Sins of the Ancients

by Tundara

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Human, Twilight Sparkle, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Cadance, Rarity, Other
Length: 160611

Adventure with Twilight finding her way home from another world.

Prophecies; Twilight Sparkle has come to hate them with a passion. Caught unawares by an ancient prophecy, Twilight awakens on a strange land surrounded by creatures she's never heard about before. Worse, she is no longer in her own body, and none of her magic works. Having to learn a new form of magic, Twilight resolves to do whatever it takes to return home, and to her own body.

She'll just have to avoid assassins, creatures out of nightmares and from Tartarus itself, while dealing with a group of violent companions, if she is to have any hope of succeeding.

Meanwhile, Equestria is threatened by a form of evil it's not prepared to confront. Rarity is haunted by the creature, and if it should get its claws on her no pony, not even Celestia herself, may be able to save her, or Equestria.

Two worlds touched by the hubris and arrogance of a dead civilization will tremble. The Sins of the Ancients have, and will again, lead to destruction, and perhaps, salvation.

Published 2012-03-03 11:34:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-11-19 23:49:57 UTC

Chapter One: The Red Eyes

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter One: The Red Eyes

"Beneath eyes of blood falls the first blow,
A great evil stealing into the land of Sun and Moon."
-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

Red and purple lightning clashed, arcs of energy sent across the town square and cafe, small sickly green fires bursting from everything they touched. An un-natural wind twisted the clouds above the town square, echoes of the lightning splintering the morning sky. The small tails of tornados began to descend from the cloud bottoms as the citizens of Ponyville ran for shelter. And at the center, gripped in the growing maelstrom, hovered the towns librarian and resident scholar of magic; Twilight Sparkle.

The purple mare threw back her head unleashing an unearthly scream as tables and hay-stack seats were picked up in the wind and hurled away. Lightning flashed and thundered faster and faster as the red-purple aura around the mare grew. Releasing a second scream, a pulse of pure force smashed across the town, cracking walls and hurling back anything not strongly secured.

Still screaming, white wispy strands of mist leaked from Twilight’s mouth, eyes, and ears contrasting against the flair of her magic.

"Twilight!" shouted a white unicorn, Rarity, her voice drowned in the raging magical storm.

The amount of power rolling off Twilight was almost overpowering Rarity's senses. Coalescing above Twilight the white strands become a face, a face unlike anything Rarity had ever seen. In it she saw malice and hatred of such scope and scale she thought for a moment that just looking into those dark red eyes would be her own death. It was like staring into the source of all evil. Not even Nightmare Moon’s eyes had been filled with such contempt and loathing.

The tempest continued to grow, throwing magic in all directions. Cold gripped the heart of Ponyville, banishing the warmth of the early summer day and plunging it into the depths of winter. For a long moment the face above Twilight stared out across the village, and then, with a piercing moan, was swept away by the wind.

Abruptly as it began, the storm began to fade, Twilight's scream descending into a long agonised howl as the wind faded away. The air grew still, the clouds parted, the lightning vanished, and Twilight descended onto the shattered cobblestones unconsciousness.

Rarity looked up from where she had been slammed into the wall. Her ears rang, blocking out her own voice as she called to her friend and for some pony to help. Struggling to her feet, Rarity limped over to Twilight terrified of what she’d find. Her breath misted in the air, still chilly from the sudden plunge in temperature despite the return of the warming Sun. Rarity noticed frost clinging to the exposed legs of tables as she reached her friend. Rolling the unconscious unicorn over Rarity let out a sigh of relief at the slow shallow breaths her friend took.

“You’re alive, thank Celestia, you’re alive,” Rarity wept, collapsing beside Twilight, drained from shielding herself from the magical storm.

* * *

Rarity sat uncomfortably on a bench in Ponyville’s new hospital. She hadn’t been in it since Rainbow Dash had broken her wing some months ago and forgotten the smell of antibiotics, cleaners, and illness that permeated every pore of the building. It was still a vast improvement over the tents that Ponyville had been using while the hospital was being constructed.

To her left sat the cyan Pegasus, a Daring Do book in her hooves. Rainbow hadn’t moved much since she had arrived, having found Fluttershy and telling the other Pegasus to find Applejack before making a rainbow streak across the sky to the hospital. Rarity knew that Rainbow Dash was deep in thought. The Pegasus hadn’t flipped a page of the book in over an hour. On Rarity’s right was Pinkie Pie; the party pony was giggling and making faces at a couple of sad fillies, ever trying to bring light and laughter to those around her. Her antics seemed to work as the fillies finally broke into crooked, strained smiles. It was enough to make Pinkie Pie turn her attention back to Rarity.

“What do you think is wrong with her?” Pinkie said looking down the hall where their friend had been taken.

Sighing Rarity closed her eyes trying not to think about what had happened. It was a futile effort. As she had for Rainbow Dash, Rarity explained what had happened, her voice dull and flat with little of its normal airs.

“Twi’ and I were having our normal get together at the cafe. She was looking a little stressed and I told her as much. We ordered our normal chamomile tea and had nearly finished when she gave out a hideous shriek. I’ve... I’ve never heard anything like it.” Rarity shuddered, still hearing the haunting sound and seeing the terror and pain flooding her friend’s eyes. “There was a burst of magic from her that knocked me and everypony nearby back. A second burst tossed poor Twilight into the street. Naturally I rushed over to Twilight but she was unconscious. For a moment I... I... feared she was dead.”

Rarity had to stop speaking for her body was shaking violently at the memory. Behind her closed eyes she could again see the terrible events replay themselves.

Rarity had decided that, other than the doctors and Celestia, she'd keep the eyes to herself. She didn't want to worry her friends any more than needed.

She looked up as the hospital doors swung open revealing the last two missing friends. Fluttershy was little more than a yellow and pink blob slinking behind the proud but worried strides of Applejack. The farmer hurried over to where her friends sat. Predictably her first question was to ask what had happened. Rarity sighed relaying the story again. When she was done, Applejack sat down roughly on her haunches slack jawed, while Fluttershy gave a barely audible whimper.

“Have the docs’ said anything yet? Ah can’t imagine what’s taken ‘em so long...” Applejack’s voice trailed off as she looked deeper into the hospital.

Rarity just shook her head staring at the floor tiles.

Spike was the last to arrive, the little dragon’s tail dragging as he ran through the doors. He stopped just short of the cluster of mares gripping has side and muttering to himself about laying off the rubies. While one of the first informed of what had happened, he had been slow to arrive having made sure that the library was properly closed and a letter was sent to Celestia. Although there was little to report beyond that Twilight had been involved in some sort of magical explosion, Spike knew the Princess would want to be informed. Twilight on the other hoof would probably moan about disturbing the Princess.

Rarity was drawn from her thoughts by the tap of hooves on tile. Lifting her head she watched Nurse Redheart approach then stop in front of the mare and two fillies. Rarity politely tuned out what the nurse said, a lady did not eavesdrop; although, she could see the news was good as the fillies gave beaming smiles and the mare relaxed letting out a sniff and smile. They were brought deeper into the hospital leaving only the Elements of Harmony and Spike in the waiting room.

The room was mostly silent then except for the tick-tock of the clock. Several more minutes passed. Applejack and Pinkie started talking in a hushed whisper. Rarity didn’t pay them much attention, focusing on the red eyes that filled her memory.

That’s all she saw, the white wisps gathering, forming a dread face, and those eyes. Those terrible hate filled eyes that flayed the soul with a glance promising death and suffering. Deep pools of evil that seemed to stretch on forever.

“Are yah alright, sugar-cube?” Applejack’s voice brought Rarity back to the hospital waiting room.

Heart beating a wild staccato in her chest, Rarity could hear that she had started to hyperventilate. Taking a deep breath she felt her heart start to calm. Forcing a smile she looked over to the farmer and with as much positivity as she could Rarity said, “Yes, darling, I’m fine. Just... worried for Twilight.”

She didn’t want the other’s to know about the face and eyes. If Rarity could she would spare them the nightmare’s she was certain would be haunting her nights for some time. Giving a little shudder she said again, “it was just such a shock, darling.”

“Yah sure now... ‘Cause yah don’t look so good yourself...” Applejack’s voice trailed off as Rarity’s eyes widened.

Throwing a hoof to her hair, Rarity gave a strangled gasp like that of a meadowlark that had been singing and then forcibly gagged.

“Oh my, I must look a terrible mess,” Rarity moaned. Closing her eyes she cast a small spell. A small light blue aura surrounded her for a moment tidying her mane and brushing her coat. It wasn’t nearly as effective as a day in the spa or using her proper combs back home but it would suffice, “I suppose that will have to do.”

Applejack shook her head.

"That wasn't what Ah meant, Rarity."

Pursing her lips, Rarity raised her head letting out a small indignant huff.

Wishing Celestia could come to the hospital, Rarity once more retreated into her own thoughts. She wanted to share all that had happened. Rarity knew what she really wanted was comfort, or for some pony to assuage her fears and tell her that she had only been seeing things. The only ponies who could speak with authority that had any hope of cracking the dark memories were half a day away in Canterlot. Besides, Rarity knew what she saw and while she wanted it to be nothing more than her imagination, her cold certainty was much stronger.

She had been considering what to say for too long Rarity realised belatedly. Applejack had been watching her the whole time. Her mind tossed and turned between the event at the cafe and what to say, if anything, her thoughts dancing around what was best for her friends. They'd worry either way, but at least she could keep some of it to a minimum. For now at least. In time, when Twilight was awake, Rarity would describe everything she saw to both her and Princess Celestia. Until then half-truths and white lies would have to suffice.

Decision made, Rarity opened her mouth to speak. Before she could one of the nurses came into the waiting room.

"Miss Sparkle is awake now. She is a bit disoriented, confused and seems to have some memory loss but..."

The nurse's voice trailed off as a pink form tore past her almost fast enough to create a sonicpinkieboom. Blinking their eyes at the spectacle the remaining four mares and dragon were on their feet and out of the room not waiting for the remainder of the nurse’s explanation.

Alone in the waiting room the nurse, dumfounded, continued the rest of her prepared speech, "she seems physically fine and the doctor says you can visit her now. Right? Good."

Rarity was the last to enter the room. Pinkie bounced in circles a little to one side of the room while Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash sat down on the opposite side of the bed. Rarity followed Spike to the bed’s foot, to their left Doctor Splint, one of the new doctors at the hospital, stood looking at an X-ray of Twilight's head.

"Ah, the famed Element's of Harmony," the grey unicorn doctor said, slipping the X-ray into a manila folder and looking over at the assembled mares and dragon. There was no sarcasm or malice in the doctor's voice but rather a tint of awe and respect, "It's a pleasure to meet mares of such quality and courage."

"Aw shucks Doc', we ain't nothin' special like," Applejack said.

Fluttershy squeaked agreement half hiding her face behind a lock of pink hair.

The doctor clearly wanted to say more but Rarity interjected first. She would be one of the first to bask in the adorations of fans, tied or perhaps second only to Rainbow Dash, but there was a more pressing issue.

Fatigue and frustration clearly in her voice, Rarity said, "Never mind that, tell us about Twilight! How is she? What's wrong with her? Nurse Tenderheart mentioned memory loss..."

From her bed Twilight looked at the mares surrounding her, eyes resting on each for a moment before stopping on the bouncing Pinkie Pie. She was wearing one of the garish olive slips hospitals across Equestria insisted on using. Rarity's mind recoiled a little at how it clashed with Twilight's lavender fur. The only evidence of the event at the cafe was a short area that had been shaved above Twilight's right eye revealing a small cut held closed by three stitches. Otherwise the unicorn looked unharmed.

"Hello everyone," Twilight said flashing a wide smile and raising a hoof to wave. "So, who are all you, uh, ponies?"

"What do you mean silly-McSiller-sin?" Pinkie asked stopping mid bounce and hanging for two impossible seconds in the air before dropping to the floor. Pinkie's ears went flush to her head as she whispered, "don't you recognise us?" Rarity noted the desperate pleading tone in the party pony's voice.

Twilight blinked once and gave a slow rolling bubbling giggle-laugh. "Nope. Not a-one of you. Actually, I can't remember much of anything..." A long drawn out moment of silence passed as the six friends all shared the same deeply concerned look before Twilight continued, "But I'm not too worried. I am sure everything will come back in no time at all. That's what usually happens with amnesia," Twilight's voice faltered for a moment as she looked at the doctor, "right?"

"Usually. Amnesia is extremely rare outside of head trauma or diseases like Alzheimer’s. There doesn't seem to be any head trauma and given the nature of the accident I am more inclined to believe your memory loss is magically related. I am not versed in magical memory loss. Frankly you probably know or knew more about this sort of thing than I do."

The doctor shook his slate mane, uncertainty showing across his broad face.

"But she will get better, right doc?" Rainbow Dash asked, her own fear evident on her face and in her voice.

"Like I said, I am not versed in magical memory loss. Honestly it is anypony's guess."

Twilight laughed again that odd bubbly giggle-laugh. "Oh, I am not worried. It'll all work itself out. Now, why don't we get out of this bed and I can go home."

As if to prove she was fine, Twilight swept the covers aside and before anypony could restrain her, rolled off the bed and onto her hooves. For a moment she wobbled, took a half step and paused looking down at her front hooves a frown growing.

"Now, Miss Sparkle I must insist that you return to bed immediately!"

Twilight ignored the doctor taking first one tentative step, then another. She paused for a moment looking behind her at her back legs, her frown deepening. She muttered something under her breath that to Rarity sounded like 'how do they walk' but she couldn't be certain. Everyone watched in fascination as Twilight moved and stretched her legs for several minutes. The doctor protested several times but Twilight smiled and shushed him each time.

"Okay, I have this now," Twilight said with no small amount of triumph in her voice as she very slowly walked towards the door.

"Are yah sure you shouldn't get some rest, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked finally breaking the silence the friends had been in while watching Twilight.

"Yeah, right as rain!" Twilight said flashing a large smile. "One foot in front of the other and before you know it you're walking."

"Uh-huh..." Applejack said clearly not convinced. “Ah see what the nurse meant about Twi’ being disoriented,” she added just loud enough for those near to hear.

Neither was Rarity convinced. She knew what she had seen in the cafe. Coupled with Twilight's amnesia, Rarity wanted nothing more for her dear friend to stay in bed until someone more experienced in magic could arrive. With luck it'd be Princess Celestia, but there were many learned unicorn's that perhaps could help.

"T-Twilight, maybe you s-should stay in bed and wait for the P-Princess," Fluttershy said, her voice hesitant but louder than its usual whisper.

"Yeah Twi. I already sent a letter to Princess Celestia so if that's why you're pushing-"

Spike was stopped cold as Twilight arched an eyebrow and asked something no pony ever thought to hear from Twilight.

"Princess who? Why would a Princess care about me?"

Six jaws dropped as one. Rarity saw clearly in her mind’s eye the white face and red eyes again staring down on Twilight beneath it in a storm of raging magic. What had that thing been to make Twilight forget about her mentor? Rarity was more certain than ever that her friend should stay in bed.

"Yah don't know who Princess Celestia is Sugarcube?"

"Pony-feathers, of course she remembers the Princess! Everypony knows the Princess! Twi's just pulling our legs... Right Twi?" Desperation filled Rainbow Dash's voice.

Rarity wanted to believe what Rainbow was saying but in her gut she knew better. Something was very wrong with Twilight if she didn't remember the Princess. Twilight seemed to realise her error, eyes growing wide then narrowing. She gave off another of those absurd bubbly laughs as she reached a hoof up behind her head.

"Of course I do," Twilight smiled, "gotcha. The Princess is," a pause, barely perceptible, "my teacher."

Blinking Rarity found herself almost believing Twilight in spite of that pause. The Twilight she knew was one of the worst liars in Equestria. Applejack under Discord's curse had been a guru of lies compared to Twilight at her best. There were none of Twilight’s normal tells; no sheepish grin or nervous laugh desperate to be believed. Rarity found a frown forming on her face as she looked over at Applejack. The orange Earth pony also looked sceptical. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash both looked relieved.

"Okie-dokey-lokie!" Pinkie laughed, bouncing a couple times again, "You are a good joker Twilight. Had me going for a moment there. I was all, 'Oh noes, Twi doesn't even know Princess Celestia who was practically a second mother to her!' and then you were all 'the Princess is my teacher' which you wouldn't know if you had forgotten everything so you can't have forgotten eeeeeeeverything. Just us. Which is sad. But we'll get you remembering in no time! Ooo, you know what this calls for?"

Rarity put a hoof on the bouncing pink pony. Pinkie stopped bouncing and looked over her shoulder at her friend tilting her head at almost a right angle.

Giving her best 'you're being too 'Pinkie', Pinkie' look Rarity said, "I don't think a party is a good idea right now, Darling. Twilight could use her rest. Hopefully Princess Celestia will know what to do to help clear the amnesia."

"But maybe a ‘Remember Us, Twilight?' party will help her remember?" Pinkie looked at her friends and then gave a long deflated sigh, "Fine, no party. For now."

It was the best they'd get Rarity knew. The doctor seemed to have given up on trying to keep Twilight in bed. Physically she was fine, if a touch unstable on her feet. There was nothing the hospital could do for her amnesia. The doctor had even admitted that familiar surroundings often helped amnesia patient recover faster. After getting Twilight to promise to take things easy and return to the Hospital if her symptoms worsened, the doctor released her.

Twilight left the hospital, her head held high surrounded by the friends she couldn't remember. They all offered to walk her home. Twilight didn't protest and walked slowly along the town’s outskirts. Around her was a babble of conversation from Pinkie and Rainbow Dash.

Both had latched onto the familiar surroundings idea and were pointing to every building or location where something interesting had happened to the group of friends. Topics ranged from Twilight soothing an Ursa Minor to the time Pinkie had Pied Piper Parasprites from Ponyville. They stopped in front of Carousel Boutique and the Cake’s Bakery for a couple minutes at each location before continuing.

The trip was further slowed by being stopped several times by other curious or concerned ponies. Derpy had been one of the first, the poor wall eyed mail-mare almost crashing into the group like a bowling bowl into a set of pins. At the last moment she had managed to arrest her decent in a move that had mildly impressed even Rainbow Dash. The grey Pegasus gave her best wishes to Twilight, along with several cards for the unicorn she had been on her way to deliver to the hospital, before leaping back into the sky her blonde mane and tail whipping behind her in the wind. Bon-bon, Rose, Cheerilee, and several others Rarity recalled seeing around town but not their names all stopped to say hello. Even the mayor on seeing Twilight had dashed over to get a first hoof accounting of what had happened to one of Ponyville’s most important citizens.

Rarity and Applejack both noticed that the mayor’s praise hadn’t seemed to either phase or particularly surprise Twilight. Normally Twilight would have blushed and protested. Twilight really had too much humility, Rarity often thought. That trait wasn’t in evidence as they made the final leg towards Twilight’s home.

While they had been walking, Rarity had been keeping a keen discerning eye on her friend. Twilight had stumbled a few times but was propped up immediately by either Applejack or Rainbow Dash, the two athletic ponies flanking the unsteady unicorn. It bothered Rarity about how Twilight seemed to trip over her own hooves. But by the time they reached the large hollow tree that was the town's library and Twilight's home in Ponyville the lavender unicorn had not stumbled for several minutes. There was a confidence in her stride that made Rarity hope things would soon be back to normal.

In front of the library sat a large white and golden chariot making the group halt. On either side of the library's door was a Pegasus guard white coats gleaming in the late afternoon sun almost as much as the golden armour they wore. Rarity felt her stomach clench as the group made the final few steps to the library door.

"Greetings, sirs," Rarity said as she was in the lead, "is the Princess with you, or are you here to retrieve Twilight?"

The guards didn't blink.

"Right, I see," Rarity groused, using her magic to open the door half expecting the guards to stop her.

The guards stood silent and still as statues as the Elements of Harmony and baby dragon entered the library. What greeted them wasn't the pearly white alicorn monarch-goddess Rarity expected, rather the midnight-blue of Celestia's younger sister.

Princess Luna sat on a couch, a thick book gripped in her soft blue magic floating in the air before her. On the table in front of her rested a pot of tea, small tendrils of steam curling from its spout. Red cushions had been arranged around the walls. Twilight normally kept them stored in a cupboard Rarity recalled as she moved to one side to let her friends into the library's main room. All eight of them managed to fit with a little room to spare. Luna snapped the book closed and gently returned it to one of the bookshelves that lined every available wall.

Fluttering her wings, the Princess stood giving the assembled ponies a polite nod each. Holding back a gasp of delight at seeing the Moon Princess, Rarity dipped into a deep bow her eyes falling to the floor. Her ears swiveled at the sound of her friends mimicking the motion. Opening an eye Rarity saw with a small sigh of satisfaction that the others had all stooped into a bow. All except Twilight, who sat her mouth hanging slightly open gaping at Luna. Blinking, Twilight shook her head and then gave a quick bow herself.

"Princess," the lavender unicorn said as she raised herself from her short bow.

"Twilight Sparkle, it delights us to see you are here unharmed. We rushed to Ponyville the moment we received Spike’s letter. We wished to see you at the hospital but our sister deemed it wiser to wait here instead of causing a scene. She wishes us to convey her regrets that she could not come herself, but alas, recent events in Canterlot prevent her from leaving the palace.”

"Oh, that's quite alright," Twilight said waving a hoof. "I'm fine. Or will be with some sleep. I really don't need everyone to be so worried about me."

Luna blinked twice head tilted back at Twilight's dismissive tone. Rarity shared a concerned glance with Applejack. Memory loss aside Twilight wasn't acting at all like her usual self. Twilight was already heading towards the stairs that lead to the bedrooms on the second floor either not noticing or not caring about the looks her friends and Princess Luna were sharing.

“Is that why you came in Celestia’s carriage and not your own?” Rarity asked looking over her shoulder at the guards that could be seen through the open door.

“Ah, that was also our sister’s idea.” Luna frowned ever so slightly at the guards and carriage before closing the door with a snap of her magic. “We wish to speak with Twilight Sparkle, and about the event this morning.”

“Yes yes, of course,” Rarity said wincing at her own voice as it was sharper than intended. None of the others seemed to notice thankfully.

"Thank you for coming, but I really am fine."

Twilight stopped at the foot of the stairs turning around to face the collected mares and dragon behind her. She flashed a wide confident smile and looked around the library.

"You are not fine, Darling," Rarity snapped, the stress and tension of the day finally getting the better of her temper. "We are worried and have no idea what happened to you! You can't even remember us!"

"Sure I do, Rarity."

Rarity stopped mid-tirade, blinking as she was brought up short. She didn't recall telling Twilight her name since being informed the lavender unicorn was suffering from amnesia. Twilight so far hadn't even asked for any of their names, Rarity realised. Her friend was being so infuriatingly calm about everything. It wasn't like the normally tightly wound unicorn at all. All the others seemed to be having similar thoughts. Then again maybe Twilight's amnesia was passing.

“And that’s Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow, Applejack, and Spike.”

"Okay then, yah remember our names, but what abou’ the Princess’?" Applejack said her eyes narrow slits and taking a step toward Twilight.

"What?" Twilight asked blinking and taking a step back as Applejack continued to advance.

"Yah heard me."

Swallowing a lump, Twilight backed against the stairs sitting down roughly as her front hooves continued while her rear ones pressed against the bottom step.

"Come on silly. Twi's just not feeling well and her memory is all fuzzy-wuzzy topsy-turvy! But the Princess can have that fixed in a jiffy and we can have a 'Glad You Remember Us!' party!" Pinkie had thrown a hoof around Applejack’s shoulder. “I’m sure the Princess can go all Zap-Poof and restore Twilight to her old book-wormy self.”

“It is a... possibility. We have seen the spell Twilight crafted to restore all your memories during the battle with Discord. First we would like to see if there are any other effects from this morning’s incident before attempting the spell. But in theory it should not prove to be difficult for us.”

"That won’t be necessary, honest." Twilight said raising a hoof up to ward off the apple farmer and Princess Luna. Applejack gave a little grunt as Rainbow Dash bit onto her tail and pulled the earth pony back. Relaxing a little Twilight turned to Luna and asked, "Sure, I am having some memory issues, but I am certain that it'll all be sorted out in no time. Isn't that right, Princess? No need to go poking around in my mind after it’s already been tumbled about once today."

Princess Luna didn't respond instead just tilted her head and gave a single slow nod.

"Now, if that's all settled I think I should get to bed and tomorrow start researching. This has been a long day for everyone." Twilight gave a short yawn as punctuation before promptly turning and marching up the stairs before any of the others could stop her.

When Twilight was gone, Luna turned to the gathering and gestured that they should step outside. With the sun slowly descending behind her, Luna looked so regal and majestic Rarity mused. The Princesses mane flowing into the growing dusk shimmered hinting at the beauty of the night. She had regretted missing last year’s Nightmare Night and seeing the princess again.

"We wish we could stay longer to help Twilight Sparkle in these trying times. She has helped us immeasurably defeating the Nightmare and assisting us integrate with modern pony society. Alas, that events in Canterlot dictate we cannot stay longer. If only she would let us use her memory restoration spell now. Still, Twilight’s concerns are valid about so soon again tampering with her memories after they’ve been affected once today. It is wise to give her time to recover some strength. The mind is both extremely resilient and fragile."

"Ah don't know, Twilight ain't acting very Twilighty if'n yah get mah meaning," Applejack sighed kicking a loose stone.

"Tell me about it," grumbled spike crossing his stubby arms.

Fluttershy and Pinkie both shook their heads, the yellow pegasus saying, "Oh, I don't know Applejack. I think she handled things rather well."

"Exactly. She didn't freak out or nothin' the entire time. Now, could jus' be the memory loss like Pinkie said, but Ah feel like there is more tah it then that. The Twilight I know wouldn't have gone tah bed at a time like this but started hitting ‘em books and making a counter spell or something. It jus' ain't normal is all."

Rarity remained silent, her mind on the events of that morning in the cafe.

"Of course it isn’t normal AJ," Dash said rolling her eyes. "Twi's always been freaky powerful with her magic. Who knows what she did to herself."

"Yes, this magical explosion. We wish to know more about it. Who of you saw the event transpire?"

All eyes shifted to Rarity drawing her mind back to the present and away from the eyes of evil blood. Frowning Rarity found her stomach convulse as she looked into the eyes of five of her closest friends and Princess Luna. She still didn't want the others to know about what she had seen. But Princess Luna perhaps would know what had happened and be able to fix things.

"I-I saw... a face," Rarity began her voice quivering in barely contained fear, "It pulled itself from Twilight as she was locked in the magical discharge as a white mist at first. After the first pulse knocked everyone at the cafe back it gathered above poor Twilight. She was screaming, oh how she was screaming, and then it looked at me. The eyes, I-I've never, ever, seen anything so hideous. It was a hundred times worse than you when you were Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna."

Rarity shuddered not daring to look up at the Princess as she recounted what she had seen. She felt a hoof touch her shoulder easing the shuddering. Turning her head Rarity blinked tears from her eyes. She hadn't realised she had started to cry. Pinkie was standing there a concerned look on her face. Their other three friends closed in placing Rarity in a group hug.

"Why didn't yah mention this before Sugarcube?"

"I-I didn't want all of you to worry," Rarity sniffled, wiping away another tear.

"We do not believe there is anything to be worried about."

Luna's voice broke the group hug apart. Clearing her throat the princess continued, "If we had to hazard a guess something tried to possess Twilight and she cast it out. This is but a supposition mind thou. We shall journey to this cafe and see if any trace of this entity thou describe remains. As for Twilight, continue to be there for her. She will need her friends we suspect over the next few days. Truly, we regret not being able to stay longer."

The five mares all protested the princesses words emphasizing that coming at all was more than what any had expected. Pinkie wanted to throw Luna a 'Thank You For Visiting' party that was quickly over-ruled. Deflating slightly Pinkie grumbled about not being able to have any parties.

"Then let us part ways for the time being. But first, we must raise our glorious moon," Luna's voice was airy and excited as her sister’s sun sank below the horizon behind her.

The five mares and baby dragon watched with rapt attention as Luna stepped back a pace and closed her eyes. Soft blue magic shimmered around her horn as the goddess of the Moon and the Night stood beneath the endless black canvass of the starless sky. The aura flowed down her body like a luminescent gown. From the cracks between her eyelids glowed a brilliant light. And then the moon rose, the perfect silvery orb sliding above the horizon as stars winked into life across the tapestry of the sky. Luna opened her eyes, the glow of magic leaving them, giving the five mares and baby dragon before her a wide smile.

"What dost thou say to that? Ha-ha!" the princess laughed stamping a triumphant hoof that made the ground tremble.

"That was simply beautiful," Rarity said to the enthusiastic nods of her friends. For the first time since the incident Rarity had forgotten all about the evil eyes. She blinked and a genuine heartfelt smile covered her face.

"We are glad," Luna said stepping up onto her sister’s carriage. The two guards had already hitched themselves to the yokes. "Remember, help Twilight and do not hesitate to send for either our self or our sister should the need arise," she said to the mares before adding to the guards, "to the cafe. There is something we must investigate before returning to Canterlot."

All five mares and one baby dragon watched the chariot pull into the air heading towards Ponyville's cafe until it vanished behind a building. They then all turned to each other, said their fare-wells, and headed off towards their homes.

Rarity made it all the way to the door of her boutique before the memories of the eyes returned. Shuddering she pushed the door open, walked upstairs and collapsed onto her bed forgoing her nightly bath or evening gown. Soon she was in a light fit-fall sleep, a sleep haunted by red eyes.

Chapter Two: Awakening

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Two: Awakening

"She will wake to find her power diminished,
Weakened, confused, and lost, but not alone."

-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

It was not the sharp rocks jabbing into the middle of Twilight’s back that woke her. Nor was it the soft patter of rain tickling her face as it fell through a hole cut into the thatching of the roof. The sharp rays of early morning slanting sideways through the low cloud and window didn’t wake her either. The low voices speaking in harsh guttural whispers, the clear ring of a steel blade being drawn from a scabbard only a few feet from where she lay or an insistent tugging at her ankle could not rouse her. For all intents Twilight may as well have been in a coma, or dead.

In that deep almost peaceful sleep she could not see the door to her refuge pushed open on its single rusty hinge. A head, large and round with a thick mop of wiry brown hair, poked through the cracked open door the point of a sword trailing behind low enough to disturb the dirt and dust that accumulated around the doors base. A flash of silver, a spray of crimson, and the sword fell moments before the head.

Awareness was beginning to surface. Part of her mind did note she was being picked up and thrown over somepony’s back. A door was kicked in followed by a trail of thick incoherent words. Then she was out in the rain. There was a litany of metallic clinking around her as a handful of bodies began to crash through low scrub brush clinging around a thin wooded glen. After several heartbeats more crashing sounded as additional bodies entered the scrub.

Deep in the dream's clutches Twilight was aware of the noises but couldn’t understand them. Her mind, wrapped in a deep fog, was slow to grasp at the sounds conveyed by her ears. In her mind she was standing in her library, but there was something yelling at her. Looking up the stairs Twilight expected to spot Spike but instead of the baby dragon there was a wall of greasy clouds. Slowly Twilight walked up to the shifting wall.

“Spike?” she asked poking the wall once before stepping into the haze.

The yelling voice seemed to grow but Twilight couldn’t make out what it was saying. Pushing deeper into the cloud Twilight could see a light up ahead. Leaping forward she again called the dragon’s name, a note of hope in her own voice. Then she was in Carousel Boutique and Rarity was jabbing a hoof into Twilight’s chest.

“I think she is waking up,” Rarity said jabbing Twilight again, but the voice wasn’t Rarity’s. To low and deep the voice sounded like it was from a stallion.

“Good, she’s heavier than she looks,” Said a second voice. In the dreamscape Twilight looked over her shoulder to see Big Macintosh standing under the shading arms of Sweet Apple Acre’s orchards.

Twilight pinched her brow together. ‘Why was Carousel Boutique in the middle of the orchard?’ she thought before shrugging and trotting out of the door towards Big Macintosh.

“Mac,” Twilight said, desperation and a hint of anxiety twisting the corners of her mouth, “have you seen Spike? I’ve been looking everywhere for him.”

The large red stallion looked down on Twilight twirling a wheat stalk with his lips. Turning his head he looked up towards distant Canterlot. In the morning light the white colonnades and towers could barely be seen. Beneath the city perched on the mountain’s side danced a shimmering rainbow from the many waterfalls cascading from the royal palace.

“Do you know who ‘Spike’ is?” asked Rarity in her deep stallion voice.

“Worry about it later!” snapped a mare, her frantic voice punctuated by a tree limb snapping.

Twilight looked around the orchard for the mare but saw nopony else besides her, Rarity and Big Macintosh. Opening her mouth to speak Twilight was overcome with a sudden lurching in her stomach followed by gravel protesting beneath whoever was carrying her. Yes, she was being carried. Twilight blinked at the realization and then she was on Big Macintosh’s back as he skidded down a mountain side. ‘But weren’t we just in Sweet Apple Acres?’ Twilight thought to herself.

“In here!” the unseen mare said.

Cool air kissed Twilight’s face as in the dream Big Macintosh ducked beneath the boughs of an ancient willow. Twilight could hear heavy breathing but otherwise everything had become silent.

“Mac,” Twilight moaned trying to move. Something was jabbing into her stomach.

“Keep her quiet,” hissed the mare in barely a whisper.

Something pressed itself over Twilight’s face. She almost let out a scream as the willow began to move its long curtain like branches sweeping towards Twilight and wrapping around her. Big Macintosh and Rarity had both vanished leaving Twilight with only the willow. The tree’s trunk started to groan and move as well, turning and twisting until a haggard face stared down on the beleaguered Twilight. She wanted to scream but the willow’s branches had twisted them around her mouth clamping it shut. She wanted to run but her legs felt like lead.

Then her eyes shot open as the dreamscape shattered.

Sitting around Twilight were four creatures. Her first thought was that they were Diamond Dogs, but their posture’s were too straight and their skin a creamy pink rather than grey fur. At least she assumed they didn’t have fur. All she could see were their hands, not as large as a diamond dogs and the fingers were longer than Spike’s without the dragon’s claws, and faces poking out from the hoods of white coats trimmed in a royal blue looking away from her towards the entrance of the short dank cave they were all in. Except for a large one a little ways away near the entrance of the cave. Twilight didn’t spare a moment to examine the cave she was in with the four creatures instead focusing her eyes on the one at the entrance. In the early morning light he was the easiest to examine. Unlike the other three it wasn’t wearing a coat or any clothes save for what looked like rough brown trousers and a large bag or sack hanging down its back. Twilight had seen a few stallions wear pants to functions, but even then it was extremely rare.

The creature wasn’t looking at her. All Twilight could see was a short mane of black hair cut off at the base of a short broad neck. From the way the hair sat the head seemed blockier than the round head of a diamond dog.

But even more than the pants, bare chest covered in a dark mat of course black hair, or the odd head Twilight’s eyes were drawn to what was in the creature’s hands. Twilight had seen weapons hanging on the walls of the palace in Canterlot. They were relics of the ancient past when ponies didn’t get along with other ponies or the neighboring kingdoms. Ceremonial in nature at best, like the time Twilight had watched Princess Celestia knight a pair of new guards, they were not made for battle but to look beautiful. That was not the purpose of the thing in the creature’s hands. A hefty axe it was all function over style, the broad head attached to a short wooden shaft with a counterbalancing hammer opposite the blade. From the blade’s tip something wet and red dripped.

Twilight opened her mouth to scream.

It was then she noticed that the one closest to her had a hand clamped over her mouth. Feeling her move the creature looked towards her and sighed with relief.

“She’s awake,” it said in a masculine voice that was barely above a whisper. Twilight recognised it as the voice of the Big Macintosh from the dream, not the slow careful tone of the Big Macintosh she remembered from Ponyville.

Twilight brushed at the hand over her mouth but the creature was far stronger than he looked. He put a finger up to his lips and gave a shushing noise. Twilight had seen Spike perform the same action countless times. Gulping down a lump in her throat Twilight complied. Not because the face seemed friendly with its straw coloured hair, long wide nose, again not like a Diamond Dog, and fretful pinch in the corners of green eyes, but rather because after making the ‘shush’ motion his other hand had retrieved a long thin sword.

Like the axe the sword was all function. A long gleaming blade of steel with a simple cross-guard angled towards the cave entrance. In the half-light Twilight saw little nicks and chips etched onto the cross-guard while the blade itself was pristine.

She half-laid half-sat there leaning against the cave wall, the hand over her mouth while the creature turned back to watch the entrance. The minutes ticked past. Somewhere outside a bird started to sing. One of the other creatures slipped out of the cave. It was smaller than the others with long reddish coloured hair that shimmered in the light for a moment before it disappeared. Twilight counted +two hundred beats of her thumping heart before the creature slipped back into the cave.

“They’re gone, heading north from the looks of it. We may be able to slip down to the lake and head south. With luck we’ll be able to put miles between us before they turn back and pick up our trail.”

Female, that was defiantly a mare’s voice. It sounded strange coming from the gangly creature.

“What about heading back down to the village?” asked the male with his hand over Twilight’s mouth.

The large one at the cave entrance shook its hair before saying, “The village would be forced to turn us over if we were caught there.”

‘Male as well,’ Twilight thought to herself.

The fourth creature slowly stood its hands flashing in a series of intricate and complex signs. The two males waited until the signs stopped before looking expectantly to the female.

“Yes, we could slip around the village before joining up with the road. It’d certainly be faster than going along the lake and through the scrub. But I think they’ll be expecting us to try the roads. I know I’d have placed lookouts on the road just in case.”

Twilight grunted to herself unable to follow the conversation. What were these four creatures hiding from? Where had they taken her? Why had they taken her? What were they? A dozen other questions popped into Twilight’s mind. She again brushed at the hand over her mouth. The male seemed to not have realised he was still gagging her.
With a sheepish “sorry” he removed his hand to Twilight’s surprise and delight. That at least seemed to indicate these four weren’t hostile to her. At least Twilight hoped they weren’t.

“Why have you pony-napped me?” Twilight asked in a harsh whisper. She was surprised to hear how rough her own voice sounded, like it was being dragged over rocks. Her throat felt just as rough. She reached a hoof up to her throat and that was when she noticed it. A sensation unlike any she had ever experienced. Her throat was smooth and soft under probing fingers. Fingers! She had fingers!

Twilight’s eyes flashed wider than the sun a scream catching in her throat as her insides twisted into a knot. The four creatures pinched their brows together giving her an odd look as Twilight’s hands flew up to her face. Yes, those were hands she realised the knot growing tighter and what they felt was not the short muzzle that should have been but rather something smooth with a bump between her eyes. Her hands darted down to her body coming into contact with a rough fabric before feeling farther down to her legs. She looked down and saw her feet covered in dark brown boots. Boots! She wanted to scream so badly but she couldn’t as her breaths came sharp and fast.

Then she had a sudden terrible thought. Reaching up she ran her fingers over her forehead and into her hair. Almost immediately her fingers caught in a tangle of knots and snarls going no farther the top of her head. It was more than enough to confirm her worst suspicion. Her horn was gone. In Twilight’s chest her heart felt ready to burst, her innards re-arranging themselves into a squirming mass. No horn meant she had no magic. Twilight felt extremely exposed as fear screamed through every fiber of her being. She’d only had her magic stripped once. The mad-god of chaos Discord’s game hadn’t frightened her as much.

She was one of them Twilight realised, one of those odd creatures standing in front of her. Her mind reeled at the shock. ‘How in Celestia’s name was this possible?’ Twilight asked herself.

“Are you alright, Honey?” the female asked. “And what do you mean by ‘pony-napped’?”

“Mirror, I need a mirror,” Twilight managed to croak her breathing still erratic. Spots were starting to form at the corners of her vision. To herself she added, ‘you’re hyperventilating Twilight. Get a grip girl, get a grip.’
Sharing a concerned look again the male that had been covering Twilight’s mouth said, “Don’t have any mirrors. But don’t worry none; the arrow missed your face.”

‘Arrow?’ Twilight repeated the word in her head. ‘What in Celestia’s name is going on?’

“You’re starting to scare me, Jasmine,” the female said genuine concern in her voice.

“We can’t stay here any longer. Every second we delay its more likely that they’ll realise their error and double back,” the straw haired male near her said standing up while in an eerily hypnotizing move sheathed the blade in his hand. “Eric, help Jasmine up. Sun, start scouting. Kodiak you and I will cover the rear.”

The creature that had signed slipped past the straw haired male. Judging from the name and build Twilight assumed it was a male as well though she couldn’t be certain. She had very little point of reference. He had lanky dark hair that seemed to hang into his hazel eyes. A long white mark was traced along his brow with another on his nose and a third the left cheek. Scar tissue Twilight suspected. Of the three males he was the shortest being half a hoof shorter than Straw Hair and just noticeably slighter in build. His clothes were well worn but looked like at one time they’d have been rather fine coloured simple earth tones.

He held out one of his hands to her while bracing himself on the cave wall with the other. Twilight looked at it for a moment like it could be poisonous. Slowly she reached up to the hand. In a swift motion he pulled Twilight to her feet. Smiling he began to let her hand go but Twilight clamped down hard refusing to let go. She was standing on two feet, just two feet.

How was she supposed to walk? Diamond Dogs had a loping sort of gait that didn’t seem to fit this odd body. Twilight looked over to watch the others leave the cave. They didn’t seem to have any issues. The huge one, Kodiak, stooped a little to exit the cave but then stood straight swinging his head to survey the area. Then he was off his head held high, axe resting on a shoulder. Stumbling only the first couple steps Twilight was shocked to find that she seemed to know how to walk.

Perhaps it was muscle-memory or the ability was naturally part of the strange bodies psyche. Twilight wished she had access to her library so she could research polymorph spells and their effects. Exiting the cave she half tripped on a stone, arms spinning through the air for a moment as she fell forward before she was caught by the silent Eric. He raised an eyebrow then glanced down at her feet as if saying, ‘You should be careful’. Letting Twilight go he gave her a stern smile, patted his sword, pointed to his ears and then to the woods around them.

Brow pinched Twilight said, “I’m not sure I follow.”

“He’s saying to be careful, these woods are dangerous and have ears,” Sun whispered jumping over beside Twilight. Then she added slightly louder to the leader who was just leaving the cave, “Still no sign of them. I’m going to grab Ko’ and see about laying some traps.”

This was the first chance Twilight had to really appraise what she assumed was the sole woman in the group. As she had noted Sun was shorter than the males, much shorter in fact. While the males seemed to range from Eric at close to six hooves high to the huge Kodiak which if Twilight had to guess was closer to seven hooves Sun looked barely over five hooves in height. She just seemed small and tiny with a tight fitting vest covered in pockets, blue and white striped pants and boots that came to her knees. On her left hip was a sword similar to Straw Hair’s and several knives or daggers seemed present on various locations. Like the others a pack was slung over her shoulders.

Her face was different as well from the males. It was rounder and happier somehow. Both Straw Hair and Eric looked a bit weathered their faces almost leathery. Sun’s face was an almost exuberant bright pink that reminded Twilight somehow of a cherry. The mental image wasn’t hurt by the red hair. From the middle of that pink face shone a pair of large blue eyes.

“That’s not what I said to do,” Straw Hair said glancing over at Twilight his voice snapping her attention back to the conversation.

“Come on, me and Ko’ can move through this forest like smoke. A few snares, some false trails, maybe catch a scout or two and then we’ll catch up.”

Straw Hair shook his head a frown on his face. Sun sighed and looked straight at Twilight. Her eyes grew even larger and she put her hands together in a motion Spike used sometimes when he was begging. Hanging onto Eric’s hand Twilight sensed something significant in that look but she couldn’t tell what. Her strange body may have some understanding of how to move itself but she was finding it difficult to read the creature’s expressions. Her unspoken concern was validated a moment later.

“What do you think Jasmine, you’re the leader.”

It was a statement more than a question. Twilight couldn’t read their faces but the tone of voice was another matter. ‘They think I am their leader, this Jasmine? What do I do? What will they do when, if, I tell them I am not her?’

“Um,” Twilight said licking her lips. “I think we should, uh, stick to the original plan?”

Twilight was sure Sun would protest but she just frowned, blew a strand of red hair from her eyes and slinked off into the woods. Straw Hair was watching Twilight out of the corner of his eye tugging at a short tuft of hair on his chin Twilight hadn’t noticed in the cave. The hair crept up his jaw and around his mouth in a sort of short bush. She stared at the facial hair for a moment before turning to Eric.

“Uh, Eric, would you mind helping me. I’m still not feeling so good,” as if punctuating her words Twilight stumbled a half step.

Ever silent he assisted her as Twilight gingerly followed the fast moving Sun. Watching her feet Twilight tried to think about how Spike walked. One foot forward, a slight roll of the hips as weight and balanced shifted. Yes, this body really did seem to know how to move itself Twilight concluded definitively. She started to wonder what else such an odd shaped body was capable of doing. Twilight focused on her hands, her left held in Eric’s firm grip, the other moving of its own accord to brush aside branches or brush. Twice she stumbled, that marvelous right hand shooting out to instead grab a branch or tree trunk to stabilise her. It was fascinating and strange though not as terrifying now she had some time to think.

Twilight decided to take full stock of the situation. She was with four tall Diamond Dog-like creatures. She was one herself, or was in the body of one at least. She was in a dry wooded area walking down the side of a hill. She was hot. She was very hot in fact.

Twilight blinked looking up at the sky. The early morning clouds that had been drizzling were gone, replaced by an endless blue sheen. And there slowly raising towards the middle of that sky was the sun. Twilight almost looked directly at the massive orb of brilliant light. It was the sharp stinging in her eyes that made her drop her gaze to her more immediate surroundings.

At first Twilight wondered if they were in the Everfree Forest, but decided she couldn’t be in the Everfree. They were moving down the western slope of the hill, the ground broken rock and loose dirt. Through gaps in the trees, a type of pine if she wasn’t mistaken, she could see in the valley bellow an azure lake smooth like glass and beyond it short stubby mountains covered in a patch-work forest of tawny browns and unhealthy greens. Everything was so dry despite the short rain of the morning. Like no Pegasus had pushed a rain-cloud through in weeks or months. The morning rain hadn’t even pooled in puddles before being lost into the thirsty ground. The Everfree wasn’t monitored by the Weather Teams but never seemed at a loss for rain. From Ponyville it was clear the Everfree was healthy, hardy, and dangerous.

But even more than the valley it was the heat that made Twilight realise she was nowhere near her home or the Everfree Forest. She hadn’t felt such sweltering weather since Appleloosa or Dodge. It was debatable which town was hotter. The air was wretched despite the shade like she was walking through a giant oven. Twilight shuddered to think of being out in the open. Worse her body was becoming sticky and slick under the heavy clothes she was wearing particularly down her back where her own pack rested.

So, she was in some other body and a very long way from Ponyville and perhaps even Equestria. Twilight contemplated who or what could have done this to her. Her first thought was Discord. It was certainly within his power if he had escaped his stone prison. This wasn’t her body she knew or if it was something powerful had transformed her. Twilight dismissed the idea of Discord after several minutes. This was not the mad-god’s style. If he had been involved so would candy clouds, or the ground would be soap, or something bizarre. In fact everything seemed so plain and boring that Discord could not have been involved.

If not Discord then she had little idea.

Twilight was finding it harder to think as her body grew hotter and more distressed. The hot air was like having her face too close to an open oven.

“Stop, please stop, I need to rest,” Twilight gasped releasing Eric’s hand for the first time. Her breathing was short and her legs were aching. But it was that terrible heat was sapping her energy that was the worst. “And I need to know what’s going on,” she added slumping against a tree.

Deeper in the shade she was surrounded by thankfully cool air.

The straw haired male came forward a frown creasing his brow and lips. Twilight was struck by how expressive these creature’s features were. Pinched brow, lips tugged down that meant concern and anger or disappointment. They seemed to have that expression a lot.

“What’s going on? Why have you stopped Jasmine?”

Twilight considered for a long moment what to say. Did she dare tell them the truth or try to pretend to be this ‘Jasmine’? It didn’t take more than a second to realise Twilight could not hope to fool the creatures. Twilight had no idea how Jasmine acted or what knowledge she possessed. Twilight was almost alone, lost, confused, hot, far too hot, sticky with sweat, and if she wanted to have any hope of endearing some good will in these creatures, none of whom had shown her any ill intent but rather the opposite trying to protect her, she needed to tell the truth and fast. An absence of truth through silence was as good as a lie.

“I’m not Jasmine,” Twilight said quietly but with conviction. “I have no idea who or what you are, or where we are for that matter.”

Straw Hair considered her for a long moment. Twilight noted with a pang of anxiety his left hand rested on the pommel oh his slender sword. Eric stood waiting a few steps away arms crossed a blank look carved onto his face. Sun was fidgeting the end of her boot digging out small stone from the ground. The large one was nowhere to be seen. Twilight presumed he was still somewhere in the woods behind them.

Working his jaw Straw Hair asked, “Who are you then?”

“Me?” Twilight blinked twice, “My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

Sun stifled a little giggle. “It’s a rather odd name,” she said when both Twilight and Straw Hair gave her dark looks.

Trying his best to ignore the comment Straw Hair asked, “And what have you done with Jasmine?”

This was an easy question. Twilight had been turning it over in her mind the last half-hour. Two possibilities vied for dominance.

“Well, either we’ve switched or somehow I’m possessing her. I’ve read about some spells that can do either or both through various methods. Clover the Clever is said to have been able to see through the eyes of animals by putting her mind into their bodies. But from what I read she didn’t have direct control only some limited influence. If somehow I am possessing Jasmine then whatever happened would need to be a variation of Clover’s Animal Sight spell. Well, maybe. But I don’t think it is possession. I don’t feel like there is anypony else in my head, or her head, ugh, I am going to need to think over how to refer to this body. Then there is...” Twilight’s voice trailed off as she saw what she took to be perplexed looks on the three creatures.

She had started to ramble Twilight realised warmth creeping up onto her cheeks in a sharp blush.

“But, anyways, I need to use my library and know what spell was cast on us to figure out what’s going on.”

Twilight felt her voice catch in her throat. Her library, the memory of its warm woody and sulphur smells brought a tear to her eye. She wondered when or if she’d see it or her number one assistant again. Or her friends. The last thing she could recall of Ponyville was sitting at the outdoor cafe with Rarity. It had been their weekly get-together to share gossip and a pot of tea. Rarity had been talking about her sister’s antics. Something about the young filly and her two friends almost delaying a project for a Manehatten client. Twilight was brought out of her revere by Sun giving a short laugh.

“Well, I believe her,” Sun said jumping to her feet. “Now, can we please get moving? Sitting around yapping isn’t going to put distance between us and those assassins.”

“Assassins?!” Twilight gasped remembering the mention of that an arrow had missed her. ‘Who are these ponies?’ Twilight mused to herself slowly getting to her feet. Outwardly she asked, “Why should I go anywhere with you? For all know you did this to me!”

“Us? How? And why?” Sun chirped tossing back a lock of long red hair.

Twilight had to admit the logic in that last question. Why indeed would they want to do this?

“You are currently in the body of our Wizard. And the last time she was she was when... ooo right before the ‘sins showed up and you, I mean, she, collapsed!” Sun turned to Straw Hair an almost manic glee in her eyes. “They did this to Jasmine, didn’t they? Well, that just ain’t fighting fair. Okay, I can understand wanting to take Jas’ out first. But mind-body-soul-switchering with some innocent person? Oh, no, that is just not playing fair. Not fair at all. I’m going hunting.”
If not for the difference in appearance Twilight would almost have sworn Sun was Pinkie Pie from the happy jumble of words.

Sun turned to walk up the hill but was stopped by Eric. His hands flashed a quick series of signs. Twilight wondered what he was saying. She had already come to the conclusion that he couldn’t talk.

Then something clicked in her brain. She was in the body of a wizard Sun had said. Twilight scrunched up her eyes trying to feel her magic as she always had. There was, something, not exactly a twinge but a feeling in the back of her awareness. She attempted to direct the twinge imaging her horn glowing. Just a small simple teleportation spell, Twilight was an expert at the spell able to teleport in quick succession and over a fair range. She opened one eye and saw she hadn’t moved. ‘Of course, it’d be too simple if magic worked the same from species to species,’ she groused to herself.

“Fine, fine,” Sun snapped bringing Twilight’s attention away from her failed spell. “You win Eric, I won’t go getting myself killed for petty revenge,” she said adding under her breath just loud enough for Twilight to hear, “though I doubt they’d catch me.”

“Good, splitting up now is foolish,” Straw Hair said shifting his pack. “And we can’t sit here as much as I’d like to figure out who you are Miss Sparkle. Once we get across the lake perhaps we can take some time to talk, figure out what’s happened and decide what to do long term. For now, everyone, march!”

Twilight gulped at the hard edge to the command. She had the distinct feeling that if she refused he’d just carry her. Sun slipped off ahead shooting Twilight a look that she assumed was anger. Eric offered his assistance again but Twilight shook her head. If she was going to be trapped in this body for long, and every indication was it’d be a while before she could find a way to reverse whatever it was that had happened, she needed to learn to move on her own. With a nod the silent Eric moved ahead half a dozen paces keeping sight on the swift moving Sun. Straw Hair walked a little behind and to Twilight’s side. Somewhere far behind them was the large Kodiak.

“I still don’t know your name,” Twilight pointed out as she and Straw Hair quickened their paces.

Straw Hair grunted looking over his shoulder. “Appleton, Vernon Appleton.”

“Vernon Appleton,” Twilight rolled the name around in her mouth feeling a warm sensation of familiarity. She knew it was impossible for there to be any connection to the Apple Family of Ponyville but the mere mention of the fruit in his name sent a tingle of comfort shooting up her back. It was enough to make her dare to ask, “And what are you?”

Beside her Vernon didn’t slow his pace as he was silent for several moments. At last he said, “I am Jasmine’s Guardian.”

Blinking Twilight shook her head. He must have misunderstood the question. ‘But why shouldn’t he have thought it meant anything other than what he did?’ Twilight mused. She pondered over what a Guardian was for a moment. From the name Twilight surmised some sort of protector or guard like those that surrounded and followed Celestia.

“So, you guard Jasmine?”

“Yes.”

“What from?”

“Everything.”

“Well, that must be hard. How can you protect anypony from everything? There has to be lots of things that you can’t stop or prevent. It’s not like you can prevent Jasmine from getting sick right? Or from whatever happened to make us switch.” Twilight shook her head again and sighed. “Besides, that’s not what I meant.”

“I’ve noticed twice now you said ‘anypony’. Where you’re from you’re not human, are you?” Vernon said ducking beneath a pair of bare branches. He looked over to see the surprised look covering Twilight’s face. “I may not be a wizard, but I am not a fool Miss Sparkle. You’re not picked to be a Guardian if you are.”

Twilight smiled a genuine happy smile for the first time that day. She had a name for these creatures now, ‘Human’.

“You picked that out from two words?”

“That and you are walking like a toddler.” He chuckled. Seeing her hurt look he added, “Unsure and a little unstable. At first I thought you were just not feeling well. We are being pressed and hounded so I wasn’t going to ask. Besides, Jasmine wouldn’t have said anything even if she had both legs broken. But now...” he shrugged.

This new information made Twilight wonder just who Jasmine was. So far she knew Jasmine was a wizard, had a body guard, traveled with a bunch of humans, and didn’t like to show pain or distress. Twilight prayed to Celestia that Jasmine was safe and fine in Twilight’s body in Ponyville. Hopefully one of them could figure out what happened and get them both to their own homes. If she had access to her library or better yet the Royal Archives in Canterlot Twilight was certain she could figure out what had caused this and reverse it. Perhaps not quickly, but eventually.

“So... you’re humans?” Twilight asked. At least she also knew what these creatures were. The name was vaguely familiar. Had she read about them in a book once? No, that wasn’t it. For several minutes Twilight wracked her memory for where she had heard the name before. Then it came to her. Lyra Heartstrings had mentioned them in passing. Her smile grew wider as she remembered the strange unicorn, the way she sat, and how she seemed to use different words sometimes. Like ‘anybody’ instead of ‘anypony’ or ‘fist-bump’ instead of ‘hoof-bump’. “I have an acquaintance that would probably do just about anything to meet you. Or be me right now for that matter.”

Vernon just shrugged. He certainly wasn’t chatty Twilight huffed.

They walked in silence for the next hour making their way towards the lake. It was no longer a shimmering blue mirror in the distance. A western wind had picked up blowing the sultry noon air through their hair. Through the trees Twilight heard the gentle lap of small waves against pebbles. She stepped out of the wood’s shade onto a pebble strewn beach mixed with thick coarse sand. Twilight wanted to race into the lake and just lay in it basking in the cool refreshing water. She gave it a longing look for a moment before she started to follow Eric south along the beach. In either direction the lake seemed to stretch forever creating a long valley nestled between short mountains.

Vernon was still near to her left but she couldn’t see Sun anywhere.

“What is it you ponies do?”

Twilight looked over to Vernon when he didn’t answer right away. He seemed lost in thought looking up the long hill they had spent the morning descending. Actually, from the valley floor it looked more like a stubby mountain than a hill. The broken woods and rock loomed high overhead.

“We are adventurers, and yes I know that is rather uninformative statement. It means we look for trouble, usually in the form of dungeons, crypts, abandoned castles, dealing with pests to big or dangerous for villages, or if we are very lucky one of the Ancient’s vaults. So far we have found no dungeons, crypts or Ancient vaults. There was one abandoned castle that was mostly empty except for some rats. Oh, and a lioness that had been taking livestock. As far as ‘adventuring’ goes, we’ve been rather successful actually.”

“So, an empty abandoned castle and dealing with a lioness and you consider that successful?” Twilight arched an eyebrow. “How long have you been at this?”

“This is our second summer.”

Suddenly Twilight felt like she was in the foal’s end of a swimming pool. Her own first ‘adventure’ had involved banishing the madness of a demigoddess to prevent eternal night from engulfing the land. There had been Manticores, Hydras, Dragons, a mad god of Chaos, and nearly a dozen other sundry ‘adventures’ since then. It wasn’t like she went looking for excitement and danger, it just had an unfortunate habit of landing in her hooves. She wondered what these humans would do if an Ursa Minor came stomping through the woods. They had seemed so assured and in control, now they looked so inexperienced and naive.

“Stop, you hear that?”

Vernon stood stock still beside Twilight a hand on her shoulder.

“Can you use Jasmine’s magic?” he asked in a harsh whisper eyes glaring up the slope they had been traveling along.

Twilight shook her head.

“Get behind that log and stay down.”

Doing as she had been told, and feeling silly for it given the realisation that she had more experience with danger, Twilight wondered what Vernon had heard. She turned her head trying to listen only to discover that her hearing wasn’t as good with a human ear. Turning her head left and right seemed to help a little but it still wasn’t as useful as swiveling pony ears. For a couple moments all she heard was the lap of the small waves on the lake. Then filtering down through the trees came the distinct sounds of deep bass laughter.

“Ko’s laughing?” Sun asked on Twilight’s right a sharp tinge of concern putting an edge to the small human’s voice. “Ko’s laughing! Oh, Goddess, Ko’s Laughing!”

Sun was off in a flash of red hair leaping up the slope. Twilight blinked at the graceful way she seemed to flow up the hill like a humming bird bending and twisting past trees and under low branches. How she could move so fast in spite of the afternoon heat amazed Twilight. The vanishing form of Sun didn’t even falter when Vernon called for her to stop. Sun was gone, chasing down the sound of her friends laughter.

Flanked by Vernon and Eric, Twilight waited for any sign of the other two humans. A minute passed followed by another. From somewhere above there was a crack like thunder followed by a low rumble interspersed with more bangs and splintering crashes that grew. Twilight knew that noise. She had become too familiar with it over the years.

“That’s a landslide!” Twilight shouted grabbing Vernon and Eric’s arms.

They didn’t need any further prompting. Spinning Vernon pushed Twilight into a run. Side by side the three of them ran at an angle away from the terrible rumbling. The rocks and debris broke through the veil of trees like a bull through glass sweeping towards them as they twisted along the beach. Boulders as large as wagons smashed into each other turning trees into splinters and those splinters in turn becoming deadly missiles. Turning her head Twilight tried to sprint faster.

If only she was in her normal pony body. Twilight didn’t foal herself, she was primarily a librarian and scholar, but she did lead a somewhat active life, still she was not as fit as her friend’s Applejack and Rainbow Dash. On four legs she may have outrun the onrushing tide of stone, dirt, and wood. With two Twilight realised she was doomed to get swept away. A stone clipped her shoulder knocking away her already precarious balance. Tumbling into the mixed sand and gravel Twilight covered her face with her arms.

‘This is it then, this is how I die,’ she thought in the instant before the avalanche reached her.

Twilight was surprised when a moment later she was still alive. Uncovering her face she found herself in a spreading cloud of chocking dust. Coughing Twilight slowly stood peering at a rock larger than the front door of her library resting only a few hooves away from where she had tumbled. A wave of relief washed over her next almost buckling her knees.

“I am starting to hate mountains!” Twilight growled, kicking loose sand at the offending rocking.

Then she looked around sudden panic twisting her guts as Twilight realised she was all alone on the beach.

“Eric? Vernon? Where are you?”

Twilight turned in a circle looking for the two humans as the dust cloud settled. A sharp pain exploded through Twilight’s back and out her stomach moments before she could repeat her question. She blinked looking down her front. Such an odd sensation looking down your body like that. And why was there a piece of angular barbed metal jutting from the front of her clothes? And why was it so red?

“Oh... oh my... that’s bad,” Twilight said falling over onto her side. She didn’t even register hitting the ground before being swallowed by black for the second time that day.

Chapter Three: Of Breakfast and Magic

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter 3: Of Breakfast and Magic

"Magic shackled and distant,
She will be vulnerable for a time."

-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

Twilight woke with a start. She blinked twice looking up at a simple wooden roof and weathered beam. Turning her head she looked around.

She was in a small bed in a small room. A few steps from the bottom of her bed sat a simple green door. To her right a dresser painted a garish green with a small vase of flowers on top. Between the dresser and the door was a body length mirror while on the other side was a single window with its shutters drawn. Through the shutter’s rungs streamed several thin beams of sunlight onto Twilight. All in all the room was small and sparse but with a certain homey charm Twilight would have attributed to Applejack's farmhouse.

Her first coherent thought after taking in her surrounding was that she wasn't in her own bedroom.

Her second thought was of the final moments before she had fallen unconscious.

Her third thought was that she really, really, really didn't want to think about the final moments before falling unconscious.

It was too late however. Unwanted the image of an arrow thrusting itself out of her belly appeared in her mind's eye. Twilight could hear the rocks and stone settling from the avalanche and the smell of dirt and sap filled her nostrils. Groaning she reached up and pressed her palms into her eyes. A louder groan came with the realisation that it all hadn't been some terrible nightmare brought on by eating spicy food before bed.

"How in Celestia's name did I get here?" Twilight asked tossing aside the blankets covering her and rolling to her feet.

Standing she pressed a hand to her stomach where the arrow had been. There was a minor flair of tenderness but otherwise she felt rather alright. Better than alright in fact. Twilight felt refreshed and energised as if she’d spent the day at the spa with Rarity or Fluttershy. Wondering how long she had been in bed Twilight stretched her alien body to a chorus of joints popping. As she turned and twisted out the last stiffness from her muscles Twilight caught sight of herself in the tall mirror. Pausing Twilight wondered what to examine more: her surroundings or herself.

Who ever had brought her to the room couldn’t be dangerous. It’d probably been one of the humans she’d met when she first woke up. It was an assumption Twilight knew and she as a rule didn’t care to assume things. But with an absence of a way to prove or disprove the idea it was a suitable working point to continue from for the time being. Nothing about the room said anything other than ‘rustic’ and ‘humble’.

Decision made Twilight stepped forward finally getting a good look at her borrowed body.

Gazing at herself Twilight noticed that she was almost naked wearing only some sort of very tiny white pants around her hips and a band of cloth on her upper torso. More evidence of human’s penchant for clothing. She was also... curvy.

Running her hands over her body felt a little strange. Twilight still wasn’t certain how to think of herself. It wasn’t her body. Shaking her head to clear the unsettling ideas Twilight adopted a scientific attitude. She was like a biologist studying a new never before encountered species. The idea that it was herself that she was studying continued to niggle at the back of Twilight’s mind.

“Right, okay, ‘curvy’, that’s ... uh... yeah. So, let’s see, everything, uh, feels normalish, except my chest. I appear to have... Eh, yeah, ha-ha-ha! If the hair wasn’t indication then that makes it obvious Humans are mammals. Already knew I was in a female. Ha-ha-ha, wouldn’t that have been something if I was in a male? Erk, don’t think about that, Twilight. Although, does this mean that whoever I’m in has a foal?”

Twilight really didn’t want to ponder that thought. By pony standards Twilight was young, an adult sure, but still rather young. She had only reached adulthood shortly before moving to Ponyville. By her own standards Twilight thought of herself more as a student than a grown mare somewhere in that awkward stage between. It didn’t help that she was the youngest out of her friends. The last thing Twilight wanted was to be responsible for a foal. Sure, she had partially raised Spike, but even she admitted that the Palace staff had done more than Twilight. Spike was more like her little brother.

“Maybe she doesn’t have a child and this is normal for the species, Twilight. Yeah, better not jump to conclusions. Yeah, ha-ha-ha...” Scrunching her eyes Twilight pushed down the rising anxiety. “Okay, focus. Treat this like any other experiment. We need to take observations. Right, what am I doing? I am talking to myself while in a strange body and wearing hardly any clothes.”

She wasn't too worried about not wearing clothes. Most ponies hardly ever wore any outside the large cities and some of the frontier towns. To ponies they were entirely extraneous accessories used most often for parties and other social gatherings. Even in the cities most ponies didn’t wear clothes for day-to-day activities. Humans it'd be a different matter Twilight reasoned staring at her almost hairless new body. Almost hairless because there were some very fine hairs on her lower arms and legs. Not enough to protect her from the elements. It certainly explained why the humans she had been with had all been wearing clothes. As Twilight watched them the hairs seemed to rise up as a little chill crawled up her back. Rubbing her arms Twilight was surprised to find the friction caused the hairs to lay flat again.

Twilight turned her attention to her actual shape. She was very lightly built with little muscle and shaped a bit like an hourglass where her waist came in between her hips and chest. Not as petite as Sun, but not far off either Twilight suspected. Her skin was a smooth cream colour showing sharp contrasting lines where it turned dark at her neck and wrists where clothes didn't normally cover her. Exposure to the Sun darkened the skin Twilight guessed. Then there were the scars. The most prominent wasn't the angry red puckered spot on her stomach where the arrow had been but a series of deep wide marks across the left side of her chest. At some point some large predator had attacked her. There were others, so many Twilight didn't want to count them all. Strait lines, jagged lines, parallel lines, all making her new body into a kind of living map for an alien town.

"Jasmine sure seems to live a rough life," Twilight grumbled, tracing some of the scars. “Maybe Vernon was lying about their activities? Or is this much scarring normal for a human wizard?”

Oddly there wasn't a single scar on her face. Twilight recalled what Vernon had said when she had first woken up in this borrowed body.

'Don't worry, the arrow missed your face,' he had said.

"And she must be a bit vain about her face," Twilight added rolling her eyes, her soft steel-grey eyes.
Twilight felt a pang of sadness. She missed her own lavender eyes that matched the colour of her fur. She reached up and grabbed a lock of hair and examined it. It was a rich dark brown, very coarse, and a tangle of knots and split ends. Twilight wasn't the most particular pony about her looks, but even she liked to keep her mane combed and neat. Jasmine apparently didn't extend the vanity of her face to her hair.

On the dresser Twilight spotted a comb and without thinking about it reached over, picked it up, and started to absently comb her hair. It was slow going at first. From how it caught on a snarl every stroke Twilight had to wonder when, if ever, Jasmine had last combed. After several minutes work it began to move through the thick hair with, if not ease, then at least with less interruptions. As she continued to brush Twilight turned her attention to her face.

Like the other humans it was very different but eerily similar to a pony’s. It was expressive, especially the eyes, with a slender nose turned ever so slightly up. The lips were a bit different being fuller and a few shades darker than the rest of her skin. Between hair and eyes was a broad flat forehead. Her cheekbones were high and prominent with a tapered jaw and almost no chin. Twilight recalled the strong jutting chins of the three males she had met yesterday. Perhaps it was a feature of the males like how stallions had larger longer faces. Lyra might have known.

Twilight paused, frowning, watching her reflection’s lips curl downwards and her large broad hornless brow pinch together. That was the second time she had thought about the sea-foam green unicorn. They had never really spoken much not sharing any interests. Twilight could only ever recall having had one conversation with her. Lyra had come to the library and asked about books on Humans. Twilight recalled she had given the other mare a blank stare before humouring her. There hadn't been any books about the mythological creatures of course. The Ponyville library was too small to carry books on such obscure creatures.

And now, she was one, Twilight thought with a wry smile that quickly became a frown again.

She didn't want to be one. She wanted to be home in her library with her number one assistant and a big pot of chamomile tea.

A knock on the door snapped Twilight from her thoughts before she could begin to pine for her research and dear friends.

"Excuse me, Miss, but be you awake?" asked a female voice.

The voice had a musical quality to its accent that in only a few words managed to conjure up an image of a mist shrouded pond on the edge of some woods in Twilight’s mind.

Twilight gave an affirmative, turning to inspect her back in the mirror. More scars and her hair falling to the nape of her neck greeted her eyes.

"Oh, begging your pardon," the woman said as the door swung open. She covered her eyes and looked away from Twilight adding, “I didn’ be expectin’ you to bein’ up so soon, Miss.”

'Yes, clothes are definitely more than just for fashion and a statement,' Twilight thought to herself, saying out loud, "I'm sorry, but I seem to be missing my clothes."

The woman gave a small laugh, "That'n bein' as I had ‘em to clean all the blood outta 'em, miss."

Blinking it took Twilight a moment to decipher what the woman had said. The mental image of the pond and mist still hung about the lilting quality of the voice, but the words seemed to tumble and flow into each other. Noticing the clothes in the woman’s arms the words meaning clicked into place.

“Oh, thank you. That was very kind of you.”

“Be thinkin’ nothin’ of it, Miss. You be doin’ the same fer any o’ me or me own.”

Twilight took the folded clothes and placed them on the bed wondering how to put them on. She remembered that yesterday she’d been wearing what she had believed to be a dress or something. Rarity or perhaps Fluttershy with her obsession with Prance fashion might have been able to tell Twilight. All she knew was there was a lot of cloth and she didn’t know how it all fitted together. Deciding perhaps the other woman might have some idea Twilight turned to her asking for help.

“Oh, certainly, Miss. I be supposin’ you noble ladies don’ be knowin’ how to be dressin’ your selves like.”

The woman gave a laugh closing the door and un-shielding her eyes.

The next several minutes were filled with Twilight turning in circles, pulling on loose underclothes and skirts, belts belted and buckles buckled to the other woman’s instructions. Twilight wanted to ask why the other woman thought she was a noble. There certainly didn’t seem to be anything to indicate she was noble, Twilight thought. Quality of the cloth perhaps played a role. Or maybe it was the style. There could have been dozens of social queues Twilight had missed she realised. It wasn’t like she was the most attentive or observant of even pony society. She was always so consumed with her studies. At last it came to an end and Twilight was again standing in front of the mirror.

Robes, she was wearing robes Twilight realised. Tawny brown and well travelled with pockets practically everywhere. A belt of soft white leather had several pouches dangling down Twilight’s hips. Down the side of her right shoulder was a corded link of knots of white, gold, and dark blue. The robes seemed designed to smother and hide her figure Twilight wryly realised.

“Your boots be down by the door miss,” the woman said behind Twilight, drawing Twilight’s eyes to her reflection in the mirror. “We don’t be wearin’ our boots in-doors in this house.”

Now she wasn’t being commanded on how to dress herself Twilight finally got a good look at the other woman. The first thing she noticed was this woman had a long pointed chin. So much for the theory about only males having long chins Twilight thought to herself. She was a little more weathered looking with brown eyes, hazel hair, and a prominent nose. The woman’s figure was hard to deduce with the plain tan dress she wore but she was a bit taller than Twilight. She had a matriarchal air about her and a sort of gruff tenderness that reminded Twilight of her friend Applejack.

“Thank you for your help,” Twilight said, straightening out her hair.

Maybe she could find a way to put a pink highlight in it Twilight thought. Then again maybe she should leave it be, this wasn’t her body after all.

The other woman gave a soft smile and opened the door. “Well, will you be joinin’ us for breakfast?” she asked when Twilight continued to stare at her own reflection in the mirror.

Snapping out of her stupor Twilight gave a nervous laugh following the woman into the hall and down a very narrow flight of stairs. At the mention of breakfast Twilight’s stomach gave an imploring lurch. She hadn’t realised how hungry she had become which wasn’t unusual when Twilight was deep in research or an experiment.

“Breakfast sounds great. Thank you so much,” Twilight gave a genuine laugh adding, “Um, I was wondering, I was travelling with four friends. They aren’t here are they? Actually, how did I get here at all? How long was I out? I have so many questions...”

Stopping half way down the stairs the woman sighed and looked at her own feet.

“As to that, Miss, I be lettin’ me Jasper do the tellin’. But I can be tellin’ you that you only slept one night while you’re wound be tended.”

Twilight felt a heavy sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. From the way the other woman avoided looking her in the eyes Twilight got the feeling that the news about her friends wasn’t good. It was a small shock to realise that even though she had known them only for an afternoon she had started to think of the four humans as something more than just acquaintances. Twilight didn’t quite feel the same pull of friendship she had with the friends left behind in Ponyville, she could feel the bonds forming and to have them missing left a sudden emptiness. The previous day hadn’t been so different from the first journey through the Everfree Forest. That had only been little more than a day in length and she had come out if it with five of the closest friends she would ever have. Thinking about Vernon and Eric probably killed in the avalanche and not knowing what happened to Sun and Kodiak brought small tears to Twilight’s eyes.

“Now now, Miss, don’t be cryin’ yet. There be hope that some of your friends be out there still.”

Sniffling back the tears Twilight gave a hasty nod. She didn’t want to think about the horrific end to the previous day. Changing subjects as she wiped the last tear from her eye with the sleeve of her robe Twilight said, “I’m sorry, I just realised I haven’t asked for your name.”

“Maggie, Maggie Conrad. Wife of Jasper Conrad,” the woman called over her shoulder as she stepped off the stairs and into a large brightly lit room.

Twilight was again reminded of her friend Applejack, this time for how similar the house was to her friend’s in Ponyville. The paint was as bright on the walls, and the windows were a touch smaller, but it had the same rustic feel and charm. Across from the stairs landing was a large door held open by a wedge shoved under it letting in a stream of light and fresh air. Windows had been opened on the walls letting in a pleasant cross breeze. The walls were covered in paintings of humans. Some were of just the face while others had humans standing in poses or grouped together. There were only paintings, no photograph. Maybe humans hadn’t discovered photography yet. It was still relatively new to ponies.

“What a lovely home,” Twilight breathed filling up with warmth at the homey setting as the sad thoughts were pushed farther back in her mind. “Oh, and my name is Twilight Sparkle.”

“Twilight Sparkle, that be an odd name, but I ain’t one to be judge,” Maggie said causing a blush to creep up on Twilight’s face. “I be having one of me brother’s callin’ himself Moon Lord the Great these last few years. Poor fool went and got his mind addled in the last war.”

Twilight wasn’t sure Maggie was joking to make her feel better or telling the truth. Still she gave out a soft uncertain laugh.

“So, you are awake at last,” said a man from a long table stretching down the middle of the kitchen when Maggie and Twilight entered. “I hope I did a good enough job on your wound. I am a few years out of practice so I couldn’t do much for the scar sadly. Though I noticed it wasn’t going to be without company, if’n you understand.”

Maggie gave out a curt snort, “Jasper, be minding your manners!”

“Oh hush, Maggie, it’s all in good fun.”

Jasper laughed getting out of his seat and pulling out a chair for his wife before sitting down again. Twilight blinked sitting herself to Maggie’s right. Across from them sat three children. All brown haired like their mother. At least Twilight assumed that Maggie was their mother. Her suspicions were confirmed a moment later.

“Miss Sparkle, these be our children. Tom is the oldest. April is the middle one. And that be little Laurence. And Laurence, be getting your hand out of your food!” The final statement was accompanied by Maggie reaching across the table to slap her sons hand out of his plate of what appeared to be bread, cheese, cut apples, and something brown and wet looking.

Twilight glanced at each child in turn as he or she was introduced.

Tom was, Twilight guessed, a youth nearing adulthood. He had that stretched out look some ponies got during their final growth spurts. Sitting at his father’s left Tom was about half a head taller but somewhat scrawnier than the head of the house. Sharing his mother’s long nose, small brown eyes, and chin further enhanced the stretched out look. He was giving Twilight a look of mixed distrust and anger that puzzled her. Not knowing why he was giving her such a look Twilight was just happy that she was starting to understand human facial expressions better.

Despite being the middle child, April was the smallest of the Conrad children. Her dark hair was pulled into a pair of bouncing tails each held by red ribbons that danced and bobbed over her shoulders with each frantic motion of her head. Large bright blue eyes drilled into Twilight as a large beaming smile made her round cherubic face shine. She was a picture of exuberant childhood that reminded Twilight of Apple Bloom and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“But mama, it is easier!” the final child, Laurence, said around a mouthful of food as Twilight turned her attention to him.

He was only an inch or so taller than his sister with a similarly round face and blue eyes. The similarities ended there. Like his brother he had a large nose that seemed almost out of place on the young face. His hair was cut short and had a dusty sheen to it like the boy had been rolling around in the dirt. He was all energy and quick sharp movements, hands flying food to his mouth with such speed Twilight was wondering when he was breathing.

“No back talk at this table mister,” Jasper said in a stern voice that made Twilight’s toes curl. She could only imagine how the child managed to stare back at his father. “Apologise to your mother then either eat properly or get started on your chores. The pigs still need slopping from what I saw coming back from the orchard.”

“Yes, Papa,” Laurence muttered picking up a fork in a manner similar to how Spike would hold a quill. Twilight watched the movements for a moment before mimicking them.

She couldn’t tell exactly what was on her plate beside the sliced apples and bread. Experimentally she poked it with the fork. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Jasper spear his own piece with his fork and then cut off a slice with a small knife. It seemed to be the choice serving of the breakfast for the entire family. Picking up her own knife she found when she applied the same technique the substance practically disintegrated on her plate.

Lifting up the small portion Twilight asked, “What is this?” before popping it into her mouth. Warm juices exploded in her mouth making her eyes shoot open. Flavours she had never encountered rolled over her tongue in a delightfully playful dance. The texture was like melting string. Twilight didn’t even have to hardly chew.

“It be Morning Delight,” Maggie said nibbling on an apple. “Beef slow cooked overnight in its own juices with some choice herbs from the garden.”

“Beef?” Twilight asked swallowing.

“Surely you be knowing what beef is?”

Twilight shook her head spearing a second piece of the ‘Morning Delight’. She had to admit the name was apt.

“Why, it be cow, miss.”

The fork and meat were moments away from Twilight’s mouth when the word hit her brain. Beef, cow, meat; she had just eaten another creature. At once her gorge raised itself demanding the single content of her stomach be expelled. Dropping the fork and suddenly disgusting thing on its tines Twilight leapt from her seat and dashed for the door. Shocked silence fell on the table as Twilight’s dry heaving could be heard through the open door. After a minute Maggie got up and went to the door.

“You bein’ alright, Miss Sparkle?” she asked Twilight from the doorway.

Twilight stood up slowly her stomach still a tight ball of churning nausea.

“Yes, I just wasn’t expecting... that.”

As the two women entered the kitchen again Jasper said, “I gather from your reaction you’ve never had meat before.”

His look was critical and appraising, like he was expecting a lie.

“No, I’ve never eaten meat before.” Twilight couldn’t look at the brown lump on her plate afraid the sight would cause her stomach to convulse again. When she finally built up enough courage to look she noticed that it had been removed. With a relieved sigh and aware of the unpleasant pinch of hunger in her belly Twilight turned her attention to the cheese, bread, and apples.

“But everyone eats meat!” little April said, her eyes suspicious daggers. “Even Mama who cries when Papa kills the chickens or the pigs or the-“

“Hush now, April,” Maggie said, mercifully ending her daughter’s glare with one of her own.

“It is more than a bit strange, Mama,” Tom said, his voice deeper than his fathers.

Twilight stayed fixated on her bread not wanting to look the family in the face. She could feel her cheeks burning and was intently aware of her error. She should have realised humans were omnivorous from her teeth. Dietary habits just hadn’t entered her mind for a moment. Berating herself for her foolishness Twilight missed the rest of the conversation until she was brought out by a question from Laurence.

“Papa, what do her Knots mean?”

Blinking away her self-recriminations Twilight looked over to Jasper, interested in the answer. She wasn’t sure what was being asked only that it might have something to do with Jasmine’s identity. Jasper seemed to consider the question carefully while looking at the ceiling. Coming to a decision he nodded to his daughter.

“April, you’ve been studying the Knots in class. Why don’t you tell us what they mean?”

The girls face lit up like the sun and she jumped from her chair racing around the table to Twilight’s side. Peering up at the cord dangling from Twilight’s shoulder the girl seemed to lose herself in thought for a moment. Then she took a deep breath that was followed by a stream of words that would have made Pinkie Pie proud.

“She has three cords, White, Gold, and Royal Blue in six Knots. Wow! She has six Knots, Papa! The first cord is for where you are from, white meaning that you have no home and are a traveler. The second cord is for your profession usually, but since she has three it shows her position in the court in the palace. Gold means that, oh wow, she’s related to the King and on the List of Succession! But since she has a white first cord she must be low on the List as everyone closely related to the King has their own lands that they govern. The third cord is for her profession then and it is royal blue, meaning that she is a wizard. She’s a wizard! And there are six Knots meaning... um... what do six Knots mean, Papa? I’ve never heard of anyone having more than three.”

“Wizards are a bit different, April. Their Knots show the level of mastery of the Circles. Six Knots means Miss Sparkle is proficient in some of the highest levels of magic.”

“Oh,” April said pausing to consider the implications before finishing her explanation. “So, from your Knots we can see you are a relative of the king who travels and is a powerful wizard.”

She gave a proud nod before scampering back to her chair. Her father gave April an approving smile.

“Very good, April, I am glad to see you taking so well to your studies.”

April’s face shone with uncontained pride and joy at her father’s words. Her younger sibling gave her a scowl that April either didn’t notice or care about. Tom seemed disinterested. Picking up his plate, the older boy stood saying he had to get to his chores before stomping out of the house. Jasper sighed as the door swung shut. Laurence left the table a moment later his sister on his heels as the two younger children raced out the door.

“Poor Tom, he still blames himself for not getting any of my talents.” Jasper pulled a pipe from a pocket shaking his head. “I’ve told the fool boy enough times it ain’t his fault, but he doesn’t listen.”

Maggie laid a hand on her husband’s arm saying, “He’s afraid he disappointed you, Jasper.”

Feeling uncomfortable Twilight cleared her throat. She wasn’t sure about the family dynamic involved, but she was all too keenly familiar with the sense of crushing failure one got when they believed they had disappointed someone they held in high esteem. The incident with Miss Sparty-pants painfully made its way into Twilight’s mind. The look on Celestia’s face when she had taken her student to the library had almost destroyed Twilight. Feeling the subject needed changing Twilight asked a question that had been off and on bouncing through her mind since she had woken.

“How did you heal my wound? Unless I’ve been sleeping for weeks or more I don’t see how it could be nothing more than a scar.”

“Oh, that,” Jasper said lighting his pipe and giving Twilight a knowing grin. “I know I am not wearing my Knots, but if I were you’d see I got up to four before moving out here and settling down.”

“You can use magic?” Twilight felt her mouth fall open. For some reason imagining the unassuming farmer as a wizard just seemed wrong.

“A bit, mostly along the lines of plants or dealing with physical things. The more esoteric stuff always eluded me.”

“I’m sorry, but you just seem so different from all the scholars and wizards I’ve met.”

“Ha, I am sure I am. Not many give up the craft to grow an orchard, run a farm, and start a family.” Jasper gave his wife’s hand a tender pat. “But I did and I don’t look back for a moment. Keep your libraries and scrolls Miss Sparkle, I want none of it.”

Libraries and scrolls were exactly what Twilight wanted. A pang of longing for her own library and tree-house filled her for a moment. She wondered how Spike was doing. Did her friends know she was gone?

“Except for April. She has the gift Miss Sparkle. If you would permit me to be so bold, but I would ask if you could put in a good word for her at the Academy? I’m afraid my own voice doesn’t carry much weight as you can imagine. Some Fourth Knot way out in the fringes who gave up his studies to farm. Ha, hardly a recommendation at all. They’d decline, politely, of course. Which would be a shame as my April is truly gifted. Not like her Pa.” He puffed on his pipe sending up a ring of smoke to the ceiling while his wife and Twilight remained silent.

“She knew you be coming,” Maggie said after a moment. “April be dreamin’ about it for the last week. ‘The purple wizard comes, mama. She needs us and we need her.’”

A chill crept up Twilight’s back. She hated prophecies and predictions, mostly as they tended to involve a lot of hassle for her and her friends. Nightmare Moon was the first followed by Discord. Though Twilight hadn’t found that prophecy until after the spirit of chaos had been defeated. That had been an uncomfortable find. Afterwards Twilight had sworn off looking through books of prophecy. She’d rather not know what was coming, especially if it involved her being in some capacity the savior of Equestria. All Twilight wanted was to study, enjoy her friends company and perhaps in a few years teach at the School for Gifted Unicorns, write some books, and settle down with a nice stallion. She had had her fill of adventure and danger.

“It was April who found you and saved your life,” Maggie continued going over to the fireplace where a kettle had been put to boil. “We were working in the north fields when she took off like a rabbit. Tom followed her and came back a half hour later with you in his arms and covered in blood.”

Twilight swallowed a lump in her throat. She had her answer to how she was brought to the farm. Twilight had still hoped maybe Eric or Vernon had carried her, but with them being missing she had started to dismiss that idea. Were they even still alive, and did she dare ask? Unbidden the memory of the avalanche and dusty aftermath filled her sight.

“Tom said he found you and a couple of dead bodies. He didn’t stay to look around seeing you so close to death yourself and worried for April. She refused to leave you behind. Bit Tom’s hand when he tried to pick her up instead of you.”
Closing her eyes she felt a tear begin to form. She had the final answer. Vernon and Eric were dead.

“Your daughter sounds like a hoof-full,” Twilight said with a soft sad voice. “So, your daughter has premonitions? I’ve never studied or put much stock in them myself until I met my good friend Pinkie Pie. She has a way of knowing things just before they happen. I can’t thank you enough for your hospitality and saving my life. I’m sorry I threw up the...”

Snapping her eyes shut Twilight tried to think of things other than the meat and how good it tasted. She really didn’t want to admit that there was a very small craving in the back of her mind that wanted more. But then her rational mind reminded itself that it had once been a living creature and her stomach almost decided to once again eject its contents. But wouldn’t eating meat be required as a dietary necessity she wondered. Frustrated at the conflicting thoughts and emotions Twilight tried to return to the conversation.

Waving a hand Jasper said, “Think nothing of it. I’d do the same for anyone and I am sure you would too. You seem a decent enough woman.”

Twilight nodded steeling herself for her next question. It had only just occurred to her and would perhaps leave her rather vulnerable.

“Do you think you could teach me magic?”

Jasper’s eyes widened while Maggie’s jaw dropped.

“You- you don’t be knowin’ how to use magic? But you have six knots!” Maggie stuttered for a moment setting the kettle on matt in the middle of the table. “Surely you be jestin’. Have a good laugh at the common folk.”

“Let her finish Maggie. There is more to this I sense.”

Nodding Twilight continued explaining that she wasn’t from anywhere near or that she was even in her own body. That statement drew a sharp exclamation from Maggie. The other woman had to excuse herself for a moment to get some fresh air while Twilight finished her tale. She told Jasper about how she had been having a normal day sharing news and gossip with a friend when everything had gone black. The portion of the story about waking in the cave and the trek down the mountain was met with silence. She was careful to avoid mentioning that where she came from humans were barely remembered myths. Jasper finally reacted when Twilight recounted being shot by the arrow after the avalanche.

He had maintained silence throughout the tale. With it finished he stood and went to a cupboard retrieving three large mugs and a bottle of a dark amber coloured liquid. Sitting back down Jasper poured the bottle’s contents into two mugs passing one to Twilight. Gazing at the mug Twilight carefully lifted it and smelled the liquid. It was some strong alcoholic drink that burned Twilight’s nose. Whatever it was put Applejack’s Hard Cider to shame.

“What’s this,” she asked carefully before taking a sip not forgetting her lesson from breakfast.

“Rye whiskey,” Jasper said replacing the whiskey with whatever was in the kettle after he downed his drink in one gulp. “After that story I figured we could all use something stronger than weak watery tea.”

After considering Twilight decided it was better to not drink the whiskey. Jasper seemed to notice but not mind. When Maggie returned she just gave the drink a roll of her eyes before sitting back down and pouring herself some tea.

“So, what be you doing to get things right?”

“Huh? Oh, you mean to get back to my own body? Well, first I’d have to figure out several things. Am I still somewhere on Equestria? How was I transferred to this body? Can I still use magic? I’ve already determined that my old spell weaves don’t work.” Twilight shook her head grunting in exasperation as the problems to overcome kept mounting.

“Hmm, I have an easy way to test if you can use magic still,” Jasper said leaning his chair back on two legs. Twilight watched him for a couple moments marvelling at the balance he displayed despite having no tail. He grinned turning to shout over his shoulder, “April, come in here. I know you’re listening in at the door.”

There was a muffled yelp and the girl trudged into the house hanging her head.

“Yes, papa?”

“Go get the little red box for me, sweetie, if you could.”

April looked up a wide smile flashing onto her round face. In a flurry of swishing skirts and feet slapping the floor she rushed into the main room and up the stairs re-emerging a few minutes later with a small red box in her hands. Putting the box on the table she took a step back, folding her hands behind her back and looking at her parents expectantly.
Leaning forward Twilight looked the box over. It was a couple of hands widths across, one deep, and half again as tall. On its surface were etched intricate designs of flowers and archaic symbols that looked similar to spell weaves used before the classical era of Equestria. Such weaves had fallen out of favour before the time of Star Swirl the Bearded and the founding of Equestria. A small brass lock kept prying eyes away from the boxes contents.

Undoing the lock with a small key in his pocket, Jasper handed the box to Twilight. April gave an excited squeak.

“Open it.”

Twilight looked from Jasper, who sat with an unreadable expression, to April with her barely contained excitement. The girl was practically leaning across the table to watch Twilight. Maggie seemed more interested in the bottom of her tea cup. Turning her attention to the box Twilight tried to open the box, but found it was still locked by some unknown mechanism or was simply stuck. Probably the former Twilight decided. This had ‘test’ written all over it. Setting the box down she spun it around three times to get a good look at every single detail. Nothing in particular stood out.

Deciding to simply try to use magic to open the box she put her hands on either side and pointed her forehead at the box as if she still had her horn. Eyes closed she tried to reach for the small twinge she had felt the previous day. It took her a moment to find the twinge and give it a little poke. Nothing happened. Sighing Twilight opened one eye. This reminded her too much of her test to enter Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.

When she had tried that test Twilight had over thought the problem of hatching Spike’s egg and her magic had entirely failed to manifest. Only later had she learned that hatching the egg was supposed to be impossible as it was a fake. The point had been to see what magic she used in the attempt and how she handled failure. If it hadn’t been for the sonic rainboom triggering dormant magic potential, Twilight never would have gotten into the school, Spike wouldn’t have been born, and who knew what would have happened when Nightmare Moon and Discord returned.

Leaning back Twilight glared at the box entering a kind of staring contest with the eyeless inanimate object. The tension in the room grew thick as April began to slowly loose her exited edge. She looked between Twilight, still glaring at the box, and her father who had poured himself some more tea. On the verge of admitting defeat to herself Twilight did the only thing that came to mind. Dipping a finger into the whiskey she traced on the top of the box the spell weave for ‘Open’. Again nothing happened.

“Where is a Sonic Rainboom when a mare needs one?” Twilight huffed flicking the box with her index finger.

The box popped open.

Twilight’s jaw dropped as she stared at the little red box.

“Well, that was interesting,” Jasper laughed as April gave out a whoop leaping in circles chanting.

“She opened it! She opened it! She opened it!”

“So, what now?” Twilight asked over the still leaping and chanting April.

“Now we see if you can control your magic.”

Jasper stood and motioned Twilight to follow him outside. Twilight had a feeling that she was going to have a very long day.

Chapter Four: The Elemental's Kiss

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter 4: The Elemental’s Kiss

"In the dreams of the White Lady will come the Moon,
And the first battle shall commence."

-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

Rarity sat in her Inspiration Room staring at the bare ponyquin, the stand mocking her with its nakedness.

All day Rarity had found it impossible to concentrate on her work. First Opal had run away leading to a frantic search high and low, low and high, for the cat. She had finally been located sleeping in the loft of a barn on Sweet Apple Acres. Even after being located the fierce animal had refused to return to the boutique. When Rarity had brought her dear Opal home the cat had let out a hiss at the shop, leapt onto Rarity’s back and run off. Fluttershy had offered to take care of Opal for Rarity, and not seeing what else to do, Rarity had begrudgingly accepted.

She hoped Opal was alright at Fluttershy’s cottage. The cat was well behaved for the yellow Pegasus and seemed to be happy when Rarity left, but was steadfast in her refusal to come home. But Fluttershy had become so frantic over how all the birds had stopped singing. They hid in their nests not uttering a peep or chirp no matter how much Fluttershy begged or asked or even stared.

All the little critters in town were acting strange. On her way home from Fluttershy’s cottage Rarity had observed the rabbits all edging away from the town. Birds were nowhere to be seen. The air had a silence that seemed almost oppressive, broken only by the clop of hooves.

Twilight hadn’t even come to help look for Opal either. No one had seen the lavender unicorn since she had returned to her library. When Rarity had gone to the library to ask for Twilight’s help looking for Opal she had found the unicorn behind a wall of textbooks. She had refused to help search, citing that researching a memory spell was more important and had stayed in the library nose pressed into her books. Spike was beside himself with worry, telling them how he had gotten up to find her already half way through a tome about basic magic principles and had asked all her friends to come over to try to help after they found Opal. According to Spike she hadn’t stopped to even eat the daisy sandwich he made her. She had just wrinkled her nose at the plate and pushed it away. Everyone knew how Twilight could be with her research and agreed that trying to get her to take breaks would be good.

Rarity knew she should go check on her friend. But an important client in Manehatten wanted a new ensemble and Rarity just couldn’t come up with any ideas. Grinding her teeth, Rarity walked down to her kitchen. She’d never experienced such a draught of ideas and inspiration. Everything was gone. The energy, the flow, the sparkle, the glow, and rush of inspiration were nothing but a dank wet memory.

Boiling a kettle of tea and putting some toast on a plate she wondered what to do to fix the problem. Nothing new came to mind. She just felt so drained and tired, like an old rag, threadbare and unable to hold any water. Slamming her head against her fridge Rarity ground her teeth harder.

“Come on, you are an Artiste! You can do this. Just close your eyes and see how all the colours and fabric flow. You’ve done this a thousand times, Rarity!”

Rarity closed her eyes and saw what she had seen every time, red hateful eyes staring straight through her. Everything else was gone. She could hardly make a dress about evil angry red eyes, could she? No, she most certainly could not.

“Ragh!” Rarity yelled wanting to kick something. But a lady didn’t show such vulgar displays, instead resorting to grinding her teeth some more.

She was getting nowhere Rarity realised putting the tea kettle on the table along with the toast. A knock on the door interrupted her before she could pour the tea. Rarity was tempted to ignore the knock. It came again, and again, the fourth time finally forcing Rarity into the show room of her shop.

“If you can’t see the sign, it says were closed,” Rarity called in a strained voice.

Opening the door Rarity readied a stinging tirade of words. She was in no mood for visitors or interruptions to her unproductive tormented work. Perhaps that would drive who ever had come a-knocking away and she could mope and rage at herself in peace. The words died half formed as she found herself facing Twilight.

“Twilight, darling, what are you doing here? I thought you were deep in study-mode and it would take Celestia herself to pry you from your library.”

“Yeah, I’ve run into a small problem...”

“Well, come in and tell me all about it, darling. The Pegasi are already getting ready for the scheduled rain this evening.”

Arching an eyebrow, Twilight looked up at the sky and muttered, “Huh, so they are...”

Above them Rainbow Dash could be seen with her weather team moving a series of dark grey clouds around Ponyville. In an hour or less there would be a great downpour of water. All the vendors had already packed up their stalls and the cafe’s brought in their chairs and tables.

Rarity supposed missing all the signs was just another part to Twilight’s damaged memory. A pang of guilt over not having time for the unicorn so far that day accompanied the thought. Well, she would make up for it now, Rarity decided. It wasn’t like she was doing anything else.

As they entered the kitchen Twilight continued. “What I wanted to ask is, and this will sound a bit strange, but, what is it like when you use your magic?”

Rarity paused giving Twilight a long look. She had never really thought about what it was like to use magic, much like she never thought about what it was like to walk or breath. It was just something every unicorn did once they got older. Picking the tea pot off the counter Rarity considered how it felt. A bit like velvet and felt with the twinkle of diamond dust in her horn she decided. Rarity stopped as she was about to poor the tea giving the pot a long look. She could have sworn she put it on the table already. She looked a few times between the counter and the table her mind grinding to a halt at the issue.

“Rarity, if you don’t want to tell me that’s alright,” Twilight grumbled getting up to leave. “I just thought since we were friends you wouldn’t mind talking about your magic.”

“Huh, what was that darling? Magic? Oh, yes, that. Well, I guess it’s like... it’s like, well, it’s hard to really describe, as I am sure you know,” Rarity blushed flustered at having lost the words she had just used to describe the feel to herself. “Um, well, it’s like, uh, felt? Yes, felt and velvet and diamond dust and... no, that’s not right. Ragh, why is this so hard? I had it a moment ago and then this blasted kettle wasn’t where I left it and I lost the weave of thoughts.”

Twilight’s ears flicked forward at the mention of the kettle.

“What was that?”

“Oh, just that I had what I wanted to tell you about my magic and then, poof, gone. I’ve never really thought about my magic before.”

“No, before that, the thing about the kettle.”

“Oh! That! Well, I was certain I had left the kettle on the table when I answered the door but it was on the counter when we came into the kitchen. It just threw me. I must be more stressed about this order than I thought.”

“The kettle was on the table, and then on the counter? Could anyone have moved it?”

Rarity wondered why Twilight was suddenly so interested in the kettle. It wasn’t a great mystery. She must have been mistaken that she moved it to the table before answering the door is all. Kettles didn’t move themselves and there was no pony else in the store. Sweetie Belle was off crusading with her friends, thankfully.

“Well, no. I must have just thought I moved it, darling.”

“You are absolutely, completely, one-hundred percent, swear to the Ancients certain?” Twilight looked into Rarity’s eyes with an intensity that could rival Fluttershy’s famous Stare. “This is very important.”

Rarity laughed shaking her head. “Don’t be preposterous Twilight. I just made an error. You really need to not make such a deal about it.”

Tapping her hoof to her chin Twilight looked deep into Rarity’s eyes. Blinking Rarity looked away brushing back her mane. She started to wish that Twilight would leave, an uncomfortable and new thought for the fashionista. Rarity had never felt like she didn’t want one of her friends around before. But with Twilight’s inane questions combined with the frustrations of unproductive work ate away at Rarity’s goodwill. The desire for Twilight to leave came on so fast and strong it gave Rarity pause. She must be more stressed than she realised for such strong emotions to flare up, Rarity reasoned.

“Rarity, are you the kind of person to make an observational mistake like that?” Twilight persisted feeding the tangled knot of annoyance in the fashionista’s chest.

“Well, not normally. I have been terribly out of sorts today though, darling. Had a horrid evening, as I am sure you can imagine. The events in the cafe just kept replaying themselves in my dreams. But, you were asking about magic, yes Darling?” Rarity said, forcing down the irritation and trying to steer the conversation away from the infuriating tea kettle.

“No, I believe I was interested in your magical teleporting kettle,” Twilight said, a wiry smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “But if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. Just if anything, uh, weird starts to happen, come and get me. Okay? Now, yes, back to what brought me here.”

“Yes, how magic feels,” Rarity murmured as she poured the tea.

Instead of trying to remember how she had thought of the magic before the conversation had derailed Rarity described what she felt as she poured the tea.

“Well, there is this soft warmth about my horn that seems to flow from my heart. It’s so hard to find adequate words, darling. My horn feels like it is another leg, or hoof, one that can stretch and move without moving. Or at times like another eye, one that sees things no pony could normally see. But you know all that I am sure. You are far more practiced and powerful with magic than I.”

“That’s actually... really helpful!” Twilight said, clapping her hooves together a wide smile crossing her face. “So, your magic comes from your horn?”

“Yes, of course it does. Where else would it come from?” Rarity laughed giving her mane a toss.

Joining in the laugh Twilight said, “Yeah, where else indeed.” After a few moments the laughter died down and Twilight stood up adding, “Thank you again, Rarity. I don’t think you know how much this has in fact helped.”

“Nonsense, darling, I did nothing. No really, any unicorn could have told you. But are you going to leave without touching your tea?”

Looking down at the hazy steamy liquid in her cup, Twilight crinkled her nose.

“Uh, no, I don’t particularly care for tea it seems since the, uh, incident.” Seeing Rarity’s hurt expression Twilight added, “but thank you for having me over. I’ll see you soon.”

Smiling Twilight trotted out of the boutique leaving Rarity to ponder the odd conversation. Shaking her head to clear the unnecessary thoughts Rarity finished her tea and returned to her draft room. She had work to do and for the first time since the previous morning she was feeling the flow of ideas.

Even though inspiration and ideas seemed to be returning, it was very half-hearted and stuttering in flow. Rarity spent the day alternating between pacing, testing colour swatches, and drawing. In the back of her mind Rarity knew that once she was back in the swing of things she’d look on the day’s designs with a mixture of horror and revulsion, but she had to push through the block. Inspiration would not come without effort.

So she forged ahead. The designs gradually grew bolder, the lines stronger, and just as the sun began to set the long sought flash of true beautiful inspiration came, and with it the rush of activity Rarity had hoped to achieve. Not stopping for dinner Rarity worked like a mad-mare. On a stand the basic form of the dress took shape. Here was the outline of something grand Rarity realised, the doubts of earlier evaporating. Fatigue built up, but Rarity continued a small nagging worry in the back of her mind prompting her to continue lest the ideas vanish again.

At last Rarity fell asleep, the leaden weight dragging down her eyelids and her head drooping down onto her draft table. Before her breathing slowed into the rhythm of sleep dreams began to flood her weary mind.

Rarity stood on a cloud over looking Canterlot. To the west sat Ponyville with the Whitetail and Everfree flanking either side of the village. Thin upper wisps of cloud shrouded the moon like a cloak. Little lights flickered behind the windows of the royal palace and in the mountain city streets. From her perch Rarity couldn’t see the bulk of the city hidden on the mountains far side.

The pristine silence was broken by a thick guttural voice.

“Pretty, but let us see what the next few days bring?”

Turning at the unfamiliar sounds Rarity found standing beside her a white translucent pony. Her company on the cloud looked to be made from cloud-stuff herself as her form wavered in an ethereal breeze. Mane curled into bouncy puffs held in a simple bow. Rarity was reminded of Bon-bon, a ghostly translucent Bon-bon if the other mare had stolen Applebloom’s ribbon. The shifting form of the ghostly mare was on further inspection a bit smaller than most mares, with no definition of the muscles, like she had never exercised, and was instead had a youthful spritely build. Rarity felt a pang of jealousy at the ghostly mare’s figure for a moment. The fashionista kept to a rigorous diet in order to keep her own figure half as lithe. Rarity suspected her good friend Fleur would have been a touch envious.

The ghostly mare ignored Rarity not sparing even a glance at the fashionista. Instead she continued to gaze down on the fields rolling beneath the cloud. She seemed fixated on what was below preventing Rarity from looking into the other mare’s eyes. Taking the continued stare as her queue Rarity looked over the cloud’s edge again.

“By Celestia,” Rarity gasp, covering her mouth with a hoof.

Under the cloud the land had completely transformed. The fields were dead and covered by a green-grey slurry of mud and standing water. A forest of blackened skeletons had replaced the Whitetail, the bare branches reaching for the sky like an army of burnt dragon claws. Thin trails of smoke curled from Canterlot as flames licked out of the Palace’s windows. Sitting flush above the tallest tower was the moon, the smoke turning it into a sickly orange colour.

“Six days then... six days...” the ghostly mare whispered looking down on the devastation.

Rarity was too shocked to respond. Tears came to her eyes as a wail of despair lodged itself in her throat. She dared not look towards Ponyville.

“This is a dream, no a nightmare,” Rarity muttered, unable to pull her eyes from the scene.

“Yes, it is,” said a soft but boyish voice from behind Rarity and the other mare.

The voice was enough to drag Rarity away from the destruction below. Turning Rarity saw, as expected from the voice, Princess Luna floating just beyond the edge of the small cloud. The other mare continued watching the scene a small smile growing on her lips. Rarity blanched. There was nothing to cause a smile in the horrors she had just witnessed. Luna glared down on the other mare as well. Brilliant white power coursed behind the Princess’s teal eyes.

“What are you, interloper, to hold captive one of our subjects in her own dreams?”

Rarity shuddered at the barely veiled threat and power in the Moon Goddess’s words. She wondered for a moment how Luna had entered the dreamscape, but decided that she really didn’t care. Rarity was too thankful for the reprieve from what she had seen.

“We were curious, and she was convenient.”

The ghostly mare shrugged neither fazed nor concerned at the appearance of Luna. Turning to face the goddess the ghostly mare shot a withering look at both Luna and Rarity. Gasping Rarity felt her heart stop as her stomach twisted into a knot of pure terror. The ghostly mare’s eyes were the same as those that had hovered above Twilight the day before. Such evil eyes were wholly out of place in the otherwise sweet innocent face. Luna reared back flaring her wings as she finally saw what Rarity had seen the day before.

“What monstrosity is this we see before us?” Luna asked, her voice wavering ever so slightly.

“We have no name, and a thousand. For the sake of convenience you may call us the Fifth,” said the ghostly mare idly kicking away a portion of the cloud. “You were a fool to come here, false goddess. In the astral plane we have no need to fear your powers. If you leave now we shall not harm you.”

“Princess Luna, this is just a terrible dream, right?” Rarity squeaked backing towards the princess. Rarity stopped as she reached the clouds edge adding, “All just a terrible, terrible dream.”

Luna didn’t respond instead locked into a force of wills as she stared into the eyes of the ghostly mare calling herself the Fifth. Looking up Rarity could see to her dread that Luna seemed to be drifting away from the cloud.

“Perhaps, if this was your own dreamscape, you’d be a match for us, Princess,” Fifth slurred the honorific into a little profanity. Rarity saw Luna wince as Fifth continued, “You are so much weaker now, aren’t you? Since having your powers stripped away by your sister’s puppets the dreamscape has been much harder to manipulate, hasn’t it?”

“Nay, we have the power yet to banish thee,” Luna countered, but Rarity could hear the doubt and fear in the princess’s voice clear as a bell.

Laughing the Fifth approached Rarity while still not pulling her gaze from Luna, saying, “If you had the power you’d have banished us already. You can’t stop us, and we shall prove it.”

Fifth dropped her gaze to Rarity causing the fashionista to flinch away, but trapped on the edge of the cloud she had no escape. The ghostly mare raised a hoof to brush back Rarity’s elaborately styled mane. A sharp tingle spread from where the hoof touched like Rarity was being stabbed by an ethereal shard of ice. Biting her lip Rarity considered leaping off the cloud. The memory of the fall from Cloudsdale the previous year kept her hooves firmly in place. Dream or not Rarity couldn’t bear the idea of plummeting towards the ground.

A moment later Rarity regretted her decision as the ghostly mare leaned forward. Eyes wide with shock Rarity stood still as a statue as Fifth kissed her gently on her lips. For a single infinitesimal moment Rarity felt like she wanted to lean into the kiss and return it with all the passion and longing a lifetime of reading trashy romance novels had built inside her. But then fire and ice exploded from the kiss across her face racing down her neck to the tip of her tail. Images of her life flashed before Rarity’s eyes before being drowned in a scream that ripped from deep within her throat. She could feel the memories being ripped to the surface of her mind and then lost into the swirling terror that threatened to drive her to madness. Rarity couldn’t move as the memories came faster and faster as ice began to cling to her muzzle.

The ice had almost reached her eyes when the kiss was broken.

In a daze Rarity slumped onto the cloud. Around her she heard three voices shouting, but she couldn’t make out any words. A flash of brilliant blue light stung the befuddled fashionista’s eyes followed closely by a scream of pain. There was a second flash and Rarity tried to shake the cloying fuzzy after sensation of the kiss. Blinking she looked up to see Luna standing on the cloud beside her surrounded in a blue shield spell. Light was blazing from her horn as she struck the wispy form of Fifth. Luna’s attack’s seemed to have no effect other than to cause the ghostly mare’s form to swirl as the energy passed through her body.

The ghostly mare was entirely fixated on something else; a voice piercing the dream like a lance.

“Domine, exaudi orantionem meam!”

The words were wholly alien in Rarity’s ears, but the voice wasn’t. She recognised Twilight's voice, though the unicorn was speaking in a deep rolling boom that seemed to rumble across the dream. Whatever the unicorn was saying, however it had entered Rarity’s dream, it was driving the red eyed terror back. Raising herself on shaking hooves Rarity watched in fascination and elation as Fifth backed to the cloud’s edge, the ghostly mare laying her ears flat against her skull.

“Et clamor meus ad te veniat!”

“No, we will not go back! Not now, not ever,” Fifth screamed up into the sky.

And then the ghostly mare was gone, her form dissipating into nothingness. Rarity blinked looking between where the ghostly mare had been and Luna still floating in her shield. Luna looked equally surprised. Stepping towards the spot Rarity noticed that Luna’s left wing hung limply at the alicorn’s side twisted at an odd angle. Eyes growing wider Rarity noticed more wounds on the princess. Something had cut a slender line down her face rolling under her proud jaw and continuing along her neck stopping just before the shoulder. Luna’s left eye was bruised with the beginnings of swelling already showing beneath her lustrous coat.

“Oh, by Celestia, you’ve been hurt Princess Luna,” Rarity said, her voice a hushed whisper as she lifted a hoof towards Luna’s battered face.

Luna brushed the hoof aside.

“Tis nothing, we will mend before the dawn from such trifling wounds as these. We are more con...”

Twilight’s voice piercing the dreams veil cut off the rest of Luna’s words.

“Rarity? Wake up, Rarity. You need to wake up. Right. Now!”

Pinching her face in a frown Rarity looked up at the starlit sky of the dream. She wanted nothing more than to wake up. For the last several minutes she had kept hoping that she’d open her eyes to find herself back in her draft room in the boutique. Rarity was about to shout out to the disembodied voice of Twilight when she felt a tugging at her hooves. Shifting her gaze beneath her Rarity realised that the cloud had started to dissipate.

Before she could even gasp Rarity was falling, falling faster than she had ever fallen before. Yet even as the air pulled at her mane and tail, the ground rushing towards her, Rarity felt a sense of calm peace. This was nothing more than a dream after-all and despite the fear of heights gained in Cloudsdale Rarity just wasn’t afraid. She couldn’t have explained it and chalked it up to ‘dreams being dreams’. The ground was so close. Rarity closed her eyes and waited. Then with a small thump she impacted and her head snapped up from the draft board.

“Twi-Twilight?” Rarity muttered, dazed by the sudden shift back to reality. Her red glasses were stuck to the side of her face along with a piece of paper that Rarity had been drooling on. Plucking the glasses and paper from her face Rarity asked, “What happened? Oh, I was having the most awful dream, darling. I can’t begin to describe...”

“No time for that, we have to get out of here. You live alone, correct?”

Frazzled by the dream’s events Rarity didn’t respond, instead she got to her shaking hooves and started to head towards her large dresser. She had at least two dressers in every room in the boutique, each stuffed with emergency provisions of clothes. The familiar steps towards the wooden edifice felt comforting, the vestiges of the dream clinging to her consciousness. Heart beating an unsteady rhythm Rarity wanted nothing more than some comfort and solace, and nothing comforted her more than a nice ensemble and a pot of tea. Or a day at the spa, but even in her disoriented state Rarity knew the spa was out of the question.

“Ugh, we don’t have time for this!” Twilight growled before biting Rarity’s tail and starting to drag the fashionista away from the dresser. “We hmph tugh git oush oph phere,” she continued, her wards garbled around the tail in her mouth.

“What? Get out? But, why do we need to get out, darling? There is nothing here... is there?”

Rarity’s eyes darted to every dark nook and cranny of her room. It was then she became aware of how cold her home had become, like it was the middle of winter and the heater had been left off. The boutique had never felt as cold and inhospitable as it did at that moment. Ears flush against her head Rarity flicked her tail out of Twilight’s mouth and began to back up towards the door that led to the central spiral stairwell.

“Yes, yes, I think you are right, Twilight,” the fashionista muttered as she reached the open door.

Without a second glance or thought she ran out of the boutique, Twilight right behind her. The two mares ran all the way to the library without stopping. Neither spoke a word the entire time, the panting of their breaths and the call of a solitary owl the only sounds in the otherwise still night. At last they reached the library, Rarity opening the door and then slamming it shut as Twilight skidded across the threshold.

“Spike? Spike!” Twilight shouted into the brightly lit library after catching her breath.

Breaths coming sharp and shallow Rarity tried to still her own heart by taking in the library. The first thing that struck her was that the room looked like all the book shelves had exploded depositing their contents in hap-hazard piles on every surface. One side of Twilight’s desk had a small tower of little purple books. Each had two dates written on the spine and Rarity presumed the cover. Rarity wasn’t surprised by the organised chaos, she had figured Twilight would enter full research mode, but what did surprise her were that almost all the books were history texts and basic guides to magic. Reflecting on Twilight’s visit earlier that day Rarity realised she shouldn’t have been surprised about the magic guides, yet they still struck her as odd.

Rarity was brought out of her observations by the appearance of the purple and green dragon at the top of the stairs that lead to Twilight’s private rooms. Rubbing his eyes the dragon grumbled as he came down the stairs.

“Yeah, yeah, what is it Twilight? I was having a nice dream about... Rarity?” the dragon chirped, his eyes growing wide when he saw the white unicorn.

“Not now Spike,” Twilight said as she idly kicked some books aside. “We need salt. Lots of it.”

“Salt?” Rarity and Spike asked together both watching Twilight as the lavender unicorn entered the kitchen.

“Yes, salt. An uninterrupted line of it at all the windows and doors. I do not want to have that thing follow us home.”

Sharing a concerned look with Spike, Rarity said, “My dear, I am most thankful for you waking me from that awful dream, but how will salting the windows help? I am very confused as to what happened. Perhaps if you took a moment to just explain things then-”

Rarity was interrupted by Twilight dropping a large bag of salt onto the floor in front of the fashionista. There was a manic look of panic dancing just behind Twilight’s eyes that Rarity hadn’t seen since the Miss Smarty-pants incident. Flinching at the memory Rarity looked down on the bag of salt. She still felt guilty about ignoring Twilight’s plight that spring day many months before.

“We don’t have time for me to explain. It got away before I could complete the banishment ritual. And even then it could still come back. But right now I think I just made it mad... er. Madder.”

“But, darling, what is it? I never expected anything to be able to stand against Princess Luna besides the Elements of Harmony or Princess Celestia.”

“Or Discord,” grumbled Spike as he picked up the bag of salt.

“Yes, or Discord,” Rarity added, slightly flustered at the interruption. “Regardless, Luna, in the dream, was badly hurt. Oh my, I hope she is alright. She said she’d be alright, but every pony knows how proud and independent she tries to be, poor dear. Do you think we should send a letter to the palace?”

Depositing two more bags of salt Twilight just rolled her eyes. “I think we should salt the window sills and doors before the elemental comes after us. They don’t take kindly to being poked. Here, let me show you what to do.”

Bringing one of the bags to the window, to the door's left Twilight motioned for Spike and Rarity to follow her. Ripping the bag open she poured a generous line across the bottom of the round window, or as much of it as she could. Rarity’s eye twitched at the sight of the lumpy white line against the pink window sill. It just clashed with the rustic earthy decor of the library.

“See, just like that. Nice thick unbroken lines of salt. Now, do what I showed you to all the windows and doors. Make sure you don’t miss a single one. I’ll take this floor if you’ll take the basement Spike and Rarity the second floor.”

Twilight carried her bag to the door while Spike and Rarity each retrieved a bag of their own and headed towards their designated floors. Safe in Twilight’s library, in spite of her odd insistence on salting all the window sills and doors, Rarity felt the built up tension of the dream and run from the boutique rush off her back leaving a drained sensation. The bag of salt wavered in her magic half way through the second window sill as the weariness mounted. Twilight’s bed looked extremely inviting in the slanting moonlight. Tossing her head to keep herself awake Rarity reminded herself that while Twilight’s request was certainly strange so had been the last couple days. Besides, Twilight was the most knowledgeable unicorn about magic alive, probably. Rarity would trust only the Princesses on the subject of magic more than Twilight.

Finishing the final window Rarity looked up, her mind still turning over thoughts of Twilight, magic, and the dream, and looked straight into a pair of blood red eyes.

Screaming Rarity dropped the bag of salt skidding away from the face. It was nothing like the young, innocent almost, mare from the dream. Instead she looked out on the grotesque features of a horned goat. Fangs glinted in the moonlight as the monstrosity glared at Rarity. A pair of massive wolf-like paws pressed against the window the creature leaning forward a forked tongue licking the glass, as a smile, wicked and twisted, curled up its lips. Noticing the salt the evil smile turning to an enraged snarl, the red hate filled eyes burning into Rarity.

“Soon, Rarity Belle, soon.” The monster laughed. “We have tasted your lips and memories. We will taste them again, soon.”

And with that the face disappeared into the night. Rarity just shivered on the floor not responding as Twilight and Spike raced to her side.

Chapter Five: First Lessons

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Five: First Lessons

"With power and birth-right sealed and missing,
The Purple Wizard will seek to reclaim what was lost."
-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

The noon breeze sweeping down the short mountain and over the orchard was a sweltering blanket on Twilight’s face. Coupled with the long days lessons Twilight felt utterly drained in both body and spirit. She rested against the rough bark of an old apple tree, Jasper to her left inspecting the tree branches. April’s high pitched giggles tumbled out of the tree above Twilight, the little girl having clambered into the tree at the start of Twilight’s lessons.

“So, let’s go over it again,” Jasper said, a tender hand running down the length of the branch.

Twilight smiled to herself, the wizard-farmer’s movement reminding her of her friend, Applejack. Sitting up straighter, Twilight said, “Magic is an external force loosely broken into several schools, such as abjurations, evocations, transmutation, enchantments, illusions, as well other specialised disciplines. Within the schools spells are further ordered by their difficulty into one of several circles, the lowest circle being the least complex and the seventh the most.

Ticking each point off on a finger, something Twilight was proud to emulate having watched Jasper perform the same motion when lecturing earlier, she continued, “Strength in magic isn’t determined by an internal measurement or reserve of energy, like I am used too, but rather ones connection to the external energies. Theoretically a wizard can cast spells indefinitely, then, correct?”

Jasper looked down pausing. “Not exactly, Twilight. While it is true wizards and other casters don’t deplete some inner reserve, continually touching the energies can be draining and exhausting. There are a host of other issues, but I can’t fully recall them.”

“Oh,” Twilight said, frowning and looking at the ground between her and Jasper.

Twilight was thankful to have a teacher, even one who only knew basic principles. She’d have been completely lost without Jasper. It could have been weeks, or months, or even never, before she figured out how Human magic worked. A little shiver worked its way up her back at the thought of how she’d act having to stumble around uncovering her new magic. Dimly she pictured her ranting and raving, hair disheveled and clothes torn. Twilight was aware of her emotional difficulties and obsessive-compulsive nature. Without a teacher Twilight knew she’d be in full panic induced hysteria.

But was frustrating how vague Jasper was over a lot of the concepts. It boggled her a little how a wizard could be so blasé about magic. For as long as Twilight had lived she had been fascinated and loved magic. Nothing had made her happier than the day she had been made Princess Celestia’s student and protégé. To see a wizard, even a human, turn his back on magic just felt wrong. It was like looking on an eagle that refused to soar, or an otter that didn’t swim.

“Here, come and tell me what you see,” Jasper said. If he sensed Twilight’s inner turmoil he didn’t show it.

Taking a deep breath Twilight pushed herself to her feet and joined Jasper. She looked at the branch seeing greyish bark with little motes of brown, flat green leaves at the tips and the growing forms of apples.

“Look deeper,” Jasper said, with a shake of his head, as if sensing what her reply was before Twilight gave it. “Don’t look with your eyes, but with your heart.”

Now Twilight was more confused than anything. She wondered how any pony could look with the heart. Supposing Jasper meant she needed to feel rather than analyze Twilight put her hand onto the rough bark, closed her eyes, and waited. She could feel... nothing, only the roughness of the bark, cool in the afternoon heat. Twilight was about to tell Jasper she felt nothing, in an exasperated tone, when everything changed.

Her eyes still shut Twilight could see a flowing push of green-white that lit the tree up with a billion miniscule lights. She stood beneath a towering edifice of light and life, each leaf a star, each growing apple a swirling nebula. Tilting her head Twilight looked in growing awe at the roots thrust deep into the ground. She could feel the water and nutrients being absorbed, flowing and twisting up the trunk and down toward the apples and leaves. It was like she was looking on the very foundations of life.

“Oh my,” Twilight breathed, a pure joyous smile flashing onto her face.

“What do you see?” Jasper asked again. Twilight didn’t need to look to see his own smile.

Actually, she didn’t need to look to see him at all. Turning her head she could see the wizard-farmer as motes of star dust twirling beside her. He wasn’t as clear as the tree, like there was a veil between him and Twilight, but she could still see a steady thrumming pulse of energy flowing from the core outward. With a start Twilight realised she was seeing his heartbeat. The realisation shocked her hand from the tree branch causing the vision to end.

“Oh, Celestia, that was amazing!” Twilight gushed, clapping her hands together.

In a breathless voice Twilight tried to explain what she had seen. She was aware that she wasn’t doing the sheer beauty the justice it deserved. Jasper nodding his head as Twilight talked about the energy flowing through the tree. He raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything when Twilight told Jasper about seeing him and his heartbeat. Nodding still he gave the tree a playful pat.

“Did you see April in the tree?” he asked once Twilight finished her explanation.

Pausing Twilight craned her head to look up into the tree. “No,” she said slowly.

“Do you know why you couldn’t see her?”

“Well, obviously not.”

“It’s because I am the best at hiding!” April shouted down to Twilight as the girl tumbled and swung from branch to branch until she landed with a soft puff beside the adults.

Chuckling Jasper ruffled his daughter’s hair, saying, “That’s partly true. What I was getting at is that everything is flowing bands of energy. They can gather into great rivers deep beneath the ground and oceans, or even in the sky. Where two rivers meet there can be great tempests of invisible energy. What you saw was just a small portion of what is always flowing around us.”

“And I’ve become very good at hiding my energy, haven’t I, Papa?”

“Yes, too good, pumpkin,” admonished Jasper, a little twinkle of pride in his eye.

“I wish I had a note book to write all this down in. This is simply amazing. For my kind, magic is contained entirely within the self and then channeled through a spell matrix. This is so new and different.” Twilight shook her head, rubbing a tender hand down the tree’s trunk.

Nodding again Jasper stepped away from Twilight.

“Ah, yes, you mentioned that before. I believe that’s where the problem is with your magic,” Jasper said, indicating for Twilight and April to follow him with the wave of a hand. “You’re trying to force the magic from within, rather than connect to the energies all around us.”

Walking in step beside Jasper, Twilight nodded slowly. That was exactly what she had tried to do every time since being put into Jasmine’s body. But she could still feel the smallest spark of her own magic deep inside herself. Or at least Twilight thought she could. If it wasn’t a residual portion of her magic, then she wasn’t sure what she was feeling in those moments of attempting to use her magic.

Twilight continued to ponder the nature of what she had felt when trying to use her old magic as they walked back towards the farmhouse. She was so lost in her thoughts that it was a couple moments before she realised Jasper had stopped. Lifting her head Twilight turned to see Jasper and April had both stopped at a work-bench. Tools and dirt had been cleared off earlier when the lessons had started, replaced by the simple box Twilight had opened. From the box Jasper retrieved two items; a little black stone and a piece of parchment. He placed both items on the bench and motioned Twilight to come beside him.

“What are these?” Twilight asked, her brow pinching together.

“This is a soul stone,” Jasper indicated the black stone, then pointed to the parchment adding, “and this is what’s known as test paper. They are basic tools for gauging the strength of a wizard’s connection to magic, and the nature of magic he or she interacts with strongest. It’s rather simple, here let me show you.”

Jasper picked up the paper and stone, placing both in the palm of his right hand so the rested flush to the open air. Twilight blinked as a little light began to twinkle and grow in the stone. It was like a dim star had been plucked from the night sky and placed inside the rock. Jasper let it sit for a minute before plucking the stone up and returning it to the bench. With his other hand he passed the parchment to Twilight. Taking the parchment she saw it had turned almost completely green, with just a few little blue swirls near the edges.

Looking at both sides of the parchment, Twilight asked, “What does it mean? I am guessing the green is for your talent with plants, right?”

“Yup,” Jasper said, taking the parchment back and returning it to the box. He pulled out a second blank piece of parchment, handing it and the stone to Twilight he said, “Just hold them in your open palm, stone on top of the paper. You don’t have to do anything. The stone will do everything itself. Now, while it does its job, let me explain a bit what the paper shows. First, a question; how many Elements are there?”

Twilight blinked and looked up to the sky as if asking for inspiration. She knew that there were only a couple possible answers. Jasper couldn’t have been talking about the Elements of Harmony, so Twilight dismissed that answer. After a moment’s hesitation Twilight decided to go with both possible answers remaining.

“Well, it depends. In the pre-classical era until more modern times it was thought that there was only four. But that was dismissed by researchers who discovered that there were in fact hundreds of building blocks of matter. And besides, Fire isn’t an element, it’s just a reaction, the giving off of heat and... What’s so funny?”

Jasper’s laughing stopped Twilight mid-lecture before she could really get rolling on the topic. The man just shook his head.

Even April was laughing, the girl rocking back on her heels while chanting, “Hundreds of Elements, hundreds of Elements, ha-ha!”

“I see you know something about the Ancients, Miss Sparkle,” Jasper said, his own laughter dying away. “They too said there were hundreds of Elements. I have no way of knowing if what the Ancients believed is true or not, but, we know of five Elements. Or if you prefer, what we wizards call Elements.”

The stone in Twilight’s hand was beginning to glow and twinkle, the little mote of light inside growing as it had for Jasper. Seeing the light the farmer-wizard pressed on.

“The five Elements, as we call them, are: Fire, Air, Earth, Water, and Wood or Life. There is also Entropy, but that’s a whole different clutch of eggs. Some treat it as a sixth Element. Others think that it is more a modifier. I never understood the arguments much myself.”

Twilight was about to comment on how incorrect calling ‘fire’ and ‘wood’ elements was when the light from the stone in her hand caught her attention. Where for Jasper it had been a little twinkling star, in Twilight’s hand there was a sun, blazing and triumphant, shining its glory on all it beheld. They almost had to shield their eyes as the sun spun in Twilight’s palm, little arcs of fire growing on the miniature sun’s surface. One of the arcs snapped, a small jet of purple light flowing out of the stone and dissipating into the summer air.

“Now, would you look at that,” Jasper said, his voice breathless and awed. “I’ve never seen anyone with such a connection.” He looked up at Twilight, the tone hidden in his eyes making her gulp in trepidation.

“This is getting a little above me, I think,” he muttered, taking the stone and dropping it back into the box. “Now, let’s have a look at your affinities.”

Bounding around the pair of adults, April swooped forward, jumping to get a look at the parchment Twilight held gingerly. Twilight wasn’t sure she wanted to look at the parchment. It had dawned on her that the small thing in her palm was about to determine just what magic she could use. There had never been a type of magic Twilight couldn’t master, given time and practice. Her special talent was magic itself, something very rare since the beginning of the modern era of Equestria. Even before discovering her talent in magic Twilight had adored and idolised the likes of Star Swirl the Bearded, Clover the Clever, and Nebulas Dust the Blue. All of them were unicorns with prodigious talents in magic. The idea of suddenly being denied an aspect of what Twilight felt as a core part of her being frightened her more than any physical danger. Twilight was brought out of her thoughts by the feel of little fingers plucking the parchment from her hand.

“Oh, so pretty,” April gushed, looking at the parchment for a moment before handing it to her father, his eyes two dark motes staring disapprovingly down on the small girl.

“Let us see. Blue, red, orange, green, and purple, you are a prime user, Miss Sparkle.”

Hearing the admiration in Jasper’s voice, Twilight opened her eyes. Before her he held the parchment, his own eyes showing respect and concern.

The parchment had been dyed a deep marine blue. From the center, but not touching, four wavy lines shot outwards in a loose spiral like the arms of a hurricane, ending at one of the corners of the parchment. It was pretty, and seeing all five of the supposed indicators eased the fear.

“So, I am, what did you say, a ‘Prime User’?” Twilight asked, taking the parchment in her own hands so she could inspect it closer.

“Yup,” replied Jasper, snapping the lid of the red box closed. “I don’t know how much more help I can be to you, Miss Sparkle. I could try to help you connect to the weave, maybe stumble through explaining the elements and how it feels to touch them. But I’m primarily a Life user, and you’re strongest in Water. While I have the ability to connect with Water, I left before studying how. With your strength I’m concerned that trying to stumble along could be dangerous, not only to yourself, but others as well. You need a proper tutor and teacher, not some failure like me that’s spent the last two decades raising apple and peach trees. I’m sorry, Miss Sparkly, I truly am, but this is far out of my league.”

Twilight opened her mouth to respond. She could feel the stirrings of desperation and anxiety in her gut and heart. Without any sort of guidance, even what the self-doubting wizard-farmer could give, Twilight would be lost. He was right about how dangerous stumbling around trying to figure out magic could be without proper training. The magical storm triggered by Rainbow Dash’s first sonic rainboom could have killed several ponies, including Twilight’s own parents, if Celestia hadn’t been there to help Twilight control her raging power. Shuddering at the idea of a similar occurrence happening again Twilight readied herself to beg for Jasper’s continued help.

“When you had a hard time opening the box, I thought, ‘hey, Jasper, here is a nice young miss with some magic that you might be able to help.’ But I can’t help you, Miss Sparkle. It’s too risky for me to try. You need someone who could rein you in if things got out of control. Me, it’d be like a moth trying to change the course of a hummingbird.”

Jasper slowly shook his head, picking up the box and turning back towards the house. Twilight couldn’t let him walk away. She could feel that if she did there would be no convincing him to help. Setting her jaw she stepped forward quickly, placing herself between Jasper and the door.

“I have to learn magic, Jasper,” Twilight said, her voice wavering slightly with her anxiety. She had to make him understand. Continuing she said, “Without magic I can’t get home.”

Smiling slightly from the corner of his mouth, his blue eyes were sad, showing the smile to be false, Jasper said, “It can’t be helped. Not right now. I’m not the one to teach you. I don’t think there is anyone in the valley qualified to be honest. You’ll just have to wait until you reach the Academy in Davenfore.”

“What about the Lady in the Lake, Papa? She could teach I bet!” April smiled up at both Twilight and her father.

“I don’t think that is a good-”

“It is a good idea!” April shouted grabbing hold of her father’s arm, her blue eyes pleading. “I saw it! She was all, ‘Whoosh!’ and ‘Rawr!’ and then the purple wizard and the Lady in the Lake sit beneath a starless night sky! I saw it, Papa, I saw it!”

Frustration and concern was visible, even to Twilight’s perception, etched deep on Jasper’s leathery features. He idly scratched his chin, gaze not leaving his daughter. Twilight could almost see the gears and cogs turning behind his eyes. She, obviously, had no idea who this ‘Lady in the Lake’ could be, but if it meant getting trained in magic sooner Twilight was all for the idea. Deciding it couldn’t hurt to try Twilight added a pleading look to April’s own. Jasper didn’t seem to notice.

“I don’t think that would be wise,” he finally said after several long moments. “But I won’t stop you from asking her to teach you, Miss Sparkle.”

“Yes!” Twilight shouted, jumping and clapping her hands together.

“But if she eats you for offending her by asking, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Twilight stopped jumping.

“Wait, what? Eat me?”

Jasper continued his original thought as if he hadn’t heard or noticed the shift in Twilight’s behavior. “It’ll be Tithing Day in a little over a week. You’ll be able to ask her then. You’ll need a tithe, a proper big one too no doubt, if you want her to say ‘yes’.”

“Hold on, go back to this ‘eating me’ business,” Twilight said, her eye twitching a little. “You humans don’t eat other humans, do you?”

“What? No! Of course not! That is ridiculous and disgusting,” Jasper flinched at the idea of eating another person, his train of thought hopelessly derailed.

“Besides, the Lady in the Lake isn’t a person, silly,” April laughed, though Twilight could see that the girl was also disturbed by the implications of humans eating humans as much or more than her father. “The Lady is a dragon.” April raised her arms over her head and let out a long roar followed by another of her characteristic laughs.

“A dragon,” Twilight blinked feeling foolish.

She had heard about dragons being able to use magic, but usually they were very old and ancient members of the species. Some day Spike would be able to use magic, if he applied himself, Twilight knew. But still, the idea of learning magic from a dragon was new to her, and somehow felt off. She’d only met three dragons in her life, and one was part brother, part son. The other two had been roaring, fire breathing, panic inducing monsters. The idea of learning magic from either was laughable and ludicrous.

“I-I don’t think that is such a good idea after all, April,” Twilight said, chocking down her anxiety. “M-maybe waiting until I get to the Academy is a good plan. Um, about how long will it take to reach the Academy?”

“This time of year, three weeks to a couple months, depending on your horse, the weather, and the route you take.”

Twilight felt her jaw drop open. “A couple months?” she gasped, “How far away is this Academy?”

“Roughly seventy-two leagues, as the wagon rolls, for the shortest route,” Jasper replied, pausing a moment to consider the distance.

Head spinning Twilight sat down, only half paying attention as Jasper talked about mountains and the difference between various passes. Seventy-two leagues equated into a little over four hundred kilometres Twilight realised quickly doing the math. That was assuming a humans used the same measurements for leagues as ponies. Still, there were so many similarities that Twilight felt the number was, probably, accurately translated. But for it to take so long to transverse that distance, the roads had to be terrible.

“What are the roads like between here and the capitol?” Twilight decided to ask, her voice, albeit distant, breaking Jasper out of his monotone description.

“Roads, ah I was getting to those. For the most part, there aren’t any until you cross the passes. Until then there are just a few trails, especially crossing the mountains between here and the Merit Valley. From there the roads, such as they are, prove to be a tad better. Wide enough for wagons heading north and south, but they are not well maintained. And this time of year you’ll have to be on constant guard of fires, bandits, and such. It’s a long dangerous journey to reach the upper kingdom.”

Twilight nodded trying to process the information. Everything she had just heard sounded like it had come from texts on ancient pony history. Bandits, roads that were probably little more than muddy ruts carved into the ground by wagon wheels, and other unknown dangers, it all belonged in the time of the Three Pony Kingdoms. For a pony that had spent most of her life cloistered away in libraries studying magic it all sounded so surreal, despite the constant adventures of the past year and a half.

Celestia had made certain that Equestria had an excellent road network. It allowed the food and trade of the large kingdom to flow unhindered. Cities like Manehatten, Fillydelphia, and Los Pegasus wouldn’t have been possible without the roads to bring in fresh produce. The invention of trains a few years earlier allowed an even greater flow, letting ponies on one side to visit distant friends and relatives on the other. The distance Jasper said it was to the Academy would be no more than half a day away by train in Equestria. For it to be as much as a month now seemed so impossible, and yet Twilight believed everything Jasper said. He had no reason to lie about the roads.

Plus, even once Twilight reached the Academy she’d have to convince somepony to teach her. If Jasmine was from the Academy, which was almost certain, Twilight would be confused for the wizard. That meant she’d have to spend time explaining that she, Twilight Sparkle, was in fact not Jasmine. Inevitably that would lead to all sorts of questions. Twilight hadn’t realised it, but she had started to hope that she’d have a firm grasp on this new magic before reaching the Academy. Then she’d have been able to, maybe, bluff her way into the library, and in quiet research a spell to return her home.

“So, this Lady in the Lake, what will I need to convince her to teach me?” Twilight slowly stood back up, the rampant emotions and ideas shuffling off her mind like a sheet of dust. “You mentioned a ‘tithe’, what is that?”

Jasper nodded. Placing the red box back on the bench, he said, “The tithe is what amount to taxes up here in the border regions. Once a year communities will get together in a day of celebration. There is dancing, drinking, games, and the sharing of news and gossip. At mid-day the Dragon-Lord, in the case of our valley, the Lady in the Lake, comes down to receive petitions and accept the tithes. Normally, most of the tithe is turned around and used to fund what’s needed by the community. She keeps very little for herself, actually.”

Twilight had a hard time imagining a dragon turning away gifts of any sort. Greed and jealousy were some of the strongest emotions a dragon could experience.

“And what about these petitions?” Twilight asked. She already reasoned that she was going to have to petition this Lady in the Lake, but wasn’t sure what petitioning entailed. A little guesswork from watching how Celestia managed court a couple times when Twilight was younger didn’t seem advisable.

It was April who responded, to Twilight’s surprise.

“You bow, like this,” the girl said, bowing slowly, her right leg tucked behind her left, her hands spreading the bottom of her dress, in a display of balance that Twilight found impressive. “Walk forward three steps, and then look the Lady in the eyes.”

“Look her in the eyes? Isn’t that, I don’t know, a bit rude?”

Smiling wide April shook her little dark pony tails. “Nope, she doesn’t like people that are weak and won’t look her in the eye when they petition. Dragons are all about strength, and fire, and flying, and rawr!” April growled the last word, spreading her hands like claws over her head and baring her teeth.

“And that’s it; just ask her to teach me magic?” Twilight couldn’t hide the incredulous tone in her voice.

“Yup!” April said, jumping twice and clapping her hands. “And she will be all; ‘Rawr! How dare you beseech me to teach thee magic, and with no tithe!’ and then breath some fire and then you stare her in the eye and she laughs and then she says she can’t teach you, but that is a little lie, and then you doubt me, but then... um, I can’t remember what happens next.”

Plopping onto the ground the girl caught her breath, her abundant enthusiasm abating. Twilight and Jasper shared a bemused glance.

“You saw this?” Jasper asked, kneeling down to closer examine his daughter’s reaction.

“Yup!” she replied, her energy returning. “In the tree when you showed Miss Sparkle the thing with life magic. I was kind of napping.”

Twilight could see April was about to say more, but the stern voice of the girl’s mother snapped across the air before April could continue.

“April! Laurence! Be getting in and ready for lessons! You be knowing Miss Cheryl bein’ most upset when you be late!”

“Come, let’s head to the south fields and get some work done. I’ll answer what questions I can to help pass the time,” Jasper said, his two youngest children running for the house, Laurence appearing from the barn. “Maggie will have them well in hand and at the school in a wink.”

The remainder of the long summer day passed in a hot, but pleasant, haze of tending to rows of potatoes. Under one of Maggie’s wide brimmed white hats, Twilight followed Jasper as he talked about the basics he’d been taught, stressing as he did that he wasn’t going to actually teach her how to use magic. He was just giving her concepts and correcting misinformation. Eventually the topic shifted to the Ancients. Twilight was surprised to hear Jasper talk about these lost people in almost reverent tones. She was even more surprised to learn the Ancient’s could not use magic themselves.

“That’s what the legends say, that the Ancients, a people who could travel around the whole world in less than a day, had walked on the surface of the moon, and mastered the fabric of reality, could not use magic. I’ve never understood how they could do what it is said they did without magic. We’ll never know now. Their secrets died with their civilization,” Jasper said as they returned their tools to the barn.

Twilight had been in Applejack’s barn many times, and the Conrad’s barn was practically identical, down to the hay bales. The only difference being the sheer number and wider variety of tools. It made a bit of sense, given the greater strength and flexibility of the human hand compared to using a mouth to hold an object. Tom joined Twilight and Jasper as they went back to the house, the young man having spent the day tending to the farms animals. He gave Twilight a cursory nod, but otherwise ignored her presence.

In the kitchen Twilight tried to help Maggie with preparing the meal, a dish of something called toad in the hole, baked potatoes, and boiled carrots, but was told to not worry. Twilight wasn’t certain what toad in the hole was exactly, other than Maggie laughing that it wasn’t, in-fact, toads. She did however confirm that there was meat in the dish. Washing her hands and face in a basin behind the kitchen Twilight debated trying the dish.

She knew that humans were omnivores. Meat was a natural part of their diet. But the idea still knotted her stomach. Still, if she didn’t it was possible Twilight could get sick without the necessary nutrients. Short of asking how required meat was needed in the diet, there was little Twilight could do other than hope that she could live off vegetarian meals. The reactions though at breakfast showed how rare a vegetarian lifestyle was in this society. Twilight liked to think of herself as open minded and receptive to new ideas, but she wasn’t certain if she could overcome this hurdle. Staring down at her reflection in the wash basin, at her human face, she decided to at least try.

Trying and succeeding are two very separate things, and Twilight found that she could, just barely, manage one bite of the small long lumps, sausages Maggie called them, sitting in the grip of a spiced baked mixture of flour, eggs, and milk. The meat, to her shame, caused mouth to water and leap in joy, but she couldn’t get past the idea that what she was eating had once been alive. Maggie didn’t try to hide her disappointment when Twilight pushed the sausages to the side of her plate. The potato was good and the carrots surprising in their flavour and tenderness without being soggy. Twilight even managed to finish the baked batter mixture part of the toad in the hole. But she could not finish the meat. In the end the sausages were put in the slop bucket to be given to the pigs.

As dusk approached, the sun’s lazy descent extending the long summer day, the family retired to their various forms of relaxation. Jasper and his eldest son sat on the porch watching the clouds, Jasper with his pipe, Tom whittling a wood carving, while the two younger children rough played on the dry yellow grass. Inside Maggie and Twilight tidied up the kitchen and washed the dishes. Neither woman spoke much. Twilight could sense that Maggie was disappointed in her over something.

Before Twilight could apologize again, she had done so repeatedly during dinner, the family matriarch patted her on the shoulder. Saying she was sorry, Maggie joined her husband on the porch. Confused Twilight decided not to intrude on the family’s time together. She was extremely thankful for their generous hospitality, and after the very long day, a day that seemed to linger far too long, Twilight reasoned they’d want some time without her hovering around Jasper pestering him about magic. Instead Twilight went up to the small room she had woke up in, slipping out of the hot, sticky, and smelly robes. How humans could stand their own smell puzzled Twilight. There was no running water in the house, and nothing that resembled a bathroom, just a basin next to the kitchen on the outside of the house. Resigning herself to being sweaty and smelly Twilight laid down on top of the bed.

Shadows moved slowly up the wall as the sun sank towards the horizon, giving Twilight lots of time to go over again everything she had learned that day. Tomorrow she’d have to ask Jasper if she could have a journal, or three. She’d repay him of course. But she desperately felt the need to commit thoughts to paper.

Tears briefly threatened as her mind inevitably turned to her friends back in Ponyville. Their absence was a massive hole in Twilight’s heart. Rolling onto her side Twilight kept the sadness inside and drifted off to sleep.

“Twilight Sparkle, there you are, I’ve been wondering where you were.”

Blinking at her name Twilight looked around not recognizing the voice. She could feel more than see she was dreaming. The small room and bed she lay on had been replaced by a long endless expanse of grey. The sky was a misty grey, the ground a misty grey, and in every direction there was nothing but uniform misty grey.

“Great, I’m dreaming,” Twilight muttered rubbing her forehead before a headache could start.

“Well, only kind of,” the voice said, a light laugh that sounded like the tinkling of Hearth’s Warming Eve bells filling the dream. “I managed to catch you just as you were falling asleep before you could start dreaming.”

Out of the endless grey a figure stepped forward. Thankful to have something interesting to look at Twilight examined this new person. She was a woman, perhaps a bit older than Twilight, that walked with a tall proud gait, her head of mousey brown hair held high and flowing down her back in a long and intricately weave pony-tail. Above high cheekbones pale blue eyes watched Twilight, a smile pulling up thin lips shaded a dark red. Cascading down the woman in a waterfall of pleats and satin, the woman’s red and gold robes accentuated her figure, rather than hide it like Twilight’s robes. Elongated cuffs hid the woman’s hands, trailing to the ground along with the tails of a gold belt.

“It’s been too long, my old friend,” the woman said, tears forming in the corner of her eyes, as she wrapped Twilight in a firm hug.

“Do I know you?” Twilight chocked, trying to break the woman’s iron grip.

The woman looked puzzled for a moment, then she smacked her wide forehead with a single slender palm. “Of course, April, you were a silly woman. Twilight’s only just meeting you. I’m sorry, you always kept telling me about how the Winterlands plays with time. I often forgot how you only just arrived in the valley.”

“Wait, did you say your name is April? As in April Conrad? Jasper’s daughter?”

Smiling the woman claiming to be April looked relieved. “You do remember me after all! No wait, you met me this morning, I thought. Curse the Winterlands and their obfuscations.”

“B-but, April is just a girl no more than ten years old. You look like you’re... uh, I actually don’t know. I’m not sure how quickly human’s mature. But April told me today that she is ten. How is this possible?”

“Ah yes, I remembered, this is the farthest back we talked. Hmmm, what did we talk about? Oh well, I was certain it would all come back and work out, and it did, and it will.” April released Twilight, taking a step back to fully appraise the unicorn trapped in a human body. “Yes, yes, we never saw you younger than this. As to the ‘how’, talking in the Winterlands is easy for a couple Dream-Walkers. I saw you still wore the black robes, then you’ve yet to, no wait, you shouldn’t know about that. Not yet anyways. You warned me about saying too much. It always was a problem I had.”

Holding up her hands Twilight could feel, in spite of the dream, a headache about to blossom.

“Please, slow down. I have no idea what is going on right now.”

“Oh, we had a little chat. I didn’t remember what about.” April shrugged her shoulders and again emitted a laugh like bells.

“And why are you talking in the past tense?” Twilight grumbled.

“I talked in the past tense because I was dead, Twilight,” April said absently.

The casual resignation in April’s voice dropped Twilight’s jaw more than the revelation itself.

“I died I wonderful death, don’t worry. There was lots of fire, and blood, and misery, and shit mixed with mud. But that’s war for you. Bards sang about it for centuries, which is actually why I had to die. I did regret it a bit. Not being able to see my daughters one last time, or see my favourite teacher again. That was silly and stupid on my part. After-all, I saw you later.”

Groaning Twilight rubbed her head. The headache that had been threatening had blazed to life, dream or no dream.

“Please, in plain Equestrian.”

“I... I... I am sorry,” April said, her eyes going distant and then refocusing on Twilight. “It is hard to stay... in the present... when you’ve been dead so long. We need to make this... fast... before the fog settles on my mind... again. I wanted to... help you, give you the... support you’ll need. There is a choice you make... soon. And no, I can’t tell you what the choice is... yet. I remember how much... you hate... prophecies.”

April fell to her knees clutching her head. Behind the woman Twilight could see shapes start to move in the mist. The clatter of chains began to fill the air.

“Wraiths,” April muttered, her face tense, “They can see me, now I am... in the present. I have to go soon... to the Summerland. I should have gone... centuries ago. But I like our... talks... too much to cross over. I am sorry, Master.”

“I still have no idea what is going on,” Twilight said kneeling beside April.

“I know, and I am... sorry... I can’t make things clear right now. Just know that you will... touch... so many lives here and that I forgave you long ago...” April looked over her shoulder, panting as sweat dimpled on her brow. “I have to go... the Wraiths can’t see you yet.”

Before Twilight could ask for clarification on anything April had said the woman faded away like smoke leaving Twilight alone in the grey expanse. The shapes that had been circling the two women stopped moving, the sounds of chain growing silent. Twilight sat silently, her breath tense and waiting in her throat. One started moving again, gliding towards Twilight to the clicking-clink of chains. Gulping Twilight wasn’t sure if she should try to run or stay still. She had no idea where to go, or how to wake up. The decision became moot a moment later as the shape glided out of the mist, stopping right in front of Twilight.

The creature was vaguely human in shape, with a long robe of grey that floated on an ethereal breeze, torn and tattered. From the bottom of the robes dangled dozens of chains with no feet or legs in sight. More chains fell from the cuffs of the creature’s robes and were wrapped around a thin spindly neck. Tight gaunt skin clung to the hands and face, the hands long and skeletal, the face hollow and hungry. Only a smattering of wisps of white hair remained on the scalp. Yellow cracked teeth hung inside a lipless mouth, and no nose parted the small beady red eyes, only a pair of flaps of pale grey skin. The flaps of skin fluttered as the creature began to huff and sniff the air drawing closer and closer to Twilight as she stared trembling at the creature. The rank stench of vinegar and embalming agents tore at Twilight’s nose as she took fast terrified breaths.

Lifting its withered hand the creature brushed back Twilight’s hair, hooking it behind her ear.

“Go home, living one, you do not belong in the Winterland,” the creature hissed, its voice like the tumbling sand in an hourglass.

Moving its hand to Twilight’s chest the creature gave her a push sending her tumbling out of her bed and into the pre-dawn light of her room in the Casper farm-house.

Chapter Six: Tithing Day

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Six: Tithing Day

"A Flame of the North will take The Purple Wizard beneath guiding wings,
Shattered, the end of the Great Oath will bring about a second Uprising."
-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

Sleep was slow to release Twilight, same as every day for the past week, the early morning sun reflecting off the mountains across the lake and into Twilight’s window. Rubbing some of the vestiges sleep from her eyes with her palms Twilight rolled out of bed. As she had done every morning since arriving on the farm Twilight made her way to the mirror, reaching for a comb, ready to attack her messy bed-hair. By the time her dark brown hair had yielded to Twilight’s efforts the last straggling wisps of tiredness had faded.

Grabbing breeches and a shirt, both once belonging to Tom, the lanky teen having out-grown them, and tying her hair back Twilight headed downstairs. As usual, she was the last in the house to rise. The Conrad’s were all the sort of people who were late to bed, early to rise. Maybe it had something to do with the extremely long summer days, or maybe humans just didn’t need as much sleep as ponies. While seven hours seemed enough for the Conrad family, Twilight herself certainly felt it wasn’t enough. Just another question about humans to be added to her journal.

Her journal, given to her by Jasper on the second day, had already become the most precious object in her life. Notes and thoughts filled, and continued to fill, its pages with observations, random thoughts, and her lessons in magic. It was a much needed lifeline back to her old self that had helped contain the ever rising panic and anxiety creeping just below the surface of Twilight’s waking thoughts. In the evenings Twilight spent an hour just writing, her penmanship improving vastly in a short time, finding a calm in the storm her life had become. The shaky scribbles, which had not been legible even to Twilight, quickly grew more confident.

Hands were marvelous at fine manipulation Twilight learned, even more so than her telekinesis. Both had their strengths; hands fine control and strength, telekinesis range and the ability to handle many objects at once. It was just another adjustment to be made, one that may not be necessary for long. When asked about telekinesis Jasper had surprised Twilight by mentioning that he had seen other wizards perform the magic she described. He had told her a story about a friend far more gifted than her was that had been punished by being told to clean the kitchens. The friend had sat in the kitchen’s center, his magic manipulating all the pots, plates, cups, mops, and brooms in a dance of cleaning. To Twilight it sounded more like a ‘Come to Life’ spell, but it sounded similar enough to what she wanted that it gave her hope.

Besides, it would all be moot once she returned to Equestria and her own body.

Until then Twilight just had to keep her hope up and push ahead. A wide genuine smile crept up to Twilight’s eyes as she contemplated the step she was going to take that day towards the goal of returning home.

It was Tithing Day, and all the Conrad family members were going into town. Today there would be no working in the fields tending to potatoes, carrots, or apple trees. Just a day of selling produce, celebrating, dancing, singing, and in general having a good time. Twilight planed to take as many notes as she could to share, once she got home, with Pinkie about how humans partied. Hopefully the pink party pony would find the observations interesting.

Sitting down with a little thump Twilight was brought out of memories of the last Pinkie Party she attended by the sight of the Conrad family all dressed in their finest clothes. Tom and Jasper both wore dark tweed jackets that had been freshly cleaned and pressed. Perched on the two men’s heads were black bowler hats. Likewise their trousers were clean and showed no signs of hard work in the fields. Even their shirts were crisp and shining white, and their faces were red from shaving. Twilight had never seen either so clean. Even Laurence was in clean, though not as nice, clothes, the young boys face free of its customary cake of dirt.

April sat carefully in a new yellow dress with pink ruffles around the neck and shoulders looking at the plate of apples and breakfast cakes in front of her like at any moment one was going to leap up and attack her. She very slowly and with exaggerated care picked up a fork in a white gloved hand, leaning forward to cut one of the short round cakes covered in raspberry jam. Darting her gaze between her dripping food and the front of her dress April, still moving like she was in slow motion, took a small bite.

Clucking her tongue in disapproval Maggie frowned when she saw Twilight sit. The family matriarch wore a long sleeved dress of plain blue and matching bonnet. An example of the elegance of simplicity the dress had little in the way of ruffles or flash, rather toning down Maggie’s normally strong features into an air of respectable reserve. Twilight never would have guessed the stern streak the older woman possessed if she hadn’t seen her ordering and running the farm.

“Surely, you not be going to the Tithing in those?” Maggie said sipping at her tea.

Looking down at the plain work clothes she’d been given Twilight sighed, “I guess not. I didn’t realise it was such an, um, fancy event. I suppose I should change into my robes before going into town? If, um, that is, you don’t mind if I went with you? It’s not been said either way if I was going with you or not, but I was thinking I would be, in order to, um, petition the Lady in the Lake.”

“Of course you be coming with us, Miss Sparkle,” Maggie said at once, setting her tea down beside her already finished plate. “I be forgetting how little you be knowing of our ways sometimes. Actually, it be good you’re not bein’ dressed proper yet. April has a Tithing Day gift she got for you in the market yesterday. I think you will like it.”

Twilight looked over a half finished apple from Maggie to April then back to Maggie wondering what the older woman was talking about. Then it clicked, April had got her a dress of some sort for the festivities. At once Twilight felt a pang of guilt and regret pierce her belly. She already had enough guilt imposing on the Conrad’s over the last week, and now they were getting her gifts when she had no means to repay them. The guilt felt like it was compounding, increasing at an exponential rate.

“Oh, no, no-no-no, I couldn’t, you shouldn’t,” Twilight protested, looking in desperation between Maggie, Jasper, and April.

Jasper made a point of not looking at Twilight, instead turning his own gaze from his tea to his sons, while Tom shot up from the table giving his sister a scowl before leaving the room muttering something about hitching horses to the wagon. Laurence wasn’t interested in anything other than his jam covered cakes and fidgeting with his white stockings. Maggie’s face was impassive, a stern marble sheet that refused to betray her inner thoughts. April just smiled and leaned forward.

“Of course I should,” April said, “How can you be the ‘Purple Wizard’ if you wear black? That just makes no sense at all, right Papa?”

“Nope,” Jasper said, his tea once again capturing the majority of his attention.

“See? And when me and Mama were in town yesterday and I saw them I just knew they were perfect! And besides, it is better to give, than to receive. Come on, you have try them on! You’ll look just so amazing.”April jumped from her chair, grabbed Twilight by the elbow, and pulled her up the stairs.

Pushing the door to her room open with one foot April gave Twilight a wide smile. Inside April’s room Twilight saw the purple clothes hanging next to the bed. Twilight’s mouth fell open as she gazed at the soft lavender hues that matched her own coat back in Equestria. Unlike the robes Jasmine wore, and by extension Twilight, these robes looked far more form fitting, especially around the mid-section. The sleeves flared a little in a way that would let Twilight tuck her hands away or allow them freedom of movement as she chose. A stiff material in the shoulders gave them a little pointed look.

With a gentle push in the small of Twilight’s back April said, “Go on, put them on.”

Twilight didn’t need further prodding, all thought’s of protest fleeing before the excitement of recapturing a part of her true identity.

Far more adept after a week as a human, Twilight shucked off her dirty work clothes and started putting on the robes. Unlike Jasmines, the new purple robes were light and airy falling somewhere between the heavy wool Jasmine had worn and a cotton sundress. There was just enough stiffness and weight to keep Twilight warm in the cool damp of early morning or evening while also being able to breathe in the summer valley heat. Jasmine’s robes had more pockets, a lot more in fact Twilight realised. She would have to put some of the odd sundry items Jasmine kept in pouches that would hang from the belt. Going to her room, April in tow, Twilight looked at herself in the tall mirror, appreciating how robes had both a practical air as well as accentuated her femininity. Rarity would have approved with her whole heart, Twilight decided. She could think of no higher praise.

“I absolutely love them,” Twilight breathed, running her hands down the soft fabric, a large smile splitting her face. “Thank you so much, April. I don’t know how I’ll repay you.”

April laughed tossing back her pony tail, “There is no need. You’re like the big sister I never had. I wanted to give you something nice before you left.” She then surprised Twilight by wrapping her in a long hug.

“Hey, I’m not going anywhere. Not yet anyways, I think. Unless this Lady in the Lake can send me home right away. She can’t, right?” Twilight asked turning to give April a hopeful like, silently pleading for one of the girl’s chipper predictions that would say this was the day Twilight would be going home.

April scrunched her brow together laughing, “I don’t know. I haven’t seen it if she can. I don’t see everything that’s going to happen. Just glimpses of what I need to see. But I don’t think she does send you home even if she could.” April scoffed her foot against the floor boards muttering an apology for not being able to help more.

Putting a determined look on her face Twilight told April that the girl did her best and that the robes were a precious gift. Twirling Twilight couldn’t help but feel her spirits lift. She would find a way to repay April, Twilight promised herself.

“Here, let’s get all your pockets stuffed. I want to see what you’ll look like as a wandering sage,” April laughed again going to the pile of Jasmine’s possessions on the chest at the foot of Twilight’s bed. Twilight had purposefully avoided going through Jasmine’s things. It just felt wrong to be poking through another’s possessions. Even the pack had remained un-opened. April seemed to have no such qualms, narrating everything she found as she went through the pile, “Sandle wood, cedar balls, a vial of black powder, string, lock-picks, travelling ink pot and quills, come on Twilight, I can’t do this alone.”

Sighing Twilight came over to April and was immediately assaulted by little hands that poked and shoved items away into pockets and pouches. Twilight couldn’t follow what was going where, or even what half the objects were. After a few minutes the pile of odds and ends had disappeared, mostly into pouches hanging from Twilight’s belt, only Twilight’s personal journal remaining. April plucked the journal from the dresser, hanging it from Twilight’s left hip by a leather strap.

“There, perfect! A true wandering wizard, if I ever saw one.”

A polite cough from the door stole Twilight’s attention before she could reply to April’s enthusiasm. Standing in the doorway, Jasper gave a slight nod before gesturing down the hallway.

“Come on, we don’t want to be late.”

Nodding Twilight started to follow April and Jasper, and then stopped, grabbing the pack as an after-thought.

Twilight and April were both ushered quickly down and into the back of the wagon, next to a large hog Jasper intended to put in one of the many competitions. The hog gave the two girls a long slow look, a long disinterested look, before turning back to pen it had lived its life. A pang of sympathy for the animal lodged itself in Twilight’s chest. She knew that this hog was nothing like the hogs that lived on Sweet Apple Acres. Actually, Twilight had no idea just what the hogs that lived on Applejack’s farm did. She made a mental note to ask the farm pony when she got home.

Bumping down the narrow dirt track that lead from the farm to the town Twilight allowed herself to fall into memories of her home. She was surprised when a half hour later she received a poke in the ribs from April. The girl was pointing to the approaching town murmuring in excitement.

Sitting against the lake, the town of Great Bear normally sported a population of less than a thousand. With all the people from the out-lying farms and villages in the valley it had swelled to over four times its normal size. Stalls had been set up in the center of a tent city and in a wide corridor nestled against the town’s south side and the gentle roll of the lake. The town itself was composed of wood structures painted in reds, whites, and yellow that reminded Twilight of Appleloosa with their cedar roofs and cedar sides. There was a quaint and honest air of simplicity that clung to the town mixed with a hint of excitement and promise from the festivities.

Twilight had learned that the town had been formed a little over a hundred years ago by refugees wanting to find a quiet place away from the fighting and intrigue across the mountains to the east. The valley had been wild and untamed, home to creatures mundane and mythical. Most of the valley was taken up by the lake, a long body of water stretching twenty eight leagues in length, but barely one across at its widest point. Over a dozen villages and towns dotted the lake’s shore, Great Bear being the largest. As the refugees from the east and traders from the south met and settled the valley they began to clear out the dangerous animals and creatures that had called the valley home, mostly huge brown bears and mountain lions with the occasional wolf pack or chimera, with varying degrees of success. Great Bear was the most successful, clearing the large heart shaped bowl area of the valley next to the lake near its middle.

It had been in this period that the great dragons had taken notice on the humans encroaching onto their lands. Instead of driving the humans away, as had been draconic policy for millennia, the dragons had approached the budding villages. Offering protection and guidance in exchange for an annual tithe the dragons swore an oath to the villages to watch over the villagers, while the villagers swore that they and their descendents would honour the dragons. For over a hundred years the Compact of the Protectorates, as it became known, had held.

Five Dragons for five Protectorates.

Both sides lived up to their oaths. The dragons swept the areas they claimed clear of the most dangerous threats creating a safe nest for the villages to grow. In return the humans tithed and honoured the laws the dragons set. At first dragon hunters had on occasion entered the valleys looking for a prize that would catapult them to legendary heights. Most found all the possessions taken in the night. With little more than underclothes they’d escape back east or south humiliated. Some returned, not willing or too stubborn to learn their lessons. Those men tended to be found in their camps with slit throats. Twilight had been shocked to learn the depths of the villager’s commitment to their dragon protectors. The villager’s loyalty was absolute, and they loved the dragons as much as any pony loved Princess Celestia in Equestria.

Twilight found it an amazing tale. She had always found dragons fascinating, but in Equestria so little was known about them. Finding books on the raising of dragons had been a struggle over the years as she tried her best to teach and help Spike. Mostly she had to rely on intuition and guesswork. Equestrian dragons shared their knowledge and culture orally, and almost never with a pony. To hear about a society built around the co-operation, if not worship, of dragons was fascinating. Twilight couldn’t wait to see the Lady in the Lake. Excepting the great dragon migration, this would be her third time seeing a fully grown dragon up close.

It would not be long until the Lady arrived Twilight realised as Tom brought the wagon to a slow rumbling halt near the stalls. The Tithe was to start at noon. It was a lengthy process as each household was granted a single request along with its tithe. Usually it was little things, asking permission to clear land for fields or orchards, sometimes a desire for a dispute to be arbitrated. Other times the requests could be more extravagant. Like the time a minor human lord from the south had wanted to construct a castle on the cliffs overlooking Great Bear.

Twilight looked over her shoulder at the dark grey walls of the abandoned castle in the distance. She knew little other than the request had been granted, the dragon could hardly refuse the chest of gold and jewels, all turned over to the towns to help build roads and a larger ferry, as well as the prospect of having an deterrence for the surrounding lands from invading. Whenever asked about the castle, Twilight could see a couple squat round towers peaking over tree tops when she was in the south fields, Jasper had grown quiet and sullen saying that it was cursed and no one went there anymore.

Hoping for more of an explanation Twilight had tried Maggie and April. Maggie had outright refused to speak about the place. April had said something about the screams being silent now that the child had left, for the moment. Giving up Twilight had more pressing questions and things to learn about.

“Okay, you three going to be alright while I get little Wilbur here registered for the hog judging? I have a good feeling we’ll be getting the blue pin this year,” Jasper exclaimed, bringing his horse alongside the wagon before sliding off onto the dusty ground.

“You say that every year, father,” Tom grunted jumping down before offering a hand to his mother. “We’ve never made it past qualifiers.”

“I’m telling you Tom, this year is ours. This year is ours!” the farmer repeated with extra emphasis.

“Sure thing, father,” Tom said, still not convinced.

Ignoring his son’s pessimism Jasper turned to Twilight, April and Laurence.

“April, you look after your brother and Miss Sparkle, you understand?” Jasper gave his daughter a stern but not unkind glare. “Your mother and older brother are going to busy with the stall and getting ready for the tithe and don’t need to worry about you three, understand?”

“Yes, papa,” April said thumping her fist to her chest and giving a quick curtsey.

“Good, now run along and have fun.”

“Yes, papa!” April shouted over her shoulder already tugging on her brother’s and Twilight’s hands so they followed her.

Trailing behind April, Twilight was quickly swallowed by the surging crowd. She had been to plenty of fairs and carnivals in her time in Canterlot, but Twilight had never seen such diversity in sights and smells. Games, food stalls, fortune tellers, and competitions greeted Twilight at every turn. Then there were the people. Humans of every shape and size dressed in every hue of the rainbow so there were as many colours as any gathering of ponies. But most amazing of all was how almost every human had a weapon of some sort. On the farm Twilight hadn’t realised just how deep the human connection to knives, axes, and swords seemed to run. Jasper and Tom had to be the only adults in Great Bear who weren’t wearing a sword or long knife on their belts. Even most of the women had a knife, enough for Twilight to surmise it was the rule rather than the exception.

Mentioning her surprise to April sent the girl into a titter of laughter.

“Yeah, Papa is a bit different there. He doesn’t like knives, especially just wearing them for no reason. Tom once came home with a proper rapier. He got a good hiding for that and had to sell the sword. But enough of that, here we are!” April stopped in front of a stall selling candied apples sandwiched between a band playing a bouncy tune and a stall selling some sort of meat sizzling on metal skewers over an open pit of red coals.

“Candy Apples? Awww, I thought you were taking us somewhere fun, April!” Laurence grumbled shooting his sister a dark look.

Rolling her eyes April dragged her brother and Twilight forward, and then around behind the Candy Apple stall. “Not that, this!”

Scrunching her eyes against the glare of the sun reflecting off metal Twilight found her stomach perform an excited flop. The tent in front of them was midnight blue and covered in stars and the moon in various phases. On top of the pole holding the tent was a large silver half-moon bigger than a dinner plate. Stitched onto plain white canvas over the flap leading into the tent was a simple banner with the words, ‘Luna Moon’s Den of the Mystical’. Twilight noted with a tinge of almost annoyment that mystical was spelled incorrectly. But to see the name of the younger Princess of Equestria sent a bevy of conflicting emotions through Twilight.

She knew there was almost no practical way the tent, or its occupant, could have any relation to the Luna of Equestria. But there was still the faint desire and hope that maybe it did. Maybe Luna had crossed worlds looking for Twilight. It was a stupid naive hope, but it didn’t stop Twilight from so desperately hoping it was true.

Laurence seemed to think that was much better than Candy Apples, rushing into the tent ahead of his sister. April gave one of her customary laughs jumping after her brother. Twilight paused looking up at the sign before reaching for the tent’s flap to join the two young Conrad children. She was halted almost immediately by a hand clamping over her mouth and dragging her backwards.

Twilight tried to scream, but found it impossible, as the hand pressing across her mouth was joined by another on her waist easily lifting her off the ground. Kicking and scratching proved to only annoy her assailant. Twilight felt utterly powerless and confused as she was carried deeper into the shadows between the tents. Jaw held shut, kicks ineffective, Twilight wondered what was going to happen to her. She was brought to the edge of the tents at the edge of a small wooded area away from the lake that the crowds were slowly drifting towards.

“Okay Ko’, we should be fine here,” said a soft woman’s voice behind Twilight and her captor.

Brain already racing trying to figure out who would even want to foal-nap her, the voice clicked the memories into place. It had been a week, and had only heard it a handful of times, but Twilight recognised the clipped chipper tones of Sun.

“Sun?” Twilight gasped as the hand over her mouth vanished.

“Naturally,” the impish woman said stepping around her large partner.

Twisting her head up Twilight was greeted, as she expected, by the stern chiselled chin of Kodiak. Her brain almost ground to a halt at the impossibility of seeing the two so-called adventurers. A dozen different questions leapt to Twilight’s throat, and promptly tripped over each other coming out as a short gargling squeak. Opening and closing her mouth a couple times like a fish as Sun and Kodiak both smiled down at her, Twilight tried to get her thoughts in order.

“But, how? The avalanche? You two were up right in it, weren’t you?”

“Oh, that,” Sun dismissed, rolling her eyes like it was only a minor annoyance. “I really didn’t expect it to get so big. Sorry.”

“I tried to warn you,” Kodiak stated, arms crossed and a biting scowl on his face.

Sun shook her head and chuckled patting Kodiak on one of his huge biceps. “Yeah, sure you did Ko’, between clubbing that one guy with his own arm and throwing the other off a cliff, you warned me all about causing the avalanche.”

Mouth falling open Twilight couldn’t understand what she was hearing. Both were being so nonchalant about the whole thing, especially when it had cost two of their friends their lives. It was just too much for Twilight. With a dull thud she landed on her backside in the dirt.

“What about Eric and Vernon?” Twilight asked, “They...”

“Yeah, we know,” Sun muttered her face finally growing dark and gloomy. “That was a rum deal if ever there was one. But it will all work out, I am sure of it.” She was quiet for a few more moments, her eyes looking at something distant and in the past. Kodiak remained an impassive statue. “Anyways, we need to get moving. I have a spot booked on the evening ferry for all of us. Just need to wait out the locals party and we should be golden.”

Getting slowly to her feet Twilight shook her head, “That’s good I suppose, but I don’t think I will be going with you.”

Sun and Kodiak both broke out in peals of laughter, high and piercing for Sun, a low deep rumble from Kodiak. Twilight wondered if it was because she was sitting in the dirt and having to look up at even the diminutive Sun that neither took her seriously.

“No, really, I’m staying here. A nice family has taken me in and I just can’t leave without paying them back!”

“That’s cute, Twilight, that you want to pay this family back, but trust us, you’ll be doing them a favour leaving now rather than sticking around. If it wasn’t for me and Ko’ screening you this last week that nice little family would probably be hanging in the barn from their ankles with second smiles carved on their necks right now.”

“What?” Twilight shouted the question. She felt like she had just been punched in the stomach. “Why, what, who, what?”

“If you hadn’t noticed, there are some rather not nice folks after you,” Sun stated, arms crossed. “So, we hide out here until we can cross the lake, and scamper as fast as we can back south. Hopefully Jasmine’s dad will want to get his daughter back and will spring for an arch-mage, rather than tossing us in cells. Though I suppose her could do both,” Sun mused, eyes again going distant as she pondered over different possibilities.

“Jasmine spoke of him as a man of little love, nor honour, I still think it wiser to head north.”

“Ugh, we’ve been through this Ko’. The shamans of the north will not be able to help with some mind-body-soul switching spell thing. Besides why would they even want to help Twilight? She’s a southerner, if you hadn’t noticed. Your and our people tend to not get along at the best of times, big guy.”

“Jasmine is of the south, Twilight is not. Helping her return to her home would be the right thing to do. Any shaman would be willing to help.”

“And the Ancients could fly,” Sun snorted, disgust leaking from her posture to her eyes. “No, It was already decided that we’re going to go back south.”

Kodiak didn’t look ready to end the argument, but his response was curtailed by a new voice echoing into the trees, a voice Twilight recognised. In a flash of silver Kodiak’s axe was in hand, the large man stooping down to glare back towards the tent-city.

“Twilight? Where are you?”

“Kodiak, settle down, it’s just the kid that’s been following Twilight around like a lost lamb,” Sun said, laying a hand on her partners arm and pushing his weapon down. Grunting he slid the axe back onto his belt. “We don’t want to cause a scene, Ko’. Twilight, go and keep the kid quiet, and be careful. We are not the only ones here who have been looking for you. Just keep your head down and we’ll find you tonight. Understand? And no heroics, please? If not for yourself then at least for the kid and her family.”

Shocked at the turn about, Twilight didn’t know exactly what to say or do. Until a moment ago she felt almost like she was still in the midst of being foal-napped, by friendly people who wanted to protect her, but foal-napped never the less. To suddenly have Sun literally pushing her back towards the tents sent a shiver of suspicion up Twilight’s spine. After a moment she decided to just go with Sun’s plan, with a minor adjustment.

Twilight had no desire to leave the family when she was so indebted to them and their generosity. Not unless a way home presented itself. Or the Lady in the Lake wouldn’t teach her magic, than she’d have to go south to the academy. At which point traveling with Sun and Kodiak actually made a lot of sense. Twilight started to wonder just why she suddenly didn’t want to leave the Conrad family. Finding a way home had been almost all she had thought about over the last week. Was it just that she wanted to repay her debt that made her not want to leave the family? The doubts, once begun, were hard to stop. Yes, she wanted to go home, more than anything in her short life, but she also didn’t want to leave Jasper, Maggie, April, Laurence, and even the sour Tom. The difference a week of smiles and laughter can make.

Unable to sort out her feelings Twilight stumbled out of the trees, pushed by Sun’s insistent hands. Almost at once April spotted Twilight, the girl racing forward, her brother in her wake. April had a hurt look on her face as she approached Twilight, silently accusing her of abandonment. Putting on a fake smile Twilight waved to the two Conrad children moving forward to meet them half way.

“Where’d you go, Twi’?” April gasped as she came to a halt in front of Twilight, deeps breaths showing that she had been running for some time. Twilight’s suspicion was confirmed as April added, “We’ve been looking all over for you. Papa would be furious if we lost you.”

Laurence bobbed his head in agreement with his sister.

Before Twilight could respond to April’s question a fanfare of music erupted from the town and tent-city. Gasping April looked up to check the sun and then looking towards the lake.

“Come on, Twilight, we don’t want to miss the Lady arriving. You’ll never see anything like it outside the valley.”

With April once more in the lead the three took off back towards the festivities. The music seemed to be gaining in volume and tempo, building towards a roaring crescendo. Thousands of voice joined the music to the stamp of feet and the clap of hands. Twilight could feel her heart pressing with excitement as they rounded the tents and approached the beach. Everyone had gathered in two quarter circles next to the beach, a short platform separating them. Men had taken off their hats, many waving them in the air to whoops and hollers while the band on the stage worked their instruments into a glorious explosion of noise. Breath coming in ragged gasps Twilight slowed looking for a sign of the dragon. All she saw was a huge crowd of humans and the band, but no dragon.

Then the sun was blotted out. Looking up Twilight slowed and then stopped. She knew that there wasn't a cloud in the sky. A low gasp passed Twilight’s lips as she looked for the first time on a dragon of this world.

A great, and massive, form hovered, silhouetted by the rays of the sun, it’s shadow covering the town. Wings nearly eighty feet in length each took slow measured strokes of the air sending a gentle gust of wind across the assembled people in time. Long and sinewy, the dragon’s tail flicked and twisted like a massive whip, the barb at the end cracking the air with a thundering boom. As the false thunder passed the music ended, in its place a deep throaty chant filling the air.

Hic videre magna draco venit!

A thousand voices together in rapture called out to the dragon. Twilight felt more than saw April and Laurence joining the roar, a roar that was reciprocated by the massive creature slowly descending. No longer have to glare against the sun Twilight took in the sinewy bulk of muscle and power. The shape was familiar to the few dragons Twilight had met in Equestria, but where those dragons had been somehow slow or clumsy despite their formidable strength, the Lady in the Lake had an air of grace, like a scaled cat with wings rather than a lizard.

Domina in lacum! Domina in lacum!

Drifting closer to the ground, the Lady in the Lake again roared, this time adding a gout of navy blue flames that stretched hundreds of feet in length. Heat washed over Twilight even as the roar caused her to stagger back a half step. Hind feet touched the still water, silver talons as long as a man was tall piercing the surface with barely a ripple. Sand shot across the crowd from a last mighty flap before the blue and bronze wings tucked against the dragons sides. Even folded they were longer than the rest of her body. The earth trembled as hundreds of tons landed in what Twilight thought of as a controlled crash. Yet the grace and strength seemed enhanced as massive muscles flexed and rolled beneath armoured blue-bronze scales while the Lady in the Lake dropped onto all four of her paws.

Dux, salvator, custos, mater!

Lifting her long tail so it danced like a hundred foot long snake behind her back the Lady in the Lake took two long strides forward sending rolling waves lapping up the beach. Her triangular head, rimmed by a dozen silver horns of greater lengths running from her jaw up behind her head, hovered over the stage on a rather short and slender neck. A long smile played at the Lady in the Lake’s lips revealing her arsenal of teeth, most glinting like daggers, with her fangs as long as Twilight's arms, to the crowd. Twilight could feel her wonder already transformed into primal fear as every fiber of her being screamed to run away, to flee as fast as she could from the dragon. The Lady in the Lake had to be nearly a hundred and fifty feet in length from the tip of her snout to the end of the barb on her tail, with an even greater wingspan. But the crowd continued to chant as if unfazed by the massive dragon.

Audi nos cantare laudem!

“Welcome, my little ones, to the day of Tithing. Present thyselves before me, and upon my Oaths, I shall hear your words.” The dragon’s voice rumbled like the crash of waves on a stormy shore, her silver eyes sweeping over the crowd.

Suppressing the urge to run Twilight found herself being pulled along by April towards the crowd, and the dragon. “Come on, we need to find father. Don’t want to be late,” April said, full of giddy energy.

Doubts about how good an idea it was to petition such a monumentally huge creature screamed in Twilight’s head. How April found her family in the throng of milling people Twilight didn’t know. Yet it was only a few minutes before Twilight was standing in a daze next to Maggie. From overhead the dragon’s voice boomed out every so often, greeting tithes and passing judgement. Mind too muddled with conflicting emotions Twilight didn’t pay attention, instead projecting all her effort on not turning and running away.

It seemed like hours before Twilight felt herself again being guided forward, this time by Maggie, Jasper on her other side with the three children following behind their parents.

“Don’t be worrying none, dear,” Maggie whispered in Twilight’s ear. “She really be a gentle old soul, wouldn’t harm a fly unless the fly be foolish enough to be attackin’ her. Just stand straight and be lettin’ Jasper do the talkin’.”

Gulping, Twilight gave her head a vigorous nod. She was more than content to let Jasper do the talking. All Twilight wanted in the world was to be away, far-far away, preferably with a good text on the inner workings of magical mechanics and spell matrixes.

“Good farmer Jasper Conrad,” the dragon said, voice ruffling the human’s hair and cloths.

“My Lady,” Jasper responded falling into a deep bow along with his family.

It took Twilight a half second to remember to curtsey as well. Squinting her eyes Twilight imagined the dragon’s head snapping forward at a perceived insult. There was no roar or the snapping of teeth. There was nothing other than a short pause as the dragon ever so slightly inclined her head in response to the bows.

“Present thyself, Jasper Conrad.”

Jasper took another step forward, Tom following closely with a small chest.

“In addition to a portion of my crops I wish to offer this chest of live oak from the lands across the mountains and far to the south and east, along with its contents of coin.”

Placing the chest on the stage, Tom flipped the lid open revealing a small pile of gleaming gold coins. A murmur broke out from the crowd. Twilight sensed something unusual was happening. The dragon narrowed her glowing silver eyes, staring at Jasper with an intensity that could melt steel.

“Thy petition must be extravagant indeed. It is plain that such a tithe is greater than all thy previous years combined. Speak, what is it that thy desires?”

“I desire nothing this year, your grace. I secede my petition to Miss Twilight Sparkle.”

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE?” The dragon shouted, her voice like the crumbling of a mountain, smashing and rolling over the entire valley.

In that moment Twilight wished she just crawl into a hole never to be seen again. The dragon’s eyes flashed with anger and surprise, fixing her gaze on the trembling purple form beside Maggie. Thin tendrils of smoke curled around her teeth as a silence fell over the crowd greater than any Twilight had experienced before. Two hands pressed into the small of Twilight’s back propelling her a couple steps forward.

Remembering what April had told her about how to approach the dragon Twilight took another step forward, bowed again, and then looked the Lady in the Lake in the eye. She had stared down dragons before, though certainly not so large, and mad gods and goddesses, surely she, Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia, could talk to this dragon. Gulping back the last of her anxiety Twilight forced herself to speak praying to Celestia that her voice wouldn’t waver or crack.

“Your grace, I request that you teach me in magic.”

Twilight was amazed that her voice didn’t falter.

“So, it is time then. The Purple Wizard has arrived. She will save us, or doom us all.” The dragon shook her massive head, before turning her gaze to Jasper. “Good farmer Jasper, thy generosity is truly boundless to offer such a tithe, but I cannot accept it.”

A look of shock crossed Jasper’s face and the silence of the crowd was broken by a hundred gasps. For a tithe to be rejected had to be a rare occurrence Twilight reasoned. The Lady in the Lake gave a low rumbling laugh as she again turned her gaze onto Twilight.

“As for thy, Twilight Sparkle, thy come before me and request the Rite of Apprenticeship with no tithe of thy own, instead relying on a simple farmer and his family. Truly, I am shocked. Legend spoke of thy gall, but this is beyond the pall of all decency.”

“I didn’t know about that,” Twilight shouted, jabbing a finger at the chest. “If I had known I would have begged Jasper not too...”

“So, thy is ignorant rather than heartless? Truly, I know not which is the worse offense!” The dragon roared, letting out a small puff of dark blue fire.

No longer afraid, but rather incensed at the dragon’s words, Twilight stared into the Lady in the Lake’s eyes. Doubts still surfaced. April had been so certain that the Lady in the Lake was going to teach Twilight. Sending her own anger to meet the dragon’s own, Twilight didn’t see how it was possible. It had been a stupid foolish idea. Learn magic from a dragon? What had she been thinking?

What happened next came so fast that Twilight couldn’t tell what came first and last. A collective gasp exploded from the crowd to Twilight’s right. Something collided with her, sending her tumbling across the stage. The Lady in the Lake roared in a fury so great that the earth seemed to recoil in pain. Someone was shouting a name, but Twilight couldn’t make out whose over the roar and stampeding of thousands of feet.

Rolling onto her back and sitting up Twilight saw Tom laying where she had been standing moments before, a red pool spread beneath him. April jumped forward screaming her brother’s name, while Maggie looked in shock between her son, Twilight, and the crowd. Jasper seemed equally paralysed, his face a blank white slate, while Laurence sat covering his ears and crying. Scrambling forward Twilight and April reached Tom at the same time.

‘Please, don’t be dead, please, don’t be dead,’ Twilight chanted in her own head as she checked Tom. Twilight didn’t have time before two groups burst from the crowd. On one side the short and tall forms of Sun and Kodiak, from the opposite side over half a dozen men in brown cloaks carrying crossbows. The crowd was in a state of panic, many people tripping and trampling each other as they ran in every direction except towards the stage and enraged dragon. Jasper and Maggie both had broken out of their shock and were stepping towards Twilight, April and Tom as the cloaked men raised their crossbows.

“Oh Celestia, no,” Twilight whispered, her heart hammering like a woodpecker in her chest.

Eyes wide Twilight saw as if in slow motion the crossbows firing. Jumping forward she wrapped herself around April, praying for a miracle to save them. In that moment she would give anything to save April, anything in the world that was within her to give. The spark, so distant for so long, twisted and flared beneath Twilight’s breast and out into the sky. It wasn’t half a blink later that a short staccato of elastic pops issued around Twilight and April. Daring to open her eyes when she felt no pain, Twilight saw to her complete surprise the shimmering purple of her magical shield spell surrounding her and April. The shield lasted only another two heartbeats before fading away. Beyond it Twilight saw a sight that would haunt her for the rest of her life.

Jasper, Maggie, and Laurence were sprawled on the stage, a growing tide of red leaking towards Twilight and April. For two interminably long moments, two moments that seemed to stretch on into infinity, all Twilight could do was stare at the three inert forms. She needed to act now, Twilight realised snapping out of the shock, while the brown cloaked men were either re-loading their weapons or too far away to catch her. Scooping up April, Twilight rose on shaking legs, and dashed for the side of the stage towards Sun and Kodiak. The only thought in her mind was getting April away from the brown cloaked men.

Looking over her shoulder Twilight saw the cloaked figures melt into the squirming mass of panicking people. Above the Lady in the Lake roared in impotent fury unable to unleash any of her many potent weapons for fear of hurting the innocent. Blue fire seared the air, talons slashed the beach, and her tail slammed into the lake sending torrents of water rushing outward.

“I WILL HUNT ALL DOWN WHO DARE DEFILE THIS SACRED TRUST,” she bellowed in unmatched anger, “THERE IS NO CAVE DEEP ENOUGH, NO MOUNTAIN TALL ENOUGH, NO LAND FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO ESCAPE ME!”

Never in Twilight’s life had she seen another in such rage. She would have stopped to marvel and tremble in fear if she didn’t have April screaming and thrashing in her arms. All her thoughts turned to protecting the girl, staggering as the ground trembled again under blows from the enraged dragon. Kodiak raced up to Twilight, the large man covering the short distance between them in a few loping strides. Bending low he scooped April from Twilight’s arm, twirled the still screaming girl over one shoulder, and swept Twilight up, tossing her over the other shoulder. He was off at once hardly having slowed to pick the two girls up. In a matter of moments he passed Sun, the small woman twisting and racing after her partner, her short legs working in a blur to keep up.

The panic crowd parted before Kodiak like water against the prow of a steam-ship. He hardly slowed as he bowled over men, women, and even a few children. The crowd was slow to disperse, the state of pandemonium and confusing forcing people in every direction. Bursting out the far side of the crowd Kodiak finally slowed as he approached three horses tethered to a tree. Swinging a dazed Twilight and now silent April onto the back of one horse, he cut the tethers rather than spend a moment undoing the leather straps, swung up onto his own horse, and with a kick of his heels sent all three of the animals surging down the lake as Sun did a flying leap on to her own horse.

Racing down the lake all four heard and felt the Lady in the Lake take to the sky, each down-stroke of her wings sending clouds of dust and sand into the air. Roaring fire and rage she began to circle, the perfect hunter in the search of elusive prey. Twilight prayed she wasn’t on the list to be hunted down.

Chapter Seven: Beyond Dreams

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Seven: Beyond Dreams

"The Moon shall travel beyond the pall of the World, to the place between places,
Where no God nor Mortal should ever dare tred, and find one thought lost."
-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

“Cadence, you have to forgive her eventually.”

The named alicorn lifted her soft pink head, locks of purple, pink and white striped mane falling in front of her gentle eyes, eyes a shade lighter than her coat. On her flank, held in two pieces of gold filigree was a blue heart, showing her talent in finding love and beauty in all things. Cadence, the patron of music and art, a living goddess, could look at the most hideous things and bring out their inner magnificence. Except for one, there was one pony that Cadence could not see holding any beauty.

“Maybe you can forgive her so easily, Auntie, but I can’t,” Cadence said in a hoarse whisper. “My earliest memories are of nothing but pain, and darkness, and terror. All because she was so selfish and petulant that she could not appreciate the ponies who did love her night, instead focusing on those who hid or slept through it. So, no, I can’t forgive her. Not yet.”

Beside Cadence, Princess Celestia, the shining white goddess of the sun, looked down on her niece with a sigh.

“She’s your mother, Cadence.”

“No, she’s not. My mother was and is Nightmare Moon!” fury rippled along Cadence, her wings shooting up. “A mother who has a foal in an attempt to replace her sister with a perfect little minion. A mother who locked me in a tower for the first twenty years of my life. A mother who was nothing but anger, spite, bitterness, and evil. Evil, Auntie, she was nothing but evil.”

Celestia remained silent as the two alicorns walked unable to dispute Cadence.

“I can’t forgive her Auntie, I just can’t.”

A tear rolled its way from goddess of music’s eye, falling to the marble tile like an azure star. Soft tinkling music of chimes slid through the air as the crystal landed. Celestia stopped walking, looking down on the tiny crystal, sadness and pain tugging at her own heart. Picking the tear up with her magic, Celestia and Cadence continued down the hall, mournful delicate music trailing behind them.

“She is trying to make amends, Candy,”

Hiccupping a small sniffle-laugh, Cadence looked up at her aunt.

“No fair, using that name,” Cadence giggled, then her face turned serious and sorrowful again. “I don’t know if there is anything she can do to make amends to me. I have been bitter, angry, and hurt a long, long time.”

“And I am so sorry for that,” Celestia whispered hanging her head. “I am as responsible for Nightmare Moon’s birth as Luna. Perhaps if I had listened rather than argued. If I had not been so arrogant and full of myself. If I hadn’t neglected Luna. If I had treated her like a sister...”

Cadence remained silent.

“Then I wonder if I could have done things differently after the war of the Sun and Moon started. What if I had found proper element bearers rather than try to use them myself? Could she have been saved, and not locked inside the moon? Did you know she spent those thousand years trapped inside a perpetual nightmare reliving everything she did as Nightmare Moon?”

“No,” Cadence admitted looking down at her hooves.

Looking back up Cadence saw they had entered the garden. Before the two alicorns sat the statue of the Sun and Moon, Celestia and Luna side by side in marble, carved before Cadence’s birth and kept hidden in Canterlot’s vaults during Luna’s banishment. Celestia had it placed in the garden for Luna’s first birthday after the princess of the moon returned. Cadence had spent the week in Manehattan. The young alicorn couldn’t stand the pinch of bitterness filling her heart as she looked up at the marble smile delicately carved on Luna’s face.

She had never known her mother to be anything other than pettiness and spite. Since her return Luna had done little to alter the image. Not that Cadence had given Luna many opportunities. The few, the very, very few, had been squandered by the princess of the moon. Luna was distant with every pony except Celestia. A twisted mix of anger, resentment, jealousy, and sorrow worked its way through Cadence. She wasn’t certain how she would react if Luna tried to make amends, but Cadence hadn’t had the opportunity to find out.

“I – I just can’t forgive her. She’s not even tried to make amends with me.”

“Give her time, Candy. You don’t know the true Luna, not like I do. She doesn’t avoid you because she doesn’t want to mend things between you, but because she feels too ashamed of herself. It is why she spends so much time hiding in her chambers. You need to be willing to meet her half way.”

Cadence turned away from the statue.

“I – I, no, I can’t. Not yet. Perhaps not ever.”

As the two immortals stood in the midnight garden the clouds parted revealing the full moon high above the statue. Turning to look at the silvery disk Cadence snorted in annoyance. Cadence wondered if her aunt had parted the clouds trying to make some poetic scene that would melt her heart and have her running to her mother’s chambers for a teary embrace where the mares would beg each other’s forgiveness. It wouldn’t work. There was nothing Cadence had done that Luna needed to forgive, but decades of imprisonment and emotional abuse that Cadence had suffered at her mother’s hooves.

Every thing Cadence had done to help end the war had been the right thing to do. Siding with her aunt, helping smuggle Celestia into Luna’s castle, tricking and delaying Nightmare Moon’s soldiers while the sisters confronted each other, it had all been the right thing to do. Eternal night would have meant the eventual death of every pony. That any pony had supported and worshipped Nightmare Moon still surprised Cadence.

The great irony was, in spite of all the anger and hurt Cadence had for her mother, she had turned her mother’s nights into everything her mother had desired, especially in Manehattan, the city that never sleeps. Music, laughter, love, passion; Cadence had filled something once feared with these things. It had taken centuries of work, but now there were music clubs that played the night away, closing only as Celestia’s sun peaked over the horizon. The day wasn’t the only time ponies played and frolicked, or even worked, and it was because of Cadence. It wasn’t because some mean, wicked, jealous, spiteful, nasty mare had tried to bring about eternal night. As if forcing ponies to live in a world without daylight would have made them love the night. Such foolishness.

“There is... Auntie, what is it?” Cadence faltered seeing a look of distant fear in her Aunt’s eyes.

Something was wrong. Celestia could feel it in every fiber of her ancient body like the discordant note of an instrument out of tune. The feeling shivered up her hooves and into her normally flowing rainbow hued mane making it hang limp over Celestia’s face. She hadn’t felt such a terrible sense of foreboding in millennia, not even when Discord had broken free of his prison. The last time Celestia had felt such foreboding had been the night of Luna’s descent into the madness of Nightmare Moon.

Lifting her head to the sky, Celestia gazed out on the moon hanging like a silver disk in the sky. The stars around it flickered for a moment, and then the moon darkened like an artist had splashed it with red paint. Celestia’s mouth fell open as Cadence turned from her aunt’s now terrified face, to the blood moon, and back to Celestia. Ice ran in her own blood. Never had Cadence seen a real blood moon, not even during the war of the Sun and Moon. Something terrible was a hoof.

As if to confirm her fears a long wretched wail pierced the night. In it was centuries of fear and torment, pain and despair like Cadence had never heard before.

“Luna?” Celestia cried, shooting into the air like a rainbow comet. With hurried flaps of her wings the princess of the sun headed straight for the tower housing Luna’s chambers.

Cadence hesitated a moment before taking off after her aunt.

Landing on Luna’s balcony, Celestia called her sisters name as she parted the curtains. Following closely behind, Cadence walked into her aunt, not noticing Celestia stopping just inside the curtains. Holding back a sharp comment, Cadence walked around her aunt, stopping cold at the sight that greeted her.

Luna had fallen off her bed, her left wing twisting at an unnatural angle. Blood, red and thick, had been splashed across the midnight blue curtains and walls in a sticky line. More blood ran from beneath the princess. Fluttering her eyes open, Luna managed to turn her head towards her sister and daughter. Cadence felt her stomach flop at the sight of a long gash running down her mother’s face, through a bloody eye. The ordinary teal iris had already fallen into a milky haze.

“Sister, Little Moonsong, we think we made an error,” Luna said with a mirthless hoarse laugh.

Across the room the doors leading into the rest of the palace were flung open, a pair of unicorn guards bursting into the room. Catching sight of all three princesses their jaws fell open. Luna’s voice seemed to snap Celestia out of her daze. Rushing across the room she knelt down, gently nuzzling her sister. The guard’s looked to each other, then back to the three princess.

“Princess,” one hesitantly began to speak.

Not lifting her head from her sister Celestia said, “You can return to your posts. I will handle this.”

The guards looked like they wanted to protest, but they bowed, closing the doors behind them as they left.

“Lulu, what happened? Who did this to you?”

“Calls itself the Fifth. Sister, Equestria is in great danger, and we...” Luna stopped speaking wincing in pain.

“Shush, Lulu, just rest,” Celestia said in her most soothing voice, a voice honed by millennia of rule.

Golden light flowed from Celestia’s horn, flowing down to mix with the dark midnight blue of Luna’s coat. Colour returned to Luna’s eye, the gash knitting itself together leaving not even the hint of a scar. Cadence winced as a loud pop and cry burst from Luna as her wing was relocated.

Silently Cadence moved along the wall and sat down to listen. A part, a very small part, wanted to join Celestia beside Luna. She had felt something seeing Luna wounded for a moment, something other than centuries of bitter anger. The feelings had already been subsumed by the more familiar emotions. Cadence would not go and comfort her mother.

Testing her wing Luna gave Celestia a little smile.

“It is a spirit, a very angry and powerful one. None of our magic worked against it Tia, and it did something to Lady Rarity, the Element of Generosity.”

“A spirit, like Discord?” Celestia asked, concern making her voice hard edged.

Cadence had been away negotiating a new trade agreement with the small hippogryph nation tucked in a corner between the gryphon eyries and equestria during the Discord Crisis. She had heard all the tales of the carnage and insanity the spirit of chaos had caused in the few days he had been free. Another entity that powerful being loose sent a chill up Cadence’s back to the tip of her wings. A breath of relief came a moment later as Luna continued.

“No, not like Discord. More like... a ghost or echo. We could feel that it was angry, and jealous. But that isn’t what worries us sister.” Luna bit her lower lip, rising slowly on shaky legs. “It was what we saw it doing to Lady Rarity when we interrupted it. The spirit was using Lady Rarity’s life force to peer across the veil of time.”

Celestia was quiet for a few moment lost in deep thoughts. “You’re certain Lulu?”

Hesitating, Luna nodded.

“Is Rarity alright?”

Luna bit her lip again looking away from her sister saying, “We are not certain, but we believe so. Twilight Sparkle interrupted the spirit when... when we were wounded. She used a magic we did not recognise to drive the spirit from Lady Rarity’s dream.”

A hint of a smile crossed Celestia’s face before disappearing back into her stern royal facade, the facade of a princess and ruler.

“What did you see, Lulu?”

“Fire, Tia, Equestria was burning and our people were lying dead in the mud. Forest, towns, fields, even the sky was burning.”

Celestia nodded slowly, digesting her sister’s information. Cadence looked from one alicorn to the other. She wasn’t sure what to think. On one hoof Luna seemed so certain, and her wounds had been real. But all Cadence could see looking at Luna was Nightmare Moon. All she heard when Luna talked was Nightmare Moons cruel mocking voice and laughter. A voice that had spoken nothing but lies and deceit. Squeezing her eyes shut Cadence looked away and started to trot towards the window. She couldn’t stay any longer in the same room as the princess as the moon. She had to get away and clear her head.

Luna watched her daughter leave and fly towards her own chambers, the deepest melancholy fading the luster of Luna’s teal eyes. Fluttering her wings Luna looked down at the sticky blood beneath her hooves. She would have to clean the blood up carefully. There were many who would fight over a single drop of alicorn blood to use as reagents to work magic or distill potions. She paused, scoffing a hoof against the elaborately inlaid tiles. It wasn’t the most appropriate time, but a question demanded to be aired, one that sent Luna’s belly into a tight knot of anxiety.

“Sister, does she... ask about me?”

Nuzzling her sister, Celestia said, “She is hurt, Lulu. Cadence has carried pain and bitterness for a thousand years. It will take some time, but if you put in the effort, she’ll forgive you. She has one of the most tender souls I’ve ever seen. You’re return just re-opened old wounds.”

The anxiety in Luna unknotted a little bit at her sister’s comforting words. She gave a gentle sigh returning the nuzzle.

“Now, Lulu, what do we do about this ‘Fifth’?”

“We don’t know, Tia. We don’t know anything about it other than Twilight managed to scare it away while we were unable to harm the spirit. We fear that if we confronted it directly again we would fair even worse.”

Rolling her eyes Celestia sat down. “Lulu, you don’t have to use the royal ‘we’ while it’s just the two of us, or ever for that matter. It’s archaic and hasn’t been used in centuries.”

“We, I know, sister. It’s a hard habit to break. At least I stopped using the Royal Canterlot Voice. I never properly thanked you for not telling me that it had been discontinued when I went to the Nightmare Night festival in Ponyville by the way.” Luna gave her sister a sarcastic look.

Flicking her ears back Celestia winced in remembered shame. She remembered forgetting to talk to her sister about the changes in public speaking until Luna was already at Ponyville. By then it was too late. Besides, with Twilight’s help, Luna had learned a valuable few lessons that night.

“But, what I plan to do is see if I can back-track where this spirit came from,” Luna continued returning to the more important subject. “Perhaps if we find where it comes from we’ll find a way to send it back. In the mean time, perhaps you should ask Twilight to come to Canterlot and question her on how she managed to drive the spirit off.”

Thinking the plan over Celestia nodded slowly.

“So long as you are careful, Lulu, we don’t have any idea if there will be more of these spirits or not.”

A mischievous smirk played at Luna’s lips. “We, I mean, I’ll be careful, Tia, you have my word.”

There was fear and concern behind Celestia’s old eyes, Luna could see both emotions clearly. Celestia stepped away from her sister, heading towards the balcony. Stopping just before the curtains leading out to the crisp summer night, Celestia pulled something out of her regalia with her magic. Luna watched curiously as Celestia floated a tiny crystal across the room.

“Tia, is that what I think it is?” Luna asked, taking the crystal in her own magic, the soft tinkle of bells and chimes singing sweetly.

Returning Luna’s smirk with a smile of her own Celestia said, “Yes, and don’t worry about this mess, Feather Duster and the cleaning crew have seen worse.” Celestia indicated with a hoof the red stains before turning and flying away.

Luna watched her sister fly away until the white alicorn landed on her own balcony and entered her chambers. A few minutes later a puff of green flashed, followed by candles being extinguished. Sighing Luna turned and stared at the crystal, still giving of its distinctive music. Placing the crystalline tear into a jewellery box, the music ended with the box snapping shut. There would be time to examine and think about the tear later.

For the moment Luna had a task to accomplish. Wounded pride demanded she find an answer to this spirit calling itself the ‘Fifth’. Nothing had ever been able to harm her in the land of dreams before. She had to find out where this ‘Fifth’ came from. Hopefully answers awaited her wherever this spirit originated from.

Ignoring the mess of tangled sheets, Luna jumped up onto her bed, and regretted it at once as she landed in splotches of her still sticky blood. Nostrils flaring Luna looked at the evidence of her weakness. There were only a few small places on the sheets and bed, unlike the long line splattered across the tile floor and wall, each barely the size of Luna’s hooves. Hating that she had been so careless and overconfident Luna jumped off her bed heading instead to her long opulent couch. Resting on the dark fabric, head on a satin pillow, Luna reminded herself that she had more pressing concerns to occupy herself. There would be time for self recrimination later.

As the princess of the moon and night, Luna had always found it easy to enter and manipulate the dreams of others. Closing her eyes she felt her weary body grow lighter, then vanish entirely. Around her were thousands upon thousands of little bubbles, each shining with an inner light. Gold, green, yellow, silver, black, white, every colour imaginable, and some beyond imagination, flickered from the endless sea of bubbles. Each, Luna knew, was a private little dream, the bubble’s colour a reflection of the emotions of the dreamers. A few bubbles, a very few, touched and merged with each other. These were the dreams of soul-mates, two ponies whose souls so perfectly fit together that they even shared their dreams. From Luna’s position outside the dreams she could see three such shared dreams among the thousands of ponies that dreamt alone.

Luna could have spent days just watching the dreams, perhaps peaking into a dream here or there to frolic and play with the dreamer. She had once loved to join foals as they dreamed. Foals tended to have the most pure innocent and fun dreams. But she had a task to accomplish. There would be time for playing later.

Concentrating Luna flew through the sea of bubbles, effortlessly skimming and manoeuvring her way deeper. She already knew what she was looking for. It was what had drawn her to Rarity’s dream earlier that night. Looking around it took Luna a moment to spot what she had seen earlier again.

There, hovering above a bubble of murky oily greys and black was a little red strand of astral thread. Pursing her lips Luna gazed into the bubble, concerned for the dreams occupant. Inside the dream she saw a white unicorn filly with a curly mane of soft pink and lilac huddling beneath a table in a ship lost in a storm tossed sea. The Fifth was beside the filly, whispering into the filly’s ear as the storm grew worse. It took all of Luna’s self control not to enter the dream and confront the Fifth again. The results would be the same as in Rarity’s dream, and this time there would be no Twilight to intervene.

Perhaps she should have visited the unicorn first and asked her about the spell she had used to drive the Fifth away. Luna had never seen a spell like it before. Twilight’s voice had been amplified inside Rarity’s dream, but had otherwise been just plain spoken words. There had been no magic or power Luna could detect on the words. Yet their effect had been immediate and unmistakable. Sighing Luna looked away from the scared filly. There was nothing she could do for the filly except hope that the Fifth would grow bored and move to another dream. Luna had to find a permanent solution before more of her subjects were tormented.

Channeling a simple divination spell into her horn Luna turned her attention back to the little red strand hovering over the nightmare bubble. For a few moments nothing happened as Luna altered the strength and frequency of the spell looking for a reaction. It took several attempts, but eventually the strand turned a dark purple and a thin wispy trail began to grow from the strand. With a shock Luna saw the trail bounce from bubble to bubble. The Fifth had been busy Luna realised further confirming her suspicion that trying the help the filly would be futile.

Looking around at all the dreamers touched by the Fifth, Luna lightly clicked her tongue against the top of her mouth. She still couldn’t see what she needed. While seeing where Fifth had been since their first encounter was informative, Luna needed to know where Fifth had been before, and she was certain it wasn’t in the dream land of ponies. Concentrating again Luna again started to alter her spell, the little strand twitching a few times before turning a golden orange colour.

Luna’s eyes grew wide at what she saw. As she had suspected, the Fifth wasn’t native to the dreams of ponies. The strand seemed to be tunneling through ether, going deeper and away from the waking world. Luna had never tried to go beyond the dreams of her ponies before, she wasn’t even sure if it was possible. If she tried to follow the tunnel there was no way to know if she’d be able to follow it back. It was possible she’d become loss in the twisting spaces between whatever was out there. Luna had no idea where the tunnel led.

A glance at the filly, trapped beside the Fifth, made up Luna’s mind for her. Grabbing the strand in her fetlock Luna forced her magic into the tunnel willing it to open wider. The tunnel seemed almost eager, stretching like an elastic sheet, and then snapping shut behind her. Wind that was not wind rushed past Luna’s ears in a howling rush. Squinting Luna could see a rapidly approaching light. Flaring her wings Luna tried to slow her descent, but to no effect. The tunnel seemed to speed faster and faster, the light growing from a pin-prick to the size of a star, and then to a full bodied sun, in a matter of moments. Throwing her hooves up over her face Luna braced herself for the inevitable impact.

Nothing happened, followed by several more seconds of nothing, convincing Luna it was safe to open her eyes. Rotating slowly in front of Luna was a massive orb of swirling silver and gold light. It was as if she had been flung to just above her sister’s sun. Craning her neck Luna could see other orbs of varying sizes, some smaller, many larger than the one the tunnel had brought her before. There were too many to count, even with her immortal lifespan Luna never would have been able to count all of the orbs. Around the orbs and filling the space between them was a cloud of thin light dancing like the Aurora Borealis. It seemed to connect the orbs to each other, and as Luna looked down at her hooves, she saw the cloud swirling and cloying to her fur.

Luna had no idea where she was, but she knew she wasn’t yet at the end of her journey. Concentrating on the thread still held in her fetlock she saw her suspicion confirmed. With her magic she again started following the thread to its origin. Once more she was falling towards the silver-gold sun. This time Luna didn’t try to slow her fall. The surface of the orb was like fire and ice, winter and summer, love and loss, all wrapped in cotton candy. Panic gripped Luna as she realised that she couldn’t feel the thread any longer.

Winds screamed from all directions suddenly buffeting Luna, tossing her as easily as a leaf in a tornado. Unable to control her descent and with her tether lost Luna curled into a ball and hoped that the assault would end as fast as it began. Luna felt more than heard something snap inside her head, like a bone she was unaware of had been sundered. Crying out in pain and fear Luna shot her wings open hoping she could perhaps fight her way back out of the sun.

It proved a futile gesture.

As suddenly as the winds had arrived the vanished. Luna opened her eyes to find herself on an endless grey plain. She looked left and right, below her and at the ‘sky’, seeing only grey walls of cloud and mist that blurred together into an infinite sheet. Taking a tentative step Luna felt resistance under her hooves like she was standing on wood or packed earth, but couldn’t see anything, just a long vast nothingness until the clouds.

“Where am I?” Luna asked aloud.

“Oh good, you were here on time.”

Luna leapt into the air at the voice, turning on the spot as she lowered her horn into a battle-stance. Her stance didn’t relax as she studied the voice’s speaker, a tall bi-pedal creature wearing red and gold cloths, mousey brown mane, and laughing blue eyes.

“Well as on time as one can be when there is no time, I supposed,” the creature said, giving Luna a little bow, arms sweeping outward like they were wings on a bird about to take flight.

“Who, or what, are you, if we may enquire?” Luna asked falling back into her traditional way of speaking. She could feel this creature had a great deal of magic, but it was a magic Luna hadn’t seen before. It was like her magic was an apple, and this creature’s was an orange. Similar, familiar, but different, yet related.

The creature didn’t respond, instead waving a hand for Luna to follow it, and then setting off into the endless grey mists. Luna hesitated for a moment. She had no idea just what the creature was, or what it wanted, but it seemed to have been expecting her. It hadn’t attacked Luna, yet, and if it was anything like Fifth, it probably would have been able to win with ease, especially in the creature’s own world where Luna was completely lost. Not fully trusting the creature, but hoping maybe this was the clue or help she needed, Luna followed a few paces behind.

As they walked the creature began to hum to itself, and then sing. Luna wasn’t paying much attention to the tune at first, instead focusing her thoughts on her trip and contemplating just where she had brought herself. It was a shock that she found herself starting to hum and sing along recognising the song. It was an old tune from the war of the Sun and Moon. Luna perked her ears forward as the creature, obviously female by her strong soprano voice, launched fully into the song.

Luna stopped absolutely flabbergasted by what she heard. From the creature, in strong and sinuous tones, full of loss and longing, came a song Luna herself wrote just before her final irreversible descent into the madness of Nightmare Moon. Unbidden and unwanted memories of that fateful night screamed back. To Luna’s eyes the endless grey plain was replaced by the gardens of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters being caressed in gentle moonlight. Without realising it, Luna joined the creature adding her controlled confident contralto, sweeping low around the high notes supplied by the soprano.

Memories long buried raised themselves, the garden transforming into rolling fields that would, in a thousand years, become the home of Ponyville. The song grew dark, Luna’s voice filling with despair and bitterness beneath the jeweled canopy of the night. Yet there was a pleading hope to the lyrics, that with just the right push all the ponies would come to love the night as much as Luna.

The final triumphant movement began, Luna taking full control of the song, the creature’s voice drifting away into the midnight sky. Flaring her wings Luna finished the song, proclaiming to all the final setting of the sun, thus starting the war of the Sun and Moon.

But the memories didn’t end with the song. Luna fell to the ‘ground’ shuddering as she recalled the confrontation with Celestia. The angry words both spat at each other. The accusations, false, real, and imagined cutting the air like arrows. Words turned to spells, the two sisters battering each other with blasts of telekinetic force, fire, and lightening. The memories ending with Celestia fleeing to rally the ponies loyal to her.

The creature stopped her singing, turning to regard Luna over her shoulder.

“Come, come, you shouldn’t have stopped, we were almost there.”

“Where did you learn that song?” Luna gasped rising back to her hooves.

Not answering the creature again waved for Luna to follow and started walking into the clouds that had returned with the memory’s end. Luna was grateful for the small mercy of not having to relive what came after that first fight. Her essence burned with shame over what she had nearly done to all of Equestria. Another thousand years would not be enough to wipe away the regret. Luna picked up her pace thankful for the silence.

How long the two walked Luna could not say. She was too lost in bitter memories to notice the addition of other voices in the clouds. It wasn’t until her guide slowed that Luna snapped her attention back to the world around her.

“No, no, hold your hands up like THIS. You have to flow and bend like water if you want to connect to it.”

“Like this?” asked a second eager voice.

“Better, but your wrist is still too rigid, as is your mind.”

Luna’s ears perked towards the talking. She could tell that the voices were close. Through the clouds she saw two more of the tall creatures begin to form, and then solidify. Tall and draped in blue cloth the first voice was watching the second with a critical eye. Wearing lavender, and much shorter than the other two creatures, the second stood in an odd stance, one leg in front of the other, an arm raised above its head, the other curved low.

The creature leading Luna smiled and waved to the two new creatures. Noticing the new addition the other creatures looked over, the purple clothed one smiling and waving in return, the other standing still and impassive like a marble statue. Luna kept herself mostly hidden behind the creature she had first encountered. If the creatures proved to be hostile she could use the first as a mini-barricade while she ran so the others wouldn’t have a clear line of sight.

“I brought a friend you remembered with me,” the first creature said stepping aside ruining Luna’s plan.

The creature in lavender stopped in its tracks, its face turning from shock to a look of pure joy in the blink of Luna’s eye.

“Princess Luna!” the creature exclaimed rushing forward. Luna tensed readying herself to fight. Instead the creature wrapped its limbs around Luna’s neck and began to laugh and cry into her coat like a foal lost in the woods that had just been found by its mother. “I had started to wonder if I’d ever see any pony from Equestria again.”

Luna looked from the first creature to the one that stood watching the reaction of the one wrapped around Luna’s neck. Both remaining creatures shared a bemused look. Lifting up a hoof Luna gently pushed the second creature away. A little confused and hurt the creature stepped back.

“You don’t recognise me, of course, how stupid of me,” the creature said, more to itself than Luna, wiping a tear away that had crept into the corner of an eye.

“It’s me, Twilight Sparkle.”

Luna blinked twice, her mouth falling open.

Chapter Eight: Reunions

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Eight: Reunions

"In the Graveyard of Dreams, The Purple Wizard reconnects with her heritage,
Magic and Wishes, the heart of the Stars rekindled, danger lurking in the mists."
-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

The ferry, more of floating slab of logs lashed together with old rotting ropes, bucked and rocked under Twilight and her friends as it was tugged across the lake by a thick rope tied to the ferry’s side. On the far bank of lake an ox turned a winch in a slow languid trot pulling the ferry ever closer to its destination. Until they reached the far side of the lake Twilight wouldn’t let herself relax.

April stood at one side of the ferry, staring off towards where her family’s farm stood, and the stage where her family had been left. Closing her eyes Twilight tried to fight back the images of the rest of the Conrad family lying dead in spreading pools of crimson on the tithing stage. Her breath hitched, a panic attack beginning to force its way up Twilight’s chest and throat towards her brain. Slapping herself across the face Twilight forced herself to look at April and remind herself she had to remain strong for her. There was no one else in the world who would look after and protect the girl now, only Twilight, and if she forced them too, Kodiak and Sun.

In the distance the Lady in the Lake circled above the town, a long tongue of blue fire rippling through the afternoon sky. Twice the dragon had swooped down already, each time rising again with something gripped in a talon. Climbing to a height equal to the clouds starting to peak over the rims of distant mountains she released the objects she had picked up. Twilight swore she saw little arms and legs flailing in the air as the objects fell.

“Dragons,” Kodiak muttered, watching the blue-bronze dragon dive again, and then start climbing for the third time. “No honour in what she is doing.”

With a start Twilight realised just what the dragon was doing, that she was picking up people and dropping them to their deaths. One long second slipped away, followed by another, and then several more, as Twilight’s feelings on the realisation tried to align. Warm fury beating in her heart, it was impossible to find a rational conclusion. A snort laugh interrupted Twilight before she could dig deeper into her emotions. Sun looked up from where she had been resting against the post the horses had been tied to, a wheat stalk rolling around her tongue.

“She’s doing them and us a kindness, Ko’. How do you think the villagers will re-act to those they catch? No, don’t answer, I’ll tell you. I grew up in the domain of the Lord above the Forest, and there, for committing a murder at a tithe, and one so brazen and disrespectful, we’d have hung the blighters by their genitals from a tree, cut off their hands, and let the blood attract the bears, wolves, or whatever else was hungry.”

The Lady in the Lake had reached an appropriate height it seemed, releasing her cargo with a flick so that it spun and tumbled towards the earth. Twilight swore she could hear a panicked scream. She looked away, conflicting emotions battling inside her head.

“They need to be punished, and everyone needs to know what that punishment was,” Sun continued, watching the black form plummet with narrowed eyes. When it vanished behind a patch of trees she continued, “But the people of that town don’t need on their consciences the kind of things they would do to those... those...” Words seemed to fail the little woman as her face turned red with anger. “They just don’t,” she added quietly after a moment to collect herself.

Kodiak seemed to contemplate his partner’s words for a moment before shrugging and turning away to brood in silence. Twilight wasn’t sure she fully agreed with Sun. A large part of her wanted to be the one picking up and dropping the men that had murdered April’s family. It was a small return for the pain inflicted on April. But she knew it was wrong, and wouldn’t bring the girl her family back. Standing up Twilight joined Kodiak at the barges flimsy railing. Such violent thoughts were new and uncomfortable to Twilight, but they felt so right.

“I’m confused, Kodiak,” Twilight admitted breaking the quiet between her and the large man. He turned his head to look down on her, waiting for Twilight to continue. “I want to just, argh, I don’t know. Make those men pay, more than just the few moments of terror before hitting the ground. They should suffer,” Twilight let her voice drop so April wouldn’t hear what she said next, “Like April is going to suffer for the rest of her life.”

To Twilight’s surprise a little chuckle came from the large normally stoic man.

“What you feel is normal, Sparkle,” Kodiak said. Tapping a thumb to his chest he continued, “My people have a saying, ‘only the dead walk between the mother bear and her cub’.”

A little frown and sigh twitched Twilight’s lips. “So, this is just normal maternal instincts in your species is what you’re saying,” Twilight said, extending the sigh into a groan. Her mind was already going down the road of reviewing everything she knew about extended polymorph spells and their effects on the psyche. While not exactly the same, being trapped in another body rather than having her own altered, it was so similar Twilight figured it may as well be the same.

She was saved trying to remember all the notes she’d ever read written by Star Swirl the Bearded, the most recognised master of polymorph magic, by Kodiak. After everything that had happened Twilight could feel the edges of her sanity fraying. It was only a matter of time before she fell into one of her classic nervous breakdowns. Anything that kept her calm or distracted was a lifeline she would frantically grab.

“I gather such instincts are not so strong in your people.”

“Um, well, yes and no. I mean, our motherly instincts are pretty strong, but, there isn’t this residual need for... I don’t know,”

“Revenge,” Kodiak stated. Both watched as the Lady in the Lake began to climb into the sky for the fifth time. Kodiak gave a harsh laugh when the dragon released her squirming victim. “I know little about you, Sparkle, only what Sun told me she overheard, and that is that you were not born human. From the way you speak, your people sound weak.”

“Hey, we are not weak!”

Kodiak raised his eyes in a look that plainly stated disbelief.

Twilight paused considering Kodiak’s point, thinking about the long history of Equestria. In ancient times the Pegasus nation had been peerless warriors, securing the borders of the first nations and patrolling for anything that would harm the farmers or prevent the unicorn wizards from bringing day and night. It had been a symbiotic relationship fraught with bitter resentment, pettiness and arrogance culminating in attracting the Windigos and the formation of Equestria.

“The Pegasus, they used to be warriors and soldiers,” Twilight triumphantly said, a victorious grin plucking at her face.

Kodiak shrugged. “’Used to be’, you said. What are they now?”

Deflating a little, Twilight ran a flustered hand through her hair, “Well, many things. Whatever their talents tell them they are best at, like music, or weather management, or lots of things.”

“But they are not a society of warriors anymore?” Kodiak pressed.

“Well, no. Some join the royal guards, which is mostly just ceremonial now, or police force,” Twilight grumbled, earning a dull look of incomprehension from Kodiak. “Um, the police are like, uh, city guards I guess. They keep other ponies safe and investigate crimes, that sort of thing.”

“An honourable calling,” Kodiak admitted. “But your people sound soft, Sparkle. When was the last time your people were at war? Or do you even know what true war is like?”

Bristling at the insinuation Twilight admitted truthfully that Equestria had not seen war in many centuries. The candid admission elicited a deep chuckle. Realisation struck Twilight that she was angry at the insinuation that ponies were weak and helpless, angry in the same way that she was angry at the men who had killed April’s family. There was a burning need buzzing through her brain to find a point to counter Kodiak’s assertion that ponies were prey. She didn’t want to seem weak and had to prove herself and her past to him. Before she could launch into a lecture about how Equestria could fight and protect itself, the conversation was interrupted.

“Come on you two, were about to dock. I want to be out of this valley before nightfall,” Sun said, untying the horse’s leads as the barge bumped up against the short dock.

Releasing one of his customary grunts Kodiak left the railing and Twilight, grabbing two of the horses and heading towards the rough gravel road a few feet away.

“We’ll finish this later,” Twilight said as she went to help April stand, the girl still sitting, staring blankly out across the lake towards Great Bear. Kodiak rolled his shoulders in a non-committal shrug.

April didn’t move or acknowledge Twilight, but continued to stare and watch, no emotion on her face as the Lady in the Lake swooped low. A dense knot of pity and anger churned in Twilight’s stomach like a mass of hissing snakes. How she wished it was her plucking those murderers and flinging them to their deaths.

“We need to get going, April,” Twilight said softly when the dragon had completed its task.

April just continued to watch the Lady circling in the sky. “No,” she whispered, “No, I need to go home. Mamma, Papa, and my brothers will be worried about me. I –I need to go home.”

The knot in Twilight’s stomach grew tighter, tears creasing her eyes as she kneeled down beside April. In that moment Twilight hated herself almost as much as the men who had killed April’s family. She’d give anything to spare the sweet, gentle, and once happy girl the pain she felt, the pain Twilight had inadvertently brought down on her. But Twilight knew she couldn’t wait for April to come to grips with what had happened. They needed to get moving before any more enemies of Jasmine’s came out of the woodworks.

“Please, April, you’re parents are... We need to get moving bef-.”

“No! NO! They are okay. The Lady in the Lake will have healed them. She can do that, she can do anything! They are not dead, they’re not!” April screamed jumping to her feet, pounding her fists on the barge’s rail. She was about to launch into a longer tirade when Kodiak came over. The large man scooped up the screaming and crying girl without a word and went back to leading the two horses.

Twilight followed, a numb sensation freezing the normally over active workings of her mind.

* * *

As it had been since Twilight’s arrival in the strange land, night came in a slow languid pace. Which was helpful as Sun seemed intent on putting as much distance between them and the ferry dock as possible. The small woman lead the way on her chestnut mare, setting a determined pace. Hoof beats echoed off bare parched earth as the four travellers turned away from the lake and up a long incline between two of the short stubby mountains that helped form the valley. Twilight was a little grateful that the equines of this land seemed incapable of speech. She was certain that they’d be giving out some choice words by now as they continued to plod up the shadowed hill.

April remained silent in front of Twilight on their large black stallion. The girl hadn’t said anything since leaving the ferry dock. A few of the humans working on the dock had given them odd stares, and a couple had asked about the Lady in the Lake’s actions, but had backed down at the marble glare Kodiak gave them. No one wanted to confront the large man it seemed.

It was only a matter of time before any accomplices of the men in Great Bear picked up their trail Twilight knew. They were a distinctive group. She felt certain that there would be more after them. If an avalanche and attacking in front of a dragon hadn’t deterred the people after her, Twilight didn’t know what would.

Worse she felt utterly helpless and vulnerable. It had been over a week and her magic was still a frustrating memory. Except for the momentary shield she had managed to conjure on the stage. Twilight wondered how she had managed the spell. It wasn’t exactly complex, but she had thought she was cut off entirely from her old magic. Closing her eyes and letting the stallion follow Sun’s mare Twilight tried to see if she could feel the old comforting spark again. There was nothing. Not even a flicker of the old magic.

Frowning as the stallion rounded a large outcropping of stones Twilight resolved that she was going to have to just try to figure out her new magic for herself without a teacher, or books, or any idea what she was doing exactly. Jasper’s lessons on the fundamental principles would be helpful, but they weren’t much to go on, and she felt like she was missing something important that he had purposefully withheld. Twilight knew she should have been able to do something by now if her connection to magic was as strong as Jasper seemed to have believed. No, there was a crucial key to the puzzle she was missing. There had to be.

She was going to have to figure it out, and soon, Twilight knew. She refused to be useless and rely on Sun and Kodiak for protection a third time. It was wrong to ask them to shoulder all the danger that was being brought down on them because of her.

“We’ll make camp here,” Sun said, knocking Twilight out of her thoughts.

The woman brought her mare to a halt next to a wall created by several trees growing so close together that their branches seemed to grow into each other. To the east the blue of the lake peaked through trees visible through the gully they’d spent the last few hours climbing. To the far side of a clear space of flat ground a little brook trickled down towards the lake.

Rolling off the stallion’s broad back Twilight was hit by a wave of soreness that seemed to permeate every muscle in her body. She hadn’t realised just how much it took out of her riding. Again Twilight imagined the things the horses probably would have been saying to the humans, all of it pointed and dripping with sarcasm, if they could talk.

Setting up camp took little time. Blankets were unrolled to make beds with saddle bags for pillows. The woods were too dry for a fire. One errant spark and entire forest would have gone up like a tinderbox. Instead bread purchased from the festival that morning was handed out along with a piece of brittle orange cheese and a brown strip of smoked meat.

April accepted her food in silence, taking slow precise bites of each. Twilight greedily ate the bread and cheese, but faltered at the smoked meat. They were travelling now, she’d have to keep her strength up, and as her stomach informed her, she was still hungry. But not hungry enough to eat meat Twilight knew. She handed the smoked meat back to Sun, who accepted it without a question and put it back in the saddle-bag with the rest of their provisions.

“Ko’ and I will share watches, you and the kid get some sleep, Twilight,” Sun said when everyone had finished eating.

Twilight followed Kodiak’s lead as the large man grabbed the edge of a blanket, rolling on his side, and after a couple seconds, started to snore, loudly. Sleep wasn’t easy to come, Twilight soon realised. Her brain was buzzing with thoughts and memories. Every time she closed her eyes Twilight was again on that stage, April wrapped in her arms while the rest of the Conrad family lay in pools of sharp crimson blood. Even the metallic tang wouldn’t leave her nose. Twilight couldn’t even remember smelling blood at the time, yet now, she couldn’t get rid of the scent. If it was her mind playing tricks with her senses Twilight wished it’d stop.

At last, as the moon began to peak above the tops of the distant mountains Twilight managed to drift into a restless slumber. For another hour she tossed and turned, kicking her blanket off her several times. Each time Sun would get up from her perch in the shadows beneath the trees and gently cover Twilight back up. Thin clouds curved around the half moon like skeletal fingers as Twilight at long last drifted into a deep true sleep.

“At last, I thought you’d never get here,” an imperious voice snapped jolting Twilight like a slap across the face.

Blinking Twilight found herself standing again in the endless greasy grey of the Winterlands. Several feet away, one foot tapping with impatience and arms crossed over a suit of ornate breastplate, was a woman Twilight didn’t recognize. Rich blue hair fell over the same coloured armour, looking a bit like a beetle that had learned to walk on two legs. Irritation further flashed behind silver eyes that seemed to glow from among the bronze skin of her pointed face. The unknown woman seemed very familiar for some reason.

“You’re... the Lady in the Lake?” Twilight asked, taking a stab at the woman’s identity, intuition guided by the familiar set of colours.

“Yes and my name is Ogopologos,” the woman said without a hint of amusement or kindness that the familiarity implied. “However, while you are my apprentice, you will refer to me as ‘Master’. We have a lot of work to accomplish, and little time. Now, show me what you know about manipulating the great weave.”

“Wait, but you said that you couldn’t teach me...” Twilight felt her voice drift off as she came under a withering stare from the dragoness turned human.

“I am aware of what I said, Twilight Sparkle. I will say this once, it was impossible for me to openly admit to training you. The reasons will become plain soon. Now, again, show me what you know.”

Gulping under the cold haughty glare Twilight launched into a long description of everything Jasper had taught her about magic. After only a few minutes Ogopologos gave a weary sigh gesturing for Twilight to stop.

Pinching the bridge of her nose the dragon said, “It seems poor Jasper gave you only the most basic understanding. At least it is some ground-work we won’t have to cover. I suppose if I enquired as to your focus you’d just stare blankly at me? I see I am right.” The dragon growled, and despite her human form, the noise reverberated across the Winterlands like the rumble of a growing storm.

“If we had the time I’d instruct you on how to find the materials and construct your focus. As it is we’ll have to make do with Jasmine’s focus. She, clearly, doesn’t use a staff, which is good. Even I shudder to think of you practicing with the amplifying power of a staff given your inherent connection to the great weave. A rod or wand would probably be hanging from her belt, which means Jasmine is a ring user,” Ogopologos mused to herself more than to Twilight, one steel clad finger tapping the vambrace of the other arm as she spoke. “Good, rings are more about finesse and study than power. Suits our needs just fine, you’d probably make a ring even if we took the time to bother getting you to make your own focus. Check your pockets, Twilight Sparkle.”

Again Twilight did as she was instructed. Most of her pockets were empty Twilight realised. Even her journal was missing from its strap on her belt. It took only a minute to check all her pockets and come up with a simple band of platinum. In the false light of the Winterlands the metal gave off a dull glow of delicate light. Ogopologos gave a little nod of approval. The first sign of emotion other than haughty disdain Twilight had seen.

“Good. Put the ring on the index finger of your casting hand.”

Twilight did as she was instructed.

“Okay, I am a believer in jumping into the deep end of the lake when it comes to learning, so brace yourself, and copy my movements exactly.”

Gulping again, Twilight tried to copy the dragon turned human.

* * *

Twilight groaned from the ‘ground’ of the Winterlands. It felt like she had been in the timeless grey wastes for days, or even weeks. For all she knew, Twilight had been there longer, there was no way to tell time without the sun. She wasn’t even hungry, or really tired, just exhausted physically from Ogopologos’ grueling training regime. The dragon had not been exaggerating when she said that Twilight was about to enter the deep end of training.

The first spell Twilight had been taught was a basic shield spell matrix that could be used as a template for adding elemental weaves to further customise and specialise the spell. For a basic spell, or so Ogopologos claimed, the spell was still rather complex, in its base form acting much like Twilight’s own force field. After she had finally managed to successfully cast the base spell, Ogopologos had made her repeat and practice until Twilight felt she could perform the motions in her sleep. Laying in the addition of the element had increased the difficulty by several degrees. If she had been trying to figure the magic out on her own Twilight may have assumed the task to be impossible.

Since she could, in theory, use any elemental weave Twilight was asked which element she wanted to focus on. In time she could learn the rest of the weaves, but for now it would be best to perfect one of the elemental forms. At Ogopologos’ suggestion Twilight decided to select water as the initial element, even though the dragon admitted that it was one of the harder to master.

Water, Twilight learned quickly, was all about balance and neutrality of emotion and mind. The weaves for water flowed and rolled around obstacles and were very hard to control. A water weave didn’t want to move, except to flow from a high point to a lower one, much like a stream trickling down a mountain. The trick to water, Twilight learned, was to guide the weave rather than push or force it. Patience and calm were the watch-words Twilight repeated to herself over and over as she tried to get the elemental weave to mesh with the shield spell’s matrix. This took much longer to accomplish, and when she finally managed to create the bubbling blue shell of water around herself Twilight had almost collapsed in exhaustion. But her Master hadn’t let Twilight rest, forcing the tired unicorn trapped as a human to practice the shield spell with the water weave tied to it, just as she had forced Twilight to practice the basic spell.

It had been absolutely fascinating the way movement corresponded to mental bridges needed to guide or force the magic, as necessary, into the matrixes. It wasn’t so different from how unicorn’s performed magic after all. Except that the energy was externalised and that the focus acted as a connector to those energies. Just thinking about the layers of preparation and study needed in the new system of magic made Twilight giddy with anticipation.

Without the focus magic was still possible, but it worked on an entirely uncontrollable principle. Effects would vary wildly, and as Ogopologos stressed, should not be attempted, ever, by Twilight. That she hadn’t accidently set a barn on fire or turned a tree into a goat had more to do with Twilight trying to use an internal source of magic. It was like trying to fly by digging a hole.

After the shield spell Ogopologos had decided the next thing Twilight needed to learn was a way to go on the offense. Twilight was more leery of learning a spell designed to hurt or harm. Her feelings were still muddy with a deep loathing of the men who had attacked the festival. She was unsure she wanted that kind of spell given the temptations the human mind seemed prone towards. Only the assurances that the spell was very minor, hardly enough to kill unless used excessively, calmed Twilight enough to start following Ogopologos’ movements as the dragon conjured the necessary matrix.

This spell was far easier than the shield spell, almost pitifully simple in comparison. It didn’t take Twilight long to be casually sending swarms of stinging bee-like magic at Ogopologos, the dragon deflecting the attack aside as casual as brushing hair from her eyes. Unlike the shield spell, the attack spell, which Ogopologos called Magic Nettles, was too basic to carry the additional elemental weave.

The next spell would however be able to carry the additional weave. Twilight had just finished practicing the basic matrix, one that sent a strong pulse of power not unlike a battering ram towards the target, when she had been granted a few moments to recuperate before the lessons on adding the elemental weave to the matrix would start.

“Come, get up, time is not on our side,” Ogopologos said, repeating the words for what Twilight felt was the hundredth time since the training had started.

“I thought the Winterlands were timeless,” Twilight groaned, for the tenth time, slowly getting to her feet.

“I told you already, apprentice, it is complicated,” came the expected snappish answer.

Twilight was really beginning to miss Princess Celestia’s calm and gentle method of teaching. She knew how to make teaching fun as well as educational and challenging.

With a little sigh Twilight began to mimic Ogopologos’ stance, one leg in front of the other, left arm curved overhead, right down low.

“No, no, hold your hands up like THIS. You have to flow and bend like water if you want to connect to it.”

As much as she wanted to roll her eyes at Ogopologos, Twilight refrained. The tongue lashing she received the other times had not been worth the sarcastic action. Instead she altered the positions of her writs, bringing the hand up a little and trying to relax a bit.

“Like this?” Twilight asked, eagerness for the dragons approval stealing into her voice.

“Better, but your wrist is still too rigid, as is your mind,” Ogopologos admonished keeping her voice level.

Wanting to groan and complain about how they had been practicing for Twilight didn’t know how long, she started to comply, relaxing her wrist some more and trying to relax her tired and frayed mind. As she was about to ask if she had finally got the start of the stance correct Twilight noticed movement in the swirling grey clouds of the Winterlands. Hesitating Twilight recalled the last thing that had come out of the Winterlands, the way the Wraith had looked at her with such scorn as its chains rattled like the tempo of death.

Relief flooded Twilight as not one of the black cloaked apparitions came out of the clouds, but the red and gold robes of the older April Conrad. The dead April Conrad, Twilight reminded herself returning the spirit’s wave. She wasn’t sure just how that worked with April still alive back in the waking world. Twilight just chalked it up to the supposed ‘timeless’ nature of the Winterlands.

“I brought a friend you remembered with me,” the spirit of April said, moving to one side to reveal a slightly shorter figuring trailing in her wake.

Twilight felt her breath and heart both hitch at the sight of the dark blue alicorn and goddess of the night and moon. Suppressed emotions cascaded forth as Twilight called out the alicorn’s name, the most prominent thought erupting in her brain being that perhaps she was about to be taken home, that this long nightmare was about to end. Luna stiffened as Twilight rushed forward, the later wrapping the former in a strong hug. Tears came freely to Twilight’s eyes as she cried into Luna’s soft lush coat, “I had started to wonder if I’d ever see any pony from Equestria again.”

The smell of wet dew in the morning and the blossom of midnight roses filled Twilight’s senses as she continued to hug the alicorn in spite of the gross breaking of royal protocol that, when she was less emotional, would make Twilight blush like a miniature sun. A hoof came up and gently pushed Twilight back, that was expected, but the confused look wasn’t. It took another moment for Twilight to realise her mistake.

“You don’t recognise me, of course, how stupid of me,” Twilight said, brushing a tear from one eye. After a moment she added, “It’s me, Twilight Sparkle.”

Luna’s mouth fell open as the alicorn looked from Twilight, to Ogopologos, to April, and finally back to Twilight.

“Twilight Sparkle, bearer of the Element of Magic, personal student to my sister? But, how can you be...? No, that is impossible, I spoke to Twilight just the other night. If something else had happened to... What is going on?”

In desperation for an explanation Luna narrowed her eyes with a steel to them that said, ‘Tell me everything and exactly what is going on, and don’t lie.’ Twilight recognised the look. She had seen Celestia give it a few times during her time in Canterlot.

“How is it you all know me when I’ve never even heard of a realm like this?” Luna continued, raising a hoof to point at April, “You know a song I taught no pony.” The hoof moved to Twilight, “And I know for a fact that Twilight Sparkle is safe, relatively, back in Ponyville. Just a few hours ago she saved Rarity from something calling itself the Fifth. You simply cannot be Twilight Sparkle. Why you would try to claim to be her, when you clearly are not even a unicorn, is beyond me. And you...” Luna turned to Ogopologos, her voice faltering.

For her part the dragon masquerading as a human shrugged and turned to Twilight.

“It seems that it will be impossible to continue your studies for the time being. I will return next week when you can again dream-walk. I expect you will have improved and perfected the spells you’ve learned.”

Without acknowledging Luna or April, Ogopologos faded away, returning Twilight assumed to the waking world.

Twilight smiled not caring for the first time since she was a filly about studying or listening to a teacher. Luna was here, and that meant she could go home. Home, Ponyville, where everything made sense. Where the meals at worst had eggs or butter in them, but never meat. Where the weather was managed, not left wild and untamed. Where ponies didn’t murder other ponies for no reason. Home, Twilight was about to go home.

“So... When do we go?” Twilight asked after a couple minutes silence as Luna continued to shift her stare from Twilight’s beaming face, to the calm neutrality of April.

“When,” April asked with a hint of confusion in the spirit’s voice. “Oh, I remembered, you thought you were going home now because the Goddess of the Moon was here.” April laughed at the confused looks Luna gave her, but sobered looking at Twilight’s downcast face. “I was sorry, Twilight, but you couldn’t go home with Luna now, not unless you died.”

“Excuse me,” Luna snorted, her eyes darkening with the hint of magic, “But we, I mean, I, would appreciate my questions being answered. We, I, have no idea what is happening!”

“Still having trouble with the ‘royal we’, huh Princess,” Twilight said stifling a sad laugh. She had been so sure for a moment that she was about to go home. A part of her wanted to reject the spirit of April’s words, but a part also knew to listen to the spirit. “Okay, let’s get this over with. What do you want to know, princess?” Twilight tried to keep the growing melancholy out of her voice, to little success.

Luna seemed to note the change in Twilight’s attitude, but didn’t mention it as she repeated her earlier questions. Twilight had little idea the answers to a few of the questions, having no idea what song Luna was referring, or who was this ‘Fifth’. Placing a hand on Twilight’s shoulder, April indicated she’d handle Luna’s stream of questions. Twilight was more than thankful, too concerned with controlling the bitter disappointment of not being able to return home.

“I know of you as we met many years ago, from my point of view. I know the song as you taught it to me one Nightmare Night. That wasn’t Twilight that saved Rarity. Twilight didn’t appear like her old self as she was dream walking in Jasmine’s body when you encountered her in the Winterlands.”

April ticked each answer off a finger as Luna’s face grew more and more incredulous. Sighing Twilight decided to interject before April’s way of speaking only in the past tense caused Luna and Twilight to go crazy.

“April, maybe you should let me talk after-all. I think Luna is about to have an aneurism.”

“Yes, I only added a little to conversation at the end after the awkward beginning,” April said with a happy smile, folding her hands into the sleeves of her robes.

“Okay, so, Princess Luna, this is April,” Twilight gave a little gesture to the spirit, “And as you’ve noticed, she only talks in the past tense. It has something to do with her being dead and a spirit. I’m not really sure actually, we’ve only talked once before and that was even more confusing than this conversation. Now, I know you don’t believe I am Twilight, but, just listen to what I have to say and make your mind up after, please?”

Letting the power behind her eyes fade a little Luna gave Twilight a terse nod waiting for Twilight to continue. Taking a deep breath Twilight launched into the story of everything she could remember since blacking out at the cafe. Luna’s face was mostly unreadable during the story. Only during the avalanche and when Twilight reached the events of that afternoon. It was hard keeping her voice level and detached reciting the deaths of the Conrad family. At this point in the story April looked away, a gentle sigh of longing whispering through the air like a gossamer wind. Forcing herself onward so she didn’t dwell on the unsettled raw emotions herself Twilight concluded with the lessons she had been receiving when Luna arrived.

For a few minutes Luna was silent, her mind processing Twilight’s story and contrasting it to what she knew about the Twilight she remembered and what had transpired in Ponyville the last few days.

“You say you have been on this world for the last week?” Luna asked, finally settling on a conclusion.

“Yeah, a little over actually. This is the ninth night I’ve been here, wherever here is.”

“But the incident in the cafe was only a couple days ago. This discrepancy makes no sense.”

“Time here is... wonky,” Twilight muttered. She hated having little to no understanding of how the Winterlands worked. It was like Pinkie Pie’s Pinkie Sense however, just because she couldn’t explain it didn’t make it any less real.

Repeating the word ‘wonky’, Luna shook her head. “I had hoped to find answers and a way to defeat this creature calling itself the Fifth. Instead there are more questions. I am not saying I fully believe you are in fact Twilight, but it would explain why the Twilight in Equestria is having memory issues and is acting different, according to the other Elements of Harmony, and how she knew magic to drive the Fifth away. So, what do we do now? You’re friend seems adamant that you can’t, or don’t, or didn’t return to Equestria with me.”

“All three, probably,” Twilight groused.

“I... go with you... to Equestria,” April said, her voice halting as she contemplated each word. In the distance a chain rattled. Turning to Twilight, April ignored the sound of the chain, saying, “we won’t speak again... until the end... of things. You need... to uncover the sins... of the Ancients. Look for... he who is lost... under the black mountain. He can... set you on the path... home.” The rattle of chains grew closer, shapes beginning to move behind the grey clouds. “Luna... we need to go... to Equestria... and find the Fifth before... it causes more... harm. I will explain more... when we arrive.”

Twisting her head to look at the dozen or so shapes taking form in the clouds, the rat-tat-tinkle of chains growing in intensity, Twilight decided to risk a question. Her curiosity would burn at her if she didn’t take this opportunity if it was going to be the last one for a while. It was possible April didn’t know the answer, but it was unlikely given the spirits position of having already lived through these events.

“How did Jasmine and I switch places, and why can’t we do it again? Just why can’t I go home now?”

Standing beside Luna and resting a hand on the princess’s withers, April gave Twilight a grin that would have made a dragon proud. “Check Jasmine’s... spell-book.”

“Spell-book? I have Jasmine’s spell-book?” Twilight felt her mouth fall open and wanted to slap herself in forehead.

Of course, why wouldn’t Jasmine have a book on magic and spells among her possessions? Cursing herself for refusing to go through Jasmine’s things earlier Twilight resolved that as soon as she woke up, and it was day time, she’d be going through everything she’d inherited from Jasmine.

“We go now,” April said giving Twilight a little wave as chains snaked back and forth across the invisible ground of the Winterlands between their feet. “Follow the thread home, please, Princess Luna.”

Luna nodded, gave Twilight a sad look that conveyed in one brief glance the regret that she couldn’t bring Twilight with her, and then vanished along with April. Twilight sighed, closing her own eyes in an effort to wake up before the wraiths found her.

“Come on Twilight, wake up, wake up, wake up!”

Snapping her eyes open Twilight was relieved to see, instead of the bleak uniform grey of the Winterlands and the grotesque forms of wraiths, stars hanging in the sky above, the half moon casting a gentle ghostly light on the trees and camp. Rolling over she saw Kodiak had been replaced by Sun under the third blanket. Twilight wondered how long she’d been asleep. It felt like days with all the training. Judging from the position of the moon Twilight suspected it had only been a little over four hours. She was about to drift off back to sleep when the crunch of boots on gravel banished the last vestiges of tiredness and any hope of getting any real rest that night.

“Kodiak, that you?”

Rubbing her eyes Twilight sat up waiting for a reply. After several moments of silence Twilight repeated herself a little louder. Again boots scrunched on gravel, but this time Twilight could tell there was more than one set of boots, a lot more. Tossing aside her blanket Twilight scrambled to her feet, hands darting towards the pouch that in the Winterlands had held Jasmine’s ring. The warm metal slid easily onto Twilight’s finger. Biting her lower lip Twilight thrust a foot behind herself, hands raised in the opening positions for the shield spell.

“Who’s out there?” Twilight shouted, a quiver of fear in her voice.

Silence.

“I said, ‘who’s out there’?” Twilight shouted again.

Sun was moving beneath her blankets and April sat up grumbling. There was no sign of Kodiak. Still biting her lower lip Twilight tried to peer through the moon’s half light. She thought she saw movement on the other side of the brook, but wasn’t certain. Inwardly grumbling about not having a way to create light Twilight waited. The sounds of the boots ended just before the brook.

“Jasmine Blackcloak, it has been a long time,” called a haughty woman’s voice from the middle of the cluster of, Twilight assumed, people. Twilight tensed as the familiar click of a crossbow being cocked flitted across the short space between her and the voice. “No! I told you that I wanted Jasmine for myself.”

“Who said I was aiming for her?” chuckled a man from the left. “You wanted us to make sure her guards didn’t interfere, that’s what I am doing.”

“You’ll excuse me for not being so optimistic of your intentions given how you’ve tried three times now to kill her without me.”

While the brief exchange was being shared, Sun slid up next to Twilight, sword in hand, while April shrank back against the wall of tree limbs. Mind working furiously Twilight tried to think of a way to escape. But they were snared against the natural wall, with loaded crossbows only a dozen feet away. Where was Kodiak, Twilight pondered, he was supposed to have been on watch. Twilight prayed that the large man was still alive, somewhere out there in the dark, just waiting for the opportunity to strike, and not dead.

“So, this is how it is going to work, Jasmine. We are going to duel, just like in the Academy. If you win your friends get to live, you loose and all of you die.”

“W-what?” Twilight stuttered, her eyes growing wide while her heart decided this was a good time to perform a dance like one of DJ-Pon3’s songs was playing in her chest.

“It’s rather simple, Jasmine. Except, I suppose it won’t be just like in the Academy. Old Razel isn’t here to keep things civil or enforce any of those ‘rules’. I’m finally going to have my revenge for all the years of humiliation and torment you put me through.”

“Huh? ‘Years of humiliation and torment’? I have no idea who you are or what you are talking about.”

There was a moment of silence from the other side of the brook, followed by a deep shrieking growl.

“Of course! Why would the perfect and blessed Jasmine Blackcloak remember me?” the woman snarled. “Well, that’ll make this all the sweeter! You’re going to die tonight!”

The voice let out a peel of high manic laughter. A laugh that echoed through the gully sending a chill down Twilight’s back.

“Come, Jasmine, face the Great and Powerful Tracey!”

Chapter Nine: Rivalry Renewed

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Nine: Rivalry Renewed

"Driven by fire and those with the lust of power,
Darkness will consume and the rocks devour as Ancient evils awaken."
-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

“What? Wait, you what?” Twilight shouted the questions. Blood pounded in her ears as a flush made her face burn.

Tracey’s words, and their implications, continued to click into place in the back of Twilight’s mind. Twilight recognised the title Tracey addressed herself with, it was hard not to remember the arrogant and self-centered Great and Powerful Trixie, and the damage caused, admittedly not by her, by the two colts she wound up with her boasting. A part of Twilight had actually felt bad for Trixie. She had lost everything she owned and her reputation. No pony, no matter how mean, deserved that.

But that was Trixie, in Equestria, where the worst she had done was embarrass some of Twilight’s friends. The colts Snips and Snails were more responsible for the Ursa Minor, as far as Twilight was concerned. Tracey however had all but admitted to instigating the murder of six good people whose only crime was being nice to Twilight. It would have been so foreign and incomprehensible to Twilight just a few days ago that her mind may not have been able to process the information. Now it all too easily came to a simple conclusion: The cause of so much pain and suffering was right in front of her.

“All those deaths... all this carnage, because of what? Some old grudge from when you were a filly?”

“Some old grudge? I don’t think you compr-,” Tracey said, all arrogance loosing itself from her voice, only to be cut off by a beastlike scream from Twilight.

Later Twilight would freely admit to not fully comprehending what happened. All she knew was anger, a deep primal need to make Tracey pay for everything that had gone wrong. Even though in the waning light of the half-moon Twilight couldn’t see more than a vague outline of the people across the brook, in her mind she could practically see the blood staining their hands. The desire for revenge, Kodiak had called it, was so great it washed away all traces of the sweet, gentle, studious, and sometimes frantic librarian and student of magic, leaving only rage, scolding hot, thrumming through Twilight’s brain.

Without letting Tracey complete her thought Twilight whipped her hands forward, left leg rotating in a half-circle behind her. The movements were precise and graceful with the time spent practicing in the Winterlands showing itself. Twilight could see the snaking cords of magic around her leap to attention. The air, the earth, the trees, and the brook all seemed to look at Twilight as if in anticipation, waiting to see what she wanted.

Water answered the call without hesitation, forming a long blunt cylinder beside Twilight. Thin invisible cords of energy lashed the water to Twilight’s will. Thought sent the floating ram of water hurtling through the air towards the outline of the person Twilight believed to be Tracey. Lines of magic twisted, flaring like a sun in Twilight’s vision, before the ram could reach the figure creating a translucent wall of ghostly blue and purple light like an aurora had been dragged down from the sky. In the shimmering light created Twilight saw the ram being deflected away from a lean ginger haired woman, instead smashing into the man at her left sending him cart wheeling through the air.

With a sickening crack he impacted an outcropping of granite, falling into a pile of limbs twisting at odd unnatural angles. A very still pile Twilight realised through the haze of rage.

There wasn’t time for Twilight to reflect on what she had just done. Tracey was already moving, taking swift steps along the edge of the brook, raising a long grey staff of aged wood. Twilight vaguely remembered Ogopologos mentioning that a staff had greater amplifying power over other focuses. For a brief instant Twilight wished the dragon had said more about the strengths and limitations of using a staff. There was no time for Twilight to think, not that she was doing much conscious thought.

A lance of pure glimmering blue-purple light shot from the top of Tracey’s staff aimed at Twilight’s mid-section. Pulling her hands apart Twilight called on the basic shield, the glowing pinkish disk materializing barely in time to deflect the lance into the sky. A moment later the energy in the lance detonated bathing the gully in cold light.

Sweat beaded on Twilight’s brow as Tracey fired a second lance, the magic again being deflected skyward. On the heels of the second lance was a shimmering rainbow ripple growing to fill the distance between the two wizards like a ribbon gliding on a spring breeze. Twilight tensed for the spell’s impact. Surprise struck momentarily as Tracey’s spell passed through Twilight’s shield.

Twilight could feel the prickle of magic make the hairs on her neck stand at attention as the spell washed over her. Under her feet the ground lurched, Twilight staggering a couple steps back as her balance re-asserted itself. When she looked back to Tracey, Twilight felt her jaw fall open. On the far side of the brook there stood five identical copies of the woman.

Smiling all five of images of Tracey opened their arms and laughed, “Come now Jasmine, surely you can do better than this? I’ve seen first years do better! Stop pulling your punches, it’s not like you can hurt me.”

Growling Twilight took another step back trying to regain control of her anger. She needed her head clear if she was going to counter Tracey’s spells. Not that Twilight had a big repertoire of magic at her disposal. Worse, Twilight knew she couldn’t try to improvise a spell. She just didn’t have enough understanding of how the weaves and matrixes worked yet to start improvising. Mimicking was a far cry from studying all the nuisances of a spell.

Seeing no other options Twilight began hurling the water rams as fast as she could.

To Twilight’s left Sun shot forward, her body low as she used Twilight’s conjured water as a barrier. Diving across the brook Sun bounced to the front of her feet, balanced like a cat on a fence, sword darting for the belly of one of the images of Tracey. Laughing like a filly in a playground the image of Tracey parried the thrust with the end of her staff. The image blurred for a moment as the staff and sword connected, resettling into the form of a lean grey haired man, the staff changing to a long thin sword.

“She’s cloaked them all in illusions,” Sun shouted to Twilight. “Just hit everything,” she added as she rolled away from a cutting counter. Metal slapped against metal as Sun skipped away from the advancing man and the Tracey on the far left.

Twilight discounted the image as being the real Tracey as she called up another of her water rams. The real Tracey was somewhere to the right having slipped in with the two men. It was like a shell game at a carnival. Twilight smiled as she realised it was exactly like a shell game, and those were almost always rigged so that the stone wasn’t under any of the shells. None of the Tracey’s in front of her was the real Tracey.

Releasing the ram so it’d continue an unguided flight towards one of the false Tracey’s, Twilight fell into the stance for the nettles. The images seemed fragile, and while it wouldn’t reveal where the real Tracey was hiding, Twilight could make things easier for Sun. Flicking her hands in front of her like she was throwing darts Twilight sent a small swarm of flickering lights across the brook. Most she didn’t aim hoping to maybe catch Tracey by luck. All four remaining images of Tracey were struck, the illusions breaking under the contact of Twilight’s magic. As Twilight expected all four flickered to reveal men, swords drawn and rubbing the locations where they’d been struck.

“Magic Nettles? Really Jasmine, that’s what you are reduced to using? And I thought this was going to be a challenge. But if that is how you want to play this game, who is the Great and Powerful Tracey to argue?”

Further to Twilight’s right a swarm of nettles flung themselves into the night, easily twice the number Twilight had just used. Eyes wide Twilight whipped her hands back and forth reforming her shield. A sharp retort of popping filled the air as the nettles impacted the shield. Gritting her teeth Twilight fired another of her water rams aiming at the spot where the nettles had come from even as a shrill scream plucked at her senses from behind.

Turning her head Twilight felt her stomach clench and the red hot anger return. April was lying on the ground hands clutching her belly, loud moans escaping her lips. Something in Twilight snapped in that instant as she looked at the expression of pain carved onto April’s innocent features. Blood pounding in her ears Twilight couldn’t hear the sounds of fighting around her. If she had, she would have heard laughter.

Not Tracey’s almost shrill triumphant laughs. Not April’s high pitched bubbling giggles. Not the soft rolling laugh Sun had given when she and Twilight first met. This was a loud deep booming frightening laugh, a laugh that spoke of genuine amusement at the promise of committing pain. If Twilight had been able to hear the laugh she would have stopped to look for the laughs source as a chill ran up her spine.

Instead she launched herself into her limited spells, calling two of the rams of water. Twisting them sideways she hurled both in the general area where Tracey’s Magic Nettles had swarmed from, the sideways rams exploding in fountains of water as they impacted the ground. A satisfied smile twitched Twilight’s lips as a sharp scream filled the night. It took a moment for Twilight to register that it had come from her left and not where the rams impacted.

The burgeoning smile vanished as Twilight whipped around towards the scream’s origins.

Kodiak stood fully beneath the light of the half-moon, holding his axe in one hand, and a dismembered arm in the other, his face turned towards the sky as deep laughter caused his body to rock. Kneeling in front of Kodiak was one of the men that had been with Tracey, clutching the bloody stump where his left arm had been. Worse than the sight of the blood gushing from the messy wound was the pure enjoyment submersing Kodiak. Still laughing Kodiak dropped the man’s arm, grabbed him by his hair, axe rising overhead. Before Twilight could scream for Kodiak to stop the weapon flashed twice, blood splattering all the way to her feet.

Twilight didn’t know if she should scream or run. All thoughts of Tracey vanished against the images carving themselves permanent homes in her brain.

She was numb, completely numb, falling to her knees as she watched Kodiak hurl the dead man’s head like a grotesque missile at another of Tracey’s henchmen. The head was slapped aside as the man and his partner advanced, not in a headlong rush, but slowly and cautiously. Kodiak just continued to laugh, leaping forward to close the distance. His axe flashed down, sparking as it was turned aside by precise parries.

It quickly became apparent that Kodiak, despite his size advantage and sheer brutality, was being equaled by the two men. A short distance away a similar confrontation unfolded as Sun danced, spun, parried and scurried fending off two opponents. Even without Tracey, Twilight realised just how out-classed they were. With Tracey still skulking in the shadows it was a matter of time before Twilight and her friends were totally overwhelmed.

Tracey seemed to have the same thought, a stream of billowing molten fire banishing the night as it howled towards Kodiak. Flames licked at his left side as he tossed himself aside still laughing. Kodiak’s laughing just didn’t stop, despite the stench of burnt hair and skin assaulting Twilight’s senses. Rolling to his feet Kodiak grabbed a rock nearly the size of Twilight’s head, tossing it without hesitation at the source of the flames. A loud crack and yelp followed by the flames fizzling indicated that he’d had more success than Twilight at hitting Tracey.

The damage had been done, the dry brittle grass and shrubbery bursting into flames and sending sparks in showers of snaps and hisses. In moments the entire area was a sea of orange. Still tethered to the trees the horses whinnied in fear, tugging in desperation at their bonds. In the orange glow and heat Twilight could see more figures moving towards the fight. Out of the haze of night into the circle of growing light thundered a pair of horses, their riders leaning over their side to drive swords down at the men still fighting Sun and Kodiak.

Twilight didn’t spend time trying to process the change in fortune. They needed to get away from the rapidly growing fire. Grabbing April, Twilight headed towards the horses. The horses were in a mad fright, their eyes riveted to the flames leaping and dancing closer by the second. Twilight could feel the heat snapping at her back as she pushed April onto the black stallion’s saddle. Hands gripped Twilight around the waist, propelling her up behind the girl. Looking over her shoulder Twilight saw Kodiak, his face splattered with red. He was no longer laughing as he jumped up onto his own mount, Sun mimicking the move moments later.

With a knife Sun cut the horse’s tethers. Without prompting, all three horses bolted from the fire heading up the gully, the two people that had come to their aid following moments later. Twilight didn’t have time to think about what had happened, all her attention being spent on staying in the saddle, holding onto April, and keeping Sun’s mare in sight.

* * *

It was as the sun began to peak above the mountains that they slowed to a canter, then a trot, and then finally stopped. Below them the valley was burning. The fire already had spread to the edge of the lake and was fanning out in all directions. It wouldn’t be long before it caught up to the exhausted horses and people.

“Well, that could have gone better,” Sun grumbled slipping off her sweat slick mount.

“Could have gone worse too,” said one of the men that had rescued them.

Twisting in her saddle Twilight finally looked back at their rescuers, only to have her mouth fall open. For a moment Twilight wondered if perhaps she was looking at ghosts. If there were ghosts in the Winterlands, perhaps they could cross over to the waking world as well. It was the only explanation for two supposedly dead men to be sitting only a few feet behind her. Vernon and Eric both nodded at Twilight, both sliding off their horses like Sun.

“B-but, you’re both dead, I thought,” Twilight stammered as Eric came up to help April down from in front of Twilight.

The mute man’s face turned up into a silent laugh as he offered Twilight a hand in getting off the horse.

“Dead? Us? Where did you get that foolish notion?” Vernon chuckled, but before Twilight could sputter a response he continued, “We can’t stop to rest, not with that fire hounding our heels, as much as I would love to swap stories about what we’ve been doing this last week. We also have to assume that those men who survived the fight are going to be on our trail.”

“Sorry we couldn’t make the rendezvous, Vernon, we got held up in town,” Sun said, slowly leading her mare along the trail.

“We figured as much when that dragon started to holler yesterday. What happened?”

“They had the gall to try to kill Twilight in front of the Lady in the Lake during the middle of the tithe.”

Twilight swore she could her Sun’s teeth grinding together as the woman relayed everything that happened from pulling Twilight out of the festival to the attempt on her life, and the trip across the lake and out of the valley. Vernon stayed quiet for the story, Sun’s voice only broken by the soft clomp of hooves and scuffling of boots on loose gravel.

“How are you holding up there, Ko’?” Sun asked when she finished filling Vernon in about the previous day.

Something in Twilight seemed to snap at the mention of the pet name for the large man. Her breathing grew ragged as the images of the fight raced across Twilight’s vision. Too much death, too much blood, it all felt like a mountain in her mind that was about to topple, and when it did she’d loose herself completely. Twilight tried to perform every exercise Celestia had ever taught her to clear her mind and calm herself. None of them worked. It was all too much for the peaceful librarian and student of magic. She’d had many adventures, some of them dangerous, but nothing close to the events of the past day.

Worse the stench of burnt flesh and hair still permeated the air. Kodiak had to be in immense pain from the burns he’d received, but the once again stoic man didn’t even seem to grimace or make any indication of the wounds. They’d have to be cleaned and tended to soon, Twilight knew, before infection could settle.

“I am fine,” he said flexing his hands and shrugging.

Mouth hanging half open Twilight wanted to ask how he could ignore what should be excruciating pain, but decided to put the question aside. Twilight found that she had very little interest in knowing more about Kodiak. The man was a monster and a killer, one thankfully on her side, but not someone Twilight wanted to know more about. If he said he was fine, then she would leave him alone. Only the remaining vestiges of her old self had prompted her to wonder about his wounds. With his answer Twilight was more than glad to leave him to his pain.

“Who was the wizard that attacked you? Did you get his name?” Vernon asked pointedly ignoring Kodiak.

“Her name was Tracey,” Sun replied, seeming to be satisfied by her partner’s response.

“Tracey? You sure?”

Twilight detected the surprise and concern lacing Vernon’s words.

“Positive. Why, do you know her?” Twilight asked, glancing back to see Vernon’s expression mirroring his tone.

“Yes, very well in fact. Jasmine and Tracey had the same master at the Academy.”

“You mean Razel?”

“No, not old Razel. He’s not taken on an apprentice in decades. Razel did teach anyone willing to put up with his cantankerous ways about how to fight to win. No spell to underhanded or trick dirty in his books. But Jasmine and Tracey never studied with him.” Vernon responded shaking his head slowly. Continuing he said, “Jasmine and Tracey were apprenticed to Master Sophia Maturin.”

“We need to go that way,” April’s voice cut through the light conversation, the girl pointing off to her left, towards a cleft between two ridges.

Everyone shared a look that was equal parts surprise and incredulous, everyone except Twilight. Walking up beside April, Twilight cast a glance back towards the slowly advancing fire. It hadn’t gained any ground, but neither was it falling behind. If they detoured or stopped to rest they risked the fire catching up. But Twilight knew to trust April’s intuition, especially if it was more than that guiding her.

“Did you have a vision?” Twilight asked, hoping for confirmation.

April nodded her head slowly, “I closed my eyes, just for a moment, and saw us entering a cave. There was a door of steel, and beyond it I saw rolling green fields, a town of thatched roofs, and in the distance, clinging to the side of a tall steep mountain, a castle glittering like gold beneath the sun. There were words on the door; Black Mountain.”

Twilight felt her stomach perform a complicated flop at April’s description. Without a word to the others she stepped off the trail, heading towards the cleft April had pointed towards. After only a few steps Vernon was beside her, grabbing Twilight’s shoulder to stop her.

“Where are you going? We don’t have time for detours.”

“I’m going home, Vernon, I’m going home. Where I have my family and friends. Where things are safe and sane. Where there aren’t assassins lurking around every corner and giants who laugh like maniacs as they hack people apart. I am going home, Vernon, and I am taking April with me. I’m all she has left, even if it’s partially my fault that she’s lost all her family. You and your friends scare me, they scare me immensely. Your entire race scares me. Celestia, I scare myself.”

Twilight didn’t wait for a response or to see the downcast look that etched itself onto Vernon’s face like it was stone. With one hand Twilight let April guide her, the other leading the stallion. She noted with a bit of surprise that Kodiak was the first to follow, with Sun, Eric, and finally Vernon following suit.

April lead them in silence, the crackle of the fire growing closer as it consumed the forest. Overhead angry black clouds began to gather bringing the threat of rain and thunder. As they approached the ridges the first rumble rolled across the mountain, sheet lighting making the belly of the clouds glow. The air took on the cool taste of rain moments before the belly of the clouds opened up disgorging a heavy mat of water that fell in sheets.

“I guess the Lady finally noticed the fire,” Sun said, shaking her red hair so it sent little streams flicking through the air.

“There is a cave up ahead, over there,” April said hardly noticing the heavy rain.

If it hadn’t been for April they would have missed the cave. Carved into the side of a ridge several massive granite blocks obscured the entrance from all but careful searching. A person could have been only a few feet from the entrance and never have realised it was there. Manoeuvring the horses through the tight gap took a few minutes. Vernon was the last to enter the cave, giving the sky and ground a smug smile before ducking to enter the black mouth leading into the earth.

Twilight stumbled in the lead of the small group. With the rumbling clouds outside the cave had no hope of having any natural light peak beyond more than the most immediate area. Fumbling she tried to conjure some light. Making her horn glow had been one of the most natural acts Twilight had learned as a unicorn, channelled magic turning it into a sort of temporary torch. There was no spell involved in the act for a unicorn, just simple magic using the horn as a container for a current. Without her horn Twilight tried to improvise a spell.

Picturing a glowing orb of light hovering over her head Twilight used the Magic Nettle spell as a basis to create a simple weave that would just hover overhead. She had never tried to use fire, and took a stab at what emotions that would be tied to the element. If Water was about calm serenity and being fluid then logically fire would be about passion and exuberance. At least, that was her best guess based on the pulpy fantasy novels she read as a filly.

Nothing happened at first, and Twilight almost smacked herself in the forehead. She was using a ring, which meant she needed to use motion. What movements would correspond to fire Twilight had no idea. She didn’t know where to begin. Growling frustration to herself as she stumbled in the dark, Twilight twisted her hand into a claw in front of her and glared at the offending appendage. She couldn’t see it, or the end of the nose on her face, the tunnel having becoming blacker than pitch. Then there was a flicker.

It was there and gone so fast that only the small after images imposed on Twilight’s retinas confirmed that it hadn’t been her imagination. Following a spark of intuition Twilight sucked in a surprised breath. Curling her hand more she focused on the frustration layering it into the basic spell she envisioned. Flickers and snippets of light sparked between her fingers clinging to the matrix, before dying. Alter the matrix Twilight tried again, making the spell more robust, like a ball covered in thick stabilizing bands.

Light snapped and sparked, growing into a steady healthy glow. The spell didn’t hover overhead like she had hoped, staying firmly nestled between her fingers, but at least they had light. Holding her hand up Twilight cast aside the shadows and darkness clinging to the cave.

The first thing Twilight realised was that the cave wasn’t really a cave at all, but rather the remains of a mine. The walls were all straight with grooves from where they’d been carved out of the earth with tools. The floor was flat and level, with the remnants of tracks that would have supported mine carts. After only a few dozen feet the tunnel opened up into a wide rectangular shaped room.

Along a far wall sat the debris and remains of a large animal’s nest, probably a bear Twilight thought giving the size. Nearby, carved into the solid rock wall, was a series of shallow indents. A few had the remains of letters etched above them, but most were blank. Beneath the indents was a large pile of orange rust shavings. Whatever had been in the indents had long ago withered away. To the right and ahead Twilight saw tunnels leading deeper into the ground. Dank musk and mildew mixed with damp earth into a heavy smell that clung to Twilight’s nose and throat. Otherwise the room was open and barren of any distinguishing feature.

“We can set up camp here and rest for a bit before we plan what to do next,” Vernon said entering the room.

From the mouth of the cave thunder continued to rumble as they set about creating a place to rest. Blankets were unrolled, the horses given some grain and water, and a fire started in the center of the room using branches scavenged from the animal nest. Sitting down near the small fire Twilight extinguished her light spell. Jasmine’s back-pack rested in her lap, and for the first time, Twilight opened the leather compartment.

Inside she found surprisingly little. There were a few pouches containing more vials of various substances, all unlabeled to Twilight chagrin, as well as a travelling inkpot, quills, some dry leaves and herbs held in folded cloth, and as Twilight hoped, two thick tomes bound in leather. Gingerly Twilight pulled the macabre books from the sack. She was slowly getting used to the idea that humans used the parts of animals for a lot of different uses beyond consuming them. Her small journal had a leather cover that protected it from the elements.

Just another aspect of humanity Twilight tried very hard to ignore.

Taking her journal off its strap on her belt, Twilight used one of the cloths to wipe any water off its surface. Twilight was mildly impressed how the journal’s cover folded closed to protect the pages inside from the weather. Another perfect gift from April suited just for Twilight’s needs. Setting the journal in her lap she opened Jasmine’s spell books beginning the first study session in weeks. Giddy anticipation bounced in Twilight’s chest in spite of all the darkness and terrible events. Here was something guaranteed to take her mind away from all the problems of the world.

The first thing Twilight noticed was that Jasmine’s spell-books had almost nothing on elemental weaves. They had a great deal on illusions, enchantment theory, summoning, and one was entirely on the subject of Entropy, but very little about using elemental weaves. The few pages on elemental weaves entirely dealt with Life and how it interacted with Entropy. Certainly informative and helpful, if Twilight intended to work on her Life connection, which she didn’t at the moment. Giving up on searching for information on elemental weaves, Twilight returned to the section on illusions.

To her delight nearly everything had something to do with cancelling, dispelling, or otherwise overcoming various forms of illusion magic. There were even notes on Tracey favourite tactics. Twilight got the impression that Jasmine had spent a lot of time studying her fellow apprentice and rival. A smile of satisfaction crossed Twilight’s face as she read a note saying to blanket an area with minor magic to disrupt any false images Tracey created. To counter Tracey’s invisibility spell was a spell designed to see everything, with a notation that the spell would let the caster see even in areas where there was no light. Twilight began studying the spell, the applications in the cave being reason enough to learn the magic, let alone if Tracey returned.

Nose in the spell-books Twilight hardly registered what was happening around her. A part of her brain was aware of April curling up next to her, and Vernon settling near the entrance into the room. Likewise she was aware of Eric sitting across the small fire from her, taking from his pack a small black book and reading it slowly. Twilight did stop for a few minutes to watch Sun treat Kodiak’s shoulder and arm, the small woman applying a pungent smelling green paste to the burnt skin before wrapping it in white bandages.

“Come on, you big baby, stop fussing or it’ll get infected,” Sun admonished playfully, giving the bandages a little slap that made Kodiak grunt.

Twilight’s brain tuned out Kodiak’s response, if there was one. The diagrams and instructions were so engrossing she had trouble pulling any of her attention away from the details and motions. It took a few minutes for the eerie silence that permeated the room after Sun’s remark to penetrate the haze studying created around Twilight. The back of Twilight’s neck prickled with the sensation of being watched forcing her to snap her head up.

“Yes, what is it?” Twilight growled, only to come almost nose to nose with the floating disembodied head of Tracey.

“About time,” Tracey snapped. She rolled her eyes as Twilight let out a little screech, falling over backwards, arms cart-wheeling through the air. “I don’t have much time before they notice. You have to get moving again. They’ve called in their boss, a six knot from the south. Don’t know his name; he never studied at the Academy. Not sure who you are, or why you look like my Jasmine, or scrying says you are her. Can’t be Jasmine, she only uses Life, and that is begrudgingly. We are coming up on a canyon, or ravine. The other’s think we are gaining. Sorry I can’t explain more. Can only say so much by means of a Sending spell. Tell the girl-,”

The head vanished with a small pop, leaving Twilight laying on her back, eyes wide.

As soon as the head vanished everyone else broke into activity.

“Eric, you take Twilight and the kid deeper into the tunnels,” Vernon snapped, running to the remains of animal nest to grab three branches. Using some old cloths he turned the branches into home-made torches, using the fire to light them before kick dirt over the fire to extinguish it.

Handing one torch to Eric, he placed the others near the entrances to the tunnels leading deeper into the earth.

“You three take that tunnel,” Vernon said pointing to the one off to the side of the room, “We’ll try to slow them down and get them spread out. There is no telling how deep the tunnels go, and, hey, where are you going kid?”

April looked back from the tunnel across from where they’d entered a look of determined innocence on her face.

“The door is down this tunnel, the other one is a dead end. Don’t use it unless you want to end up getting trapped,” she said before waving for Eric and Twilight to follow her as she slipped into the shadows.

Shrugging Twilight shoved her journal and Jasmine’s spell-books into her pack before going to follow April. Vernon stopped Twilight after only a couple steps.

“I’m worried, why are we following the directions of a teenager? So far she’s gotten us trapped in some mines with a pair of wizards, one who may or may not be friendly, with the other almost certainly not, and who knows how many thugs and cut throats with them. Yet you follow her blindly. Why?”

“She’s a seer,” Twilight said simply, shrugging off Vernon’s concerns. “And I trust her.”

April was the only person Twilight fully trusted. Twilight somewhat trusted Sun, but knew that the small woman had a violent streak in her probably as wide as her partner. Vernon and Eric had left Twilight with an arrow in her gut on the beach, disappeared for a week, and returned as if nothing had happened. She had thought them dead, had grieved for them, and now she wasn’t certain why she had bothered.

At the mention of April being a seer Vernon’s face changed to something indiscernible for a moment, before settle back into a stern glare. He muttered something under his breath about Jasmine and avoiding seers, but Twilight couldn’t make out the exact words or meaning. Then Vernon was gone, moving around the room setting up for the uninvited guests that were coming, Eric replacing him beside Twilight. The mute man gave a little gesture and half bow that seemed to say ‘After you’.

Sighing Twilight cast the vision spell she’d been studying. It took a couple attempts to get the motions right, but when she did Twilight gave out a little squeak of surprise. The entire room and the tunnel beyond looked like it was being bathed in the gentle light of a full moon. Eric gave her a puzzled look, but otherwise didn’t comment, instead hurrying down the passage with his torch. To her new vision the torch looked like a ghostly silver orb shooting little arms of soft light in all directions. Where the light touched would glimmer like a field of stars. Twilight could have stood staring and inspecting the effect for hours.

Instead she hustled to keep up with Eric and April. Twilight didn’t know how the girl was managing to find her way through the tunnels without either a torch or spell to see in the dark. Yet somehow April had managed to put a considerable lead between herself and Twilight and Eric. At the first branch in the tunnel April stood waiting, gazing down each path as if looking for something. As Twilight and Eric approached April turned, smiled, and kicked an arrow into the dirt before heading deeper.

This continued for several more intersections. Each time April paused, considered the paths, and then would mark the direction they were headed. Twilight thought about asking why April was marking their path, but the reason seemed self evident. The others needed some way to follow, or they’d get hopelessly lost and turned around in the growing maze.

Up and down they went, the tunnel never varying in height, width, or composition. Gulping down a touch of fear Twilight knew that if they became separated it’d be nearly impossible to find each other again. But April seemed to know exactly where she was going.

“We’re almost at the door now,” April said as they rounded a corner, passing into a naturally formed cavern and out of the man made mine tunnels they’d been following for the last half hour.

Nodding, Twilight was about to ask how much farther to the door, when she stepped on something that cracked and snapped beneath her boots like dry twigs. Shivers crawling up her spine Twilight looked down to see she’d stepped on the bones of a person, specifically a person’s ribs. Biting her tongue to prevent herself from screaming Twilight quickly surveyed the chamber.

The ceiling and floor held dozen of stalagmites, stalactites, and natural columns. Littered around them were hundreds of bodies and skeletons. A few were nothing but yellow bones strewn across the floor, but most had been mummified by some unknown process. Black leathery skin pulled tight across faces staring in silent eternal screams, hands grasping at their throats or reaching into the air. Around the bodies were the rotted remnants of cases and luggage, most being nothing but a few scraps of leather or canvas and rusted metal, their contents spilled like the guts of a disembowelled beast.

April was picking her way through the mass grave, occasionally stopping to peer at something clutched in a mummified hand before moving on. Gulping down some bile that had risen, Twilight carefully picked her path forward taking care not to disturb the bodies. A profound sense of unease and tension filled the entire chamber. Twice Twilight swore she heard a clicking clack, like something was moving just beyond the limits of her vision spell. Looking behind her Twilight saw a look of sorrow covering Eric’s features. Like Twilight he was being extra cautious not to disturb the dead.

“Found it!” April shouted over her shoulder lifting a small black rectangular object from the dry fingers of a mummy.

Grunting in frustration Eric pushed past Twilight and bounded over to April. Once he reached the girl he pointed at the object she’d taken, then back to the body, grunting again. Twilight couldn’t see his expression with his back to her, but she imagined Eric had a look of deep displeasure on his face.

“We can’t leave this,” April said, understanding his meaning. “This is needed to open the door.”

Not waiting for any further arguments or protests April again set off, picking her way across the chamber. Scrambling over a rise of flowstone after the girl and Eric, Twilight finally saw the door April kept mentioning.

At the far end of the chamber sat a huge edifice of metal easily three times Twilight in height. A giant square on both sides several clamps held the door shut. Etched across the middle were the words ‘Black Mountain Shelter’. Scorch marks and scratches marred the bottom third of the door where people had tried to force the door open while across the top a series of long furrows had been melted through the metal. In front of the door the concentration of bodies was thickest, piling up around a ramp the lead to a box just to the right of the door.

To the left of the door was something that shocked Twilight even more. It was another body, but one unlike anything Twilight had ever seen. Taller than even the door with huge leathery bat wings the body slumped beside the door. Large holes had been punched into its chest and half its head ripped off so it lay lopsided propped up by a single curved ram’s horn. The acrid tang of brimstone filled Twilight’s nose as she tried to calm the sudden beating of her heart seeing the new body elicited.

Twilight was about to ask what sort creature the body belonged to when the sounds of metal on metal reached her ears echoing from the chambers entrance. Eric noticed the sound as well, drawing his slender sword while gesturing emphatically at the massive door. April needed no further prodding, skipping and jumping her way towards the box beside the door. Standing beside Eric, Twilight gave him a little nod silently conveying that she wasn’t going to leave his side.

Movement over the flowstone sent a spike of tension deep into Twilight’s muscles. Glaring she readied a water ram waiting until the person was close enough, or in case it was one of her allies. Green lurid lightening cracked across the chamber, outlining the muscular form of Kodiak as the large man pivoted on a heel at the top of the flow. Completing his turn he hurled his axe out of Twilight’s line of sight. A wet gurgling scream indicated it had found flesh. Weaponless Kodiak jumped back over the flowstone releasing one of his long maniacal laughs.

The ring of steel on steel continued, mixed intermittently with Kodiak’s laughter. Sun was the next to enter Twilight’s sight, rolling around a fat stalagmite as she was chased by three lanky men in brown cloaks and tunics. Planting her feet in front of a short ledge Sun launched herself into the air performing a slow spin. At the apex of her path two flashes of steel flicked towards her pursuers. The closest man fell as the steel connected tumbling head first over the ledge Sun had launched herself from.

Kodiak re-emerged over the flowstone in time to see his partner land with a dull thump into the sea of mummified bodies, Vernon close on his heels. Seeing a clear opening Twilight launched her water ram at the remaining men chasing Sun. Both saw the glowing column of water racing towards them, each tucking into a roll off the ledge. With a resounding crack the ram impacted the ledge sending shards of stone flying in a gout of water.

Springing to her feet Sun pressed into her remaining pursuers before they could fully recover from avoiding Twilight’s spell. Her sword snapped and whistled left and right, pressing her opponents backwards. Looks of intense concentration crossed both men’s faces as they slowed their retreat, and then reversed it, pushing Sun slowly towards Twilight and Eric, their swords working in tandem to snarl at Sun from every angle.

Before Eric could go to assist the beleaguered woman several more men poured over the lip of the flowstone like a tide of angry steel. Behind the men two robed figures stopped on top of the flowstone, a woman and a man. They had to be Tracey and the mysterious new mage she had mentioned in her warning, Twilight realised. Gulping down her trepidation Twilight spared a quick glance over her shoulder to see what was happening with the door.

April was at the small box beside the door doing something with the black rectangular object she had taken, but Twilight couldn’t see exactly what the girl was doing. From her posture and the way April frantically looked from the object to the box Twilight could tell that things weren’t going as fast as April expected.

Returning her gaze to the two wizards Twilight saw Tracey had started to make her way towards the melee spreading across the chamber floor. Eric had rushed forward to assist Kodiak and Vernon, the three men fighting shoulder to shoulder, swords and axe twisting left and right, but never connecting. The more numerous men darted back and forward their own swords flicking and teasing at the defences of Twilight’s allies. Sun was still being pushed back, but she had managed to alter her retreat so that she wasn’t being herded towards her friends.

Taking a deep breath Twilight called up another water ram, aiming this one at the wizard standing on top of the flowstone. Maybe if she took out their leader, the rest of the men would retreat, Twilight thought. It was a foolish hope, but with everyone else falling back and tiring she didn’t know what else to do. On the heels of the ram Twilight sent a series of the magic nettles hoping to at least sting or distract the other wizard enough to prevent him from casting.

It quickly proved to be a fool’s hope. Snapping his wand up the mysterious wizard bisected the water ram with a lance of green light, Twilight’s magic exploding sending a momentary heavy rain across the battle. Worse the spreading water engulfed and consumed the magic nettles she had fired. The casting had been so fast and effortless that Twilight stood rooted to the ground for a few precious moments, her jaw hanging open.

In those moments everything changed.

A great wailing howl coursed through the chamber, wind clutching at cloaks and hair, as hundreds of little lights flitted down through the ceiling. No one else seemed to pay the lights any attention as they whipped and whirled around the battle, flinging themselves through person and stone alike. Twilight’s eyes darted left and right trying to follow the lights as the moan grew louder. Spiralling up like a great flower the lights hung in the air for a moment, then flung themselves down into the mummified bodies littering the floor.

Ancient withered hands cracked and creaked, bones clattering as the sea of bodies began to shift. All fighting ceased, swords hanging in the air as everyone became aware of the new noises. Tracey twisted left and right, leveling her staff as shambling forms pulled their selves upright. Red light flickered behind eyes that had been milky white only minutes before. As one the mass of bodies groaned; more and more raising up in hunched stances. Turning her head to watch the last of the little white lights flicker and enter the huge malformed body beside the door.

As the last light entered the monstrous body a terrible grinding noise like two great trees being ground against each other echoed through the chamber. Dark red flames burst to life, crawling from the gaping holes in the body’s chest. More flames burst from the shattered remains of the head, the remaining eye looking down in a red rage. Bone grinding against bone and ancient sinew snapping the re-animated behemoth lumbered to its feet.

“Don’t move, don’t show fear, don’t run,” Vernon hissed, standing rigidly between three undead.

Panic swept across the chamber, the men that had moments before been on the cusp of victory turning and running towards the wizard atop the flowstone, passing around Tracey. None made it to the top. As one the undead re-acted, grasping and clawing at the fleeing men. Realizing they couldn’t run from the horde that filled the entire chamber, the men fought back desperately. One by one they were pulled to the ground by the undead, gurgling screams mixing with unearthly howls jangling from mummified throats.

Vernon, Eric and Kodiak formed a tight circle around Twilight, guiding her as fast as they could through the churning mass of bodies. Swords and axe flashed left and right hacking through brittle limbs and shattering skulls. A short distance away Tracey stood spinning her staff, fire billow from the top of the staff. The wizard on top of the flowstone likewise sent bolts of green lightening and fire in every direction. But the undead were too numerous. It was only a matter of time before they’d all be overwhelmed.

A series of thrumming clicks reverberated through the chamber, April shrieking from the door, “I’ve got it!”

Orange lights flashing around its frame, the great steel door ponderously began to open, sliding out and then along the wall to the blare of sirens. Seeing an escape route open Twilight in rapid succession began summoning water rams, blasting a path towards the door. The entire chamber was a sea of movement, howling, blood curdling screams, and the heavy footsteps of the towering behemoth. Twilight couldn’t tell who was where anymore as she pushed her way to the door and the beckoning April. Undead claws grasped at Twilight’s ankles trying to pull her to the ground. If she fell Twilight knew that she would die.

Kicking her foot Twilight punted a skull away from her, but the bodies hands continued to cling to the edges of her robes. Fighting back a shrill scream Twilight pushed as hard as she could for the door. Her hair crackled as one of Tracey’s waves of fire passed by, turning several undead into ash. In moments they were replaced. Then Twilight was through the door, falling into a hallway of warm golden light.

Sirens continued to blare, the orange light’s spin reversing, and the door began to close. Standing back up Twilight turned and began to fire her water rams in random directions. In rapid succession Eric, Vernon and Kodiak tumbled through the door, followed by Tracey. Just before the door slid shut again Twilight saw the unknown wizard still atop the flowstone, fire and lightening shooting in every direction from the tip of his wand filling the air with the stench of ozone and burnt flesh. Around him hissed a shell of lurid liquid light forcing back the swarming undead. As if sensing Twilight watching him he snapped his head towards her, black eyes boring into her soul. Over the wizard reared the behemoth, fist raised to smash down on the shield.

Closing with a deep rumble, locks slipping back into place, the door silencing the howls of the undead before Twilight could see what happened to the wizard.

Chapter Ten: Jasmine Revealed

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Ten: Jasmine Revealed

"An evil barred for two thousand years stirs,
Danger forgotten approaches the land of Sun and Moon."

-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

Gentle rays of sunlight caressed Rarity’s face bringing the pristine white unicorn out of a dreamless sleep. Fog clouded her mind as she stretched her hooves, gently dragging her pillow closer. At some point in the night she had kicked her covers off, the goose down blanket laying tangled around her lower body. That gave Rarity the first moment of pause; she didn’t own goose down blankets. The second moment was courtesy of the voices filtering in from bellow her room.

Why were there ponies in her boutique, arguing no less, at such an early time, Rarity wondered. Her eyes flashed open as the thought fully registered. There were uninvited ponies in her boutique. Without looking Rarity tried to leap from the bed, only to have the blanket drag her to the floor with a jaw aching crash. Groaning Rarity rubbed a hoof across her face as she kicked her legs out of the treacherous blanket.

It wasn’t until she again opened her eyes, planting her hooves to rise herself shakily, that Rarity noticed that she wasn’t in her boutique. Instead the warm brown tones interspersed with flashes of colour like a rainbow painted by a Pegasus buzzing on sugar greeted Rarity. She was in Twilight room in the local library Rarity registered, finishing the process of escaping the dreadful blanket. Why was she in the library, and not her own opulent boutique? Rarity pondered the question as she slowly shuffled towards the door.

Slowly, in bits and fragments, the previous evening came back. The nightmare and rescue followed by the fleeing to the library and Twilight’s insistence on placing heaps of salt at the door and all the windows. The last thing Rarity remembered were a pair of red eyes burning into her own crystal blue eyes through a window, and then waking up in Twilight’s bed. Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs of sleep and the memory Rarity decided to find Twilight and ask for a full explanation. Rarity certainly needed one.

Catching sight of herself in Twilight’s mirror, Rarity let out a small lady-like gasp. Her mane was a disaster. Biting her lower lip, Rarity made her way to Twilight’s dresser. Surely Twilight wouldn’t mind too much if Rarity borrowed her comb, just this once. Plucking the comb from the dresser Rarity pulled the brush in long firm strokes through her mane. As the comb went about its work held within a soft blue light Rarity heard the voices that had woken her filtering in through the floor.

“Ugh, Spike, where is the black powder?”

“Uh, what’s black powder, Twi?”

“Oh, um, a compound of sulfur, potassium nitrate, and charcoal.”

“Potato ni-what?” the baby dragon asked clearly confused.

“Potassium nitrate! Gah, it’s more commonly called saltpeter. Together they make a black powder that when ignited goes ‘boom’. Where do I keep that?”

There was a pause as Spike processed Twilight’s words.

Rarity was confused by Twilight’s request. Rarity was no alchemist, but what Twilight was asking for sounded dangerous.

Spike seemed to have the same thought, saying, “I don’t know, Twi, you keep anything that interacts badly with fire out of my reach, remember?”

A short pause.

“Of course, how stupid of me. Baby dragon. Fire. Right.”

“If it’s anywhere in the library it’s probably in the store room beside the laboratory in the basement.”

“Hmm, I’ll go have a look. Maybe the other items I need are down there,” Twilight said in a dull tone, her voice followed by a door slamming open followed by hooves descending down stairs.

Putting the comb away Rarity poked her head into the library’s main room. Below her was a scene of organised chaos. Twilight had books arranged in heaps around a table, one Rarity recognized as having been in Twilight’s basement laboratory. Rarity didn’t recall the table or the books strewn around it being present the previous night. The entire library looked like it had been turned over top to bottom twice. Twilight was clearly in one of her ‘Research Modes’.

“Rarity! You’re awake! Oh boy, we’ve been so worried about you,” Spike called, bounding along the library when he spotted Rarity.

“Good morning, Spikey-wikey,” Rarity replied stifling a small delicate yawn as the last vestiges of sleep left her body. “I see Twilight is in one of her... ‘moods’.”

Rarity gave the baby dragon a warm smile as he screeched to a halt in front of her. Spike had a half-dazed expression on his face, a look Rarity was used to seeing the dragon have in her presence. That Spike had a childhood crush on her wasn’t unknown to Rarity. To her shame she had on a few occasions even played with Spike’s affection. There had never been anything cruel or malicious in such teasing, but at the same time Rarity knew in her heart that it was unfair to Spike. Over time Rarity had come to think of herself a bit like an aunt to Spike, a young, beautiful, sophisticated aunt, but an aunt nevertheless. Continuing to smile Rarity indicated with a gesture for Spike to follow as she made her way to the kitchen.

“I don’t suppose, Spike, that you know what happened last night?” Rarity asked as she threaded her way through the organised chaos that was the library.

Twilight was definitely in one of her full-blown research modes. Rarity cringed hoping it wasn’t as bad as the time Spike had the Dragon Flu. Twilight had gone into a manic frenzy trying to find something, anything, on dragon illnesses. Books had buzzed around the library in a mad dance as worry ate away at Twilight. It had taken Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy working together to calm Twilight down enough so that the unicorn didn’t try something crazy, like magically purge the illness from Spike.

The smile twitched into a larger grin at the memory. Lost in the past Rarity almost missed Spike’s response to her question.

“Honestly Rarity, I don’t have a clue,” the dragon grumbled kicking a lone book in passing.

“How about all...,” Rarity nodded to the stacks of books.

Face darkening Spike shook his head.

“She started all this up the moment you fell asleep. I don’t think she’s gotten any sleep herself. The library was like this when I got up. And Twilight’s acting weird,”

“Weird?”

“Yeah, not at all like herself. I’m starting to get worried, Rarity,” Spike muttered clutching his tail in his claws.

Stopping on the threshold of the kitchen Rarity looked down on the dragon. Worry and concern was indeed etched onto his face.

“There was Twilight just racing off into the night, then coming back with you in tow, followed by all those strange orders for salt. Then you shrieked and wouldn’t calm down for hours. And now this.” Spike indicated the heaps of books littering the library. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know Spike,” Rarity admitted as she suppressed a shudder at the memory of the previous night. The cruel malice in the eyes and words of the creature she saw through the window still echoed in her mind. “Twilight seems to know though.”

“Yeah, she does. But how does she know? I mean, she can’t remember where anything is in the library, and if she hadn’t been re-reading all her journals I don’t think she’d remember her own brother.”

Rarity pressed her lips together as Spike continued to release the fears and questions that had been growing.

“Yet she knows all this weird stuff. Like the salt, and rescuing you, and that weird language she speaks sometimes under her breath when she thinks I can’t hear her. It’s like it’s her, but not her, you know?” Spike clapped his claws over his mouth gasping. “What if Twi’s been replaced by body snatching aliens?”

“Spike, darling, Twilight is extremely well educated, it’s not implausible that she knows far more than either of us,” Rarity pointed out hoping it’d calm the dragon a bit. “In fact, everything here seems totally normal for Twilight, don’t you agree? You of all ponies know how she can get.”

Spike pinched his little brow together then shook his head. “No, it’s aliens, I’m sure of it.”

“Aliens, Spike, really?” asked a bemused Twilight from across the chaos of the library. “Let me guess, they dragged me under my bed one night and replaced me with a doppelganger. And now I’m just waiting for the right opportunity to steal your souls and drag you down to Tartarus.”

“Uh, Twi, demons do that. Aliens take you up to their space ships and probe you!” Spike’s teeth chattered as he chewed on the ends of his claws. “Then they erase your memories and give you hypnotic suggestions so you’ll be a spy! Then they fly down in their huge saucer ships and blow up Canterlot!”

Rolling her eyes Rarity sighed patting the dragon on a shoulder before he could work himself up any more. “Really Spike, you need to stop reading those silly comics.”

“Their not silly,” grumbled Spike looking dejectedly at the floor.

“No, I have to agree with Rarity, they sound really silly and implausible. I mean, space beings, really?” Twilight also rolled her eyes before picking up a small string tied to several flasks containing a grainy black substance.

Rarity gave the flasks a leery look. From what she overheard the substance they carried was flammable and explosive in nature. Why Twilight had them baffled Rarity, but she had little doubt it had something to do with the many experiments Twilight was known to conduct in the basement. To Rarity having something that could potentially blow up your home wasn’t something to keep stocked in the basement.

Depositing the flasks on the table Twilight began to rummage through a pile of scribbled notes. Rarity watched her friend for a few minutes before a rumble from her stomach reminded her of her purpose in going to the kitchen.

“Spikey-wikey, do you want to assist me in the kitchen getting some pancakes ready?” Rarity asked, her voice dripping with honey.

Immediately the dragon’s head perked up his eyes dancing with happiness. “Would I?” he exclaimed making a dash into the kitchen. A moment later the clatter of pans came wafting through the door. Rarity asked if Twilight wanted some, receiving a curt affirmative, before trotting into the kitchen. A half hour later three steaming plates of pancakes, two plates of blueberry and one with sapphires, sat waiting on the table. Attracted by the sweet smells Twilight trotted into the kitchen her mouth visibly salivating.

“Mmm, these are amazing,” she gushed taking a bite.

Rarity noticed that Twilight ate from the plate like an earth pony, not using her magic to hold a fork. Watching Twilight eat until her plate was half empty Rarity considered how to phrase what she was going to say next. She didn’t want to hurt her friend’s feelings mentioning Twilight lack of magic. Twilight had always been extremely proud of her magical skill.

“I guess you’re still having difficulties with your magic, darling,” Rarity finally said between bites.

“Huh? Yeah, kinda. I managed to lift that wood statue that was in the middle of the library last night, but then I crushed it. Fine control seems a long ways off. Besides, I don’t have the time right now to get a handle of this magic. Not with your little haunting problem.” Twilight grumbled a thin snarl passing her lips.

“My little haunting problem? You mean that red eyed monstrosity I keep seeing?”

“Well, yeah, are there any other ghosts around town that are terrorising you?”

The seriousness of the question startled Rarity. Twilight really was asking if there were more ghosts haunting the town. Rarity wanted to scoff at her friend. Every pony knew that ghosts weren’t real. Ghosts were just something to put in amusing stories told around camp fires and on Nightmare Night. But even as she wanted to laugh at the idea, Rarity somehow knew in her heart that it was true.

Gulping down rising panic, and a mouthful of blueberry pancakes, Rarity said, “Ghosts, don’t be absurd Twilight. Every pony knows they aren’t real, right?”

Surprisingly Twilight chuckled.

“I wish they weren’t real, Rarity.”

Spike was visibly shaking at his side of the small round table, his little claws digging into the tabletop.

“G-ghosts? Real honest to spookiest ghosts?”

“Not ‘ghosts’, a ghost, singular, one, an individual. Goddess, I hope it’s only one anyways.” Twilight corrected before finishing her breakfast.

“And how darling is that exploding powder supposed to help stop,” Rarity gulped, “a ghost.”

“Well, on its own it won’t. But I can use it to make something that will.” Twilight nodded her head twice giving Rarity a reassuring smile. “I just need to go collect a few more things and we’ll be able to deal with the ghost.”

“May I ask how you know this will work?”

“I, ah, read it somewhere.”

“That doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence,” Rarity pointed out as she floated the plates into the sink and started to run water over them.

Twilight shrugged.

“I’m going to need your help collecting the rest of the reagents. Also, I think it is best if you stayed near me. We can’t be sure that it won’t find some way inside the library.”

Suppressing a shudder Rarity agreed to help Twilight with her little collection errand. With her magic still off Twilight would be unable to reach anything high up and Rarity didn’t want to have to face the ghost alone again. The two mares got a pair of saddle bags and made their way out of the library. At once Rarity noticed something was wrong.

Ponyville was still and silent.

Rarity felt the back of her mane prickled as she followed Twilight through the empty market. Stalls hadn’t been set up and there were only a couple ponies moving about, dashing from building to building looking everywhere but at each other. Even the birds were missing, their normal chorus silent for the first time Rarity could remember. Rarity wondered if the weather team had scheduled rain for the day, but found the sky a clear crystal blue.

“It’s working faster than I expected,” Twilight said as the two mares made their way towards the Whitetail Woods.

“You mean that ghost you were talking about in the library?” Rarity asked trotting to keep pace with Twilight.

“Yeah,” Twilight sighed looking up at all the shuttered windows. The town looked like it was preparing for a storm. “I’ve never seen one drive such a malaise so quick before.”

Rarity gave Twilight a raised look.

“Um, how could you? Is this part of your returning memories?”

Sighing louder Twilight said, “Yeah, something like that,” before her voice trailed off bitterly.

“Heya!”

Rarity gave a strangled yelp as a frighteningly pink head popped up in front of her and Twilight. Clutching a hoof to her chest Rarity shot Pinkie a withering look saying, “Pinkie, darling, how many times have I asked that you not just pop up like that. You’re liable to give me a heart attack one day.”

Ears flush with her head Pinkie shrunk back a short distance apologizing before her ears perked back up again as she noticed Twilight’s saddlebags.

“Oo, oo! Where are you two off to? You can’t be shopping because all the shops and stalls are closed, which is weird, even Sugar Cube Corner is closed, which it never is! And Mr. and Mrs. Cake are all grumpy wumpy pants too! Even the twins are being all ‘blah’ and ‘grr’ and saddy frowny faces and when I tried to cheer them up every pony was all super duper extra grumpy and... hey, where are you going?”

Pinkie spun on the spot having noticed Twilight had left both of the other ponies behind. Snapping out of her Pinkie induced daze Rarity gave her friend an apologetic smile before hurrying to catch up to Twilight. Shrugging Pinkie followed with her customary bounce.

They were silent the rest of the way to the Whitetail Woods, Rarity contemplating all the oddities about Twilight, Twilight staring at the ground in front of her hooves deep in her own thoughts, while Pinkie continued to bounce along smiling and, in an act of un-Pinkie-ness, quiet. After a half hour they reached the edge of the woods, Twilight snapping out of her reverie to search for the needed herbs and incense.

The search led them deeper and deeper into the tranquil woods. All the birds that had been missing from Ponyville seemed to have taken refuge in the woods. Tree branches were covered in swaths of reds and blues, the birds singing merrily to each other. Such was the tranquility Rarity felt all the fear and trepidation of the past few days leak from her body like sand through an hourglass. It couldn’t have been more relaxing Rarity thought as she slowly made her way forward looking for the plants Twilight needed. Then Twilight soft voice filtered through the trees in a slow sad melody.

From over the Frozen Mountains North,
To cities wide and fortresses old.
The dames were crying on the docks,
The seas were storming against the rocks.

The Ancients sinned, its evil spread,
Hearts like torches blazed with pride.
Through the doors night surged,
Cast down the cities purged.

Spirits rose, voices moaning in the dark,
Great Gaia shook, heart weeping.
The fire burned away the impure,
In shelters deep the chosen secure.

“Wow wee, that was a neat song Twilight, but what is it about?” Pinkie asked bouncing up beside the lavender unicorn as the last fading tones drifted away as if on a mist.

“The end of an ancient civilization. I, uh, read it in a book last night,” Twilight explained.

“I thought the lyrics sounded a bit, um, grim,” Rarity said as Pinkie deflated a little, her ears flat against her head.

“I can’t seem to recall the remaining verses though,” Twilight said picking several golden flowers and placing them in a small bag. “All I need now is a small branch from a birch and a sprig of mistletoe and we’ll be all set.”

“I know I’m not as learned as you, darling, when it comes to magic, but this all sounds so... odd. How will these plants and powders help us be rid of this pesky ghost for good?”

“They aren’t directly, but they will help me make something that will.”

“I see...” Rarity said her voice trailing off in obvious confusion.

“Wait, did you say ghost?” Pinkie asked her eyes growing to the size of dinner plates. “Plants aren’t going to stop a ghost, duh. You have to chase them off with laughter! Remember, you need to mulph.”

Rarity sighed, her hoof firmly planted in Pinkie’s mouth before the pink pony could burst into song. Twilight either didn’t notice the exchange or she didn’t care as she pointed up at a thick cluster of the needed plant.

“Rarity, do you think you could get a sprig or two. Make sure the leaves are young and fresh with some of the berries.”

Nodding Rarity reached up with her magic carefully plucking a hoofful of sprigs. Moving on it was several minutes later that they came to a stand of tall old birch trees deep in the Whitetail Woods. At Twilight’s direction Rarity broke off a short branch from near the tree tops. Double checking her bags Twilight smiled.

Before Twilight could slip the bag of collected herbs, flowers and branch away Pinkie let out a yelp glancing over her own shoulder at her pink rump.

“Twitchy tail! Twitchy tail!” Pinkie exclaimed as she scampered in a tight circle head darting every direction. “No, wait, combo! Twitchy tail, right ear flop, itchy nose, pinchy hoof! What does that mean?”

At the first exclamation of ‘twitchy tail’ Rarity had begun to look for any sort of cover in the woods. Not spotting anything she had opted to cover her mane with her legs as a last act of defiance against whatever was about to fall out of the sky. At the mention of a combo Rarity relaxed, slightly, giving her pink friend a wary look. For her part Pinkie sat rubbing her chin slowly a look of deep contemplation on her face.

Twilight however stood a short ways off giving both of the other mares a perplexed look. Rolling her eyes and shaking her head Twilight turned back to the bag of gathered plants.

“Huh, it’s stopped,” Pinkie muttered examining her tail. Poking the poofy pink hair a couple times she shrugged. “Why’d the combo stop?”

Rarity was about to respond when a low hissing not unlike gas leaking from a pipe began to work its way through the woods. All three mares stood warily glancing around the woods as the hissing grew louder until it sounded similar to the fuse of fireworks about to ignite.

“Twilight, Pinkie, do either of you know what that noise is about?” Rarity asked slowly backing her way down the path they had been travelling.

“N-nuh-uh,” Pinkie said moments before her tail jittered, her right ear flopped, her nose itched, and her hoof pinched again. “But I think whatever it is has something to do with the c-combo.”

Shooting Pinkie a baleful glance Twilight opened her mouth to speak, no doubt about Pinkie’s Pinkie Sense if Rarity had to guess given her knowledge of her friend, Twilight’s memory issues, and the events of the first time Twilight had encountered their pink friends predictive powers. Instead she was cut off before she could even talk.

In the air above the three a small little blue disk popped into being. Emitting a low hum it spun as if it was hanging on a wire from one of the branches high overhead. As it completed each rotation it grew a little in size so that after a few moments it was the size of a dinner plate. The spinning slowed finally stopping with the disk a bit larger than the lid of a barrel. Blinking all three approached the disk. It was perfectly blue and smooth with the edges turning a shimmering silver.

“Twilight, darling, do you know what this is?” Rarity asked as the three stopped a few feet away from the object.

“I-I think it’s a gate or rift. But I’ve never heard of one spontaneously just opening in thin air.”

Pinching her brow together Rarity shot Twilight a reserved look not bothering to point out that Twilight couldn’t remember what kind of tea she drank or how to use her horn. Suspicions were brewing in the back of Rarity’s mind, she could feel them like a nest of bees that grew every time Twilight opened her mouth. But they could wait until after they had figured out whatever was going on with the blue disk.

“Well, at least we know what the combo was for, don’t we Pinkie?” Rarity asked wearing one of her false smiles and looking over at her pink friend.

Pinkie for her part was wearing a frown as she glared up at the disk as her tail continued to twitch and her right ear flop.

“I don’t think that was the combo, Rares.”

“Well, if this isn’t what the combo was for, then what is it trying to tell you?”

“I think that!” Pinkie yelped thrusting her hoof towards the disk.

From the middle of the disk a small clawed hand protruded. The hand was quickly followed by an arm and then a head and finally a scrawny red body that tumbled out onto the ground in front of the mares. Sitting up the creature gave the three a wide smile. For a moment Rarity wondered if it was some sort of rare hairless monkey, but it didn’t look much like a monkey on closer inspection with skin a rich scarlet with black talons on hands and feet. Horns protruded from its slender sloping brow and at the elbows and knees and on the end of a long hairless tail. Maybe if it had fur and no horns it’d have been a monkey Rarity decided, but what the creature really was she had no idea.

“Oh, I hope that’s not what I think it is,” Twilight murmured squinting her eyes to examine the little creature closer.

“Lookie, lookie, there is another one coming out, and another, and another,” Pinkie jumped up and down as three more of the little red creatures plopped down onto the ground.

“Oh, no no no, this is bad,” Twilight said backing away from the creatures. “Very, very, VERY bad. That’s not a gate, it’s a Door.”

“Twilight, what are these creatures,” Rarity asked eyes darting from the four small things to the still hovering disk and back to the creatures.

“Girls, we have to go,” Twilight said turning back towards Ponyville and grabbing the bag. “We jush goh sho hoh uhhing worsh comes shrough,”

“Pardon me?”

“Duh, Twi said, ‘we just got to hope nothing worse comes through.” Pinkie rolled her eyes as she began to creep slowly towards the four creatures.

For their part the creatures had been sitting, sedately watching the three mares with huge black eyes. As the pink pony approached all four gave out long cackling laughs before scampering on all four limbs into the bushes.

Spitting the bag back out Twilight turned to shout to her friends, “Pinkie, leave them alone. They can be mischievous little trouble makers, but are harmless, mostly.”

“Hey, do you think they would like a party? Oh, what am I saying? Everything like parties!”

“Pinkie! Leave them alone, I’ll come back and deal with them later when - hey!” Twilight gave a shout as a red form scampered from a low shrub, snatching the bag from beside her before scampering up one of the trees.

Rarity blinked away her surprise as Twilight twisted around to glare up at the creature.

Cackling it tossed the bag it’d stolen from one claw to the other.

“Brothers, brothers, look what I have, look what I have, Heh-ha-ha-ha!”

“Ooo, they can talk? That is so neat! Heya, my name is Pinkie Pie and welcome to – mulph.”

Pinkie’s wide eyes adjusted down to the white hoof that had been shoved into her mouth.

“I do not believe now is the time for that Pinkie, darling,” Rarity said with a sad smile to her friend before turning towards the tree where the creature had taken refuge. “Now, you give that back right this moment you ruffian!” Rarity shouted up at the creature, stamping a hoof for emphasis.

Twilight laughed shaking her head saying, “Don’t waste your breath, Rarity. If we want that bag back were going to have to take it back.”

Before Rarity could say anything a purple aura enveloped Twilight’s horn and the tree. With a grunt Twilight sent a surge of telekinetic force into the tree that made Rarity’s mane bristle with the excess magic leaking into the air. Her jaw fell open moments later as a long crack echoed through the woods. In a shower of splinters the entire length of the tree exploded into two halves like it had been pulled apart. Howling with cackling laughter the little red creature spun to the forest floor where it impacted head first, its body listing to one side.

“Y-you killed it!” Rarity stammered in shock at the display of raw strength and the creature’s broken form.

“Killed it? Hardly.” Twilight called back as she made a dash towards the bag.

Before she reached it the remaining three creatures leapt from the shadows. One snatched the bag, a long stream of crackling trailing through the crisp air as it dived into a bush. Growling in frustration Twilight sent another burst of pure force out of her horn. Trees groaned as the wave of energy washed over them as brush and dirt was ripped into the air churned into a rolling breaker of green and brown. The bag flew into the air over top of the wave of earth and energy as more cackling filled the air.

Running towards the bag Rarity reached out with her magic plucking the bag from the air with practiced ease. She may not have the raw power of Twilight, but Rarity made up for it with finesse and fine control, both a necessity in her work as a seamstress and fashion designer. Hovering over her head in a blue-white aura Rarity smiled proudly forgetting for a moment that Twilight had just killed one, maybe two, of the creatures. Then one of the remaining creatures leapt through the air snatching the bag out of Rarity’s hold.

“Oh, you get back here you little scamp!” Rarity shouted giving chase.

“Imp actually,” Twilight corrected running after Rarity. “They are imps, little mischievous critters usually in service of powerful wizards or more malevolent forces. Scamps live in water.”

Rarity thought to question Twilight more about the creatures but was too busy concentrating on the creature as it moved through the woods.

“I have bag, I have bag, Heh-ha-ha-ha-ha! No bag of spells for the little ponies! Master be pleased!” The creature taunted over its shoulder as it jumped from tree to tree avoiding Twilight’s brute force and Rarity more precise attempts to grab the bag.

The creature’s cackles turned to a howl of anger as one of Twilight’s telekinetic punches caught it by the tail flinging the creature up into the air and the bag out of its claws. Still howling the creature plummeted out of sight while the bag was caught by the last remaining creature. Snarling and cackling the remaining imp stopped running, instead leaping on Rarity’s back and pulling at her mane. Unleashing a primal scream Rarity picked up several small stones littering the ground. Flinging the rocks around her like the moon and sun that orbited high above Rarity managed to knock the creature from her back, the bag tumbling from its claws.

Before it could reach the bag Twilight was on the creature, her hooves pressing into its chest pinning it to the ground.

“Who do you serve?” Twilight hissed through her teeth.

“The Master comes, the Master comes, he who is fire and water, who blackens out the sun and devours moons, the Master comes. Your world will burn as it drowns in blood,” the small creature laughed, brackish blood bubbling around cracked black lips. “The Doors open soon, and when they do, all you ponies will die. Sins be repeated, Heh-ha-ha-ha, Sins be repeated!”

Twilight narrowed her eyes into dangerous lavender slits. Keeping a hoof pressed to the creature’s chest she lowered her head down beside the creature.

“I don’t get it, why are you hurting them Twi?” Pinkie moaned from where she stood near the blue disk a pleading note of misery in her voice.

Twilight ignored Pinkie instead continuing to bore her gaze into the injured Imp. Coming up beside Pinkie, Rarity draped a hoof over her friend’s shoulders and made a soothing noise. Beside her she could feel Pinkie shaking with barely suppressed emotions.

“Tell your master that we’ll be waiting for him. That we will not repeat the Sins.”

Again the creature laughed, more of its brackish blood spat onto the grass where it hissed and sizzled.

“You, but not you. The Sins will be repeated. The Purple Wizard comes, and she dooms all she seeks to save. Heh-ha-ha-ha!”

The creature’s dark crazed laughter trailed off into wheezing gasps as Twilight moved her hoof from the creature’s chest to its throat. Rarity had never seen a look quite like it in her friend’s eyes, so remote, dispassionate, and grim. Rarity wanted to shout, to tell Twilight to stop, that she was strangling the creature, but instead all Rarity could do was stand and watch, her mouth slightly agape, as her friend crushed the life from the creature. For a full minute the creatures arms and legs twitched even after Twilight removed her hoof. Rolling its head to one side, forked tongue dangling from its mouth the creature stared at Rarity with cold dead black eyes before bursting into flames. Back-peddling Rarity gasped as the creature’s body turned to ash.

“Come on, we need to get back to the library and prepare the ritual,” Twilight said in a toneless voice. If she felt anything for what she’d just done Rarity could not see it.

“Twilight, you... you... you killed those creatures,” Rarity sat staring at the spot where the creature had been. All that remained was a little scorched outline of the creature perfectly burnt into the grass. “H-how could...?”

“Killed it? I suppose I did, technically, and with exceeding ease I may add. I put my hooves to its throat and squeezed the life out of it. Not the first time, and it won’t be the last time, I’ve killed something.” Twilight shrugged picking up the bag of flowers and leaves. “Now, please come on, we have a ritual to finish.”

“W-who are you?” Pinkie asked quietly.

Twilight stopped the bag half stuffed into her saddlebag.

“Excuse me?”

“Who are you?” Pinkie asked louder, her voice almost cracking under the strain of containing rising emotions. “Are you a ghost that possessed Twilight?”

A thin smile, haughty and cold, crossed Twilight’s face.

“I’m Twilight, of course, protégé of a goddess and the Element of Magic.”

“Lies,” Rarity spat joining Pinkie’s accusations and pawing at the ground as anger made her ears flush and eyes narrow. “I don’t need to be Applejack and the Element of Honesty to know a pack of lies when I see it. The Twilight I know, my dear friend, would never, ever, so callously and casually harm another living creature. You’ve not been the same since the incident in the cafe.”

Pinkie picked up where Rarity left off, saying, “You’ve not been Twilight since then, have you? Who in Celestia’s name are you? I’ll ask again, are you a ghost or spirit that has stolen my friend?”

The lavender pony Pinkie no longer believed to be Twilight let the smile drop from her face. Finishing stuffing the bag into her saddlebags she gave out a little sigh muttering to herself. The exact nature of the muttering eluded Rarity it was so low and almost feral. After almost a full minute muttering to herself the lavender pony sat down and took a deep breath.

“My name, my real name, is Jasmine Blackcloak. Your friend and I switched places when I was attacked by the spirit that has been haunting your village these last few days.”

“Switched places?” Rarity asked unable to hold back the incredulity from her voice.

Twilight, no, Jasmine nodded slowly, saying, “Yes, we switched places. More than that really, we switched worlds.”

Rarity blinked twice at the statement saying in a numb voice, “this is... I just don’t know.”

A long low laugh erupted from Jasmine.

“You really don’t know much about Magic, do you Rarity,” Jasmine’s words were more stating a fact rather than asking a question. “There is so much it is capable of doing, really limited only by a wizard’s imagination. Why do you find it difficult to believe your Twilight and I swapped bodies? Why, I can name a half dozen spells capable of doing what I am suggesting, from Soul-Swapping to Memory Displacement. Fate manipulation could be capable of doing it as well.”

Rarity tried to work her jaw, which had half way through Jasmine’s explanation fallen open. She was painfully aware that she wasn’t as well versed in magic and the theories surrounding it as Twilight, or any unicorn that went to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as Rarity tried to discount what Jasmine was saying. A part of her screamed that it was impossible to ‘swap bodies’. Jasmine made it sound as simple as changing dresses. But Rarity had no idea wither what Jasmine said was completely made up or true. The only ponies who’d know were the Princesses and Twilight.

“Okay, and I am not saying I believe this story, but it’d certainly explain a few things,” Rarity conceded. “So, what are you doing about it?”

“You mean, getting me and Twilight back to our proper bodies? Well, that is kinda why I need these flowers and branch. Once I get a new Focus that’s attuned to me I can set about catching the spirit, an Elemental by type actually, that’s been making a nuisance of itself. After that I should be able to trace back to my original body and set everything right. Simple.”

“Simple, right darling,” Rarity muttered rubbing her face with a hoof. She was so pre-occupied with the development with Jasmine that Rarity didn’t even realize she’d just rubbed dirt on her face.

Jasmine chuckled rolling her eyes as she gestured that they should leave the forest. Sharing a wary look Rarity and Pinkie slowly followed the pony who looked like their friend. Like when they had entered the forest Pinkie kept silent, though this time it was more from brooding. Out of the corner of her eye Rarity could see that Pinkie’s hair had taken on an unnatural dull tone and was a little too straight. Memories of Pinkie with straight hair danced and tormented the back of Rarity’s mind. She never wanted to see her pink friend like that again.

“I have been curious about something,” Jasmine said a few minutes later as the tree-line of the woods came into view. “Why is the Elemental so interested in you, Rarity?”

Sniffing back a snappish response Rarity conceded she had no idea why any spirit, ghost, or creature would be interested in her. They hardly seemed in need of a brilliant ensemble.

“There has to be a reason though,” Jasmine persisted. “Is there anything other than making dresses that the Elemental could be interested in? Some skill or spell you alone have in the village?”

“Well, I am the Element of Generosity,” Rarity said in a tired voice.

“No, that can’t be it. I’ve read Twilight’s diaries and journals. There are six of these Elements of Harmony, including Twilight. It’d have been easier to go after one of the others after last night rather than persist in following you. But the Elemental followed you to the library and tried to gain entry when you were alone. No, there is something else.”

Sighing Rarity said the only thing that came to mind, “Well, the only other skill or magic that is special to me is my ability to find and enchant gemstones. Not that I’ve practiced much in the last few years. I can give a gem a magical charge or make it glimmer, that sort of thing. I use it in my dress making as you, well, Twilight, knows. My Grandmare was far more adept than I though.”

“Gem enchantment? That would be something the Elemental could be interested in attaining, but why? Hmm, something to worry about later.”

“And what about those, Imps you called them?” Rarity asked turning the conversation away from the ghost and its interest in her. The whole idea made Rarity’s mane prickle. “Do you know what it was talking about?”

“Oh, that? I’d not put much stock into what an imp says,” Jasmine rolled her eyes snorting in derision. “Pretty typical stuff actually. World is going to end, kingdom will fall, so on and so forth. You’d think they’d come up with something original eventually.”

“Uh huh,” Rarity said musing over the encounter with the imps. Each time she closed her eyes she was treated to the vision of Jasmine pressing her hooves, Twilight’s hooves, down on the creature’s throat. Shuddering Rarity wished the image would go away, but she knew it wouldn’t, not for a long time, if ever.

Ponyville had come to a moderate amount of life while the three ponies had been in the woods. A few shops were open, but the malaise, the oppressive sense of gloom that clung like a blanket over the town in spite of the clear blue sky was still present. The few ponies about shuffled and went around with their heads hanging low, eyes drooping to the stones in front of their hooves. Applejack alone seemed unaffected, the orange earth pony sitting at her cart and trying in vain to sell apples. Rarity barely noticed this, too lost in her own thoughts.

At last the library came into view, the three ponies slightly picking up speed and Rarity finally clearing her mind. There would be time to think things over once the real Twilight was back. Taking heart in the idea that soon the Elemental, ghost, spirit, or whatever the entity that had been stalking her would soon be dealt with Rarity managed a smile. The smile grew even wider when the rounded the corner and saw a golden chariot sitting near the Library’s door.

Next to the chariot stood two Pegasus guards at attention. Just past them sat the radiant white form of Celestia, the princess in rapt conversation with Spike and a small white filly with a pink and purple toned curly mane and tail. Rarity noted that the filly was wearing saddlebags, most probably from school given the day in the week.

“Princess Celestia, Sweetie Belle, Spike” Rarity cooed dipping into a formal bow, to her left Pinkie did the same, though with far less enthusiasm. Jasmine however did nothing instead heading towards the library door. Rarity’s mouth fell open at the behaviour.

“Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and my most faithful student, Twilight, I am glad to see all three of you,” the Princess said with her customary warmth and calm. “Young miss Sweetie Belle and Spike have been keeping me company while I awaited your return.”

Nervous smile firmly in place Rarity gave her sister a quick glance.

“I hope my sister hasn’t been a bother, your majesty,” Rarity said, her tone oozing with concern and a hint of hope.

“Not at all, she’s been very polite and concerned for your safety, Rarity.”

“Yeah, where’ve you been, sis?” Sweetie Belle added turning the full force of her light green eyes on Rarity.

“Oh, cut the charade,” Jasmine muttered rolling her eyes and altering her course from the door to the small unicorn filly. “I can smell you.”

Pinkie and Rarity shared concerned glances as Celestia’s brow pinched and Sweetie started to back away from Jasmine.

“Twilight, what are-”

“That’s not Twilight. That’s some scary meanie killy red monkey imp stompy body swapper,” Pinkie growled glaring daggers at Jasmine.

“Excuse me?” Celestia blinked back her surprise at the force of Pinkie’s statement. It was the first time Rarity had ever seen the Princess anything close to uncomposed. Even Celestia when angry had a certain grace and dignity about her.

“Well, I don’t think I’d go that far. The body swapping thing was an accident after all. You think I want to be some sort of purple miniature horse?” Jasmine rolled her eyes and snorted.

“Excuse me?”

This time it was Rarity who had spoken incensed at the idea of being called a miniature horse.

“The important part here is that the young kid over there isn’t all she appears to be,” Jasmine proclaimed thrusting a hoof at the cringing and cowering filly. “She’s being possessed by the spirit.”

“Now, see here Jasmine or whoever you are, you do not just go around and accuse my sister of being possessed. If she is possessed by anything it is a sense of adventure and mischievousness that gets her and her friends into trouble.”

Jasmine stared at Rarity like the white unicorns horn had suddenly sprouted flowers from its tip. After a moment she just sighed, shook her head and started to argue back. Instead she was interrupted before starting for the second time that day.

“She’s quite perceptive,” Sweetie cooed in a voice that oozed disdain and malice. “But she is right, I am not Sweetie Belle, though she is still in here, screaming and begging to be let out.” Sweetie’s normally light green eyes darkened as she spoke until they were a dark rich crimson. From out of the filly’s saddlebags came a long handled knife clearly being levitated but without any sign of a magical field.

“Now, Rarity, give yourself over to me willingly, or I’ll cut your sisters throat and add her soul to myself.”

Chapter Twelve: A Reckoning

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Twelve: A Reckoning

"And Low will be cast the thief of dreams,
A sacrifice paving the path to the Sins renewal."

-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

"Oh my, this is where your world dreams?" The spirit beside Luna laughed and spun, the motion swirling the bubbles of dreamers in a whimsical dance. "This is so much nicer than the wanderers who managed to find their way into the Winterlands. Dreams here are so much more magical."

"I thought you had been to Equestria before," Luna smiled as she slid through the dreams ahead of the spirit.

"Nope, when I was alive I never made it to Equestria."

A frown pulling at her face Luna looked back to the spirit asking, "But, then when did you learn..."

"Can't tell you that, it could change things." The spirit waggled a finger with a tut-tut noise.

Sighing in frustration Luna rolled over and with a flap of her wings sped ahead through the dreams. They were still leagues away from the dreams of Canterlot, and while in relative terms it wouldn't take them long to reach where Luna slept, they still had to cross the distance.

Laughing like she was a little girl again the spirit took off after Luna, ducking and swishing her way through the cascading bubbles. Despite the direness of the events that had brought them together, and what may have been waiting in Equestria, Luna couldn't help but give a short laugh as the spirit raced through the dreams. There were not nearly as many as there had been when she had left to uncover the origins of the spirit that plagued Ponyville indicating that it was daytime in Equestria. As the two chased each other more and more of the bubbles vanished, popping like they were made from soap, as the dreamers woke up never aware of the Princess and spirit.

"You're talking differently now," Luna noted as the two slowed down, both smiling wide.

"Yes, your Dreamworld has Time, something the Winterlands don't possess on my world. I can actually think linearly again. Oh, this is wonderful!" the spirit ran her fingers through her mouse brown hair and flicked the long sleeves of her robes. "Wow, it feels so odd to remember being in the Winterlands. It's like everything happened at once, but in a jumble, and over a thousand years. Actually, I think I interacted with people from over a thousand year period. Or maybe it was two thousand, or ten, I don't know. There were so many who would wander into the Winterlands seeking answers. And then they'd be a spirit themselves. But they were always taken to the Summerlands. They tried so hard to stay linear, and the others can't abide that. Or they missed life too much. Or a million other reasons to move on."

"What purpose does the Winterlands serve? I've been trying to understand why there is such a bleak featureless emptiness. The Dreamworld here makes sense at least," Luna said flaring her wings to slow herself as she came to rest atop the glistening silver dream of a middle-aged stallion in Manehatten.

Chuckling the spirit slowed herself coming to a hover beside Luna.

"That's the thing, it's purpose is to be a barrier between the waking world and the realms of the dead gods."

"Dead gods?"

"Yes," the spirit draw her legs underneath her so she was floating cross legged. Resting her chin on a weave of her fingers she continued. "Long story, rather boring, pre-Ancient history. The last gods died when the Ancients committed the Sins."

"What did these Ancients do?"

"They became too powerful and poked things that shouldn't be poked. They opened the Doors and... and... things got bad." The spirit looked away a dour look darkening her fair features. "The Winterlands weren't always like they are now. They once were filled with gleaming pathways, cities built of golden light or slithering shadows, and eldritch forests that echoed the world of mortals and showed the ways to other worlds, or to the after-lives promised by the gods. Now they are gone, destroyed by the Sins, and in their place is a nothingness roamed by the wraiths, Ancients chained down by their own sins, cursed so that they can't enter the Summerlands."

"I never saw the Winterlands like they were meant to be. There is a disconnect, a distinct 'when' that can't be crossed. Even the Summerlands can't be used to cross over into how things were before. So much has been lost."

The gloomy look and sullen weight in the spirits voice lifted as she stretched extending a hand towards Luna.

"But if everything goes as it should, then there is a chance to fix everything."

Taking the offered hand Luna asked, "And if it doesn't?"

"Then things will continue as they have." The spirit shuddered before looking over the few remaining dreams. "But right now events are proceeding as planned, so there is hope."

Shaking her head Luna held her tongue before she asked what the spirit meant. She knew that there was more going on then she could see, and it both frustrated and worried her. But Twilight had vouched for the spirit and Luna had no one else she could trust that could maybe help her remove the other spirit, the one casting a black shadow over Ponyville. If it wasn't stopped Luna felt certain that Equestria was doomed.

"Can you see the future here?"

Sliding through a dense group of night-shift workers from Trottingham the spirit shook her head. "I could, but I don't think you would approve of the method."

"By stealing a mortal's life force, you mean?" Luna closely watched the spirits face for any sign of emotion; surprise, fear, regret or otherwise.

Instead the spirit just laughed as she continued to follow Luna.

"That would be the most efficient and safest method for me, yes. Though I could use some of my own essence as well. But the biggest problem with seeing the future in such a way is that your gazing on possibilities. This place isn't timeless like the Winterlands, everything is in flux. Though it does let you plan and make corrections." The spirits mood changed in a flash as she continued, her voice becoming slow and heavy with weariness. "Back home I have to say what is needed for events to happen as they already have, not what people want to hear," the spirit paused to wipe away a tear, "Or what they would want to know to prevent terrible things from happening."

"What happened, if you don't mind my asking," Luna slowed down to stride beside her companion.

"I wasn't told, and couldn't tell, about the deaths of my family. They were murdered when I was young by people plotting a war. The plotters were actually trying to kill Twilight, though they didn't know it was her at the time. My parents and brothers were caught in the attack. Twilight I managed to forgive, but..."

The spirits voice trailed off as her mouth clamped shut.

"But?"

"Nothing. We have a job to do. The Fifth doesn't belong in Equestria and he could ruin everything. I am too close now to see everything brought down by a petulant child who refused to cross over because he was tortured and murdered by his father."

Luna's eyes widened, not from the disturbing nature of what the spirit had said, but rather how she said it. Gone was the whimsical laughter of minutes before, in its place a seething anger. Fire burned behind the spirits eyes and even the long tongue of her belts and hair began to lift like a fine mist. Her posture straightened and step quickened so that Luna had to break into a trot to keep pace.

"How much farther until you can cross back into the waking world?"

"Not far," Luna said looking at the few dream bubbles around them, all from Neighshire to Canterlot's north.

"Good. I will meet you in Ponyville."

Before Luna could protest the spirit faded away, her essence falling like sand before vanishing in a hazy smoke. Biting her lower lip Luna flapped her wings speeding towards the cluster of Canterlot's dreamers.

* * *

"You leave my sister alone!" Rarity shrieked pawing at the ground.

"I will if you gi-"

"C-c-combo is back, and stronger than before!" Pinkie shouted as her ear flopped madly.

"Pinkie, now is not the time!" Rarity and Jasmine both yelled together shooting the pink pony furious glares.

For her part the possessed Sweetie Belle just sighed while Celestia lowered her horn.

"Leave the filly this instant," the Princess said in a calm voice that echoed with millennia of strength.

"Or what? I already bested your sister. What do you think you'll do?"

In response Celestia sent a wide beam of golden light from her horn striking Sweetie Belle on the chest. The small white filly was lifted into the air and hurdled against the side of the library as Rarity called her sister's name. The light seeped around the filly's limbs forming a golden shell. Celestia gave a slightly smug smile as she picked up the knife and crushed it into a small harmless lump. Sweetie Belle didn't struggle against the magic holding her, instead the possessed filly began to laugh.

"I didn't need the knife to kill the filly. That was simply for show. You've changed nothing. Unless Rarity gives herself over to me willingly, I will kill her sister. And just for your little display I will only give her thirty seconds to decide."

"Now, see here you little-"

"Twenty five."

"Rarity, you can't give yourse-"

"Twenty."

"Quiet, Jasmine, this is my sister and-"

"The doozy is getting stronger!"

"Ten."

"Every pony, please!"

"Five!"

"YES!" Rarity shrieked silencing Jasmine, Sweetie, Pinkie, who had fallen to the ground from the violence of her jittering tail. "Yes, I accept. You can do whatever it is you want to me, just please, leave my sister alone."

Jasmine leapt beside Rarity, placing a hoof on Rarity's shoulder. "You can't. We have no idea what the spirit wants."

Rarity shot the other unicorn a withering glare. "Why don't you do what-ever it was you did before then?"

Snapping her mouth shut Jasmine looked away guiltily.

"She doesn't because it won't work now. I've grown too powerful for that," the spirit sneered with Sweetie Belle's voice. "Why do you think she's been running around collecting the reagents to make a new focus? Ha, that won't work either." Sweetie Belle chuckled, the sound sending a shiver up the spines of every pony present. "Now, come closer and relax, this won't hurt."

"I really think you girls should be listening to me," Pinkie whined, but was promptly ignored.

"My little pony, I cannot let you do this," Celestia said gently moving forward.

Gulping down her fear Rarity walked slowly towards her sister. Celestia also stepped closer to Rarity, opening her wings. Rarity knew that the Princess would do anything to protect her little ponies, and as much as Rarity was afraid for her sister and herself, she was also afraid of what would happen if Celestia offered herself in Rarity's place. What would happen to Equestria if the evil spirit sunk it's hooks into Celestia? Rarity wasn't willing to find out. With a sad shake of her head Rarity told Celestia without words not to interfere, not yet anyways.

"Please, your majesty, just keep my sister safe."

Once Sweetie was safe Rarity hoped that Celestia and Jasmine would do everything in their power to stop whatever plans the spirit needed her to accomplish. Even if it meant killing her.

Stopping in front of Sweetie Belle, Rarity closed her eyes and relaxed pretending like she had just entered the spa. There was a momentary chill that seeped deep into her bones, and then nothing. Rarity blinked and wondered if the spirit had gone back on its word.

"Well, that was surprisingly easy, I should have threatened the foal from the start," Rarity said as she turned to face Celestia and Jasmine, a cruel smirk on her face.

Rarity blinked again in confusion. Why had she said that? She hadn't wanted to say those words, but they felt so right that they had just tumble out. Looking over her shoulder Rarity flicked her tail, then tested her ears and shuffled her hooves, everything moving as it should. But it all felt so distant, like she was removed from the process.

"Oh, she's a fighter," Rarity chuckled. "It's pointless though."

Why did she refer to herself in the third pony, Rarity wondered. This was wrong, something was very wrong, but she couldn't place her hoof on it.

"Uh, girls, the doozy is getting worse," Pinkie yelped from the ground.

"You are still going on about that?" snorted Rarity. Waving a dismissive hoof, Rarity struck the jittering pink pony with a wave of force, a wave that didn't come from her horn.

Yelping louder Pinkie careened into Celestia's guards like a cotton candy bowling ball, sending all three ponies into a tangle of legs and armour.

"Pinkie!" Jasmine growled lowering her horn towards Rarity. "I can't allow this to continue, you know that Fifth. You also know what I am capable of doing. I also think we both know that Rarity would want us to do anything to stop you."

"Actually no, now that Rarity can see what I plan to use her for she is quite content to go along," Rarity laughed.

Inside her foggy mind Rarity cringed. She had no idea what she was talking about. Everything was so hazy, but felt so right, and yet so wrong. There had been something important, she could feel it, but what was it?

"I won't allow this charade to continue," Celestia said coming to stand beside Jasmine, lowering her horn as she spoke.

"Oh, nonsense, everything is perfectly fine, I assure you." Rarity began to trot towards her boutique. There were some things there she sudden felt the urge to collect. Before she had taken more than three steps a shimmering golden wall of light sprang up around her. Snorting Rarity looked over her shoulder and at the golden glow around Celestia's horn. "That really is pointless," Rarity snipped.

Celestia didn't speak in return, instead continuing to channel magic through her horn. Around her three gold circles manifested, their interiors a complex set of lines in the shape of stars, the first with five points, the second with seven, and the last one with three. After a moment two more circles appeared, their interior holding the shape of a tear drop and the other a flame.

The spell seemed vaguely familiar to Rarity. It took her a moment before the answer came to her, they were Wards. She'd read about them in some of her fantasy based romance novels. In those stories each was designed to repel a specific type of attack and once created would maintain themselves for some time before dispelling. Rarity cocked her head to one side wondering what Celestia thought the wards would protect her from.

"Wards, how quaint," Rarity said with a light giggle.

A gentle blue glow began to encompass Rarity's horn as she reached out towards the stones buried just below the surface. The ground around her began to form dozens of bulges as the stones wiggled their way out of the dirt lifting into the air surrounded by a glow identical to the one around Rarity's horn once they were free. Snarling Jasmine threw from her horn a blast of pure telekinetic force identical to what she had used earlier in the day against the imps.

Like a purple wave it roared towards Rarity churning up the earth in its wake only to stop and explode in a rainbow of sparkles a couple feet from Rarity's snout. Smiling Rarity looked up and basked in the floating little sparkles around her. Why was she smiling, this didn't seem funny at all.

"You shouldn't have done that, Jasmine," Rarity tittered unleashing the stones she had collected towards the lavender unicorn.

Jasmine's eyes went wide as the stones hurtled towards her, each the size of her own head. She was still too unused to Twilight's body, the shield spell Jasmine tried to conjure only creating little sparks that fizzled from the end of her horn. Jasmine's vision was filled with white before the stones reached her as Celestia leapt between the attack and Jasmine. Through the clear afternoon air sounded a crescendo of rings like a dozen gongs being struck at once. Golden light flared around Celestia and just as quickly faded away.

"You should let me handle this," Celestia said in her natural warm way over her shoulder to Jasmine. "Afterwards we will discuss just who you are and what has happened to Twilight."

"Oh, the two of you won't be discussing anything later, your majesty," Rarity laughed staggering from side to side. "I had been prepared to let the both of you live, but you're going to be so bothersome, I can see."

Let them live? This was Princess Celestia she was talking to! Rarity really had no idea what was happening anymore. Nothing made sense. She needed to get to the boutique, it was important, so why was Jasmine and Celestia trying to stop her? Rarity needed to make them see reason. Or force them aside.

Rarity began to stalk forward like a lioness approaching her prey. Around her the stones began to orbit. More and more continued to wiggle free of the ground, joining their brethren around Rarity. She was their center, like the heart of a galaxy and the stones her stars. Never had Rarity felt so powerful before and so in control.

On each stone Rarity inscribed little runes, each imbuing the cold rocks so that they began to transform into different forms. Some became covered in frost, others burned, a few dripped with venom or acid, and a couple pulsed and sparked with electricity. She continued to laugh as the stones, her stars, began to descend in a cascading avalanche at the two other ponies.

Tossing her head Celestia surrounded Jasmine in a aura of gold light, the purple unicorn protesting for a brief moment before there was a little pop and she vanished. Then the avalanche was on her, Celestia's wards flaring continually as stone after stone continued to impact against them. Across Ponyville the ringing noise of a hundred gongs sounded.

"Enough!" Celestia shouted throwing out a wave of power along with her voice that sent the enchanted rocks tumbling away.

It was only a moment before the enchanted missiles once more towards hurtled towards the Princess, this time of their own accord with no direction from Rarity. Unfurling her wings Celestia took to the air batting aside swarms of the missiles, those she missed ricocheting off her wards. Rarity sighed, this was going to take ages she realised, and she just didn't have the time to play with the solar princess, as much as it would be fun. This needed to be ended quickly.

The ground around Rarity rumbled as she sent her magic deeper into the ground. Around her three huge slabs of granite began to grow. Rarity gave a delighted laugh. The power flowing from her was heady and intoxicating, though she did wonder why she was attacking the Princess. Oh well, she'd worry about that later.

"You know, there is a reason passive wards were discontinued on my world," Rarity said idly as the three boulders finished growing.

Her world? It was Equestria, wasn't it? Or was it somewhere else, Rarity couldn't remember. It wasn't important anyways.

Along the backs of the rocks thin lines of eldritch blue began to glow, twisting and snaking together forming an inverted five pointed star inside the heart of a six pointed star. Around the stars a ring of little pink lights manifested.

Enchanting the large slabs of granite had been so easy, Rarity thought flicking her mane aside. Magic had never been her forte, not like it was Twilight, but Rarity had always had a knack for finding and enchanting gemstones, it was her special talent after all. With her business as a seamstress and fashion designer Rarity had honed her control until it was elegant precision. These crud vessels couldn't hold a fraction of the power it was possible for Rarity to put into a gemstone, but they did have weight and size on their side, and that was what she needed more than some perfect vessel for her talent.

Still, like most unicorns, she didn't know many actual spells. A small trickle of sweat formed itself on her brow as Rarity lifted the three boulders into the sky towards where Celestia still battled and swatted at the swarms of lesser stones.

From her horn a blade of flashing light thrust through the stones as Celestia ducked and weaved across the sky. Trailing behind Celestia darted the white and gold forms of the pegasus guards that had traveled with the princess, their legs snapping out to kick away stones before they could impact on Celestia's wards. Rarity pouted wondering when they had entered the fray. She had completely forgotten about them. Their efforts were utterly pointless. Celestia's wards would more than protect her from the stones. Shrugging her shoulders Rarity stopped thinking about the guards. They were completely unimportant and expendable, nothing but grist to be ground in her ascent.

"You've been at peace too long, Princess," Rarity sneered as the three granite blocks flew higher. Celestia just grunted as she swatted the last of the small stones aside and Rarity continued talking. "You should have ignored those stones, they can't break your wards after-all, and instead gone straight for me. But you don't want to hurt any of your oh so precious subjects, so you flail away in-effectually. Sad really."

In response Celestia sent an arrow of pulsing energy down towards the white unicorn. Rarity's sneer grew wider as the arrow struck an invisible barrier, splitting down the middle so the two halves burrowed into the pock-marked ground on either side of her.

"And so, you die," Rarity waved a dismissive hoof as the three enchanted pieces of granite reached the same height as Celestia.

Celestia, die? How could Celestia die? She was the Goddess of the Sun, literally and figuratively the light that shone down on and guided Equestria, Rarity wondered in the hazy depths of her mind. Celestia couldn't die, could she?

The princess seemed to realise her mistake as the slabs formed a triangle with her in the middle, tucking her wings to her sides to dive out from between them only to bounce off an arcing field of silver lightning. Thunder rumbled as the stones began to glow brighter and brighter, the two guards swooping down to kick the nearest one. Light flared around their hooves for an instant before, with a sharp crack, they were sent hurtling away. Narrowing her eyes Celestia sent a beam of magic at one of the stones, only for it to be reflected back at her.

Wards flared dissipating the beam. The wards didn't resume their passive state when the last of Celestia's beam vanished, instead glowing brighter and brighter. From the granite slabs the lightning arced inwards connecting to Celestia's wards. Celestia's eye flew open wide as she realised what was happening to her protective spells. Frantically she waved her horn trying to cancel the wards, but nothing happened. For a moment her mouth formed a small 'O' of shock, and then a second sun blazed in the sky above Ponyville.

Snapping her eyes shut Rarity covered her face with one limb unable to look directly at the boiling turmoil of magic overhead. Out of the core of the tempest red scythes cascaded outward like solar flares. Most flew harmlessly into the sky, but one smashed into Twilight's library, the tree bursting into flames. A second passed as nothing happened other than the spreading of orange flames, then the top portion of the library toppled with a deep groan, a clean smooth cut where the flare had passed.

Smiling to herself Rarity kicked her hooves turning towards her boutique. She stopped a moment later as the artificial sun died and a small black comet fell to the ground. Changing her direction Rarity headed towards where the object had landed.

Confidence making her strides faster Rarity saw, as she had expected, Celestia. Where once the princesses coat had been white it had been burnt to a black as dark as obsidian, and Celestia's lustrous mane was nothing more than a few smoldering pink strands. Moaning Celestia opened one eye.

A single tear slid down Rarity face, dripping from the end of her muzzle to land with a soft whisper on the grass. Even through her muddled state Rarity knew she had just done something utterly heinous and unforgivable. Yet she couldn't stop herself.

"Amazing," Rarity said in wonder as she approached the blackened form that was Princess Celestia. "To have survived with wards that potent exploding around you." Leaning down so her mouth was beside Celestia's ear, Rarity added, "I think I shall let you live now, broken, defeated, helpless. Only able to watch as I consu-"

Rarity's voice fell into a sharp squeak as an invisible force smashed into her chest like a train sending her tumbling away from Celestia. Shaking her head Rarity slowly stood. In the depths of the crater Celestia also stood, a small shower of ash falling from her revealing splotches of white underneath.

"Impossible!" Rarity snarled slowly backing away from the princess.

Flames gutted for a moment, then roared into life, replacing the dancing aurora mane and tail that had been a hallmark of Celestia's image for centuries. Rarity was afraid, truly afraid. Both of Celestia's eyes glowed with gold-white light, and sparks shot from her hooves as she, slowly, walked towards Rarity. Plasma, neon green in colour, coalesced around the princess' horn forming into a long scimitar held in a sheen of Celestia's telekinetic energy.

"You wish to play with Goddesses, foul spirit?" the Princess of the Sun snarled.

Rarity stopped backing away from Celestia, a little snort of amusement echoing across the field, silent except for the crackle coming from the sword.

"You won't use that on me," Rarity said, "It's not in your nature to kill, especially your own subject, or, what do you condescendingly call them? Your little ponies?"

Celestia started a retort, but before thoughts could be formed into words she was struck from behind by a ball of crimson lightning. The princess yelped spinning to face the new threat, a shell of pure white fire enveloping her. Rarity raised both her eyebrows as she too looked for where the attack had originated. To her shock she found herself gazing up at the opaque essence of a second spirit.

A woman Rarity seemed to recognise for some reason. Where had she seen her before? Had it been in a dream? No, not a dream, but someplace that was just endless grey, and so long ago.

She was clothed in the most beautiful red and gold robes Rarity had seen. The robes both accentuated femininity and grace while conveying a sense of power and opulence. Long belts danced like snakes in the air along with the woman's long hair. Her face was a pale white contrasting wonderfully with the gold choker and low cut bosom, and heightening the deep red glow emanating from her eyes. Rarity felt a pang of envy gazing up, but not for the beauty, but for the sheets of power radiating from the woman.

"Celestia, I ask you once, leave this matter to me."

"Who are you, what are you?" shouted the princess in return, lowering her stance as she did and charging magic into her horn.

"I am April Conrad, student of Twilight Sparkle."

"Excuse me?" Celestia asked, the shell of white fire around her sputtering away.

Rarity didn't waste her opening when she saw it so wonderfully granted. With a twist of her neck and snort invisible lances of psychic energy were sent spiralling at Celestia's back, leaving a trail of faint power connected to Rarity. The princess cried out in surprise, hooves gripping at her head, while beside her the scimitar of plasma exploded. Rarity smiled.

The smile vanished a moment later. Along the lines of energy Rarity could feel Celestia's conscious. It was very literally like gazing upon the sun; a rolling, boiling nexus of energy. Rarity could feel her own power dwarfed, as incredible as it had felt moments before, as she continued to gaze on the essence of a goddess. So much power, to touch it would have been enough to destroy her outright. No wonder Celestia had toyed with the enchanted stones. Rarity was going to have to retreat, bide her time, and confront the princess again at a later time when things were more equal.

Except that there wasn't the time. She had something important to do that had to be done right away. Even this battle was delaying her too much. The boutique, she needed to go to the boutique.

Releasing the connection to Celestia, Rarity again found herself backing away. The Princess of the Sun let out a bestial snort as the connection faded, turning around in a flash and firing a bolt of condensed sunlight at the white unicorn. The invisible barrier that had been protecting Rarity shattered under the force of the blow, sending the unicorn tumbling into a bush.

"Celestia, stop! You can't defeat him here, just his host," April cried out diving down out of the sky to land, arms spread, in front of the princess. The Princess didn't respond, she just walked forward and through the spirit. "I suppose it was too much to hope you'd let me do this my way."

Leaping at the princess, the spirit grabbed Celestia by the head. White fire flaring on her hooves Celestia set her legs to kick. Rarity smiled, she could tell from the lines of energy dancing in the air from the hooves that a hit from them would prove devastating even against the spirit. Instead Celestia stayed standing on her hind legs, mane burning higher into the sky sending up plumes of thick black smoke, and then she fell over onto her side with a grunt.

Turning slowly April shot Rarity a grim smile.

"Fifth," said the dead woman.

"The Scarlet Lady," Rarity chuckled tossing her head. "What are you doing here, April? Shouldn't you be playing with the mortals back in the Protectorates?"

"I am here to stop you, obviously," April said flicking her hands out to her sides.

"Stop me? Ha! You just wasted the vast majority of your strength on Celestia! I must congratulate you on that. I must admit I didn't realise her true potential. To bring her down so quickly is a feat."

The robed spirit looked down at where Celestia lay and winced before returning her attention to Rarity.

"I have enough strength left, I believe, to handle you," April let a slow smile form adding, "I have seen how this ends; it's not pleasant for you."

Rarity stiffened her eyes growing wide.

"You may wander the Winterlands, but you are not the only one who can see the future. I know you're lying," Rarity snapped, but her words didn't hold conviction, even to her. There was something about this Scarlet Lady that made Rarity afraid.

"In life I was a master of the seventh circle. What were you? A little boy terrified of his own father. Your strength only comes from the violence of your death and the power resting beneath your home. Mine comes from mastery of the self and the magical world."

"That is true, except," Rarity said, her posturing becoming relaxed an instant before she vanished and re-appeared behind April, "I have grown since coming here."

Rarity had teleported with Twilight several times and had never gotten used to the sensation of stretching and shrinking that came with the spell. It always left her feeling a little queasy afterwards, something wholly un-lady-like.

This was nothing like that.

Instead she was both several feet away from the robed spirit and behind her. Then she was just behind her.

A shrill scream ripped through the air as Rarity whipped her horn down and towards the new spirit a short blade of light extending from the horn's tip. April began to twist towards Rarity the pale blue glow making her skin look sickly. A sound like fabric being ripped made Rarity wince as April fell to the ground. Beneath Rarity, April rolled onto her back clutching at her left elbow where her arm had been moments before, the remainder of the limb bubbling in an oily mist beside her on the ground.

"Tell me, is this how you saw everything happen?" Rarity tittered pacing around the writhing spirit.

"Actually, yes," April managed to say between her clenched teeth.

Hissing filtered through the air barely audible above the commotion coming from the rest of the village. Rarity's ears perked up at the sound. Frantically she spun in a circle turning every direction until she found what she feared; a small blue disk forming several feet away.

"I was only biding my time," snarled the prone spirit.

Rarity tried to step away from the spirit beside her, only to find an icy wave spreading across her throat as April's remaining hand grabbed her. With elegant ease Rarity was hoisted into the air, her legs kicking and her befuddled mind wondering why all this was happening. Over the shoulder of the spirit Rarity saw a flash of midnight blue followed by a gentle swish of wind as Luna appeared in the clearing. The princess of the moon took a quick look at the devastation around her, from the burning toppled library, to the spirit holding Rarity, and coming to a rest on Celestia's prone form.

"Sister?" the midnight blue alicorn asked taking a step towards Celestia before halting and shifting the full force of her baleful glare towards Rarity and April.

Smiling towards Luna, April said, "I'm sorry, it is the only way," before she hurled herself and Rarity into the blue disk.

Pain, like a million little knives digging into her skin, ripped across Rarity as she fell through the portal. It lasted only an instant before vanishing, only to be replaced by a wave of heat so intense that Rarity felt like she had landed in the heart of a bonfire. Landing with a dull thump more pain and heat streamed through her. Rarity could hear her coat sizzling as she rolled over onto the side as a primal scream ripped from her throat. The ground bubbled and popped like embers as she staggered to her hooves. Overhead a blood red sky churned with dark charcoal bellied cloud.

In a blink of an eye April stood in front of Rarity, the spirit staring deep into Rarity's crystal blue eyes. The bleak inferno around Rarity melted away as Rarity returned the spirit's stare, loosing herself into deep pools of liquid ice. A chill tickled up her spine despite the rivers of sweat already making her coat sticky. Parting her lips a little gasp escaped Rarity as she felt herself begin to fall, a deep weariness overtaking her. Distantly Rarity was aware of a dull thump as she landed again on the scorching stones.

With one eye Rarity saw April standing over top of her. The spirit had been joined by a small boy, an angry snarling boy with dark red eyes.

"No, you've ruined everything!" the younger looking spirit shrieked stamping his feet.

She had never felt so tired or weak before in her life. Rarity couldn't even lift her head to watch as the two spirits flickered into little glowing orbs of light, one silver, the other a deep crimson. The orbs flung themselves high into the air, flying at each other and crashing together with the splitting roar of a canon firing. Sparks flew from the orbs at every impact. It'd have been beautiful to watch if Rarity hadn't been so overwhelmingly hot and tired.

"Somepony, help me, please," Rarity begged, her voice coming out as a gentle whisper quickly lost in the repeated crashing overhead.

Tears ran down her face as Rarity thought about everything she had just done. How could she have done what she did to Celestia and Jasmine? It had felt natural, though not right. Maybe she didn't deserve to be saved. Little sobs wracked her weary body as the two battling spirits vanished into the dire clouds so far above.

Just as the last drop of hope leaked from Rarity's eye her vision swam with midnight blue.

"Lady Rarity? It is I, Luna, I am going to get you out of here," the alicorn said, her magic washing around Rarity like a cool blanket around a mewling baby.

Everything grew cool, even the short raspy breaths that had been scorching Rarity's lungs. She was safe now. Luna was taking her home. Gently Luna lifted herself and Rarity towards the blue gateway that lead from whatever tortured world they had land in back home. Looking back towards Luna, Rarity mouthed the words 'thank you'. The illusion of safety died an instant later as the two orbs came rocketing down out of the sky, both spinning stuck together and heading like a burning comet towards Luna's oblivious back.

Rarity attempted to raise a hoof to point or say something, but she was just too tired. Every ounce of her essence felt completely drained. Not in a way that she felt sleepy, but like she had been running and running for years. Her eye widened to a huge black saucer as the orbs grew closer and closer. At the last moment Luna seemed to feel the approaching danger, but by then it was too late.

A sharp yelp erupted from Luna as canon fire exploded in her and Rarity's ears. Both mares fell out of the sky, a long scream managing to tear itself from Rarity as she headed back towards the scorching ground below. After only a moment she was struck by a blast of blue magic. Rarity tumbled up into the air, connecting with the gate.

Again the million little knives pierced her sore skin, and then vanished replaced by cool fresh summer air.

Rarity landed with a dull thump that sent a river of shock coursing through her weary body. From her position on the ground she could see the shining blue portal and waited for Luna to emerge. Instead the Door flickered, then shattered like a stained glass window.

* * *

"I cannot allow you to return to Equestria, Fifth," April said, the crimson orb returning to her human form only a few feet away from Luna.

Spinning on her heel the spirit thrust her remaining hand towards the blue disk. From her hand a thin pink line extended. The Fifth growled like a primal beast, his body flickering from where he had been to beside April. It was too late, the pink line connected with the portal, dying a moment later with a sharp crack that sent April tumbling to the ground.

Luna raised her head slowly as she took quick gasping breaths filling her lungs and nose with a pungent heavy sulphurous air. Overhead the blue disk flickered and then shattered. Luna lifted a hoof reaching for the spot where the disk had been.

"No, don't be gone," she whispered, her voice hoarse from the scalding air.

At least she had managed to rescue the bearer of the Element of Generosity, Luna smirked.

"NO! NO!" raged the small spirit child looking on in contempt at the prone forms around him. His hair dancing like flames he stalked to where April lay. "I was so close! It all would have been my plaything! A million souls all mine for the taking! A world for the taking! I would have been a God!" With each exclamation he kicked the other spirit the burnt landscape around them echoing with a deep thundering boom.

"If I cannot have them, then I will have you instead!" The boy howled grabbing April by the front of her robes and pulling her up before him. "I am the Fifth Elemental, what are you to me? Nothing but another wayward lost soul!"

"Nay! Take your... hands off her!" Luna shouted, her voice rolling across the bleak burnt land as she slowly stood.

Charging forward Luna called up an icy wind that cut through the oppressive heat towards the Fifth. The boyish spirit released April jumping back as a silvery shield appeared to deflect Luna's attack. Unleashing another unearthly scream that rattled landscape, the spirit retaliated at Luna with a lance of pure blue light. With a twist of her horn Luna parried the attack sending the lance careening off into a distant hill where it exploded with a deep booming rumble.

Spells flew fast on the heels of the one before as both the princess of the moon and the boyish spirit attacked with relentless fury. Fire met lightning, and dark sickly grey roots twisted out of the ground reaching for Luna's legs only to freeze and shatter into small chunks.

The dissipating energy as spell after spell collided was enough to send a cool breeze washing across Luna keeping the heat at bay. Snow began to fall, only to hiss away into mist on contact with the ground, called into existence as Luna rose into the air on strong flaps of her wings. Storm clouds gathered in the sky above, beginning to spin with an eye forming above Luna as the princess rose higher and higher. Lightning arced down from a storm as the spirit sent two then four balls of burning indigo fire after her. Again the deep rumble of explosions rolled across the blistered landscape as the fire detonated.

Luna had anticipated the attack calling up a shell of ice around her that flash melted away before that hungry flames. Smiling she sent another bolt of arcing energy towards the spirit, one surrounded by jagged shards of Ice.

She felt so alive, like she hadn't felt since being cleansed of the dark madness of Nightmare Moon. This battle felt right, natural. Celestia had always been more tempered and slower to act, less inclined to fight and instead find another solution. Luna wasn't like her sister in those regards. Everything was coming back to her, how to deflect attacks, what to block, what to dodge and when to counter. A wide smile plastered on her face Luna looped through the blistering air continuing to cloak herself in soothing icy magic.

Vanishing the spirit let out a frustrated howl, re-appearing a dozen feet away.

"If this was any other land I'd have flayed you alive by now!" he snarled conjuring a spinning disk of dark red energy over his head.

Wings flapping gently in a hover, Luna could feel the malevolence leaking from the disk. Whatever it was constructed from was pure evil and wickedness, sins made real. With a shout the spirit sent the disk flying up towards her. Instead of summoning another shield the princess tucked her wings to her sides diving down towards the disk. From her horn she sent a spear of shadowy energy that seemed to pull light towards it rather than radiate it out. Just before the spear connected with the disk the princess rolled down and under the disk continuing her descent towards the spirit. Smirking he flicked a wrist, the disk reversing its course after the princess.

"This ends!" Luna shouted as a cone of wind began to form around her, snow and ice trailing in her wake while the dark red disk gained. "You threaten our citizens! You threaten our world! You threaten us! You harmed my sister! Die, again, spirit!"

As she finished speaking a great crack resonated through the air splitting the blizzard above in half and tossing loose stones on the ground aside. From behind Luna a wake of darkness flowed, streaming from her ethereal mane like a painter drawing a line through the burnt sky. The spirit tried to summon another shield, the silvery shell forming in the blink of an eye, but still not fast enough to fully manifest before the princess reached him.

The world went silent as Luna came to an abrupt halt all the energy of her momentum entering the spear growing from her horn. Three sets of eyes looked at a point just below the boys frilly collar. Slowly the boyish spirit lifted a hand and pushed Luna away, the princess not resist the motion as she continued to stare. Her horn made a wet sucking sound as it exited the spirit's chest. Immediately thick black ichor began to pour from the wound.

"But... how?" the spirit asked in a whisper that echoed across the sky. "I was going to be a god..."

Slowly Luna backed away from the spirit as more of the black ichor flowed onto the stones where it formed a hissing pool. So much of the fluid was flowing from the spirit, like a damn had been burst, that it began to pour from spirits eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Falling to his knees the spirit reached towards Luna.

"Please, I, I don't want to die again," he said, eyes begging as much as his words.

"There is naught but wickedness within you," Luna sneered pushing the small hand of the spirit away. "I would not save you even if it was within my power."

The spirit looked up at Luna sadly, black tears falling to join the ever growing pool around him, "Then I leave this existence knowing that you have doomed all those you sought to save. The Doors will open and worse than I shall pour forth into your precious Equestria."

Ethereal flesh melting beneath his skin the spirit laughed as he sunk into the pool of ichor until, with a little plop, nothing else remained.

"He is right you know," April said from where she had watched the battle, a sad smile on her face, her remaining hand clutching the stump of her left arm. "The Doors will now open to Equestria. There is no one there who can stop it from happening. Only Twilight can save you, or doom you all."

"AND SHE SHALL FAIL."

The new voice ripped out of the ground around them as if the very earth itself was speaking, crashing down on Luna like a hammer. Luna gave a small sigh. Of course, just when things looked to be improving it had to get worse again.

"IT WAS UNWISE OF YOU TO COME HERE, LUNA, GODDESS OF THE MOON."

Luna looked around for the source of the voice as the ground began to buckle and fresh air wafted over her face. Under her hooves the ground became cool and soothing to the touch, the air in her lungs gently stealing away the burning stench.

"WELCOME, LITTLE GODDESS, TO TARTARUS!"

The name sent a chill racing along Luna's back and to the tips of her wings. She had suspected distantly, but had hoped she was wrong. There was supposed to be only one door that lead to the infernal nightmarish lands, a door watched by a massive triple headed guard hound, and barred by an adamantium gate forged by the last alicorn of the previous era. If new doors were opening, Equestria was in far greater danger than Luna had imagined.

"IT IS A SHAME ONE OF THE 'ELEMENTS OF HARMONY', MAGED TO ESCAPE. A PITY, BUT POINTLESS."

The ground continued to tremble, great cracks forming along its surface, as Luna flapped her wings to again take to the air. April likewise lifted up into the air, but only a few feet, just enough so that she wasn't staggering.

"What new foe is this?" Luna asked turning her gaze towards April.

"I don't know. This is all new to me as well. I died before coming this far."

"AH, YES, THE SCARLET LADY. I MUST THANK YOU. IT WAS YOU WHO HAS MADE ALL THIS POSSIBLE. THE GREAT MANIPULATOR. HOW MANY PUPPETS HAVE DANGLED ON YOUR STRINGS TO BRING THIS ABOUT? A HUNDRED? A THOUSAND? MILLIONS? AN ENTIRE WORLD DANCING TO YOUR TUNE."

With a great final rumble the ground fell away between where April and Luna floated. From the hole poured a great pillar of black smoke reaching up into the sky before spreading out like a tree a thousand feet in height. As the black branches grew across the red sky little pieces of the smoke detached themselves falling like snowflakes to the ground below. Luna lifted her head as a flake drifted down towards her foreleg. She let out a scream as the flake alighted itself with a hiss onto her fur. Kicking her leg Luna shook the flake off, but dozens more were descending towards her.

Realising the dangerous nature of the black smoke flakes, Luna ducked and weaved her way around the trunk of the smoke. April just continued to float where she had been, the flakes passing through her incorporeal body. As Luna began to close in on April, she saw them; two massive liquid green eyes glaring out from within the smoke. Out of the base of the smoke a long bluish-grey leg extended. Each claw on the leg's paw was longer than Luna, and they looked positively dainty compared to the paw itself. Whatever the leg belonged to was larger than anything princess had ever heard of before.

"We must get out of here," Luna gasped as she swept past April.

After flying a dozen lengths Luna slowed and turned looking back the way she had come. April stood at the base of the massive trunk of smoke. The spirit looked over her shoulder and smiled toward Luna.

"I am sorry, for everything that has and will be," April shouted, "Go, I will hold him at bay as long as I can. Just, tell Twilight, that it is her choice to make. The Sins can be corrected!"

Luna called April's name, but the spirit ignored her, instead walking into the smoke. Shaking her head Luna turned away and with a strong push of her wings fled. A part of her wanted to stay and fight whatever new monster threatened her lands, but she could feel the very air itself slowly sapping at her strength. The air was again returning to its scalding state whatever power the monster within the smoke was using dimming the farther Luna went.

She was flying blind though, with no idea where to go or how to get back to Equestria. For hours Luna flew, only the cool grip of her magic shielding her from the elements.

The bleak burnt world though quickly revealed it wasn't as empty as Luna had first guessed. To what Luna thought of as the south, though it was impossible to know what direction was what with no Sun, just the uniform red glare in the sky, flocks of black creatures took to the sky, while in the north a swarm of grey six legged animals that looked like a cross between hairless rats and buffalo stampeded.

On the stampeding animals backs rode large yellow skinned things brandishing spears, axes and swords. From their long lizard snouts curled the tusks of boars, and even from the distance Luna kept between them and the monsters Luna could see the thick ropes of drool and mucus trailing from mouth and nose. Everywhere she looked Luna saw more and more monstrosities emerging, all grotesque in their form and heading towards the huge tree of smoke that continued to grow, now towering a full kilometre into the sky, like a beacon to the hordes of monsters.

"We have to get home somehow, warn my sister..." Luna gasped over and over as she continued to fly.

Just as her wings were beginning to slow, the events of the day finally overcoming Luna's deep reserves of energy, they saw it; a glimmering blue disk of light. Luna felt her heart do a little skip of joy. She was saved. Luna tucked her wings to her side and dived towards the Door. The hot blistering wind ripped at her eyes, forcing her to squeeze them shut to prevent herself from being blinded.

As they closed in on the Door Luna heard of long wet snarl. Opening an eye she looked first towards the Door, then over her shoulder. Behind her two of the black flying creatures swooped down. The wind was too scalding to keep her eye open to get a good look at the creatures, but in the moment she did look at them she saw the leathery quality to their wings and ivory barbs decorated the skinny tails whipping in their wake. But worse she saw the black tridents they clutched in long talons, stretched forward with spindly arms.

Over the howl of the wind as Luna dived came the sounds of chittering as the monsters closed in on their prey. They sounded so close, Luna thought as she shut her eyes harder.

Then the coolness of the door washed over Luna, feeling like ice water after the heat despite the pain. It lasted only a moment before true fresh air carrying the scent of wet grass and mountain flowers exploded through Luna's senses. Her eyes flashed open, catching a glimpse of a crystal blue sky with a single long puffy cloud between two massive stone peaks for only a moment before she was rolling and tumbling across a hard surface. Even then it felt so cool and refreshing despite the jarring impacts.

Coming to a stop Luna smiled. She was home, she was safe, and the spirit plaguing Ponyville destroyed.

The calm sense of safety didn't last. Noises, harsh and unfamiliar exploded around Luna forcing the weary alicorn to roll her head away from the beautiful sky to more terrestrial sights. What she saw didn't make any sense. Around her were dozens of creatures similar to the spirits, all in poorly fitting blue and white clothes. Luna's eyes stopped, fixated on the sharp steel blades held in the creatures' hands.

From the midst of the blue and white strode a figure in a shining silver cuirass. He was a bit taller and more imposing than the rest. At least Luna assumed it was a 'he' from the bulky nature of his attire and the thick curling mustache beneath a long hooked nose.

Rolling over onto her hooves brought a collective grumble from the assembled figures around Luna. Turning her head she looked for the Door. This was most certainly not Equestria. For a couple long moments Luna debated if she should use the portal to return to Tartarus, or remain wherever it was she now found herself. The decision was taken from her moments later as the portal vanished with a small 'pop', but not before the two winged monsters chasing her came tumbling forth.

Reacting on adrenalin and instinct Luna quickly fired a bolt of silvery energy at the closest monster. The beam connected with the center of its body, encasing it a thick coat of frost that burnt to skin, but didn't slow it down as it charged towards Luna, trident thrusting towards her heart. Flaring her wings, Luna hopped backwards to avoid the deadly rusted iron prongs. Just as she was readying another spell, a whistling trailed past Luna's ear and the creature staggered. For a moment Luna wondered what had happened, then she noticed an arrow protruding from the creature's dark leathery neck.

In a matter of moments another dozen arrows joined the first, protruding from the back, chest, limbs and neck. Still snarling it pressed forward again, trident raised above its head, only to be intercepted by the mustached human. His gleaming blade slashed the air twice. The monster stood stock still for a moment, then its head tumbled from its shoulders.

The remaining monster took to the air, hissing and screeching. It got only a dozen lengths before a ball of green fire reached up and consumed it. Luna shifted her gaze towards the source of the fire.

Walking towards her she saw a tall human with a long mane of snow white hair. His pale blue eyes were sunken into his face and he leaned on a staff of ebony, the wood oiled to a polished sheen with twisting bands of gold worked into its surface.

"At long last," he said in a surprisingly vibrant voice, deep and rumbling like the mountains towering high above. "I have been expecting your arrival, your Majesty, Princess Luna, Lady of the Moon," the man continued, sweeping into a low bow.

Around Luna all the other humans kneeled.

All Luna could manage was a small undignified, "Excuse me?"

Chapter Thirteen: An Elemental's Gift

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Thirteen: An Elemental's Gift

"Death shall stalk the White Lady through sleeper's dreams,
A gift of the dead keeping his touch at bay."

-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

Rarity floated on top of the sea of dreamers, lost and alone. Reaching out a hoof she touched one of the dreamscapes, only to have it burst and the dreamer within wake. Sighing, she crossed her hooves, trying to avoid disturbing anymore dreamers.

It felt like she'd been alone, tumbling amongst the dreams, for days. Only a few hours had passed in Equestria, as evidenced by the growing number of dreams. One, a gentle white orb no larger than Rarity's hoof, danced and weaved around her. Every time she reached for it, the dream would dart away. The dream was growing smaller, not popping like the other dreams, just slowly fading.

The dream was hers, Rarity knew, and she was afraid of what would happen when it was completely gone. Would she be lost, forever drifting in a sea of sleeping ponies, only able to watch their fantasies or nightmares. Or would she too vanish, and move on to the Golden Fields, where it was said the dead roamed. She felt certain that she wasn't going to wake up, safe and comfortable in her bed.

Of the two possibilities Rarity imagined, she was unsure which one frightened her more.

She didn't want to die, not yet. There was so much to do and see. Sweetie Belle getting her cutie mark. Finding love, and having foals. Reaching the peak of the fashion industry. And spending pleasant days with her friends. Rarity wanted all of it, and more.

Quietly, afraid of disturbing the dreams around her, Rarity cried.

More and more bubbles popped into existence, the dreamers inside oblivious to the drifting white unicorn.

"Hello there," a little lilting voice chirped, Rarity jumping, or trying to jump rather, at the sudden noise. "Whatcha doing out of your dream?"

Turning towards the voice, Rarity saw a small white translucent filly. Mane a bundle of curls, the filly looked like a young, white, and partially see-through version of Pinkie Pie. She even had the same wide smile and nervous bouncy energy about her as she bounded from dream to dream towards Rarity. The only difference were the eyes, two dark red eyes that Rarity instantly recognised.

"You!" Rarity hissed, thrusting a hoof towards the spirit-filly. "What are you doing here?"

"Me? I live here, silly. Well, I do now at least. Though not exactly 'live' as I'm dead." the spirit-filly giggled, covering her face with a hoof as she floated past Rarity. "I saw you earlier, with my brother. He wasn't very nice to you or the pretty blue unicorn-pegasus pony."

The spirit-filly shuddered, tucking her hooves up against her belly as her face scrunched up into the most adorable look Rarity had seen. Sweetie Belle could take tips on adorableness from the spirit, and Sweetie was an expert in looking cute to avoid punishment, or wheedle gifts from Rarity. After the shuddering passed, the spirit-filly opened her eyes, and Rarity saw in them an inner innocence. She had no doubt that the spirit-filly was similar to the Fifth, but had none of the Fifth's malice or evil.

"I followed him, my brother I mean, here when he went after that nosey lady wizard who was poking around our castle. He hates it when wizards poke around our castle. Brother is gone now, though," the spirit-filly stated sadly, a heavy sigh leaving her. "I always hoped he'd get better. Stop being so mean. Too late now, too late now."

"You're related to that... thing?" Rarity turned her nose up, biting back a bit of imaginary bile. Drifting among the dreams she had none to rise at the memory of the Fifth.

"Yup-yup! He was my twin brother!" the spirit-filly laughed, rolling around Rarity, and clapping her hooves. "He died first."

"If you don't mind me saying so, but you seem a lot, uh, younger, than your brother."

Rarity just barely avoided saying 'foalish'.

"Yup-yup!" laughing more the spirit-filly stopped in front of Rarity, and laid her head against Rarity's leg, like a foal resting against her mother in a warm summer-kissed glen. "I always chose to be younger than Eric. Oops! I meant the Fifth. Shh, don't tell anypony his name was Eric when he was alive. He always hated when the living knew his real name."

"Your secret is safe with me."

"Good. I like you. You're really nice and generous, just like Althea. But that makes sense, since Althea is in you."

Raising an eyebrow, Rarity looked down at the spirit-filly. "Who was Althea?"

"Oh, she was the Alicorn of Wealth and Prosperity, from before the bad times. You're lucky. You're dreamland isn't broken. Not like the Winterlands. There are still echoes of her, and her friends, here. Echoes that are in you now! Looking at you I can see her, just there," the spirit-filly tapped Rarity on the chest just above the heart, her hoof leaving a cool sensation behind, like a cream had been spread in her coat. "I also talked to somepony who knew her. I could take you to him. He didn't know her well, and is a bit of a grumpy-lump, but it's better than nothing."

"Besides, he'll want to know what has happened."

Laughing and frolicking, the spirit-filly lead Rarity through the growing sea of dreams. It grew thicker and thicker with each passing moment until there was almost no room to squeeze through between dreams. The spirit-filly kept vanishing from sight, dodging, leaping, or bouncing off dreams, making Rarity sigh and call for the spirit to slow down. They entered an area with fewer dreams, just a small cluster to one side, and two of the biggest dream-bubbles Rarity had seen yet. One was a golden glowing orb so intense it stung Rarity's eyes looking towards it. Inside, Rarity saw a fleeting white shape, wings flapping as it soared through an azure sky.

"Celestia?" Rarity asked, turning towards the spirit-filly.

Nodding, the spirit-filly pranced around Celestia's dream, smiling and poking it a few times. Then she hopped over to the other dream. A roiling sea of black, reds, and pink, this dream had a sinister feel that permeated the air. Cringing, Rarity slowly approached the dream, her own orb slowly following. Inside it she couldn't see anything.

"Is this..."

"Yup!" The spirit-filly chirped excitedly.

Before Rarity could protest, she was grabbed by the leg, and pulled into the ugly dream. There was a momentary sensation of falling, and then nothing. Blinking, Rarity looked around her. Beside her the spirit-filly was no longer a filly, but a small girl in a pinafore dress. Cherub-like face smiling wider still, she began to skip, and for a few moments Rarity marvelled at how anything could move in such a way with only two legs without falling.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" slid a cold voice out of the nether of the dream, sending a deep shiver through Rarity. She knew that voice, and had hoped never to hear it again. "If it isn't little Chloe and the bearer of Generosity. How is your 'coltfriend', Tom, Rarity?"

Narrowing her eyes, Rarity growled, "Let us not speak of that."

Out of the shadows and murk, Discord emerged, a long grin etched deep into his malformed face. Rarity shivered again, taking an involuntary step back.

"Yes, why reminisce over old times. There is surely a reason you come to my gilded cage. That is probably far more interesting. So, why are you here, Rarity?"

"She needs to know about the First Sin, and what happened to the last Alicorns," said the spirit, jumping onto Discord's back and resting an elbow between his mismatched horns.

"Oh, that silly little thing?" Discord's eyes rolled in opposite directions. "Why ever would she need to know about that sordid bit of history?"

"Because He is coming."

Discord stopped moving mid-leer, both eyes rolling up to look at the spirit perched on his back.

"Impossible. The Door to Tartarus is sealed, barred, and guarded so that nothing will open it."

"That door is, yup-yup! But a new one is being opened."

"A new one?" Discord's mouth fell open. "Who would open a new Door to Tartarus? Do they even know how hard it was to bar the first one?"

The spirit shrugged, jumping off Discord's back.

"Is that really important? She's almost certain to do it now that my brother was stopped."

"The Fifth was defeated?" Discord jumped backwards, hanging in the air as he clutched his stomach, a deep series of chuckles making him tremble. "Who was it? Dear Celestia? Grouchy Luna? It couldn't have been the sweet innocent Cadence."

"Luna, I think. At least, she chased him through a Door that had been opened a crack." Tapping a finger to her lip, the spirit shrugged, then turned towards Rarity.

Putting one trepid hoof in front of another, Rarity edged towards the two chattering spirits. "Luna was there, as well as a spirit of a woman, I believe is the proper term," Rarity said. Her skin crawled being around the wretched spirit of chaos. The sooner they were done speaking to him and could leave, the better.

"A woman? Who?" Discord sounded genuinely intrigued, and Rarity thought that it wasn't surprising. He was trapped in stone, and apparently his own dreams. This must have been very novel for him.

"You don't know her. She's from my world. Goes around telling Seers the future, to a point. She's been busy though, the last century, getting ready. Hasn't had time for the Seers."

"Mmm, Hmm, go on."

"But she had to come here and stop my brother from using Rarity to block the Door from opening. I saw her and Luna here, but I got distracted, and couldn't stop her from hurting Eric, I mean Fifth. Now he is gone and I am Sixth. But what he'd try to do in a few months I'll take my time doing, maybe a century or two."

Rarity gave the spirit a long considering look.

So, this spirit was after the same thing the Fifth had been, but was going to be more patient and play the long game, rather than rush in like a minotaur in a china shop. The Fifth had been intent on becoming a god, or as powerful as a god at least, and really, when you're as powerful as one, then isn't it the same thing? Rarity shook her head to clear the thought. This spirit didn't seem as malevolent and evil as the Fifth at least. But Rarity had only just met her, how could she know for certain?

"So, are you going to help us, Mister Discord? Or what?"

"Ugh, I suppose I have little choice. As bland and boring as it is stuck here, the alternatives are far worse." Leaning forward, Discord gave Rarity a long devilish grin. "Listen up, because I'm only going to say this once. Those precious Elements of Harmony you cling to, I helped create them. Surprised? Oh, no use denying it, you're jaw hitting the floor is evidence enough."

Waving his eagle claw in the air, a long plush couch of red velvet appeared. Jumping backwards onto the couch, Discord patted the cushions on either side of him. Looking apprehensively to the spirit, Rarity slowly took a seat. Laughing, the spirit ignored the seat, and instead leapt up into Discord's lap. Huffing, Discord continued his story.

"Long ago, in the not-so-magical land of..."

* * *

Cadence disliked hospitals. It wasn't the almost overwhelming odor of disinfectants, though those were unpleasant enough, nor was it the feelings of despair and sadness that hung like a pliable shroud in the air. No, it was the memories hospitals brought back. Unlike Celestia, Cadence didn't put walls between her heart and the rest of ponykind.

Over the thousand years she'd lived, Cadence had taken many mortal lovers. The times spent with them always treasured. But mortals are mortal, and it always seemed so quick before their time came to an end. Often, those times came in the bed of a hospital. Or they had the last few centuries after hospitals became more than an inn for travellers with some rooms for the dying. Hospices they'd been called back then.

Her last husband had been dead almost a hundred years, gone peacefully in his sleep. The legacy of that marriage still lingered, and trotted along beside Cadence.

Proud and tall, Prince Blueblood kept his nose in the air, not even giving the nurses or patients a condescending look. Sighing, Cadence wondered how the arrogant stallion could be of her husband's line. There was nothing of her Grey Hammer in him, and, of course, absolutely nothing of her. That was to be expected, since Cadence was technically Bluebloods Step-great-great-granddame. Other than his white coat, Cadence couldn't even see anything of her great-grandcolt in Blueblood. Shamefully, Cadence wasn't upset that Blueblood had yet to marry, though he certainly had more than enough mares to pick between.

In stark contrast was the stallion on her other side; Captain Shining Armour. There was a real gentlestallion, one with honour, integrity, and humility. Shining Armour was also very handsome, with a strong broad build, wonderful white coat, and cobalt blue mane with a lighter stripe that matched his eyes. Eyes that flickered over to Cadence and met her own.

Blushing a little, Cadence looked away.

He also came from a good House, one that had been on the rise the last few generations. Twilight Sparkle, the heiress of the House, was the personal student of Princess Celestia, a position unheard-of since ancient times. Cadence herself couldn't recall her Aunt ever taking a student. There was more to Twilight than being Celestia's most Faithful Student.

Cadence, at Celestia's request, had been Twilight's foalsitter. That had been an odd few years. Her, a princess and royalty, foalsitting the heiress of a House, any House. Cadence had assumed her aunt was playing one of her games, and that assumption had been proven true over the years as Twilight became first Celestia's student, and then the Element of Magic.

Still blushing, Cadence brought herself out of her thoughts. They were approaching their destination anyways. Deep in the small hospital there stood a door flanked by two royal guards; one a Pegasus from the Stormbreaker Legion, the other a Unicorn Dragoon. Cadence recognized both, and giving each a small nod and thanking them by name, she entered the room.

Inside she saw the Arch-Mage, a middle-aged silvery-grey mare with a dark pink mane with a broad white stripe, waving her horn over the sole occupant in a bed. The rest of the room was empty except for a pair of battle-mages that stood in the corners. After a moment the light pink aura around the Arch-Mage's horn extinguished, and she looked over to the three ponies that had entered the room.

"Princess Cadence, Prince Blueblood, Captain Armour," the Arch-Mage said, a whisper of a smile on her face as she bowed to the two members of the royal family.

"Star Dancer, how is she?" Cadence asked, stepping towards the bed.

She winced as she caught sight of the bed's occupant. The blackened hair and overwhelming smell of singed fur assaulted Cadence's senses. She wanted to shed a tear, but knew it was impossible. Sighing sadly, she sat down across from the Arch-Mage, taking her aunt's hoof in her own.

"Physically, she's fine. Oh, it looks and smells bad, but that's all superficial. A few baths and a couple days and I suspect no pony will know the Princess had been in a fight. I'm more concerned about her mind."

Three sets of eyes snapped towards the Arch-Mage, all demanding answers.

"The spell used on her was the Night of Eternal Lament."

Cadence felt her wings stiffen, almost smacking Shining Armour in the face, and her stomach clenched. The only thought she had was that her mother had done this to Celestia. There was no other explanation. The Night of Eternal Lament was a spell Nightmare Moon had created specifically to fight Celestia, and one only she knew.

"Before you leap to conclusions, we've already deduced that Princess Luna is not responsible for this, not directly at least. The residual magical energy isn't like hers at all. Unfortunately we're not sure who is responsible. The only witness is still in a coma, most of the town having fled during the fight. Also," the Arch-Mage paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, "We've not been able to find Princess Luna. We know she arrived from the lingering magic, but there is no sign of her."

Cadence nodded slowly, thinking over what she'd been told.

Her beloved Aunt was asleep, caught in the grip of a spell created specifically to defeat her. Her mother was missing. The only witness of all the events was in a coma. The library had been destroyed, Cadence had seen the devastation when she had arrived. She was also aware two of Celestia's elite personal guards had been gravely injured.

"Who is the witness?"

"The Lady Rarity, Element of Generosity. We don't know the circumstances, but we do know from eyewitness accounts of the start of the fight that she attacked Celestia and the Elements of Magic and Laughter. Lady Pinkemena Diane Pie and the Countess Twilight Sparkle are both recovering in the adjoining room."

Out of the corner of her eye Cadence saw Shining Armour's head snap towards the Arch-Mage at the mention of Twilight.

"My sister, how is she?" he quickly asked.

"A little bruised, but fine. She's not spoken to anypony though. You know how your sister can get," Star Dancer said, a little laugh bubbling past her lips. "I suspect she'll refuse to speak to any pony until she knows Celestia is alright."

"That does sound like Twily," Shining agreed, slowly shaking his head.

"What about Pinky Pie?" Cadence asked.

"She is awake, but has said that Celestia wouldn't want her to talk to anypony else, and, if Celestia was awake, would make her do something called 'Pinky Swear' not to talk with others." Sighing, Star Dancer shook her head. "Honestly, it's hard to get anything coherent out of the Element of Laughter anyways. She continually goes down tangents and speaks nonsense."

Cadence nodded slowly. She was aware from those that had met the Element of Laughter that Pinky was 'different'. Insane was another word sometimes used. Cadence and Celestia had talked once briefly about the Elements and the effects they had on the mares who bore them. Of all the Elements, Laughter was the most unpredictable, bordering on chaotic.

Kissing her aunt on the brow just below the horn, Cadence stood and headed towards the adjacent room. Like Celestia's, it had a pair of guards in front of the doors. Inside were six mares and one filly. Twilight, Pinky, and Rarity all laid in beds, the first two awake. Around them sat Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash. The filly, Cadence didn't know her name, was curled up beside the unconscious Rarity.

Pinky Pie had been mid-sentence when the three Canterlot ponies entered, her mouth opening wide and a gleeful squeal bursting through the air.

"More new ponies? This is going to be the bestest 'Welcome to Ponyville and Get Well Rarity' party ever!"

"Now, sugarcube, what've we already discussed?" drawled Applejack, the farm-mare tossing her friend a withering look.

"No parties until I'm better," Pinky recited with a long sigh and her mane wilting.

"That's right." Applejack nodded proudly. "The Doc's worried about that concussion you got and don't want you doing anything too strenuous."

Pinky rolled her eyes.

Ignoring the two bickering mares, Shining Armour stepped up beside his sisters bed, a wide relieved smile on his face. Looking down from the point she'd been staring at, Twilight sighed.

"Hey, Twily, how're you holding up?"

Immediately the room was plunged into silence so deep that everypony knew something was wrong. Blueblood cleared his throat, standing beside Shining Armour. Frowning at the tension in the air, Shining Armour looked at the various ponies, all who looked away finding their hooves or the ceiling suddenly of great interest.

"Alright, what is it, because something is clearly wrong," Shining Armour said, fixing his gaze on Applejack.

"Well, I'm not sure if the Princess would want us to-"

"I'm not Twilight Sparkle," said the lavender mare between Shining Armour and Applejack. "My name is Jasmine, and no, I'm not going to explain all this again," she huffed, crossing her hooves.

Cadence blinked, shocked by the frank admission, sharing a deeply concerned look with both Blueblood and Shining Armour.

"If you're not the Countess Sparkle, then where is she?" asked Blueblood, and for once Cadence detected a note of concern in her great-great-grand-colt's voice.

"Near as I can guess, she's in my body," Jasmine shrugged. "And if they'd let me out of here I'd be working on a way to fix this!" Jasmine added, raising her voice so it could be heard beyond the room.

From between Pinky and Rarity, Rainbow Dash snorted and tossed her head. Cadence got the sense that the Elements had been having this discussion on and off since coming to the hospital.

"Don't worry, I'm super-duper-positive that Twilight will be home before we know it! Then we can have a 'Welcome Back Twilight' Party! I'm going to need more streamers, and cupcakes, and punch, and we can play games like-"

Pinky's voice droned on, all the other ponies attempting to tune out the party pony.

"Um, Princess, if you don't mind my asking, but, uh, what are you doing here? With us I mean," asked Fluttershy.

"I wanted to visit the six of you, especially Lady Rarity. Maybe you can tell me what happened this morning."

"Rarity was a fool, that's what happened," snapped Jasmine, tossing her hooves into the air. "I warned her about the Elemental, but no, she had to save her sister. Not that I can totally blame her for that, despite what it almost cost everyone. Can't say I'd do the same thing, though. Then again, my brother's are total stuck-up, arrogant, conniving, back-stabbing, sons of Gorgons! We're damn lucky that the Fifth was over-confident and tried to fight Celestia."

Blushing a little after her rant, Jasmine looked away and out the window. Cadence shared a startled look with Shining Armour and Blueblood.

"Fifth? Elemental? I am completely lost," Shining muttered, hoof rubbing his temple.

Grumbling to herself, Jasmine said, "Fine, I'll go over everything, again. But this is the last time."

* * *

"And so, my dears, that is how the Door to Tartarus was barred, sealed, locked, and had a big 'Do Not Disturb' sign planted on it. Any questions?"

Discord floated upside down, a bucket of mint-chocolate ice-cream dangling half-empty next to him. Dipping a talon into the ice-cream, he swirled it around before licking his talon clean.

"So, if another Door is opened, the Elements of Harmony could be used to seal it, correct?"

"Indubitably."

"Well, seems pretty standard, actually," Rarity smiled smugly.

"Except you don't have all the Elements."

"Excuse me, darling?" Rarity asked turning to face the spirit.

"Twilight, she's trapped on the other side of Tartarus." The spirit sighed, rolling off the couch. "While her body may be here, her soul isn't. I'd know, I'm a bit of an expert with souls, and soul-locked artefacts."

"Actually, that has been bothering me. How did Twilight and this Jasmine switch bodies, across worlds no less, in the first place?"

"Don't look at me," Discord chuckled, tossing aside the ice-cream as he righted himself, the pail exploding in a showing of chocolate coated apples on impact. "You're dealing with those icky 'soul' things. Don't have one myself." Discord shuddered and scratched at his arms like they were covered with ants.

"It's time for us to leave anyways," the spirit said draping a hand along Rarity's withers.

"Remember your promise, little one. I have a two thousand year prison sentence to work off, and it gets so lonely."

"Oh, don't worry, Mr. Discord. Assuming we survive the next few days, I'll come back to pay you a visit." The spirit waved towards the Draconequus before Rarity felt a sharp tug just below her sternum.

With a little 'pop' the two left Discord's dreams, and found themselves again in a sea of bubbles. Rarity's own dream still hovered nearby, more faded and worn. Chewing on her lower lip, Rarity turned towards the spirit. Once again in the form of a filly, she pranced towards Celestia's dream.

"You coming? This should only take a few minutes," the spirit said pausing next to Celestia's dream.

"Yes, but I'd like an answer to my question. How did Twilight and Jasmine switch bodies?"

"Ah, yeah, that. It's complicated , technical, and a bit wonky. But, the important thing is this; it wasn't an accident. Jasmine, my brother, Twilight, even Luna; they are all being manipulated, and none of us here in Equestria can stop it. Not anymore that is."

The spirit seemed genuinely sad to Rarity, her face long, and a blood red tear leaking from the corner of her crimson eyes. The spirit looked towards Celestia's dream, and sighed again. She took another step towards the golden orb, but one that was slow and weary.

Looking over her shoulder the spirit said, "I'll only be a few minutes, hopefully," before disappearing into the dream.

Rarity stood, floating amongst the multi-hued sea, for what felt only a few moments before the spirit came tumbling back out. Following the spirit, a suspicious glower on her face, was Celestia. The moment Celestia fully stepped out of her dream the bubble popped.

"That went better than expected," the spirit chirped, doing a little prance between Celestia and Rarity.

"You claimed to be able to help us against the other spirit," Celestia stated, her tone and posture rigid.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, um," the filly spirit rubbed the back of her head, shooting Rarity a pleading look.

Not sure exactly what the spirit wanted, but trusting it enough that she couldn't see the harm, especially since it was only the truth, Rarity said, "Princess, the other spirit, the one who took control of me, is gone. He was removed from me, and then Princess Luna saved me. I... don't know what happened afterwards."

"He was destroyed. His essence blown apart and lost to Tartarus. All the Elementals felt it and knew when it happened. I was the Seventh, now I am Sixth."

"So, my little ponies are safe," Celestia stated more than asked, visibly relaxing.

"Oh no, no, no, no!" the spirit said, waving her hooves frantically. "You are very not safe! As not safe as you can be!"

Celestia's face immediately grew grim and Rarity felt a tingle of magic running up her back.

"Care to explain?"

"Its Twilight Sparkle. She desperate to get home, but in order to do so she has to open two Doors, and He is waiting for her to do just that! They are readying even now to march forth in a wave of blood and terror the likes not seen in millennia." The filly-spirit was shivering before Celestia, wide panicked eyes darting towards the invisible horizon. "I saw it, took a peak with the help of an old dying stallion. Saw the Door open, and the skies turn the colour of ash and the rivers red with blood and the maimed bodies of the dead and dying. But I also saw hope! It's possible to win, even if it's impossible now to prevent the Door from opening."

The filly-spirit pointed towards Rarity.

"As long as she lives, there is still a glimmer of hope."

Rarity blinked, and trembled. The feeling of magic was growing stronger, while Celestia seemed to have softened again. Rarity looked up towards her dream, and saw that it had almost completely faded. She was about to ask if either Celestia or the spirit could help, when a lance of sharp burning agony tore up her spine and into her horn. Screaming, Rarity tried to fall onto her side clutching her head, only to drift slowly upward.

"Rarity!" Celestia and the spirit shouted in unison.

Through the pain Rarity heard the spirit talking.

"Oh no, this is bad! Very, very bad! Jasmine's trying to excise me from Rarity. I'm the only thing that's been keeping her alive. We have to act fast or she'll be lost." Rarity felt herself being picked up and cradled, though she wasn't certain who held her. "I was going to infuse the life of a still-born foal into her, but there is no time now."

"You were going to do WHAT?" shouted the princess, and from the volume and force Rarity suspected it was Celestia that was cradling her.

Rarity herself would have been more disgusted and incensed at the suggestion, but she was just in too much pain. It felt like molten lead was being poured into her through her horn.

"Can't now. Too late. Didn't want for it to end this way. There will be unseen consequences that could be years in the making. Oh well, what is that ancient saying; 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one'?"

The pain was lessoning, becoming a dull heavy weight across Rarity's mind. She was feeling so heavy and tired, like she could just sink and be lost. Then there was a flash of coldness, an icy wave that broke through the ache leaving only a tingling giddiness behind. Rarity's eyes shot open.

Above her was Celestia, the princess holding Rarity in her forelegs, and above her was the filly-spirit clutching the almost transparent tiny dream-bubble that belonged to Rarity. There was a tether of white between the spirit and the dream, pulsing like a heart-beat to send another little wave of ice through Rarity. The filly smiled down at Rarity, and then vanished. The Dream swelled, glowing with a white luminescence for a heartbeat, then it came racing down, crashing into and engulfing Rarity.

Rarity's eyes grew wide as a last wave of ice greater than all the others combined washed through her. Images and memories exploded before her eyes and she felt herself falling. After an infinitesimal eternity the fall ended, colour and sound bleeding together to form a moving mosaic of a past that felt every bit her own as her memories of growing up in Ponyville.

Rarity stood on top of a half finished tower looking down on a valley of small woods and fields. In the distance she spotted a few small villages, and beyond them a couple white topped mountains. To her right was a sapphire blue lake, on its far side more mountains, the sun slowly sinking behind them.

"Where are you, you little whore?" Roared a deep voice, one that sent a deep spike of fear into Rarity.

Scrambling forward, Rarity hid behind a crate filled with masons tools. Hiding her face in her hands she whispered a prayer to the dead goddess of Luck that she wouldn't be found. A pair of boots stomped up wooden stairs, stopping just on the landing.

"I know you're up here Chloe! Come out, Daddy isn't mad at you, honest. He just needs to make sure you're alright."

A small twinge of hope blossomed in Rarity's heart at the words. Maybe the voice wasn't angry at her. Stifling a sob, Rarity slowly stood up.

At the top of the stairs stood a tall powerfully built man. His long moustache was waxed into a long curve like the tusks of a boar, and his square jaw showed a few days growth of stubble. A smile was on his lips, but not one of comfort, but one of triumph. Dark eyes, two pools of hazel, fell on Rarity and he let out a short barking laugh.

"There you are, my little whore of a daughter," he growled, taking a step forward, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword and a knife in the other.

"Daddy, please! You're scaring me!" Rarity pleaded taking a step towards the unfinished edge of the tower.

"They told me what you did, the voices. That you slept with the bakers son, and the baker. My own flesh and blood, laying with such common filth."

Heart pounding in her chest, Rarity tried to duck around her father, only to have him grab the collar of her dress and throw her back towards the tower's edge. Thin trails of frothing spittle rolled down his face as his eyes bulged from his face.

"I never Daddy, I swear!" Rarity cried, scooting backwards until her fingers found nothing but open air, "It's lies, all lies!"

"They said you'd say that!" he growled, leaning down over Rarity, knife playing in the fading light. "I'm wise to you. I'm wise to you."

The knife darted forward and Rarity screamed, foot kicking out and catching her father in the groin. Yelling in pain, both fell back; him clutching at his manhood, Rarity catching herself just before going over the tower's edge. Screaming louder, Rarity darted to her feet and stumbled towards the stairs. Something was blocking her vision though, making her crash into the crate of tools. Lifting a hand to her forehead, Rarity found her hand covered in blood, a gash leaving a flap of skin that covered her eyes if she didn't hold it up.

Almost retching at the thought and as the pain began to stab into her head Rarity saw her father stand. He had his sword in hand now and stood blocking the way to the stairs. Not that it would have mattered. He was a lot faster than Rarity. Biting her lip, Rarity looked for another avenue of escape, but saw nothing. She was trapped, and her father was going to kill her.

Rarity remembered what he had done to her brother and the guards he had believed betrayed him. How he had peeled off their skin with red-hot knives, pulled their eyes out with pliers, and crushed their fingers and toes in vices. From the look in his eyes, Rarity knew she wouldn't be treated as nicely.

Turning, she jumped from the tower. She didn't even scream as she fell down past the cliff the tower stood atop towards the waiting rocks so far below. The last thought she had before she struck the rocks was to hope that her mother would be alright. Bouncing from the stone Rarity clipped an old pine covered in sap, her legs snapping as she came to a rest. Coughing up blood Rarity tried to turn her head, only to regret the effort.

Pain and agony tore through every fiber of her being. She blinked up at the blue sky poking through the branches of the tree, wondering as a pair of robins flitted past why she hadn't died yet. What had she done that deserved so cruel a fate? Broken, Rarity wept. She didn't want to die, not yet, now that the end was closing in around her. Desperately Rarity tried to cling to life, the fingers on her one good hand digging into the dirt as a hiccup frothing red bubbled to the surface. Slowly, the world turned grey, the pain faded, and Rarity died.

Blinking, Rarity looked down on her body. It was ravaged from the fall, limbs askew at angles never meant to be attained. A pair of ribs poked from the left side, and brown eyes stared up like marbles towards the darkening sky. Holding back a sob and a scream, Rarity turned away from the scene.

It was then she noticed something Rarity hadn't expected. Beyond the cliff, from deep within the hill, pulsed a dark light. Like a heartbeat, it thrummed, the echo of the light tugging and pulling at her mind like barbed hooks. Unable to turn away, Rarity walked towards the heartbeat. She didn't even slow as she approached the crimson stained rocks at the base of the cliff, passing into and through the stone like mist through a forest.

A sensation not unlike swimming overcame Rarity. Waving her arms and kicking with her feet Rarity swam through the hill, following the trail of pulsing light. She emerged in an small cave. A small creek trickled and sung through the center of the chamber dividing on one half a small cluster of square building, and an alter or temple on the other. Bones, yellow with age and covered in mold lay scattered haphazardly about. Beyond the alter was a door, and beyond that the light continued to beckon.

Little silvery lights swung out of the water as Rarity strode forward, her gait long and determined. Pausing for a moment, Rarity looked at the lights, squinting as she saw moving within them. A gasp tickled her throat. Inside the lights were people; screaming, terrified people. They were babbling to each other and themselves, saying terrible things Rarity couldn't understand. Closing her eyes for a moment, Rarity turned away from the lights, and voices, she continued onward.

Passing through the door as she had the cliff, Rarity entered a small round room.

Above a raised dais pulsed and moaned the 'heart' Rarity had seen and heard. Violet and green energy swirled around each other in a thrumming vortex. Whenever the lights touched a pulse of sound made the fitted marble walls quiver creating the illusion of a beating heart. Stepping forward, Rarity held her breath, not that she needed to breath, and looked into the vortex.

Inside she saw Power and Knowledge.

Hands, one of each colour, reached out from depths of the vortex, grabbing Rarity by the head before she could leap away. A low howl tore from Rarity as she felt energy probe and feel out the very core of her soul. Incantations, spells, magic, the very foundations of reality poured into her mind. A crack of lightning split the air, the flow of knowledge ending as abruptly as it began.

Rarity fell backwards to the ground, laying half in the stone, floating on the surface as if it were water, her mind trying to process everything it had been shown.

"This is MINE, Chloe!" Snarled a familiar voice.

Rolling her head to the side, Rarity saw her brother. Eric stood, red eyes aglow with rage, small fists balled at his sides.

"The Shadow is mine to use, sister." He added, floating towards Rarity.

"Brother? But, Father killed you..." Rarity's voice trailed off in uncertainty.

"He killed us both. But don't worry, I'm going to pay him back a thousand fold for what he did to us." Eric twisted a wrist and in the air beside him a spear black as the night appeared, thin wisps of shadow dancing along the haft. "First, I need to deal with you. How does the South Tower sound? Yes, you may wander there, alone..."

Rarity couldn't do anything but scream as she was dragged from the chamber, up through the ceiling, and towards her prison.

* * *

Rainbow Dash sighed, completely bored and a deep ache of yearning burning through her wings at the beautiful afternoon glowing between the old stained curtains on the window. She gave her wings a single little flap, adjusting her position on her seat between Pinky and Rarity.

Troubles was, it had been afternoon for nearly twelve hours, the Sun hanging motionless in the sky.

Despite what many ponies thought, Rainbow Dash wasn't stupid or oblivious. She knew that things were getting bad, that Twilight wasn't Twilight, Luna was missing, and maybe had done something to Celestia. Unless Discord had broken loose again. Rainbow couldn't think of anypony else capable of hurting or stopping Celestia.

Sighing, Rainbow shifted again. The seats in the hospital were incredibly uncomfortable.

The other princess, Cadence, had left to go back to her aunt's room.

Rainbow wondered about her, and the way she seemed to stare at Twilight's brother. Twilight's brother; that was another odd thought. Rainbow had known Twilight for nearly two years, and not once had Twilight mentioned she had a brother. Then again, it wasn't like Rainbow talked about her family. None of them did, really, now that she thought about it.

Applejack's parents were dead. Pinky Pie had left her family farm for some reason she wouldn't talk about. Rarity's family all lived in Ponyville, though how the two could be related to either Rarity or Sweetie Belle eluded Rainbow Dash. Which left Fluttershy. Rainbow had known Fluttershy's family longer than either had lived in Ponyville.

Chuckling, Rainbow thought back to the day she'd met Fluttershy's family.

The two fillies, so proud of their cutie marks, sitting in an office at Flight Camp not sure if they were going to be punished, expelled, or what. Fluttershy's parents had arrived first. They were both so much like their daughter, especially Whispershy. It was eerie, the way both hid behind their manes despite being so beautiful. And powerful.

The Stare that the Flight Camp principle withered under when he had implied Fluttershy had almost died falling from the camp had stunned Rainbow, and she'd only caught the edge. She'd only see its like years later when Fluttershy herself faced down an irate dragon. But that was the secrete of the Mind Shatter Legion. Their Stare ability was feared more than the Wonderbolts' Thunderpunch. Except, unlike the flashy Wonderbolts, the Mind Shatter Legion kept to itself; quiet, secluded, harmless.

Dash kicked a hoof, staring across the still comatose Rarity to Fluttershy.

It was no secret that Rainbow Dash desired nothing more than to join the Wonderbolts. They were the most awesome and talented group of fliers in Equestria. Given Dash's speed, and now near legendary status of being the only pony capable of performing the Sonic Rainboom, some ponies around town had started to wonder why Rainbow Dash hadn't been invited. None mentioned it around her, and never to her face, but Rainbow knew it was making the gossip rounds. She also knew it was only the non-Pegasi asking the question.

Despite being unified for centuries, the three races still had their individual cultural quirks.

Earth Ponies were farmers and inventors, connected to the earth, and in general a stubborn lot.

Unicorns were divided into the insular, and often arrogant, nobles, and the commoners.

And the Pegasi had the Legions. The ancestral connection and training traceable to the times before the Princesses, Equestria, and even the old Kingdoms, to when Pegasi lived like flocks of birds, hiding among the clouds in insular herds. The truth was, and every pegasus in Ponyville knew it, Rainbow Dash would never be a Wonderbolt because she was born to the wrong Legion. As Fluttershy was a Mind Shatterer, Rainbow Dash was a Stormbreaker.

"You can choose your friends, but not your Legion," Rainbow murmured still looking at Fluttershy, the gentle yellow and pink pony dabbing at Rarity's brow with a wet cloth.

Then there were the Legionless.

Legionless, the term was a borderline insult among Pegasi foals that had earned their cutie marks and started their induction into their Legion. Pegasi born to non-Pegasi parents, a growing occurrence, or those in foster care or orphanages, often didn't receive the training or induction. Sadly, Legionless were marked in ways that the other two races couldn't see. The training young pegasi received left little imprints on their natural magic fields that were impossible to hide, or replicate. All another pegasus had to do was shake a Legionless Pegasus' hoof and they knew that she or he had no Legion, no connection to the long history of the Pegasi, an outsider.

"Are you okay, Dashie?" Pinky asked snapping Rainbow out of her gloomy thoughts.

"Huh? Uh, yeah, I'm just super Pinky. Why?"

"Well, you had that gloomy-gussy glower growing that you get sometimes when you think nopony is looking."

"Oh, yeah. It's just, I was at Cloudsdale when all this," Rainbow waved a hoof to encompass the hospital, "happened. I hate not having been here to help."

It was a half truth. She had been in Cloudsdale, and she did hate not having been around to help when three of her best friends were hurt.

"So, what do you think of Princess Cadence?" Rainbow asked in a hushed whisper that neither stallion near 'Twilight' would hear.

"She nice!" Pinky said with a smile. "I can't wait to throw her a big 'Welcome to Ponyville' party. There are soooo many new ponies in town to throw parties for! I don't know where I am going to get all the balloons!"

Rolling her eyes as Pinky began one of her legendary tangents, Rainbow turned towards Fluttershy and Rarity.

"How is she, 'Shy?"

"Sleeping still." Fluttershy peered at the machines hooked into one of Rarity's fore-legs. Rainbow was fairly certain that Fluttershy knew how to read all the medical mumbo-jumbo printed on the screens. "Her pulse was growing fainter, but it seems to have leveled out."

"She's lucky to be alive at all after giving herself over to an Elemental," scoffed Jasmine. Every pony present looked at her with curious gazes, waiting for her to continue, as the real Twilight would. Sighing in exasperation at being the center of attention, Jasmine continued. "Okay, I already know none of you know a scrap about the undead, so I'll try to give you the layman's version."

Before Jasmine could continue, Applejack leaned in towards Pinky and Rainbow, whispering, "What the hay is a 'layman'?"

Either ignoring or not hearing the question, Jasmine continued.

"There are two kinds of Undead; Wights and Spirits. Wights, they have physical bodies that are twisted by the manner of their death, or some base emotion tying them to the mortal plane. You have Barrow Wights, Vulkir, Khorgal, Vampyr, Skeletons, Ghouls, Ghasts, and on and on. Their power ranges, but all of them are nasty and hate living things. My personal favourite are the Chained Wraiths because they are in a murky grey zone between the two type of Undead."

"Then you have the Spirits. Unlike the Wights that have a huge variety of types, strengths, and abilities, Spirits are all very similar. They have no physical form, instead being a collection of aether being bent to the will of the soul of someone who died. Spirits are also, as a rule of thumb, nicer and more manageable than the Wights, though there are exceptions," Jasmine's voice fell into a low growl as she looked over towards Rarity.

"Spirits are categorised more based on what they do, rather than what they are. An Elemental, for instance, collects the energy from other souls that die around the spirit. They also have a tendency to refer to themselves based on how powerful they are to the other Elementals. So, the spirit that Rarity here encountered was the fifth most powerful of the Elementals."

"You mean there are four more out there that are stronger?" asked Shining Armour, his face visibly darkening as his gaze bored into Jasmine.

"Well, Yes. But there are other spirits that make Elementals look like toddlers. The Dead Masters, for instance." Jasmine shuddered, giving her shoulders a little shake.

Rainbow frowned. All this talk of spirits and dead things was kind of cool, in a creepy sort of way, but it didn't seem to be of much use.

"Actually, I am surprised that Rarity hasn't woken up yet," Jasmine tapped a hoof to her chin, staring across the collection of ponies to the fashionista. "From what was said, she was awake briefly after returning through the Door. If the spirit left her then... Hmm..."

"Whoa there, sugarcube!" Applejack said as Jasmine tossed aside her covers and swung her legs down to the floor.

"Hey, I'm fine. I'm not sure why I'm being kept in this place, again." Jasmine snorted, while the others all shared concerned looks. None of them knew how to tell her it was because she claimed to not be Twilight that she was being kept under observation. "I just want to check something quickly."

Ignoring the growing protests, and stepping around Shining Armour when he interposed himself between Rarity and herself, Jasmine gave the sleeping unicorn a long contemplative look. She poked Rarity a couple times, said her name, and then Jasmine's horn began to glow. Rainbow began to shout a question, her hackles raising as she watched the stranger in a friend's body send a little stream of magic towards Rarity.

The heart monitor began to scream in protest, the racket making conversation or questions impossible. Fluttershy yelped, falling out of her chair when Sweetie Belle leapt into the air, then crashed into the yellow pegasus' lap. Rainbow and Applejack both jumped towards Jasmine. The door to the room was flung open, the two guards leaping through, a pair of nurses right behind. Shining Armour and Blueblood, the two stallions being closer than Rainbow or Applejack, tackled Jasmine, forcing her to the floor.

"What's going on?" Shouted the guards while the nurses, rushing towards Rarity, yelled, "Everypony out, now!"

The force of the command normally would have cleared the room in a second, now it slammed like a wave into a cliff of rocks. Rainbow and Applejack did step back towards Pinky's bed, while the stallions dragged Jasmine to another corner of the room. At a wave of Shining Armour's hoof, the two guards did back out of the room.

"She's flat lining!" The first nurse shouted, along with a request for some drug or something that Rainbow couldn't understand.

"Come on, Rarity," Rainbow muttered to herself, chewing on her lower lip, as the doctor and another nurse rushed into the room.

"Give her a dose of epinephrine!"

"No effect."

"Alright, we're going to try to-"

It was then three things happened all at once. The door to the room was thrown open again, Celestia herself entering at, while not exactly a mad dash, an accelerated pace, a look of grim determination on her face. Around Rarity an aura of black magic thrust back the doctor and nurses, all three medical ponies landing in a jumble at the base of the wall while sparks shot from the medical equipment before the machines died. Sitting upright, eyes glowing red through closed lids, Rarity began to speak.

"Daddy, please! You're scaring me!" Rarity moaned holding her hooves out in front like she was warding off another pony.

Unsure what was happening, magic was a bit beyond her expertise, Rainbow tried to jump towards Rarity to comfort her. The moment she entered the magical field surrounding Rarity, Rainbow's skin began to crawl like a million ants were in her coat. The aura oozed wrongness unlike anything Rainbow had felt. Just before she reached Rarity, the aura pushed back, tossing Rainbow into the pile of medical ponies and making her head spin and her stomach twist like she was pulling out of a dive.

"Every pony stand back!" Celestia commanded, her voice carrying all the weight of authority a millennia on the throne could give.

"I never Daddy, I swear! It's lies, all lies!"

Applejack began to ask what was happening, but was prevented when Rarity let out a long scream, followed by a second louder one. One of Rarity's hooves went to her forehead, the screams ceasing for a moment.

"What's happening to her?" Applejack finally asked as Rainbow and the medical staff pulled themselves upright.

"I think she is experiencing-"

Celestia stopped speaking as Rarity fell from her bed. Everypony stood stock still, watching with bated breath as Rarity lay on the cold tile floor. Her breath was slow and ragged, and twice she tried to cough up something. After half a minute Rarity slowly climbed to her feet. She looked down at something, and then turned, tilting her head to one side like she was trying to listen to something. Still shrouded in the black aura Rarity walked out of the room. She looked right, towards the outside where the Sun had began to move once more, and then headed to the left.

Trailing behind Celestia and Applejack, Rainbow and everypony else followed fashionista. Rarity seemed to know exactly where she was going, taking turns left and right, then descending a curved set of stairs into the basement. Cadence and the royal guards joined the procession as Rarity passed. Rainbow and several other ponies shivered, both from the cold, and the realization of where they were going. Passing a magically operated elevator, Rarity pushed her way through a set of swinging doors and into Ponyville's morgue.

Stopping in front of a gurney, one holding a pony hidden beneath a green blanket, Rarity sat down. She sat there for several seconds, long enough for a murmur of worry to ripple through the crowd that had followed her, before Rarity let out a low moan, her body going rigid. The aura flared, the tips of its magic caressing the ceiling, then as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished.

Collapsing backwards Rarity said, "Brother? But Father killed you..."

Eyes thrusting open, Rarity sat back up again, groaning as she gingerly rubbed her head.

"Ugh, what a dream," she said, slowly turning to face the crowd.

Everypony stood slightly taller as they got a good look at Rarity. Where her eyes had once been two beautiful orbs matching the blue Diamonds adorning her flank, they had become two deep pits of velvety crimson. Mouth falling open Rainbow stood rooted to the spot for half a second before rocketing forward. Landing in front of Rarity, Rainbow swept her friend into a hug and did something she had done only once before; she cried.

"Really, Rainbow darling, there is no need for such melodramatics," Rarity cooed, a hoof tapping Rainbow on the shoulder. "I'd really appreciate some pony telling me what is going on. Also, where are we?"

"We're in the morgue. You lead us down here, apparently sleep-walking." Celestia said in her calming voice.

"The morgue?" Rarity gasped, face growing pale beneath her snow-white coat.

An awkward silence gripped the crowd, a pony in the back coughing. Sweetie Belle took a few steps forward, hesitated, and when she received a little nod from Celestia, leapt forward to join Rainbow in hugging Rarity.

"You alright there, sugarcube?" Applejack asked as she and the other Elements of Harmony trotted toward the growing group-hug.

"Fine, great actually. I feel like I just spent a week at the spa," Rarity smiled, then she tilted her head a little a confused look clouding her face. "A little confused as to what I am doing down here, but otherwise, I'm perfect darling. Though I would appreciate some space."

Wiping away the remaining tears Rainbow nodded. She tried to put on a brave face as she stepped back, but knew that her coolness factor had dropped by at least thirty percent from the emotional display. Thank Celestia that Scootaloo hadn't been around to see it. Having her biggest fan see her so sappy would have been even more humiliating.

With Sweetie Belle pressed to her side, Rarity and the crowd of ponies made their way out of the morgue and towards the sun. Along the way Rarity began to apologise over and over for attacking Celestia. Rainbow tuned out the low conversation that developed. Smarter ponies than her would figure out what was going on. For now, she wanted to get home now that all her friends had relatively recovered. Sure, Twilight wasn't Twilight, and Rarity had those weird freaky red eyes, but there was nothing Rainbow could do about either of those.

As they crowd reached the lobby, Celestia pulled Jasmine and Rarity aside, and with Cadence and Shining Armour went into a room. Rainbow assumed they'd be discussing important affairs of the crown and took it as her queue to go home. Besides, visiting hours were over and the doctors insisted that Pinky get some rest. With Applejack and Fluttershy on either side, Rainbow left the hospital and stepped into a crisp moonless night.

Chapter Fourteen: The Moon Among Man

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Fourteen: The Moon Among Man

"The Moon shall walk amongst Man,
And the world will know the touch of Divinity once more."

-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

The grinding of wheels along rough stone and gravel roads had become like a second companion to Luna. The humans had insisted for the first few days that she ride in a closed carriage. It had taken the threat of turning the carriage into a pumpkin to get them to relent and let her walk. But they had refused to leave the infernal contraption behind, and still demanded that when approaching one of the many towns or villages that filled the long wide valley she hide in the carriage again.

Those towns seemed to pop up over every hill or on every bend of the wide river the road followed. She tried to pay attention to the names of the settlements, but found it hard to particularly care.

A week, she'd been cut off from her moon and stars for a week. The first night had been the worst.

On instinct she had tried to raise the moon as the sun set, only to find it already high in the sky, and impossibly heavy. She'd sooner be able to lift all of Canterlot, the mountain it was perched on, and all the lands visible from the highest tower, than move this moon. Likewise, the stars refused her command and felt so incredibly distant, like they were mirages dancing in the heat of a desert.

But there was still a connection, even if it wasn't the same. On the moon, for instance, she could sense life. Little pockets of energy milling about the celestial body's surface. When she mentioned this to the humans they laughed at her, or perhaps with her. She wasn't too certain whether they thought she was making a joke or not.

Then there was her mane and tail. In Equestria, one of the most notable features of Luna and her sister was how their manes and tails billowed in an ethereal wind. Few knew the precise cause, and theories ranged from the absurd to the poetic. The simple truth was that it was the invisible breeze of the aether as it flowed through the Ley lines. But what on Equestria was a gentle breeze had become a howling storm. At least Luna's mane and tail had partially reverted to their foal-hood state. Dark, lustrous, and with little twinkling stars hidden in the strands, but nothing like how it normally appeared to be a tear in the air creating a window to the night sky.

There was a second, and more important, effect caused by how raw and powerfully the Ley Lines flowed. The flow was so strong it was overcoming the natural resistance a waking mind and active body usually caused. Luna had felt completely refreshed, from a magical standpoint, only a few hours after stepping hoof through the portal. Usually a unicorn, and by extension an alicorn, needed to rest, though not necessarily sleep, to recover their magic. Luna felt like she could be in the middle of a marathon while casting spells without a care in the world towards her magical reserves. It was almost intoxicating how much raw Aether flowed through the air.

But it did leave her a bit confused. Normally she'd have been able to sense the stored magic within another being. Dragons, Manticores, or Ponies, Luna could tell at a glance in Equestria how deep their magic ran. Not so here. She could sense connections to the flow of aether from those around her, but no pools of energy. It was like they had no mana of their own.

From her escort Luna sensed several such connections. Some were from weapons they carried, others from their mounts, and four from the humans themselves. But no mana pools.

Her only conclusion was that because there was so much power in the air and earth creatures of this world didn't require storing aether as mana for their spells.

It was strange, and a little weird, to Luna.

Then there were the humans, a curious group that reminded Luna of the years before her banishment. All members of a religious group of knights and priests; the Order of the Golden Chalice. Three of them were something called Paladins, heads of their order, the rest rank and file members. Luna had managed to get one of the Paladins, a man named Sir Pegelius the Crippled, so named for the maimed arm hung in a sling on his right side, to talk at length about his Order.

They were originally from an Empire across the eastern mountains. When the Empire collapsed two hundred years earlier, the Order had been forced from their monastery citadels. Crossing over the mountains, they had been one of the first groups to swear an oath of allegiance to the great dragons. They had built a new citadel in a place known as the Protectorate of the Rivers, far to the north. From this central stronghold the acted as stewards to the Lords, attending to day to day affairs of the lands they owned. In the citadel they guarded the sacred Golden Chalice, among other artifacts they had recovered over the ages.

Only a few of the knights had been present for Luna's arrival, the crowd she had first seen being almost the entirety of the villages garrison, a token force to keep a vigil on the three narrow passes that spread north, south, and east from the cliff on which the village perched. Unlike the garrison, the knights were all well equipped, each possessing a long sword, crossbow, chain cuirass and armour. Their tabards were white with gold lining, and the golden chalice their order was named after prominently displayed on the chest and shoulders.

There was an exception. The wizard, Abtuan, was not affiliated with the knights. How the wizard knew the knights or why they worked together wasn't mentioned, though there was a comfortable familiarity between the wizard and the two younger Paladins. Luna learned very little about the wizard, where he came from, or his goals. He did learn a lot about her and Equestria, however. Every conversation was expertly turned towards the subject, and Luna found herself more than willing to reminisce. The nights passed in a pleasant blur of conversation, just as the days were filled with traveling.

Curiously, they were not taking Luna north, but south. The first few days they were in a long narrow pass before entering the valley proper. The Kingdom of Tyme, as Luna was told. Somewhere ahead was their destination; Roxholm upon Tyme.

Sighing, Luna shifted her wings a little and rolled her neck as the knights started setting up the camp for the night. Sitting down in the shade of a dying oak, Luna watched the knights going about their duties with a level of precision and order that would have made the Royal Guard envious. Very little was said as tents were erected, camp fires lit, and food began to cook. Horses were watered, and a watch set, all seamlessly.

Abtuan sat down beside her, a lit pipe in his liver-spot covered hands, and a smile on his weathered face.

"Good evening, Princess," the wizard said, the tip of his pipe glowing in the darkening light. His voice was soft, and somehow old and young at the same time with none of the deep rumble it had contained when he'd first spoken to her back in the mountains. A simple spell to create an impression on the soldiers who garrisoned the small village Luna had arrived in, she'd been told. Apparently, wizards had reputations they loved to keep alive. "Roxholm upon Tyme is only another half a day's ride away now. Just past mid-day and you should see the great walls and gates, if my suspicions are correct. Which they usually are."

Luna just nodded. She was partly pre-occupied with the three mounts of the Paladins. All were massive, towering over the other horses and Luna. They only allowed the Paladin who rode them to touch them, the other knights never approaching within more than a few feet. But what really drew Luna's attention was the magic she felt whenever she was near one. It had a sticky, tangy feel to it that Luna just couldn't place. Their obvious intelligence also fascinated her, as did their lack of language. Their strong powerfully built muscles and short cropped tails and manes gave a strong military feel, and Luna knew her eyes often lingered on their flanks.

"What will happen when we arrive?" Luna finally asked, shying away from the dark gaze of Clydesdale, the mount of the most junior Paladin, a blush creeping onto her face. Luna was thankful for her dark coat, and the approaching night, that hid the blush.

"He is a handsome one," chuckled Abtuan, a ring of smoke puffing from his mouth.

"I know not what thou imply," Luna snapped, turning her nose up into the air. "Besides, thou dids't not answer our question."

"You know your dialect and accent change when you are nervous or embarrassed," the wizard continued to chuckle. "But you are right, I didn't answer the question."

He grew silent again, occasionally letting out another puff of smoke. Luna let the silence linger for several minutes before snapping.

"Well? What is the answer to my question?" Luna huffed, an exasperated sigh making her wings twitch as she continued. "Am I a trophy? A prisoner? A guest? You treat me well, are considerate, all things considered, and take pains to ensure my safety, but I cannot figure out why. What game are you and these knights playing?"

"Ha-ha, what game indeed?" Smiling, the wizard began to re-fill his pipe. "To them, you are a Goddess. Which is amusing. Though the knights would believe it to be truth, regardless of facts to the contrary if they came forth. As for me, I don't know what to think yet. So, I am bringing you to a place where you should be safe."

Again silence descended between them, Luna's eyes searching the stars. Privately she admitted that they had a certain clarity and sparkle that felt lacking in Canterlot. It was the light pollution, or rather, the lack there-of.

"There is a prophecy, made during the birth of the great Empire of Sumanthor." The wizard's voice broke Luna out of her pleasant daze. Looking over towards the man she waited with all the patience of the eternal for him to continue. "Most only know these lines; 'The Purple Wizard comes. She will save us, or doom us all.' The full prophecy is much longer."

The wizard paused for a moment, content to watch the stars beside the stranger from another world, before he resumed speaking in a slow and distant voice.

"'She will be preceded by three signs. The gilded throne will fall to he who is covered in crimson. Dragons and Man will make peace, and in brotherhood will they live. The Moon shall walk amongst Man, and the world will know the touch of Divinity once more'."

Luna frowned, her wings ruffling a little at the last sign. It was obvious the humans believed it related to her, but it wasn't entirely accurate. She wasn't the moon, Luna just controlled and was connected to it. Or she did on Equestria. Sure, she could look down on Equestria at night as if the moon was her body and the stars her eyes, but she wasn't actually the moon.

"There is more, much more, to the prophecy. It's hundreds of pages long. It goes into great detail about the Purple Wizard, and her deeds. For instance, she will have three teachers; The Goddess, the Dragon, and Time. She will confront madness three times; first will be the Nightmare, second is the Herald of Chaos, and finally herself. She will first be recognised by the sign of six stars, and her first task will be the birth of the Lost Dragon. She will travel with five companions, and they will be the Farmer who speaks not a lie, the Maiden who is merciful to all, the Guardian who never abandons their post, the Exile far from home who carries laughter in the heart, and the Lady who gives of herself without question."

"You speak of the Elements of Harmony," Luna chuckled, giving her head a slow shake.

"Hmm? Am I?"

"Aye. The Nightmare was myself, trapped in madness and rage. Twilight Sparkle and her friends used a set of artefacts to cure me almost two years ago."

"So, this Twilight Sparkle, she is the Purple Wizard?"

"She fits much of what you describe, except, to my knowledge she only ever has had one teacher; my sister."

"Your sister, whom is a Goddess herself?"

"Uh, n-no, we are not, well, I suppose we are, but..."

Abtuan laughed, a soft gentle noise that made his eyes twinkle. "So, the Moon walks among Man, and denies her own place in the universe."

Letting out a little huff, Luna didn't dignify the comment with a reply. The wizards teasing was hitting a little too close to the truth.

"It is interesting times in which we live. Then again, times are always interesting and rarely dull or peaceful." Pausing to take a long breath of his pipe, the wizard continued. "The reason so many make such a fuss about this particular set of prophecies is the ending. The Purple Wizard has a choice, a true choice. No other prophecy speaks of the subjects having a choice, they merely outline what will happen," Abtuan explained when he noticed Luna's questioning look.

"That is not so unusual in Equestria. Many of the prophecies made by Perfect Sight in the second era have many possible resolutions."

"Not so here. Many have tried through the ages to fight prophecy, only to rush headlong into completing the very thing they sought to avoid."

"Hmm, I may know why." Luna related quickly her conversation with April about seeing the future. At the end the wizard just nodded.

"We know as much. Seers and spirits can't be trusted. It is why we wizards usually avoid them."

"So, you are bringing me to Roxholm upon Tyme because of this prophecy?"

"In part. I am bringing you to Roxholm upon Tyme because it is where one of the signs of the prophecy is said to take place. 'Upon the great grey river, two towers rise. She of Purple, She of the Stars and Magic, stands against the predations of the Alabaster. A war of two, the death of one, North and South divided. The Moon heralds her arrival. The Purple Wizard comes. She will save us, or doom us all. The Sins repeated underneath Harvest Moon. Doors open, skies burn, fields turn fallow, the city on the mountain hangs on the knife's edge. The choice will be made. The Purple Wizard comes. She will save us, or doom us all.'"

"A grim prophecy indeed," Luna murmured. "But I do not see how you believe it is in Roxholm that this prophecy takes place."

"Ah, as to that, an old euphemism for the passage of time is 'the grey river'. As for the towers, I suspect the first to be the Arcanum, home to my order of wizards, and the other is the White Tower, ruled by the Duke Kevin Rutland. At least, that is my belief. There are many who disagree. Some think the two towers could refer to the peaks of the Empire on the Suman river. Still others the waterfalls far to the east that lead between the Inner Seas and the Eastern Oceans."

Shrugging, Abtuan slowly stood.

"But it will be as it is meant to be. Right now, you are with me, and we are going to Roxholm upon Tyme. There, the Moon will herald the arrival of the Purple Wizard," he chuckled stretching out his neck.

"I dislike being any pony's pawn," Luna sighed, flicking her ears back.

"We are all pawns to Fate, my dear." Abtuan looked up towards the moon sailing across the sky. "The farmer in his field and the king on his throne, pawns all. It is how we carry ourselves that is important. Sadly I can't remain this night. There is much to accomplish still. I will see you in the morrow when you and the knights arrive."

Bowing politely, the wizard departed towards his horse. Whispering a word of magic into the horse's ear, the wizard mounted and rode off into the night.

Luna sighed and strode towards one of the cooking fires. A rabbit was turning on a spit, tended to by an older knight, his beard and hair a deep silver. He looked up and politely nodded towards the alicorn, but didn't say anything. Next to him sat a young woman, the youngest of the knights protecting Luna. In the crisp late-summer air she sat in only a thin undershirt, her armour close at hand and sword at her side. In her lap was a stringed instrument that she tuned with deft hands and an experts ear, head tilted to one side to catch the notes as she plucked and adjusted the strings.

Satisfied with the instrument, the knight began playing a simple tune of rising and falling notes that conjured images of gentle rolling hills and little dells of clustered trees. When her voice joined the instrument it was high, sorrowful, and haunting. Eyes closed, the youngest knight became the song.

The Moon among Man
The gentle caress of Night
Divinity comes, Divinity come

From Sky so strong
To Land so weak
A Goddess from time
Untouched by Sins

The Moon among Man
The gentle caress of Night
Divinity cries, Divinity cries

Protector of dreams
Guide of wanderers lost
Lover's blessed kiss
Stolen under her eyes

The Moon among Man
The gentle caress of Night
Divinity sighs, Divinity sighs

She smites the wicked
Soothes the weary
Sword of silver light
Shield of fire midnight

The Moon among Man
The gentle caress of Night
Divinity arrives, Divinity arrives.

Some point in the song, called by the woman's slow drifting voice, tears had come to Luna's eyes. Luna had heard many songs written in her name, especially in the last year and a half since her return from exile, but none had as much of an effect. True, most were of styles Luna was unfamiliar with, such as that accursed 'Pop' sung by the infernal Sapphire Shores.

Clapping her hooves together, Luna broke the trance the woman had been under. Startled at having Luna for an audience, the knight's mouth fell open and she started to rapidly mumble apologies.

"Bravo, beautiful, simply beautiful," Luna said cutting off the apologies, a rapid blush spreading across the woman's face at the alicorn's praise. "You could sing in opera or at the finest concert halls of Equestria."

Still blushing, the young knight bowed her head and said, "I would deeply enjoy that, your Divine Majesty."

'And there drops the other horseshoe,' Luna glumly thought, watching as all the knights around the campfire averted their eyes or stared into the ground at their feet. Suddenly very weary, Luna stood and began to trot towards her large tent. As she left the ring of the campfire she heard a couple of the knights wondering what an 'Opera' or 'Concert Hall' could be.

Before she could reach the seclusion of her tent, Luna was intercepted by the three Paladins. They all bowed deeply, as Luna had come to expect, and then took up a casual stance.

"Sir Pegelius, Sir Worthington, Sir Fairhand," Luna greeted, letting a smile grace her lips as if she was holding court. As usual her eyes darted from their faces to the blades strapped to their hips, or back in the case of Sir Fairhand. All radiated the aura of powerful enchantments, just as the three men gave off the scent of magic. "Is something the matter?"

"Yes, there is actually," Sir Pegelius said, good hand hooked on his belt in an easy loose stance.

"For the past two days we've been followed by a group of Vulkirs. Now that the wizard has left, we suspect they will attempt an attack on the camp within the next half-hour or so. We're here to ask you to not interfere." Sir Worthington, the paladin with the interesting mustache that had killed the demon, smiled happily.

For her part Luna just sighed and frowned.

"I am more than capable of defending myself, you know."

"That is not the point," said the youngest, gloved fingers running through his long golden hair. "We would not have you sully yourself dealing with this. Besides, it gives the others something to do and be proud about. They will tell their children and grandchildren of the time they raised their blades in defence of a Goddess."

There was a cheeky playful light to the blonde paladin's eyes, one that spoke volumes about how, of all the knights present, he didn't truly consider Luna above man. Luna had caught Pegelius and Worthington saying prayers to her name. But not Fairhand.

Grumbling to herself about how annoying the coddling was becoming, Luna nodded her agreement while privately admitting that the likely-hood of her staying out of a fight was slim to none.

"Who are these 'Vulkirs'?" she decided to ask before the paladins left.

Luna didn't receive an answer, which was almost surprising given how deferential the knights and paladins had been. It turned out she didn't need to wait long to find out.

She smelled them long before even sensing the repugnant magic that trickled through the woods like slippery tentacles, the dunk pungent stench of rotting flesh mixed with peat. The knights drew their swords, the ring of steel covering the first clinking rattle of chains sliding across stone. Covering her nose with a hoof, Luna slowly stepped inside the ring of knights as the first shapes materialised out of the gloom of night.

The Vulkirs were tall, slender creatures, each standing a head above the tallest knight. Brown tattered robes and clothes stuck to wet, brackish skin covered in open sores and pustules, while chains dangled from their wrists and ankles, jingling as they shuffled forward. Around their heads danced a halo of dripping hair, held as if the air was water, every shuffling step making the hair waver and twist. From open mouth poured a stream of thick bile and water around yellow teeth formed in the shape of needles. Soulless empty black eyes ignored the knights, burrowing in on Luna.

"Sun and Moon," Luna whispered taking another step away from the obviously undead monsters.

Now that she could see them Luna could observe the magic seeping from the Vulkir. It was anathema of the magic she had felt since her arrival, like oil and soap in a basin of water. Her mane billowed away from the Vulkir, caught in a rushing tide of magic.

Sir Pegelius took a single step forward, sword in hand. Leveling the blade with the undead he said in a strong vibrant burr, "For our Lord, for our Brothers, for our Goddess."

The tension was shattered by the rustling clatter of chains as the Vulkir broke into a charge, long shrill screeches filling the night.

The knights stood their ground unflinching and unwavering in the face of the evil rushing towards them.

Flaring her wings, Luna lit her horn with magic, and the screeches turned into hungry howls as the undead ran faster.

There was an infinitesimal moment of silence as the undead reached the ring of knights, and then steel flashed under the gentle flicker of the moon. Limbs and head were rent from body, the decapitated undead exploding into a shower of thick loamy dirt and mud. Chains wrapped around a knight to Luna's left, dragging the man from the line of battle. The knights on either side jumped forward, blades digging and cutting into the attacking Volkir's throat and torso. Gurgling brackish fluids it pressed forward, only to be stopped as it's body was cleaved in twine by Fairhand's greatsword.

"Mind the line!" he snapped at the knights, grabbed the downed knight with one hand, dragging him back towards safety, while swinging his sword wildly with the other.

A gurgling scream drew Luna's attention to the left where a knight staggered back, clutching at where his throat had been, blood pouring forth over his fingers. Chains snaked out of the night, entwining the dying knight, and dragging him off into the dark where a final wet scream signaled his end.

Through the hole a Vulkir leapt, it's soulless eyes hungry. The chains around its wrists snaked towards Luna with a dull clatter, only to be intercepted by a golden glowing blade. White teeth flashing in the evening light, Pegelius side stepped the lunging undead, and then in a single smooth twist removed its head. Luna stood dumbfounded as the Paladin rejoined the ring of knights.

She had seen war before, more than she cared to admit, but not like this. Ponies fought completely differently than the knights. Only Earth Ponies would form a line of skirmish, and it was a well known fact Earth Ponies rarely, if ever, fought. It had always been the Pegasi Legions, supported by unicorn Battle-Mages and Dragoons, that fought the wars. The food produced by the Earth Ponies was usually more valuable than having them fight when they didn't possess a Pegasus' speed or a Unicorn's magic.

Another dying scream broke Luna's trance.

She could no longer stand idle while the knights bled and died for her, not when she could do something. Understanding the knights desire to want to protect her, Luna decided to use a very old spell. Horn barely glowing she lent the knights around her a tiny fraction of her power, increasing their strength and speed.

Swords cut through the night like falling stars, the tide of the Undead turning. On and on it went, chains rattling, and the knight's fighting only making small grunts of effort here or there. At last, still screeching and howling, the vulkir's drew back into a wall of black smoke. The clinking of their chains could still be heard, the noise and amount growing as the minutes passed.

"Sir Moody?" Pegelius asked, wiping his still glowing blade with a rag draped across his crippled arm.

"Dead," Worthington said stepping forward. "So are Sir Richmond and Sir Hardy."

The elder Paladin just nodded once, saying, "we'll bury them when we have the time. It looks like the Vulkir's master is about to show itself."

Around the ring of knights the Vulkir slinked out of the obscuring wall of shadows, but didn't charge as they first had. Luna noted that their numbers seemed to have increased, despite the heavy losses already suffered. The knights were outnumbered almost three to one now. Wondering why the Undead didn't attack, Luna didn't release her spell.

Then the Vulkir parted, and a short woman in white robes strode forth. In one hand she held a staff of bone while the fingers of the other brushed and caressed the nearest Vulkir, the Undead standing impassive under the touch. Tangled black hair lent an unkempt or slightly deranged look to her round face and small beady eyes. A thin bemused smile on her lips, the woman began walk slowly around the circle of knights.

"Well, well, well, Father didn't say to expect Paladins. And three? This surely must be my lucky night. The Lady of Sorrows is surely smiling from her grave upon me," the woman cooed, leaning casually against a Vulkir. "I will make this simple. The Lady of the Night is coming with me. Either all of you die, or don't. The choice is yours. I really can't care one way or the other."

Sir Worthington growled, leveling his sword at the woman. "Foul Necromancer, we'd sooner cut our own throats than-"

"I agree," Luna said over the knight, her voice approaching the Royal Canterlot Voice in volume.

The woman stopped leaning on the undead, her small eyes growing wide and suspicious, while the knights all threw Luna uncertain glances. Sir Pegelius turned, and standing so his back was to the woman, whispered in Luna's ear.

"Your Divine Majesty, you cannot sully the sacrifices already made this night by given in to fear and despair. I know you worry for our lives, but they are ours to give, and we do so readily and with a glad heart. The Necromancers fear you and seek your destruction, of that I am certain, for you are the light in the night."

"I do not fear her, fair Pegelius. After all, what harm can she possibly do to a Goddess?" Luna tried to sound cheeky or brave, but could hear the quaver in her voice.

"Do you not think it odd that out of all the Gods and Goddesses, you alone we refer to in the present? Even a Goddess can die, Ma'am."

Luna gulped, and memories of her foalhood, growing up among a herd of Earth Ponies wandering the edges of the sprawling Everfree Forest in the plains between the forest and the desolate Wastes to Equestria's south. Luna and Celestia had never known who their parents were, only that they were Alicorns, and that they were gone. Celestia, being the elder, remembered a bit more, but refused to speak on the issue.

She had felt, though at the time not recognised, the magic of Alicorns seeping out of the Wastes. But she and the Earth Ponies had been too busy hiding and living in fear of the Spirit of Chaos, Discord, to investigate. It had been in the Wastes, however, before the great door to Tartarus, that Luna and Celestia had discovered the Elements of Harmony, and it had been there that Luna centuries later encountered the Nightmare.

It had been many years, before her exile to the Moon, since Luna had really thought and tried to analyse the years and centuries before the founding of Equestria by the Three Great Herds. Almost all knowledge of the time before his arrival had been destroyed or corrupted by Discord, but a few ruins and ancient temples did exist that hinted at a past filled with many Alicorns. Luna herself had stood before a great broken statue in the swamps of an Alicorn mare with the mark of a quill dipped into an inkwell and wondered who the mare had been.

Was she an Aunt?

Was she Luna's mother?

No one was left who knew.

Suppressing a shudder at the memories, Luna nodded to the knight.

"Challenge her to a Trial by Might. State the terms that if you win she'll leave. She'll agree because she is over confidant," whispered the Paladin, a note of relief in his gruff voice. "You'll have to select a champion however."

"I will go with you," Luna said, and she was surprised that her voice no longer held any trace of doubt or fear, just a strength and calmness that would have made Celestia proud. "Should you win a Trial by Might. If you lose, you will leave."

The knights all smiled at Luna's challenge, the woman just frowned and shrugged.

"You challenge me to a Trial by Might? Oh, by Sorrow's black tears, this is amusing!" the woman gave a short laugh. "Naturally, I accept. How could I not? To be challenged by a Goddess. Now, to select my Champion. What to do, what to do, so many choices. Khorgal? No, they answer only to the Imprisoned One. Oh, how about a Burrow Wight? No, too common. Oh, I know just the thing!"

Cackling the woman thrust her staff into the ground, a deep pulse of dark energy flowing through the air. Wincing, Luna rubbed her horn at the stinging tingle the magic left in its wake.

A rumble echoed from within the wall of inky mist, followed by the grinding thuds of heavy feet. From out of the wall strode

It towered above the Vulkir, a putrid collection of bones held together with sinuous black lines like rotting ivy. Wings of shadow and soot spread blocking out the little light granted by the moon. Claws and talons scratched the ground as the abomination walked, grass and plants withering in its passing. Above its head a long barbed tail spun and snapped at the air. The head was elongated and like a dragons, two pin-pricks of glowing red light for eyes, and a horns thrusting from chin, jaw, and brow. Skinless, a twisted black heart like a cluster of moldy brambles pulsed in its chest, visible to all.

Dark magic fell from the creature stronger than the rest of the Vulkir combined. It almost felt like the unhallowed aether was trying to smother her. Luna gulped trotting backwards until she made contact with the knights behind her.

"Behold, a Lythorme!" The woman threw her hand up gesturing to the abomination. "Now, which of you-"

"I will be the Goddess' Champion!" Shouted a young vibrant voice beside Luna. "If she will have me."

Luna didn't have to look to know who had requested to be her champion. Only one knights had the soft flowing voice that had brought Luna to tears earlier. The other knights had impassive looks as the young knight took a step out of the ring and kneeled before Luna. Even the Paladins' faces had become masks of stone.

"You know the thing you must face?" Luna asked, hoping in vain that the young knight would come to her senses.

"I do," there was not a trace of fear or doubt in her voice. "I trust that you will guide and protect me, your Divine Majesty."

Gulping, Luna looked again to the Paladins', knowing that she'd get no further aid from them. She had been certain one of them would have volunteered to be the champion. They at least had magic of their own, in addition to their swords. The young knight had none, just her faith. And Luna knew how poor a shield faith could be.

With a sigh, Luna nodded once slowly.

"I accept you as my champion, uh," Luna's voice trailed off, a blush creeping under her coat as she failed to produce the knights name. She didn't know any of their names, despite traveling with them for over a week, except for the Paladins. Silently Luna kicked herself for not getting to know the knights as individuals and not some mass group of guards.

"I am Sir Victoria River, Ma'am,"

"Then, arise, Sir Victoria River, and go as my Champion," Luna said, hoping her words were right. She had a general idea for these sorts of things, they always seem to have the same common threads, no matter the culture.

It seemed to be right, or close enough at least. Sir River stood, drew her sword, and turned towards the Lythorme. She had only taken two steps when she was stopped by Sir Fairhand, the tall paladin laying a hand on her shoulder.

"Take Bobotheeramel, he has tasted the foul ichor of a lythorme before," he said, holding his greatsword out hilt first.

Sir River paused looking at the sword, then pushed it back with a smile.

"He answers only to you, cousin, as it should be. Fear not, the Goddess is here and will keep me safe."

Looking like he wanted to say more, Sir Fairhand stepped back, resting his sword on his shoulder. Sir River took a single breath, then stepped out of the ring formed by her fellow knights and faced the Lythorme.

"Crush the life from her body and suck the marrow from her bones, my pet," hissed the woman flicking a dismissive wave towards the knight.

Roaring , its voice like the ripping of steel sheets, the Lythorme charged, great clods of muddy earth tossed from its clawed toes. Black fire gathered in its gaping maw, dripping from between cracked teeth to sizzle on the ground. Lightning crackled through the undead wings like purple veins. A clawed hand rose into the air, and in a crash descended towards Sir River.

Luna closed her eyes and subtly channelled her magic, lending her strength to the knight. More than ever she had to avoid detection. Power danced behind her closed lids filling her heart with dancing sparks that grabbed Sir River by the ankles and coiled up her legs, through her arms, and into her sword. Silver light flashed from the blade as it intercepted the talons, a crack of thunder knocking the onlookers back a step.

Pirouetting, Sir River brought the still glowing blade down on the Lythorme's back, slicing through the black veins holding the undead abomination together with a second crack of thunder. Tail snapping down, Luna barely tugged Sir River back in time, the thick barb crushing stone hidden under the layer of mud. Jaws snapped, Sir River leaping to her left. Rolling to her feet she just managed to deflect onrushing talons, thin tears appearing through the midriff of her tabard.

A second roar ripping the night, the Lythorme raised itself high, wings spreading wider still. The light in its eyes glowed brighter, and its jaw opened. Black fire snarled towards Sir River, and the knights gathered behind her.

Horn glowing bright, Luna quickly threw up a sapphire shell of magic around herself and the knights, but there was nothing she could do for Sir River without tipping her hoof. Even through the shield Luna could feel the intensity of the unholy flames make the tips of the hair in her coat curl. The flames ended with a triumphant bellow, a sound like cinderblocks being dragged down a cobblestone road.

The black fire coiled about its body, sucking light and joy from the night. Kneeling before the Lythorme, sword still glowing bright as the full moon, was Sir River, the ground around her unharmed by the flames.

"I am protected by the Moon," Sir River declared, slowly rising before the undead abomination. "You're unholy magic will always fail you."

Snorting a thin plume of ash, the Lythorme raised an arm into the air. Lightning crackled from its talons twisting around a plume of the black fire to create a sword. From its other hand emerged a barbed mace, oily smoke drifting from the weapon's head. The night trembled under the renewed roar, and the ground quacked as the mace smashed into the earth where Sir River had stood but moments before.

Ducking, weaving, and parrying, Sir River was driven back as blow after blow tore down towards her. Tail darting between the twin weapons, the Lythorme pressed the knight. Sweat trickled down Luna's brow from the effort of lending her magic while concealing her spell. Darting forward, Sir River delivered a vicious slash across the undead boney face.

Undeterred by the blow, the Lythorme continued to press forward. Sparks flew high with every blow parried, creating a tiny shower of miniature stars.

Sir River was beginning to slow, her own body growing exhausted from the long day of travel followed by battle. Luna poured more magic towards the woman, lending as much as she could give. Lightning coated fire slashed across Sir River's face, stealing the light from her left eye, and tossing her onto the muddy ground. Refusing to scream or give any indication of pain she looked up with her remaining eye as the Lythorme raised both its weapons for a final blow.

In a quick motion, Sir River reversed the grip on her sword, and shouting Luna's name hurled the blade into the abomination's chest.

Thunder and howling wind swept through the ruined camp as the Lythorme staggered back. Light glowed from its chest, tears and cracks ripping through the shrivelled heart in its chest, a heart split by Sir Rivers blade. Thick black ichor poured from the Lythorme's mouth and eyes as the lightning and smoke of its wings guttered and died. The light continued to grow, and with an almighty crack like a thousand bolts of lightning the Lythorme shattered.

Collapsing onto her back, Sir River gave a weak triumphant laugh.

The woman controlling the undead stood, face impassive, turned, and disappeared into the night. The remaining Vulkir stood watching for a moment more before following their mistress.

Chapter Fifteen: The Lady on the Mountain

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Fifteen: The Lady atop the Mountains

"Six of Seven Flames shall hold council,
And atop their thrones will watch the South and plan."

-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

Merit was an old town, older than almost any other that graced the surface of the world. In times past it had been a fortress citadel at the heart of a barbaric kingdom and a small collection of hovels picking the bones of past to make a better future. Through all the years two things remained the same; the town's name, and it was almost painfully hot in the summer even with the winds that screamed south through the mountains.

The present town was fair sized, a collection of nearly a hundred building clustered in the junction of two valleys. Like Great Bear to the east, Merit had a plain simple feel, like it was out of place with the rest of the world. Log homes dominated a portion of the town, while newer almost Appleloosan buildings filled the other, giving the town an odd personality, like a bench with an old man and someone entering the prime of life sitting side by side.

It was also a trading town, it's fortunes built on the caravans that ran every direction of the compass along, and in some cases over, the valleys and mountains that made up the majority of the Protectorates.

Twilight learned all this from a babbling Sunalinda. The small woman's excitement had been palpable since it had been decided that the best course of action was to head to the south. There Twilight could get access to the wizards and their libraries that'd be necessary for making the artefact given to her by the Elder work. No one, least of all Twilight herself, wanted to discuss the final moments inside the shelter.

It was unspoken, but they all knew looking at each other's faces that none believed any of the shelter's residents had survived.

There were over six caravans in the town when the weary group entered Merit. Sun directed them towards an inn on the edge of town near to the south pass. Thick smoke and the smell of spoiled beer was heavy in the air as they entered the building. Half the tables were occupied, and the inn keeper, a sour faced man wearing a stained apron, watched them take a seat in a corner. From there they'd have clear sight towards all the entrances without being visible to the outside.

None of them knew if the assassins hired to kill Jasmine would still be after her. It had been almost two months since the attack at the Tithe to the Lady in the Lake. Had they given up, did they believe their last agents successful, were there more members waiting in the town? None had answers, so they'd take no chances. They paid for two nights at the inn, then be back on the road, heading south towards the Pass of the Twin Dragons; so named for two tall slate sided mountains where dragons liked to roost, watching the caravans move or basking in the sun as fancy took them.

Resting her head against a support beam, Twilight let her eyes drift shut. When they did she was greeted again by the last images of Katie. She cringed slightly, but didn't cry or scream as she had done the first week as they trudged up the mountains looking for the caravan trails. The image was almost becoming normal and it quickly passed to be replaced by thoughts about magic, or history, or other sundry details of their journey.

Kodiak and Sun had already offered to restock their almost empty provisions. For the last week they'd been living only on what they could catch or scavenge, and in the high mountain plateau between the Protectorate of the Lake and the Protectorate of the Mountain, that was little. Twilight was so hungry she didn't even check to see what it was that was placed in front of her. After a month of bland green goop followed by progressively more stale bread and what berries were safe to eat anything would be an improvement Twilight decided.

Almost anything, she amended later when their food was brought to the table by a young woman with the tops of her ample bosom on display, hips swaying as she slid like smoke through the room. There, in front of her, was what Twilight had forgotten to fear. In the middle of the table were three large bowls, all containing a meat dish served in a thick sauce of some kind. Too hungry to protest or demand something different, if anything was available, Twilight reached for the nearest bowl.

"Um, Twi', I think you should choose another dish," Sun said to Twilight's left.

"Why? I know what this is," Twilight said shrugging and trying to keep a disgusted look off her face. Reminding herself over and over not to think about what she was eating and focus on other things, like complex algebra equations, she dug her fork onto the food. It was only one meal. She could get through it.

"You do?" Tracey said looking quickly between Twilight and the serving bowl.

"Yes, it's dead creatures," Twilight grumbled, stomach already sending for its white flag.

"Yes, but-"

"Leave her be," Kodiak rumbled, serving himself a large heaping pile of some mustard yellow dish. "This is good for her, to get over this fear."

"Thank you, Kodiak," Twilight said with a weak smile before taking a bite.

Twilight had thought that Mrs. Conrad made a good meal, but this was on a whole other level entirely. Maybe it was the bland food for so long followed by a week of near starvation. Maybe it was the sauces and the meat itself. Whatever the source, it was like a concert of bliss exploded into her mouth, took the short path to her brain, and promptly set up home in Twilight's senses. The food had a smooth creamy texture with subtle hints of spices Twilight had never encountered before. Abandoning any idea of protesting the infusion of meat, Twilight's stomach settled and she almost managed to relax.

Several minutes passed, the serving bowls were almost empty, and the waitress came out with another series of dishes, this filled with various vegetables. Stuttering and groaning in defeat, Twilight let her forehead fall with a thwack onto the table.

From that position she muttered, "You knew that there was more to dinner, didn't you," to no one in particular.

"I tried to warn you," Sunalinda said, taking a pile of steamed beans and a baked potato.

"You've never been to an Inn in the Protectorates, miss?" the serving girl asked as she finished switching the meat dishes for the vegetables.

"Kind of obvious, isn't it?" Twilight muttered, face still planted on the table. "Just ate my fill of... whatever that was."

"Why, that is my momma's special Pony Korma. A favourite here at the Hollow Gulch Inn."

Twilight's stomach didn't even have to go for the white flag, her brain was already in a full melt-down sequence complete with metaphysical ponies running for the exits screaming. Lifting her head slowly Twilight fired a glare around the table and growled, "You knew, didn't you?"

All had the decency to look away or guilty.

All except Kodiak, who just shrugged, scooped up his last morsel of the 'Pony Korma', and with a full mouth said, "It wouldn't have been as educational."

Not speaking, and with all the worker-ponies her mind surprisingly calm, Twilight stood, walked outside, and proceeded to scream in fury, despair, and sickness up at the lazily floating clouds. A few moments later she returned to the table.

"I'm a cannibal," Twilight said in a partial daze as she sat.

Fortunately she was spared any rebuttals to her assertion by several burly caravaneers entering the inn. The group was loud, boisterous, and took two tables near the door. This in and of itself wouldn't have been enough to take Twilight's mind off what she'd just eaten, except two of the men, clearly in an argument of some kind, stood back up.

"Fine, I'll put it to the Inn then! See what they think," roared the first, a short wide barreled man with a flaxen beard that reached to his belly, where it was tucked into his belt. "Listen up all, my... friend has gone and taken leave of his senses. Now, you're about to hear a-"

"Bah, stick your fancy words up your arse, you pale faced elf-monger." The second man rose to his feet, towering over his companion. He was easily the biggest man Twilight had seen yet, taller than even Kodiak by a good hand span. Also like Kodiak he was completely shirtless, wearing only some leather pants held up by one suspender looping over a shoulder. Beneath coarse hair a network of intricate black tattoos were barely visible.

Spreading arms thick as tree trunks wide, the second man moved to the center of the inn where he'd be visible to all the patrons.

"Listen up and hear me well, townsfolk of Merit!"

Almost everyone in the inn stopped what they were doing, which amounted to drinking and talking in rowdy voices, eager to watch the new-comers. Even the Inn Keeper looked up from behind the bar, a full mug of beer frozen mid-air before an eagerly waiting patron. Content in his audience, the huge caravaneer began to pace in a small circle.

"I am Jackal, son of Wolf and Coyote, of the Lupus Tribe, and I have seen," he paused, taking in a deep breath before, with a flash of white teeth, shouting, "a Goddess!"

A murmur followed by chortles and then full belly laughter made the walls of the inn shake.

"A Goddess you say?" called one grizzled old man with salt and pepper hair from a corner. "Bah! Bah to that I say! By the First Dragon, why don't you go back to your islands, Nortmun! A Goddess he says. Bah!"

"Aye, you've baked your brains in the mountain sun more like," added another voice to a chorus of general approval.

"Ha, disbelievers, all! But you will believe when you see her for yourself." The huge man laughed loud and long, his braided hair swaying as his shoulders shook. "Her eyes are like the ocean before a storm, her laugh the wind whistling through the trees. She is dark and beautiful as the night she commands and strong as the foundations of the greatest mountains."

"Oh, come off it, yah sun stroked fish hunter!" Shouted another voice from somewhere to Twilight's left.

"Oi, who said that?! Come out here and say that to our faces, bloody son of a black arsed drake!" Responded the huge man's friend, dark eyes flashing as he leapt forward, an axe appearing in his hand from seemingly nowhere.

"Settle, friend Frederic," Jackal replied, laying one massive palm on the short man's head, much like he was a dog. "They have not seen what we have, and if I am not mistaken, you agree with them."

"Well, not about that 'fish hunter' jibe. No call fer that in polite conversations, like," grumbled a mollified Frederic.

"They will see what I have seen, in time."

"And what did you see? Fairies dancing about the river? Mayhaps it were the spriggan about their merry capers again?" Chortled another, his words eliciting more chuckles from the inn.

"I saw her, not seven days ago as we approached the village of Golem's Watch, among a troop of knights and guarded by no less than three Paladins," Jackal puffed out his chest and his eyes and face grew distant, a remembered bliss taking over his features. "Our caravan was made to move aside, and who were we to argue to thirty knights and three of the Paladins? And then, as they passed, being as I am taller than any Soutmun, I saw her."

He paused, and for once silence reigned in the inn as everyone present waited for his next words. Twilight was almost leaning out of her seat to watch and hear the spectacle. Even the others had all paused in their meal and watched with rapt attention. Kodiak rubbed his chin and Vernon looked to be deep in contemplation. Eric had a wistful smile playing at the corners of his lips and eyes.

Pleased in the attention he was receiving, Jackal continued. "I first saw what looked like a great billowing field of stars, her hair dancing about her as she rode past. It obscured her mostly, I fear to say, though I caught her eyes for but a moment. And I saw her mount. A fine strong horse, she was. But also not a horse. A horn! Midnight blue and as long as my forearm, and when the goddess laughed the horse flared wings as elegant as an eagles!"

"It's Luna," Twilight said, and suddenly dozens of eyes shifted from the wildly gesturing man to her. She stood only a few feet the Nortmun, barely over half his height. Twilight hadn't even realised she'd slid out of her chair.

Taking a gulp of air to steady her racing heart, Twilight continued.

"It wasn't her horse you saw, it was her, Luna, the Goddess of the Moon and Warden of the Night."

A deathly silence overtook the inn, and Twilight could feel a little bead of sweat work its way down her brow. Whatever had prompted her to get up and speak eluded Twilight as she stood now at the center of attention.

Frederic, the short man clearing his throat, took a step towards Twilight. From behind her Twilight heard the scrape of a chair being pushed back and a presence joining her shadow. Suspecting it to be Vernon, or perhaps Eric, Twilight felt a little surge of confidence.

"Miss, you know about what my friend speaks?"

"Yes. And he is partially correct. There was no rider, just Luna herself." A wide smile grew on Twilight's face the huge man looked perplexed. "This changes everything," Twilight cried in delight.

Forgetting entirely about dinner, Twilight quickly headed upstairs to the inns rooms, stopping briefly to ask directions of the waitress. There were plans and checklists that needed to be made. Luna was here on this world physically. With their combined knowledge of magic, Twilight was certain that together they'd figure out how to get the artefact to work and find their way home. Below her the patrons of the inn broke into a rowdy argument that filtered up through the floor.

Twilight ignored it, working until the sun set.

* * *

As planned, two nights later they began the trip south. Unplanned though was the caravan they were to accompany. Twilight didn't mind so much. She could sit beside one of the wagon's drivers giving her time to read and think over what she'd do when they found Luna. To her right sat April, and Twilight allotted time to continue teaching her magic.

April still couldn't cast the most basic spell, but that didn't worry Twilight too much. From her understanding of the Aether Stone test, April was, while gifted, not as strong as Twilight, and still young. Even Tracey said it was nothing to worry about. Most apprentices didn't start casting spells until their second or third years.

The constant rumble and grind of wheels pulled by oxen was their companion as they wound their way along the valley and into the pass. Mountain peaks, sharp and tall like fangs, thrust towards the sky, clouds clinging to their tips like cotton balls.

For three days the trip was uneventful, just the same routine of traveling during the progressively shorter days, setting camp and taking care of the oxen during the twilight hours, followed by sleep. Noon of the fourth day wasn't so routine.

As the caravan was pulling up a long hill, a rolling slope leading down to a slow moving creek to the left, was when they attacked, screeching as they fell from the sky, sun at their backs.

It was a screech all ponies knew by instinct more than experience. Reacting at once, Twilight flung herself to the right, grabbing April and pulling the girl off the wagon as their driver disappeared, hoisted into the air.

"What is it? What's happening?" April cried as the oxen began to panic.

Hooves stamping down, the huge beasts almost crushed Twilight and April, the two scrambling to the line of trees on the side of the so-called road. Hiding beside an old pine, Twilight looked back in time to see one of the oxen pulling their wagon fall to its knees. Snorting and throwing its head, the huge ox tried to reach the creature on its back, to no avail. It was a creature Twilight knew by reputation, and having met before.

Wings spread wide so the sun twinkled between the primary feathers, and claws dug into the flesh of the ox's back, was a gryphon. Several others darted about through the air, swooping and screeching as they attacked the caravan. Eagle-like head snapping down, the gryphon bit deep into the ox's neck. With a twist and sickening snap, the gryphon killed the animal, then looked over and stared straight at Twilight and April.

Golden eyes narrowing, the gryphon leaped into the air, wings snapping once to carry it towards Twilight, screeching as its bird-like fore claws reached for the two humans.

Snapping her hand into a flat blade, Twilight punched the air. A sharp snap cut the gryphon's screech short and the afternoon breeze carried the sharp tang of ozone as lightning crackled from Twilight's hand and into the chest of the gryphon, hurling the creature backwards over the dead ox and down the steep embankment on the other side.

"Stay here," Twilight commanded, waiting just long enough for April to nod before looking out towards the caravan of six wagons.

Rushing out from the trees towards Twilight punched the air at a passing gryphon diving towards the wagon Sunalinda and Tracey had been traveling on, only for nothing to happen.

Biting her lower lip, Twilight ducked down beside the wagon she and April had been riding, saw another gryphon, and again tried to cast the spell. Lightning cracked and forked out, wrapping itself around the winged hunter. Wisps of smoke curling from the blackened feathers and fur, the gryphon crashed and tumbled in a heap into the tree-line.

"Seven and a half seconds Echo, give or take, great," Twilight muttered to herself as she scrambled between her wagon and the one that had been following.

The oxen of this wagon was still alive and panicking, huge hooves thundering as the crazed animals looked for a way to escape the winged death circling and diving. But with steep hills to either side, the wagon in front blocking the road, and no way to turn around, the entire caravan was halted.

Counting down the seconds in her head, Twilight's eyes darted left and right at the swooping attackers. A couple other gryphons lay dying, one with a crossbow bolt protruding from an eye, the other with a broken neck from flying straight into a tree. Twilight suspected the later was the work of Tracey. Some illusion, no doubt, involved.

A screech from behind her barely gave Twilight enough warning to throw herself to the side, talons passing through the air where she'd been moments before. Rolling to her feet Twilight waited a second for the voice to finish its counting in the back of her head, then quickly summoned a bubble of crackling flames. Turning, the gryphon eyed the fire enveloping Twilight wearily, pacing back and forth a few times before taking to the air in search of prey not surrounded by magical flames.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Twilight continued to head towards Tracey and Sun's wagon, a crack and bolt of lightning flying from behind the wagon as Twilight approached. Confident that Tracey was still alive and fighting, Twilight dispelled the shield, the ring on her hand warm from maintaining the fire-fused spell. Starting to count down again, Twilight rounded the wagon and came face to face with a gryphoness.

For a moment Twilight thought she was back in Ponyville at the party for Rainbow's foalhood gryphon friend, Gilda. The two looked almost identical. Just the plumes on their heads were different colours. Growling like a cat, the gryphoness pounced at Twilight, birdlike talons extended. Not even bothering to try to cast a spell, knowing the ring still contained the quickly fading traces of the fire-shield, Twilight instead dove forward under the gryphoness. She cried out a moment later as claws raked her back leaving shallow cuts before Twilight could roll out from beneath the gryphoness.

A cry of pain above signaled the arrival of help. The gryphoness, voice containing hints of anger mingled with pain, took to the air in a flap of her wings and wheeled over the valley, disappearing among the flock of predators.

"Twilight, you alright?" asked Tracey, the illusionist offering a hand to help Twilight up.

Gasping at the stinging in her back, Twilight nodded and rested against the back of the wagon. Looking around Twilight saw that she and Tracey were alone, no Sunalinda or the drivers for any of the wagons. There weren't even any of the other guards hired to protect the wagons.

"Stupid echo," Twilight grumbled in part as an answer to Tracey's question. "I never had this complication before coming here."

"Ha, you'll have to ask the Lady in the Lake to teach you tactics in addition to actual spells and spell theory next time you see her," Tracey said with a grim smile, a spinning blade of fire flying from the head of her staff towards a cluster of gryphons diving towards the two wizards.

Two of the gryphons managed to dodge the spell, but the third was struck on the wing, the limb separating from the body as flames clung and consumed both.

"What about you?"

"Thirty and forty two seconds," Tracey responded ducking back around the wagon and pulling Twilight with her. "One core open."

"I think next chance I get, I'm going to make myself a staff," Twilight sighed, wiggling her fingers as she felt the last trace of the shield leave her ring. "Didn't have this problem when we fought beside the creek," Twilight added before launching a lance of condensed air towards a gryphon.

Squawking in pain the gryphon ducked back out over the valley, but was more irritated than hurt.

"As I recall you were using only first and second tier spells with very low echoes," chuckled the illusionist. "Over and over and over I might add. It was kind of sad, really."

"Considering they were the only spells I had learned since coming to this world, I think I managed rather well," Twilight pouted, then summoned another barrier, this one made of dense water, around her and Tracey as the two gryphons driven off moments earlier landed in front of the wizards and pounced.

Bouncing off the shell of magical water, the gryphons cried out in rage before again taking flight.

Dispelling the barrier Twilight muttered, "Eleven."

"Lucky, that barrier would leave an Echo for close to a minute with my staff," Tracey chuckled.

"So, do we have a plan?" Twilight asked as she waited what felt like forever for her next spell to be available.

"I'm not sure to be honest. I could 'go loud', as the apprentices say," Tracey said shuffling back around the wagon as a trio of gryphons lined up dives. "But if I do and miss..."

"'Go loud'?" Twilight asked, the gryphons changing course and heading towards the back of the caravan, presumably where everyone else was.

"What the apprentices call it when more powerful and experienced wizards pull out the really big spells. If I miss though..."

"It could be several minutes be the core loses its Echo," Twilight said finishing Tracey's sentence, receiving a nod for her insight.

A scream from the back of the caravan made up both wizards minds a moment later.

"Do it," Twilight said, standing up beside Tracey. "I'll protect you."

"Okay. This spell is a favourite of mine and Jasmine's master."

The two wizards stepped away from the partial safety of the wagon to the edge of the slope. Over half the flock of gryphons wheeled about over the valley, their piercing cries of victory or anger filling the air as much as the beat of their wings. One gryphon split from the flock, diving towards the wizards. Twilight recognised it as the Gilda look-alike.

"The Great and Powerful Tracey has a gift for you," Tracey called to the gryphons. Pulling her staff back, Tracey took a deep breath, eyes closing. Twilight could feel the tug of the Aether around her as Tracey began to draw the spell together.

Twilight had no idea how long it was going to take Tracey to cast the spell. Biting her lower lip, Twilight launched several magical sparks towards the gryphoness, each containing a compact disk of air. Humming, the sparks struck the wing of the Gilda gryphoness, making her squawk and retreat back towards the flock. Smiling, Twilight relaxed a little, not even bothering to count the incredibly short echo the spell caused.

The smile was wiped from her face a moment later as a large angry feathered head smashed into Twilight's side. A scream tore from her throat a moment later as the gryphon's beak clamped down on Twilight's thigh, tearing into flesh. Pain flushed through her, hot, searing pain. Releasing her leg, and pinning her with a claw, the gryphon lunged for Twilight's throat. No time to think of anything fancy, Twilight punched the gryphon in the face as hard as she could, the bones in her hand snapping and causing her to cry out a second time.

Grunting, the gryphon shook its head, Twilight still pinned underneath. Beak again dove towards Twilight's throat. A breathy gasp escaped Twilight's lips as the full weight of the gryphon collapsed on her, the gryphons beak smacking into the rocks beside Twilight's head. It gave a slow thready gasp, blood pouring from its open mouth.

Blinking, Twilight was confused as to what had happened. Certainly nothing she'd done. Struggling to pull herself out from under the dead gryphon, Twilight heard Tracey's voice fill the air.

"Gravasenda!" the illusionist roared, staff thrusting forward like a lance.

Turning her head a little to watch, Twilight saw a wide rolling wave of pure telekinetic force blast forth, rumbling like the crash of an avalanche from the head of Tracey's staff. The Gilda-like gryphoness had been again approaching the wizards. She squawked and tried to duck under the wave, only to be caught in the magic. Twilight closed her eyes and looked away, but not before the image of the gryphoness' body being compacted and crushed filled her vision. Several more squawks and cries of pain filled the air and were quickly snuffed out. When Twilight opened her eyes she saw that the sky was clear of flying gryphons.

A ringing cry broke out from among the trees at the base of the slope, one repeated from a dozen throats around the caravan. Moments later the sky was again filled with wings, all flying away. A few gryphons clutched a body in their talons, but most were empty clawed.

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief and started trying to pull herself out from under the dead gryphon again. A moment later Vernon appears, sword covered in liquid crimson. With Tracey's help, he rolled the body off Twilight, and down the embankment.

"You're hurt," he stated seeing Twilight's leg.

"I'll be fine," Twilight grumbled, as she leaned up against a wagon's wheel.

As if to prove her point, Twilight gingerly removed her ring from her broken hand, barely avoiding screaming again, and slid it onto her left index finger. Pausing to control her breathing, Twilight quickly went through her mental inventory of spells. Most were Evocations, but she had learned one Transmutation that'd help. Making the necessary signs, Twilight placed her good hand on the bite. Magic tingled through the flesh and the bleeding slowed, though it didn't stop. The spell was far too weak to fully heal a wound so deep.

"Healing magic, you're improving quickly," Tracey commented as she and Vernon wrapped and bandaged what remained.

"The most minor healing magic," Twilight said with a hiss as Vernon took her hand and inspected it.

"You broke two fingers," he said.

"Breaking your casting hand," a mirthless laugh came from Twilight's lips. "That has to be the equivalent of breaking your horn back home. Celestia would be so disappointed in me," Twilight added, eyes fixated on a dead gryphon.

Then again, maybe she wouldn't. Twilight was beginning to understand some of the sad looks Celestia had given her over the years when asked questions or comments about history, or how Twilight would have found another way rather than resort to war or violence. Celestia had always smiled, despite the dancing sadness in her eyes that only those very few who truly knew her could detect, and said that she hoped Twilight would never have to understand why she had done certain things.

Her own injuries tended to, Twilight was helped to her feet. The three went to see if there was anyone in the caravan that needed help.

"April?" she called, making her way first towards the front of the caravan, limping and hissing when she put pressure on her bad leg.

"I'm fine!" the girl responded, but not at the base of the tree Twilight had left her, rather half way up in its branches.

Letting out a deeper sigh of relief, Twilight waited for April to climb out of the tree. Together they made their way towards the back of the caravan where everyone else was gathering. Half-way there a new sound echoed and reverberated through the valley; a sound anyone who had lived in the Protectorates knew as intrinsically as Twilight knew the cry of a diving gryphon.

Looking up, Twilight saw, on wings like the great sails of a ship, a dragon as white as snow. The dragon's shadow passed over the caravan, the huge beast roaring again as the caravaneers hooted and called out its name. Shading her eyes, Twilight saw among the white scales little flecks of ruby running across the dragon's belly and through its wings. Smiling and waving, Twilight added her voice to the chorus. April remained silent.

In a matter of moments the dragon caught up to the fleeing gryphons, and opening its jaws, sent a stream of white fire that consumed the remainder of the flock. Twilight's voice died in her throat and the blood left her face. Sputtering and blinking, she watched the dragon turn and fly back towards the caravan.

Ground trembling under its clawed feet, the dragon landed on the slope, head lifted up to survey what remained of the wagons and their drivers.

"A thousand apologies," the dragon said, a dragoness Twilight mentally corrected, based on the distinct feminine tones. "I hadn't expected the gryphons to grow so bold so soon. Had I they would have been culled."

The dragoness' voice rumbled through the valley as Twilight joined the others. More than a few had claw wounds or bites. Kodiak's face and chest was covered in blood, presumably gryphon. Sun and Eric were tending to the wounded along with one of the caravan drivers. Several of the caravaneers were missing however, taken by the gryphons. As the caravan master went to speak with the dragoness, Twilight went to help heal. Her spell may be weak, but it was still better than unsanitized bandages.

For a time the dragoness spoke to the caravan master. Twilight ignored what was said, focusing on the more important task. More roars began to filter through the valley. Looking up Twilight saw six other dragons flying down from the north. It was like the Great Migration in Equestria again. They flew in a loose line, fire occasionally flickering from a mouth.

"I must go," the dragoness said, reaching up with a talon to pry a lose ruby scale free. "Give this to the mayor of Golem's Watch. Tell him the Lady atop the Mountains sent you. He will know what to do."

Just as she was spreading her wings to take to the sky, the dragoness' eyes landed on Twilight. Her face scrunched up in pensive confusion for a moment, then flashed a deep bestial rage.

"Purpura Veneficus!" she roared, white fire dancing around her teeth. "I dared not believe it, until now."

The Lady atop the Mountains took long deep breaths from her nose, eyes growing wider still and darting to April.

"I know that smell. But it cannot be. They were all lost along with the Ancients and the Crown!"

Rocks and dirt tumbled down the embankment as the dragoness took a step forward, her dark sapphire eyes locked on April. The girl stood firm, though Twilight could detect the traces of a tremble, as the dragoness lowered her snout until it was so close April could reach out and touch her. The ground trembled as a second dragon landed on the rise behind Twilight and April.

"You are not to touch her, Mountains, she is of the Lake."

Twilight had to work hard to keep her face neutral as the booming voice of Ogopologos thundered through the valley.

"She is in the Mountains now, I can do as I please."

"She is apprentice of my Flame. She is of the Lake. You are not to touch her."

"Your Flame? You have taken the great destroyer as your Fidelis Discipulus?" The Lady atop the Mountains raised her head high into the air, a deep menacing rumble echoing from within her armoured chest. "Have you any conception what you've set in motion?"

"Do not take me for a hatchling, Mountains!" Thundered the blue dragon, smoke curling from her nostrils. "I am well aware of the consequences for my actions. Habet electionem, quantum potui movere volumus. Non abscondit in spelunca expectabit!"

"We do not hide in our caves, Lake! We know that the slightest touch, the briefest nudge, could bring disaster down upon us all. "

"The Purple Wizard has come, Mountains. She will save us, or doom us. We must accept that the Prophecy is in motion and do our part to see it through, no matter the end."

While the two dragonesses shouted in each other's face, April had slid up to Twilight, wrapping herself up in the rich, dirty, and torn robes. Twilight could feel sobs wracking the girl's body as she clung to her.

"Twilight Sparkle, April Conrad. Come to me," commanded the Lady in the Lake. Lowering herself so that her neck lay on the rocky road, the dragoness said, "Climb upon my back."

Twilight knew that tone well, having heard it many times over the last few months. Grabbing a scale with her good hand, Twilight pulled herself up onto the dragoness' neck. A few times she had to bite her tongue to avoid making noises from the pain of her broken hand. Once she was seated, Twilight reached down to help April.

The girl looked from the dragoness' eyes, only feet away from her, to Twilight's hand. Looking over her shoulder to Tracey and Vernon, the humans having been ignored as the dragon's argued, she saw both nod. Adjusting the pack holding the Prometheus Dynamo, she clambered up the dragoness and sat in front of Twilight.

"We will not forget this betrayal, Lake," the Lady atop the Mountains warned as the Lady in the Lake spread her massive wings.

"Even creatures as long lived as we forget, in time, Mountains," The Lady in the Lake replied sadly, then with a bounding leap that pushed Twilight and April down into the scales, she took to the air.

Over the years Twilight had experienced many forms of flight, from carriages pulled by the royal guards, to her hot-air balloon. She'd even been carried on Rainbow's back a couple times. But nothing compared to being on a dragon's back. Power, potent and barely contained, thrummed through the dragon's muscles and into the air. Magic, more so than even the dragon's beating wings, held the immense creature aloft.

Twilight smiled as the village of Golem's Watch came into view. A journey of a day reduced to several minutes. A smile that slowly faded into a pensive frown as she looked up at the slate sided mountains looming over the narrow pass and cliff the village was perched atop. Her eyes settled on the massive imposing statue in the heart of the village, polished metal sides gleaming like mirrors in the mountain air.

She'd seen this sight before, almost exactly, when Twilight had held the Prometheus Dynamo in her hands. Closing her eyes, Twilight let the rushing wind and strong flaps of wings carry away a growing tide of painful memories.

Angling down a narrow pass between the growing mountains, The Lady in the Lake looked back towards the two humans on her back.

"Master, why?" Twilight called, cupping her mouth with her hands and shouting at the top of her voice to speak over the wind. "Why help me?"

"Know this, my student. I am old, and I no longer fear death for myself. I am also a mother, and like all mothers, I worry for my children. Should I perish my eldest has agreed to honour the Oaths and become the new Lady in the Lake. Your role in this world is the most important since King Arthus and the founding of the White-Gold Empire. It is foolish to think otherwise. "

"I think I understand, Master." Twilight rubbed her temples with her good hand.

The Lady in the Lake didn't reply. She just gave a throaty chuckle that made the two humans on her neck shake, wings striking the air as she gained altitude to fly above the clouds and mountains. For a time only an endless sheet of brilliant white stretched out beneath them, glistening like diamonds in the descending sun. Twilight relaxed, just enjoying the beat of the dragon's wings, the cool crisp wind in her face, and the peaceful calm. She could almost forget all her worries and the memories that haunted her dreams.

After a while, Twilight again cupped her hands around her mouth and asked, "Master, where are you taking us?"

"To the jewel of the coast; Roxholm upon Tyme."

The dragoness tipped her wings, rolling into a long bank, the clouds thinning and breaking into windows on the rolling green fields of a great plain below. Towns and villages dotted and sprinkled the bank of a huge winding grey river. To the north and east mighty mountains reached into the sky creating a nearly impenetrable wall, while to the south a single lonely mountain thrust out of the plain, higher and mightier than any Twilight had ever seen, even in Equestria. Nostalgia clutched Twilight's heart as they began to descend. The plain reminded her so much of the Mane Valley with the sharp ringing mountains and forests mixed with patches of farmland.

Looking over the bobbing head and horns of the dragon's head, Twilight spotted the city. A circle of grey with the river flowing through the middle. Thousands of plumes of smoke curled from chimneys, and even so high, the rank smell of sewage struck at Twilight's senses. Towers dotted the high walls every hundred yards, ballista or trebuchet perched on their flat tops. Three bridges crossed the river, connecting the two sides. Pennants of blue and white, or silver and blue, were hung from windows of houses or hung from the battlements.

Four buildings stood out from among the sea of thatched roof homes and shops. Near the center of the city, on the north bank, stood a tall tower of dark basalt. It thrust into the sky like a giant, lording over all the lesser buildings. Across the river stood a large cross-shaped building with tall windows of stained glass and small wing-like towers along it's sides. Twilight wondered to the purpose of having so many solid towers connected by arches to the main structure. Towards the edge of the city, on the down-stream side, stood a squat fortress and palace. More banners adorned its sides than anywhere else in the city. The final building was a circular arena that reminded Twilight of the famed Cloudeseum of Cloudsdale, only made of the same dark basalt as the rest of the city.

Tipping her wings again, the Lady in the Lake pointed to each of the four structures in turn.

"There is the Arcanum, the great tower and school of the wizards. Most of the surrounding buildings are homes of servants, storage, or the great libraries. Across the river is the Cathedral of the Dead Gods. The center of worship in these lands and home to the Blue Cardinal. That is the Fortress of Tyme and seat of the kings throne. And finally, the coliseum, where games and duels take place."

Twilight nodded, an excited smile plastered to her face. The streets were filled with swarming colourful life. People dancing and singing, bands playing on small stages erected throughout the city. Jesters did handstands, and small puppet shows entertained children. As they continued to draw closer the smells of food began to mix with the pungent stench, spices and herbs flowing to creating a heady mix that overpowered the more disgusting scents.

Bells began to ring throughout the city from the dozens of churches and the large cathedral that sat grey and stoic atop a hill next to the river. The sea of people began to shift, and then they looked to the sky, and as one began to scream and clamour towards the supposed safety of their homes. The Lady in the Lake opened her mouth and bellowed a challenge to the bells, one that made Twilight and April clap their hands over their ears.

"They have seen us. I'll land in the courtyard of the fortress. Mind yourself, my student, the enemies and dangers here will be more subtle and sinister than those you've encountered thus far in your journey."

Backing her wings, the Lady in the Lake began her approach to the fortress, a knot of uncertainty gripping Twilight's stomach, even as it lurched from the sudden change in direction. Wind tossed back the cloaks of guards as Ogopologos came to a gentle landing, her padded feet kissing the cobblestones. Lowering her head, she let Twilight and April slide to the ground.

As soon as her two passengers were safely on the ground, magic leapt around the dragon in a column of dancing light. Twilight shielded her eyes and looked away as the aether continued to flow higher, and then dropped, revealing the armoured human form Twilight knew so well from long sessions in the Winterlands. Rolling her neck and flexing her hands, the dragon in human guise ignored the rushing crowd of guards and soldiers.

Pike, crossbow and sword were leveled at the trio. From the ring that formed around them, Twilight watched who she assumed was a captain step forward. He looked from the dragon, to April, and then settled on Twilight, his expression turning from a mix of fear and anger to surprise.

"Princess Jasmine?" he asked, taking several steps forward, and then bowing curtly to her.

Twilight just sighed internally. She had known this was coming since deciding that she needed to go south to use the Arcanum's libraries. Putting on a brave smile, she did as Vernon had instructed her, stepping past the captain while waving for April and the Lady in the Lakes to follow.

"I need to speak with my father, it is a matter of great urgency," Twilight said in what she hoped was a forceful tone.

The guards parted for her, their faces all confused and anxious, especially towards Ogopologos.

"He is holding court in the grand hall," the captain replied, stepping quickly to take a position ahead of Twilight. Grateful that she wouldn't have to come up with an excuse to get the captain to lead her to the grand hall, Twilight followed.

The fortress palace, Twilight saw, wasn't as grand or as opulent as Canterlot Castle. The walls had a few tapestries or suits of ancient armour on display, but was mostly utilitarian and bare. This was a building built to repel attackers, not awe foreign dignitaries with the splendor and wealth of a nation. Many of the corridors were narrower and shorter than Twilight was used to seeing in a palace, excellent for funneling enemies, not so useful for a bustling center of government with pages and attendants moving about.

At last they came to a set of tall doors. Beyond them Twilight could hear the excited chatter of hundreds of voices. The captain knocked on the door, stepped through, and in a booming voice announced her arrival, or rather, Jasmine's.

Taking a deep breath, Twilight stepped through the door.

Chapter Sixteen: Lullaby for a Princess

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Sixteen: Lullaby for a Princess

"Once opened, no Door can close on its own,
Three Doors; two ajar, one barred, in the land of Sun and Moon."

-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

"What?!"

Three mares stared at the fourth occupant in the room. Cadence shook her head slightly trying to deny what she had just heard while her aunt tried to re-assemble her famous graceful, calm mask. Rarity just sat blinking her now ruby coloured eyes in dumb shock.

"Necromancy?" Rarity repeated, the word rolling off her tongue like it was bitter.

For her part, Jasmine just shrugged and continued to look out the window at the moonless night.

Celestia had wasted little time in returning Equestria to its proper cycle, but when asked about the missing moon had grown quiet and sad, saying it could wait for the time being. Instead the four had appropriated a quiet office and tried to figure out exactly what had been happening in Equestria the last couple days.

"Your kind studies Necromancy?"

"Yes, but not many are open about it. Most have the same reaction you are having," Jasmine gave a rueful smile. "But I was given a spell book by my future husband that was almost entirely on the subject, and I never could turn down the challenge of mastering difficult magic."

Smile turning into a sour laugh, Jasmine continued.

"It's actually my fault, all of this," she said gesturing at herself. "I managed to irritate the First enough that he left his little castle to hunt me down. Now, that was a fight! He came for me while I was in the Winterlands. Thought I'd be easier to attack there I suppose. Too arrogant and powerful for his own good."

"We crashed through the boundaries of thought and mind, twisting and battling in places I've never dreamt existed, until we crashed here. We were both expending huge amounts of energy. Enough that he became the Fifth. I don't think he really re-adjusted to his loss of power, otherwise I can't see why he thought he could directly confront you on the physical plane."

Celestia indicated for the purple unicorn to continue her story after a few long moments of silence. Cadence found herself close to the edge of her seat, curious about what exactly had happened to Twilight. Jasmine seemed to be carefully considering her next few words, and Cadence couldn't blame her. Simmering deep in her heart, Cadence could feel anger and hatred towards this pony that had stolen Twilight from her.

"I was dying, separated so far from my body. I-I sensed someone with an immense connection to the flow of Aether. It was like," Jasmine's voice grew distant and wistful, lost to recent memories, "looking on the weave of magic itself. I've never seen anything so beautiful before. When the Fifth saw her, he had to have her, and together we crashed into her. There was an explosion of light and screaming silence as he tore a part of her off, but he couldn't hold onto it, and it was flung back along the void we had travelled. Everything after that is a confusing jumble until I woke up here with you odd talking ponies all around me."

Cadence felt tears come to her eyes, thinking about the abominable violation committed to Twilight. Celestia had a look of cold fury dancing deep beneath her calm mask. If it hadn't been the voice and face of her most Faithful Student telling the story, Cadence wondered what Celestia would have done to Jasmine.

"You are a fiend," Rarity hissed, her ruby eyes dangerous slits. "How could you do that to somepony?"

Jasmine simply shrugged, "I am a pragmatist, Rarity, and I am not a good person. Can you say you'd have done things differently if you'd been in my place?"

"Yes! Without hesitation, yes!" Rarity snarled, her upper lip curling.

Shrugging again, Jasmine looked out at the twinkling stars.

"What's done is done, Rarity," Celestia said, massaging her temples with her hooves. "There is something your story makes me curious about. I'd like to perform a quick simple test, with your permission, Jasmine. And to you as well, Rarity."

"A test? What sort of, 'test'? If you don't mind my asking," Rarity scooted back in her chair looking warily at the Princess.

Cadence hid a smile. She knew exactly what test Celestia was asking to perform. It was a 'test' Cadence had performed on a certain purple filly many times while foalsitting for the Sparkle House.

"Nothing to be concerned about. It's just to see your magic potentials."

"I don't mind. I doubt I really have a choice in the matter." Jasmine didn't even try to hide her disinterest.

After a few moments, Rarity nodded her agreement. Celestia made her way in front of Jasmine first, bending down to touch her horn to the unicorn's. A gentle glimmer of magic wreathed both horns for a moment, and then diminished.

"Interesting," Celestia said, then turned to Rarity, repeating the motion.

This time there was a snap that filled the office, and a white-blue aura of magic whipped through the air, knocking Celestia back a couple steps. Blinking in surprise, but otherwise unhurt, Celestia said, "very interesting."

"Oh my goodness! Princess, I am so sorry. I-I didn't mean to..."

Waving a hoof, Celestia calmed Rarity's panic, Cadence covering her mouth to hide a slight smile. She'd seen reactions far stronger over the years to the Aether test.

"Be calm, Rarity, while your reaction was stronger than I anticipated, it wasn't harmful, and certainly not your fault."

Blushing, Rarity dipped her head. "Yes, yes, I am just... upset with myself for what happened. I-I should have listened to you and Jasmine.

"Yes, you should have," Celestia said, but not unkindly. With a gold shod hoof, the princess lifted Rarity's chin when silent sobs began to wrack the unicorn. "I never would have let anything happen to your sister. Now, I'd like to hear what happened to Luna."

Cadence sat straighter on her cushion, ears pricking forward. A slight shiver of worry and curiosity tingled just below the surface, betraying her long seated anger and hate.

"Tartarus, it could have been no place other," Rarity shivered, hooves scraping at her legs.

Cadence shared in the motion as Rarity described the bleak furnace of a world she'd fallen onto through the portal. Celestia closed her eyes, sadness making her eyes wet. But no tear fell.

The details were sparse. Rarity had been cast back through the portal by Luna before seeing the battle's conclusion. No pony knew Luna or the two spirits fates.

"Discord is terrified of Tartarus, and what may be coming through the portals," Rarity said, still trying to control her shivering.

Cadence felt like a hammer had hit her in the stomach at the mention of the Draconequus. Celestia motioned for Rarity to continue.

"He, well, he told me an incredible story. One I am not sure I can believe," Rarity chewed on her lower lip. "He isn't a god or spirit. He's a Demon. The Draconequus, all of them, were sent as messengers and scouts for something he refused to name. When he came to Equestria thousands of years ago, he was confronted by a Herd of Alicorns. He tricked them into performing a spell that caused six to become what we call the Elements of Harmony in order to seal the Door to Tartarus. He didn't say what became of the others."

Rarity continued, going into as much detail as she remembered about everything Discord had said. About how the Elements of Harmony couldn't close a Door, but could permanently bar them instead. She went on to say that the Elements weren't an option as the Element of Magic was missing. At this Rarity sent a scathing glare towards Jasmine. Turning over the information in her head, Cadence missed Celestia's response.

"Discord said that it was years later he discovered that you and Luna had been hidden from him by your mother."

"So little is known about the pre-classical era now. Most destroyed by Discord himself. I wonder how much of what he said can be trusted." Cadence shook her head slowly.

"I agree, Cadence," Celestia nodded.

"He seemed earnest and genuinely afraid of the Doors, as he called them, opening. When we fought him, he wasn't ever afraid. But this scares him. Or rather, what could be coming through."

"You should be as well," Jasmine chuckled, looking away from the window. "Those imps we encountered in the forest are nothing, Rarity. There are monsters made of flesh formed from fire, and worse. Terrible beasts that seek only the complete destruction and enslavement of all life. They know only hatred, and wickedness, and evil; for that is all they can know."

Celestia contemplated what she'd been told, adding it and comparing it to her own information. Cadence smiled as she watched the ancient mind of her aunt turn and plan. For all her magical power, Celestia's greatest weapon was her ability to plot and outthink her opponents, often by decades. She was the undisputed master of the 'Long Game', guiding Equestria and the neighboring nations to centuries of peace and swiftly dealing with the threats, like Discord's return, when the arose quickly and with barely a ripple to the nation as a whole.

"Very well," was all Celestia said. Leaving the matter for the moment, Celestia turned her full attention to Jasmine. "Now, what are we to do about you."

Stiffening, Jasmine turned, almost imperceptibly, towards the door. Cadence knew she was thinking about escape. Jasmine wouldn't make it far. Not with the other Elements of Harmony, the royal guard, and of course, two Alicorns, all surrounding her. The thought must have gone through Jasmine's head, as she didn't try to bolt. Or she was an incredibly calm and self assured pony, Cadence added.

"You'll be kept under supervision, for the time being. I confess, this doesn't please me, at all. Twilight Sparkle is very dear to mine and many hearts, and beyond that her importance to this nation is, complex. But I see nothing else that can be done other than lock you in a dungeon or tower," Celestia let a wry smile touch her lips. Letting the smile fade she nodded to the pair of unicorns, saying, "You both may join the other Elements of Harmony."

"So, what did the test reveal?" Cadence asked, though she felt she knew the answers already, when the door clicked closed behind the two mares.

"Jasmine has slightly above normal magic for a unicorn. Rarity, on the other hoof, her magic is much stronger, and 'off'."

"Only above normal?" Cadence asked, her stomach clenching at the news. "Then?"

"I would guess the rest is with Twilight, where it belongs."

Gulping down a knot in her throat thinking about the precocious filly she'd foal-sat, Cadence forced herself to focus on the Element of Generosity. There was nothing she could do for Twilight, and worry wouldn't help.

"How much stronger is Lady Rarity's magic?" Cadence looked over her shoulder to the door. "I know you, Auntie, and something like the magic of the Element of Generosity would be tracked and recorded."

Smiling proudly, Celestia inclined her head. Among the two she didn't play games, the answer rolling off her lips instantly.

"She was a Seven on the Star Swirl magical aptitude test before. Now she'd be an Eleven."

"Eleven? Unicorns don't reach Eleven." Cadence's eyes were wide as she thought to the only four living ponies that rated an 'Eleven' on the test.

"No, they don't. Lady Rarity has joined a very exclusive group. I believe that is in part why her eyes have changed colour. I don't know what she is, precisely, except that the spirit that saved her was concerned that there would be consequences. This is undoubtedly one of them. What I saw her do to Rarity, it defies everything that I thought I knew about life and death."

Celestia grew quiet, losing herself in her thoughts. Cadence watched her aunt, eyes pinching together as her own thoughts turned over and processed everything she'd heard.

"Cadence, I'd like you to watch over Jasmine. I don't think we can fully trust her beyond the fact that she wants to return to her own world and body." Standing up, Celestia moved to the window. "I'm going to fly to the Door to Tartarus and check on its seals."

"Do you think she's alright?" Cadence whispered, not daring to look at her aunt as the words passed her lips. "Luna, I mean."

"I don't know. Your mother is strong. But Tartarus?" Celestia shook her head sadly.

The silence again drifted and lingered in the room. Cadence chewed on her lip, thoughts swirling around Luna, and the terrible reign of Nightmare Moon a millennia earlier. At last Celestia stepped away from the window.

Nuzzling Cadence, Celestia whispered, "You should go. Send Captain Shining Armour in please."

Doing as she was asked, Cadence headed towards the hospital lobby. There she found the Elements of Harmony, as well as a tired looking Sweetie Belle and Spike. The dragon sat on the back of the Element of Honesty, Applejack, Cadence corrected. If she was going to be spending time in the town, it would be better to think of them as individuals rather than the Element they bore.

Smiling as she approached, Cadence waved for the group to follow her.

Stepping into the crisp summer night, fresh air filled her lungs banishing the harsh smells of the hospital.

"Princess Celestia has asked that I be the one to watch over you, Jasmine," Cadence said, turning to face the named pony.

Jasmine just shrugged and continued to look disinterested. The look was starting to grate on Cadence's nerves. Before she could mention anything, Spike luckily spoke.

"Where are we going to sleep though? I mean, the library was destroyed."

Applejack and Fluttershy both offered together to house the dragon, unicorn, and Princess. Cadence thanked them for their hospitality, then turned to Rarity.

"I believe it would be best if we stayed with Lady Rarity," Cadence indicated herself, Rarity and Jasmine.

"What about me?" Spike grumbled, kicking a loose stone.

"You c-can stay with me, Spike, if you want." Spike looked up towards Fluttershy, the pegasus smiling bashfully, over to Cadence and Jasmine, then nodded slowly.

All eyes then returned to Rarity. Blinking at being put on the spot, Rarity sputtered for a half second, then she looked down at her sister.

Sighing, the fashionista said, "I'm afraid I don't have the room. I promised to let Sweetie stay already and only have the one guest bedroom."

"Don't worry, we'll manage..."

Cadence paused, looking up towards the open window of the office where she had left her aunt as a slow sad voice began to call out to the moonless night.

Fate has been cruel and order unkind
How can I have sent you away?
The blame was my own; the punishment, yours
The harmony's silent today

But into the stillness I'll bring you a song
And I will your company keep
Till your tired eyes and my lullabies
Have carried you softly to sleep

Once did a pony who shone like the sun
Look out on her kingdom and sigh
She smiled and said, "Surely, there is no pony
So lovely and so well beloved as I"

So great was her reign and so brilliant her glory
That long was the shadow she cast
Which fell dark upon the young sister she loved
And grew only darker as days and nights passed

Lullay moon princess, goodnight sister mine
And rest now in moonlight's embrace
Bear up my lullaby, winds of the earth
Through cloud, and through sky, and through space

Carry the peace and the coolness of night
And carry my sorrow in kind
Luna, you're loved so much more than you know
Forgive me for being so blind

Soon did that pony take notice that others
Did not give her sister her due
And neither had she loved her as she deserved
She watched as her sister's unhappiness grew

But such is the way of the limelight, it sweetly
Takes hold of the mind of its host
And that foolish pony did nothing to stop
The destruction of one who had needed her most

Lullay moon princess, goodnight sister mine
And rest now in moonlight's embrace
Bear up my lullaby, winds of the earth
Through cloud, and through sky, and through space

Carry the peace and the coolness of night
And carry my sorrow in kind
Luna, you're loved so much more than you know
May troubles be far from your mind
And forgive me for being so blind

The years now before us
Fearful and unknown
I never imagined
I'd face them on my own

May these thousand winters
Swiftly pass, I pray
I love you; I miss you
All these miles away

May all your dreams be sweet tonight
Safe upon your bed of moonlight
And know not of sadness, pain, or care
And when I dream, I'll fly away and meet you there
Sleep...

Turning briskly away from the window, Cadence said, "Come we'll all want some sleep. I suspect the next few days will be long."

* * *

"So, that entire building is dedicated to housing and treating the sick and injured?" Jasmine asked as she trotted.

Biting back several choice words, Rarity just nodded, thankful for Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy on either side of her, and the top of her home coming into view.

"Yes. Surely you have hospitals where you come from?" Rarity realised then she actually had almost no idea about what it was like where Jasmine was from. Considering Twilight would be there, curiosity prodded her to slow down waiting for a response.

"We have hospices in the Kingdom run by Priests, but nothing like this. There isn't the need."

"Ponies don't get sick?"

"Oh, people get sick all the time, but judicial use of magic makes most illnesses or injuries a moot point, unless you live far away from a town. There will be tithes to the church or services returned for services rendered."

"Sounds like a wonderful system," Cadence said, Fluttershy nodding enthusiastically.

Jasmine chuckled ruefully.

"Oh, it's far from perfect. The number of people who can actually perform the spells, especially the more difficult ones, is actually rather small. Those that can tend to have their services purchased by the nobility." As the small group passed Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Splitting off to enter the building, Jasmine said, "What concerns me is that for a society that uses magic for everything from cooking to opening doors and lighting your streets at night, that you don't have healing spells."

Rarity didn't have a reply to the statement, though she wished she did. The condescending bite in Jasmine's voice rankled Rarity's nerves. How Rarity wished she had Twilight's knowledge and understanding of magic to throw at the body-thief's face. Or, better still, for Twilight herself to be there to lecture Jasmine.

She was also a bit surprised that Jasmine thought ponies cooked with magic. Everypony knew that stoves used natural gas. There was a canister out behind the kitchen of every modern home in Equestria.

"Healing magic is supposed to be nearly impossible," Cadence said, drawing Rarity out of her thoughts. "Even unicorns that have their marks in medicine can't actually heal wounds or illness."

"Huh," was all Jasmine said to the information, her eyes growing distant.

Rarity didn't know how she was going to be able to stay under the same roof as Jasmine. On one hoof, Jasmine had been the one to save her and Princess Luna from the Fifth the first night. On the other hoof, she'd killed those helpless creatures in the woods, stolen Twilight's body, and didn't even seem to feel remorse for what her actions had caused.

As she was about to bite out a comment towards the lavender mare, something caught Rarity's eye. It was only for a couple moments, but Rarity swore she saw a tall figure standing next to the door to her boutique, a figure that was watching her. In those moments she noted the dark steel armour it wore, the helmet that hid its face, and the fur cloak hanging off its shoulders as it rested hands on its hips.

Then Rarity blinked and the figure was gone.

"Did you see that?" she asked turning towards Fluttershy.

"Um s-see what, Rarity?"

"Nothing, must have been a shadow playing with the lamplight," Rarity muttered, peering at the empty space.

Applejack and Fluttershy bid the Princess and three unicorns good night at the door to the boutique. Worrying about her little bunny, Angel, Fluttershy quickly trotted off into the dark, Spike sitting on her back and watching the pony that had been both sister and mother to him with long yearning eyes.

Stepping back into her home for the first time in days, Rarity felt her mouth fall open.

Everything was destroyed. Bolts of fabric had great gashes through the material. Dresses were torn and scattered over every available surface. The heads of all the display dolls had been removed and hung from a net that dangled from the ceiling. Curses and violent declarations had been scrawled over the walls in red marker and lipstick.

"And I thought I caused disasters!" Sweetie shrilly squeaked, ducking her head in anticipation of a scowl from her sister that never arrived.

"The Fifth sure made himself at home," Jasmine muttered as she walked into the show room of the shop.

Numbness overcame Rarity, and with a little squeak, she excused herself and headed upstairs to her room. Like the showroom it had also been destroyed. Her alarm clock and one of the new electric style lamps had been tossed into a heap of smashed bits in the middle of the bed. Pressing her lips into a solid line, Rarity tossed the debris aside with her magic. She had to forcibly remind herself that compared to Twilight's home, her boutique had come off light. As desecrated as it was, at least her home was still standing.

Laying on the ripped and slashed sheets and pillows, Rarity beckoned Sweetie to join her. Curling up together, both were soon asleep.

Almost at once Rarity found herself coasting through a pristine sky. Turning her head she saw long alabaster wings gently lifting her higher on a warm thermal. Letting out a little sigh Rarity knew she was dreaming immediately. At least it was a pleasant dream, and one she'd had often over the last few years. Banking around, Rarity closed her eyes and just enjoyed the warm wind tickling through her coat and over feathers.

To her left Rarity spotted a bank of soft white cotton clouds. Turning towards the clouds Rarity did a little corkscrew maneuver she'd watched Rainbow Dash perform many times. Diving and swooping like a dolphin through the clouds Rarity was surprised to find she could feel the small droplets of dew and water clinging to her legs and body.

Never had her dreams been this vivid or intense, and for several moments Rarity began to wonder if she really was dreaming or not. Lucid dreaming had never been something Rarity ever really experienced. This experience of being aware she was dreaming, at least she hoped it was a dream. It'd be awkward if she'd suddenly sprouted wings when Rarity next saw Celestia and Cadence. No, this was certainly just a dream, Rarity finally concluded, a happy lady-like laugh rippling from her mouth.

Rarity lost in the pleasurable dream, the night slowly became day.

* * *

Morning dawned only a few hours after sleep came over the boutique.

Cadence was not normally a morning pony. She preferred late nights, sitting up and letting her awareness expand to the many lovers and romantic partners enjoying the night. Morning wasn't known as a time of day renowned for Love, and Cadence didn't care to change that perception. Rolling to her hooves off the remnants of Rarity's guest bed, the Princess stumbled down towards the kitchen.

Like the rest of the home it had suffered terribly under the Fifth's short reign. Spoiled food hung out of the ice box or had been tossed against the walls and ceiling so that both looked like some modern art project. Almost all of Rarity's make-up had been destroyed in the oven so that a black acrid pile of cosmetics sat like half chewed food in a foal's open mouth. Cadence just shook her head and set about cleaning up as best she could.

An hour later a bleary eyes Jasmine stumbled into the kitchen. Heavy bags hung under her eyes and her mane was a tangled mess from sleeping on Rarity's 'fainting couch'. Shortly afterwards Rarity and her sister joined them in the kitchen. Rarity was practically prancing as she came into the kitchen, while her sister glowered and grumbled in her wake.

"So, ladies, what is the plan for today?" Rarity asked, her nose barely crinkling at the foulness of the kitchen. "Looks like breakfast out, but what after? Hmm? We have a plan for getting our Twilight back and miss Jasmine home?"

Cadence arched an eyebrow at the chipperness of the fashionista. It seemed very out of place, and earnest. Rarity was practically glowing as she sat at the table.

"I'll have to take Sweetie home to her parents, naturally, but afterwards?"

The eyebrow arched higher at Rarity's choice of words, but Cadence didn't comment.

"If I can finally forge a new Focus, I might be able to recreate the spells used to cause this," Jasmine grumbled, hooves massaging her temples. "But I am not all that confident to be honest. Not unless I can find a way home, or your Twilight comes here."

"But either way, you need your Focus, correct, darling?"

"If I am to perform the spells, then yes. I'm no good at controlling this thing on my head."

"Lady Rarity, I am not so sure my Aunt would welcome the idea of an admitted practitioner of necromancy from regaining her ability to use magic.

Lips pressed together and hoof rubbing her chin, Rarity considered Jasmine for several long moments.

"No, I feel that this is for the best." Rarity's ruby eyes twinkled mischievously. "Not too sure why, but I do, and there we have it."

"Well, we already collected everything, yes? And I saw you had your saddlebags in the hospital."

Standing up Cadence walked around the table, peering closer at the white unicorn. Craning away at the sudden intrusion into her space, Rarity asked Cadence what the Princess was doing.

"Trying to see if you've been brainwashed," Cadence admitted. "It's like a complete switch from last night. Then you could barely look at Jasmine, now you're practically pushing her to regain her magic."

Tilting her head to one side, Rarity nodded slowly. "I know it seems that way. But I had the most amazing dreams, and in them I realised that Twilight wouldn't want me to be angry and spiteful. No, she'd want us all to work on getting her home! And that is exactly what I am going to do, darling!" Rarity thrust a hoof into the air at the end of her very short speech. "Now, come, come, we have a, what did you call it? A Focus? Yes, a Focus, to make!"

Shrugging, but not arguing, Jasmine left to retrieve the bags she'd left beside the couch she'd used as a bed.

A short time later the kitchen Cadence had partially cleaned looked again like a disaster area, this time table filled with bubbling beakers and alembics, among other alchemical tools. Cadence had little idea what was happening, and much of what Jasmine said failed to penetrate the haze of fatigue and centuries of relative disinterest in magic.

You couldn't live for close to a millennia without picking up more than a little knowledge, but what Jasmine was doing was far outside the norm. Cadence wondered if anyone alive, even Celestia or Discord, would have understood the jabbering lavender unicorn.

The most surprising moment came when Jasmine asked Rarity to shave a thin unbroken strip off her horn. Even more surprising was when Rarity had not only taking a sample from Twilight horn, but also her own.

These shavings would become the cores, Cadence was told, and were placed into a bubbling concoction created from the other gathered materials to be prepared.

Next Jasmine had taken out a small number of bits. She'd already determined that Equestrian coins were only a tenth gold, the rest a combination of tin and bronze, with the amounts depending on the year the coin was minted. Scoffing at the use of impure materials, Rarity went to her room and from it retrieved a box filled with several nuggets of pure gold. Jasmine, showing again how little she was alike to Twilight, took the gold and placed it in a metal working mold. Rarity, using a spell she had learned for use in making accessories for her dresses, struck the metal with a spell that melted the gold.

At this point it was made clear that it'd be a slow and difficult process attuning the cores to their owners. Preferring to take a short walk rather than watch the remainder of the process of creating these focuses, Cadence excused herself and stepped out into a wonderful summer day.

Looking left then right, Cadence wondered which way she should go, and picking a direction at random, began to walk.

It wasn't long before Cadence found herself approaching a nice park of gentle rolling green hills and a few shade trees. Ponies gathered and frolicked as if nothing strange had happened the previous few days. Ponyville's ability to cope and recover from the odd and unusual had greatly improved over the last couple years, thanks to constant practice.

A familiar sound reached Cadence's ears as she trotted past a crystal clear pond. Drawn to the sound, Cadence turned and found a small gathering of fillies and adults listening to a mint green unicorn playing a harp. Smile touching her lips, Cadence joined the small crowd.

Coming to the end of her tune, the unicorn nodded politely to her audience as a few bits were placed in her open instrument case. Cadence would have donated more than a few bits, the unicorn was exceptionally talented, but she never carried any. Money wasn't needed ever in Canterlot Palace. Instead she joined in the grateful stomping of hooves.

Nodding and smiling, the musician surveyed her audience, a very slight blush showing through her coat. Then her eyes settled on Cadence, and the blush grew deeper as the smile became uncertain and almost afraid. Other ponies had began to notice the Princess in their midst, most taking a polite step away and bowing.

"That was a marvelous rendition of the Lullaby of the Sun, if I am not mistaken." Cadence gave the calm and polite smile taught to her by her aunt. "May I have your name?"

"Lyra, her name is Lyra Heartstrings, Princess," answered a cream coloured earth pony with a two toned pink and purple mane. Cadence arched an eyebrow at the rude interposing into the conversation, but before she could comment, the earth pony explained her actions with two simple words, "Lyra's mute."

"Oh," was all Cadence could say to such a blunt statement.

Lyra, for her part, winced and blushed a bit harder. Cadence came to a snap decision there as she fought to maintain her calm outward expression. Taking another step forward she gave one of her warmest smiles.

"Miss Heartstrings, I'd love for you to come to the palace and play for my Aunt and I. The Summer Sun celebration is in a short while, and though most of the festivities are already planed, I'd greatly enjoy it if you could play for a small gathering I've been preparing for the evening."

The mint green unicorn's mouth fell open at the offer, Cadence having to stifle a giggle at the expression. Lighting her magic, a small board was lifted from a pair of saddlebags along with a piece of chalk. For a moment Cadence wondered what Lyra was doing, then the chalk scribbled a quick line on the board that was then turned around for Cadence to read.

"Yes, Bon-bon may come as well."

Cadence assumed Bon-bon was the name of the earth pony. It certainly fit with the wrapped candy cutie mark on her flank.

Just as Cadence was about to ask questions and form a solid plan for Lyra and Bon-bon coming to the gathering a scream cut through the morning. Wings flaring Cadence turned towards the sound and found herself facing the ruins of the town library. Half the tree lay on the ground leaving the open interior exposed to the sky. Several ponies and a few royal guards under the direction of Shining Armour stood around the building moving books and Twilight's possessions. They had all stopped working and instead were fixated on a point several strides away.

There, the around it bending and recoiling, was a large blue disk. It grew and grew until it was wide enough for two wagons to enter side by side.

"Everypony go to your homes, NOW!" Cadence commanded, her voice raising into the Royal Canterlot Speaking Voice at the end. The ponies didn't hesitate to do as the Princess commanded, a multicoloured sea rushing about for a few moments before silence overcame the town, a silence broken only by the hiss of the Door. Satisfied that the townsfolk would be relatively safe, Cadence leapt to the air with a flap of her wings and then landed next to Shining Armour.

"Captain, order your stallions to protect the town if anything should enter it, but not to directly confront whatever comes out of that Door."

The captain nodded once, turned to his stallions, and issued the necessary orders.

"That's a gateway to Tartarus, isn't it," he stated more than asked when the orders were given.

Cadence just nodded and then tensed as she saw movement on the surface of the Door's watery surface.

Out of the blue disk, now the size of a small cottage, came a long leg of matted black fur. Gobs of oil dripped from the limb and sickly yellow claws curled from the attached foot. With a roar like the frothing maw of a volcano, a great bear head emerged, chipped horns of a ram thrust from behind its ears. Hellish green smoke fell like curtains from the demon's open mouth, highlighting the hundreds of needle-like teeth that glinted in the morning light. Over eighteen hooves tall, the last of the demon's six legs touched Equestrian soil, a long chain wrapped around its neck hung waving back and forth, connected to the blue disk.

A second identical demon stepped through afterwards, this one two chained to something beyond the portal. Side by side the demons stalked forward, their footfalls making the ground tremble and the sky shake.

Attached to the chains, its sides painted the tone of the blackest night, came a terrible chariot. Flames were its wheels, and bones its frame.

With a multi-headed whip, the chariot's driver was more terrible still. She was tall and slender, adorned in a carapace of black armour that clung to her form and was designed more to accentuate her curves and feminism rather than as protection. At first Cadence thought it was one of the humans that had been described to her, but then a frill of five obsidian snakes rose up from behind her head and a set of black leathery wings spread like a tattered canvass. Glowing green eyes surveyed the town and guards to settle on Cadence. Tossing aside the reigns of the chariot, the demon stepped down, the high heeled boots grinding into the ground.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Cadence called, nervously wetting her lips.

Cadence held no hope that any sort of dialogue could be achieved. This thing oozed evil like an infection did puss. But Cadence, for all her centuries of life, didn't know hardly the first thing about fighting. She was no battle-mage, like her mother and aunt, or dragoon like a few of the guards who flanked her. Shining Armour had narrowed his eyes and lowered his horn, a blue-white sheen barely detectable along its length. Cadence knew that she should leave, that she barely knew how to even cast a basic defensive spell. All her magic revolved around Love, music, enchantments, and things of more peaceful natures. Not bringing war and destruction to an enemy.

Lifting a hand covered in a serrated black gauntlet the demon pointed at Cadence.

"I can sense the power you contain, Alicorn, and your fear. It tastes so sweet," the creature hissed, a sadistic smile carving her face. "I am Stheno, Gorgon and your doom, little Alicorn. All of Alicornus will again tremble before our might."

Whip cracking the air, the gorgon leapt towards Cadence.

Chapter Seventeen: The Wizard, the Dragon, and the Moon

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Seventeen: The Wizard, the Dragon, and the Moon

"Upon the Great Grey River, two Towers rise.
A war of Two, the death of One, North and South divided."
-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

Luna entered Roxholm upon Tyme not at the head of the procession of knights and paladins, but hidden inside her carriage. A wet cloth held in a telekinetic grip, the Goddess of the Moon tended to Sir River. Beside Luna sat Abtuan, the wizard having rejoined the group a short ways outside the city walls. He sat with a pensive frown, long fingers rapping against his chin, as his eyes looked down on the wounded knight.

He had taken a quick look at the wound, Sir River's eye leaking a thick yellow fluid that stank of corruption, on entering the carriage.

"This wound is beyond my powers to heal," he said, laying the compress Luna had made to help with the infection back down. "She must be taken to the Arcanum. I know of only three men who could heal this. One would laugh as he watched her die, while another is far across the mountains. That leaves only my good friend Mattemeus, Arch-Mage of the Molded Fist. Matt is a good, honest man. He will help her."

"There is a kernel of doubt we detect in your voice, friend Abtuan," Luna muttered, wetting the cloth again in a bucket and ringing it back out before again dabbing at the knight's face.

A hesitant frown played at the wizard's eyes for a brief instant.

"He is... strange, even amongst wizards. I blame him spending a century as 'Razzel the Wise', pretending to be a witch and mad-woman. He was never the same after he returned. I think he actually started to believe his own act."

Luna arched an eyebrow, but didn't ask for clarification.

They passed through the city gates a moment later. The interior of the carriage falling dark and the shod hooves of the horses echoing loudly as they entered a short tunnel. On exiting the tunnel, Luna counting no less than four sets of thick steel banded doors, they were greeted by a great explosion of noise.

The streets were alive with people dressed in every colour. They danced and sang, minstrels at every street corner. Merchants sold their wears from hastily erected stalls. People stood on the roofs overlooking the road, many throwing dry rice or rose petals down on the procession of knights and Luna's carriage. Young girls and women pranced barefoot up to the knights, handing them white lilies or embroidered handkerchiefs.

"It is probably best for you to take a disguise, your Divine Majesty," Abtuan said, waving through the small tinted window at a group of scampering children.

Luna just nodded and began to channel her magic. She had been thinking that changing her appearance into something less strange to the locals would be useful. It'd only be until she found Twilight and a way home, after all. Transmutation magic was something of a specialty of Luna's, along with Illusions, and she was a fair hoof at enchanting.

Settling on a design that was suitably close to the humans, Luna began to transform. White light surrounded her body, and she began to shrink and change. A collective gasp overcame the crowd as the light spilled out of the carriage and through the street. As quickly as it came, the light vanished. In its departure, the light left a much different looking Luna.

Gone were all her equine traits. Instead, a young woman in her late teens sat beside Abtuan. Her features were sharp and strong, with high cheekbones and a small mouth beneath a straight nose. Her hair was identical to her mane, as were her lustrous eyes, but instead of a dark coat she had skin the colour of polished pearls. Luna also maintained her horn as well as her wings, while on her hips were her cutie marks. What she hadn't accounted for, however, were clothes.

Blushing a little, Abtuan quickly pulled the curtains of the carriage closed.

"You seem to have forgotten something, my dear," Abtuan said, barely holding back a chuckle as Luna looked down at herself.

"No, I think I got everything right," she said, twisting and turning to get a good look at the changes.

Luna decided she was perhaps a little too lanky, and with another flash of magic, made a few minor adjustments.

"There, that's perfect."

Abtuan just shook his head.

"Clothes, my dear, you forgot clothes."

"Oh," Luna said, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks.

Again, magic shone from the carriage, and when Abtuan next looked Luna was wearing a flowing elegant black and royal blue dress. The moon in its various phases adorned the hem in silver thread, while a scarf of gossamer cloth draped over Luna's shoulders above her wings and down her front. Luna's mantel had become a necklace holding a jewel studded amulet in the shape of her cutie mark. She'd lost her crown somewhere in Tartarus, and in its place sat a simple silver tiara with a single large sapphire.

"Much better, my dear. You look simply divine."

"At least I look the part, then," she said, returning her attention to Sir River.

For the next half-hour the carriage and knights made their way through the city. Everywhere, they were met with the singing and adulations of the crowd. Luna couldn't help but smile.

It had been centuries even before her banishment that Luna had experienced such a reception. After her cleansing and banishment, Celestia had tried to welcome Luna to Canterlot with a festival, but the nobles had been suspicious and the commoners afraid. Blocking the sunrise for almost two days hadn't endeared her to the populace. It was a rocky start that hadn't begun to recover until Nightmare Night.

Crossing a bridge, the procession made their way to a tall tower overlooking the slow moving river. Here the festival air of the city died away, though the music and laughter could still be heard. This part of the city had a more oppressive and weighty air about it. Pressing her lips into a thin line, Luna could feel her horn tingling as they approached the tower.

This tower was a nexus and focal point of magic, she realised. Luna could hear a deep thrumming heart-beat of energy pulsing from the tower's depths as the carriage rolled to a stop. It seeped into the very ground, making her slippered feet jitter with each beat as she stepped out of the carriage. Waiting for them in front of the tower was a crowd of robed men and women.

Their robes were as varied in colours as the coats of ponies. Pinks, beiges, greens and vibrant blues created a chaotic mesh of colour. They stood in five loose groups. The group on the far left all wore pointy hats with wide brims. Next to them was a group that all had long beards that reached their toes, even the women. In the middle were wizards wearing simple skull-caps. Further on stood wizards that had cloaks and shoes covered in bells so that the crowd jingled and jangled with the slightest movement. These wizards all reminded Luna a bit of her old friend Star Swirl the Bearded. The last group all had a bird of some kind that was perched on shoulders, arms, and in a few cases, heads. From the gathering of wizards stepped four of their number. Each held a long staff, and bowed deeply to Luna when they were only a few paces away.

"If I may introduce my colleagues," Abtuan said, stepping up beside Luna.

She was surprised to see that from somewhere he had procured a wide brimmed pointy hat.

Abtuan indicated the wizard with a long beard. "This is Vespa Half-Moon, Arch-Mage of The Bound Aether."

Vespa bowed low, sweeping her beard back over her shoulder in a fluid motion.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mistress of the Moon," she purred as she came out of her bow.

Luna had to wonder if facial hair was something normal to human women, or just these wizards in particular.

"Next, we have Tom Jaguarson, Arch-Mage of The Tempest."

Nodding sharply, the swarthy skinned wizard said, "Charmed."

"This is my good friend Mattemeus, Arch-Mage of The Molded Fist."

"A delight! A true and most marvelous delight!" Mattemeus gushed, jumping forward a half-step to take one of Luna's new hands into both of his and give it a vigorous shake. "I was just saying to dear ol' Tom about how excited I was to finally meet the fabled Goddess of the Moon. You cannot imagine how fascinating all this is. I mean, a real LIVE Goddess?! It's unheard of! Oh, and just look at your wings. Fabulous, fabulous!"

The bells sewn into Mattemeus' robes gave a long ringing chorus as he continued to shake Luna's hand, a wide smile plastered across his face. Luna was rescued moments later by a slightly irritated glower from Abtuan. With an apologetic little chuckle, Mattemeus released Luna and stepped back into the line.

"And finally we have old Ptomey Half-Moon, Arch-Mage of The Unbreakable Wall."

With a falcon so old that it hardly had any feathers left perched on his shoulder, the equally ancient and wizened looking wizard gave a short half-bow, the joints in his back and hips popping from the slight movement.

"Don't let my looks fool you," he said in a wheezing chuckle, "I can whoop just about anyone of these youngsters. Yes, even you Tom. I know the look you're giving me. I'm not that blind, yet."

Luna gave a shaky smile to the Arch-Mages. Even back in Equestria before the war of the Sun and Moon, their appearances and mannerisms would have been considered eccentric. In the modern Equestria, it's have been looked on as borderline insanity. Luna found she liked all the gathered wizards. It was like stepping back in time to good memories.

Everything about the city and its occupants reminded her so much of the few good days before her banishment.

While Luna and the Arch-Mages were being introduced, the knight's had retrieved Sir River from the carriage and placed her on a litter. Seeing the wounded knight, Mattemeus jumped forward, his bells jangling.

"Oh, dear me, this looks no good at all," he said as he came up beside the fallen knight.

"Can you help her?" Luna asked, hope filling her voice as she stepped up beside the bell covered Arch-Mage, her wings giving a soft little flutter.

"Can I help her? Of course I can help her! I am the Arch-Mage of The Molded Fist. Even if her head had been loped clean off her neck, I could 'help'. Re-attach them, if you will. Except at that point she'd be dead, so, it'd all be rather moot as to saving her. No, no, this is easy in comparison. A little healing magic, or perhaps a lot, now that I get a look at this eye."

Mattemeus lifted the compress, ran a finger through the rank yellow pus, and tasted it. Luna gave a disgusted snort, her face wrinkling. The other Arch-Mages all gave similar protests.

"Yes, defiantly 'a lot' of healing. This wound is bursting with corruption, poor lass." Lifting his heavy staff, the Arch-Mage of the Molded Fist placed a hand over the ghastly wound. "I've not seen a wound this corrupt since, well, since I left Great Bear. Such a quaint town. They have the nicest grapes. And their ice wines are to die for. Such a wonderful explosion of tastes on the pallet. I think I still have a bottle of the '73. Been saving it for a special occasion, and what could possibly be more special than meeting a real live goddess?"

As he rambled, magic flowed from the wizard into Sire River. Luna detected the gritty texture of Earth elemental magic mixed with something else. This other form of Aether was soft and supple, bending and singing under the direction of the Arch-Mage's spell. Sir River gave a grunt as the spell faded, and then opened her eyes, both of them clear and strong.

"And Bob's your uncle," Mattemeus said, clapping the butt of his staff on the cobblestones. "I must say though, Princess Luna, I am surprised that you couldn't heal the wound yourself. Star Swirl wrote at lengths about your talent in transmutation."

Of all the things Luna had been expecting, the mention of her long dead friend was the last. Her mouth fell open, and she barely heard Sir River asking what happened after the fight, and how she was still alive. An image of the old stallion, his silver flecked black beard bouncing as he laughed down at his two students, a pair of young Alicorns, came flashing to the forefront of Luna's memories.

He had taught Luna and Celestia so much about magic. Of all the unicorns they'd met during the hectic days of their youth, Star Swirl had been the most open minded and kind. He was, in no small part, responsible for so many of the social changes that had come about and created Equestria. From his apprentice, Clover the Clever, to Celestia's own ideals of unity and harmony, Star Swirl had been the beginning point. And then, one day, he just vanished. No pony ever knew what had become of one of the most important wizards in Equestria's history.

"You knew Star Swirl?" she asked breathlessly.

"Only through the history books. Father of the Amniomorphic spell, and one of the greatest Arch-Mages of the Molded Fist, or 'hoof' as he preferred. He wrote many books on the sister Goddesses he helped train. Also on how to properly boil a beat-root. Added the bells to the official vestments of Transmuters. Great man, Star Swirl, great, great man. You'll have to tell me all about him, when we have a chance to sit and chat with some tea and crumpets."

"Ma'am, you should get moving. You are expected at the palace," Abtuan whispered in Luna's ear when Mattemeus broke off his jumble of words. "We shall meet you there."

Propelled along by Abtuan's hands, Luna found herself returned to the carriage, a dozen questions or protests dancing on the tip of her tongue. She didn't even have time to speak with Sir River, to distracted by the mention of Star Swirl. Luna's thoughts were too busy, like a swarm of bees, for her to properly react until the carriage began to move and rejoined the feasting and singing crowd. Alone with those thoughts, Luna resolved to find some time in the very near future to sit down with the Arch-Mage of the Molded Fist and hear what he knew of her old mentor.

It wasn't too long before the carriage again rolled to a stop, and she was helped out by Sir Pegelius. The knights had formed a column on either side of the carriages door, and with their hands clasped behind their backs, they watched her intently. At the end of the column stood the other two Paladins, and Sir River. Her face glowed like the sun, and Luna felt a smile touch her own face at seeing the knight recovered. She added 'speak with Sir River in private' to her mental list of things to do, then walked down the column.

At the end, with Sir River and the Paladins, was a large crowd. Arrayed in neat ranks on either side were hundreds of soldiers, their white and gold tabards bright in the sun. At the head of the soldiers, crown glinting with a thousand diamonds, stood a fat jovial man that had to be the King.

He strode forward on powerful legs, and in a graceful bow, took Luna's hand and brought it up to his lips. Surprised at the contact, Luna looked to the Paladins for guidance. As the most senior Paladin, Pegelius stepped forward.

To Luna he said, "May I present his Majesty the King, Ronald Blackcloak the Fifth."

Then to the King he said, "Your Majesty, may I present her Divine Majesty, the Goddess Luna."

"I must say, I am pleasantly surprised to see that, for once, that old busy-body Abtuan was correct," the King said in a deep rumbling voice as he straightened. "For a lady as beautiful and elegant as you could be naught but a Goddess."

Taking Luna's arm in his own, the King began to lead her past the lines of soldiers. As they passed, the soldiers would take a knee and lower their eyes to the ground. It was such differential treatment that Luna had not seen even in the old days of Equestria. Behind the King and Luna, first the Paladins, and then the knights fell in line.

"I have taken the gesture of preparing a grand ball for your arrival, and as you've already seen, the city rejoices and feasts."

In a chorus of laughter and jokes, Luna was lead to a grand hall. It nearly rivalled those of Canterlot, but instead of being made of pure white marble, it was made from great slabs of granite that conveyed a more martial strength. Along one wall ran a table heaped with steaming platters of every sort of foodstuff. In a corner played a band. Luna saw violins, lutes, a double-bass, some long wooden flute-like instrument, and even a harpsichord. Filling the hall in a swath of colours that rivaled any gathering of ponies for diversity were what had to be the nobility.

The nobles all dipped their heads as the King and Luna strode past, only raising them once the King had taken his throne, and Luna had seated herself in an equally opulent throne on his right. Both were carved from solid oak with jewels and gems embedded into the wood. While the King sat on cushions of a rich velvety red, Luna's throne was a dark royal blue.

Once seated, the moment Luna dreaded above all others when it came to such gatherings arrived, and the slow meandering introductions and greetings of the nobility began. Luna had a lot of practice since becoming a Princess at feigning interest in the greetings of sycophantic nobility. Her smile was polite as each in turn stepped forward and spoke words of honeyed poison for her benefit.

This was Celestia's arena, not hers, Luna knew. She was the wrong sister to have found herself in front of a gathering of nobility in a foreign country. Luna doubted she'd be able to carry the same grace and humility Celestia would have been able to portray had their places been reversed. But Luna at least knew the game all nobility, no matter race or society, played and could manage not to make a fool of herself. To that end, she was polite, sweet, and didn't say much. All of which seemed to please Pegelius, who hovered in her shadow while the other Paladins, and Sir River, mingled. The other knights hadn't followed Luna into the hall. Where they had gone, she didn't know.

For what felt like hours it went on, the festival in the city outside filtering in through the hall's open windows. As the last noble, a minor lord from an outlaying town, was introduced, and Luna thought she might finally be able to go sample some of the food on the table, a series of sharp cracks echoed through the hall carrying with them a sharp tang of ozone and magic. A collective intake of breath swept the nobles and a few even let out curses.

"No, no, no, I'm telling you, the Towers are the White-Gold Concordant and the Great Oath of Suman!" shouted the instantly recognizable voice of Mattemeus. "Plain as plain can be."

"How are either of them 'Towers'?" snarled Tom Jaguarson, a lit pipe twitching between his lips and sending up a thick stream of acrid smoke. "They were treaties, signed centuries apart. No, no, the Towers are clearly Twilight herself and... someone else."

"Ha! You don't know who it could be either!"

"Gentle-wizards, please, we have arrived," the old voice of Ptomey cut through the argument. "We can discuss the interpretation of prophecies later. For tonight, let us feast on the Kings coin. Been so long since we got invited to a proper feast. Last one I can recall was before the fall of Sumanthor, and that was such a dreadful affair. All that glowering between the priests and nobles."

Feet shuffling, the aged wizard pushed his way through the muttering nobles, making a line straight for the table of food. The remaining four Arch-Mages all stepped up towards the throne, and sweeping of their hats in the case of Abtuan and Tom, flicking her beard over her shoulder for Vespa, and ringing like a Hearth's Warming Eve carriage in the case of Mattemeus, they bowed.

"Pleasure, Ma'am."

"Good to see you, your Divine Majesty."

"How do you do, Lady of the Night?"

"G'day."

And then as one the four wizards stepped to the side and continued their discussion in heated tones that drove back any noble foolish enough to approach. Luna couldn't help but smile, covering her mouth in an attempt to not offend the nobles. Just as she was about to stand and join Ptomey at the table, and maybe get something to fill her begging stomach, a warning bell began to toll.

The nobles grew hushed as a second bell joined the first, and then more and more began to ring.

The wizards carried on their argument as if nothing was happening.

A soldier burst in through the doors, and in a strong voice shouted, "Dragon! A Dragon from the north flies over the city."

All the nobles eyes shifted from the soldier, to the King and Luna, then to the five wizards.

The wizards still continued their argument, oblivious to what was going on around them. At last, as a deep rumbling roar overtook the hall, the wizards broke off their conversation and turned towards the throne.

"Well?" was all King Roland said, his tone of voice carrying centuries of interlaced meaning into the word.

"Ah, yes, so I see," Abtuan said, peering out a window. Luna looked over in time to see a great shadow pass over the castle accompanied by a gust of wind to the beat of massive wings. "Wasn't expecting her until this evening."

"May we humbly suggest you send someone to greet the dragon?" piped up Ptomey from the table, a half eaten chicken leg sticking out of his mouth.

Snapping his fingers, the King pointed to a knight that had been standing still as a statue beside the door during all the introductions. Bowing slightly, the knight and soldier exited the hall.

"Now, friends, let us continue our feast. I am sure this dragon is just putting on a show because we have such an honoured guest among us!" Clapping his hands, King Roland got the musicians to play a jaunty tune, and the nobles relaxed a little. "The beast wouldn't dare to attack, not with five Arch-Mages present."

Luna pensively watched the sky outside the windows for any sign of this dragon, the Kings words doing little to reassure her. She could feel a change to the flow of Aether around her, like a shift in the wind out on the sea, and she a ship flush with sails. There was a familiarity to the sensation, but it was hard to place it among the torrent of Aether flowing through the world. Her wings spread a little, and Luna stood, eyes peering into stone in the direction of the feeling. The nobles gave a collective awed murmur as Luna slowly stepped down from the throne.

Closer and closer the source of the feeling drew, until it was just beyond the hall.

Then the doors to the hall were thrust open again, and the knight the King had sent to greet the dragon stepped through, and in a clear ringing voice said, "The Princess Jasmine Blackcloak and company."

In a hail of murmuring voices and surprised exclamations, three women stepped into the hall.

The first Luna recognised almost instantly as Twilight. It had only been a little over a week from Luna's perspective since the two had spoken in that bleak shifting grey waste. But the smile that touched her lips fell the moment Luna got a good look at Twilight.

Her robes were torn and covered in dirt, and in a few places, blood. There was a haggard look about her eyes, like she hadn't been getting enough sleep, but a smile still touched her lips. Twilight limped as she walked into the hall, and she held her right hand close to her stomach in a protective gesture. When Twilight spotted Luna, there was a moment of confusion that pinched her face, then understanding as her smile glowed with hope.

Luna spared hardly a glance to the child on Twilight's left, but did appraise the woman on her right. Like Twilight, Luna recognised her from the very short time she'd seen her in the Winterlands, though the transformed dragon wore none of her armour. Unlike Twilight, she wore an expression of concern and thinly veiled contempt, one directed to the sea of petty nobles.

Both practically pulsed with power to Luna's eyes. It was vastly different than when they'd been in the Winterlands. Here, the flow of Aether seemed to highlight and enhance the impression given, where before it was hidden. They also had deep, deep pools of Aether, unlike the human wizards and their enchanted weapons, who were only connected to the flow of Aether about them. Except, something was off about Twilight's pool.

Narrowing her eyes, Luna tried to understand what was wrong, and then it hit her. It was being suppressed.

Celestia had been reluctant to tell Luna about Twilight, but one of the few things Luna had learned was that Twilight, as a filly, had more magic within her than any unicorn should have been capable of containing. As Celestia put it, Twilight's body should have burnt away from the power within it, like paper trying to contain a flame. To help train Twilight, Celestia had placed wards around the magic, afraid that without them Twilight would destroy herself trying to harness her power.

That was what Luna was seeing, she realised, Celestia's wards. Just beyond them was a well of almost unfathomable energy. Luna wondered if Twilight was aware the magic was there, hidden away. Compared to the dragon beside her, it was like placing the full moon next to the sun. The dragon, as bright and deep as its power ran, and it was impressive, it still paled in comparison to that which was locked inside Twilight.

Luna wondered why she hadn't noticed this when she had gone to Ponyville on hearing about Twilight's 'accident'. The only explanation Luna could give herself was that she wasn't looking, and that the strength of this worlds Aether just highlighted the pools of magic so much better. It was like they were swimming through a phosphorescent lagoon underneath a moonlight night.

Opening her arms wide as she had seen the knights do when greeting each other, and as Twilight had done in the Winterlands, Luna strode quickly across the hall, and wrapped Twilight in a hug.

"Twilight Sparkle, it is good to see you again," Luna said, using middle-equish in the hope that their conversation could be kept from the prying ears of the humans around them.

With a hiss of pain, Twilight stepped back from Luna, drawing her right hand closer to her mid-section. For a moment, a very brief moment, Twilight looked confused, and then she replied in the same tongue, though her accent was thick and heavy.

"Princess Luna, you can't imagine how surprised I was when I learned you were in the Protectorates." Light and happiness danced behind her eyes, eyes that for all their differences from the violet orbs of the Ponyville Librarian, contained the same hope and spark of life. "I have so many questions. About home and how you got here, but they'll have to wait."

Luna looked over her shoulder to see that King Roland, as well as all five Arch-Mages, had gathered behind her. Each was giving Twilight an appraising look.

"Daughter, what is the meaning of this?" King Roland snorted, indicated the torn and filthy robes with a wave of his hand.

Twilight didn't look confused at being addressed in such a manner, rather she looked relieved. But, before she could respond, the Arch-Mages all rushed forth, their voices forming a collective tumble of gushing words.

"The Purple Wizard, bless my soul," Mattemeus said, grasping Twilight's good hand and shaking it vigorously.

Tom Jaguarson slapped her on the shoulder, saying, "Well, look at you! I'd not be amazed if you'd just stepped through Hellfire and back!"

"She's a Prime, just as the prophecy predicted," Vespa cackled stepping up beside the older Half-Moon.

Ptomey for his part was busy trying to swallow a mouthful of mashed potatoes and veal while Abtuan clicked his tongue eyes flashing like a vulture inspecting a carcass.

"Hmm, yes, yes indeed, this is most interesting. I wasn't expecting it to be Jasmine. I shall have to give her a stern lecture if she returns."

"Could one of you doddering old fools tell me what in the Hells is going on?" The King practically roared, his volume overpowering even the minstrels and din of gossiping nobles.

Through the sudden imposing silence cut a new voice, one that dripped contempt and venom through every carefully intoned syllable.

"Is it not evident? The herald was incorrect. That is not Jasmine Blackcloak, they she looks the same," said a man in dark blue robes covered in pink and white cherry blossoms.

Luna blinked a few times as she looked towards the man, obviously another wizard, if clothing was anything to go by, having not noticed him in the hall before. His face was gaunt and sunken, with a well trimmed pointed beard and moustache. He was tall, almost the tallest person in the hall, with long slender arms and legs, and a staff polished a shiny black held in his leathery hands.

Then Luna went stiff as her eyes alighted upon the two people the trailed in his wake.

The first she didn't recognise. He was a short round man with an ill kept beard and watery pale blue eyes that seemed to leer at everyone present, even when his face was set in stark neutrality. His robes were pure white with gold trim, and he leaned on a pine staff. Beside him was the necromancer who had tried to capture Luna. The woman smiled politely, and winked when she noticed Luna shooting a look of rage mingled disgust in her direction.

In a flash the Arch-Mages formed a solid line, separating Luna, Twilight, and the King from the newcomers. Realising who was in their midst, the nobility scampered backwards, many shouting even darker oaths than those given in surprise at the Arch-Mages unconventional arrival.

"Locke, you are not welcome here," Abtuan said, his tone like steel and his tongue flint.

"Welcome or not, here I am. How could I stay away on such a momentous occasion? Was it not said, 'In the Hall of the King she will be greeted by all the High Wizards, their power and knowledge collected under one roof for the first time in peace and brotherhood'? And am I not the Arch-Mage of The Whispers?"

"We don't recognise that title," Vespa spat.

With a flick of her wrist, and a small tingle of magic, her beard vanished, as well as Mattemeus' bells, Ptomey's bird, Abtuan's hat, though Tom Jaguarson kept his skull-cap. Luna could feel the tug on the Aether as all five of the Arch-Mage's in front of her began to prepare spells. The two wizards at Locke's back likewise began to draw on their magic, but stopped when the self proclaimed Arch-Mage of The Whispers gave them a look. Luna had only felt such loathing, and such tainted power, once before in her life; when she had succumbed to the Nightmare and tried to create eternal night.

"No, we will not fight you here. Too many innocents would be harmed, and none of us want that, do we?" Locke smiled towards the gathered nobles, and then to the city beyond the hall's windows. "No, for now, how about we just talk, as old friends should."

The Arch-Mages all released the magic they had begun to channel, letting the Aether return to its natural flow. A thick tension still lingered in the air as Locke stepped forward and past the other Arch-Mages.

Taking Luna's hand in his own, he brought it to his lips in a manner identical to the King. Looking up after his lips brushed her fingers, he said, "My deepest apologies for the actions of my daughter the previous night, little Moonsong. She mistook my meaning when I asked her to ensure your safety. Amends will be made to those she has harmed."

Luna blinked, looking towards Pegelius, who stood with a dark fury burning behind his eyes and his good hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Luna felt she was a fair judge at knowing when someone was lying to her, but Locke had her completely confused. His words sounded extremely sincere, but she knew what she had heard the previous night, and it certainly hadn't been her protection that had been a concern. But what really threw Luna off was the use of a name no one but Celestia knew. Only her adoptive parents had called her Moonsong.

Shuddering at the memories that ancient name conjured, Luna slipped her hand free.

"I am not sure if I believe you," Luna said honestly.

Locke just bowed slightly, then turned to Twilight.

"And, at long last, the Purple Wizard, miss Twilight Sparkle."

"Seems like everyone knows who I am these days," Twilight mumbled.

"The price of fame," Locke said, while the short fat wizard behind him just snorted. "And let me introduce my children. This is Kayla Rutland, and Duke Kevin Rutland."

Twilight's head snapped up, her eyes almost glowing with sudden hate that left Luna breathless. For a moment she wondered if she was seeing it wrong, but Luna knew there was no other emotion that it could be pouring from Twilight. Twilight hated him, with every fiber of her being. Twilight made to step towards the ugly man, her good hand clenched into a fist, but was stopped by the dragon. For a second Twilight seemed to want to struggle and launch herself towards Kevin Rutland.

"She is the one everybody believes is the famed Purple Wizard? Ha, Jasmine, the Purple Wizard? Ha!" The white robed wizard laughed, his voice a nasal sneer.

"Oh, I could stomp you into the ground," Twilight snarled, and this time Luna was sure she saw her eyes glow.

Luna would never have guessed Twilight could act in such a way. What had happened to the inquisitive little librarian that had helped her one Nightmare Night, Luna wondered. She had been a bit high strung, to be sure, the infamous Smart Pants Incident was proof enough of that, but this was rage and hate Luna hadn't seen in ponies. Or rather, not since herself.

"It is too soon, you're not ready to face him," the dragon hissed into Twilight's ear.

Taking a deep Twilight nodded, and the moment she felt the dragon release her shoulder, she spun and punched the Duke square in the face. A stunned gasp escaped the nobles, and the Arch-Mages, all six of them, dropped into expressions of concern and worry. Even Kayla, who had looked on with such manic glee as her summoned abominations were ready to pounce on the knights guarding Luna, had an expression of extreme shock, her free hand covering her mouth.

Spitting on the ground in front of Twilight, the Duke snarled. "You're challenge is accepted, Jasmine."

Locke quickly turned, and looking down on his son, said, "Do not challenge her, apprentice." He stressed the last word. "Destiny and fate are woven as tight about her as any I have ever encountered. She will crush you as a boot crushes an ant."

"You are wrong. You are all wrong. She has played you all for fools. It's Jasmine's greatest power, and I will prove it to you. I accept your challenge, Jasmine Blackcloak."

"The challenge has been witnessed," King Roland said, his voice heavy and weary. "Wizards," he added, "Always causing trouble. Bane of any decent King."

"Wait, can some pony tell me what is going on?" A confused, and angry, Twilight asked turning towards the King.

"Why, you challenged me to a duel, and I have accepted, of course," said Duke Kevin Rutland, his face alight with dark glee. "The arena, in one hour, and we will end this farce that is you being the Purple Wizard."

* * *

Standing beneath a dank stone arch just outside the grass field that filled the arena, Twilight wondered again what had compelled her to hit the Duke. Other than how his smug grin made her blood boil, or how he was responsible for so much of the pain and suffering that had hung over Twilight like a cloud since getting stuck in the Protectorates.

But it had been more than that.

Standing there and finally facing the man responsible for the deaths of the Conrads, for sending the assassins that had chased her into Black Mountain Sanctuary, Twilight hadn't seen a man, but a monster. Not a real monster, all slavering teeth and wicked horns, but a monster never the less. Something evil, wicked, not a pony, and needing to be destroyed. The sensation had been a thousand times stronger than what Twilight had experienced before.

What scared her more, however, was how much she liked the hate. It felt good to hate him, to have a focal point for all the pain and rage that had built over the month and a half she'd been away from Equestria.

Twilight was a well read pony, and one of the many topics she'd studied in her young life included topics on psychology. Nothing she'd ever read ever indicated anything like what she was feeling. It just wasn't normal for ponies to want to hate to the degree she felt. Oh, sure, there were bullies and a definite hierarchy among ponies, and ponies could hate just like any other creature, but not find actual enjoyment in hate. The only creatures that Twilight knew that felt such emotions were the griffons.

Which, in a way, made a scary sort of sense. Humans and griffons had so much in common. They were tribal in nature, very divided amongst themselves and constantly fighting over territory. Both were also omnivores, hunting and killing prey for sustenance.

The logical reasoning part of Twilight was leaping about shouting that this feeling had to have something to do with being sentient and yet still capable of inflicting harm on others. The emotional part was just repeating 'grind that smug bastard into the ground until his bones crack'.

It was also that part of her, the part that was eager for this fight, that listened as a rolling wave of support surrounded her.

Luna and Ogopologos both stood with Twilight. Ogo, as Luna had taken to calling the dragon after being formally introduced, had helped mend Twilight's hand and finish healing her leg, as well as the shallow gashes on her back. The wounds still throbbed and ached a little, but at least there wasn't the stabbing pain whenever her hand was jostled. Both were staying mostly quiet. Luna had expressed some concern about how out of character Twilight's actions had been, but otherwise was there for her.

Then there were the Arch-Mages; all six of them.

This was more of a surprise. Twilight had thought that Locke would be with his son, but instead he had joined the Arch-Mages, despite having been moments away from fighting them, to support her.

"Kevin doesn't understand the meaning of the word 'moderation', but he is no fool. He won't open with his most destructive spells, but only because it could level half the city."

"Wait, what?" Twilight and Luna both asked together, a chill creeping up Twilight's back. "I thought you said that this arena has wards placed around it to prevent spells from leaving the field."

"Wards are only so good," Ptomey said, with a shake of his long silver hair. "Did you see the Duke's cord?"

"Yes, he had eight knots," Twilight said thinking back to one of the first lessons she'd received. How, for wizards, the number of knots indicated their tier of mastery. But something bothered her. "But that makes no sense. There are only seven tiers of magic, I thought."

The Arch-Mages all laughed as one.

"Only seven tiers? While that is technically true for practical purposes, there is an eighth tier. It contains the Sigils."

"Sigils?"

"Magical symbols, that when properly inscribed, can have tremendous effect. With the proper Sigil you can raise mountains or sink islands into the ocean. They are the most powerful and closely guarded spells." Locke raised a long finger and leveled it with Twilight's nose. "And no, we will not teach them to you. Even I shudder to imagine you casting a Sigil."

Abtuan and the other Arch-Mages gave Locke a sour look, one that said in unspoken words that it was unlikely Locke would teach her anything.

"Keep moving and don't let your guard down. Wait until he has an echo in all four cores of his staff, then strike. The match doesn't end until one surrenders or is incapacitated. Killing is possible, but forbidden. However, I don't put it past my son to strike to slay you and worry about the consequences afterwards. Understood?"

Twilight nodded and gulped back a bit of fear. Now that she was having more time to really think about what she had gotten herself into, Twilight was beginning to feel the familiar tug of anxiety. She was out-matched, already sore and stiff, and her opponent had already been trying to kill her for months. She'd have given a lot right then to be home with Spike, a nice new book open in front of her.

She was brought out of her reverie by a blast of horns announcing the beginning of the challenge, and signalling for her to step onto the field. Steadying herself, she stepped out into the late afternoon sun and was greeted by the thunder of ten thousand voices roaring approval. The arena had already been in use, sporting a match of something call Cricket, that had to be stopped. Even from the stone room where Twilight was being briefed on the rules she'd heard the discontent. The noise had turned to one of excitement when it was announced that it was a wizards duel, and one involving the hated Duke Kevin Rutland.

As she walked to the center of the arena Twilight waved to the crowd. Her robes were still torn and had blood and mud mixed into a rust coloured stain, but she wasn't limping and her ring was in its proper place. Plans and strategies spun in her head, all of them quickly dismissed. She was at a grave disadvantage, Twilight knew, with only a ring.

She had been shocked to see that the Arch-Mages, in addition to their staves, all had a second focus. Abtuan and Locke both wore rings on their left hands, while the others had a wand hanging by a leather cord on their belt.

Reaching the center of the arena, Twilight felt the hate build again watching the confident stride and evil glimmer in Duke Rutland's eyes.

Only a dozen feet apart in the wide arena, the wide open area easily large enough to host a Hoofball game, Duke Rutland sneered. "So, my love, it comes to this, as we both knew it would."

Twilight felt herself stumble mentally at the words 'my love', and almost didn't react in time as a wave of black energy roared from the head of Rutland's staff. Snapping her hands together and sweeping back her right foot, Twilight cut the black energy in half, the two parted sides passing her and tickling her senses with corrupt magic, with a wedge of glimmering purple energy. It wasn't any spell she could recall having learned, and had acted rather on instinct.

Skipping backwards, Twilight conjured a proper shield, the purplish pink shell appear in time to intercept a spinning blade of black fire. The hairs on her arms stood on end as the two spells connected and detonated in a shower of silver and pink sparks.

A Cone of Magic, and Magic Blade, Twilight said to herself as she continued to move backwards to put more distance between herself and Rutland. Both spells fused with Entropy. She shuddered to think what either could have done to her if she hadn't been able to block them. Twilight couldn't fuse Entropy herself, but Jasmine's spell-book told her how, and the effects. Had either spell hit her they would have drained and eaten at her very soul, the energies flowing along the Aether to Rutland.

Judging herself to be about thirty feet apart, Twilight brought her hands together in front of her, fingers linked together and palm outward. Breathing in through her nose and exhaling from her mouth, she felt the stirring of magic in her breast, just above her heart. Fire, pure and brilliant blue-white, rolled from her palms, the once green grass turning to ash as it roared towards Rutland.

Laughing, he grabbed the hem of his cloak, and in a twisting motion vanished. Through the air flickered a dark wisp of magic Twilight followed with her eyes as she ended her attack and began the long count for her ring to lose its echo. Shadows seemed to pull together as Rutland re-appeared off to the left.

Ice filled Twilight as she saw he was smiling like this was the greatest game.

He mouthed a word, one Twilight couldn't hear over the roaring approval of the crowd. But Twilight could feel the pull of magic and Aether all about her, circling in closer and closer. Then, over the noise of the crowd, she heard something. It was both a voice and not a voice, a thing and nothing.

It was Death's True Name.

Twilight's eyes went wide as she suddenly understood moments before it felt like she was hit by a stampeding dragon. A long scream tore through the arena as Twilight fell backwards, liquid fire pouring through her veins and pulling at her very essence. She could feel herself separating from her body, being pulled and tugged upwards and away. Twilight could even see the flickering image of a ghostly hand grabbing at her.

Pressing her eyes closed Twilight fought against the pull of the ghostly hand. She knew that she had to resist and fight with every fiber of her being. Screaming between clenched teeth Twilight forced herself to stand. The hand released her, and drifted away on the Aether.

"Impressive, not many can fight the Word of Death," Rutland called, a savage grin, like a wolf looking down on a wounded deer, crossing his round face.

Word of Death; Massive Echo, Forbidden magic. The words popped into Twilight's head, remembered from Jasmine's spell-book.

Twilight then coughed, a red stain on her fingers when she brought them to her lips.

Blood. Her blood.

Locke had been right, Rutland was trying to kill her.

In that moment Twilight realised just how deadly serious this fight had become. This was not the almost playful fight against Nightmare Moon or the wild, insane, but in its own way harmless antics of Discord. This was real, and Rutland had every intention of destroying her. But she had no spells that could come close to what Rutland was capable of casting. What Twilight would have given to have a staff rather than a ring.

Desperate, Twilight fired off a quick swarm of magical darts hoping that it would buy her a few more seconds to come up with a plan.

Looking a little disappointed Rutland swatted the magic out of the sky with a wave of his staff. Twilight didn't even see a shield spell, he just tore the magic of her spell apart.

Black fire began to coalesce above Rutland's staff.

Twilight could feel the hairs on the back of her neck prickle, and though she didn't know what the spell he was casting was called, she knew she couldn't be hit by it.

Dropping into a defensive stance Twilight created the strongest barrier she could. She didn't have to wait long for the spell to be tested.

The black ball of fire tore through across the arena with a long wailing scream, leaving a crackling streak in its wake. The moment it touched Twilight's barrier, it exploded in a howling roar. Even through the cool wall of water around her, Twilight could feel the foulness of the magic. She barely had time to re-enforce her barrier before a second identical explosion engulfed her.

Twilight, panting from the exertion of maintaining her spell, guessed that the cores of Rutland's staff had to all have an echo and dropped her barrier.

It'd take a few seconds for her rings echo to abate, but she hoped that it'd be quicker than what Rutland staff was capable. This was her opportunity, and as soon as Twilight felt the last traces of echo leave her ring she called on her most devastating spell. Fist punching the air, the arena was filled with the tang of ozone and the sharp report of thunder as a bolt of lightning blasted across the battlefield.

Only to be deflected by a glimmering field of silvery light away from Rutland and towards the arena stands. Along the walls a wave of blue-green magic flared, the power of Twilight's lightning bolt swallowed by the arena's protective wards.

Again Rutland's body become like shadow, flitting across the arena in the single beat of Twilight's racing heart, and re-emerging only feet in front of her. His free hand shot out, grabbing Twilight by the neck. She let out a short strangled gurgle and clawed at his arm.

"I am greatly disappointed in you, Jasmine. I thought you'd put up far more of a fight then this," he growled, his foul breath clawing at Twilight's nose as she fought for breath.

Releasing Twilight, Rutland shoved her back. Reddish-black energy began to coat his hand as another spell Twilight couldn't identified was called upon by the Duke. He laughed as he walked towards her, the air around him crackling with energy.

How was he still casting, Twilight wondered as she scampered away from Rutland on her back. His staff had to still be carrying an echo. The fight hadn't been going long enough for it to lose the echoes from all his spells. Most or all had to have been high or massive echoes. So how was he doing it? Then Twilight noticed the ring on the hand reaching towards her and she understood. He had two foci and was using the ring for the quicker casting spells.

The realisation wouldn't help her if she didn't get away, Twilight knew. Not that she could think of anything that would stop Rutland.

Stop Rutland. Stop the fight. Twilight knew what she had to do.

"I surr-"

Before Twilight could finish the words she was picked up and tossed across the arena, tumbling and rolling to a painful stop. The crowd exploded in furious booing.

"Ah ah, you aren't getting out of this so fast, my love," Rutland said as he again flickered across the arena to Twilight.

Laying on her back, Rutland towering over her, Twilight knew she had to do something unexpected.

How she wished she had her unicorn magic. Closing her eyes Twilight tried to find it, knowing it was pointless. But then. deep inside, Twilight felt that little ember of her magic, the magic she'd known her entire life, even if she couldn't always direct it. The ember that had risen to save her and April on that stage all those weeks before. Behind that ember though she felt something else. A wall of some sort.

Desperation flowing through her, Twilight hammered into that wall. Above her, Rutland walked in a circle, his hand still coated in magic. He was talking, gloating, and the idea burned at Twilight. Growling at herself she raged against the wall harder.

"I had honestly thought this would be more of a challenge. When I gave you that spell-book as an engagement present I thought you'd actually study it. Not go traipsing off with that useless band of adventurers you formed. Did you really believe you could escape me?" Rutland paused, looking down on his victim.

The wall was beginning to break, and behind it Twilight could feel her magic, flowing, flickering, warm and welcoming. She just needed a few more moments.

"Soon I will be the Arch-Mage of The Whispers, and unlike my father, I won't skulk about in the shadows clutching at the relics of the Ancients. His search for the Crown is a fool's errand. I will tear down the Arcanum, brick by brick, and drive the wizards underground as they have done to Necromancers."

More cracks formed in the wall, spreading and growing as Twilight's magic sensed it's mistress and tried to re-unite with her.

"I will then find the Dead Masters, and I will force them to bow before me. I care not for this Kingdom except that it is home to the Arcanum, and I no longer require you're assistance in bringing it low. So, die, Jasmine Blackcloak, my love."

In a shower of ethereal sparks the wall shattered. Power; wonderful, simple and pure, roared into and through Twilight like the winds of a hurricane. Her eyes opened, and purple fire curled from them. Twilight began to lift into the air as she heard a great rush of energy silence the watching crowd. It was incredible, she hadn't felt such energy since she was a filly at her test to enter Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns and Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom had awakened her magic. It was pouring out of her, filling the air with a purple halo of light.

Rutland jumped back, his face covered in a look of pure shock.

"What is this?" he snarled.

Twilight just smiled, and then she frowned. Something was wrong, she realised. Her skin was beginning to burn and peel, her hair curling and smoking within the field of wild Aether. There was too much magic trying to escape all at once, and Twilight couldn't control it. Screaming as agony she'd never felt before flooded through her on waves of her own magic, Twilight released a burst of power that swept like a tidal wave towards the stands. Rutland didn't have time to summon a barrier or teleport before the wave slammed into him and pushed him into the waiting wall of wards.

Even above the roar of her magic, Twilight thought she heard a sickening crack as the Duke hit the wards. The defensive magic tried to hold back the rushing energy bombarding it, cracks quickly beginning to grow. The roars of approval from the crowd had barely started when it turned into screams of fear as the magic continued to flow from Twilight, the cracks in the wards growing and growing.

* * *

Ogopologos watched the duel start with a deep frown on her false face. She knew that she hadn't prepared Twilight for a battle against a seasoned and experienced wizard like Duke Rutland. She'd tried her best, sure, after learning about Twilight and Tracey's duel and the subsequent fight before the door into Black Mountain Shelter.

But wizards spend decades studying. A few weeks of relative time in the Winterlands couldn't counter-act that fact.

Still, Twilight wasn't doing too terrible and Ogopologos had hope her apprentice would succeed and win the fight. It was a faint hope, but it was there.

Beside her sat Luna, the Goddess of the Moon. Ogopologos liked her. She was shouting and hollering encouragement with considerable volume.

Ogopologos winced as Twilight cast a fire fused cone of magic. Even though the cone was maintained only a few seconds, it would cost Twilight many more precious seconds of time before her ring recovered. Worse yet, Rutland just spirit walked out of the blast using his own ring. Clicking her tongue in frustration, Ogopologos felt the strong urged to return to her natural form and just step on the human. Twilight was far too important to risk in this pointless duel. But then again, if Twilight was who everyone though she was, then she would survive this duel. Maybe not win, but survive.

Luna cried out in anger drawing Ogopologos back out of her thoughts and to the fight.

Twilight had collapsed and was screaming in agony. From the tendrils of corrupt Aether in the air the dragon could guess at the spell that had been used. Growling, she leaned forward and had to fight harder to suppress the urge to intervene. There was nothing she could do to stop the spell assaulting Twilight regardless. Frustrated with her impotence, Ogopologos watched Twilight squirm for a few more moments before getting back up.

Roaring her approval, the dragon clapped her hands, joining in the thunderous applause of the crowd. The applause grew, accompanied by the stamp of ten thousand feet, as first one, then another, entropy fused missile detonated against Twilight's shields. The moment the foul fire's abated, Twilight countered with a bolt of lightning. As Twilight's spell was deflected, Luna and Ogopologos both shared a look. They both knew, in that instant, that Twilight couldn't win this fight. Not with her current skill and knowledge.

"We have to end this," Luna said, making to stand.

"That is impossible," Locke said with a deep sigh from the other side of Luna. "He hasn't actually broken any of the rules and Twilight is still capable of fighting."

"But, that spell was clearly meant to kill her!" Luna snapped, drawing a gasp from April, the child sitting and squirming on Ogopologos' left.

The collected Arch-Mages all had dark looks, knowing what the Goddess said was true, but being tied by centuries of law. To interfere in a justly accept challenge would tear at a foundation of the magical community. Anarchy was the best possible outcome. If it became known that a wizards challenge was no longer sacrosanct; Ogopologos shuddered at the destruction that could follow if wizards began to duel and battle anywhere they pleased.

A groan escaped the crowd, drawing the dragon once again from her thoughts. Twilight was laying on her back as the Duke paced around her. He was taunting her, and then he stopped.

Ogopologos felt it more than even seeing it, the sudden change in the flow of Aether. Twilight began to lift into the air, carried aloft on two vibrant ethereal lavender wings of magic. Her eyes opened, and two great gouts of fire began to curl skyward. Skin crawling and mouth hanging open, Ogopologos shared a look of pure fear with the Arch-Mages and Luna.

The sensation of the magic was almost unlike anything the dragon had before experienced. Only as a hatchling, fresh and crying in an Ancient lab, had she felt this particular form of magic so strongly. Luna carried a hint of it about her, but it was the difference between seeing a painting of an ocean and being submerged in the rolling waves with no land in sight. Twilight's screams pierced the din of the crowd as the magic began to burn its way out of her skin.

If they didn't act fast Twilight being consumed by her own magic was the least concern. She could level the entire city and kill hundreds of thousands in the process.

Ogopologos knew exactly what she had to do.

Turning to the nearby Vespa, she snapped, "Get the child to safety," before snatching the satchel April held in her lap. Inside it was the one thing that could possibly divert disaster.

Leaping forward, Ogopologos didn't wait to see if her command was followed, or even heard. She had very little time to act. Passing through the wards as the wave of energy smashed into them, Ogopologos felt her carefully crafted transmutation torn apart. The arena trembled as the great dragon landed and pushed against the torrential power. Something dark blue flashed past her, the shape cutting through Twilight's unleashed magic like a farmers scythe through wheat. Each step felt like it took an eternity, when in reality it was only a few seconds.

Standing before Twilight was Luna, the true Luna, her star filled mane hissing as it was buffeted by the roaring Aether.

"My sisters wards have been broken!" the Alicorn shouted over the tearing noise of the magic flowing from Twilight, as well as the wizards screams. "I must reseal them!"

Ogopologos nodded once, but knew that Luna wouldn't be able to apply the wards with the Aether so uncontrolled. First they had to give the magic a controlled outlet, and there was only two artefacts left in all the world that could harness and channel such raw energy. Thankfully she had one of them. Hissing in pain as the Prometheus Dynamo connected to and began to feed on her own magic, Ogopologos brought the cylinder out of the satchel. She had to act fast, no creature with internal magic could stay in contact long with a Prometheus Dynamo.

There also wasn't time to explain her plan to Luna.

The Dynamo, its internal mechanisms already feeding on the magic just in the air, began to hum and spin. Quickly, Ogopologos shoved the other end into Twilight's hand. At once the sides of the Dynamo sprung open revealing the heart of the device. A loud hum filled the air as Twilight began to sink back towards the ground and the rush of her unleashed magic faded. The dragon tried to release the Dynamo, but found her claws were stuck to the device as it continued to feed on her own magic even as it gorged on Twilight's.

"Hurry!" the dragon roared to Luna, a hint of panic in her voice.

Dark blue magic sheathed Luna's horn as she stepped towards Twilight.

Magic still flowing behind her eyes, Twilight turned her head as if she was looking at an interesting painting.

"Ponyville. It burns..." she whispered. Turning her head to Ogopologos, Twilight said, "Save them."

For a fraction of a second Ogopologos was confused as to what Twilight meant, and then she felt the power of the Dynamo shift. It stopped pulling at her magic, and then there was a single large push. A sharp hissing crackle filled the arena that was followed by the thunder of a thousand bolts of lightning. Ogopologos felt every scale on her body tingle and be torn away from each other even as they were pushed together.

The arena vanished in a flash of white, and then the dragon felt herself flying. No, she corrected a moment later, she was falling, falling through an endless emptiness. She wasn't sure where she was, or where she was going. Only that she was like a comet hurtling through space. The power of the Dynamo still surrounded her, and then it too vanished.

Stars that were not stars flashed past the dragon, until one began to grow. Tucking her wings close to her side, Ogopologos tried to roll into a protective ball before she hit the star.

There was a brief cool sensation, and then it was replaced by the rush of wind warmed by a clear summer's day. Cracking her an eye back open, the dragon saw spread out below her a verdant green land of rolling hills and sweeping forests, and directly where she head, a quaint sprawling town of thatched roofs.

Opening her wings, Ogopologos was rewarded with a shuddering jolt that rippled through her entire body. Tipping her wings to angle her descent into a controlled flight, the dragon began to circle the town.

Already she could smell that something was wrong, more so than having been teleported who knew how far. The stench of demons was thick in the air, mixing with the more heady rural smells one expected. A scream, far below, drew her gaze. There, she saw a tiny purple and green speck.

And towering above it a demon Ogopologos had not seen since the Sins.

Tucking her wings to her side, the dragon began to plummet towards the demon. In her ears thrummed the greatest and strongest instinct a dragon could feel, the whole reason for the birth of her species clear in her eyes. Everything before became a half-forgotten haze. Nothing else was as important as this to her. Not Twilight, not where she had been taken, nothing but this mattered.

In a roar of fire, smoke, and vengeance, the Lady in the Lake dove towards Ponyville.

* * *

Awareness returned slowly to Twilight. The first thing she noted was that she was laying in a bed, a very comfortable bed. After weeks of travel broken only by the lumpy mattress of an inn, to wake in a real bed was divine.

Twilight tried to understand why she was in a bed. The last thing she could recall with any clarity was Duke Rutland standing over her, taunts flowing off his poisonous tongue. As Twilight tried to move she became aware that her entire body was stiff and sore. The slightest movement made her skin scream in protest where it touched fabric. So, Twilight laid as still as she could, only moving her head ever so slightly.

Beside her sat Princess Luna, the Alicorn in her natural form and her eyes closed. From the slow shallow breaths the Princess took, Twilight guessed she was asleep.

"Princess?" Twilight tried to speak, but found her voice hoarse and dry. A parched cough made her wish she'd stayed silent as her entire body ached in protest.

Luna's eyes snapped open at once, however, the soft teal orbs turning up in a smile as they saw Twilight awake.

"Shh, shh, don't move. Mattemeus has done his best to tend to your wounds, but even he can only do so much."

A glass of cool, refreshing water was brought up to Twilight's lips.

"Where am I? What happened?" she asked as the water soothed her throat.

Luna chewed her lower lip, and Twilight got the distinct impression that the Princess was debating exactly what to tell her. Using her magic, Luna lifted up a cloth coated in some pungent ointment, and brought it to Twilight's forehead. A cool sensation spread from the cloth, soothing some of the ache in her head.

"You are in the Arcanum, you've been asleep for over a week. As to what happened, what do you remember?"

At first Twilight was shocked to hear that she'd been in bed a week. Questions and worries spun through her mind. Deciding that going over her memories would help her understand, Twilight shared what fragments she could recall. Nodding slowly as Twilight spoke of the duel, ending where her memories faltered, Luna again chewed her lip.

At last the Princess spoke again.

"Let me answer you with a question, Twilight Sparkle. What was one of the very first things my sister ever said to you?"

Pinching her brows together, and receiving a small ache of pain in reward, Twilight thought back to that day so long ago when she'd first met Princess Celestia. It had been her entrance exam into the School for Gifted Unicorns. Dash's Rainboom had set off her magic and it had started to randomly affect those around her. Celestia had stepped in and calmed her with only a simple look and said.

"Twilight Sparkle, you have a very special gift. I don't think I've ever come across a unicorn with your raw abilities..."

Her voice trailing off, Twilight saw Luna nodding and smiling.

"What I am about to tell you doesn't leave this room. No pony, or human, can know this, though many here suspect it now." Luna paused to make sure that Twilight understood the gravity of her words. When Twilight nodded meekly, she continued. "You know the tale of my banishment, and my return, yes? But what you don't know is that I didn't free myself, and neither did Celestia."

"Yes, I know that. The stars freed you. I watched them that night approach the moon and then the shadow called the Mare in the Moon vanished." Twilight turned her head slightly, puzzled at why Luna was talking about this old subject. The Nightmare Moon incident had long been dealt with and resolved.

"You saw that?" Luna's voice held a note of surprise, and mirth. "I don't think just any pony could have seen the stars do that."

"Princess, I'm not sure what this has to do with any-"

"Shh, it'll all become apparent," Luna hushed. "Now, what you may not know is that I can't feel the stars like I used to be able to feel them. They have grown distant and tend to sulk. And here, they may as well be flecks in on the horizon for all I can sense them."

"But, aren't you the Goddess of the Moon and the Night?"

Twilight could feel a great bubble of confusion trying to sort itself out in her head. Every pony knew that Celestia was the Sun and the day in addition to being the head of state. It was an oddity, having an immortal goddess in charge of a nation. Though Equestria was run like a Constitutional Monarchy, it was more like a Theocratic Empire. Celestia's word was law, and who would go against the very embodiment of the Sun? To do so would be lunacy!

Luna, though, just smiled and shook her head slowly.

"Partly correct. While I am the Goddess of the Moon, I am the Guardian of the Night. When I first returned and you cleansed me of the taint of the Nightmare, I was also a little confused as to why the stars were being so persnickety with me. They've been a real hoof full, I don't mind telling you. Now, another question for you. Celestia told me a lot about your training and how for a long time she had to keep a series of wards in place so you didn't over-use your magic and hurt yourself. Can you tell me if or when she removed those wards?"

Confusion growing, Twilight answered. "They were removed the morning before she sent me to Ponyville. Why?"

"And they were fully removed?"

"I think so? I mean, it was a bit overwhelming at first having so much more raw energy available for my spells and I was so happy and proud that Celestia trusted me enough that I didn't need the wards anymore."

"Oh Tia, you were always too secretive, I fear," Luna whispered, just barely loud enough for Twilight to hear. "Twilight, my sister didn't remove the wards, she just moved them a bit. I can't be certain how far she moved them, but you were still only accessing a fraction of your true magical potential. You can also see the problems this would cause, yes?"

Twilight blinked slowly, her mind racing as she tried to process what she had just heard and its implications. Celestia hadn't given her full access to all her magic? And what she had been able to tap into was still just a fraction of her true potential? But, that was impossible, Twilight wanted to say. No unicorn could contain that much Aether, it would very literally consume her, burn her away into dust and ash on the wind.

"You understand I see. Now, unicorns are built to store and access magic. But humans aren't. This worlds Ley Lines are oversaturated with Aether and scream and beg for release. I'm not sure if you can feel it because of the limitations of the humans, but if you were a unicorn still it'd be very clear to your eyes. But, because this words Ley Lines are so saturated, the humans only need to be able to connect to the Aether to use magic. You are seeing where I am going with this, I hope."

Nodding slowly, Twilight finished the thought.

"The spark I felt, there was something behind it. A wall I didn't see before. I was trying to bring it down because I needed the power to fight Duke Rutland. If behind it was all the magic Celestia had sealed off..." Twilight shuddered, wondering what her lost memories hid from her. "What happened?"

"The wards cracked and your true potential began to force its way to the surface. But that body was never meant to contain any magic, at all. It's amazing it held the embers it did. Had Ogo and I not acted this city probably would have been destroyed."

A chill swept over Twilight and tears came to her eyes. She could have destroyed an entire city. There were hundreds of thousands of innocents living in Roxholm upon Tyme. Twilight was thankful for her Master's and Luna's actions, though Twilight wondered where the dragon had gone. Surely, she would stay with Twilight as well. It wasn't like there was anywhere else for her to go.

"Where is Ogopologos?" Twilight asked, and instantly regretted the question as a profound sadness encased Luna's features.

"She is... gone." Luna shook her head. "I hesitate to say she is dead, though the other dragons all believe you slew the Lady in the Lake. She used a terrible artefact on you, something that was being held by the child you traveled with."

"The Prometheus Dynamo?" Twilight yelped in fear and surprise. Despite the aches in her body, Twilight sat upright, and was immediately overcome by a wave of nausea. "The last time I touched that thing it tore open Doors wherever I looked."

Luna just shrugged, her wings fluttering in mild agitation.

"Whatever that artefact is supposed to do, it sucked up your magic like a sponge water. You then mentioned Ponyville, and then Ogo just exploded into a blue-white mist of energy and vanished." Gently, Luna pushed Twilight back down into the bed. "You lost a great deal of magic to the device, and it's only been slowly recovering, despite how much Aether flows through this world. I've done my best to repair my sisters wards, but she was always far better at Abjuration than I. It'll take you a long time to fully recover. Years I suspect, to be honest, given the amount of magic you expelled and how slow it's recovering."

Twilight shivered, not fully comprehending things. A part of her understood what Luna was telling her and where it all lead, but another part of her wanted to reject things. She was just a simple unicorn and librarian, that's what she had come to believe and see when she looked in a mirror. What Luna was saying threw all that out a window, lit it on fire, then danced on the ashes. But Twilight, ever inquisitive, couldn't help what she next asked.

"What am I?"

A softness came over Luna's features, and she gave a motherly smile. It almost looked out of place on the young looking Alicorn.

"You are Twilight Sparkle, my sister's most faithful student. Beyond that, I cannot say. You are not a unicorn, that is for certain, but beyond that? I do not know."

"Am I an Alicorn then?"

Luna looked pensive for a moment, then shook her head slowly. "I don't know. It's possible. Celestia and I don't know where we come from, only that, once upon a time, we wandered Equestria among the Earth Ponies, but as unicorns. We don't know who our parents were, or if we even had parents. But I do know that we can have Alicorn offspring. Cadence is proof of that."

A distant sadness crept onto Luna's face as she looked out the window to the horizon over the shingled roofs of the city.

"I miss Cadence. She was the best foalsitter ever," Twilight sighed.

Laughing, Luna shook her head.

"And that, my dear Twilight Sparkle, is yet more proof that there is more to you than being a mere magically gifted unicorn. Having the Goddess of Love as a foalsitter? Didn't that ever strike you as odd?"

Blushing, Twilight tried to squirm deeper into the covers of her bed.

"Well, no, actually. I thought she just did it for all the noble Houses foals. That Cadence liked and enjoyed being around foals."

"Ha! I may not know my daughter well, but I know that foalsitting isn't something she just does because she likes foals. She's never had any of her own, after all." Luna leaned over Twilight, and gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder before Twilight could do more than gape at the revelation that Luna was Cadence's mother. "But enough of that. You have a long recovery ahead of you, Twilight Sparkle. The dragons have sworn that should you leave the city they will bring their vengeance down upon you. Couple that with your injuries and everything else, and I don't see us leaving for some time."

A wave of exhaustion sweeping through her, Twilight had to agree. She drifted off to sleep a few minutes later, her analytical mind sorting and processing everything she'd heard and learned.

Chapter Eighteen: The Harrowing of Ponyville

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Eighteen: The Harrowing of Ponyville

"Love will fall, a black spear piercing her Heart,
The Flame flies strong, a reprieve granted through sacrifice."
-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

Cadence screamed as she flew backwards, knocking Shining Armour and the guards behind her aside. Bouncing once, the Princess rolled to a groaning stop. It had only been a single blow, one partially absorbed by Shining Armour's shield spell, and it had still felt like a mountain had fallen on Cadence's head. Groggily, she tried to lift herself back up.

This was bad, and she was entirely the wrong pony for this. Cadence was even beginning to believe that Shining was right, and she should run and try to evacuate as many of the townsfolk as she could. It had been over seven hundred years since Cadence had done anything remotely related to fighting, and that had been organised fencing against her aunt, and one of her aunt's students.

Back on her hoofs, shaky as they were, Cadence tasted an odd metallic tang in her mouth. Spitting on the ground, Cadence felt a lance of shock shoot up her back at the sight of blood, her blood. Nothing had ever hurt her before in all her long life. Turning her head to look at the approaching, and cackling, demon, Cadence started to back away. She had to get away and warn her aunt. That was the most Cadence could hope to accomplish.

"This is a trick, yes? This cannot be the limits of your power," purred Stheno, the talons on her gauntlet sliding over her forked tongue. "Whatever would your grandmare say, if she saw one of her line cowering in fear? To think, that the Goddess of Valour's blood could thin so quickly. If I was capable of feeling sorrow, I'd lament for her sacrifice, if only because it denies me that chance to face her in battle again."

Cadence tried to run, to make her wings move and fly away, but she found herself paralysed by Stheno's voice. Her body locked up and she didn't know what to do. Legs trembled as the demon advanced.

Behind Stheno, the two abominations attached to the chariot had lunged at the royal guards, fire spewing from their mouths. Hastily conjured shields held back the fire, but did little to stop the demon's claws or bite. Bones crunched as two of the guards fell.

Not even the sight of two of her aunt's guards falling could snap Cadence from the fear that gripped her heart.

Smile carved onto her face, Stheno leapt at Cadence, her wings beating twice to propel her faster. Talons closed around Cadence's throat and lifted the terrified princess into the air.

"Pathetic. I thought that the Alicorns would have retained their might. I can see I was mistaken," Stheno screamed, her face inches from Cadence's. "A pity, I had hoped the first Alicorn I slew would be a challenge. You'll just have to do, since it-"

The blade of a sword bursting out between Stheno's breasts ended her tirade in a spray of black blood. A second sword, held in a blue-white telekinetic grip, slashed down on the arm holding Cadence. Gasping, Cadence fell away from the Gorgon, even as the demon's severed arm landed with a heavy thud between them.

Reaching behind her with her remaining arm, Stheno pulled the sword stabbing her in the back out with a wet squelch. On the ground the severed arm burst into flames and ash, dark oily smoke trailing from the limb.

"That was rude," Stheno said, an exasperated sigh promising pain and suffering as she turned towards the pony that had dared harm her.

Shining Armour stood with a grim determined expression on his face, pulling the saber held in his magic close in a tight guard.

"Back away from the Princess, or next I'll take off your ugly head," Shining snarled, hoof pawing at the ground.

Ignoring the captain of the unicorn guard, Stheno instead looked to the stump of her arm. Trembling, Cadence took a few steps back as she saw the Gorgon was smiling. The smoke from the burning limb began to gather around the stump, and in a hiss of boiling blood and burning skin, the arm regrowing in the space of a few seconds.

Jumping forward again, Stheno closed on Shining as the stallion stared incredulously at the Gorgon. Snapping his own sword down, only for it to be intercepted by its twin, Stheno laughed, her wings giving a little flutter of anticipation. Several times in rapid succession blade connected with blade in a single ringing tone of protesting metal.

Cadence watched in fascination as the mortal unicorn fought the demon. Ducking and weaving, Shining brought his saber up and across Stheno's midriff, her obsidian armour squealing in protest. He followed the strike with a burst of magic from his horn, a ray of dark blue energy striking Stheno and knocking her back a few steps. Pressing the attack, Shining launched a couple more rays, burning holes through Stheno's wings, holes that didn't heal like her arm.

An enraged snarl snorting from the demon, Stheno jumped into the air, wings flapping to keep her aloft. From her hand she threw a spear of ebony glass. Tipping his saber up, determination thrusting his jaw forward, Shining made to block the spear. With a deafening crack the spear shattered his saber and struck through his leg, burying itself into the ground.

Stheno didn't even taunt the writhing captain as she descended in a swoop, slashing down with Shining's own sword at his vulnerable neck.

"No!" Cadence screamed, all the fear that had been gripping her vanishing beneath a different kind of fear; fear not for herself, but for Shining Armour.

Acting purely on instinct, Cadence shoved the Gorgon with all the energy she could muster. The air around the demon shimmered with soft blue energy that tossed Stheno with the force of a tornado. As Cadence had done only a minute before, Stheno bounced and tumbled across the ground, knocking aside the two hellish bears battling the other guards.

Sparing the wounded captain a brief glance, one that saw him grip the spear pinning him to the ground with his telekinesis to yank it from his leg even as he grabbed at the saber Stheno had dropped when struck by Cadence, the Goddess of Love felt a warm, pleasant, and strong feeling flow through her. All the fears of a moment before melted away and were replaced by a tempered steel.

Cadence would not let Stheno hurt any more of her little ponies.

Stretching out her mind, Cadence felt her essence touch something that hadn't been seen for a thousand years. From deep in the Everfree a crack of thunder sounded and a streak of dark blue rocketed above the forest. Picking herself up the Gorgon glared and gnashed her teeth at Cadence, even as the streak descended and landed with a shattering report.

Beside Cadence, glimmering with the light of a full moon along its length, was a sword forged on a star plucked from the heavens.

Penumbra was its name, created by Nightmare Moon during her rebellion against Celestia while Cadence grew in her womb.

A very small part of Cadence was shocked at how eagerly the mighty blade had answered her summons. Cadence had been content these last ten centuries to let the sword linger, forgotten and lost, buried in the tunnels beneath the castle of the Royal Pony Sisters.

"There is fight in you after all. That is pleasing."

In Stheno's hands a greatsword of coiled shadows appeared. A shriek on her lips, the Gorgon leapt to the attack.

In a crash of light and shadow the two swords met, brilliant and yet soft white energy flowing along Penumbra showing hints of the hidden edge of Stheno's fell blade.

Stilling her thoughts and drawing on dimly remembered lessons taught by the monster that had been her mother, Cadence flapped her wings and took to the air. Around her she created a shell of protective magic, mimicking Shining Armour's shield as best she was able.

"This is more like it!" Stheno cried happily as the two spun and parried above the ruins of Twilight's library.

Outwardly calm, Cadence let the demon's taunts wash over her.

Cadence knew she wasn't very good at fighting, but she found her strokes falling with a precision she'd not known she possessed. It was almost like Penumbra was guiding itself and was the one using Cadence. Tucking her wings at her side only to flick them out very briefly again to spin herself around, Cadence lashed out with her hind hooves in a vicious kick as she plummeted past Stheno. In her wake flashed Penumbra, the sword held in her gentle blue telekinesis.

Stheno parried the attack with barely any effort, though the demon did clutch her ribs for a moment where Cadence's hooves had connected.

Extending her wings and banking higher, Cadence drew her opponent up and away from Ponyville until the town was nothing but a series of distant specks.

Stheno had stopped smiling, and instead battered at Cadence with rage fueled strikes. In her left hand appeared a long whip of crackling lightning. Her motions still being guided by an unseen hoof, Penumbra slashed upwards cutting through the whip. It had been a feint, Stheno tucking her own wings and diving towards Cadence. A strangled gurgle came from Cadence as the crook of the demon's arm slammed into her throat.

Briefly stars exploded in front of Cadence's vision, wind whipping at her ears. Legs and arms wrapped around each other, the Gorgon's fanged mouth biting Cadence on the joint where her right wing joined her shoulder. Cadence tried to throw Stheno off her, but the obsidian serpents that were the gorgon's 'mane' wrapped and coiled themselves around her, each biting a soft or tender spot. Venom pumped into Cadence and flooded her system. Red spots dotted the corner of her vision and for a moment Cadence thought she was going to black out. She barely felt when Stheno released her, both their swords tumbling from the sky. Cadence did feel it when she slammed into the ground, crashing on the edge of a shallow pond.

Pain, sharp like a million needles, exploded into Cadence even as a hacking cough of her blood burst from her mouth. Darkness crept into the corners of her vision, and for a moment Cadence desired nothing more than to let it claim her and end the searing agony that filled her body. But she couldn't surrender to the darkness, not while Shining and the ponies of the town were in danger.

Cadence tried to stand, but found that she couldn't feel her back legs. Lifting her head, the motion bringing on more pain that Cadence had imaged was possible to feel, she saw her motionless hind hooves laying in the murky disturbed water of the pond. Worse still, her pink coat was turning grey. She was turning to stone, Cadence realised with a sharp intake of breath.

Quickly, the goddess began to summon a spell to counter Stheno's magic. The petrifaction curse had nearly reached her wings when the counter-spell was completed.

Magic shimmered around her horn and down into her body and legs, the creeping grey stone overtaking her slowing and then began to retreat. Panting ever so slightly, Stheno alighted next to Cadence.

Grinning madly, the Gorgon bent down to whisper in Cadence's ear. Behind the demon Cadence saw Shining Armour approach, his leg wrapped with a bandage and leaving a crimson trail.

"As much as I'd love to stay and suck the marrow from your bones, I have a Door to unbar. Why don't you play with my son instead. It's been millennium since he last got to scour a town." Stheno dropped to one knee, thrusting her gauntleted fist into the earth. "Come, my Bolghul, come and feast."

Raising her gauntleted fist into the air, wisps of magic curling about her fingers, Stheno did a small hop into the air before jabbing her hand deep into the ground a second time. Ponyville trembled, a mighty crack splitting the earth, a groan resonating through Cadence as she lay in the mud. Fire, thick, greenish-blue and acrid, leapt from the crack, and from its depth stepped another creature of nightmares.

Towering above even the hellish bears, this new demon looked over Ponyville and smiled. Wings like the fins of a fish protruded from wide shoulders and ran down its back to the tip of a long tail, stopping just before a pair of twin hooks that dragged through the ground leaving shallow cuts where ever the demon walked. A frill of black horns rimmed the demons head and jutted from a short muzzle. In one mighty hand the demon held a seven headed flail, while in the other a large saber was thrust into the sky, both forged of a dark green material that dripped with hissing acid. From the demon's blue skin, a thick brackish covering like lichen on the surface of wet rocks, leaked a combination of dark grey smoke, and green fire that dribbled like slime and pooled around the demon's clawed feet.

"Have fun, my son," Stheno purred, "But leave the Princess alive for our Lord."

With a flap of her wings, Stheno took to the sky and angled southward heading towards the distant wastes and the gateway to Tartarus.

Limping and favouring his wounded leg, Shining Armour gulped and lifted his remaining saber as the demon charged with a roar like the crash of a storm on a rocky shore.

Before the demon reached Shining Armour, a streak of prismatic light descended, racing across the sky and leaving a rainbow trail in its wake. Still laying on her side in the mud, Cadence lifted her head a little. There was only one pony in all of Equestria's history that could produce such a trail. Cadence tried to cry out a warning to the mare, but all that came out was a hacking cough.

Thunder cracked as the mare struck the Bolghul, rolling and using her momentum to drag the massive demon over backwards

"You got some nerve, buddy!" shouted the Element of Loyalty, the cyan pegasus grinding her teeth and narrowing her eyes at the demon laying before her.

"Rainbow Dash, take the Princess and get her to safety!" Shining Armour barked, his tone the hard steel that demanded attention and respect. "I'll hold the beast as long as I can."

Looking like she wanted to argue, Rainbow Dash took one look at the Captain of the Unicorn Guards and did as she was told, albeit with a grumble.

"Come on, Princess," Rainbow Dash said as she scooped Cadence up, the metal war-boots the pegasus wore ducking under the princess' forelegs.

"No! I need to help," Cadence tried to protest, but it was too late. With a strong flap of her wings, the weather pony hoisted Cadence aloft and made a straight line towards the edge of town.

* * *

Spike cantered into the market, a pleased smile on his lips. Soon he'd be visiting his beloved Rarity again. And he'd get to see the not-Twilight. That still bothered him.

A small little ball of anger and sadness built in his stomach every time he thought about this 'Jasmine' pony that had done what-ever-she-had-done to Twilight. He was worried for his surrogate sister, and he was angry at himself for not noticing that something was wrong sooner.

Why hadn't he noticed something was wrong? Spike as the question over and over in his head as he winded his way through a crowd of ponies. He barely noticed how the crowd had a slight panicked edge to it, nor the nickering of fear, he was so lost in his thoughts. All he could think about was that if he had noticed something that first night than maybe none of the bad things of the previous day would have happened.

Twilight, the real Twilight, was going to give him such a lecture when she discovered that her library home had been all but destroyed. Celestia had, in private, tried to assure Spike that she knew some magic that would help repair the tree. Unlike ponies, plants were a lot easier to mend with magic. As in, it was actually possible. But there wasn't the time right now to cast the spell, so until then all Twilight's possessions, those that had survived the tree being cut in half and toppling over before bursting into flames, would have to be stored somewhere else.

But at least the Library could be fixed. That was one worry less for Spike to fret about.

Wringing his small claws together as he came out of his thoughts, Spike decided to stop in at Sugarcube Corner first. Maybe a nice sapphire muffin would make him feel a little better. The idea made him smile a little for the first time since not-Twilight and Rarity had left for Whitetail Wood the previous day. Besides, the crowd was getting really thick in the market and he didn't want to push his way to Rarity's boutique.

Opening the door Spike was greeted with the oddest sight. Pinkie Pie was standing in the door leading from the store into the kitchens. In her elastic arms were the Cake's twins, as well as saddle-bags, balloons, a snorkel, flight goggles, and what looked to be a crossbow. The pink party pony was shoving with her rump Mr. and Mrs. Cake towards the small back door of the kitchen. But what really made Spike pause was how Pinkie's mane and tail were flat, with no sign of the normal spring they carried in sight.

"Pinkie, dear, don't you think you're going a bit overboard?" Mrs Cake asked, and received a stern glare from party pony.

"No! That was the dooziest doozy I've ever doozied! And it was BAD! Very, very baddy bad, like cupcakes with pimento, alfalfa and worms bad. No, worser even! And it said get the hay out of town. And that's what you're doing. I've never ever in forever felt a doozy like this and with all the weirdy not-funness that's been happening I don't want you getting hurt."

"Pinkie, what's going on?" Spike asked as he approached the arguing group.

The twins had started to sniffle at the unusual tone coming from Pinkie and both their parents had looks of pure exasperation. Pinkie, on hearing Spike's voice twisted her head around. Blinking a few times Spike almost wondered how she was able to turn her head around like she was an owl, then he reminded himself; it was Pinkie Pie.

"Spike! You need to go too! Get Rarity and that meanie-saddle Jasmine and take them to Fluttershy's. I need to make sure all the other ponies are warned."

"Um, warned about what? You're kind of-"

It was at this point Murphy's Law decided that it was a good idea to stomp into the bakery in the form of a pegasus guard in glittering, but battered, armour crashing through the roof. A moment later, before the guard had even come to a stop, a deep trembling roar made the rafters of the bakery shake.

"Ah! It's already started!" Pinkie screeched as the guard bounced once and rolled to a stop next to the cupcake display. Renewing her efforts to push the Cake's out of the bakery, Pinkie didn't seem to notice or care about the stares being directed towards the groaning guard. "Spike, come on! We- eep!"

Spike's head snapped up from staring at the guard towards Pinkie. The earth pony had reversed her direction and was now pushing her adoptive family with all her considerable strength towards the front door of the bakery. As he was about to ask why Pinkie had changed directions, he found the answer appear in the form of the back wall of the kitchen vanishing in a shower of crashing wood, plaster, and blue-green fire.

The next instant a creature Spike could only describe as a bear from his worst ice cream induced nightmares filled the gap where the wall had been moments before. Eyes flashing an evil green it settled its gaze on the small dragon.

"Everypony, RUN!" Pinkie screamed at the top of her lungs, shoving the Cakes out the front door as a wave of liquid fire flowed from the bear's mouth towards Spike.

The dragon barely had time to gulp before the fire was upon him.

* * *

Fluttershy smelled the thick acrid stench of sulphur on the air before she heard the screams or saw a group of ponies race past her cottage. As they passed one turned to look at Fluttershy, terror filling her eyes.

"Everypony run!" she screamed, and then she ran into the Everfree Forest.

Stunned for a moment, Fluttershy turned to face Ponyville and saw several tall pillars of smoke reaching into the air. On the wind the faint screams of ponies in distress touched her ears and made her heart ache.

"Oh no, what's going on, Angel?" she whimpered, turning to the small white rabbit at her side. "Oh dear, Spike! He's in town! What should I do Angel? What should I do?"

The rabbit didn't answer, instead a great plume of fire roared from somewhere near the town's market followed a moment later by a deep guttural roar.

"Is the town under attack? Oh dear, what should I do, Angel Bunny? I don't want anypony to get hurt, but what can I do?"

The rabbit gave her a deadpan look that screamed, 'Are you kidding me?'

"Y-you're right, Angel, I got to at least t-try to help."

The look transformed to one of worry as the rabbits owner opened her wings and took off towards the town.

Flapping her wings in haphazard beats, Fluttershy looked down on the fleeing crowd of ponies. It was worse than the time parasprites had almost eaten the town. A few of the ponies even showed signs of hair having been burnt or cuts. Chewing on her lower lip Fluttershy flew faster. She arrived in the town square just in time to see the back side of Sugarcube Corner swept aside by the massive paws of a six legged, ram horned bear.

Roaring into the hole in had created, the bear spewed a wave of green fire.

"Pinkie!" Fluttershy shrieked, tucking her wings to her side briefly to dive down in front of the monster's face.

"Listen up, Mister," the normally timid pegasus snapped, her voice so sharp it could cut down an oak in a single blow if it were a blade. "You don't go around making a ruckus and attacking innocent towns and ponies!"

Behind Fluttershy's words came the most dreaded power within her arsenal; The Stare. From the depths of her own soul the pegasus drew forth all her anger, disdain, and displeasure into an invisible beam so potent it could stop a rampaging dragon in its tracks. The Stare made the small Mindshatter legion the most feared, and for good reason. When a single look from one pegasus could halt the advance of an entire army, it tended to attract fear and respect. Within the annuals of the legion, no Stare but perhaps one other had ever been as potent as Fluttershy's.

But the Stare wasn't without its flaws. It couldn't work on a creature that had no soul.

Unaware that she faced such a creature, Fluttershy continued.

"Now, I want you to apologize right this instant, and then go find a nice cave in the mountains until you're not so grumpy! Am. I. Clear?"

The Hell Bear tilted his head a little, and then he raised himself up above Fluttershy on his hind legs. Fire began to gather in his mouth as Fluttershy felt her heart quicken with the realization that the Stare wasn't working.

As glowing eyes fixated on her, the word's of Fluttershy's mother came back in the blink of an eye, echoing through her head.

'Fluttershy, my darling little spring-bird, if The Stare should fail, for any reason, there is only one thing you should do; fly away as fast as you can.'

Gulping, Fluttershy tried to command her wings to do as her mother had taught her, but she found that they had snapped to her sides and refused to move. With a little 'eep' she landed on Sugarcube Corner's roof, right at the perfect height for the bear to reach her. Little slivers of unholy fire filling its mouth, the bear's head descended towards Fluttershy with a dull roar that made her bones tremble. Needle teeth hungered to taste the pony.

Fluttershy closed her eyes and said a silent apology to her friends and family.

A moment before death would have greeted her, a great rumbling crash filled Fluttershy's ears followed by the angered roar of the bear. Daring to crack an eye open, the pegasus saw to her infinite shock the bear laying on its back having crashed into Bon-Bon's confectionary. Twisting her head to look for her savior, Fluttershy spotted Rarity and Jasmine, the two unicorns standing in the middle of the street in front of the bakery.

"Fluttershy, darling, now would be a good time to go and find a place to hide," the white unicorn said.

"What about you?" Fluttershy trembled as she slowly got back to her hooves and tried to open her wings.

"Oh, don't you worry about us. This thing tried to hurt my friends and I will destroy it!" Rarity's red eyes began to glow as she talked, her jaw and posture set for a fight.

The Hell Bear recovered quickly, and in a smooth motion, leapt into the air towards the two unicorns. Magic encased both unicorn's horns and Fluttershy decided that it was perhaps a good idea to listen to Rarity. She didn't want to leave, but without the Stare she had no idea how she could help, or at the least not get in the way. Holding back tears, Fluttershy took to the sky and headed towards her cottage. Maybe she could help the other ponies who had been fleeing the town.

Fluttershy didn't look back as she heard Sugarcube Corner begin to collapse.

* * *

Despite her angry exterior, Rarity had never been more frightened in her life. Not for herself, there was an inner calm that Rarity was unaware she had possessed that prevented her from having a shred of doubt or fear for her own safety. It was for her friends she was afraid. Sugarcube Corner was nothing but a pile of burning beams and baking supplies.

Pinkie would be alright, Rarity told herself over and over as she faced the beast that had attacked the town. With her Pinkie-Sense, the perpetually partying pink pony would have known to get out of the bakery. And Fluttershy was flying to safety. That left only Applejack and Rainbow Dash to worry about among her friends. Her only other concern was for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She prayed they had done their crusading at Applejack's orchard today, but there was no way to know for certain.

Rarity cleared her thoughts as the bear jumped towards her and Jasmine. There would be time to worry about everypony once the beast was driven from the town, or destroyed.

From Rarity's horn erupted a swarm of ravens, the inky black birds racing up into the descending demon's body where they exploded in soft splats leaving behind a smoldering residue. Soft violet magic swirled around Rarity from Jasmine and the two were yanked several yards away from where the bear slammed into the ground.

"Switch," was all Jasmine said, and it took Rarity a couple seconds to understand the other unicorn's meaning.

A jagged spear of blue energy so dark it was almost black cracked across the empty market and buried itself deep into the demon's chest. Roaring in anger more than pain, the beast charged snorting fire from its nose. Quickly Rarity grabbed Jasmine and reacting on instinct called up one of the many new spells that orbited through her mind. With a small pop she teleported the two of them out of the lumbering demon's path. A second roar came from the beast followed by a wave of fire that washed over several houses.

"This is amazing," Jasmine gushed, her violet eyes rolling up to the golden ring sitting snuggly around the base of her horn. "The echo is almost non-existent. But I feel a little bit woozy."

"That's because you're drawing on your own mana reserves, darling," Rarity said as her eyes darted left and right.

"Okay, I'm going to try something a bit bigger."

A wicked grin latched itself onto Jasmine's face. Rarity cringed to see such a dark and evil look on the face of her librarian friend. This was oh so wrong, Rarity knew, but desperate times could make allies out of the strangest ponies.

"Ready another blink spell, this will probably really drive the Hell Bear mad."

Rarity didn't have time to ask what Jasmine was planning before a burst of magic erupted from the other unicorn's horn. In a spinning black-blue ball the energy snapped across the short distance to the demon striking the beast on the side of the head. There was an infinitesimally short instant where nothing happened, then with a deep guttural sound that made both unicorns stagger back a few steps shadowy fire engulfed the other side of the market.

Mouth falling open, Rarity watched as bits of houses, paper, and scraps of cloth began to descend like rain. Grabbing Jasmine, Rarity teleported a safe distance away from the site of the explosion.

"Do you think we won?" Rarity asked, arching an eyebrow towards her partner.

Jasmine just shook her head as she slowly panted, her eyes heavy with exhaustion.

"Well, the rings can handle High Echo," she said before sitting down. "It just takes a lot out of you."

The words 'high echo' stirred a memory that was not her own. A plan began to form, and grabbing Jasmine, Rarity teleported again, this time a bit farther away. The two appeared on top of one of the gloomiest hills in Ponyville. It was kept that way most of the time as most ponies found the idea of a graveyard being cheerful and bright to be a little off-putting. They wanted the environment to echo their moods when they visited the resting places of loved ones.

It was an attitude that Rarity had never understood herself, but since it was possible to request the low hanging clouds and fog to be cleared away, it also hadn't ever really concerned her much either. It wasn't like she came to the graveyard often anyways.

Looking around the sea of short round headstones and plaques, Jasmine lifted an eyebrow.

"You planning on doing a summoning?"

"No, actually," Rarity said as she began to look for the right headstone, and receiving a questioning look from Jasmine.

Some of the names were familiar, though not because Rarity had known the ponies, but from previous times visiting the hill. Inside a part of her was screaming in disgust about what she was thinking of doing. Just the previous day that part would have been the entirety of her. Now, there was the voice of a small frightened girl, one who spent centuries trapped alone and afraid in a decaying tower, that told Rarity that sometimes to save loved ones you had to do things you don't find agreeable.

What she was about to do made Rarity's insides clench in disgust. But it was also the most powerful spell she could find in the swirling confusion of memories Chloe had given her.

In the distance there came the echoing rumble of something large and heavy crashing followed moments later by the ground under their hooves trembling. Moments later a roar unlike any Rarity had heard before touched their ears.

"That was a dragon," Jasmine said, her voice awed.

"Nonsense, that sounded nothing like a dragon," Rarity said as she stopped in front of a headstone.

Etched deep into the stone were only a few words.

Antique Belle
Beloved grandmare and teacher
1420 - 1492

"'Antique Belle'? How do you ponies come up with your names?" Jasmine asked with a little shake of her head.

"There is a ritual in the third trimester where-"

"It was a rhetorical question. Besides, I think I hear our friend approaching."

Gulping down burning trepidation, Rarity nodded once and began to channel her magic. The spell was lengthy and complicated, usually only performed in secrete and under a dark moon. It would take Rarity a few minutes to gather and weave all the necessary components of the spell.

"What are you doing?"

"Laying a trap, I hope."

Jasmine's mouth fell open a little, then it snapped shut. The lavender unicorn looked down the hill towards the town and the dark shape that was thundering towards them through the fog.

"I'll buy you the time you need."

Unable to respond as she concentrated on laying the lines of magic she'd require for the trap, Rarity saw Jasmine vanish in a flash of purple magic. Moments later a crack of lightning split the air followed by the demon's roar. Setting her jaw, Rarity concentrated harder on her spell. She couldn't leave Jasmine to face the beast alone for long.

* * *

"Put me down this instant! I command you!" Cadence yelled up at her blue captor as the two skimmed over the undamaged houses of Ponyville.

"Sorry, can't do that, Princess," Rainbow Dash shouted back. "Twilight's brother told me to get you somewhere safe, and that's what I'm going to do."

In the near distance Cadence saw one of the bear demons had entered the market and was towering over Sugarcube corner. As she watched, Cadence saw two beams of dark blue magic reach up and strike the bear knocking it over into the next house. Silently hoping that whoever had attacked the bear had the sense to run, Cadence lost sight of the fight.

"But I'm the only one powerful enough to fight them," Cadence protested, but her words felt hollow to her own ears.

Her back legs were still stone, but she could at least feel and move her tail again. Cadence wished her counter spell would work faster. She needed to get back into the fight and protect her little ponies.

Rainbow Dash just snorted as she backed her wings and gently dropped Cadence next to Fluttershy's cottage. Looking around, Rainbow spotted two other pegasi flapping towards the forest. With a sharp whistle Rainbow got their attention and waved them down towards her. Cadence didn't recognise either of the two ponies as they landed next to the captain of the weather patrol and the princess.

"Thunderlane, Blossomforth, what are your legions?" Rainbow snapped without pre-amble or waiting for comments.

"Stormbreaker," the dark grey Thunderlane said snapping a quick salute.

"Really?" Rainbow said, her voice clearly containing a note of surprise. "I didn't see your name on the register last time I was home. And where are your war-shoes?"

Rainbow stomped one hoof, a small arc of electricity crackling around the impact. Thunderlane shifted his hooves a little in the dirt and didn't make contact with the accusing look being leveled at him. Cadence thought she heard something about the register being out of date. She couldn't help but smile at the excuse. No Legion would let their register fall out of date. Both her and Rainbow suspected more to the story, but it wasn't the time to uncover it.

"Blossomforth?"

"Windslicer, ma'am!"

"Excellent. You and I are going to go help the guards and see if we can't take these monsters down. No pony hurts my friends or town and gets away with it! Thunderlane, take the princess inside and see if Fluttershy is home. I hope she hasn't run into the forest, or worse, gone into Ponyville. Come on, Blossomforth, we got bears to kick in the head."

Not waiting for a response Rainbow took off in a streak of coloured light. Blossomforth followed after only a moment of hesitation. Thunderlane, for his part, looked longingly towards the Everfree forest and the illusion of relative safety it presented.

"Thunderlane, is it?" Cadence asked, her voice snapping the grey pegasus' attention towards her. "I want you to see if Fluttershy is home, and if she is, tell her to go to Sweet Apple Acres. Then I want you to go into the forest and find as many ponies as you can. Tell them the same thing. The orchard will be safer than the Everfree."

"But, Commander Dash said..."

"Rainbow Dash isn't the commander of the Stormbreaker legion, at least not yet. I saw her mother just a few days ago in Cloudsdale. But I am one of your Princesses. Go, I am recovering quickly and will be safe."

"I- I, yes Princess," he said, looking a little defeated before pushing open the door to Fluttershy's cottage.

Shifting her gaze, Cadence saw that only the lower half of her legs were stone. From Ponyville the roars of the three demons could still be heard, mingling with the deeper rumbles of explosions. Cadence was just getting to her hooves when she saw a large blue blur descend towards the edge of town. It was followed by a rumble that knocked her back onto her side, and a sound like the primal fall of a mountain being crushed.

Closing her eyes, Cadence diverted some of her magic away from curing the curse turning her to stone and back towards Penumbra. Along the connection she felt the sword leap at her touch, the blade heeding her call again. Thunderlane exited the cottage saying Fluttershy wasn't home just as the blade fell from the sky and sank into the ground beside Cadence, and Fluttershy herself appeared, wings working as fast as they could.

"Princess!" She cried out as she landed.

Tears were streaming from the Element of Kindness' eyes and her entire body hung with the weight of failure.

"Fluttershy," Cadence sighed, relief washing over her as she kicked off the last traces of Stheno's curse. "Have you seen any of the other Elements?"

Whimpering, the butter-yellow pegasus slowly shook her head. Cadence cringed. Equestria needed the Elements, more than ever, despite the Element of Magic being missing. As her eyes drifted over the pillars of smoke rising from town, and then they froze as they settled on a new danger. A shadow fell over the cottage and three ponies, one caused by the largest dragon Cadence had ever seen rising on hind legs.

The very air trembled around the great beast. Blue scales flashed like sapphires and silver light poured from its eyes. Even half a kilometer away Cadence could sense a great wave of magic flow from the dragon.

"Thunderlane, take Fluttershy and protect her with your life."

Cadence lifted Penumbra, and not waiting to hear if her command had been heard, she took to the sky angling towards the new threat.

* * *

The trap was set, now all Rarity needed was the Hell Bear.

Through the fog Rarity could see lines of magic and flashes of light as Jasmine gave her all to slow the beast down. Charging her horn, Rarity blinked down to near the base of the graveyard, and right in the path of the charging bear. Eyes growing wide, Rarity forewent using the ring around her horn and dipped into her mana reserves to go intangible.

Roaring, the Hell Bear charged through Rarity, passing through her like she was made of smoke. Dispelling the enchantment before it drained too much of her magic Rarity cast her gaze around for Jasmine.

She spotted the other unicorn on the far side of the bear. Jasmine was limping and most of the hair on her left side was missing. Rarity cringed wondering which of the bear's terrible powers were responsible for the ghastly wound.

"You... finished?" Jasmine panted, her horn flickering weakly.

Rarity nodded once, gulping as she made a quick alteration to the plan. The Hell Bear chuckled, its laughter a deep throaty rumble. Ignoring Rarity it slowly made its way towards the wavering unicorn. In a series of quick pops, Rarity was beside Jasmine, and then they were both at the top of the hill.

Groaning a little from the expenditure of magic, Rarity rubbed her head. She hadn't realised just how much magic a simple teleportation spell took. Twilight had always made it look so effortless, they way she could blink around town dozens to hundreds of times without resting. Not for the first time since Rarity had met the town's librarian she wondered just where Twilight got all the energy for her spells.

Quickly, it became apparent that she didn't have any more time to wonder about magic and mana reserves as the ground trembled from the approaching demon.

"I hope... this works," Jasmine wheezed, leaning against Rarity for support.

"I'm sorry I took so long, and more sorry that you got hurt."

"Could be... worse." Jasmine tried to chuckle but instead she just teetered a bit more and fell onto her rump. "I thought you said... Twilight was the most powerful unicorn alive."

"She is," Rarity arched an eyebrow.

The Hell Bear was drawing closer. Rarity could hear the cracking sound of tombstones being smashed or hurled aside.

"Doesn't feel... like it."

Sparing a quick glance to Jasmine, Rarity noted with concern that the lavender unicorn's eyes were beginning to roll into the back of her head, and she was starting to shiver. The signs of magical exhaustion were overwhelming, but nothing Rarity could deal with while the Hell Bear was charging.

Out of the fog the bear emerged, all six feet churning up dirt as fire frothed from its mouth.

Rarity stood her ground as the beast drew closer and closer. A half dozen paces away the demon slowed and stood facing Rarity. Baleful eyes darted to the patch of dirt between the two. A bead of sweat trickled down Rarity's brow. Chuckling darkly, the demon began to pace around the two unicorns until it stood opposite where it had originally been.

Gulping, Rarity took a step back, using her soft blue telekinesis to lift Jasmine and pull her along.

Grinning wide to show off its array of needle-like teeth, the Hell Bear again stalked forward. Almost immediately it stopped and looked down at its feet in confusion.

A wide grin replaced the frightened expression Rarity had been wearing.

From the ground several translucent chains burst, arcing over the bear before slamming back into the ground. Again and again the chains emerged and dove until the bear looked like it was wrapped in a softly glowing cocoon.

Setting Jasmine back onto the ground Rarity stalked towards the demon.

She stopped inches from its face. Words and accusations jumped to the forefront of Rarity's mind. But they felt so unnecessary. Instead of screaming her anger at the beast destroying her home and threatening her friends, Rarity began to cast a spell. It took her almost a minute to complete casting the spell, the ring around her horn burning hot from the Aether channeled through it.

Reddish-black energy coated her hoof, swirling around in an intricate dance. The demon roared, spittle landing on her coat and sizzling. Snarling, Rarity shoved the magic coated hoof into the bear's face.

Leaping forward, the magic tore into and through the Hell Bear's head. Dust and ash flew into the air as a scream cut across the graveyard. A moment later it was over, the Hell Bear's head and shoulders gone and molten gore leaking from the gaping wound. Rarity tried not to look at the sight, but it was burned into her mind.

Gagging, Rarity turned back to tend to Jasmine.

Then the gloom of the graveyard was split by a flash of light brighter than any Rarity had before dreamt possible. Shielding her eyes, Rarity toppled over beside Jasmine.

* * *

Spike cried, crawling under a burning beam that had once been part of Sugarcube Corner. He prayed that the Cakes and Pinkie had escaped. He could smell something burning, but wasn't sure if it was the painted wood, baking supplies, or something worse. From somewhere close another explosion rocked the town.

The demon's were running rampant, and with Cadence and Shining Armour both struck down, there was no pony to stop them from completely destroying the town.

Poking his head out from under the beam, Spike quickly looked down the street. He saw plenty of burning buildings, and a few ponies who were laying far too still, but no sign of the demons attacking the town. Taking a deep breath he hesitated a moment longer, then sped off as fast as his little legs could carry him towards Fluttershy's cottage. Her cottage was far enough from town that it probably hadn't been attacked, yet. If he could reach her, then they could hide in the Everfree Forest together until the demons left and they could look for survivors.

As he scampered out of the burning town Spike became away that his left claw throbbed. Wrinkling his nose he slowed and lifted the claw. To his surprise he saw that it was actually burnt. He was a dragon, nothing was supposed to burn him. Dragons could swim in molten lava like it were a refreshing spring pool.

Spike's little legs stopped moving as he continued to stare at the wound, his young mind unable to process what it was seeing and feeling. It was like he'd been betrayed by his most trusted and loyal friend. After a couple minutes a long roar broke Spike from his stupor and he began to run again through the deserted streets.

Spike was just on the outskirts of town when the Hell Bear, bluish-green liquid fire pouring from its mouth and a gaping wound on its chest, appeared before him. Somepony had managed to hurt it at least, Spike realised even as he tried to turn and run back into the burning town. A wave of the black flames leapt up between him and escape. Hand still throbbing, Spike looked back and winced as the demon strode forward.

This was it, Spike knew. He was just a baby dragon. No match for such a creature.

Curling up into a small purple ball, Spike closed his eyes, unable to look at the fate rushing towards him.

He could feel the cold heat of the demonic flames, and the heavy fall of each step until they stopped right before him. The air whooshed around the descending blade, and then there was a tremendous crash followed by a roar that shook distant Canterlot.

It took Spike a moment to realise he was still alive and crack open his eyes. What he saw took his breath away.

The demon lay on its back, held down by two massive dark blue paws on its chest. Wings blotted out the sun sending tiny slivers of light that filtered through many small tears and rips in the leathery membrane. A head rimmed in a white frill of horns darted down, and with a sickening crack, ended the demon. Spitting the demons molten blood onto the grass where it sizzled and started small fires, Spike's savoir turned towards him.

"You should not stay here, hatchling," rumbled the dragon. "There will be little remaining of this town once the spawn of Tartarus are finished."

Jumping to his feet, Spike ran towards the colossal dragon. "Save the town!"

"I cannot. It is already lost," the dragon stated plainly, her eyes roaming over the burning town. "But I can save those who called the town their home and punish those who would defile my students home."

Lifting herself higher into the air, slow steady beats of her wings holding her aloft, the dragon raised her voice.

"Hear me, foul spawn of the Nine Thousand Pits! I am Ogopologos Tryn Stollyctor! The Lady who resides in the Lake! Devourer of Ylduin! Face me and tremble, for I will find you, and I will consume you should you try to flee!"

Spike heard a sound not unlike a pair of woodpeckers pecking a tree. Looking down he saw it was his own knees, knocking together as his heart lodge itself somewhere close to his tail.

Many ponies, even his closest friends, believed that it had been Twilight who had raised him. That wasn't the truth. Spike had been raised by Celestia as well as a few of her close advisors, such as Cadence. Twilight was still a little filly herself when she'd hatched him, and far too young to raise a baby dragon. Growing up around a living goddess had instilled a jaded view towards other creatures and 'power'. When your surrogate mother raised and lowered the Sun, it was hard to be impressed, even by other dragons.

This dragon impressed Spike.

While Celestia had a calm, motherly sort of power about her, a moral authority earned through centuries of leadership, Ogopologos was all brute strength and anger. It was more than a little frightening.

And exhilarating, Spike found as his little heart continued to dance through his chest.

"There, now all we need is wait for—"

Whatever the dragon was going to say Spike would never learn as a massive ball of frothing blue evil struck Ogopologos on the side and drove the dragon into the earth. Rising up onto his feet, triumphant bellow reaching up to the distant clouds, stood the Bolghul. In a fluid swing he brought his many headed flail down on the dragon's side, the sky quaking with the thunder of the blow. Before he could land a second blow, the dragon's long tail cracked across the demon's chest, sending it crashing into the ground.

Clods of wet dirt raining from her side, the dragon stood, a feral growl pulling back her lips.

"Hatchling, run!" she ordered, and Spike didn't have to be told twice.

Behind him he heard the two titans clashing, the air filled with the smashing of buildings and the roars of battle. Spike almost stumbled twice as under his claws the ground shook as one or the other of the combatants was hurled down again and again. Sparing a glance over his shoulder Spike was given sight of one of his kind locked in the most savage and brutal scene his young mind could have hoped to conjure.

Shedding broken scales from her left side and red blood flowing like a river the dragon circled the Bolghul. Both flared their wings, making each seem like towers. Hissing like a giant reptilian cat, Ogopologos pounced towards her foe, head darting forward with a stream of jagged ice flying from her open mouth. Green flames towering high into the air like a pillar of sorrow and hatred from its length, the foul blade of the demon drove forward.

A booming rumble and wave of dust flew from the impact and for a moment nothing moved. Silence overtook Ponyville, one broken only by the faint crackle of fires consuming the once peaceful town.

Spike's little feet stopped running, and for a moment he thought the fight over.

Ogopologos lifted herself on mighty legs, and then she toppled onto her side.

Proclaiming his triumph to all of Equestria, the Bolghul rose and placed one clawed foot on the dragon's neck, lifting his blade high above his head. His cry ended as a pink and silver missile connected with his chest and sent him staggering away from his victory. A flame of hope sprung into Spike's chest as he watched with bated breath as Cadence hovered in front of the demon that had struck down the largest dragon in perhaps all of Equestria.

She was saying something, Spike realised, as the faintest trace of the princess' voice reached his ears. Though he couldn't make out her words, he knew that Cadence had to be saying something appropriately heroic and cool. Whatever it was she said, the demon was unimpressed.

With each of his steps sounding like the fall of a tree, the demon charged the princess. In three long strides he closed the distance. Sword and flail ripped through the air, the princess deflecting the first and darting below the second. She then came up, her own blade connecting with the demon's neck. Sparks flew from the contact and the beast staggered back. Regaining his footing, the demon charged again, and again Cadence dodged or parried and replied with a devastating blow.

Rage fueling it, the demon pressed forward again, this time Cadence flipping over the beast and driving her sword deep into its back.

Howling with rage and frustration, the demon took a step back, its sword crashing to the ground. Wind kissed Spike's face, rushing past the young dragon and towards the towering edifice of evil that faced the princess. The earth began to shake, a clawed hand reaching towards the sun as a nexus of swirling green and violet energy forming around the demon. Its wings flared, the demon looked towards Cadence and grinned.

Spike could feel his scales itch from the magic the demon was summoning. Cadence's mane and tail lashed about the princess, a hoof raised to protect her eyes from the dirt and grit scratching her face.

A deep throaty chuckle rumbled from the Bolghul, the demon stretching his claws higher and higher as the magic continued to coalesce.

Growing up with Twilight for a surrogate mother, Spike knew a thing or three about magic. It was bad to try to contain and control so much energy in one spot. Invariably it would seek a release, and when it did, the force would tear outwards ripping at anything it encountered. Worse, that seemed to be exactly what the Bolghul wanted.

A low piercing shriek of spinning magic rippled and tore across Ponyville as the magic grew more and more intense. From the way his scales were itching, Spike knew that running away was pointless. The force of the magic grew until it was pushing Cadence backwards towards Spike.

The Princess hurled her blade towards the demon, only to have it batted aside by its flail.

Over the whining shriek of the demon's magic Spike heard the beast's deep guttural laughter.

And then, rising up like the sun above the Equis Mountains, stood Ogopologos, the dragon a blue monolith with defiance darkening her eyes. The Bolghul turned to face the dragon as she fell upon the demon, bearing him into the ground with a shattering impact that hurled the ball of chaotic magic high into the sky. Gathering her legs beneath her, Ogopologos shot into the air chasing after the magic. Catching it in her talons she beat her wings, each flap sending both the dragon and the demon's magic higher until they vanished into the clouds.

A bright flash lit the sky like followed by a tearing rumble of noise that seemed to refuse to end. Spike shielded his eyes from the stinging blinding light and looked away, his face flush with the heat of the distant explosion. The light pierced his shielding arm and seemed to stab directly into Spike's mind. On the heels of the light came a wave of air that picked the young dragon off his feet and tossed him along the street even as it tore the last buildings of the town apart. Wood and debris buffeted Spike as he tumbled. He came to a stop and thanked Celestia that he was a dragon and had tough scales.

Picking himself up, Spike felt his jaw drop open. Where once had been a small town of colourful buildings, only a bleak grey and brown field remained, one littered with burning timbers and the odd sign that ponies had once called the area home. Toys or personal possessions sticking out of the debris, torn and muddy or burnt and smoldering.

As bad as the devastation was, Spike knew it could have been far worse.

Spike found his heart hammering as he stood waiting for any sign of the dragon.

She appeared as a black comet descending through the suddenly clear sky. He felt more then heard or saw her impact. Skipping and running through the seemingly endless debris that had been the town, the young dragon made his way to where Ogopologos had landed. Pushing his way over the remains of a roof Spike saw that he wasn't the first to arrive.

Cadence and Rainbow Dash both stood by the dragon's head, the former whispering soft words as she stroked the ridge above an eye.

"Shh, conserve your strength," the princess whispered as her hoof brushed away cracked blackened scales.

"I will survive, of that have no fear," rumbled the dragon as Spike drew closer.

The air was thick with the stench of burnt flesh and wet wood, clogging and cloying about in Spike's nostrils. The dragon's silver eyes fixed on him, and seemed to beckon Spike closer.

"You survive, hatchling. That is good. That is good."

The dragon closed her eyes, her breaths slowing as Spike stepped up beside Cadence.

"You helped save my little ponies, for that you have my thanks," Cadence said. "If there is any way we can help you, please, tell me."

"I must sleep for a time. A century, perhaps two, and I'll recover." Ogopologos took another long laboured breath. "But first, a warning. Twilight Sparkle, the Purple Wizard, she will soon return, but she will not be the same. The long roll of years will see to it. You must be ready for her, and His return. This town will be only the first to fall otherwise. Now... I rest... and dream."

Slowly, the dragon's eye slid closed, and her breaths became even shallower, barely once in a minute did her chest rise and fall ever so slightly. Cadence stopped stroking the dragon's eye ridge, and instead gave the burnt scales a gentle kiss.

"Thank you," Spike heard the princess whisper, then the gentle demeanour of the princess vanished as she stood and address Rainbow Dash, the cyan pegasus hovering over the scene.

"Rainbow Dash, we need to start the search for survivors. I'll set up a command post at Fluttershy's cottage, but we'll need more space to house every pony. Sweet Apple Acres and Tip Top Carrot Fields should have the space and food we'll need. What I want you to do is to fly as fast as you can to Cloudsdale. In my aunt's absence, I am using my authority as the heir-apparent to the throne to call in all the Legions. I'll be sending messengers to Canterlot and the other cities as soon as I find a pegasus fit for the journey."

"Aye aye, princess!" Rainbow shouted, snapping a quick salute before flexing her wings.

"I'm not finished!" Cadence called, halting Rainbow before she could fly off towards the distant ancestral home of the pegasi. "You'll have to come back right away. The Elements are almost certainly going to be needed, especially if Stheno succeeds in opening the gate to Tartarus."

"What? But Princess Celestia is at the gate! No way that creepy bat-winged thing could get past her! Right?"

"I don't know, Dash. But if she does somehow open the gate, we need to be ready."

Rainbow Dash nodded quickly, a grim look on her face, and seeing no more instructions forthcoming, she took off like a bolt of her namesake. Cadence then turned to Spike.

"Spike, do you think you can send a dragon-fire letter to my aunt?"

"I-I don't know... I've never sent anything that far before," Spike murmured, rubbing the back of his neck with a claw. "And what about Rarity, Jasmine, and the others? I lost sight of Pinkie when one of the bear things attacked. I hope every pony is okay."

"Of course I'm okay, silly," Pinkie giggled, the Element of Laughter popping out from beneath a pile of smoldering beams. "Wow wee, what a mess," she added, her blue eyes scanning across the still burning debris that hours ago had been a bustling happy town.

"This is worse than the Parasprites and Ursa Minor and Spike's greed growth combined!" Pinkie fell onto her rump and sighed. "Well, come on Spikester, we got ponies to find and cheer up! Rarity and that meanie, Jasmine, are this-a-way!"

And with that, Pinkie Pie began to bounce through the ruins, a smile on her heart and a song on her lips. Spike and Cadence just shared a bemused look before trailing after the bouncing pink pony.

Neither of them saw or took note of the green mist that worked its way through the ruins and into the Everfree, the thick scent of sulphur permeating the mist.

Chapter Nineteen: The Long Roll of Years

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Nineteen: The Long Roll of Years

"Long will be the time she walks beside the Moon among Man,
And many will be the changes wrought in their wake."
-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

"Master? Master! You're going to be late at this rate," snapped a voice cold as ice, and just as effective at banishing the last tendrils of sleep that clung about Twilight's dream-hazed thoughts.

It had been a really good dream too.

She had been back in Ponyville with her old friends. Rarity had just come over for some tea, and then the two of them had gone flying on large majestic wings. Spike had been there as well, only the little drake wasn't so little, but rather a massive towering elder dragon, his features weathered with age and wisdom. Side by side, the three had flown to Sweet Apple Acres where they had pie and helped Applejack with a horde of tap-dancing rabbits that had put on a stage show in the carrot patch.

Twilight had been drawn away from show by the ringing of the bells of the Cathedral of the Moon. Crossing the stream that separated Sweet Apple Acres from Ponyville she had seen the cathedral sitting where her library had been. Stepping inside she'd been greeted by thousands of ponies sitting in the pews, all staring forward to where a human bride and groom stood.

The groom had been a giant, one of the nortmun, wearing a suit of crimson with the gold lace of nobility and the triple cords of a land owner stood across from a small timid woman in a flowing white dress that shone like a halo of light highlighting her flowing pink hair and butter coloured wings. As the bells reached a crescendo, Luna descended from the rafters on a beam of moonlight. Heavy plate armour clanking and a sword of silvery light strapped across her back, the Goddess of the Moon began to read out the couples vows.

It had been at this point that Twilight was dragged from the pleasant warmth of the dream.

The dream began to fade from memory as Twilight lifted her face from her writing desk, a piece of ink stained parchment sticking to her face.

Through the curtains of her tower's window thrust a golden beam of spring sunlight that managed to strike her straight in the eyes. Grumbling to herself, Twilight yanked the ruined parchment from her forehead, and clicking her tongue noticed the translations she'd been working on the previous night had all been ruined.

"What time is it, April?" Twilight finally asked, scrunching up the parchment before stretching and yawning.

"It is two bells after sunrise, master! You're going to be late for the Naming."

Rolling her eyes at the frantic tone in her apprentice's voice, Twilight got up and made her way to a wash basin. She was greeted by a face with large dark maroon bags under its eyes, the whites a dangerous shade of red from lack of sleep, and a black splotch on lavender fur. Narrowing her aching eyes at the terrible image she presented, Twilight channeled magic into the ring around her horn and banished the transmutation effect she now spent almost all her time under.

It had been a week since she'd last reverted to her human form, and the change was accompanied by a number of aches in places that had become unfamiliar. Splashing some water onto her face, Twilight waved for April to bring her robes.

"A wizard is never late, April. A wizard arrives precisely when he or she means to."

Managing to hold back a derisive snort, April couldn't hold back her tongue.

"Master, you know that only works on the common folk."

Twilight just shrugged in response.

Wobbling a bit as she readjusted to the shift in her balance, Twilight remained quiet as she donned her soft silvery grey robes. Double checking her mental checklist, Twilight patted down her robes, slipped on her ring, and lifted the polished staff, its length a glossy black dark as moonless midnight, from its stand.

April stood still waiting in a corner her gaze fixed out the window. Twilight could see the young woman was anxious for her master to be finished and on her way. There was probably a certain young enchanter that April believed Twilight had not yet uncovered.

Twilight, of course, had discovered the budding relationship the previous fall, and was content to let her apprentice think she was pulling one over her master's eyes.

Ah, to be young and in love.

"Okay, I'm ready," Twilight finally declared and strode towards the window.

"Master, aren't you forgetting something?"

"What? I have my robes on, and my ring and staff. My belts are done up in the traditional double knots. I have the proper shoulder cords for a change. What else could I possibly need?"

"Owlowiscious?"

"Oh, of course," Twilight groaned, lightly slapping the side of her head. Whistling, Twilight heard the papers mounded beside her desk rustle and a moment later a glowing owl of purple crystal made his way out of the pile. With a tinkling sound like chimes, the magically constructed owl ruffled its feathers before fluttering up to Twilight's shoulder. "Better?"

"Perfect," April said, then began pushing Twilight towards the door.

At a foot taller than Twilight after her most recent growth spurt, April had little trouble corralling her master out into the landing used by the seventh tier wizards. The walls around the landing continually shifted and altered, different doors appearing and a wizard striding, or in a few cases like Twilight's, were pushed by impatient apprentices, before sliding away to be replaced by a different door.

"While I am at the Naming I want you to study the proper applications and methods for fusing Fire with a ward!' Twilight called over her shoulder as the small purple painted door that lead to her room closed and then slide up the wall where it disappeared to wait in the rafters along with all the other unneeded doors. As she turned to join the line of wizards treading their way down the stairs in the center of the landing, Twilight muttered to herself. "Though I know you'll be sneaking out with apprentice Samuels."

Twilight had just placed a foot on the stairs when a large hand clapped down on her shoulder, a boisterous laugh following quickly after.

"Master Sparkle, it's been too long since I've last seen you," chuckled the voice connected to the laugh and hand. "You've been cooped up in your tower for, what, a month? I don't think I even saw you during the trials."

Looking over her shoulder Twilight saw A wide grinning face, one with twinkling brown eyes and a nose so long it had been suggested it could be used to poke people's eyes out, if not for the fact the nose was bent at an odd angle. The angle and direction always seemed to change, but that was actually normal and Twilight would have been more surprised if it hadn't ever spontaneously changed mid-conversation. Tall pointed hat flopping down around his ears, the other master wizard took a little half-skip to walk side-by-side with Twilight down the stairs.

"Master Laughingcart, how goes your efforts to make humming birds invisible?"

"Terrible, awful, oh most wretched. That is to say; better than I expected or dared hope. The trick is getting their feather's to shimmer just so. Then the light bends around them and bibbity, there you go, invisible humming birds! The problem is catching them afterwards."

Nodding soberly as they passed the landing for the sixth tier wizards, Twilight could imagine how that would make things difficult.

"I mean, have you ever tried to catch a dozen invisible humming birds? It is only lucky I returned to the Arcanum. I should have looked quite the mad fool running around Tinsedale in nothing but my bathrobe and slippers swinging that big net about!"

A smile slipped onto the corner of Twilight's mouth at the mental image of the tall and plump Laughingcart running through a field in nothing but his burgundy bathrobe and slippers, a giant butterfly net in hand.

"Here that's a Tuesday," Twilight tried to say and maintain her air of solemnity, but a giggle escaped followed by, "Oh, bother."

"Hmmm, indeed," agreed Laughingcart, and then changing subjects like a boat tacking he asked, "So, you think you'll be Named?"

With a little shrug, Twilight said, "I'm not sure, to be honest. I feel I did well in the theoretical exams, and I know I did good on the practical applications of wards, not to mention using the blink spell. I didn't do so well with summoning walls, however."

"If it makes you feel any better, me and the other Illusionists are laying our gold on you getting named. So are the Transmuters."

"What about the Evokers and Enchanters?"

"The Evokers favour Pill Bullman, I believe, while the Enchanters have lain their money on that feisty upstart from the east. What's her name again?"

"Angelica Opalstring," Twilight supplied.

"Yes, yes, her, quite so."

"What about the you-know-whom?"

"I don't sit with that lot." Laughingcart shivered as they passed the landing for the fifth tier wizards.

The Journeymen wizards flooded the stairwell in a sea of hats, squawking birds, and jangling bells. Pressed between Laughingstock and the railing, Twilight felt her progress slow to a crawl. A few of the sixth and seventh tier wizards became birds or other small fast moving animals, and in a shower of feathers and scampering paws slipped through the crowd.

Speaking over the noise, Laughingcart continued, "But if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say they are with you as well. You know, that whole destiny thing you have going."

Cheeks burning, Twilight wanted to correct Laughingcart. There was nothing in the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard that stated she would be Named, just that she was one of the most powerful wizard to walk the face of Sumanthor. It was a minor technicality and Twilight didn't want to jinx her chances of being Named by mentioning it. Wizards' Rule number 33: Don't speak of the negative, lest you give the Dead Gods ideas.

Conversation soon turned to how their apprentices were progressing. Laughingcart spent most of the time detailing how his apprentice was leaning towards joining the Evokers. A lot of the apprentices had started to take an interest in the school, especially after the spectacular display Luna had given two years previously when a goblin horde had swept out from beneath the south mountains and tried to lay siege to the city.

The number of wizards filling the stairwell only continued to grow, just as the number of wizards living in the Arcanum had grown exponentially since Twilight, and more importantly, Luna had taken residence in the city.

Many of the wizards who, like Jacob Conrad, had left the Arcanum to forge homes or lives in the many towns or villages that dotted the land had returned as word of Roxholm upon Tyme being the home of a living goddess spread. Walk-Abouts abruptly ended, homes were sold or left empty, towers shrunk down and placed into pockets, and in general a great migration of the magical community ensued.

Several times over the years, the Arcanum had to be expanded as the flood of wizards arrived. While the several story tower looked no different on the outside to the commoner living in the city, on the inside it had grown almost five fold. Luna, who alone in all the city could see the Arcanum's true form, described the tower as a spiraling spear of glass, steel, stone, marble, and brick that rose up almost eighty stories high. Privately Twilight felt the number to be accurate given how many times the lower levels had to be expanded to fit the lower tiered wizards. Her own window was absurdly high above the city, more so than would be possible looking at the tower from the outside.

It wasn't even just wizards that called the Arcanum home either. Two families of witches, several nortmun shamans, bards, skalds, and priests had all come to live among the often eccentric, and sometimes downright crazy, wizards. Even a small number of warlocks had tried to gain admission to the tower, but had been immediately chased out of the city. It had been the talk for weeks, seeing several men and women being chased through the streets by a surging horde of wizards. Roxholm upon Tyme had been filled with the jangle of bells and the heavy patter of pointy shoes that day as roving bands of wizards poked their heads into every barrel, window, chimney, or skirt that could have been conceivably used as a hiding spot.

Wizards, Twilight had discovered, really hated Warlocks.

The day of the Great Warlock Hunt it was now called within the Arcanum.

Beyond just the types of spellcasters calling the Arcanum home were the different races. When she had arrived the Arcanum had been almost exclusively soutmun, with just a couple nortmun wizards. Now Twilight could spot the long ears of elves from the great forests across the eastern mountains, the longer noses of the few remaining goblins (there had been more before the failed siege), the towering masses of green skin and black hair that belonged to the orcs, and the streams of curse words assaulting her ears indicated at least two of the dwarves were nearby. It all meshed together into a dizzying sea of insanity, conflicting cultures, arguments, and somehow in spite of it all, there was a certain air of camaraderie and fun.

Then there were the laboratories, class rooms, store rooms, and buildings for the servants and golems (both Ancient and Magical), the endless libraries that stretched like dusty mazes, and the halls that linked them all together. Without using the magical mirrors that stood throughout the Arcanum that allowed instant travel between their partners it could take hours to cross the entire structure.

The Arcanum was a city within a city.

"We'll never reach the Hall of Nom at this rate," Twilight shouted to Laughingcart, who nodded in return.

"Birds or mice?" was all he asked in reply.

"Uh, I was just going to teleport."

"INSIDE the Arcanum, are you nuts!?" Laughingcart shouted, his eyes going wide and his nose snapping across to the other side of his face. "No, don't answer that."

Taking his arm in her own, Twilight laughed.

"Come on, we'll be fine. I am the most accurate at teleportation. I just don't have Bullman's range."

"I thought you were faster and- whoa!"

Laughingcart's voice stretched and compressed, going from a deep rumble to a high pitched squeal as Twilight waved her hand. There was a moment where they were nowhere, and then, with a small pop, they appeared in a corridor leading to the Hall of Nom, or as it was more commonly known as, the food court. They were beside the servants door and through it had an excellent view of the massive room beyond.

In the center sat a series of tables like a giant wheel divided into six parts. Around the tables the hundreds of wizards (and other spellcasters) were taking seats. The wizards stuck to their own colleges as a rule so that one table was filled with the chorus of a thousand small bells, while the next had a swarm of birds and feathers fluttering about it, and so on. Interspersed fairly evenly among the wizards were the other non-wizards. The witches preferred to eat with the illusionists, owing to their own black pointed hats being lost easily among the illusionists hats. Beyond the great tables was a single shorter table with seven places set. This table was reserved for the Arch-Mages and Luna, when she dined at the Arcanum.

Luna and the arch-mages were nowhere to be seen, which settled some of Twilight's budding anxiety. She wasn't late, just as she predicted.

"Yes, you are going to be Named," Laughingcart chuckled after he had checked to make sure all his parts were where they should be.

Twilight just blushed again at the praise.

Sneaking into the hall Twilight and Laughingcart waved goodbye as they made their way towards their tables; Twilight the birds of Abjurers and Laughingcart the hats of illusionists. As she approached the table of abjurers Twilight spotted a pointed hat sticking out like an island among the sea of feathers. A sly smile on her face, Twilight slipped into an empty seat beside the be-hatted wizard, wrapping her arm around the wizard in a loose hug.

"Tracey! You made it back," Twilight said happily.

Turning away from the nortmun shaman she'd been sharing a conversation with, the illusionist carried a smile as wide as Pinkie Pie and grabbed Twilight in a tight hug of her own.

"You think I'd miss a Naming? And one where you are a candidate? Ha, wild orcs would have to hack off my feet, and even then I'd crawl back here. No offense Burk."

Across the table an orc witch-doctor shrugged mid-bite of a shank of lambs leg.

"None taken. Human feet make a nice stew," the orc said with a wink.

"I also wanted to get this to you as soon as I could," Tracey added in a quieter voice as she pulled out an odd shiny blue object made from an equally odd material.

"You found it!" Twilight squealed in joy. "I didn't think you'd actually be able to find a way into Cheyenne Mountain. It was hit really hard by the Gorgons during the fall of the Ancients."

"It's Sun you should thank. She's the one who found the way past all the traps and collapsed tunnels."

Twilight nodded, turning the smooth 'book' over in her hands. Calling it a book was perhaps a bit of a stretch as it didn't open, or have pages, like a proper book and was instead just a rectangular device. Her fingers itched to find the little switch that would turn the book on and allow her to access it's secrets. The Ancients sure loved their odd devices, but Twilight couldn't argue with the results. Even after thousands of years buried in a bunker beneath a mountain the devices would work just fine. Someday Twilight hoped to figure out what they used as a power source that it could last so long.

"How are the others?" Twilight asked as she shoved the book into a pocket. "I've not seen any of them in a couple years now."

"Sun is doing fine. She has a child on the way, so she's actually talking about retiring from adventuring and settling down in the Protectorate of the Forest. Kodiak managed to add a few new scars and Vernon is Vernon. Eric's still at that monastery in the mountains that sprung up in Golem's Watch."

Nodding happily with the information, it was the first bit of news that really made Twilight beam. Twilight was still more than a little afraid of Kodiak. Eric had left the group shortly after Twilight to take up the position of Abbot at the budding monastery of the Moon. Vernon had returned to his position in the King's Guard for a short while before leaving to join up with Sun, Kodiak, and Tracey when Twilight would send them out looking for clues or artefacts that would help her control the Prometheus Dynamo.

Typically it was only Tracey that Twilight spoke to when the group was in the city, but Sun had managed on a few occasions to somehow sneak into the Arcanum. How the small woman made it past the magical wards that criss-crossed the tower and surrounding buildings stumped Twilight.

The first time Sunalinda had broken into the Arcanum it had been for Twilight's twenty-first birthday. Twilight had awoken to April dropping a tray of tea and buttered toast, the young woman startled to see Sun sitting on the foot of Twilight's rarely used bed, a book in one hand and an apple in the other.

Over the years Twilight and April had gotten used to Sun being able to appear as if by magic, though both knew for a fact that Sun's methods were more mundane. To hear that the rogue was with child and thinking of settling down made Twilight's heart glow.

It took another half hour for all the many journeyman or higher tiered wizards (and guests) to filter into the Hall of Nom and find a seat. The apprentices all had the morning to themselves, and no doubt more than a few would find mischief in the greater city. Across the Hall of Nom conversation flowed freely until a side door used by the arch-mages swung open and six people entered the room.

At the head of the group, Luna gave the gathered magicians and spell casters a polite smile. She, like Twilight, maintained a more human form when not in her private chambers. Ruffling her glossy wings a little as she took her seat at the center of the table, the arch-mages sitting on either side of the goddess.

After several moments Abtuan stood again, the Arch-Mage of the Unseen Eye wearing a somber grin. Raising his hands, he indicated the need for quiet from the assembled magic users.

Few conversations ended.

Rolling his eyes, Abtuan snapped his fingers and tapped his staff to the stonework and a wave of forced silence rippled across the room.

"Much better," he said, his voice like the rumble of drums in the sudden quiet and a second snap of his fingers ending the enchantment.

"Friends, colleagues, and guests from near and far, we have gathered this day to perform the ancient rite of a Naming. It has been some time since the last new Arch-Mage was Named, as you're all aware, and I had quite the long stirring speech prepared. Would have been rather grand, if I say so myself, but, alas, our distinguished," Abtuan nodded to Luna, "asked I cut it a bit shorter."

And audible sigh of relief swept through the Hall of Nom.

Twilight had read that when Vespa had been Named the speech given by Abtuan had lasted for seven hours.

"So, I shall not name and tell you the accomplishments of every previous Arch-Mage of the Unbreakable Wall, all fifty-three of them. Nor will I list all the accomplishments of the listed successors. By now, I believe we know them all.

Instead, I will say this. It is a remarkable age that we have come to live in. I myself would have laughed, politely mind you, in your face had you suggested the Arcanum would house not just wizards, but practitioners of every magical tradition, and with members of all of the six races of Mankind."

Abtuan paused for a moment as a wave of thunderous clapping filled the hall.

"None of this would have been possible without the guidance of our most distinguished guest, the fair Princess Luna of Equestria, Goddess of the Moon and Guardian of the Night."

Twilight and two thousand other magicians leapt to their feet, the hall filling with hoots, whistles and roars. From their table the transmuters danced and spun, letting the bells sewn into their robes sing. Boots stamped and birds trilled adding to the crescendo of noise. Blushing, Luna smiled and waved after a minute for the gathered magicians to sit.

"So, it is without further ado that I Name the next Arch-Mage of the Unbreakable Wall. This wizard has shown us the best that resides within all of us. Since joining the Arcanum they have been a voice of reason, usually. I think we all recall the incident with the dolls and brooms."

A light scattered chuckle among some of the original members of the Arcanum echoed through the hall. Twilight felt her cheeks begin to burn and her pulse quicken.

She was almost certain now that she was going to be Named, but the fringes of doubt kept her firmly clamped to the edge of her seat.

"This wizard I have had the distinct pleasure to get to know and call a good friend," Abtuan continued with barely a pause. "Also, how many of us can claim to have been literally raised and trained by an actual Goddess."

Twilight wanted to leap out of her chair and start dancing. She was going to be Named! Mastering all the patience she could muster Twilight rocked back and forth in her seat a thin stream of giggles escaping her beaming smile. She felt Tracey wrap an arm around her in a hug and whisper congratulations.

"Twilight Sparkle, apprentice of Princess Celestia, Goddess of the Sun and Protector of the Day, and apprentice of Ogopologos, the Lady in the Lake, I, Abtuan Diridma, Arch-Mage of the Unseen Eye, name you the Arch-Mage of the Unbreakable Wall."

Every fiber of Twilight's being was screaming at her to leap to her feet and shout in victory, but the ceremony wasn't quite over yet. So she remained sitting as she continued to bounce like she was Pinkie Pie and had been told she had a party to plan for a hundred new friends.

In turn each of the other arch-mages stood and repeated the naming. As Locke gave the final confirmation the Hall exploding in a thunder of applause. Almost in a daze Twilight stood and made her way towards the high table of the arch-mages. She caught the other contenders for the position smiling and clapping, though Angelica looked a little sour.

Nothing could ruin the moment for Twilight however as she reached the high table and received hand-shakes and kind words from the other arch-mages as a peer for the first time. Vespa's beard tickled Twilight's face when the smaller arch-mage jumped up and wrapped Twilight in a bear-hug. Locke's shake was tight and grim, befitting the most powerful necromancer. Abtuan whispered words of encouragement, while Mattemeus kissed both of Twilight's cheeks to hoots from the other transmuters. Tom Jaguarson clapped Twilight on the back before Luna approached.

Embracing Twilight in a gentle hug, a sign of affection Luna never showed in public, the princess said, "My sister will be so very proud of you."

Twilight's smile couldn't get any wider as the words sunk in and she took her place as the arch-mage of Abjuration, the Unbreakable Wall.

* * *

"Of all the stupid, arrogant, loathsome things!" Luna raged, using her magic to crush a five hundred year old gold vase.

The vase, like some many things in Twilight's room, had been found while searching ancient tombs or dungeons, or gifts from her 'father'. In the case of the vase it was the later. Giving the visibly seething princess a deadpan glare, Twilight picked up the now hunk of gold with a sigh.

"I take it you heard the news, then," Twilight muttered, placing the remains of the vase on her desk to be restored later.

Spread across her desk were maps with various routes plotted as well as her journals. Twilight gave her work one last wistful look before turning her full attention towards Luna.

"In our name, that is what is the worst, Twilight Sparkle. They march in OUR name, as if this pleases us! Thirty thousand men under banners depicting our mark. We just..." Luna voice trailed off in another snarl as she reached for another vase.

With a snap of her wrist Twilight tugged the item, this time a truly ancient painting of a smiling woman found in one of the Ancient's shelters, from Luna's grasp before it could be destroyed.

"Princess," Twilight snapped, her voice containing the barest edge of disapproval, "I would ask that you refrain from destroying any more of my collection. Please? I know that this entire situation is just sickening. I felt like crying and marching to the palace to yell at the king. But it won't do any good."

"I- I apologise. It's just, to declare a war and in my name! It's preposterous!" Luna's nostrils flared as she went back to pacing around Twilight's chambers.

Twilight noted, with a sense of minor relief, that Luna had stopped using the royal 'we' to refer to herself. The princess, at least, was starting to calm down.

Twice April had stuck her head into the room, and promptly turned around at the sight of the enraged goddess. Sighing, Twilight resigned herself to the fact that she would be getting no work done until she'd either settled Luna or somehow dealt with the cause of her anger. Since Twilight didn't think she'd be able to stop the Kingdoms of Tyme and Avend from senseless brutality, she opted to try to calm her old friend.

"We've both known for a long time something like this would happen." Twilight snapped her fingers to get April's attention when the young transmuter next stuck her head through the door, pointing meaningfully towards the tea pot.

"Yes, I read their history, and long and bloody as it was it still seemed so distant and unreal. They are as bad as griffons for their constant fighting," Luna grumbled as she sat down next to Twilight. "And all I need do is look to the east and see the civil war that has raged these past two centuries for evidence, yet, it never really sunk in. Is that strange?"

"Strange? No, I think it is very pony of you. We want to see the best in other races, and it has been so long since war came to our borders."

"Not so long for I. It's been barely a decade from my perspective since I rebelled against my sister, and yet... and yet..."

"You've been protected and shielded, Luna, both by Celestia and now by the Lunar Paladins. They try to keep you safe, especially your Paladins. And you should take pride in that not a single Knight of the Golden Chalice or Knight of the Moon Ascendant has joined the King's armies."

Twilight tried to give Luna her most re-assuring smile. Moving to pour the tea herself as she saw it coming to a boil, she silently thanked April. The young women responded with a quick smile of her own before retreating from the room for the last time.

"I suppose that is true. I've made it clear to the Bishop that he is to speak out against this senseless war and that I thoroughly denounce it." Luna nodded her head proudly as she gave Twilight a wide smirk.

Rocking back onto her heels, Twilight let out a long sigh and shook her head.

"I think that would be a very bad idea."

Luna's smirk died in a flash, the princess glaring daggers towards the Arch-Mage of Abjuration.

"And why is that, Twilight Sparkle?"

"It would be disastrous for the moral of our army. It would send chaos through their ranks."

"Good! Maybe they'll then return to their homes." Luna almost spat the words as she took her tea from Twilight. She was pleasantly surprised when the sweet aroma of acai struck her senses. The berries grew far to the east across the plains of the fallen empire of Sumanthor around the den of thieves, pick-pockets, and cut throats that was the city state of Memnar. It had been too long since Luna had tasted her favourite tea blend. She'd have to ask how Twilight had gotten a hold of the rare berries.

"No, not good," Twilight sighed as she sipped at her own tea. "The army of Avend will crush our army and invariably march towards Roxholm upon Tyme itself. Which would then draw the wizards and you directly into the fight, as we were drawn in when the goblins swarmed out of the mountains."

Growling to herself, Luna buried her face in her hooves.

"Of course, how have I grown so blind and foalish, Twilight?" Luna slowly shook her head, a mirthless chuckle rolling from her. "I was once a general without peer. Now? I make mistakes any sensible pony would know better than to make."

Putting on a brave and consoling smile, Twilight said, "Princess, you were Nightmare Moon when you last went to war, and before that it was centuries between wars. You aren't the pony who rose up against her sister anymore, you don't think or act like her. It's understandable that you'd not make the same conclusions."

"Maybe, but it's still so vexing."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I was planning another Walk-About. I could push the departure sooner and head south to see if I can broker a peace between the two sides."

"Avend won't listen to you," Luna sighed, slowly shaking her head. "Not only are you a wizard, but you're the Arch-Mage of Abjuration and the Purple Wizard. They'd be sharpening their pitch-forks and lighting the torches before you crossed the border."

"They'd be fools then," Twilight said with a wide smirk.

"Where are you planning to go to this time?" Luna asked, taking the offered conversation change.

"The ruins of a city called Washerton, or something like that. It was the Ancient's old capitol of one of their empires. Or that's what my translations seem to indicate. There is supposed to be an extensive shelter built underneath some sort of headquarters for their army."

"I thought the Ancients didn't have any armies until they Sinned."

"Well, yes and no. They weren't always unified and relatively peaceful. According to my research this place was closed and turned into a museum over a century before the Sins. But, it could have been used during the creation of the Dynamos and the Crown. It's worth a look at the least."

Twilight smiled over her tea, her eyes twinkling at the prospect of finding more knowledge left behind by the dead civilization. Luna gave her head a rueful shake. A part of her wanted to dissuade Twilight from going on such a long journey. She knew that it'd take the better part of a year to reach the site of the ruins, not that there would be any ruins visible after so many thousands of years. But it was impossible to stop the arch-mage, she knew.

"What about you? I've spent all this time ranting and raving about my problems and I've not thought to ask about yours. I'm sorry," Luna said, hanging her head.

"You're asking about the wards, right?" Twilight said in more of a statement than a clarifying question.

Luna just nodded.

"They are breaking down again. I've had to reinforce the enchantments a couple times already this year. I was going to ask for your help before I left for the walk-about."

"How long do you think you have?"

"A few years, six or seven at the most. Maybe a decade if I don't use any magic other than repairing the wards."

Twilight shrugged, trying to convey that she wasn't worried. Luna saw through the deception, the worry and fear clear in Twilight's eyes.

"You'll find the way home before then, don't worry," Luna said, but she could hear the faintest tremor of doubt in her own voice.

"Yeah, one of the advantages of Prophecy. I just hope it isn't too late."

"Who is going with you on this walk-about?" Luna asked deciding to steer away from the troubling conversation and back to safer grounds.

"Tracey, Laughingcart, April naturally, and Locke are all joining me from the Arcanum. Sunalinda, Vernon and Kodiak will be meeting us at the entrance to the pass of No Hope, as will Sir Fairhand and Sir Quickblade from the Golden Chalice."

"Why are a pair of Paladins joining your walk-about?" Luna arched an eyebrow.

"I asked them to, of course," Twilight replied with a casual wave of her hand. "Agar's blade, Bobotheeramel, was crafted using a Dynamo, and Elizabeth hasn't left his side since the two were engaged."

"Really? His sword was made using a Dynamo?" Luna said in surprise. She remembered the tall Nortmun Paladin from her first trip from the Protectorates to Roxholm upon Tyme. She even remembered his words during the fateful night Sir River had become the first Paladin of the Moon Ascendant, about how his blade had tasted undead flesh in the past. She also remembered how in a later visit to the Order of the Golden Chalice's fortress-city home the sword had whispered in her thoughts and dreams, begging her to take him up herself. "I am not sure I think it wise for you to be near that sword. There is a sinister air about it."

"I know. Bobotheeramel is always hungering after more powerful souls to bind and leech energy from, and who alive have more raw power than the two of us?" Twilight shrugged as she poured more tea for herself. "I'll be careful."

"Perhaps Sir River should go with you as well, just in case. She is Sir Fairhand's cousin and knows the sword's ways."

Twilight shrugged again.

"If it will make you feel better. We are already a rather large party, one more won't make much of a difference." Twilight sipped her tea. "Are you feeling better now?"

Surprisingly, Luna found that she was indeed feeling much better, and said so.

"Thank you, Twilight Sparkle, for being a friend. I have so few. Plenty of retainers and sycophants, but few true friends." Luna said as she got up to return to the Cathedral of the Moon. "I'll do as you suggest in regards to this war and not have my priests openly condemn it."

"Good, because the last thing we want is for a thousand wizards, witches, bards, skalds, shamans, and witch-doctors running through the countryside blowing things up."

Luna tried to suppress a shudder at the thought of the collected practitioners of magic in the Arcanum set loose across the countryside.

"Indeed."

"I'll visit in a few days to get the wards bolstered, we can talk more then, okay?" Twilight said as she walked Luna towards the mirror that separated the Arcanum from the Cathedral of the Moon. It was a short walk to the top of the Arcanum where the mirrors connecting to places outside the wizard's home were kept.

"Yes, I would enjoy that. Keep safe, and may the Sun and Moon watch over you, Twilight Sparkle."

* * *

Beneath the slopes of Mount Odyssey, as a frosty wind howled down from the north, a hundred thousand souls marched, their boots creating an endless rumble. Across one of the mountain's slopes Twilight rode at the head of a great host, her eyes fixed on the distant line of coloured banners denoting the various units and portions of the legions under the command of the newly crowned Empyrior of the Risen Sumanthor. The very name put bile in her mouth. The idea that she'd pushed for the empire's rebirth only added to the sense of dread.

Lavender energy snapped and hissed around Twilight's fingers as she continued to glare at the distant army that she'd helped assemble until a throat cleared next to her. Looking to the sound's owner, Twilight wasn't surprised to see Locke.

"Are you alright, my dear?" the Arch-Mage of the Whispers asked.

Nodding once, Twilight closed her eyes as she again bolstered the wards cutting her soul in half, the sparks of magic around her hand fading away.

"Yeah, I just can't believe it's come to this."

"No one could have known about the evil sealed in those ruins. You are not to blame for its release."

"It is kind of you to say that, but we both know it is incorrect." Twilight sighed.

In the distance she watched the first swarm of arrows take to the air, flung high by Londinium longbows. She could imagine the whistling of their descent as they fell upon the golden army of the enemy. Scores fell in the first few moments, tens of thousands more would join them before the sun set. Closing her eyes, Twilight looked away.

"This is my fault."

"Perhaps, but look at the positive." Locke said, the old necromancer's voice lifting Twilight's gaze. "You have brought hope back to a land that has known nothing but anger, bitterness, despair, and distrust for two hundred years. You have re-united a broken and desperate people and created the greatest army seen since the days of the first Empyrior. You look ahead and see death and despair. I see a brighter future for all this land."

"But at what cost?" Twilight whispered. She cringed as in the distance she saw a line of rippling fire consume the front ranks of the enemy. Only a wizard could be responsible and Twilight wondered if it was Tracey or April. A small sharp pang briefly pierced her side as she wished it could have also been Laughingcart, but he was gone, buried alive in that cursed and defiled hole they had entered, a laugh and smile on his dying lips. "Memnar is gone, consumed by the enemy, and only because it had the misfortune of sitting atop of the ruins of an empire thought dead for millennia. Laughingcart, Quickblade, and Vernon are dead. Sunalinda lays on her deathbed and is unlikely to awaken. She'll never see her daughters again in either case. All because of me."

"Not you, them."

Locke pointed at the advancing line of the enemy. The two armies were clashing blade to blade now, the experienced soldiers of Sumanthor holding their ground against the vile corrupted forces trying to overwhelm their positions. Outnumbered over three to one, the soutmun refused to surrender a single foot of ground. They all knew that if their lines broke, there would be no preventing the tragedy that had befallen Memnar from engulfing the other cities.

This was the new empire's final stand.

From the north came the rumble of hooves as the cavalry of the knights of Suman smashed into the enemies flank. Even so far from the front lines Twilight could hear the screams of the wounded and dying.

"Some saviour I've turned out to be," she said letting the bitterness tear at her face.

Little Lost Star, the enemy threatens to overwhelm the southern legions. If they break through, they will roll up the line and towards our rear. You must hurry or all will be lost.

Twilight cringed as the cold words rustled through her thoughts like an ill wind. She had never gotten used to Bob's telepathy. Looking towards Locke she saw an unfocused look to the necromancer's eyes, one that told her that he was receiving the same message. Crinkling his nose in disdain at the intrusion into his mind, the older arch-mage kicked his heels against his horse's flanks urging the stallion to be faster.

"It seems we are needed already, my dear," he sighed.

Twilight just nodded and imitated the kick to spur her own mount towards the battle. As the two rode they passed the reserve troops, all of whom stood and saluted the two arch-mages and the host of knights at their back. Field medics ran about with litters carrying the wounded, those that could be pulled away from the front. Many more, Twilight knew, would be laying in the mud and blood not far ahead, unable to be retrieved until the fighting ended, or the enemy was pushed back. Most would die of their wounds long before either could be achieved, especially with an enemy that did not fear death or injury.

As they drew closer the ringing of steel on steel grew louder, as did the moans of the dying and shouts of commanders, all barely audible over the crashing thunder of four thousand hooves. Twilight's hand tightened on her staff until the knuckles were white. Her jaw set into a determined line and her teeth ground together.

"You must put aside the past and your feelings," Locke continued as they drew closer to the front lines. "If you give into despair and grief at this, our most crucial hour, all could be lost."

"'She will save us, or doom us all'," Twilight quoted, letting out a deep sigh. "You're right, as always. Thank you, Locke. You've been perhaps my harshest critic over the years."

"And one of your greatest supporters," he added with a wry smile. "I am, and always have been, an agent of fate and balance. My son was an absolute fool not to realise the true purpose of a practitioner of Necromancy. Then again, he always took after his harpy of a mother."

Twilight winced at the mention of the late Duke Rutland.

"So, do you have a plan?"

"I always have a plan."

Just ahead they could see the front ranks of the soldiers. The air was thick with the metallic tang of blood and the heavy scents of fouler things. Lifting their staves, both arch-mages began to pull on the Ley Lines, summoning their most potent spells.

From the ground in the center of the enemy's lines burst a great serpent of ice, deadly shards shed from its body as it twisted and turned, churning and roaring through the enemy. With each pass of the serpent dozens of the enemy were frozen solid, their bodies shattering as the army of Sumanthor cheered and surged forward.

Meanwhile, high overhead, the sky darkened and boiled as dark billowing storm clouds gathered. From their center descended a screaming horde of spectral wraiths. As they neared the enemy they lashed out with ghostly chains, each stroke burning through flesh and bone leaving behind nothing but a smoldering pile of ash and twisted armour.

Into the breach smashed the two arch-mages and the thousand knights at their back.

For what felt like ages the two arch-mages battled, spell after spell bursting from staff or ring. At last the enemy broke, their forces pulling back.

Twilight said a silent prayer to Celestia and Luna when she noticed the enemy retreating. She was also a little confused. The enemy never retreated, they always fought until they achieved victory or were utterly destroyed. Not that she would begrudge even a moment's reprieve.

"Arch-Mages!" called a deep rumbling voice, making Twilight look away from the retreating lines of the enemy and towards an approaching general judging by the gold and silver armour he wore.

A thin smile touched her lips as she recognised the massive mount of Sir Fairhand. The paladin nodded to Twilight and Locke, slipping off Clydesdale as he neared.

"I bring word from the north. She has finally shown herself."

At once Twilight and Locke looked toward where the center of the army still battled.

There they saw Her, a massive black blot against the grey streaked sky. Wings kissing the winds, She descended, a primal roar and white flames pouring from her mouth. Tucking her wings to her sides, She landed in the midst of the human army, flames boiling away swaths of men in a twist of her head.

"Tiamat," Twilight said, her voice cold, "the Dragon of Chaos."

Without looking to those around her, Twilight kicked her horse towards the distant dragon-god. She knew she'd never reach Tiamat in time to effect the outcome of the battle. She could only hope and pray to Celestia and Luna that the pawns she'd moved this last year fulfilled their purpose. Such cold cruel math and tactics burned at Twilight. She had begun to wonder often if when she finally found the way home to Ponyville and Equestria if any of her friends would recognise her. Twilight no longer recognised herself in the mirror.

As she knew, the battle was decided just before she reached the site of the dragon-god's landing. There, as the moon hung high overhead in the mid-day sun, a sight impossible in Equestria, a golden light pierced the heart of Tiamat, laying the tyrant low. Chaotic magic exploded across the fields of mud and suffering. Twilight's horse collapsed beneath her, struck down by the shock-wave of pure magic. Quickly regaining her feet, she pressed ahead.

Twilight came to the site of the dragon-god's final moments, her heart hammering in her chest. Nothing remained of Tiamat save a massive crystalline heart the colour of an infected scab. Buried deep into the heart so that only the hilt showed was a sword. Dawnafawn, Twilight said to herself as she tore her eyes from the sword and scanned the crater Taimat's destruction had created.

There, next to the dead crystal heart, were three women. Tracey, her robes torn and bloody; the newly crowned Empyrior, Samantha Fairhand, with a great rent in the shoulder of her armour, the same arm hanging limp and useless at her side; and April, the wizard laying with her head in the Empyrior's lap.

Twilight's heart broke in that instant as she looked at the broken form of her apprentice, her ward, and her oldest friend of this world.

Tears threatening to pour from her eyes, Twilight made her way down towards the three women.

"Shush, little one, shush, you fought bravely. If'n nought fer yer acts, we surely would have not carried the day," Twilight heard the Empyrior say as she stroked April's blood caked hair. "Look, here comes yer master now. Well repair to the medics, an' they'll fix ye up new and bonny."

Looking to Tracey for confirmation of the Empyrior's words, Twilight saw the older illusionist slowly shake her head. Nodding once in understanding, Twilight fell to her knees beside April.

"Master?"

Taking April's hand in her own, Twilight whispered, "I'm here, little sparrow."

April's eyes moved towards the source of Twilight's voice. They were completely black telling Twilight in ways words couldn't that April was dying and there was nothing she could do even with all her healing spells. The corruption of chaos magic was flowing through April slowly eating away at her own essence.

"We won," April managed to smile, though Twilight knew every nerve in her apprentice's body was burning. "The second Sin has been redeemed. The Dark Lady has been smote upon the mountain side, just as you prophesised."

"Yes, She has," Twilight felt April's hand grip tighter as a spasm of pain rippled through the young woman.

"My daughters, tell them... tell them—"

"I'll tell them all about their mother, when they are old enough," Twilight promised, a tear trickling down her face.

"What? No, you'll be home long before they'd understand," April said, a weak chuckle turning into a hacking cough. "Tell them when you return to Roxholm upon Tyme anyways."

The bells sewn into the sleeves of April's robes jangled as another spasm wracked the young woman.

Bells.

Twilight blinked looking at the dozens of bells. Why weren't there any bells when they'd met in the Winterlands all those years before? Eyes growing wide a mad, insane, possibly chaos induced idea leapt forward. Raising her hand, Twilight called to her staff, the thick polished black oak jumping towards her.

"Master, what are you doing?" April asked, pinching her brow together.

"We were deceived," was all Twilight said as she began to channel her magic.

* * *

Luna stood watching the annual festival of the Moon from her balcony, a goblet of wine held in her thin hands, and a sad smile on her face.

Two years, it had been two years since she'd last seen her sister's most faithful student. Soon that would change, the alicorn hoped.

News continued to filter over the mountains. Tales of a grand battle fought to determine the fate of all the nations of Man. Tales of a terrible black dragon larger than any other two dragons combined. Tales of war, misery, and victory.

She brought the wine to her lips and took a gentle sip of the sweet liquid. Just as she was about to turn away from the festival Luna caught a flicker of lavender out of the corner of her eye. Turning, she saw a glowing barn owl descending towards her. Lifting her hand to provide a roost for the construct, Luna felt her smile grow and become genuine.

Twilight had returned.

Owlowiscious gently landed on the provided hand, his magical form creating hardly any weight or pressure, though it did send a little tingle up Luna's arm. Leaving the wine behind, Luna returned to her chambers stroking the magical owl's beak and neck.

Out of the view of the public, Luna let her transformation end, reverting to her true form with Owlowiscious perched on her back between her wings.

Settling on a series of cushions, the dark blue alicorn lifted a book and waited.

The wait was not long before the doors to her chambers opened and Sir River stepped through, bowing quickly to Luna.

"Ma'am, the Arch-Mage of the Unbreakable Wall and the Arch-Mage of the Whispers are here to see you."

Sir River couldn't contain her smile as she said the words Luna had waited so long to hear.

Snapping the book closed, the alicorn stood and called for Twilight and Locke to enter. Her beaming smile faded as she laid eyes after so long on the two arch-mages.

Both looked rough and harried, their robes still carrying the dark stains of blood. But it was their eyes that struck Luna the most. Twilight's in particular looked so old and weary. Yet they strode on energetic feet, their staves clicking like thunder on the marble floor.

The arch-mages swept into low bows, Owlowiscious jumping from Luna and with a quick few flaps, alighting on Twilight's shoulder.

"You look like you have ridden through Tartarus and back again," Luna said, and instantly regretted her words and the pained expression that flashed across Twilight's face before being hidden behind an indifferent mask.

"I have seen things I had never dreamed possible, not in my worst nightmares, Princess."

The formal cold tone in Twilight's voice hit Luna harder than even the sight of the wizard. Luna stepped forward and wrapped her hooves around her dearest friend. Soft sobs were buried in the shoulder of her coat, and the alicorn wrapped her wings around Twilight.

"Only rumour and hearsay has reached me. Please, in your own words and your own time, tell me what happened," Luna said, her voice weighted with consolation.

"I have found the means to control the Dynamo," Twilight said instead. "I can return as to Equestria whenever you are ready. There are a few last tasks I wish to wrap up here before we leave. I have to Name potential successors and take Sunalinda home as well as make sure she'll be taken care of. She and Kodiak are waiting in a tavern outside the city for the night."

"She is blind," Twilight partially explained as Luna gave her a questioning look. "Someday I'll tell you all about my travels, but it won't be today. For now, I wish nothing more than a warm bath and to sleep in a proper bed. We've been on the road for a month now, stopping only to rest our horses. These have been the longest two years of my life, and for one night, I'd like to be able to forget."

"Of course," Luna said, releasing Twilight from the hug. "And what of you Locke?"

"Sadly I cannot stay. I must return to the Arcanum and make sure no new calamity hasn't befallen the place in our absence." Locke again briefly bowed to Luna, then, in a move that left the alicorn's mouth hanging open in shock, kissed Twilight briefly on the brow, whispering, "I'll see you later, my dear."

"I think I'd like that," Twilight replied, and for a moment the hollow emptiness in her eyes vanished.

When the Arch-Mage of the Whispers had left, the door snapping shut at his heels, Luna asked, "You and the Necromancer?"

"It's not what you think." Twilight's cheeks burned cherry red as she sunk onto a cushion. "He's just a good intellectual match for me, and he has been with me every step of this last journey. I wouldn't have made it home, not sane anyways, without him."

Folding her hooves beneath her, Luna let a sly grin onto her face.

"Do you love him?"

"What? No! Yes. Maybe! I don't know. I've not been able to think about it, to be honest. And he is a soutmun, and I am a unicorn. Or I am supposed to be a unicorn. Ugh! I hate this! Everything has been so clear, if dark and terrible, and now it's all confusing and turned up-side-down. And even if I did love him, I can't stay here and he can't come with me. We have our own paths to walk from this point forward."

"Hmmm. You say you have found the means to control the artefact?"

"Yes, I should, in theory, be able to open a direct portal between this world and Equestria. There are risks involved, but there always are with powerful magic."

"What of the others? I already know that both Fairhands have remained behind, what with having a new empire to manage. But what of the others?"

"Vernon, Laughingcart, and Quickblade didn't make it. Tracey stayed behind to advise the new Empyrior and her consort."

"And April Conrad?"

"She had to return to Londinium to retrieve her twin daughters. She should return to the Arcanum within the month."

Luna blinked for a few moments before a long wide grin split her features. Then she stopped, her brows pinching with uncertainty.

"But... then?"

"We were both deceived, Luna." Twilight growled the words, her nose crinkling in anger. "Whoever it was we met in the Winterlands and traveled with you to Equestria was not April Conrad."

Still blinking, though now in surprise and concern, Luna asked, "then, what did she want? Why aid us?"

Twilight simply shrugged.

"I have a theory, but I won't be able to test it until we use the Dynamo."

"When will that be? I am eager to see my sister again," Luna said, and in a quieter whisper, "as well as my daughter."

"October would be best. The veil between worlds is thinnest, and it gives us both time to prepare, as well as ready the city for our departure."

"So, two months then?"

"Two months, and we can finally go home."

Chapter Twenty: The Dead Masters

Sins of the Ancients
Chapter Twenty: The Dead Masters

The Purple Wizard comes.
She will save us, or doom us all.
-The first and last lines of the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

With slow deliberate motions, Rarity dipped a cloth into a wash basin scavenged from the town and brought it over to the lavender unicorn beside her. Jasmine winced, but didn't complain, as the cloth was used to wipe a thick pungent smelling ointment onto the burns.

"I can't believe you," Rarity said, clicking her tongue in disapproval. "How would you feel if Twilight treated your body so terribly?"

"Who said I— ah!— don't treat my own body so— Ooh, that's nice. So rough?"

Rarity didn't know how to respond to such a statement. Instead she continued to apply the ointment.

"Oh, but, um, why would you want to hurt yourself?" Fluttershy asked, tilting her head a little so her mane fell away in a cascade of pink.

Shifting a little on the cot she laid on, Jasmine looked with pitying eyes towards the butter toned pegasus.

"Sometimes one must risk themselves to save others," was all Jasmine said before laying her head back down.

The flap of the green tent was brushed aside before Rarity could comment, Applejack's head emerging in the crack of sunlight.

"Howdy gals, how's she holding up?" the farmer nodded towards the prone unicorn.

"As well as can be, all things considered. Another half inch and Jasmine would be far worse off than missing some fur." Rarity scowled again, to which Jasmine just rolled her eyes.

Stepping fully into the tent, Applejack bowed her head.

"Ah can't say enough how bad Ah feel for not being there for you girls. Ah feel like I let everypony down. Ah'm sorry yah got hurt there, sugarcube."

"Nonsense, Applejack," Rarity waved a dismissive hoof as she dipped the cloth back into the basin. "It was all over in a matter of a few minutes. You'd barely have time to get from your orchards before it would have all been over, regardless."

"Ah know, it's just, ah feel like a let you all down, and ah let myself down for not being there for everypony." Applejack slowly shook her head, and Rarity could see the traces of tears in the farmers eyes. "Especially you, Jasmine, and that dragon. Never thought I'd see a big ol' dragon like that willing to risk laying down its life for us ponies."

"That's probably because she isn't native to your lands," Jasmine chuckled, then gasped as the cloth was applied to her flank.

"Say what?" Applejack looked between Rarity and Fluttershy, seeking help or clarification.

"Her name is Ogopologos," Rarity said with a slightly exasperated sigh. The corner of her face twitched into a brief grimace as the memories that were not her own surfaced. "She is old, powerful, and I have no idea how she could have arrived here in Ponyville. But, if she made it here, then there is hope that Twilight will find a way home."

"Indeed, she shall return, and soon."

All four ponies heads snapped towards the back of the tent, and there they saw a tall man in steel armour. A thick crimson cloak was wrapped around his shoulders, a symbol of a scale held in a fist emblazoned on the front of the armour between soft grey folds of fur. Hidden by a helmet, nothing of the man's features could be seen. From behind the slits in the helmet a soft gold light pulsed like a heartbeat. Metal plates clicked with every shifting motion of the man. The spirit Rarity corrected with an internal weary sigh when she noticed that through the man the tent flap behind him could be seen.

"Please, tell me you see him as well," Rarity whispered, the cloth shaking in her magic.

"Sure as sugar, Ah do," Applejack muttered, lowering her body into a fighting posture and pawing at the soft loamy ground.

The specter looked down on the ponies, the golden light behind his helm glowing bright as the sun. When he spoke his voice was like two stars crashing in the night.

"The Purple Wizard comes. She will save us, or doom us all. Regardless of her choice, the First Door will open, and Hell will pour forth into your realm."

"Oh my," Fluttershy whimpered, shrinking back into her own mane.

"What does that mean?" Rarity snapped. She felt like she knew or had heard the spirits words before, like it was all in a dream. It took her only a moment to realize it was Chloe who had heard the words before. Grinding her teeth at the half-memories swirling through her mind, Rarity glared at the spirit.

"He is a Dead Master, Rarity," Jasmine wheezed. "An echo of a slain god. He can't hear or see us."

"I see you just fine, Jasmine Blackcloak," thundered the spirit.

Jasmine's mouth fell open and her eyes became pinpricks.

"Tha-that's impossible!"

"Be silent, I have not the time to bandy words with a creature as low and loathsome as you."

Jasmine shrunk back on the cot as the spirits eyes flashed red with anger. Raising a gauntleted hand, he pointed first to Fluttershy, then to Applejack, and finally to Rarity.

"This worlds Sun is in great danger. Should she parish, this world will be dead and lifeless. None yet remain who could raise the sun until she would be reborn. Take up the remnants of the last Alicorns, and when the Purple Wizard arrives, fly south with all haste. Only with the artefacts of Harmony will the Hydrofellia be laid low. Head my words, heirs of Kindness, Honesty, and Generosity; the Beast will be freed of his prison, and none on this realm has the power to face him in battle. He is cruelty and wickedness incarnate and has consumed the flesh and blood of Alicorns before."

The armoured spirit strode forward and kneeled in front of Fluttershy. The pegasus shrunk back a little, her one visible eye wide as the spirit laid a hand upon her withers.

"But, be warned, whether you succeed or fail, nothing will ever be the same for any of you. Be fearless, little ones. The Final Sin will soon be corrected, or your world will be swallowed and dragged into Tartarus."

"The Final Sin?" Fluttershy asked, eye darting back and forth studying the cold emotionless helmet.

"I must return to the others now. The Purple Wizard comes. She will save us, or doom us all."

Before Rarity could demand any answers to the myriad questions screaming for attention in her head, the spirit stood and faded away.

"What in Tartarus was that all about? Final Sins and did he say that whatever is coming eats Alicorns? Oh, dear Celestia! She's alone down checking on the gate to Tartarus!" Applejack started to run on the spot, her powerful legs churning up and down like train pistons. "And that other monster was already headed her way. We gotta warn the Princess."

Sighing, Rarity laid a calming hoof on her friend's withers.

"Yes, we will. Come on girls, let's go find Princess Cadence and tell her what just happened."

"I'm coming with you," Jasmine said as she rolled off her cot.

"Oh, no, no, no," Fluttershy pushed Jasmine back towards the cot, her voice stern and motherly. "You've hurt yourself and Twilight enough already. You're going to stay in bed and heal."

"Ha! I know you don't know me very well, but I don't 'do' staying in bed. Besides, I could just do this," Jasmine smirked as she waved her horn, the golden ring at its base glowing briefly. The bare and burnt skin on her side seemed to quiver and wriggle, making the three ponies watching her squirm, before settling into an unblemished pink sheen. A moment later short downy lavender fur began to grow.

"Why didn't you do that earlier?" Applejack asked as her two friends stared.

"Honestly, I was actually enjoying the salve being applied," Jasmine blushed, looked away, and then coughed into her hoof.

A furious blush blossoming on her own cheeks, Rarity marched towards the tent's exit. Fluttershy, Applejack and Jasmine followed close behind her as she turned away from the tents set up in the shade of Sweet Apple Acres orchards and towards Fluttershy's cottage.

* * *

The town of Golem's Watch had never seen such a collection of people and creatures. Atop the mountains ringing the village sat the seven dragons that ruled the Protectorates. Among such immense and aged beings, the new Lady in the Lake seemed rather small and diminutive.

Smiling down on the milling about humans, the Lady in the Lake shifted her powder blue scales and yawned, displaying her long teeth. Her eyes fell upon a certain speck amongst the sea of polished armour and fine clothes, narrowing into dangerous slits as they beheld the cause of her mother's disappearance.

Twilight gulped, never having fully gotten over the instinctual fear of dragon-kind.

Letting her gaze fall from the dragons, Twilight instead focused on the village. She'd visited it a few times over the years, always in secret to avoid angering the dragons. In all that time she'd never seen it so colourful and cheerful. It was normally half a military outpost and half a simple way station for the caravans that made their way from the kingdoms of the west into the Protectorates of the north. The Order of the Golden Chalice had relinquished the duties of maintaining vigil in the village some years prior. In their place the new Order of the Moon Ascendant had arrived, as well as a flood of pilgrims and monks.

Now, a third of the way up one of the slate mountain slopes their perched a monastery, only partially completed, but with the skeleton of a grand structure showing. Near the opposite mountain, and overlooking the valley the village was perched above, was a fortress, the building being expanded and improved. To support all this new construction there were hundreds of seasonal workers. Most spent the winter in the south west in the Kingdom of Tyme. During spring, as soon as the pass cleared, they would journey back to the village and create a tent city.

The echo of chisels and hammers rang non-stop during the working season, ending only when the workers made the trip back to less bitter climates. Soon, they would leave again, but before they did there was one last festival to celebrate.

Nightmare Night.

Luna had imported the holiday on the first harvest moon after finding herself in Roxholm upon Tyme. It had been a way to hold onto Equestria and the world she'd been taken from.

It hadn't surprised Twilight when the humans had taken to the celebration like dogs to a bone. In a world that was filled with dangerous monsters and spirits, where a war seemed to loom on every horizon, to have a fun and safe outlet for all those fears and worries came as welcome relief.

The sounds of arguing drew Twilight out of her reflections. Trotting briskly towards her at the head of a small gathering of knights, Princess Luna argued with Sir River.

"I cannot allow it!" the princess groaned, her eyes narrowed into a glare that could freeze the ocean. "You and the other Paladins of the Night Ascendant would be utterly alone in Equestria.

"Our place is at the side of our Lady and Goddess, wherever she may tread. Whether it be the battlefields of Bellingham, the halls of the Cathedral of the Moon, or Equestria, we will follow and serve, as we have always done."

Twilight couldn't help but smile. She'd overheard the same argument a half dozen times in the previous weeks. She even started counting down to when Luna would throw her hooves up in exasperation and relent.

"Fine!" Luna finally growled, giving in with several seconds to spare, "But only if Twilight agrees. She's the one doing most of the work with the spells."

The victorious smirk Luna gave Sir River turned into a frown when Twilight laughed and said, "I don't mind, so long as they are close enough to inside the radius of the spell. It's their choice and they know it's a one way trip. Besides, they're liable to try something foolish if we say no. Better to take them along willingly, I think."

"And what will happen to them when we arrive in Equestria?"

"I imagine you and Celestia will come up with something. At the least they could do what they do now and act as an honour guard."

"Yes, I can just imagine how it will go over with the citizens of Canterlot. A group of foreign knights following me around where ever I go. Besides, I have the Night Guard already." Luna massaged her temple with one hoof, an exasperated sigh and glower rolling off her. Then she perked up an eyebrow. "You know something, don't you, about Equestria."

Twilight cringed. She'd hoped to avoid this conversation until after they were safely home.

"I... suspect trouble is waiting for us in Equestria. When I used the Dynamo by accident in Black Mountain Shelter, I opened at least two Doors between Equestria and Tartarus. They would still be technically open. Which is why we're not going just from here back home, but I'm also going to be trying to get us as close in time to when the doors opened as I can."

Luna's mouth fell open.

"You can do that?"

"Maybe?" Twilight shuffled her feet a little, feeling a bit like she was back in Canterlot Castle and had been caught with her hoof in Celestia's cookie jar. "We'll be travelling through a place where time literally doesn't exist. In theory we could go to any when in Equestria, but causality makes going back to before we left a bit of a tricky proposition."

"Ah, yes, Star Swirls theory of temporal dynamics and cohesive possibility." Luna nodded slowly. "How close to when we left do you think you'll be able to take us?"

"A day or two? Maybe a week? I really can't be sure. It's a bit like aiming a catapult that you've never fired before and hoping to hit a target the size of a fly that's a mile away."

Apprehension crossed Luna's face, mixed with more than a bit of worry and doubt. Twilight was about to try to re-assure Luna that they'd get home, when the arch-mages and a small crowd of well-wishers approached.

"So, this is it then?" Abtuan asked as he clasped his hands on Twilight's shoulders. "You're off once more to save the kingdom, rescue fair damsels, and twist the strands of fate and destiny. Just like a proper wizard."

"I don't think I've ever rescued a 'fair damsel'," Twilight chuckled, the laugh hiding her unease over the coming spell.

"Oh? Really? What do you call saving our fair Goddess of the Moon from the torments of her own mind then?"

"I... That... urgh, okay, fine, I'll grant you that one time," Twilight leveled a dangerous finger towards the older arch-mage. "What are you all doing here, anyways? I would have thought one of you at least would stay behind to make sure the Arcanum didn't implode into insanity.

"We came to say good-bye, of course! You ran out of the Arcanum so fast you had our hats spinning. I don't think you even used the new running hot water we had installed while you were off gallivanting about and in general making us wizards proud." Abtuan returned the dangerous finger with a stern glare. "Besides, if prevent the Arcanum from becoming a nexus of insanity was our job, then we failed ages ago."

Twilight suppressed a smile as much as she could. She was just too happy to finally be going home, in spite of her nervousness about the spells she needed to use.

Vespa came up beside Abtuan, a wide smile of her own parting her beard. In her hands she held a small miniature tower. Holding it out to Twilight, she said, "We all pitched in to make you this."

"Is that a Shrinking Tower?" Twilight raised her brow as she took the tower. She could feel the compressed and intricately woven enchantments needed to allow the tower to be shrunk or grown thrum through her fingers.

"It has everything a proper wizard would need. Bedroom, laboratory, summoning chamber, and a lavatory on every level. We even managed to get your entire library in there, as well as a few other select tomes and items you may find useful living the life of a retired country sage."

"Tobacco?" Twilight looked up trying hard to hold back the tears of joy that were threatening to stream down her cheeks.

"Three barrels of Ol' Toby, of course," Mattemeus crowed.

Tom Jaguarson then added, "as well as all those odds and sods you dug up from the ruins of the Ancients."

"Oh, I can't take those," Twilight said, trying to hand the tower back to Vespa. "Those are heirlooms and treasures of your world. I don't have any right keeping those."

"Pish posh and nonsense," Mattemeus chortled, waving a dismissive hand. "We have copies of the more, ahem, interesting paintings and books. Besides, they'd still be hidden in those sealed vaults underneath the mountains without you. And, as you know very well, Adventurers Code clearly states that he who finds it, keeps it."

Twilight just shook her head as she pocketed the tower, then turned to the remaining arch-mage.

"And what of you, Locke? Any parting gift?" Twilight gave the necromancer a cheeky smile that glistened with quiet tears.

Chuckling softly, he shook his head. Stepping forward, he grabbed Twilight and brought her into a firm embrace. Her eyes widened as his lips sought hers. Time seemed to stand still, Luna laughing and covering her smile with a hoof. Heart fluttering as the kiss broke, Twilight stared into Locke's cold dark eyes.

"I have never loved another as I love you," he whispered into Twilight's ear. "You are everything I aspire to be. Your kindness, wisdom, perseverance, loyalty, honesty, and power are my inspiration and goal."

"I, uh, um, I don't know what to say," Twilight admitted her thoughts still trying to recover.

"Then say nothing," Locke said, releasing Twilight and rejoining his fellow arch-mages.

He was replaced by Sunalinda and her two daughters, the young girls guiding their blind mother. As she approached, the red haired rogue gave Twilight a cheeky smile.

"Don't think I'll be giving you a kiss," she laughed as she wrapped her slender arms around Twilight's shoulders. "You take care, understand? I know your flying off into danger once again, but this time ol' Sun can't be there to pull your backside out of the flames. So, just take care, and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Laughing at the memories of the insane things Sun had done over the long years, Twilight just shook her head.

"I'm afraid I'm not that kind of crazy."

Twilight gave Sunalinda and the rogue's daughters one last hug before she turned towards the Prometheus Dynamo. Smiling for Luna, the two approached the artefact together. Butterflies and energy twisted in a knot in Twilight as she reached for the ancient device. Even without touching it she could feel the pull on her magic. Standing back with her husband, Kodiak giving a nod and smile, the blind woman waved, her cheeks glistening with tears.

Around Twilight and Luna gathered the Paladins, blocking any further view of the many friends Twilight had made during her travels.

Only one journey remained.

"Last chance to back out," she said to the gathered knights.

It was a futile suggestion. None of the Knights of the Moon Ascendant so much as wavered. Human fanaticism, Twilight thought to herself with a light shake of her head. Taking a deep breath, Twilight reached inside of herself, nodded to Luna, and as their hoof and hand touched the Dynamo, Twilight tore down the wards separating her well of mana from her body.

Purple and midnight blue fire rocketed into the atmosphere combining into a ruby red pillar of energy. Static electricity crackled between the armour of the knights, a few looking around in wonder at the display of lights. Fire burned along both Twilight's and Luna's arms, a primal yell coming from both as they forced their magic into the greedy device. At the same time they grabbed each other's hand or hoof, Twilight closing her eyes as she tried to sense the unique field of magic Luna emitted. It took Twilight a few precious moments to find the threads of magic and then start to follow them.

Sensing the change in Twilight's thoughts, the Prometheus Dynamo began to pulse. Each wave of energy propelled Twilight's senses deeper into the Winterlands. She could feel herself both in the mortal realm and in the grey wastes. Across from her, Luna was like the beacon of a lighthouse, pointing the way back to Equestria.

Gritting her teeth together, eyes clamped shut, Twilight tried to gather the unstable energies of the Dynamo. She'd need every ounce of power for what she was about to do.

"Forgive me, Celestia, for I am about to Sin," she breathed, whispering a modified version of one of the ancient's oldest prayers.

Like a kitten seeing a piece of string, the energy of the dynamo jumped at the small prayer. Across from Twilight, Luna groaned, sinking towards her knees on shaking legs. The beacon began to flicker and fade, making Twilight's stomach twist faster.

"Knights, I need you to pray!" Twilight shouted as loud as she could to be heard over the roaring rush of energy surrounding them.

For a moment she wondered if they could hear her, then they all dropped to their knees, unsheathing their swords and placing them in front of them. Placing their brows to the blades' crosspieces, the knights began the Moon's Prayer. Luna's ears flicked towards the deep chanting. Twilight could feel Luna's strength buoy. Head waving back and forth, the princess of the moon began to sing.

The time for the Night has arrived once more
So take up your arms and masks, no need for fear
The Princess of the Moon calls you to her side
Hear her song and heed her eternal call

Oh...

Fear and terror are past and done
She is your shield and guide till the dawn
Beauty and silvery light flow on Midnight wings
Beneath the Moon be safe and always glad

Oh...
Oh...

Know not sorrow nor doubt on this eve
Lift your heart to the gentle caress of starlight
For the Moon has risen
For the Moon has risen

Oh...

The time for the Night has arrived once more
So take up your arms and masks, fear be no more
The Queen of the Night calls you to her side
Heed her song and hear her eternal call

Nocte!

As the song progressed the light grew stronger and stronger until it was like a sword cutting through the wall the grey mists formed. Through the path created, Twilight could see what appeared to be the ruins of a once glorious city. Black pulsing vines clung to white marble and the remains of a golden gate.

Smiling wider, Twilight released Luna's hoof and grabbed her staff.

What she was about to attempt had never been tried before. She didn't know if the Dynamo could even function in such a manner. But Twilight also knew she couldn't use the Dynamo as it had been originally designed and created. If she did, she would permanently crack the boundaries between Earth and Equestria, just as the ancients had done between Earth and Tartarus. Fissures and secondary cracks would then lance out from Equestria to other realms.

Twilight would rather risk destroying herself and Luna than bring harm to those other realms, not to mention Equestria.

"Here we go!" Twilight yelled, bringing her staff down with a thunderous report on the stones.

Magic pulled from the worlds Ley lines surged through the staff and swirled around the group of knights, Luna, and Twilight, enveloping them in a lavender bubble of energy. The towering inferno of ruby power sputtered as it collided with Twilight's spell, spilling around the curve of the dome. Every joint in Twilight's body ached and her muscles trembled as she forced the completion of her spell. The world beyond the bubble vanished in a clash of magic accompanied by a sound like fabric ripping.

Then they were falling, or perhaps flying, Twilight was unsure which was closer to the truth. Thick grey smoke billowed and rippled around the dome of her spell. Through the smoke they approached the ruins of the golden city, the black vines pulsing hungrily at the approach of the life with the bubble.

"Just a little bit further," Twilight muttered to herself, beads of sweat rolling down her brow and back at the effort of maintaining the spell and her connection to the Dynamo at the same time.

Closer and closer the city grew until they flew past the ruined gate. Empty deserted streets greeted Twilight, Luna, and the knights. Twilight wondered which of the gods had ruled the empty city. She could feel the corruption of the Sins in the black vines still feasting on the divine magic that permeated the crumbling structures. A few of the vines twisted and reached towards the bubble, but quickly fell back to the ground as Twilight's spell moved out of reach.

"So much destruction, and so much power," Luna muttered, her face pinched with determination and a touch of pain as the Dynamo absorbed her magic.

Twilight just nodded, most of her concentration on holding back the Dynamo's hunger, and the rest on maintaining her spell. It was like trying to look left and right at the same time while also dancing a jig and sing 'Luna save the King'. Beads of electric magic tingled around her fingers, snapping and crackling into the Dynamo. Twilight doubted she'd have been able to make the journey without Luna.

The small group was approaching another set of twisted gates. Twilight narrowed her eyes in an attempt to peer beyond the melted metal and mile high walls of marble. She could see something, vague shapes in the fog, but not enough to know what they were. All she knew was the beacon of light from Luna was pointing at the gate, and so Twilight drove the teleportation sphere towards it.

Just as they were about to cross the gate, everything stopped.

The Dynamo froze in its hunger.

The knights ceased singing.

The sphere of magic stopped moving.

Looking around, Luna frowned, pulling her hoof from the Dynamo, the tendrils of magic it had been in the process of pulling from the dark alicorn hovering like miniature stars. Twilight gasped at the sudden release of pressure from maintaining two powerful spells. Luna and Twilight both took a step back as the magic and knights around them began to waver and then vanish along with the ruined city beyond.

"Twilight, what is happening?" Luna asked, a clear note of nervousness in her voice.

"What I was worried would happen," Twilight said. Looking around she could see only herself, Luna, and the Dynamo. Everything else was an endless sheet of pure white.

"You came," a silvery voice said behind the two Equestrians, making Twilight and Luna both quickly turn around.

Before them was the false April Conrad, her golden and scarlet robes shimmering and golden light flowing from her eyes. Upon her back rose two great white wings that shifted and fluttered with what Twilight recognised as hope or excitement, if 'Mood Wings - Observations on Pegasus Body Language by Keen Eye' was able to be applied.

"You!" Luna snapped, her wings flaring as she lowered her horn. "You lied to us, manipulated us, and for what? What is your purpose, spirit?"

"Twilight has a choice to make, one with many possibilities, but only two outcomes. Does she save us, or does she doom us all?"

Around the false April dozens of other winged spirits began to appear in small flashes of coloured light. Dozens became over a hundred in the space of a few seconds. Each wore different clothes or armour, but all had majestic wings and their eyes glowed with light. Twilight could also see they were only pale echoes of who they once had been, mere shadows of their former selves.

"You're the Dead Masters," Twilight stated, turning to around at the crowd gathered around her and Luna.

"We have been known by that name for some time, yes. We have had many names throughout the eons."

"Who are you. Your real name, not that which you hide behind to trick and manipulate," Luna snapped, Twilight wincing at the acid in the princess' voice.

The false April didn't seem to take offense, instead she apologised and said, "The name given to me by my mother was Namyra, and I was the Herald of Dreams."

Luna seemed to relax a little at having her demand so easily met. She gave Twilight a slightly questioning look as if to ask, 'what now?'. Sighing, and knowing everything came down to her, Twilight began to pace around the edge of the ring created by the Dead Masters. She was surprised at how many of them there were. She had expected maybe a half-dozen, a dozen at the most, not well over a hundred, if she had to estimate.

"I want to know more," Twilight finally said, stopping in front of a Dead Master wearing plate armour and a cloak of Grey Fox fur. "You are the remnants of Earth's gods, correct?"

The Dead Masters remained silent, except for one dressed in a flowing gown of leaves. Her hair was the colour of autumn and her wings sparkled like a still pond in the spring. She stepped from the crowd, her bare feet leaving trails of blossoming flowers in her wake.

"I am Geae," she said, her voice like the soft song of Robbins and Meadowlarks. "And yes, we were once this worlds Gods, among many other roles. You wish to hear about the Sins, correct?"

Twilight almost said no, then her inner scholar clubbed her over the head. Aware that time was probably pressing, but still unable to resist the final clues and explanation, Twilight indicated for Geae to proceed.

"To understand the Sins, we must go back further, to before the First Age of the world to when man was young and new, just making his way out of his cradle over a hundred thousand years ago. Guided by our hands, man was beginning to form the first of his civilizations. But not all us of were content in our role. In our disagreement, we fractured and though we could not see it, we had begun down the road that would lead to the creation of Tartarus."

Luna made a faint noise, stamping her hoof, "So, you are responsible for Tartarus?"

"Yes. Tartarus has had many names and is known throughout all the Realms, but was first known as Glimmershire, the most beautiful and pure of all the heavenly domains," Geae sighed, her gaze growing distant as it saw the almost forgotten past. "And like his domain, our brother was the most beautiful and proud of us. It was his pride that was his undoing."

"In his arrogance, our brother challenged the natural order. He sought to usurp all the heavenly domains, and in doing so he brought war to our gates," continued Namyra when Geae's voice faltered. "The war was fierce. Stars were crushed and turned to dust in the crossfire of our battles. The stars of our realm are not like yours. Each is as the Sun, an immense fusion furnace, great in their contained power. For the first time god slew god. Not the half life you see before you, but the true death, where the Devourer consumed and added his fallen brothers and sisters to his own power."

"Eventually he was defeated. He and his domain cast from our realm to drift on the endless void. The usurper himself was shattered, his body becoming one with the elements of what had been his kingdom, and in the process Glimmershire was irrevocably corrupted, along with all the souls that called it home. And thus, Tartarus and the first Demons were corrupted and the Elemental Evils born. Four portions of the essence of a god slayer, each evil and cruelty incarnate; Mephistopheles, Archfiend of Fire; Asmodeus, Archfiend of Water; Beelzebub, Archfiend of Earth; and Avernus, Archfiend of Air."

"For a time Tartarus floated through the void and through history. The tales changing and facts becoming legends and eventually mythology. So it went until even myth faded to nothingness as all the gods were dismissed and forgotten. We were no longer needed, the young race we had once cared for growing beyond the need for our guidance, so we left the Earth and returned to our homes to bask in our past glory."

"Then they Sinned? The Ancients?"

"Yes," Geae said, and the dead goddess actually smiled the smile of a mother seeing the accomplishments of her children. "We never expected them to be able to master or even discover what lay beyond their own senses. First they discovered the existence of the Heavenly Domains, but they didn't know what they had uncovered. All the saw was the greatest source of energy in the universe, and they always hunger for new sources of energy. They cracked open the Doors, and had the misfortune that the first Door they opened was to Tartarus."

Luna shook her head slowly, "And as it had once been a Heavenly Domain, and your Domains had gates leading to the other realms, the Ancients opened Doors throughout all of creation, not just between Earth and Tartarus."

"Correct," a jackal headed god to Twilight's right rumbled. "The Demons were released from their cages and swarmed through all of creation. Some realms were destroyed almost instantly. Others, such as your Equestria, managed to stave off annihilation. A very few held their own and managed to close the Doors. Regardless, the unwitting humans of Earth, not realizing the horror they had unleashed, then committed the Second Sin."

"They stole the Heavens and turned the Winterlands into the endless grey wastes," Twilight sighed.

"You have indeed studied the journal of the Last Ancients."

A wispy smile and chuckle came from Twilight.

"What can I say, a journal like that just begs to be translated and read."

"But wouldn't the Demons have been attacking Earth as well?" Luna tilted her head to one side.

"They were indeed. Hence why the Ancients stole the power of the Heavenly Domains, and by extension, 'slew' us. That was the Second Sin, but it was not their last Sin. They were advanced, in both spirit and science, but they had grown soft over centuries of peace. Their weapons and armies were almost non-existent when the demons swarmed through the Doors. In their desperation, they turned to the one source of power they believed would defeat their enemy. They created many devices to steal and harness our essence."

Geae slipped forward and stood over the Prometheus Dynamo, a dark glare on her face.

"This Dynamo is but one of many devices. Tiamat was another, as are the great dragons, the wizards, and on and on. Not all attempts to harness our power were successful, and the repercussions for the Ancients and the realm were tremendous. That was the Third Sin."

"So, what happens now?" Twilight wondered, her gaze on the dynamo, but looking beyond it. She was seeing a world full of magic and mystery, a place of hardship, struggle, and hope. Yes, the world had its problems, no world was perfect, not even Equestria. She wasn't sure what choice she was supposed to make. Then it hit her. She looked up and around at the gathered echoes of fallen gods, each the equivalent to an Alicorn. "You want me to undo the second Sin, don't you?"

"It is one of many choices, yes." Geae managed to maintain a completely neutral expression as she answered.

"But, I can't do that! I'm just a unicorn stuck in a human body. Yeah, I have a lot of magic, but not enough to force all the magic swirling around an entire planet back through the Ley Lines!"

"You know you are more than a mere unicorn, Twilight Sparkle," Geae said as she rejoined the circle created by her fellow Dead Masters.

Growling to herself, Twilight began to message her temples.

"Okay, so I have a choice to make. I just don't know the options or their consequences. I know one possibility, but it's insane, not to mention suicide. Think, Twilight, think, there has to be another option."

A little noise drew Twilight out of her spiraling thoughts, making her look towards Luna and one of the Dead Masters. In front of Luna stood a short almost child-like Dead Master, one who looked almost identical to Luna's more human form. It was like Luna stood in front of a mirror, but instead of her hair being a shimmering window onto the night sky it was like looking on the gentle rolling obsidian sea beneath a moonless night. Both Luna and the goddess lifted their arms and poked the other, again as if each other's mirror image.

"You're my counterpart," Luna stated, "The true goddess of this world's moon."

A sudden idea sparked through Twilight's mind; a crazy, insane, and very wizardly idea.

Gripping the Prometheus Dynamo, Twilight turned to the two Goddesses of the Moon.

"Luna, I have an idea," Twilight said as she approached.

Behind her, Twilight didn't see Geae or Namyra smile and whisper together, "The choice is made."

* * *

A dreadful hum resonated through the ruins of Ponyville, echoing in the bones of the ponies picking through the debris of their lives. Ears pricked towards the source of the sound, a timid crowd slowly gathering. At the front of the crowd, her wings spread in a defiant gesture towards any new threat that would present itself to the battered townsfolk, stood Princess Cadence.

Penumbra hovered next to her and on either side stood the Elements of Harmony and Captain Shining Armour.

Many ponies showed signs of the battle waged the previous day. Bandages were wrapped around wounds and stances were weary, but fires burned behind heavy eyes.

In the spot where the blue portal that had unleashed Stheno and the Hell Bears flickered a large red-white spark. The flickering light seemed hesitant and unsure.

"Shiny, we best clear the town," Cadence said, receiving a brief nod from the captain in return.

At the same moment a bolt of purple lightning blasted up into the sky. Reaching the top of its arc, secondary bolts began to crackle and course across the sky reaching towards the distant horizon. Cadence gave a grunt as she felt a tug on her mana well. All the nearby unicorns gave similar noises or cries, many falling to the ground to clutch at their horns.

Overhead the sky turned to the colour of blood, and then a sight Cadence hadn't thought possible struck her senses.

The moon was rising in broad daylight.

It peaked above Canterlot and continued its rise, in a matter of moments streaking across the sky and interposing itself in front of the sun.

"That's impossible," Cadence murmured, her mouth falling open at the spectacle.

Both the sun and moon moved until they hovered directly above the column of lightning. The tug on Cadence's horn grew, almost pulling her off her hooves, and then as abruptly as it began it stopped. Still crackling and shooting random bolts of electricity around its core, the column of lightning began to grow and widen.

"Everypony, get back!" Cadence shouted as she jumped into the air.

The ponies of Ponyville didn't need to be told a second time, as one they started to turn and ran. Only the Elements of Harmony and the royal guard didn't flee. They stood their ground, grim expressions on their faces.

Heart hammering in her chest, Cadence watched as the column continued to grow until it was wide enough for three wagons to roll through side by side. In the heart of the lightning Cadence saw movement. Peering deeper into the pillar of pulsing energy, Cadence was startled when the lightning calmed. The red cleared becoming a clear sheet of light that revealed a ring of kneeling figures. Human figures.

Cadence's wings snapped to her side and she fell gently to the ground.

Standing inside the ring was a human woman and Princess Luna.

"It's Princess Luna!" Pinkie Pie shouted, leaping into the air with an overly dramatic gasp.

Eyes wide in disbelief, Cadence was unsure what she was looking at. She watched in fascination as Luna and the woman staggered, clutching a short tube between them. The field was filled with the sound of a million chimes as the column of light faded away and the moon moved out from in front of the sun, the sky once more returning to its natural blue.

"Mother?" Cadence shouted running towards the ring of humans.

A couple of the humans made to stop Cadence, but with a simple stroke of her wings she sailed over top of them and landed beside Princess Luna.

"I believe... that's the first time you've ever called me 'mother'," Luna said with a weary chuckle, then with a groan she collapsed onto her side.

"What happened? Where have you been? The moon hasn't risen for nights, and now it's up during the day?" These were just the first of dozens of questions Cadence wanted to ask. She felt something touch her withers, and turning her head she came face to face with the woman who had been in the middle of the ring with Luna.

"Cadence, you should let your mother rest, she's on the verge of magic exhaustion, and I'm not far off myself. Which, ironically, is lucky or I'd burn up like a moth flying into a torch."

"Wait, Twilight?" Cadence felt her mouth fall open. The woman just nodded with a tired smile in the corner of her eyes. "And who are all these, uh, humans? Rarity told us that was the name of their kind,"

Twilight lifted an eyebrow, obviously curious how Rarity or any pony knew about humans. Then her gaze settled on something behind Cadence, and hardened. Cadence almost took a step back at the flickering anger and promise of dire consequences that filled the eyes of a pony she'd once foalsat. Slowly, Twilight stood and walked out of the ring, her boots grinding on white cobblestone that hadn't been present before the column of light.

Lifting a long staff, she pointed to Jasmine, and said, "You! You and I are going to have a long talk when all this is over!"

Jasmine gave out a little frightened squeak, but didn't retreat. She did, however, slink in between Rarity and Applejack. Before Twilight could reach the lavender unicorn that was her own body she was bowled over by a combination of Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! You're home! And you brought new friends!" Pinkie jabbered while Rainbow buried her head into Twilight's chest and muttered something only she, Pinkie, and Twilight heard.

"Wait, if that's really Twilight, then what about what that Dead Master fellow told us?" Applejack asked as she slowly approached the pile of her friends.

Before anyone present could say anything else the sky was torn asunder by a golden ray of light roaring down from the sun to the distant horizon.

"Sister?" Luna gasped, watching as a second beam followed the first.

* * *

Celestia panted heavily, her breaths coming in quick needy gulps as sweat glistened like morning dew along her coat. Around her the Wastes stretched like an endless bleak field as far as the eye could see, a blighted land untouched by the green of life. Small patches smouldered and cracked, blackened by unimaginable heat until the ground turned into glass. Geysers of green gas occasionally burped and hissed filling the air with a putrid sulphurous smell.

Before the Goddess, her form mangled and grey as ash, laid Stheno.

As she had done during their hours long battle, the gorgon cackled and laughed, even in defeat.

Taking one last steadying breath, Celestia slowly strode towards her opponent.

"You are not like your mother," Stheno said, still laughing. "The Goddess of Fate was too soft, too weak. You have steel in your soul, yes."

One of the snake-like tendrils on the demon's head darted towards Celestia's leg, only to be intercepted by a golden blade. Putrid blood splashed and sprayed from the stump as Stheno howled with mirth.

"You have failed," Celestia growled as she placed one golden shod hoof on the gorgon's battered form. "Tartarus will remain closed."

"I think not, little Alicorn."

Slowly, the gorgon lifted her remaining arm, the other laying a hundred yards away in a spreading pool of acid, to point to the sun high above. Suspecting trickery but also curious, Celestia extended herself towards Sol, the ancient magic that bound the two together connecting happily.

The sun was happy, as it usually was, but more so than normal, Celestia could tell. There was something else happening in the sky, and as she merged more of her senses with the massive orb of fire and energy Celestia saw something that surprised her.

The moon was rising during the day.

Twisting her head around, Celestia peered towards the soft white orb with her terrestrial eyes. Through the magic binding her and Sol together, Celestia could feel something was pulling at the smaller celestial object. Faster and faster the moon flew, the sun growing more and more excited to see its counterpart for itself. Excitement grew to confusion as the moon slowed and then stopped, interposing itself between the earth and the sun.

"Never seen a Solar Eclipse, have you?" cackled the defeated demon.

"It's impossible," Celestia said, her ears pressing backwards for a moment, then she looked down. "Or so I thought. I can feel ancient magic pulling the moon high. What game are you playing at, demon?"

"Ha, this is not my doing, I'd proud be if it was." Trails of blood leaked out of the corners of the demon's mouth. "No, this is the doing of the Stars and Moon. Two more Alicorns for my Lord to feast upon."

"Two more Alicorns? Luna and... Twilight?"

"I care not for their names."

Before Celestia repeat the question more forcefully, dark lurid lightning rippled across the cloudless sky, the air thrumming with energy as blue faded red. So far away, Sol cried out in pain, the sun experience a sensation it had not felt in over two thousand years. Celestia gasped as she felt the pain echo through the connection into her own horn. Grinding her teeth together, the Goddess of the Sun glared down at her vanquished foe.

"I can feel it. Ha, ha, the sundering of the walls between the Void and reality. Soon my lord will walk upon this plain and I shall be rewarded. You have failed, child." Stheno smiled around bloody teeth.

Putting up a partial barrier between herself and her charge, Celestia looked down on the gorgon with dispassionate eyes.

Maybe it was having the sun, her truest and longest companion, threatened. Maybe it was the glee Stheno's voice carried when the gorgon spoke of her master eating Luna and Twilight. Maybe it was many things. Regardless of the reason, Celestia closed her eyes and drove her sword down through the demon's blackened heart and into the ground.

Stheno's eyes grew wide for a moment, and a tear trickled from the corner of an eye.

"Thank you," she whispered, and then her body collapsed into ash to be carried away on the wind.

Opening her eyes, Celestia saw only a blackened outline remaining to show the demon had ever stood on Equestrian soil. Turning swiftly, Celestia faced the massive golden gate that separated her world from Tartarus. Cerberus, the great guardian three-headed hound lay a short ways from the gate, a victim of the battle that had raged between the alicorn and gorgon. Beyond his remains the gate began to tremble.

Chains as thick as the trunk of ancient trees rattled and shook, a great bang issuing from the gate as it shook. A second bang erupted from the gate shaking the chains higher. Cracks began to form on the third bang. Celestia braced herself, casting her eyes along the bars and chains and trying to think of a spell that could reinforce the most powerful barrier ever created. Nothing that wasn't a paltry shadow of the shuddering gate came to mind. If the gate fell, no spell Celestia could cast would have an effect.

Licking her lips, Celestia prepared instead a series of evocations. If she could not prevent the gate to Tartarus from opening, she would destroy whatever came through.

On the forth bang the chains shattered, the great lock falling to the ground as the bars bowed beneath an unimaginable force that threw them aside like they were made of paper. Still licking her lips, Celestia waited.

For a minute nothing happened.

The three hundred hoof tall shimmering blue doorway to the infernal realm stood open and free, but nothing stepped through.

Then her eye caught movement.

At first it was a small little thing. A hairless red monkey Celestia knew as an imp. She had encountered a hoofful during her youth among the great Earth Pony herd. In one claw it held a tattered blue and black banner depicting a serpent consuming its own tail, while in the other was a small tarnished bronze horn. Wetting its lips and taking a deep breath, the imp placed the small horn to its lips. From the horn came a sound like metal tearing combined with the screams of mares being strangled so loud it almost deafened Celestia.

As one, over two dozen tall skeletal abominations emerged from the door, followed by a dozen more, and another dozen after that. Rank after rank of the demons, each holding a rusted spear in long claws, marched out of the blue disk. Above them flew bat-winged monstrosities, their horned heads and beady black eyes sweeping over the scorched wasteland.

Taking a deep breath, Celestia unleashed the power of the sun, a great golden finger of intense light reaching down from the heavens to incinerate the demonic host. More and more came through the Door, their bodies exploding into ash and dust the moment they emerged before they could so much as scream. For several minutes Celestia kept up the assault, her breaths growing more and more ragged, her posture weakening, until the beams of solar energy sputtered and died away. Celestia fell to her knees groaning, a migraine slamming into her horn.

High above Sol churned in anger and concern for his partner. She sent reassurances back to the sun. The effort of directing so much magic continually had taxed her more than Celestia had anticipated. She wasn't low on mana, far from it, with her connection to Sol, Celestia had almost unlimited mana. But neither was she capable of channeling it all at once.

Distracted by the swimming of her vision and pounding in her head, Celestia didn't notice the dozens of lesser demons surround her with spears leveled at her heart.

"Already one alicorn captured, the Master be pleased, perhaps?" cackled one of the skeletal abominations.

"Silence. The Master is never pleased," growled a much larger demon, this one covered in thousands of thorns on his thick green skin. This demon crossed all four of its arms as it approached Celestia. "I will take this one to the Master myself."

"No fair, we Kryl capture alicorn. We Kryl take alicorn to Master for Master's reward. Not Terrexian who—"

The kryl's voice ended in a spray of yellow gore as one of the terrexian's thorny fists smashed down on the unfortunate demon's head. Laughing as the smaller demons backed away, the terrexian grabbed Celestia by her neck.

Seeing the casual disregard the demons held for their comrades sickened her. Baring her teeth, she struggled to pull herself free from the monster's grip, only to find it impossible strong.

"Struggle all you wish, I will drag you before the Master," the terrexian cackled. It stopped as a golden aura encompassed Celestia's horn.

She wasn't exactly sure how she expected the demon to react, as Celestia honestly expected to blast it with a bolt of magic. The beast lunging forward and biting her sensitive horn most certainly wasn't even on the list. Screaming as pain shot directly into her brain, Celestia almost blacked out. She screamed louder as the demon began to twist its head.

It was going to break her horn or rip it from her head, Celestia realised in fear and agony as slight cracking sounds reached her ears.

Celestia had known fear, true fear for her life, twice before. The first time when she and Luna had confronted Discord, the trickster laughing and cackling madly as he toyed with the two young goddesses. The second had been during the final battle against Nightmare Moon that had resulted in the magic around the castle of the Royal Pony Sisters becoming tainted, eventually leading to the birth of the Everfree Forest.

If she didn't escape, Celestia knew she'd loose her horn, and without it to channel her magic, she'd be helpless. It'd take years for it to regrow, and without it the most she'd be able to do would be guiding the sun on its daily journey. Then, through the fear and pain, emerged a soft voice.

"Celestia, my beautiful darling foal, you have to release your other side."

Even through the agony lancing through her, the voice soothed the tempest of fear.

"Mother?" Celestia gasped as she struggled, the cackling of the lesser demons drowning out her voice.

"Too long you've been only the gentle spring warmth, guiding our little ponies through the seasons of their lives. Today you must be the inferno at Sol's heart. Be the mare who took to the heavens to forge a blade on the surface of the sun. Be the mare who faced down her maddened sister. Be the mare our ponies need."

The cracking of her horn grew louder, tears streaming down Celestia's face.

"I can't, mother, not again. I almost became as bad as Nightmare Moon herself. I can't let myself lose control again.

"If you do not, then you will perish. Should you perish, none will remain whom could command Sol. You know this, daughter. Without you, our ponies will wither and fade away in an endless night."

Celestia hiccupped in fear at the cold words echoing through her head. She knew that she couldn't allow her ponies to suffer. But she was also afraid of the darker side of herself. Of the things she'd done during the war of the Sun and Moon. With no time to plan, to strategize and move the necessary pawns, Celestia knew that she had no other choice. She hoped that she wouldn't create a worse monster trying to defeat the demons.

Wispy smoke began to trickle from her mane as Celestia again called on Sol's power. Desperately, the sun gave it to her. Celestia's fur began to darken, fading from pristine white to the purest black. The gentle aurora of her mane vanished, replaced by great billowing blue flames. On her hooves, Celestia's golden shoes melted, pooling on the earth beneath her. Wherever she stamped a hoof small blue flames were left behind. Opening her eyes, the Goddess of the Sun snarled, a jet of blue fire flowing from her snout and knocking the beast holding her back a couple paces.

The terraxian eyed the changed alicorn warily, all four arms in a ready posture, as the lesser demons jumped back.

"You wish to capture the power of the sun?" Celestia roared, the ground cracking beneath the heat rolling from the enraged goddess. "Let me show you the true power of a Nightmare."

Chapter Eleven: Black Mountain Shelter

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Ten: Black Mountain Shelter

"Underneath the Black Mountain sleeps the last of a dead race,
From their grasp the Purple Wizard rises the Last Key."
-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

For several long seconds the echoes of the doors locks sliding into place reverberated around the gasping group. Kodiak was the first back on his feet followed by Vernon and Sun. The three took a tentative step away from the pile of limbs and bodies created by the mad dash through the door. Pressed beneath Tracey, Twilight could see much of their surroundings.

“Twilight, think you can do that light spell again,” April asked as she pulled herself up and over to a smooth wall.

“Sure, as soon as whoever’s boot that is stops digging into my back and I can get up,” responded Twilight, her voice slightly muffled against the hard floor.

At least she could inspect what she was laying on, Twilight wryly grumbled to herself. Shifting her head slightly Twilight could tell her cheek rested against a cold metal grate of some sort. The pressure on her back lifted as Eric and Tracey were both pulled to their feet. As she stood Tracey gave a sharp hiss of breath collapsing backwards against the sparkling wall.

“Are you alright?” Twilight asked, though she wasn’t certain what spurred the question. Tracey was a mess of contradictions, more so than any other human Twilight had encountered. Was she an enemy or ally? At first she attacked wounding Kodiak and April in the process only to warn them hours later and finally help them escape the churning horde of undead. Suppressing a shudder Twilight had to admit she had no idea what Tracey was hoping to accomplish.

Lifting a hand away from her hand Tracey hissed again her eyes showing clear signs of pain. As Twilight kneeled down next to the illusionist she noticed Tracey’s hand was covered in blood.

“I don’t need your help,” she snapped trying to push Twilight away with her other hand. “It’s just a scratch.”

Ignoring Tracey’s protests, Twilight lifted up the light blouse Tracey wore revealing a long series of four deep gashes. Biting her lip Twilight further noted that the flesh around the gash was turning an ugly looking yellow in her magically enhanced sight.

“This isn’t more than just a scratch,” Twilight admonished swinging her pack to the floor. Twilight’s first instinct was to check the journals for a spell that maybe could heal or clean the wound. She already knew that there wasn’t, but a part of Twilight wanted to believe that she had missed something in her earlier skimming rather than there was nothing she could do to help.

“Um, excuse me, but the rest of us are bl-” Sun’s biting voice ended as abruptly as it had begun silenced by a clicking hum that echoed along the passage.

A moment after the humming started large yellow panels in the ceiling came to life breathing a dull listless light across the seven humans. Looking around the long empty passage way Twilight saw the light being cast as dull yellow sickly curtains. Ignoring the lights and how they knew to activate, most likely tied to the massive door a treacherous part of her mind mused, Twilight focused her attention on Tracey.

“Well, that’s helpful,” Sun deadpanned as she gave the overhead light a long suspicious glare. Then she seemed to realise what she was doing, “Hey, I can look directly into these lights? What are they?”

“This is amazing, an actually preserved city of the Ancients,” Vernon said running a gloved hand along the wall as a wide smile came to his lips.

Twilight however wasn’t too concerned at the moment about where they were. Clicking her tongue she could see the skin around the wounds on Tracey growing infected. Never had she seen an infection move with such speed. In the span of a minute puss, thick and green, began to weep around the gash. Tracey’s breath growing faster the illusionist had also been inspecting the wound.

“Ghoul Rot,” she said by way of an explanation.

The name meant nothing to Twilight. She hadn’t even heard of ghouls or undead before seeing all the mummified bodies come to ‘life’ beyond those in campfire stories. The name did seem to mean something to the others though as its mention diverted all attention to Tracey. Vernon ducked down beside Twilight to get a look at the wound.

“Yeah, that’s Ghoul Rot alright,” he confirmed shaking his head. “Tracey, I am guessing you’re still hopeless with Life spells?” A look from her confirmed his guess. “Kodiak, how many of your mushrooms do you have left?”

“Seven.”

“Give Tracey one,” Vernon commanded the steel in his voice brooking no disagreement.

Kodiak just shrugged reaching into a pouch on his belt. From it he withdrew a single dried red mushroom about the same size a coin. He held it out to Tracey, the illusionist looking at the mushroom like it was on about to attack her.

“Wait, what are these, uh, mushrooms supposed to do to help?” Twilight asked placing her hand on Kodiak’s arm. An arm Twilight noted after a couple moments that wasn’t showing any signs of the burns received that morning. She looked from the smooth arm perfectly healed of its prior injury to the little red dried thing held in Kodiak’s hand. “They have healing properties?” she whispered eliciting a wide grin from Kodiak.

“Among other things,” he said still holding the mushroom out.

“What about her?” Tracey nodded towards Twilight, “Can she use Life spells?”

Bristling at being talked about like she wasn’t present Twilight said, “Yes, I can as a matter of fact.” Then Twilight added in a quieter sheepish voice, “I just don’t know any.”

“Well, that’s interesting,” Tracey said with a grimace that turned into a hacking cough.

Rolling his eyes Vernon took the mushroom from Kodiak and shoved it into Tracey’s mouth.

“We don’t have time to dither about. Swallow the mushroom and let’s get a move on.” Vernon looked up at the sealed door. “I don’t trust something the Ancients made to hold back spirits. And I don’t trust whatever guardians are left in this place not to come looking for us here. Something had to hear that door open and close.”

“Assuming there is anything in this place to have heard the door close,” Twilight pointed out.

Everyone, even April, looked at her like she had suddenly sprouted a third eye or antenna.

“There is always something in cities built by the Ancients,” Sun practically growled as she made a quick sign, the meaning of which eluded Twilight like so much about the humans and their world. “Vernon’s right, we’re sitting lambs here. Besides, the only way is deeper into the city.”

“Kodiak, could you carry her please. You’re the only one strong enough to deal with her once the mushroom’s other effects begin. Child, carry her staff.”

“My name is April,” she grumbled picking up Tracey’s staff as Kodiak scooped up the illusionist.

Twilight sighed falling in step at the back of the group as they began to trek down the long featureless passage. After a couple minutes brooding Twilight noticed the stripes painted on the wall, blue, then green, followed by red and yellow. Every twenty feet were words in a language that Twilight didn’t recognise. The lettering was similar to Old Halla or Middle Gryphese with bold straight strokes combined with round curves. If she had time Twilight would have wanted to create copies of the words for later study.

After they had travelled a few hundred metres the passage came to a desk and an odd series of arches. In the middle of the desk were two tall thin rectangular black objects. On the other side of the desk the passage branched in three directions with the red and yellow lines continuing down the left, the green the middle, and the blue the right corridor. The coloured lines were directions Twilight realised, but to where and what she had no idea.

In Kodiak’s arms Tracey had begun to start giggling pointing down the passage. Biting her lower lip Twilight tried to ignore the high pitched sounds Tracey was giving off.

It proved to be easy as a moment later a wavering blue figure appeared behind the desk. Steel hissed, Sun and Eric, both having been in the lead, drawing their weapons. Flickering the figure, a tall lean woman in what appeared to be a single piece jumpsuit that'd have made Rarity faint at its unflattering lines, looked at the group expectantly.

"Um, hello?" Twilight said after a long silence stretched between the group and the figure.

Smiling broadly the figure began to talk in a fast clipped language gesturing towards the arches as she spoke. Twilight recognised some of the words as pre-classical equine, but not the meaning behind the words. The language had been dead for well over a millennia and Twilight wondered if even the Princesses would have understood the figure.

"Any of you have an idea what it's saying?" Twilight asked glancing between the others and seeing only equal confusion in their eyes.

"You'd have to go back a few thousand years to find anyone who could understand Ancient," Vernon grunted waving that they continue.

He'd only gone a few steps when April shouted for him to stop, jumping forward herself and holding out the strange little rectangle she'd taken from the mummified body earlier.

The flickering figure looked down at the little black rectangle smiling before pointing to a slot in the desk while adding another stream of gibberish.

"I think she wants us to use this," April said turning the rectangle over in her hands.

"You think? I thought you were being guided?"

"I was, but she had to leave when all the others woke up."

Everyone but April shared not exactly sceptical, but certainly concerned looks. Twilight looked from the young girl to Tracey, the latter's eyes had began to roll into the back of her head and her body shake from barely contained giggles. Twilight could see that the illusionist was still fading, her face taking on an ugly grey pallor. They couldn't wait around, they had to press on and hope that there would be something ahead that could help cure Tracey.

Brushing past April and Vernon, Twilight stepped through one of the arches not pausing as April called for her to stop.

The moment Twilight stepped through the arch chaos broke loose. Sirens began to scream and the sickly yellow lights were replaced by flashing red ones. Behind the group a wall slid across the passage cutting off escape back they way they had come, not that there was any where to escape to down that passage, the deep growl of the wall moving cutting through even the blare of the sirens. Panels in the walls flicked open with a harsh click revealing little grey nozzles on round bodies. After a second a soft hiss permeated the corridor.

"Trap!" Twilight heard Kodiak growl, the big man reaching into a pouch and pulling out a small red lump.

His hand made it half way to his mouth before his eyes crossed, his body wavering before crashing over backwards. The others all began to fall, each wobbling for a couple long moments before hitting the floor. A wave of disorientation rolled through Twilight, the ground and ceiling inverting as little black dots exploded in her vision. Twilight didn't even feel herself fall.

* * *

Awareness crept slowly back for Twilight. It was like she was swimming to the surface out of an infinite abyss. Shadows clung to her legs and around her neck, trying to drag Twilight back into the realm of sleep. Screaming silently Twilight kicked and tried to shake the shadows loose, but her body felt so heavy. Voices filtered through the dark, drawing Twilight's attention to a small point of light so far above. Trying to call for help Twilight kicked harder, but she wasn't sure if her legs were working or not.

With a sharp gasp the abyss fell aware in a blast of cool air and a gentle thrumming vibration that echoed through Twilight's body. Beneath her Twilight could feel a lumpy mattress, and a blanket had been tucked around her keeping her arms pinned. Opening her eyes Twilight saw a small yellow light flickering overhead, a little buzz sounding with each brief flash. Throwing off the cover Twilight rolled to her feet, groaning as the sudden movement left her dizzy.

"Twilight's awake," said Sun from several feet away.

Rubbing her eyes with her palms to clear the last vestiges of the forced sleep Twilight looked towards Sun. Between them were two sets of bars separated by a narrow passage. Looking around Twilight realised that they were in jail cells. They were too similar to the derelict cells beneath Canterlot Palace to be anything else.

"Good, now I can yell at her," came Vernon's voice from somewhere to the left.

"Where are we? What happened?" Twilight grumbled, though she knew both answers, she just wanted to hear it to be certain.

"We are in an ancient prison because someone set off a trap," Vernon drawled, an acidic bite in his words. "All our gear is missing, as are April and Tracey. You're the last to wake up."

"How did we get here? And do you think April and Tracey are safe?"

Just as Twilight asked the questions a loud clank reverberated down the jail cells, followed by a grinding whirl and the distinct clip of boots. Pressing her face to the bars, Twilight looked towards the sounds. Tall shadows played along the walls as several tall golden metallic men marched in front of the cells. Their movements were stiff, and combined with the strong smell of oil and their thin, almost skeletal, limbs Twilight guessed that they weren't alive.

"Golems?" Sun said, backing up in her cell as one of the metal-men stopped, and turned to peer into the cell.

Twilight stepped back from the bars of her cell as one of the golems stopped, turning sharply on its heel to face her. It's face was a plain smooth oval piece of metal with a slit where the mouth should be and two black circles that reminded twilight of her telescopes for the eyes. A wide smile cracked Twilight's face as she looked at the animate machine. She'd heard lectures on the possibilities of using magic to bring mechanical ponies to life, but had thought it was pure lunacy and folly. To see five such machines was amazing.

Once the golems had stopped a new series of noises began to filter through the jail, that of a shallow click followed by a moment of shuffling before repeating. Holding her breath Twilight waited to see what new wonder was about to present itself. She was a little disappointed when an old man, back crocked with age, and leaning heavily on a black cane staggered down the passage, helped along by a much younger woman.

"Pater, non erit. Nescimus qui sunt isti, vel quomodo aperuit ostium camera," the woman said, flashing a dangerous look with her dark blue eyes into the cells as they passed.

The old man simply smiled, patting the woman's hand as they came to a stop in front of Vernon's cell.

"Timere non, filia. Iam nocere possunt. Iam nocere possunt."

The old man's voice was like the last grains of sand spilling from an hourglass, slow, rough, and yet soft. Turning towards Vernon's cell he cleared his throat with a long hacking cough.

"Tell me, surfacer, what has brought you to the last city of the First People?"

There was a long pause before Vernon's voice filtered through the prison.

"We were trying to get away from a group of bandits, and-"

"Silence your lies," the old man said softly with the force of a mountain. Twilight shivered at the way his quiet command struck her ears. He turned away from Vernon, shuffling to Twilight's cell.

Up close Twilight could now see the many lines and wrinkles creasing the old man's face. Large brown spots dotted the backs of his hands and wrists. His hair and the stubble on his face was whiter than the first snow of winter, and his eyes two sharp blue daggers that seemed to see right through Twilight. When he smiled Twilight saw the old man had only a few crocked yellow teeth remaining. Age and wisdom radiated from him in waves that Twilight could almost feel on her skin making her shy away from looking directly at the old man, like she was a student again caught with her hoof in a cookie jar by Celestia.

In contrast the woman was all jagged and abruptness, from her arrow straight posture, to the flat red hair cascading down her back. Both hers and the elders clothes were old and threadbare, but while his was covered in food stains, hers was clean and crisp. Long pale hands held his arm, though Twilight doubted the woman needed to help the old man.

"How about you, will you tell us why you tried to sneak in our city?" he asked, his eyes unblinking. Twilight got the distinct impression that he could actually see lies, like a fine mist leaking from the mouth.

"First, tell me what has happened to the girl and woman that was with us."

"The girl is fine and being taken care of, as is the woman who was wounded," the old man gave Twilight a genial smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling while the woman beside him wrinkled her nose like she had smelled something foul. Waving his hand, the old man indicated he wanted Twilight's response.

Licking her dry lips Twilight said, "I was told to come here. That someone here could tell me how I could return to my home."

"And where is your home, young one?"

"It's..." Twilight stopped unsure of exactly what to say. She wasn't going to lie, but she also didn't know what to tell him. "My home is on another world. A place called Equestria," Twilight said eventually, waiting for a response.

The old man nodded slowly, cane tapping slowly as he looked Twilight over.

"So, you seek to use the Doors. In Ianua," he sighed, the last words sending a tingle of anticipation up Twilight's spine. "It is a very dangerous and terrible power you seek. One best left alone."

"In Ianua. Pater, si fieri et mittent eos in interitum eius. Si aperire Ianua nigra turba pergemus iterum."

Smiling sadly, the old man patted the woman's hand, saying, "Hoc oraculum omnium praevisa a filia. Furati sunt dona nobis hodie electiones caelorum."

Twilight looked between the two people, a frown pulling at her face. She recognised the language being spoken as similar to Pre-Classical Equish, but they were speaking too fast for Twilight to understand what was being said, though she caught words that she believed meant 'foreseen', 'choices', and 'sky temple'. The last one Twilight wasn't so sure about.

"Twilight, what are you three chattering about?" Sun called from the edge of her cell.

"We were about to discuss the terms of your release," the old man said with a throaty chuckle, and drawing a hiss from the woman beside him. Looking towards the various cells he spoke louder, "you five will be released, on two conditions. You will not try to escape the city, and you will not attempt to convince anyone to help you leave. If you break either of those conditions, in addition to all the normal rules a society has, thievery, hurting someone, and so-forth, you'll find yourself back in this hole so fast your head will be spinning and your back-sides sore from bouncing across the steel floor. Am I clear?"

Twilight heard a muttering of agreement from around her. She nodded slowly, unsure if she'd be able to keep such a promise.

"I will agree, for a time. I have to return to my home, however," Twilight said, which made the old man smile before inclining his head in understanding.

"We understand, though perhaps we can make you see reason. Settling down here, even if you eventually return to the surface, is not so bad, perhaps. But come, we should get you out of this dank musty place and find you homes to use while among us. Guards, aperire cellulis."

The last was to the golems, all of which stepped towards the bars, and after grabbing a handle, pulled them open. Twilight didn't see them unlock the doors, but assumed they must have. Warily watching the golems the small group stepped out of the cells. Waving for them to follow, the old man and woman began to slowly walk towards a short round door at the end of the passage. Ahead of him the golems trudged in unison, gears creaking in their joints and metal feet clanking.

"Your possessions will be returned to you, except for your weapons. You'll have no use for them here anyways. And yes, that includes your ring," the old man said. Blinking Twilight looked down to her hand and for the first time noticed that Jasmine's ring was missing. Sighing in frustration Twilight focused on the walk as they turned along various narrow passages and up a couple flights of stairs. Continuing unabated the old man explained, "There will be meals provided to you, and you'll be allowed to visit any of the common rooms and parks. The central tower however is strictly off-limits for your own safety."

After what felt like ages they came to a wide set of double doors. Pausing with a hand on the door the old man looked over his shoulder, smiling, and with a push heaved them open.

"Welcome to Black Mountain Shelter," he said stepping aside.

Twilight's mouth fell open into a small 'O' of shock.

Sweeping out in front of them was a wide circular cavern at least half a kilometer in width. In the center a massive column of stone connected the roof and floor, a ring of a thousand lights flickering and sputtering like a dying artificial sun. At the base of the column was a lake that took up half the cavern's floor, five wide stone bridges gracefully arcing across the body of water like the wings of a swan to connect the column to the rest of the cavern. Houses, short squat square things, wrapped around the lake, their roofs covered in green gardens, and climbing a quarter of the way up the cavern's walls. Along the narrow streets Twilight could see hundreds of small figures moving about, popping into buildings along the five main thoroughfares, or winding their way through the twisting passages between the houses. At the end of each of the main roads stood a massive door similar to the one in the chamber with the mummified bodies.

To either side of these doors was a massive golem, Twilight couldn't think of anything else they could be, long arms hanging down to the knees of digitigrade legs. Round bulbous bodies showed numerous dark scrapes and scratches attesting to the golems' ages. Heads fashioned in the shape of helmets watched the city impassively.

"This is incredible," Twilight heard someone whisper, only to realise with a start that it was her who spoke.

"Come, enough gawking. There are plenty of free homes in the North District," the old man said starting down the long gently sloping stairs that lead down into the city.

"How many of you live here?" Twilight asked coming up beside the old man and his helper.

"Once, tens of thousands found succor in this shelter and the surrounding passages. Now there are barely three hundred of us left. Time has not been kind to us, with the young leaving for the surface, or accidents claiming so many. Other's chose to let their time end naturally."

Twilight's ears perked at the last comment, whispered so quickly she suspected he had been talking to himself. Filing the comment away for later, Twilight took to paying attention to where they were going. To Twilight's surprise, the city was far more orderly and easy to navigate than the seemingly chaotic layout of the roads and alleys suggested at first glance. Everywhere there were signs, though Twilight couldn't read them, and the houses were grouped in clear clusters. There were few dead ends, and all the alleys eventually connected to one of the primary roads.

As they travelled they began to pick up others, the new people following in a loose chatting crowd. Like the old man and woman, all their clothes had that old worn quality, though they were clean and patched with care where needed. Children, laughing and singing skipped from roof to roof above the group and the crowd following. It brought a smile to Twilight's lips. This was a happy place, in spite of the wear caused by time.

"Here you go," the old man finally said stopping in front of a series of small plain homes. "Your youngest friend chose that one on the left," he said pointing to a blue box shaped house, "All the others are free as well. Don't worry, no one has lived in this district in a good three centuries, but the servants keep the places up. To reach your other friend just follow the red signs. They'll lead you to the hospital. Someone will be along with your possessions in a little bit. Now, if you'll excuse an old man, I need to return to my own home and get some sleep."

"Wait, you never gave us your name!" Twilight called after the two as they began to sink into the gathered crowd.

Stopping to look back with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, he said, "I suppose I didn't," before disappearing. A moment later his weathered voice could be heard calling out, "Oh, and one last thing. Mind the Spirit of Chaos."

Twilight's eyes grew wide as saucers at the warning, her heart hammering in her chest as an image of Discord, gloating on his thrown in a topsy-turvy Ponyville flashed in front of her eyes. Pushing the spike of anxiety down, even as an eye twitched, Twilight spun on a heel and marched towards a simple lavender hued home.

* * *

As the old man had said, Twilight's possessions were returned promptly after she had selected a home, carried in the hands of one of the golems. Checking her pack and bags Twilight was relieved to find everything present, except Jasmine's ring. Twilight just hoped that it would be returned when she eventually left. Just as she was finishing up storing what little she owned in the rickety old dresser in the houses single bedroom, a bedroom that also served as living room and kitchen, Twilight was surprised by a knock on the door.

Opening the door, Twilight was surprised to see a short blonde girl and Eric.

"Hello, I'm Katie!" she said enthusiastically, thrusting a hand out in greeting. "The elder said that you'd want to see your friends once you got settled in, so I'm here to take you to them."

Twilight blinked at the easy and open candor that rolled off the girl. Judging from her height and build Twilight guessed her to be roughly the same age as April. Eric had a slight bemused expression on his face as he stood waiting.

"Um, yes, that'd be, uh, great," Twilight rubbed her hands together and gave one little longing look towards the books she had left on the bed. It had been too long since she'd been able to really just read and study. The brief session stolen when they'd first entered the caves had only wetted Twilight's appetite. She couldn't recall ever having gone so long without a really good study binge. Letting the door close with a little snap Twilight strode along beside the girl.

"So, let me give you the run-down since I know the elder didn't. He likes the whole doddering wise old man bit too much to really explain anything. First off, I am Katie, chief doctor and head medical guru of Black Mountain Shelter. And before you comment about my age, I am four hundred and fifty three years old."

Almost tripping when she heard the number, both Twilight and Eric looked at the girl with wide disbelieving eyes. It was impossible, as far as Twilight was aware, for anything other than alicorns, dragons, and other extremely powerful species or spirits to live so long. Certainly not humans. Jacob had confirmed that most humans rarely lived much beyond their sixtieth birthday. For the girl to be so old there had to be magic involved.

"Now, you'll be all curious about how I am so old. I'll tell it to you once, I can't tell you how, just that I am. Also, I wouldn't try to force it out of me, it won't end well for you. Next up, everything will be provided for you. The food isn't great, shoot, it's little better than mushy green slop, but it has everything the body needs to thrive, even if your taste buds will tell you otherwise. With our population so low we have tons of surplus food. Also, nothing is expected of you. We all can do whatever we please. I chose to be the doctor after the last one decided to go to the surface for a bit. He never came back, but what are you going to do about it?"

"Alright, another thing you should be told about, don't mess with the guardians. They are those huge armoured things by the main doors into the lower tunnels. If they think you are a threat they will step on you. I'm not joking. Saw it happen three hundred years ago. There are lesser guardians all over the place, they were the ones that caught you when you tripped the upper entry alarms, don't mess with them either. You saw a bunch of them when the elder went up to interview you in your cells. They can rip off your arms and club you to death with them."

"And finally, I can speak your language so well because we aren't a bunch of closeted hermits that shun the topside. We have people who go up to your Protectorates on a semi-regular basis and keep us informed of what's going on up there. Right now things look pretty bad, so we'll be doing what we do best; keep our heads down and wait out the storm. Any stupid questions?"

There was hardly a pause before Katie chirped, "Good, because we're here."

Pushing through the doors into a lobby of a squat long building. In the first room there was an area set aside for waiting with a dozen chairs, and an area separated with curtains containing beds and the usual equipment Twilight associated with hospitals. Everything was so similar to home that it was eerie. The receptionists desk, the plain white hallways, and even the smell of antiseptic cleaners all reminded Twilight of Ponyville General Hospital. There were even the same wards where patients would be kept, though all the ones in this hospital were empty. A couple of white golems with red crosses painted on their chests moved about the hallways, their feet clanking as they moved.

Katie ignored them as she made her way to a ward near the back of the building.

"You can have a few minutes with her, then she needs to get some more sleep. It's a miracle that the rot didn't kill her. Most people infected die within an hour, it took us nearly twice that before we realised what was happening to her. I thought at first she was just off her rocker with all the laughing." Katie pushed open the door, leading the way into a room with a single worn out bed.

Tracey raised her head as they entered, a slight smile playing at her lips. Beside her sat April, the young girl holding a piece of paper and a stone. Twilight recognised the test for magic and raised an eyebrow in silent question. April's talents were obvious, why was she taking the test, Twilight wondered.

"Twilight and the silent monk, I am surprised to see the two of you. I thought these people were going to keep you hostage."

Rolling her eyes Katie went up to a heart monitor before checking a couple clear bags hooked up to IVs, but otherwise didn't respond to the jab. Twilight saw Katie's face scrunch up, eyes fixated on the objects in April's hand, as the girl turned back towards the door.

"Everything is looking good. You should be on your feet in a few days," Katie said, her words a sickly sweet as she pushed her way out of the room. "I'll be in the lounge if you need me."

"So..." Tracey said, her voice trailing off as the illusionist looked anywhere but at Twilight. "We never really got to talk before, about things."

"No, we didn't," Twilight sighed taking a seat beside Tracey's bed. “What I want to know most is why?”

“Why? Why what?” Tracey asked back, tilting her head to one side.

“Why did you attack me?”

“Oh, that.” Tracey grunted, arms crossing in front of her stomach. “The full answer is going to be long and boring, more so if you don’t know anything about the state of affairs in politics for the Kingdom and the surrounding lands. The short story is that Jasmine is my Sister-Apprentice and I would do anything to help her, and she me.”

“And the long story?”

“Jasmine made many enemies, the worst probably her 'fiancé' ,” Tracey sighed, her shoulders slumping as her eyes looked towards something beyond the plain white walls of the room. “He is the one who hired the guild of assassins to kill Jasmine and all those who travelled with her.”

“Why in Celestia’s name would Jasmine’s fiancé want to kill her?”

“There are two reasons, the first being because she ran away. One does not just snub and run away from the Duke of White Tower.” A low cold chuckle rattled Tracey for a moment, stopping only when she doubled over coughing. When the coughs subsided she added, “Not even a Princess.”

“So, the gold knot that says I am, I mean Jasmine, is royalty isn’t because she’s low on the list, but because she is a daughter of the King?”

“You didn’t know? Vernon didn’t tell you? Why else would a personal guardian and body guard be travelling with you? Wizards don’t have a man-at-arms joined to them at the hip that is loyal to death. Only Royalty and rich Nobility can afford that expense or gain that loyalty.”

“Loyalty, huh?” Twilight mused, seeing for a moment a cyan pegasus, rainbow mane flying freely through the wind. “But why? Why would Jasmine want to give up studying magic and leave her home to tromp through woods and always being hunted?” Twilight cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

“I forget that you know nothing of these lands,” Tracey muttered rubbing her face with her good hand. “Duke Kevin Rutland is, to be blunt, not a nice man. If the assassins aren’t enough to tell you that then meeting the man in person certainly would. Jasmine’s father sought the marriage in order to create a more lasting peace between the White Tower and his kingdom. The geopolitics are probably beyond you without the knowledge of centuries of tension between the duchy and the kingdom. I’ll just condense it down to this; if Rutland can kill you before me or Vernon can get you back to the King then there will be a war. If you are killed in the Protectorates then the King would have little choice but to march his armies north.”

“But what would this Duke Rutland get out of a war between the Kingdom and the Protectorates?” Twilight wasn't sure why precisely she asked, all this talk of politics only involved her because she was stuck in Jasmine's body. As soon as she got home and got her own body back it'd all be moot.

“For one thing the Kingdom would be weakened, as would the power of the King himself. In the end Rutland is after the crown. He couldn’t get it by marrying Jasmine. In the event of both her brother’s death she’d become Queen, but Rutland would just be the consort of the Crown.”

Twilight sighed rubbing her temples as she felt a small headache start. And she thought the squabbling and back-stabbing in Canterlot had been bad. These humans made the Canterlot elite look like tame kittens.

“Ugh, this is why Celestia always kept me away from the nobility, so much in fact that they don’t even recognise me. I hate all this political nonsense. All I want to do is study the underlying fundamental forces of magic. Maybe in a few years be considered for the position of Arch-Mage when Star Dancer retires. All of this," Twilight growled sweeping her hands around to encompass everything, "makes no sense to me! The sooner I get home the better."

Sighing Twilight stood up slowly.

"But this doesn't explain why you attacked me the other night."

"Ah, yes, as to that, I was hired by the assassins. There is a general impression that me and Jasmine are liable to kill each other if left in the same room together. It's not wholly inaccurate," Tracey blushed, her fingers fiddling in her lap. "Our relationship is complicated."

Eyes growing wide Twilight asked, "You and her were lovers?" before her brain could veto the question.

"What? No! Oh, gods, no!" Tracey's face was a startling shade of red as she continued to sputter protests, the monitor at her side releasing a stream of fast beeps.

From his chair Eric rocked back and forth in silent laughter. April wasn't so silent, her laugh slow and hollow.

"Anyways," Tracey said regaining control of herself, "you need to get back to the surface and head to Roxholm upon Tyme. Otherwise there will be a war. Once that is sorted out you can go to the Academy."

"So, that's it then, huh?" Twilight asked, her voice soft and distant, like it stood on the edge of a waterfall looking down into the mist and roaring foam bellow.

Inside Twilight didn't feel soft or distant, she felt angry. A burning knot of tension and exasperation stuck in her throat, and if she didn't do something to release it Twilight felt like it would strangle her. Fist balled at her side she fired a scathing glower towards Tracey, the illusionists face registering confusion. Closing her eyes for a moment to steady her suddenly erratic breathing, Twilight let herself fall off that cliff.

"I'm supposed to go and do what? Marry some despot I have never even heard about? All to save you ponies, no, people?"

Tracey opened her mouth to respond, but once the plunge was started Twilight couldn't hold back.

"I have been shot with an arrow. Had the Tartarus damned dead attack me. My magic, everything I have spent my life studying, is utterly useless. Had a good, innocent family DIE in front of me. Heh, one of them sacrificed himself for me!" Twilight laughed mirthlessly, her voice rising with each statement. "And you want me to go running to the one responsible for all this?"

"I-"

"And all because some spoiled princess didn't want to marry him herself. Not that I can blame her!"

Twilight paced back and forth at the foot of the bed, hands clenching and unclenching as she saw again and again the last moments of the Conrad's. Guilt and hatred, boiling always beneath the surface, raced forward. Face flush, Twilight stamped a foot screaming in frustration. After a moment she took a deep breath, letting her heart slow a few beats before she spoke again. When she did three sets of eyes watched her with rapt attention.

"Do you know what I was doing when all this started?" Twilight asked slowly, trying to think about Rarity and let the memories calm her. "I was have lunch with a friend at a little cafe. I had a dandelion sandwich, she had daffodils, and we shared a pot of tea. Then my magic was flaring up, the checks I put in place to keep it balanced snapping all at once. Next thing I know I'm like this."

Jaw clenched Twilight gestured towards herself, lip curled back in a snarl. Voice rising again Twilight continued.

"I look at this place, this Black Mountain Shelter, and I am reminded so much of home. That is a heart monitor you're hooked up to, Tracey. And that is a saline solution flowing into your arm. It's all so familiar. Yet I bet you have no idea what any of this is. The irony is astounding."

"It's been weeks since I last had a good study session. I'm actually rather proud of myself for having not had one of my infamous breakdowns yet thanks to my OCD. Thank Celestia for small miracles."

Twilight threw her hands up in the air. Her hands, how she hated that thought, it made bile rise up in her throat.

"I have to go to this kingdom you say, well, I don't." Twilight's voice hammered down with finality, making Tracey gape, her mouth opening and closing like a fish on land. "What I have to do is make sure the April is safe, and to get home where I belong. Everything else is secondary."

Twilight leveled a look that could cut tempered steel towards Tracey. Her heart had started pounding again, each beat sounding like a drum in her ears. Looking away from Tracey, Twilight saw April still sitting in her chair, paper and stone in her palm, and a look of total shock and fear on her face. Cold guilt leapt up at the sight, striking down the last of Twilight's spent anger.

"I-I'm sorry, April, I didn't mean to shout in front of you, I am so, so sorry," Twilight said as she slipped out of the hospital room, Eric trailing silently behind her, shame burning through every fiber of her being.

* * *

The days passed slowly for Twilight. After leaving the hospital, Twilight returned to the small home she had claimed and immersed herself into the spell-books. But not until she created a series of checklists and schedules of the things she needed to accomplish, and the best use of her time to do them.

It felt good, very good, to have a set plan and firm timetables set in ink on parchment. Twilight felt like she'd been able to reach a nagging itch that she'd been unable to scratch, a sense of serenity overtaking her.

The first 'evening' April came over as Twilight poured over her books, giving Twilight the perfect opportunity to remove 'Apologize again to April' from the first checklist (she had several already). To Twilight's surprise and delight April had forgiven her quickly, and the two settled into a pattern of reading and sharing ideas on the various spells.

Having another outside perspective, Twilight quickly found, was refreshing. Jasper hadn't done more than teach April the barest fundamentals on self control leaving the girl a blank slate, or tabula rasa as Twilight said with a giggle. There wasn't much Twilight could teach April, not with her focus missing, nor was it easy to practice the spells.

Until the end of the first week, when Twilight again found herself in the endless bleak grey fog of the Winterlands. Twilight had begun to fret that she'd be dragged into her second session with Ogopologos without the focus. What the dragoness would have done frightened Twilight almost more than not being able to study. But she appeared in the Winterlands with the focus on her finger just as it had been when she'd left, so Twilight had kept quiet about losing the focus in the real world.

Just like the first, the second training session with the dragon was a brutal onslaught of spells and unbending criticism. After what felt like days Twilight returned to the buried city, half a dozen new spells buzzing in her head. The brutal training was repeated a week later, and again a week after that, with the time in between filled with copying what she'd learned into her journal, showing April what she'd learned, or studying the few spell books she possessed.

Tracey came over a few days after Twilight had shouted at her, recovered enough from the ghoul rot to be released from the hospital. The Illusionist hadn't stayed long, put off by Twilight's fidgeting apology, and Twilight suspected, sensing that Twilight had little desire to get to know her. Only Vernon, other than April, spent any time around Twilight. He would sit in a corner dozing, or exercise and practice his swordsmanship in the yard. Eric came around a few times, but mostly stayed with Tracey, teaching the illusionist the intricacies of sign language. Sunalinda and Kodiak were nowhere to be seen, spending their time exploring the city or conversing with the residents.

Every few days Twilight had allowed for time to attempt to convince the elder to tell her about how to open the 'Ianua', or to tell her who could. But he steadfastly refused to speak on the subject. In fact, he talked mostly about nonsense, or was keen to listen as Twilight talked about her life in Equestria. He had been genuinely shocked when Twilight had spoken about her education as Princess Celestia's personal student, mostly focusing on how the princess moved the Sun.

So perfectly ordered and repetitive were her days it shocked Twilight when she woke up the morning after training in the Winterlands to realise weeks had passed.

Determined to waste no more time, Twilight headed towards the elder's home, April in tow. Either she'd get the answers she needed, or they'd be leaving and have to find them elsewhere.

It was as the two were at the half way point to the elder's home that Twilight encountered something she never expected.

There, standing in the center of the street and inspecting the lights so high overhead, was a draconequus.

Twilight froze, her eyes wide and her brain stopping like the gears of a train with the emergency brake pulled. Lowering its malformed head, the draconequus took notice of the panic infusing Twilight's stare, and with a little smirk, began walking towards Twilight and April.

"Well, well, well, whatever do we have here?" the draconequus asked, it's voice high and screechy, like an owl diving down in the clear night. "Robes, so a wizard or priest. Panicking, so, well versed in ancient history." The draconequus leaned it's long neck down so that it's miss-matched green and orange eyes were level with Twilight's, and then took a long exaggerated breath through its nose. "And is that the scent of Chaos I detect?"

Twilight let out a little squeak, trying to shrink away from the hideous malformed creature.

"Why, it IS!" the draconequus declared, clapping its hands together, the left being a monkeys and the right belonging on a rat. "So, tell me, which of my brothers and sisters did you have the pleasure to meet? Was it Pandemonium? Or Bedlam? No? How about Insanity? Come on, I can't keep guessing. Well, I could I suppose, but it's more fun if you participate in the conversation."

The draconequus gave Twilight a wide snaggle-toothed smile revealing a mouth filled with the teeth of sharks, dogs, and a boar tusk.

"D-Discord," Twilight managed to say, taking a step back.

"Discord!? But of course!" the draconequus exclaimed, slapping its monkey paw hand onto its forehead just below elk antler and curled ram horn. "So, how is my little baby brother doing? Still making cotton candy clouds that rain chocolate milk? Or has he grown up and started spreading real chaos?"

"H-he is a statue," Twilight gulped taking another step back, one matched by the draconequus.

"A statue?" the draconequus said, tilting its head to one side, then the other. "Ha! How appropriate. But wait, he wasn't sent to this realm. He went to that place with all the ponies and, blech, love and harmony."

"Uh, excuse me, but who or what are you?" April asked.

"Sorry, how rude of me. I am Anarchy, daughter of Chaos," the draconequus said, sweeping down into a low bow so that her nose touched the road. "Once Herald of the lords of the infernal realms, now the teacher at the school here in the shelter."

At the mention of teaching and school the gears in Twilight's head finally began to move again.

"Wait, you're the teacher here?" Twilight exclaimed, her mouth falling open.

"Yes," Anarchy said tilting her head again to one side. "Why?"

"But, you're a Draconequus! A living embodiment of Chaos! Who would let you near foals?"

"Foals?" Anarchy threw her head back as a peel of ruckus laughter rolled from her belly. "I said I teach at a school, not a barn. Wait," she said, the laughter ending abruptly, her blue eye wandering over Twilight, "Discord. Foals. Ah-ha! I see what's going on here. My oh my, isn't this interesting. Most interesting indeed."

Anarchy's eyes took on a predatory gleam for a moment, then turned soft, and still laughing she turned around and headed towards the school. Standing stock still in the street, Twilight tried to figure out what had just happened. The corner of her eye twitched as question after question began to pile up. Finally, Twilight gave a short scream, threw her arms up in the air, and stalked off towards the elder's home.

She found him in the garden on the roof of his home tending to a group of roses.

"A draconequus! You let a draconequus teach your foals?" Twilight spat as she stepped onto the soft green grass.

Looking up the elder just chuckled.

"I see you met Anarchy," he said setting down a watering can. "And if you must know, we have no children for her to teach, so all she does is sit in the school room and pass the centuries."

"Right," Twilight grumbled. She berated herself for forgetting that everyone in the shelter had lived for countless years. "I've encountered a draconequus before. He could warp reality and physics like they were his toys. Why is everything here so..."

"Sane?" the elder supplied.

"Yes!"

"Because we stole Anarchy's powers," the elder stated like he was sharing the recipe for cupcakes. "The roses haven't been healthy," he said, changing subjects like tacking a boat, "I think it's the lights. They've grown dim this last decade. They need the sun, don't you think?"

"They're not the only things that need the sun," Twilight grumbled sitting down on a bench in the center of the garden.

"I had a very peculiar visitor last night," the elder continued as if he hadn't heard Twilight. "Insisted that it was time I let you and your companions leave the shelter. I was also to give you two things."

The elder reached into a satchel resting next to the rose-bed, from it he withdrew a book and a grey cylinder as long as Twilight's fore-arm. Shuffling towards Twilight he handed the book over first. Flipping it open Twilight saw it was extremely old, older than any book in her library in Ponyville, and she had some books from before the banishment of Nightmare Moon. It was also written in the same language that was used everywhere in the shelter. Looking up at the elder, Twilight raised a questioning eyebrow.

"That is my journal and notes. Everything pertaining to Project Prometheus. It'll tell you what you need to know to open the Ianua." He then handed over the cylinder. "This is a Prometheus Dynamo, without it the doors... can't-"

The elder's voice trailed off, his eyes fixated on the cylinder in Twilight's hand, and the small blue glow that shone from its heart. Twilight followed his gaze, and found herself seeming to fall down and into the cylinder. Wind rushed past her ears, and she could feel a dull ache or pressure form behind her eyes. Images began to leap unbidden into her mind.

White-tail wood, tall birches surrounding her like white sentinels.

Her library, the green leaves of the tree-house swaying in a gentle breeze.

A hidden vale nestled between four towering mountain peaks, their sides smooth slopes of slate that nothing could grow on. Nestled at the base of the mountains sat a small village, little tendrils of smoke curling from chimneys, and in the middle of the village a towering statue of an armoured man.

The shelter with its blocks of homes and buildings broken by wide arrow straight roads. And herself, sitting on a bench, staring into a cylinder emitting bands of arcing blue energy. Floating above the garden Twilight watched April reach over and pry the cylinder from her fingers, the light vanishing as soon as it was taken from Twilight.

Blinking Twilight felt herself return to the garden. In front of her the elder was panicking, his eyes two wide saucers as he looked Twilight over.

"What did you see? Quick, quick, tell me, what did you see?"

"I saw the White-Tail woods, just west of Ponyville, my library, a village in some mountains with a huge statue in the middle, and us, here, just moments ago."

"You saw the shelter?" Fear and shock mingled in the elder's eyes, his head twisting left and right.

"Yes, but... what is that noise?" Twilight asked, changing questions as a sound like a pit of hissing snakes assaulted her ears.

"Oh, dear Saints, preserve us," the elder said, grabbing Twilight and April by the wrists and pulling both towards the steps that led into his home.

Sirens began to blare across the shelter, echoing off the stone ceiling and walls into a litany of noise. Looking over her shoulder Twilight spotted a blue disk forming high above the shelter. Just as the elder dragged Twilight into his home she saw a long crimson arm reach out of the disk. Releasing Twilight and April he strode over to a panel next to his bed, all hints of age erased from his gait.

Pressing a switch on the panel he said something in his native language before turning towards a large trunk at the foot of his bed.

"You'll find all your weapons in the trunk. Take them, your companions, and leave. It is no longer safe here for you."

From outside there came a long shrieking whistle followed by a dull boom, the ground shaking as the sounds passed.

"Young one, keep that cylinder out of Twilight's hands until she is ready to control it, you understand?"

April nodded quickly, clutching the cylinder to her chest like it was a life vest and she was floating in the ocean. Satisfied, the elder kicked open the trunk, reached in, and pulled out what looked like a short boxy staff. Striding to the door he turned, gave Twilight a terse smile, then stepped out into a field of flames and screaming light. Looking into the trunk Twilight saw all their weapons neatly stored in a long bag. Reaching into the trunk Twilight tried to pick up the bag, but quickly discovered it was too heavy for her to lift.

"Oh, come on!" Twilight grumbled stamping her foot just as another series of explosions rocked the house.

Twilight was just about to abandon the swords, axes, and knives in favour of searching for her ring, and maybe Tracey's staff, when Kodiak and Sun appeared in the door.

"Great Dragons above!" Sun yelled slipping into the room, the shelter shuddering under the thunder of massive feet.

Looking at the two adventurers Twilight let out a sigh of relief.

"Come on, we have to get out of here," Twilight shouted over the growing cacophony echoing through the streets. "Please tell me you know the way," she added as Kodiak snatched up the bag holding their weapons.

"Of course we do. Scouted them out weeks ago." Sun rolled her eyes as she accepted her sword and bandoleer of daggers from Kodiak, relief flooding her eyes as the leather wrapped around the hilt slid into her palm.

"Course you did," Twilight sighed. "Is my ring in there?"

Kodiak nodded, fishing out all the weapons. He quickly found homes for most somewhere on his person, swords and axes dangling from his belt, and strings of daggers tossed over a shoulder. Twilight slipped on her ring and took Tracey's staff. A few knives were left abandoned in the bottom of the bag as the four slipped out of the house, and into a scene of complete chaos.

Almost at once Twilight had to duck back to the edge of the door as two of the massive golems guarding the main doors stomped past, the stones cracking under their feet. Long blades extended from their arms and lances of brilliant light screamed from barrels where the hands had been. The golems shoulders opened, fire blossoming and streaking down towards the lake in a scream of noise followed by a dozen thunderous pops. A spinning blade of green fire flew up from the lake, hanging in the air for a moment, before descending towards the lead golem.

In a roar of tearing metal, the golems right arm was sheared off, bouncing and crashing into a home across the narrow street. Hundreds of other lances of light blazed and tore across the shelter, scoring and tearing chunks out of the ceiling, walls, and city. Overhead hundreds of winged shapes sped, green fire and lightning shooting from their mouths. Throngs fell from the air, cut down by the lights.

Pulled along by Kodiak and Sun, Twilight and April tried to stay as low to the ground and out of sight as they could. In front of them three of the shelters inhabitants ran past, chased by the winged shapes. One fell, his feet catching on debris, and gave a blood curdling scream as he was picked up and dragged into the air. Hardly even slowly, Twilight twisted her hands together at her side then flicked her wrist, a glowing violet spear manifesting next to her and flying in chase of whatever had carried off the man. Twilight didn't wait to see if her spell hit or missed, there was no time to cast a second, continuing to follow Kodiak.

Stumbling onto one of the main roads, they saw another of the giant golems, this one locked in battle with an equally tall winged monster. Fire and smoke cloaked the beast, a sword of hissing magma in each hand. The swords crashed down on the golems head and shoulder, melting deep into its metal body. Almost immediately both were consumed in a ball of fire that tossed Twilight and the others against a wall, and the monster hundreds of feet, landing with a crash in the heart of the lake.

Picking herself up, Twilight found she couldn't hear anything other than a dull ringing. Staggering a few feet she found April, pulling the girl up they were quickly joined by Sun and Kodiak, both covered in dirt and small cuts.

The insanity continued as the four ran up the road. Everywhere was fire and explosions, drowning out screams of the people that had called the shelter home. Winged monsters flew out of the acrid smoke, hissing and laughing even as they were struck down. Twilight realised as they reached the door that the residents of the shelter had rallied, several of their huge golems forming a protective ring around them. Hundreds of the smaller golems moving about the city in packs, tongues of fire erupting from their wrists towards their enemies.

The others were waiting at the door, crouched down behind a barrier made from a golems half melted leg. With them was Katie, the not-young-girl holding a short boxy staff like the elder had taken, and covered in blood. Twilight hoped that none of it was Katie's.

"Okay, you lot, behind this door is a lift that will take you to the upper levels. Once up there follow red lines until you smell fresh air. Should be a simple matter reaching the surface from there."

"What about you?"

Katie laughed, the staff in her hand hiccupping a burst of short fire.

"We'll survive. We always have."

Nothing more was said as Katie pulled a lever that opened a smaller side-door and began to push them through. On the other side they found only a large boxy room. Turning around Twilight wanted to ask Katie what they were supposed to do, but the girl vanished in a roar of green fire that slammed the door closed. A moment later the floor trembled, the walls clacking, and then Twilight's stomach fell to somewhere around her knees as they began to ascend back towards the sun.