applejack looked down at her hooves. “All I did was finish what my Pa started. Don’t make me some storybook heroine.”

Rainbow groaned. “You killed a Dragon! Stop being so modest already. If it were me, I’d—”

“It was you, though,” Applejack interrupted. “Well, all of you.”

“It was your quest, Applejack, we just helped you finish it,” Rarity said.

Pinkie looped a foreleg over Applejack’s shoulders. “Don’t you worry, Applejack, Auntie Pinkie will make sure they get the story straight in the songs they’re gonna sing!”

Applejack raised an eyebrow at Pinkie. “Songs, huh?”

Pinkie nodded. “You betcha!”

Twilight turned her attention back to the gate. The lead cart cleared the drawbridge, and she stood up, ready to finally be on their way. Before she had made it three paces, one of the second wagon’s wheels slipped off the edge of the drawbridge; the axle hit the wooden planks with a thud, followed by shouts of surprise. Twilight plopped back onto her haunches with a frustrated groan.

She watched ponies jump off of the drawbridge into the ditch and push ineffectually at the wheel. “Careful! Don’t break the axle!” an elderly yellow unicorn shouted as she climbed off the wagon.

I’ve faced Demons and Dragons. A hundred ponies surrounding me tried to kill me, and I lived. This is what’s stopping me? A stuck wheel?! Twilight thought. With purpose, Twilight stood back up and advanced on the parked wagon. “Out of my way,” she snarled at the ponies blocking her path – one look at her sheathed blades and they moved aside.

Directly behind the cart, she planted her hooves on the drawbridge and closed her eyes. She focused, feeling her magic wrap around the wagon. What am I doing? she wondered. She’d never lifted something so big or so heavy with her levitation before. She started to pull upward, and startled gasps filled her ears as the wagon shifted.

Twilight cracked one eye open. The cart floated in front of her, a hoofspan off the drawbridge. The two ponies in the harnesses squirmed, their hooves barely in contact with the wood. She hardly felt the weight. Both eyes open, she levitated the wagon gently forward until all four wheels had cleared the drawbridge. Lifting the cart, ponies, cargo, and all, only became taxing when it was multiple ponylengths away from her. She eased the wagon onto the ground and let her magic fade.

I am that strong... she realized.

A nearby pony exuberantly clapped her on the back. “That was amazing, Twilight!” Pinkie said.

Twilight stared at the wagon while the ponies around her thanked and congratulated her. Was I always like this? she wondered. Or did I become this strong? Like with the rest of her magic, she’d never pushed her levitation to its limits; she’d never needed to. When my swords cut through armor, is it the sharpness of the blade, or the force behind it?

When the mare who had climbed down off the wagon extended her hoof, Twilight turned her gaze away from the cart. “Thank you so much for your help!” The mare said as Twilight took the offered hoof. “Never in all my days have I seen a unicorn as strong as you. You’re Twilight Sparkle, right? The one who dealt with the bandits?”

Twilight blinked, shaking the mare’s hoof. “Yeah.”

The mare released Twilight’s hoof and peered over her speckles. “Sorry, I have you at a disadvantage. My name’s Crystal Clear.” She smiled warmly. “I think we’ve met once before, though you probably don’t remember me.”

Crystal Clear... Twilight went over the name in her mind. It seemed familiar, somehow. Then, it clicked. She’d seen the name on the cover of a book. “Did you write ‘The Fall of the Old Crystal Empire’?” she asked, her eyes widening. Here, before her, was a renowned Canterlot scholar.

Crystal Clear chuckled. “I did. I’m glad to see somepony read my book in that dusty old archive.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes. “What’s wrong with Candlekeep?” They walked across the drawbridge while they talked, meeting up with the wagons on the far side.

“Nothing,” Crystal Clear said. “It’s a great archive. I spent a good deal of time there doing my research. It’s a terrible library though, very hard to get access. Books should be read by everypony, not just the elite.”

“It was pretty dusty, Twilight,” Pinkie commented.

Twilight relaxed. “I can’t disagree with that... I guess we met in Candlekeep?”

Crystal Clear nodded. “We ran into each other – literally.”

Twilight cringed. “Sorry.”

“Oh, you were little then.” Crystal Clear smiled. “It probably hurt you more than it hurt me.”

“I should warn you, I don’t know exactly what happened to the Cloakwood Gang. There could still be dangerous ponies lurking on the road... it’s only been a day; maybe you should wait a little longer before leaving,” Twilight said, glancing at her group. They were waiting for her beyond the wagons, except for Pinkie Pie. She couldn’t spot Pinkie anywhere.

“I can’t impose on Bon-Bon any longer. I ran out of funds for this little excursion three days ago, and we’ve been staying here on charity since.” Crystal Clear sighed. “We lost our supplies going through Cloakwood, and even though I didn’t have to pay for the mercenaries protecting us anymore, I spent most of our budget resupplying in town... at least the road between here and Ponyville is pretty safe.” She levitated her spectacles off the bridge of her nose, inspecting them.

“What happened to the mercenaries?” Twilight asked.

Crystal Clear’s face fell. “They ran, or died doing their jobs, while we fled.” She wiped some dirt off the lenses with a cloth. “There’s just one left, and if we run into trouble further down the road, I doubt we’d be so lucky again. Like you said, the Cloakwood Gang could still be a problem. They operated all along the Coast Road... some of them probably don’t even know what happened to their base of operations... but, I’ve got to risk it. I have to see if the reports of this Crystal Princess are true.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow at Crystal Clear. “Crystal Princess?”

“All these ponies here are traveling to see her.” Crystal Clear gestured at the group around them. “They say she’s an Alicorn, a demigod of old reborn in the flesh. If she’s real, I’d give anything for just a glimpse.”

Twilight blinked. “Where? What reports?”

“You haven’t heard of her?” Crystal Clear said, placing her spectacles back on her nose. “Even with all the trouble on the road, news got as far as Canterlot. Allegedly, she’s been stirring up a storm in Manehattan.” She peered at Twilight. “Have you been living underneath a rock?”

“Behind a wall, actually, and after that, on the road.” Twilight rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “I doubt any of the ponies I’ve spent much time with would have considered stories about an Alicorn in Manehattan important. It sounds like a fanciful rumor, at best.”

Crystal Clear shook her head. “I didn’t drag myself out of retirement for a rumor. Maybe there is no Alicorn, but something’s going on here, and I’m going to document it!” She grinned gleefully.

Twilight started when she glimpsed the edge of a hatchet flash in the sunlight, clutched in the talon of a black-feathered griffon lurking around the corner of one of the wagons. Pinkie stood next to him, chatting with another pony, apparently unaware. “Pinkie, behind you!” Twilight shouted, immediately stepping between the griffon and Crystal Clear while she drew her swords.

Pinkie turned, glanced at the griffon, and giggled. “You’re right, Twilight! You are behind me!”

The griffon didn’t even blink. “Is time to leave, ma’am,” he addressed Crystal Clear while he stepped fully into view. His accent was foriegn, his speech brief and clipped.

“Thank you,” Crystal Clear said. “Twilight, this is Blackwing. He’s paid to protect me.”

Twilight awkwardly sheathed her swords, the ponies around her staring at her. They must think I’m crazy... she thought.

Pinkie affectionately wrapped her forelegs around Blackwing’s neck. “He’s the bestest griffon ever! He’s the first one I’ve met who’s not a big meanie!”

Blackwing remained unfazed, even with Pinkie clinging to him.

“Ooh! I know! We could travel with him! We’re both headed for Manehattan!” Pinkie said.

“That’s... a great idea!” Twilight said, her excitement rising. “What do you say, Crystal Clear? We could protect your group on the road, and we could talk all about your books!” She grinned hopefully.

“I’m afraid we’d slow you adventurers down,” Crystal Clear said as she climbed into her wagon. “I’m not young like you; my knees aren’t made for long walks anymore. They have to cart me around now when I want to go places.”

“But...” Twilight stammered.

Crystal Clear held up a hoof. “If you want to travel alongside us, you’re more than welcome.” She smiled. “It’s not like I could stop you.”

Twilight walked leisurely alongside Crystal Clear’s wagon, cool beneath her cloak. A brook ran through a meadow beside the road, sparkling in the sunlight. Crystal Clear was right; her group of six would have made better time on its own, but she enjoyed the extra company, and taking the time for sights like these instead of marching at the best pace she could manage.

He can wait... she told herself, inhaling the scent of flowers on the breeze.

“So, following in Star Swirl’s tracks?” Crystal Clear said.

Twilight looked up at the old scholar. “Excuse me?”

Crystal Clear reclined on the wagon, rolling with the bumps in the road. She stared up at the sky. “You’re an adventurer, like he was, out solving the Sword Coast’s problems. You’re also a wizard, and a strong one, from what I’ve seen.”

“Did you know him?” Twilight asked.

“Not well, but he was pretty notable. Not many ponies have been called Archmage,” Crystal Clear said. “The thing that I remember most clearly is him chasing after a certain little filly, that beard of his a nice brown color.” She chuckled. “When I took another trip to Candlekeep two years later, it was half grey. How’s he doing, now?”

Twilight looked at the cobblestone beneath her hooves. “He’s dead.”

“Oh... when?”

“He was murdered about two weeks ago... It’s why I’m out here, ‘solving the Sword Coast’s problems’,” Twilight said bitterly. Two weeks, and it’s already been so long, she thought.

“I’m sorry... I didn’t know. Well, I’m certain Celestia would look out for a pony like him, and I’m sure he’s proud of you,” Crystal Clear said.

Twilight gritted her teeth. There was a knife in her side, and Crystal Clear had twisted it deeper. “Yeah...” she murmured.

Silence reigned until Blackwing stepped up beside Twilight. “Miss Twilight, you can help me, yes?” he asked.

Twilight blinked at him. “Um, yes?” she said.

“I thanking you. Come with me,” Blackwing said, darting off the road and into the meadow.

“Where’re we going?” Twilight called as she trotted after him.

“To stream!” he said over his shoulder as he ran through the meadow grass. He pulled to an abrupt stop beside the creek.

Twilight caught up with him and sat beside him. Blackwing studied the water intensely. “Do you see fishes?” he asked.

She followed his gaze. Suddenly, glittering scales broke the surface as a fish squirmed upstream through a shallow spot. Several others swam in the clear water. “Yes,” she said.

“Please, catch them,” he said.

Twilight raised an eyebrow at him and reached out with her levitation. It was a simple task to ensnare one of the fish and lift it out of the water. She floated it in front of her, watching its gills flex while it gasped for breath. It writhed in her grasp, nearly a hoofspan long, while it stared at her with cold, beady eyes.

“Now what?” she said.

She started to lower it back toward the water, but Blackwing’s talon shot out, snatching it out of the air. Before Twilight realized what was happening, he brutally slammed it against a rock beside the stream. While the fish lay on the rock, stunned, he pulled out his hatchet and bashed its head with the dull side.

“I eat good tonight!” he said gleefully. “Thank you, help me catch fish without getting wet!”

Twilight stared at the motionless fish on the rock. Did it have a soul? she wondered. Where did it go?

She remembered catching a rat once. The Cakes had been complaining about a rat in their cellar. She’d gone down there for a jar of jam, and caught it out in the open. The Cakes told her to let it go outside, and she said she would, but instead, she found somewhere secluded, and experimented. She’d killed it. She’d held it while it looked at her and snapped its neck, just to see what would happen. I didn’t understand... I was young, she told herself. It was what Star Swirl had said when he found out. I was young... she repeated.

“Catching more, please?” Blackwing said.

Twilight shook her head, trying to clear the memories. She turned away from the stream. “I’m sorry... I have to go,” she said. She trotted quickly back toward the road.

“That is okay. Not much ponies have stomach for hunting,” the griffon called after her.

She remembered Star Swirl saying ”Every life matters.” Star Swirl had told her the rat had a soul. If a rat has a soul, does a fish? she wondered. Did I just partake in the murder of a fish? Animals hunted each other. It was only natural. A few ponies, especially pegasi, liked fish. Does it matter? If it was alive, it would die from something.

Life matters, she thought. She knew that much. Something happened every time she killed, and it wasn’t good. But where is the line? she wondered. At some point, life had to come to an end. Sometimes, she was the one who had to end it. Did I really do the right thing when I let Gilda go?... Or Trixie? she asked herself. She didn’t think she’d ever know the answer.

Twilight sat next to a crackling fire, holding her cloak tight around her shoulders. She watched Blackwing’s three fish roast on a spit over the flames. Nearby, Blackwing scraped a whetstone along the edge of his hatchet, filling the crisp night air with a grating sound.

The bottom of the fish started to char, and Twilight glanced at Blackwing. “Um...” she said.

Blackwing glanced up from his hatchet at the fish. He set down the whetstone and wordlessly turned the spit, then calmly returned to sharpening the blade.

“It’s burning,” Twilight said.

“That is okay,” Blackwing said. “Best fish is burned on outside, raw on inside. Or Lutefisk.”

“Lutefisk?” Twilight asked, raising a brow.

“Lutefisk is fish preserved in lye. Is good with salt. I haven’t eaten Lutefisk in long time. Very common where I’m from,” Blackwing said while he tested the edge of his axe.

Rainbow Dash made a face from across the fire. “It sounds like you ruin fish.”

Blackwing shrugged. “Is good to me. I catch, so I cook the way I like, yes?”

“Whatever,” Rainbow said. “I don’t eat fish anyway... I mean, it’s pretty good if it’s cooked right, but...” Rainbow glanced at where Fluttershy was sitting next to another fire with Applejack and Rarity.

“Fluttershy wouldn’t like it if you did?” Twilight said.

“Yeah.” Rainbow sighed and turned back to the fire. “She’ll say she doesn’t mind, but she does.”

“I’ve never had fish, but charred fish doesn’t sound too bad...” Spike mused, curled beside Twilight.

Twilight chuckled. “You can have my share.” She focused on Blackwing. “Where are you from, anyway? Your accent is strange.”

“I am from creatively named island called Northfrost. Is cold, and north,” Blackwing said.

“And what brought you here?” Twilight asked.

Blackwing reached forward and finally pulled the spit off of the fire. “The currents. I floated to the Sword Coast on raft.”

“Why?” Twilight said.

Blackwing cut at one of the fish with his talons. “It too far to fly.”

“I think she means why’d you leave,” Rainbow said.

“Ah, yes...” Blackwing said. “Tragedy happen to my homeland. I had three choices. Fight and die for scraps, starve, or leave. I left.”

“What happened?” Twilight asked.

Blackwing tossed a piece of burned fish to Spike. “Well, ponies there once. My tribe grew on fish. Fight ponies. Eventually, we push them off island. We celebrated, and feasted on the ones who didn’t sail away.” He paused, tearing into one of his fish with his beak.

Twilight felt her stomach turn at the mention of griffons eating ponies. The fish in his beak could just as easily be a pony’s flesh. A shiver ran down her spine.

“You... ate... ponies?” Rainbow growled.

Blackwing shrugged as he swallowed his food. “They die in battle. Would be wrong to let go to waste. Is hunt. I don’t eat ponies anymore. This place different.”

Rainbow relaxed, but muttered something under her breath.

“After ponies gone, winter. Nothing to celebrate. We wait for summer. Food runs short. Six months, summer does not come. A year, summer does not come. Is long winter. Fish gone. Nothing but ice. My tribe kill and eat each other. I drag frozen-dead logs to edge of ice, dig up lutefisk, build raft, and leave. Find summer here. Live. Ponies gone, no summer. Ponies here, summer. Ponies bring summer, maybe,” Blackwing said.

He swallowed another chunk of fish. “I hear there griffon tribe in Cloudsdale. Maybe I join someday.” He shrugged. “Maybe better than lone mercenary.”

Somepony tapped Twilight on the shoulder. “Twilight, you’re up,” Pinkie said.

Twilight turned. “What?”

Pinkie smiled at her. “Patrolling the perimeter. You said we should do it, just to be safe. It’s your turn.”

Twilight nodded. “Right... thanks.” She picked herself up, checked to make sure she had her swords, and walked away from the warm fire to the edge of camp.

“See ya when you get back, Twi!” Spike called.

Patrolling beyond the glow of the fires, Twilight let her eyes adjust to the dark rather than rely on her horn. If there were thieves lurking in the night, it wouldn’t do much good to give away her position so blatantly. Laughter and conversation from the campsite lingered in her ears.

“The pink one gone?”

Twilight froze when a male voice, much closer, cut through the night.

“Yep. Time to get a closer look,” a second speaker, female, said quietly.

Brambles crackled, and two ponies emerged from a thicket. They crouched low and moved quickly toward the camp. Twilight waited, stock still, until they passed her in the night. She lost track of them a few seconds later. Letting out a breath she’d been holding, she cast a spell, and a cloak of invisibility descended over her.

Her hoof-falls silenced by the magic, she trotted after the scouts. Don’t spook them, see what they’re up to, she told herself. She scanned ahead, her eyes peering into the darkness, but saw nothing. Can’t lose them, she thought, and moved faster. Her hoof suddenly struck something warm, and she tripped. She fell silently, the impact muted by the spell, but not painlessly. Her left shoulder bashed against a rock as she hit the ground.

“What the hell was that?” the stallion hissed in the darkness.

Gritting her teeth to hold back a pained groan – unlike the spell Star Swirl had used to hide her, this one still allowed her to speak – Twilight picked herself up. She caught a glimpse of a metal blade flashing in the moonlight.

“What’re you talking about?” the mare said. “Put that away, and be quiet.”

The voices came from two dark patches on the ground. After looking carefully, Twilight made out the outline of two ponies hidden beneath their cloaks. The glint vanished, and she heard the brush of fabric on metal.

“Did you hit me?” the stallion asked.

“You’re crazy, focus,” the mare answered. “See the armor that one is wearing?”

Twilight glanced at the camp. Sure enough, Applejack was in plain view, her armor glittering in the firelight.

“Looks fancy. I wonder what animal it’s made out of. Wouldn’t want to tangle with her.”

“She’s just one pony. See the pegasus with the funny mane?”

“You mean the hot mane,” the stallion said.

“She and the griffon are about the only other ones who look threatening. Should be easy pickings,” the mare said, probably rolling her eyes. “Let’s go.”

Twilight hesitated a moment as they crawled backwards. If she went back to tell her friends, she risked losing them. If she took them captive and interrogated them, they were as likely to lie as tell the truth. I’ll follow them to their camp, and come back when I find it, she decided as they got to their feet.

Soon, she was weaving through trees after them. They moved swiftly, obviously experienced at running through woodlands after dark, and she received a couple new bruises in as many minutes keeping up with them. With her spell, silencing her missteps they were none the wiser.

They flitted out of sight as she dodged around the trunk of a tree. When she tried to find them again, they weren’t where she expected them to be. She rushed forward a couple more steps and nearly ran into a pony sitting on a root. Unable to stop in time, she stepped over him and silently stumbled sideways into another tree.

“Report,” a mare said sharply as Twilight recovered. She spotted the speaker addressing the scouts where they’d stopped a few paces back and instinctively tucked herself close to the trunk.

“‘Bout thirty of them, all told. Three, maybe four who look like they’d be tough in a fight,” the first scout, the mare, said.

Twilight glanced around, counting ponies that she could see. Ten of them were in full view, not including the scouts and the leader. I must’ve stumbled right into the middle of them, she realized. They were hidden in the shadows with no lights or fires to give them away. This was no distant camp; they were ready to strike.

“Good... Alright gang, scouts are back, nothing we can’t handle. We’re doing this thing, then we’ll head back to Cloakwood,” the leader said, raising her voice for the entire group to hear.

Four more moved into sight, bringing Twilight’s count to seventeen total. All of them carried weapons at the ready, and wore an assortment of armor. She turned, about to leave, in the hopes of making it back to warn her friends before the bandits arrived, when another thought occurred to her.

I could fight them here...

She weighed the option, knowing each moment she spent considering made it less likely that she’d be able to beat them back to camp. It’d be less risky, no innocents in the line of fire, and no chance that they’d make it there first. As long as I’m careful, they’re hardly a threat to me, she reasoned. Am I being proud? she wondered. No, confident.

“On me,” the leader said, moving forward.

Twilight was out of time. She opened her mouth, about to give them an opportunity to surrender, but before she could, the stallion scout said, “If the rainbow maned mare is still alive, I call her!”

The leader laughed, readying a bow in a field of magic as she trotted forward, “Relax, stud. She’s got three holes. If she’s alive after the fight’s over, I’m sure you’ll get a shot at one.”

Twilight furrowed her brows. Some of them will get a chance... to run, she thought. She moved into position beside the leader, in the bandits’ midst. Her first strike had to count; as soon as her swords were drawn, they’d be visible. She was prepared, but she hesitated, the memory of the voice in the mines telling her to kill nagging at her.

No, this is my choice, she told herself. This is the right option, the safest option.

She drew her swords. Solstice, the shorter, unsheathed faster, and with it, she cleaved through one of the stallion scout’s legs. A split second later, Celestial Fury followed, splitting his head from his shoulders. She carried through with the motion, arcing the floating blade through the air, until she split the leader’s horn and bit into her skull.

”Yes!” a voice cried in her mind, dripping with glee at the blood running down her blade. She couldn’t tell if it was hers or not.

Screams of fear and confusion surrounded her as the stallion’s head rolled on the ground. While she pulled Celestial Fury free, she stabbed Solstice into the ribcage of the next closest bandit, the mare scout, easily punching a hole through her leather armor. She twisted Solstice inside the mare while she swung Celestial Fury at another pony.

She aimed for the neck, but she still hadn’t fully mastered manipulating both blades at once. Her stroke went low, Celestial Fury carved a brutal path below her target’s shoulders, through ribs, armor, and sternum, without pause or effort. As the pony fell, blood surging from the wound, one of the bandits swung wildly at the space between her swords with a flail fixed to the end of his tail while he backpedaled.

She ripped Solstice free, the mare screaming in agony, and batted the flail aside. Stepping forward, she claimed another head with Celestial Fury. She searched for her next target. The remaining bandits were running, fleeing the floating swords of an invisible reaper.

Safe from attack, she drew on her magic, breaking her invisibility by casting the spell. Flames surged around her forehooves. She slammed them into the ground, and a nova of fire exploded out. The spell didn’t harm her, but the brightness forced her eyes closed.

When she opened her eyes, blackened earth and scorched tree trunks surrounded her. At the edge of the ring of destruction, flames smoldered. Eight new charred corpses lay on the ground near the edge of the blast. Counting the five she’d killed with her swords, only four escaped into the night.

I could have let them go... she thought. Why’d I cast that spell?

She looked up to make sure she hadn’t set the canopy alight, and saw a charred, headless body dangling from the branches. All I did was give them what they deserved, she told herself. She turned and headed back towards camp. She knew – no matter their crimes – she’d executed the ones who were running, what she’d let Gilda go to avoid.

Why’d it feel so good? she wondered.

Twilight paused on the grass between the camp and the forest, hearing the sound of her friends calling her name.

“Twilight!”

“Twilight, ya’ out there!”

“Here!” she answered, approaching the firelight.

When she reached the edge of the light, Applejack intercepted her. “Why didn’t ya’ answer sooner! We were—” Applejack paused, staring at her face. “What happened to you?”

“Nothing, sorry. Nature called, and I went too far I guess...” she said, chuckling nervously.

“Twilight, there’s blood on your cheek,” Applejack said.

Twilight touched a hoof to her face. It came away stained with red. She stared at it.

“What aren’t you telling me?” Applejack asked.

“I... uh... scraped it... in the dark,” Twilight lied.

Applejack glared at her. “Don’t lie to me, Twilight. That’s no cut. Tell me what happened.”

I dunno, Applejack, I killed twelve ponies, and I liked it, Twilight thought bitterly. How do I tell her? She sighed. “Look, I didn’t plan it, but... I got in a fight, alone.”

“A fight? Are you okay, darling?” Rarity said.

“I’m... I’m fine,” Twilight said. She tore her gaze away from her bloodstained forehoof and looked up. Second to find her, Rarity stared at her with concern. If she knew what I did, she wouldn’t look at me like I was a victim, Twilight thought.

“Why’d you fight alone? Why didn’t you get help? What happened?” Applejack said, stepping closer.

Because it was safer to deal with on my own... nopony else could get hurt, Twilight thought. She avoided Applejack’s eyes. She opened her mouth, searching for the right words, but Rarity saved her.

“Applejack, stop interrogating her!” Rarity moved to Twilight’s side, leaning into her comfortingly while she glared at Applejack. “She’s obviously shaken.” She turned to Twilight. “Come on, we’ll get you some rest, and you can tell us all about it in the morning. They won’t be a problem anymore, will they?”

“They won’t,” Twilight said.

Twilight sat next to a fire with a mug of tea. She inhaled the steam, purging the crisp air from her lungs. Her dream that night was still burned in her mind. It wasn’t like the others. No spectre haunted her. In a way, that made it worse. She remembered it clearly:

She stared at her forehooves. Red clung to them. They would never be clean again. She laughed. She wanted more. There, a white unicorn in front of her, in the center of a shadowy room. He had a black thorn in his chest, buried in his heart. He stood before the monster, valiant. She lunged, teeth and fury, and he was powerless before her. She tore the thorn from him, savoring its taste as she swallowed it. Power surged within her. She cast the body aside; it was worthless to her.

Wings of shadow spread from her shoulders. She gazed upward at her ascension. Twelve black feathered wings shrouded out all light from the sky above, radiating from a blazing red central eye. No Sun could reach her now. She started to rise. The eye opened, revealing a maw of sharp bloody teeth.

The Moon flashed, a full silver orb, pure and radiant. It blew aside the wings, leaving only a flurry of feathers falling around her. She stopped rising. Above, she saw her mark blazing in the sky, the five lights of her friends around it.

She held the warm cup in her hooves and brought it to her lips, taking a sip. The dawn behind her flashed on the surface of the liquid, forcing her to close her eyes for a moment. Her mark blazed as an afterimage. She blinked, and it was gone. In my dreams, I’m a monster. In the light, I don’t know what I am... she mused.

Was the Black Knight trying to kill a monster? she wondered.

“So, how many were there?” Rainbow asked. She, and the rest of her friends, were sitting around the fire with Twilight.

There’s no use hiding, Twilight decided. “Seventeen, I killed thirteen, four fled,” she said.

Rarity gasped. Fluttershy’s eyes went wide. Of all of them, Pinkie seemed strangely calm.

“You fought seventeen bandits? Alone?!” Applejack yelled, concern in her eyes. “What were you thinking?!”

Twilight met Applejack’s gaze. “They were ready to attack the camp. I didn’t have enough time to go back for help, and I had the opportunity to fight them without risking any other lives.”

“Why didn’t I feel anything?” Spike said, bewildered.

Twilight shrugged. “I never felt like I was in danger, and you certainly weren’t anywhere risky, since you weren’t with me. You might have felt something if you went back to the Celestial Plane, warning you not to join me.”

“Never... felt like you were in danger...” Applejack fumed, rising to her hooves and glaring at Twilight. “Twilight, that’s dangerous talk.”

“It’s true,” Twilight said. “I’ve finally pushed my limits, Applejack. I know where they are. They were not a threat to me. Only one of them even realized what was happening before he died. I was invisible, and they were helpless.” She stared back at Applejack, unwavering. “I’m not weak anymore. I’m not scared. I don’t hesitate. I don’t hold back. I kill, and I’ll kill everyone and everything that I have to. I’ll protect those that need protecting, and I’ll make those responsible for murdering Star Swirl pay.”

She sipped her tea.

Rainbow looked into the fire, settled on her haunches. “That’s cold, Twilight.”

Applejack took a step back. “I’m... I’m not sure if I should be proud, or horrified.”

“Both, neither... does it matter?” Twilight frowned. “I am what I am. I was innocent, once, and the Black Knight stripped that away from me... Now, I’m a killer. Maybe that’s horrifying, but sooner or later, something would have happened. Star Swirl couldn’t protect me from the world forever. It’s just the way things are.”

Twilight looked up at her friends, focusing on each of them in turn. “There’s something about me; there’s a reason why so much is being invested in trying to kill me, and the time has come for me to face that darkness. I’m just glad I have friends to face it with, if you’re still with me despite what I’ve become.”

“Through eternity,” Pinkie said immediately.

“I’m not gonna let you down.” Rainbow smiled. “We had a deal, remember?” she added jokingly.

“I’ll help you get to the bottom of this,” Rarity rose up and placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “No matter what it takes.”

Fluttershy looked up, her mane falling aside, revealing both her eyes, intense and focused. “You’re my friend. You made me feel like I belonged, and I’m not going to let anything happen to my friends if I can stop it.”

“I’m glad I’m with you, Twilight,” Applejack said with resolve. “You’ve got a good heart.”

Do I, Applejack? Twilight wondered. Still, a warmth spread through her, and she smiled. This is my family, and they won’t let me go, she thought. “Thank you all... it means a lot to me, to hear that,” she said. She glanced at Spike. “What about you?”

“Twilight, come on. I’m your familiar.” He hugged her. “I’m always going to be here.”

Twilight nuzzled him. “I hope so.”

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Preread by: Extravagaunte
Editor: The Music Man

Flaming Wing

Flaming Wing

Twilight stopped, muttering, and lifted her hoof. With a flick of magic, she tossed aside a stone that had dug uncomfortably into her heel. “Four days...” she grumbled.

“We’re getting close,” Applejack said, beside her.

Twilight gazed out at the patchwork of sunlit farmland sprawling around the Coast Road. The rest of the journey had been much the same – farms and villages interspersed with tracts of unclaimed land. “How do you know?” she asked, turning to look at Applejack.

“I’ve been here before,” Applejack said simply. She pointed down the road. It sloped upward into the distance, wide and almost rigidly straight. Ahead, a couple of farmers pulled carts full of goods towards them. “See that ridge up ahead?”

Twilight nodded, noting the spot where the road crested the hill.

“On the far side of that is Rigger’s Cove, and the Bridge of the Gods – and across the bridge, the City of Manehattan,” Applejack said. “We might be there by sundown.”

Twilight stepped forward again, sniffing the air, smelling the hint of salt in the air. “When did you visit Manehattan?”

“A long time ago... a bit after my parents died,” Applejack said wistfully. “I came here to live with my Aunt and Uncle Orange.”

“Why?” Twilight asked. “Wasn’t Granny Smith taking care of you?”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah.” She looked ahead. “I just had to get away... I wanted a different life. I thought I did, anyway.” She kicked a small pebble off the road. “It was tough without my Ma and Pa... I thought the city would be different.”

“And it wasn’t,” Twilight said.

“It wasn’t. It hurt just as much there as anywhere else. The Oranges were... nice... but they didn’t understand, not the way my Granny did. It took me awhile to figure out what I really wanted,” Applejack said. “One morning, I saw a rainbow in the distance, pointing the way back towards Ponyville, and I realized two things.” She pulled off her hat while she walked, and looked at the scale on the brim. “First, I wanted to be just like my Pa, and second, I wanted to kill a Dragon. There was one pony that could help me do those things, and that was my Granny.”

Applejack put her hat back on, staring forlornly at the cobble as it passed by. “Turns out, I’ll never be my Pa.” She turned to Twilight and smiled. “I did kill a Dragon though, thanks to you.”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah... we did... where do we go from there?” she said, staring ahead.

“We’re gonna get this Black Knight, right?” Applejack said with a grin.

Twilight felt a smile lift the corners of her mouth. “Right.” She glanced over her shoulder. Crystal Clear’s group trundled along behind them. She didn’t regret traveling with the scholar, even though her conversations with her were not as enlightening as she had hoped; often, her questions were answered with more questions. She shook her head, not wanting to think about what would have happened to the group of ponies if she’d chosen to travel faster than Crystal Clear.

“So, what do you make of this Crystal Princess business?” Twilight asked. If anypony could give her a level opinion, it was Applejack.

“I don’t rightly know,” Applejack said. “I mean, I’ve heard rumors, but they sound like wishful thinking at best. I guess we won’t know for sure until we get to the city and can see her for ourselves.”

“I think she’s very clever.”

Twilight started at the voice in her other ear. “Rarity, don’t do that!” she shouted irritably.

“Sorry, Twilight. Didn’t mean to startle you,” Rarity said. “A little bit of talent with illusion magic... or maybe she paid for a spell, and voilà – wings,” Rarity continued as if nothing had happened. “Suddenly, you’ve got the populace buzzing and the ear of the nobility. Ingenious.”

“Well, what if they’re real?” Pinkie said.

“Argh!” Twilight groaned. “Both of you!”

“Pssh, not likely,” Rarity said dismissively.

“Well, they could be.” Pinkie sulked as she trotted up beside Applejack from the road behind.

Twilight shook her head. “The gods aren’t coming back, Pinkie, even if we want them to. They’re too busy,” she said bitterly. She still hasn’t answered my letter, Twilight thought. Probably avoiding my questions.

“By busy, you mean dead, right Twilight?” Applejack asked.

“Except for one,” Twilight said.

Applejack shrugged. “Granny always said Celestia had a good reason for not bein’ around.”

Twilight kicked at a pebble. Granny Smith too, huh? she thought. “Yeah,” she said. If Celestia has a good answer, why doesn’t she just tell me? she wondered. Instead, here she was, her father dead, and the power of the Sun nowhere to be found. Why does killing Dragons and fighting Demons come down to us? She glanced at Celestial Fury’s hilt. Why can’t Celestia carry her sword herself?

A shout broke Twilight from her thoughts. “Halt, in the name of the Flaming Wing!” She looked up. Four pegasi in Flaming Wing uniforms descended from above, pressing two captives, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, toward the ground. A fifth Flaming Wing pegasus hovered above, her plume larger than the rest.

Twilight laced her magic around her swords warily as the Flaming Wing squad landed. She watched her captured friends with concern; the two pegasi had flown on ahead to stretch their wings and were supposed to be waiting up the road. Rainbow was disarmed. She had a black eye, and her lip was split from a vicious blow. At least Fluttershy was largely unharmed, but Twilight didn’t see Angel.

“Sorry, Twilight. I tried to make a break for it and warn you, but—” Rainbow said.

One of Rainbow’s captors clubbed her in the back of the head with a hoof. “Shut up!”

“Twilight Sparkle, you and your associates are under arrest. We have you surrounded. If you do not drop your weapons and submit, we will use deadly force,” the commander announced.

Twilight glanced to the sides. To her left, four pegasi emerged from a wheat field. To her right, another four approached in the air, skimming low over freshly tilled dirt. Further off, eight more took to the air from behind a farming cottage. Twenty-one, counting their leader. Her swords hummed to her. A list of choice spells formed in her mind.

“What are the charges?!” Applejack shouted.

“All you need to know is that you’re under arrest,” the commander said. “Submit. I can assure you you will be treated fairly.”

Twenty-one heads... Twilight mused. She could have them as surely as the Sun rose at dawn. She remembered her first nightmare since Star Swirl died, where the Black Knight beheaded the residents of Candlekeep. How many heads will I have when this is over? How deep will my ocean of blood be? she wondered. Her friends were readying their weapons around her, waiting for her to make a decision that would end the standoff.

She looked at the pegasi again. They were on the ground now, landed and arrayed around her, with wings flared and wingblades ready. These weren’t bandits. Brutes, maybe, but not rapists or murderers. There has to be a better way, a better choice, than killing them, she thought.

“We’ll submit,” Twilight said. She slowly drew her swords, and lowered them to the road. She could pick them up in an instant if she changed her mind. Her friends’ weapons clattered to the ground as they followed suit, though Twilight noticed that only Rarity’s bow was on the road; her daggers were nowhere to be found.

“Good choice,” the commander said, hovering above Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. “Now push them over here... especially you unicorns.”

Twilight gritted her teeth, hesitating.

“Your possessions will be returned to you when and if your incarceration ends,” the commander said.

Twilight sent her swords skittering across the cobble towards the pegasi. Her friends kicked their weapons over. Immediately, the Flaming Wing soldiers swarmed in, roughly jostling her and pushing her to the ground. “We’re cooperating, now what are we charged with!” Twilight shouted.

“Murder, two counts, of officers of the law. Resisting arrest, one count. Aiding and abetting a grand theft, one count. You’re also the last ponies to meet with Lord Ruby, and as such you are charged with murder of nobility,” the commander said. “You ponies are going to hang,” she added with a grin.

Twilight felt manacles clasp around her hind legs. A soldier leaned on her neck, forcing her head to the ground. Another rummaged through her packs, searching her. “Wait! Bronze Fury killed the soldiers!” she shouted desperately. She pulled the ring out of her pack with her levitation.

Smack!

The ring landed on the stone beside her with a soft clink. Vibrations reverberated through her skull, and she groaned in pain. Somepony had hit her in the horn: hard. A soldier picked the ring up and tossed it to the commander. She snatched it out of the air with a hoof. “Ahh, his nose ring.” She smiled. “We’ll see if this makes it to court.” She pocketed the ring. “And, she tried to do magic, make that two counts of resisting arrest.” Her smile shifted to a smirk. “Get a suppressor on that unicorn A.S.A.P!” She ordered.

“You lying pile of manure!” Applejack roared.

The soldier holding her down clamped something heavy around her horn. Immediately, she felt like her mind was buried underneath a pile of blankets – warm and suffocating. She gasped. Darkness crept at the edges of her vision.

The last thing she heard before she lost consciousness was: “Round up the other group! They could have information.”

“Yes, Commander Lightning Dust!”

The Bag of Holding engulfed Twilight Sparkle in her nightmare.

She sucked nothing through her nostrils. She couldn’t breath. It was a slow agony, as she floated in nowhere, her sense of being drifting away. Am I dead? she wondered. She dismissed the thought. She couldn’t be dead and dying at the same time.

There was a glimmer, the mouth of the bag, and with a surge of desperate power, she reached for it.

Crack!

Twilight flickered back to consciousness. Somepony screamed in her ear. She slumped off the back of the pony carrying her and hit smooth stones. She bit her lip as her face smacked into the rocks and the irony taste of blood filled her mouth. She smelled brine, and waves crashed in the distance. Beyond that, she felt a vast ocean of power, once again open to her.

She opened her eyes. Beside her, a Flaming Wing soldier writhed, a spike of metal lodged in her eye, fluids and blood dripping from it. She was screaming.

“What the hell happened?” somepony shouted.

“Get another suppressor on her!” Lightning Dust ordered.

“Twilight!” Pinkie Pie cried.

A shadow fell over her. Blinking, she looked up, and saw the silhouette of an armored pegasus against the bright blue sky, a cylindrical object in his mouth. Suppressor... not again! she thought, terrified.

She lashed out with her levitation and cast the soldier aside. He yelped, followed by the crunch of armor on stone and a sickening snap. There were two ponies screaming in pain now. She gathered her limbs underneath her, trying to stand. Where are my swords? she wondered.

A pony smashed into her side, and chainmail links pinched her fur. A pair of limbs wrapped around her neck, forcing her down. She yelled and tried to throw her assailants off with a surge of magic, but one struck her in the horn as soon as the glow lit it.

“Stop! Can’t you see that it’s killing her?!” Fluttershy screamed. “She’s just trying to live!”

Something clasped around her horn, and her world went dark again.

A hoof caressed Twilight’s cheek, and she opened her eyes. Her head rested on a rough mattress. A metal cylinder wrapped in a blue aura floated beside her. She looked up and saw a white unicorn standing over her. “Rarity?” she breathed, hoarse.

Rarity nodded. “Quiet now, Twilight,” she whispered, her hoof dropping away. She opened the cylinder, revealing a hinge and a hole just wide enough for a unicorn horn. Abjuration runes were inscribed on the inside of the suppressor. With one of her daggers, Rarity scored a line through the runes, then broke the pin that locked it around a unicorn’s horn.

“It shouldn’t work quite so well anymore. I’m going to need to put this back on you, or else they’ll put another one on. Are you ready?” Rarity said softly.

Twilight swallowed and nodded, closing her eyes. The metal cylinder clasped around her horn, unlocked, but attached, and she felt nothing. She sighed with relief and looked back up at Rarity. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Rarity held a hoof to her lips, glancing to the side. Twilight followed her gaze. Beyond the foot of the low cot she lay on, she saw the metal bars of an open cell door set into the stone wall. Across the hall was a nearly identical cell. In the shadows beyond that cell’s door she thought she glimpsed Fluttershy. Voices echoed from outside.

“Mind if I take the food?” the first, a mare, said.

“Would you? You’re a godsend. My shift was about to end, this is the last tray, and I’d like to stay as far away from that purple unicorn as possible. Did you hear she broke a suppressor? Isn’t that supposed to be impossible?” a second voice, male, answered.

“She did it; I was there. How do you think I got this bandage?” the first speaker said.

Rarity moved to the cell door. She hid beside it and gently swung it shut. Her magic laced around the lock, and it clicked.

“This whole thing is weird... she’s been in a coma since they brought her in. They’re not supposed to react like that,” the second speaker said. “Say... you sure you’re supposed to be on duty? That looks pretty bad...”

“I’m not... I’m gonna take her eye, just in case she makes it,” the mare spitefully said.

“Ah, gotcha... well, take the tray, I didn’t hear nuthin’,” the stallion said. Twilight heard the clop of hooves ascending a stone staircase.

A second set of hooves moved toward her. The mare whistled softly to herself, and keys jingled. As the hoofsteps loomed closer, Twilight closed her eyes and pretended to still be unconscious. The mare stopped, and a tray clacked in the corridor.

A key clacked on metal. “Dammit,” the mare muttered. The keys clinked, then the lock clicked. Twilight opened one eye a slit. The mare swung the door open, a bloodstained bandage covering one of her eyes. Rarity lurked beside the door, her back pressed to the cold stone, her daggers ready.

The mare stepped through the door. “You’re pretty... this is going to be a shame,” she said, eyeing Twilight while she drew a dagger from a sheath at her shoulder. “I’m going to give you a sc—” Rarity’s dagger pierced her neck, right at the base of the skull. She dropped instantly, her last breath whispering out of her mouth. Rarity used her levitation to ease the body quietly to the floor. After pulling her dagger free, Rarity pushed the body under Twilight’s cot with a combination of hooves and magic.

Twilight realized she’d never seen Rarity actually kill another pony before, but the dressmaker did it with apparent ease and precision.

“They shoulda put a suppressor on you too...” Twilight whispered, managing a small smile.

“Oh, they did. First thing I did once they were gone was pry it off,” Rarity grinned. “Now, Twilight, you’ll have to work some wizardry to hide this body, when you’re feeling up to it. You have a few hours before another guard comes down here.” She looked Twilight over. “You’re probably in no condition for casting now, but when you’re recovered, don’t cast an Invisibility spell and try to escape. You need to sit tight while I arrange somewhere safe for us, or we’ll be running through the streets chased by the entire Flaming Wing.”

She stepped towards the open door. “Bide, Twilight... and remember, you’re in a coma. Pinkie and I will be back soon,” Rarity said.

“Rares, are you sure we can’t bring them with us?” Pinkie hissed from the corridor.

“It’ll work best if it’s just us two, Pinkie,” Rarity answered with a hint of remorse. “We’ll be able to slip away without raising an alarm until they find the cells empty.” She closed the cell door behind her and locked it. A moment later, she slid a tray through a gap in the bars, a bowl of gruel and bowl of water on it. “Don’t eat this,” Rarity said.

“Ya’ll go, you’re the sneakiest,” Applejack said from an out of sight cell.

“Get us out soon!” Rainbow said, her intense whisper carrying down the corridor.

Twilight lurched off of the cot, manacles around her hooves clanking. She made her way to the cell door to get a look outside.

“Remember, everypony, we’re selfish criminals that left you behind,” Rarity said. And with that, she was gone, trotting silently off down the corridor.

Pinkie quietly stepped down the corridor. She paused in front of Twilight’s door and slipped a hoof between the bars. “I’ll be right back, Twilight, Pinkie promise.”

Twilight smiled, meeting Pinkie’s hoof with her own. “I’ll see you soon, Pinkie.”

Then, Pinkie was gone too.

Twilight sighed, settling back onto her haunches. She sniffed the gruel, a featureless white paste, by the door, and her stomach turned. Even if she could eat while she was supposed to be comatose, she wouldn’t want that. Before her eyes, a cockroach skittered across the floor and climbed up the edge of the bowl of gruel. The water was tempting though.

“You okay, Twilight?” Fluttershy said softly from across the hall, her voice filled with concern.

“I’ll live,” Twilight said. She lifted up her forehooves, awkward with them chained together, and rubbed one of her eyes. She felt drained; Rarity was right, she was in no shape to work magic. She’d need at least a couple hours of sleep before she could even consider casting spells.

“Thirsty? Go ahead and drink. I can refill the water,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight nodded. “Thanks,” she said, leaning down to lap at the water. As soon as it touched her mouth, she sucked it down greedily until the bowl was empty, then licked her swollen bottom lip. When the bowl was empty, Fluttershy’s eyes glowed, pulling water out of the air to refill the bowl.

“I can’t believe they did that to you,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight shrugged, turning. She glanced at the body under the bed. “They were scared...”

“So were you,” Fluttershy said.

“We tried to stop them,” Rainbow said from a cell down the corridor. “But, we weren’t in much of a position to... you looked bad, Twilight.”

Something caught Twilight’s eye, and she looked up. She saw the orange glow of sunset over the tops of buildings out a narrow grate set high in the wall of her cell. Mercy... all it got us was stuck in here, she thought. “I’m sorry, everypony... we could have fought.”

“I think we did the right thing,” Fluttershy said confidently.

“If we’d fought, then what?” Applejack asked. “How many Flaming Wing ponies would we have to kill? Would they have brought us down eventually? You made the right call, Twilight. We just need to rely on Rarity to get us out of this.”

Twilight blinked, staring at the grate. She was certain she’d seen a glimmer of green. A moment later, Spike appeared next to her. He wrapped his arms around her foreleg, tears in his eyes. “Twilight! You’re alive!”

Twilight nuzzled him. “You were gone, and then you flickered back for a second, and then you were gone again... nothing,” Spike said, sniffling.

“I made it,” Twilight said calmly. “It’s good to see you, but if you want to stay here, you need to be sure to leave if guards come. It’d only cause problems if they saw you.”

Spike nodded. “I won’t let them see me,” he said. He looked under the bed, and his eyes widened. “Is that a body?”

“Yes. I’ll deal with it later,” Twilight said. She looked up at the grate again, a plan forming in her mind.

Twilight hefted the weight of corpse on her back, scrunching up her nose at the smell. She focused on a point beyond the grate, outside. It’s just a hop, skip, and a jump, she told herself. She closed her eyes, and with a spell, ripped a hole in reality.

Crack!

She opened her eyes. Above her, a dome of stars glittered. Instinctively, she flailed at air. She was falling. Her hooves struck mud, and she caught herself, but the corpse slumped off her back and landed with a wet plop.

It worked! she thought with glee, looking around. She stood in the middle of a muddy alley, a towering fortress wall on one side, and a row of townhouses on the other. Nearby, at the base of the wall, she could see the grate that let air into her prison cell. She silently thanked the mason who put it there; without it, she wouldn’t have been able to see where she was teleporting, and the Dimension Door spell wouldn’t have worked.

She picked up the muddy body in her levitation. The further I get this away from the prison, the better, She thought. She wanted it to look like an alley robbery gone wrong. The mare wasn’t supposed to be on duty, after all.

She crept down the alley a short distance, her chains clinking, until she reached a gap between the buildings. A deserted, debris filled corridor barely a pony wide cut between the structures. She cautiously slipped down it, the body behind her. When she reached the end, she checked the street beyond. It was dark and empty, poorly lit by an oil lamp at an intersection half a block away. In the other direction, she heard water sloshing. She hesitated a moment, then flitted down the street as fast as she could with her legs chained together, keeping close to the buildings. The clop of her hooves on the cobblestone was deafening in the silence.

She passed by first-story shops, a sign in window of the building by the passage catching her eye; ’Bakery,’ it read. Ahead, the street terminated at a narrow channel, the dark, choppy water flashing in the sparse light. She paused at the corner where the street met a path that ran alongside the channel and looked both ways. Beneath a footbridge, flames glowed where two vagrants hunkered on the narrow strip of land next to the channel, warming themselves. They were a good distance away, so Twilight stepped forward and slipped the body into the water.

That’ll do, she thought.

She took the opportunity to relieve herself in the gutter running alongside the street rather than use the meager bucket provided in her cell, hoping that the guards wouldn’t look too close if they found her bed unsoiled. On the way back, she paused in front of the bakery and peered through the windowpane. Beyond, loaves sat on a shelf marked ’yesterday’. Her mouth watered.

She pried a loose cobblestone free and floated it beside her while she eyed the loaves. Stealing is supposed to be wrong... she thought. Swallowing her saliva, she drove the rock through the window, and it shattered with a crash. There is no black and white, only grey, she told herself.

After brushing aside shards of glass, she carefully clambered through the broken window. She found a basket and filled it with bread from the shelf. With a pang of guilt, she climbed back out the window, basket in her mouth.

“Oi! What’re you doing?” someone shouted from down the street.

Twilight’s eyes widened when she saw a pegasus in a Flaming Wing uniform beneath the streetlamp half a block away, looking in her direction. Panicking, she slipped between the buildings, moving as fast as she could, and reached the fortress wall. He can’t see the shackles in the dark, she told herself.

“Dammit!” the guard shouted in annoyance from the passage, probably moments behind her. “Why do they always have to run?”

Twilight spotted the grate. One more time, she thought, hurriedly casting her second prepared Dimension Door. In the blink of an eye, before the soldier reached the alley, she was back in her cell.

Agitated cursing filtered in through the grate when her pursuer found the alley empty.

Twilight sat near the door to her cell, chewing on half a loaf of bread. She’d distributed the food to her friends using her levitation. Nopony mentioned the fact that it was stolen, not even Applejack. She rubbed at her ankles. The manacles had scraped her skin when she ran. Already, her coat was starting to chafe away, leaving bands of sparse fur where the metal rested.

“I can fix that... after we get out,” Fluttershy said.

“Thanks,” Twilight said, looking up. Fluttershy nibbled her bread close to the door of her cell. Twilight glanced at Spike resting on the cot. “Say, Fluttershy, where’s Angel?”

“I didn’t want him to fight the Flaming Wing ponies so I sent him away,” she said. “He’s fine... he’ll find me again,” she added with certainty. “He always does.”

Twilight nodded. “I’m sure he will,” she said.

“Sun’ll be up soon,” Applejack said. “Guards are bound to check on us come morning. Remember everypony, we need to act like we hate the two ponies that escaped without us.”

“Except for you, Twilight. You just have to pretend to sleep,” Rainbow said, joking half-heartedly.

Twilight stepped over to the cot. “Yeah...” She nuzzled Spike, and the fey dragon opened his eyes and looked blearily at her. “Time for you to go Spike. See you soon,” Twilight said.

Spike nodded. “Bye.” He vanished.

Twilight checked to make sure the broken suppressor was fixed to her horn, then climbed onto the cot and tried to get comfortable.

Trying to keep completely still turned out to be more taxing than she could have imagined. The mattress made her skin itch, but she couldn’t scratch it. She longed to shift and ease the growing pressure in her joints. A roach skittered across her body, and she had to suppress the desire to brush it off.

The discovery of two empty cells had awoken a flurry of activity, and guards had been in the corridor outside her cell since. She wasn’t certain how long it had been, most likely less than an hour. She hoped things would die down soon; when they did, she’d be able to move again. Almost the entire time, Fluttershy had been muttering “they left us behind” over and over. It almost hurt to hear it; acting turned out to be among Fluttershy’s talents.

Two guards chatted outside the door of her cell.

“She’s still out cold huh?” the first asked.

“Yeah, it’s downright odd that she passed out with the suppressor on...” the second said.

“Shouldn’t we... y’know, take it off?” the first suggested.

“Are you crazy?! You know she broke Spectrum’s wing just by tossing him, right?”

“Most unicorns aren’t any harder to deal with than anypony else...” the first grumbled. “Now one’s dying, and the other escaped.”

A voice of authority and order cut down the corridor like a knife. “Atten-shun!”

The guard’s hooves clicked together as they went rigid, and Twilight opened her eyes slightly. They faced the corridor, heads high, eyes presumably focused on the far wall.

“Report!” a voice she recognized as Lightning Dust ordered.

“Two prisoners escaped, Commander,” a guard Twilight couldn’t see answered.

“I can see that, Captain Bailiff,” Lightning Dust said, exasperated. She approached Twilight’s cell door. “You two! What happened here?”

Twilight closed her eyes as Lightning Dust addressed the guards, favoring caution over risking getting caught peeking. One of them yelped.

“Um, Commander, we found the unidentified white unicorn’s suppressor pried loose on the floor of her cell. We suspect she used her magic to unlock her cell and free herself and the unidentified pink earth pony. Two guards were found bound and gagged in a supply room. They claimed to have been attacked by at least five ponies,” the other said.

“How did the escapees get out?” Lightning Dust growled.

The guard swallowed audibly. “We are not certain where their exit point was, Commander. All the windows were barred and all the doors were locked this morning.”

“Bailiff, pay cut for everypony stationed here last night!” Lightning Dust snapped. “Did they recover their equipment?” she asked.

“Negative. Evidence vault remains secure, Commander,” Bailiff said.

“And search parties have been organized?” Lightning Dust said.

“Of course, Commander,” Bailiff said. “Though, it’s been so long since they escaped that they could be anywhere by now. The search parties are unlikely to find them.”

“Organize more. Double shifts. Let them work back their pay,” Lightning Dust ordered.

“Yes Ma’am,” Bailiff said. “Am I dismissed?”

“No, but everypony else here is,” Lightning Dust said.

Twilight heard the two guards by her cell scramble for the exit, trotting as rapidly as they could without it being a full-on gallop.

After they were gone, Lightning Dust said, “Captain, can you explain to me why six prisoners who are familiar with each other were incarcerated in the same cell block?”

“You ordered that they be placed in secure, single cells, Commander. These are the most secure cells we have available,” Bailiff said calmly.

Lightning Dust sighed. “Yeah, I remember now... see if we can split them up, I’d rather not have a repeat incident. You and I both know what’s at stake here. The reports say six... Oh, and Captain, if you can’t find them, at least bring me ponies that look like them.”

“Yes Ma’am,” Bailiff said.

“You’re splitting us up, eh Lightning? Sweet,” Rainbow Dash said, her tone a mixture of excitement and familiarity. “I couldn’t take another second with these ponies.”

What’s she doing? Twilight wondered.

“Ah, Dash...” Lightning Dust said. Twilight heard Lightning Dust trot down the corridor. She stopped, probably in front of Rainbow Dash’s cell. “You’re telling me you’d like to be separated from these ponies?”

“You heard me. Between ‘mopey’, ‘rigid’, and ‘sleeping beauty’, I’d much rather spend my last days alone, or maybe near somepony I didn’t hate,” Rainbow said.

“Hey!” Applejack protested.

“I seem to remember you showing extreme loyalty towards Twilight Sparkle when we brought you in,” Lightning Dust said.

“She helped me out, I tried to help her out. You know how I roll, Lightning. That debt’s been paid, and now I want to be as far away from her as possible,” Rainbow said. “So, thanks.”

“Even your little fillyfriend Fluttershy?” Lightning said. Twilight could hear the smirk in her tone.

“That one isn’t on me, Fluttershy hates me now, don’t you Fluttershy?” Rainbow said.

“With every fibre of my being, Rainbow,” Fluttershy said calmly.

“There, see? You couldn’t be doing me a bigger favor, Lightning. I’d owe you one, but I’m gonna hang, so...” Rainbow said.

“You know what, Bailiff? Let’s leave them here,” Lightning Dust said.

“Yes Commander,” Bailiff said.

Lightning strode past Twilight’s cell, a second set of hooffalls, the Captain’s, beside her.

“What’s wrong with you!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “Don’t do this to me! Don’t leave me with these ponies!”

“Thanks for the wingblades, Dash,” Lightning Dust said, ascending the stairs.

Rainbow yelled with unbridled fury, her voice amplified by the confined space. A moment later, when Lightning Dust was out of earshot, she burst out laughing. “I can’t believe she fell for that! You were perfect, Fluttershy!”

Twilight stretched luxuriously, finally free to move.

“Um... thanks,” Fluttershy said. “That was really clever, Dash.”

“I can’t believe you pulled that off,” Applejack chuckled dryly. “Hey, Twilight, you okay in there?” she called, raising her voice slightly.

“M’fine,” Twilight answered, standing up and rolling the kinks out of her neck. “Did you know the Commander, Rainbow?”

“Yeah, acquaintances. We met at a competition, temple training stuff. She hates my guts. I think I might have wrecked her house or something,” Rainbow explained.

“She seems awfully young to be in charge,” Applejack said.

“She always did whatever it took to get ahead,” Rainbow said. “She probably stepped on some backs getting this command.”

Twilight sighed, rubbing her brow. “Well, I’ll bet whatever she was talking about being at stake has something to do with the Iron Circle.” She took off the suppressor; it was starting to irritate the skin at the base of her horn.

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Applejack said. “After bounty hunters failed, I’d try something different too. It seems like they want to get all six of us though.”

Twilight sat down and scratched at her flank with a hoof, glad to be free of the mattress. “Yeah... What was that bit about the wingblades, Rainbow?”

Rainbow shrugged. “No idea. I don’t think we’ll find them with the rest of our stuff; she was wearing them.”

“Ah...” Twilight said. She wondered if Spike could tell it was all clear. Almost as soon as the thought left her mind, he appeared next to her.

“Hey, Twilight,” he said, nodding in greeting.

“Spike, could you get me a book on pegasus law please?” Twilight asked.

“Little bit of light reading to pass the time?” Spike grinned. “Sure thing.”

Twilight lost track of time as she flipped through the pages of three books, cross referencing passages of interest. She had to hide the books and pretend to be unconscious once when a guard came bearing trays of gruel. There were only three trays; they didn’t even bother to feed her anymore. After the guard left, she had to borrow Fluttershy’s bowl to get a drink.

After rechecking a description of an ancient pair of wingblades, Twilight went to her cell door and called softly down the corridor, “Rainbow?”

It took a moment, but Rainbow Dash wearily responded, “Yeah?”

“Did I wake you up?” Twilight asked.

“Don’t worry about it. What’d you need?” Rainbow said, shifting in her cell. Her muzzle appeared at her cell door, the poor angle shrouding most of her face.

“Apparently, your wingblades belonged to Commander Hurricane,” Twilight said matter-of-factly.

“What?” Rainbow said, surprised.

“I guess you know who Commander Hurricane is then?” Twilight said.

“Yep.” Rainbow said. “Big ol’ pegasus hero from a long time ago. Beat the unicorns back in the tribal days. I knew the wingblades were important, but are you sure they belonged to her?”

“I’m as certain as I can be,” Twilight said. “Do you know what that means by Cloudsdale law?”

Rainbow nodded. “Possession by honor.”

“Right,” Twilight said. “Since Lightning Dust caught you, and you stole them, they’re hers by right, along with the status that comes with them... if she kills you. I guess execution counts.”

Applejack snorted. “She probably figures she’s got you in the bag, so she’s prancing around with them already. Any trial we do get is gonna be a sham.”

Twilight sighed and stepped away from the door. She slumped in a corner beside the door; she kept off the itchy mattress as much as possible. “Rarity and Pinkie had better come back soon.”

“You got that right,” Applejack said.

Twilight glanced around the room. The four walls closed in on her. It was a vice – a cage, and she had a mission. If they aren’t back by tomorrow, I’m getting us out of here, she decided, hoping she wouldn’t need to. She doubted she could get them all out without raising an alarm. They would have to fight their way through the streets of Manehattan, instead of slipping quietly into the night like Rarity and Pinkie, but she couldn’t stay here.

She looked up at the glimmer of sunlight beyond the grate. Where are you now? she wondered. “She still hasn’t answered, huh?” Twilight said to Spike, quietly enough that she doubted her voice would carry beyond her cell.

Spike stretched on the floor. “She gets busy sometimes.”

“What does she do?” Twilight asked, her frustration creeping into her tone.

“I dunno, Twilight. A Solar told me once that they play games with a madman. Solars are supposed to fight wars, not play games, but she seemed to think it was important,” Spike said.

Twilight sighed, resting her head back against the hard stone wall. “Tell me about the Celestial Plane, Spike. What’s it like up there?”

“Well, I end up stuck in the Library most of the time, but it’s bright, and ordered. Everything works with precision, and all of the celestial creatures do their duties to perfection,” Spike said. “There are golden waterfalls, and fountains of pure light. The best part is, occasionally, you get to see her.”

Twilight closed her eyes as Spike launched into a description of the Goddess. She let her mind drift away, beyond the bars of her cell, imagining herself beneath one of Celestia’s radiant wings. She couldn’t help picturing a life up there, free from pain and suffering. A life where Star Swirl was still alive, and her birth parents were still there to care about her. A life where she didn’t have to strive to survive every day, and she didn’t have to carry the weight of death on her shoulders.

”The closer you get to the Sun, the more likely you are to burn,” a faraway voice whispered in her mind. ”You were made to kill.”

Twilight ignored the whisper, preferring her fantasy.

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Preread by: Extravagaunte
Editor: The Music Man

Manehattan

Manehattan

Twilight focused on a spot on the far side of the grate, about to begin her second nightly excursion out of her cell.

Scrape

Her ears perked at the sound, and she dropped her gaze to the wall beneath the grate. She waited, listening – nothing. Her brows furrowing in agitation, she focused outside again, and reached for her spell.

Scritcha-scraaape!

Before she wasted the spell, Twilight pushed it to the edge of her mind instead of casting it. “Spike, do you hear that?” she hissed.

“Yeah,” Spike answered from within her dim cell, his voice loud in her primed hearing.

Twilight warily stepped back from the wall as the sounds continued, growing with each passing moment. “Hey girls?” Twilight said, calling over the noise.

“What’s going on in there, Twilight?” Rainbow answered.

“No idea...” Twilight said. She backed away from the wall until her tail brushed the bars of her cell’s door. Spike gave her a small wave, and disappeared.

The sounds built to a crescendo, scraping and rumbling. Her ears flattened back. Instinctively, she reached for her swords and immediately felt foolish for trying. As a precaution, she cast a spell to activate her mage armor. The moment the spell completed, the noise suddenly stopped.

Twilight listened intently, her eyes scanning the wall of her cell. “Maybe it’s gone...” Fluttershy murmured from behind her.

A blue aura lit a single stone in the wall, and it slowly slid into the cell. Twilight smiled. “Or maybe it’s Rarity.”

“Rarity?!” Rainbow cried. “It’s about time! I can’t wait to get out of here!”

The stone slid completely free and thumped onto the floor of Twilight’s cell. A blue light shined through the hole. “Twilight?” Rarity’s voice caressed her ears, sweeter than she could have imagined.

“Rarity!” Twilight said and rushed towards the hole in the wall.

“Oh thank Celestia,” Applejack said from her cell.

“Twilight?!” Pinkie called, bursting with excitement.

Twilight crouched down in front of the hole and peered through it, lighting her own horn. On the far side, Pinkie’s smiling face filled her field of view. “Hey Pinkie!” Twilight said with a grin.

“Twilight, step away from the wall,” Rarity said.

“Right,” Twilight said as she backed away.

“Are you clear?” Rarity asked.

Twilight pressed up against the bars, ready to protect herself with her levitation. “As clear as I can be.”

Rarity started an incantation. She’s casting a scroll, Twilight realized. She recognized the spell as a relatively simple Silence. Most unicorns couldn’t even manage that much, but Rarity had already demonstrated a certain arcane knack.

When Rarity finished the scroll, every vibration in the air stilled, and Twilight could only hear the pulse of her own blood. The wall fell in, surreally quiet. She felt the tremors in the floor, but no sound reached her ears. Large stones crushed the flimsy cot, flattening it. Twilight smiled – seeing the itchy thing destroyed was immensely satisfying. A cloud of dust threw the light from her horn and painted her surroundings in a distorted mix of blue and purple.

Twilight sneezed. Blinking, she peered through the dust. Her heart raced when she saw the silhouettes of two diamond dogs. For an instant, she was back at the bottom of the shaft, alone, with her leg broken. They’re friends; they must be, she told herself, trying to calm her beating heart.

Pinkie emerged from the dust and hugged her, her mouth moving as she said something. “—I’d be back!” she said, sound abruptly returning.

Twilight buried her face in Pinkie’s curly mane. It smelled like candy – like it always did. She wrapped her forelegs around Pinkie, feeling calm almost immediately. I wonder what I smell like, Twilight thought. Pinkie didn’t seem to care.

As the dust settled, Rarity said, “Thank you, sirs. You’ve done all I can ask of you.”

Twilight watched over Pinkie’s shoulder as the diamond dogs, a pair of well-muscled brutes, knelt before Rarity. “We can never repay you, pony!” one said.

“You have,” Rarity said with a smile. “Go, get to the docks. Find Captain Fairbreeze. Pull your weight, and he’ll take you aboard.”

“Thank you, pony!” they said in unison, then turned and retreated down a freshly dug tunnel.

Twilight disentangled herself from Pinkie and looked down the tunnel leading out of her cell. It descended with a gentle slope, fading into darkness. Wooden supports held the loose earth. Two thick beams flanked the gap in her cell wall and bore the weight of the fortress wall above. A white bunny bounced out of the tunnel, rushed between Twilight’s legs, and through the bars of the door.

“Angel!” Fluttershy cried.

Twilight smiled, turning to watch Fluttershy embrace her friend. “How’d you get their help?” Twilight asked Rarity.

“We set them free,” Rarity said simply. “Now, we haven’t much time. Somepony must have heard some noise from the digging.” From an assortment of weapons on her back, she levitated Twilight a curved blade in a sheath with a belt coiled around it. “Here, this’ll have to do if we run into trouble.”

Twilight belted on the sword, noting the other weapons Rarity carried: a pair of wingblades, and a flail. “Are we leaving?”

Rarity stepped forward, unlocking the door to Twilight’s cell and swinging it open with ease. She shook her head as she stepped into the corridor beyond. “Heavens no.” She shot Twilight a grin. “We’re getting our things back.”

Twilight waited behind Rarity and Pinkie at the base of a spiral staircase. She floated the sword at the ready beside her. It felt weighty and unbalanced. Compared to the swords she was used to, it was little more than a crude club with a sharpened edge. She was glad to have it.

The controlled grumbling of an annoyed pegasus filtered down from above. “I have rank on you, Raindrops. Go check out the weird scraping noises, Raindrops... why is it always me?”

Hoofsteps descended the stairs. Twilight checked behind her. Her group was lined up on the side of a corridor, Fluttershy beside her, with Rainbow and Applejack taking up the rear, wingblades and flail ready. Behind them were eight cells, four of them occupied until recently.

A light cast shadows in the corridor as the guard drew closer. When she reached the bottom two steps and came into view, Rarity lunged forward. She held her dagger to the pegasus’s throat and her hoof to her lips.

“Eep!” Raindrops dropped the lantern in her mouth. It hit the ground with a clang, the flame going out.

“If you want to live, you’re going to do exactly what I tell you,” Rarity said, her voice icy cold.

Raindrops swallowed and nodded, her eyes wide.

“How many?” Rarity asked.

“Four!” Raindrops said. “Well, three, since I’m down here. Double shift...” she rambled nervously.

“Quiet,” Rarity hissed.

“Ey, Raindrops! Everything okay?” a voice called from above.

“You’re fine. You dropped your lantern,” Rarity whispered. “Tell them!”

“I’m fine, I just dropped my lantern is all!” Raindrops called.

“I think it’s broken. I’m going to come back up and get a new one,” Rarity whispered.

“I think it’s broken. I’m going to come up and get another,” Raindrops shouted up the stairs.

“Alright!” the voice yelled.

Rarity focused intently on Raindrops. “Listen to me. We don’t want to hurt anypony, but if you make one step out of line, we’re going to have to kill you all. The lives of your comrades are in your hooves. I need you to go up those stairs like nothing is amiss. Can you do that, Raindrops? Can you save them?”

Raindrops gulped. She eyed Twilight and the others. “I uh... forgot the all clear codeword,” Raindrops called. “It’s ‘Cumulus’, isn’t it?”

“You had me worried there for a second,” the voice shouted. “Don’t forget the codeword!”

“Good girl.” Rarity whispered with a smile. “Now go on up...” she turned, saying over her shoulder, “Twilight, Pinkie, you’re up.”

Twilight nodded and cast an Invisibility spell. As opposed to the Greater Invisibility she’d been using earlier, this one would be disrupted much more easily, but it was also less taxing on her resources. She wouldn’t be using it long anyway – she hoped.

Raindrops watched Twilight disappear with a mixture of fascination and awe written on her face. Rarity flicked her head towards the stairs, and Raindrops dutifully climbed them. Twilight followed, with Pinkie behind her. Between her spell and Pinkie’s abilities, it sounded like only one pony was climbing the steps.

At the top, Raindrops fumbled with a keyring and shakily unlocked a heavy oaken door with a barred window. Laughter filtered from the far side. The door creaked as Raindrops gently swung it open. In the room beyond, three ponies sat in uniform, armored only with light chain vests, pushing cards and bits around a table. Two of them weren’t even wearing their wingblades.

Raindrops stepped into the room, going to a set of hooks where lanterns hung nearby the table. As soon as Raindrops was close to the others, Twilight cast a Sleep spell, and her hooves faded back into existence beneath her. Three of them dropped instantly: Raindrops and two of the guards at the table. One of them managed to hold onto consciousness. He fell out of his chair, struggling to keep his eyes open.

Pinkie blazed past Twilight and struck the still-awake guard in the temple, disorienting him long enough for the Sleep spell to work. He slumped against one of the table’s legs, out cold. “All clear,” Twilight called.

According to Rarity, each cell block had only one stairway leading up, and each stairway had a guard room at the top; beyond that, the fortress was largely deserted at night, with most of its occupants asleep in their bunks. Minus a couple patrols and one soldier headed back from the latrine, she was right – except for the evidence vault.

The four guards there met much the same fate as the four guards at the top of the stairs, and soon Twilight stood beside Rarity in front of the vault door, four unconscious pegasi sleeping around her. Six thick steel pins held the door shut, operated by turning a central crank. The locking mechanism was beyond complicated, and Twilight had no idea what purpose half the components served.

“Hold this,” Rarity said, highlighting a seemingly innocuous steel bar.

Twilight laced her levitation around the bar and held it in place while Rarity manipulated several other parts of the mechanism. Something clicked, and Twilight nearly let go of the bar due to a sudden increase in pressure. She strained against it, her horn flaring brighter. The bar creaked and bent.

Suddenly the pressure was gone. Before she could stop, Twilight wrenched the bar. A metallic snap sounded within the mechanism. A moment later, the six pins retracted with a pop. “There we go!” Rarity said, grinning with satisfaction. “Good work, Twilight. You should consider being dumb muscle, instead of the intelligent leader.”

Twilight blinked at Rarity. “What?” she said. Is she making fun of me? she thought.

“It was a joke, darling. I’m just saying I couldn’t have done it without you.” Rarity chuckled and patted Twilight’s shoulder. “Now, let’s get this open.”

With a push from Rarity, the door swung silently toward them on well-oiled hinges. As soon as it was open a crack, an alarm rang. Twilight wanted to cover her ears with her hooves. A horrible arcane wail echoed throughout the fortress, pulsing, rising ever higher in pitch, until it stopped abruptly. For a brief moment, everything was still and silent, then the alarm began again.

Rarity pushed the door open wide, revealing the interior of the vault. Most of their equipment was arranged on a table in the center. “Hurry!” she shouted, barely audible over the alarm, and rushed forward.

Twilight hesitated, her friends following Rarity. Something caught her eye – a sign, up a floor, and beyond a railing. It conveniently pointed the way to the Commander’s Quarters. “I’ll be right back!” she shouted. Then, she focused and cast Dimension Door.

She appeared beneath the sign. A staircase lead back down. To her left, down a short hall, was a door bearing a plaque that read ‘Commander Lightning Dust’. She made for the door, the alarm blaring in her ears. The latch wouldn’t budge – locked. She drove the sword through the handle, chipping the blade, and pushed the door open.

A desk strewn with papers occupied the center of the room. Bronze Fury’s nose ring rested on it beside an inkwell. Lamplight glinted off of the golden filigree adorning the chair behind it. In the corner, an armor stand stood, fully outfitted. To her right was a closed door leading to another room. Twilight held her sword ready and stepped into the office.

Lightning Dust burst through the door, her mane disheveled. The moment she saw Twilight, she lunged forward, swinging Rainbow Dash’s wingblades. A blast of wind hit Twilight and slammed her into the wall. She fell to the floor, battered through her mage armor, but just before Lightning Dust sliced her with a wing, she retaliated in kind, lashing out with her levitation.

Lightning Dust smashed into the desk, flipped back over it, sent the chair sprawling, and hit the far wall, her unprotected head cracking against the wood. She landed in a broken pile. Twilight picked herself up and slowly approached the unmoving body.

With a groan, Lightning Dust shifted. Twilight watched her struggle to rise like a cat watches a mouse, a sense of cold detachment falling over her. Her sword, nothing more than a lump steel, hummed to her, promising blood. She was hungry. It would be so easy... she thought. Still, she hesitated, fighting to hold back. The alarm reached it’s fever pitch, then went silent again.

When she was about to let her sword fall, she heard somepony’s hooves in the doorway and whipped around. Rainbow Dash stepped into the room. “What the hell, Twilight! I nearly lost track of you!” she angrily shouted.

“I said I’d be right back,” Twilight said, turning back to Lightning Dust.

“I didn’t hear you,” Rainbow yelled over the alarm as it started back up again. “Besides, we should stick together!”

Twilight eyed Lightning Dust. What do I want to be? she asked herself. She loosed the straps on the wingblades and roughly pulled them off Lightning Dust’s wings. As she passed them to Rainbow, Lightning Dust almost managed to rise. I wonder if she knows Rainbow just saved her life, Twilight thought while she picked up Bronze Fury’s nose ring from where it had fallen beside the desk.

“Let’s go!” Twilight shouted and stepped out the door.

And nearly ran face first into the backside of a Flaming Wing soldier scrambling toward the vault. He turned, his eyes wide, and swung at Twilight with trained precision. Rainbow intervened, parrying the attack. Twilight stepped to the side and flanked the soldier. While Rainbow kept him on the defensive, Twilight aimed a swing at his thigh muscle with the intent to hinder, not kill.

She swung hard, knowing that she had to cut through armor with a dull, non-magical blade. He took a step back at precisely the wrong moment. She couldn’t stop in time. Her swing contacted chainmail and tore more than cut through his leg, dragging the links with it. He collapsed, his leg broken and nearly severed, bleeding profusely.

Rainbow watched in horror while blood pooled on the floor of the hallway. “Twilight!” she shouted.

“I missed!” Twilight cried. She stepped forward and touched a hoof to the fallen soldier’s thigh, healing him. He’d lose the leg, most likely, but at least he wouldn’t bleed out.

The fortress was alive with activity now. The thunder of hooves accompanied the blaring alarm as soldiers rushed to defend against the intruders. Twilight reached the railing and teleported back down to the vault. Rainbow landed beside her a moment later.

“Where’d you two go?” Applejack shouted from inside the vault as she strapped on the last piece of her dragonscale armor.

“We got the wingblades!” Twilight yelled.

Applejack tilted her head toward Twilight. “What?”

Rarity ripped a narrow rod scribed with arcane runes out of the wall, and the alarm finally went silent.

“We got the wingblades,” Twilight said as she retrieved her swords and strapped them in place, discarding her bloody mundane weapon.

“Good. We’re about done here,” Applejack said.

Twilight put on her cloak. “We’ve got to move.” She looked around for her last important item, the horn ring, before she realized she had it the entire time. It fit snugly under the suppressor, so it had been hidden from her captors. She wondered what it would be like to cast without the ring. That’s an experiment for another time, she decided.

“Twilight, this is evidence!” Rarity said, exasperated, as she picked up the bloody sword and shoved it into the Bag of Holding.

Twilight cast a Haste spell. “Let’s go,” she said, then stepped out of the vault. The Flaming Wing were assembled between them and the fortress’s main door, at least twenty of them, with more arriving every second. She stopped short.

Rarity sped past her, saying, “That’s not our exit,” as she headed for the cell block. Twilight followed, along with the rest of her friends.

“Where are they going?!” one of the soldiers shouted.

“After them! They’ve got nowhere to go that way!” another yelled.

Twilight glanced over her shoulder. Pegasi flew in, blocking the hallway behind her. They advanced in formation in the confined space. The gap between her group and their pursuers quickly expanded, the haste spell proving invaluable.

“Look out!” Pinkie Pie yelled, and Twilight snapped her gaze forward.

A group of four Flaming Wing ponies burst into the hallway ahead of them from a side door. Twilight slowed, preparing to cast a spell, but before she could, Rainbow swept two of them aside with blasts of air, and Applejack knocked the other two into a pile against a wall with a swing of her chain. Twilight galloped past as they were getting back to their feet.

When they reached the cell block, she paused to grease the stairs after they reached the bottom. That should slow them down, she thought. She caught up with her group as they reached the tunnel. Rarity waited for her in the opening.

“Collapse it,” Rarity said.

Twilight nodded, and cut the beams with her swords before sprinting down the tunnel beside Rarity. The wall held for a moment, and Twilight looked back, only to see it collapse. A thunderous crash followed them as they descended.

A layer of fine grey dust coated Twilight’s sweat-slicked fur when they emerged from the rough tunnel into a wide masoned passage. She blinked dust from her eyes and tried to spit it out of her dry mouth. She’d been collapsing the tunnel as she went.

In one direction, the passage curved gently away, perfectly level. In the other, it ended in a cave-in. A pile of dirt had been built beside the mouth of the tunnel. Twilight coughed. “How long did it take to dig?” she asked.

“Not long,” Pinkie said.

“With two diamond dogs?” Rarity said. “About eight hours... need a drink?”

Twilight nodded, and Rarity produced her pack from the Bag of Holding. After settling the saddlebags on her back, she took a long swig from her waterskin. Swallowing, she peered at the walls around them. The stones were cut to fit almost perfectly together.

“What is this place?” Applejack asked, brushing her hoof against one of the walls.

Pinkie grinned. “Smuggler’s Way!”

“A side passage, to be specific, mostly unused,” Rarity elaborated.

Twilight sagged, lying down by the wall. She’d let go of the Haste spell when it was no longer needed, and now, her muscles burned. Her stomach knotted – a reminder that she hadn’t had anything to eat besides a bit of bread since she was captured. She opened her pack and discarded a rotten apple.

“What’ve we got to eat?” she asked.

“I’m starving,” Rainbow said, plopping down on her haunches beside Twilight. “I couldn’t eat a bite of that gruel.”

“I managed a little,” Applejack said. “But I’m pretty hungry too.”

“I um... have some oats,” Fluttershy said while she rummaged in her pack. “Oh, and I’m hungry also.”

“Come on,” Rarity beckoned from down the passage. “There’ll be food on the way, I promise.”

Twilight munched on oats while she walked, the echos of everypony’s hooves surrounding her. “So,” she said around a mouthful, “You named this place, but what is it?”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t actually know,” Rarity said. “These tunnels are a relic of old Manehattan – from before the Time of Troubles. Most of them are collapsed or flooded, but there is one that runs from the docks to the heart of the city that’s still open. It’s called Smuggler’s Way, and we’ll be coming up on it soon.”

“Doesn’t seem like it’d be much good for smuggling if the Flaming Wing knew about it. I guess they don’t come down here?” Applejack said.

“Indeed. It’s a closely guarded guild secret. Well, that and bribes keep the law enforcement out,” Rarity said.

Applejack nodded in understanding.

“What guild?” Twilight asked.

Rarity shot a sidelong smile at Twilight. “The Theives Guild, of course. Did you grow up under a rock?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “No, behind a wall. I didn’t read about them in any books... I mean, now that I think about it, I can remember them being mentioned in passing, but I never realized they were so prevalent.”

“I think they like being kept out of the history books,” Rarity said.

“They?” Twilight said. “So you’re not a part of the guild?”

“Sort of. I was a part of it, but once you’re in the Thieves Guild, you can never really leave,” Rarity said.

Pinkie nudged Applejack in the ribs. “Once a thief, always a thief, ‘ey AJ?”

Applejack’s ears swiveled back. “Uh... sure.”

“Hey, you ate that stolen bread too,” Rainbow said.

“Ooh, you ate something stolen?” Pinkie said. “Juicy! Guess that makes you a thievin’ thiefy thief, Applejack.”

Applejack sighed in exasperation. “Fine, I admit it! I was a bit too harsh on the stealing thing. Sometimes, there’s a good reason for it. That don’t make it right, though. If we get the chance, we should pay that baker back, Twilight.”

Twilight nodded. “If I can, I’ll pay them back, window and all.”

Twilight’s hoof struck something metal and she stumbled forward, spilling oats as she struggled to regain her balance. She winced and lifted the injured hoof while she looked for what she’d run into. She found a thick metal bar with a T shaped cross-section lying on the floor of the passage. Out of curiosity, she picked it up, inspecting it. She could make out the faint lines of what were once arcane runes.

Her eyes went wide as realization dawned on her. “This is the Tramway!”

“The what now?” Rainbow said.

“Manehattan used to have a Tramway that could take ponies from one end of the island to the other in a matter of minutes using arcane cars,” Twilight explained. “This tunnel was once part of it! It’s real!”

She felt like one of her favorite scholars recounting the story of how they stumbled on proof of an ancient relic. “The magical implications alone are fascinating,” she said. “I can’t wait to tell Crystal Clear about this!”

“You can’t tell her, Twilight,” Rarity said.

“What? Why not?” Twilight asked, incredulous.

“Because then I would have betrayed the trust of the Thieves Guild, and I don’t want that to happen,” Rarity said.

Twilight dejectedly dropped the bar and stared at it. “Right...” she said. She looked up at Rarity. “Wait... Crystal Clear... is she alright?”

“She’s fine,” Rarity said. “The Flaming Wing let her and her group go when they found nothing tying them to us.”

Twilight sighed with relief.

The line they were on soon curved into another. The bustle of voices reached Twilight’s ears long before they made it around the bend. When they reached the other line, Smuggler’s Way, Twilight saw ponies traveling to and fro pulling carts full of exotic goods. It was twice as wide as the tunnel that ran under the Flaming Wing prison and as busy as a city street.

Rarity stopped them before they reached the traffic. She held out the Bag of Holding. “Put anything valuable in here, or you won’t have it by the time we get where we’re going.”

All of their cloaks, except for Fluttershy’s – she insisted on wearing hers, and with Angel on her back protecting it, it would be safe – went into the bag, along with a few of the more accessible pieces of Applejack’s armor, Rarity’s bow, and any coin they had. Twilight considered, then added Solstice to the bag. She was confident she could keep anyone from stealing one of her swords, but not both. When Applejack fished the spike out of her bag, Rarity eyed it with interest.

“Does that go on the end of your chain?” Rarity asked.

“Yup. I was hoping to find a blacksmith that could reforge it in this city,” Applejack said.

“Humm, I might know how to get it fixed,” Rarity said as she slipped the spike into the Bag of Holding. “We’ll deal with that later though.” She passed the bag to Applejack, tucking it under her breastplate. “I’m trusting you to keep this safe.”

Applejack nodded, and with that, Rarity turned the corner and slipped into the traffic.

Twilight followed Rarity. Their group stayed tight, occupying a space between two carts. Still, a couple strangers brushed against her as they wove through traffic. An unseen unicorn tried to steal her sword, but Twilight kept an overwhelming grip on it. Within a few minutes, Twilight entertained the thought of wasting the crowd with a Fireball so that she could have some peace.

Before long, the passage widened out, makeshift wooden steps on either side leading up onto elevated platforms. She stared up at the vaulted ceiling. A station... she realized, awestruck by the sheer size of the artificial cavern. Rarity led them onto one of the platforms. Above the traffic, vendors hawked their wares.

“I don’t get it,” Twilight said, twirling two sticks in a bowl of noodle soup as she looked around the platform.

“Oh, chopsticks are quite simple once you get the hang of them, really,” Rarity said between mouthfuls of noodle.

“No, I got that. I don’t get how so many ponies can be down here and it be any semblance of a secret. Isn’t one of them bound to sell out?” Twilight said. She lifted the bowl to her lips and hungrily scooped some noodles into her mouth. It was supposed to be some sort of foreign delicacy. To Twilight, the broth tasted like salty water with a hint of spice and shrimp, but it was full of delicious noodles that filled her belly. “Why can’t I tell Crystal Clear?” she asked after swallowing.

Rarity sighed. “It’s not so much that nopony knows about it, it’s more that the officials in charge of law enforcement – the ponies that pay the Flaming Wing – can deny that it exists.” She pulled a bunch of noodles rotated around her chopsticks out of the bowl. “If a scholar like Crystal Clear published what you discovered, there would be no end of them poking around down here. Sooner or later, the ponies that the Thieves Guild bribes wouldn’t be able to plausibly deny the existence of Manehattan's underground any longer, and I’d be to blame.” She popped the noodles into her mouth.

Twilight shrugged. “She wouldn’t publish it if I told her not to.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow at Twilight. “Are you sure about that? How well do you know her? She’s ambitious, for one. She might even steal your discovery, given the opportunity.”

“She wouldn’t! She’s not that ambitious!” Twilight argued.

“Then why did she come out of retirement for this whole Crystal Princess thing?” Rarity asked.

“Professional curiosity,” Twilight said.

Applejack looked up from her bowl of soup. “Look, I’m sure this is a fascinating conversation you’re havin’ about fancy unicorn cutlery, bribery, and academic backstabbing, but I’d like to eat, get wherever we’re going, and get some sleep. So clam up and eat up.”

Rainbow tipped back her bowl with her hooves, sucking it down. “Done! How far is it, anyway?”

Pinkie finished off her bowl and thunked it down on the table they were sitting around. “Finished!” she glanced at Rainbow’s empty bowl. “Aww... you beat me.”

“Not far from here,” Rarity said. She pointed a hoof at the ceiling. “There’s an exit up there near where we’re headed.”

Fluttershy toyed with her food, not eating. “So there’s really shrimp in here?”

Twilight held up a dust-covered foreleg, shielding her eyes from the Sun as she stepped out of a small, nondescript building that concealed one of the entrances to Smuggler’s Way. In the street, she stopped. She dropped her foreleg and closed her eyes, facing east down the street toward the dawn. She smiled with the breeze in her mane and sunlight warming her coat. It was refreshing – to stand in the day rather than glimpse it through a narrow grate.

She opened her eyes and looked up at the strip of cloudy blue sky visible between the buildings that lined the street. Above, she saw the glint of two armored pegasi making their way across the sky. In the distance ahead of them, the Flaming Wing fortress towered above the surrounding structures, red banners flapping in the breeze.

“Come on, Twilight,” Rarity said, and Twilight trotted to catch up with her friends.

Rarity lead them uphill, and Twilight could tell that they were moving into an upper class area. As they went, the streets got cleaner, and the buildings became fancier. Up here, there was considerably less bustle and chaos, though many ponies walked through the streets around them despite the early hour. They stopped at a street corner to dodge a Flaming Wing patrol, and Twilight looked back the way they’d come.

Water sparkled between the island and the mainland. On the far side, the patchwork of farmland extended into the distance. A wide, long bridge spanned the narrowest point, connecting the city with the Coast Road. In the distance beyond coastline, a single three-masted sailing ship made its way out to sea.

Rarity signaled an all clear, then lead them across the street to a brightly colored building with stylized spires decorating its roof. A sign hanging out front depicted the silhouette of a mare whose mane flowed gloriously in the breeze. Rarity pushed the door open, the soft chime of a bell signaling her entrance, and slipped inside.

Twilight followed Rarity through the open door. The interior of the shop was warmly lit and colored. An elegant pony behind the counter looked up and greeted Rarity with a smile. “Ah, Miss Rarity, you made it!” she said, her accent carrying a foreign flavor.

“Lotus! Of course I made it,” Rarity said, approaching the counter. “I trust we still have our arrangement?” She produced something from her Bag of Holding, and Twilight caught the glimpse of gemstones as she passed them across the counter.

Lotus swept the gems behind the counter with a forehoof. “Absolutely, you have the place to yourselves.”

While Rarity and Lotus talked, the group filed in. Twilight glanced at them standing awkwardly in the small waiting area, their rough, travel worn appearance decidedly out of place in the clean establishment, and their hooves left marks on the blue rug in the center of the room.

“No questions asked?” Rarity said.

“No questions asked,” Lotus confirmed. She looked past Rarity at Twilight and her friends. “Oh no... this simply will not do.” She shook her head, then shouted, “Aloe!”

A second pony swept out from a back room, nearly identical to the pony behind the counter. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw Twilight. She rushed forward. “What is this?” she asked, scraping some dust off of Twilight’s coat with a hoof. “This is a travesty! Such a wonderful shade, hidden!”

Twilight held still as Aloe picked up her forehoof and inspected it. “Chipped, unmaintained,” Aloe said. She inspected Twilight’s horn and gasped. “Bruised! What has happened to you, filly?”

“I, um...” Twilight said.

Aloe held up a hoof. “Do not answer that. Come, you must be treated!” She beckoned. “All of you!” She shouted ahead, “Warm up the baths!”

Twilight stewed in a bath. Even though she knew it was mud surrounding her, not water, she felt immaculately clean. Somepony held her hoof and filed at it gently. A mask of paste covered her face. A cool salve coated her horn – wonderful and soothing. Tender scents caressed her sinuses. Another unidentified pony brushed her mane. She even had cucumbers on her eyes.

She’d never been more relaxed in her life.

“Wow,” Pinkie said from nearby, chewing. “You were right Twilight! They do have cucumbers at spas! This definitely beats the bath we had at the Helping Hoof.”

“Mhmm...” Twilight murmured, barely conscious. A quiet moment passed, and she slipped away into a dream.

White feathers caressed Twilight. Celestia’s wing lovingly draped over her. The Goddess looked exactly like Spike had described. Her horn was long and elegant. Her mane was an aurora, flowing in an ethereal breeze. She looked at Twilight, her eyes glowing gold, and spoke.

“She will be the death of you, Star Swirl. She could bring the death of us all.”

Twilight looked down. There was a black thorn buried in her chest, festering. Shadows reached out and pulled her away from Celestia. She struggled against their clutches, fighting to return to the light.

Celestia looked down at her from a bank of clouds, silhouetted against the sun. Evil ponies surrounded Twilight. They rushed at her with weapons held high. She cut them down like a farmer reaping wheat. She had to live; Star Swirl wanted her to live. Blood spilled around her. She was power.

But every time she killed, the thorn drove deeper. The harder she fought to survive, the further the shadows pulled her. Eventually, she couldn’t see the golden glow of the Goddess's eyes.

She was alone.

Twelve black wings spread above her, radiating around a central eye. The eye opened and revealed a maw of bloody teeth. She drew ever closer to it, unable to escape.

Twilight came awake screaming. She couldn’t see. Something sucked at her hooves, holding her back as she tried to rise. She reached for her swords – they weren’t strapped to her. Her horn surged with magic. Flames wreathed her hooves, sizzling in whatever held them.

Somepony hugged her – warm and gentle. “Shhh... Twilight, it’s okay...” Fluttershy whispered in her ear.

Twilight released the spell, allowing it to dissipate harmlessly, as realization dawned on her. She pulled the cucumber slices off of her eyes with her levitation. She was in the spa, with her friends. They were staring at her with concern. She was safe.

She buried her face into Fluttershy’s shoulder. I almost... she thought. If I had completed the spell... Fluttershy’s coat was damp against her cheek. Am I crying? Twilight wondered.

Twilight shifted in a bed on the second floor of the spa. The bed was luxurious, beyond comfortable compared to where she’d been sleeping, but she couldn’t relax. The feeling of terror in the spa lingered in her mind, torturing her with the possibility that she was moments away from burning everypony in the room to a crisp. I’m unstable... she thought.

“Hey Pinkie, are you awake?” Twilight softly said into the darkness.

“Yeah?” Pinkie answered.

“You know I’d never hurt you, right?” Twilight said.

“I know,” Pinkie said. “I told you to Aiff.”

Twilight managed a small laugh. “Yeah...” I would have stopped in time... she told herself. “Do you think that they know that?” she asked.

Silence. A shiver ran down Twilight’s spine.

“... I think that they know you’ve been through a lot,” Pinkie said.

Twilight rolled over to look at Pinkie. Dark curtains covered the windows, and she could barely make out Pinkie’s bed. “So have you.”

“I haven’t been through as much as you, Twilight,” Pinkie said. Twilight saw the faint reflection of light on her eyes.

Twilight settled onto her back, pressing her head into the soft pillow. “We’re close... it’ll be over soon.”

“I don’t think so,” Pinkie said. “I think we’ve got a long way to go.”

“We’re going to go back home, Pinkie,” Twilight said with conviction. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, and it’ll be safe there.”

“Even if we can go back home, it’ll never be the same,” Pinkie said sadly.

Twilight sighed. She’s probably right... she thought. She didn’t want Pinkie to be right. “Sleep tight, Pinkie,” she said.

“You too, Twi...” Pinkie said. “Remember, I’m here, with you.”

Twilight nodded and closed her eyes. She listened to Spike’s soft snoring at the foot of her bed until she finally drifted off to sleep.

Cloaked figures wearing masks plagued her dreams.

Twilight languished in a hot bath, sipping tea. The bathwater smelled of lavender – courtesy of a special soap Lotus had provided. She took in the view out the second story window; the Sun was low on the horizon, its rays shimmering across Rigger’s Cove.

Twilight held up a flier. It had sketches of all six of them, along with their marks, printed from a block carving. It promised a thousand bits for information leading to their capture. “Should we be worried?” she asked.

Rarity, resting on a couch wrapped in a thick robe, shook her head. “No. Lotus and Aloe would never sell out a customer. They showed that to us, didn’t they?”

Twilight nodded. She set the filer and the tea aside and pulled herself out of the bath before her hooves got too soft from the water. Dripping water on the floor, she reached for a warm towel.

“Besides, only a thousand bits for escaped prisoners of our capability? The trade crisis must be cutting deep into their coffers,” Rarity added while Twilight dried herself off.

“So, what’s our next move?” Applejack said from across the room.

“We need to clear our names,” Twilight said, glancing at the filer again. ’Dangerous if confronted, report sightings to the Flaming Wing headquarters,’ it read.

“How do we do that?” Rainbow asked around a primary feather, preening her wings.

Twilight sighed. “I don’t know. Who would listen to us?” She picked up her tea and took another sip.

“We could go to one of the Duchesses,” Rarity suggested. “If we told them what we know, showed them what we found in the Ponyville safehouse, and showed them our old friend Pyros’s head, they might launch an investigation.”

Twilight raised a brow. “What’s in it for them?”

“Status,” Rarity said. “If they could claim credit for uncovering this conspiracy, it would do wonders for them.”

“Who, then?” Twilight asked.

Rarity produced a small book from her Bag of Holding and tossed it on the floor in front of Twilight. “I got that from an information broker on Smuggler’s Way. It’s everything there is to know about Manehattan’s esteemed Dukes and Duchesses.”

Twilight hoofed the book open while she used her magic to wrap the towel around her wet mane. She flipped through it, skimming – four Duchesses and two Dukes, each selected to represent the interests of one of Manehattan’s six great merchant houses.

“Take a look at Duke Shining Armor,” Rarity advised.

Twilight found the page and read it over. Shining Armor had been an orphan of unknown parentage until he married one ‘Mi Amore Cadenza’. After that, her parents died, and he and his wife inherited a great deal of money. In less than a year, he became a Duke. The page included a sketch; he was handsome, with a chiseled jaw and strong features. His mark was interesting: a shield adorned with a six pointed star much like hers. He was probably a talented magic user.

“Can I see it?” Applejack asked.

Twilight passed the book to Applejack. “It’s a real rags to riches story,” she said. She eyed Rarity. “Why him?”

“He’s young, the newest Duke, and he married into nobility. He’s got the most to prove. If any of them would take a risk on this, it’s him,” Rarity said, punctuating each point with her hoof.

Applejack nodded. “Makes sense.”

“Their estate is nearby,” Rarity said. “We could be there by sundown.”

“What are we waiting for?” Rainbow asked, standing up.

Twilight peered around the corner of a building, watching Pinkie scout ahead. A stone wall topped with iron spikes separated Shining Armor’s estate from the road. The four story structure towered behind the wall, light shining out into the dusk through its illuminated windows. A barred window in a small guardhouse next to the estate’s gate glowed with lamplight. Pinkie looked over the wall, standing on it. After a few seconds, she turned and descended.

Pinkie crossed the street in the shadows, and when she reached where the group was hiding, said, “There’s one in the little house and two by the estate’s door.”

“We’ll go around the side, slip over the wall, and deal with the guards,” Twilight said.

“Sounds good,” Rarity said. “The Duke will probably be a little shaken when we come bursting in, but he’ll listen.”

Applejack chuckled. “I’ll bet it won’t be his favorite way to spend an evening.”

“Planning a break in?” a voice said from behind Twilight.

Twilight whirled and laced her magic around her swords. Ten paces behind them, a hooded, white pony stepped out of the shadows. With a flick of her head, she tossed back the hood, revealing a horn and a pink mane.

Twilight blinked in surprise. “Sunny Skies?” She relaxed her guard.

Sunny Skies smiled warmly at Twilight as she stepped forward. “Twilight Sparkle. It’s a surprise to see you here. Did you cast the scroll I gave you.”

“You know her?” Rainbow said as she folded her flared wings.

“I did...” Twilight nodded and turned to Rainbow. “She was a friend of Star Swirl’s.” She refocused on Sunny Skies. “What’re you doing here?”

“I’m here to speak to Cadance. I could ask you the same,” Sunny Skies said, her voice passive.

“We need to talk to the Duke,” Twilight said.

“Why don’t you try asking?” She stepped past Twilight, still smiling. “Come on. I’ll tell them to let you in.”

Twilight watched Sunny Skies cross the street, dazed.

“Who is she?” Rarity whispered.

Twilight glanced over at the corner of the house where they were planning to climb over the wall.

“We going with her?” Applejack asked.

In the middle of the street, Sunny Skies turned back to look at Twilight, lifted a hoof, and beckoned. Twilight found herself stepping forward out into the street. There was something entrancing about the unassuming unicorn in front of her; she felt safe.

They waited in beside the gates while Sunny Skies gently knocked. Almost immediately, a small panel in the gate slid back. “Sunny Skies?” the guardspony on the other side asked. Without even waiting for an answer, the gate swung open.

The two guards on the far side jumped in surprise when they saw Twilight and her friends. Their chainmail clinked as they shifted into a defensive posture. “Who’re they?” one asked.

“They’re with me,” Sunny Skies said evenly.

“Of course... right this way,” one of the guards said, bowing slightly. “Princess Cadance is waiting for you in the dining room.” She turned down a path that lead to the estate’s double doors.

Twilight blinked. Princess?

She didn’t have time to ponder for long. Before she reached the doors, one of the guards held up a hoof, gesturing for them to stop. “Could you leave your weapons with us please?” he said. Twilight could tell from his tone that he wouldn’t let them in unless they complied.

She shifted nervously, remembering her last experience with giving up her weapons, and shook her head. “I’d rather not.”

“Let them in,” Sunny Skies said. “It won’t be a problem; you have my word.”

The guard swallowed and opened the doors for them.

Twilight stepped into the entry foyer, her clean, polished hooves clicking on the marble tiles. A chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling illuminated a grand ballroom. To her left, a staircase climbed to a second story balcony. A servant on the staircase busily polished the railing, pretending not to look at them.

“Fancy!” Pinkie said, gazing around the room with fascination.

Another servant, smartly dressed in a black suit, greeted Sunny Skies. “Right this way, Lady Skies,” he said, his gaze passing over Twilight and her group. His eyes narrowed, but he turned and lead them towards a wide doorway leading out of the ballroom to the right. On the way, he paused beside a pony wearing an apron and whispered something.

“I know; we’re going to the dining room,” Sunny Skies said with an understanding smile. “Why don’t you figure out how to accommodate your unannounced guests?” she suggested as she stepped past. “I can find my own way.”

The pony in the suit dipped his head. “Of course. We’ll be serving supper shortly.”

When they arrived in the dining room, the estate’s staff were already setting six new places on a long banquet table. Even with the new plates, it looked barren, far too long for eight ponies in total. Sunny Skies took a seat at one end of the table. Their hostess was nowhere to be found.

After she picked a seat, Twilight unbuckled her swords and set them beside her chair so that she would be comfortable. She felt awkward; the weapons were out of place. At least I don’t look like I’m fresh out of prison, she thought. As she propped Celestial Fury against the table, a voice drew her attention.

“Sorry, I had to step out for a moment.”

Twilight focused on the speaker. A pink unicorn with a styled, marble-patterned mane stood at the end of the table. She wore a loose fitting robe of white silk. She stretched before taking her seat opposite Sunny Skies, and wings spread from her back, emerging from under her robe.

Twilight stared in awe.

“Sunny, you didn’t tell me you were bringing friends,” the Alicorn said, eyeing Twilight.

“I’m sorry, Cadance, I didn’t expect them either,” Sunny Skies said, chuckling.

A servant ladled some soup into the silver bowl in front of Twilight, and she snapped out of her daze. “You’re the Crystal Princess!” she blurted.

“Twilight!” Rarity hissed from beside her. “Don’t be rude!”

Cadance dipped her head. “I am,” she said, a hint of something sad in her tone.

Regret? Resignation? Twilight wondered.

“Cadance... I warned you about calling yourself a Princess...” Sunny Skies said.

“It’s what I am, isn’t it?” Cadance said, her tone defensive. “It’s my right. You yourself said I was the heir to her power.”

“It’s only going to cause tension,” Sunny Skies said. She unfurled her napkin, toying with it. “I heard a rumor that you’re planning on asking the Duchesses to back you as the rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire when they next meet.”

“Is that what this ‘visit’ is about?” Cadance asked irritably. She lifted a glass full of red wine to her lips and took a hurried sip.

Twilight awkwardly looked between them. The table had suddenly become tense. She felt like her group wasn’t supposed to be here. They all sat quietly, watching.

“Cadance, is it true or not?” Sunny Skies said, staring hard down the length of the table at Cadance.

Cadance sighed with resignation. “It’s true.”

Sunny Skies glared at Cadance, her eyes smoldering. “You’re going to start a war,” she said with a cold calm.

Cadance shot up out of her seat, staring back at Sunny Skies in defiance. “I’m not the one who’s starting it!” she shouted. “Look around you! Manehattan and the Empire are a hair's breadth away from war! The mere rumor of my existence is making the Empire lash out! Just two weeks ago, they sent assassins! If it weren’t for Shining Armor, I’d be dead!”

Sunny Skies rose from her seat. All of the calm and safety Twilight had seen in her had vanished. “Have you even thought about what you’re about to unleash?” Sunny Skies said, her voice still controlled. “Thousands will die. Maybe hundreds of thousands. Raping, pillaging, famine. Is that what you want, Cadance?”

“What I want?!” Cadance yelled. “Did Celestia even think about what I wanted when she chose me for this ‘Ascension’? I wanted to live happily ever after with my new husband,”–she flapped her wings–”not sprout these things and be told I’m a demigod! If the Empire takes over and finds me, they’ll kill me, or worse! I need to unite the merchant houses while I still can!”

Cadance looked down at the table. “Tell Celestia I’m doing the best I can with what I’ve been given,” she said. “If she wants to strike me down, she can. Isn’t that what she does to gods that step out of line?”

Sunny Skies sighed, still standing. She hung her head low. Twilight thought she looked weary – exhausted. “Celestia thinks you can do better... but so can we all,” Sunny Skies said slowly. “I’m sorry, Cadance... I’ll take my leave.”

Sunny Skies turned away from the table and made her way towards the door.

“Or did she just strike down her Sister?” Cadance shot after her.

Sunny Skies’s step hitched, and she trotted quickly out.

Cadance eyed the hilt of Celestial Fury propped against the table. She looked at the group. “Are you Celestia’s champions? Is that why Sunny Skies brought you here: to kill me?” She sank back into her seat and held her head in her hooves.

Is she crying? Twilight wondered, watching Cadance’s chest heave. She felt a pang of sympathy. She shook her head. “No, we’re not. We barely know Sunny Skies. We’re just here to see–”

Slam!

One of the double doors that lead into the ballroom flew off its hinges and hit Applejack in the back, knocking her face first into the table and scattering dishes. The plate on her forehead absorbed the blow, and she kicked the sheet of wood back the way it came. The door crashed into the wall beside the torn hinges.

In the same moment, Twilight reflexively cast Stoneskin. She jumped up onto the table, facing the door. She saw a unicorn on the far side with a silver tower shield floating beside him; she recognized him from the sketch – Duke Shining Armor.

Shining Armor focused and shot a light from his horn. It hit her square in the chest, and all the layers of her Stoneskin crumbled away. Breach, she realized. No matter. She had another Stoneskin stored in Solstice, ready to be cast as part of a Sequencer. Cadance shouted something, but Twilight couldn’t hear what it was over the sound of the door falling to the floor. Shining Armor was already advancing toward her, shield held high. He focused on her with single-minded purpose.

She held her swords ready, a plan of action flashing across her mind in an instant. When he attacked, she would trigger her Sequencer, eat the hit, step to the side around his shield, and hamstring him with Solstice. While he recovered from the pain, she’d knock away his shield with Celestial Fury. With her allies around him, she was certain he’d surrender.

As the shield came toward her, its blunt face coming for her face, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

“Shining, stop!” Cadance shouted.

Shining Armor froze, his shield mid-bash. As sudden as a bolt of lightning, Rainbow sideswiped him with her hooves, his mage armor rippling into view as she hit, and they both sprawled onto the floor. Pinkie dove off the table into the melee and hit Shining Armor in the horn. His shield clattered to the floor.

“She could help us,” Cadance said.

Rubbing his horn, Shining Armor looked between Twilight and Cadance in disbelief. “She can?” he said. His voice seemed vaguely familiar.

“I’m so sorry, everypony,” Cadance said. “My Husband has been jumpy since the assassination attempt.”

Shining Armor picked himself up off the floor, eyeing Pinkie and Rainbow warily. “I heard shouting, I thought something was wrong...” he looked at Twilight. “Then, I saw y—” he paused for a moment, wincing as he held his horn. “Your swords.”

Twilight glanced at Cadance. “It’s okay. I’m sorry we appeared to be a danger,” she said. She climbed off the table and set down her swords, then turned back to Shining Armor. “You could’ve hurt somepony with that door, though. I’d look before I tossed something like that,” she said, still irritated. “You okay, Applejack?”

Applejack laughed as she sat back down in her chair. “Didn’t feel a thing. This armor is great, Rarity.”

Rarity smiled. “I’m glad it performed well in the line of duty.”

“Yeah...” Shining Armor said, his voice low.

Is that all he has to say for himself? Twilight wondered, glaring. “You could have hit Cadance, or one of the servants,” she said, gesturing at where Cadance sat at the end of the table next to Applejack, then at one of the shaken serving ponies. “Be more careful!”

“I’m sorry,” Shining Armor said with resignation.

“Apology accepted!” Twilight said, smiling. She sat down, immediately feeling awkward for having scolded a Duke. In the moment, it had felt natural – like she was talking to Pinkie Pie.

“I’m glad you brought this to us,” Shining Armor said. “We inherited considerable investments in iron.”

Twilight looked up from her food at where Shining Armor sat at the end of the dining room table, reading through the documents from the Ponyville safe house. The places had been re-set, and the servants had brought out the main course. Everypony ignored the missing door.

“At first the Iron Circle seemed like a normal trade organization, but not long after I became an Alicorn they started to get more sinister,” Cadance said. “I couldn’t pull the money we had invested into associated merchants without alerting them, but we investigated as best we could.”

“Do you know who’s behind this?” Twilight asked between mouthfuls. The food was delicious, far better than what they had to eat at the spa, but the portions were lacking. She’d had to ask for seconds twice.

“I think the Empire influenced them,” Cadance said. “They were probably promised control of the city.”

“It would certainly explain why they’d propagate a trade crisis,” Rarity said. “If they raised tensions, the Empire could justify an invasion.” She daintily nibbled some herb roasted potato off the end of her fork.

“Don’t explain why they’d go out of their way tryin’ to kill Twilight,” Applejack said.

“About that...” Shining Armor said. “This ‘Black Knight’ you mentioned... I’ve heard of him.”

Twilight snapped her attention to Shining Armor, instantly alert. “What did you hear?”

“He hunts ponies with certain unique attributes. He’s efficient, experienced, and effective. He’s killed in Manehattan more than a few times, and the Flaming Wing couldn’t stop him,” Shining Armor said while he distractedly speared some food with a fork. “Unfortunately, even though he was an archmage, Star Swirl didn’t stand a chance.”

Twilight bristled. “He got caught off guard.”

“Yeah!” Pinkie said. “Star Swirl was the bestest wizard ever!”

“He wasn’t good enough. It would have been better to let the Black Knight do what he wanted,” Shining Armor said.

I don’t like him, Twilight decided, glaring at Shining Armor.

“Shining, how could you say that?” Cadance said. “Twilight has obviously suffered a terrible loss.”

“I’m sorry,” Shining Armor said. “I didn’t mean to offend, I was just telling the truth.”

Rarity humphed. “How’d a pony as blunt as you manage to become a duke?”

Twilight sighed. Maybe he should have stood aside, she thought, toying with her food. Her appetite was gone. If only I could do then what I can do now, none of this would have happened. She had to wonder why Star Swirl didn’t push her harder.

“According to what we’ve found out,” Cadance said, “the Black Knight is one of the Empire’s hunters working with the Iron Circle. This isn’t well known, but an organization called the Grey Wizards holds the true power in Canterlot, not the more visible nobility. The wizards suppress all magic users of any significance within their borders, and occasionally, they send agents like the Black Knight beyond. They jealously guard their power; maybe they wanted to ensure that Star Swirl’s knowledge died with him?”

Twilight shrugged. “Maybe...” It doesn’t add up, she thought. “Why would the Black Knight have just been after me though?”

“Are you sure you remembered everything exactly right? Under extreme stress, the mind can do strange things,” Cadance said, looking at her with concern.

Twilight looked down at her plate. She had to consider the possibility. Star Swirl’s death had been like a nightmare. The only proof I really had was his corpse in the morning, she thought. “I don’t know...” she said. A small inconsistency, Shining Armor’s mention of Star Swirl letting the Black Knight kill her, nagged at her. He was saying that based on what I told him, she realized.

“There’s a war with the Empire on the horizon,” Cadance said. “You’re a powerful warrior, Twilight. If you help me, I’ll be in a position to give you justice.”

Twilight felt like throwing the table. She had answers, perhaps, but they didn’t satisfy. She wanted individuals to blame, not another nebulous organization beyond her reach. She wanted the Black Knight, and she wanted him now. “I’ll help you, Princess, but he might still be here in the city. First, I have to try and find him,” she said.

“I understand.” Cadance dipped her head to Twilight. “Thank you.”

“I’m going to go write you a Letter of Pardon,” Shining Armor said. “It’ll reach the Flaming Wing in the morning. With what you’ve given us, we should be able to launch an official investigation.” He stood up from the table and headed for the open door.

“We have a big-ol, dried-out, slightly-charred Dragon’s head if you need it,” Pinkie said with a grin, pointing at the Bag of Holding around Rarity’s neck.

Cadance held up a hoof. “That won’t be necessary,” she said quickly.

“You mean we shoved that head into the bag for nothing?” Rainbow grumbled.

“It could still be useful,” Rarity said.

“Yeah, for what?” Applejack asked. “Going ‘hey lookie we killed a Dragon!’?”

Fluttershy shuddered. “I don’t think I want to see it again. It’d be best if it just stayed in the bag.”

Twilight frowned, mostly ignoring her friends’ banter. “How long will it take?”

“What?” Cadance asked.

“The investigation,” Twilight clarified.

“Weeks,” Shining Armor said over his shoulder as he left.

“You should take some time and relax in the city. You can even stay here, if you’d like,” Cadance said. “Our doors are always open.”

I can’t wait that long, Twilight decided. Her life since Star Swirl died had gone from one crisis to the next. The idea of doing nothing seemed wrong, especially not when the Black Knight lurked just around the next corner – she could feel it. And if I can’t have him, maybe somepony else will do, she thought. She felt wrong for thinking that way, but she couldn’t muster the will to care.

“The Iron Circle has a headquarters in the city, don’t they?” she asked nopony in particular.

Cadance nodded. “They do.”

“Where?” Twilight said.

“They have a tower in the trade district by the docks,” Rarity said.

“Could we get there?” Twilight asked.

“Easily,” Rarity said with a wink.

So it’s near Smuggler’s Way, Twilight thought. She picked up her swords and stood up. “I say we go do a bit of investigating on our own. Who’s with me?”

Her group stood almost immediately, their plates forgotten. “Always, Twilight,” Rarity said.

Applejack smiled wryly. “Night’s still young, might as well make the most of it.”

They headed for the exit. “Wait!” Cadance called after them.

Twilight stopped in the ballroom and turned to look back at Cadance through the open dining room door. “What?”

“This is risky,” Cadance said. “It won’t end well. Please, don’t go!”

Twilight grinned. “I think you’re underestimating us.” She continued forward out into the night.

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Preread by: Extravagaunte
Preread by: Furutta
Editor: The Music Man

Masks

Masks

The moment Twilight Sparkle stepped out onto street level from the tunnels below, she knew something was wrong. About three blocks away, roughly where she expected the Iron Circle’s tower to be, a column of smoke illuminated by an angry orange glow climbed into the night sky. The ringing of a large bell filled her ears. She stepped out into the street to try to get a better look.

The tower stood at the end of the narrow road, dominating a block. Flames spilled from all the windows up to the fourth story, belching black smoke out into the air. She froze in shock, her foreleg cocked mid-step, and stared. Half the building was on fire.

“Out of the way!” somepony shouted behind her.

Pinkie pulled her back to the side of the street – just in time to avoid four ponies galloping past pulling a cart laden with a massive wooden drum. Water sloshed out its open top as the wheels jumped over bumps in the cobble. She glimpsed red helmets before the cart obscured her view.

“We have to get in there!” Twilight shouted as Pinkie released her. Launching herself out into the street, she galloped after the cart. I’m not going to let my answers burn! she thought. The clopping of hooves filled her ears as her friends followed.

Rainbow lifted into the air over her head. “I’ll check it out!” she called over her shoulder before shooting forward with a powerful beat of her wings. She took off toward the flames, climbing at a slight angle.

Overhead, Twilight saw pegasi pushing storm clouds into ring around the burning building, dousing the surrounding structures. Why aren’t they trying to put out the fire? she wondered. Catching movement in the corner of her eye, she looked ahead again. A pony came rushing out of a shrine marked with a brass sun at the street corner two blocks away from the tower. He wore a star-shaped holy symbol on a cord around his neck. She nearly ran into him as she galloped past.

When they reached the base of the tower, earth ponies and unicorns all around them drenched buildings across the street from the blaze with water from buckets and hoof-pumped hoses. They all stayed as far as possible from the burning building. After running through the wash of a hose, Twilight felt the heat on her face.

The fire was over twenty hoofspans away, contained inside of the stone exterior of the tower, but through the open double doors at the front, she saw an inferno. Looking at it for a few seconds dried her eyes, and she had to turn away. In the street a distance away from the building, two ponies smudged with soot coughed. The cleric she’d passed arrived and tended to one of them.

Shouting from above drew Twilight’s attention. She spotted Rainbow standing on a stormcloud positioned over one of the two-story buildings across the street from the tower, facing a pegasus wearing a blue vest with a red wing sewn into it. “Why aren’t you doing something to put it out! Drop some rain on it!” Rainbow yelled.

“It’s too hot!” the pegasus argued. “The air is rising so fast that it dissipates the clouds! The best we can do is try and keep the whole district from going up!”

“There must be ponies trapped on the upper floors! You have to help them!” Rainbow angrily shouted.

“We’re weather ponies, not the Flaming Wing rescue team! The ponies stuck up there are gonna have to sit tight until they get here! Now let me do my job!” the pegasus yelled.

Twilight rushed toward the pair of survivors, dodging the volunteer firefighters as she went. Applejack and Rarity broke off to lend a helping hoof, but Pinkie and Fluttershy stuck with her. When Twilight reached the ponies, she grabbed one of their shoulders with a forehoof to get her attention. The mare looked up at her, revealing an angry burn on the left side of her face.

“What happened!” Twilight shouted.

“I don’t know! Smoke and flames came up from the basement and filled up the whole first flo—” The mare broke down coughing.

Fluttershy patted the pony on the back, a glow in her eyes. “Just breathe,” she whispered.

The burned mare sucked in a clean breath. “We were just about to leave to get some drinks. I don’t think anypony who was working the late shift got out but us...” she said, her eyes growing distant and drifting towards the building.

Twilight grabbed the mare’s unburned cheek, forcing her head back toward her. “Records, ledgers, important ponies! Where are they?!” she shouted.

“I don’t know!” The mare cried. “I’m just a receptionist. There was a meeting on the eighth floor; I think they’re still up there!”

A commotion drew Twilight’s attention, and she released the mare. Ponies looked up at the tower, and she followed their gaze. Above, a unicorn leaned out of a fifth story window. “Help me!” he screamed, pleading. “It’s coming!”

Rainbow Dash immediately shot up towards him, cutting a streak of blue through the smoke, but before she could reach the window, the inferno roared. An explosive gout of flame shot out into the night and knocked the unicorn out the window. He fell, screaming and burning as he plummeted toward the street below. Rainbow raced after him, but Twilight could already tell she wasn’t going to catch him in time to slow down. A mere hoofspan away from him, Rainbow flared her wings and braked.

Twilight reached out for the unicorn with her levitation, but he was too far away, and at that distance, even her strength waned. Moments after lacing around him, her purple levitation field shattered as he struck the cobblestones with a sickening thud. His blood slowly mixed with the water on the street.

Rainbow dragged at the air with her wings, barely stopping in time to avoid crashing into the pavement beside him. After she landed, she closed her eyes tight as she made a strangled sound of frustration and anger. She slammed a forehoof into a puddle, and the red water splashed her coat in return.

Twilight stared at the chaos around her in a daze. Applejack stubbornly pulled a cart with a water drum on it toward the tower’s open double doors, ignoring the protests of the ponies around her. Her dragonscale armor shielded her from the heat; they couldn’t follow to stop her. She stopped, repositioned, and bucked the drum off the cart. The water sloshed out into the doorway but only vaporized in a burst of steam. The blaze raged on.

This isn’t supposed to be happening... she thought. She looked up at the fifth floor. Smoke spilled from all of its windows. The fire was climbing. If they went in, even with spell protections against the heat, they wouldn’t be able to breathe the dead air.

“What’re we going to do, Twilight?” Pinkie said.

Twilight shook her head, breaking free from her daze. This is my best shot at finding him, and I’m not going to let it slip away, she decided. The smoke and embers spilling out of the windows climbed at an angle, carried away by a stiff breeze. She could still see the top of the tower. I should be able to breathe up there, she thought.

She focused on a spot above the rooftop, and reached for her magic. “I’m going up,” Twilight said.

“Twi—”

Whatever Pinkie was going to say to her, it was lost as she teleported away. Her Dimension Door spell dumped her out into the air above the rooftop, higher than she would ever consider jumping from. She plummeted, flailing at the air with her hooves. When she landed, she crumpled to the side and slammed into the masoned stone. The impact knocked the air from her lungs.

Gasping, she looked around from her position on her side. A low stone wall topped in iron spikes bordered the flat rooftop area she’d landed on. She focused on a closed door that lead into the tower. With a groan, she picked herself up, knowing that she would have another collection of bruises.

She approached the door, peering at it. Metal points poked through it around the handle. Somepony had nailed it shut from the far side. With a slash from Celestial Fury, she cut it open. They must not have wanted to let anypony in... or out, she thought as she rushed down the narrow stairway beyond the door.

Wisps of grey smoke clung to the ceiling, and the dry air bit at her lungs. She moved as quickly as she could. The pegasi outside were probably doing everything in their power to get the breeze under control before it could spread the flames. When they did, there would be nothing but smoke, even in the upper floors.

She pushed open a door at the bottom of the stairs and stepped out onto a landing. A mirrored pair of wide staircases split off from the landing and descended to the floors below. To her right, she saw a closed pair of ornate doors. She wondered if anypony was still up here. All I need is one pony who knows what’s going on, she thought.

She hoped the meeting was important, and that she would find the ponies who ran the Iron Circle cowering on the far side of the door. A dark fantasy of forcing them to answer her questions, then leaving them to burn entered her mind. They’d deserve it, she thought as she threw the doors open.

On the far side, in a large room with wide windows, seven ponies slumped against a long narrow table with goblets of wine spilled beside them. They were finely dressed, well groomed, and still as the grave. An eighth sat at the head of the table, swirling his goblet in a hoof. “Twilight Sparkle,” he greeted her. “How goes the hunt?”

“What happened?” Twilight growled, advancing with her swords drawn. “Why are they dead?”

He laughed – a black cackle void of any true emotion. “They knew too much...” He laughed again. “Poof! Nothing in their heads anymore.”

“Tell me what you know or I’ll cut you into a thousand pieces – slowly,” she said. It was no empty threat.

He grinned. “Even if you could, you wouldn’t have enough time before the flames got here. Still, it’s a game I’d rather not play.” He took a sip of wine.

Posion, she realized.

Twilight lunged forward and leaped onto the table, but it was already done. He slumped forward. “There’s nothing to find here,” he wheezed with his last breath.

No... Twilight thought. It was all too similar to her confrontation with Hay Brittle. She was so close, only to have her victory whisked away by the fragility of her enemies. “They were supposed to be alive!” she roared. In her fury, she slammed the table with her hooves. Then, with a clean stroke, she split the head of the corpse that had taunted her in life. His red blood oozed out of his open skull, coating the table and staining her hooves.

“I wanted to kill them!” she screamed. She kicked the fallen goblet away from his hoof. There had been no way to stop it; he must have been drinking it before she got into the room for it to act so fast. She had nothing. No revenge – no answers. She coughed, something scratching at her throat.

She picked up the body at the head of the table in her levitation and launched it through one of the windows. It smashed through the metal framework girding the small glass plates in the window, and fell, broken and mutilated, out into the night. “You stole them from me!” she weakly cried, her rage ebbing away, leaving her with only crushing disappointment.

She sagged, collapsing down onto the table, and coughed. The mixture of wine and blood on the wood soaked into her fur. In her anger, she hadn’t noticed the room fill with smoke. She could see it billowing outside the windows. They must’ve got the wind under control. she thought. She was out of time.

She struggled to her hooves and staggered toward the broken window. All she needed was a glimpse of the ground and she could teleport down. She felt tears in her eyes, but they evaporated before they could build and roll down her cheeks.

“Twilight?” a voice said from behind her. She recognized it as Fluttershy’s.

Twilight turned, blinking away the stinging smoke, and saw Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash moving toward her. The smoke fled at their approach, and a sphere of clean air projected around Fluttershy engulfed her. “What’re you doing here?” Twilight asked, gasping.

“We flew up,” Rainbow said. “Pinkie tried to climb the tower and come with, but the sides were too hot. She was so worried about you! You’ve got to stop running off on your own, Twi!” She looked around the room, peering through the smoke. “Why’re they all dead? Did you kill them? Was that what the shouting was about?”

Twilight shook her head. “They were dead when I got here – all but one. I think he murdered the rest so that they wouldn’t tell me anything, then he killed himself.” She looked at Rainbow. “How many floors are burning?”

“Six,” Rainbow said. There was something in the look Rainbow gave her, but Twilight couldn’t tell if it was horror, pity, or concern.

Maybe there’s still hope, Twilight thought. She pushed past her despair and her mind focused to a razor sharp edge of purpose. I can still find something that will lead me to him, she told herself. “There has to be some records or something. How long can you keep the smoke away, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy looked down at her hooves. “At least ten minutes... I think,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight gestured at the area of clean air around them. “I didn’t know you could do this.”

“I didn’t either, until it came up,” Fluttershy said. “I needed the air to be clean to find you, and it was.”

“How—” Twilight started to ask, but stopped herself mid question. “Nevermind. It works. We need to go downstairs and see if we can find something.” She trotted forward.

“What’re we trying to find?” Rainbow asked.

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, pausing at the edge of the bubble of clear air for Fluttershy to catch up. “Anything – documents, somepony that knows something; it doesn’t matter.”

The stairway that they descended down was mercifully clear. The other was responsible for filling the eighth floor with smoke. They found a group of three ponies huddled in a corner on the seventh floor stairwell.

“How long have you been here?” Twilight asked.

“I dunno, a few minutes,” one of them answered. “We went up to the roof to try and get out, but the access door was nailed shut. Can you believe that? We couldn’t get it open without tools, so we came back down... but...” He looked down the stairs. The steps beyond were collapsed. “Daisy said we should wait here for rescue,” he said as he glanced at a mare beside him. “Are you here to get us out?”

“You bet,” Rainbow said.

“What’s your job? Do you know anything about the trade crisis?” Twilight asked.

“What? No,” he said, shaking his head. “We work mail. We take letters from the magic mirrors and get them where they need to go.”

“Do you read any of them?” Twilight asked.

“Only if we wanted to get fired... or worse,” he said. He peered at Twilight. “Wait a second... you’re... you’re Twilight Sparkle!” He scrambled back. “You’re dangerous!”

“Not to you, but if you don’t tell me what I want to know, I might be,” Twilight said. “Where do you keep records?”

“They’re on this floor,” Daisy said. “Down the hall, second door on the left.” She looked up at Twilight, fear in her eyes. “Please don’t hurt us!”

“Thanks,” Twilight said, turning away. “Rainbow, stay with them. We’ll head up together when Fluttershy and I get back – and figure out how to get everypony down when we can.”

“Got it,” Rainbow said.

Before heading out of the stairwell, Twilight cast a spell. A ring of icy blue flames surrounded her and Fluttershy, shielding them from the heat. She walked down the corridor with Fluttershy beside her, their hooves clicking on the stone floor. How can the fire climb so fast if the floor is stone? she wondered. The walls to either side were wooden, except for supporting columns. If the other floors were like this one, the fire would have plenty of fuel, but the stone floors should slow its progress. She’d seen the flames engulf the entire fifth floor in a matter of seconds, as if something explosive were stored there.

They passed bodies in the hall, revealed as Fluttershy’s spell pushed away the smoke. There were no burns; they had been poisoned by the dead air. Twilight stepped over them and kept her eyes forward.

As they reached the second door on the left, Twilight noticed Fluttershy glaring at her. “What?” she said, pausing in front of the door.

“Nothing...” Fluttershy murmured.

Angel bit her ear from his position on her back.

Fluttershy winced. “Weren’t you... um, a little mean to those ponies back there? And to the one you questioned at the bottom of the tower?”

Twilight sighed. “Maybe. We don’t have time for this.” She pulled the door open.

A blast of heat greeted her, passing through the blue flames in front of her as if the Fireshield wasn’t even there. She felt the exposed skin around her lips and nostrils singe. In the center of the room, a vaguely pony shaped creature hovered, engulfed in a blazing inferno. Beneath it was a crater blown through the floor. Around it, open cabinets full of papers burned. It turned to look at her, its eyes black spots in the flames.

She slammed the door shut.

Fire Elemental. Greater, probably. Definitely not lesser, she thought, her mind scrambling. “Run!” she cried. She knew they couldn’t fight the creature here, submerged in its element.

Grabbing Fluttershy, she took off down the corridor. The records were nothing but ashes now, but one more plan formed in her mind. There was a cleric at the base of the tower, and seven bodies of ponies important to the organization on the eighth floor. If the cleric could cast the same Speak With Dead spell Lyra did back at the Helping Hoof, and they could get a body to him before it was too late, then there might still be hope.

She spared a glance over her shoulder as they neared the stairwell. A gout of flames blasted the door to the records room off its hinges. The form of the Elemental glowed through the smoke as it floated out into the hallway.

They burst into the stairwell, and Twilight stopped in shock. Rainbow stood over three bodies, blood dripping from one of her wingblades. Daisy lay unmoving on the floor in front of her with a deep wound in her side and a bloody letter opener in her mouth. The other two ponies appeared to have died from neck wounds.

“I–I didn’t mean to...” Rainbow said, distraught.

Twilight lowered part of the ring of blue flames, allowing Rainbow to enter as she moved forward. “We have to get to the roof!” she yelled.

Rainbow stared at Daisy’s body.

“Come on!” Twilight shouted as she shoved Rainbow with her shoulder.

Rainbow stumbled and started to move. They reached the eighth floor a moment later. Twilight dipped into the meeting room, guiding her two friends with her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found the bodies unburned. She grabbed one of the corpses, floating it behind her, and headed for the roof. As they ascended the narrow staircase, she felt heat on her hind hooves.

When she reached the roof, Twilight tossed the corpse into a far corner and faced the doorway. “We have to fight it here!” she said as she began to cast a spell. “It’ll keep spreading the fire until it’s stopped!”

She closed her eyes, focusing. When she’d prepared the spell, it had been nearly at the limits of her ability, and it was equally difficult to complete. When she finished it, the world around her passed by at half the speed. It was a stronger version of the Haste spell she’d used before, but it only affected her, altering her passage through time. Smoke filled the air around them, except for the area kept clear by Fluttershy, but at least there were no flames.

We might be able to beat it out here, Twilight thought. Even with just the three of us.

Beside Twilight, Angel jumped off of Fluttershy’s back, and her eyes glowed. Storm clouds rushed in from beyond the cloud of smoke billowing around them and engulfed Angel, lifting him and turning him into a creature of water, wind, and lightning. Electricity crackled within his form as he took up a position in front of the door. Four of us, Twilight corrected herself.

The small stone structure capping the top of the stairs exploded outward as the Fire Elemental burst onto the roof, launching chunks of masonry. With a beat of her wings, Rainbow flew upward, clear of the debris. Twilight ducked a stone, and caught another in her levitation. Beside her, Fluttershy’s cloak manifested into a barrier of wood and bark, deflecting the rocks. The door hit Angel, but he didn’t even flinch. After tossing the stone aside, Twilight advanced.

Ahead of her, Angel met the Fire Elemental head on. Thunder boomed, slow and deep in Twilight’s ears, as he clashed with the creature’s pony-shaped core. They struggled against each other like two massive titans – lethargic and ponderous due to her slow-motion perception of the world. She moved closer, using Angel’s body to shield herself from the staggering heat.

As she approached, the Fire Elemental edged a hoof past Angel’s thundercloud body and shot a ray of fire at her. With the help of her spell, she dove to the ground and rolled out of the way. While she got back to her feet, she glimpsed Rainbow turning in a tight circle, whipping around at a rate that was still impressive even cut in half. A vortex built in the center of the circle, forming from the eddies bleeding off of Rainbow’s wings.

Back on all four hooves, Twilight darted to the side and lashed out with Celestial Fury. She caught one of the creatures hind legs as it grappled with Angel, severing it clean through. From the point of contact, a golden aura spread and held the Elemental in place. The smell of burning hair and flesh filled her nostrils as she singed in the heat, and she ducked back behind Angel. With the storm clouds shielding her from the blaze, she started to cast a spell.

The base of Rainbow’s vortex met the held Fire Elemental. It pulled away the flames surrounding the creature and sent them skyward, leaving behind nothing but its blackened body. The whirlwind burst with the flames and sent Rainbow sailing backwards through the air. She gave Twilight a small salute as she fell past the edge of the rooftop.

The creature writhed free of the golden aura. Twilight lunged forward, taking the opportunity to strike. At point blank range, she completed her spell. A blast of icy shards erupted from her horn and riddled the black figure with holes.

The perforated corpse turned to ash in Angel’s grasp. Its head hit the rooftop and dissipated, revealing a red orb. Twilight released the Haste spell as she picked up the orb and stowed it in her pack. She turned away, and Angel shrank back down to his usual size.

“That could have gone worse,” Twilight said, sheathing her swords. “Good work, everypony.” Angel glared at her. “And rabbit,” she added. Her face hurt. She lifted a hoof and rubbed at her cheek. It came away bloody, with blackened hairs stuck to it.

“We’d better get down,” Rainbow said, staring at Twilight.

Twilight nodded. “Right.” She hefted the body, and with her second prepared Dimension Door, teleported down to street level.

This time, she appeared standing on solid stones. A puddle of water pooled around her. She lifted the corpse off her back and floated it beside her.

“Darling, your face!” Rarity cried as she approached. “What happened?”

Twilight glanced down. She saw her reflection in the water, illuminated by the glow of the flames. Her face was a mottled patchwork of blackened fur and exposed, bloody skin. It hurts to blink, she realized.

“Fire Elemental. I’ll explain later,” Twilight said. “Where’s the cleric?”

Rarity pointed down the street. The cleric stood over a corpse covered with a blanket, his head bowed in prayer. Twilight walked towards him. “Can you cast Speak With Dead?” she asked, looking around for the two survivors she’d seen earlier.

“I turned my back for a second, and one of them murdered the other... crushed her windpipe,” the cleric said, his voice heavy with sorrow. “She ran off into the night.”

Twilight hardly heard what he was saying. At the moment, it wasn’t useful information. She stepped forward and grabbed him by the shoulder. “Can you cast Speak With Dead?” she repeated.

He eyed her, concerned. “Do you need help?” he asked.

“Just answer the question,” Twilight said, ignoring the pain that was spreading across her face like an inferno.

He nodded slowly.

“Good. Will here do? Or do you need an altar?” Twilight said.

“What she means to say is we’ll give you a generous donation to question the body,” Rarity said.

Twilight stared at a mosaic on the wall of the shrine, keeping her eyes open to avoid the sting that came with moving her eyelids. In a series of images, the mosaic depicted two Alicorns guiding a mixed coalition of ponies across a land bridge to the island of Manehattan. She recognized one of the Alicorns as Planetos the Wanderer, a dead demigod, but the other was too abstract to identify.

She hissed when Fluttershy’s hoof brushed a sensitive spot on her face, but a moment later, all the pain faded away. Twilight blinked her dry eyes and felt nothing but relief. “Thanks,” she said.

“Sorry, I had to be careful or you wouldn’t look right,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight turned toward the altar at the head of the shrine. The cleric was finally prepared to begin. She looked at him expectantly, and he cast the spell, touching his hooves to the body.

The body jerked as its eyes filled with a golden light, but the cleric fell back, collapsing. Twilight rushed over. Something’s wrong... it doesn’t work like this, she thought.

Behind the altar, the cleric held his metal holy symbol in his mouth and scraped the wooden floor beneath him. His eyes were still glowing. Rainbow, Applejack and Pinkie crowded in behind Twilight while he sketched something into the floorboards.

“Is he okay?” Pinkie asked.

“I dunno,” Applejack said.

“Should we wake him up?” Rainbow said, moving forward.

Applejack held out a hoof and blocked Rainbow. “No, best to let it play out. It could hurt him if you tried to break the spell.”

A moment later, the glow faded, and the Cleric rolled onto his back, gasping. “I’m sorry,” he said. “That’s all there was.” He shut his eyes tight and held his head in his forehooves.

Twilight stared at the sketch. A collection of straight lines arranged in a pattern and a couple numbers were inscribed on the floor. “That can’t be it!” Twilight said.

“You said he was poisoned, right?” the cleric said, curled up on the floor. “It must’ve... burned away at his mind, or something. All that was left was an image.”

Twilight pressed a piece of parchment against the floor and made a rubbing with a charcoal stick. It has to mean something, she thought. “Well, thanks,” she muttered, turning away.

All that, and this is all I have to show for it, she thought while she stared at the sketch. It seemed like every conceivable force conspired against her. Someone had deliberately destroyed the Iron Circle’s headquarters to hide the truth from her. She couldn’t even begin to piece together what had happened, or why the ponies in the building murdered each other, but the Fire Elemental was no accident. It had been summoned for a purpose.

“I feel like I’ve seen you ponies someplace,” the cleric said.

“Nope,” Applejack said – too quickly. “I can’t think of any way you coulda’ seen our faces before right now.”

Twilight heard the cleric climb to his feet behind her. “No, you’re definitely familiar. I’m sure it’ll come back to me... when my head clears.”

“I think it’s time for us to go,” Rarity said, ushering them out the door.

“Oh... bye! Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Thanks so much for the donation!” the cleric called after them.

As they left, Rarity discreetly ripped down one of the wanted fliers nailed to a signpost near the shrine.

“We’ll be pardoned come morning,” Applejack said.

“These are still giving our faces far more attention than I’d like,” Rarity said as she ripped the poster into fragments and tossed it into the gutter beside the street.

As they walked away from the shrine, Twilight noticed Rainbow lingering. The pegasus stared back at the smoldering tower. “You okay, Rainbow?” Twilight asked.

“M’fine,” Rainbow nodded, trotting after her.

They walked in silence down the street, a bit behind the group.

“I didn’t mean to kill her,” Rainbow said.

“The mare?” Twilight said.

Rainbow nodded again. “I thought I heard shouting from down the stairs, and I flew past the collapsed section to check it out. There was nopony there. When I came back, I found one of the ponies with his throat cut open, and the other fighting Daisy off while she stabbed the letter opener into the side of his neck and,” she paused, hesitating before the next word, “Twisted.”

Rainbow sighed, closing her eyes tight. “I snapped. It was just... too horrible to watch. It was too late to stop her, so I killed her.” She opened her eyes and focused intently on Twilight. “There’s something really bad going on here, Twilight – worse than anything we’ve seen before.”

Twilight leaned against Rainbow as they walked, comforting and drawing comfort. In the moment, what had happened in the tower didn’t faze her, but now that the drive to find answers was gone, it left her chilled. She could still hear the laugh of the pony at the head of the table echoing in her ears. She knew Rainbow was right.

Back in the spa, the group gathered in the second-story common area. Twilight stretched out on the floor, sipping a warm, slightly alcoholic drink that Aloe had volunteered to mix for her despite the late hour. It slowed her thoughts to a reasonable pace, allowing her to clearly think through them one at a time.

“So this Fire Elemental ya’ll fought... it was summoned?” Applejack asked.

“Right,” Twilight confirmed. “Fire Elementals don’t appear in normal fires, at least, that’s what a book in Candlekeep said.”

“Fair enough.” Applejack pulled off her hat, inspecting the brim. “It still don’t make sense. Too...”

“Too coincidental?” Rarity suggested.

“Yeah,” Applejack said.

Twilight rubbed her temple with a hoof and took another sip from her mug. “Near as I can tell, somepony used some sort of gateway, magical item, or spell to conjure the Fire Elemental in the basement. It rampaged upward, burning everything in its path on the way to the records room. It had a mission, and I think it recognized me and chased after me when it saw me.”

She set her mug down and rolled onto her back, gesturing toward the ceiling. “At roughly the same time the summoning was going on, the Iron Circle’s leading merchants were gathered in a meeting on the eighth floor of the tower for some unknown purpose. One of them gave the rest a poisoned bottle of wine – capable of preventing their minds from retaining any information after their death.”

“The pony at the head of the table – you said it seemed like he was expecting you?” Applejack said.

Twilight nodded. “Yeah. It’s like he knew he was going to kill himself, but he stayed alive just long enough to gloat.” She paused briefly before continuing, waiting to see if somepony had something to say. “Anyways, while this was going on, certain ponies in the tower murdered other survivors, with little to no apparent hesitation or concern for their own lives. There was a concerted effort here to not allow any scrap of information to escape that tower – immediately before we arrived to see what we could find out.”

“So, somepony tipped them off?” Rainbow said.

“Hold up,” Applejack said, raising her hooves. “If somepony wanted to sweep the Iron Circle under the rug, why’d they only kill the night staff?”

“Maybe the night staff were the only ones involved,” Rarity suggested. “If I were running a conspiracy, I’d keep it in as few hooves as possible.”

“You run conspiracies?” Pinkie asked, fascinated.

Twilight up glanced at Rarity, who rested on a couch sipping tea. “No, not exactly, just... I know how these games are played,” Rarity explained.

“This isn’t a game,” Twilight muttered.

“Figure of speech, Twilight,” Rarity said.

Twilight curled into a ball and held her head in her hooves. “Why do I always have to take things so literally?” She was midway through her third drink, and she felt a bit tipsy.

“You’re a literal thinker,” Rarity said. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Twilight pulled her mug close and gulped down more of the delicious liquid, trying to purge face of the pony at the head of the table from her memory. His eyes were dead. He didn’t look right. Something imperceptibly off-putting filled his expression.

“So, let’s assume that whoever organized this was tipped off that somepony was coming to investigate,” Rarity said.

“But the only ponies who would know anything—” Pinkie said.

“Were the Duke and the Princess,” Applejack stated.

“Or their staff,” Rarity pointed out. “If I were behind this, that’s the first place I’d put a spy.”

Pinkie laughed. “Yeah, of course. Besides, why would Cadance and Shining be working with the Iron Circle? That would be silly.”

“The Empire was trying to kill her, and they’re behind this,” Twilight murmured. “She wouldn’t have anything to do with them.”

“I don’t know,” Rarity said.

“What do you mean?” Rainbow asked.

“Well,” Rarity said, “we didn’t find anything tying the Iron Circle to the Empire. If it runs as deep as Cadance seemed to think it did, we would have found something.”

Twilight closed her eyes, the voices of her friends shaping her thoughts.

“All we got really was one safehouse and a madmans scribbles,” Applejack said.

“I don’t think Cadance would have lied to us,” Fluttershy said. “She seemed... nice.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow agreed. “Stressed, maybe, but nice.”

“We’d best warn her about her staff at the next opportunity, then,” Rarity said. “Anyways, all we’ve got to go on is this drawing.”

Hearing paper crinkle, Twilight opened her eyes and looked at Rarity. She saw the rubbing floating in the air while Rarity studied it. “These are street numbers,” Rarity said. “I’m sure of it now.”

“What?” Twilight said. “Why didn’t you say something?”

Rarity flipped the sketch so that Twilight could see it. “Does this look like a street corner to you? Because it doesn’t to me.”

Twilight peered at the sketch and sighed. Something about it stood out, as if it was familiar in some way, but she couldn’t place it. “No, it doesn’t. It doesn’t look like anything.” She curled back into a tighter ball, despair eating away at her. “I’m sorry... this was all for nothing, and I dragged you all along. All I did was get a bunch of ponies killed, and I don’t have anything to show for it.”

“Nonsense, Twilight. You’re still alive, despite everything that’s happened, and we’ve done a great deal of good,” Rarity said.

“Rarity’s right,” Pinkie said. “You can’t let this get you down. My granny always said that when life knocks you over with a barrage of lemons, you’ve gotta pick yourself right back up and keep on trying!”

Twilight looked at Pinkie out of the corner of her eye. “First, it’s: ‘When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.’ Second, you don’t have a Granny.”

Pinkie stuck her tongue out at Twilight. “Says you!”

Twilight sighed again and stared at the floor.

“Well, my Granny says you should sleep on problems like this. It’s well after midnight, and I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m still pretty beat, even after sleeping most of the day away.” Applejack yawned. “I’m about ready to hit the hay, and I didn’t fight no Fire Elemental.”

“Agreed,” Rarity said.

Rainbow yawned. “It wasn’t easy, let me tell you. I could use a good sleep.”

Pinkie nudged Twilight with a hoof. “Come on, Twi. You’ve got to get up so that we can go to bed.”

Twilight groaned. “I don’t wanna get up!”

“Let’s get you to bed, drunky,” Rainbow said, prying her up with a wing.

“I’m not drunk!” Twilight protested as she lethargically climbed to her feet. “I’m just tipsy!”

Flames of shadow wreathed Twilight Sparkle. They moved with her where she stepped, but they did not burn her. She lifted her hooves high, moving over the forms of ponies that littered her path. Their eyes were closed, and their faces serene: the peaceful dead.

She walked through the halls of the Iron Circle’s headquarters. Living ponies around her fled or burned. Cloaked figures in masks swept in from the shadows and killed those that escaped. Twilight made her way ever upward with purpose, ignoring those in her path. Her answers gleamed like a beacon above.

She climbed winding stairs until she finally reached her destination. The beacon winked out. A smiling, laughing face replaced it: the figure at the end of the table. He stared at her with dead eyes. The corpses of her enemies slumped around him. He killed them to keep them from her.

Wherever she walked, ponies burned when they got too close. She wrought a path of havoc. There were five that would not run – five that stood at her side.

Flames wreathed her hooves and blew them away.

Twilight shot awake. Terror clutched at her chest, the moment when she nearly used a Sunfire spell in the spa coming back to her. Cold sweat stung her eyes when she opened them. A sliver of sunlight slanted through between the black curtains. She stared up at the ceiling, listening to the calming sound of Pinkie and Spike’s breathing.

Cadance was right, she thought. It did end badly. She sighed and melted back into the bed as the tightness in her chest eased. Cadance couldn’t have known that they would burn away the evidence, but she must have realized something was wrong.

Maybe she saw it in me, Twilight thought. There was one thing on my mind when I left for the Iron Circle’s tower. What if they had been alive? What would I have done? She wiped the sweat off her brow and rolled onto her side, facing Pinkie’s bed.

Pinkie snoozed peacefully. She shifted in her sleep, curling her forelegs up against her nose and burying her face behind her hooves. Twilight wondered what Pinkie thought. We’ve both changed since Candlekeep... but how much has she changed? She always pictured Pinkie with a smile on her face, but now she wondered if that smile had become a mask. Is she disappointed in me? Does she see what I am now?

With another sigh, Twilight rolled out of bed. Stepping as softly as she could, she moved over to the window and peered out beneath the curtain. The light illuminating the room lanced down an alley between two buildings. The Sun hadn’t been in the sky for long. She knew she could use a couple more hours of sleep, but she didn’t feel like slipping back into bed.

She retrieved a quill, some parchment, and the rubbing before she left the room. Her hoof-falls seemed thunderously loud in the morning stillness as she made her way into the common room. Rainbow Dash sat in front of the window. She turned her head as Twilight slipped in the doorway.

“Can’t sleep?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah.” She turned back to the window. Outside, the buildings cast long shadows on a mostly empty street.

Does she have nightmares too? Twilight wondered.

Twilight settled onto a spot beside a small table and set her parchment on it. She started to copy the rubbing line for line. It was a strange drawing. Three parallel lines ran diagonally across it. Occasionally, a single line would cross between them at an angle. A box surrounded the lines at the center of the image. Next to it were two numbers, listed as 43rd and 10th. Below the box, two more lines split off and headed for the bottom of the page until they disappeared from the rubbing. She bit her lip, trying to get the lines exactly right.

“What’re you doing?” Rainbow asked, surprisingly close.

Startled, Twilight jerked the quill in her levitation, dropping a blotch of ink on the parchment. “I’m trying to make a copy of this,” she muttered and replaced the ruined sheet with a fresh one. “It’s the only clue we have.”

“Oh,” Rainbow said. “Sorry...”

Rainbow stayed quiet as she worked. Drawing out the sketch brought it to the forefront of her mind. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d seen something like it before, but the more she thought about it, the more she wondered if it was actually familiar at all. Usually, when she saw something, she could place it. She finished the first copy and reached for another sheet of parchment.

“I shouldn’t have killed her,” Rainbow said.

Twilight paused and looked up at Rainbow. “Who?” she asked, even though she knew the answer.

“Daisy,” Rainbow said, not meeting her gaze.

Twilight hesitated, trying to find the right words. “It wasn’t unjustified,” she finally said. It was the best she could manage.

Rainbow nodded slightly and plopped down on her haunches beside the table. “What if she knew something?”

Twilight rubbed her forehead, near the base of her horn. “What if she did?” Twilight asked, raising her voice. “If we had someone to question, maybe we’d know something!”

Rainbow recoiled, her ears shrinking back. “I’m sorry! I’ve practiced that swing so many times that it just happened!”

Twilight sighed. “No, I’m sorry... I’m frustrated. We can’t blame ourselves. We didn’t know what they would do to stop us.” She paused until Rainbow looked up at her. “It’s not your fault.”

Rainbow shook her head. “It is! When I get in a fight, all I have are drills and instinct. I get angry, and I can’t stop. I can’t do anything right! I couldn’t even catch the one that fell!” She glared at Twilight, tears clinging to her lower eyelids. “How do you do it? You’ve killed more ponies than I have! Doesn’t it hurt?!”

Twilight stared at Rainbow. She opened her mouth to say something, but couldn’t find words. It doesn’t... could I tell her that? She glanced off to the side, unable to meet Rainbow Dash’s accusing gaze. “I see their faces in my nightmares,” she said finally.

Rainbow sighed and looked down at her hooves. “Me too...” she said. “I feel guilty. I feel like I shouldn’t have killed them. I wish I didn’t have to. I wish I could save them. Why do they have to fall?”

For a moment, neither spoke. Twilight felt words on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to tell Rainbow the whole story. “I feel guilty for liking it,” she murmured. She cringed.

“What?” Rainbow asked. It wasn’t the accusatory, outraged shout she expected.

Twilight shook her head. “Nothing,” she quickly said as she glanced at Rainbow. How much did she hear? She gauged Rainbow’s expression – inquisitive, not angry.

“I thought you said—” Rainbow said.

“She said she liked killing,” Fluttershy said from the door, loud and clear.

Twilight’s eyes widened. She was caught. There was no going back now. She quickly rose to her feet and took a step back away from the table and the door. “I–I,” she stammered. She felt something building in her chest.

The outrage Twilight expected flashed across Rainbow’s face. “What!” Rainbow shouted, turning on Fluttershy. “Why’d you accuse her like that!”

Fluttershy kept her gaze focused on Twilight. “It’s true, isn’t it? You’re different.”

“What’s all the ruckus?” Applejack said, appearing behind Fluttershy. Her eyes were half lidded, and her coat mussed, like she had just gotten out of bed.

No... Twilight thought, horrified. Two was bad enough. She backed away from the others.

Rainbow gestured at Twilight. “Fluttershy said Twilight likes killing ponies!” She flared her wings aggressively. Twilight expected Fluttershy to flinch, but she didn’t.

“Hey now, that can’t be right,” Applejack said, stepping between them. “No one likes killing, ‘cept for sadists and murderin’ psychopaths. It’s just something that we’ve gotta do,” she said. “It’s why we’re better than the bastards that burned down that tower. Fluttershy wouldn’t say Twilight likes killing.”

Rainbow eased her stance, folding her wings. “It’s what I heard,” she grumbled. “Fluttershy said it.”

“Something the matter?” Rarity asked, poking her head in, a towel wrapped around her mane.

Four, Twilight thought. At least Pinkie won’t have to hear this. Her back hit a wall. Her heart raced.

“I heard what she said,” Fluttershy said firmly, glaring past Applejack at Rainbow. “And so did you.”

“See!” Rainbow shouted and stepped forward. “That’s not right!”

Rarity raised a brow at Rainbow. “What’re you talking about?”

Applejack sat on her haunches and held up her hooves. “Calm down! I’m sure there’s a way to make sense of this.”

“Make sense of her accusing our friend of being some sort of monster?!” Rainbow yelled. “Why, Fluttershy? How could you say that?” she asked, her tone softening.

“She’s not a monster, and I never said that she was,” Fluttershy said. “You need to talk about things like this to heal them.”

“Of course Twilight’s not a monster,” Pinkie said as she swept into the room as if nothing was amiss. “Celestia blessed her with a familiar, and gave her a sword,” she added, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. She passed Rainbow and peered at the table. “You made a copy? Good idea, Twilight!” she said, beaming.

Twilight tried to press herself further back into the corner she’d wedged herself into. Not her, she thought. She wanted to hide away. Not Pinkie. There was no way of knowing how her closest friend would react if she knew the truth. The tightness in her chest built. Her pulse raced.

Rarity stepped further into the room, approaching Twilight. “How’d you know they were talking about Twilight?”

Pinkie shrugged. “Who else?” She held up the two drawings, one in each hoof, and giggled. “You even got the little lines right!”

“Well, Pinkie’s right,” Applejack said. “So, that’s settled. Twilight’s not a monster, and she doesn’t like killing ponies.”

Fluttershy nodded. “Twilight is our friend, and she helps ponies, but—”

“Does liking killing make you a monster?” Pinkie interrupted.

The pressure built to a peak in Twilight’s chest. She felt like she was about to burst. It wasn’t right. I’m not going to hide from my friends, she decided. Twilight advanced out of her corner. “It does, I do like killing, and I am a monster!” she shouted.

All eyes turned to her. She pressed forward. “I didn’t have to Fireball the ponies on the road. I didn’t have to kill the diamond dogs in the cave – at least not that way. I didn’t have to kill the bandits on the way to the city. Some of them were running!” She flicked her gaze between each of her shocked friends. “I cut them down!”

She fell back onto her haunches, her strength gone. She held up a hoof and stared at it. It was smooth, pristine, and well-cared for since they started staying at the spa. She saw bloodstains on it, even though she knew it was clean. “I liked it. It makes me feel... alive. I am a monster. I’m a psychopath, or something.”

Twilight felt a hoof on her shoulders, and looked up. Fluttershy’s kind eyes met hers. “You’re not, Twilight. You care.”

Twilight shook her head and shoved Fluttershy’s hoof away. I don’t deserve her kindness... I don’t deserve any of them, she thought. “Star Swirl taught me to care. I’m not like you!”

“I don’t believe that, Twilight,” Fluttershy said.

They should run, before they get burned, Twilight thought. She glared at Fluttershy fiercely. “I don’t care about you – any of you!” she lied. “All I care about is killing the Black Knight, and I used you to get this far! And now, I want you to leave!”

Fluttershy recoiled. Twilight saw the hurt in her eyes, but pushed past, fighting to keep her expression strong and angry. She made for the door.

“Twilight...” Pinkie said, staring at her.

“Leave me alone, Pinkie,” Twilight growled.

“Twilight, you should stop and think about this,” Rarity said from somewhere to her side.

“There’s nothing to think about,” Twilight muttered. She stopped; Applejack blocked the door. Twilight glared at Applejack. “Move.”

Applejack chuckled.

Twilight blinked, her mask of rage wavering. Why is she laughing?

“You had me going there for a second, Twilight, but you’re a terrible liar. That ain’t the truth, and this ain’t what you want,” Applejack said. “The truth is: you’re scared.” She stared into Twilight’s eyes. “You’re more scared than you’ve ever been. You’re like my brother when he was growing up, too big and too strong for his age, afraid of hurting all the smaller ponies around him. You may be strong, but I’m a big girl, Twilight. We all are.”

Twilight furrowed her brows and hardened her expression. She lit her horn threateningly. “Move,” she growled.

“What’re you going to do to me, Twilight? Cast a spell? Turn me to stone? Throw me into the wall?” Applejack taunted, planting her hooves.

Twilight reached out for Applejack with her levitation, but it was like trying to grab a bar of soap. Applejack’s hooves stayed firmly rooted on the floor. Twilight’s eyes widened. “How?”

“Magic Resistance,” Applejack said. “Runs in the family.”

Twilight’s mind immediately flicked back to the encounter in Berry Punch’s tavern, where the wizard had dropped Applejack with a spell. “What about the Shocking Touch?” she asked.

“I wasn’t ready, and I was in metal armor,” Applejack said. She stepped forward and wrapped a foreleg around Twilight’s neck. “We’ve got a lot to talk about.” She gently pushed Twilight onto a couch. “Sit down,” she said. It wasn’t a request.

Twilight settled onto the couch. She looked around at her friends. There was hurt in their eyes, but also understanding. Why don’t they hate me? Twilight wondered.

“Twilight, there’s something I think you should consider,” Rarity said, standing between Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “You haven’t had long to deal with death. We all cope differently. If you feel like all you get is enjoyment, maybe you’re suppressing something.”

Twilight shook her head. “There’s a hunger, Rarity. I feel it every time I think about killing someone.”

“You really mean it, don’t you?” Rainbow said, staring at Twilight with disbelief. “I guess... I saw it in your eyes – when you were looking at Lightning Dust.”

“Some wounds are in the mind,” Fluttershy said. “You need time to heal, Twilight. It’s good that you were honest with us.”

“You need a break,” Pinkie advised sagely.

“We don’t know what to do next anyways,” Rarity said. “We’re going to take a day off and see the sights of Manehattan!”

Twilight opened her mouth to argue.

Rarity held up a hoof. “No ifs, ands, or buts. You need this. We need this. We’ll visit Shining Armor and Cadance this evening. I hope they can shed some light on the events of last night; but for the day, we’re going to take a break.”

The flavor of warm jelly squirted out into Twilight’s mouth as she bit into a pastry. They sat at a table in the bakery she’d broken into while they were in prison. Boards covered the shattered window behind her.

“How long have you been feeling this way?” Fluttershy asked, peering at her.

Twilight swallowed. “I don’t know... since the caves, at least. Maybe always.”

“Well, you stopped,” Rainbow said.

“Huh?” Twilight muttered around her next bite.

Rainbow leaned forward, resting her forelegs on the table.“When you were standing over Lightning Dust, you stopped. When I asked you not to kill Gilda, you stopped. Hunger or not, you’re in control,” she said quietly.

Twilight shrugged. “Maybe.” She finished off her pastry.

“Rainbow’s right,” Applejack said. She gently patted Twilight on the back. “There’s a rush to combat; we all feel it. Don’t take it too hard.”

It’s not just that, Twilight thought. It’s not right. Here she was, her first kill less than a month ago, and already death seemed like a familiar friend. She sighed, pushing away her doubt, and nodded. “Well, I’m ready to go,” she said and stood up from the table.

As her friends joined her, she left a generous tip on the table, enough to cover the damage she’d done to the window and her theft twice over. Applejack nodded in approval and turned to leave. “Thank you for coming!” the baker called after them while they stepped out the door.

“The pastries were delicious!” Pinkie said over her shoulder. “Getting breakfast here was a great idea,” she said to the group.

On the street, a pair of Flaming Wing ponies pulling down fliers eyed them. Twilight overheard one of them grumbling. “Shortest pony hunt I’ve ever seen,” he muttered. She grinned at them as she passed. It was a wonderful feeling – being able to move about freely so close to the fortress she’d been imprisoned in.

“Welcome to Sorcerous Sundries,” a dark-blue unicorn behind a counter announced as Twilight followed Rarity through the shop’s doors. The walls of the curricular building curved away to either side, bearing shelves littered with knick-knacks that allegedly possessed magical power. “Can I help you with anything?”

While Rarity walked toward the shopkeeper, Twilight picked up a random object, a gnarled staff of wood, noting the ’You break it, you buy it’ sign beside the counter. She noticed nothing outwardly magical about it.

“Would you happen to have any of ‘Fizzle’s Fantastic Fixing Agent?’” Rarity asked the shopkeeper.

“Ah yes, great stuff, that is. I think we some in stock. Let me check upstairs,” the shopkeeper said, then disappeared up a spiral staircase.

“Thinking about getting a wizard staff?” Pinkie queried, appearing beside Twilight. The rest of the group filtered into the shop, eyeing the goods arranged on the shelves.

Twilight shrugged and started to put the staff back. It was probably just a piece of wood anyway. She hesitated for a moment. Star Swirl’s staff seemed like it was just a piece of wood, she thought. She headed for the counter, bringing the staff with her.

“This don’t look like a smithy,” Applejack said, poking at a crystal ball on one of the shelves. “I thought you said we’d be able to fix my chain here, Rarity.”

Twilight set the staff on the counter. Beside her, Rarity rolled her eyes. “They have exactly what I need to fix it here,” Rarity said.

“You’re gonna fix it? You’re no blacksmith, Rarity. You don’t work metal,” Applejack said as she turned away from the shelf and trotted over to the counter.

Rarity produced the golden spike from her bag of holding and set it on the counter. “Give me the end of your chain.”

Applejack muttered something under her breath and flicked the end of her chain up onto the counter. With her levitation, Rarity grabbed both pieces, aligning them. The spike matched perfectly to the chain, though there were some chips missing, revealing the broken edge. “It wants to be whole,” Rarity said. “All it needs is a little push.”

Applejack quirked a brow at Rarity. “If by a little push you mean a spot of reforging, you’d be right.”

“Look closer,” Rarity said.

Applejack leaned in, peering at the chain and spike. Twilight pressed in beside her for a better look, curiosity getting the better of her. The imperfect gaps where the edge had worn away shone with a glimmer of faint golden light. New material crept into the spaces.

“Woah,” Applejack said. “It’s fixing itself...”

Rarity let go of the two pieces, and they separated, clattering to the countertop. The new material vanished in a wisp of golden smoke. “It needs help.”

Twilight looked over her shoulder. Pinkie, Rainbow, and Fluttershy perused the shelves. Rainbow’s eyes widened, and she reached for the back of the shelf, bumping a decorated vase. “Careful, Rainbow,” Twilight called.

Rainbow pulled back with a golden feather in her mouth and headed for the counter. Twilight bit her lip as the vase teetered and quickly reached out with her levitation to stabilize it. “If this is what I think it is, we’re buying it,” Rainbow said around the object.

“What is it?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow spat the feather out onto the counter. “It’ll stop a falling pony.”

Twilight tilted her head, peering at the feather. “How do you know?”

“I’ve seen one of these before, back in Skywall. While I was training, I screwed up and hit a dense patch of cloud when I was doing a maneuver. I cracked my head pretty good, and I fell. I was spinning, dazed, and I couldn’t tell up from down. Firefly flew after me. I expected her to catch me and right me or something, but she stuck the feather behind my ear. I stopped instantly. No jerk, no inertia, I was just drifting gently downward. She told me it was way less risky than trying to execute a mid-air catch,” Rainbow explained.

Twilight lit her horn and cast an Identification spell. “You’re right,” she said a moment later. “We’ll get it. It’ll only work three times though.”

Rainbow blinked. “Why three?”

“Because that’s the number of charges it has, of course,” Twilight said, exasperated. She glanced at the staff. She’d only prepared one Identification spell that morning. As she started to form one from scratch, hooves on the steps drew her attention.

“Sorry, this was the last one,” the shopkeeper said as she descended. “It took me a bit to find it.” She levitated a miniscule glass jar filled with a tarry, black substance onto the counter. She looked over the other items. “I see you ladies have an eye for quality.”

Twilight pointed at the staff. “What’s this do?”

“That is a branch sung from a tree by a Dryad and cured on the sunlit peaks of the northern mountains. For a wizard, it will hold a Sequencer and a Contingency,” the shopkeeper said.

Twilight tilted her head. The staff would be useful, but she already had her two swords. She wasn’t sure she wanted to manage levitating three objects in combat. “Do you have anything like it, but smaller and less unwieldy? Something I could wear?” she asked.

They left the shop after spending a small fortune, but it hardly put a dent in the Dragon’s hoard stored in the Bag of Holding. Twilight sported a silver amulet, a crescent moon, on a thin chain around her neck. It could only hold a Sequencer, but she knew she could store both a Contingency and a Sequencer in Solstice if she wanted to.

Out in the street, Rarity carefully dabbed a bit of the black tarry substance from the jar on the end of Applejack’s chain, then set the spike against it. “You’re fixing my chain with glue?” Applejack grumbled. She shifted in agitation while she watched Rarity work.

Rarity winked. “And a little bit of magic.” She lit her horn, and pale blue light laced around the two spikes. A little bit of the black goop spilled out from between the two pieces, but nothing happened. She bit her lip in concentration, her brows furrowing.

“Nice try,” Applejack scoffed.

“Give her time,” Pinkie said.

Suddenly, white flames erupted around the end of the chain. The brightness forced Twilight to close her eyes. When she opened them, blinking away the ghostly afterimage, the chain was whole. Golden motes swirled around Truthseeker’s twin spikes. Applejack stood in stunned silence, her mouth agape. Ponies walking by in the street gasped.

Rarity nudged Applejack. “Don’t I get a ‘thank you?’” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes.

Applejack slowly closed her mouth. “Rarity, if I could, I’d give you way more than that. But, my thanks and an apology are all I’ve got. I never shoulda’ doubted you.” She collected the chain, wrapping it around her tail once more, and the golden motes dissipated.

Rarity smiled. “Oh, I understand. This is your father’s weapon; I’d be concerned too.” She lifted a hoof, tapping her chin. “Where next?”

“We should go somewhere exciting!” Pinkie suggested. “There’s gotta be a tavern in this city where all the fun ponies go.”

Twilight chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I know we’re supposed to be taking a break, but could we check out the intersection of 43rd and 10th? Just in case we see something?”

Rarity shook her head in disappointment, but she said, “I suppose you won’t be able to stop thinking about this. We’ll go take a look.”

Twilight stood on the corner of the busy intersection as ponies walked by, holding up the sketch. She stamped her hoof in frustration. They’d found absolutely nothing out of the ordinary in the intersection itself or the shops on the corners. Standing here, looking around, the drawing made even less sense.

“Something has to be here,” she muttered. “The numbers must mean this intersection.”

“Twilight,” Applejack said, folding the drawing with a hoof. “If it doesn’t make sense, maybe we’re missing pieces. All we’ve got is what was dragged from a dead pony’s damaged mind. The numbers might not even relate to the drawing.”

Twilight sighed. “I guess there’s nothing left to do but talk to Shining Armor and Cadance again.”

“Oh, we could do that, if you don’t want to take a trip to the Manehattan Museum a few blocks away...” Rarity said.

Twilight’s ears perked. There wasn’t a location she wanted to visit in Manehattan more than the museum. It must have slipped my mind, she thought. “It’s that close?” she asked.

Twilights hooves clicked on smooth marble as she climbed steps to the museum’s second floor balcony. She stared up at the structure around her in awe. A massive dome rose from the center of the ceiling, its interior painted with a stylized mural of the Celestial Sphere. One half was blue, sunlit sky, and the other was a field of stars on a dark background. A crystalline lattice ran around the borders. A ring of six classical stone columns supported the dome. Beneath it, a wide floor held countless artifacts. The Manehattan Museum was everything she imagined it to be.

On the balcony, Twilight stopped in front of a strange device. It was a steel tube as wide as she was tall, but half of it was fragmented and rusted, revealing the interior. Gleaming sapphires lined the inside of the tube.

As she read the bronze plaque explaining the device, Pinkie stepped up beside her. Twilight had separated from the rest of her friends, too excited to restrict herself to their pace and understanding, but Pinkie had stuck with her. The plaque told her the object had been discovered a few years ago on the coastline by an ancient shipwreck washed against the cliffs of the Sword Coast, but according to it, nothing was known about what it did.

“Betcha it shoots magical beams of destruction,” Pinkie said.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’ll bet it doesn’t.”

“Fancy meeting you here, Twilight Sparkle,” a pony beside them said.

Twilight turned toward the speaker. She recognized the grey haired pony and smiled. “How are you, Crystal Clear?”

Crystal Clear stepped towards them, limping slightly on one of her hind legs. “Good, despite those ruffians arresting us.” Crystal Clear grinned. “I see you’re doing well for being the most wanted pony in Manehattan a day ago.”

“Yeah, we got that sorted out,” Twilight said.

Crystal Clear raised her spectacles to her eyes and peered at the plaque. “This information is terribly out of date. There are a few of these in Canterlot that still function.”

“Do they shoot magical beams of destruction?” Pinkie asked.

“No, they’re...” Crystal Clear tapped her hoof on the marble floor, as if thinking of the correct term. “Propulsion devices, most likely. For boats. Water comes in one end and goes squirting out the other at high pressure.”

Pinkie rose up onto her hind legs and held her forehooves up in the air menacingly. “It’s a magical cannon of watery destruction! I told you, Twilight!”

Twilight eyed Pinkie and chuckled. “Sure, Pinkie.” She turned to Crystal Clear. “So, I guess you’re happy to discover the Crystal Princess is real?”

Crystal Clear raised an eyebrow at Twilight. “The fact that she’s speaking at the next meeting of the Duchesses is hardly proof, Twilight. We need to see her, in the flesh, to know if she is the rumored Alicorn. And, some tests for illusion or shape changing would definitely be in order, even if she had wings in addition to a horn.”

Twilight held her tongue. Stupid, she reprimanded herself. With the Empire trying to kill Cadance, I shouldn’t have said anything. Cadance was obviously doing her best to stay out of the spotlight. She assumed that Crystal Clear would have had the opportunity to meet with Cadance, but that assumption was wrong. What if Crystal Clear is spying for the Empire? she wondered. She eyed Crystal Clear suspiciously, and something on the wall caught her attention.

“Really, I’d expect more from Star Swirl’s pupil,” Crystal Clear said with a sigh.

Twilight stepped past Crystal Clear, ignoring the reprimand. A large, white board with red, green, and black lines drawn across it was fixed to the wall. A title on the top read, ’—ay Map’, chipping and flaking on the surface of the board obscuring the first bit. The plaque seemed to focus on the water resistant qualities of the board’s unknown material and the way the ink was worked into the substance itself, calling the contents of the map ‘indecipherable’.

Lines, Twilight thought, her mind racing. Triple line, crossed... two lines. A box. 2nd street station. Crystal Clear was saying something, but the words sounded muffled and indistinct in her ears. Tramway Map! Each line is a track! Twilight slapped the sketch up against the map. The lines matched a station marked ‘10th & 43rd’. She had seen something like this before, in the back of a book archiving some of the artifacts found in the Manehattan Museum.

“It’s not in the intersection, it’s under it!” Twilight cried out in excitement.

“What’re you talking about?” Crystal Clear said, annoyance in her tone.

Twilight grabbed Pinkie with a hoof and ran off without a word.

Twilight stepped down a wide staircase, descending deeper beneath the earth, the only light coming from her horn. Above, they’d paid the merchants to search their basements, and in one, they found a wall that sounded hollow. After a brief negotiation, they knocked it down and revealed a tunnel. At the bottom of this staircase were her answers – they had to be. With her friends at her side, she reached the last step and brightened her horn to reveal the expansive station before her.

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Preread by: Extravagaunte
Preread by: Furutta
Editor: The Music Man

Coast

Coast

A stack of bulbous green shapes reflected the light from Twilight's horn as she gazed around the station in awe. They formed a pillar in the center of the station, like tree sap that had oozed from the ceiling and hardened to become amber. The base of the column filled the space between the station’s two platforms; wide enough for three tracks. With her swords drawn, Twilight cautiously stepped forward.

Dust plumed with each fall of her hooves. A pair of rats scurrying into a corner cast amplified shadows on the wall. The scritching sound of tiny teeth emanated from below the edge of the platform.

“What is this?” Rainbow asked, somewhere behind her.

Seeing nothing threatening, Twilight sheathed her swords and approached the pillar. She inspected one of the round, bulbous pods. Its reflective surface caught the light of her horn, showing nothing but her own distorted face. She dimmed her horn, and another face replaced hers. She saw an inverted pony inside the pod and recoiled in surprise.

“What is it, Twilight?” Applejack said, stepping up beside her.

“There are ponies in these,” Twilight murmured. She placed her hoof against the pod, and the surface gave, the material flexible and springy.

“What?” Applejack said, jostling her to get a better look.

“There’s one up here too,” Rainbow said from where she hovered next to a pod higher on the pillar. “We have to get them out!”

“Wait, we don’t—” Twilight shouted as she looked up. Rainbow had already cut a gash into the base of the pod above her. She sidestepped a trickling stream of green goo oozing out of the pod. A rancid, rotten smell filled her nostrils. A mass slumped out of the breach in the pod, sliding down the pillar until it landed beside Twilight. Through the transparent slime, she saw an emaciated body. She reached out a hoof and pushed it through the slime to touch its neck. There was no pulse. “We don’t know what these are,” she finished.

“Is she dead?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight nodded, flicking the slime off her hoof. She scrunched her nose up at the smell and took a step back.

“And judging by the smell, she’s been dead for a few hours, at least,” Applejack said as she brushed a bit of slime that had spattered her off her armor’s chestpiece.

“This place is full of death,” Fluttershy said. “I can feel it.”

The slime slowly oozed off the body, revealing the mare’s face with clarity. Twilight’s eyes widened. It was the same mare as the one in the tower; the one Rainbow had killed. “That... that can’t be right,” she muttered, pushing away more of the slime with her levitation. The face perfectly matched her memory of Daisy.

Rainbow landed beside the body. She stared at in shock. “No... no way! That’s not right! She’s ash now.” She stamped her hoof. “This isn’t possible!”

“Who is she?” Rarity said, stepping up to get a better look.

“Daisy,” Rainbow murmured.

“She’s a pony we saw in the tower,” Twilight explained.

“You should come see this, Twilight,” Pinkie said, peering around the edge of the mass of pods with interest.

Twilight stepped over. From this angle, she saw a hole through the pillar. The pods formed an arch over where the tracks once were. In both directions, rubble completely blocked the tramway tunnel, isolating the station. A trickle of water oozed out from one of the tunnels and ran beneath the arch. A cluster of rats scurried away from a pod leaking a thin trickle of slime. They’d almost gnawed through the material.

“They must smell food,” Twilight said, shaking her head sadly.

Pinkie wrapped a foreleg around her neck and directed her gaze higher, at the apex of the arch. Twilight quirked a brow. “What is it?” she asked.

“What isn’t it?” Pinkie replied.

“Pinkie, this isn’t the time for your—” Twilight started to say, but as she looked closer, she noticed an odd cavity where a large pod could fit. Around the edges of the cavity, the green substance looked stretched, like caramel that had been pulled apart. “Oh.”

“Some of them are still alive!” Fluttershy cried, drawing Twilight’s attention. The druid’s eyes were glowing.

“Which ones?” Rainbow quickly asked, taking flight again.

“I can’t tell; they’re all buried behind the dead,” Fluttershy said, shivering.

Twilight sucked air through a cloth she’d put over her mouth as a makeshift mask while she stacked slime-covered bodies in one of the platform’s corners, beside the twisted remains of what was once a bench.

“One more, Twilight,” Applejack said, indicating a corpse on the floor that Rainbow had just cut free. A few hoofspans away, Fluttershy tended to another body. The stallion wasn’t breathing, but Fluttershy believed he was still alive.

Twilight reached out and dragged the corpse across the floor, using a well built trail of slime, until it was close enough that she could lift it into the air. She froze as its face passed by. Him, she thought. It was the laughing pony at the head of the table. She jerked the corpse in shock, and it slammed into the wall as her levitation field collapsed.

“This isn’t physically possible,” she said, staring at the corpse. It lay in the corner between the wall and the floor, its neck twisted at a grotesque angle.

“Twilight, you okay?!” Applejack shouted. She sounded muffled and far away.

Twilight stepped closer to the body and inspected it. It was, without a doubt, the same pony she’d seen at the head of the table in the tower. A chill ran down her spine. “How?” she murmured. This can’t be happening, she thought, but no matter how close she looked, the corpse was still real.

A hoof touched Twilight’s shoulder, and she turned away from the corpse. “Twilight?” Applejack said, looking at her with concern.

Twilight pointed at the corpse. “He’s not supposed to be here!” she cried.

Applejack pulled her into an embrace. “It’s okay, Twilight.”

At first, Twilight stiffened, but after a moment she relaxed and leaned her head against the firm plate of armor covering Applejack’s shoulder. “He’s dead...” she murmured. She looked over at where Fluttershy tended to the survivor. What matters is the living, she told herself.

Eyes aglow, Fluttershy tapped her patient’s chest. He coughed, launching green slime up into the air, then rolled onto his side, curling into a ball as he coughed and gasped. “You’re going to be okay,” Fluttershy said softly.

“Where am I?” he gasped.

“You’re safe,” Rainbow said. “Gonna be just fine.”

Out of dozens of pods, only three ponies were alive. They looked gaunt and drained. Bags hung beneath their eyes. While the others gave them food and water, Twilight stood off to the side with Fluttershy. “How’d you bring them back?” Twilight whispered.

“Um... well, they were cursed, and I fixed it,” Fluttershy murmured.

Twilight blinked. “They were—” she said out loud, but Fluttershy stopped her with a look. “Cursed?” she finished with an incredulous whisper.

Fluttershy nodded. “I’m not sure what the curse did, but I was at least able to fix it.”

Twilight made a mental note to prepare a wizard spell she knew with a similar effect. “He looks familiar,” she whispered, eyeing the stallion, the first one they’d rescued. “He’s Cadance’s Butler, isn’t he?”

Fluttershy nodded again.

“I remember you...” one of the survivors said while Rarity gave her some water. “It must have been a dream I was having in there,” she gestured over her shoulder at the green pillar, “But I poured you soup. I was me... but not me.”

Twilight furrowed her brows and looked down. “How can ponies be in two places at once?” she asked nopony in particular.

“That’s easy, Twilight,” Pinkie said, appearing beside her. “There’s only one real one.”

Twilight looked up and quirked a brow at Pinkie. “Illusions?”

Pinkie shrugged and smiled, then trotted forward to give one of the survivors an apple.

Twilight shook her head in amusement as Pinkie walked away. “No... illusions wouldn’t make sense, too real,” she murmured to herself. “A curse – two places at once.” She tapped her hoof on the stone. Spike, are you there? she thought.

Spike appeared in a flash of green flame. He yawned and stretched. “Yeah, yeah, I’m up... why do you have to do things so early?”

Behind him, the survivors shuffled away from the fading green light.

“It’s at least two in the afternoon, Spike,” Twilight said.

Spike rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. He instantly latched onto Twilight’s leg. “Where is this? Is it safe here?” he asked, panicked.

“As far as I can tell,” Twilight said. She affectionately rubbed Spike’s head with her free forehoof. She remembered him coming up just past her elbow, but his head was almost at her shoulder. Did he grow? she wondered. “Does the Celestial Library have anything on a shapeshifter that curses its victims?”

Spike pulled away and coughed up a book. He caught it and passed it to Twilight. She read the cover and blinked. “Demonic Lexicon: Volume IV,” she said, “‘Know Your Enemy’... Spike, are you sure this is the right book?”

He shrugged. “It’s what your request turned up.”

Twilight frowned and cracked the book open. Nabasu, Quasit, she read as she flipped through the pages, looking for relevant information. A sketch covering half a page with a tower of pods drew her attention. Beside the tower, two fanged, insect winged creatures roughly the same size as a pony stood guard. The book called them Changelings. She read the page as quickly as she could.

“They need some fresh air,” Applejack said, gesturing toward the survivors.

Twilight finished off the last paragraph before looking away from the book. “How are they, other than that? Can they walk?”

“They’re fine, despite being stuck in those pods for Celestia knows how long,” Applejack said. “They shouldn’t be able to walk, but they can.”

“Spike, could you write a message for me?” Twilight asked.

“Sure thing,” Spike said, producing a scroll and a quill.

“To Cadance and Shining Armor: Three of your servants are demons,” Twilight dictated. “They are shapeshifters that replaced your real servants some time ago. My friends and I rescued their victims. I have reason to believe the shapeshifters have already reverted back to their true forms, but they might still be lurking. While dangerous, they are not all that strong; Shining Armor should be able to handle it. The Iron Circle was involved. Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle.”

Applejack chewed on her lip. “Shapeshifters, huh? Makes sense. I knew there was an explanation.”

Spike passed the scroll to Twilight. She gave it a quick once over before rolling it up and stepping forward. She approached the butler. “Are you loyal to Cadance?” she asked.

The gaunt stallion, a unicorn, looked up at her. “Of course. I serve her household, and her mother’s before her.”

Twilight pointed at the stairs with a hoof. “That’s the way out. We’re beneath the intersection of 10th and 43rd.” She passed him the scroll. “It is vital to Cadance’s safety that you get this to her or Shining Armor as soon as possible.” She floated over a collection of bits. “In case something comes up,” she explained when she saw the questioning look in his eyes.

He nodded. “I’ll get this to her as soon as possible.” He started to pick himself up, and Twilight lifted him to his feet. Beside her, Rarity and Pinkie helped the other two survivors up.

The three ponies walked away and ascended the stairs. “Shouldn’t we be bringing Cadance that message ourselves?” Applejack asked as they left.

Twilight slowly turned, looking around the station. “No, we’re going after the pod that was removed,” she said. “That brick wall we came through was old, and that merchant didn’t seem to remember anyone else coming down here.” She peered at the walls. “There has to be another way in and out.”

“I might be able to find it,” Rarity said. She focused, and a glow blossomed from her horn. Motes of blue light flowed down her forelegs and spiderwebbed across the floor, radiating ever outward. She opened her eyes and watched them etch lines in the floor.

“So we’re just going to leave Cadance to fend for herself while we chase after some pony in a green coffin?” Rainbow protested.

“Cadance will be fine; she has Shining Armor. Whoever’s in the missing pod must be important, and they could still be alive. If we don’t go after them, they’re as good as dead,” Twilight said.

“Fine, I’ll go make sure Cadance is okay while the rest of you figure out where that pod went,” Rainbow said as she turned toward the steps.

Pinkie blocked her path. “You don’t split the party, Rainbow,” Pinkie said, shaking her head in disappointment.

“But you and Rarity—” Rainbow objected.

“That was special,” Pinkie interrupted.

“And me, Twilight an’ Fluttershy—”

Pinkie pressed a hoof against Rainbow’s lips. “Shhh...”

“I think the point Pinkie is trying to make is that we should stick together,” Applejack said. “We don’t know what’s down here, where we’re going, or when we’ll have the chance to regroup.”

Pinkie nodded emphatically.

“An’ Twilight’s right. Cadance will be fine,” Applejack added.

“Fine,” Rainbow grumbled as she turned away from the stairs. “You win.”

“Well, there are three doors,” Rarity said, pointing. Twilight followed her hoof. Rarity’s spell had illuminated outlines around two narrow steel doors set into shadowed alcoves and etched a glowing blue rectangle into one of the walls.

“And only one big enough,” Twilight said, flicking her head towards the rectangular outline. She made her way toward it, balancing on a slab of rubble to cross to the other platform. She was pretty sure she was walking on the remains of a footbridge that had once arched across the tracks. When she got closer, she could see gaps in the mortar around the edge of the rectangle. Seeing no mechanism to open the hidden passage, she focused on the fake wall, reaching out to it with her levitation.

Pinkie touched a hoof to her shoulder. “Trap,” she said.

Twilight immediately withdrew her magic.

“I don’t see anything,” Rarity said, inspecting the wall. “Where is it?”

“An itchy left ear means magic trap,” Pinkie said. “It’s a new one.”

Twilight sat down and buried her face in her hooves. “Not this again...”

“My ear itched before we opened the vault, and it’s itching now,” Pinkie said. “I just figured it out.” She sucked in a deep breath before continuing, “It also itched when you stepped into the safehouse, and when—”

Twilight held up one of her hooves. “I get it,” she said.

“That’s some crazy intuition, Pinkie!” Spike said from behind Twilight.

“Yep! I call it my Pinkie sense,” Pinkie Pie said, beaming. “I know the future! This is just like the time back in Candlekeep when Twilight—”

“I said I got it!” Twilight shouted. “At least this time it’s useful,” she muttered. She turned on Spike. “Aren’t you supposed to go back to the Celestial Plane when things get dangerous?”

“Right,” he nodded, then vanished.

“I still don’t see it,” Rarity said.

“Guess we’re doing this the hard way,” Applejack said. “Everypony find some cover.” She eyed the door and hefted Truthseeker.

Twilight crouched behind a support column with Pinkie. She peeked around the edge. Applejack stood a good distance from the highlighted wall section. “Everypony ready?” Applejack called.

“Ready,” Twilight answered, the voices of her friends joining her.

“Now if a demon jumps at me, y’all better kill it,” Applejack said.

“I’m betting it’s some sort of explosion,” Rainbow said from behind a piece of rubble.

“I’m not,” Applejack said. Without hesitation, she turned and bucked her chain at the wall. Light flashed along the chain as Truthseeker homed in on it’s target.

Ka-boom!

The moment Truthseeker connected, a detonation rattled Twilight’s teeth. Flames blasted the wall apart. Before she could take cover, a loose chunk of rubble hit next to her face, missing her by a hair. By the time she was back behind the pillar, it was all over.

“Applejack?” She called, barely hearing herself over the ringing in her ears. She stepped out from behind the column and peered through the dust kicked up by the blast. A moment passed – no response. “Applejack!” she shouted.

A shape stirred, rising out of the rubble strewn across the floor. It shook off the dust, and dragonscales gleamed in the light of Twilight's horn. Twilight rushed toward Applejack, but Rainbow arrived first.

“You okay, AJ?” Rainbow yelled as she landed.

Applejack pointed at her ear and grinned. “Am I a tray?!” she bellowed. “I can’t hear a thing!”

Twilight sighed in relief; other than her ears, Applejack looked unharmed.

“I told you it would be an explosion!” Rainbow shouted, laughing.

The false wall hid the entrance to a maintenance passage. Dried chunks of green ichor clung to the walls. Side by side with Pinkie, Twilight made her way along the rigidly straight passage. It was just wide enough for a pod, or two ponies. She kept the Solstice ready; Celestial Fury would be more unwieldy in the tight space.

“So, what did the book say?” Applejack asked from the back of their formation.

“Changelings are demons that serve the evil demigoddess of deception and lust, Chrysalis,” Twilight began. “They’re solidly built in their true forms, with a tough carapace and sharp fangs, but they don’t seem to use weapons or other tools effectively. They can fly, though they’re slower than the average pegasus, and shoot stunning bolts of green energy from their horns.”

Twilight paused to hack off the end of a jutting, rusted pipe with Solstice, rather than risk scraping herself on it. “The true danger lies in their cursing bite and their ability to shapeshift. If they bite a victim, and cocoon them like the ponies we saw, they can near-perfectly mimic their victim. It said something about ‘borrowing’ the soul. I guess stealing might be a more accurate term. The main thing is: if they die, the victim in the cocoon dies too, unless the curse is removed.”

She stopped at an intersection. To the left, she could see a collapse. A green smear marred the wall of the right passage. She continued down the path to the right. “They rely on subterfuge and avoid open engagement in their true forms. They can mimic pretty much anypony or creature of appropriate size to confuse their enemies, but without a cursed victim, it’s only an illusion, and they lack behavior and memories of whoever they’ve copied.”

“So Daisy was a Changeling? The Daisy in the tower, I mean,” Rainbow said.

Twilight nodded. “It seems like it.” And so was the pony at the head of the table, she thought. “Changelings were probably in control of the Iron Circle.”

Rainbow sighed. “If killing the Changeling kills the victim, I still killed her.”

“No, you didn’t. That Changeling would have died in the fire, rather than risk exposure. They don’t have any sense of self-preservation. All that happens to them is they go back to the Abyss,” Twilight explained. “Only certain weapons can kill them permanently, like Celestial Fury.”

She wondered if splitting the head of the corpse with her sword had ended the Changeling.

She finally had a tangible answer – a what, if not a why. It was demons, not ponies of flesh and blood, that had placed a bounty on her head. Why am I disappointed? she wondered. Did I want it to be ponies, so that I could spill real blood when I took my revenge? I didn’t get to them in time anyway.

“The Abyss?” Rarity asked. “I was under the impression most demons came from Tartarus.”

“Most do,” Twilight said. “Changelings happen to come from the Abyss, the other part of Hell, where their Queen’s realm lies.” She sighed. “It would take a powerful spellcaster to summon them. Maybe these Grey Wizards Cadance mentioned were behind them.”

She frowned at her own conclusion. She felt like she was climbing a ladder without end. Her enemies were always another tier beyond, always lurking just around the corner, but never where she could reach them. She stomped her forehoof down on her next step in frustration. “Why can’t anyone just fight out in the open!” she cried. “Why the proxies? Why the bounty hunters and demons?”

Applejack chuckled. “Based on our track record, they’d lose.”

Twilight snorted. “The Black Knight is a coward. He has to know where I am now.” At least I can still kill him, if I ever find him, she thought. “Well, not right now, but...”

“I know what you mean,” Rarity said. “We weren’t exactly subtle, with those fliers getting everywhere.”

Twilight spitefully cut a gash in the wall with Solstice’s edge. Every step down the passage – fifty-eight paces so far, she’d been counting – she hoped something would jump out at her, just so she could kill it. “Come on! I know you’re lurking down here!” she yelled. “Doesn’t anyone want to take a bite out of Twilight Sparkle?!”

Nothing came to meet her blade.

A hundred and twenty-six paces later, they had pushed down another false wall and emerged into a tramway tunnel. To the right, the tunnel descended and filled with murky water. To the left, she could see light and moving shadows around a bend: Smuggler’s Way.

Twilight flung Solstice at the wall. The blade buried up to its hilt in the stone. “They could have gone anywhere!” she cried in frustration.

She stepped forward to retrieve her sword and felt a hoof on her shoulder. “Relax, Twilight. Somepony must have seen something,” Rarity said.

Twilight ripped Solstice free, spraying debris off its edge. “There are any number of exits along Smuggler’s Way! Even if somepony did see them, how could they know where they left?”

Rarity grinned at her. “You’re underestimating the Thieves Guild. They know where you’ve been, when you’re down here.”

“You’re saying they follow ponies?” Twilight asked as she turned toward Smuggler’s Way.

“Ponies like you, anyway, or ponies that happen to be carrying a large egg-shaped green cocoon,” she said with a sly smile and trotted ahead down the passage. “We just need to find the watcher who saw them and pay the right price.”

Twilight trotted after Rarity. She rounded a bend, and Smuggler’s Way came into full view. Rarity pointed out a pony in a black cloak nestled into an alcove on the side of the tunnel. Twilight glimpsed a rough wooden door. “He’s definitely with the guild,” she said. She opened the Bag of Holding. “Come on, girls. You know the drill.”

The Thieves Guild watcher climbed up a gangplank leading onto a moored barge. A worn sign hung from a post beside the plank, displaying a painted sailing ship and the words ’Low Lantern Tavern’. Twilight carefully followed the watcher up the plank. It lacked railings, or even a rope to grab if she slipped. The sound of water lapping against the hull of the barge emanated from below.

She stepped off the gangplank and onto the deck of the barge. A few sombre individuals sat around outdoor tables on the deck of the boat, nursing their mugs in the afternoon air. Her friends followed single file after her as she moved clear of the gangplank.

The watcher lifted a hoof and pointed towards a table on the far side of the barge, his eyes shaded by his hood. “He’s the one you’ll want to talk to,” he said.

Twilight held up a foreleg to shield her eyes from the rays of the Sun reflecting off the water. Three ponies and a griffon played a quiet game of cards around the table. They peered carefully at their cards and eyed the pile of bits in the center. “Which one?” she asked the watcher.

“The one with the hat,” the watcher said before turning and heading back down the plank.

“Hold on a second!” Twilight called after him, but he ignored her and slipped down an alley between two waterfront warehouses. She frowned and turned to Rarity. “Do Thieves Guild ponies usually run off before anyone gets the chance to make sure they got what they paid for?”

Rarity smiled. “Relax. They’ve got a reputation to keep.”

“These ponies need to smile,” Pinkie said, looking around the deck with disappointment.

Twilight sighed and looked at the table again. Next to the griffon, she noticed a tricorn hat with a plume of purple feathers sitting beside his stack of bits. She walked toward the griffon, stepping around obstacles.

Ahead, the griffon said, “All in,” and pushed his pile of bits into the pot. With a smirk, he picked up his hat and placed it on his brown-feathered head. He leaned back in her chair and closed his eyes, radiating confidence.

“I call,” one of the ponies, a unicorn, said, adding his bits to the pot.

Twilight stopped beside the table. She focused on the griffon. “I need to speak with you,” she said.

The griffon opened one grey eye and looked up at her. “One moment, Mademoiselle, I am winning,” he said as he turned his cards over with a talon.

The pony stared at the cards in shock. “You’re cheating!” she shouted. She pressed a leather bracer around her wrist against the table, and a blade shot out past her hoof as she began to rise out of her seat. A unicorn on the far side pulled a knife stuck into the table beside him free. The third slid out of his chair and started to back away. The two with weapons faced the griffon with menacing glares.

Twilight drew Solstice and speared it into the center of the table, scattering the pot of bits. A mix of gold, silver, and copper coins clattered to the deck of the barge. “I need the griffon. This game is over. Take your bits, and go,” she said, glaring at the two ponies with weapons.

“Who th’ hell’re you?” the pony with the switchblade asked as she turned towards Twilight and brandished her blade. In an instant, Rainbow’s wing was at her throat.

“That’s a nice weapon,” Rainbow said. “Mine are better.”

The unicorn picked a few golden bits up off the floor and backed away.

The pony dropped her hoof and pushed her switchblade into the deck of the ship, driving it back into its sheath. “Alright, alright, I’m leavin’.” She swiped a collection of coins off the table and turned away. She spat onto the deck as she left.

Twilight took a seat at the table while the griffon collected the rest of the bits. “Well, now that you ‘ave finished giving away my money to these uncultured swine, ‘ow may I ‘elp you?” the griffon said.

Rainbow slammed her hoof down on the table. “Hey, we saved you, featherface!”

“Per’aps you did.” One of the griffon’s talons descended to a cutlass at his side. “Per’aps not. I do know that I won the game.”

“Did ya cheat?” Applejack asked.

The griffon held up a pair of claws with the tips almost touching. “Per’aps a little.”

“We’re looking for four ponies who were carting around an egg shaped object bigger than they were,” Twilight said. “I have it on good authority that you’ve seen them.”

“Bigger than one of them, or all four?” the griffon asked.

Twilight glared at him.

“I jest, I jest,” he said, holding up his talons in a placating gesture. “But, if I did know something, it would be information about a client, and bad form to share.”

“Client? For what?” Twilight asked.

The griffon’s eyes lit. He swept off his feathered hat and dipped his head. “Captain Florent, at your service.” He placed his hat back on his head and pointed across the water at a boat moored to a wooden pier a ways down the waterfront. “That is my ship, Solitaire.”

Twilight eyed the vessel. The name painted along the side of its prow in flowy black script allowed her to pick it out from among the other boats moored to the pier. It was a small, single masted, ship. If it weren’t for the fine finish and catamaran hull, it could be mistaken for a poor sailor’s fishing boat, crewed by perhaps six to eight ponies. “So, they paid you to take it somewhere – an island, maybe?”

“An island?” Florent scoffed. He wrapped a limb around Twilight’s shoulders, pulling her close. “Mademoiselle, you are looking at the Coast Runner.”

Twilight pushed him off and shifted her chair away. “What’re you talking about? You can’t sail in the water near the Sword Coast,” she objected. “It’s too dangerous, unless you’re in an armored Carrak, and even then...”

Florent gave her a knowing smile. “If you were talking about any other ship, you’d be right. But, in la Solitaire, it is completely safe.”

“Oh, and what’s your little boat gonna do if a Sea Serpent decides it wants to have some fun?” Applejack asked, stepping between Twilight and Florent.

He chuckled. “A Sea Serpent could not catch ‘er.”

“Doesn’t having more sails make the boat faster?” Rainbow said. “You’ve got one mast.”

“She’s a ship, not a boat, and like any lady, she ‘as ‘er secrets,” Florent said.

“Speaking of secrets,” Rarity said, taking a seat beside Twilight. “Let’s talk business. I’m sure you could be persuaded to tell us where you took them.”

Florent eyed Rarity. “What kind of persuasion are we referring to?”

Rarity produced a diamond. “The monetary kind. Is this enough?”

“Oui, that would do nicely,” Florent said.

Rarity passed the diamond across the table, and Florent snatched it out of the air with his talons. “About a week ago, a pair of weird ponies come up to me and pay me an advance to transport four passengers and a small amount of cargo about a third of the way to Canterlot,” Florent said. “I say there is nothing on the coast there, but they pay, so I agree.”

“A third of the way to Canterlot,” Twilight muttered, picturing a map of the Coast in her mind. “That’s about where—”

Florent held up a claw. “Mademoiselle, I am telling a story. If you want to ‘ear it, do not interrupt.” He paused. When Twilight nodded an affirmative, he continued. “Later that day, four ponies come with a cart loaded with an egg-shaped object beneath a sheet. We get it loaded and set sail. I take them to their destination and drop them off on the beach at the base of the cliffs beneath a place called Candlekeep. They had no wings, so I warned them that the cliffs there are too steep to climb, and the tide covers that beach completely, but they would not listen. The ponies you are looking for are dead: drowned, frozen, or eaten.”

Pinkie waved a hoof in the air. “Pssh, you can get up and down there easy.”

Twilight furrowed her brows and stared at the table. “Why would they go to...” Wait, she thought. If they think I’d go back there... She turned and grabbed Florent’s shoulder with a hoof. “We need to get to Candlekeep. Now!” she cried.

Florent smiled at her. “Forward, I like that. It turns out I ‘ave the perfect ship to get you there!” He pulled off his hat and puffed out his chest. “Solitaire is at your service, Mademoiselle, for the right price.”

Florent stopped on the dock in front of Solitaire's gangplank. “‘Old on a moment,” he said. “Protocol must be followed.”

Twilight stepped up beside him and gave him a questioning look. “Isn’t it your ship, your rules?”

“This is a little embarrassing,” he murmured. He dipped his head, hiding his face behind the brim of his hat, and called, “Permission to come aboard!”

“Granted!” a mare answered from somewhere on the ship. A moment later, a unicorn with a bleach-blonde mane and a brown coat appeared on the deck beside the gangplank. She leaned on ship’s railing and looked over the group. “What’ve you got this time?” she asked.

“Ladies first,” Forent said, gesturing toward the gangplank. As Twilight stepped past, he held up a claw to hide his beak and said in a hushed tone, “This is Quick Fix; she likes to think she’s in charge.”

“That’s because I am in charge, Florent,” Quick Fix said as she stepped in front of the plank. “Hold on. Do they have any cargo? We’re almost full. Six passengers is about all we can take.”

“No cargo,” Twilight said. “Just us.”

“Then welcome aboard,” Quick Fix said, stepping aside. “I suppose you want to take a look at the boat; trust me, you got your money’s worth.”

“She’s a ship!” Florent protested.

As Twilight climbed up the gangplank, Quick Fix rolled her eyes. Twilight stepped onto the deck and took a look around. The deck was wide for a ship of its length due to the dual-hulled design. A cabin rose from the stern, with the steering wheel positioned on the quarterdeck above it. The rigging for the single mast was relatively simple, leaving plenty of open space on the deck. A few crates were stacked against the guardrail near the prow and covered with a canvas tarp. Surprisingly, there were no other crewmembers. They must be ashore, she thought. That’s going to be a problem.

“So, are you with us all the way to Canterlot?” Quick Fix asked them as the rest of the group came aboard.

“Nope, we’re going to Candlekeep,” Pinkie said.

“Candlekeep... you’ve gotta be kidding.” Quick Fix turned to Florent. “Please tell me we’re not leaving another group to drown on a beach beneath the cliffs.”

Florent shrugged. “They say there’s a way up. Besides, two of them are pegasi. I’m sure they can figure it out.”

Twilight had no idea what Pinkie was talking about as far as a path up the cliffs, but she silently agreed with Florent. She was certain they could figure out a way to get all six of them up to Candlekeep. The Changelings probably flew, she thought. And Pinkie was probably talking about her spider-climbing shoes. I can teleport. Only Applejack and Rarity will be a problem.

“You’re sailing all the way to Canterlot? Along the coast?” Rarity asked.

Quick Fix nodded. “Our usual route is back and forth between Manehattan and Canterlot... we move specialty goods,” she said.

“So, smuggled goods,” Applejack said.

Rainbow affectionately bopped Applejack in the shoulder with a hoof. “Aww, give it a rest, AJ.”

“I don’t mind,” Quick Fix said with a grin. “We’re the best smugglers out there, but the main thing we offer is speed, and speed doesn’t come cheap.”

“I noticed,” Twilight grumbled. “I’ve been told that you can outrun Sea Serpents. To tell you the truth, with only a single mast, I’m skeptical,” she said.

Quick Fix smiled wryly. She stepped over to a hatch in the deck beside the mast and above one of the hulls. “Come here,” she said, beckoning. Quick Fix opened the hatch and descended down a short ladder as Twilight trotted over.

Twilight looked down through the hatch. Light from Quick Fix’s horn illuminated the dim space down inside the hull. Along either side, crates were stacked, leaving a narrow pathway between them. At the bottom, a curved piece of metal rose up in the middle of the hull. “Come on down,” Quick Fix said as she stepped off the ladder.

Twilight hesitated a moment before climbing down the ladder. Inside the hull, the sound of waves lapping against the hull echoed in her ears. When she stepped off the ladder, Quick Fix said, “Down here is cargo,” she said, picking up a wrench from atop a nearby crate, “And engineering.”

Twilight noticed that Quick Fix’s mark was a wrench, roughly the same shape and size as the one unicorn wielded in her levitation. “Engineering?” she asked.

Quick Fix used the wrench to open a panel in the curved steel. Twilight positioned beside Quick Fix in the tight space to see inside. Beyond the panel, she saw the interior of a cylinder filled with water and lined with sapphires. It hummed with faint arcane energy.

“You may not believe it, but this is a jet propulsion engine from ages ago, and we’ve got two, one on each side. We only use the sails to get in and out of port; we keep it to the simple-rigged lone mast so that Florent and I can operate it with just the two of us and split the profits fifty-fifty,” Quick Fix said.

“I believe you,” Twilight said. “This is like the one in the Manehattan Museum.”

“I tried to tell them what it did, but they wouldn’t listen. They called me crazy,” she said. “Bunch of stuffy, ivory tower scholars with no real experience,” she muttered, shaking her head. “So, I keep it secret. If ponies knew how valuable this boat was, they’d try and take it. We pay the Thieves Guild protection though, so anyone that messes with us gets a little visit in the night.” She eyed Twilight. “You’re not going to mess with us, are you?”

Twilight shook her head. “I’m not going to cause you any problems. I may not be afraid of the Thieves Guild, but all I want is to get to Candlekeep as soon as possible.”

Quick Fix closed the panel and fastened it shut. “Let’s head back up, then. Don’t worry, we’ll get you where you’re going.”

Twilight climbed back up onto the deck with Quick Fix behind her. When she rejoined her friends, Applejack asked, “We good?”

Twilight nodded. “We’re good. They’ll get us there.” She turned to Quick Fix. “When can we leave?”

“We cast off tomorrow morning at dawn o’clock,” Quick Fix said. “Ride the tide out.”

That’s not soon enough, Twilight thought. “No, we’re leaving now,” Twilight said.

Quick Fix laughed. “No, we’re not. Come back tomorrow.”

Twilight stepped toward Quick Fix, hardening her expression. “Do you want us to pay more? I’m willing to do that.” She laced her magic around her swords. “I said I wasn’t going to cause you any problems, but if we don’t leave now, we’re going to have a problem. I’m getting to Candlekeep, and I’m getting there as soon as possible.”

Quick Fix took a step back, fearfully glancing at Twilight’s swords.

Florent interposed himself into the gap with his drawn cutlass in one talon. “You do not threaten my crew, Mademoiselle,” he said.

Twilight eyed him. A picture of a single stroke, through his sword, through his neck, and through his spine formed in her mind. He’d be dead before he knew what was happening. No, I need him to sail the boat, she thought.

“Woah, Twilight,” Rainbow said, moving to stand beside Florent. “I’m all for getting there fast, but isn’t this a bit much?”

Twilight snapped her focus to Rainbow Dash, glaring. “Rainbow, right now, as we’re sitting here talking, there are Changelings in Candlekeep. There are Demons in my home, stealing the souls and leeching off the emotions of the ponies I grew up with. There’s only one reason I can think of that they would have gone there: to get to me. I already lost Star Swirl; I’m not going to lose anypony else. We’re leaving – now – no matter what it takes.”

“It could be a trap,” Rarity said.

“That’s the first thing that occured to me,” Twilight said. “But, they’d think I’d head back to Candlekeep after the Black Knight’s trail went cold. We figured out where they went, and they did everything in their power to cover their tracks. If we get there now, they won’t be ready for us.” She kept her guard up, watching Florent warily for any movement.

Quick Fix chuckled. “I knew you weren’t a bad sort. Why didn’t you just say so? We’ll cast off immediately. We’ll have to skimp on a bit of maintenance, starboard’s been on the fritz, but I should be able to keep her running. I do think you owe me an apology, though.”

Twilight lowered her guard and fell back onto her haunches. She took a deep breath. I’ll get there when I get there, she told herself. “I’m sorry...” she said. “Every time, they’re a step ahead of us! I didn’t want to waste any time. I didn’t think things through.”

Florent sheathed his cutlass and dipped his head respectfully.

“Yeah, what were you thinking?” Quick Fix said with a laugh. “I was about to point out that I’m the only one who can turn the jets on. You’re not going anywhere in a hurry without me.”

Twilight expected to be seasick on her first voyage, but Solitaire's dual hulls cut through the waves like knives. She leaned against the bow railing, the wind whipping at her mane as they skimmed across the ocean. With air in her face, any queasiness she felt dissipated. According to Quick Fix, they were traveling at twenty-five knots, over twice the speed of the fastest recorded sailing ship, and they were doing it all without needing to rely on the temperament of the winds.

The light of the setting Sun glimmered on the peaks of the waves around her as they flashed past. Noticing an orange tint, she looked to the west and held up a hoof to keep her mane from blowing into her eyes. The Sun dipped behind the cliffs of the Sword Coast in the distance. Florent had said they’d reach Candlekeep at around midnight. In mere hours, they were covering a distance that would take days to travel on foot.

Twilight looked forward again and closed her eyes, relishing the speed.

“Feels like you’re flying, doesn’t it?” Rainbow said from behind her.

Twilight opened her eyes and pushed off the railing, turning to face Rainbow. “I wouldn’t know,” she said with a shrug. “Does it?”

“Sorta,” Rainbow said. “I mean, it’s not as good as the real thing.” She stretched her wings. “I’d still be flying now, but the air patterns are different over the ocean. I’m beat.”

Twilight smirked. “Hard to keep up with the boat?”

Rainbow hoofed at the deck. “Maybe a little.”

“Look!” Fluttershy cried from the starboard railing. “I didn’t know fishes could get that big!”

Twilight smiled as she walked over. At first, Fluttershy had been nervous on the deck of the ship, and had murmured fretfully about not knowing how to swim. She leaned against the starboard railing beside Fluttershy and peered out to sea. She saw a horizontal fluke slap the water a distance away.

“That’s not a fish,” she said. “That’s a whale. See the way the tailfin is horizontal instead of vertical?”

“Yep, whale,” Pinkie agreed as she leaned against the railing on Fluttershy’s other side. “You didn’t get out much, did you?”

“What’s a whale?” Fluttershy asked.

“A whale is a mammal that spends its entire life in the ocean,” Twilight explained.

“A mammal...” Fluttershy said. “So it’s like a squirrel, or a bunny, and it has milk and babies instead of eggs and all that? Does it breathe with gills?”

The dark-blue back of the whale broke the surface, and a plume of seawater shot from its blowhole as they passed. It was huge for an animal, only slightly smaller than their boat. I wonder if we’ll see any of the really big ones, Twilight thought. “Nope,” Twilight said, “Lungs. Their nostrils are on top of their heads.”

“Ooh, this is so wonderful!” Fluttershy said, watching the whale with fascination. “I never learned anything about sea creatures. I wish I could just go out there and talk to them.” She leaned against Twilight. “Thank you so much! How do you know all these things?”

Twilight smiled. “I grew up in a library.” She looked past Fluttershy at Pinkie. “And unlike some ponies, I didn’t get myself banned every other week, despite some ponies doing everything in their power to get me in trouble.”

“They just couldn’t handle the fun,” Pinkie said with a laugh. “And hey, I learned plenty.”

“I don’t know how to read,” Fluttershy mumbled.

“You don’t know how to read?!” Twilight shouted.

“Hey, I don’t know how to read either,” Rainbow said. “It’s no big deal. Signs usually have pictures.”

Twilight whirled on Rainbow. “How could you not know how to read?!”

Rainbow shrugged. “Lotsa ponies don’t know how to read. It’s not exactly something they teach in Flight School.”

“They don’t teach you how to read in Cloudsdale?” Twilight asked.

“Nope,” Rainbow said. “I mean, administrators and officers have to learn, but it’s not really an essential skill.”

“What?!” Twilight yelled. “Reading is absolutely an essential skill! Everypony should know how to read!”

“Not everypony gets to grow up in a library, Twilight,” Applejack said, approaching them from the quarterdeck. “I’m lucky my Granny insisted on teaching me. You really should learn if you get the chance, Rainbow. It’s worth it.”

“Absolutely,” Rarity agreed. “It’s certainly a handy skill.”

“Eh,” Rainbow said, stretching, “Books are probably too slow for me anyway.”

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, but the deck abruptly jolted beneath her feet, and she lost her balance. She tumbled over the canvas tarp covering the crates on the deck and nearly flew over the railing, but she managed to hook a foreleg around it before she went overboard. She saw a yellow blur in the corner of her eye and caught Fluttershy with her levitation.

“Three mares overboard!” Applejack shouted. Twilight could see her through the railing supports, firmly planted in the center of the deck.

Floating beside her, Fluttershy was frozen in terror, her wings pinned against her side. Angel clung tightly to her hair. Before dealing with her own predicament, Twilight set Fluttershy back on the deck.

“Starboard is out!” Quick Fix called.

The waves licked at her hind hooves. I don’t know how to swim! Twilight thought as she looked around, gauging her situation. All she’d learned was how to tread water in a small pond within the walls of Candlekeep. The strain in her foreleg was beginning to become unbearable. The boat was listing starboard, the right hull plowing into the waves. The port hull powered forward, driving the starboard one deeper beneath the surface. Her hind legs were fully submerged now, and soon, they wouldn’t be the only thing underwater.

As abruptly as it had begun, it ended. The starboard hull bobbed up out of the water, and she nearly lost her grip at the sudden upward momentum. She gritted her teeth and held on for dear life as she tried to focus enough to cast Dimension Door.

“Full Stop!” Quick Fix shouted. “We’re drifting.”

“Gotcha, Twi,” Applejack said as she appeared above. Pinkie stepped up on her other side, and together, they hoisted her back onto the deck. As they lifted her to her feet, she saw Rainbow deposit a soaking wet Rarity onto the middle of the deck.

“Living, moving fishes touched me!” Rarity cried, shivering. “It was horrifying! I demand a refund!”

“Sorry, engine malfunction,” Quick Fix said, poking her head up from the port hull. “I’m gonna turn the port back on at half power. You ready with the rudder, Florent?” She ducked back down below deck.

“Always,” Florent called from the quarterdeck.

“Alright, half power!” Quick Fix yelled.

Florent leaned on the steering wheel as Solitaire eased forward over the waves. The engine malfunction had faced them out to sea, and they cut a slow arc back toward the correct heading. The deck shuddered beneath Twilight’s hooves as the rudder struggled against the lopsided thrust.

Quick Fix clambered out of the port hull and crossed to the starboard. “Let’s see what the problem is,” she said as she climbed down.

“Thanks for catching me, Twilight,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight nodded. “It was nothing.” She looked around the deck, still rattled.

“It wasn’t nothing! I can’t believe my wings locked up! I faced a Dragon, Twilight, because he was a great big meanie and I had to, but I see a bunch of water and I can’t even open my wings to save myself... I’m sorry, you shouldn’t have had to catch me,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight met Fluttershy’s gaze. “Fluttershy, after all the times you’ve healed me, it was nothing.”

Fluttershy nodded and glanced down at the deck. Suddenly, she looked up, past Twilight and off to starboard, toward the back of the ship. “Is that another whale?”

Twilight turned and followed her gaze. She thought she saw a dark shape moving beneath the surface, casting a shadow many times larger than their boat. She squinted, trying to make it out. “I don’t think so...” she murmured. “Too big.”

A claw broke the surface, clutching the body of the whale they’d seen earlier. It lifted the massive creature free from the waves, water rushing off of it and splashing back into the sea. It rose ever higher, supported by a huge arm. A colossal head broke the surface nearby. A sinewy, serpentine body covered in purple scales arched out of the waves behind it.

“Sea Serpent!” Florent shouted. “We’ve got to get moving!”

The serpent’s head rose out of the water, supported by a thick pillar of flesh and muscle. It shook the water from its golden mane. On its chest, between its two arms, it wore the barnacle covered hull of a full sized sailing ship like a breastplate, lashed in place by countless rigging ropes. Sailcloth adorned its shoulders like the sleeves of a tunic. It lifted the whale to its mouth, and with a terrible crunch, bit off animal’s front half.

“I’m working on it,” Quick Fix yelled.

Twilight felt bile in the back of her throat as she watched blood and blubber drip from the Serpent’s lips. It chewed and swallowed, then looked down. Its huge eyes widened when it saw them. It dropped the back half of the whale, its meal forgotten. In a voice that rumbled like thunder, it said, “Pretty boat! You’re going to be my hat!”

“Sounds like a big one! How long do we have?” Quick Fix shouted.

The serpent started to move towards them, the sinews beneath its scales rippling. Along its length, Twilight made out ripples where its massive body undulated beneath the surface. Blood oozing from the tail end of the whale tinted the froth of the serpent’s wake red.

“Not long! At this speed, I’d say... thirty seconds to serpent food!” Florent replied.

“Uh oh,” Quick Fix yelled.

“What do you mean uh oh?!” Florent shouted.

“I don’t even know what the problem is yet!” Quick Fix cried.

“By Celestia’s thundering thighs, you’d better live up to your name in the next twenty-five seconds or we’re all dead!” Florent roared.

Twilight eyed the serpent. It was big, but serpent scales weren’t dragonscales. Sea Serpents possessed no innate resistance to magic. A spell thrummed within the depths of her mind. She’d learned it a long time ago, from a book she’d found in one of the dustiest corners of the archive: a book of death magic. It was more complex than even the Improved Haste spell, but somehow, it felt like it had always been there, just waiting for the moment when she truly needed it. This spell didn’t care how big its target was.

She had to form it from scratch, since she never had the opportunity to prepare it. She made her way up the stairs of the quarterdeck at a measured pace, her horn lighting as she worked the magic. The components of the spell fell into place with ease, though she had to let go of three of her prepared spells to cast it. She walked across the quarterdeck and stopped at the stern railing.

The Sea Serpent closed from behind, reaching out with slow, ponderous claw. Its sheer mass made it sluggish. It was nothing but a giant target. As she worked on the next part of the spell, she weighed her options. If she hit in the arm, the spell might not kill it, but the effect would be stronger if she hit it in the head. If the spell doesn’t doesn’t kill it, it might make it retreat, or it might just make it mad, she thought.

“Fifteen seconds!” Florent shouted.

“I’m not going to be able to fix it that fast,” Quick Fix replied.

“Then it was a pleasure serving with you,” Florent yelled.

“Just fly away!” Quick Fix pleaded.

“A captain always goes down with ‘is ship!” Florent shouted.

“Whatever you're going to do, do it fast, Twilight,” Applejack said from behind her, utterly calm.

She trusts me, Twilight realized. I can’t take any risks. I can’t let them down. She finished casting, and a layer of overglow exploded around her horn as she held the spell. She made her choice. “Serpent, I am giving you a warning. If you do not turn away, you will die!” she bellowed at the top of her lungs.

“Ooh, pretty little pony. I hope you’re as tasty as you are cute!” the serpent rumbled. Its claw drew ever closer.

Twilight launched her spell. A black ray lanced out from her horn and struck the serpent in the jaw. For a brief moment, it merely looked stunned. Then, its head exploded into a cloud of black ash. Decay rippled down the length of its body and along its arms. Mere hoofspans away from Twilight, its claw froze and crumbled away in the wind. The spell left no trace of its victim behind. The only thing that remained of serpent was water surging into the space its body vacated and a dark stain on the surface of the waves. Even the ship’s hull it wore wasn’t left behind.

Twilight felt a familiar rush. She hadn’t killed since she fought the group of bandits alone. Unfortunately, even though the serpent was enormous, it still only felt like one. This time, it was completely justified, she thought. She held no doubt, and that made it all the sweeter.

“Holy sweet Celestia’s rigid horn! What the Hell was that?!” Florent screamed, his accent mysteriously absent.

“Disintegrate,” Twilight said. She turned away from the stern of the boat. “How long will it take to get going again?” she asked.

She remembered when Star Swirl discovered her reading the book she’d found. He seemed worried, but he didn’t take it away from her. She had thought it was harmless. She never thought she’d even be able to cast the spells on those pages. As it turned out, it was easy.

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Preread by: Extravagaunte
Editor: The Music Man

Return

Return

Twilight huddled beside a fire on the beach with her friends, trying to get dry. Even with the shallow draft of Solitaire's catamaran hull, they still had to wade through neck-deep, icy cold seawater to reach the shore. She’d conjured a blazing ring of red flames around them in addition to the conventional fire just to stave off the night chill. When they reached their destination, Quick Fix and Florent seemed happy to get rid of her. I saved their lives, Twilight thought, and they were still afraid of me.

She looked up at the looming cliffs. The black outline of Candlekeep’s walls blotted out the stars above. “We have a couple hours until the tide comes in. When we’re dry, we should see about getting up there.”

“I hate seawater,” Rarity muttered. Her normally perfectly groomed mane was a frizzy disaster after two dips beneath the waves.

Pinkie scratched at her right ear with a hind hoof while she gazed upward. “No itchy left ear,” she murmured.

Twilight struggled to find her footing on slippery stones. Water dripping down limestone curtains and spires gleamed in the light of her horn. She wedged her forehoof into a cavity, trying to find enough grip to pull herself forward.

From a ledge above, Pinkie reached out a hoof. Twilight took it, and Pinkie pulled her up. “See, I told you it was easy,” Pinkie said.

“You have a funny definition of easy,” Twilight said, panting as she leaned against a thick stalagmite. She looked back down the steep limestone passage. Rainbow beat her wings against the still air as she climbed beside Fluttershy. “How’d you find these caves anyway?”

“There are tunnels all over beneath Candlekeep,” Pinkie said.

Before Twilight could press for more information, Applejack called, “Rope incoming!”

Twilight turned up the passage and saw Applejack toss a rope secured to a limestone pillar, down. It unraveled, falling until it caught on an outcropping. Twilight pulled it free with her levitation and sent it down to Rainbow and Fluttershy.

“That should make it easier,” Applejack said. She took a firm stance, surefooted despite the bulk of her armor, and tugged, testing the rope. The brittle formation cracked. She sighed and gripped the rope with her teeth. “One at a time, now,” she said around it.

“You first, Twilight,” Rainbow said from below.

Twilight nodded. They’d agreed that the pegasi should take up the rear, in case somepony slipped and tumbled down the slope. She wrapped her forelegs around the rope and pulled herself up. It was still a challenge to find firm footing, but it made the going much easier. As she climbed, she noticed a piece of hemp fiber lodged in a narrow space between two stalagmites. It didn’t match Rarity’s silk climbing rope. She snatched it as she passed, muttering, “I guess they came this way too.”

Twilight let go of the rope when she reached Applejack. Beyond, the passage opened into a small, level cavern with a shallow pool of water in the center. On the far side, a level, pony-made corridor met the natural caves. She stepped out into the cavern, clearing the way for the next pony.

Rarity sat beside the pool, refilling her waterskin with the clear water. Pinkie’s shoes lay on the stone beside her: she’d insisted on borrowing them to make the climb. “Well, that didn’t last,” Rarity muttered, peering at one of her chipped forehooves and her reflection in the water. She looked up at Twilight. “Do you know how hard it is to maintain a lady-like appearance when you’re galavanting up and down the Sword Coast, with mud, and rain, and dirt? I thought I could manage... but it’s getting to be beyond me.”

Twilight sat on her haunches beside Rarity. She looked at her own reflection. Her mussed coat was still glossy. She attributed that to a good diet, though the recent spa treatments were certainly a factor. “All things considered, we don’t look that bad,” Twilight said. “Why does it matter that every hair is in place?”

“First impressions are everything, Twilight. After the seawater, I look like some sort of pirate scoundrel!” Rarity cried

“Yer bein’ fussy,” Applejack grunted around the rope as Pinkie came up over the ledge.

“Thanks for letting me borrow these, Pinkie,” Rarity said, indicating the shoes.

“No problem!” Pinkie said. “They’re pretty neat, aren’t they?”

Rainbow and Fluttershy arrived shortly after Pinkie, powered up by their wings. Applejack spat out the rope. As she collected it, she said, “You coulda climbed like everypony else, Rarity. I didn’t need any shoes.”

“The rocks practically grab your hooves, Applejack,” Twilight said.

“Do they?” Applejack said, looping the rope around her waist.

Twilight nodded. “They do.” She turned towards the masoned passage. “So, Pinkie, what were you saying about tunnels?”

“You’ve never been down in the catacombs?” Pinkie asked.

Twilight shook her head as she crossed the cavern. “No. I didn’t know they were here.”

“Oh, right! They’re secret. I found them though, when I was exploring,” Pinkie said.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Twilight asked.

“You would have tattled,” Pinkie said. “Only the chroniclers are supposed to be down here.”

Twilight frowned as she stepped into the artificial passage. “Then it’s probably where the Changelings hid their victims.”

Twilight laced her magic around a circular stone, preparing to roll it back.

“So, you’re just gonna crack it open?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight turned to face the group. “Pinkie said there were dozens of these, and we need to search them all.”

Pinkie Pie nodded in agreement.

“It’s a tomb, Twilight. Are you sure we should be desecrating the final resting place of the dead?” Rarity said. “We don’t know that they hid their cocoons in a tomb.”

“I’m here to save the living,” Twilight said as she turned back to the stone. She wheeled it out of the way, opening the tomb. A gust of stale air greeted her nostrils. It’s not like the dead are around to care, Twilight thought.

Rarity sighed. “Agreed... I just wish it didn’t involve this.”

Twilight stepped into the entrance, brightening her horn. The dessicated husks of long-dead ponies rested in alcoves along the wall. The bones from a single earth pony were arranged on a slab in the center with the skull laying on a dusty, unmarked tome. There was no sign of Changelings.

As Twilight turned to leave, Pinkie brushed past her. “That’s where you went!” Pinkie cried. With a hoof, she carelessly rolled the skull aside and picked the tome up in her mouth.

“Pinkie! What’re you—” Twilight said.

Pinkie rushed over to her, opened the tome, and shoved it in her face. There were no words written on the page – nothing but discolored parchment. “It’s blank,” Twilight said, pushing the book aside. “Why’d you grab it?”

Pinkie flipped the tome around in her hooves. “Really?” She shrugged and stuffed it into her pack. “That’s too bad. I really wanted you to meet him.”

“Who?” Twilight asked.

“My teacher,” Pinkie said. “The master of the Eversmiling Path.”

Twilight blinked. “What?”

“He said he was an echo. I can see him on the pages, and hear what he has to say,” Pinkie explained.

“Pinkie, you haven’t gone full blown crazy on us, have you?” Applejack asked.

Pinkie grinned. “Nope!” She stepped past Twilight and exited the tomb, and Twilight followed her out.

Applejack walked toward the center of the room outside, stepping between two support columns, as she gazed around at the other sealed tombs lining the walls. “Great, one down, a bunch to go,” she said. “This place gives me the creeps. It’s almost as bad as where we found Hay Brittle hiding.”

Twilight rolled the stone door of the first tomb back into place. “At least the bones aren’t animated.”

Rarity raised her bow and manifested a crystalline arrow on the string. “Someone’s coming.” She pointed between the pillars with the arrow.

Lacing her magic around the hilts of her swords, Twilight turned. A cowled pony in a yellow robe stepped out from a side passage. She drew back her hood, revealing a familiar, wrinkled face, and said, “Who are you? What are you doing down here?” She paused, peering at Twilight. “Twilight Sparkle, is that you?”

Twilight kept her guard up. “It’s me,” she said, stepping forward. “It’s good to see you, Crescent Glow.”

A smile lit Crescent Glow’s face, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “It is you!” She glanced at Pinkie. “And Pinkie Pie! The Cakes will be so glad to hear you’re okay!” She eyed them both up and down. “You look... different.”

Applejack leaned close to Twilight. “Changeling,” she whispered.

Twilight frowned. “How do you know?” she whispered back.

“Just do,” Applejack said, her chain clinking as she shifted her tail.

“Who are these ponies, child? How did you get down here?” Crescent Glow asked.

“They’re our friends!” Pinkie said, smiling as she stepped toward Crescent Glow.

Twilight stopped Pinkie with a foreleg.

Crescent Glow gave her a questioning look. “Is something wrong, Twilight? Are you okay?”

Twilight focused, her horn lighting as she cast a spell. “Don’t let her go,” Twilight said as Crescent Glow started to back away.

Rainbow whipped around one of the pillars and positioned Crescent Glow’s far side, cutting off her escape.

“What’s going on, Twilight?” Pinkie asked, stepping between her and Crescent Glow

Twilight finished her spell. The world snapped into sharp focus. A shimmering pink silhouette filled the center her field of view. That’s odd, she thought. Life is supposed to be white. Around her, she perceived the lifeless dark shapes of ancient stone. She pushed past Pinkie, glimpsing a tiny black speck out of the corner of her eye in the center of the pink blur, and faced Crescent Glow.

All she saw was a white shape backing into a cerulean blue one. “Applejack, are you sure?” she asked.

“As sure as I can be. She just doesn’t seem genuine,” Applejack said.

Twilight peered closer at the white silhouette. She couldn’t make out any features, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was looking at Crescent Glow’s soul. “Apparently, True Seeing doesn’t work,” she said. “I guess I expected as much, given how their curse works.”

“Ooh! I get it. She’s a Changeling,” Pinkie said.

Twilight glanced down briefly. A black thorn dug into her chest, above the white-lavender shapes of her hooves. She gasped and abruptly released her spell. When her vision returned to normal, all she saw was her fur and the silver crescent of the necklace nestled around her neck.

Pinkie waved a foreleg in front of her face. “Twilight, you okay?”

Twilight took a deep breath. Her pulse raced in her ears. “I’m fine.” She looked up at Crescent Glow.

“Changeling? What are you talking about? I’m a chronicler!” She turned and beat her her hooves against Rainbow’s mail armor. “Let me go!”

“Rarity, there’s a belt in the Bag of Holding. Thick, leather, magic runes,” Twilight said.

Rarity produced the object in question, levitating it over. “This it?”

Twilight nodded and took the belt. She stepped toward Crescent Glow. “Is that—” Pinkie asked.

“It is,” Twilight said. “If we force a shape-changing curse, I’m hoping it’ll reveal the Changeling and free its victim. If not, or she’s not a Changeling, we have plenty of Remove Curse spells ready.” She gestured toward Crescent Glow with her muzzle. “Hold her still.”

Pinkie wrapped a foreleg around Crescent Glow’s neck, trapping her in a headlock. Rainbow pinned her forelegs against her body. She struggled in their grasp. “What’re you talking about! This is ridiculous!” she cried. “Somepony help!”

Twilight slipped the belt around Crescent Glow’s waist and fastened it.

Almost immediately, her jaw and muzzle shifted, becoming more masculine. Writhing, she ripped free from the headlock as her body shifted. She viciously kicked Rainbow in the gut and sprawled onto the floor. She writhed on the stones and let loose an inequine screech as a flash of green flame consumed her.

When the light faded, a pony-shaped creature lay on the floor surrounded by ash. It turned its cold blue eyes up toward her and bared its white fangs, hissing. She drew Celestial Fury, and before it could stand, brought the blade arcing down on it. The edge bit into the thick black plates of its insectoid armor, cleanly bisecting the body just above the belt.

The upper half froze, held by a golden aura that fixed its wings and forelegs in place. A dying hiss left its mouth, and the aura faded. Unlike the fiends she defeated on the steps of the Friendly Arm, its body remained. It wouldn’t ever be coming back.

“Did you just kill her?” Rainbow asked, clutching her belly as she stared at the body.

Twilight shook her head. “No. If it had to revert back to its demonic body, we forced it to release Crescent Glow. She’s trapped in a pod somewhere, possibly conscious.” She scraped green ichor off of Celestial Fury’s blade before sheathing it.

“Then we’d best find her,” Applejack said. “Good thinking with the belt.”

“Will she drown in the green stuff?” Pinkie asked.

“She might,” Twilight said as she retrieved the belt, looping in beneath one of the straps of her pack. “The ichor nourishes the body while they’re in the pods, but I don’t know for certain if she’ll be able to tolerate the fluid in her lungs. We should hurry.” She turned toward the next doorway.

The grating of stone on stone drew her attention. Across the chamber, one of the tombs opened. Two Changelings in their native forms rushed out. They took one look at the body on the floor, and each leaped into the air, fleeing in opposite directions.

“I’ve got right!” Rarity called.

With a sharp crack, Truthseeker punched through the air a few hoofspans from Twilight’s left ear. It curved around the pillars, its twin spikes homing in on the Changeling to the left. In the blink of an eye, it struck with a flash of white light and pinned its target to the wall, driven clean through the demon’s chest.

Twilight turned her attention to the other Changeling. When she caught a glimpse of it through the pillars, it was already limping along the ground, one crystalline shaft buried in the base of its leg and a second in its flank. Twilight drew Celestial Fury again and galloped after it, shouting, “They must have been tending to the nest! Check the tomb!”

“On it!” Rainbow called.

She easily caught up to the wounded Changeling. As she approached it from behind, it turned to face her and bared its fangs. Green light raced up from the base of its crooked horn. With a simple thought, Twilight launched five lavender orbs at it before it could fire its stunning bolt. The missiles fanned out and struck it from all sides. Three of them dissipated on its black carapace, but the others passed clean through.

The glow faded from the Changeling’s horn, and it reeled, staggering back as the orbs of arcane energy burned it. Twilight rushed forward and readied Celestial Fury for a swing. Before her eyes, the air shimmered, and a mirror copy of herself replaced the Changeling. She hesitated for a split second before she struck at the Twilight in front of her. The moment her sword touched the illusion, it collapsed. She cleaved through the Changeling’s neck.

The demon’s head struck the floor, spattering ichor. Its body collapsed beside it a moment later. It must have been trying to confuse me at the last second, she thought as she scraped her blade clean once more. She was glad the Magic Missile spell worked; the book had mentioned that nearly every demon possessed some measure of magic resistance, including Changelings, but it didn’t specify how strong it was. It seemed even her weaker spells could overcome it, at least some of the time.

She turned toward the recently opened tomb. To her surprise, the corpse of the Changeling Applejack had killed remained, lying on the floor beside the wall in a pool of ichor. Apparently, I’m not the only one who can kill these things for good, Twilight thought.

Twilight waded through ankle-deep green ichor as she drug the last of the victims out of the tomb. Split pods covered the walls around her and arched above her head. A sickeningly sweet smell filled her nostrils – better than the stench of death, but still disgusting. As she reached the exit, a bit of the green slime dripped onto her muzzle and oozed down over her mouth. She kept her lips tightly shut while she wiped it away.

Outside, unconscious bodies lay on the floor of the chamber. She’d counted eighteen including the one she was carrying, less than she expected, but still far too many. She recognized nearly all of them. As she set the last body down beside the rest, Crescent Glow coughed weakly from where she leaned against a pillar. The old chronicler had suffered a coughing fit when they’d first freed her, but she was otherwise unhurt.

“That’s all of them,” Twilight said to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy nodded, and her eyes began to glow. A circle of pale green light spread across the floor from her hooves. Each pony it reached shot awake and spat up ichor. Within a few seconds, she’d freed them all from the curse with a single spell.

As the ponies on the floor coughed the fluid out of their lungs, Twilight walked around them to join Pinkie beside two ponies, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. She smiled softly as they opened their eyes. “You’re safe,” Twilight said.

“I’m so glad you’re okay!” Pinkie cried, diving in to embrace the pair.

“Pinkie, Twilight?” Mr. Cake said after he sucked in enough breath to speak. He coughed again, and wiped his mouth clean.

“Is this... the Celestial Fields?” Mrs. Cake gasped.

Twilight shook her head. “No, you’re alive. We’re all alive.”

Mrs. Cake buried her face in Pinkie’s mane. “I feared I’d never see you again.”

Pinkie pulled away, sniffling. “The main thing is that we’re all okay.”

Mrs. Cake climbed unsteadily to her hooves. She fixed Pinkie with a hard stare and weakly smacked her in the muzzle. “Pinkamena Diane Pie! Don’t you ever run off like that again!”

“I’m sorry!” Pinkie cried, tears springing to her eyes. “I didn’t want you to worry, but Twilight needed me!”

Mr. Cake picked himself up, looking at the ponies around him. “Where are we? What’s going on?” He stared at Twilight. “What happened to you? Where’s Star Swirl?”

Twilight looked away. “He’s dead.”

Mrs. Cake gasped. “I’m so sorry!”

Twilight shook her head. Her chest throbbed, but she swallowed, pushing it away. “Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault.” She turned to the rest of her group. “This can’t be all of them. The Changelings might have another nest. Before Pinkie told me about the catacombs, I thought we would find them all in some rarely-used corner of the archives.”

“Are you sure there’s more?” Rarity asked.

Twilight nodded. “Positive. None of the pods are big enough to be the one the Changelings moved here, and all of these ponies are from Candlekeep. Rarity, Rainbow, Fluttershy, we’re going up. Pinkie, Applejack, stay with this group, protect them – and remember, anypony could be a Changeling, even us. The ones copying this group might not be as convincing now that we’ve removed their curses, but they still have their illusions.”

She turned away from Mr. and Mrs. Cake and faced a passage she remembered Pinkie saying lead up to the Library basement. “Challenge is Solar, countersign is Lunar.”

“We’re splitting up?” Pinkie asked. “Shouldn’t I be coming with you?”

Twilight stepped toward the passage, Rarity and Rainbow joining her on either side. “You’re the only one who knows the catacombs. Once we reach the library, I’ll know my way around. I want somepony who can kill the Changelings permanently with each group, meaning Applejack stays. If you girls move, leave a trail for us to follow.”

“I should stay!” Fluttershy protested. “These ponies might need care!”

“I can only remove one curse at a time. If we find others, I’ll need your help,” Twilight paused, turning to look at Fluttershy. “Come on!” she snapped. “They know we’ve freed this group. There’s no time to be wasted!”

The library-keep was dark and quiet, filled with the silence that only came with the wee hours of the morning. The hooffalls of the small group echoed in Twilight’s ears as they ascended the stairs. As they climbed, she wondered if they should have left the first group cursed and in the pods. No, she decided. We may have alerted the Changelings, but a significant number are missing their primary advantage and defense. As long as the Changelings only had their illusions, she could kill them freely.

“Why did the Changeling that turned into you revert back into a Changeling when you killed it, when the ones in the tower didn’t?” Rainbow asked in a hushed whisper.

“It was using an illusion. The ones with a cursed victim manifest a flesh-and-blood copy, dismissing their demonic form back to the Abyssal plane until they need it again,” Twilight explained. “When they die, all that’s left is the corpse they inhabited.”

She turned off on the third floor, even though there were no likely spots for the Changeling nest. Star Swirl’s study was on this floor. She felt a pang of guilt at wasting precious time, but if anypony knew why the Black Knight had tried to kill her, it was Star Swirl. She hoped to find a letter with some clue. She headed for towards the outer wall of the keep, where the scholars quarters were.

“They’d be likely to hide the pods this low down?” Rarity whispered.

Twilight paused at a nexus of major aisles between the bookcases. “No,” she admitted. “I want to look at Star Swirl’s study. I’ll only be a minute. Stay here and watch my back,” she said.

“You’re going alone?” Rainbow hissed.

“I think I want to be alone,” Twilight murmured.

“It’s okay, Twilight. We’ll wait here,” Fluttershy whispered.

“So you’re in a hurry one second, and now you’re not?” Rainbow muttered.

“She needs this,” Rarity said.

Rainbow sat back on her haunches. “Fine, go.”

Twilight sighed pulled the belt free and passed it to Rarity. “Hold onto this, just in case you run into somepony,” she whispered. “I’ll be fine.” She stepped forward again. For a moment, her friends were still with her; she could hear them breathing in the darkness, and she knew if she turned she would see them, but when she turned a corner, she was suddenly completely alone.

In the distance, down a long aisle between the shelves, she saw the faint glow from the candlelight of a late-night reader. She closed her eyes as she walked, breathing in the scent of dusty tomes. She was home. In her mind, she was in the middle of a study session, hunting down a book she wanted to read. She opened her eyes, the weight of her swords breaking her fantasy. Everypony here knew she was different from what they remembered. Have I really changed that much? she wondered.

She reached Star Swirl’s door; his name was still on the bronze plaque as if waiting for his return. She was glad her friends had agreed to wait. She didn’t want to suffer their looks of pity and concern as she opened the door. She tested it and found it locked. She reached into a small pouch at her hip and retrieved a key. It was still exactly where she’d packed it. She blinked. She couldn’t remember if it was the key that she’d lifted off of Star Swirl’s cold body, or her own copy. The edge showed some corrosion from exposure, but it appeared functional. She unlocked the door with a quiet click.

In her peripheral vision, she noticed the candlelight she’d seen earlier drawing closer. To avoid any sort of confrontation, she slipped into Star Swirl’s study and pressed the door shut behind her. The room beyond was exactly the way she remembered.

A mostly-burned down candle in a dish of puddled wax rested on writing desk beside the door. Books were arranged in tidy piles atop the desk. Star Swirl’s humble bed nestled against the wall beneath the only window, neatly made. The chill of the stone floor crept up her hooves. A doorway set into the wall led into a room shrouded in shadow. With a spark from her horn, she lit the candle, illuminating the study.

The soft flame revealed a thin layer of dust blanketing everything. She could see beyond the doorway now, past the open door into her old room. Her own small bed stood in the corner, covered by sheets with a simple starry pattern. Books were strewn across the floor, her own possessions, not the library’s – gifts from Star Swirl. There were two for each year: one for her birthday, and one for Hearth’s Warming.

Remember why you’re here, Twilight, she told herself, turning back to Star Swirl’s desk. There was a small black notebook in the center, placed there like it was left for the first pony to find it. She’d missed it earlier in the dark. She stepped forward, and unable to resist taking a peek, cracked it open.

Shadowspawn Research Journal,
Star Swirl the Bearded

With bated breath, Twilight turned to the next page.

Introduction:

While destroying the Cult of the Shadow in Manehattan, I stopped a ritual involving three children. The first I found on an altar, and I prevented her sacrifice. The cultists referred to her as “Twilight Sparkle, herald of the Abyss,” and as “Shadowspawn.” A second child was referred to as Shadowspawn. He was old enough to understand the situation and escaped by shattering the shutters of a window and fleeing out into the street. The cultists referred to him as “Shadowspawn” as well, and based on their reactions, they intended to sacrifice him also. I found the third hiding in a cupboard. She was too young to even speak, but still smart enough to hide when the fighting began. I am not sure what her role was in all of this, but the cultists did not appear to notice her absence in the chaos. I never found the second child, though I searched high and low.

I attempted to locate the parents of these children. According to available records, two of the cultists (both killed in the fighting) engaged in the ritual were the parents of the first and second foals. The third child, on record as Pinkamena Diane Pie, belonged to a family that lived in a farmhouse on the outskirts of the city. When I searched for her parents, I discovered the farmhouse burned, and the occupants, both parents and two sisters, dead. I found evidence (the ashen remains of rope where the townsfolk had found the bodies) that they were restrained within the burning building. I arranged a loving home for her, as I was ill equipped to raise one child, let alone two.

I, Starswirl the Bearded, have adopted the child found on the altar referred to by followers of the dead God Azrael as a “Shadowspawn” and endeavour to ascertain its nature. I will keep an eye, to the best of my abilities, on the third child, but the first was the most important to the cultists and demands the majority of my attention. They appeared to believe that the deaths of these Shadowspawn would lead to Azrael’s return. I will assume that the child is a Shadowspawn and that they are a threat. What follows on these pages are accurate, objective observations of the Shadowspawn.

I am conducting my research within the walls of Candlekeep, where it is safe.

A shiver ran down Twilight’s spine. Her own parents had tried to kill her. What is a Shadowspawn? she wondered. What am I? She flipped the page to the first entry in the journal. Based on the dates scribbled at the top of each page, it was made two months after the introduction.

Unusually Powerful Wild Surges

Wild surges are common to all unicorn foals, but the Shadowspawn demonstrates extreme power. I am glad it is old enough to consume solid food, because if it were not, I would have to find a wet nurse capable of tolerating a risky environment. Other than the wild surges, it seems that the Shadowspawn is an entirely normal foal. I have little experience with foals though, so I shall endeavour to record the dates of important developmental milestones.

Twilight flipped through the following notes, briefly glancing at the listed events, such as her first steps, her first word, her first sentence, early reading, and her first controlled levitation. All that stood out to her was it, as if she wasn’t even a pony at all. She felt a cold sweat building on her skin as she continued reading, her eyes glued to the pages. One of the events stood out.

First Fight

I let the Shadowspawn go out into the gardens alone to play. Three of the youths from the town within the walls engaged her, and the situation escalated to violence. It had a black eye. One of the other children had a broken leg. It seemed shaken after the event. It is not aware of its own strength. I did not tell it how successful it had been. I do not want it to look to violence as a solution. Though it questions, it looks to my words for wisdom, and I hope that I have taught it to avoid violence in the future.

She remembered that day. They had called her names. She called them something creative and vulgar, and she got a hoof to the eye in return. She retaliated in kind, turning to her favorite tool: her magic. She only remembered the shrill screams of her attacker and the adults arriving after that. Of course, Star Swirl gave her a talk about not using violence to solve her problems afterwards. He also insisted that she spend more times with other ponies within a few days of the event. In a way, the fight was the catalyst for her friendship with Pinkie Pie.

She skimmed forward. Everywhere, she was an it, an object to be studied. Didn’t he love me? she thought. She wondered who was lying, Granny Smith and her own memories, or the coldness of the words on the page. Another entry stood out, and she read through it carefully.

Fascination with Death

Today, a pony was hanged. The Shadowspawn expressed extreme interest. If I combine this interest with the rat it killed, apparently out of curiosity, it reveals a disturbing pattern. Despite all attempts to raise it as a normal child and teach it moral values, it appears to lack a foundational understanding that killing is wrong. I appealed to its sense of reason, well developed for its age, and I hope I was convincing. While its perspective on death might reveal its nature, I fear what might happen if it gains a taste for killing.

The third child expresses no such behavior. Her perspective is continuously pure. It is likely that the third child is not a Shadowspawn, but my parenting abilities are demonstrably inferior to the Cakes, and I may be the cause of the Shadowspawn’s moral failings. However, Celestia, who is kind enough to correspond with me through letters from the Celestial Plane, seems to believe that it is in the Shadowspawn’s nature to kill.

Twilight tore the page in shock. Celestia knew what she was. She lied to me, she thought. She swallowed, trying to wet her dry mouth, and continued reading.

Magic Test

Celestia, in the guise of a mortal, visited today, on the same day that the Shadowspawn was scheduled to demonstrate spellcasting (according to the rules of Candlekeep, it is not enough to be my adopted daughter, all foals within the library must be learning something and show that they are learning something). At first, I thought it was coincidence, but after what happened when the Shadowspawn attempted to form its first wizard spell, I am convinced she knew precisely what day she was arriving upon.

The Shadowspawn unleashed an incredibly powerful wild surge. When I came to, Celestia stood over it. Part of her radiance showed through her disguise, revealing how much power she had to use. She told me she had to divert the Shadowspawn’s energy into an artifact in the Catacombs, a containment orb used to store arcane power before the Time of Troubles. If she had not been present, it could have destroyed us all.

After the event, the Shadowspawn’s magic appears to have stabilized. I doubt it will happen again, but it blacked out, and it remains hesitant to do magic. I will not attempt to push it beyond what it is comfortable attempting, though I suspect that it is more than capable of completely outclassing an old, practiced pony like myself.

I am ending this journal. Celestia revealed information that I cannot record here that renders this research moot. I will keep this documentation, but my notes end here.

From data collected so far, I can draw one conclusion: the Shadowspawn is incredibly dangerous.

Twilight checked the rest of the pages; they were blank.

Sunny Skies is Celestia, she thought. It made sense. In the guise of her own messenger, Celestia could speak for herself without revealing her identity. How could she have been so close, and not save him? she wondered. Celestia had been within spitting distance of where Star Swirl faced the Black Knight alone. The only conclusion left to her was that Celestia had let Star Swirl die.

Twilight closed the journal. She slowly floated it over the candle. Why shouldn’t I burn it? she asked herself. All it told her was that Star Swirl adopted her to study her, not to care for her. Why did you die for me if you didn’t love me? she wondered. It’s the Black Knight’s fault. If he hadn’t forced Star Swirl out of Candlekeep, I never would have known. She wished she was still living in blissful ignorance inside of Candlekeep’s walls.

At the last moment, she snatched the journal away from the flame and stowed it in her pack. Star Swirl may have never loved her. Celestia betrayed and lied to her. All she had left was her friends. They deserve to know, she told herself. She turned toward the door, but as she reached out to it, it opened.

Sunny Skies stood on the far side.

“Hello, Twilight,” Sunny Skies said in a mellow tone, as if she expected this all along.

Twilight froze in shock. When she found her voice, all she could do was quietly murmur, “What’re you doing here?”

Sunny Skies rigidly stepped past Twilght into the study. She ignored her, glancing at the empty spot on Star Swirl’s desk. “I see you found his journal.”

“Why did he call me an ‘it’?” Twilight said, still dumbfounded. The question automatically jumped to the forefront of her mind.

“He never loved you.” Sunny Skies stopped in the center of the study, gazing around it with an air of contempt. “He created this artificial domicile and fooled everyone.” She turned, focusing her cold gaze on Twilight.

“Why?” Twilight breathed. She closed her eyes, cringing as she awaited the answer.

“He adopted you to study you,” Sunny Skies said. “He and Celestia wanted to know their enemy. You, the monstrous Shadowspawn.”

Twilight gritted her teeth. It was the answer she expected, and it hurt more than any wound she’d suffered. “I know it’s you,” she growled, opening her eyes to glare at Sunny Skies. “You’re Celestia. Why’d you let him die?!” She reached for her swords, her chest burning.

The briefest look of uncertainty passed across Sunny Skies features. She hesitated for a moment, unsure. “Why do you care that I did? He didn’t love you. I sacrificed him to test you, to see what you’d become.” Her voice built as she spoke. “And look at you now, the monster you were born to be, ready to kill a Goddess.”

Twilight recoiled, taking a step back. “My friends don’t think I’m a monster...”

“They do. The ones who have seen the truth don’t love you, Twilight.” Sunny Skies leveled her stern gaze on Twilight. “Not me, not Star Swirl, not your friends. You are alone.” She raised her head, staring down at Twilight. “You think they pity you? Care for you? They don’t. That look in their eyes? It’s contempt.”

Twilight closed her eyes and pinned her ears against her skull, trying to muffle the words. “That’s not true,” she murmured.

“They’ve judged you for the killer that you are. They follow you because they’re afraid of you. They hate you,” Sunny Skies said. “Surely you can see it.”

“That’s not true!” Twilight repeated, loud and clear this time.

“You know it’s true,” Sunny Skies said, her voice low. “They’d be better off if you were dead. They’d be happy if you killed yourself.”

“That’s not true!” Twilight roared. Magical energy, undirected by any conscious thought or action, surged from her horn, and she immediately felt drained. She heard a wet pop, then a thunk. Something warm splattered her face. Prepared spells on the edge of her mind vanished like ethereal smoke.

Twilight smeared off the goo clinging to her eyelids with a foreleg and opened her eyes. Green ichor dripped from the ceiling. Fragments of black carapace clung to the walls. Every surface of Star Swirl’s once cozy study was coated in viscera. It was just a Changeling... Sunny Skies was just an illusion, Twilight realized.

It must have found the journal and put it where I could find it, she thought. Briefly, she entertained the idea that the entire thing was a fabrication, that Star Swirl had never referred to her as an it, but the script bore all of his quirks. She was certain he penned those words.

It was trying to get under my skin, she thought, but she had to wonder if it was right after all. I’m dangerous. Wouldn’t everypony be better off if I weren’t here? She still hated the Black Knight, for everything he’d made her become, but she remembered what he’d said. What if he was just trying to stop me? she wondered.

As she turned to exit the study, she saw a Changeling horn, larger and more pronounced than most, driven into the wooden door. A piece of black plating that was once the Changeling’s face hung from the horn, two fangs still attached. The fangs were longer and sharper than the ones on the other Changelings she’d seen. The whole Changeling may have been a little bigger, though it was hard to judge from a horn and a chunk of face.

Some sort of commander or stronger form, she thought as she exited the study. As she shut and locked the door behind her, she tried to imagine her home the way she remembered it, but all she could picture was Changeling everywhere. The pieces of the demon’s body didn’t fade away; she’d killed it permanently. What did I do to it?

She glimpsed the approaching light from Rarity’s horn. “Twilight? Are you okay?” Rarity called.

“Solar!” Twilight challenged.

“Lunar,” Rainbow said.

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief.

“We heard shouting,” Fluttershy said as they stopped in front of her.

“Just a Changeling,” Twilight said. “I’m fine.” She confidently stepped between Rainbow and Fluttershy, her head held high.

“You’ve uh... got a bit of Changeling on you, Twilight,” Rainbow said.

Twilight paused and blinked at Rainbow. “Where?”

“Everywhere,” Rarity said. “We’ll clean you up later.”

“What’s not true?” Fluttershy asked.

“Nothing,” Twilight said. “It said some things to try and get to me, that’s all. Let’s go, their nest is probably up a couple levels.” She pressed forward.

Twilight peered around a bookshelf. Five Candlekeep guards, and their captain, Thunderfoot, protected the second Changeling nest, a mess of pods wedged into a corner of the keep. Two unicorns in the back wielded bows, while the four guards lined across the front made a barrier with the lances strapped to their sides. They each carried a hoof mace as an alternative. A few Changelings in their demonic forms flitted around in the shadows. She pulled back, drawing her swords.

“It looks like they’re making their last stand here,” Twilight whispered. “Everypony remember the plan?”

Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow all nodded an affirmative. Twilight took a deep breath and checked her protective spells one more time. Stoneskin, Shield, and Spell Turning were all active. It was almost everything she had left.

A hiss came from above. She looked up, and saw a Changeling body falling off the top of the bookshelf, Rarity’s arrow in its eye. It thudded to the ground in front of her, already beginning to fade away. “Go!” Twilight shouted. It’s now or never.

She rushed out around the bookshelf and charged the guards, flaring her horn into a glowing beacon. From the darkness around the nest, green bolts flew at her, dead on target. As they neared, they curved to the side, whipped around her in a close orbit, and launched back at their source, redirected by her Spell Turning. Although the Changelings shrugged off their own magic, the bolts of green light illuminated them.

Two arrows rattled off her ethereal Shield a moment before she met the lance line. With a swing from Solstice, she swatted aside the pointed tips of the spears. She followed with Celestial Fury and cut them short. A blue blur shot past overhead as Rainbow moved to engage the demonic Changelings.

Her enemies quickly switched to their hoofmaces as she shattered their formation and moved in among them. They took great heavy swings at her, exposing themselves without heed to their own safety. She swatted aside their blows with ease, but when two came at her from the front, two would strike her from behind, eroding the layers of her Stoneskin one by one. I can’t fight back, she reminded herself, resisting the urge to kill that came with every opportunity they gave her.

As she ducked under a swing, she checked Fluttershy’s position. She’d reached the pods. Her cloak formed a thorny dome around her, deflecting arrows and bolts of Changeling magic alike. From her hooves, a soft green glow spread across the floor and over the pods. Angel stood protectively beside her. As Twilight watched Angel smash a Changeling moving in to attack Fluttershy, a mace struck her across the face. She didn’t feel it, but it shattered her last layer of Stoneskin.

She backpedaled and deflected a hoofmace with Solstice, but another struck her in the shoulder and threw her to the ground. You’d better be finished, Fluttershy! she thought as she closed her eyes and unleashed the sunlight stored in Celestial Fury.

When she opened her eyes, blinking away the bright light, her enemies were no longer ponies. Four Changelings reeled in the aftermath, their carapaces scorched, and their gossamer wings burned clean off. Fluttershy had lifted the curse without a moment to spare. Scattered Changelings that had been fighting Rainbow Dash near the ceiling plummeted to the floor with damaged wings. Twilight climbed to her feet, ignoring the pain lancing through her shoulder.

She grinned and readied Celestial Fury. “My turn.”

Twilight slashed open a Changeling pod. Thunderfoot slid free, coughing and sputtering as his head broke from the ichor. He fell onto his belly on the floor, his chest heaving as he sucked in deep breaths. Around her, conscious ponies desperately pounded their hooves against the inside of their green prisons, but one was still.

Ahead of her, in the center of the mass of pods, was one larger than the rest. She saw no movement, the blurred pink shape floating passively within. She stepped over a disemboweled Changeling corpse, one that she had killed moments before, and approached the pod. She cut it open, careful not to harm the occupant inside.

The mare fell out of the pod in a deluge of icor. She collapsed against Twilight and weakly clung to her for support. She rested her chin on Twilight’s shoulder and coughed heavily, spitting ichor across Twilight’s cloak. Her horn brushed against Twilight’s ear. When she found air, she whispered, “I had the strangest dream, Shining.”

Twilight reached up with a hoof and wiped away the green slime coating the unicorn’s back. She had wings. “Princess Cadance?” Twilight murmured in disbelief.

Author's Note

Acknowledgements:
Editor: Idle Prose
Editor: The Music Man

Time

Time

“There’s at least four left,” Twilight said, looking over the bodies of the Changelings they’d killed around the nest. “Maybe more, if not all of them captured a victim, like the tenders below.”

Rainbow eyed Cadance's emaciated form lying on the floor. “Do you think they went after the others?”

The Princess slept soundly. Even in brief moments of consciousness, Cadance seemed delirious and detached. Twilight wondered how long she’d been in stasis. With one last glance at the Alicorn, she turned to the rest of the freed ponies: a small group of guards and chroniclers gathered in between the bookshelves.

“Thunderfoot, take them to the first floor. Stick together, and watch out for any newcomers. We’re going to hunt down the remaining Changelings,” Twilight said.

Thunderfoot nodded. “If that’s what you want, we can do that. You saved us, after all.”

Fluttershy took a determined step forward. “I’ll stay with them.”

“I’ll stay too,” Rarity offered. “It’s best for us to not be alone.”

Twilight sighed wearily. “Fine. Keep them safe.” She trotted rapidly toward the stairs, Rainbow joining her. “Remember, Solar – Lunar,” she called over her shoulder. She silently hoped there were no more nests, and her estimate on the Changeling’s remaining strength was accurate.

As they left, Rainbow quietly asked, “Can Changelings curse Alicorns?”

“I’m not sure,” Twilight said as she reached the first flight of steps. “Maybe they’re more powerful than I expected, or maybe we’re dealing with something that’s a little more than a Changeling.”

“So the Cadance in Manehattan told the Iron Circle we were coming,” Rainbow said.

“And destroyed them. She and Shining Armor,” Twilight said, descending the steps at a brisk pace.

Rainbow sighed. “The Duke too? How do you know?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said. “But I can make an educated guess.” Twilight warily looked around as they reached a landing at the next floor. She turned to Rainbow, pausing. “He’s the Black Knight.”

Rainbow stopped dead next to Twilight. “What? You lost me.”

Twilight tapped her hoof on the stone. “My dreams, he and I being similar, the second child, what he said before he killed Star Swirl, how he attacked me the moment he saw me, how he fought me. It’s him. It all makes sense.” She set off down the next flight of stairs. Why didn’t I see it sooner? she thought. I was so close. She remembered what Hay Brittle had said when she asked him about the Black Knight.

’Shiny, shiny, shiny, hiding in the dark.’

“I still have no idea what you’re talking about,” Rainbow said. “Second child?”

Twilight sighed and pulled the journal out of her pack. She tossed it to Rainbow, and Rainbow caught it deftly. “Can’t read,” Rainbow reminded her.

Twilight took it back. “Right. Well, it’s Star Swirl’s. Don’t worry about it. Forget I said anything about the Black Knight. The main thing is, whoever’s pulling the strings wants a war. They threw away the Iron Circle as soon as it might lead back to them. Either Shining Armor is in on it, or he’s fooled by the fake Cadance.”

“Why hide the real Cadance here?” Rainbow asked, matching her pace. “To keep you from finding her?”

Twilight nodded. “We were digging, and it’s the last place I’d look. If we hadn’t found the tiny trail of breadcrumbs that led here, I never would have suspected a thing. It wasn’t a trap. They were just trying to hide.”

Rainbow ruffled her feathers. “Where does that leave us?”

“Same place we were before. Finish off the Changelings, find the Black—” Twilight said.

“Twilight! We’ve got a problem!” Pinkie shouted, rushing up the steps below.

“Solar!” Twilight and Rainbow challenged in unison.

Pinkie stopped and stared up at them. She turned to head back down the stairs. “Come quick!”

Rainbow glanced at Twilight. As Twilight drew her swords, she gave Rainbow a small nod. She advanced toward Pinkie as Rainbow opened her wings and glided down the stairs. Rainbow stretched out her wingblade, ready to strike.

“Oh right!” Pinkie said, stopping suddenly. “Lunar!”

“Pinkie!” Rainbow shouted, rolling to the side to avoid hitting her. She caught herself on the railing and managed a landing. “I could have killed you!”

“Don’t be silly, Dashie,” Pinkie said. “I would have ducked.”

Twilight stepped over the corpse of a Changeling felled by wounds from twin spikes as she moved down a narrow passage. Water slowly dripped from the ceiling, filling her ears with a staccato rhythm. At the end of the passage, a Changeling in the center of a small chamber perched on an opaque, white sphere, surrounded by two of its brethren. Where it’s hooves touched the orb, energy sparked and crackled.

“They were asking for you,” Pinkie said quietly. “They said that damaging the orb could kill everyone in Candlekeep.”

“They’re right,” Twilight whispered. She stared at the orb. It was twice as large as a pony, and it contained her foalhood wild surge.

“Twilight Sparkle!” the Changeling atop the orb called, its voice rough and grating. “Give us the Crystal Princess and leave, or we will unleash your power!”

“What’s it talking about?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight advanced. “I won’t condemn anypony to your fangs.”

“Stop! You can still save them!” the Changeling shouted. The two beside it chittered and hissed.

“You’re right,” Twilight said as she drew Celestial Fury. “I can!”

“If our Queen can’t have her, no one can!” The Changeling yelled. It lifted its hooves, and before Twilight could close, slammed them down onto the sphere.

A spiderweb of cracks ran across the surface of the containment orb. White energy tinged with a violet edge arced out from one side, vaporizing one of the Changelings and scoring a gouge in the wall beyond. Lightning rippled across the carapace of the Changeling on top of the orb, cooking it within its shell. Twilight rushed through the archway at the entrance to the chamber. Before the Changeling was fully dead, she closed enough to run it through with Celestial Fury.

The third Changeling jumped at her, but before it could reach her, Rainbow shot past, cleaving a wedge shaped chunk out of its back with her wingblades. It crumpled to the floor, green ichor oozing from the wound. Before it could die, Twilight pulled Celestial Fury free and brought the edge of the blade down on its head. The blade buried into the stone beneath, and Twilight let it go.

“Rainbow!” she shouted, “Get out of here!”

A second arc burst out of the orb, cutting through the air over Twilight’s head. With a grinding sound, it dug a furrow into the arch. Rainbow was shouting something, Twilight could see her mouth move, but she couldn’t hear the words over the noise. She caught the last bit. “— Not leaving you!”

“You’re wasting time!” Twilight lifted Rainbow in her levitation field and tossed the pegasus back through the arch. Pinkie caught Rainbow on the far side. “Get them out of here! All of them! I’ll hold it back for as long as I can!” Twilight shouted as the archway crumbled.

“I’m not going to let you die!” Rainbow screamed, struggling against Pinkie’s grasp. The arch collapsed. Stones fell between them, and in an instant, Twilight was alone. She turned to the orb.

A third arc had broken free, scouring the back wall. Gaping holes in the surface of the containment orb revealed a nova-bright core of magical energy. Twilight took a step closer. Crackling lines of energy met her skin and her horn. It was invigorating. She closed her eyes and focused on the core, forcing the energy back in.

This is for the best, Twilight thought. She’d die here. Her friends would live. The Citizens of Candlekeep would live. I have to buy them time, she told herself.

Time.

Her eternal enemy. She never had enough of it. She always solved the puzzles too late, and the more it pressed forward, the more mired and shadowed her world became. I wish I could have had my revenge, she thought. It didn’t seem so valuable anymore, though. Things weren’t so clear. The Black Knight didn’t appear to be the villain she’d once pictured, single minded and unstoppable. He was a pony like her, caught up in something that he didn’t understand.

The energy yielded to her at first, content to behave. But with each passing moment, the strain of holding it back grew. There was more than a thorn in her chest; there was a pulsing nova of magical energy as well. The more power she focused on the tip of her horn to try and hold back the energy in the core, the larger the wild surge became; her magic resonated with itself.

She stood rigid in the chamber with the fires of her magic raging around her. Time lost consistency, flowing around her in a free state. With no anchor to track it, she lost all sense of it. All she could do as she felt herself slipping was hope she’d bought enough of it.

Why am I giving up? Twilight thought. I have all this power.

“It’s better this way,” the voice from her nightmares whispered in her ear.

You said you’d help me kill him, Twilight thought.

“You’re out of control.”

Whose? Yours or mine?

“You should let go.”

Twilight remembered Rainbow’s scream. Her life wasn’t her own. It belonged to her friends, and theirs to her. I have to fight. No matter how hopeless it seems. I have to try. The magic was beginning to tear and warp her body. Pain spread through her.

She opened her eyes. Chaos flooded her senses, but she pushed through, grabbing a tendril of energy. She struggled to control it, but it was her own, and it yielded to her. With it, she forged a path by ripping a doorway to another place. It opened in front of her to a starry sky meeting the dawn. She had no idea where it lead, only that it was far away from where she was.

“Stay!” the voice roared.

Twilight waited until the energy was about to rip her apart, holding it back for as long as she could, then willed herself through the portal.

The whole of Equestria spread beneath Twilight Sparkle. She occupied a space fixed high on the Celestial Sphere. The dome of the material plane curved beneath her. Countless points of light gleamed on its surface, in the cities, the forests, and the oceans, each a living soul burning with vigor. They shifted and snuffed, a thousand dying here, and a thousand being born in their place, but they all shared connections.

She focused, and the myriad lines between them lit. Cities became etched with spider-webbing patterns of unfathomable interconnectedness, but rainbow lines of color in the wilderness drew her attention. Outside of the space she had left, Candlekeep, her friends stood together. An intangible bond glowed bright around them, binding them together. It reached up to her, and if she reached back, she could take it.

She gazed around the seemingly flat plains around her. To her left, stars, huge balls of warm energy, burned. To her right, the sky faded to a blue mist. A tremendous point of light flared through the blue mist and forced her eyes closed.

She blinked her eyes open as the brightness dimmed. From the fading light, Celestia walked effortlessly toward her, moving across vast distances with each step. The aurora of her mane and tail flowed behind her, stretching back toward the day. She spread her wings wide and smiled. “You’re awfully high up, Twilight Sparkle,” she said in a warm voice.

Twilight glared at Celestia. She reached for her swords, and found only Solstice. “You lied to me,” she said.

Celestia shook her head. “I never lied to you. I withheld the truth.” She produced Celestial Fury and wiped away a globule of green ichor marring the blade. “I think you left this in a Changeling.” She passed it to Twilight without hesitation. “I didn’t think the knowledge required to summon them had survived.”

Twilight took the sword. She held it aloft and ready. “We’re not friends. You shouldn’t have given this to me. You were right there! You were so close, and you let him die!” she shouted, “You’re as much responsible as anypony else! I should kill you!”

Celestia closed her eyes and bowed her head passively. “Do what you think is right, Twilight, but know this: My power in the Material Plane is limited. Any engagement with an individual as powerful as the one that killed Star Swirl would be a risk.” She opened her eyes, her gaze hardening to brilliant points. “And if you tried to kill me here, I would be forced to fight back.”

“You should have fought anyway! You should have protected him!” Twilight cried.

“I tried,” Celestia said. She looked down at the world below. “Even though I could have died, I tried. I didn’t get there in time, but at least you were safe.”

“What am I?!” Twilight shouted. “Why do I matter?! I want answers!”

“How much did you find out?” Celestia asked, turning back to her.

“Star Swirl... called me a Shadowspawn,” Twilight murmured, lowering her swords. “He called me an ‘it’! He said I was dangerous.”

“You are dangerous, Twilight. It’s why I withheld the truth from you,” Celestia said. “We were playing with fire, Star Swirl and I, and I had no idea how well you would have handled the truth. Would you have embraced your nature? Will you?”

“I could have handled it!” Twilight grumbled. “If I’m so dangerous, why not just get rid of me? Why all this?”

Celestia briefly closed her eyes. “Because of Star Swirl.” A scroll materialized next to her, and she passed it to Twilight.

Twilight unfurled the scroll.

Dear Celestia, Goddess of the Sun

I mean no disrespect, but I will not allow you to take Twilight Sparkle away. The Celestial Plane is no place for a mortal, however safe she may be there. She deserves a life full of passion and wonder. I know there’s something you are not telling me about what it means to be a Shadowspawn, but that is the truth. She has done nothing wrong. You cannot condemn her for a crime she has yet to commit.

She’s different from the other children, but I was different too.

I love her as my daughter, and I will protect her to my last breath.

Sincerely, Star Swirl the Bearded

Twilight sheathed her swords, her anger melting away. “So he did love me. I wasn’t an experiment,” she murmured. “Why did he talk like I was in his journal?” She checked her pack; surprisingly, her equipment was all intact, including the journal. She pulled out the small black book and showed it to Celestia.

Celestia frowned slightly. “That journal was him trying to look at things objectively, like I asked him to when he first took you in.” She pushed the journal away. “He loved you, and he saw something in you that I couldn’t see. It took me until I saw what happened when you cast your first spell, and your Mark, to realize he was right,” Celestia said. “You’re dangerous, yes, but you also have great potential.”

Twilight furled the scroll and gazed up at Celestia. “What do you mean?” She tried to pass the scroll back to Celestia.

With a slight shake of her head and a soft smile, Celestia said, “Keep it.” She positioned beside Twilight and draped a wing over her back. “Come here.” She pulled Twilight close. “I want to show you something.”

Twilight leaned into Celestia’s side. The angel-soft feathers along the leading edge of Celestia’s wing brushed her cheek. She breathed a sigh of contentment, pressing into the immeasurably warm body beside her. With a nudge, Celestia directed her gaze downward. “Do you see it?” Celestia said in a hushed tone.

Twilight blinked, the connections she saw before still etched into her vision. She still saw the rainbow of her friends wisping beneath her. “You mean the connections?”

“Do you know what they are?” Celestia asked.

“They’re... friendships. Interactions of mutual benefit,” Twilight said.

Celestia laughed, a musical tinkle in Twilight’s ear. “An odd way of describing it, but correct. It is Harmony. Life is a beautiful thing. It rises from chaos and conflict, but it strives against the darkness by forming bonds. Magic, the soul of the world, rises from life itself.”

“Friendship is Magic,” Twilight murmured. “They’re ley lines.” She turned to Celestia. “How did nopony see this before?”

Celestia smiled at Twilight. “Friendship is Magic... I never looked at it like that before.” She looked down at Equestria again. “Ponies understood the nature of Harmony once, and they built a grand civilization based on its principles, and some of them rose high indeed, but that knowledge was lost to a war of gods.”

“Why don’t you guide us still? Why aren’t you there when we need you?” Twilight asked.

With a sigh, Celestia pulled away from Twilight. “I am, in the way that I still can be.” She turned to face Twilight. “A long, long time ago, nearly two centuries after my Sister and I destroyed Azrael, the Shadow, my forces and I succeeded at pushing Discord and his servants back to the Gates of Tartarus.

“It would have cost countless lives to seal him within and safeguard Equestria from his influence. Instead, I used my position of strategic superiority to negotiate the terms of a truce. We both accepted a Geas, binding our divine essence to our respective planes of dominion. I find ways to slip around the terms of the Geas, but I can only use a fraction of my power when I’m on the Material Plane.”

Celestia frowned. “But no rules can bind Discord. His only concern is his own amusement. If he chose to, he could break the Geas and free us both. I fight a pointless war over dust and empty minor planes to keep him occupied, and it keeps my attention far from what truly matters.”

“And what truly matters? You still haven’t explained why I’m important. You’ve said I have potential, but what does that mean?” Twilight asked.

Celestia gazed into the blue mist, toward the day. “I don’t have all of your answers, Twilight. Time is a horizon I cannot see beyond. You have great power, and you carry a portion of Azrael’s divine essence, but I do not know what you will do. Your kind could doom us all. You, however, see things that other ponies don’t, and you’ve risen above what you are.” She turned back to Twilight. “I’m proud of you, and Star Swirl would be too.”

Warmth swelled in Twilight’s chest as she drank in Celestia’s words of praise, but her mind quickly turned back to darker things. “There are a lot of Shadowspawn, aren’t there?”

Celestia nodded. “Many, and if they’ve given in to what they are, they will try to kill you and claim your essence.”

Twilight lifted her hoof and peered at it. Red covered it. Here, in this place, the blood staining her hooves was clear as day. “What are we?”

Celestia hesitated a moment before answering. “Azrael never truly died. The Shadow found a way to escape defeat and seeded its essence among the souls of mortals that had yet to be born, and now those souls are living their lives and reaching maturity. The shattered essence wants to reform, and it drives those that carry it toward that goal.”

“Is that why Shining Armor tried to kill me?” Twilight asked.

Celestia took a step back in shock, cocking her foreleg. “Shining Armor is a Shadowspawn?”

Twilight tried to scuff at the ground with a hoof, before she realized she was standing on the sky. “I think so. It makes sense. With Cadance being a Changeling—”

“What?!” Celestia said, almost shouting. “When did you discover this?”

Twilight blinked in surprise at Celestia’s reaction. “Today. I found her in one of their cocoons.”

Celestia shook her head. “That’s not possible. A mere demon can’t impersonate an Alicorn, unless...”

“Unless what?” Twilight pressed.

“Unless it was Chrysalis herself,” Celestia said. Her eyes widened with realization. “She’s trying to collect Azrael’s essence. That’s why Cadance wanted a war! It would draw the Shadowspawn, and if Chrysalis had one or more of them in her control, she could collect Azrael’s divine essence.” She furrowed her brows. “What is she planning on doing with it?”

Twilight reached out toward the rainbow tendril with a hoof.

“Twilight, what are you doing?” Celestia asked, looking at her with a puzzled expression, as though she couldn’t see what Twilight was reaching for.

Twilight withdrew her hoof for a moment. “I’m going to do what you can’t. I’m going to stop her, before she hurts anyone else.” She reached out and made the connection.

As the rainbow tendril plucked her from the sky, Celestia cried, “Twilight!”

Souls wisped around Twilight Sparkle, spiraling around a jagged rift in the center of black plains. Formations of obsidian rock jutted from the landscape. A pillar of shadow rose from the middle of the rift. She stepped forward, until her hooves were poised on the edge. She looked down. An empty void opened like a maw around base of the pillar. Violet energy spiraled around it like water around a drain.

The Spectre stepped up beside her on legs of bone. When she turned to look at its white face, it spoke.

“Look up.”

Twilight tilted her head back. Above, twelve black wings spread from the pillar and stretched across the sky, blotting out any light that may stream from above. Countless closed eyes covered their underside. They opened, revealing red orbs, and all turned to look at her. Within each, she glimpsed the soul of a living creature.

Fear gripped her. She took a hurried step back. She hit a rib cage. The Specter whispered in her ear.

“Do you see your destiny?”

She recoiled from the Spectre. The edge of the ravine crumbled beneath her hooves, and she tumbled off of it. She reached out to save herself, but there was nothing to grab. Above, she saw herself poised on the lip of the ravine. Her eyes were closed, and black feathered wings spread from her back. The apparition opened her red eyes and stared down at Twilight.

The black silhouettes of pony souls had replaced her pupils.

Twilight gasped as she came awake.

The wind ripped past her, whipping at her mane and tail. She cracked her eyes open. Her hair streamed past her face. A dark blue sky lit on one side by the orange glow of the sun filled her field of view. She was oddly comfortable, though the air chilled her back. She tucked in her forelegs and rotated around in mid-air like a cat, righting herself.

A smattering of clouds dwelled below, far beneath her, above a jagged line where land met sea. She tensed; she was falling. She’d felt no pull downward, no acceleration that normally accompanied the experience.

I’m in freefall, she realized. She blinked, but the air dried her eyes again almost instantly, forcing her to squint them nearly shut. She traveled towards a grey mass surrounded by a faint line on the edge of the sea. She identified it as Candlekeep. As the structures drew closer, an arc of arcane energy burst towards the sky, cutting a rift in the center of the keep. She was headed straight towards it.

Turning her head, she checked the position of the Sun. It was dawn. She’d been in that room containing the core for hours. She hoped that her friends had enough time to get everyone out.

She focused on the ground moving toward her as she passed the highest of the clouds. Alright Twilight, think, she told herself. Through her nostrils, she sucked a deep breath from the air rushing past. You’ve gotten out of situations worse than this. You may not have any spells left, but you can still form one before you hit the ground.

She closed her eyes, piecing together a Dimension Door spell. She hoped she could cast it before she hit Candlekeep. Almost before she had begun, the spell pathetically fizzled on her horn. She gasped, opening her eyes. She had no magic left. She felt like a sponge that had been wrung dry. I’m going to die, she realized.

Panicking, she flailed at a passing cloud. In that moment, she would have given anything to be a pegasus. The motion threw her into an uncontrolled spin. I don’t want to die, she thought as the world twisted past. It doesn’t matter who cares about me. It doesn’t matter what they’ve done for me. It doesn’t matter what I am. I have so much to be, so much to do!

As she spinned, the forest beneath flew past in a green blur, and she saw a rainbow. It was strange, rippling out from a central point in a horizontal ring. With every turn, she glimpsed a rainbow streak rising from the center of the ring, climbing higher and higher.

The leading edge of the rainbow ring blasted away the clouds beneath her. A sound like a thunderclap drowned out even the roar of the wind in her ears. The rainbow streak curved into the sky above her and arced down toward her. The next time the ground turned past, it was surprisingly close. Another two arcs of arcane energy cleaved through Candlekeep.

Her rotation faced her toward the sky again. Rainbow Dash closed in on her with hooves outstretched, her mane and tail streaking out behind her and blurring into a rainbow trail. Twilight continued her roll, and Rainbow exited her field of view. Candlekeep loomed beneath her, and three blazing arcs ravaged its structures. She screamed. The ground was too close. I don’t want to die!

Hooves contacted her body. “Gotcha!” Rainbow shouted. Something scraped the outside of her ear and lodged between it and her skull, held by her mane. In an instant, the wind was gone. She came to a near stop – no spinning, no falling – and drifted slowly down. She reached up and touched the golden feather behind her ear as she looked down. The ground that had seemed so close while she was speeding towards it was hundreds of hoofspans away.

Beneath her, Candlekeep warped, every portion of the keep crumbling inwards. A white light rushed up from beneath the structure, expanding in sphere until it reached the outer walls. The brightness drove spikes of pain into her eyes, but she couldn’t look away. She heard a faint woosh as the sphere collapsed inward to a single point and winked out of existence altogether.

There was no thunderous explosion, no rumble as rubble tumbled into the sea; Candlekeep was gone, thoroughly and completely. The ground beneath it had been reshaped into a near smooth curve. Layers of dirt rested on exposed bedrock. The only sign that Candlekeep had ever been there was a lone road that led to nothing but a strange bite out of the cliffs.

The greatest repository of knowledge in Equestria was gone.

“Woah,” Rainbow said, hovering beside Twilight.

“Did they all make it out?” Twilight asked. She twisted, trying to rotate in the air, but only succeeded at pulling a muscle in her neck.

“Now that we’ve got you, everypony made it.” She moved in, wrapping her forelegs around Twilight. She squeezed tight.

Twilight returned the hug. “How did you know I was still alive? How did you find me in all this sky?”

Rainbow pulled away. “I felt it; we all did. It was like a tug on our hearts. I knew I was the only one who could get to you in time.” She looked down. “Until I felt it, I was just waiting for Candlekeep to explode or something, and you to die. I hate waiting.”

Twilight smiled. “You did it. The Rainboom.”

Rainbow smiled back, tears in her eyes. “I had to catch you.” She grabbed Twilight with a hoof and started to tug her through the air. “Come on, let’s get back to the others.”

“Rainbow?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

Rainbow pulled her into a gentle landing beside the road. The citizens of Candlekeep huddled beneath the trees on either side. Some of them looked forlornly toward the horizon that had been lit by the magical explosion a few minutes ago. Her friends were gathered to greet her.

Almost as soon as Twilight’s hooves were on the ground, Spike appeared and lunged. He wrapped his arms around her neck, bumping her muzzle with his head. “Twilight!”

Twilight rubbed her nose with a hoof. “Ow, Spike.” She wrapped her other foreleg around him and pulled him close. With her magic, she passed the golden feather back to Rainbow.

Pinkie was next, hitting her left side like a missile. Twilight gasped as she squeezed tight. “You made it!”

“Pinkie, Spike, could you give her some space please? She could be hurt,” Fluttershy said.

Pinkie and Spike reluctantly pulled away.

“I’m fine, Fluttershy,” Twilight said with a smile. She looked around at the survivors from Candlekeep, her smile fading. “How’re they?”

Rarity followed her gaze. “Shaken. All they have is what they managed to grab while we got them out. They’re going to need help.” She patted Twilight’s shoulder. “None of us would have made it without you.”

“How’d you make it out?” Applejack asked. “Last I heard, you sacrificed yourself so that we could get out, and we were waiting for you to die.” She tipped her hat. “You saved us all.”

“I made a portal to somewhere else.” Twilight gazed up at the sky. “Somewhere up there. I think it was part of the Celestial Plane. It was safe.” She closed her eyes. For a moment, despite the Changeling ichor still crusted in her fur, her face felt clean beneath the Sun’s rays. “She was there,” she murmured.

“Who?” Rainbow and Pinkie asked in unison.

“Celestia,” Twilight said. “She told me some things.” She looked at Fluttershy. “Is Cadance awake?”

“Um... she’s been in and out, but she’ll be fine,” Fluttershy said.

“Where?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy pointed between the trees. Twilight turned and headed in the indicated direction. With her first step, her hoof slipped on a rock. Her vision swam as she regained her balance. She shook her head, focused ahead, and took another step.

The next thing she knew, she was overbalanced and tipping to the side. Before she could fall, she collided with something firm. “Woah there, Twilight, easy does it,” Applejack said, supporting her. “You okay?”

Twilight leaned on Applejack. “I’m fine.” She closed her eyes briefly, and a sense of vertigo gripped her. “Why is walking hard?” she muttered under her breath.

Applejack chuckled. “You’re exhausted.”

“I need to talk to Cadance,” Twilight said. “Could you help me walk over?” she added sheepishly. “Please?”

When Twilight arrived leaning on Applejack, Cadance looked up at her from her seat at the base of a tree. Cadance’s eyes were sharp and focused. Twilight dropped wearily onto her haunches. “How much do you know?” Twilight asked.

Cadance looked puzzled for a moment, but she said, “I remember somepony mentioning something about Changelings last time I was awake.” She looked down at her hooves. “They said we were all replaced.”

Twilight nodded. “You were.”

“Where’s Shining Armor?” Cadance asked. “Why didn’t he save me?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said. “Either he was fooled by the imposter, or he’s in on it.”

Cadance’s eyes widened in shock. She shook her head. “He can’t have been. Not Shining.”

“What’s the last thing you remember about Shining Armor?” Twilight asked.

Cadance frowned. “He...” She took a deep breath. “He was disappearing at night. Money was missing.” She closed her eyes tight. “He can’t have been seeing somepony else. He wouldn’t!”

Twilight furrowed her brows. The pieces were beginning to come together. “I don’t think he was,” she murmured. “How long was this going on?” she asked.

Cadance opened her eyes. “It wasn’t long after we were married that I noticed it.” She leaned forward and flopped onto the grass. “He said we were going to handle the Alicorn thing together.”

Twilight eyed Cadance’s wings and horn. “How’d it happen?”

Cadance breathed a deep sigh. “I don’t know.” She glanced up at Twilight. “Do you know Sunny Skies?”

Twilight nodded.

“She came to my door the day after. She said she represented Celestia. She said that I’d been blessed with the legacy of a demigod. She said that an entire people needed their Queen to wake up,” Cadance said. “I don’t know why. She was supposed to tell me more soon, but that night while Shining was gone, she visited again.” She closed her eyes and shivered.

“What is it?” Twilight asked.

“That’s the last thing I remember. Sunny Skies showed up, and there was a green flash,” Cadance murmured. “If the date I’ve been told is right... that was over a year ago.” She focused intently on Twilight. “You’ve fought Changelings. You have to help me save Shining Armor! If you need money, I have that.”

Twilight raised a hoof. “I don’t care about money. But, I have one more question. Did you ever see Shining Armor cast spells in armor?”

Cadance blinked. “He tries not to show many ponies, but he I saw him do it once. It’s a talent of his. Why is that important?”

Cadance had just put the final nail in the coffin. There was no doubt left in Twilight’s mind about the identity of the Black Knight. “Shining isn’t who you think he is.” With a surge of new energy, Twilight climbed to her feet. “And we’re going to stop him, before he uses his position as Duke to start a war in your name.”

“Duke?” Cadance asked. “Shining wasn’t a Duke.”

Twilight ignored her and turned to Applejack. “Tell Chancellor or Thunderfoot to get these ponies moving toward Ponyville.” She glanced around, looking for Rainbow. “Rainbow!” she shouted.

“Here,” Rainbow said a moment later, landing beside her.

“Fly to Ponyville.” She pointed toward the survivors from Candlekeep. “Ask Granny Smith to send help their way. Just fly along the road to Manehattan to find us again.”

Rainbow nodded sharply. “Sure thing.” She shot effortlessly back into the air and spread her wings wide. A moment later, the trees blocked Twilight’s view.

Twilight closed Star Swirl’s journal and stared into the flickering campfire in front of her. She knew everyone was looking at her, even Rainbow; she’d waited for them to all be together again to go over the information. Nopony said a word. The fire crackled in the silence.

Applejack tipped back her hat. “And Celestia said—”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah.”

“I don’t believe it,” Cadance said. “Shining isn’t a Shadowspawn. He never acted like—”

Twilight glared sharply at her. “He never acted like what? Like me?” she interrupted.

Cadance looked down at her hooves. “He... did kill some ponies. But they were trying to hurt me, or him. Anypony would have done the same.”

“He killed my father, and all he did was try to stop him from killing me,” Twilight said.

Cadance’s eyes widened in shock.

Twilight glanced around the fireplace; one pony was missing. “Where’s Pinkie?” she asked, standing.

“Dunno,” Spike said, glancing around. “She was right here a second ago.”

“She must need some time alone,” Rarity said. “I can only imagine what it must be like to learn that her family died so horribly.”

“I don’t think that’s what’s bothering her,” Twilight murmured, remembering the black speck she’d seen marring Pinkie’s soul. She stepped away from the fire.

Twilight sighed and stopped under a tree. She looked up at the stars. If Pinkie doesn’t want to be found, I’m not going to find her. A point of light flashed across the night sky above: a shooting star. “If only making a wish would actually work,” she muttered to herself while she gouged a furrow in the dirt with the edge of her hoof. I should have thought about what it all meant, before dumping that on her.

“Hey, Twilight,” Pinkie said from somewhere nearby.

Twilight snapped her head from side to side, looking around. “Pinkie, where are you?” she asked.

Pinkie giggled. “Other side of the tree, silly.”

Twilight walked around the thick truck. Sure enough, Pinkie sat on the far side, nestled between two roots. In her hooves, she held the blank book she’d retrieved from the tomb beneath Candlekeep.

Twilight plopped onto her haunches beside Pinkie. “Hey.”

Pinkie stared at the empty pages. “I remembered something about this book. I need to activate it for it to do anything.” She lifted the book and held it close to her mouth. “I’m scared, I’m lost, and I’m alone. Will you be my friend?” she whispered.

Ink rippled across the page, as if blown onto it by Pinkie’s breath. It was smokey and mottled at first, but the face of a smiling pony with a long, wispy beard materialized. His mouth moved, and Twilight heard him speak. “Place your hoof on the page, and we can begin,” he said, his voice filled with friendly cheer.

Obediently, Pinkie put her hoof on the page. The face faded as the ink moved, outlining the hoof. It solidified, then vanished. The page shredded into brightly colored confetti and launched into the air with a gust of wind. “Your Chi-eerfulness is strong. I can no longer teach you. You’ve walked farther on the Eversmiling Path than I was able to, and you will make the world a far brighter place,” the voice said. It sounded sad, like he was saying goodbye to an old friend.

“That’s never happened before,” Pinkie murmured as the book floated out of her hooves, lifted by some unseen force. Before Twilight’s eyes, it morphed into a white sash. The sash fluttered in the air for a moment, then settled on Pinkie’s outstretched foreleg.

Pinkie tied the sash around her waist with a smile. “I guess he wants to stay with me,” she said, moisture glistening in her eyes. “He always made things so simple.” She turned to Twilight. “Why can’t we go back to when things were simple?”

“Things aren’t the way they were before,” Twilight said. “But we have each other.” She lifted her hoof. “Friends forever?”

Pinkie smiled and bumped her hoof. “Through eternity.” She took a deep breath. “Things aren’t so scary when you have friends.”

“I’ve never seen you afraid of anything,” Twilight said with a half smile. “Not even the Sand Ravager.”

“Remember when I killed that pony?” Pinkie said. “I cried. I was sad because he’d never smile again, but I was crying because I was scared.” She looked at Twilight intently. “You know what the really, really scary part was? I liked it.”

Pinkie pulled her forehoof back and drove it into the tree. Wooden splinters flew from the point of impact, and Twilight reflexively shielded her eyes with a foreleg. When she looked again, Pinkie’s foreleg was buried into the tree up to her elbow. “And I’d do it again,” she murmured as she pulled her limb free, seemingly unharmed.

“I haven’t killed since then, not even the diamond dogs. I put them where they would be killed, but I never did it myself, because I was scared.” She focused on Twilight again. “Aren’t you scared, Twilight?”

“Should I be?” Twilight asked. “I guess I am. I’m afraid of what I might become, but all being a Shadowspawn has done is enable me to do what needed to be done. Could I have killed when I needed to without it? Would I be as strong as I am? Could I have helped ponies?”

Pinkie pulled her into an embrace. “Promise me you won’t give in.”

Twilight sighed. “I promise.”

Pinkie pulled away and glared at Twilight. “Pinkie promise.”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Twilight recited.

As Twilight made her way back to camp with Pinkie, Cadance approached her and said, “May I speak with you for a moment?”

Twilight nodded and followed Cadance away from the fire. The Alicorn held her head high and walked steadily. Between her own exhaustion and Cadance’s recovery, they hadn’t made much progress in the first day of travel, but Cadance was showing promise. If they kept a decent pace, they’d make it to Manehattan in time.

When they were out of earshot, Cadance turned to Twilight. “You’re going to kill him, aren’t you?”

Unable to meet Cadance’s gaze, Twilight looked up at the stars. “I don’t know,” she lied.

“At least give him a chance,” Cadance said.

Twilight said nothing.

“Please?”

Twilight sighed. “I’ll try.”

Author's Note

Editor: Idle Prose
Editor: The Music Man
Preread by: Furutta

Justice

Justice

Twilight Sparkle stood at the top of a ridge. The city of Manehattan was laid out in front of her. The road traveled straight down the slope until it met a long bridge spanning the water between her and the island. Two towers supported the span, their foundations deep beneath the waves. Traffic moved to and fro across the bridge.

Twilight set off down the slope with her group. Cadance walked beside her, wearing a hooded cloak to hide her face and wings. “They’ve probably already started,” Twilight muttered. Though they’d made good time, it was the day of the meeting, and well after noon.

The days on the road had passed in a blur. Twilight could only think about one thing: the Black Knight. She hadn’t rushed or forced a faster pace; instead, she moved with a calm certainty. She was rested and ready, and he would be there.

Cadance nodded. “The meetings begin in the morning, though they will continue until the Duchesses have addressed all of the pressing issues requiring their votes.”

“Let’s hope they haven’t voted to recognize you as the rightful leader of the Empire,” Twilight said.

Cadance focused on the city ahead. “I won’t let that happen. I don’t want ponies to die because of me.”

The crash of waves against the coast grew louder with each step. When they reached the bridge, Twilight felt her hackles rise. She looked around warily while they walked across the bridge, unable to shake the feeling of foreboding. “Something’s wrong,” she finally said as they passed the middle of the span.

Rainbow laughed and nudged her shoulder. “Relax, Twilight. Last time you crossed this bridge, you had that suppressor thing on. You’re probably remembering that. It’s nothing.”

Twilight breathed in – and out.

“Or not,” Rainbow murmured, squinting up at the tower ahead.

Twilight followed Rainbow’s gaze. Two groups of four pegasi in Flaming Wing uniforms descended toward them, flanking a single flier. Additional Flaming Wing soldiers stood guard above on the tower.

One of the four pony squads flew over their heads. The other group formed up on the lead flier. “Twilight Sparkle, halt!” the lead pony shouted. Twilight recognized the voice as Commander Lightning Dust.

Worried voices murmured around Twilight as the crowd spread, moving clear of the Flaming Wing. She laced her magic around her swords and held her ground. She glanced over her shoulder. The squad that had flown past them was blocking traffic into the city.

“What do you want this time?!” Twilight shouted.

Lightning Dust touched down over twenty paces away from Twilight. Behind her, beneath the second tower, another squad was blocking traffic. The middle of the bridge cleared as ponies filtered out. “Same thing as last time, Twilight,” she called.

“Wait, she’s trying to arrest us? Again?” Rarity said quietly. “I thought we were pardoned.”

Twilight drew her swords. “We’re not giving up this time.” She glared at Lightning Dust and hoofed the ground aggressively.

Rainbow dropped into a ready stance beside her. “Yeah, we can take ‘em.”

“Maybe I can help,” Cadance whispered.

“Just sit tight,” Applejack said.

“Planning to resist?” Lightning Dust called. “You don’t have a choice. Look around.”

Twilight twisted, scanning their surroundings. They were trapped in the middle of the bridge, several squads of Flaming Wing soldiers on each tower. To either side, pegasi hovered carrying torches. She already had a plan. A prepared Death spell thrummed on the edge of her mind. She turned back to Lightning Dust.

“You can’t stop us!” she called.

“Did you notice the carts?” Lightning Dust asked. Twilight glanced at the four carts filled with barrels to either side of the group. Their owners must have run off. Lightning Dust grinned beneath her helmet. “Ever hear of alchemical fire?”

Twilight’s eyes widened as she shot another glance at the carts, then the torch-bearing pegasi above them. She ran through a quick estimate in her head. If all the barrels are full...

“We have to keep those barrels from getting lit, or push them off the bridge,” Twilight said out of the corner of her mouth as she turned back to Lightning Dust. “We’re not scared of a little fire!” she shouted.

“I’ve got front left,” Rainbow said.

“Back left,” Applejack said.

Lightning Dust held up a hoof. “Last chance!” she shouted, already backing away. “You can still come quietly!”

“I’ve got it,” Fluttershy said.

“Are you sure?” Rarity asked.

Fluttershy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’ve got it.” A glow spilled out from under her eyelids. “Stay close.”

“She’s casting!” one of the pegasi called.

Lightning Dust dropped her hoof.

The pegasi to either side of the bridge swooped in and launched four torches at each cart. There were too many to stop. Twilight tried to flick them aside with her levitation, but she only managed to get a few when they passed into range. All it took was one.

The torches landed on the carts. They smouldered on the barrels. In the brief moment of respite, Twilight cast Fireshield Blue, but she knew it wouldn’t be enough to save them.

“Sanctuary,” Fluttershy breathed.

A barrel on one of the carts burst, spraying burning liquid. Within a second, all the carts went up in flames. Twilight raised a hoof to shield her face. She waited a heartbeat. There was no heat.

Twilight dropped her hoof. An inferno raged around them, held back by a shimmering, spherical green barrier. “They can’t hurt us, and we can’t hurt them,” Fluttershy said as she opened her glowing eyes.

“How long?” Twilight asked.

“We have about twenty seconds,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight nodded. “The alchemical fire should be burnt out by then.”

“We’ll be ready,” Rainbow said.

Twilight focused magic on her horn. “I can deal with the ones to the front, don’t worry about them. Rainbow, Rarity, don’t let them outflank us from above. Pinkie, Applejack, watch our backs.” She finished casting. A Haste spell activated, affecting them all. “Fluttershy, keep safe, keep us safe. We’ll push through to the palace.” Before the Sanctuary ended, Twilight cast Mirror Image and Shield. She had several more powerful protective spells at her disposal, but she wanted to conserve her resources.

“You’re going to kill them,” Cadance said.

“Yes,” Twilight replied. With each passing moment, the flames around them burned lower. Through the transparent green barrier and the smoke, she could see pegasi maneuvering into position. “There’s more at stake here than a few Flaming Wing soldiers.” Mentally, she pulled on the Death spell, making sure it was ready. If enough of them grouped around her, she could cripple their forces with a single casting.

“We don’t have much longer,” Fluttershy said.

Cadance walked toward the front edge of the barrier and pulled back her hood. “Maybe we don’t have to fight.”

“What’re you doing?” Twilight yelled. “Stay back!”

As the Sanctuary shattered, Twilight rushed forward. The flames ended in a perfect line where the edge of the barrier was a moment ago, but the ring of magical blue fire around her snuffed them out as she approached. She moved in front of Cadance and planted her hooves. On the far side of the flames, Lightning Dust stared past her at Cadance.

“My name is Cadance!” Cadance yelled. “My husband is a Duke of Manehattan.”

“Stop!” Lightning Dust shouted. “Everypony stand down!” Around her, Flaming Wing soldiers diving in to attack breaked and wheeled, nearly crashing into each other in confusion. She took to the air and flew in closer. At a safe distance, she called, “Lady Cadance? What are you doing with them? We could have killed you!”

“They’re my allies,” Cadance said.

Lightning Dust ripped off her helmet and slammed it into the street below. “What the Hell! First, it’s get rid of them. Then, they’re pardoned by your pet Duke. Now, I’m supposed to get rid of them again, and you stop me! Make up your damn mind!”

Cadance blinked up at Lightning Dust. “All I know is that I don’t want anypony to die,” Cadance said. “Let us through.”

Lightning Dust laughed. “You don’t want anypony to die? You’ve got to be kidding. The answer is no.” She hovered lower. “We had a deal.” She growled. She touched down as the flames beneath her died away. “I. Want. My. Wingblades!” She took a step closer with each word, skirting the edge of Twilight’s Fireshield.

Twilight bit the inside of her cheek. Lightning Dust was within reach. She held her swords ready, waiting for her enemy to make one wrong move.

“Can’t we work something out?” Cadance pleaded.

“You know what? Maybe we can,” Lightning Dust said. “Cloudsdale law allows for a duel of honor.” She focused on Rainbow Dash. “What do you say, Dash? Think you have what it takes, or are you missing even a shred of courage?”

“We fight, and no matter who wins, you let us through, right?” Rainbow asked Lightning Dust. “Nopony has to die?”

“On my honor,” Lightning Dust said.

Rainbow glared at Lightning Dust. “Then you’re on.”

Rainbow and Lightning Dust faced each other down in the center of the bridge. They each wore functionally identical skymail shirts and wingblades. A thick cord connected them by the back right hoof, giving them just enough slack for them to get out of the other’s reach. Commander Hurricane’s wingblades rested on a cloth between Twilight and a Flaming Wing Captain.

“Are you sure you don’t want to cut the cord now?” Lightning Dust taunted, slowly circling Rainbow. “This isn’t a practice fight. Pegasi die in these.”

Rainbow matched Lightning Dusts motion, keeping the spacing between them. “No way.” She smirked. “You’re going to be the one that forfeits.”

“You don’t have to do this, Rainbow,” Twilight said.

Rainbow glanced at Twilight. “I do.”

“Duelists, are you ready?” the Captain called: Bailiff, if she remembered right.

“Ready,” Rainbow and Lightning Dust confirmed in unison.

“The bell will ring in three seconds,” Bailiff said. He reached down and picked up a bell with his mouth. Twilight watched him tap out the count with his hoof. When he reached three, he dropped the bell.

Clang!

The cord pulled taught as Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust took to the air, each straining against each other for momentum. Rainbow powered her wings down, and with each beat, pulled Lightning Dust a few hoofspans backwards through the air. Lightning Dust dropped and flipped onto her back, her right hind leg stretched toward Rainbow. For a moment, it seemed like she’d lost control, but she looped beneath Rainbow and flew straight up. Suddenly, there was slack in the rope.

Rainbow down-stroked to accelerate away from Lightning Dust and regain control. For a moment, the rope went taught again, but Lightning Dust used the force to slingshot herself toward Rainbow. Sparks flew as the two pegasi clashed. Twilight could barely follow Lightning Dust’s wings. They blurred across her vision.

With a parting strike, Lightning Dust wheeled above Rainbow. They both hovered for a moment, breathing heavily. “Come on Rainbow, you can do better than that,” Lightning Dust shouted.

Twilight noticed a trickle of blood running down Rainbow’s side from a narrow gash in her mail. “I’m just getting started,” Rainbow yelled. She lunged, powering upward, and spinned into a swing.

Lightning Dust was ready. She deflected Rainbow’s strike and she rolled to the side, letting Rainbow shoot past. As they parted, Rainbow cried out in pain, a shallow gash in her flank from Lightning Dust’s bade. She flew up until the cord was taught again. Twilight felt her heart sink. At this rate, Rainbow won’t last long, she thought. She’ll have to cut the cord.

Lightning Dust laughed. “All wingpower, no brains! You always won the races, Rainbow, but never the fights. Just give up!”

“No!” Rainbow shouted. She dropped on Lightning Dust, whirling.

One, two, three clashes sounded in Twilight’s ears. A teal primary feather, Lightning Dusts, fluttered toward the ground, shorn in half. They parted, circling ever higher. “You almost got me there,” Lightning Dust called, “but your form is sloppy! No discipline!”

Blood trickled into Rainbow’s eye from a gash on her forehead. She wiped it away with a hoof, smearing it across her cheek. “Bring it!” Rainbow shouted.

Lightning Dust flashed her teeth in a grin and flew up at Rainbow. Their wingblades scraped against each other, sparking. Lightning Dust lunged aggressively, and Rainbow slashed her across the shoulder, penetrating her mail, but in the same moment, Lightning Dust cut the inside of Rainbow’s hind leg, high on her thigh. Blood rushed from the wound, coating the leg.

“Cut the cord, Rainbow! I hit an artery!” Lightning Dust shouted as they parted.

“No!” Rainbow roared. “I’m not going to lose!”

“Please cut the cord,” Fluttershy whispered from beside Twilight. “It’s just a pair of wingblades.”

“You’ve already lost!” Lightning Dust yelled. “I’ve seen a pony bleed out in under a minute from a leg wound!”

“I don’t have to win the fight!” Rainbow cried, and climbed up.

Lightning Dust struggled against the cord as Rainbow tugged her skyward. Within a few seconds, she dangled as a deadweight, unable to match Rainbow’s speed. A moment later, they were barely more than off-color specs against the blue sky. Twilight heard Lightning Dust calling something, but she was too far away to make it out.

Rainbow reached the top of her arc, and plunged, hooves outstretched. Within three beats of her wings, a cone of force shimmered in the air in front of her. The wind tore at Lightning Dust’s wings as she plunged after Rainbow, hind legs first and out of control.

Blood streamed off Rainbow’s hind leg as she dove, pushing into the air in front of her. The cone of force shattered with a thunderclap. Less than fifty hoofspans above the ground, Rainbow Dash performed a Sonic Rainboom. Lightning Dust cut the cord and braked. Rainbow sped at the ground.

As a rainbow ring rippled overhead, Rainbow slammed into the bridge. Dust and bits of shattered stone exploded around her, shrouding her undoubtedly broken form from view. “Rainbow!” Twilight screamed in unison with her friends as the cloud of dust washed over her, tinted with rainbow light.

Twilight stood frozen with horror as the wind started to sweep away the dust.

In her peripheral vision, Twilight spotted Lightning Dust tumbling out of the sky. The pegasus crash landed in the middle of the bridge and rolled to stop. Twilight advanced toward her. She knew there were voices shouting at her, but she couldn’t hear the words. She drew her swords as Lightning Dust shakily climbed to her feet.

She heard the whoosh of air from a flying pegasus and glimpsed motion in the corner of her eye. She drew Solstice and swatted the offender aside. A shrill cry rewarded. Another closed from the opposite side as she reached Lightning Dust. She pushed the second soldier down into the bridge as she raised Celestial Fury.

“We had a deal,” Lightning Dust groaned, spitting blood out onto the bridge. “I won.”

“You killed her!” Twilight shouted.

Lightning Dust glared at her. “You’re insane! She killed herself!”

Twilight held back. She wanted to bring the sword down. This isn’t right, Twilight thought, hesitating.

“Did I win?” a voice from behind her asked. It was unmistakably Rainbow’s.

Twilight turned. Rainbow stood on the lip of a crater in the center of the bridge. Fluttershy rushed to her side as she collapsed.

“Rainbow?” Twilight called in disbelief.

“No,” Lightning Dust gasped. Steel scraped on stone. Hearing the movement, Twilight whirled. Lightning Dust lunged at her, wing outstretched.

Without thought, Twilight raised Solstice and cleaved through Lightning Dust’s wing, mundane wingblade and all. The metal edges flew past Twilight to either side of her head, slicing a gash in one of her cheeks. As Lightning Dust flew past her, Twilight swung Celestia Fury and carved a deep wound into her attacker’s side, all the way down the length of her body. In an instant, the light went out of Lightning Dust’s eyes. Her corpse crumpled to the ground, and her blood leaked out, staining the mortar between the stones.

Around her, Flaming Wing pegasi looked on in shock, including the two she’d injured on the bridge. “Anyone else want to die?!” Twilight roared, brandishing her bloodstained swords. Divine power surged through her, and the wound on her cheek closed.

“Stand down!” Bailiff barked. He took to the air. “Enough of this! We don’t need to waste soldiers bringing her down. Honor the duel and let them pass.”

Twilight lowered her swords. For a brief moment, she felt disappointed. She shivered as she stepped past Lightning Dust’s body. She didn’t get a chance... why should he?

When they reached the palace gates, Twilight glimpsed two familiar figures walking away from the structure. “I’ll double your rate, Blackwing!” Crystal Clear shouted. “They don’t even have a Crystal Princess, and they’re talking war. It’s only a matter of time before one of these asylum cases accuses me of being a spy!”

Cadance pulled her hood lower with a hoof.

“Thinking,” Blackwing said, pausing in the street. “I rather visit Cloudsdale.”

“Just get me back to Canterlot,” Crystal Clear pleaded. “That’s all I ask.”

Blackwing hefted his hatchet in a claw. “I get you to Canterlot, but is as far as I go.”

“Thank you!” Crystal Clear said.

Blackwing looked up and spotted Twilight. “Sparkle! Good to be seeing you!” He tilted his head. “Bloody. Get in fight? Good fight?”

“Blacky!” Pinkie yelled. She sprinted forward and hugged Blackwing.

Twilight reached up and wiped some dried blood off her cheek, nodding. “I’m not sure if it was good.”

Blackwing laughed as he gently pushed Pinkie away. “Fight you live through is good fight!”

Crystal Clear stuck her nose up in the air. “Ah, Twilight. Here to apologize for rudely running off in the middle of our last conversation?”

Twilight quirked an eyebrow at Crystal Clear. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. We’re here to visit the meeting.”

“Why you impudent little—” Crystal Clear humped and limped past Twilight. “Come on, Blackwing, she’s lost her manners.”

“Was nice seeing you,” Backwing said as walked past. He tucked his hatchet into a belt loop and pointed at the Royal Guards standing at the palace gates with a talon. “Be careful. They take weapons before they let you in.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Twilight murmured.

“What was her problem?” Applejack asked.

Twilight shrugged dismissively. “Beats me.”

“Twilight totally ignored her in the museum a few days ago,” Pinkie said.

Twilight smacked herself in the forehead. “Right.”

Two unicorns in plate armor wielding halberds barred Twilight’s path. She glared at them. “Let us through!” she demanded, stamping her hoof.

“Even if you are the Crystal Princess’s Guards, here to escort her to the meeting, only certain ponies are authorized to carry weapons within the Palace,” one of the guards said. She turned to Cadance. “If you’re concerned for your safety, Milady, we can give you an honor guard.”

“Haven’t you been listening?” Rainbow shouted. “You could be compromised!”

“By Changelings, right?” the other guard said with a laugh. “If we were taken over by powerful demons, I’m pretty sure we would have noticed something.”

“You wouldn’t,” Rarity said. “That’s the point.”

“Enough,” Twilight said. “We’re not going anywhere without our weapons.”

“Then you’re not coming in,” the first guard said. “Especially you. If it weren’t for the Lady vouching for you, I’d have you arrested. You look just like the wizard we were warned about.”

Twilight flared her horn. In less than a second, she cast a sleep spell. Both guards dropped into a magical slumber before they could react. “Let’s go,” Twilight said as she trotted across the threshold into the palace.

“My Mother took me here a couple times,” Cadance said as she led them down a long hallway. “It’s the administrative heart of the city.” She sighed. “I never liked politics.”

Twilight glanced to either side. Numerous corridors crossed the hallway, leading to faraway corners of the building. The palace was the largest structure she’d ever been in, almost bigger than both Candlekeep and the Manehattan Museum put together. “Where is everypony?” She asked. The corridors were oddly deserted. The only sound was the click of their hooves on the marble floor.

“They’re in the grand meeting hall, listening to the Duchesses deliberate,” Cadance said. She gestured down the hall with her muzzle. “That’s the door, up there.”

Twilight frowned. Two more guards flanked the open door. A voice echoed down the corridor from within the meeting hall. She couldn’t make out the words. Twilight perked her ears. Something about the voice sounded familiar.

“I stand before you today as a warrior, not as a statesman,” the voice said.

“Shining?” Cadance murmured.

“War is coming, whether we like it or not. The Empire created this crisis between us and them. They want our port. They want to put their yolk on our merchants,” Shining Armor said. His voice was stiff and rigid, as if he was reciting the speech rather than performing it.

Twilight scowled and trotted faster.

“I wish Princess Cadance were here to plead her case, but I am the poor substitute. The Empire has forced her into hiding. They stoop low, using assassins to try and weaken our resolve. Her divine heritage makes her the rightful ruler of this so called ‘Crystal Empire’, and their enemy. If we put her on the throne, we would have a staunch ally to the north, and a true Crystal Empire.”

“Halt!” one of the guards by the door shouted.

“Any true Manehattan citizen knows this is a noble cause. You’re either with us, or you’re siding with them. We’ve deliberated long enough. I call a vote to recognize Princess Cadance.”

“Protect Cadance,” Twilight said. She focused on a spot within the room and lit her horn, casting Dimension Door. “Changelings could be anywhere.”

“Where’re you going, Twilight?” Pinkie asked.

Twilight held back completing her spell to answer. “I’m going to finish this, him and me.”

“Don’t kill hi—” Cadance cried.

Twilight teleported.

When she winked into being in the center of the meeting hall, ponies around her gasped. Hundreds of them filled the seats behind her. Six ponies stood on six separate stages above her. She focused on one of them, ignoring everything else.

Shining Armor stood on his platform, covered up to his neck in the same charcoal-black armor he’d killed Star Swirl in, one forehoof on his helmet. His shield leaned against his side. When he saw her, he snatched up the shield and his helmet in his levitation and turned. “And an assassin comes,” he said as he disappeared through a violet curtain at the back of his stage.

As Twilight cast her second prepared Dimension Door, the crowd screamed. “Guards!” one of the Duchesses cried.

She teleported up to Shining Armor’s stage and peered past the curtains. She glimpsed his armored tail flitting around a corner. Before continuing, she paused and cast Improved Haste. She pushed past the curtain, and it slowly fell shut behind her. She walked steadily forward, knowing she was moving at the speed most ponies would run, and cast another spell.

She completed Spell Immunity: Abjuration a few seconds later, to protect herself from dispelling magic, and layered on Stoneskin after that. As she reached the corner, she added Non Detection, in case Shining Armor could cast True Seeing. It wouldn’t help until she was invisible, but she’d be casting that soon. She caught a glimpse of his black armor down the narrow corridor behind the stages as he turned to descend a staircase. Slow, panicked voices followed her from the grand meeting hall.

While she walked down the corridor, she added Spell Turning to her list of protections. She caught another glimpse of him at the bottom of the steps, disappearing into the shadows. Rather than use her horn to light her way, she cast True Seeing. She wished she’d been able to prepare a third Dimension Door. Instead, she greased herself and dove down the stairs. While she slid, she cast Improved Invisibility, completing her defenses. Breach would pierce through even her immunity to abjuration, but Shining Armor couldn’t target her if he couldn’t see her.

She dismissed the Grease as she hit the bottom and rolled to her feet. True Seeing revealed her surroundings, allowing her to see the outlines of the objects around her through the darkness. With her enhanced sight, she caught Shining Armor moving through a doorway. His soul blazed white, though dark lines cut across it. She drew her swords and trotted after him, reaching the door a couple of seconds after he disappeared through it.

He stood with his back to a corner in a small, dead end room. He’d chosen a good spot to fight, narrow and confined, where she couldn’t use her speed and invisibility as effectively. A Globe of Invulnerability shimmered around him; it would protect him from her spells, but she didn’t need offensive magic to kill him. A black thorn was buried in his chest, longer and wider than the one she’d seen in her own. Shadowy vines wrapped around his body. She glanced down, but she couldn’t see herself. She wondered if her thorn was still there.

“So you’re here to kill me?” Shining Armor said. “She said you’d come.”

Twilight glanced at her floating swords. He sees them, she reasoned. She limited her Improved Haste spell, temporarily reducing its effect so that she could speak normally. “Who?” she asked, not caring that speaking could give away her position. I want to know why, she thought. “Chrysalis?”

Shining Armor shook his head. “Cadance. Who’s Chrysalis?”

So she fooled him, Twilight concluded. Or he’s lying. “Did she tell you to kill me?”

“Yes,” Shining Armor said.

“Why?”

“We’re both Shadowspawn, and we both deserve to die,” Shining Armor said.

Twilight shook her head, even though she knew Shining Armor couldn’t see the motion. “I don’t deserve to die.”

“You must have felt it too: the hunger. We’re killers. Cadance helped direct me, even though knowing what I had to do hurt her, she helped me hunt the Shadowspawn, to stop them before they could hurt others. We’re monsters.” Shining Armor said.

“So you condemned them for something that they might do? How did you know what I would be when I hadn’t done anything?” Twilight asked, raising her voice.

“It’s our fate.” Shining Armor slowly levitated his shield into position. “I had to try and stop you from becoming this.”

Twilight silently stamped her hoof. “You killed Star Swirl because he was in the way! How can you justify that?! You made me become what I am by killing him! He was protecting me!”

“I had to!”

“There wasn’t anything written in the stones that forced you to kill Star Swirl! It was your choice!” Twilight shouted, stepping closer. “Fate didn’t make you a monster! You made yourself one!”

Shining Armor lunged. Twilight didn’t even flinch as the serrated edge of his shield clipped through the air beside her head. He’d missed by over a hoofspan. She reacted, allowing her Improved Haste to take full effect again. With Solstice, she turned aside his shield. She followed with Celestial Fury. Driven by her strength, the edge bit into his magically enhanced plate armor and cut his foreleg. She wrenched it free, twisting more flesh from the wound, and watched with satisfaction as a golden aura spread over him.

She moved past him like a ghost and hacked away both his hamstrings with Celestial Fury, crippling him. His shield, still wielded in his levitation, hit her in the back, but all it did was shatter a layer of Stoneskin. She turned and retreated back to the doorway.

When the golden aura faded, he slumped to his haunches. Even with her True Seeing, the blood oozing from his wounds showed red. She stared at him. She was the hunter, and he was the prey. She’d built up this moment in her imagination ever since she swore to kill him, but when she was prepared to face him, he wasn’t even a threat.

She dropped her swords and snatched his shield in her levitation. He tried to cling to it, but she wrestled it away from him. Twilight pulled back the shield, preparing to take his head the same way he’d taken Star Swirl’s. “Where is she?!” she cried. “She’s behind it all!”

Shining Armor gazed at the empty space between her swords defiantly. “Even if I knew, wouldn’t tell you! If you’re not a monster, why would you be trying to kill her?” Shadows pooled on the floor around him. His wounds closed.

“You’re lying!” Twilight shouted. “How could you not notice your wife being replaced! You’re working with her!”

“What’re you talking about?” Shining Armor climbed to his feet. “I have to stop you! I have to protect her!”

The thorn in Shining Armor’s chest pulsed. Vines grew out of it, thick and dark. The shadows pooling around him thirstily licked at Twilight’s hooves, but she felt her own rise in response and push them back. “No matter what it takes,” he murmured.

“I can feel you,” Shining Armor said, his eyes staring directly at her. He took his shield back, plucking it from her grasp with immense strength. Black wings spread from his back. Twilight wasn’t sure if they were physically present, or an artifact of her True Seeing. She snatched up her swords.

Twilight ducked as Shining Armor swung his shield at her. It buried into the wall above her head, cutting a deep gouge into the stone. She scrambled backwards, still twice as fast as he was. His shield obliterated the floor where she’d been standing a moment ago.

“I can give you what he has,” the Spectre whispered in her mind.

She raised Solstice to parry as she backpedaled. He swatted it out of her grasp with his shield, sending it spinning into the wall. There was no time to retrieve the sword. His next swing connected with her face and shattered another layer of protection. She had two left.

She remembered the dream with the winding, branching path and the doorway to the straight, narrow road. The straight road was still there, somewhere in her mind. “All you have to do is step onto the straight path,” the Specter whispered.

Her back hit a wall in the corridor outside the room. He gave in to beat me, she realized. She tried to twist under his next blow, but it clipped her side. She turned away and fled down the corridor, clutching Celestial Fury.

The shadows on the floor clung to her feet, like she was wading through knee-deep water. She glanced over her shoulder. He walked toward her, slow, but unstoppable. The white glow of his soul was nothing but a small speck consumed by shadow. I don’t need to give in to beat him, she decided. She whirled to face him with one last layer of protection. With a thought, she triggered the Sequencer in her necklace. The white wave of a Remove Magic spell spread from the necklace and over Shining Armor, purging away the Globe of Invulnerability. A Sunfire spell followed immediately after.

A ring of fire surged out from Twilight’s forehooves. He ducked behind his shield, like she expected him to. She moved in while the flames washed over him, and before he could block her, she slipped past. He clipped her ankle with the edge of his shield, shattering her Stoneskin entirely. In the same instant, she brought her Celestial Fury down on his back with all her might.

With the edge of her sword, she cleaved through his armor and severed his spine. A golden aura spread over his body, holding him in place. The flat face of his shield hit her in the side.

She slammed into the wall, her body thrown like a ragdoll by the force of his blow. The back of her head cracked against the stone, and stars exploded across her vision. She slumped to the floor. One of her forehooves, glowing with a white-lavender hue, materialized: the blow had broken her invisibility. She felt her ribs. Pain exploded from her side the moment she touched it with her hoof. She screamed.

When the golden aura faded, Shining Armor turned and crawled towards her on his forelegs, dragging the paralyzed back half of his body across the floor. Twilight desperately scrambled away on her back. She glimpsed Solstice buried in the wall above her and reached out to it. As soon as she gripped the sword with her magic, the Contingency within it fired, set to trigger when she was injured.

Layers of Stoneskin leaped up from the floor and covered her in a new protective shell. A Improved Invisibility followed, once again shrouding her from sight, though it was little use against her opponent. She gasped for breath in the moment of safety, her injured side burning.

She felt the Breach spell hit her; it shattered her protection. She struggled to her feet and faced Shining Armor. With a flick of his levitation, he ripped Celestial Fury out of his back. A few moments later, he picked himself up and stood on all four legs, his wound healed. That’s not fair! Twilight thought.

He raised his shield. Why did I go alone? Twilight asked herself. She reached for Celestial Fury out of desperation. He swung the edge of his shield at her. She crossed her swords, raising Celestial Fury just in time, and deflected the blow. It’s better to die than give in and become like him, she decided. I promised Pinkie.

Beyond Shining Armor, Twilight glimpsed the aura of a brilliant being at the bottom of the stairs: a pony formed from pink crystal, surrounded by wisps of energy. Twilight recognized it as Cadance.

“Stop!” Cadance shouted. “What are you doing?! Twilight isn’t your enemy!” She took the last step, and her hoof touched the sea of shadows that spilled from Shining Armor and lurked on the floor.

Immediately, Cadance’s aura flickered. She collapsed to the floor. The shadows surged over her, slowly diluting her essence. “Cadance!” Shining Armor cried, turning.

Twilight unleashed the sunlight stored in Celestial Fury. It burned away the shadows for a moment. Cadance’s aura resolidified.

Shining Armor turned back to Twilight. “Why is she here?!” he shouted. “She’s not supposed to be here!”

“She’s... the real Cadance,” Twilight gasped.

“Cadance!” Applejack called from the top of the stairs. Twilight heard the sounds of combat echoing from above.

“I’m killing her, and I can’t stop!” Shining Armor dropped his shield. “You have to stop me!”

Twilight pulled back Celestial Fury.

“Don’t!” Cadance cried, trying to struggle to her feet as the shadows surged back in around her. “Please don’t kill him!”

Twilight hesitated. She could see the thread of love connecting them. She trembled. She wanted to kill Shining Armor, more than she’d ever wanted anything.

‘Mercy is far more valuable than justice, when we can spare it,’ Star Swirl had told her once. She still loves him, Twilight thought. His life isn’t mine to take, not if there’s another way.

“What are you waiting for?!” Shining Armor shouted.

Twilight looked closer. She focused on the thorn in Shining Armor’s chest. “I can save you both,” she said. She reached out to the thorn, and pulled. Something held it in.

Shining Armor gasped and clutched his chest with a hoof. “What are you doing?”

“Let go,” Twilight said.

Shining Armor took a deep breath and released his chest. The thorn gave. With a final pull, Twilight ripped it free. It dissipated into a black cloud and surged into her. The shadows on the floor followed it. She could feel them surging up her hooves and into her body. In front of her, Shining Armor’s soul glowed pure white. The wings were gone.

Twilight hardly felt any different.

Author's Note

Editor: Idle Prose
Editor: The Music Man
Preread by: Furutta

Grave

Grave

Cadance stood on the stage beside Shining Armor in the grand meeting hall. “I never wanted any of this,” she said, her voice strong. “I don’t want a war. I don’t want to be a Queen. There’s nothing to be gained by antagonizing the Empire but death and suffering.”

Twilight sat in a chair in the front row with her friends. She leaned over to whisper in Applejack’s ear. “I told you to protect her.”

“And how do you explain this about face? Changelings, right? What proof do you have?” one of the Duchesses asked Shining Armor.

“She chased after you, and the guards let her pass,” Applejack replied. “We had to fight our way through without hurting them too bad. Wasn’t easy.”

“I have none,” Cadance admitted, “but I ask that you believe what I am saying now.”

“I was expecting Changelings,” Twilight whispered in the brief pause after Cadance finished speaking.

Another Duchess shouted,“If she doesn’t want the throne, what good is it to recognize her? The Empire’s emissaries have been understanding, and the trade crisis has been resolved. There is no need for war. Duke Shining Armor, the Chair asks: do you rescind your call for a vote?”

Shining Armor nodded. “I do, Duchess Silvershield.”

Rarity, seated beside Twilight opposite Applejack, whispered,“If there are Changelings here, all revealing themselves would do is confirm our claims.”

“Then the Chair proposes we move on to other matters. Foremost, I believe, your pardon of Twilight Sparkle,” Duchess Silvershield lifted a sheet of paper. “It states here that you recently pardoned Twilight Sparkle and those with her of all charges, including murdering a noble, and today you just pardoned her of additional charges, including murdering Commander Lightning Dust of the Flaming Wing and setting fire to the Iron Circle headquarters. Less than an hour ago, you accused her of being an assassin. Care to explain?”

Twilight perked her ears and refocused on the stages. She anxiously tapped her hoof against her chair. I hope they don’t challenge the pardon, she thought.

“She’s guilty of no crimes,” Shining Armor said. “I stand by the pardon.”

“She murdered a noble! I call for her pardon to be voted on!” the other Duke shouted.

Duchess Silvershield sighed. “Very well. Twilight Sparkle, please rise.”

Twilight took a deep breath and climbed to her feet. Rarity passed her the bag of holding with a wink. “They might want evidence,” she said.

Twilight shot Rarity a small smile and ambled forward on three legs, clutching her side. Fluttershy hadn’t been able to fully heal the injury yet. Though her body was largely whole, her ribs ached. She took the floor beneath the six stages and looked up at the stage right of center, where Duchess Silvershield sat.

“Twilight Sparkle, if you have anything to say in your defense, speak now before we vote,” the Chair said, peering down at her.

Twilight nodded. She turned to face the crowd behind her. Representatives from the six merchant houses of Manehattan filled the seats. “We, my friends and I, never fought a pony named Lord Ruby,” Twilight addressed them, trying to fill the hall with her voice. “We fought a Dragon leading the gang of bandits in Cloakwood that stopped the flow of trade on the Coast Road.”

Confused murmurs rippled through the crowd.

“I’ve about had my fill of alleged imposters for one day, Twilight Sparkle,” one of the Duchesses said.

“Is there any evidence that we killed Lord Ruby then?” Twilight Sparkle asked. She opened the Bag of Holding and pictured Pyros’s the Everburning’s head as she reached inside. She sidestepped as the bag vomited Pyros’s dessicated head out onto the floor beside her. “Because the only evidence I’m aware of says we killed a Dragon.”

The crowd gasped.

“I have no defense for killing Lightning Dust, other than she attacked me without warning or request that I comply, and I reacted. It was not murder,” Twilight said. She turned back to the Dukes and Duchesses. “That’s all I have to say.”

“The Chair calls the vote to order,” Duchess Silvershield said. “To pardoning Twilight Sparkle and her associates of all charges, I say aye. What say you?”

“Nay! She should stand trial properly,” the other Duke said. “No commoner should be above the law!”

“Aye,” Shining Armor said.

“I stand by Duke Shining Armor’s right of pardon, and trust his judgement,” one of the Duchesses said. “Aye.”

The rest of the Duchesses followed suit.

When the votes were cast, Twilight smiled with satisfaction and took a step toward her seat.

“Before you leave the floor, there is one more matter; the Barony of Ponyville,” Duchess Silvershield said. “You killed a Dragon and protected the lands and inhabitants of a lordless holding. Tradition dictates that we offer you the title.”

Twilight stopped and shook her head. “Ponyville has always been a lordless holding, and it should remain one, but if anypony should be Baroness, it should be Applejack, of the Apple Clan. She dealt the final blow to the Dragon.”

“Applejack, of the Apple Clan, would you please rise?” Duchess Silvershield called.

Applejack stood up out of her seat and walked over to stand beside Twilight. “One of us has to do it,” she whispered. “It’s only a matter of time before they try and stick us with a Landlady.”

“Applejack, do you accept the title?” Duchess Silvershield asked.

“It should be you,” Twilight whispered.

Applejack grinned at Twilight. “Hell naw.” She turned and addressed the Duchesses. “I cannot accept. Twilight Sparkle deserves the title. As a representative of the Granny Smith and the town proper, I request that you grant it to her.”

“Then it’s settled. If there are no further objections, I name the lowborn Twilight Sparkle Baroness of Ponyville,” the Chair said. “The town and the surrounding lands, including the fortress known as the Helping Hoof Inn, will be beholden to her under the law.”

Twilight sucked in a breath to object, but before she could, Applejack looped a foreleg around her shoulders. “Relax, Twi, you’ll make a great Baroness,” Applejack said.

Twilight let out the breath in a sigh. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

Twilight trotted down a cobblestone street toward a dilapidated building on a corner near Ponyville’s market square. Rain drizzled from grey clouds overhead, splashing in shallow puddles and running into the gutters beside the street.

“This the place?” Spike asked, huffing. He wiped water off of his brow. “I’m freezing and my legs are killing me.”

Twilight pulled her warm cloak tighter. Water dripped off her hood. She eyed the building in front of them. A sign dangled above the door on two chains, displaying a picture of a cupcake with bright pink icing.

“Should be,” Twilight said. She glanced at Spike. “You should walk more,” she added with a chuckle.

“You should carry me,” Spike grumbled.

“You’ve been growing.” Twilight prodded Spike’s belly with a hoof. “And not just up. You’re getting chubby. Too many gems.”

Spike flexed, striking a pose. “Chubby? It’s all muscle!”

Twilight skeptically raised an eyebrow at Spike. “Really? I guess all that napping really adds muscle tone.”

“Yep!” Spike said, thrusting out his chest proudly.

“Pinkie! It would work better to fix the shingles on the roof!” Applejack shouted from inside the building.

“But the leak is in here!” Pinkie yelled.

“Just get a bucket!” Applejack shouted. “You can fix it after the rain stops.”

Twilight smiled and took a step toward the door. “Definitely the right place.”

A cloaked pony whipped around the corner and rammed into Twilight’s side. She stumbled, her hoof dropping into the filthy gutter alongside the street. The pony bounced back and fell onto her haunches, the water on the street soaking her pink tail. “Hey!” Twilight said.

“Oh, Twilight, I’m so sorry!” Fluttershy cried, pulling back her hood. “I thought I was late! Rainbow and I just finished thinning out the storm coming out of the Everfree.”

“Where’s Rainbow?” Twilight asked, looking around. “She’s going to be late.”

Rainbow dropped out of the sky like a rock, breaking at the last instant. She landed lightly between Twilight and the door. “Just got done kicking some cloud-flank.” She laughed, flicking water off her wings, and opened the rickety door. “And I still beat you here.” As Rainbow stepped inside, Twilight glimpsed Applejack and Rarity sitting at a table.

Twilight glanced up at the sky, glad that it was a calm rain instead of the angry black thunderheads that the Everfree usually spawned. “You did a good job, too.” She turned back to Fluttershy. “I hope you don’t mind the land I was able to get you. I didn’t want to confiscate someplace where somepony was living.” Her first act as Baroness had been hiring Fluttershy as Ponyville’s town druid and granting her some land with an abandoned cottage near the Everfree Forest.

“It’s perfect,” Fluttershy said. “I don’t mind being near the Everfree.”

Rainbow stood in the doorway, holding it open. “You slowpokes coming, or what?”

“Thanks, Dash,” Twilight said, stepping past her and into the building. She wiped her hooves on a warm mat laid out inside the door and headed for the table. The floorboards creaked beneath her hooves.

Twilight spotted Pinkie on the ceiling, standing with one of her forehooves hoof firmly planted on a spot between two boards. “What’re you doing, Pinkie?”

Pinkie lifted her hoof and waved at Twilight. “Oh hey, Twilight! I’m stopping the leak.” A droplet of water fell from the damp spot her hoof had been covering and spattered onto the table beneath. Pinkie planted her hoof back on the leak. “Whoops!”

Twilight draped her cloak over the back of a chair and took a seat at the table. Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Spike followed a few steps behind her. “So, what is this place?” She looked around the interior of the old establishment. It’s weird, she thought, all of us in one place, and not a weapon in sight. She felt naked without her swords.

Pinkie grinned down at Twilight. “It’s gonna be a bakery called Sugarcube Corner. It’s what I’m using my share of the Dragon hoard for, but I’ve got a lot left over that I’m not going to need. Does that Candlekeep relief fund you set up still need donations?”

“You could just get a bucket,” Spike said.

“That’s what I told her,” Applejack muttered.

That had been Twilight’s second act as Baroness; she’d invested a sizeable chunk of her share of the Dragon hoard into a relief fund for the refugees from Candlekeep to help them get established in Ponyville. Ground was already being broken for new houses.

“Pinkie has been very generous,” Mr. Cake said from behind a counter in the back of the room. “My wife and I always wanted to run a bakery. Can I get you anything, Twilight?”

“Just a mug of hot cider,” Twilight said, looking up at Mr. Cake with a smile. “For old times sake.” She turned back to Pinkie. “If you gave me the money, I’m not sure if I’d be able to spend it on the ponies from Candlekeep. But, I’ve been thinking about having a library and a schoolhouse built. The Chroniclers from Candlekeep will need something to do, and this town is extremely illiterate. Some of the ones I’ve spoken to say they can reproduce books from Candlekeep that they memorized.”

“Two more ciders for me and Fluttershy please,” Rainbow called as Mr. Cake disappeared into a back room.

“Thanks, Rainbow,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Sounds like a good cause,” Applejack mused, sinking back into her seat so far that she was practically lying on her back. “I reckon I’ll be giving you a bit too. Farm’s got a nice deep rainy day fund now, enough to cover a half-dozen bad years, and Granny says she won’t take money we can’t use.”

“Speaking of bad years,” Twilight said, “I’ve been thinking about an insurance system for lost crops.”

Applejack tilted back her hat to eye Twilight. “What do you mean?”

Mr. Cake set a tray with three steaming mugs on the table in front of Twilight. “Here you go, fresh from the Apple Family farm,” he said with a cheerful smile. “Never thought I’d serve a Baroness cider.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “It’s not a big deal.” She levitated her mug to her lips and took a sip of the warm liquid. She turned back to Applejack. “Well, the idea is that farmers who choose to participate pay a portion of their profits toward the insurance. In return, when they get hit by a bad year, they get a payment out of the treasury, and maybe an interest free loan if they need more help.”

“Wouldn’t farmers with more profits be payin’ more?” Applejack asked. “I mean, I’m not saying that it’s a bad idea. In farming, you can prepare for the worst and still hit rock bottom, but it seems like the farmers that do prepare would be carrying the weight for the ones that don’t.”

Twilight shrugged. “You’re saying you never bailed out a family in need? I just think it might be better to have a formalized system. The problem with individuals helping individuals is one farm often has the same problem that their neighbor’s having, but if everypony pitches in in the good years, everypony benefits in the bad ones.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure something out that’s fair,” Applejack grinned. “See why I insisted they made you Baroness?”

Twilight hid behind her mug, her cheeks burning.

“Hey, um, Twilight. I had an idea,” Rainbow said.

Twilight took a sip of cider and turned to Rainbow. “Lets hear it.”

Rainbow took a swig of cider before saying, “It’s probably dumb, but I was thinking that we could start an official weather team. Today two of the pegasi in town helped Fluttershy and I deal with the storm. There aren’t many in pegasi in Ponyville, but there are a few that got kicked out of Cloudsdale or just left. I have a bunch of bits that I don’t know what to do with that I could contribute.”

Twilight smiled. “That’s an excellent idea.”

“Sure would help stop crops getting lost to bad storms, or lack of rain,” Applejack said. “And it could be cheaper than sending Cloudsdale some of our crops.”

“What about you, Rarity?” Pinkie asked. “What are you going to do with your bits?”

Rarity jerked slightly in her seat and looked up at Pinkie. “Humm? Sorry. My mind was elsewhere.”

“What are you gonna do with your share?” Pinkie repeated.

“Well, I don’t have to make payments on my shop anymore,” Rarity said, running the edge of her hoof along the grain of the table. “I’ve been thinking about starting a foundation.”

“A what?” Rainbow asked after swallowing a mouthful of cider. She licked at the inside of her mouth. “This stuff is delicious, Applejack. I want to drink it all the time.”

“A foundation is an investment fund that engages in charitable activities. There haven’t been many, but a few big-time Manehattan merchants did create foundations in their later years, mostly to patronize their favorite artists after their deaths,” Rarity explained. “So, I’ve been lucky enough to come across a lot of money in my younger years. Why not get started now?”

Spike belched a scroll onto the table. With a glance at Rarity, he dipped his head and said, “Excuse me.”

Twilight snached up the scroll and unfurled it.

“Ooh! What’s it say!” Pinkie said.

Twilight scanned the page. “Celestia wants to meet us tomorrow, a long day’s travel from here.”

“Three days after we got back,” Applejack sighed. “Just when I thought I’d have a chance to spend time at the farm again.”

Twilight shook her head. “Just me and Pinkie.”

“Ah, Shadowspawn business, I take it,” Rarity said.

Twilight nodded.

Water dripped into a bucket on the table. With a sigh, Twilight tilted her mug back and sucked down the last few drops. She set it next to a collection of empty mugs on the table. “Well, it’s getting late,” she said. The hours had worn by, and now it was just her, Spike, and Pinkie, the others filtering out for their own reasons.

“Yeah,” Pinkie murmured, staring at the table.

Twilight stood up from the table. “We’d better get going.” She turned toward the door.

Pinkie looked up at Twilight. “Hey, Twilight?”

Stopping, Twilight looked over her shoulder. “Yes?”

“Does it feel any different?” Pinkie asked.

Twilight paused and glanced down at her hooves. “No.”

“But he said he killed six, and it got worse each time,” Pinkie said. “Shouldn’t you feel—”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, cutting Pinkie off sharply. “It feels like whatever I took from Shining Armor hardly changed me.” She glanced at Spike as she trotted for the door. “Are you coming, Spike?”

“I’ll catch up,” Spike said from his seat.

As Twilight opened the door, Pinkie called, “See you tomorrow morning, Twilight!”

Twilight abruptly stopped in the doorway. “Pinkie?” she asked. “Do you want me to take yours? I can carry it. If Shining Armor’s didn’t make a difference—”

Pinkie shook her head. “I’ll be fine, Twilight.”

With Solstice, Twilight slashed away underbrush blocking her path. The thorny stems fell away, revealing the moonlit clearing beyond. In the center of three stone rings, an Alicorn sat beside a red and white checkered blanket. With the golden aura of her magic, she levitated a teacup. Though her mane was pink, folded wings covered her back. Her features matched both Celestia and Sunny Skies perfectly.

Twilight stepped into the clearing and sheathed Solstice. Her heart raced at the familiar surroundings. Behind her, a twig snapped beneath Pinkie’s hooves. Celestia looked up and smiled. “Just on time, Twilight and Pinkie. Would you like some tea?” She lifted a ceramic teapot off of the blanket. “Though, I only expected one of you.”

Celestia’s voice calmed Twilight’s nerves. Her smile pulled away her tension. She walked closer and sat on the far side of the blanket. “I know the letter said it should just be me, but she’s like me.”

Celestia closed her eyes briefly. “I had hoped she wasn’t.” She poured them both a steaming cup of tea, even though there was no fire in sight. She gave Pinkie a warm smile. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“You too,” Pinkie said as she took a seat.

Past Celestia, on the side of the clearing, beneath a tree, a humble gravestone caught Twilight’s eye. It marked a mound of loose earth covered by young vegetation. “Is that...?” she asked.

Celestia nodded. “I buried him when I found him.”

Tea forgotten, Twilight rose. She approached the gavestone. Letters carved on its face resolved through the dim light, lit by a soft golden glow.

Here lies Star Swirl the Bearded, Lichbane and Archmage
Let him be remembered for his legacy, for the way he fought for life.
Let him be remembered as he lived: Teacher to all, Father to one,
and Friend to me.

-C

Twilight fell back onto her haunches. “I did it,” she whispered, even though she knew Star Swirl wouldn’t hear her. “I made it to the Helping Hoof. I lived. I found the truth.” Her chest burned.

Warmth fell around her shoulders. Celestia pulled her close with a wing. A sob caught in her throat. She turned toward Celestia, buried her face into the soft white fur, listened to the heartbeat in her ears, and let go. Tears streamed out from under her eyelids.

“Did I do it right?” Twilight sobbed.

Celestia’s chest hummed in Twilight’s ear as she said, “You achieved more than we could have ever asked.” She pulled back, lifting Twilight’s chin with a hoof. Through her tears, Twilight met Celestia’s gaze. “You overcame the shadows within you, you chose the right path, and you showed mercy. Star Swirl was right about you.”

Sniffling, Twilight settled against Celestia’s side. She focused on the grave. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough then. I’m sorry you died to save me, she thought.

Pinkie walked past them and rested her hoof on the gravestone. “Thank you for saving her,” she whispered. “I don’t want to be alone.”

For a moment, they sat together in silence, gathered around the grave.

“Hello,” a voice called from behind Twilight; she recognized it as Cadance.

Twilight turned away from the grave. She spotted Cadance standing on the far side of the clearing. Shining Armor stepped up beside her, his platemail polished to a shine, and a silver shield strapped on his back.

“What’s he doing here?” Twilight grumbled.

“We have a lot to talk about, all of us,” Celestia said. She pulled away from Twilight and walked back to the center of the stone rings. “Would you two like some tea?”

Twilight stayed on the edge of the clearing by the grave. She watched Shining Armor as he crossed to the center and took a cup of tea from Celestia. “Sorry if we’re late. It was a long way to get here,” Cadance said.

Celestia smiled. “You arrived earlier than I expected.”

Pinkie walked to the blanket and picked up the cup of tea that Celestia had poured her earlier. She settled back onto her haunches and poked Cadance with her free hoof. “You’re still the real one, aren’t you?”

“I haven’t let her out of my sight,” Shining Armor said.

Celestia glanced over her shoulder at Twilight. “Come on, Twilight. It’s time I told you all the whole story.”

Twilight hesitated a moment, then walked to the center of the clearing. “I suppose you still have no idea where Crysalis went,” she said, focusing on Shining Armor.

Shining Armor looked down at his hooves as he sat. “None. All I remember is she left when you exposed the Changelings in our staff, and she wouldn’t tell me where she was going.”

“Of course,” Twilight muttered while she took a seat and picked up her cup of tea.

“I’m sorry, Twilight,” Shining Armor said.

Twilight glared at him. “For what?”

Shining Armor glanced at the gravestone. “Everything.”

Twilight grunted and took a sip of tea.

Celestia cleared her throat. “I’m glad you all could make it. I’m sure you have questions, but I would like to start at the beginning, and finish at the end. You’re the first ponies to hear this story in a very long time.”

Celestia took a deep breath and glanced up at the stars before continuing. “Ages ago, Luna and I discovered a way to fight Azrael using the power of Harmony, and stop him from consuming the souls of the dead. From five virtues, Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, and Loyalty, we forged the tools to set things right.”

Twilight settled, lying with her front half on the blanket beside Pinkie. She looked up at Celestia, her ears perked. Celestia wet her lips with a sip of tea. “With these tools, the Elements of Harmony, we fought our way into the Abyss and faced Azrael. We were ill-prepared for what happened next. As we unleashed the Elements on Azrael, Discord changed the rules and made it so that gods like us would find death in defeat. I suspect that he was trying to destroy Azrael for good.”

Celestia sighed and looked up at the stars above. “But Azrael was strong. Azrael found a way. He targeted the more vulnerable of us, Luna. My Sister suffered from wounds I could not see. Though she was bright, the light shining in the darkness, she was always overlooked in the daylight at my side. Through her, he escaped, dividing his essence into hundreds of pieces. Harmony grew from life, and he followed it back to its source, the Font of Souls. There, he found victims to carry his essence.”

She looked at Pinkie, Shining Armor, and Twilight in turn. “You are, or were, the bearers of that legacy, and I could have stopped it. I could have ended it there. The stories say that I killed my Sister when the Shadow fell over her, but that isn’t the truth. I didn’t have the strength to stop Azrael, and for that, I’m sorry.”

Celestia turned back to the sky, finding the crescent Moon above. “Instead, with the piece of her essence that remained pure, I used the Elements on her. Alone, I didn’t have the power to save her, so the Elements banished her. The Moon was once a full circle, shining bright, but now it is diminished to a crescent. I had to anchor her essence with most of it. Only a sliver remains in the sky, but she’s still with us, lighting our path through the night.”

Celestia focused on Twilight. “I could feel her, these past few weeks. She did her best to save you from your nightmares.” She paused a moment, collecting herself. “The Elements were shattered. Luna was lost. Discord won, though I don’t believe even he predicted that Azrael would escape. He pressed his advantage, opening Tartarus, and a terrible war followed.”

Celestia closed her eyes briefly and took another sip of tea. “We lost so much. When Tartarus met the sky, the Material Plane was rent in between. Gods died. Life suffered. But, there is hope. The Crystal Queen was dead, her people forced into a slumber, and now, she’s back with us, in a way. The other Cadance seemed to believe that I had chosen her and brought back the Demigod through her, and I never corrected her, but in truth, it shouldn’t have been possible.”

Celestia sighed. “Even the essence of gods flows down into the Abyss, and it never comes back.” She looked meaningfully at Cadance. “It troubles me that Chrysalis, one of Azrael’s favored allies, chose this moment to step out of the shadows. I believe she was hoping to use Shining Armor, and later Twilight, to collect Azrael’s essence, but the fact that she chose to become you makes me think she was after the power of the Crystal Heart, one of the few remaining vessels of Harmony.”

She turned to Shining Armor. “And you tell me she told you where to find and kill Shadowspawn, claiming she was speaking for me. Chrysalis knows more about the Shadowspawn and Azrael than I do. She might be trying to temper his essence in some way and use it, or worse, bring about his return. My Celestial servants hunt for her now, and she must be found.”

Celestia looked at Twilight. “She’ll be after you. She knows that you’ve gained whatever Shining Armor lost. Be careful.” She stopped speaking and drank the last of her tea.

“Twilight won’t be alone,” Pinkie said.

Twilight nodded. “And I’ll be careful.” She set the teacup she’d emptied while listening to Celestia’s story on a tray on the blanket. “But, if you find her, will you tell me where she is?”

“Of course,” Celestia said. “You and your friends are the ones that can stop her.”

Twilight sat beside Star Swirl’s grave. Shining Armor’s horn glowed from across the clearing, where he was working on pitching a tent. With reverence, Twilight leaned a fragment of Star Swirl’s shattered staff against the gravestone. She’d found it obscured in the grass.

Celestia sat beside her. She looked toward Shining Armor. “All he wants is to be forgiven.”

Twilight followed Celestia’s gaze. While she watched, Shining Armor dropped a tent pole, and the fabric collapsed. He stamped his hoof in frustration. Pausing, he looked back at her for a moment. She turned away.

“He doesn’t deserve it. Maybe Chrysalis manipulated him, but he still did it,” Twilight said.

Celestia smiled gently at her. “Forgiveness isn’t for him, it’s for you.”

“I’ll think about it,” Twilight murmured. He is my brother, after all, she thought. She looked up at Celestia. “You’re hoping I’ll collect Azrael’s essence, aren’t you?”

Celestia nodded. “I am.”

“What then?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t know,” Celestia said. “You were able to remove it from Shining Armor, maybe it can be removed from you. But, I believe there is more to your destiny than that. You asked me once if the souls in the Abyss could be saved. If anypony can do it, it’s you, Twilight.”

“What if I can’t? What if I fall?” Twilight said. “The only destiny I can see is filled with shadows.”

Celestia shook her head. “You won’t fall, Twilight. You’re not a shadow, or a monster. You’re a beacon. You’ve shown that we can overcome. If you, a Shadowspawn, can fight death, we all can.” She placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder and smiled again. “I have faith in a brighter future because I have faith in you.”

End Book One

Author's Note

What a long strange trip it’s been.

After all, it’s a dangerous business, going out your door. My goal when I set out was to combine elements of two stories, Friendship is Magic, and Baldur's Gate, that I thought would go together into a whole that was more than the sum of its parts. I tried to paint a story through the eyes of a Twilight Sparkle tainted by a darker world, and show her journey down the line between hero and monster. I attempted to struggle with questions of life and death that the show itself could never address.

For journeying with me thus far, you have my thanks. It’s been an immense privilege to have you join me. I can only hope that it’s been as much fun for you as it’s been for me. When I began, I expected this first part to be about 85,000 words. But, to quote Tolkien, the tale grew in the telling.

I’d like extend some extra gratitude to a few people who have given me extraordinary help along the way.

Idle Prose: This guy has been amazing. The story would be half of what it is without him. The first proper editing I got of this story was on the Ponychan fic board, and Idle Prose was kind enough to review my story and stick with me as an editor. My first chapter was extremely rough until he got to it. Go read what he’s written, and he’s got a lot of big ideas in the pipes.

Extravagaunte: He helped me out a great deal, pointing out where I was unclear. It was especially awesome that he was largely unfamiliar with Baldur’s Gate and Forgotten Realms. It helped me identify areas that needed extra clarification. He’s a tabletop buddy of mine, and he just recently moved away for college. I wish him all the best.

Furutta: At first I was hesitant about sharing my story with people I knew in real life and preferred to hide in anonymity. Furutta helped me get over that difficulty. He’s my best friend, and it’s fantastic to have his interest and support.

The Music Man: He joined me late in this process, but so far, he’s found several errors that were overlooked in the past. The chapters that were already published are cleaner now that he’s been through them, and with his help, I’m confident that future chapters will be even better.

Additionally, I owe a debt to all the authors who have inspired me, fanfiction or otherwise. Kkat, author of Fallout Equestria, demonstrated to me what a crossover could be, and wrote my favorite story to date. Jetfire, author of It’s a Dangerous Buisness, Going Out Your Door was also a huge inspiration.

I’d also like to thank the Equestria Daily pre-reader volunteers for taking the time to look at my story, and Equestria Daily for featuring The Sword Coast. Without Equestria Daily’s help, my story would have a fraction of the views it has now, and as a writer, all I really want is for my work to be seen.

You all have my thanks for reading. Without you, I doubt I would have been able to finish this story. If you’d like to recommend my story to others, please rate and favorite if you haven’t already. Without updates to attract attention, it’s the only way it will be seen. If you don’t have an account, make one. If you have any advice on how to promote my story, please send me a message.

I look forward to seeing you all in the future. The Sequel: Shadows of the Crystal Empire, has begun. There are also a few side stories collected under the title Tales of the Sword Coast, focusing on the individuals and events surrounding Twilight Sparkle, but beyond her sight.