Winter's Heft

Chapters

The Zealot: A prologue
Chapter One: The Champion of Earth
Chapter Two: The Champion of Passion
Chapter Three: The Champion of Judgment

The Zealot: A prologue

A breeze passes through the boughs of snow-covered foliage as Winter's vast grip keeps the land still, save the rustling of a few branches and the blowing of snow from branch to the ground. The land whistles, not with anticipation, but with mourning, for the days gone by and the generations of travelers who have come and gone through the darkened heights. A light shines in the distance -- a soft glow, barely caressing the still ground, yet so different from the landscape surrounding it, that it seems the entire pass is honed on the one light. The one pure light, among a sea of darkness and miniscule light filtering in from the dense clouds. Barely a sound is heard in the dreary landscape, yet light is not absent.

A Cloaked Wanderer treks along the jagged path traversing the pass. As he shambles endlessly through the lonesome expanse, his hooves disturb the layer of snow beneath him, ever so quietly, a shuffling in the soon-to-be night. As he looks up to the sky momentarily, he thinks about how redundant time has become, in the face of this unbreakable sheet of clouds. He only knew night was upon him based on distance; it had been five days since he had ventured north from the Crystal Empire, after his brief randezvous with a courier sent with intent to bribe him into reconsidering his plans. What a funny thought it was, really; Celestia was so intent on preventing a simple journey to the frozen wastes, that she was willing to give away a share of the her investments to convince a meager peasant from walking around in an icy expanse of crags and wind. "If only..." the traveler murmurs, as he reminds himself of the real reason for this trek. The Origin Decrees, the etched stone tablets responsible for all of Equestria's prosperity.

Though, in a way, the tablets are not responsible for Equestria's well being directly; as a matter of fact, they serve no purpose within Equestria. However, few within the plane know of the dark history behind Equestria, and what counterparts used to exist in unison with Equestria. Adjacent realms, filled with things Equestria has not experienced for ages, and all for the better; the damage left behind by the other worlds has left scars that exist even today. Only a fool would seek out these tablets, let alone try to harness their power and unleash the horrors from beyond the walls of reality. So why is this traveler seeking out certain demise for his home? What could compel him onward, into the face of certain annihilation?

No, this traveler is far too selfish to relinquish his life to some elder god. He believes that these tablets are heresy, heresy to the land that Equestria has become, and is acting on impulse to attempt to bind these tablets to bloodlines, so that their scripture cannot be read by some idiot with a knack for chaos. A zealot, he proclaims to be in the taverns and rooftops. The snow begins to fall heavy on the pass; the traveler is reminded of why he continues on his path, why he must keep going. Celestia, his one true love and joy in life. In serving her, he services the realm, and is a better stallion for it. His praises border worship, but he claims his actions to be veneration; after all, who is more venerable than the ruler of the realm?

The pass opened ahead, into a vista of ice and flatness, up to the horizon, only broken by a single pillar, which rose only slightly above the ice sheet covering the black ocean. Many say that nothing exists beyond the tower; few say otherwise. The traveler continues down the road, inhaling chilly breaths as the breeze ravages the world around him. He would soon reach his destination; and when he did, the world he knew would be safe at last. Celestia, too, knew that this was the only way to save all of Equestria; if she hadn't seen the purpose in his actions, Celestia could have bound him where he stood at any point in time. But the great time of binding was upon Equestria, and nothing will stop the zealot in his quest to bind the tablets.

The tower was in ruin. Stone lay, beaten by harsh winds, at the side of the tower, with long since rotted wooden planks scattered among the debris. No shelter from the brutal winds of the ice was perceivable, but a feeling of safety among the endless expanse of flat void was comforting. The traveler entered, grasping his lantern firmly. Within the obelisk, the adventurer found five stone plates, each carved delicately, and flowing with invisible arcane currents. Slightly to the side of the tablets, a tome was laid. The zealot lifted the ragged volume, a page falling out from the book's backside, as he opened the hefty text. As it blew away, he noticed that it was not written on, much to his relief.

Scouring the volume, the adventurer noticed that only the first two pages had been written on. On the front side of the first page, there was written:

"The realm of our allies, in deed and thought, only last betrayed by our own foolishness at the hands of haste; Earth, the world, the land of humanity, valiant in cause and righteous in conviction. Proceed with Gratitude."

Along with the Text, there was a detailed drawing of one of the tablets laid before the adventurer. Flipping to the next page, the adventurer took notice of the text on this page, which was headed by the word "Night". This tower is older than any living being, so of course naming wasn't that extensive. On second thought, though, the name is fitting based on its description:

"No light was seen for the entire time. If time even existed. I could not feel; no, rather, I could feel, but only bad things. Horrible things. Painful things. I cannot describe what I experienced beyond that door, but nothing but dread and suffering are within the place of eternal night."

On the other side of the page, horrifying figures were scribbled frantically about the sheet, some pieces torn and crumpled. Within the fray, the words "Succumb" were written in a skewed manner. The one who wrote this must have not ventured to the lands the other two tablets direct to, for on the last page there were only two words -- Passion and Judgement. "How odd," remarked the traveler.

All the times he'd heard of the tablets, the tales had included four realms, each "Manifested in its own unique way".

This book, on the other hand, suggests that the greatest understanding to come of the tablets had been small accounts regarding only two of the realms in question, written by a stallion long since dead. On top of that, the tablets were almost entirely forgotten-- save for those who know of it, almost all of which refuse to speak of them.

The traveler began channeling the spell as he arranged the tablets in their proper order. Closing his eyes, auras began to emit from the tablets, manifesting themselves into four unique orbs, each different in composure and orientation. One, from the Tablet of Earth, glowed softly, like a spark of promise in the frosty air. The next one, drawn from the tablet of Judgement, was like liquid stone; almost metallic, but not quite. The third tablet, the tablet of Passion, was the most beautiful spectrum of colors the zealot had ever seen-- he could almost stare at it forever. Alas, he moved on to the fourth and final orb, the Orb of Night. Staring into it, the Zealot saw past the bounds of reality. A chill crept down the adventurer's spine, as the darkness seethed into the zealot's mind. The zealot broke his gaze, frightened.

To finish the spell, the Zealot cast the orbs to the sky, dispensing them each to a random recipient somewhere in Equestria. Winds passed over the ice for a few moments, then a great noise was heard, much akin to gravel striking stone, then, unearthly silence. The ice beyond the tower ceased to exist, as reality crumpled away before the zealot. He peered into the blackness beyond, and knew that he was looking into the realm of Night. He could not hide his gaze. The Darkness drew him in. But... why would darkness draw him in? No, it was the brilliant lights, the spectrum he'd seen before that drew him in-- and he could not resist. Suddenly, as he walked into the blackness, he was in Celestia's private quarters, with the magisterial being before him.

"P... Princess?" he asked, anxiously.

Celestia, just now noticing the stranger, turned to face him, a face aglow with relief. "Oh, my hero, you've done away with the tablets, how ever may I repay you?" she asked, bowing thankfully to the adventurer.

The Adventurer looked upon his Princess, bowing before him, and reponded "I... I...". The Adventurer looked outside; the sky was a peculiar mix of variation and consistency, hinting at the unusual nature of the zealot's current situation. Afraid, the wanderer remarked, "Y... you're not my princess!", backing up to the wall behind him.

"Oh?" she responded, advancing on the shrinking stallion. "But... will you truly notice? Oh, how disloyal of you to, if you do!" she remarked, grabbing the adventurer's flank. "Face it..." said Celestia, hugging the now absorbed adventurer; "You want only to serve your ruler..." she said, from within the combined realm of Night and Passion, as she began to feed on the emotions of the trapped zealot.

Centuries have past. Luna's exile has come and gone, and the winds speak of change. Generations have been born, lived, and died, and the land of Equestria remains strong. Its neighbor, Earth, stands valiant too, resisting the ebb and flow of Night and Passion. However, Earth has grown weary. Night and Passion haunt the hallways of the impure on earth. The tides draw in and out, as a gentle breeze crosses the land, floating into Ponyville, carrying a small vessel of Light, an orb of glimmering promise, into the window of a sleeping mare, unaware to her surroundings. The Champion of Earth is to awaken on the morrow, but for now, she sleeps.

Author's Note

If anybody wants more, just say so. Will continue writing as long as I get support. Also, feel free to comment.

Chapter One: The Champion of Earth

Those chosen to serve creation, and the path of preservation, are rarely aware when they consciously decide to work towards a world perfect in composition and revolutionary in flow. To think that oneself will cause all of reality to be saved somewhere down the line is mindboggling. Not concerned for such matters, Lyra Heartstrings awoke on April the 27th inspired by the realm of dreams.

Sitting up in her bed, she looked down to her hooves, which stuck slightly out of her blanket in their current position. Lyra grunted, as she adjusted the blanket to cover her hooves.

There, she thought, snuggling deeper into her covers.

What had she just been dreaming about? Some kind of... odd philosophy, where everyone was an individual in regards to objections, yet all beings within the philosophy worked towards a common goal. Some way of thought that allowed Ponies to act less strictly and enjoy their lives more, yet submit to greater power less frequently. Lyra giggled. She wondered what her Internet friends were up to, and how they would react to this odd idea. Lyra unfolded her Laptop from beside her bed and logged on to EquesCom, the premier instant messaging site of Equestria.

Lyra posted her thoughts on her profile:

"I believe I may be on to something in regards to philosophy. Some kind of series of personal choices, serving a greater good in a nondirect way. I dunno. I'll get back to you later on my thoughts."

There. Descriptive, To the point, and altogether serviceable. Lyra hoofbumped herself. Almost toppling over, Lyra regained her balance after the short wobble that came after the self appreciation. She checked her friends list to see if anyone had messaged her while she slept. Surprisingly, nobody had tried to contact her while she was sleeping. To Lyra, it's the little things that count, because they make the combined body better in form and function, and waking up to not having been messaged overnight was one of those things. It meant she wouldn't have to work early today. More importantly, it meant she could sleep in for a couple more hours hopefully, before she went off to work. Before she slept, though, she might as well see who's online.

The Ponies she knows personally are marked as Local. However, the much larger group of her contacts belonged to a greater category, the Foreign. The latter title is less meant to impose a feeling of unwelcoming in those within it, but rather to invoke a sense of accomplishment, that of all the people Lyra Heartstrings had met online, they had been the ones found worthy to be her contacts. They are rarely grateful enough for Lyra's magnificence. Lyra should talk to them about it sometime.

But then who to talk to? Lyra has so many friends ( Many don't go online much, but it still counts ). On one hand, she could talk to Clouds-Above, a friend she met on an image board a while back. Yet still, she could always talk to ConstantConsideration ( Twilight Sparkle, from the library ) or OffhandOperatorApples, Big Mac from Sweet Apple Acres. Big Mac naturally talks to Lyra more than most other mares, chiefly because she's one of the few who isn't fawning over the youthful farmhand. He's actually quite talkative, if you can mention something he feels strongly about.

Then, of course, there's Lyra's boss, SalesSpecialist ( His profile is for business, hence his serious nomenclature ), who messages her whenever she has to work any earlier than her regular 1-to-8 shifts. Though the situation comes up less often than Lyra expected when she first started working for the Market Stand owner, he sometimes needs a little help setting up shop and attracting customers every now and then.

Lyra hesitated for a second, then exhaled sharply.

What a good day it is she thought, as she laid back down and slept for a couple more hours.

Lyra awoke happily as she had the time before, except for a different reason. Essentially, she was happy for a reason she could not quite explain. Yawning, she got out of bed and headed for the shower. She had an hour to get ready for work, so she wasn't in the greatest hurry. Many ponies argue that showers are redundant, but Lyra always believed that showering is a method of displaying civility, even in their great expense. Rarity from the Carousel Boutique is one of the few ponies in Ponyville, along with Twilight, who agrees with Lyra on the matter. Stepping into the darkened bathroom, Lyra flipped on the light, immediately brightening the room with radiance.

The water heater had stopped working yesterday, and the repairspony was supposed to come today. Even still, the thought didn't really help when Lyra was blasted with the first cold jet of water. Shivering, Lyra immediately retrieved her hoof from the stream of water pouring from the shower head. Slowly, she began to submerge herself further into the water, until she had entered the stream completely. The water was still cold, but had now become manageable, as Lyra had adjusted to the freezing temperature.

After her shower, Lyra dried herself off with her freshly cleaned towel laid out on the counter of the bathroom. Rubbing the towel through her turquoise mane as she hummed to herself. She looked in the mirror at herself.

"Ready for another day of work, Heartstrings?", she asked herself in an interrogative manner.

Lyra brushed her teeth as she finished drying herself off. Most ponies, unlike as with showering, brushed their teeth. No amount of magic could rid you of Gingivitis. Meanwhile, some ponies brush their teeth out of enjoyment, and therefore have perfect smiles. Such a devotion is admirable, honestly; as long as their compulsive teeth brushing doesn't hurt anypony.

Lyra turned off her bathroom light as she entered her bedroom. Sighing, she opened her closet, releasing a gust of air from the confined space. The job had a uniform; however, unlike most ponies, Lyra enjoyed wearing clothing and was disappointed in the small amounts of coverage her work uniform provided her. The Outfit consisted of a white cap, with an orange bill extending out of it with "Wishwhinny's Retail" printed on the front of it. On her torso, she wore a dark orange vest, with the company symbol ( The Celestial Sun with some common Electronic goods displayed in front of it ) embroidered onto her chest, next to her front left hoof. She wore a saddlebag with advertisement fliers strapped onto the sides of them ( The advertising companies were willing to pay good money to get their advertisements placed within a foot of Lyra's flank for her entire working day ).

Heading downstairs, Lyra began to hum again, except this time humming a catchy tune that she had heard the other day about some obscure factory where Pegasi were converted into raw energy through means of harnessing their life force. It's a rather
silly concept, but makes her wonder what secrets Celestia hides from the common ponies. Lyra shrugged, then went to her kitchen to eat breakfast.

Lyra looked at her clock. She had seventeen minutes until she had to leave for her commute, which took about ten minutes. She contemplated for a moment as to whether she should prepare something for herself or pick up something to eat on the way to work. She decided on the latter, chiefly due to her lack of delicious, hot muffins that Sugarcube Corner prepared every Tuesday, topped with whatever condiments you asked for ( Condiments on muffins had been devised by Pinkie Pie, who orders every condiment available on her muffins every time she buys muffins on Tuesday without fail ).

Stopping momentarily to glimpse outside, Lyra noticed the golden rays of sunlight filtering into her room. Today was Tuesday, April 27th. She had woken up to thoughts previously unheard of to her relatively simple mind, and was about to embark on her commute to her job. All of Ponyville wakes up before Lyra on a daily basis, but few keep their thoughts awake as long as Lyra Heartstrings. Truly, Lyra was a lucky member of a select few who did not regret the duties and downsides of her job.

How lucky can one mare get? Lyra thought to herself, as she left her home, locking the door behind her. As she stepped off her front lawn, a passerby, waving to her, greeted her with "Good Afternoon". As she neared Sugarcube Corner, more people greeted her in such a manner. Entering the shop, Lyra placed her order to Mrs. Cake, who stood on the opposite side of the counter. "I'll take a Chocolate Muffin with Caramel and Powdered Sugar." Lyra said, adjusting her hat. "Okay," responded Mrs. Cake cheerfully, "That'll be two Bits.". Lyra handed the coins over, as Mrs. Cake relayed Lyra's order to Mr. Cake, who immediately went to work producing the muffin.

Lyra sat in a booth by the store's front, looking outside. Slight panels of frost were developed on the edges of the window nearest Lyra, hinting at the true nature of the season. Lyra blinked as she stared out at the window at the Carousel Boutique, just next to the forest bordering Ponyville. Rarity and her friends were sitting outside the Boutique, laughing and conversing. For that reason, Lyra was always jealous of Twilight's Job. Getting to make friends and unite the community for a living is a pretty easy, yet very essential job. Before Twilight, Pinkie Pie maintained the position the best she could, before eventually deciding to do odd jobs to earn money. A fairly risky decision, but what do you expect? It's Pinkie Pie.

"Lyra, sweetie? Your Muffin's ready." Mrs. Cake said, across the almost empty bakery. Lyra trotted over to the counter, then picked up her order. She turned to leave, but not before Mrs. Cake stopped her and said, "And here you go, Sweetie; on the house." as she handed Lyra a steaming hot cup of Hot Cocoa. Graciously, Lyra accepted the cup. "Thank you, Mrs. Cake. What's the occasion?" Lyra asked, taking a sip from the cup and taking a bite from her Muffin. "Oh, nothing special, Lyra. Just wanted to thank you for your frequent visits." Mrs. Cake said, casually looking at the mare. Lyra responded, laughing, "Well, if you want to talk about frequent visitors, I think I saw Pinkie Pie on her way over on my way in.". Mrs. Cake laughed, saying "Oh, no! I'd better get the hubbie to make the rest of the reserve!". Lyra bid the Mare and her husband farewell as she walked out the door.

Lyra almost bumped into Pinkie Pie as she exited the warm bakery into the brisk midday air. The springy mare giggled, maneuvering around Lyra, as she continued into the bakery. Lyra kept trotting, out to the area immediately outside of Sugarcube Corner, where she encountered Twilight, who was inspecting the architectural assets of a house nearby. "Hey, Twilight." said Lyra, approaching the inquisitive Mare. Twilight jumped ever so slightly at the greeting, implying that she had been startled. Twilight hiccuped almost immediately. "Lyra! I didn't see you there." Twilight exclaimed in a surprised manner. Twilight hiccuped again. "Hey there, Twilight. Just on my way to work. Say... " Lyra said, grinding her hoof back and forth gently along the ground. "... You wouldn't happen to be versed in Philosophy, would you?" she asked, sheepishly. Twilight responded almost immediately. "Yes, Lyra, I'm very versed in Philosophy. After all, Celestia promotes the application of knowledge developed in the past through means of constant reinforcement via surveys and --" Twilight said, before being cut off by Lyra putting her hoof on Twilight's muzzle. "Good. I think I explored some realm of Thought I had never really thought about before in my dreams. Honestly, it doesn't even feel like Luna inspired these dreams. What thoughts did I entertain, you ask? " Lyra said, releasing Twilight's mouth. " Thoughts of success through lenient ruling. A way of life in which ponies could rule themselves, while at the same time pledging loyalty to Celestia. That's what I thought about." said Lyra, proudly. Twilight thought for a moment, then said "That's odd. I can't really think of what you're describing. I mean, after all, it's not like there's really any alternative to Celestia's absolution, right?" Twilight said, with confidence. " Eh, I guess you're right. That's why you're the smartest mare I know." Said Lyra, walking off. "Well, i'm off to the job." said Lyra, waving goodbye.

Twilight bit her lip. This was bad. What kind of sorcery had given Lyra a taste of Humanity? The quarrel Twilight had with the matter was not that she had seen Humanity in function, but rather that Lyra speaks in such open tongues of the matter. As per Celestia's orders, the tablets, and their implications were to remain unknown to the populace, and a single teller of secrets is all it takes for the whole realm to know about one little fact: That we aren't alone. Twilight began to move immediately to the train station. Celestia must be warned.

Work had been slow nearly all day. As five rolled around, Lyra was rearranging the merchandise that was to be on display for the evening shoppers. Suddenly, from the opposite side of the marketplace, a Royal Courier, clad in Pristine armor, trotted across the path, looking for somepony. Lyra went back to her work, moving the goods from inside the cart's interior to its outer displays. Suddenly, from behind her, Lyra heard a familiar voice say, "That's her, right there.". Lyra looked back, to see Applejack pointing the Courier in her direction. The courier approached Lyra. "Good afternoon, Miss Heartstrings." he said, bowing to the mare.

"Good day, Courier. What message do you bear for me?" said Lyra, smiling at the Courier.

The Courier began to sweat a little. "Uhh... your ruler... Princess Celestia... has... asked for your... uhh... attendance at her Royal Castle at once..." he said, trembling slightly. Lyra, as well as everyone else nearby stopped what they were doing for a moment. The Courier looked around. Soon after, everyone resumed their activities, with some of the civilians casually taking glances at Lyra. Lyra regained her composure, as she had slouched a bit in shock from hearing this news, then addressed the Courier.

"Very well, Courier. But then tell me, Sir Courier, why do you tremble at my hooves? Surely a brave stallion like yourself has no fear of a maiden pony like myself." Said Lyra pathetically, blushing and batting her eyelashes at the Courier.

The Courier gulped. "... n... no, Missus, I think i'm trembling because of your beauty." the Courier remarked quietly.

Lyra turned away shyly, blushing. The courier regained most of his wits. "Well, Sir Courier..." Lyra said.

The Courier interrupted. " My name's Noble Cause, ma'am.".

"Well then; Sir Noble Cause, I bid you safe travels, and hope to see you again in Canterlot upon my arrival." Lyra replied, smiling at Noble Cause. Stiffening himself, still sweating, Noble Cause galloped off, back to Canterlot.

Maybe I can return to Canterlot before Lyra returns to Ponyville. After all, Celestia never mentioned how long she would need Lyra's assistance. thought Noble Cause, as he galloped through the wooded expanse. However, before then, I need to reach the Far north, and Report to the Northwatch executives he thought, as he traveled along the wooded expanse, golden armor jumping noisily about the incredibly agile stallion.

Lyra giggled as the flustered stallion galloped away. How funny it was that this courier, who had no way of staying for longer than a few minutes in one place, had found such beauty in her. Nopony had really ever brought up such speculation before; Lyra didn't even think of herself as beautiful. She smiled as the Sun started to approach the horizon. Sunset was coming, and Celestia isn't the kind of pony you want to keep waiting for too long. Lyra went home to change and shower.

As Lyra finished drying off, she heard a noise from her computer. One of her friends had messaged her; it was Big Mac. He had messaged her just minutes before, probably from his portable computer. She thought she had seen him just across town square, at the cafe when the courier came. Lyra checked his message.

"Celestia, huh? Well, moving up in the world, I guess. Just try not to go through what Applejack did, with neglecting everyone until Twilight finally told her to get back to her life. Though I trust that you won't, Lyra; above all other ponies i've come to know, you seem like one of the better ones. Say, also, that Courier was kinda into you, eh? Don't worry-- If you just ignore the ponies who go after you, they go away. Most of the time."

But that's just it. Lyra didn't know what to think about the Courier. Well, one thing was for certain; he was kind of cute...

Lyra dressed herself in a heavy cloak for the occasion. The winter nights had become ghoulishly cold, and her Cloak was the warmest thing in her possession. Undoubtedly, Canterlot would be warm once Lyra got there, but there was no absolute chance that this trip would be anything more than a simple 'Yes or No' question. Stepping outside into the cool air, Lyra headed towards the train as the sun began to set.

Lyra caught the last train leaving the station for the night. On board with her, there were three other ponies: A Weatherpony from Baltimare, a Hermit from Rambling Rock Range, and some stranger from a place Lyra was unfamiliar with. Lyra fell asleep on the ride to Canterlot.

When Lyra awoke, Canterlot was within about a mile. Groggily, Lyra sat up, adjusting her cloak. Within minutes, the train arrived at Celestial Station. Stepping out of the train, Lyra payed the conductor her fare. Walking onto the platform, she noticed the other passengers slink off into the night in various exits. Lyra lingered.

What if I was summoned for punishment? Lyra pondered, looking up at the spires that lay before her. This question stuck within Lyra's mind for a few moments, then vanished. She eventually came to the conclusion that if Celestia really wanted to punish her, she would simply have to proclaim an order or cast a spell and she would have Lyra in any way Celestia wanted her.

Lyra headed up to the Palace Grounds, mindful that she was approaching Princess Celestia. On her way to the palace grounds, through Canterlot, Lyra saw nopony outside. The streets were completely barren and devoid of ponies.

Lyra reached the Palace gates within minutes. Approaching the golden gate, Lyra began to hasten her pace. Suddenly, the Golden Gate was slammed in front of her via arcane magic.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" asked a voice from the shadows, stepping out to meet Lyra. It was Twilight.

"Twilight? What are you doing here?" responded Lyra, tilting her head.

"I should ask you the same!" Twilight retorted, locking the Palace Gate.

"What do you mean?" Lyra said, suddenly disheartened by Twilight's actions.

"Lyra, trust me. That philosophy you were thinking about doesn't matter this much. You don't need to know about it. Honestly. Everyone who learns about its dark secrets becomes insane, or even worse. You should just--" Explained Twilight, before being interrupted by a flash of light from behind the gate.

The gate opened instantly, and the lock was cast aside as Celestia stepped out in front of Lyra and Twilight. Celestia beckoned for Lyra, "Come inside. We have matters regarding your fate to discuss.".

Twilight interjected, "But Princess, why must she know? About the... Other Lands?".

"Because, Twilight," Explained Celestia, "She is one of the chosen bloodlines of the Tablets. She is the Champion of Earth, regardless of her willingness to fulfill the role.".

Lyra held her head for a few seconds. "Wait, what?"

Celestia, Twilight, and Lyra retreated to within the Palace to discuss the matter at hand. "Lyra, I don't know exactly how to tell you this, but you and all your kin are to be Champions of Equestria in relations to the realm of Earth." Celestia said, addressing Lyra.

"Earth?" Asked Lyra, hanging her cloak by the massive palace door.

"Yes, Lyra. Earth. You see, long ago, in ancient times, there were five realms, each born with its own fair share of Passion and Judgement; each with their own Night, dark and fearsome. But with time, these five realms began to drift. Passion was drawn to one realm, while the darkest Nights were drawn to another. Eventually Five unique realms were left, with three of them overcome with total control by the individual forces of Night, Passion, and Judgement. The two other realms, which were freed of the forces of Night, Passion, and Judgement were named Earth and Equestria. They coexisted for many thousands of years under past rule, until the great return occurred, and Brutal Nights, as well as unconquerable Passion and Hope-crushing Judgement began to seep into the two worlds, threatening them with annihilation. Great artificers of old worked together, from Earth and Equestria alike, to create the Binding Tablets. Renamed over and over again, these tablets were used a couple centuries after their creation, with the combined arcane energies of generations of sorcerors, to separate Equestria from the realms of Night, Passion, and Judgement. Unfortunately, Earth was also lost in this binding, and a great ally was forsaken by our kind. For thousands of years, the tablets had held their power. That is, until the binding spell was broken by a zealot compelled by Passion's Love and Night's Fear. Upon breaking the seal, the Zealot was consumed and the three realms have begun their passage into Equestria. At the same time, they have begun to move into earth as well. We have plans to meet with our Earthen allies again someday, but as for now, we gather our Champions. The Champions, created by the drifting essences of the spirits used to bind the realms to their exile, are emissaries of Equestria in the face of our greatest threat of our time. I have been able to identify one Champion thus far, being you, the Champion of Earth. Lyra, we must venture forth from this land, to seek cures to our ailments. Lyra...", Celestia paused.

"We must carry the day."

After the briefing, Celestia had sent Twilight to show Lyra to her room. Upon reaching her room, Lyra fell onto the bed she had been lent. Tomorrow, she would awaken a Champion in Heart, even if today she had awoken a Champion in Spirit. She shall stand valiant, bridging the gap between Equestria and Earth. She shall save Equestria, Earth, and whomever she judges worthy.

Author's Note

Feel Free to Comment your opinions and thoughts as to what could make the story better. Will update soon, if I see interest.

Chapter Two: The Champion of Passion

Noble Cause trotted proudly towards the Crystal Empire from Canterlot, down the arid hilly pass. Stopping for a moment, he thought about Lyra, and how pleasant his trip to Ponyville had been. Sometimes he regrets his rapidly developing life, and how hectic things oftentimes got. Shortly after, however, he shook himself back into the present. His task, on Celestia's behalf, was to report to the Northwatch Executive. From there, he would be tasked in a way suitable to his credentials. However, for now, he continued on the path that laid ahead, and ignored any further distractions. The road from Canterlot to the Crystal Empire was long, if simple, and he would need to maintain a swift pace if he wished to reach the Empire in a timely fashion.

Further along down the path, Noble Cause stopped at the sight of a dark figure hiding in the woods just off the path he was trotting along. A couple of times larger than him, Noble noticed the creature's inherent strength and decided to ignore the sizeable beast. As he passed by, he heard a voice, soft and sweet, filter out from the arbor.

"H... hello, sir?" Asked a bright green filly with a brown mane who had just stepped out from the spot that the aberration had been previously positioned.

"Why, hello, little lass! What's your name? " asked Noble Cause, approaching the visibly shaken youth.

"M... my name's Ambershine." She said, stroking her mane.

"And what brings you out to this path alone, Ambershine? " asked Noble Cause, eying the nervous filly.

"I'm lost..." she said, sniffling.

Oh no. Don't you do it. I have places to be, things to... thought Noble Cause, as Ambershine let out a light sob. Noble Cause took one look at her distressed, adorable face and gave in immediately.

"Alright," said Noble Cause, swooping up the filly onto his back. "Lets go find your home." He said as Ambershine nuzzled her head into Noble's warm mane.

As Noble traveled onwards, he tried to glean details about Ambershine's home, and how he could possibly find his way there in a reasonable time. She lived in Sunmorrow, a small burg just off the path near the Valley Stones. Fortunately enough for Noble, the stones were no more than two hours away, and a relatively easy two hours at that. Noble kept up his pace as he headed towards Sunmorrow.

When he reached the outskirts of Sunmorrow, Noble knew that something within the town was amiss. Smoke rose in places where no chimneys existed, and creaks and collapses were heard for miles around the town center. Wandering further into the frosty darkness, Noble noticed a glow coming from the buildings ahead. Quickly, he maneuvered himself behind one of the buildings. Ambershine cried softly.

The whole township had been set ablaze. Adjusting his gaze, Noble scanned the area, through the billows of smoke to try to discern any instigators of the intense flames. It was no use; whoever had set fire to the small town was gone by now, and Ambershine was stuck with Noble for a while. He sighed. Well, she is pretty darn cute, even when terrified.

"Mr. Guard, where are my friends?" asked Ambershine. Noble looked around, looking for any casualties or otherwise. Nopony.

"They must have run away." Said Noble, looking up at the night sky.

Ambershine wiped her face on Noble's mane. "What happens now?" She asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Now?" Responded Noble, turning away from the flaming debris. "I'm going to take you on an adventure, one which will most likely end with you reuniting with your parents. "

Ambershine responded, with a horrified look, "B... but my parents are dead!".

Realizing the implications of what he had just said, Noble quickly said "Errr... friends. I meant friends.", as he looked up at the slowly calming filly.

It wasn't long before Noble was back on his path to the Crystal Empire, two tasks at hand, both achievable by making it to the Northwatch Executive. They would know the whereabouts of the wayward filly's townsfolk, and could hold onto the lass until he could reunite Ambershine with her friends. Noble trekked onwards.

Meanwhile, in the Crystal Empire, Princess Cadence orchestrated the reconstitution of the Empire's society. After many years of inactivity and grief, the townsponies had lost hope; their passions had been betrayed by King Sombra's tainted curse. With their wits recovered, and strength returning, the Crystal Ponies held promise like few other lands held as of late. Cadence was glad to be chosen as ruler of the empire, but knew that the task was particularly strenuous. This fact was never more apparent than when her advisor, Shimmerstride, would read off the Empire's resource pools. The collected mare entered Cadence's quarters, carrying with her a ragged notebook containing the Empire's resource records.

"The Resources of the Crystal Empire, maintained by Princess Cadence, the Magnificent, are as follows:" said Shimmerstride, opening the tome to the 27th of April. "34 barrels of iron ore. 47 barrels of wheat. 14 barrels of cider..." continued Shimmerstride, reading off the list. Eventually, at the end, she listed any newcomers expected to staff the empire. "... And the only newcomer today is a Courier by the name of Noble Cause, sent to serve the Northwatch Executive." Cadence chuckled to herself a little bit; the only member of the Northwatch Executive was herself. "Very well, Shimmerstride. Thank you." Said Cadence, dismissing the mare. Casually, the mare left Cadence's quarters.

Cadence sighed. It had been a week since she did anything on her own accord. Even then, all she had been able to do was spend the evening out on the town sightseeing. where had the fun in ruling gone? thought Cadence, as she trotted over to her luxurious dresser, and looked at the locket resting atop it. Shining Armor was too busy with training the new recruits to the Canterlot Royal Guard to visit recently, but his memory persists even in his absence. Next to the locket lies a picture of Twilight and her friends next to Cadence, all of them making silly faces. Cadence misses Twilight, too. Almost enough to burst out into song, but not quite enough to actually do so.

Laying down in her bed, Cadence closed her eyes. The day had been long, and a long night of sleep was just what Cadence needed to regain her composure. Tomorrow would be a new day, full of opportunity. As the moon stirred gently in the sky, Cadence entered into Luna's realm.

A few miles outside the Crystal Empire, Noble Cause trotted gently in the supple darkness. Ambershine, who was now asleep on Noble's back, snored softly as the stallion ventured onwards into the night. The cool nighttime air swept the rocky face, as Noble traversed the barren crags. Noble's thouhts wandered back to Lyra. She was probably dreaming right now. Pleasant dreams, kind dreams; the sort of dreams other dreamers envy. To Noble, there is no mare more deserving of these dreams.

Noble wondered if Lyra had thought about him since they had met. However improbable, he had confidence in her interest, and convinced himself of her want. He chuckled to himself. Why was he thinking about this? He should be thinking about the road ahead.

Speaking of the road ahead, Noble noticed the Crystal Empire's tallest buildings breaking the horizon. Inspired, he hastened his pace suddenly, much to Ambershine's dismay, who awoke, yawning. Noble slowed down again, as the sleepy filly nodded off again.

Noble arrived at the Empire's outermost gates late into the night. A lone guard, wearing a helmet stopped him and inspected his courier's armor.

"You must be Noble Cause, am I correct? " asked the guard, bearing his torch in front of him so he could clearly see Noble.

"Yes." Responded Noble, looking the guard in the eyes.

"What is your business with the filly? " Asked the guard, gently petting Ambershine's mane.

"I found her while traveling from Canterlot, on my way to the Northwatch Executive, to be given my next assignment. Her hometown, Sunmorrow, is in ruin, and its denizens were nowhere to be found. " Noble reported to the attentive guard.

The guard, surprised by this information, grabbed an incident report form from inside his guard post and scribbled down the details. Handing the form to Noble, he told him to bring the paper to the Northwatch Offices when he reports for duty tomorrow.

"Say..." asked Noble, looking at Ambershine; "Do you know of any place I could find a room to stay with her for the night? ".

The guard thouht for a moment, then said, "The Melodious Mare, over on Shimmer Street is pretty cheap, and safe, too. You could probably stay the night for less than 4 bits, her included.".

"Thank you, guard. Stay valiant,." Replied Noble, trotting into the Empire.

"Stay swift, Courier. " said the guard, resuming his post.

Noble entered the inn with Ambershine on his back, and with an air of tiredness about him.

"Hello, traveler, and welcome to the Melodious Mare." Said the innkeeper, sitting behind The counter, eating an apple. "What can I do for you? " he asked, motioning at Noble.

"I need a room with two beds." Said Noble, looking at the hallway leading to a plethora of rooms.

"Alright, that will be four bits. " said the innkeeper, extending his hoof. Noble exchanged the coins, as the innkeeper led him to his room.

Noble laid Ambershine down in one of the beds, coursing his hoof through her soft mane. She didn't deserve any of this, really. Why was fate such a cruel taskmaster? Furthermore, he noticed her lack of a cutie mark. She was so young, but so troubled. Noble pitied the filly, as he laid down in his own bed, tired from the long day's trek. Surely tomorrow will bring better conditions, for he will seek the counsel of the Northwatch Executive, and work on finding the filly's friends, so she could feel joy once again.

Soon, sleep was upon all of the Crystal Empire, save the occasional guard or vagabond.

In the morning, Noble woke up to Ambershine snuggling into his back. He swears, if she does anything else adorable like that...

Ambershine wrapped her hooves around Noble, bringing herself closer to him. Noble's heart died twice.

He layed there for a while, looking at her. She opened her eyes, rubbing her eyes as she yawned.

"Good morning, Noble!" She said, as she detached from Noble's back. "What are we going to do today? " She asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"Today," Noble said, "We are going to begin our real adventure. "

Ambershine was aglow with excitement, as Noble clad himself in his courier's armor, and lifted her up on top of his back.

Cadence had awoken as well, but not quite as pleasantly as the first two. A report dropped off late last night had been brought to her attention Indicating that Sunmorrow had been destroyed by an unknown source. The matter would not be as personal, if the report had not been instigated by the Courier who had just come into the Empire late last night. Rubbing her temples, Cadence groaned. So much for a peaceful day of little work and plenty of rest. Cadence sent for her guards, who were still in the armory, preparing for the day. When two showed up, ready to relay a message to the other guards, she sent them forth to tell the others to find the Courier, and bring him to her.

The guard entered the inn, clad in armor. "Is the courier and his filly friend still here?" He asked to the innkeeper.

"Yeah, they're down the hall, on the left, third door. " Replied the Innkeeper, pointing at the hallway. The guard entered the hall, then went to the room.

"Noble Cause, you are summoned by the regal Princess Cadence to provide details of the recent events regarding the status of Sunmorrow. " relayed the guard, as he looked around the room. Ambershine perked up when she heard this, thinking that this could be about her friends.

Noble and Ambershine both followed the guard to the Northwatch Offices, and went to see Princess Cadence.

"Hello, Noble Cause, and..?" asked Cadence, motioning to the young filly. "Ambershine!" Responded the ecstatic filly, who was excited to meet the Princess. "I believe we have important matters to discuss. " Cadence said, inviting Noble and Ambershine into her chambers.

Noble informed Cadence of the full story of his trip from Canterlot. Cadence then consulted the report, to check the account's accuracy. Pretty spot on. However, Noble Cause seems like he needs somepony to watch the filly when he gets assigned to his next job.

"So..." asked Cadence, pulling Noble aside. "What are you going to do with the filly? ".

"Do you know of any place that could keep her for a while?" asked Noble, as he looked up at the Magnificent ceiling.

"Maybe, " Replied Cadence, as she trotted over to her bedroom window.

"We could keep her in the guard house, if you'd like. " Cadence suggested.

Noble thought for a moment, then said, "Sure, why not? Seems safe enough. " as he stood up and prepared to leave.

Before he could exit, Ambershine stopped him and asked him, "Noble? ".

"Yes, Ambershine? " Responded Noble, looking at Ambershine.

"Thank you." She said.

Noble smiled, as he trotted out into the office atrium with Cadence, as he was told of his next assignment.

"With the deployment of most of the Empire's military resources in the North, keeping watch over our local assets has become more difficult than expected. As hinted by Sunmorrow's fate, something is ravaging the hinterlands. Currently, we are not able to send aid to the small border towns, and must rather focus on the Empire's heart, to prevent any other assaults on our freedoms. By this measure, we hope you understand that your next duty lies in protecting the royal quarters and any visitors housed within it."

Seriously? thought Noble, as he considered what this means for his immediate future. Realistically, this duty translated into the opportunity for smooth sailing and some recreational time that Noble had been hoping for. He gave the royal salute, then asked, "When do I start?".

"Hmm..." said Cadence, as she examined the tired courier. "You need your rest. Report to me tomorrow morning, as soon as you feel ready. ".

"Thank you." Said Noble, as he turned away and exited the room.

"Oh, and Noble..." said Cadence, leaning out the doorway.

"You can stay in the royal guest room, along with your filly friend until tomorrow morning. After that, she should stay with the guards in the guard house while you do your duties. Of course, there will also be room for you there when your duties don't call for you to be elsewhere. " chimed Cadence, lifting Noble's spirits higher. The glad stallion pranced happily out of the Office, and into the day, which stood free to Noble Cause's desires.

And Noble's desires were addressed, as his mind ventured to Lyra, and how much he wanted her. The journey from the Crystal Empire to Canterlot was long, but easily navigable within two hours. As an added bonus, the night haze would no longer slow down Noble's pace, and he wouldn't have to carry Ambershine half of the way there. Without a moment to spare, Noble galloped off towards the city on the mountain, Equestria's capital, and the current location of Lyra Heartstrings, Noble's one true driving force.

The courier was lucky, Cadence thought, as she uncorked a bottle of wine, then sipped from the intricate glass thoughtfully. The forces of Night have been prowling those lands for months. It was a wonder that he wasn't killed by some obscure beast made of pure evil. Taking another sip from the glass, Cadence sighed. She wondered what the stallion was doing to relax?

Relaxation was the last thing on Noble's mind as he retraced his path back to Canterlot. Looking up at the sky, he noticed it was nearly midday, and that he was well over halfway between the Crystal Empire and Canterlot. A slight sweat had been worked up on Noble's brow, but nothing could hold him from that which he wanted most.

Lyra, have faith in me.

Lyra hadn't had faith in much of anything recently. As she laid in her bed, looking out the beautifully carved palace window, she thought back to the night before, and how forced things seemed to have been. The palace life was nice, but a strict schedule is the best way to bore anypony, and Lyra is no exception. From the moment she had arrived, attendants had answered to her every whim. Finally fed up with her current treatment, she sought out Celestia.

The mountain city was in plain sight. Through the valley, the peak rose majestically above the forested landscape, a beacon of purity. Noble carried on, driven further by his great passion.

As he approached the mountain's rocky base, a shade amongst the sun kissed fields rose to greet him. Rising up in height to that of a tree, the fiend hissed scathing remarks, as he bobbed left and right. Noble cursed his luck; of all the days to decide against bringing a sword, why did Noble have to choose today? He looked up to Canterlot. He was so close...

Noble tried to walk around the monster, but the beast rejected his attempt by swatting at Noble. Much to the beast's dismay, he couldn't harm Noble. Not for now, at least. "Wait until nighttime, pony fool..." hissed the shadow, as it receded into the golden field.

Noble galloped up to the royal palace, bearing news of the enemy he encountered on his way to Canterlot. When told of his purpose, Celestia was eager to meet the courier.

"Noble Cause, weren't you supposed to be reporting to Princess Cadence, in the Crystal Empire? " asked Celestia, looking intently into Noble's eyes.

"Yes, ma'am, but I was given a day of rest. In my spare time, I chose to come here." Said Noble.

"But surely there is something that happened on your way?" Celestia asked, her face now stern with focus.

"Ah, yes, I was attacked unsuccessfully by a dark spirit that lingered at the base of the mountain Canterlot rests on." Said Noble, looking out the window to the place he had been confronted.

Celestia immediately jumped back in her seat. Surprised by this information, she summoned her attending guard to fetch somepony. Celestia motioned for Noble to come into her study and wait for somepony to arrive with her.

Lyra was sitting in her room when Celestia fetched her. She was told that more business regarding the four realms was about to take place in her study. This excited Lyra. Who was this she was about to meet? Who also knew about the tablets, and was willing to discuss them with the Princess?

As Lyra entered into the room, she was met with more surprise than if any stranger had been waiting for her in Celestia's study. Noble Cause was standing in the middle of the room, Casually examining a bookshelf, unaware of Lyra's presence. Lyra cleared her throat, and Noble Cause looked upon her as he became filled with glee. Lyra trotted up to Noble, then looked him in the eyes, batting her eyelashes.

"The valiant knight returns..." she said, trotting to the other side of the room, as Noble continued to smile.

Celestia began to retell the information regarding the tablets, to inform Noble Cause of the situation. Astonished by the relevancy of his own place in this chain of events, Noble's curiosity spiked.

"I play some greater role here, don't I?" Asked Noble, getting ahead of himself. Celestia nodded.

"Precisely. You are the Champion of Passion, the courier between the realms of Equestria and Passion. In your full strength, you shall inspire all the righteous to unite under one cause and stop the evil at hand, or so goes the ancient prophecy. As for now, I understand that you are tired. You shall finally be given rest, now that your passion has been quenched. But I ask of you, Noble; delve into the true nature of Passion. Do not stop until you feel comfortable with linking the plane of passion to Equestria. Until then, you shall stay here, with Lyra, working to discern the intent of the different realms. I shall send word to Cadence of your new task, relinquishing you of your duties there." Said Celestia.

"One thing, princess..." asked Noble Cause, getting the Princess's attention. "There's a little filly in The Crystal Empire by the name of Ambershine. She was orphaned by the recent destruction of Sunmorrow, and I would like to be given permission to retrieve her and take her under custody, as her guardian. "

"I'll allow it." Said Celestia, before continuing with, "Lyra, you should go along with Noble, and accompany him in his travels.".

Lyra looked over to Noble, before responding "Sure".

The two ate dinner after a restful day, then went on their way. Lyra wore her cloak for the occasion, and Noble wore his courier's armor. Along the way, they made mostly small talk while staring ahead, only sometimes looking at one another with affection. As they reached the gates of the Crystal Empire, a message had been left by a pegasus messenger, sent by Celestia.

It detailed the whereabouts of another of the four champions, the champion of night. Among the Frozen North she wanders, waiting until the day of the Winter Solstice to emerge from her icy realm, and find the rest of her fellow champions. Lyra and Noble Cause head into the Crystal Empire, aware of the road directly ahead of them.

A Zealot, his soul long since stolen by perils unspeakable, wrenches his mangled body from the bounds of nonexistence. Flesh tainted black with the ichor of fear, and eyes yellowed with undoubtable insanity, the putrid husk wriggles along the snow dusted ice, back into his home, Equestria. The zealot has returned.

Chapter Three: The Champion of Judgment

Princess Celestia sat in her throne, observing the vista that lay before her. She had seen this landscape countless times, and, in fact, spent most of her time looking at it. However, this moment was one she had anticipated for some time now. Summoning divine magic from within, Celestia drew forth a great day. And truly, the day would be great, for today is the day the great journey begins. There was no time to lose; as a chilly breeze swept through Canterlot, Celestia brought forth the radiant sun, powerful and awesome.

~ * ~

The two champions entered the hall, as Cadence approached the doorway. "I've been looking all over for you, Noble!" She said, in an annoyed manner.

Noble sat down in a nearby chair, addressing Cadence with the response, "Celestia asked us to venture to the north lands, to await another champion. The champion of Night, I fear. " Replied Noble, looking intently out of the Office window.

Cadence thought for a moment, then asked, "So the time of the Great Quest is upon us?".

"I'm afraid so." Responded Noble.

Looking up to the roof, Cadence peered out of the sky light. The quest that she had heard of in hushed whispers when she was younger was upon Equestria, and not a single lost soul could mend the seals that have been broken by the Champions being selected. Cadence looked back to Lyra, who had been excluded from the conversation up until now.

"And you are a champion, then?" Asked Cadence, gesturing at Lyra.

"Yes. The Champion of Earth, apparently. " Lyra said, grinning. Something about the title pleased her.

Cadence turned to the window and sighed. "The northlands are fierce, and the Champion you find, be it one of Night or Judgment, will be as wild as the lands themselves. Take rest, then head to the crags." Said Cadence, dismissing the two.

Before he went, Noble turned to Cadence and asked, "How do you know that they aren't the Champion of Passion? ".

"Because," Responded Cadence, "I already guessed who that is", as she trotted away, smiling.

Noble trotted into the vacant hub room outside the Office. Light filtered in from a window at one end of the room. As he took a moment to think about what had happened during the past three days, his mind wandered to Ambershine's whereabouts. Just as Noble was about to turn and ask Cadence where the filly was, Ambershine stepped into the room from the door Noble had come in from. She approached Noble.

"Hi." She said, as she trotted over to Noble.

Noble's heart relaxed as he felt the comfort of the young filly's embrace. As a matter of fact, his heart almost melted. Hugging Ambershine, Noble asked "How are you, Ambershine?" as he stroked her mane.

"I'm doing alright." said Ambershine, smiling as the two hugged.

The two then left the embrace and moved into the room where Cadence had been. She had left the room momentarily, but Lyra was still in there.

"She left to go find an old tome of hers regarding the Tablets." said Lyra, gesturing to where Cadence had gone.

Noble peered out the window that stood facing Canterlot. Of course, one couldn't see Canterlot from the window. That would be preposterous. No, this window faced the direction of Canterlot, to honor the hearth of Equestria, and the birthplace of the Celestial Reign. Sunlight crept onto the meadow that laid between the Office and the Woodland beyond. Past that, the forest transitioned into icy crags and frozen wastes. The landscape around the Crystal Empire was ever changing, but reflected the true nature of Ponykind: Hardy, Strong, and... Wait, where did Ambershine wander off to?

"Did you see where Ambershine went?" Noble asked Lyra.

"No. I was looking out the window, at that meadow." said Lyra, pointing out the glass pane.

Noble grunted. The little rascal is probably playing some form of hide and seek.

"Alright, Ambershine, you can come out now!" exclaimed Noble, attempting to find the filly. No dice.

Noble walked outside the Office hub and into the hallway. Lyra followed him. Cadence approached from around a corner further down the hallway.

"Hey, Cadence, have you seen Ambershine?" asked Lyra, searching the long corridor for the small filly.

"No, I haven't, but I did find the book. Maybe we should read it sometime soon?" asked Cadence, suspending the volume before her with her magical aura.

Noble motioned to the others. "Come on, we should look for her.".

The three searched the Office and the Royal Quarters directly connected to it for Ambershine. After searching the top levels of the building, they moved to the bottom levels, until they reached the Royal Archives.

"I say we contact the guards, and order them to search for her." suggested Cadence.

"I agree. We're better off with many bodies searching for her rather than just us three." responded Noble, walking back towards the Archive entrance.

"I suppose I should put this back, then..." said Cadence, carrying the worn book back to the archive shelf she had retrieved it from. Suddenly, she lost her balance and the book was sent flying through the air. It landed in front of Lyra.

"Are you alright, Princess?" asked Noble, rushing to Cadence's side. Lyra lingered near the opened text.

Noble assisted the embarrassed Nobility to her hooves. "Thank you, Noble." she said, performing a curtsy.

Cadence approached Lyra, who appeared to be fascinated with the great amount of text that laid before her. As Lyra gleaned the information within the book, Cadence asked, "Is it any help?".

"Yes... it is. Wait, hold on, let me just read this paragraph..." said Lyra, motioning for the other two to stop for a moment. "Huh. Apparently each Champion is to acquire a Squire, and that squire will champion something similar to their respective Champion's aspect." said Lyra, looking up at the two.

Noble Cause considered the information he had just been told. "Maybe we should hold onto that book after all.".

Lyra skimmed a couple of pages further into the book. It really was a shame, not reading all the pages, but time permitted nothing more. Unintentionally, she stumbled onto a passage which she had not anticipated:

"Each Champion, in addition to being able to invoke the essences of their respective realms, can actually bring forth content from within their realms. Content, of course, not being only limited to stone and water; Content also inclusive of Living beings, Philosophies, and entire Concepts. However, no great power granted by the Tablets comes without drawbacks. Each Champion, by nature of their Aspect, is imbued with a great flaw; a Hubris of some sort. It would be wise of the party of Champions to discern the flaws of each other early on, and act accordingly, to avoid tragedy."

Lyra blinked. "Strange. Apparently each of us, along with our 'conjuration', come with some innate flaw that could possibly lead to our downfalls." she explained, shutting the tome.

Cadence trotted over to her. "Oh, I almost forgot; the interesting part of the book, which led me to bring it to your attention, is just after that, where it explains the Spells each Champion should learn. Each spell comes with a version accessible by all the different kinds of ponies, including Pegasi and Earth Ponies."

Lyra checked the next few pages. Well, Cadence certainly wasn't lying. For each Aspect, there was a list of spells, beginning with the easiest spell that the Champion should learn first, and ending with the most difficult spells, only used by the Champions in times of great need. Lyra's curiosity got the best of her, as she looked at the Champion of Earth's Spell Section. The list began with a very simple spell indeed; the spell in itself was actually constantly being cast by the Champion of Earth, without consent. The spell was simply named "Humanity", and it had no listed effect.

"Huh." said Lyra, flipping to the next page, to more intermediate spells. Lyra examined one spell that caught her eye. "Summon Human", it said. To perform the spell, one requires only a channeling of Magical Energy and focus on the nature of Humanity. The only negative drawback to the spell is its permanence; it's apparently irreversible, so whoever the caster summons should probably get comfortable with Equestria.

Lyra was curious. She began channeling her magic into what she believed to be humanity.

"Lyra, what are you doing?" asked Cadence, from the other side of the room. Reality distorted near Lyra, as a tunnel formed between worlds...

~ * ~

William sat on his bed, looking at the formidable pack of cards that laid before him. He had been playing Magic, the Gathering for almost three years now, and a good Booster Box from a set long since out of standard play was just what he needed to relax from the pressures reality had been giving him recently. Surely, only a couple of people in 2015 would be willing to buy a Shards of Alara Booster Box, but William happened to be one of them.

Tearing off the plastic cover of the box, he looked at the other four booster boxes from other sets he'd ordered as well. "Surely I could be spending my money on better things in life." he laughed, as he opened the Box's top and pulled out the first of 36 Booster packs. "Here we go!" he said, excitedly.

Angelsong. Huh. Well, at Common, what do you really expect? Nothing special, though William had liked the Cycling Mechanic ever since he'd first heard of it. He put the card onto the drawer next to his bed, symbolizing its basic status.

He went through the commons of the pack fairly quickly, considering that none of them were all that special. However, his Uncommons were at least something to be fascinated at. A Bull Ceradon, a Grixis Charm, and a Corpse Connoisseur. All pretty fun cards in themselves. William readied himself for his rare, or, if he's lucky, a Mythic Rare.

Ooze Garden. Of all the rares, why Ooze Garden? said William, looking at the card, smiling. He stowed the card in his Trade Binder; Dollar Rares are at least worth, well, a dollar.

William took the opportunity granted by finishing of browsing the pack to look around his room. He sighed. Magic Cards and Ponies all the way around, and not a single article of care peppered in anywhere. The life of a fan was good. Magic and Ponies, though mutually exclusive, were all that William's life was based around. However conceited that sounded, it really isn't that bad; hoping to someday visit Equestria, regardless of consequence, is an ideal that more people should have. Then William thought of 4Chan, and /mlp/, and how disputed the entirety of the fandom was. He was reminded of how much he loved the people who were regulars on the board, but then thought of what a depressing display of fandom they exhibited, one in which the show is a Ride that one cannot get off of.

The thought is rather silly; William could stop watching the show at any time. No, actually, that was a lie; he couldn't, really, but it's nice to think that he could.

As William began to lift the next pack in front of him, preparing to open it, he looked back down and... "Wait, what is this blinding light? Oh, goddammit! Why did I have to die? How did I even die?!? It was a heart attack, wasn't it? I knew I shouldn't have eaten all that Chili!" he exclaimed, as he was taken from one reality to the next.

~ * ~

"So, listen, I can explain the whole 'Clopping' thing, God, just give me a chance..." said William, as he adjusted his eyes from the enveloping light. He looked around. It appeared as though he was in an Archive of some sort, with books around him. The air smelled of dust and stone. "Huh. Or is this purgatory? Yeah, I kind of figured." said William, as he turned around. He took notice of the three ponies, now staring at him, jaws agape. William swiveled back around. "Heaven it is. Thank you, God.".

William turned back around to greet the ponies. All but Cadence were still awestruck by the human's size. William noticed them one by one. Cadence; yeah, sure. It's not like she was anypony that William had come to like to any great extent. Next was an unnamed stallion, a guard or something by the looks of his stature. The third pony was... oh hell yes.

William knelt before the turquoise pony. "Lyra! Oh, my god, Lyra, it's you!" he exclaimed, raising his fists to the roof. Lyra stood, unable to think of what to say.

William began chugging Lyra's cheeks as he made the dumbest face, the kind that you make when you see the most adorable thing that you've ever seen, which was the case for William.

Cadence stifled a laugh. "Wh... what are you?" she asked, tickled by the thing's conduct.

"What?" he asked, confused. Suddenly, he thought of his situation. "Oh, right. Because... i'm in Equestria... and you don't know about... ... ..." he trailed off, addressing the Princess. He got back on subject. "I am a human. I am from the planet Earth. I am pretty sure that I died, and that this is paradise, at least for me.".

"You don't seem dead." Noble Cause said, examining William.

"Well, yeah. Like, moreover I think this is my Spiritual manifestation. I mean, honestly, this is Equestria. How could I exist in Equestria? Unless..." William said, coming to a realization.

"Maybe Equestria wasn't as far away as I had thought it to be." he said, looking at Lyra.

"Do you have a name?" Lyra asked, staring at William.

"William." he said, as he noticed that some of his belongings had been brought with him. Even the Magic Cards. Hell yes.

"Well, William..." said Cadence, as she struggled to pronounce the name, which was irregular to Pony nomenclature. "How much do you know about us?" she said, smiling at the Tall Human. William chuckled.

William then related everything that he had ever learned about the World of Equestria. From the most general specifics, to the simplest fan inquiries, he covered it all. Well, not all of it. He excluded the rather disgraceful parts of the fandom.

"Oh, also, you said something about clopping when you first got here. Does that mean anything to you?" Cadence asked, curiously looking at the Human.

"Nope. Probably just some random side effect of being pulled from another reality. I have no idea what clopping is. Totally." William said, looking away from Cadence, blushing.

"Nonetheless," said Noble Cause, approaching William, "You seem to know enough about Equestria to help us in our quest.". William became curious.

"What Quest?" he asked, scratching his head.

"You see," said Noble, clearing his throat; "There are four realms that border Equestria. They are not necessarily Physical Manifestations, but moreso parallel realities, accessible largely in part through a respective Champion, who bears the strengths and characteristics of their realm. I am the Champion of Passion, Lyra is the Champion of Earth, and Celestia is the Champion of Judgement, as far as we have discerned." he said, pacing about.

"However, we have yet to find the champion of the Fourth Bordering realm, the Champion of Night. The Champion is likely in the Frozen Norths, however, and will find us when we travel there soon. After all the Champions are united, we shall study further into the other planes, travel to them, and attempt to reconstitute some sort of border between worlds. Until then, Equestria stands open to invasion at any point in time." Noble said, coming to a stop.

William scratched his chin. He was looking at Noble, but couldn't help but notice Lyra in the corner of his eyes. "I'll help you. It's just..." said William, hesitating.

"It's just what?" asked Cadence, attentively.

"Lyra, you're far too adorable for me to focus when serious shit like this happens." William said, scratching Lyra's chin. She actually began to kick her leg softly, akin to a dog. William was overcome with Lyra's potent adorability.

As William continued petting Lyra, Cadence addressed the group. "... So should we go find Ambershine now?".

"Who?" asked William.

"A little Orphan Filly that Noble Cause here found outside a destroyed village." Cadence said, responding to William.

"Oh, okay, sure." said William. "Let me just gather my belongings. By the way, is there anyplace I could... like, store this stuff away? Like, a room I could stay in, or a corner of a room, or like, a two foot square I could live in?" William asked Cadence.

"Oh, certainly. There's room in the spare room that Noble Cause and Ambershine are staying in for you too." Cadence said, bowing.

William guessed that the packs would have to wait, as he loaded his cabinet, the multiple booster boxes, and some other random articles onto a cart that had been laying nearby, and pulled it out towards his new living quarters.

The air smelled of Welcome and Reprieve, as William walked down the hall towards his new room. However, this was not only a new room to William, but a new life. The Ponies, of course, would be unsure about William for some time, and would even reject him for his different characteristics from time to time, but this bright new world held promise that Earth could not ever satisfy. Everything seemed okay, even with Earth lost. After all, Lyra's skill could eventually grant William access to Earth, where he would visit as a hero to his friends.

William placed his belongings beside his bed, as he sat down on it. Suddenly, he looked over at another bed in the room, and saw a filly taking a nap. That must be Ambershine, William thought. No wonder Noble Cause saved her, the kid's adorable.

As William sat, he sighed. Suddenly, Ambershine woke up, terrified at the sight of the Strange being before her. "Ogre! It's an Ogre! Aaaahhhhh!!!" she screamed, backing up against her bedpost. William's mind felt like causing a little bit of mischief.

"Oi, Laddeh, What are you doin' in mah swamp?!?" William exclaimed, as he smiled maniacally at the filly. "I'm gonna eat ya!" He roared, as he chased the flighty filly out of the room.

About a minute later, Noble Cause carried the shaken Filly back into the room.

"... Amber, he's a Human, not an Ogre. Ogres are big and smelly." Noble Cause said, placing the Filly onto her bed.

"But he is big and smelly!" Ambershine remarked, pointing at William.

"That's not very nice." William said, smiling.

Cadence and Lyra followed Noble into the room.

"So, the Quest." said Lyra, sighing.

"Yeah." said Noble Cause, looking at his fellow ponies and William. Everyone was just standing around.

"I'll stay and watch Ambershine." said Cadence, trotting over to the filly. She sat down on the bed, next to the Filly, who calmed down in her presence.

"You three should head off soon. Grab whatever supplies you find necessary, then venture to the Frozen Norths." said Cadence, bidding the three farewell.

They went into the storerooms, and began the task of packing for the journey ahead, unsure of what the future held...

~ * ~

The Marvelous Sun spreads its ancient veins across a jagged landscape. Oh, how, after an endless night, the Dark of Heart yearns to see a lovely day. The Zealot shambles onward, hungry, desolate, and abandoned. Not alone in nature, mind you; the spirit of darkness exists within all, just waiting to be exploited. No; the Zealot has not seen a pony since his awakening. Such a shame; after all his isolation in a realm of total darkness, he has such insights to share with all of Equestria. Such magnificence to profess, and so many lives to change in the name of Celestia, the Zealot's one true purpose in life, after all this time. The Zealot peered across a plain of clouds from atop the steep mountain peak, as Ichor drained from his cloth wrapped eyes. Though not chosen as the Champion of Night, the Zealot will certainly do his cause proud. Celestia needs his services.

The Day cannot exist without Night, after all.

Author's Note

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