The Cycle Anew

Chapters

Shady Objectives
Forsaken Legacy
Catastrophic Omens
Taskmaster
Know Thy Enemy
Loyalty Corrupt
The Hard Choices
Horrifying Revelations
Prophetic Disaster
Worth Fighting For
The Price of Victory
What Lies Ahead
Enigmatic Resonance

Shady Objectives

It was quiet again.

Twilight Sparkle peered into an endless darkness that encased her vision; the horrid images of her most recent experience fading in and out of her memory.

Her body was at ease again, and her mind was her own once more. Her eyes peeled open, and the thin rays of the luminous moon awakened her further.

Her thoughts were numb.

She blankly stared at the wondrous white orb giving silent life to the starlit sky. With no will to control her thoughts, she allowed her mind to idly wonder, unhindered. Unrestricted.

"The Moon is so beautiful...", Twilight whispered to herself.

She knew not where she was, nor how long she had been there. What she did know, was that she did not wish to leave. With no energy to call her own, she lay sprawled on the soft grass that provided the thin warmth of Nature's embrace.

It was only a soft and welcoming voice that ended her dream-born muse.

"Twilight Sparkle."

Though she was indeed surprised, the lavender unicorn lacked energy to rise and search for the owner of the soothing voice. Somehow, she knew it all too well.

"Is that you, Princess Luna?", Twilight asked merely to confirm.

Her question was answered upon the midnight blue Goddess' entrance; descending from the Moon with grace and regalia. Luna's hooves touched the ground without so much and a shuffle from the grass. She gazed down upon the young unicorn, whom managed to summon enough energy rise to her hooves, and bow.

Luna couldn't help but smile.

"Rise, Young Heroine. There is no need for such formalities in this place.", the dark Goddess delightedly informed.

Confused, at first, Twilight lifted her head to her superior, then scoped her surroundings for the fist time since she had become aware. When she saw a fortress of mountain ranges adorning the horizon in every direction, Twilight knew she was dreaming.

The young mare chuckled despite herself. Though, she had to question.

"I see... But, how are you-"

"T'is part of my duties, Twilight Sparkle. Whereas my sister governs our Kingdom while they are awake, I tend to such as they dream.", Luna explained diligently.

Twilight's face lifted with realization as she recalled Princess Celestia's letter.

"Yes, of course. You're here to aid me with any findings from my little project.", the lavender unicorn confirmed.

Luna's smile dropped at Twilight's subtle change in demeanor.

"Something troubles you.", she astutely observed.

Twilight knew that pretending nothing was wrong in front of somepony who could enter dreams was a fool's errand. Without so much as a fake smile to reassure her Princess otherwise, Twilight affirmed Luna's suspicions.

"The artifact... There's something strange about it. More than I ever thought possible.", Twilight explained.

Luna's curiosity was instantly piqued. Had the young mare discovered something already? What could she had possibly uncovered in such a short time?

The Princess of the Night curled her forelegs to the ground and lied down comfortably. She collapsed her majestic dark wings and relaxed into her position.

"Enlighten me," she said.

As Twilight mimicked her gesture, she dutifully explained what had happened. As the purple eyed pony continued her explanation, Luna's interest grew more and more. And along with it, so grew caution.

Once the visions were told of, Luna became slightly confused.

"Strange creatures, you say? Crumbling buildings? What sort of madness...?"

Twilight shook her head hopelessly.

"Its all just a blur now. I'm not even sure of what I saw anymore. It was like... It was like a nightmare.", Twilight's head and ears drooped with shame, "I'm sorry I can't tell you more than that."

The young protege felt a strong hoof upon her chin, craning her head up to look up toward it's owner.

"You have said more than enough, Twilight Sparkle. You are truly a phenomenal student. Just as Celestia says.", Luna assured with a gracious smile.

Twilight felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment at such a compliment. It meant quite a lot coming from her mentor's sister.

Any tension that Twilight felt at that moment was beginning to fade away as she felt her Princess' hoof caress her mane.

"Now, my little pony. I need you to close your eyes. Relax.", Luna cooed.

Twilight willingly complied without question of any sort. As her Princess spoke, she listened.

"The Darkness is our sanctuary. As it is with all living creatures. A haven where life of all shapes, sizes and ideals meld together in perfect harmony."

Twilight could feel her body numbing with superb relaxation as the power of Luna's words sunk into her soul.

"There is no conflict. There is no strife. Only unity; a vessel that flows within it, the whole of the universe. It connects us. Heals us. And gathers our souls as a whole. We are one."

As Twilight felt Luna's caress, a new energy flowed within her. She could not explain nor comprehend it. All she knew, was that something amazing was about to happen. The dark alicorn lowered her horn to the young mare's, and they both glowed brightly.

"Now, Twilight Sparkle... Embrace Eternity!"

Upon uttering those words, Princess Luna's horn took on Twilight's purple glow. And with it, came the unicorn's visions.

Luna strained her keen observation upon the images that tore through her mind; steadily connecting them with Twilight's hazy descriptions. As the visions progressed, so did her amazement.

The foggy, distorted images that Twilight couldn't explain made themselves apparent to Luna's observations. And finally, as quickly as it began, it ended. The dark alicorn's attention was once again snapped back into Twilight's dream, where she saw the unicorn staring up at her with concern.

"Princess?"

Luna's shock was plenty and strong. The things that the Moon Goddess had seen, stitched into her memory, and she tried to piece them together.

"My word...", Luna whispered through a coarse breath, "Such horrific atrocities."

Twilight was now standing on all fours, almost unable to contain her curiosity and amazement.

"Princess! That was incredible! You saw my visions?", the young mare asked.

With a nod, Luna rose to her hooves as well. She gazed upon Twilight with a new found respect.

"Your visions...", Luna mumbled to herself, "The horrors you have seen... A lesser mind would have-..."

The dark Princess' words confounded Twilight a bit.

"I-I don't-"

"Twilight Sparkle.", Luna interrupted, causing her to stand at attention.

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty!", Twilight responded dutifully.

"This phenomena derived from the artifact?", Luna asked.

The nod that Luna received from the purple pony solidified her resolution. Her next decree, shocked Twilight further.

"In light of this new information, perhaps it is time to step deeper into this mystery.", the dark Goddess declared before mumbling, "It seems the answers we sought were right under our noses, as it were."

Twilight tilted her head, confused.

"What do you mean, Princess? Have we figured something out? What did my visions tell you?", she questioned persistently.

"Your questions will be answered in due time, my little pony. But for now..."

As the Moon Goddess' words trailed, her horn glowed. Upon just a few seconds, a wavy but recognizable vision appeared before both ponies.

Twilight's eyes widened at the image before her.

"Spike. Applejack. Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash and Rarity... They're all there.", she observed.

The lavender unicorn picked the information from the picture before her in a matter of seconds; quickly understanding what was happening in reality.

"They fear for you Twilight Sparkle.", Luna said, "They have been waiting for your awakening for some time."

Feeling that their time together was drawing to a close, Twilight faced her Princess; desperately trying to get any more info out of her as the world around them began to crumble and fade into the maws of her subconscious.

"Princess Luna! Please wait! I don't understand whats going on! What is it you want me to do?", Twilight pleaded.

As the wind suddenly picked up in strength, Luna's wings expanded, and she slowly floated to the air. Her voice dominated the howl of the wind.

"Your answers lie in Canterlot, Young Heroine! It is time you see a truth long forgotten!"

Twilight watched as Luna ascended to the Moon; flapping her beautiful wings and intensifying the wind.

"AWAKEN, TWILIGHT SPARKLE!", she called.

The echo of Luna's words hummed through Twilight's head as she steadily blinked herself into consciousness; adjusting to thin rays of the sun's golden glow.

With her dream as vivid as she could remember, she desperately willed herself to rise from the warm covers of her bed, only to be struck down by a numbing weakness. Said actions caught the attention of her very best friends.

"Oh my Gosh! Guys, she's awake! Twilight's awake!"

Twilight's grogginess muffled the voice, but she lifted her head to see a positively beaming Pinkie Pie inches from her face.

Had she not felt so weak, Twilight would've jumped to the ceiling, but her limbs betrayed her with such frailty.

"P-Pinkie Pie? What happened? Where's everypony el-"

"TWILIGHT!"

The bed-bound unicorn was startled within an inch of her life as she was tackled by a distraught baby dragon. Only Spike's heaving sobs shook Twilight out of her shock. She smiled at him weakly.

"Its okay, Spike.", she cooed; caressing her troubled assistant, "I'm alright, now."

Spike buried his head into Twilight's neck. He felt no relief from his friend's words.

"What do you mean, 'its okay'?! Its NOT okay! I was so worried!", he cried.

Though she was aware that she had no control over the situation that caused such an upset, the lavender mare felt a sting of guilt at what she had caused, all the same.

Twilight pulled her lamenting assistant into an affectionate embrace. She needed not say another word. She knew that Spike would be okay knowing that she was alive and well, in due time.

Her attention turned to the foot of the stairs near her bed, where the remaining gaggle of her friends huddled their way toward her in an undignified heap. They all skittered to her side and smothered her with relief.

The fear and unbound concern in each of their eyes nearly brought Twilight to tears.

Happy as she was to see them, the young unicorn inwardly prepared for the interrogation of a lifetime.

One by one, seemingly without end, her friends bombarded her with questions; 'What happened?!', Why were you passed out?!', Who done it?!' Why didn't you ask us for help?!', and my personal favorite, 'Whats a cuttlefish look like?!' (Pinkie).

"Whoa... E-Everypony calm down. I'm fine.", Twilight reassured as firmly as she could muster.

"Horse feathers, Twi!", Applejack brashly denied.

"Yeah! How can we believe that when you've been passed out for the last three days?!", Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

A sudden rush a nausea assaulted Twilight upon hearing such a thing, and put a hoof to her head.

"I don't-... Three da-... That's imposs-... I-I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that.", Twilight stammered in disbelief.

Rarity approached her fellow unicorn.

"Twilight, Darling? Don't you remember anything?", she asked delicately.

Oh, she remembered. Now that she was wide awake, there wasn't a force on Heaven or Earth that could make Twilight un-remember the things she had seen. But she decided that her friends were worried enough as it was.

So she feigned amnesia.

"I... Its too blurry. The last thing I remember was studying my new project.", she said.

Rarity pursed her lips together in concern.

"Don't worry, Rarity. It'll come back to me.", Twilight reassured before addressing the rest of her friends, "You girls stayed here with me the whole time?"

"Of course we did, Twilight.", Fluttershy confirmed. Her usual timidity all but gone, "We came as soon as we heard."

Twilight could feel a strong surge of joy and appreciation well up in her heart, and looked down at the now sleeping baby Dragon cuddled snug into her forelegs. Her weak smile soon lifted into a full-fledged grin.

"Oh, Spike...", she thought as she oh-so gently placed her slumbering assistant beside her.

It was upon a terrible roar of her gastric extremities, did Twilight realize just what needed to happen; gripping her belly tight with a cringe of discomfort.

Applejack was the first to respond. The orange farm pony mad-dashed to the kitchen and back to Twilight's side in an instant.

"Here, Sugar-cube. Eat up.", she encouraged; setting a warm dish of precooked apple fritters upon Twilight's lap.

In that moment, the lavender mare's instincts substituted for her thoughts.

Her head craned down toward the pile of baked goods with her tongue hanging loosely from her mouth. She wolfed down the fritters ravenously. Desperately. She needed food.

Everypony in the room nearly gasped at Twilight's uncharacteristic feeding frenzy.

"Aow! You poor thing!", Rarity almost squealed, "You must be starving."

Twilight could only respond with an obnoxious, cross-eyed *belch* as she finished her much-needed meal. Her friends shared a good hearty laugh; a luxury that had been out of their reach for three agonizing days.

Twilight's laughter, however, was cut short by an uneasy remembrance, and her hooves shot to her face.

"Oh, Pinkie Pie! I totally missed your 'pre-Renaissance' party, didn't I?!", she realized.

As she saw her best friend's head drop in shame, Pinkie Pie pushed her hooves forward and popped it right back up.

"Don't be silly, Twilight! After what happened, I absolutely, positively, one-hundred and ten percently COULDN'T throw that party! So I rescheduled!", the bubbly earth pony chimed.

"Rescheduled? But isn't the Celebration tomorrow? How will you-"

"Well, duh! I'm gonna host the party during the Celebration! What better way to make up for all of those wasted expenses than with a pre-Cultural-Renaissiance party AT the Cultural Renaissance?! It's gonna be so fun! There's gonna be music, and dancing, and cake, and streamers, and fancy outfits, and-"

"Pretty much all of the things that would already be provided at the actual Celebration?", Twilight interrupted.

"EXACTLY! It'll be double the fun!", Pinkie Pie beamed.

"Uh, not to poke a hole in that there bubble o' yours, Pinkie, but will they even let'cha do that?", Applejack questioned knowingly.

The pink party pony blinked with a sudden frown of realization.

"They'd... BETTER!", she screeched.

Another burst of infectious laughter roared amongst the ponies, and they seemed to forget there troubles for a time.

It was only the ominous pulse of energy, that Twilight was all too familiar with, did the laughter abruptly cease. Everypony turned their attention to the first floor below them, and caught sight of Twilight's aforementioned 'project'.

"Whats with that over-sized soda can, anyway?", Rainbow Dash questioned with a scratch to her polychromatic mane.

If the previous events regarding said 'soda can' didn't transpire, Twilight would have dutifully scolded the cyan pegasus pony for insulting such an ancient masterpiece of primordial glory.

But she instinctively questioned the nature of the artifact herself. She wondered if Princess Celestia had experienced the same visions as well.

"Well, I did just get the thing. I'll let you know if I figure anything out.", Twilight said.

A small part of her felt a little strange keeping her visions a secret from her friends. But she decided it best for their state of mind. They must've been worried sick about her.

"But first,", the lavender unicorn began, "We've got a Celebration to prepare for."

Instead of the expected chime of agreement, Twilight was met with an incredulous stare from her beloved friends.

"Yes? No? Maybe?", she pried.

Applejack stepped forward, concern written all over her face.

"Twi. I reckon I ain't fond of the idea of you gettin' yourself riled up for this-here Celebration today.", she said sternly.

"Applejack is quite correct, Darling.", Rarity eagerly agreed, "You're in no condition for any preparing, and certainly not for any celebrating."

Twilight could already see where this was going when she saw Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie step forward as well; nodding with agreement.

"Girl's, listen. I've been resting for three days. I feel fine. Really.", she steadily insisted.

However, as Twilight peeled her night-sky blanket off of her, her friends were rearing to attack; glaring at her with determination. Rainbow Dash expanded her wings and hovered above the book-smart pony.

"You weren't resting, you were in a buckin' coma!", the pink eyed pegasus corrected.

Impatience took root as Twilight huffed in slight exasperation, and opted to pick herself up out of bed.

"Look girls. I know what you're all thinking, but there's something of grave importance that needs my immediate atten-"

The poor unicorn's words were muffled by a unanimous 'NO!', and her body was tackled and pinned unto her bed by all of her friends.

"Ugh! Girls! what are you doi-"

"We saw the way you was oglin' that funny-lookin' doo-hickey!", Applejack accused.

"If you thought, for even a moment, that we would just let you waltz right on out of bed without any more rest, then you were sadly mistaken, Twilight!", Rarity strongly declared.

"Whatever 'important experiment' you got going on, it can wait! You're gonna stay right here, and get your rest!", Rainbow Dash ordered.

"But I-"

"NO!", the five shouted again.

"What if you over-exert yourself, Twilight?!", Fluttershy suggested as sternly as she could.

"Or pass out, and don't wake up for a really, REALLY long time?!", Pinkie chimed in; worried like there was no tomorrow.

Twilight was getting a little flustered.

"From studying?! Are you girls out of your hoof pickin' minds?!", the purple mare demanded.

Quickly realizing that her would-be protectors wouldn't budge anytime soon, Twilight conceded.

"Urgh! Fine! Have it your way! I'll just prepare tomorrow, then!", she spat in defeat.

The five ponies constricting Twilight to her bed exchanged suspicious glances toward each other, then back to their captive.

"Sooo, you're not gonna go all crazy and try to book the next train to Canterlot?", Rainbow Dash questioned warily.

Twilight shook her head with an annoyed sigh.

"And you're not going to sneak out of the library as soon as our backs are turned?", Rarity asked with equal suspicion.

Twilight closed her eyes and shook her head again.

"Or yell at us for trying to stop you?", Fluttershy chimed in.

As Twilight silently answered their questions, her (over) protective friends slowly eased their grips from her. Soon enough, the lavender unicorn was unrestrained and crossing her forelegs with a disappointed pout.

"You have my word that I won't be going anywhere until tomorrow.", Twilight grudgingly stated.

After another glance toward one another, Twilight's friends uttered two words that made her lose any hope of actually going to Canterlot that day in good conscience.

"Pinkie Promise!"

Twilight's forelegs uncrossed and curled to her chest as she cringed. She felt almost as though they were reading her mind.

"My friends know me too well...", she thought hopelessly as she performed the infamous Pinkie Promise gesture.

"Well! I'm convinced!", Pinkie Pie announce with the return of her beaming smile.

Rarity took an edge of Twilight's blanket in her mouth and lifted it over her fellow unicorn. Applejack lifted her forelegs upon the edge of Twilight's bed and straightened out some of her friend's ruffled bangs with a tender hoof.

"Sorry we're bein' so tough on ya, Sugar-cube.", the green eyed farm pony cooed, "But y'all really gave us a scare when ya didn't wake up."

"Its true, Twilight.", Fluttershy quietly agreed, "It would really mean a lot to us if you stayed in bed and got your rest. You know, if you don't mind, that is..."

Before Twilight could respond, Pinkie Pie jumped in front of her with a happy, confident smile.

"Don't worry Fluttershy! Twilight knows better than to break a Pinkie Promise!", she proudly declared as she peered into said mare's purple eyes, "Right Twilight? *-eye twitch-*"

The suddenly frightened unicorn returned Pinkie's look with one of barely noticeable terror, and gulp hard.

"Y-Yeah! No Pinkie Promise breaking for me! No sir!", she chimed with fake enthusiasm and a crooked smile.

Although Rainbow Dash wasn't thoroughly convinced, she accepted Twilight's promise.

"Alright, Twilight. I don't like the idea of leaving, but I guess we can trust you.", she admitted uneasily.

Slowly but surely, everypony else eased into the idea of leaving Twilight to her rest. They each bid their blessings and farewells, and left the library.

Everypony except...

"Applejack?", Twilight stared at the hesitant farm pony.

Applejack trotted back to her articulate friend; needing to make a few more important details apparent.

"Listen, Twilight. Spike told us what happened with that weirdo whatcha-ma-whoes-its.", she informed with a furrowed brow.

Knowing instantly what her fellow mare was referring to, Twilight's defenses were obliterated. She gave Applejack a guilty stare, and attempted to say something, anything, to justify her secrecy. But her words came out empty and toneless.

"Just what in tarnation happened before that thing knocked you out, Twi?", the blonde earth pony was now glaring into Twilight's very soul.

Under Applejack's penetrating glare, the distraught unicorn trembled involuntarily.

"I... I... I'm sorry, Applejack. I just don't remember.", she managed to squeak out.

"Is that so...", the tough farmer was not convinced, "Red lights and screamin' don't ring any bells?"

"Applejack, please! I-I said I don't remember!", Twilight's voice was growing desperate; fearing that her resolve would snap like a twig at any moment.

Immediately upon hearing her friends despair, Applejack flinched back in resignation. Her inflated aggression was struck down by guilt and shame.

"Oh no! I-I'm sorry, Sugar-cube. I didn't mean to put ya on the spot like that. Its just that-... Twilight, I know that this-here project o' yours is important to ya, and what not, but I reckon its a mite too dangerous.", Applejack said.

As usual, the orange mare spoke the honest truth. Twilight could clearly see what Applejack was getting at in her assertions.

"Applejack. I know what you're going to say. But you have to understand. This project could uncover secrets that have confounded us for thousands of years. I can't abandon it before it begins.", Twilight tried to reason.

"I get that, Twi. But what if you bein' out for three days was just the start. What if you're gettin' yourself into somethin' that puts ya in harm's way?"

"Applejack..."

"I don't like it, Twilight. And I don't like you messin' with it, neither. Somethin' about that contraption gives me the willies."

When Applejack took another look at the bed-bound unicorn's deflated expression, she felt a little bullheaded.

She just couldn't understand what was so infatuating about Twilight's new project, that it would make her ignore the obvious risks. All the same, however, Applejack could see how much it meant to her.

"So... you want me to abandon my project?", Twilight asked quietly. Sadly.

"Oh, Sugar-cube. I want ya to push the gall-darn thing off a cliff. But I guess we're all makin' sacrifices today.", Applejack admitted reluctantly.

A bit of hope returned to Twilight's features.

"Twilight. Whatever happens, if anything happens, promise me that you'll let us know. Please?", Applejack half pleaded, half demanded.

"Applejack. You and the rest of the girls mean the world to me. You know that.", Twilight tenderly caressed her friends cheek, "You have my word that if things take a turn for the worse, you'll all know. I promise."

Somehow managing to feel a sense of relief, Applejack cracked a somewhat wise smile.

"Now y'all know that ain't good enough for me, Sugar-cube.", she chuckled, much to Twilight's delight.

"Hmhmhm. 'Cross my heart and hope to fly. Stick a cup-cake in my eye.'"

That was more than enough for Applejack. She pulled Twilight into a strong embrace, and encouraged her to get some rest.

As the farm pony left the library and closed the door behind her, Twilight carefully willed herself out of bed. She cringed slightly at the tingling numbness that ate at her limbs as they touched the floor.

She turned toward the still slumbering Spike, who snuggled instinctively into the sheet covers. Twilight grinned with an almost motherly affection; tucking Spike into bed. She gently nuzzled against him.

"You must've stayed up for those three days, if you could sleep through all of that.", she whispered tentatively.

Leaving her assistant to his well-deserved slumber, Twilight steadily walked downstairs. It would seem that it'd take some time for her strength to return. But her resolve to accomplish her assignment took precedence over most of her thoughts.

As she glared again upon the, still, resonating enigma, a newly restored sense of determination filled her; fueling her curiosity all the more.

"What is your purpose? Why show me those visions?"

Unable to contain her urgency any longer, Twilight walked toward her front window, where she held a strangely spectacular view of Canterlot in the distance...

And rigorously weighed the pros and cons of breaking a Pinkie Promise.

Forsaken Legacy

Desert. Sandy and desolate. Vast and lifeless.

And when complimented with the limitless reach of a cloudless night-sky, it is an ideal collaboration to gaze upon when cleansing an active mind.

Twilight Sparkle was particularly grateful for such things. Her mind was able to clearly process the days events, and meditate upon her actions, both past and future. The refreshing breeze of the bemusing train-ride was in constant flow as Twilight lounged her upper body out from her seats window.

A large part of her was simply appalled with herself. Lying to her very best friends so shamelessly. Taking advantage of their unyielding trust in her, and all for her obsessed pursuit of knowledge.

But in the grand scheme of things, this was what she wanted. She would attain the answers to her list of endless, daunting questions.

Pinkie Promise or no Pinkie Promise

The illustrious visage of the Canterlot Palace was growing near from the distance, yet Twilight knew she had several minutes before arrival.

Satisfied with the cooling breeze for the time being, Twilight sunk back into her seat; resting her mind as she settled into one decisive thought.

"I will learn everything there is to know about that relic..."

Her patience granted her a smooth, quick ride to the Canterlot train station, where, as predicted, there were little to no ponies around. The only chauffeur attending was somewhat surprised to see a passenger exit the train at such an odd hour. But he tentatively sought to render aid to her.

"And a most gracious early morning to you, Milady.", the stallion greeted chivalrously, "Have you any luggage?"

A tad refreshed by the high-societal greeting, Twilight smiled almost despite herself, and gratefully complied.

"Why, yes, of course. It's kind of a big one, so you'll forgive?", she said as she lead her chauffeur to the luggage caboose.

"It is of no trouble at all. The honor is mine."

It was only a quick glance of wonder and curiosity as the chauffeur first laid eyes on Twilight's rather spacey luggage. But he hoisted it upon a wheeled carrying cart, all the same.

"Where would be traveling this morning, Milady?", he asked patiently.

"Please. Call me Twilight."

"Very well, Twilight.", the stallion smiled humbly.

Twilight slightly turned her head as she felt her cheeks flush of bashfulness.

"I'm, uh, going to Canterlot Palace.", she informed.

A smooth 'But, of course.', and a nod of affirmation sent the two ponies on there way. The trip gave Twilight the opportunity to think of slightly more... distracting things.

She was deeply taken by the gentlecolt that attended her luggage. A refreshing encounter with the male species, to be sure.

It took a considerable amount of self control not to constantly glance back at him.

"Such a handsome stallion.", Twilight mused before falling into a deep blush again, "I wonder if he-... Oh, come on, Twilight! You should know better that to let yourself get pulled into that stuff right now!"

The musing mare wrestled with her thoughts for a time as they traveled. A most time-accelerating activity it proved to be, as the Grand entrance of Canterlot Palace was already within their wake.

Upon arrival, Twilight and her new, and very desirable acquaintance stopped before the main gates, which were dutifully protected by two Royal Guard pegasi.

A sharp and startling tone called out to them from above; "Who goes there?!"

Twilight and her chauffeur peered up only to see, emerging from an overhead balcony, the Princess of the Night herself.

"Twilight Sparkle?", Luna's expression softened with surprise, "What is the meaning of this? You should be indoors."

"Forgive my intrusion at such a late hour, Princess Luna. I have come for the answers I seek.", the purple unicorn explained.

When Luna caught sight of Twilight's luggage, a gasp nearly escaped her. Why had she returned the artifact?

"So it would appear...", she murmured before methodically transporting the artifact to an unknown location with a spell, much to the chauffeur's shock.

Feeling that he was no longer needed, the generous stallion dropped into a humble bow before the Moon Goddess. He rose with a gentle smile toward Twilight, who turned to face him.

"It was a pleasure to have met your acquaintance, Twilight Sparkle. I wish you the very best.", he waved before turned away from her.

Once again feeling her cheeks flush, Twilight dreamily waved back and sighed deeply without realizing it. Though she wished she could stay and get to know the stallion a little better, she decided it best to let him go.

For now...

"Come, Twilight Sparkle.", Luna's smooth voice called, "We have much to discuss."

The lavender unicorn turned to her superior and nodded firmly. She was beyond ready to finally get some answers.

Upon the Princess' decree, the Royal Guard pegasi allowed Twilight passage into Canterlot Palace.

Upon Twilight entering the Main Hall, a formless cloud of midnight-blue mist phased through the intricate ceiling high above, and made a wavy descent before her. As expected, the mist materialized into the dark Princess right before Twilight's eyes.

The purple eyed mare stifled her awe and amazement, however. For she knew there was much to discuss, indeed.

"Shall we begin?", Luna suggested rhetorically.

As the indigo maned alicorn walked briskly ahead, an eager Twilight followed close.

"Tell me, Young Protege. What do you know of ancient civilizations?", Luna asked.

Now there was an interesting question.

While Twilight wasn't in the best position to say that she knew a lot about such a topic, she was eager to explain what knowledge she did possess.

However, the lavender unicorn's tendency to babble and forget the importance of digression was a chagrin to Luna, at best.

The dark Goddess graciously emphasized her displeasure with a silencing hoof.

"The civilizations I speak of are those which had thrived long before Equestrian rule, Twilight Sparkle.", Luna clarified.

The dumbfounded expression on Twilight's face answered the alicorn's question without fail.

"It seems history is a subject that vaguely escapes you.", Luna observed.

Now a little embarrassed by that fact, Twilight suddenly found it difficult to look her princess in the eye. Luna smiled comfortingly at the protege; vibrating a message of understanding.

"Do not fret. It is to one's best interest to play to their strengths, Element of Magic.", she sincerely assured, "My question was not to trouble you. I was merely curious."

As their trek throughout Canterlot Palace continued, Twilight began detecting subtle changes in the interior design. In time, she couldn't recognize her surroundings at all. As the lights dimmed more and more, upon further travel, the atmosphere was suddenly granted an eerie edge.

Finally, a large door stood in their path.

"Where are we, Princess?", Twilight asked with an strangely innocent air of curiosity to her.

Luna's brow furrowed in vivid remembrance of the entrance in which the two were about to pass.

"An Archive... A very old Archive."

Twilight eagerly licked her dry lips as she took this info.

She had no idea another archive, other than those she had seen in the two Princesses' separate quarters, existed in the Palace. The purple eyed mare nearly jumped with anticipation as Luna creaked the door open.

A biting cold bristled through Twilight's fur, and she shivered from both the chill, and the mind provoking eagerness. But as her and her regal monarch entered the gloomy, cob-webbed domain, an edge of familiarity tickled Twilight's senses.

She couldn't help but note the atrociously unorganized, yet strangely finesse decor.

"Princess... It looks as though this room hadn't been touched in ages...", she observed in sheer wonder.

Luna closed her eyes solemnly as same air of familiarity assaulted her more than she cared to admit.

"Indeed... Discord used this Archive.", she said dryly.

If Twilight had turned her head to Luna any faster, she might have snapped her own neck.

"D-D-Discord?", she stammered as though she had seen the anarchy reeking draconequus right behind the Princess.

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle. Once, there were many vast and extravagant documents here. Some had even read deep into the endless wonders of the cosmos.", Luna explained, almost nostalgically.

Twilight found herself excitedly speculating the alicorns explanation; gaining a sense of spine tingling wonder to what sort of literature the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony delved into.

Upon closer inspection, and further rummage, however, Twilight realized that the Archive held several unoccupied spaces.

"Princess? It seems like a chunk of the Archive is missing."

"You are correct.", Luna nodded, "When my sister and I vanquished Discord, many a book had vanished along with him. We never could understand what had become of them."

Luna's answer left a slight gape in Twilight's chest. All of that knowledge... gone? What could have happened? What kind of deep, irreplaceable history and philosophy had been lost all of those years ago.

It was an never-ending cycle; the more questions were answered, the more questions would arise.

It was maddening.

For all anypony knew, there was a slew of knowledge that could've answered several of those questions written within the missing documents.

But they were gone. Never to be seen again. Never to be learned from again... What a waste.

"There, Twilight Sparkle. Behold..."

Twilight's muse was swayed as she followed Luna's extended foreleg.

There, resting upon a pedestal, was the object that would turn the young mare's whole world upside-down. She approached it almost timidly, and gazed upon it's gold and black hard-cover.

The symbol stitched unto its noble visage sparked something that was starting to wear on her nerves.

Another question.

"Wha... What is it?", Twilight was bewildered by it's design.

She noted that it was worlds different than any other piece of literature she had ever seen.

"That, my little pony... is The Grimoire of the Lost.", Luna let the name roll off her tongue.

Twilight's eyes gleamed as the name surged into her memory. Luna took this as encouragement and continued.

"It is a tome that has survived eons longer than any pony in all of Equestria. 50,000 years.", the Moon Goddess explained.

Again, Twilight put her neck in considerable danger as she whipped her head back to her Princess. She repeated the age of the book in a nearly incoherent sputter.

"But... B-B-B-But how? How is that possible? What could have-"

"It is a keepsake from an era which suggests that other creatures dominated this world... before us."

"Before us? But I don't understand. I always thought pony-kind was the first to set foot on this world. Y-You're telling me that-...", Twilight allowed the words to fall short from her mouth.

As if the shock of such a discovery wasn't enough, Luna continued.

"The Grimoire of the Lost tells of a civilization in the zenith of it's evolution. The pinnacle of its splendor. A stage in history that had sown a tapestry of greatness so wide, it had covered the entire world. Much like ours"

Had Twilight not been paying attention, her own astonishment would have allowed the drool teetering at her lips to fall. But she collected herself and listened further; taking in the incomprehensible wealth of knowledge.

"But then... without rhyme or reason of any sort, the civilization had vanished without a trace.", Luna closed her eyes, and emphasized such a saddening prospect.

Hearing the things she heard about the glorious, seemingly impassive era of this civilization, and then hearing Luna's finishing statement, was comparable to a shovel in the face.

"What?! Vanished? But... But-"

"Nopony knows what happened to them. In fact, to this day, few are even privy to their history. Most do not even know they ever existed at all."

Finally, Twilight couldn't take it anymore.

"But... No. No, that doesn't make any sense! If this civilization was anything as you described them to be, then how in the hay could they just vanish?! What happened to them? Where did they go? How come this book is the only shred of evidence to their existence? Why-", Twilight was silence again by a raised hoof.

"Perhaps you have not yet gathered why I am indulging you with this knowledge.", Luna calmly suggested.

"Huh?"

"You've glimpsed unto visions that may just be the key to unlocking the most baffling secret of our time, Twilight Sparkle.", Luna informed.

To that end, Twilight's ears lifted to the sky, and was suddenly struck with a pulse-quickening realization.

"Are you-... Are you saying that the artifact I've been studying is-...", for the third time that night, her words were silenced by the gaggle of her own amazement.

One cryptic answer with a thousand questions attached was all the young mare received, as her dark Princess turned away and began walking toward the Archive's exit.

"There is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from any book, Young Heroine. But a world of understanding is in the eye of the beholder."

Those deeply moving and testing words rang in Twilight's ears as she hazily watched the beautiful Princess of the Night leave the Archive. Finally, the lavender unicorn was left to her thoughts, and reflected upon the words that had been shared.

It was humbling in the purest sense; realizing that she was among the few ponies in Equestria, nay, the entire world that held such knowledge. And if that wasn't enough, the realization that Luna had left her in the Archive became blindingly clear.

In front of the Grimoire of the Lost.

And all of the secrets that had been neglected.

It was almost too good to be true. A cruel dream ready to snatch her from her moment of reckoning.

But as Twilight levitated the ancient Grimoire toward her, she rejoiced. The surreality of the moment put a heart numbing smile to her face. And as she flipped the first page...

She would take History by storm.

Author's Note

Sorry if late or not, on vacation in Italy, stories may be posted later than usual.

Catastrophic Omens

"Twilight Sparkle?"

Invoked dreams of what had been absorbed by the forgotten tome, seized and ruptured as the soothing, radiant voice rippled through her mind.

"Twilight Sparkle."

As the voice spoke again, the dreams had died, and hoisted her into the receding darkness that was her awakening.

"Wake up, my faithful student."

Finally, Twilight had awoke, and was nearly blinded by the rays of the brilliant sun shining through tattered curtains.

She took but a few moment to adjust herself and gather her surroundings. First of which, was The Grimoire of the Lost, which lied open beneath her.

She must have stayed up for the remainder of the previous night soaking up every last iota of information from it.

The dreams that were invoked by such a task resonated thickly in her memory. But a pair of strong, alabaster forelegs standing before her, finally shook Twilight out of her sleepy haze.

"Princess Celestia!", she enthused with a most welcome smile.

The lavender unicorn leaped from the stone-cold floor and into the warm embrace of her beloved mentor and leader.

"O-hoho my! Has something escaped my attention, my little pony?"

Celestia's answer was comprised of several ecstatic 'thank you's'.

"Oh, Princess! I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am that you've given me this chance!", Twilight beamed up at the Sun Goddess.

Celestia needed not ask another question.

"It would be redundant of me to ask how that has been going for you, I suppose?", she asked rhetorically.

Twilight fell into a fit of giggles. Now more than ever, the mere sight of Princess Celestia filled the unicorn with joyous content.

"Princess, its amazing the things I've learned! The Humans are so fascinating to me! Their past! Their culture! Its absolutely incredible!", Twilight sputtered in excitement.

Celestia simply couldn't help but smile down at her student as she talked of her new discoveries like a little school-filly.

"I wanna learn everything about them, Princess! I have to know more!"

"And you will, Dear Twilight.", Celestia cooed as she felt the strange, motherly urge to nuzzle against her student, "But wouldn't you rather bask in the festivities up above?"

A now confused Twilight could barely got a 'what?' in, before she and Celestia were transported out of the ancient Archive; leaving The Grimoire of the Lost cold and deserted.

When Twilight next opened her eyes, every one of her features progressively brightened to an almost feverish wonder as she gazed upon a sight, most fantastic.

She and Celestia stood atop a balcony that stood beyond Canterlot Palace's ballroom.

And it had never look more beautiful than it did that day.

"The Renaissance... Its... Its gorgeous.", Twilight whispered in heart tingling wonder.

Down below, ponies from all over Equestria, and even the different regions of the world, gathered for one of their history's most festive events.

A gathering in which all of pony-kind could revel in their culture, and embrace a diversity that would bring them closer, and unveil untold stories of their upbringing.

To some, it was more than a mere event, or festivity. It was a symbol. Not just in what it was, but in what it represented: a hope that unity could finally be achieved among all ponies, and they would finally understand one another.

Twilight marveled at the art that decorated the walls of the once tame ballroom.

Every square inch of the place was covered in festive decor that suggested extravagant tastes, be it old fashioned or innovative by design.

An uncanny ability to read between the lines, however, allowed Twilight to detect a pattern all to familiar.

Pinkie Pie decor...

She quietly squealed and hid behind her mentor's foreleg.

"Hm? What's the matter, Twilight? I thought you'd be eager to mingle with our fellow ponies.", Celestia said, concerned to no end.

"B-Believe me, Princess. I would like that very much. But you see, I'm kiiiind of in a bind with my friends.", the nervous unicorn tried to explain has easy as she could.

The regal Sun Goddess was struck by a sudden remembrance.

"That reminds me. Your generous friend Rarity approached me earlier today, and wanted me to indulge you that her and your other friends are very displeased with you. Something about a 'Pinkie Promise'?"

And, cue the sickening twinge of guilt.

"Uh. Hehehe... Ehhh.", Twilight sighed in defeat.

Celestia made her disappointment known in earnest.

"Twilight Sparkle. I thought better of you than to hide from your friends when a difficult situation rises.", the alicorn sighed with closed eyes.

It was a statement that nearly broke Twilight's heart. She stared up at her Princess, dumbfounded, and her sudden shame nearly brought her to tears.

"But... But I was just afraid that... if they ever found out-...", the young protege's words fell through the cracks of her resolve, "I just didn't want them to worry."

"Twilight. Your friends would crawl through the pits of Tartarus for you. You know that. I'm certain that if you had been honest with them about your visions, they would've understood implicitly.", Celestia explained.

Twilight cast a sad, yet knowing gander at her mentor as she shared those words.

"Luna?", she asked.

"Luna.", Celestia responded flatly.

Devouring doubt encroached upon Twilight as she tried to imagine how she would face her friends after so viciously throwing their trust back in their faces.

"I... I don't know, Princess. It feels so much like I betrayed them. I-I don't know how I can face them so soon.", the purple eyed pony fretted.

Her protege's words granted Celestia a refreshing memory of just how much her friends meant to her. The elegant alicorn craned her head down and nuzzled against Twilight adoringly.

"Oh, my faithful student. Is living through your days, regretting what could've been because of passed grievances, really more important than trusting and confiding in the ponies who love you?"

The ring of truth that accompanied Celestia's words, shook the foundation of Twilight's doubts.

The statement's meaning cut through the young mare like a knife through butter. She grinned widely as she looked down, and, indeed, saw her five marefriends mingling with the crowd.

"No... I guess not. Heh.", she laughed at herself for ever feeling so afraid.

Now ready to face the music with her beloved companions, Twilight Sparkle galloped toward the stairs beside the balcony to join the fun down below.

Content that her faithful student had regained her resolve, Celestia took a moment to gaze upon the beauty that sprang to life in the Palace ballroom.

It was a beauty that no words could describe. What the regal Monarch of Day had beheld was a treasure that she had longed to see for as far back as she could remember.

And though the celebration was confined to Canterlot, Celestia dreamed that, one day, such festivities would span across all of Equestria. With time, the world.

For now however, her magenta eyes closed at the satisfaction of one soothing thought; brimming with pride and hope.

Her people were thriving. Slowly, but surely, they were thriving.

Humbled to no end by this prospect, Celestia turned and walked from the balcony; discreetly casting a containment spell behind her.

A transparent bubble filled the openings, and blotted out all sound. What she was about to do, needed her full attention and no interference.

It was strange how the Canterlot Grand Hall had become somewhat of favored spot as of late.

"Luna."

There, standing before a familiar and equally as troubling artifact, stood Celestia's fellow monarch, Princess Luna.

"The resonance grows stronger, still, Sister.", Luna murmured.

Celestia approached her sister; a new resolve coursing through her as they, once again, gazed upon the contained relic.

"I can't tell you how grateful I am for your assistance Luna. Twilight Sparkle's intervention may have rolled the red carpet for a most fruitful project.", she said.

"I am no longer certain of that, Celestia. Your protege may have single-hoofedly broadened our insight of this relic, but I fear that we may have taken our ambitions too far.", Luna said.

Celestia was all too aware of what the dark Moon Goddess was suggesting.

"I, too, have begun to doubt my original plan to involve Twilight. If her visions are as you described, then...", her words fell short of silence.

Luna turned toward her fellow Princess.

"You could not have known, Sister. It was beyond all knowledge of what would have transpired.", Luna strongly assured.

Celestia's eyes closed shamefully.

"Indeed. And, to that end, I'm going to do what I should have done from the very beginning.", she declared.

Luna gazed at her sister thoughtfully.

"Celestia?"

The Sun Goddess opened her eyes, now filled with filled with determination.

"Luna. I'm going to use the artifact."

"What?! Have you gone mad, Celestia?!", Luna shouted in protest, "We still know so little of it! It is unwise to use it so casually!"

"I am well aware of that. As such, I should have been more cautious when I subjected Twilight Sparkle to this task.", Celestia countered.

She spoke nothing but the truth. Celestia was ashamed of herself for having involved her most treasured student so openly. Even going so far as to send the enigmatic artifact to Ponyville.

"I was reckless, Luna. I had exposed a strong, fertile mind to horrors that no young mare should ever have to see. And because of it, I fear she has grown obsessed."

Luna's brow furrowed with understanding.

"Yes. Her new fascination with the Humans is proof of that, Sister.", she said, recalling the archive she had shown the eager unicorn.

"Had I known, Luna... If only I had known...", Celestia whispered; her guilt becoming more apparent, "It is time to make things right."

With that declaration, the turquoise maned alicorn's horn beamed brightly and dispensed of the thick glass that contained the relic. Celestia stepped forward.

"Sister, I beseech you. Please reconsider your actions? I... I am afraid.", Luna hastily admitted.

Celestia smiled warmly at her younger sister. That edgy, confident smile that warranted all troubles of the mind away. A gift that, as it seemed, only she possessed. And, despite her hesitance, was all it took to garner Luna's compliance.

"Celestia, I... ... Very well."

"Lulu. Please understand that whatever happens... I love you."

Luna's teeth clenched together, fighting back fearful tears.

She wanted so much for her sister to stop what she was about to do. To lose her perpetual back-bone and find another way to learn from this enigma.

But Celestia's mind was set. And if anypony knew how impossible it was to change that, it was Princess Luna.

"And I you, Tia."

Their moment of sisterly affection was abruptly cut short when the artifact pulsed it's sharp red glow of light.

Celestia glared unto it as she stepped closer, prepared to take whatever it had to offer by storm.

Luna timidly backed away as the resonance became suffocating. As Celestia felt her body become drawn to the artifact, her wings expanded, and she felt an unsettling discomfort.

What was long expected followed soon after.

Pinkie Pie!~", Twilight whined almost endearingly as she besought the pink party pony's forgiveness.

Alas, Pinkie Pie threw her chin up with an audible, and somewhat haughty, 'Humapha!'.

"I'm still not talking to you, Twilight Sparkle.", she said flatly. The cuteness in her voice gave an adorable edge to her moodiness.

Rainbow Dash tossed one of the scrumptious Hors d'oeuvres into her mouth.

"Seriously, Pinkie Pie. Are you still all fussy over that?", she asked while chewing loudly.

"Honestly, Dear.", Rarity elegantly chided, "What had happened was a lifetime ago. You've simple got to let it go."

The poofy maned earth pony glared at her other friends.

"She broke. A Pinkie Promise.", she growled through clenched teeth, "Nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise!"

Fluttershy delicately sipped on a cup of tea, and stifled a sigh.

"Oh, Pinkie Pie. The important thing is that Twilight's alright. Please don't be mad at her.", she asked politely.

"Yeah, Pinks.", Applejack chimed loudly, "Besides, we can all get our licks in, after the Celebration."

Though Pinkie's doubt was slightly noticeable now, she stubbornly turned away from Twilight, still.

The lavender unicorn, desperate for forgiveness, walked to her friend's side, and brushed her forehead against her neck. She nuzzled softly unto her, and stared at her with award-winning puppy-dog eyes.

"I'm sorry, Pinkie.", she whined in a pout.

Every last ounce of contempt that Pinkie held on to was shattered in that instant. Who was she fooling, anyway? She couldn't stay mad at one of her very best friends.

Any trace of what had soured Pinkie's mood became non-existent as she pulled Twilight into a spine crushing hug. Her blinding smile returned.

"OH! I forgive you, Twilight!", Pinkie enthused.

A vibrant sigh of relief was shared among the friends as all was again right in the world.

Or at least, that's how it seemed at first until an illuminating flash of light burst from the balcony above.

The entire celebration as a whole seemed to stop at that very moment. Everypony expelled chatters of startled curiosity at what had just happened.

As realization set in, Twilight inhaled a terrified gasp.

"Princess, Celestia!", she screamed before galloping toward the stairs that led to the balcony.

"What the hays goin' on?!", Rainbow Dash demanded; instinctively hovering in the air.

With a furrowed brow, Applejack opted to get to the bottom of whatever was going on. All of Twilight's friends exchanged knowing glances toward one another.

"Come on, y'all!".

"Sister! Oh my stars! Sister, please wake up!", Luna lamented as she nudged to head against the fallen Celestia.

The alabaster monarch lied sprawled unto the ground in a motionless heap, save only for her slow, shuttered breaths. Fear of a soul destroying magnitude took Luna in earnest.

"SISTER!", she cried again.

Celestia's eyes shot open, and her lungs inhaled a sharp breath. She exhaled harshly to resist screaming at the top of her lungs. Her eyesight haloed as she regained herself; swimming in an inconceivable migraine.

Relieved to a staggering degree, Luna aided her sister to her hooves, and noted the difficulty she had standing.

"Celestia. What was it? What did you see?", she asked impatiently.

There were no words Celestia could use to answer that question. The visions that Luna had described before, were only a fraction of what the Sun Goddess had just witnessed.

"I... I saw..."

"Princess!"

Both alicorns turned only to see Twilight Sparkle and all of her friends rushing to there side. Ready to render aid in whatever way they could.

"Elements...", Celestia weakly whispered.

Twilight was a basket-case of worry as she gazed upon her mentor's weakened form. Celestia trembled uncontrollably, and tried to maintain her balance.

"Princess, what happened?! A-Are you alright?", she shrieked with worry.

"I am... I am fine my little ponies.", she said through shuddered breath, "Don't worry, I-"

Any words of reassurance died as Celestia gasped in heart thumping shock.

The artifact, which had been the cause of such an upset, burst out another flash of red light. Only this time, the surrounding area slipped into a pitch black darkness; the ominous shade of red being the only beacon.

The Mane Six and the Princesses looked on in wonder and terror as a gargantuan, blood-red image of strange shape hovered above the artifact.

What followed next, was a voice that destroyed the silence. A chest hollowing, teeth rattling voice that vibrated the very floor they stood on.

"Starswirl's Beard...", Luna whispered as she stared up at the visage of this new presence.

"THE CYCLE BEGINS ANEW."

Its voice struck fear and uneasiness into the hearts of the surrounding ponies.

"What in tarnation is that thing?!", Applejack exclaimed.

"Wow. That has got to be the biggest cuttlefish I have ever seen.", Rainbow commented flatly.

Pinkie pointed a deductive hoof at the image.

"Ah-HA! So THAT'S what they look like!", she hollered.

The ungodly, dominant, and monotone voice rumbled again.

"RUDIMENTARY CREATURES OF BLOOD AND FLESH. YOU TOUCH MY MIND; FUMBLING IN IGNORANCE. INCAPABLE... OF UNDERSTANDING."

Any and all assumptions that had arisen, were smashed as soon as they had formed.

"Darlings? I do not think that's a cuttlefish.", Rarity stated the obvious.

"THERE IS A REALM OF EXISTENCE SO FAR BEYOND YOUR OWN, YOU CANNOT EVEN IMAGINE IT. I AM BEYOND YOUR COMPREHENSION. I... AM SOVEREIGN!"

Princess Celestia and her midnight coated sibling stood before the ominous shape, dreadfully cautious of its presence.

"What... are you?", Celestia asked with.

"WE HAVE BEEN DUBBED MANY A NAME, LABELS CREATED BY CIVILIZATIONS OF AGES PASSED TO GIVE VOICE TO THEIR DESTRUCTION. THE HUMANS HAD MAINTAINED A NAME IN PARTICULAR THAT HOLDS NO MEANING TO US. FOR IN THE END, WHAT THEY CHOSE TO CALL US IS IRRELEVANT. WE SIMPLY... ARE."

This time, it was Twilight who stepped forward. Consumed by the need to protest something with youthful abandon.

"That... That can't be true.", she denied with a shake of the head, " You speak as though you had seen them first-hand. But the Humans vanished 50,000 years ago. For you to have been there... That's impossible!"

The terrible voice clarified its assertions without a hitch.

"ORGANIC LIFE IS NOTHING BUT A GENETIC MUTATION. AN ACCIDENT. YOUR LIVES ARE MEASURED IN YEARS AND DECADES. YOU WITHER... AND DIE. WE ARE ETERNAL. THE PINNACLE OF EVOLUTION AND EXISTENCE. BEFORE US, YOU ARE NOTHING. YOUR EXTINCTION IS INEVITABLE. WE... ARE THE END OF EVERYTHING."

If that wasn't a declaration of war, than nothing was.

Sovereign's statement antagonized all of the mare's in ways that sent minds and hearts racing. Blindly accepting the challenge, Rainbow Dash growled and zipped up to the image.

"That so, oh Wise and Godly Cuttlefish?! And just who do you think you a-"

"Rainbow Dash!".

The cyan pegasus whipped her attention back to a frowning Celestia, who silently prompt her not to finish her sentence. Rainbow Dash clenched her teeth and backed down.

"I don't know what you are, Strange Being. But whatever your plan is, its doomed to fail. There is a entire Kingdom united and ready to stand against you!", Celestia strongly declared.

The presence wasn't phased in the slightest.

"CONFIDENCE BORN OF IGNORANCE. THE CYCLE CANNOT BE BROKEN."

The longer the presence remained, the more questions arisen. Luna was especially curious about what it was talking about.

"Cycle.", she repeated, "What is this 'cycle' you speak of?".

"THE PATTERN HAS REPEATED ITSELF MORE TIMES THAN YOU CAN FATHOM. ORGANIC CIVILIZATIONS RISE. EVOLVE. ADVANCE. AND AT THE APEX OF THEIR GLORY, THEY ARE EXTINGUISHED. THE HUMANS WERE NOT THE FIRST. AND THEY WILL NOT BE LAST. THE CYCLE WILL CARRY THE UNSULLIED FUTURE OF YOUR WORLD. THE LEGACY... OF MY KIND."

The more it spoke, the less sense it made. Celestia grew both nervous and angry at these outrageous declarations.

She may not have been perfectly clear about these statements, but what they suggested was impossible.

An endless cycle of catastrophe.

"What you speak of is absurd! What is your purpose?! Whats the true reason for this senseless genocide?!", she demanded.

"IT IS NOT A THING THAT YOU... CAN COMPREHEND. YOU REPRESENT CHAOS. WE REPRESENT ORDER. YOUR CIVILIZATIONS ARE A BLIGHT UPON THE FACE OF EXISTENCE. COUNTLESS CYCLES HAVE PROVEN THAT YOUR ONLY PURPOSE IS TO REAP THE BOUNTIES OF YOUR OWN WORLD. EVERY CATASTROPHIC END IS WROUGHT ONCE YOUR CIVILIZATIONS DEVELOP TO THE LEVELS WE DESIRE. WE IMPOSE ORDER UPON THE CHAOS OF ORGANIC EVOLUTION. YOU EXIST BECAUSE WE ALLOW IT. AND YOU WILL END... BECAUSE WE DEMAND IT."

Luna's face twisted with disdainful protest.

"You harvest life. You allow civilization to grow to the level you need, then wipe us out.", she hissed, "You... disgusting abomination!"

A menagerie of questions riddled Twilight's mind as she gazed upon the cruel visage. How could such a thing possibly exist without anypony knowing? It was inconceivable!

"But I don't understand! "Twilight sneered, "What do you want from us?! If we exist only to bleed our world dry, then why not just destroy us outright?!"

"MY KIND TRANSCENDS YOUR VERY UNDERSTANDING. WE ARE EACH A NATION. EACH INDEPENDENT. FREE OF ALL WEAKNESS. YOU CANNOT HOPE TO GRASP THE NATURE... OF OUR EXISTENCE."

"But where did you come from?! You're unlike anything I ever seen! Were you born, or did somepony create you?! Tell me!"

"WE HAVE NO BEGINNING. WE HAVE NO END. WE... ARE INFINITE. MILLIONS OF YEARS AFTER YOUR CIVILIZATION HAS BEEN ERADICATED AND FORGOTTEN, WE... WILL ENDURE."

"You-... You're lying! There couldn't possibly be more of you! Somepony would have noticed! Or maybe... Maybe you're the last of your kind?!"

"WE ARE LEGION. THE TIME OF OUR RETURN IS COMING. OUR NUMBERS WILL DARKEN THE SKY OF YOUR ENTIRE WORLD. YOU CANNOT ESCAPE... YOUR DOOM."

Without her consent, tears of confusion, anger and fear began to well up within Twilight's eyes as she rigorously tried to make sense of the words spoken.

"But... But-!", her protests were silenced by a grave Celestia.

The assertions of this being had MORE than convinced the Sun Goddess of an impending struggle. One that would shake the very foundation of her people.

But Sovereign's convictions would never go unchallenged so long as she drew breath.

She flapped her majestic wings, and raised herself to meet with what could loosely be called it's face.

"Understand one thing, Sovereign.", she warned with an edge to her voice that scared even her, "What awaits you and your kind, upon your arrival, will make you regret ever seeing the light of day. Your intentions are foul and detestable. And will not be tolerated. If you rekindle your candidacy of genocide of this world, then rest assured that we will unite. We will stand together. And we will end you!".

Like any other time during that whole conversation, Sovereign was unflinching. Unhindered. Unchallenged.

It's next words would rattle Celestia's bravery down to its rawest essence. A statement that clarified one thing.

This was no joke.

"YOUR WORDS ARE AS EMPTY AS YOU FUTURE. I AM THE VANGUARD OF YOUR DESTRUCTION. THIS EXCHANGE IS OVER..."

Author's Note

Bad guy enters stage

Taskmaster

Reflection.

A pass-time that Twilight Sparkle had grown progressively more attached to.

Taking, finding or, otherwise, wasting the time for such things had become somewhat of a mental reliquary for her.

On this particular occasion, the horizon that adorned a spectacular view of the Equestrian Kingdom, aided her reflection.

And with her deeply disturbed mind, she needed all the help she could get.

She new not how long she had been sitting in her spot. The beauty and majesty of the Canterlot Palace's summit had a way of erasing the illusion of time from one's mind.

As Twilight watched the sun run its slow, steady course amidst the Great Blue, her troubled mind followed; echoing with a voice that had rumbled into her memory.

You cannot hope to grasp the nature... of our existence.

Sovereign. A creature of unparalleled mystery. What was it? Where did it come from? How many others like it could there have possibly been.

We are Legion. The time of our return is coming.

Was it truly connected to the disappearance of the Humans? Was it truly responsible for their extinction? For the purge of their culture? Their legacy?

The humans were not the first. And they will not be the last.

What if there was a terrible truth to those words? What if, after 50,000 years of evolution and rise to grace, it was this civilization which was the next to fall? Her civilization...

The cycle cannot be broken.

"I just... don't understand.", Twilight whispered in quiet despair.

In a matter of speaking, Twilight's reflection had taken a very bad turn.

Instead of new and refreshing insight, she was fraught with nothing but chest tightening dread. Instead of relief and security, she wallowed in fear and uncertainty. It was a bad scene for her. She knew that all too well.

And so did her very best friends.

The lavender unicorn's ears buzzed at the sound of her name. Her friends approached her with open hearts and hooves.

"You alright there, Sugar-cube?", Applejack softly stroked her friend's shoulder.

"Yeah, Twilight. You haven't seemed like yourself since... well...", Rainbow Dash trailed off.

Twilight's eyes never left the big blue sky.

"No, you guys. No, I'm far from alright.", she admitted with apparent ease.

"Listen, Dear. You simply must understand that what we saw in there was just an image. An illusion, perhaps.", Rarity attempted to console.

Twilight nearly scoffed at such a short-sighted inquiry.

"That's not true, Rarity. A simple illusion couldn't answer questions so directly.", she clarified, "When I spoke to it... it was almost like it was looking right through me."

The sheer remembrance of Sovereign's empty, unreadable leer assaulted Twilight's memory. She feared that she wouldn't be forgetting such a soul-gaping stare anytime soon.

"Oh, Twi. What we saw in that room, came from that dusty old thing you've had your brain stuck to all week. Ya said it was older than dirt, yeah?", Applejack began, "So whats sayin' that this whole thing ain't just some old custom-type deal from the olden days?"

At this, Pinkie Pie's mane popped off, flipped through the air, and landed back where it was.

"And that is just plain OOOOooold! I mean, we're talkin' super, over-the-top, mega-galactic, protective-of-the-herniated-scrotum-of-an-older-gentlecolt kind of old! Hey! I wonder what kind of parties they had in those days?! Ooh! I bet they were the most awesome, spectacular, wonderful, stupendous, gregarious, supercalifragilisticex-pelmph!"

Much to Twilight's unmentioned delight, Pinkie's rant was silence by a cyan hoof to the mouth, courtesy of Rainbow Dash.

"What Pinkie means to say, is that there's no telling what that over-sized soda can is supposed to do. For all anypony knows, its just some big scare-tactic.", the polychromatic pony suggested, "I mean come on. A race of immortal, all-powerful cuttlefish hell-bent on killing us all? Gimme a break!"

Oddly enough, Twilight found herself taking these reasonable possibilities into consideration.

Though her mind sifted through the variables, her heart continued to ache with worry. And it showed, much to her friends' dismay.

Thankfully, they weren't ignorant to Twilight's ever-present need to assess mind boggling situations.

"Twilight, the Renaissance will resume for the next two days, if you recall.", Rarity tactfully mentioned, "We don't want you to part-take in anything if you're not ready to, Darling."

Applejack chimed eagerly to this.

"Take as much time as you need to clear things up in that noggin o' yours, Hon.", the orange farm pony said with a light ruffle to Twilight's mane.

Pinkie Pie promptly removed Rainbow Dash's hoof from her mouth.

"Enough talk! Gotta get to those snackies before those greedy little ponies take it all for themSELVES!", she exclaimed before zipping off of the seen with her infamous 'Pinke-dash'.

Smiling hopelessly after the hyperactive mare, the remainder of Twilight's friends began to depart.

"Remember, Twilight. If anything happens, you'll always have us. Whatever ya decide, we're with ya 'till the end.", Applejack reassured with a confident wink.

As the green-eyed mare turned to resume the Celebration, she caught a glimpse of Fluttershy staring worriedly at Twilight.

"Come on, Fluttershy. Twi's got some thinkin' to do.", Applejack said.

"Oh. O-Okay... I'm coming.", Fluttershy soflty responded; never taking her eyes off the troubled unicorn.

The saffron pegasus just couldn't help but stare.

It was strange, but it almost seemed like she knew exactly what Twilight was thinking.

Could she have felt something too? Was Fluttershy not the only one who felt a wave of terror drown her as Sovereign spoke? Did Twilight share her dread of horrors to come?

"Twilight... I...", was about all Fluttershy could think before turning to leave her friend to her deeply troubled thoughts.

And there it was, at long last: tears of anguish.

As the last of her friends left, Twilight was suddenly over come with a blinding rush of sorrow. She couldn't bare the thought of what could happen if prior events were more than just an elaborate scare-tactic.

Her home. Her Family. Her best friends in the whole world. What would happen to them? What would become of the countless families in their stead?

What would become of the millions of foals that had never lived? The generations lost to the maws of extinction?

You cannot escape... your doom.

"NO!", Twilight screamed aloud as she held her head in her hooves, "NOOO!"

It just couldn't have been true. Sovereign's words had to be as hollow as the image that shaped it. It had to be a lie. A cruel, sick joke. But in the light of such hope, only lied despair. And along with it, a heart-wrenching realization of proportions, unimaginable.

Something terrible was going to happen.

"No! No, I can't let this happen!", Twilight shouted to the skies, "I... I have to figure something out! I have to stop this!"

A small part of her wished that the skies would have her answer. A way to prevent such a disaster. Or, at the very least, provide her with some type of solace.

Alas, she received only silence. Painful, meaningless, unsatisfying silence. It was then, and only then, did Twilight's mind begin to churn.

The details she had become aware of during the passed week, suddenly flooded back into her memory.

Equestrian History. An ancient civilization. The Grimoire of the Lost. Discord's Archive... Discord.

"Discord.", Twilight whispered.

The wily draconequus began to occupy her mind for the first time in nearly a year. Never had she encountered a being such as he.

The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, a title he proudly held, submerged her home into Chaos, the likes of which has not been seen for almost 1,000 years. His visage was that of cruelty. A true cypher of anarchy and mayhem.

Twilight was relieved that such a beast was vanquished and not adding to the dilemma she found herself in at the time.

But then, as though her own mind was collapsing in on itself, a sickening revelation dawned on her.

"No. There can't possibly-... There's no way. Discord. He-..."

Doubt began to eat away at the young unicorn's conscience. But as she wrestled with her emotions, streams of cold-hard facts poured onto her.

He was a Spirit of Old. One of the Almighty Three that ruled over Equestria. A being of near unparalleled knowledge and wisdom. Holder of many secrets. Hundreds. Maybe even thousands.

A being who used an archive housing the Grimoire of the Lost: the last remaining heirloom of a forsaken legacy.

If there was anypony in all of Equestria who had unsurpassed knowledge of the Humans and what could have truly happened, it was-...

"What in the name of all that's pure and sacred am I THINKING?!", Twilight howled to the sky, "How could I possibly be considering that?! It would be a betrayal to the Princesses! A betrayal to my friends and everything we stand for! I... I can't!"

Her mind demanded, nay, screamed in protest of her weighty options. But as she began to settle into the ideas, her heart and soul commanded obedience.

Deep down inside, Twilight Sparkle knew that there was no other way. No matter how much it hurt. No matter how wrong it was. No matter how much she'd be responsible for.

She knew there was nopony else. Nopony.

No longer able to see another option, Twilight's woeful eyes drifted from the sky and settled to the Canterlot Gardens down below. Where the stone-enhanced draconequus stood cold.

Night descended upon Equestria as Princess Luna raised her moon.

The hour had drifted onward, and beckoned ponies everywhere to their slumber and dreams. The last remnants of the Cultural Renaissance had at last been snuffed for a time; everypony at last retiring to their tents and the like.

This warranted the perfect opportunity.

Twilight Sparkle, deftly defeated and drained by her inner struggle, had arrived at the Canterlot Garden, home to many a statue.

Not a soul was stirring within the Garden, save for the book-smart unicorn herself. Once Twilight's short journey came to an end, she glared menacingly at the object of her new found troubles.

The petrified draconequus himself, an awkward expression of horror permeated his features.

"Discord. I can never forgive you for what you've done.", she whispered disdainfully.

Though she knew she would receive an empty response, she could only growl in anger.

"You turned my home into a cesspool of anarchy. You turned me and my friends against one another. You tormented the lives of everypony you ever came across. You're a manipulator. A deceiver. A blight upon Equestria and all of its beauty. And... And I have no one else to turn to."

The desperate unicorn's horn glowed brightly. In time, the golden tiara, her Element of Magic, appeared on her head.

"Princess Celestia. Princess Luna. Everypony, please... forgive me."

Upon that solemn plea, Twilight's eyes began to glow.

"The Spirit of Chaos, Brave and Bold,
Defiler of truth and the virtues of Old.
A visage of muddle, ancient and wise,
A being that corrupts through Schemes and Lies.
Hear my call, as I beckon for thee,
The fallen one of the Almighty Three.
By your name and title I summon you forth,
He who ignites Anarchy's Torch!

DISCORD! SPIRIT OF CHAOS AND DISHARMONY!"

The incantation surged an alien energy through Twilight's body, as she witnessed the stone statue shake and shutter.

Whatever doubts that plagued the unicorns thoughts were now irrelevant as she saw what her actions had caused, first-hand.

Her eyes lost their white glow and she collapsed to the ground in an exhausted heap.

Beams of multicolored light shot from the statue one by one; expelling a foggy mist around Canterlot garden.

Twilight gasped as she saw the statue begin to crack, and finally shatter; engulfing the Garden in a thick veil of mist.

The lavender mare picked herself up from the ground with shaky legs and a sudden headache. She took but a moment to gather her senses and remember exactly what was going on.

She glanced at her surroundings, and noted the eerie vibe that the mist granted it. Despite her hesitance, in fear of what she had done, Twilight slowly lifted her head to where the statue had once stood.

And in it's place, stood an old foe.

"Well! What a pleasantly revolting surprise! Twilight Sparkle, if memory serves!", Discord beamed with a polite bow.

Stoically shocked that the incantation actually worked, Twilight stood firmly before the Spirit. Discord peered around the garden to observe his surroundings.

"Blek! Night time? Oh, this is just plain disheartening. Last time it was nice and sunny!", he complained before sighing in resignation, "Oh well. Say, Twilight Sparkle. Be a dear and indulge me as to what's going on before I continue where I left off, would you?"

A twinge of absolute dread yanked at Twilight's conscience as she heard those words, but was VERY careful not to let her old enemy know that.

"Its as simple as this, Discord.", she hissed with distaste, "I freed you."

The mismatched draconequus cranked his neck in a very awkward bend as his gray bushy brows cocked.

"Wait. What?! Are you seri-Ohhhahahaha! Oh, wow! So it seems Celestia has put more than just a little extra faith in her overrated student!", he bellowed with amusement, "She even gave you that old incantation? This is too rich!"

Twilight's form remained unmoved. Impassive to Discord's taunts.

This caught the Spirits attention in earnest, as he made a very keen observation. He sat upon the pedestal that was once his home and studied the unicorn's features.

"No... No, this visit is very much unsanctioned.", he hummed in a low, contemplating growl, "In fact... Hmhmhehehehe... Nopony knows you're here."

It was uncanny for anypony to narrow the details down on that level. But Discord was a cruel reminder of such irony. Twilight glared on; not budging an inch.

"You're right, Discord. Not a soul... Not even the Princesses.", she hesitated.

The wily Spirit thoughtfully stroked his goatee, and studied the situation.

"Hmmm... What an odd turn of events. Didn't think things would be this interesting right off the bat. I wonder why she's here."

"I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here.", Twilight said.

"Oh, she is good..."

"I'm gonna give it to you straight, Discord. I hate you. For all rights and intentions, you disgust me to the highest level of sickening discomfort. I hate you so much, I can't even believe I'm here. But... I need your help.", the distraught unicorn managed to squeeze out.

Discord playfully stuck a finger from his lion paw into his cheek.

"Charmed.", he teased, "But you see, last thing I seem to recall is you and your, no doubt bi-curious friends, enhancing me in stone with the Hellements of Armony. I don't exactly see how (ahem) helping you will benefit me, Twilight Sparkle.

That was it. That was the tone right there that drove Twilight to grit her teeth.

For the most part, she she full-well that Discord wouldn't be persuaded so easily. But that didn't make it any easier.

"If anything, its you, my dear, who should help me. You know, to make it up to me, and what not?", Discord said as he stared at his eagle talons.

Twilight's glare deepened, and her next words were not chosen carefully.

"Listen here, you twisted, abominable freak-show! I didn't tear through hundreds of variables and scenarios before freeing you, JUST so you can say 'no' to me!", she yelled in irritation, "When I say 'I need your help', I'm not ASKING!"

Discord paused for but a few seconds before sucking his teeth as he inhaled a quiet breath.

"So let me wrap my head around this. You thwart my plans, and enhance me in stone for the second time. Then you release me for reasons that you so devilishly conceal. You perform said action alone and unassisted with only one Element at your disposal... and your making demands?", the Spirit question with a flat and audibly annoyed tone.

At this point, Twilight's mouth outran her brain.

"Do I need to spell it out for you?! You're gonna help me, and that's all there is to it!"

It was upon those foolish, foolish words did the articulate mare regret ever uttering them.

With the reflexes of a cobra, Discord snapped his body at Twilight and swiftly clasped his razor-sharp talons unto her neck.

He hoisted the choking mare high into the air as he glared daggers into her very soul.

"You insolent whelp! Did you forget who you're talking to?!", he barked in a voice that once instilled terror into the hearts of all, "I am Discord! Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony! My powers are like that unto a GOD! I could phase your bones out of this pathetic frame of yours with a snap of my FINGERS!"

Oh, now she was scared.

She dared to believe that she hadn't been more terrified in her entire life. No single moment, in all that was her existence, had prepared her for such heart-stopping, blood-freezing, mind-destroying terror.

She wanted to cry. She wanted to take back what she said and beg for mercy. To throw herself beneath him and hope for his forgiveness.

But that wouldn't garner his help. That wouldn't stop Sovereign. So she did the only thing that seemed necessary, and bluffed.

"Then-! Argh! Then whats-... stopping you?!"

At this, Discord's face contorted into a wicked smile that would give the Devil goosebumps.

He brutally slammed the helpless Twilight into the grass and tightened his deadly grip. His talons began driving into her neck, and her tongue hung from her mouth.

"You know that's a good question, Twilight Sparkle! Maybe if I tear out your voice-box, I'll be able to think clearer! Totally gonna yell 'SUCK IT HARMONY' when I do it ,too! I can see all now... (fantasizes dumbly)... Fan-buckin-tastic!"

Black, grueling claws shot from Discord's lion-paw as his throat rumbled a beastly growl at Twilight.

The trembling unicorn somehow managed to restore her glare; leering into the eyes of her would-be executioner. She regained just enough of herself to retract her loose tongue, and clench her teeth.

"Kill me, and you put a name under your plaque. Help me, and for once in your pathetic life, you'll have purpose!", she choked out; inwardly crying and wishing all of her love to family and friends.

The frightened mare closed her eyes, and waited to be maimed. Her breaths were shallow and erratic. Moments of her life that she had long forgotten were flooding back to her in earnest.

As she prepared for the worst, however, the blow never came.

Though she was almost too frightened to look, Twilight opened her eyes to see why her death was postponed.

She was more than a little surprised to see the draconequus staring at her in disbelief.

Without rhyme or reason, Discord released his death-grip, and stood up straight; allowing Twilight much needed oxygen.

Again, he observed the situation, and began thinking aloud.

"Isn't that curious? You're not concerned for your safety. An unusual occurrence, perhaps due to adrenaline? Hmm. Unlikely. Pheromones suggest that your terror reached a fever-pitch. Either that or you had discreet sexual activity before arriving here... Scratch that. Not feasible. You'll probably die a virgin. Could be another reason. Endless possibilities are present. Forward, aggressive; caring little about personal gain. Explains your lack of tactful approach. Beckoning for help derived from something else. Ulterior motive for releasing me is painfully obvious. Must be related to something presumed more dangerous than I. No other option. But that leaves questions. Why do this alone? Why not ask for help? Must be something big. Enough to detour you from trusting your dearest friends. Even acted without Royal assistance. Couldn't be so big that it called for such secrecy. A monstrous issue of epic proportions? Yes! No... Maybe. But what?... ... Ahhhhhhhhh. Now I get it."

Twilight stared at Discord in sheer awe, unaware of her mouth agape. There was no way.

How could anyone pick apart somepony's motives like that, without even so much as a bat of an eye-lash?

It was impossible. It was improbable. It was madness!

"It's definitely Discord."

The mismatched Spirit turned his back to Twilight as he folded his arms in a thoughtful pause.

"Indeed, you do have much bigger problems, my little pony. So... It has finally come to pass.", he said cryptically.

Twilight lifted herself to sit on her haunches; staring at Discord with wild curiosity.

"What? What are you talking about? What do you know?!", she demanded.

Discord remained as he was, and sighed with frustration.

"I know many things, Twilight Sparkle. And I know, for a fact, that you won't be able to stop Sovereign without help.", he explained.

Twilight's jaw felt as though it would fall off of her head when Discord uttered those words.

"You... You knew the whole time, didn't you? You knew this would happen?", she asked incredulously.

Again, Discord sighed.

"As I told you, I know many things. Many, many things. Now I have questions for you."

The red eyed Spirit turned to Twilight and curled his eagle talons; causing the unicorn to lift off the ground and hover before him. Again, Twilight's heart jump in fear.

"You've obviously seen the Artifact. You saw the visions. What did Sovereign tell you?", he postulated in a way that commanded authority.

By now, Twilight was no longer able to keep her brave facade.

"It... It spoke of genocide. A cycle of Death. A-And an imminent return.", she explained as plainly and bravely as she could.

Discord gave another thoughtful pause.

"So you are telling the truth.", he said as he stroked his goatee, "And exactly what are you, a lowly book-worm unicorn, planning to do about it?"

The last question hit her like a ton of bricks.

Although, deep down, she asked that question herself, it still caught her off guard. It is what drove her to tears on top of Canterlot Palace. It is what drove her to make hasty decisions.

And even though Twilight had already freed Discord and made it this far...

She had absolutely no idea what she was doing.

"I-I... I don't know, Discord. I just don't know!", she cried out, "I just... I have to find a way to stop this! Nopony else believes this is real! The Princesses know too little about whats going on to make any decisions! Its so frustrating!"

"Of course, nopony believes it, Twilight Sparkle. Did you honestly expect anypony, friends or not, to accept that they're doomed? To accept that, after hundreds of generations and eras, they would be wiped out by creatures they know nothing about?"

When put in that light, Twilight's ears lowered in sour recollection.

"I... No. I guess not.", she murmured, "Discord. Please... I beg you."

The draconequus' face twisted into a confused stare. Was she... begging?

"Please? I... I have nopony else. Only you. You're the one who knows more about the humans than anypony. The only one who could have even the slightest idea of what really happened. It was you who used the abandoned Archive at the Palace. You have to help me. You just... Please?", she besought stronger.

At this, Discord abruptly released his hold on Twilight; promptly dropping her back onto her haunches. He turned his back again, thinking.

"You've read The Grimoire of the Lost, haven't you?"

Though she knew Discord couldn't see her, Twilight nodded. She knew he would get it.

"Huh. Well, I'll be damned, Twilight Sparkle. Your determination is unparalleled. You drive yourself to attain knowledge that is out of anypony's reach. You seek answers that all others give up searching for. And best of all... you want to live. You would resist an ill fate."

The lavender mare was silent as she listened to Discord, somehow enticed by his words.

"But one has to wonder; how far are you willing to go to stop the Cycle from repeating itself? How much are you willing to sacrifice, Element of Magic? You'd already cast Harmony to the way-side when you freed me. The incantation would not have worked otherwise. You had viciously lied to your friends to ensure that a greater cause could be achieved."

Twilight's shame was written all over her face. Even Discord knew of her two-faced deception. The fact that she didn't tell her friends she would free Discord, of all things, only added to her shame.

"I... I couldn't see any other way.", she whispered; knowing full damn well how bad an excuse that was.

"But I approve. I recognize acts of nobility when I see them. And nobility I can respect, Twilight Sparkle. But are you willing to sacrifice your ideals and beliefs for the cause? Are you willing to forsake all that you are, and more, to achieve the salvation and continuity of life as you know it?"

Discord's words cut deeper than any blade ever could. Every syllable, a blow to Twilight's soul.

But as much as it hurt, these questions held golden meaning to them. The young unicorn saw Discord staring eagerly upon her, as though waiting for her answer.

It all came down to only one, an answer that Discord wasn't expecting at all.

"Never..."

If the Spirit had been drinking anything, he'd have spayed it all over the place.

"Come again?"

"Discord. I can't. I won't! I'll never lose sight of what I am! I'll never lose sight of what I stand for! I am a citizen of Equestria. I'm a protector. A learner! Everything I aspire to is in my Nature. My purpose. To lose even a trace of that would be-... I'd be better off dead."

The mismatched draconequus looked hard at Twilight. Though she was young, her words were those of a mare that had achieved a rarity of wisdom. A pony that, for better or for worse, knew what it meant to sacrifice when it counted.

Only time would tell, however, if her words were more than just words.

"Hmm. That... Heh... That's acceptable.", Discord chuckled at the irony, "Very well, Twilight Sparkle."

Did her ears deceive her? Was she dreaming? Did her sworn enemy really just...?

"Discord? What do you mean? Are you... saying...?", her words hung dry, far too eager to hear the Spirit's clarification.

"The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony is at your service.", he declared with a noble bow.

"You mean it?", Twilight chimed a little brighter than she had intended, "You'll really help me?"

"But of course, my dear.", Discord grinned before detecting a distant rustle in the distance, "We haven't a moment to lose now. Do we?"

Hearing the distant noise as well, Twilight was prone to panic. If anypony had seen her before the Spirit himself, that would surely have... severe repercussions.

However, as though reading her thoughts, Discord held out his lion paw for her.

"Come, Twilight Sparkle. I have much to teach you."

There was no time to deliberate or protest the sudden offer. Twilight knew that her
best chance at keeping her secret was to trust Discord.

"Hold on. How will you-"

"Replacement statue."

"Figures..."

Hesitating no longer, Twilight lifted her hoof into the draconequus' paw and prepared for anything. But then, from out of nowhere, her eye twitched madly.

"Wait! What you MEAN I'll die a virgin?!"

"Time to go, Dear!", Discord beamed before snapping his eagle talons.

And with that, they were gone without a trace. And Twilight's campaign of reckoning, had begun.

Author's Note

Well... lets see how this turns out shall we.

Know Thy Enemy

One simple word.

One simple word was all it took. All that could've even been used to describe the wonder. A simple word that seemed to dominate Twilight Sparkle's vocabulary.

"Woooooow..."

Awestruck and bewildered to the very limit of mental stimuli, Twilight gazed unto her surroundings; not even stopping to question how any of what she was experiencing was remotely possible.

Her hooves shook weakly at the dizzying vertigo that assaulted her. Her equilibrium was thrown almost completely off. And each thought sent numbing pulses through her body.

And yet, there was no other word for it, but 'wow'.

"What is this place?", she whispered in dumbfounded amazement.

"A realm that is everywhere at once. Yet nowhere to be found."

The, now freed, Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony casually floated down in front of his new, and very unusual guest.

"Welcome, Twilight Sparkle, to my true Archive.", Discord greeted with a rather proud grin.

The bottomless void of the Endless Unknown. An ocean of stars blanketing the blackness. Swirling polychronic anomalies twisting and expanding into one another. A breath-taking blue planet adorning the view with it's bright sun peeking from beyond. And the coup de grace...

Books. Books everywhere. Literally.

"This place is... simply... Woooooow...", she awed again.

"Eh. You get used to it.", Discord casually shrugged, "But I didn't bring you here for the scenery, my dear. We have work to do"

The Spirit's words were heeded as he spoke them. Twilight shook her wonderment as best she could, and focused upon Discord.

"Yes. I'm ready.", she said solidly.

Discord smiled mischievously, and tapped his fingers together.

"Oh, are you now? As it stands, you can barely see straight with all of this going on. I mean, look at you! Your like epileptic rag-doll on a mission! Do you really think you're ready for the knowledge that I have to share, my little pony?"

For reasons she didn't understand, Twilight smiled at Discord's words; taking them as a challenge of wits.

"No way! This place flips my whole life upside down! But I've come this far. Not a chance I'm gonna let this detour me!", she declared. The dizziness in her voice, painfully obvious.

Discord could only cackle as he spiraled in the air like a drunken serpent.

"Excellent! You are unhealthily determined! A trait we both share. And you're honest. That is another!", the draconequus landed upon the non-existent floor with ease, "What do you wish to know?"

Twilight's vertigo began to take its tole as she started to relax. She couldn't resist the urge to curl her forelegs to the floor (or, lack thereof) and lye down.

She collected herself as best she could and hardened her focus. What she was about to ask was far too critical for a lazy mind.

"Discord, I have to know. What are we up against? Just what is Sovereign?"

The wily Spirit frowned ever-so slightly as he heard the question.

With a snap of his talons, a picture-perfect image of the being itself, appeared before them both. Hulking and gargantuan in all of its terrible glory. Twilight stopped herself from jumping in fear, as she realized it was only an illusion.

"While it's origin and how it came to be are still a conundrum to me, its purpose has been made all too clear during my studies. Sovereign is a Machine, a living, sentient Machine whose sole purpose is to cleanse our world of advanced civilization after a set time period. The Humans have come to know these soulless beasts, as Reapers."

Twilight's ears perked indefinitely at those words. Reaper. A name she would soon not forget.

"Their size, immeasurable. Their power, incomprehensible.", Discord elaborated.

"A Machine? That thinks for itself? But that's crazy! How could something like that even live on Equestria, let alone our world, and be undetected for 50,000 years? That makes no sense!", Twilight pried.

Discord summoned a tall glass of rich chocolate milk, and absently sipped from it as he paced around the eager unicorn.

"The Reapers are not from our world, Twilight Sparkle. If my studies have uncovered one thing, its that they can survive anywhere.", Discord said.

Twilight stared down into the nausea inducing void below her, when a, unnerving realization dawned on her.

"Are you telling me that these... Reapers... are floating somewhere above us?"

"Psh! In simpleton terms, yeah. I guess I am.", Discord mocked carelessly.

The red eyed draconequus ignored the agitated glare from Twilight as he continued.

"Wherever Sovereign is, it has been waiting and plotting for eons. Watching. Calculating. Whatever its plan is, it has something to do with the rest of it's kind. Of that, I'm almost certain."

"I see. So... what about the artifact at Canterlot Palace? Somehow, its connected with both the Reapers and the Humans. But I still don't understand it. What does that strange resonance mean?", Twilight asked out of sheer remembrance.

At this, Discord almost dropped his glass of chocolate milk.

"Wait. How in the-? Are you saying that that thing is still going off?", Twilight nodded to confirm, "But... its been almost 2,000 years. How-..."

"Two thous-! Discord! You've known about this for that long?!", Twilight nearly shrieked, "What have you been doing all this time?! Why haven't you warned anypony!"

The Spirit guffawed at the unicorn's impatience.

"Um, hello? Spirit of Chaos? Ruled Equestria in a state of eternal unrest? Tormented the living hay out of everypony within 1000 miles? Not a single one of them heeded my warnings!", Discord clarified with a strangely satisfied glee.

"How could you be so lax about this?! Do you have any idea what kind of difference that would've made?! How much time we could've-"

"-Well, its definitely too late for that now.", Discord interjected, "Besides, having all over those ignorant bumpkins in the way would have interfered with my studies. Hay, it was bad enough your little Princesses got in my way. I missed out on a whole millennium of researching, you know."

When Discord put the situation in that light, Twilight seemed a little crest-fallen.

She too had a taste of what it was like to have nopony believe. With those ponies being her very best friends, it was a rather deep blow.

"Maybe... Maybe you're right.", she murmured.

Discord slid beside Twilight in a more relaxed position, and hung his lion paw around her.

"Now, now, Twilight Sparkle. No need to be so melodramatic! Thinkers like us are always being cast to the way-side for brilliance that nopony understands! And that is why I know what I know now. Its a blessing, my dear!", Discord cheerfully proclaimed.

In a weird way, the draconequus had made a disturbingly valid point.

Twilight had been a loner for most of her life, save for Spike. She had always thrown everything she was into her studies, and nopony had forced her to do it.

It was all in the endless pursuit of knowledge. Knowledge that, in the grand scheme of things, was not common in the least.

And as it stood, no matter how strange or foreign it felt, Discord seemed to be the only living creature who understood that as much as she did. It was welcoming.

"Yeah. I guess so.", Twilight smiled despite herself.

Discord took to the air again, and swam through the stars in a dazzling figure-eight. He laughed with joy and freedom that he had long missed.

"That's the spirit! Never forget your true calling!"

Twilight felt a strange buzz go off in her chest as she found herself appreciating the Spirit's words.

It was absurd how she could feel anything but contempt for him. Hell, it was weird enough just being around him on neutral terms. But when he elaborated his understanding of her nature, it was almost as if he accepted her.

Her thoughtful muse was abruptly shattered as she felt her body become airborne.

"H-Hey! Whats going on?!", she shrieked.

Discord circled the confused mare as he continued to laugh.

"Just look at all the tomes of knowledge, Twilight Sparkle! Documents and records a many! All just waiting to reveal their secrets! Come on now! Secrets and treasures don't unlock themselves, you know!", he laughed vigorously.

For reasons beyond her understanding, Twilight was suddenly overcome with dread.

"W-Wait! weren't you just gonna answer my questions?! How am I supposed to-"

Her words were ended swiftly by the shrill of her screams as she was launched through the air; hurdling toward the seemingly countless clouds of books.

"NAAAAH! I can't stop! How do I control it?!"

"Control? Pfffft-WOOahahahahaaa! My dear, Twilight Sparkle! You must embrace the Chaos! Let it take you to a depth of understanding beyond your wildest dreams!", he cackled in delight.

Twilight screamed helplessly as her body soared further and further with no sign of stopping.

"DISCOOOOOORD!"

The echoing void of the Endless Unknown resounded a laughter it had not been assaulted by for a thousand years. Joyously. Hopelessly. Endearingly; Discord could only laugh.

Ruffles in the vegetation of the Everyfree Forest disturbed the peace as a shadowy character emerged.

After enough visits, she had come to know this area quite well. Her visits had engraved such a vivid remembrance, she would have to try to get lost.

Any other pony would have been proud of this. But not her. Not when she had her destination in sight.

Ponyville.

A naturally laid back country town with a thick, lived-in feel to it. A small, yet welcoming town with inhabitants friendly and kind. A simple town, known for it's simple pleasures. A town where everypony knew everypony else.

Oh, how she hated this town.

As she closed in, the shady mare paused in her tracks, and took another moment to collect her thoughts and her bravery

As she, and no doubt the townsfolk, could recall, she didn't exactly leave Ponyville on the best of terms. And that was being blindly polite.

All the same, she concluded that her objective was far more important than passed grievances.

Whether anypony else felt similar, or not, was none of her concern.

She regrouped her thoughts and steeled her resolve. Step by uneasy step, she closed in on Ponyville. And, as she had strongly expected, was not greeted warmly.

As she took her first step into the town, her name was spat out in disgust and displeasure by ponies abound.

Her anticipation of this had granted her the cold barrier that deflected such hostility.

With her head held high, and her eyes narrowed in focus, the mysterious mare marched onward; responding to any biting profanities with a quieted 'hmph', or stone-cold silence.

These ponies weren't important to her. Their feelings and grudges weren't important to her.

All that mattered was her objective. And after a seemingly endless trek through this most hated town, it was in her sights.

Ponyville Library.

Despite the glares of contempt, the threats and aggressive gestures from the towns Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi alike, the determined mare smiled, and adjusted the saddle bags around her flanks. Within that giant tree resided her objective.

And nopony, big or small, would stand in her way.

"I'm tellin' y'all, something just ain't sitting right with me!", an irritated Applejack declared.

Five of the Mane Six had made themselves at home in the Ponyville library, and discussed a strangely sensitive matter.

"I must agree, Applejack.", Rarity chimed with a hoof to her chin, "Twilight has been acting very strange, as of late."

The heated farm pony paced about the wooden floor; racking her brain over passed events.

"Strange? That girl's actin' nuttier than a squirrel on the first day of Fall! I didn't mind it so much at first, but this?! There somethin' screwy goin' on 'round here!"

Had this been any other conversation, Rainbow Dash would have been lounging on one of the couches. But she too had to admit that there were strange goings on afoot. And it was starting to concern her.

"Disappearing for days on end? Locking herself in this Library more than usual? I mean just LOOK at this place!", the cyan pegasus exclaimed as she emphasized with her hoofs.

Indeed, the Library had been thrown into a state of disorganization and muddle.

The Twilight Sparkle that was known an loved by her friends would never leave her home in such disarray, if she could help it.

Pinky Pie, now soured by an uncomfortable worry, lifted one of the sprawled tomes into her hoof; trying her damnedest to be optimistic.

"Oh, come on, girls! I'm sure Twily has a perfectly good reason! Doesn't she always?", she suggested with a noticeably forced smile.

Applejack snapped her head toward the pink earth pony.

"Sneakin' out when she needed rest. Ditchin' us at the Renaissance. Randomly poppin' in and out of town for days at a time. Lockin' herself up without more than three words? I reckon there ain't no good reason for how she's been actin'!", the green eyed mare protested.

Pinkie's puffy mane drooped ever so slightly.

"Well yeah, but-..."

"Pinkie, Dear. Even you have to admit that Twilight's actions have been far less... charitable than usual.", Rarity gently insisted, "Just look at poor little Spikey Wikey!"

At this, Rainbow Dash flew up to the second floor, where the sickly baby dragon lie in his basket. She adjusted the damp cloth over his forehead and gazed unto the thermometer under his tongue.

Her face twisted with pity for Spike.

"Yeah. Poor little dude's been worryin' himself sick.", she carefully murmured as not to wake the sleeping assistant, "He's been stressin' this ever since Twilight's little coma."

Applejack stomped her hoof to the wooden floor with a steady conviction.

"Well, he ain't gonna be frettin' for much longer, 'cause we're gonna get to the bottom of this!", she said.

As chatters and cheers rang throughout the library, Fluttershy pursed her lips together. Her soul was screaming at her to tell them what she felt. To tell them that Twilight had a damn good reason for her actions.

To tell them that she was likely scouring her resources to uncover the truth about Sovereign.

Honestly, the saffron pegasus wasn't one-hundred percent sure of it herself. But what she did know was that one of her best friends was going through Hell in a ham-basket, and the only thing her other friends were doing was chastising her behind her back.

It was so unfair.

But why, then, did Fluttershy not speak up? Was it not her obligation as a good friend to defend the honor of her companion? Was it not in her nature, to stick up for those she cared for when it mattered most?

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

All other talks, chatters and thoughts were ceased by the incessant knocking at the library door.

Excitement overran Rainbow Dash as she zipped passed everypony and stopped before the door.

Applejack threw on her determined 'mean-face' and nodded for her cyan friend to proceed. Anticipation abound, Rainbow Dash's eyes gleamed as she swung the door open, ready to give Twilight the verbal beat-down of a lifetime.

What she saw, however, warranted a more hostile reaction.

"YOU!"

Everpony else in the library whisked around Rainbow Dash, and shared similar reactions.

The pony at the door grunted; making her displeasure of being in their company, very obvious.

"Ugh! Of all the atrocities to be faced with!", the mare chided.

The odd guest could barely get another word in before being viciously tackled to the ground by a combative Rainbow Dash.

"What the hay do you think YOU'RE doing here, Trixie?!"

Indeed it was. Lying beneath the furious pegasus was none other that the 'Great and Powerful' Trixie. The azure unicorn glared fearlessly into Rainbow's eyes, but threw on a fake smile.

"Oh, Trixie was just in the area, and she spotted a gorgeous chunk of land that would be perfect for a relaxing summer home-what the BUCK do you think I'm doing here?!"

Oh, the insolence! The downright disrespect! And from Trixie of all ponies?! Even after all this time, she still carried that stench of arrogance with her.

Unable to even fathom taking such remarks from the show-boat, Rainbow Dash reeled back, and waved her hooves wildly.

"I think you're here for a face readjustment!", she roared.

How utterly satisfying it would have been. Rainbow Dash was confident that smashing her hooves into the arrogant mare's face would bring her self-gratification beyond her wildest dreams.

Unfortunately for her, Applejack had other plans.

"Hold on there, Rainbow!"

The orange mare's words issued a prompt and VERY unwanted halt to the cyan pegasus' actions. Rainbow Dash groaned with displeasure as her hooves landed harmlessly beside Trixie's head.

"Lets... give her a chance to explain herself.", Applejack said uneasily.

The polychromatic pony would've have thrown a very protestant argument had she not known what Applejack was getting at, but that didn't make it any easier.

Once free to move again, Trixie rose to her hooves and blew a loose strand of her hair from her face.

"And you say I'm the brute?", Trixie spat with a sneer.

"That's enough outta you, Trixie!", Applejack shouted; prompting a sharp jump from her. "If'n you recall, you said you wasn't gonna set hoof in Ponyville again! So how's about you show a little respect?!"

The azure mare cursed herself for showing even the smallest semblance of weakness to the five ponies before her. Yet she found herself slightly intimidated by the gaggle of them glaring into her eyes.

Applejack adjusted her Stetson and kept her eye-contact strong.

"Now, speak real plain-like, Trixie. What. Do. You. Want?"

It was clear from the get-go that this wouldn't be easy. Trixie just didn't expect to be haunted by so many irksome draw-backs all at once.

"Ah! If you must know, Trixie was looking for Twilight Sparkle.", she huffed with a roll to her eyes.

Pinkie Pie jumped from behind the crowd and got right in Trixie's face.

"HA! Just as I suspected! Well, too bad for you, she's not here!", she shrieked.

Feeling a powerful animosity within her, Rarity's horn began to glow.

"State your business and your reasons with haste, Despot! You are not welcome here...", she hissed dangerously.

As the situation unfolded, it seemed that Trixie's goal was becoming progressively more illusive.

She suspected that the five mares spoke the truth of Twilight's absence, but she was all too aware that leaving was not an option.

By any means.

"I have important matters I must discuss with her. That is all you need to know.", Trixie coldly retorted.

The first to shout in undeniable protest was, of course, Rainbow Dash; shoving Pinkie Pie out of the way and establishing her own challenging glare.

"That's nowhere NEAR good enough! Either you come clean, or you hit the road, Trixie!", her voice scratched more than usual, "You can start by tellin' us whats in the bags!"

Needless to say, Trixie became a little impatient at the lack of results. Even more so with the troublesome mares that were the main cause if her grief.

Somehow or another, she had to think her way around this.

"I hardly think that's any of your business!", the white haired unicorn defended, " And as for my engagements with your friend; suffice it to say that I have information that she may find very interesting. For her ears only."

Before either one of the meddlesome mares could even breath to rebuttal, Trixie held up a silencing hoof.

"Trixie understands that Twilight is away, and she would like to wait for her."

This time Applejack stood before her again with eyes as stern and cold as ever.

"You wanna wait for Twilight? Fine. Reckon I can't see the harm in that.", she said.

Trixie breathed a sigh of relief that she had made some progress, and opted to enter the library.

"Oh, thank heavens. At least one of you is reasona-OOF!", her words were cut by a strong, unmoving hoof blocking her path, "What are-?"

"I said you could wait for her. But ya ain't stayin' here.", Applejack sternly commanded with an extra glare for good measure.

Trixie's anger was beginning to surface. Why did things have to be so complicated?!

"Surely you jest! Where on Equestria would you have me wait, if not at her own dwelling?!", the angered show-boat protested.

"Psh! You can stay at Froggy-bottom Bog, for all I give a hoot! Now take your little saddle bags and get!", Applejack ordered with a swift, pointing hoof, "Check back in an hour or so."

Trixie could barely get another syllable in before the wooden door was slammed cruelly into her muzzle.

She reeled back from the sharp pain, and fell on her haunches. She held her face; muttering light curses under her breath.

Nothing seem to be going Trixie's way that day. Was it too much to ask to talk to one mare?!

The unfairness of her situation soared her anger to a concerning height. The former show-pony shot to her hooves and glared at nothing in particular.

Her pride and her dignity were bruised enough as it was. And as fate would have it, forgiveness seemed far out of her reach.

Trixie's glare craned to the ground as she blinked back the detestable tears of weakness. She was so angry at her current helplessness that she could only curse under her breath; wishing there was another way to accomplish her goal.

However, just as she was about abandon all hope, the unthinkable happened.

"Trixie? What are you doing here?"

The voice was a call from the heavens. A drink of cold water from an oasis in the blistering desert. A candle lit inside of a room long since devoid of light.

Trixie turned back and saw the very object of her goals: Twilight Sparkle. The azure unicorn turned away and wiped any trace of moisture that may have shown in her eyes.

"Twilight Sparkle.", Trixie said as she turned to face her fellow mare, "You haven't the faintest idea how long I'd been searching for you."

The lavender unicorn was genuinely surprised by Trixie's relieved tone. She dared say that the former show-pony was actually happy to see her. But that assumption only begged questions.

"Can I help you with something?". she kindly offered.

Twilight's air of generous understanding was a breath of fresh air for Trixie. She hadn't even realized that a smile tugged at her face as she clarified.

"Perhaps not. But I can help you.", she said.

Sensing Twilight's bafflement, Trixie walked forward, and motioned to be followed. As fate would have it, and MUCH to Trixie's chagrin, however, the purple eyed protege had to decline.

"I'm sorry, Trixie. But I haven't seen my friends in days. And this wouldn't be the first time.", Twilight explained with a twinge shame, "I have to make things right with them. They might be very upset with me."

"But, Twilight, I... I..."

"Hey! I've got an idea. How about you come inside and re-introduce yourself. I'm sure my friends would like to see a familiar fa-"

"NO!", Trixie shrieked with an uncharacteristic pitch; causing Twilight to jump back a little, "(Ahem) What I mean is, what I have to say is for your ears only."

The lavender unicorn almost laughed at such a thing.

"Oh, Trixie. I'm sure whatever you have to tell me can wait until after I-"

"You saw the visions, Twilight Sparkle. You saw what happened to the Humans, have you not?"

It was strange, but, even though Twilight was not physically doing anything, she stopped dead in her tracks.

The gravity of Trixie's words sent mind rattling vibrations through her brain.

"You... How long have you..."

"Long enough to know that you're in dire need of help.", the white maned mare said, "And who better to help you, than the Great and Powerful, Trixie?!"

Not even acknowledging Trixie's die-hard habit of exacting arrogance, Twilight began sifting through variables and possibilities in her head.

How in the world could she have known about such information? Had she seen the artifact as well? How long had she been aware of the Reaper threat. What information could she have had that Discord didn't?

If there was even a single answer to any of these questions, Twilight was surely not going to find them by speculation. A weighty choice was her to make.

She only prayed that whatever she decided, her friends would forgive her.

"Alright, Trixie.", Twilight conceded, "Lets take a walk."

The azure unicorn could only smile. Not another exchange of speculation was established between the two as they walked flank by flank away from the library.

However, a pair of cerulean eyes stared after them in complete shock.

Fluttershy had been watching them from one of the windows as her other friends talked amongst themselves.

She almost couldn't believe her eyes as she saw the two vacate the area. Whatever Trixie had to tell Twilight, she believed it important enough to trust her, despite everything that had happened between the lot of them.

Fluttershy wasn't one to listen to her gut instinct. She had always been a pony who took her decisions to heart; plowing through countless options before making a relevant choice.

This, however, was not one of those times. She threw caution to the wind, and took to the air; observing the two unicorns with a discerning eye.

Author's Note

Trixie has arrived, and Discord has proven to be useful, but what does Trixie have to tell Twilight? The next chapter will have possibly the most suspense you will ever read, so please be patient! Also please tell any other bronies or pegasisters about my story, even though I am very surprised about the amount of positive comments. Stay tuned.

Loyalty Corrupt

"Whats this all about, Trixie? How did you know about the visions?"

That question was simply begging to be asked once Twilight Sparkle realized how far from Ponyville they had traveled.

Though the lavender mare had forgiven her azure counter-part for what she had done in the past, Twilight couldn't help but feel a little wary of the situation.

"As I told you; what I have to say is for your ears only.", Trixie calmly reminded, "I want to make sure of that."

It was then, that Twilight abruptly stopped; wearing a suspicious frown on her face. Trixie realized a missing set of hoof-steps, and turned back to Twilight with an ever-so subtle glare.

"Be that as it may, I think this is far enough.", Twilight sternly informed, "If what you have to say is so important, then lets hear it."

Understanding the delicacy of her objective now, more than ever, Trixie reluctantly complied. She collected herself, and prepared to relay the information.

"Very well, Twilight Sparkle. Listen carefully.", Trixie unfastened her saddlebags and let them drop to the ground, "Relent your fruitless resistance."

Twilight's ears twitched as she mentally double-took the words that were spoken.

"What? Is this some kind of joke?", she demanded.

"I joke with you not.", Trixie answered with a smiling glare, "I'm here to deliver a message."

The sudden, menacing vibe that suffocated the air, threw Twilight on edge in an instant. Her hooves parted and dug into the earth.

With horn and spells on tow, the young protege exhaled an aggressive snort and prepared for the worst.

"Alright, Trixie! You'd better start talking right now! What you do want from me?!"

Unfazed by Twilight's opposition, Trixie held her unnerving smile with gusto.

"Sovereign speaks of you, Protege of the Sun Monarch. She who resists, but will inevitably fail. The Reapers can't be stopped."

A rush of dejected and righteous anger welled within Twilight as those words were uttered.

"How can you even think such a thing! What the hay's the MATTER WITH YOU?!", she roared.

Trixie only chuckled. She began stalking to the left, as an angered Twilight stalked to the right; circling one another.

"You see, we've been watching you, Twilight Sparkle. Lately, you've acquired information that was supposed to have been long-since destroyed. You have knowledge of the past that makes you a... unique concern."

Twilight gritted her teeth. With all of this info poured out at once, her mind began to race; connecting dots and loose-ends.

How could Trixie have this sort of knowledge? How much did she know? Why was she-...

"Trixie... No. They've gotten to you, didn't they?", Twilight whispered in sudden dread, "You're... indoctrinated."

At this, the azure unicorn cackled as though she had triumphed at something spectacular.

"It seems that somepony has been doing her homework! How precious.", Trixie said with a chest hollowing air to her voice, "While I respect your deductive skills, I'd have to disagree with your conception."

Twilight deepened her penetrating glare unto her rival.

"Horse feathers! Nopony who speaks of the Reapers the way you do, could possibly convince me otherwise!", she stubbornly declared.

"Oh, my simple little hay-seed. You simply don't understand, do you? I've studied the affects if Indoctrination as well. One who is unfortunate enough, succumbs to Reaper influence indefinitely, with absolutely no hope of self-awareness or rational thought. However, there is a loop-hole."

Despite her animosity toward Trixie, Twilight's natural sponge of a brain told her to listen.

"Indoctrination is at the peak of effectiveness only to those who fight it's influence. When I first spoke to Sovereign, I'll admit; I was horrified beyond imagination.", Trixie admit with a slight grimace, "At first, I resisted with youthful abandon. Hay, I even went so far as to ignore it; hoping that it was a just a sick joke. But as time pressed on, I started hearing whispers. They grated against my mind. Clawed into my spine! The more I ignored it, the more it persisted. The more I fought their words, the louder they became!"

Twilight nearly spit on the ground as she connected with Trixie was saying.

"I... I don't believe it! You willingly let yourself become a puppet?!"

Trixie scoffed.

"I wouldn't expect an ignoramus such as you to understand.", she mocked coldly.

"Why, Trixie?! What could you possibly hope to gain by serving those Machines?!"

"Sovereign has educated me. It enlightened me to a cycle of destruction that has maintained balance and eternal harmony of our world. The Reapers have prevented untimely cataclysms numerous times. Don't you see, Twilight Sparkle? The Reapers are our salvation! To that end, I will help Sovereign complete it's mission. The Reapers will return!"

The assertions of Twilight's fellow unicorn finally sent her over the edge with rage. Her eyes and horn glowed menacingly as she howled in contempt.

"DAMMIT, TRIXIE! By doing this, you could doom all of Equestria! No! All of our world! You've turned your back on your own kind!"

"Don't you EVER SAY THAT TO ME!", Trixie roared back with disdain, "To what end would blind loyalty serve us, in the face of our own extinction?! The end of this cycle is near, Twilight Sparkle! Either we resist it here and die, or accept the Reaper's blessings!"

"TRAITOR!"

Unable to contain her anger any longer, Twilight fired a highly concentrated blast from her horn directly at Trixie, who jumped to safety in the nick of time.

"It must continue! For the salvation and continuity of life, The Cycle must continue! If you're too blinded by your own self-righteousness to see that, than you must die! DRAGONS! ATTACK!"

Upon Trixie's echoing call, Twilight was suddenly trapped where she stood by a menagerie of wing, scale and claw!

Snarling and drooling for gore, five adolescent dragons surrounded the now frightened Twilight. Her ears drooped as an expression of terror enveloped her face.

"Trixie! W-What is this?!", she screamed.

The former showmare grinned again. She had the advantage, and she knew it.

"Poor, uneducated, FOAL! Your feeble mind can't possibly fathom their ways! Sovereign has scoured our world for thousands of years! Collecting resources. Indoctrinating allies! As we speak, it readies it's forces, poised to crush all resistance as it unleashes it's brethren for another glorious harvest!", Trixie cackled with triumph.

The scaly beasts began to encroach on the trembling Twilight. Their humid, scorching breath blanketed her with despair.

Slowly, she could feel every thread of rational thought unravel in her mind, one by one.

"Stop this madness, Trixie... Stop it!", she demanded through shuddered breaths as the blood thirsty dragon closed in, "Stop it! STOP IT!"

Trixie eagerly galloped toward a tall rock to garner a better view of a show that she was sure to enjoy. Her face fell into a dark, evil shade of sadistic delight.

"Dragons... Fetch me her hide.", she hissed, "And do be quick about it. I've had enough of this grief to last a lifetime."

That command sent warm tears spilling from Twilight's eyes. Her opposition roared fiercely and obeyed Trixie without so much as an ounce of hesitation.

Finally, the last threads of rational thought snapped apart, and Twilight's instinct to survive took over.

Her horn burst with a blinding light that disoriented her attackers just long enough for her to escape harm.

Much to her dismay, however, they recovered without fault, and launched themselves at the unicorn. Fangs bared and wings expanded, the dragons pursued Twilight relentlessly.

Adrenaline tore through Twilight's veins as she narrowly escaped death more times in one event, than what had ever transpired in her entire life.

Every swipe of the claw. Every clamp of the jaw. Every breath of flame; the dragons were hellbent on brutalizing their prey.

And a lack of stamina worked against her.

Her arsenal of spells had never been put to such a strenuous test. Not even during her magic duel with Trixie.

Sweat poured out of Twilight's body as she struggled to retain focus and strength in her magic. Her quick wit and prowess were the only thing keeping either of her attackers from sinking their fangs into her flesh.

She could feel every drip of malice and blood lust from the dragons, and it only added to her strain. She knew all to well; one mistake, and she would be horribly maimed.

At one point, she realized that she had already made a fatal error. And her horn's glow began to fade from magic exhaustion.

The five dragons were constantly changing their tactics. They assaulted their prey in formations and synchronizations that nipped at vital opportunities with every swipe. They were fast and tireless. Focused and unhesitating.

And it was taking a tole on Twilight.

Before long, the sweaty, achy unicorn found herself backed into a rocky corner. And her attackers had assumed the threatening Delta formation.

Her knees quaked beneath her as she made a attempt to glare at the dragon's, only able to muster a pathetic cringe instead. With the opportunity ripe, the beasts lunged forward yet again.

Time slowed to a maddening crawl as Twilight's limbs suddenly seized up. Her despair sky-rocketed when she realized that her trump-card... was all used up.

"Oh no..."

It was too late.

One of the dragons had clamped a toothy grip onto Twilight's back; sinking it's fangs into her flesh and drawing fresh blood. Suddenly desperate to escape, Twilight's legs burst into a frantic gallop, only to be held in place.

"No! NOOO!", she cried.

No mercy. No remorse. No grace. The dragon drove it's claws into Twilight's flank and promptly slammed her into the earth; rattling her bones upon impact. She whined helplessly in pain as she stared into the soulless eyes of her attacker.

Another dragon leaped to it's kin's side and carved a grueling slash unto it's victims neck; uttering another wail of agony and terror.

"Please...!", Twilight bawled.

With a triumphant roar, all five dragons huddled together and raised their flesh-rending claws above the helpless pony, prepared to slice her to ribbons.

"HALT!"

As though they hadn't even gave chase for minutes on end, the dutiful beasts lowered their claws and stood away from the torn and bloody unicorn; separating from one another to clear a path.

Smiling with self-satisfaction, Trixie trotted through the path and gazed upon the gruesome sight.

Her eyes gleamed with cruelty as she heard her rivals cries of anguish and fear.

"You've done well, comrades. You've done very well, indeed!", Trixie reveled victoriously, "But I've changed my mind. I will be the one to end this!"

Vision blurred and recollection all but gone, Twilight struggled to regain focus. But when she did, she quickly wished she hadn't.

Before her stood Trixie; levitating a sharp-pointed rock above her.

"It didn't have to be this way, Twilight Sparkle. We'd have made one helluva team, you and I.", Trixie said as the floating rock spun like a drill, "But there will be no mercy for anypony who stands in my way!"

Twilight's eyes burned as tears poured down the side of her face. Her expression was contorted into a haunting twist of dread and beseeching despair.

"Trixie... Don't...", she pleaded with a disheartening whine.

Hesitation set in.

Trixie's eyes softened at her fellow unicorn's plea, and there gazes met. Twilight's glistening eyes reflected many things. Things that once held meaning to Trixie. Things that beckoned for a future. A desire to flourish and live.

But it was too late. Their was no turning back. Not for either of them. Not for Twilight, and especially not for Trixie. Of that, she was all too certain.

Her smile long since gone, the azure unicorn's expression hardened once more.

"Long live Sovereign..."

Knowing that further hesitation would be too restraining, Trixie clenched her teeth and smashed the spear-headed stone into her target; expelling a cloud of thick dust.

Of all the emotions she had expected to feel when the dust settle, blind anger was definitely not one of them.

"What the-?! Where in Tartarus did she go?!", she cursed as she frantically scanned her surroundings.

Much to Trixie's surprise, one of her dragon comrades sniffed loudly before whirling around and unleashing a roar of animistic rage.

The azure unicorn and the other dragons turned to the source of the distress, and witnessed something that changed everything.

"You?!", she shouted in sheer disbelief.

"Wish you'd noticed me earlier. I was starting to feel left out."

The veracious dragons expelled their roars and snarls at the new arrival.

But Trixie began to sweat, and found it difficult to summon her seemingly ever-present confidence.

"Ahh. The infamous Spirit of Chaos.", she sneered.

The bloody mess that was Twilight Sparkle in grasp, Discord examined the situation with a mischievous smile.

"So you've heard of me! I'm honored.", he bowed before taking a closer look at the opposition, "Oh, and you must be Beatrix Lulamoon. Or should I say, 'The Great and Powerful Trixie'."

Just the sheer tone of Discord's mocking persona was enough for Trixie to grit her teeth. She stepped forward; ignoring her rising nervousness.

"You seem to know me by name, Spirit. I guess I should return your gesture of gratitude."

With the situation assessed in full, the mismatched Spirit gently laid Twilight upon the ground and began marching toward the antagonists. Confidently. Dauntlessly.

Trixie and her dragon comrades all frowned with anticipation.

"If the situation here is as dreadful as it looks, Fair Beatrix, then that means you've been a very bad girl. Haven't you?", Discord grinned.

Trixie attempted to lift a most convincing smile upon her face, but her nervousness dulled it's edge.

"I fail to see how that is any of your business, Draconequus.", she said as strongly as she could, "Might I suggest you hastily remove yourself before somepony gets hurt?"

Discord stopped in his tracks and feigned shock and displeasure.

"Ohhho-hohoho my!", he mocked, "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Again, Trixie's confident facade was penetrated as though it were nothing. Sensing this, Discord's smile broadened.

"What exactly are you hoping to accomplish, Fair Beatrix? Salvation? Is that it? Is that how you justify your status as a puppet on a string?"

"Shut up!", Trixie blasted, "You have little rite to judge me, Spirit! My actions are of my own accord!"

At this very interesting piece of information, Discord raised a bushy grey eyebrow. His smile faded ever so slowly as he resumed his unnerving march.

"You mean, you willingly surrendered your freedom and self-hood to the Reapers?", his voice was suddenly devoid of amusement and playfulness.

This new vibe sent silent shudders through Trixie's body. The cold, unforgiving stare that Discord gave her was dwindling her courage more and more.

And that was scaring the Hell out of her.

Her scaly comrades leaped in front of her protectively; snarling at Discord.

"Beatrix? Before I rectify this absurdity, let me ask you a very important question.", Discord requested.

The white maned mare reflexively gulped, yet kept what was left of her adamant facade.

"Very well. What would that be?"

"Do you like chocolate milk?"

Well that was a thought provoker. Trixie actually found herself questioning if she had heard right.

"What the hay are you o-"

Her words were morphed into terrified screams as she witnessed the head of one of her comrades evenly spit apart; spattering it's blood across her face.

The other dragons howled with startled fury and poised themselves to attack the Spirit.

Trixie fell back on her haunches in suffocating fear.

"W-W-What have you done, you beast!", she sputtered.

"Take that as a 'no', then?"

Trixie shot to her now shaky hooves with wide eyes and erratic pulse. By now it was clear what she was in for, and she was suddenly desperate.

"Don't just stand there! Get him! GET HIM!", she commanded.

Obeying without a hitch, the furious dragons took to the air and soared at Discord. The clever draconequus smirked devilishly, and snapped his talons.

An untimely descent threw the four dragons off their focus as their wings were no longer where they should have been.

With no hesitation, and with the utmost confidence, Discord flicked his wrist and promptly flung the dragons back to Trixie. All but one. The unfortunate creature's head was caught by Discord, who swiftly and thoughtlessly twisted his arms; ushering a sickening, wet 'snap'.

Rigid for only a few seconds, the dragon's body fell limp, and the Spirit dropped the lifeless heap to the ground.

Witnessing these merciless acts hurled Trixie into vortex of despair she hadn't felt since her first encounter with Sovereign. And she was no longer able to hide her terror.

"You... You MONSTER!", she shrieked.

Discord expanded his wings in a threatening gesture.

"You're all mine, now. Indoctrinated Husks, you won't escape!"

The sight before her was blurred and distorted, only able to make out minimal detail. But Twilight was still very much alive, and barely clinging to consciousness.

The burning pain the enveloped her body was beyond anything she had ever suffered, and it crippled her to a certain degree. Though she found herself unable to move, her senses did not betray her.

Or, at least, that what she originally assumed.

"Twilight! Oh, Celestia, no! Twilight, can you hear me?!"

The sheer familiarity of that voice invoked a persistent denial with Twilight. It couldn't have been...

"Flu... Fluttershy? Is that... really you?"

Struggling to see through the blurs, Twilight squinted at the fuzzy shade of saffron and pink.

Fluttershy was positively beside herself with grief as she gazed hopelessly unto her bloody friend. She found herself at a loss for what to do, and couldn't decide whether to move her or not.

"Oh, Twilight! I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I... I-I was too scared!", Fluttershy wailed in shame.

From those words emerged a vivid memory that purged the haze from Twilight's vision. Battling the pain that twinged and burned through her seemed to be the only thing keeping her from falling unconscious, as she struggled to rise.

Alas, the torn unicorn could only collapse on her flank, and shake with unbearable weakness.

"Oh! Look at you! This is all my fault! If only I...!"

Fluttershy's words only fell into guilt-stricken sobs as she buried her face into her hooves. But her time for self-pity seemed nonexistent.

All train of thought was destroyed by the piercing shriek of Trixie, who helplessly shuffled back into a corner from the Spirit of Chaos.

As Twilight and Fluttershy gauged the scene before them, it became painfully obvious what Discord was about to do.

"Discord! NO! What are you doing?!", Twilight cried as she, once again, tried and failed to rise, "Fluttershy! We need to get down there!"

"W-What?! I... I-! But your wounds-"

"NOW!"

"EEP! Okay...!"

With her feeble insistence crushed, Fluttershy carefully took hold of Twilight and flew to the air, where Discord prepared to silence his last victim.

Trixie's face was a waterfall of tears, and she stared hopelessly into Discord's unforgiving red eyes.

"No... S-Stay back! Leave me ALONE!", she screeched.

"And miss out on all of this drama? Now who's the crazy one?", he mocked with a sadistic edge.

"I've told you everything I know! You said you'd let me go!"

Discord rolled his eyes out of sheer annoyance. He launched his eagle talons and clamped unto Trixie's neck; ushering another scream as she rigorously shook her head from side to side.

"I lied...", he grinned.

"No, don't! I want to live! Please! Have mercy, Discord!", she squealed and weakly beat upon the Spirit's grip.

"You? Live? A pathetic unicorn who chose a path of servitude to a catastrophic cause? You've surrendered your freedom. Forsaken your will to evolve and flourish! You're already dead, Beatrix. And I'm gonna make sure you stay that way."

Discord's promise was one that Trixie knew he could and would deliver on.

His ruthless slaughter of her dragon comrades had made that all too clear. Those facts alone drove her to deeper insanity.

She was going to die.

"Please... You can't do this to me..."

Discord's lion paw ignited with a piercing yellow flame.

"Die. Harlot of the Machines."

It was upon those words did the draconequus stumble in his actions, as his focus was destroyed by a voice all too familiar.

"DISCORD! STOP THIS!"

He needed not turn back. There was only one mare who reeked of idealism enough to protest his conviction other than Celestia herself.

"You can't kill her!", Twilight demanded as strongly as she could.

Fluttershy had descended to the ground and set her friend down as gently as she could.

Despite all of the carnage that ensued, the saffron pegasus found herself trembling at the sight before her. She could hardly believe her eyes, but they didn't deceive her.

The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony was free.

"I think Sovereign took care of that for me, Twilight Sparkle.", Discord insisted, never taking his glare from his sobbing victim.

Twilight fell to the ground again; her weakness taking its toll. Frantic to stop the Spirit, however, she crawled closer to them.

"No! I don't believe that, Discord! Some part of the Old Trixie is still alive in there! She can still redeem herself!"

Discord scoffed loudly at the young mare's words.

"And how can you tell that, my dear? The sniveling pleas for mercy? The cascade of fearful tears? The undying, albeit, faded arrogance? Or the blood stained on her hooves?"

Finally, as though gaining strength from desperation, Twilight shakily rose to her hooves and remained standing.

"Its not right, Discord! Even you have to realize that she could be an ally to us! There's always another way!"

Twilight's insufferable softness wore on Discord's last nerve. With Trixie still in grasp, the Spirit whirled around and put his victim face to face with Twilight.

"An Ally?! Look at this thing, Twilight! LOOK AT IT! It's no more an ally than Cerberus is a helpless pup! It swore loyalty to the Reapers! It can't be trusted, and it deserves NO redemption!", he protested.

Discord's words, though stern and cold, held an unsettling truth. And yet, these allegations were challenged by Trixie's tears.

Twilight stared upon her fellow unicorn with nothing short of pity. The azure mare's eyes begged for mercy, her body language was that of a pony as afraid of death as any other. Down to the very blood and flesh.

"She doesn't deserve this, Discord.", Twilight finally said, "Please... Let her go."

Finally, the Spirit had had enough. He dropped the sniveling Trixie to the ground and crossed his arms disapprovingly at Twilight.

"Your blind idealism is a sign of weakness, Twilight Sparkle.", he growled, "Pray that it doesn't come back to haunt you."

Collecting herself from her sudden fall, Trixie's glistening eyes once again met Twilight's gaze; wallowing in sheer disbelief that she was spared.

"You... Y-You..."

"Begone, Beatrix Lulamoon.", Discord interjected with a sneer, "May we never cross paths again."

And with a snap of his talons, Trixie was gone. To where, was a mystery.

"Thank you, Discord. I... know that couldn't have been easy-"

"Shut up and hold still.", he commanded as he placed his lion upon Twilight's back.

She found no will to question the Spirit's actions when she was flooded with a rush of soothing relief throughout her body. She was overtaken by warmth and energy as her injuries steadily healed.

"I... I didn't know you could do that.", Twilight quietly marveled.

"Yeah? Well don't get used to it, ya bleeding-heart.", Discord spat.

The young protege couldn't help but smile. Her growing camaraderie with the draconequus had made her more comfortable around him. Every ounce of help he had given broadened her knowledge in ways she had only imagined.

She'd probably never say directly to the Spirit's face, but she was eternally grateful to him and everything he had done in the passed days.

Now, however, she realized she had a major problem.

She peeked behind her and realized that Fluttershy was missing. But any worry that might have arisen was vanquished as she saw her hiding behind a tree; shaking like a leaf.

"Twilight Sparkle..."

She turned back to Discord and was instantly unnerved by his grave demeanor.

"Tell them.", he said flatly.

"But I-... Its so soon, Discord. What would I do? What should I say?", she fretted.

The mismatched draconequus hunched over and placed an assuring paw upon Twilight's shoulder.

"You've got to worn them. Sovereign is coming. Even now, it's preparing to launch its mission. I was able to gather at least that much from Beatrix. Whatever happens from here on out, you must be ready."

It was no good. No matter how she played the scene out in her mind, she saw no possible way to convince anypony without dire consequences.

"But how? What if... What if nopony listens to me-YAH!"

Twilight was viciously snatched into Discord's grip as he tried to shake her out of her restraining fear.

"Whats wrong with you?! Threaten them! Kick their flanks! It shouldn't matter! If they won't listen, then MAKE them listen!", she shouted before dropping her on her haunches.

Twilight knew, despite his harshness, Discord was telling the cold hard truth. She only realized the haste she had to make when Discord turned to leave. But there was one loose end that was bothering the Hell out of her.

With a quick levitation spell, she gathered the Spirit's attention again.

"Discord, wait!", she called out.

When he turned, Discord abruptly caught a saddlebag thrown to him. He stared at it strangely before peeking at the contents inside. His expression thereafter, only spawned more concern.

"No way. This is..."

"I'll do my part. I'll try my best to convince everypony. Just please... do what you can. Whatever Trixie had in that bag, I'm sure its invaluable to our research.", she said with high hopes.

Discord suddenly found himself giddy with delight, and he leaped into the air.

"Oh, how wonderful! This could skyrocket our progress! Well done, Twilight Sparkle! Well done!"

With that, and a hardy cackle, the draconequus was gone with a snap.

There was no more time to lose. Twilight now knew what she had to do, and the knowledge of what her revelations could bring both encouraged and frightened her. But there was no alternative. She had to tell them everything.

"You can come out now, Fluttershy."

As predicted, said pegasus hesitated before peeking her head from behind her hiding place. With the coast clear, Fluttershy trotted to her friend. It was almost painful to see the expression of worry on her face, Twilight noted.

"T-Twilight? Whats going on? Why was Discord-"

"Fluttershy?"

"Oh, um... Yes?"

Twilight smiled weakly and began walking in the direction of Ponyville.

"Lets just go home. I'll explain everything over a nice cup of tea."

The Hard Choices

"You. Did. WHAT?!"

Any iota of peace or tranquility that had resided in Ponyville Library, was swiftly obliterated by the thick southern uproar.

Though she was expecting a discomforting, unanimous reaction from the get go, Twilight Sparkle was, in no way, prepared for Applejack. She jumped in her seat, suddenly fearful of the orange mare.

"Whattdya mean ya freed Discord?!", Applejack demanded.

"There... There was nopony else, Applejack. If neither of the Princesses knew what happened to the Humans, then who? Who else was I supposed to turn to?", Twilight fearfully asked.

Her words seemed to cut deep for Rainbow Dash, who abruptly hovered in front of her.

"Nopony else?! What about us?! We're you're friends, Twilight!", she protested with dejected fervor.

Rarity, who was in tears at this point, walked hollowly up to her fellow unicorn; her eyes reflecting the grief of betrayal.

"Its not true...", she shuddered with empty denial, "Tell me its not true, Twilight."

By this point, a sting of regret more powerful than she ever had the misfortune of experiencing, began to tear through her resolve. But she continued onward; knowing that she had to tell them.

"Girls, please? Let me explain.", Twilight begged desperately.

Though it was a fresh, gaping wound among the five, Twilight's friends gave her the floor. Each of them, even Fluttershy, couldn't move on from the day until they looked Twilight in the eye and heard her justify such a travesty.

With dread erupting in her heart, the lavender unicorn swallowed the gaggle of her fear and inhaled a long, soothing breath. As determined as she could, she spoke the words that she knew would make or break her future.

"Okay... Here's the truth.", she began; inwardly sifting through ways she could explain, "I turned to Discord because I thought that his centuries of unorthodox knowledge would help me confirm my suspicions. And... I'm in no way proud of this, but when I lied to you girls, the incantation I used to free him worked. It was an act of Disharmony."

Twilight's shame reflected almost blindingly as she revealed her motives. When she received only silence, she gratefully continued.

"As it turns out, Discord had been studying the Humans for centuries. When he ruled Equestria, he dedicated his research and time to learning everything about them. But along the way, he discovered Sovereign.", she clarified.

Rainbow Dashes ears stiffened at that name.

"Wait. You mean that blow-hard of a cuttlefish?", she asked, slightly confused.

"Precisely. Girls, Sovereign isn't just some scary illusion we saw in Canterlot. Its very real and very determined. Its a Machine. A living, thinking machine with a one-track mind. The Humans once called Sovereign and the rest of it's kind, Reapers."

"Oh, Twilight, listen to yourself!", Rarity tearfully interrupted, "Do you actually believe that rapscallion?! We've dealt with his ways before, remember?! He lies and manipulates without end OR regard for anypony!"

"Please, just hear me out. I would've never believed it either if I didn't see the proof for myself. I never thought that the history of life spanned so far. I can't even imagine what came before the Humans."

Twilight made an almost pathetic attempt to drain the tension in the room with banter of a curious sort. But this only served to irk Applejack even more than she already was.

"So lemme get this on the straight and narrow. Ya really believe that there was a group o' folks that ran things, other then us, tens of thousands of years back?", she asked with an eerily calm demeanor.

"Yes."

"And ya actually think these so called 'Reapers' are more than just an old ghost story?"

"Y-Yes."

Applejack narrowed her eyes dangerously at the now sweating Twilight.

"And ya really think ya done right by freein' Discord?", her voice became much lower and baneful.

Twilight could no longer speak. Her voice seemed to had lost its tone and congruence as she stared into her fellow mare's penetrating eyes. She nodded weakly.

That confirmation was all Applejack needed to unleash her uproarious disagreement, which she promptly demonstrated by throwing her beloved Stetson to the floor.

"Con-SARNIT, Twilight! I can't believe ya'd stoop so low! How can y'all be so STUPID?!", she shouted.

Now, there were many things that Twilight could tolerate, given her wide screen of patience. Being laughed at. Being interrogated. Hell, even being challenged magically. But nopony. Ever. Insulted. Her intelligence.

She hopped from her seat with a now scathing frown.

"Now wait just a minute, Applejack! How does taking necessary risks to ensure everypony's safety make me stupid?! You know I'd never do anything like this unless there was a plenty good reason!", she defended.

"'A plenty good reason'? Are y'all serious?! What reason could ya possibly have for turnin' your back on everythin' ya stand for?! On everythin' WE stand for?!"

Before long, Applejack's verbal assaults sent the unicorn on a teary defensive.

"How dare you! I'd never betray what we stand for! In fact, I did what I did to preserve what we stand for! Everything I've learned with Discord had to have meant SOMETHING!"

By now, the arguing mares were inches from each others faces, and doubled the intensity in the air. The other four friends crumbled into a petrified heap as they watched the fireworks.

Even Rainbow Dash was too afraid to say anything.

"Do ya really believe that?! Or is that just what that lyin' varmint wants ya think?! Spooky visions or not, Twi, ya can't possibly have a mind to trust Discord without throwin' everythin' ya ever cared about away!"

"Dammit, Applejack! Whether you believe it or not, those visions were a warning! And that warning's become all too clear! Sovereign is close! And the more we keep fighting the higher it's chances of success are! If we don't find a way to stop it, then we're all dead! FINISHED! Why can't you understand that?!"

The enraged farm pony could almost feel her veins contracting as her blood boiled.

How could Twilight be so blind? Why would she do such a thing and not tell her friends? Were they not to battle any hardship together? Were they not the Elements of Harmony?

"Ya know what?! You're right Twilight! I don't understand it! I don't even understand why I'm havin' this conversation with you!", she griped before snatching her Stetson from the floor, "I'm done! Lemme know when you've come to your gall-darn senses!"

For some reason, it was far more infuriating for Twilight to see Applejack turn her back on her, for it proved to be a gesture that beckoned for an immediate response.

"Don't turn your back on me! You said that whatever I decide, you're with me until the end! Well, what about now, Applejack?! Are you so proud that you can't back up your lies?!", she shrilled, now in full-blown tears.

That incredibly provocative statement nearly sent the blonde farm pony over the edge. It was bad enough that Twilight was damn-near unreasonable about her rash and foolish decision, but to call her a liar?

Applejack stopped in her tracks, and started shaking with unquestionable anger.

"WELL?!"

Twilight was livid with both rage and sorrow as she received nothing but silence, and continued hoof-steps. As if things weren't bad enough, Applejack walked out on her.

Nopony spoke. There was no need. The heat of this tear-jerking argument had made their standing all too clear...

And it broke Twilight's heart.

The crest-fallen unicorn collapsed on her haunches and every one of her features slumped with a vibrant depression. A depression that beckoned to the remainder of her friends, who were unfortunate enough to witness such a dreadful event unfold.

However, things seemed to be even worse than they appeared as Twilight held up a hoof to stop their approach.

"Please. Just... Just go.", she whispered in shuddered breaths.

"But Twili-?", Rainbow Dash tried to say, but was silenced by a teary Pinkie Pie.

The poofy maned pony held her hoof before Rainbow, and slowly shook her head. For reasons beyond comprehension, tension and bad-blood seemed to thicken the situation. Even Rarity felt her strength crumble in the wake of such bane.

Against every ounce of better judgement they possessed, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash vacated the library; silently wishing the saddened Twilight their very best.

Just as she was sure she was alone, Twilight's heaves and sobs steadily emerged. It was only a tender hoof on her shoulder that cut them down for a time.

She whipped her head up only to see Fluttershy, as broken and tearful as she was.

"Leave me alone, Fluttershy...", Twilight whispered.

Her only response was a warm, unmovable embrace. Close contact was an agonizing gesture for Twilight at the time. She tried weakly to push away; her sobs strengthening with every failed attempt.

"I believe you, Twilight.", Fluttershy whispered back, "I've always believed you."

Though they were meant solely to console the weeping Twilight, Fluttershy's words only added to her sorrow; throwing her into deeper, more heaving sobs.

Her attempts to push the saffron pegasus away finally died, and she instinctively buried her face into her neck. Fluttershy could only shake from Twilight's disheartening vibes as she held her tight; whispering sorrowful apologies through her own tears.

Alone. Isolated. Detached from all other life-forms. Sulking in darkness with head in hoof. The perpetually chilling bite of solid metal beneath her body was the only sensation keeping her awake.

There was no sound. There was no movement. Only her... and the torments of doubt and despair.

But she was not truly alone.

Her muse was crushed by the sudden shifting of a large black orb above her. It rotated slightly; erupting a piercing flash of red light from it's core. What followed soon after, hurled her into a stroke of fear.

"BEATRIX..."

Her eyes became hopelessly transfixed upon the red eye.

"Sovereign... I am inadequate.", she whispered.

"THE MAWS OF DOUBT CONSUME YOU. YOU MUST STEEL YOUR RESOLVE, FOR OUR TIME IS NEAR... THE CYCLE MUST CONTINUE."

The quaking boom of Sovereign's treble rumbled into Trixie's soul; enveloping her in a blanket of numbing fright.

"I... I don't know. Surely they all mustn't die. S-Surely I'm not the only one who acknowledges your blessings. Is this... Is this right?", she questioned through involuntary trembles.

"ORGANIC CIVILIZATION... MUST BE HARVESTED IN ORDER TO BRING ORDER TO THE CHAOS. IT IS INEVITABLE... WITHOUT OUR INTERVENTION, ORGANICS ARE DOOMED. WE... ARE YOUR SALVATION."

The malevolence of Sovereign's declaration only served to instill more misery into Trixie, who, by now, was crying shamelessly. She was all too privy to what was demanded of her. She knew that her hooves would be stained with the blood of billions.

In a phrase, it was too much.

" But... But...! I don't want this, anymore! I can't do this!", she lamented dejectedly, "I wanna go home! I wanna wake up from this nightmare! I wan-... I-ACK! UUUAAAAGH!"

Her complaints and cries were thrashed away by hoarse screams of nerve racking anguish. Her head began pounding with protestant whispers as her doubts persisted, and she writhed and rolled against the cold hard steel.

"No! No, PLEASE! Make them go away! MAKE IT STOP!", Trixie howled.

"THE CYCLE MUST CONTINUE! IT IS THE ONLY WAY! THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE..."

"I... I-!"

"YOU HAVE PLEDGED SERVITUDE TO US. YOU HAVE FORESWORN THE FLESH AND BONE FOR THE SALVATION OF ALL LIFE IN THE COMING CYCLES. YOU... WILL SERVE. AS OTHERS HAD BEFORE YOU. WITHOUT QUESTION. WITHOUT STRIFE."

By this point, Trixie had been reminded of how she could snuff the dreadful whispers. And from one remembrance came another.

She knew that fully succumbing to Indoctrination would completely eradicate her self-hood and make her mindlessly obedient. But if she had willingly accepted the influence, if she had swore unquestionable loyalty to Sovereign, her mind and will would remain intact.

She was reminded how important it all was. How imperative it was to aid The Machines and continue this Cycle of Salvation.

In time the whispers began to fade, and it was ground down to a dull buzz. Trixie had steadily regained herself, and reestablished her gaze upon the red orb above her.

"Forgive me, Sovereign. A moment of weakness. It won't happen again.", Trixie reassured to herself more than her malevolent master, "What of Twilight Sparkle? She continues to resist, and now has the aid of the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony."

"DISCORD HAD STOOD AGAINST US IN THE PAST. BUT EVEN ONE AS POWERFUL AS HE, CANNOT PREVENT THE ARRIVAL. TWILIGHT SPARKLE IS NO DIFFERENT. BEFORE THE MIGHT OF OUR CONQUEST, THEY WILL PERISH... OR THEY WILL SERVE US."

The churning and cranking of sinister machinations sounded from beside Trixie. As though realizing what had to be done, she rose to her hooves and walked through a now open door.

Before her stood a metallic bed surrounded by an arsenal of strange and grueling tools.

"PREPARE FOR ASCENSION, BEATRIX. OUR DAY OF RECKONING IS UPON US."

On that order, Trixie climbed upon the metal spread, and remained motionless and impassive to the grim contraptions that buzzed around her.

"Thy will be done, Sovereign."

Vast sums of unquantifiable volumes of knowledge surrounded Discord as he glared lasers into his new project.

Documents, books, notes, and everything in between swam smoothly around his form, suspended unceremoniously within the space of his Archive in the Endless Unknown.

The item before him was a variable he had not counted on in his arduous campaign, but it was a blessing he would not soon waste. Glancing back and forth between the flowing tomes and the item, Discord stroked his goatee.

"That is very odd. Somehow it's connected with the Machines. And that harlot, Beatrix had been lugging it around like an accessory item? What was the purpose in that?"

The ancient Spirit mused aloud; gazing evermore upon the item.

"Reaper Technology. Such a rarity these days. But a finding that could unlock the answers to the questions that have haunted me for 2000 years."

He had submerged himself in study for hours, seemingly oblivious to all other facts of life. His wonder and curiosity kept his mental locomotion active and steady. Tirelessly, he examined data he had gathered from centuries of research.

When suddenly, an all too familiar feeling hit him.

"What the-?!"

It couldn't be...

"Oh my GOD! Thats hilarious!"

All at once, the volumes of research he smothered himself with was discordantly sprawled about the star-lit darkness.

He snapped his talons, and before him, materialized a distorted bubble of energy.

As he stared at his new item with glee and anticipation, the Spirit tossed it into the bubble. He watched in dumbfounded amazement as the collaboration resonated.

Discord flipped into the air and snatched two seemingly random books and began comparing notes. He shifted disbelieving glances back and forth between the literature and the anomaly before him.

In just a few minutes, he had reached a long sought conclusion.

"They're an exact match... THEY'RE AN EXACT BUCKIN' MATCH! HAHAHAHAHAHA! WUAHAHAHAHAHA-oh, wait... That's kind of important..."

On any other day, the golden glow and shining white brilliance of her sun would keep Celestia at a constant fervor of content.

She would be free of all troubles and ill thoughts as she bathed in the regalia of her sun-lit throne; caring for any matters as they would arise. And all would be right in the world.

But this was not like any other day. In fact, it was quite the opposite, as had been the passed week.

Celestia's mind was fraught with unease and tension ever since the first day of the Cultural Renaissance.

When she had used the Artifact, which was now confined at Canterlot's Study, the visions she had seen were not as similar as her fellow Princess and sister described.

It was far worse.

The horrors she had seen awakened a consuming doubt within her. The kind of doubt that had her questioning every action she had initiated since that day.

But more importantly, her actions involving a certain draconequus.

Celestia sat at her throne, putting considerable effort into maintaining a positive appearance. But deep within, a battle raged. She was unscrupulously torn by the howling protests of both the pros and the cons of past actions.

"Could he had been right all of this time? Were his insane ramblings truly more than just that? This... This doesn't make sense.", she mused.

Doesn't make sense.

That one poly-defined phrase described her old nemesis on a number of levels that would dwarf the very summit of Canterlot Palace. This couldn't have been more true a millennium ago, when Discord ruled Equestria.

He had talked of Immortal Machines. A forsaken civilization that was lost to the world at the hands of those Machines. And spoke diligently of their imminent return.

How utterly ridiculous it was at the time. Nothing but mind-rotted insanities of an equally insane despot. But, in light of these ill visions, where did those accusations stand now?

Was it really a lie, or was he telling the truth? Was it all a sick joke, or was his twisted smile a promise of more to come?

"This evidence uproariously disagrees with our previous assumptions. But... how can such a terrible force exist? How could we have not seen this coming?"

Her hopeless curiosity was soon replaced by indignant shame. They had seen this coming. Discord had seen this coming. And despite all of his rambling, tyranny, and chaos, that fool-headed draconequus was definitely onto something.

Something terrible.

All the same, however, he was far too unpredictable a variable to consider at this point. Or any point, for that matter. A large part of the graceful alicorn was relieved that Discord was still enhanced in stone.

The last thing she needed was more problems.

"Your Highness."

Celestia's muse was taken by one of her many Royal Guards, who trotted to the foot of her throne, and bowed with dignity.

"Yes?", she calmly responded.

"You have a visitor, Princess. The Element of Honesty, Lady Applejack, has arrived.", he informed before politely removing himself.

Once mentioned, the unicorns guarding the entrance to the throne room allowed Applejack to proceed.

The blond farm pony approached her monarch with the utmost respect and humbleness as she removed her Stetson and bowed.

"Applejack! What a pleasant surprise.", Celestia sincerely shined, "To what do I owe this visit?"

Once Applejack rose to meet her gaze, however, Celestia was slightly thrown off. Something was wrong.

"Princess? I... I don't rightly know what to say. I thought I was sure on the way here, but...", Applejack stammered.

A number of concerning variables arisen to Celestia's attention as her visitor hesitated.

She rose from here throne and stepped down before the nervous mare.

"What troubles you, Applejack?", her voice was an envoy of genuine concern and understanding.

But that didn't make Applejack feel any less uneasy, and neither did her hesitation.

"Its about Twilight.", she finally said.

Her words effectively changed Celestia's expression to that of moderate concern.

"Twilight Sparkle? What has happened? Is she alright?", she questioned; trying to keep her growing concern in check.

"Yes-well, no. I-I mean... I just... I don't know anymore, Princess. She's been actin' all cooky-like ever since she got that weird lookin' soda-can thing."

Celestia's expression softened ever so slightly.

"Ah. I see. Applejack, you have every reason to worry about your friend. It makes you a wonderful companion to her. But I'm sure that whatever ailments she may be experiencing, you and the rest of her friends can cure them.", she confidently praised.

Those words fell empty and hollow in the face of Applejack's situation, however.

"But thats just it, Princess! I'm not sure we can help her outta this! Not after what she done did!"

Applejack chastised herself for getting so loud and informal with her Princess, but was eased by Celestia's comforting smile and urge to continue.

With a deep breath and inward plea for forgiveness, Applejack broke the shackles of hesitation and said it.

"Twilight freed Discord."

Horrifying Revelations

She would never be rid of it.

The bone chilling, gut wrenching nausea that engulfed her body as she ripped and writhed through the spectral plain was a sensation she would never grow accustomed to.

No matter how many times she had experienced it, she would always hold her breath and wish the journey to end.

Only the soothing emptiness of the Endless Unknown could deliver her the reprieve she desperately craved. And so it was delivered in full.

Twilight Sparkle fluttered her eyes open; realizing she had reached her destination. Her body weightless and free now, the lavender unicorn released her tension unto the perpetual void, and floated idly.

She needed not to ask for clarification.

"Discord... I guess this means you've made a breakthrough?", she inquired astutely.

Coiled around the darkness behind stupefying auroras of light, the Spirit of Chaos turned his head to the floating mare. Only upon a few seconds of thoughtful silence, did he break into a proud grin.

"Was there ever any doubt?", he answered.

Relieved that she had gotten the hang of Discord's unpredictable Archive, Twilight swam through the darkness with grace and relaxed delight.

"You could've have at least warned me, you know.", she calmly chastised.

"Couldn't wait, my dear. This is too important.", Discord flatly assured, "You might wanna take a look at this."

Suddenly on edge at Discord's grave tone, Twilight swiftly soared to him and his new project.

"What have you got?"

"Its the damnedest thing, Twilight. Observe."

One of the hundreds of tomes flashed into existence with Discord's paw, and Twilight levitated it toward her.

"Page 40; Article 17. You're not gonna believe this."

As she diligently read the article word for word, she was slightly confused.

"These are the notes you took on the Artifact at Canterlot.", she observed with a furrowed brow, "Why is this so important?"

Collecting a stash of notes beside him, Discord floated toward the young protege.

"The item you gave me is a Reaper Artifact, my dear.", he informed.

"What?! And Trixie just carried that thing around?! There's no telling what kind of damage that thing might've caused!", Twilight bellowed.

"Buckle up, Baby, 'cause it gets better."

"Of course it does..." she dead panned.

"The Artifact at Canterlot isn't the only thing that resonates. As it turns out, so does Beatrix's little toy.", he said before giving his notes to Twilight, "I've cross-referenced the energy patterns and chronological outburst of both of them. Crazy as it sounds-"

"They're an exact match...", Twilight whispered in amazement after reading the notes, "That's... hilarious."

"I KNOW, right?!"

Despite her obvious sarcasm, the nagging and daunting fear of the unknown began to bite at Twilight's conscience.

What could this have meant? Was there some inconceivable variable that was over looked all this time? Was there a detail that may have been crucial in the light of this new discovery?

"I don't get it. If the Artifacts resonate with the same energy, then what does that mean?", she asked herself more than anyone else.

"And that, my dear, is the other reason I summoned you here. Though this is merely a theory of mine, its possible that what resides in Canterlot is also Reaper tech. What puzzles me is that despite sharing similar energy signatures, this little bugger just kinda... sits there, being all shiny. But if they were in the same proximity..."

Though she was exceedingly good at depicting incomplete statements and hidden meanings, Twilight was eager to clarify what the draconequus was getting at.

"What are you trying to-"

"No doubt those hopeless nimrods locked the Artifact away in the Canterlot Study by now. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take this new piece and see where it fits in this puzzle of complications."

In a weird way, Twilight could see where Discord was going with his statement.

If there were similarities between the items in question, then who was to say that they didn't hold significant meaning in a union?

As Twilight glared unto the Reaper Artifact, it seemed only capable of provoking her thoughts with one aggravating question.

What if?

"What say you, Twilight Sparkle?", Discord patiently asked.

"If there's even a chance... even a possibility that a union between the two could-... I'll do it!", she readily declared.

Discord smiled proudly, and snapped his talons. Before Twilight knew it, a saddlebag fell onto her flanks.

"Then you haven't a moment to lose. Take this to the other Artifact and see what you can learn.", Discord said as he swiftly tossed the item into one of the bags.

"You can count on me!"

Her determination was now brimming from her eyes as she held hope of finding a way to utilize this new information. It, alone, may have concealed a way to understand the Reapers. Maybe even stop them.

It was too good an opportunity to pass up.

As she gave Discord a look of readiness, her excitement was suddenly deflated by his hesitance.

"Twilight Sparkle? Did you tell them?"

That was definitely the one question she had hoped to avoid during their entire meeting. After all, it was only a few hours ago that she was ostracized and shunned by all but one of her so-called friends.

"I did... They didn't listen.", Twilight bitterly answered.

"Surely you were able to convince at least one of your friends?", Discord suggested.

Twilight could only scowl at the nonexistent ground.

One of her friends was nowhere near enough to make a difference. Though she was unrelentingly grateful for Fluttershy, the frustrated unicorn knew that she needed all of her companions by her side, or her campaign would mean absolutely nothing.

Or, at least, that's what she thought at first.

"I'll be fine, Discord. I'll do this on my own.", she nearly spat.

At this, the Spirit hastily glided to the young mare's side and lifted her chin to establish eye contact.

"Had this been my crusade to destroy anything that could've solidified your friendship, I'd be smiling at your resolution.", Discord chimed, before flatly adding, "I'm not smiling..."

Now growing frustrated, Twilight tore herself away from the draconequus' grip with an airy huff.

"It doesn't matter anymore. I... I-I don't need them."

Discord was silent for but a few seconds. He had stared hard unto Twilight; sensing the doubt and dejected grief in her.

He had seen this somewhere before, and it wasn't when he had terrorized the Mane Six a year ago. No, it was somewhere else, and he just couldn't finger it.

But the time for meaningless speculation was over. The time to act was now.

"Very well, Twilight Sparkle. The choice, and the consequences... are yours.", he said with a snap of his talons.

The sudden and jarring reentry into normality zapped the strength of Twilight's limbs as she materialized onto solid tile.

Mentally kerfuffled and dizzy, Twilight collapsed to the floor before she could even collect what was going on.

"I really... really wish there was a better way to travel.", she complained.

In a sudden snap of remembrance, however, the lavender unicorn lifted her head and steeled her resolve. She had a job to do.

"Oh! Well, that's convenient.", she smiled as she laid her eyes on the very object of her mission, "Very precise of you, Discord."

Her relief was soon replaced by an edge of concern as she saw her old project, however. It was pulsing and resonating more than it ever had before.

Constant waves of strange tingling energy ruptured throughout the containment room in the Canterlot Study, second by second.

Determination filled the young mare as she tossed off her saddlebag and levitated her other item from within the folds. To her amazement, it emitted the same amount of energy during the exact same time.

Soon enough, the power produced by these two relics began to overwhelm Twilight, and she strained herself to keep from crumbling over.

Something wasn't right.

"Whats-GUH!... Whats going on?!"

Her concentration was shattered into a million pieces as her levitation spell was crushed by an abnormally powerful wave. Twilight felt her body being hurled through the air, and cringed at the sharp impact of her back against the door.

Shaky and rattled by the sudden impact, Twilight struggled to her hooves for a time, but was struck back down by the brunt of her shock.

"What in all of Equestria..."

There, happening before her very eyes, was an anomaly she had never seen before. Twilight witnessed in awe as the smaller Artifact unraveled and unhinged itself, and connected to the larger one.

It was a union of mechanical beauty, a merger that teased the imagination with every click, clang, and clock. With one final explosion of power, the intertwined Artifacts were engulfed in a beam of white light that shone skyward; hindered only by the ceiling of the Study.

Having witnessed this spectacular display first-hand, Twilight could safely assumed that a breakthrough had indeed been achieved.

"This... This is incredible.", she whispered.

She picked herself from the floor and approached this new anomaly with caution and keen observation. She soon found herself only able to get a few feet closer, however, as the energy it gave off was near insufferable.

"This power... I can't believe such a thing existed for so long, and we had no idea."

"As it shall remain for the next Cycle..."

Twilight's ears lifted to the sky as she was struck by an unnerving familiarity.

"That voice... There's no way!", she yelled.

But, as if to contradict her denial, another blinding flash of light erupted from the beam itself, followed by a stiff landing of hooves on tile. When Twilight opened her eyes, her ears leveled with animosity.

"Trixie?! What are you doing here?!"

She was answered only by a fit of triumphant laughter.

"Twilight Sparkle! Thank you so much for reopening the Conduit! It was such a pain trying to find a way to do it all by myself!", Trixie thanked in a mocking tone.

The now nervous protege scowled at her fellow unicorn, and fell into a threatening defensive crouch, her horn aglow and ready for combat (and payback).

"What the hay are you talking about?!", she demanded.

"Why, didn't you know?! The Artifact, the Ancient Beacon, had been a part of our history for eons! Yet nopony could even hope to crack it's mysteries! Why do you think that is?", Trixie asked rhetorically.

"Stop playing games, Trixie! If you know something about this, then SPIT IT OUT! What beacon are you talking about?!"

Again, Trixie laughed.

"So demanding! Fine, I'll indulge you, Twilight Sparkle. You see, long ago, before the Equine rose to grace, the Humans had once used the Beacon as a means of sharing information. How ironic that they were as blind to it's potential just as much as we are! The age that spans the existence of this relic is beyond what any of us can comprehend! Millions of years, maybe even more!"

Twilight clinched her teeth, and hardened her position all the more.

"And?! Whats this history lesson all about?! And what does it have to do with what you're doing here?!"

"It has everything to do with why I'm here! Once the Humans had been wiped out, the Reapers found a more... prominent use for these beacons. Beforehand, the only purpose they served was common place. However, they had been technologically enhanced, re-purposed to suit the Reapers' needs! Only within range of Reaper technology can the Beacon's true purpose be achieved, and thanks to you, Twilight Sparkle, IT HAS!"

"What?! I-I don't understand! What have you done?!"

"Isn't it obvious by now?! They set a trap! A trap that had lied undisturbed for 50,000 years, and you sprang it gloriously!"

Twilight's features subtly dropped as a horrifying revelation dawned on her.

"Wait... No! You can't possibly mean-...!"

"This is the beginning of the end, Twilight Sparkle! Canterlot will fall! And from the ashes will rise the Flames of the Apocalypse! I couldn't have done it without you!"

With an indignant roar, Twilight charged at Trixie, who smiled mirthfully and cast a powerful binding spell; constricting all movement. To say the least, it was unbelievable that the azure unicorn could cast a spell that potent.

Twilight couldn't even weaken it.

But in light of this new development, dwelling on Trixie's new potency was pointless.

"Damn you, Trixie! DAMN YOU! I should have let Discord finish you off!", Twilight howled in contempt.

"The Conduit is Sovereign's call to War! The Cycle Begins Anew!"

With a swift flick of the horn, Trixie vanquished her nemesis; transporting her to a location that served both irony and hilarity.

All the same, nothing could stop it now.

Its amazing how a troubled mind could enlarge the small and magnify the mundane.

Such was a subconscious realization of a distraught Princess Celestia as the spell book she flipped through landed on the floor with an overly loud 'thud'.

Even Applejack could feel the brunt of the Sun Goddess' disbelief as she stumbled back from her.

"This... This can't be.", Celestia quietly denied, "She really did it... She stole the Incantation."

Ever since Applejack had enlightened her Princess of Twilight's unacceptable choice, her mind started running Olympic track-races. Given Celestia's reactions, Applejack was in the clear to assume that she probably should have waited.

"Uh, Princess? I don't mean to pry, but what Incantation are ya talkin' about?", she asked.

"It is an incantation that was to be used only when ready to teach Discord the virtues of Harmony.", Celestia explained with a shadow of a grimace, "The page containing that spell is missing from this book."

Applejack was downcast when she heard that. She had never really pegged Twilight a thief. Were things really as bad as they-

"No! If she used that Incantation, then that means-!"

Celestia's eyes flashed with wrathful recollection as she transported Applejack and herself in front of the vault that contained the Elements of Harmony.

The alicorn hastily inserted her horn into the jewel-crested lock and cast her spell; opening the vault and relinquishing the chest that contained the Elements.

Though her own dread threatened to dissolve her haste, Celestia pushed forward and opened the chest. And as Applejack gasped in shock, Celestia's fears were realized.

"Gone... The Element of Magic is-...", she didn't even have the nerve to finish her sentence.

Disbelief consumed the regal monarch as she stared jarringly at the chest's contents. Whispers of constant denial began to resonate in her mind, and she could only grieve at the sudden pain of truth.

"Princess? What's this mean for Twilight?", Applejack asked, suddenly in a fit of worry.

Celestia's words nearly brought both mares to tears.

"I didn't want to believe you Applejack. I... I thought-no... I was certain there had to have been a mistake. But what Twilight Sparkle has done is...", Celestia almost dared not use the word and the name of her most beloved student in the same sentence.

By now, Applejack was biting on her Stetson; wishing she had waited to tell the Princess what was happening. But she had to know. She had to understand what this meant for Twilight.

"What? Please, Princess, I have to know!", she pleaded desperately.

From solemn to fierce, Celestia turned to Applejack; beckoning a light tremble from the orange farm pony.

"She has committed Treason. If she is working with Discord, then she... she is a traitor to her Kingdom."

No amount of protestant cries would've been enough to counter that line of thought. In fact, Applejack was so beside herself with fear, she could no longer speak. She merely stood there, petrified at what had happened.

At what she had done.

Now overcome with regret, the blond farm pony immediately attempted to alleviate the pressure that was sure to come.

"B-But Princess, I'm sure there's gotta be a darn-good explanation for all this! I-I mean, maybe she's sick! O-Or, maybe, she's been studyin' that little project o' her's too much! Maybe she's just not right in the head, but she can't be a-... She just can't!", she defended.

Celestia bit back an anguished sigh, and turned toward one of the enormous decorated windows of the Royal Hall. Not even the beauty of Canterlot could detour her muse from this travesty.

Nor could it help her forget her responsibilities as a ruler.

"Tell me, Fair Applejack, do you know the what becomes of ponies who commit acts of Treason against their Kingdom?", Celestia's voice was a basket-case of dejected sorrow.

"Please, Princess Celestia! I reckon if she just had a chance to explain herself-"

"She will have her chance... Be certain of that."

Suddenly, an abrupt flash of magenta erupted from the center of the Hall. Both mares whipped their attention toward the sudden disturbance, and were in a blatant stroke of disbelief, to say the least.

As the light faded, a flushed, sweaty mass of lavender smashed into the polished floor with an indignant grunt.

"T-Twilight?!", Applejack exclaimed before instinctively dashing toward her friend.

Celestia, willfully shoving her previous situation away for another time, trotted briskly toward the two Elements.

After a brief moment of stirring and groaning, Twilight's eyes flipped open, and she launched to her hooves, full of rage.

"TRIXIE!"

Taken aback by her friend's outburst, Applejack stumbled back, and glanced worriedly at Twilight.

"Trixie? What are-"

"No! I shouldn't be here! I have to stop her!", Twilight continued to shout.

That is when Celestia made her illustrious presence known with a gentle call to her troubled protege. Feeling a sudden, albeit, short-lived wave of relief, Twilight leaped before her beloved Monarch.

"Princess! The Artifact! We have to destroy it!", Twilight frantically griped.

Surprised by her students sudden outbursts, Celestia raised a wary eyebrow, encouraging Twilight to continue. Applejack was also curious, though lost, about the situation.

"It was a trap all along! The Artifact was redesigned to beckon Sovereign to it's location! We have to evacuate Canterlot! NOW!"

All mares in the area, however, could only whip there attention elsewhere as shrieking squawks thundered from outside. They peered out of the window in silent amazement as they witnessed an immeasurable number birds lift to the sky in a frantic take off.

Feathers flying, the inhabitants down below were also captured by this strange occurrence.

Twilight's ears lost all strength, as did her legs, as she dropped to the ground; stifling back snivels and sobs. Tearing herself from the scene outside, Applejack turned to the lavender unicorn.

"Twilight? Whats goin' on?"

"We're too late. Its happening..."

The hopelessness in Twilight's voice was enough to plummet Applejack's heart to her stomach. But as her memory began to crank into action, she gathered key words that slowly ignited the same feelings that consumed her friend.

Visions. Civilization lost. Warning... Sovereign.

The peaceful skies of Equestria were among the most silent of places. A sanctuary for all able winged creatures, Pegasi or otherwise, to escape their troubles or just to enjoy the limitless tranquility.

Peace, however, was not in supply that day.

Tearing through the Majestic Blue with speeds most impressive, Dragons and Gryphons alike roared their distinctive battle-cries as they zipped straight above the ocean of clouds.

Squadrons and fleets of wing, scale, fur, and feather soared to their destination in droves. Hundreds of creatures all traversing at the same blinding speed with a common goal.

And the gargantuan monstrosity of solid steel and terror would see their goals met.

This strange contraption soared amongst the Dragons and Gryphons. The sheer magnitude and girth of it dwarfed the creatures to the size of insects, yet the creatures seemed to pay no mind to it.

It's shape was that of horror and dominance. A thick, blackened metal hide that gleamed through the sky. A trio of grueling, jointed arms curled in front of it. And it's body surged with patterned lights and red electricity; distorting the peaceful skies all the more with a deafening hum.

In perfect synchronization, these creatures began a steady descent through the clouds.

Their location was superior.

Their target was in sight.

The time was ripe.

With a vibrant, echoing roar, the Dragons unleashed volley after volley of flaming balls of death through the clouds.

Merciless and uncaring, the assault continued, knowing, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that what ever was on the receiving end would be viciously taken apart by a hell-storm of fire and brimstone.

And so it was.

It was a land that could be seen from even the farthest reaches of the Equestrian Kingdom. If not for it's size and regalia, then for it's prestigious reputation.

The eyes of thousands averted their gaze to the sudden disturbance. Blurry from distance or not, the hearts and minds of these masses were spiraling with confusion as they witnessed this disastrous event unfold...

Canterlot, the Capitol of their Kingdom, was burning.

Prophetic Disaster

"What in the name of Celestia..."

Rarity was beside herself with numbing fear as she gazed upon the black clouds rising amidst the Equestrian Capitol from the window of her Boutique.

Her breath became shallow and elusive, and she felt her heart sinking with every erratic thump. The first minute, all was as it should have been. The next, Canterlot was in flames.

In a continuous lapse of confusion and fear, Rarity sputtered over her words, unable to form any semblance of coherence. This caught the attention of her beloved sister, Sweetie Belle.

"Um, Rarity? Is everything okay?"

The sweetness and innocence of her little sister's voice was enough to restore understandability to Rarity's speech patterns. All at once, memories and recollections smashed into her in a dizzying geyser of thought.

"No... Applejack...", the white unicorn squeaked.

Rarity clearly recalled the urgency in which Applejack had told her friends of her departure to Canterlot that very day. She wasn't clear as to why she was going, but neither of her friends, despite egging questions, opted to stop her.

A costly mistake, as it seemed.

"Hey, sis? A-Are okay? Whats going on out there?", Sweetie Belle persisted.

Suddenly, a cornucopia of facts drowned her. Canterlot was under attack. The Foundation of Equestria was under attack. Her friends and family were now in mortal danger, whether the storm had reached Ponyville or not.

And it shook her to tears.

Due to years of closeness that she had sought after, Sweetie Belle keenly detected her older sisters distress, and her chest tightened when faint sniffs and shudders came from her.

Before she could utter a syllable of a question, the little filly was startled as her sister whirled around and leered at her with a tear-stricken face. Sweetie Belle instinctively bit her lower lip as her eyes glistened with confusion.

"Listen to me, Sweetie Belle.", Rarity's voice was a hybrid of despair and stern care, "Rarity has to go on a trip. I need you to lock the doors and windows and stay here. Is that clear?"

"Wha-I... Huh?! What are you talking about, Sis? Why are you crying?", she pleaded with worried eyes.

Rarity nearly broke in the face of her little sister's innocence, and was grimly reminded of the severity of her decision.

"Don't argue with me, Sweetie. Take care of Opalessence. I'll... I'll return shortly."

As stern and strong as she made herself out to be at the time, Rarity chastised herself for lying to her sweet sister. In truth, she had no idea how bad things were, nor whether or not she would, indeed, return.

But in the grand scheme of things, she deemed it necessary to lie.

Sweetie Belle on, the other hoof, was not going to make it easy for her to leave. She launched herself onto Rarity forelegs and refused to let go.

"But-! B-B-But Rarity?! Where are you going?! You're scaring me!", she squealed, now in her tears of her own.

As the fear that she had instilled in Sweetie Belle dawned on her, Rarity collapsed on her belly and found it rather difficult to subdue the oncoming sobs of anguish.

"Oh, Sweetie! I love you so very, very much!", she nuzzled vigorously into her foal sister's tearful cheek.

"But I... I... I...!", she sputtered; starting to cry harder.

No longer allowing the shackles of hesitation to hold her, Rarity shot to her hooves and pulled Sweetie Belle into a powerful embrace.

"Listen to me. No matter what happens, I've always loved you, and I always will! Stay safe, Little Sister."

Fearing that her resolve would crumble at any moment, Rarity tore herself from her now terrified sister and bolted out of the Boutique. Sweetie Belle scurried after her, and stopped just short of the door; watching as her beloved Rarity shrank into the distance.

"Rarity...?", her tears fell more fierce than ever.

It was only upon a quick blink did she finally notice the distant blaze that engulfed Canterlot.

Gasping long and loud, Sweetie Belle gaped on in the greatest and most heartbreaking confusion she had ever experienced.

xxxxxx

Terror descended upon Ponyville as the masses gathered in one collective herd.

Confused chatters, sputters, and screams resonated the atmosphere as they stared hopelessly unto the sight of the smolders and flames rising from the distant Canterlot.

Among them were three of the Mane Six, who shared equal expressions of bewilderment. It was only upon Rarity's frantic entry, did her friends turn away from the disaster.

"Rarity! Are you seeing this?!", Rainbow Dash screamed; pointing a shaky hoof at Canterlot, "Am I hallucinating?!"

"I was going to ask you the same thing!", Rarity cried, "What in the world is going on?! And where is Twilight?!"

Pinkie's speech was now degenerated into a blathering constant of 'Ohmygosh!' as she hopped up and down with horribly contained adrenaline.

As the event played itself out, the terror had thickened ten-fold. Fluttershy lamented a horrid scream as the distant specs of winged creatures descended from the clouds above Canterlot, and magnified the assault.

Many of these specs held the unmistakable profile of dragons.

"Girls! Applejack is down there! What do we do?!", the saffron pegasus wailed.

Pinkie's slew of 'Ohmygosh!' instantly morphed into 'Applejack!'

"We must go to the train station, at once! The sooner we get there, the better!", Rarity claimed.

"But that train ride takes hours! How in Equestria would we make in time?!"

Rainbow was just as downcast by her own answer as much as the others. Muscles tensed and thoughts racked with failed ideas, the ponies' growing desperation nearly consumed them.

Unit...

"You can start by saying 'please'."

Neither pony could even think to question the resounding voice, before Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all vanished in a hot white flash of light without a trace.

"WARRIORS! TO ME!"

Princess Celestia's cry thundered the halls of the entire Palace, and she launched herself through the large window before her.

With her majestic wings sprouted stoutly, and horn aglow with vibrant flare, the Monarch of the Sun darted into the air and was soon accompanied by a platoon of synchronized Royal Guardian Pegasi.

"Defend Canterlot! Drive these creatures back!", Celestia commanded.

With weapons at the ready, and a unanimous call of proud compliance, the well numbered platoon hurled themselves into the fierce storm of battle.

Twilight Sparkle, who worriedly stared after her beloved mentor from the windowsill, was consumed by spine-chilling fear. Her insides felt as though they had been frozen solid as she witnessed the embers of Dragon Fire steadily consume her hometown.

The crumbling of buildings, and the wretched screams of ponies down below poisoned the air; thickening it with despair.

Still visibly shaken by what was happening, Applejack steadily regained sense of herself. With Celestia's last, soothing words to them resonating in her mind, the orange mare shook Twilight out of her trance.

In an instant, the lavender unicorn had soundly concluded what needed to be done.

"Applejack! We have to get to Canterlot Study! We have to destroy the Artifact!", Twilight said.

"But, what about the others?!", Applejack protested through encroaching dread.

"We can't wait! The more time we spend here, the more Canterlot burns! We gotta move!"

"Twilight, I-... What in TARNATION?!"

As if the chaos outside wasn't evident enough of strange goings on, the remainder of the Mane Six flashed into existence and came plummeting to the ground in yet another undignified heap.

Unfortunate enough to be crushed beneath the gaggle of her friends, Twilight popped her head from the pony-pile in sheer confusion.

But before she could think to question it, another flash destroyed her train of thought. What she saw in the wake of this, was someone she'd never thought she'd be so happy to see.

"Discord!", she practically squealed before squeezing herself from the pile.

The wide-eyed draconequus peered around the crackling walls of the Royal Hall and looked outside with unpleasant and unwelcome surprise.

He turned to the approaching lavender unicorn.

"Twilight! What the Hell just happened?!", he demanded.

"The Artifact was a trap this whole time! As soon as I brought the other one close it-... Discord, whats going on?! What is the Conduit?!", Twilight bellowed.

Discord's eyes mimicked that of dinner plates as he heard that statement.

"The Conduit?! You are kidding me?! That's what those damnable Machines have been plotting?!"

Though his rage was clearly visible on his features, Discord couldn't help himself as he grinned widely.

"Clever Reaper bastards. Right under our noses... Look, there's no time for details! Understand that as long as the Conduit is open, we're all in grave danger!

Despite mulling over countless plots and plans to rectify the situation, Discord couldn't shake the feeling that he was being viciously glared at. He lifted his vision slightly only to see Twilight's friends establishing these glares, defenses at the ready.

"I thought you told them, Twilight Sparkle...", Discord dead-panned.

Catching on immediately, Twilight whirled around and shot to her hind legs in a defensive gesture.

"Girls, wait! Discord is our ally! Remember when I said he helped me learn things about the Humans? A-And Sovereign? He's here to help us! Please understand!", she pleaded.

Discord crossed his mismatched arms, thoroughly unconvinced that the mares in question would grant Twilight's request.

"That's what this is? That crazy cuttlefish is behind this?!", Rainbow Dash gawked.

The Spirit raised an eyebrow at this sudden change in atmosphere.

"Indeed. Elements, we can clear the blur between friend and foe another time. Right now, you have to get to Canterlot Study and destroy the Conduit!"

"Hold on there, Discord!", Applejack stubbornly interjected.

Predicting this outcome didn't seem to deflate Twilight's dread or disappointment.

"Applejack, no...", she whispered pleadingly.

The blonde farm pony trotted up to the unicorn and the Spirit; eying the latter warily.

"How do we know this ain't just another one o' your schemes? Y'all are famous for those, and what not.", she accused.

Once those words were uttered, Discord's composure had been all but destroyed. Applejack's accusations sent familiar surges of disdain through his being, and he sputtered wildly at a reoccurring deduction.

"Are you-gah! ha-ba-da-da-da! WHAT?!"

Twilight nervously backed away from the suddenly enraged draconequus, and Applejack slightly scrunched back.

"What kind of monster do you take me for?! I'm the buck motherin' Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, you simpleton! Not a war-criminal! Not a murderer! I've collecting knowledge and information about these events long before any of you derelicts were even conceived! I tried to convince everypony of these events long before today!"

Twilight was intimately familiar with Discord's fits of rage, thanks, in large part, to the days she had spent studying with him.

"Discord, please calm do-"

"No, Twilight Sparkle! It hasn't changed! 2,000 years of growth and development, and NOTHING HAS CHANGED! Ignorant foals, ALL OF YOU! You understand nothing, even when you need to the most! Well, maybe you'll understand THIS!"

Upon his distasteful shouts, Discord snapped his talons, and before anypony knew, an outrageously large chunk of the Royal Hall's wall was missing.

Filled with energy from anger, Discord continued his point as he randomly slipped, poked, and peered around the Twilight's friends.

"Look at what is becoming of your precious Kingdom! Behold the fires that consume the rich essence of Life! Double that for the rest of Equestria! QUADRUPLE THAT FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD!"

The Mane Six looked on in blood freezing horror as they witnessed the raging battle that tore through a sky blackened with smoke and reddened with fire. The echoing screams of ponies abound, assaulting their ears and hearts.

"If Sovereign isn't stopped, here and now, this world is dead! HISTORY! Do you understand that?! The Reapers will turn your perfect home into a lifeless, burning tomb! Everyone you've ever come to know or even care about will perish! Friends, Family! All of them destroyed by the Machines! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?! Can you stomach the thought of a smoldering grave housing six billion corpses?!"

His words raked and tore into each of their souls. The fact that his sudden outburst was shocking, to say the least, wasn't even a factor anymore. The simple fact of the matter was... he was right.

Nopony in that hall could speak as quieted sobs escaped their mouths. Rainbow Dash attempted harder than the others to suppress her boiling emotions; not wanting to give the Spirit any more leeway than what had been taken.

Twilight felt the warmth of fur against her shoulder; briefly shaking her from her haze.

"You seem to be the only pony after 40 ignorant generations to truly understand, Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps you can bring an end to this repugnant Cycle of Order."

With another snap of his talons, Discord restored the walls, and broke the tearful trance of the young ponies.

The Spirit needed not elaborate any further in the importance of this event, for he had made it all too clear.

Vacant eyes became suddenly glued upon the floating chest that carried the Elements of Harmony.

"Destroy the Conduit. End this pointless waste of life.".

Discord held up a silencing paw; sensing a prepared interjection from Twilight.

"Believe me. If I could teleport to the damn thing, I'd do it myself. But there's some kind of interference. Can't get through.", he flatly explained before smirking despite himself, "Besides, I think its high-time I showed these little Equestrians how to fight a real enemy.

Twilight's horn illuminated it's magenta aura as she summoned her Element, the golden tiara, and her friends gathered before the chest and took their respective necklaces.

"Discord..."

The draconequus arched an eyebrow at Twilight.

"Thank you... for everything."

He said nothing. There was no need.

Turning back to her friends, Twilight observed each and everyone of them. It didn't take long to realize that, despite their best efforts to keep brave faces, they were scared witless.

She smiled with grim content; knowing that at least she wasn't the only one.

"Let's go!"

Facing the crippling fear of what horrors awaited them from this point onward, the Elements of Harmony galloped away.

With Twilight on point, she would lead them to their most sensitive... and dangerous task.

Putting the Mane Six behind him for a time, Discord sighed long and low; staring out into the blood-stained sky through the shattered window that was once the decorum of his first humiliating defeat.

His mind vacant yet translucent, the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony broadly unfolded his wingspan; erupting a powerful wave that shattered all other stained windows. In the wake of their destruction, a subtle hint of symbolic reckoning filled the air, causing Discord the smallest and most entertained of smirks.

"Oh, Irony... You vixen, you."

And with that, the hall faltered and quaked apart upon a devastating take off.

Howls of battle and laments of death thundered throughout the burning skies of Canterlot.

With their targets honed upon, and their killer intent at an all-time high, the deadly usurpers of the sky were hell-bent on taking the Capitol by storm.

But the Defenders of the Royal Land would see their plans fail.

Led by a slightly battle-torn Princess Celestia, whom was now assisted by Princess Luna, the platoon of heavily trained pegasi held fast their resolve, and kept the Dragon-Gryphon assault at a tolerable low.

Through her tunneled haze of battle-honed adrenaline, Celestia thoughts raced at an incalculable speed, whilst trying her damnedest to subdue her opponents without ending their lives.

The Dragons and Gryphons forming an alliance? When did this happen? Why was she not informed?

She was sure that the Equine had a sturdy alliance with the Gryphons. And, to her knowledge, the Dragons were in a league all their own; allying with no one. What, then, was the purpose behind this blind-side assault?

What could have possibly sparked this act of War? What could have drove former allies to strike the very heart of Equestria?

Where did it all go wrong?

"TIA!"

Celestia's thoughts were wrested from her by the reverberating call of her younger sister, who blasted an unseen assailant from behind her.

"Be watchful, Dear Sister! There is something odd about these creatures!", Luna pointed out.

Celestia heeded her fellow Monarch's words as she vaguely recalled a strange shade of piercing blue embedded into enemy eyes. She chose not to dwell on this, until the battle was won, however.

"You have my thanks, Luna! Let us be rid of this menace!"

As if answering to her statement on the most ironic sense, a poor, unfortunate Gryphon shrieked as it plummeted to it's doom; both wings missing via forceful removal.

Both Princesses gawked at the sight; knowing full well that ponies weren't capable of such vicious methods. They whipped there heads upward, and nearly lost all manner of feeling in their faces as their eyes crossed paths with none other than...

"Discord!"

Smiling mirthfully at his former enhancers' shock, the wily draconequus lifted his lion paw and blasted a strange orb of glowing essence into the air. Rupturing with ripples and spasms, the orb unleashed a massive wave of energy that blanketed the entire Capitol of Equestria in a matter of seconds.

A smooth luster of impregnable energy shone around the smoldering Canterlot, scratched, rammed and scraped by the enraged creatures that were now bound behind it.

Confusion gripped among the guardians of the Royal community; each of them exchanging chatters of concern about the strange phenomenon. It seemed that only two among them, were wholly certain.

Knowing how or why wasn't important to the Guardians, however: there were thousands of ponies that needed their help.

Celestia, strained by contemptuous distrust and disbelief, glared daggers at the mismatched Spirit. Luna, for all elements of surprise, harbored a somewhat... softer expression.

"I suppose it was only a matter of time before you showed up.", Celestia hissed.

"And I suppose, 'I told ya so', doesn't speak in volumes quite like a dying community. You're welcome, by the way...", Discord scoffed.

"Surely you don't mean to imply that this is related to your outrageous predictions.", the Sun Goddess narrowed.

"That's exactly what I'm implying, Sweet Celly. I thought it'd be painfully obvious by now.", the draconequus retorted.

Celestia, despite her now consuming doubts, was still holding firmly to the belief that this was a spontaneous act of war. She found it ridiculously hard to believe her ages old nemesis, despite contradicting evidence.

"Hn. To be honest, I was expecting to be angry with your stubbornness, Celestia. Predictable as it may have been, however, I find this pointless animosity to be very... entertaining", Discord grinned.

For the first time, in what seemed like an eternity, Celestia was at a loss for what to say. Used to be, it was second nature to berate and chastise the Spirit for the way he was.

But in the face of her growing doubt, she could only glare at him.

"Wait just a second, here...", Discord sneered behind Celestia, "By Starswirl's Bushy Beard! Little Lunnie?! Is that you back there?!"

His red eyes rested upon the dark alicorn in sheer amazement, genuinely surprised, and somewhat pleased, by what he saw.

Though she tried unbelievably hard to retain a solid, non-phased expression, she averted her gaze and blushed.

"My goodness, look at you! You're all grown up! Fightin' battles, kickin' flanks, takin' names! Oh, most glorious of reunions! Hah-Haaah!"

In a familiar and somewhat uncomfortable rush of protective aggression, Celestia zipped right in front of Discord with clenched teeth and hateful eyes.

"Enough, Discord! Explain yourself, at once!", she commanded.

God, it was so easy.

If there had been a record for, 'most likely to push Princess Celestia to a murderous rage', Discord was certain he'd be the proud holder. His urge to prod and invoke further anger from the alabaster alicorn was boiling to take over.

But even a trickster such as he knew when more important matters were at stake. As such, he demonstrated his rare (to the precipice of nonexistent) self-restraint, and complied.

"Come on, Celestia, be honest with me. Do you really think that this assault is a random, nonsensical act of War? Because it's really starting to seem like you do.", he said with a barely contained grin.

Like an open book.

Celestia's expression hardened all the more as Discord expertly depicted the fear that she mulled over only minutes before. How the hell did he do that?

"Wow! You did, didn't you?! Well, scratch that, my dear. The creatures you face are Indoctrinated. Slaves of the Reapers. Don't believe me? Or didn't you notice the weird shade of blue in their eyes?"

It was all coming together. Slowly, but surely, Discord's assertions, both previous and current, were starting to make sense. And that oxymoron wore on Celestia's nerves all the more.

Discord dipped beneath his noble counter-part, and began coiling around her as he laughed quietly, tortuously close, but not touching.

"As much as I'm sure you distrust and despise me, Celestia, you know better than anypony that this is a battle that can't be won alone. Lets face it: you need me as much as I need you."

Luna's face fell into the tell-tale expression of caution as she watched the two, indecisive about what to do at that moment.

Despite her chilling disgust at having the draconequus at such a close proximity with her own body, Celestia remained solid and unflinching. It was unnerving to realize that she was still at a loss for an adequate response.

What would she say? What could she say?

"Join me, Celestia. Let us bring an end to this Cycle before it begins anew. Let us save the purity of Life. Let us save Chao-SWEET MOTHER OF CREATION, WHY?!"

Startled beyond rational thought, both Princesses sputtered at Discord's sudden outburst, noting the uncanny twist of horror on his face.

They followed the trail of what the Spirit was gawking at... and lost all sense of proud posture in the presence of what they saw.

The clouds that smothered the sky ahead flashed sporadically of red and white. Moments later, an enormous shade of black consumed the clouds, and a metal colossus tore through the sky... straight toward Canterlot.

"That shape... It can't be...", Celestia managed to whisper through her own fear.

Luna, swallowed by dreadful familiarity, turned to the draconequus with a pale hue to her face.

"Sovereign... Sovereign is here..."

"Oooh no! This is gonna hurt!", Discord shouted.

Unhindered in it's bold advance, the gargantuan dreadnought came in direct collision with Discord's protective energy-field. Thus, shattering it out of existence as though it weren't even there.

Discord reeled in the air, and slapped and tight grip on his now throbbing lion paw; glaring at it with seething anger and pain.

The blood parched swarm of Dragons and Gryphons reignited their attack, engaging the Royal Guardians with hasty aggression. Exploiting the element of surprise, the assailants went for the throat of the Canterlot Elite's defenses.

The Almighty Three stared after the metal behemoth as it soared directly above them in straight proximity of Canterlot Palace.

"No! We have to stop this monster!", Celestia screamed.

"Faster girls! We're getting close!"

Fueled by both fear and noble determination, the Elements of Harmony galloped their way through the hollow corridors of the Palace in their trek toward the Conduit.

They had given their best attempts to ignore the rumbling disturbances that quaked throughout the infrastructure. Discord's words had effectively resonated within each of their minds; quickening their steps and strengthening their resolve.

Even if Twilight's friends didn't fully understand, they knew one thing for certain.

Their home was at stake. Loved ones were at stake. Whatever they had to do to destroy the Conduit, they each needed, more than anything, to believe they could succeed. For Equestria's sake.

"No WAY!"

All thoughts and shuffles of the hoof came to a screeching halt as Rainbow Dash bellowed from behind a window; gazing at a particularly troubling sight.

The other ponies instinctively gathered around the cyan pegasus and immediately shared her mind blowing surprise at what they saw.

"What the-... Twilight its-"

"Sovereign...", Twilight finished Applejack's sentence through her own awe.

Rainbow Dash's irises dilated to the shape of pen-head as she backed away from the window.

"Guys, its, uh... hah hah... heading straight for the Palace.", she laughed nervously.

The speed at which the massive monster was flying beckoned a hasty reaction.

"GAH! EVERYPONY GRAB ON TO SOMETHING!", Pinkie Pie shouted with flailing hooves.

Scurrying from the window, they each latched onto the sturdiest thing they could find as a MASSIVE earth rattling tremor lacerated through the halls and rooms of every cranny of the Palace.

After several seconds, the trembling receded, but the fear that it induced had not. The Mane Six hurriedly huddled toward one another, relieved beyond all reason that neither were harmed.

"We're running out of time! Sovereign's on top of the Palace!", Twilight exclaimed.

"Are you serious? ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Did you see the size of that thing?!", Rainbow Dash bellowed with bulging eyes, "What are we supposed to do against THAT?!"

"We ain't gonna find out flappin' our gums! Lets get a move on before-"

A disturbingly familiar tingle drowned Applejack's words as Pinkie Pie's tail began twitching madly. Confused at first, the suddenly frantic mare squealed sharply.

"Twilight, look out!", she yelled.

It was too late.

Before any of them could react, Twilight was viciously smashed into by another body from above. Throwing the ponies apart from each, the tumbling Twilight and her mysterious attacker ended up a fair distance from the others.

The lavender mare found herself slammed and pinned to the floor with a hoof planted firmly upon her muzzle; forcing her face into the tile as she howled in frustrated discomfort.

She was barely able to crank her head to the appropriate angle to gander a decent look at the culprit before a glowing horn loomed over her face.

"I'll do away with the likes of you myself, Twilight Sparkle!"

And with that, and the livid protests of her friends, Twilight and her assailant vanished without a trace.

xxxxxx

A sharp, body numbing jolt of pain enveloped Twilight as she came into undesirably intimate contact with the floor. Again.

With a light bounce upon her landing, she immediately tried and failed to lift herself with shaky limbs.

It was only at the audible blast of a deadly magic attack, did she find the strength to roll out of harms way. Now alert, Twilight planted her hooves wide apart and rose quickly; finally coming face to face with her aggressor.

With her mane now ruffled and stranded out of normality, Twilight was on the edge with blood boiling rancor.

There, standing before the very object she sought to destroy, was Trixie Lulamoon.

"You know? It almost makes me feel sorry for you, Twilight Sparkle; to see you prancing around, and fighting a losing battle. But a part of me just can't get enough of it.", Trixie mocked as she stood in readied opposition.

"YOU! Ugh, I've had enough of this! Don't you realize what you're doing, Trixie?!", she griped.

"Preparing the world for the next Cycle, of course. I expected my partner in crime to be a little more proud."

The presence of Trixie's mocking aura was enough to snap whatever decency Twilight possessed. She spit on the ground as though trying to rid her taste-buds of the air that she shared with the azure unicorn.

"You're insane! I'd NEVER help you!"

As if ignoring her fellow unicorn, Trixie fired a concentrated blast to the ceiling of the Canterlot Study, freeing the light that the Conduit beamed.

From the gaping hole, any could see the sky up above. Or, at least, they would if Sovereign wasn't blotting out the view with its tremendous mass. As the light shined unto the center of the monstrous Reaper's jointed arms, a strange dark energy clouded the air.

Time was running out.

"Watch in awe, Twilight Sparkle. Watch as Sovereign summons our Saviors."

That was the last straw. The perturbed mare swiped a fore-hoof at the floor in a threatening gesture; snorting like a angry bull.

"I'm warning you, Trixie.", Twilight hissed with an undefined air of intensity, "Get. Out. Of my way."

The arrogant showmare scoffed haughtily at this aggression and slowly closed the distance between them.

"Were those adorable squeaky noises supposed to be intimidating? Believe me when I say that you don't want any of what I am right now."

Trixie smiled in self-satisfied content at the audible grow rumbling from Twilight.

"Behold, frail creature, the wonderment that is the New and Improved Trixie!", she boasted in her usual, unforgettable flare.

It was only upon this call, did Twilight's mind clear just enough to notice the changes.

Trixie's eyes had adopted a cerulean hue that wasn't her own, and a rather thick, flexible conduit ran from inside her chest to her back. Yet, in light of these now obvious changes, the hostile protege was not convinced of any augmentations.

"You haven't changed at all, Trixie. Yet here you are, letting this happen... Discord was right. You're a soulless puppet now. A shell of what you were.", Twilight hissed again.

"Oh, don't be so short-sighted, Twilight Sparkle. With these upgrades Sovereign has bestowed upon me, I'm now more powerful than you could ever hope to be."

"Pretty big talk for a predestined failure."

"This coming from a nerd-linger bitch."

Now face to face, Twilight's voice became hoarse as she growled louder and more agitated.

"Oh, You're SO gonna get it!"

"Yeah? And whose gonna give it to me? Hmhmhm. You?"

With horn ablaze from no longer controlled fury, Twilight finally snapped.

"ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE!"

Worth Fighting For

Cruelty. Malice. Brutality. Wrath.

Either one of such descriptions would pale in comparison to what the monstrous form of Sovereign, the Vanguard of Destruction, represented.

The sheer enormity of the Reaper rivaled that of Canterlot Palace itself; casting a thick shadow with it's whopping 3 kilometer long body. It stood directly atop the Palace as it absorbed the light from the Conduit.

In twisted, demented beauty, the bottom and top of Sovereign's form began to unravel and unhinge itself; mimicking that of a blooming onyx rose. But the horror that followed, would shatter the foundation of this Kingdom.

As the light of the Conduit morphed to a thick shade of red, a terrible foreign energy engulfed all of Canterlot, and from Sovereign itself, erupted a magnificently vast beam of raw power and luminescence.

In the wake of such power, the Capitol of Equestria slipped into darkness, the likes of which had never been view by equine eyes.

Now blackened to the pitch, the clouds spiraled ominously around the piercing light that shone through the Heavens. And a terrible, ear shredding roar of non-organic fury thundered across the plains.

This was it. This horrifying display of cosmic might signified the End of Everything.

And the only fools brave enough to break their gawking trance and resist this apocalyptic catalyst, soared straight toward Sovereign: The Almighty Three.

The sheer magnitude of Sovereign's threat left not even an iota of friction between the Alicorn-Dragonequus Trio.

Instinctively putting their differences aside, Celestia, Luna, and Discord tore through the darkness at whistling speeds, synchronized and ready for the fight of their eternal lives.

There was no longer any doubts. No longer any denial of what had been lurking in the shadows. No longer any doubt of what was at sake. And no longer any doubt of what was in store for their world should they fail.

Not a word more was exchanged among the three as they scaled their flight paths along Sovereign's incalculable mass. Even had there been thoughts of a remorseful sort dwelling through either of their minds, none would ever know as words became a thing of the past.

Lost to the presence of much needed unity.

Horns, hands, and spells at the ready, The Almighty Three lunged into the Hell Storm together.

Bones and perception rattled upon the collision with solid stone.

Twilight's eyes rolled back as her body reacted horribly to the impact. She fell chin-first onto the hard tile, berated herself for allowing her nemesis to get the better of her.

Trixie casually flipped the elegant bang of her white mane and scoffed coldly at the mare that struggled to keep up with her.

"Surely you're not going to tell me that's the best you can do. Come on 'Heroine'. How are you going to bring an end to Sovereign's campaign like that?", she mocked.

Her tolerance of Trixie's taunts and bashing long since destroyed, Twilight ignored the burning that ate at her limbs as she practically threw herself back to her hooves.

Volley after volley, attempt after painfully humiliating attempt, Twilight had found herself at a frustrating disadvantage in the face of Trixie's new prowess. Her spells were insurmountably more powerful than they were before, and her defenses proved to deflect whatever was thrown at her.

But worst of all, she showed little to no mercy.

It was clear that Trixie was in no mood or position to toy with her opponent, and Twilight was receiving the brunt of this wrathful aggression.

The once organized decor of the Canterlot Study had been thrown into chaotic destruction, thanks, in large part, to magic spells blazing and Twilight careening ungracefully into everything.

Scratches and cuts decorated the young protege's form in her struggle to remove Trixie from the equation. Despite her best attempts and exhausting efforts to best her nemesis, it only failed in some painful or ridiculous way.

And Trixie was loving every moment of it.

Swiftly avoid yet another predictable blast of magic, the azure mare transported herself directly nose to nose with Twilight, who harbored a terrified expression at the sudden close in distance.

"You're so pathetic...", Trixie spat.

Twilight's vision caved and faded as she reeled back from the sharp strike of Trixie's fore-hoof. She stumbled to the side; grunting and gasping at the sensation, and felt smooth warmth blanketing the side of her mouth.

"Oopsy! Guess that means I'm disqualified. Silly me!", Trixie mocked again.

Regaining herself, Twilight hastily wiped blood off of her lips, but was immediately detained by another powerful binding spell.

"Why, in all of Equestria, would the Reapers even show an ounce of concern for a weakling like you?"

The wind was taken clean out of Twilight's lungs as she felt the grievous impact of Trixie's powerful hind-hooves into her unprotected ribs. Barely able to expel a pained shout, Twilight was hurled onto the tile once more; struggling to catch her breath.

As she tried to rise, her body viciously disagreed as her tender ribs shifted behind her flesh. She yelped in pain and collapsed again.

Trixie smiled and marched toward the now injured mare.

"To think; the only pony who was wise enough to acknowledge the coming destruction, and she can't even protect herself."

Merciless and unrelenting, Trixie blasted her enemy's injured spot with a beam of magic; torturing Twilight all the more.

Though it was clear to the corrupt showmare that almost anypony would be down for the count after her assault, she was almost beside herself with amazement that Twilight was still attempting to stand.

"What is this tawdry defiance?", she hissed as she stood over the shaking protege, "Stay down and accept the inevitable, Twilight Sparkle. Equestria is lost."

Shaking from weakness and pain from her injury, Twilight glared up at her assailant.

"N... Never!", she barked.

Her only response was another solid strike to the muzzle; sending her golden tiara flying off of her head.

Trixie mounted atop Twilight with a victorious hoof pressed onto her neck, and began taking her other hoof across the lavender unicorn's face at a strong and steady tempo.

"How does it feel? To know that, despite your best efforts to learn about it, to warn everypony and prevent it, you will only wither and disappear along with those you've tried so desperately to protect?"

Spots and patters of blood slapped unto the tile as Trixie continued her assault, and Twilight yelped and gasped at the numbing pain.

"You and Celestia are disturbingly similar as far as blind idealism goes. Even before the End, she would fight a losing battle. How sad. She claims regalia and divine power, but is no more than a toothless worm before Sovereign's might."

Trixie enveloped Twilight in a suffocating aura of magic and blasted her straight through the wall, into the neighboring room. She leaped through the new hole and continued her march toward her now bloody nemesis.

Feeling her strength drain away with the blood of her wounds, Twilight clenched her teeth to fight the pain that now set her body ablaze.

She had never felt as weak as she had that day. Every fiber of her being was crying for her to stop fighting. To relent her attempts to move, let alone rise to her hooves.

Yet she persisted nonetheless.

Trixie felt the agitating twinge of annoyance in the back of her head as she saw Twilight's pitiful struggle. Despite her obvious advantage, she found it increasingly difficult to revel in her rival's pained cries and whimpers.

"T-Trixie... You have... You have to stop this...", she managed to squeeze out, "Sovereign... hasn't won yet. I can stop it... from summoning the Reapers. Stand down, and the Cycle will never restart."

In light of this new tone, Trixie stifled back a fit of cruel laughter.

"Whats this? Trying to talk your way out of this, now? And here I was thinking you were desperate before. Its impossible, Twilight Sparkle. Even with the combined power of the Elements of Harmony, the end of this Cycle is near. Give up."

"No, Trixie! I... I know that some part of you realizes that this is wrong! It doesn't-ugh!... It doesn't have to be like this!"

Twilight could only swell with despair as she once again felt her body lift to the air. Her head and neck whipped forward as she was viciously thrown back into the Study; crashing and tumbling across the tile until stopping right before the Conduit.

By now, she was certain that her injured ribs had completely broken as she found it harder to breathe. This only paled in comparison to the creeping panic she felt as she tried to move her left fore-hoof.

She squealed when a sharp tug of her muscles ignited an unfamiliar wave of agony. She lowered her vision to her leg and froze were she lied.

Her heart-beat steadily accelerated to a frantic pace as shock began to creep upon her, and she trembled weakly at the sight of broken bone protruding from her foreleg joint.

Only the looming shadow of Trixie brought Twilight's attention away. She stared up at her fellow unicorn's glowing eyes; fighting the dread that threatened to consume her.

"We can't stop it, you fool! Not forever! Didn't you see the visions?! Didn't you see what happened to the Humans?! The Reapers are far too powerful!", Trixie scathed, now angry at Twilight's constant resistance.

"Th-There's... always... another way. If we d-d-destroy the Conduit, the invasion will never happen. There's... There's still time.", Twilight shuddered in raspy whispers.

Trixie could feel another level of her composure collapse on itself, and she growled angrily.

The vacancy of the Canterlot Study was suddenly fraught with howls of torturous agony as Trixie smashed her hoof against Twilight's broken limb.

"You are IMPOSSIBLE! How can you still hold this much hope for a future that doesn't exist?! How can you lie there and tell me what can be saved in the face of what WE'VE already destroyed?! If it weren't for your blind impatience, Canterlot might've stood for another time! You're at fault as much as I am, and yet here you are; pretending to have the answer to a problem nopony can fix!"

Trixie lifted her hoof from the bloody limb as though giving Twilight leeway to respond. Unable to hold them back any longer, fresh streams of warm tears fell from the lavender unicorns eyes.

"Don't you see it, Trixie? This is exactly what they want from you. They used you. They used me. They used all of us. They want us to lose hope. They want us to fight each other instead of them, because they know we can bring an end to this."

"Shut up! Just shut the buck up, Twilight Sparkle, you hopeless mare! You're too blind to see that everything that's transpired in the last 50,000 years and beyond was all part of the Grand Design. We can't change it! We have two choices, and two choices only: perish in nonsensical resistance, or join them! Do you get it now? If we fight, we. Will all. DIE!"

Trixie received nothing but silence and tears for her words. It seemed that she had finally gotten through to the thick-headed Twilight. In truth, however, she couldn't have been more wrong.

"... Coward..."

If Trixie wasn't enraged before, she sure as Hell was then.

Her eyes twitched dangerously as she glared disbelievingly at the fallen unicorn.

"W-What? What did you just say?!", she reeled.

"Do you really believe this is right? How would you live with yourself knowing that you could have stopped it? How can you look me in the eye and truly believe what you're saying? You gave up like a coward. You surrendered to the Reapers because you're too weak to ignore a few whispers. You... spineless jellyfish."

By this point, Trixie had lost all manner of calm, and she stood over Twilight, now inches from her face.

"How dare you?! You don't know the FIRST thing about me! You have no right to talk to me that way! You-!"

Too blinded by her own anger, Trixie failed to notice Twilight bare her teeth. But soon, she was brought back to reality upon a sudden pitching pain on the side of her neck. Trixie yelped in surprise, taking longer than usual to grasp what was happening.

"AAAH! You filthy creature! Release me this INSTANT!", she roared.

Trixie's entire torso was pulled down to Twilight's level as the now feral unicorn clamped her teeth unto the flesh of her enemy's neck, her forelegs latched around her.

Twilight dutifully ignored the searing pain that ripped through her broken limb and ribs. She had seized a golden opportunity, and damn it all if she would let it slip from her.

With her flanks lifted skyward, the now frantic Trixie screamed and cursed Twilight to Tartarus, and proceeded to slam her hooves into the lavender mare's head. In time, thin trails of blood trickled from Trixie's neck, and her raspy curses for damnation became squealing cries for release.

Her blows to Twilight's head instantly became quickened and desperate; drawing blood from her eyes and nose.

Finally, with a final grunt and tug, the fruits of Twilight's labor were borne. Slowly and tortuously, a large slab of flesh was torn from Trixie's neck; exposing muscle that ripped at the seams.

With an ear grinding screech that swam through the Canterlot Study, the deed was done.

Trixie reflexively reeled to her hind legs; flailing and floundering in absolute agony; whipping her head from side to side. She howled at the heavens with intolerable pain, and splattered her blood around her and upon Twilight, who harbored an empty stared.

"INSUFFERABLE TRAMP!", she screamed as loud as she could muster, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!"

Torrents of liquid life-force oozed down Trixie's body, and her mindless flailing brought her to all fours again. She glared death and hatred at her fellow unicorn as tried to summon the energy for a magic blast that would send her back to the paleopony age.

Alas, her horn sparked weak and harmless flashes of dull light, and her spell fizzled to nothing.

Drowning in a pool of untold odium, Trixie unleashed a final gurgling scream as her insane eyes met Twilight's drained gaze.

"I HATE YOU!"

The unbelievable loss of blood suddenly became apparent as Trixie's legs caved in beneath her, and she collapsed unto the floor, a mere foot away from her now most hated enemy.

Though her eyes reflected emptiness, Twilight's tears fell as fiercely as ever at the sight of the choking and gagging showmare.

Trixie eyes transformed from blood lusting and crazy, to forlorn and pain-stricken. She gurgled and reflexively swallowed the oncoming blood that spurted from her fatal wound, and she lifted her hooves to it in a pathetic attempt to contain the bleeding.

Their gazes met.

One who sought a way to survive at any cost, and the other who would battle inevitability until she drew her last breath. Two complete opposites who shared so much in common in the strangest of ways. One no longer superior to the other.

At that moment, they were equals; clinging for life together.

"I tried, Twilight Sparkle..."

The lavender mare's expression slowly regained life, and she found it impossible to look away from her enemy. Trixie's eyes glistened; miraculously revealing that there was still some pony left in that indoctrinated shell.

"I tried... I tried... I tried!", she wailed, now in full-blown tears, "I wanted to! I wanted to stop it so bad, I-... I..."

"Why, Trixie... Why'd you do this?"

"I had no choice! I... I was afraid! I didn't want to die! All I wanted was to save as many as I could before the End! I... I never wanted this..."

"Stop it... Please... No more... We can end this here... together. Please help me, Trixie..."

"I can't! Sovereign's too strong! There's... There's no redemption for the things I've done... It's too late for me. I deserve to die!"

"No... No, its not too late. You still have a chance... You can still make it right."

"Twilight Sparkle, I-HUCK!", blood spilled from Trixie's mouth; staining the lips and chin.

"There's always... another way... We put a stop to this, and future generations will sing... We put a stop to this, and we erase the epitaph of every stallion, mare, and foal... Isn't that worth fighting for?"

Trixie continued to choke on her own blood, and became lost in Twilight's hopeful magenta eyes. Never had she met a mare with such an adamant hope for the future.

Why?

Why did she persist so diligently? How could she summon the courage to stare death in the face and shine? What was her secret? What drove her to fight the inevitable with such fervor?

"Maybe... Maybe you're right... Maybe we can stop this... Maybe there is still chance for... for-KULGH!"

All at once, in a rush of chest caving intensity, Twilight's regret caught up with her as she witness another glob of blood escape her fellow unicorn's mouth. Where she had silently cried at first, she was now holding back her sobs.

"I'm so sorry Trixie... I'm sorry I couldn't save you.", she whispered.

For a time, Trixie said nothing. She lied there; writhing in pain and squirming for life as she desperately hung onto her crying wound. Her fear soon morphed to acceptance when her body started losing heat.

The cold grip of Death was looming over her. Her number was almost up.

"Twilight Sparkle... You did save me. Thank you... Thank you..."

Now seeing her ultimate chance for redemption swing by her, Trixie reached for it. Pouring unsurpassed effort into what she was about to do, her horn began to glow.

She fought the weakness that ate at her being, for she knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that this would be her very last chance.

This would be her final spell. Her final gift.

"Cherish... your friends..."

After one last flash of powerful magic that illuminated the entire room, Trixie's horn lost its glow, and along with it, so did her eyes.

It all happened so fast. First thing Twilight knew, she heard Trixie's constant expressions of gratitude. The next, she found herself staring into cold, lifeless eyes, devoid of all energy and sentience.

"Trixie?...", Twilight whispered.

When she received nothing but silence, her tears fell even more fierce. Even she was aware that if one should attempt any feet of magic with a wound as grievous as Trixie's, one would sure succumb.

And so she did.

No longer assaulted by the disturbing gurgles and gags, Twilight felt the cold dark embrace of loneliness; hearing only the vibrating hum of the Conduit resonate in the Study.

The magnitude of what she had done crept slowly and steadily, as though deliberately tormenting her with daunting anticipation of how much she would hate herself in the future.

Trixie lied dead beside, drenched in the pool of her own blood from the wound that Twilight had inflicted upon her. The lavender unicorn weakly dragged her unbroken foreleg to the lost showmare's face.

She was so cold.

"You didn't deserve this... I could've done more... I could've saved you... I could've-... I'm sorry."

Her hoof ran smoothly over her fellow unicorn's eyes shutting them for the final time.

"Twilight?!", a familiar voice shouted from within the room, "TWILIGHT?!"

Her inability to move was now the most aggravating thing in the world. The voice that called out to her was a gift from the Heavens, and she couldn't muster the strength to seek it out.

Fighting the crippling pain that racked her lungs, Twilight weakly made her presence known, and was suddenly surrounded by what she could only describe as guardian angels.

"TWILIGHT! No, what happened to you?!", Rainbow Dash yelp.

Twilight's very best friends. A most wonderful gift, indeed. More than she ever had before, she felt a dizzying surge of happiness fill her to the brim. She had never felt so relieved to see her friends.

Even despite all of their shrieking gripes and sputters at her horrible condition, Twilight smiled with blatant satisfaction to see her companions.

"Oh, Twilight! You were right about everything! We should have never doubted you, even for a moment!", Rarity cried.

"We should have listened to you!", Rainbow Dash griped, "We should have been there for you every step of the way!"

"Instead, not one of us lifted a hoof to help you, because we were too scared and stupid to understand!", Fluttershy tearfully chimed.

"Everythin' y'all ever done was for the good of everypony, and we couldn't see that! I couldn't see that!", Applejack lamented.

"If we had just took a few measly minutes to consider what you said, this would've never happened to you! We're the worst friends in the whole WORLD!"

Despite the montage of forlorn apologies, Twilight could only swell with euphoric delight. Their voices. Their faces. Their warmth. She had truly never felt so happy to be in their company, and it showed.

"Oh, girls. I love you... I love you all so much...", Twilight wept.

It was almost entirely surreal. The warmth and energy she felt from her companions brightened the darkest corners of her mind. In the following moments, her pain was beginning to subside, overtaken by rejuvenating relief.

Instinctively, Twilight's friends were possessed by the abundant need for closeness. Their Elements shimmered brilliantly as their emotions ran at an all time high; bringing them closer than ever before.

The golden tiara of Twilight's Element of Magic reappeared upon her head, and incubated rich life energy into her. The Mane Six became encased by polychromatic luminescence; sharing the rejuvenating uplift in complete Harmony.

In a matter of moments, the ponies found themselves suspended in the air, and Twilight was overcome by the welcoming energy of her very best friends as their love and adoration healed her bloody wounds one by one.

Twilight slowly opened her eyes, graced by the sight of her companions. Kindred spirits that she was now sure she had known for her entire life. The expressions of love and understanding now permeated her friends' faces, and no more words needed to be spoken.

Twilight was now sure, more than she had been sure about anything in her entire life, that no matter what would transpire, no matter what hardships awaited them, no matter what horrors were thrown at them, her friends would be by her side.

Until the end.

As though reacting on the same wave length, The Elements of Harmony turned toward the Catalyst of the Apocalypse: The Conduit. There was only one thing left to do.

"Lets finish this."

The unlikely trio of Celestia, Luna, and Discord glared cannonballs at the gargantuan Sovereign, frustrated and battle-worn.

They had zipped around the metal monster like gnats; blasting wave after wave of their best magic spells with no success. Most of their attacks simply bounced off of Sovereign's gleaming hide, and gained little more than a shift in position.

Discord was especially frustrated that his incredibly unorthodox magic fizzled out in the presence of this menace. There was something viciously interfering with his chaotic power, and it was pissing him off above and beyond belief.

"This is madness! How does one stop something so powerful?!", Luna griped.

Celestia barely managed to catch her breath as she too pondered a method of dealing with this threat. Dread crept upon her as no adequate answer fell into place.

"There must be a way! We can't allow this to pass!", she said before turning to her new ally, "Discord, surely your studies have uncovered some weakness to this monstrosity!"

"I wish I could oblige your suggestion Celestia, but the truth is, this is the first time I've ever actually seen a Reaper in person!", he said before glaring unto the darkening light that beamed from Sovereign.

"Are you telling us, this... this thing is indestructible?! It must have a weakness! Everything has a weakness!", Luna angrily insisted.

The situation had become increasingly hopeless.

Every minute the light of the Conduit pierced into the sky, the closer came the destruction of Equestria. Royal Guards were fighting for their lives against the Dragon-Gryphon menace and losing, while innocent civilians were caught in the cross-fire of War.

Discord angrily stared into his hands, and growled from impatient stress.

"I swear to every god in existence that if they don't hurry up and destroy the Conduit, I'm gonna LOSE IT!", he shouted.

Another earth-shattering, non-organic roar ripped through the skies; tearing the Almighty Three from their brainstorms. As if the situation wasn't already dire to begin with, what happen next, would envelop Princess Celestia in a blind rage.

One of Sovereign's mechanical arms lifted from the Palace as though pointing to something. The deadly blast of heat and energy that shot from it, quickly clarified that it was indeed aiming at something.

In a ruthless display of explosive prowess, Sovereign's attack set an entire complex ablaze with no effort; surely ending the lives of many defenseless ponies.

"NOOO! VILE CREATURE! I'LL ERASE EVERY SCRAP OF YOU FROM THIS WORLD!"

The echoing, intone of Celestia's Royal Canterlot voice shook the blackened sky, and before any of her compatriots could stop her, she had already soared in a direct path toward the metal monster.

"Sister, WAIT! YOU MUSTN'T!", Luna shouted as she took after Celestia in hot pursuit.

By this point, Discord had thrown his arms to the sky and huffed in sheer exasperation.

"AGH! I'm surROUNDED by IDIOTS!", he complained before tailing the Princesses.

Celestia had already reestablished her assault upon Sovereign; blasting the Reaper with more powerful and ultimately more dangerous spells.

"Tia, stop this! Our attacks are useless against it!", Luna implored her enraged sister.

Her only response seemed to be offered by Sovereign, as it lifted another one of it's grueling arms and obliterated yet another complex, as though mocking Celestia all the more.

"THIS HAS TO END! NOW!"

Feeling as though he had underestimated the severity of the situation, Discord started to weigh his options.

Option one: allow Celestia to tire herself out in her useless attack.

Option two: stop the mad Princess and restrain her so she doesn't do more harm than good.

Option three: snap his talons and make Sovereign disappear.

"DAH! Like I haven't tried that already!", Discord howled in frustration.

With his second option seeming more and more feasible, the mismatched spirit prepared to sedate the raging Celestia. But then, something ridiculous happened.

Erupting from the very confines of the crumbling Palace was a powerful wave of inscrutable magic. A cold chill swam through Discord's spine as he recognized it almost immediately, and was amazed to the very limit of awe at how much power it was emitting.

"What in the wide world of Chaos?"

By this point, even Celestia subsided her assault and gawked at this phenomena, as did her sister.

The piercing red light that ravaged the skies above began to fluctuate and distort as the power increased. Soon the light instantly phased itself into a polychromatic brilliance that discreetly rendered Sovereign from the inside out.

An explosion of luminous glory obliterated the darkness and whisked the clouds and smoke apart. The shining sun reigned upon Canterlot once again.

"My stars! Look!", Luna pointed.

To their surprise, Sovereign had seemed to stop all manner of movement as the patterned lights that adorned its hide flicked on and off. It perpetual surge of red electricity faded into nothing, and a cranking grind echoed from its release of the Palace.

It began to fall.

"Its defenses are down!", Celestia said.

"NOW'S OUR CHANCE!", Discord bellowed with new found fervor.

Without hesitation, the Almighty Three swarmed around the hulking Reaper once more; launching there most powerful spells. Each of them were exceedingly pleased by the results as pieces of it's once impenetrable body broke apart upon every contact.

Discord was beside himself as the effectiveness of his chaotic powers were whole again. He demonstrated his mirth with a directed asteroid shower that steadily tore Sovereign apart.

Luna bombarded the behemoth with a countless array of distortion spells that weakened and crumbled it's hide, and Celestia's scorching magic melted through it's haul.

By now, the once terrifying construct of Death and Destruction was reduced to a broken crumbling mess, and it finally lost all power in it's grip on the Palace and fell, it's underbelly exposed to the sky.

The opportunity was in sight. Victory was at hand!

Once again soaring beside one another in perfect unison, the Almighty Three whisked high into the sky with Sovereign's exposed area below them.

"Now let's hit it with everything we've got!", Discord roared.

The sudden absence of suffocating power threw the Dragon-Gryphon menace into a frenzy of disarray. The remaining numbers of the Royal Guard were also taken by surprise at the sight before them. All manner of violence that had tainted the Royal Community was brought to a halt.

Before their very eyes, in the most glorious display of power, the synchronized decent of their Princesses and the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, swiftly sliced through Sovereign like a glowing drill.

Fire and destruction blasted from the Reaper's gaping hole and it's legs began to spasm and grind. It's entire body burned from the inside-out, and upon a distinctly mechanical cry, it was eradicated within a massive explosion that sent it's various parts and pieces flying apart.

As though suddenly attacked by a maddening pain, the menagerie of Dragons and Gryphons shrieked and roared in dismay. Instinctively, the indoctrinated servants of the Reapers began retreating from the smoldering Canterlot.

This sparked a MASSIVE uproarious cheer from the Royal Guards and civilians alike.

It was the most grueling battle since the Dawn of the Equestrian Kingdom. A struggle that soak their soil with the blood of their own and what they once thought of as allies.

Estates plundered.

Lives destroyed.

Families in ruin.

Foundations crumbled.

All to snuff out the Hellfire in which Sovereign almost ignited the entire world.

A brutal campaign having consumed well over a thousand lives. Countless homes razed to the ground, and almost all of Canterlot burned and prostrated to damnation while the Reaper menace struck horror into the hearts of the equine.

And yet, in spite of all the pain, all the suffering, and all the degradation, there was no other word for it, but 'Victory'.

Author's Note

Trixie dying was hard to write but really made the chapter. Victory is sweet, but let me tell you I am far from being done with this story.

The Price of Victory

"How many..."

It was a question that Princess Celestia was unprepared to answer. It wasn't because she lacked knowledge of the answer. No. She wished she had, however, in the presence of what she now faced.

"Twilight..."

"Please! I have to know, Princess..."

Celestia couldn't very well deny her an answer in light of this need .Though Twilight Sparkle had already been denied enough as it was, the regal alicorn feared that the answer she sought would only destroy her.

All the same, she hesitantly obliged her most cherished protege.

"Twelve-hundred.", Celestia grimaced, being reminded of that dreadful number herself.

An over-exaggerated yet strangely appropriate gasp kept the silence at bay as Pinkie Pie displayed her shock.

At first, Twilight's reaction was as expected: wide-eyed and gaping. But soon, much to the worry of her very best friends and beloved Monarch, her expression fell into a cold dead-pan.

"I see..."

Her lack of emotion was troubling, to say the least. Despite this, her friends displayed the need to remind her that they were there for her no matter what.

"Twilight, I'm so sorry.", Rarity said through barely contained tears.

The lavender unicorn didn't respond right away. The vibrant, echo of the number of ponies that had lost their lives kept her silent for a time. Though her face portrayed no emotion, her heart was screaming. Tearing and bleeding with torment.

Twilight abruptly turned from her friends and Princess, and began walking toward the exit of the marred Palace Throne Room.

"'Sorry' won't bring them back, Rarity."

The lack of proper manners and respect wasn't even acknowledged by that point. The monsoon of tantalizing emotions that must've torn through the young mare was a far more important issue.

Each of the ponies left cold before Celestia's throne, stared after their troubled friend; feeling increasingly helpless as to what they could do for her.

"Elements."

Celestia's called garnered their full attention, noting the graveness in her tone.

"I want to start by saying how very proud I am of each and every one of you. In the face of horrors never before seen in our Kingdom, you've braved the dangers and ultimately salvaged our victory. I'm relieved beyond comprehension that my student has chosen such wonderful companions. She couldn't have done better."

It was common place for anypony to be honored beyond words to received such praise from Princess Celestia. But given the situation, the five friends could only wallow in doubt. A disturbance that the alicorn astutely detected.

"And it is to that end that I wish for my next words to be heeded with the utmost care.", Celestia elaborated.

They didn't have to be told twice. Their ears became stout and attentive, ready for what their Princess was about to say.

"Twilight Sparkle has proven herself in ways that I never thought possible at this stage in her life. She has demonstrated wisdom and courage far beyond her years, and has pursued knowledge that may have very well saved us from a terrible cataclysm. But I fear that the results of her actions, gallant as they were, weigh heavy on her."

Celestia paused for a moment; letting the nature of her words sink in.

"Its clear to me, as I'm sure it is to you all, that Twilight Sparkle is crippled with guilt over those who's lives were lost. You must go to her, my little ponies. Though the day is won, and Equestria is safe once again, she needs you now more than ever before. Do not let her brave this terrible storm alone."

It was all either of them needed to hear before falling into a respectful bow, and galloping away. All but one...

Celestia stared down to the remaining Element with a hint of knowing in her expression. She had recalled the conversation they shared earlier that very day, and was certain that the young mare was torn with guilt of her own.

"You are truly a most dependable of friends, Fair Applejack.", Celestia smiled sincerely.

"Princess, please? I... I shouldn't o' said a thing about Twilight freein' Discord. Please, won't you forget we ever had that conversation? I beg ya.", Applejack tearfully besought.

At this Celestia's smile broadened.

"Oh my, this is a rather disturbing upset. Discord is free? (Fake gasp) I wonder how that could've happened?", she feigned surprise with a mischievous wink.

Applejack was sure that at that moment, she had never appreciated her Princess more than she had that day.

"She's waiting for you, Honesty... Go."

With a most grateful 'thank you', Applejack galloped away to join her friends; knowing that Twilight was teetering at the precipice of her greatest challenge yet. One that she was unsure of how to assist.

The struggle against herself.

xxxxxx

What was it all for?

What were all of the blood, sweat, and tears shed for, if so many had lost their lives because of it? To what end was her campaign to stop the Reapers, if she was the sole cause of so much pain and strife?

Twilight gazed upon the destruction of her hometown down below, and painful emptiness suffocated her heart.

She was confident, before-hand, that her shame would catch up to her when she first stared into Trixie Lulamoon's lifeless eyes. The eyes of the mare she had mutilated. But she was not nearly as prepared as she'd imagined.

It ate at her very bones. Tore into her very cells. At the realization of her obvious hoof in the destruction that had befallen Canterlot, Twilight Sparkle could only see a monster in the reflection of the window she peered out of.

And it rendered her apart.

The thought of the innocent ponies that had been destroyed because of her stubborn impatience, prompted her to doubt her worth as an equine. Her mind began to shake rigorously at a question that had become a very hated cipher.

What if?

What the Hell did it matter anymore? What could have been, meant close to nothing in the wake of such blood-soaked folly. Twilight Sparkle was responsible for the death of twelve-hundred ponies that didn't deserve it. Her hooves were now stained with the blood of her People.

Just as Trixie's were.

A cold, humorless laugh escaped the mare's mouth as that thought occurred to her. She let her forehead plop unto the window as a smooth stream of tears rolled off of her face.

"Its not your fault, Twilight..."

The absurdity of the outside contradiction distorted her self-degrading muse, but no reaction was had.

"Fluttershy, I'm... I'm a murderer."

"NO!"

Unable to bare the thought of her best friend degrading herself, Rainbow Dash lunged into her with an abrasively affectionate embrace.

"Don't you DARE to about yourself like that, Twilight! Your a buckin' hero!", she insisted.

Again, Twilight could only chuckle lifelessly as she held her indignant position.

"If it wasn't for me, those ponies would still be alive. Sovereign didn't kill them... I did."

Unable to take even an ounce more, Pinkie Pie immediately burst into tears.

"Stop it, Twilight! Just stop it!", she cried, "Stop saying such awful things! You're the most courageous pony in Equestria! You're not a bad pony!"

"Pinkie is absolutely correct!", Rarity eagerly chimed in her own tears, "Nopony else would have had the courage and honor to face the truth and FIGHT it like you did!"

Twilight felt her cyan friend released her embrace. Her friends' words seemed empty and toneless to the crushing despair that fed upon her conscience.

"And because I was too blind to see what my actions would have caused, I opened the Conduit! I brought Sovereign here! Don't you get it?! It's my fault!", the disturbed protege lamented, "It's all my... fault."

The agonized tears of their most cherished companion hurled Twilight's fellow ponies into a frenzy of adamant, albeit tearful, objections.

Of course they wouldn't understand. They weren't her. They didn't free Discord. They didn't revel in forbidden knowledge. They didn't unleash an insufferable Hell upon Canterlot and condemn so many lives.

Soon the objecting spurs of positive affirmation became too much to bare, and Twilight whirled around with only a fraction of the dignity she possessed. She wailed furiously at her companions; trying to drown out the seeds of blind acceptance they had planted within her.

"Stop it! Just leave me alone! You saw what happened to Trixie! You saw what I DID TO HER! I'm a monster! I've done horrible things! I should be tried and executed! I-... I-..."

"You're right."

Everypony snapped their attention to the direction of the new voice. Sputters of disbelief spewed from the lot of them at the revelation of who uttered such distasteful words.

"I reckon y'all did do some pretty nutty things."

Twilight's knees began to shake at the sight of the orange mare that marched briskly toward her.

"Applejack! What ever could you be implying?!", Rarity fumed.

"Yeah, Applejack! Twilight's our friend! We should be supporting her!", Pinkie Pie dejectedly threw out.

Hardened with resolve, the Element of Honesty retained a strong poker-face against the protective opposition of her other friends; zeroing in on her trembling target with every step.

By this point, even Fluttershy wasn't hesitant to show her displeasure of Applejack's behavior. She even caught the brunt end of a rather scathing insult that beckoned the farm pony to wreak horrible vengeance upon a certain polychromatic pegasus at a later date.

Despite all of this, Applejack ignored them and marched onward.

"Y'all got every right to feel like this, Twi. Look at what ya did."

Twilight's legs mimicked that of brittle stilts as Applejack closed in on her; her tears falling even more fierce than before.

"But I-... But-... But-!"

"There ain't no excuse for it. Ya alienated yourself from your friends. Threw Harmony away like yesterday's mail. Freed one of our greatest enemies. And 'cause of all that, Canterlot darn-near went up in smoke!"

Now completely and utterly shamed and striped of all of her dignity, Twilight's legs finally crumbled beneath her, and she collapsed onto her belly. She stared up unto Applejack's cold eyes; biting on her trembling lip as her eyes were almost completely blackened by her glistening irises.

At any moment, Twilight felt as though she would break down into a fit of pathetically uncontrollable sobs.

"And y'all know what the most unbelievable part about this whole thing is?!", Applejack now shouted.

If there was ever a more dominant desire to vanish off the face of existence, it was right then and there. Twilight had felt so small and insignificant, she could only squeak and mewl before her prosecutor.

She felt so unworthy, she couldn't even summon the gastric fortitude to plead for mercy.

In the murky depths of her despair. The choking grasp of her weakness. The stabbing pain of her shame, she felt only warm, tender hooves around her withers.

"You saved us all..."

Twilight nearly puked from the surge of her misunderstanding, and her dwindling courage to maintain eye-contact with Applejack held on by a thread. The now smiling farm pony sat on her haunches as she held Twilight's withers; her own eyes glistening.
"There's a lotta things in the world I don't get, Twi. But I reckon I know a selfless hero when I see one.", she said.

"I-... I-..."

"You saved my family, Twilight. Thanks to y'all, I can see my little Appleboom smile one more time. Big Mac. Granny Smith. Hay, you saved the whole Apple Family, Twi. And not just my family, either. You saved Rarity's family: her little filly, Sweetie Belle. Her Ma and Pa. You saved little Scootaloo and every pegasus on Cloudsdale. You saved Pinkie's family too. Because o' y'all, they can carry on."

Applejack's words sliced into Twilight's heart; filling her with so much overwhelming emotion that her tears were now literally pouring down her face.

"Y'all saved our kin, Twi. Because of what ya did, families all over the world can stay together and live. They can watch their little ones grow up and have foals o' there own. Billions: all alive because o' you and that big ol' stubborn brain o' yours. I'm... I'm proud of you, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight frowned.

The words spoken to her were the most powerful blows to her soul she had ever experienced. Despite the harsh grimace on her face, her tears continued to fall, and she could no longer hold eye-contact. She glared at her hooves, blinded by both her tears and her unbearable emotions.

At that moment, she had lost all sense of herself.

No longer able to utter a shred of coherence, Twilight threw herself at Applejack; latching her forelegs around her waist as if it was the last thing she'd ever do in her life.

Slowly and progressively, her sobs began to emerge, then amplify along with her overhaul of emotional distraught. And Applejack didn't even care.

Her orange coat, from the waist down had become increasingly drenched from her fellow mare's tears. Yet she could only smile and stroke her mane; ushering smooth whispers of comfort and understanding.

Now in full agreement and compliance with the farm pony's method, the remainder of the friends all converged upon Twilight in a collective embrace, unable to care any less of her humiliating wails.

Not since her foal-hood had Twilight Sparkle cried so loudly.

"I suspected you would be here."

The soothing, rapturous bemusement of Discord's meditation dissipated upon the smooth entrance of the voice that addressed him.

He opened his mismatched eyes to see that the room he was in was flipped upside down. Memory of the previous hours all came back to him at once, and he flipped back onto his feet, his back turned towards his disturber.

"Can you blame me, Luna? It's been such a long time...", Discord murmured.

The dark Goddess of the Moon could only smile at Discord's relaxed disposition as they stood within the dusty confines of his old Archive.

The draconequus floated toward one of the old tomes that still remained since before his rule over Equestria.

"To think: it's been a whole millennium since I had looked upon these books. Oh, how little I knew back then.", he mused.

Princess Luna shifted on her hooves for a time as she gazed uncomfortably upon Discord, unsure of how she would explain her reason for being there. The Spirit caught onto this astutely.

"You seem troubled, Princess. Something the matter?", he asked without even a glance in her direction.

Doubts crept upon Luna as she continued to shift; grimly reminded how indescribably intelligent Discord was. She knew, from experience more than anything, that further hesitance would only complicate things: a suicide method as long as Discord was involved.

She swallowed a lump of air as silently as she could, and approached the ancient draconequus.

"I... We never properly thanked you for your help, Discord. What you've done... Had it not been for you, we would have surely perished.", she said with nothing short of sincere gratitude, "We're especially grateful to you for your assistance in helping us rebuild. There is much for us to salvage."

Discord was silent for a time as several open books floated around him. He backed away from the shelf and lifted an unquestionably familiar tome into the floating pile.

Staring unto the Grimoire of the Lost, Discord seemed to consider Luna's words, as far as she could tell.

"Come now, Luna. You're a smart mare. You should know that I'm not the one who secured invaluable archaic lore. I merely found it. It's the Humans you should be thanking.", he said.

"They're dead, Discord: lost to the emptiness of Extinction. A fate that we would have certainly shared. I only regret that it took the near destruction of our species to realize the great lengths you have traversed to prevent it.", Luna clarified.

"Indeed."

Luna tried to ignore the sharp stab of guilt in her heart. But she knew. She knew that Discord had every reason to be short with her. Things were different now, and the past could not be changed.

The books around Discord dropped to the ground as he now turned directly toward the troubled Monarch.

"There's that look in your eye again, Little One. Why are you here?", he questioned more authoritatively.

He was just too good at that.

Knowing, now, that hiding her true motives was futile, Luna walked as confidently as she could toward the now cross-armed Spirit. When the distance between them was reduced to but mere inches, Luna's heart quivered, as did her lips.

A different air filled the room, one that Discord was uncomfortably familiar with. His bushy eyebrows raised upon the sight of welling tears.

"I'm sorry...", Luna whispered.

The chaotic Spirit remained silent.

"I'm sorry we didn't understand. I'm sorry I played a hoof in your wretched imprisonment. I didn't want-!"

The crying Princess was silenced by a swift eagle talon to her lips. Blushing from her uncontrolled tears, Luna stared up at Discord; hoping against hope that he understood her position.

To her amazement... he smiled.

"You already told me, Luna... centuries ago. And I never forget, even when reduced to a garden decoration.", he assured.

Luna's eyes narrowed as she was sudden overcome with relieve and joy. Her tears jettisoned from the brim as she launched herself into the draconequus' mismatched arms; crying softly.
"I have missed you... I have missed you so much.", she whispered.

Taken completely by surprise, at first, Discord stared wide-eyed at the shuddering mare. It had been a thousand years. He wasn't exactly sure what to do at this point as he stood frozen where he was.

But as he began to settle into the contact, he was graced by a montage of bittersweet memories. Old memories that hadn't crossed his vast mind for centuries. Memories that had once caused him pain as he rotted within his stone prison.

At first there was resistance. He had frowned at having these memories haunt him again.

But how could he help it? How could he deny the longing for such wondrous things to rekindle. How could he revoke the forbidden bond once shared with the mare that desperately clung to him, not willing to let go?

Now, relishing in the warmth of an old flame, Discord could only sigh with both defeat and content.

"You're such a sap."

A union of such abstract beauty could only be witnessed. Nopony could fathom the spark that ignited between the draconequus and the alicorn. Not a thousand years before. Not then.

Celestia was humbled beyond all contention as she peeked through the cracked door of the old Archive; holding back the stream of her own tears.

She smiled almost despite herself, and turned from the Archive in silence; completely forgetting why she had arrived there in the first place.

The long train-ride back to Ponyville was quiet.

The silence was very much expected amongst the Mane Six, who, for the most part, found a certain comfort in it. With the horrors they had faced, and ultimately stopped, the silence was more a reward than a vexation.

Further relief was gained among Twilight's companions, who were satisfied beyond recognition that she was no longer crying. The lavender unicorn merely gazed emptily upon the orange sunset; marveling at what she was doing.

After all, it felt like years since she had a chance to reflect.

Throughout the train-ride, Twilight's friends would break away from their own bemusing gazes and look upon their most cherished friend: their savior.

Though her eyes portrayed little to no emotion, to them, she was practically glowing. Each and every one them had ensured Twilight that she had made them magnanimously proud and that they loved her very much.

At the very least, it soothed her to the point of long-drawn silence, which was no problem to them. No problem at all.

"Huh. Hey, Rainbow Dash?"

The friends snapped their attention to Twilight, amazed by her genuinely curious tone, never mind the fact that she was speaking.

"Yeah? Whats up, Twi?"

Keeping an eyebrow raised as she looked unto the sky, she asked a very interesting question.

"Do the Wonderbolts have a show scheduled at Ponyville today?"

If ever there was an odder question...

"Um... No, not that I know of. Why do you ask?", Rainbow question with a raised eyebrow of her own.

Twilight motioned for all of her friends to her.

"Look at them all...", she murmured through slight awe, "Isn't that the weirdest thing?"

The Mane Six stared unto twilit sky, and marveled at the rarity of seeing such a number of Wonderbolts at once. Once it was clear that they all seemed to be converging upon Ponyville, it became obvious that something was amiss.

Applejack gasped as she yanked on her Stetson.

"Candy Apples! What the hay's goin' on?!", she shouted.

Rarity squinted hard unto the not so distant Ponyville; trying to gather a clearer view.

"Is that... smoke?!"

Once again, Pinkie Pie was hurled into a nonsensical loop of 'Ohmygosh!'.

Twilight and the rest of her friends were now quickened by a devastating dread of what was happening. Somehow, no matter what had to be done, they had to get over there. Thankfully, Twilight could gauge the distance perfectly.

With teeth clinched and blood running Olympic track races, the esteemed protege's horn went ablaze.

"Girls, grab onto me! We're ending this train-ride, NOW!"

Ground Zero.

That was the Ponyville Library codename in this hour of disaster.

Surrounded by the smoldering destruction of several other buildings in the vicinity, the Library was practically smothered with barricades of wood, metal, sandbags, and barbed wired.

Several Wonderbolts perched themselves behind the barricades communicating with one another as the rush of battle permeated their demeanor. One of them in particular was sure he had never been more terrified in his life.

A laughable notion in the presence of what they faced.

"I can't believe one little guy can cause all of this damage. What are they feeding these kids?!"

"Soarin!"

The scratchy familiarity of the female voice shook the Wonderbolt out of his muse. He straightened up as best he could, given he was in cover, and saluted.

"What's our status?!", she demanded as she dived into cover.

"Captain! We got the little menace contained! It took out half our squad, and ten neighboring homes were caught in the cross-fire! We've secured this barricade, and are awaiting further orders! Ma'am!"

The Wonderbolt Captain tore off her goggles, and gawked at her subordinate.

"Half of ou-! Not a single Wonderbolt leaves this barricade until the threat is neutralized! IS THAT CLEAR?!", she bellowed.

With an enthusiastic 'Yes, Ma'am!', Soarin stealthily made his way toward his compatriots to spread the word.

Spitfire, the Captain of the Wonderbolts, glared unto the Library; seething with both anger and fear.

"It's just one enemy. ONE ENEMY! How can one enemy take out half of my bucking squad?! What are we up against?!", she thought.

Just as she began to mull over how to bring this threat to it's knees, Spitfire was beckoned by a nagging familiar voice.

"Spitfire!"

The golden pegasus turned toward a group of six ponies that she was sure she had seen before. Her memories were confirmed upon spotting one with a rainbow mane, for there was truly no other.

"Rainbow Dash? What are you doing here?", Spitfire squinted.

The Mane Six galloped toward the Wonderbolt Captain, who hastily beckoned them to cover behind the barricade.

"We were hoping you'd tell us!", Rainbow said.

"Whats going on?! Why is my Library-!"

"Wait a second...", Spitfire interrupted with a hoof, "You're Twilight Sparkle, right?"

The lavender mare nervously nodded, and gulped by the sudden address.

"Finally, some leeway! Maybe you can shed some light on just what the hay's goin' on here!", Spitfire chimed.

At this Twilight became a little perturbed and frowned out of desperate anger.

"We all just got here, not even five minutes ago, and passed a slew of destruction and injured ponies on the way here! How in the world can I-!"

"You have a dragon assistant right? Helps you around the library? That sort of thing?", the Captain interrupted again.

At this, Twilight's ears flopped, and a look of expectant horror twisted her expression.

"Spike? W-What happened? Is he alright?! Where is he?!", she sputtered.

Spitfire peeked from behind her cover to observe any disturbance from the secured Library.

"Maybe you can tell us why he started destroying buildings and hurting everypony!", she forcefully suggested.

Those words hit Twilight with enough force to shatter bone. Her world steadily plunged into darkness as the words resounded in her conscience.

"What? That... Th-Thats a lie! Spike wouldn't do something like that! He couldn't! He's just a baby!", Twilight dutifully defended.

At this, Spitfire glared unto the lavender unicorn.

"Tell that to the Wonderbolts that died by his CLAWS!", she shouted in barely suppressed anger.

Though the ponies abound exchanged their sputtering remarks at the sheer absurdity of these implications, Twilight could not hear them.

Her assistant was in trouble.

Her baby was in trouble!

Instinct that she wasn't even privy to before, began to over take Twilight, and her breath became shallow and rugged.

"No! That's impossible! That doesn't make sense! I... I have to get to him!", she bellowed.

Just as Twilight opted to leap into a frantic gallop, a pair of strong forelegs clasped unto her flanks.

"Are you crazy?! Do you have any idea what he's done?! He'll tear you apart!", Spitfire warned as she struggled to keep the unicorn at bay.

Once again, all words from the outside were deadened by the sheer magnitude of her desperation.

"Let... Me... GO!"

Completely consumed by the maternal need to tend to her beloved assistant, Twilight's hind leg shot back; not caring what it had just slammed into. A pained grunt and the freedom of release spurred Twilight to gallop toward Ground Zero.

"DAMMIT! SOMEPONY STOP HER!", Spitfire shouted as she held the stinging welt on her forehead.

"SPIKE! SPIKE, IT'S OKAY NOW! I'M HERE! EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT!", Twilight screamed as she unwittingly evaded several attempts to be stopped by the other Wonderbolts.

As Twilight drew closer to her destination however, Spitfire's eyes widened tremendously as an all too familiar glimmer of piercing yellow light beamed from the cracks of the barricaded doors and windows.

"GET DOWN!"

Before Twilight could think to react to the strange occurrence, she was taken clean off her hooves by a powerful blast of energy that obliterated the entire front of the Library. Dust choked the air, and splinters of broken wood pattered unto the ground.

With Ground Zero now compromised, every Wonderbolt in that area leaped from cover and fell into defensive stances; sweating bullets at what they faced.

Twilight's friends practically shrieked her name as they rushed to her side, and aided her to her hooves.

All ponies around the barricaded Library, including several terrified Ponyvillians gazed upon the center of the debris with dreadful anticipation. As the dust began to settle, a small shadow became visible.

"SPIKE!", Twilight squealed.

In response to her call, a pair of eerie, otherworldly eyes shined behind the concealing cloud.

Spitfire glided in front of the Mane Six; solidifying her own defensive stance.

"Stay behind me! This could get ugly!", she warned dangerously.

The creeping, steady pace of scaled foot-steps pattered on the ground, and the shadow behind the debris thickened with every step. Shudders of nervous anxiety plagued the Wonderbolts that stared into the face of this unlikely, but deadly enemy.

As the form emerged from the falling dust, Twilight began to tear up as she trotted forward, only to be blocked by a very, very serious Spitfire. If she didn't get the hint before, Twilight got it then.

This was dangerous business.

A voice that transcended the boundaries of dominance and power rumbled into the air, described inwardly by everypony to be visceral and utterly terrifying.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE. YOU HAVE BECOME AN ANNOYANCE. YOU BATTLE AGAINST INEVITABILITY; DUST STRUGGLING AGAINST COSMIC WINDS. THIS SEEMS A VICTORY TO YOU, OUR VANGUARD OBLITERATED. BUT, EVEN NOW, YOUR GREATEST CIVILIZATION IS DOOMED TO FALL. YOUR LEADERS WILL BEG TO BE HARVESTED."

A stomach wrenching sense of acquaintance paled the faces of the Mane Six. They weren't certain of what was going on, but what ever it was, it was bad.

Real bad.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me...", Rainbow Dash grimaced.

"Spikey?! Darling, what has gotten into you?!", Rarity questioned, completely in denial of what was happening.

Spitfire was nearly beside herself with confounded disgruntlement as Twilight, once again, slipped passed her and confronted the baby dragon with seething hatred.

"You! Whatever you are, let my assistant go! RIGHT NOW!"

The possessed Spike further approached Twilight with glowing yellow eyes.

"WE ARE HARBINGER. THE LIBERATOR OF YOUR GENETIC DESTINY. YOUR RESISTANCE IS POINTLESS."

Twilight sneered unto the heartless glowing eyes with nothing short of contempt and loathing.

"You must be one of the Reapers... Why are you here?! We've already destroyed one of you! We can do it again!", she threatened out of anger.

"WE ARE LEGION, FOR WE ARE MANY."

"We are more! And we will deny you! ALL OF YOU!"

"YOU CANNOT COMPREHEND THE MAGNITUDE OF OUR PRESENCE. YOUR PURPOSE IS NOT BUT OUR TOOL. THE HARVEST OF YOUR SOCIETY SHALL BARE THE FRUITS OF ORDER. THE GRAND DESIGN CANNOT BE ALTERED."

"Then the only other option is to destroy you, and live the rest of our days in peace! We won't let you take everything we've worked for!"

"A PHILOSOPHY REMINISCENT OF THE HUMANS. BEHOLD THE RESULTS OF THEIR EXTINCTION. IF NOT FOR US, THE SEEDS OF EQUINE GRACE WOULD HAVE NEVER EXISTED. WE ARE THE CATALYST FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE IN THE COMING CYCLES."

"NO! You're ALL MONSTERS! I've seen what your method of 'preservation' is! You corrupt anyone to serve you like mindless husks! You revel in senseless destruction, and you're not welcome here! When we destroyed Sovereign, we ended your pointless Cycle! We've changed our fate! Why can't you just LEAVE US ALONE?!"

"IMPERTINENT ORGANIC. YOU HAVE CHANGED NOTHING. YOUR SPECIES NOW HAS THE FULL ATTENTION OF THOSE INFINITELY YOUR GREATER. THAT WHICH YOU KNOW AS 'REAPERS' ARE YOUR SALVATION THROUGH DESTRUCTION. YOU WILL SURRENDER YOURSELVES TO THE GROWING VOID, AND YOU WILL BE RAZED INTO A NEW EXISTENCE. YOUR SPECIES WILL BE MELDED INTO HARMONY WITH OUR OWN. YOU... HAVE FAILED."

Unable to keep from shaking with pure unadulterated fury, Twilight briskly marched toward the possessed Spike. Now nose to nose, the lavender unicorn, was confident that she spoke for everypony when she uttered her next words.

"Harbinger... We will fight. And we will win."

The conviction etched into Twilight's voice sent chills down everypony's spine, yet Harbinger was unaffected. Impassive. Impenetrable. The two remained face to face as the conversation drew to an unnerving close.

"KNOW THIS AS YOU DIE IN VAIN: YOUR TIME WILL COME. YOUR SPECIES WILL FALL. PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR THE ARRIVAL."

(RELEASING CONTROL OF THIS FORM)

To everypony's jolting scare, Spike's body erupted a wave of power that knocked them to the ground and shattered windows of the surrounding buildings.

Regaining herself quicker than the others, Twilight sharply looked toward her assistant, and immediately noticed the lack of his otherworldly possession. Shrieking his name again, Twilight lunged forward and caught the falling dragon.

She instinctively cradled him in her forelegs as he shook violently.

Murmuring soothing whispers to the green eyed assistant, she suddenly burst into tears; berating herself for ever leaving his side. But nothing could prepare her for what happened next.

"T-T-Twilight... I... I can hear them. They just keep whispering. Please... make them stop!"

Just as Twilight was about the offer further comfort, her words were cut by her shrill gasp. As Spike looked up to her, his eyes signified something that was as soul-crushing as it was surreal.

She knew not how. She knew not when. But as Twilight Sparkle cried hopelessly into her assistant's scaly hide, she was all too aware of the problem.

Indoctrination.

Author's Note

Finally indoctrination is incorporated into the story, but I don't think this is what anyone expected. Anyway the next chapter will be the last one and thank you to everyone for reading it.

What Lies Ahead

Sleepless nights: torturous and unrelentingly fruitless in their presence.

It seemed that such a horrid nuisance had become a reoccurring prospect for one, Twilight Sparkle, who lied within the covers of her bed, and cradled her number one assistant to her chest. The suffocating grasp of helplessness ate away at her strength, no matter how strong she wished to appear before her trembling dragon.

She had cried her tears dry; now sobbing empty wells of her sorrow as she stared unto Spike.

She had to suffer the entire night listening to his whimpers and forlorn cries for the whispers to go away. And the only thing she could do for him was remind him that she was there, and that she would never leave him again.

Oh, how utterly useless she felt.

"I'm so sorry I let this happen to you...", she wept as she caressed her beloved assistant within her forelegs.

The agonizing 'how' and 'when' became almost irrelevant at that time. All Twilight new was that her baby had become tainted by the Reapers, an enemy she once thought dealt with. Yet, there she lied; cuddling fruitlessly against him with no hope of a solution for him.

"I'll never let them take you. I won't let them win. I love you, Spike. I promise, nopony's ever gonna hurt you."

Her words related grossly to wishful thinking at best.

In the back of her mind, she knew, all too well, that keeping an indoctrinated individual among the populace could complicate matters. Especially when faced with the unpleasant implication.

Where at first she was ignorant to the vastness of Reaper influence, she was now more terrified of it than ever before.

Despite her best efforts to keep light shined upon such a grim endeavor, Twilight could only wallow in despair. She knew there would be no peace for Spike. Nor would keeping him in Ponyville be a wise idea. A most heart-wrenching ordeal.

It had no longer even occurred to the lavender unicorn that the entire front of her Library had been completely destroyed; exposing her vulnerability for all to see. And though she couldn't care any less of what anypony saw, she received only pity and understanding.

Everypony and anypony who was unfortunate enough to even glance in Twilight's direction could feel only rush of contagious pain and sorrow emanating from her. There were even those who left gifts and trinkets of hopeful fortune for her and her assistant.

It was humbling to know that nopony held resentment against Spike for his actions, for it was dreadfully obvious that they weren't his own.

"Hey..."

Twilight didn't even acknowledge the greeting from her most unusual visitor. But despite this, the fiery maned pegasus was compelled to engage her fellow pony.

"I see you didn't get much sleep. Can't blame you. You and your little buddy went through Hell."

Twilight, for reasons absurdly irrational, squeezed stronger unto her baby dragon, overtaken by the need to protect him.

Sensing this with a little guilt, Spitfire cautiously stepped forward, and attempted to alleviate the tension.

"I still can't believe you pulled that off. I thought for sure you'd be fried-"

"He's not a murderer...", Twilight hissed, her eyes hidden behind her bangs.

"I... I-I didn't mean-...", Spitfire stammered, slightly taken aback, "Look. I know what I said earlier, but..."

The lean Wonderbolt found herself at a loss for words, an uncommon state of inconvenience for her, to be sure.

She felt lower about herself more than she cared to admit. Her instinct to protect the innocent and her fellow Wonderbolts spurred her with fervor and aggression. And seeing both suffer at the hands of Spike, didn't exactly leave much room for interpretation.

Yet, because of what she had learned from Twilight's friends hours before, because of what had been clarified, Spitfire couldn't hold any ill feelings toward Spike. Instead, her heart reached out to him and his caretaker.

"Your friends filled me in on whats been goin' on. And I have to say, if I didn't see a humongous cuttlefish tearing Canterlot a new bung-hole all the way from Cloudsdale, I wouldn't have believed it.", Spitfire claimed with a light-hearty smile.

Her smile waned a little as Twilight turned to her. Her eyes were stern and discerning, but faded and weak all at the same time. She held fast unto her little Spike; cradling him. Protecting him.

Spitfire took this as encouragement to elaborate.

"This thing. This... Harbinger you spoke to: if what it said was true, than we're in for one helluva fight.", Spitfire said, "I want you to rest easy knowing that from here, onward, I'll do my part to make sure that you have the full support of the Wonderbolts. Whatever factions or troops I can supply you with, there yours. I'm sure a boat-load of 'em will be itchin' for some payback. I sure as hay am"

Twilight couldn't help but soften her expression toward the surly pegasus.

"Hehehe. Don't look so surprised. Whatever this is, whatever the Reapers are, we'll work together to stop them. That's a promise.", Spitfire claimed with a nod of absolute certainty.

Satisfied with her conviction, the yellow mare turned from the restless Twilight; inwardly wishing her the very best.

Two hushed words put her pace at a slight hitch.

"Thank you..."

She turned to face the unicorn, and she smiled despite herself.

"No. I'm the one who should be thanking you. What you did, what you've put yourself through to safe us...", Spitfire began to trail off as she reveled in her admiration, "I've met many ponies in my lifetime, and not one of them could even fathom the courage it took to do what you did. You may not see it, but you have the undeniable qualities of a hero."

Twilight's lip quivered slightly, but she found herself returning Spitfire's smile, flattered by the esteem from this complete stranger.

"Lead well, Twilight Sparkle. You have my respect."

As the Wonderbolt Captain exited the Library, a strange sensation enveloped her. Without even questioning her thoughts or reasons, Spitfire lifted her hoof to her blue mask and peeled it off; caring very little about uniform and protocol.

Feeling the biting refreshment of the morning air, she peered upon the dawn-ignited horizon, relieved to some degree that the ponies of Ponyville were accounted for thanks to the efforts of her and her fellow comrades.

Despite the minimal casualties, however, Spitfire could only look upon such an endeavor as an empty victory. When she reported back to her superiors, she knew that she would have to answer for the Wonderbolts that died under her command.

"Ma'am."

Spitfire turned toward the source of the voice.

"You don't have to call me that, Soarin.", she said flatly.

"Force of habit.", her fellow Wonderbolt retorted, "So... how is she."

"A buckin' train-wreck. But to experience what she had in the same 24 hours, and still keep it together... Quite the mare, that one."

Soarin stood beside his captain; sharing the view of the breath-taking dawn, augmented by the receding smoke that rose from the corners of Ponyville.

"Spitfire. Be honest with me.", Soarin began with an unusual air about him, "If what her friends say is true, if there really are more of them out there... Do you think we have a chance?"

A sturdy career as a strong, athletic leader beckoned questions, such as the one uttered by Soarin, all of the time. Yet, Spitfire found herself staring at her hooves; rummaging for an answer.

She was nothing if not honest.

"Soarin. We both saw what just one of them was capable of. It attacked the heart of Equestria in cold blood, and nearly burned it to the ground. It even withstood a full-on assault from both Princesses and Discord. Its... Its the most powerful thing I've ever seen. And on the off chance that we're royally bucked and these Reapers are, in fact, coming, then we're not ready for them. Not by a long-shot."

Just as he heard his Captain's answer he regret ever asking the question. Though, he had to admit, he did want to know.

"Charmingly honest, as always...", he deadpanned.

Spitfire chuckled despite the grimness of the situation at hand, and the horrors of what was sure to follow. She rekindled her gaze upon the brightening horizon, filled with a mysterious hope.

"We'll fight them, Soarin'. Against all odds, we'll fight them regardless. Just look at what these six mare's had accomplished simply by hoping against hope, and fighting against inevitability. They've seen what the Reapers are capable of, first-hoof. Hell, they spoke to one, then blew the damn thing up! If we do nothing else, we will fight."

Somehow or another, Soarin's fret was subsided at his leader's words

He couldn't tell if it was because her words were inspired by a hardened will to survive any hardship, or because she was down-right scared out of her mind and would fight anyway.

All the same, his undying respect for her remained as adamant as ever, and he simply nodded with a smile.

It was almost beautiful in the strangest of ways.

The sullied remains of the once beautiful Canterlot had resonated a foreign nostalgia within Princess Celestia, who gazed emptily upon the still rising puffs of smoke.

In truth, her patience and tolerance were tested to quite an extreme. Her duties as a greatly esteemed Monarch prevented her from aiding her people in the way she deemed more necessary.

Instead, she was confined to the damaged Palace; contending to less direct, yet equally as important tasks, such as restoring the morale of her subjects.

The Royal Guardians had sustained heavy losses during their battle against Sovereign's forces, and it was imperative that Equestria lied low for a time.

It was also brought to her attention that the Gryphons, the Equine's renowned allies, had scheduled a meeting for the coming days. The travesty of Canterlot's attack had attracted very uncharitable attention.

Letters from all corners of the Kingdom, plenty and full, came to her at an almost constant rate since the attack.

And as far as Celestia knew, the quieted hum of this political shit-storm was merely a promise of more to come. A prospect that she couldn't help but chuckle at.

She continued to stare unto the wreckage of Canterlot down below, untroubled by the breeze that invaded her Throne Room. She had no ill feeling of the stained windows that were shattered during the great struggle.

She merely stood stout above it all; counting her blessing as a whole.

"It's quite a view, isn't it?"

Out of sheer memorial instinct, Celestia's body tensed for but an instant. She had to force herself to remember that the voice she had heard was no longer that of an enemy.

The alabaster alicorn didn't acknowledge the owner of the familiar voice; simply keeping her gaze upon her beautiful sun that peeked behind the mountains. Her seemingly engraved caution of this presence kept her silent and at attention, even as he stood calmly beside her.

"You always were a bit too hard on yourself, Celestia. When will you realize that your at fault for none of this."

"2000 years Discord... we had 2000 years to prepare for this, and we did nothing. I did nothing.", Celestia grimaced with closed eyes.

"Ask yourself this, Princess. If you were in my position, would you expect anypony to believe this day would come. Would you pursue the truth no matter where it lied, and expect to be assisted?", Discord asked with a stroke of his goatee.

Celestia frowned into the wind.

She could never be entirely sure when it came to the wily draconequus, but she was almost positive that he was just rubbing it in. But upon unseen inspection, she depicted that he was indeed curious of her answer.

"... No... I can't say that I would."

Surprising, even herself, Celestia found her answer to be vexing, and had to second guess her response. What would she had done if she were in Discord's shoes?

It was certain that, even with her people's best interest at heart and soul, she knew not how she would ever tell them all of those centuries ago. She could almost see the pandemonium that would ensue, and reshape their very history if she had told her fellow Equestrians.

And worse: if they had believed her.

"Why do you care so much?"

The question that left Celestia's mouth wasn't nearly as surprising as the air of vulnerability that complimented it. Discord shifted a discerning glance toward the Monarch; noting the softest expression she had offered him in eons.

He nimbly hopped upon the windowsill and lounged at it's edge; never taking his eyes off of his former enemy.

"We've lived for a very long time, Celestia. After a while, the realization of wanting something more sinks in. I am a being of Chaos, and I have been for as long as I can remember. As you may very well know, I haven't really been... accepting of your laws. Or any laws for that matter. I ravage the shackles of oppression, and break the ties that bind."

Celestia eyed the Spirit wearily as she vaguely recalled a similar speech many centuries before.

"Oh come now, Princess. No need to shoot me such a look. We're all friends here.", he chuckled before continuing, "Life, the rich splendor of creation, represents Chaos. You, Luna, and myself have seen this fact prove itself countless times. Surely I am not the only one among us who can appreciate the purity of evolution and all of it's chaotic nature."

"Speak plainly, Discord. I requested a reason for your continued assistance, not a folly justification of your anarchic escapade.", Celestia snapped out.

Even if he had proven himself an ally and agreed to use his powers to help rebuild what was destroyed, Discord still got a kick out of getting under Celestia's skin.

"Ahh... Good times, good times. Very well, Celestia. I'll put my cryptic side to rest for a time, and get straight to the point.", he smirked deviously, "The Reapers threatened the purity of Life. They threatened to eliminate Chaos. My Chaos. I didn't squander eons away to observe the chaos of evolution just to watch it become harvested and reshaped by a bunch of worthless Machines. Their Cycle, their pointless little repetition of Order has gone on for far too long, Celestia. Life is meaningless without the unshackled freedom that keeps it pure and unpredictable. The Reapers know of no such virtues."

At that point, Celestia couldn't hide her blatant amazement at Discord's point of view.

He had always demonstrated to be... open-minded, for lack of a better phrase, but the alicorn thought such a level of insight to be beyond a being such as he.

Alas, here he was, speaking from the heart; indulging her with his reasons for helping those he once tormented for the sheer amusement of it.

"Besides, someone had to pull you short-sighted fools out of the dark. If not me, than who? Somepony else might have bucked it up.", Discord grinned widely.

Celestia broke eye-contact and reestablished her view of her beloved Kingdom; retaining her composure with a smile she attempted to keep invisible.

"You're hopeless."

"Am I? Glad to know we have so much in common."

An almost painful grimace laced across the regal Sun Goddess' face as an all too familiar 'POOF' stirred her from her peace of mind.

"Duty calls, Princess.", Discord grinned; knowing undoubtedly that it irked her so.

Ignoring the Spirit's taunting, Celestia blanked her expression and opened the letter with well-hidden irritation. As she saw the sender from whom it came, however, her face brightened.

"Whats this? A letter from Twilight Sparkle?"

With new found haste, her magenta eyes rolled across each line of the letter. Discord yawned obnoxiously; growing bored at the lack of activity and conversation. But just as he prepared to alleviate this problem by trolling the ponies below, he saw the parchment fall to the ground.

He stared questioningly at this before shooting a glance at his polar opposite, slightly unnerved by the horrified look on her face.

"Umm... should I asked?"

There was no answer. Only a shuddered and wild observation of the floor in the Palace Throne Room. She walked away from Discord, OBVIOUSLY troubled about something.

Convinced that she was merely being over-dramatic (being herself), Discord rolled his eyes and pulled the letter she had dropped, clean out of his ear.

"Okay, lets here, Dear, Princess Celestia-yadda-yadda-yadda (grumble, grumble)"

The steady widening of his eyes was made apparent as they scaled every line of the letter. His eagle talons progressively dug into the parchment, and a look of unquestionable, irrefutable, inconsolable rage crossed his features.

He swished the letter down from his face; revealing bulging, blood-shot eyes.

"FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUU-

Meanwhile, back in Ponyville...

Twilight had become ensnared by notion as surreal as the feeling that it granted.

As the lavender unicorn gazed upon the ever-rising sun, she caught herself wondering just how many more times she'd be able to do so. It was so strange. She had never even considered such a thing before that morning.

She lazily hung her forelegs over the railing on her Library's balcony; averting her gaze to the grass below. For some reason, it had seemed greener and a thousand times more refreshing with it's morning scent.

"Whats this feeling...?", Twilight ponder aloud.

It was completely alien to her.

When she was finally able to tear herself away from her now sleeping assistant, Twilight was overcome by an unnaturally acute awareness of her surroundings. Her senses were invigorated, yet she felt... calm.

With each step she took on her way up to the balcony, she seemed to savior the journey, despite its brief existence. There was something strange brewing within her, and she didn't understand it.

"A walk... A nice long walk is all I need.", she murmured to herself.

As she prepared to act upon this claim, her gaze fell upon her tainted, yet slumbering assistant. Her face twisted with sorrow and mourning for her beloved Spike, for she knew not what to do for him.

She gently brushed her hoof over his head; nestling and kissing his forehead with more tender compassion than she had ever felt. Her swollen affection for the baby dragon could have been judged by anypony as natural, given the situation.

But Twilight just couldn't help but feel something completely different as she whispered to him.

"I'll always be there for you, Spike. I'll be back shortly... I promise."

As she made her way down the steps, she was graced by the presence of a very uncommon visitor. Smiling at Twilight with understanding adorning her eyes, stood Cheerilee Pie.

It was definitely one of the more stranger visits Twilight had ever received. Both mares had merely stood at their spots in silence. Almost as though they were gauging each other on a subatomic level.

As Cheerilee glance up to the second floor, she had immediately guessed what was happening, and her smiled widened upon Twilight.

Not questioning the understanding of her fellow mare's silent offer, Twilight returned her smile; mouthing the words 'thank you'. With a nod, the violet earth pony and the lavender unicorn walked passed one another without a single word.

Twilight knew in her gut that her baby was in very capable hooves.

xxxxxx

A savory walk in the village she had come to call her home was beginning to enlighten Twilight about her strange feelings. And, despite the clarity, she wasn't all too thrilled about the implications.

As she slowly traversed through her home, she was greeted by the warm smiles of everypony in town. It was clear, even for a simpleton, that this was no normal occurrence, even given Ponyville's nature. No, this was different.

The looks that Twilight received were reminiscent of those held by her very best friends. The expressions of pride and limitless acceptance. Even from ponies she didn't even know, Twilight received these silent gestures.

Everypony was already busting their humps to rebuild what had been destroyed, thankful to the powers that be for such limited ruination.

Indeed, Twilight was suddenly very aware of the source of her sudden behavior. Life is too short. Those four words summed it all up in one swoop. And Twilight was not, in anyway, a blind optimist.

She was all too aware of the chances that nopony would make it out of this alive. Where, once before, that very thought had drove her to tears, this time, after the horrific atrocities that had transpired in her wake, Twilight Sparkle drew strength and readiness from it.

This new source of life spurred her memory back to her very best friends.

Applejack: the most loyal of friends, and the most dependable of ponies.

Fluttershy: the kindest of creatures, and the most gentle of souls.

Pinkamena Diane Pie: the friendliest of friends, and the most loving of mares.

Rarity: the most thoughtful of companions, and most generous of ladies.

And finally, Rainbow Danger Dash: the most daring of daredevils, and the most loyal of spirits.

With them at her side, Twilight would face down any hardship, no matter the risk. They believed in her when they needed to the most. They threw themselves into the fires of Tartarus when it counted. They fought along side her through the worst of events.

But more importantly, they saved her from herself.

As she approached the boarder of Ponyville, Twilight was graced with, what she could only describe as, the most beautiful horizon she had ever laid eyes upon.

The vastness of Nature, the prosperity of Life and all of it's lushness, seemed to blossom more than ever before. It was almost as if the planet itself was relishing in these fleeting times of Peace, also aware of the horrors to come.

Her heart a flutter with untold serenity, Twilight looked to the sky; absorbing the invigoration of natural energy that was once an elusive element to her.

She drew upon that power, and her body numbed with ease and weightlessness. With her blessings counted, and her thoughts cleansed for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Twilight Sparkle felt, more than ever, that she was ready to face...

What Lies Ahead.

Within the infinite reaches of the Endless Unknown...

The Machinations of Madness tore through the Darkness...

Harbinger was coming...

And it wasn't alone...

xxxxxxxxx

"-UUUUUUUUUCK!"

Celestia glared emptily at the huffing and puffing Discord.

"Are you quite finished?"

"Yeah... Yeah, I think I'm good..."

Author's Note

End of Act 1, if anyone is willing, could use help writing the sequel, I have hit a little writer's block with this story.

Enigmatic Resonance

"Celestia."

Princess Luna's smooth, ill-at-ease voice vibrated amidst the hollow corridors of the Canterlot Palace's Grand Hall; home to many heirlooms and ancient artifacts of ages passed.

Princess Celestia, the elegant alabaster alicorn, turned a concerned eye toward her midnight blue sibling.

"Luna, my dear sister.", she began with her naturally serene demeanor and winning smile, "To what do I owe this rare visit?"

It was rare, indeed, to speak with Princess Luna during broad daylight. The dark Goddess of the Moon lightly trotted toward her elder sister; worry and unease adorning her features. Celestia found her unusual lack of calm to be... disconcerting.

"Have you not felt it as well, Sister? That consistent resonance; it is growing stronger and more frequent."

Heeding her sister's words, Celestia closed her eyes as a knowing gesture, and her smile dropped at Luna's grave, but understandable tone.

"I can't pretend to have not sensed it as well, Luna.".

Celestia's magenta eyes had rested upon a strange relic confined behind a glass wall. A simple, yet towering, cylinder shaped artifact of mysterious origin. And the very source of the powerful resonance that gave the regal monarchs a moment of pause.

"In fact, I had sensed this strange phenomena a few days earlier. It is... strange that these pulses are now so frequent."

Luna furrowed her brow, and fell into deeper concern.

"That is what worries me, Sister. I was to understand that such actions occurred only once every century. To see it doing said actions constantly...", Luna trailed off.

Celestial raised a hoof to the pedestal that stood proudly before the contained artifact. She gently swept her delicate touch across it's crafty grooved surface.

"I understand why this would make you somewhat nervous, Sister. And I'm inclined to share your sentiments.", the white alicorn began, "This artifact is a relic of the age dawned when ponies first united to Equestrian glory. It is so ancient, even I don't understand it."

Luna gazed upon the Sun Goddess, patiently waiting for her to continue.

"An artifact of such age and beauty; transcending the very seams of Time. Yet, in more ways than one, I can't help but pertain a certain sense of caution with it.", Celestia explained.

Luna mimicked her sister's gaze upon the artifact as she spoke again.

"Perhaps I am letting my emotions get the better of me, but I cannot ignore this... foreboding. I have known of this relic for eons, but only now do I grow wary of it."

Luna's statement garnered Celestia's full attention as the dark Princess began putting a new perspective on the matter at hoof.

"We've kept it in our midst for as long as I dare to remember. It was there when we were but mere foals. It was there when Discord seized the Throne. The most we could ever uncover about it was it's age."

The graceful white mare gave her younger sibling's words grave consideration. Were her instincts correct? Was there a feasible reason for such a fret? It was difficult to wrap one's mind around, even when open to a slew of possibilities. Despite her own subtle doubts, and with such limited knowledge of such an ancient artifact, Celestia was not prepared to jump to a negative conclusion.

Not just yet...

Removing her from her thoughtful muse was the spontaneity of a magically mailed letter. No doubt a progress report from her most cherished student, Twilight Sparkle. Removing the seal from the parchment, Celestia examined her message with the utmost precision and interest. A subtly progressive change in Celestia's facial expression did not go unnoticed by Luna. The Princess of the Night looked on questionably at her taller counter-part.

"Luna...".

"Y-Yes? What is it?"

Celestia's peace-bringing smile returned with a vengeance.

"Perhaps you're right.", she said in a rather peculiar fashion.

"I... do not understand.", Luna said, obviously not catching why her sister was so calm.

"Perhaps we didn't take enough time to study this relic more extensively. Perhaps we've put off such a task for far too long. A mistake easily rectified.", Celestia wisely stated.

Having developed a deft skill at reading her beloved sibling in ages passed, Luna's face lifted with notable surprise.

"Celestia! You cannot possibly be considering-...", she cut herself off, realizing how obvious of a question that was.

The Sun Goddess' smile remained strong and confident.

"Dear Sister. If there is anypony in our beloved Kingdom who can and will learn everything there is to know about this artifact, its Twilight Sparkle.", Celestia stated proudly.

Luna was almost flabbergasted at her older sister's casual approach to such an unknown. Was she not partial to the potential dangers? Had she no regard for necessary precautions? The Moon Goddess' blatant protests to this statement were made quite clear.

"T'is a folly assumption!", Luna declared with a protestant hoof, "Forgive my crudeness, Sister, but that is a terrible idea! Not only has this relic not seen the outside world for over a millennium, but what will befall our subjects should it have some kind of negative stimuli?"

Luna was almost caught by surprise when her sister abruptly approached her, and placed a comforting hoof upon her shoulder.

"Luna. What are you so afraid of?"

The question was almost strange coming out of Celestia's mouth, but definitely more discerning than anything. The midnight Princess could only stammer in her speech, not even aware of the answer herself.

"I-I... I do not–... We cannot be too careful, Sister. Wh-What if-", her words were silenced with a tender hoof to her lips.

"You're a superb ruler, my sister. Your unfaltering care and consideration for our subjects dub it so.", Celestia flattered as she smiled sincerely at her somewhat distraught sibling.

Luna almost severed eye-contact with the alabaster mare, obviously not prepare for such a statement. But she truly did care for everypony in Equestria. So much to the point of borderline-paranoia, on rare occasions.

"I am afraid, Celestia. I am afraid because I do not understand.", Luna humbly admit.

This only brought Celestia even greater relief knowing that her sister wasn't hiding behind false courage.

"Oh, Luna. With a little time and dedication, we shall. Afterall, it is part of our history. It may hold more answers as to what we are; where we came from. Don't we owe it to ourselves to delve a little deeper?"

Luna's sky blue eyes finally swerved to the ground, as she was disturbingly unsure of herself.

"I... I am not certain."

Celestia gently lifted her younger sister's chin to reestablish eye-contact. With an eased nod of the head, the Sun Goddess silently reassured Luna. A gesture that said that everything would be okay. The knots of anxiety in Luna's stomach were swiftly unraveled by such a gesture, and she allowed a relaxed grin to grace her lips.

"Very well, Sister.", Luna began soflty, "If you would have Twilight Sparkle discover new elements of this enigma, then I shall assist her."

Celestia gazed thoughtfully upon her sister.

"You would aid my faithful student, Luna?", she asked.

"Of course. I am certain that with the upcoming Cultural Renaissance Celebration in Canterlot, you shall have your hooves full with preparations, and the sort. Allow me to support Twilight Sparkle as she dreams through the night. We will relay any useful information to you as necessary.", Luna solidly declared.

Celestia's beautiful smile grew when her sister uttered those words. She was pleased to no end that Luna was finally at ease and more than willing to help. She once again rested her magenta eyes upon the resonating relic.

"Then we shall set our goals in motion for tomorrow. First, you must retreat back to your quarters for the day. Rest, Lulu.", Celestia cooed.

A thin blush shined unto the younger Princess' face at hearing her foal-hood nickname. But she complied with a nod and well-timed yawn. When Luna retreated back to her private chambers, Celestia found herself ogling the enigmatic artifact. She dared say that she hadn't been this captured by it since the day she first laid eyes upon it. A relic of such an age was bound to be swimming in ancient secrets. Secrets that had probably seeped through the cracks of Time. Forgotten.

The possibilities were vast and uncanny. The knowledge that could be obtained from such a relic could very well add a whole new layer to Equestrian history. Possibly even change it. It was truly an exciting prospect to behold, and Celestia found herself musing fondly of the future. Then quickly realized that she was getting ahead of herself.

The graceful Princess' horn glowed as she summoned a parchment and quill, and began writing.

"So. Beautiful!"

Those words echoed through the Ponyville Library as Twilight Sparkle pranced around her most recently delivered gift like a little school-filly. Her young assistant Spike was eying her warily, inwardly questioning her mental state.

"Uh, Twilight? I don't wanna be a downer or anything, but do you even know what that thing is?", the purple dragon questioned.

"Are you kidding?! This is only the most mind boggling discovery in Equestrian history! Nopony knows where it came from or how it came to be, not even the Princesses themselves!"

The lavender unicorn pranced on, stopping only when she absolutely had to catch her breath.

"I can't believe Princess Celestia agreed to jump-start my advanced studies with this!", Twilight chimed with a nearly blinding smile and sparkling eyes that would brighten the darkest pits of Tartarus.

Soon enough, any effort to contain what little composure that lingered was extinguished. Twilight took Spike into her fore hooves and twirled around the library like there was no tomorrow. The poor baby dragon's cries to be set free from this torment fell upon deaf ears.

"This is a dream come true!", Twilight shouted with unrestrained glee.

Soon (although not soon enough for Spike), the purple eyed mare ceased her joyous actions, realizing that she was wasting valuable study time. She gently placed her shaken assistant to the floor and turned a determined eye toward her strange new gift, oblivious to Spike's angry protests.

Before her, stood an artifact that had remained a mystery since the dawn of the Equestrian Kingdom. Perhaps even long before that! Twilight's heart thumped so hard she could vividly hear it. The excitement of learning what nopony had ever learned filled her with an energy that she found difficult to contain. Finding a flawless sense of renewed purpose, Twilight's horn glowed its piercing purple glow as several history books levitated from the shelves and surrounded her. With her vision sharp and her mouth desert-dry, the young unicorn licked her lips and began flipping through her books.

Friggin' egg-head.

"Alrighty then." Spike said as he dusted himself off, "I'm gonna make breakfast. Any preferences?"

"Uh-huh. Sure. Whatever.", Twilight mumbled as she dissected her books word for word.

"Sorry, we're fresh outta that.", Spike dead-panned.

The young dragon was almost out-right blown away when he realized just how far gone his caretaker was all of a sudden.

"Uh, Twilight? Should I be worried?"

"That's great, Spike.", Twilight mumbled again with feigned enthusiasm.

Throwing his arms up in a small huff, Spike made Twilight's decision for her. He walked to the kitchen, and left the lavender mare to her arduous studies. It was only upon the day's progression unto the late evening, did Spike's worries begin to surface. Twilight had been obsessively throwing everything she was into studying the resonating artifact. Books that covered all manner of Equestrian history were scattered around the library in heaps and clutters.

It wouldn't have bothered the poor dragon nearly as much if he didn't know he had to clean most of it up.

"Twilight. Its getting late. Maybe you should-", was about all he could utter before being interrupted by mumbled observations.

"No, that can't be right; the Crystal Empire vanished during that time period. Maybe a similar connection lies within Discord's rise to Power. No, too far after Equestria's Founding. Hmmm..."

Spike's notifications were swiftly snuffed out by Twilight's mumbling. The little dragon was well aware of his friends tendency to obsess, but he suddenly didn't like how this was starting to look.

"Ooookay? Don't forget about Pinkie's 'Pre-cultural Renaissance' party tomorrow. She wants to get everypony hyped for the big celebration next week.", Spike chimed.

His words were answered by only distracted chatter from Twilight, who continued her mind numbing task.

"Right then.", Spike murmured before climbing upstairs, "G'night Twilight."

The purple dragon snuggled comfortably into his cushioned basket, and tried to squash his worries gone. He had never seen Twilight in such a frenzy to gain knowledge, even before she was a friendless hermit. She hadn't stopped for lunch or dinner. Hell, she didn't even stop to answer the door. Advanced studies or not, this didn't sit well with Spike. But as he drifted to sleep, the young assistant decided that the shock of being given this grand task would wear off soon enough, and Twilight would thin out her studies again.

That thought gave him more peace. Yet, somehow, in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder.

"Just what the hay is so special about that thing, anyway?"

As the hours rolled by, Twilight Sparkle tirelessly strode in her pursuit of knowledge.

The world around her was but a faded memory as she submerged herself in her civilization's history for the first time in years. Her photographic memory and uncanny ability to read in between the lines, had her pouring enormous effort into connecting the dots that may have involved the new object of her obsessions. Near-countless parchments, containing notes and chronological graphs, laid scattered upon the floor of her library.

After what seemed like a blind eternity, the purple-eyed pony broke from her trance-like concentration. Finally aware of her surroundings, she was beside herself with wonder and not just a little shame.

"Wow... It can't be dark already.", Twilight denied.

Upon gazing out of her window and unto the Ponyville clock tower, her fears were confirmed.

"Its 1:00am and I haven't even scratched the surface on this thing?", she murmured incredulously.

With a sigh of reluctant resignation, the weary unicorn examined the chaos that had befallen her once beautiful sanctuary. Twilight began cleaning and reorganizing for future study, and glanced at notes and graphs, hazily recalling her recent findings.

It disappointed her, to a degree, that she didn't even come close to finding even the smallest semblance of a clue about the relic that stood tall at the center of her library. She furrowed her brow and found herself captured by the enigma once again.

"What. The Hay. Are you?", she grumbled.

As if to respond to the question, the artifact pulsed a brilliant flash of light; far brighter than it had before. Twilight jumped in surprise. She could only become more nervous when the relic repeated the same pulses again, and again... and again

The floor of the library illuminated as waves of red light swam about at an alarming rate. Twilight looked on with a stoic mixture of wonder and terror as the artifact resonated more than ever; emitting ripples of heat and gravity into the air. Twilight's first instinct was to back away from this phenomena, but was unwillingly held in place.

"Wha-Whats happening?!", she cried as she felt her body tense and her hooves stilt involuntarily.

Twilight's fear reached a fever pitch when she felt her entire body levitate from the ground causing her a degree of discomfort as the increased gravity fought her ascent. Before she knew it, her blood felt as though it boiled. The fur on her neck stood on end. And her insides constricted within her little frame. She whined in torment, and shut her eyes tight at the sudden feelings.

Then... she saw it.

Twilight Sparkle's eyes shot open as her mind was assaulted by a torrent of nightmarish visions. Normal thought process was all but impossible as she gazed unto the images that phased in and out of existence; seamlessly leaking into one another in unified chaos. Oily shadows of creatures unknown. Distorted visions of crumbling super-structures. Vivid images of flesh rendered and discarded. Incoherent screams meshed with piercing white noise. Among the final visions that tore through the young mare's mind was that of a world all too familiar, quaking apart. Torn asunder. Burning.

With the combined atrocities colliding together in a final rush of thought, an incredibly blinding flash of red light shot from the windows of the library.

From the middle of Ponyville, a beacon of light illuminated a complex.

And from the middle of Ponyville, a heart wrenching shriek of torture threw the once peaceful night into a frenzy of confusion.