Prologue: Sunset and Shadow
Prologue:
Sunset and Shadow
A hulking, shadowed form sits in his chains, smirking at the black-coated, silver-clad guards that prowl the edge of his pit. Burning golden eyes and cold white fangs glint in the shadows as he laughs to himself--The fools! They know nothing of his power. Even now, he is gathering his strength, preparing to strike.
A small spider-like creature skitters up, clutching a small broken bell in its jaws, polished to a high sheen. Slowly, he sets the bell down, out of sight of the guards, but within his master’s range. “For you, Dark One,” he rasps in a voice like sandpaper and ice. “I live to serve you well.”
“You are lucky, then,” the monster replies; even his whispers are deep and commanding. “What you have brought me will suffice, this time. I choose to allow you to perform better in the future.”
“Th-Thank you, Master.” The shadow-minion bows hastily and scurries off, fully aware of how close a scrape that was.
One by one, four more shadow-beasts appear, leaving bits and pieces in their wake: A chunk of obsidian, bits of a broken stained-glass window, a shattered mirror, and a highly-polished crystal . They hurry away, praising whatever stroke of luck kept their dark lord too distracted to worry about killing them.
The bell begins to glow a soft, dark blue. The crimson-eyed face of a ram appears in the dingy, dented side, a sinister smile on his lips. “Yes, my lord? Has the day finally come?”
The chained figure chuckles softly. “Patience, my loyal Grogar. You will not have to wait much longer.”
The second window, a disc of obsidian, flares with a bright emerald glow. A dark-furred, bitter-eyed mare with a twisted horn appears in its surface, glaring. “What? What could you possibly-- Oh.” Chrysalis’s eyes widen as she recognizes the legend before her. “I-- I apologize, Great One. I had no idea you, of all people, were calling me. How may I be of service?”
Before the demon can answer, the third offering, a large chunk of stained glass, lights up with a brilliant pink-and-green display. The prisoner's head snaps up to the guards. None of them seem to have caught the light show, thankfully. Nonetheless, the third mirror is fixed with a poisonous topaz glare that threatens to melt the stone floor itself.
“Oh, who could be calling me at such an hour?” The goat-faced figure with the mismatched horns isn't looking into the window. Instead, his eyes are closed as he takes a long puff from his pipe. “It’s very rude, you know.”
The figure growls low in his throat. “Rude? I command the shadows themselves. A lack of eye contact is a disrespect I will not tolerate. Or didn't I teach you any better than that?”
The third reflection yelps and drops his pipe, before adjusting his pink bathrobe and looking into his own side of the call. “Oh. Sorry. Good evening, Father. How have you been?”
“I've no time for small talk, Discord, you fool,” the Nightmare King snarls. “This is important!”
As if in response, another call is answered, the crystal glowing a deep, dark red. A living shadow comes into focus, two points of red light in a green aura marking his face. “Yes, my lord?” His voice carries a soft note of sarcasm. “Have you called upon me to make good upon our bargain at last?”
Tirek smiles down at his servants. “Soon, young Sombra.” he whispers, “soon it will all fall into place. The world will bow before my hooves, and you will all have your revenge.” His eyes fix onto the fifth window, a broken, ornate hand mirror. “It is only a matter of time.”
***
Princess Twilight leaned over the map, a puzzled expression on her face. “A parasprite plague in Vanhoover, eh? That’s an awful long way from their usual stomping grounds…”
“W--well, Your Highness,” Tree Sap stammered, “the parasprites have been erratic in their usual migration patterns in the past few years.” The young earth-pony mare had been tracking animal movements as part of an Academy assignment.
“Hm.” Twilight glanced out the window at the fading sun. Princess Celestia would soon be returning, and this was Twilight’s last conference for the day. The younger alicorn hoped to join her mentor for a cup of hot cocoa before she retired for the evening.
“P--Princess?” The young student peered at Twilight, unsure as to whether or not she was dismissed.
“Ah, yes.” Twilight returned her attention to the Ponyville native. “Well, I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about, dear.” She stood and rolled the map up, surprising Tree Sap and the four guards in the room. “I’ll send someone right up there to help them with the problem and herd the parasprites back onto their normal migration pattern. Sentinel?” She gestured to the dark gray pegasus captain and the snowy-white unicorn mare beside him, both clad in purple-lacquered armor. “Will you and Moondagger please escort Miss Sap to the gates? Shadow Cloak, Starshine, report to the wall-watch. I’m going to meet Princess Celestia.”
***
“This is the fifteenth weird thing in three months!” Twilight had jumped out of her chair, forehooves splayed on the table. The map was spread between the two alicorns, the corners held down by mugs of steaming hot chocolate and bowls of marshmallows and whipped cream.
Celestia sighed. “Twilight, sometimes strange things just happen. Very few Cadences really turn out to be Chrysalises, you know.”
“But sometimes they do,” Twilight insisted, easing back down into her chair. “I mean no disrespect, Celestia, but what if--”
Celestia set her mug down with a frustrated sigh. “Twilight, the parasprites are nothing to fret over. As Miss Tree Sap stated, their migration pattern has been fluctuating over the course of years. It’s probably just because of a disruption in their old route.”
“But what about the timberwolves in Mustangia, and the family of manticores spotted in Appleoosa? The ponies all getting so sick in Cloudsdale, then recovering four days later? In Baltimare, half the town’s foals disappeared and showed up in Los Pegasus with no idea how they’d gotten there! They crossed the continent, and couldn't even remember how! Celestia, something’s going on! I know it!”
The white alicorn was growing impatient, but she kept her tone gentle. “Twilight, listen: The animals of the Everfree are expanding due to population problems. The illness that spread through Cloudsdale was due to a water filtration issue that was quickly resolved; Luna and I cured them ourselves. And the displaced foals happened when a young unicorn’s ambition got to be too much, and he tried a spell that was too great for his power level. Now, I've finished my cocoa, and I’d like to go to bed, Twilight. I appreciate your concern, really I do, but I think a week or two back in Ponyville would do you good. You've been away from your friends for too long.”
Twilight gave a resigned sigh and drained the last of her own mug. “Maybe you’re right,” she said, rolling up the map. A faint smile crossed her face. “I’d love to see how they’re all getting along. Applejack’s had another foal, you know. And Rainbow’s still wrangling her three.”
Celestia chuckled. “No wonder she had to retire as Wonderbolt captain. Three tiny Rainbows would wear anyone out.”
Twilight grinned. “You want to hear about troublesome kids, you should talk to Pinkie. Little Buttercream’s a hooffull and a half, I hear. I think Fluttershy got dealt the best cards, anyway. Mayflower’s as sweet as anything; she’s got her daddy’s extroverted personality and her momma‘s kind heart. She‘ll be giving Pinkie a run for her money as ‘friendliest pony in Ponyville’ in a few years.”
Celestia smiled, then yawned. “Well, tell me all about them when you come home, Twilight. I can’t wait to hear everything.”
The young Princess nodded. “I will. Goodnight, Celestia.”
As she walked down the hall towards her chambers, Twilight crossed paths with Luna. The purple Princess attempted a greeting, but the older mare’s harried expression warned her off.
In a mere moment, Luna faded, gone dream-walking in a hurry.
***
Twilight’s chariot touched down outside her old library, in the fading light of the sun. Smiling, she thanked Stone Sentinel and Shadow Cloak with a warm hug. “I’ll be gone for a couple weeks,” she said, stepping back with a smile. “Keep an eye on Celestia for me, will you? She’s been looking a bit overtired lately.”
“Yes, Princess.” Stone Sentinel saluted, followed a half-an-instant later by Shadow Cloak, and the two pegasai took off again into the darkening sky.
Twilight felt all the stress and confusion drain from her body as she walked up the steps to her beloved treehouse. Despite the fifteen years she had spent in Canterlot as a Princess of Equestria, Ponyville was, and always would be, her home.
She opened the door softly, not wanting to disturb the friend she’d left in charge of her beloved library. Spike, the dear young dragon, had fallen asleep at the front desk, reading a book. Twilight smiled sadly, retrieving a blanket from the upstairs closet to cover him with. Over the adolescent dragon’s shoulder, Twilight could see that he had been reading a Daring Do novel before he fell asleep. He’s gotten so big, she thought to herself. I really should be here more often. What kind of a surrogate mother am I if I miss my son’s whole life?
Twilight sighed and walked up the stairs. She would make her arrival known to her friends in the morning. For now, she just wanted to sleep in her own bed.
Author's Note
Feel free to tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is appreciated!
