“Are you sure? I mean, are you sure that’s what you saw?”

A library, unlike other public places, does not become surreal after the sun has set. Emptiness and quiet suits a library. On a cloudless night, when the wind is cold and every star is clear, when the sky stirs a longing in your heart, books and oil-lamps and ink and drying-sand become fast companions.

Ritter had not emerged from the forest until nightfall. He had found no trace of Dinky, or any other living thing.

Except for, of course, the flowers.

Ritter wandered by one of the stacks, eyeing the titles on display one by one. He didn’t bother to insist on what he’d seen. His silence was more compelling than any words he could muster.

He touched the spine of a book, a silver claw tracing gold-leaf letters.

“What do we know about the Heart’s Desire?”, he asked.

And so, because they were in a library, they began to read.

“This might be it.” Ritter said. “Listen.”

“‘The fifth day of Hearthfire, the first year of this second age. The fugitive Moonshine the Nightcaller eluded us and took shelter in the Everfree. Our scouts, sent to sniff him out, did not return. Despite our best efforts, we could not find any trace of them. Eventually, to our shame, we were forced to request assistance from her Royal Highness, even in this, her worst hour.

Moonshine was found in the midst of a copse of vermilion trees, and he himself entranced by the blossom he held in hoof. Our scouts were rendered somehow foul by his treachery, and they fought against us and their sworn monarch, and we were forced to slay them. I have never been so ashamed of our unit’s conduct, but our Princess, in her grace and wisdom, forgave us. I will forever admire her mercy, and pray that I might have the smallest fraction of her strength.

All attempts to wake the Nightcaller failed, and he remained blind and deaf to everything around him. Her majesty, inspecting him, declared that the flower he held was the rare flower of true desire. Such a flower, she said, was able to grant any wish, so long as it was the deepest, dearest wish a soul could possess. But he, poor soul, was stuck.
She then took the flower from him, and with forlorn face stated “Not all wishes can be granted”, and she then crushed the flower underfoot, and when the Nightcaller awoke, our unit took him into custody.’”

Ritter tapped a claw on the page. “That’s what I saw. A copse of vermilion trees. But I did not see any person or pony there.”

Twilight was nodding slowly. “That’s a curious statement she made. Not all wishes can be granted...”

The purple unicorn stood, and trotted over to the stacks. “I know those names, and that year. The Era system is a relic of a long time ago, before Equestria moved to the Stable Calendar.” Twilight said, and pulled a leatherbound tome from the shelves, turning the pages like the book was an old friend. No glancing at the index. No looking for dog-eared corners.

She stopped searching, and placed a hoof on the open page. “That was the first year after Nightmare Moon was banished. And Moonshine is a common name, but Moonshine the Nightcaller is a semi-footnote in the Nightmare Moon incident. He was a unicorn that stayed loyal to Luna even after she turned into Nightmare Moon.”

She began to read from the page. “‘He was given the name Nightcaller by her royal majesty, as his mastery of Star Magic was the greatest she had ever seen.’” Twilight closed the book with a thud. “If I recall, he was also Luna’s personal protégé.”

“You think this has something to do with him?” Ritter said.

“Not specifically. Starshine has been dead for a thousand years. But I think that story is quite important. Remember what Celestia said? ‘Some wishes can’t be granted.’”

Twilight trotted over to Ritter, looking over his shoulder at the book of the good captain’s memoirs. She reread the passage to herself and nodded neatly. “The Princess doesn’t say things idly. The reason the flower didn’t work for him must have something to do with what he was wishing for.” she said, sitting down across from Ritter again. “Perhaps if the flower can’t grant whatever it is that is the soul’s deepest wish, it simply tries anyway.”

Ritter closed the book in front of him carefully. “And traps the person where they are? That doesn’t make much sense.” The gryphon shook his head, and reached for a cup of tea that wasn’t there. He caught himself at the last moment.

“You ponies are rubbing off on me.”

“Hm?”

“Nothing.” Ritter shook his head, glancing out the window. The moon was half-blotted out, and the stars were disappearing. Clouds were moving in. Strange. It had seemed like a clear night, when he left the forest.

“Anyway. How does this fit in? It has to be related to the disappearances.”

Twilight put a hoof under her chin. “You think so? You didn’t see Ditzy or anyone else there.”

Ritter nodded. “That is true. Although I didn’t stray far into the wood. But what else could it be? It’s hardly coincidence that a pony-trapping curse is found shortly after several ponies go missing.”

Twilight bit her lip. “Probably. Not enough information. There’s still the question of we never saw when we searched for her months ago.”

“I can’t really answer that. But I know what I saw.” Ritter scratched his neck, carefully. “Let’s see - Ditzy leaves approximately two months ago, enters the forest for unknown reasons, and finds a Heart’s Desire, and the wish in her heart is apparently somehow impossible. This causes a copse of cursed woods to appear, but only a few months later.”

Twilight shook her head. “Ditzy was weird, but there’s no way her deepest desire could be that strange.” She paused. “I think.”

Ritter sighed. “Yes, quite. Well, let’s start with this: what wishes can the flower not grant?”

Even at this late hour, Twilight was not one to lose a chance to elaborate on magic. “Most wizards would agree there are three true restrictions of magic. The magic of an Alicorn or other Deity is involiate, the dead cannot be returned to life, and the rules of magic themselves cannot be altered by magical means.”

Twilight thought for a moment. “I’m pretty sure we can rule out the third restriction. Ditzy’s heart’s desire probably wasn’t proving Starswirl’s Postulate wrong.”

Ritter nodded “That seems reasonable. That leaves raising the dead, and defying a god.”

Ritter sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose, where his beak met the rest of his face. “Which is not much better. Neither one seems likely.” He sighed. “Well, you knew the mare. Any guesses?”

Twilight shook her head. “Ditzy had some weird ideas for political reform and some very strange opinions on the best way to distribute yearly cereal production, but she didn’t, well. I mean, it couldn’t be violating an Alicorn’s magic. There aren’t that many things Celestia directly enforces herself. And she wasn’t plotting against the throne or anything.”

Ritter nodded, but stayed silent.

Twilight bit her lip. “I don’t know much about her personal life, but I do know that Dinky was practically her only family. Maybe she really wanted someone to come back?”

Ritter glanced outside again. The night sky was growing blacker. Not a single star could be seen now, and the wind was picking up. He felt his down feathers begin to prickle. No doubt about it, a storm was brewing.

“That seems...almost reasonable.” Ritter said, staring at the blackness outside the window, and suddenly nodding. “Well, I’ve risked my life with worse theories. But, feel I need to make a recommendation, if I may.”

Twilight blinked. “Oh. Um, sure.”

Ritter tapped his claws on the table. “The Princess needs to be made aware of this. In my opinion, we know too little and investigating this with sufficient caution will take too long to guarantee the safety of the ponies of this town. We need a fast and proven solution. I recommend that you notify the Princess and ask her to take care of this personally.”

Twilight gaped. Ritter shrugged and continued. “This is, essentially, a very powerful curse, for which we have no remedy. Any way we approach it is going to go poorly, and from what we read in that account, could result in death.”

Twilight seemed conflicted at first, but with a sudden growl of frustration she slammed a hoof on the table. “I can’t believe this! How can you want to quit? Aren’t you a professional? I thought that’s why the Princess told you to come here!”

Ritter was taken aback. “I am a professional, but-”

Twilight cut him off. “But nothing! You haven’t solved a single thing since you’ve been here! You’ve just wandered around, acting crypting and drinking a bunch of our tea and sneaking around, and not doing anything useful! You look capable, but when it really counts you just give up!”

Ritter’s eyes flared. “I’ve done everything I can! I can’t just jump in and fix everything, no matter how much—”

The scraping of his claws on the table interrupted him, his silver talons ripping thin peels of wood from the polished oak. He sucked in a breath, and when he spoke again, his speech was more measured.

“Miss Sparkle. Be reasonable. We don’t have enough information. The only thing that can protect you from a curse is knowing its rules. We don’t know anything about this thing. All we know is that it’s dangerous, possibly lethal.”

“Assuming that this threat acts as we think it does, that it is a nearly all-powerful curse trapping those who get too close, then I, We, must act as though it will try to do the same thing to us, and I have no way to stop it.” he continued, his tone diplomatic. “If I can’t guarantee your safety or mine, then I’m left with no choice. I am not giving up. I am not being afraid. I am choosing not be reckless.”

Twilight’s snorted, her left eye twitching. “That’s...that’s! Ugh! That’s reasonable!.” she yelled, disgusted
.

Ritter was silent for a moment.

“Um. Thank you?” He said, hesitantly.

Twilight slumped, burying her face in her hooves. “Fine! It’s very dangerous, and there might be some risk involved, but we can’t give up! We have to take care of this. The Princess is counting on me. She’s trying to keep Cadance and my brother from losing their Kingdom, again, and she needs me to handle just this one thing. I can’t just send her a letter that says ‘Sorry, it’s too hard!’”

“I’m almost certain when she asked for your help, she didn’t expect you to recklessly risk your life.”

Twilight shook her head wildly. “No! You don’t understand. I already asked for her help, and you’re it! I knew she was busy, but I asked anyway, and now I’m going to have to ask, again, because I can’t do anything right.”

She let out a deep sigh. “I wish, just once, I could competently handle something for her.”

An awkward silence ensued.

“Um. Miss Twilight. I-”

A bright flash of light blinded him, a sudden flickering luminescence that bathed everything in the library stark white. The peal of thunder shook the table and rattled the windows so hard he thought for a moment they might break.

The strike must have been very close. Ritter blinked the spots out of his eyes and stood up, looking out the window. Another bright flash passed by, and he saw the forked lightning strike above the Everfree Forest.

Twilight stood and walked over next to him. The sudden interruption seemed to have bled the tension out of the room, for a moment.

“Miss Sparkle. It’s very late. We’re both tired. I’ll give what you’ve said some thought, and we’ll talk about it in the morning. Is that acceptable?”

Twilight paused for a moment, and then nodded, her distraught expression now replaced by a curious one.

“We never get storms like this. Rainbow Dash and the weather team keep a close eye on the feral weather system, to make sure wild storms like this don’t crop up. I wonder what’s going on?”

“It’s possible it formed quickly. It must have been very fast, It looked like clear skies when I left the forest-”

He was interrupted by a sudden, forceful knocking.

“Huh.” Twilight blinked, and trotted to the door. She began to work each bolt open methodically. A federal building had to be secured properly, after all.

Apparently she wasn’t going fast enough. The knocking resumed with greater intensity.

“Hold your horses!” Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’ve almost got it!”

The last bolt finally slid back and Twilight swung the door wide, revealing a rainbow pegasus. She was trotting in place, and looking around wildly.

“Rainbow Dash! It’s almost 3am, what’s going-”

Without preamble, Rainbow Dash leapt inside and shook Twilight, her expression one of abject terror.

“Twilight! Fluttershy’s missing!”

By the time they reached Fluttershy’s cottage it was already raining.

Wet grass and mud squashed beneath Ritter’s talons as he inspected the last portion of Fluttershy’s somewhat sizable plot of land. There was no sign of the yellow pegasus. Rainbow Dash and Twilight were inspecting the inside of her cottage for any signs of where she might have gone. A note explaining she was on vacation, perhaps, or some other indication of where she'd gone.

He wasn’t finding anything out here. He went back to the front door of the cottage, pausing for a moment beneath the stoop to shake some of the rain from his feathers before walking inside.

“Nobody’s seen her in a week!” he heard Rainbow say. “Which, I mean, isn’t that weird for Fluttershy, but she missed her Spa appointment with Rarity today, which happens sometimes, but when I stopped by to get her help containing this storm, she wasn’t here! Or any of her animals, or anything!”

“You were trying to get Fluttershy’s help? With a storm?”

Rainbow shook her head. “It’s spooky, Twi. This storm, it just appeared out of nothing! Bam! No cold front from the north, no wet southern winds, just the biggest storm to come out of the feral system in decades, no warning. It’s so bad, the weather team is having to call in every pair of wings to try and contain it.”

Ritter began testing the windowsills of the house for magic with the small amount of magebane he had left. The one half-bottle didn’t last long, but the results were disturbing. Everything the black liquid touched was rotten through with magic.
All the signs were pointing towards a repeat of the incident with Dinky. He couldn’t be sure of when exactly she’d left, but one thing was clear. The disappearances were picking up speed.

He put the empty bottle back into his satchel, and began to adjust the straps, unbuckling a buckle here and pulling a belt there. He felt the tight network of straps slacken, and he yanked on another cord, and with some dexterity and wing-work he pulled the heavy bag over his head and set it on the ground in front of him.

“Miss Sparkle.” he said, and opened the buckle that held the satchel closed. “I think it might be prudent to revise my earlier position, but I need to clarify something with you, and I have some questions for Miss Rainbow Dash.”

“What do you need to know?” Twilight said, trotting over as Ritter began digging through his bag. “It might be dangerous to investigate the forest now though, with the storm about to break.”

Ritter nodded. “That’s what I wanted to speak with Miss Dash about. How long do we have until the storm starts to really pick up?”

Rainbow sighed. “Minutes. I need to get out of here and meet up with the team if we’re going to keep it from damaging Ponyville.”

“What’s the worst we can expect?”

Rainbow didn't have much patience for what she considered ‘egghead’ nonsense, but weather-work was practical, working-mare knowledge as far as she was concerned, despite the complex calculus and formulae behind predicting weather patterns, and her knowledge was extensive. “Winds in excess of 40 knots, heavy rain, lightning. There aren't any hot-cold fronts meeting here, so there shouldn't be any cyclones. But this storm shouldn't have happened in the first place, so who knows.”

Ritter made a face. “I can’t say I expected any better.” he sighed, removing a leather belt from his pack and looping it over his neck. Glass bottles followed, which he began to slide into pockets fitted through the bandolier.

“The curse, or whatever is actually causing this, is clearly picking up speed, and it’s affecting people entirely unrelated to Ditzy. I’m not a wizard, but I don’t think this storm is coincidence either. I don’t think we have time to wait.”

Twilight looked at Ritter hesitantly, first at him, then at the bandolier he was stuffing with the potion-vials she’d helped him brew yesterday. “I agree we need to take action, but we can’t go now. It’s dark! And going out in the storm would be almost suicide!”

“I have dealt with curses before.” Ritter said suddenly, closing his bag. “Not like this. But there was a village in the badlands east of the Evermore called Jubliee. Couldn't have been more than ten huts gathered in the same spot. It was a Zebra settlement. I’d been sent because they’d been plagued with nightmares, and the villagers believed that an evil spirit torturing them.”

He stood up and adjusted his bandolier. “I eventually narrowed the problem down to a family that had been grave robbing and triggered some sort of magical protective measure, but by the time I’d done that the nightmares were starting to get much worse. I waited a few days before confronting them about it, because I didn’t have concrete proof, which would have made accusing them troublesome.”

He scratched his beak. “So I waited and tried to gather more evidence. I wasn't fast enough. One night, the whole village wakes up to the sound of screaming, coming from inside one of the huts. It stops before we can break the door down, and when we finally do, we find a monstrous, fanged zebra spitting spiderweb from his nose, with hellfire for eyes. We subdue him, and kill him. No sign of his wife or daughter. They were only found later, when we cut open the creature's stomach.”

“I didn’t have much trouble getting the graverobbers to help me break the curse after that.” Ritter said. The room was silent.

He coughed. “In my experience, when a curse starts picking up steam, it’s about to go from bad to extremely horrible. Like I said. I don't think we don’t have any time left.”

“I see. This is horrible.” Twilight said, taking a breath. “This is really, really horrible. This is about the worst thing that could possibly happen.” she nodded to herself, and took another breath. She started to breathe slowly, bringing one hoof closer to herself as she inhaled, and extending her arm wide as she exhaled.

“This is pretty much as bad as it could possibly get. How can we do anything with the storm?”

Ritter shrugged. “The forest will actually likely help us there. The trees will break the wind, largely, unless there’s a cyclone, and they’ll protect us from lightning. We’ll only have to worry about getting wet and freezing to death.”

“That’s such a relief. I’ve always wanted to die of hypothermia.” Twilight muttered.

“It’s not a pleasant way to go.” Ritter offered helpfully.

“Not. Helping.” Twilight growled, trotting towards the door. “Seriously, how are we not going to die? How are we even going to see in there?”

“Drink this.” Ritter said, pulling a vial of some foul-looking liquid from his bandolier and tossing it to the unicorn. Twilight deftly caught it with her magic. “It will let you see in the dark. The bleeding later will be uncomfortable, but completely harmless.”

“Lovely.” Twilight deadpanned, uncorking the bottle. She took a sniff and gagged. “This smells like AJ’s barn after the cows have been in it all night.”

“The life of a hunter! It isn't glamorous, but at least it’s not boring.” Ritter said, pulling his own vial and removing the wax stopper with a single silver claw.

He raised his bottle in a toast. “Bottoms up.”

They drank.

Under the effect of the brew of the Cat’s Eye, the Everfree Forest was as brightly lit as the noonday sun, but everything was colored wrong. Forest greens became sickly blues. The dark sky above was a frightful cloudscape of orange, like the rotten rind of a pumpkin. The occasional bolt of lightning that ran through the sky like a white vein of fire would light things in their correct colors and end the surreal illusion, but only for a moment.

Both Ritter and Twilight were running through the forest, already soaked to the bone, and now almost at Zecora’s hut. The journey there had been frightful and hectic, but there had been relatively few obstacles in their way. A felled tree that had to be clambered over. A gentle stream had transformed into a roaring river, but Twilight had levitated the both of them safety across.

Now they were in the clearing where Zecoras hut stood steadfastly against the blistering wind. Ritter led Twilight to the path where he’d seen the first immature flower of desire. It was easy to find. Against the cold blue of the forest, it stood out a heart-throbbing red.

“IT’S THIS WAY.” Ritter yelled. Twiilght cocked her head, and mouthed something at him.

“Damn this wind.” Ritter said. They wouldn't be able to hear each other until it died down. He motioned for her to follow, and began to trek out of the clearing, into the deep wood. He moved slowly, looking back to make sure that Twilight was following.

The flowers began to multiply in number, and as before, he followed them until they covered the forest floor, and they led him back to where the forest began to run bloody red.

It was different than before. Vines had begun to run up the trees, each branch now covered in what looked like a dozen blossoms. The trees shook in the wind, but the flowers remained steadfast. No petals fell here.

It was easy to miss the red timber-wolf, covered in vines of red flowers, lumbering towards them between the trees. It was only a fortunate bolt of lightning that revealed his crouching form.

It leapt for them, the wooden snarl cut short by the crash of thunder. By reflex Ritter jumped onto his back legs, and swept his talons before him. His claws caught on the Timberwolf’s muzzle and barrel, and through he felt splinters dig into the quick he wrenched the wolf to the side, avoiding being pinned by the monstrously strong creature and throwing it to the ground.

Before he could jump onto the creature’s exposed side and rake with his rear claws, a green glow enveloped the creature, and Ritter again reflexively jumped back.

Not a moment too soon. The creature’s head exploded in a dark black fireball, leaving only a powdery, ashen residue that sizzled in the rain.

Twilight’s horn and eyes stopped glowing purple-green, and she gave Ritter a sharp look. Ritter nodded carefully.

“By the talons.” he muttered to himself. He lamented their inability to communicate. He wanted to ask Twilight what, exactly, she'd just done. He was certain something like that was not within a typical unicorn’s ability.

He almost missed the Timberwolf crouching in the tree above them. He spread his wings to try and get some momentum for to dodge, but the wolf was too close. By the time he had both wings extended it had dropped neatly on top of him and pinned him to the ground. He grunted silently as he felt the rough wood of the creatures’ claws pierce through both his wings, and was blinded by the sudden rough slap to the back of his head. His head banged roughly into the mud, and he almost blacked out.

He felt the explosion of wood almost as much as he heard it. Whatever Twilight was doing, it must have been some kind of extremely hot fire, as he didn't feel any splinters from the explosion, just a brief and sudden heat, and then the creature on his back going limp.

He felt the weight lift off his back a moment later. He looked up to see Twilight’s worried face, mouthing some unintelligible question at him. He slowly shook his head.

She must have been able to read his expression. She knelt down, letting the gryphon rest an arm around her neck and then rising to help him to his feet.

He let himself catch his breath in the rain, let himself feel the droplets work their way through his feathers and over his suddenly overly-sensitive beak. He was freezing, tired, aching, and in pain, but the rain was in some ways refreshing. He reached for another vial on his satchel, and held it up in front of Twilight.

She looked at him with a blank expression. He pantomimed drinking it, and her eyes lit with understanding. She removed the stopper and handed it back.

The brew was relatively unstable, and had some very nasty side effects. It was essentially a powerful stimulant mixed with painkillers and seratonin boosters. It wouldn't actually heal him, of course. It was addictive too, and it would leave him flat on his back when it wore off, but it would let him ignore his injuries until he could deal with them later.

He drank it slowly, and carefully replaced the vial when he was done. Like always, he felt a painful tightness behind his eyes as the brew took effect. It always reminded him of how it felt to wind a watch just a few too turns too tight. The feeling of the extreme resistance of the spring that let you know you were about to ruin something very complicated, very permanently.

He nodded to Twilight, and stood up on his own feet. She looked concerned, but he motioned for them to continue. He couldn’t really feel his wings, but he couldn’t move them either, so he let them drag on the ground as they went deeper into the red forest.

They hadn’t walked much further before the trees started to thin again. Which was why Ritter was surprised that it suddenly stopped raining. He glanced at Twilight.

She wasn't there.

Ritter’s head whipped around, but the forest had disappeared. Instead the rough hillsides of the northern gryphon territories greeted him. The rain ceased, replaced by softly falling snow. The trees disappeared, replaced by the tall evergreens of Hyll.

He could see the ocean, far below the hillside, and hear the roar of the waves as they crashed against the basalt cliffs. Icebergs drifted silently in the distance, small crags of sea-ice that belied what truly lay below them.

His father sat next to him. The brown-white speckled gryphon smiled, offering him an open talon. A sign of trust.

“Hello son.”

"You are not my father." Ritter said, his voice hollow. "My father is in Avesta, spending his days fishing and annoying my mother."

Ritter turned away and stared into the sky. The sight of the falling snow and the vastness of the sky was overwhelming, as it always was. He felt the flakes settle on him, little spots of cold between his feathers. "I think I understand what happened now. One breathes the pollen, and sees an image of what they want the most."

His father, Roland von Hossenfeffer smiled. "Indeed. And this, it appears, is what you want the most."

"My home? My home is where I left it. It is not anyone else's to give." Ritter stood and walked away from where he sat with his father, his wings leaving furrows as he climbed uphill.

His father followed him carefully, talons crunching lightly in the snow. "If this is your home, beloved, why are you not here?"

Ritter sighed. "Because my home is very far away. Past Canterlot, past Equestria, past the lowlands, past the Windswept Moor, and across the Winter Sea." He stared at the swell of the ocean from atop the hill, and let the wind run through his feathers. "It is very far indeed."

"Is that what you want? To be far from your home?" his father spoke softly.

Ritter turned. "Of course not. But—"

"Then let someone else go rooting through caves and crypts, child." His father's expression was stern, as only his could be. "How many years is enough? There are other brave gryphons. You could be in Avesta, with your family, whom you have not seen since—"

Ritter sucked in a breath. "I am well aware of how long it has been." he said sharply. "And you have no right to speak to me this way. You are not my father. You are not even a gryphon. What are you? A plant? Some pollen-addled figment of my mind?"

His father's expression was dark. "I am not a plant." he said, feathers unconsciously fluffing.

"Some drugged hallucination then." Ritter scoffed.

"I WAS A GOD." his father thundered. The illusion of Hyll disappeared, and they were both back in the forest, where the wind and rain threatened to knock Ritter to his knees in the squelching mud.

His father's face was twisted with sudden rage. "Stronger than the stars! Stronger than the sun! Stronger than the swirling heart of this world! All came to me, crawling and scraping on their knees! The strong, the weak, the great and the forgotten, kings and queens and heroes, to beg for my power! MY POWER! 'Just a sip from thy cup, my lady' they said, 'and I shall have everything I desire'. 'If only I was stronger', they said. 'If only she loved me. If only I wasn't such a coward'. They begged for a sip, and I gave it to them. They drank and drank, until they drowned in it, and in the end the last thing they begged for was death".

Ritter backed away slowly, keeping his eyes on the strange facsimile of his father, until he felt his legs catch on a felled branch and he fell, sliding in the mud. His father slowly approached, eyes blazing with power.

"Why so frightened, my beloved? Where is your mockery? Your contempt?" his father's expression turned ugly. "I am not some curse to be outsmarted. I am the Demon of Desire, and you and this whole world belong to me."

Ritter attempted to stand, but his legs betrayed him, and he wen't sprawling in the mud. Keep it talking. Wait for a mistake.

"I have never heard of a Demon of Desire. Only the flower that ponies call Heart's Desire." Ritter said, dragging himself atop the downed branch.

"This world has forgotten me," His father said, grabbing Ritter by the neck. He choked and sputtered as the demon dragged him to his talons. "But someone has once again begged me for their desire, and I will indulge them."

"Why the storm?" Ritter rasped. His breathing was labored. Every drop of rain felt like ice against his face.

"How else is pollen to travel, but by the wind? Ah, and the enchantments that contain the forest are a great source of power. What happens when a thousand years worth of storms break free?" His father grinned. "I can feel the pegasi trying to contain it even now. They're winning, but not for much longer."

Ritter could no longer breathe, but he held his arm out, with open talons. A sign of trust.

The image of Roland released his grip, and embraced his son. They were back in Hyll, where instead of rain and storms, there was only the falling snow, and the distant sound of the sea.

"I'm sorry, beloved, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to hurt you, but like when you were a fledgling, sometimes discipline takes a firm hand. Everything is going to be alright, I promise," he said, stroking his son's head. "It's going to be alright."

"I love you, father." Ritter said, and embraced him back, burying his head in the down on his father's shoulder. He then clasped his talons, and with the utmost care, twisted his arms and snapped his father's neck.

Twilight, at the same time, found herself somewhere else entirely.

She was in Canterlot. Specifically in Princess Celestia’s bedroom, sitting on the divan before the Princess’s mirror, watching the alicorn carefully work a golden brush through Twilight’s purple mane.

“Before we depart, love, perhaps we should pay Luna a little visit. You know how she worries that all our little ponies still blame her for the Nightmare incident. Perhaps we could help put some of her fears to rest.”

Twilight was completely silent, her eyes wide.

“Did you hear me, Love? I think it might be best if we say hello to Luna before our honeymoon-”

Twilight shot bolt upright, whirling on Celestia and stumbling backwards. “What! What did you say?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow, but still giggled. She put the comb over her mouth to cover her grin. “Our honeymoon, Twilight. I know it seems unbelievable, but we are entitled to one after being betrothed-”

“No! No, this isn’t right. I was in the forest. What’s going on?”

Celestia’s expression become more uncertain. “I’m...you’re not making sense, Twilight. What forest?”

“The Everfree. I was there investigating all the disappearances in Ponyville, after you sent Ritter von Hossenfeffer to help me with the investigation.”

Celestia shook her head slowly. “I don’t remember any of this Twilight. Are you sure you’re feeling alright? Perhaps the wedding took a bigger toll on you than you thought-”

“This isn’t right. This isn’t right. I was just, I was just there!” Twilight was breathing wildly. “This is some kind of trick. I don’t, I mean, I would never,”

Celestia’s expression became stern. “Twilight Sparkle. I’m not sure what you’re implying, but my love for you is certainly no trick. Calm down. Perhaps we should talk about seeing the Royal Physician regarding your stress issues again?”

Twilght was shaking, but she fixed Celestia with one eye, and spoke with as much firmness as she could muster.

“You’re not Celestia. Tell me what’s going on.”

Celestia twitched, and looked away. Twilight expected her to reply with some response designed to make her feel even guiltier than she did already, but Celestia's response was instead rather small, and quiet. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Twilight shook her head. “I...but...this isn't real. I know it isn't. I was just in the forest, with Ritter. This is some kind of trick. It has to be.”

Celestia turned to look at Twilight again, meeting her gaze. “Does it? Have to be?”

Twilight remained silent, so Celestia continued. “I mean. This is what you want, isn’t it? I can make it happen. You said this isn't real, well. I can make it real.”

The alicorn stood up, walking slowly towards Twilight, her steps swaying. “Just... go along with this, for now. You want Celestia to love you? I can make it happen. Not a vision of her. The real thing.”

Twilight swallowed hard as Celestia brushed up next to her. “It wouldn't be real if I wished it to be.” she said. Her voiced sounded small.

“Oh?” Celestia stopped, her voice angry. “And it’s more real if she loves you because she thinks you’re pretty? Or you manage to say something witty, or if she’s touched by the way you phrase your confession of love? I fully confess, I disagree.”

Celestia’s muzzle dipped down, close to Twilight’s ear. “If she really knew you, she’d love you already. Don’t you deserve it? All I offer is... insurance. A guarantee against your own inept blundering. To make sure that you don’t make a mistake and lose your chance forever.”

Her breath made Twilight shiver. “She probably loves you already. All she needs is just a little, extra push to make her admit it.” She bit Twilight’s ear, tugging gently before letting go.

“There’s no shame in admitting you want it. Everyone has desires.”

“This is a lie.”

Celestia paused. She looked slightly shocked. “If this is a lie, then why-”

“This is a lie, because I know what you are, and I think I know what happened to Fluttershy and Dinky and all the others now.”

Twilight pulled herself out from under the Alicorn, her horn glowing with magic. “You’re trying to trap me. And getting out should be as simple as this.”

Twilight’s horn flared brightly, the glow of magic briefly blinding the both of them, but the glow faded, and appeared that nothing at all had changed. Celestia looked around, and grinned. “Ah, but you see, magic is a function of your body, whereas we are purely in your mind. Leaving is not quite as simple waving a magic wand, so to speak.”

Twilight set her jaw, and tried to ignore Celestia’s smug look while she thought.

“I am curious - why do you think I’m lying? I assure you, I can bring your heart’s desire to pass.”

“Because love, among other things, is a decision. Taking that decision away from someone is akin to removing their ability to love.”

“That’s very idealistic, but I think you’ll find that you really can’t tell the difference either way-”

“I said no, and I meant no.”

Celestia’s face soured, but was soon replaced by the sight of a tree-trunk wrapped in red flowers.

Twilight blinked. She was back in the forest. Ritter was next to her, sitting rather pathetically on a log with his head between his paws, and his injured wings flopped to either side of him.

She wasn’t sure how long the two of them had been there, trapped in what was surely a vision, but the wind had died down, finally. She trotted over to the gryphon hesitantly, trying to gauge his reaction. Had he managed to escape? Would he attack her?

“Um. Ritter?”

He nodded.

“Are you alright?’

“No.”

Twilight shuffled on her hooves for a moment. “Yeah.”

She rubbed a hoof on her foreleg. “Did you see...Celestia?”

Ritter shook his head. “No. We must have seen different things.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “That, um, makes sense.”

“What did you see?” she asked.

Ritter sighed, and stood up. “What was it that Celestia said, in the book?”

“...some wishes can’t be granted?”

Ritter nodded. “Yeah. That’s what I saw. A wish that can’t be granted.”

He motioned for her to follow. “I’m getting very sick of this place very fast. Let’s try and find Ditzy before things get any worse.

He stepped into the clearing ahead and nearly bit his tongue.

Cocoon-like, wrapped in thorny vines that pulsed a glowing, magical red, Ditzy sat swaddled in the middle of the of the ring of trees, a single, sickly-small child on her lap, and a dazzling, blood-red flower suspended upside-down in front of her. Around her, like worshipers, Dinky, Big Macintosh, Fluttershy, and Zecora lay prostrate, each one of them wrapped in a thick bed of flowers.

He moved as cautiously as he dared into the clearing. Flowers crunched underneath his feet. He was poised for another Timberwolf to drop from the trees, or for another woodland creature to try and stop them.

Nothing came. He had a feeling that the flower had already done its worst.

It truly was a beautiful plant, he realized as he stared at it. All in red and gold, glowing with the magic, and the promise of fulfillment. It was entrancing, to watch the power gathered in the roots of this place ebb and flow through plant like blood through a magic heart. You could get lost, just watching...

He realized almost too late what was going on, and averted his gaze towards those lying prostrate in front of her. He could see them breathing, even Big Macintosh, who had been there for almost a month. A good sign. Except for Ditzy. Perhaps the stasis of the plant prevented her from even that much movement.

“In the book, the Princess crushed the flower, and that ended it. Do you think that will work here?” Ritter said aloud, hoping Twilight had managed to avoid staring at the flower for too long.

“Yes. I think so,” Twilight said. Her voice seemed distant.

“Good,” he said, moving deftly towards Ditzy, flowers crunching loudly under-talon. He felt a sudden wave of panic wash over him, but he recognized the ploy for what it was and continued on, ignoring it.

“If you can master desire you can master fear, demon.” he said, plucking it from the air in front of Ditzy. “Your threats are as hollow as your promises.”

He crushed it between his talons, and despite its power, it was as easy as crushing a flower.

The spell was broken.

Ditzy fell to the ground, softly, the small child on her lap following with her. Her four worshipers began to stir, roused from their sleep at last.

"No!”

Ritter blinked, taking a step back. Big Macintosh was shaking, crawling forward on his knees towards Ditzy’s fallen form. “It was me, I did it, oh Celestia, I’m so sorry, I’m so so sorry...”

The rest of the prisoners were coming to their senses. Dinky was staring at the clearing with wide eyes. Zecora appeared to be still trying to get her bearings, and Fluttershy, it appeared, hadn’t quite woken up enough to be aware of where she was.

But Big Macintosh was clear-eyed, and he wrapped the small grey mare in his hooves, along with the little foal. “I didn't mean those things I said! I’m so sorry, I love you, and I’ll love our child too, please, please, don’t be gone, don’t...don’t let me have killed you...”

Ritter noticed for the first time that Ditzy still wasn't moving. It was hard to see with Big Mac cradling her, but he was fairly certain she wasn't breathing either, nor the child. He looked at Twilight, who appeared horrified.

A few tears pattered on Ditzy’s face, mixing with a fallen petal stuck to her cheek. The clearing was silent, except for Mac’s sobbing.

It wasn't a moment later that Ditzy took a single, shuddering breath.

Author's Note

Theophany is Greek for a Divine Appearance. It's different from just seeing something divine. It refers to the physical incarnation of a god to man. The mother of Dionysus, Semele, died when Zeus appeared to her in his full glory, as no mortal can behold the divine and survive.

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