Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

by Alphadude007

Rating: teen
Tags: Main 6, Princess Luna, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Spike, Adventure, Queen Chrysalis, Princess Celestia
Length: 177874

For light to exist, darkness must exist as well. Strange dreams, disturbing visions, and vague prophecies... what could they all mean? With questions in the present that can only be answered by the past, an old shadow prepares for its return.

For light to exist, darkness must exist as well. Even as happiness spreads throughout Equestria when a new princess is crowned, an ancient evil is at work. A starved and desperate nation searches for sources of food, but ends up getting something entirely different. With questions in the present that can only be answered by the past, an old shadow lurks, making ready its return. (Takes place immediately after season 3)

Published 2014-01-12 04:00:04 UTC
Last updated 2014-12-06 04:39:58 UTC

Whispers from the Past

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 2-Whispers from the Past

-Canterlot Castle courtyard balcony-

Twilight flapped her new wings as she descended onto the balcony from which she had taken off. As soon as her hooves touched the stone path, her friends rushed to greet her. It wasn't two seconds later when all her friends were embracing her in a warm hug.

The group of friends remained in the hug for a few seconds before a cyan pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane spoke up. "You being a princess doesn't change anything, right?"

"This doesn't change anything at all, Rainbow." Twilight responded, still embracing her friends.

"Yeah! Just because Twilight is a princess now doesn't mean we still can't have lots of fun together!" A bubblegum pink pony with a poofy hot pink mane said as the hug broke up. They all looked at Twilight with smiles on their faces.

"Pinkie's right. We're still the best of friends, are we not?" A white unicorn with a curly styled mane said in a sophisticated tone.

"Of course we are, Rarity." An orange pony with a blond mane named Applejack answered in a country accent. "We're sticking to ya like syrup on a pancake, Twilight."

Twilight looked at her friends with a big smile on her face. They had been through thin and thick together, carrying each other through all the trying times and having fun together when there wasn't a catastrophe to avoid.

A timid voice spoke up. "Applejack's right. What ever happens, Twilight, we'll be there for you." Said Fluttershy, a yellow pegasus with a long pink mane and tail.

Twilight's eyes began to tear up at seeing her friends this happy for her. Fluttershy was right. What ever happens, they'd be there for her. "I love you girls." Twilight said, pulling the other five ponies into another hug.

-Canterlot Castle south tower-

From the castle tower, Princess Celestia looked at her student with pride. The sun goddess was so proud of how far Twilight had come in the few years she had been in Ponyville. Save for that one fluke where she had sent the small town into a rampage over a doll she put a hex on, Twilight's studies in the magic of friendship had gone perfectly.

"You have done well, sister." Said Celestia's sister, Luna, with a smile on her face. Celestia beamed at her sister's remark.

"It was Twilight that did most of the work. I merely instructed her." Celestia said, trying to give Twilight the credit.

"Merely instructed? You raised her as if she were your own, taught her what most unicorns would dream of learning, and to top it off, you even molded her into a princess. I'd say the word 'instructing' is an understatement." Luna said, raising an eyebrow, challenging her sister to make a comeback.

Celestia sighed in resignation. "Okay so maybe I had quite a bit of involvement with my student's studies. That doesn't rule out the fact that she has come a long way from the social recluse that she was just a few years ago." She said, turning her attention back to the ceremony below. The ponies were still cheering for their newest princess and Twilight was still enjoying the company of her friends.

Friends. Celestia thought. Being an unaging princess, she had seen many good friends come and go. Starswirl, Clover the Clever, Chancellor Puddinghead… The list went on and on. However, she knew how their friendships would end every time. She'd outlast them. Her smile faded as she remembered friends from centuries past. Ponies of varying shape and character filled her mind as she recounted the days she had with each of them. Celestia gave a heavy sigh as she remembered her now deceased friends.

"Is everything okay, Tia?" Luna asked, putting a hoof on her sister's shoulder.

Celestia's smile returned as quickly as it had vanished. "Yes, everything is fine. Just got lost in thought." She said as she looked at Twilight from the tower. Her thoughts took over again as she thought about the immortality that Twilight had just been given. It was a great gift, but also a terrible curse. Does Twilight know the consequences of what she has just received? Celestia thought. Of course she does. She is the smartest unicorn in Equestria after all. But still… She thought. Oh enough of these thoughts. Let's just celebrate for now. Celestia resolved as her horn lit up.

Luna glanced at her sister, seeing her horn light up. "Where are you going?"

"To go congratulate my student." Celestia said, her horn flashing a bright yellow light, causing Luna to shield her eyes. When Luna looked up, Celestia was gone. She looked down at the ceremony and saw Celestia teleport in front of Twilight and her friends. Luna smiled warmly her sister. She hadn't seen Celestia this happy in a long time.

Luna looked down at the parade and smiled. Like Twilight said, everything is certainly fine. Luna thought.

-Sky above the northern border of the Everfree Forest-

"We should be nearing the mountain range soon! How far into the mountains is this love source?" Chrysalis shouted to Raspian, who was trying desperately hard to keep pace with her. Chrysalis looked ahead to see the large mountains towering over her. The sheer size of the mountains should have been enough to put the changeling queen in a state of awe, but her mind was on her subjects. The two changelings were now speeding over the last of the green treetops of the Everfree Forest as the terrain became hillier and more elevated. As they neared the mountains, both changelings felt a sharp drop in air temperature. Being cold blooded, they knew they couldn't stay in the cold for extended periods of time. However, if it meant that they might freeze to death in the middle of a mountain range to find food for her people, Chrysalis would take that risk.

"Not much farther, your majesty. The scouts said it was just south of the Crystal Empire's borders."

"How close to the Empire's borders did the scouts say?" Chrysalis asked, looking back and raising an eyebrow at Raspian.

"Just ten miles south of the southern-most gate!" The changeling captain shouted over the new mountain wind that began blowing into them.

Just far enough away for us to work without interruption. Perfect. Chrysalis thought as she began flying over small snow-covered hills.

Within minutes, the terrain under the changelings shifted dramatically. In little more than two miles, the land under the changelings had gone from rolling hills to rising mountain slopes.

Chrysalis and Raspian flying upward and forward into the mountains above them. Once they got above the mountains, Chrysalis stopped and began to hover in midair, Raspian following close behind.

"What *pant* do we do *pant* now?" Raspian asked between strained breaths.

Chrysalis looked around the mountainous land around them. The cold mountain wind cut straight through her flesh and into her bones. The wind blew her dark teal mane into her face, making it difficult to see.

"We can't stay up her for very long." She said. "Try to find some shelt-" Chyrsalis began to say, but cut herself off as a certain feeling slammed into her. It was sudden warmth. It wasn't tangible warmth like the heat of the sun, but a feeling of happiness and joy. It was a warmness that one might receive from feeling… love.

"Milady, are you alright?" Raspian asked in a concerned tone.

Chrysalis's head snapped in Raspian's direction. "This way." She said quickly and sternly, turning and diving towards the mountains below. Raspian didn't know what she was doing, but he followed her towards the rocks.

The wind whistled past her face as Chrysalis zipped towards the craggy tops of the mountains. The warmness she felt inside was getting warmer the closer she got to the mountain slopes.

"Can you feel it, Raspian?" Chrysalis called back to the captain.

"Feel wha-" Raspian was about to ask, but shut his mouth at the feeling of a soft warmth that hit him like a brick wall.

Chrysalis heard Raspian's words cut off and looked back at her captain. On the changeling's face was a look of hunger. The same kind of look a dog would have if there were a sizzling T-bone steak sitting in front of it.

"You feel it too! We need to find a landing spot and investigate!" She shouted over the mountain gusts that blew to and fro. The two changelings leveled out over the tops of the mountains and shot over them, scanning for a place to land.

"Agreed! Although I think we should hurry! With these winds and chilled air, we can't stay up here for much longer!" Raspian responded as they both looked down at the ground below while trying to keep balance in the wind. The wind was getting more intense now as it began to sound more like the howl of a windigo instead of just the blowing of a breeze. Raspian clenched his teeth at the sound as the wind tore through his very being, chilling him to the bone. Snow was being blown off the mountains as well, causing the snow to sting his eyes as he flew through it.

Chrysalis's eyes narrowed as she spotted a patch of snow in the middle of the mountains. It was surrounded by hills so the wind wouldn't be a factor and the patch had a cliff on the opposite side from their approach. "Down there! Hurry!" She shouted as she went into a dive towards the snowy opening. Raspian was soon behind her, ready to get out of the howling wind.

Chrysalis landed on the snow, happy her hooves were touching the ground again and not in the middle of a blizzard. Raspian's landing wasn't so graceful, however. A last minute gust sent his descent out of control. He fought to maintain his landing, but to no avail. He braced for impact as he careened past his queen and smashed face-first into a snow bank. Chyrsalis looked to where Raspian had crashed and saw that only his hindquarters were sticking out of the snow. Chrysalis chuckled with amusement at her captain's predicament.

"Tht cudve gn btter." Raspian said with a muffled voice from inside the mound of snow.

Chrysalis smirked at the spectacle. "Come on, Captain. We need to find that love source."

Raspian got up from under the snow and shook it off his body. "Yes, my lady." He said, brushing off some snow that clung to his twisted horn. He looked around him. Everywhere he looked, there were mountains and snow. No love source here. He thought as he trotted up next to his queen. "I don't see any sign of a love source near by. Where could it be?" He asked. He was definitely feeling the warmth that the love source was giving off, but he couldn't tell from where.

"Don't trust your sight, my captain. Remember that you should feel where the love is and not try to find it with your basic senses." Chrysalis said as she closed her eyes, trying to locate the position of the love source. There was a strong wave of love that was coming from directly beneath her. She began walking out of the snowy patch and onto a cliff that jutted out of the mountain. She looked down and saw a cave entrance in the cliff face. Bingo. She thought as she leapt over the cliff.

Raspian ran to the cliff edge and looked over it. He saw his queen's tail disappear into a cave in the cliff wall. He jumped down and maneuvered his way into the cave. The swirling wind outside made a light whistling sound as it blew in front of the cave entrance. Once inside, Raspian took a look around the cave's entrance. Shiny green emeralds crystals covered the walls, giving the cave walls an ethereal green light. He looked ahead to find Chrysalis walking farther into the cave. She seemed to be in a trance, following the direction of the love source.

"My lady?" Raspian called to his queen, his voice reverberating off the walls.

"I am fine, Raspian. I can feel the love nearby. It's so close." Chrysalis said, turning her head back to him but kept her eyes closed.

Raspian closed his eyes and focused on his internal compass. Yes, there was a love source in the cave. He could feel the soft warmness coming from in front of him. That meant that whatever the love was coming from, it was close and straight ahead of them.

They continued down the cave, their perforated hooves clicking and clacking on the cave floor. Raspian looked around to see that the emeralds were behind them and now they were walking on solid cave rock. The light from the emeralds still remained as something caught his eye. What he saw looked like scratches in the cave wall, but upon further inspection, he found that they were something else.

"Your majesty, come look at this." Raspian said. Chrysalis turned to see him looking at the wall. What she saw surprised her. Runes and markings covered the wall, but they weren't any markings she'd seen before. Her eyes travelled down the various markings to find one specific type of rune. Her eyes widened.

"I can't believe it." Chrysalis said in a shocked whisper. Raspian lowered his head next to hers.
"Is that ancient changeling text?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It is." Chrysalis said in awe. Raspian's jaw dropped. "Writing like this hasn't been seen in a thousand years."

"Can you read it?" Raspian asked, looking to his queen.

Chrysalis didn't turn her head to face Raspian as she spoke. "Study of the ancient language is one of my specialties, captain. Of course I can translate it." She said, focusing on the words.

After a few seconds, she read,

"In this cave, an ancient evil lies within,

When released, the long night shall begin.

Through it, all races shall bind,

As the fates of all become intertwined.

The Six will become Eight,

And end the Guardians' wait.

Raspian tilted his head at the mysterious runes. "What does it mean?"

Chrysalis shook her head. "Whatever it is talking about must have happened a thousand years ago when it was written. Come on, we need to find that love source." She said, trotting farther down into the cave. Raspian gave the text one last look before following his queen.

The cave was now becoming darker as they ventured deeper into the cave, the emeralds' light fading behind them.
"I can feel it. It's so close." Chrysalis said, breaking into a gallop towards the love source's location. Raspian raced behind her as she sped into the depths of the cave.

Desperation, hunger, and survival were all that went through Chrysalis's mind as she felt the love source growing stronger. The once soft warmness within her chest now felt like a raging inferno. Her eyes scanned the cave, trying to see where the love source was coming from. Within seconds, her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cave as she slowed down. She looked around her to see that she was in a massive cavern. Stalactites and stalagmites covered the cave's floor and ceiling. Water dripped from the jagged rocks and dropped onto the cave floor producing a small plink sound. However, there was one corner of the cavern where light didn't shine on it. Only a shadow sat in the corner. Raspian caught up to Chrysalis and gazed in awe at the cavern before him.

"We could use this as a substitute cave if ours back home runs out of room." He said. Chrysalis looked at him and actually considered the idea. However, there were more important things to do. She jumped from the edge she was on and opened her wings. She glided down onto the cavern floor as the love source's presence got stronger. Raspian was soon by her side.

It was so close. Chrysalis walked toward the back corner of the cavern where the shadow was and took a closer look at it. It looked like the silhouette of a pony sitting down, but something about it seemed off. The love source was coming from it, but she couldn't really see what it was.

Chrysalis was about to signal Raspian to investigate it, but the shadow spoke up in a low growl. "Welcome to my dwelling place, Queen Chrysalis of the Changeling Hive."

Deal with the Devil

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 3-Deal with the Devil

-Canterlot Castle courtyard balcony-

The hug that Twilight and her friends were in broke up when a bright light flashed next them. The six ponies looked to see Princess Celestia standing before them, a proud smile on her face.

"Well done, Princess Twilight. You have proven that you have the qualities and skills to be a princess of Equestria. I couldn't be more proud of you, my faithful student." Celestia said to the new princess.

Twilight beamed as she trotted over to her mentor. "Well, I could never have done it without the help of the friends I've made over the years." She said, glancing back at her five friends. They replied with happy smiles of their own.

Celestia looked over Twilight and her friends. "So what are you going to do now, Princess?" She asked, her eyebrow rising while she kept a smile.

Twilight looked at her friends then back at Celestia. Now that she was a princess, she could reside wherever she wanted. She ran through the list of cities and towns she could choose from, but one town in particular stood above the rest.

"I think I'll be staying in Ponyville with my friends." Twilight said as Celestia gave a smile at her response.

"Very well, Twilight. And where in Ponyville will you be staying?" she asked. Twilight didn't have to think very hard on the matter.

"Where I've been for the past couple of years is fine, Princess." Celestia nodded. She knew Twilight was a simple pony that didn't take much to fancy decorum or decadent castles. The Ponyville Library would be perfect for her.

"So no splendid palace then?" Celesita partially joked. Twilight smiled at her teacher.

"No castle for me, Princess. Just some books, a few friends, and a quiet countryside are all I need." Twilight responded.

Celestia nodded. "Very well, then, Princess. You may return to Ponyville when you're ready." Celestia said, her horn beginning to glow. Twilight and her friends shielded their eyes as the sun goddess teleported back to the tower from where she'd come from.

"So are we going back home, Twilight?" Asked a small purple dragon with a lime green underbelly.

Twilight put an arm around the young dragon. "Yes, Spike. We're going home." She said with a smile.

-Mountain cave, south of Crystal Empire-

Before Chrysalis and Raspian stood in both fear and amazement before the shadowy figure.

"How do you know my name?" Chrysalis asked the shadow in the corner. Raspian had gotten into an attacking stance in front of his queen at hearing her majesty's name from a strange creature they'd never seen before.

"The better question is whose name do I not know? And Raspian, if you could drop the fighting stance, that'd make me more comfortable."

This caused Chrysalis's eyebrow to rise in curiosity as Raspian returned to a relaxed state. "Fine. You know our names, but what is yours?" the changeling queen asked.

"My true name has been lost to history. I once had many names, but you may call me Lodestar." The shadow responded, rising from his sitting position.

Chrysalis felt uneasy as the mysterious shadow moved. It seemed a kind of black magic flowed from Lodestar when he moved, almost like a black fog that seemed to emanate from him.

"A name lost to history? How long have you been alive?" Raspian asked, putting a perforated hoof forward tentatively.

"Been alive here, been dead there… It's easy to tell where I am alive and where I am not." Lodestar responded. Raspian raised an eyebrow in confusion while Chrysalis's eyes narrowed at the vague response.

"We sensed a love source coming from inside this cave. Was that you?" Chrysalis asked, her tone growing dangerous.

"You mean that love illusion I've been doing for the past day? Yes. That was me." The shadowy figure responded in an arrogant tone. "I'm glad some of my magic still works."

Chrysalis's curiosity was soon replaced with fury. "You tricked us with an illusion spell?" She said, her figure quaking with fury. "Do you know how desperate my people have become? A beacon of love such as the one you faked would have provided my people with enough food for the hive to have doubles of for the next month! Why would you do this?!" Chrysalis shouted angrily at Lodestar.

Lodestar simply smiled at the angry changeling queen. "Because you need my help and I need yours." He responded, taking a step forward. Now that he was out of shadow, the changelings could see a steel gray hoof that seemed to ooze shadow from it.

"What could you do to help my hive? Nothing short of the love from every pony in Canterlot could stop the famine my people are currently in." Chrysalis said, wondering what Lodestar could do for her people.

Even thought they couldn't see it, Lodestar was smiling as he spoke in a low voice. "I can give you much more than that." Chrysalis's ears perked at hearing this. "Why stop with just Canterlot? One measly city?" The shadowy figure paused to chuckle at the lack of ambition this queen obviously had. "Please. Take some initiative, Queen Chrysalis. Why stop with Canterlot when I can give you all of Equestria to feed on?"

At this, both Chrysalis and Raspian were surprised. "All of Equestria? How can that be possible?" Raspian asked. He remembered the trouble it took to hold Canterlot for less than thirty minutes.

"On your own, it is an impossibility." Lodestar said in a condescending tone. "Help me out of this cave and your people will never have to worry about hunger ever again."

Chrysalis considered her options. She didn't know who exactly this shadowy creature was or what this creature would do if she helped it. However, there were her subjects to think about. The hive was weeks from cannibalizing itself and Chrysalis needed to find food as quickly as possible for her people.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Raspian asked the shadowy figure.

Lodestar looked down and regarded the smaller changeling with a grin. "You don't." He said bluntly. "But are you willing to take the chance that I can help you and your people?" He asked, turning his attention back to Chrysalis.

After a few moments, Chrysalis looked at Lodestar. "Fine. But should you trick me again, blood will be spilled onto this cave floor. Am I clear?" Chrysalis said as Raspian looked at her with concern.

"Transparently." Lodestar responded with a smile. "So are we ready to cooperate with one another?"

Raspian raised an eyebrow at his queen. Chrysalis replied with a determined look.

"It seems we are." She said resolutely.

Lodestar's smile grew behind the veil of shadow around him. "Excellent. So do either of you have a plan on how to get me out of this cave?"

Chrysalis was already beginning to formulate a plan. "I have an idea. It is a risky one, but an idea nonetheless."

While the changelings could not see it, Lodestar's bright yellow eyes glinted with glee. "I'm listening."

An hour later, Chrysalis and Raspian flew out of the mountain cave, their wings buzzing against the blowing mountain wind. Raspian looked in front of him at his queen concernedly. She hadn't said anything since the formulation of the plan. Was she nervous? Was she excited? Well, only one way to find out.

"Are you sure this is going to work, your majesty?" Raspian asked, his voice bouncing off the tunnel walls.

"I know it will, captain." Chrysalis said immediately. "I just hope that Lodestar holds up his end of the deal."

"I don't know, my queen. He doesn't seem like the type we can trust." Raspian said, furrowing his brows together.

Chrysalis stopped immediately in the middle of the air, causing Raspian to overshoot her. Raspian stopped and looked back at his queen. On her face was an angry look. Oh dear. He thought as he hovered over to her.

"Is everything alright, milady?" Raspian asked.

"Are we any different, Raspian?" Chrysalis asked him with a stern look. Raspian looked like a disciplined child as Chrysalis scolded him. "My people need food and they need it fast. That creature seems to be the only safe option we have left shy of a last-chance assault on the rest of Equestria. I don't care if you trust him or not. The fact is we need him." She said despondently. Raspian nodded in agreement. Chrysalis turned south and began flying back to the hive with Raspian in tow.

They didn't say another word as they sped over the treetops of the Everfree Forest and towards the cave entrance to the hive. The changelings flew through the circular tunnel opening that led to the main hive chamber. Once they cleared the tunnel, both changelings' wings buzzed as they descended to the rocky cave surface.

Chrysalis stared at the empty green love extraction cocoons and the hungry changelings that buzzed about, trying find food. The changeling queen sighed.

"It seems it's time to start with the plan." Raspian said, breaking the sad silence. "Should I go and gather some of the drones?" Raspian said, extending his wings.

"Yes. Go get three of the best deceivers we have and bring them to my quarters. Tell them they will be rewarded for their efforts should they accept the mission." Chrysalis said. Raspian saluted and flew into one of the hive's tunnels at the far end of the chamber.

Chrysalis took a seat at the edge of the chamber. She looked at what her kingdom and imagined what once was a short time ago. Now it stood in ruin. A tear formed in her eye at the sight of such fallen splendor. We need this. She thought as she extended her wings and flew to her chambers, now with a determined look on her face. If that pony doesn't hold up his end, he'll wish he'd never faked that love source. With this plan, we will rise from where we have fallen. Equestria will be ours, along with all the love that is within its borders. Chrysalis thought, putting a holed hoof to her chin. As she thought, her despondence became determination You know, if we can take Equestria, why stop there? What of the Griffon Kingdoms to the east and the Crystal Ponies to the north? Why stop with Equestria when we can have the world? A wicked gleam formed in the changeling queen's eye as she landed in her chambers. Enough with these dreams, I have a plan to carry out.

Dark Developments

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 4-Dark Developments

-Canterlot Castle-

"What a wonderful celebration." Luna said as she walked down the white-walled corridor that led to her quarters. Turning to the right, Luna began walking towards a semicircular obsidian archway. On top of the decadent black archway was a silver crescent moon, . While the black and silver clashed with the white of the walls surrounding her, Luna liked the contrast. As she walked into her chambers, she sighed in exhaustion. She was not usually awake during the day unless it was a special occasion or emergency that her sister needed her help for. While the coronation had been a joy to attend, she was really missing her sleep.

She looked around her room. Nothing had changed, even in the thousand years she was gone, no one had touched a thing. She looked up and smiled at the illustrations of the white moon and constellations that covered the black ceiling. Her eyes travelled down as she looked at the circular bed with midnight blue covers. She trotted across the black tile and lay on her bed after taking off her crown. She closed her eyes and began to slumber.

Luna looked around the dreamscape. The moon hung high in the night sky, stars filling the black void of the night. She appeared to be in some sort of village. Colts and fillies played in the schoolyard outside a big red schoolhouse. She saw some mares that were going to a spa to catch up on the latest gossip while others were manning stands in a marketplace.

In the middle of the town was a large circular building with a conical roof. Down the street from that, a tree with a door and windows stood tall among the buildings. In the other direction, there was what looked like address shop with pony mannequins in the windows. The village looked familiar. She had been here before.

Ponyville. Luna thought as she continued to look around town, smiling at the busy villagers and the children that played under the moon. Ponyville was such a peaceful place. Not at all like the bustling urban centers of cities like Manehattan or Canterlot. Because of that, Luna had a deep-seated love for the small rural town.

She trotted towards the tree with windows, feeling a familiarity with the place. She looked in the window and saw shelves of books. Ah. Twilight's library. Luna thought as she was reminded of the purple bookworm-turned-princess.

Luna walked to the window, expecting to see Twilight and her dragon assistant working, but saw that the lights were off and nopony was home. Out of curiosity, she walked to the door and pushed at the door with her hoof. The door slowly creaked open, the uncertainty of the place beckoning Luna inside. The entrance gave way to a large circular room that was filled with books. Books on pony history, spell casting, cooking, fashion, and myriads of others lined the many shelves in the room. Luna looked around the room but saw nopony. Her gaze travelled around the room until a certain book caught her eye. It was a large bright white book with gold binding. Her curiosity piqued and she trotted over to it. As she neared it, she began to hear strange whispers. Incoherent and disjoined whispers filled the air as Luna began to feel uneasy about the book. Luna could make out what some of the whispers were saying.

"He is coming soon."

"The ancient one returns."

"The sun will become cold."

Hearing these made Luna's eyes widen. Was it a warning? Was it a riddle? She shook these thought from her mind and decided to find out what was in this book. Her horn glowed a dark blue as the book levitated off the shelf, a few of the books next to it fell over where the book had been. She levitated the book in front of her and saw the cover, the whispers now becoming louder as the book hovered over to Luna. The first thing she noticed was the cover. On the cover was a pearl embedded in the cover with a layer of solid gold encircling it. There was no title or author on the cover, just the pearl and gold.

Luna narrowed her eyes as she opened the book to the first page. As she turned the cover, the whispers grew suddenly silent. Luna looked around, feeling suspicious. Her attention turned back to the book as she beheld the first page. Nothing? Luna thought as she stared at a blank piece of paper. She turned the page to see if there was anything written. Still nothing.

Frustrated, Luna began flipping through the pages using her magic. She suddenly noticed a word as she flipped through the pages. A paper flip book? Luna thought as she read the first word: "He". Luna flipped back through the pages, this time in reverse. Upon doing so, she saw a second word: "Has". He has? He has what? Luna wondered as she flipped through the pages a third time. Luna narrowed her eyes as the third word was revealed: "Found". He has found? Found what? Luna thought, turning the pages forward a fourth and final time. Strangely, no word was seen as the pages flipped. As the last page turned, Luna gasped at what she saw. Inscribed on the inside back cover of the book read: "YOU".

Luna dropped the book in fright, a look of abject terror on her visage. The book landed on the ground with a loud THUD. Luna looked down at the book, seeing no damage. She then looked up and screamed at what she saw. Two bright yellow eyes were staring at her. Two eyes Luna could never forget. The eyes began to float closer to Luna as she tried to run away and escape, but the door to the library kept getting farther away the harder she tried.

"YOU'RE DEAD! I SAW YOU DIE! GET AWAY FROM ME!" Luna shrieked as a white fang-toothed smile appeared beneath the eyes. Luna looked back to see the eyes and smile catching up to her. Not seeing where she was going, Luna felt something catch her hooves and felt herself beginning to fall. Luna looked back to see that a loose board was the cause of her fall. She then looked up and saw that the yellow eyes were staring right into her. She tried to scramble up, but the eyes and mouth were floating over her.

"Hello, Luna." The bodiless monster lunged at Luna with fangs wide open. All Luna could do was scream.

"NO!" Luna shouted as she shot up in her bed. Luna began panting as sweat dripped from her brow. She looked around and saw that she was in her chambers once more. She immediately relaxed after realizing it was only a dream. She lay back down and stared at the night-patterned ceiling above her. Thoughts swam through her mind as she remembered the nightmare.

That monster. How could it still exist in my mind? Luna thought. The sheer implications of what her dream was about terrified her to her core.

Now, now, Luna. It was just a bad dream. Go back to sleep and it'll be out of your mind in the morning. The more reasonable side of her brain began to speak.

I suppose so. She thought, closing her eyes reluctantly. Soon, to her amazement, she began to doze off. One final thought crossed her mind before slipping into unconsciousness: But what if it was really him?

-Changeling Hive-

Chrysalis looked over the drones that stood before her in her quarters with Raspian standing at her side. She knew that each were ready to do whatever it took to accomplish their mission, even if it meant self-sacrifice. The three changelings that stood in a line in front of their queen were at attention, not flinching a muscle as they waited for their orders. "Before we begin, what are your names?"

A scrawny changeling on Chrysalis's left was first to speak. Chrysalis noticed that he had a broken right fang.

"My name is Fang, your Majesty." The changeling said with a hiss, bowing before her. Chrysalis nodded and Fang took his previous stance.

The larger changeling in the middle stepped forward, puffing his chest out with a confident smile plastered on his face. On the outside, Chrysalis made no notice of his actions. This one seems a bit overly confident. She thought as the presumptuous changeling revealed his name.

"Your Highness, my name is Chassis. I am ready to serve in any way possible." He said, bowing low to the queen. Chrysalis nodded and motioned for Chassis to get in his former position. Chassis nodded and returned to where he was before.

The third changeling simply bowed to Chrysalis. This one had a different body frame than the other two. This changeling seemed to be slimmer didn't have as thick a snout as the others. Ah, a female. Chrysalis thought as the changeling said her name.

"My name is Cipha, your Excellency." She said, staying in her bowing position. Chrysalis gave Cipha a nod and allowed her to return to a standing position.

"Very well. Now that I know your names, I'll know who to reward for accomplishing this mission." Chrysalis said as she began to pace in front of them. "I've had my captain bring you here to discuss a plan that may save this hive from starvation." She said. The three changelings before her gave each other confused looks at hearing this.

"Sorry to interrupt, my lady, but did you just say that we won't be hungry anymore?" Fang asked as a hopeful look found its way onto his face.

"Not immediately, no. But in time and with the success of this mission, your hunger will become a thing of the past." Chrysalis said with a grin. The three changelings smiled at hearing this. "Now don't expect immediate results for your mission. What you do will be step one in the plan to eliminate this cursed famine."

"What task do you have for us to do, your Excellency?" Chassis asked, bowing again. Chrysalis rolled her eyes.

"First, resume your former standing position, Chassis." Chrysalis said in an almost scolding tone. Chassis shot back up to his hooves and stood at attention. "Now then, we shall begin." She said as her horn glowed green. Out of a wooden chest on the far side of the room, she levitated a rolled up scroll into their midst. She unrolled the scroll to reveal a map of Equestria.

"But my queen, didn't we try to take a city once before?" Cipha asked, raising an eyebrow.

A bitter memory of how the changelings lost Canterlot flashed in Chrysalis's head for a moment. "We tried and failed, yes. However, we are doing things more covertly this time." She said, pointing a holed hoof at a village on the map. "This is Ponyville. It is a small town with less than half the population size of Canterlot. Don't let its small and peaceful nature distract you, for it holds the key to our success." She said, looking up from the map.

"And what are we to do in this village?" Fang asked, raising a hoof in curiosity.

"You are to do what you do best. Disguise yourselves as three newcomers. Establish a connection to the populace, start a life there, but whatever you do, don't feed on anypony." Chrysalis said, her voice getting edgy on the latter half of the sentence.

"I thought you said this would take care of our hunger problem, Highness." Chassis protested.

Chrysalis put on an irritated look. "I wasn't talking about you three specifically, Chassis. You will get your love soon enough, but until then, don't feed on a single pony." She said sternly. Chassis tensed, not saying a word in reply.

"Now as I was saying." Chrysalis continued. "You three are to disguise yourselves as average ponies. Pesasi and earth ponies only. No unicorn disguises." She paused to see if the three changelings had anything to say.

Fang spoke up. "And may I ask why we should not be conceal ourselves as unicorns?"

Chrysalis grinned at Fang. "Because your mission is to find and bring me a unicorn." She said, earning some confused looks. "Not any normal unicorn, mind you. I want a unicorn that is skilled in using many varieties of magic. This is because that unicorn will be critical to how our hunger problem will be solved."

"How could one unicorn satisfy the hive? We'd need at least fifty ponies to satisfy half the hive itself." Cipha asked.

"I did not say we were going to feed off the unicorn." Chrysalis gave Cipha a stern look. "All you need to do is bring me a skilled unicorn in an unharmed condition. Is that clear?" She asked. All three changelings in front of her gave her a salute.

"And where do we deliver the unicorn? Back to the hive?" Cipha asked as she put her saluting hoof down.

"Tell them that there is an emergency that requires her magical powers. You are to take her to this mountain south of the Crystal Empire. There you will meet Captain Raspian and I disguised as earth ponies." Chrysalis said, pointing to the map again. This time, she pointed at one mountain in particular. The three changelings looked at the map, memorizing the location of the mountain.

"What do we do then?" Fang asked.

"The captain and I will show you where to go with the unicorn. Once you have done that, your mission is over. And then, you'll have your reward." Chrysalis said, causing smiles to break out onto the changelings' faces.

"We will go at once, your Majesty." Fang said, bowing to her. The other two followed suit and got on their knees before their queen. Chrysalis smiled at their devotion.

"Rise, my subjects. Now go and do your duty. Report back to me when you have established a base of operations in the town." Chrysalis said, pointing in the direction of the hive's entrance. The three changelings extended their wings and flew towards the tunnel that led to the cave opening.

Chrysalis looked on with pride, yet some doubt lingered. She then realized that she was risking everything on the three changelings she just sent out. "You sure they will accomplish their mission?" She asked Raspian.

Raspian looked his queen in the eye. "I have known those three for years. If anypony can do it, they can." Raspian responded in a confident voice.

Chrysalis accepted the answer and sat down on the cave floor, her head lost in thought.

"Thank you for your service today, Raspian. You are dismissed." Chrysalis said. Behind her, Raspian nodded.

"Very well, my queen. I shall be guarding your chambers outside." Raspian said, turning to leave, but Chrysalis's voice stopped him.

"No, Raspian. I don't need any guard duty tonight. You may go back to your alcove for the evening." She said, sounding despondent.

"Is everything alright, Highness?" Raspian asked, furrowing his eyebrows in concern.

"Yes, captain. Everything is fine. You are dismissed." Chrysalis said, still keeping her back to him.

"Yes, your Majesty." Raspian said, walking under the cave archway that opened up to her chambers to leave.

It's a good thing she never turned to face him, because Chrysalis couldn't bear to see his reaction if he saw her crying.

Deadly Premonitions

Hey Fimfiction! Quick little warning, if you don't want to read any scenes that involve graphic content, just skip the sections marked with *. Thanks for reading!

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 5-Deadly Premonitions

-Ponyville Library-

Twilight had been tossing and turning for hours. For whatever reason she couldn't sleep. Maybe I'm just getting used to the wings. Twilight thought as she pinched her eyes shut in frustration. With a groan, she opened her eyes and looked out the window that was next to her bed. The moon was high in the sky, the stars filled the night, ponies were sleeping, and everything was as it should be. There is one problem, however. She thought as she flopped on her back. I can't sleep!

Twilight rolled off her bed. Maybe something to eat will help. She thought as she tiptoed past Spike, trying not to awake the sleeping dragon. She noted that he was cutely sucking his thumb again. And he said he hadn't done that in months. She rolled her eyes as a small smile spread across her face. She carefully trotted down the steps to the lower level of the library, careful not to make noise. After what felt like hours, she finally made it to the bottom of the stairs.

She walked down a circular tunnel that led from the main room of the library and headed towards the kitchen. She exited the wooden tunnel to find a small simple kitchen. Wooden floors, a small iron stove, a wicker wastebasket next to the stove, polished wood cupboards with food and ingredients scattered within, and a pile of chopped wood for a kettle fire in the corner opposite the stove. It was simple, but Twilight loved simple.

She opened one of the cupboards and looked at her choices. Oats? Nah. Too plain. Twilight thought as she kept looking. Some cupcakes from Pinkie? A loaf of bread? Some greens she'd bought from Carrot Top? That much sugar is the last thing I need at this time of night. It's not very filling. And I'm not in the mood for vegetables. Twilight thought as she browsed the food items in the cupboard. She eventually settled on one of the honeycrisp apples that Applejack had given her. She picked out the red fruit and closed the cupboard door.

She sat down on the floor and began eating. The apple's sweetness excited her taste buds as her teeth bit into the juicy flesh. After chewing for a few seconds, she swallowed the piece of fruit and began taking a second bite. Before she knew it, Twilight had reached the core of the apple. Twilight licked some of the apple's juice off the corners of her mouth as she tossed the apple core into the wastebasket. She smiled in satisfaction of her midnight snack and slowly began the trek back to her bed.

She walked down the tunnel to the main library and entered the main room. She turned to go back upstairs, but she suddenly heard something. It was faint, but Twilight could tell it was some sort of whisper. Curious, Twilight listened intently. Come, Element of Magic. Come find us. Her ears perked at this and looked around the room, trying to find the origin of the voice. The whisper continued chanting. Come, Element of Magic. She closed her eyes and focused. The feel of the voice… it seemed to be coming from… that way. Twilight thought as she opened her eyes and turned to the right. Facing her was a bookshelf. Multiple books of many colors and subjects were before her, but the voice was coming from one book in particular. She narrowed here eyes at the book. It was bright white with gold binding that shone in the darkness of the night.

She carefully took the book off the shelf and looked at the cover. Only a pearl embedded in the cover with gold surrounding it was on the cover. No title. No author. Strange. I haven't looked at this book before. Twilight thought as the whisper began to intensify. Twilight's eyes widened at the increased volume of the voices. Come, Element of Magic! Come! The voice said as she put a hoof on the cover. As soon as her hoof made contact with the cover, the voice stopped. Twilight looked around nervously. Gulping, she opened the cover.

Interestingly, she only saw an illustration. No words or text were on the page. There was just a picture of a peaceful Ponyville. Ponies carried out their business while foals played. Twilight's eyebrow rose as she turned the page. It was an illustration of a cave entrance in the side of a mountain, snow blowing past it. What could this mean? Twilight thought as she turned the page. What she saw surprised her. It was what looked like a living shadow held back by a bright blue force field. She couldn't get a definite shape of the shadow, but she could see the outline of a pony shrouded in black shadow. Who is that? She asked as she turned the page, hoping it'd have an answer.

Twilight tried to scream at what she saw, but her voice failed her at what she saw. On a solid black page, two angry yellow eyes stared back at her from the page. Two yellow, remorseless, cold, soulless eyes stared at her. "Hello, Twilight." The voice said in a deep growl.

Pure fear gripped Twilight as the library faded from her vision. *A vision began to fade in as her eyesight cleared. She looked around her and was horrified at what she saw. Ponyville was in flames. All around her, panic filled the air. Ponies ran from strange and twisted creatures. Twilight couldn't tell exactly what they were, but all she could focus on was the death. Dead ponies littered the ground, their blood staining the grass red. A few ponies were burned from the fire, others had fresh slash wounds, some were decapitated, and even some had bite marks on their necks that caused them to bleed out in a slow and painful death. She watched helplessly as one of the creatures jumped onto an unfortunate unicorn mare. The mare screamed in terror as the creature sank its teeth into her neck, blood oozing from the wound. Looking away from the poor mare, Twilight tried to run to save Ponyville, but an unseen force stayed her hooves. Twilight tried to use her magic, but the same force counteracted her horn's magic, making it useless. To the left of her, town hall collapsed to the ground, leaving a pile of burning wood and rubble where the proud building once stood. She tried to look away from the death and destruction, but her eyes were glued to the scene. All she could do was watch and weep as hideous monsters slaughtered innocent ponies, tears welling in her eyes.*

-Sweet Apple Acres-

Applejack sighed in her bed. She hadn't been able to get a wink of sleep all night. She looked outside and saw the beautiful night sky that Luna had made. She smiled for a bit at the magnificent night. Ah bet Ah'm the only pony in Ponyville that isn't sleeping right now. She thought as she stared at the wooden ceiling of her room. After analyzing the complexity of the wood patterns above her for a good half hour, Applejack closed her eyes, trying to think happy thoughts to help her sleep. Ah've got a great family. Granny is as thoughtful and helpful as always, Big Mac is reliable and always supports me, and Applebloom was always the cute and innocent little filly she is. Applejack thought, her eyelids beginning to droop. The apple business is boomin'. We're having more customers than ever now and a new apple tree expansion in the north orchard is beginning next week. That'll bring in even more money. Oh the renovations we can do with those bits. She thought as she closed her eyes, feeling relaxed at the thought of everything going well. Ah have everything I could ask for. A good family, a booming business, and five of the best friends a pony could want. She thought, finally slipping into unconsciousness.

In the dreamscape, Applejack looked around her took note of where she was. She was outside her home at Sweet Apple Acres. The saw the apple trees full of fruit, the big red barn, and the farmhouse. While things seemed normal, there was something eerie about it all. Nopony was anywhere. Big Mac nor Applebloom were in the orchards and Granny Smith wasn't on her rocker outside the farmhouse like she usually was. Applejack's eyebrows furrowed as she began to investigate.

She walked through the farmhouse, checking each room. Nopony was found. "Applebloom? Big Mac? Granny? Is anypony home?" Applejack asked throughout the house as she visited each room. She received no answer. Becoming concerned, she galloped out of the house and into the orchards. "Big Mac! Applebloom! Anypony!" Applejack shouted in the orchard as she ran. All she heard was her voice echo for miles as nopony responded. She was beginning to get scared.

After running through the orchards, she finally came to the big red barn. *To her surprise, the doors were closed. Strange, the doors are always open. Sweat beaded her brow as she slowly opened one of the large doors. She was greeted with darkness. She tentatively walked into the darkness while every sense in her body screamed at her to go back. She ignored them. Ah have to find mah family. She thought as she entered the barn. The only light source was coming from outside, providing her some range of sight. That sight was cut short by a quick slamming of the door behind her, darkness enveloping her. Applejack jumped and turned around to see the door shut.

"Welcome, Applejack. Please turn around." A low voice said. A soft light glowed behind her as she began to slowly turn around. Her jaw dropped at what she saw.

By candlelight, there she saw her family, all with their hooves tied together and wads of cloth stuffed into their mouths. Multiple bruises and cuts could be seen on their bodies. Beside them were four ponies, well one pony and three hideous creatures. They were hideous mixes of creatures. One looked like a changeling with red eyes and two long sharpened bones sticking out of its sides under the wings. The second looked like a pony with half its face missing, only muscle and tissue remained. It had red eyes as well and small sharpened bones poking out of the front hooves. The third was a griffon with red eyes whose claws were twice as long as a normal griffons and it looked like its midsection had begun to rot. Finally, there was the one normal looking pony. He was steel gray with bright yellow eyes, a sharp horn on his head, an unkempt black mane and tail, and on his back were two large wings. On his flank was an image of a solar eclipse.

"Hello, Element of Honesty. Such a strange title for a pony who always lies." The grey pony said in a growl.
"Ah've never lied in all mah life." Applejack said angrily as she got into a fighting stance. She noticed that the three creatures had begun to start circling her and her family.

"Again, a lie. Please tell me this isn't the best this generation can produce." The gray pony said in a disappointed tone.

"Why have you done this to mah family?" Applejack said, growing angrier. By now, the griffon had gotten behind her and the changeling and pony creatures had flanked her.

"To test you, Element of Honesty." The pony said, his horn glowing yellow. Applebloom's ropes disappeared from her legs and the rags vaporized in her mouth with a yellow flash.

Immediately, Applebloom was on her hooves. "Applejack, get out of here!" Applebloom yelled at her sister, but the gray pony grabbed Applebloom and held her in a headlock with his hooves.

"Don't you touch mah sister!" Applejack shouted, charging the gray pony. At this, the changeling and pony creatures tripped her front hooves. Applejack landed on the floor of the barn as they began to beat her. Their claws slashed at her face and body and she could feel her insides hurting after the blows they gave her. Minutes felt like hours as the two creatures beat and cut her. Eventually, the two let up on their assault and allowed Applejack to breathe.

"Tsk, tsk. Such violence, Applejack. I wouldn't make another move like that if I were you." The pony said, shaking Applebloom's head.

There she lay panting, bruised, bleeding, and beaten. Applejack lay on the ground, hoping for an end to this nightmare.

"Now, I want you to tell your dear sister, Applebloom, that everything is going to be alright. Lie, and she will stop hurting. Lie for your family." The pony said with a sick grin. Applejack looked into Applebloom's orange pleading eyes. "Do it, Applejack." The pony hissed, bearing fanged teeth.

Tears began to form in Applejack's eyes. "It's… It's going to be okay, Applebloom." Applejack said, getting each word out between choked sobs.

At this, the gray pony smiled darkly. "Beautiful." He said, grabbing Applebloom's muzzle and the back of her head. With a quick twist of his hooves and a loud and sickening crick, Applebloom's body fell to the floor.

"NO! APPLEBLO-!" Applejack began to shout, but didn't get the chance to finish. The griffon creature that had been behind her reached down with its claws and put them to the orange cowpony's throat. With a quick slash, Applejack began to feel the life ebb from her as red colored the straw beneath her. Darkness began to fade into her vision as her last sight was the gray pony smiling over her.*

-Fluttershy's Cottage-

Fluttershy sighed as she tried to sleep. I'm probably the only creature in this town that is still awake. She thought as she brushed her pink mane from her teal eyes. She looked down from her bed and saw a white rabbit snoozing peacefully at the foot of her bed on top of the green bed cover. Angel's so cute when he's asleep. Fluttershy thought as she observed her pet.

She looked up at her cottage's chiseled wood ceiling and closed her eyes, attempting to sleep again.

Still unsuccessful, Fluttershy began to think of ways to fall asleep. What about that lullaby I tried to sing for Applebloom and her friends? She thought, remembering how well that went over after Sweetie Belle decided to join in the singing.

Smiling at the memory, Fluttershy began to play the song in her head.

Hush now, quiet now.

It's time to lay your sleepy head.

Hush now, quiet now.

It's time to go to bed. Fluttershy thought as she slowly began to relax.

Drifting off to sleep,

Exciting day behind you.

Drifting off to sleep,

Let the joy of dream land find you. Fluttershy was now on the verge of unconsciousness as her mind continued.

Hush now, quiet now.

Lay… your… sleepy- Fluttershy's mind shut down as she began to dream.

Fluttershy looked at the forest before her. Everything was as peaceful as it could be. Flat-tailed beavers made dams, multitudes of colorful birds chirped and flew amongst the trees, and cute forest critters like squirrels and rabbits scurried about on the ground. Fluttershy smiled and flew over to them.

"Hello, little friends. Having a good day are we?" Fluttershy asked. A squirrel that was cracking a nut nearby turned to the yellow pegasus and nodded happily. "How wonderful." Fluttershy said blissfully. She looked around her. Such beauty. Such innocence. She loved it, all of it. Ever since the day she discovered the ground as a filly, she'd loved the woods and the creatures in it.

*She continued walking through the peaceful woods when a strange scent hit her nostrils. She wrinkled her nose and furrowed her eyebrows at the smell. It smelled strong and pungent. She'd only smelled it one time before. It smells like the time we had to get that sleeping dragon to move. Her eyebrows rose at the revelation. Smoke.

Fluttershy ran towards the smell's origin. Where there was smoke, there was fire. In a forest with so many creatures, she had to get as many critters out as possible. The smell was getting stronger as she approached the middle of the forest. She could now see wafts of smoke coming from over the top of a hill in front of her. She galloped up the hill and was shocked at what she saw.

The once green and luscious trees were now ablaze with bright orange flames. Squirrels ran from their holes in the trees, some of the unfortunate critters were squeaking wildly as fire burned their bodies as they fell. Birds tried to fly from the fire, but would run into burning tree branches. Some tried to fly through, but were set aflame as they passed through the blazes, tweeting loudly in agony. Deer and bears tried to run from the fire on the ground, some getting trampled as the faster creatures ran over them in desperation.

The scene of death brought tears to Fluttershy's eyes. Help them! Help them you cowardly little filly! A low voice in the back of her head mocked her. Fluttershy started to run towards the critters to help them, but didn't look up to see a large branch fall from one of the trees above her. The large branch landed on her back, pinning her to the ground. Fluttershy gave a cry of pain as her back was afire with pain. She tried to push the heavy branch off, but the tree limb was way too heavy for her to get out. A fleeing bear ran by her and Fluttershy saw her chance. "Mr. Bear, can you help me?" She shouted above the roar of the flames. The bear looked back at her, then at the fire that was engulfing the woods. The bear gave Fluttershy a mournful look and decided to run.

"No! Please don't leave me!" Fluttershy shouted, now desperately trying to get out from under the branch. She turned her focus towards the fire that was now approaching her, consuming everything in its path. Her eyes widened as she let out a shriek. Fluttershy turned back to the branch and pushed with all her might. Her efforts were in vain, however, as the fire was mere feet from her. She looked at the oncoming fire and could only scream.*

-Rainbow Dash's house-

"Ugh. Why can't I sleep?" Rainbow asked as she buried her face into her cloud pillow. She sighed into the pillow and turned onto her back to face the ceiling. A Wonderbolts recruitment poster was there to greet her as she looked up. She smiled for a second and then turned onto her side. Clouds were supposed to be the most comfortable things for pegasi to sleep on, yet they weren't helping Rainbow get to sleep.

Okay. Maybe if I think happy thoughts, they'll help me sleep. Rainbow thought, raising an eyebrow. She shrugged. Worth a shot. She thought, closing her magenta eyes.

Her mind scoured her memories, looking for good things to think about. Flight school? The bullies didn't help that experience. Thought Rainbow as her mind continued looking. The first time she flew? The day she got her cutie mark? How she met Gilda? All were good times, but they were temporary happy times. What was one happy thing she encountered on a day-to-day basis? Then it hit her. My friends! She remembered with a smile.

Rainbow thought of the random Pinkie Pie and all the pranks they pulled together. She thought of Twilight and all the adventures they'd had over the past few years. Applejack came to mind when she remembered all the times Rainbow had helped her in the apple orchards. She thought of Fluttershy and how the shy pegasus stood up for her at the Young Fliers Competition. And last but not least, she thought of Rarity and the generous things she'd done for Rainbow.

The thoughts of her friends brought a smile to her face as Rainbow began to feel herself slipping from consciousness. They were her friends and they always would be, and she would always be loyal to her friends. What would I do without them? Rainbow thought as she drifted off to sleep.

Rainbow looked around her. Ponyville? She thought as she saw familiar buildings like Town Hall's spire above the roofs of houses, Sugarcube Corner, and Twilight's library. The sky was a clear blue, not a cloud in the sky. Normally, Ponyville would be bustling with activity on a day like this. However, nopony seemed to be anywhere in the streets. Rainbow trotted along the dirt roads, searching for signs of life. The clip and clop of her hooves were the only sounds she heard throughout the town.

"Hello? Is anypony out there?" Rainbow shouted, her voice echoing through the streets.

Hello, Rainbow Dash. A low voice in the back of her head sounded. Rainbow was instantly alert, getting into a defensive position.

"Who are you?" She asked in a brave voice.

The voice gave a light chuckle. That is a question I can no longer give a single answer to. Just call me Morning Star. The voice responded.

"Morning Star, huh? Where are you?" Rainbow asked, relaxing a little.

Here and there. Does it matter? Morning Star answered.

"Actually it does. I can't find anypony out here." Rainbow said, turning her head to find anypony else in the town.

I can show you where some ponies are. In fact, you know them very well. Morning responded.

Rainbow's ears perked up at this. "My friends? Can you show me where they are?" She asked, a smile spreading on her face.

Of course I can. Morning said warmly. Just go to the center of town. You'll find them in front of Town Hall. Morning's voice responded.

"Thanks, Morning. You know, for a weird voice in my head, you aren't so bad." Rainbow said, extending her wings and shooting into the air. Rainbow flapped her wings as she flew in the direction of Town Hall.

No need to thank me, Rainbow. However this favor I have done you warrants one from yourself. Morning said in her head.

"Anything you want, just gimme the word." Rainbow said, speeding off to Town Hall.

Rainbow soon found herself in the airspace of the largest building in Ponyville, Town Hall. The large circular building was a guiding point for all residents to see. If somepony were lost, they'd be directed where to go in relation to Town Hall. She began descending, flapping her wings at a slower rate. She began to see five ponies in front of the hall, but something about them was not right. As she got closer, she felt her stomach retch at what she saw.

*It was her five friends. She could easily identify them. Her friends, the most lovable and caring ponies she knew, were dead. Twilight and Applejack had deep cuts on their throats while Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy had bruises and cuts all over their bodies, blood trickling out of their open mouths.

"No… no, no, no, no, no!" Rainbow cried as she landed on the ground. She rushed to the bodies, trying to find any way to bring them back. Sadly, they were far past any hope of living. Tears stung her eyes as she knelt next to them and began to weep. All the memories, all the happy times, all that could have been, were now gone.

"Why would you show me this?!" Rainbow shouted as she looked up at the sky, now starting to darken as gray clouds covered the blue expanse.

To show what happens when you're disloyal. Morning Star's voice said, his tone harsher than before.

"Disloyal? I never did a thing against them and now they're dead! What did I do to be disloyal?" Rainbow shouted angrily. Rain was beginning to drop, soaking Rainbow and the bodies of her friends.

I believe you said, 'Anything I wanted'. You split your loyalties, Rainbow Dash. You were loyal to me instead of your friends. They paid the price for your mistake. Morning said cruelly.

"What mistake? Being loyal?" Rainbow asked, now on the verge of sobbing again. Amidst the pitter and patter of the rain, Rainbow heard hoofsteps behind her. She turned to see a large gray stallion. He had a sharp horn, large wings, an iron gauntlet on his right hoof, a cutie mark that showed a solar eclipse, and an unkempt black mane and tail. However, what stood out were his eyes. His bright yellow eyes stared at her menacingly.

"Exactly. Being loyal to another over the ones you were originally loyal to is the very definition of betrayal." The stallion said in Morning Star's voice.

"Morning Star?" Rainbow asked in a whisper. Morning Star smiled darkly.

"Yes, Rainbow Dash. And now that you have seen the fruits of your disloyalty, it'll be the last thing you see." Morning said, thrusting his right hoof out. A blood stained sword blade shot out from a rectangular hole in the gauntlet's hoof. Grinning, Morning Star charged.

Rainbow Dash only had time for a short shriek before Morning's blade entered her chest. Withdrawing the blade from her, Morning stepped back and watched as Rainbow collapsed next to her friends, her hooves trying to cover the wound. Rainbow looked at her dead friends as the life began to leave her. Cold enveloped her body as black faded into her vision.*

-Sugarcube Corner-

Pinkie lay on her bed, exhausted from all the day's activities. That coronation today was superfunnerific! I just wish that it had lasted longer. Pinkie thought as she pulled the covers over her pink body. She closed her blue eyes, thinking about her friends, Twilight specifically. I wonder if anything's going to change now that she's a princess. I hope something doesn't! I don't want her to forget about us in the middle of all her new royal duties! Pinkie thought, growing a bit worried at the thought of Twilight not spending time with her friends because of her new position.

"Now, now, me. Twilight's not going to forget us." Pinkie assured herself. "Now that she's a princess, she'll be busy, but still be our friend."

But still! What if Twilight is called away to Canterlot on royal business? What if she stays there because she likes it more than Ponyville? And what if in the middle of all her work she forgets us and never comes back? Pinkie's mind said worriedly.

"I know Twilight better than that. She won't forget us. And hey, instead of trying to worry me, why don't you think about cake?" Pinkie asked her mind.

But what if-? Hey have you noticed that chocolate cake tastes even better with vanilla frosting? Pinkie's mind asked.

"I know. Kinda weird, isn't it?" Pinkie asked, feeling sleep taking over.

Yeah! Chocolate by itself is yummy and vanilla on its own tastes terrific, but combined they make something yummyrific! Her mind said excitedly.

"Hey, brain? Could I go to sleep now?" Pinkie asked.

Oh sure. Goodnight, me! Pinkie's mind thought as she began to sleep.

Pinkie's eyes opened to behold the dreamscape. What she found concerned her. It was just a white room. White floors, white walls, white everything. And it just kept going forever. Pinkie raised an eyebrow in confusion. Normally her dreams had much more activity in them.

"Well this is boring." She said as she began to walk around the empty dreamscape. Maybe I'll find somepony in here. Maybe we can have some fun together when I find them! Pinkie smiled at the thought and continued walking.

Two hours. That's how long it took for Pinkie to give up. "Ugh! This is so boring with nopony to do anything with!" She said, sitting down and huffing in frustration.

"Exactly. Nopony but you and me." A faint voice said behind Pinkie. Pinkie's ears perked at this. The voice sounded sad, as if the voice's owner had never experienced fun in their lifetime.

Pinkie smiled. "Oh goodie! Somepony to do something with! What should we-?" Pinkie began to ask, but didn't finish her question at what she saw. It was her, only it wasn't. Instead of a poofy pink mane and tail, this pony's pink hair fell straight. Instead of life and fun in her eyes, they seemed dead and sad. How can that be? The last time there was more than one of me, things didn't go too well.

"I saw how that incident happened. The town wasn't happy to see that many yous." The sad Pinkie said.

"You knew about that?" Pinkie asked the sadder version of herself. At this, the sad Pinkie gave a dark grin.

"I know everything you know, Pinkie. I've always been here." Sad Pinkie said.

"But how? Unless you've been following me everywhere, I don't know how you'd know what I knew." Pinkie asked, now getting concerned.

"I never have had to follow you. I've always been with you." Sad Pinkie said, frowning. "Do you really think they care about you?"

"Who? My friends?" Pinkie asked, raising an eyebrow. Sad Pinkie cringed at the word 'friends'.

"Yes! Those ponies you dare give that title. They've lied to you, tried to avoid you, and don't even listen to you when there's a present danger!" Sad Pinkie shouted. Pinkie took a few steps back from the yelling pony. Sad Pinkie took a few steps towards her.

"But they're my friends. They've always been there for me and they listen to my problems-" Pinkie said, trying to find a way to get away from the scary pony.

"Listened to you? Please. Remember when you asked Twilight for advice on how to deal with Gilda?" Sad Pinkie asked, giving the normal Pinkie a minute to think. "She didn't care! She said you were the problem and brushed you off!"

"But that was one time!" Pinkie shouted back. "Besides Twilight is a great friend and-"

"What about Applejack, the so-called Element of Honesty? Remember on your birthday a couple years ago when she flat-out lied to you multiple times?" Sad Pinkie asked, slowly walking closer to Pinkie.

"But I needed to hear that. I would have ruined the surprise party she and the girls threw for me." Pinkie retorted, getting mad with this pony for saying nasty things about her friends.

"And Rainbow Dash? The Element of Loyalty has tried to avoid you so many times it's unbelievable! Some loyal friend." Sad Pinkie scoffed.

At this, Pinkie ran up to the Sad Pinkie and looked her in the eye. "My friends may not be perfect, but they are a hundred times better than how you're being right now!" She said through gritted teeth.

Sad Pinkie smiled. "You mean how you're being?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

This confused pinkie as she backed off a little. "What do you mean?"

"Don't you get it? We're the same, you and I. I grew up on a rock farm, you grew up on a rock farm. I moved to Ponyville to leave my past and start a new life, so did you. The fact is, Pinkie, you can't run from your past." Sad Pinkie said. Pinkie's eyes widened at her words.

"You aren't-." Pinkie said, but Sad Pinkie stopped her.
"We're the same, Pinkie." Sad Pinkie said with a smile and looked Pinkie in the eye. "I am you and you are me." She said slowly, each word dripping with venom.

*Pinkie started walking backwards from Sad Pinkie again, but Sad Pinkie ran up to her and tackled her to the ground of the dreamscape. Sad Pinkie's eyes faded from a baby blue to a bright yellow. With a flash of yellow light, metal straps strapped Pinkie's limbs down to the floor.

"You know, all this whiteness is boring me. Let's give this place some color." She said, reaching behind her and took out a carving knife. "I think some red is just what this place needs." Sad Pinkie said with a toothy smile.

Pinkie began to scream but got a hoof shoved into her mouth. "Ah, ah, ah. We don't want to make too much noise or the party might be spoiled." Sad Pinkie said, gently dragging the knife's edge along Pinkie's right arm. Pain erupted where the knife's edge met as blood began to drip from the cut. Pinkie yelped in pain, only to be muffled by the hoof in her mouth.

"And now for some more color. Time for a second coating." Sad Pinkie said, taking the knife and stabbing it into Pinkie's exposed belly. Pinkie's eyes widened at the sudden intrusion as pain exploded in her torso. The floor under Pinkie began to be tainted red by the blood that flowed from her wounds. More muffled shouts of pain resulted as Sad Pinkie's face twisted in sick glee.

"And now for the final splash of color!" Sad Pinkie shouted as she took the knife out of Pinkie's belly and put the edge to Pinkie's throat. "And this is how you end a masterpiece." She whispered in Pinkie's ear as she swiped the blade across Pinkie's neck.

Pinkie's vision faded to black as the life bled out of her, the image of a smiling evil Pinkie standing over her with the bloody knife.*

-Carousel Boutique-

"Oh of all the nights to not get some beauty sleep, it had to be tonight." Rarity said, exasperated with the lack of sleep she was getting. The white unicorn sprawled across her bed, her purple mane a tangled mess atop her head. She sighed and turned on her side as she tried to get comfortable.

Come on, Rarity. You had an exhausting past few days and you need your sleep! Rarity thought to herself. She thought over the events in the past few days. Rarity had gotten her cutie mark switched on accident, used her element on Twilight to help make her into an alicorn, made dresses for the coronation that occurred a couple days later, watched as Twilight was crowned a princess, and participated in the coronation parade that followed. Rarity's body was tired, but her mind wasn't letting her rest.

Rarity gritted her teeth in frustration and opened her bloodshot eyes to stare angrily at the wall next to her bed. Maybe I just need something to help me sleep. Maybe I need some pills or something. Rarity thought as she kicked her rear hooves over the edge of the bed. She slid off her bed and began walking to her kitchen downstairs. Too exhausted to use her magic, she manually turned the door handle that led to the stairs. The wooden door opened with a pull as Rarity stepped through the doorway and began the trek to the kitchen. The steps creaked as each hoof pressed on them. I need to get that fixed at some point. Rarity noted as she approached the bottom of the staircase.

She looked around at her kitchen. The circular table was in the corner, a stove and oven on the opposite side of the room. Above the stove and oven were cupboards of food and spices. The memory of seeing Sweetie Belle try to make breakfast for her flashed in her mind. Rarity gave a tired smile at the memory and walked to the cupboards.

Rarity pulled one of the cupboard doors open, revealing a collection of pill containers and sheets of dissolvable medicinal tablets. Hmm… where is that Hayquil bottle? She thought as she browsed the cupboard. She soon came across a purple liquid container with a cylindrical cap. Got it! Rarity grabbed the Hayquil and closed the cupboard door. Her horn glowed a soft blue as the cap screwed off, opening the container. She walked over to the table and set down the bottle. Grabbing the cap on one hoof and taking hold of the bottle in her mouth, Rarity poured the purple sleep aid into the cap. She put the bottle down on the table and used her magic to levitate the cap to her mouth. With a quick gulp, she swallowed the Hayquil and screwed the cap back onto the container.

I'll put it back in the morning. Rarity thought with a yawn. She set the container back on the table and walked back towards the stairs. She began to climb back up the stairs but became extremely drowsy halfway up the stairs. That was fast. She felt like she was going to collapse as she neared the top. After what felt like an hour, Rarity reached the floor of her bedroom.

"Okay. Now to get into my bed and…go…to-" Rarity said, but dropped onto the floor. She gave no resistance to the sleep that her mind was going into.

Rarity opened her eyes and beheld one of the greatest spectacles she'd ever seen. Below a clear blue sky, there were gems. Gems everywhere. Bright red rubies, bold blue saphires, shimmering green emeralds, see-through diamonds, and many more invaluable treasures were everywhere. Mountains of them lay before her as she stared in awe.

"So… many." Rarity said, gawking at the piles of treasures. "And all mine!" Rarity shouted with glee as she dove into a mountain of emeralds and amethysts. The feeling of all the valuable rocks gave her a feeling of bliss as she swam through the gems. She breached the surface of the gems, sending the priceless rocks flying in all directions. She clutched a few random amethysts and looked at them, analyzing their texture, shape, and the beauty of the purple riches.

"All mine! All…mine." Rarity said, her excitement dwindling as she realized that there was nopony else in the dreamscape. There were all these jewels and nopony else to be around. Gems were nice, but Rarity began to feel the need for someone else in the dream. I wish somepony else were here to share in my joy. Rarity thought, looking at the rubies in her hooves.

Oh but there is, my dear Rarity. A low voice said in the back of her mind. Rarity stiffened at the alien voice.

"Where are you? Or more importantly, who are you?" Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow.

I can be your greatest desire, Rarity. As for where I am, let's just say that I don't stay in one place for too long. I could be here in your dream one minute, and in the streets of Manehattan the next. The voice said. This answer confused Rarity as she looked around.

"Well thank you for that vague answer, gentlecolt. However, I do not have need for such obscurity." Rarity said in a posh tone. "You said there was another in this dream with me?"

Yes. He is one that is very close to you. He will be found beyond that ruby mountain to your left. The voice said, causing Rarity to look to her left. There she saw a large mound of red rubies.

"Thank you, kind sir. Now if you don't mind, I'll be off in search of this fellow dream dweller. By the way, you said that he was very close. What did you mean by that?" Rarity asked, trotting down the hill of emeralds and amethysts.

He is one that is of the same mind as you. In fact, you could say that you two are… intertwined. The voice responded.

Fine. Be vague. Rarity thought as she knit her eyebrows together at the voice's answer.

After walking over gems for a few minutes, Rarity reached the ruby hill. She looked closely at the rubies and noticed that they weren't ordinary rubies. Fire rubies. Rarity identified the gems, grabbing one of the heart-shaped rocks.

A loud roar that sent shivers down Rarity's spine sounded from behind the hill. Slowly, Rarity began to move behind the hill to see what caused the roar. She stepped carefully on the gems beneath her, hoping not to cause too much noise. After what seemed like a couple hours, she rounded the mountain. Her pupils shrunk at what she saw.

She saw a large purple dragon with lime green spines and a matching underbelly had its back turned to her. The large beast was snacking on gems by the handful, taking chunks out of the mountains and gobbling them up. She'd seen this monster once before.

"Spike?" Rarity whispered in surprise. The large dragon stopped chewing on the gems in its mouth and whipped its head in her direction. Rarity saw that he looked exactly the same as when he'd been corrupted by greed and turned into a monster, destroying half of Ponyville in the process. There was one difference, however. His eyes, instead of their green color, were bright yellow.

Spike let out a puff of black smoke from his nostrils as he narrowed his eyes at the small white unicorn below him. "What do you want?" Spike bellowed in a deep voice.

Rarity was taken aback by his greeting. "Spike! Don't you remember me? It's me, Rarity!" she shouted at the dragon, hoping he'd not see her as a threat.

"R-Rarity?" Spike asked, holding his head as though he was trying to remember.

Hope surged through Rarity. "Yes! You do remember me!" She exclaimed with joy.

"Yes. I remember. I remember how much you love gems." Spike's said, his voice taking on a dangerous tone.

Rarity's blood went cold. "No! I mean, I do love gems, but do you remember anything else?" She asked with begging eyes.

"Don't need to. I remember all the times you turned me down, used me as a doormat, and never thanked me for any of the work I did for you." Spike said in a low tone to her. Rarity was now deathly scared of the dragon that stood before her.

She stammered to come up with a retort to his accusations. "Well, I… but-"

"Some Element of Generosity. Too concerned with her own needs to remember all the work her friends have done for her." Spike said cruelly.

Rarity now had tears in her eyes. "But Spike, I do care about you and remember all the things you have done!"

"Then why have you waited until now to tell me?" Spike asked, folding his arms. "You probably just want to soften me up to take these delectable little treasures. Well you can't have them! I was told that they are for me alone." Spike said, his yellow eyes turning to the mountain of gems next to him.

Rarity took a couple steps back from the dragon. "No! I'd never do such a thing!"

"Another lie to confuse me." Spike said dismissively. "Well you're not getting these jewels. Come to think of it, it'd be easier to be rid of you right here." Spike said in a dark tone.

*Her heart skipped a beat as he said that. He wasn't just mad at her. He was going to kill her. "Spike! I am sorry for the way I've been treating you! I have been so caught up with my own success that I forget to thank you for all you do for me!"

"Too late, my dear. I've had it with you and your deceit." Spike said, extending an open hand towards the unicorn. Rarity didn't have time to turn and run before a giant scaled hand grabbed her and pulled her up to Spike's eye level. Rarity shrieked as she looked into his eyes.

"And to think I had feelings for you." Spike said coldly, looking up and opening his jaws while dangling her by the tail. Rarity was screaming and crying for mercy, but to no avail. She felt as the claw released her tail. She fell wailing into the black gullet, the darkness of Spike's mouth consuming her vision.*

-Ponyville Library-

Spike was curled up in his basket bed. He was in a comfy position, but just wasn't going to sleep. He sighed and opened his green eyes to stare at the ceiling for a few minutes. He should be sleeping, but he wasn't. He tried to think of ways to fall asleep. Some milk? Nah I'd make too much noise and wake up Twilight. She needs her rest. Spike thought as his mind continued to think of was to slumber.

Eventually, his mind settled on one method. Well, I haven't done that in months, but it does relax me. Spike thought as he brought his thumb up to his mouth and began sucking. He felt like such a baby, but his thumb-sucking was doing the trick. He slowly began to feel his mind slip when a small creaking sound caused him to crack open his eyes. Spike saw Twilight slowly descending the staircase.

She's probably doing one of her late night readings again. Spike dismissed the alicorn's actions as he closed his eyes again. This time, he fell asleep with ease.

Spike looked around the dream and saw heaven. Everywhere he saw, gems were stacked everywhere in mountains as far as the eye could see. Heck, even the ground was made of jewels. He started drooling on the spot as he slowly walked over to a mountain of sapphires. He approached the big blue mountain in an almost trance-like fashion, his eyes swimming with hunger. A big smile spread across his face.

"Woohoo!" Spike shouted, diving head first into the mountain, consuming every gemstone in his path. The tanginess of the sapphires excited his taste buds as he devoured the blue rocks. All these gems, and they're all mine! I could feast on these for the rest of my life! Spike thought as he leapt out of the mountain, sapphire pieces covering his chin and around his mouth.

"Yes, Spike. They are all yours."A deep voice said from behind Spike.

Spike's smile faded as he turned around to face the one who spoke to him. What he saw was a massive stallion standing in front of him. The stallion had gray fur, a black mane and tail, a solar eclipse cutie mark, a metal gauntlet on his right hoof, a horn, and two large wings. The stallion's bright yellow eyes unsettled Spike, however.

"Who are you?" Spike asked, raising an eyebrow.

The stallion gave a low chuckle. "If only I had a bit for every time somepony has asked that. I have no single name, my dear dragon. But you may call me Shimmering Jewel."

"Nice to meet you, Jewel. But I have one question." Spike said.

Shimmering Jewel grinned. "Just one?" he said jokingly.

"What is this place?" Spike asked, looking around at the glistening gem hills that surrounded them.

"It is your paradise, Spike. All these gems are for you and you alone." Shimmering said, his irises glowing yellow as they looked into Spike's green eyes. The green in Spike's eyes began to fade and was soon replaced by the same hue of yellow as Shimmering's.

"All mine, huh?" Spike asked, greedily staring at the mounds of gems.

"Yes, Spike. All yours. Now go have some fun." Shimmering said with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Jewel." Spike said, sprinting towards another mountain of gems.

"No, Spike. Thank you." Shimmering said, disappearing in a yellow flash.

Spike devoured every gem he could see. He loved this feeling. The feeling of having everything to himself. These were his treasures. Nopony else could have them. He wouldn't let them have the chance to steal his jewels! Spike soon felt himself growing larger. His spines sharpened, his muscles grew, and he began to grow. He didn't care though. He was too busy attending to his treasure. In celebration of his treasure, he let out a loud roar. All these jewels were his. Nopony could have them.

While he was busy munching on some amethysts when he heard a demure voice behind him.

"Spike?" Spike's head turned to see a small white unicorn with a curled purple mane and tail. Rarity? Spike thought.

"What do you want?" he asked the small pony.

"Spike! Don't you remember me? It's me, Rarity!" she responded.

"Rarity?" Spike asked. As soon as the name left his mouth, Spike felt his conscience get shoved back into the back of his mind. It was his body, but he wasn't in control anymore.

Wait, what is this? Spike thought as Rarity replied.

"Yes! You do remember me!" The white unicorn shouted excitedly.

"Yes. I remember you. I remember how much you love gems. Spike said in a dark tone. What?! No! That's not what I'd say! What's going on here? Spike's mind was frantic as he tried to regain control of his body.

"No! I mean, I do love gems, but do you remember anything else?" Rarity asked in a pleading tone.

"Don't need to. I remember all the times you turned me down, used me as a doormat, and never thanked me for any of the work I did for you." Spike growled. NO! That's not what I'd say! Give me back my body! Spike shouted internally as he fought for control, straining his mind to stop himself.

He heard Rarity try to mumble something to defend herself, but Spike kept at it. "Some Element of Generosity. Too concerned with her own needs to remember all the work her friends have done for her." Spike saw how this brought tears to Rarity's eyes. Now he was mad. When I get this body back, I'm going to make sure you don't get back in! Spike yelled at the force that controlled his body.

"But Spike, I do care about you and remember all the things you have done!" Rarity cried. I know you do, Rarity! I want to say it back to you! Give me just that, you stupid body! He shouted at himself mentally.

"Then why have you waited until now to tell me?" Spike retorted. At this, Spike stopped fighting for a moment. He does have a point. Wait! No! I won't let you hurt her! Let me back in! Spike thought, resuming his fight for control. "You probably just want to soften me up to take these delectable little treasures. Well you can't have them! I was told that they are for me alone." Spike said, turning his yellow eyes to the mountain of gems next to him.

"No! I'd never do such a thing!" Rarity shouted back. She's the Element of Generosity for pony's sake! Why would she? Spike thought.

*"Another lie to confuse me." Spike said apathetically. "Well you're not getting these jewels. Come to think of it, it'd be easier to be rid of you right here." At this, Spike's conscience froze. NOOO! You wouldn't dare! You wouldn't do it, you monster! He shouted internally.

Rarity was close to sobbing at this point. "Spike! I am sorry for the way I've been treating you! I have been so caught up with my own success that I forget to thank you for all you do for me!"

"Too late, my dear. I've had it with you and your deceit." Spike said, reaching out to grab her. Don't you dare hurt her! Don't you dare, you son of a mule! Spike shouted at himself, trying even harder now to regain his body. Spike felt Rarity's fur in his hand as he grabbed her and pulled her up to eye level. Rarity looked into Spike's yellow eyes and shrieked.

"And to think I had feelings for you." Spike said coldly as he looked up, opened his jaws and held the screaming unicorn by the tail. Rarity! NO! Spike thought as he felt his hand release her. Spike's conscience went blind with rage as he felt her go down his throat.

As soon as she disappeared into his belly, Spike got his body back. That wasn't me. That couldn't have been. He had just killed her. Out of greed, he had just killed the only mare he had felt love for. Tears came to Spike's eyes as they reverted from yellow back to green. Spike looked up at the sky. Instead of crisp blue, it was now gray with clouds.

"AAAAAUUGHHH!" Spike roared at the sky as rain began to pour. "Where are you, Shimmering? Where are you, you lying piece of manure?!"

"No need to shout, Spike. I'm right here." Shimmering's voice said to the right of Spike. He turned to see the gray pony sitting atop one of the gem mounds.

"Why did you do it?" Spike asked, his mind numb with rage and his eyes stung with tears.

"To show the price of greed, my dear dragon." Shimmering said with a smile. "And now that you have seen what happens when greed comes to fruition, you have my permission to die." Shimmering said, extending his right hoof, causing a blade to spring from the gauntlet. Spike didn't have time to react before Shimmering shot in front of him and drove the blade between his eyes. As soon as the blade pierced his scales, Spike's vision went black.*

Aftershock

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 6-Aftershock

-Ponyville Library-

"AHH!" Spike shouted as his eyes shot open. Sweat beaded his brow and his breath came in short pants. Spike trembled as he sat up in his basket bed. What kind of nightmare was that? He thought as he shook his head. He looked around him to see that he was still in the upper level bedroom of the library. A quick look out the window confirmed that it was morning as Celestia's sun was high in the sky by now. He sighed in relief and lay back down. He stared at the ceiling as he tried to contemplate the terror he had experienced in his sleep. What did it mean? Was it some sort of test? To prove how greedy I could get? Wait, what? No! That was not me! Spike shouted internally. I mean, it was me. But it wasn't. So what does that-?

"Gah!" Spike shouted in exasperation. Spike clutched his head with his clawed hands and shook it. Whatever that dream had meant, he was unsure of.

Wow. Is Twilight still asleep? Spike thought, noticing a lack of reaction from the new alicorn at his outburst. He looked up from his bed and noticed that she was still out of bed. The covers were wrinkled as if she had just gotten out of them, but no Twilight was present. She did go downstairs last night. Maybe she just dozed off or something while reading. He thought, getting out of his bed with half-lidded eyes. He walked sleepily over to the stairs to go to the lower level of the library to see if Twilight was there.

While descending the wooden staircase, Spike noticed Twilight lying on the ground with a white book open in front of her. Wow. She must have been really knocked out to just be sleeping on the floor like that. He thought as he carefully tiptoed down the stairs, trying not to make a loud sound.

He looked over Twilight as he stepped down the stairs. Her back was turned to him and she was lying on her left side, the wing on the respective side splayed out on the ground while the other one was hanging limply off the side of her body. Her deep purple mane and tail were a mess, strands flying off in all directions and the usually clean-cut mane was a tangled array of purple and pink hair.

Spike finally reached the bottom of the staircase and walked over to his alicorn guardian. Well I guess I should see if she's okay. Spike thought as he gently tapped her shoulder, trying to wake her up. Twilight didn't stir. Spike's eyebrows rose. Normally she was a very light sleeper. Descending that staircase without waking her was something Spike considered to be a miracle. Spike rubbed the same shoulder, still attempting to wake Twilight.

"Hey, Twilight. You alright?" Spike asked in a whisper. He put an ear close to her to try to hear if she had a reaction. All he heard was breathing. Spike began to get concerned.

"Twilight? You okay?" Spike asked more loudly this time. Still no response. "Come on, Twilight. There's no way you're this heavy a-" Spike paused at hearing Twilight mumble something incoherent.

"What? What was that, Twilight?" Spike asked, hope filling his voice. At least she's not dead. Spike partially joked.

"No. No, no, no. No." Twilight said quietly, sounding scared. Concern found its way into Spike's mind once more.

"No about what?" Spike asked. "No more seven hour bubble baths? I can stop doing those, I swear I won't do it anymore." He said, folding his hands together.

"Stop it. Just stop it." Twilight said in a whisper, her head turning slightly towards Spike, but not giving Spike enough to see her face.

"Okay, okay. I'll stop with the seven hour bubble baths. I'll cut them back two hours. Does that sound good?" Spike asked, happy it was something as trivial as his bubble bath routine that was causing the trouble.

"No. Stop, please." Twilight mumbled.

"Just stop the baths completely? Is that what you want me to do?" Spike asked, getting confused at his guardian's request.

"What do you want?" Twilight asked, her wings twitching while she spoke.

"What do I want?" Spike said in a questioning tone. Well a lot of things. Having a gem stash for only myself to eat is a good start, but that's beside the point. He thought as he put his hand on Twilight's shoulder to turn her to face him. "What are you talking about, Twili- WHAT THE HAY HAPPENED TO YOU?" Spike shouted in alarm.

Twilight's eyes were bloodshot, tears streaming from them and staining the lavender fur beneath them. Clearly she was upset about something, but what it was. Spike didn't know. What terrified Spike wasn't that she was sad, but it was her eyes. Instead of their usual purple, they were bright yellow.

-Sweet Apple Acres-

"NO!" Applejack shouted as she shot up from her bed. Sweat stained the sheets on her bed where her back was, drops of the same liquid dotted her forehead. Hyperventilating, the orange cowpony swiveled her head to get a sense of her surroundings. She was back in her bedroom. Seeing that she was safe and sound under her covers and the sun out her window warmly welcoming her to a new day, Applejack gave a relieved sigh.

Applejack clutched her throat. There was no cut. What in tarnation was that? She thought as her memory was flooded with the nightmare she experienced the night before. It felt so real. She thought as she surveyed the rest of her body. No cuts and bruises were to be found either. What were those things? Why did they have mah family tied up? Applejack's head swam with questions, some of which she feared the answer to. Soon, the image of the gray pony came back to her mind. She shuddered in fear at the memory of that pony. There wasn't anything natural about that thing. He couldn't have been a pony. He was too evil to be considered to be one of us. Applejack thought angrily. What he did to mah family in that dream… nopony that does that sort of thing isn't worthy of mercy. What he did to Applebloom- Applebloom!

Fear gripped her heart as Applejack jumped out of bed. She has to be okay! She just has to! Applejack's mind screamed as yanked her bedroom door open and rushed into the hallway. She didn't have time to react before slamming into somepony that happened to be trotting down the hall, a certain yellow pony with a red mane and a hot pink bow in her mane.

"Applebloom! You're okay!" Applejack cried with glee as she embraced her sister. Applebloom rose an eyebrow as she got pulled into a big hug.

"Good mornin' to you too, sis." Applebloom said warmly, then squirmed out of the hug. "Why wouldn't Ah be okay?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah just had the worst dream. But it's okay now, though." Applejack said, smiling at the yellow filly.

"Well great! I've got a Crusaders meetin' to go to and I just wanted to say good mornin' before Ah took off." Applebloom said, turning her back to Applejack and began trotting down the hallway towards the stairs that led to the atrium of the farmhouse.

"Well see ya, Applebloom! Applejack hollered back in a cheerful tone.

"Bye, sis!" The little yellow filly shouted back gleefully as she bounded down the stairs, her hot pink bow the last thing Applejack saw before she disappeared down the stairs.

Applejack's smile faded as she saw her sister go from her view. "Be safe." She said in a whisper as memories of her dream came back to her.

-Sugarcube Corner-

Pinkie's eyes shot open, her mind trying to recover from the shock she just experienced. Her breath came and went in short pants and her bright blue life-filled eyes were bloodshot and showed an inner sorrow. What was that? That wasn't me, but it was. But how could that have been me if I was the one doing those things to myself? Her mind rapid-fired the questions as Pinkie failed to have a definitive answer to them. She looked around her surroundings to find that she was in her room in the attic of Sugarcube Corner.

One chilling quote kept calling out to her from the dream. "I am you, and you are me." The voice would say tauntingly, Pinkie holding her head in her hooves as she tried to force the voice from her mind. Get out of my head, you meanie voice! I would never do those nasty things to anypony! Pinkie shouted back at the voice. She knew she spoke the truth, but she felt an internal voice saying differently, saying that her happiness was a façade to mask the darkness inside her. Pinkie clenched her teeth as she fought the whisper in the back of her mind, telling her that her joy was a lie.

Pinkie struggled against the voice until she heard a familiar tune coming from downstairs. Pinkie had taught Mrs. Cake the lyrics for whenever the foals had gotten restless. The tune rang crystal clear in her mind as she sang.

"When I was just a little filly and the sun was going dooowwwn,"

"The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frooowwwn."

"I'd hide under my pillow from what I thought I saw."

"But Granny Cake said that wasn't the way to deal with fears at all."

The words brought joyful tears to Pinkie's eyes as the voice in her mind was put to rest as she began to pick up the lyrics. Pinkie began whispering that timeless song that her Granny Pie had taught her as Mrs. Cake continued beneath her.

"Pinkie, you gotta stand up tall,"

"Learn to face your fears."

"You'll see that they can't hurt you,"

"Just laugh to make them disappeeeaar."

At the last word, Pinkie began to chuckle to herself. The chuckling she was doing slowly became laughing. Soon her laughter filled the attic with joyous sound as any darkness inside her vanished as quickly as it had come. Pinkie's eyes were tearing up with happiness that the voice in her head was gone.

Soon, there was a knocking at her door. "Pinkie, is everything alright?" Mr. Cake's voice asked through the door.

Pinkie tried to stop laughing, but couldn't out of sheer joy. She managed to answer between laughs. "It's hahahaha! Alright, hahahaha! Mr. Cake! It's all right!" the pink party pony cried happily.

"Well whatever you're laughing about I'm sure is hilarious, but we open in five minutes." Mr. Cake said.

Pinkie's laughter stopped instantly at hearing this. Oh that's right! I need to help get ready for the early morning rush! She thought, bouncing off her bed and opening the door. She poked her pink poofy maned head out the door to see Carrot Cake standing in the doorway.

"I'll be right down, Mr. Cake!" Pinkie said enthusiastically, closing the door in her boss's face.

"Sure thing, Pinkie. We've got some cinnamon buns ready for you to bake when you come down." Mr. Cake said through the door then began trotting down the stairs and back out onto the store floor.

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie said cheerfully. With a smile on her face, Pinkie felt ready to face the day. You aren't me, mister meanie voice. And I am definitely not you. Pinkie thought confidently, opening her door to go downstairs.

-Rainbow Dash's home-

Rainbow Dash was sitting in a corner, hugging her knees close to her chest. Her magenta eyes shrunk and sweat beaded her forehead. The dream had been so real. She could see her friends lying dead in the street. She saw Morning Star with that weapon, ready to take her life. She shivered in her corner as her eyes darted around at any sound that was made. I am loyal to my friends! I'd never split loyalties with anypony else! The rainbow-maned mare thought to herself.

A voice in the back of her head told her other wise. Loyalty is so easy to misplace, Rainbow. You could betray your closest friends to death and you wouldn't even know it!

"No! You're wrong! I'd never betray my friends!" Rainbow shouted at the voice.

But how could you be sure you are loyal to the right ponies? How do you know that they aren't the enemy?

"Enemy? What enemy are we facing that I could betray them to?" Rainbow asked, turning her head to face the window in her cloud wall. She could see the village of Ponyville coming to life as ponies got out of their homes and began to do the day's work.

Exactly. Obscurity is always something to fear, Rainbow. A supposed hug from a friend could become a cloak-and-dagger tactic used by a "friend".

"Get out of my bucking head!" Rainbow shouted, holding her head and shaking it. The voice in her head just laughed at her feeble efforts. Tears came to Rainbow's eyes as she began to feel like what the voice was saying was true. How loyal have her friends been to her? How many things have they done that they wanted to do without her?

You feel that, Rainbow? Notice how lonely it is. Loneliness. That was the one thing Rainbow hated feeling. She began to recall all the times when she did things by herself and failed. She remembered the race against her would-be pets to see which would be the best. She ended up getting trapped under a fallen rock from an avalanche. She remembered the time when she tried to be the hero of Ponyville, but alienated every pony near her in the process. She recalled the feeling that came over her as Discord corrupted her in the Canterlot garden maze. All her times of failure… were because she did it on her own.

"I can't fight this on my own. I can't fight you by myself." Rainbow admitted, bowing her head.

What are you getting at, Dash? The voice asked, growing suspicious.

"I can't fight you on my own, but I can do it with my friends! And they've been much more loyal than you've been making them out to be!" Rainbow said with a determined look on her face.

But they don't care about you. How could disturbing whatever they're doing to help solve your problems possibly help?

"Because they are my friends. And I need them how they need me." Rainbow said, extending her wings and flying out of her cloud house. She had to get to Twilight's. Her egghead friend would know how to help get that voice out of her head. Rainbow flew ahead to Ponyville, despite the protests from inside her mind.

-Fluttershy's Cottage-

Fluttershy woke up with a start, shivering and scared. What did I just wake from? Fluttershy thought as she began to remember the terror she had just experienced in that dream. That nightmare was so real… so lifelike. The thought of seeing a forest fire and animals dying around her made her stomach churn. The animals burning, the fear she saw in their eyes, the blazing inferno that consumed the forest and everything in it… it was too much for the yellow pegasus as she broke down sobbing in her bed.

How could such a beautiful thing be destroyed so cruelly? Fluttershy thought to herself as the tears flowed from her teal eyes. Those animals didn't deserve that. What did they do to earn such a painful experience? Fluttershy thought, bringing the covers up to her eyes to weep into them.

Fluttershy could feel a tapping on her belly as she looked at what was the cause of the disturbance. She looked to see her pet bunny, Angel, tapping at her with a concerned look on his face.

"Oh Angel. I just had the worst dream." Fluttershy said, grabbing the rabbit and holding him close to her.

Normally Angel would be annoyed by Fluttershy's sudden emotional outbursts, but this one was different. What could have happened to her? The rabbit thought as he simply accepted the embrace and hugged back. She's the Element of Kindness. How often is it that kindness is shown towards her? Angel thought as he hugged her back.

Fluttershy noticed Angel hugging her back. "Thank you, Angel." She said, taking one of her hooves off him to wipe her eyes. "I needed that." Fluttershy said gratefully.

She looked outside the window above her bed to see the sun shining brightly on the forest behind her cottage. The animals frolicked and carried out their daily duties in her yard. Seeing such innocence brought warmth to Fluttershy's heart. A smile spread on her face as she watched the little fish swimming in a stream, the birds happily chirping in the trees, the squirrels and rabbits picking berries off the bushes, and the many animals blissfully carrying on with their morning. Fluttershy sighed with happiness. It was only a dream. She thought to herself assuredly. She looked back at Angel, who seemed happy to see her return to her normal self.

"Come on, Angel. Let's go make some breakfast." Fluttershy said, sliding out of the bed and landing on the floor. Angel hopped off the bed and landed on her back. Fluttershy giggled at her bunny and trotted off to the kitchen.

-Carousel Boutique-

"Spike, no!" Rarity cried as her eyes shot open. She found herself lying on the floor of her bedroom, her bed standing tall before her. What horror did I just experience? My dear Spikey-wikey couldn't have done something as beastly as that! He just couldn't. Rarity thought as she got up from the hard wood floor. This sorrow would be more comfortable if I had made it to the bed last night. Rarity thought. How could Spike, such an innocent baby dragon, cause such havoc? There was one explanation, but Rarity feared that should the evil inside Spike came to fruition, her dream would become a reality. That evil was his greed.

The greed of a dragon was considered legendary to some, as tales of how much they took and what dragons were willing to do to defend their piles of treasures were widely circulated throughout Equestria.

Greed. It can drive ponies and dragons alike to do desperate things to each other. Rarity thought, eyeing a special gem that lay on a cylindrical wooden bedside table. It was the fire ruby Spike had given her before his birthday a few years ago. The big red stone shone bright red in the morning sun, casting shades of red around the room. Rarity looked at the stone and began to think. Spike could never do something like that, and this stone is the proof. Rarity thought taking the gem in her hooves and stared at it. She could see her reflection in all the fire ruby's faces, her reflection tinted red by the stone. But if Spike's greed is matched by his generosity, how much more greedy could I be? Rarity thought. Being the Element of Generosity, greed was a common temptation. Being exposed to such fancy things as gems and dresses on a daily basis made it very easy to become susceptible to something like avarice.

With a determined look, she gazed into the fire ruby, looking intently at her reflection.

"I will never become anything like that." Rarity said to her reflection. If greed does that to a kind dragon like Spike, I shall never indulge that desire. She thought as she continued. "I shall never be covetous of anything nor of anypony. If something as small as greed can do that to somepony, I will have no part of it." She said confidently. She smiled into the ruby and set it back on the bedside table.

Spike will never be something as beastly as that monster in my nightmare. Wait… Spike! Rarity thought, rushing down the stairs and towards the boutique's atrium to leave. I hope he's all right. She thought nervously as she swung open her shop's door with her magic and shot outside towards the library.

-Canterlot Castle-

Luna woke suddenly. Gasping, she looked around her to find that she was still in her bed chamber, the large moon on her ceiling staring benevolently at her and the stars welcomed her back from her vicious dream. Ponyville… the library… that book. It all seemed so vivid. She could still remember every little detail. From the colors on the fillies' manes to the shape of the buildings, she knew all of it. The part with the book especially stood out in her mind.

That couldn't have been him… but those eyes were unmistakable! Luna thought. She hadn't seen those eyes in over a thousand years and yet she knew exactly whose eyes they belonged to. No. It couldn't have been him. He is dead. I saw him die. He couldn't have come back on his own. It would take more magic than mine and Celestia's put together. Luna thought reassuringly. But something in the back of her mind was nagging at her, telling her that the dream was more than just a simple nightmare.

"I'm sure it was nothing. That beast is dead and there is harmony in Equestria. If he was here, then where would he be?" Luna said to herself, getting up from her bed and walked under the archway that led to the hallway. She exited her night-themed room and entered the marble walled corridor that connected the royal bed chambers to the castle's atrium. Tapestries of all shapes, sizes, and designs hung from the wall, adding color to the stark white hallway. Luna heard hoofsteps and turned to find her celestial sister trotting down the hallway.

Princess Celestia looked at Luna and smiled. "How did you sleep, sister?" She asked warmly.

Luna began thinking to herself. Should I tell her? Yes. All I need to say is that-

"It was alright. Nothing major happened in the night, dear sister." She replied.

Really?

"I'm glad to hear that, Luna. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to arrange a meeting with some delegates from the Western Griffon Kingdom. Something about border control issues between them and the Eastern Kingdom and me needing to help negotiate." Celestia said, gracefully walking down the hall.

"Very well. Hope the negotiations go well." Luna said, waving a hoof goodbye to Celestia. Why didn't I say something! Well I'm sure it's nothing huge. It was just a bad dream. How bad could it be?

A crackling caught Luna's hearing as she turned to the source of the sound. Suddenly, a small green flame shot through a window up high in front of Luna and sped over Luna's head, missing by mere inches. Luna turned and looked on in curiosity as the flame travelled down the hallway and caught up to Celestia. Upon arriving in front of the sun goddess, the flame materialized into a small scroll with a seal closing it. Celestia grabbed the letter with her magic and read over the contents.

"Is everything alright, Tia?" Luna asked from down the hall, her voice ricocheting off the walls. Concern filled her mind as Celestia's eyes widened at reading the letter.

Suddenly, Celestia's horn lit up and with a bright yellow flash, she vanished. The letter floated down to the ground as Luna galloped to the spot where her sister had been a second before.

Where did she go in such a hurry? Luna pondered, looking at the letter. It only took her a second to recognize the seal. Luna knew where her sister had gone, and she was going there too.

With a flash of bright blue light, Luna disappeared from the hallway.

-Outskirts of Ponyville-

A group of three ponies had gathered just outside of the Everfree Forest, the trees of the wood looming behind them. They had travelled far and risked much coming this close to Equestrian territory. Their failure would mean the certain doom of their hive. They couldn't fail.

"You sure this is a decent disguise, Fang?" Asked a pegasus mare, looking over her form. She had burnt orange eyes, a spikey cinnamon brown mane and tail, and had a palm tree as a cutie mark.

"You look fine, Cipha." Responded a skinny earth pony colt. He had sky blue fur, a dark red mane and tail that hung loose, and equally deep red eyes. His cutie mark was a spinning tire with a flame coming from the rear of it.

"Anything to get that unicorn. I can't believe we're sneaking in here to not feed. I haven't had a decent meal in months." Complained a large earth pony. He had jet black fur, a shortly cropped silver mane and tail, and lime green eyes. This one's cutie mark was a bright silver star.

"Quit your grumbling, Chassis. You aren't the only one here that hasn't eaten well in weeks." Cipha rebuked, putting on an angry look.

Chassis was unfazed by her disapproving gaze. "Oh please. What the queen doesn't know won't hurt her, right?"

"That's insubordination!" Fang said fiercely, getting up in Chassis's face. "Now I've had it with you complaining all the time, so why don't you buck up and accept the orders our queen gave us."

Chassis sighed. "Ugh. Fine. But as soon as this assignment is over I'm expecting some solid rewards. Preferably something edible." The disguised changeling said grudgingly.

"Look, the sooner we find this unicorn, the sooner we can be rewarded if that makes you feel any better." Cipha said to Chassis as she began to walk towards Ponyville. They could easily see all the buildings and Town Hall from where they were.

"Seems like such a peaceful village." Fang said, a twinge of jealousy in his voice. At the hive, there never was such a peace like the kind they had in Ponyville.

"Yeah, yeah, and all that sentimental baloney. Let's just go already." Chassis said impatiently. Fang fought back an urge to beat the stupid out of his counterpart, but sighed angrily and followed the large earth pony in front of him. Cipha followed behind Fang, giving him a stern look as if to say, 'Don't do anything stupid.'

Fang nodded at her subliminal message and Cipha seemed to lay off of him. Together, the trio of changelings ventured into the town.

Foes Once Forgone

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 7-Foes Once Foregone

-Ponyville-

Spike stood over his alicorn guardian with a frightened look on his face as he looked her over. Her eyes were the same shade of yellow that he'd seen on Shimmering Jewel from his dream. The areas around her irises were bloodshot and tears streaked from them and stained her lavender fur. She looked like she'd been crying for several hours. How long has she been like this? Spike thought, remembering back to when he saw Twilight walk down the stairs. He'd assumed she was doing some late night reading, but he didn't expect anything like this. He needed help, and he knew exactly where to get it.

"Hang on, Twilight. Help's on the way." Spike said in an assuring tone, but his concern fell on deaf ears as Twilight began mumbling more incoherent sentences.

Spike ran from Twilight to a wooden desk near the window of the library. He opened a drawer and took out a piece of parchment and took a quill from a mug on the desk. Grabbing an ink container that lay on the right side of the desktop, he dipped the quill in the container and began writing hastily.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Something has happened to Twilight! I don't know how to explain it, but I saw her go downstairs to do some reading and when I woke up I saw her lying on the ground and mumbling things. That's not even the strangest of what's going on right now. Weird thing is, her eyes are yellow! I don't know what's causing this or how, but I'd like to request your assistance in this dilemma.

Your loyal subject,

Spike

Spike rolled up the parchment and opened the same drawer he got the parchment from. Taking a red ribbon out of the drawer, he tied the parchment into a scroll. Taking a golden seal, he placed it on the ribbon and took a deep breath. As Spike exhaled, he felt a heat rise in his throat and up through his mouth. Being immune to extreme heat, it felt like nothing to him as the green fire escaped his maw and consumed the letter he held before him. The letter disintegrated and began travelling out the window and into the air, going towards Canterlot.

Just hurry, Princess. Spike thought, looking back at Twilight. She was still shivering and mumbling quietly to herself. Spike knelt next to Twilight and looked gave the disconnected alicorn a mournful look. He didn't know what to do, how to solve this problem, or how the problem even got here. All he knew was that Twilight needed help.

A bright flash of yellow light shone through the library as Spike looked up from Twilight to see Princess Celestia standing tall above him.

"What is the problem, Spike?" Celestia asked, glancing at Twilight and back at Spike. "What happened to her?"

Spike bowed to his princess, then stood up. "I don't know, Princess. I saw her go downstairs last night, but when I got up, she was like this on the floor!" Spike said in a fearful voice.

Celestia looked over her student. There was nothing physically wrong with Twilight as far as she could tell. However, physical wellness could mask many problems underneath. Celestia then looked at Twilight's face. Her eyes widened to see her pupil's eyes were bright yellow instead of the deep purple they usually were. She saw the area around Twilight's irises were bloodshot. She must have been like this for at least several hours. The princess thought.

"Spike, when did-" Princess Celestia started to say, but was cut off by a bright flash of blue light from behind her. The solar princess turned her head to see Luna standing in the center of the library.

"What appears to be the trouble with Twilight, Spike?" Luna asked the dragon in a concerned tone.

Before Spike could respond, Celestia spoke up. "I was asking him the same thing, sister. Why did you come here?"

"I needed to tell you about a dream I… had." Luna said, her sentence trailing off after getting a look at Twilight. She seemed physically fine, but what caused her blood to freeze was the fact that Twilight's eyes were a very specific bright yellow.

"What is this dream you had, Luna?" Celestia asked, but Luna wasn't paying attention. The moon goddess slowly walked over to Twilight and knelt next to her, keeping her eyes on Twilight the whole time. "Luna? What dream?" Celestia asked again, this time in a more worried voice.

Luna stared at Twilight's yellow eyes. The last time I saw those eyes… it can't be. Luna thought.

Suddenly, Twilight moved her head to look straight into Luna's eyes. Spike jumped and Celestia tensed at the sudden movement, but Luna couldn't tear her gaze from Twilight's.

"Miss me Luna?" Twilight asked, but it wasn't in her voice. The voice was dark, guttural, and came from a creature that Luna dreaded to hear. It can't be him! It just can't be! Luna's mind screamed as the bright yellow eyes stared into hers.

After saying this, Twilight shut her eyes, breaking Luna's gaze with hers. Luna blinked and shook her head as she stood up. Celestia cast Luna a worried look as Luna watched Twilight awaken.

Twilight opened her eyes to show that her eyes were purple once again. The princesses and Spike didn't look at her eyes for long before Twilight shut them again, got into a fetal position, and began sobbing uncontrollably.

"I couldn't save them. No matter what I tried, I couldn't do anything. So much death! Just… so…. much!" Twilight cried between sobs.

Celestia knelt next to her student and draped a large white wing over Twilight's body. "It's okay, Twilight. It's okay." She said in a comforting tone. Twilight's sobs steadied a little, but the tears kept flowing nonetheless.

Spike walked over to the purple alicorn and warmly embraced her. "It's alright, Twilight. You're here with us. There's nothing to worry about." He said softly. His words helped Twilight regain some composure as her sobs became less and less frequent.

Luna stood by and watched as Twilight recovered from her ordeal. There's no denying it now. It has to be him. Luna thought, frowning as the thought came to mind. I need to act fast. If he has returned, then the entire world is at stake. She thought, her horn lighting up bright blue.

Celestia looked up from Twilight to see her sister disappear in a flash in blue light. Where has she gone to this time? She thought as she felt Twilight relax under her wing.

Celestia looked down at the alicorn under her wing. "Doing better, Twilight?" Celestia asked warmly.

Twilight nodded. "Much better." She said, giving Celestia a tentative smile.

"Well it's alright now. You're here with us." Spike said, still hugging his guardian.

Celestia smiled at Spike's sentiment. What a kind hearted dragon. She noted, turning her attention back to her student.

"I know you don't want to revisit what happened while you slumbered Twilight, but what happened?" the princess asked.

Twilight's smile faded quickly, her eyes turned to the wooden floor beneath them. "Do I have to?" She asked pleadingly.

Celestia gave Twilight a sad look. "I am sorry, Twilight. But I have to know what was wrong." She said gravely.

Twilight nodded. "Okay. It first started when I-" Twilight began to speak but was cut off by a familiar voice.

"Twilight! You gotta help me!" A tomboyish voice filled the library as a cyan pegasus with a rainbow colored mane flew through the library's window. Rainbow Dash hovered above the two alicorns and dragon, staring straight at Twilight.

"What's the matter, Rainbow?" Twilight asked with a concerned look. Rainbow rarely asked for help, so whatever her problem was, it must have been something big.

"You can get rid of this stupid voice in my head!" Rainbow shouted, then turning her head to the left and whispered, "She can help me, and she will." She said, pausing for a few moments almost as if listening to a reply. "Would you just shut up!" Rainbow shouted, grabbing her head with her hooves and pinched her eyes shut.

"We weren't saying anything, Dash." Spike said from below. Rainbow opened her eyes again to look down at the baby dragon.

"I'm not talking about you guys. It's this voice that's been in my head ever since last night." The cyan pegasus said.

"Wait, what happened last night?" Celestia asked, now curious at the situation. Both Twilight and Rainbow Dash seemed to be suffering from something that occurred the previous night. Coincidence? Hardly. Celestia thought, her mind searching for answers.

"It was this dream I had. It was about you, Rarity, Pinkie and the others." Rainbow said, pointing a hoof at Twilight.

"A dream?" Celestia said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Rainbow said, rubbing the back of her head and looked down at the floor. "Last night… I didn't dare sleep after I woke up from it." She said, floating to the floor. As her hooves touched the ground, Celestia leaned her head closer to Rainbow's.

"Care to explain what happened in your dream?" Celestia asked. "I know it wouldn't be pleasant to retell, but I have to know." She said, casting a glance at Twilight. "From both of you."

Rainbow hesitated for a moment. Go ahead. Tell them every bloody detail. The voice in Rainbow Dash's head taunted, using her hesitation as it spoke. Tell them how they were murdered because of what you did. It antagonized. Rainbow put a stern look on her face.

"Yes, Princess. This is what happened in my dream." Rainbow told the princess of her terror the previous night. How she had been in a desolate Ponyville. How she had heard a voice calling itself Morning Star. How Morning showed her where her friends would be. How she saw her friends lying dead in the town square, their bodies as fresh in her memory as they were in the dream. Then she told of how she met Morning Star.

"Can you describe this Morning Star for me?" Celestia asked.

Rainbow nodded. "He was almost as tall as you, Princess. His fur and wings were some grayish color-"

"Wings? So this Morning Star is a pegasus?" Celestia questioned further.

"No, Princess. He was an alicorn. He had wings and a sharp horn on his head." Rainbow responded. Celestia's eyebrows rose at this. Rainbow continued her description. "He had a short black mane and tail, he had a cutie mark that looked like…" Rainbow said, tapping her forehead with her hoof, trying to remember. "A… dark sun."

Celestia's eyes narrowed at this description. "A dark sun? You mean a solar eclipse?" She asked.

Dash's head shot up to see Celestia. "Yeah! That's what it was!" She said. This deeply concerned the princess of the sun. The last time there was a solar eclipse was a thousand years ago. But that was when… Celestia's thought as her mind trailed off while Rainbow continued her tale.

"But that isn't all. He had some sort of metal thingy on his hoof. He'd shove his hoof out and some sort of sharp blade would stick out of it." Rainbow said.

This snapped her out of her deep thoughts as Celestia's ears perked at what Dash had said. "You mean he'd thrust it out like this?" Celestia said, holding up her right hoof and swiftly extended her arm to its full length.

"Just like that. How'd you know?" Rainbow asked, furrowing her eyebrows together.

"It's called a-" Celestia began to say, but Twilight cut her off.

"A hoof blade." Twilight said grimly.

Celestia turned to face her student. "Yes, Twilight. That is correct."
"But that kind of weapon hasn't been used in a thousand years." Twilight said, remembering what she read in a book on ancient pony history. During the few conflicts that Equestria had in the past couple millennia, the hoof blade was a rare weapon. Only the nobility or elite soldiers often used it.

"Again you are correct, my student. The fact that a veiled edge was in her dream could mean several things." Celestia said, tapping her chin with her gold-plated hoof. "Anything else, Rainbow?" Celestia asked, turning her attention back to the cyan pegasus.

"Yeah. There was one more thing." She said shakily. "It was his eyes. They were bright yellow."

Twilight's eyes widened at this. "My dream started by seeing yellow eyes too." She said in a surprised tone.

Spike looked at Twilight. "So what exactly happened when you went downstairs?"

Twilight told them of how she went downstairs for a midnight snack, but then started hearing voices. She said that she followed the voices until she found their origin. "They came from a white book. I took it out and began to read it. There weren't any words, just pictures." Twilight said, narrowing her eyes and looked at the ground.

"Can you tell us where this book is?" Celestia asked.

"I think it's right… here?" Twilight said, her voice trailing off as she failed to find the white book.

"So were you dreaming when you saw it?" Rainbow asked.

"No… at least not that I know of." Twilight said, getting up on her hooves and began to search the library. "Spike, do we have a white book with gold trim and a pearl in the center?"

Spike gave Twilight a blank stare.

"I guess not." Twilight said, turning to her teacher. "I'm sorry, Princess. I don't know where it is."

Celestia was lost in thought. That book. It couldn't be. "Twilight, you said it was solid white, had gold trim, and had a pearl embedded in the cover?"

"Exactly. What does it mean, Princess?" Twilight asked nervously, but the solar princess gave no response. "Princess?" Twilight tried to get her teacher's attention but her efforts were in vain.

Suddenly, Princess Celestia's horn lit up a bright yellow. "We will discuss this later." She said flatly, disappearing in a flash of yellow light, leaving a confused dragon and nervous two ponies in the library.

"Yes, we'd like to rent a house here in town for a few days." A cinnamon brown pegasus mare asked told the old mayor. The two colts next to the pegasus were looking around the mayor's office in Town Hall. It was a fairly large space. The stone walls were painted white, the floor was wooden, and the ceiling was made of plaster. There sat a desk where the mayor sat, her desk littered with random paperwork. There were a few seats in front of the desk where the three ponies sat, a table to the right of them were a few purple lilies sat in a ceramic vase, and a portrait of some old looking pony sat on the wall behind the mayor.

"Just the three of you?" Mayor Mare asked, raising an eyebrow.

The black stallion next to the pegasus mare responded. "Yes ma'am. Just the three of us for no more than five days." He said boldly. The colt opposite from him gave the stallion a stern look.

"Alright, now do you want to do a down payment and pay the rest later or pay all of it now?" The mayor asked, holding up a hoof to adjust her glasses.

The light blue colt on the other side of the pegasus answered before the black one could. "Depends. How much will it be?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

The mayor held a hoof to her chin as she calculated the cost. "So let's see. Three of you for five days in a rent house." She whispered to herself, tapping her chin. Her head shot up when she had the answer. "That'll be ninety bits."

The pegasus mare's jaw dropped at hearing the price. "How is it that expensive?" She asked, shocked at the price.

"Well it's five bits per pony and fifteen bits per day." She said, not happy with the looks she was receiving from the black stallion and the pegasus. "Hey, don't get mad at me. It's the stupid worker's union that makes the prices." She said with a grimace.

The light blue colt smiled and pulled out a bag full of bits. "Is this enough?" he asked, tossing the bag onto the mayor's desk. The sound of myriads of bits hitting the desk and each other rang in the office. The three other ponies stared incredulously at the sky blue colt who looked at the mayor with a relaxed smile. The mayor opened the bag and began counting the bits. After a few moments, the mayor looked up from the gold pieces.

"I think this will do it." The mayor said, sliding the bits back into the sack and took it off her desk. "Well, then. I hope you will enjoy your stay here in Ponyville. Now if you could fill these out, you'll be on your way." Mayor Mare said, taking out three pieces of paper, an inkbottle and three quills.

The three ponies took their quills and dipped them in the ink. One by one, they signed the housing agreement that lay before them.

The sky blue earth pony signed, Speedy Delivery

The pegasus mare signed, Palm Spring

And the bulky black stallion signed, Silver Star

"That should do it. Your house is down Hoofington Road. It is to one right across the street from the Ponyville Library. If you see a giant tree with windows and a door, you're on the right street." Mayor Mare said with a smile, taking the housing agreement back and took out a key from her desk.

Palm Spring took the key and thanked the mayor. Together, the three ponies walked out of the office and into the atrium of Town Hall.

"Where did you get that money?" Palm asked, narrowing her eyes at Speedy.

"Well let's just say that a certain rich gentlecolt won't be missing it any time soon." Speed said with closed eyes as the three exited Town Hall. They soon began walking through the town, going to their rental home.

"Diamond Tiara! I'm home from work!" Filthy Rich said, walking through the front door of his large house. Hanging his top hat on a rack next to the door, he saw his daughter galloping up to see him.

"Hi, Daddy! Did you get the bits I need for the new bracelet I wanted?" A light purple filly with similarly colored hair with streaks of white asked in a snobbish tone. On her head was her trademark tiara with a diamond embedded in the center.

"Sure did, sweetie. Let me get it." He said warmly, turning his head to grab his sack of bits, but to his dismay, couldn't find them. His face paled as he came to the conclusion that he'd lost them. "Uh… hehe." Filthy gave a nervous laugh as Diamond's face turned from one of enthusiasm to irritation. I think I'll be going to the salt lick with the guys tonight after all. He thought as he tried think of an explanation to give his daughter.

Seeds of Corruption

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 8-Seeds of Corruption

-Canterlot Archives: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Master Starswirl, art thou still awake?" A hooded unicorn asked as he entered the historical wing of the archives. Books filled the shelves that encircled the room. There were books from all different periods of Equestrian history that surrounded the two ponies in the room. The works in the wing represented the Discordant Period, the Pre-Equestrian Age, the Rise and Fall of the Alicorns, and many other epochs. In the midst of these timeless tales, a single white-bearded unicorn sat at a square wooden table in the middle of the room, a large book open before him. His dark blue fur was illuminated by the silver moonlight that shone through the large windows in the room. On the lone unicorn's shoulders was a flowing multi-shaded blue cape that displayed the stars and moon and brass bells adorned the hems. On his head was a large wizard's hat that showed the same nocturnal designs as the cape, on which were many bells on the brim that jingled as he turned his head to see the hooded visitor.

Starswirl the Bearded regarded the hooded pony with deep purple eyes. "I am not yet drowsy, my dear Clover. There is still much that needs to be studied." He said, his old age making itself apparent in his speech.

The hooded pony threw back the hood to reveal a grey-furred unicorn with light green eyes. Clover the Clever gave his teacher a concerned look.

"But, Master, the day hast been spent well with these tales of old." Clover said, waving a hoof at the books around him. "We hath gathered much knowledge of the ancients as it is. Let us retire to each other's bedchambers and continue with our studies in the morn."

Starswirl turned to face his student, a determined look on his face. "My student, when thou hast gotten as old as I am, thou tryest to answer all of life's questions. Everything thou hast lived in thy life, thou question it in reflection. Such is the way of the universe. The older thou become, the more thou can look back and ponder. So no, Clover, I shall not be going to my bed any time soon." He said, turning his back to Clover and resumed reading.

Clover bowed his head. "My apologies, Master. If that be the case, I shall retire." He said, turning around and began walking back out of the library wing.

"Clover." Starswirl calmly called his student, his back still facing his student.

Clover looked back. "Yes, Teacher?"

"No need to apologize, my pupil. Thou hast many things to learn, but there is no need to apologize for being young." Starswirl said, turning his head to see Clover, a slight smile on his face.

Clover replied with a smile. "Thank you, Teacher." With that, Clover left the library wing to go to his bedroom. Starswirl watched as his student walked down the hall, making a right down one of the many tall white corridors of the archives.

Such youth. The old wizard thought. To be that young again, still with the knowledge I hath learned. Such is desirable, yet an impossibility. He thought with a sigh. There was so much to learn, so much to study, yet so little time to do it. The travel from his tribal homeland to Equestria had taken a large toll on his studies. After Clover came back with the tribal leaders telling of a new land where the three tribes could live in harmony, he was ecstatic to learn and study the new land. However, the trip took longer than expected. Being instructed by Princess Celestia herself to organize the mass exodus to the new land had greatly decreased the amount of time he could have used to study. However, this did not stop him from learning a great deal about the new land once he got there. The mountains, the valleys, the waterfalls, the land's fertility… there was so much of it to be observed, charted, and studied. With Clover's help, he was able to gather much information about the new land. Now he was old and advanced in years, spending his days in the newly constructed Canterlot Archives. There he studied from dawn until dusk, researching with his student and conversing philosophy with any pony looking for a debate.

He grinned as he looked back on the past. Memories, ponies, and events flashed in his mind as he reflected. He let out a content sigh, knowing that his life was well spent. He looked down at the book and continued reading the book, "Happenings and Strange Events".

Starswirl's eyes narrowed at the passage.

There is one pony, however, that has been seen throughout all eras of pony history. Where this pony was found, darkness soon followed. Somewhat of a prequel to the Discordant Period, chaos and evil reigned wherever this pony went. Questions began to form in the unicorn's mind as he continued reading. Not many ponies witnessed this strange alicorn, but any that did could only remember one feature. The alicorn's eyes were a bright yellow with slit pupils. All other details differ between accounts.

Bright yellow eyes? Where have I seen that description before? Starswirl wondered as he closed the large book. He slowly got up from the table and made his way to one shelf that was categorized under the words Supernaturals. Starswirl browsed over the titles of the books that stood on the shelves before him. Eventually, his gaze settled on one unnamed book in particular. It was a bright white book with gold bindings that sparkled in the moonlight. Wait. How long has that book been there? The wizard pondered. He'd never seen that book in his library before. Strangely, Starswirl felt called by the book, begging him to open it. Think of the knowledge that lies in this book. Starswirl's ear twitched, he could've sworn he heard something.

If it gives me information on this yellow-eyed fellow, then I shall indulge this curiosity. He thought Starswirl's horn glowed a bluish tint and the book levitated off of the shelf as he carried it to the table from where he came.

The blue magical field around the book dissipated as Starswirl released it from his magical grip. The book lay on the table, displaying a bright pearl embedded in the cover, surrounded by gold trim.

The old unicorn opened the book with his hoof, seeing a wall of text on the first page. Starswirl's eyes widened at seeing the array of languages that were displayed in the book. There was Changeling glyphs, Griffonian, Equestrian and many other languages that Starswirl hadn't even seen before.

He focused on the Equestrian speech and read. In this book can be found your wildest dreams, and your most depraved nightmares. You will find the brightest of light, and the blackest of dark. For light to exist, darkness must exist as well. Such is the way of all things. Some are governed by the light, while others are led by darkness. This duality permeates all of nature, tainting all with good and evil. Read carefully, Starswirl the Bearded, and heed the advice in these pages. Starswirl's eyes widened at the mention of his name in this book.

How do these pages know I'm reading them? Starswirl pondered. He turned the page to continue reading and was shocked at what he saw.

The page had only two sentences in it. Is it the pages that know who reads them? Or is it the author that knows who is reading it? The page read.

Starswirl was at a loss. He'd known magic all his life, but never had he seen a book that could talk directly to its reader. "Who is this author, then?" Starswirl asked the book, turning the page. He wasn't surprised to see a response on the next page.

He is one from ages past. One who is in a single place, yet can be everywhere as well. The page read.

Starswirl's eyes narrowed at this. So he could be in one place, but everywhere also? How does that make any sense? He thought, turning the page.

Make sense? What fun is there in making sense? The page read, responding to Starswirl's thought.

Starswirl narrowed his eyes at the passage. He had read those exact words in one of the royal journals from the Discordant Period. Those words belonged to one draconiquus in particular.

"Discord? Are you the writer of this book?" He asked, flipping the page. Words faded in as the book responded.

Nay, my dear magician, While he does embody the spirit of chaos, a little nonsense is fun every once in a while. The page read.

"So who art thou, then?" Starswirl asked, flipping the page.

The page only read two words. A friend.

-Crystal Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

A shadow glided along the dark side of crystal castle, its plan almost set in motion. Sliding along one of the flying buttresses of the castle, it covertly skimmed up the wall, not drawing any attention from the crystal guards below. The shadow smiled. Perfect. It thought, making its way to the top floor.

King Prodigal looked over his kingdom from the balcony of the castle, his ice blue eyes surveying the buildings and ponies below. On the ground, crystal ponies began to sleep, the lights disappearing from their windows. As the Crystal Empire began to sleep, the unicorn king turned to go back to his bedchambers. He walked through the crystal archway that divided the bedroom from the balcony and entered his room.

He looked around his bedchambers. Ornate crystal structures filled the room. Decorations resembling historical figures, symbols, and many other forms filled the circular room. A crystal nightstand lay next to his bed, on which his eyes settled. His large bed lay in the corner, beckoning him to sleep. Prodigal walked over to the crystal ewe woolen-covers and his horn lit a bright blue, his robes levitating off his body and floating onto the floor. His white fur and horn glistened in the silver moonlight as the robes were removed. Prodigal climbed into the bed, pulling the covers over his torso.

Prodigal turned on his side and looked back at the balcony, thinking about his subjects. All of them adored him. All were loyal to him. Yet why did he want more?

He loved ruling this country, but hated sharing it. The bureaucrats in the senate always held him back from fulfilling his royal decrees with their politics and filibusters. Who are they to hold back a king from governing his land? Prodigal thought angrily. I am king! Not those bumbling buffoons in the courts! He thought, looking at the illustration of the crystal heart that stared back at him from the ceiling.

The Crystal Heart. He looked at the illustration in wonder. Such love, such unity. How could a simple crystal cause such a nation to live in harmony?

"Makes you wonder why they even need a leader when such perfect harmony exists." A whispery voice filled the room.

Prodigal's eyes were wide open and ears perked at hearing the voice. An intruder! He thought, his horn glowing as a blue bladed crystal dagger flew out of the top drawer of the nightstand.

"Do not be alarmed, mighty King Prodigal of the Crystal Empire. I come not as an intruder, but as a friend." The voice said calmly.

The king looked around the room, the voice sounding like it came from everywhere at once. His eyes narrowed as his magic held the dagger ready. "What friend intrudes my quarters in the dead of night?" He responded, trying to muster what courage he had.

"A friend bringing a gift." The voice said, the sound centralizing on the wall to Prodigal's right. The king turned to see a shadow in the shape of an alicorn standing on the wall.

"What is this gift?" King Prodigal cautiously asked, lowering the dagger slightly.

"What thou hast always wanted. Those idiots in the senate have always stood in thy way, haven't they? Why not be rid of them and have this glorious kingdom to thyself?" The shadow said, beginning to materialize off the walls. A leg of the shadow disappeared as a steel-grey hoof stepped from the wall.

Prodigal's eyes widened as the dagger shot back to its original defensive position. How does this thing know what I want? He thought fearfully.

"More rather, what do I not know?" The shadow asked, responding to the unicorn king's thoughts. Prodigal stepped out of bed and took a few steps back from the shadow.

"Who art thou?" He asked in a shocked tone, his large and muscular form visibly shaking from fear.

The shadow continued to materialize, two other hoofs and the lower torso coming out of the wall. "I am one that has many names. But you can call me… Crystal Glory." The voice said, a smiling mouth forming from the wall as it spoke the words.

Prodigal lowered the dagger. "Well, Crystal Glory, it is not so easy to take power like that. There are regulations on power for a reason." He countered, giving the halfway-materialized shadow a stern gaze.

"Regulations that thou hast never liked to begin with. Thou shall not need to do a thing. Let me take care of them. Tomorrow morning, the Crystal Empire will be yours. Completely and utterly yours." The shadow said, emphasizing each word. A steel-grey upper torso now formed from the wall as it spoke.

Sombra looked at the floor, pondering his choices. He could listen to this pony and have absolute power, or continue wishing for his way but never getting it. He looked back up, looking at the shadow with a determined look.

"I accept this gift. Now what do I do?" He asked with a firm voice, the fear gone from his frame.

The head of the shadow finally materialized, fully revealing the shadowy alicorn from the wall. He wore gold armor from head to toe. A gold helmet covered his grey head, his sharp horn protruding from a hole in the top. His chest armor covered his torso, a single pearl embedded in the center of the gold plating. On three of his feet were golden hoofpads that ran up as spikes up his legs. On his front right hoof was a black gauntlet, sinister and the blade held inside the hoof blade. And on his wings were two golden armor pieces that covered the bony parts of the wings, letting the dark grey feathers flourish out the back. The pony's eyes were closed as Prodigal watched in awe as the pony fully materialized.

The alicorn's eyes shot open, revealing bright yellow eyes with slit pupils. He stared into Prodigal's eyes, his cold gaze beginning to take over the king's mind. Prodigal began to feel like he was in a trance as the control of his mind was waning as he looked into this alicorn's eyes.

"All thou should do… is rest." Crystal Glory said calmly, the king's eyes beginning to change color. No longer the ice blue that they were, they now became red with green irises, purple smoke beginning to billow from the corners of his eyes. From his eyes to his body, Prodigal's transformation began. Dark grey snaked over the brilliant white of the king's fur until there wasn't a spot of white left on his fur. His horn was no longer white, but now became a faded red. All benevolent thought fled his mind as greed and desire for power began to take hold.

Crystal Glory smiled at his creation. "Now to bed, King..." He said, thinking of a name for his new servant. "...Sombra. Tomorrow is going to be a new day for you." He said with a smile.

Sombra nodded slowly, still entranced by the yellow eyes. The unicorn king turned and walked towards his bed, getting under the covers and closing his new red eyes to sleep.

"Yes. Tomorrow will be a new day. A new day for everypony." Crystal said with a smile, melting back into shadow on the floor and retreated down the balcony. He had some work to do.

-Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Luna slept soundly in her bedchambers, the moon shining brightly on her while she slept. The lunar princess, while sleeping soundly, didn't notice a shadow shooting across the floor towards her bed. The shadow climbed up one of the bedposts and merged with Luna's shadow.

In Luna's dream, she watched fillies, colts, mares, and stallions sleep soundly in each of their beds. Each of her subjects was fast asleep, dreaming the happy dreams that she provided them. From Ponyville to Canterlot, from Manehattan to Las Pegasus, ponies slept soundly in their beds.

Such peace. Luna thought with a relaxed face. It can only be found in the peace of the night. She looked up at the moon. Its craters were each individual eyes looking back at her with warmth. Here in the night, she felt truly at peace. She closed her eyes and sighed, satisfied with her work.

"It's such a shame that such peace can't come during the day." Luna's eyes popped open at the voice. She turned around to see a steel-grey alicorn standing behind her. His yellow eyes stared at her, the yellow contrasting the dark of the night, making his eyes look even brighter.

"State thy name and business in this dream, stranger." She said sternly, upset that someone had interrupted the serenity of her night.

"Only know that I am a friend, Princess of the Night. I was merely visiting your fair dream realm and to compare notes." The alicorn said calmly, turning his head to look at the sleeping village they were standing in. Simple wooden structures with straw roofs surrounded them. At the center of the town was a circular building that culminated in a spire at the top. "What is the name of this simple place?" He asked curiously.

"This village's name is Ponyville. And what notes wert thou comparing?" Luna inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Ponyville. Has a certain ring to it." The alicorn said with a slight smile. He cleared his throat. "Ahem, sorry. Now to your question. I am comparing the day and the night. What happens, why it happens, and so on. I must say that thy night is much more peaceful than the daytime. While ponies sleep and are still during the night, they are busy and bustling in the day." He complimented.

Luna beamed with pride. "Finally! One that appreciates the night as I do. 'Tis true. My sister's day is much more bustling than my night."
"But…" The alicorn said, taking several steps towards Luna. "Why does the day get so much more attention than thy night?" He asked with a sad tone.

Luna looked at the ground, confused by the question. "What dost thou mean by-" She began to say, but was cut off.

"Thou knowst what I mean, fair princess. Why is it that the daytime is when ponies play and work while they sleep and ignore your beautiful nights?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at the lunar princess.

Luna's face hardened. "Because that is when they choose to carry out their business. It is not my decision nor my sister's." She said sternly.

"And yet, they choose the day over the night. What are some common connotations with day, dear Luna?"

Luna's ears perked at hearing her name. "How dost thou know my name?" She asked.

The alicorn smirked. "How do I not? A princess of the night should be as appreciated as the princess of the sun. However, more ponies are more familiar with your sister than with you. Is it preference that decides this?"

Luna began to feel something boil in her chest. What was this feeling? Was it… jealousy?

"Nay! 'Tis not preference that our subjects know us differently." She shouted, almost using the Canterlot voice at the strange alicorn.

"Then tell me, Princess Luna. What do ponies think of when day comes to mind?" Before Luna could respond, the alicorn spoke for her. "Peace, hope, and security. And what do they think of when night comes to their minds?" The alicorn said, his voice getting harsher with each word. "Thieves, uncertainty, and fear. Now tellest me why thy subjects think of thy sister and thyself both as equals when clearly, there is no evidence to support the claim!" he said, almost shouting at her.

Princess Luna was angry. Angry at this alicorn, angry at her sister, angry at her subjects. It didn't matter who it was, she was mad at them. "Begone from my dream, alicorn! Lest I see you again, thou won't have the chance to speak thy words." She said fiercely, the anger reflecting in her eyes as her horn glowed a radiant blue.

The alicorn backed off, his face softening. "Very well, Princess. I shall withdraw. But should my words ring true in thy mind, I shall be waiting for thy reply." He said, walking backwards from Luna, his form beginning to fade into the night.

"Then thou shall be waiting a very long time!" Luna shouted back at the retreating alicorn.

"I can wait." He said, narrowing his yellow eyes with a smile. It'll be sooner than she thinks. He thought as he completely disappeared from the dream.

Luna huffed in anger as she began to ponder the alicorn's words. Who does he think he is? I am the princess of the night and Celestia is the princess of the sun. Together we rule in harmony. And yet… Luna thought, looking up at the moon. Suddenly it didn't feel so warm to look at. It felt like looking through the window of a prison cell.

The shadow disbanded from Luna's sleeping form and towards the window that gave the room its light from the moon. The shadow stopped to look back at Luna one more time, smiled, then disappeared into the night.

Developing Situation

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 9-Developing Situation

-Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Ugh. What a night. Luna thought as she got ready to perform her royal duties for the day. She remembered the dream she had the previous night and shuddered as her horn glowed a deep blue. Her lunar neckpiece levitated and secured itself around her neck. What that alicorn said was a lie! Celestia and I rule together as equals. She thought, but something inside her said otherwise. Luna groaned as she walked over to her vanity. The vanity was made of obsidian and had small diamonds surrounding the mirror. Luna walked to her vanity and looked in the mirror. Goodness. My mane looks atrocious. She thought with a chuckle. Her usually neat flowing mane was frazzled and tangled in multiple places. Well, nothing a simple brushing cannot solve. She thought, looking down and opening a drawer on the right of her using her magic. A brush levitated out and she looked into the mirror to begin brushing.

Luna looked back into the mirror and her eyes widened in shock at what she saw. It was her… yet it wasn't. She stood taller and was thinner in the reflection than she actually was. Instead of dark blue fur, her fur was black as the void between the stars in the sky. Instead of soft cerulean eyes, they were a harsh teal with slit pupils. On her head was a silver helmet that allowed her horn and ears to stick out. On her chest was a protective plate made of the same metal.

Luna's breathing now became quick pants as her heart beat began to quicken. What is this thing? She thought, not tearing her gaze away from the image of herself. Slowing her breath, Luna narrowed her eyes at the image, the larger and darker image in the mirror doing just what she was doing.

"Who art thou?" She whispered, her reflection mirroring her every action. A few knocks to the door to her chambers caused Luna to jump and look at the door. "Just a minute." She said, turning her head to see the mirror again. She was surprised to see that her reflection had turned to normal. There was no taller and darker version of herself, only a small lunar princess stared back.

The large wooden door opened to reveal the princess of the sun, her white mane shining in the sunlight that came through the window. "Sister, didst thou sleep well last night?" Princess Celestia said in a soft yet authoritative voice. Seeing Luna's mane, she chuckled. "I assume not."

"Nay, dear sister. I slept well last night." Luna responded, but the uncertainty in her voice made Celestia raise an eyebrow. Luna began to brush her mane as Celestia approached her.

"Is something the matter, Luna?" Celestia asked, her voice filled with worry.

"I said I slept fine, Tia. Why art thou so concerned?" Luna asked hastily as Celestia now stood behind her.

Celestia decided to back off. She is hiding something. I shall question it further at a later time. She thought, making a mental note. "No reason. I was just wondering how thou slept." Celestia said, sounding innocent.

Luna looked at Celestia suspiciously in the mirror. "I slept well. No major troubles occurred in the night. So what is on the agenda for this day?" She asked, hoping to change the subject.

Celestia's ears perked, happy for the subject shift. "We are to oversee preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration next week. We journey to Fillydelphia whenever thou are ready." She said with a smile.

Luna forced a smile in return, masking her inner contempt. Ah yes, the one day of the year that serves completely as an ego stroke for my sister. Luna thought, immediately shaking the thought out of her mind. Wait. Where did that come from? She wondered.

"I shall be ready in the hour, dear sister." Luna said, returning her attention to her mane.

Celestia nodded. "Very well, I shall get the carriage ready." She said, turning to leave Luna's bedroom. Luna watched as her sister left the room, Celestia closing the gilded door behind her with her magic. As soon as the door clicked shut, Luna snapped her head back to the mirror, her reflection showing her original image.

I do not know what that was, but I hope to never see it again. Luna thought. Although, it may be more bearable than watching our subjects drool over Celestia. She thought with a sneer. Her mind went back to the dream she had the previous night. Maybe her sister was getting more praise and attention than she was. Maybe- No! Stop thinking like that! She shut her eyes and shook her head. This is a child's jealousy. I am over such immaturity. She thought, opening her eyes and looked at her reflection. And yet… Her mind trailed off as she resumed brushing her periwinkle mane.

On a cloud overlooking the castle, a steel gray alicorn stallion watched as the lunar princess brushed her mane. His slitted yellow eyes stared at the alicorn princess like a hunter stalking its prey. Yes. It was a good decision choosing her. His thought as his lips slowly formed a grin. Now that Sombra has been taken care of, only she remains. He thought, looking at his hoof blade.

The gauntlet's black metal glinted in the sunlight, casting a dark purple reflection onto the stallion's face. Lifting his right hoof and thrusting it forward, a blood red two-foot long blade extended from the gauntlet with the sound of metal sliding against the inside of a scabbard. The alicorn brought the blade to his face and stared at it. Small anxious whispers filled his ears as he looked at the red blade. Not now, Siphon. The alicorn's thoughts directed at the blade. Your thirst for blood will be satisfied in due time. However, events must be allowed to take place until then. The stallion thought, holding the gauntlet to his face. The whispers died down soon after he addressed them.

The alicorn focused is mind on the blade, the sharp metal sliding back into the gauntlet. As the blade disappeared from sight, he gave the lunar princess below a smile as his horn lit up bright yellow. I've waited so long… and now I am so close. With a yellow flash, he was gone.

-Canterlot Archives, Present Day-

A bright blue flash illuminated the Starswirl the Bearded wing of the Canterlot Archives. Once the flash died down, in its place stood Luna, a determined and fearful look on her face. She sprinted to the nearest bookshelf and began going through every title. On the History of Pegasi? No. Dealing with the Arcane? No! The Princess and the Peasant? No, no, no! Luna thought as her mind was going frantic. She just had to find that journal!

A bright yellow flash in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Luna turned to see the source of the light to see Celestia teleport into the Archives.

"Luna, what are you doing?" Celestia asked in a concerned tone.

Luna responded as she resumed scanning the titles of various books. "Looking for clues. Things that may hint as to when he's coming back."

"Sister, how can you be sure-" Celestia began to say, but was cut off.

The lunar princess spun around to look at her sister. "It is him, Tia!" Luna shouted with a fierce look in her cerulean eyes. "I have never been more sure of anything in my life!"

"But how can you know for certain?" Celestia asked, giving Luna a worried look.

"When I looked into Twilight's eyes, they were yellow. Not just any shade of yellow, but a glowing bright yellow. I've only seen one other…" Luna paused to think of how to describe the ancient being. "…thing that has that set of eyes. And your faithful student even spoke to me, but not in her voice! You saw and heard the same things I did. How could there be any doubt in your mind that the Ancient Shadow has returned?" Luna exasperated.

"We can't just rush in and assume this was the Shadow. For all we know it was an elaborate set up by a pony practicing dark magic." Celestia said.

Luna's eyes narrowed. "It takes a very powerful magic to induce dreams, let alone on multiple ponies at once. A magician that is still practicing would be nowhere near the skill set to produce that kind of magic. You should know these sort of things, Tia." Luna said in a cold tone.

"You think I don't!" Celestia said, her voice rising with each syllable. "You think that I want to relive sending you to the moon? Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, Luna! But you were not the only one that suffered during those thousand years!" Celestia shouted, her voice bouncing off the white walls of the usually quiet Archives.

"I am aware of that!" Luna retorted. "And I know you don't want to go through it again as much as I do, but there is a clear threat right now and you are trying to ignore it." Luna said, her voice getting dangerously low. "We can't pretend the problem isn't there, Tia. Not again." She said, looking at the ground in shame. "Not again." Luna said in a worried whisper. The memories of her banishment, though a thousand years old, still came through as clear as crystal.

Celestia slowly approached her sister. Celestia gently put a hoof on Luna's shoulder. At the touch, Luna looked up to see her solar sister. "We will take care of this, Luna." She said, embracing Luna. "Together." Luna returned the hug, a small tear dropping from her eye.

-Western Griffon Kingdom, sky above Dayguard of the Aegis Province, Present Day-

Gilda sat on the poofy cloud and looked down on her hometown of Dayguard. It was once filled with life and happiness, but now it was a quiet shantytown. A lot of the buildings had been condemned due to the fact that they were mostly unused and fell into disrepair. The government was too busy with the Eastern Kingdom and reforms for the cities to help out griffons in the countryside. Whatever griffons had lived in those parts of the kingdom had moved on to the bigger and rapidly growing cities in the central districts. As a result, she lost many friends when they moved with their families to the cities. In addition to this, all her friends that didn't go to the cities were drafted to fight a war that could erupt at any time. Well, save for one. She thought.

The flapping of wings behind her caught her attention. Gilda turned her head and a small smile graced her beak at the griffon she saw. Before her was a griffon that was slightly larger than she was. His eyes were a bold golden yellow that gleamed in the sunlight. His head was covered with speckled black and grey feathers and the fur on his torso was a mahogany brown.

"What's up, Hawkeye?" She asked. Hawkeye smiled back at her and shrugged.

"Nothing, huh? Yeah. Same here." Gilda said. "How's the therapy going for ya?"

Hawkeye's smile faded and was replaced by a sad frown.

"Not good?" Gilda asked with a concerned look.

Hawkeye drew a deep breath and answered. "No." He said, his effort making itself known through his labored and raspy voice.

"I'm sorry to hear that, dude."

Hawkeye shrugged and pointed a clawed finger at Gilda. He then pointed to the right, eastward. He looked back at Gilda with a questioning look.

Gilda folded her arms and huffed. "There is no way in Tartarus I'm going to those cities. Too many dweebs to be around anyway."

Hawkeye then began gesturing again. Gilda watched as he drew a half circle with his claws and pointed west towards Equestria.

"After what happened, I doubt Dash would want to see me again." Gilda said with a sigh. In hindsight, she had realized how much of a jerk she was to Rainbow and her friends, especially the pink one. But what was done is done. The past can't change. Gilda shook the thoughts from her mind. "But that doesn't matter. What matters is what will happen in this bucking country." She said.

Hawkeye glared at Gilda for her language.

"Sorry, but I'm just so frustrated with this place." Gilda said, her complexion turning fierce. "The king leaves us behind, drafts my friends into a possible war with our fellow griffons, and even worse, that lame Princess Celestia can't make the time to try to settle the issue when she knows that our governments can't agree on anything." She said, bitterness dripping from her words.

Hawkeye placed a hand on Gilda's shoulder. Responding to the touch, Gilda turned to see Hawkeye looking her in the eyes. He had a serenity about him that made Gilda feel better. "Don't…" Hawkeye rasped, his vocal chords straining with effort. "Worry." He said with a calming smile.

Gilda's hardened expression melted away as she listened to Hawkeye. Eventually, a small grin found its way onto her beak.

"For a griffon of few words, Hawkeye, you sure know how to cool my jets." She said, embracing him as a token of thanks.

Hawkeye returned the hug with closed eyes and a soft smile.

Despite all the chaos going on in their homeland, two griffons were at peace.

-Changeling Hive, Present Day-

"What is taking them so long? They should have reported back by now." Chrysalis said, pacing her bedchambers anxiously, her hooves making clopping sounds on the black cave floor where she stepped.

"Be at peace, your Majesty." Raspian said from the corner of the room. "They'll report when they have something to report."

After a few more minutes of pacing, the changeling queen huffed in frustration.

"Gah! Okay, I'm contacting them right now. I can't wait any longer." Chrysalis said, her holey horn glowing a sharp green.

"My Queen, wait! What if they're somewhere public? It would blow their cover!" Raspian exclaimed, trying to stop Chrysalis.

Chrysalis looked back at Raspian a fierce look. "They are taking their sweet time while their fellow changelings here starve and die each hour they are gone! We are losing time, Raspian!"

Raspian backed off. He knew he was treading dangerous ground here. "While that is true, Highness, I must object to contacting them right now."

Chrysalis's eyes narrowed at her captain. If looks could kill, Raspian would be as good as dead. "So then you recommend taking our time." The irate queen spoke slowly, venom dripping from her words. "You recommend taking our time while the only creature that can help us is trapped. And you recommend that the three changelings I sent to that Equestrian village wait for a magic user to just make itself known to them." Chrysalis's gaze softened, much to Raspian's surprise. "Very well, then Captain. I'll follow your recommendations on one condition."

Raspian tentatively looked at the changeling queen that stood over him. "What is that, your Majesty?"

Quick as a flash, Chrysalis swept Raspian's hooves from under him, causing the captain to fall onto his back. As swiftly as she had taken him down, Chrysalis lunged at Raspian's throat. Raspian closed his eyes and readied himself for the end. But it never came. He slowly opened his blue eyes to see Chrysalis's fangs that were mere millimeters from his neck.

"Should you ever question my authority again, I'll have to look for a new captain while my previous one is fed to the hive. Understand?" She whispered in a threatening tone.

Raspian gulped. "Y-yes, your M-Majesty." He said, tripping over his words in fear.

Chrysalis got up from her fallen captain and turned her back to him. "Good. Now I hope that those three call soon or I'm going to-" Chrysalis began, but was cut off by the sound a magical field. She turned around to see a green magical ball suspended in the air, casting a green light around the room.

"Finally, it's working!" A feminine voice from the ball said.

Raspian perked his ears at hearing the voice. "That's Cipha!" He exclaimed.

"Captain? Is that you?" A light male voice asked.

"Of course that's the captain, you dolt." A lower male voice responded.

"And that's Fang and Chassis." Raspian said dully after hearing Chassis's comment.

"Good. I've been waiting to hear from you three for the past couple days." Chrysalis said, staring into the talking magical ball.

"That's what I've been saying to them, your Majesty." Chassis's voice said, both Raspian and Chrysalis's eyes rolling as they listened. "I kept saying that you needed a report, but no. The others kept insisting on-"

"Chassis! Shut up and let the queen speak!" Raspian shouted to the changeling.

Chrysalis gave Raspian a surprised look, then turned to the orb. "Some silence at last. Now, what have you found?"

Plans and Prophecy

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 10-Plans and Prophecy

-12 Hoofington Road, Ponyville-

Three changelings stood in the atrium of the room of their rental house, a large green magical ball levitating in the middle of them.

"Ah, some silence at last. Now, what have you found." The queen's voice sounded from the magical green orb that floated before the three changelings. Fang's horn glowed a bright green as he maintained the communication spell.

Cipha was the first to speak. "We have rented a place of residence in Ponyville, your Majesty. We'll have five days to find a suitable magic wielder."

"Five days?!" Chrysalis's voice shrieked from the green ball, her voice bouncing off the wood floors and walls.

"We'll find one before those days are up, Highness." Fang said, trying to be quick to ease the queen's worries.

"I trust you'll be efficient, but please hurry." Raspian's voice said. Fang thought he had heard a hint of shaking in his voice in the latter part of the sentence, but dismissed it.

"Of course we'll be efficient, captain." Chassis chimed in. "Why, we'll be so efficient that we'll be done by the third day!" he beamed. Fang gawked at Chassis as Cipha grit her fangs and glared daggers at the presumptuous changeling.

"Three days? Hmm. I'll have to take your word for it, Chassis." The queen said with a hint of glee in her voice.

"We won't disappoint you, Highness. Now if we may take our leave, we have a unicorn to find." Cipha said through clenched teeth, still scowling at Chassis, who was still oblivious to her hate stare.

"Very well. Report back once you have the magic wielder." Chrysalis said, the green orb vanishing in a puff of smoke once she finished the sentence.

"Three days!?" Cipha screamed at Chassis. "Why is it that whenever you open your bucking mouth, you screw us over?"

Chassis gave her an indignant look. "Hey, it shouldn't be that hard to find a unicorn in an Equestrian town. I saw at least six on the way here."

"That doesn't mean you have to cut our time short because of convenience!" Fang joined Cipha.

"Convenient or not, we have time." Chassis said in an exasperated tone. "We have seventy-two hours to find a single unicorn that can use magic in the middle of the Equestrian nation. How hard can that be?" He said, ignoring the glares he was receiving.

Fang sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, Chassis was right. They had three days to find a single unicorn. It wouldn't be too much hassle, but still. It didn't mean Chassis should kiss the queen's hooves and derail their efforts every time they spoke. Just three days. Hmm. I guess I should enjoy it here while I work anyways. He thought.

"You know, you're right." Fang said, giving Chassis a smile.

"What?" Chassis and Cipha both asked, amazed at Fang's agreement.

"Yeah. We have three days to find one unicorn. We don't need to rush things." Fang said.

"What about our brothers and sisters that starve and die each day we don't find this unicorn? What would they say if they knew what we were doing?" Cipha objected. Now that she mentioned it, Fang felt a pang of guilt hit him in the stomach. True, the hive's food was depleted and changelings were dying each day.

"But think about it, Cipha." Chassis said, putting a holed hoof over her shoulders. Cipha gave Chassis an annoyed look as he spoke. "All our lives we have known sadness, loss, and uncertainty. Why not experience something different for a couple days? If there's an opportunity to rid myself of that cave's depression, I'm all for it. So whatcha say?"

Cipha shoved Chassis's hoof off her shoulder and walked to a circular window on the other side of the room. She looked out at all the ponies going about their daily business. Foals and fillies played, happy customers left richly stocked carts and stands, and ponies sat at tables eating and drinking while conversing with themselves.

True, it is different here. This isn't at all like the sadness and hunger in the hive. It's… happier. She thought. Her annoyed look soon shifted to one of curiosity. There must be so much to do. Eat delicious food, play games, not having to worry about being the hive's next sacrificial meal. She closed her eyes and gave a defeated sigh.

"Fine. We can take things slowly for three days. But focus on the mission. We need that unicorn." Cipha said, her horn glowing green. A green blaze shifted across her figure, starting from the hind legs and tail. The shift moved along her body, changing her fur and mane from black and green to cinnamon brown and khaki. A pair of similarly colored wings appeared on her back. The final green shift was over her eyes, which changed from blue to burnt orange. Before Chassis and Fang stood Palm Spring.

Chassis and Fang looked at each other and nodded. Their horns glowed a bright green as a similar green shift appeared.

Chassis's figure changed from a large black furred and blue maned changeling to a large earth pony stallion with black fur, ice blue eyes and a silver mane. On his flank was a large silver star.

Fang's figure changed from a skinny black furred and green maned changeling to a short earth pony with light blue fur and dark red eyes and mane. On his flank was a spinning tire with flames coming from the back.

Now before Cipha stood Silver Star and Speedy Delivery.

"So then, Palm Spring, shall we?" Speedy asked the brown pegasus mare.

"Let's." She said with a smile. The three changelings walked to the wooden door of their house and Speedy opened the door. As the three walked outside, their eyes widened as they caught their breath at the ponies they saw exiting the library from across the street.

-Ponyville Library-

"Where'd she go in such a hurry?" Spike wondered aloud as he scratched his head.

"Probably wherever Luna just went." Twilight deduced with a worried look on her face. If the Princess had to go check up on Luna, it must have been something pretty urgent. She concluded.

Rainbow floated above the dragon and alicorn and regarded her friends with a concerned look. See? Even your Princesses don't want to help get me out of your head. The voice in her head taunted.

Gritting her teeth, Rainbow held her head in her hooves. "Shut up!" She shouted, causing Twilight and Spike to look up at her in surprise.

"We didn't say anything to you, Dash." Spike said, his annoyance at her outburst making itself clear through his voice.

"She wasn't talking to us, Spike." Twilight said, walking closer to her rainbow-maned friend. "What can you tell me about this voice, Dash?" Twilight asked. If I'm going to try to get rid of this voice in her head, I want to know how it got there in the first place. She thought.

"It appeared after my nightmare last night. It hasn't stopped talking since." Rainbow said.

The voice chuckled. You think I'm here simply to talk your ear off? The voice asked in an irritated tone. Please, Element of Loyalty. I am here for a much grander purpose.

"And what might that be?" Rainbow asked, turning her head to the side to indicate that she wasn't talking to her confused friends below.

Tsk tsk. Now that wouldn't make this as much fun if I just came out and told you what was going to happen. The voice said in a mocking tone. Now Rainbow was getting annoyed.

"Well if you have something to say, just say it!" She exclaimed.

Straight to the point, are we? Very well. Listen to my words and remember them well, Rainbow Dash, because I won't be saying them again. The voice said. Rainbow nodded.

Time seemed to slow around her. The second hand on the clock on the wall slowed to a near stop. Sound faded out to where Rainbow couldn't hear anything but the voice in her head. Her vision began to fade to black as the images of Twilight, Spike, and the library began to darken. Soon, she couldn't see or hear anything.

Suddenly, a deep voice boomed all around her. "My message is this:

"From the mountains of the frozen north,

An ancient shadow shall come forth.

The sun will set on Canterlot,

A sacrifice that won't be for naught.

The six will become eight,

And this world's path they will dictate.

To herald a new dawn,

Or revive an evil once foregone."

As soon as the voice said the last sentence, Dash's vision and hearing began to return. She found herself lying on the ground of the library, a sore pain in her right side. Above her stood a worried Twilight and Spike.

"Oh good, you're awake." Twilight said with a sigh of relief. "One second you were hovering in midair then the next you dropped as if your wings stopped working."

"Yeah. What happened, Dash?" Spike asked, extending a clawed hand to help Rainbow get up. Dash reached for Spike's hand and took it as he helped her get off the ground.

Rainbow paused for a few moments. "The voice… it's gone!" she said with glee, but her happiness faded as she remembered what it had told her.

Twilight tilted her head and gave a confused look. "That's it? It just vanished?" She asked.

"Not exactly. When I was flying up there, it told me something. Some sort of weird rhyme." Dash said.

Twilight's eyebrow rose at this. "What did it say?" Rainbow told Twilight the riddle that the voice had said to her. "It sounds like some sort of prophecy. Did it say anything else?" the purple alicorn asked.

Rainbow shook her head. "Nope. That's it."

"What does it mean, though?" Spike asked, putting a hand on his chin.

"From out of the frozen north, an ancient shadow shall come forth." Twilight reiterated the first rhyme, trying to contemplate its meaning. "Could it be talking about the Crystal Empire? Save for the capital city, it's a mountainous and frozen wasteland."

"Could be." Rainbow agreed. "But "The sun will set on Canterlot". What does that mean? The sun sets all the time when Celestia lowers it each day." She asked, narrowing her eyes in thought.

"I don't know. Maybe we should ask the Princesses about this." Spike suggested.

"I could teleport us there if I knew where they were." Twilight said, somewhat agitated at her mentor's sudden disappearance.

"Maybe we should get the others. "The six will become eight" is what the voice said. Could that mean the Elements of Harmony." Rainbow said.

"It could be. But how can we gain two more elements? There aren't any other elements that we know of." Twilight said, concerned over this particular rhyme.

"Whatever it means, it concerns the rest of us as a whole. We need to bring this up with the others." Rainbow said, a determined look on her face.

"I agree. Let's go, guys. We have some Elements to find." Twilight said, her horn lighting up a bright purple. The door to the library flung open as the three ran out of the library. Their search for the elements was halted abruptly, however, as a white and purple blur ran into them on their way out the door. Twilight, Spike, and the incoming object hit the floor as they collided. Rainbow looked on the three in concern from her flying viewpoint.

Rubbing her head, Twilight looked up to see a disheveled Rarity laying on the floor in the doorway, a bruise developing on her forehead below her horn. "Rarity? What was that about?"

Rarity got back up and shook her head. "Twilight? Where is Spike?" she asked anxiously.

"Down here." Spike raised a clawed hand, drawing Rarity's attention. Her eyes widened as she saw the baby dragon before her. Immediately, she scooped up Spike and gave him a big hug. "Woah! Uh… everything okay, Rarity?" He asked. Normally he would be happy to receive a hug from his crush, but he sensed that something wasn't right with her.

"Oh Spike! You're okay! I swear on Celestia's sun that I'll never take you for granted ever again!" She cried. He returned the hug and tried to calm her down.

"It's alright, Rarity." He said in a soothing tone, but to no avail.

"No it's not! What I saw in that dream will never happen! I swear it!" She shouted, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Rainbow Dash and Twilight could only watch with concern as Rarity began to break down in front of Spike.

Spike's eyes widened at the mention of a dream. "Wait, you had a dream? So did I! What was it about?"

This caught Twilight's attention. "You two had dreams last night too?" She asked, raising a tentative hoof.

"Yes and it was horrid! I haven't had a terror like that in my life!" Rarity exclaimed, turning her head to see her purple alicorn friend while still hugging Spike.

"What was your dream about?" Spike asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It was terrible! I can't say it!" Rarity cried, burying her face into Spike's chest.

Spike put a claw to his chin. "Was it about me?" He felt Rarity's face making an up and down motion on his scales. That's a yes. He thought as he asked a second question. "Were there mountains of gems everywhere?"

At this, Rarity took her face from Spike and looked him in the eyes. "Yes. There were." She said in a shocked tone. "So did we… share a dream?" She asked.

"I think we did." Spike said, sounding just as shocked as she was. He then looked down at her and looked into her deep blue eyes. "But I promise I'll never become like that monster. If my greed can make me do… that." Spike said with a shudder at the memory of what he did to Rarity in the dream. "Then I'll never indulge my greed ever again." He said, confidence in his promise filled his voice.

Hearing these words, a big smile found its way onto Rarity's face. She stood back up above Spike and embraced him again. "And I shall never covet again, Spike. I always took advantage of your generosity and used it to my benefit. But no more!" She said happily.

Twilight smiled at the embrace her two friends were sharing. But how can two individuals share a dream? Is that even possible? She thought. In all her years of study in magic, she never knew such a thing could happen. This brought a new wave of concerns to her mind, but she pushed them back. They still had to find the other three element bearers.

Twilight cleared her throat. Rarity and Spike opened their eyes and looked at Twilight, reluctantly separating from each other. "I hate to break up this little moment, but we still need to find the other elements."

Rarity put on a confused look. "Did I miss something?" She asked, looking up at the hovering Rainbow above her.

"We'll catch you up on the way. Where should we go first?" Rainbow asked Twilight.

"We should go find Fluttershy first. Knowing her, she's probably terrified of leaving her bed right now." She said, concern beginning to grow for her yellow pegasus friend.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go get her!" Rainbow exclaimed, shooting out the open door and into the blue Ponyville sky. Twilight, Rarity, and Spike all followed suit and ran out of the library, determined to help their demure friend.

As Twilight ran out of her library, she noticed three ponies across the street. Two earth pony stallions, a black one and a sky blue one, and a brown pegasus mare. Their mouths were agape at her and their eyes were as wide as dinner plates. What's their problem? She wondered, but shrugged off the thought. No! I need to find Fluttershy. She looked forward, resuming her mission to find Fluttershy and the others.

-Across the street from the Ponyville Library, Ponyville-

"Was that who I think it was?" Speedy Delivery asked, a surprised look on his face.

"I think it was." Palm Spring responded, her face mirroring that of Speedy's.

"I recognize that purple pony anywhere. She was one of the ponies in Canterlot when we tried to take over. Except now she's got… wings?" Silver Star asked in a confused tone as the memories of the failed Canterlot attack came back to the front of his mind.

"So one of the Elements of Harmony is here." Palm said with a tone of dread. "Great. We'll have to be more careful around here then." She said. The other two nodded in agreement.

Events Long Foreseen

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 11-Events Long Foreseen

-Hall of the Guardians, beneath the desert of Saddle Arabia-

What is this that I feel? The cloaked figure thought, looking up at the Saddle Arabian night sky through the circular hole in the ceiling of the cave. Bright stars and a full moon filled the night sky, casting a bright silver glow through the hole, illuminating the hall atrium below with a soft light.

The cloaked figure looked down at the sand beneath him. I haven't felt this feeling in a very long time. Not since the day the moon concealed the sun. His thoughts trailed off, his mind taking him back a thousand years in the past. The falls of King Prodigal and Princess Luna, the rise of Celestia, the Banishment, the Mare in the Moon… it all came back as clear as the sky above him.

Hmm. But how can he still be here? That monster was destroyed… unless they used the Elements. If they did, that would solve several questions while creating even more. The cloaked figure thought as he began to pace along the sandy floor, his black cloak dragging behind him.

However, Starswirl's prophecy must be completed. The figure reminded itself, memories of the unicorn magician coming back to its mind.

The figure looked up at the sky above him, remembering the prophecy.

"From out of the frozen north, an ancient evil shall come forth." He said in a gravely tone, uttering the first two lines of the prophecy. The first lines are about to be completed. The figure concluded, closing its purple eyes in sorrow for what will occur.

The ancient Shadow has returned. The Guardians must be awoken, lest this world will be plunged into darkness. It thought, turning to face the atrium wall to its left. On it hung four tapestries, each one telling tales of great things the Guardians did and the evils they fought.

The first one depicted four ponies, a unicorn, a pegasus, and two earth ponies, each wielding a hoof blade on their forelegs. The second showed a great black dragon and one unicorn holding a scroll using its magic. The third showed two pegasi. One wielded a spear while the other had a hoof blade strapped to its leg. Behind the pegasi were five griffons. Each was a tale of heroism, sacrifice, and honor.

Three of the four tapestries had already happened. The fourth and final one had yet to occur. The final tapestry depicted a red banner with the same symbol as the one that represented the Elements of Harmony, except the colorful jewels of each Element were not present. It was only the circle with eight arrows in gold thread, the background of the Elements' symbol.

The signs were there. Pieces of an ancient puzzle were falling into place. The Long Night is coming. Taking a deep breath, the figure let out a mournful sigh. "This is the last one."

-Starswirl the Bearded Wing, Canterlot Archives-

Luna and Celestia ran about the archives, looking from book to book to find the one particular book that would solve their dilemma. They'd been from the arcane enchantment section to the alchemy section to Starswirl's personal library and everything in between.

"This is hopeless!" Luna exasperated as she began her search through the Enchantment section.

"Just keep looking! I'm sure his journal is here somewhere!" Celestia shouted from Astrology. Even though she wouldn't admit it, Celestia had no idea where Starswirl would have put his journal.

Just as Luna was looking through the section on enchanting inanimate objects, a low laugh sounded from the ceiling above. It didn't sound threatening, but Luna looked up just to make sure. Instead of seeing an intruder, she stared at just the purple painted wall with random swirling designs etched in gold lace.

"Tia? Did you hear that?" Luna asked from across the library wing.

I recognize that laugh anywhere. But what's he doing here? Celestia wondered with an annoyed sigh. "Yes, I heard it!" Celestia called back, walking towards the center of the library where a large hourglass stood in the middle of the room.

Standing next to the hourglass, Celestia looked up at the ceiling. "Discord! I know you're here! Now come out and stop messing around!" Celestia shouted at the ceiling where a large skylight was above the hourglass.

"No need to shout at the ceiling, Celestia. I'm down here." Discord's voice sounded from below her as Celestia looked down at the floor. There, with a stupid grin on his face, was the embodiment of chaos himself, or at least his head. Discord's horned head was poking out of the floor, looking up at her. "And might I say, you look lovely from this angle. It really captures your regality." He commented. Celestia gave the draconequus an irksome look.

"Stop fooling around, Discord. Come up here." Celestia said irritably.

Discord's grin faded and was replaced with a pout. "Oh fine, Celestia. Ruin my fun, why don't you?" He said, his head disappearing in a white flash and his full body reappearing in front of the sun goddess.

"What's going on over-? Discord?" Luna began to question but then was taken by surprise at Discord's appearance.

"Oh and hello to you, Luna. What are you two doing here? I wouldn't have taken you two to be the bookworm types. That's more Twilight's job." He said, folding his arms with an amused smirk on his face.

"We could ask you the same thing." Luna said warily to the spirit of chaos. Discord's snake tail flicked in irritation of her dodging the question.

"What? A draconequus can't stretch his legs around here by going for a stroll?" He asked. As he said "stretch" both his goat and dragon legs extended to four times their normal length. Luna stared in surprise at Discords elongated legs, but Celestia was in no mood for jokes.

"Actually this does concern my loyal student in a way." Celestia said, barely holding back her anger. "We received a letter from her assistant, Spike, asking for help and we arrived to see her in a comatose state."

Discord's eyebrows rose as his legs shortened to their normal length. "Well that doesn't sound very good. You don't think I had anything to do with it, do you?"

"Should we think it was you?" Celestia asked, giving the draconquus a skeptical stare.

At this Discord chuckled. "Me? Do any harm to the Elements of Harmony a second time? Yes, I'm sure we all remember how that went over for me." He spoke in a bitter tone as he folded his arms indignantly. Being trapped in stone for a thousand years and then some after being set loose and captured again a couple years ago, Discord had nurtured a small grudge against the solar princess but kept it under control.

Celestia had to admit to herself that even Discord knew when to not push boundaries too far. She sighed and began to describe the state of her pupil when she saw her. "Well concerning my student, she seemed to be under some sort of trance. She was lying on the floor, her eyes were a bright yellow-"

"Stop right there." Discord said, putting a lion paw in Celestia's face. Normally she would have been outraged that he had done such a thing to a princess, but Celestia was too focused on helping Twilight to care.

Discord leaned down to look the sun goddess in the eyes. "Did you just say bright yellow?" Discord asked, his voice sounded cautious.

"Yes. What is it to you?" Luna said, answering his question for her sister.

"Bright yellow with slit pupils?" Discord asked, pushing for details.

Shoving away Discord's paw, Celestia answered. "Yes. Why do you ask?"

Discord sighed. "Then I know why you are here. You seek Starswirl's journal." He said, pointing a clawed finger at the two celestial sisters. They seek his journal. If they are, then that means… Oh buck. He thought, his eyes widening at the conclusion to his thoughts.

"Yes. Do you know where it is?" Luna asked, raising a tentative hoof.

"I do." Discord said in a grave tone. Celestia was taken aback at Discord's sudden lack of silliness that he usually had.

"Well where is it?" Luna pushed. Discord's mouth changed from a frown to a slight smile.

Aw ponyfeathers, he's not going to make this easy is he? Celestia thought.

"I'll tell you two, but I'll tell you my way." He said with a grin, disappearing in a white flash.

"What you desire is below the castle, a feat not very facile." Discord's voice sounded, echoing off the archive walls. Celestia and Luna looked around the room, looking for the source of the voice.

"There you will find the wizard in the case, Starswirl's final resting place." Discord said again, this time his voice coming from a single source. The two sisters looked to the hourglass to see Discord in the bottom of the glass, holding his hand out to catch the falling sands.

"But be warned that when the mountains chime," Discord said, turning his hand to let the sand grains slowly fall to the hourglass bottom "You will be out of time." He said, finishing his riddle as the last of the sand in his hand poured onto the bottom of the glass. With a white flash, Discord disappeared from the hourglass and from the library all together.

"So the journal is in Starswirl's final resting place beneath the castle?" Luna asked.

Celestia turned to face her sister. "Yes, but getting there won't be easy. The way is riddled with traps to avoid grave robbers from getting to it."

Luna put on a determined look. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go get it." She said, turning to leave, but Celestia held her back with a hoof on the shoulder.

"We can't. The way can only be opened by a full moon. When is the next full moon?" Celestia said, Luna's confidence dropping at hearing this.

"I believe the moon will be at its fullest in three days time." Luna said, holding a hoof to her chin. "So that means we just have to sit here and wait?" She asked in an exasperated tone.

"Not entirely." Celestia said. "We will wait, but we will be ready for when the time comes."

Luna turned and looked at the hourglass, staring angrily into her reflection. "Well this is just great!" Luna shouted. She looked back at Celestia. "That ancient monster could come back at any time during those three days and we can't do anything about it."

"That's why we'll make ourselves ready for when that time comes." The sun goddess said in a determined tone. "Warn the guards to be extra alert and open the armories. Tomorrow, we make ready for the Shadow's return, whenever it may be."

-A cloud hovering outside the Canterlot Archives-

Discord lay on his stomach, watching the two sisters through the library's skylight. The soft fluffiness of the cloud on his stomach did nothing to help him feel any better. He is about to return. Discord thought, looking down on the Canterlot streets below. Ponies bustled about to and fro, each one carrying out his or her business. Some shopped, others ate at the cafés, and others rode in carriages down the street.

Discord looked sadly on the equines below and sighed. These poor ponies. They don't know what's about to happen. He thought. Having ruled over the land of Equestria once, he knew what it felt like to have total control over them. But the chaos that he wrought on them during that time would be mere child's play compared to what the Shadow would do.

Discord had seen what the ancient being could do and what suffering he could bring about on the land. The simple thought of what he would do made Discord shudder.

Putting on a determined face, Discord stood up on the cloud. Well if he's coming back, I know just who to warn. He thought, disappearing in a white flash.

-The Great Hall, sky above disputed Western/Eastern Griffon Kingdom territory-

The Great Hall stood proud in the sky. The tall building was constructed on the clouds above the very center of the once mighty Griffon kingdom, now split between East and West. The Great Hall stood as a large square, stone walls surrounding the perimeter and towers on all corners. Griffon guards in iron armor patrolled the walls and courtyard below, ready to attack any threat that made itself present. Inside the walls and defensive towers was a bronze four-sided pyramid, each side facing a cardinal direction. The sunlight made the bronze cast orange reflections all around the courtyard and along the walls. On the northern side of the pyramid was a flight of stairs that led to a large doorway. Behind the door was the atrium of the Great Hall where the delegates of East and West debated.

Griffons from both sides of the border exchanged verbal blows, their angry voices bouncing off the bronze walls of the pyramid. In the middle of the pyramid sat a large square wooden table. On each side, six griffons sat. There were twelve from the West, twelve from the East, each sitting down to try to hammer out a compromise. However, personal agendas and grudges couldn't be pushed aside for such a thing like compromise to exist.

"So, Chancellor, where is your pony princess to help settle this little dilemma?" Asked a griffon with a black-feathered head and brown fur on his body. This was the Eastern Minister of Commerce, Golden Claw.

"She will be along. I trust in Princess Celestia's delegation techniques. She has assisted me in the past and she won't disappoint me now." Retorted a griffon with brown feathers and grey fur. This griffon was the Western Chancellor, Solaris Cloudrunner. Being chancellor of the Western Kingdom, he was second to only the king himself.

"But where is she now?" A yellow-feathered griffon with brown fur asked in a venomous tone. This griffon was Sharp Beak, the Eastern Minister of the Media. "Once again it seems the ponies are all talk and no action."

"Well that's a lot coming from you, Minister Beak!" Shouted a griffon a white-feather head and black fur. This griffon was Senator Aeris from the city of Dayguard. "Why don't you go back to your cage and squawk to the masses about what greedy monsters the Western griffons are, you canary!"

At this, every griffon got up from their seats and began yelling at each other. Eastern and Western griffons yelled verbal abuse at each side with random insults being flung every which way.

However, there was one griffon that hadn't gotten into the fray. Such is the way of modern griffonian politics. The griffon thought with a sigh. How our forefathers would weep at seeing such a spectacle. This griffon had black fur and yellow ochre feathers on his head. This griffon was Cloudius Sky-Shield, head of the last branch of the respected Sky-Shield bloodline. Being in an honorable and ancient bloodline, as well as having combative and tactical prowess, he was held in charge of the military in the Western kingdom.

Cloudius watched as the delegates from both kingdoms yelled at each other, their arguments and shouts becoming the norm for these meetings. Sure they'd start out like a normal delegation meeting, but eventually, words would get thrown around and prides would get hurt. It was like watching two children fight over a toy, the toy being usually resources or boundary lines.

Cloudius sighed and reached for a dagger that lay in its sheath on the left side of his torso. Discreetly pulling out the knife with a clawed right hand, he decided that enough was enough.

Raising the dagger high, Cloudius slammed the dagger into the wooden table, making a loud THUNK as the steel of the knife connected with the hard wood of the table.

Hearing this sound, the other delegates looked in shock at Cloudius. In front of him was a steel blade with a gold hilt buried into the table. This alarmed several of the guards in the room as well, each unsheathing swords or readying spears at hearing the sound of metal hitting wood. But after seeing it was one of the delegates, they put their weapons back in their original places.

"Is this what we've become?" Cloudius asked angrily to the other delegates. "Have we become so prideful and stupid that we can't decide on anything anymore?"

"We have these meetings to try to do just what you said, deciding." Solaris said.

Cloudius snorted. "Give it a rest, Chancellor. The only thing that has been decided on here is how to best insult each other instead of actually trying to help our fellow griffons!" he shouted to the delegates.

Golden Claw spoke up. "That's what we try to do. It's just that some griffons don't want us to find compromise." He said, darting his eyes over to the Western delegates.

"We could find compromise if your pride wouldn't get hurt every time we open our beaks!" A Western delegate shouted. And once again, things descended into chaos and insults.

Cloudius sunk back into his seat and looked incredulously at the other delegates. Are you serious? He thought, sighing and putting his head in his claws. Taking his head out of his claws, he reached for the dagger he stabbed the table with and with a hard pull, withdrew the blade from the wood and sheathed the weapon.

Up above the delegates, resting on the ceiling, a pair of bright yellow eyes watched the bickering griffons below. The yellow eyes watched as East and West fought amongst each other. If the observing eyes had a mouth, it would be smiling right now. Such petty arguing. Working these birdbrains into my plan will be easier than I originally thought. The creature thought, closing its eyes and disappearing from the pyramid, leaving the delegates to their insults.

Tremors

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 12-Tremors

-Fillydelphia: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Luna looked around the Fillydelphia Town Square. Everything she saw was for her sister. Banners depicting the sun hung on various street lamps above the cobblestone walkways. Ponies sold Summer Sun Celebration memorabilia at the stands they had up for the event. Even the little colts and fillies had drawn solar illustrations on their faces and sides using face paint.

Luna should have felt happy for her sister. Happy that Celestia was having her moment in the sun as a ruler. Yet all she felt was bitterness.

Why do I feel this way? Luna wondered, putting on a happy face to mask her inner jealousy. Why am I not proud of my sister? To these questions, a small lingering voice in her head was telling her the answers.

Because she gets all the credit! Why do our subjects not appreciate the night as they do the day? Luna thought, gritting her teeth. Why is it that whenever she- Luna began to think but was cut off as Celestia interrupted her line of thought.

"Is this not a grand day, Luna?" Celestia said with a proud look on her face as a pair of pegasi hung an orange banner with a big yellow sun emblazoned in the middle onto one of the street lamps.

Grand day, indeed. Luna thought as she gave her sister a smile. "Aye, dear sister. 'Tis a splendid day." She said, barely managing to not clench her teeth.

Failing to see her sister's façade, Celestia continued to watch the festivities unfold.

Luna turned her head away from her sister's gleeful look. The conflict she felt inside her made Luna want to scream but was held back by public circumstances.

This celebration is such a waste of time! Why would- Luna began to think, but caught the eyes of two young fillies that were staring at her. One had yellow fur with fuchsia eyes, and a curly mane that was the same color of her eyes. The other had sky blue fur with sea green eyes, and a rather unkempt mane that were the same shade of green as her eyes.

The yellow one leaned over to her blue friend's ear. "The princess is looking back at us!" She said in a hushed shout, trying to vainly mask her fear of the moon princess.

"This was your idea! Go and speak to her!" The light blue filly responded in the same manner.

A small grin appeared on Luna's face. "If thou wish to speak to me, then by all means continue with your scheme." She said in an authoritative, yet humorous voice while still keeping a smile.

The yellow one took a few tentative steps forward and bowed low to the ground. She looked up at the princess on the platform and spoke. "Princess of the Night, I, your humble subject, wish to make a request."

"State this request. And thou may rise, young filly." Luna said, gesturing her hoof in an upwards direction to the brave filly. Celestia had taken notice of this and looked at Luna and the fillies. She gave a thoughtful smile to the fillies as the yellow one stood back up.

The yellow filly gestured to her sky blue friend. "My friend, Sea Shine, has not been sleeping well in days past." The filly said, getting a concerned look from Luna. "She keeps having these terrors in the night. She tells of a yellow-eyed monster that attacks her in her dreams. She hath gone to local physicians and doctors, but nothing has been done to banish this terror from her mind. So this is my request. Princess of the Night, could thou makest the night peaceful for my friend once again?"

Luna gave a compassionate smile and nodded. "I shall see to it that this nightmare shall occur no longer. I know of Sea Shine's name, but who art thou, my brave little filly?" She asked.

"Morning Bloom, your Highness." The filly said.

"Morning Bloom, thy request shall be granted. Sea Shine shall endure this nightmare no more." Luna said with a grin.

A large smile broke onto Morning's face as she galloped back to her friend and embraced her.

Luna looked on the sign of affection with a smile.

Celestia looked to Luna. "Thou art as kind as thou art hard-working, Luna." Celestia said with a proud smile.

Luna gave her sister a genuine smile for the first time that day. Maybe I am not as unappreciated as I thought I was. Luna thought, a smirk tugging at her mouth. I was wrong to harbor such jealous thoughts. Should I tell her what I was going through today? Luna cast her sister a glance. Celestia still looked as serene as ever. Yes.I think I shall tell Celestia right now. She would understand. Luna thought, opening her mouth to speak.

Suddenly, a great tremor rocked the town square. Luna and Celestia almost lost their footing on the platform as ponies began to flee in terror. Carts that sold Summer Sun Celebration merchandise were turned over, causing their contents to spill onto the street. Streetlamps that once proudly displayed symbols of the sun began to sway, some already toppled over from the shaking.

Celestia, while trying to keep her footing on the platform, looked upon her destroyed celebration site. Celestia had a sad look on her face as she watched the once proud Summer Sun Celebration become a ruined mess. However, mourning the celebration would have to wait.

"Tia! We have to get off this thing!" Luna shouted, the platform's support beams almost giving way from the quakes.

"Jump!" Celestia replied, leaping off the platform with Luna close behind. As they got closer to the ground, Luna and Celestia extended their wings, slowing their descent. They lightly landed on the cobblestone, a platoon of royal guards immediately going to the princesses to protect them.

"Do not worry about us! Go help the civilians!" Celestia ordered the guards. A few gave each other concerned looks, but they complied nonetheless. They took off in every direction, looking for ponies in need of their help.

A loud creaking caused both royal sisters to snap their heads around. Behind them, the platform, on which they were standing on mere seconds ago, was collapsing around them. Luna and Celestia immediately took off in a full gallop away from the falling structure, beams of wood beginning to crash around them. Splinters flew, wood shattered, and support beams fell to the ground where the two alicorns had been standing moments ago.

Luna, still trying to maintain a proper footing, looked to her sister. "What's happening?" She shouted over the rumblings.

"I don't know!" Celestia shouted back, the rumblings causing her hooves to shake as well. What happened next, surprised them both.

Down the middle of the cobblestone plaza, the rumblings caused a large crevasse to split the town square in two. Out of the crevasse, a large black rock shot out, displaying itself proudly as a macabre monolith amongst the destruction. Even though the ground was shaking, Celestia could clearly tell that it wasn't just any rock that had come up from under the ground. Crystal? She thought. What in Equestria?

Almost as soon as she finished the thought, the quakes began to settle down until no tremors remained. What was once the site-to-be of the Summer Sun Celebration was now a ruined plaza with ruined shops, toppled streetlamps, and a large black crystal stood proudly in the middle of the wreckage.

"What was that all about?" Luna asked, now having to get used to the ground not shaking under her hooves.

"I do not know." Celestia said, narrowing her eyes at the crystal. "But I do know somepony that might."

Luna snapped her head in her sister's direction and gave her an incredulous look. "Tia, you can't be serious. That old coot is on the border of senility."

Celestia gave her sister an indignant look. "That old coot may be the only one that knows what caused this disaster. Besides that, he is our oldest and most trusted advisor. It would be foolishness to not ask for his advice." Celestia said sternly.

Luna pondered this for a moment, then gave a defeated sigh. "Fine. We will go to him." She said, her horn glowing a deep blue.

"Thou knowest where he is?" Celestia asked, making sure Luna knew where she was about to go.

"Where he always is." Luna said, her horn's light glowing brighter until she vanished in a flash of blue light.

Celestia took one last look at the ruined town square as her horn began to glow yellow. The solar princess sighed as she looked at all the ruined work that her subjects had tried to do for her. Ponies are resilient creatures. We will fix this in time for the celebration. She thought, her horn's light glowing brighter. With a flash of yellow light, Celestia vanished.

-Canterlot Archives: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"This is certainly intriguing." Clover the Clever wondered aloud as he read a passage from A Brief History on the Second Age of the Griffon Kingdom.

Starswirl looked up from the tomes on his desk but kept his back to the curious unicorn. "What is so intriguing, my student?"

Clover put a hoof on a particular passage in the book. "It says here that 'during the reign of Discord, the griffons were able to see what he was doing to Equestria, but Discord never laid a claw on the Griffon Kingdom'. I am intrigued as to why Discord would prey on pony kind alone."

Starswirl turned to face his student and gave Clover a serious look. "To answer thy question, my student, I have a question for thee. How can we possibly know what goes on in the mind of one whose ways are impossible by our nature? Did that draconequus have private motivations for ruling only pony kind? Or was he preparing himself for a more widespread reign before he was made into the statue we see in the gardens to this day? We cannot know for certain. However, there are several reasons that we can see that may have influenced his decisions." Starswirl said, pausing to see if Clover had anything to comment on.

Clover simply sat there and listened with a risen eyebrow, taking in every word that came from his teacher's mouth.

Noticing that Clover had nothing to say yet, Starswirl continued. "Ever notice any differences between ponies and griffons, Clover?"

Clover seemed to snap out of a trance at the sound of his name. "Uh... um…" He stalled, trying to find an answer.

Starswirl's mouth cracked a grin as he watched his student fumble with his words. "One of the most notable differences is reaction to danger. Now based on what you've seen ponies do, what do they do when a disaster is about to occur?" Starswirl asked.

"They… panic?" Clover responded, tentatively suggesting his answer.

"Correct. They panic." Starswirl said, hearing Clover sigh with relief. "But what do the griffons do?" He asked, this time getting a befuddled look from his pupil. Knowing that Clover had not had any experience with their beaked neighbors to the east, Starswirl knew it would be an impossible question to answer.

"I do not know, sir." Clover said ashamedly.

Starswirl smiled. "It is okay to not know, Clover. It is impossible to know all things, yet this about the griffons you can know. When a disaster is about to occur, griffons do not panic like ponies do. They prepare themselves. Their troops form ranks and their civilians go to safehouses that were made ahead of time. So if a foreign power like Discord tried to invade, the attackers would have a much more difficult time trying to pry land away from the griffons than they would here in Equestria."

Clover nodded his head in agreement and gave his teacher a smile. "Now that does make much more sense. Thank you, Master Starswirl." He said in a thankful tone.

Starswirl waved it off. "It is what I am here for, Clover. No need to thank-" The dark blue unicorn began to say, but was cut off by a violent shaking.

The rumblings seemed to come from nowhere as books began to shake from their positions on all the various shelves. Ancient tomes, scripts, and notes all became at risk in an instant. Clover was having trouble finding his footing as a tome on astronomy fell to the ground next to his hooves.

"Save the ancient works! Do not let any harm come to them!" Starswirl shouted as he was shaken from his desk, grunting as he fell onto the floor with a thud.

Clover's horn glowed a silvery glow as he began to charge up a mass levitation spell. When he heard Starswirl hit the floor, his head turned to see his fallen teacher. "Master! Art thou alright?" Clover asked as he began to catch books in midair.

"I am fine!" Starswirl responded, trying to get his footing back, but the tremors prevented him from getting back onto his hooves.

"Is this an earthquake?" Clover asked, catching a late work by Trotting Hoof in the air.

"There are not any major fault lines near Canterlot that I know of!" Starswirl shouted from his prone state. He looked to his desk and saw a certain book about to fall. A white book with gold trim.

NO! His mind shouted as his horn glowed a deep navy blue. Just as the book slipped off the desk, Starswirl caught it and levitated it into his hooves. He held the book close to his chest as the tremors began to intensify. Suddenly, a sharp black object protruded from the rock floor. Starswirl watched in amazement as the pointy object rose up to reveal a large black crystal that had shot up through the floor. It broke through the stone floor, leaving chunks of grey rock surrounding the proud black crystal as it stood in the center of the room.

Crystal? How can that be? Starswirl thought as his eyes widened in horror at his revelation. He looked up at the black monolith as the shakings began to settle down. Soon, the quakes were but a memory. The present reality was a pair of two terrified unicorns, a few dozen books levitated in midair, a broken stone floor, and a large black crystal standing in the middle of the room. Oh no.

Clover, using his magic, put all the books into stacks and set them on the ground. "Well that could have been worse." He said with a slight smile, trying to lighten the mood. However, this was neither the time nor place for jokes.

"Oh believe me, Clover. It is worse." Starswirl said gravely, still staring at the crystal.

Clover then looked at the crystal with a curious expression. "Where did this come from?"

"It came from-" Starswirl began to say, but was cut off by a bright blue flash of light behind him. He turned to see the Princess of the Night herself standing before him.

Both Starswirl and Clover knelt as Luna looked at the crystal. "It has happened here as well." She said in a mix of fear and awe.

"As well, princess?" Clover asked.

Luna opened her mouth to explain, but a bright yellow flash interrupted her. Celestia walked next to Luna and looked at the ruined state of the archives, notably the black crystal in the middle of the room. "Canterlot as well? How many other places were hit by these quakes?"

"So this quake was not just a local event?" Clover asked, still confused.

"Nay, my student. It was not. It was a quake that shook all of Equestria." Starswirl grimly said to the princesses.

Celestia's concern turned to anger. "Then what could have caused all this destruction to our lands?" She said, angry that all her subjects had been affected by the quakes.

"It was a realm far to the north. Make no mistake, Princesses. This was not an attack, but a message." Starswirl said, turning his head to the crystal.

"A message from who?" Luna asked.

Starswirl looked back to the princesses with a sorrowful look on his face. "The Crystal Empire."

"Crystal Empire? Master, does such a place exist?" Clover asked incredulously.

"I believe the evidence for its existence is more than substantial in today's case." Starswirl said, gesturing towards the crystal.

"Then what is this Crystal Empire?" Celestia asked in a somewhat agitated tone.

"Come with me and Clover, princesses. We have much to discuss and I'm afraid that these archives are too unorganized to find the right source material." Starswirl said.

Celestia and Luna nodded as the two wizards began to show them the way out the archives. Just as Luna was about to leave, her ear twitched. She looked back in the direction of the strange noise and found the source to be the crystal. That sound… is that… whispering? She wondered, curious to get closer to hear better.

"Princess Luna? Art thou still with us?" Starswirl asked from down the archives entrance hall.

Luna looked at the group of three. "Yes I am. Just catching my breath is all." This got a few confused looks, but they soon shrugged off their suspicions as Luna rejoined them.

-The Crystal Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

He did it. That alicorn actually did it. Sombra thought, a wide grin spread across his face. He looked down on the crystal ponies from his balcony, watching them carry out their daily activities. Some were carrying on with business as usual, yet others wore black cloaks over their heads to hide their crystal sparkle, an ancient crystal tradition when the death of somepony had occurred. News of the senators' deaths spread quickly throughout the empire, causing mass grief over demise of the politicians. Almost all of the Crystal Empire's residents was shocked that anything so horrible as death could come to their peaceful capital. However, one unicorn in particular was unfazed by the deaths.

They are finally out of the way. Sombra thought, taking another triumphant look over his kingdom. The way the senaors died had been very efficient and left no trace. A single stab wound in the throat while they slept. There were no witnesses of the acts and no traces of evidence were found. The alicorn had been right. The Empire was now his. Completely, utterly his.

The smile on Sombra's face grew as his horn began to glow jet black. With a flash of dark purple light, Sombra disappeared from the balcony.

A burst of dark purple light caused the throne room's attendants to look toward the throne room's entrance in alarm. Before the attendants stood a dark grey unicorn with a red horn and green eyes with red irises, out of which a purple smoke seemed to pour. The attendants stepped back from the intruder in alarm.

"Be at peace, my subjects. Do you not recognize your king?" The intruder asked in a deep voice.

A few 'King Sombra?'s were heard from some of the attendants as looks of horror found themselves on the faces.

The dark king grinned. "Aye, 'tis me, my subjects." Sombra said, eyeing the crystal throne on the other side of the room. He slowly began walking towards it, a hungry look finding itself in his eyes.

A light blue crystal pony with a brown mane tentatively stepped forward. "Sire? Art thou well?"

Sombra gave the crystal pony with an amused chuckle. "Oh my dear Sapphire Shimmer, I have never felt better in my life!" He exclaimed, his evilly jubilant voice bouncing off the crystal walls.

"Well s-sire," Sapphire said, stammering in fear. "Is there anything y-you w-would like for us to d-do?"

Sombra halted his slow pacing towards the throne. He turned his head to look into Sapphire's eyes. Even though he was at least several meters away from the king, Sapphire could feel Sombra's eyes bore into his soul. He felt as if every shameful moment of his life had just been brought to light. His breath hitched as reminders of school bullies, early financial troubles, his parents' deaths, and every bad memory in his life was flashed before his eyes. Seeing all the memories at once was too much for the poor pony as he broke down and began sobbing. The other crystal ponies backed away from Sapphire in shock of his outburst and at Sombra's new power.

Sombra gave Sapphire a look of fake sympathy. "No need to mourn, Sapphire. This is a happy day. And on this most glorious day, I want all of you to go to the corners of the Empire and deliver a message to the people." He said, looking to the rest of the attendants. After seeing what just Sombra's gaze could do to Sapphire, the other ponies were quick to avert their gazes from him as Sombra gave his command. "Every crystal pony is to come to the castle courtyard. There I will issue a decree that will usher in a new and glorious era for the Crystal Empire." He said proudly.

The attendants, including Sapphire, were quick to leave the throne room. Within less ten seconds, Sombra had watched every pony leave the room. His gaze then turned back to the light purple crystal throne before him.

Sombra stepped up the steps of the throne. The crystal throne that had held great kings and emperors was just about to receive its current occupant once again, this time with a new power in its seat. The dark unicorn king placed his front hooves on the throne's arms and pulled himself into the seat. As soon as he sat in the throne, Sombra could feel the power coursing through his very being. The purple smoke that was emitting from Sombra's eyes began to travel upward, toward the top crystal of the throne. The smoke touched the crystal, immediately turning the purple crystal to a shiny black. The black from the top crystal snaked down the lengths of the throne, eventually turning the rest of it black.

As soon as the throne had turned black, a great tremor came from the throne, shaking the throne room. Sombra could feel the dark power going from him and into the throne, claiming it as his. Even though the room was shaking violently from the quakes, King Sombra began to chuckle. His chuckling soon turned to laughter, which soon turned to manic howls of laughter.

"It's mine! It's all mine!" Sombra shouted triumphantly, resuming his roaring laughter.

Sombra could feel the quakes in the throne room, but he knew the shaking wouldn't just be confined to the Crystal Empire. The tremors would travel across the land, letting every pony know that he was in control.

The yellow-eyed alicorn from Sombra's dream had been right. It was a new day, and nothing was going to be the same.

Investigations and Dooms Foretold

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 13-Investigations and Dooms Foretold

-Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

There must be at least a thousand books in this one room. Luna wondered in bewilderment. Princess Luna looked around the interior of Starswirl the Bearded's private study. Shelves lined the walls of the circular room, books and tomes of every subject filling every square inch of the shelves. In the center of the room was a large oak desk that had clearly seen years of usage. On the old desk were stacks of papers and books that were based on various case studies and histories. Standing around the desk were two unicorns and two alicorns, all of whom seeking answers.

Starswirl turned to Clover. "Clover, fetch me Ancient Kingdoms and Civilizations." The dark blue unicorn ordered. With a quick nod of his head, Clover trotted to a bookshelf to his left and began searching for the requested work.

"Starswirl, thou speakest of a Crystal Empire." Princess Celesia asked in a concerned tone. "Where and what is this place?"

Starswirl turned back to the princess. "The Crystal Empire is a kingdom that lies past the northern mountains, Your Majesty. It is a land shrouded in mystery and secrecy." He replied as Clover pulled out a large grey book using his magic. A light green magical aura surrounded the book as Clover brought it over to his teacher and set it on the desk.

"Ancient Kingdoms and Civilizations, just as thou requested." Clover said, cancelling his levitation spell.

"Thank you, my pupil." Starswirl said as he opened the book and began flipping pages. The other ponies leaned in to get a closer look at the pages until their noses almost touched the old pages. Now I cannot see what I am supposed to be reading. Starswirl thought as he gave the others an annoyed look. Clover and the princesses backed away under Starswirl's gaze. That's better. The old mage thought, resuming his search for a particular passage.

"Master, should I search for other works on the subject?" Clover offered, seeing that his teacher was having trouble locating the passage he was looking for.

"Nay, Clover. I've almost- ah ha!" Starswirl exclaimed with a smile as he found the section on the Crystal Empire. Above a few paragraphs of information was a depiction of a blue heart-shaped crystal.

"Thou found it? What does it say?" Luna asked, both her and Celestia's faces showing surprise at Starswirl's outburst.

"These texts give a brief description of the Empire itself. There is a paragraph dedicated to each aspect. There is one on its magic, one on its history, and one on its culture. Should I read all of them or just one?" Starswirl asked the princesses.

"Read the passage on magic. I'm sure that section can shed some light on what has occurred today." Celestia said, thinking back to the earthquakes.

"Very well." Starswirl said, clearing his throat as he began to read. "What is known of the Crystal Empire's magic is very limited, but what has been recorded shows that the effects of its magic can be felt throughout the world." He said, earning a concerned look from the Celestia, but a curious look from Luna. Starswirl continued. "While normal crystal ponies cannot produce magic like unicorns do, they instead channel their magic into a collective pool of sorts where it is projected by a very powerful crystal known as the Crystal Heart."

"Is that the Crystal Heart?" Luna asked, pointing a hoof at the depiction of a blue heart in the page.

"It appears to be." Clover chimed in. "The book describes it as 'a torso-sized blue crystal that has been cut into the shape of a heart'."

"Yes, Clover. The book does say that, but it is what the crystal does that makes it interesting." Starswirl said, resuming his reading. "The next sentence reads, 'When the Empire is full of happiness and prosperity, the joy that is felt by the crystal ponies is projected all across the Empire and the lands to the south'."

"And these lands to the south would be Equestria. Intriguing." Celestia thought, bringing a hoof to her chin.

"Quite so, Princess. However, what this book says next may not bring such good news." Starswirl said, turning his eyes to the book again. "It reads, 'However, if fear and sadness take control of the populace, then those negative emotions are reflected across the lands in the same manner'."

"That still does not explain why black crystals shot up from under the ground. The book says emotions and feelings are spread out from the Empire, not rocks." Celestia said, narrowing her eyes. "I mean, how does one nation determine the mood of half the world? It would take a considerably large amount of magic to even try to do such a thing."

"Which is why we need to investigate further." Luna said in a determined tone.

"I concur with Princess Luna." Clover chimed in. "Princesses, are any of thy scouts available to look into these strange occurrences?"

Celestia stepped forward. "I have a scout that has just returned from patrolling the eastern borders. She can be ready to depart at first light tomorrow morning."

"Excellent, Princess." Clover said enthusiastically. "Does this book say how far away the Crystal Empire is?" He asked, leaning his head to look at the book's text.

Starswirl nudged his student away from the book to read it again. After a brief scanning of the text, Starswirl spoke up. "Not specifically. All the book says is that the Empire lies beyond the northern mountains. It does not give any specific distances or travelling routes to get there. However, I'm sure that Her Majesty's scout can find a way there."

Princess Celestia smiled at the compliment. "She can. Shooting Star is one of the most effective and resourceful scouts that has stepped hoof in the barracks."

"Very well." Starswirl said to the princess and then turned to his student. "Clover, we shall see what we can find out about the Empire amidst the ruined archives of the library." He said, turning back to the princesses. "We will report to you when we have found anything of importance."

"Very good, Starswirl." Celestia said, turning to her sister. "Come, Luna. We have work to do." She said, turning to walk out the door with Luna close in tow.

Once the princesses were gone, Starswirl turned to Clover. "Go into the archives and try to find anything and everything on the Crystal Empire. I will be with thee shortly." He said, his horn glowing a dark blue.

"Thou art not coming, Master?" Clover asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I will, but I need to conduct my own research first." Starswirl replied, a burst of blue emanating from Starswirl's horn. A split second later the light died down and Clover saw that Starswirl had just teleported a book of some kind into the room.

"I have not seen that book before. Is it a new addition?" Clover asked, leaning closer to get a good look at it. He noticed the white color of the book, the gold trim, and a pearl embedded in the center of the front cover.

"Somewhat. Like I said, I will be with thee shortly, Clover. Now go." Starswirl ordered.

Clover turned to leave and started walking out. As soon as Clover closed the rectangular wooden door behind him, Starswirl placed the white book on the desk and flipped it open.

"Book, can thou hearest me?" Starswirl asked in a nervous tone. His heart leapt when black ink began to scribble itself on the pages.

Yes. Read the book's first page.

Starswirl gave a sigh of relief. "Good. I need your help. Something has happened today and I do not know how to explain it."

The great Starswirl the Bearded can't explain something? This must be serious indeed. The book read. Even though it couldn't talk, Starswirl could feel the sarcasm dripping from the page.

Starswirl narrowed his eyes and gave the book a stern look. "I'm serious. Something catastrophic has happened and I believe the Crystal Empire is involved."

Well thy suspicions are correct. I know exactly what's happening in that northern empire.

Starswirl's facial expression went from nervous to relieved. "You do? Thank Celestia. So what is happening in the Empire?"

Starswirl leaned in as the book's response was scribbled in. For me to tell you exactly what is happening would be detrimental to your research. It would be like reading the end of a book. You don't know how the ending got there and it leaves you confused. In order to have the whole truth, you must have the whole story. And while telling you would be easy, it would be more effective to simply show you what this story entails.

Starswirl shifted in his seat to get comfortable. He let out a heavy sigh and gave the book a determined look. "Show me."

Celestia and Luna watched from the castle's balcony as the sun began to set. The setting sun cast an orange-red tint on everything, bathing Canterlot in a light sanguine.

"Where is Shooting Star right now?" Luna asked Celestia, not taking her eyes off the setting sun.

"She should be in the barracks. I'll have one of the guards notify her and brief her on her next mission." Celestia responded.

Both sisters watched as the sun slowly sank into the horizon, reflecting on what had occurred in the past couple hours. Both sisters silently watched the sun, taking in the silence of the end of the day.

After a couple minutes, Celestia spoke up. "Luna, art thou ready to raise the moon?"

Luna shook her head as if she snapped out of a trance. "Hmm? Oh. Yes, I am." She said, walking to the balcony's railing. Luna closed her eyes and began to concentrate.

Luna's horn glowed a deep blue as she felt a magical surge course throughout her body. The sights, sounds, and smells of Canterlot were drowned out as the image of the moon rising from the eastern horizon filled her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut and focused as hard as she could on the moon.

Her horn's blue light intensified until the blue light was almost blinding. Celestia looked to the east and saw the moon beginning to peek out from behind the eastern horizon. The hardest part was over. Now the moon could rise by itself now that the magical push Luna gave had propelled it into the sky.

Luna's spell faded as she opened her eyes and looked to her left to see the sun going down completely. Strangely, she felt a twist of happiness of seeing the sun go down while her moon rose behind her. She felt a sort of… power.

"Good job, sister. The moon has risen and it is nighttime once again." Celestia said with a weak smile as the sun's light completely faded, bringing Equestria into night.

Luna kept her back to Celestia as she stared at the horizon where the sun had sunk. "Indeed. The night has come again." Luna said with a slightly twisted grin on her face.

"Well, 'tis time to go to bed. I shall see thee in the morning, Luna." Celestia said, turning from the balcony edge and walking back into the castle.

Luna turned to see Celestia walking back into the castle and go towards her bedchambers. Yes, sister. Nighttime has come once again. Luna thought, her twisted grin becoming a smile. And soon, the night will never end. She thought, suddenly shaking her head. Wait. Where did these thoughts come from? Luna thought, a look of shock and confusion finding itself on her face. Since when did she develop a rebellious streak? Where did this feeling of resentment come from?

"I need some sleep." She muttered to herself, rubbing her muzzle with her hoof. She trotted back inside and headed to her bedchambers, her mind troubling her at what she had thought about on the balcony.

-Crystal Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Sombra looked out the windows of the throne room. The moon had just risen and the Crystal Empire was going to sleep. Well, almost all the empire was sleeping.

"Why haven't they returned?!" Sombra roared angrily from his throne as the messenger beneath quaked in fear.

"I-I do not know, sire." Said a timid silver crystal pony with a straight light blue mane.

Sombra growled as he brought his tone to a dangerous low. "It has almost half a day." He said menacingly, narrowing his eyes at the nervous pony beneath him.

"I understand that, sire. I-It's just that they may have been f-frightened by your new a-appearance." The pink pony said, trying to soothe the king's anger.

Sombra's anger seemed to vanish for a moment as he looked himself over. "Yes, my new image certainly is intimidating." He said proudly, but then his pride turned to anger once more. "But feeling cowardice towards my recently changed visage is no excuse for deserting the empire!" Sombra exclaimed, slamming his hoof on the throne's arm in frustration. The silver pony recoiled at the sound of Sombra's hoof hitting the crystal throne.

"D-deserting, sire? I d-doubt any pony would do such a thing. Maybe they ran into an i-impediment along one of the empire's roads on the way b-back." The crystal pony said shakily.

"If there was an impediment along the roads, I would have heard of it. Nay, they deserted. There can be no other explanation for the missing messengers." Sombra said in a low tone. The pony at the foot of the throne could only imagine what Sombra would do to them if they were found and brought back to him.

Sombra's eyes narrowed at the pony at the foot of his throne. "Thou art the only one to return. What is thy name, pony?" He asked.

This perplexed the pony at the foot of the throne. "Sh-shining Star, sire."

"And why did thee not flee with the others and thyself had the chance?" Sombra asked, raising an eyebrow at Shining.

Shining looked up at the dark king. "B-because I swore an oath of loyalty to the throne of the Empire, and I intend to keep it."

This response brought a smile to Sombra's face. "Hmm. Thou art loyal even when thy peers are not, Shining. I admire that. How would thou likest to become one of my advisors?"

Shining gave Sombra a look of bewilderment, excitement, and fear. "An advisor, sire?"

"Yes, Shining. An advisor. Thou wouldst be a member of the royal court, giving me advice on daily matters with some of the noblest ponies in the land. Dost thou accept this position?" The king asked with a fanged grin.

Shining bowed as he responded. "I accept this position, King Sombra." He said nervously.

Sombra's grin turned to a smile. "Good. Depart back to thy quarters, Counselor Star. I will have need of you at first light tomorrow."

"Yes, sire." Shining responded, immediately heading out the door of the throne room.

I only wish that there were more ponies in this kingdom that are as loyal as my newest advisor. Sombra thought with a smile. Sombra looked out the window again to see the moon rising into the night sky. So now the night begins, and the day's duties end. He thought, his horn glowing a swirling black and purple. With a bright purple flash, Sombra left for his bedchambers. The throne room, normally bustling with activity, was now empty, save for the newly recolored black crystal throne.

-The Dreamscape-

Luna opened her eyes to find herself in the dreamscape. However, there was something about the dreamscape that was rather unnerving. Instead of a pleasant and sleepy atmosphere, fog shrouded the ground, preventing Luna from seeing past her own muzzle. She took a tentative step forward and realized that even the ground felt different. Luna looked down and her eyes widened at what she saw. Craggy rock had replaced the normally lush green grass that made up the ground.

What has happened to this place? Luna thought as worry began to creep into her mind. She looked into the fog again, this time seeing a silhouetted figure. From what Luna could see, the figure had a long sharp horn and broad extended wings. An alicorn.

"You there! State your business in this dream realm!" Luna shouted at the figure, trying to sound authoritative. The figure turned its head to see her and Luna took a step back in surprise at what she saw. A pair of bright glowing yellow eyes penetrated the fog and stared at Luna.

Those eyes... it's him. Luna thought, immediately becoming alarmed at the intruding alicorn's presence.

"Ah, thou hast arrived at last. No need to be alarmed, Princess. I bring no ill tidings to thee tonight." The alicorn said warmly as he began walking towards Luna.

Luna didn't know if she should run or wait for the alicorn. Alarms were going off in her mind, yet something stayed her feet. Was it doubt? Was it the faint thought that this alicorn wasn't here to cause trouble? Maybe.

The alicorn finally walked through the fog, allowing Luna a good look at him. It was the same alicorn from the night before. There was the steel grey coat, unkempt raven black mane and tail, and the bright yellow eyes.

Luna mustered what confidence she had and narrowed her eyes at the alicorn. "I believe I told thee to stay out of my sight, alicorn." She said threateningly.

The alicorn gave an amused smile. "What can I say, Princess? When given the opportunity to meet two rulers that have intertwined fates, I cannot simply leave it."

Luna gave the alicorn a questioning look. "Two rulers? Intertwined fates? What madness is this that thou hast spoken?"

"Is it madness? Or is it the truth? Or can it be both?" The alicorn asked with a grin.

Luna's irritation made itself present in her words. "Do not dodge the question, alicorn. What art thou speaking of?"

The alicorn was just about to respond when he looked past Luna's shoulder. "Ah, the second ruler to which I was referring. Princess Luna, meet King Sombra." He said, gesturing to something behind Luna.

Luna turned to see a big white unicorn standing before her. His bright white fur made him stand out against the dull grey fog that surrounded them. The contrast of his white coat and regal black mane made him all the more visible in the fog.

Princess Luna extended her hoof in greeting. "King Sombra, 'tis a pleasure. If I may ask, what kingdom is it that thou rule over?"

Sombra gave a warm smile to the lunar princess and took her hoof in one of his. Lowering his muzzle to her hoof, he delicately kissed the dark blue hoof to return the greeting. "One of the ruling princesses of Equestria. I finally get the chance to meet you. I am King Sombra, ruler the Crystal Empire."

Princess Luna's eyes widened at this. "The Crystal Empire?" She asked in a surprised tone.

"Yes. Dost thou know of it?" Sombra said with a proud grin.

"Know of it? After feeling the quakes that shook all the land, I now know of what the Crystal Empire is." Luna said, remembering what had happened the previous day.

"Ah, yes. That is partially because of the alicorn standing behind thee. He gave me the power to accomplish such a feat." Sombra said, gesturing towards the alicorn behind Luna.

Luna turned to face the alicorn, who still had that warm smile on his face. "You caused the tremors?"

The alicorn shook his head. "Directly? No. I simply imbued Sombra with some of my power to give him more control over his empire. And how has that worked out for thee, Sombra?" He said, looking over at Sombra.

"It has worked out brilliantly. Because of what thou did, I now have complete control over the empire." Sombra beamed.

The alicorn then turned back to Luna. "And Luna, how hast thou been since we talked last? Did the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration go smoothly?"

Luna gave the alicorn a surprised look. "How could thou knowest about that?"

"I can be in many places at once, my dear princess." The alicorn said proudly. "Now, Summer Sun Celebration." He said, almost as if he was testing how the words sounded in his mouth. "Seems like a strange name for such a hoof-kissing occasion."

"I hate to say this, but I half-heartedly agree with thee." Luna said.

"Half-heartedly?" Sombra asked, walking up next to her. "Care to explain why not thy agreement is whole-hearted?"

"Well, during the preparations two children came to me and paid their respects to me. It reminded me of how there are some who still appreciate me as they appreciate my sister." Luna said, a confidence in her subjects rising in her chest.

"But only two children out of how many ponies?" The alicorn asked, mock surprise lacing his words. "And what did they do after thou let them approach thee?

Luna's confidence began to falter. "One of them asked me to help with some nightmares that the other had been having."

"So it was only to ask a favor?" The alicorn asked with a chuckle. "That sounds like they just used you to get a good night's rest. I do not know much about paying respects, but that does not sound like it."

Sombra chimed in. "So other than that, nopony talked to thee? Or even acknowledged that thou wert there?"

Luna's silence surprised even herself.

"My, my. It truly shocks me that thy subjects only need thee for when they are having a rough night's sleep." The alicorn said maliciously, smiling at Luna all the while.

Luna felt an anger curdling inside her. The affection the children had showed her, the love her sister had for her. It felt so genuine, only now it felt like it was all a lie.

The alicorn took notice of her anger and spoke up. "Now, now, Luna. Let's not be too hasty to anger here. Besides, thou are not the only pony here that will be affected by your sister."

This caught Sombra's attention as his smiling expression turned to a concerned one. "What art thou talking about, alicorn?"

"Like I said to Luna earlier, both of your fates are intertwined. Celestia is the one by which thine fates are tied." The alicorn said with a twisted grin.

"Celestia ties our fates together? What does that mean?" Luna asked, momentarily breaking away from her inner rage.

"In the near future, there will be two banishments. One shall be banished from this world, and the other shall be banished into this world. How that shall come about, only time will tell."

Sombra and Luna were at a loss for words.

Banishment? Luna thought, shocked at the very idea of her being sent away. But what did Celestia have to do with it? Could she be the one to banish me? The thought of such a thing made her stomach churn.

Banishment? Sombra thought, suddenly afraid to lose his newfound powers. For most of his rule, the senate had suppressed Sombra's power. And just when his power's limitations were lifted, his rule was to be taken away.

"This cannot be the future. It cannot!" Sombra exclaimed at the alicorn.

The alicorn stomped on the rocky ground. "It can be avoided. But not without my help."

"Tell us how we can avoid this future." Sombra pleaded, fear of the alicorn's prediction showing itself on both his and Luna's faces.

"Sombra, I would advise stepping up thy control over thy subjects. Should any dissenters try to get to Celestia about thy new rule, all thy new power will be lost." The alicorn said to Sombra. Sombra nodded in response.

The alicorn then turned to Luna. "And Princess Luna, consider my words. Be wary of thy sister. This Summer Sun Celebration will only be the beginning of Celestia's bid for complete control. By focusing all the attention on her, no one will bat an eye when thou art removed from the picture."

The alicorn's words seeped into Luna's mind as they strangely rang true for the alicorn princess. "I shall be watchful of my sister. If she wants me gone, she will not be able to without a fight." She said in a malicious tone.

The alicorn smiled. "Good. Well, 'tis time for me to depart. Until next time, Majesties." He said with a small bow of his head. The alicorn's image began to fade until nothing was left.

Almost immediately, the fog was lifted from the dreamscape. The rock beneath Sombra's and Luna's hooves cracked open as full green grass broke through the rocky surface. Silver moonlight shone from a bright gibbous moon, bathing the land in a soft light. The dreamscape had returned to its normal state.

Sombra and Luna exchanged nervous looks.

"Let us pray that the future he spoke of does not come about." Sombra said in a concerned tone.

Luna nodded as a grim look found its way onto her face. Banishment? But how? What will happen that would cause such an atrocity to happen? Or what will the banisher's motive be behind sending me away? She pondered, her mind going back to what the alicorn had said before leaving. If Celestia seeks to remove me from rule, then I will have to be ready for whenever she makes her move.

-Sky above Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

A dark grey alicorn hovered outside the window to Luna's bedchamber with a malicious grin on his face. The pieces are set. The seeds have been sown. Now all I need to do… is wait. The alicorn thought, his grin growing into a smile. With that thought and a bright flash of yellow light from his horn, he disappeared into the night.

A Look into the Past

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 14-A Look Into the Past

-Canterlot Archives: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Show me." Starswirl said confidently to the white book in front of him, ready to receive whatever truths the book had to offer him.

A scribble of text began to write itself into the book. Close this book and look deeply into the pearl on the cover. It read. Starswirl complied, closing the book and looked at the small pearl that was embedded in the cover. As Starswirl looked into the small white stone, he noticed how hypnotic the pearl looked with the gold trim surrounding it.

Maybe I should get a little closer. Starswirl thought as he tentatively leaned in a bit closer to the book's cover. His gaze was focused on just the pearl, waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly, Starswirl's eye caught something. It almost looked like a small yellow light emanating from within the pearl itself. What is this? Starswirl thought in curiosity, his eyes narrowing at the faint glow. What happened next, Starswirl would never have expected. As Starswirl's eyes narrowed at the pearl, a bright yellow flash filled his vision. Starswirl felt as if someone had just shone a torch in his eyes in the dead of night. Immediately, he pinched his eyes shut in reaction to the flash.

"Gah!" Starswirl shouted both in surprise and in pain. He covered his eyes with his hooves, trying to fight off the pain originating in his eyes. What in blazes was that? He thought, feeling the pain begin to fade from his vision. Starswirl took his hooves off his eyes and opened them. To his surprise, the old unicorn saw nothing. Starswirl closed his eyes and shook his head in surprise. Maybe the sudden burst of light has temporarily blinded me. He thought, opening his eyes again, still seeing only black. What? What is going on? Starswirl thought, fear of being blind beginning to set in.

Suddenly, an image began to fade in to Starswirl's vision. Starswirl felt relived that he wasn't blind, but also felt uncertain about what was about to happen.

The image faded in to reveal a room filled with beakers full of various chemicals and mixtures. Liquids were boiled on a spit-like contraption that hung over a small fire pit in the corner of the room. Starswirl looked around to see glass jars contained all sorts of ingredients like roots, bones, fur, and various other things. In the middle of the room was an aqua blue-coated unicorn with purple eyes an unkempt peachy orange mane. On his flank was a depiction of a red crystal in the shape of a heart.

"In the beginning, there was only pony and crystal. What started as a simple experiment became a grand empire that lasted for centuries. Its impact on the world is undeniable, and its magic has remained a mystery to most scholars to this day." Said a voice from above Starswirl. Starswirl looked above him and saw only the room's ceiling. He turned his head around looking for the origin of the voice, but found the same result.

"Do not be disturbed, Starswirl the Bearded. What you are seeing is unrecorded history. Until today, no pony has known the origins of this mysterious empire." The voice said in a deep tone.

"Who art thou? What is this place?" Starswirl frantically asked the voice.

"I am but the narration of history, my dear magician. And as for where thou art, it is the Canterlot Archives."

Starswirl's eyebrow rose at this answer. "But how can I still be in the archives when I can clearly see that I am somewhere else?"

"What thou art seeing is a vision, Starswirl. Everything thou art seeing occurred nearly five hundred years ago."

"But what does this unicorn have to do with the Crystal Empire?" Starswirl asked, gesturing towards the experimenting pony before him.

"Watch and thou shall see." The voice said. Starswirl sighed and continued watching the unicorn.

The unicorn levitated several items towards the middle of the room where a big hoof-drawn circle had been drawn. Starswirl watched with both intrigue and disgust as the unicorn carried three bones, three pairs of eyes, three brains, three hearts, and three pieces of crystal into the circle. One crystal was red, another was yellow, and a third was blue.

"Now, if my notes are correct, then that is all I should need." The brown unicorn said with excitement. "So let's go down the list." He said, looking at each item individually. "Three bones from a pony cemetery, three crystals from the northern mountain caves, three sets of eyes, three brains, and three hearts from an organ donation center. The spell ingredients are ready."

Starswirl began to wonder if the things this pony was doing were even legal. Stealing from an organ donation center? Digging up a grave for bones? What was he going to do with these spell ingredients? Necromancy? Making some sort of perverse monster? Whatever that pony is doing I am not sure if I will like it. Starswirl thought.

"Put thy concerns to rest, Starswirl." The voice said in a calming tone. "The pony we are observing is Crystal Soul. Because of this unicorn, the crystal pony race was born."

Unsure of what to expect, Starswirl continued watching Crystal as he seemed to be preparing some sort of incantation.

"Now that all the ingredients have been gathered, it's time to see if this works." Crystal said, sounding both excited and nervous. Starswirl watched in wonder as Crystal's horn began to glow a rust red.

Suddenly, the circle glowed a bright blue, illuminating the small room in a soft turquoise. Crystal's eyes were pinched shut as he began to concentrate on the spell. Starswirl's vision darted between Crystal and what was beginning to happen in the circle. In the circle, the organs, bones, and crystals began to orbit around the perimeter of the dirt circle. As Crystal's horn glowed brighter, the objects spun around the circle faster. Soon, the objects in the circle were a blur as Crystal began grunting under the strain the spell was putting on his mind.

Starswirl stood by, spellbound by what was taking place before his eyes.

"And… now…" Crystal said, grunting between words. "The final… ingredient." As he said this, a bright white glow began to form at the tip of his horn. Starswirl watched in amazement as the glow grew into a small ball of light at the end of Crystal's horn.

With a final grunt of exertion, Crystal pushed the white ball away from himself and sent it towards the rapidly swirling spell ingredients. Starswirl's eyes tracked the white ball until it touched the spinning ingredients. As soon as the ball touched the various rotating objects, a bright flash of white light blinded both Starswirl and Crystal.

Starswirl shut his eyes from the flash for a few moments to let his eyes recover. He opened them to behold three of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. Three ponies lay on the ground in front of him. One was male with a red coat and orange mane, a female with yellow fur and a green mane, and a second female with blue fur and a purple mane. However, there was something strange about the ponies that lay before Starswirl. It was the fur and the mane of each pony that caught the eyes of the magician. They shone in the dark, like crystals in a cave. Crystals. Crystal! Starswirl thought, realizing what Crystal Soul had just done.

Starswirl heard a groan from his left and saw Crystal rubbing his closed eyes. After recovering from the flash, Crystal looked up and saw the result of his experiment.

"Did it work?" He asked himself. Crystal ran to the side of the newly created crystal ponies. He looked over his work and inspected each one of them. "Body size is regular. Fusion of crystal and flesh has been achieved. But what about the organs?" Crystal wondered, putting his ears to the side of the red male crystal pony.

"Go on, Starswirl." The voice above him said. "Feel the pony's lungs expand. Feel the beating of its heart. Feel what only one other has felt in the history of the world."

Starswirl took a tentative few steps towards the red prone crystal pony. He took a moment to look at the creature that was before him. A living, breathing creature. Created from nothing but magic and flesh. He thought, his mind buzzing with amazement as a huge smile found its way onto his face.

Gently putting his ears on the crystal pony's chest, Starswirl waited for the crystal pony to prove that it was alive. After a few seconds, Starswirl's heart leapt with excitement as he felt the pony's chest rise, slightly pushing the old unicorn mage's head with it, and then falling back to its original position. Starswirl felt and heard the thump-thump…thump-thump of the crystal pony's heartbeat.

"This is unbelievable." Starswirl thought aloud in amazement.

"Which makes it all the more magnificent, does it not?" The voice above Starswirl said.

"To create life from nothing but magic and organs. It is the most wondrous thing I have ever seen in my life. However, I have never heard or read of the kind of spell that unicorn just used." Starswirl said, his academic curiosity getting the better of him.

"Unfortunately, all the ponies that knew how to perform such a spell died out millennia ago with the death of that young unicorn that thou art next to." The voice said, causing Starswirl's head to turn in Crystal Soul's direction. Starswirl watched as Crystal started laughing and tears of joy came to the unicorn's eyes. "Crystal Soul is the last one to know this enchantment."

Both sorrow and joy were felt in Starswirl's heart. Both for the lost knowledge and that he had just watched a long lost spell be performed. "But surely he could have written it down. Or saved it away in a log somewhere." Starswirl said, trying to believe he could obtain the spell.

"I am sorry, my dear magician. But Crystal died before he could write it down." The voice said with a twinge of sympathy.

Starswirl continued watching Crystal rejoice over his creation. "How old was he when he passed?" Starswirl asked.

"Thou see his current condition?" The voice asked. Starswirl nodded in reply, still keeping his eyes on Crystal. "He would die five years from today."

Starswirl's eyes widened. "Five years? To die so young and with so much to see and do is horrible in every aspect. What caused this untimely demise?"

"That very spell you saw him cast. The ball of light you saw leave his horn was literally a part of himself. He gave life to his creation by giving away part of his own."

Starswirl tried to take in what he had just heard. "How can a pony give away pieces of himself to create new life?" He pondered, still shocked by the voice's answer.

"It is a mystery lost in time, Starswirl. All that matters is what happened in this room and what thou just beheld. However, there is more of the story that must be told." The voice said.

Starswirl watched as the image of Crystal and the three crystal ponies began to fade to black.

Before Starswirl could ask what was going on, the voice spoke up. "What transpired in that small laboratory was the start of one of the greatest civilizations in the history of the world. From an experiment came the world's first male and first two female crystal ponies. Crystal Soul wanted his new creations to live amongst pony-kind. However, this was met with opposition from most ponies."

As the voice's words ended, Starswirl's vision began to fade back in. This time, he was in the middle of a town square. The streets were filled with ponies of all races and colors. Angry shouts filled the air, but angry shouts at what? Starswirl walked through the crowd of ponies to find Crystal Soul and the red crystal pony at the front. Behind them were the yellow and blue crystal pony mares, cowering from the crowd.

"Take these mutants away from us, Crystal Soul!" One pegasus stallion shouted towards the front of the raging mob.

"But why? What have they done to deserve such hatred from thee?" Crystal pleaded, but the crowd wouldn't let up.

"Why should we associate ourselves with these half-breeds?" An earth pony mare exclaimed, earning shouts of approval from those around her.

"But we are living and breathing ponies just as thou art! Why should we be shunned and not thee?" The red crystal pony shouted back angrily.

"Ponies! Ha!" One unicorn stallion shouted. "Thou art not a pony! Thou art merely a mix of flesh and rock!"

At this, the red crystal pony began to charge the unicorn, anger clouding any better judgment the pony might have had. He would have knocked the unicorn over except for that Crystal Soul got in the way.

"Don't do it! Go back to the house, Jasper! I will meet thee later." He said, turning back to the crowd. "As for me and these crystal ponies, we shall depart, if it will satisfy thee."

A cheer erupted from the mob. Shouts of elation filled the air as the crystal ponies trudged off towards Crystal's home.

Starswirl watched as a look of righteous rage found itself on Crystal's face. Crystal opened his mouth and shouted, "Is this what it means to be a pony!? To be of one blood and flesh!? To not accept others despite their differences!?" This quieted some of the cheering from the crowd as Crystal continued. "Because if that is what it means to be a pony, I'd rather wish that I had been born one!" He shouted, turning his back to the crowd and began walking back to his house. At this, Starswirl's vision began to fade back to black.

Out of the black, the voice spoke. "And so Crystal and his creations were unwelcome in Equestria. As a result, they sought shelter. They longed for an escape from the prejudices and rants of hostile ponies. They left Equestria and headed north, towards where Crystal had found the crystals to use in his experiment. They wandered the mountainous wilderness day and night, until one day, they found paradise amongst the frozen wasteland.

Starswirl's vision faded back, this time, showing the three crystal ponies and Crystal standing together. Behind them was a cart full of food, goods and materials like wood, nails, and the tools to use them. The four ponies looked out at a large section of green grassland in a valley surrounded by mountains. The melted snow flowed down the mountains and created a river that ran through the middle of the grassland. The green grass swayed and blew in the mountain wind, giving the grass an almost a wave-like illusion.

"This is perfect." The yellow crystal mare said in awe of their destination.

"Aye, Amber. It would seem that we have found a place to lay our heads." Crystal said, a wide smile stretching across his face as he beheld the mountain-surrounded paradise.

"Crystal, I cannot thank you enough for what thou hast done for us." The blue crystal mare said. "Thou hast made us, given us a home, protected us, and so much more. I only wish that there was some way to thank you properly."

"Do not concern yourself, Sapphire." Crystal said, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "But if thou wish to repay me, then simply live." He said, earning confused looks from the other ponies. "Live, multiply, create a new pony nation. Pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies have Equestria, but you, my children, will have this." He said, gesturing to the grassland before them.

"We will make thee proud, Crystal." Jasper said, trotting up next to his creator. "Our children and our children's children will remember what thou hath done for us."

Crystal nodded his head. "I require no thanks, Jasper. However, it is appreciated. Now then, let us get started."

As soon as Crystal finished that sentence, Starswirl's vision faded to black once more.

"Master Starswirl? Art thou coming?" Clvoer asked outside his teacher's study. Concern for his master had begun to fester after Starswirl had not come out to the library after Clover did. Slowly pushing open the door, Clover's heart jumped in surprise at what he saw. Clover looked at Starswiril gazing into a white-covered book. What startled Clover were his master's eyes. They were bright yellow.

"Master Starswirl! Snap out of it!" Clover shouted, galloping to his teacher. Clover put his hooves on Starswirl's shoulders and shook them. Starswirl wouldn't budge. Clover's heart raced as he realized that he had to get Starswirl out of that trance!

Suddenly, Clover had an idea. "Don't worry, Master Starswirl. I know just what to do." He said, racing out of the study and towards the castle courtyard.

The voice spoke up in the darkness. "Several years passed by as Crystal and the three crystal ponies made residence in the valley. The put up a few houses with the materials they had in the wagon and in that time, the two female crystal ponies became pregnant and bore the first two conceived crystal ponies. The roots of the Crystal Empire were forming. However, Crystal felt that there was something lacking with the fledgling civilization. A certain depth. Something that Equestria had, but they did not. Can you guess what that depth was, Starswirl?"

Starswirl looked up into the dark, searching his mind for answers. "I cannot say that I know what depth it is that thou art speaking of." He flatly replied.

"Remember the process of how the crystal ponies were created. They were a combination of flesh and what intangible energy? It is something that you yourself are quite familiar with." The voice teased.

The answer hit Starswirl like a brick wall. "Magic." He said.

"Correct, my dear magician. Magic. In Equestria, magic was projected in one form or another by each race. With the crystal ponies, it was more difficult. Magic was a part of their very being, yet they could not use it." The voice said.

Starswirl tried to contemplate what that would be like. He had known magic all his life, but to be cut off from it and not use it anymore would be torture to the unicorn.

"Crystal Soul, feeling that his days were coming to an end, decided to give the crystal ponies one more piece of himself to fill this depth." The voice said as Starswirl's vision faded back in.

Starswirl saw Crystal and the three crystal ponies standing in the middle of the valley. On Crystal's back was a saddlebag, in which lay something that looked rather heavy. The ponies' manes and grass blew in the mountain breeze as Crystal stepped away from his crystal creations.

Crystal turned back to the crystal ponies and spoke. "I have asked all of thee to come here so that I may give a final gift to the crystal ponies."

Amber gave the unicorn a curious look. "But how can thou present with yet another gift? Thou hast given us more than enough to start a civilization here. What more can thou give?"

Crystal smiled warmly at Amber. "I feel that my time is coming. With that in mind, I present thee this." He said using his magic to levitate a bright blue block out of his saddlebag. The crystal block's shape and size was familiar to Starswirl as he beheld it.

The Crystal Heart. Starswirl thought, observing the crystal.

"Just a crystal? But we have enough of that here." Jasper said in a confused manner.

"But there will be something special about this crystal, my dear Jasper." Crystal replied. "Magic is a part of what thou art, and this crystal will be the vessel of that magic."

"But how?" Sapphire asked.

"I want all of thee to focus on the crystal. Think of every happy and good thing that has happened to thine selves." Crystal said, laying the heart-shaped crystal on the ground. "And before we do this…" Crystal said, a tear falling from his eye, "I would like to say thank you. And goodbye."

"Thou art leaving us?" Sapphire said, her voice suddenly full of sadness.

"I cannot stay forever, Sapphire." Crystal said with a smile as more tears filled his eyes. "Think of this as my farewell to thee."

"Goodbye, Crystal." Jasper said, embracing Crystal. "We will never forget what thou hast done for us." He said as the other two crystal ponies joined in the group hug.

Crystal choked back a sob as the hug broke up. "Well then, let us finish what we started." He said, his horn lighting up a faded red. The heart-shaped crystal block levitated in the air as the three crystal ponies focused on it.

Starswirl watched as the three crystal ponies closed their eyes and concentrated their happy memories on the crystal block.

Suddenly, Crystal's horn shot a bright white beam of light at the crystal. As soon as the beam of light hit the crystal, it began to glow a bright blue. As the crystal glowed, the three crystal ponies seemed to have a glowing aura around them, each aura colored like its respective owner's coat. When the aura around the ponies materialized, it began to be absorbed by the crystal, each aura flowing into it like rivers pooling into a lake.

Starswirl watched in awe as the joy of the crystal ponies' happiness collected in the heart-shaped crystal while Crystal's horn shot the white beam of energy.

"And now, the final piece." Crystal said, straining from the raw magic that he was putting out. With a loud cry, Crystal's image exploded into light, almost blinding the awestruck Starswirl. The light from where Crystal used to be flowed into the crystal.

As soon as Crystal's light was absorbed, the crystal heart began rotating rapidly in midair. Suddenly, a bright burst of light erupted from the crystal, causing the three crystal ponies to be flung backwards from the magical blast. From the magical blast, ribbons of color burst forth from of the heart-shaped crystal and into the air, exploding and spreading all across the land in different directions.

Sapphire was the first to recover from the blast and look at the bright blue crystal. It remained in its floating position above the ground, its blue aura still surrounding it.

"Where did Crystal go?" a voice from behind Sapphire asked. She turned to see Amber looking around for their creator.

"He is still with us, Amber. Maybe not in body, but he is still here." Sapphire said, looking at the levitating crystal.

Jasper sat up, rubbing his head. He turned his eyes to the hovering crystal. "What should we call this crystal? It has granted us the ability to project our magic, yet we have no name for it yet."

Amber rubbed her chin with a hoof. Suddenly, she raised her head and turned to the others. "The Crystal Heart." She said, turning back to the heart. "It shall be named the Crystal Heart."

Blackness faded over Starswirl's vision again as Amber dubbed the Crystal Heart's name. Starswirl tried to take in what had just happened. He gave himself for the crystal ponies. He truly gave everything he had for their benefit. He thought in wonder.

"Yes, Starswirl. By giving his very essence, the crystal ponies were able to project their magic all across the world that day." The voice above Starswirl said with a hint of sadness.

"He did what was best for his creations. 'Tis a shame that history has not remembered such a magnificent pony." Starswirl said in admiration of Crystal.

"Indeed. However, Crystal's legacy has echoed throughout the ages. Soon after Crystal's passing, the male crystal pony, Jasper, became their first king. He and the female crystal ponies populated the region with crystal ponies. Their civilization grew and their people thrived."

As he said this, images seemed to scroll past Starswirl's vision. Images of buildings being constructed faded in and out of the old unicorn's eyesight.

"Eventually, Crystal Soul's dream became a reality. The Crystal Empire had been born. It had the modern technology of the age, had a thriving internal economic system, a senate that was made to limit the monarch's power, and their empire was always expanding in the valley. All was well for over five hundred years, until a few years ago when a certain unicorn named Prodigal was put on the throne.

An image faded in front of Starswirl, showing a large bright white stallion. He had a flowing black mane and tail, ice blue eyes, and a large and muscular build.

"This is King Prodigal?" Starswirl asked, inspecting the pony's image.

"Aye. Once a traveller, Prodigal found refuge in the Empire. Upon the death of the Empire's ruler, he was elected by the Senate to become the next ruler. With Crystal Soul as the only example of unicorns among crystal ponies, Prodigal was expected to do great things for them. The very senate I told thee about mere sentences ago, however, did not trust their new ruler. They did not like him, nor did he like them. He searched for opportunities to clench power until one fateful evening when he would make a deal with the devil." The voice said, a new image of fading in next to the image of Prodigal. This image showed a steel grey alicorn with sleek wings and a sharp horn. Starswirl's internal alarms began blaring when he saw the alicorn's eyes. They were a bright yellow with slit pupils.

"And who might this pony be?" Starswirl asked.

"There have been many names for that pony. Nightmare Lord, Death, the White Darkness, to name a few. For now, we will address him as the Shadow." The voice said.

"The Shadow." Starswirl said, almost as if tasting how the name sounded in his mouth.

"Yes. He made a deal with Prodigal. In return for eliminating the senators, the unicorn king would swear complete loyalty to the Shadow. This in turn, transformed Prodigal into this." The voice said. The image of Prodigal shuttered and changed. His white coat went to a dark grey, his ice blue eyes turning green and red, his white horn turning deep red, and purple smoke seemed to ooze from the sides of his eyes.

Starswirl took a startled step back from the image. "This is what the Shadow did to him?"

"Yes it is, Starswirl. Those who follow the Shadow undergo transformations of varying sorts. Be it terrifying, horrifying, or beautifying changes, his minions' appearances change." The voice said.

"I need to warn the princesses about this. They will know how to address this- Wait… What is that smell?" Starswirl said, sniffing the air.

"What do you smell, Starswirl?" The voice asked.

Starswirl wiggled his nose. "It smells pungent. Like fresh fruit mixed with sweat. Almost like… Dreamroot." He replied in a curious tone.

Suddenly, a bright light flashed in Starswirl's vision. Starswirl shut his eyes from the sudden burst of light as he felt himself begin to float upwards. Starswirl looked down as he floated, seeing the blackness was but a line on a plane of white. In fact, the farther he got from the black, the more Starswirl could recognize what the blackness was. A letter. It was a letter on a piece of paper. The black line became the big line of a capital I. Soon, Starswirl was looking down at the book he had just been reading before being blinded by the first flash of light.

"Oh thank Celestia." A voice to Starswirl's right said. He turned to see Clover standing next to him, levitating a piece of Dreamroot in front of Starswirl's nose.

"What just happened?" Starswirl asked, holding his head in his hooves.

"I do not know. I could ask thee the same question." Clover said, laying the twisted brown and yellow root on the desk next to the book.

Starswirl gave Clover a stern look. "I do not know what happened, but I need to speak with the Princesses immediately."

The Intruder and the Invitation

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 16-The Intruder and the Invitation

-Hall of the Guardians, desert beneath Saddle Arabia-

It was still throughout the hall. Not a sound echoed off the dusty walls. No living creature had set foot in the hall in over two hundred years. Colorful banners and tapestries lined the walls, providing the only source of color to the bleak hall. The decorated banners on the walls, each telling tales of old, stood as monuments to events since time immemorial. In the center of the hall, a circular hole in the ceiling of the hall shed light on a single spot. Aside from the sunlit center, the only sources of light were torches on the walls that burned bright, casting flickering shadows on the floor below. All was still. Just the way the Keeper liked it.

Suddenly, a bright white flash of light illuminated atrium of the hall, revealing one that had not stepped foot in the Hall for more than a thousand years. The visitor looked around the torch-lit room and walked to the center, going into the sunlit patch on the floor.

Putting a brown paw near his muzzle, the intruder made himself known. "Hello? Is anyone still here?" He asked tentatively. Not hearing a response, the newcomer scratched his head with a clawed hand. "Oh come on, Keeper. I know you're still here. Don't you remember the voice of an old friend?" He said, looking around, trying to find the being that guarded the Hall.

"This voice I remember, but it is not one that I would associate with a friend's." A deep voice filled the chamber. The newcomer turned his horned head in all directions, trying to find the source. "You should not have come here." The voice said in a dangerous tone.

Suddenly, the stone floor broke up around him as purple tendrils of magic shot up from the ground. The intruder had only seconds to react before the tendrils ensnared him in their vice-like grasp. Wrapping themselves around his arms, legs, and wings, the tendrils pulled the writhing intruder to the ground.

"What's the big idea? Don't you remember me?" The trespasser asked, struggling to get out of the tendrils.

"Of course I remember you. That is why I am taking precautions." The voice said from behind the intruder.

Turning his head to see the source of the voice, the intruder was both pleased and frightened at the creature that stood before him.

Standing before him was what looked like a ghost clothed only in a brown cloak. A transparent grey being in the shape of a large eel-like serpent with two arms and hands floated a few feet above the ground, standing tall above the bound visitor. The translucent serpent's body was similar to the body size of the intruder's, but a bit bigger. The brown cloak's hood covered the head of the serpent, concealing his facial features. However, only two things were visible from underneath the hood. One was the serpent's snout, the grey transparent muzzle sticking out of the cover of the hood. The other feature, however, was much more noticeable. It was the glowing purple eyes that were staring into the intruder's as though looking into his chaotic soul.

"Discord." The serpent ghoul addressed his visitor in a poisonous tone, earning a strained wave from the bound draconequus.

"Long time, no see, pal." Discord said with a toothy grin.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were sealed away for eternity." The serpent said in an almost confused manner.

"Well long story short, I am no longer the chaotic monster you knew me to be. I have been reformed by the Elements of Harmony." Discord proudly proclaimed, his voice echoing off the stone walls of the hall.

The serpent's purple eyes widened at hearing this, then reverted back to their narrowed state. "I sense the truth in you, Discord. This is truly a surprising revelation."

"Yes, well we're having a lot of those nowadays, aren't we?" Discord said, narrowing his eyes as his mouth cracked into a grin.

"What are you talking about?" The serpent said, narrowing its eyes at the draconequus.

"Come on, Keeper. You of all beings would know what it is I am talking about." Discord said slyly. "Now if you won't mind getting me out of this little mishap? I think I'd be of more use."

"How do I know this isn't a trick? The last time I saw you in here, you caused quite a mess." The serpent said, bringing old memories to the front of Discord's mind.

Discord rolled his eyes at the presumption. "Oh please. That was millennia ago. I'm a reformed draconequus now. You can trust me."

"An odd phrase coming from you, Discord." The serpent said in a cautious tone.

"You said you sense truth in my words. Why would I have any reason to wreak havoc on this ancient place when I have more important things to do?" Discord asked, pushing for his release from the magic's grip.

After thinking for a bit, the serpent nodded. "Very well. But should you have the slightest notion of seeking to bring destruction on this sacred place, then that thought shall be your last." It said dangerously.

"After living for as long as I have, I have no intention on doing such a thing." Discord said with a smile. "Now if you don't mind." He said, lifting his bound arms up to get the Keeper's attention.

The serpent gave a defeated sigh and lifted his hands towards the purple magical clasps around Discord's legs, wings and arms. The serpent's hands glowed a deep purple aura, the magical snares glowing the same color. The magical clasps released Discord's appendages and slithered back into the ground.

Discord got up, rubbing his now free arms with his hands. "Well, so much for the warm welcome I was expecting." He said, folding his arms at the Keeper.

"After what happened last time, did you think I had a choice in what to do if you came back?" The serpent retorted.

Discord looked down and rubbed the back of his head with his lion paw. "Okay you got me there." He admitted.

"So why have you come here?" The serpent asked.

Discord's usually happy attitude disappeared almost immediately. "There is evidence to believe that the Shadow is coming back." The mere mention of one of that monster's names sent shivers up Discord's spine.

The serpent nodded. "Yes. I have sensed that something large and powerful has returned. Something that can only be stopped by the power of the Guardians."

"I didn't get signs, but was indirectly told that he was coming back." The spirit of chaos said, looking up to the serpent.

"Told?" The serpent asked, pressing Discord to explain himself.

"I was told by Princesses Luna and Celestia of Equestria that they needed Starswirl's journal. From what I understand about the contents, it involves what to do should a certain shadowy alicorn be released from its prison." Discord said, air quoting the word shadow. "You know as well as I as to what that means." He said, folding his arms.

The Keeper slowly nodded. "Then the dark veil has begun to fall." It said solemnly, turning away from Discord and staring at the story-telling draperies on the wall. "If you knew that I knew about the Dark One's return, why did you come? To warn me of something I was already aware of?"

"Just the opposite, actually." Discord said casually, causing the Keeper turning back around to face him. "Do you have any idea who these Guardians might be?"

The Keeper closed his purple eyes and shook his head. "No. However, there is a piece of Starswirl's prophecy on the matter."

"And what might that be?" Discord asked, folding his arms and raising an eyebrow.

The Keeper cleared his throat as he uttered the part of the prophecy.

"The Six will become Eight

And end the Guardians' wait.

Guardians of scale and fur hide,

Of royalty and countryside,

In each other they shall abide

Against the Dark One's tide."

After hearing these words, Discord looked down at the floor in shock. Surely the prophecy couldn't mean them! The odds of this are a billion to one! He thought. But then again, the odds of me being becoming good weren't so promising either, but they did it. Discord sighed. He knew what he had to do.

-Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville-

A loud grunt of effort sounded from the south end of the apple orchard. There was a second grunt and the sound of nine fully-grown red apples hitting the ground followed seconds later. It had been a hard day of work for Applejack, not so much that the amount of work she did had to be done that day, but that she had to take her mind off things.

Nine apples. Not bad. The orange earth pony thought as she beheld her work. Applejack looked up in the tree she had just bucked. A few late bloomers are still up there. I'll get them next week.

Applejack looked to her left and saw a tree that looked just perfect for bucking. The cowpony saw that the apples on the tree were fully-grown and ready to be bucked out off the branches.

"Alrighty then. Ah'll just get these and then head to the barn." Applejack said, immediately stopping midstride. As soon as she said 'barn', memories of the dream came back, flooding her mind. Images of those deformed monsters, her family, and that yellow-eyed thing filled her head, making her shiver at the memories.

Get a hold of yerself, Applejack! It was just a dream. Nothing more. She tried to assure herself, but the thoughts just kept coming back, playing over and over again in her mind. The emptiness of the farm in the dream, the feeling of pure fear as she looked at the yellow-eyed alicorn, and many other mixed emotions stirred in her chest.

Applejack began to hyperventilate, her chest rising and falling in quick bursts as the images refused to leave her mind. The twisted forms of those mutated creatures, those bright yellow eyes, her family's brutalized condition, and other terrible memories filled her head. But one thing would never leave her memory. It was a simple cracking sound, the sound of Applebloom's life being taken. Applejack squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force that particular memory from her mind. But clear as day, Applejack could see the life leave her young sister's bright orange eyes as her neck was broken. She could see the sickening grin on the grey alicorn's face as he twisted the hooves that held her sister's head and muzzle.

Applejack couldn't take the images anymore. She lay down on the ground and put her hooves over her face, sobbing quietly. In the dream, she had failed. Failed to stop the alicorn and those hideous creatures, failed to free her family, and worst of all, failed to stop Applebloom from dying. A tear rolled down her face and into the soft green grass beneath her.

"Applejack, y'all alright?" A deep voice said next to her. The images in her mind vanished as she was snapped out of her pitiful state. Applejack looked up to see who had spoken to her. Before her stood a tall muscular stallion with a deep red coat and a short cropped golden mane and tail.

"Oh. Hey, Big Mac." Applejack said, relieved that the memories had stopped. "Done with the eastern fields already?"

"Eeyup." Big Macintosh replied flatly. "Y'all almost done buckin' these trees?"

Applejack nodded, looking back at the trees. "Yep. Ah have less than a quarter of the field to go. Ah was just taking a rest break."

"So are y'all alright? Ya looked like y'all were havin' some sort of episode." Big Mac asked, pushing the question.

Applejack held up a hoof and rubbed her arm. "It was nuthin, sugarcube. Now let's get-" She started to say, but was interrupted by a lightning-fast multicolored blur.

"AJ!" A tomboyish voice shouted from above the two Apple siblings. Applejack and Big Mac looked up to see none other than Rainbow Dash hovering above the trees.

"Rainbow? What're ya doin' here?" Applejack asked, wondering what her friend's intentions were for coming to the farm.

A posh voice spoke up. "We came to check up on you, darling." Applejack looked down to see Rarity standing in front of her.

"Check up on me? What fer?" Applejack asked, noticing Big Mac becoming concerned as well.

"Did you have some sort of freaky dream last night?" Rainbow asked as she began descending towards the group of earth-bound ponies.

Applejack looked down at the ground and slowly nodded.

"She had one too." Rarity said in a surprised whisper.

"Now what's this Ah'm hearing about a dream? It couldn't have been that bad if it was just a nightmare." Big Mac spoke up.

"This wasn't just a nightmare, Mac." Applejack said, looking up at her brother.

"Indeed. It was dream that concerned all of us." Rarity said to Big Macintosh, earning a confused look from the stallion.

"What she means is that each of the Elements of Harmony had a nightmare last night. Just one of us having a nightmare isn't too bad, but all of us in one night? It can't be a coincidence." Rainbow said as her cyan hooves touched the soft ground and her wings retracted to her sides.

Big Macintosh looked to his sister with a concerned look on his face. "Is that what Ah saw ya doing? Having some sort of flashback?"

Applejack nodded. "Ah was, Mac. It was just so bad but it doesn't want to leave mah head."

"What was it about?" Mac asked, now genuinely anxious to know what happened.

"It was about you." Applejack replied, earning a surprised expression from her brother. "Not just you, Mac. It was the whole family. You, Applebloom, and Granny."

"What happened in the dream?" He asked. Applejack looked nervously away from her brother and looked at her friends. They too had concerned expressions on their faces. A hoof touched her shoulder, causing her to look back at Big Mac, whose hoof was resting on her shoulder. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Ah know it must've been bad, but Ah need to know."

Taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh, Applejack began to tell the others about her dream. How she couldn't find anypony on the farm and how she was scared that she might be alone. Applejack told of how she then went to the barn to see if her family was in there. There she found them, along with three mutated creatures in the shapes of a changeling, a griffon, and a pony. Her descriptions caused Rarity to swoon slightly at hearing of such dreadful beings. Applejack then told of how he threatened Applebloom, causing Big Mac to tense up instinctively. She told of how she tried to stop the alicorn, but was intercepted by the creatures. She told of how she was cut and bruised by the creatures, never giving her a chance to get back up. Then she told of the final and most dreadful part of the dream. How she was forced to lie to her family, ending with Applebloom's murder. This earned a collective gasp from Rarity and Rainbow Dash. After that, she told of how she herself was killed, ending the dream.

Big Mac stared at the ground in shock of what he had just heard. Rarity and Rainbow both stood in silent awe and disgust of the dream they'd heard.

"And the rest of y'all had a dream similar to this one?" Big Mac asked, looking up at the other mares. Rainbow and Rarity nodded. Letting out a sigh, Big Mac gave his sister a pleading look. "Ah'll be honest, Applejack. Ah don't like the feelin' Ah'm getting from hearing about this dream and if Ah would, Ah'd stop ya from going on another life-risking adventure. But yer just as involved as the others, so Ah won't stop ya. Just be careful, alright?"

Applejack looked at her brother thoughtfully and nodded. "Ah'll be careful, Big Mac. You just watch out for Granny and Applebloom. You make sure they're alright, and Ah'll make sure Ah stay safe." She said with a reassuring smile.

Without warning, Big Mac pulled Applejack for a big hug. At first surprised by this, Applejack resisted the sudden showing of affection, but then nuzzled into the hug. Rarity and Rainbow watched thoughtfully as the two siblings embraced for several seconds before splitting up.

"Ah gotta go with mah friends." Applejack said, turning away from her brother. She began to walk away with Rarity and Rainbow, but stopped, turning her head to see Big Mac. "Ah promise Ah'll be careful, Mac. Just keep the family safe." She said, turning back and walked off with her friends.

Big Mac never took his eyes off her until she was far out of his sight.

-Streets of Ponyville-

Palm Spring skipped blissfully through the town. She had never experienced such fun in her life. That was so much fun! I am never leaving this place! Palm thought, unaware of her quickly dwindling distance between herself and a unicorn mare that was right in front of her. Fang and Chassis aren't going to believe it when I tell them what happened to- Palm's thoughts were interrupted as something slammed into her. She fell back on her haunches from the hit, not knowing what just hit her. Shaking her head, she looked down at what had hit her. To Palm's surprise, she saw an olive-green unicorn mare with a straight cobalt green mane and tail, in which were several silver streaks. On her flank was a trio of musical notes flanked by two hearts. It then dawned on Palm that they had bumped into each other, causing the interruption to her thoughts.

"Oh! I'm sorry about that." Palm said, offering the mare a hoof to grab onto.

The mare took Palm's hoof and pulled herself up. "No problem. I guess I should have looked where I was going."

"Yeah, same here. Sorry about that by the way." Palm said, giving the mare an apologetic look.

"It's alright, uh…" The mare said, pushing for the name of the pony that had bumped into her.

"Palm Spring." Palm said, offering her hoof to be shaken. "And you are?"

"Misty Melody." The mare said, shaking Palm's hoof.

"So, Misty, whatcha up to?" Palm asked.

Misty shrugged. "Not much. Just getting ready to meeting with Cheerilee to plan on when I can teach her class." Misty said with a hint of pride in her voice.

"You teach?" Palm asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I teach history and music." Misty said with a smile.

Palm's ears perked at this. "History and music? How'd you come to teaching those?" she asked.

"As a filly I had an insatiable fascination with the two subjects. Eventually I began to teach as a substitute. That's why I'm heading to the school right now. Speaking of which, mind telling me where that is? I have a terrible time remembering things like that." Misty said, shaking her head at her own forgetfulness.

Palm pointed up the hill that was behind her. "Straight up that hill. Should be the first thing you see on your right."

Misty gave Palm a grateful smile. "Thanks, Palm. Hope to see you again soon." She said, trotting past Palm and up the hill towards the red schoolhouse.

Palm watched Misty climb the hill with a gleeful look. Did I just make another friend? She thought, a smile spreading wide on her face. First those three fillies at the school and now the mare she'd just run into. Wow. In one day I have made more friends than I ever did in the hive. At this, she began to think about her fellow changelings and the state they were in. The hive was literally falling apart and she knew it. Chrysalis was practically leading a broken empire at this point. Three changelings leaving wouldn't make a difference.

Hang on, Cipha. That kind of thinking is treason and desertion. The still loyal part of her brain spoke up.

I suppose. But I'm still not looking forward to leaving this place. Said the part of her brain that was still enthralled by everything she'd seen and done in Ponyville that day.

Hey, Chrysalis said that after this job, you can feed. You need to feed as much as Fang and Chassis. If not for yourself, do it for them as well. The hive-loyal part of her mind said. True, Cipha felt responsible for both Fang and Chassis, not wanting her companions to pay for her misgivings.

Okay. I'll stick to the mission at hand. She thought, resuming her stroll through Ponyville's streets. Even though she would never admit it, she knew that the seeds of treachery were sown in her head. Deserting the hive meant death upon being found. Letting out a sigh, Palm pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind to be dealt with later. For now, she had to meet up with Fang and Chassis back at the rental house.

-12 Hoofington Road, Ponyville-

By the time Cipha had gotten back to the house, the sun was already starting to set. It had been a long and exhausting day, and Cipha needed to rest. Cipha walked up to the rental house and opened the door. Cipha looked and saw Fang and Chassis, still in their disguised forms, sitting on the floor and looking at a note.

"What are you guys doing?" Cipha asked, turning to close the window shades.

Fang looked up from the note and saw Cipha. A slight smile graced his features. "Hey, Cipha. Chassis and I came back to the house and found this on the door." He said, gesturing to the note.

As Cipha closed the window shades, a green fire surrounded her body and worded its way from her tail to her head. Her light brown fur and cinnamon brown mane changed back into black fur and a deep slimy blue mane. Opening her bright green eyes, she let out a sigh of relief. "Ah, that's better. So what does the note say?"

"It looks like some sort of invitation." Chassis said, taking the note and handing it to Cipha. Cipha took the letter and began to read.

Dear newcomers to Ponyville,

Salutations! You are cordially invited to attend a Welcome to Ponyville party that is being held at Sugarcube Corner tomorrow evening at 5:00 PM. No need to wear anything formal, as this will just be a friendly get-together. Hope to see you there and we'll make sure to save some cake for you!

Sincerely,

Pinkie Pie

"Pinkie Pie? Who is that?" Cipha asked, putting the note back on the floor.

"She was an employee at this sweets shop I went to today. I guess she wants to meet us." Chassis said, putting a hoof to his chin.

"Wait a minute, how did she know there were more of us. She expressly writes 'newcomers' in the greeting. How could she have known that?" Fang asked, getting a look of worry from Cipha.

"Were we found out and we just don't know it?" Cipha asked nervously.

"Impossible." Chassis said dismissively. "There's no way these ponies could have figured it out so quickly. It's probably just an invitation for multiple ponies that happen to be new here just like we are."

"But this house is the only one I saw with the note on the door." Fang said. "Whoever this 'Pinkie Pie' is, we'd better keep our eyes on her."

"Agreed. Tomorrow, we'll take every precaution to not be caught and find out at the party how this 'Pinkie" knows what she knows." Cipha suggested, earning nods from Fang and Chassis.

"Well we'd better get some rest. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Chassis said, walking towards his room.

"Sounds good." Fang said with a yawn. "G'night, Chassis. G'night Cipha." He said, going to his own room as well.

"Night." Cipha said, going upstairs to her room.

As the three changelings slept that night, two ponies and a dragon made their way towards Sugarcube Corner on the other side of town, ready to help their bouncy pink friend as the day drew to a close.

A Changeling's Kind Words and Friends' Concerns

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 17-A Changeling's Kind Words and Friends' Concerns

-Changeling Hive-

The moon shone brightly through the cave entrance to the hive, casting a soft silver light into the opening. All was quiet in the hive. Most of the drones were sleeping after a long day of trying to scrounge up any love sources they could find and those that weren't sleeping were the guards that silently kept watch over the hive.

Chrysalis took a deep breath of the cool night air and let out a sigh. How my mother would be ashamed of me if she were still here. She thought.

Chrysalis's mother was the queen of the hive before her death, upon which Chrysalis took the throne. But before she died, Chrysalis's mother made sure that her daughter was as prepared as she could be for when she would be ruler of the hive. She was taught directly from her mother on how to rule with an iron hoof, making sure that nothing opposed her reign. Chrysalis felt her heart sink at how far she had disappointed her mother.

"Is everything alright, Your Majesty?" A voice from behind Chrysalis asked. She turned her head to see Raspian standing behind her, a concerned look on his face.

Chrysalis turned her head to look outside again and closed her eyes. "Everything is fine, Raspian. Just thinking is all." The changeling queen replied.

Raspian nodded his head. "Ah. Well I have come to report that all the worker drones are in their quarters and are fast asleep." Raspian said.

Chrysalis smiled at this news. "Good. Hopefully my subjects will have solace from daily dangers in their dreams."

Raspian looked at the cave floor with a grimace on his face. He knew what dangers changelings faced on a day-to-day basis. Maybe the queen was right. Dreams would prove to be a nice getaway from their daily lives.

"I've always stood by your side, Your Majesty. I hope you realize that." Raspian said earnestly. Chrysalis turned around to face her captain, giving him a confused look.

"What makes you say that, Captain?" Chrysalis asked, not understanding why he said what he did.

"I've overheard some of the drones talking of dissent and desertion." Raspian said, lowering his head.

Chrysalis nodded. "In times like these, I shouldn't be surprised about such things. Considering the hive's current state, I'm surprised that my subjects are still here." She said, shaking her head. "I have let them down."

Raspian's head shot up and gave the queen a stern look. "Don't say that." He said in an angry tone.

"But it's true." Chrysalis said, hanging her head.

"No. Don't say that." Raspian said louder this time.

"I could be so much better as a ruler. My subjects deserve-"

"Chrysalis!" Raspian shouted, snapping his queen out of her pitiful state. Chrysalis gave Raspian a surprised look. He'd never snapped at her like that before, let alone spoke her name in such an informal manner.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I needed to get your attention." Raspian said nervously.

"You have it, Captain." Chrysalis said, regaining her composure.

"My queen, you shouldn't be beating yourself up like this. Were it not for you, we wouldn't have become what we are today." Raspian said, earning a snort from the changeling queen.

"Thank you, Raspian. That says a lot." She said, sarcasm lacing her words.

"No no no. I don't mean like that." Raspian said, quick to try to recover. "What I mean was that without you, we'd still be having power struggles and we wouldn't have learned how to harvest love in the most efficient way possible."

Chrysalis smirked. "Thank you for the kind words, Raspian. But that doesn't mean I've been a good ruler. A peaceful transition of power and a new method of love-gathering do not make a good ruler." Chrysalis said as a rebuttal.

Raspian put a hoof to his chin, thinking of ways to cheer her up. "Well all the same, my queen, you have been a great leader. A great leader that was just dealt some bad cards to play."

"Well it's nice to know that I'm merely a victim of circumstance." Chrysalis said coldly.

Now Raspian was out of ideas. Is there anything I can say to make her stop beating herself up?

"I appreciate what you are trying to do, Raspian. However, there is only one thing that can restore happiness to my soul." Chrysalis said, catching Raspian's attention.

"And what is that?" He asked.

"That my people prosper once again." She said.

"Easier said than done." Raspian said with a slight chuckle.

"Too true, Captain." Chrysalis said, a small grin gracing her visage.

Raspian walked up to Chrysalis and touched her hoof with his. Chrysalis looked to her captain and gave him a confused look. "Well no matter what happens, I will be by your side as you try to find a way out of this mess."

Chrysalis was touched by the loyalty of her captain. "Thank you, Raspian. It helps me to have a comforting voice in this tumultuous time."

"I am here to serve, your Majesty." Raspian said, bowing his head to her.

The grin on Chrysalis's face grew into a smile. "Well off with you, Captain. I believe the lower caves need to be patrolled." She said, gesturing back towards the depths of the cave.

"As you wish, my queen." Raspian said, turning around and trotting down the throat of the tunnel, back into the cave. Chrysalis watched as his figure until it disappeared into the darkness of the cave.

Chrysalis took in a deep breath and sighed. How lucky am I to have such a loyal servant? She thought, turning back to the cave entrance and looked up at the starry night sky. With changelings like Raspian, maybe there is still hope for this hive.

For the first time what felt like an eternity, Chrysalis felt a sense of comfort.

-Sugarcube Corner-

"Is it the right time to be doing this?" Spike asked as the group made their way towards Sugarcube Corner. The sun had just gone down and the moon had just begun to emerge from beyond the eastern horizon, casting a silver glow on the town below.

"Of course it is, Spike. Sugarcube Corner just closed, so Pinkie will be available to talk to us with no customers interrupting us." Twilight responded as they neared the confections shop.

"I just hope she's alright. If she had a dream like the ones that we had, I can only imagine what hers was like." Said a concerned Fluttershy.

Twilight turned her head to face her yellow pegasus friend. "I'm sure she'll be fine, Fluttershy. You remember in the forest when all those scary trees were around us and she just laughed at them?" She asked, earning a nod from Fluttershy. "Then I'm sure she's okay."

The group approached the door of the bakery, ready to help their pink friend. Twilight raised her hoof and knocked on the door several times.

"Just a minute!" A voice from inside the bakery said. Moments later, the door swung open, revealing Mrs. Cake. Her apron had random splotches of icing all over it, in addition to pieces of cake that had stuck to the apron using the icing as an adhesive. Her mane hadn't fared the day much better. Specks of white flour and sugar could be seen in her swirly cotton candy pink mane.

"Is this a bad time?" Fluttershy asked, hiding her face behind her long mane.

"No, dearie. Just had a busy day is all." Mrs. Cake said, putting on a smile for the group at her doorstep. "Want to come in?" She asked, pushing the door all the way open for the three of them.

"Actually we would. Any idea where Pinkie is?" Twilight asked, stepping inside the confections shop.

"Pinkie? Oh yeah. She's been up in her room all day. Ever since she saw a new pony in the store today, she's been holed up there all afternoon." Mrs. Cake said, looking towards the stairs that lead up to the attic.

"A new pony is in town?" Twilight asked, catching a glance of Spike trying to sneak in a bite of cake that was sitting on the counter.

Spike was within an arm's length of a slice of moist chocolate cake that was laying on the cashier's counter, clearly not being eaten by anyone. May as well since no one else will have it. He thought, reaching for the delectable treat in front of him. Suddenly, Spike felt a familiar tug on his ear. Oh rats. Spike tried a last swipe at the cake, but was pulled back before he could grab it. He looked at where he was being pulled and saw Twilight's horn glowing a purple aura. Using her magic, Twilight had grabbed the young dragon by the ear and was pulling him back towards them. As he landed at her side, Spike gave Twilight a venomous look as Mrs. Cake responded.

"Yes, Twilight. And from what I heard Pinkie saying upstairs, it seems that there are more new ponies in town as well." Mrs. Cake said. "Knowing Pinkie, you all have an idea as to what she is doing right now." She said, gesturing upstairs.

The other ponies nodded. "Thanks, Mrs. Cake. But can we go see her?"

Mrs. Cake nodded. "Of course you're welcome to go see her."

"Thanks, Mrs. Cake. We won't be long." Twilight said, giving Mrs. Cake a smile as the group began climbing the stairs.

Twilight, Spike and Fluttershy all climbed the stairs, reaching the door to Pinkie's room. From the outside, Twilight could hear Pinkie mumbling to herself in a nervous tone. Casting a worried glance at her friends, Twilight knocked on the door.

"Pinkie? It's Twilight. Is everything alright?" Twilight asked tentatively.

Pinkie's talking stopped at the sound of the alicorn's voice. Hoofsteps were heard as Pinkie walked toward the door. Slowly, the door opened, revealing a blue eye looking through the crack.

"Twilight? Is anyone else with you?" Pinkie asked through the door crack.

Twilight put on a confused look. "Um… yeah. Just me, Fluttershy and Spike." She said, trying to sound assuring.

"Just you and nopony else?" Pinkie asked.

"Nope. Just us." Fluttershy responded.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Pinkie reached out of the door, grabbed Twilight and pulled her into her room. Letting out a cry of protest, Pinkie shoved a hoof in Twilight's mouth.

"Twilight! I don't want him to hear you." Pinkie said in a hurried voice.

Shoving Pinkie's hoof out of her mouth, Twilight spoke up. "Who to hear what? It's just us." She said, pointing at Fluttershy and Spike.

"Just taking precautions, Twilight." Pinkie said warily, gesturing for the others to come in. Fluttershy and Spike exchanged looks and walked into the party pony's bedroom.

"What's this all about, Pinks?" Spike asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm throwing a surprise party for some newcomers to Ponyville tomorrow. Based on the plans I've made, it's going to be one of the most super funnerific parties I've ever thrown!" Pinkie said ecstatically.

Well that explains the strange behavior. Twilight thought, giving Pinkie a smile. "While that does sound like fun, Pinkie, we have something to talk to you about."

Pinkie turned to her friends and smiled. "What's up?"

"Well… did you happen to have some sort of dream last night?" Fluttershy asked.

The smile vanished from Pinkie's face. "How did you know about that? Did Gummy tell you about it?" She asked, turning her head to see her toothless pet alligator gumming a yellow balloon in the corner. "I'm watching you, mister!" She said, glaring at the reptile.

"No, Pinkie. We all had one." Twilight said, putting a hoof on her friend's shoulder.

Pinkie gave her friends a confused look. "But what could that mean? Wouldn't it be something about the Elements if it was all of us?" She asked, rubbing her chin with a hoof.

Spike stepped forward. "I had one too. So I guess it doesn't mean it was about the Elements."

"Hmm." Pinkie hummed. "This calls for an investigation!" She said, pulling out a deerstalker hat and a bubble pipe. Placing the hat on her head and the pipe in her mouth, she assumed the appearance of Sherlock Holmes.

"Umm, Pinkie. We actually need to ask what your dream was like." Twilight said. Pinkie's happy demeanor deflated as she took off the hat and pipe.

"Okay. But it was pretty creepy. You sure you want to hear it?" She asked, giving her friends a nervous look.

"Positive." Twilight responded.

Pinkie let out a sigh and began retelling her dream. How she was all alone in a blank plane of existence. She said that after a while, she heard a voice and turned around to find a sadder version of herself. The sadder version of her tried to dissuade Pinkie from liking her friends, but Pinkie resisted and defended her friends from her sadder version's accusations. She then told of how her sadder version's eyes turned yellow and how Pinkie was attacked. Pinkie didn't hold back the details as she said how she was cut and killed by her sadder self. At hearing this, all her friends exchanged shocked looks.

"So you said that your sadder self's eyes turned yellow?" Twilight asked. Pinkie nodded, her usually happy demeanor now replaced by a sad one. "That seems to be a regularity between these dreams. How did you cope with it after you woke up?"

Pinkie's expression lightened up at the question. "I was reminded that laughter makes all your worries go away. I started to chuckle at the bad memories. Soon I was as happy as a buzzing bee in a flower patch." Pinkie said, the smile returning to her visage.

Spike put a clawed hand on Pinkie's shoulder. "It's good to know you're fine, Pinkie." He said earnestly.

Pinkie smiled back at him and nuzzled him. "Thanks, Spikey." She said gratefully.

"Well I've got some thinking to do. Thanks for letting us talk with you, Pinkie." Twilight said as the others turned back towards the door.

"No problem, Twilight. I'll see y'all tomorrow!" She called to her departing friends.

"Bye, Pinkie." Fluttershy and Spike said as they climbed back down the stairs.

As Twilight descended the staircase, thoughts buzzed around in her mind. She had a dream too. Not only that, her dream had those yellow eyes in it too. What could that mean? She thought as she got off the stairs.

"Leaving, girls?" Mrs. Cake asked from behind the counter.

"Yeah. We gotta get some sleep." Spike said.

"Okie-dokie then. See y'all later." Mrs. Cake said as she waved goodbye to the departing group.

As they left the bakery, Fluttershy turned to Twilight. "Well I guess I'll turn in for the night. I'll see you tomorrow, Twilight." She said, turning and going off back towards her cottage.

"See ya, Fluttershy." Twilight called, picking up Spike with her magic and placing him on her back. She began walking back towards the library to get ready for bed. Neither of them spoke a word until they got back to the library. Twilight opened the door to her home and walked in, not turning on any of the lights. Spike dismounted off her back as she stepped in.

As they climbed the stairs, Spike spoke up. "So you think you're gonna be able to sleep tonight?" He asked in a concerned tone.

"I don't know if I'll be able to." Twilight said, shaking her head. "The last thing I need is another dream."

"Me too." Spike said as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Well… let me know if you need anything." Twilight said, sliding under the covers of her bed.

"Sure thing." Spike said, crawling into his basket bed and pulling the blue blanket over himself.

"Goodnight, Spike." Twilight said sleepily. Receiving no reply, she assumed he was already asleep. It had been a busy day for all of them. I just hope that whatever caused those dreams doesn't strike again tonight. I don't think I can handle two nights of barely any sleep.

Twilight soon felt sleep begin to wash over her. She heaved a sigh and with that, her mind was in the dreamscape.

Outside the tree library, a floating draconequus watched the pony and dragon fall asleep. He folded his arms as he began to think. The Keeper's prophecy was pretty specific, perhaps too specific. He recounted the exchange he observed between them and Pinkie and began planning. Pinkie's throwing a party tomorrow, eh? After that is over, I'll make sure to tell them. He thought, disappearing into the night with a white flash.

-Sky above Aeolus-

Hawkeye flew over the vast lakes beneath him, the moonlight glistening off the waves below. The lakeside flora and fauna flourished alongside the lake, providing food and shelter for the little critters below. Hawkeye had never fancied himself a lover of nature, yet there was not denying its beauty.

Strange how even in these troublesome times, the most calming and beauteous of things stand out the most. He thought as he grazed a nearby cloud with his wing, sending wispy cloud vapor into the night air.

He looked down again and saw something very different from what he'd seen mere moments ago. Down below was a large collection of torches that brightened up a griffon training camp. Hawkeye shook his head.

Why must our nations quarrel like they do? We are all the griffons. We all eat the same food, have the same blood, and have the same feathers and beaks. But how is it that we remain divided? He thought as a sour look found itself on his face. Frankly, he'd been as sick as any other griffon of the fact that the East and West just could not get along. To Hawkeye, it would take a miracle for the two nations to unite. I just hope that father's meeting went successfully. He thought as optimism soon found its way into his head. Then the realistic side of his brain slapped him back into reality. And maybe the council members will finally agree on something and a beautiful rainbow will grace the sky as griffons all over the land rejoice and eat pudding in celebration.

Shaking the thoughts out of his mind, Hawkeye neared his home. It was a simple house. It was a one-story cubic structure erected from clouds. The clouds looked like bricks stacked on top of one another from the design that was carved into them. A simple wooden double door was the main entryway in the front of the cloud house. Next to the door was the crest of the family that Hawkeye came from. It was a symbol of a shield, on which a golden eagle clutched a sword in its claws. Circular windows lined the walls, all of which had no light shining through them. Maybe they've already gone to bed. Hawkeye thought, a grin spreading across his face.

Hawkeye landed on the cloud in front of the door, ready to sneak in. Holding up a claw, he inserted it into the door's key lock. Hawkeye knew his way around locks and how to pick them. Hawkeye had imagined that if he were a pony, he'd have a cutie mark in lock picking. He began to feel for the tumblers, gingerly testing each one. It wasn't the first time he'd picked that particular lock, so within seconds, he'd picked his way past the lock. Quietly opening the door, Hawkeye peeked his head inside to check if anyone was there. Seeing no one, the griffon crept inside, closing the door behind him and locking it as quietly as he could.

Hawkeye entered the house's atrium, taking note that his mother had cleaned up while he was gone. A large circular rug was placed in the center of the room. On the rug was a stitched design of the same coat of arms that was outside the doorway. On opposite sides of each other were tables that displayed family portraits through the years. Walking past these, Hawkeye made his way down a hall that was on the far side of the room.

Okay. Here's the tricky part. The sneaking griffon thought. Getting past his parent's room unnoticed was often the most difficult part of breaking back into his family's house. He then began to discreetly tiptoe his way down the hallway, not making a sound. Hawkeye held his breath as he passed his parents' wooden bedroom door. His room was right down the hall, just mere yards from his current position. Hawkeye gingerly walked to the door and exhaled a silent sigh of relief. Yes! Hawkeye thought as his claw grasped the door handle.

"Have a nice evening?" A gruff voice from behind Hawkeye asked. Hawkeye's body tensed as he realized that he'd been caught. He slowly turned around and was greeted by the sight of his father.

Hawkeye nervously smiled and waved his shaking claws. "Hello." He strained to say, trying not to put too much pressure on his vocal cords.

Hawkeye's father pinched his beak with his claws and closed his eyes. "How many times have I told you about the rules we have around here?"

"I'm… sorry. Visited… Gilda." Hawkeye said, earning a scathing look from his father.

"No notes letting us know where you were? No notifications? I came back from that council expecting my whole family to be there, only to find out my son was off with some crush while our country screams for war." Hawkeye's father rebuked in a low whisper. "Hawkeye, I love you and support you in what you do, but please return the favor by showing a little more support when I try to talk our country off the bridge it's currently on."

Hawkeye hung his head. He knew he shouldn't have been out with Gilda so late, but time had a habit of flying by when he was with her. "Sorry. Won't… happen again." He said ashamedly.

Hawkeye's father sighed. "To bed with you. We'll discuss this later." He said gesturing towards the Hawkeye's room.

Hawkeye turned back to his bedroom door and opened it. Hawkeye's father watched him trudge into his room and close the door behind him. As soon as the door clicked shut, Hawkeye's father turned back and headed back to his own room.

He opened it to find it in the same condition as it was when he left it minutes ago. The multi-patterned rug sat under the bed, spanning the floor of the room, decorating the floor with coats of arms and various symbols of the Western Kingdom. There was the purple-sheeted king-sized bed against the wall, wooden nightstands flanking it on either side. Opposite the bed was a vanity where his wife's perfumes and beauty accessories were stored. To the right of the bed was a windowsill where various potted plants sat, ready to taking in sunlight in the morning. There was one difference, however. Hawkeye's mother was sitting up in bed, her claws folded over her brown-furred chest.

"What was that all about?" Hawkeye's mother asked, her black-feathered face conveying an expression of concern.

"Just caught Hawkeye coming in late again." He replied, climbing back into the bed next to his wife.

"Oh give the boy a rest, Cloudius." The griffon general's wife snapped.

"He needs to learn responsibility for his actions, Avia. At the very least he should learn to be careful. The way the country is right now, a drafting agent could have spotted him on the way home and dragged him into the reserves." Cloudius responded.

"And you were any less reckless at his age?" Avia said, raising an eyebrow at her husband.

"That's not the point." Cloudius retorted. "Besides, the Sky-Shield name must be upheld and I won't have it tarnished by the gallivanting actions of my son."

"At least try to be less strict with him. With his paresis, he has enough trouble on his own." Avia said, Cloudius flinching at the mention of his son's speech condition.

"I suppose. But I'm still going to talk to him." Cloudius said, lying down on the bed.

"Good. Now let's get some sleep." Avia said, lying down next to her husband.

Soon the Sky-Shield house was sleeping as peacefully as the night around them.

A New Day with New Problems

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 18-A New Day with New Problems

-12 Hoofington Road, Ponyville-

The morning sun shone brightly as it rose in the east, painting the sky a bright orange. The birds in the trees chirped and sang, signaling the new day as the residents of Ponyville began to awaken. While most enjoyed the morning's greeting, one upset changeling did not.

"Stupid birds. Why can't they just shut up?" Chassis growled from under the covers of his bed. Chassis gripped his sheets and pulled them tighter over himself, trying to muffle the annoying sound. The birds kept singing regardless of the changeling's attempts. This is probably the one thing that the hive had that this place doesn't. A quiet morning so that I can take my time getting up. Chassis thought with a groan as he rolled in his bed, trying to get more comfortable.

"Chassis! You're not sleeping in, are you?" A female voice shouted from outside Chassis's room.

Chassis lifted the sheets off of himself and looked at the wooden door. "No, mother!" Chassis hollered back sarcastically, dragging the covers back over him.

The clopping of hoofsteps was heard outside the door, getting louder as they approached the sleepy changeling's room. The door swung open revealing a rather peeved Cipha.

"Chassis! We have work to do here and you're just sleeping?" Cipha asked in disbelief.

"I cannot recall a morning where I got out of bed before midday back at the hive. I don't intend to break that tradition here." Chassis growled.

Cipha shook her head at the lazy changeling and strolled to his bedside. Grabbing the covers with her teeth, she yanked the sheets right off the slothful changeling.

"Gah!" Chassis shouted in surprise as a sudden chill ran over his body. "What they hay, Cipha? I was going to get up eventually."

"Your definition of 'eventually' would be after lunchtime." Cipha said, giving Chassis a disapproving look.

"Oh well." Chassis admitted defeat, sliding off the bed's mattress and landing on his hooves. "So now that you have me out of bed, what now?"

"Breakfast. Fang and I made some food with the supplies that were already in the kitchen." Cipha responded.

Chassis lifted his muzzle and smelled the morning air. Sure enough, he could detect the distinct smells of oiled grasses cooking in a skillet. "Hmm. Well I suppose I can get up for that." He said, trudging towards the doorway that led to the house's atrium.

"That's more like it." Cipha said cheerfully, mentally patting herself on the back as she followed her disgruntled counterpart out of the room.

Upon entering the atrium of the house, Chassis and Cipha noticed to the left to see Fang laboring over the cooking meal in the kitchen. Whiffs of smoke billowed from the pan, rising up until dispersing as it hit the ceiling. Fang's twisted horn glowed neon green as he levitated a spatula, spreading the grass to cook it evenly on the pan's surface. Around his neck was a pink cloth tie holding something up.

"Fang? What's that you got on?" Chassis asked.

Fang looked up from the pan and looked behind him. "Well look who's finally up." He said, earning a frown from Chassis.

Chassis rolled his eyes at the snide remark. "Yeah, yeah, so I was late getting up. Could we please move on?" Chassis said, ready to change the subject of the conversation.

"Just teasing, dude. And as to the question you asked, here's the answer." Fang replied, turning around to face Chassis and Cipha.

What the two changelings saw made them start snickering at the changeling cook. Around Fang's neck was a bright pink apron with the words Mr. Good-lookin' is cookin' in bold blue letters.

Chassis was trying his best to contain his laughter at how ridiculous the apron looked on Fang, but ended up busting out laughing anyways. It was only a few seconds later when Cipha began laughing at Fang's appearance as well.

"Yeah, sure. Laugh it up, guys." Fang said with a slight smile, rolling his eyes and going back to cooking.

"Where in the world did you get that thing?" Chassis asked, taking a break from laughing to catch his breath.

"Found it in one of the cupboards and figured I'd use it. Plus I think it looks good on me." Fang said, putting on a confident look.

"You do realize that we're never going to let this go, right?" Cipha asked with a smile.

"I wouldn't expect anything else." Fang responded, levitating the pan off the stove with his magic. "Well, breakfast is ready." He announced, carrying it over to the table where three plates were set. Using the spatula, Fang scraped some cooked grass from the pan and put it on each of the plates. The three sat down and began enjoying their food.

After taking a few bites, Cipha spoke up. "Well thanks for breakfast, Fang. This grass is pretty good. Where'd you learn to cook? I never saw you do anything like this at the hive." She said, taking another bite.

"Well it was during a hunt I did a while back. I couldn't do anything while they were awake so I had to wait until they were asleep before I could feed. But during the time I waited, I saw how they prepared their food and took the process to memory." Fang said, proud that his first cooking experience had gone so well.

"Well I'll give it to ya, this is good stuff." Chassis said, chomping on some grass still in his mouth.

"Thanks, guys. So either of you know what the plan is today?" Fang said, changing the topic.

"Well we need to find that 'Pinkie Pie' and I think this party tonight will be our only real chance of getting to her." Cipha suggested.

"Absolutely. But how can we do this in a covert manner?" Fang asked, rubbing his chin with a hoof.

The three changelings pondered the dilemma until Chassis spoke up. "It's going to be a party, and lots of ponies go to parties. I say that we take her in the middle of the party pandemonium and question her later."

"I don't think that ponynapping will be the best answer." Cipha said with a sigh.

"Why not?" Chassis asked the skeptical changeling.

Cipha gave Chassis a stern look. "For one, this 'Pinkie' won't respond to our questions if we hold her against her will. Second, what if somepony were to see us or find her? It would jeopardize our whole operation. And lastly, what do we do with her even if she answers our questions? She'd blab to somepony about it and then we'd be busted." She said, shooting down Chassis's suggestion.

"What if we just ask her when we get there?" Fang suggested. "It won't seem out of the ordinary, seeing as we're new here, and she'll answer us. Plus, we could use the party to another advantage."

"What advantage might that be?" Chassis asked, folding his hooves.

"Remember our main objective. We need to find a powerful unicorn that can help us out. If we scout out the party, we just might find sompony that will meet those standards." Fang said with a smile as he rubbed his hooves together.

Cipha nodded in agreement. "Good idea, Fang. So until the party starts, what do we do until then?"

"We get ready to go to the festivities." Chassis responded, getting up from the table and going to the main door of the house.

"Where are you going?" Cipha asked.

"To check out the town a little more. Today is our last full day here. May as well get a last look around and try to find out more about this place." Chassis said, a green glow beginning to emanate from his horn. A green energy wave washed over his body, transforming his features. Within seconds, Chassis had changed from a changeling into the Ponyville newcomer, Silver Star.

Silver Star pushed open the door and walked outside into the morning sunlight, ready to find any last morsels of information before they had to go.

-Ponyville Library-

Twilight's eyes fluttered open, her vision instantly flooded by the sunlight that poured through her bedside window. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she peered over the edge of her bed to see Spike sleeping soundly in his basket bed. Twilight smiled as she heard the soft snores that came from the young dragon.

No dreams last night. And it looks like Spike had a good night's sleep as well. Twilight thought, reflecting on her peaceful rest the previous night. I suppose that's a good thing. She figured as she slid out of bed, careful not to make too much noise.

Her hooves made slight creaking sounds as Twilight descended the wooden staircase.

Twilight halted on the stairs as something caught her ear. "Hoot." She looked around, recognizing the sound.

"Owlowiscius? Where are you?" Twilight asked in a quiet tone, trying to let Spike continue sleeping. A flapping of wings above her caused Twilight to look up. She smiled as she saw her pet owl, Owlowiscius, hovering above the staircase.

"Good morning to you too." Twilight greeted the light amber brown owl.

"Hoo-hoot." Owlowiscius responded happily, flapping his brown wings slower as he descended to Twilight's eye level.

"So everything went well last night?" Twilight asked, her nocturnal assistant nodding in reply. "Well that's good to hear." She said with a smile. Twilight looked out the window and saw the sun brightening the morning sky. "Well seeing as the nighttime is over, you are relieved until further notice, Owlowiscius."

Owlowiscius landed on his wooden stand and lifted his wing in a salute, earning a chuckle from his purple owner.

Once on the ground floor, Twilight made her way to the kitchen. She didn't get far before hearing some laughter coming from outside. Curious as to where the laughter came from, Twilight looked out the window and looked across the street. In the house across from the library, she saw the silhouettes of two ponies laughing hysterically at a third pony that appeared to be doing something over a stove. Sheesh. Keep it down a bit, will ya? Twilight thought. Anyways, time for some breakfast. She thought happily as she trotted towards the kitchen.

As Twilight entered her kitchen, something white against the brown wood caught her eye. Something about the strange object drew her to it as Twilight approached it. Twilight looked down it and her breath hitched at what she saw.

"How is it here?" Twilight asked in disbelief. Before her sat the white book. It was the same white book that brought her into that terrible dream the other night. However, there was something different about it this time. Instead of a pearl in the center, there was a diamond-shaped amethyst.

Twilight's eyebrow rose slightly at noticing the different stone that was embedded in the cover. Should I look at it? What if that awful dream happens again?

"No terror will you see in this book." A low voice said.

Twilight's ears perked up as she looked around for the source of the voice. "Hello? Where are you?" She asked nervously.

"In front of you." The voice said. Twilight turned her head forward and only found the book in front of her.

"You don't sound like the voices I heard the first time." Twilight said, lifting a hoof tentatively.

"That's because I'm not the same being as the one that inhabited this book previously." The book's voice responded.

Twilight's eyes narrowed at the book. "How can I be sure I can trust you?"

The book's voice was quiet for a few moments. After a while, it spoke up. "After your first encounter with this book, I understand your skepticism. However, there are much larger things at work than simple talking books or strange dreams. They are but the beginning of the events that have yet to come."

Twilight began to process what this book might be saying. "And what might these events entail?" She questioned.

"Open this book and all your questions will be answered." The voice responded.

Twilight's hoof slowly began to go to the book's cover, both scared and anxious to see what was inside. Mustering up what courage, she had, Twilight pulled the book's cover open.

Spike woke with a yawn. Man, that was a much better night of sleep than I expected. He thought, looking up to Twilight's bed. Seeing that she wasn't there, Spike shrugged. Meh. She's probably just reading or making breakfast. Sliding out from under his blanket, he hopped out of the basket and began to walk downstairs.

"Twilight? You down here somewhere?" Spike called, wondering where his guardian had gone. Not hearing an answer, Spike became concerned. Where could she be?

"Hoot."

Spike's ears perked at the sound. He turned his head to see Owlowiscius sitting on his stand, waving a wing in greeting.

A smile spread on Spike's face at the sight of the owl. "Oh. Good morning, Owlowiscius. Have you seen Twilight anywhere?" Spike asked. Owlowiscius pointed a wing past Spike, causing him to turn to see where the bird was pointing. He looked and saw the hallway leading to the kitchen.

Well that answers that question. Spike thought. "Thanks, Owlowiscius." The young dragon said, earning a happy expression from the owl as he descended the rest of the staircase.

"Hey, Twilight, whatcha cooking in there?" Spike asked as he approached the kitchen entrance. Still not hearing a response, Spike's concern returned. Another thing he noticed was that he couldn't smell anything. He should have been able to smell the hay pancakes or toasted daisy sandwiches on his way to the kitchen, but the lack of sensory stimulation only added to his suspicion. "Twilight? What are you doing in-?" Spike began to ask, but was cut short by the sight of his guardian. Twilight was lying on the ground with her back turned to the entrance of the kitchen.

Terror gripped his heart as the young dragon ran to the purple alicorn's side. "Twilight! What happened?" Spike asked, turning her over to face him. What he saw confirmed his worst fears. "Not again!"

-Canterlot Castle-

Luna had lost track of the time. Ever since she woke up in the early morning, she paced the throne room anxiously as worried thoughts bounced around in her mind. The Shadow is coming back. I won't let him trick me so easily should he attempt to again. But what damage could he do to Equestria? She thought as she paced back and forth in the throne room. A clopping sound to her right drew her attention from her thoughts. She turned to see Celestia walking down the hall towards her.

"Have all the guards been alerted?" Luna asked her sister nervously.

"The squad commanders gave the news early this morning. Overtime shifts around the clock are being ordered to all the guardsponies." Celestia said reassuringly.

Luna sighed with relief. "Good. Hopefully the guards are up to the task."

"I know they are." Celestia said, putting a hoof over her sister's shoulders. "But I would be more concerned about you than them right now."

Luna looked up at her sister and gave her a confused look. "Why is that?"

"Think about it. The thing that made you into Nightmare Moon is coming back." Celestia said. Luna hung her head at the memory. "If I were you, I'd be an emotional wreck."

Luna looked back up and gave her sister a grin. "Don't sell yourself short, Tia. If anything, you did more than what I could have done had I been in your shoes."

Celestia gave her sister a thoughtful look. "I appreciate that, Luna. I just hope I don't have to do it again."

"Your Highnesses!" A voice called from the far side of the room. Both princesses looked to see a white-furred guardspony. His golden armor glinted in the sunlight that poured through the multiple stained glass windows. The plume on his helmet was a vibrant red, symbolizing his rank as a sergeant of the Celestial Guard Battalion.

"What is it, Sergeant?" Celestia addressed the guard.

The sergeant did a quick bow to the princesses and resumed his report. "We have sentries all around the perimeter of the castle and we have more en route to the city walls. Within the hour, nothing will get into this city without us knowing about it."

Luna nodded with approval. "Excellent work, Sergeant. Return to your post and report to us should anything develop."

The guard lifted his right hoof and gave the princesses a salute before turning around and walking out of the throne room.

"Well the guards are in position. Should we notify the citizens about this? Surely seeing all these guards patrolling around the city will cause some confusion." Luna pointed out.

Celestia nodded. "I agree. But how gently are we going to put it? We can't just say, 'An ancient evil of unknown power is going to be unleashed within the next few days and will more than likely attack Canterlot as soon as it's out'. It'd start a mass panic."

Luna rubbed her chin with a hoof. "Hmm. We could say that it's a part of an exercise." She suggested.

"An exercise?" Celestia asked in surprise.

Luna nodded. "Yes. We can say that they are practicing more effective ways of patrolling the walls and palace. Everypony will not find it to be unusual and continue with their daily activities."

Celestia pondered this. Slowly, her face softened into an agreeing expression. "You know… that could work. I'll make sure the newspapers and town heralds get that message."

Luna, satisfied that they were further prepared, turned to head out of the throne room when Celestia called to her.

"Luna." She said.

Luna turned her head to her sister. "Yes?"

"Yesterday you mentioned to me that you had some sort of dream the other night." Celestia said in a concerned tone. Luna nodded her head, her mind recalling the dream. "If I may ask, what exactly did it entail?"

Luna swallowed and sighed. "I appeared in Ponyville. I didn't recognize the town at first, but when I got to Twilight's library, that's where it clicked."

Celestia nodded. "Go on."

"I entered the library and was drawn to a book."

Celestia's eyebrow rose. "The same book that Twilight was talking about from her dream?"

"The same. White cover, gold trim, pearl embedded in the center. When I approached the book, it started whispering… things." Luna said.

The sun goddess's eyes narrowed. "What kind of things?"

Luna scoured her memory for what the voices said in the dream. "I can't remember all of them. But I do remember one phrase in particular."

"And that is?" Celestia pushed.

Luna's eyes closed as she solemnly said, "The long night approaches."

The room was silent. Neither sister spoke a word as the phrase sank in. Luna looked for a reaction from her sister, but found none. Celestia stood there with a stone-faced expression, as if contemplating what the words meant.

"Do you know what that means, Tia?" Luna asked, snapping Celestia out of her thoughts.

Celestia heaved a sigh. "If it means what I think it means, then we must be ready to face it." Luna nodded in agreement. "And nopony else knows this?"

Luna shook her head. "Nopony but you and I."

Celestia looked at the stained glass windows that surrounded them. "Good." She said, pausing to think. "Go and alert your guards. They must be as thorough in their patrols in the night as mine are in the day.

Luna nodded and exited the throne room, closing the large golden doors behind her and leaving Celestia in the room by herself.

Celestia sighed and slowly walked back up to her golden throne. She sat down in it and looked at the stained glass around her, each window depicting the major events that occurred in the history of her reign. From Nightmare Moon's banishment to the recovery of the Crystal Empire, she'd been there through it all.

The long night approaches. Her mind repeated the phrase. Celestia bowed her head, closed her eyes and sighed, letting a single tear fall from her eye.

Farewells and Forewarnings

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 19-Farewells and Forewarnings

-Changeling Hive-

I can't believe they all showed up. Chrysalis thought in wonder as she looked out at the gathering of changelings below her chamber balcony. She had Raspian and the guards call together all the changelings and didn't expect a huge turnout. However, her expectations would shot down when she saw how many had arrived. Below Chrysalis was hundreds, no, thousands of changelings. All of whom were ready to hear what she had to say. Well. Here it goes. Chrysalis thought, clearing her throat.

"Drones, sentries, and harvesters! Lend me your ear! For what I am about to tell you is of the utmost importance!" Chrysalis shouted to the masses of the changeling hive before her. From her balcony, there appeared to be thousands of changelings gathered at the foot of cliff on which her chambers resided. Chrysalis smiled at the changelings that she had called together. The time to unveil her plan had come. She'd kept her subjects in the dark for long enough.

"When do we get our food?!" One indignant drone shouted from below. This caused multiple changelings to begin voicing their concerns to the queen as well.

"Yeah! How many more of us must die before we eat?!" Another cried.

"Are we finally getting something to eat?!" A third asked.

Chrysalis raised her hoof, silencing the murmurs. "What I have to tell you all has been a secret for the past couple days." She said, watching as changelings began to look at each other with confused looks on their faces. Chrysalis resumed her announcement. "During an encounter with a very powerful being, Captain Raspian and myself had struck a deal. We free this being, he gives us all of Equestria to feed on."

This stirred up both happiness and skepticism from the crowd below. Voices began to be heard amongst the crowd.

"All of Equestria? We couldn't take one city for ourselves. How can we take the whole country?" One skeptic asked.

"What does it matter?" Another responded. "We can have our food!"

"At what cost? Surely it can't be that easy!" A third objected.

"Would you want to take that chance? Starve to death or make a deal with this creature? What would you choose?" A fourth changeling said.

Again, Chrysalis held up a hoof to dispel the voices. "It was a risk worth taking, my children. You will have your food." She said in a motherly tone. "Raspian and I will depart later this morning to the location of this creature's prison. Once there, I will signal three of our scouts to bring in a unicorn that they had managed to trick into following them."

"A unicorn? What would they need it for?" A voice below shouted.

"It is used as a method for freeing the creature. Our scouts will bring it to us by the second day. In the days following, a revolution will sweep across Equestria, as the tyrannical Princess Celestia will not know what to do in the wake of our wrath." Chrysalis said, earning almost deafening cheers from the crowd below. Hooves stomped, cries of joy were heard, and calls for conquest rang in the hive's atrium. As Chrysalis put up a hoof, the applause was silenced once more. "Wait for me until two days from today. Until then, farewell, my subjects." Chrysalis said, turning back into her chambers.

As she walked through the doors of her chambers, Chrysalis heard something that hadn't been heard throughout the hive in months. Elated cheers echoed throughout the hive as the queen ended her speech. As she listened to the shouts of joy from her people, Chrysalis smiled. Even though they had faced tough times before, they would make it through this time of despair.

Now to prepare for the journey. She thought.

Three hours later, Chrysalis stood at the edge of the Changeling Hive, ready to fulfill her mission as the sun began to rise, its yellow rays shining through the hive entrance tunnel. The past few days had been torturous for her and the hive alike. With the creature freed, they'd finally be able to eat freely.

This is it. Chrysalis thought, her mind set on the events that were to occur in the next twenty four hours. Everything in the past couple days had gone according to the plan she made with Lodestar. Her scouts had infiltrated Ponyville successfully and were awaiting her command to bring the unicorn to free Lodestar. She had won back the favor of the hive with promises of food and conquest. Immediately afterwards, Chrysalis and Rapsian had created their own false identities to further convince said unicorn of the lie they were presenting him or her. All the arrangements had been set up. Now all that was needed was to carry out the deed.

Chrysalis could feel her objective coming closer to completion as she looked over her new form. She had taken the form of a pegasus with the name Sunshine Ray. Her coat was a vibrant orange while her long yellow mane flourished over her shoulders. Her red eyes almost glowed in the sunlight that came through the tunnel entrance. A smile graced her lips as she prepared herself for what was to come.

"Are we ready to go?" A voice behind Chrysalis asked. She turned her head to see Raspian walking up behind her.

Raspian had taken the form of a pegasus by the name of Timber Pile. His mahogany brown coat accented with his evergreen leaf green mane and tail almost made him look like tree in the form of a pony. His deep green eyes sharply contrasted the sun's rays that came through the tunnel as he squinted against the light. Chrysalis nodded as she reverted to her original form as green energy scanned over her body, transforming her back into the changeling queen of the hive.

"We are, Captain. Nice disguise." Chrysalis assured, her perforated wings stretching outwards.

Raspian gave a shy smile. "Thank you, your Majesty. Do you remember Lodestar's location?"

"Yes. We should be there by moonrise." Chrysalis said, the smile disappearing from her face.

"Is something wrong, my Queen?" Raspian asked, noting the shift in his queen's facial expression.

Chrysalis was silent for a few moments, as if she was pondering something. After a few seconds, she spoke up. "Whatever happens in the next day, I just want to say thank you, Raspian."

"Thank you? For what?" Raspian asked.

"Over the past few days, you've been at my side through everything. I'd just like to thank you for being there for me when no one else was." Chrysalis said gratefully, her smile returning.

Raspian smiled and then saluted. "Just doing my duty, your Majesty."

Chrysalis nodded and turned back to the entrance of the cave, her wings beginning to buzz. "Ready?"

Raspian's wings began to buzz as he took the signal. "Ready." He replied.

Leaping off the ground, the changeling queen and her captain took to the skies, the buzzing of their wings getting fainter and fainter as they disappeared into the clouds above the hive.

-Ponyville Library-

"Twilight! Wake up! Wake up!" Spike shouted, grabbing the alicorn by her shoulders and shaking her, frantically trying to snap Twilight out of whatever trance she was in. Spike looked over her prone form. She certainly looked like she had just woken up. Twilight's mane was slightly tussled and she still had some sleep in the corners of her eyes. Her eyes though threw Spike for a loop. Last time they were bright yellow. This time they were a glowing purple.

"This can't be happening again." He told himself as genuine terror gripped his heart. Spike's shoulders sagged and tears began to fill his eyes as he realized that he couldn't do anything to help his guardian. I have to get somepony to help me wake Twilight, but who? Spike thought, his mind racing to find a solution. Suddenly, the answer hit him. I know who to ask for help! Spike rushed to get a quill and a piece of paper. He had a letter to send.

Blackness. That's all Twilight could see. She swiveled her head in every direction and couldn't see anything but the infinite darkness around her. She felt weightless as Twilight floated through the empty space, her wings proving useless with no air to lift her up or descend.

Despite all the dark that was around her, Twilight knew that there was more than met the eye with this place. "Hello? Is anypony out there?" Twilight called out into the blackness.

"Hello, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic." A voice said from all around her, echoing in the void around her. Nervousness and anxiety filled her mind at the sound of the voice.

How does this thing know my name? Twilight thought, her eyes darting left and right to try to find the source of the voice.

"Fear not, my little pony. You are safe here." The voice said again. Although it sounded endearing, Twilight didn't trust it.

"Where am I?" Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow at the darkness before her.

"You are still in Equestria. The Ponyville Library to be exact." The voice responded.

Twilight's eyebrows rose in surprise. "How? I don't see any semblance of Ponyville anywhere in here."

A low chuckle made Twilight uneasy. "Allow me to explain. Your body is still in the kitchen of your home. Your mind, however, has gone into the book that you opened."

Twilight put a hoof to her chin in thought. Magic that would take a pony's mind from his or her body and put into some other realm? It shouldn't be possible. Yet, here she was.

"How can that be? That kind of magic is virtually unheard of." Twilight protested.

"This magic is but a taste of the power that I can wield. Unfortunately, the same could be said for the previous occupant of this realm." The voice said with a twinge of sympathy at the end.

"Previous occupant?" Twilight asked.

"He has many names, but they all point to one being. That monster is what gave you the illusion you saw that night." The voice said as multiple swirling colors began to materialize in front of Twilight. Twilight narrowed her eyes, trying to make out what the swirling colors were forming. As soon as she realized what they were depicting, she shut her eyes immediately.

The colors formed to make pictures of the dream she had. Ponyville was in flames, the smoke rising into the sky. Dead ponies littered the ground, their blood staining the grass beneath them. Town Hall collapsing, the proud building becoming nothing but rubble and broken wooden beams in a matter of seconds.

"The book you opened is a medium through which the monster and I use for our own purposes. He used it to scare you and to turn your fears into what you perceived as reality." The echoing voice said as the colors began to dissipate back into blackness.

Twilight cautiously opened her eyes again, seeing if the images were still there. To Twilight's relief, they were gone. "So why are you using it?" Twilight asked.

"There are things happening in the world that will soon shake the very foundations of civilization. From Equestria to the Crystal Empire to the Griffon Kingdoms and to Saddle Arabia, the world will feel the wrath of a vengeful evil that has been imprisoned for a thousand years." The voice said, images landmarks of each country materializing before Twilight as he listed them off. Before her were images of a few places she recognized like Ponyville, Canterlot, Manehattan, and the Crystal Palace. However, there were a couple locations she wasn't familiar with. There was an image of a bronze pyramid sitting on a cloud in the sky, surrounded on all sides by a large wall. A second image showed a white palace that sat in the middle of an arid desert.

Twilight tried to comprehend what she was seeing and hearing. An ancient monster trapped for a thousand years is returning? To all these places? Surely the Elements can stop this thing, whatever it is. Twilight figured as the images faded into black once more.

"Unfortunately, no. They cannot." The voice said. "The first usage of the Elements on this being only delayed the inevitable."

Twilight's eyes widened and her ears dropped in shock. "What?!" Twilight shouted, bewildered by the very notion of the Elements being incapable of handling the threat. "The Elements of Harmony are the most powerful magical tools in Equestria! How are they not enough to fight this thing?"

"Sometimes evil cannot simply be pushed away only for it to come back later. Sometimes, good must put to death that which is evil." The voice said, only deepening Twilight's confusion.

"Put to death?" Twilight asked in shock, the very word 'death' leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. Twilight was willing to do what was necessary to keep Equestria safe, but to kill? That was something else.

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle. There will come a time when good ponies must do bad things to achieve their goals. For now, prepare yourself." The voice said, its sound growing fainter in the darkness.

"Wait!" Twilight shouted into the black. "Prepare for what?"

"Beware, Twilight Sparkle, for the long night approaches." The voice said as it faded into nothingness.

As soon as the voice finished the sentence, the blackness around Twilight began to brighten up, causing her to squint against the sudden brightness. Soon, it felt like she lost feeling in her right hoof. Twilight looked down at her hoof and to her surprise, it wasn't there. Twilight looked over herself and gasped at what she saw. Her body was disappearing before her very eyes.

Twilight's watched as everything below her chest disappeared, leaving only her neck and head. "Wait! What's going on?" Twilight asked frantically, but received no answer as the energy crawled up her neck. Soon, the vanishing energy washed over her head, causing her to disappear from the realm.

Twilight's eyes fluttered open, her vision revealing the floor of her home's kitchen. Groaning, Twilight sat up, her head instantly exploding in pain.

"Gah!" She exclaimed, clutching her head with her hooves. It felt like a thousand nails were being hammered into her skull at once.

"Twilight! You're alright!" a voice shouted happily. Twilight turned to see Spike bounding down the hallway towards her. Twilight had little time to react before being tackled into a big hug from the baby dragon.

"Oof!" Twilight huffed a sudden breath of air as Spike squeezed her in his arms. "Did I miss anything, Spike?"

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Spike said into her chest. Twilight put on a thoughtful look and lifted Spike's face to see hers.

"Of course I'm okay Spike. But I need to get an urgent-" Twilight paused midsentence as another migraine washed over her head. She clenched her teeth and rubbed her head until the pain subsided several moments later. "-message to the Princesses."

"What message?" A voice to Twilight's side asked. Twilight and Spike turned to see a certain princess of the night standing in the doorway.

-Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Is she ready to go, Commander Storm?" Celestia asked the battalion commander as she looked out across the castle courtyard from the balcony.

The guard that stood next to Celestia had a stormy gray coat, a short cut jet-black mane and tail, and deep blue eyes. Commander Storm's silver armor glinted in the sunlight as the purple plume on his helmet waved to and fro in the breeze. On his front left hoof was a hoof blade, a seemingly harmless gauntlet that housed a deadly concealable blade that was used by only the most skilled members of the Royal Guard.

"Yes, Princess. Shooting Star has been briefed on the mission and is ready to fly. She awaits your command." Commander Storm responded gruffly.

"Good. Send her out." Celestia ordered. Commander Storm nodded and walked to the edge of the balcony. His horn's tip began to light up with a bright green pulse of magic. When the pulse reached its brightest, Storm shot the magic pulse up in the air like a flare. After a few moments of the flare hanging in the air, Celestia could see a yellow pegasus begin to take off from the barracks.

"She's away." The commander said, cancelling the flare spell as it dissipated into thin air.

"Excellent. Art thou sure that she is up to the task? The recommendations thou gave me seemed promising." Celestia said to Storm.

The commander gave Celestia a grin. "Milady, I believe that Shooting Star is the best scout this stallion has had the privilege to train and send out. She will not disappoint." Storm said in an assuring tone.

"I will hold thee to those words." Celestia said, returning the smile. They turned back towards the door that led back into the outer castle chambers.

As they walked down the ornately decorated corridor, Storm gave Celestia a concerned look. "Milady, might I ask a question?"

Celestia looked down at Storm and gave him a thoughtful look. "No need to ask, Commander. Speak what is on thy mind." She responded.

"Thank you, Princess. Forgive me if this is personal, but how is thy sister doing?" He asked, causing Celestia to stop midstride and focus on Storm's question. "She hasn't eaten anything today and barely got any rest the previous night from what I have heard."

Celestia's smile faded at the question. She didn't respond for a few moments, trying to find a way to answer the question without arousing any concern. "My sister is not quite herself right now, but she will come around. Luna has always proven to be resilient in both emotional and physical conditions." Celestia said, seeing if Storm would take the answer and drop it. Celestia hadn't said anything, but over the past couple days she had noticed that Luna was behaving strangely. Dodging questions, staying isolated for most of the day, and only speaking when spoken to. It was quite unlike her to be acting this way.

"Thank you, Princess. Forgive me if it was personal, but I only wish to know about the well-being of those I serve." Storm said, slightly bowing his head in reverence of the princess before him.

Celestia's smile returned. "No need to apologize, commander. Thy question was not intended to be offending so I see no reason to feel guilty." She said kindly, earning a smile from Storm.

"Thank you, Princess." Storm said, bowing once more. "Now I must excuse myself to the barracks. There are some trainees that need attending to." He said, turning around and began walking down the corridor that led to outside the castle.

Celestia smiled as she watched the commander exit her presence. If only all my guards were as loyal as he. She thought. A fast clopping of hooves to her right drew her attention from the departing commander. To her right, she saw Starswirl the Bearded galloping towards her. As he approached her, Celestia noticed something. She saw a look of concern in his eyes that she had rarely seen before.

"Starswirl. What is the meaning of this?" Celestia asked the now panting unicorn before her.

After a quick bow, Starswirl spoke up. "Princess. I have news regarding the Crystal Empire. You haven't sent the scout already have you?" He asked hastily.

"Shooting Star took off a few minutes ago. Why?" Celestia asked, concern beginning to fill her mind. A look of frustration found its way onto Starswirl's face as he heard the news.

"Hmm. If only I had more time." Starswirl muttered. Turning his attention back to Celestia, he resumed. "I will have to discuss this with both thyself and thy sister. Where is she?"

"In her bedchambers. Shall I go and wake her?" Celestia asked.

"With haste. Meet Clover and I in the library. There is not a moment to lose!" Starswirl said as he turned around and began to gallop back to the library.

Not a moment to lose? If it's this urgent, then I must get Luna as quickly as possible. But walking to Luna's chambers will take too long. I will have to teleport. Celestia thought, her horn glowing a bright yellow. With a flash of yellow light, Celestia left the corridor.

Luna lay on her bed, muttering to herself. The past twelve hours had been a mental battle for her. One part of her was saying that Celestia wanted to betray her and take all the power for herself. The other sensible part of her was saying that her sister would never do such a devious thing.

"She wants me gone. Gone. She wants… me..." Luna said to herself.

No! Celestia is my sister. She would never betray me like that! Luna's mind countered.

"That's what she'd want you to think, you fool." Luna responded.

But why? What could she gain from-

"Think of the power she would have if you were out of the picture. She would be in charge of both the sun and the moon. All the citizens would worship her alone. All the power, the glory, and riches would be all hers." Luna said harshly to her mind.

No. Thou art lying! Get out of my head! Luna thought, clutching her head.

Before Luna could rebut herself, a bright flash of yellow light drew her attention. Where the flash appeared, Celestia was there.

"Sister, thou must come with me immediately." Celestia said sternly without so much as a greeting.

"What? Why?" Luna asked in a flummoxed manner.

"Starswirl has requested our presence in the library. From the sound of his request, it seems very urgent." Celestia said, taking a look over her sister's form on the bed. Celestia noted Luna's bloodshot eyes, tussled mane, and the bags under her eyes. All of which were indications of a rough night. "Art thou alright?" She asked, looking concerned.

Luna got up and walked up next to her sister. "I am fine, sister. So shall we depart to see Starswirl then?" She asked, collecting herself from her previous state.

"So we shall." Celestia said, her horn glowing yellow once more. Luna squinted as the yellow light intensified before her. With a flash of yellow light, Celestia disappeared.

Before Luna began her teleportation spell, her mind spoke to her one last time. Remember what I said. She may use this opportunity to be rid of thee. She thought.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, Luna began her teleportation spell. With a bright blue flash and with lingering doubts in her mind, Luna disappeared from her bedchamber.

Warnings Considered

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 20-Warnings Considered

-Sky over northern Equestria: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Shooting Star glided above the clouds, the wind rushing through her fiery red and orange mane as she barely missed a passing cumulus. Shooting felt the wind rushing past her ears and through her mane, the feeling of soaring through the infinite expanse of the sky, and the feeling of exhilaration as she shot towards the snow-covered mountain range ahead of her. These feelings and more fueled Shooting Star's soul as her wings flapped up and down. The sky was her domain and nopony else's.

"Alright! Got the sky, now to get to this Crystal Empire. Question is, where exactly is it?" Shooting asked herself.

Shooting Star's briefing had been vague to say the least. All she was told was to investigate a newly discovered empire in the northern mountains. When she asked Commander Storm where this 'crystal empire' was exactly, he flatly told her that he didn't know other than the fact that it was in a valley in the middle of the northern mountains. As a mission, this was one of the weirdest assignments she'd taken. However, the thought of exploring uncharted territory excited Shooting Star so much that she accepted the mission after the briefing.

Oh well. I'll know it when I see it. Shooting figured as she flapped her wings even faster, accelerating towards the snow-covered mountain peaks .Shooting continued flying towards the mountains that lay ahead of her, both unsure and excited about what was in store for her when she got to her destination.

-Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Starswirl, what is all this about?" Celestia asked as she and Luna walked through the library's doorway.

Starswirl looked up a pile of books he and Clover were studying to greet the princesses. "Ah, Princesses. I am glad to see thee here. I have some news regarding the Crystal Empire that I had received very recently."

"So what is all this about, magician?" Luna inquired as one of her eyebrows rose.

"I am glad that thou asked, Princess Luna. This book will provide the answers." Starswirl said, his horn lighting up a deep blue. A blue aura surrounded a white book with gold trim as it was levitated from the pile of books that Starswirl and his student had been looking through.

Celestia and Luna studied the book that hovered before them. The gold trim seemed emanate from the center of the book where a single pearl was embedded in the cover. The gold trim extended out from the center and swirled around the corners of the cover, making hypnotic shapes on the corners of the cover.

Celestia's eyes narrowed at the book, then gave Starswirl a confused look. "Is this book about the Crystal Empire?"

Starswirl grinned. "Yes and no, my Princess. I've found that this book has magical properties." Starswirl beamed about his discovery.

Luna, still not tearing her eyes from the book, spoke up. "What kind of magical properties?"

"When I opened it, it wrote back in response to the things I said." Starswirl said, earning a questioning look from the princess of the sun. "For example, I'd ask what the Crystal Empire was, and it would write out a response."

Celestia returned her gaze to the book. "How intriguing. Such magic is extremely rare. What could it mean?"

"Is that the only magical property? A book that writes back to answer the reader's questions?" Luna asked.

"Aye, Princess." Clover spoke up from behind the mountain of books he was looking through. "From what my teacher has told me, it was quite an experience."

He said it could write back, not speak. Luna thought, her gaze focused on the pearl in the center of the book with a peculiar look. Sound faded into nothingness as only the book's voice was heard.

That's because you that magician cannot handle the truths I can tell thee, Princess. The book responded with a raspy tone inside her mind.

What truths? Luna mentally asked.

I can show thee many truths, Princess of the Night, some of which you may not have known to be acutalities. One such actuality is that your sister is going to try to destroy me. The book responded.

How can that be? Starswirl has revealed the truth-revealing powers that thou possess. She wouldn't destroy a magic vessel with such capabilities. Luna thought.

By getting rid of me, she will deprive thee of a magical vessel that thee can use against her. The book responded. Thou shalt soon see that thy sister has an unquenchable thirst for power. As a result, you will see what she does when another threatens her reign. The book said. Luna narrowed her eyes at the book.

Art thou implying that I would threaten her co-rule? Or should somepony else challenge her authority? Luna questioned.

Now, now, Princess. All will be revealed in due time. But she can and will do everything to make sure she is unopposed. The same is said for the challenge she feels toward thee.

Inside Luna's mind, cogs were turning. It does make sense. I have only begun to have doubts about my sister's hold on power. If she tries to destroy thee, then I swear that my sister will not lay a hoof on thee if thou help me against my sister. Luna thought earnestly.

I am glad that I have thy protection, Princess. Until the day she tries to destroy me, just go along with your sister's plans. If we succeed, thou shall have more power than you ever though possible. The book responded, a swirling mixture of blues and blacks beginning to form on the white surface of the pearl.

Luna concentrated on the colors, trying to make out what they were creating. The colors finally formed together to form a black pair of eyelids. Remember my instructions, Princess. Soon, you shall be rid of the sun and all the world will recognize the power and beauty that is the night. Soon, the night will last forever. The book whispered, the eyelids on the pearl opening at the end of the book's words to reveal a teal blue eye with a slit pupil.

Luna looked into the eye on the pearl. Strangely, she felt a feeling of connection to the image, as if she was looking at a part of herself.

"Luna?" a voice asked to the right of Luna. Blinking a few times, Luna looked and saw her sister giving her a concerned look. "Luna, art thou well?" Celestia asked.

"I am fine, sister." Luna said, putting on a smile. "I may have zoned out for a bit." Luna looked back at the pearl in the cover, expecting the eye to still be there. To her disappointment, she didn't see it.

"Thou should get some rest." Celestia said in a concerned tone.

"Nay, dear sister. I am alright." Luna responded quickly. "Don't we have something more important to discuss than my lack of rest?"

Starswirl cleared his throat. "Well yes, we should. Now the Crystal Empire is not dissimilar to our kingdom. In fact, its roots are here in Equestria."

"How can that be?" Celestia asked.

"A young unicorn named Crystal Soul created the crystal pony race by fusing crystal and pony flesh. By giving a portion of his life to the fusion, he was able to create the first crystal ponies. This experiment, however, did not go over well with the locals. They cast him and his creations out, causing them to seek a new home. They eventually found one, deep in the northern mountain range. They found a clearing in the mountains and settled there and began building their civilization. Before passing on, Crystal gave his creations one final gift. Using the last of his life energy, he created a medium through which the crystal ponies could project their own magic. Sacrificing himself and concealing his life energy into a piece of crystal, he created what we know as the Crystal Heart." Starswirl said, pausing to make sure that every pony in the room was paying attention. Seeing that both princesses and his student were enraptured by what he said, Starswirl continued. "Until recently, the crystal ponies had lived in harmony. However, a new king on the throne has put an end to that harmony. His name was once Prodigal, but now he goes by King Sombra, a unicorn king who has been turned into an agent of evil."

At hearing Sombra's name, Luna's ears perked up. How could Sombra an agent of evil? He didn't seem evil when I met him in the dream. She thought, recalling the dream she had a couple nights ago.

"So is it Sombra that caused the incident the other day?" Celestia asked.

"It would seem so, Princess." Clover said. "Whatever Sombra has done, it not only affected Equestria, but his kingdom as well."

"Have you sent a scout to the Crystal Empire yet?" Starswirl asked.

"Yes, she left within the past hour." Celestia responded.

"Is there any chance of catching her?" Clover asked concernedly.

Celestia's guise saddened. "Unfortunately, no. She is the fastest scout we have in the castle." She said.

Silence filled the library as everypony made the logical conclusion.

"She's on her own in an empire whose king has turned into a tyrant." Celestia said, voicing her thoughts. She turned to look at Luna. "Luna, get your rest. Tomorrow, we depart for the Crystal Empire."

-Canterlot Castle: Present Day-

Two more days. Luna thought as she lay on her bed and looked outside her bedchamber's window. From the view of her window, she could see the bright blue expanse of the sky and the green pastures below the castle at the foot of the mountain. Even thought being on a mountain gave Canterlot a natural defense, Luna knew that a large rock would not be enough to protect Canterlot and its citizens from the imminent evil it faced. Luna knew that the beauty she saw out that window wouldn't be there in the next few days. Two more days until he returns.

Ever since hearing Discord's prediction, dread had set itself upon her soul. Memories and images flooded her mind. Memories of when she became one with that monster and images of lunar craters surrounding her in every direction were brought to the front of her mind. Along with them came the feeling of utter loneliness. No pony to talk to, no contact with any pony, and only the voice in her head to talk to her. Having to bear that for a thousand years was something she did not intend to do a second time.

Luna closed her eyes and sighed somberly.

Luna's ears perked at hearing a familiar voice above her. "Feeling a bit down, are we my dear?" The voice said.

Luna looked up to see a certain draconequus hovering up near her ceiling. Luna gave Discord a brief smile. "Greetings, Discord. What brings you here?" She said, turning to look out the window again.

"I was passing by and noticed that a certain princess was looking a bit under the weather." Discord said, snapping his clawed fingers. With a flash of light, a dark gray rain cloud appeared over Luna. Luna looked up just in time to see rain beginning to fall out of the cloud and onto her head, soaking her ethereal mane in seconds.

Closing her eyes to avoid water getting in them, Luna heard Discord snickering above her. "Discord! This'll take hours to dry!" Luna exclaimed at the chaotic spirit as she opened her eyes to look over her doused state.

"Just trying to lighten the mood, Luna." Discord said in a joking tone, snapping his fingers again. With a second flash of light, the rain cloud and its water vanished into thin air.

Luna again looked over herself and patted her mane with a hoof to make sure it was dry. To her satisfaction, her flowing blue mane was dry as it was a few minutes ago.

"Thank you for your concern, Discord. However, I cannot say that it picked up my spirits." Luna said, her somber complexion returning.

Discord pouted. "Not even a little?"

Luna looked up at Discord and smirked at his pout. "Okay, maybe a little bit." She responded. Discord beamed at his efforts. "However, it does not remove the problem that is troubling my mind."

Discord gave her and understanding look. "I see. You refer to the Shadow, don't you?"

Luna's head dipped. "Yes. It's all I've been thinking about for the past day."

Discord nodded in reply. "If it gives you any comfort, your sister is just as concerned about you as you are of the Shadow."

Luna looked up at Discord. "Really?" She asked.

Discord smiled thoughtfully and disappeared in a flash of light. A split second later, Discord appeared at Luna's side on the bed, only he was ten times smaller than his normal size.

"Well it's easy to think it's just you against the world when you feel so small. But you know what I've found?" Discord said, his voice had risen in pitch to match his smaller size.

Luna looked down at Discord with a puzzled look. "What is it?"

"Well let me put it this way." Discord said, his body and voice returning to normal as he grew bigger and bigger with each word. "When you find someone who cares about you in the midst of a crisis, suddenly things are put a little more into perspective." He finished, now at his normal height and his voice deepening to its normal pitch. Luna maintained eye contact with Discord all through what he said, then looked down at the bed in thought. "Your sister cares about you very deeply, Luna. Celestia will never abandon you to the evils that haunt your past." He said, putting his arm on Luna's shoulders.

Luna gave Discord a smile. "Thank you, Discord."

Discord stood up and put his hands on his hips. "Well you don't have me around just for my dashing looks." He said with a grin.

Luna giggled at the joke. She was about to say something when a whiff of green smoke suddenly flew through the window. Luna and Discord both stopped and watched as the smoke settled in front of Luna and then transformed into a rolled up scroll. Luna looked at the seal on the scroll and recognized it as Twilight's seal, and the only one that could send messages like that was a certain purple dragon.

"Spike? Why would he be sending me a message?" Luna asked, her horn lighting up blue and taking the scroll with her magic. Unrolling it, Luna began to read.

Princess Luna, I need your help! Something has happened to Twilight again! I went downstairs to find her and found her on the floor of the kitchen in the same position as the last time this happened! She was lying on the floor, unresponsive, and her eyes were glowing purple! As soon as you get this letter, I need you to get here as quickly as possible!

Your loyal subject,

Spike

"Something the matter, Luna?" Discord asked. Luna looked up from the letter and saw Discord's confused look.

"I'm sorry, Discord, but something has come up that requires my attention." Luna said, setting the letter down next to her on the bed.

Discord nodded understandingly. "I see. I'll see you around then." Discord said as he watched her horn begin to brighten.

"Agreed. And Discord…" Luna said as her horn's light began to crescendo. Their eyes met as Luna finished. "Thank you." With that, Luna disappeared in a flash of blue light.

Discord sighed. Duty calls I suppose. He thought, his gaze going to the letter on the bed. Curiosity sprang to life in his mind. Now what was so important that she had to leave all of a sudden?

Discord picked up the letter and began to read through it. Discord rubbed his chin at the mention of Twilight's predicament not being the first time something like that had happened. As he continued to read, his eyes widened at the mention of Twilight's eyes. Purple.

So the Keeper's gotten to her too. Discord concluded. Things are happening much faster than they were supposed to. He thought, looking out at the pastures below the castle window. Should I tell Celestia about this? While he didn't want Celestia to interrupt whatever Luna was doing, he couldn't help the feeling that this was something she needed to know too. Sighing, Discord came to the logical conclusion. With a flash of light, Discord disappeared from the bedroom.

-Ponyville Library-

With a flash of blue light, Luna appeared in the Ponyville library. Looking around, she didn't see Spike or Twilight, only a surprised looking owl on its pole near a window.

"I apologize, my nocturnal friend." Luna addressed the owl, who by now had recovered from the princess's surprise appearance.

"Hoot hoot." The owl replied and waved back at Luna as a greeting. After giving the owl a brief smile, Luna looked around again. Not seeing Twilight was surprising. If she knew one of the princesses was here, she'd be front and center in seconds. Yet, she saw no pony in the library. Luna turned to the owl again. "Excuse me, but where may I find your owner and her dragon?"

The owl pointed down a hallway at the far side of the room. Taking a look at the hallway, Luna turned back to the helpful bird.

"Thank you." Luna said to the owl, who then hooted happily in reply.

Luna began to walk down the hallway. As she neared the kitchen entrance, she heard voices talking from inside.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Spike's voice could be heard as Luna began to get a look inside the kitchen. She found Spike embracing Twilight in the middle of the room.

Luna watched as Twilight looked at the young dragon and returned the hug.

"Of course I'm okay Spike. But I need to get an urgent-" Twilight began to say, but clutched her head. Luna guessed her head hurt from whatever she had just gone through. "-message to the Princesses."

Luna stepped into the entryway of the kitchen and addressed the purple alicorn."What message?" Luna asked from under the doorway to the kitchen.

Both Spike and Twilight turned to see Luna standing in the doorway. Instantly, Twilight rushed up to Luna.

"Princess! How long have you been here?" Twilight asked.

"I received Spike's message a few minutes ago and came straight here. What seems to be the trouble, Spike?" Luna asked, looking at the dragon.

"Wait, what?" Twilight interjected, turning to look at Spike. "Spike, you sent a message to Princess Luna?"

"You were passed out on the floor like the last time you read that book. I didn't want to-" Spike said, but was interrupted.

"Hold it!" Luna exclaimed. "A book? What book?" She asked.

"Yes. It was the same book I read when I had those visions." Twilight said, the memories of her nightmare coming back to her mind. "It should be right… behind…" Twilight began to say, turning her head to look behind her, but didn't see the book in question.

"Was it a white book?" Luna asked in an uneasy tone, earning a surprised look from Twilight. "Gold trim that made spiraling patterns on the corners? Pearl in the middle?"

"Exactly like that! Well, except for the pearl part." Twilight said.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked, her eyes narrowing.

"There wasn't a pearl in the middle. It was a diamond-shaped ruby." Twilight responded.

Spike spoke up. "So are there two books?" He asked, rubbing his chin with a claw.

Luna shook her head. "No. They are one and the same. However, the fact it was a ruby in the middle instead of a pearl makes a huge difference."

"How so?" Twilight asked, raising a hoof tentatively.

"In the time your mind was in the book, what did it say and did it foretell anything?" Luna asked.

"Yeah, and why were your eyes glowing purple?" Spike added onto the questions.

Luna spoke up to explain. "The book is a medium through which two beings can communicate with the reader. Depending on whether a ruby or a pearl is on the cover, it shows which being is using the book."

Twilight nodded. "That's one thing that the book told me when I was reading it." She verified.

"What else did it say?" Luna pressed.

Twilight scratched the back of her head. "Well… it said what you just said about the book. It also said what I believe is some sort of warning." Twilight said.

Luna stood with a stone-faced expression. "Go on." She said.

"I'm trying to remember it." Twilight said, her mind working a thousand miles an hour to remember what the book had said. "Oh! It said things are happening… things that will shake the foundations of every civilization in the world. Equestria, the Griffon Kingdoms, Saddle Arabia, and the Crystal Empire were some examples the book gave."

"Hmm." Luna said, looking at the floor in contemplation. "So an event that will be felt around the world will soon happen. Continue."

"The book also said that the Elements of Harmony won't be enough to contain whatever is about to happen." Twilight said grimly.

"What? That's impossible!" Spike exclaimed. "I've seen you guys use the Elements before. There's no way the Elements can't take care of what this thing is."

"Believe it or not, Spike, there are powers in this world that dwarf the Elements' power." Luna informed the dragon, an astonished look on Spike's face. "This being in the vision could be one of those powers. Go on, Twilight."

Twilight swallowed. "There was one other thing. The book said that in order to achieve good, good ponies must do bad things." She said, looking at Luna's and Spike's enraptured faces. "Put to death that which is evil. That's what it said."

"Put to death?" Spike repeated the phrase, the very mention of death leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

"Was that all?" Luna asked.

"Before leaving the book, it said one last thing." Twilight said, Luna's expression telling her to continue. "The long night approaches. Do you know what that means, Princess?"

Luna stood there, an emotionless expression on her face. "I have heard that phrase several times now. It cannot be a coincidence." She said, turning to face the kitchen's exit.

"What? What's a coincidence?" Spike asked.

A determined look found itself on Luna's visage. Turning her head to Twilight and Spike, she replied, "We need to gather the other elements. They need to hear about this. You as well, Spike." The night princess said, addressing the dragon.

Spike put on a surprised face. "What? Why me?"

"You received a dream just as the others and myself did. The fact it was all the Elements that got their nightmare in the same night is no coincidence."

"But I'm not an Element-bearer. Neither are you, Princess." Spike protested.

"True, but the fact that we had nightmares just as they did means that we are connected in the same way that they were. We will meet back here in the library tonight at nine o'clock. Be ready to discuss your visions, Twilight." Luna said, her horn beginning to glow blue.

"But Princess, what should we do until then?" Twilight asked.

"You and Spike try to do some research on the things you encountered in the vision. I have some business to take care of back in Canterlot. Until tonight, I bid you both farewell." Luna said, her horn's glow reaching its brightest. In a bright flash of light, Luna disappeared from the library.

After sitting in silence for several moments, Twilight turned to Spike. "Let's get to it, Spike. We have until tonight to figure out what's going on. Compile every historical and arcane work we have. I'll go out and tell the others about our meeting tonight." Twilight said, galloping down out of the kitchen and down the hallway towards the library entrance.

Sighing, Spike began to walk back to the library's atrium to search for books. Whatever's going on here, I don't have a good feeling about it. He thought as he entered the atrium. Looking at all the books, he clasped his hands and rubbed them together. He had some work to do.

Promised Consequences

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 21-Promised Consequences

-Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Begging your pardon, Highness, but please forgive me if this seems a bit blunt." Commander Storm said, composing himself and clearing his throat before further addressing the princess of the sun. "Thou art doing WHAT?!" Commander Storm exclaimed, his voice echoing off the walls of the throne room.

"I told thee, Commander." Celestia calmly replied from the seat of her throne. "My sister and I are departing for the Crystal Empire upon the morrow."

"Princess, with all due respect, this idea seems absurd. How art thou going to defeat this 'Sombra' character anyway?" Storm asked, giving the princess a concerned look.

"The same way we defeated and imprisoned Discord. I have already sent a servant to collect the Elements of Harmony for Luna and I." Celestia replied.

Commander Storm shook his head. "I just don't know about this, Princess."

"It will be alright, Commander." Celestia said reassuringly. "No creature in Equestria can resist the Elements' power. King Sombra will be no exception."

"It's not King Sombra that I am worried about, your Highness. I just can't shake this…. feeling. Hast thou ever had the feeling that something terrible will happen?" Commander Storm asked.

Celestia nodded understandingly. "Yes, Commander. I have."

"Well that is what I am feeling. There's just this gut-instinct that is giving me all these warning signs. Warning signs to what, I do not know." Storm said.

"Do not worry, Commander. Once Sombra is taken care of, everything will return to the way it was before this whole mess started." Celestia said, standing up from her throne and began walking down the steps leading from it.

"I do not doubt it, Princess." The unicorn guard said, bowing as Celestia passed him on her way towards the throne room exit. "But what of the sixth Element? Magic? Is it still with us?"

Celestia looked down at the guard commander. "Remember the battle with Discord. What happened when we had all the other elements together?"

Storm thought back to when he witnessed Discord's imprisonment at the hands of the celestial sisters. "It appeared. As if out of thin air." He responded.

Celestia nodded. "That is correct. You know the Reference Guide to the Elements of Harmony, right?" She asked. Commander Storm nodded. "It says that when the other Elements are together, the sixth will appear."

"I remember, Highness. But where does the sixth Element come from? It seems to be here one minute and gone the next." Commander Storm said with a confused expression.

"The Element of Magic is concentrated magic power in the form of a charm. The Element of Magic makes itself perceptible only when it is needed. It has yet to disappear since our battle with Discord. Maybe it will fade back into magical energy once Sombra is defeated as well."

Commander Storm nodded. "Understood, Princess. So what is thy plan until thy departure?"

Celestia closed her eyes and exhaled. "I will be preparing myself to utilize the Elements to their full potential. I will visit Luna later today to let her know when the Elements have arrived from the tower."

"Very well." Commander Storm said. "And I am assuming that thou hast no orders for me."

Celestia smiled at the gray unicorn. "Thy assumptions are correct. Thou may return to the barracks to get some rest. Thou will be having a busy day tomorrow."

Storm's eyebrow rose. "How so, Princess?"

"Because you will be overseeing the castle while Luna and I are away." Celestia said with a grin.

Storm returned the grin. "I'll make sure to have this grand castle looking even better for thy return." He said, bowing before he sun goddess.

"Thank you, Commander." Celestia said, motioning for her commander to rise. "I just pray that Shooting Star will make it back alright. In times like these, it helps to have loyal guards like you and her." Celestia said, giving Storm a smile.

Storm returned the smile as he stood back up. "I thank thee that thou hold me in such esteem, Princess. However, thou should not be concerned for Shooting Star. She will be on her own for at least a day, but I have full confidence that she will be alright."

"How art thou so sure?" Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow.

Storm gave Celestia a reassuring look. "Trust me, Princess. I can find no scout finer than Shooting Star. She is competent, courageous, focused, and always knows what to do."

-North Equestrian mountain range: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"I have no idea what to do here." Shooting Star muttered to herself. She looked around her and all she could see were mountains. The snow-capped giants rose up in every direction she looked. I must be in the center of the range by now. Shooting figured. Even below all the mountain peaks, the wind still howled and blew between the mountains, chilling Shooting Star to her core. Well I'm not going to get anything accomplished by just hovering here. I've gotta keep moving. She thought, flapping her wings and flew deeper into the mountain passes.

"Jeez. What kind of civilization would want to live in these kinds of conditions?" Shooting Star thought aloud as she maneuvered between two tall mountains. Then again, what kind of civilization would survive out here? They'd have to be made of stone or something to get over this cold. She wondered.

Looking down at the mountainous terrain below, Shooting Star spotted something flowing between the rocks. A crystal clear liquid was winding its way down the mountains. "Water?" She asked. I suppose that would make sense. Snow melts in a lower part of the atmosphere where it isn't as cold. Shooting Star deduced. But where's it flowing? Well… wherever it's flowing, I'll bet civilization must be along its banks.

Closing her wings, Shooting Star began to free fall towards the stream below. Shooting Star let the wind rush past her ears, the stream coming closer with every second. Her mind began calculating when to get out of the free fall. Gravity works at a rate of near 10 feet per second. The river is no more than three hundred feet in front of me… just a few more seconds. Shooting thought. The dark gray cliffs shot by her vision, the snow from the tops of the mountains giving way to craggy ledges. The clear mountain stream got closer and closer. Behind her goggles, Shooting's bright blue eyes narrowed with determination as she began to reach terminal velocity.

NOW! Shooting's mind shouted. Extending her wings, Shooting immediately exited the free fall and shot through the winding cliffs, turning and maneuvering as she followed the river.

"Woohooo!" Shooting joyously exclaimed as she flapped her wings, barely keeping a few inches above the rushing water. Now… where does this river go? Shooting thought as she flew through the craggy canyon.

Shooting Star followed the snaky river for a while until she looked up and saw a clearing open up past the rocks before her. "Huh? What's this?" Shooting thought aloud as she flew towards the opening. Once reaching the canyon's exit, Shooting landed on a rock that jutted out from the opening, dividing the river in two. Shooting looked ahead and could only sit and gawk in amazement and horror at what she saw.

She'd reached her destination: The Crystal Empire.

-Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Luna lay on her bed, trying to get the rest that she had missed the night before. As she lay there, the voice from the book echoed in her mind, whispering its plans to her. Every part of her was screaming that the things the book said weren't true. Yet, something inside her believed every word.

Celestia… my own sister. It just can't be true. Luna thought, her eyes clenched shut in thought. It cannot be! Her mind was divided. One half couldn't possibly believe the things that were being said about her sister. Celestia was too kind and too genuine to betray her for more power. But the other side of her mind said that is what made it so believable, that it would be the last thing to expect. Luna shook her head on her silky pillow, a tear sliding down her cheek. Who should I believe anymore?

"Listen to thy feelings, Princess of the Night. They will always guide thy path." A deep voice filled the room.

Luna's eyes shot open at hearing the voice. She was instantly alert, jumping from her bed and getting into a defensive stance. "Who goes there?" She exclaimed, looking around her room to find the trespasser. What Luna found surprised her. Everything surrounding her was blackness. She spun around to see if her bed was where it was when she leapt off it. It too, was gone in the black. Luna began to panic, turning her head in every direction, but she couldn't see anything.

"Do not fear, Princess Luna. Thou art safe here." The voice said.

"Who art thou? Reveal thyself!" Luna shouted into the darkness, hoping to see the intruder that was she was talking to.

"Behind thee, Princess." The voice said. Luna whipped around to see the being she was speaking with. What she was looking at, however, she did not know.

Before her stood a levitating translucent serpent. Luna looked over the creature, noting its features. Its body structure was similar to that of a draconequus's, but slightly larger than Discord. The serpent's snout extended from its face by a few inches. At the ends of its arms were scaly hands with sharp claws at the ends of each appendage. Finally, Luna looked into the creature's eyes. Her breath hitched at seeing the glowing purple irises that stared back at her.

"Does my appearance surprise thee, Princess?" The serpentine being asked. Luna slowly nodded. "Forgive me, then. My image is less appealing than that of my counterpart's. Speaking of whom, I believe that thou hast met him already."

"Thy counterpart? Who is it?" Luna asked in a tentative tone.

The serpent sighed. "He goes by multiple aliases. However, he may be referred to as the Shadow."

"The Shadow?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. He has been courting you with a scheme of his for the past few days now. I warn thee, Luna. Should thou accept his offer for power, it will set in motion a chain of events that can only end one way."

"What dost thou mean? His offer for power?" Luna asked.

The serpent folded his arms. "Thou knowest what it is that I refer to, the whispers of betrayal against thy sister and the warnings to be wary. These are false consultations."

"How can thou be so sure?" Luna asked, narrowing her eyes at the serpent. "How do I know that thou aren't just trying to trick me?"

The serpent shook his head. "I have seen his multiple attempts at ruling this world. He will do whatever is necessary to gain power. Getting to thee and turning thee against thy sister is just another ploy of his."

Me? Just a pawn in some greater being's grand scheme? It's not possible! I refuse to accept that! Luna thought.

"I never wanted any of this!" Luna shouted at the stone-faced serpent. "I have been arguing with my feelings, my mind, and that being you call the Shadow ever since he came into my life."

The serpent's head lowered to Luna's eye level and put a clawed hand on her shoulder. "We must act with what we are dealt, Princess. There are millions that wish they weren't in the positions they are in, but they can't just wish it away. They must fight through their present circumstances, as must you."

Luna looked into the serpent's glowing purple eyes. "Thou said that should I pursue the Shadow's interests, the chain of events I start would only end in one way. What does that mean?" She asked with a fearful expression.

The serpent exhaled and rose back up. "It is best that I show you rather than tell you." With those words, the serpent faded into the blackness surrounding Luna.

Luna looked around her, trying to see where the serpent went. Suddenly, a bright light flashed before her. Luna lifted her hoof, shielding her eyes from the light. After a brief moment, Luna lowered her hoof to see what the light was. What she saw made her jaw drop.

She was in the middle of a grassy plain that was surrounded by hills. The darkness of night covered the land. Stars filled the sky, but there was no moon. Luna looked down and beheld what was in front of her. Before her were rows upon rows of ponies and griffons, all armor-clad and wielding variety of weapons. Some had swords, others had spears strapped to their sides, and some of the griffons had strange bow-like contraptions strapped onto their backs. Before Luna could study the army in front of her further, a shrill war cry rose up from behind her. The sound was nothing like she'd heard before. It sounded like ponies whinnying, but with a growl mixed into it. Slowly, Luna turned to see what made the sound. In front of her was one of the most terrifying things she'd ever seen. Another army stood before her, only this much army was much more frightening. An army whose soldiers were all mutilated and disfigured. Not one soldier looked alike. They all had rotting flesh on some parts of their bodies and some of the pony-like creatures with more rotted flesh had bones protruding from the skin in multiple places. However, they all had one similarity. The eyes of every mutant were glazed red.

"Shadow!" A familiar voice from the pony-griffon side cried across the field. Luna turned around to see who was speaking. Luna looked and beheld who was speaking. It was herself. Luna was looking at her future self. Future Luna was clad in silver armor from head to hoof. On her head was a luminous helmet with a hole in the top for her horn to stick out. On her breastplate and the center of her helmet was a black crescent moon. On her right hoof was some sort of dark blue metal gauntlet that had the same moon symbol engraved onto the wrist.

Future Luna spoke again, sending shivers down Luna's spine. "For long enough, you have terrorized this land! You butchered, enslaved, and destroyed everything and everypony we hold dear! But no more! Your night is over! On this day, the dawn will be heralded! On this day, a new sun will rise! On this day, the light banishes the dark back to whence it came! So tremble, you forces of darkness! For the sun is rising, and the day is in our favor!" As Future Luna spoke, a bright light began to rise behind them, causing Luna to squint as she watched her future self give a final battle rally. "Guardians of Light! Today we banish this present darkness! For Equestria! For the Griffon Kingdom! For the Crystal Empire! And that darkness may be purged from this world!" Future Luna shouted, thrusting her gauntleted hoof, a sharp blade shooting from the armor piece. Raising the blade high, Future Luna shouted one last time. "CHAAAARGE!"

With that word, ponies and griffons began galloping down the hill, their war cheers and shouts rising up against the enemy, the fire of battle in their hearts. On the other side, every mutated soldier began galloping to meet the enemy in the middle of the field, their snarls and cries filling the air. Luna looked up, seeing armored pegasi and griffons filling the sky while the mutants' winged troops flew up to meet them in aerial combat. Luna looked from side to side, seeing each side coming closer. She was too stunned to move as the opposing armies galloped and flying closer and closer together, their war cries growing to a crescendo as they neared each other. Luna looked back at the pony-griffon side to see her future self galloping straight towards her, a righteous fury in her eyes. Just as both armies were about to collide where Luna was standing, the vision exploded into a bright light. Shutting her eyes and covering them with one of her hooves, Luna protected her vision from the brightness.

After a few moments, Luna opened her eyes again to see that she was back in the darkness she was in before. Her heart was racing and her breathing was quick as the images she saw burned into her mind. What did I just witness? Luna thought.

"Should thou become involved in the Shadow's undertakings, what thee just saw is what will happen in the end." The voice returned as the serpent faded into view in front of Luna.

"That pony at the front of the fight? That was me?" Luna asked. The serpent nodded. "And that was the sun rising behind my future self's army… was Celestia doing that?"

"All things will be revealed in due time, my little pony." The serpent said with a slight smile. "For now, it is time for thee to wake up. Thy sister is coming to get you up soon."

"Wait!" Luna shouted, holding a hoof up. "I have so many questions! What was that I saw? What are the Guardians of Light? What is-" Luna asked, but was cut off as the darkness surrounding her instantly filled her vision.

Her eyes fluttered open as Luna tried to get her surroundings. Luna looked around and saw that she was in her room and under the covers on her bed. "It was all a dream?" Luna thought aloud, looking down at the covers. But what about the battle? And the serpent? It all seemed so real. Luna recalled, shaking her head. Luna began to think over the serpent's words and what it said about this Shadow that she was talking with. Her thoughts then strayed back to the battle she witnessed. The last thing Luna would want to do was bring war to Equestria, especially over something as petty as jealousy. Now that she thought about it, much of the voice's advice was not grounded in any truth that she knew of. Maybe the serpent's right. Maybe Celestia wouldn't betray me after all. Luna thought. For the first time in what felt like forever, Luna smiled.

A soft knocking sounded from her bedroom door. "Luna? Art thou awake?" Celestia's voice said from the other side.

"Yes, sister. Give me a minute." Luna said, kicking the covers off and getting up from her bed.

As Luna trotted to the door, a voice whispered in the back of her mind. Be careful of her intentions, Luna. Remember what I said.

-Canterlot Castle: Present Day-

Celestia looked up at the stained glass images that lined the walls of the throne room. They all depicted famous historical events that had occurred during her reign. The imprisonment of Discord, the redemption of Luna, Spike saving the Crystal Empire, and so many more events filled her vision. Celestia began to reflect on everything she'd been through. She had been able to take control of the situation, directly or indirectly, and defuse it with no harm done to her subjects. This time, however, Celestia feared that her power might not be enough to stop what was to come.

Celestia closed her eyes and sighed. We have only two days until we can get to Starswirl's tomb. I can only hope that we find a solution down there. She thought.

"The answer may be closer than you think." A familiar and mischievous voice said behind her.

Without turning around, Celestia already knew who it was. "What do you want, Discord?"

Discord feigned a surprised expression. "Well. Somepony's not in a very good mood today."

Celestia shook her head and turned around to see the draconequus. "It's just that… I don't know what to do. My power, Luna's power, hay, even the power of the Elements of Harmony are inferior to that of the Shadow's."

Discord gave Celestia an understanding look. "And you feel overwhelmed by this?" Celestia nodded. Sighing, Discord spoke up again. "Have I ever told you what it felt like to be consumed by the Elements?"

Celestia shook her head. "No I don't believe so. How is that relevant to the present situation?" She asked skeptically.

Discord began to recall when he was first imprisoned by the Elements' power. "When you and Luna first used the Elements of Harmony on me, it made me feel something I hadn't felt in a long time." Discord paused to look at Celestia's expression. "Fear. I was scared to death. I didn't know what the mystical charms that two pony princesses were using would do to me. As I was turned to stone, a part of me was glad that I wasn't killed. But being turned to stone, I soon realized the implications of such a fate. To me, that was more frightening than death itself." Discord said with a frown.

"So how does this help me?" Celestia asked.

Discord smiled. "When the Elements were used to free me and after Fluttershy reformed me, I began to think. What I thought was a cruel punishment at first was later a chance for redemption. What I perceived to be bad, actually turned out to be good in the end."

Raising a tentative hoof, Celestia asked, "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that things will work out. They always will. Think about it. The Shadow is the culmination of everything dark in this world. Dark as night, you might say." Discord said, earning a confused look from Celestia. "Every night heralds a new dawn, Celestia. You of all ponies should know that." He said, making Celestia smile a little bit at his words. Discord looked into Celestia's purple eyes and continued. "Have faith, Princess. The night may be coming, but the day will always follow."

Celestia gave Discord a smile. "Thank you, Discord. I really needed that."

Discord extended his arms and grinned at the solar princess. "Well what am I here for?"

Celestia gave a light chuckle. "So is that all you came by to say?"

Discord stroked his chin. "Actually, there is one other thing you should know."

Celestia's smile faded a bit. "And what might that be?"

"Luna." Discord said, the name of her sister caused Celestia to become instantly concerned. "Don't worry, she's fine. She just got a message from Twilight a few minutes ago and left almost immediately upon receiving it."

"Where is she now?" Celestia asked hastily.

"I'd guess the Ponyville Library, but-" Discord began to speak, but was cut off by a bright blue flash of light next to him and Celestia. They both turned to see what caused the flash only to see Princess Luna standing in the middle of the throne room.

Luna turned and saw that both her sister and Discord were staring at her. "Oh. Hello, Tia. Discord. Did I miss something?"

-Northern Equestrian mountains: Present Day-

"Do you remember where the cave is, my Queen?" Raspian shouted over the mountain wind that blew past the two changelings, the wind whistling as it blew through the holes in their hooves.

"Even if I tried, I wouldn't be able to forget where its location was!" Chrysalis shouted back as her perforated wings fought against the chilly wind. The trip hadn't been difficult until they had reached the mountains. The only thing that was preventing the two changelings from getting to their ally was the howling mountain wind.

"We need to land soon, Highness! We'll freeze out here soon!" Raspian warned. Chrysalis nodded back in reply. Knowing that changelings were cold-blooded creatures, she figured that they would survive for no more than half an hour in their present conditions.

"We are almost there! I remember going past these mountains the last time!" Chrysalis yelled as they passed two snow-covered mountain peaks.

Raspian exhaled, his breath turning to smoky fog as it exited his nostrils. "With all due respect, your Majesty, every mountain here looks the same to me! How can you remember where the cave is?"

After a few moments of looking down at the mountainous terrain below, Chrysalis looked at Raspian with a smile. "I'm sure you would remember the snow bank down there that you crashed into!" She exclaimed, pointing a hoof at a flat snowy surface in the middle of a cluster of peaks on one side and a cliff on the other.

Raspian's eyes lit up with familiarity. "Oh yeah! I remember that! Let's go!" He shouted, diving towards the snowy mesa below.

"Raspian! Not so fast! Remember the last time you came in that quickly?" Chrysalis shouted at her captain, taking off to catch up with him.

Raspian turned his head to see his queen. "Of course I remember!" he shouted back, turning his head forward and closing his eyes smugly. "How could I not remember how to land on that snow? I think I have learned my less- OH BUCK!" Opening his eyes at the last second, Raspian saw how quickly approaching the snowbank. Having no time to slow down, he shielded his face with his hooves, bracing for impact. Raspian smashed headfirst into the snow bank, leaving only his tail visible above the snow.

Chrysalis softly landed next to her captain in the snow. Chrysalis chuckled at seeing Raspian in this state for the second time. "Hehe. It would help to see where you're going. Perhaps if you weren't so smug about learning from your past experience, you wouldn't have to learn this lesson as well." She said with a sly grin.

"Ha ha ha." Raspian's muffled voice sounded from underneath the snow. "Mnd gvng me a hf out of hre?"

Chrysalis shook her head as her crooked horn lit up bright green. A green aura surrounded Raspian's tail as Chrysalis's magic pulled him out of the snow. Once free of the snow bank, Raspian stood up as Chrysalis let go of his tail.

"Thanks." He said, using a hoof to brush off some snow that stuck to his mane.

"You're welcome. Now shall we stop fooling around and get to business?" Chrysalis asked, walking to the side of the mesa where the cliff was. Raspian trotted behind her and approached the cliff's edge. Looking over the edge, Raspian could see the tunnel entrance where they found Lodestar.

"After you, milady." Raspian said extending a hoof off the cliff edge.

Chrysalis put a hoof to her chest and tilted her head. "Such a gentlecolt." With that, the changeling queen leapt off the edge and flew into the cave entrance.

After watching Chrysalis go in, Raspian sighed and looked around the mountains one last time. Putting on a brave face, he jumped off the cliff edge, extended his wings, and maneuvered his way towards the cave entrance.

Raspian flew into the mouth of the tunnel entrance, flapping his wings as he descended onto the black tunnel floor. Raspian looked around, seeing that the cave was exactly the way as it was when they had left it. Emeralds dotted the cave walls, giving a faint greet light to the otherwise pitch-black cave.

Walking down the tunnel for a few moments, Raspian stopped to look at the markings that they had found the first time. The ancient letters and symbols covered the wall to his right, the runes lit up by the emeralds surrounding them.

In this cave, an ancient evil lies within,

When released, the long night shall begin.

Through it, all races shall bind,

As the fates of all become intertwined.

The Six will become Eight,

And end the Guardians' wait.

Raspian's eyes narrowed at the memory of what the letters had said. Raspian rubbed his chin with a hoof and he began to ponder the meanings of the mysterious markings as he read them. The long night shall begin? The fates of all become intertwined? Six becoming Eight and end the Guardians' wait? After thinking over the glyphs for a few moments, Raspian came to a conclusion. I still have no idea what these words is saying. He thought, disappointed that the runes had stumped him.

Raspian's ears perked at hearing a voice ahead of him in the tunnel. "Raspian? You back there?" Chrysalis's voice sounded.

"Yes, my Queen. How far ahead are you?" Raspian asked.

"Almost at the central chamber. I'll wait up for you." Chrysalis's voice replied.

At hearing this, Raspian began briskly trotting down the increasingly dark tunnel to reach Chrysalis. Soon, Raspian couldn't see two feet in front of him because of the darkness of the tunnel.

"Your Highness? Am I any closer to you?" Raspian called out.

Chrysalis responded, this time her voice sounded much closer. "Hold on."

Suddenly, Raspian saw a glowing bright green looking stick floating in the middle of the darkness. Her horn! He realized, a smile widening on his face. Raspian galloped down the tunnel, Chrysalis's horn becoming larger and larger until he could see the top of Chrysalis's head being illuminated by her horn's light.

"There you are." Chrysalis said as Raspian caught up to her.

Raspian gave a sigh of relief. "Yeah. Let's try to stick together this time."

"Agreed. You can turn yours on too, you know." Chrysalis said as she turned and began walking down the tunnel towards the central chamber.

"Oh right." Raspian said, thankful the darkness masked his embarrassed look. As he concentrated, Raspian's horn began to glow bright green like Chrysalis's. "There we go." He said, following Chrysalis deeper into the tunnel.

After several minutes of walking down the tunnel, Raspian and Chrysalis finally reached the central chamber of the cave. The tunnel opened up into a massive cavern, in the corner of which was what looked like a swirling mass of shadow.

Raspian looked up at Chrysalis, looked back at the cavern, and swallowed. "Well… this is it." Raspian said, jumping off the tunnel opening and extending his wings. As he glided down towards the cave floor, he saw Chrysalis doing the same. Soon, both changelings were on the cave floor, only a few meters from the shadowy creature before them.

Chrysalis cleared her throat and spoke. "Lodestar." She said to the shadowy figure.

The Shadow's eyes opened, revealing his glowing yellow irises. Even though the changelings couldn't see it behind the shadows surrounding him, a fang-toothed smile grew wide on his face.

With a growl, the Shadow began to speak. "Ah, Captain Raspian and Queen Chrysalis. Welcome back to my dwelling place. It's been too long since we last met."

Precautionary Measures

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 22-Precautionary Measures

-Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Have a good rest, Luna?" Celestia asked as the pair of sisters walked down the castle hallway.

"Indeed I did." Luna responded with a small smile. "It was certainly better than my previous attempt at getting some slumber." Should I tell her about my dream? Or would she be concerned if I did? Luna thought.

"I am glad to hear it." Celestia said. "But, there are pressing matters that need to be attended to."

Luna gave Celestia an understanding look. "The Crystal Empire?" All this jealousy I've been feeling. I can't keep feeling this way towards my own sister.

Celestia nodded. "Yes. As we speak, the Elements of Harmony are being brought to the throne room for us."

I have to tell her something at least. I can't hold it in anymore. Luna thought, turning to Celestia.

"Sister…" Luna said. The tone in which Luna spoke caused Celestia to look her sister in the eyes as if to say 'Whatever it is, you can tell me'. "I have not been myself as of late. I have been jealous, jealous of thee and the power that thou hold. Parts of my mind keep telling me to be on the lookout for any schemes that thee may be planning to undermine my part in our ruling together."

Celestia gave Luna a surprised look.

Luna continued, giving Celestia a pleading look. "Please do not be upset with me. I know that it's my own insecurities and doubts should be to blame, but it's my fault for heeding their words to begin with. I have been jealous of thee, sister. And I apologize for it."

For a few moments, Celestia said nothing in reply, only looking into her sister's blue eyes. Then, to Luna's surprise, a smile broke onto her face.

"I am proud of thee, Luna. It took both courage and humility to admit to me that thou were jealous of me. Do not doubt thyself, for thou art stronger and more powerful than thou realize. I love thee with all my heart, Luna. Nothing can change that." Celestia said, putting a hoof on Luna's shoulder.

Luna smiled in reply. "I promise that I won't let my insecurity get the better of my conscience again, sister."

Celestia shook her head. "No need to promise anything, Luna. The only assurance I need is thy love." Luna's smile widened as Celestia pulled her close and embraced her. "After we take care of King Sombra, things will be different between the two of us." Celestia said reassuringly.

Behind them, a stallion cleared his throat. "Princesses." He said. Both princesses turned around to see Commander Storm standing before them.

"Commander. What news do thee bring?" Celestia asked.

"The Elements have arrived in the throne room, thy Majesties. Shall I escort thee there?" Commander Storm asked.

Celestia shook her head. "There is no need for that, Commander. Luna and I shall be there momentarily."

Commander Storm bowed as he responded. "As thou wish, Princess." With that, Storm turned around and began the walk back to the throne room.

Celestia turned to Luna. "Come, Luna. Let us go and retrieve the Elements."

Luna nodded in reply and followed Celestia as they began the trek to the throne room. For the first time in what felt like months, Luna felt content.

Celestia and Luna sat on their thrones, overlooking the throne room. To their left was Commander Storm and before them was a fuchsia colored pony with a neatly combed goldenrod mane and tail.

"Here they are, your Majesties. May I present the Elements of Harmony." Commander Storm said, gesturing to the servant holding a golden and jewel-adorned case. The servant lifted her hoof and gently opened the case, revealing two of the most powerful magical charms in the world. Two necklaces sat on top of the velvet cover on the bottom of the case, one gold and the other silver. In the middle of the each necklace were three circular gems placed in a line across the center of the necklace. The golden necklace was Celestia's, with the gems in the middle being colored purple, orange, and green, the Elements of Magic, Honesty, and Kindness. On Luna's silver necklace was a red gem, Loyalty, a pink gem, Laughter, and a blue gem, Generosity.

"I thank thee for delivering these to us. Now leave us that we may prepare ourselves to wield them." Luna said, gesturing for the servant to leave the throne room. The servant bowed and walked out the room.

"Well, Princesses, shall I bestow these upon thee?" Commander Storm asked, gesturing to the two Elements necklaces.

"If thou could, Commander, that would be appreciated." Celestia said with a determined look.

Storm nodded and descended the stairs that led from the two thrones. He reached the case and levitated Celestia's necklace first with his magic. Turning back to face her, Commander Storm walked back up the stairs and held the necklace by the golden clasps.

Commander Storm cleared his throat as he began the bestowment vows. "Art thou ready, Princess Celestia, to receive these Elements and to wield them?"

Celestia nodded. "I am."

"And dost thou promise to keep safe these magical tools and to use them in hopes that evil may be transformed into harmony?" the commander asked.

"I do." Princess Celestia replied.

"Very well. By the power invested in me by the Princesses and the state of Equestria, I bestow the Elements of Magic, Honesy, and Kindness onto thee, Princess Celestia." Storm said, using his magic to snap the necklace behind Celestia's neck. "Use them well and rescue this world from present darkness." Storm said, concluding the vows for Celestia's necklace.

He turned to Princess Luna and levitated her necklace over to her. "Princess Luna, art thou willing to wield these Elements against Equestria's foes? To carry out the causes of good and to do what is right for the good of all?"

Luna nodded. "I am."

"And will thee, Princess Luna, assist Celestia in the mission as she will do for thee in this upcoming mission?"

Stealing a quick glance at her sister, Luna nodded. "I will."

Storm levitated the necklace clasps behind her neck as he spoke. "Then by the Princesses and the state of Equestria, I bestow the Elemtns of Loyalty, Generosity, and Laughter onto thee, that thou may safeguard Equestria and its citizens from harm." He said, snapping then necklace on.

As soon as the necklace was connected behind her neck, Luna felt a jolt of electricity run up her spine. It felt like two sides of herself collided inside of her mind as Luna clenched her eyes shut from the feeling. After a brief moment, the feeling wore off and Luna opened her eyes again. She looked to Celestia to see a worried look on her face.

"Is everything alright, Luna?" Celestia asked concernedly.

Luna nodded. "Just fine, sister. Just got a case of the shivers is all." She lied.

Celestia's eyes narrowed at Luna. What is she hiding?

"Well, thy Majesties, thou art ready to use the Elements. Shall I prepare the chariot for thy departure?" Commander Storm asked.

Celestia turned to the commander. "Nay, Commander. Luna and I will be flying ourselves upon the morrow."

Storm seemed a bit puzzled by this answer, but nodded in compliance. "Yes, Princess. I suppose I'll go make preparations for tomorrow for when thou depart." He said, turning around and walking out of the throne room.

Celestia turned back to her sister. "Art thou sure that's all that was? Just some shivers?"

Luna turned to Celestia and gave a stern look. "I just got cold, Tia. What is there to worry about?" She said defensively.

Celestia was taken aback at her tone. Something seemed… off about Luna's behavior, especially in the last few days.

"Very well, then." Celestia said, terminating the conversation. She looked outside the stained glass windows of the throne room and saw that the sun was hovering just above the horizon, the sunset casting an orange glow on the land. "Ah. 'Tis time to set the sun. Luna, care to raise the moon while I lower the sun?"

"Sure thing, Tia." Luna said as they both rose from their thrones and

-Southern outskirts of Crystal Empire: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"There is a new player in our little game." The Shadow said, his glowing yellow eyes narrowing at the orange-coated pegasus with a fiery yellow mane that was zipping through the canyon towards the Crystal Empire. The Shadow looked at her features and began deducing the purpose for the pegasus being here in the first place. A pegasus never travels this far north of Equestria. The way her wings flap and the way she maneuvers… her skills are honed, practiced. The Shadow rubbed his chin with a steel gray hoof. He sighed as his mind came to the logical conclusion. She is here on a scouting mission. Sent by Celestia no doubt.

The Shadow's ears perked up at the sounds of faint whispers coming from the bottom of his hooves. She could prove troublesome should she discover us. Let's kill her now!

The Shadow brought up his black veiled edge to his face. "Patience, Siphon. Your desire for blood will be quenched soon enough. For now, we must stick to the plan."

The center of the hoof blade glowed a faint red as Siphon voice his concern. Well that pegasus's presence would certainly throw a a few complications into our scheme, Master.

The Shadow chuckled. "Quite the contrary. Everything is fulfilling itself beautifully."

I don't see how her discovery of the Crystal Empire's state will help us. Siphon said.

"It's simple. Once she discovers Sombra's corruption, she'll report back to Celestia and Luna, if they haven't figured out what's going on by now. They will come with the Elements of Harmony and defeat Sombra. Simple as that."

Okay. But how will this help us?

"Remember that dream I connected us, Sombra, and Luna with? How would Luna react if Celestia condemns a unicorn she knows based on a positive first impression to banishment?"

The Shadow could hear faint laughter from Siphon. One more reason for Luna to distrust her sister. It didn't help that the Keeper got to her, though.

The Shadow nodded grimly. "Yes, our adversary has his ways of trying to mess up my plans. But no matter. This plan has been predestined to work." He said with a smile.

Predestined, Master? Siphon asked.

"Of course. Celestia's day has lasted long enough. It is only fitting that the night begins when the sun has set." The Shadow said, his smile cracking into a grin.

"Here it is, my King." A trembling Shining Star said, bringing the large blue crystal that sat upon his shoulders to King Sombra's attention.

Sombra looked down from his black crystal throne, a fanged grin spreading on his features. "Excellent. Leave it here with me, my advisor. I'll take it from here." He said.

"But, sire, this is the Crystal Heart." Shining said, his light blue eyes darting towards the magical crystal before him. "What art thou going to do with it?"

Sombra's grin was replaced by a snarl at the sound of a pony questioning his plan. "That is of no concern to thee, Shining. Report back to the advisors chambers and await my instructions." Sombra said menacingly.

Shining sighed and mustered what courage he could get. "With all due respect, sire. Taking away the Crystal Heart will not change anything here."

"What's wrong with what is happening right now?" Sombra asked passively.

"Sire, crystal ponies are dragging loads too heavy for them and are being worked to the point of exhaustion. They are not slaves, my King. They are your subjects." Shining said boldly.

Sombra's red eyes narrowed at Shining, who then gulped and began wishing to retract his words.

"Let me understand thy reasoning, Shining." He said, rising from his throne and began slowly descending down the stairs towards the shivering crystal stallion. "I give thee a position that many would kill to have. I give thee one simple task. When thou come back, thou question my authority and presume that I do not know the conditions of my own subjects!" Sombra shouted, his voice rising with rage. "What if I said that the way it is out there, I am perfectly fine with it! What if I said that if thee question my authority again, thou won't have a tongue to question with again!"

Shining shrank as Sombra's eyes were no more than a few inches in front of his. The red eyes glared into Shining's soul, making Shining wish he could disappear. Finding his voice, Shining spoke up. "If that is thou wish, then it is my command." He squeaked.

Sombra backed off at hearing these words. "Good. Now go back to the advisors' chambers. Wait until I call upon thee again." Sombra said, turning his back to the quaking Shining behind him.

Nodding quickly, Shining answered. "Yes sire." With that, Shining spun around and darted towards the throne room door, not wanting to spend another second in his king's presense.

Sombra heard the door slam behind him and grinned. He turned to the blue heart-shaped crystal beside him. His horn glowed a deep purple as he levitated the crystal to his eye level.

One simple spell and these crystal ponies will never be able to challenge me. Total rule will be mine. Sombra thought, a chuckle sounding from his throat.

"Not as total as thou might think." A voice behind Sombra spoke up. He turned his head to see a familiar steel gray alicorn with yellow eyes that wore golden armor and a black gauntlet on his right hoof.

Sombra smiled at the visitor. "Ah, Crystal Glory." He said, addressing the pony that gave Sombra his power in the first place. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Crystal Glory's expression turned grim. "My visit is not for pleasure reasons. There has been… a development."

Sombra's amiable pretense dropped at his words. "What does thou mean?"

"My sources have led me to believe that a scout sent by the Princesses of Equestria is coming to thy kingdom to see what has happened here. Apparently the news of thy power as seen by clusters of black crystals springing up all over the country has caused quite the disturbance." Crystal said.

"So they sent a scout to investigate?" Sombra asked, his mouth twisting into a smile. "With my power, this scout could be a new possible convert. I could easily sway the pony to our cause."

In an instant, Crystal was in Sombra's face. "Don't be so sure of thy power, Sombra. Yes, I have granted thee immense power, but it won't be enough to match the power the Princesses will be bringing." He said sternly.

Sombra's expression turned from cocky to concerned. "What power might that be?"

Crystal stepped back and looked Sombra in the eye. "The Elements of Harmony."

Sombra's eyes widened. "What? How can that be? I thought they were just a myth."

Crystal's glowing yellow eyes narrowed at the unicorn king. "Well this is one myth that is about to become reality, King Sombra."

"What would thee have me do to prepare myself to fight such magic?" Sombra asked.

"Against the Elements of Harmony?" Crystal said. "Only with my power can thou hope to defeat them."

Sombra gave Crystal a confused look. "I thought I was already imbued with thy power."

"What I gave thee is but a taste of my true power." Crystal said with a smile. "But for thee to claim victory over the Elements, thou will have to give thyself completely to my power. Art thou willing to accept it?"

Sombra put on a determined face. "I am always willing."

Crystal smiled. "Good." He said, his horn lighting up a bright yellow. As his horn reached its brightest, Crystal shot a beam of yellow magic at Sombra. The magic struck Sombra in the chest as swirls of yellow magic consumed his body.

Sombra felt a mixture of feelings when the magic struck him. Pain. Power. Anger. Joy. Amongst these there was one feeling that had a more dominant presence above the others. It couldn't be put into words exactly, but Sombra felt his old self be completely washed away. He had given himself wholly to Crystal's power. After a few moments, the spell ended and the yellow swirls dissipated from Sombra's body.

"How dost thou feel?" Crystal asked, a satisfied look smeared on his face.

Sombra opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Power. Sombra thought, a smile growing wide on his face. Absolute power.

"I take it that thou art ready to face the Elements." Crystal said, noting the look of reveling on the unicorn king's visage. "Good luck, King Sombra. Although with thy new power, thou may not be needing it." With that, Crystal disappeared in a flash of yellow light.

Once again, Sombra was alone in the throne room. With a low chuckle, Sombra looked out one of the windows facing the south. "Come face me, Princesses of Equestria. Thy Elements of Harmony will be no match for the new powers I have just received."

A bright yellow flash appeared on a mountain cliff overlooking the Crystal Empire. Crystal Glory looked over the kingdom with a smile.

So wait, did we just imbue him with even more power, Master? Siphon asked.

Crystal brought the gauntlet to his face. He gave a light chuckle and spoke. "Have you ever heard of the placebo effect, Siphon?"

Yes, sir. But does that mean that we-

"Yes, Siphon. It does." Crystal said with a fanged grin. Everything was going according to his grand scheme. Within a few days, Equestria would be his. After that, the world would be his for the taking.

-Eastern outskirts of Ponyville: Present Day-

Twilight hurriedly trotted through the streets of Ponyville. She knew that the first pony she'd want to talk to would be one that could get around quickly and spread the word on the meeting she wanted to hold. Twilight knew just who to go to.

Clonk clonk. Twilight knocked twice on the wooden door of Fluttershy's cottage. "Fluttershy? It's me, Twilight!" She called.

The door slowly creaked open, revealing the right side of Fluttershy's face. "Oh it is you, Twilight. Come on in." She said, opening the door wider to let her studious alicorn friend inside.

Twilight walked through the doorway and gave her pegasus friend a smile. "Thanks, Fluttershy. Have you and Angel been doing alright lately?" Twilight asked.

Fluttershy returned Twilight's smile and nodded. "We have. Angel is out in the forest with his friends so it's just me in here for the day."

"Good to hear." Twilight said, ready to say why she was here to begin with. "Well I was wondering… do you have any plans for tonight?"

Fluttershy gave Twilight a puzzled look. "Um… not really. Why do you ask?"

"Well I actually had another dream, well more of a vision really." Twilight said, earning a surprised look from the yellow pegasus before her.

"Another dream? Was this one horrible like the last one ?" Fluttershy asked, instantly concerned for her friend.

Twilight gave Fluttershy a reassuring look. "This one was much different than the first. That's actually why I am asking if you had plans tonight. I'm arranging a get-together tonight in the library to discuss it."

Fluttershy put on a determined face. "I'll be sure to be there tonight."

"That's good to hear." Twilight said with a smile. "Also, would you get Rainbow Dash for me too? I need to spread the word about this to the others and could use some help." Fluttershy nodded in reply. "Excellent! Well I'm going off to get Rarity. I'll see you at the library tonight." She said, turning around and began walking towards the cottage's door.

"Um… Twilight?" Fluttershy spoke up. Twilight turned her head to look at her friend. "If I may ask… what was your dream about?"

Twilight's face fell as she recalled her encounter with the visions and the voice she heard in the book. "A warning of some sort." She replied, causing Fluttershy's face to scrunch in thought. "I'm sure the events of what the warning was about won't happen for some time. However, we must get ready." She said with a determined look. "Now I'm gonna head to Rarity's to tell her about the library meeting. When you're ready, go get Rainbow Dash and spread the word." Twilight said, pointing to the door.

Fluttershy put on a brave face and saluted. "You got it, Twilight."

With that, Twilight turned around and walked out the cottage door. As Twilight began to gallop towards Ponyville, her thoughts drifted to what the vision had said. The long night approaches? Why do I keep hearing that? She thought for a moment before shaking her head. We'll discuss it tonight. Right now, I need to find Rarity. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind for later, picking up the pace as she neared the stone and wood buildings of Ponyville that stood in front of her.

-Western Griffon Kingdom, sky above Aegis Province: Present Day-

Gilda tapped the cloud she was sitting on with her claws. Where is he? I've been waiting here for the past hour! She thought impatiently. Hawkeye had said he'd meet with her at this exact spot after they were done chatting yesterday, so why wasn't he here yet?

A flapping of wings behind her caught Gilda's hearing. She turned her head to see a familiar griffon flying towards her. Gilda folded her arms in irritation as Hawkeye landed on the cloud right next to her.

"Sorry." Hawkeye strained his apology, his tone melancholy.

"There you are. Where have you been?" Gilda asked. She had half a mind to chew him out for being so late and making her wait.

"Dad and I… had a… talk." He said, hanging his head.

Gilda's eyebrow rose. Okay, now that was a reason she could sympathize with. "Oh yeah? What for?"

"Came home… late. He didn't… like it."

Gilda nodded her head to convey her understanding. "Yeah, parents are like that."

"Like… yours?" Hawkeye asked. Gilda's wings immediately flared up as she turned to Hawkeye, giving him an evil look.

"I thought we agreed to never discuss that." Gilda said in a low and dangerous tone.

"Didn't… mean it… like that." Hawkeye said, crossing and uncrossing his arms repeatedly. "Sorry if… it came across… that way."

Gilda's wings retracted and the anger in her eyes fizzled out. "No it's okay. I overreacted. You didn't mean any harm in what you said, so it was uncool of me for freaking out like that."

Hawkeye's expression softened as he put an arm around her shoulders. "No… problem."

Gilda smiled as she leaned into Hawkeye and sighed contently. "You know, Hawkeye. I just don't get it."

Hawkeye looked down at the griffon at his side. "Get… what?"

"How I just freak out sometimes." Gilda said, her smile fading. "I flipped out at you for no reason." Before Hawkeye could respond, Gilda continued. "It's not the first time it's been like that. I lost a good friend by freaking out and getting mad at harmless pranks. Sure it was annoying, but they didn't mean anything bad by it."

"Is that… what's… bothering… you? That day in… Ponyville?" Hawkeye asked as Gilda sat back up and looked at him.

"Yeah. It's just that I felt like such a dweeb after that. I've been haunted by the feeling that I'd severed a really good friendship by being such a jerk to Rainbow Dash and her friends." Gilda said as she hung her head a little. "I just don't know if she'd accept me back or not because of how I acted that day."

Hawkeye smiled. "Well why not… go and… find out?" He suggested.

Gilda's expression brightened. "You know what? I think I will. I'll go back to Ponyville, apologize to Dash and her friends, and we'll be back to being best buds again!" She exclaimed. "Hawkeye, what would I do without you?" She asked, giving Hawkeye a bear hug.

Hawkeye grinned. "You'd… be… a mean old… griffon with no… friends." He said sarcastically.

Gilda chuckled, letting go of Hawkeye. "So whatcha say? Ya up for a visit to Ponyville?" She asked, spreading her brown wings.

Hawkeye nodded. "Let's… go!" He exclaimed with a smile, extending his own wings.

With a simultaneous flap of their wings, the two griffons took off from the poofy cloud. Thoughts bounced back and forth in Gilda's head as she flew. What if they don't accept my apology? Well, Dash isn't a dweeb. She'll take me back if none of the others do. She thought with a sigh. With the hour-long flight to Ponyville, she had time to think.

Spreading the Word

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 23-Spreading the Word

-Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Luna hadn't said anything since they received their Elements and it made Celestia nervous. Luna never said anything after the Element-bearing ceremony, she never spoke at dinner, and she never said anything when she raised the moon. Something was going on in that little head of Luna's and Celestia wanted to know what it was.

I can't just come right out and ask "What has been happening with thee as of late?" Celestia thought as the two sisters began to walk towards each other's bedrooms. I can't just ignore her strange behavior either. How do I come about approaching this situation? She asked herself. Well, I guess I can try to ask her indirectly.

"Get some rest, Luna. We will be needing it for the trek to the Crystal Empire in the morrow." Celestia said, breaking the silence as the two sisters walked down the hallway that led to their bedchambers.

"I know, sister. I will make sure that I am well rested for the journey tomorrow. I just hope that we can get there quickly." Luna said in a determined tone.

Celestia looked down at her sister. "For Shooting Star's sake? I agree." She assumed.

Luna shook her head. "Nay, Celestia. It is not Shooting Star's predicament that troubles me."

This caused Celestia to give Luna a concerned look. "Then what is it that troubles thee, Luna?" She asked, seeing the hesitation on her sibling's face. "Thou can tell me. Whatever it may be, I can help you solve it."

"That's just it." Luna said, her expression turning to one of exasperation. "I have this… feeling. This feeling is saying that something bad is going to happen." Luna glanced at her sister, expecting a response. Celestia replied with an emotionless stare as she listened to Luna. "I don't mean I'm concerned with our chances of survival against Sombra, it's just something that I can't quite put my hoof on." She said, pushing her hoof on the ground to emphasize the metaphor.

Should I tell her that I have been having the same feeling as well? Celestia pondered. She too had been having strange feelings about the mission that they were about to embark on. Seeing Luna's reaction to when her Elements when they were placed on her didn't help Celestia's inclinations towards the mission ahead.

"I don't mean to trouble thee with my own concerns, Tia. I just have this off feeling I cannot get rid of." Luna finished, hanging her head.

Celestia put a hoof on her sister's shoulder. "It will be alright, Luna. I have my own doubts in regards to what happens tomorrow just as thee have thy own." She said, receiving a surprised look from her younger sister. "But don't worry. I'll be here for thee no matter what may happen."

Luna looked up at her sister and gave a weak smile. "Thanks, Tia." She said gratefully, nuzzling her sister with her muzzle.

Celestia returned the emotional gesture by hugging Luna's neck with her head. No matter what happens tomorrow, we'll get through it together. Celestia thought with a smile.

Little did Celestia know that it would be the last time they embraced like that for a thousand years.

-Carousel Boutique, Ponyville: Present Day-

"Ahh." Rarity sighed. "Nothing like some good old fashioned dress-making to take the mind off some things." She said with a smile as her automatic sewing machine stitched together two pieces of purple cloth onto a ball gown she was making for a client in Canterlot. At the mention of things to take her mind off of stuff, Rarity's mind began working against her.

I wonder how Twilight and the others are holding up from those nightmares we had. Rarity pondered as sewed the last thread onto the dress and took it off the machine. I mean mine was pretty terrible, but Spike was in that too. And Rainbow and Applejack had to watch the ponies she cared about… die. She thought, the concept of death making her queasy. Sure death existed in the world, but that didn't mean that they had to get used to it. Rarity sighed as she hung the newly made gown onto one of the mannequins in the corner of her shop.

Rarity looked up from her work and glanced at the room around her. She'd seen the inside of Carousel Boutique almost every day of her life, but never truly appreciated what she had. I have a very providing job, a roof over my head, some of the best friends in the world, and a caring and loving sister. Rarity thought as she went over what she had in this world. What if one day, it all just… vanished? She had seldom considered such a possibility, but recently her mind just could not keep off those subjects. Whatever's going on, I hope it's over quickly. She thought, letting out a sigh.

Rarity's ears perked at the sound of knocking at her shop's door. Who could that be? The unicorn fashionista thought as she looked up at a clock on the wall. Carousel Boutique doesn't open for another hour. Rarity's eyebrows furrowed as she began to approach the door. Standing on the tips of her hooves, Rarity looked through the peephole, smiling at the visitor she saw through the glass.

She opened the door and greeted her familiar visitor with a smile. "Good morning, Twilight! And what may I do for you this fine morning?" She asked, studying Twilight's features. Dirty hooves and somewhat out of breath, she's been running. The somewhat worried look on her face is barely concealed. Was she in some sort of hurry to get here? Rarity analyzed while she kept her greeting demeanor.

"Good morning to you too, Rarity. Do you have a minute?" Twilight asked in a lighter tone than her current state conveyed.

"An hour is more like it." Rarity replied cheerfully. "Come in, come in." She said, waving her hoof as a gesture to come inside. Twilight walked through the shop's door and shot Rarity a smile.

"Thanks, Rarity. Sorry if this is so short-notice." Twilight apologized while Rarity closed the door behind her guest.

Rarity shook her head. "Nothing to apologize for, dear. Now can I get you anything? You look thirsty from all that running you did today."

Twilight spun around and gave Rarity a surprised look. "How did you know I was running?"

Rarity gave a light chuckle. "Oh Twilight. You'd think that after all my years as a fashionista that I'd be able to pick up seemingly unnoticeable details and their pertaining implications."

"Oh." Twilight said flatly. "Was it that obvious?"

Rarity shrugged and began pointing to parts of Twilight's body. "Well the dirty hooves could've meant anything. But you seemed to be breathing heavily and the look on your face told me that something serious had happened. So what's the trouble, Twilight?" She asked, cutting straight to the point.

Twilight swallowed before answering. "I had another vision." She said.

Rarity's eyes widened in surprise. Oh. That is serious. She thought. "Was it anything like the first one?"

Twilight shook her head. "Actually it wasn't so much bad as it was a warning of some kind."

While Rarity was relieved to hear her friend hadn't undergone another traumatic experience, her curiosity was aroused as to what kind of warning Twilight was talking about. "What do you mean… warning?"

Twilight's head dipped. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"Is that why you came to me?" Rarity asked as her eyebrow rose.

Twilight nodded. "I'm holding a meeting at the library tonight. As soon as Carousel Boutique closes, would you be able to come? I already have Fluttershy gathering some of the others to let them know."

Rarity gave her friend a determined look. "I'll be over tonight as soon as possible." She said confidently.

Twilight smiled. "Glad to hear it." She said, turning back towards the door.

As Rarity watched Twilight head towards the door, a certain feeling was nagging at the back of her mind. A feeling that something bad was going to happen. "Twilight!" She called, Twilight stopping in her tracks and turning to look at her friend. "No matter what happens, we're all here for each other, right?"

Twilight gave her unicorn friend a slight smile. "Always."

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as Rarity watched her alicorn friend walk out the door and back into Ponyville's streets.

-Sky above Ponyville, Ponyville-

"So what did that message mean?" Rainbow Dash thought aloud. She'd been tossing and turning on her bed for the entirety of the previous night, her mind not allowing her to sleep. Rainbow's brain had been repeating the warning that voice had left her before disappearing the other day. She had tried to forget it, but every time she did, the more futile the fight was.

From the mountains of the frozen north,

An ancient shadow shall come forth.

The sun will set on Canterlot,

A sacrifice that won't be for naught.

The six will become eight,

And this world's path they will dictate.

To herald a new dawn,

Or revive an evil once foregone.

The warning repeated itself over and over, taunting Dash with its cryptic message. The mountains of the frozen north. That has to mean the mountains near the Crystal Empire. Dash thought. However the next few lines were what concerned her. The sun will set on Canterlot, a sacrifice that won't be for naught. Something about those words made Dash feel uneasy. The sun goes down every day. What would be different about this one?And a sacrifice? She wondered, her mind going to what could be sacrificed. Death was not an issue that Dash tended to dwell on, but with this warning it was all she could think about. Who would die? And for what? The questions mounted up inside her head, making Rainbow clutch her head, trying to keep all the thoughts inside.

"What does it all mean?" She whispered to herself.

A soft knock at the door to her cloud house brought Dash back to reality as she lifted her head to look at the door. Dash sighed as a second knock made itself heard in the house. Dash stuffed her head into the covers of her bed, not wanting to talk to whoever it was at the door.

"Rainbow? Are you home?" A soft voice on the other side of the door asked.

Dash's head shot out of the covers. I know that voice. She thought, getting off the bed and trotting towards the door.

"Fluttershy? Is that you?" Rainbow called once she got to the door.

"Yes it's me. Do you have a minute or is this a bad time?" Fluttershy asked from the other side of the door.

Dash opened the door to see her pegasus friend. "Nah. It's alright. C'mon in." the rainbow-maned pegasus gestured for Fluttershy to come inside. Fluttershy obliged and flew through the doorway and into the cloud house's atrium.

Fluttershy looked over her host. Bags under her eyes, tussled mane, tired expression. It must be a bad time. "I'm sorry if I came at a bad time. You tired? You look like you haven't had a wink of sleep in days." Fluttershy said.

Dash smirked and rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah I don't look too good right now, do I?" She asked in a slightly joking tone. Fluttershy shook her head. "Oh well. So what's up?"

"Well I was taking care of some critters in my house earlier this morning when Twilight came by." Fluttershy said, describing the situation.

"Huh. What'd she come over for?" Rainbow asked. Usually Twilight wasn't over at Fluttershy's cottage unless explicitly asked to or wanted to help.

Fluttershy rubbed her arm with a hoof as she resumed. "Well she came by saying that something had happened."

Rainbow was instantly alert at hearing something had happened to her friend. "What? She's not in any trouble, is she?" She asked.

"Not exactly." Fluttershy said, receiving a confused look from Rainbow. "She said that she'd received some sort of warning."

This furthered Rainbow's confusion. "A warning? About what?"

Fluttershy shrugged. "I'm not sure. I don't think that even she knew what it was about either." She said.

Hearing this concerned Rainbow. Normally Twilight was the smart one when it came to things that needed to be figured out, so why couldn't she figure this one out?

"So what does this have to do with me?" Rainbow asked, putting a hoof on her chest to emphasis her question.

Fluttershy scrunched her face in thought. "I think Twilight only knew that the warning she got had something to do with the Elements. She wanted me to let you know that we'll be having a meeting to discuss Twilight's warning at the library tonight."

Even though she couldn't make heads or tails of what Twilight's predicament was, Rainbow put on a determined look. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to be there."

Fluttershy smiled at her friend's boldness. "Okay then. Well I've got some critters to attend to back home. I'll see you at the meeting." Fluttershy said, turning around and opening the door to see herself out.

"See ya tonight." Rainbow said, waving goodbye to her departing friend. She didn't stop waving until the door had been shut and Fluttershy was on her way back home.

Twilight didn't know what the warning meant? The multi-colored pegasus thought as she put her back to the wall next to the door and slunk to the floor in defeat. Why do these things have to be so cryptic?

"What do all these warnings mean? I can't figure them out and neither can Twilight." Rainbow murmured to herself, her words reverberating off the cloud walls of the now empty house. Rainbow rested her head against the wall behind her and tried to figure out what to do. Letting out a groan, Rainbow came to the conclusion that she didn't know what to do. Normally she was the first to act in any given situation, but these riddles had her stumped. A mixture of feelings welled up inside her. She felt frustration, anger, despondence, and pensive. Letting out a defeated sigh, Rainbow leaned forward and held her legs with her hooves.

Whatever it is that these things are talking about, I hope it's over soon.

-Ponyville Market, Ponyville-

Silver Star strode down the dirt road that divided the various good-selling carts and entrepreneurs from their potential customers. So much love in one place. If I could have a single nibble… He thought, his stomach growling a bit at the thought of food. No! I can't feed yet. I know I hate it, but I can't. The still focused side of his mind slapped him back into reality.

In the past couple days, Chassis had gained an understanding for what Chrysalis had to go through when she was undercover in Canterlot. He looked at all the ponies to feed off of, each of them unsuspecting of the danger that was walking through their very streets. Such naiveté. Chassis thought as he passed an orange salespony in a stetson hat arguing with a customer for the price of a bushel of apples. They carry on with their daily lives as if nothing is ever going to change. Chassis's mind went back to how living was in the hive. Constantly on the alert for hungry changelings, almost no love sources to feed off of, having to deal with the creatures of the forest surrounding the hive, the incompetence of their leader… the list went on and on in his mind. True this place was infinitely better than the changeling hive, but these ponies were almost too naïve and happy for his tastes. Nothing a drastic change in authority can't fix. He thought with a grin. Once this job is done, I'm requesting that this place be the first to be attacked.

Silver Star continued walking down the street with his thoughts when a sharp cry pierced his ears.

"LOOK OUT!" A filly's voice shouted to his right. Silver Star turned his head just in time to see an orange pegasus filly on a scooter pulling a wagon with two other fillies in it. It was all he could make out before having to hit the deck. Silver dove to the ground as the scooter and the wagon barely sailed over his head. Hearing a loud clonk, he figured the fillies had landed on the ground. He got up and turned to see the fillies in the wagon with shell-shocked expressions on their faces and the filly on the scooter's face was one of elation. Bucking adrenaline junky. Silver thought as a frown developed on his face.

"That. Was. Awesome!" The orange pegasus filly with a wind-blown purple mane and tail exclaimed, jumping from her scooter and landing on the ground.

"Awesome? You call that awesome? That was terrifying!" A white unicorn filly with two-toned purple mane and tail shouted.

"Ah'll say." A yellow earth pony filly with a bushy red mane and tail with a pink bow in her mane grumbled.

"Oh come on, guys! At least nopony got hurt, right?" The pegasus replied to her friends' lack of enthusiasm.

"Yeah, but Ah think may stomach needs to catch up with me." The earth pony said in a country accent before holding a hoof to her mouth to hold back a wave of nausea that suddenly overcame her.

"Oh don't be so dramatic, Applebloom." The pegasus said. "You don't see Sweetie Belle saying stuff like that." She said, gesturing to the white unicorn filly only to see that she was sprawled on the ground face down, groans coming from her face in the dirt. The pegasus put a hoof to her face and sighed in disappointment at her friends' reactions to her stunts.

The filly that Silver had noted was 'Applebloom' spoke up. "Well what're we gonna do now?"

Silver Star glared at the three fillies as they recovered from the stunt. "Maybe you could take your stuff and find less dangerous ways to have fun with it." He muttered under his breath.

"What was that, mister?" the white unicorn filly named Sweetie Belle asked.

Silver caught his breath. They heard that? Oh nuts. He thought. "Oh, nothing. Carry on with whatever you were doing." He said dismissively.

"I could have sworn I heard you say something about doing something less dangerous." Sweetie said.

Applebloom turned and looked at the large black earth pony in front of her. "Oh. Were y'all the pony that Scootaloo yelled at to duck before we hit ya?"

Jeez. These fillies don't let up do they? Silver thought, trying to force a smile. "Yeah that was me. Thanks for the warning."

"Sorry 'bout that. Scootaloo can be a bit of a daredevil on her scooter and I guess she almost hit ya." Applebloom said, glancing at her orange pegasus friend.

"Yeah. Sorry about that." The orange pegasus, Scootaloo, apologized.

Silver gave the fillies a slight smile in return. "No problem. Just don't do it again."

"Hey mister! Y'all alright?" A southern-accented voice shouted to the left of him. Silver turned his head to see the orange apple-selling pony he saw earlier galloping towards him.

"Yeah. I'm fine, no thanks to these three." He said, casting a glare at the mischievous fillies next to him.

"Hey!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "We said we were sorry."

By now the orange pony had arrived where Silver and the fillies were. "That doesn't excuse y'all from actin' recklessly. Have y'all apologized to this poor stallion?" She asked in a harsh tone.

"But Applejack, we already did." Applebloom responded in a pleading tone.

"I want to hear ya say it." Applejack rebuked.

Scootaloo let out an irritated sigh before the three fillies spoke. "We're sorry." They said in unison.

The orange pony named Applejack let up on the harsh look she was giving the fillies. "That's better. Now get along before something else happens." She said, gesturing for the fillies to leave.

Scootaloo got back onto her scooter while Applebloom and Sweetie Belle climbed back into the wagon, albeit with slight hesitation. With a quick vrm vrm, the three fillies were driving off out of the market.

Applejack turned to Silver. "Ah'm sorry about that. Applebloom and her friends mean well but they can be a bit careless every now and again."

Silver huffed. "As long as I don't get in danger of being run over again, I think we're good." He said, turning to leave.

"Um, if y'all don't have any place to get to in a hurry, wanna buy an apple?" Applejack asked, trying to hold a smile while pointing to her apple cart that lay down the market street.

"I'm good. Thanks for the offer, though." Silver said, trying to get along with his business.

"Are ya sure? We're havin' a sale. Five apples for the price of three." Applejack said, still trying to sell her product.

Silver gritted his teeth. "I'm fine." He said in a low tone. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get on with my day." With that, Silver stormed off, leaving a disappointed and surprised Applejack behind him. Sheesh. Can't these ponies let anypony be for five seconds before trying to intrude on their business? He thought as a disheartened Applejack trudged back to her apple cart.

Risky Considerations

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 24-Risky Considerations

-Sweet Apple Acres-

A thumping sound was heard across the apple orchards. Thump. Thump. Thump. Apples and leaves rustled in the branches of the trees as a small yellow filly tried desperately to bring the red fruit down to earth.

"Come on!" Thump "Stupid apples!" Thump "Fall off!" Thump. Applebloom exasperated as she bucked the tree, her red mane falling in her face.

"I think I saw one almost fall off that time." Scootaloo said in an optimistic tone, looking up at the apples above her head.

Applebloom sighed as she slunk to the ground, the grass tickling her face. "It's no use. Ah'm never gonna be good at anything." She groaned, dropping her face onto the dirt.

"Don't give up, Applebloom." Sweetie Belle said, lowering her head to Applebloom's ear. "There are still plenty of things for us to try out."

"But what?" Applebloom asked, taking her head off the ground and looking at her friends. "We've tried everything we can think of and we still haven't gotten our cutie marks." She said, standing back up on her hooves and looking down at her blank flank.

"Maybe it's not what we haven't tried." Sweetie Belle pondered, putting a hoof to her chin in thought.

"What do you mean?" Scootaloo asked, giving her unicorn friend a confused look.

"I mean that maybe we've already tried something we're good at and haven't realized it." Sweetie said.

"Ya think we'd know by now if we were good at something when we tried it." Applebloom countered.

Sweetie took a moment to think this over. "Yeah. I guess you're right." She said, her shoulders sagging in resignation.

"Well wait a minute." Scootaloo said, an idea emerging from her mind. "Everything we tried and failed at are usually things we don't do on a daily basis. I mean, we tried to get a skydiving cutie mark once. How often do we do that?"

Applebloom rubbed her chin. "Ah guess yer right. But what do we do on a daily basis that we haven't gotten our cutie marks for?" She asked.

"Well Scootaloo rides her scooter, you work in the apple fields, and I just spend time with my sister." Sweetie Belle said. "Unless there's a cutie mark for any of those, we just haven't found our special talents yet."

Scootaloo sighed in resignation. "Yeah. Maybe we're just not meant to get our cutie marks." She said despondently.

Applebloom gave her friends a determined look. "Now what kinda talk is that?" She exclaimed. "We just gotta keep trying, girls. Everypony gets a cutie mark eventually, so it's not like we'll never get our cutie marks." She said, her words slightly uplifting her friends' spirits.

"Yeah. If it's going to happen eventually, we'll just have to keep on trying." Scootaloo said, a small smile appearing on her face.

"So what should we do next?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Before any of the fillies could think of something, a deep voice shouted in the distance behind them. "Applebloom! Is that you out there?"

Applebloom recognized the voice immediately. "Yeah, Big Mac. It's me!" She shouted back.

Within a few moments, the Cutie Mark Crusaders could see a large red stallion with a short goldenrod mane walking amidst the apple trees and coming towards them.

Within a minute, Big Mac had gotten to where the girls were. "There y'all are." He said, looking up at the tree behind his sister and her friends. "Y'all tryin' to buck those apples out of the tree?"

"Well Ah was. But none of the apples fell out." Applebloom said in a sad tone.

Big Mac gave an understanding smile and chuckled. "Lemme tell y'all a little something. Did ya know that Ah didn't buck my first apples out of the tree until I was a few years older than y'all are now?"

Sweetie Belle gave the red stallion a surprised look. "You never bucked an apple until you were older than Applebloom?"

"Nope." Big Mac said, walking up to the tree. "I had to learn how to buck trees all by mahself. I didn't have anpony to teach me how, but I kept tryin' and tryin'. One day, I learned a little trick that bucked every last one of those apples out of the tree."

"What's the trick?" Scootaloo asked, just as surprised as her fellow crusaders at what Big Mac was telling them.

Big Mac grinned as he continued. "Ah found that every tree has a 'sweet spot'. Ya gotta look for it, though. Get a feel for the tree before bucking it. Once ya find it, give it a good solid buckin' and you'll have apples rainin' on yer head before ya know it."

"But how do you know where each sweet spot is?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah. Ah've seen you and Applejack just walk up and buck apples out of trees without givin' the tree a second look."

Big Mac looked up at the tree in front of him. "Well apple trees are the same for the most part, so apple trees have a different sweet spot than say pear trees or peach trees."

"So where's the spot on apple trees?" Applebloom asked, her hopes rising for an apple-bucking cutie mark.

"Now that, lil' sis, is just something y'all will have to find out for yourself." Big Mac said in a teasing tone. The trio of fillies gave a resounding "Awww!" in disappointment. "But just think for a second. Compare this apple tree to say… getting a cutie mark."

"How?" Scootaloo asked.

"Imagine getting apples of the tree is your goal, like how getting a cutie mark is y'all's. You gotta keep buckin' the tree until you hit that sweet spot. Only then will you achieve your goal."

"So what yer sayin' is to keep trying?" Applebloom asked. Big Mac replied with a nod.

"Eeyup. Every tree has a sweet spot like how every pony gets a cutie mark. Ya just have to keep tryin' and lookin' for it to get it." He said with a smile.

Smiles lit up on the crusaders' faces.

"I guess you're right, Big Mac." Sweetie Belle said, the other two nodding in agreement.

"Well great. Now who's ready for some lunch?" the stallion asked, getting excited cheers in reply. "Well hop on, then." He said, each of the fillies jumping onto his back. With the three happy little fillies on his back, Big Mac began the walk to the farmhouse.

-Outskirts of Ponyville-

All was well in Ponyville. Birds flew and chirped in the air and trees, ponies exchanged goods and conversed in the streets, fillies and colts were in school, and the mood was generally positive. Well, save for two disguised changelings that were simply watching ponies go about their daily lives. Speedy Delivery and Palm Spring had decided to observe the town from a nearby hilltop during the last few hours they had there, each of them having their own thoughts in regards to their situation.

"So today's the last day, huh?" Fang asked despondently. Over the past couple of days, the changeling had really come to like this quaint little pony village. Compared to life back in the hive, this 'Ponyville' was leaps and bounds ahead of it in practically every aspect. The ponies were nicer to each other than drones were to each other, there wasn't the risk of being cannibalized every day, and at the end of the day, Fang had felt a lightness in his chest he'd never felt before in the hive. It was a carefree feeling that he seldom felt. And to think that he'd have to trade in this happiness he felt to return to the hive. I want to be loyal to the hive, but at the same time, I absolutely hate it there. He thought.

"Yep." Cipha said, her voice carrying the same attitude that Fang's did. "Any idea where Chassis went off to?" She asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Probably just looking around town, scouting out which ponies to feed off of first when he gets back." Fang said with a grimace. "You know something, Cipha?" He asked.

Cipha looked at her accomplice. "What's that?"

"After seeing what pony life is really like, I don't think this place deserves to be attacked." Fang said, watching a pair of chatting unicorn mares walk into the spa.

Cipha stopped and put a hoof to her chin. "But since when do they deserve anything? Our hive didn't deserve to fall into ruin after the Canterlot attack, but look where we are now."

Fang looked at Cipha and gave her a serious look. "But look around you." He said, gesturing around him. "How can we justify a conquest on these ponies by attacking them? And for what? Revenge? Food?"

"We need to survive by feeding off love, Fang." Cipha said sternly. "After seeing this place, I'd love to coexist with these ponies as much as you, but the fact is we need to feed to survive."

Fang looked at the ground and sighed exasperatingly. "But isn't there some other way? I'd hate to leave and destroy this pony village because of a simple need."

Cipha gave her fellow changeling an empathetic look. She put a perforated hoof on Fang's shoulder, making him look up from the ground and into her eyes. "Fang, listen to me." She urged, giving Fang a pained look. "It hurts me just as much as it hurts you to even think about attacking these peaceful ponies. But it's something we have to do. We're changelings. We have to feed to survive. If there was a way out, I'd take it in a heartbeat. But as of right now, there's just no other alternative."

Fang considered her words. After a few moments, a thought appeared in his mind. A thought, had he thought of it a few days ago, would have seemed insane. But now, it seemed like a plausible option. "What if we desert?" He asked, earning a shocked look from Cipha. "I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. What if we don't go back to the hive? What if we decide to stay here and blend with the populace? The hive doesn't have a chance in Tartarus of recovering and our queen is putting a blind faith in some thing, that may or may not be good, to help us."

Cipha looked down at the ground. Desertion? She pondered, the very word sounding alien to her. "Okay. Let's say we do desert. We stay here for a while and then the urge to feed comes up. What then? Chomp on some random pony and be found out? We'd be ostracized from this place. We wouldn't be able to go back to the hive and we wouldn't be able to set hoof in an Equestrian-occupied place again. What would we do then? Live off nature? Go live in the wilderness?" She asked.

Fang thought over Cipha's words and conceded with a nod. "I guess you're right. I just hate how we have to trade all this for going back to the hive." He said in an agitated tone, his complexion turning into one of anger.

Cipha nodded understandingly. "I know. But for now, we'd better just stick to our current objective. We find a unicorn, help Chrysalis get whatever's going to help us free, and then we'll see what happens from there."

Fang sighed. We're stuck between a rock and a hard place. He figured. If we desert, we wouldn't be able to stay in one place for very long. But if we continue with the plan, we'd be responsible for everything that will happen to these peaceful ponies. Maybe Cipha's right. The best thing we can do now is wait. "Agreed. We'll go along with the plan for now." He said begrudgingly, looking out at the bustling Ponyville below.

-Sugarcube Corner-

"So how many streamers should I have? Ten? Twenty? Maybe even fifty!" Pinkie's elated voice bounced off the walls of her upper level bedroom. She'd taken the day off from baking with the Cakes to plan for her Welcome to Ponyville party she was throwing for the newcomers.

Pinkie rubbed her chin with a pink hoof as she considered her options for the party. I'll have to bake a cake for them at least. Should I make it vanilla? Or chocolate? Ooh! Maybe red velvet! Or maybe even some whiskey cake if I can get into Mr. Cake's stash! She thought, rubbing her hooves together at the possibilities that presented themselves in her mind. Oh wait, I think I'd get in some trouble for that last one, so that one's out. She thought, her eyes darting to her pet alligator that lazed on the top of her bed.

"What do you think, Gummy?" Pinkie asked as she picked up her pet and held him to her eye level. "Should it be vanilla or red velvet?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at the reptile, daring him to make a decision.

Gummy's eyes darted in opposite directions in reply.

"Red velvet it is!" Pinkie exclaimed in glee, tossing her pet back onto the bouncy bed.

As soon as Gummy landed back on the bed, he contently began gumming the corner of the bedsheets.

"Eee! I'm just so excited for this! I wonder how the guests will enjoy the surprise." Pinkie wondered, the scenario forming in her mind.

The three guests would walk into the ground floor of Sugarcube Corner, surprised to see all the lights off. "Where's the light?" One would wonder. "I dunno." A second would reply. Suddenly all the lights would flash on, revealing all the ponies hiding and waiting to surprise them! "SURPRISE!" All the ponies would shout, both startling and delighting the guests. Cake would be eaten, confetti will be thrown, and it'll be the best party ever! Pinkie thought as she imagined seeing the smiles on everypony's faces at the party, a smile of her own widening on her face.

As Pinkie imagined the celebratory scenario, a sound behind her snapped her out of the daydream. Knock knock. Pinkie turned around to look at her bedroom door. Who could that be? She wondered.

"Hello?" A familiar voice behind the door asked. "Pinkie, are you in there?"

Ooh! It's Twilight! Pinkie thought, hearing her visitor's voice. "Just a minute!" She replied, trotting to the door. Pinkie opened here bedroom door to reveal Twilight standing at the top of the staircase that led from the Sugarcube Corner atrium.

"Hi, Pinkie. Is this a bad time?" the purple alicorn asked.

Pinkie gave her guest a smile and shook her head. "Nopey-dopey. Come on in." She said, pulling the door wider to allow Twilight to come in.

"Thanks, Pinkie. So what are you up to in here?" Twilight asked.

"Just planning a little something for tonight." Pinkie said.

Twilight's eyebrow rose at the vague answer. "Tonight? What's going on tonight?"

"Well a group of new ponies came to town so I got extra excited to see them and invited them to a big, big, big 'Welcome to Ponyville' party tonight." Pinkie responded with a smile.

"Oh." Twilight said. Well she may have to cut that party a bit short. "Well Pinkie I came here because I actually have called for a meeting at the library tonight."

Pinkie's smile faded. "A meeting? What for?" She asked.

"Well I kind of had a vision this morning." Twilight said, Pinkie instantly becoming alert at hearing her.

"A vision? Was it anything like that super scary one you had the other day?" Pinkie asked in a concerned tone.

To Pinkie's relief, Twilight shook her head. "No, no. Not at all like the vision I had the day before. This one was different." Twilight said reassuringly.

"Different how?" Pinkie asked, a bit relieved that her friend hadn't undergone another traumatic experience.

"It was more of a warning than a scary vision." Twilight said. Just as Pinkie opened her mouth to ask a question, Twilight resumed. "Now I don't know what the vision was warning me about, but that's why I called a meeting for everypony tonight."

"Tonight?" Pinkie asked in a surprised tone. "But… the party." She said, a despondent look finding its way onto her visage.

"You can still have your party, Pinkie. It'll just be a bit shorter than your usual parties." Twilight said, trying to lighten the situation for her friend.

Pinkie's smile partially returned. "I guess you're right, Twilight. Alrighty then, I'll make sure to be there tonight." She said.

"Good." Twilight said with a smile. "Well I guess I'll be seeing you tonight. Just don't get too crazy from the party, okay?" Twilight said half-jokingly.

Pinkie giggled. "Don't worry your smarty head over me, Twilight. I'll be at the meeting." She said, watching her friend walk back towards the bedroom door.

"Well then I'll see you tonight, Pinkie." Twilight said with a wave before exiting the party pony's room.

"See ya then, Twilight." Pinkie said, waving back. As the door closed, Pinkie's smile slightly faded. "A warning?" Pinkie asked herself, looking over to Gummy, who had stopped gumming at her bed sheets and was now laying flat on his stomach on the floor. "But what could her vision have been about?" She asked both herself and the alligator.

Gummy responded by darting his eyes around again.

"I guess so, Gummy." Pinkie said. "I'll just have to wait until the meeting to find out." She said, her mind soon wandering back to a more pressing matter. "Now what color balloons should I get?"

-Canterlot-

Luna paced back and forth in her bedchambers, her thoughts keeping her busy. While Celestia was taking care of getting the guards on duty, Luna had only her mind to keep herself occupied.

Tomorrow is the big day. She thought, looking out at her window at the sprawling plains below that stretched into the horizon. Tomorrow the moon will be full and Celestia and I can get to Starswirl's tomb. Hopefully the answer to our problems will be down there.

Knock knock knock. A knocking at the door snapped Luna out of her thoughts. "Come in." She said, the pony behind the door opening the door almost immediately after Luna spoke.

"Luna." Celestia's soft voice spoke up as she opened the door wider. "Can I come in?" She asked.

"Of course, Tia." Luna responded, trying to sound upbeat. Celestia entered her sister's bedroom and closed the door behind her.

"How are you, Luna?" Celestia asked, giving her sister a caring look.

Luna turned her head to face her sister and gave a confused look. "I am fine, Tia. My stomach is getting rather restless and I could use some nourishment soon."

Celestia's facial complexion didn't change. "I didn't mean it like that, Luna. I mean how are you really doing?" She urged.

Luna nodded and looked down at her bed and then back out at the window. "Anxious. Nervous. Scared." Luna said, the last word worrying her sun-governing sister. "It's those and a mixture of emotions I can't exactly pinpoint, sister. I'm sorry if I haven't been exactly present the past couple days. Just the thought of having to face that creature again just terrifies me. I'm not asking you to have to stick up for me in this. I can't risk losing everything I love again. I just can't…" Luna said, her voice beginning to falter.

After a few moments of letting Luna's words sink in, Celestia spoke up. "Luna I won't pretend to understand your situation." Celestia said, causing Luna to look back at her. "I will never know what it would be like to be… possessed, for lack of a better term. I'll never know what it is like to have to be utterly alone for a thousand years. I'll never know what it's like to have ridden that thing from myself by the Elements. But just remember this, I'll always be here for you no matter what. Just remember that you are never alone. You have me, Twilight and her friends, and all your loyal subjects. Even when things may seem their bleakest, never forget that there are always ones around you that will never forsake you. The Shadow may still be alive, but that doesn't mean you'll fight this battle alone." She said putting a hoof on Luna's shoulder.

"Thank you, Celestia." Luna said, leaning into her sister and giving her a hug.

Celestia smiled as she returned the hug. After several moments, the sisters broke the hug up. "Enough of these sad thoughts. Let's go get some food." She said, both alicorns standing up and walking together towards the door.

Celestia is right. Luna thought. I'll never be alone in this. A smile spread on Luna's face as the pair of sisters exited the bedroom, ready to get some lunch.

A Tempting Offer

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 25-A Tempting Offer

-North Equestrian Mountain Range-

"So, Queen Chrysalis, how has it been since I saw you last?" The Shadow asked, a soft smile stretched across his visage.

The changeling queen gave the shady pony a suspicious look. "Everything has been according to plan, if that is what you are asking." She said warily.

"I didn't ask how the plan was proceeding. I have full confidence in this plan you formulated, Chrysalis. I was asking how you were doing." The Shadow asked, putting the emphasis on the changeling's condition.

Chrysalis cast an indignant look at her shadowy ally. "My condition is of no concern to you." She spat.

The Shadow gave Chrysalis a pouty face. "Oh come on, Chrissy." He pleaded in a mocking tone. "Even after everything you've been through to try to set up this operation, you won't let me in on how you yourself are doing?"

Before Chrysalis could open her mouth, Raspian spoke up. "Her Majesty is doing fine, Lodestar." He said with a glare. "Despite the pressure she is getting from her subjects and the weight of this operation, she has been handling the pressure rather well."

The Shadow's visage turned to one of displeasure. "While your protecting of your queen is noble, Raspian, it was unnecessary." He said in a somewhat threatening tone.

Raspian shrank back as Chrysalis spoke up. "My captain expresses my current condition, Lodestar. And might I ask how you have been doing in our absence? Tricked any more creatures into coming here?" She asked sarcastically.

The Shadow chuckled at the queen's jab. "No I cannot say I have had the need to. But it's been comforting knowing you two would come back."

"How did you know we would? What if we just abandoned you to this cave and let you be?" Raspian asked, giving the shadowy pony a glare.

"You really underestimate my abilities, don't you, Raspian?" The Shadow asked, a smile stretching across his face. "I know your queen better than you do and I've only been in the same room with her twice. I know she wouldn't dare turn down such an opportunity to help her subjects."

"And how exactly will you help us?" Chrysalis asked, trying to hide her thoughts from the creature before her. What is this thing that he knows what I know is best for my hive?

"I am what I said earlier, my queen. A friend." The Shadow said in a reassuring tone. Chrysalis backed off as he continued. "If it helps you believe me, I swear upon the first meal that will be had once I'm free that I will help you. Does that satisfy your skepticism?" He asked, almost in a challenging tone.

Both changeling shook their heads without saying a word. Despite not showing it, Chrysalis and Raspian felt a great feeling of uncertainty towards their shadowy ally.

-Streets of Ponyville-

You can have it all, you know. A whispery voice rang in Chassis's mind.

"What? Who said that?" Chassis asked, suddenly alert to see if somepony spoke to him.

Nopony around you said anything to you, Chassis. The voice said.

Chassis nervously looked around him, trying to find a secluded place where somepony might not see him talking to himself. Chassis looked to his right and saw an alley between a pair of shops where nopony was hanging around in. Perfect. He thought, trotting over to the alley while trying to not look suspicious. Upon entering the alleyway, Chassis cancelled out his pony disguise, becoming his changeling self again.

Chassis looked upward, trying to speak with himself. "Okay, voice in my head. How do I know that I'm not insane by hearing you?" He asked, hoping for some reassurance.

You're not insane, Chassis. The voice said. This is not your mind you are talking to.

Chassis's eyebrows rose. "Well who are you and how do you know my name?" he asked.

I am one who has been locked away for far too long. The voice said with a hint of sadness. As for how I know who you are, let's just say that there is not a living creature I do not know the name of.

Upon hearing this, Chassis didn't know if he was supposed to be frightened or be intrigued. "Okay. So what do you want with me?" Chassis asked.

You are special, Chassis. The voice said.

"Well I guess I am kind of special." Chassis said, a smug grin growing on his face.

Yes, my talented changeling. You are willing to do anything possible to achieve your goals, are you not? The voice asked.

"Of course I am." Chassis said confidently.

Then listen closely because what I am about to tell you cannot be repeated to anypony. The voice said.

After checking that nopoony was coming towards the alley, Chassis responded. "I'm listening."

Your queen is threatening to betray me. The voice said. She is using me as a stepping-stone to expand her rule.

A confused look came over Chassis's visage. "Wait? What do you mean?"

I have overheard her plans. The voice continued. The unicorn you are meant to bring to her will set me free. Upon doing so, your queen will order you to attack me and subdue me, then she'll feast on my energy, giving her more power than any love could provide. Then she'll use my energy to wage war on Equestria and bring it under hoof.

"Okay. So how is that a bad thing? We changelings get to rule Equestria and feed on all its inhabitants." Chassis said, trying to find a downside to Chrysalis's plan.

Yes, but where are you in that grand scheme? The voice pointed out. You'd be nothing but a lowly scout or soldier whose only reward for helping your queen would be getting the first bite of a feast that thousands will be having. You could be so much more with the potential you possess.

"Well I would like something more than just the first bite. But what would you be able to give me?" Chassis asked, his mind now starting to slide towards this voice's side.

I can give you power that no other changeling before you has had the privilege of experiencing. Why simply be a face in a crowd of changelings when you can be at the head of said crowd, leading them into battle and having all the spoils of conquest to yourself. The voice tempted.

A greedy smirk grew soon appeared on the changelings' visage. "I'd like that very much. But how do I know you're not just pulling my leg here?"

I swear it upon the first meal you will have upon my freedom. Now run along, my little changeling. You have a big day tomorrow and you need to rejoin your comrades. The voice reminded.

"Yeah I probably should. Until next time, voice." Chassis said, turning back outside and with a bright green wave of magic across his body, became Silver Star once again.

It won't be a long wait, but until next time, Chassis. The voice said, disappearing from his mind.

"Now where are Cipha and Fang at?" Chassis asked as donned his disguise again and walked out of the alley and back into Ponyville's streets.

-Ponyville Marketplace-

"Get yer delicious apples here!" An enthusiastic Applejack called out into the crowd of passing ponies that wandered the streets. "Fresh off the trees! We got the best apples y'all will ever taste!"

"Ooh! Apples!" A young voice exclaimed. Applejack turned to see a young chocolate brown colt with a propeller beanie on his head. He began to trot over to the apple cart when something grabbed his two-tone brown tail.

"No, Button. We have enough food for the week. Now we need to get home so I can cook dinner." A sandy brown mare with a caramel brown mane and a leather saddlebag strapped on her back had the colt's tail in her hoof, holding him back from the apples.

"But Mom! Apples give me a plus nine eyesight bonus so I can save the world from the evil-" the colt, Button, began to say.

"Yes, yes, Button. But we need to get home." Button's mother interrupted.

"It wouldn't be any trouble, miss. Y'all can have an apple if ya want, sugarcube." Applejack said, offering the colt a smile.

Button's face lit up. "Yay!" He shouted, zipping over to the apple cart and began trying to find the best looking one.

Button's mother sighed as she walked over to the apple selling cowpony. "I'm sorry to bother you with this."

Applejack smiled and shook her head. "Ain't nothin' to apologize for, ma'am."

Button's mother smiled and looked down at her eager son. "You may pick one apple, Button. And then we're going home."

"Okay." Button replied, continuing his apple inspection. After a few moments, he picked out a big red delicious apple.

"Mighty fine choice, there young 'un." Applejack said, giving the colt a smile. "That'll be three bits, please."

Button's mother reached down with her mouth and grabbed the said amount of bits out of her saddlebag. Applejack extended her hoof to receive the bits and Button's mother complied, dropping the gold pieces into her hoof.

"Thank ya kindly for yer purchase, ma'am." Applejack said, stuffing the bits into the pouch in the apron she had on.

"Okay, Button. Let's go home." The colt's mother said, her son in tow.

"Thanks, Mom." Applejack heard Button say before he began to chow down on the apple as they trotted down the street.

Applejack sighed in contentment at seeing another satisfied customer. Well the moment's passed. Back to advertisin'. She thought, waving her hoof.

"Apples! Get yer apples here!" She shouted.

"Applejack!" A voice shouted from down the street. Applejack looked through the crowd to see Twilight galloping towards her.

"Twilight!" Applejack replied, waving her hoof in her direction. Twilight found the farmer pony and galloped towards the apple cart, stopping in front of her friend.

"Applejack, thank goodness. I've been looking all over this market for you. Do you have a minute?" Twilight asked, breathing heavily.

"Sure Ah do. Whatcha so worked up about?" Applejack asked, noting Twilight's tired out state. Is she about to miss some sort of deadline again? She thought as Twilight spoke up.

"Can you make it to a meeting at the library tonight?" Twilight asked.

"Uh… sure Ah can. But what exactly are we meetin' about? Does it have to do with those dreams we had the other day?" Applejack asked, secretly hoping it wouldn't be that. She didn't want to relive the memory of that nightmare by retelling it.

"No, it isn't." Twilight said, Applejack sighing in relief. "It's about a vision I had earlier today."

Applejack perked up. "A vision? Was it anything like the dreams we had?"

Twilight shook her head. "Thankfully no. But it was more of a cryptic warning than a terrifying experience."

Applejack's eyebrow rose. "A warnin'? About what?"

"I'm not sure. That's why we're having the meeting tonight. Me, Spike, and the girls will be meeting at the library tonight to discuss it. Are you in?" The purple alicorn asked.

"For you, Twi, of course I'll be there." Applejack said with a reassuring smile.

A smile of her own grew on Twilight's face. "Thanks, AJ. I'll see you tonight, then." She said, turning around and going back towards the library. Now to see how Spike's handling the preparations. She thought.

Applejack watched Twilight trot off into the bustling marketplace. A warning? That can't be good. Or could it? Applejack thought. With only the knowledge that her friend had a vision, she didn't know what to think. The market's gonna be closin' soon. I'll just get work through the last part of the day and then I can worry about Twilight.

Looking back at the crowd of ponies passing through the streets, Applejack resumed her advertising disposition.

"Apples! Finest apples in Ponyville here!"

-Ponyville Library-

Elemental Spells and Incantations? No. Spike thought as he put the book back on the shelf. Ward and Shield Spells? Not that. Several hours had passed and Spike had only found a small group of books that could help find answers to Twilight's vision, one of which was the Reference Guide to the Elements of Harmony. The brown leather-bound book lay on the ground next to several other books, the gold image of a horse head at six crystals surrounding it illuminated by the light of the library.

"Well, that's the last of the books here." Spike said, letting out a huff as he put the incorrect book, Histories of Magic and Potions, back on the shelf. Spike turned around and looked down at the collection of six or seven books he'd picked out. His eyes eventually drew to the Elements of Harmony reference guide. This one will probably help out the most. He thought, his mind going back to Twilight. I can't believe she's had two visions in two days. Spike knew that sometimes dreams had ulterior meanings, but this seemed almost deliberate.

It would probably help to get a bit of an idea on what's in the book before the meeting. Maybe I could point things out I found for the others to see and figure out. Spike figured, walking over to the pile of books. He reached down and took a hold of the large book, his arms straining from the weight. Spike grunted between thoughts as he carried the reference guide to the circular table in the middle of the library, careful to not knock over the horse head statue on top. So this… is why Twilight…. uses her magic… to lift this thing. He thought, noting the book's weight as he set it down in front of him.

"The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide." Spike read the title aloud, opening the cover. I've always seen Twilight and the others use these things. I guess I can finally figure out what it is they do. He thought, flipping the first page to see a colored illustration of the Elements in their stone spherical forms. Spike's eyes moved down to a small amount of text at the bottom.

"There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known. Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty, and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said the last known location of the five Elements was in the ancient castle of the Royal Pony Sisters." Spike read. "Well they found the sixth one, so let's skip this part and find something else." He said, flipping the pages. Where does it say what they're used for? Spike wondered as his eyes skimmed the pages, trying to find the desired information. A few page turns later, Spike's eyes came to rest on the title of a chapter.

"Applications." Spike read. "Maybe this will tell me something about them." He wondered, his gaze turning to the text below. "The Elements of Harmony, as explained in Origins, are pure light magic, therefore making them a benign and harmless way of dealing with threats on a major level."

Spike thought back to the times when he'd seen the Elements in action. He remembered seeing Twilight and the others using the Elements against Discord twice. The first time was to turn him back to stone and save Ponyville from chaos and the second time was to get the draconequus out of his petrified state so that they could reform him. The only other time he'd seen their effects was when Twilight was teleported somewhere and coming back as an alicorn.

"While theses magical objects are a useful tool for disposing of evil or dark magic, the do not permanently deal with the threat, only displacing it or imprisoning it." He read, his eyebrow rising in confusion. So wait, the Elements basically delay the problems?

Spike continued. "There are two examples of this tactic the Elements employ. The first is when Discord was imprisoned by the Elements. The Elements, being harmless, did not harm the chaotic spirit, but rather petrified him so that he would not terrorize the land with his anarchic magic. The second example is the most recent use of the Elements at the time of writing. This was Princess Luna's banishment to the Moon. Again, since the Elements are a non-aggressive form of bringing harmony, the princess was locked away on the Moon so that the balance of daylight and nighttime may be maintained."

Well that sounds about right. We shouldn't have to resort to violence to solve our problems. Spike thought as he resumed reading. "While violence must be a last resort, there have been few times when utilizing the Elements would only delay an inevitable evil. This is where the spirits of the Guardians of Light would be used as a final solution to the evil at the present time." Spike said, his eyebrows rising at the words 'Guardians of Light'.

"I've never heard of any Guardians before. Is there anywhere in this book that explains those?" Spike said as he began skimming and flipping through pages. After not finding anything for a minute, Spike flipped straight back to the index of the book. "They've gotta be mentioned somewhere in here." He said, using a purple claw and dragging it across the words on the page. Generosity… Goals… Guardians, aha! Spike found the desired word, a satisfied smile coming onto his face. Page 397. Spike located the page number and immediately flipped the books pages to the appropriate page number.

"Complementary Magic, page 397. Here we go." Spike said, his eyes scanning the page for any mention of Guardians. After a few moments, Spike's eyes landed on the phrase 'Guardians of Light' as a header for a small portion of text in the bottom half of the right page.

"Guardians of Light." Spike read. "While the Elements of Harmony are essentially tools used for containing the spread of evil, the spirits of the Guardians of Light are considered the last resort for dealing with dark forces. The Elements of Harmony are a harmless method for keeping evil in check, while the Guardians of Light take things to a more drastic level. Instead of bottling up or converting the threat to good, the Guardians of Light permanently eliminate the evil they are utilized against."

Spike looked up from the book in surprise. These Guardians sound pretty extreme. He noted as he looked back down and continued reading. "The Guardians of Light have been used in very few instances in recorded history. The origin of these mystical weapons is a mystery." Spike read, his eyebrow arching at the word 'weapons'. "Some scholars believe they were spawned from the same pure light magic as the Elements of Harmony, while others say that due to the drastic methods the Guardians employ that they cannot be regarded as 'purely good'. The current location of the spirits of the Guardians is a mystery. The last user of the Guardians, an earth pony named Sunny Blaze, was laid to rest in the desert kingdom of Saddle Arabia. Some historians can debate that it is there where one may find the answer to the location of the Guardians, but these are suppositions at best." Spike said, concluding the passage.

While reading on the Elements had given Spike an adequate amount of knowledge to know what it is they did, it also presented him more questions. If the Elements have already been found, then why was he involved with the nightmares? Where were these 'Guardians of Light'? How does it all fit together?

Spike shook these confusing thoughts from his mind. They'll be discussed at the meeting tonight. He thought and looked up at a clock that hung on the wall. 3:37? Wow. Time sure flew by. Spike's stomach rumbled at the mention of what time it was.

"Oh man I'm starving. I need some lunch." The dragon said as he turned towards the hallway that led to the kitchen and began walking. He couldn't possibly be having a meeting with the girls on an empty stomach.

Pieces Falling into Place

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 26-Pieces Falling into Place

-Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

It had been a quiet morning in the castle. Celestia brought up the sun as Luna lowered the moon, neither of them speaking a word as the sky turned from black to orange. Their breakfast was eaten in silence, the only sounds coming from the silverware they used to pick up their biscuits and fresh oats. Finally, their royal armor was brought out for them. Celestia was given a gold breastplate, helmet, and her Elements of Harmony fastened around her neck. The only difference in Luna's armor was that it was silver instead of gold, unlike her Elements of Harmony necklace. After receiving their armor, they went to the north tower of the castle where they would take off. Upon reaching the top, Celestia opened the door that led to the pure white marble balcony that extended from the tower.

From the northern balcony of the castle, both princesses looked at the northern mountains. The morning sun from the east cast an orange light on the right sides of the mountains, the snow on the peaks glinting in the light.

"Art thou ready to depart, Luna?" Celestia asked, looking ahead at the mountains before them as her armor and crest of Elements gleaming in the morning light.

"As ready as I will ever be." Luna replied in a determined tone.

Hoofsteps were heard behind them as Celestia turned around. In front of her stood Commander Storm, a steely look in his eyes. "Is there anything that thou require of me while thou art away?" He asked, giving a small bow to the princesses.

Princess Celestia gave the commander a slight smile. "Just make sure that the castle is still in one piece for when we return, Commander."

Storm looked up at the sun goddess and chuckled. "Even when about to be in the face of danger thou still jest?" He said with a smile as he shook his head. "Very well, Highness. This castle shall be better than thou left it when the both of thee return."

"Thank you, Commander. Now be off." Celestia said, turning her head back to face the northern mountains in front of her. "Thou have a castle to maintain."

"As thou wish, Princess." Commander Storm said. With a sharp turn, the guard pony walked back inside the castle. Is there anything I'm forgetting? Oh! Storm remembered, immediately turning back to face the princesses. "Oh. And one last thing."

"Yes, Commander?" Celestia asked.

"Should I continue the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration while thou art away?" he asked. Now that he mentioned it, nervous thoughts began to accumulate in the stallion's mind. What if Celestia didn't make it back? Would there even be a Summer Sun Celebration? These and other concerning notions clouded his mind.

Celestia gave an understanding sigh. She knew what concerns the commander had and that his anxious thoughts weren't unjustified. She knew the risk of going into battle. Not everypony made it out of the kind of fights she and her sister were about to go into. It was Sombra or she and Luna. Celestia opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off.

"Continue with the preparations, Commander." Luna spoke up to the surprise of both Celestia and Storm. Luna looked back at the commander and gave him a stern look. "I understand thy sentiment, Commander, but our citizens need to be reassured. Proceed with the planning and the arrangements. I can guarantee that we will return from the Crystal Empire. Just make sure that everything is meeting the status quo upon our arrival." She said, spreading her navy blue wings off the sides of her silver armor.

Storm nodded in reply. "It will be done, Princess. Good luck to the both of thee." He said, taking a few steps back.

"And to thee as well, Commander. Thou art dismissed." Luna said, turning back to face the open sky in front of her.

Nodding in reply, Storm turned around and walked back inside the tower and back down the steps to the main keep.

Celestia looked down at her sister. "And thou art completely sure of our success?" She asked.

Luna's eyes closed. "I didn't say that so much for his reassurance as I said it for mine." She said, trying to hold onto her confident appearance to hide her fear.

An understanding look found itself in Celestia's eyes as she extended a soft white wing and draped it over Luna's shoulders. "We'll get through this, sister. Together."

Luna's eyes opened and she looked up at her sister. Slowly, a weak smile stretched across the lunar alicorn's visage. "Together." She said with a nod.

With that, Celestia extended her wings and began flapping. As Celestia began to ascend into the air, Luna followed suit by starting to flap her wings. Within a few moments, both Celestia and Luna were soaring through the sky, their destination somewhere in the mountains before them.

-Canterlot Castle Library: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Have the princesses gone yet, Clover?" A deep blue old unicorn asked, his eyes gazing at the large black crystal that was still protruding from the floor.

Clover the Clever was watching out the library window, waiting for when the princesses had left. "Not yet, Master Starswirl... Wait!" Clover exclaimed as he sighted two alicorn-shaped silhouettes flying towards the mountains. "They have just departed, Master." Clover said to his teacher, his green-eyed gaze fixed upon the silhouettes as they disappeared into the glare of the rising sun.

"Good. Now we can conduct our experiments without interruption." Starswirl said as he walked closer to the crystal. "So, my student, what do we know about this crystal so far?"

Clover's silver head turned from the window to his teacher. "Well we know that its origins are in the Crystal Empire, created by dark magic. A very strong magic source must have pervaded the realm to cause these crystal structures to pop up all over Equestria."

Starswirl nodded in concordance. "Go on."

"Well I've received reports of the Equestrian populace taking down these crystals and disposing of them in caves, rivers, lakes, and other places where they won't be found." Clover said.

"Hmm." Starswirl said, looking down while stroking his long white beard. "That's probably for the best. Knowing how these crystals came to be, it would be advisable to not hold onto the results of such dark magic."

"So how long shall we be keeping this one?" Clover asked as he looked up at the large black stone, a feeling of uncertainty cascading over him as he observed the towering object. "We'd have to destroy this one as well, right?"

Starswirl nodded, the bells on his hat jingling. "In due time. Once we have completed our tests, then we shall dispose of the crystal."

Clover's gaze turned back to his instructor. "Well then, the sooner we investigate this thing, the sooner we can get rid of it."

"Agreed. Now go and fetch me the Glossary of Magical Spells." Starswirl ordered.

"Yes sir." Clover said, trotting towards one of the bookshelves to retrieve the requested work.

While Clover searched for the book, Starswirl's eyes narrowed at the black crystal. What art thou? He wondered as he looked into the ebony rock. Everything abut the crystal reeked of black magic, yet its presence was benign. Was it some sort of message? Was it some sort of indication of a power shift in magical energy? Or just an accidental fluke caused by a few unicorns? What? No. No unicorn could produce this kind of magic simultaneously across Equestria. No, this crystal was something of far deeper and more powerful magic than even the bell-adorned unicorn wizard dared to think of. But what art thou here for? Why reveal thyself now? He questioned the lifeless rock. Whoever was behind these crystals was far more skilled in the magical arts than most magic wielders in the world, so why stay hidden until now? The fall of the Crystal Empire may be just one clue in this grand mystery. To what it is pointing to, I am not sure.

"Got it!" Clover's voice exclaimed, breaking Starswirl out of the trance-like stare he was giving the crystal before him. Starswirl turned to see his assistant levitating a large brown leather bound book, a green magical field surround both Clover's horn and the book.

"Excellent. Set it beside the crystal, if thee may." Starswirl said, pointing a hoof at the floor next to where the crystal had erupted from the ground.

Clover gently let down the large book onto the floor, the magical aura surrounding both his horn and the book fading away. "Art thou looking for a particular passage, Master?" Clover asked.

"Yes, lad." Starswirl responded. "I am searching for the section of Sorceries and the Arcane Arts." He said, flipping pages with his magic.

"Ah. That is on page three hundred and forty seven, I believe." Clover said, earning a surprised look from his teacher. The unicorn wizard flipped the pages to the number Clover suggested. To his amazement, the beginning of the desired section was in the middle of the page.

"How didst thou know that?" Starswirl asked in bewilderment.

Clover put a smug grin on his face. "Thou art not the only source of magical knowledge, Master. Besides, it is an interesting read. Maybe thou should try it some time." He said.

Starswirl shook his head, the bells on his wizard's hat jingling as he gave his assistant a hard stare. "While I am impressed that thou art learning beyond my words, thou did not have to express it in such a self-confident manner." He said in an almost parental tone.

Clover's smug look disappeared. "I am sorry for my arrogant words, Master." He apologized.

"Do not be sorry for your words, my pupil." Starswirl said, his gaze softening. "Just keep in mind thy audience and talk accordingly."

"Yes Master." Clover said without missing a hearbeat.

Starswirl turned back to the book. "And now to find if there are any notes on this type of magic." He said as he began to read.

-Crystal Empire city streets: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Well I don't exactly blend in around here, do I? Shooting Star thought to herself as she pressed her back to the wall behind her. Being a pegasus and not a crystal pony, she didn't have the crystalline skin that the locals possessed.

She peered out around the corner of the building she'd taken cover behind, seeing if there were any crystal ponies walking down the street. To her surprise, she found none.

Where is everypony? Shooting Star wondered, her bright blue eyes scanning the streets for signs of activity. Feeling safe, the pegasus mare ventured out into the street. Seriously where is everypony? A city this big can't just be deserted.

"Pssst!"

Shooting Star froze at the sound. I've been spotted! Her mind shouted as she began looking frantically for cover to hide in. Panic set in as she remembered the alley she'd come out of. Turning tail, Shooting Star darted towards the alley as quickly as her legs could carry her. Within seconds, she was back in the alley, her breath beginning to quicken as adrenaline coursed through her system. Getting up on her hind legs and getting her back against the alley's stone wall, Shooting Star slightly turned her head to see where the pony that spotted her was. Shooting's face was barely peeking out from behind the wall as she saw nopony in the street. That's odd. Who made that noise? She thought, her thoughts fraught with panic.

"Hello?" A voice to her right said.

Shooting's ears flattened as her eyes widened in shock. I've been compromised. She thought, slowly turning around to see her attacker. To her surprise and disbelief, it was a silver crystal pony with a straight sky blue mane and tail.

"Who art you? What is thy business here?" The crystal pony said, trying to muster what courage he had to face this strange foreigner.

Shooting Star didn't know what to make of the situation. Was this crystal pony hostile or nonaggressive? Was he a spy for whatever took over this place? "Um… my name's Shooting Star." She said tentatively.

"Mine is Shining Star." The crystal pony responded. "What art thou doing here, visitor? Hast thou come to rescue us?" He asked, a hint of hope in his voice.

Well that eliminates him as a threat. Shooting Star figured. "I have been sent on a scouting mission to investigate a strange magic surge that originated from here. Has anything weird or unusual happened in the past week?"

Shining's eyes widened. "How didst thou know?" He asked in a whisper. Before Shooting could respond, Shining spoke up again. "No, no. Don't answer that. He may be listening."

"He?" Shooting asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shining's eyes darted left and right, as if trying to see if anypony was watching them. "No time to explain. We must go somewhere other than here." Shining said in a panicked tone.

"Dost thou have a house or something of that nature we can go to?" Shooting asked.

Shining's eyes lit up. "Brilliant. My home is not two blocks away from here. Hurry, follow me!" Shining said, galloping down the alley.

Shooting considered her options. On one hoof, she could follow this strange crystal pony and try to get some information. But how did she know she could trust him? Well it was either that or going on her own again and taking the chance that she may or may not find another pony willing to assist her.

Ah buck it. It's better than waiting around here to get caught. Shooting thought, giving a conceding sigh before taking off down the alley.

"This is so stupid. I have no idea what I'm doing here." Shooting said under her breath as she caught up to Shining. Then again, this is better than nothing. She thought as the two equines raced through the narrow alleyway.

For now, Shooting Star had no choice but to follow this crystal pony, for better or worse.

High above them, resting on a cloud, a grey alicorn watched the pair of galloping ponies. A glint flashed in his bright yellow eyes as a smile widened on his face. Yes. Everything is going as planned.

-Outskirts of the Crystal Empire: 1,020 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

A white unicorn looked down on the valley, his long black mane flowing in the mountain wind behind him. Never before in all his travels had he ever come across a land of such beauty. The large palace in the center of the city, the buildings, even the inhabitants themselves seemed to glow in the sunlight.

"Such magnificence." The unicorn said in awe, his eyes fixed upon the glistening city. "How has this place… this majesty… never been discovered?" he asked, astonished that such majesty had gone unnoticed and unrecorded in Equestrian historical texts.

"Perhaps it is here that I shall finally find a home." He said, reflecting on his journey. He'd travelled all over Equestria. He'd been to Canterlot, Manehattan, Fillydelphia, and many other Equestrian villages and small towns, but none of which seemed to suit his tastes in living. Canterlot was too rich, Manehattan was too crowded, and Fillydelphia's constantly fluctuating weather made trying to live in that city a nightmare, and the small towns, while had a welcoming and accepting feeling about them, did not hold much potential for the wandering unicorn to accomplish. However, it was in this place that Sombra felt a new kind of feeling, a feeling unlimited opportunity in a land undiscovered. Yes. Perhaps this place would be suitable.

"Halt, intruder!" A gruff voice shouted behind him.

The white unicorn stiffened and slowly turned around. Before him was a pair of guards, their skin like crystal and each having a chest plate of armor that had a side attachment for a spear to extend out of.

With a weak smile, the unicorn tried to ease the situation. "Greetings, my good fellows. Is there anything I can help thee with?"

"Silence!" The first crystalline pony, a stallion with a bright red coat and a gray tail barked, taking the unicorn aback. "What is thy business here, intruder?" He asked, his eyes narrowing at the white unicorn.

The white unicorn stood his ground and answered as calmly as he could. He didn't want to be kicked out of this place without even arriving first. "I have come seeking a place to call home. I have travelled many miles to find a city to call my own, but have found none."

The guards exchanged looks. "What is thy name, stranger?" The second guard, a purple-coated stallion with a white tail asked.

"My name is Prodigal." The unicorn replied firmly.

"Well then, Prodigal, we will have to take you to the palace keep until we have decided what to do with thee." The red guard said.

"I thank thee for thy kindness." Prodigal said, partially relieved to be able to find somewhere to rest. The other part of his mind was also fearful that he would be expelled from the city for being an intruder.

"Come with us." The purple guard said. "The council will want to ask thee a few questions upon our arrival." He said, motioning for Prodigal to start walking down the mountain and towards the city.

Despite his situation, Prodigal had a smile on his face as he and the guards descended the mountain. I finally have a chance.

Discoveries

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 27-Discoveries

-North Equestrian mountain range: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

It had been a silent first leg of the trip to the Crystal Empire. Neither sister had spoken to the other ever since taking off in Canterlot. The only sounds they'd heard were birds calling to one another below and the wind rushing past their ears as they flew. Luna's wings were sore. She hadn't flown for that long a continuous time in quite a while.

Celestia took note of her sister's condition as they soared over the clouds. "Getting a tad tired, are we, Luna?" She asked in a slightly teasing tone, breaking the silence between them.

Luna looked over at her sister. "Maybe just a little bit, Tia. It's fine, though." She replied, turning her head back to look forward.

Celestia gave Luna an inquisitive look. "Art thou sure?" She called.

"As long as I have strength to raise the moon, then I still have the strength to fly." Luna said almost defiantly.

Celestia nodded in return. "Very well, then."

The silence resumed.

What if I can't do it. Luna questioned herself. I know that what he's doing to the civilians in the Empire is terrible, but he can't be all bad, can he?

Well thou hast met him once before, have thou not? Her mind countered.

Luna recalled the dream she had a couple nights before, the dream where she'd met Sombra and the grey alicorn with the yellow eyes. Sombra had seemed like an upstanding gentlecolt during their transaction with the alicorn stallion. But something that alicorn said had stuck with her.

"One shall be banished from this world, and the other shall be banished into this world." Luna recalled the dream.

There were only three present in that dream, Luna herself included. Two banishments would occur, but surely one of them wouldn't be her! And Sombra... while Luna didn't know the unicorn very well, she assumed that he was simply concerned for the power he held over his kingdom. As a co-ruler of Equestria, Luna understood that concern better than most.

But what of the alicorn? Luna thought as a cumulus passed underneath her. What if he's one of the banishments? If so, what would he be banished for?

Luna gritted her teeth at the many questions in her mind and the lack of answers to be had at the present time. All she could do was continue guessing until the predicted events unfolded.

Her mind travelled back to the tired condition of her wings. With all these thoughts buzzing in her mind, she forgot about her need for a rest. "Tia?" Luna spoke up, the silence shattering once more.

Celestia looked over at her sister. "Yes, Luna?" She asked with a look of concern in her eyes.

"Maybe we should land. We've been flying for a good quarter of the day and I think we should have a break." She suggested.

Celestia nodded. "Excellent idea, Luna. Let's go try to find a spot to land." She said, diving beneath the clouds, Luna soon following.

Upon breaking through the cloud cover, both sisters found themselves flying just above the first of many snow-capped peaks in the mountain range before them.

The wind whistled between the mountains as it chilled the celestial princesses to the bone.

"We must find some place to land! We can't stay in this condition for long!" Celestia shouted over the howling wind.

Luna's eyes scanned the snow-covered surfaces below, seeking a good landing spot. She almost missed it, but it looked like a snow-covered mesa amidst the mountains, a cave on the front side of the rocky hill. Snow banks covered the flat surface. It looked like a good place to land, but they'd still be exposed to the cold weather. The cave was decided to be the better option.

"In that cave! Hurry!" Luna cried, shooting for the cave in the side of the cliff. Celestia followed her sister towards the cave as they shot into the cave entrance. Both sisters shook the snow off their coats and lit their horns up, casting a blue and yellow light on the cave walls.

"Good spotting, sister." Celestia complimented. "This place would surely make a good resting spot for the journey later." She said, venturing down the tunnel.

Luna looked around at the cave walls. She noticed something jutting out of the walls that were reflecting the light of her horn. Curious as to what the reflective surfaces were, Luna took a closer look at the objects. Luna's eyes widened upon getting a better look.

"Emeralds." She concluded, noting the green shade of the stones.

"What?" Celestia asked from farther down the tunnel.

"Tia, I found emeralds in the cave wall. Look." Luna said, gesturing to the green little gems that stuck out of the walls. Celestia was soon next to her sister and gazed at the rocks.

"Hmm. Intriguing. Usually emeralds are in the southern caverns, but I've never seen any this far north." Celestia noted.

Luna's eyebrow rose. "Could it mean something?"

Celestia shook her head. "Not likely. It's probably just some sort of geological phenomenon. Now come, we need to find a good resting place in this cave." She said, gesturing for Luna to follow her. Luna complied after taking a last look at the gems, her horn's glow fading from the rocks behind her.

-Canterlot Archives: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Starswirl was upset. No, not upset. Enraged.

He'd been reading and rereading different passages of multiple texts for the past six hours and still nothing about black crystals springing up from the ground. Was his library not comprehensive enough that he didn't have a book on the subject?

Pah! My library is one of the largest, if not the largest in Equestria. If there weren't a book about it, it wouldn't be here. Starswirl thought indignantly towards his book collection.

"Still nothing, Master?" A young stallion's voice asked from behind the crystal.

Starswirl let out a groan. "Nothing yet, Clover." He said in an annoyed tone.

On the opposite side of the crystal sat Clover the Clever, his back pressed against the black rock and a book about the usage of magical crystals in his face. This written work only explained the proper usage on how to conduct magical experiments and procedures via crystal energy manipulation.

"Gah!" Clover exclaimed in resignation. "By this point, this search is getting rather frustrating and is turning up nothing."

Starswirl sighed. "That is no attitude to maintain while working, my student." He said, his mind jumping on that statement immediately. And maybe thou should take some of thy own medicine.

Clover turned his head to look at the crystal that towered over him. We can't find the answer in any books that deal in magic. Maybe there's another genre of works that covers this subject. Clover scratched his chin. "Maybe we're going about this the wrong way." He murmured.

"What was that?" Starswirl asked from the opposite side of the crystal.

Clover leaned over the crystal to face his teacher. "I said maybe we are going about this in the wrong way." He repeated.

Starswirl's eyes narrowed in thought. "And how dost thou figure that?" He inquired.

"Maybe instead of just trying to find a magical answer, maybe we can take a sample of the gem, do some tests on it, and see if it matches any kind of crystal found in geological studies." Clover suggested.

Starswirl thought over his student's idea. Well a direct study could yield more results than just reading about the crystal. He thought, turning his head.

"Sounds like a reasonable approach. Since thou thought of the idea, thou will take the sample whilst I gather a few works on geological surveys." He said, getting up with a grunt from his position over the books he'd been devouring over for the past few hours.

"I'll go get my knife to mark where to cut the samples." Clover said, the clopping of his hooves fading from the library.

Starswirl looked back at the crystal, letting out a 'hmm' in contemplation. There was no mention of such crystals in magical studies, so they weren't utilized for arcane purposes. If not, then what purpose did this crystal provide?

"Got it." Clover's voice returned. Starswirl turned to see his apprentice levitating a small knife in the air, a green magical field surrounding it.

"Excellent. Now mark a small sample at the top of the crystal for me to take off." Starswirl ordered.

Clover nodded in reply as he raised the knife to the jagged tip of the crystal. Carefully maneuvering the knife, Clover traced a line around the tip of the crystal.

"Good. Now a concentrated beam of magic should be enough to cut the crystal." Starswirl said, his horn glowing a dark blue as he climbed a small ladder to reach the top of the crystal. A blue line of light shot from the wizard's horn, striking the line Clover had marked with his knife. Slowly, Starswirl felt the laser beginning to penetrate the crystal, slowly cutting it off. Then the unexpected happened.

A swirling black mass started bleeding out of the crystal from where Starswirl's magic had cut it. The magician's eyes narrowed at the swirling blackness, stopping the magic to his horn to observe what was happening.

"Master? What's going on?" Clover asked below.

Just as the words exited his mouth, a swirling purple smoke cloud billowed out of the place Starswirl's magic had cut. The purple smoke immediately enveloped Starsiwrl's face as it leaked out, then headed straight for Clover.

Clover's eyes widened as his horn glowed a bright green, a bright green force field surrounding the magic trainee before the smoke could reach him. Clover grinned in satisfaction as the smoke seemed to be halted by the field he'd put up. His victory was short lived, however, as the fog instantly shot through the force field and covered the startled unicorn in its thick haze.

Starswirl opened his eyes and shook his head. Ugh. What was that? He wondered as he got a grasp of his surroundings. To his surprise, he was sitting in the middle of the throne room. He looked up and saw the two gold thrones before him, neither princess occupying them. There seemed to be something… empty about the room. It lacked the familiarity Starswirl always felt when he was here.

"Starswirl the Bearded." A regal voice behind him said.

Starswirl slowly turned around to see who spoke to him. Upon seeing who called his name, he fell flat as he bowed and addressed his speaker. "Princess Celestia."

-Crystal Empire: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Quick! Inside!" Shining Star exclaimed, gesturing for the pegasus mare that followed him to come into his abode.

Shooting Star galloped towards the crystal pony's home, taking a quick glance at the strangely modeled house before entering. The structure of the house was made to resemble a house cut out of crystal. Two openings, which Shooting assumed were windows, gave the house's front a view, one on the bottom floor and one on the second, each having white shades covering them. One large opening, the doorway, sat on the ground at the base of the building, in which Shining was beckoning the racing pegasus to come into his house.

Shooting galloped into the house, Shining immediately shutting the door as soon as his guest had entered. He slammed the wooden door and turned the lock with a clik.

"Phew." He said with a sigh. "That was close. Somepony could've seen thee."

"I don't understand. What's so bad about me being here?" Shooting asked with one eyebrow raised..

Shining's head snapped her direction as he gave her a shocked look. "Dost thou really not know what is going on in this place?" he asked, hoping for her to say yes.

To Shining's disappointment, Shooting shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I do not know what is happening in the Crystal Empire. That's why I was sent here." She said, deciding to take a gamble with this pony.

"Sent here? From where?" Shining asked, his eyes lighting up with intrigue.

Shooting gritted her teeth. Should I tell him? I can, but then I'd be running the risk of being exposed. She thought.

"Well first off, how do I know I can trust thee?" Shooting asked, narrowing her eyes at the crystal pony.

Shining's visage emitted a sense of confusion. "Trust me?" he asked, gesturing his hoof around his house. "I brought thee into my home to protect thee, even though the bringing of an outsider could be punishable with exile by order of the Crown under the impression that thou could help us!" Shining exclaimed, his voice rising with every word.

"Okay, okay, I understand that thou art taking a risk with me. But why just pick me up off the street? Thou could have turned me into the authorities upon seeing me." Shooting pointed out.

"I could have, but I did not." Shining said, his tone becoming a bit too dangerous for Shooting's liking. "Do thou wish to question my trust further?"

"I think I am finished with the questions for now." Shooting said, hoping to not provoke her host anymore.

Shining's expression softened as he apologized. "Forgive me for my yelling. I'd be more hospitable if the circumstances were better, but I am afraid thou hast come at a bad time."

"What happened here? Why is everything so…" Shooting said, her voice trailing off as she looked towards the door. "Somber?"

Shining sighed. "It's a long story." He said, wanting to dismiss her question.

"No, no. Don't brush me off like that." Shooting warned. "I have travelled hundreds of miles to figure out what is going on here and thou will not ignore my inquisitions. Now answer me, Shining. Who is responsible for this and how did this all happen?"

Shining looked from side to side, looking for some sort of escape. He knew of what he was about to speak of would spell treason against the crown.

Sighing in surrender, Shining spoke up. "Fine. The way this place is… it wasn't always like this."

Well no kidding. Shooting thought, wanting to say something snarky, but held her tongue.

"Our ruler is named Sombra but he used to go by another name. I do not know what happened to him, but a few days ago, he just…" Shining said, trying to find the right word to use. "…Changed."

"Changed how?" Shooting asked as her curiosity became aroused.

"Well before the Crystal Empire became what thou see today, our king ruled with a fair hoof and guided us in everything we did. It wasn't up until a few days ago when this all happened. Something about him became corrupted. I could see the look in his eyes when I was in the palace the other day. They weren't the same benevolent eyes I was used to looking at. They were instead filled with… with darkness and greed." Shining said, shivering at the reminder of seeing all his worst memories coming back to his mind when looking into his king's eyes.

"So thou hast no idea what did this to him?" Shooting asked.

Shining looked at the pegasus, then at the ground as if contemplating something. "If it wasn't of his own accord that he changed, then I would not wish to behold what evil did what it did to our king."

A determined look found itself on Shooting's face. "Well I want to find out. I must learn as much as possible for my report."

Shining's eyes narrowed. "That's just it. Who art thou reporting for? I have never seen the likes of your kind here. How do I know that thou are not a spy seeking to undercut our empire?"

"If my commander wanted to send a spy, then they would not have been caught so easily." Shooting said, a leer developing on her face, challenging the crystal pony to question her motives again.

'Fair enough." Shining replied flatly. "But the question stands. Who sent thee, stranger?"

Shooting Star's figure straightened, almost as if reporting to an authority figure. "I am Shooting Star and I am from Las Pegasus of Equestria. I serve princesses Celestia and Luna, protectors of the heavenly bodies and rulers of the Equestrian nation."

Shining gave the pegasus mare an odd look. "Thou didn't have to recite a play for me to introduce thyself. But Equestria? I have never heard of such a place."

Now it was Shooting's turn to give Shining a weird look. "Never heard of it? Hast thou been living under a rock? Equestria is a thriving nation to the south of the mountains you reside in."

An understanding look found itself in Shining's eyes. "Well that would explain it. We crystal ponies do not have much understanding of the outside world. Now our King Sombra would have a much more expansive knowledge of other nations besides our own.

Shooting's eyebrow rose. "What dost thou mean? Is he not a crystal pony like thyself?

Shining shook his head. "Nay, my dear. He is of another race. A race that looks like us, but he can use magic with a horn that juts from his forehead." He said, using his hoof to illustrate the position of his king's horn on his head.

Shooting's eyes widened. "He's a unicorn. But all unicorns come from Equestria. How did he come here?"

A questioning look fell upon Shining's visage. "I do not know the exact origins of our king, but I do know of his arrival."

Shooting perked up. "Thou do? Tell me! Tell me!" She exclaimed, like a filly wanting to know some secret her parents were keeping.

Shining put a hoof to his face as he spoke, the memories coming to the front of his mind. "Well it began about twenty years ago. I was but an apprentice to one of the councilcolts that was present at Sombra's trial."

-Crystal Palace keep: 1,020 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Prodigal looked out the window in his cell. The Crystal Empire was sprawled out before his eyes. Houses and other buildings rose up from the ground, their shapes akin to crystal formations, making the ground look covered with crystals that were inhabited by ponies inside. Even the keep that Prodigal was held in was much better than most rooms he'd slept in during his travels. The crystalline berries and sparkling corn the guards gave him were the most succulent things that the unicorn had the pleasure of tasting. The interior of the keep wasn't that bad either. The grey stone walls of the cell surrounding him didn't provide the most cozy atmosphere, seeing as they were the only dull-colored things he'd seen in the kingdom. But aside from that, the view from his cell window was nothing shy of magnificent, the keep was very well cleaned and sanitized, almost as if they'd never had a prisoner in here before.

'Tis a shame that so many ponies going about their daily lives and not knowing this beautiful place existed. Prodigal pondered, his ice blue eyes surveying the city below him.

Prodigal thought back to his entry to the city, his sides flanked by the crystal guards. He recalled the both appalled and intrigued looks cast his way by the local populace. For all they knew, he was some sort of alien disguised as a unicorn. Do they really not know of the world surrounding them? Prodigal wondered. It wouldn't be much of a surprise to him if the locals didn't know what Equestria was or who ruled it, but at the same time, how could they not? Well being in the state of isolation they're in, it would explain a few things.

A trio of knocks at the iron keep door snapped Prodigal out of his thoughts. A gruff voice shouted from the other side of the door. "Prisoner! Get up and get ready to move."

Prodigal stood up as the door flung open to reveal a small orange crystal pony flanked by two more crystal guards.

"The Crystal Council will now be reviewing thy case, mister Prodigal. Please follow us to the council chamber." The pony said in an almost drone-like tone.

Prodigal's eyebrow rose slightly at the small orange pony as one of the guards walked over to his cell. Pulling a key out of a saddlebag on his back, the guard inserted it into the keyhole and turned the key. A clack was heard and the barred cell door was pulled open. Prodigal slowly walked out of the cell and towards where the orange pony stood.

"Before we depart, why am I being reviewed by a council?" Sombra asked.

The orange pony's eyes never blinked as he addressed the unicorn. "The Crystal Council has convened to discuss whether or not to allow thee to stay in our kingdom. Thou will say why thou hast come to us, then the council will discuss it amongst themselves, and then their verdict will be reached. Thou will stay or depart depending on what their verdict is." The pony responded in the same robotic tone. "Do thou have any more questions?"

"No. I do not." Prodigal replied, shaking his head.

The orange pony nodded. "Very well. Shall we be on our way?" He said, gesturing down the hallway that led away from the keep.

Prodigal nodded in reply as the orange pony began to walk down the corridor. Both guards immediately assumed positions on either side of the unicorn as he followed the cantaloupe-colored crystal pony.

Prodigal looked around him as he strode down the corridor. The interior decorating of the building was nothing short of incredible. Sky blue crystals covered the walls, or perhaps were the walls themselves, causing a light blue hue to shine on everything in the room. Oil portraits of noble figures and past kings lined the walls, their regal expressions frozen for any passers-by to see. Exotic plants in semitransparent crystal pots lined the floors, every plant being of its own flora. Eventually the group of ponies reached a large purple crystal door. The orange pony stopped at the door handle, Prodigal and the two guards doing the same.

"Beyond this door is the Crystal Council. Thou will be completely open about thy case and should thou be lying, the Crystal Empire will no longer accommodate you." The pony warned.

Prodigal rolled his eyes, no intention of lying found in his mind. "I swear that I will be completely honest with the council."

The orange pony slowly nodded. "Excellent. Guards." He said, the two guards immediately going to either side of the doorway. "Let us enter." The pony said, the guards complying.

The door was pulled open, revealing a council of seven crystal ponies sitting in a circle. The mares sat in the seats on the left, and three stallions took the right. In the center was an elderly light green stallion, the hairs in his mane streaking his blue mane silver. On the floor was a design of a crystal blue seven-pointed star, each tip pointing to each of the councilors' seats.

"Thou and the prisoner may enter, Carnelian." The older stallion said, his age apparent in his voice.

"Yes, Head Councilor." Carnelian said, motioning for Sombra to be brought forth. One of the guards nudged Prodigal forward, despite earning a glare from the white unicorn. Prodigal walked into the middle of the circle of councilors.

"Thou art dismissed, Carnelian." The stallion said dismissively.

Carnelian gave a quick bow and exited the room, the two guards close behind him as the door to closed, leaving Sombra with the council.

Silence fell over the room for a few more minutes than Prodigal was comfortable with. Prodigal could feel their eyes scanning him, checking every minute detail about him.

Finally, a lime green crystal stallion with a short brown mane and tail spoke up from Sombra's right. "So. Thou art the pony named Prodigal?"

The unicorn in question nodded. "Yes. That is my name." he said flatly.

"And what are thy reasons for coming to our empire, Prodigal?" A light purple mare with a flowing blue mane asked.

Prodigal turned to her. "I am simply seeking a place that I can call home."

"Why not back in your own homeland?" The first stallion inquired. "Why come to us seeking an abode?"

"The places back in my country were less than… satisfactory for my tastes." Prodigal said, earning surprised looks from a few of the council members.

"So thy coming this far away from home can mean that either thou art a very picky pony or that thou art determined enough to find a place that is to thy liking." A second mare said, a pink one with a short red mane.

"Possibly both." A second stallion commented, a yellow one with a styled green mane and tail. This comment earned a few nods.

"Prodigal, if I may ask, what are the requirements thou have set for thy home?" The pink mare asked.

Prodigal thought for a few moments. "A place that is populous, yet out of the way, so to speak. I wish for a city that is complex, but whose citizens have a simple lifestyle. I wish for a decadent metropolis, but one that is not recognized. I have found these qualities and more in thy fair city. That is why I have chosen the Crystal Empire as the perfect location for my home."

Various murmurings sounded up from the council members, each one discussing their thoughts on Prodigal's statement with another.

Soon the elderly stallion stood up, the council's murmurs dying immediately. The stallions soft voice reverberated around the room as he spoke. "If he so wishes to reside in our city, then let him. The last unicorn that walked among us was our creator. Maybe this unicorn can have just as large an impact as our creator did."

Prodigal's lips stretched into a large smile at hearing this. "Thank thee, council members. There is no way I can thank thee enough." He said, barely able to contain his excitement.

"But there is one requirement on thy part, unicorn." The elder said.

Prodigal's smile faded. "And what might that be, councilor?" he asked.

"Thou must be subservient to none other than the king of this land. Every allegiance thou held in thy old country must be severed. Thou would be a resident of the Crystal Empire, not wherever it is thou hast come from." The old stallion said sternly.

"I agree to abide by thy terms." Prodigal said, giving a small nod in agreement. "And who may I ask is this king?"

"He is before thee now, Prodigal." The stallion said with a grin. "Thy king, thy Head Councilor and thy Commander is here before thee."

Prodigal's eyes widned as he fell flat on his face in a bow. "My liege." He revered.

"Rise, Prodigal. Thou have a house to move into. Emerald, might I ask for Shining Star to escort our newest citizen to his abode?" he asked, turning to the green stallion.

"Thou may use him as thee see fit." Emerald replied, looking down at his side where a young stallion with a silver coat and a straight-falling light blue mane and tail. "Shining, please assist Mr. Prodigal to his living quarters."

The colt stepped away from his mentor and trotted over next to Prodigal. "As thee wish, my lord." Shining chirped.

"Very well. Prodigal, thy escort will take thee to an unclaimed place of residence in the inner city. From there, thou may begin thy new life as a resident of the Empire." The king said, a smile on his face.

Prodigal gave a quick bow. "I give thee thanks, Majesty. I will show thee that this showing of grace was not in vain." He said, a grin growing on his face as he turned to leave the council chamber. Finally, he had a place to call home.

A grey alicorn looked down from his position on the cloud that he sat atop, his unkempt black mane and tail billowing behind him in the wind. For years he'd been searching for the perfect catalyst for his plans, but had yet to find one. His sharp yellow eyes scanned the sparkling city, trying to find a dark heart amidst a field of light. His decades-long search had come up fruitless. Until today.

You have looked into this newcomer's heart, Master? A whispery voice from the alicorn's black vambrace asked.

The alicorn brought the piece of armor to his face, a grin spreading across his face as he spoke. "I have. But he is not fully consumed by his desires, or has yet to discover them. He only needs the opportunity."

And how do we arrange this opportunity? The gauntlet asked.

"Well, Siphon, I have a plan but it will take time." The alicorn responded.

What is a little more time to the amount we have waited already? Siphon asked.

"My thoughts precisely, my counterpart. Are you ready to taste blood?" The alicorn asked, his golden eyes glowing with anticipation.

Now you know what my response to that question would be, my lord. Siphon's eager hissing voice replied in the alicorn's mind.

The alicorn's lips stretched into a smile. "Excellent. Tonight the plan is set in motion. Tonight… we prepare the way for the long night."

Kindness Amidst Turbulence

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 28-Kindness Amidst Turbulence

-Concordia, Eastern Griffon Kingdom-

Amidst the busy marketplace of the city, a black-furred griffon with a silver-feathered head strode past the shops and carts, her chocolate brown eyes scanning the miscellaneous items being sold. None of the goods she saw were of any use for the project. Random griffons were selling food, building supplies, and other various knickknacks. A rather burly brown-feathered griffon nudged her out of his way as he walked towards a stand that was selling locally grown greens. Gastra turned and huffed at the griffon as she made her way through the bustling streets of Concordia.

The fear of war had gripped the capital city of the Eastern Griffon Kingdom. No one said anything or did anything to blatantly show the fear, however. It was in the subtleties of every day life that best displayed the sense of foreboding that the populace felt. Hatchlings never left the sides of their mothers when they were shopping in the markets, their eyes fearfully watching iron-clad soldiers march their way down the street. Sons and fathers would either work at home or go to whatever destination to avoid squads of recruiting Inspectors.

The Inspectors. If there was one thing that personified the fear of war, it would be they. Groups of griffons in red uniforms and black berets would patrol the streets and the skies, catching random griffons and almost always forcibly thrusting them into recruitment camps for the Eastern Griffon Army. Anyone they caught was seldom heard from save for the occasional letter that the recruits were allowed to send back their families.

Shaking these thoughts out of her mind, Gastra made her way towards the rectangular doorway of a two-story building, a chimney puffing smoke at the top. Did we leave the furnace on? Oh well. I really hope Heron's gotten the materials we need for this. She thought, her mind wandering to the project that she and her partner had been working on for the past few months. If this goes according to plan, we'll be swimming in coin by the end of the year. A smile tugged at Gastra's face at the thought as she raised a clawed hand and knocked twice on the door.

"If you are the Royal Inspectors, I'm too sick to go to training!" A cry sounded from the other side of the door. "I don't want to risk anyone getting the feather flu!"

Gastra sighed. "Heron, it's me. Open the door." She said calmly.

The sound of a few locks being undone was heard as Gastra waited for her friend to answer. The wooden door slowly creaked open, Gastra could see a pair of blue eyes peek through the opening. The eyes widened in recognition as the door swung open. Before Gastra stood a griffon with brown fur and black speckles dotting his body, his head was adorned with black feathers. His blue eyes looked at the female griffon and motioned her inside the building.

"Oh thank goodness. Come inside, Gastra, hurry!" Heron said, standing to one side of the door. Gastra walked inside the house, Heron quickly shutting the door behind her. The male griffon let out a sigh of relief. "Am I glad it's just you. I thought you were a group of Inspectors that were going door to door again."

Gastra shook her head, a small smile flickering across her face. "Well luckily for you, I'm no Inspector. Did you get the parts we needed?" She asked.

"I sure did. They're upstairs." He beamed, gesturing towards the staircase at the far end of the room.

"You got the bow frame? The eight-by-two-by-five wooden blocks? The twine?" Gastra ran over her partner's checklist.

"Yes, yes, and yes." Heron responded, a look of confidence on his visage.

"What kind of twine did you get?" Gastra asked as she began to walk towards the staircase.

"Who said I just got one kind of twine?" Heron asked, a smug look finding its way onto his face. Gastra's head turned around, giving her partner a confused look. "I got five kinds of twine, all having different tension levels. We can experiment with all of them and choose which one works best."

Gastra gave Heron an appreciative look. "What would I do without you, Heron?"

"Well you wouldn't have the roof over your head for you to work on this project." Heron said complacently.

Gastra gave Heron a nod. "Again, you've been awesome, Heron. So shall we get to work?" She asked, motioning up the staircase.

Heron nodded. "After you." He said, watching her climb the stairs shortly before following her up.

Gastra soon came to a door similar to one in the foyer of the building at the top of the stairs. A faint light shone under the door.

"Were you working on the project while I was out?" Gastra asked, gripping the door handle.

Heron looked up at her. "Yeah I was just organizing the place for when you got back." He replied.

"Oh. Well thank you for that. I was meaning to fix this place up at some point." Gastra spoke as she opened the door. She stepped into the workshop. Before her was the beating heart of the pair's operation. A furnace blazed in the corner, its pipe feeding smoke out of the room through the roof of the building. A crafting bench stood opposite of the furnace, carved pieces of wood and some blocks that had yet to be shaped were scattered about the table top. Next to the workbench was a large chest containing materials and tools needed for the weapon's construction. To her right, Gastra noted a new addition to the workshop she hadn't seen before, a wooden circle that was painted with several different colored rings, a big red dot in the middle.

"When did we get a target in here?" Gastra inquired as Heron entered the room behind her.

"Oh I constructed that with some spare wood we had from some of the parts we'd made already. I figured that once the weapon was ready for testing, we could have something on hand to test it with." Heron said plainly.

Gastra rubbed her the lower half of her beak. "And you didn't use any of the wood we were supposed to used for the stocks, did you?"

Heron opened his beak to speak. "Ye-" He began to say, but then his memory kicked in. His beak closed as a dumb look found its way onto his features. Heron put a hand over his eyes. "Aw, crap."

Gastra sighed and gave her counterpart a disappointed look. "Okay. Next time we need supplies, you go and get them." She said, seeing Heron's mouth open, she resumed. "And I don't want to hear anything about the Inspectors. You'll just have to be careful when you go out." Heron's beak shut as he accepted the consequences for his mistake.

"Alright. Sorry about that." Heron apologized.

Gastra gave her friend a forgiving look. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again, alright? I mean I understand your enthusiasm and everything for this project, but stay focused with the task at hand." She said in a motherly tone.

Heron's head nodding in compliance. "Okay, so what are we going to work on today?"

Gastra turned back to visage the components of the workshop. "We thread the twine onto the limbs of the frame and test their straining capacities."

A smile lit up on Heron's face. "Sweet. I'll get the twine and you can get the bow off the worktable." He said as he turned towards the chest to get the twine he'd gotten.

An eager smirk stretched across Gastra's face. Let's get to work.

-Sky above Ponyville-

Rainbow Dash lay on her bed and watched out the window of her cloud house as the day passed before her eyes. Thinking. That's all she could do for now. It was moments like this in her life that she hated. She had no idea what to do. She didn't know what to make of the visions she'd seen in the past couple days, she didn't know what they were pointing to, and worst of all, she didn't know how to help her friends in whatever was going on. It was a state of utter helplessness that the pegasus had found herself in and she hated it.

The arresting words of the riddle rang in her mind over and over.

From the mountains of the frozen north,

An ancient shadow shall come forth.

The sun will set on Canterlot,

A sacrifice that won't be for naught.

The six will become eight,

And this world's path they will dictate.

To herald a new dawn,

Or revive an evil once foregone.

She'd been trying to figure out what they meant for a good part of the afternoon, multiple theories and questions coming through and being tossed out of her mind as the day went on. What is this 'shadow' the riddle spoke of? If the Elements of Harmony are the 'six' then are there two unknown elements? 'This world's path they will dictate'. How can six ponies and two unknowns possibly change the world? They'd have to do something pretty big to be able to pull something off like that.

Rainbow clutched her head. "Gah. What do all these things mean?" She asked. Ain't that the question of the day, Dash. She thought, laying back down on her bed and staring up at the Wonderbolts recruitment poster on her ceiling.

Dash felt her eyelids get heavy. The lack of sleep she'd had the past day was beginning to catch up to her. Maybe some shuteye is just what I need. She figured, letting her eyelids close.

"Hey Dash, you home?" A voice asked from outside. Dash's eyes shot open as she rose up from the bed.

I know that voice. She thought as she walked towards her house's main door. But what's she doing here? I thought she left to go back home.

Dash opened the door to see a pair of griffons at her doorstep. One had brown fur, a white-feathered head, and a pair of golden eyes. The second had similarly colored fur and eyes, but had black and grey speckled feathers on its head. The first one was the griffon that Dash recognized.

"Sup, Dash? Long time, no see." Gilda said, giving her childhood friend a smile.

Dash's eyebrow arched at the familiar griffon. "Um, hey Gilda. I thought you decided to go home back in Dayguard."

Gilda's smile slightly faded. "Well I did. But now I'm back." She said, not feeling too confident with how her old friend receiving her comeback.

"So why come back?" Dash asked.

At this Gilda's smile crumbled. "I've been thinking for a while." She said, looking down at the cloud she was standing on. "I thought back to when you invited me to visit Ponyville a couple years back." Gilda let out a regretful sigh before continuing. "Let's face it. I was a complete jerk back then. I thought that if I acted the way I had around you during flight school that we'd be cool."

Rainbow Dash's look turned from one of skepticism to one of empathy.

Gilda continued. "I was too blind to see that you had moved on. You'd made new friends and a new living without me and I just didn't want to accept that. That's why I'm back, Dash. Think you can give your old bird-brained friend a second chance?" She asked, giving Dash a pleading look.

The stern look on Rainbow's face was enough to convey the pegaus's thoughts.

Oh no! Gilda thought, whatever confidence she had upon her arrival beginning to fall apart. Please, Dash. Gimme a chance here.

Rainbow Dash's visage hardened. "Let me get this straight. So I invited you to Ponyville with the thought that you could make some new friends here." Dash said, Gilda holding her breath for her friend's verdict. "Instead you treat my Ponyville friends with disrespect and stormed out a party thrown for you in a huff. And now you expect me to offer you a second chance in Ponyville even after what you did?" She asked.

Gilda braced for the tirade she was about to receive. Hawkeye cast a nervous glance at the griffon then gave the rainbow haired pegasus a beseeching look.

To Gilda's surprise, Rainbow's expression softened and turned to one of happiness. "Of course I forgive you." She said with a smile.

Gilda couldn't believe it. "What? You mean it?" She asked incredulously.

Dash rolled her eyes. "Come on, G. You didn't think I'd turn my back on an old friend just because of a little spat did you?" She asked.

A smile of her own grew on Gilda's beak as she sighed in relief. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Dash." She said gratefully.

Dash surprised the relieved griffon by pulling Gilda into a hug. "It's good to have you back, G." She said, tightening her cyan hooves around the griffon's neck.

Her surprise subsided as Gilda returned the embrace, as it felt like a weight on her shoulders was being taken off. "Good to be friends again, Dash." She replied happily.

A warm smile appeared on Hawkeye's face as he watched the pair of friends held each other.

-Ponyville-

I swear when I find Chassis I'm gonna… well… I'm gonna do something he isn't going to like. He just makes me so mad sometimes! Speedy Delivery thought as he and Palm Spring made their way down one of the market streets of Ponyville. They'd been hunting down their disguised changeling counterpart for a decent part of the afternoon and they had to get ready to go to the party that this "Pinkie Pie" was throwing for them.

"Excuse me." Palm Spring asked a passing pony. "Have you seen a friend of ours? Kinda big, black coat, short silver mane?"

"Nope. Can't say I have." The pony responded and then went back to attend to his own business.

Speedy sighed in aggravation. "This is hopeless. The greedy sleaze could be anywhere in this town." He muttered.

"Hey!" Palm hissed. "He may be a mercenary bug, but that doesn't mean we can abandon him. We abandon him, we abandon the objective."

"I still don't like it." Speedy breathed, a look of irritation etched on his features.

"You don't have to like it. You just have to deal with it for another day and then you won't have to talk to him again." Palm reassured. Frankly Cipha didn't want to continue working with Chassis either. His mercenary attitude and kiss-up attitude around authority had begun to irk her in the past couple of days they'd been on the mission.

"Well then, the sooner we find him, the sooner we can get this overwith." Speedy said begrudgingly. His eyes began scanning for any pony to ask for Chassis's whereabouts.

His eyes locked onto an orange earth pony mare with a hay yellow mane and tail and some sort of hat on her head. Next to her was a cart full of apples of multiple hues of red and green and yellow. By the look of irritation on her face, it looks like she'd just encountered a rather unruly customer. Or a certain changeling we all know and love. Fang thought.

"Maybe that one has seen him." Speedy said, pointing a light blue hoof at the apple salespony.

Palm's eyebrow rose. "Why her?" She asked.

"Call it a hunch, but I think she's seen Chassis recently. I've seen that look on too many that have encountered him." Speedy whispered.

"How do you know it wasn't a bad customer or something?" Palm asked, giving Speedy an incredulous look.

"Well what's the harm in asking, right? Now come on." He said, trotting over to the orange apple pony's cart.

The orange apple pony greeted them before they reached the cart, her expression lightening up.

"Howdy there. Care to buy some apples?" She asked, gesturing to her array of fruit.

Palm smiled and shook her head. "No thank you. We are actually looking for a friend of ours. Have you seen a black stallion with a short silver mane and tail recently?" She asked.

The apple pony's cheerful expression slightly faded into a look of irritation. "Yeah. Ah've seen him."

Both Speedy and Palm perked up.

"Really? Where'd you see him?" Fang asked, faking enthusiasm as best as he could.

"Right in front of me no more than half an hour ago." The orange pony said. "Fool almost got ran over by mah sister and her friends."

As much as Fang liked the thought of Chassis getting ran over, he had to hide the smile he would've had on his face.

"He's okay, though. Right?" Palm asked.

The pony nodded. "Yep. Ah offered him some apples for his trouble but he wouldn't take them. Could've been a bit nicer about it, though." She said, a look of bitterness crossing her visage.

"I'm sorry if he caused you any trouble. Did you see where he went after that?" Palm asked.

The pony gestured down a small market street to her left. "Saw him walk down that road afterwards. Other than that, Ah don't know."

Palm put on a grateful smile. "Thank you so much. You have no idea how helpful you've been." She complimented.

The orange pony slightly smiled. "Well it's no problem, miss…?" She asked, begging the cinnamon brown pegasus mare's name.

"Palm Spring." She said, extending her hoof for a shake. The orange pony extended hers as the two shook hooves.

"Speedy Delivery. And yours?" The sky blue earth pony stallion asked, extending his own hoof for the orange pony to shake.

"Applejack." The orange pony responded as she shook Speedy's hoof.

"Thanks, Applejack." Palm said, looking to Speedy. "Come on, Speedy. Let's go get him." She said, as she began to trot down the street Applejack had pointed them towards.

"Hang on, Palm. I'd like to buy a few apples from Miss Applejack. These apples she's selling do look delicious." Speedy said in a flattering manner.

Applejack beamed. "Why thank you, Speedy. Pick yer favorites. They're five for the price of three." She offered.

"Well can't let an offer like that slip through our hooves, can we, Palm?" Speedy asked.

What is he doing? Palm wondered as she gave a smile in response.

Speedy 'hmm'd as he browsed his options. "I think I'll take two of the granny smiths, one braeburn, and two golden delicious." He said.

"Alrighty then." Applejack said as she took the desired apples out of their respective wooden buckets and put them in a cloth-knitted saddlebag. She handed over the saddlebag and Speedy took the bag onto his back. Digging three bits out of his bag, he gave them to Applejack.

"Thanks a bunch, Applejack." Speedy said with a smile. "And you don't have to give me this saddlebag. I've got my own."

Applejack smiled and shook her head. "It's alright, sugarcube. Granny Smith knits them on the farm in her spare time. Call it a complementary item."

Speedy looked at the saddlebag in amazement. Her granny's put her heart's work into this saddlebag and she just gave it away. Why can't everypony be this generous? He thought, giving a grateful smile to the cowpony.

"Well thanks a lot, Applejack. See ya around." Palm said, motioning for Speedy to come down the market street to find their missing partner.

"Come again soon!" Applejack exclaimed with a wave at the pair as they left.

Palm waited until they were out of earshot and then turned to Speedy. "What was that all about?"

Speedy gave Palm a confused look. "I was hungry. Besides I get two, you get two, and Chassis can have the last one." He said, turning the pocket of the saddlebag to face Palm an apple from the saddlebag.

Palm looked at the saddlebag. "And she gave you that for free?" She asked, reaching into the saddlebag.

Speedy's eyes turned to the kitted bag on his back. "Yeah." He said, his visage showing the feeling of disbelief he felt. Palm looked at the ground in thought. Speedy could tell she was thinking the same thing.

Such kindness. They would pour their heart and soul into their work just to put a smile on somepony's face. Fang thought, a pained look finding its way onto his face. How can we just destroy something so kind for the sake of power? The disguised changeling grit his teeth. You know what? When the conquest begins, I'll just sit on the sidelines. I won't even take a portion of their love when it's up for grabs. They deserve to keep it, not have it be taken away.

"Ooh Gummy I'm so excited!" Pinkie exclaimed as she bounced around the atrium of Sugarcube alligator in question just blinked ahead in response.

"I know! I can't wait either! I'm gonna get to know three new residents of Ponyville while seeing a lot of other friends again and throwing a super terrific ballontastic party at the same time!" She shouted, letting go of the balloons and watching them float towards the ceiling, their ascent stopped by the wooden beams.

Pinkie pulled out a list of names, the list of party guests. Her eyes scanned the page,"Okay. So we have the three newcomers arriving and one, two, three, four, five other guests that have confirmed their attendance." She said, a smile appearing on the party pony's face. She looked around the room to give it one last approval. Okay. So to start, giant welcoming banner. She thought, looking up at the large white banner that hung above the atrium reading 'Welcome to Ponyville' written in red paint. Check. Balloons floating around the room. Pinkie's eyes shot up at the various balloons on the ceiling and the groups attached to several pieces of furniture. Check. Streamers hanging from the ceiling. Her gaze then turned to the multicolored streamers that hung from the rafters. Check. Gummy's favorite punch and assorted desserts at the table. Finally, Pinkie's head turned for her to see the dessert table. Gummy's eyes were sticking above the surface of the purple punch, bubbles forming where the alligator took sips. And check.

"This is gonna be great!" She shouted with glee.

Suddenly, a pair of knocks sounded at the bakery's door. Pinkie's head snapped in the direction of the sound. Ooh! That must be the first of the guests! She thought, cheerily bouncing towards the door.

As Pinkie reached the door, she extended a hoof and opened the top half of the door to see who it was. Before Pinkie stood an azure unicorn mare with a silvery mane and tail, a cornflower blue stripe running through them.

"Is this the location for the 'Welcome to Ponyville' party?" The mare asked.

Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. "Yepperdoodle. Come on in!" She welcomed, opening the bottom half of the door and allowing her guest inside.

The mare gave a smile. "Good. It was a long trip for the Great and Powerful Trixie and she could use something to drink." The cerulean party guest said, looking for the dessert table.

"Right this way, Trixie. Have some punch!" Pinkie said cheerfully, guiding her guest to the table where the beverage was.

"Thank you, pink one." Trixie responded in a grateful manner. "I cannot tell you how hard it was for me to get back he-" She stopped at the sight of a green tail sticking out of the punch bowl and some bubbles forming at the surface. Trixie quickly turned to Pinkie and gave a smile. "Is there anything else to drink? I'm not in the mood for punch anymore."

Changeling Matters

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 29-Changeling Matters

-Ponyville-

Speedy huffed in frustration. "We're almost at the end of the street and still no sign of Chassis. Why don't we just go to the party right now?" He begged. "It's going to be starting any minute."

Palm Spring sighed. "I realize you don't want to spend the time looking for him, but we need him."

"Why?" Speedy complained, giving his partner a questioning look. "Why can't we just leave him be? You know he's just going to try to kiss up to Chrysalis and take the credit anyway."

Palm tried to not show the agitation she was feeling. Yes, she agreed with Fang, but at the same time, they needed to value Chassis as a fellow accomplice in their plan.

She turned and gave Speedy a stern look. "That may be. But when this is all over, you won't have to work with him again." She responded, trying to ease Fang's mind.

"Because that would be such a tragedy if I stopped working with you." A voice said from behind the building the pair of disguised changelings were walking past. Palm and Speedy stopped in their tracks and turned to look into the alley to see who'd spoken to them.

A black stallion with a short silver mane and tail stepped out of the shadows, Silver Star's green eyes regarding the pair with disdain.

"Hey there, Silver." Palm Spring said, a strained smile tugging her features while she tried to find a way to make up for the things that Chassis might have heard.

Fang didn't try to mask his anger. "Where have you been?" Speedy asked impatiently.

Silver's scornful look never faded as he responded. "What does it matter to you? I could've been talking to our queen and giving you a bad report for all you know."

Any thoughts of trying to make peace with the mercenary changeling vanished from Cipha's mind. "You wouldn't dare." She growled.

Silver snorted. "Would I? After all, all I do is kiss up to our queen. So why would badmouthing you behind your backs be any surprise?" He retorted.

Speedy shot Silver a sneer. "It wouldn't be. So what were you doing today after you left the house? Scouting the town looking for the first ones to feed off of?"

"I found myself doing it at a few times." Silver countered. "There was one mare in particular. Smooth orange coat, deep green eyes, and a long blonde mane. And that hat on her head, whew! It made her look simply appetizing." He said, a smile spreading across his face.

Speedy's sneer turned into a purely murderous look. "Let's get one thing straight here, Chassis." He said, getting up in the disguised changeling's face. "That pony is off limits to you. Have any other you want, but just not her."

Silver regarded Speedy with contempt, his eyes then moving from Speedy's face and the saddlebag he just noticed on the disguised changeling's shoulder filled with apples. Silver's look of contempt softened as he gave Speedy a smile. "Aww, does wittle Fang have a cwush?" He asked in a babyish tone.

Speedy grit his teeth and prepared to jump the indignant changeling when a cinnamon blur shot between him and Silver.

"HEY!" Palm Spring shouted, looking back and forth between the two stallions. "Put a lid on it, Fang. I don't want to hear any more of your bellyaching today. And Chassis, I don't want to hear another snide comment leave your mouth tonight or so help me I will report you both to Chrysalis for inhibiting our progress." She snarled in a dangerous tone.

Both Chassis and Fang gave Cipha a surprised look before giving each other a hateful stare.

"Now we are going to go to the party, find that unicorn, and get out of here first thing tomorrow morning. I don't want to hear another peep out of you two unless it's something pertinent to the mission or of extreme importance. Got it?" She asked, baring her fangs at the pair of changelings she stood between.

Without taking his eyes off of Silver, Speedy spoke up first. "Fine. Shall we go to this party and have a good time, Silver?" He asked begrudgingly.

"I couldn't think of a better way to spend my evening, Speedy." Silver replied venomously, neither changeling taking his eye off the other.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's get going." Palm ordered, motioning for the two to follow her to the party.

Slowly, Silver and Speedy turned towards Palm and began following her, their stares slowly becoming focused on the road ahead of them.

It was a long and silent walk to Sugarcube Corner that evening.

BRAAAP! The sound rang throughout the library as Spike made known his appetite's appeasement from the meal he'd just eaten. That amethyst and sapphire sandwich with a glass of milk and one of Pinkie's cupcakes did wonders for his hunger.

"That was a big one." Spike commented on his belch, patting his stomach with a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

"Hoo." An owl sounded behind him. Spike turned around to see a look of disgust on Owlowiscious's face.

"Oh don't you have a mouse to go eat or something?" Spike asked, giving the bird a glare. "Besides, Twilight isn't here to say I couldn't do that."

"Hoo. Hoo hoo." Owlowiscious said, flapping his wings in disapproval.

Spike sighed. "Alright, alright. I won't do it anymore. Besides I need to get the library ready for the meeting tonight anyway." He said as he began walking towards the atrium of the library.

"Hoo hoo?" Owlowiscious asked, flapping off the windowsill and began following the young dragon.

"Yeah. Twilight's arranged some sort of meeting tonight with the girls." Spike responded, his mind beginning to wonder about what would be discussed. Well the Elements of Harmony are a guaranteed subject. But what about those 'Guardians' that I read about in that book? And didn't Princess Luna say something about her having a dream too? Why not ask her to join us? He pondered.

"Hoo?" Owlowiscious asked as the pair exited the small tunnel that led from the kitchen to the atrium.

"Nah. I've already gotten it all taken care of. Thanks though, Owlowiscious." Spike said, giving the owl a slight smile. "You can go on and do what ever. I'll just make a final go-through of the preparations."

The owl nodded and flew out one of the open windows.

Spike turned and looked at the atrium, his mind going over the list of things he did to get the place ready. From what he could see, everything was set. The books he'd picked out for the girls to use in the meeting were neatly stacked next to the wooden horse head statue in the middle of the room. All the books he'd taken off the shelves were placed in their correct spots. The glass case that contained the Elements stood proudly on the other side of the room.

Something about the Elements drew Spike over to the case, his green reptilian eyes fixated on them. Such power, such pure good force in the form of five necklaces and one big crown thingy. If we have these things, why even bother with those Guardians. Spike figured.

Suddenly darkness enveloped Spike's vision. The glass case containing the Elements faded from view and into the blackness. Spike's eyes widened as he looked around, only to see nothing.

A voice sounded from overhead. "There will come a time when peace can only be achieved through violent actions, young dragon."

Spike jumped at hearing the alien voice. "Who are you?" He asked nervously, his eyes darting to and fro in the black.

"I am one who is of the same mind as you, Spike. I seek to help others just as you help those around you." The voice replied, its words beginning to ease the dragon's mind.

"O-okay." Spike replied uneasily. "But… where are you? I can't see anything in here."

"It is hardly of any concern, young dragon. But to answer your question, let's just say that I'm buried with history." The voice responded.

"Buried with history." Spike repeated, his eyebrow cocking at the phrase. "What does that mean?"

The voice chuckled. "Forgive the cryptic response, but the answer to that question will be answered in due time."

"Wait. Are you the one that gave Twilight that vision was talking about earlier?" Spike asked, his eyes lighting up with realization.

"Yes I was." The voice replied. "I spoke to Twilight as I am now speaking to you, Spike."

Spike's eyebrow rose. "How do you know my name?"

"There is only one that I do not know completely." The voice replied, its voice hinting disappointment. "For everyone else, however, I know them completely."

"So are you going to give me a vision like you did to Twilight?" Spike asked, a hint of fear in his words.

"No, Spike. What I have to say to you is far more important." The voice said, Spike's eyebrows rising at the words. "Twilight is calling for a meeting to discuss her vision, is she not?"

"Yeah. She should be back any minute now. How'd you know about that?" Spike asked.

"My eyes can see far beyond the temple I currently inhabit. But that is beside the point. Who is coming to the meeting?"

Spike ran over the list of ponies in his mind. "I don't know if you know them, but excluding myself and Twilight, they're Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie." He listed.

"Is Princess Luna not coming?" The voice asked in a concerned tone.

"Not that I know of." Spike replied. "Should she?"

"It is of absolute importance that she acquires the information I am about to give you." The voice said urgently.

Spike nodded. "I'll make sure she gets the message. Now what is the information you want me to give?"

"And you're sure you'll remember it?" The voice checked.

"You can count on me, weird voice in my head." Spike said confidently.

"Very well. Listen closely and ask for the first verse at the meeting before repeating this information." The voice said, Spike nodding in response. "Very well. Here is the message:

"In the desert sand and the wizard's tomb,

Lies the answer to darkness's doom.

When the West is shaken to its core

Shall come the beckoning call to war.

With a union of hoof, horn, fang and beak

On both light and dark, havoc shall wreak."

Spike blinked. What did he just hear? Was it some sort of riddle or poem?

"Remember those words, Spike the dragon. And do not fear when the mountains ring, for the ringing is the the death knell of our enemy." The voice said in an assuring tone.

"Enemy? Who's our enemy? We're not fighting anyone." Spike pointed out.

"In due time. Until then, Spike, I bid you farewell." The voice said, Spike seeing the blackness beginning to fade.

"Wait! What was that about mountains ringing? And what did those phrases you said mean?" Spike asked, but no reply came. "Fine. I guess I have one more thing to ask Twilight and the others tonight." His green eyes narrowing in thought. What did all those things mean?

Spike blinked to find the darkness was gone and a view of the ceiling was in its place. Spike's eyes looked to his side and saw a pair of scared purple eyes staring back at him. Standing over the dragon was a rather concerned looking Twilight.

"Spike! You're awake." The alicorn breathed a sigh of relief. "I came back to the library and saw you lying on the ground. I thought you were just exhausted from working but when I came inside and got a closer look, it looked like you were under some sort of spell. Are you alright?" She asked in a concerned tone.

Spike gave his guardian a reassuring grin. "I'm fine, Twilight. I don't know what just happened, but I'm alright." He said, grunting as he got up off the wooden floor.

"So you don't have any idea as to how you got on the floor?" Twilight asked, one eyebrow cocking up at the dragon.

Spike rubbed his head as he got up off the floor. "I was just looking at the Elements and next thing I knew some sort of darkness covered my eyes. I guess that was when I fell on the floor." He replied.

"I also saw your eyes when you were on the ground. They weren't your normal green." Twilight said, her assistant giving her a surprised look. "They were glowing purple."

A connection sparked in Spike's mind. "So that was the same thing that gave you the vision." He concluded.

"You must have just had a vision by the same thing that gave me one this morning. What exactly did that voice say?" Twilight asked, narrowing her eyes in thought. She could only imagine what the being had told Spike. A prophecy? A riddle?

"He said for me to ask for the first verse before saying it. Any idea what that means?" Spike asked, Twilight disappointingly shaking her head. "Oh well. It sounded like a riddle or something though."

Twilight sighed. "Well then I guess we'll just have to wait for the meeting tonight to hear it. So is everything ready?" She asked, shifting the focus of the conversation.

Spike nodded. "Yep. I've got some books ready for the meeting and tidied up the place while you were out."

Twilight gave the dragon a smile. "Thanks, Spike. Now come on, let's make some dinner. The others will be here soon and we can't have a discussion on an empty stomach." She said, walking down the tunnel to the kitchen.

"I'll be right behind ya." Spike said, turning his eyes to the Elements. There will come a time when peace can only be achieved through violent actions…. The voice rang in his mind.

-Mountain cave, Northern Equestria-

"So you have confidence in the changelings that you sent?" The Shadow asked, his yellow eyes glowing with anticipation.

The changeling queen straightened. "Actually it was my captain that picked them out. If you wish to ask for their credibility, he would be the one to ask." She said, casting a glance at Raspian.

Raspian looked from Chrysalis to the swirling mass of blackness in the corner and back again to his queen.

"Well I sent three specific scouts that are trained in how to blend in with the populaces of Equestrian societies." He said, hoping his words appeased the shadowy figure before him.

"Describe them." The Shadow said, earning a confused look from the changeling captain. "What are their names? What is their character like? Describe them to me on a personal level."

Raspian mustered what courage he could scrounge up and looked squarely at the shadow. "And why would you want to know, Lodestar?" He asked, immediately expecting some sort of rebuke.

"I merely wish to know who it is that will be setting me free and how I can best thank them. A look into their personalities can help me with that." The Shadow asked, to Raspian's surprise.

Raspian cast his gaze at the cave floor for a moment. "Hmm." He looked back up at his inquisitor and responded. "The first one I picked was a female changeling named Cipha. Then after that I picked two male changelings named Chassis and Fang." He said.

"Interesting name. Continue." The Shadow said.

Raspian began to think on the character of each of his scouts. "Cipha I'd probably say is the most professional of the three. She's always focused on the task at hoof and doesn't really allow much wiggle room for distractions to get in the way."

The Shadow nodded. "And what of Chassis?" He asked.

Raspian rolled his eyes. "What hasn't been said about him?" He said, Lodestar's eyebrows rising in response. "Sure he can get results, but he's a bit of a loose cannon. Usually tries to look his best whenever authority is present."

"So what do you mean by your first statement?" The Shadow asked. "Does he not have a good reputation among the others?"

Raspian sighed. "Well he doesn't really gain favors with the those he works with. He isn't usually a team player and mostly just looks out for himself. Some call him a mercenary, but I just call him an opportunist." He said.

"I see." The Shadow replied. "And your final scout? Fang, you said, right?"

Raspian nodded. "Yes. If Chassis and Cipha were put on opposite ends of a spectrum, Fang would be somewhere in the middle." He said.

The Shadow began to think. Maybe I can persuade both him and Chassis, should he have the right character traits. "Interesting. How so?"

"He usually stays focused on the mission when he is given one, but that doesn't mean he won't go out of his way to make his case very convincing. Out of the three, he's probably the best at blending in an Equestrian society." Raspian responded.

The Shadow reviewed the three changelings in his mind. "Hmm. And you trust these changelings to be effective?" He asked.

Raspian gave Lodestar an inquisitive look. "I do not know how that is relevant, but yes. They have my confidence that they are loyal scouts who will get the job done."

"Sounds like this mission will be a success based on what you've said of those three." Lodestar said confidently.

And what do you think of your captain, my queen? Lodestar's voice rang in her mind.

Chrysalis's eyes narrowed at the black mass of shadow. How are you able to do this? She asked.

Communicate telepathically? I have always been able to. It's a little fun to go into somepony else's head and have a chat. Lodestar's voice said in a lighthearted tone.

Well stop it! Chrysalis thought, giving the shadow a stern look. Knowing you can read my thoughts does not help me trust you.

I'm not asking for your trust, Chrysalis. However I did ask something you haven't answered yet. Lodestar pointed out.

Chrysalis thought back to earlier in the conversation. Was it something about how I view my captain?

Precisely. Describe him in the way he just described his scouts. Lodestar said, almost sounding like an order.

Why should I do that? Chrysalis demanded. What is it with the sudden interest in our personalities?

Like I said. I simply want to know you better. Lodestar responded calmly.

Chrysalis looked down at Raspian, who was still staring at Lodestar, almost as if waiting for him to make a move.

He's certainly one of the more loyal changelings in my hive. She thought. He is always available to help and his skill in combat is without question.

Loyal, is he? How loyal? Lodestar pressed.

Chrysalis sighed. To the point of death, if I may dare say it.

It is good that you have such good changelings around you, Chrysalis. Lodestar said. I can't say I've had anypony like that. My only experiences with allies was that one got sidetracked by the gift I'd given him and the other thought that what I had to offer was not worth the effort.

Chrysalis snorted. Ponies in the past you tricked? Or ones that volunteered to help? She asked.

They volunteered. They knew what they were doing when they accepted what I had to offer. Would you do the same, Chrysalis? Lodestar asked. What I am giving you in exchange for my freedom is an opportunity that is seldom found. Would you take advantage of it or try to find a chance that may not even work?

Chrysalis looked at the ground in thought. My captain and I wouldn't be working towards freeing you if there was a safer way of recovering from the famine my hive is experiencing.

And they will not be hungry for much longer, my queen. Lodestar said reassuringly. Upon my freedom, their hunger will be a thing of the past.

-Canterlot-

Discord looked out at the mountains to the north, sadness filling his gaze. He'd seen the thing was imprisoned somewhere in those snowy cliffs. He'd seen what it was capable of. The worst part of this whole thing was that he knew that monster would be free this time tomorrow. And when the Shadow would be free, not even the spirit of chaos could imagine the destruction he would rain down upon the world.

When he's out, Canterlot will be his first target. Discord thought, his eyes turning to the city below the balcony he stood upon. Thousands of ponies were going home or getting ready to depart their workplaces as the day was coming to a close. Fillies and colts were probably doing homework before dinner, couples would be turning in for the day to be together, and the elderly would get ready to watch the sun set on yet another day. So much will change when he comes here.

He'd ruled over Equestria at one point a thousand years ago, but not like he knew the Shadow would. Discord knew that one difference between himself and the Shadow was that at least he had a system of personal honor to abide by. Discord would toy with his enemies and bring them to their knees before him without uttering a single threat. The Shadow's tactics, however, were much more drastic. Discord knew that the monster in those mountains would not hesitate to kill anyone that stood in his way.

And this city will be between him and his targets. Discord thought, heaving a sigh. There must be something I can do to help.

"Discord?" A feminine voice behind him asked. Discord's ears twitched at hearing the familiar voice.

"Good evening, Celestia." He addressed the sun goddess, turning around to see her. "What brings you to this balcony?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Celestia said warily.

Discord gave Celestia a defeated look. "Oh come now, Celestia. Even after all we've been through, you still don't fully trust me?" He asked, giving the alicorn his best puppy eyes look.

Celestia shook her head. "Don't make this a question of trust, Discord. I do have confidence that your actions are for the betterment of Equestria now that you've been reformed. But you must excuse me if I have my misgivings."

Discord nodded. "Understandable. So have you come to lower the sun?" He asked, gesturing to the low hanging sun to the left him.

"I have. Now if you could be so kind as to step aside so that I may carry out my duty." She said, motioning for the draconequus to move.

Discord took a few sidesteps in compliance. As he watched Celestia lower the sun, he couldn't help but think about what the Shadow will do when he reigns. To think this will be one of the last times I see this happen. No more sun, moon, or stars. Just darkness. When those mountains ring, the long night will soon be upon us all.

Pulling the Strings

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 30-Pulling the Strings

-Crystal Empire: 1,020 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Ahh." The king sighed as he looked at his empire that stretched before him. King Malachite looked out at the crystalline houses on the ground below, each of them reflecting the moon's soft silver light. The multitudes of stars above looked down on his empire, their eyes twinkling against the blackness of the night sky. "Such a wondrous evening." He said with a smile as he turned back around to go inside his bedchamber.

The king undressed, taking off his royal purple cape and crown and set them on a light blue crystal-carved nightstand that stood next to his bed.

The king's eyes grew sad as they looked at the bed. Oh how I miss thee, Aqua. Malachite thought.

His queen, Aquamarine, had died several years before of old age. He recalled her soft light blue fur, the pink curls she had for her mane, her deep purple eyes, and her joyful and loving personality. King Malachite sighed as he recalled his memories with her. He remembered how they played in the fields surrounding the castle as children, the times he courted her in his youth, the first years of their rule... They'd lived a long and happy life together. But all good things must come to an end, unfortunately. The day she died was the day that Malachite swore to never marry again. Even though Aquamarine never gave him an heir, Malachite knew that her love could never be replaced by another. So he decided to live out the remainder of his life alone with only the memories of his queen to put him to sleep, that he might see her in his dreams.

Malachite lay his head down on the pillows of the bed and closed his eyes, seeking those happy memories once again.

A shadow slithered along the streets of the Crystal Empire, its presence undetectable by the night. It slid down the streets towards the castle that rose up above the city, its target the only thing present in its mind.

It all begins tonight. The Shadow thought, a sly grin spreading on its face as he glided along the stone walkways towards the castle.

You have the poison, my lord? Siphon asked.

Of course I do, Siphon. The Shadow replied. With how old the king is, the concoction should easily pass off his death as a heart attack.

Siphon's voice chuckled as they began climbing up the side of the castle. Long live the king.

Indeed. The Shadow agreed as they made their way towards the king's balcony. The shadowy figure slithered over the railing and onto the balcony itself.

The Shadow rose out of the shadow on the ground and stood tall in the doorway of the king's bedroom.

His yellow eyes narrowed as he levitated a small vial out of a saddlebag, a yellow magical aura surrounding the glass. Inside was a sloshing black liquid. To think that something so small will set our grand scheme into effect. The Shadow thought as he slowly walked over to the sleeping king's bedside, his hooves not making a sound.

The Shadow smiled as he magically lifted the golden cap of the glass vial. The Shadow concentrated his magic on the king's lower jaw, opening it slightly to not disturb his slumber. Seeing his mouth open, the yellow-eyed alicorn delicately turned the vile over, the black liquid dripping out and into the king's mouth.

The Shadow's nerves jumped at seeing the king smack his lips before turning on his side, sound asleep. The Shadow wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but not here.

Sweet dreams, King Malachite. The Shadow thought with an evil grin as he melted back into his shadow and slithered out of king's room and down the balcony from whence he'd come.

-North Equestrian mountain cave: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's Return-

In the middle of a large cavern lay two royal sisters. Celestia was in the middle of the rocky room while Luna slept in a corner next to a stalagmite. Celestia and Luna, after half an hour of wandering the tunnel to find a large cave opening, had found the cavern they currently slept in and agreed to sleep and conserve their energy.

As Luna slept, a shadow slid across the cave floor towards her.

Luna looked around the Dreamscape. A gloominess lay over the land. Dark grey clouds covered the bright blue skies. Cold wind tore across the landscape, the grasses and Luna's mane blowing in it.

What presence could be causing this to happen? Luna wondered, her blue eyes scanning the Dreamscape.

"Princess Luna." A voice behind her addressed. She recognized that voice.

"What is it thou want?" Luna asked, turning around to see the grey alicorn before her.

"Can't a stallion simply ask for a conversation?" He asked innocently.

"With others, maybe." Luna said warily. "With thee, no."

The grey alicorn sighed, hanging his head. "What is it thou want of me, Princess?"

Luna's eyes narrowed. "The truth."

The grey alicorn shrugged. "What is truth but what we choose to believe."

"I have been advised by another entity to not trust thee, that thee will lead us to destruction." Luna said in a steely tone.

"And what exactly did this entity show thee, Luna?" The stallion asked, a soft smile playing along his features.

Luna recounted what she was shown. "If I follow in what thee tell me to do, I was shown a battle in the future. Thousands will participate. Hundreds would die should that fight take place. What would we do that would cause that future?"

"The future is never concrete, Princess. It is always prone to change. Such is the way of time. I'm sure thy advisor Starswirl would agree with that statement." The alicorn said plainly.

"That is not the question." Luna spat. "What would thee do to cause such a future to happen?"

The alicorn nodded. "Thou were in that battle, weren't thee?"

Luna's eyebrow arched. "Yes. I was at the head of the charge."

"It is a shift in power, Luna." The alicorn said, slowly walking towards her, the grass under his hooves withering with each step. "It is a battle between thyself and thy sister."

Luna's eyebrows rose at the statement before furrowing together. "Thou lie." She growled.

"After thy confrontation with Sombra, Celestia will see how powerful thou truly are." The alicorn said slyly. "She will feel threatened. That maybe a dual monarchy is too much trouble to work with. Why not have it to herself?"

"Thou art lying!" Luna shouted. "Celestia is not some selfish tyrant!"

The alicorn's yellow eyes stared into Luna's. "Rulers would go to considerable lengths to protect their thrones. Thou can attest to that. The battle thou saw was the final confrontation between thyself and Celestia. Her sun was behind thee, was it not?"

Luna nodded.

"See? Even Celestia's power will be forfeit in the wake of thy own. Her power stripped from her, she will become desperate. She will raise an army against thee and try to retake the throne that rightfully belongs to thee." The alicorn said, his tone barely above a whisper. "With our combined power she will be defeated. Her jealousy will be the end of her. And finally, thou can rule. The ponies that once worshipped Celestia for her sun will worship thee for the moon as well as the sun. All the power can be thine."

Gears turned in Luna's mind. It all made sense. The vision she was shown was now clearly envisioned. The sun on her back, she would defeat Celestia and rule Equestria with a fair hoof.

"All thou have to do…" The alicorn continued. "Is wait."

Luna nodded. "I can wait." She said, a determined look in her eyes.

"Excellent." The alicorn smiled. "Thou have a second castle, correct?"

"Yes." Luna said, bobbing her head. "We have a second castle in the Everfree Forest."

"Go there after thy fight with Sombra. From there we can show Celestia our true power. When she acts out of jealousy, thou may strike." The alicorn said with a fanged smile.

"I will go there and await thy coming, alicorn." Luna said, a grin of her own growing on her face.

"Then farewell, Princess Luna. Or, as I will be addressing thee in the future, Queen Luna." The alicorn said, vanishing in a bright yellow flash.

The Shadow separated from Luna's sleeping form on the cave floor. His yellow eyes glowed with determination.

My plan is almost complete. After tomorrow, nothing will be the same again. He thought, turning to look towards the tunnel that led to the cave entrance. Beyond that tunnel was a world that was his for the taking. All he needed now was for the night blue alicorn sleeping at his hooves to go through with his scheme.

-Canterlot: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Where am I?" Clover the Clever thought aloud, his bright green eyes scanning his surroundings. From what he could tell, he was still in the Canterlot Archives. One thing was different, though. The black crystal that had protruded from the middle of the room was gone. In its place was solid wooden floor like the rest of the library.

"Clover." A stern voice called his name from behind.

Clover turned around to find Starswirl standing over him.

"Why art thou lying on the ground?" The dark blue unicorn asked, his eyes narrowing at his student.

Clover's eyes darted from side to side, unable to find an answer. "Um… I do not know, sir." He admitted, bowing his head.

"More of thy laziness?" Starswirl asked, heaving a sigh. "Enough is enough, Clover."

"Sir?" Clover asked, his eyebrow arching upwards.

"Do not call me 'Sir' any longer, Clover." Starswirl ordered, Clover shrinking from his tutor's tone.

"I apologize." Clover squeaked.

"You apologize now, but when thy sloth acts up again, will thou truly be sorry?" Starswirl demanded. "I cannot take it any longer, Clover!"

Clover slowly stood up on his hooves. "What do thou suggest I do to prevent future disappointment, Starswirl?"

Starswirl answered by pointing a wrinkled hoof to the door on the other side of the book-filled room. "Leave so that I may no longer be disappointed in thee."

Clover's eyes widened. He's expelling me? He thought frantically. "But Master-"

Starswirl shook his head. "Enough with the titles, Clover. Seeing as thou art no longer my student and I no longer thy teacher, thou should not have to address me as such."

Clover's ears drooped. "N-not thy student?" He asked shakily.

"I did not stutter, did I?" Starswirl asked coldly. "Thou… art… no longer… my… student."

"But why?" Clover asked, near tears. "Mast- Starswirl, why am I not thy student anymore?"

"Far too many times have thou disappointed me, Clover. I never said anything because I thought thou could improve thyself. Apparently I was wrong." Starswirl said in a pitying tone.

A tear rolled down Clover's face. "Starswirl. Aside from thy teaching, I have nothing. What am I supposed to do?"

"Find a new way of life, Clover. Thankfully I won't have to participate in thy failures again." Starswirl said, pointing to the open doorway again. "Now leave this place."

Clover looked at the door and back at Starswirl. The old unicorn gave Clover a stern look that Clover didn't wish to argue with. Bowing his head and letting the tears spill over, he trudged out the doorway.

Immediately his vision was covered in blackness. Clover was startled at first but then bowed his head again and accepted his position in the black.

Clover didn't care. He was a failure.

"Princess Celestia." Starswirl addressed as he fell prostrate before the sun goddess. Has she returned so soon? He wondered as he returned to his former standing position.

Starswirl's concern grow when he saw the princess's light fuchsia eyes narrowed at him, a sneer spread across her lips. "Why art thou still here?" She asked.

The unicorn wizard's eyebrow rose. "I'm sorry, Majesty. But what did thou ask me just now?"

"Why art thou still here?" Celestia repeated. "I thought I had the royal guards remove thee from the castle grounds."

Alarms rang in Starswirl's mind. "W-what ever for?" He asked, flabbergasted. "What did I do to deserve to be thrown out?"

"Thou know all too well, sorcerer." The sun goddess spat. "Thy work here in the castle is done."

Starswirl's mind was going a mile a minute with trying to figure out what was going on. "But, Princess. I've worked under thy care for so long. Tell me, what did I do to earn banishment?"

"Wishing to bask in the consequences of thy deeds?" Celestia asked, a look of disgust on her features. "Very well. The information you told us was incorrect. King Sombra had already destroyed most of the Crystal Empire. The remnant of its citizens was too shocked to respond to us when we asked what had happened." Starswirl shook his head in denial at hearing this.

"We were too late to stop whatever had happened." Celestia continued. "The blood of those purged by Sombra's rampage is on thy hooves, Starswirl the Bearded. For that, I cast thee from this palace." She said, thrusting her hoof towards the large golden throne room doors behind him. The flung open, revealing nothing but darkness beyond the doorway.

Starswirl became panicked as a sudden wind began blowing against him towards the open doors.

"Wait!" Starswirl cried. "I did not know! Princess, thou must believe me!"

"I thought I could." Celestia responded coldly. "And for thy actions, thou art banished from Equestria. Good luck elsewhere, Starswirl."

The wind intensified, blowing the old unicorn wizard off his hooves.

"No!" He shouted, as he flew into the darkness, the entrance to the throne room the only thing he could see, the doors slowly closing, enveloping Starswirl in darkness.

Starswirl felt as if he was floating. He looked below him to see the same blackness that surrounded him. "What is this place?" He wondered.

"Please, mister. Save me." A small voice to Starswirl's left said. Suddenly Starswirl found himself in the middle some sort of throne room. A purple rock-surrounded black throne sat atop a collection of small stairs. White walls lined with light blue rocks rose up from a polished grey floor. On the floor was a large purple rug that ran from the foot of the throne to a pair of purple doors at the far end of the room.

The wizard turned his head to see a small light blue filly standing before him. Starswirl's eyes narrowed at the filly, studying her features. Light blue fur, purple mane and tail, hexagonal irises… wait. He thought, looking closer at the filly. Her fur was akin to crystal reflections and her irises were hexagonally shaped. He'd seen this kind of pony one other time. A crystal pony?

"Please, mister unicorn." The filly repeated. "I need thy help."

"Of course, my child. What is it that troubles thee?" Starswirl said, walking closer to the filly.

"He's coming for me." She said fearfully, her eyes darting towards the doors.

Starswirl's eyebrows furrowed. "Who's coming?"

"The king." She replied. Suddenly the doors burst open, no pony behind the open doorway. The filly shrieked. "Please! Help me get out of here!"

"Away from who? There's nopony there." Starswirl asked, suddenly confused.

"Don't you see him?" The filly asked. "He's coming right for me!"

"Nonsense. I don't see anything there but an open doorway." Starswirl responded, trying to sound brave. But then again, doors do no open themselves. He thought.

"Mister! Please get me out-" The filly began to say, but couldn't finish the sentence. Suddenly the filly's throat was cut open, blood spurting onto the rug. The filly tried to say something, but gurgled chokes came out. The filly fell to the ground, a thud echoing off the throne room walls.

"Too late, wizard." A steely voice said, a trace of happiness in the voice.

A pony materialized behind the bleeding filly. A grey alicorn with a messy black mane and tail, a black gauntlet fastened to his hoof, a red-stained blade protruding from it. In the alicorn's bright yellow eyes was a look of mad glee.

Starswirl gritted his teeth at the grey alicorn, the crystal filly's glistening blood pouring onto the purple rug.

Once more blackness enveloped Starswirl's vision as he felt himself floating again.

"Starswirl!" A male voice shouted to his right. "Save me!"

"Starswirl!" A higher pitched female voice cried. "Save me!"

"Starswirl! Save us!" The voices said, more and more piling on with every second.

Starswirl looked every which way to try to find the ones calling to him, but he could see only the blackness in front of his eyes. "I want to help you! But how!?"

"Save us!" the multitudes of voices cried their awful chant. "Save us! Save us! Save us!"

"HOW?!" Starswirl screamed at the invisible voices, tears streaming down his cheeks. "How do I save you?"

"SAVE US! SAVE US! SAVE US!" The voice shouted, their voices reaching a crescendo. "SAVE US! SAVE US! SAVE US!"

Starswirl collapsed, burying his face in his front hooves. "I'm sorry." He choked out. "I don't know how save you."

"Starswirl! Wake up!" A different voice shouted.

Starswirl looked up. He recognized that voice.

"Snap out of it!" The voice said, a bright light blinding Starswirl as the brightness enveloped him.

Starswirl's eyes opened to find himself lying on the floor of the library. His eyes travelled upwards to see a concerned pair of dark blue ones staring back at him.

"Art thou well, Starswirl?" Commander Storm asked.

The tears fell from the old wizard's eyes as he buried his face into his hooves and cried.

-Changeling Hive: 10 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Raspian held his breath as he beheld the entryway to the queen's chambers. The tall black stone doors made the changeling feel puny as he waited to be allowed to enter. He didn't know exactly why he was here. All he knew was that he'd been summoned by the queen herself to come to her chambers.

Did I do something wrong? Raspian thought, a bead of sweat trickling down his brow. Maybe I miscalculated how much love could be extracted from the pods once or twice. Is that what this is about?

In truth, all he wanted was to please those in power over him, even if it meant bending over backwards to do it. Maybe someone had noted this and recommended his services to Chrysalis. The thought of that made his heart leap. However the uncertainty in his mind caused that excitement to drop as quickly as it had sprung up.

Raspian almost jumped when he heard one of the stone doors open up, a changeling guard in the open doorway.

The changeling's blue eyes looked over Raspian for a moment before looking up to address the uncertain changeling. "The queen will see you now, Raspian." The guard said gruffly, his dark blue armor glinting green from the pods that hung from the ceiling.

Raspian nodded and walked through the doorway. As the guard shut the door behind him, Raspian froze at the sight before him. I'm actually here. He thought in wonder.

Before him was Queen Chrysalis's inner chambers. This was where everything important in the hive was decided. Guards surrounded the perimeter of the room, their crooked black spears in their perforated hooves and at the ready. The room was cascaded in green from a small cluster of pods that hung from the ceiling of the room. In the center of the room was a large table carved out of a black stalagmite, various maps and papers scattered about on its surface. Above these articles of paper was a stack of smaller papers close to half a foot tall. Slowly his eyes travelled to a slim figure behind the table, his breath hitching as he identified the lithe creature that was staring at him from behind the table, her green eyes studying his every feature.

"Welcome, Raspian." Queen Chrysalis soothed, Raspian's nerves softening at her words. The changeling queen waved her hoof in a circle, looking around the room. "Are you impressed with my inner sanctum?"

Raspian slowly nodded. "Y-yes, your E-excellency." He stammered, trying to collect himself. You're in the presence of the queen for buck's sake! Nut up or puss out! His mind yelled.

Chrysalis gave Raspian a slight smile. "I have heard multiple reports about you, Raspian." She said, glancing at the stack of papers on the stone table. Raspian's eyes widened. "Your willingness to work diligently has been noted by several of my scouts."

She's had scouts watching me? Raspian thought, not sure to take that revelation as a sign of warning or good fortune.

"Others have said that you are eager to take charge in situations. The caravan of ponies that were… unfortunate enough to venture too close to our cave was one such instance." Chrysalis said, Raspian's mind going back to that event. He'd led the attack and coordinated the capture of the ponies to be used as love sources.

"A third feature one of my scouts noted was your dependability." The queen said. Any thought about this meeting being a bad thing had vanished from Raspian's mind. This was no doubt an opportunity the queen wanted to give him.

"They have seen how willing you are to help when it is necessary. Be it in finding love sources in the wild or helping the hatchlings learn how to hunt." Chrysalis said, a hint of admiration in her tone. Raspian felt a smile tug at his face.

"That is why I wanted you here." Chrysalis said, her green eyes narrowing at the changeling. "You have the qualities that I look for in my guards. They are the cream of the crop of this hive. The elite." Chrysalis glanced at the guards surrounding the room. "Loyal, dependable, and able leaders in times of need. Which brings me to why I requested your presence, Raspian. I am presenting you the opportunity of becoming a guard of the hive."

Raspian's heart thumped against his chest as he felt like jumping up and down for joy, but he maintained his composure.

"But keep in mind." Chrysalis continued. "Should you decline this offer, it will not be requested of you again. You will continue being a normal changeling in the hive, carrying out daily duties and preparing feeding pods. But…" She said, her tone becoming more excited. "Should you accept, the rest of your life will be dedicated to protecting myself and the members of this hive. You will no longer be a laborer, but a member of an elite guard that has existed for centuries. So what is your response, Raspian?"

Raspian stared the queen of the hive directly in the eyes. No turning back now, Raspian. He thought as the words rose out of his throat.

"Queen Chrysalis, I accept your offer."

Point of No Return

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 31-Point of No Return

-Mountain cave, northern Equestrian mountain range-

Raspian gave a displeased huff. Aside from the occasional chat with the shadowy figure sitting in the corner, there was absolutely nothing to do in the cave.

The shadow was quick to pick up on his display. "Bored, Raspian?"

Raspian gave the shadow a suspicious glare. "So what if I am? What would it be to you anyway?"

"Simple curiosity, captain." Lodestar responded coolly. "If you think being stuck in this cave for more than a day is bad, imagine for three years."

Chrysalis perked up. Three years? And he just now sends out a fake love beacon to draw us in? She thought, suspicion rising in her mind. "You've been stuck here for three years? What have you been doing all this time?"

"Well I won't bother with any delusion with you, Chrysalis, but to put it simply, I've been doing a lot of planning." Lodestar calmly responded.

Both Raspian and Chrysalis's eyes narrowed at the swirling mass of shadow before them.

"Planning what exactly?" The changeling queen asked, distrust lacing her words.

"It takes time for a plan to grow to fruition and to wait for the right moment." Lodestar replied.

Chrysalis bared her fangs. "Sun's sake! Is it possible for you to give a straight answer?" She shouted, her voice reverberating around the cave. "What exactly is this plan you've been so elusive about?"

"You want the truth?" Lodestar asked, neither changeling's complexion shifting from their angered expressions. "Very well. The failed attack on Canterlot was a little more than a year ago, correct?" Chrysalis nodded. "After seeing that unfortunate display, I knew there was power to be had with the changelings. Remember how easily you invaded the capital of Equestria. You came so close to bringing the pony nation to its knees with one swift stroke. And then Shining Armor and Princess Cadence's love became to strong for you to suppress, resulting in the expulsion of your kind from the city."

"I am well aware of how we lost that day. What is your point?" Chrysalis interrupted.

"My point is that when I saw how effectively you captured a city like Canterlot, I knew I could invest my powers into such a race. Had it not been for the power Captain Armor and his bride possessed, Equestria would now be yours. That's why I'm offering you my assistance, Chrysalis. I've been in here planning for years on how to break out of this prison. And finally, my saviors have come in the forms of creatures that are in need of my help as much as I am in need of theirs."

"And how can you help us?" Chrysalis asked.

Lodestar's yellow eyes closed as he gave a light chuckle. "My queen, you have no idea the power I possess. With the strength of your hive and my magic, we'll easily conquer Equestria."

Chrysalis looked down at the cave floor in thought as Raspian looked back and forth between the two.

"And should that not be enough for your starving subjects, then there's always the rest of the world to take." Lodestar suggested. Chrysalis looked up to give the shadowy figure a skeptical look.

"A world-wide conquest? You have mentioned such a feat before, but how would we have the numbers to accomplish such a task? My hive can only grow so much." The changeling queen said.

"Such doubts." Lodestar said with a hint of disappointment. "There is another reason I chose the changelings, Chrysalis. It's your ability to subjugate any land and make it compatible for your species to thrive. Throughout the world, changeling hives will be established at every major city we capture. These hives will be outposts in the grand empire we'll create together. Every race will be brought to their knees. Pegasi, unicorns, both earth and crystal ponies, griffons, dragons, and so many more. There is an entire world out there for the taking, my queen." Lodestar paused for a moment. "Or rather, after our conquest, empress would be a better title."

Chrysalis's eyes lit up with ambition. Empress Chrysalis. Certainly has a ring to it. She thought, notions of having the world under her perforated hoof, her changelings having enough love to feed on for generations. She imagined a changeling empire, stretching from the west coast of Equestria to the eastern shores of the Griffon Kingdom, with herself at the helm.

"Set me free, Chrysalis." Lodestar beseeched, putting a grey hoof out of the black cloud surrounding him and reached for her. Suddenly a bright blue force field lit up from floor to ceiling, illuminating the cave in a soft blue. Chrysalis and Raspian backed away in surprise, their eyes glued to the blue magical field separating the shadowy pony from them. Lodestar withdrew his hoof, the magic field fading back into darkness. Both changelings looked back down at Lodestar. "And the world will be ours for the taking."

-Ponyville-

"There it is." Speedy Delievery pointed out ahead of the trio. "Sugarcube Corner."

The three disguised changelings looked ahead to see a building that seemed to be designed after an off-balance cake. Above the wooden beams and pink-framed windows of the first floor, the roof looked like the top of a chocolate cake with white frosting surrounding the surface. A stack of purple chimney stacks rose up from the left side of the building, a pony holding a candy cane stood atop an overhanging beam next to the stacks. Sitting on top of the building's cake surface was a rising tower was what looked appeared to be a cupcake, a trio of candles burning bright at the peak.

All three ponies stood at the foot of the building, their mouths agape at the sugary confection shop before them.

Silver Star was the first to speak up. "I'm getting a stomach ache just looking at this place."

"I hate to say it but I agree with you." Speedy Delivery said, regaining his composure. "Well let's get to it. We've got a unicorn to find." Palm Spring said as she began to walk towards the welcoming pink door.

The trio walked up to the sugary structure and approached the door. Upon reaching the door, Palm Spring reached up with her hoof and knocked on the door.

"Come on in!" A cheery voice inside replied from behind the door.

Palm cast a glance at her partners before slowly opening the door. The three entered the confections bakery, walking into a pitch-black room. Silver closed the door behind the trio as they tried figure out where they were.

Suddenly the lights came on in a bright flash.

"SURPRISE!" A collection of voices shouted. All three disguised changelings jumped when a group of ponies burst from the furniture they were hiding behind.

"Surprise!" A pink one shot up from behind a column a few seconds later. "Aw dangit! Why do I keep messing that up?"

Speedy was the first to recover from the shock. "Uh, hello, everypony. Wasn't expecting this big of a turnout." He said, giving a smile to the multicolored group of ponies.

"Well duh!" The pink one exclaimed, approaching the new party guests. "When I throw a party, I want everypony in Ponyville to enjoy it." She said, murmurs of concurrence running through the crowd behind her. "And now that you three have arrived, it's time to get this party started!"

Whoops and cheers erupted behind the pink pony as a record player began playing music.

As other ponies began dancing or blindfolding each other to pin what looked like a string on a picture of a pony, the pink one came over to the group of newcomers.

"Hiya! My name's Pinkie Pie! What's yours?" She asked enthusiastically.

"My name's Speedy Delivery." Speedy said, extending a light blue hoof for Pinkie to shake. "And these are Silver Star and Palm Spring."

Pinkie shook Speedy's hoof. "So great to meet you! I'm so happy because now we're friends and since we're friends that means we can do super fun things together like going swimming and playing games and having parties together and eating cupcakes and-"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Pinkie." Speedy said, almost dizzy from the mare's talking. "But who all did you invite to this party?"

"Ooh! Wanting to make some more friends by introducing yourself?" Pinkie asked with a smile.

"Something like that." Speedy said with a shrug.

Pinkie giggled. "You act as if this is the first party you've ever been to."

Speedy rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish look finding its way onto his face. "Well…"

Pinkie put a hoof to her mouth and let out a gasp. "You've never been to a party before?" She asked, trying to make sense of his words in her mind.

"Yeah. I've never been to a party before." Speedy said. "In fact neither have my-" He said, looking behind him to mention his partners, but found they had already gone to other parts of the party. "…friends."

Pinkie reached for Speedy's chin and turned his face towards hers. "You poor thing. Lemme go get you a cupcake! That'll cheer both of us up!" She said, bouncing off towards a table with various sweets on it.

Speedy took this time to look around the party. Many colors of streamers hung from the rafters. Confetti littered the floor, the paper bits sticking to the bottoms of his hooves. His red eyes turned up at a large pink banner stretching across the entry with blue lettering that read Welcome to Ponyville!

Speedy felt a grin tug at his face. So much happiness in one place. He thought as he looked at all the ponies having the time of their lives. They enjoyed one another's company and that's all they needed to have for a fun time.

A slight knocking on the bottom of Speedy's hoof caused him to look down at what was causing the sensation. To his surprise, Speedy found that he'd been tapping his hoof to the party music. Music was seldom heard in the hive, so whenever Fang heard it, he'd relish in its delightful melodies. Letting the music take more control, Speedy's body began swaying to the tune of the music. With a wide smile was now fully spread across his face and his eyes aglow with enjoyment, Speedy took it all in. The music, the atmosphere, the décor all of it culminated into a thing Fang had rarely experienced: fun.

Speedy's eyes glowed with excitement as he leapt into the air and cried, "WOOO! PARTY!"

Across the room at the confections stand, Pinkie looked back to see the her partying guest. She a self-satisfied smirk crawled its way onto her face as she saw the sky blue pony dancing to the music. Ah, Pinkie. Ya done it again.

-Canterlot-

Luna sat at the large dining table, her dinner practically untouched. Celestia, on the other hand, was cleaning off her plate of any edibles. The solar princess looked up from her feast and noticed her sister's full plate.

"Luna." She said, her sister looking up at her. "You need to eat. The journey to Starswirl's tomb isn't going to be an easy one."

"I'm sure." Luna said dismissively.

Celestia gave Luna a stern look. "I'm serious, Luna. It won't be until tomorrow morning when we'll be outside again. You need your strength."

"I know, Celestia." Luna spat. "I'm just not very hungry right now."

Celestia gave her sister an understanding look. "I'm sorry, Luna. I didn't mean to come across in a negative way."

Luna gave a weak smile. "Thanks, Tia."

"But you have to conserve your strength. Who knows what lies down in those catacombs and I don't want you to be exhausted before we reach the tomb." Celestia advised, her horn glowing as she lifted her cup and took a sip.

Luna took a glance at her food and magically levitated a cluster of green grapes. To Celestia's satisfaction, she plucked off one of the green pieces of fruit and popped it in her mouth. After chewing the slightly sour fruit and swallowing it, Luna looked across the table at her sister.

"What do you think we'll find in his journal?" She asked.

Celestia stopped eating for a moment. "Hopefully an answer to defeating the Shadow when he comes back."

"I'd like to think so too." Luna said, trying to be optimistic. However, the niggling thoughts in Luna's mind wouldn't let her. "But Discord was the one that told us where it was. Do you think he would trick us?"

I wouldn't put it past that conniving serpent. Celestia thought. "You make a good point, but what choice do we have?"

"Wait." Luna said, an idea taking form in her mind. "You were still here when Starswirl died. Surely you'd know where he was buried."

The solar princess shook her head. "Unfortunately no. Starswirl explicitly ordered that his student, Clover, would bury him. I had to respect his wishes."

"Such a pity really." A familiar voice sounded overhead. The two sisters looked upwards and frowned at the trickster they saw above them.

"Discord. Come down from there." Celestia said in an annoyed tone.

"Oh why?" Discord pouted. "You two look simply stunning from this angle."

Luna's eyes narrowed at the draconequus. "Now is not a good time, Discord." She griped. "Besides can't you go be a pain somewhere else?"

Discord gave Luna a wounded look. "No need for the hostility, Luna. I was just playing around." He said, disappearing in a white flash.

Celestia sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if we can put him back in stone again."

"You wouldn't dare." Discord's voice growled.

Now what? Celestia sighed in irritation and looking around the room. After not seeing the trickster, her magenta eyes then sunk down at her dinner. A pair of yellow eyes with red irises was staring back at her.

Luna jumped when her sister shrieked. "Celestia! What is it?"

The sound of laughter followed Luna's cry of concern.

"You should have seen the look on your face, Celestia!" Discord said amidst his fits of laughter. The biscuit hopped off Celestia's plate and disappeared in a bright white flash, Discord standing in its place.

"Okay. Now I know we can put you back in stone." The solar princess said with a sneer.

Discord's smile faded. "Oh don't be like that. Besides, why would you turn me back to stone when I'm here to help you?" He said.

"As in showing the way to Starswirl's tomb, I assume. And how would you help us?" Luna asked skeptically.

Discord put an elbow on Celestia's chair, much to her displeasure. "Well seeing as I'm the only one that's been down there, I would know how to help you get there unharmed."

Celestia gave Discord a skeptical look. "You've been to Starswirl's tomb?"

"Oh yes. When I was released from my stony prison the second time, I did some exploring and found something I hadn't seen before I was encased the first time. To my surprise, it was the tomb of Canterlot's most prestigious magician." Discord replied. "Quite stuffy down there, I must say."

"How long is the travel to his tomb?" Luna asked, now anxious for answers.

Discord tapped his chin. "Hmm. Well for me, it only took a few minutes. For you, however, I'd guess a couple hours."

"And how exactly can you help us down there?" Celestia asked.

Discord shrugged. "Oh I dunno. Tell you how to avoid traps, which turns to take, and the like."

Luna turned to Celestia. "I think we should use his help." She said, Celestia casting Discord a glare and huffing in response. "Now I know you might not like it, Tia. But we could use any assistance we can get down there."

Discord gave Luna a smile. "Ya see, Celestia? Luna's on board with this idea. That's two against one." He said, putting up his clawed fingers in the respective numbers.

Celestia's eyes darted from side to side before shutting them in frustration. "Fine." She said. "But one sign of mischief on your part and you're gone, Discord."

Discord began jumping up and down, clapping with a gleeful look on his face. "Ooh thank you thank you thank you! You won't regret this, Celestia." He said, disappearing in a bright white flash.

"Luna." Celestia said, her sister turning to face her. "Whatever we find in that tomb had better be worth it."

Luna nodded. "I certainly hope so, Celestia." She said, looking at her reflection in her drink. I certainly hope so.

-The Great Hall, sky above disputed West/East Griffon Kingdom territory-

Cloudius Sky-Shield looked around the grand table where delegates from all over both kingdoms had gathered, each side murmuring to its own on how to gain a political advantage over the other, their voices providing an ambient sound for the general to think with. Of all the ways to spend my evening, this would not be one of them I would have picked. He thought, his eyes scanning the room. There were the usual suspects. Golden Claw, Senator Aeris, Sharp Beak, Strong Wings, et cetera. However the addition of the golden-armored Eastern commander of the army, General Soaring Wings, caused Cloudius's eyebrows to rise.

Griffons of many different levels of prestige in their own lands had come together once again to participate in the grand mud-slinging game of politics. Even amidst the multiple crises the two kingdoms faced, the threat of war being the foremost, politicians still had to maintain appearances of confidence and superiority even if they were hated for it.

What was this surprise meeting called for anyway? He thought, looking around the room with a bored look on his visage. It's not like the slandering of each other's names and honors will be any different from what we usually do.

"Excuse me, General." A stern voice said next to him. Cloudius turned to see a griffon with black feathers, red speckles dotting his head, and a caramel brown torso. On the griffon's body was a set of iron armor, his helmet the only piece missing from his set, and a sword in its scabbard at his side.

"Captain Falco." Cloudius addressed. "What news do you bring?"

Captain Falco leaned closer to Cloudius's side and whispered, "His Majesty is here. He is waiting for you."

Cloudius's eyes widened as his head snapped to face the captain's. "The king is here?" He asked in a shocked whisper.

"Yes sir. He is waiting for you in the commons room." Falco replied, stepping back from Cloudius and returned to his post at the door."

Cloudius's mind raced. The king is here? He wondered, his eyes looking to the Eastern side of the table. To his shock, the General Soaring Wings got up from the table with a surprised look on his face similar to Cloudius's. Cloudius watched as the Eastern general began walking towards his side's respective door to let someone in. That must mean their king is here too. And if both kings are present, then that means- Cloudius gulped, hoping that his line of thought was incorrect.

The western general calmly rose from the table and turned towards the door on the Western side of the room, sweat beginning to bead his brow. Thoughts zipped back and forth in his mind, none of them optimistic for what the presence of both kings meant.

Cloudius reached the door and reached out to turn the handle with a shaky claw. Get it together, Cloudius. Maybe its to discuss peaceful terms. He thought, trying to stay calm.

Cloudius slowly opened the door and walked through the opening. The general kept his composure as he looked up to behold the king of the Western Griffon Kingdom. King Avian stood tall before Cloudius, his regal blue eyes regarding his general with a sorrowful look. The king bowed his brown-feathered head and sighed.

"General Cloudius." Avian addressed.

"Sire." Cloudius responded, bowing before his king.

"Rise, my faithful servant. In a time such as these one does not have time for such pleasantries." Avian said, motioning with his claw for Cloudius to stand back up.

Cloudius nodded as he resumed his position. "Unfortunately I agree with you, Majesty."

"So you know why I am here?" King Avian asked.

"I have an idea, Highness." Cloudius answered, giving the king a worried look. "The Eastern king is here as well, correct?"

"Yes, Cloudius. It is true." Avian said grimly.

"But surely there can be another way." Cloudius pleaded. "Our nations aren't going to war are they?"

King Avian shook his head. "Not yet, they're not." He said, much to Cloudius's relief. "But depending on what kind of mood the Eastern delegates and their king are during this emergency meeting, war may come sooner than we thought."

Cloudius nodded. "Gods be with you, Majesty." He said, turning towards the door to open it.

"Thank you, general. I'm going to need their help tonight." Avian said, putting on a confident look.

Cloudius pulled the door aside and watched as King Avian gracefully entered the Grand Hall.

"Please rise for King Avian of the Western Kingdom." Cloudius heard the Western delegation overseer said from inside the room. The sound of the western side of the room standing up was heard soon after.

A few moments later, the Eastern overseer's voice was heard. "Please rise for King Midas of the Eastern Griffon Kingdom." The sound of the eastern half of the room rising for their king was heard a few seconds later.

Well. Here it goes. Cloudius took a deep breath as he entered the room behind the king.

-Hall of the Guardians, beneath Saddle Arabia-

The Keeper sat in the inner sanctum of the Hall, his glowing purple eyes gazing at the holding chambers where the spirits of the Guardians were held. Eight glass orbs sat in a neat row before the Keeper. Inside each one was a glowing ball of energy, each a different color.

The Keeper smiled as he looked upon the pieces of raw Creational magic. Such small parts of a large creation. He thought in awe. And yet they rival the Elements in power.

Suddenly a chilled wind blew through the chamber. The Keeper's eyes narrowed as he recognized the unwelcome presence that entered the room. It wasn't the full power of his presence, but it was him nonetheless.

"Should you continue on your current path, the day when these will be used against you will soon be here once again." The Keeper said, his cloaked serpentine body turning around to see a faded form of the grey alicorn before him.

"This time will be different." The Shadow growled.

The Keeper shook his head. "How many more failures must it take?" He asked in a pained voice. "Why not come back to us? Make things the way they were before you rebelled?"

The Shadow's yellow eyes narrowed at the serpentine spirit. "Because this world is still in need of my help."

"What help can you offer?" The Keeper exclaimed, his voice reverberating off the ancient walls. "Corrupting this world won't accomplish what you set out to do. All it will cause is nothing but suffering and death."

"Oh?" The Shadow asked slyly. "And what would you call 'corruption', Keeper? Anything that goes against what you and the Ancients enslaved all of creation with?"

In an instant the Keeper's snout was mere inches from the Shadow's. "Do not speak such blasphemy here." He hissed.

The Shadow rolled his eyes. "You Ancients and your sacred truths." He said dismissively, his semi-faded image walking up to the eight orbs. "The spirits of the Guardians." He said in an almost revering tone. "There are few ways that power presented as purely as these."

The Keeper gave the Shadow a sad look. "You had such a noble purpose. Such purity. Why would you throw such things away? To pursue some lost cause?"

The Shadow whipped around to face the Keeper. "You call it a lost cause. I call it a righteous crusade. Tell me you've had doubts about the Ancients as I did. You know they only want to keep everything under their thumbs, not letting anything have its own way. Everything has to work according to their plan, but not according to the wills of those that are forced to live in what they've created." He said barely above a whisper.

"Do not tempt me, Shadow. Lesser beings may be more gullible, but you know better than to try to convert me." The Keeper warned, the Shadow turning back around to face the spirits of the Guardians, their multiple colors casting a multihued light onto his dark grey muzzle.

"Do you know that they grieved for you when you embraced the darkness?" The Keeper asked. "On the day you left, no feasts were held. Drinks weren't served. No smiles were found. Only sadness. It was weeks before everything returned to the status quo and even then daily life still felt empty without you. And in all my years of existing, I'd never seen the One more pained than on that day. He wept for you, Shadow. When you left, we lost a carrier of light, a friend, and a brother." He said, trying to hold back silver tears in his purple eyes.

"I am aware of that, Keeper!" the Shadow shouted, tears of his own beginning to form. "Do you think that I don't wish to return to Paradise? Do you think that I don't miss the plentiful orchards and gardens? And the delicious food and drink? And the satisfaction I felt in my duties?" He asked, a tear rolling down his cheek as he looked up into the Keeper's doleful eyes. "I miss Paradise with all my heart and soul, Keeper."

"Then come back." The Keeper said, extending a clawed hand out of his robe to the alicorn. "Come back to Paradise and abandon this meaningless battle."

The Shadow gave the Keeper a sorrowful look. "As much as I want to return, Keeper, I can't."

The Keeper's hand slowly retracted back into his robes. "Should you continue on this path, Morning Light," He said, the Shadow flinching at the use of his real name. "It will only lead you to suffering and failure." He warned.

The Shadow gave a conceding sigh. "I'm sorry, Keeper. But as long as the peoples on this world remain in slavery, I will continue my mission."

The Keeper gave the alicorn a mournful look. "Then until we meet again, Shadow, I bid you farewell."

The Shadow nodded in reply. "Until next time, old friend." He said, his image fading out of the Hall.

The Keeper turned to face the orbs holding the Guardians again. As he looked into the multicolored light of the spirits we was assigned to protect, a lone silver tear fell from his eye.

Crystalline Causation

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 32-Crystalline Causation

-Crystal Empire: 1,020 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Sadness hung over the Crystal Empire. The joy that had once flowed through its streets was gone, replaced by a sense of moroseness. The winding roads of the city were barren, each crystal pony grieving in their own household. It had been a week since King Malachite had died of a heart attack and four days since the burial, yet the pain of seeing the king in his casket remained fresh in the minds of the crystal ponies. Even the newest resident of the Crystal Empire felt sadness towards the king's death. King Malachite was the one that allowed Prodigal to live in the Crystal Empire, the one that provided the unicorn the chance at a new life. Now he was dead.

The Crystal Council had gathered in the council chamber, the head chair in their circle lay unoccupied. Silence filled the room, the morose atmosphere prevailing over the mood of the council members.

With a heavy sigh, one of the council members spoke up, a light yellow stallion with an unkempt green mane and tail. "Now that King Malachite is no longer with us and since he produced no heir to carry on his royal line, we are charged with providing the next ruler for the Crystal Empire." Said council member Spring Forward.

The other councilors nodded.

"Agreed. We cannot let an empty throne rule over us. One must be chosen to wear the crown upon his brow." Said a light blue mare with a flowing ruby-red mane.

"And who wouldst thou suggest, Blazing Sapphire?" A pink mare with a short deep red mane by the name of Rose Quartz asked.

Silence returned into the council chamber as the councilors tried to think of a pony that could rule.

"Should it be one that shares in our political experience? Perhaps the new king could be one of us." Spring suggested, earning a mixed reaction based on the looks he saw around the room.

"While having a politician on the throne would make the law-making process easier, it would be too easy to claim the power as their own and disregard our suggestions." Rose Quarts said.

"I suggest that the new king be one of the people." Said a light green stallion with a mane colored with a deeper tone of green that hung at his shoulders. "The new ruler should be one who can represent the citizens of the Empire, rather than some politician who wants a chance at power."

"Art thou insinuating anything, Emerald?" Spring asked, narrowing his eyes at his fellow council member.

"Nothing at all, councilor Spring. I'm simply thinking from the peoples' perspective. What would it look like to them if one of the councilors took the throne after the passing of King Malachite." He said, several of the council members exchanging looks. "To them, it would seem like we merely took advantage of an opportunity. In this time of grief, that's not something we would like to happen."

"So then who wouldst be worthy of the crown, Emerald?" Rose asked. "Out of the hundreds of ponies that live here, what one citizen can thou think of that can rule the Empire?"

Emerald tapped his chin, a grin slowly spreading across his face. "I can think of one."

"And who might that be?" Spring wondered.

"He may be new here, but I think Prodigal should become the next ruler." He said, earning surprised looks around the room. "I know it may seem outlandish to put him on the throne after being here for no more than a week, but think about it. The last unicorn that walked among us was our creator. Had he been given the chance to rule over what we have now, it would lead us to a glorious new age. Who is to say Prodigal cannot do the same?"

The council members let the idea simmer in their minds for a few moments. True, Crystal Soul was the reason they even existed and he was a unicorn. How could anyone say no to letting another unicorn rule over them.

"Well I for one can concur with the idea." Rose Quartz agreed. A small murmur of concurrence rose up from the other council members.

"So we are in agreement?" Emerald asked, his eyes scanning the chamber for any objections.

Spring Forward spoke up. "While having a unicorn on the throne sounds like a good idea, we will have to instruct him in all the ways of being a king. Being a wanderer, he more than likely has no idea how to stay in one place much less rule an empire."

"Then we shall teach him and help him to understand his duties. All in favor of making Prodigal the new king?" Emerald asked, raising his right hoof to call a vote.

Slowly, the other council members raised their hooves in agreement.

"Excellent." Emerald beamed. "Tomorrow we will notify Prodigal of his new position and schedule the coronation ceremony." He paused to look around the room. "Until then, this meeting is adjourned."

From his view on the cloud above the council chamber, a certain grey alicorn looked down at the city below, an eager look in his yellow eyes.

"That worked even better than I thought." The Shadow said with a grin.

You managed to convince the crystal pony to push for Prodigal to be king? Siphon's whispery voice asked.

The Shadow lifted the black hoof blade to his face. "Yes, I did. The first phase of the plan has been completed. Now we wait to enact the second part."

How long are we going to wait? Siphon asked, excitement in his voice.

The Shadow's eyes narrowed at the metal vambrace. "I know you are eager for blood, Siphon. But tame your enthusiasm. We still have many years to look forward to the long night."

Very well, mal'akh, I shall wait. Siphon replied, the Shadow wincing at what the name his companion had called him.

"Allow Prodigal time to adjust to being ruler of the Crystal Empire, and once he's ready, we'll begin phase two." The Shadow said, his horn glowing a bright gold. With a quick yellow burst of light, the shadowy alicorn disappeared from the skies of the Crystal Empire.

-Crystal Empire: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Shooting Star listened intently as her crystal pony host told the story of how a unicorn named Prodigal became ruler of the Crystal Empire, enthralled by the untold history this pony was telling her.

As Shining began to go into how he summoned Prodigal to the council, a small voice peeped from above a staircase on the other side of the crystal house's atrium.

"Daddy? The voice called. Shooting and Shining both looked towards the staircase. At the top was a small blue crystal filly with a short light grey mane. Her orchid eyes looked curiously at the winged guest her daddy was standing next to. "Who is that thou art talking to?"

"Lapis Lazuli." Shining addressed the filly in a fatherly tone. "Why art thou out of bed?"

Lapis's curious look didn't waver. "I heard voices downstairs. And who is that standing next to thee?" She asked, her light purple eyes looking at the orange pegasus whose bright blue eyes reflected the same examining look the filly was giving her.

Shooting gave the filly a warm smile. "My name's Shooting Star. And thy name is Lapis Lazuli?"

Lapis shyly nodded in reply.

Shining turned back to Shooting. "I'm sorry about this. She should've been asleep by now." He said, glancing at his daughter. Lapis shrinking onto the staircase under her father's authoritative gaze.

"No, no. It's fine." Shooting said, the smile on her face staying strong. "I don't have a problem with kids."

"Even so." Shining said, turning to Lapis. "Head back upstairs, Lapis. I'll tuck thee in in a few minutes."

"Okay. It was nice to meet thee, Shooting Star." Lapis said, trotting back up the stairs and into her bedroom.

Shining sighed. "I'll be with thee again in a moment. Let me go say goodnight to her." He said, walking towards the staircase.

"Take thy time. I'm in no hurry." Shooting said, her eyes scanning the atrium as her host ascended the stairs. A red couch sat against the wall opposite of her, a table standing just in front of it. Two wooden chairs stood side by side to the right of the table. To the right of the chairs was the staircase that led to the second story of the house. And beneath the stairs was a three-rowed wooden cabinet.

How quaint. This is the kind of house I'd like to be living in when I retire. Shooting thought, a row of small paintings catching her eye on the cabinet. The pegasus trotted over to the paintings to get a better view. There were three paintings. The one on the left was of Shining Star against a faded blue background, the middle was a picture of Lapis Lazuli, a smile gracing Shooting's lips as she looked at the filly's picture. Such innocence. She thought, her eyes moving to the final portrait. It was of a white crystal mare with a smoothly brushed sapphire blue mane and bright green eyes. A light red background stood behind the white mare. And who is this?

"My wife, Pearl." Shining's voice said behind her. Shooting slightly jumped at hearing him behind her. She turned around to see a wearied look in his eyes.

Shooting shot a glance at Pearl's painting. "And where is she now?"

Shining looked at the floor, a sadness filling his eyes. Shooting's ears drooped as she realized the unspoken answer.

Shooting looked back at Shining with a mournful look of her own. "I'm sorry. I should not have asked."

"It's okay." Shining replied, a tear staining his facial fur. "She died about two years ago. She couldn't hold the sickness back any longer and her body gave in." Shining closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "All I can do now is wait until it's my turn to go. Then I can see her again." He said, a small smile flickering on his face.

Silence hung in the room, neither pony wanting to say anything.

Shining broke the silence. "If thou wish to stay the night, the couch is all thine own tonight."

"Thanks, Shining." Shooting said, strolling towards the couch and lay down on it. "Tomorrow can thou tell me the remainder of thy story?"

Shining nodded. "Of course. And should thou need anything, my bedroom is the first door on the right above the stairs."

"I will remember that. Goodnight, Shining." Shooting said as her host headed towards the stairs.

"Goodnight, Shooting." Shining's voice replied, the thumps of his hooves against the staircase reaching Shooting's ears.

Shooting closed her eyes and let the lateness of the day take over.

-Northern mountain cave: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Luna woke from her slumber to find herself on the same hard cave floor she'd gone to sleep on the previous night. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the cave as she looked to where her sister had fallen asleep last night. To her surprise, the white alicorn wasn't there. Luna scanned the cave, hoping to find her sister. Concern began to creep into her mind as she couldn't locate her sister.

Maybe she went on to the Crystal Empire without me. Luna thought, immediately shooing the notion from her mind. No, no. She wouldn't do that. Luna rose to her hooves and looked to the opening of the tunnel that led back to the entrance of the cave.

Extending her wings, she flew up to the tunnel, landing softly onto the rocky ground. Well there's only this tunnel and the cavern behind me. If she's still here, she would be in this tunnel. Luna began walking ahead, her horn lighting up. The horn's magical glow illuminated the tunnel, casting a faint blue light on the walls as Luna strode down the rocky corridor.

The quiet of the cave tunnel was deafening as only Luna's hoof steps provided the only sounds she heard. Her mind began to travel back to the dream she'd had the previous night. She recalled how that grey alicorn could know what was in the vision that the other entity had shown her. Could they both be the same? She wondered. He knew that the sun was coming up behind me before the fight. Was he telling the truth? Would I really take Celestia's power away from her? Luna would be lying if she said the thought of becoming so powerful was not to be desired, but Celestia was her sister. What could happen that would cause the two to have such a fight? Whatever it is, it's going to happen soon.

After walking down the tunnel for several minutes with only her thoughts to keep her company, Luna approached the mouth of the cave entrance. Outside, the sky was still dark, only stars poking bright holes through the cover of night. Luna's eyes turned to a white figure that stood at the mouth of the tunnel. She held back a sigh of relief as she watched Celestia's horn glow bright yellow, its light reflecting off the rocky walls. The light of her horn soon grew to a crescendo as Luna's eyes turned to what was going on outside the cave.

A faint orange glow began to appear in the east. Luna eyes squinted as the sun began to peak over the mountains in the distance, bathing the craggy landscape in bright orange.

Luna's eyes darted back to her sister at hearing Celestia give a satisfactory sigh at her work. She'd successfully raised the sun once again.

Celestia turned around, making a quick gasp at seeing Luna in front of her. "Oh sorry, Luna. I did not hear thee behind me."

Luna shook her head. "Forgive me if I startled thee. So when shall we depart for the Crystal Empire?" She asked.

Celestia cocked her head. A bit eager, is she? She wondered, resuming her former position. "Whenever thou art ready to leave, sister."

Luna nodded. "Well I am ready to go." She stated, her navy blue wings extending.

"And art thou sure that thou art ready to face Sombra? We may have the element of surprise, but anything can happen that might cause us to lose that advantage." Celestia warned, giving her younger sister a stern look.

Luna replied with a confident smirk. "Aren't thee forgetting that we have the elements that really matter?" She asked glancing down at the Elements of Harmony that hung around her neck.

Celestia's eyes shifted her own Elements and chuckled. "Thou art right, Luna. I should not be so worrisome."

"Then shall we go to the Crystal Empire and rid it of the evil that inhabits it?"

Celestia put on a determined look. "We shall." She said, extending her wings and leapt out of the cave entrance. Flapping her wings, Celestia turned north and began to fly towards the Empire.

Luna looked as her sister flew. Whatever happens, everything will be different after today. Luna thought, flapping her own wings and taking off after her sister, the cave and its mountain fading in the distance as the two royal sisters made haste for the Crystal Empire.

-Sugar Cube Corner, Ponyville: Present Day-

"WOOO! PARTY!"

Palm Spring's head snapped in the direction of the shout. To her surprise, she saw Speedy Delivery jumping in the air and having the time of his life.

Palm tilted her head at the disguised changeling as a slight grin appeared on her face. Wow. This party's really getting to his head isn't it? She thought, taking a sip of the punch she'd gotten from the table.

Palm's eyes turned to a pink mare that had trotted over to the table to get refreshments as well, until she heard Speedy's outburst.

"That's the spirit!" She cheered the sky blue pony on.

"This is a pretty sweet party. And you put all this together?" Palm asked the pink pony.

The pink mare turned to give Palm a smile. "Yepperdoodle! It was the least I could do to welcome the three of you to Ponyville." She said modestly.

Palm returned the smile. "Well thanks for the festivities. What's your name?"

"Pinkamina Diane Pie, but everybody calls me Pinkie." She replied, putting a hoof on her chest. "And your name is…"

"Palm Spring." Palm replied, extending her hoof for a shake. Pinkie met Palm's hoof with her own, giving it a quick shake. Palm took a swig of the purple punch, the fruity beverage tickling her taste buds. "Hey Pinkie, can I ask you something?"

"Anything." Pinkie responded cheerily.

"How did you know there were three of us that were new to Ponyville?" Palm asked, giving the party pony skeptical look.

Pinkie giggled. "My Pinkie Sense told me." She replied, earning a confused look from Palm. "It's what I call these feelings I get that something's happening or about to happen. Like when I get an achy shoulder, it means my pet alligator Gummy is in the bathtub." She explained, the innocent smile still plastered on her face.

Wait, a pet alligator? Palm thought, not sure what to make of that. "So uh… what's the feeling you get when there are newcomers in town?"

"Easy. When I get a twitch in the side of my neck, it means somepony new is coming to Ponyville. I woke up this morning and got out of bed like usual, then suddenly I felt my neck twitch three times in a row!" She exclaimed, sharply tilting her head to the side as an example. "At first I didn't believe it, but when I saw your black stallion friend here earlier and then I knew that my Pinkie Senses were right again!" Pinkie concluded.

Words failed Palm Spring, unable to come up with a response. How does that-? Can she-? THAT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL! Palm thought, her mind feeling like it was about to explode.

Shaking her head, Palm collected her thoughts. "So then you figured to throw a party for the three of us on a whim?"

Pinkie nodded. "Yep! It's what my special talent is, so why not? And who doesn't love a party, right?"

A smile tugged at Palm's face. It didn't make sense, but she'll just go with it. And while she didn't have much experience with parties, she was certainly enjoying herself.

"Well I for one sure do." Palm said, her party host grinning with satisfaction.

"Careful with that!" A voice shouted from across the room. Both Palm and Pinkie looked to see a cornflower blue unicorn mare with a silvery mane and tail, her horn glowing a light purple as she levitated a large piñata onto a hook that hung from the rafters. "If it's unbalanced it could spill everywhere."

Pinkie perked up. "Ooh. Trixie needs some help with the piñata. I gotta go help her."

Palm stared at the unicorn that handled the piñata. Trixie. The name repeated in Cipha's mind as she watched the unicorn let the piñata's top hook connect with the one that hung from the roof. I think we've found our unicorn.

Preparations

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 33-Preparations

-Crystal Empire: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Sombra looked out at the silhouettes of the mountains the surrounded the city from the balcony, his eyes squinting against the glare of the early morning sun. His gaze turned down towards the crystal ponies that were just now getting out of their homes for their daily duties. And so another day of my reign begins. Sombra thought, a smile tugging at his face.

Sombra's ears perked as a voice spoke up behind him. "And it is in dire jeopardy, King Sombra." He knew that voice.

Sombra turned around to face the grey alicorn, Sombra's green and red eyes staring into his visitor's yellow ones. "How can that be? My subjects show no signs of rebellion and there are none that threaten my rule."

The alicorn snorted. "A search within thy borders would prove fruitless, but I am here to tell thee that beyond those mountains, two more alicorns like myself shall try to remove thy royal title."

Sombra's eyes narrowed. "The Equestrian princesses. Just as thou foretold."

The alicorn nodded. "Remember, Sombra. I have imbued thee with powerful magic. Powerful enough to rival the Elements that the princesses wield. Thou will be more than a match for them."

"And should they best me?" Sombra asked hypothetically.

"Then the Crystal Empire will no longer be thine and it will come under the rule of another." The alicorn responded.

Sombra put on a determined look. "Should they defeat me, then none other shall have the Crystal Empire." He said, walking past the alicorn and going inside the castle. "This empire is mine alone to rule. If I cannot have it, then no one can."

"What will thou do, Sombra?" The alicorn asked as he watched Sombra head towards the door on the opposite end of the royal bedchambers.

Sombra took a deep breath. "Prepare myself for the battle ahead. And ensure that this empire remains with me." He said, his curved horn glowing dark purple, green tendrils of magic shooting from his horn. With a dark purple flash, Sombra departed from the castle.

The alicorn smiled after seeing Sombra disappear. "Today's the day, Siphon." He said, raising his hoof-mounted gauntlet to his face. "Today our plan goes into effect."

The Shadow could hear the excitement in Siphon's voice. Oh joyous day! And Sombra is confident with his abilities?

"More than confident I'd say." The Shadow said with a chuckle. "We will wait until he fights the princesses and when Sombra is disposed of, Luna will play her part."

And the long night will begin. Siphon concluded with a hiss.

"Absolutely. Now then, shall we check up on the progress of the princesses?" The Shadow suggested, his horn beginning to glow yellow.

May as well buy Sombra a few extra minutes before the Equestrians arrive. Siphon concurred, both him and his master disappearing in a bright flash of golden light.

Shooting Star's eyes cracked open as she awoke from her slumber. Looking around at her surroundings, she was comforted to know that she was on the same couch she fell asleep on the previous night. With a yawn and a stretch of her limbs, Shooting Star stood up.

"Oh, good morning." A male voice said to the left of her. Shooting's head turned to see Shining slowly walking down the stairs.

"Good morning to thee as well." Shooting replied. "How long hast thou been awake?"

Shining shrugged. "I'd guess about half an hour." He figured as he reached the bottom of the staircase.

Shooting glanced out the window of the crystal house to see the sun rising between the peaks of the mountains on the eastern side of the valley. Hmm. Princess Celestia must have just raised the sun. Wait… the princess! She thought, her mind immediately going to the report she was supposed to give the princesses.

"I have to go." Shooting said hurriedly as she started towards the crystal house's front door.

Shining's head turned towards Shooting, his eyes widening at the departing pegasus. "No, no, no, no! Thou canst leave yet!" He exclaimed, dashing from the bottom of the staircase and in front of Shooting, blocking her way to the door.

The Equestrian scout's eyes narrowed at the crystal pony in front of her. "Get out of my way, Shining." She growled between gritted teeth.

"I am sorry, Shooting Star. But I cannot let thou leave just yet." Shining replied.

"I have a report to give to my princesses back in Equestria. Why can't I leave yet?" Shooting asked in a determined tone.

Shining looked down at the wooden floor and sighed. "Because there is one last thing I must tell thee about King Sombra."

Shooting backed off from the crystal pony. "One last thing?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes." Shining replied with a nod. "Forgive me if I did not tell thee sooner, but we-"

Shooting cut the stallion off. "What is it thou wish to tell me, Shining? I do not have much time."

"The final piece of the story is Sombra's coronation." Shining responded.

-Southern mountains, Crystal Empire: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"How much farther north do we have to go?" Luna shouted over the howling mountain wind, her eyes straining to stay open against the gusts.

Celestia didn't look back at Luna as she responded. "It cannot be much farther by now!" She answered. I seriously have no idea how much farther we have to go.

The pair of royal sisters glided between mountain peaks, the wind picking up as it blew in their faces.

"Tia! We can't stay up here much longer! The wind will take us out of the sky before we can reach the Empire!" Luna cried.

Hearing her sister's cry, Celestia began searching for solutions to the frigid temperatures they were flying through. The higher we are, the colder it gets… I wonder. She thought, her purple eyes shooting down towards the ravines below them. It would be risky, but it's better than fighting the wind and freezing up here.

The solar princess looked back at her sister. "Luna! Dive towards the rocks below! We'll have to maneuver through the ravines!"

"Have thee lost thy mind!?" Luna shouted back. "Surely there's another way!"

Celestia gave a huff. "It's either fighting this wind or taking our chances in the crags below!"

Luna's eyes dropped to the rocks below and then rose back up to Celestia, the wind stinging her eyes as she looked ahead. Oh to Tartarus with it! She thought, gritting her teeth in frustration.

"Fine! Let's go!" Luna replied, closing her wings as she began her descent.

Celestia watched her sister dive towards the rocky chasm, soon following her with a dive. As the peaks passed from her field of view, the grey rocks on the floor of the abyss rapidly approached her. Watching Luna's wings open up, Celestia followed suit just above the tops of the rocks. I hope the Empire is close. The white alicorn thought as she zipped past the peak of a boulder.

Yellow eyes watched eagerly as the two sisters dive into the valley, a smile spreading on the grey alicorn's face as his black mane and tail billowed in the wind.

Nothing a little environmental manipulation couldn't fix. Going through those ravines will definitely impede their progress. The Shadow thought. Hopefully that'll give Sombra enough time to do what he needs to do.

-Sugarcube Corner, Ponyville: Present Day-

Silver Star's eyes scanned the raucous collection of ponies known as a "party". He looked out at all the ponies dancing to the music coming from the record player in the corner of the room, the groups of ponies idly making conversation at the snacks and punch table, and finally his eyes settled on a trio of multihued mares playing a game he'd heard others call 'pin the tail on the donkey'. The more of the enjoyment he saw the ponies having, the more sour his look became.

These ponies are having too good a time for this to be real. Am I just having a stupidly happy nightmare or something? Chassis thought, closing his eyes and began trying to pinch himself. He opened his eyes and looked down at his hooves. Wait a tick… hooves. Duh. He figured, giving himself a solid facehoof. Well I guess I'm not dreaming. Well if there's anything to be gained from this experience it's the knowledge that there's more than enough love for me to feed on after this.

"Hiya!" A happy voice exclaimed next to him.

Silver jumped in reaction to the sound, his head snapping in its direction. Standing right in front of him was a poofy pink pony, the biggest smile Silver had ever seen plastered on her face.

"Uh, hi." Silver responded uneasily.

"My name's Pinkie Pie. What's yours?" The ecstatic pink equine asked.

Silver's green eyes darted from side to side, looking for an escape route. "Silver Star. And you're the one who threw this party, right?"

Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. "Yep!" She exclaimed. "When I saw you in the bakery this morning I knew that newcomers were in town so I decided to throw this party for you and your friends!"

"Yes, that's nice and all but- wait." Silver caught himself mid-sentence. "How did you know I had other ponies with me?"

Pinkie giggled innocently, despite the suspicious look Silver was giving her. "My Pinkie Sense, silly."

"Huh?" Silver asked, flabbergasted by her response.

Pinkie grinned at the confused stallion. "Basically my Pinkie Sense is these itty-bitty tingly feelings I get on my body whenever something's about to happen. Like if my tail's twitching, something's going to fall." Pinkie stated, shaking her tail for emphasis. "Then there are combos like when my ears flop, eyes flutter and knees twitch, that means a door's about to open!"

Silver's right eye twitched. But how did-? When did she-? WHAT?! Chassis began to feel his mind go into a meltdown.

"I think I need to sit down." Chassis stated, a blank look finding itself on his face. Plopping his rear on the ground, his green eyes continued to stare into space.

"Okie-dokie lokie!" Pinkie exclaimed cheerfully as she began bouncing away towards another corner of the party.

I don't know whether to be confused, infuriated by her logic, or happy that she doesn't know about us. Chassis figured, the room around him beginning to slow its spinning. I sure hope Fang and Cipha are handling this better than I am.

"So your name is… Trixie, right?" Palm Spring asked the cornflower blue unicorn.

The unicorn puffed out her chest in pride. "Yes it is. And your name is…?

"Palm Spring." The disguised changeling replied in a friendly tone, extending a cinnamon brown hoof in greeting. Trixie reached out and shook Palm's hoof in response. "So are you new to Ponyville too?"

Trixie chuckled at the question. "Well I wouldn't say 'new' is the correct term."

"How so?" Palm asked, cocking an eyebrow at the vague answer.

Trixie let out a sigh, as if recalling a memory. "Let's just say that my past experiences with Ponyville haven't been the most… positive." She said, noticing the confused look on Palm's visage. "But my attitude has improved since then. Now I seek to make ponies happy rather than belittle them for my own gain."

"Well that's good to hear." Palm said, not knowing what to make of Trixie's response. "So what are you doing here in Ponyville? Here for the party?"

"Absolutely. When I received the pink one's invitation, I couldn't say no." Trixie said with a smile. "And I could ask the same of you. What are you doing in Ponyville?"

"Oh. Uh, nothing." Palm replied, trying to think of a cover story for their mission.

Trixie's eyebrow arched. "Really? Come on. Nopony comes to a place like Ponyville without a reason."

Come on, Cipha! Think! Think! The changeling's mind shouted, beads of sweat beginning to form on her brow.

"Hey Palm!" A voice to her left shouted. Relieved that Trixie's attention had gone from her to whoever shouted, Palm looked to see whom the exclamation came from. To her surprise, a sky blue pony came bounding over to the two mares, a cup of purple liquid in his hoof. "You have to try this punch! It's awesome!"

Palm eyed the punch. "Uh, thanks Speedy." She said, taking the cup from her accomplice's hoof and took a swig. The sweet tang of fruit immediately hit Palm's taste buds as the purple punch swished around in her mouth. After swallowing the drink, a resounding "Mmm." emerged from her throat. "That was pretty good."

Speedy's smile widened. "I told ya!" He exclaimed, his eyes turning to the mare that stood next to Palm. "And who's your new friend, Palm?"

Trixie extended her hoof to the stallion. "Trixie. And your name's Speedy?"

Speedy nodded. "Yep. Speedy Delivery. And is your name just Trixie or is there something else to it?"

Trixie's smile slightly faded. "Well I was once known as the Great and Powerful Trixie, but that was a long time ago. Now I just go by Trixie."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie, hmm?" Palm wondered, her mission coming to the front of her mind immediately. "So you're really skilled with magic, right?"

"Well I wouldn't say really skilled, but I do possess quite the range of magical abilities." Trixie replied sheepishly. "Why do you ask?"

Speedy and Palm swapped grins.

Speedy cleared his throat. "Well Trixie, we have a proposition for you."

-Ponyville Library-

Twilight glanced up at the clock that hung from the wall. Seven past eight. The others should be getting here fairly soon. She figured.

"Well everything's set." Spike said from beside her. Twilight looked down at her draconic assistant just in time to see him lick a glop of nacho cheese off a few of his claw, a plate of cheese-covered chips held up to the purple alicorn with his other hand. "The nachos are ready and the library is set up for the meeting."

A smile graced Twilight's features. "Thanks, Spike." She said, her horn glowing a bright purple. A similarly colored aura surrounded the nachos as the plate of cheesy snacks was levitated from Spike's hand and placed next to the stack of reading material about the Elements. "And you sure you're alright after having that vision?"

Spike gave his guardian an empathetic look. "Yeah I'm fine, Twilight. Besides if I were you it wouldn't be me I was concerned with."

"Well thanks for the kind words, Spike. But both our visions will be addressed equally during this meeting Luna had us bring together. Speaking of which, have you gotten any messages from her ever since this morning?"

Spike shook his head. "Can't say I have, Twilight. Maybe she had some royal business to attend to."

Twilight looked at the wooden floor in contemplation. "Maybe. Whatever the case for her absence, I'm sure all the Element-bearers can come up with a solution." She said optimistically.

"I hope so too." Spike said with a slight smile.

Suddenly both Twilight and Spike's heads turned towards the door when a Ck ck ck sound came from outside.

"Hello? Is anypony home?" a soft voice from outside the door asked.

Twilight's eyes lit up. "Yes, Fluttershy! We're here!" She called, coming to the door to open it for her guest. Upon opening both halves of the door, Twilight smiled at her yellow pegasus friend. "Come on in. We've got some snacks if you want some."

Fluttershy smiled at the offer as she entered the library. "Thanks but I just had some dinner with Angel and the animals, so I'll pass."

"So how's your day been, Flutters?" Spike asked.

"It's been good, thanks for asking Spike." Fluttershy responded. "Although ever since you told me about that vision of yours Twilight, I've been a bit concerned."

Twilight gave her bashful friend a grin. "Thanks for the concern, Fluttershy but I'm fine. I've just been trying to figure out what all's going on around here. I mean with the dreams and now these visions-"

"Wait." Fluttershy stopped Twilight, a confused look finding itself on the pegasus's face. "Did you say visions? As in more than one?"

"Oh it's not like I've been having multiple visions, Fluttershy." Twilight said dismissively. "Spike's had one too."

Fluttershy's gaze went straight from Twilight's to Spike's in half a second. "You had one too?" She asked in shock.

Spike rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah I had one earlier today like Twilight did. But don't worry about it. We'll talk about each of our visions during the meeting when the others get here."

"What?!" A voice shrieked from the library entrance. All three heads turned to see a wide-eyed Rarity standing in the doorway. "Spike had a vision too?"

"Rarity? When did you get here?" Twilight asked.

Rarity gave the doorway a glance. "Well you really should close the door when other ponies have gotten inside, Twilight. But did I hear that both you and Spike had visions?"

Spike put up his hands trying to calm the fashionista's worries. "We're both fine, Rarity. And like you probably heard me tell Fluttershy, we'll both talk about our visions when the others get here."

The worried look on Rarity's face faded slightly. "But still, I'm sure I'm not the only one here who'd like to know what is going on here. First those ghastly dreams each of us had and now two of my best friends having strange visions." She said, sinking to the floor and covering her face with her hooves. "I just want to know why all of this is happening!"

Fluttershy exchanged looks with Spike and Twilight. "Well I'm sure we'll all have a better idea of what's going on after the meeting." She said in a reassuring tone.

"Yeah!" Spike exclaimed. "We'll get to the bottom of this thing if it takes us all night! So do you want any nachos, Rarity?" He asked, the unicorn looking up from her hooves to the cheese-layered chips.

"Uh… I'll pass. It's not that they look delicious, it's just that they're not very…. clean." She said, giving a disapproving look at the snacks. "I had a hooficure earlier today and I do not want to ruin such beauteousness with such messy edibles as nachos."

A simple no would've done just fine. Spike thought, fighting the urge to roll his eyes.

-Canterlot-

Luna looked up in the sky at what she had just raised. She took a deep breath, knowing what the circular white ball in the sky meant tonight. Her eyes reflected the full moon that stared back at her, taunting her with its memories. The Shadow was on the verge of returning, there was little she could do about that. She knew the havoc he would wreak upon Equestria- no, not just Equestria, the world- when he came back. When he comes back, it'll only be a matter of time before he unleashes his attack. But where? And how? Luna wondered, her eyes staying glued to the moon above her. His vengeance will be swift. His anger will be powerful. Luna could only imagine what terrors would ensue should the Shadow take Equestria. Her thoughts then turned to her subjects. They wouldn't know what hit them. Luna knew full well that against the Shadow's power, there was little to do but run. She'd seen his thought process during her imprisonment. He would win, just like how he did with herself.

Luna's eyes stared angrily in defiance at the moon. Not this time. Luna thought. With a quick turn, Luna walked back inside the castle. Luna looked up to see Celestia waiting for her, Discord standing next to her. Both of them gave the lunar princess a sympathetic look.

"Are you ready?" Celestia asked.

Luna's head turned towards the open doorway, silver moonlight pouring in through the entrance. With a sigh, Luna turned back to her sister. "Yes. Is the doorway open?" She asked the spirit of chaos.

Discord tapped his chin with an eagle claw. "Hmm. Well open might not be the best description." He said, giving air quotes 'open'.

"Even so, we must make haste to the tomb entrance." Celestia said, turning towards Discord. "Lead the way."

With a light smile, Discord gave Celestia a quick bow. "Certainly, Princess." With that, he leapt in the air and began gliding down the hallway.

Luna and Celestia exchanged looks before they began following the draconequus down the empty corridor.

The Best Laid Plans

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 34-The Best Laid Plans

-Crystal Palace: 1,020 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Prodigal stood in the center of the waiting room, a smooth red cape flowing over his body as his reflections in the mirrors that hung on the pearl-white walls stared back at him. He'd heard the news of King Malachite's death, just like all the other citizens of the Crystal Empire. Even thought Prodigal didn't know the deceased monarch all that much, he still felt despair because it was Malachite that had allowed the vagabond unicorn to find the perfect home. And now the gracious king was dead and Prodigal was to be crowned as his replacement.

Why me, though? The soon-to-be king wondered. I do not have the qualities of being a leader. I know nothing about running an empire. Why not search for one more suitable than I?

A pair of knocks interrupted Prodigal's thoughts, his head turning towards the light blue crystal door. Prodigal watched the circular doorknob twist and the door as it was pushed open. Standing in the doorway was an adolescent silver crystal pony, his sky blue man falling straight behind his head.

"Art thou ready for the coronation, Prodigal?" Shining Star asked.

The white unicorn heaved a resigning sigh. "As ready as I shall ever be."

Shining gave an understanding nod. "While I may not know the full impact of what thou are about to undertake, I will say that I will help thee adjust to being a ruler to the best of my ability."

"Thanks, Shining." Prodigal replied with a slight smile. "So shall we go, then?"

"So we shall, my king." Shining said, giving a bow.

A chuckle escaped Prodigal's throat. "Not king yet, Shining. Not just yet."

With that, Prodigal walked out the preparation room and headed down the mirror-lined white hallway towards a pair of golden doors at the far end of the hall. His blue eyes scanned the walls of mirrors, wondering what the need for all these reflective surfaces was.

Shining took notice of Prodigal's curious gazes at the mirrors and spoke up. "The mirrors represent the burdens of being a ruler. No matter what happens in the Crystal Empire, be it internal unrest or conquerors from the outside, thou art wholly responsible for the empire's well-being."

Prodigal's eyes widened as he understood the depth of what Shining had just said. "No pressure, then."

Shining snickered at Prodigal's remark as the pair reached the golden double doors. "I am confident that thou will make a powerful and wise king."

"That makes one of us." Prodigal replied just as the pair of doors began to open.

As the doors opened, the view of the main chapel of the Crystal Temple was spread out before Prodigal and Shining. Dozens of rows of crystal ponies stood in front of them, a long ruby red carpet that dividing the rows in half led towards a pair of crystal ponies standing on either side of the centerpiece of the chapel. A light blue light pulsated from the Crystal Heart as it levitated between the two ponies.

On the right was an elderly yellow crystal pony mare with an old white mane and beard. On his body was what appeared to be a multihued ceremonial robe, a golden chain with a Crystal Heart-shaped pendant hanging around his neck.

On the left was one of the councilors Sombra had encountered in his inquisition. Emerald, was it? Prodigal thought, seeing the light green stallion staring back at him, his cyan eyes conveying nary an emotion.

The crystal mare was the first to speak. "Prodigal, step forward."

Prodigal glanced around the room, all eyes focused on him. Putting on a determined look, the unicorn began to slowly advance towards the pair of crystal ponies and the Crystal Heart, his cape dragging on the floor behind him. As his red cape dragged along the similarly hued carpet, the carpet's color shimmered into a sky blue. Each deliberate step made the soon-to-be king's heart thump in his chest. It felt like a millennium, but Prodigal soon found himself standing in front of the Crystal Heart, his muzzle within inches of it.

The pulsating blue light shined in Prodigal's eyes as the crystal priestess began the ceremony.

"My fellow crystal ponies, today we transition from the reign of King Malachite into the reign of King Prodigal. Do thee accept this pony to be our new leader in times of peace and in times of turmoil?"

"We do." The multitudes behind Prodigal spoke.

The priestess then turned to the unicorn next to her. "Do thee, Prodigal, promise to rule the Crystal Empire to the best of thy ability? To defend it in times of need and to protect its citizens, even if it means giving thyself should the situation require it?"

Prodigal closed his eyes, the light blue glow of the Crystal Heart still shining on his face. Mustering what determination and courage he had, the former vagabond let out a hearty "I do."

Then Emerald began his lines. "And do thee, Prodigal, promise to lead with a fair and just hoof? Do thee agree to act in accord with the advice of the Crystal Council? And to represent the peoples' ideals before the Council?"

"I do." Prodigal answered, opening his eyes.

The crystal priestess spoke up again. "Then by the power invested in all of us by the Crystal Heart, we make thee our new king." Upon finishing her line, she and all the other crystal ponies in the room bowed towards the front of the chapel.

While still staring at the Crystal Heart, Prodigal did not notice the long carpet he'd tread across begin to emit a bright blue light from the back, the glow zipping up the carpet towards the Crystal Heart. When the glow reached the Crystal Heart, Prodigal noticed that it began to slowly spin in place, its rotation rate rising with every second. After a few moments, the Crystal Heart was now spinning so fast that Prodigal could see only the bright blue outline of the Heart. Prodigal's eyes widened at seeing the glow of the Crystal Heart begin to intensify, the light being emitted from the Heart making Prodigal squint to continue looking at it. Suddenly, a bright blue flash from the Crystal Heart blinded Prodigal, the unicorn shutting his eyes from the blast. After a moment of blindness, he opened his eyes again, Prodigal's ice blue eyes now glowing with the same light the Crystal Heart possessed.

A strange sensation weighed on Prodigal's head. He looked up to see a polished steel crown sat atop his brow, two horns projecting upwards from either side of the crown, and in the center was a circle with two red arcs on either side of it.

Prodigal turned back to the crowd of still bowing crystal ponies, the light blue glow in his eyes beginning to fade.

The crystal priestess was first to rise. "All hail Prodigal, king of the Crystal Empire!" She exclaimed, her voice reverberating around the chapel.

The hundreds of voices repeated, their voices sending tremors through the chapel floor. "All hail Prodigal, king of the Crystal Empire!"

-Crystal Kingdom: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Since then, his reign has been benevolent. At least, until a few days ago." Shining Star concluded.

Shooting Star stared back at the crystal pony, her mouth slightly agape. "I need to get word back to the princesses immediately." She said quickly as she began to gallop towards the door.

"Shooting Star!" Shining exclaimed as the pegasus scout reached the door handle.

Shooting turned her head toward Shining, her sky blue eyes filled with urgency.

"What is it?" She asked.

Shining looked at the floor, breathing out a sigh before returning his gaze to hers. "Good luck out there."

Shooting gave Shining a slight smile. "Thanks. Thou hast been of great help to me and I doubt I would have gotten any of the information I have without thee."

"Well I guess this is goodbye." Shining said, rubbing one of his front hooves with the other one.

Shooting shook her head, her blazing yellow mane swaying back and forth. "Do not say such a thing. I do not believe in goodbyes."

"What dost thou mean by that?" Shining asked, wondering what she meant.

"Goodbyes just mean that we won't see each other again. I hope we see each other again, Shining. And I pray that Princesses Celestia and Luna save the Crystal Empire from thy king."

"Many thanks, Shooting Star. Now go on." Shining said, gesturing his head at the door. "Thou have a report to give."

With a smile and a nod, Shooting exited the house. Shining was still staring at the door long after she had flown away.

The cyan crystal floated before Sombra's muzzle, his eyes staring into it. The Crystal Heart's faint glow bathed the central area of the rooftop in a light azure. King Sombra turned to look down on his kingdom from the top of the Crystal Palace, the wind ripping through his mane. His eyes were focused on the mountains on the southern side of the valley, the mountains his foes would emerge from.

If I cannot keep my empire, then no one can. The tyrant thought with a grimace as he turned his attention back to the Crystal Heart. A swirling black aura enveloped his curved horn as he began the spell.

"What art thou doing, Sombra?" A familiar voice behind the unicorn king asked.

Sombra huffed and turned around to face the yellow-eyed being before him. "I was tasked to protect the Crystal Empire, be it from internal struggles or outside conquerors, and that is exactly what I am doing."

The Shadow's eyes narrowed at Sombra. "And how does the Crystal Heart play into that plan?"

Sombra turned back and began trying to cast his spell again. "The Crystal Empire is mine, Crystal Glory. The power you imbued me with has given me the strength to ensure that it stays with me." He said. With a grunt, tendrils of black magic shot from Sombra's horn and struck the Crystal Heart.

What is he doing? The Shadow thought as he watched the dark magic snake its way around the heart-shaped crystal. Wait… the Crystal Heart is connected to the Empire itself, so if Sombra's binding it to himself- The alicorn's bright yellow eyes widened in realization.

"Sombra! Do not be irrational! Think about what thou art doing!" The Shadow shouted, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

"I know what I am doing, alicorn." Sombra replied, a smile beginning to spread on his face as the spell neared its completion. "Once this spell is complete, I will no longer need thy assistance."

A look of shocked anger began to crawl onto the Shadow's face when he heard Sombra's words. "My… assistance?"

"Thou hast made me more powerful than any unicorn could hope to be, and for that I thank thee. However, thy services are no longer required." Sombra said, as a final black burst of his horn began orbiting the Crystal Heart.

"So to thee… I am but a stepping stone for thee to gain power." The Shadow growled.

"I do hope that thou do not take it personally and thou hast been of great help, but unfortunately, thy work here is done." Sombra said, watching the black swirls around the Crystal Heart begin to settle onto the ground underneath it, etching designs onto the surface.

Sombra turned around to face the Shadow, only to be face-to-face furious yellow eyes.

"Listen well, Sombra." The Shadow said with a sneer. "What I had to offer thee was more than mere power. I could have given thee riches. I could have given thee respect. I could have given thee a dominion that would last throughout countless generations. I knew thou had potential, but now I see that I chose my pawn poorly."

"What art thou saying, Crystal?" Sombra asked, concern beginning to form in his mind.

"When I chose thee twenty years ago, I saw ambition. I saw untapped power. But now I see that thou art no more than a power-hungry weakling that without me, would never have gotten to where thou art now." The Shadow spat, his unfaltering gaze piercing Sombra's soul.

"I am no weakling!" Sombra shouted. "I am king of the Crystal Empire. And I am far more powerful than any can imagine!"

The Shadow closed his eyes and sighed in disappointment. "Seeing how thy power has blinded thee, then I shall depart thy presence. But should thee stumble and fall in the coming fight, do not expect me to assist thee."

"Pah! As if I ever needed thy help." Sombra said, turning back to face his crystalline kingdom. "My power shall prove to be more than enough to match the power the Equestrian princesses bring."

The Shadow's horn began to glow a faint yellow. "Then my work here is done. Go on and fight, King Sombra, and when thou art banished into the ice, may all thou hoped to gain taunt thee from above the surface."

Sombra's confidence evaporated. "When I get banished?"

"Do thee not recall the dream I provided thee and Princess Luna with? That there will be two banishments." The Shadow said tauntingly, his horn's glow beginning to brighten as a smile crept onto his face. "One shall be banished from this world, the other shall be banished into this world. Goodbye, King Sombra. Enjoy thy power while thou still have it." With that, a flash of yellow light enveloped the alicorn as he vanished.

Sombra sat dumbfounded at what he'd heard. No. No, no, no. I will beat the princesses. I will not lose my kingdom!

His gaze turned toward the southern mountains, gritting his fangs in rage. "COME FACE ME, PRINCESSES OF EQUESTRIA! I AM KING SOMBRA OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE AND THIS KINGDOM IS MINE!"

Celestia and Luna glided over the craggy valley between the mountains, the bone-chilling mountain wind now several hundred feet above them.

"It can't be much farther to the Crystal Empire!" Celestia called back optimistically.

"How would thee know?" Luna retorted, anxious from all the flying towards a destination that they never seemed to come to. "Maybe we should have waited for Shooting Star to return to us before coming all the way up here!"

Celestia turned her head back to face Luna's. "And risk King Sombra causing more damage than he already has? I will not leave the fate of the Crystal Empire in the hands of a mad stallion such as he!"

Because she would rather have it for herself.

Luna blinked at the thought that appeared in her mind, a smirk flickering across her mouth. Come after this fight, her ambitions will yield nothing for her. She wondered as she swerved right to avoid a jagged outcropping from one of the mountains.

"Sister!" Celestia's voice called, snapping Luna from her thoughts. "Ahead of us! Look!"

Luna began flapping her wings harder, catching up to Celestia. As she was neck and neck with her sister, Luna looked ahead between the mountains ahead of them, her eyes widening at what they saw.

Before them was the Crystal Empire, in all its glory in the mid-day sun.

-Buffalo tribal lands: Present day-

Little Strongheart gazed up at the night sky, the stars twinkling back at her. The plains grass surrounding her softly fluttered in the calm evening breeze. What a peaceful night the Equestrian princess has provided. She thought in admiration. Ever since the resolution between the ponies of Appleoosa and the buffalo tribe, a state of peace had existed between the two groups, each thriving off the other. The young buffalo slowly shook her head at the memories of how close they got to war, the very thought of such a conflict sending chills down her spine.

Enough of such thoughts. She thought, shaking them from her mind. The day is long gone and I need to get some rest. With that, Little Strongheart stood up and began walking back to the collection of teepees where the rest of her herd was sleeping soundly. Well, all except one.

Chief Thunderhooves looked out across the open flatland, a smile adorning his features. The prairie grass whipped from side to side in the breeze as the sun's golden rays shone warmly on the landscape. The buffalo chief watched as a massive herd of buffalo gallop across the grass-covered plain.

There must be thousands of them in that herd. He thought in awe as he noticed a group of younger bulls and cows chasing each other around and between the legs of the larger buffalo, one of which he recognized. He watched Little Strongheart gallop along side one of the larger buffalo, the feathers in her headband fluttering behind her as she ran.

Chief Thunderhooves continued to smile as he watched the massive herd move along the plain, oblivious to the fact that the soft breeze had ceased. It wasn't until the corner of his eye caught a shadow moving along the plain towards the herd. The chief looked up at the sky, his eyebrows furrowing at the sight of a massive wave of clouds drifting through the blue sky, concealing it behind a veil of swirling grey. Chief Thunderhooves's eyes dropped back down to the herd, the shadow of the clouds beginning to catch up to them. As the shadow passed over the ground, yellow-green grass withered in its wake, turning brown and twisted.

Something is not right here. The chief thought as the clouds began to move over the sun, its light concealed from Thunderhooves's sight. That's when he saw it. The shadow on the ground had reached the back of the herd, the buffalo at the rear of the pack suddenly dropped to the ground upon the shadow's touch.

The chief's eyes widened at seeing his fellow buffalo fall. Perhaps he injured himself while stampeding? He thought, trying of figure out what he just witnessed. Another buffalo fell as the shadow advanced on the herd, and a third, and a fourth. Thunderhooves's eyes widened in realization. They are dying!

"Run! Run faster!" Thunderhooves shouted to the herd, but they continued on their path, another buffalo falling to the withered grass as the shadow made its way through the herd. Why aren't they listening to me?

The chief's eyes darted behind the herd, seeing the first buffalo that fell from the shadow begin to stand up. He let out a sigh of relief at the sight. Thank goodness. I suppose I spoke to soon. He thought. What he saw next made his optimism fall as quickly as it had come up. The buffalo that had stood up opened its eyes. Thunderhooves was taken aback at seeing that the buffalo's eyes were glowing red. The buffalo chief stood in shock at seeing the other buffalo that had fallen begin to stand up just like the first one, each opening their red eyes. By now, half the herd had fallen into the shadow, the rest still oblivious of their fallen comrades.

Suddenly the first buffalo that had gotten up began galloping at full speed towards the still stampeding buffalo herd in front of it. Thunderhooves saw the pure ferocity in the creature's eyes. He watched it pursue the herd with an animalistic desperation that Chief Thunderhooves had never seen before. Thunderhooves's jaw dropped at seeing the other risen buffalo begin to chase the remaining herd members with the same determination as the first.

As the group of red-eyed buffalo charged, Chief Thunderhooves held his breath, wondering what they were going to do. He watched the first one lower his head, aiming his horns at the back legs of the buffalo at the rear of the pack. As the red-eyed pursuer got within in range, Chief Thunderhooves gasped at what happened next.

With one fluid motion, the red-eyed buffalo lifted its head underneath the legs of the rear buffalo in the herd. The unfortunate buffalo was flipped head over heels by the attacking buffalo, falling into the withered grasses behind the herd, the red-eyed buffalo continuing on towards its next target. Before the fallen buffalo could get up, one of the red-eyed buffalo was on top of him. Even though the body of its attacker blocked Thunderhooves's view of the wounded buffalo, he could clearly hear the cries of pain coming from the downed buffalo and see, to the chief's horror, spurts of blood shooting from both sides behind the attacking buffalo.

The chief's eyes turned from the scene of carnage and toward the remainder of the herd, the charging buffalo beginning to close in on the rear buffalo again.

Not this time! Chief Thunderhooves thought, beginning to gallop towards the herd to defend it. At least he would have if his hooves weren't frozen in place. He tried lifting his legs to move, but they remained fastened to the dirt beneath him. "What is this?! Why can't I move?!" Thunderhooves exclaimed as he thrashed around in place, unable to move his legs.

His eyes rose up to see three more herd buffalo being brought down to the ground by the red-eyed attackers, only a handful of buffalo remaining unscathed. Chief Thunderhooves's pupils shrank at seeing one of the few buffalo still running in the herd. Little Strongheart was still running through the still sun-shone grasses, blind to the red-eyed buffalo closing in behind her.

"NO!" Chief Thunderhooves roared. "Little Strongheart! Look behind you!"

Little Strongheart turned to face who had called her name, giving her father a smile as she continued running. Chief Thunderhooves didn't have time to yell to his daughter another time before the red-eyed buffalo caught up to her. With a swift upward motion from her attacker's head, Little Strongheart was tossed up into the air and over the charging buffalo.

The tribal leader watched helplessly as Little Strongheart's form was thrown into the air, landing onto the withered grass and dirt with a thud. It was no more than a second later that another red-eyed buffalo overtook the young buffalo, the happy look on her face Chief Thunderhooves saw earlier now replaced by a look of sheer terror.

Tears welled up in the buffalo chief's eyes as his daughter's cries of pain reached his ears. Chief Thunderhooves's stomach churned for the few seconds he heard Little Strongheart's dying cries. Once done with its prey, the red-eyed buffalo charged ahead after the few remaining herd members.

Chief Thunderhooves's eyes stayed glued to Little Strongheart's crumpled form, tears staining his fur. Her brown eyes were still wide open in shock, but the life had gone from them mere seconds earlier. Bite marks covered her neck and chest, blood seeping from each wound and staining the wrinkled grass beneath her red. The buffalo chief's eyes never rose to see the last of the buffalo herd get attacked and slaughtered in the same way as the others. He never noticed the shadow on the ground turn towards him.

Little Strongheart… Her name repeated in his head, memories he shared with her flashing through his mind. The day she was born, the day she first joined the stampedes, and how she tried to orchestrate peace between the buffalo and settler ponies of Appleoosa. This can't be real. This has to be some terrible dream!

His eyes reluctantly tore themselves from Little Strongheart to the shadow on the ground that was racing in his direction. Take me, demon. My herd and daughter are dead. There is nothing more for me in this realm. The buffalo chief thought, closing his eyes and began waiting for the end to come. He never felt the shadow pass him over.

Suddenly, in the darkness of his closed eyes, a voice boomed in his ears.

"So it will be on the Shadow's day,

When the world is made his prey.

Ready horn, blade, and spear,

For the long night is near."

Chief Thunderhooves's eyes snapped open, the grassy floor of his teepee filling his vision. The buffalo chief could feel the sweat that had soaked into his fur as he tried to steady his quickened breathing.

What kind of vision did I just receive? Thunderhooves pondered, the memories of his dream flooding his mind. Those buffalo, that shadow, Little Strongheart- Little Strongheart! The chief was on his hooves in an instant, racing out his teepee and into the gathering area in the middle of the tribal camp. He dashed towards his daughter's teepee, worrisome thoughts filling his head.

Getting to Little's tent, he flung open the entry flap, hoping his daughter would be there. His heart rate accelerated at the sight of the empty rug on the floor of the teepee.

"No. No, no, no." Chief Thunderhooves said, backing away from Little Strongheart's teepee and whipped around to search for her. To his surprise and relief, Little Strongheart was staring back at him from a few yards ahead of him, a look of concern on her visage.

"Father? Is everything alright?" Little Strongheart asked, seeing the frightened look on her chief's face.

In an instant Chief Thunderhooves ran up and embraced her, the buffalo chief choking out soft sobs as he held her.

Author's Note

Well I've finally caught up to where the story is on Fanfiction, so now any updates that come to the story will be coming every other week. Also, I'd like to thank the users that have given their feedback to the story via commenting or favoriting the story/me:
-AnimeFan5
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Thanks a bunch for the support you guys have shown me so far and I hope you enjoy the story!

-Alphadude

The First of Two

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 36-The First of Two

-Crystal Empire: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

The Crystal Palace loomed large in front of Princess Celestia, her magenta eyes turning up at the spires that rose high into the blue expanse above her, said expanse beginning to be shrouded by the crystalline white walls that were drawing nearer with every flap of her wings.

Celestia's eyes dropped from the towering spires and began scanning the exterior of the palace, searching for an entrance. Almost immediately she spotted a golden balcony jutting out from the center of the building, purple draperies adorning the corners of the balcony's doorway.

"Luna!" Celestia called back to her sister. "You see that balcony?"

"How could I not?" Luna replied, her eyes narrowing determinedly at the curtained entryway. "So we are kicking in the front door, then?"

"Like Shooting Star said earlier, there will be no guards to stop us. So why bother with stealth?"

"It is not stealth I am concerned with, sister." Luna said, Celestia casting a glance back at her. "It is the element of surprise that we need. Going through the front door would only take away an advantage we could use against Sombra."

"Have ye forgotten what lies around thy neck?" Celestia said passively, Luna's eyes zipping down to the Elements around her neck. "We do not need the element of surprise when we have the Elements of Harmony!" She exclaimed optimistically.

This is either going to go very well or very badly. Luna thought forebodingly. "Fine." She conceded. "Now let's get going. We mustn't keep a king waiting."

The royal sisters flapped their wings, drawing ever closer to the balcony entrance. As they neared the outcropping, both alicorns began slowing their flight speed, beginning a slight descent towards the floor of the balcony. Celestia's golden-plated hooves touched down on the balcony first, Luna's silver-plated ones soon following. They both held their breath as their gazes beheld the red-violet curtain that divided the balcony and the room beyond it.

Luna's eyes narrowed determinedly as she took the first steps forward, nudging the curtain aside with her horn. As the lunar princess entered the room, her eyes were greeted with a strange sight. Matte-black walls surrounded the room, pearl white and onyx black tiles checkered the floor. In the center of the chamber was a single silver vambrace that lay on a short obsidian column. A soft beam of light shone on it from above, the metallic hoofpiece glinting in the light, beckoning Luna to approach it.

"Celestia, do thee see this as well?" Luna asked uneasily, looking behind her to see if Celestia had followed her inside. To her surprise, the entrance to the balcony had disappeared, a flat black wall replacing it. Her gaze returned to the vambrace. She felt a strange alluring sense that came from the vambrace, her curiosity piquing at the object. Slowly, she began walking towards it, the silver pieces on her hooves clinking on the tiles as she approached the metallic piece of armor.

Luna's heart pounded in her ears, her heart rate rising as she neared the vambrace. Time slowed around Luna as her gaze stayed glued to the armor piece. After what felt like hours, Luna was within inches of the vambrace. Luna's ears twitched at the voices that began swirling around her ears.

Take hold of it, Luna. The voices whispered. Reach out and claim it.

Luna tore her stare from the vambrace and looked down at her midnight blue hoof, wondering how it had risen up and was about to take the vambrace from the column. Lurching her hoof back, Luna looked down at the vambrace again.

What kind of magic is this? She questioned, furrowing her eyebrows at the metal piece.

Be not afraid, Princess. The voices returned. We are of the same mind as thee.

"What art thou talking about?" Luna demanded.

We wish for the night as much as thee, but we cannot bring about the night on our own. The voices whispered. We need you, Princess. Take it and bring about the night.

Luna's eyes softened at the vambrace, a blue aura beginning to surround her horn. A similarly hued aura covered the vambrace, Luna's magic lifting it off the column and bringing it to her face.

Luna stared at the vambrace. Luna found beauty in the piece's simplicity. There were no designs etched onto the metal, Luna's reflection staring back at her in the polished silver. Luna's eyebrow arched at seeing a several inches-wide rectangular hole in the far end of the armor piece. Tentatively raising a hoof below the vambrace, Luna lowered it until the bottom opening of the armor piece was hovering over the tip of her hoof.

Do it!

Luna slipped the vambrace onto her hoof. Suddenly the vambrace began to emit a green glow.

What is it doing? Alarms began going off in Luna's mind as she stared cautiously at the glowing vambrace.

As the glow began to crescendo, Luna's curious look became one of worry as her eyes were fixed on the vambrace.

In an instant, Luna's vision went black.

Celestia watched as Luna entered the curtained entrance, following her sister inside shortly after the lunar princess disappeared behind the curtain. Nudging the curtain aside with her horn, Celestia stepped into the room that lay behind the now removed barrier.

The princess's eyes scanned the chamber she'd just entered, her vision greeted with impenetrable blackness.

"Luna?" Celestia called out, trying to calm her tensing nerves.

"I am here, sister." Celestia's ears flicked behind her head at hearing Luna's voice behind her.

A sigh of relief exited Celestia's muzzle as she turned around. "Oh thank heavens. I was wondering-" She began to say, but her words stuck in her throat as her eyes fell upon a strange sight.

The darkness over Celestia's eyes was now gone, a grand throne-room style chamber sprawled out before her. Jet-black tiles lined the floor, the white alicorn's reflection in them as clear as crystal. At the far end of the room was an obsidian throne that sat atop a small collection of stairs. Stone columns flanked the center of the room, rising high up to the wide archways that connected to the stone ceiling above, stringy draperies of green moss dangling from cracks between the stones.

What is this place? Celestia wondered as she slowly walked across the tile. Her eyes travelled from her surroundings to the throne that sat proudly on top of the stairs. Celestia's eyes widened in shock at what she saw.

On the throne sat Princess Luna, her visage emotionless as the two sisters' eyes met.

"Luna, what art thou doing there? We need to find Sombra." Celestia was quick to remind.

"No need to look any further, Princesss." Said a low voice behind her. Celestia slowly turned around to see a dark grey unicorn with a wild black mane and tail. On the unicorn's back was a red cape, white and black feathers adorning the hems. His horn was curved, its hue fading from storm grey to tinged red. But the feature that stood out the most to Celestia was his eyes. The whites glowed green while his irises burned red.

A scowl crossed the sun goddess's features. "Sombra."

"Welcome to the Crystal Empire, Princess Celestia. I do not believe that thou received a proper greeting upon thy arrival." Sombra said with a fanged grin.

"Enough of thy words, tyrant!" Celestia exclaimed, her horn beginning to glow faint yellow.

Sombra put a hoof to his chest. "Oh, Celestia. So willing to leap into action, are we?" He mocked.

"Thy rule over the Crystal Empire is finished. Come, Luna." She said, gesturing with her head back at her sister on the throne. "Let us deal with this scum."

Sombra uttered a low chuckle, Celestia's eyebrow rising at the king's reaction to her threats. "Thy sister belongs to me, now. If thee want to get to me, thou will have to go through her."

Celestia's eyebrows rose. "Thou lie!" She exclaimed. "Luna would never fight me, especially to protect a tyrant like thyself."

"Look at her again, Celestia." Sombra said, gesturing towards the throne with his head.

Celestia turned to look at Luna, this time her appearance was different. Her once midnight blue fur was now as black as the night, her horn jutting out longer than before. Her ethereal mane flowed longer and thicker than it had before. Instead of their normal deep blue, they were now harsh teal, her pupils now slit. Celestia's breath escaped her as she beheld her sister's new form.

"Luna?" Celestia asked, not wanting to believe the transformed being in front of her was her sister.

"Yes, Celestia. It is I." Luna affirmed, her voice carrying a hint of madness, a fanged grin spreading across her face.

Grinding her teeth, Celestia spun around. "What did thou do to her!?" She shouted at Sombra, only to find he had disappeared. She turned back to face her sister.

"Like I said before, Princess Celestia, she is now mine." Sombra's voice said from overhead. "And also like I had said, thou will have to get through her to face me."

Celestia's vicious look was soon replaced by one of horror as her gaze turned once more to Luna's.

"Luna. I will not fight thee." Celestia said, taking a few steps back from the throne.

A smile graced Luna's features. "I know, sister. Which is why I know this is going to be so easy for me." Menacingly, Luna stood from her seat on the throne and began descending the stairs toward Celestia.

"Luna! This is not what thou art. Thou art not an agent of Sombra's! Thou art my sister!" Celestia exclaimed pleadingly.

Luna shook her head, the smile still adorning her visage. "I am no agent of Sombra's, Celestia. Art thou really that oblivious?"

"All the same, Luna. I will not fight thee." Celestia replied, trying to muster what courage she had.

"I know, Celestia." Luna said, her horn beginning to glow a bright turquoise. "I know."

Luna opened her eyes, the blackness had disappeared from her vision. To her surprise and confusion, she found herself in the throne room of the castle that she and Celestia shared in the Everfree Forest. Memories of past years flowed through Luna's mind as she recalled her adventures through the stone architecture around her. The days where Celestia would chase her through the hall of hooves, the traps that lay ready to strike hidden throughout the castle… these and more passed through the reminiscing princess's head.

Luna's gaze soon landed on the pair of thrones that stood at the far end of the castle, one sun yellow and the other a cool blue, as soft moonlight pouring through the windows that flanked the chamber. Above the thrones were two massive draperies, each depicting the symbols of the respective princesses that would sit on the throne. Luna's eyebrows furrowed together at seeing the outline of an alicorn standing between the two thrones, silhouetted in the moonbeams.

Celestia? Luna guessed as she took a step forward. A strange weight on her hoof tore her gaze from the alicorn to the metal vambrace that was still fastened to her hoof. Did it follow me into this place? Or did it take me here? Luna wondered as her focus shifted back to the alicorn between the thrones.

After a few more steps, the alicorn figure spoke up, Luna recognizing the voice. "Come no closer, Luna."

Luna stopped her advance and gave the figure a puzzled look. "Why not, Tia?"

Celestia stepped out of the shadow, her regal eyes giving Luna a sharp glare. "What thee did at the Crystal Empire… it was nothing I had ever seen before."

An uneasy smile flickered at the corner of Luna's mouth. "Um… thanks, Celestia."

"No. I did not mean it as a compliment." Celestia said in a low tone. "The power I saw thee display during the fight…"

"What art thou saying, Tia?" Luna asked, now starting to feel frightened.

Celestia's eyes narrowed at her sister. "My nation needs a strong leader. One who can provide a beacon of hope for them in times of trial."

Luna's eyebrows furrowed together. "Thy nation?"

"My sun shall be that beacon." Celestia stated with a grin, her horn beginning to glow faint yellow.

"Celestia? What art thou doing?" Luna cried, panic beginning to take root in her mind.

"Thy power of the night is forfeit, Luna. Surrender it to me and I will allow thee to serve me." The aura around Celestia's horn was starting to brighten as she aimed her horn at Luna.

"Tia, the night is mine and the day is thine. That's the way it's always been." Luna said in a confused tone.

"Well no more, sister. Thou art too much of a threat to my power for me to keep thee in a co-ruling position. So this is thy last chance. Surrender the night to me or feel my power." Celestia growled.

Command the blade, Luna! The voices shouted in her head.

What blade? Luna asked, extending her wings in preparation for fleeing.

Thee acquired it before arriving here. Will it to extend! The voices responded.

Luna glanced at the gauntlet on her hoof, her thoughts now directed at the piece of metal. Suddenly, a metal blade no longer than a third of a meter long shot out from the vambrace's opening with a phshng!

Celestia's focus from her magic changed as soon as she saw the blade spring out of the vambrace her sister was wearing. "I see thee came prepared. No matter. With my power, the sun as well as the moon shall soon be mine. Farewell, Luna. And think fondly of this day as the last one thou held power."

With that, a golden bolt of magical energy shot from Celetia's horn towards Luna. With a mighty flap of her wings, Luna shot up towards the shadowy ceiling, the yellow bolt zipping underneath her and exploding against the wall Luna was in front of.

Celestia looked up at the murky blackness of the ceiling, Luna having disappeared from sight. A chuckle escaped her muzzle. "Foolish sister. Why hide in the shadows when I have the power of light?" She exclaimed, firing a bright glowing orb from her horn towards the ceiling. The ceiling lit up with a bright white light, but to Celestia's surprise, Luna wasn't found to be hiding in the rafters.

"Clever trick, Luna. Why don't thee simply stop hiding and we end this little game of hide and seek?" Celestia asked innocently.

Luna looked down on Celestia, her back hooves balancing themselves on a windowsill above the pair of thrones. She hasn't turned around yet. Now's my chance! She thought, silently bringing the hoof blade up near her face. With a leap, Luna fell towards Celestia, determination burning in her eyes.

Luna caught Celestia off guard and tackled her to the floor upon landing on her and held the hoof blade to the base of her sister's neck. "Here I am, sister."

Celestia looked up at Luna with terrified eyes. "No! Luna, please! I'm sorry I attacked thee!"

Luna's eyes softened as she looked into Celestia's. "Thee attacked me and tried to steal the power of the night from me. And thou simply wish to apologize? Do thee not know the gravity of what thou tried to do?" She shouted into Celestia's face.

Celestia squeezed her eyes shut at Luna's shout. "I'm sorry, sister. I let my jealousy get the better of me and I'm sorry." She pleaded.

Luna eased her pressing of the blade to Celestia's neck. "I do no know why thy chose to try to overthrow me at this moment, but should thee try again." She said, lifting her blade to Celestia's eye. "I will not hesitate."

Celestia bobbed her head in agreement.

"Good." Luna got off Celestia and began to turn away from her. Hearing Celestia rising to her hooves behind her, Luna turned her head to see her sister. Luna's eyes widened as Celestia aimed her horn at her once again, an intense yellow glow beginning to form around it. Before Celestia's horn could fire the shot, Luna shot towards Celetia, her hoof blade arm coiled and ready to strike. Just as Celestia was about to fire, Luna got within striking distance. Luna thrust her hoof towards Celestia, the sun goddess's eyes widening in shock.

Luna glared at Celestia as she watched her sister slowly look down at her, the hoof blade firmly planted in her chest. A trickle of blood flowed from outside the blade, Luna watching the crimson trickle travel down Celestia's chest, onto her hoof, and to the floor.

Luna's eyes widened in shock as she looked back up into Celestia's dying eyes.

"I'm sorry." Celestia whispered. The princess of the sun dropped to her knees, Luna's blade still lodged within her. Luna's breath escaped her as she watched her sister collapse to the ground. Luna's eyes stayed focused on Celestia's even after the light had left them.

Celestia dodged the blue bolt of magic, a few of her wing feathers getting singed as she barely missed it. "Luna! Stop! I'm thy sister!" She cried as she dodged yet another magical shot. She can't keep this up forever. She thought, despite already having some bruises and scrapes dotting her tired body.

"I know, Celestia. Thou have had power for too long!" Luna exclaimed, firing off another shot that Celestia maneuvered around. "For too long I have been in thy shadow. Now it is my time." Luna spread her wings and shot towards her sister.

Celestia was too late to move around Luna's assault as she was tackled and pinned underneath Luna's hooves.

Celestia looked up in horror at the glow Luna's horn was beginning to form. "Luna, no!"

Luna ignored Celestia's pleas, a triumphant smile growing on her face. "Goodbye, Celestia."

"Princess!" A voice shouted from above her.

What? Who is that? Celestia looked past Luna at the ceiling, looking for the source of the voice.

"Princess! Wake up!" The voice called again.

With a burst of light, the transformed Luna and the chamber vanished into whiteness.

Celestia's blinked a few times, the chamber she was once in becoming a memory. Did she just exit a dream realm? Or maybe a vision? The sun goddess couldn't tell as her magenta eyes scanned the environment.

The ice on the ground and mountains that rose and fell around her were all tinged with a bright green hue. Celestia looked behind her to see the skyline of the Crystal Empire in the distance. The solar princess tried to stand but was halted by a curved surface. Looking up in confusion, Celestia saw that she was in some sort of bubble that was being levitated in the air.

"Princess!" The voice shouted a third time. This time, Celestia could tell where the voice had come from. She looked up to the orange-tinged sky to see a familiar pegasus shouting at her from above.

Shooting Star? Celestia wondered.

"Silence, pegasus fool!" Sombra's harsh voice sounded, Celestia feeling the bubble she was encased in touch the ground as the tyrant turned to face Shooting. "If thee shall not be quiet, then I will silence thee myself!" A green blast of magic erupted from Sombra's horn.

Shooting quickly flapped her wings and ascended into the sky, the magical shot missing the bottoms of her hooves by a few inches.

He's distracted. Celestia thought, glancing at Sombra. I can break out of this prison and get Luna and- wait. Where's Luna? Celestia's eyes darted from side to side looking for her sister.

It wasn't long before Celestia's eyes settled on a similarly hued bubble that she was encased in. The figure of a prone Luna lay inside it. There she is! Now if I could just find a way out of this thing. Aiming her horn at the bubble, Celestia thrust it at the surface. Celestia grunted at the lack of success she attained from her attempt. Her horn began to glow yellow as she charged a magic spell to shatter the bubble.

Sombra turned from the annoying pegasus and saw Celestia attempting to escape. "I think not, Princess." He growled as he aimed his curved horn at Celestia's bubble, a bright green aura beginning to surround it.

"Stay away from her, Sombra!" Shooting shouted, swan diving through the air towards the unicorn. Angling herself with her back legs forward, Shooting rocketed towards Sombra's head.

The crack of Sombra's jaw disconnecting was audible from Celestia's position, the shout of pain even more so afterwards. Celestia looked up from her attempts to see Sombra clutching his lopsided jaw with his hooves, trying to force it back into its original position.

And there's the time I need. Celestia thought, starting her attempts anew. None of her magic was working… but maybe…

Celestia channeled the power of the Elements around her neck, a tri-colored stream of light flowing towards the tip of her horn. As soon as the stream of Elemental magic reached her horn, she let loose a blast of tri-colored magic at the bubble. To her satisfaction, the bubble cracked at where the magic struck. The crack spread all around the perimeter of the bubble until it they covered the entire bubble. With a kick of Celestia's front hooves, the green shell shattered into pieces as she broke free.

"Gah!" Sombra cried out in anger and pain, his hooves pressing his jaw back into alignment with a crick. He then turned his red eyed gaze to Celestia.

"If thou thought that hurt, just thee wait for this!" Shooting yelled confidently, dive bombing Sombra again.

This time though, Sombra was ready. Just as Shooting's hoof got within range, he swiped it aside with his hoof and thrust the other into the side of her face as she passed by.

"Gah!" Shooting cried as the pegasus fell to the ground, a massive bruise already forming on the side of her face. With a grunt, Shooting steadily rose from the ice, rubbing a hoof to her mouth and saw a streak of blood on her hoof. "I never realized that for such a powerful king that thou wouldst hit like a filly."

Sombra shot Shooting a vicious look before turning to see Celestia use her Elemental magic on Luna's bubble as well. "NO!" He shouted, aiming his horn at Celestia. Charging up a bolt of magic, he fired at the princess.

To his shock and horror, Sombra saw a dark blue shield of energy deflect the green bolt into the ice at his hooves.

Celestia looked down in surprise at Luna, who she expected to be in the same sleeping state as she was. Luna's determined gaze looked past Celestia's and at a worried-looking Sombra.

"Sister, how art thou awake?" Celestia asked.

Rising to her hooves, Luna spoke without taking her eyes off the tyrant. "Explanations will come later, Celestia. For now, we have a king to depose." Luna uttered.

A smile spread across Sombra's face. "Ha! The Crystal Empire is mine. It is impossible for thee to obtain it."

"All the same." Celestia said authoritatively. "Thy rule ends here."

Both sisters focused their magic on the Elements around their necks, their tricolor beams rising up to their horns.

Sombra's smile disappeared as he watched the Elements of Harmony begin to be used. He said I would defeat them. That my power was more than a match for them. Sombra thought in disbelief as the royal sisters rose into the air, the power of the Elements consuming them. Sombra gritted his teeth. Damn that alicorn to Tartarus!

As Celestia and Luna touched their horns together, a bright light in the formation of the rainbow shot towards Sombra, striking him in the chest immediately.

Sombra looked down and saw his solid form turning into a shadowy cloud before his eyes. Letting out an angry and terrified scream, he watched as only his head remained solid.

A massive crack in the ice formed as Sombra was picked up into the air by the Elements. Sombra looked down in horror as the crack in the ice opened up like a large cold maw. Getting one the last look of the world he would have for a thousand years, Sombra let out one final cry of anger as he was thrust into the ice. Just as soon as the crevasse had appeared, it vanished as the ice closed over Sombra.

Celestia and Luna slowly descended towards the ground, their eyes fixed on the spot in the ice Sombra had disappeared into.

One shall be banished into the world. Luna recalled the words of the grey alicorn. One shall be banished from this world.

Author's Note

Phew. Man writing a fight scene is more exhausting than I thought. If any of you guys have any tips for me that'd be great because there's gonna be plenty more before this series is over. Anyways thanks for reading and I hope y'all enjoyed it!

Unriddling the Riddles

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 37-Unriddling the Riddles

-Aeolus Region, Western Griffon Kingdom-

Cloudius Sky-Shield stood at the main door of his home, its wooden double doors inviting him inside. What am I going to tell them? He thought, rubbing a claw through his feathered head. His mind recalled the discussions, if one can call them that, he bore witness to at the Great Hall. The political tradition of mudslinging that he'd usually seen between the Eastern and Western griffons escalated into almost a full-out brawl. And in front of both their kings, no less! The griffon general shook his head, feeling ashamed for being associated with such imbeciles.

And to think those feather-brained idiots are driving us beak-first into a civil war. Cloudius grimaced at the thought. He'd fought hard to make sure the pro-Eastern separatists were no longer a threat to Western Kingdom security. The antagonizing memories ran through the veteran's head.

The musical instruments of steel blades and arrows rang and whistled in the streets, the choruses of the wounded and dying sounded throughout the towns, and the audience's tears were shed for those that fell during the grand performance. That's all that mess was. A rehearsal for what those politicians are gearing up for. The last thing he wanted to see was griffons fighting other griffons again.

Cloudius's brown eyes turned up at the doors, reaching his clawed hand to grasp the handle. A click from the other side of the door caused him to withdraw his claws from the door as one of the doors opened.

A smile flickered across his beak as Cloudius beheld his concerned-looking wife standing in the doorway. "Hi, honey."

"So how did it go?" Avia asked, her eyes telling her nervousness.

Straight to the point, isn't she? Cloudius thought to himself. "If it's not too much to ask, can I have some dinner before I explain it? My tongue has grown tired of the taste of boots and needs a real meal."

Avia nodded and stepped aside as Cloudius entered the atrium of his house.

"Where's Hawkeye?" Cloudius asked, his eyes scanning the entry room for his son.

"I'm assuming he's on his way back home right now." Avia responded, closing the door behind Cloudius.

Cloudius heaved a sigh, his eyes finding a new interest in the patterns of the carpet. "Well when he comes back home, tell him that we're having a talk in the dining room."

Avia nodded. "Sure thing, but keep in mind that Hawkeye has gone through enough as it is, Cloudius. A stern talking-to probably won't make his habits improve."

"It's not just Hawkeye I want to talk to. All three of us will be having a discussion." Cloudius said, Avia's eyebrow arching at him. "There are things that you both need to know, should things go from bad to worse."

A worrisome look came over Avia's visage. "Cloudius. Are things going to get worse?"

Cloudius sucked in air through his nostrils as he tried to find a definitive answer. His brown eyes turned up towards Avia's hazel ones. "To be honest, Avia. I'm not sure."

Avia grimaced at his response. "Can I come with you to the next meeting?" Cloudius cast his wife a surprised look. "I want to knock some sense into those airheaded egotists."

A smirk tugged at Cloudius's beak. "Being Sky-Shields, I have no doubt that either of us would have trouble doing that."

Avia reached a clawed hand for Cloudius's, his meeting hers in an embrace, his brown eyes looking into Avia's smiling pools of hazel. "Just know that no matter what happens, I will always love you."

A smile of his own stretched across Cloudius's beak. "And I will always love you, Avia."

Closing their eyes, Cloudius and Avia leaned into the kiss.

Why can't it stay like this? Cloudius asked himself. No politics, no egos to bruise, no conflict… all I'd want is her.

After a few moments, the two griffons broke the kiss. Their eyes opened, their gazes expressing quiet contentment.

That's when they heard the front door creak open. Both their heads turned to see Hawkeye standing in the doorway.

"Hi mom… dad." Hawkeye fought to say.

Cloudius gave Hawkeye a slight smile. "Good to know you're home, son. Now to the dining room with you and your mother." He said, casting Avia a glance.

Hawkeye closed the door, a confused look on his face. "What for?"

The smile faded from Cloudius's beak. "We have a few things to discuss."

-Ponyville-

All the Element bearers, plus one adolescent dragon, stood in a circle, each one casting glances at those standing next to them.

Rarity broke the silence with a clearing of her throat. "Ahem. Well, since Twilight was the one that called this meeting, I believe she should bring up the first order of business."

Six other heads nodded before turning towards the purple alicorn in expectation.

"Well I called this meeting to address the strange occurrences that have happened over the past couple days. First we all got those strange dreams and now Spike and I had separate visions today." Twilight began, a determined look crossing her visage. "We are to try to figure out what each of these mean."

"Are we gonna have to retell our dreams?" Applejack asked, her tone of voice making it apparent that she didn't want to.

Twilight shook her head. "Maybe not word for word, but a synopsis would probably be best."

A few heads lowered in morose disappointment. Twilight knew that just as well as the others that their dreams contained horrors they dared not reiterate unless they had to. Unfortunately for them, this was one of those times.

"My dream started in a forest." A shy voice shattered the silence, all heads snapping in Fluttershy's direction. The butter yellow pegasus continued despite the shift of attention. "I said hello to a few animal friends before I smelled something strange. After a moment, I realized it was smoke and ran towards the source of it. There I found a part of the forest on fire. The animals I found in the fire…" Fluttershy shut her eyes, the images refreshing themselves in her mind. The screeches of the burning animals, the terror she saw in their eyes.

Fluttershy tensed at the touch of a hoof on her shoulder. She opened her eyes to see Rainbow Dash's hoof resting on her. "It's okay, Fluttershy. We're here for you."

A brief smile flickered across Fluttershy's face before she continued. "I ran down to help them, but suddenly a large branch fell on top of me. I couldn't move as the fire got closer. I tried calling to fleeing animals to help me, but they just ran away."

"And that's where your dream ended?" Twilight asked, her bashful friend nodding in response. "Thank you, Fluttershy. Anypony else want to have a go?"

Spike stepped forward. "I guess I can."

"Then I am going to retell my dream as well." Rarity proclaimed, stepping up next to Spike. "Spike and I shared the dream we had that night, so it makes sense that we tell our sides of what happened."

"Very well, then. Spike, since you volunteered first, you may say what happened in your side of the vision." Twilight said.

With a twiddle of his thumbs, Spike began. "Well my dream started out with me being surrounded by tons of gems. They covered the ground, rose into the sky like mountians… man they looked delicious." Spike said, unaware of the salivation that was accumulating in his mouth and the dreamy look that snuck onto his face.

"Um, Spike. Your dream?" Rainbow said, snapping him out of his delectable daze.

"Oh right, sorry. Anyway I started munching on some until a grey alicorn stallion came up to me and said that I could have them all. I went along with it and just kept eating until I heard Rarity's voice behind me." Spike said, turning his gaze toward Rarity, his eyes telling her it was her turn to share her side.

"Yes, I found Spike after a strange voice saying that there was a second mind in the dream with me and where I could find him. When I found him, well…" Rarity trailed off, casting Spike a glance. "Do you all remember when he got greedy, grew to a monstrous size, and almost destroyed half of Ponyville?"

Rarity waited to respond as the heads of her fellow Element bearers nodded. "Well he had taken on that form when I'd found him, save for one feature."

"And what would that be?" Applejack inquired, arching an eyebrow.

"His eyes." Rarity responded. "They were yellow instead of his usual green."

"Yellow eyes, you say?" Twilight asked, Rarity bobbing in reply. Her purple eyes narrowed as Twilight rubbed her chin in thought. "Interesting. Continue."

Rarity continued to recall the dream. "When he noticed me and started talking to me, he said things that I never thought I'd hear from him."

"What kind of things?" Rainbow asked.

Rarity's eyes turned down to the floorboards, then to the dragon standing next to her. "That I've been taking advantage of his willingness to help me. That I would lie to get what I wanted."

"But you know that wasn't me, right Rarity?" Spike asked, his tone expressing his deepest sincerity. "I wasn't in control of my body when I said those things."

"Ya weren't in control of your body?" Applejack repeated the dragon's words. "What they hay does that mean?"

Spike's eyes turned towards Applejack's. "It means what it sounds like. My mind wasn't in control of my body when I was talking to Rarity and-" He stopped, remembering how the dream had ended. "What I did after that."

A chill went up Rarity's spine as the memory came back to her. "Yes, Spike. I do know that you would never do such beastly things like what you did in that dream."

"So what did you do after talking with Rarity, Spike?" Twilight asked.

A pained look crossed the dragon's visage. "The greedy side of me…" Come on, man. Just get it overwith. They won't think any less of you. "Ate her."

Spike cringed at the gasps he heard in response. He looked up to see shocked expressions on all his friends' faces, save for Rarity's who wore a listless complexion.

Twilight was the first to get over the retelling of Spike's side of the dream. "And Rarity, is that where the dream ended for you?" Rarity silently nodded. "Spike, was there any other part of the dream after that?"

Spike nodded, his expression becoming bitter. "I was back in control of my body immediately after I did that. The grey alicorn I'd talked to earlier then showed up to taunt me before ending the dream by sticking some sort of sharp weapon between my eyes."

Twilight rubbed her chin. "Hmm. That's interesting. Did the alicorn have yellow eyes by any chance?"

"He did, actually. How'd you know?" Spike replied.

Twilight's eyes fell to the floor. "Because that's how my dream started. I went downstairs to get a midnight snack and after I'd finished, I started to go back upstairs when I heard some sort of whispering from one of the books." She said, scanning the shelves that surrounded her. "Deciding to investigate, I found the source to be a white book with gold trimming. I'd never seen it before so I took it from the shelf and began to read it. That's when I saw them."

"The super scary yellow eyes?" Pinkie asked, a twinge of fear making itself known in her words.

"Yes, Pinkie." Twilight responded with a nod. "But before that the book showed an illustration of some sort of cave, a swirling shadow imprisoned behind a light blue shield."

"Well there are tons of caves in Equestria. That shadow could be in any one of them." Applejack pointed out, a couple of nods in agreement followed.

"Even so, the vision I saw after the eyes… it was too much."

"What'd ya see, Twilight?" asked Rainbow Dash.

Twilight closed her eyes, the images of her dream displaying themselves against the blackness of her eyelids. "Ponyville in flames. Buildings were piles of rubble, dead ponies littered the ground, and the ponies that were still alive were running to and fro screaming from monsters."

Twiligth looked up at her friends, their facial expressions describing their inability to fathom Ponyville under such a brutal attack.

"And you know what the worst of it was?" Twilight asked, a sorrowful look filling her eyes. "I couldn't do anything to stop it."

Silence hung heavy as the group digested the mental image they received from Twilight's dream. Their friends and family dead, their homes destroyed, and not being able to stop any of it.

"Well…" Rainbow broke the stillness of the room. "Nopony's gonna beat that."

Applejack cast the multihued-haired pegasus a stern look. "This ain't a competition, Dash."

"I wasn't talking like it was, AJ." Rainbow swiftly countered.

"Alright then, so what was your dream like?"

Rainbow looked around at her friends, knowing the spotlight was on her now.

"The nightmare started out kinda normal." Rainbow began. "I found myself in an abandoned version of Ponyville. I was pretty confused before a voice that called itself Morning Star told me that I could find you girls in the center of town. I thanked the voice and said that if he needed anything, then I'd do it for him."

"That doesn't sound too bad." Pinkie spoke up, hoping for some positivity.

Rainbow gave her pink friend a faint grin and shook her head. "Yeah it didn't start bad, but it was when I found you all that things went sour. I did find you guys, but not in the way I thought I'd find you."

"How so?" Rarity asked, squinting an eye in befuddlement.

Rainbow took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to calm her nerves. "I found you girls, but… you were dead." She waited to continue, letting the thought sink in. "That's when Morning Star appeared. He told me that my disloyalty to you had resulting in your deaths."

"And this Morning Star, is he similarly describable as the stallion Spike talked to in his dream?" Twilight asked.

"Grey alicorn stallion with yellow eyes? Exactly like that." Rainbow responded.

"Hmm. Well that's one recurrence in these dreams. The grey alicorn seems to be in the majority of the dreams described so far."
"So ya think he's the one responsible for the nightmares?" Applejack asked.

"Maybe, but we'll need the other two dreams to confirm my suspicions." Twilight said, turning her head towards Applejack. "Are you alright with going next?"

Applejack slowly nodded. "Sure thing, but I don't think y'all are going to like what ya hear."
"All things considered, Applejack, I don't think any of us have liked what we've heard so far." Rarity pointed out.

"Well alright, then. Here goes." Applejack took a breath and gradually let it back out. "My dream started with me standing outside the farmhouse, the place deserted. I searched one side of the farm to the other and still didn't find my family. Eventually I got back to the barn, it being the only place I hadn't checked. I opened the door and headed inside to see if anypony was in there."

"And…?" Rainbow pressed. "Was any of your family in there?"

Applejack stared straight ahead, the images flashing before her eyes. The alicorn, the monsters, Big Mac and Granny Smith's trussed up forms, the fear in Applebloom's eyes… Pinching her eyes shut, she drew a sharp breath.

"Yes, Dash. They were there. Tied up like hogs, beaten and bruised." Applejack replied through clenched teeth. Everyone in the room held their breath as Applejack retold her dream. "They were surrounded by three red-eyed monsters of some kind, maybe the kind in Twilight's dream, and that grey stallion that keeps popping up in everypony's dreams. I tried to jump in and save my family, but the red-eyed freaks stopped me before I could. They beat and scratched me up to the point that I couldn't get back up. That's when the alicorn took Applebloom and held her by the head, saying that if I told a lie, she would stop hurtin'."

Applejack's vision grew misty as a hoof rested on her shoulder. The farmpony turned her head to see Twilight giving her a reassuring look. "Are you sure you want to continue?"

"I don't want to." Applejack said with a quavering sigh, a lump starting to form in her throat. "But I will."

Twilight took her hoof off her friend's shoulder and nodded.

"He told me to tell Applebloom that everything would be okay. I knew it was a lie as much as Applebloom knew. To try to save my family… I told that lie. The alicorn that held my sister responded…" Applejack closed her eyes, that particular cracking sound sounding in her ears. "By breaking her neck."

Rarity held a hoof to her mouth to stifle a gasp as looks of somber incomprehensibility etching themselves across the faces of her friends.

A tear leaked from one of Applejack's pools of green. "He made me watch my sister die for a lie I told. Then one of the monsters finished me off."

Pinkie looked up from behind her partially deflated mane. "That's terrible, AJ. How can anypony be such a … meanie-pants?"

"Some ponies just are, Pinkie." Twilight said morosely. "And you're the last one, Pinkie. You sure you want to tell us your dream?"

Pinkie gave a quick nod, her usually poofy mane now swaying with her head. "Yeah I'm sure. It started simple enough. I woke up in this big white place where there was absolutely nothing to do. Hoping to find a friend in the dream, I went looking for one."

"Well that doesn't sound too bad." Spike spoke up optimistically.

A brief grin flashed across Pinkie's muzzle. "Well it didn't start off so bad. But after what felt like forever, I finally heard somepony behind me. I thought it was a friend to play with, but it turned out to be me."

"Wait, you could see another version of yourself?" Twilight asked.

"Yep. But my other me wasn't looking as happy as I was. She was all grumpy and her mane was completely flat." Pinkie responded, seeing the confused looks on everypony's faces. "She said that she was me, that she knew everything I knew. Pretty creepy if you ask me. Anyway she then started saying bad things about you girls, saying that you weren't really my friends. Then out of nowhere she pins me down on the ground! And I noticed something funny with her eyes before what happened next."

"Lemme guess." Rainbow Dash spoke up. "They turned yellow?"

Pinkie nodded in reply.

"Well that answers where all the dreams came from." Twilight figured, a contemplative looks crossing her face. "You can continue, Pinkie."

"Thanks. Anyway my other me's eyes turned yellow and she pulled a big scary knife out. She started to cut me with it and it really hurt! She kept at it for a while before cutting my neck. And that's when I woke up." Pinkie concluded.

"Psychotic." Rarity breathed in reaction to how Pinkie's dream ended.

"Too right." Applejack commented, putting a hoof to her head in disbelief.

"So after hearing what all our dreams were about, what can we gather from them?" Twilight asked.

"That yellow-eyed alicorn keeps showing up one way or another." Applejack pointed out.

"But why us, though?" Pinkie asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

Rarity rubbed her chin. "Why indeed. It can't be because we're Element-bearers. Spike had a nightmare just like the rest of us."

"But each of the dreams we had seemed to counter what Element we represented." Twilight said, the tone of realization creeping into her voice. "I couldn't use my magic, Applejack had to tell a lie, Fluttershy's kindness wasn't reciprocated by the animals, Rarity experienced the consequences of greed… whoever that yellow-eyed alicorn is, he knows what our strengths are and how to turn them against us."

"But what does that guy want to do by sending us bad dreams?" Rainbow asked.

"Maybe it was some kind of warning." Spike suggested.

"Warning against what?" Fluttershy asked, her eyes casting themselves towards the floor in thought.

"Or maybe it's not a warning at all." Spike spoke up, his green eyes turning towards Twilight. "Maybe it was a message. That whoever that stallion is, that he's gonna do something soon."

Beware, Twilight Sparkle, beware. The voice she'd heard in her vision rang in the purple alicorn's mind. The long night approaches.

"The long night." Twilight said barely above a whisper, the others' gazes turning their attention to her. "That's what the alicorn's planning."

"What in the hay's a 'long night'?" Applejack asked.

Twilight shook her head. "I wish I knew, but Spike and I might have an idea."

Spike's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah! The visions you and I had."

"That's right, Spike. The vision I got told me that something's coming, something that will have an impact from Equestria to the Crystal Empire to the Griffon Kingdom and to Saddle Arabia."

Rainbow cast a glance at the Elements in their display case. "Well, nothing the Elements can't fix."

"That's just it, Rainbow. Whatever this thing is, it'll be too strong for even the Elements."

At this six of the eight jaws in the room dropped.

"But how are we to stop such a creature from taking over the world if the Elements can't stop it?" Rarity asked in bewilderment.

"I think I have the answer to that." Spike declared, turning towards Rainbow Dash. "Hey Dash, you remember that weird riddle you said you heard a couple days ago?

"How could I not?" Rainbow huffed. "Okay, here it goes:

'From out of the frozen North,

An ancient evil shall come forth.

The sun will set on Canterlot,

A sacrifice that won't be for naught.

The Six will become Eight,

And this world's path they will dictate.

To herald a new dawn,

Or revive an evil once foregone.'"

Spike nodded in acknowledgement. "Okay. And the vision I had earlier today had a message too. It went:

'In the desert sand and the wizard's tomb,

Lies that answer to darkness's doom.

When the West is shaken to its core,

Shall come the beckoning call to war.

With a union of hoof, horn, fang, and beak,

On light and dark, havoc shall wreak.'"

Twilight rubbed her chin. "In the desert sand and the wizard's tomb lies. Could that be referring to Saddle Arabia and Starswirl the Bearded's tomb?"

"Well Spike's vision did say that they both hold the 'answer to darkness's doom' or whatever." Rainbow spoke up. "I say we go south and look for anything that could help us."

"We can't just rush this one, sugarcube." Applejack cautioned. "What'd that 'hoof, horn, fang, and beak' business mean?"

"Well we ponies do have hooves. It could be any number of creatures that have horns and fangs. But beaks are the most distinguishable features of griffons." Fluttershy remarked.

"Hmm. So ponies, griffons, and two other species team up for something. To fight the yellow-eyed alicorn, possibly?" Rarity said.

"Well the 'beckoning call to war' certainly makes sense there." Twilight concurred.

"But what does 'when the West is shaken to its core' mean?" Pinkie asked, tentatively raising a hoof.

"Well Rainbow's vision said something about the sun setting on Canterlot." Twilight said, her eyes widening as she put two and two together. "You don't think that means Canterlot will fall, will it?"

"Surely not!" Rarity exclaimed. "If that means Canterlot is threatened, we have to help protect it."

"I'm with Rarity." Rainbow said, narrowing her eyes in determination. "If anything is gonna mess with Canterlot, it's gonna have to mess with the Elements of Harmony too."

"Yeah! If that meanie alicorn want to get to Canterlot, then we'll be there for the princesses when he does." Pinkie exclaimed.

Resounding agreement was heard in the circle of seven.

Twilight nodded. "Okay then. Everypony go and get some rest. We leave for Canterlot tomorrow morning."

Author's Note

Well everybody, the season 4 finale is upon us. This time tomorrow, we'll be in a new hiatus for season 5. I don't know about you guys, but the finale looks pretty awesome from what has been teased so far. That aside, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and review/critique!

Three Last Times

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 38-Three Last Times

-Canterlot: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Starswirl paced the floor of the library, his thoughts racing through his mind. Hopes for the princesses' safe return, worries that they were claimed by Sombra's magic, and various uncertainties swirled about in his head.

"I am sure the princesses are well, Starswirl." Commander Storm spoke up. "With the Elements of Harmony on their side, Sombra should be no match for their power."

"I thank thee for thy concern, commander. But don't thee have a Summer Sun Celebration to arrange?" Starswirl sternly reminded the unicorn.

Storm's eyes turned downcast. "Ah yes. The celebration. I suppose I will go and help the social committee put the final touches on the event. I hope I was some help to thee, Starswirl."

"And thee were, but now thou have previous duties to attend to." Starswirl said, his tone conveying no emotion as he dismissed Storm.

With a nod of his head, Commander Storm turned and walked out of the library.

Clover waited until the commander was out of earshot before speaking up. "With all due respect, Master Starswirl, we would still be in our incapacitated states if it weren't for him."

"I am aware of that and he has my gratitude." Starswirl said sharply, turning to look at his student. "But right now there are more pressing matters that need attending."

"Master, I know that thou want to help the princesses as much as thee can, but thou have done all thee could."

"Oh?" Starswirl shot Clover a ludicrous look. "And had I told them that Sombra was capable of wielding fear magic, they would be much better prepared to confront the tyrant."

"We did not know that at the time they departed." Clover said, a sense of calm permeating his tone.

"But what if we had known?" Starswirl asked, a bead of sweat racing down his brow. "What if what we had learned from the crystal we had known before Celestia and Luna left?"

A moment of silence fell onto the room.

"Starswirl." The wizard in question's head snapped to his pupil. "What did thy vision show thee?" Clover asked, a determined look hardening his features.

Starswirl's eyes found sudden interest in the arrangement of the floor tiling. "Clover, I know that thee have concerns for my well-being. But I am fine."

"No, Master. Thou have been restless ever since we woke up from those visions we had." Clover said, his tone softening. "What did thou see?"

Starswirl's eyes close as he recalled the dream he'd received. Letting out a defeated sigh, Starswirl spoke up. "I was in the throne room with Princess Celestia. She told me that their mission had failed and that the Crystal Empire was already lost. She blamed me for misinforming her and Luna before they began their mission, so she cast me from her presence."

Clover's ears perked. "I had a similar dream." Starswirl's gaze switched from the floor to Clover's. "Instead of Princess Celestia, it was thee that cast me out. Thou called me a failure and that thee wanted no part in my future disappointments."

Teacher and student shared a sympathetic look.

"Clover the Clever." Starswirl addressed. "I gave thee that title for a reason. Thou art no failure and I would never describe thee as such."

A smile flickered at the side of Clover's mouth. "And thou art invaluable to Princess Celestia and Luna. I know for a fact that they have not, nor would ever, consider kicking thee out of the castle."

Starswirl beamed proudly. "Clover, I know that thou will carry my legacy forward. I picked thee out of all my candidates or a reason, that thou would take what I have learned and take it even further, finding new explanations and new spells that I could never dream of."

"And nothing short of burning every book in Equestria would blot thy name from history. I am honored to be thy pupil, Starswirl the Bearded." Clover said, his grin growing to a smile.

"And I am honored as well to have such a magnificent student as thee, Clover the Clever." Starswirl replied.

A sudden cracking sound caught the pair's focus. Both Starswirl and Clover turned towards the crystal that stood tall in the center of the library. Their jaws dropped at seeing a six-hued bright light streaking through a zigzagging crack in the base of crystal.

The colors of the rainbow? That must mean- Starswirl's shocked look lit up into one of exuberance.

"Master? What's going on with the crystal?" Clover asked, catching a glimpse of his teacher's facial expression.

The crack suddenly shot up the crystal, the rainbow-colored light stretching with each addition to the crack.

"The Elements of Harmony. That's what's happening." Starswirl replied confidently, Clover's concerned expression morphed into a look of triumph as the pair watched the crack branch out across the crystal.

Within moments the rainbow light was peeking out through every crevice that covered the black rock's structure. Starswirl and Clover couldn't tear their eyes away from the display of Elemental magic, the rainbow lights illuminating their very souls with joy.

With a thunderous KRSH! and a bright explosion of multi-hued light, crystal fragments shot through the air in every direction.

Shielding their eyes, Starswirl and Clover braced themselves for the crystal shards that were shooting towards them. To their surprise, the pain never came. Starswirl opened his eyes to see all the crystal shards hovering in mid-air, like somepony had stopped time mid-explosion. A white light pulsated rainbow colors shone brightly where the crystal once stood.

Clover opened his eyes and couldn't keep a gasp from escaping his mouth at the sight.

"Amazing, isn't it, Clover?" Starswirl asked, his smile still stuck to his face.

"Like nothing I have ever seen." Clover responded, not daring to take his vision from the fragmented crystal shards around him.

With that, white light made one last massive pulse of rainbow light. Starswirl and Clover watched as the tiny black shards shot towards and disappeared into the white light, never to be seen again.

As soon as the final black piece vanished into the light, the white light disappeared with a rainbow-colored twinkle.

"It's over, Clover." Starswirl declared heartily. "They won."

-Crystal Empire: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Quiet. That's the only word one could describe the atmosphere that lay over the icy surface where Sombra had just been banished. Even the chilling arctic wind had stopped its howling in awe of the Elements' power.

Three Equestrians stood and stared at where the mad unicorn king had been sent into the ice. How long would he stay down there? Forever? A thousand years? Ten minutes? They didn't know, but all they could do was keep their eyes focused on that one spot.

One of us has been banished into the earth, just like that alicorn said. Luna pondered, her emotionless eyes still glued to the ice. A sense of dread fell upon Luna's being. There is still another banishment remaining.

"Princesses!" Shooting Star's surprised-sounding voice caught the royals' attention. "The Crystal Empire… where did it go?"

Both Celestia and Luna turned to face the direction Shooting Star was looking, and sure enough, the reflective buildings and opulent spires of the palace were gone. Luna's eyes widened in shock as she beheld the empty ice plain that stretched out before them. It was as if the Crystal Empire had never existed.

"What happened to it?" Celestia wondered aloud as her magenta eyes scanned the calm ice before her, looking for any signs of life. After a few moments, the horrible truth dawned on her. "He really did mean it when he said it was impossible to obtain."

"What dost thou mean, sister?" Luna questioned, raising an eyebrow.

The solar alicorn bowed her head in condolence. "Sombra must have cast a spell that tied the essence of the Crystal Empire to himself. When he was cast into the ice, the Crystal Empire faded from existence."

"So does that mean that Sombra is… dead?" Shooting Star asked, the taste of the word 'dead' leaving a filthy taste on her tongue.

"The Elements of Harmony do not kill, Shooting." Celestia replied, swiftly banishing the thought from the pegasus scout's mind. "They simply contain that which they are used upon."

Shooting thought over the Princess's response. "So will Sombra be able to escape?"

Luna spoke up. "On his own? No. His magic is much too weak to combat the Elements. But with the power he was imbued with? I cannot say." And hopefully he will stay down there for a long, long time.

"Then let us hope that Sombra remains imprisoned for many years to come." Celestia concluded her stare at the icy plain and spread her wings. With a great flap, the solar princess took off into the midafternoon sky.

Shooting Star and Princess Luna swapped looks before taking off behind the white alicorn.

"Where are we going, Princess?" Shooting Star called after her.

Celestia turned her head back to her scout. "South, back to Equestria."

"But why the urgency? Surely we can stop somewhere nearby and rest!"

Celestia pondered this, her eyebrows furrowing together in thought. "Maybe thou art right. But where could we land between here and Canterlot?"

"We have a second castle in the Everfree Forest." Luna recalled telling the yellow-eyed alicorn.

"Go there after thy fight with Sombra. From there we can show Celestia our true power."

"We can go to the Castle of the Two Sisters." Luna suggested.

The idea made Celestia's eyes light up. "Excellent, Luna! It's on the northern edge of the Everfree Forest. Canterlot would be within a reasonable distance from there."

"Shall I accompany thee there, Princess?" Shooting Star asked.

"Unfortunately no, Shooting Star. Thou must go ahead of us and report that we are on our way and to check up on the Summer Sun Celebration preparations. Luna and I will rest up at the castle. Now make haste to Canterlot!"

With a salute, Shooting shouted, "Aye, Princess!" and sped off into the blue sky.

Celestia and Luna's eyes tracked the pegasus until she was a mere spec amidst a great azure expanse.

"Come now, sister. We have a long journey to the castle." Celestia said, speeding up towards the mountains ahead of them.

An ambitious glint flashed in Luna's eyes. Soon Celestia's power would be hers. Then her night, not Celestia's sun, would reign forever.

-12 Hoofington Road, Ponyville: Present Day-

Cipha looked down at her hooves, their perforations giving her a clear view of the floor beneath them. Well, I'll only have to use that disguise one more time.

"Man that was easier than I thought." Chassis's smug tone was heard from across the room. "That Trixie pony sure is a sucker. She won't know what hit her."

Cipha looked up at the proud changeling, a bittersweet look crossing her visage. Sure they'd single-hoofedly save the hive, but at the expense of the peaceful living of the ponies that Cipha was just beginning to appreciate.

"Yeah, well don't go celebrating just yet, Chassis." Cipha was quick to bring her companion's enthusiasm down a peg. "We still have to maintain the act for tomorrow morning. After that, we can celebrate all we want."

"And I know exactly how I'm gonna do that." Chassis said, a ravenous gleam twinkling in his blue eyes.

"Yes, Chassis." Fang piped up, a trace of annoyance in his tone. "We all know how eager you are to sink your teeth into one of those ponies."

"Why stop at one?" Chassis replied with a snicker. "I think I could have half this town to myself if I wanted to."

If Fang's eyes could roll any farther, he'd be getting a good view of his brain. "Well good on you for being ambitious."

Chassis gave Fang a sympathetic glance. "Aw, I know how much you're starting to care about these ponies. But look on the bright side." He said, his tone rising in eagerness. "At least we won't starve."

"Whatever." Fang shrugged, his angular horn glowing green. With a swooshing burst of green magic, Fang had taken on Speedy Delivery's form. "I'm heading out."

"Suit yourself. I'm gonna go hit the sack." Chassis said, trotting merrily towards his bedroom. "Can't be tired for the conquest of Equestria tomorrow!"

Cipha looked from Chassis's fleeting form to Fang's sullen state as he turned the doorknob to walk out. Letting out a sigh, Cipha walked over to Fang as he pulled the wooden door open.

"Hey. You alright?" She asked, trying to get a look at her partner's face.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

Can you be a worse liar? Cipha thought, reaching a hoof for Fang's chin. "Fang, look at me."

Fang couldn't tell if she was trying to be stern or supportive from her tone. Probably both. "I'm fine, Cipha. I just need to take a stroll around Ponyville."

Cipha retracted her hoof. Maybe I should give him some space. She considered. All things considered, maybe he does deserve a proper last look at the village before leaving in the morning. "Okay. Just… don't be out too late. I need you well rested for tomorrow."

"I won't be out too long." Fang replied flatly, walking out the door and closing it behind him.

The cool breeze swept Fang's fake mane out of his face, his eyes resting on the dirt road before him. The stars twinkled above him, the moon casting its silver gleam on the earth. His vision scanned what he thought would be the last time he would see the pony village in such a peaceful state. He thought of the changeling armies falling upon Ponyville and its residence, the colorful ponies he'd come to enjoy being being around, fed upon in the streets. Chrysalis would be sitting atop it all, victorious over such a terrible foe as innocent ponies.

He didn't want to stop the tears that fell.

-Ponyville Library: Present Day-

Twilight stared out the window of her second story bedroom, the moon's craters like eyes looking back at her. She recalled the first time she looked out that very window, the night she and her friends found the Elements. Today, however, the Mare in the Moon no longer looking down on the world as Twilight observed the night sky. The same feeling of foreboding she experienced on that night had resurfaced in light of recent events.

I just hope that whatever is behind all this is taken care of quickly. The purple alicorn thought as a yawn forced her mouth open in its escape attempt.

"Sleepy?"

Twilight turned her head to see the face of her number one assistant, a smirk flashing across her visage. "Kinda."

"Can't blame ya. We've all had a pretty rough past day or two." Spike remarked, climbing into his basket bed and pulled the blanket over his scaly body.

Twilight was silent for a moment as she turned back to look at the moon. "Spike… do you ever wonder if this is all happening for a reason?"

Spike arched an eyebrow at his guardian. "Uh… not really. What makes you ask that?"

"I've just been thinking. Everything that's happened since the day we all got our cutie marks to finding the Elements and turning Princess Luna back to good to me becoming a princess…" Twilight responded, her wings spreading out as she spoke. "…and now these dreams we're all having."

Spike's eyebrows furrowed as Twilight paused to let out a sigh.

"I just wonder if everything that we have done and all that's happened to us is building up to something. And if it is… I don't know how we should prepare for it."

Spike kicked his legs over the side of his basket bed and stood up. Walking over to Twilight's side, he put a clawed hand on her shoulder. "Well, if all these things are determined by fate or just by pure chance, that still doesn't change what the magic of friendship has done to you guys these past few years. So even if something big and terrible is coming, I'm sure that whatever it is, you all will face it together."

Twilight glanced down at Spike with a surprised look on her face. Such wise words from one so young. She thought, glad to have an assistant like him at her side.

"Besides, whatever happens, you can count on me to be there for you guys." Spike finished reassuringly.

Twilight looked down at the sympathetic look Spike was giving her and a smile of her own stretched across her face. "Thanks, Spike. Now let's get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Spike nodded and leapt into his bed, pulling the blue blanket over himself again. "Alright. G'night, Twilight." He said, closing his green reptilian eyes.

"Goodnight, Spike." Twilight responded, her horn lighting up faint purple. The light switch took on a similarly colored aura, turning downwards with a flik. Darkness enveloped Twilight's vision as she walked over to her bed.

Crawling onto her bed and pulling the covers over her, Twilight took one last moment to look out the window. The moon was still there, staring back at her from hundreds of miles away.

Hopefully the princesses will have some answers for us when we get to Canterlot tomorrow. Twilight thought optimistically as her eyelids became heavy. Slowly but surely, the blackness of her eyelids overcame her eyes as Twilight sank into a deep sleep.

Contingency Plans

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 39-Contingency Plans

-Catacombs entrance, Canterlot Castle-

Princesses Luna and Celestia stared blankly at the wall, its somewhat faded white paint supposedly concealing a secret passageway that neither of them had ever explored before. Hanging from the wall was a portrait, the pony in the painting staring back at the royal pair.

I'd almost forgotten what he'd looked like. Luna thought as her eyes turned up to see the painting of Starswirl the Bearded. His midnight blue fur, the moon grey mane and beard, and of course the bell-adorned hat and robe he wore at all times. Even thought it had been a little more than a thousand years since Luna had seen the wizard alive, the realism of the portrait refreshed her memory of the unicorn magician. I hope that whatever's in his journal can help us in the days ahead.

"And you're sure that this is where the catacomb entrance is, Discord?" Celestia piped up, her unsure tone revealing her thoughts on what was going on.

"Of course it is." Discord declared proudly, turning his head towards the questioning princess, a golden halo popping into existence above his head. "Would I lie to you?"

At this both sisters turned their heads to face Discord and gave the draconequus a pair of displeased looks.

With a roll of his eyes and a sigh, Discord gave the princesses a disappointed look. "Trust certainly is a hard thing to obtain with you two, isn't it?" Discord said, the halo disappearing from above the trickster with a poof.

"It is not so much a matter of telling the truth as it is who is giving said 'truth'." Celestia replied flatly.

Discord turned his snout up indignantly at the doubtful princess. "Oh the consequences of not having absolute honesty with my motives in the past. Maybe I should ask Applejack for some tips."

"So how does the entrance open up?" Luna asked, returning her gaze to the wall in front of her.

Discord's eyes lit up. "Well, Princess, it is a two-step process. I'm going to assume that one or both of you knows how to perform a de-cloaking spell." Both princesses nodded in reply. The draconequus clapped his hands together in anticipation. "Excellent! Now if one of you two could be so kind as to perform said spell on the wall." He said, motioning with his eagle-clawed hand towards the seemingly innocent mixture of brick and mortar that stood before them.

Celestia lowered her head, her horn glowing a bright yellow. A sudden burst of light shot from her horn, striking the wall. Glowing yellow cracks began forming on the wall from where the horn blast connected with the wall. The cracks stretched like spider webs across the wall until the outline of a door could be made out.

Luna and Discord watched as the white wall fell away in shambles, revealing a massive brown door. Luna's eyes scanned the newfound door, finding that it looked like it had been put up no more than a week ago. The paint on the door appeared freshly dried, the brass door handle showed no blemishes or rust marks, hay, even the keyhole seemed like it had never been used. That's probably because it hasn't. She figured.

"Ah the wonders of a cloaking spell. Not only does it hide that which it is cast upon, but it also preserves the object." Discord proclaimed in admiration.

Celestia looked up from her work to see the door looming in front of her. How could I have not known about this for so long? She wondered as she looked over the door.

"Do we have the key to get in?" Luna implored, pointing a silver-plated hoof at the door's jagged keyhole.

Discord perked up. "Ooh. I'm sure I have it somewhere in here." He said with a snap of his fingers. A small burst of light and a poof, and a key ring appeared in his lion paw, the dozens of keys jingling against the ring. Going key by key, Discord began searching for the desired one. "Janitor's closet? No. Armory? No. Royal rump cleaning supplies? No."

Both princesses' eyes widened at hearing that one.

"Ah! Here it is." Discord said, selecting an ancient-looking key. The rhombus-shaped bow led to a long gilded shaft, at the end of which was a key blade in the shape of a three stars in a line. Bending down in front of the door, Discord inserted the key, the clicking of the door's locks sounding off as he pushed the key farther in.

"Almost got it." Discord notified, Celestia and Luna waiting patiently as the draconequus worked.

No sooner had the words left his lips did Discord let out a sudden shriek.

"AAAHH! DID SOMEPONY TURN OFF THE LIGHTS?!" He shouted, letting go of the key and began waving his arms around.

"Discord, what are you- holy Tartarus!" Luna cried, seeing Discord's eyes. The pupils of his eyes were a pale grey, the irises retaining their usual red.

"He's blind!" Celestia shouted, seeing the chaos spirit's eyes as well.

"Blind!" Discord cried out in despair. "No, I can't be blind! There's so much to see! Like chocolate rain pouring heavenly clouds of pink cotton candy!"

"Is the door cursed or something?" Luna asked as she ducked from one of Discord's flailing arms.

"Hang on!" Discord said, instantly calming himself and squeezing his eyes shut. Opening his eyes again, Celestia and Luna were relieved to see that Discord's eyes were no longer in their blind state. "I can see again! Oh what a glorious day!"

"So is the door cursed to where we can't turn the key without getting stricken by something?" Celestia asked, eyeing the door cautiously.

A stupid grin broke out on Discord's face. "Nah. The door's fine."

Luna blinked. "So… were you messing with us?"

At this Discord began doubled over in laughter. "Yep! And boy you should have seen the looks on your faces!" After the few minutes it took for Discord's laughter to subside, he turned to see both princesses with less-than-amused looks on their faces. "Oh come on, you gotta admit it was kind of funny." He implored, his smile fading a bit.

"Now is not the time for jokes, Discord." Celestia said, barely containing her frustration with the draconequus. "Now open. The door."

With a roll of his eyes, Discord turned back to the door. "Alright, alright. Fine." He said, turning the key and pushing the door open, a chilled wind rushing past the opening. "Satisfied, my dear?"

"Very much so." Celestia responded as she advanced towards the now open door. Peering inside, she slowly made her way into the catacombs.

Luna cast a glance at Discord and then back at the door. "And you'll be right there with us, right?"

"Of course I would, Lulu. Now get in there. Your sister can't take all the glory on this one." He said, gesturing an arm towards the opening.

Luna gave a chuckle as she approached the door, stopping at the door to lean in towards Discord. "Between you and me, that blind trick was somewhat humorous." With that, the princess of the night entered the tunnel behind her sister.

Discord shrugged as he went in behind Luna. "I knew you'd be one to appreciate a little comedy relief in these types of situations." He said, the door shutting behind him.

The trio walked down the corridor, ready to navigate through the catacombs.

-Sky-Shield residence, Western Griffon Kingdom-

All was still in the Sky-Shield home, aside from the crackling of the fire inside the hearth in the atrium. The shadows of three griffons flickered on the floor as the their owners sat in contemplative silence.

Cloudius took the initiative and broke the silence. "In regards to the rapidly developing situation between the Griffon Kingdoms, I may have to fall back on a contingency plan that I hoped I'd never have to carry out."

"But surely there must be something that can be done to maintain the peace a bit longer." Avia spoke up, concern lacing her words. "And you're sure you've tried everything in the council?"

Cloudius's grimace told his wife all she needed to know. "Even if I had the chance to sit every single councilor down and talk about why we should not go to war, I fear that only a few would agree with my sentiments."

"So does that… mean that… you'd have to… go and… fight?" Hawkeye fought to speak.

"Being the general of his Majesty's armies, yes. I would have to go and fight even if I didn't want to."

Avia gave a laugh in disbelief. "Have those featherbrains learned nothing from when the East split off the main kingdom? Goading each other into a fight isn't going to solve anything."

"Well it's all those 'featherbrains' seem to be content doing at the moment."

"So what are we… gonna do?"

Cloudius turned to stare into his son's eyes. "Hawk, despite being the son of a military member like myself, I have yet to train you in the art of combat." He said, pretending to ignore the worrisome look Avia was shooting him.

Hawkeye cocked an eyebrow at his father. "What are you… saying, dad?"

"I'm saying that I will be teaching you how to fight, should the situation demand that you have to in the near future." Cloudius replied gravely.

Hawkeye found a sudden interest in the floor patter beneath his paws. "So… there's gonna be a war… soon?"

Cloudius mustered up whatever determination he had in his soul as he spoke. "I fear that may be the case. Which is why tomorrow morning, I want you to get up at first light and come with me to my old training grounds outside Dayguard. From there, our lessons will begin."

"But our son does not have a weapon, Cloudius." Avia pointed out. "How can he fight if he doesn't have anything to fight with?"

"We will come to that matter at a later time, Avia. In the mean time, I need you to trust me on this." Cloudius said, his tone almost pleading for her to go along with his plan.

Avia simply nodded in reply.

Cloudius turned back to face Hawkeye. "So you understand, son?"

"I do." Hawkeye responded.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Cloudius's beak. "Good. Then go on and get to bed. We have a long day tomorrow."

With a nod, Hawkeye spun around and walked out of the atrium and up the staircase that led to his bedroom.

Upon hearing the click of the door being shut, Avia turned to her husband. "Are you sure about this, Cloudius?"

"Avia, I know that this is going to be a difficult next few months, but we will make it through this."

"How can we, though?" The exasperation in Avia's words was almost tangible to Cloudius's ears as he listened. "I support your decisions, Cloudius, but please promise me one thing."

Cloudius gave a small nod, the look in his eyes saying Whatever it is, I will promise it.

"I want you to promise me that Hawkeye will not see combat. That the fighting will be as far away from this place as possible."

Except that. Cloudius thought as he rubbed the back of his head. "Avia, you know I can't make a promise like that. I of all griffons know war is unpredictable. What if our house is targeted for a demoralization raid or you two are caught in an ambush? I will do what I can to keep our son from the fighting, but I cannot give you a guarantee."

Avia's misty eyes glinted in the firelight. "I don't want to lose both my men at the same time."

Cloudius approached his wife and laid a claw on her shoulder. "You won't, Avia. I can promise that."

With a swift motion, Avia pulled Cloudius in for a hug. Cloudius gently stroked the feathers on her head as she cried softly into his shoulder.

-Concordia, Eastern Griffon Kingdom-

Thwump.

The sound bounced around the small second-floor workshop, the indication of success bringing joy to the pair of experimenting griffons in the room.

"Let's try that again." Gastra said, readjusting her stance as she pulled the bolt back on the invention. With a clik, the string locked into place behind the revolving nut, the next one-shot volley ready to fire.

Heron adjusted his claws around the quill against the already filled-out scroll, ready to take down the results of the experiment. "Okay. So this is test number fourteen, linen string at fifteen feet. Fire when ready, Gastra."

Looking down the sights, Gastra matched the front and rear sights, a slim triangular piece of wood sticking up ahead of the circular sight. Lining up the shot, Gastra pulled the trigger.

Thwump.

"Another bulls-eye." Gastra beamed, a smile stretching across her beak.

After marking off the results on the scroll, Heron looked up at his partner. "Well I guess that target I made earlier was good for something after all, huh?"

"Yeah it seems so." Gastra replied, looking down at the small hole to see if an arrow was still in the chamber. Not seeing one, she pressed down on a small lever on the side of the device. A small popping sound made itself heard from underneath the weapon as the arrow magazine became detached, Gastra being quick to grab the now empty box and taking it away from the invention's feeding chamber.

"You having any problems with the firing position?" Heron asked as Gastra landed back on her front two paws. "It looks kind of weird having to shoot that thing while standing on your rear pair of feet."

"I suppose it'll take some getting used to." Gastra admitted. The first couple attempts she tried standing on her back legs ended with her getting a face full of wooden floor, almost destroying the invention in the process. With some practice, however, she was able to overcome that difficulty. Gastra's eyes wandered to the target she'd been firing the weapon at. Out of fourteen arrows fired, ten had stuck in the target, three of which were embedded in the big red dot in the middle. We still need some more tests.

"So, uh, you think it's ready to be presented yet?" Heron asked as he set his quill and scroll on the sawdust and splinter-ridden workbench beside him.

"Not quite. I think it still needs some longer distance accuracy tests. Tomorrow we head for the Frostlands, set up the target and continue with the tests."

"But wouldn't there be a lot of wind interference with that location? Not to mention the fact that we would be freezing up there."

"Well we can't just test the weapon in this room." Gastra pointed out, casting a look around the workshop. "Sure it's prime conditions for it, but the only way to find out its versatility would be to test it in multiple locations. Besides, we'd be able to get a distance test of more than just fifteen feet outside."

Heron nodded in agreement. "Alrighty then. So shall we call it a night?"

Gastra looked up at the clock on the wall, the skinny hands reading 11:30. "Meh it's not that late. We could clean this place up a bit and then we can get some shut-eye."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Heron strolled toward the target, the arrows jutting out of the wood at him. Grabbing one arrow in his claw, he proceeded to try yanking the arrows out of the wood, grunting in effort as he tried to reclaim the projectiles.

Heron picked up the weapon off the ground and set it on the workbench. Sure there was still work to be done, but she could tell that they were so close to completion.

Just a few more tests, and this baby'll be presentable for the king. She thought, a spark of anticipation flashing in her eyes. Once the king approves the weapon for military usage, there'd be no end to what Heron and I can do. But before we present it, though, what should I call the weapon? Gastra pondered, her eyes falling upon the weapon again. It's kind of like a bow, but in the shape of a T. With a 'hmm' and a shrug, Gastra turned back to cleaning the floor of the various wood pieces that lay scattered on the floor. Meh. I'll come up with something later.

-Mountain Cave, Northern Equestria-

Today is the day. The Shadow thought, his yellow eyes gleaming with barely restrained joy. The moon was still in the sky, but the Shadow could sense that midnight had passed. He'd had thousands of years to prepare. Thousands of years to grow stronger in his magic. Thousands of years of waiting. Today, those thousands of years would pay off.

The Shadow's glowing yellow orbs travelled to the pair of changelings that lay no more than five yards away from him. From what he could tell, Queen Chrysalis was already fast asleep. However, two wary blue eyes penetrated the darkness, staring right back at him.

Not feeling tired, Raspian? The Shadow asked.

I've gone multiple days without sleep while on watch. What's one more night? Raspian replied.

Impressive. And such loyal dedication to your queen. It makes me wish that those around me had similar character.

Raspian's eyebrow arched. What makes you say that?

The Shadow closed his eyes in memory. You ever hear of Great Malakh War?

Can't say I have.

I expected you wouldn't. Its origins predate much of creation itself. The Shadow responded.

What happened? Raspian asked, taking a sudden curiosity in what the Shadow was saying.

The Shadow's eyes fell to the cave floor in reminiscing. It was a crusade waged in the name of freedom. What some called freedom, others called rebellion.

What caused the war? Raspian asked.

A tyrant's rule. He is one that rules all of creation, everything supposedly working according how he wills it. One day, some of my colleagues and I decided that free will was a much better option than simply going along with the tyrant's rule. Imagine it, Raspian. Never doing what you wanted to do, but what was expected of you, all day, every day for millenia.

A ponderous look crossed Raspian's visage as he resumed listening.

So there were three of us: Siphon, who was my advisor at the time, Fortis, one of the gnerals in the tyrant's forces, and myself. The three of us began gathering followers, convincing others of the opportunities they were missing under the thumb of the tyrant. Slowly but surely, our numbers grew. We met in our houses, conducting secret meetings about how we could escape the unjust rule of the tyrant. Eventually, a total of almost a third of the Malakh kingship joined into our ranks. Word, however, got out that we were growing to such a great degree and conducting the meetings. Feeling threatened, the tyrant ordered his armies to eliminate us to the last one.

The Shadow paused, waiting to see if Raspian had any remarks on the story thus far. Hearing none, he continued.

The armies of the tyrant pursued us for more than a year. We won some battles, but they won more. It got to the point where our troops were becoming tired and desperate. After consulting my colleagues, we decided to strike the capital city of the Malakh kingdom. Sure it was a daring move, but high risk often yields high reward. We took that risk and ended up losing. The armies of the tyrant were waiting for us, outnumbering us seven to one. Siphon, Fortis, and I were the only ones that were spared. We were brought before the tyrant for trial. It was during that trial that Fortis, my trusted right-hand man, testified that he had informed one of the tyrant's commanders that we were going to attack the capital, that he should not have the same degree of punishment that I or Siphon would have. The tyrant ignored his pleas and gave him a sentence similar to my own. I knew my sentence before the trial had even begun. Imprisonment in the mortal universe. Again, imagine it, Raspian. You are immortal, all-powerful, and are immune to any kind of illness or disability. Then you are placed in a world where nothing is immortal or all-powerful. You are in a world that is constantly moving, always being born, and always dying. Like putting a saltwater fish in a freshwater lake, I am just not meant for this place.

So is that why you're here? In this cave, I mean. Raspian asked.

Yes, captain. I have been stuck in this cave for the better part of three years, but I have broken out before with the help of others like you and your queen.

But…?

The tyrant saw it fit that I would not simply roam free in the mortal world, so he gave me a prison guard. That guard was to be an old friend of mine named Keeper. Once a friend, he is now my warden. As for those that helped free me, they died soon after and I was placed back in this cell.

Raspian's gaze hardened at the yellow eyes in front of him. And you didn't mention this risk to either of us earlier. That we'd be flying in the face of a group of vengeful immortals for you? Why reveal this to me now?

An unseen smirk graced the Shadow's lips. Because this time will be different, Raspian. I realize that bringing freedom to the Malakh kingdom is out of my reach, but bringing freedom to this world? That is very within the bounds of realism. You and your queen will help me usher in a new era of peace the world has never seen before, and you two will be celebrated because of it. By liberating ourselves of the tyrant's will, we can become our own entities. Choose what we want to be, do what we want to do without answering to anyone. And all I need to make that happen, is one more day of faith in my word. The Shadow responded, his eyes showing his thankfulness to the changeling captain.

Well come tomorrow morning we'll see how well you do on your word to bring the world that peace. Raspian said, laying his head down and closed his eyes, the pair of blue orbs disappearing into the dark.

Until then, captain. The Shadow said.

Yep. Good night, Lodestar. Raspian replied, the Shadow sensing his conscience slipping into sleep.

A fanged smile grew across the Shadow's lips. Good night, Raspian.

Author's Note

Man has it been a while since I updated, sorry about the wait everybody. However, being on vacation, I now have a full week to do nothing but hang and write fanfiction for you guys! So you can expect another update by the end of next week. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and review/critique!

Reaches of a Shadow

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 40-Reaches of a Shadow

-Canterlot Castle: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

The soft late afternoon breeze breathed its calm gale upon Starswirl's face, his beard swaying in the wind and the bells on his hat singing their jangling tune. The setting sun shone brightly against the castle, warming the fur of the unicorn wizard. Birds chirped cheerily, ponies conducted their daily affairs in the streets, and all was at peace. But from the balcony of the castle, however, one mind was not at rest.

Something's not right. Starswirl thought. He'd felt it ever since the black crystal vanished into the Elements' light. A feeling of dread had befallen the magician's mind, plaguing his thoughts with uncertainty. Sombra has been defeated by the princesses, so what could be left to do?

"Master Starswirl?" A familiar voice asked behind him.

Starswirl didn't have to turn around to address his pupil. "Good afternoon, Clover."

"It certainly is." Clover remarked, taking in the peaceful surroundings around the castle. "So what are thou doing out here? Dinner will soon be served."

A grin flickered across Starswirl's mouth. "As much as I would love to satiate my growing hunger, my mind has been elsewhere as of late."

"Why is that?" Clover asked, his eyebrows furrowing together.

"In the library earlier, when we witnessed the crystal's disappearance, did thou not get the feeling that there is more to this than it seems?"

Clover pursed his lips and shook his head in response. "I cannot say I had. Did thee?"

Starswirl nodded, opening his eyes to beyond the mountains before him. "Whatever happened in the Crystal Empire, I feel is just a piece of a larger puzzle."

"How so?"

"Think about it. King Sombra, who from what I read has been in power for a long time, just now turns evil and we are forced to send both the princesses out, with the Elements of Harmony no less, to take care of the problem?"

Clover shrugged. "I don't see thy point, Master."

"My point is that I fear there is something behind all this. Sombra's downfall and defeat was but one part of a grander scheme. What that scheme entails and whose they are, however, I dread to find out." Starswirl said, his tone filled with uneasiness.

Clover's eyes glanced at the ground, hoping the stones could give him the words to speak with his teacher. Looking back up, Clover spoke up. "Whatever may happen, Starswirl, I am confident that our combined power could overcome it. I assisted Princess Platinum and the other pony leaders discover this land, and thou have made such great strides in magic and its studies that I'm sure no pony in a thousand years will come close to thy level of achievement. So despite whatever may be happening out there, I am sure we can face it together."

A smile tugged at the side of Starsiwrl's face as he turned to face his student. "I am glad to hear thy certainty, Clover. It is most relieving in times like these."

"Glad to help." Clover piped up with a smile. "Now come, let us eat dinner and toast the victory of the princesses."

Starswirl gave his enthusiastic student a nod. "I will be with thee in a few moments. Would thee save a goblet for me at the table until I arrive?"

A toothy grin flashed across Clover's visage. "No problem, Master Starswirl!" the magician's apprentice exclaimed as he turned to leave, "I will see thee in the dining hall!"

Starswirl turned back to face the setting sun as Clover marched down the corridor towards the dining room. The magician's face hardened as a swift breeze caused the bells on his hat to sway and jingle. The feeling was still there, the feeling that it wasn't over yet. If Sombra was a single piece of the puzzle, then what would the next piece of the puzzle entail?

-Castle of the Two Sisters: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

There it is. Luna thought as her eyes beheld the stone palace, standing tall above the trees of the Everfree Forest. The setting sun was barely peeking above the hills to the west, bathing the face of the castle in a deep orange. The shadow of the castle stretched onto the trees below, sheltering any heat-fleeing animals that inhabited the woods. For Celestia, it was a victorious return to her and Luna's former home before the castle in Canterlot was created. For Luna, however, she was mentally preparing for the next few hours that lay ahead.

Are thou ready for what is to come, Luna? The voice whispered in her mind.

Taking a deep breath, Luna let out a wearied sigh. I do not know if I will be able to stand up to Celestia.

But thou have come so far. To give up before the battle begins would be like allowing Celestia to usurp thy power, Princess.

Celestia is my sister. I fear that my memories of our past together would hold me back from achieving our goal. Luna replied, her teal gaze resting on Celestia as she flew ahead. Memories flashed through Luna's mind. She recalled how much fun they had together galloping down the Hall of Hooves, the tea parties they had as fillies, their exploits against Discord and Tirek, and now their victory over Sombra. Celestia wasn't just her sister. She was her confidant, her cornerstone, and her playmate in days past. No, Celestia wasn't just her sister.

Luna. Let me tell you a tale that was woven together in the fabric of time many years ago. The voice said, Luna's eyebrow arching in interest.

Casting a quick glance at Celestia, Luna's eyes returned to the sky ahead of her. I am listening.

It all began in a bygone age. The voice spoke, its tone filled with reminiscence. When war and violence were foreign concepts. It was during that time that a great king ruled the land with an iron fist, everything working according to his own purpose. Under his rule were two subjects; a long-time friend named Keeper and myself.

Is this ruler still in power today? Luna asked.

He is. The voice replied, a trace of bitterness lining its tone. But that is beside the point. Anyway, Keeper and I were as close as brothers. We grew up together, ate and drank together, we served the king at each other's sides… we were near inseparable.

So what happened?

An idea.

"Luna!" Celestia called, snapping her sister out of her internal conversation.

"Yes, Tia?" Luna replied.

"When was the last time we slept in that castle? It feels like it's been hundreds of years!" Celestia exclaimed joyfully.

Luna tapped her chin with a hoof, trying to count the years. "It certainly has been a long time, sister." She flatly concluded. Truth be told, she hadn't really thought about that until Celestia brought it up. Was it after or before Discord was defeated? It was certainly before the three pony tribes united to form Equestria, so at least that was definite. Oh well.

The pair of sisters approached the entrance to the castle, landing just in front of a massive pair of wooden doors. The laughter of fillies rang in Luna's ears as she beheld the grand entrance, reminders of innocent days past.

"Well... shall we enter?" Luna suggested, gesturing at the entrance.

"So we shall." Celestia replied, her horn glowing bright yellow. One of the doors glowed a similar aura, swinging open as Celestia worked her magic. Once all the way open, the auras surrounding Celestia's horn and the door faded. Upon the regal sisters completely entering the castle's foyer, Celestia closed the door behind them.

As Luna and Celestia beheld the entry room of the castle, they found that everything about the castle was just as the sisters had remembered. The draperies that hung above their respective thrones, the rugs on the floor remained unsoiled even after years of not being touched, a touch of moss grew on a stone or two, but other than that, the castle's interior was in the exact same condition as the day Luna and Celestia left for the castle in Canterlot.

The pair of sisters walked down the entry hall, stopping just in front of the steps to each other's thrones. It seemed like it was just yesterday when they saw them last.

"So I take it we'll be going to our own rooms like we used to?" Luna presumed.

Celestia nodded. "Mine on the right and yours on the left. I believe that was the way we had it in the old days." She said, gesturing to their respective hallways that opened up behind the thrones.

Luna nodded in reply. "And so the day draws to a close." She remarked, glancing out one of the western windows in the wall to see the sun giving its last glimpse on the horizon. "Thou may go ahead and sleep, sister. I will raise the moon."

Celestia stretched her jaw in a yawn. "Very well, Luna. Good night." With that, the sun goddess began walking down the hallway towards her old bedroom.

It will come during the Summer Sun Celebration tomorrow. The voice piped up.

"What will?" Luna whispered as she began her trek towards one of the castle's towers.

Celestia's attempt to claim absolute rule. Makes sense that on a day dedicated to her sun that she would try to muscle in on thy power. The voice said as Luna passed by the entrance to the garden that she and Celestia would dance and smell the plants as fillies.

"And thou will help me when the time comes?" Luna asked as the bottom of a spiral staircase greeted her hooves.

But of course, my dear princess. Why wouldn't I be?

"Just making sure." She replied as she climbed the stairs, her mind growing heavier with every step. Memories dashed back and forth in her mind, taunting her with the smiles and laughter that she and Celestia had together in the castle when they were younger. Then her mind went to what the alicorn had told her in the dream. Two banishments would take place. The first, King Sombra's, had already happened. One more had yet to occur.

Still having doubts?

Luna paused her climb and shook her head. "No. It's just that I was thinking about what thou said in the dream. About the two banishments? One into the earth, the other from this earth. I now know that Sombra was the first, but now that just leaves Celestia, you, and me for the upcoming banishment. Surely it is Celestia, right? I mean if you and I were to be banished, then it would be three banishments. "

Thou are correct in assuming there would be three banishments. But my prophecy still stands. Two banishments will take place.

As Luna neared the top of the tower, the evening wind whistled through the open stone archway.

And so the moon must be raised once again, only for it to fall again in the morning. The voice said despondently.

"And thy point is?" Luna asked, her irritation with all the voice's riddles making itself apparent.

That when Celestia is defeated, the long night will begin. The sun would rise no more. The night, thy night, would last forever.

Luna's eyes lit up at the suggestion that her night would reign supreme, not Celestia's sun.

"For far too long I have let the citizens bask in my sister's sun. After this is over, it is my moon they will hail when it dawns." Luna said, a toothed grin stretching across her face, an ambitious gleam twinkling in her eyes.

Then raise the moon, Luna. Raise the moon and lower it one last time. After this night, thou would never have to lower it again.

As Luna began to concentrate, Luna's horn glowed a brilliant azure as the sky turned dark from the sun's absence. Looking to the east, her horn's glow intensified. Gritting her teeth, Luna could see the crest of the moon peeking up over the mountains. Letting the magic subside from her horn, she took a few deep breaths as she recovered from her exertion. She had raised the moon.

Now get some rest, Luna. Celestia will enjoy her time at the Summer Sun Celebration. We will let her have one more shining moment of glory. The voice said eagerly. Then we will take her together.

The lunar princess's eyes narrowed in determination. "And so we shall." She said, beginning her descent down the staircase. "Oh. I almost forgot. I have been talking with thee all this time, but I have never gotten thy name."

A period of silence hung between Luna and the voice as the moon-ruling alicorn walked down the stairs, her hooves clomping on each step.

I have a multitude of names, Princess Luna. But there is one name that would be appropriate given what we are about to undertake. Just as though reign over the night, thou will need my assistance ruling the day as well. Thou art the night, while I am thy Shadow during the day.

Shadow. Luna repeated the name in her mind. A tad ominous... I like it. "Glad to make thy acquaintance, Shadow." Luna said, stepping out of the tower and back towards the atrium. "Now then, what shall our strategy be for tomorrow?"

All in good time, Luna. The Shadow responded. For now, thou must rest. Thou overcame a great foe today, but tomorrow thou will face an even greater confrontation.

"Celestia." Luna growled as she approached the two thrones before her. They stood side by side, neither throne claiming dominance over the other. Luna knew that was a lie, despite the appearances the sisters displayed. Celestia had always received more respect and credit than she ever did. Tomorrow, that all changes. She thought, a quick yawn escaping her open jaws. The Shadow was right, she needed her rest.

Luna's horn lit a faint blue aura, the same magical field enveloping the Elements of Harmony that adorned her neck. With a fling of her magic, the necklace was sent to the ground, clanging against the stone as it skidded across the floor.

As I have raised the moon, so shall I make the sun set. Luna thought, an anticipating smile spreading across her face. It only makes sense that the sun sets that night may begin its reign.

-Malakh Kingdom: 10,000 years before Discord's Imprisonment-

"What a glorious day, is it not, Keeper?" Morning Light said as he admired the view from the coastal mansion. The sun glistened on the surface of the water, painting the waves to look like liquid gold. The palm tree branches swayed in the soft breeze, their leaves rustling and flapping in the wind like the golden toga on Morning's back. The pearl-white sands stretched along the seashore, the golden surf washing up and down the beach, almost dousing the leather sandals on the Malakh's feet.

Keeper walked alongside Morning, putting an arm over his comrade's shoulders. "As glorious as any other day in our lord's kingdom." He said with a smile as his tunic fluttered in the breeze.

Morning shrugged, a grin of his own growing on his face. "But it's something about today that just makes me feel glad. I cannot quite place it, though."

"Master Light!" A youthful voice called behind them.

Both Morning and Keeper looked behind them to see a lad dressed in a white toga with a golden cape that hung from his shoulders.

Morning greeted the boy with a warm smile. "Abundance! What news do you bring?"

Abundance pulled a scroll from the folds of his toga and handed it to his master. "A message from the Apostolate. They say that it's urgent."

Morning unfurled the scroll, the silver ink sparkling in the midmorning sunlight.

Morning Light,

By order of the king, you have summoned to the Council of the Apostolate to partake in a discussion regarding the course of actions to be taken in preparation for the yearly Worship. Your attendance is required three weeks from this day. Reply to this letter to confirm your reservation amongst the Apostolate as soon as you are able. Come prepared with ideas in mind and we look forward to seeing you at the meeting. Hailed be the king's name!

Regards,

Swift Justice

Rolling up the scroll, Morning Light handed the parchment back to his assistant.

"Abundance, take a letter." He ordered, Abundance obeying his master's order and took out a blank piece of paper, his finger positioned on the paper.

"Ready?" Morning asked, Abundance nodding in reply. "Swift Justice, I accept your invitation to attend the meeting at the Apostolate. I anticipate the discussions that will be had when all have arrived. Hailed be the king's name. Morning Light."

Whipping his finger across the paper, golden letters followed the path Abundance's finger made, the letters and sentences forming on the paper. Upon the letter's completion, the young Malakh rolled up the scroll.

"Thank you, Abundance. See to it that this letter is delivered to Swift Justice no later than dinner tonight." Morning dismissed his servant, Abundance giving a quick bow and began walking down the hallway away from Morning and Keeper.

"What was that all about?" Keeper asked, arching an eyebrow at his friend.

"Swift Justice just invited me to help plan the yearly Worship." Morning bragged, a smug grin finding its way onto his face.

A smirk tugged at Keeper's mouth. "Congratulations!" He said, patting Morning on the back. "That's a pretty big honor."

"Makes you wish you had gotten it, right?"

"Oh, no way." Keeper responded, waving his hands at Morning's suggestion. "I'd much rather be at my post."

"Speaking of which, when's your next shift?"" Morning asked, the pair of friends looking at the position of the sun.

"Soon. In fact, very soon." Keeper said, quickly turning back towards a cobblestone road behind the beach. "I'll see you later, Morning. Can't be late for the rotation of the guard."

"Well then off with you!" Morning shouted. "It was getting boring here anyways."

Waving a hand back at his friend, Keeper called out, "Hopefully I can see you in time for dinner!"

Morning gave a brief laugh as he waved goodbye to his friend. "Hopefully so. See you around, Keeper!" With that, he turned back around to face the ocean. A beauteous day such as this offered the opportunity to do various things around the kingdom. For now, however, Morning Light simply wished to watch the ocean waves coming and receding back into the sea.

Maybe the day is glorious in how I perceive it to be. Maybe it's my choice to see this morning as beauteous, thus making it so. Morning wondered, unaware of the impact that thought would have on the rest of his life.

Author's Note

Okay so I know I said I'd have a chapter for you guys by the end of last week, but I had to do some self-critique and ended up redoing a lot of this chapter for quality purposes. But now that's out of the way and the chapter's out! So I hope y'all liked the chapter and review/critique.

Knights and Pawns

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 41-Knights and Pawns

-Canterlot catacomb system: Present day-

Celestia gave a tired sigh. She, Luna, and Discord had been wandering through the stone-lined passageways for hours. It certainly didn't help that every corridor looked exactly the same, despite Discord pointing out that the moss between the stones was a different shade of greenish-yellow.

"How much farther, Discord?" Celestia asked, trying to hide her fatigue.

Discord's head spun all the way around to face her, surprising the weary alicorn. "Oh poor Celestia. Is she feeling tired?" He mocked, giving the solar princess a pout.

Celestia's eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. "No, it is that we have been gallivanting around these hallways for a long time and I am curious as to how much more we have to go."

Discord tapped his chin, spinning around the rest of his body to match his head's direction. "So let's see. We passed the four thousand eighty fourth torch a few seconds ago, the moss in that part of the catacomb was a little on the puce side… about five minutes away."

Luna arched an eyebrow at the draconequus. "You've counted how many torches there are in these tunnels?"

"But of course!" Discord exclaimed, his voice bouncing off the walls. "Don't you?"

"I think Tia and I have had more important things on our minds than just the number of torches down here." Luna replied, continuing her pace down the hallway.

"Au contraire, my dear." Discord was quick to rebut as he caught up to her. "By knowing the number of torches along the way, I know how close we are to Starswirl's final resting place. Funny how such insignificant details like that can actually mean something in the larger picture, wouldn't you agree?"

Luna cast her eyes at the sullen flooring in thought. "I suppose you are right, Discord. But I don't think that now is the best time for a lecture on some life lesson."

Discord crossed his arms and harrumphed. "Well. I can see why Celestia had a student in the study of friendship and you didn't."

"Speaking of which, how is Twilight?" Luna piped up, turning her head back to see her sister.

A fleeting smirk crossed Celestia's visage. "Oh you know Twilight. Probably has her face buried in some book for some late-night reading. Given recent circumstances, though, I doubt she's doing any of that tonight."

The catacomb fell silent as the trio continued their walking, the clopping of hoofsteps resounding in the tunnels.

I hope Twilight is okay. Celestia thought. She has no idea what she and her friends have been thrust into.

"Ah, ah, ah. We can't go down the right way this time." Discord warned as they reached a fork in the path. On the right side appeared to be a light glowing at the far end, beckoning for someone to enter it. The left, however, was more dimly lit. The torches on the wall looked older and more used than the torches before them.

"Why? What's down the right hall?" Luna asked, her mind aroused by curiosity.

Discord pointed a clawed finger at the light. "Light beacon spell. Fools somepony into going down that way, causing them to fall into a pit and be impaled by a bunch of pikes." Discord said, smashing his hands together for emphasis.

Both the sisters gulped. "So… left way then." Celestia piped up.

"Lead on, my dear. Starswirl's keep should be just ahead." Discord pointed as both princesses turned towards the left hallway and began their final leg of the trip through the underground maze.

Celestia looked back at the draconequus and gave him a grateful grin. "Thanks for showing us the way, Discord. We wouldn't have had any idea where to go down here if it weren't for your directions."

Discrod waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Don't think anything of it, Celestia. The amount of times I've explored down here certainly contributed."

Celestia nodded. "All the same, thanks for helping us o-AH!"

Instantly the stone floor gave way, revealing a large smooth-walled pit ready to swallow up the solar princess, had it not been for her wings, of course. Celestia flapped her wings to stay above the pit, her eyes wide with surprise. Luna and Discord looked down the pit to see a trio of spikes arranged in a triangular pattern, a few white objects surrounding the iron pikes.

Luna mouth went dry as she realized what the white objects were. Bones. Pony bones.

"DISCORD!" Celestia bellowed, her voice echoing down the tunnel. "I thought you said the other way had the trap!"

The chaos lord scratched his chin, his eyes lighting up a few moments later. "Oh, that's right. The other way had Starswirl's door. I always get those two mixed up." He said, giving himself a facepalm.

Luna looked up from the pit as Celestia hovered her way back to a safe distance from the artificial death chasm. "So… I take it some tried to get into Starswirl's tomb?" She asked, casting a quick glance down at the pit.

Discord shrugged. "Must've been pretty lucky to get this far. Shame too. They were so close."

Celestia cast Discord an irritable look. "So back down the other hallway?"

"But what about that light trap you said there was?" Luna asked.

Discord's eyes shot up in thought. "Well keep in mind that it's been a while since I have been down here, so that whole light trap thing was more of a guess. So there's a fifty-forty chance I'm right."

"You mean fifty-fifty?" Celestia suggested as the trio made their way back down the hallway they'd come from.

Discord shook his head. "Nope. I meant fifty-forty. The other ten is the off chance that it's something else entirely."

Celestia grunted in response. "Well at least we're close to the tomb." She said as they rounded the fork they'd come to before and continued down the correct corridor.

The light at the end of the hallway was becoming brighter, almost to where the trio had to squint to see ahead of them.

Discord suddenly whipped out a pair of lime green sunglasses and held out his hand. "Take it, princesses! You don't want to wander into something in this bright light!" He warned.

Seeing as they didn't have another option, Celestia and Luna placed a hoof in Discord's paw as he led them into the light.

After a few moments of walking, Luna piped up. "We almost there?"

"Just a few more yards!" Discord assured.

Face thyself, Luna. A voice whispered in her mind.

Who is this? Luna demanded, not too happy to be hearing voices again.

The brightness around Luna faded, the sense of uncertainty going with it. I am one that once was. One that was not as great as the one that lies behind the door, and yet my deeds have lasted for hundreds of years.

Luna gritted her teeth in frustration. Enough with the riddles, stranger! Reveal yourself!

I had forgotten how beautiful you were before you were consumed by jealousy. The voice said, Luna's eyes widening. That day when you became the Nightmare, my master told me 'Behold, my young pupil, today we shall experience the darkest of all days.'

Clover the Clever. Luna realized. You have been keeping watch over your master's tomb for all these years?

Aye, thy Majesty. And it is a great honor to see thee again. I will lift the protection spell for the three of thee to enter the tomb. But be warned. Clover said. In the coming days, it is not merely the Shadow thou will have to face, but thyself as well.

"Luna! The door to Starswirl's tomb." Celestia pointed out, snapping Luna out of her vision. Ahead of her was a simple wooden door, a faded gold star etched into the wood planks of the door.

"Then let's not keep Starswirl waiting!" Discord exclaimed as Celestia pushed the door open.

Face thyself.

-Sky-Shield Residence, Western Griffon Kingdom: Present day-

Blackness. Calm, silent, blissful nothingness. That's all Hawkeye dreamed. His body and mind were simply at rest, recharging for what the upcoming day had in store for him. While he slept, a slight smile was on his beak as he enjoyed the solitude that only sleep could offer him. No countries teetering on war, no worries of getting forcefully recruited into the military, no major life choices to be decided upon. Hawkeye was in a state of perfect contentment.

Until a sudden thumping shattered that peace. Thump-thump-thump.

Hawkeye's eyelids scrunched themselves shut as the young griffon tries to regain the calmness of his sleep.

"Hawkeye, get up." A stern voice ordered, completely destroying any attempt for Hawkeye to get his slumbering state back.

Hawkeye's eyes cracked open, some sleep clouding his vision. With a quick rubbing of his eyes, Hawkeye could easily make out the silhouette of his father's figure in the open doorway of his bedroom. Uneasiness crept into his mind as Hawkeye noticed the faint gleam of steel armor on his father's body in the moonlight that came in through the window next to his bed.

"Dad? What's… going on?" the not-fully awake griffon croaked, noting that the sun wasn't even up yet. Are we about to be attacked or something? He wondered.

"Your training, Hawk. It begins today." Cloudius stated.

Turning his head to get a good look at what the sky looked like out his window, Hawkeye could see that the moon wasn't even touching the horizon yet. His head twisted back towards Cloudius as Hawkeye voiced his concern. "But it's… not even… morning."

"You think a band of raiders wouldn't attack a camp just because the sun isn't up yet? Meet me on the ground beneath the house in less than half an hour. Your armor is waiting for you in the foyer." With that, Cloudius turned around and exited the doorway.

With a smack of his beak and a stretch of his arms, Hawkeye sat up in his bed, a sleepy groan escaping his throat. Kicking his hind legs over the side of the bed, Hawkeye slid off and onto the floor. The young griffon drowsily made his way out the door of his bedroom and down the staircase to the atrium. The quiet of night still had the household in its grip as only the sound of Hawkeye's steps reached his ears.

Hawkeye cast a look down the stairs at the large room, his eyes widening at what he saw. Against the dying embers of the fireplace, Hawkeye could make out a set of steel armor that sat on a wooden mannequin, the fading red remainders of the fire tingeing the reflective armor a light crimson. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Hawkeye slowly made his way over to the armor set.

Is this my armor? Hawkeye wondered as he beheld the set of metal pieces. Scanning the armor set, he found a set of bracers adorning the lower front legs and wrists of the wooden model. Hawkeye reached out and unclasped the buckles on one of the bracers, removing it from the foreleg of the mannequin and setting it upon his own. Pulling the leather straps and buckling them in place, Hawkeye sucked in a breath at finding it was a perfect fit. His eyes rose to the remainders of the armor set.

"You won't be needing that today." Cloudius's voice said behind him.

Hawkeye turned around to see his father, a pair of swords in their scabbards hanging at his sides.

"Why not?" Hawkeye asked, casting a glance at the armor.

Cloudius reached down and unsheathed one of the swords. Hawkeye's eyebrows furrowed at seeing the sword was wood and not metal.

"We will be practicing sword technique today." He said, putting the wooden weapon back in its scabbard. "You won't be wearing your armor today. That will come later."

"So do I… get a… sword?" Hawkeye fought to ask.

Cloudius nodded and unstrapped the sword on his right side. Pulling the sheathed weapon away from him, he held it out for Hawkeye to take hold of. "You remember how to put it on?"

Hawkeye gripped the scabbard, the straps hanging down on the floor. Pulling the leather sheath to his side, he looped the straps over his torso and across his chest. Finding the right slits in the leather, Hawkeye fit the straps through them and tightened them around his body. Now the scabbard rested perfectly at his side. "Living with you… has taught me… a few things." Hawkeye replied with a smirk.

Cloudius gave his son a proud smile. "I try. Now come, we have some work to do." With that, he spun around towards the front door of the house, Hawkeye close behind. Grasping the handle and turning it, Cloudius pulled the door open as the pair of griffons exited the house.

Hawkeye closed his eyes as the cool early morning breeze blew through his feathers. Not a sound but the wind reached his ears. It was as if the world itself were still asleep as father and son made their way to the edge of the cloud on which the house stood upon.

Spreading his wings, Cloudius looked to his son. "You ready to go?"

Hawkeye responded by extending his own wings with a nod.

"Then let's go. We have a good couple hours before Princess Celestia is supposed to raise the sun." Cloudius said, leaping off the cloud and shooting into the early morning sky.

With a mighty flap of his wings, Hawkeye took after his father. The pair of griffons soared through the air, the training grounds of Dayguard waiting for them in the distance.

-Ponyville: Present day-

"Where is she?" Silver Star grumbled, a yawn quickly escaping as soon as the words left his mouth.

"Patience, Chassis." Palm Spring tried to say in the most soothing way she could, but at this time in the morning, her mind hadn't quite caught up with her body. "Trixie said she'd be here and I have no reason to doubt her on that."

Speedy Delivery cast a glance at the air balloon that towered over them. The purple balloon stood tall as a soft flame gushed hot air into it, the yellow frills fluttering in the air current. "You sure this is the best way to get to where we're going?" His mind went back to the meeting they had with Chrysalis, showing where to rendezvous with her and Raspian. "Doesn't look very fast." And a bit girlish at that.

"Well it's better than carrying the unicorn with nothing but our hooves and wings." Palm pointed out. "And besides why would it have to be fast? Depending on the wind direction up there, we could be in the Crystal Empire by midafternoon with this baby."

"And if the wind isn't with us?" Silver objected. "We won't even make it to the mountains by nightfall."

"No need to be such a pessimist, Chassis."

Speedy's mouth opened wide in a yawn. "Well I, for one, am going to enjoy catching up on the sleep I lost last night when this is all over."

"I hear ya." Silver groaned. "And maybe some breakfast would be nice too. Think we could get some at the mayor's office before heading out?" He asked, turning to Palm.

Palm Spring shook her head. "Nope. Sorry, Chassis, but we need to stay here for when Trixie arrives."

"So… do we know what we're going to do with Trixie after she's helped us out with Chrysalis?" Speedy asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Silver replied with a drowsy chuckle. "We finally get some good eating after she's done what she needs to do."

"Did I hear something about good eating over here?" A familiar voice piped up down the road. The trio of disguised changelings turned their heads to see a haggard Trixie slowly making her way down the dirt road toward them.

"Didn't get enough sleep last night either, eh?" Speedy asked, noting the bags under the magician's eyes.

Trixie gave the concerned stallion a fleeting grin. "Well a bench on the side of the road isn't exactly a five-star hotel room." She replied as she approached the group.

"You slept on a bench last night?" Palm exclaimed in disbelief. "You don't have a home or place to stay?"

Trixie's eyes fell to the dirt beneath her hooves. "I used to have a cart that I'd travel with, but it got destroyed during an incident with an Ursa Minor."

Palm and Speedy exchanged looks. "Well you could have stayed with us. We had space in our rental house."

Trixie shrugged. "It's okay. So, are we going to be taking off soon?"

"We were waiting for whenever you got here." Silver replied, turning towards the large wicker basket at the bottom of the balloon. "And now that you have arrived, we can be on our way."

Speedy stepped aside and gestured for Trixie and Palm to enter the basket first, both of them giving him an appreciative smile as they entered the balloon. He pretended to not notice the eye roll that Silver was giving him as the pair of undercover changelings walked into the basket.

As soon as the four had gotten into the wicker basket, Palm reached up to a rope connected to the burners at the base of the balloon. Giving them a hard pull, flames shot up into the balloon with a mighty whoosh. Moments later the balloon began to float off the ground. Trixie looked down from the balloon at Ponyville, smiling at how everything was getting smaller and smaller with each passing second.

"So you ever been in a hot air balloon, Trixie?" Speedy asked, noticing the unicorn's glee.

Trixie looked back at Speedy, the smile still on her face. "No I haven't. This is incredible!" She exclaimed in wonder as she looked back down.

Speedy turned to Palm as she maneuvered the balloon towards the north. "We're on our way?"

Palm nodded, her eyes turning to the silhouettes of snow-capped peaks that lay beyond the mountain-dwelling city of Canterlot. The final phase of the changelings' mission was upon them. "We're on our way."

The Last Day

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 42-The Last Day

-Castle of the Two Sisters: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Celestia paced back and forth at Luna's bedroom door. She had gotten dressed for the upcoming celebration, eaten a small breakfast from the old castle's storeroom, and had been trotting to and fro in front of Luna's door for the past few minutes. The Summer Sun Celebration in Fillydelphia begins in less than two hours. Why isn't she awake yet? Celestia thought, worry creeping into her mind. Is she still recovering from our fight with Sombra yesterday?

"Luna? Art thou awake?" Celestia asked, pressing the side of her face to the door.

"Aye, Celestia. I am awake." Came Luna's soft reply.

Celestia gave a relieved sigh. "Why art thou still in thy bedroom? We have to be at Fillydelphia in a couple of hours."

"For thy Summer Sun Celebration." Luna assumed, her words icy.

"But of course." Celestia replied, surprised at her younger sister's tone. "I need thee to lower the moon there so that the sun might be raised."

"Who says I have to be there with thee to lower the moon? I can perform my royal duties perfectly well from this very castle." Luna said.

Celestia fell silent for a moment. "Luna, is something wrong?"

"Nay, sister. Everything is as it should be." Luna responded. "My moon will be lowered, thy sun will be raised, and the people will adore thee for performing a task that is done every single day."

Celestia's eyebrows furrowed. "Art thou implying something, Luna? That thy duties are any less important than my own?"

"Not at all, Celestia. That thy royal flank could use its yearly kissing up ceremony to remind thyself that thou art not just another alicorn princess." Luna snapped.

"I think no such things!" Celestia shot back. "Maybe if thou presented thyself to the people more often and mingled with them, thou would experience the same love and joy that the citizens of Equestria have given me."

"So thou admit that thee receive more adoration from our citizens than I?" Luna questioned.

"Yes, but-"

"Then that is all I need to hear." Luna cut off. "Go and enjoy thy Summer Sun Celebration, Celestia. Bask in the glow of the peoples' love."

"Fine!" Celestia shouted, turning around and stomping towards the castle's atrium.

Luna listened as Celestia's hoofsteps faded from behind the door. "Who does she think she is?" She said to herself once Celestia was out of earshot. "Parading herself around acting like she is on top of the world. She doesn't deserve the love she gets from the people."

And now thee see the truth. The Shadow said.

Luna hung her head, her eyes wide with disbelief. "She actually said it. I never thought she'd brag to me about how much love she gets from our subjects."

What do thou think the whole concept of the Summer Sun Celebration is? To praise and adore the one that raises it each and every day. But does the raiser of the moon receive such praise?

Luna thought back. There have only been a few instances when she was actually given thanks for the duties she performed, the most recent being the pair of fillies at the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. In comparison to how much adoration Celestia received for raising the sun, the love Luna was given was miniscule.

Lower the moon when it's time. Once thou have done that, thy true potential will finally be unlocked.

"What dost thou mean?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow. "True potential?"

Thou raise and lower the moon and the heavenly bodies at night, correct? Luna replied with a nod. What thou can achieve as Princess of the Night is so much more than simply raising and lowering the moon. To unlock thy true power, thou must become the night itself.

"But how?" Luna wondered. "Outside my alicorn magic, how else can this power be tapped in to?"

By combining our powers, Luna. Thou raise the lights of the night, the moon and the stars, and I am the Shadow of the night. Together, we can become night incarnate. Embody the night, Luna, and claim thy destiny as ruler of the night and of Equestria.

Luna's eyes narrowed determinedly. "The people will adore me as their ruler. And should they will not accept my night…" She said, walking towards the window that overlooked the tops of the Everfree Forest, her circular irises flashing into a slit form before quickly returning to normal. "…Then they will learn to fear it."

Celestia stopped at the doorway to the castle, turning her head back to the throne room. Both thrones stared silently back at her, the alicorn's magenta eyes falling to the floor.

Maybe I was too harsh on her. She thought. After the Summer Sun Celebration, we will make things right.

With a spread of her wings, Celestia leapt into the early morning sky, her feather-adorned appendages silently carrying her through the air. Fillydelphia was waiting for her.

-Ponyville Library: Present Day-

All was quiet in the library. Not a sound was heard as the purple dragon and alicorn slept soundly in their beds. All was serene, except for the noise of ruffling feathers.

Owlowisious looked down on the first floor of the library from his position on his perch. The nocturnal bird had spent most of his waking hours watching over his owner and her dragon. He could definitely tell that something was wrong, considering their behavior and the dialogue that she had exchanged with her friends. As to what it was, however, Owlowiscious had no clue.

"Hmm… guh." The owl heard, his head dipping to see his owner tossing and turning in her bed.

"Hoo?" He called, wanting to see if she was alright.

Twilight's creaked open eyes looked up to give the concerned owl an appreciative grin. "Good morning to you too, Owlowiscious." Twilight said, sitting up in bed and stretching her forelegs.

"Hoo hoo." He responded cheerily. Spreading his wings, Owlowiscious glided down from his perch and began hovering above Twilight's head. Slowly descending, Owlowiscious gently planted his feet on the end of the alicorn's horn.

Looking up at the owl, Twilight let out a soft giggle. "Hehe. Enjoying yourself up there?"

Owlowiscious let out a content hoot, looking down and giving his owner a pleased look.

Turning her head, Twilight looked to see the position of the moon in the sky. Her eyes shot open at seeing how lowly suspended over the horizon the moon was. It's almost morning!

"Spike! Wake up!" Twilight exclaimed, startling the poor owl off her horn.

"Hmm… what?" a groggy-sounding voice said the floor at the foot of the bed.

Sliding out of her bed and onto her hooves, Twilight looked to the basket bed where her draconic assistant slept. "Come on, Spike! We need to get ready to meet the girls at the train station!"

Instantly Spike was awake, shooting up in his bed. "Oh right!" He said as he pulled his legs over the edges of the basket. "Sorry for sleeping in, Twilight."

Twilight was already at the bottom of the staircase. "No need to apologize, Spike. Just get whatever you need to go to Canterlot."

"Got it." Spike affirmed with a salute. Running towards the stairs, Spike turned a quick U-turn and careened down the steps.

Owlowiscious watched as the pony and dragon raced back and forth across the ground floor of the library, grabbing whatever they could. He watched as Spike made a dash for the ink and scroll cabinet at the far corner of the room.

"Owlowiscious!" Twilight called.

The owl's gaze dropped from his hovering position to see Twilight looking back up at him. "You don't mind watching the library for a few days?"

"Hoo." Owlowiscious replied, shaking his head.

"Thanks!" She replied, turning to Spike. "You have everything you need?"

Spike hoisted a small backpack onto his shoulders. "Scrolls, a couple wells of ink, a few quills, and some sapphires. I'm good to go!"

"Excellent." Twilight said, her horn glowing a light purple. A saddlebag full of books, quills, and a couple outfits was levitated onto her back. "Then let's be off!" Swinging the door open with her magic, she raced out the door, Spike soon in tow.

Spike turned back around to look up at Owlowiscious. "Don't burn the place down while we're gone, ya hear?"

Owlowiscious waved a wing in a dismissive gesture. "Hoo hoo."

With a grin, Spike shut the door to the library.

Owlowiscious looked around the now empty library, a sinking feeling beginning to take hold in the owl's mind. For a reason he couldn't quite place, Owlowiscious felt that he wouldn't be seeing them again for a quite some time.

-Starswirl's Tomb, Canterlot catacombs: Present Day-

"Then let's not keep Starswirl waiting!" Discord exclaimed, pushing the ancient wooden door open, the pair of royal sisters walking through the doorway.

Both Celestia and Luna shared a gasp at what they beheld. The floor, walls, and ceiling were made completely of polished sapphire-blue glass, the same blue of the wizard's cape and hat, bathing the room in a deep azure tint. Orbs of illumination magic seemed to float around inside the glass, imitating the stars in an early evening sky. On the right side of the room stood an iron hanger, the signature bell-adorned cloak and hat of the legendary magician hanging from its hooks. On the left side, a single metal strongbox sat alone.

Valuables of Starswirl's perhaps. Luna wondered as her eyes continued to scan the room. Luna's eyes stopped at a black figure that loomed on the other side of the room. Upon a closer look, Luna's eyes widened at realizing she was looking at Starswirl's sarcophagus. A pony-shaped obsidian case stood tall, bold topaz and shimmering gold trimmings tracing the shape of the wizard that lay inside.

Luna stopped at a small wooden table before her, a mystic rune engraved on the surface. Zigzags, dots, circles, and lines were scrawled across the wood, Luna's eyebrow rising at the familiar language.

"Tia? I think you should see this." Luna called, turning back to see that Celestia was as enthralled at her surroundings as Luna was. Blinking, Celestia snapped out of her trance-like state.

"Oh. Well let me have a look at it." She said, walking over to where Luna was standing. Peering down at the language, her eyes widened at the text as she read. "I never thought I'd see the day when this language was used again."

"And what language is that?" Discord asked, peeking over the alicorn's shoulder.

"Ancient Equine." Celestia answered, her awe making itself apparent in her voice. "The language spoken by the three tribes before they were united by Equestria's founding."

Discord's eyebrows rose at hearing this. "Well that does make sense. But why in such an obscure language, I wonder." He said with a snap of his fingers. As he spoke, a bubble pipe suddenly appeared in his mouth and a monocle flashing into existence, the draconequus catching it in midair and putting it to his eye.

"Because he knew that we would be the only ones that would live long enough to see the language die out. But then we would be the only ones that could read it. Maybe he intended the words for us to read it some day." Luna answered as she began to read the text.

Here lies royal magician and advisor Starswirl the Bearded. May his spirit be carried into the next life and his works remembered for ages to come.

Luna looked up from the epithet to see Starsiwirl's sarcophagus standing at the far end of the room, her gaze focusing on a strange golden glow at the center of the coffin. That wasn't there when last I saw it. Luna noted, walking around the table and toward the coffin.

"So… where's Starswirl's journal?" Celestia wondered, her eyes shooting back and forth across the room. "Is it in one of these chests?"

"Celestia." Luna said, not taking her eyes off the glowing light. Narrowing her eyes, she saw that the glow was in the shape of a hoof. "I think I found something." Raising her hoof to it, she slowly began to reach for the golden light.

"Wait, Luna." Celestia cautioned. "We don't even know what that does. It could be a trap for all we know."

Luna gulped as she prepared herself for whatever that glow was. "Or it could be exactly what we need to fight the Shadow. Either way, we have to chance it." With that, she pressed her hoof to the golden light.

A sudden burst of light caused Luna to withdraw her hoof and quickly retreat from the coffin. All three sets of eyes watched as the golden glow grew into a full flash of light, the trio covering their eyes. When the light had died down, Celestia was the first to lower her hooves from her vision.

"Starswirl?" She asked aloud.

Discord and Luna looked up to see a faded gold-tinged image of Starswirl the Bearded standing before them, a calm smile upon his face.

"Welcome to my tomb, Princesses Celestia and Luna." Starswirl's image said. "If thou art seeing this projection then that means that I have passed on and thou have braved the catacombs to reach my final resting place." Celestia and Luna exchanged looks.

"Are you… some sort of phantom?" Luna asked the image.

Starswirl's image shook his head. "Nay, Princess of the Night. What thou art observing and hearing is an artificial sensory stimulation spell. My thought process and knowledge have simply been copied into the spell I performed shortly before my passing. With that in mind, thou may inquire of me any question thou may possess."

"So you're Starswirl's journal?" Celestia asked.

"Yes I am, Princess." The image said with a grin. "Who says a journal has to be confined to the pages of a book? Any knowledge I would have put into a journal I placed into this spell. So if thou have any questions, ask away."

"Um… okay." Luna shifted her stance. "When did you die?" Celestia and Discord gave Luna a surprised look. "I was serving my banishment when you passed, Starswirl. So I am wondering when you died."

"Shortly after thou were banished, Princess Luna. Just ten days afterwards to be precise. The night of that tenth day, my body gave in to old age and perished." The projection responded.

A faint smile spread across Luna's face. "Well it eases my mind to know that thou died peacefully."

Celestia stepped up. "Starswirl, err, projection spell, what can you tell us about the Shadow?"

The projection's grin fell. "I can tell thee a great deal about that monster. Do thou ask because the time of his return is close?"

"How did you know about that?" Discord interjected. "Starswirl had no knowledge of the Shadow's existence while he was alive."

The projection turned towards the draconequus. "Maybe while thou were still free to cause chaos, Discord. But during thine imprisonment, the existence of the Shadow and many other things were revealed to me in the last days of my life."

"What do you know about the Shadow?" Luna asked, determination in her words.

The projection looked at each of the three individuals in the room. "A great evil is stirring. Pieces of a prophecy long foretold are falling into place. The prophecy I was granted will soon occur."

"What prophecy?" Celestia was quick to ask.

"Art thou sure thou want to hear it?" The projection offered its warning. Celestia and Luna nodded. "Very well. The prophecy goes as thus:

When the Mare in the Moon is no more,

Shall begin the end of an ancient war.

Heroes and villains. Friends and foes.

All will endure trials during the coming woes.

Hooves to the West, claws to the East.

Both will fear the Shadow released.

As the sun sets, the moon will rise.

A new sun, the Shadow's demise.

In the desert the Guardians wait.

As the Eight determine this world's fate.

The trio stood speechless at hearing Starswirl's final prophecy. The room fell deathly silent, no one daring to make a sound.

"So shall it be in the coming days that darkness falls upon the land." Starswirl's projection broke the silence. "The sun will set and darkness will rule. But remember these final words: for it is in times of such darkness that light shines the brightest."

As soon as the projection had finished speaking, it vanished in a flash of golden light, a few sparkles fluttering to the glass floor.

For a few moments, no one said anything. No one moved a muscle. All they could do was think on what the projection had just said.

As the sun sets, the moon will rise. Celestia turned to face Discord and Luna. "We need to get back to the castle. Now."

-Mountain Cave, Northern Equestria, Present Day-

The faint howling of wind down the entrance tunnel was all that could be heard in the Shadow's ears. It was all he could remember hearing for the last few years. But that changes today. He thought with a sinister grin. His yellow eyes dropped to the pair of changelings that slept on the cave floor. The queen and her captain lay on the rock, their abdomens lightly rising and falling with each breath they took. As he gazed upon them, he almost felt sorry for them. Well, maybe not sorry, but he definitely felt pity for them. Such desperate creatures. The Shadow thought, his eyes softening as they looked over his guests. Taking advantage of such desperation, such need for sustenance, is quite unsportsmanlike, wouldn't you agree, Siphon?

A light red glow flashed angrily near the bottom of the shadowy swirl that surrounded the fallen Malach. I do not care for sportsmanship, Shadow! When do we kill them!?

The Shadow grimaced at his counterpart. Our time of freedom is almost upon us, my friend. Your bloodlust will soon be satiated, but in the meantime, stick to the plan. He urged.

I grow tired of waiting, Shadow. Siphon reminded.

The Shadow's mouth curved into a fanged sneer. And you think my patience has not been worn after all these centuries?

I never said that.

You didn't have to.

You know what I mean, Master. Siphon said with a hint of an apology in his voice. You will bring freedom to this world. I simply await the chance to give others that freedom.

The Shadow nodded. I understand being anxious, but try to control yourself. By the time the sun rises the next day, you will have had your taste of blood.

Thank you, sire. Siphon said, the red glow fading from the swirling black figure.

The Shadow closed his eyes, a familiar breeze blowing through the entrance tunnel and into the chamber. The early morning winds have come. He turned his attention to the changelings once again.

"Rise and shine, my queen." He said softly, Chrysalis stirring from her slumber. Her green eyes cracked open, piercing the darkness in the cave as they met the Shadow's yellow ones. The Shadow smiled as his gaze met hers. "Today's the day."

Author's Note

Hope you guys liked the chapter! I'll try to get the next update out in a more timely manner. Until then, give the story a like and review/critique!

Hesitance and Ambition

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 43-Hesitance and Ambition

-Buffalo Tribal Lands, Southern Equestria-

Word of Chief Thunderhooves's condition spread like wildfire through the camp. By noon it was common knowledge that the chief had had some sort of nightmare that was horrific enough for him to go searching for his daughter.

"What could his dream have been about?" some would ask.

"Is the chief alright?" others would inquire.

While multitudes had questions, Thunderhooves had ordered that he remain alone in his tent and was not to be disturbed while he sought the nature of his night terror.

Little Strongheart gazed at her father's teepee with concern etched on her features. Whatever his dream was about, it had something to do with me. She figured. Little Strongheart wouldn't be forgetting the fear she saw in the chief's eyes any time soon. It wasn't just parental protection she saw, it was as if he was scared of losing more than just her. What that was, however, she had no idea.

"Little Strongheart." A gentle voice said from behind her.

The young buffalo turned around to see a much older buffalo, the fur around his mouth a pale grey while the rest of his body was its natural brown. Resting on a rope around his neck was a knob-like talisman. Little Strongheart recognized the elderly buffalo immediately.

"Pathfinder." Little Strongheart greeted with a short bow of her head.

Pathfinder gave the little buffalo a quick grin. "It is good to see you are well, Little Strongheart." He said in a frail voice, looking past Little to Thunderhooves's teepee. "But what of the state of the chief?"

Little Strongheart hung her head. "I'm not sure. He hasn't spoken with anyone since last night."

"Then maybe I can shed some light on what ails our chief." Pathfinder narrowed his eyes at the Chief's abode. "Now if you will excuse me, child, I have work to do." Little Strongheart stepped aside as Pathfinder began walking past her and towards her father's teepee.

Little Strongheart watched as Pathfinder neared the teepee and gently pushed open the flap to enter. As the medicinebull entered Thunderhooves's teepee, Little Strongheart looked on with worry.

Chief Thunderhooves's ear twitched at the sound. He could barely hear it, but the sound was definitely there. The sound of his teepee flap opening.

"I thought I said that I was to be alone." The Chief growled.

"Even for the spiritual advisor of the tribe?" a familiar voice replied.

Thunderhooves turned around to see Pathfinder looking back at him with a kind look. "I suppose your presence here is not out of pleasure."

Pathfinder gave a smirk and shook his head, his talisman swaying underneath his chin. "I'm afraid not, Chief. So what is it that troubles you?"

The chief let out a sigh. "It was a dream. Not like any I have ever had before last night." He said, recalling the vision.

"And what was this dream about?" Pathfinder asked, noting the chief's hesitance. "I know that whatever you experienced in the dream you do not wish to revisit. But I must know what it is you saw."

Thunderhooves's eyes dropped to the grass beneath his hooves. "I saw a large herd of buffalo. They were galloping across a grassy field in the light of the sun."

"But that's not all, is it?" Pathfinder inquired, raising an eyebrow.

The chief shook his head. "A darkness began to fall over the land, clouds shut out the sun. As the shadow swept along the ground, it neared the running herd. Suddenly, one in the back of the herd fell upon being touched by the shadow. At first, I thought he had hurt himself while running. How I wish that was the case."

"Tell me, Chief. What happened to the buffalo?" Pathfinder pressed.

"The buffalo got back up, only this time, his eyes were glowing red. Red as the skin of an apple."

Pathfinder's eyes narrowed in contemplation. "So the buffalo fell when the shadow touched him, but then got back up with red eyes?"

"Him and the dozens of other buffalo I saw fall when the shadow brought them down."

"What did the red-eyed buffalo do when they got back up?"

Thunderhooves shuddered. "They… charged the other buffalo in the group." Pathfinder's eyes widened. "I didn't realize what was happening until the first red-eyed buffalo took down one of the herd members. Flipped him into the air and left him for the other red-eyed buffalo behind him to finish him off."

Pathfinder's eyebrows furrowed. "This is indeed troubling, my Chief. Is there more to this nightmare?"

"Yes, there is more." Thunderhooves said with a nod. "I tried to warn the other buffalo, but they couldn't hear me as I cried to them to flee. I wanted to move and attack the red-eyed buffalo, but my hooves wouldn't move. All I could do was watch as the herd of buffalo died. The last buffalo I saw that was slain was…" The chief said, his lower lip quivering. "…My Little Strongheart."

Silence hung in the teepee.

"And that's why you went to her teepee last night. To see if she was well." Pathfinder deduced.

"I couldn't take my eyes off her." Thunderhooves said, recalling the horrible sight as a tear fell from his eye. "Bite marks all over her, the grass stained red with blood. Her blood."

Pathfinder put a hoof on the tribal leader's shoulder. "I am sorry that you had to endure such a terrible dream. Was that when you woke up?"

Thunderhooves shook his head. "There was one last part of the dream. The shadow that had been down below me began to turn towards me. After seeing such a slaughter, I did not wish to inhabit the vision any longer. As the shadow neared me, I closed my eyes and waited for it to end. But as soon as I closed my eyes, a strange voice spoke to me, as if from nowhere."

Taking his hoof of the chief's shoulder, Pathfinder's eyes fell in thought. "And what did this voice say to you?" He asked, looking Thunderhooves in the eye.

Chief Thunderhooves closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate on what he had heard.

"So it will be on the Shadow's day,

When the world is made his prey.

Ready horn, blade, and spear,

For the long night is near."

Thunderhooves opened his eyes to see a look of shock on Pathfinder's face, his mouth agape. "Do you know what the words mean?"

Closing his mouth, Pathfinder regained his composure. "You know that I have interpreted many visions before. But this…" Pathfinder shook his head in dismay. "I fear this dream you had spells doom for the tribe should we do nothing."

The chief stiffened at hearing the word 'doom'. "What force could bring such disaster upon our tribe?"

"Horn, blade, and spear." Pathfinder thought over the words, their meaning was obvious enough. What the words meant was easily understandable, but the question of why still needed answering. Pathfinder turned his gaze back towards Thunderhooves's. "I will ponder over your dream, Chief Thunderhooves. I am sorry that you had to experience it, but I know that it came as a warning, not a threat."

"A warning?" Thunderhooves asked as Pathfinder turned to leave his teepee. "For what?"

"I am not sure, Chief." Pathfinder said, walking towards the teepee's exit. "However I can offer you a parcel of advice on this matter."

Thunderhooves's eyebrow rose. "And what might that be?"

Pathfinder let out a somber sigh. For the long night is near. "Our time in this land of our forefathers is coming to an end. Order the tribe to pack only the essentials and be prepared to leave at any moment."

-Sky above Western Equestria-

Trixie looked down from the balloon. They had to be at least a thousand feet above the ground by now. Trees and ponies below appeared as dots against the landscape. A few weather patrol pegasi had passed by a short while ago, making their rounds in their designated airspace. Aside from that, it was her and the three other ponies in the balloon.

"Would it kill somepony to get some food in this balloon?" Silver Star bellyached from the other side of the basket. "There aren't any in-flight peanuts or pretzels or anything here."

"Save it for when we land, Silver." Speedy Delivery thought with a roll of his eyes. Jeez, Chassis. At least try to stay focused on the mission and not your stomach.

"And when's that going to be?" Silver whined.

Palm Spring rubbed a hoof on her chin. "Well considering the wind speed and our position over Equestria from where we took off, I'd say we'll reach the mountains by midafternoon."

Silver let out a dissatisfied groan at the estimation. "Oh well. I guess I can catch up on sleep I missed last night."

Soon only the sound of the wind filled the balloon as its occupants grew quiet.

"So… Palm Spring." Trixie spoke up. "Where are you from?"

Palm Spring's gaze shot towards the curious unicorn. Oh come on, Cipha! Come up with some sort of alibi! Her mind urged. "Me? Oh, uh… I'm from… Manehattan."

Trixie's eye lit up. "Manehattan? I've been there several times myself while on magic tours. A bit crowded for my tastes, though."

Palm cracked a nervous grin. "Yeah. Pretty crowded there. Tons of ponies and… stuff."

"What'd you do while you lived there?"

"Uh… I did… real estate. Beach houses."

"Ahh. That makes sense. Your name and cutie mark and all." Trixie said with a nod. "So what brought you to Ponyville?"

"Business trip." Palm said immediately as the alibi began to take root and develop in her mind. "There are plenty of rental houses that need to be sold. So how about you, Trixie? What's your story?"

Trixie blinked at the tables being turned so quickly. "Well I got the invitation to the party at Pinkie's and I couldn't say no." She said with a shrug.

"But that's not the first time you've been to Ponyville." Speedy Delivery piped up.

The unicorn turned to face Speedy. "Unfortunately no." She said, hanging her head. "I don't exactly have the best reputation with that town."

"How so?" Speedy asked. "I know you said something about an ursa minor incident earlier. Is there more than that?"

Trixie held up a hoof. "Okay, the ursa minor incident isn't directly my fault. It was a couple of young fans that wanted to see me vanquish an ursa and almost destroyed the town in the process."

Silver snickered from the corner. "What a couple of idiots."

Trixie furrowed her eyebrows at the disguised changeling. "They may not have been the sharpest ponies that enjoyed my entertainment, but they had good intentions."

"Good intentions can be responsible for the worst of tragedies, Trixie." Palm said. "Nopony was hurt during this incident?"

"Thankfully no." Trixie shook her head. "Another unicorn stepped in and pretty much saved the day. She pacified the monster and levitated it back to the cave it came from."

"Wow." Speedy breathed. Did we pick the wrong unicorn to bring with us? "Was that the only time you've been to Ponyville?"

"No it wasn't. In my pride, I sought a duel with the unicorn that had saved the town and ended up being a local tyrant after kicking her out of Ponyville."

"It's a wonder that nopony threw you out of town as soon as you came in for the party." Palm spoke up. "What happened after that?

"We had a rematch in which she outsmarted and beat me. It was after that day that I reflected on the actions I'd committed out of stubborn pride. I've done things that I am not too proud of and I realized that I had to put away my old self and embrace the more humble side of my personality."

"Such a moving story." Silver remarked snidely. "I think I'm going to cry."

There was a collective eye roll as Trixie continued her story. "I went back and asked for forgiveness from the unicorn I'd been holding a grudge against for two years. To my relief, she forgave me. When I came for Pinkie's party, I saw that the rest of the town shared her merciful attitude. I know I can't go back and fix all the bad things I've done, but what I can do is work past them and better myself through the experiences I've had."

Palm Spring thought over Trixie's tale. This unicorn has been horrible to Ponyville and yet they still forgave her? If something like that happened at the hive we would have either banished them or just used them as a food source straight away. She turned her eyes toward a single mountain that rose up in the east. On that mountain sat the silhouette of a familiar city. Its castle's spires shot into the sky, the bustling city nestled at the foot of the castle. Canterlot. The failed changeling assault and the forgiving of Trixie in Ponyville showed that just because ponies weren't ruthless or strong in force didn't mean that they couldn't overcome adversity.

Cipha's mind went back to the hive. The only way the hive's condition could be saved was if Chyrsalis's gamble that freeing the creature she found in the mountain would work. But at what cost would the hive thrive again? The enslavement and feeding off the population of Equestria. After seeing the way these ponies live, we wouldn't just be destroying their country, but their way of life also. The cheery way ponies lived their lives would be dashed. No more parties, no more caring for one another, no more redemption stories like Trixie's. Deep down inside Palm, she knew that destroying such things was an atrocity.

What if we desert? She remembered Fang's words outside Ponyville. No. That's out of the question. If Chrysalis's bet works, then the three of us wouldn't be able to go anywhere without persecution. Reviled by ponies for lying to them, hated and hunted by the hive for desertion. We wouldn't have anywhere to go.

But what if it doesn't work out? The thought nagged in the back of her mind. What if the creature betrays the queen and takes the power of the hive for itself?

I wouldn't be surprised if that happened. Cipha thought, grimacing at her choices.

So what is there to lose? Living with the regrets of causing the downfall of a peaceful civilization or running and dying with a clean conscience.

It was at that moment that Palm Spring made her decision.

A sudden wind kicked up from the south, the balloon lurching towards a faded mountain range in the north.

"Now that's more like it!" Silver exclaimed. "Hope this gale keeps up 'til we get to the mountain."

Palm looked to the snow-capped peaks in the distance. The three of them were going to have to make a choice, and decision time was approaching with every second.

-Mountain Cave, Northern Equestria-

That should help them on their way. The Shadow thought with a smirk. The sooner he was free, the better. Nothing a little environmental manipulation magic can't speed up. His yellow eyes turned to the changeling queen in front of him, her back turned to him as she stared at the cavern entrance.

"You wait for your scouts' arrival?" The Shadow asked.

"They were ordered to come with the unicorn today. When they will come during the day, however, I do not know."

"They'll be here soon enough, my queen." Raspian reassured. "They may not be the most cohesive unit I have assembled, but I know for a fact they will get the job done."

"So sure in your troops' abilities to perform their duties, Raspian?" The Shadow piped up.

Raspian gave the shadowy figure a look of contempt. "I do not have any reason to doubt the effectiveness of the scouts I chose, Lodestar. They have proven themselves to be some of the best our hive has to offer."

The Shadow returned Raspian's look with one of his own. "Yet why do I sense uncertainty in your words?"

"Uncertainty?" Raspian spat, as if the word tasted bad in his mouth. "You sense nothing, creature."

The Shadow's yellow eyes flared. "I may have been imprisoned in this cave for years, but I can assure you my senses have not dulled during my incarceration. Yes, I feel uncertainty in you. An almost tangible uncertainty at that, fear, dare I say." He said, Raspian trying to steel himself against the accusations. "And I must say it is delicious."

Chrysalis spun around to face the ancient being. "Enough, Lodestar! As my captain said, we all can trust that the three scouts he recruited can see their mission through to success."

"How can you be so sure, my queen?" The Shadow snapped venomously. "Knowing the state of your hive, I wouldn't be surprised if they have had a change of heart.

Silence hung thick in the air, the thought sinking into the changelings' minds.

To the Shadow's surprise, Raspian stepped in between him and the changeling monarch. "I understand that both of you want this operation to succeed as much as I do, but we have to keep our heads about this." He said, turning to Chrysalis. "Your Highness, I can guarantee that Fang, Cipha, and Chassis will complete their assignment. And as for you..." Raspian turned to face the Shadow, his blue eyes matching the Shadow's golden ones. "As long as you keep up your side of the deal, then there is no need for uncertainty. We set you free, you help us get love to feed on. Keep antagonizing our operation and we may reconsider our choice of freeing you." He couldn't see it, but the Shadow's figure stiffened at the captain's threat. "We stick to that simple plan and we don't keep snapping at each other, we all come out of this alright."

"Ah, but captain, you forget one thing." The Shadow growled.

"And what is that?"

The Shadow gave the changeling a fanged grin. "Since when is anything so simple?"

Night Incarnate

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 44-Night Incarnate

-Castle of the Two Sisters: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

The chilling early morning breeze rushed through the castle, the halls whispering as the wind blew down the stone hallways. In the torch lit corridors, a single alicorn princess walked on the ornate floral carpets as she advanced to the castle's western watchtower.

Every step was agonizing, yet liberating. The years Luna had had with her sister in this castle antagonized her, taunting her with memories of happier times. Laughter echoed in her mind, her laughter at one of Celestia's jokes or the one of the many times they chased each other through these very halls.

Luna gritted her teeth at the past felicities. All the happy times, all the jokes, all the playtimes… in the end, they meant nothing.

Art thou ready, Princess Luna? The Shadow's voice beckoned from beside her.

Luna turned her head to see an alicorn's flickering shadow standing behind hers on the stone wall. The lunar alicorn paused her walk. "Why me?" She asked the shadow on the wall.

The shadow's head dipped, as if in somber contemplation. For many years I roamed this world. I searched and searched for a worthy candidate to carry on my cause of freedom. Every which way I turned I saw pride, selfishness, and cowardice. No one was willing to carry out my promise of liberation, blinded by their own ambitions. The shadow's head lifted again. But then I found thee, Princess of the Night.

Luna continued her walk, the tower's entrance just at the end of the hallway. "I am no different from any other pony."

That is where thou art wrong. The shadow said. Princess Luna, guardian of the nightly heavens and raiser of the moon. Everyone takes thee for granted. All the glory thou deserve, all the praise, is hoarded by thy sister. Had anyone else been in thy position, they would have given up long ago. And yet, thee carry on still. Thou bide thy time until thy moment has come. So it must be with the freedom I wish for this world. I would enact my plans sooner, but multitudes of forces have hindered me in the past. But with thy power, Princess, all that can change. This morning, Princess Luna, my crusade for independence and thy moment of glory have come.

Princess Luna stopped at the tower entrance, the stone archway beckoning her inside. "And what of my sister?"

Celestia has had her moment for long enough. Now it is thy turn to reign over Equestria, and bring my freedom to the world.

Mustering what determination she had, Luna stepped through the archway and into the base of the circular tower. A spiral staircase greeted her, circling the perimeter of the walls up to the very top.

Luna glanced to the wall, her eyebrows knitting together at seeing the shadow was no longer on the wall next to her.

"Shadow?" She called, her eyes scanning the stones around her.

Do not worry, Princess Luna. I am still with thee. The voice said, this time from below her.

Luna's eyes dropped to the floor, a second shadow standing next to hers. Breathing a small sigh of relief, Luna placed her hoof on the first step as she began her ascent.

"I'll be here for thee no matter what may happen." Celestia's voice whispered in her mind.

Luna tried to shake the voice from her head. Lies. That's all she has said are lies.

"Do not doubt thyself, for thou art stronger and more powerful than thou realize."

Luna's hooves began to move faster up the stairs, her facial expression hardening at her sister's words.

"Thou art as kind as thou art hard-working, Luna."

She was galloping now, the steps coming into her vision as quickly as they went. "Get out of my head!"

"I am proud of thee, Luna."

"Silence!" Luna's voice echoed through the tower, her gallop becoming a sprint.

"I love thee with all my heart, Luna. Nothing can change that."

Luna's hooves instantly stopped, her heart racing as fast as her breathing. A single tear dripped from her cheek onto the stone stair under her hoof. All for nothing.

"Maybe if thou presented thyself to the people more often and mingled with them, thou would experience the same love and joy that the citizens of Equestria have given me." Celestia's voice suddenly turned cold.

Luna caught her breath as she resumed her climb.

"Thy power of the night is forfeit, Luna."

Luna's features hardened once more, picking up her gallop up the stairs.

"Foolish sister. Why hide in the shadows when I have the power of light?"

Luna gnashed her teeth at the memories, the words Celestia had said in that vision in the Crystal Empire ringing in her mind. Deep down in her heart, she now knew that her suspicions back then were true.

"With my power, the sun as well as the moon shall soon be mine."

Luna's wings flared open. "NOOO!" With a great flap, Luna shot into the air, zipping past flights of stairs. The wind stung her eyes, tears leaking from the sides of her eyes and falling to the floor below. "Thou want my power, sister? Then thou wilt have to claim it from me!"

"My nation needs a strong leader. One who can provide a beacon of hope for them in times of trial. My sun shall be that beacon."

Luna reached the top of the tower, landing on the highest step. "Then the moon shall become a new beacon for them."

Walking through the tower's exit archway, she stepped out onto the tower's balcony. The Everfree Forest stretched into the horizon, the moon's silver light shone full against the night sky.

"Thou asked if I was ready, Shadow." Luna uttered. "I now know that I am prepared for what is to come." Luna kept her gaze focused on the moon. Her moon, not Celestia's.

"Excellent." The Shadow said, its voice no longer an echo in the princess's mind.

Luna turned around to see the deep grey alicorn she'd seen before. His slit yellow eyes looked entrancingly into her blue ones. On his front hoof was that trademark black vambrace. His black mane and tail flapped in the breeze, a fanged grin adorning his visage.

"What is thy plan, Shadow?" Luna asked.

"Lower the moon first, Luna. We do not want to keep Celestia and her adoring public waiting." The Shadow instructed, gesturing towards the moon. "But keep in mind, that once our powers combine, there may be some altercations to thy form."

Luna nodded. "Do it." She said, turning back around as her horn began to glow a bright blue. As her horn's aura intensified, the moon slowly began to fall towards the horizon. What light the moon provided in the night began to fade as it was lowered into the trees of Everfree. For the last time for a thousand years to come, Luna had lowered the moon. Luna's magic faded as the moon disappeared into the west. Now the only lights in the sky were the stars, the hundreds of twinkling eyes watching their princess.

"Brace thyself." The grey alicorn spoke, his form melting into a black shadow on the floor of the balcony.

Luna closed her eyes as the Shadow began to meld his form with hers. She couldn't see or feel it as the Shadow's form began to crawl onto hers. The dark blue fur on her back legs gave way to its new black color. The blackness snaked and swirled its way onto her back as the Shadow spread. Luna felt a twinge as the bones in her wings sharpened, giving them a smoother, longer, and more angular figure. Luna grunted she felt her legs extend, the stretching of her muscles and bones bringing surprisingly little pain. The blackness shot up her neck and down her chest, covering her torso completely. The darkness reached her mane, the billowing night sky-like mane thrashing about as it changed. It grew longer, darker, and wilder. The shadow curved down to Luna's muzzle. Luna could feel her flat teeth sharpening into fangs. Finally, Luna closed her eyes as the shadow overtook her completely, the blackness turning her eyelids nightshade purple. Opening her eyes, Luna's had morphed into a pair of slits, their pupils surrounded by sharp teal irises.

"And so the night becomes incarnate." The Shadow and Luna's voice melded together as she spoke. Luna beheld her new form. She felt strong, powerful, like there was no force in the world that could overpower her.

"But what is princess of the night without her royal accouterments?" Shadow-Luna said, her new elongated horn glowing a bright teal. Six figures flashed into existence with an explosion of blue-green light. On the ground sat four blue steel hoof boots, a large spike extending upwards from each one. Beside them lay a wraparound chest piece made of the same metal, a lighter blue engraving of the moon adorning the front of the piece. And finally, in front of all these, sat a steel helmet. Her horn lighting up once more, a similarly hued aura enveloped the chest piece. Unclasping the locks on the back, she looped the bars around her neck before locking them together again. The chest piece fell and hung on her chest, a perfect fit. She stepped into the boots, the spikes perfectly riding up the fronts of her legs. Finally, the newly transformed alicorn levitated the helmet off the ground. She gazed into the helmet's empty eyeholes as Shadow-Luna drew in a breath. Bringing it over her head, Shadow-Luna fit her horn through the helmet's hole, slowly lowering it onto her head. Slipping her ears into the helmet's ear holes, Shadow-Luna rested it atop her head, the curled neck brace of the helmet fitting comfortably on the back of her neck.

Shadow-Luna sucked in a breath through her nostrils, a smile broadening across her face. The alicorn's eyes narrowed as she caught a faint orange light beaming from the east behind the castle. Celestia had raised the sun. With a fanged smile, Shadow-Luna entered the castle. Now all she had to do was wait for Celestia's return. "Prepare thyself, Princess Celestia." Shadow-Luna proclaimed. "For Nightmare Moon awaits thee."

Author's Note

You guys have no idea how much I've been looking forward to writing this chapter. Hope y'all liked it and review/critique! By the way, who's happy that football's back?

The Roads Ahead

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 45-The Roads Ahead

-Passenger car, Railroad between Ponyville and Canterlot-

Twilight watched the hills go by as the train chugged along the tracks. The sun was shining with nary a cloud in the sky as a pair of cardinals flew alongside the train car's window. Everything seemed so serene.

With a sigh, Twilight rested her chin on the windowsill.

"So how'd ya think the princesses would help us out?" Twilight heard Rainbow Dash ask.

"Maybe there's some thousand-years-old secret behind this whole thing." Pinkie responded, a few eyebrows shooting up at the suggestion. "And the princesses came up with some sort of solution to it then and are gonna use it again!"

"We can only hope so." Rarity added. "Given everything we've experienced so far, I wouldn't say that the problem is outside the princesses' capabilities."

"What do you think about it, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight turned from the rolling countryside to look at her friends. Each one waited for an answer she couldn't find. Too many questions, too few hints to the answers. We'll just have to wait until the princesses can explain the situation. Twilight figured.

"Whatever is going on, the princesses will know what it is and how to take care of it." She said, her friends smiling confidently at her reply. Cop-out.

"I just can't wait to see the princesses again!" Pinkie exclaimed. The uneasy tensions in the train car were somewhat alleviated by the enthusiastic pony. "Maybe we'll have some parties while at Canterlot. And a royal party is always better than just a normal one!"

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Yeah! And I bet I could visit the Wonderbolts training grounds while we're there."

"As much fun as those things would be," Applejack interjected, "I doubt we'll have much room for fun. This being a serious matter and all."

Rarity's eyebrows furrowed at her friend. "Oh come now, Applejack. We've all been through quite an ordeal this past week. Let's try to have some fun while we have the chance."

Six pairs of eyes focused on Applejack as she looked back at each one. After a few moments, the farm pony gave a conceding sigh. "I guess y'all are right. I s'pose there ain't any harm in a little relaxation time."

"Yippee!" Pinkie shouted gleefully as she leapt for joy. "Canterlot party 'till we drop!"

Twilight cast Applejack an understanding look across the aisle, Applejack nodding in gratitude.

She's just trying to do what she thinks is right. Twilight thought. She watched her friends split into different conversations, smiles on all their faces. Even amidst everything that's happened recently, they're still looking for ways to have fun.

A smile crept onto her face. You know what? Why not have some fun while we're in Canterlot? Standing from her seat, Twilight walked to the front of the train car.

"Where ya heading, Twilight?" Spike asked, the others' eyes turning towards her.

"Well I figured I'd go get something from the snack car. Anypony else wanna come along?" Twilight asked, nodding towards the car door.

"I'd love something to eat." Fluttershy spoke up. "I haven't had anything since breakfast."

"Yeah, me too! I'm starved!" Rainbow Dash got up from her seat and advanced towards the front of the car.

Sounds of agreement were heard as each of Twilight's friends got up to go with her to the snack car.

I hope they have some hay fries. I sure could use some right about now. Twilight thought as she opened the train car door.

-Canterlot Castle-

Celestia sat on her throne, her chin resting on her hoof. She thought about what had been heard in Starswirl's tomb. The fact that she hadn't known about Starswirl's prophecy had surprised her. Starswirl told her everything when he was alive.

When the Mare in the Moon is no more, shall begin the end of an ancient war. The first two lines of the prophecy rang in her mind. What ancient war? There hadn't been a full-on war in Equestria since the days of the three pony tribes.

In the desert the Guardians wait. As the Eight determine this world's fate. So whatever the 'Guardians' were, Celestia had a feeling that they were the tools needed to defeat the Shadow. But in the desert? That's a pretty broad hint as to where they might be. Could they be in the desert surrounding Appleloosa? Or in the sands of Saddle Arabia? Maybe in a desert that had yet to be discovered. And the specific number of Guardians aroused the solar princess's curiosity. Eight Guardians. If the Guardians were tools to be used, then they would require eight keepers in the same way Twilight and her friends were keepers of the Elements of Harmony. But who were these eight?

Hooves to the West, claws to the East. Both will fear the Shadow released. Hooves and claws. Could it be referring to ponies and griffons? It would make sense, given that ponies occupied most of the land in the western part of the continent while the Griffon Kingdoms were in the east. But whatever the line meant, Celestia's heart sunk at the realization that the Shadow wouldn't just be coming for revenge against Equestria. The world would be at stake when the Shadow was free.

A pair of knocks on the throne room doors snapped Celestia out of her thoughts. "Come in." She replied.

The doors swung open to reveal Shining Armor, his body covered from head to hoof in battle dress. "The order to mobilize all of the Royal Guard has been carried out, Princess. And the call for the Equestrian Reserves has just been sent out as well. We should expect all our armed forces in Canterlot within the next week."

"Excellent, Captain." Celestia said, her face stoic at the news. "Report back to me when all troops have arrived."

Shining Armor replied with a salute and started to turn back around to leave, but stopped. "Princess, may I speak freely with you about something?"

Celestia nodded. "You may."

With a sigh, Shining reached up and took off his golden helmet. "I know I should not question my orders, but exactly why are we calling every military-able pony to Canterlot? Are we expecting another attack?"

Celestia closed her eyes. The time for confidentiality had passed. Now was the time to ensure her citizens' safety. "To be frank with you, Captain, yes. We are expecting an attack."

"But from who?" Shining asked, his expression suddenly etched with concern.

Celestia looked to the stained glass, the major events of the past few years displayed in carefully crafted painted glass. Her eyes eventually settled on the display of Twilight and her friends defeating Nightmare Moon.

"You recall the legend of how my sister was banished to the moon, do you?" Celestia asked, the unicorn captain responding with a nod. "The darkness that consumed her is not gone. It was imprisoned."

"And this darkness is going to break free some time soon." Shining assumed.

"Unfortunately, I fear you are correct. My guess is that it will come straight for Canterlot when it is free and enact its vengeance on the citizens of Equestria."

Shining Armor's head dipped in somber thought. Celestia knew it was a lot for the young captain to swallow. His head rose again, this time a look of determination on his face.

"I will order the reserves to arrive in half the originally ordered time." Shining announced.

A light smile graced Celestia's mouth. "Thank you, Shining Armor. You may resume your duties."

With a salute, Shining Armor snapped around and began to walk out of the throne room.

"One more thing, Captain!" Celestia called.

Shining turned his head around to face her. "Yes, Princess?"

Celestia took a deep breath before she gave the order. "Give word to the other guards that the Citadel Initiative is to be executed by the time all the reserves arrive."

Shining's eyes widened. "Are you sure, Princess? The Citadel Initiative is meant to-"

"I know what it means, Captain. See that it is done as soon as possible." Celestia commanded.

Shining Armor's face hardened at her tone as he raised a hoof in salute. Putting his helmet back on his head, he marched out of the throne room to carry out his new orders.

Princess Celestia slowly got off her throne and walked down the steps to one of the stained glass windows. She looked up to see the same stained glass portrait as before. The day her sister was freed by the Elements was one of the best of her life. She wouldn't have thought in a million years that the repercussions of that day would spell doom for her subjects.

Raising a hoof, she gently placed it on the glass. All she could do was wait for the Shadow's arrival. But one thought lingered in her mind. What if it wasn't enough?

All we can do is hope. She reminded herself, taking her hoof from the window.

-North Equestrian mountains-

"J-jeez it's fr-reezing up here." Speedy Delivery shivered. While Fang had the appearance of a pony, his changeling body was still vulnerable to the chilly winds.

"No k-kidding." Palm Spring agreed. She didn't know how Chrysalis and Raspian lasted for so long in the cold when they found the creature.

"So how much farther until we reach the testing location?" Trixie asked, standing on her hind legs as she looked out over the balloon's basket. Mountains rose up all around her, the cold wind biting through her fur and into her skin. It was cold, but not as cold as she'd ever been.

"Shouldn't b-be too f-far." Silver Star said, trying his hardest to seem tough against the cold while failing miserably. The disguised changeling was faring no better than his companions.

For a few moments, the screaming winds and clicking of teeth were all that was heard in the balloon.

Trixie squinted her eyes at something in the distance. "Wait… what's that over there?" She asked, pointing her hoof in the direction of what she saw.

The trio of changelings turned to look at where Trixie was pointing. It took a few seconds, but they could barely make the object out against the snowy wind.

Chrysalis stood at the edge of the cave entrance, the wind howling through the tunnel as she considered her actions. Everything was on the line for her today. Her hive's future, her role as queen in the eyes of her subjects, the survival of her changelings... all of it would change depending on what would occur in the next couple hours.

A clomping of hooves behind her caught the queen's attention as she turned her head to see Raspian walking up to her.

"Ready for them to arrive, your Majesty?" Raspian asked.

Chrysalis turned back to face the blizzard. "Yes, I'm ready for them to arrive with the unicorn. But I'm not sure if I'm ready for what is to come."

Raspian's eyebrow rose as her voice trailed off, perhaps in thought. "But you're not ready to face whatever that creature is when it is released?"

Chrysalis gave a nod. "It is not that I do not trust him, because I hardly do. I'm confident he can help us take Equestria for our own. It's just a question of whether or not that's his end purpose for us."

"You predict his betrayal once our end goals are met?" Raspian asked, his tone giving away his lack of surprise.

"I do, Raspian. Once he has helped us take Equestria. What then?" Chrysalis wondered.

Raspian slowly walked to her side and looked up at her. "I do not pretend to be some sort of soothsayer with you, my Queen. But I do know that should he turn against us, we will be strong enough to keep him under control. With our hive reaching what it was before Canterlot, heck, maybe even stronger than then, he would be one against a revived nation. A revival headed by you, Chrysalis."

Chrysalis looked down to meet Raspian's gaze. "I thank you for your kind words, Raspian. But I suppose time will tell." She said, looking back out into the mountains.

A grin tugged at Raspian's mouth. "I guess so."

A brief pause ensued as the two changelings staring out at the mountain range. Each of them nursed thoughts of the future. Hopes of a better, stronger hive. The cautions of a potential traitor. The dreams of Equestria under their hooves and enough love to feed a dozen generations.

Raspian gave the queen a confused look when her horn lit up bright green. "What are you doing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Giving your scouts a signal so they know which mountain is the one we're meeting at." Chrysalis replied.

Raspian nodded. "I'll leave you to it, then." With that, he turned around and began to walk back down the dark corridor.

"Raspian." Chrysalis called.

"Yes, your Highness?" Raspian asked, rotating his head to see the queen's eyes staring back at his.

Chrysalis gave the captain a fanged smile. "I believe you have more than proven your abilities to lead. Just be ready for a promotion when we get back to the hive."

Raspian replied to Chrysalis's smile with one of his own. Turning around to face her, Raspian gave his queen a deep bow. "Thank you, your Majesty."

"Now off with you." Chrysalis gestured back down the cave tunnel. "I will meet you with our guests when they arrive. Make sure you are disguised when they meet our host."

"As you command, my Queen." Raspian said gratefully, resuming his walk back down the rocky tunnel.

Turning her attention back outside, Chrysalis readied her signal spell. Here goes nothing. She thought, blasting a green beam from her jagged horn.

"Looks like some sort of signal." Trixie said, squinting her eyes to see the green magical beam shooting from the sides of one of the mountains ahead of them.

All three changelings' eyes lit up, Fang and Cipha exchanging elated glances.

"Th-that must be the signal for the r-rendezvous site!" Silver Star exclaimed. "Full steam ahead, ev-verypony! We're a-almost there!"

Speedy Delivery instantly angled the balloon in the direction of the signal spell. The completion of their mission was now literally in sight.

Author's Note

SO CLOSE TO THE END OF THIS STORY! CAN'T WAIT TO FINISH IT! *ahem* Well with that said, I'll try to find some more time to get chapters out more frequently to y'all. I hope you guys liked the chapter and review/critique!

Magicians' Fall

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 46-Magicians' Fall

-Castle of the Two Sisters: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

The midmorning sun shone brilliantly on the Everfree Forest as Celestia soared over the treetops. I sure hope Luna is alright. She worried, remembering the exchange they had just before she departed for the Summer Sun Celebration.

Despite the tremors felt prior to the event, the Summer Sun Celebration had gone without a hitch. Celestia had arrived, headed for her platform, raised the sun, and the ponies went crazy with applause. Although she kept a gracious smile on for her subjects, Celestia's mind was constantly reminding her of how her last interaction had gone with her sister.

So thou admit that thee receive more adoration from our citizens than I? Luna had demanded.

Why did I say yes to such a ridiculous question? Celestia cursed herself for her poor judgment and choice of words. She must have felt awful after I said that. Some sister I've been the past few days. Maybe that was it. Maybe she had been too focused on overseeing the Summer Sun Celebration and dealing with King Sombra to notice how abnormally Luna had been acting as of late.

The castle's silhouette stood above the forest in the distance, Celestia flapping her wings harder as she neared its stone towers. Gritting her teeth, Celestia soared over the treetops to the castle ahead.

"Celestia approaches." Nightmare Moon hissed, "I can feel her presence drawing nearer with each second."

Then the time to strike is almost upon us. The Shadow said eagerly. We should revert back to thy past form so as not to immediately alarm her and alert her of our intentions.

Nightmare Moon concurred with a fanged smile. "Agreed." A white light began to glow all around her form, shrinking it down into her original form. By the time the light had dissipated, the lunar alicorn's black fur had changed back into Luna's midnight blue color and her eyes had morphed back into their former circular blue form.

She won't suspect a thing. The Shadow stated gleefully.

"And when she arrives, what then?" Luna asked, half knowing what the answer was already.

The sun will set and the moon will rise. Thou must claim thy rightful place as ruler of Equestria, lest Celestia make sure there is no competition for her rule.

Luna steeled herself in the chamber behind the throne room, an anxious grin broadening across her face. "Then come, Celestia, and face the new ruler of Equestria."

Celestia landed at the foot of the castle door. Pushing the door open with a hoof, Celestia trotted into the castle's atrium.

Everything is as it was when I left. She noted. But where is my sister? Celestia frantically turned her head from side to side, scanning the room for any trace of Luna.

"Luna? Where art thou?" Celestia asked, approaching the throne room. Luna's and her respectful thrones stared silently back at her, the blue and gold tapestries hanging majestically over them. The torches silently burned, casting their flickering orange lights onto the floor and walls. As Celestia neared the two thrones, a familiar voice spoke up from hallway beside Luna's throne.

"Not another step."

Celestia's halted her advance as her eyes snapped to the hallway entrance, a slight smile of relief appearing on her face. However, upon seeing the menacing look on her sister's face, Celestia's smile quickly vanished. Before she could ask, 'Is something the matter?' Luna spoke up again.

"Didst thou really expect me to sit idly by while they all basked in thy precious light?!" Luna demanded.

Celestia's eyebrows furrowed at the accusation. Precious light? The solar princess watched her sister walk towards the archway between the two thrones, her concerns mounting with each step Luna took.

"There can be only one princess in Equestria!" Luna declared.

Celestia's eyes widened as she realized she was too late. She recognized the fury in Luna's eyes. A fury that had lay dormant for years, the fury of jealousy. Luna…no…

"And that princess… WILL BE ME!"

-Canterlot Castle: 999 years, 355 days before Nightmare Moon's return-

"Has she come out of her chamber yet?" Clover asked his teacher. The unicorn pupil walked up to Starswirl's side on the balcony of the castle tower.

Starswirl shook his head, the grimace on his face remaining as it had been for the past week. "Not yet, Clover. Not yet." His gaze at the moon never faltered. The Mare in the Moon, some had begun to call it. Even though it had become a daily sight in the night sky, at least for the past ten days, he still couldn't get used to the fact that he'd never see Princess Luna again.

"I can't imagine what she is feeling right now." Clover sympathized.

Starswirl's gaze finally turned to Clover's. He could see the concern in his green eyes. "None of us can. None of us have ever had to banish our sibling to the moon before." Starswirl said, turning his eyes back to the alicorn-shaped formation of craters on the moon.

Starswirl recalled when Celestia returned to the castle on that fateful night. She was pretty much inconsolable. He could remember hearing the sound of Celestia wailing in her chamber, cursing herself for not acting when she should have to prevent her sister's banishment, asking why it had to be Luna and not her. She was so woeful that she hadn't even raised the sun since that day.

"I can only hope that Princess Celestia will come around eventually. In the meantime, we must do our best to uphold our royal duties." Starswirl turned back to go inside the castle.

Clover nodded. "Agreed." He turned around to see Starswirl going back inside. "Going to bed, master?"

"I might as well. It is late and we both have busy days tomorrow." Starswirl replied.

"If it is no trouble I'll stay out here a little longer." Clover stated.

Starswirl shook his head, turning back to look at his student. "No trouble at all, my pupil. I will see you in the morning."

"Very well," Clover said, turning back to look up at the moon. Good night, Starswirl."

"And to thee as well, Clover." With that, Starswirl turned and entered the castle tower. No sound but the clomping of his hooves on the floor was heard as the wizard made his way to his bedchamber.

Starswirl lay sound asleep in his bed, the cool breeze of the night whishing through his window. He didn't even hear the sound of the purple-eyed serpentine creature enter his room.

The dreamscape was empty for the most part nowadays. With Princess Luna gone, the dreamscape was all but nonexistent, with blank expanses stretching far and wide. This night, however, all Starswirl could see was a grey blanket stretching into infinity.

"Where am I?" Starswirl wondered, looking around him only to find the greyness every which way his gaze went.

Suddenly the greyness faded into the surroundings of a medical facility in downtown Canterlot, specifically, the Birthing Center. Starswirl scanned his surroundings, the stark white walls of the hospital and light blue curtains surrounding various beds in the room. I've been here before. He couldn't place his hoof on it, but he felt some sort of familiarity with this place.

"Now just breathe easy, Miss." A doctor's voice could be heard from the other side of the room, behind another blue curtain. Starswirl curiously made his way over to the curtained bed.

"It hurts!" a mare's voice cried.

"Thou art almost finished. Just one more push." The doctor encouraged.

Starswirl wanted to cover his ears at the shrieks the soon-to-be mother stabbed out from the other side of the curtain. The mare's cries faltered at the sound of a new crying. The cries of a newborn foal.

"Congratulations, ma'am. It's a colt." Starswirl heard the doctor say. Starswirl approached the curtain, his eyes lighting up at the sounds of new life entering the world.

"Can I hold him?" the new mother asked as Starswirl's hoof met the curtain.

"Of course." The doctor replied.

Starswirl pushed the curtain aside and beheld the new mother and child. His eyes widened as he gasped at the sight of who it was.

It was his mother. She certainly looked younger than Starswirl remembered her, but it was her. The grey fur, the yellow eyes she shared with him, her white mane and tail… it was her.

Starswirl's gaze travelled down to the foal in her arms, his jaw dropping slightly at the sight of the newborn. Is that me? The newborn foal had the same fur and mane color as the he did, and he'd bet anything that the foal's eyes were golden yellow like his.

"Welcome to the world, Starswirl." He heard his mother greet him.

With that, the world flashed back into the grey expanse he saw before. For one of the few times in Starswirl's life, words failed him. He wanted to know what the purpose of that vision was, why he saw it, just… why?

"Starswirl the Bearded." A deep voice addressed him from above.

Starswirl's tongue loosened at the mention of his name. "If thou had anything to do with what I just saw, then please explain thyself."

A figure shimmered into existence before him, its silhouette casting a long and slender shadow. On the top of its body was a cloak that covered its head, a pair of glowing purple eyes looking back at him through the blackness of the hood. The lower half was scaly and serpent-like, with arms and legs were knobby and skinny, covered in scales like the rest of the figure's body.

"Who art thou?" Starswirl asked.

"I am simply known as the Keeper, Starswirl the Bearded." The serpentine creature responded. "I have been watching thee for a long time."

Starswirl's eyebrows furrowed at the Keeper. "Since the day I was born, I presume. I know that's what I saw."

"Aye, my dear magician." The Keeper replied. "From the day thou were born, I have watched thee. Watched thee grow in thy magical skill day by day. Thou have served thy purpose well, Starswirl, but I am afraid that time is passed."

"What dost thou imply? That my service of the princesses is no longer required?" Starswirl pushed.

"No, Starswirl. Thy time in the world will soon be over and thou will soon be able to rest at last."

The realization hit Starswirl like a brick wall. He lowered his head in thought. "I'm going to… die?"

"Tonight, yes." The Keeper stated. "I know there are many questions thou wish to inquire of me, but I do have a few answers to other inquiries that occupy thy mind."

"Those being?" Starswirl raised his gaze to face the Keeper's.

"Thou knowest that the Crystal Empire's fall was no random occurrence. And neither was Princess Luna's banishment."

"What art thou saying? That they are connected?"

Keeper nodded. "A force beyond thy comprehension is at work in this world, manipulating events to suit his grand scheme."

"And what scheme is this that thou speak of?" Starswirl questioned.

"Freedom." Keeper replied as Starswirl raised an eyebrow in confusion. The Keeper then elaborated. "Freedom from identity, freedom from will, freedom from the essence of life."

"But how?" Starswirl demanded. "What force could seek such horrific acts?"

"The same being that persuaded King Sombra that he should have all the power in the Crystal Empire, even if it meant jeopardizing his kingdom's existence for preservation of authority."

"And this same being convinced Princess Luna to betray her sister?"

"He persuaded her that she was the lesser princess, that she was inferior to Celestia. That she should take control for herself."

Starswirl's eyes narrowed in thought. It was all starting to make sense. "Thou said I had a purpose in this world before I die tonight. What was it?"

"Not what it was, but what it will soon be." the Keeper said. "Starswirl the Bearded, thou art to be the vessel for two prophecies I am to give to thee."

"And what are these prophecies?" Starswirl asked.

"I will say, but bear in mind that as soon as thou finish writing the words of these prophecies, it will be thy last deed on this world." The Keeper warned.

Starswirl looked down and gave a content sigh. "I suppose if I were to go out, it was going to be while I was writing something." He said with a light smile.

"Very well." The Keeper said. "The first prophecy I am to give thee goes as thus:

When the Mare in the Moon is no more,

Shall begin the end of an ancient war.

Heroes and villains. Friends and foes.

All will endure trials during the coming woes.

Hooves to the West, claws to the East.

Both will fear the Shadow released.

As the sun sets, the moon will rise.

A new sun, the Shadow's demise.

In the desert, the Guardians wait.

As the Eight determine this world's fate.

The words hung in Starswirl's mind, the Keeper's voice embedding itself in his memory. "Is that everything?"

"There is one more prophecy for thee to write down. It is to be shared only when the Eight are present." The Keeper said.

"And who are these 'Eight' thou speak of?"

"They are the Guardians of Light, ones that share a power great enough to combat the darkness that plagues thy world. Art thou ready for the second prophecy?" Starswirl nodded in reply. "Very well. Remember these words."

As the Keeper uttered his second prophecy, Starswirl closed his eyes and let every word soak into his mind.

A few moments later, the Keeper finished the second prophecy, and Starswirl opened his eyes to look into the Keeper's. "And how will I know who these 'Guardians' are?"

One of the Keeper's scaly hands reached for Starswirl's forehead, a single claw outstretched. As soon as the tip of the claw met Starswirl's head, individual images of figures flashed before the unicorn's eyes. Two faded silhouettes of alicorns, one a deep blue, the other a purple one that was shorter in height. He saw the outline of a small dragon, green spines protruding from its body, and a unicorn standing beside it with a trio of diamonds on her flank. He saw two pegasi, one's mane and tail the array of the rainbow, the other with a longer pink mane and tail. Finally, he saw two earth ponies, a distinctive brown hat atop one's head while the other's mane and tail were a poofy pink.

The Keeper retracted his claw from Starswirl's forehead. "These Guardians have yet to come into this world, but when they do, will thou be able recognize them?"

"I will." Starswirl assured.

"Excellent. Then art thou ready to awake?"

Starswirl took a deep breath, looking into the Keeper's glowing purple eyes. "Yes."

The Keeper stretched out a clawed hand and laid it on the unicorn's shoulder. "Then, Starswirl the Bearded, awake and fulfill thy purpose."

Starswirl's eyes shot open, the ceiling of his bedchamber looking back at him. Sliding out of bed, he walked over to his desk where his journal lay. His horn lit a light blue as his quill levitated from its inkwell, the journal flipping open to the first empty page.

The quill met the book's page almost instantly as Starswirl jotted down the words he remembered from the vision he had received. An encompassing relief began to wash over Starswirl as his quill marked the end of the first prophecy. Even though he was going to die tonight, he knew that he was fulfilling his purpose as a conduit for a greater purpose. A smile broke out on Starswirl's face as he jotted down the last lines of the second prophecy. With a final swish of his quill, Starswirl closed the journal and set the quill back in its inkwell.

Suppose the book is lost or destroyed before the message can reach whomever it is intended for? Starswirl worried, his horn lighting up once more. A burst of white light shot from the magician's horn and struck the journal. As soon as the spell hit the book, it reflected back at Starswirl, illuminating the center of his chest where the spell reconnected with its user. After a few moments, the spell died as the light faded into nothingness.

"Nothing a sensory stimulation spell can't fix." Starswirl answered his worrisome thoughts with a satisfactory grin.

Turning back to his bed, he made the final steps of his life towards his place of rest. Climbing into bed and pulling the covers over, Starswirl took one last look around his bedchamber. Everything he'd ever done, everyone he'd ever met, it had all led up to this moment of remembrance. Giving his life a final look over, Starswirl closed his eyes, content in that he'd led a good life in service to Princesses Celestia and Luna and to whatever forces that were beyond his understanding.

Not more than a minute passed after he'd closed his eyes that Starswirl the Bearded was at peace.

-North Equestrian mountain range: Present Day-

The balloon neared the edge of the cave entrance, Trixie and the three disguised changelings focused on the pony at the tunnel's mouth. At the opening of the cave was a bright orange pegasus mare with a long yellow mane and tail, waving at the balloon travelers.

"Almost there!" the pegasus shouted, motioning for the balloon to be brought a little closer to the cave's entrance. Speedy Delivery eased the balloon to the edge of the cave against the mountain winds. As soon as the balloon's basket touched the cave entrance, Trixie and Silver Star leapt from the balloon as Speedy kept it steady while Palm Spring tossed a rope to tie off the balloon from inside the cave.

The disguised Chrysalis grabbed the rope and looped it over a rock protruding from the tunnel floor, securing the balloon to it. With the balloon secured, Speedy and Palm exited the balloon and regrouped with the others.

"What kept you guys so long? We almost had to abandon the project due to your absences." The orange pegasus chided.

"Sorry about that. Weather was a bit of a hassle to get through." Silver Star piped up.

Trixie looked to the orange pegasus. "So you are the one in charge of this whole operation?"

"That is correct." The pegasus beamed. "I'm Sunshine Ray."

"Trixie." The unicorn introduced herself, extending her hoof. Sunshine grasped it and gave it a firm shake. "So where is the testing supposed to take place?"

"We have a cavern down this tunnel designated for pegasus flight tests. It is there where we will be requiring your assistance, Trixie." Sunshine said, turning and begging to walk down the tunnel, with the others following close behind.

With Trixie ahead of them, Chassis, Cipha, and Fang could let their true emotions show. Their task was finally complete. They each began guessing what would soon happen after this day. Promotion? More rations of love to feed on? Better housing situations back at the hive? The possibilities were endless as to what Chrysalis could offer them.

Or take from others. Fang thought with a grimace.

"So is it just the four of you that are conducting these tests?" Trixie asked as the darkness of the cave almost completely blinded her.

"We have two other assistants down in the cavern waiting for us." Sunshine was quick to respond. "And if the hunches of my scouts are correct, you must be one powerful unicorn. Am I right?"

Trixie proudly grinned. Without saying a word, her horn began to glow light lavender. In a flash, four balls of purple light burst into existence above each of the heads of the disguised changelings.

"Impressive." Sunshine commented.

"Whoa, that's cool." Speedy spoke up from behind. Moving his head back and forth, his eyes were glued to the ball of light that continued to follow the top of his head wherever it went.

"Personal illumination spell. Nothing too complicated." Trixie bragged.

Sunshine chuckled. "Well I'm sure we'll be seeing more magical feats like that once we get into the cavern."

Silence fell over the group as they ventured down the cave tunnel, the sound of hooves clomping on the rocky floor breaking the deafening quiet of the cave.

A few minutes later, Sunshine Ray stopped at the edge of a drop-off, the other halting behind her.

"Here we are." She said, turning her head to face Trixie's. "You'll need some help down. It's a bit of a drop." Spreading her wings, Sunshine jumped from the edge and glided down to the cavern floor below.

Silver Star strolled up alongside Trixie and extended his hoof towards her. "Allow me."

"Thank you, but no need." Trixie said graciously, her horn beginning to glow once again. In a light purple flash, the unicorn vanished for a split second, suddenly reappearing in another burst of light at the floor of the cavern.

"You guys ready for this?" Cipha asked, giving her companions an eager grin.

"Born ready." Silver said, a flash of green changeling magic allowing his insect-like wings to sprout from his body. With that, Chassis jumped from the edge and glided to a spot of ground behind Trixie as to not draw attention to his wings.

Speedy's hardened face stared ahead into the darkness of the cavern. Fang turned to look straight into Cipha's eyes, his disguised pony eyes gone with his normal blue changeling gaze replacing them. "Before we do this, Cipha, I want you to tell me something."

Palm Spring looked to him, seeing a hurt in his eyes she'd never seen before. "And that is?"

"Tell me if this will be worth it."

Cipha opened her mouth to speak, but no words came forth. A few moments of silence passed between the two disguised changelings. "We'll soon find out."

Fang furrowed his eyebrows at the response and closed his eyes in somber thought. Opening them again, his pony eyes were back. "So I guess you're gonna have to carry me down." He said, lifting his front legs up to his chest.

Without a word, Palm Spring looped her hooves around his upper torso and began flapping her wings.

As the pair of changelings neared the ground, Palm dropped Speedy to the ground just behind Trixie as she landed.

"This is incredible." Trixie breathed. Before her glowed a massive light blue shield that bathed that section of the cavern in soft azure. She could only dream of creating such a shield spell in her lifetime, but what was it protecting?

"What is?" Silver asked, his eyes focused on the swirling shadowy being that was in the corner.

"You don't see it?" Trixie raised an eyebrow at the large earth pony. "The giant blue shield spell in front of us?"

"I don't anything." Palm Spring said.

"Me neither." Speedy agreed. While he couldn't see a shield spell, he could definitely see a swirling blackness in the corner Trixie was looking at. Is that the creature Chrysalis plans on freeing?

"Ah, Sunshine. You've arrived." A brown earth pony with a leafy green mane and tail approached the group. "Are we ready to begin?" He asked, casting a glance at the unicorn.

"So we shall, Timber Pile. We have what we need to get started." Sunshine said, a green misty magical field beginning to envelope her figure.

Trixie turned around to face Sunshine, knowing that she was being referred to. "So does that blue shield have anything to do with-" The words stopped in her throat as she beheld where Sunshine Ray used to be.

Instead of the orange pegasus she knew before, there now stood a tall and slender insect-like black pony with perforated legs and wings, a jagged horn protruding from her forehead. Trixie could feel those slit green eyes staring into her, as if they were beholding a meal. Trixie had heard about this being's attack on Canterlot, but she had never thought that she'd be seeing at her face-to-face.

Before her stood the queen of the changelings, Queen Chrysalis.

Author's Note

So after a loooong chapter break, here's the next update for this fic! I expect the next chapter to come out in a much more timely fashion than this one did, which I guess doesn't say too much. :derpytongue2: Anyway, hope you guys liked the chapter and review/critique!

Awaiting the Shadow

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 48-Awaiting the Shadow

-North Equestrian Mountain Range: 963 years before Nightmare Moon's Return-

"How much farther?" Clover asked as he reached for the ledge of the cliff.

Not much farther. In fact, once thou clear this cliff edge, thou will have arrived. The voice said in his head.

Clover's hoof grabbed the rocky surface of the cliff to hoist himself up, his destination literally within reach. Suddenly the rock gave way, his hoof slipping and dangling next to him as the rock fell hundreds of feet to the bottom of the mountain canyon below. His other arm burned as he hoisted his flailing hoof back onto the cliff edge and pulled himself up. With a grunt, Clover climbed atop the cliff edge and beheld a dark tunnel ahead of him.

I am getting too old for this sort of thing. Clover quickly reminded himself that his mentor had been achieving both physical and magical feats well into his old age. Being no more than 60, Clover didn't have too much of an excuse. "So this is the place?"

Yes. And thou have thy spell at the ready?

"The shield spell thou told me to prepare? Yes, I remember it." Clover tapped his forehead for emphasis. "So, why exactly didst thou have to choose a spot way out here for me to go? I still have duties that need to be attended to back in Canterlot." he said as he ventured into the cave tunnel.

Patience, my magician. All thy questions will be answered in due time.

Clover grimaced at the response. It had been nearly a week since he got the vision from this being with him, and whenever he asked a question, it was always some cryptic answer. The mountain winds whistled through the tunnel behind Clover as he ventured through the cave.

"Seems pretty isolated to me." Clover spoke up, his voice echoing down the cave. "Art thou sure this is where thou meant for me to find an isolated location?"

It can be. There are many out-of-the-way places in the world. This location is definitely one of the better ones. The voice replied satisfactorily.

Clover continued down the cave, the light fading behind him. His horn lit a faint green to remedy the darkness dilemma. Clover narrowed his eyes and stroked his scraggly grey beard at the sight of the tunnel stretching on in front of him. "How far does this thing go?"

Why not find out? The voice answered.

Pursing his lips, Clover picked up his walk to a trot as he sought the ending of the cave.

A few minutes later, Clover found himself standing at a precipice overlooking a large cavernous area. "So… is this the heart of the mountain or something?" Clover wondered aloud.

It seems so, Clover. The voice replied. In hundreds of years' time, this place will provide sufficient temporary protection for thy world.

Clover's eyebrows knit together. "Okay, before I do this, how do I know thou are not just some voice in my head? That I'm not insane?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth that a soft light began to shine down below on the cavern's floor. The white glow bathed the cavern in a soft light as it continuously expanded and retracted.

Go to him. He has not seen thee in some time. The voice urged.

Him? Clover wondered as his horn's lit brightened. In a burst of green light, Clover teleported from the tunnel's edge and reappeared on the rocky floor beneath the drop-off. The unicorn cautiously began approaching the pulsating white light.

"Hello, Clover." The light spoke. "It has been too long."

Clover's jaw dropped. It can't be. It couldn't be. But he knew that voice all too well. Even though it had been almost forty years, he still remembered that old, comforting voice.

"Master Starswirl?" Clover asked. That name hadn't rolled off his tongue in what felt like an eternity.

"Aye, my student. Well… I guess former student now." Starswirl said with a quick chuckle.

"I recognize thy voice, but what art thou? Thou do not have the appearance of a pony."

"That is because I have been born into a new life, Clover, a new life with a new form. Simply speaking, thou art looking at my spirit." Starswirl's figure replied.

"So the afterlife exists?" Clover whispered in awe. "But why haven't you been able to visit before?"

"The voice in thy mind is the one that has made it possible to visit thee, Clover. And shame on thee, Keeper. Must thou be so secretive all the time?" Starswirl addressed the voice.

My apologies, Starswirl. But thou know as well as I that all will be revealed in time. We cannot divulge everything that will occur. The voice in Clover's head responded.

"Well at least make thyself visible for Clover. My former student deserves to know who it is he is sided with."

Clover's eyebrow shot up. "Sided with? What side? I was not aware that Equestria had present enemies."

"That is because it has none." The voice from his head said, this time from Clover's side. Clover turned to see a figure begin fade into his vision. Before him stood a tall serpentine creature with thin arms and legs, the upper part of his body covered by a hood. Clover took a cautious step back at the glowing purple eyes that shone through the darkness of the hood.

"Have no fear, Clover." Starswirl's figure spoke up. "This is the Keeper. He is responsible for the oversight of our world."

"And thou art correct in that Equestria has no hostile neighbors at the moment. However, a greater foe is at work in this realm. Something that will put the entire world at risk." The Keeper said, putting a claw on Clover's shoulder. "That is where thee will come in."

"Me?" Clover held a hoof to his chest as he looked back and forth between his former master and the Keeper. "What am I to do?"

"Thou art to be part of a preventative measure, Clover." Starswirl said calmly. "Thy contribution to the plan is two-fold."

"Thou art well versed in shield spells, art thou not, Clover?" the Keeper inquired.

A quick grin flashed across the unicorn's muzzle. "Surely the teachings that this one taught me," Clover said, pointing to Starswirl's form, "I think I know a thing or two about shield spells. But why would we need one of those?"

"The evil that will soon return must be imprisoned, lest it will wreak havoc on the land before all the preparations are ready." Starswirl replied.

"However, thy magic alone will not be sufficient to contain the threat upon its return." The Keeper spoke up. "That is why I will combine my magic with thine own to create the shield spell."

Clover sucked in a breath and exhaled. "Very well. Where would thee have me cast the spell?"

The Keeper pointed a claw at a corner of the cave where the floor met a massive rock wall that shot up the cavern's ceiling. "Right there. Thou will simply cast a shield spell on that particular spot and I will integrate my magic into thine."

"But what is it about thy magic that will help? A shield spell is simply a shield spell, correct?" Clover asked.

"The creature that will be contained inside the shield can surpass any magic of this world. He would break through thy shield within moments of being placed inside it. Imbuing thy shield spell with the same magic the Elements of Harmony use, however…" the Keeper explained, holding out an open claw. In a flash, a ball of rainbow-lighted energy swirled about above the scales on his hand. "It will be enough to contain him."

Clover's eyes widened at the mention of the Elements. "He won't escape, will he?"

"Unlikely." Starswirl replied. "A unicorn's magic will make the shield, and a unicorn's magic can undo it. Should a day come when the shield is broken, all the world will know of the creature's freedom. Hopefully by then, the magic that will be used to combat him will be found."

"Art thou ready, Clover?" The Keeper asked, casting the unicorn a glance.

Clover's eyebrows knitted together. "I am." He said as he aimed his horn at the corner the Keeper pointed to.

In a flash, a burst of green light shot from his horn and struck the ground of the corner. A glowing wall of green magic rose up from the ground, rising until it touched the ceiling. Clover looked up to study his work.

"Not bad." Starswirl commented. "I see the spells I taught thee thou hast not forgotten."

"As if I'd forget thy lessons, Master." Clover replied with a smirk.

The Keeper stepped forward, the swirling rainbow magic still levitating above his claws. "And now, for my contribution." Raising the magical orb, Keeper thrust it at the wall of magic. The rainbow light exploded against the green shield as it made contact. The Keeper backed away from the shield as the trio watched the shield transform. From where the Keeper and connected the Elemental magic with Clovers, a brighter blue color began to spread across the shield until the entirety of it shone a blazing azure amidst the darkness of the cave.

The Keeper grinned under the cover of his hood at the shield. "And now we wait."

Clover, the Keeper, and Starswirl's floating form travelled down the tunnel back towards the cave opening.

"So now I have to walk all the way back to Canterlot, shall I?" Clover half-joked, slightly raising his voice over the howling mountain winds that blew through the rocky corridor.

"Not necessarily, my former pupil." Starswirl piped up. "I can teleport thee back to Canterlot Castle. Just say when and I will do it."

The trio continued down through the tunnel until they reached the opening. The snow outside blew sideways as the wind threw it to and fro as the snowstorm intensified.

"We cannot thank thee enough for thy contribution, Clover the Clever." The Keeper said, looking down at the unicorn. "Thou have bought us enough time to make sure everything is ready for when the creature returns."

"Glad I could help." Clover said. "But how will we remember which mountain we cast the shield in? I don't know if either of thee noticed, but there are myriads of mountains around this part of the world."

"Easy." The Keeper said, reaching for Clover's horn. "We'll leave a marker."

"Wait, what are-" Clover began to say, but was cut off by Keeper grasping his horn. In a flash of green, multiple beams of magic shot to the walls of the tunnels. Within moments, the beams of magic nestled into the cave walls, their glow reducing in seconds. Soon, rows of shining emeralds covered the rocky entrance of the cave.

Letting go of Clover's horn, the Keeper watched as the unicorn shook himself out of his daze.

"Woah. What did thou just do?" Clover asked, rubbing his horn.

"Made a few markers for us to remember." The Keeper said with a gesture back at the walls.

Clover turned around to see the emeralds sparkling for him. "My magic did that?"

"Well, I helped." The Keeper said. "Now I believe thou said that thou have duties to attend to in Canterlot."

Clover turned to look at Starswirl and the Keeper. "So… this is goodbye?"

"For now." Starswirl said. "I will see thee soon, Clover the Clever."

Clover smiled at his teacher's spirit. "Very well. Get me out of here."

No sooner had the words left his mouth, Clover vanished in a flash of white light, leaving Starswirl and the Keeper standing at the edge of the tunnel entrance.

"You taught him well, Starswirl." Keeper said.

Starswirl's form reverberated proudly. "Thank you. Although I must say, going back to the 'thee' and 'thou' language here took some getting used to. Like slipping on a glove you've outgrown."

"You may return. I have one last thing I need to do here." The Keeper dismissed.

"As you wish." Starswirl's form vanished, leaving the Keeper alone in the cave.

Turning to the wall, the Keeper pressed a claw against the stone. Closing his eyes and uttering a short tome under his breath, he opened his mouth to speak. "In this cave, an ancient evil lies within, when released, the long night shall begin. Through it, all races shall bind, as the fates of all become intertwined. The Six will become Eight, and end the Guardians' wait."

The Keeper opened his purple eyes and stepped back, looking at the prophecy he'd just cast onto the rock. Every language, past, present, and future, all were represented.

"Until that day comes, I too shall wait." With a flash of purple magic, the Keeper teleported from the cave, leaving only the echoes of the wind to fill the tunnel.

-Canterlot: Present Day-

Shining Armor dashed through the castle corridors, the wall-mounted torches and stained glass windows blurring past his vision. With the commencement of the Citadel Initiative catching them by surprise, the loud noise didn't help with keeping Canterlot's populace calm. Ponies were asking questions as to what was going on, asking for answers that Shining Armor didn't have.

He slowed his gallop to a trot as he neared the throne room doors. "Guards, open the doors." He ordered the two golden-clad stallions that flanked the double doors. The pony on the right nodded and pulled open his door for the captain to enter.

"Princesses, permission to enter." Shining Armor called as he stopped in the open doorway.

Celestia and Luna looked up from each other to see Shining at the throne room's entrance.

"Granted." Celestia replied, turning back to her conversation with Luna.

Shining walked through the doorway, the guard closing the door behind him. "Princesses, ponies are starting to get a bit panicky with the sudden evacuation and whatever that loud gonging was. My troops need to know what to tell them for them to settle down."

Celestia and Luna exchanged looks.

"Well… I guess this was to be anticipated with the sudden initiative implementation." Celestia said while tapping her chin.

"So you just want me to say that everypony needs to stay calm and for the process to be accelerated?" Shining assumed.

Luna shook her head. "We can't just leave our citizens in the dark, Celestia. They need to know what it is we are up against."

"Agreed, but we don't need them to get into a panic how their livelihoods here would be at stake." Celestia's eyebrows furrowed in thought.

Shining's eyes lit up as an idea sprang into his mind. "Say it's a temporary relocation." Both princesses turned to the captain at his suggestion. "That we would protect their homes and businesses while they are away in other cities while we defend Canterlot."

Celestia gave Shining a brief smile. "Well that would answer the worries about coming back to Canterlot with nothing they left to greet them. And what of the current panic that is beginning to spread?"

"We call for peace." Luna spoke up. "Tell everypony to remain calm and to inform them that Canterlot has been threatened. Their frenzied state would only make the situation worse."

"So, in summary?" Shining raised an eyebrow at the princesses.

"Hold on, we need somepony to take this down." Celestia said, turning back to the royal pegasus scribes that sat at the sides of her throne. "Quill, Ink, come take a decree."

Quill, a brown pony with crème fur and his brother Ink, with a vice versa color scheme, stood up from their positions as they each grabbed a scroll and quill to write with. They approached the princesses with their writing utensils at the ready.

"What is it you wish to decree, your Majesties?" Quill asked, tapping his scroll with the quill.

"Quill, take your message to the Canterlot guards. Make sure it is told on every street corner. I don't want anypony to not get this decree." Celestia ordered.

"Ready." Quill nodded and readied himself to write.

"Citizens of Canterlot, we apologize for the abrupt changes to your daily lives, but what we have to warn you of is of the highest concern. Canterlot has been threatened for the second time in two years, but this time, we will be prepared. I have ordered the Citadel Initiative to be carried out, a plan designed for the city's protection. Civilians are to be transported to other cities throughout Equestria while the guards will stay behind and defend our nation's capital. It would be best to cooperate and not panic, so that your transportation will proceed efficiently and safely. Finally, I assure you that your livelihood sill be intact upon your return to Canterlot once this crisis has passed. Thank you for your cooperation and be safe."

Quill finished his writing and looked up. "Is that all, your Highness?"

Celestia nodded. "Yes, and thank you, Quill. Now go and spread that message through the city."

With a quick bow, Quill rolled up the scroll to where he could carry it with his mouth. As soon as he had the scroll secured between his teeth, Quill galloped through the throne room doors and out of sight.

"Your turn, Ink." Luna said. "This one will go to every major city in Equestria. Manehattan, Ponyville, Fillydelphia, all of it."

Ink gave a swift salute and pressed his quill to the scroll. "Yes, Princess. Gimme the message."

"Citizens of Equestria, have no fear in these dark days. Canterlot has come under threat of attack, but we will be ready for when the danger comes. As you hear this message, civilians from Canterlot are being transported across the country, some of which may already be in your city. Fear not, for this is a temporary measure for the sake of the citizens' safety. Your mayor will be instructed to provide accommodations for the refugees, but if you feel the need to open your homes to them, then do so by all means. Thank you for your support and we will let you know as soon as it is safe to return the Canterlotans to their homes. Finally, this is a call to all guards and volunteers. If you haven't heard the call of all military-able ponies to Canterlot, then heed this royal decree. Everypony will do their part, be it serving on the home front or in the defense of Canterlot and you must as well. One or the other, we all must do our duty. Hold strong, Equestria, as we face our darkest hour."

"A bit more melodramatic than Celestia's, but it'll certainly get the message across." Ink commented as he finished writing.

Luna gave the scribe a smirk. "Thank you. Now go, ponies need to hear that message."

With the message in hoof, Ink spread his wings and shot into the air and out the throne room doors.

"Well spoken, your Majesties." Shining said with a confident grin. "Do you wish to give the guards any messages or will that be all?"

Celestia's expression hardened as she addressed the captain. "Tell them to ready themselves for the coming week. They have not had to face such an evil that will be coming. Let them know that Canterlot is now at war, and we will not let our city be taken."

Shining Armor saluted the princesses upon being given his orders, and spun around to march back out of the throne room.

Luna and Celestia looked back from the captain to each other.

"So while he readies the troops as the citizens are evacuated, what are we to do in the meantime?" Luna asked.

"For now, we wait." Celestia hooked a hoof over Luna's shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. "We wait."

Author's Note

And that concludes A Shadow Forms, the first of four in the Guardians of Light series. Thanks a bunch for you guys' support in giving feedback on this story and encouraging me to write better stories in the future. Hope y'all liked the story and I look forward to seeing you all again in Guardians of Light: A Shadow Rises.

A Princess's Coronation and a Queen's Lament

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 1-A Princess's Coronation and a Queen's Lament

-Canterlot Castle courtyard-

Canterlot was normally bustling at this time of the day. Ponies would travel to and fro doing their daily affairs, the social elite would be relaxing and enjoying the privileges of society, and children would be learning Equestrian geography in school. But today was not a normal day.

Crowds filled the Canterlot Castle courtyard as cheers and shouts of happiness and praise rose up at the pony that made herself present. Just a day ago, she was a simple unicorn that worked as a local librarian in the small village of Ponyville. Today, she was a princess.

Twilight was exuberant as her chariot was pulled down the happy streets of Canterlot. Everything she could have hoped for was happening. She had faced multiple trials that had tested both herself and her friends. In the end, Twilight and her friends had come out on top every time. She had taken tests and passed them all with flying colors. She had proven that she was capable of handling the duties of a princess. And now here she was, surrounded by loyal subjects and her closest friends. To think that in only a few short years, she would go from a socially awkward egghead to an amiable pony that would be a close friend to everypony she knew. The lavender pony knew better than to credit herself. Twilight knew it was because of the ponies she met on that first day in Ponyville that she would become what she was today.

She looked down at her friends on the street. The loyal Rainbow Dash, the honest Applejack, the glamorous Rarity, the jubilant Pinkie Pie, and the mild Fluttershy. Each of them helped Twilight along the way to becoming a princess. And now here they were, trotting down Canterlot in a parade to celebrate Twilight's coronation.

Twilight smiled as she began to wave to her subjects and sing joyously.

"Life in Equestria shimmers, life in Equestria shines!" She sung as she caught a bouquet of colorful flowers. As her chariot neared her friends, she leapt off and joined them in a trot down the streets. She glanced at her dear friends and resumed singing. "And I know for absolute certain…" She sung, allowing her friends to help her in singing the joyous tune.

Twilight and her friends continued singing as they passed the celebrating citizens of Canterlot. "That everything... yes everything... yes everything is certainly fine!" They sang as the song reached a crescendo.

From the top of the castle overlooking the coronation parade, Princesses Celestia and Luna looked upon the ceremony with great happiness. The princess of the sun was proud to see the pony Twilight had become as years of teaching and studying had paid off. Luna looked at all the elation and looked at Celestia thoughtfully, feeling the same delight emanating from her sister.

Down on the streets, Twilight and her friends reached a balcony that overlooked the lands of Equestria. As they finished singing, Twilight spread her wings and took off into the friends watched from the balcony as their new princess flew away.

"Yes! Everything is going to be just fine!" Twilight exclaimed joyously as she flew over the cheering crowds and into the sky.

-Changeling Hive-

She looked over her kingdom. All she saw was sadness. Normally the hive was bustling with activity as drones extracted love from the pods, but not in recent months. Her drones buzzed about, looking for some love to feed on. The hive had never been the same since the failed Canterlot attack. She looked at the empty green pods, her hungry subjects, and the lack of activity she was seeing in the hive. She exited her chamber's balcony and went inside.

Chrysalis felt a strange mix of emotions. The ones she felt would not normally be associated with one another. These included anger, sadness, desperation and, strangely, contentment.

She felt anger towards herself and her subjects for failing to obtain love to feed on. They had come so close to taking Canterlot and being able to feed for months on the love they would have harvested, but it was not meant to be. Who did Chrysalis blame? Herself? The drones of her hive? Or fate itself? Whatever the case, her changelings were still starving regardless of where the fault lay.

The changeling queen felt sadness towards what her precious hive had become in recent weeks. Before the Canterlot invasion, the hive was busy with activity. The big green love pods that dotted the ground of the hive would be full of creatures big and small. From those creatures they could extract love to feed on for days depending on the creature. The mood of the hive was generally upbeat and its dwellers felt confident in the strength of the hive. However, after the failed assault on the Equestrian capital, all that changed. Drones no longer had motivation to go out and seek creatures to feed off of. As a result, the state of the hive began to stagnate. Pods were less and less filled and changelings continued living a starving existence.

Chrysalis felt desperation for what she would do to help her children be restored to their pre-invasion state. Her drones were the most important beings in the world to her. She felt their pain as well as their happiness. If it meant giving herself to the hive for love, she would do it if no other option remained.

And finally, she felt an odd feeling of contentment, a poisonous serenity that weighed heavily in her chest. It was the feeling that the state of her hive couldn't get any worse and it wouldn't be getting better any time soon. If that were the case, why bother trying to make it better? Chrysalis knew that line of thought was a dangerous one to follow, yet she had felt an unusual feeling of demotivation in the past few days. It was more of a lingering thought in the back of her mind than an actual attitude she carried with her during the day. Whether she carried out the thought or not, it still scared her that the thought even existed in her mind.

Chrysalis gave a defeated sigh. "So close to victory…" The queen said to herself, her perforated wings buzzing in irritation. They were so close to victory and so far from defeat. She had even defeated Princess Celestia herself for buck's sake! And yet in the blink of an eye, she and her subjects were blasted out of the Equestrian capital. In the changelings' hour of victory, they only tasted defeat. Never had they found more love than in the land of Equestria, and yet they were denied it. "…but here we stand in this pit of ruin."

Don't they realize that we need to feed on love to survive? She thought, thinking about the physical state of her subjects. Changelings were naturally skinny, but recently her drones had become so malnourished that even the most starved creatures of the forest would look well fed compared to the changelings of her hive. Just to survive, the strongest of the hive would have to feed on the weaker ones. Chrysalis cringed at the memories of seeing her children feeding off each other. When the unfortunate changeling's love was sucked out completely, the empty husk would be thrown out of the hive for the animals to devour. She hated it, but if that is what it would take to survive, then necessary evils had to be done.

Chrysalis paced in her chamber. The changeling queen tried to think of how to find love to feed on without risking the safety of her subjects, but nothing came to mind. The queen of the changelings heaved a sigh of resignation.

Hoofsteps behind her drew her attention from her thoughts. Chrysalis looked behind her to see Raspian, her captain of the guard, standing in the entryway to her chambers. By changeling standards, Raspian usually stood tall and strong, but the lack of food was certainly taking a toll on his figure. At first glance, he looked like any other changeling, save for the lack of perforating holes in his front left leg. "Milady, permission to enter?" The captain requested. "I bring urgent news."

"You may enter, Raspian." Chrysalis addressed the changeling captain. Raspian responded by stepping past her chamber's doorway and entering her chambers. "What news is it that you bring me?" Chrysalis asked. Right now, any kind of news was something she could use.

"Your highness, our scout drones have located a strong concentration of love not far from here." Raspian said with a hiss.

"How strong was the concentration?" the changeling queen asked, her eyes lighting up at the sound of food. Depending on the strength of the love source, the love source's presence could be felt anywhere from a meter away to a mile by any changeling.

"One of the scouts said that they felt the source's power almost two miles away." Raspian said, earning a shocked look from his queen.

That can't be. It's too good to be true. Chrysalis thought as a large smile found its way onto her face. "Is it another band of ponies?" She asked eagerly. The last time a small pony caravan dared to venture into her domain, the changelings had love to last a few months. And if it was a group of ponies, then Chrysalis would be able to take some form of vengeance on ponykind.

"We do not believe so, your Majesty. This love source was felt in the mountainous region south of the Crystal Empire. Pony caravans would have considerable difficulty moving through that kind of terrain." Raspian responded. Chrysalis pondered this. While slightly disappointed that it wasn't a group of ponies, it aroused new suspicions as to what the love source could be.

"And you said that it is south of the Crystal Empire?" Chrysalis asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The northern part of the mountainous region to the south, yes. Just outside of Princess Cadence's jurisdiction." Raspian said.

How convenient. Perhaps too convenient. Chrysalis thought as she began walking under the cave arch that exited her quarters. Could the love source be a trap set up by some creature of the mountains? Maybe. Not knowing what could be the origin of the love source both interested and terrified the changeling queen. The source of love could have been anything from a population of cute snow rabbits to a ferocious yeti.

Chrysalis made up her mind and began walking through the exit of her chambers and into the exit tunnel of the cave. The possible outcomes to help her children outweighed the possible risks of the journey.

"My lady, where are you going?" Raspian asked, concerned for his queen. Having participated in the Canterlot battle, he knew he couldn't risk her going by herself so close to pony-controlled territory again. He followed her as she continued down the cave.

"To find this love source. My people need sustenance, Raspian. My intention is to find it and bring it back." She said as she strolled towards the cave entrance. Sunlight filled the entryway, causing the changeling queen and her guard to squint at the bright light.

"Begging your pardon, majesty, but I cannot let you go alone." Raspian said, giving his queen a stern look.

Chrysalis looked behind her and gave the changeling captain a thoughtful look. "Then come with me on this search. If you insist on protecting me, then your only option is to escort me on this endeavor. Let the administrators handle the day-to-day affairs." Chrysalis said, spreading her wings. "Besides, if there is two of us, the more ground we will be able to cover." Raspian unfurled his green transparent wings.

"Very well, your majesty. I will accompany you to this source." Raspian complied.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Chrysalis took off into the air, her wings buzzing as they flapped. Hesitantly, her captain began flying close behind her.

Chrysalis began thinking about what Raspian had reported. A love source felt from two miles away? With a love source that strong, we will have enough food to last us until the end of next year! Chrysalis thought as she began to fly faster towards the northern mountains, her captain trying to keep pace. Should there be pony intervention, monsters, or demons from Tartarus, it would not stop her from feeding her people.

Author's Note

Hey there, Fimfiction! I hope you guys liked the first chapter of what I plan on making a four-part series. Right now the progress of the story is playing catch-up to the version I have on Fanfiction.net so it'll be coming out much more frequently until it's caught up. Thanks for taking the time to read the story and review/critique!

Equestrian Integration

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 15-Equestrian Integration

-Eastern outskirts of Ponyville, Fluttershy's cottage-

As the sun climbed to its mid-day position, three ponies and a baby dragon approached a cottage that sat on top of a small hill. At the foot of the hill was a small stream, over which a small grass-covered bridge spanned the watery gap. Squirrels, rabbits, birds, and many other creatures were outside the house, looking in through the various circular windows, trying to see how their caretaker was.

As the three ponies and dragon approached the front door of the cottage, noting the way the animals were acting and glanced nervously at each other.

Twilight gently knocked on the red half-circular wooden door of her yellow friend's cottage. "Fluttershy, are you there?" she asked.

"I'll bet she's too scared to get out of bed." A hovering Rainbow Dash suggested.

"I wouldn't doubt that at all. If our dreams were anything like hers, she's not going to be leaving her cottage for the next week." Rarity said in a concerned tone.

Twilight knocked again, this time hearing a response from the other side. "Come in."

The purple alicorn pushed open the door to find a surprising sight. Instead of cowering in fear of anything that moved like the four visitors were expecting, Fluttershy was laying on her couch brushing the white coat her pet rabbit, Angel.

Fluttershy looked up from her brushing to greet the four dumbstruck guests. "Hello, girls. Hi, Spike. What brings you here?"

The first to speak up was Rainbow as she landed on the wooden floor of the cottage. "You're okay?" She asked in a surprised tone.

"Of course I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be?" Fluttershy replied in a nonchalant tone, turning her attention back to brushing Angel, this time attending to the bunny's tail.

"But… Didn't you have a dream last night?" Spike asked, wondering if Fluttershy had a nightmare like the rest of them had.

Fluttershy stopped brushing Angel and looked like she was remembering. She then slowly nodded. "Yes, I did. How did you know?"

Twilight cleared her throat. "If my guess is correct, we all had nightmares last night. It can't be a coincidence that multiple representatives of the Elements of Harmony had bad dreams."

Rarity spoke up, gesturing to the purple dragon that stood beside her. "But Spike had a nightmare and he's not an Element bearer."

Twilight put a hoof to her chin. "That's right. So unless there's some mystical seventh element out in the world somewhere that is remotely connected to Spike, I don't know how Spike would have had a nightmare like the rest of us did." She said, pondering the implications of Spike having a bad dream like the others did.

"But what could have affected all of us with nightmares? Wouldn't that take a lot of magic to do that?" Fluttershy asked as she got up off the couch. Angel leapt from the couch as his owner stood up and looked up at her in concern.

"Inflicting a single individual would take years of practiced magic to pull off. But multiple dreams on at least six distinct ponies and a dragon? That would take more magic than the princesses' combined." Twilight said, the shock of her own realization making itself known through her words.

Everyone cast nervous looks at one another at hearing this.

"Maybe we should get everypony else and discuss this as a full group." Rainbow suggested, breaking the silence.

"I agree. If this concerns all of us, then we must make sure that everypony is a part of the discussion." Rarity said in concordance with Rainbow Dash.

Twilight spoke up, already having a plan in mind. "Alright then. Spike, Fluttershy and I will go find Pinkie Pie. Rarity and Rainbow Dash will head to Sweet Apple Acres and fetch Applejack. We'll meet in the library by dinner time where we'll talk about what to do in light of recent events.

Rainbow jumped in the air and began hovering, saluting Twilight in the process. "Roger that, boss. C'mon, Rarity!" She said, zipping out the cottage with a whoosh.

Rarity shook her head. "Hopefully I can meet her there by midafternoon." With that, the white unicorn took off galloping out the door.

Twilight turned to Fluttershy. "Any idea where Pinkie might be?"

Fluttershy's eyebrows narrowed and her eyes glanced up at the ceiling, as though pondering something. "She should be at Sugar Cube Corner. If she's not there, then I don't know where she would be."

"Then Sugar Cube Corner it is. Let's go, guys!" Spike said, charging out the cottage door, followed closely by two ponies.

As Twilight bounded down the path away from Fluttershy's cottage, she began to think. I just hope she's in good a shape as I found Fluttershy in. If she's had a nightmare as bad as we did, then I can only hope she's taking it well. She thought, galloping even faster towards the supposed location of her pink friend.

-Streets of Ponyville-

Palm Spring, Speedy Delivery, and Silver Star made their way down the main roads of Ponyville. Palm Spring had made the suggestion that the three belied ponies go their separate ways and do some reconnaissance on the town. Both Speedy and Silver agreed, each going their own way down the road.

Everywhere they went, ponies went about their daily business. Some were in the market selling or purchasing local goods, others were eating at the various restaurants that lined the town's streets, and young colts and fillies ran and played through the street, some of which earned annoyed looks from the adults. Each of the three disguised ponies was looking at the town through their own mind.

Speedy Delivery watched ponies go about their business. The funny thing to him was that everypony seemed to enjoy what they were doing. Back in the hive, every job was just a chore that had to be done. With these ponies, they enjoyed their livelihoods. Wow. This is nothing at all like the hive. Fang thought, his bright crimson eyes glancing from store to store. How can they find comfort or even fun in their work? He wondered, then stopped for a second to think about what he had just said. Well they don't have the threat of being eaten by their fellow ponies on their minds on a daily basis. He thought, resuming his stroll down the dirt road. As he passed the local food and goods carts, sellers began to take an interest in him.

"Care to sample my home-grown carrots? Made fresh every day!" A mare called out to him. Speedy turned his head to see a mare with a goldenrod coat, olive green eyes, and a curled orange mane standing behind a cart that was full of what appeared to be fresh produce.

Speedy looked back at the mare, then back at the vegetables, then back at the mare, who, by the look on her face, was expecting an answer.

"Uhh… I think I'm alright for now." Speedy said as he started to turn away, but the mare called him again.

"Say, I don't think I've seen you here before. What's your name, handsome?" The mare asked, leaning on her stand towards him.

For Speedy, it felt like the temperature got twenty degrees hotter all of a sudden. Did she just call me handsome? "Um, S-speedy Delivery." He said, inadvertently tripping over his own words.

"Well, Speedy, how about you buy some carrots and next time you come by, you can get a little something extra?" The mare asked, giving Speedy a seductive look.

A crème-colored mare with a two-tone raspberry mane spoke up from behind a stand on the opposite side of the road. "Lay off the poor guy, Carrot Top! Besides, I think the stallion would love my freshly cut roses! For a stallion such as yourself, you must get something for that lucky mare of yours." She said, gesturing to the goods on her stand. On her stand were a brightly colored array of various flowers and potted plants.

Now Speedy was almost breaking into a sweat. He needed to find a way to get away from these two mares and quickly. His mind, working a thousand miles a minute, chose the stand that hopefully involved not getting too mixed up with the locals. Quickly regaining his composure, he approached the rose selling mare's stand, much to the chagrin of the vegetable selling one.

"How much for one rose?" He asked tentatively.

"I'm actually having a sale today. Three bits for a six-count bouquet." The crème mare said cheerfully.

Suddenly, Speedy felt his confidence surge. While talking with a mare wasn't one of his strong points, bargaining certainly was. "Three bits for roses? I found better looking petunias that grew from the ground on my way over here." He said with a determined look, daring the mare to make a better offer.

Within seconds, the mare's countenance went from 'pleasure doing business with you' to 'oh no you didn't'. "Two bits and I'll throw in a free bouquet on your next purchase." The mare said, challenging the bold colt to accept her offer.

"Deal." Speedy said, fishing out a coin purse he'd swiped off some stallion on his way down the street. Digging out two golden bits with his hoof, he placed them on the wooden top of the stand.

The mare reached down behind her stand and took out a bouquet of six thorn-trimmed red roses. Taking the bouquet and thanking the mare for her business, Speedy walked off, but couldn't help but overhear the two mares arguing behind him.

"Having a sale? Really, Rose?" The mare named Carrot Top asked incredulously.

"At least I wasn't throwing myself all over the poor guy just to make a sale." Rose hissed back.

"Throwing myself at him? Just what are you insinuating?" Carrot retorted as Speedy's snickering drowned out the conversation from his hearing.

Palm Spring watched as the colts and fillies played in the schoolyard. Such innocence. She thought, mesmerized by the way the children laughed and cavorted about in the grassy yard.

Just a few minutes earlier, Palm had been wandering down the dirt road that led away from the busy center of Ponyville, when she saw a bright red schoolhouse on top of a hill that overlooked the village. As she approached it, she began to hear high-pitched squeals of laughter coming from the hilltop. Wanting to investigate, Palm neared the school and saw something that astounded her. She saw children having fun.

Young ponies of all colors and sizes ran about the yard, playing all sorts of games. Some played tag, several pegasi tossed a ball back and forth to each other in midair, and others sat around and chatted with each other.

This was all unfamiliar to Palm Spring. Growing up in the hive, children were practically programmed to do what they were supposed to do. From birth, a changeling hatchling would be determined what job they were to do in the hive. Be it gathering love sources for the hive, being scouts, or just protecting the hive as a guard, changelings were boxed into whatever duty they were assigned at birth. Here in Ponyville, it was quite a different case.

From what Palm Spring had noticed about pony culture, she made an interesting discovery. What job that a pony was doing, they had a kind of marking or illustration on their flank that depicted exactly what they were doing. She'd heard it being called a "cutie mark" by some of the children that didn't seem to have any marks on their flanks.

So they can become anything they want to be? Palm thought, amazed at the very possibility of having the chance to do what she wanted.

Her thoughts were interrupted as something big and red smacked into her face. Recoiling from the impact of the object, she looked down to see what had assailed her. Curiously, it was a small air-pumped red ball.

"Sorry about that!" A small country-accented voice shouted to her. Palm looked up to see three fillies looking at her with apologetic expressions on their faces. One of the fillies was a white unicorn with a curly two-toned lavender and pink mane. A second filly was a yellow earth pony with a red mane, in which was a big pink bow. Finally, a third filly was an orange pegasus with a spiked-up purple mane.

Palm Spring gave a quick smile. "It's okay." She said, pushing the ball back to them with her hoof.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that." The yellow filly said in a country accent. "We would've caught the ball if Sweetie Belle didn't have butterhooves." She said, glaring at the white unicorn filly next to her.

"Hey! It wasn't my fault. Scootaloo was the one that couldn't throw it straight." The white filly said, pointing accusingly at the orange pegasus.

"What? How is this my fault?" Scootaloo asked incredulously. "Besides, Applebloom should have been making sure nopony was in our way." She said, casting an angry glance at the yellow earth pony.

"At least Ah can throw the ball straight." Applebloom retorted. Instantly, the three fillies began arguing with each other, trying to figure out who to pin the blame on.

Palm Spring just watched the three fillies argue with one another. Wow. She thought, watching the three started going for each other, kicking up a dust cloud around them as they tussled. All this over a simple accident? Sheesh. You'd think they'd be more civil in this kind of thing.

Palm approached the wrestling fillies, trying to stop them before somepony got hurt. "Hey!" She shouted at the three ponies.

The three fillies stopped what they were doing instantaneously, the dust cloud around them beginning to fall back onto the ground. Sweetie Belle was lying on her back, about to buck Scootaloo off her, who was gnawing on Applebloom's ear, who was about to give Sweetie Belle a right hook.

"It was just an accident, okay? No need to do this all on my account. I gave you your ball back. Now go on and continue playing like you were before." Palm Spring said in an almost motherly tone.

The three young ponies got off each other and hung their heads. "We're sorry." They solemnly said at the same time.

Palm couldn't help but smile at the fillies. "It's okay. Now go on and play again." She said, gesturing for them to go.

The three began to leave for the schoolyard again when Applebloom suddenly turned around. "We could use another player if you want." She said with a smile.

The others turned around with smiles on their faces. Sweetie Belle spoke up in a cheery voice. "Yeah. You can catch the ball with us. Or catch whatever Scootaloo can throw at you." She said, casting a mischievous glance to her orange friend.

Scootaloo gave Sweetie a sour look. "That was so funny I forgot to laugh." She said, turning back to Palm, her face lighting up again. "So you wanna join us?"

At this, Palm felt shock. Were they asking her to play? "Um… sure." She said nervously.

"Awesome! Now just stand right there and we'll toss you the ball." Applebloom said, taking the red ball in one hoof and tossing it in the air above her. As the ball came back down, she butted the ball towards Scootaloo with her head. Giggling, Scootaloo returned the ball by butting it towards Sweetie Belle. Careful to not pop the ball with her horn, Sweetie bounced it in Palm's direction.

Just do what they were doing. Butt the ball with your head! Her mind said, as she craned her neck upward as the ball approached her head. She felt the ball bounce off her head and watched it sail towards Applebloom.

"There! Now ya got it!" Applebloom said with a smile, butting the ball to Scootaloo again.

As the circle continued and head-butts ensued, Palm began to giggle at the activity she and the fillies were doing. Soon, the giggling became laughter at what she was doing with the three young ponies. Palm felt a new sensation that day. It was a feeling that she had practically no concept of back in the hive. She felt… fun.

Silver Star walked down the roads of Ponyville, looking at all the ponies he passed by. Mares, stallions, colts, and fillies. Each one was unique in his or her own way. From the interactions they had with each other, to how they managed their livelihoods. Every single pony was a unique part of the town they inhabited. However, they all had one thing in common. Each one of them was a love source that could be harvested and fed on.

Silver Star had to hold back from pouncing onto some random pony and sinking his teeth into the unfortunate creature. Oh what I'd do to just get one little nibble right now. He thought hungrily, glancing at a grey earth pony mare with a flowing black mane chatting with a white unicorn mare with a spikey two-tone blue mane with purple shades over her eyes. The earth pony looks too slim for my taste. The unicorn on the other hand… He began to think, but the still focused side of his brain mentally slapped him. Hold yourself together, Chassis! Remember what Chrysalis said. After this job, then you can feed.

Silver snorted in irritation at his thoughts. "Ugh. I need something to distract me from all this." He muttered to himself, looking for some place to eat. If he couldn't satisfy his hunger for love, then he could settle his stomach's need for food.

He browsed the shops along the street, looking for a decent looking place to chow down. So what am I in the mood for? He pondered as a rather ornate looking restaurant with an outdoor collection of tables crossed his vision. Nah. Too fancy for me. Silver Star marked the restaurant off his list, continuing his search. His search for a place to eat ended at a multistory building that looked like it was made out of dessert food. The roof was brown with white designs on it, almost making it look like the top of a cake. From the roof was a small tower that looked like it had pink ice cream on top of the spire. Hanging outside the purple doorway was a sign that read Sugarcube Corner.

"Sugarcube Corner, eh? Well love tastes kind of sweet. Hopefully the food inside is close enough to it." Silver told himself, walking up to the store's door and opened it. The disguised changeling looked around in awe at the interior of the shop. The wooden floor was painted a deep turquoise and had a couple green rugs on it. The walls were a light brown with candy designs all over them. Several peppermint-looking spiraling columns held up chocolate brown archways over the counter. In front of the counter was a glass display of several sweets like cupcakes and pies. Just the sight of the sweets made Silver's mouth water.

"May I help you?" A jovial voice asked from behind the counter. Silver Star looked to see a light teal earth pony mare with a swirly two-tone purple mane standing behind the counter with a smile on her face.

Silver Star approached the counter, his expression mirroring the mare's. "Yes you may. What kind of cookies do you sell here?" he asked warmly.

"You name it, we got it." The mare responded in the same manner.

"Any kind of cookie, eh?" Silver asked, putting a hoof to his chin as he began to wonder what kind of cookie he wanted. After a few moments, he had made his decision. "I'll have a chocolate cookie with vanilla chips please."

"Certainly, sir. That'll be four bits." The mare said, turning to a pair of saloon-style doors to her right while waiting for the stallion to get his bits out. "Pinkie! Chocolate cookie with vanilla chips!" She called to some pony in what Silver assumed was the kitchen.

"Sure thing, Mrs. Cake! I'll have it out lickety-split!" A high-pitched female voice said from behind the doors.

During all this, Silver reached a black hoof into a bag of bits he had gotten from Speedy before embarking on his recon of the town and pulled out four gold coins. Placing them on the counter, he received a "Thank you" from the mare.

"So you're name's Mrs. Cake?" Silver asked, trying to get information on the ponies he interacting with.

The teal mare nodded. "Certainly is. My husband and I own, live, and work here at Sugarcube Corner. The mare that'll be bringing out your cookie is named Pinkie Pie. Speaking of whom, you don't look familiar. Are you new here?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Silver nodded. "Yes I am. Just came through and wanted to see the town."

"Oh boy." Mrs. Cake said, putting a hoof to her face. "Well be ready. Pinkie loves to meet new ponies."

As if on cue, a pink earth pony mare with a darker pink poofy mane and bright blue eyes stepped out of the kitchen, holding a ceramic white plate, on which was a dark brown cookie with crème-colored vanilla chips.

"One chocolate cookie with… vanilla…" Pinkie's ecstatic voice trailed off as she looked at who had ordered the sweet treat. The pink mare slowly set the plate on the counter, not taking her eyes off the newcomer. As soon as the plate touched the wooden counter, she became a pink blur that rushed past Silver and up a staircase that was behind him.

Silver looked at the staircase, trying to contemplate what he just saw. He turned back to Mrs. Cake with a puzzled look. "Did I do something wrong?"

Mrs. Cake shook her head. "No, dear. But you'll find out what she's planning soon enough." She said with a slight smile. "Enjoy the cookie." She said, pushing the plated cookie towards a very confused Silver Star.

Calm Before the Storm

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 35-Calm Before the Storm

-Crystal Empire: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Celestia and Luna stared in awe at the crystalline glory that shone before them in the midmorning sun. Their eyes scanned the city, taking in every feature. Multihued buildings encircled the center of the reflective city, bright flashes of carnelian, azure, royal purple, emerald, and dozens of other colors dotted the landscape, roads shooting from the center of the city, forming a hexagonal star on the ground. In the middle of the capital loomed a splendid white palace that stood on three archways, its thin spires rising high above the base, the largest and tallest one standing in the middle.

"Amazing." Celestia spoke, breaking the awed silence between them. "Absolutely incredible."

Luna slowly nodded, her blue eyes glued to the shining metropolis before them. Such elegance. This place rivals even the sun in glory. She thought.

It would be a shame to see such a place fall into the hooves of thy sister.

Luna's ear twitched at the voice in her head.

Do not let this place of beauty be spoiled by Celestia's rule, Luna. Thou may be looking upon the empire with awe, but look to thy sister.

Luna's eyes tore themselves away from the crystalline structures and focused on Celestia's magenta ones.

Do thee not see the greed in her eyes? To her, this is just another place to rule. But we both know there is much more to the Crystal Empire than lucid ponies and a mad king. The power this place possesses would be more than enough to conquer Celestia's and she knows it. That is why we must not let her have it.

A confident smirk tugged at Luna's mouth. No need to worry. I will make sure she does not own a single speck of dirt in this land.

"Luna?" Celestia's voice snapped her out of her trance-like state. Luna turned to look at her concerned sister. "Is everything alright?"

Luna quickly regained her composure. "Of course, Celestia. Just trying to keep it together until we fight Sombra."

Celestia nodded. "Understandable, Luna. But hopefully thou do no space out during the battle."

"I will make sure not to." Luna assured, turning her eyes toward the Crystal Empire again.

Suddenly, she spotted a silhouette flying against the midday sunlight, heading away from the crystal capital.

"Celestia? Do you see-"

"I see it as well. I do not think crystal ponies can fly." Celestia said, her eyes tracking the flying object.

Luna squinted her eyes at the object, trying to get a better view of its features. A small tail-like extension fluttered behind it as it flew, a pair of wings beating at its sides.

"Tia, is that the pegasus scout you sent out before we came here?" Luna inquired.

"It may be. Come on, let's go find out." Celestia said, extending her wings. A few flaps later, the solar princess was in the air, followed closely by her sister.

Shooting Star soared through the midday sky, the buildings below her glistening in the light. The wind rushed through her fiery mane as her wings beat, her eyes set on the southern mountains.

And now I have to find my way back to Canterlot. She thought, scanning the craggy mountains that were beginning to rise up beneath her. The snow-capped peaks drew nearer and nearer as her wings beat against the air, the pegasus scout ascending into the sky.

Her blue eyes scanned the area in front of her, her vision catching two shapes that were rapidly approaching her position.

They're coming from the southern mountains and crystal ponies can't fly. They must be two more scouts sent by the princesses. Shooting figured, veering towards the flying pair of ponies As Shooting Star neared the flying figures, she took in more details of the pair. Both had wings, one was a midnight blue and the other was a pure white, around each of their necks were a trio of gemstone-like objects. What caught Shooting's eyes were the horns that were jutting from their heads. The princesses!

"Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!" Shooting called as soon as the regal sisters were within earshot.

The royal sisters approached the pegasus, waiting to get closer before responding.

"Shooting Star!" Princess Celestia addressed as they neared the scout. "What reports do thou bring us?"

As all three Equestrians landed on a nearby cloud, Shooting Star began to divulge her findings during her mission.

"I arrived in the Crystal Empire yesterday to find that the streets were largely deserted." Shooting Star began, earning a confused look on each of the princess' faces. "I assume that the populace was taking shelter in their homes. King Sombra's new style of ruling has caused a good deal of fright throughout the empire."

"New style of ruling?" Luna asked.

Shooting nodded. "Yes, Princess. My source in the empire told me that Sombra was a fair leader up until recently. That and there's something else thou should know about him."

"That he is a unicorn from Equestria?" Luna assumed, earning a surprised look from the scout as well as a puzzled one from Celestia.

"Yes, Princess. But how didst thou know?" Shooting Star inquired.

"I have seen him in a vision. Once a citizen of Equestria, he has given his allegiance to an empire of hued glass. Do thou know how he became corrupted?" Luna asked.

And soon that empire will be thine to rule. The voice in her head said eagerly.

Shooting shook her head. "Unfortunately no, Princess Luna. My source did not know what caused this change in personality."

"All the same." Celestia spoke up. "Does he have any guards or soldiers protecting him?"

"It would seem he does not, thy Grace." Shooting replied, casting the empire behind her a glance. "If all the empire's populace is in hiding, then Sombra would not need protection from those that are paralyzed from fear of him."

"Good. He is more vulnerable than I had previously thought." Luna said in a tenacious tone.

"Or it could very well be a trap, my sister. Either way, it is him alone we will be facing." Celestia warned, spreading her wings once more. The princess's magenta eyes turned toward the spires of the Crystal Palace. "Shooting Star, wait for us on this cloud until we return."

Shooting Star gave the regal sisters a bow. "I wish thee luck in the fight ahead, princesses." She said, rising to her former position. "But art thou sure I should not fight alongside thee?"

"We are sure." Luna said, her eyes falling to the necklace that held her Elements. "We have the power to defeat Sombra with a single stroke."

"I admire thy loyalty, Shooting Star. But Sombra's dark magic would be too strong for thee. I wouldn't want one of our best scouts to be turned into one of his agents should we fail to protect thee in the battle." Celestia said, giving the pegasus an understanding look.

"Very well, Princess. I shall remain here." Shooting said, planting her hooves on the cloud.

"Don't worry, my little pony." Celestia said with a slight smile as she and Luna approached the edge of the cloud, both sisters spreading their wings. "We'll be back before thee know it."

With that, both Celestia and Luna leapt off the cloud, their wings beating against the air as they shot towards the Crystal Palace.

Shooting Star watched the sisters as their figures shrank in the distance before disappearing into the Crystal Palace's grand form. Be safe, Princesses.

Shining Star stepped out of his house, his eyes riveted to the pair of flying ponies that were gliding through the sky. He knew who they were, where they had come from and where they were going. As they neared the Crystal Palace, Shining's eyes fell to the grass beneath his hooves, a sigh escaping his muzzle.

"Father?" A small feminine voice behind him asked.

A slight smile tugged at his face. "Yes, Lapis?"

"Why art thou staring at the sky like that?" His daughter asked concernedly.

Shining turned back around to face his child, his expression void of emotion. "No reason, my dear. It's just a beautiful day and I would hate to see it pass us by unnoticed." He replied, his eyes turning to the sky again, the sun's rays shining brightly on his face.

"Well can thee come inside? It's almost time for lunch." Lapis Lazuli beckoned.

Shining's gaze fell from the blue sky to his daughter once more. "Of course, Lapis. I'll be in in a moment."

An innocent smile grew on Lapis's face as she accepted her father's answer. Her figure retreated from the open doorway, leaving an inviting open door for Shining to come through.

Shining took one final look up at the sky. Worry clouded his mind as both the Equestrian princesses were not to be seen anywhere in the azure expanse.

I pray the Equestrian rulers will be victorious. The crystal pony thought, taking his eyes from the sky and began walking back inside his home.

Silence began its reign over the street Shining and Lapis lived on, its rule lasting only a brief moment for the residents of the Crystal Empire.

-Canterlot Archives: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return-

Starswirl the Bearded stroked his beard, a 'hmm' escaping his muzzle. He narrowed his golden eyes as he inspected his entranced pupil.

Clover's eyes no longer carried their light green hue, rather a harsh red filled his irises. The whites of the unicorn's eyes, instead of being the color their name inferred, were a glowing green.

"Pardon me, master Starswirl. But how long art thou planning on keeping Clover in his current state?" Commander Storm asked, raising an eyebrow at the wizard.

Starswirl gave the commander a quick glance to acknowledge his question before going back to looking over his student. "I am almost done, Commander. I simply need to find out how to awake him from this trance he seems to be in."

"Well I believe I can be of assistance in that area, Starswirl." The unicorn guard said confidently.

"I appreciate thy desire to help me, Commander Storm, but I do not believe thy magical capabilities are up to the task." Starswirl responded, not turning his gaze from Clover's.

"It has nothing to do with magic, Starswirl." Storm said, feeling mildly offended by the wizard's words. "Do thou recall how I woke thee up from thy trance?"

Starswirl slowly raised his head, his eyes lighting up with realization. "Yes. Thou called my name, shaking me from that dream."

"Then try waking thy student in the same manner." Storm said, leaning towards Starswirl to get a better view of Clover. If the vision Starswirl experienced in his trance, then how much worse could Clover's be?

Starswirl nodded. "Okay. I shall give it a try." He said, putting his mouth to Clover's ear. "Clover, canst thou hear me? Clover?" The wizard backed his head away to see if it worked.

To Starswirl's relief, Clover suddenly blinked a few times, the glowing green whites and red of his irises vanishing, his normal white and bright lime colored eyes replacing them.

Clover's eyes immediately went to the face of his mentor, a moroseness filling his gaze. "Starswirl?"

"Yes, Clover. I'm here, as well as Commander Storm." The unicorn wizard replied, casting Storm a glance. "Art thou alright?"

Clover's sullen visage changed into one of bitterness as his eyes narrowed at Starswirl. "Why wouldst thou care?"

Starswirl was taken aback at his pupil's words. "What ever dost thou mean, Clover?"

"Thou know what I meant." Clover spat. "Why bother having concerns for a failure? Or art thou so depraved that thou wouldst appear to care about how I feel?"

"Clover. Whatever thou saw in thy vision was all a lie." Starswirl said, a sternness creeping into his tone.

"Horsefeathers!" Clover shouted, immediately rising to his hooves. "Of course thou wouldst tell me it was a lie. Tell me, Starswirl. Do thee think of myself as a failure?"

He won't take any answer other than yes. Storm realized as he watched teacher and student arguing.

Starswirl put on a determined look. "I would never say such a thing, Clover."

Clover spun around, facing towards the crystal and belted out a laugh. "HAHAHA! Naturally thou wouldst deny telling me what thou truly feel, for fear that I couldn't handle the truth!" Clover exclaimed, slowly turning his head get a glance at Starswirl. "Well no more of thy lies. Thanks to that vision, thou no longer have to keep thy secret."

Starswirl gritted his teeth in frustration. "Clover, listen to me!"

"No, Starswirl!" Clover roared, whipping around to face the wizard. "All my life I've listened to thy deceit! But no more, Starswirl the Bearded. Today is the day I say no!"

Both Starswirl and Commander Storm were taken aback at the sight of Clover's eyes flashing the same red and bright green that they were before at Clover's last word.

The silence in the library was deafening as no one in the room moved a muscle, Starswirl and Storm staring in surprise at Clover as he stared accusingly back at them.

Starswirl bowed his head towards his student, a bright blue aura beginning to surround his horn.

"Pfft. What are thou going to do, Starswirl?" Clover scoffed.

"This." Starswirl responded sternly, a light blue light shooting from his horn and striking Clover between the eyes.

Commander Storm leapt forward. "Starswirl! What did thou just do?"

"Memory spell. Hopefully after it wears off, he'll rediscover the truth." Starswirl responded, watching his student crumple to the ground absentmindedly.

The pair of unicorns waited a brief moment before seeing Clover blink rapidly as the spell wore off.

Here it goes. Starswirl thought, leaning down towards his student. "Clover, art thou alright?"

Clover's gaze shot towards Starswirl's. Upon making eye contact, Clover buried his face in his hooves. "Master." He said, sobs beginning to choke his words. "I'm sorry… so, so sorry."

Starswirl put a hoof on Clover's shoulder. "All is forgiven, Clover. Fear can make ponies do and say things they normally would not."

Clover looked up from his hooves to his teacher's forgiving expression, his facial fur stained from a few tears. "All those things I said… that couldn't have been me."

"But it was." Starswirl said, a look of worry crossing Clover's visage. "The magic you and I both experienced capitalized on our innermost fears." Starswirl's gaze turned to the monolithic black crystal that stood in the middle of the room, black magic oozing out like blood from where Starswirl had cut it. "Which answers what kind of magic Sombra is capable of doing."

"So both the princesses are going against a tyrannical ruler that specializes in fear magic?" Commander Storm spoke up.

Clover and Starswirl exchanged concerned looks. "Unfortunately that seems to be the case." Starswirl concluded.

Commander Storm bowed his head. "Then heaven help them."

-Ponyville: Present day-

She's gonna have to stop at some point. She'll pace a hole into the floor otherwise. Spike thought as he observed his purple guardian walk nervously from one end of the library atrium to the other.

"Where's Pinkie? She should have been here a whole four minutes ago." Twilight said worriedly.

"Surely her party should be close to being, if not completely, over by now." Rarity said, trying to assure the nervous alicorn.

"That's the thing about Pinkie, though." Rainbow Dash chimed in from her hovering position above the others. "When it comes to parties, she never wants it to end."

"Not helping, Dash." Applejack said, casting the pegasus a stern look before looking back at Twilight. "Don't you worry, sugarcube. Pinkie'll be here when she gets here and when she does, we can get her up to speed."

"But I told her to be at this meeting at eight PM. Not four- no, five, minutes later than that." Twilight replied anxiously. "And I insist that we all be here for when we start the meeting, Applejack."

"Fine, fine. We'll wait for Pinkie to show up." Applejack said, backing off the subject.

"So what do we do while we wait?" Spike asked, his boredom making itself apparent in his tone. Spike's eyes drifted to the still warm plate of nachos he'd made lying next to him on the table in the middle of the room. Well, may as well not let them go to waste. He thought, reaching over and grabbed a cheesy cluster of chips from the plate.

"Sooo… how was everypony's day?" Rarity asked awkwardly.

"It was fine." Applejack responded first. "Did some work on the farm, went to the market to sell some apples, dropped the leftovers at the barn, then came straight here."

"Sounds pretty boring if you ask me." Rainbow chimed in.

Applejack looked up at the daredevil pegasus and gave her a smirk. "As if mah day was any more exciting than yours."

"Actually it wasn't." Rainbow said assuredly.

"Do tell, darling. What made your day so thrilling?" Rarity pressed.

Rainbow crossed her hooves and gave a prideful grin. "Well a certain old friend came by to visit me today."

Several eyebrows arched at Rainbow in response.

"Really?" Rarity asked, now intrigued by Rainbow's vague answer. "And who was this old friend?"

"You guys remember Gilda, right?" Rainbow said, reactions varying from her friends.

"How could Ah forget?" Applejack said, her words taking on a bitter tone.

"Why yes I do recall meeting that-" Rarity stopped, about to say 'ruffian', but recovered upon seeing the look Rainbow was giving her. "-griffon friend of yours. Especially how she treated Fluttershy when she visited."

The yellow pony in question nodded. "I remember her too. What did she come back for?" She asked innocently.

"Huh?" Twilight asked, taking her eyes from the clock that was ticking away as she waited for Pinkie to show. "Oh yeah. What did Gilda go to you for?"

"As surprising for some of you as it might be, she came by to apologize for the way she had behaved to you guys when she visited me." Rainbow said proudly.

"Is that so?" Applejack said, her eyebrows rising at Rainbow's answer. "And did you accept her apology?"

"Psh. Of course I did, AJ." The cyan pegasus replied. "After that she and a griffon friend of hers from back home hung out and caught up with each other."

"And how is she doing back home?" Fluttershy wondered.

Dash's happy expression faded. "Not too good." She said, a few surprised faces appearing on the faces of her friends in response. "I mean she's fine, but the Griffon Kingdoms aren't exactly on the best of terms right now."

"How bad are we talking here?" Applejack asked.

"Pretty bad." Twilight perked up. "The Western Griffon Kingdom has been accused of the assassination of one of the premier ambassadors from the Eastern Kingdom. The Easterners say the Westerners are liars, the Westerners claim they didn't do it. Distrust of one another has gotten to the point where both sides are questioning how the other's resources are being spent. Some suspect both sides are preparing for a war soon."

"Good heavens." Rarity uttered, sharing a shocked look with Fluttershy and Spike.

"They aren't going to start fighting soon, are they?" Spike asked, a nacho pinched between two of his claws.

Twilight shook her head. "Well I've heard Princess Celestia say she's trying to negotiate peace but with the developments that have been occurring the past few days, nothing has been done to prevent it."

"So did she go back home after her visit?" Fluttershy asked, nervously looking up at Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah. She and her friend left just before sundown."
"Well I hope they made it back to where they came from." A voice from the door said. All heads snapped to face the library entrance, a familiar bubblegum pink pony standing in the doorway.

"Pinkie? How long have you been there?" Applejack asked.

"Long enough to hear that Gilda's headed home." Pinkie replied, stepping inside the library and closing the door with her hind hoof.

"And how do you feel about that?" Twilight asked, seeing the morose look on the party pony's face.

"Just awful!" Pinkie exclaimed. "I just got done with one party for three newcomers! Had I known Gilda was in town I could have thrown another!"

A collective sigh of relief was heard as Pinkie approached her friends.

"Well I'm glad you could make it, Pinkie." Twilight said with a smile. "So then, shall we begin the meeting?"

"So let me get this straight." Trixie said, glancing at the ponies to her left as the group strolled down the road. "You want to conduct an experiment involving pegasi and unicorn magic." She said, receiving three nods in reply. "To see how unicorn magic can help bolster the flying strength of pegasi in order to brave harsh weather conditions." Another trio of nods. "And the best place to do this is a mountain in the middle of northern Equestria where it would just be us four and the two partners you mentioned that are already there."

"Precisely." Palm Spring replied, giving Trixie a grin. "So are you in?"

Trixie looked at the trodden dirt in contemplation. "Hmm. And what purpose, should we succeed, would this experiment yield?"

"I'm sorry, but that's classified." Speedy Delivery shot down the question.

"Haha! Classified?" Trixie asked in a facetious tone. "Who are you doing this experiment for? The princesses?" Another bout of laughter echoed down the road as the four continued on. Eventually Trixie's laughter died down at seeing the sober looks on their faces. Her eyes widened in realization. "Oh. You're serious."

"We've told you more than you need to know, Trixie. The out-of-way location for the experiment makes sure that our research isn't spied on." Speedy responded. "And let's just say that should you help us and we succeed, then think of the possibilities that could be reaped from our studies. Faster deployment of weather teams, enhanced pegasus troop training for the royal guard… the possibilities are quite extensive."

"And you would be the one that makes it all happen." Palm Spring said, casting Trixie a glance.

Trixie considered her options. One, not do it and they find some other unicorn for their studies while I try to find a new wagon to purchase with what bits I have left from my show business. Or two, I do go with them and be a major contributor to a magical development for pegasus flight. The unicorn mare thought.

Taking a breath and letting out a sigh, Trixie looked to Palm Spring. "I'll do it."

"Excellent to hear, Trixie." Speedy Delivery said, a smile stretching across his face. "You know where the air balloon is tethered in this town?" Trixie replied with a nod. "We'll meet you there tomorrow morning at first light."

"I'll be there." Trixie responded. "But I have just one question." All three disguised changelings looked at the unicorn as she asked her question. "I can understand why we would need pegasi and a unicorn like me for this, but why are you earth ponies coming along?" She asked, turning her soft purple eyes to Silver Star and Speedy Delivery.

Silver beat Speedy to answer her question. "We just assist with the experimentation process and data collecting. Being the head research assistant, it is my duty to make sure that everything goes smoothly. Isn't that right, Speedy?" He asked smugly.

Speedy hid a grimace behind a grin. "Of course, Silver-"

"Mister Silver Star." Silver corrected, Palm Spring rolling her eyes at the earth pony.

"Mister Silver Star. My apologies." Speedy said, the desire to sock Chassis in the muzzle starting to seem quite appealing to the disguised changeling.

"Now, now, children. Let's not get too mixed up with titles so as to forget our objective here." Palm said, speaking from both her disguise and as a changeling. "Besides, Trixie has a long day tomorrow and so do we. Let's head to our homes and call it a day."

"I'm with you there. I don't think I've eaten that much in my life." Speedy said, clutching his belly.

Trixie let out a chuckle. "Well Pinkie Pie's parties are notorious for their massive amounts of sweets."

"Well I need to go sleep it off. See you tomorrow morning, Trixie." Speedy said, the trio of undercover changelings breaking off from the road and began heading to their rental home.

Trixie continued along the path until she found a bench on the side of the road. Just as good a place as any, I suppose. She thought, lying down on the bench. As she lay down, Trixie looked up at the night sky. The moon cast a soft silver light on the town, the stars twinkling back at her. Letting out a peaceful sigh, Trixie lay her head on the bench and closed her eyes.

Of Their Own Accord

Author's Note

Hey everybody! Second-to-last chapter for this fic incoming! Just before you dive into this chapter, lemme give you a warning real quick. If you don't like violent/gory scenes, then skip the section that begins and ends with a *. With that out of the way, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and review/critique!

Of Their Own Accord

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 47-Of Their Own Accord

-North Equestrian Mountain range-

Trixie felt paralyzed in the cold changeling queen's gaze. She wanted to scream, but her throat was closed shut. She wanted to run, but her traitorous hooves stayed in place. Her eyes darted to the Speedy, Silver, and Palm as they stood next to the queen.

"What are you doing?" she shrieked, finding her voice again. "Run!"

Silver Star's mouth opened in a deranged toothed smile as green magical mist began to surround his form. With a flash of green magic, Chassis revealed his true form to the unicorn, his flat teeth replaced with fangs.

Trixie's eyes shot to Speedy Delivery, Palm Spring and Timber Pile, her eyes widening in realization. "No." she breathed, half pleading for this to be a bad dream.

Speedy bowed his head as the three began to unveil their changeling forms. Within moments, five changelings stood before Trixie.

"Wow, did you fall for our trick like a mindless larva." Chassis gloated as a string of saliva dripped from the side of his mouth. His instincts were screaming at him to pounce on the unicorn and feast, but he caught a glance of the shadowy form in the corner, and paused.

Calm yourself, Chassis. Bigger and better meals will soon come. The Shadow spoke telepathically in Chassis's mind.

He gave a slight nod and turned towards Chrysalis. "So, your Highness, we have brought the unicorn as you commanded. What now?"

Chrysalis's smile grew in proportion to the fear she saw in the unicorn's eyes. "I believe that is for our host to decide," she said, turning her eyes to the Shadow.

"Host?" Trixie asked. "W-what do you mean 'host'?"

"Trixie Lulamoon." The Shadow growled from his prison.

The respective pony's form suddenly straightened as she turned around to face the creature behind the blue shield. "Y-you know who I am?"

"The travelling magician pony, often calling herself the 'Great and Powerful'." The Shadow elaborated, Trixie blushing at the mention of the title she used to give herself. "Yes, I know who you are."

"What do you need her for?" Fang asked, in an almost defensive tone, from behind Trixie.

The Shadow uttered a short chuckle. "This prison I have been confined to these past few years is one that was fabricated by unicorn magic, and it is with only such magic that I may be free."

"So… you're not going to feed on me?" Trixie asked, casting a nervous glance back at the changelings. She swallowed a nervous gulp at Chrysalis's answering gaze. She already knew the answer to that question.

"I think we all know the answer to that. Now c'mon, Trixie." Chassis urged. "We don't have all day."

"She's going to do it, Chassis. No need to rush it." Cipha said, Chassis turning his head to give her a venomous look. "What choice does she have anyway?"

"What if I don't want to?" Trixie squeaked, mustering what courage she had.

Raspian bared his fangs in reply. "Then we'll find another unicorn to get the job done." He watched Trixie contemplate her options. "You refuse, we consume your love, toss your husk off this mountain, and find another unicorn to do the exact same thing to should they refuse. We'll find a willing unicorn sooner or later. So why stall the process?"

Trixie looked back at the light blue shield, her eyes settling on the swirling shadow behind it. She wouldn't want somepony else to die in her stead, but at the same time, it's not like she had a choice in the matter anyway.

"Tick, tock, Miss Lulamoon." The Shadow smiled behind his fluid shadowy form. "Will you let your obstinate pride get someone else hurt again? Except this time, the Ursa Minor can't be put back to sleep."

Trixie was at a loss for lip quivered at the decision she was forced to make. I don't want to do this.

"We are all forced to do things we don't want to do, Trixie." The Shadow said in reply to her thoughts. "But we must do them for the greater good."

Trixie clenched her jaw. "If I get you out of that shield spell, will you let me go?"

A tense silence followed the unicorn's question. "I will." The Shadow said with a nod.

"No!" Chassis blurted angrily. "We worked hard to bring this unicorn to you, the least you can do is give us something to feed on!"

"Hold your tongue!" Chrysalis snapped at the drone. "You will have love to feed on soon enough, Chassis, but in the meantime, you will have to wait a little bit longer."

Chassis looked incredulously back and forth between the Shadow and Chrysalis.

You will have plenty to feast on, Chassis. I guarantee it. The Shadow spoke in the changeling's mind.

"Alright." Chassis huffed, turning his eyes to Trixie. "Just hurry it up and free him."

Trixie swallowed as she approached the pulsating blue shield. "Do I need a specific spell to lower it?"

"No certain spells are required. Only a sample of unicorn magic is all that is required." The Shadow replied.

Reluctantly, Trixie's horn began to glow faint lavender as she pointed it towards the shield spell. Suddenly, a light purple bolt of magic shot from Trixie's horn and struck the blue shield in the center, leaving a glowing white mark on the shield spell.

At first, nothing happened. Then a small crack stretched from the glowing point on the shield. Then another, this one bigger. And another. And another. The unicorn and the five changelings watched as the cracks stretched all across the shield spell, covering the once blue shield in a bright white light.

Instantly, the shield shattered, all six beings in the room covering their ears at the sound the dying shield produced.

BROOOONNNNNGGG

-Sweet Apple Acres-

Big Mac bucked his hind legs into the apple tree, the red fruit raining down upon him no more than a second later. He turned to behold the other trees he'd have to buck the apples from as a slight smile stretching across his face. Gonna be a pretty good harvest this year. I can already tell.

The farmer pony let his mind wander as he picked up the apples off the ground that didn't land in the buckets. Applebloom had just come back from yet another Cutie Mark Crusading attempt. What was she trying this time? Oh yeah, tight rope walking. Big Mac's green eyes rolled at the thought of Applebloom walking across a rope high above the hard, uncushioned… bone-breaking… ground. Okay, maybe that's not such a good idea. Thankfully she and her fellow crusaders decided to do their practice over the Sweet Apple Acres' swimming hole, so at least they knew to be safe when trying it out. And what's Granny been up to today? Big Mac wondered as he plucked the last apple off the ground and chucked it into the bucket. Starting towards the next tree, Big Mac continued his thoughts. Well, I know she's been working on those new honey-nut apple fritters. I suppose after I'm done with this orchard I'll-

BROOOONNNNNGGG

Big Mac's head snapped in the direction he heard the sound, the mountain range beyond Canterlot coming into his view. Am I hearing things?

"Big Mac!" he heard Applebloom's voice cry from behind him. He turned around to see his youngest sister galloping towards him.

"What is it, Applebloom?"

"Did ya hear that sound?" she asked.

Big Mac turned his head back towards the mountains in the distance. So it wasn't just him that heard the loud gonging sound. But what did it mean? "Eeyup."

-Manehattan-

"Ugh. With a day like this, why torture me with homework?" Babs Seed whined, burying her face into her bed. After a somewhat normal day at school, she returned to her parents' apartment in downtown. While she could have been going out to play with friends or experiment special talents with her fellow Cutie Mark Crusader recruits, this paper on Crystal Empire geology wasn't going to write itself. Didn't really help that it was due tomorrow, either.

With the afternoon sun taunting her out her window, Babs figured she'd endure the assignment for just a little longer before taking a break.

BROOOONNNNNGGG

Babs's head shot up from the pillow and towards her bedroom window. It sounded like it came from out her window. I guess I'm going crazy from boredom. I'm starting to hear things now!

"Babs!" the filly heard her father call from behind the bedroom door. No sooner had she heard her dad that he burst into her room. Bab's eyes were met with Mr. Orange's wide-eyes. "Babs, did you hear that sound too?"

"Yeah I did." Babs replied, her visage taking on a similar look to Mr. Orange's. "So if you heard it, who else did?"

Mr. Orange was out the door in a flash. "Dear! Dear! Did you hear that sound?" he shouted, his voice fading down the hallway.

Babs glanced back at her homework. "I was gonna take a break anyway." With that, she leapt from her bed and followed her distressed father.

-Aeolus, Western Griffon Kingdom-

Gilda sat on her cloud, tapping it with her claw as she waited. He's late again. She thought with a roll of her eyes. Granted, what he pushed her to do yesterday was something that had greatly relieved her conscience, but that was no excuse to be tardy to their usual meet-up.

I'm just glad that everything with Dash is back to the way it was prior to the last time I visited Ponyville. Gilda thought back to the other day, about how willing Rainbow Dash was to reaccept her as a friend. I must be one lucky sucker to have the friends I have.

A flapping of wings behind her alerted Gilda to her friend's arrival. The griffon turned around to see Hawkeye flying towards her.

"Where've you been?" Gilda folding her arms as she gave her griffon friend and inquisitive look.

As Hawkeye neared, she could hear him panting. "Sorry."

Gilda scanned Hawkeye's figure as he landed on the cloud next to her. "Dude, your feathers look like you jumped into a swimming hole and you're panting like you just flew a mile long dash. What's up?"

"Training… with dad." He said between pants.

"Training?" Gilda's eyebrow rose. "What for?"

"Dad… worried that… I might… have to fight." Hawkeye gave her a somber smile.

Gilda's eyes widened. "Don't you say that, Hawk. I just got one of my friends back and I'd hate to lose another."

Seeing her worry, Hawkeye began to clarify. "I'm not… fighting in… army. I'm training… to protect… family if things… go bad."

"Still though." Gilda said with a relieved sigh. "I just can't picture you fighting somebody."

"If it… comes to that." Hawkeye resigned with a shrug.

BROOOONNNNNGGG

Both griffons' heads snapped in the direction they heard the sound.

"Hawkeye?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me you heard that too."

"Yep."

A short silence settled over the conversation before Gilda asked, "You wanna find out what it was?"

"Nope." Hawkeye answered flatly. "Sounded… like it came from… Equestria."

Gilda's eyes narrowed at the land beyond her sight. Granted, the land of Equestria was one of magical mystery, but she'd never heard of random gonging noises that could be heard for miles. "Well, whatever caused that probably has it under control."

-Canterlot-

"Those sure were some good fritters." Applejack announced her delight with the snack car's wares as she patted her lower torso. "Not quite the same as Granny's, but still."

The six mares and Spike sat contently in their passenger car, their stomachs filled with all kinds of goodies the snack car had provided. Apple fritters, chocolate pieces, small bowls of fruit salad, sugary drinks, and to Twilight's delight, hay fries.

"Still bummed they didn't have any jewels." Spike groaned discontentedly. Sure, the hay fries had been good, but they couldn't hold a candle to a good chunk of sapphire or emerald.

Rainbow Dash gave the dragon playfully slap on the back. "I'm sure they'll have jewels for you to munch on in Canterlot, Spike."

A sudden lurch of the train caused the seven to jerk forward as the train stopped.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

The passenger car door opened to reveal the pale blue conductor pony, All Aboard, as he tipped his blue and red-striped cap to the group.

"Sorry, folks. Word just came in from Canterlot. I'm afraid we're gonna have to turn this train back at the next junction and head back to Ponyville." All Aboard said.

"On whose orders?" Twilight spoke up.

The conductor gave a slight bow to Twilight before returning to his original stance. "Princess Celestia's, your Highness. I'm sorry, but we need to go back."

"Aww! No Canterlot?" Pinkie exasperated. "But we were so looking forward to seeing the princesses again!"

"Pardon me, sir. But is there any way we can still get to Canterlot?" Rarity asked.

"I'm afraid not, Miss." The train conductor shook his head. "Unless you plan on walking the rest of the way to Canterlot, then I can't help you."

Twilight furrowed her eyebrows together as she puffed out her chest with authority. "Mister Conductor, sir, as Princess, I order you to continue the trip to Canterlot. Upon our arrival, I will explain the deviation to Celestia myself and you can go back to Ponyville station."

All Aboard's eyes narrowed in thought as he considered his options. One princess's orders versus another's… Ah, buck it. "Very well, Princess Twilight. I will stay the course, but I expect not to be prosecuted upon entering Canterlot."

Twilight gave All Aboard a gracious smile. "Thank you. And I will see to it that you won't be."

All Aboard turned back to the main engine, closing the door behind him.

"Dang. Way to take some authority there, Twilight." Spike complimented, nudging his guardian with an elbow.

Twilight regarded the dragon with a bashful grin "Thanks, Spike. But what could be happening that Celestia is preventing incoming passage to Canterlot?"

Princess Luna let out a sigh as she looked down on the bustling streets of Canterlot from the castle tower's balcony. The Citadel Initiative had just gotten underway as families and small business owners began packing up to leave the city. Given Canterlot's decently large population, the citywide evacuation was going to take at least a week.

If only we had a week left. Luna shook her head. The thoughts of the Shadow attacking Canterlot sent shivers down her spine. Even if he came alone to take on the entire Royal Guard and both her and Celestia, Luna feared that even that wouldn't be enough to stop him. Her blue eyes scanned the city, taking in the image of a still intact Canterlot. Who knows? The Shadow might spare the city and just take prisoners. After all, his agenda is giving out his version of freedom, so why destroy everything in his path? Wishful thinking.

"Luna?" Celestia's voice spoke up from behind her.

The princess in question kept her gaze focused on the city. "Yes, Tia?"

Celestia's hooves clomped on the stone floor of the balcony as she approached Luna's side. Within a few moments, both sisters stood side by side. "I was just making sure that you're alright."

"You ordered the guards to enact the Citadel Initiative?"

Celestia nodded. "Yes. Better to do it now than to wait until the Shadow is freed."

"He's not going to be satisfied with Canterlot, Celestia."

"I know."

The conversation was put on hold as both sisters let those words sink in. Should Canterlot fall to the Shadow, the rest of Equestria would go too. Manehattan, Fillydelphia, Ponyville, Appleloosa, all the land would soon be subjugated if Canterlot fell. Celestia shuddered at the thought of the Equestrian capital city's destruction. She prayed it would not come to that, but a part of her knew it was hoping against the inevitable.

"All the airships are readied for the evacuation?" Luna inquired.

"Most of them." Celestia thought of the massive air balloons suspending boat-like structures for the civilians to escape in. "They'll be bound for cities all across Equestria. From there, hopefully they will be able to escape to safer locations."

Luna turned to look at her sister. "With the Shadow, what safer locations could there be?"

Celestia opened her mouth to speak but was quickly cut off.

BROOOONNNNNGGG

Both Luna and Celestia turned to see where the sound had come from. In front of them was the northern mountain range that divided Equestria from the Crystal Empire.

Luna thought back to what Discord had said in the library.

But be warned that when the mountains chime, you will be out of time.

Luna's eyes widened as the realization hit her. "No." She breathed as she realized that the Shadow had just been set free.

-North Equestrian Mountain Range-

The Shadow yellow eyes glowed through the darkness of the cave, a victorious look blazing through them. The liquid-like shadow had fallen from his figure, revealing his storm grey fur, sharply angled wings, and horn. Cautiously, he took a tentative step forward. To his elation, the shield no longer held him back. He was finally free.

Trixie took a couple steps back at the fanged grin that stretched across the shadowy alicorn's mouth.

"At last." The Shadow breathed, closing his eyes in bliss.

Raspian took this moment to position himself between Chrysalis and their newly freed benefactor.

"So… what are we going to do now?" Fang asked, casting his gaze back and forth between his queen and the yellow-eyed alicorn.

The Shadow opened his eyes and cast them down to the black gauntlet on his right forehoof as a faint red glow began to pulsate around it. "I see you're taking freedom well."

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow at the newly freed pony. "Lodestar, if you may-"

"My name is not Lodestar." The Shadow's gaze shot to the changeling queen's. "Henceforth, I am to be called the Shadow."

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes at the Shadow. "I care not for what you name yourself. Are you still willing to help our cause?"

The Shadow bowed his head. "I am a malakh of my word."

Run, Trixie. The Shadow's voice said in the unicorn's head.

Trixie's eyes dashed from Chrysalis to the Shadow. "Wha-?"

Run, Trixie, and tell your princesses that I am free. I desire a challenge upon my return.

Trixie's legs shook for a moment as her mind screamed at them to move. Within seconds, the unicorn's horn suddenly glowed light purple as she disappeared in a flash of lavender.

"Hey! Where'd she go?" Cipha asked as she and Fang looking around the cavern. A small flare of light caught their attention at the opening to the main chamber of the cave.

"After her!" Chrysalis pointed a perforated hoof at the tunnel. "We can't have a witness!"

"Trixie! Get back here!" Cipha shouted as she and Fang spread their wings and shot into the air towards the tunnel.

Chrysalis looked down to see Chassis hadn't moved an inch. "Chassis! I gave you an order!" She bared her fangs at the insubordinate changeling.

I once told you that you can have it all, Chassis. Now is your chance. All the power, all the food, all the glory that the changelings will never give you, I can provide. The Shadow telepathically spoke to Chassis. You told me you are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. Prove it now.

Chassis's eyes narrowed in hostility, his horn glowing bright green. "What if I'm tired of your orders, Chrysalis?"

"You don't want to do this, Chassis." Raspian intervened as he spread his legs into a defensive stance in front of his queen.

A fanged smile stretched across Chassis's face. "But maybe I do."

Suddenly, a bolt of green energy shot from Chassis's horn and struck Raspian in the forehead, knocking the changeling captain unconscious to the cave floor.

"Raspian!" Chrysalis brought her horn to bear on Chassis and fired a blast of magic. It would have been milliseconds before the shot would have incapacitated Chassis.

But it didn't. A glowing yellow shield flashed into existence just before the blast could harm Chassis. Chassis turned to see the Shadow's horn glowing bright yellow.

"A wise decision, Chassis. One that will handsomely pay off for you." The Shadow said with a grin.

Chrysalis took a couple steps back from the pair. "This is treason!"

"No. This is freedom." The Shadow announced as the shield dissipated. "And I have you to thank for it, Chrysalis." The changeling queen couldn't react in time as a yellow burst of magic from the Shadow's horn struck her chest.

Chrysalis cried out in pain as she fell to the rocky floor. She strained her legs to stand back up, but found they wouldn't move. Her mind began to panic when she found that even her wings wouldn't expand. She lay paralyzed on the floor.

"My queen." Chrysalis heard Raspian wheeze nearby. Her eyes shot to where her captain lay. Before he could stand up, the Shadow was already over his figure. Chrysalis flinched as the alicorn pinned Raspian to the ground with a stomp of his hoof. She could've sworn she heard a faint crack as the Shadow's hoof met Raspian's side.

"I believe I promised you the first meal you'd have upon my freedom, Chassis." The Shadow said, motioning towards Chrysalis. "Claim your reward."

Chrysalis's eyes widened as tears began to well up in them. How could I have been so stupid? Her thoughts went back to the hive as Chassis approached her. She'd bet the future of the hive on the Shadow helping her, and she lost. No, not just her. The entire hive had lost, all because of her mistake.

"Finally. I've been in need of a decent meal for some time." Chassis drooled over the queen, a droplet splashing on her cheek. Baring his fangs, Chassis aimed his bite for the throat.

"One more thing, Chrysalis." The Shadow spoke up. All eyes turned to look at the Shadow as he spoke. "Didn't you say that there would be blood on this cave floor if I tricked you again? Well, you weren't exactly wrong."

Chrysalis let the tears flow freely as she faced her fate.

Receiving a nod from the Shadow, Chassis returned his attention to the queen at his hooves. "All hail the queen."

* With a lunge, Chassis sank his fangs into Chrysalis's neck. Green blood oozed from the wound as Chassis began to feed. Her love, such delicious love, began filling Chassis's maw. Within moments, a puddle of royal changeling blood pooled beneath Chrysalis's neck while Chassis feasted. Chrysalis didn't try to struggle, she didn't even make a whimper as she gave her body to the chilling death that was beginning to course through her being.

Chassis withdrew his now green-tainted fangs and closed his eyes as he let love's orgasmic taste linger on his taste buds. "Succulence. And now for the source." Lunging for Chrysalis's chest, his fangs sunk into the queen's chest cavity. A smile formed around his mouth as he felt his fangs puncture Chrysalis's heart. Green blood spilled from the tears in her chest and neck.

As Chrysalis felt herself slipping, she thought of the hive. How she'd failed them. How she could've found another option to find love. How she wished she could have another chance. How… she… Blackness fell over her vision as the queen of the changelings sank into death's embrace.

Chassis lifted his fangs from Chrysalis's fresh carcass and looked back at the Shadow, displaying his mad green grin.

"Well done, Chassis. You have chosen well."

"My queen!" Fang's voice sounded from down the tunnel. "We've recaptured Trixie. What should we do with-" He stopped at the sight of Chrysalis's dead body in the middle of the cave with Chassis standing over her, his teeth and chin dripping with changeling blood. "Chassis? What did you…?"

"Get them." The Shadow ordered.

Chassis's wings shot out as he took off towards the tunnel. Fang disappeared down the tunnel with Chassis in pursuit.

A soft whimpering sounded from beneath the Shadow as Raspian sobbed into the cave floor. The Shadow looked down at the captain as he stared at Chrysalis's body.

"I'm sorry." He wept, blinking tears out of his eyes. "I swore to protect you… and I failed."

The Shadow raised his gauntleted hoof, a sharp psshng sounded as the hoof blade sprang into the open. The Shadow smiled at the gauntlet. "Your patience has paid off, Siphon."

"I'm sorry." Raspian repeated to the dead changeling's body.

The Shadow turned his attention back to Raspian. "Do not worry, captain. If it is any consolation, you have helped bring freedom to this world. And for that, I thank you. Please accept my most heart-felt condolences for your queen."

"Heart-felt?" Raspian's voice turned angry between sniffs. "You… don't have a heart."

Shadow regarded the captain with contempt. "I know I don't."

Raspian's form stiffened as the blade shot into his body. He could feel it penetrate his lungs and stomach, green blood quickly filling them. The chill of death washed over him as blackness began to fill his vision.

"I gave up that right long ago." The Shadow withdrew the blade as quickly as he had thrust it in.

Raspian let his head fall to the cave floor. The last thing he saw before the darkness took his vision were his queen's lightless eyes. *

"Cipha! Run!" Fang screamed as he raced down the cave tunnel.

"What? But we just got her!" Cipha's voice echoed in reply.

Fang panted between words as he ran for his life. "Murder! Chrysalis has been murdered! Get on the balloon!"

"Am I worthy of being treated equally now, Fang?!" Chassis called from behind Fang. "I just killed the queen! That should be enough, shouldn't it?"

Fang's legs ran as fast as they could carry him. "Cipha! Get Trixie in the balloon and untie it!" He called as he began to see the midday light at the end of the tunnel.

"Come on, Fang! There's plenty of love to feed on now!" Chassis taunted.

"Balloon's untied!" Cipha called.

"What's going on in there?" Fang heard Trixie shout.

"Your love! Cipha's love! Trixie's, the queen's! It's all going to be mine!" Chassis screamed.

Fang could make out the balloon slowly floating away from the cave entrance. His wings extended as he neared the edge of the tunnel.

Cipha motioned for Fang to get on board. "Come on, Fang! Fly in!"

Fang leapt off the ground and let his wings take him through the rest of the tunnel. Shooting past the hole in the mountain, Fang cleared the cave and shot into the balloon's basket.

"Let the wind take it!" Fang shouted as the howling wind began to toss the balloon back and forth.

"You're not gonna let me have all the fun for myself, are ya?" Chassis's voice echoed as he neared the cave entrance.

"Don't let him pass! He's gonna kill us!" Fang panicked and lay flat onto the balloon basket.

Trixie looked from the cowering changeling to the cave entrance, a pair of crazed blue eyes rapidly approaching the exit. In an instant, her horn lit up as she cast a light purple shield wall that covered the cave's entrance.

The three in the basket watched as Chassis stopped just short of hitting the shield spell. Chassis stared back at them with hungry eyes as they blew away.

"Just get us out of here." Cipha spoke up.

Fang stood up and took the ropes of the balloon. Next stop, anywhere but here!

Chassis returned to the main chamber to find the Shadow looking over the recently stabbed Raspian. Didn't like that guy anyway.

"They got away?" the Shadow inquired without looking at the changeling.

Chassis hung his head in disappointment. "They did."

"Good." Chassis's head rose to see a smile on the Shadow's face. "Let them spread the word of my freedom. Strike some fear into the hearts of this world's populace before without having to lift a finger. As for you, Chassis," The changeling looked up into the Shadow's yellow eyes.

"You have done well today." The Shadow raised a hoof to Chassis's forehead. As soon as the hoof made contact with the changeling's head, Chassis's form straightened as he stared straight ahead. Chassis's features rapidly shifted in form. His horn grew longer and tapered to a sharper point. Bulky muscle mass grew on his shoulders and torso, increasing his height by a few inches. The changeling's wings grew in mass, the holes in them filling themselves with sinewy tissue.

The Shadow removed his hoof and looked on the mutated changeling, satisfied with his magic. "Your old title is no longer needed, seeing as you are no longer subservient to Chrysalis. Therefore, I give you the name… Brutus."

Chassis, now Brutus, blinked his eyes. The blue gaze of a changeling was gone, now replaced with glazed red eyes.

"Brutus." The reformed changeling repeated his new name. His new red eyes narrowed approvingly. "I like the sound of it."

"Excellent. Now, seeing as your former changeling hive is now without a ruler, what say we go fix that problem?" The Shadow said, extending his wings.

Brutus's newly restructured wings shot out in agreement. "My thoughts exactly."